Freedom Leaf Magazine - Issue 22

january/february 2017

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CHAMPS announces the MASTERS HALL of FAME. All past winners of the CHAMPS Masters Finals are now inducted into the Masters Hall of Fame.

These 5 inductees are also the judges for this year’s Masters Finals.

Chris Hurley MHoF & Judge

AKM MHoF & Judge

Icke MHoF & Judge

Icke 1st Place 2014 Masters Finals

Merwin MHoF & Judge

Turtle MHoF & Judge

Merwin 1st Place 2013 Masters Finals Turtle - 1st Place 2012 Masters Finals

East Coast Show: May 16-18, 2017 - Atlantic City Convention Center

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Every Hour One Store Wins Items From 12 Different Sponsors At Retail $2500 CHAMPS is giving away $5000! During CHAMPS Vegas We will draw the names of 15 lucky buyers*, one an hour, that win a Goodie Box shipped to your store (items from 12 different sponsors). The 15 Goodie Box winners are then in the running for the $5000 CASH drawing to be held on Thursday, February 9. All qualified buyers attending the show are automatically entered to win. *Eligibility limited to brick and mortar stores with 51%+ tobacco and/or 420 products. Call for details.

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FEATURES MARLEY, NATURALLY Steve Bloom THE BOB MARLEY PRIMER MARLEY NATURAL: GANJA FOR SALE Roy Trakin FL INTERVIEW: ERIK ALTIERI Allen St. Pierre THE QUEST FOR THE EMERALD CUP Chris Thompson THE PERSECUTION OF NJ WEEDMAN Chris Goldstein LEAVES OF GRASS (FROM BOP APOCALYPSE) Martin Torgoff

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NEWS & REVIEWS

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WORD ON THE TREE Mona Zhang GAUGING THE TRUMP EFFECT Paul Armentano BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS’ LIVE! Roy Trakin THE TOP 10 STONER MOVIES OF 2016 Steve Bloom EVENT CALENDAR

C O N T E N T S

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COLUMNS EDITOR’S NOTE Steve Bloom SSDP: SPOTLIGHT ON 2016 Lauren Padgett WOMEN GROW: 2016 LEADERSHIP SUMMIT Josh Crossley NORML: LIFE AFTER OBAMA Justin Strekal OAKSTERDAM U. PLANTS ROOTZ Dr. Aseem Sappal PURELY COSTA RICA Amanda Reiman INTRODUCING CURVED PAPERS Matt Chelsea

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DEBUNKING INDICA AND SATIVA Rick Pfrommer ZIGGY MARLEY’S ITAL KITCHEN Cheri Sicard TOTALLY RAD SOAPS Erin Hiatt FLY RASTA: THE MARLEY LIFESTYLE Beth Mann PIZZA FELLA Neal Warner

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EDITOR’S NOTE

February Is Bob Marley Month During my many years as an editor at High Times, one of the joys of that job was being the magazine’s liaison to the Marley family. It began in the early 1990s, when I asked for an interview with Ziggy Marley, the oldest son of Bob, who at that time was leading the Melody Makers. It took a few years, but I was ultimately able to convince Ziggy’s record company, Virgin, that he would be a suitable cover subject. The cover story appeared in 1993, during the campaign to promote the Melody Makers’ Joy and Blues album.

Two years later, Ziggy contributed the song “In the Flow”— from the Melody Makers’ 1995 Free Like We Want 2 B album—to NORML’s Hempilation benefit album, which I co-produced with the Hemp Industry Association’s Eric Steenstra and Phillip Walden Jr. from Capricorn Records. Freedom Leaf co-founder Richard Cowan, who at the time was the executive director of NORML, christened the album Hempilation: Freedom Is NORML. In 1998, Ziggy’s younger brother and fellow Melody Maker Stephen was the next Marley to appear on the cover of High Times. Eighteen years later, in 2006, I completed the trifecta when Damian became the third of the Marley brothers to grace the cover.

Of course, it all started with Bob. High Times famously featured him with a big pile of ganja on the cover of the September 1976 issue. Marley loved the magazine, and his family has continued to grant the cannabis press access, right up through this special Bob Marley issue of Freedom Leaf. What goes around came around.

February is not only Black Appreciation Month, it’s also Marley Month: Bob was born 71 years ago on Feb. 6, 1945.

Each February, it’s time to reflect on the importance of Bob Marley, and why the global reggae superstar remains a constant in our lives. He was a soul rebel who chanted down Babylon and fired up the masses with his swirling dreadlocks,

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Steve Bloom with Ziggy Marley after his Irving Plaza concert in New York in 2014.

brilliant music and inspirational messages. Perhaps most of all, he loved ganja, calling it “the healing of the nation.” Marley was simply the greatest supporter and promoter of marijuana there ever was.

With this in mind, we salute Bob Marley in this issue of Freedom Leaf with a number of Marley-related stories: Marley Natural, the Marley family cannabis company inspired by Bob (page 30); the deluxe reissue of Bob Marley & the Wailers’ Live! (page 72); Ziggy Marley’s new cookbook, from which Cheri Sicard adapts several recipes (page 64); Oaksterdam U.’s recent trip to Jamaica (page 22); and Beth Mann’s take on Rasta living (page 70).

So roll a big spliff, and think about the significance of Bob Marley and his family over the last 50 years. Jah Rastafari!

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Steve Bloom

Steve Bloom Editor-in-Chief

ISSUE 22

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

FOUNDERS Richard C. Cowan & Clifford J. Perry

PUBLISHER & CEO Clifford J. Perry

ART DIRECTOR Joe Gurreri

VP OF OPERATIONS Chris M. Sloan

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Steve Bloom

VP OF SALES & MARKETING Charles Mui

NEWS EDITOR Mona Zhang COPY EDITOR G. Moses

VP OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Ray Medeiros

SENIOR POLICY ADVISOR Paul Armentano

VP OF ADVOCACY & COMMUNICATIONS Allen St. Pierre COMMUNITY & NONPROFIT Chris Thompson

CONTRIBUTORS: Barry Anderson, Ngaio Bealum, Russ Belville, Matt Chelsea, Josh Crossney, Mia Di Stefano, Frances Fu, Chris Goldstein, Erin Hiatt, Mitch Mandell, Beth Mann, Lauren Padgett, Rick Pfrommer, Amanda Reiman, Dr. Aseem Sappal, Cheri Sicard, Justin Strekal, Martin Torgoff, Roy Trakin, Neal Warner

Copyright © 2017 by Freedom Leaf Inc. All rights reserved. Freedom Leaf Inc. assumes no liability for any claims or representations contained in this magazine.

Reproduction, in whole or in part, without permission is prohibited.

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Hollywood Sign Gets New Year’s Makeover

Police arrested Zachery Fernandez after he turned the Hollywood sign into “Hollyweed.”

Los Angeles received a New Year’s laugh when the city woke up to see the iconic Hollywood sign altered to say “Hollyweed.”

Zachary Fernandez, a 30-year-old artist known as “Jesus Hands,” claimed responsibility before his Jan. 9 arrest. Sarah Fern, another local artist (and his former wife), was his accomplice.

At 3 a.m. on New Year’s Day, Fernandez scaled the sign in Griffith Park and draped two traps—on decorated with a heart, the other with a peace sign—over the O’s to create E’s, and hence the word Hollyweed. “We did it all on a budget and were very resourceful about it,” Fern says.

“It was something to smile and laugh out loud about,” adds Fernandez. “Just to lift their spirits, because 2016 was a crazy year.”

The giant Hollyweed sign drew praise from stoners and pranksters alike. “I gave Zach, the Hollyweed guy, a pound of weed as a gift,” Tommy Chong tweeted.

“I don’t know who did this to the Holly-

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wood sign, but I’m quite impressed they got away with it,” Steve-O posted, along with a selfie of the sign.

This wasn’t the first time the sign has been transformed into that 420-friendly message. In 1976, Cal State art student Danny Finegood turned it into Hollyweed for a school project.

“He was adamant that it really wasn’t a prank,” says Finegood’s son, Matthew.

“He was doing something that didn’t harm the sign. He felt it was art, and he was trying to tell the world something he believed in and that people were supportive of.”

Like Finegood, Fernandez, who has worked for a medical marijuana delivery service in San Luis Obispo, Calif., maintains that the sign wasn’t just a stunt. “I wouldn’t call it a prank,” he contends. “I would say it’s an art installation. I’m very proactive about marijuana.”

Fernandez was released on his own recognizance, and is expected back in court Feb. 15.

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Teen Cannabis Use Lowest Since the ’90s Prohibitionists often argue that legalization “sends the wrong message” to young people. But the latest Monitoring the Future survey conducted by the National Institutes of Health acknowledges the continued decline in teen use of cannabis, despite legalization in four states since 2012.

“Marijuana, the most widely used of the illicit drugs, dropped sharply in 2016 in use among 8th-graders to 9.4%, or about one in every 11 indicating any use in the past 12 months,” the survey reports. “Use also declined among 10th-graders, as well, to 24% or about one in every four 10th-graders.

“The annual prevalence of marijuana use (referring to the percentage of using any marijuana in the prior 12 months) has been declining gradually among 8th-graders since 2010, and more sharply among 10th-graders

since 2013. Among 12th-graders, however, the prevalence of marijuana use is higher (36%) and has held steady since 2011.”

The numbers confounded NIDA Director Dr. Nora Volkow, who said, in December: “I don’t have an explanation.

This is somewhat surprising.” NIDA had predicted that accessibility and use would increase “based on the changes in legalization [and] culture in the U.S., as well as decreasing perceptions among teenagers that marijuana was harmful.” But the data say otherwise.

Researchers from the University of Michigan have been conducting the Monitoring the Future survey for the last 42 years. More than 45,000 students at 380 schools were interviewed for the latest survey, which concluded that drug, alcohol and tobacco use among teens are “the lowest since the 1990s.”

Medical Marijuana Patient Sues Amazon Connecticut medical cannabis patient Jeffrey Rigoletti is suing Amazon Inc. and Integrity Staffing Solutions for discrimination. Eleven days before Rigoletti was due to start work at an Amazon warehouse in Windsor on Oct. 24, he was informed that he would not be hired due to his marijuana use.

Rigoletti has a doctor’s recommendation to use medical cannabis for PTSD, and said he was up front about it with the staffing company who helped get him hired. His suit was filed with the state in December.

“No employer may refuse to hire a person or may discharge, penalize or threaten an employee solely on the basis of such person’s or employee’s status as a qualifying patient or primary caregiver,” reads the state’s medical cannabis law.

The statute makes clear that employers are still allowed “to prohibit the use of intoxicating substances during work hours.”

Rigoletti’s lawyer, Matthew D. Para-

disi, is hopeful that the case will send a message to employers. “You can’t frown upon this [medical marijuana] or discriminate against someone for taking what amounts to be their medication,” he says.

The case is similar to others in legal medical cannabis states, where courts have usually ruled against the patient.

But there’s at least one success story: In June, Michael Hirsch, a programmer for Lane County, Ore., was reinstated and received more than $21,000 in back pay in an arbitration ruling. The arbitrator decided that Hirsch’s employer couldn’t provide any evidence that his off-duty medical marijuana use impacted his job performance.

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DEA Extracts Code Worries CBD Producers The DEA’s new code for “marihuana extract,” 7350, announced on Dec. 14, is causing alarm in the cannabis industry. A marijuana extract is now defined as “containing one or more cannabinoids that has been derived from any plant of the genus Cannabis, other than the separated resin.” Cannabis resin (hash) will remain under the old code, 7360.

Extracts will share the same dreaded Schedule I controlled-drug category as marijuana and THC. While many interpreted this as a new rule that could result in a crackdown on CBD extracts, the agency was quick to clarify.

“We have not changed any control status with this Federal Register Notice,” DEA spokesperson Russ Baer states.

“Everything remains Schedule I.” The new code is needed for better tracking and to adhere to a similar code within the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs international treaty, he explains.

It doesn’t amount to a change in federal law, but the whole kerfuffle illuminates the gray area surrounding CBD. Denver-based law firm Hoban Law Group is considering suing the DEA on behalf of its cannabis clients.

“The definition of marijuana—laid out in the CSA—excludes certain parts of the cannabis plant, so if CBD is extracted from those exempt parts, it would not, in fact, be classified as marijuana,” notes the firm’s Managing Partner, Robert Hoban, who says that some of his clients are already suffering due to the new code.

Meanwhile, in October, the British Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency decided to classify CBD products as a medicine. Due to official concerns about medical claims made by producers in an unregulated market, companies will have to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of their products.

A University of Colorado Boulder study has found that NIDA-grown cannabis is far inferior to marijuana commonly available in state-legal markets. Currently, four federal medical patients receive monthly supplies of this inferior cannabis grown at the NIDA farm at the University of Mississippi. Just last year, the DEA approved the first whole-plant cannabis clinical trial using NIDA-supplied weed.

Scientists at CU-Boulder compared the cannabinoid profiles of NIDA pot with commercial samples available to consumers in Denver, Seattle and Oakland and Sacramento, Calif. At just 5%–6%, the NIDA weed samples had the lowest THC content; the commercial samples averaged 20% THC. Not only does the

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University of Mississippi

Federal Pot Inferior To Commercial Weed

The weak weed is grown at NIDA’s cannabis farm at the University of Mississippi in Oxford.

government marijuana lack potency, it’s also low in cannabinoid diversity.

“Our results demonstrate that the federally produced cannabis has significantly less variety and lower concentrations

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of cannabinoids,” the researchers stated on Nov. 14. “Current research… limits our understanding of the plants’ chemical, biological, psychological, medical and pharmacological properties. Investigation is urgently needed on the diverse forms of cannabis.”

The mediocrity of government pot could hinder any meaningful scientific study that employs NIDA’s cannabis.

“Medical research using only a limited number of varieties can be misleading, because variation in the amounts and ratios of cannabinoids may have a significant impact on the outcomes of the studies,” the researchers concluded.

