Sarah Lee
Gossett Parrish Excellence. Efficiency. Integrity.
405/815-3434 slgparrish@slgparrishlaw.com www.sarahleegossettparrish.com
lawyer cannabis | litigation | oil & gas
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Strain of the Month by James Bridges
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Simple Solution by Tab Moura
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Medicated Lip Balms by Anna Ervin
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Spreading The Word of Cannabis by Brittiany Ralls
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Whimsical Imaginations Kathy Long - COVER ARTIST by James Bridges
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Easy Street by Anna Ervin
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Malaysian Chicken Soup by BOHO Health Coach Amy Lee
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High On Green Mountain by James Bridges
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Spin The Love - Josey Records by Anna Ervin
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Noble Nectar by Anna Ervin
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CannaBanana & Mom Veggie Pad Thai
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Chages In The Wind by Sarah Lee Gossett Parrish
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From the Front Lines by Chip Paul
For The Love OF- Editorial by James Bridges
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Sowing The Seed by Chet Tucker
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Immune System Love by Amy Lee BOHO Health Coach
Herbage Magazine Owner and Publisher James Bridges james@herbagemag.com New Media Editor Anna Ervin anna@herbagemag.com Advertising Bridgett Maddux bridgett@herbagemag.com Design James Bridges Contributors Sarah Lee Gossett Parrish Brittianey Ralls Tab Moura Amy Lee Chet Tucker Chip Paul
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Strain of the Month
all that. However, that’s not why I was afraid. I was simply afraid to try something with unknown origins called “love seed”.
by James Bridges Herbage Magazine
Of course I dove in head first. The smell out of the jar was quite nice actually. I caught a hint of a sweet earthy and Love is in the air! Or something... I decided to go try and almost a fruity twisted aroma while busting the nugs open. find some of this so-called “love”. I was nudged by some- The density was average. one to give this a try. Maybe something would come from it. Wet mouth… something must be good in there. LOVE SEED Strain origins are unknown. Purchased from Pharm+House OK Dispensary
I smoked with a glass water bong so I could get the full flavor. Mild smoke and a sweet smell. What could go wrong? The THC level was a bit low for my needs. It’s not that bad of a thing if my body tells me I need to smoke more of a good thing and this was a good thing. I was very pleased with the taste and smell. It was the perfect flower for me in the middle of an afternoon when I felt drained. Its overall get up-and-go feeling paired with a body euphoria set me just right to take on the rest of the day.
Effects: Uplifted Euphoric Appetite Suppressant
Trying something new. It’s my forte’. It’s also one of my biggest fears. Go figure. Without going about it in a roundabout way of not going in circles just to get right to Maybe found love can simply come from a plant. the point, this time I was really scared... What if all of the coming of age movies were really a training course and I have now landed on this path which is now called the Love Seed? What if it’s like “love potion #9” and it really works? I mean… I’m pretty much over
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Gripped in. The seat feels like it was molded for me. There’s a dark gray sheen in every glance. The angle of the dash feels like a beast, yet makes perfect sense in it’s design both aesthetically and functionally. I push the button. I’m going to spend a lot of time with this thing today. The quick crank and start of the push button still reminds me of being a kid and riding my first, real-deal, tricked out 4-wheeler in my teens. Call me a kid, but I like my cars just like I loved my toys back then. The padded leather steering wheel may not sound like much until you are on day three of road. Synced up and tunes are playing. Damn, the sound system is nice.
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I feel the engagement of the tranny as I pull back on what I hope will never change about a Jeep. That is the fact that it is NOT simple to put into gear. #Engineering matters. To simply use one finger to slap something into gear does not feel like I am driving a real piece of machinery. Sorry fairweather drivers… The dark tinted windows make it easy for me to observe. As I have somewhat of a passion for observing. Let’s not forget the convenience of medicating. For as long as I can recall I have had a love for cars. I surround myself with things like this. I look around and I see things that fit my taste perfectly and some are always missing a little something. For my car though. It is my world. To me that’s comfort. I can make that whatever I want it to be. I have control over it and the feelings that I have for it. I found it. I found something that makes me feel in an interesting way that I like to feel. But it has no soul. Is that love?
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Simple Solution by Tab Moura
Everybody has a story to tell when it comes to food and how they feel about their bodies. Whether eating healthy comes natural to you, or not, I want to share what has helped me. Since first learning about my Ehler’s-Danlos syndrome, we discovered that most of my quirks are genetic (even my sarcasm, thanks Dad.) But even with a genetic diagnosis, I have managed to improve my own unique baseline, with the strategic use of foods. Due to my absorption issues, I struggle with stamina. Believe it or not, food and cannabis have helped me make a lot of progress, slowly building muscle and stamina. The process of strengthening my body has helped me find a few life hacks to improve my overall health, while keeping up with my busy kids. When setting daily goals, one question I ask myself is, “could I do this on a flair day?” Learn how to make one BOMB veggie dish I have multiple food allergies, the only thing that keeps me sane with all of the meal prepping is knowing that my food is really yummy. This is worth the time and research, I swear. If you can consistently make one brag-worthy vegetable dish, your brain will begin making new healthy associations, believing that the work is worth it. Set limits- if the recipes you like have too many ingredients or steps, skip‘em. They are not the droids you’re looking for. Plan your snacks You know you eat snacks. Did you know that snacks are the most common way that people “cheat” on their diets and fasts? I have a confession. I spend more on my snacks than I do my meals. My meals are usually whole foods, which is honestly quite affordable. When I’m bouncing between tasks, I try to make my snacks healthy and simple, so I don’t go for the quick-grab-junk-food. Sprouts, Whole Foods and Natural Grocers are my favorite stores. With your top 3 favorite munchies in mind, go visit a health food store to browse their options for healthy alternatives. If it helps keep you on the wagon, It’s basically diet insurance. Food math In our family we have those who eat gluten-free, one who has an egg allergy, another who has multiple texture issues, and I am allergic to coconut, almond, and corn. With so many different needs, we made up a concept called food math so we each felt more in control of our own plates. Eat a protein + eat a vegetable + eat a complex carb + drink a cup of water. This equation helped me through the anxiety of eliminating foods and not knowing what to make next. It’s not fancy, and it doesn’t fit all diet types, so feel free to make your own equation and post it on your fridge. It can make a full fridge feel less overwhelming. The truth is, I’m still in the thick of saving my own life. Many of you are as well. If there was one thing I could leave you with, it would be this: It is never a waste of money to support your health, the question is how much will it cost you if you don’t?
