1 T.O.C. Get into something good! 2 PUBLISHER’S LETTER From the honey hive 3 MASTHEAD These wonderful people make this mag happen 5 ETAIN Claw Money 7 STU ZAKIM Emperor of PR 8 HOUSE OF BRANDS HPI Canna 10 DANK by Definition 11 BLISS & LEX Housing Works 12 167 EXOTICS The rise of ... 14 NYCRA Street Equity 15 MJ EDIBLES Cat got your gummy? 16 EMPIRE NYC’s Cannabis Club 18 GOLDEN STATE BANANA Questions from Queenee 20 BUN B Thrill of the TRILL 26 QUEEN P Sun Goddess 29 GRAV x DGK x Pleasures 30 SHERBINSKI Gene-ius 32 SERGE CANNABIS / GAS NO BRAKES Brotherly love from seed to sale. 34 metaWRK A revolution in immersive tech 35 JEROME BAKER Master Glass 38 RICKY HEERAMAN Brushstrokes of legacy 46 HONEY SPOTLIGHT Leading Ladies of Cannabis 47 HALLE Humboldt Seed Company 48 BEAUTY & THE BUD Is greenwashing making CBD toxic? 49 NEW YORK FARMS Meet the state’s licensed cultivators 51 NYC CANNABIS PARADE Join the nation’s longest-running cannabis event 52 SPANNABIS New Yorkers in Spain 56 HONEYSUCKLE STUDIOS Smile, you’re on Honey Camera! 57 HONEYSUCKLE ON THE LOOSE Where in the world is Honeysuckle? 58 PUMA From Black Ink to green flower 59 WAKE AND BAKE The podcast for the culture 60 RE-LEGALIZE NEPAL From dealer to healer 62 GRASSLANDS High hopes for the next generation 63 THE BUZZ Love grows where Larkspur Botanicals goes 63 EURO V ANGELDUSTCEO Sesh Gods
Honeysuckle goes BIG on Culture
TBY RONIT PINTO
Flame broiled: Welcome to the alphabet issue! Bun B & Queen P. I don’t think we appreciate 420. The idea that a group of high school kids getting high in California years ago has turned into a national holiday, is kind of a trip. Each year as New York comes online, the hype builds. The new energy from the cloud city that is Washington Square Park to a city full of traps, legal or otherwise, is palpable. Even with all of the corporate attempts to Hallmarkify the date, the spirit of the culture shines through like holding the sun up to a flashlight. Stay safe. Avoid those sprinkles. See you outside!
Sam Long, Creative Director
he world a scary. What can we do? We have to keep pushing forward. Listening to eachother, legitimizing one another and holding space. Much like we do for the plant.
In the cannabis space, 2024 is a year for expansion in many ways. But like the larger universe, there are continuing questions. When will the U.S. go federally legal? Will New York’s regulations ever get fixed? Can we see beyond the beliefs that drive us apart, to build bridges to the future together? When will we achieve world peace - and do we deserve it?
We can’t always affect our surroundings. But we can still try.
Recently, New Yorkers celebrated a long-awaited boom in licensed dispensaries, bringing the state’s total to 101 and counting. Germany became the third European nation to legalize adult-use, while Spain saw the newest genetics innovations at the latest Spannabis festival.
We’re also documenting the cultural crossover of art and the plant. Iconic rapper Bun B shares insights on how cannabis and hip hop fuel each other, in the world’s first live-on-air magazine interview during the recording of his TrillStatik 3 album. Social media superstar Queen Pee discusses going from the face of Fashion Nova to marketing cannabis for the masses, all while surviving a battle for her very life.
At Spannabis, we saw long-time legends begin to further spread their wings. Sherbinskis founder Mario Guzman, brothers Serge and Aram Darmijian of Serge Cannabis and Gas No Brakes, Terp Hogz, and many other tastemakers testify to the market’s evolution. Meanwhile, on the home front, Certz’s Euro V and AngelDustCEO reexamine their legacies in the new landscape. Empire Cannabis Clubs’ Jonathan and Lenore Elfand are speaking out about their family’s unprecedented fight for justice. Golden State Banana founder Nick Bryan went from finding love in Indiana cornfields to building a globally-awarded brand that’s now popping off in the legal industry. Though these trailblazers have been around forever, they are skilled prognosticators enough to see the horizons now unfolding before them.
Multimedia artists are reclaiming their expansion: Jason Harris of Jerome Baker explores his history in glass, while Claw Money takes graffiti to new mediums with Etain Health. Femme floral energy runs high at Larkspur Botanicals, Ricky Heeraman’s murals are sensory journeys, and Puma of Black Ink Crew explains why weed has made a lifelong impression on him.
In our Honey Spotlight, some of cannabis’s coolest women are leading efforts to normalize the plant. From canna-moms who throw spectacular parties, to media mavens turned dispensary owners, to tech gurus, performers, educators, the best “nose” in the business, and more, we are awed by their fearless commitment to authenticity, freedom, and wellness.
Our 18th print edition is too full of expansive stories to contain.. We’d love to hear from you. What inspires you to new evolutions? How will you empower yourself to fly high? We hope these stories guide you to your next adventure.
“Expansion - and opportunity - are everywhere in this evolving industry. But there’s one key ingredient: Heart. At Honeysuckle, we’re committed to reportingtheculturalshiftsthathappenwhenpassion,imagination,andknowhow are able to merge. If there’s anything we can learn from the testimony of the legends on these pages, it’s this… For success, you’ve gotta let the visionaries do what they do best. (It’s always worked for us!)” -Jaime Lubin - Editor at Large -
SAYS ICONIC ARTIST CLAW MONEY. “IT WAS ALWAYS A FACTOR IN MY DAY-TO-DAY LIFE. NOW THAT IT’S LEGAL, IT’S JUST PACKAGED DIFFERENTLY… BUT I’M DOWN WITH THE MARY JANE.”
As one of the first women artists to leave an indelible mark on the New York and global culture, Claw Money (born Claudia Gold) stands out. Whether it’s her graffiti art with her recognizable animalistic Claw insignia and her all-female PMS crew, her fashion designs, her revolutionary collabs with brands like Nike, NASCAR, Calvin Klein, Converse, My Little Pony and more, the pioneer brings fearless femme vibrations to the forefront. Dubbed one of the most influential graffiti artists of all time, it only makes sense that her next groundbreaking accomplishment would be in cannabis.
Recently Etain Health - New York’s only women-founded vertically-integrated cannabis company - unveiled its inaugural Artist Series Motif™ Magnetic Vape Pen Battery and Blend Pod in collaboration with Claw Money. One of the brand’s first adult-use products on the market, it’s a thrilling milestone in Etain’s expansion from the medical to recreational sector.
The Claw Money Motif Battery boasts a unique design that seamlessly incorporates Etain’s brand colors in sharp lines, surrounded by her signature Claws and bursts of feminine energy. In addition to the vape battery, she has crafted the brand’s first Balance 1:1 THC:CBD blend pod. Drawing inspiration from Claw’s preference for citrus-forward strains, the Etain cultivation team blended GSC x Aliendawg x Cannatonic to create an earthy flavor with hints of pine and a subtle citrus aftertaste.
She considers this opportunity special. “It’s sophistication, it’s boldness, and I’m the first to be honored in the artist series,” she shares.
“AND THE STRAIN HAS A NICE BODY HIGH, NICE HEAD HIGH… I WANTED TO PUT MYSELF BEHIND SOMETHING WOMEN-FOCUSED. THAT’S IMPORTANT TO ME.”
On March 1st, Etain launched its debut co-located medical/adult-use store in White Plains, which also features a unique mural by Claw Money. Claw Botanica was another landmark achievement for the creatorher premiere multimedia design with flowers.
“[It came from] an idea that I wanted to do where you walked into this floral NFT world,” she describes. “Then Etain does a lot of living wall stuff with beautiful real plants inside their spaces. I wanted to take that energy, [even though] we couldn’t have live plants, and carry it over so there’s continuity between the different spaces, but it’s still graffiti and fun. It brings the natural element of flower.”
Authenticity is crucial for Claw, especially with cannabis. She recalls that her initial puff on a joint as a teenager happened with a group of girls - and she wasn’t impressed. “They were all giggling, and I was like, ‘These girls are such liars. They’re totally faking it.’ I didn’t feel anything… A few months later, I was with [another group of friends] and smoked a joint, and felt like I was floating on a cloud.”
Newly registered as a medical cannabis patient, Claw hopes more uses for the plant will be innovated particularly for women. “Menstruation management - get on it!” she exclaims. “I would like to see [products for] menopause, postpartum, all stuff that needs to be developed. I would love to see cannabis and spa treatments or athletic treatments, using all the wonders we know that cannabis has for women and specifically formulating it for their physiologies.”
Releasing her own Motif Battery and Blend Pen with Etain is a good start - who better to progress the relationship between plant and consumers when they’re all female? (Of course, as Claw hastens to add, the product is for everybody!) The Claw Money signature items are exclusively available at Etain White Plains and wholesale partner CONBUD at 85 Delancey Street on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. With the latter retailer situated on a block surrounded by Claw Money graffiti works from over the decades, it’s a full-circle experience for the artist.
Looking ahead, Claw has a new book in development and will be creative directing several music projects with a plethora of female rappers and bands. “And I want to continue forging my way into women’s cannabis,” she declares. “I want to put my money where my mouth is, and boots on the ground, helping young women navigate these industries… Women are all over everything - there are so many who paint graffiti, so many in the gallery scene. There just need to be more and more.”
EMPEROR OF PR
HOW STU ZAKIM’S COMMUNICATIONS CHANGED THE GAME
HOW STU ZAKIM’S COMMUNICATIONS CHANGED THE GAME
BY VERONICA CASTILLO
Stu Zakim is a one-man empire. His name rings bells wherever the topics are communications, media, publicity, and publishing. The founder of Bridge Strategic Communications, Zakim is a powerhouse whose work to alter the public perception of cannabis has caused ripples in the zeitgeist.
“EDUCATING PEOPLE ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF CANNABIS [HAS] BEEN A THREAD THROUGH MY ENTIRE CAREER”
Zakim says. And what a career - from executive roles at Columbia and Universal Pictures’ publicity departments, where he worked on films including Cheech and Chong’s Nice Dreams and Things Are Tough All Over, Heavy Metal, and Half-Baked; to helming media relations strategies for Playboy and Rolling Stone; to serving as Vice President of Corporate Relations at Showtime when Weeds was at its height, and much more.
But since 2013, the strategist has focused on his passion: bold, caring advocacy for the plant. His client roster features renowned, barrier-breaking brands like Happy Munkey, CryoCure, Berkshire Roots, and The Travel Agency. It’s no wonder he was a nominee for Public Relations Firm of the Year at the 2023 Emjay Awards.
Ahead of the curve, Zakim has sparked many watershed moments in cannabis history. With publishing colleague David Rheins, founder of the Marijuana Business Association (MJBA), he started bringing cannabis meetups to the East Coast, paving the way for later organizations like High NY and CannaGather. In 2018, when he was invited on CNN as a guest speaker, the media expert asked to discuss cannabis. Despite being told “We only cover politics,” his response shone a positive light on the plant.
“I said, ‘Let me tell you something, cannabis is ALL politics,’” he remembers. “I started giving them a history lesson, going back to Nixon [and] Schedule I… I said, ‘I believe cannabis voters are one of the larger voting blocs in the country, and if mobilized appropriately, could have a major influence on [elections].’ That started to penetrate, because I was on almost every show on [CNN and MSNBC], including a one-on-one with Don Lemon.”
He continues, “If you look at the clients I represent, a lot of them share the same ideas about cannabis culture, helping people, and educating them so that the prejudices and stigma can disappear. For people targeted by the War on Drugs, especially Blacks and Latinos, if they got
busted even for a joint, they went to jail. If you didn’t have a green card, you got deported, which broke up families.”
By far, Zakim’s proudest work “ahead of the curve” has been with brands and organizations that carry a similar mission. He cites the transformation of Happy Munkey as one of his favorite success stories. Beginning as an illicit speakeasy pre-legalization, the Latino-owned company hosted popular events for diverse audiences. When Empire State NORML activist Doug Greene (introduced to Happy Munkey by Honeysuckle’s own Jaime Lubin) invited Governor Andrew Cuomo’s aides to observe an event, the moment became the catalyst for New York’s adult-use marketplace.
With Zakim’s help, Happy Munkey pivoted to a lifestyle brand in the wake of legalization and the Covid-19 pandemic. The publicist helped them coordinate “New York’s first legal pot party” on April 20, 2021 at a steakhouse opposite the New York Stock Exchange. Later, they would partner with cultural touchstones such as the Van Gogh exhibit, Museum of Sex, and finally the Choose Happy day of social justice programming at Columbia University.
Zakim also applauds licensed retailer The Travel Agency for its achievements in the past year. Through his counsel, the retailer engaged in multiple community reinvestment campaigns, including impactful events with the LGBTQIA+ community, won 3 Clios, and served as the site of a memorable segment on The Daily Show with Sarah Silverman.
His next goal is to encourage more TV shows and films to incorporate scenes where people are offered cannabis as they would alcohol.
How does the one-man band do it all? He remains continually informed on all industry and cultural news, making himself an invaluable resource. But it really boils down to enthusiasm, he admits.
“My role isn’t just about generating media,” he notes. “It’s also guiding the clients… Business owners may ask: ‘Why am I paying for PR?’ Well, you’re paying for this because it gets results; you’re paying for my professionalism, contacts, credibility, and reputation. Public Relations isn’t a minor investment.”
Canna began as a pathway from tragedy to hope, and it’s that light the company continually shines for the cannabis industry today. Founder and CEO Kimberly Tanami, a mother of five, started her journey with the plant by driving her determination to explore alternative treatment avenues like cannabis following her sister’s epilepsy-related death.
Under her visionary leadership, gleaned from over two decades of executive experience, HPI Canna has grown into one of New York’s leading cannabis producers, with an impressive and diverse brand portfolio. Along with their in-house brand Dank by Definition, the state’s number-one selling flower, the company has developed a reputation for transitioning revolutionary brands into New York’s legal market. These include industry heavyweights like Packwoods and Plugplay™, social impact brand 40 Tons, legacy icons Chef For Higher and Platinum Reserve, locally-grown Ruby Farms, and the women-owned Her Highness and LGBTQIA+-owned Drew Martin brands. To date, brands under the HPI Canna umbrella are available in all 101 of the state’s
HPICannaLeadsNewYork’ sIndustryWithCollaboration
“It is really important for the industry to understand that the consumer is the centerpiece of their business,” notes Sephida ArtisMills, HPI Canna’s Chief Strategy Officer.