Case in point: Federal glaucoma patient Elvy Musikka told Freedom Leaf

in Issue 16 that low-THC cannabis provided by NIDA and the DEA has significantly damaged her vision. “The stuff they sent me three years ago blinded me,” she said. “They sent us a bunch of garbage with no THC. It was hemp, which I love to wear, but it didn’t do anything for my glaucoma.”

The sudden loss of what was left of her vision required a surgery. “They want everyone on low THC, and here’s what happened to me,” Musikka explained. “It cost the taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars to take away some of my independence and blind me a little more than I already was. I blame this on the government for sending me that garbage and saying it was medicine.”

Canadian Task Force Proposes 18 Age Limit After five months of research, the Canadian government’s Task Force on Cannabis Legalization and Regulation released its exhaustive 106-page report on Dec. 13. Consisting of medical professionals, drug policy researchers and other experts, the task force consulted patients and other governments that have legalized adult use, and perused 30,000 comments from the public.

The highly anticipated report is nonbinding. Although the federal government, which appointed the task force, could choose to ignore its recommendations, it is expected to take into consideration much of the report’s content when it implements national legalization in 2017.

Some of the report’s primary recommendations are to set an age limit of 18 for purchases; restrict advertising and marketing, similar to tobacco; require plain, child-resistant packaging on all products, and “appropriate” labeling that includes THC and CBD levels; place higher taxes on higher-THC products; encourage a diverse market that includes small businesses; limit home grow to four plants; permit social use; and maintain a separate medical cannabis program.

A controversy has developed over the proposed age limit: While the Cana-

dian Medical Association had previously recommended an age limit of 21, some health experts interviewed by the task force argued that there was no “safe age” for cannabis consumption, based on available scientific evidence.

“We heard from many participants that setting the minimum age too high risked preserving the illicit market, particularly since the highest rates of use are in the 18-to-24 age range,” the report states. “A minimum age that was too high also raised concerns of further criminalization of youth, depending on the approach to enforcement.”

Anne McLellan, Chair of the task force, says 18 “is an age at which we believe, in our society, young people are capable of making informed, responsible decisions.”

Mona Zhang publishes the daily cannabis newsletter Word on the Tree. Subscribe to WOTT at wordonthetree.com.

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Gauging the Trump Effect State marijuana legalization and regulatory schemes are currently protected by a Department of Justice memorandum and federal legislation— but for how long?

By Paul Armentano Twenty-nine states have now legalized the therapeutic use of cannabis. In nearly all of these states, legislative provisions authorize state-licensed entities to grow and dispense marijuana or marijuana-infused products. In addition, eight states have legalized the adult use of cannabis, and retailers and sellers must possess a state-issued license in order to engage in commercial activity.

For the past few years, two important federal actions—the Cole Memorandum and the Rohrabacher-Farr Amendment— have assured that these activities can take place largely free from federal interference. But it may be up to the incoming Trump administration to decide whether or not these protections survive.

DOJ: The Cole Memo

Voters in Colorado and Washington shocked the world in November 2012 when majorities in both states decided in favor of legalizing the retail sale of cannabis to anyone aged 21 or older. The votes placed regulators in both states in uncharted territory. Up to that point, no state had ever licensed businesses to legally grow and sell pot to adults—activity that runs afoul of federal laws. The obvious question at the time was, what, if anything, would the Obama administration do about it?

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California Representative Sam Farr

On Aug. 29, 2013, then-Deputy Attorney General James Cole issued a Justice Department memorandum to U.S. attorneys outlining the administration’s position on adult-use legalization, which directs prosecutors to permit state-licensed marijuana facilities to operate without federal interference unless it can be established that they’re engaging in behavior that clearly violates “certain enforcement priorities that are of particular importance to the federal government,” such as the distribution of cannabis to minors or to non-legal states.

Since issuing the Cole Memo, the Feds have taken virtually no prosecutorial action against state-recognized producers or retailers.

Congress: The RohrabacherFarr Amendment

In 2014, after nearly a decade, cannabis advocates convinced a majority of Congress to enact legislation—the Rohrabacher-Farr Amendment, sponsored by California Reps. Dana Rohrabacher and Sam Farr—protecting the rights and activities of medical marijuana patients and providers.

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Absent the explicit assurances of the Cole Memo, it’s unclear whether state lawmakers and regulators will continue to move forward with licensing and taxing adult-use marijuana sales.

The amendment, codified into law by President Obama that December as part of the Fiscal Year 2015 Commerce, Justice and Appropriations Bill, states: “None of the funds made available in this act to the Department of Justice may be used... to prevent... states... from implementing their own state laws that authorize the use, distribution, possession or cultivation of medical marijuana.”

Congress reapproved the amendment in 2015, and this past August, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Justice Department efforts to sidestep the law. The three-judge panel ruled unanimously that the amendment’s language should be interpreted in the broadest manner possible, and that those who are engaged in state-compliant activities are no longer fair game for federal prosecutors.

In December 2016, Congress reauthorized the amendment as part of a short-term spending bill that expires on Apr. 28, 2017.

Looking Ahead: A Hazy Future The outlook for each of these measures in the Trump administration is uncertain.

Because the Cole Memo is intended as a set of guidelines for U.S. Attorneys and does not carry the weight of law, it can readily be ignored or even rescinded by

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the new administration. And that’s likely to happen if President Trump’s pick for Attorney General, militant prohibitionist Sen. Jeff Sessions, is confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

The Alabama politician has a long and outspoken history as Congress’ leading anti-pot zealot. He criticized the Obama administration for failing to enforce federal prohibitions in legal marijuana states, and once infamously stated, “Good people don’t smoke marijuana.” Absent the explicit assurances of the Cole Memo, it’s unclear whether state lawmakers and regulators will continue to move forward with licensing and taxing adult-use marijuana sales—activities that potentially place both cannabis businesses and state officials at risk of federal prosecution.

The ultimate fate of the Rohrabacher-Farr Amendment is also murky although congressional support for the measure has grown in recent years (it passed by a 242-186 margin in 2015), some have speculated that House Speaker Paul Ryan will no longer permit marijuana-related budgetary amendments to be debated on the House floor. Nonetheless, those closely involved in the process remain confident: Rep. Rohrabacher told Politico in December that he expects the amendment to be reauthorized for a third year by Congress, and that he believes that a Sessions-run Justice Department will abide by its provisions.

“He’s a strict constitutionalist who believes in the rule of law,” Rep. Rohrabacher commented. “I would expect that he’ll respect the prerogative of individual states to determine their own laws involving strictly intrastate commerce.”

NORML is urging people to tell their senators that they oppose Sessions as the next AG, and that Congress should reauthorize the Rohrabacher-Farr Amendment, and is issuing updates and action alerts at norml.org/act.

Paul Armentano is Deputy Director of NORML and Freedom Leaf’s Senior Policy Advisor, and the author of The Citizen’s Guide to State-by-State Marijuana Laws.

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Students for Sensible Drug Policy

Spotlight on 2016: Our Best Campus Campaign Ever

By Lauren Padgett SSDP had a profound influence on the legalization victories in eight states in 2016, with students making more than 70,000 voter contacts, and 100% growth in student involvement in targeted states.

Our investment in full-time and temporary campus coordinators, who spent the year training and organizing chapters to respond to this historic opportunity, was the key to SSDP’s success. Here are some more SSDP accomplishments in 2016: • April’s SSDP 2016 Conference: With content envisioned and developed almost exclusively by students, SSDP2016 comprised six plenaries and 30 other sessions led by 100 students, authors, experts and leaders in the drug policy reform movement, with 532 total participants. SSDP2017 will be held in Portland, Ore. on Mar. 14–16.

• The Youth Voice at UNGASS: On April 18, the eve of the historic United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on the World Drug Problem, we bused more than 150 SSDP students, alumni and allies from SSDP2016 in Virginia to New York City for a youth-led open soapbox demonstration next to the U.N. • Campus-level Victories: University of Texas at Austin SSDP effected the removal of mandatory suspension from campus housing for students who violate drug policies, SUNY Albany SSDP won the President’s Award for Campus Justice for educating students about the harms of the War on Drugs and Yale University SSDP received administration approval to develop drug education resources for incoming freshmen.

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• Alumni Mentorship Program: SSDP Mentors is a way for students and alumni to develop meaningful relationships that further the cause of sensible drug policy reform, while aiding students’ professional development. The goal of the program is to connect alumni and current SSDP students. To date, 37 mentor/mentee pairs have been matched.

• Just Say Know Campaign: Our new peer-to-peer drug education program provides evidence-based drug information on campuses, teaches students to recognize and address dangerous behaviors and attitudes, empowers them to reduce drug-related harm within their communities and fosters analysis of the relationship between drug policy and drug use.

• “Support. Don’t Punish.”

Global Day of Action: On June 26, SSDP participated in “Support. Don’t Punish,” which started three years ago as a response to the prohibitionist International Day Against Drug Abuse. Many SSDP members organized or participated in direct actions in a dozen cities in seven countries; 200 additional students participated online.

• The Sensible Society Continues to Grow: Our monthly donor club provides year-round support for SSDP operations. It started with 50 members in 2014. Today, the Sensible Society boasts 200 alumni, supporters, students, foundations and business leaders. Become a monthly donor at ssdp.org.

Lauren Padgett is SSDP’s Development Officer.

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THE DRUG THEFAILED. DRUG WAR Start making sense™ WAR FAILED. Start making sense™

Start a chapter, join the Sensible Society, and learn more at Start a chapter, join the ssdp.org Sensible Society, and learn more at january/february 2017

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ssdp.org

Women Grow 2017 Leadership Summit

By Josh Crossney The third annual Women Grow Leadership Summit, our flagship event, returns to Denver on Feb. 1–3. We’ve designed it to be inspirational in nature, yet educational and fun.

Feb. 2 is devoted to “lightning talks” at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House (1385 Curtis St.). During these short talks, presenters will detail their personal journeys and share stories on a wide variety of subjects. Speakers include Kara Bradford, Caela Binford, Felicia Carbajal, Alexis D’Angelo, Amy Dilullo, Julie Dooley, Cassandra Farrington, Sarah Grew, Ashley Heddy, Fenesha Hubbard, Jamie Lewis, Chanda Macias, Laila Makled, Maureen McNamara, Gail Rand, Lauren Rudick, Charlie Rutherford, Tracy Ryan and Karyn Wagner. Topics will range from Sexism in the Workplace and Demanding Diversity to Coming Out of the Cannabis Closet.

On Feb. 3, breakout sessions will take place at The Curtis Hotel (1405 Curtis St); 13 panel discussions are scheduled throughout the day. The topics include leadership, parenting, advocacy, sex, cultivation, health and healing.

The Women Grow Summit is the perfect place to connect with current and future leaders of the cannabis industry; Leah Heise was sitting in the audience as an attendee last year, and now she’s our CEO. You may be wondering why a guy is writing an article about Women Grow.

Last year, I won a Most Valuable Person of the Year Award at the Cannabis Business Awards hosted by Clover Leaf University, and, in a very short time, I went

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from watching on the sidelines of the cannabis industry to hosting the Cannabis Science Conference in Portland, Ore. in October.

I had met several Women Grow members at conferences, and these connections helped me forge new business partnerships and friendships. I met Heise, a fellow Baltimorean, and I began to network with her over the past year.

In October, I was named National Events Director of Women Grow. It has never been more important for the industry to come together and share our passion and enthusiasm to inspire a new generation of professionals and Women Grow members, and Women Grow will continue to connect, educate and inspire industry leaders in 2017.

The Women Grow Leadership Summit is not about how far we came last year, but about how far we can go this year. Join us in Denver and help us grow.

What: 2017 Women Grow Leadership Conference

When: February 1–3, 2017 Where: Denver, Colorado Cost: $597–$5,300

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Life After Obama: Legalizing More States

By Justin Strekal Every day, people from all over the country call the National NORML office in Washington, D.C. with concerns and questions about marijuana policy, and what’s coming next under the Trump administration and a Department of Justice that most likely will be led by Alabama senator and anti-marijuana crusader Jeff Sessions.

We should be angry and afraid.

We’ve had the right to be angry since marijuana prohibition began 80 years ago, when bureaucrats and politicians started demonizing responsible citizens by stoking racial and class divisions for their personal career advancement. But now that we’re in limbo—with marijuana still illegal in most states, but with public opinion shifting in our favor—the real question is: What are we going to do in 2017, 2018 and beyond?

While many of you are already engaged with NORML or other organizations that are working hard to reverse the devastatingly archaic prohibition of marijuana, now—more than ever—is the time to redouble our efforts to protect the advances that have been made over the last two decades, and to win over the hearts and minds of more American citizens and elected officials.

With so much progress in recent years, it would be easy to become complacent. Yes, it’s legal to purchase marijuana in Denver, but that doesn’t prevent people in non-legal states from being arrested in the privacy of their homes.

The work ahead of us will be more challenging than under the Obama administration, especially with a combative Attorney General like Sessions, who’s said, “Good people don’t smoke marijuana.”

NORML is focused both on revamp-

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Anti-Trump protestors gather in San Diego.

ing the technological tools needed to better empower chapters to organize events and to improve communication with members and on providing chapters with the necessary resources to run effective and truly grassroots organizations. In the coming months, look for NORML chapters to hold lobby days in their state capitals that will develop stronger relationships with legislators, and tear down the rhetorical walls that have prevented them from supporting legalization.

While we’ve achieved hard-fought victories in the eight legal states (45 have medical-marijuana laws), there’s still much work to be done. In the four active legal states, NORML chapters have been working to create employee protections for marijuana users, expand access to consumers and take on pharmaceutical lobbyists.

As the only grassroots, consumer-oriented cannabis advocacy organization in the U.S., NORML will continue our efforts to legalize marijuana in all 50 states and on the federal level.

Justin Strekal is NORML’s Political Director.