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5 Medicated Lip Balms DIY Lip Scrub by Anna Ervin
Two years ago, I was doing my absolute best to get through my first winter living in Colorado. If I’m being completely honest, I had never really thought much about my skin, nevertheless my lips, or the products I used on them. But there I was, four months into what felt like the longest winter of my life, and feeling every last effect of Colorado’s cold, dry weather. My lips burned, cracked, even bled that winter. I had never experienced anything like it. I ran to Pinterest for remedies and ended up learning a lot about what goes into the products we put on our lips in the process. While certain name brands in the cosmetics industry are beginning to look at their ingredients and make some long overdue changes, there are still a lot of bad apples out there putting harmful products in storefronts. Considering that your lips are right next to your mouth, I feel like it’s pretty important to pay attention to what goes on them. So what should you avoid? Parabens, synthetic fragrances and dyes, harsh chemicals, BHT, petroleum jelly, the list could honestly go on for ages. Imagine trying to keep all of this in mind during your weekly trip to the grocery store. So, I thought I’d make things a little easier and share 5 clean, toxin-free, and for the most part, locally sourced alternatives, as well as my own exfoliating lip scrub recipe. Oh, and did I mention these are medicated alternatives? Feel This Lip Balm, by Simply Bare LLC – 10mg THC I could not have dreamed of writing this article without mentioning Feel This. Utilizing as much of the plant as possible in order to provide maximum healing effects, Simply Bare is one of the first companies invested in independent research over the benefit of using Hemp Lipids in cosmetics. In addition to being full spectrum, Feel This products are leading the industry in sustainability with their FDA approved, recyclable packaging and labeling printed with biodegradable ink. The focus of this company is to trigger a lifestyle change for their consumers, one that prompts them to pay closer attention to the beauty industry’s carbon footprint, as well as to the ingredients used in our skincare products. Seven Wonders CBD Lip Balm, by Key to Nature’s Blessings – 25mg CBD While most of our options are micro-dosed with THC, this particular lip balm is safe for those who simply prefer the power of CBD. Key to nature’s Blessings makes their Lip Balm with ingredients like Mango Seed Butter and Tea Tree oil to not only hydrate, but also heal dry lips. Tea Tree oil is also great for relieving cold sores, acne, and bad breath. This balm makes a great gift for friends and family that don’t have an OMMA patient card. Mint Oil Lip Balm by Mammoth Processing – 8.45mg THC Another local option, Mammoth Processing produces a medicinal lip balm that boasts 1063MG of terpenes per tube. Terpenes add anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, moisturizing, and mood enhancing properties to topicals (to name a few). This medicated balm uses a base of coconut oil, bees wax, and organic shea butter for maximum hydration and protection from the elements. CBD Lip Tint, by Key to Nature’s Blessings – 25mg CBD In addition to their lip balm, Nature’s Blessings also offers a lip tint for those of us who like to add a little color to our palette. This has personally been my go-to lately. Despite wearing a mask that covers that part of my face, there is just something about wearing a little color on my lips that really boosts my confidence. Made with the same base as the Seven Wonders Lip Balm, the color of this tint is not overwhelmingly bold, instead adding a subtle depth to the natural color of your lips while still providing moisture. Lip Bong, by Mary Jane’s Medicinals – 9mg THC / 3mg CBD This Colorado born company focuses on a holistic approach by producing all natural and organic topicals. The packaging on this one claims that no chemical solvents were used in production. With ingredients like cannabis-infused grape seed oil, jojoba oil, and essential oils of peppermint, this lip treatment reminds me of my favorite natural products used in my own homemade remedies.
DIY Exfoliating Lip Scrub Ingredients: 2 Tbsp finely ground sugar 1 Tbsp MCT oil 1-2 drops sweet peppermint essential oil (or peppermint extract) Instructions: Mix sugar and MCT oil (can also use olive oil, grapeseed, or jojoba) and stir. Add more oil if mixture is dry. Stir in essential oil or extract a little at a time, perform a patch test and adjust accordingly. Try to avoid adding too much peppermint or opt to use a different type of essential oil to avoid irritating inflamed lips.
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Spreading the Word of Cannabis by Brittainey Ralls Have you ever been to a place that felt like home even without ever being there? Being back in Houston has me feeling like I’m home. Which to be honest I’m not really in Houston, but rather the surrounding area, closer to Galveston. Being near the ocean puts my body at ease in a way a mountain range never could. I’m so glad to be back! Where the city is diverse and the day turns into night and continues on, never ceasing. 2020 was hard, in so many ways. But with that hard came growth in so many ways. Being back Houston at the beginning of 2021 has me hopeful and ready for the year. The city of Houston is home to many like me. Someone who was born somewhere else and lived somewhere else a majority of their childhood but loves Houston and all it has to offer. About half way through the year, after all the quartining had been steadily put into place, my husband and I decided that we needed more than what we were doing. We missed the ocean and being in the water. We needed more than working in the cannabis industry and helping others see their dreams come to life. Which can seem selfish but, a part of our passion is helping others with their passions. We have put OUR passions on the back burner to help others though. So we were ready to start seeing our dreams come to life. The biggest issue with part of that dream was that we dreamed of it starting in Texas. Texas is my husband’s home state and Houston is where I moved when I turned 18. I lived in Houston for 11 years before pursuing my career in cannabis in Colorado. I’m originally from Oklahoma, but Houston has felt more like where I should be since moving there. It’s where my children were born, it’s where I learned a lot about what I’m capable of and is even the reason I had the courage to move to Colorado with the intent of learning cannabis.
A cannabis patient’s journey is something that many of us need help understanding. Learn along side the show’s hosts Josh Leone and James Bridges as they hope to shed light and bring options for those in need.
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We came back with the anticipation that Texas will be legalizing soon. I don’t know if it’ll be in 2021 or it’ll be another 5 years, all I know is most states have shown that they prefer their own residents being majority owners in the cannabis business, so my family can’t miss our chance at staking a claim in our home state of Texas. With all that said, since I will be in Texas I will be doing pieces on everything related to Texas culture and helping Texans get informed on cannabis/hemp and the amazing community we are. Which…. if you didn’t know, Texas has a medical cannabis program. It’s very restricted and difficult to participate in. But, it does exist. There are a ton of CBD only stores and CBD is basically sold almost anywhere. So Texans do have that option for their cannabis medicine. The problem is, there is still a hard stigma attached to cannabis and anything related to it in Texas. Leaving many patients without any way to know where to find valid information about cannabis/hemp brands/products or what will even work for the ailments they are treating. I hope to help the cannabis community in Texas so that we can hopefully see our dreams come true of full cannabis legalization in Texas.
Whimsical Imaginations Cover Artist - Kathy Long by James Bridges Herbage Magazine “A lot of my inspiration early on was escaping. I dealt with a lot of trauma as a child. I was always interested in the Whimsical types of things. I’ve always loved fairies and dragons and stuff like that.” Kathy looked through her camera as we talked through Zoom. It’s a rather odd way to conduct an interview, but it’s becoming easier to swallow. I suspect I’ll never be able to keep it down in my gut though. “I always wanted to be a part of that world. I actually speak Elvish.” Kathy smiled. I could tell I was speaking with someone that had a huge imagination and I really enjoyed the entryway to what I am sure is a wonderful land of amazement inside of her head. Kathy happens to work in the cannabis industry as her “day job”. The team down at HempRX in Tulsa have the pleasure. She could recall being there for about 5 months or so, but like many of us on this planet right now….time is hard to keep up with. “Being in the cannabis industry was a very unexpected opportunity that fell in my lap. My husband said you should go by HempRX. They are looking for someone like you in their store. I was like okay.” I noticed the word n-o-b-r-a-i-n-e-r lift off of her head and dissolve into thin air. “I actually dabbled with THC when I was younger. Before it was ever measured and prescribed if that’s what you call it. I discovered I’m more of a CBD person. This is the interesting part. My mother’s side of the family actually had someone in there. I believe it was a cousin who has schizophrenia and I don’t possess that Gene, but whenever I smoke I straight-up hallucinate. So I get the same high with CBD as you would with THC.” She was saying with her eyes wide open. I found this to be rather interesting. How could someone hallucinate from CBD? I looked. It is impossible to completely rule out if CBD will ever produce hallucinations. Most importantly there are very few actual recorded cases of CBD oils and hallucinations. Furthermore, studies show that CBD may help “dampen the abnormal brain activity that can cause the hallucinations and delusions linked with psychosis, paving the way for it to be recommended to help with these kinds of problems for patients in the future.” “I moved to Oklahoma because my husband is a dialysis patient and his working ability is limited and working with cannabis is one of the things that actually helps him. He has an autoimmune disease. Cannabis actually helps him to not get sick every morning. It’s a job where he can freely smoke and take care of his autoimmune issues and still work reasonable hours.” Kathy seemed at peace. Kathy not only produces some fun talent on canvas she is an advocate for her patients that she has grown to know. She loves the cannabis community and seems right at home within it. Find more of her work
Easy Street
Kevin and Josh started their journey into Oklahoma’s cannabis industry through a mutual appreciation for and by Anna Ervin belief in the power of cannabis as medNothing will solidify your love for hu- icine. These two seem to have a unique, holistic perspective on cannabis that manity more than getting to explore the mindset of individuals so can sometimes be hard to find. passionate about helping Oklahoma Easy Street Extracts’ flagship product patients find medicine that are vegan, full-spectrum gummies works for them. infused with rosin that’s pressed inI had heard nothing but positive things house. I feel like this is a bold choice, about Easy Street Extracts, so I went but one that makes me want to support their company even more.
c Tell me the story behind your name s and logo. t Josh: Easy Street just means easy going, comfortable, worry free. That is kind of the place we wanted to be in. As far as our logo, our ad group came up with that. I thought we needed a mascot. A walrus represents a lovable, lighthearted yet sophisticated character. He’s got a bow tie, he’s supposed to be in a tux, like a sophisticated, fancy walrus.