We are living in a world where cannabis isn’t just part of the culture; it’s a craft, a statement, and a true lifestyle.
Enter Dank by Definition, HPI Canna’s in house brand that dances on the edge of daring and sophistication. It’s where the zest of Gen Z’s energy merges with the timeless wisdom of industry leaders, crafting an experience that’s as inclusive as it is exclusive. This isn’t your run-of-the-mill cannabis brand; it’s a lifestyle, a celebration of the vivacious, the bold, and yes, the sexy side of enjoying life, elevated by the plant we all cherish.
Our journey with Dank by Definition has been like riding a wave, thrilling and filled with moments of pure bliss. In our collaboration with giants in the hospitality industry, we’ve mixed the intoxicating world of cannabis with the high-end allure of experiential activations, creating experiences that linger long after the smoke clears. These partnerships are more than a meeting of minds; they are a fusion of experiences, offering a taste of luxury that’s as palatable to the seasoned connoisseur as it is to the curious newbie.
Partnerships in the cannabis space are pivotal, for expanding our reach and embedding cannabis into the very fabric of cultured living and wellness.
Together, we’re not just pushing boundaries; we’re drawing new ones, inviting everyone to a party where the guest list reads like a who’s who of cannabis aficionados and lifestyle pioneers.
Since the inception of the New York Cannabis Market, Dank has kept itself at the top of the leaderboard in quality and consumer feedback with sungrown flower alone.
Now, I hope you’re sitting down because Dank by Definition is about to take you on an even wilder ride. We’re ecstatic to soon unveil our indoor flower and preroll line - a love letter to the those seeking the zenith of purity and potency.
But why stop there? We’re diving headfirst into the gummy market, ready to tease your taste buds with flavors so rich and intoxicating, yet so meticulously crafted, they’ll have you questioning everything you thought you knew about edibles. By summer of 2024 Dank by Definition will have expanded its product lines to touch every part of the cannabis market.
Dank by Definition sprouted from a seed of rebellion against the ordinary, a desire to blend the rich tapestry of cannabis culture with a flair for the dramatic. We’ve come a long way, from a spark of inspiration to a brand that beckons the adventurous at heart, from college students to your grandparents.
Our eyes are set firmly on the horizon, envisioning a future where Dank is not just a brand but a hallmark of cannabis culture, synonymous with sustainability, education, and a splash of extravagance.
So, to our dispensary owners, to our connoisseurs, to the thrill-seekers and the luxury lovers—join us. Let’s not just witness the evolution of cannabis together; let’s lead it.
With Dank by Definition, every puff, every bite, and every moment is a declaration: Here’s to living life on your terms, with a bit of fire and a whole lot of plant.
Welcome to the Dank side, where life is anything but ordinary.
By Jill Goldsberry
If you want to know all about cannabis branding and packaging, ask Karen Bernstein. Not just because she’s one of the nation’s leading Intellectual Property and Trademark law experts, but also because her practice with cannabis clients has shown her the quagmires the industry now struggles with regarding product regulations.
“It would be nice to have harmonious regulations,” Bernstein says. “For packaging, you do have to go and look at each state’s regulations, which is why it’s such a pain. [If only] we had a uniform set of packaging and labeling guidelines… If [your product is] in multiple states, you have to make sure you’re complying within those states… And presently they’re all different.”
The Managing Partner of the Bernstein IP firm in New York City, Bernstein spends a lot of time interpreting packaging and compliance regulations for clients. She also currently serves on the executive committee of the New York State Bar Association’s Cannabis Law Section, where committee members are often responsible for making comments on Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) regulations before they are finalized. In addition to Bernstein’s long list of accomplishments - she had a noteworthy career in music and advertising before becoming an attorney - she is an award-winning writer, works with recognizable celebrities and brands in her legal practice, and has solidified her reputation as a formidable cannabis authority, having chaired the National Cannabis Industry Association’s Packaging and Labeling Committee, and been a twice-elected Director of the Board for the International Cannabis Bar Association.
Today the trailblazer has substantial advice for those seeking to launch cannabis brands in New York’s adult-use market.
Consider investing in a Tier 3 processing license. “New York’s regs are very restrictive on who can do what we call white-label licensing,” she explains. “If you want to enter into a white-label or brand licensing deal, you have to already have a cannabis license or be [financially involved as] a true party of interest. The only other way is a special Tier 3 Processing License, and basically it’s $2000 to have a brand and do brand licensing. So if you were a celebrity like [Wiz Khalifa or the Marley Family], you would have to get a Tier 3… You wouldn’t be able to just come in and endorse a brand.”
Unlike other licenses, there’s no cap on the Tier 3, but the queue to get one remains long. While Bernstein’s firm works with numerous clients seeking such a license, she predicts the regulations on it will eventually change. “Having a processing license for a company, brand or celebrity that doesn’t really want to touch the plant forces them to be involved… I think it inhibits the market.”
Consult an attorney on your product’s packaging. “They know how to interpret law. And that is the most wise thing to do, because you will need to have certain inch font on the side of your packaging, and if the language is too long, then you have to have an insert into it.”
Use your packaging space wisely. “Perhaps you have your nutritional information on the packaging [and you’re using] a QR code to lead you to other things like the Certificate of Analysis [which] tells you where the cannabis came from. It may be used for anti-counterfeiting purposes, which my firm also handles.”
Prepare for additional costs to the consumer. “What’s frustrating to the community is that they’re trying to operate legally, and instead they’re getting beat out [by illicit shops] because they’ve got to pay the taxes on cannabis and that’s going to be a higher price. You’re charging the consumer for legal compliant packaging, legal compliant testing, safer cannabis.”
As to how to handle those unlicensed businesses proliferating across the state? Bernstein recommends that they can be cut off at the knees if their point of sale systems or credit card merchants can be taken away. Though it won’t stop all the illicit operations, it would significantly limit it.
With New York cannabis constantly evolving, the IP expert looks forward to seeing improved regulations around advertising, which currently prohibits licensed retailers and brands from marketing through certain signage or billboards. “You’re just setting the industry up to fail… Something has to change to be able to allow the industry to advertise.”
Most of all, Bernstein recommends that anyone building IP learn about trademarks. “Your corporate name is separate from your trademarks… If you’re planning to sell T-shirts at your store with your brand name, you may want to consider filing an intentto-use application in the Federal Trademark Office because clothing doesn’t touch the plant… So if cannabis is ever legalized [nationwide], perhaps having those federal trademarks will help you in the future to enforce your rights, to stop people from using your mark. And it’s recommended because if you build a portfolio of trademarks and intellectual property, it’s an asset of your business.”
For more on Karen Bernstein, visit bernsteinip.com and karenbernsteinlaw.com.
BLISSED OUTWITH BLISS + LEX
New York’s first licensed adult-use retailer, Housing Works Cannabis Co (HWCC), is furthering social equity with a support system for other cannabis dispensaries. The Housing Works CAURD Community initiative keeps the legal marketplace equitable by helping Conditional Adult Use Retail Dispensary licensees get their stores operational and gain first-mover advantage. Steeped in the traditions of Housing Works’ iconic multitiered social advocacy, the initiative functions as a business incubator for a cohort of licensees.
“Working with our CAURD Community partners, Housing Works provides the necessary support to fill gaps for license holders through three main components—
Side luxury to New York’s cannabis culture. “As native New Yorkers, we have a unique understanding of [how] the diversity of each neighborhood [shapes] the cannabis community in the city,” Nicole noted. “We hope to seamlessly blend our cannabis roots into the Lexington Avenue retail district.”
She continued, “The CAURD Community initiative was the perfect opportunity for us. As a family, we have tried to start several non-cannabis businesses, but were denied licenses due to Christopher’s cannabis conviction. We are honored to be a part of New York’s historical social equity program and increase the diversity of ownership in the cannabis industry.”
anyone, from the canna curious to the canna enthusiast, is comfortable exploring the benefits of cannabis in their own lives.”
Ultimately, Bliss + Lex allows consumers to “put their money where their mouth is” by aligning their progressive values with their shopping habits. Their ethos is a fabulous reflection of the power that lies in the Housing Works CAURD Community initiative, which also has a goal to educate each neighborhood on the importance of safe consumption and provide adults with access to compliant, fully-tested and affordable cannabis products. Like the other initiative partners, Bliss + Lex will be partnering
access to capital, defined training and infrastructure for dispensary operations, and assistance in securing real estate,” said Elizabeth Koke, Creative Director for Housing Works. “[We] designed the incubator program to embody the spirit of equal-opportunity and high-level collaboration that is needed to uphold the vision for New York’s cannabis scene. With a mission to cultivate economic empowerment while also strengthening the legacy of those who the cannabis industry was built upon, this initiative ensures that justice-involved individuals have a chance to succeed in the unpredictable, fast-moving and nascent market that is New York cannabis.”
Nicole affirmed that the couple is looking forward to cultivating relationships with the neighborhood and supporting local causes: “We have spent our lives working in careers that serve our community. As a former public school teacher and parent myself, a major focus of our business will be to pour back into the community as we have in our careers for over two decades. We hope to become a pillar in the community and support initiatives that benefit Manhattan, the Upper East Side and its surrounding communities. We are especially committed to supporting organizations focused on child development, people with disabilities, and those impacted by domestic violence and homelessness.”
with HWCC all year on events and activations that provide the public with information and services they need.
“As the first CAURD licensee to open a dispensary in New York, Housing Works continues to champion the state’s CAURD program and its intention to prioritize social equity,” Koke attests. “With our deep roots and long-standing history of supporting New Yorkers in need, the decision to work closely with other CAURD holders as they open their dispensaries was an easy one to make. We are proud of our CAURD Community initiative that provides needed resources and direction to set [licensees] up for success. This program is a great example of why
Bliss + Lex offers a welcoming atmosphere that makes visitors feel instantly at ease, providing a variety of products from New York brands such as FLAMER, DANK By Definition, Florist Farms, and more. As the space fills out, the Luciens intend to create a dedicated corner of the shop for education to help consumers customize their purchases.
“It is important for us to continually fight against the stigma associated with cannabis use,” Nicole emphasized. “There are moms, dads, grandparents, business professionals and even athletes who consume cannabis for the benefits they experience in their everyday lives. Our goal at Bliss + Lex is to ensure that we foster an environment where
Housing Works Cannabis Co is the most progressive way to shop for cannabis in New York City, if not the country.”
Find HWCC at 750 Broadway and Bliss + Lex at 128 East 86th Street. For more information, visit hwcannabis.co and blissandlex.com. @housingworkscannabis @blissandlex
Photo caption: The grand opening of Bliss + Lex. Left to right: Tosin Ajay of Cannabis NYC, Kepler Vilsaint, Greg Rakoczy, owners Christopher Lucien and Nicole Lucien, Jacqueline Soto, President of Housing Works Matthew Bernardo, Jesse Roberson, HWCC General Manager Sasha Nutgent. (C) Gary Gershoff / Getty Images, courtesy of HWCC
The Rise of
Quality, Community, Culture:
By Brian Garrido
By banding together as a group of friends from 167th Street in the Bronx, the Latino-owned 167 Exotics brand looks to use their light as an overnight sensation, to shine a light on issues within the community. Founded by childhood companions who came up through the legacy space, the acclaimed brand emerged onto a more global scene just a few years ago with their excellent strains and anti-violence mission.
“I feel like when the legalization happened [in New York] a couple years back, that was our entrance into being more public in who we are,” says Jason Heras, co-founder of 167 Exotics. Jason plays a major role in the brand vision, alongside his partner and childhood friend Turo. There’s a lot of moving parts with such a fast growing operation.
“I QC [Quality Control] a lot of our turf; I pretty much help out with the operations,” says Danny, the youngest partner.
backgrounds, all of Central and South American heritage. Turo being Puerto Rican and Panamanian, Jason Ecuadorian and Danny Mexican, all began dabbling in cannabis secretly.
“Yeah, we had to hide it all the time; I’d come home and change my shirt,” Turo recalls of how he’d return home from smoking with his friends.
“We’re also registered in New York State as a nonprofit called Pounds for Rounds,” says Jason. Pounds for Rounds is an organization dedicated to eliminating gun violence using cannabis, which Jason founded after the traumatizing loss of his uncle, who was shot and killed on 167th Street on August 3, 2018. From fundraising to hosting buy-back events, where firearms in neighborhoods affected by gun violence are bought back in exchange for cannabis and other resources, the 167th Street collective behind the brand have their eyes set on the same mission.
Each partner seems to know their role in the operation, what they can learn and how they can contribute to the ultimate goal. Turo chimes in, “I wear different hats, there’s the business hat, the street hat and there’s the casual hat. I’m still learning how to wear them; [Jason] shows me the way.”
It’s quite evident that everyone on the 167 team prides themselves on the quality of the product. “What we have is different and we stand by that,” Jason states. “We don’t have to sell it, just come fuck with us and see why… No spray zone.” He’s referring to the fact that some brands use terpene sprays (synthetic aromatics).
“Same household, same rules,” says Turo, referring to their shared experiences growing up in conservative Catholic families with similar cultural customs and ethnic
The 167 Exotics family has come a long way from the shadows of the social taboos of cannabis prior to legalization. Not every legacy brand looks to cross over to the legal market, but 167 Exotics is embracing the transition.
“We [quality control] everything,” Danny reiterates. Part of the extensive process of their supply chain is getting the right product. The valuable relationships they’ve curated with growers and suppliers gives 167 Exotics access to exclusive strains, further cultivated by handpicking and testing each product in their product line.
The strict standards, from their need
to fill the gap of quality and affordable product accessible to the community, has given precedence to their name amongst the many brands thriving in the legacy market. With future plans to expand into other legal markets across the states, it’s clear their love for the flower goes beyond a sale. The passion with which each member of this organization talks about the flower, the strains and knowledge behind the genetics, proves why the brand’s community is rapidly growing
does,” says Jason as he discusses the brand’s future.
As they continue the legacy-to-legal transition, it’s clear New York is just one stop on the journey. Though an exact date for 167 Exotics’ product launch at licensed retailer Culture House NYC is yet to be determined, the brand plans to enter California’s legal market on 4/20/24. They look to take the industry by storm, representing the 167 Exotics brand and bringing a piece of New York to the West Coast.