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Oaksterdam U. Plants Rootz in Jamaica

Rastafari Rootzfest’s Ras Iyah V with Oasksterdam University’s Dr. Azeem Sappal in Negril.

By Dr. Aseem Sappal In 2015, Jamaica decriminalized small amounts of cannabis and established the Cannabis Licensing Authority (CLA), which is currently setting up regulations for the cultivation, distribution, manufacture, transportation and consumption of medical cannabis on the Caribbean island, long known for reggae music and ganja.

Oaksterdam University, the first cannabis college in the United States, is in its second year of partnering with several Jamaican organizations. In addition to providing guidance regarding medical cannabis regulations, best practices and education for those interested in working in this nascent industry, Oaksterdam is also planning to conduct R&D and establish an official OU campus on the island.

Jamaica is earnestly working to create a friendly climate for foreign investors. Perhaps the immediate opportunity for economic growth lies in “ganja tourism,” which has the potential to provide the same kind of economic success seen in adult-use states like Colorado and Washington. As Jamaica moves forward, there’s also a strong desire to work with local farmers who’ve been growing cannabis for many years.

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The burgeoning cannabis industry is expected to evolve with very positive outcomes. One example is Rastafari Rootzfest, a three-day event at Long Bay Beach Park in Negril that celebrates Jamaica’s indigenous culture. The festival launched in November 2015 as a legal event after receiving approval from Jamaica’s Cabinet and Ministry of Justice. In 2016, the event was sponsored by the Tourism Enhancement Fund of the Ministry of Tourism, and endorsed by the Jamaica Tourist Board, the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Negril Chamber of Commerce and the Westmoreland Hemp and Ganja Farmers’ Association.

“We worked with a wide circle of strategic partners in the Rastafari, grassroots and cannabis fraternities to ensure the sustainable success of Rastafari Rootzfest as an annual calendar event for Jamaica’s cannabis, tourism, wellness and entertainment industries,” explains Ras Iyah V, who leads the festival’s management team.

The festival offers much to see, smell and eat. Senator Mark Golding and Minister Delroy Chuck participated in the opening ceremonies on Dec. 9. More than 75 exhibitors—including ganja companies, entrepreneurs and grassroots

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farmers—showcased their products and services, such as edibles, lotions, roots beverages and accessories.

As the major sponsor, Oaksterdam focused on providing educational seminars for attendees to empower the Rastafarian and grassroots communities to connect with economic opportunities in Jamaica. Presentations by Jimmy Sadegi, Gene West, Dr. Cliff Riley, Junior Gordon, myself and many others focused on cannabis cultivation and extraction, economics and business opportunities.

Oaksterdam also awarded scholarships to the Westmoreland Hemp and Ganja Farmers’ Association and the Hanover Ganja Growers’ Association.

Music ruled the evenings, with performances by Freddie McGregor, Andrew Tosh, Richie Spice, Half Pint, Sister Carol, Prince J, and Protoje and the Indiggnation Band. Performances of Peter Tosh’s “Legalize It’ (which became a global anthem for the ganja movement 40 years ago) and Spice’s “Marijuana Pon De Corner” were crowd favorites.

The Ganjamaica Cup and awards ceremony, produced by Ras Iyah V and the Rastafari In Inity team, captured the essence of the festival. Rastafarian elders were acknowledged for their role in Jamaica’s journey, and cup winners— UTECH Ganja Lab, Tender Buds, Island Kaya, UWI Department of Science, Ital Steam Chalice, Terpenes Plus, Roothouse and Isreadtech—happily accepted their awards. In addition, tribute was paid to Peter Tosh’s pioneering work as a militant ganja advocate and an ambassador for Rastafarian culture.

The sharing of a special steam chalice among visiting guest Chief Ian Campbell of the Squamish Nation of British Columbia and Rastafari representatives Ras Iyah V and Sister Terry, whose presence signaled a newer attitude regarding the role of Jamaican women in the ganja movement, was a major highlight.

Dr. Aseem Sappal is Provost and Dean of Faculty at Oaksterdam University.

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Purely Costa Rica

A bike tour of this Central American country is a welcome break for a cannabis activist.

By Amanda Reiman Pura vida. This phrase, often heard in the mystical nation of Costa Rica, means “pure life.” It refers to the pristine waters, untouched jungles and simple existence of Costa Ricans, or ticos. For those who seek the relief provided by cannabis and other plant medicines, pura vida is about avoiding artificial chemicals and processed products.

Amazingly, Costa Rica did away with its entire military in 1949. It embraces environmentalist culture, and the government encourages clean water and land conservation. Hundreds of bird, animal and plant species are unique to this country of 4.5 million inhabitants, and eco-villages and environmental organizations, such as Kids Saving the Rainforest, are a large part of the pura vida culture. For 76 consecutive days between June and August 2016, Costa Rica’s electricity needs were met entirely by renewable energy sources, chiefly hydropower, and the nation aims to soon generate 100% of its electricity from renewables.

In December, I traveled to Costa Rica—sandwiched between Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south, and the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea to the West and East—for a fiveday bike trip through wet and dry forests organized by a Berkeley, Calif.-based company, Backroads, that offers hiking,

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biking and multi-sport tours around the world. Trip leaders take care of logistics, food, lodging and equipment, and guests have the luxury of seeing new lands up-close and personal—in this case, from a bicycle.

Cannabis is not legal in Costa Rica, although laws against its use are rarely enforced; personal possession and cultivation are often described as de facto legal. There’s no statutorily mandated jail time as a punishment for personaluse cannabis activities.

In 2015, a bill was introduced in the Legislative Assembly to formally legalize cannabis for medical purposes. If passed, Costa Rica would join other Latin American nations like Uruguay, Colombia, Brazil, Chile and Argentina in legalizing medical marijuana.

Since smoking is a rare sight in Costa Rica, and I wanted to be respectful of local culture and clean-air regulations, I vaporized instead. My zip line adventure through the jungle canopy, and a hot springs soak after a 35-mile bike ride, was definitely enhanced by Utopia Farms’ medicated macaroons.

Costa Rica is a special place. The balanced ecosystem and tico culture feel like a warm hug to any cannabis consumer.

Amanda Reiman is Manager of Marijuana Law and Policy at the Drug Policy Alliance.

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Songwriter.

Outlaw. Legend.

At last, Willie tells the whole story.

Download Willie’s original song “It’s a Long Story” at www.myredmusic.com/willienelson Free with proof of purchase.

LITTLE, BROWN AND COMPANY

On sale now in hardcover, ebook, audio, and large print wherever books are sold

january/february 2017

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Throwing a Curve

Rounded rolling papers are the latest market innovation.

By Matt Chelsea As a MIT-educated software developer, computer animation innovator and entrepreneur, Michael O’Malley knows the world of tech start-ups. But the retail sales launch of his easy-to-roll papers comes with a different twist: It’s the first time O’Malley has blended cannabis into his business efforts in such a big way.

“Everybody loves them,” says O’Malley, the owner of New Yorkbased Curved Papers, which come with one side with rounded corners. “They are genuinely easy to roll.”

After nearly three years of acquiring patMichael O’Malley says his Curved Papers “solve a very basic problem that’s been common around the world for centuries.” ents and trademarks, creating a package design and logos and setting up producA category dominated by a handful tion and distribution, O’Malley is planof giants (Zig-Zag, EZ-Wider, RAW), ning a major rollout of his Curved Papers the rolling paper business—fueled by in the U.S. this year. With production in cannabis and tobacco consumers—tips the Dominican Republic, a retail distributhe scales at nearly $5 billion annually tion network lined up from San Diego to worldwide. “When we get a percentage the Pacific Northwest and across Canof that, it will be huge,” O’Malley predicts. ada, and legal sales of cannabis on the “There’s a lot of money to be made.” rise across the U.S. and around the O’Malley traces his roots in the rollworld, Curved Papers expects to ramp ing paper business to the 1970s, when up sales quickly. he studied architecture at MIT. He recalls “Distributors are always looking the introduction of papers with the corfor something new,” O’Malley explains. ners cut off that came with joint rolling “We’ll be in 10 or 12 cities to start. We’ll machines; but inserting the paper into focus on the U.S. and Canada in 2017, the device was tricky. Instead, O’Malley and Europe in 2018.” started using scissors to trim rectangu-

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lar papers into a curved shape, which allows the edges of the joint to tuck more easily into the ends.

“The classic roll-your-own problem is that you have to keep the top and bottom edge parallel, otherwise the front corner doesn’t tuck—that’s what makes rolling a joint so hard,” he explains. “Curved Papers solve a very basic problem that’s been common around the world for centuries.”

Prior to launching Curved Papers in 2014, O’Malley founded Kinetic Designs Inc., a startup that created animation and rendering technology for architectural firms. He developed expertise as a communications and production specialist, combining his technical, creative and business abilities. As a designer and project manager, O’Malley has provided technology, media and business solutions for more than 100 websites, and animation for the Rolling Stones and IBM. During his time in the tech and design sectors, O’Malley continued to make small batches of his own curved papers, which he called Mike O’Malley Designer Rolling Papers. As the cannabis revolution took hold, and his two children went off to college, O’Malley founded Curved Papers, and he attracted financial backers on trips to Seattle, Denver, Los Angeles, Toronto, Vancouver and Europe.

The business may be competitive, but it’s not too big to accommodate a new player, O’Malley insists, because the industry craves innovation. Curved Papers will compete at the typical $2 per pack price point (they’re currently available at curvedpapers.com). Hemp papers, rice papers and unbleached papers, and Curved Blunt and Canna Blunt wraps, are coming next.

“Legend has it that the first cigarette papers were made out of pages from French soldiers’ Bibles,” O’Malley says. “It’s a 400-year-old business, a real old thing. People are looking for something, anything new.

All the papers are the same; it’s all just about branding. Curved Papers are truly different.”

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A

ief Br

History

of

In 1894, in France, the Braunstein Brothers developed a packaging process to interweave cigarette papers to allow them to be dispensed from a pack one at a time.

The Z shape of the interleaved papers inspired the product name.

In 1900, Zig-Zag won a gold medal at the Exposition Universelle in Paris.

Nowadays, Zig-Zag papers are one of many product lines owned in the U.S. by Turning Point Brands (TPB), a tobacco company that also sells the Red Hat, Stoker’s and Primal brands. (In Europe, Zig-Zag is owned by Republic Technologies International.) Last May, TPB floated an initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange that raised $54 million, with the stock selling at $10 a share; at the end of 2016, it had climbed to just below $13 a share.

TPB doesn’t provide Zig-Zag sales numbers from its smoking product division, which rang up $28.8 million in sales in the third quarter of 2016. The company has cited continued sales growth of its Zig-Zag roll-your-own cigar wraps.

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Business is booming for the first family of reggae’s Marley Natural line of cannabis products. By Steve Bloom “Herb is the healing of the nation,” Bob Marley famously said about ganja. “When you smoke herb, you reveal yourself.”

Wracked with cancer, the reggae legend passed away 36 years ago. But his vibrant music lives on, along with his love of the sacred herb.

On Nov. 18, 2014, the Marley family announced that they had signed a 30-year exclusive worldwide licensing agreement with Privateer Holdings, the cannabis investment firm based in Seattle, to launch a line of marijuana products under the Marley Natural brand.

Last year, on Feb. 6, Marley’s birthday, they held a lavish party in the Hollywood Hills to promote Marley Natural flower strains, concentrates, vaporizer cartridge pens, and body care and accessory collections. The products are currently available in stores in California and Oregon with plans to move into Washington this spring.

All the ganja is grown outdoors. “In California, we hand-select cannabis from local, experienced farmers committed to sustainable growing methods,” Marley Natural’s Marketing and Communications Director Berrin Noorata tells Freedom Leaf. “Many of the farmers we work with are located in Northern California.

All of our cannabis is grown by the power of the sun, without harmful chemicals or pesticides. We will be looking at greenhouse grow plans when and where necessary, such as in Canada, as we expand to other markets.”

Privateer CEO Brendan Kennedy sees Marley Natural as a perfect fit. “For us, the appeal of Bob Marley is that each new generation seems to discover and identify with his voice and music,” he

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says. “That was hugely important to us; his voice around peace, unity and social justice really matched our own thoughts on the need to end prohibition, and harms caused by prohibition. It’s more than just about cannabis—it’s about building a responsible brand.”

The deal was incubated in 2013, when Creative Artists Agency (CAA), which represents the Marley family, reached out to Privateer after reading an article about the company. Following their first meeting with CAA, Kennedy was introduced to Marley’s wife, singer Rita Marley, and their daughter Cedella, who heads up both Marley Natural and Tuff Gong International, the Marleys’ record company.

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“We had four conversations,” Kennedy recalls, “two on the phone and two in person over a two-month period. That started an additional 15 months or so of conversations that took place in Seattle, Vancouver, New York, Los Angeles, Miami and Kingston.

“We were excited,” he says. “Brands are expensive and take a long time to build. And we felt like we could jump 10 years ahead Cedella Marley: “Herb for Daddy was a spiritual thing.” of everyone else by creating a brand chase a 77,000-square-foot prison in around Bob Marley. We couldn’t think of another cultural icon that was more Coalinga, Calif. and convert it into a culticlosely associated with cannabis than vation facility.