Since we last visited you guys, which The quality of your medicine, how it’s sounds like it was around the time that processed and where it’s coming from you first got started, what are the bigare all factors that gest developments you’ve made? influence the amount of healing you will receive from it. Let me tell you, my Josh: Really, just perfecting our proheart swells to see industry leaders tak- cesses. We were not candy makers being the time and dedication required to fore, so we have kind of produce products that truly fulfill their developed into professional candy potential as medicine. makers. We have got our process down and are really efficient. It’s the cleanest It’s interesting to me that you were possible product you can put on the both attorneys before you got into the market. We are proud of what we have industry. How did you get from there done. to here? It sounds like you have grown a lot in Josh: Well, we were both in oil and gas the expansion of your sales as well. and it was the perfect time to transition into something. Oil and gas has its Josh: I think we’re producing ten times ups and downs, and it was on a down more than we were after our first few swing. We were both interested in the months. And we have a product as well. really good following. We get amazing feedback from our patients. We have “We both advocated for SQ 788 and people tell us they won’t believe in cannabis as a medicine. It eat anything else because they just love was just perfect timing. the effects of our gummies, and they really get the entourage effect from the Kevin: I’ve known Josh for a long time, rosin. and I know how he works, and we just work really well together as far as prob- So it’s not just a product that people lem solving. We had talked about part- are seeing on the shelf and saying, hey nering, and we had done deals togeth- I want to try that, but you’re actually er and just always been good friends. gaining loyal followers. And you’ve This opportunity arose and both of our seen growth on that level, not just on business strategies are to chase bur- the numbers level, but as a grassroots, geoning markets. This was a burgeon- independent company. And you’ve figing, developing market and we had ured something out. some good strategies to enter into the marketplace. Kevin: One of the most powerful ways to grow is to hear about a brand from For me, the idea of transitioning from someone you trust, like a friend who fossil fuel generation to a plant base has tried it. Word of mouth developthat I actually ment is really where it’s at. into this interview with really believe has strong medicinal valpretty high expectations. Josh Parsons, Kevin Ferdowsian, and their crew of ue, and it’s four times more oxygenat- Well, that starts with the product. dedicated processors did anything but ing than a rainforest as a crop... I just Good product development takes time saw a lot of potential and it was inspir- and requires patience. If you disappoint. ing to be part of that. want it as perfect as it can be given your
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circumstances, you’re not satisfied with gotten off heroin using targeted cane something nabis doses. The people on our team that is inferior. know that and I think that’s why they’re so passionate about it. It either affected g, We came up with a hundred iterations them individually or somebody close of of our gummy until we came up with to them. as what we h wanted. For subsequent products we You claim that your products are the A want to do the same thing so on the fastest acting edibles on the market. t- back end we don’t hurt our brand. That Why do you think ot patient loyalty is because it’s a good patients are feeling the effects of your x, product. products so quickly?
Josh: That is our main focus is premih um products and helping patients, so at we’re not just rushing g- something to market to try to make money.
o- I like that you’re not playing a populare- ity game, you’re playing an actual content game which y means that you’re bringing the good n and you’re popular because of that. st e Kevin: It’s a little slower growth mode el, but it’s way more solid. We can see that we are eating into some of that. Because other brands that came to the n market early, they built a lot of loyalty early. When you try a gummy, or try a product, you kind of stick with it, it es almost becomes a personal thing. w One of your questions is what are one g of the obstacles we’ve encountered. It’s e really getting people to try something that they’re not used to. And we think e that if they do try it that they will really y enjoy it. e That it’s really a valuable product, and when I say value, for the quality that it is it’s at a very good price range. That’s e what we wanted to do. Although it’s a y premium, crafty product in a way, for y how we do it, it’s much more labor ine tensive than the way anyone else does n it. We really have focused on the qualis, ty of the product. gAnd you have human hands on it that care. Your team seems to be a very big ys part of this culture. m o Josh: They are really passionate about p- cannabis and about the quality.
Kevin: Our team is made up of people t. who have experienced the health bene efit of cannabis. And in some cases, it has saved their lives. Specifically, in the ur case of opioid addiction, people have
edible is so much more fast acting than other edibles. It’s science. If you have a direct streamlined course to the liver, you are going to have a quicker production of 11-hydroxy metabolite, it’s going to enter your bloodstream much faster, and you’re going to have a psychotropic effect much faster.
Furthermore, with a lipophilic substance like cannabis, if it is infused properly, that effect will last much longer as well because you don’t metaboKevin: You want some science? lize it as quickly. So, you get a consistent dose into your bloodstream, and Let’s hear it. you kind of stay at a high. Now there are other reasons, and they have to do Kevin: “Not all milligrams are born with the fact that it’s made with rosin. equal” is our motto around here. And But essentially, that is the scientific exthey are not. If you have 20mg of dis- planation in layperson’s terms without tillate, it is just not the same as 20mg going too far into biochemistry. of rosin. What we do is we try to do the best re- Josh: It has a lot to do with our process search for the existing science, and as too, when we add it to the gummies, the new science comes out, the surveys ingredients, and stuff like that. and results. We’re vertically integrated so we’re interested in all of it, the me- Anna: So basically, what it comes down dicinal to is the way you guys process it is the components of what we’re doing here best way for your patients to metabobut also the growing technology. lize it. There are two good reasons why our product is fast acting and the reason it stays around… When you consume edibles through ingestion, your liver produces 11-hydroxy metabolite, it’s an additional psychoactive compound, also known as 11-Hydroxy-THC. When that is produced it has a conditional, entourage, synergistic effect with the cannabinoids, and you get a heightened sensation.
Kevin: We think so. That’s what the present evidence suggests, and we try to follow what the evidence tells us. Josh: And the feedback we get. People tell us it is fast acting all the time. We have had people tell us they felt it in five minutes, which is crazy for an edible. Some of them take 45 minutes to an hour.
