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CONTENTS FEATURES
NEWS
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Boston Freedom Rally History Keith Saunders, Ph.D.
The Top 20 Stoner-Friendly Colleges Steve Bloom
SSDP’s College Fall Guide to Studying, Learning and Activism Frances Fu
Colleges Working to Change Marijuana Policies Drew Stromberg
Interview: SSDP’s Betty Aldworth Steve Bloom and Chris Goldstein
Bernie Sanders: Feelin’ the Bern Erik Altieri
Marijuana, Soldiers and PTSD Chris Goldstein
Cannabis Banking Bill Gains Ground in Senate Matt Chelsea
EVENTS CALENDAR
Updates from Around Cannabis Nation Chris Goldstein
Julian Marley: “I’m an Old-Fashioned Smoker” Steve Bloom
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COLUMNS
6 13 17 22 24 56 60 64 68 73
REVIEWS
78 79 80
Editor’s Note Steve Bloom
Get Involved with NORML and SSDP Keith Stroup
Legalization vs. Decrim Paul Armentano
Campus Cannabis Guidelines May Violate Your Rights Norm Kent
Women Grow: Planting the Seeds of Entrepreneur Education Jazmin Hupp
Cannabis Stock Report: Second Quarter 2015 Scott Greiper
Pot and Pesticides Rick Pfrommer
The Lowdown on High School Beth Mann
Dorm-Room Dining Cheri Sicard
Advanced Cannabis Science Dr. Jahan Marcu, Ph.D.
Neil Young’s The Monsanto Years Roy Trakin
Alice O’Leary-Randall’s Memoir of a Pioneer Ellen Komp
Products: Rescue, Curved Papers, Hemp Hearts
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note
EDITOR’S Bernie Sanders, Back to School and the Boston Freedom Rally
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ike everyone in the marijuana world, we’re keeping a close eye on Bernie Sanders. So I asked Erik Altieri to write this month’s cover story (on page 46) about the independent Vermont senator who’s winning over the hearts and minds of many Democrats as he pursues the nomination once considered a sure coronation for Hillary Clinton. Polls in New Hampshire continue to show Sanders surging ahead of the former Secretary of State and First Lady. Where a candidate stands on marijuana is one of the many litmus tests he or she will inevitably face during this hard-fought campaign for the presidency. In the case of Sanders, he contends that he only used pot a few times in his youth; regarding the issue of statewide legalization, as of press time he would only go so far as to say, regarding Colorado and Washington:
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Where a candidate stands on marijuana is one of the many litmus tests he or she will inevitably face during this hard-fought campaign for the presidency. “I’m going to watch very closely to see the pluses and minuses of what they’ve done.” That’s not exactly scintillating support. Still, Altieri advises, “When considering who to vote for in 2016, Bernie Sanders is an excellent choice for marijuana law-reform supporters and anti-drug war advocates, as well as individuals passionate about criminal justice reform and issues related to mass incarceration and systemic racism.” Look for more coverage in Freedom Leaf of Sanders september 2015
Freedom Leaf’s Steve Bloom waves the 4:20 clock at the 2009 Boston Freedom Rally. Photos by Chris Goldstein.
and other progressive candidates between now and the 2016 election. It’s September, which for many readers means back to school. A big focus of this issue is advising students on a number of subjects, be they academic (Paul Armentano’s “Legalization vs. Decrim,” on page 17), culinary (Cheri Sicard’s “Dorm-Room Dining,” on page 68) or scientific (Dr. Jahan Marcu’s “Advanced Cannabis Science,” on page 73). Our friends at Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) pitched in with their “Guide to Studying, Learning and Activism” (on page 36) and their list of “Colleges Working to Change Marijuana Policies” (on page 38). In our interview with SSDP Executive Director Betty Aldworth, she has some strong words about women’s expanding leadership role in the cannabis community. “I’ve both experienced and witnessed shock-
ing events of subtle harm and gross harassment,” Aldworth says bluntly. “I feel a deep personal responsibility to speak out about that, and try to shape a better kind of marijuana industry.” With this in mind, you’ll notice that Women Grow has joined NORML and SSDP as one of Freedom Leaf’s allied organizations. We’re excited to be working with Jane West, Jazmin Hupp and all the other exceptional women that have made Women Grow the fasting-moving group in canna-activism. Women Grow is helping to distribute Freedom Leaf, and will continue to contribute an article each month about issues that pertain to women. Read Hupp’s column on page 24. I want to mention the legendary Boston Freedom Rally, which takes place September 26–27 on Boston Common. I’ve attended many a Freedom Rally, dating back to the mid-’90s. Now in its 26th year, the largest East Coast marijuana event has endured its share of legal and financial ups and downs, but thanks to changing laws in Massachusetts, it now manages to generate modest funding for its organization, MassCann/ NORML. Keith Saunders tells the whole Freedom Rally story on page 27. Lastly, I’d like to welcome Editorial Designer Joe Gurreri to the Freedom Leaf team. You’ll see a new, fresh look in this issue and the ones ahead. We hope you like Joe’s style! So keep an eye on Bernie Sanders, get back to school and I’ll see you at the Boston Freedom Rally! Steve Bloom Editor-in-Chief
FOUNDERS Richard C. Cowan Clifford J. Perry PUBLISHER & CEO Clifford J. Perry EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Steve Bloom SENIOR EDITOR Chris Goldstein CREATIVE DIRECTOR Dave Azimi EDITORIAL DESIGN Joe Gurreri COPY EDITOR G. Moses SENIOR POLICY ADVISOR Paul Armentano SCIENCE EDITOR Dr. Jahan Marcu LGBT AMBASSADOR Norm Kent ADVERTISING SALES Ray Medeiros LEGAL COUNSEL Keith Stroup CHIEF ACCOUNTING OFFICER Patrick Rhea EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Felipe Menezes CONTRIBUTORS Erik Altieri, Russ Belville, Matt Chelsea, Christian Cortes, John Fortunato, Frances Fu, Dan Gibson, Scott Greiper, Jazmin Hupp, Ellen Komp, Mitch Mandel, Beth Mann, Rick Pfrommer, Keith Saunders, Cheri Sicard, Drew Stromberg, Roy Trakin Content and advertisements in this magazine are for information purposes only and are not representative, in any way, as a recommendation, endorsement or verification of legitimacy of the aforementioned herein. The opinions expressed here are those of the individual writers and may not be those of the publisher or staff of Freedom Leaf Inc. Advertisers and/or their agencies assume responsibility and liability for content within their advertisements. Freedom Leaf Inc. assumes no liability for any claims or representations contained in this magazine. Reproduction, in whole or in part, without written consent is prohibited. Copyright 2015 Freedom Leaf Inc. All rights reserved.
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NEWS
BREAKING STORIES, LATEST LEGISLATION AND MORE
FINANCIAL
Cannabis Banking Bill Gains Ground in Senate For years, legal cannabis businesses have been forced to use piles of cash to pay employees, rent and bills because banks have not allowed them to open accounts, but a bipartisan group of lawmakers on Capitol Hill is taking significant steps toward improving the flow of capital for marijuana enterprises. On July 23, the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee voted 16-14 in favor of the Marijuana Businesses Access to Banking Act of 2015, sponsored by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), that could allow legal cannabis dispensaries in Colorado, Washington State and elsewhere to tap the banking and financial services system. The act would prohibit the U.S. Treasury Department from using federal funds to punish banks serving marijuana-related businesses operating legally under state laws. Supporters of the measure believe the approval by this key committee could ultimately help banks avoid prosecution for money laundering. Under federal laws, any financial dealings in cannabis remain the realm of the black market. “Presently, most major financial institutions refuse to provide services to state-compliant operators in the marijuana industry, out of fear of federal repercussions,” says Paul Armentano, NORML’s Deputy Director and Freedom Leaf’s Senior Policy Advisor. “Their refusal to do so presents an unnecessary risk both to those who operate in the legal marijuana industry and to consumers who patronize it.” The act is attached to the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill that Congress votes on to fund the Treasury Dept. and other financial service branches. The bill now awaits a vote by the full Senate, which may opt to keep the cannabis banking measure, or remove it. From there, it will be merged with the version
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of the bill in the House before landing on the President’s desk for a signature. Meanwhile, businesses in Colorado alone may generate as much as $1 billion in revenue this year with little or no banking support. “Forcing these companies to store that much cash anywhere other than inside banks raises significant public safety concerns,” says Dan Riffle, Director of Federal Policies at the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP). “It’s almost as if some federal officials want to see marijuana businesses get robbed.” Acting on its own in 2014, the U.S. Treasury released a guidance memo to banks, “BSA Expectations Regarding Marijuana-Related Businesses” (BSA is the acronym for the Banking Secrecy Act). The document laid out a route for banks to serve cannabis businesses, but the risk-averse banking industry
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EVENTS September 9–10 has yet to play ball. Banks are regulated by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and operate under the U.S. Federal Reserve System (the Fed). While Congress and the Treasury pack a big punch, banks look to the FDIC and the Fed first for guidance, at least when it comes to how they make their money and run their business. In one discouraging case involving the Fed, the Fourth Corner Credit Union won accreditation in 2014 in Colorado as a financial institution, but hit a snag this year after it applied to the Fed for a master account (they’re routinely approved for banks to transfer payments electronically to other banks, and to deposit funds). While the effort by the credit union to get the master account was denied in August, litigation
“It’s almost as if some federal officials want to see marijuana businesses get robbed.” — Dan Riffle
Native American Marijuana and Hemp Conference & Expo Harrah’s Resort SoCal, Valley Center, CA nativenationevents.org/conference
September 12-13 Oregon Medical Marijuana Business Conference Portland Hilton, Portland, OR ommbc.com
September 16–18 Cannabis World Congress & Business Expo LA Convention Center, Los Angeles, CA cwcbexpo.com/los-angeles-show
September 19 Farm Aid First Merit Bank Pavilion, Chicago, IL farmaid.org
September 21–23 Cannabis Business Summit Wyndham New Yorker, New York, NY cannabisbusinesssummit.com
September 26 The State of Marijuana Real Office Centers, Santa Monica, CA cureativ.com/somj/#aboutsomj
September 26–27 over the decision continues. Right now, most legal dispensaries can’t accept checks or credit card payments. They use cash, safes and armored cars to do business. If the federal government’s warming trend toward cannabis continues through the presidential election cycle, banking reforms will likely be implemented—maybe even sooner if the act is approved. “[T]he federal government should make sure that legal marijuana businesses can operate properly within our banking system,” Merkley stated when introducing the proposed legislation. “It’s time to let banks serve these legal businesses without fearing devastating reprisals from the federal government.” — Matt Chelsea
Boston Freedom Rally Boston Common, Boston, MA facebook.com/bostonfreedomrally
September 29–30 Big Industry Show Miami Convention Center, Miami, FL bigindustryshow.com
October 3 Las Vegas Hempfest Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV lasvegashempfest.com
October 2–5 Great Midwest Marijuana Harvest Festival Madison, WI madisonhempfest.com
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NEWS POLITICS
Ohio Could Fully Legalize Marijuana in 2015 ResponsibleOhio submitted more than 300,000 petition signatures this summer in a drive to win a ballot initiative to legalize marijuana in the Buckeye State. On Aug. 12, Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted certified the initiative as Issue 3. Voters will have the chance to approve the measure in this fall’s general election on Nov. 3. The effort is not without some controversy: The plan calls for just 10 businesses to grow all of the marijuana. Contracts and licenses would not be up for bid and have already been predetermined. Many advocates and activists have cried foul, saying the corporate model does not match the free-market climate of other legal states. To that end, a separate measure (Issue 2) will appear on the ballot that proposes to prevent a “monopoly, oligarchy or cartel” from operating in the state. Some local experts, including Husted, say that if both initiatives pass, there could be a conflict. ResponsibleOhio changed the language of its proposal in August to allow citizens to grow four plants at home, and the proposed cannabis tax was reduced from 15% to 5%. The group spent nearly $3 million gathering
OhighO Apparel t-shirts are now available (see page 15). The shirts depicted above are not affiliated with Responsible Ohio. the petition signatures. It will cost millions more for an effective awareness campaign to get Issue 3 passed.
Marijuana Dispensaries Sales and Tax Revenues Opening in Nevada Growing in Legal States Registered medical marijuana patients in Nevada finally got access to an operating dispensary when Silver State Relief opened on July 31 in Sparks, near Reno. More than 9,000 Nevada residents hold medical cannabis cards. Two-thirds of these patients are in Clark County, which includes Las Vegas. Two facilities, Euphoria Wellness and Nevada Wellness Center, are ready to open in Sin City, and more cannabis centers are planned throughout the state; all require local approval by municipal authorities. Back in 2000, Nevada voters approved a bill to allow medical cannabis to be grown by qualifying patients. It was not until 2013 that the legislature passed a set of bills to regulate dispensaries.