Bob Marley. That was a huge part of the “Many people sacrificed so much for appeal. It took 1,000 hours of my time the herb over the years who got locked over the course of two years to finalize up,” Damian Marley told Billboard. “If this the terms of the deal.” helps people and it’s used for medicinal They decided to break the news on purposes and inspires people, it’s a sucThe Today Show. “It was thrilling to see cess.” such mainstream coverage,” Kennedy His manager, Dan Dalton, added: says. “We had more than 2,000 unique “Cannabis is something that’s around stories about it in 196 countries. There Damian every day with his friends, family were 2.3 billion media impressions about and his Rastafarian faith. We’ve watched that story! This spoke to Bob’s global people who have sacrificed their lives for reach, which is an essential reason why it. That injustice has motivated us to be we didn’t do a deal with other celebrities advocates, knowing that there are healwho had approached us who were more ing properties in cannabis.” narrowly focused on the U.S. We’ve been Cedella Marley echoes those sentiapproached by nearly every celebrity ments in a statement provided exclusiveinterested in creating their own brands, ly to FL: “Herb for Daddy was a spiritual but those opportunities aren’t very interthing. It made him feel connected to God esting to us. We feel like we have the and the Earth. He believed it was a sacone we wanted.” ramental thing. He believed it had to be In addition to Marley Natural, sevenjoyed responsibly. There are times eral family members have their own when you can see he would just meditate marijuana businesses. Eldest son Ziggy and start to write his music. I think he has a line of hemp seed and coconut believed it inspired him. My mother would oil products, Ziggy Marley Organics, tell me stories about him waking up in and fellow reggae star Damian recently the morning, having a spliff and thankinvested in the Denver pot shop Stony ing Jah for the beautiful day, drinking his Hill, and made an even bigger splash cocoa tea and going for a two-mile run in October when it was announced that on the beach. he had partnered with Ocean Grown “Daddy viewed the herb as someExtracts on a $4.1 million deal to purthing spiritual that could awaken our january/february 2017

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“We hope that Marley Natural can help make the world a better place, by using Daddy’s voice to help people realize the many benefits of cannabis for the mind, the body and the spirit.”

— Cedella Marley well-being, deepen our reflection, connect us to nature and liberate our creativity.”

With a company office in New York and operations in California, the family’s roots in Jamaica, where cannabis was decriminalized in 2015, are not forgotten.

“The Marley Natural team has spent a lot of time in Jamaica with the cannabisgrowing community,” Noorata explains.

“It’s extremely important to work with Jamaican farmers to bring Marley Natural flowers and oil to the island. The regulatory framework for medical cannabis in Jamaica is still being developed.

As soon as the system gets up and running, we intend to explore how to bring our brand to the market in a way that respects and contributes positively to Jamaica’s ganja growers.”

One Marley Natural strain, Blue Mountain Fire, originates in Jamaica, but “since it’s not legal to move cannabis seeds and plants

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across international borders, we have to source strains locally,” Noorata says.

The Marley family contributes to Jamaican society through Rise Up, Marley Natural’s social-impact initiative created to give back to both Jamaica and communities outside of Jamaica that have been harmed by cannabis prohibition. In Jamaica, Rise Up is funding programs operated by four organizations focused on supporting communities across the island: Oracabessa Bay Fish Sanctuary, Farm Up Jamaica, Golden Valley Farmer’s Group and Occupy Pinnacle.

“Our intent is to continue to invest in projects that are helping entrepreneurial people strive toward a better future in Jamaica, and elsewhere around the world, as our company grows,” Noorata adds.

And growing it is. “We hope that Marley Natural can help make the world a better place, by using Daddy’s voice to help people realize the many benefits of cannabis for the mind, the body and the spirit,” Cedella Marley says. “We would like to see Marley Natural become one of the world’s leading premium cannabis brands, deeply rooted in Daddy’s life and legacy. And we want this brand to be something that does good. I think he would be very proud of what we are doing with Marley Natural, and happy to see this day.”

Matt Chelsea contributed to this article.

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The Bob Marley PRIMER

Some facts and trivia about the reggae legend Born

Robert Nesta Marley February 6, 1945 Nine Mile, Jamaica

Parents

Norval Sinclair Marley Cedella Malcolm Booker

Raised

Trench Town, Kingston, Jamaica

Married

Original Wailers

Bob Marley Peter Tosh Bunny (Livingston) Wailer

The I Threes

Rita Anderson, Feb. 10, 1966

Marcia Griffiths Rita Marley Judy Mowatt

Children

Biggest U.S. Hits

Imani Carole, 1963 Sharon, 1964 Cedella, 1967 David (Ziggy), 1968 Stephen, 1972 Robert (Robbie), 1972 Rohan, 1972 Karen, 1973 Stephanie, 1974 Julian, 1975 Ky-Mani, 1976 Damian, 1978 Makeda, 1981

Group Names

The Teenagers The Wailing Rudeboys The Wailing Wailers The Wailers Bob Marley & the Wailers

“Exodus,” No. 19, 1976 “Roots, Rock, Reggae,” No. 37, 1976 “Waiting in Vain,” No. 13, 1976

Biggest Cover of a Marley Song

“I Shot the Sheriff,” by Eric Clapton, No. 1, 1974

Biggest U.S. Albums

Rastaman Vibration, No. 9, 1976 Exodus Uprising Kaya

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Best Ganja Songs

“Kaya,” 1978 “Rebel Music (3 O’Clock Roadblock),” 1974 “Easy Skanking,” 1978 “Get Up, Stand Up,” 1973

Famous Ganja Sayings

“Herb is the healing of the nation.”

“When you smoke the herb, it reveals you to yourself.”

“The more people smoke herb, the more Babylon fall.”

Final Performances

May 30, 1981, Hallenstadion, Zurich Sept. 23, 1980, Stanley Theater, Pittsburgh Sept. 19–20, 1980, Madison Square Garden, New York

Death

May 11, 1981 Miami, Fla. Cause: melanoma

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Illustration by Barry Anderson

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Ganja for Sale Freedom Leaf goes shopping for Marley Natural products in Los Angeles. By Roy Trakin

W

hile big tobacco and alcohol companies prepare for the inevitable mainstream legalization of herb, celebrity stoners are already on the weed-marketing bandwagon. Those lending their names (and presumably their expertise) to brands already in stores include such legendary tokemeisters as Willie Nelson, Snoop Dogg, Tommy Chong and Wiz Khalifa, with many others poised to follow.

Marley Natural launched in February 2016 in California with a range of products that include flowers, oils, ointments, body lotions, vape pens and waterpipes made of “sustainably grown” American black walnut. Marley Natural strives for authenticity when it comes to packaging, which of course, is half the battle in the consumer marketplace. Give them credit for trying to maintain a high level of craft and quality.

“Each of our offerings is a direct reflection of the Marley ethos that integrates nature’s goodness with a belief in the positive potential of herb,” their website boasts. “As agents of change, we promote positivity, connectivity and

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personal transformation. And as believers in progress, we offer an exceptional lifestyle line that is inspired by Jamaica’s vibrant culture.”

It’s not like the Marley name hasn’t already been used to promote such products as coffee and headphones (via House of Marley), enough to rank him on the Top 5 of last year’s Forbes list of highest-earning dead celebrities.

Tracking down Marley products at Los Angeles-area dispensaries requires two stops. First is the ultra-chic Buds & Roses in the Valley in Studio City at 13047 Ventura Blvd. They have just one Marley strain of flower (their Lime Sherbet sativa) on the menu and hybrid cannabis oil cartridges. I take one of each.

Over the hill on the other side of town, the West Hollywood-based Los Angeles Patients & Caregivers Group (LAPCG) at 7213 Santa Monica Blvd. has a Marley Natural poster in its display window and is well-stocked, with a full assortment of products, including the four major categories—Black (indica), Gold (sativa), Green (hybrid) and Red (CBDrich, which has anti-inflammatory and

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Marley Natural smokeable products come in four colors: Green, Gold, Red and Black.

anti-anxiety properties, minus the “getting high” part). I purchase one of each, except for the CBD strain.

Eighths cost a very reasonable $40–$45 and come packaged in nifty glass canisters featuring vacuum-sealed, plastic-lined wood tops embossed with the circled M logo, just as each label includes the Lion of Judah. The buds are meticulously pruned and manicured, ranging from red-haired Rebel Sour bud to dark-green, densely-layered Gorilla Glue #4 flower.

Rebel Sour (17.6% THC) goes down smooth, and has a pretty good head rush for a supposedly milder body high. Its

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fellow Marley Gold sativa Lime Sherbet (23.6%) feels a lot stronger. The Pink Sunset (26%) indica packs even more of a wallop, and the powerful Gorilla Glue #4 (27.2%) hybrid tops them all, with its considerable lung expansion. The Marley Green cannabis oil cartridge offers a halfgram with a whopping 65.2% THC. I like to call these contraptions the equivalent of digital pot; they cut out the middleman (the leaf) and give you the essence of cannabis.

For OG stoners who grew up on exotic Jamaican strains such as Lamb’s Bread, there’s something spiritual, almost religious, about smoking herb that comes with Bob Marley’s posthumous seal of approval. It’s like you’re communing with Bob—his spirit is in the smoke—and that’s precisely how the Marley Natural people want you to feel.

This is what we tokers have been dreaming of since the first glimmers of legalization, through the medicinal era and now into the first stages of legal trade. The next step is going to be very critical in terms of balancing the commercial prospects with the sacred aura that’s always attached itself to the magical herb. Marley Natural is a step in the right direction of this brave new world.

Roy Trakin’s review of Bob Marley & the Wailers’ Live! (Deluxe Edition) is on page 72.

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Freedom Leaf INTERVIEW

Erik Altieri Interview by Allen St. Pierre On Nov. 15, Erik Altieri became the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Law’s ninth Executive Director since its founding in 1970, following my departure after 11 years in that position. An executive director’s experience at a non-profit public advocacy organization like NORML can be both intellectual heaven and emotional hell. Today, tremendous opportunities exist to help enact good public policy for cannabis consumers and businesses—amid painful reminders of the wretched failures of nearly 80 years of pot prohibition, still fueled by the nearly 2,000 cannabis-related arrests made daily by law enforcement in the United States. At the crossroads between ongoing cannabis prohibition by the federal government and the vast majority of states, and legal states

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that have recently abandoned failed prohibition policies, the need for a public advocacy group like NORML has never been greater. Freedom Leaf conducted this interview with Altieri shortly after he took over the helm of NORML. Where are you from, and where did you go to college?

I was born and raised in Northeast Philadelphia, and spent the later part of my childhood in South Jersey. I became deeply involved with politics at a young age, mostly based on anti-war activism as our nation entered Afghanistan and Iraq in the early 2000s. Once bitten by the activism bug, I moved to the nation’s capital and attended American University, where I studied philosophy and theology.

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How did you become a marijuana activist?

I came to marijuana activism, as I believe many of us have, through first being a consumer. Marijuana became a part of my everyday life during my college years; I found it a great way to unwind at the end of a long, stressful day without compromising myself for the next day’s work and classes. I also, naturally, found it to be a great boon to my creativity when writing philosophical essays for my major. So I think my initial activism was spurred by my irritation at the hypocrisy of our drug laws; it never seemed right that the rest of society could legally and in the open consume as much alcohol as they deemed appropriate, but if I chose to spend an evening at home smoking a joint and playing video games while disturbing no one, I could risk having my door kicked in by an overly militarized police force.

As I began to look into the history and current dynamics surrounding our nation’s marijuana laws, I came to realize that the problem was far more pervasive and pernicious than I initially comprehended. From fueling our schools-toprison pipeline, to being used as a tool to oppress already vulnerable communities, to denying suffering patients access to an effective treatment, to blocking the cultivation of a plant with as many uses as industrial hemp, to the racially disparate arrests being made in the name of the war on marijuana consumers—the tentacles of prohibition reach into nearly every facet of our society with devastating results. The fact that we were still pursuing these policies, despite their failure over the better part of seven decades, was to me a form of madness. The anger this spurred drove me to become a marijuana activist—something that would come to define my life for the next decade.

When did you start working at NORML and how did that come about?

While I was personally interested and passionate about drug policy reform, I

didn’t become formally involved with the movement in any official capacity until 2007, when I was hired to be an intern at NORML. The year before, a friend of mine, Joe Forte, attended a marijuana march in Philadelphia [hosted by Philly NORML], and returned incredibly excited and motivated about what he saw. He told me about this organization that was working to legalize marijuana nationwide, and the large number of members and activists that were working alongside them and taking the fight to the streets in all 50 states. I previously had been relatively unfamiliar with NORML, and was inspired to read more about the organization and learn about its past and current efforts.

When it came time to find a place to work in Washington, D.C., I quickly realized that an organization such as NORML would surely have an office in the nation’s capital, so I looked them up and applied for an internship. That began my often wild, weird and incredible journey through the marijuana legalization movement. The devastating consequences facing our nation due to marijuana prohibition, mass incarceration, racial justice issues and the overall War on Drugs motivated me to get involved and dig deeper into these areas.

At that point, what were your responsibilities with NORML? After starting as an intern, I quickly assumed the position of Communications Director. I ran NORML’s federal and state lobbying efforts and legislative outreach, administered NORML’s social media networks and served as a spokesman to the press. I also became the manager of NORML PAC, and worked to elect marijuana reform-friendly candidates at all levels of government, and helped our candidates properly message and advocate for our cause. My initial tenure at NORML ran from 2007 through early 2015.

From the anti-drug policies of the G.W. Bush administration to the more liberal approach to drug policy of Barack

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NORML’s ninth-ever executive director Erik Altieri in NORML’s Washington, D.C. office.

Obama, the country went through major changes during your first stint at NORML. It’s fascinating to look back now, given how much progress has been accomplished in even just the past four years.

When I first started working at NORML, George W. Bush was still president, and the thought that we’d have eight states with fully legalized marijuana in less than a decade seemed like a far-off dream.

The best we could really do at that point was fight for incremental state law changes, namely decriminalization and some restrictive medical marijuana programs, while doing our best to help the victims of prohibition with support and legal advice, and keeping as many people out of jail as possible.

What hastened the move toward state legalization policies?

I recall a lot of it beginning with Michael Phelps. When the Olympic swimmer was photographed consuming marijuana at a party in 2008, it became front-page news across the country and, as odd as it seems, really started the conversation

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about marijuana and legalization for a lot of folks who weren’t paying attention to the issue. With Barack Obama running for the presidency in 2008, and winning while declaring the War on Drugs a failure, the future started to look brighter. Empowered by the changing winds, activists placed Proposition 19 on the ballot in California during the 2010 election cycle. While Prop 19 was ultimately defeated by a few percentage points, it let the genie out of the bottle and showed the country how close we were to actually passing legalization at the state level.