Kevin: One of our philosophies is, even though we think we have the best prodThat’s why when you smoke 100mg, uct, we still want to make it better, we which is about the average joint, it still want to improve so we can always doesn’t have nearly the effect that know that we are doing the best by our 100mg of edibles would, tolerances patients and by fellow Oklahomans. and built tolerances aside. Josh: We want to stay cutting edge. We The second component is the delivery feel like if we are not growing, if we get method. As it turns out, coconut oil is stagnant, someone’s going to knock us an ideal soluble lipid that, number one, off the shelf. So, we are working on new infuses well with cannabinoids and products now, and hope to have at least number two, is directly absorbed into four new products this year. your intestines and into the liver. Basically, there are a few oils that do that. Switching directions here, do you guys I’m not going to reveal all of our secrets see any room for improvement in the as to what we do to make that happen, medical cannabis that’s what a lot of our R&D went into. industry in Oklahoma. 13 But the choice of ingredients and how we process is why our product as an
Josh: I’d like to see the focus be on medicinal rather than just headshops, or people just wanting to go get high. It is a medicine, so I want the education side of things to pick up where people know the difference between a good product and a bad product and focus on the medicinal value of cannabis. Kevin: People are on pain medication, sleep aids, stress medication, mood stabilizers, a whole host of pharmaceuticals that we know are wrecking their bodies. It’s tearing up their livers, destroying their kidneys, and people are dying from it. There has never been a recorded case from the use of cannabis. Cannabis in its proper form treats all of those things. It treats opioid addiction in some patients, it just has this dramatic effect on people. Josh: If you look at the states that have legalized, their opioid deaths have gone down a significant amount, so it’s obviously a better alternative to getting hooked on hydrocodone or morphine, whatever they’re taking. Kevin: That’s something that we are really aligned with, “what’s behind the getting high component?” That’s fine, there’s nothing wrong with that. But when that is the sheath, the covering of what medical marijuana is, then it kind of takes away some other intrinsic values that can really benefit people. People discard it, they say “oh that’s a drug,” or “I don’t have time for partying.” Personally, it’s helped me tremendously. I think people would be surprised what people can accomplish using this medicine.Doctors, lawyers, teachers, people all over the state have been using this compound to their benefit. I think a lot of those people would like to, in earnest, share that with other people. The stigma actually stops people from potential health outcomes. I’m not one of those people that thinks this is a panacea, it is not. It will not solve all of our problems. But there are some specific things that will help.
take time to wash off. You know, you talk to people, and the demographic that could benefit the most from this herb is older people, and so many people over 65 have a negative impression of this. Josh: They have heard the horror stories of the war on drugs. I think the stigma is going away faster than I thought, though. As a conservative state, Oklahoma has really embraced it.
ers on the difference between rosin and distillate. I think a lot of people are only getting information from the budtenders, so we don’t get to deal with them directly. If the budtenders are not telling them this is rosin infused, or not telling them the difference between rosin and distillate, they have no idea. I think for people to really understand the benefits of rosin-infused gummies instead of distillate we have to educate, and have budtenders educate. That’s a major focus right now. New products are going to be our main focus for the next few months. We kind of hit the brakes on it last year. When covid hit we started working in shifts, and it just messed up our mojo with developing. We didn’t really have any sales people going out, and we didn’t want to risk anyone being around people.
Kevin: One thing I would like to see is a little more consistency with the regulation. There are some internal inconsistencies that they are working through. Any industry that is developing is going to have those hurdles. OMMA in my opinion has been fantastic, trying to sort through the legislative scheme that they have available to them. I would like to see some better guidance on some discrete issues So, that is the focus now, new products within the law. and educating people. We are going to try to do more events when covid subAs far as the consumer base, the pur- sides. We are going to try to really get pose of this law was to keep it in Okla- the educational aspects of it out there. homa, all aspects of it, and I would like to see fellow Okies try Oklahoma products. There are a lot of premium, I had the opportunity to try some of high quality products out there. their 10mg gummies, what an experience. If you’re looking for me, I’ll be Josh: That is a big card we like to play, on Easy Street. support local. It is sad to think that people who are putting their heart Stay up to date on the latest from Easy and soul into this, putting everything Street Extracts on on the line financially, are getting put out of business by someone from out Facebook @easystreetextracts of state. That just does not sit well with IG: @easy.street_extracts. me. Kevin: And they are circumventing the law through kind of manipulative means, in my opinion. The purpose of the law was to make these predominantly Oklahoma sourced companies. They have just done a lot of things to bring people to Oklahoma, and that revenue is going out of state, largely. Josh: We’re fine with a free market, we just like to give our fellow Oklahomans a boost. What’s next the next stop on Easy Street?
As long as we say this is an evil drug and we put people in jail over it, and Josh: Another hurdle that we have we have for so long, that stigma will dealt with is just educating consum-
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High On Green Mountain by James Bridges Herbage Magazine
Once, when I was very young, my little sister, brother, and I went on a canoe trip with my grandparents. Some of my most cherished memories come from the adventure road trips with them. One day it was a different kind of an adventure. We found ourselves in a bit of a pickle. On one end we had my 100lb sopping wet grandmother clinging to a tree with her other hand holding onto a quickly sinking and non-user-friendly vessel as her grandchildren dog paddle to safety. Meanwhile, Gramps is swimming and trying to collect all our valuables. To say the least...it was by far one the most dramatic things to ever happen to a group of children and their grandparents while on vacation. Ever. According to the audio tapes of those children involved telling the story once they got home to mom and dad. Seriously, the tapes exist… Now on this wonderful day I can revisit an area that has been imprinted into my head as a danger zone. Today on this beautiful mountain, overlooking the winding and always intriguing Illinois river, I was able to witness this chaos of survival. I was able to witness the survival mode of something positive and uplifting. I was able to bury that danger brand I associated with the Illinois river and replace that danger association, with something positive. Green Mountain Farms in Tahlequah, OK was founded in 2018 by Mark Turner and has been pesticide-free since day one. They consider themselves pioneers in irrigation theory. What I walked into was an automation system that blew my mind. “I can go back 2 years and tell you what happened every week with battling humidity and weather conditions outside versus what is going on inside of the building. Our state-of-the-art monitoring systems help me predict what I need to do, no matter what conditions are occurring. For example, if you have a storm coming and it is going to surround your building, it could bring a hundred percent humidity for the next 6 days and you just put a new crop
in the Cure room even though we have three inches of rain already. Mother nature. She comes right in with you” Mark took a moment to shift his thoughts to vapor pressure deficit. “This is the key number I watch right here.” As he pointed at one of his many graphs on a screen, “This is the VPD, that’s what determines how stomata on the back of a marijuana leaf will open and contract based on the ambient conditions in the room.” He was teaching me something. “I am sure you have been in grow rooms where the plants look like they are praying and look happy. They are not happy. They are trying to expose the back of their leaves to as much of the atmosphere as possible and capture some CO2. She either has too much light, too much food, or not enough CO2 for her to absorb the food she is getting. VPD allows me to monitor these and find the ideal leaf temperature and humidity to grow thriving plants.” “If you can maintain the temperature within 2° plus or negative, or the humidity 2% plus or negative, you can actually watch the stomata of the plant constrict or expand on a microscope. So, I know to watch the VPD closely, this way I keep those stomata cranked wide open all the time, maximizing growth. Manipulating the watering frequency makes them believe they are going into drought, causing them to uptake more nutrients. Then if you maintain a specific moisture content, voilá, magic.” I felt like I was talking to a baseball team manager at some point and other points I was listening to a Ted Talk hosted by Einstein himself. I noticed the intricacy of this new-found technology that Green Mountain Farms uses to produce some of the top-quality products in the state. “Everybody here is very passionate with good souls,” Mark said to me. “I’ve got my own fishbowl here and everybody here is a different kind of fish, swimming around trying to make it better for all the other fish in the bowl. We all work well together and they bring a passion to work every day, I love it. We soak it up and we are learning together. There ain’t like no secret deal here. When everything works together, it’s fire right?” Mark is correct. Brent Sullivan, who is a key player for Green Mountain, met Mark while he was selling vehicles at a local dealership. “Being in the car industry, I saw a lot of people that