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Legal sales of cannabis, and the taxes collected, on the regulated markets in Washington and Colorado continue to increase. State regulators in Washington reported that more than $250 million worth of marijuana products were sold and more than $70 million in taxes were collected during the first full year of sales (July 2014–July 2015). Meanwhile, in Colorado, business is booming: In June, more than $50 million in recreational marijuana was sold, along with more than $35 million in medical cannabis, bringing in more than $11 million in taxes. In Oregon, dispensaries will be able to begin selling to all users on Oct. 1. There will be no sales tax charged until 2016. — Chris Goldstein
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NEWS MUSIC
Julian Marley: “I’m an Old-Fashioned Smoker” The Marley family is making moves. They’ll soon have a brand of marijuana available wherever it’s legal in the U.S. But until then, you can look for Julian Marley’s Juju Royal vape pen. Bob Marley’s fifth-born son is one of 13 children sired by The Gong. Unlike his Grammy-winning brothers—Ziggy, Stephen and Damian—Julian’s musical abilities are lesser known, although his 2009 album Awake received a Grammy nomination. He’s currently working on his fourth solo album, which will be released in 2016. “The whole focus is spiritual upliftment at every time in every moment,” Marley, 40, tells Freedom Leaf. “There are a lot of songs on the album speaking about keeping a smile and making sure the joy inside comes out.” Reflecting on his music career, which began in 1989 as a 14-year-old member of Ghetto Youths International along with his younger brother Damian, Julian says: “Just like the world evolves, there is no stopping creation unless you stop yourself. Every day Jah sends a new day, the trees keep getting taller and the brain and vibration never stop growing.” Marley likes to feed his brain and body with ganja. On “Lemme Go,” a new song that will most likely appear on his upcoming album, he sings about herb: “It’s a stress reliever, a natural healer.” Does Marley use it medicinally? “Rasta has been the first doctor with herb—we call them ‘bush doctor’ even before it reached out in Colorado and California, seen?” he explains. “When you come to the Rastaman, they boil you ganja tea. They’ve been making rope and clothes for a long time with the hemp; so Rastaman is the first doctor. Check out Peter Tosh.” Rastas generally puff spliffs (often mixed with tobacco) or inhale huge hits of smoke from homemade chalice pipes. Vaporizers are fairly new to Jamaica. “Well, you know, all I can say is get your pen ASAP,” says Marley. “We’re herbalists, as we say, and there are a million ways we use herb. For me personally, I smoke it in
Julian Marley’s album Awake received a Grammy nomination in 2009. a Rizla, old-school style—natural—fire and paper. Sometimes I use the pen, but I’m an old-fashioned smoker. In the market we have so many people that love the disposable pens. We have to make sure we have everything for everyone. Some people want to smoke it, some want oil, some want to steam. I and I roast it!” The Juju Royal was created by Drop Leaf, which approached Marley with an offer to brand a line of products that will ultimately include herb strains, as well. “I was in Jamaica, the home of herb, a.k.a. cannabis, chilling in the yard, and my friend Abajah had come to me saying that some people wanted to speak about putting something together,” he says. “I’d met the Drop Leaf team, who are from California. We spoke and they showed me their ideas, which was a great look. ’Nuff respect.” — Steve Bloom
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Hey, Students!
get involved with norml and ssdp
By Keith Stroup
This is an exceptional time to be alive and Simply put: We have seen no buyers’ active in the marijuana movement, and parremorse since legalization was enacted in ticipate in the rare opportunity to dismantle these first two states, and we will soon have prohibition, a policy that’s been in effect for additional data from Oregon, Alaska and more than 80 years and has resulted in the the District of Columbia that should further arrest of more than 26 million otherwise strengthen our position and encourage more law-abiding Americans, the vast majority for states to join the move toward personal the personal use of cannabis. freedom. Today, more than half of the American As classes resume for the fall season, public favors the full legalization of mariit’s a natural time for college students who juana, despite the fact that only about 14% oppose the War on Drugs and support the are current smokers. The list of potential legalization of marijuana to take a stand legalization states will grow as we continue to and get actively involved in the drive to end see the positive results of legalization in the prohibition. Specifically, if your campus has a four states (and Washington, D.C.) that have NORML or SSDP chapter, get in touch with already taken this groundbreaking step. them, find out when their first meeting of the Whereas once we had to rely on a semester will be held, attend that meeting theoretical debate—with our side arguing and begin adding your voice to the growing that marijuana legalization would serve the call to end the drug war. The legalization country better than prohibition, and oppomovement is continuing to make gains every nents claiming that the sky would fall if it year, but much work remains to be done, and happened—we now have data demonstrating students play a very important role. that legalization works as intended, with few If there’s currently no active NORML or unintended consequences. SSDP chapter on your campus, then identify While nonsmokers continue to worry that a couple of friends who share your position ending prohibition might cause a spike in on marijuana policy, and approach your impaired drivers on the road, negatively imstudent government to determine what’s pacting public safety, the early data from Colrequired to establish an authorized college orado and Washington shows no evidence of chapter. Generally, the requirements are that. (There has, in fact, been a slight decline in adolescent marijuana smoking.) Meanwhile, the new laws have eliminated most marijuana arrests in those states, sparing tens of thousands of citizens a police record that could limit their ability to get a good job or otherwise advance profesKeith Stroup, founder of NORML, speaks at the Boston Freedom Rally. sionally.
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It’s a natural time for college students who oppose the War on Drugs and support the legalization of marijuana to take a stand and get actively involved in the drive to end prohibition. easily met, and within a short time you can announce the first public meeting of your NORML or SSDP chapter, and begin the process of finding students who care about this issue and are willing to help develop an agenda throughout the school year that will focus on the need for legalization. Students obviously have a lot of obligations and responsibilities that must be fulfilled in order to successfully complete their studies, and advance toward a chance at a good job once their education is completed. The rigors of coursework and exams, the challenge of covering the costs of higher education and the demands of living away from home for the first time can surely fill one’s waking hours. But I challenge students to reach even higher during their college years, and to develop the skills necessary to impact public
policy and make a difference in the world around you. Don’t just sit by and complain about policies that are unfair or discriminatory. Have the courage to get involved personally and emotionally to make this a better, more just world—and working with either NORML or SSDP provides a great opportunity to do that. It’s a proactive attitude that will serve students well both in college and out in the world, once they graduate. In truth, we’re talking about marijuana and marijuana smoking only incidentally; this is really about personal freedom. Join NORML and SSDP to help return a full measure of personal freedom to the tens of millions of responsible marijuana smokers in America. Keith Stroup founded NORML in 1970 and currently serves as Legal Counsel for NORML, as well as for Freedom Leaf.
MAKE REFORM A REALITY It’s California’s time to legalize cannabis. For legalization to win on the ballot in 2016, we need 6 million votes. We’re building the majority one vote at a time. Join us and let’s Reform California. REFORMCA.COM Endorsed by:
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/REFORMCA
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Let’s Be
Blunt. IF YOU NEED LEGAL HELP, WE CAN HELP.
The Law Offices of
Norm Kent & Russell Cormican
NORMKENT.COM 954.763.1900 THE CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAW CENTER OF SOUTH FLORIDA 16 www.freedomleaf.com
september 2015
Legalization vs. Decriminalization
What are the viable alternatives to cannabis prohibition? By Paul Armentano The majority of Americans support alternatives to cannabis criminalization. There are multiple policy options to choose from, including depenalization, decriminalization, medicalization and legalization. In recent years, voters (and, in some cases, state lawmakers) in jurisdictions throughout the country have embraced these alternative policies. Here’s a look at these approaches, how they differ from one another and the places where they’ve been successfully implemented.
LLEP: This acronym stands for “lowest law enforcement priority” (a.k.a. deprioritization). While the passage of LLEP measures doesn’t amend criminal statutes prohibiting the possession and use of cannabis per se, they do express citizens’ intent to have local police deemphasize marijuana law enforcement. Initially popularized a decade ago in cities like Oakland and Santa Barbara, Calif., Denver and Seattle, recent municipalities to jump on the LLEP bandwagon include Fayetteville, Ark. and Ypsilanti, Mich. Decriminalization: This concept initially came to prominence following the publication of the National Commission on Marihuana and Drug Abuse (a.k.a. Shafer Commission) report in 1972. In its recommendations to Congress, the commission determined that neither possessing pot nor giving it away to friends should be a criminal offense. This public policy recommendation, now commonly referred to as decriminalization, stipulates that those who possess or, in some instances, gift small quantities of pot to others won’t face arrest or jail time; instead, minor violations are punishable by a small fine. Commercial dealers and traffickers, however, continue to face criminal sanctions. While the commission’s recommendations failed to trigger any serious changes at the federal level, their findings did influence
a number of states and even a handful of municipalities (including Ann Arbor, Mich. and Madison, Wis.), to amend their marijuana penalties. Between 1973 and 1978, 11 states—Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, Ohio and Oregon—enacted different versions of decriminalization. In recent years, eight additional states—Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nevada, Rhode Island and Vermont—and the District of Columbia have passed similar legislation or initiatives, as have city officials in municipalities including Milwaukee and Philadelphia. Of these currently active state laws, California, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nebraska, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont impose true decriminalization. This means that state law no longer treats minor marijuana possession offenses as criminal acts, instead classifying these offenses as noncriminal violations or infractions punishable by a citation only—no arrest or criminal record. By contrast, laws in Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina and Ohio impose partial decriminalization. Under these statutes, minor pot offenses remain classified as criminal misdemeanors rather than as civil violations. But the behavior itself is still only punishable by a fine with no possibility of jail time.
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Depenalization: This policy eliminates both criminal and civil penalties for personal possession and, in some cases, cultivation of marijuana. Unlike decriminalization statutes, these laws no longer define marijuana as contraband or classify its possession as a violation of law. However, unlike legalization laws, depenalization fails to provide rules or regulations to govern the commercial production or retail sale of cannabis—activities that still remain illegal under the law. In recent years, voters in several Michigan cities (including Detroit, East Lansing and Flint) and in Portland, Maine have decided in favor of local measures that depenalize marijuana possession. Medicalization: Medical marijuana laws permit qualified patients with a doctor’s recommendation to legally possess and use either whole-plant cannabis or products derived from it. To date, 23 states have passed laws of this nature. Patients must be diagnosed with a state-approved qualifying condition, such as cancer or multiple sclerosis—except in California, where a doctor may recommend cannabis entirely at their discretion—and possess an authorization from a physician in order to legally access pot. Patients who possess medical conditions not covered under the law are still subject to arrest and prosecution. In 14 of these medicalized states, qualified patients may legally grow specified numbers of plants at home. Other states mandate that patients obtain cannabis from licensed dispensaries only. In Minnesota and New York, patients are not permitted under the law to possess whole-plant cannabis; only pills or oils derived from the plant are allowed. (Medical marijuana legislation recently signed in Louisiana mandates doctors to “prescribe” cannabis rather than recommend it, which is against federal law. Hence, Louisiana is not considered a legitimate medical marijuana state.) Another 15 states impose laws ostensibly permitting a limited number of patients, mostly those with severe forms of epilepsy, to possess cannabidiol (CBD). However, to date, none of these laws effectively provide an in-state supply source. Consequently, patients who reside in these CBD-only states must procure medicine from a state where marijuana is legal (e.g., Colorado) and then return home with it—behavior that’s not only impractical but also illegal, placing them at risk of federal charges for interstate drug trafficking. Legalization: The laws as enacted by voters in Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, Washington State and Washington, D.C. permit the use and possession of specified amounts of cannabis for those over the age of 21, while also regulating a commercial market for production and sales. In these jurisdictions, the commercial cultivation and sale of recreational cannabis is subject to both excise taxes and sales taxes, similar to other commercial goods, as well as a variety of other state regulations and potential fees. Home growing is not subject to taxation. (Only Washington State fails to permit personal cultivation.)
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In both Colorado and Washington State, the immediate effect of these laws has been a dramatic decline in marijuana arrests, coupled with an increase in state tax revenue. Data compiled by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation shows that criminal marijuana possession charges are down nearly 80% since December of 2012 (when the state’s voter-approved legalization took effect). During this same time period, cultivation and distribution charges have declined by more than 90%. Revenues have fees for marijuana retail sales in Colorado for 2014, the first full year of recreational sales, totaled just short of $700 million. Taxes and fees added up to $76 million. Data from Washington State tells a similar story. According to a review of arrest data by the ACLU, filings for low-level marijuana offenses went down 98% following the enactment of I-502 in 2012. Commercial pot revenues and fees totaled $250 million in revenue during the first year of retail availability (2014–2015). Taxes and fees added up to $70 million. While some advocates have expressed concerns that some state-imposed regulations associated with cannabis legalization laws may be overly burdensome, NORML contends that these regulations will likely become less onerous over time. Ultimately, NORML believes that advocates are in a better position to leverage for more sensible (and fewer) regulations in an environment
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There are multiple policy options to choose from, including depenalization, decriminalization, medicalization and legalization. where the legal adult use of cannabis is codified under the law, as opposed to an environment where cannabis is illicit and all users of the plant are considered criminals. Paul Armentano is Deputy Director of NORML and Freedom Leaf’s Senior Policy Advisor.
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BACK TO SCHOOL
campus CANNABIS guidelines May Violate Your Rights
By Norm Kent
This fall, millions of students are returning to American college campuses in states where medical marijuana is available with a physician’s prescription—and recreational marijuana for personal use is now legal in four states and Washington D.C. But don’t light up just yet: Despite state laws that often mandate otherwise, the majority of academic institutions in the U.S. nonetheless ban cannabis on campus and in their dormitories. Smoke that joint today, and you could be looking for off-campus housing tomorrow. Many colleges are just too plain scared to make their rules comply with state regulations. College administrators typically maintain that because pot is still illegal under federal law, allowing weed on campus would jeopardize their funding. This claim is a ruse; to date, there have been no documented cases where a university lost federal funding because of its drug or alcohol policies. Many colleges have rules and regulations that ban all forms of smoking on campus. Students who violate these guidelines are subject to administrative sanctions, from suspension to expulsion, to loss of all financial aid. “We’d like to see schools recognize… that marijuana is, in fact, valid medicine for the patients that are using it,” SSDP Executive
Director Betty Aldworth told the Boston Globe in 2014. “Treating it differently than other medications is harmful to students and faculty who’ve chosen to use medical marijuana.” (See our interview with Aldworth on page 40.) It’s up to student leaders and activists to demand fair rules and policy changes on their campuses. Many college regulations are draconian, and could, in fact, be illegal. If your state has passed a law that allows the medical use of marijuana, your college likely has a corresponding duty to provide patients with a secure, private space in which to light up or vape. In fact, in some instances, as when a veteran with PTSD is attending school, the Americans with Disabilities Act might protect his or her access to treatment for a medical condition. If that’s the case, then the prohibitive guidelines set up by a school administration may potentially violate federal rules, as well. We live under a justice system that provides for the two sides to present their arguments. While college officials may argue that “The use of marijuana is disruptive on campus,” students can counter that “It’s medically necessary and legally permissible.” Such cases can be advocated and perhaps litigated with the help of socially conscious attorneys, the ACLU or local drug-policy reform groups. Don’t accept blanket prohibitions set by college administrations. Even internally, within campus committees and at meetings, stand up for your rights. Be heard. Speak out. Norm Kent is a Fort Lauderdale constitutional rights and criminal defense attorney. He is the former Chair of NORML, and the Publisher of the South Florida Gay News.
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Planting the Seeds of Entrepreneur Education
By Jazmin Hupp
Women Grow co-founders Jazmine Hupp and Jane West. Photo by C. Roese Ramp.
