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4 MEET THE CANNABUFF TEAM 4 OUR MISSION 6 T HE STRAIN ILLUSION
When one looks to purchase cannabis they are often confronted with the question, Sativa, Indica, or Hybrid? But do these names really mean anything? Find out here.
6 8 A Q&A WITH
CRYSTAL PEOPLES-STOKES We recently had the opportunity to discuss the future ofcannabis in our region with New York State Assembly MajorityLeader and Sponsor of the Marijuana Taxation and Regulation Act (MRTA), Crystal Peoples-Stokes. Read it here.
10 C ANNABIS COMMUNITY:
MEET FLOWERED WELLNESS We recently had the opportunity to discuss the future ofcannabis in our region with New York State Assembly MajorityLeader and Sponsor of the Marijuana Taxation and Regulation Act (MRTA), Crystal Peoples-Stokes. Read it here.
THE TEAM
Publisher: Geoffrey Brown Creative Director: Justin DeLuca Distribution & Advertising: Pavel Belov Graphic Design: Alex Monterville
ADVISORY BOARD
12 LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 14 C ANNABIS INDUSTRY JOBS IN WNY
Maria Janda, PharmD Jake Schecter, RN Terrance Bellnier, RPh, MPA Phil Sneider, PhD Michael Monzillo, MS DISCLAIMER: The information and documents herein (the content) are intended for personal, noncommercial, general informational purposes, do not constitute medical advice, and are not a substitute for the advice of a medical provider or other licensed professional. CannaBuff makes no warranty, express or implied, concerning the accuracy, completeness, reliability, timeliness, correctness, suitability, merchantability, or fitness for any particular purpose of the content, and in no event shall CannaBuff or its employees be liable for damages resulting from reading or use of the content. References to specific commercial products, or services by tradename, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, do not constitute or imply an endorsement or recommendation by CannaBuff.
CONTACT
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PHONE: (716)-218-0624 EMAIL: Geoff@CannaBuffMag.com WEBSITE: CannaBuff.com TWITTER: @CannaBuffNY FACEBOOK: @CannaBuffNY INSTAGRAM: @CannaBuffMag
Meet Dr. Geoffrey Brown,
PharmD
GEOFF IS THE PUBLISHER AND FOUNDER of CannaBuff. Geoff’s been heavily involved in many aspects of the nascent cannabis industry in New York. Most of his experience has come from the medical perspective, particularly through clinical research on medical cannabis. His research has prompted coverage from national advocacy organizations such as NORML as well as local news organizations. Geoff is also affiliated with GPI Medical, a nonprofit research and educational foundation that provides education on medical cannabis. Geoff lives on the Westside of Buffalo with his girlfriend Maria and their dog Rumper.
Justin DeLuca JUSTIN DELUCA IS A MARKETING AND ADVERTISING PROFESSIONAL in Western New York. Born and raised in Niagara County, he spent 10 years in Chicago working in Finance. He has since relocated to Lewiston with his wife and two children. Justin is a supporter of the belief that legal medical and recreational cannabis consumption should be accessible and attainable for adults in a safe, responsible community environment.
Pavel Belov PAVEL IS OWNER AND FOUNDER OF GROUND LEVEL DISTRIBUTION, a local wholesale distribution and fulfillment company serving boutique retail locations both domestically and internationally. Majority of the retailers are shops which carry cannabis accessories and were acquired through extensive travel to trade shows over the past 4 years. Through GLD, Pavel has established relationships with manufacturers and retailers across the world, including but not limited to Amsterdam, Barcelona, Vienna, Nairobi, Santiago, and Shenzhen. Prior to starting his company, he worked over a decade in research laboratories ranging from testing novel technology for organic chemistry synthesis to managing developmental studies in neuroimaging analysis of multiple sclerosis patients. His passion for cannabis stems from nearly 15 years of experience using the plant to manage his pain brought on from rheumatoid arthritis.