We learned our lessons from that campaign, and came back in 2012 to win our first legalization victories in Colorado and Washington. There was no turning back from there.

Why did you leave NORML in 2015?

Aside from working a bit in web development prior to joining the organization, NORML had been most of my professional life. I suppose that after nearly eight years working for one organization on one issue, I got a bit of wanderlust and wanted to try my hand in some other political arenas. I went to help revitalize

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and run a few non-profits like the Mayday PAC, which are mostly focused on combating the corroding influence of big money on our political process. As they say, there’s no place like home, and given the opportunity to return to NORML as Executive Director, after a two-year sabbatical, was something I couldn’t pass up.

Now that you’re back, what are your priorities?

My initial priorities for NORML are modernization and mobilization. Better systems can improve not just our ability to engage in grassroots fundraising—the lifeblood of the organization—but also our ability to more effectively mobilize our supporters and turn their activism into true political power. Many of NORML’s internal systems need to be brought up to date to ensure that our chapters and volunteers are being supported in their work in the best way possible. We also need to redouble our efforts and organization around grassroots mobilization. If there’s one thing this election cycle reaffirmed, whether you supported Bernie Sanders or Donald Trump, it’s that there is true political power in the grassroots. When tapped into and deployed effectively, it’s a real force to be reckoned with.

What does NORML do best?

NORML’s competitive advantage in the universe of drug reform groups is our massive grassroots base. NORML has never been, and never will be, about me sitting at my desk in Washington. It’s about the people in small towns and cities across America—the mothers who dedicate their weekends to staffing organizing tables for their NORML chapter at local farmers’ markets; the veterans who take time out of their trying lives to persistently testify before their state legislatures and lobby their elected officials for access to marijuana to treat PTSD; the dozens of college groups organically forming on campuses from the East Coast to the West. At NORML’s core are the people who support us and volun-

“If there’s one thing this election cycle reaffirmed, whether you were supporting Bernie Sanders or Donald Trump, it’s that there is true political power in the grassroots.” teer their time to engage in local political advocacy. NORML is at its best when we’re helping everyday Americans take power into their own hands and change the laws in their communities. We’ll redouble our efforts in that regard in 2017, and work even harder to provide our local groups with the support and resources they need to be successful.

What should NORML be doing better?

We need to capitalize on our unique position and nationwide support base to work with our many chapters to pursue law changes at the local and state levels, while continuing a robust advocacy program at the federal level. We will likely never be funded by a single billionaire donor, and I don’t think I’d want us to be.

By being funded mostly by small contributions from Americans of all stripes, we have the ability to not be beholden to the interests of any individual or corporation.

Our only commitment is to marijuana consumers. Since I started at the organization, we’ve been able to increase the overall volume of our grassroots fund-

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Erik Altieri with Sen. Corey Booker (left) and speaking at a DFW NORML event in Texas.

raising, without changing the spirit. The average contribution in the last months of 2016 was $35.

What does the future hold for NORML? NORML is all about resources and potential. My goal is a grassroots political revolution for marijuana policy in this country. NORML is at its best when we’re supporting and amplifying the voices of average Americans who are sick and tired of the devastating impact prohibition has had on their communities, and encouraging them to stand up, fight back and do something about it. We need to support these individuals and groups with better resources and guidance when it comes to effective advocacy and lobbying. With tens of thousands of grassroots activists nationwide fighting under the NORML brand, it’s just a matter of smartly deploying resources and giving our supporters the tools and information they need to succeed.

NORML also has to balance a twofront war: one taking place under prohibition, and one in post-legalization America. With 42 states yet to legalize the adult use of marijuana, we have a lot of work to do to roll back our draconian marijuana laws at the state level.

We also have to ensure, in states that have already moved forward with legalization, that consumer-friendly regulations are put in place, and consumers can get high-quality products at affordable prices. That’s on top of the federal fights regarding descheduling, taxes and

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banking. Lastly, we need to continue the fight for social-use clubs. I don’t think any of us thought we’d legalize marijuana just to continue consuming it in our basements in solitude.

What is likely to happen to marijuana law reform during the Donald Trump presidency?

Trump’s election and his nomination of Jeff Sessions for Attorney General was certainly a wake-up call for legalization supporters. If anyone was naive enough to think it would be smooth sailing from when we passed legalization in Colorado in 2012 through us legalizing all 50 states, they are surely beginning to see the folly of that assumption. Simply put, marijuana reformers need to be active and engaged, ready and organized. They need to be vocal, and fight back against any attempts to take away our hard-fought gains. In the best-case scenario, President Trump will stick to his campaign trail promises and let states set their own marijuana policies. In the worst-case scenario, his Attorney General can send a chill across the current legal marijuana industry, and work to shut down commercial enterprises in states that have approved medical marijuana or full legalization.

That’s not to say that I encourage worry and panic; I do not. I encourage vigilance. When we stand together, we can weather any potential storm coming and continue to push for legalization in every state across the nation.

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The Quest for

By chris thompson

California’s largest marijuana expo draws the connoisseur crowd.

W

ith around 400 vendors and more than 30,000 attendees at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa, Calif. on Dec. 10–11, the 13th annual Emerald Cup was one of the biggest cannabis events of 2016.

The fabled Northern California festival is renowned for attracting the state’s best cannabis growers and extractors.

Pony Boy, founder of the marijuana rap group Los Marijuanos, has been in the cannabis game for more than 17 years, and he assembled our Emerald Cup crew. (Pony Boy recently signed a marketing deal with Freedom Leaf.) He invited me and photographer Big E Scott to road-trip with him to the Cup, where he planned to promote his new marijuana merchandise line.

We set off on Dec. 9 from the Freedom Leaf office in Las Vegas, loading our minivan with provisions (gas-station snacks) and refreshments (energy drinks). The van came with fantastic legroom and a multitude of cup holders— necessities for our 10-hour, 600-mile voyage to the land of great marijuana. I was the sole driver for the entire expedition, which would prove to be a drain on my dabbing ability. But all that driving wasn’t

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a bad trade-off for attending the industry’s dankest event.

On the first day of the Cup, Big E and I beat Pony Boy to the fairgrounds. It was cold and rainy in Santa Rosa that early morning, and we hadn’t packed warm clothing. Even worse, we’d left our bud in the car, thinking that we would get into the event quickly. When all hope seemed lost, some generous fellow line-waiters started to pass around blunts, which made the time go by faster and much more pleasantly. We finally met up with Pony Boy, and managed to finagle our way into the show.

Growing up in Indiana, I went to many 4H fairs and small-town festivals.

When we walked in, that’s exactly what the Emerald Cup looked like to me—just another 4H fair full of bustling people and busy vendors. But then it dawned on me, as we walked into the packed fairgrounds, that all of these people were here for one reason: cannabis. Every legal state was represented at the Cup, from Down East Mainers to old-school Cali cultivators.

Just inside the entrance was the appropriately named “Hall of Flowers,” where the generous people at Gro-Kashi opened up their booth to us as our home

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base. Next to us was a massive cylindrical glass case filled with gorgeous buds waiting to be judged. I’d never seen so many different varieties laid out in such an alluring manner. The wood-paneled display case was at least six feet tall, with bright show lights on the inside.

Every type of strain you could imagine was there, in every shade and hue: massive, deep purple buds; dark green ones with orange tendrils; light green nugs shimmering with trichomes; and everything in between.

Right behind the flower display, there was a long rectangular case packed with every kind of concentrate: Golden crumble, amber wax, dark brown oil and yellow shatter; they all made my mouth water as I stared longingly at the contenders. These exhibits were the highlight of the Hall of Flowers, and streams of people ventured to the cases to admire the products. In total, a staggering 1,200 entries were submitted for judging.

While we spent much of our time in the Hall of Flowers, passing out Freedom Leaf magazines and shooting videos with Pony Boy, the Emerald Cup spread out across the entire Sonoma County Fairgrounds. All of the non-horticulture industry booths were in the Hall of Flowers, like nutrition and supplement companies.

The Science and Compliance stage was next door in Finley Hall; presentations were given on industry regulations and

Every type of strain you could imagine was represented, in every shade and hue: massive, deep purple buds; dark green ones with orange tendrils; light green nugs shimmering with trichomes. testing, and lawyers and doctors had booths there. The Cultivation stage was in Kraft Hall, where various experts discussed growing techniques. The Grace Pavilion hosted musical performances by Damian Marley, Dirty Heads and others.

In addition to the broad selection of attractions, there were a number of food

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E Scott (@freshgfxlv)

Pony Boy (middle) and Chris Thompson (right) at the Emerald Cup.

vendors—offering good old-fashioned fair grub like pizza and hot dogs, perfect for the inevitable munchies—to choose from while walking in between the halls.

The remaining half of the fairgrounds was dedicated to the enormous Prop 215 section, where patients could openly smoke and vape flower and concentrates. You needed a special wristband, available at booths around the fairgrounds, to get in. I visited a stylish wood-paneled bar where a smiling woman stood before a spectacular selection of wax. Feeling like Indiana Jones picking out the Holy Grail, I chose a sample of Frostberry Diesel. Many more dabs— they were being given out like treats at a candy store—ensued over the two days at numerous booths. After a while it all started to blur together into a happy daze.

The ample supply of concentrates available for sampling was cause for both joy and concern. Let’s face it, this is not your grandpa’s hash. Inexperienced smokers need to be extremely careful at large-scale cannabis events like the Emerald Cup. But, by and large, attendees were able to handle the high-dose hits with few problems.

While the event itself was fantastic, the drive back to Las Vegas felt harder than climbing Mount Doom. Big E and Ponyboy both passed out less than halfway into the drive. But somehow I managed to stay awake and get us back to Las Vegas.

We’re already planning to make the pilgrimage to Santa Rosa this year, and once again bask in the glory of all that cannabis. It’s now legal for all uses in California, so we won’t need to have a special wristband to light up next time.

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1

Zkittles (Dookie Brothers, Humboldt)

2

Purple Candy Cane (Greenshock Farms, Mendocino)

3

Strain #8 (3rd Gen/Terp Hogz/Dying Breed, Mendocino)

4

Jack (Gold County Cannabis/EFF, Yuba)

5

Golden Dragon (Silver Dragon Farm, Mendocino)

6

Fossil Fuel #7 (Holistic Farms, El Dorado)

7

Durban Poison (High Mountain Holistic/ Emerald Family Farms, Humboldt)

8 9 10

Banana Split #7 (Cut Creek Farms, Humboldt) Gorilla Glu (Bay Area Kush Masters, Nevada County) Mango OG (Sunnabis, Humboldt)

Chris Thompson is Freedom Leaf’s Community and Nonprofit Manager.

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The Persecution of

NJ Weedman For many years, Ed Forchion has called for his home state to legalize marijuana.

Instead, they’re trying to put him in jail.

By Chris Goldstein Many people driving to New Jersey’s capital city of Trenton take Route 29 alongside the Delaware River, and pass a bridge emblazoned with the giant phrase, TRENTON MAKES— THE WORLD TAKES. Robert Edward Forchion, a.k.a. NJ Weedman, perfectly embodies that spirit of broad innovation, seamlessly carrying out the roles of activist, writer, legal expert and business owner.

Lighting up joints in public, and on the floor of the N.J. General Assembly and in a Trenton City Council meeting, has earned him both respect and admonition from his peers. Although not formally trained in law, he’s represented himself in numerous court proceedings over the years, persuading jurors to grant favorable verdicts.

Police, prosecutors and politicians have gone to extremes in their attempts to silence the dreadlocked black cannabis reformer and entrepreneur from Cam-

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den, N.J., but Forchion, 52, has fought them back at every turn, much to their collective chagrin. The latest onslaught of bizarre law enforcement actions against him involves a SWAT Team, a confidential informant and a cop named Officer Herb Flowers (not kidding).

“They’re really going for it,” Forchion tells me, genuinely astonished and slowly shaking his head at his current situation.

We’re at his sandwich shop, The Joint, on Trenton’s State Street, which is at the center of his current conflict.

Just one year ago, The Joint was packed with customers, many wearing government access badges on lanyards. It’s directly across the street from Trenton City Hall, just one block from the federal courthouse and the EPA building, and surrounded by office buildings filled with workers. In a strange juxtaposition, Forchion was serving coffee and lemonade to tables full of government employees.

The Joint was actually successful, and there was a sincere mutual affection between the owner and his patrons.

On July 3, Assemblyman Reed Gusciora even presented Forchion with an official recognition certificate from the legislature, and the local press gave Forchion’s food venture glowing write-ups.

They probably didn’t notice the door that opened into the so-called “cannabis temple” in an adjacent room, where registered medical marijuana patients, religious consumers and others peace-

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In documents obtained in discovery for his trial, Forchion learned that police had sent a confidential informant to the temple to buy pot. Forchion has been honest with reporters, saying that there was a general donation jar and that marijuana “isn’t free.” Eventually he outed the informant on social media, calling him a pawn and charging the authorities with entrapment.

The Joint remained defiantly open after the raid. City officials and Trenton Police kept sending fines for serving food after 11 p.m. When cops started camping out on his corner, Forchion made a large hand-printed sign that read, WE ARE OPEN—FUCK THE POLICE. “I was exercising free speech,” he explains. “The sign could have said, ‘We are open despite the police,’ or, ‘We are open regardless of the police,’ but I said ‘Fuck the Police’ because they’d been harassing us.”

When Officer Flowers saw the sign on May 10, Forchion says that he commanded him to “‘Shut up and stop holding the sign.’

“I know my First Amendment rights,” Forchion says. “Police officers didn’t like what I was doing, but there was nothing illegal.”

The dispute between Forchion and Flowers went downhill from there.

“At some point he said something I thought was derogatory—something about smoking too much.