C
annabis laws, regulations and the market itself are changing so fast that a college course or MBA program couldn’t possibly keep up. By the time the ink dries on a “Cannabis 101” syllabus, it will be outdated. We’re building an industry from the ground up in real time, and more entrepreneurs enter the industry every day in need of practical, up-to-date information. But how do you teach something that, until recently, has only existed underground? A big part of ensuring that women are able to lead and succeed in the cannabis industry lies in the answer to that question. In an industry without a playbook, the best way to learn is from the people who are now writing it. Women Grow’s approach to education connects aspiring entrepreneurs with a network of leaders who are working to make the industry more welcoming for women. We ask participants to take charge of their learning experience by pursuing the topics they want to learn about. For new entrepreneurs, the value of an expert’s experience comes from insights into the industry and trending innovations. At the first Women Grow Leadership Summit, in May, we asked attendees to set the agenda by submitting their challenges and voting on topics that mattered to them as businesswomen. Their input led to a weekend-long crash course in cannabis
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company valuation—the process of determining how much a company is worth. Pioneers in cannabis industry finance, marketing and management shared lessons that are frequently locked behind the MBA paywall: projections, partnerships, investment pitches, growth and exit strategies, brand building and more. The sessions are available to new entrepreneurs on the Women Grow website, along with our “Building Your Cannabis Business” webinar series. If women want an equitable future in the industry, we need to get involved and start using the knowledge available to us to launch and grow our businesses. Women drive 85% of household spending and make 80% of the medical decisions; we’re the Chief Medical Officers of our families. Women are projected to become the largest consumer demographic for cannabis products. Drawing on our experiences as female business owners and consumers, Women Grow is teaching new entrepreneurs how to build female-focused cannabis brands. If we want an inclusive, ethical and profitable cannabis industry that’s true to its roots in the movement, we need women to lead the way. Launching and running a successful business isn’t easy for anyone, but women face unique hurdles. Only 3% of all women-owned businesses in any industry reach $1 million in revenue. Women often lack the immediate resources needed to get
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If we want an inclusive, ethical and profitable cannabis industry that’s true to its roots in the movement, we need women to lead the way. their businesses off the ground because they traditionally have limited access to funding. In communities where cannabis consumption is taboo, fear of consequences (such as a visit from Child Protective Services) keeps women from entering the industry. This month, Women Grow launched a crowdfunding campaign for our next education initiative, Seed School, which is designed to deliver the elements of the Leadership Summit—relevant entrepreneurial content, expert speakers, interactivity— on a low-cost digital platform that can put important information in the hands of women around the world. It’s essentially a threemonth boot camp for women who are looking to start businesses in the cannabis industry. The interactive format—twice-weekly live online classes—ensures that content is current and encourages participants to make connections with colleagues and mentors. At the end of the course, each participant will have a business plan and an investor pitch to help her secure funding. Women can succeed in the cannabis industry by serving women, and
Seed School is a good place to start learning industry best practices. Cannabis industry education doesn’t exist on a college campus or in a book. To be successful, it lives in the community of rule-breakers that created the industry. Seed School has to engage with activists, advocates, entrepreneurs and consumers in order to succeed. Tell us what you think women entering the business need to know at facebook.com/WomenGrow, or on Twitter and Instagram at @WomenGrow. Women can lead the cannabis industry to a fair and profitable future. Throughout September, please visit womengrow.com and contribute to the crowdfunding that will make Seed School possible. Your support is a long-term investment in a new global industry. By educating and empowering female entrepreneurs, we can ensure that social justice takes root, and the cannabis industry grows to its full potential. Jazmin Hupp is Co-Founder and Executive Director of Women Grow.
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BOSTON FREEDOM RALLY By Keith Saunders, Ph.D.
Twenty-seven years ago MassCann gathered for their first protest, at a highway rest stop. Today the Boston Freedom Rally is the East Coast’s biggest marijuana event. Boston Common, the oldest city park in the United States, has been home to the Boston Freedom Rally since 1992. Hemp was once cultivated by law on those 50 scant acres of land, where John Adams might have sat and concluded, “We shall, by and by, want a world of hemp, more for our own consumption.” Hemp was used to pay Colonial taxes, provided the long fiber
for the ropes on the U.S.S. Constitution and other naval ships—and would be prohibited more than 170 years later. The first MassCann/NORML Freedom Rally took place in 1989 in North Adams, Mass. at a highway rest stop off U.S. Route 2. As with every social justice movement, its origins were modest, with just several dozen people in attendance.
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Back in the darkest days of the Drug War, the DEA tried to seize High Times magazine’s subscriber list. HT fought back and prevailed. The mag’s Editor-in-Chief at the time, Steven Hager, declared it was time to hold public gatherings that would advocate for cannabis policy reform, and to end the persecution of marijuana users. After the first Freedom Rally, MassCann relocated the event to the dock of the U.S.S. Constitution in Boston, and passed out legal (sterilized) hemp seed to the public, educating people about how the U.S. wouldn’t have come to be without hemp agriculture. Without the many tons of hemp cordage and hemp cloth for sails and sailors’ uniforms, as well as the hemp oil used to lubricate block and tackle, the U.S.S. Constitution never would have sailed and won its place in American history. Massachusetts has the oldest state constitution in the United States; it’s stored in the State House on Beacon Hill. Drafts were written on hemp paper (though parchment was used for final drafts of very important documents). With this in mind, MassCann passed out hemp paper to those who walked by the State House during the 1991 Freedom Rally, which was held on the steps of the building on Beacon Street. On Sept. 18, 1992 (the third Saturday of that month), the Freedom Rally moved to Boston Common; it’s a tradition that, with only minor adjustments and a few legal actions, has persevered. From 1992–1994, the Parkman Bandstand (a.k.a. the Gazebo), near the southeastern corner of the Common, served as the stage. Among the earliest
performers was the band Tree, with lead singer Dave Tree. Whether performing with his bands Tree or Superpower, joining in with other bands to do renditions of his song “God Grows Grass” or taking the microphone as a speaker, Dave Tree has spent more time on the rally stage than anyone else. Cannabis was openly consumed in those years, with few incidents. MassCann paid the Park Rangers and the Boston Police Department for their details, and the focus was on making sure that people were having a safe, educational and enjoyable afternoon. Attendance grew rapidly, as word got around that there was a “hempfest” being held on Boston Common. Boston’s large undergraduate student population—the age group most likely to use marijuana—helped the rally expand. As the annual event became part of the local culture, incoming students would learn about it from sophomores and juniors, and they would pass on the knowledge to the next incoming class. Due to the rise in attendance, in 1995 MassCann shifted the rally to the Carty Parade Ground, the largest clear area of the Common, at the western border. Problems with police and permitting marked the next phase of the rally, with mass arrests and several legal actions rounding out the ’90s. Moving from the Bandstand to the Parade Ground changed the nature of the event. Instead of utilizing an existing stage, MassCann would have to rent one, pay for assembly and disassembly, and provide security for a larger area. More attendees meant higher insurance costs and increased infrastructure expenses, such as for portable toilets, tents, tables
Left: Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein. Right: Sticky Fingaz from Onyx. Photos courtesy of Mike Crawford
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and chairs. While park policy requires that event organizers pay for the Park Rangers, there’s no such requirement that MassCann cover the cost of Boston Police details. When MassCann decided to stop paying the police, the department apparently decided to cover their costs through arrests and fines. The crackdown had begun. In 1997, the city demanded MassCann pay more than $17,000 for “damages” and fines related to the ’96 event. MassCann sued the city, suspecting they were being singled out because of the content of their advocacy, rather than due to any actual damages or violations. The rally that year had to be delayed until October, but MassCann managed to win a temporary injunction. Anticipating further friction, MassCann filed litigation well in advance of the 1998 rally. The city sought to deny the permit outright, and MassCann’s 1997 and 1998 lawsuits were combined. The police continued to try to arrest their way to abstinence, but MassCann would not be discouraged. After all, this was an event that grew from the very injustices of law enforcement overreach. The mid-’90s saw the largest crowds the rally ever drew, with Boston police estimating the size at over 100,000 people in 1995. This was due to a fortunate confluence: The number of people between the ages of 15 and 25 was growing, and local band Letters to Cleo headlined the Freedom Rally (they also played the year before) while their hit song, “Here and Now,” was all over MTV. Attendance gradually declined through the late ’90s, and then came 9/11. Unfortunately, the 2001 rally was scheduled just four days
after the attacks on New York and Washington, D.C. It went on, despite four MassCann board members resigning in protest of it being held so soon after the attacks. Boston Mayor Tom Menino even called MassCann President Bill Downing and asked that the rally be canceled. Held on Sept. 15, the crowd was about half the size of the prior year. The cops laid off a bit, only arresting a few dozen people. The Bentmen played their final rally performance, and capped it off by hanging Osama bin Laden in effigy, to bloodthirsty cheers. Rally budgets were reduced for the next few years, leading to renting smaller stages, reducing backstage amenities to virtually nothing and readjusting crowd estimates in hopes of keeping insurance costs down. The consolidated 1997 and 1998 lawsuits resulted in a judgment of $31,000 to MassCann, due to the city of Boston suppressing the organization’s First Amendment rights to free speech and peaceable assembly. MassCann donated the money to the Massachusetts ACLU, which had provided pro bono representation. Hurricane Ivan hit Boston and the Freedom Rally hard in 2004. The best they could do under the circumstances was put the MassCann tents together (thus erecting a structure that was in violation of Boston fire codes), and use the drum riser for a makeshift stage. About 200 people huddled under that canopy, smoking nonstop from noon until 4:30 p.m. It was the freest Freedom Rally ever, up to that point. It also put MassCann $25,000 in the red. In 2005, Boston received peripheral
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Bands and Performers That Have Played the Freedom Rally • Bim Scala Bim • Tracy Bonham • Cannabis Cup Band • Clutch • Casey Desmond • DJ Slim • Dresden Dolls • Fear Nuttin Band • Graveyard BBQ • Herbal Nation • John Brown’s Body • Joint Chiefs • Letters to Cleo • Jim Kreskin Band • Wayne Kramer • Ron Levy and His Wild Kingdom • Lil’ Wolf & the Mojos • Max Creek • Onyx • David Peel • Prospect Hill • Robby Roadsteamer • SamBlackChurch • Ben Scales • Scissorfight • John Sinclair • Superpower • Termanology • The 360s • The Bentmen • Tree
weather effects from Hurricane Ophelia. While the rally wasn’t canceled that year either, it incurred another loss, which grew the debt to $30,000. On top of the financial hole that MassCann was trying to climb out of, the city decided to re-sod the Parade Ground that summer, so the 2007 rally returned to the Bandstand, which was a bit of a blessing, because it allowed MassCann to forgo stage rental costs. But attendance declined to about 10,000. After Massachusetts voters decriminalized marijuana possession in 2008, MassCann was especially excited for the 2009 Freedom Rally. Not only was it returning to the Parade Ground, but the rally would also utilize the Bandstand, making it a multi-stage event for the first time. This expansion brought in nearly double the amount of vendors, and allowed more performers and speakers to fill the extra stage time. With the lingering debt reduced considerably over the prior two years, the rally was growing again. Throw decriminalization on top of that, with expectations of a medical initiative in 2012 (which passed), and the future looked bright. The arrests stopped, and since 2009 attendance has continued to climb. The growth of the legal cannabis industry in New England, where every state has a medical law and all but New Hampshire have decriminalized marijuana, has brought the rally back to five-figure fundraiser status. And every dollar that MassCann raises goes directly to reforming marijuana laws in Massachusetts. In 2013, MassCann secured permits for the first-ever two-day Freedom Rally. As usual, the city didn’t like the idea, and a bit of negotiation took place. The rally was moved up one week (it was traditionally held on the third Saturday in September), and only permitted from 12–6 p.m. on Saturday and 12–3 p.m. on Sunday. Last year, MassCann ran into fewer stumbling blocks, and had two full days on two stages on the Common. This year’s Boston Freedom Rally will be held Sept. 26–27, from 12–8 p.m. on Saturday and 12–6 p.m. on Sunday. There will be 28 hours of stage programming, 50-plus vendors and nonprofits in attendance, 30-plus performers and 60 speakers. It’s impossible to foresee what 2015 may bring in terms of weather, local politics and attendance, but it’s clear that MassCann will be holding rallies in 2016 and 2017. With legalization around the corner, MassCann needs to generate as much revenue as possible to help educate voters about the opportunity they will have in November 2016 to make a choice that brings us closer to a sane and reasonable marijuana policy. Keith Saunders, Ph.D. is the former President of MassCann (2004–2008, 2009–2010). He’s currently on the NORML Board of Directors, and is Director of Education at the Northeast Institue of Cannabis.
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BACK TO SCHOOL
TOP 20 STONER-FRIENDLY
COLLEGES By Steve Bloom
E
very August, the Princeton Review releases its vaunted guide, The Best 380 Colleges in the U.S. The rankings are broken down into 62 categories. The one that interests us the most is their so-called “Reefer Madness” rankings. The Review conducts online interviews with thousands of students. One of the questions is, “How widely is marijuana used on your campus?” Based on their answers, they create the Top 20 lists. The schools on the pro-weed list are generally small liberal arts colleges with enrollments as low as 240 and tuitions as high as $49,640. The average enrollment of the 20 colleges on this list is 7,873; the average annual tuition is $37,322. California, New York, Oregon and Vermont lead the pack with three schools each, followed by Colorado, with two. Six other states—Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Washington and Wisconsin—each have one school on this list. The 39 remaining states are not represented on the Top 20.
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Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY Ranking: First year at No. 1. Placed fifth in 2014 and seventh in 2013. Enrollment: 6,124 Tuition: $40,558 Origin: Founded in 1892 as a conservatory. Famous alumni: Ricki Lake, Gavin DeGraw, Rod Serling
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2.
Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY
Ranking: Dethroned by nearby Ithaca after two years at No. 1. Enrollment: 2,632 Tuition: $48,024 Other rankings: Best College Dorms (3); Birkenstock-Wearing, Tree-Hugging, Clove-Smoking Vegetarians (4); Lots of Hard Liquor (10); Most Liberal Students (12); Best Campus Food (16) Origin: Founded in 1903 as a women’s college. Went coed in 1971. Famous alumni: Grace Mirabella, Michael Zegen
3.
Eckerd College, St. Petersburg, FL
4.
University of Vermont, Burlington, VT
5.
Evergreen State College, Olympia, WA
6.
Green Mountain College, Poultney, VT
Ranking: In top 4 for third year in a row. Placed second in 2014 and fourth in 2013. Enrollment: 1,802 Tuition: $39,684 Other rankings: Birkenstock-Wearing, Tree-Hugging, Clove-Smoking Vegetarians (16); Lots of Hard Liquor (17) Origin: Founded in 1946 as Florida Presbyterian College. Famous alumni: Dennis Lehane, Arto Lindsay, Brian Sabean
Ranking: In top 6 for third year in a row. Placed fourth in 2014 and sixth in 2013. Enrollment: 10,992 Tuition: $35,832 Other rankings: Birkenstock-Wearing, Tree-Hugging, Clove-Smoking Vegetarians (18); Party School (18) Origin: Founded in 1791 as the University of Vermont and State Agricultural College. Famous alumni: Trey Anastasio, Dierks Bentley, Mike Gordon
Ranking: In top 5 for third year in a row. Placed third in 2014 and 2013. Enrollment: 3,878 Tuition: $20,901 Other rankings: Birkenstock-Wearing, Tree-Hugging, Clove-Smoking Vegetarians (7); Most Liberal Students (17) Origin: Founded in 1967 in a second-growth evergreen forest on the Puget Sound. Famous alumni: Matt Groening, Macklemore, Carrie Brownstein
Ranking: Auspicious debut for the second-smallest school on the list. Enrollment: 572 Tuition: $32,594 Origin: Founded in 1834 as the Troy Conference Academy. Known for its environmental curriculum. september 2015
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7.
University of Colorado, Boulder, CO
8.
University of California, Santa Cruz, CA
9.
Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO
10.
Pitzer College, Claremont, CA
11.
Lewis & Clark College, Portland, OR
12.
University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
13.