OUR MISSION
4 CannaBuff.com FALL 2020
Our mission is to grow a community and foster a more verdant cannabis industry in the greater Buffalo Niagara region and all of WNY through our print and digital resources. CannaBuff began in 2019 as a simple blog about cannabis-related news in WNY. Since then, we have expanded to print; creating the first cannabis magazine in our region. The magazine is free and promotes a wide-range of businesses in the cannabis industry including hemp-CBD retailers, medical marijuana doctors, and headshops.
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The Strain Illusion
BY MELISSA MOORE
leafed hemp “Cannabis indica subsp. chinensis”. Indica strains contain varying amounts of THC. whereas Cannabis sativa strains are all low in THC content. You may be asking yourself right about now, how did we end up calling high THC strains Sativa? Well we can blame prohibition. Without formal education on the subject laymen simply saw the narrow leaves and assumed it to be Sativa. Since the 1960’s most of the Cannabis used for drug that reached North America and Europe was the narrow leaflet Indica. By the late 1970s, seeds of Afghan varieties that are broad leafed reached North America and to differentiate it, people called the broad-leafed plants Indicas, and the narrow-leafed plants sativas.
w
hen one looks to purchase cannabis they are often confronted with the question, Sativa, Indica, or Hybrid? If you were to ask what the difference is, one might be told that Sativa is energizing and Indica is relaxing. However, the names “Sativa” and “Indica” are really just used for purposes of cannabis nomenclature, independent of any effects. In 1753 a Swedish botanist, Carl Linnaeus, first used the words Cannabis sativa to describe the hemp plant that grew across Western Eurasia. This plant was cultivated for its fiber and seeds and contained very little THC. 32 years later in 1785 European botanist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck named a second species, Cannabis indica, which described a plant that grew on the Eastern side of Eurasia. This plant was also cultivated for its fiber and seeds, but unlike Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica was higher in THC content. These strains
6 CannaBuff.com FALL 2020
were produced to make the drugs referred to as marijuana or hashish. Throughout the next two centuries discussion would continue and in the mid 1970s and early 1980s scientists began labelling another cannabis subspecies; Cannabis ruderalis. This subspecies only exists in regions where Cannabis is indigenous and is known to overlap both gene pools. It is small in stature and not regularly cultivated as it has been assigned to represent the feral strains. The Cannabis sativa gene pool consists only of hemp (used for fiber and seed) from Europe, Asia Minor, and Central Asia. The Cannabis indica gene pool is much more diverse and contains strains originating from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Southern and Eastern Asia, and from India, and Nepal. The Cannabis indica species has three subspecies categorized as narrow-leaflet drug “Cannabis indica subsp. indica”, broad-leaflet drug “Cannabis indica subsp. afghanica”, and broad-
It wasn’t until 2005 that naturalist Karl Hillig published the paper, “Genetic evidence for speciation in Cannabis (Cannabaceae)”, which assessed previous taxonomic concepts in light of genetic evidence and gave birth to the two species and three subspecies concepts. We are beginning a new time for Cannabis, a time that brings legitimacy to a plant which is long overdue. Much of what the cannabis industry promotes about its Indica and Sativa products is not necessarily supported by science. Well it’s purely anecdotal, Leafly.com, a well-respected resource in the cannabis community, put consumers to the test to see if they could identify Sativa or Indica via a blind taste test. 2 out of 3 of the smokers failed to identify that they were smoking Sativa, and instead guessed Indica. While strains are not the best way to determine a products effects, it may be helpful in determiing your own unique product and strain preference.
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FALL 2020 CannaBuff.com 7
A BRIEF Q & A
ON CANNABIS REFORM with
Assembly Majority Leader Peoples-Stokes 8 CannaBuff.com FALL 2020
We recently had the opportunity to discuss the future of cannabis in our region with New York State Assembly Majority Leader and Sponsor of the Marijuana Taxation and Regulation Act (MRTA), Crystal Peoples-Stokes.