claimed they were growers. Mark came in and there was just something different about him.” Brent was recalling as if it were a memory from childhood. “Mark bought several cars from me for his people at the grow. He talked about his grow and the technology that he was working with, and I was intrigued. I was so inspired by his passion. I asked Mark right from the get-go if I could invest, he told me no.” Brent laughed out loud. “He said no, no, I’m good.” “Mark came back and bought a few more cars. I would ask how it was going and again I would be inspired. Of course I asked about investing again. Again, Mark said he was good. I attempted this several times.” Brent = Determination. “I got a phone call from Mark about three weeks later and he finally said he needed help.” Forced by growth in the company, Mark could no longer keep up. He was directed by the universe to bring on a team of outstanding individuals that bring their own set of talents to make the well-oiled machine I see before me today at Green Mountain Farms. Cecilia came onboard in January 2020 as a trimmer. “At that time we were just selling flower as fast as we could get it trimmed. Mark did a great job teaching us by giving us hands-on experience with the flower from the very first. He had us working one-on-one with the plants.” Cecilia has an interesting background to wind up in cannabis, but now that I give it a thought, it completely makes sense as to why she is so good for the brand. She has a degree in fine art and worked at The Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas before moving to Tahlequah. “There are many duties at the grow that I do or oversee, along with a team of people. “Kadin, Justace and I make sure all of the orders go out correctly. We build routes and schedules deliveries. Most of all, we work hard to be good stewards of our cannabis. Once the products come out of the cure room to be handtrimmed, that is when my work begins. I work with other team members to make sure everything in the cure room is organized, labeled correctly, and properly tested. I oversee our cured flower until it goes out the doors, bound for one of our dispensary partners. I also communicate with the dispensaries to make sure they have everything they need from us, including in-depth information on each
strain to pass along to budtenders. It’s a lot of hats, but a lot of fun.” Cecilia continued to show her smile. Come to find out, Mark does have some inspiration. Some of it from a completely different industry. “Up in Pryor, Oklahoma they have a Google facility. I did some research and found that the HVAC needs of a building full of super computers is similar in technology to what is needed to control humidity in grow rooms in respect to painting the line, control-wise. So, we ordered those exact units except we doubled their dehumidification capability. This turned out to be a wise choice!” Mark is obviously an indoor hydro/irrigation expert. I asked him his thoughts on those that are getting into the outdoor grow industry in Oklahoma. “Oh my,” Mark shrugged. “Everyone says ‘I want to do an outdoor grow.’ I want to say to friends of mine, you are a gust of wind full of mold spores away from losing the whole entire crop. I considered spending $250,000.00 on a RF (radio frequency) machine to remove yeast, mold and all other contaminants, just to have some peace of mind. We even had some of our product treated in this manner for research and development. I wanted to see how the RF equipment affected our product. If it worked, we would also grow outdoors. I want to grow the best medicine, but also have some insurance if the Oklahoma weather did not cooperate, so we tested. The terps were gone. THC might have stayed consistent, but the soul of the plant was gone.” Even the best of us make calculated and sometimes very hard to live down mistakes. But the great ones learn from them and carry on, like Mark. “I bought two 200 acre lots across the road, on top of the hill right, before testing the RF treatment. I was in on the whole outdoor grow idea. Growing indoor is always challenging and my roots are sun-grown so I considered heavily taking the risk of an outdoor crop. In the end, I had to opt out.” Mark pointed out, “Improvement is exactly what we’re striving for and creating here. For the same reason ferns grew 20 ft tall back in prehistoric days, they had the perfect ambient conditions, that is what I am trying to create at Green Mountain Farms. We are not reinventing cannabis; we are merely finding better ways to grow it.”
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Spin the Love by Anna Ervin
I think it is safe to say that for obvious reasons a lot of us have been feeling restless lately. Being cooped up at home has many people looking for new ways to stay entertained, or perhaps returning to old ones. One industry, in particular, has seen a substantial increase in sales since the beginning of the pandemic, and I am not talking about medical cannabis. Last August, Billboard reported that “online music marketplace Discogs’ global sales in the first half of 2020 were up nearly 30% over the same period last year.” Later reports indicated that record sales were expected to continuously rise throughout the second half of the year. I have always been curious about collecting vinyl, so I made a trip to one of Tulsa’s largest record stores, Josey Records, to see if they could convince me to pick up a new hobby. Store manager, John Gabriel, tells me that people who wander into their store are often in awe of the fact that they are still selling records. Is Vinyl Making a Comeback? People might claim that the future of music is digital but according to John, “you can’t hold it, you can’t touch it. With a record, you can pull it out and see the grooves, you can see where the songs are, you can actually look at it.” “I think people are more into having that physical thing,” he continued, “and it just sounds better. If you listen to Spotify on decent speakers, you can tell the difference. You can tell that there’s stuff missing. It’s not the same.” “It’s the sound, the quality, and the hunt. I think a lot of people got rid of all their vinyl to buy CDs, then got rid of their CDs to buy digital, and now they are remembering that they loved vinyl. Then for some of the kids, it’s something new. People are kind of just getting back into it and finding things they either didn’t know existed or didn’t know to look for.” “Even if you don’t want to start a giant collection like we have, you can get one of our crates, fill it up with 50 records and just have it in the corner, listen to them when you want.
We also sell these Bluetooth speakers. You can hook up to your turntable, play a record, and when that is done you just open up your phone and put Spotify on through those.” How Did Josey Records End Up in Tulsa? Co-owners Waric Cameron and Luke Sardello opened the first Josey Records store on Josey Avenue in Dallas around 6 years ago. Now in a new Dallas location, Josey is the biggest independent record store in the country. They have since expanded to a couple of other cities, including the opening of the Tulsa store in March of 2017. “I think they just saw an opening here and thought it’d be a good place,” John said. “We have a great location; the area is really coming up. Deckopolis just opened, and Buck Atoms is really helping. I think a lot of people stop from Route 66 and hang out there, then come in here.” “I love that Tulsa is embracing this area,” he continued. “When I was a kid, 11th street was kind of a rough spot, but now it’s cool. It’s Route 66, people can walk around, shop, have great pizza.” NOTE: Upon John’s recommendation, I did indeed have some of the best pizza just down the street at Bobby O’s. Aside from making the biggest pizza I’ve ever seen, Bobby O’s also offers a vegan menu and facilitates an entirely separate gluten-free kitchen. Check them out! Pandemic Influences Record Sales When the pandemic first began to take hold over US Cities, Josey Records attempted to keep their doors open for as long as possible. “When it first happened,” John said, “before there were any ordinances, the owners called and said they were sending us this plastic shield. They wanted us to get gloves, sanitizer, whatever we could get. And people had already started buying that stuff, so it was kind of hard to find. We have the tattoo guys next door, and they gave me a couple of boxes of gloves and a few reusable masks. That really helped.” However, like a lot of small businesses, when a city or state mandate forced them to close their doors to the public, they went online. “Every day I would take a picture of around 60 records that we have in the store and post them to Instagram and Facebook,” John told
me. “Our customers are great, that kept us afloat, for sure. I did that for like 2 months, come in every day for 4 or 5 hours, fill orders, pack boxes, ship them and some people did curbside. As soon as we could we opened back up.” Where to Begin Tucked into the Pearl District off Route 66, Josey looks small from the street but once inside, boasts the largest used vinyl collection in the city. I had a feeling that if ever there were a time for me to ask for advice on buying my first turntable, this was it. John’s advice? Splurge on the player, save your money on vinyl. “If you have a cheap player,” he told me, “it is probably not going to sound that great. They make those little suitcase ones, and we don’t even carry them because people end up disappointed. A lot of times they don’t play heavier records. Newer records are thicker and weigh a lot more. They are supposed to last longer but they don’t work on the cheaper players. If you have a decent player, even the $100 ones that we have here, it just sounds better. You can hear what is going on with the music. It’s not all compressed.” “We have noticed,” John continued, “that these kids will get really expensive players, spend thousands of dollars on records, realize it’s not the work they wanted to put into it, they would rather just plug their phone in and play music. They come in here and we give them a fair deal, but they get a tiny fraction of what they spent just two years ago.” “So, buy the used ones, ” he said, “buy the cheap stuff, see if you like it. We have a dollar section. Our dollar section is for the most part just stuff that we see all the time, like gospel, big band stuff, stuff that isn’t really popular. There is a lot of classic rock in there that either the sleeve is busted up, or it’s scuffed, but it should play.” “That is a good place to start. Find something that you like, a band you know or something you have heard. Get a player and just kind of listen to it, see if playing it for 20 minutes and having to flip it over, then having to switch records is something you want to get into.” Check out Josey Records on Facebook and Instagram @joseyrecordstulsa for inventory and store updates.