University of California, Santa Barbara, CA
Ranking: In decline since ban on 4/20 smokeouts. Placed fourth in 2014 and second in 2013. Enrollment: 26,426 Tuition: $31,410 Other rankings: College City Gets High Marks (9) Origin: Founded in 1876, the same year Colorado became the 38th state. Famous alumni: Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Hale Irwin, Alan Kay Ranking: Slight gain after two years at No. 10. Enrollment: 16,277 Tuition: $36,948 Origin: Founded in 1965 in the Santa Cruz Mountains foothills. Famous alumni: Andy Samberg, Brad Nowell, Bell Hooks Ranking: Second year on list (No. 13 in 2014) and climbing. Enrollment: 2,050 Tuition: $48,576 Other ranking: Birkenstock-Wearing, Tree-Hugging, Clove-Smoking Vegetarians (19) Origin: Founded in 1874, two years before the University of Colorado. Famous alumni: Peggy Fleming, Lynne Cheney, Doug Prey Ranking: Pretty steady. Ninth-place finishes in 2014 and 2013. Enrollment: 1,081 Tuition: $46,720 Other ranking: Birkenstock-Wearing, Tree-Hugging, Clove-Smoking Vegetarians (12); Most Liberal Students (13); LGBTQ-Friendly (15) Origin: Founded in 1963 as a women’s college. Went co-ed in 1970. Famous alumni: Anne Archer, Danny Elfman, Matt Nathanson Ranking: Rising from No. 15 in 2014. Enrollment: 2,179 Tuition: $43,022 Other ranking: Birkenstock-Wearing, Tree-Hugging, Clove-Smoking Vegetarians (6) Origin: Founded in 1867 as Albany Collegiate Institute. Moved to Portland in 1938. Famous alumni: Rep. Earl Blumenauer, Penn Badgley, Monica Lewinsky
Ranking: Climbing fast from No. 19 in 2014. Enrollment: 31,289 Tuition: $25,523 Other rankings: Lots of Beer (1); Party School (3); Lots of Hard Liquor (9); LGBTQ-Friendly (10); Best College Newspaper (15) Origin: Founded in 1846, two years before Wisconsin became a state. Famous alumni: Joan Cusack, Steve Miller, Boz Scaggs Ranking: On the decline. Placed 11th in 2014 and fifth in 2013. Enrollment: 20,238 Tuition: $35,070 Other rankings: Party School (6); Lots of Hard Liquor (8); Happiest Students (12); Lots of Beer (16) Origin: Founded in 1891 as the Anna Blake School, specializing in Home Ec. Famous alumni: Michael Douglas, Robby Krieger, Jack Johnson
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14.
Emerson College, Boston, MA
15.
University of Oregon, Eugene, OR
16.
Reed College, Portland, OR
17.
Goucher College, Baltimore, MD
18.
Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY
19.
Marlboro College, Marlboro, VT
20.
Guilford College, Greensboro, NC
Ranking: New on the list. Enrollment: 3,698 Tuition: $29,408 Other rankings: LGBTQ-Friendly (1); Birkenstock-Wearing, Tree-Hugging, Clove-Smoking Vegetarians (10) Origin: Founded in 1880 as the Boston Conservatory of Elocution, Oratory and Dramatic Art. Famous alumni: Dennis Leary, Jay Leno, Henry Winkler Ranking: Despite legal marijuana passing in Oregon in 2014, on the decline. Placed seventh in 2014 and eighth in 2013. Enrollment: 30,240 Tuition: $49,640 Origin: Founded in 1876. Famous alumni: Ken Kesey, Phil Knight, Howard Hesseman Ranking: New on the list. Enrollment: 1,374 Tuition: $49,640 Other rankings: Birkenstock-Wearing, Tree-Hugging, Clove-Smoking Vegetarians (5); Most Liberal Students (9); Most Politically Active Students (11); Great Financial Aid (13) Origin: Founded in 1908 as Reed Institute, in a national wildlife preserve. Famous alumni: Gary Snyder, John Sperling, Steve Jobs (didn’t graduate) Ranking: New on the list. Enrollment: 1,471 Tuition: $41,400 Origin: Founded in 1885 as the Women’s College of Baltimore City. Went co-ed in 1986. Famous alumni: Lucé Vela, Mildred Dunnock, Mary Vivian Pierce Ranking: New on the list. Enrollment: 2,418 Tuition: $48,840 Other rankings: Most Politically Active Students (2); Great Financial Aid (3); Birkenstock-Wearing, Tree-Hugging, Clove-Smoking Vegetarians (8); Most Liberal Students (16) Origin: Founded in 1861 as Vassar Female College. Went co-ed in 1969. Famous alumni: Meryl Streep, Lisa Kudrow, Noah Baumbach Ranking: Inching up. Placed No. 20 in 2014. Enrollment: 230 Tuition: $38,320 Other rankings: Most Liberal Students (1); Most Politically Active Students (14); Birkenstock-Wearing, Tree-Hugging, Clove-Smoking Vegetarians (14) Origin: Founded in 1946 on the site of two farms. Famous alumni: Sophie Cabot Black, Ted Levine, Chris Noth (didn’t graduate) Ranking: On the decline. Placed No. 14 in 2014. Enrollment: 2,137 Tuition: $33,710 Origin: Founded in 1837 by Quakers as the New Garden Boarding School. Famous alumni: World B. Free, Tony Womack
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BACK TO SCHOOL
SSDP
The College Fall Guide to Studying, Learning and Activism By Frances Fu
Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) was founded in response to the 1998 reauthorization of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and its Aid Elimination Penalty, which, although somewhat scaled back from the original provision, still restricts students from receiving financial aid if they have been convicted of a drug offense. This situation gave birth to SSDP’s famous motto: Schools, Not Prisons. Everyone—including people who use drugs—has the right to education. Part of being a Student for Sensible Drug Policy is being a sensible student. Here’s some advice for students heading back to college:
Preparation, Preparation, Preparation Learning a new subject is like experimenting with a new drug. One of the biggest mistakes that people make when experimenting with a new drug is to ingest it without taking the time beforehand to understand its effects or prepare physically and mentally. This is akin to attempting to tackle your homework assignment without first reading the textbook and attending class. As with drug use, when you prepare for a new venture, and put in the work at the beginning, it will help ensure a smoother road later on.
Focus, Then Relax Learning, like all activities that involve thought, requires periods of concentrated and intense effort. When concentrating on a subject, your mind forms neural connections based on the information you’re repeating over and over again. This is where habits come from; repeating certain actions trains your brain to think a certain way, making you act a certain way. However, you have to let your mind relax
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after intense periods of studying. In letting your mind wander, your brain is able to form random, free-flowing associations between different subjects, which can help illuminate the solution to any problem you’re trying to solve. There are lots of different things you can do to relax, whether it’s taking a walk, sleeping or playing video games.
Chunking Information When you’re first starting to learn new material, it can be quite overwhelming. One way to condense the amount of information you have to learn is by “chunking.” First, try to get a sense of the big ideas in whatever subject you’re studying. Then, break them down and combine the bits and pieces of information into a logical whole—a chunk. Finally, try to recall that information, chunk by chunk. Learning history facts may be easier when you have a sense of the context in which events occurred; remembering a biological process may be easier if you can break it down into a beginning, a middle and an end.
Sleep and Self-Care Being a student can be stressful. The to-do list never ends, and sometimes, no matter how much you study, you can still feel like you haven’t done enough before a test. According to the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, about 17% of college students misuse drugs designed to treat ADHD, like Adderall, Ritalin or Vyvanse. More than half of Americans over the age of 18 consume caffeine on a daily basis. Young adults who use stimulants and study on drugs often do so to help them stay awake to study just a little bit longer. While everyone must sometimes push their boundaries in order to learn and to grow, it’s important to prioritize sleep, which is essential in order to fully absorb the information you’re learning.
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BACK TO SCHOOL
Know Yourself There are three basic learning styles: auditory, kinesthetic and visual. Knowing how you learn best will help you capitalize on your strengths and set you up for success. If you’re more of an auditory learner, sit and listen during lectures to understand the material before writing notes. When you’re studying, repeat the information out loud to yourself so that you can hear it. If you’re a kinesthetic learner, turn learning into action. This might mean repeatedly writing the information you’re trying to learn, to encode it into muscle memory. If you’re a visual learner, turn the material you’re learning into pictures or charts, and use lots of colors. Avoid looking at your laptop in class or sitting next to people who tend to browse Facebook, as images may be especially distracting for you. Try showing other people how to do the work; teaching others will help you learn, as well.
Spread That Sensibility You’ll know that you’ve truly become the best Student for Sensible Drug Policy you can be when you’re capable of teaching others what you’ve learned. Just as watching a speech or reading a book about drug policy is not the same as giving the speech or explaining the policy yourself, there’s a difference between simply knowing information and being able to utilize that information in a truly useful way. When an epiphany comes your way, take a moment to write it down. Writing is the best way to elucidate thoughts, both for yourself and for the other people around you. To take it a step further, try to verbally explain your thoughts to someone else. Teaching someone what you’ve learned may bring to light questions that you haven’t thought about before.
Five Learning Challenges for SSDP Students 1. Know a professor on campus that studies drugs or
drug policy? Reach out and request a 30-minute meeting. Tell the prof about SSDP, and ask for one piece of advice.
2. Ask a random person what they’re studying. Explain how drug policy is related to their major.
3. Mention SSDP as often as is appropriate in class,
whether it’s by asking a question or making a comment on how the War on Drugs is related to the lecture topic of the day.
4. The best way to learn about drug policy is to interact with people who’ve been affected by the drug war. Volunteer at a local harm-reduction organization near you, whether it’s a needle exchange or substance-use peer education program.
5. If you haven’t yet connected with SSDP, get in touch and find out what you can do to help end the War on Drugs.
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BACK TO SCHOOL
Working to Change CollegesWorking Colleges are doing their part to reform to Change Policies marijuana regs and laws, Marijuana both on their campuses and Twenty SSDP chapters that
Marijuana Policies
in their states.
Arizona Arizona State University, Tempe University of Arizona, Tucson Hosting campus and community educational events regarding the 2016 marijuana legalization ballot initiative in Arizona. California University of California, Berkeley School of Law University of California, Irvine School of Law University of California, Berkeley Actively assisting with 2016 legalization efforts in California. Connecticut University of Connecticut, Storrs Traveled to Hartford this year to meet with elected officials about HB 6703 and HB 6473, which would tax and regulate marijuana, and persuaded the UConn student government to pass a statement of support for the bills. Delaware University of Delaware, Newark Was involved with the successful MPP-backed campaign to decriminalize marijuana in Delaware this past spring. Looking to pursue further opportunities to improve state marijuana laws. Florida Florida State University, Tallahassee Working on making marijuana possession the lowest police priority in Leon County. Ireland National University of Ireland, Galway Successfully pushed for a student-wide referendum on the legalization of cannabis, which passed overwhelmingly in March. The referendum mandates that the NUIG Students’ Union actively campaign for legalization moving forward. Other SSDP chapters at Dublin City University, University College Cork and Cork Institute of Technology hope to duplicate this campaign on their campuses, with the ultimate goal of getting the Union of Students in Ireland, the national representative body for university and college students, to endorse cannabis legalization. Louisiana Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge Tulane University, New Orleans Partnered with Common Sense NOLA to push for decriminalization in Louisiana. Also lobbied at the legislature for medical marijuana in 2015, and will be doing additional lobbying and coalition building in 2016. Michigan Michigan State University, East Lansing Will be working on the Michigan adult-use marijuana initiative.
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Members of George Washington University SSDP. Missouri Missouri State University, Springfield Working with Missouri NORML in their efforts to get a 2016 regulation initiative on the ballot. Nebraska Nebraska College of Law, Lincoln University of Nebraska, Omaha Lobbied at the state capitol often last year alongside other Nebraska SSDP chapters and Nebraska Families for Medical Marijuana, and will continue the campaign. New Mexico University of New Mexico School of Law, Albuquerque Has worked with local legislators and partnered with various organizations to push for marijuana reforms in New Mexico. Pennsylvania Dickinson College, Carlisle Met with elected officials last semester about SB 3, a limited medical marijuana bill. The bill passed the state Senate, and they’re planning to meet again with House representatives about the legislation in Harrisburg this fall. Texas University of Texas of the Permian Basin, Odessa Texas A&M University School of Law, Fort Worth Participated in the 2015 Texas Lobby day along with dozens of other activists from around the Lone Star State. Washington, D.C. George Washington University Successfully elected its chapter leader to student government on a drug-policy platform, including a goal to amend GW’s campus marijuana policies to reflect the new legalization law in D.C. For more information about SSDP chapters, go to ssdp.org/chapters.
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Freedom Leaf INTERVIEW
Betty Aldworth By Steve Bloom and Chris Goldstein Students for Sensible Drug Policy’s Executive Director Betty Aldworth is the first woman to officially lead the organization since it was founded in 1998. She got her start in drug-policy reform at the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) and the National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) before taking the position at SSDP in February 2014.
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What qualified you to take the helm at SSDP last year? Four years ago, after a decade working in large-scale volunteer programs, I began my work in medical cannabis and marijuana policy, and became familiar with SSDP. And in 2012, I had my first real opportunity to work with SSDP students and chapters while we worked together to pass Colorado’s Amendment 64. My decade of experience leading large-scale volunteer programs and five years’ experience in marijuana-policy reform seemed to meld perfectly with what SSDP truly is: a large group of passionate volunteers working to reform drug policies. And my long history of fostering rapid growth and development was just what SSDP needed, as we stretch to elevate the youth voice in the expanding drug policy dialogue. Where did you grow up? I was born in Chicago, raised outside of Las Vegas, finished high school and started college in central eastern California and spent most of my adult life in Denver, before moving part-time to D.C. Where did you go to college and what was your major? I audited many courses at Deep Springs College and completed substantial coursework in Denver with a focus on philosophy and gender studies, but I do not hold a degree. What was your college experience like?
Deep Springs is a small institution on a working ranch, geographically and culturally isolated in a desolate desert valley. After moving to Denver, I worked throughout the remainder of my college experience, living off-campus. My college experience started well before SSDP was launched, so I never had the benefit of the SSDP chapter experience firsthand. Where did you work before joining the NCIA? Immediately before my tenure as Deputy Director of NCIA, I worked for the MPP as the Advocacy Director for Colorado’s Amendment 64 campaign. Prior to that, I worked in community engagement and policy with various medical marijuana companies and groups in Colorado. And before that, I was a volunteer leader with some of Denver’s largest volunteer programs. What were your responsibilities at the NCIA? When I started at NCIA in 2013, Aaron Smith and I were the only staffers, so we did everything—from member recruitment to administration, to scrubbing the tables after events. I was primarily responsible for building out the educational program, which grew rapidly then and exponentially since I left, and for managing communications with members, the public and media. What drew you to the drug-policy reform movement?
It was very nontraditional.