I said to him, ‘Why don’t you go out and investigate some pedophilia charges?’ Then I started calling him a pedophile,” Forchion admits. “I was trying to push him.”

An employee at The Joint shot video of the May 10 incident and immediately uploaded it on YouTube. Three days later, Forchion was

In

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JOE GURRERI

fully gathered around chessboards and lounge tables, with eclectic mural art decorating the walls. The scent of marijuana mingled with popcorn and breakfast sandwiches for nearly a year, and no one seemed to mind.

In April 2015, Forchion held a 4/20 march up the street to the Statehouse that featured hundreds of people smoking openly, and he started pushing the Trenton City Council for a decriminalization ordinance. The longtime radical appeared to be going almost mainstream.

But everything changed last February when Trenton Police told Forchion that The Joint was in a residential zone and could not serve customers after 11 p.m.

And they warned him to close the temple. Believing that he was in a business zone, Forchion ignored the orders to shut down early.

On April 28, the Mercer County Narcotics Task Force and Trenton Police entered the building and seized marijuana (around 2.5 pounds), edibles (32 grams) and bongs. Forchion wasn’t there, but he was subsequently arrested on marijuana distribution charges.

KANA GROGAN

Scenes from State Street in Trenton where Ed Forchion (right) and his restaurant The Joint have been at the center of controversy. His WeedMobile van was confiscated and destroyed.

arrested for cyber harassment. At his first hearing on the charges, which carry up to 18 months in prison, Forchion pleaded not guilty.

The Joint was subsequently stripped of its business license, and Forchion challenged the ruling. The Trenton City Clerk looked over some detailed zoning maps, and—in a real surprise—agreed with Forchion, and restored his license.

The very public conflict with law enforcement has driven away the lifeblood of Forchion’s business, which he believes was their ultimate goal. “Some people were actually told not to come back, not to be seen here, but a few [government employees] still come in,” Forchion says.

Sharp in any debate, Forchion’s opponents often underestimate him and then suffer a stinging intellectual rebuke.

His live trolling of Governor Chris Christie was epic: He followed him to radio appearances and 2013 campaign stops in his WeedMobile van, brightly airbrushed with marijuana leaves, lightheartedly shouting things over a loudspeaker.

Gov. Christie famously engaged in seemingly amicable banter with Forchion in March 2015, and even suggested: “Why don’t you go call President Obama, get his opinion? Why don’t you bring the weed truck out in front of the White House and tell me how it goes.”

The WeedMobile was seized during the raid and sat impounded under some obscure regulations, before the unmis-

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takable vehicle was ultimately crushed into a metal cube.

Forchion has made many deep sacrifices for the cause, including giving up time with his children, and ensuring that he has decent healthcare; because he served in the Army, he relies on the Veterans Affairs hospital for his pressing medical needs.

Will advocates like Ed Forchion have a place in a regulated cannabis world?

Will non-white, non-wealthy Americans have any chance to peddle legal pot? As the money from marijuana legalization starts pouring in, it’s people like Forchion who rightfully feel that some of it should come their way. For NJ Weedman to become the smiling proprietor of a completely legal joint-selling business would be a profound step forward.

Forchion, the irrepressible underdog, may be on the cusp of his biggest triumph yet: There’s a real possibility that, in the next round of court cases, he could be awarded millions of dollars in damages because of the egregious missteps of authorities.

But beyond any legal victory, Forchion is determined to see the tables at The Joint full again. “I want to get those customers back,” he says. Having witnessed his striking determination, I’m sure he will.

Chris Goldstein writes for Philly.com. He is the former Senior Editor of Freedom Leaf.

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Allen Ginsberg and friends in 1964.

Leaves of Grass Controversial Beat Generation poet Allen Ginsberg was an avid marijuana advocate who helped found the legalization movement.

By Martin Torgoff 54 www.freedomleaf.com

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T

he first time he was ever really high on marijuana, Allen Ginsberg was driving in a car with Walter Adams, a friend from Columbia University, on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. He began to realize how high he was because the streets and people were mutating into some vast robot megalopolis that seemed to be inside a great firmament of brilliant blinking lights, and he began to feel that he was floating in a boundless universe.

At first he was frightened by how fast and radical the changes were in his perception of space and time. He felt hopelessly lost in a place he knew well, and just parking the car seemed a titanic trial. When they finally got the car squared away and walked into an old-fashioned ice cream parlor at the corner of 91st and Broadway, they sat down at a table and he ordered a black-and-white sundae. When it appeared—“this great mound of snowlike ice cream but absolutely sweet and pure and clean and bright”—he couldn’t quite believe his eyes, but as good as it looked, that was nothing compared to what happened when he took his spoon and put some into his mouth. The hot chocolate syrup had become a chewy candy in the icecold vanilla cream, and each and every delicious molecule of it seemed to detonate on his tongue.

“What an amazing taste it had! I don’t think I ever truly appreciated what an outstanding invention a black-and-white ice cream sundae was—and how cheap it was, too!”

And then, as Ginsberg perceived the infinitude of the blue sky and looked out the plate-glass window and saw the river of life flowing past—the people walking dogs, smiling, laughing, weeping—he experienced a moment of profound synchronicity and well-being, “everything just perfectly joyful and gay.”

Marijuana had been way more fun and interesting than Ginsberg had ever expected, and he began to think about how he might apply the high to other experiences. At the time, he was tak-

ing an art course at Columbia, and he became curious to see what would happen if he experienced the paintings of Paul Cézanne at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in that state of mind, so he arranged a special viewing and made sure to smoke a few “sticks” in the garden before going in. As he stood staring at the paintings, he noticed that he began to understand the artist’s use of space and color in a way he hadn’t before— the way the warmer colors seemed to advance toward him and the cooler colors receded. It was a new kind of funhouse “optical consciousness” that Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac would later call “eyeball kicks.”

One can easily recognize, in Ginsberg’s experience of that black-and-white sundae, a foretaste of the gastronomic delight that millions would later discover after smoking and getting “the munchies,” and reaching for that pint of ice cream, or, in his notion of “eyeball kicks,” the aesthetic foundations of the psychedelic light shows of the 1960s.

But, of course, all of that was decades away. Very few people smoked marijuana at the time, and when Ginsberg would get high and walk around the Columbia campus by himself, he was always acutely and uncomfortably aware of being the only one in that population of 20,000 “intelligent scholars” who happened to be in that particular state of consciousness. In addition to the “fear and trembling that would come just from the sense of being in awe of the great enormity I was in, just in smoking it and altering the mind and being in the universe,” he began to understand the “just plain paranoia that was connected to exploring the illegal unknown….

Remember, there was always the association of what society was laying on you, the notion of the ‘dope fiend.’ If you altered consciousness, there was something wrong with you, and I would often find myself pondering the official terminologies and implications of just what it meant to be a fiend, which is a very strange, horrific, almost science-fiction distortion of reality, wicked and diabolically cruel.”

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(From left) Pot activist Allen Ginsberg making a statement in 1964; Neal Cassady with Timothy Leary on Ken Kesey’s magic bus, also in 1964; and Cassady and Jack Kerouac in 1952.

By far what disturbed Ginsberg the most was realizing how this substance that could expand his awareness and actually impart something educational had been so demonized by “this giant official government propaganda machine called the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, because you found it in the media everywhere you looked.”

But as intensely aware as Ginsberg was of the kind of trouble he could get into, that wasn’t about to stop him—“what it had to offer far outweighed the dangers, it seemed”—and that was when he, William S. Burroughs and Kerouac began putting Benzedrine in their chewing gum, and smoking marijuana when they could get it, and going down to Times Square just to see what would happen. eal Cassady’s arrest for three joints in San Francisco in 1958 and the suppression of Burroughs’ Naked Lunch were clarion calls that foreshadowed all of Ginsberg’s activism of the ’60s. Before Cassady’s arrest, Ginsberg had only written about drugs; now he began speaking out about them publicly, using his fame as a poet to publicize his views. He also recognized the necessity of informing his opinions with fact, and began compiling his legendary drug files: “I began the files when the Beat Generation first started becoming a public matter—and that included the aspect of drugs and the distortions of the drug story as well as the distortion of the Beat Generation.”

Besides Cassady’s arrest, the other event that turned Ginsberg into “the orig-

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inal culture warrior for cannabis, a oneman anti-reefer madness wrecking crew determined to shake the foundations of pot prohibition,” as Smoke Signals author Martin A. Lee calls him was his 1961 appearance on the John Crosby talk show on CBS TV, along with guests Ashley Montagu and Norman Mailer.

“We were going to discuss the modern sensibility and maybe a touch of ‘Beat’ or ‘hip’ and what it meant on television. I had lunch with Mailer before, and said that I’d like to bring up the subject of the decriminalization or legalization of marijuana. He said that it would be foolish because we’d never get anywhere with that; it would just be considered shocking. But I did say something about it when it came up on the program, and when I did Ashley Montagu added that he thought I was right, there was no great danger with marijuana, and that he thought the government’s story about it was wrong. So then Mailer chimed in that he had ‘tried it somewhere’ and that it was all right; and then Crosby, the host, added that he had tried it in Africa safely, and we all came to this consensus.”

The FCC immediately intervened and forced Crosby and CBS to run a sevenminute refutation from the Narcotics Bureau that denounced the guests for their views. Both Ginsberg and Crosby were enraged by the disavowal, which was run by the network as a public service announcement. Did not a citizen’s right of free speech also apply to the kind of public discussion of marijuana on television he had engaged in?

“What outraged me most was, first of

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all, the presumption of the government to take over the airwaves like that—they couldn’t do that now,” he said years later. “What right did the FCC have to be opposing our suggestions about the change of a law? But in those days, people were scared to death of the very subject, which is why Mailer had been so hesitant and dubious about even bringing it up. He smoked marijuana and had a lot to lose by the scrutiny of that aspect of his life—just like the rest of us—so it wasn’t only a matter of censorship; it was a matter of the kind of fear, which produced self-censorship, and it was enormous. It was censorship to the extent that you couldn’t even open up your mouth on television without being refuted by the government.”

What Ginsberg did next would have an important impact on his life for years to come. “I wrote a long, long letter to Harry Anslinger [commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics], vowing to get him. I called him a disgrace and presented a long catalog of the duplicity and lies that they had been promoting for so many years.”

In essence, the letter was an audacious declaration by Ginsberg of his passionate intention to pursue through political means the legalization of marijuana in the United States. Nobody knows exactly how Anslinger reacted to the missive, or whether or not it caused the FBI to open its long file on Ginsberg. Doubtless the Federal Bureau of Narcotics was not receiving many such letters in those days, and to send one like it was not only a bold but a reckless thing to do, especially if one happened to be a gay Beat poet who smoked marijuana, as Allen Ginsberg was. From that moment on, the bureau and local narcotics police in New York would look for a way to set the poet up for a marijuana bust.

“When I got my Freedom of Information Act material so many years later, I found out that as of the date of the John Crosby broadcast, from then on, any suggestion that marijuana be legalized—by anybody—went into my file. For about three or four years, right around the beginning of the ’60s, if anyone

expressed such a notion in public, in any form, it went into my file. So, yes, I had quite a big file. It was quite amazing.”

Ginsberg was already well aware that any organized effort to legalize marijuana in the United States would be a difficult struggle that would have to be waged on many levels. On the one hand, it would have to confront all the scientific, medical and sociological myths regarding the effects of the weed that had been built up since the ’30s, which had become so deeply ingrained in the public mind that they were blindly accepted as truth by an overwhelming majority of the American population. On the other hand, it would also have to counter what the weed had come to represent in the public mind, and in this regard it would have to deal with an image. This part of the campaign would have to be, in effect, a public relations campaign designed to counter what Ginsberg believed was 30 years of disinformation—to remove precisely what New York Times book reviewer Gilbert Millstein had called its “readily recognizable stigmata,” and thereby make its decriminalization and legalization more plausible.

As Ginsberg viewed it, as surely as Gandhi had to confront the British imperialist mindset in order to bring about the independence of India, such a movement would run headlong into the ramparts of some of the basic premises of American culture, society and politics. Already, by the late ’50s and the coming of the Beat Generation, the notion was being circulated that marijuana was not only harmful in itself and would lead to harder drugs, but that it could induce a “defeatist” sensibility in the population regarding the Cold War. People all across the political spectrum believed that marijuana could sap the will of the people to resist Communism as easily as it could devitalize the will and ability of Americans to work and produce and consume goods and services, which, in a rapidly expanding economy of automobiles and household products would be equally catastrophic— the true undoing of the American way of life.

The files that Ginsberg began com-

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I wrote a long, long letter to Harry Anslinger, vowing to get him. I called him a disgrace.

— ALLEN GINSBERG

“

”

piling, which would eventually become a significant part of his personal archive in the Butler Library at Columbia University, were composed of innumerable yellowed clippings of newspaper articles, carbon copies of reports and dog-eared, underlined studies and oral testimonies—anything he could get his hands on having to do with not only the culture of marijuana, but all the drugs of the illicit pharmacopoeia. If he saw a newspaper article about somebody—like Cassady—given an outrageously draconian prison sentence for a tiny amount of marijuana, he clipped it; any information he could find, any evidence of the skullduggery of the government, the corruption of the police, the machinations of politicians, the inaccuracies of the media, the manipulations of scientists and researchers, was gleaned and gathered, organized and filed.

He was particularly interested in people speaking truthfully about their marijuana experiences—people who could tell the true story of its underground use and culture, as Mezz Mezzrow had done in Really the Blues, and could describe the short- and long-term effects.

Nothing like an independently compiled sociological record of marijuana use had existed in the United States since the La Guardia Committee Report of 1944, which had become almost impossible to locate. Little else existed apart from isolated fragments about cannabis in the scholarly and medical literature in some university libraries; information compiled on individuals by narcotics squads; some intelligence about smuggling and records of arrests in police departments; and the

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self-serving statistical data of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics.