W
Q . What do you see on the horizon for the cannabis industry in Western New York?
A. I think that we’ll see cannabis legalized for adult use in New York very soon. The Governor and a lot of my colleagues in the State government are committed to making it happen. I think that our city of Buffalo and the WNY region are positioned to become a major hub in the cannabis industry. We have a lot of great companies in our city that can support everything from farming and production, manufacturing, education & research, all the way down to legal & accounting services. We already have a number of farmers that are involved in growing hemp and we also have some very progressive law and accounting firms that can help businesses address some of the challenges that are encountered in the industry.
Q. What are some of the hurdles that stand in the way of cannabis legalization in New York?
A. New York is not a referendum state like California, so we can’t pass this by a ballot initiative (petition of voters). If we had that option available to us, I have a feeling cannabis for adult use would have already been passed by now. But we don’t have that option, so we have to get this done through a legislative process which means the State Senate, Assembly, and Governor all have to reach an agreement. My bill No. A3506, the MRTA, has a lot of support. The governor’s office put forward their own bill 1 that had a lot of similarities to our bill. For example, it wants a huge investment into solving problems with the war on drugs and a significant investment into the communities that were disproportionately harmed by the war on drugs.
Q.Do you think New York’s medical marijuana program is a success?
A. I think there are components of it that are successful. For instance, I think it improved safety for consumers. Purchasing medical cannabis at a dispensary is certainly safer than purchasing cannabis off of the street, but I think there are some failures as well particularly regarding access. The product can be very expensive which can limit access and there is extremely poor access to providers and dispensaries in some areas of the State. We’re lucky to have three dispensaries and plenty of providers here in Buffalo, but some areas of the State are extremely underserved and have no access to providers or dispensaries at all. That needs to change. I also think patients should have access to more ways to use the medicine, including the plant itself.
Q.What changes would you like to see in how law enforcement and the judicial system address cannabis-related crimes and drug-related crimes in general?
A. Well we’ve successfully decriminalized cannabis throughout New York which is a huge win. Doing so automatically expunged a lot of low-level cannabis crimes and reduced the punishment for possession of cannabis down to a fine. This is definitely a step in the right direction and should be celebrated, but it’s important to realize that legalizing cannabis won’t fix racism. Systemic racism in our community is a much bigger problem that will require a lot more though and effort to start to change. As for drug-related crimes in general, I think we need more progress to be made as far as harm reduction goes and in developing effective treatment approaches.
We thank the Majority Leader Peoples-Stokes for speaking with us and for continuing to advocate for cannabis reform in New York State. Crystal PeoplesStokes is a democratic member and Majority Leader of the New York State Assembly and represents the 141st Assembly district. She attended Buffalo State College and continues to reside in Buffalo. 1 Governor Andrew Cuomo originally included cannabis legalization in his office’s budget proposal to the State Legislature. On April 1st, cannabis legislation was omitted from the final budget, likely ending any chance of cannabis legalization in 2020. COVID-19’s spread across New York contributed to a shift in legislative priorities. For more please read our legislative update article on page 15.