More than a decade ago, I was introduced to harm reduction. The concept struck me as so basically humane,
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so common-sense, that I could no longer understand taking any other approach to social work or drug policy. At the time, I was developing a successful career leading large-scale volunteer programs, and did not conceptualize how I would someday work in harm reduction—but I knew, with great certainty, that I would. Since coming over to SSDP, I’ve gained a much deeper appreciation of the insidious nature of the global and domestic drug war and how it reaches into everyone’s daily lives, whether or not they use drugs, especially in communities of color. My dedication to this work has only grown as I learn more. What is SSDP’s mission? Students for Sensible Drug Policy is an international grassroots network of students who are concerned about the impact drug abuse has on our communities, but who also know that the War on Drugs is failing our generation and our society. SSDP mobilizes and empowers young people to participate in the political process, pushing for sensible policies to achieve a safer and more just future, while fighting back against counterproductive drug-war policies, particularly those that directly harm students and youth. What are the biggest issues facing college students today? Unfortunately, the punitive influence of the War on Drugs reaches its tendrils into every institution, and campuses are no different. Students who are targeted for enforcement, suspected
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of drug use or otherwise come to the attention of the authorities face the same kinds of discrimination and nonsensical sanctions that we see in the civil world: disproportionate enforcement based on race or class; loss of opportunity due to sanctions up to eviction or expulsion; and entry into a quagmire of a system that actually provides very little substantive help to those who need it.
sensible drug policies—and created safer campuses through promotion and adoption of policies based in harm reduction rather than fear. Chapters are able to choose “ from a variety of different activities that fall under SSDP’s mission, and, in collaboration with our staff outreach coordinators and other partners, have improved policies and drug education on hundreds of campuses.
How has SSDP been able to affect and influence campus drug policies over the years?
SSDP chapters have been involved in efforts to decriminalize and legalize marijuana. How have they helped?
From our first major federal victory, when we were instrumental in loosening restrictions on grants and loans to people with drug convictions, to the dozens of call-911 good samaritan policies implemented by SSDP chapters across the nation, we’ve helped reduce penalties and the negative impacts of those penalties, educated countless students about the actual harms of drugs and the drug war, mobilized tens of thousands of young people in support of
SSDP members work with partners at the local or state level to support marijuana policy reform, and have been involved to some degree in most major reforms since our founding in 1998. In 2012, we made 18,000 calls to voters, canvassed with the campaigns, hosted educational events and ran campus-based GOTV efforts in Colorado, Oregon and Washington. In 2014, we refined those programs, which ultimately resulted in 41,000
SSDP’s Betty Aldworth and Stacia Cosner (middle) with former staffers Michael Blunk (left) and Troy Dayton (right). Photo courtesy of SSDP.
“
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As the historically biased cannabis culture melds with the historically biased business world, I’ve both experienced and witnessed shocking events of subtle harm and gross harassment.
”
voter contacts in Alaska, Florida, Oregon and D.C. We’re gearing up for 2016 now, and have just hired our first staffer for California. Many of those arrested for marijuana possession are students. Why do you think prohibition particularly impacts young people?
More 21-to-25-year-olds use marijuana than those over 25, which is as good a reason to ensure that marijuana is regulated, and education is fact-based, as any other. But enforcement is still disproportionate. Among other things, they tend to have less access to safe spaces, are subjected to both campus rules and local laws, are targeted more frequently by police, are less likely to be aware of their rights unless they’ve been in contact with an SSDP chapter, may not www.freedomleaf.com 43
be as willing to defend those rights with authorities and have fewer resources to fight charges if they are busted. What’s it like being a woman in a leadership position in the largely older-male world of nonprofits and drug-policy reform? I feel exceptionally fortunate to be able to demonstrate to women in the SSDP network that our women-run organization is making a powerful impact. The women with whom I lead SSDP—our Deputy Director Stacia Cosner, Board Chair Amanda Muller and Vice Chair Lauren Mendelsohn—are powerhouse change-makers who understand that we have an organizational responsibility to shape our world more equitably for the women who are SSDP chapter members now. While domestic drug-policy reform has been male-dominated, women are taking up leadership roles more frequently. I come from working in education and direct-service nonprofits, where women have historically dominated the field, so in my 20s I was blissfully unimpacted by workplace gender bias. But as the historically biased cannabis culture melds with the historically biased business world, I’ve both experienced and witnessed shocking events of subtle harm and gross harassment. I feel a deep personal responsibility to speak out about that, and try to shape a better kind of marijuana industry. How have things changed for women in this industry over the last few years? Thankfully, many women are
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Former SSDP staffer Shaleen Title with Executive Director Betty Aldworth. Photo courtesy of SSDP. engaging in this conversation and shifting the paraphernalia-as-phallus framing of women in cannabis culture to one where women are valued as whole human beings, patients, social consumers or professionals in the cannabis industry. Companies that engage in old-school objectification are learning that women—and many men—want to engage with brands with integrity, where women-owned small businesses are celebrated in the community and media. Just like the rest of the world, it’s not perfect, but we’re on the right path. SSDP is an international organization. Where are you expanding most outside the U.S? Our Irish chapters are leading the drug-policy debate in Ireland, where full-scale decriminalization seems like it might be within reach. Our Mexican chapters are working closely with activists who literally risk their lives to speak out against the september 2015
corrupt narco-state. Our New Zealand chapters are pushing hard for further reforms in a country leading the way on psychoactive substances and other reforms, and our Jamaican members have been instrumental in pushing for cannabis-policy reform. Many students involved with SSDP go on to other jobs and even careers in politics. Who are some of the standout alumni? First and foremost, Stacia Cosner [’05], Drew Stromberg [’09], Jake Agliata [’11], Scott Cecil [’10], Frances Fu [’11] and Brian Ortiz [’13] are all rock-star SSDP staffers. Amanda Reiman [’98] is the Manager of Marijuana Law and Policy for Drug Policy Alliance, where Jag Davies [’01] is the Director of Communications Strategy. Troy Dayton [’98] founded the ArcView Group, where Michael Blunk [’08] directs entrepreneur relations. Former director Kris Krane [’98] founded the 4Front companies, where he also
works with SSDP founder Shea Gunther [’97], Shaleen Title [’02] and Sam Tracy [’09]. Mike Liszewski [’07] handles federal government affairs for Americans for Safe Access. Brooke and Brian Gilbert [’09] run NCIA’s educational programs. Tom Angell [’00] founded Marijuana Majority. Mikayla Hellwich [’10] is Law Enforcement Against Prohibition’s Media Relations Associate. Jon Perri [’04] mobilizes action at Change.org. Evan Nison [’09] does instrumental work on cannabis reform across the Northeast. Sean Luse [’00] is the COO of Berkeley Patients Group, and Victor Pinho [’02] is their Director of Marketing. How does SSDP help foster opportunities in the cannabis industry? Our internship program prepares students for jobs
in this emerging industry by connecting them to meaningful and instructive work. Our job board connects graduates with jobs in drug-policy reform, intersecting movements and the cannabis industry.
drug-policy reform organizations, the possibilities are endless. What are SSDP’s goals for the rest of 2015 and 2016?
If a student wants to focus his or her career on drug-policy reform, what path would you suggest? Law, psychology, science, political science or public policy? Yes, yes, and yes! We need people who understand sensible drug policy to push for change in every intersecting area, and you can be a drug-policy reformer almost anywhere. Whether it’s regulators, law enforcement officers, treatment and prevention professionals, lawmakers, direct-service healthcare providers or advocates working in traditional
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Of course, we’ll keep expanding and supporting our chapter network, and are rolling out some fun new programs for students. And, like everyone else, we’re ramping up for a big election year in 2016. But the real benchmark this year is the United Nations General Assembly Special Session [UNGASS] on Drugs. We’ll be pushing the youth perspective through, among other things, hosting a model UNGASS at this fall’s International Drug Policy Reform Conference in D.C. [Nov. 18–21], and a large public demonstration in New York City on April 18. For more information, go to ssdp.com.
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By Erik Altieri “Bernie, Bernie, Bernie,” the crowd of about 500 supporters is chanting at a campaign stop on July 7 in Arlington, Va. It’s not a rock concert, but it feels like one. Fifteen minutes past the scheduled start time, the buzzing room falls into anticipatory silence. With event staffers shuttling in and out of the small room, each new entrance causes everyone to crane their necks to make sure they don’t miss the featured speaker’s entrance. Finally, their patience pays off. The door next to the stage opens, and the man with tousled white hair—reminiscent of Back to the Future’s Doc Brown or comedian Larry David—wearing a
Upstart presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders is challenging Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination in 2016. But will he be good for marijuana reform?
distinctly un-tailored suit shuffles in unceremoniously. The crowd, now on its feet, goes wild: “Bernie, Bernie, Bernie!” They’ve come to hear policy proposals aimed at reforming what many view as America’s broken political and economic system. The evening is not even a traditional campaign event (it’s billed as a legislative policy forum hosted by the National Rural Electrical Cooperative Association). Once the organizers announced that the featured forum speaker would be the independent senator from Vermont, they were inundated with RSVPs and reached capacity in about a day.
Sen. Sanders on NBC’s Meet The Press May 31, 2015.
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Sanders arrives at the podium and raises his hand, much in the way a teacher would to silence a classroom. “Brothers and sisters,” he bellows with the sort of power and resonance that wouldn’t be out of place at a tent revival. Taking aim at the Koch Brothers, he begins: “You tell me what it means when the second-wealthiest family in America, a family that wants to abolish Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, the EPA, the U.S. Postal Service and virtually every piece of legislation passed to protect working people in the last 75 years, can spend more money than either of the two major political parties—
brothers and sisters, that is not democracy. That is called oligarchy, and it has to end.” For 90 minutes, Sanders delivers a rousing speech highlighting what he views as crucial challenges for the country, and his prescribed fixes for them, periodically having to pause to let the applause that follows nearly every sentence he utters wane. As the night comes to a close, he leaves the room after enjoying the type of enthusiastic reception typically reserved for Hollywood celebrities, and the crowd mills around after his exit, longing for an encore.
Ever since throwing his hat into the ring in April for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination, Bernie Sanders has exploded in popularity and caught the attention of the nation. The 73-year-old senator—not Elizabeth Warren or Martin O’Malley—suddenly found himself in the role of the
most formidable challenger to Hillary Clinton. I’ve been following Sanders since his days as Vermont’s lone member of the House of Representatives, where he served from 1991–2006. The core of his appeal is consistency, authenticity and accessibility. If you’ve lived in Vermont for any period of time, odds are you’ve run into Sanders, who insists on going by the much less formal “Bernie,” at the local grocery store, Fourth of July parade or any number of other civic events. His image as a man of the people is well-earned. He’s spent most of his time outside of Washington, D.C. crisscrossing his state and talking to its citizens—creating a personal bond between constituents and a nationally recognized politician that’s hard to find replicated in many other places. But to really comprehend what drives Senator Sanders, you have to understand his basic principles, which revolve around what he identifies as the great moral,
political and economic issue of our time: the growing crisis of economic and political inequality in America. It’s a message Sanders has been delivering since his political career began as mayor of Vermont’s largest city, Burlington, in 1981 (he held the position for two terms). The dual issues of economic and political inequality have long been festering, but have reached new heights with the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision in 2010 (which ruled, among other things, that corporations are equivalent to people) and the routine slashing of tax rates for the rich at the expense of social safety net programs. Sanders’ thought process on all issues is viewed through the lens of economic inequality. It’s a message that’s clearly resonating with American voters. After formally announcing his candidacy, Sanders has seen his poll numbers jump from low single digits to over 20% in most states. At press time, he’d overtaken frontrunner
Sanders speaks in Madison, Wisconsin, on July 1. Photo by Juli Hansen.
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Clinton in New Hampshire, where the first Democratic primary will take place. Alongside swelling poll numbers, surprisingly large crowds have been coming out to hear his message at campaign stops. While he’s doing well in traditional liberal strongholds—10,000 supporters showed up in Madison, Wis., and another 8,000 in Portland, Me.— Sanders is also drawing thousands in traditionally right-leaning states like Arizona and Louisiana that Democratic candidates generally ignore. People of all political persuasions are eager to hear a “no-bullshit” candidate who gives them straight talk on the flaws of our political and economic system, and offers steps we need to take to repair our democracy.
What would a Sanders administration mean for national marijuana policy? He’s supported several efforts to reform federal pot laws
during his tenures in the House and the Senate (starting in 2007). In the House, Sanders frequently backed key amendments that aimed to stop the Department of Justice from expending funds to interfere with state medical marijuana laws. He was also a co-sponsor of the States’ Rights to Medical Marijuana Act, which sought to reschedule marijuana and give states leeway to implement medical marijuana programs. More recently, he co-sponsored industrial hemp legislation during the last Senate session. Sanders has yet to sign on as a co-sponsor of the Senate’s Compassionate Access, Research Expansion, and Respect States Act (sponsored by Senators Rand Paul and Cory Booker), but he backed 2013 legislation in Vermont that decriminalized marijuana, and has admitted to smoking pot a few times while growing up in Brooklyn, New York (“I ended up coughing a lot”). Sanders has said it’s time to “rethink” the War on Drugs,
Photo by Juli Hansen
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and often casts the issue of marijuana arrests as another example where laws work against the average American and for those wealthy few at the top. “It’s an obscenity that we stigmatize so many young Americans with a criminal record for smoking marijuana, yet not one major Wall Street executive has been prosecuted for causing the near-collapse of our entire economy,” he routinely tells crowds. Sanders has long been outspoken about the drug war and how it’s resulted in mass incarceration and systematic racism, leading to the overpopulation of jails with mostly nonviolent minority drug offenders. “How does it happen that in this great nation, we have more people in jail than the Communist, authoritarian country of China, which has over three times our population?” he asks rhetorically. “The time has come for us to begin investing in jobs and education for our kids, not jails and incarceration.”
Calling for sweeping reforms to policing in America, Sanders supports the deployment of body cameras, a heavy focus on community policing strategies, stronger accountability for officers who break the law and the demilitarization of local police forces. “It’s unacceptable that police officers beat up people or kill people,” Sanders told a crowd in Houston. “If they do that, they have got to be held accountable.” During his July swing through Southern states, Sanders took issue with the death of Sandra Bland, who was pulled over in Texas in June for a traffic violation and subsequently died in jail. “This video of the arrest of Sandra Bland shows totally outrageous police behavior,” Sanders angrily noted. “No one should be yanked from her car, thrown to the ground, assaulted and arrested for a minor traffic stop. The video highlights once again why we need real police reform. This type of police abuse has become
an all-too-common occurrence for people of color, and it must stop.” While his record and rhetoric on marijuana law reform, mass incarceration and systemic racism hit all the right notes, Sanders has yet to address the issue of
“Colorado has led the effort toward legalizing marijuana, and I’m going to watch very closely to see the pluses and minuses of what they’ve done.” — Bernie Sanders
legalization of marijuana for recreational use (though he does believe states should be allowed to move in that direction free of federal incursion). When asked,
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during a recent Reddit Q&A, whether he supports the full legalization of marijuana, Sanders responded: “Colorado has led the effort toward legalizing marijuana, and I’m going to watch very closely to see the pluses and minuses of what they’ve done. I’ll have more to say about this issue within the coming months.” When considering who to vote for in 2016, Bernie Sanders is an excellent choice for marijuana lawreform supporters and anti-drug war advocates, as well as individuals passionate about criminal justice reform and issues related to mass incarceration and systemic racism. With increasing poll numbers and overflow crowds, America is clearly starting to “Feel the Bern.” For more about Bernie Sanders, his campaign and his stance on other issues, go to berniesanders.com. Erik Altieri is the former National NORML Communications Director.