In the larger scheme of things, the masterminds behind 167 Exotics are also expressing their interest in international markets. With plans to bring their brand to adult-use legal markets Stateside, alongside expanding an extensive network in the U.K., Germany, Spain, Amsterdam and other parts of Europe, 167 is confident in their entry into the worldwide industry.
“This flower brings together so many people and it’s unbelievable what it
With competition in the market rising as new brands enter and some fade away, the 167 Exotics team seems secure in the outcome of their claim to fame. Regarding competition, Jason had only one thing left to say: “It’s not that we’re trying to be better in any way, because we’re equal to everyone out there. We all got the same 24 hours. It’s just that we choose to do what we do with ours, and that’s it!”
For more on 167 Exotics, follow @mr.167exotics
@dannydaplvgg @167tu_
Street Equity: NYCRA
Lobbies For An All-Inclusive Industry
By Team Honeysuckle
“To come from the streets to getting recognized by the Governor, it’s pretty great to see,” says Jayson Tantalo, cofounder of the New York Cannabis Retail Association (NYCRA).
Formerly known as the New York CAURD Coalition, NYCRA unites and advocates for stakeholders in every sector of the state’s legal cannabis marketplace. The organization’s motto is “Collaboration over competition,” represented in its membership of over 300 cultivators, processors, and retailers from all regions. They are committed to steering New York to an equitable future piloted by those who know the culture. Created in late 2022 by Jayson and his wife Britni, who own Flower City Hydroponics in Rochester, and Coss Marte of Manhattan’s CONBUD, the coalition has been a transformative force for progress.
and you’re not asking questions about codifying CAURD, you’re in jeopardy of losing everything,” Jayson warns.
“We have to get CAURD into statute, where it’s protected,” Britni adds. “[With that], we won’t have potential risk of injunction that slows down the process of legal dispensaries coming out and therefore allows more illicit shops to come up. That in itself will effectively stop these markets.”
2. Reforming New York’s potency tax, which makes regulated THC products extremely expensive. “When we increase tax in a high inflationary period, everything is a fortune for every middle-class to lower-income family,” states Britni. State Senator Jeremy Cooney has proposed a bill to replace the potency tax - determined by milligram of THC per product, in addition to sales and excise taxes - with a flat wholesale excise tax, which NYCRA supports.
3. Reforming marketing regulations. Licensed cannabis businesses are stringently restricted in how they can market and package their products, signage they can use on their stores, and even have to keep their goods from being seen through their windows. Unlicensed businesses can flout these rules.
“The public has not been educated enough to identify a legal dispensary,” Coss notes. “Right now you can tell your friends about [retailers like] CONBUD, post about [them] on social media. But that’s why we’re also pushing to change the marketing regulations.”
Jayson, who has over 20 years’ experience in SEO and website development, observes how platforms like Google will shut down licensed businesses’ listings but promote those of illicit shops. “That’s why we have to give cultivators and processors more access to consumers. Currently they can only educate the budtenders, who have a high rate of turnover. So they need to have the ability to educate the customer in-store.”
This February, several NYCRA members joined a pivotal session with Governor Kathy Hochul to discuss protecting licensed retailers, in a market currently oversaturated by unlicensed businesses. In a press conference, the Governor addressed the need to strengthen the legal market by shuttering illicit shops, and called on tech platforms like Google and Yelp to stop promoting illegal stores.
“We have to change consumer behavior and incentivize them to shop legal,” Britni declares. “We’re trying to work with the Governor and legislators… to loosen the chains from legal dispensaries that are hindering them from just competing on the street.”
“Within [the cannabis community], we bring every invested stakeholder to communicate with each other,” Jayson shares. “But we also bring the [public] the information they need to become invested stakeholders and enter our community.”
To further its goals, NYCRA has a deep legislative agenda ahead for the rest of 2024 (available on its website), which the co-founders explain includes:
1. Codifying the Conditional Adult Use Retail Dispensary (CAURD) program, which grants licenses to people negatively impacted by cannabis criminalization. “If you’re a licensed operator
4. Place a retailer on the Cannabis Advisory Board, so stakeholders from that side of the supply chain can have a say in crafting the state’s policies.
5. Establish a publicly-funded State Social Equity Fund, which would convert the existing private one run by New York’s Dormitory Authority (DASNY) to a revolving fund that provides low-interest loans to social equity licensees throughout the supply chain.
6. Work to shut down the illicit market. “The illicit shops have made it cheaper to buy the weed than to grow it,” Jayson asserts. “We’re in a collapsed market that affects cultivators, processors, and ancillary as well as retailers. It’s a problem across the state.”
To advance social equity, NYCRA is participating in the state’s Cannabis Hub and Incubator Program (CHIP), which includes helping license applicants with deficiencies in their filings, an initiative that NYCRA’s Social Equity Chair Roger Thomas is overseeing for the organization’s members. The coalition also partners with ancillary business partners to provide its membership with other operational resources they may need, from accounting to buildout to graphic design.
Throughout the spring and summer, people will be able to find NYCRA at numerous events. The group attended SOMOS in March, only the second cannabis event ever formally scheduled at the State Capitol, where they brought community members to network with legislators. In April they’ll be represented at MJ Unpacked in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and in June at the Cannabis World Congress and Business Expo (CWCBE) at New York City’s Javits Center. More opportunities for connection will follow.
“What we’ve put together with NYCRA is what we dream about,” Coss describes. “A whole network of people who want this plant to be free. NYCRA brings that to the table in New York.”
To join NYCRA: newyorkcannabisretailassociation.org, @nycannabisretailassociation
At MJ’s Edibles (MJ’s Eds™), tasty cannabis is the cat’s meow. The New Yorkbased brand recently emerged into public awareness, though its founder Nick has been in the legacy space for years.
Enjoyed by Grammy-winning musical artists, and with dedicated fans like the minds behind Gotti, DeLisioso, and Empire Cannabis Clubs, MJ’s has earned their stripes, even winning Best Infused Candy Edible at the 2023 All Things Cannabis (ATC) Awards hosted by OMG Events. Each bag features drawings of the eponymous MJ, Nick’s rambunctious cat. Whether you’re trying the all-natural gummies line Flight Bites, or Hash Ninja, hash rosin gummies that combine classic recipes with solventless ice-water hash, you’ll see a delightful cat inviting you to soar above the clouds or offering you sliced fruit in samurai garb.
The real MJ is a tuxedo cat who was rescued from a box of abandoned kittens five years ago. Nick dubbed him MJ when he saw the feline jump up in a Michael Jordan-esque pose, movements that inspired the whole ethos of MJ’s Eds™. (Nick’s dog Buster, a rescue Standard American bulldog, is more of a “silent mascot,” but also an important team member.)
“We are for the progressive, functional cannabis consumer,” the owner explains.
“Growing up, I was an athlete - baseball, hockey, wrestling, karate… I still dabble in jiu jitsu. I’m in my early thirties, and I still feel injuries from [high school]. Cannabis is what really helps me. We’re making something where when people are nursing their pain, they can do it right and it tastes good.”
Nick places high value on quality control and transparency, cooking all the edibles himself and ensuring that each batch contains
exactly what will be printed on the label. The MJ’s website lists the ingredients in each product, plus recommendations for safe dosing and consumption.
“We go for quality,” the entrepreneur notes. “All-natural flavor, no dyes. We use beef gelatin… and tapioca syrup, which [are] healthier.”
Flight Bites provide 40 milligrams of THC per gummy, while Hash Ninja offers 10 milligrams apiece. MJ’s will soon release a 20-piece bag of the popular Flight Bites, so stay tuned.
Most flavors are sativa-based, but Nick’s latest collection introduces minor cannabinoids. Specialized “daytime” or “nighttime” edibles have a combination of 30 milligrams THC, 5 milligrams CBD, and 5 milligrams CBG (for energy) or CBN (for sleep). These effectfocused products have been enormously well-received; the nighttime flavor Bedtime Blueberry was last year’s ATC award-winning entry. (Nighttime gummies also come in Goodnight Grape, while daytime options are Blissful Blue Raspberry and Pleasant Peach.)
“[The daytime gummies] are good if you have anxiety, if you want help focusing, if you have inflammation of any sort,” Nick says. “CBG is really good for your body... excellent for homeostasis.”
For Nick, finding homeostasis on all fronts has been a decades-long struggle. As a kid, his family held conservative views on cannabis.
For more about MJ’s Eds™ visit mjseds.com or follow @mjseds on Instagram.
“My mom hated weed,” he recalls. “I’ve been selling forever since high school. Once when I was 15, my mom caught me and I cried. I would rather have been caught by the police than her.”
But the enterprising youth refused to give up on the plant. By age 19, he got a job as a stockbroker with a small firm while attending
community college. Over the years, he spent more time selling cannabis on the side. Randomly, a childhood acquaintance joined the firm who then started to function as one of his plugs. Nick quit stocks in 2015; when he was more reestablished in cannabis by 2017, that friend introduced him to the man who would eventually create the Gotti brand.
Adopting MJ the cat helped Nick realize where his passions lay. But he also credits the driving force that galvanized him to make MJ’s what it is today to his late friend Gus, who took his own life in July 2020 after struggling with depression.
“He always told me to make a brand,” Nick remembers. “When the brand was young, it was close to being scrapped. I’d done some other edibles in 2020 and 2021 that were okay but not as well executed. [Gus helped me] refocus and I feel he’s watching me proudly right now.”
Nick moved to Florida in 2021 to build the business through networking, while keeping operations going in New York. After a year of being threatened repeatedly and robbed, he knew it was time to trade orange juice for the Big Apple again - especially after scoring a major partnership with Empire Cannabis Clubs.
“I stopped in at three different [Empire] locations to drop off my samples,” he states. However, a chance social media encounter provided the magic spark. Using an alternate account, Nick commented on one of Empire’s Instagram posts that “you need to check out MJ’s,” and the team DMed him. MJ’s has been available at several Empire locations ever since. “They’re really the reason why we started coming back [with New York consumers].”
Today, Nick is grateful for New York’s cannabis community. “This is how I contribute to society,” he concludes. “[The community] accepts me as a person... I’m bringing value and helping people.” His plans for the future include getting a New York license, opening an animal sanctuary and adoption center, and helping to end the stigma and free the plant.
With Nick’s vision, and MJ and Buster’s support, MJ’s Eds™ is on the road to purrfection.
ALL THAT GLITTERS...
GOLDEN STATE BANANA FOUNDER NICK BRYAN’S LIFETIME WITH CANNABIS
BY QUEENEE DA KANNA KRITIC
“I’ve always been this crazy,” Nick Bryan says. The creator of the Golden State Banana strain and brand means “crazy like a fox.” With over 25 years in cannabis cultivation, multiple awards including High Times Cannabis Cups, pioneering events like the Best Of competitions with Hitman Glass, industry milestones such as being the first person in California to get an indoor cultivation license, and more, Nick is a legend par excellence. As he looks forward to new drops in major adult-use markets, he shares his story of family ingenuity with the plant.
Growing up in Indiana with his mother, Nick saw his relatives constantly smoking, and also heard stories of his uncles smuggling weed across the country. His father, who went to prison on cannabisrelated charges before Nick’s birth, moved to California upon release. Every summer, the boy soaked up plenty of culture to bring back to the Midwest.
“I started selling weed at 13 and helping grow it, going out in the cornfields, by 15,” he recalls. “I had a little bit of money and my friends and I were renting houses to veg all the clones, and grow them out in the cornfields… Soon we had thousands of clones.”
By 17, Nick had an extensive network of cannabis connections with experience in other states. Though keeping his base in Indiana, he began making trips to New York and elsewhere to sell. “I have had ties in New York for over 18 years,” he states.
At 18, he met the love of his life in Alexis (“Mrs. Golden State Banana” as she is sometimes known), a fellow cultivator with a flair for operations. The young couple moved to Santa Cruz, California in 2002, immediately setting up large growhouses. Over the years, they developed multiple brands utilizing techniques from Indiana. Nick describes how he and Alexis bought a 10-bedroom mansion, turning nearly every room,
plus the tennis court and wraparound deck, into a greenhouse. In his father’s basement, used for fishing equipment, they dug a small grow bucket by bucket.
As Nick perfected cultivars like the Banana strain, he observed the industry’s evolution.
“Back then, [California] protected these medical dispensaries, but there was never any license for cultivation,” he remembers. “I needed to protect my grows.” He explains that in 2016, one of his friends had been growing in nearby Watsonville under a special permit, but that the man had been busted because city officials never told the police. The friend ended up suing the city, and Nick found inspiration. “I just knew now they’d have to put [cannabis licensing] on the city agenda,” he continues. “I was a member of the community. I went in front of the city council with my business plan… I took the mayor of Santa Cruz, council members, city manager, right into my grow: ‘Here
What is the History of Golden State Banana?
Golden State Banana is owned by myself and my wife, Lex. We began dating when I was around 18. She was already a mom to a three-year-old son, and I was still running wild in the streets. I have been smoking since I was twelve and began growing when I was fourteen, so I was all over the place. When we settled down and got our first house, we immediately started growing plants and from there we built multiple brands. I came down to NY years ago and started doing business with my bro’s out in the Bronx. I have has ties here in NY for over eighteen years. How does having your wife as your business partner impact your relationship?
It really has been good. We work well together, and my wife is a real go getter. Lex doesn’t wait for anyone to do things, she just does it. She handles not only the home and family life; she also is a fire grower who know her genetics. She knows how to wash and process too. We work as a team, and we have always been honest with our children about the plant and how we grow and consume. Being honest with our kids allowed us to get ahead of any stigmas they would be told on the outside about cannabis consumption.
What can we expect from Golden State Banana?
Well, we’re coming to New York this year and Massachusetts. We’re going to put the brand in as many places as we can. We want everybody to be able to get access to it. I’m working as many new markets that are opening as and go worldwide.
What does your family dynamic look like?
We have a twenty-eight-year-old son, a twenty-one-yearold son, and a fourteen-year-old daughter, and believe it or not, I am a grandpa to an eight-year-old grandson. We also have a house full of dogs and pretty much live the gardener farm life.
it is. How are you going to help me?’ Boom, I got the first indoor cultivation license in California.”