FALL 2020 CannaBuff.com 9
Cannabis Community: Meet Flowered Wellness Flowered Wellness offers WNY’s first cannabis concierge
Flowered Wellness TAKES THE GUESSWORK OUT OF CANNABIS CARE
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tep into Flowered Wellness, a community-oriented educational oasis where you can learn and benefit from all thing’s cannabis. Located just outside the village of Orchard Park, Flowered Wellness is a cannabis-based wellness collaborative and office-sharing space that’s dedicated to improving the health and wellness of all its patrons. Originally founded in 2018 by James Frisicaro, his father Jerry, and David Deutsch, Flowered Wellness began with the founding principle that all people should have the opportunity to learn about the endocannabinoid system and its influence on our health. This family-oriented team wants nothing more than to help you feel their compassion and comfort when you enter their space. Since their humble beginning, their mission and team have evolved, and they’ve expanded into a new and improved space with more offerings than ever before. As Flowered Wellness settled into their new home this Spring, they were immediately faced with one of their toughest challenges yet: how to stay open during the COVID-19 pandemic. David and James quickly implemented
10 CannaBuff.com FALL 2020
changes like creating online booking and payment options, product delivery, and curbside pickup, as well as instituting policies and procedures that keep everyone safe. Appointments for medical cannabis certifications were moved to telemedicine, yoga and other activities were moved outdoors, and rooms are being thoroughly cleaned after each appointment. Being forced to adapt to the pandemic and State requirements has been a challenge to all small businesses, yet Flowered Wellness’s mission to change the way cannabis is viewed has only just begun. Now they are ready to safely introduce themselves to Western New York and help you further your understanding of cannabis and how it has the potential to enhance your overall quality of life. Below is just a brief look at some of the services and products available at Flowered Wellness:
Cannabis Concierge by Flowered Wellness If you have questions or need a recommendation Flowered Wellness is here to help. Whether it’s where to start your cannabis journey or how to navigate the complexities of the State’s medical program, Flowered Wellness’s
Cannabis Concierge, David Deutsch, answers all of your questions in a timely manner. Through his own experience as a patient, David has gained insight into the complexities of the NYS medical marijuana program and is here to help simplify the process for others.
NYS Medical Marijuana Certifications by Jerry Frisicaro, MS, ANP For those that are interested in medical cannabis, Flowered Wellness offers a personalized and compassionate approach to care. The medical cannabis certification program is headed by Gerald Frisicaro, an Adult & Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner and passionate advocate for alternative therapies. Unlike the standard transactional nature of getting a medical card, Jerry personally meets with all patients and individualizes his recommendations based on their needs.
“Utilizing interventions more harmonious to the heart, mind, and soul has always been the core of my treatment philosophy.” - Jerry Frisicaro, MS, ANP Patient satisfaction is his top priority and he strives to keep an open line of communication with all of his patients, answering all of their questions and working with them to ensure access to affordable and effective products.
Cannabis-Infused Skincare by AJ’s Coastal Bliss District Interest in cannabis-based skincare products has skyrocketed in recent years. Certified esthetician, Nicole Alico, offers her clients a wide array of cannabis-infused skincare products, treatments, and add-ons through AJ’s CBD spa. Clients are introduced to AJ’s Coastal Bliss District, a luxury CBD skincare brand committed to research
and natural ingredients founded by Jessica Bell & Andrew Diluglio. You can relax with a cup of CBD-infused tea or a piece of CBD-infused chocolate before or after your service and enjoy a variety of facials, scrubs, or masks. Clients also enjoy access to the latest in skincare technology such as microdermabrasion
massage, myofascial release, cupping, hot stones, therapist-assisted movement and can enhance any session with topical CBD. Emily also offers health coaching sessions where she helps her clients reduce their stress and improve their sleep through behavioral change.
wide variety of carefully selected cannabis-based products. • NuLeaf Naturals: 100% Organic Full Spectrum CBD • Foria Health & Wellness: Plant-Powered Sexual Health • AJ’s Coastal Bliss District: Luxury CBD Oils, Creams, Treats, and Beauty Products • Mary’s Nutritionals: Physician-Formulated Hemp-Derived Products Blended with Naturally Occurring Botanicals • Mr. Moxey’s mints: The Original Microdosed Hemp CBD Mints
Partnerships Flowered Wellness also partners with like-minded wellness practitioners. If you are interested in expanding your practice, please feel free to get in touch.
Workshops, Educational Seminars, & Other Events
and Dermaplane treatments, LED light therapy, oxygen infusion, and non-invasive ultrasound serum injections.