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U.S. Marine Barrett 50 www.freedomleaf.com Thompson
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Pot and PTSD
ARTICLE BY CHRIS GOLDSTEIN PHOTOS BY MIKE WHITER
Veterans are committing suicide at an alarming rate. Cannabis and Congress can help stem this rising tide. Just after midnight on Jan. 1, 2014, a crowd of national media gathered inside the 3D Cannabis Center in Denver. The first legal recreational marijuana sale in the United States was about to be tendered. Sean Azzariti stepped up to the counter, completed the simple transaction and then turned to the bright lights and cameras. He wasn’t your average stoner. He had served in Iraq. A former Marine living with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Azzariti took the historic moment a bit further by raising awareness about this condition that affects vets across the nation. “Cannabis saved me when PTSD was just overwhelming me,” he told the press corps assembled outside the store that historic day. “I feel I can help others through my military experience. It’s given me the discipline to be able to turn my marijuana use into advocacy.” PTSD is not a qualifying condition for medical marijuana in Colorado, but when full legalization was rolled out, Azzariti and thousands of other vets suddenly gained access. Since the start of 2014, they’ve been able to take advantage of the many retail stores that have sprung up around the state, or grow plants in the privacy of their homes. Eighteen months later, on July 15, 2015, a Colorado Department of Health & Environment panel convened to consider adding
PTSD to the state’s list of acceptable medical marijuana conditions. Citing the lack of specific research, they voted it down, 6-2. The issue of PTSD and medical marijuana is a complex landscape filled with contradictions. Nearly 40 states have passed some form of a medical cannabis law. Ten states offer programs with easy access and even home cultivation. Yet only a handful of the state medical marijuana programs (in Delaware, Hawaii, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington State) and Washington, D.C. allow PTSD as a qualifying condition; states with stricter regulations, like New Jersey and New York, don’t. This has created a difficult patchwork of laws and regulations for vets seeking a natural PTSD treatment. Sadly, more vets from the recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have taken their own lives (estimated by the VA in 2012 as 8,000 per year) than have been killed in battle. There’s a national discussion around this issue, all the way up to President Obama. Medical marijuana can help. In this case, it could be saving lives. Those who live with PTSD often have terrifying flashbacks, serious sleep disorders and a variety of other symptoms, and often avoid friends and family. PTSD is currently treated with cognitive behavioral therapy and a cocktail of pharmaceutical medications. Serotonin inhibitors (such as Paxil) are often piled on top of pain meds (such as
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Oxycontin). The side effects of the drugs commonly used to treat PTSD are also negative factors that affect vets. Like Azzariti, Marine Corps vet Mike Whiter, who served in Iraq and now lives in Philadelphia, uses marijuana to combat the effects of PTSD. He’s not happy about his condition being excluded from a medical marijuana bill making its way through the state legislature in Harrisburg. Still, Whiter is holding out hope. “Cannabis is a safe alternative to pharmaceutical treatment,” he says. “In conjunction with therapy, marijuana can help a veteran regain control of his or her life.” Whiter regularly attends PhillyNORML meetings. Tall and athletically built, he’s honest about living with PTSD and the struggles
As medical marijuana programs around the country are being implemented or expanded and are becoming more accessible, an increasing number of vets have been able to refine their cannabis therapy on their own. Dr. Sue Sisley is one of the leading experts studying military vets and cannabis. She was planning to perform scientific research on the topic at the University of Arizona when the school suddenly fired her in 2014. Now, thanks to a multimillion-dollar grant from Colorado, her work is going forward. The irony is that the grant money came from taxes raised from booming recreational pot sales in the Centennial State. Dr. Sisley’s study—to be performed in conjunction with the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS)
There’s a national discussion around PTSD, all the way up to President Obama. Medical marijuana can help. In this case, it could be saving lives. that come with it. Discovering that marijuana helped him was a revelation. “Veterans are being overmedicated,” he explains. “More than 22 veterans commit suicide every day, and pharmaceutical overdoses are a leading cause of death.” With this in mind, Whiter has created a series of graphic photographs, dubbed #OperationOverMed, in which vets are faced with the choice of popping pills or medicating with marijuana. (Several of his striking portraits accompany this article. More can be seen at mikewhiter.com.) Whiter has appeared at press conferences, been featured on NBC and many other news outlets, testified before legislative hearings and delivered speeches in front of huge crowds at the annual Hemp Heals Music Festival in Philadelphia and the Boston Freedom Rally. He attributes his turnaround to cannabis. “Marijuana saved my life,” he says. For decades, many vets have turned to cannabis. But not every strain works best for PTSD.
and overseen by the University of Pennsylvania and the Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Center for PTSD—has faced numerous hurdles. The main hang-up has been getting ahold of federal pot. All of the marijuana supplied for such research is grown by the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) laboratory at the University of Mississippi at Oxford (see “Mississippi Growing” in Freedom Leaf #8). During the last year, NIDA has wavered over their ability to supply the four strains that Sisley requires, containing a variety of THC and CBD levels, for 76 participating veterans in Arizona and Maryland; NIDA claims they’re now on track to provide the study’s marijuana. The hope is to determine the specific cannabinoid levels that have the most beneficial impact. In an interview with Freedom Leaf, Dr. Sisley explains how PTSD affects vets: “Individuals with PTSD suffer decreased quality of life. Anxiety increases along with depression. PTSD sufferers face an increased risk of poor health. Relationships suffer, divorce rates increase,
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success in school fades and many become unemployed. At this moment over 60,000 veterans—many with PTSD—are homeless.” Drugs do not effectively deal with PTSD, she contends. “The current use of SSRI-type antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications—the mainstay of treatment—are of limited value for many patients. Often, these medications don’t work well, or the side effects, such as obesity, grogginess or decreased sexual function, cause many patients to discontinue therapy. Psychotherapy may be helpful for some, but availability is limited. An additional pharmacological agent to treat PTSD could be very beneficial for many patients.” That agent is medical-grade cannabis, which generally helps vets become more social, alleviates reliving traumatic experiences and promotes sleep. Dr. Sisley points to “a very good retrospective study from the State of New Mexico Medical Advisory Board” as an example of research on the subject that’s already been conducted (Cannabis in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Neurobiological Approach to Treatment, by Bryan Krumm), and adds that “New Mexico was the first state to approve PTSD as a qualifying condition for treatment under their medical cannabis program.” According to that study, “Greater than 75% reduction in symptom scores were reported when patients were using cannabis than when they were not… There is extensive evidence that cannabinoids may facilitate extinction of aversive memories.” It concluded: “There are currently 3,350 patients enrolled in the PTSD program. To date, there have been no incidents or adverse events.” While residents in medical marijuana states can talk to their doctor about access, vets have to deal with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). For many years, vets faced an ominous problem: They were kicked out of free pain management programs if they tested positive for THC. Vets are regularly drug-tested, not to see if they have any dependence problems, but to assure that they’re taking their prescribed opiates. In 2009, the VA stopped booting people out of the program because of pot. That’s good news, but there is a catch: Only if individuals are registered in state medical marijuana programs are they allowed to test positive for THC. This has left most vets out of luck.
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Then, this past May, a light appeared at the end of that tunnel when the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee approved language in a funding package that could, one day, allow VA doctors to discuss and even recommend medical marijuana for their patients. Seen as a major victory by advocates, the legislation, at press time, has to go through more committees and further bureaucracy at the VA before vets could experience a real shift. When Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Sen. Kristen Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) introduced the CARERS Act of 2015 in March, they didn’t forget veterans. It’s the first bill ever introduced in the Senate that would legalize medical marijuana. The legislation is far from perfect, but one important provision would allow VA doctors and hospitals to begin recommending cannabis. Until that happens, soldiers in need can turn to Operation Grow for Vets, founded in January 2014 by the father/son team of Roger Martin, a U.S. Army vet, and his horticulturist son Nick. Their mission is to give away free cannabis, and they partner with cultivators and have chapters in Colorado, California, Nevada and other states. So far, Operation Grow for Vets has supplied more than 5,100 former soldiers with more than half a million dollars worth of weed. Marijuana provides our veterans with a significant option to the devastating side effects of powerful pharmaceuticals. It can save tens of thousands of soldiers’ lives. Just ask vets like Sean Azzariti and Mike Whiter.
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Cannabis Stock Report: Second Quarter 2015
The Viridian Cannabis Stock Index increased 2.3% in the first half of 2015. However, a strong first-quarter performance was offset by a weak second.
By Scott Greiper The Viridian Cannabis Stock Index rose 2.3% for the first half of 2015, outperforming the Dow Jones Industrial Average (down 1.1%) and the S&P 500 (up 0.2%), but underperforming the NASDAQ (up 5.3%) and the Russell 2000 (up 4.1%). After registering a 23.6% gain for the first quarter of 2015, the VCS Index declined 17.2% in the second quarter of 2015, underperforming the Dow Jones Industrial Average (down 0.9%), the S&P 500 (down 0.2%), the NASDAQ (up 1.8%) and the Russell 2000 (up 0.1%). The variability in quarterly performance follows the same trend experienced in 2014, when the VCS Index rose by 938.6% in the first quarter, gained 2.8% in the second quarter and then registered declines of 33.3% in
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the third quarter and 32.1% in the fourth. For the full 2014 year, the index gained 38.4%. This level of variability will continue and reflects the following factors: • Effects from retail investors dominating trading in cannabis stocks, including momentum and emotional investing, driving up valuations without regard to fundamentals. • A subsequent return to fundamentals and the true drivers of enterprise value, such as management expertise, business models, revenue growth and long-term strategic plans. • Additional macro factors creating a “run from risk” mentality, including the continued conflicts involving Russia, Ukraine and Eastern Europe, the economic slowdown in China and the debt issues in Greece.
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Sector Performance
Of the 13 sectors that make up the VCS Index, two showed positive gains in the second quarter of 2015: Physical Security, which increased 10%, and Real Estate, which rose 35.5%. Meanwhile, four of the 12 sectors experienced gains in the first half of 2015: Infused Products and Extracts (136%), Cultivation and Retail (69%), Real Estate (3.4%) and Biotechnology (1.8%). Of these four sectors, all except Real Estate were driven by strong gains in the first quarter, while the Real Estate sector had strong gains in the second. The top three performers for the second quarter of 2015 were: • Breathe eCig Corp. (OTCQB:BVAP), a manufacturer of various e-cigarette products; up 115.4%. • Lexaria Corp. (OTCQB:LXRP), a food sciences company focused on the delivery of hemp oil compounds procured from legal, agricultural hemp; up 108.3%. • DirectView Holdings Inc (OTCPink:DIRV), a provider of security, surveillance, video and teleconferencing technologies and services; up 100%.
Capital Market Transactions
During the second quarter of 2015, 20 companies in the VCS Index reported 34 capital raises totaling approximately $228.4 million, compared to the index’s 42 capital raises totaling approximately $43.2 million in the first quarter, and the 47 capital raises totaling approximately $80.4 million in all of 2014. The high level of capital raised in the second quarter was driven largely by a secondary
offering by GW Pharmaceuticals Plc. (NASDAQGM:GWPH), which raised approximately $206.1 million through the issuance of 1.84 million American depository shares. The first cannabis IPO was also completed during this quarter when MassRoots Inc. (OTCQB:MSRT) completed its offering of 50.4 million shares of its common stock at $0.10 per share, and began trading on the OTC markets on April 9. With regard to merger and acquisition activity, four companies in the VCS Index completed five M&A transactions in the second quarter of 2015. This was a notable decline from the activity in the first quarter, when 11 companies in the index completed 13 M&A transactions. Part of this decline is due to the reduction of the size of the VCS Index from 80 to 60 companies, in an effort to better identify the best-of-breed companies in the cannabis industry.
Biotechnology
Biotechnology companies are looking to capitalize on the anticipated growth of the cannabis-derived pharmaceutical market by leveraging the mounting data on the therapeutic effects of cannabis, and deploying rigorous testing for quality, safety and efficacy. Cannabinoid research, historically led by scientists in Israel, has lately garnered much interest in the U.S. Numerous studies have been initiated to investigate the potential effects of cannabinoids in the treatment of a wide array of ailments, including cancer, diabetes, PTSD and neuromuscular disorders. While natural plant extracts can’t be patented (as per the 2013 Supreme Court ruling),
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FDA approval will guarantee seven years of market exclusivity for specific formulations of various cannabinoids or their derivatives. These formulations can lead to a strong intellectual property portfolio, from which products can be subsequently developed and/or licensed to monetize these assets. After rising 10.9% in the first quarter, the biotech sector declined 8.2% in the second to end the first half up 1.8%. Though the sector declined overall in the second quarter, several companies in the sector realized gains: • Growblox Sciences Inc. (OTCQB:GBLX) spiked following the establishment of its subsidiary Growblox Sciences Puerto Rico LLC, and upon the first installment of a $1.25 million financing round to fund the subsidiary’s operations; up 67.5%. • Insys Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQGM:INSY) and GW Pharmaceuticals Plc. (NasdaqGM:GWPH), the companies in the sector with the highest market capitalizations and largest intellectual property portfolios, also saw stock gains in the second quarter of 23.6% and 34.8%, respectively. GW and Insys were the top performers in the first half of 2015, up 81.5% and 70.4%, respectively.
Infused Products and Extracts
Legalized recreational marijuana sales in Colorado and Washington have driven the market growth of infused products and extracts, as many dispensaries, particularly in tourist areas, report that edibles and extracts represent an increasing percentage of their sales. With cannabis purchases by out-ofstate visitors accounting for an estimated 44% of all retail sales in the Denver area, and about 90% in mountain resorts, infused products and extracts are experiencing soaring demand. Many companies in this sector have positioned their infused products in the nutraceutical industry, typically marketed as dietary supplements that give users the ability to take advantage of marijuana’s benefits without necessarily needing a prescription, while also allowing the companies making these products to bring them to market without having to go through the extensive FDA approval process. While the FDA has recently sent warnings to companies making claims about their products without scientific evidence, products that are marketed as dietary supplements and do not claim to be “intended for the use in the diagnosis, cure,
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mitigation, treatment or prevention of diseases” should remain free from FDA scrutiny. The Infused Products and Extracts sector declined 10.3% in the second quarter of 2015, after rising 163% in the first, and finished the first half up 136%. Lexaria Corp. was the only one of the six companies in the sector to rise in the second quarter, following management’s update to shareholders regarding new product offerings and marketing campaigns. Lexaria’s second-quarter gains helped it finish the first half strong, up 84.4%. Totally Hemp Crazy Inc. (OTCQB:THCZ) was the other company in this sector whose stock finished the first half with a gain: 1,109.3%, after soaring 1,535.4% in the first quarter.