That same year, Nick launched the Golden State Banana brand as it’s recognized today. “Back in the day, not a lot of people wanted to grow Banana. We were just starting to learn about the benefits of concentrate and higher-testing THC strains. Concentrate hadn’t become a big thing at that point. We were just getting into the world of fire, sugar, trim batter, and just the transition out of shatter into live resin and other stuff. And then not realizing that an OG that has 20 percent yields 60 grams, and Banana yields 32 to 34 percent, we’re getting 100 grams out of that. So we’re like, ‘Oh, now we see what the difference means in the THC testing.’”
His initial variation was called Chiquita Banana, but a little tweaking and concerns about getting struck on copyright led to what we now know as essential Golden State Banana. Nick contracted his friend JImbo
What are some of the attributes that you can speak to in terms of longevity in the Cannabis Industry?
Being able to adapt, being able to evolve. This is an evolving industry. We’re moving at hyper speed growth right now all over the world. So being able to evolve and figure out new ways to work in the industry is one of the keys to Longevity. You also must be able to live this lifestyle truly and authentically. You can’t be scared to do the work. Got to clean the bathroom? Do it. Got to do the driving and make the deliveries? Do it. You can’t be afraid to do the work.
Phillips to design the brand’s distinctive artwork, and had a sensation on his hands.
Today, Nick and Alexis are steering Golden State Banana into its busiest year ever, bursting into the East Coast’s legal landscape.
“We drop in New Jersey on April 8th,” Nick enthuses. “We’ll be in pretty much every store there. We’re coming to New York and Massachusetts later. I’m going to go crazy in New York; I’ve got thousands of clones right now and I’m going to give them to every farm.”
So if you’re ready for the next major evolution in cannabis, keep your eye on the guy who’s crazy like a fox. He might be a little bananas, but that hasn’t steered him wrong yet.
For more: goldenstatebanana.com or follow @golden_state_banana
THRILL OF THE TRILL : Bun B Speaks Behind The Scenes Of TrillStaik 3
“Rap is a grown-up game,” says Bun B. The legendary artist has proven that with his diverse body of work, from co-founding the seminal, awardwinning hip hop duo UnderGround Kingz (UGK) with Pimp C, to a widely acclaimed series of solo projects starting with 2005’s Trill, to films, teaching, entrepreneurship and beyond. But his first love is always the art of hip hop.
Exclusive Interview By Statik Selektah
Photos by Sam C Long
Born Bernard James Freeman in Port Arthur, Texas, Bun B is known for pioneering Southern sounds in the genre, bringing the Lone Star State to rap prominence as few had before him. Hip hop acolytes recognize classic UGK tracks like “Live Wires Connect,” “International Players Anthem (I Choose You),” his verses on Jay-Z’s iconic “Big Pimpin’”, and his high-scoring “That’s Gangsta”, to name a few. Today, based in Houston, the innovator spends nearly as much time mentoring others as he does honing his own craft.
Most recently, Bun B and renowned DJ/producer Statik Selektah have triumphed with their TrillStatik series. Their first album, recorded live in New York City, was a star-studded anthology created through an 11-hour livestream in 2019. In 2022, they repeated the success for TrillStatik 2, recorded live over 12 hours at Lower East Side institution The Sweet Chick - again with an A-list lineup.
TrillStatik 3, recorded at New York speakeasy Hidden Tiger, upped the ante further. Over 12 hours of live sessions, the album featured a brilliant cast of players rotating through a world record performance. The 15-song masterpiece included Method Man, Smif N Wessun, Talib Kweli, Smoke DZA, Paul Wall, Haile Supreme, comedian Sam Jay, and many more. Produced throughout December 22, 2023, it was available to the world by midnight on December 23. During the marathon, from the booth to the burgers - served up from his own Houston restaurant Trill Burgers - Bun B was golden all night.
And the TrillStatik duo achieved one more milestone that evening: The first magazine interview streamed live on Sirius XM, thanks to Statik Selektah’s hosting Shade 45’s Showoff Radio. Read on for this revolutionary conversation.
STATIK SELEKTAH: So Bun B, what’s the difference between an album and a mixtape to you, and where does TrillStatik 3 fit in?
BUN B: A mixtape could just be accepted as a compilation of songs… whereas an album has to be seen as a complete body of work. [A] mixtape can be very easy lifting for people, because in hip hop typically, the majority of the mixtapes are done with the artists rapping over other people’s instrumentals. You don’t have to go through the trouble of having to secure beats from a producer and not even book a studio time to get everything tracked out. You can pretty much rap over an instrumental like it’s a two-track and put it together… You don’t even have to have a mixtape of songs that you recorded all at the same time… It could be some shit you did in ‘07, ‘09, 2010, and then you drop it in 2011. People will accept that.
But an album, they expect it to be fully formed from beginning to end. No real sporadic thoughts; the shit should be organized… You can kind of throw caution to the wind with a mixtape, but with an album you’ve really got to try to hit the nail on the head.
STATIK: Absolutely. And someone call up the Guinness Book of World Records, because we’re the first people to ever do a complete album in 12 hours, and have it released the next day. We’re the first people to [do that and] broadcast it to the world via Twitch [and] YouTube.
BUN B: Yeah, because I’m writing everything live too
from scratch. [That’s] the beauty about TrillStatik 3. We get a lot of emcees together, a lot of people really good at what they do, and we create great music. But this is as futuristic, streaming an album live out to the world, [as much as] it is really a throwback. Because this is how most hip hop used to be recorded, with all the rappers in the room at the same time writing their rhymes together. Laying their verses together, waiting to go into the booth after the other emcees going, “Shit, I got to step it up.” This is the original way of creating hip hop music. So we’re going forward and backward at the same time, to be present in the moment.
STATIK: Now, they call you Houston’s unofficial mayor. How did your come-up in Houston shape your music, your attitude, all that?
BUN B: A lot of us had to employ a Do It Yourself mentality because being in Texas, we’re halfway across the country from the West Coast. We’re halfway across the country from the East Coast, and L.A., and New York. Both have large media communities - a lot of different outlets, magazines, TV shows. So it’s very easy to get the word out if you’re an L.A. or New York artist because the platform to get those messages out were typically available to you. But with social media and streaming and all that, the playing field is level now… If you don’t have money, but you have creativity, thoughts and a strong work ethic, you can push a lot of momentum out into the community just by wanting to work harder.
[In Houston] we just cool motherfuckers. I think that’s the main thing for us. We make friends easy. We love to break the ice. We’re funny, sociable, welcoming. I think all of that makes for a good entertainer and a good friend. And that’s what I believe I am to many people in the hip hop community.
STATIK: You started hip hop at a young age, but you didn’t release your first solo album Trill till you were in your thirties. Obviously had all the UGK catalogue prior to that. What inspired you to make the change, and how did Trill shift the focus of your career? Because [Pimp C, who died in 2009] was still here when you made the first one.
BUN B: Yeah, but Pimp was locked up, so that’s the only reason why I even did a solo album. I had no want or need to be a solo artist, because I felt like [UGK] was the greatest group in the world. It was very easy for me to make music with Pimp… But when he got locked up, I had to do something to keep the momentum going until he got back, to keep the group and his name alive. The best way to do that was by doing a solo album.
But the dynamic shifted, because now I’m doing the heavy lifting. I got to pick the music, find the producers and book the studio time, and then go in and not just construct my rhymes, but also the song. I got to be there for the mixing and mastering, a lot of shit that I never really had to do. So it taught me a lot about the industry. [Before], I would just come in, lay my verse and bounce… and Pimp would do the rest. Kind of like what I do here with TrillStatik 3, but being more involved in the overall process of not just recording but sequencing an album.
That shit changed. But when Pimp came home, it allowed me to be more contributive to the process instead of being detached, write my rhymes and bouncing. I could bring in more say-so and have more opinions from an educated perspective.
Photo: Statik Selektah & Bun B
STATIK: For a while, you were at Rice University teaching a course on hip hop and religion. What’s your perspective on how the two are linked?
BUN B: Look, religion doesn’t work for everybody. Some of us grew up in religious settings that, as we got older, didn’t really coincide with the direction of life we were going to lead. [Whether] you did or didn’t grow up in organized religion, those things don’t actually help you become a good person or more centered person or help you contribute to society and your fellow man.
For some people, religion doesn’t do that, but hip hop does. That’s the beauty of hip hop as a culture, not just the music. [Hip hop] encompasses many different things… It was meant to bring a sense of unity and community into an area that was being ripped apart. The South Bronx at the time was being torn apart, [people getting displaced], and instead of these people coming from different cultures and languages beefing with each other, the music brought people together, which it always does.
Music always has been the great equalizer for human beings. That’s the way we come together; that’s how we commune. And I believe we pick our friends by the
music we listen to. That’s a big part of how we bond with people - the music we listen to, or the God we believe in. Those are the two major things that humans use to commune with each other. So I’m just glad that I do come from a very strong religious background, but that I also add hip hop in my corner. For me, I got the best of both worlds.
STATIK: In [June 2023], you opened your first restaurant, Trill Burgers. Why did you decide to be a restaurant owner and what’s been your experience with that?
BUN B: I decided to do it because when I was presented with the burger, it was the best burger I’d ever tried and probably one of the best meals I’d ever had. I knew the product was going to go, it was going to be big. But I also knew that for me to be a part of it and take it to where I thought it could go, I would have to sacrifice a lot of time and comfort to make it happen. If you watch my page and the Trill Burgers page, you see I’m constantly moving, running around, working, because that’s what it takes to build a brand out here. I’ve done that before… with UGK as a group and with Bun B as a solo artist. So [I’ve presented] a product consistently time after time
at different places and [made] sure people got the same experience. We did that with music and now we’re doing it with food.
I’m in a very blessed space. I got a great team, solid support from the hip hop community. All my friends come through - they blow us up, they big us up. I’m in a great place right now and I’m rocking with that fucking burger. We fed everybody last night that came through Trill Burgers.
STATIK: That shit was slapping. And how dope is it watching the hip hop world connect with the weed world?
BUN B: Well, it’s organic, right? Hip hop and cannabis have always had partnerships. We’ve always been operating in the same spaces. We both came from counterculture. We both were ostracized in society… looked at as lesser than, looked at as not wholesome. Now opinions have changed about cannabis [and] the consumption of it… but then opinions also have changed about hip hop. So I’m just glad that hip hop and cannabis stuck around long enough to be recognized for their true contributions to this world. We make shit easy.
“
“ Music always has been the great equalizer for human beings. That’s the way we come together; that’s how we commune.
“
“ I’m just glad that hip hop and cannabis stuck around long enough to be recognized for their true contributions to this world. We make shit easy.
By Chloé Harper Gold
Photography by: Ruben Delact @Princeofthegram
“It’s all about embracing the beauty in everything, from fashion to that good vibe energy,” says Maria del Pilar Vargas, better known as Queen P. “I’m Peruvian—we adore the sun. The sun means everything to us, so I’m huge on that energy.”
The sun, it seems, adores her right back.
Meet Queen P. She’s a model, entrepreneur, fashion and jewelry designer, marketing visionary, mother…did we miss anything? Over the past decade, she built a name for herself as one of the most influential models and marketing strategists for clothing company Fashion Nova. More recently, she’s become a phenomenon in the cannabis space, exponentially growing brands like Jokes Up (which led to her eponymous strains Queen Pee and Pwincess Cutt), Ice Kream, and Sluggers.
Her first move in cannabis was to purchase the domain names needflower.com and wantflower.com in 2019. “I knew it eventually would become legal, so I purchased those two domains. I think that’s how I’m going to make my billion dollars.”
Originally from Lima, Peru (although she’s lived all over the U.S.), Queen P.’s career started when she was scouted as a model at California’s Northridge Mall by Fashion Nova founder Richard Saghian.
“Instagram wasn’t even big back then, but I already had cracked the code of how to go viral,” she says. This was circa 2013, where posts were automatically boosted to the Explore page if many people liked them at the same time. With daily features on the page, Queen P. quickly built a platform of up to 40,000 followers, climbing to over a million in only a few years. She taught Saghian “the blueprint of social media marketing,” helping shape Fashion Nova into a powerhouse that makes $2 billion in sales a year.
She still works for the company and is their only model who also has her own agency. Noting that “I found an art to my influence,” Queen P. brought other social media superstars on board like Christina Milian and Black Chyna, leading to a chain of Fashion Nova-linked celebrities including Amber Rose, Kim Kardashian, and Kylie Jenner.
Her online success led Queen P. to enter brick-and-mortar retail, opening jewelry and clothing stores in Los Angeles’ Studio City neighborhood, where she was based. She and her young daughter Brook-Lynn were able to live a “lavish” lifestyle.
“Just a single mom rocking the world!” she says.
Then the Covid-19 pandemic ground everything to a screeching halt. Queen P. lost her businesses, home, and luxury cars in the economic crash.
“I had to just get a sense of reality,” she remembers. “People weren’t buying jewelry or clothes. [But] I’m a hustler. I went down and I came back up.”
She dove headfirst into the cannabis pool. There, she connected with, and started dating, cannabis connoisseur Yung LB. The two, as a power couple, were able to navigate their businesses together for two years.
“I started bringing people on board, creating strains for them,” she says. ”I know how to create brands. We were a great team.”
Queen P. extensively helped build his company and following, introducing him to other major players in the industry and paving the way for their strains to transition from legacy to legal in California retail. Business was booming.
But the relationship soured after two years. Her now-ex-partner became controlling and domineering, eventually escalating to physical and financial abuse. There were broken phones and slammed doors, pulled hair and bruises. While Queen P. was sleeping one night, he took a photo of her black eye and sent it to his business partner, who then in revenge posted it on Instagram, making the news public.
“The psychology behind it is heartbreaking to me. He was boasting to his friend about physically hurting me. Because there is no other explanation for him to leak his wrongdoings. As if he was proud of it!” she says. “Why else would you send a picture of your girlfriend beat up to somebody? It makes no sense to me.”
Like many people in abusive relationships, a safe escape was difficult due to a lack
of financial resources, especially since she had a daughter to provide for. Even though she had been instrumental in building her partner’s business, he’d never paid her and refused to include her in any of the business paperwork.
“He was my oppressor for quite some time,” she says, adding that he’d also moved into her apartment and drove her car. “I’m like, ‘Pilar, this man don’t love you. He’s abusing you.’”
While out on an independent cannabis sale to get some money, Queen P. decided to call Saghian.