What began to accrue in Ginsberg’s East Village pad toward the end of the ’50s, first in manila folders, then in cardboard boxes, eventually in big iron filing cabinets, was a remarkable record of the government’s suppression of a part of its population that would only grow progressively larger over the years—the counterweight to the lies and myths that Anslinger had compiled to launch the crusade against marijuana in the ’30s.

“Almost everyone has experimented with [marijuana] and tried writing something on it. It’s all part of their poetic— no, their metaphysical—education.” As Ginsberg saw it, drugs were going to be “a cutting-edge issue—one of the fundamental ways we defined ourselves as a people in the second half of the 20th century.” llen Ginsberg always viewed the Beat Generation as a “decisive moment in American consciousness.” As he fulfilled his destiny as an epic bard and became one of the most famous American poets of the 20th century, he remained focused on drug use and how it could affect consciousness, creativity and culture. He also remained a passionate advocate for changes in drug laws and policies.

On a snowy December day in 1964, Ginsberg made good on his vow to challenge Harry Anslinger and the Marihuana Tax Act by appearing in Lower Manhattan with a small band of activists carrying signs that read “Pot Is Fun” and “Pot Is a Reality Kick.” The group that Ginsberg formed with Ed Sanders was called LEMAR (for “Legalize Marijuana”), and it marked the beginning of the campaign to legalize marijuana in America.

A

Excerpted from Bop Apocalypse: Jazz, Race, the Beats, and Drugs by Martin Torgoff. Copyright © 2017.

Available from Da Capo Press, an imprint of Perseus Books LLC, a subsidiary of Hachette Book Group Inc.

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Debunking

By Rick Pfrommer

AND

INDICA SATIVA Terpenes are key

What you really need to know about marijuana: ince the advent of widely available scientific testing, many long-held assumptions about cannabis are being questioned or even dismissed. With testing for THC and CBD, and molds, pesticides and other foreign elements, many cannabis consumers now know far more about what they’re consuming than ever before.

Terpene testing began in earnest a few years ago, and the scientific data available to consumers, and what this data indicates, has become increasingly important. One of the most significant new ideas derived from this new data is that common notions about indica and sativa strains are not as indicative of their effects as a strain’s particular combination of THC, CBD and terpenes.

Since the 1970s, most cannabis aficionados have grouped herb into two main categories: indica and sativa.

Defined by plant morphology, indicas are generally short, stocky plants with a close internodal distance and

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a wide, often overlapping leaf structure, while sativas have a longer, looser bud structure with lanky, thin leaves.

The 38th parallel is the dividing line between where the two different cannabis species traditionally grow. North of this line, in countries like Afghanistan and Pakistan, squat plants primarily used for hash making are known as indicas.

South of this line, in countries like Mexico and India, tall plants, commonly reaching 14 feet or more, are known as sativas.

One theory holds that all cannabis plants started as sativas, and as the plant migrated geographically, it simply adapted to its new climates and conditions.

Each species is described broadly as having particular effects: Indicas are said to be heavy and sleep-inducing, with a pronounced “body high,” while sativas are described as having an up or “head high,” and also the potential to induce anxiety. For almost three decades these simplistic definitions have been widely believed and disseminated.

One of the top sci-

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IV SAT A

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ICA

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Rick Pfrommer is the Principal Consultant at PfrommerNow.

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entific experts on cannabis, Dr. Ethan Russo, is best known for his pioneering work with GW Pharmaceuticals in developing the first commercially available cannabis medicine in almost 80 years, Sativex. More recently, he conducted an extensive study of terpenes and their effects, and reached some pretty surprising conclusions.

“The sativa/indica distinction commonly applied in the lay literature is total nonsense and an exercise in futility,” Dr. Russo said in 2015, of the traditional classifications. “One cannot in any way correctly guess the biochemical content of a given cannabis plant based on its height, branching or leaf morphology.”

With this one statement, he basically dismissed three decades of herbal folk wisdom. Dr. Russo’s work is changing the way we look at and describe cannabis; he posits that terpenes play a far more important role than commonly thought in determining how a particular strain affects an individual.

“The sedation [effect] of the so-called indica strain is falsely attributed to CBD content, when, in fact, CBD is stimulating in low to moderate doses,” Dr. Russo emphatically contends. “Rather, sedation in most cannabis strains is attributable to their myrcene content—a monoterpene with a strongly sedative couch-lock effect. In contrast, a high limonene content, common in citrus peels, will be uplifting on mood, while the presence of alpha-pinene can effectively reduce or eliminate shortterm memory impairment classically induced by THC.”

The effects of terpenes have been known for years. The entire perfume industry is built around concentrating and combining specific terpenes in order to make wearers more attractive and compelling, and the uplifting effects of limonene and pinene are employed by the cleaning products industry to make their products more enjoyable to use. This also applies to the most popular strains—from the limonene lift of Tangie to the pinene punch of Jack Herer—but most cannabis users don’t really know it yet.

If it were up to Dr. Russo, we would most certainly do away with the current descriptors. “I’d strongly encourage the scientific community, the press and the public to abandon the sativa/indica nomenclature, and insist that accurate biochemical assays and terpenoid profiles be available in both the medical and recreational markets,” he says. “Scientific accuracy and the public health demand no less than this.”

Given the attachment of cannabis breeders and consumers to the indica/ sativa designations, any new system is going to take a while to become widely accepted. But the change has begun: At better-quality dispensaries, terpene profiles are available, and employees are increasingly savvy to these differences.

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recipes

Ziggy Marley’s

Ital Kitchen

By Cheri Sicard • Photos by Mitch Mandell The recently released Ziggy Marley and Family Cookbook is a delicious collection of accessible recipes, with an emphasis on healthy and natural—or “ital”—ingredients. Although some of these recipes use hemp seeds, they are not medicated. For the purpose of this article, I’ve added the options of cannabutter and cannabis-infused oil to the recipes.

Frittata This recipe is in the “Rise” (breakfast) section of the book—what Marley calls his “most important meal.”

While I use the spinach, tomato and onion the cookbook suggests, frittatas are incredibly versatile, so you can substitute nearly any veggies you have on hand. Instead of feta, I swapped in some goat cheese.

3 whole eggs, plus 2 egg whites 1/4 cup milk 2 tsp. cannabis-infused oil or coconut oil 1 tbsp. olive oil or coconut oil 1/4 cup onions, minced 1/2 cup tomato, chopped 3/4 cup fresh spinach, torn into large pieces 1/3 cup basil leaves, finely chopped 1/2 cup goat cheese, crumbled 1/4 tsp. sea salt 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 1 garlic clove, minced

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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, egg whites, cannabis oil, milk, salt and pepper. In a large cast iron skillet, sauté onions in olive or coconut oil over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for another minute. Add tomatoes and spinach and stir until spinach wilts.

Add egg mixture to the pan, followed by chopped basil and goat cheese. When the edges of the frittata start to firm against the pan, remove from stovetop and place in the oven until fully cooked, about 10 minutes. Serves 2.

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Coconut Curry Squash Soup This recipe is in the “Midday” (lunch) section, in which Marley recommends “something light.” It delivers an amazingly complex flavor, and it’s vegan.

5 cups butternut squash, chopped 1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced 1 medium celery stalk with leaves,

diced 1 medium sweet onion, diced 1 large tomato, diced 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 qt. vegetable stock 1 cup coconut milk 4 tsp. cannabis-infused coconut oil 1 tbsp. olive oil 1/4 tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped 1/2 tsp. ground allspice 1 bay leaf 1 tsp. ground coriander 1 tbsp. curry powder Pinch of cayenne pepper, to taste Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste Fresh cilantro for garnish

Heat olive oil in large stockpot and sauté carrots, squash, celery and onion over medium-high heat until softened, about 10–12 minutes. Add tomato, garlic, thyme, allspice, bay leaf, cayenne, coriander, curry powder and coconut oil.

Gently stir everything together. Add cannabis oil, stock and coconut milk. When mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. Remove bay leaf and season with salt and pepper. Use an immersion blender, blender or food processor to puree the soup. Garnished with chopped cilantro. Serves 4.

Hemp Seed Pesto This recipe is in the “All Day” section.

It’s one of six in the book that call for the nutritional punch of hemp seeds. My version includes cannabis oil. Why not combine them for the best of both worlds?

I always keep medicated pesto in my freezer; it’s great for a quick pasta sauce or sandwich spread. I also like to use it on steamed veggies, or even on grilled or poached chicken or fish.

3 cups fresh basil, steamed 6 tbsp. cannabis-infused olive oil 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 3 tbsp. lemon juice 3 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 cup hemp seeds Salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Blend all ingredients together in a food processor to puree. Makes 16 servings (1 tbsp. each).

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recipes

Coconut Dream Fish This is in the “Evening” (dinner) section, which Marley calls the “most enjoyable meal.” It’s a terrific, easy-to-fix seafood supper. Any firm white-flesh fish will work if you can’t find sea bass. Since I didn’t have access to all the fresh herbs suggested, I substituted dried herbs, and also increased the curry amount and reduced the amount of cayenne.

4 fillets wild sea bass 1 medium onion, chopped 2 medium red bell peppers, sliced 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 tsp. fresh ginger, grated 4–6 tbsp. coconut oil 4 tsp. cannabis-infused coconut oil 1/2 cup vegetable stock 1/2 cup coconut milk 1/2 tsp. thyme, chopped 1/2 tsp. ground allspice 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

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1 tsp. curry powder 1/2 tsp. lemon pepper Salt to taste Season fish with salt and lemon pepper in the same skillet you will cook them in. Add coconut oil to skillet and rub fillets with coconut oil for a few minutes. Remove fish from pan and set aside. Heat the oil remaining in the skillet, return fish to pan and fry until lightly browned, about 3 minutes per side.

Remove fish from skillet and set aside.

Add 1/4 cup vegetable stock to skillet and deglaze, scraping up the browned bits of fish. Lower heat. Add onions, bell peppers, garlic, ginger, thyme, allspice, cayenne and curry powder, and stir until mixture starts to bubble. Add coconut milk, cannabis oil and remaining stock.

Heat until mixture comes to a simmer, lower heat and add fish fillets back to the pan. Cook until fish is heated through, trying to keep the delicate fillets intact.

Remove fish to a platter and spoon sauce over. Serves 4.

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Stout Gingerbread This recipe is in the “Sweets” (dessert) section of the book; it’s Marley’s declared favorite in the section. The recipe calls for stout beer, because it has way more hops and B vitamins than regular beer, and for “golden syrup”; honey and agave nectar are acceptable substitutes for the latter.

2 cups all-purpose flour 2 tsp. baking soda 2 eggs 1-1/4 cups sour cream 1 cup stout beer, such as Guinness 3/4 cup cannabis-infused butter or coconut oil 3/4 cup butter or coconut oil 1/2 cup molasses 1/2 cup agave nectar or honey 1 cup dark brown sugar 3 tsp. ground ginger 1 tbsp. fresh ginger, grated 2 tsp. cinnamon 1/4 tsp. ground cloves 1/4 tsp. salt Confectioner’s sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a large (5-1/2” x 9-1/2”) loaf pan with vegetable shortening. Mix flour, baking soda and salt together in a small bowl. Mix sour cream and eggs together in another small bowl. Set aside. On low heat, mix the following in a saucepan: cannabutter or oil, regular butter or oil, sugar, stout, ground and fresh ginger, cinnamon, cloves, molasses and honey or agave.

Remove from heat and whisk in flour mixture until just blended. Do the same with the sour cream mixture. Pour into prepared loaf pan. (This batter doesn’t rise a lot in the pan, so it will be nearly full when it goes into the oven.) Bake for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool in pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Dust with confectioner’s sugar. Makes 1 large loaf (12 servings).

Recipes adapted from Ziggy Marley and Family Cookbook (Akashic Books). Cheri Sicard is author of The Cannabis Gourmet Cookbook and Mary Jane: The Complete Cannabis Handbook for Women.

Visit her blog at CannabisCheri.com.

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Totally Rad

One hemp soap company’s products are now available in over 200 stores.

By Erin Hiatt Hemp-based body care company Rad Soap Co. was born of necessity in Albany, N.Y. when Sue Kerber crafted a lotion in her kitchen to help her oldest son, Zak, who was born with eczema. The product worked so well that in 2009, the Kerber family started selling it at the farmers’ market in nearby Troy.

“My mom did extensive research, around the country and around the world,” Rad co-founder Max Kerber, Sue’s 23-year-old son, tells Freedom Leaf (Max is 23 and Zak is 26.) “It was through the holistic community that she discovered hemp. She created a cream that was primarily hemp and borage oils, and that’s what ended up calming my brother’s eczema.”

At first, some market vendors complained—and even tried to get them kicked out—because of Rad’s cannabisleaf labeling. Then a chance encounter in 2012 with a buyer from Whole Foods took Rad products from the market to dozens of Northeast store shelves.

“We were at the Troy market, and there was a woman lingering around our table,” Max says about the Whole Foods buyer, recalling that the booth was packed with customers four people deep. When she finally got to the table and picked up their Toke Natural Body Bar, the buyer asked, “What’s the deal with this thing?” and that a garage mechanic shopping at the table answered, “It’s the best bar soap in the world.” Later, the buyer told the Kerbers, “Anyone

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who can motivate a garage mechanic to buy an $8 bar of soap, I want them at Whole Foods.”

Since that fortuitous encounter, Rad has expanded to 200 retailers around the country. The Kerbers recently opened a retail store in Albany (1475 Western Ave.), and plan to make similar moves in Colorado, Southern California, Las Vegas and New York City.

Even though they’ve expanded from a three-person operation in Sue’s kitchen to a 15,000-square-foot facility with a growing staff, their products are still made by hand. Rad’s ingredients include hemp (from Canada), borage, chaga and essential oils.

“We’re huge advocates of industrial hemp, and we’re advocates for the cannabis industry,” says Max, who adds that Rad is rebranding and expanding their product line because they believe strongly in the hemp component. Just ask Zak, whose use of Rad’s original product has really changed his life for the better.