Noble Nectar Extracts by Anna Ervin When asked what drives the Noble Nectar team, founder and co-owner Preston Anderson, told me that “providing quality cannabis products for patients is the foundation and objective of Noble Nectar.” “We come from cannabis marketing, sales, and retail experience,” Preston explained. “We learned many lessons from other cannabis markets and realized that a lot of brands simply were not putting the patients first. The more we became educated about the versatility and vast benefits of cannabis, the closer we wanted to be to the product development side of things.” Looking back at their first year of business, I asked Preston what advice he would give to himself when they first started operating. His response, “just stay true to the mission and trust the process and the rest will fall into place exactly how it’s supposed to! 2020 was a scary year to be in your first year of business, I wish I could have shown myself then just how far this team has come now.” 2020 was a dumpster-fire of a year indeed, but this crew still managed to build something that they can be proud of amidst all the chaos. One of their biggest hurdles? “Sourcing top quality material,” Preston reports. “With over 6000 cultivation licenses in the state of Oklahoma, we have the opportunity to be really selective on what we use for our concentrates. This has also driven us to grow our own material that is up to our standards.” Noble Nectar has been in business since mid2019, but it was not until January of last year that they began to really grow as a brand. Just a short year later, with new products expected to hit the market and a 1st place Cowboy Cup buckle literally under their belt, Herbage wanted to catch up with the Nectar crew. Still reeling over their award-winning product, Preston and marketing director Miranda Cummings were excited to share a little insight into what’s been going on behind the scenes at the Nectar headquarters. The current roster consists of our Live THCa diamonds and plasma, which is a combination of live THCa diamonds and terpenes. Both consistencies are featured in our Flawless (single source) line and our VVS line which features starting material sourced
from talented Oklahoma cultivators across the state. We also produce high-quality Live Resin Cartridges, and a dosable dab product through our exclusive partnership with Dab Tabs. Let’s talk about your collaboration with Dab Tabs. PA: Sure! We certainly can’t take credit for the invention, but we immediately knew these were going to be a game-changer in the industry. DabTabs, or “dablets,” were created by ilo Research out of Oregon and are measured portions of cannabis concentrate encased in a natural mineral-based ceramic that is dosed at precisely 50mg. Cold starting this pre-dosed ‘dablet’ allows the user to get a consistently measured flavorful dab at a low temperature. On a personal note, cold starting three of these in a banger is one of my favorite ways to dab currently. PA: I think more cannabis users are ditching the distillate because I believe consumers are looking for a better experience out of their cartridges. Although distillate is the more affordable option for cartridge production, the distillate carts just don’t satisfy me with the taste or the quality of high - and I think many other patients would agree. MC: We wanted to develop a product that honestly felt like a dab on the go and, according to our beta testers and our patients, we’ve accomplished that. We also have had a lot of fun with creating ‘flights’ with our cartridges to provide different and interesting combos of two different strain options in one purchase for our Oklahoma patients. Anna: Congratulations on taking home first place in the Liquid BHO category at the Cowboy Cup, when choosing your entry, what made you decide to go with Wedding Crasher Diamonds? PA: Thank you so much! We knew entering one of our THCa diamonds from our newly released Flawless (single source) line was a no brainer. Our team has been working really hard in the lab and in the grow with some pretty amazing genetics from the best breeders around. It was a hard decision between the eleven single source strains we just released, but when my extractors and I tried the Wedding Crasher we knew this had to be an entry. The taste and high were so on point. MC: Aesthetically speaking, the Wedding Crasher diamonds were my favorite to take
photos of. The size, the way they sparkled in the light, and just the way they looked after terpenes were drizzled over them I knew made them award-worthy. Echoing Preston, the taste was simply irresistible and the high was the perfect balance of tingly and focused/ uplifting. What changes are you looking forward to seeing the Oklahoma Cannabis Industry make in the coming years? PA: Our team believes there is a need for more robust consumer education programs. Educating the public on the versatility of cannabis, how to use a variety of products, and the proper techniques that go along with those products is something we would love to play a larger role in, come 2021. Overall, I am really looking forward to any and all positive changes and improvements to the medical market that are coming in the new year. What’s next for Noble Nectar? PA: We are deep in the process of releasing five new product lines within the next quarter and adding educational programs to better benefit budtenders and consumers. Lots of big things in the works for Noble Nectar that we are excited to announce when the time is right! MC: We are also getting ready to graduate our first semester of The Nectar Collective and select our next ten members for our six-month beta testing class! We’ve been receiving feedback on all of our products from our current ten amazing individuals since August and were able to provide them with our favorite tools and accessories to medicate with, in return! It’s been a really amazing program for us and getting to give such cool products and gear to deserving patients in Oklahoma has definitely been one of the highlights of our year. Follow Noble Nectar Extracts on Instagram (@noblenectarextracts) and Facebook (@noble.nectarok) to stay up to date on the latest products to hit the market. www.noble710.com
Cowboy Cup 1st place Wedding Crasher Live THCa Diamonds -
Photographed by Miranda Cummings
Innovative Dab Tabs Dablet in action with the Shatterizer vape tech -
Photographed by Rachel Roller
White Cherry Wedding Cake Live THCa Diamonds -
Macro Shot Photographed by Daniel Hays @replaymediaok
Vegetable Pad Thai with Infused Spicy Peanut Sauce
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Cannabanana & Mom
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I used to tell my husband that I loved him “to the moon and back infinity.” Today, you’re more likely to hear me say that I love him more than spicy peanut noodles, because I genuinely believe that’s more than a trip to the moon, multiplied by infinity.
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I cannot remember the first time I tried peanut sauce, but I am thankful I did. Over the years I have adapted this recipe (the sauce part of it, at least) to make salads, slaw, stir fry, and even baked tempeh tenders. It honestly never gets old. However, if I had to pick a go-to, it would be spicy peanut noodles. My favorite thing about this recipe is that it is so easy to switch up to accommodate the seasons. I love serving it with steamed broccoli or bell peppers during summer. This time around, I wanted to try something new. Swiss Chard is probably one of the most overlooked items in the produce section, but its earthy leaves paired with crunchy stalks add both flavor and texture to this recipe. I also decided to use cabbage, why not? Swap these veggies out if you would like, I have tried sweet potatoes, kale, carrots, and even tofu.
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Peanut Sauce: ½ C peanut butter 2 Tbsp water 3 Tbsp coconut aminos – liquid aminos, tamari, soy sauce, etc. 2 Tbsp infused olive oil – MCT oil or any type of tincture works here 2 Tbsp maple syrup – or honey, agave, coconut sugar… 1 Tbsp rice vinegar ½-1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil ½-1 Tbsp chili garlic paste Juice from ½ a lime Pad Thai: Pad Thai or Soba Noodles – I prefer brown rice pad thai 1-2 cloves garlic 2 Stalks swiss chard – roughly chopped, separate leaves from stems ½ head cabbage – chopped Optional Toppings: Green onions Shredded Carrots Chopped Peanuts Sesame Seeds Lime
Instructions Mix peanut butter with water (room temp or warmer) in a small bowl and combine. Next, add remaining sauce ingredients and stir until combined. Prepare pad thai or soba noodles according to package. Add 2 Tbsp olive oil (regular or infused) to a large pan over medium heat. Add stalks of chard, chopped cabbage and minced garlic, sauté 2-3 minutes before adding chard leaves. Sauté another 1-2 minutes, or until leaves are slightly wilted. Drizzle about ¼ cup of peanut sauce over ingredents, stir and remove from heat. Pour remaining sauce over pad thai, add to a large bowl and top with cabbage + chard mixture. Garnish with toppings of your choice, and serve. Store in the fridge for 2-3 days – keep a little extra sauce handy or add coconut aminos/soy sauce if the noodles absorb too much of the sauce over night.