“I called Richard crying,” she says. “I was like, ‘Richard, I’ve never called you for anything, but I’m in a really bad situation. This man is beating me and he’s not giving me my earnings and he’s taking my business. I got to go.’ He goes, ‘Pilar, I have something for you. Come tomorrow.’ I showed up to Fashion Nova and he goes, ‘I have a new project called Nova Beauty, and I want you to make it go viral.’ That’s exactly what I did.”
Queen P. had been modeling and going viral for a significant amount of time— she knew all of the best makeup artists, including those who have worked with Beyoncé and Michelle Obama. She brought them on board and the launch of Nova Beauty was a massive success, allowing her to leave her ex. Not long afterward, she got introduced to Saghian’s neighbor, Ori Bytton, the founder of cannabis operator Natura, home to brands like Sluggers and Dee Thai. Thanks to her talent, entrepreneurial spirit, and infectious positivity, Queen P. was a natural as marketing strategist for Sluggers. She created the Sluggers Babes, recruiting influencers as sexy ambassadors and pairing cannabis with fashion brands like Hermes Birkin. Her Pwincess Peach strain for Sluggers is a hit, and she and Bytton have new brands in development called Spritz and Ice. Next up, the visionary looks forward to partnering with rapper Future on his cannabis line Evol.
“I’m God’s favorite. So everything is working out,” she laughs.
Queen P. is also a prolific painter under the name of Peecassa. As Peecassa, she’s been able to paint some of the most prestigious celebrities. As we go to print, she’s preparing to gift Snoop Dogg a portrait of himself. She has also created paintings for Metro Boomin and Future, adding some decor to their studio. Deeply passionate about empowering and uplifting women, Queen P. remains a staunch advocate for women gaining financial independence through entrepreneurship, especially in cannabis.
“The cannabis world isn’t about just chilling,” she says. “It’s about wellness, creativity, and a community vibe that aligns perfectly with what we’ve been doing. It’s another platform to empower, especially the phenomenal women making waves in this space.”
“Women are the backbone of this industry. We nurture, we create, we lead the future. The future is female. We’re moving from shadows into the spotlight, showing the world the power of our touch. It’s not just about being in the space; it’s about owning it, leading it, and transforming it. We’re here and we’re high on making history.”
For the budding entrepreneurs, she advises, “Stay bold, stay beautiful, and never apologize for your ambition. The world’s vast and the cannabis fields are fertile ground for your dreams. Plant your ideas, water them with passion, and watch them blossom.”
“And remember: in a world where you can be anything, be unapologetically you.”
For more on Queen Pee, follow @queenpee on Instagram.
“
The future is female. We’re moving from shadows into the spotlight, showing the world the power of our touch.
It’s not just about being in the space; it’s about owning it, leading it, and transforming it. We’re here and we’re high on making history.
The collaboration’s second capsule releases on July 4th. Titled “Bubble Up,” it draws inspiration from Japanese arcades, infusing pop art with an upbeat creative spirit. Centered around the DGK X GRAV Slush Cup Bubbler, this collection promises to be a visual and sensory delight. Paired with custom DGK pieces, created in collaboration with DGK team skateboarder Will Mazzari, “Bubble Up” embodies the spirit of innovation and pushing boundaries.
But wait, there’s more! Ahead of the second DGK capsule, GRAV has launched the first of two collaborations with the graphically charged, inclusive apparel brand Pleasures. On April 9th, the companies partnered for the third time as Pleasures put a creative spin on the original glass gravity bong with “Breathe Again.” Long celebrated as a rite of passage for cannabis enthusiasts, GRAV’s Gravitron made history years ago and still serves as a test of skill for consumers. But Pleasures is ensuring the culture gets a new set of lungs, commemorating the evolution of the gravity bong from risky to essential.
Sporting a hyper-detailed decal of human lungs’ inner workings, the limitededition “Breathe Again” Gravitron gives consumers a stronger high using less bud. When you light your flower and raise the vase, the resulting vacuum concentrates all that smoke into one open chamber. Lower the vase back down, and the pressure rockets a potent cloud into your lungs with zero effort. Made from top-quality 5mm borosilicate glass, the Gravitron has no weird odors or chemicals to inhale. A platinum-cured silicone grommet on the bottle base creates a cushy barrier between the two glass pieces to prevent chips or breaks.
“In our industry’s landscape, the most genuine acts of defiance are often crafted with the brush of authenticity,” Rodriguez comments. “This collaboration between PLEASURES and GRAV isn’t just about redefining a classic; it’s a testament to how we breathe new life into our passions. The ‘Breathe Again’ Gravitron is more than a nod to innovation— it’s a deep dive into the anatomy of what makes us tick, thrive, and push the boundaries. Since the inception of the Gravitron, GRAV has transformed a rite of passage into a safe, celebrated experience. PLEASURES, with its unique lens on lifestyle, layers this experience with a bold statement on the essence of life itself—the breath. Together, we’re not just revisiting a classic; we’re reigniting the flame of rebellion that has always been at the core of cannabis and streetwear culture. Here’s to the pursuit of the highest pleasure.”
So if you’re “Made to Survive,” get ready to “Breathe Again” and “Bubble Up” with GRAV, DGK, and Pleasures. Your lungs and your soul will thank you.
For more info: grav.com, @gravlabs
HE’S MY BROTHER HE AIN’T HEAVY,
“It’s been a long time coming,” Aram Damirjian says of his brother’s brand Serge Cannabis. “A lot of people can work better with outside partners than with family, but we’ve tried that. Little by little we realized that anytime we work with family, it’s been the best of all.”
Aram, who founded the popular Gas No Brakes brand, and Serge, known for co-founding Cookies Maywood and Fiore, are two-thirds of a legendary trio of cannabis tastemakers. Their youngest brother Shant pioneered the modern hash hole through the brand that bears his nickname, Fidel’s. Now, after what seems like a lifetime in cultivation, the siblings are getting the chance to work together in the legal industry, as Serge’s eponymous company brings new opportunities for them to take on the universe.
When they sit down to speak with Honeysuckle, Aram and Serge are just coming off a fantastic collaboration at Spannabis between Serge Cannabis and Sensei Seeds, the world’s oldest cannabis seed bank and producer. It was a project over a year in the making, one that’s involved Sensei gifting their most classic seeds for Serge’s intense pheno-hunting process, discovering exciting new crosses that might lay the foundation for a new era of landmark genetics.
“[The Sensei team] has a love for cannabis that dates back to Ben Dronkers starting the company before I was born,” Serge states. “It was an honor to work with them. This was the initial kickoff of things that we have in the pipeline…
“ Find something super special that can stick around for years after I’m gone. Whatever we can contribute to the game, keep the culture of the plant moving forward, that’s my goal. “
I’m hoping to put some new stuff with their oldschool funk, staple strains like Jack Herer, and find something super special that can stick around for years after I’m gone. Whatever we can contribute to the game, keep the culture of the plant moving forward, that’s my goal.”
Plant culture has always been a deep cut for the Damirjians. The sons of Armenian immigrants from Lebanon, Aram, Serge, and Fidel grew up in Los Angeles drawn to weed in its most natural state. They watched their father, once a prominent drug dealer who hit rock bottom, rebuild his life between California and Lebanon, as he secretly curated a cannabis stash.
Serge’s love for cultivation sparked at age 15, when he germinated his first seed with a small desk lamp behind a drawer in his bedroom. He got the plant to the point of harvesting and drying it, but his father found it before the boy could taste the fruits of his labor. After receiving what he describes as “a nice ass-whooping,” Serge says his dad threatened to throw the cannabis out.
SERGE CANNABIS
But when he and Aram searched the trash, they realized their old man had smoked the weed himself.
“That’s how we broke the ice with Pops to start smoking,” Aram recalls. A few weeks ensued of the brothers siphoning off bits from their father’s stash in revenge, with their dad becoming increasingly suspicious until he found a joint on the window sill. “He said to our mom, ‘I told you it was my weed!’ and we said, ‘Why don’t we all smoke together?’ It was a wrap after that.”
In 2006, as California’s medical market developed and legacy market flourished, Aram and Serge took inspiration from their network of NorCal connections and started an L.A. dispensary. “It hit us that we can be the wholesaler and retailer as well,” Aram explains. “We have some great strains on our hands, we love to smoke. We want to share these strains with other people who don’t have access to any of this… We designed [the shop] from the ground up.”
Their success led to the opening of subsequent locations with grows and retail, and bringing on a partner in commercial cultivation expert Mike “Big Tuna” Bouchanian. Life was good… until one of their stores got raided in 2009, and a second raid occurred just months later as the entrepreneurs were preparing to fight the first in court. The owners all faced serious prison sentences; the District Attorney’s office even threatened to deport Aram and Serge’s father and cousin, who had been tied to the business and weren’t naturalized citizens.
“We were forced to take a plea deal at the end of it,” Serge says. “Aram took the heat for the whole family. He went down for three years. Mike ended up getting a year. I got one month and five years’ probation.”
“What I did was for the good of the family,” Aram adds. “Having [my brothers] in my corner was the biggest blessing. If one person’s down, the other two are helping them come back up. It’s always been that way.”
“While Aram was down, we couldn’t have any involvement in cannabis, so we started the hydro shop,” Serge continues.
“But we were like, ‘Fuck that!’ We love the industry. We’re neck deep in everything from budtending to bringing down product, serving other shops.”
The hydro shop is where youngest sibling Fidel would gain his reputation, turning a small location into a superstore. Meanwhile, Serge pursued his own ambitions, learning more about licensing from his friend Edwin Movagharian.
They got lucky, meeting two men named Steve Lobel. One, an attorney and judge in Glendale, suggested the pair pitch recreational cannabis to various city councils. Following a period of pitching over 30 cities, Serge heard a positive response from the town of Maywood. He embedded himself in the community, organizing toy and food drives and endearing himself to locals. Soon enough, he had a license.
Enter Steve Lobel Two, a Grammy-winning hip hop executive whose artists ran the gamut from 3-6 Mafia to Fat Joe and Sean Kingston. At the time, this Lobel was managing Scott Storch, whose latest album was co-produced with Cookies founder Berner. Circles connected, putting Serge, Edwin, and Big Tuna (who had come on as a co-owner) face-to-face with the icon and his cultivation partner Jai.
But the trailblazers weren’t fully sold on the idea of Cookies Maywood until Serge presented them with his own in-house cultivars. “Then they were blown away,” he shares. “They were used to doing business with more corporate entities that didn’t have knowledge of genetics. We were the total opposite - we’d been in the game 15 years already, growing… [Eventually Cookies Maywood] was a huge success. That put the spotlight on our growing skills because [Berner] trusted us with the Cookies menu.”
By this point, Aram had returned from prison and was often collaborating with his brother. He notes that Serge debuted many of the Cookies Maywood phenomenon strains, such as Cereal Milk, Gary Payton, and London Pound Cake 75.
“ What I did was for the good of the family. Having [my brothers] in my corner was the biggest blessing. If one person’s down, the other two are helping them come back up.”
However, after a few years, various issues drove the dispensary’s original founders to other projects. Serge would help create the Fiore brand with some of the same partners, but a number of disputes over bad practices drove him and Aram to leave the company.
“I’m the type of person who sees through bullshit faster than most guys,” Aram asserts. “I told Serge, ‘Something fishy’s going on. You ought to start walking away.’ I started Gas No Brakes and haven’t looked back.”
For Serge, it was a chance to return completely to his first love. “My happy place is just being in the garden,” he enthuses. “Almost every day for the past 20 years, I’ve touched the plant…
I love speaking plant language. I love… creating the fruit that hasn’t been shared with the world. You’re in charge of picking the right one and [presenting] it to all your peers, ‘Look what I found.’”
by Sam C. Long and Ronit Pinto
“The coolest thing is walking through the hundreds of thousands of people [at an event like Spannabis],” Aram says, “and then somebody comes up to you. ‘Serge! Gas No Brakes! Look what I have.’ You’ve got this jar in your face, some dude who grew [a cross of our seeds] in Europe. God-knowswhere and what conditions, but he did it and he brings it to you. And you’re like, ‘Would you like to smoke this with me?’ It hits different. You’re on a whole other continent with somebody that’s bred your stuff and you have the ability to share that with him right there and then. That’s epic. That’s what we live for.”
Serge Cannabis and Gas No Brakes are currently available in California’s adult-use market, and will be expanding their footprints in Massachusetts. This spring and summer, fans will find them at pop-ups across the globe, including The Astor Club’s The Billy Awards in New York on 420.
Serge continues rhapsodizing about the aesthetics of the plant, the nuances of trimming, the subtleties of flavor. With Serge Cannabis, he’s finally maximizing his passion. And the whole family is helping. From collaborations with Aram and Fidel, to packaging personally handled by their parents, the future is truly all relative.
For more info: sergecannabis.com, @serge_cannabiss on Instagram and gnbfashion.com, @gasnobrakes_ceo on Instagram.
NO BRAKES GAS & FROM SIBLING STORIES
THE WISDOM OF JEROME BAKER DESIGNS
FOUNDER JASON HARRIS
BY JAIME LUBIN
PHOTO SAM LONG
“Headline: It’s illegal!” Jason Harris shouts when we sit down to discuss his career in cannabis.
The master artist, founder and CEO of Jerome Baker Designs (JBD), has spent the last 30-plus years creating some of the most stunning functional glass pieces known to man and growing his business into the world leader in the genre. His custom bongs, pipes, and other designs are award winners many times over, and his clientele has included George Clooney, Snoop Dogg, Drew Barrymore, and Adam Sandler. JBD also serves as the home for official Grateful Dead branded glassware, fitting since the name “Jerome Baker” originated as a nod to Jerry Garcia and being “baked” (stoned).
I expected Harris to wax poetic about his craft, which he definitely did, but true to his advocacy for the plant, the first subject on his mind was politics. “No law has changed,” he says.
“I’m making pipes, that’s illegal. I don’t see it as making drug
paraphernalia, including actor Tommy Chong. For Harris, the attack resulted in federal agents raiding his studio, hogtying his employees, and confiscating everything from computers and glass to the JBD website. With the help of Rob Barlow and the Electronic Frontier Foundation, he eventually bought the site and domain name back from the government at auction.
Traumatized by the experience, the creator relocated to Hawaii and laid low for several years. But when Colorado legalized cannabis in 2012, he kicked JBD back into high gear. Today, it’s as though he never left; the brand is bigger and better than
industry]. We have to open it up better and deregulate it… We need to stop talking about [Schedule III] and have no scheduling of any kind. I think that we need to follow a beverage distribution model - do we want to go into a Walgreens or a coffee shop [to get our cannabis]? It’s about culture.”