Cultivation and Retail
Despite lingering concerns of violating federal law that keep most publicly traded cannabis companies in the U.S. away from the direct production or sale of cannabis, a growing number of companies appear to have a risk tolerance high enough to position themselves as direct handlers. Production is growing on a massive scale as larger and larger cultivation facilities are being developed. Economies of scale in production will drive competition, putting downward pressure on raw flower prices and pushing many small and medium-size operations out of the market. If these first players are able to successfully refine and expand their operations, they’ll be strategically positioned to generate high returns and capture significant market share in the industry. The Cultivation and Retail sector fell 16.4% in the second quarter following a gain of 102.1% in the first, to finish the first half of 2015 up 69%. While all but one company in this sector fell in the second quarter, three of the five were positive for the first half. Kaya Holdings Inc. (OTCQB:KAYS) ended the second quarter up 54%, thanks to receiving license approval in Oregon at the end of June. Café Serendipity Inc. (OTCPink:CAFS) led the sector for the half, up 212.5% following a massive 1,060% gain in the first quarter. Kaya Holdings and Med-Cannabis Pharma Inc. (OTCQB:MCPI) also saw gains in the first half of 33.5% and 26.7%, respectively. Scott Greiper is President of Viridian Capital Advisors.
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POT AND PESTICIDES Now that recreational marijuana and medical cannabis are legal in 23 states, can consumers trust that the weed they buy is free from harmful chemicals? By Rick Pfrommer Pesticides are the most insidious of the harmful agents—aside from the potential issue of radiation from Fukushima—that can be present in your marijuana. Unlike testing for molds or mildew, which are often visible to the naked eye and easily tested for in a lab, pesticide testing is more complex, and methods and requirements vary greatly from state to state. This issue made headlines in March when the Denver Department of Environmental Health quarantined six grow facilities “after the discovery that pesticides may have been improperly used,” according to the Denver Post. Fire inspectors had initially found the pesticide products, with “clear language on the labels to guide their usage, saying it’s not for indoor use, or that the product isn’t intended to be used on items grown for human consumption—like marijuana,” stated city spokesman Dan Rowland. In April, 60,000 plants in another Denver facility were put on hold while the crops
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were inspected and tested for pesticides—in particular, the commercial-strength fungicide Eagle 20EW. “These pesticides haven’t been tested on marijuana, so we have no idea what residue remains when the plants are harvested,” Mike Van Dyke, a toxicology specialist with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, told USA Today. “No one is doing studies at the federal level.” According to the journal Beyond Pesticides, 14 states mandate some form of testing cannabis for pesticide residues; 12 states, including industry testing leader Washington require it for all cannabis, while two states only mandate testing if there is a complaint. Pesticides are not broken down or removed by any part of the growing process. Growers who fumigate plants late in the cycle run an even higher risk of dangerous toxins being present in the final product. The FDA standards for allowable pesticide levels
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Consumers should educate themselves on what type of testing their dispensary conducts. Ask for organic products, and for pesticides to be included in the testing regimen. are set for food to be eaten—not for plants to be smoked. In actuality, there is little to no scientific data on smoking cannabis containing pesticide residue. Holding a hit of marijuana in the lungs for several seconds, as most smokers do, can increase both the exposure time and the depth in the lungs that the smoke reaches. These are all reasons why testing cannabis for pesticide residue is so important. Making concentrates does not get rid of the danger either; pesticides are not removed via CO2 or solvent-based extraction. (BHO and other solvent-based extractions also present the risk of trace solvent residue.) The Werq Shop in Los Angeles, a pioneer in cannabis testing, has found pesticide residue in about 10% of all plant material tested. Since samples are voluntarily sent to the lab, the real contamination numbers are probably much higher. In the states that mandate testing, the allowable amounts vary; whereas Oregon sets a 1 ppm (parts per million) standard, Washington State’s standard is much lower. Some scientists, including the Werq Shop’s Jeffrey Raber, think the ppb (parts per billion) standard should be applied, particularly in the absence of more hard data. In California, where cannabis testing started, there’s still very little pesticide testing. The dispensaries that do test their cannabis test primarily for potency and for mold and mildew. As the costs of testing can easily run over $100 per sample, most dispensaries don’t also test for pesticide residue. Consumers may mistakenly assume that since a dispensary states that their products are tested, they must be testing for pesticides, too. Fortunately, other methods to ensure the safety of the end product have been developed. Among others, Clean Green Certified, started by Chris Van Hook in 2005, is a third-party organic inspection and certification program in California. They also certify
non-cannabis farms as USDA organic, and have the credentials to certify cannabis. Under Clean Green’s program, an inspector goes to a cannabis farm and interviews the grower about their practices. Soil samples are taken and analyzed for any pesticides or non-organic fertilizers and amendments. By certifying the farm (rather than each batch of finished flowers), the consumer can know that anything labeled “Clean Green” is safe. The program has now been expanded to include Washington, Oregon, Colorado and Nevada. Even with the growth of the testing industry, most of the cannabis that people consume is still not tested in any fashion. Any testing that does occur is usually for THC/CBD percentages, mold and mildew. Consumers should educate themselves on what, if any, type of testing their dispensary conducts. Ask for organic products, and for pesticides to be included in the testing regimen. While this may drive up the cost of flowers in the short run, the long-term health benefits of not consuming toxic substances are well worth it. Rick Pfrommer is former Director of Education and Outreach at Harborside Health Center in Oakland, Calif.
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N UTRITIONAL S
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The Lowdown on High School
Sneaking smokes, fantasizing about the hot English teacher, making snickerdoodles in Home Ec and hanging out with the stoners. Those were the days when coming to class high was pretty much expected. Every fall I return to school in my mind: the crisp sky, soft flannel shirts and a fresh pack of cigs in my pocket waiting to be smoked. During my mile-long trek to high school in Southern New Jersey, Donna Wilby would occasionally pick me up. She was a cool senior, I a lowly and carless sophomore. So on one of those days, when she told me to get into her mom’s Chevy Impala, I quickly obliged. Donna was a large redhead who didn’t speak much. She’d park on a dead-end street and light up a fat joint, Pink Floyd playing on the cassette player. Taking a hit, I’d pray to not start coughing, which seemed decidedly uncool. I got high many times before school. Most of the weed back in the day was dry and dusty, all stems and seeds. It’s amazing we got high at all. But Donna smoked the good shit. That day, my semi-virginal brain cells weren’t quite ready for this almost acid-like experience. Dropping me off in the high school parking lot, Donna mumbled “Later,” and left me standing there alone, a glassy-eyed teenage mess. “What is to become of me now?” I wondered. “How am I to function like this?”
h Mann By Bet
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Looming in front of me was a large brick institution, looking just an architectural step away from prison. Entering this place was surely a masochistic feat, but one I had to endure. Fearing any more detentions, I walked in, quasi-tripping and painfully paranoid. Mr. Tobler’s homeroom was the first of many Circles of Hell I had to navigate that day. He was a big old bastard of a man, a former semi-professional linebacker with a permanent scowl etched into his leathery face. Feeling his eyes glued on me as I fumbled at my locker, I shook my long bangs over my bloodshot eyes. “Having a problem over there, Mann?” “No… I just… um… forgot my combination.” Think, think. It’s a… combination of numbers. Well, no shit, Sherlock. Which ones? The High Gods came to my aid, and my lock miraculously popped open. “I did it… I did it!” I said a little too loudly, garnering a couple of stares. This was going to be a long day. When the bell rang, I hightailed it to the only safe zone in the school: the girl’s bathroom, where fellow stoners like me smoked cigarettes and wondered how the hell we were going to get through the day. “I’m really… really high,” I whispered to tough-as-nails Carmen Marshalls. “Yeah, join the club,” she retorted. No sympathy for the stoned here. Cigarettes tasted like ass in the girl’s bathroom. There was no oxygen left from all the smoke, so your cig would flatten from moistness and taste disgusting. But smoke it we would anyway—to calm our stoned nerves, and to smell like anything but weed. Most of the classes were abject torture. The stern and near-comatose Mrs. Noxen, whose lips barely moved while speaking, taught algebra. Luckily, the period before lunch was a stoner’s dream: Mr. O’Ryan’s English class. Possibly stoned himself, this tousled and lanky gray-haired man would aimlessly wander about the room
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like e d more o l seem t o n h e sc m h ri xpe “Hig social e a bizar re l e ducation.” a re than a
making observations, apropos of nothing. “You look like blank pages today. Do you feel like blank pages today?” he’d inquire. “What is the opposite of opposite?” We’d watch him, ours mouths agape that someone actually sounded as high as we felt. Sometimes I’d catch him looking at me while taking a test. Even stoned, my heart would skip a beat. “Your dark, smoldering eyes remind me of smoke and cinnamon,” he told me that day while sitting on my desk. “Stop wasting their beauty.” Stunned by the compliment, I sank deeply into my metal chair and wondered what sex with a real, grown man such as Mr. O’Ryan would be like. Lunch was a welcome break, because overwhelming munchies had replaced my paralytic high. Unfortunately, our cafeteria was the last place to provide any relief. Rubber meatballs, slimy turkey sandwiches… even the chips in the bags were stale. I’d snatch a Twix bar and a Coke and sit at a long table with the other burnouts, as they borrowed change from each other, traded smokes and bitched about being stuck in this hellhole. “You have the most smoldering of eyes,” Walt Williams mocked in my direction. “Like cigarettes and cinnamon.” “Shut up, you ass,” I responded, waiting for my blood sugar to rise, still reeling from Mr. O’Ryan’s comment. Home Ec followed, where Mrs. Morgan taught us how to make snickerdoodles, a fixed smile painted on her taut face. Once the cookies were done, I shoved a few in my backpack and smoked another wet cigarette
in the bathroom. Typing class didn’t sap my soul like the others. No boring lectures or “wipe that smile off your face” attitude. It was a skill—handson and readily applicable. Mrs. T. didn’t care if you were stoned or not, as long as your fingers kept moving. It may have been the only practical thing I learned in high school. By midafternoon, when the dull torture was too much to endure, I darted outside, raced to the woods and hung out with the other academically disinclined, and ate my snickerdoodles. Many wouldn’t graduate high school. I barely did. Was it a “wasted” education? Perhaps. Or a different kind of training. I learned to buck the system, which has repeatedly come in handy. I learned that cigarettes on fall days are smoky delights. I learned that English teachers can be sexy and stoner-friendly. I learned that some pot can kick your ass. I learned how to type this article, thanks to Mrs. T. (60 words per minute, not too shabby.) It’s sad that our educational system couldn’t accommodate teens like us. We were reachable; the system just didn’t extend that far. Many fell through the cracks and dropped out, causing a ripple effect that would last many lifetimes. High school seemed more like a bizarre social experiment than a real education. Maybe the fault lies in the unrewarding education we received. Learning can be a profound and enlightening experience, even for teenage stoners like me. It’s a shame many never got to experience that high.
Beth Mann is Presiden Buttered t of Hot Med ia an d a regula contributo r r to Freed o m Leaf.
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By
Ch
eri Sicard
Eating on the cheap is de rigueur at college. Our resident foodie tells you how to prepare simple snacks that 68pack www.freedomleaf.com september 2015 a buzz.
Photos by Mitch Mandell
any years have passed since I had to ponder the topic of feeding myself within the limits of a college dorm or cafeteria. Years of preparing and writing about food have left me with a well-equipped kitchen. Simple recipes—made with limited ingredients, and just a few tools and cooking implements, like a microwave and a torch (yes, the same one you use for dabbing)—take me back to my “school daze.” For starters, unless you have an extremely cool resident assistant (R.A.), you’re not going to want to prepare marijuana-infused butter or oil in your dorm room (even though you maybe could do so stealthily with a slow cooker). The smell would permeate the entire floor and beyond. What’s a dorm-bound edibles enthusiast to do? Use concentrates instead. Stir in some finely ground hash or kief, or some BHO, and you’ve instantly medicated your food, without the muss or fuss of making an oil infusion, and minus the accompanying olfactory clues to its preparation. You also get less green herbal flavor when using concentrates to medicate foods, since most, if not all, of the plant material has been removed. Be sure to decarboxylate concentrates before cooking with them; this is the chem-
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ical process that converts the tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (or THC-acid) in the raw cannabis plant into psychoactive tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). If you have a toaster oven, place your concentrate in an ovenproof dish and bake at 275° F for 25–30 minutes. There will be some odor, but nowhere near as strong as infusing butter or oil. If you don’t have access to a non-public toaster oven, you can decarb in a microwave, but it’s less than ideal. For one thing, each microwave is different, so it’s impossible to give time instructions that will work for everyone. The danger is scorching the concentrate, which makes the THC useless. Ideally, 250–275° F is what you should be aiming for. Do this by zapping the concentrate (wax, shatter, etc.) for about 20 seconds, then remove, stir to distribute heat and repeat three or four more times. The breaks and the stirring will cool things down a little.Yes, the heat of cooking a recipe will decarboxylate your cannabis, but depending on the recipe, it may or may not be enough. In order to extract maximum potency, I recommend taking the extra step of decarboxylating cannabis concentrates first. These recipes (great medicated or non-medicated) don’t require pots or pans, and are quick and easy to make using inexpensive ingredients.
Pizzadillas A cross between a pizza and quesadilla, this filling snack takes just a minute to cook in a microwave. Vary the recipe by using your favorite pizza toppings. • 2 small flour tortillas • 1/2 cup grated mozzarella or pizza cheese (mix of mozzarella and Parmesan) • 1/3 cup tomato sauce • 1/8–1/4 cup pepperoni or cooked sausage
• 1/4 cup finely chopped veggies (onion, bell peppers, mushrooms) • 1/4 gram decarbed kief, hash or BHO
Place the tortillas on a paper plate and spread half the cheese over the surface. Dot small bits of tomato sauce over the cheese. If using BHO, stir it into the sauce first, until well combined. Add whatever optional pizza toppings you like, and sprinkle kief or hash (if using) over the surface of ingredients and remaining cheese. Microwave on high for one minute. Cool for a few seconds before cutting into wedges. Serves: 1
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Microwave Omelet in a Mug There’s no reason to go to class hungry when you can prepare a hearty, healthy morning meal in just minutes. This recipe is good for lunch or dinner, too, and you can alter the fillings for endless variations—tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, zucchini, broccoli, chopped ham or bacon. Use whatever you have on hand. You can also experiment by using different types of cheese. For the bread, be thrifty and cut the end piece that rarely gets used into cubes. Go to the cafeteria coffee stand and pocket those small containers of milk or half-and-half. If you have cannabis-infused butter on hand, substitute that for the butter in the recipe and omit the concentrate. • 1 tsp. butter or margarine • 2 large eggs • 2 tbsp. milk, half-andhalf or cream • 1/4 cup finely chopped assorted fillings • 1/4 gm. decarboxylated kief, hash or BHO (optional)
• 1/4 cup grated cheese (cheddar, swiss, provolone, mozzarella, etc.) • 1/4 cup fresh bread cubes • hot sauce to taste • salt and pepper to taste
Place butter in the bottom of a large coffee mug. Microwave for about 20 seconds, or until butter is melted. Crack eggs into mug and add omelet fillings, hot sauce, salt and pepper, and cannabis concentrate (if using). Beat with a fork until well combined and eggs are scrambled. Stir in cheese followed by bread cubes. Place in microwave and cook on high for one minute. Depending on your oven, you may need another 10–30 seconds. Cook in short increments after one minute until done to your liking. Serves: 1
Consider these options: • Dissolve decarbed kief or hash oil in hot chocolate, coffee, tea, soup or other hot liquids. • Stir decarbed hash oil into cold drinks. • Sprinkle decarbed kief over a hot slice of pizza. • Sprinkle decarbed kief on a sandwich or burrito. • Stir decarbed kief or BHO into yogurt, cottage cheese, ice or ice cream
Mega-Fast Medicated Munchies Once you’ve decarboxylated kief or BHO, you can discreetly use it in all kinds of food, both in restaurants or in snacks you make yourself.