Massage Therapy, Yoga, and Health Coaching by Massage Movement & Wellness Licensed massage therapist Emily Mrozinski holds a degree in Exercise Science and graduated from the New York Institute of Massage. She specializes in integrative massage and has a passion for helping people regain movement and relieve discomfort. Emily primarily works with athletes and individuals that are suffering from chronic pain. She offers a variety of modalities including traditional Swedish
Reiki by Sula Reiki Reiki is an ancient Japanese technique that uses energy, in its purest form, to activate natural healing processes within the body. Olivia Zelasko is Flowered Wellnesses’ in-house Reiki practitioner. She holds her Reiki 1 & 2 certifications and is a Master of Holy Fire Reiki. Olivia has been transformed by the healing experience of Reiki and wishes to share it with others through healing sessions as well as teaching others to practice Reiki.
Products Available at Flowered Wellness In addition to the many services offered at Flowered Wellness, they also offer a
If you need a space to host an event, Flowered Wellness has created a healing environment that’s home to workshops, seminars, and discussions that align with their values of naturally improving health & wellness. Whether you’re seeking treatment with medical cannabis, are curious about the benefits of cannabis, or you’re interested in other ways you can improve your health and well-being, Flowered Wellness is here to help you take the first step. Flowered Wellness is located at 3911 North Buffalo St. in Orchard Park. You can easily schedule appointments for any of their services online at FloweredWellness.com or by phone, 716-662-1795.
FALL 2020 CannaBuff.com 11
Legislative Update The Progress of Federal Cannabis Reform in 2020 In the Spring 2020 issue, we discussed the progress of cannabis reform in New York State. We were young then, and it was a different world. While all signs pointed to passage of the CRTA in New York, COVID-19 had different plans for the Empire State. Governor Cuomo put broad cannabis reform on the back burner, and it remains to be seen when it will return to the forefront. However, 2020 has seen interesting developments in federal cannabis reform, which are still developing. So far, like much of our government, federal cannabis reform in 2020 has been a story of gridlock between a Democrat-controlled House and a Republican-controlled Senate. While the year is not yet over, let’s take a look at some of the more significant moves toward cannabis reform currently percolating through Congress.
House Judiciary Committee Approves MORE Act Perhaps the biggest news in federal reform this year was the progress of the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act of 2019 (or the MORE Act). Among other things, the bill would entirely remove cannabis from the list of illegal substances under the Controlled Substances Act, and direct the Department of Justice to remove ‘marihuana’ and ‘tetrahydrocannabinols’ (THC, the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis) from the list of scheduled controlled substances. Those amendments would be retroactive, and the MORE Act specifically provides a process to expunge past convictions for cannabis offenses. In addition, the MORE Act provides a trust fund to support individuals and businesses in communities adversely affected by the war on drugs, and opens up Small Business Administration services and loans to state-legal cannabis businesses. If signed into law, the MORE Act would be a sea change. In November 2019, the House Judiciary Committee approved the MORE Act, and it continues to garner support. For example, a group of four state attorneys general (Delaware, Minnesota, New York, and Oregon), joined by about 50 other law enforcement officials, signed on to a letter supporting federal legalization and specifically promoting the MORE Act. In late August 2020, House Majority Whip James Clyburn announced that the House plans to schedule a floor vote on the MORE Act in September. Even if the bill passes the House, it would still have to get past the Senate and garner the president’s support. Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell is a strong supporter of the hemp industry, which is big in his home state of
12 CannaBuff.com FALL 2020
ATRICK J. HINES AND W. SETH CALLERI BY P OF HODGSON RUSS
Kentucky. While he helped federal legalization of hemp sail through to passage in the 2018 Farm Bill, McConnell opposes broader cannabis legalization and reform. Like some of his colleagues, he is in a hotly contested re-election bid this year. But if the Republicans maintain control of the Senate after the 2020 election, broad federal cannabis reform may be a long way off.