Indeed, Harris is such a part of the culture that he can’t even remember his first time getting high. “I can remember as a kid wanting to dry out banana peels or lettuce and smoke them,” he recalls. “I was naturally drawn to the plant. My grandpa and my dad grew weed. I can remember grandpa helping me grow plants in the basement. My first real ‘touch the spirit’ [experience] was when I went to my first Grateful Dead concert.”
Following the band also helped the young man meet Bob Snodgrass. Though Harris always made art growing up, investing himself into process-
paraphernalia, but the federal government is, and they arrested 55 of us for doing this. So we need a leader, we need legalization, and we need to find our center. We are the Star Wars, Luke Skywalker-type of resistance… and [cannabis consumers] need to come together, strategize as part of the population.”
Harris’s story is one of innovation and redemption. A wunderkind who apprenticed under pioneering glassmakers such as Bob Snodgrass and Dale Chihuly, he founded Jerome Baker Designs with business partner Jordan Shefter while the two were still in art school in Eugene, Oregon. During the 90s, JBD grew into a million-dollar business “with bongs that people recognized as art,” according to Harris.
In 2003, the entrepreneur was caught in Operation Pipe Dreams, a federal sting operation that arrested 55 people connected to making and distributing alleged drug
ever, operating out of the Dream Factory in Las Vegas and breaking all kinds of cultural ground. In 2018, JBD garnered national attention by making “Bongzilla,” the World’s Largest Bong for the Las Vegas Cannabition museum. More recently, in November 2023, Harris crafted the statuettes handed out at the first Emjay Awards by Farechild and MJBizCon.
“Right now I’m the only guy who has a license in Las Vegas to produce drug paraphernalia,” Harris declares. “Because cannabis has been so overregulated and overtaxed, I think we’ve scared a lot of financial people away [from the
oriented work like Taglio printmaking (carving lead or zinc plates), he had an epiphany upon seeing Snodgrass’s miracles in glass.
“Glassblowing to me is the experience of creation,” he describes. “It’s kind of like a concert. When you go on weed, the music sounds different. When you look at glass, it reflects light a certain way. It has a magical property to it that embeds in your brain.” Cannabis glassware, he adds, is particularly special because it’s “a utensil for sacrament… People use it as ritual. It has a special place in their physical and mental space.”
At the time Harris discovered Snodgrass, the older artist was the only person making high-quality glass pipes. “He invented the pipe that we use today. The way the bowl is pushed in, the way the minerals are fumed onto the glass, he accidentally discovered it. He’s like an old wizard. He found out the fumes going into the glass made it like a mirror without a black background on it. So after you smoke through it and the resins build up, the black background makes the artwork that you’ve put into this piece more and more apparent; it seems to change color the more you smoke it.”
As a college student attending art school in Eugene, the ambitious youth absorbed all he could from Snodgrass, then set off on a dedicated study of major glass artists across the globe. Other apprenticeships would come under masters like Cesare Toffolo, Dick Marquis, Charles Lowery, and Han Ittig of Wetheimer Glaskunst, a seventh-generation glassblower in Germany. Later, as JBD gained success, Harris would found the nonprofit Eugene Glass School so that his local crew could learn the same techniques.
While recounting his personal journey, the genius also illuminates the history of glass for me. To explain color,
he goes back to ancient times when people used a combination of sand, fire, and minerals from the earth (cadmium for yellow, cobalt for blue, and did you know that gold made red?). He divulges stories of German alchemists who keep their color recipes under lock and key, and the town of Lauscha, that specializes in red tubing. When borosilicate, the basis for most cannabis glassware today, was invented, it was originally intended for scientific use. Snodgrass ended up being the first person to shape borosilicate into a bong.
I’m stunned when Harris clearly delineates what does and doesn’t count as glassblowing. “This is called flameworking to be specific,” he states, referring to working on glass with different techniques and technologies in front of a flame, his usual method. “Glassblowing is when we work off a metal pipe and blow the wad of glass.”
“You can’t have a society without glass, from lightbulbs to television, beakers, barometers, thermometers,” he notes. “Glass is it, everywhere you look.”
Over so many years of celebrated pieces, Harris surprisingly identifies a non-cannabis item as one of his favorites.
Teaming up with Charles Lowery, he created a special piece called the Sphere of Consciousness to present to the Dalai Lama when His Holiness visited Maui in the mid-2000s.
“It was a sphere about the size of a basketball, and it had fire, air, and water around the outside of it, and a giant lotus flower on the middle of it in translucent purple,” the creator affirms. “The piece was made specifically for him, and [we attended] a private event to present it to him. I’ll never forget it.”
Back in the present day, the world has never been more Harris’s oyster than now. JBD continues to expand its robust offerings with plant-touching options; the brand started launching its own CBD products in 2012, which are currently available nationwide, but this year THC products have been added to the mix on a state-by-state basis. Partnering with local cultivators and processors, JBD Cannabis is now available through select operators in California, Nevada, Michigan, and New York.
The company’s captain is also excited for a three-month Grateful Dead residency at the Dream Factory, coming in Summer 2024. Activations at the studio will revolve around Harris’s favorite band, and JBD will also partner with the Vegas-based Planet 13 dispensary to present what the artist calls “a full Grateful Dead licensing trip.”
“Glassblowing to me is the experience of creation,” he describes. “It’s kind of like a concert. When you go on weed, the music sounds different. When you look at glass, it reflects light a certain way. It has a magical property to it that embeds in your brain.” Cannabis glassware, he adds, is particularly special because it’s “a utensil for sacrament… People use it as ritual. It has a special place in their physical and mental space.”
already completed special appearances at NFT.NYC, the nation’s leading NFT expo, in early April. He will also have launched his JBD NFTs through KLIK, a new firstof-its-kind platform that builds community by allowing users to memorialize and share special moments using Tap4Token technology (Near Field Communication). For Jerome Baker’s purposes, Harris intends to use the NFTs as certificates of authenticity.
“It’s better than paperwork, which stoners always lose anyway,” he says of the NFTs. “This puts it in the blockchain, [and connects it] to a physical piece. So if they lose or break the bong, but they have the NFT, we can make them a new one. [The NFTs] really tie things together for us in terms of collectability and provenance.”
JBD and New York’s Mooney House will also host a 420 event, “Funk Sauce,” in Las Vegas, with DJ Ari Fink headlining a Phish after-party. Harris’s life just doesn’t stop.
“I always thought I’d be an artist and not a bong maker,” he laughs. But the truth is, he’s both - and on reflection, he’s a legend too.
For more about JBD, visit jeromebaker.com or follow @jerome_baker on Instagram.
BRUSHSTROKES OF LEGACY:
ARTISTIC ODYSS
’S
“I WOULD WALK HOME FROM SCHOOL, AND SEE ALL THESE GUYS WRITING ON THE SIDE OF THE BUILDINGS,” HEERAMAN REMEMBERS.
“THIS SHIT IS SICK. I LIKE WHAT THEY’RE DOING, THE COLORS AND STUFF.”
Through the vibrant strokes of nostalgia and the shadows of a hurried childhood, Rico “Ricky”Heeraman’s art showcases innocence dancing with experience, creating a visual legacy that transcends time. The Bronx-born multifaceted visual artist, also deeply tied to New Jersey’s communities, has been exhibited at some of the world’s most intriguing venues. From Art Basel to murals that adorn the walls of iconic cultural venues, to collaborations with figures including rappers Babyface and A-Boogie and brands such as Famous Nobodys and Ducati, Heeraman’s work is a transportive sensation.
His artistic story begins at age 11 when he first discovered graffiti. “I would walk home from school, and see all these guys writing on the side of the buildings,” Heeraman remembers. “This shit is sick. I like what they’re doing, the colors and stuff.”
Though this ignited his creativity, Heeraman’s traditional upbringing meant that, during childhood, his art was only a hobby. “We always had that thing that we do in the bedroom away from everyone,” he claims. “That was my thing... No one really knew about it.”
It wasn’t until around 2014 that Heeraman picked up a paint brush and began to take his art seriously. “It was just me tapping into the childhood stuff we grew up with and seeing how I could intertwine it with my heart,” he says.
With a decade of work under his belt as a multi-medium artist, Heeraman claims he wants to be a household name. “I want to leave a legacy behind. So I’m focusing on what I love to do, and making people fall in love with my work.”
And fall in love they did. The creator’s first major commission came from New York landmark the Jue Lan Club, where he painted the restaurant’s exclusive Graffiti Alley, patio and kitchen entrance as well as four large-scale paintings in the celebrity-favorite private dining area. From this project came invitations to Art Basel, brand collaborations, and new recognition by galleries that had previously rejected his street style.
asserting “I want to expand in different avenues. I don’t want to be one dimensional.”
Using this artform as therapy, he has experimented with various glazes and techniques. Now he boasts several collections of ceramics from cups and plates to ashtrays. While the innovator is currently not selling these pieces, he hopes to partner with chefs and restaurants to collaborate on artful culinary experiences using the collections, which he considers an extension of him.
“Truth be told, I’m not as vibrant of a person,” Heeraman admits. “People think my painting is my personality, [but] I’m a very big introvert.” Another passion, for ancient history - dinosaur fossils and all - inspires these muted blues and neutral tones in his ceramics. “That’s why I picked that color scheme that I always do,” he notes.” I want it to have that look of an artifact.”
His artwork features many cartoon characters and 90s pop culture iconography like Mickey Mouse, Tom and Jerry, MTV, and more. Along with these nostalgic symbols, he includes imagery of naked women and sexualized caricatures to further create a dreamscape for viewers. He combines this child-like whimsy with these erotic images to show the dichotomy of growing up too fast.
“I just took stuff that I was going through, feelings, emotions,” he notes. “I didn’t have a long childhood; the things we saw in our neighborhood, the things we had to do… Growing up back then you grew up a little quicker than some other kids.”
In January 2022 he was commissioned by owners of noted Asian fusion restaurant Sei Less to paint their VIP room, which has hosted the likes of Kanye West, 2 Chainz, Kevin Durant, and New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “[They said] Do your thing. We’re going to give you the private room,” he shares. “And I was like, yeah, sure—Say less.”
A month later the owners of Panda, a 5,000 square foot restaurant in Harlem, called Heeraman up to fill the space top to bottom with his art. His largest project to date, the artist worked nearly 12 hours a day for seven to complete it. When asked if he had help, he replied, “No man, I’m a one man show.” While Heeraman would love to have an assistant or apprentice, he wants to find someone who understands his vision and process through and through.
Recently he’s gotten into the world of sculpture through ceramic making. Heeraman spent all last year in the pottery studio honing his craft. “I fell in love with it,” he grins,
“IT WAS JUST ME TAPPING INTO THE CHILDHOOD STUFF WE GREW UP WITH AND SEEING HOW I COULD INTERTWINE IT WITH MY HEART...”
More ceramics, paintings, and digital work are planned for the future. Heeraman alludes to an NFT project in development that is set to release sometime this year. He also hopes to expand his work on an international level. With an unwavering focus on leaving his legacy, Ricky Heeraman’s artistic journey unfolds as a vibrant canvas of experiences. The future holds promise for this household name in the mking.
For more about Ricky Heeraman, visit thericocollection.net or follow @rickyheeraman on Instagram.
“I was the teenager that enjoyed the scent of cannabis, and collected fragrance”
“I was the teenager that enjoyed the scent of cannabis, and collected fragrance,” says Victorine Deych. She’s made both her vocation. After high achievements in the fashion industry and creating her eponymous, internationally-acclaimed wellness lines, Deych merged her interests to create the equally lauded hemp / hashish oil-infused brand Dusted in 2018. She is also known as the “Queen of Gelato” at world-famous genetics brand Sherbinski’s, and a key member of the Voice of the Plant collective, founded by Sherbinski (Mario Guzman) himself. Forget an eye for perfection - she’s got a nose for it.
What inspired you to get into the cannabis industry?
I was… working in fashion, experiencing severe burnout and finding the courage to shift into the wellness business. Cannabis was just a happy accident as I was using aromatherapy for healing and wanted to see what would happen if I incorporated cannabis in that way. I will always say that plants via aromatherapy and herbs saved my life. My mission is to be a true steward of the plant by spreading knowledge, healing, and kindness.. It is my hope that there is a mass awakening to how spraying luxury fragrance on your neck is disrupting the consumer’s endocrine systems and causing many health implications.
What has been your biggest accomplishment in the cannabis space so far?
Hands down my terpene fragrance. I get more notoriety for my business development work, and I’m grateful to do that work; however, creating that first scent is a huge highlight on my journey. The magic that scent has brought to my life and to my community is immeasurable.
How do you feel the worlds of fashion, fragrance, and cannabis are merging to shape a new mainstream culture?
She is also known as the “Queen of Gelato” at world-famous genetics brand Sherbinski’s, and a key member of the Voice of the Plant collective, founded by Sherbinski (Mario Guzman) himself. Forget an eye for perfectionshe’s got a nose for it.
Let’s bring awareness to the fact that we have been slaves to a luxury market that is hurting us, and through terpenes we have a fragrance alternative. This is a way to further the plant essence and cross industry lines.
What do you wish more people knew about your job?
Fashion and fragrance dance together as a form of expression and identity. Both of which exude sexual appeal and confidence. Smoke culture weaves into that narrative. Now that the attention is there, we have a huge opportunity to share plant essence and higher consciousness with all these progressive and curious minds… The relationship with how terpenes are being used to categorize various cannabis strains is about to shift dramatically.
What are your favorite strains?
Bacio is my absolute favorite for most of my aromatic blends. Sunset Sherbert is my medicine.
What’s the best thing about being a woman in cannabis?
Possessing the wisdom to connect with the plant on a deep level, and meeting other people with that gift.
What’s your hope for the future of the cannabis industry?
Everything I have ever made or will make in the future is built with unwavering intention. All my proprietary aroma blends get charged at energy vortexes around the world. I have a library of over 1000 essential oils, resins and terpenes from regions I have traveled to. This includes the entire Original Gelato lineage from Sherbinskis, Blue Lotus from
To be recognized as a major industry that exceeded all expectations in bettering the lives of masses of people. It’s a tall order as the past needs healing, but if enough people have this mindset… We will prevail.