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Healthy Eating-Out Options Sick of cheap dorm-room meals and want a healthy fast-food alternative? Here are five quality chain restaurants that may be in your town.
Dabbalicious Pretzel S’mores Give your dabbing torch a side job and use it to make amazing, almost instant s’mores without the need of a campfire. This recipe is per individual s’more. • 1 small pretzel • 1 small square chocolate (milk or dark) • 1/2 large marshmallow • 1/16–1/8 gm. decarboxylated kief or finely ground decarbed hash (optional) Put the chocolate square on the pretzel. Place a small dab of kief or hash (if using) on chocolate. If you have some medicated chocolate, substitute this for the regular chocolate and eliminate the concentrate. Top chocolate with marshmallow half. Place this on a heatproof plate or heavy aluminum foil. Use your torch to toast the marshmallow. If it catches fire, blow it out and continue until the marshmallow is melty and browned to your liking. Always use caution with the torch; make sure nothing is underneath or nearby that can accidentally catch fire, and keep water or a fire extinguisher handy. Cheri Sicard is author of The Cannabis Gourmet Cookbook and Mary Jane: The Complete Marijuana Handbook for Women.
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• Chipotle: Choose which ingredients you want in your tacos, burritos, bowls or salads. The company pledges to use no GMOs, and offers organic ingredients where possible. For a tasty vegan option, try the “Sofritos” spiced tofu. • Einstein Brothers Bagels: Forego the high-fat butter and cream cheese and opt for healthier spreads like hummus, tofu or peanut butter on a fiber-rich “Good Grains” bagel. • Panera Bread: Pass on the bread and soups, and instead choose one of their creative salads that change with the seasons. • Panda Express: Substitute healthy vegetables for the fried rice or chow mein that typically accompanies meals. • Souplantation/Sweet Tomatoes: The name will change depending on your area of the country, but you can always expect a dazzling array of healthy soups and salads at these brightly lit all-you-caneat restaurants.
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Advanced Cannabis Science By Dr. Jahan Marcu
So you think marijuana is broken down into two distinct species, indica and sativa? Well, think again. A long, long time ago, the predecessors of the cannabis plant evolved and spread throughout Eurasia. At some point along this prehistoric timeline, a mutant offspring arose with the ability to produce THC. Many thousands of years later, humans moved out of their ancestral homes, as thawing continued from the Ice Age, and into Central Asia, where they encountered the offspring of this mutant plant, even before humans had mastered the domestication of animals and the cultivation of plants. It’s conceivable that cannabis grew nearly everywhere in Central Asia when humans found it. It would have readily taken over cleared and open environments resulting from the receding Ice Age or human and animal activities. Today, several things about cannabis are clear: The plant evolved in Central Asia along with hops; it belongs to the Cannabaceae family; all strains of the species crossbreed indiscriminately; and maximum potency can only occur when female flowering tops are left unfertilized (a cultivation strategy used in India for over 2,000 years). However, debate continues among scholars, enthusiasts, business operators
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and consumers over how many cannabis species actually exist. A species is often defined as a group of living things that are capable of exchanging genes and reproducing. Since the 1750s, many opinions regarding the number of cannabis species have been published. According to the 2013 book Cannabis: Evolution and Ethnobotany by Robert C. Clarke and Mark D. Merlin: “The most well-known, and commonly used, scientific name of hemp is Cannabis sativa L. The ‘L.’ indicates that this Latin binomial, or species name, was provided by the great Swedish naturalist and taxonomist Carolus Linnaeus (Carl von Linné) when he published his seminal Species Plantarum in 1753. Linnaeus listed several varietas of the taxon, assuming that all Cannabis plants belonged to the single species he first recorded… In 1785, famous French biologist Lamarck recognized two distinct species….” For the next 200 years, more and more “species” were proposed and published by botanists, and the polytypic (multiple-species) view triumphed. At least seven subspecies and well over 800 varieties (your favorite strain names go here) have been www.freedomleaf.com 73
described for cannabis plants. The species/ subspecies include: sativa, indica, ruderalis, spontanea, kafiristancia, afghanica and chinensis. This topic continues to confuse scientists and divide opinions on whether there’s one species, two species or many species of cannabis. The confusion over cannabis being considered multi-species or a single species results from a variety of clashes between cultural uses of the plant and its classical botanical taxonomy, chemotaxonomy and molecular sequencing data. However, researchers have made it pretty clear that the indica and sativa distinctions refer to phenotypic characteristics (short or tall, narrow leaf or broad leaf), not the chemotype (THC-rich or CBD-rich).
The terms “indica” and “sativa” have financial value for businesses in need of product differentiation. At best, they’re botanically imprecise descriptions of the plant. This lack of precision is partially due to widespread interbreeding. In prehistoric times—before humans—there likely once was multi-species cannabis, but due to interbreeding and low barriers to reproduction, they became one species: Cannabis sativa. Extensive co-cultivation of and crossbreeding practices between cannabis plants have effectively erased any boundaries between indica and sativa plants. Basically, they’re names for a single species of plant cultivated in different climates or regions. A grouping such as “indica” or “sativa” is not taxonomic, but cultonomic, which recog-
Cannabis Bio-Types NLH: Narrow-leaf hemp Uses: Seed and textile fiber BLH: Broad-leaf hemp Uses: Seed and textile fiber NLD: Narrow-leaf drug Uses: Drug, fiber and seed BLD: Broad-leaf drug Uses: Drug 74 www.freedomleaf.com
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nizes cultivars or strains based on economiof cannabis, it brings up the classic cliché of controversy that arises from lumping and cally important characteristics, without much splitting things into biological classifications. regard for the actual heredity or genetics of the plant. Using the indica-and-sativa Most botanists and scientists will call it Canapproach to identifying cannabis groups, the nabis sativa based on historical evidence plants that satisfy subjective and/or specific and scientific data—meaning Cannabis is a genus with one species, criteria can be assigned to sativa. any number of groups. Cannabis means This assignment can many different things depend on the preferred The terms “indica” and to different people. For use that’s often highlighted, “sativa” have financial readers with scientifsuch as THC-drug type, ic, legal, financial or CBD-drug type, mixed value for businesses in other interests in the THC-CBD-drug type or need of product species issue, a more fiber-type. Clarke and detailed account of the Merlin employ a more differentiation. At best, taxonomic history of efficient way of grouping they’re botanically different types of cannabis: cannabis can be found in the American Herbal broad-leaf hemp, broadimprecise descriptions Pharmacopeia’s Canleaf drug, narrow-leaf nabis Monograph (see hemp and narrow-leaf drug of the plant. (see accompanying chart). “Setting the Standard for Cannabis Testing” in This approach accounts Issue 4), as well as in for the plasticity in the Clarke and Merlin’s aforementioned book. plant, which refers to its ability to adapt to its environment, growing taller in some regions Dr. Jahan Marcu is Freedom Leaf’s Science and shorter in others, etc. Editor and the Director of R&D for Green Whichever position one takes on the isStandard Diagnostics. sue of a single-species or multi-species view
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REVIEWS
Neil Young: The Monsanto Years
In these timorous, PC times, Neil Young is not afraid to be political, whether it’s taking on Donald Trump for his unauthorized use of “Rockin’ in the Free World” for his campaign launch, or blasting streaming music services in the shadow of his high-fidelity counterpart, Pono, railing that even “AM transistors and 8-tracks” sound better than Spotify. On his latest album, The Monsanto Years, Young is backed up by Willie Nelson’s sons Lukas Nelson and Micah Nelson. Young has his ire pointed in any number of directions, but mostly at the naked greed of corporations (name-checking the likes of Monsanto, Walmart, Chevron, Safeway and Starbucks) raiding the trough of honest farmers and working men and women. On “Wolf Moon,” his plea to save the environment, and on the epic, jamming harangue of the title track, Young sounds like he always has, his howling vocals set against machine-gun guitar splatter. Young wants to rouse us from our stupor, bring attention to the forces conspiring against us and take back what’s rightfully ours. He’s a freedom fighter, but not necessarily a revolutionary leader. In fact, Young is an aging Boomer-centric rocker still plying his trade, trying to be more a part of the solution than the problem—even if his recorded products are released and distributed by the legendary Warner/Reprise label, now helmed by Ukrainian billionaire Len Blavatnik. The Monsanto Years may end up turning off some people as it preaches to the converted. When Young sticks to abstract pleas like, “It’s a new day for the planet/It’s a new day for the sun/To shine down on what we’re doing/It’s a new day for love,” in the opener (“A New Day for Love”), he’s recycling well-
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worn hippie maxims. People don’t necessarily want politics shoved in their faces, especially by beloved rock icons that have soothed them in the past, albeit darkly. Give him credit, though. He’s calling out the villains by name, starting with Monsanto, his whipping corp, less for their controversial GMO seed crops than the fact that they’re trying to use their economic and political muscle to deceive and strong-arm consumers, particularly in the soybean patent infringement suit Young chronicles in “Workin’ Man.” As for his diatribe against Starbucks on the undeniably catchy, swinging single “A Rock Star Bucks a Coffee Shop,” it’s not so much the price of a caramel Frappuccino that’s got Young steamed, but the fact that Starbucks—and Monsanto—are members of the Grocery Manufacturers Association, which has filed a suit against the state of Vermont challenging its new GMO product labeling law. You can’t help singing along when Young excoriates Walmart in “Big Box”: “Corporations have feelings, corporations have soul/That’s why they’re like people, just harder to control.” It’s not like Neil Young’s some Johnny-come-lately to this point of view; he’s been railing against corporate sponsorship (and for personal freedom) since his unlikely MTV Video Music Award-winning satire on the subject, “This Note’s for You.” By focusing on such specific issues, Young tends to diminish his art. The cosmic scope of the music—while raucous, scintillating and dangerous as ever—is belied by the narrowness of the message. And not even listening on Pono can change that. — Roy Trakin
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Alice O’Leary-Randall: Medical Marijuana in America: Memoir of a Pioneer It’s hard to think of a more compassionate, reasoned or articulate advocate active today than Alice O’Leary-Randall. Medical Marijuana in America: Memoir of a Pioneer chronicles her fascinating journey with husband Robert Randall, the glaucoma patient who became “the only legal pot smoker in America” after he successfully sued the federal government for medical marijuana back in 1975. The book follows the couple as they crisscross the country, from Washington, D.C. to key places of interest like the government’s marijuana farm at the University of Mississippi in Oxford, established to supply the IND (Investigational New Drug) program that each month still sends a handful of patients tins packed with 300 marijuana cigarettes. In the 1970s, the federal prohibition of marijuana was considered impenetrable. But as O’Leary-Randall writes, “No one in the federal drug bureaucracies ever considered the power of a lone individual, afflicted with a serious illness. Robert’s brilliant mind and his masterful talent for rhetoric prevailed, revealing the sham of the federal prohibition and setting the stage for the battle that continues to this day.” Memoir of a Pioneer brings to life the earliest days of the medical marijuana movement and the patients, activists and government officials who advanced the cause (or obstructed it). With court cases and legislative actions as backdrop, O’Leary-Randall recounts conversations she and her husband had with high-ranking government officials and legendary activists like Barbara and Kenny Jenks, the AIDS patients who brought national attention to the issue when they appeared on 60 Minutes in 1991. (The backstory to this saga is fascinating: Before the episode could air, the Jenkses and their fellow patients in the IND program were suddenly cut off from their marijuana supplies and offered Marinol—synthetic THC—instead.) The many colorful characters enlivening the book include glaucoma sufferer Elvy Musikka, the first woman to receive medical
marijuana through the IND program, and Mae Nutt, who became known as “Grandma Marijuana” when she began advocating for her son Keith, a cancer patient who used cannabis. While Musikka continues to tour the country carrying her tins of government weed, which fetch a high price at fundraising auctions for the cause, Nutt’s efforts led to the passage of a medical marijuana research bill in her home state of Michigan, one of several state bills the Randalls helped usher in at the time. Nutt passed away in 2008; she was 86. Tales of how Michigan and New Mexico’s programs were mired in bureaucracy are as instructive as they’re maddening. The story of the denial of any new patients into the IND program, after the Randalls had assisted hundreds of AIDS patients in applying for legal medicine, is especially infuriating. Want to know how it happened that Newt Gingrich co-sponsored a national medical marijuana bill in 1981, or what it was like to be in the room when Millicent Fenwick—the stentorian senator thought to be the model for Lacey Davenport in Doonesbury comics—expressed support for the bill? Then you must read this book. O’Leary-Randall’s Medical Marijuana in America: Memoir of a Pioneer is a page-turner and an eye-opener for any marijuana activist. — Ellen Komp
september 2015
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HOT PRODUCTS Innovative Items for the Cannabis Consumer
Rescue Tonic from Mary’s Nutritionals
Curved Papers
What’s new in rolling papers? Curved edges, that’s what. These 1-1/4 papers are strictly Zig Zag, but with a clever curve. By rounding off the rolling edge and its corners, Curved Papers are easier to roll with, says company proprietor Michael O’Malley, who considers RAW papers “flimsy.” They’re currently available at Toronto-area shops and through their website. $2 per pack curvedpapers.com
For those suffering from a case of “marijuana overindulgence,” Mary’s has come up with a product that can bring you down from that cannabis-induced anxiety. The combination of “clinical-grade nutrients and calming vegan ingredients… may reduce some symptoms in individuals reporting negative effects from cannabis consumption,” the Colorado-based company explains. The ingredients include a “proprietary blend of GlyceroPhosphoCholine, Phosphatidyl and GABA,” in Natural Cherry flavor. It’s available at Native Roots stores in Colorado. 2 oz., $10 marysnutritionals.com
Hemp Hearts from Manitoba Harvest
Sprinkled on salads, or in yogurt, cereal or smoothies, raw shelled hemp seeds are an excellent source of essential Omega 3 linolenic and Omega 6 linoleic fatty acids. Harvested from Canadian hemp, Hemp Hearts is available at natural food stores and many grocery markets. “It’s sustainable,” Manitoba Harvest hypes. “And it’s packed with goodness. Try hemp—it could change your life!” Their product line also includes edible hemp oil and hemp protein powders. 2 oz., $2.99; 5 lbs., $75 manitobaharvest.com
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