Changes In The Wind by Sarah Lee Gossett Parrish, Cannabis Lawyer
Has the pandemic given Oklahoma legislators too much time to ponder what changes they would like to see in Oklahoma’s medical marijuana program? Perhaps. As of January 22, 2021, they have filed a combined number of approximately 38 bills (some are only onepage titles and several are arguably redundant) relating to medical marijuana in some form or fashion. Authors of Bills Filed
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Authors in the House of Representatives filing bills relating to medical marijuana include Representatives May, (Josh) West, Roberts (Dustin), Davis, Frix, Kannady, Echols, Ford, Pfeiffer, Sneed, West (Rick), Fetgatter, Townley, and Humphrey. Authors in the Senate of bills filed that relate to medical marijuana include Dahm, Paxton, Daniels, Standridge, Rader, Bergstrom, Leewright, Montgomery, Taylor, and Hicks. Whether some of these bills actually make it out of committee and to a floor vote in either legislative body, much less approval by both bodies and signed into law by the Governor, all remains to be seen. However, it is important to track what has been filed and each bill’s ultimate fate in the upcoming 2021 legislative session. Highlights The bills filed by the above-named state legislators cover a plethora of topics related to Oklahoma’s medical marijuana program. Descriptions of several substantive bills filed in the state House of Representatives include the following: revenue and taxation changes (House Bill [“HB”] 1908); delivery by dispensaries to certain private residences (HB1960); referendum to Oklahoma voters for the “Oklahoma Adult Access to Marijuana Act of 2021 (HB1961); and clarification of OMMA’s duties and functions with amendments to S.Q. 788 via the “Oklahoma Marijuana Act of 2021” (HB2004).
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Descriptions of some substantive bills filed in the state Senate include the following: directing OMMA to contract with one or more third-party vendors to provide licensing services (Senate Bill [“SB] 522); criminal penalties for OMMA-licensed patients who carry or use firearms when “under the influence of medical marijuana” and additional preclusions for Oklahomans eligible for a handgun license under the Oklahoma Self-Defense Act (SB442); amending current restrictions on smoking medical marijuana in certain areas including: airport restrictions on medical marijuana use “in any area that is open to or used by the public” indoors or outdoors if within 175 feet from an entrance, same as to an “indoor workplace”, basically designating all state-owned, county or municipal-owned buildings and educational facilities as tobacco and marijuana free (SB445); modifying workplace drug and alcohol procedures and safety-sensitive positions, including additional rights of medical marijuana patients (SB459); amending definitions in the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana and Patient Protection Act (“Unity Act”) concerning testing laboratory licenses, requiring testing of medical marijuana waste prior to transfer and separation of such waste into waste batches, and clarifying or revising certain definitions (SB680); permitting pharmacists to compound products containing marijuana or THC in the event marijuana becomes legal under federal law (SB696); and basically prohibiting schools and landlords from refusing to enroll or lease, respectively, to OMMA-licensed medical marijuana patients, unless doing so would cause the loss of monetary of licensing-related benefits under federal law (SB1033).
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As the 2021 legislative session progresses, it will be interesting to see whether Oklahoma’s legislature chooses to avoid the traps that have snared so many other states’ medical and adult use marijuana programs—chief among them over-regulation, over-taxation, and unduly burdensome regulatory requirements with little, if any, benefit to medical marijuana patients and state-licensed medical marijuana businesses.
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So…what’s the take-away?
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Once again, it’s going to be a very busy spring here in the Wild, Wild West.
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In Oklahoma, how do we compete? What advantageous situation do we have that we can capitalize on? Well, if you see it, certainly medical marijuana. We have the most unique and open medical program in the country and we have a research license written into our law. What about hemp? We certainly have an opportunity to lead there. Plant based molecules, which is what we at GnuPharma do, are advancing scientifically, and we have a whole new wave of therapeutics based on hallucinogens headed our way. Is Oklahoma very uniquely positioned to attract a new wave of pharma companies? Pharma companies that base their science on safe plant based medicines? I certainly think so. Many of you also are thinking this way. Many of us believe that the majority of pharma will, over the coming years, trend toward these safe alternatives. Pharma of today has a place, but that place really is in acute and critical care. If I get run over by a truck, give me my morphine. However, for a headache, or an allergy, or minor inflammation, there are effective natural products and cannabis solutions that can be administered without the safety concerns. Pharma is and will continue to trend toward natural products, meaning plant based molecules. They work, sometimes better than pharma, and have a high degree of safety.
From The Front Lines by Chip Paul GnuPharma
Some of you are old enough to recall the effort that Austin TX started maybe 20 or 25 years ago. Austin made a very conscious effort to become the hub of the next Silicon Valley. They created State incentives, they started research, they started University level programs. They attracted the first wave of tech companies. The first wave of tech companies then brought the second wave of tech companies. And now they have major opportunities, like Tesla, which they have landed.
So what do we do? Well, we are currently socializing an effort to look at attracting these companies. I do not know exactly what that effort will look like yet. It will take shape based on what we want to start with and who we want to approach. I do know that both the Lt. Governor’s office and the Secretary of Commerce offices are both willing to at least scratch the surface and see what we can do. We have come a long way in two years! Let’s continue to press the advantage Oklahoma has with marijuana and extend that advantage. Sound like a plan? If so, you can join the non-profit efforts at www. ok4uapproved.com and watch for a newer non profit to emerge.