Banking Legislation Could Gain Traction with Coronavirus Relief Package Reform advocates have been more optimistic about the potential progress of legislation that would protect banks who work with cannabis businesses from being penalized by federal regulators. Because of the conflict between state and federal cannabis laws, access to financial services like banking and insurance has been a longstanding problem for people and businesses in the cannabis industry. Technically, any bank that does business with a state legal non-hemp cannabis business could be accused of violating federal regulations. This has caused banks to shy away from servicing legitimate cannabis enterprises, which increases the cost of doing business in an already low-margin industry. In September 2019, the House passed the SAFE Banking Act, which generally prohibits federal banking regulators from penalizing financial institutions, insurers, and other ancillary businesses who work with legitimate (state legal) cannabis-related businesses. As expected, the bill stalled in the Senate Banking Committee, but negotiations were rumored to be making progress. In May, the House took a different tack. Rather than waiting for the Senate to act on the standalone legislation, House supporters inserted the provisions of the SAFE Act into the broader coronavirus relief package. Some believed the bill had a better chance to pass the Senate as part of this broader legislation. Specifically, advocates asked lawmakers to provide access to Small Business Association relief programs for cannabis businesses, who were precluded under the first relief package passed earlier in the spring. The Senate appeared hostile to this new approach. Responding to the House’s relief package, McConnell specifically called out the SAFE Act’s provisions for diversity and inclusion studies. But he notably did not raise any specific objections to expanding access to financial services for the cannabis industry. So Senate Republicans may not be entirely against including some kind of cannabis reform as part of broader coronavirus relief. After all, the standalone legislation received 91 Republican votes when it passed in the House, and it already has five Republican cosponsors in the Senate.
At the time this article was submitted for publication, the Senate had adjourned with no deal on an additional coronavirus relief package. Stay tuned when Congress reconvenes on September 8.
House Again Approves Beefed-Up Rohrabacher-Farr Amendment Since 2014, federal spending legislation has prevented the Department of Justice from interfering with state legal medical cannabis programs, or targeting individuals and businesses in compliance with state medical cannabis laws. The protection is commonly known as the “Rohrabacher-Farr Amendment” or the “Rohrabacher-Blumenauer Amendment.” It has continued to provide some assurance to people and businesses in the medical cannabis industry that they need not fear a federal crackdown—especially after former Attorney General Jeff Sessions rescinded Obama-era guidance which had encouraged federal prosecutors not to interfere with the implementation of state cannabis programs. In July 2020, for the second consecutive year, the House passed an amendment which would extend the protection of the Rohrabacher-Farr Amendment to state legal adult use programs, in addition to medical programs. Cannabis industry trade groups expressed enthusiasm about the amendment, which they view as a significant step forward for cannabis policy reform. However, the Senate is unlikely to take the same steps. Last year, the Senate stripped the extra protection for adult use programs from the final appropriations bill, leaving in place the protections for medical programs. It is expected to do so again this year. But even if the Senate refuses to extend protections for states with legalized adult use, it does not necessarily herald a crackdown on adult use programs. While Attorney General Barr has opposed cannabis legalization, and some believe his DOJ has targeted the cannabis industry for heightened scrutiny, there are no particular signs that DOJ will actively move to shut down otherwise legal cannabis operations.
The Takeaway Real change continues to be stalled at the federal level, and the future will be largely dependent on the outcome of the 2020 election. The Democrat-controlled House has been motivated to make something happen, and the 2020 platform includes support for decriminalization. But if Republicans hold on to control of the Senate and the White House, we may still see some movement toward expanded access to financial services, but can otherwise expect very little progress on reform.
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NIAGARA COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE Now offering cannabis classes!
Taught by industry professionals
3 ways to take our classes: • For credit towards a degree • Low-cost, non-credit community education/ workforce development option • Senior audit (aged 60+) with free tuition
For more information: niagaracc.suny.edu/programs/cannabis Carolyn Stanko Program Coordinator, Horticulture cstanko@niagaracc.suny.edu
Register for spring! niagaracc.suny.edu NIAGARA COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
3111 Saunders Settlement Road Sanborn, NY 14132 • 716-614-6222