For more: iamdusted.com,
“My mission in the cannabis space is to leverage everything within me - my determination, will, education, beauty, faith - to advocate for true equity,” says Tosin Ajayi. As Senior Policy Analyst at Cannabis NYC (New York City’s hub for the legal cannabis industry within its Department of Small Business Services), Ajayi is keeping true to that ethos.
Growing up in East New York, Brooklyn and then Central New Jersey, the advocate describes her memories of racially-charged cannabis criminalization: “My experience with consuming weed was always in the shadows, anticipating racial profiling for smelling like weed or simply being part of a group with a traditionally Black ‘urban’ look. I was accustomed to constantly looking over my shoulder when purchasing cannabis.”
By 2016, after years of smoking with friends and immersing herself in weed culture, Ajayi had her first encounter with a legal cannabis brand that made women’s arousal products. But researching the regulated industry made her aware of its disparities and the suffering of Black communities under prohibition. “We’ve all heard the statistic that Blacks are 3.7 times more likely to be arrested for cannabis-related crimes than Whites, despite similar usage rates,” she notes. “Witnessing a White man openly operating his cannabis business left me unsettled, igniting a personal drive to break into the industry and create representation for Black individuals. I aimed to ensure that Black people were afforded opportunities to enjoy the economic benefits of this multi-billion dollar industry.”
“A saying dear to me is ‘Be the Shift that Changes The World,’” she continues. “A thriving, equitable, and sustainable cannabis industry necessitates deliberate pathways for Black individuals who have suffered the most from cannabis prohibition and the systemic failures of the War on Drugs. I firmly believe that prioritizing equity in the industry will benefit the cannabis industry as a whole.”
“My mission in the cannabis space is to leverage everything within memy determination, will, education, beauty, faith - to advocate for true equity” 03.
When Shelby Poole first saw the character of Nancy Botwin on Showtime’s hit series Weeds, she thought, “That’s what I’m gonna be when I grow up.” Today Poole is exactly what she envisioned: “A suburban mom who sells weed to Little League parents and gives zero fucks.”
As the founder of Betty Bloom Social Club, a women-focused events and marketing brand that produces curated educational pop-ups around cannabis, Poole has married her 15-plus years in hospitality to her passion for the plant. And as Marketing Director for Happy Days Dispensary, a CAURD-licensed retailer in Farmingdale, Long Island, she uses her gifts for communication to manifest her dream of a world that runs green.
“My mission is for every mom in America to feel comfortable pulling some weed out of her bag and consuming it whenever she damn well pleases,” the brand strategist says. That comfort starts with community. “Marketing and hospitality are [crucial] to healthy growth of this market,” she explains. “People are seeking human connection more than ever, but they don’t even realize it
The complexity of Ajayi’s role at Cannabis NYC is helping her achieve this vision. “My job entails meticulous research and analysis to shape policies that contribute to the responsible and equitable growth of the industry. It involves navigating intricate legal frameworks, addressing social equity considerations, and promoting informed decision-making… Our efforts… emphasize the dedication to fostering a thriving and inclusive industry in New York that benefits the entire community.”
until they’re out there… Betty Bloom is centered around IRL human connection first and foremost. Then comes good old-fashioned fun, pepper in some whimsy, a dash of nostalgia, and always random activities! Education on regulated brands is the cherry on top. Right now there is zero brand awareness, and the dispensary experience is intimidating regardless of your previous experience with can- nabis.
Her wish for the industry is all-encompassing: To correct the historic injustices of prohibition, to decriminalize cannabis federally and internationally, and to be recognized for its medicinal benefits: “Its ability to heal, nourish, stimulate, relax, and help people enjoy life. This means doctors are informed about cannabis, seniors visit dispensaries, and people grow cannabis in their gardens. I envision a diverse industry with Black and brown operators creating generational wealth, fostering a thriving craft cannabis sector that embraces the beauty of regenerative and unique cultivation processes. Small farmers should be respected for the contribution they make to the industry. I hope to see legacy operators recognized for decades of carrying this supply chain on their backs, feeling compelled to join the legal industry [while] trusting they won’t be excluded from future opportunities because they decided to provide this plant to the people when no one else would.”
And when it comes to being a woman in cannabis, Ajayi aims to break the stigma of consumption being “unladylike.”
The Tangie-loving educator cherishes putting herself in a community of fellow plant lovers. “It feels like being part of a vibrant, inclusive ‘cool kids club,’ where any woman can join and contribute her unique perspective. Through this journey, I’ve cultivated meaningful friendships, found sisters in the industry, and discovered inspiring role models—all proudly representing the #womenincannabis movement. Yay!”
For more about Tosin, follow @ms.tos on Instagram.
SHELBY POOLE TOSIN AJAYI 02.
Betty Bloom aims to soften that experience by giving women an idea of what options they have once they enter the building.”
Empowering women matters greatly to the entrepreneur. She notes that the scarcity of resources for women operating in the cannabis space forces incredible pressure, but miraculously many survive it by sticking to collaboration over competition. “There are so many women in this space who are very publicly just DONE with masculine business practices and have simply evolved, choosing to pursue more empathetic and cooperative strategies. I get to grow professionally with some of the coolest, smartest, most creative minds around… We are gratitude-led strategizers and go-getters. Being a woman amongst the inspirational leaders in this space means endless possibility for all. We’re making shit happen and having a great time doing so.”
Poole makes her wish for an equitable, abundant, imaginative industry a reality through her own strength and ingenuity. She continues to produce a wealth of incredible activations, perhaps none more exciting than Shakedown on Main Street, an annual 4/20 festival held at Blue Point Brewing Company in Patchogue. First launched in 2021 after New York went adult-use legal - “in the HEAT of the pandemic, with a $0 budget,” she describes - the successful festival will see its fourth season this year. It contains “the most beautiful celebration of vices, art, music, food, and MAGIC that I have ever witnessed. This year we will be bringing legal weed into the fold with Happy Days… as our delivery partner.”
For more on Shelby and Betty Bloom, follow @bettybloomsocialclub on Instagram.
With over 20 years’ experience in public relations, Tracey Henry now works only with cannabis-related clients. She says this allows her “to specialize and fully immerse myself in this industry, to represent clients in a way that honors the past and respects cannabis culture while positioning them to flourish as the modern industry takes shape.”
TRACEY HENRY 04.
Though she notes having a lifelong fascination with the plant, Henry had first focused on health and wellness PR. But in 2013, a cancer diagnosis changed her entire career.
“I am living the dream I had for myself in the hospital.”
“I was literally in a hospital bed over the 2014 New Year when adult-use sales began in Colorado,” Henry recalls. “I thought I would love to do PR for cannabis businesses like the ones I saw on the news. I was recovering from cancer treatment and doing all the research I could on the budding cannabis industry when, in 2015, my friend, editor, writer, and noted astrologer Suzanne Gerber referred me to her friend Robyn Griggs Lawrence, who was working on The Cannabis Kitchen Cookbook and needed a publicist. I’ve been working exclusively in cannabis ever since under my own moniker, Tracey Henry Consulting (THC), and I also do cannabis-related projects with Gia Morón under her company GVM Communications. I am living the dream I had for myself in the hospital.”
Henry’s goals beyond advocating for legalization include gaining full restitution and reparations for those harmed by the War on Drugs, which is why she also works with justice-oriented organizations. She credits her longevity in cannabis as her biggest achievement. “ I’ve been in this space since 2015, and I’ve seen many people come and go. I consider myself blessed to be here and still doing what I love.”
What’s her secret sauce for good PR strategy? Research! “I wish more people knew that research is king,” Henry asserts, “as well as the sheer amount of strategic planning that conceptualizing and executing a public relations campaign entails… The story I am pitching has to resonate with not just the journalist, but the potential audience. [You have to] find out the type of subject matter a media outlet may
“My own identity and experience as a Queer Neurodivergent Disabled Afro-Latina is one of the best parts of being a woman in cannabis,” says Samantha Martins. The Bronx native is a yoga and mindfulness teacher, artist, writer, and cannabis educator who integrates all she practices into her work in the industry. As an ambassador for several brands including Etain and Miss Grass, she defines herself as a space-holder and storyteller.
cover, who the key writers, editors, etc., are, the tone of the articles they run, and [their] audience. I am constantly researching new outlets and journalists to connect with. I am also keeping up with current events to see if there is anything that my clients can add to the
journalist passed along pitches to other writers when they could not cover but thought the pitch was good enough for someone else at their media outlet. That is only going to come through research.”
Regarding being a woman in cannabis, Henry states that it’s crucial for her as a Black woman business owner to stay in the space and be a beacon to others. “Representation matters,” she affirms. “Same as with any industry, as soon as the real money comes in, the women at the top seem to disappear… [But] I still feel a sense of camara derie with other women in cannabis, more than any other [space] that I have been in. [They] have a spirit of creativity and collaboration that has helped lift me up when needed and encour aged me to keep going… I’ve found great friendships and working relationships with fabulous women like Gia Morón of GVM and Alicia Brown of IAAB.”
For more about Tracey and THC Consulting, visit th-consulting.co or follow @typeatracey on Instagram.
and that set me on the path of studying this plant and the many possibilities for positive change it can bring. After freelancing for a little over 10 years as a [teacher and] artist, I wanted to transition fully to cannabis. My mission is to educate, elevate, and empower others through plant medicine education, advocacy, and intentional wellness experiences.”
“My health is what inspired me to get into this industry,” Martins explains. “I turned to cannabis for mental health support with depression and anxiety
“My own identity and experience as a Queer Neurodivergent Disabled Afro-Latina is one of the best parts of being a woman in cannabis”
expungement, federally descheduling the plant, and equity. She hopes to see small businesses succeed in the New York marketplace. “I hope that equity continues to be centered and that we see more People of the Global Majority in positions of leadership and set up for success.”
In all her endeavors, the creator wants to inspire others: “I want people to know that it IS possible to live in their multifaceted truth as I am doing and that it is okay to take breaks!”
This is one lady who knows exactly how to relax for wellness. Ask her about her favorite strains or products, and she’ll give you a long list. Strain highlights: GSC, Blue Dream, Purple Punch, and Tangie. For treating chronic pain topically, she swears by TONIC’s CBD Chronic roll-on. When it comes to flower, her obsessions are Farmacy and Hudson Cannabis; for edibles, Ayrloom beverages and gummies, Offhours gummies, and Camino products.
As an advocate, the educator is one hundred percent focused on
SAMANTHA
Martins does worry about the industry’s tendency to mistake women of color as “diversity hires.” “As an Afro-Latina, I’m living and existing in a system that is not built for anyone, but certainly not for people like me. I’m very aware that unfortunately a lot of jobs look at people like me as the DEI hire with no attention or care for the work and value I bring to the table because of who I am and my experience and expertise. Then we’re still expected to work 10 times harder to prove ourselves... It really gets clearer how many obstacles on the path to growth and upward mobility there are in this space, just as in any industry. But I know I’m damn good at what I do and what I have to offer PERIOD.”
Mentioning how much she cherishes building conscious community with other women in the space, while building visibility and representation by just being herself, it’s easy to see that for Samantha Martins, the best thing about being a woman in cannabis… is exactly that.
For more about Samantha, follow @lovemusicyoga on Instagram.
MARTINS
05.
Danielle Cruz
With over a decade of experience in disruptive sectors, it’s no surprise that Krysta Jones called her company Emerging Industries. Under that umbrella, she’s directed global projects and built brands such as marketing and branding agency The High Country Girls (AKA The THC Girls) and digital marketing tool The Highly Connected App (available on Google Play and the Apple Store). Sitting on the boards of numerous companies from publicly-traded entities to nonprofits, Jones is a sought-after expert in sustainable business strategies and elevated creativity - truly the trusted advisor we all need.
What inspired you to get into the cannabis industry and what is your mission?
KRYSTA JONES
The most rewarding aspect of being a woman in the cannabis industry is the industry’s commitment to promoting and celebrating women, fostering diversity. 06.
I ventured into the cannabis industry driven by its uncharted nature, aligning seamlessly with my unwavering belief in its potential. My inherent dedication to hard work and value addition found a nat ural home in this emerging market. The industry’s organic pull resonated with someone trustworthy and diligent, qualities essential in the early stages of cannabis business involvement.
What’s something that you feel every cannabis entrepreneur should know?
A crucial insight I believe every cannabis entrepreneur should grasp is the formidable challenge embedded within this industry. Without a genuine passion for the field, considering an alternative sector might be prudent. The cannabis industry demands a keen eye, incurs substantial expenses, and continually presents evolving obstacles. Without true passion, one risks investing time without yielding substantial returns.
What has been your biggest accomplishment in the cannabis space so far?
One of my most significant accomplishments to date is the organic and authentic development of a global brand, achieved before the prevalence of influencers or brand ambassadors. This mile stone was attained without external investments, relying solely on hard work and continuous reinvestment in self-development.
What do you wish more people knew about your job?
I aspire for a broader understanding of the intricate timeline involved in brand building. Additionally, I’d like to emphasize the correlation between a well-allocated budget and the expeditious progress one can achieve. While creativity and strategy remain pivotal in budget-constrained scenarios, financial resources undeniably empower a swifter and more dynamic approach.
What are your favorite strains and products?
Among my preferred strains are Golden Goat, Durban, and classic genetics. While I prefer flower, I remain open-minded and appreciative of quality products, irrespective of their packaging or production methods. Exploring the diverse offerings and production techniques within the industry is something I genuinely enjoy.
What’s your hope for the future of the cannabis industry?
I envision a future for the cannabis industry characterized by sustainable growth and development, upholding the legacy of this space and fostering an environment for those genuinely committed to its principles. Amidst ongoing legalization, witnessing unfortunate circumstances is inevitable. My sincere hope is that the industry evolves towards increased professionalism, providing support to legacy operations and practices.
What’s the best thing about being a woman in cannabis?
The most rewarding aspect of being a woman in the cannabis industry is the industry’s commitment to promoting and celebrating women, fostering diversity. This environment allows me to authentically embrace and express myself, contributing to a more inclusive and dynamic industry landscape.
What’s the worst thing about being a woman in cannabis?
One of the challenges of being a woman in the cannabis industry is the persistence of the “good ol’ boys club” in certain aspects. Despite advancements in various industries, there are instances where traditional dynamics endure, making it clear that change, no matter the industry or market, is an ongoing journey.