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Hempcrete by Anna Ervin
Hempcrete may very well be the future of natural building. This biocomposite material is mold and fungus resistant, fireproof, earthquake resistant, and 100% biodegradable. It has been around for nearly 30 years, and developers are constantly refining their process to make it even better. So, what exactly is it, and why aren’t we seeing more builders utilize the material? I reached out to Jessie Smith of Oaksterdam University to gain a little insight on the benefits of using hempcrete for natural building and to gauge the direction she sees this market heading in. Jessie comes from a family of builders yet grew up with the idea that the expansion of cities was eating up precious farmland. With an interest in sustainability and living in a natural environment, Jessie went to school for toxicology, where she learned about bioremediation, the process of using plants to take toxins out of our soil and environment and binding them into a carbon-based form. “Hemp is a bioremediation plant,” Jessie informed me. “It has the ability to reverse climate change and a lot of the problems we’ve created. However, we can’t consume that hemp because of the toxins it has absorbed.” This is where hempcrete comes into play. “Everyone that’s growing hemp is really trying to get into the CBD market,” Jessie said. “We’re getting a lot of people that don’t understand how sensitive cannabis is and that it’s going to pull in those toxins from the soil. Or they don’t know how to prevent mold and pests, so they’re not able to put their products into the consumer market.” A Budding New Market Will this surplus of non-medicinal hemp prompt manufacturers and builders to work with hempcrete on a larger scale? Only time will tell. “Right now, it’s not being utilized as much as it could be,” said Jessie. “There are a couple of companies coming out, pressing bricks. I haven’t necessarily seen commercial uses for it.” “When you look at natural building over the last 100 years,” she continued, “using those straw, clay and lime water mixtures, that is starting to pick back up again. Those types of buildings are starting to pop up, but for the most part it’s residential.” Up until recently, it has proven difficult for people to get a loan for natural building. However, with the production of hempcrete becoming increasingly common in places like France and Canada, and hemp becoming widely available, more and more lenders are beginning to see the value. “We’re at a tipping point in the market,” Jessie told me. A Breeding Ground for Potential
“Oklahoma could also learn from Oregon,” Jessie said, “who has hemp and medical cannabis growing. They are figuring it out by county. They are also finding natural pollen boundaries by topography and wind flow.” As well as figuring out the production of hemp on a large scale, natural building is labor intensive. We need to be honest in communicating the growing pains that both our outdoor farmers and our builders are going to face in order to see an industry like this take off in Oklahoma. Is Hempcrete the Future? Hemp is denser in carbon than any other plant, this is what makes byproducts of the plant so durable. The more hemp we plant, the more carbon those plants will absorb from the atmosphere. According to an article from Architect’s Newspaper, one cubic meter (35 cubic feet) of hempcrete has the potential to absorb up to 287 pounds of airborne carbon dioxide. While the cultivation of hemp is cleaning up the environment, hempcrete itself could also create a safer, healthier household. When using natural materials, you don’t get the toxic off-gassing that comes with many conventional building materials. Industry leaders at Hempcrete Direct report that this versatile material is fireproof, earthquake proof, and moisture resistant, making it ideal for locations (like Oklahoma) that can suffer extreme weather conditions. “The natural fibers and materials,” Jessie reported, “allow the vibrations of the earthquake to go through the house, rather than cracking and breaking down like concrete. Wildfires go right around hempcrete houses because the embers have nothing to catch on.” Significantly lighter than concrete and allowing for more energy-efficient transportation, hempcrete could offer a whole new level of sustainability to the construction industry. History Unfolding So just to recap, we have a product that is changing the way that we grow, build, and even exist by literally hitting the reset button on our environment, and continuing to provide benefits for our health and safety over time. How exciting is it to be able to witness this potential shift in both consciousness and sustainability take place? After over an hour on the phone with Jessie, I felt that we had only glazed the surface of this topic. Now that I have realized just how much potential the hemp industry holds for Oklahoma, not just economically, but also when it comes to sustainability and adopting a healthier lifestyle, I look forward to keeping an eye on this industry in the years to come.
“With the progressiveness of Oklahoma Policies,” Jessie said, “how many licenses are on the market, and how much lime is prevalent there, it is a huge breeding ground for potential.” If that’s the case, what is it going to take for Oklahoma to tap into this industry? With our state being one of the few to allow the outdoor cultivation of medicinal cannabis, we need to first address the issue of cross pollination. “The pollination radius of hemp is 5 plus miles,” Jessie told me. “Pollen can migrate. When you have hemp pollen fall onto your medical cannabis, you could end up decreasing the potency and medicinal potential of the medical plant.” “With outdoor growing,” she continued, “you need to make sure that we don’t go to war with each other. Keep hemp production and medical production separate so they are not devaluating each other. Farmers are actually really good at figuring out how to work together.”
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Cultivators are very in tune with the necessity of “clean” or balanced water. A vast majority of city and county water supplies are filled with chemical treatments that can negatively affect plants (and humans for that matter). So, it’s important to understand what’s in your water and to counteract any negative impurities with treatments to neutralize, especially those that are harmful and that can show up in the final lab testing needed for sales. And though well water seems to be far superior to other forms of water, it’s not always the case and it’s just as critical to measure the pH along with other elements to ensure quality water. Rainwater and osmosis water are obviously great but just as mentioned before, treating them to include what’s needed to fulfill the plant is crucial.
Sowing The Seed by Chet Tucker
Hydroponic cultivation is growing without the use of soil and is an extremely efficient and popular way to cultivate. Cannabis is typically supplied a nutrient-rich array of oxygen, nutrients, and water. The cannabis roots expend less energy acquiring food from soil and redirected energy allows the plant to acquire “food” easier. You use less water than soil grown cannabis along with needing less space. However, the negative side is that hydroponic grows can stunt the root structure vs soil which allows an extensive root structure to form.
We’ve covered genetics (seed), soil, and now we’ll cover the basics of the critical necessity of water (good water), along with touching on growing hydroponically. Nature provides the needed nutrients of water via rain and dew, however many cannabis growers use controlled environments to maximize the strength and quality of their cannabis crops. With these alternative growing environments, greenhouses, indoor facilities, and hydroponic grows allow the controls needed to avoid the collapse of a crop due to flooding or drought (and other natural disasters). However, it’s not as simple as just turning on the water hose to feed your plants.
Now, back to water in soil. Cannabis doesn’t like continuous irrigation, it originates from a dryer climate so the plant should be watered well but then the soil is allowed to dry before watering. Many use an every other day watering system, watering slowly and uniformly, to balance the irrigation and avoid over-watering. A good balance of absorption and drainage is critical to the plant’s success which means quality substrate is equally important. Just like so many pieces of the growing process, balance is key and it’s no different when it comes to the quality and amount of water used in cannabis. There are far greater details to explore but the basics are outlined here as we move into the light for next month’s edition of Sowing the Seed.
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Immune System Love by Amy Lee The BOHO Health Coach
Many medical cannabis patients begin their cannabis journey because they are immunocompromised and they are seeking a better way to live a healthy life. Being immunocompromised is different for each patient. For example the common cold might not affect one patient as severely as another due to their individual immune system strength. Immunodeficiency, suppressed immunity and immunocompromised all mean the patient is at a higher risk for infection, disease and viruses. In the winter when the air is less humid indoors, viruses can live longer and increase the chances of a person becoming ill. This is a crucial time for members of the cannabis community to be making additional efforts to show their immune system some love with cannabis and nutrition. What is the immune system? The immune system is a complex organ system in the body composed of white blood cells, skin, mucus and bacteria. The purpose of the immune system is to seek out, recruit, attack and destroy foreign invaders within the body. There are two main levels of immunity defense within the body, innate immunity and adaptive. The innate immunity system provides a quick first line of defense against a wide range of pathogens. Pathogens are disease-causing antigens. The immune system is designed to protect against pathogens. The adaptive immune system is the second level of defense and is more intense and specific in its attack against antigens. Antigens are anything that cause an immune response, this includes a wide range of irritants like pollen or the flu virus. How can you support your immune system better? The immune system requires care balance and care. It is not a single step process. Researchers recommend focusing on building a healthy lifestyle with simple habit change. This includes diet, movement, stress, hydration and nutrients. Research has shown through the years that every system in the body begins to function better when these habits are focused on daily.
Showing your immune system some L O V E There is evidence that various micronutrient deficiencies alter the immune system responses. These most commonly show up as vitamin and mineral deficiencies and create a domino effect of illnesses and disease within the body. However, these vital vitamins and minerals can be easily implemented through a daily cannabis routine. The best way to support the immune system with cannabis is through raw cannabis consumption. By consuming raw cannabis the body activates the endocannabinoid system to begin the process of homeostasis, otherwise known as balance. William L. Courtney, MD, is considered one of the leading experts in raw cannabis, it is his belief that cannabis is one of the most nutrient-dense foods we can consume. The raw plant material contains all omega fatty acids, nine essential amino acids, dietary fiber, enzymes, vitamins, minerals, flavonoids, carotenoids, terpenes and phytocannabinoid acids, all of which have the potential to boost internal wellness by creating a healthy gut biome. Eat it up! Cannabis is easy to add to any diet! Some of the most popular consumption methods include, adding the leaves to salads, raw plant juicing, marinated in dressings, sauces and dips. One of my favorite consumption methods is to grind up the cannabis leaves and incorporate into homemade granola or mixed in with almond butter.
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