Erin Hiatt writes about the cannabis industry for Freedom Leaf and THC magazine.

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Following The Marley Lifestyle By Beth Mann Bob Marley popularized ganja, but he certainly doesn’t fit into the category of famous musicians who fell victim to excessive drug or alcohol use. His spiritual and political beliefs embodied an authentic joy of living, and respect for both body and mind. Here are some basic Marley principles to live by:

• Eat Ital

A natural way of eating and cooking, ital (from the word “vital”) doesn’t include foods, additives, salt or sugar. It’s heavy on fresh vegetables and fish—perfect for pescatarians. The goal of ital is to increase vitality and “livity,” the life energy believed to be within all living things. Reject junk food and clean up your diet. Grow your own veggies; it reconnects you with the Earth.

• Give Thanks to Jah

“Rastafari is not a culture, it’s a reality,” said Marley, who popularized Rastafarianism, a Jamaican-born religion that recognizes Ethiopian Emperor Highly Selassie as a divine being. Beliefs include living a pure, natural life, and giving praise to Jah (God), found in every person. In the Rasta culture, “I and I” unifies the individual and Jah.

• Partake with Purpose

Ganja is considered “wisdom weed” by Rastas. Marley stated, “When you smoke the herb, it reveals you to yourself.” As an important religious sacrament, it’s used to get closer to the inner spiritual self. Marley also advocated the use of a wide variety of herbs and plants for

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medicinal purposes, athough ganja is the most popular among Rastas. Medicinal herbs (there are over 10,000) possess tremendous potential to heal the body, mind and spirit.

• Understand Babylon

Another concept central to Rasta culture is that of “Babylon,” the white power structure of Europe and the Americas that includes warmongering governments, the Vatican and other entities seen as oppressive to poor people of color. “Babylon is everywhere,” Marley explained. “You have wrong and you have right. Wrong is what we call Babylon, wrong things. That is what Babylon is to me. It makes no difference where me born because there is Babylon everywhere.” As we brace ourselves for a truly frightening political era, it’s not hard to imagine Marley declaring that Babylon is poised to fall.

• Be a Good Hippie

“I wish we were all hippies and did yoga, lived in cottages, smoked weed, accepted everyone for who they are and listened to wonderful music. I wish money didn’t make us who we are. I just wish we could redo society.” — Bob Marley.

Beth Mann is the President of Hot Buttered Media.

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REVIEWS

New Cuts from Bob Marley and the Wailers Live!

By Roy Trakin Marking 41 years since Bob Marley and the Wailers’ historic two-night stint at London’s Lyceum Theatre on July 17 and 18, 1975, Universal Music has repackaged the original seven-song Live! album both digitally and as a threeLP vinyl set, adding 14 previously unreleased tracks and several fulllength versions of previously abbreviated cuts to this Live! (Deluxe Edition).

Under the direction of Island Records President Chris Blackwell, Danny Holloway recorded both shows using the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio. While the original release only included songs from the second night’s show, this deluxe edition includes, for the first time, opening-night performances.

Live!, which was rush-released in December 1975, offered a bridge between 1974’s Natty Dread and 1976’s Rastaman Vibration, which marked Marley’s Stateside breakthrough. Thanks to Eric Clapton’s hit cover of “I Shot the Sheriff,” Marley had been steadily gaining commercial traction, especially in the U.K., and this brief British tour (which included subsequent dates in Birmingham and Manchester) followed an attention-getting five-night stint earlier in July at L.A.’s Roxy Theater.

With the breakup of the seminal Wailers band following the exit of co-founders Peter Tosh and Bunny Livingston, Marley retained the core of the group—bassist Aston “Family Man” Barrett, his brother, drummer Carlton Barrett, New Jerseyborn guitarist Al Anderson, keyboardist Tyrone Downie and percussionist Alvin

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The original Bob Marley and the Wailers Live! album from 1975 is now available as a deluxe edition.

“Seeco” Patterson—and added the I-Threes—Rita Marley, Judy Mowatt and Marcia Griffiths—as backup vocalists.

Starting with “Trenchtown Rock,” Marley charges through a set of fiery revolutionary politics (“Burnin’ and Lootin’,” “Them Belly Full (But We Hungry),” “Slave Driver,” “Get Up, Stand Up”), ardent love songs (“Stir It Up,” “No Woman No Cry”) and righteous paeans to Rastafarianism (“Natty Dread,” “Kinky Reggae”) on this expanded release.

Of the second show, NME rock critic Charles Shaar Murray wrote: “It opened with an incandescent burst of pure energy, at once quintessentially laid-back and vibrating with intensity, a rhythm that holds you tight while still allowing room to move. While rock lays its beat on you, the Wailers’ music allows you to find your own rhythm within it.”

The new Live! offers a more unified overview of that experience, from the moment Marley begins singing “Trenchtown Rock”: “One good thing about music/ When it hits/You feel no pain.” Indeed, Marley and the Wailers wrap their political agenda in seductive beats that mirrored the atmosphere of Jamaica: exotic and dangerous, alluring yet violent.

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REVIEWS Live! offered a bridge between 1974’s Natty Dread and 1976’s Rastaman Vibration.

It’s abundantly clear that Marley had a mesmerizing hold on the audience, and the music stands out, even apart from the mythos. Anderson’s chunky wah-wah guitar on “Them Belly Full” and on the previously unreleased “Rebel Music (3 O’Clock Roadblock)”; Tyrone Downie’s funky pre-electro keyboard riffs on “Stir It Up”; the interplay between the Barrett brothers; and the intense call-and-response between Marley, who shouts out “Jah,” and the I-Threes, chanting “Rastafari,” all combine to create classic cuts.

A revelation of this updated set is the unedited version of “Lively Up Yourself”—nearly three minutes longer than the album version on Natty Dread—that Murray called “so powerful that it made the recorded version seem positively Mickey Mouse by comparison”; it closes with Marley crying out, “Rastafari, almighty God!” The first night’s previously unreleased recordings include “I Shot the Sheriff” and the 10-minute closer, “Get Up, Stand Up,” which concludes with Marley repeating the phrase, “Excuse me while I light my spliff,” before the show MC declares them “musical prophets from Jamaica.”

The original release contained the definitive version of “No Woman, No Cry,” Bob Marley and the Wailers’ first

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U.K. hit single (with “Kinky Reggae” on the B-side). This deluxe set contains both that version and the first night’s which might even be better.

This extended version of Live! does an excellent job of joining the performances into a cohesive whole, showcasing the moment that the band was poised to achieve cult status and the top-10 U.S. success of Rastaman Vibration. Live! would peak at No. 90 on the Billboard Top 100.

“We captured the band at the peak of their powers with a set list that held absolutely no low point,” the BBC’s Chris Jones wrote about Live! in 2009. “This was a Wailers that could more than handle the lusher, fuller rock reggae that transformed Marley’s Rastaman diatribes into pop gold. No one before this had combined both roots and R&B in this way… uniting both working and middle classes with his songs of universal struggle and religious metaphor.”

On “Burnin’ and Lootin’,” Marley asks: “How many rivers do we have to cross/Before we can talk to the boss?”

On this expanded version of the seminal Live!, we meet the boss and his band as they are about to take off.

Roy Trakin is the former Senior Editor of HITS and writes for All Access.

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REVIEWS

The Top 10 Stoner Movies of 2016

Like last year, there wasn’t a big stoner movie hit in 2016. But, as usual, there were plenty of movies that featured drugs.

1.

Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising

Rather than battle a fraternity, like in Neighbors, this time Mac (Seth Rogen) and Kelly (Rose Byrne)—the young couple trying to raise their kids (with another one coming) in relative peace—have to contend with Kappa Nu, the rowdy sorority next door. The stoniest scene is when Mac rips off a large bag of Kappa Nu’s weed at an outdoor concert, and gets chased until the bag opens and the contents spill out everywhere.

2.

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping

Andy Samberg plays pop singer Conner, who falls on hard times after a hugely successful debut solo album.

When Conner’s original group, the Style Boyz, reunites, Lawrence (Akiva Schaffer) takes a hiatus from his new vocation as a master cannabis grower in Colorado. Samberg, who often played stoner characters on Saturday Night Live, is high-larious from start to finish in this sadly overlooked music industry spoof.

3.

fairly shocking depiction of two white White This female college students who move into a Girl rough New York neighborhood and get in-

volved with a group of drug dealers stars Morgan Saylor in a breakout role as the promiscuous Leah. She hooks up with Blue (Brian “Sene” Marc), the head dealer; after Blue gets busted, Leah raises money for his defense by selling his stash. But Blue’s freedom is short-lived, and Leah eventually returns to school for the next semester, having added some life knowledge to her higher education.

4.

Everybody Wants Some!!

Richard Linklater’s “spiritual sequel” to Dazed and Confused might leave you scratching your head. It’s 1980, four years after Dazed took place in Texas, none of the original characters return and the plot is about a college baseball team. The players like to hit the bong and drink plenty of beer. There are a few pranks, but nothing really serious happens. It’s a lighter version of Bull Durham.

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REVIEWS 8. Dirty Grandpa

5. Rolling Papers

The only significant pot-themed documentary in 2016 focuses on the first year of The Cannabist, the Denver Post ’s weedy website, which debuted when Colorado started to sell legal marijuana for adult use in 2014. It’s a newsroom movie, and the main character is Ricardo Baca, the understated editor of thecannabist.co (he stepped down from the position on Dec. 29). Still, for a hot topic, Rolling Papers is pretty dull.

6. 13th

The 13th amendment abolished slavery.

In Ava DuVernay’s Netflix documentary, the 13th Amendment is seen as an analogy to mass incarceration of people of color. She’s right: America’s prison population has ballooned to 2.3 million people, mostly male and, again, mostly people of color. Many of DuVernay’s barbs are aimed at drug-war supporters Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, and deservedly so.

7. Sausage Party

Supermarket food products come to life in this somewhat perverse animated feature co-written

by Seth Rogen and Jonah Hill. Frank (a hot dog voiced by Rogen) has the hots for Brenda (a bun voiced by Kristen Wiig). The products all seek emancipation from their packages. One of the more fun characters, Firewater (Bill Hader) likes to “blaze for real 24/7.” He invites Frank and Grits (Craig Robinson) to toke out of a kazoo pipe. “Is this indica?” Grits asks. “No man, sativa,” Firewater replies. “Good shit. Clean high.”

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Playing the randy grandfather, Robert De Niro is a hoot as widower Dick in this raunchy comedy.

Dick and his grandson Jason (Zac Efron) follow Lenore (Aubrey Plaza) and Shadia (Zoey Deutch) to spring break in Daytona. In a party scene, Lenore hits a plastic bong and blows the smoke into Dick’s mouth. Aghast, Jason asks, “You’re smoking grass now, Grandpa?”

When Dick shows Jason a piece of hash (“Lebanese red,” he brags), Jason calls it a gateway drug. “You just opened a gateway to being a pussy,” Dick explodes.

“Take some!”

9. Keanu

During a shootout at a drug factory, a kitten (Keanu) gets away and ends up on the doorstep of Rell (Jordan Peele).

Keanu belongs to Blips (a combination of the Bloods and the Crips) leader Cheddar (Method Man), who’s pushing a new designer drug called “Holy Shit.” When Keanu is returned to Cheddar, Rell and Clarence (Keegan-Michael Key) imitate thugs in order to get the kitty back. Rell’s pot dealer Hulka (Will Forte) adds hilarity when he describes several strains: “This is the perfect sativa-dominant hybrid. It’s called Spoonie G. I got this anti-sadness strain. It’s called Walking on Sunshine.”

However, Keanu is more into catnip.

10. The Boss

Some movies have only one good pot reference. In The Boss, insider trader Michelle (Melissa McCarthy) gets out of jail and decides to start a brownie company employing local students. During a selling spree, several girls set up a table in front of a marijuana dispensary.

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EVENTS

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Several cannabis events are taking place in sunny San Diego in February and March.

Indo Expo Denver Mart indoexpo.com/denver

FEB

NCIA Seed to Sale Show Colorado Convention Center, Denver thecannabisindustry.org/events

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FEB

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Women Grow 2017 Leadership Summit Ellie Caulkins Opera House and Curtis Hotel, Denver womengrow.com/summit

MAR

4 5

The Emerald Conference Hyatt Regency Mission Bay, San Diego theemeraldconference.com

MAR

CHAMPS Trade Show Las Vegas Convention Center champstradeshows.com

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MAR Hawaii Cannabis Expo Blaisdell Exhibition Hall Honolulu hawaiicannabisexpo.com

CannaCom Pier 91, Seattle cannacon.org/seattle

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MAR

10 12

International Cannabis Business Conference Hilton Union Square San Francisco internationalcbc.com Cannabis Grand Cru Smashbox Studios, Culver City, CA cannabisgrandcru.com

High Times Cannabis Cup Moapa Event Grounds, Moapa, NV cannabiscup.com/las-vegas

CalCanBizExpo Sheraton Marina Hotel, San Diego calcanbizexpo.com CCIA Policy Conference Sheraton Grand, Sacramento, CA cacannabisindustry.org

Spannabis Fira De Cornella, Barcelona, Spain spannabis.com

For more events, go to: freedomleaf.com/ events. january/february 2017

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�e One and Only

FEBRUARY 17, 2017 | SAN FRANCISCO Join us for the longest continuous running cannabis business conference in California at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square. The ICBC San Francisco—Northern California’s first B2B event since the recent historic election—will bring together top state regulators and industry leaders to discuss permits, business models, and opportunities within the newly enacted laws and landscape. Of course, the ICBC also famously offers some of the best cannabis industry networking, leveraging our worldwide following to connect wholesalers, brands, distributors, investors and strategic partners. The one and only ICBC!

january/february 2017 84 www.freedomleaf.com 541.864.0090 www.InternationalCBC.com info@InternationalCBC.com