For more about Krysta, The THC Girls and The Highly Connected App, visit thehighcountrygirls.com or follow @thehighcountrygirls @thehighly connected and @mthrfknjones on Instagram.
08.LEVANNA VASSAU
Through her ethos of compassion, environmentalism, and independence, there’s a lot to be gained from sitting on the dock with The Lady of The Bay.
LeVanna Vassau is a guerrilla marketer extraordinaire, an event marketing and promotion specialist, and a veteran of California’s cannabis industry in multiple roles throughout the entire seed-to-sale supply chain. Working and healing with the plant since the late 90s, she is without a doubt an OG ganja goddess. For the past five years, Vassau has been most recognizable to the public for The Bay Sesh, a radio show, podcast and YouTube channel which she began producing and hosting for 89.5FM KZCT Ozcat Radio in Vallejo. Through her ethos of compassion, environmentalism, and independence, there’s a lot to be gained from sitting on the dock with The Lady of The Bay.
What inspired you to get into the cannabis industry and what is your mission in the space?
I was born and raised in Northern California. Around 1998 I became a medical marijuana patient and started growing in my grandma’s backyard. I have been in love with the plant ever since.
20 years later, when California entered the Prop 64 recreational market, I was working with an awesome company doing contract labor in harvest tech, processing, packaging and distribution. I saw how difficult it was to get a cannabis license and I wanted to create an opportunity for myself in the cannabis space (and hopefully my friends!) to do what we love.
I started with a lifestyle brand @norcalflower, an IG page inspired by the Northern California cannabis culture about being a stoner, grower, and trimmer. A year later I was
offered a time slot at a local radio station, 89.5FM KZCT in Vallejo. The Bay Sesh was born and I have been doing it for over five years now.
My mission is to promote and empower the Northern California cannabis culture, and inspire people to grow their own medicine.
What do you wish more people knew about your job?
The Bay Sesh isn’t a job, it’s an FM radio show that I created from my heart.
What has been your biggest accomplishment in the cannabis space so far?
Creating a commercial free grassroots platform on FM radio for the Northern California cannabis community.
How do you think broadcasting and content creation are shaping the mainstream understanding of cannabis culture?
When it was illegal, people who were in the traditional market couldn’t talk about it openly. The only information was coming from authorities like law enforcement who really had no clue about the culture. Now it’s quasi-legal and we can talk about the culture, share the history, and inform on the science.
What’s your hope for the future of the cannabis indus try?
I hope the cannabis culture of compassion, sustainability, and health and wellness can create thriving regenerative enterprises that inform and influence the industry into the future.
What are your favorite strains and products?
Some of my favorites are Mendo Dope Heady OG rosin, Dirty Arm Farm Zkittlez, Splash Solventless Papaya, Most High Melts Trop Cookies, Ridgeline Farms Lantz, Huckleberry Hill Farms Whithorne Rose and Space Gems edibles, Jade Nectar raw cannabis tinctures.
What’s the best thing about being a woman in cannabis? Everything. Women founders have paved the way in Northern California cannabis culture which was the epicenter of global culture, which has always been a source of inspiration for me. Most of the opportunities I have been given in the industry were given to me by women founders who created their own space within the industry, and wanted to empower me as a woman.
For more about LeVanna and The Bay Sesh, follow thebaysesh on Instagram.
In all realms of her life, Shayna Blanca Nieve isn’t afraid to turn lemons into lemonade. “I always bring the sweet, for the lemons,” she says.
The actress, content creator and survivor of personal impact from the War on Drugs is well known for her vibrant personality, which can be seen across various platforms. As a regular cast member of the YouTube comedy series Are We High Yet?, created by the mysterious HighAndHappy and sponsored by Cookies LA, Shayna performs in sketch parody and comedy. The show pokes fun at cannabis tropes and features cameos by community notables.
SHAYNA BLANCA NIEVE 08.
As Shayna recalls, the pink ski mask-wearing HighAndHappy approached her randomly on Instagram and convinced her to break out of her shell to appear on the first episode of his show. Although initially wary, she went for it and never looked back. On her own YouTube and multiple social media platforms, you can find her reviewing a plethora of products from East Coast rarities to California Gems.
Though Shayna only made her public debut a little over a year ago, don’t mistake her for “new” to our industry. With roots stemming from many local hubs, including Washington Heights and New Jersey all the way to Southampton, she made a name for herself as “Snow
Having been incarcerated for the plant herself, Shayna felt firsthand the devastating effects of cannabis criminalization. Today she is an active community volunteer and dedicated advocate for prisoner reform - as she still has loved ones who remain incarcerated.
“I always bring the sweet, for the
lemons”
Now a Rutgers University graduate and mother, Shayna embraces every moment of her life as a learning experience. Each of her reviews is carefully curated to display brands to advantage and to provide information and education to her audience about the passion that goes into each product. When it comes to her flower reviews specifically she will talk about the genetics, lineages, health benefits, terpenes, and then she takes you through her experience with the product.
While Shayna experienced a setback a few months ago getting her substantial Instagram account taken down for “violating community guidelines” with the plant, she has been able to bounce back with renewed vigor. She now can be found across many media platforms including YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), and Social Club. She admits the situation taught her a lot about creating content to penetrate the algorithm and the importance of building in more than
For more about Shayna, follow @ShaynaBNieve on Instagram and X and @Shaynablancanieve on YouTube and Social Club.
“Youneedtobeawarriortoliveinthisspace,”she advises.“Protectyourenergyandkeepyourpassion strongbecausetoomanyhardworkinghumansget chewedupandburntout.Butnomatterhowcoolor intensetheindustrygets…Wecan’tforgetthemedical benefitsandthatyouarechangingtheworld,oneplant at a time.”
Although Christina De Giovanni has been breaking barriers for over a decade as founder and CEO of the internationally-recognized, award-winning platform The Emerald™ Media Group, she considers launching The Emerald™ Dispensary at 85 Sudyam Street in Bushwick, Brooklyn to be a greater achievement than anything in media.
“It’s easier to get [a liquor license] than a cannabis license,” she says. “It’s ridiculous. Alcohol kills people. Opening a dispensary is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. The application took two years; raising capital, a year; the buildout, six months… It’s very serious. Fortunately I’ve surrounded myself with good people: My business partner [Ramon Roman], his wife, and our team.”
what doesn’t, what’s trending, what’s good for people going through menopause [or] postpartum depression [or] trying to come off alcohol? These are topics I’ve covered in the media over the last decade and there are answers to them. [Infused] beverages are a great replacement for people who are trying to stop drinking. Certain strains can help with the stressors of daily life. I wanted to be able to start providing them for people.”
In 2019, the Brooklyn-based entrepreneur met Roman, a New York legacy operator, at the Cannabis World Congress and Business Expo. Discovering shared goals for the legal market place, they became partners in applying for the state’s CAURD license program.
“The CWCBE truly is connecting people,” De Giovanni asserts. “If it wasn’t for them, I never would have met Ray and we wouldn’t have this dispensary… He was born and raised in Bushwick; he cares a lot about providing cannabis to con sumers who still shop in the legacy market and can transition over the regulated market. We can source those gassier, danker strains [for them] but also cover customers who are new to can nabis and only want low-THC products.”
Opened in January 2024, The Emerald™ boasts one of the widest array of products of any licensed retailer thus far. That’s only natural for De Giovanni, who has made cannabis education her lifelong journey. From being an enthusiastic consumer, to pursuing a college journalism degree in the heart of California’s Humboldt County, to enduring a raid by the sheriff’s department and criminal charges in her early 20s, and creating The Emerald™ Magazine to give voice to those traumatized by the War on Drugs, the pioneer stands as a transformative force in cannabis culture. Eventually, she was ready to apply her knowledge where it would help people in real time.
“After doing the magazine for 12 years, I really do know all different types of consumers in the market and different types of products,” De Giovanni states. “Retail was the next natural progression… taking all this industry experience, what works,
As a media maven, De Giovanni always wanted her platform to stand up for underrepresented communities. In retail, her goal remains the same. She encourages all legacy operators to come to the regulated market and build long-term futures for them selves. Her aim is to make The Emerald™ Dispensary a hub for small businesses and brands not available anywhere else.
“If you have a brand, feel comfortable reaching out to us,” she enthuses. “If you’re a consumer looking for small craft products, know you can find them at The Emerald™.”
“After doing
For more: @theemeralddispensary, @christinadegiovanni.
12 years, I really do know all different types of consumers in the market and different types of products”
Humboldt Seed Company
Just call her the “It Girl” of pheno hunting! Halle Pennington, Product Executive at the award-winning and world-famous Humboldt Seed Company, is a second-generation breeder who grew up learning to identify unique plant genetics in California’s Emerald Triangle. Founded by two biologists, Ben Lind and Halle’s dad Nathaniel Pennington, Humboldt Seed has a rich legacy of breeding quality cannabis with a commitment to “unparalleled excellence.” e company performed a groundbreaking
collaborative experience with “ e World’s Largest Phenotype Hunt” in 2018, expanding the event in 2023 to its biggest ever at 100 participants seeking out high-ranking clones for eight full days. At over 100,000 phenotype “touches” by herself, Halle proudly describes herself as “having taken more phenotype clones than anyone in the world.” It’s no wonder why Humboldt Seed is always at the top of everyone’s list for trendsetting strains.
You have family history in the cannabis industry. What inspired you to stay on that path and make it your mission?
I was inspired to be on the path from the get-go. I accidentally got the feds called on my dad when I was 12 a er starting a company Facebook page, complete with a hand-drawn cannabis leaf logo and my mom’s phone number. I had seen info about other seed companies online and I thought our genetics should be out there too. Shortly a er it went live, we got a call from a federal agent. Luckily it was pretty obvious it was done by a child, so there ended up being no consequences.
What do you wish more people knew about your job?
I wish it was easier for people to understand the di erence between real, authentic breeding and hype marketing when it comes to cannabis genetics.
What's one of your favorite experiences with cannabis genetics?
De nitely this year’s Phenotype Megahunt. Getting to share the experience of hunting through thousands of plants looking for that special something with legends like [pioneering horticulturalists] Jorge Cervantes and Ed Rosenthal, who have paved the way for us all, was pretty cool.
What's your favorite strain?
is year my two favorite strains are Granny Candy and Orange Creampop.
What's your hope for the future of the cannabis industry?
My hope is to retain as much of the cannabis culture as possible as we go through the process of growing the industry.
What's the worst thing about being a woman in cannabis?
I’m going to be honest, it’s not always easy. Constantly having to ght for adequate respect is hard. ere is a lot of stigma surrounding women in the industry. I’ll always be a major advocate for changing that.
What's the best thing about being a woman in cannabis?
e symbiotic relationship I have with the plants. It’s not the men I work with everyday, it’s the plants. It’s all about the ladies.
For more about Halle and Humboldt Seed Company, visit humboldseedcompany.com or follow @thehumboldtseedcompany and @halle_penn on Instagram.
Beauty and the Bud: Lindsay Loo on CBD, Hemp, &
In the CBD industry, the term “Greenwashing” has taken on new significance. This is a common strategy employed by brands to give the impression that they are natural and/or eco-friendly when in reality, they are not.
Cosmetics appear to be the main product category where this mislabeling occurs, tricking well-meaning consumers into purchasing products that include the harmful ingredients they were attempting to avoid. A lot of alleged CBD products— many of which contain almost no CBD at all—have this prob lem. Some businesses even sell “hemp” products, capitalizing on the well-earned buzz surrounding CBD without genuine ly adding any of those advantageous cannabinoids to a prod uct. This misleads consumers to think they’re going green when they’re not even close.
One major red flag in purchasing a CBD product is when it doesn’t contain cannabinoids. If you’re looking for a product to help you with pain relief or anxiety, CBD should be present in reasonable amounts, such as 5 percent or higher in CBD oil drops. But many products labeled ‘CBD’ or ‘Cannabis’ use hemp/cannabis sativa seed extract rather than the plant’s flower, leaves, or bud. Hemp seed has many beneficial properties, but it contains no cannabinoids. Always double-check. These plants have the in credible ability to absorb everything from the soil in which they are planted, including poisonous waste and pesticides.
Don’t buy from companies that don’t make it obvious where and how their hemp or cannabis is grown.
Greenwashing
By Lindsay Loo
These plants have the incredible ability to absorb everything from the soil in which they are planted, including poisonous waste and pesticides. As a result, hemp crops are frequently planted to clear up spills and “dirty” land, then subsequently sold to make large quantities of CBD oil. Many entrepreneurs and brands have realized this strategy for selling CBD can be profitable, especially if the material is purchased at a discount and then churned out. This is potentially very dangerous and egregiously un-
Too many businesses seem fine with deceiving customers, especially in marketing. Some use greenwashing to intensify their social media marketing reach (even though most social media platforms don’t allow CBD products to be advertised). Transparency, in the CBD market, is crucial if you want products to assist rather than hinder you.
One could argue that it is the consumer’s responsibility to research and determine what they want and don’t starting with reading the contents listed labels. Yet not everyone has the time or resources to perform the in-depth research required to verify which CBD products are real and which aren’t, or even which substances to avoid. And numerous ingredient labels are purposefully deceptive; some even fail to list their worst substances.
When purchasing CBD and hemp products, always choose brands that are transparent with their practices and ingredients to prevent damaging your health. Even if it costs more, you get what you pay for.
Lindsay Loo wants to do your hair! Get 15 percent off any service by using discount code HONEY15 when you book at jlbyrd.com or @iamlindsayloo.
Here’s To The Farmers: New York Cultivators We Love
BY FRANKLIN SALDANA, JR.
In the heart of New York State (NYS), a dynamic community of farmers and cultivators is revolutionizing agriculture in the adult-use cannabis marketplace. Focused on sustainable practices, celebrating diversity, and fostering strong community ties, these individuals are transforming the landscape of cultivation. Join us as we delve into the thriving fields of New York’s licensed farmers, uncovering the inspiring stories behind some of the trailblazing brands reshaping the very essence of growing cannabis in the Empire State.
Claudine Farms
CLAUDINEFARMS.COM, @CLAUDINEFARMS
Claudine Farms is a Black woman-led, family-owned and operated organic farm in Hudson Valley. The mom-and-pop leadership of founders Jasmine Burems and King Aswad prioritizes community engagement, offering educational workshops and volunteering opportunities to support local food initiatives. “We are a feminist family,” their mission statement reads, “and we can create racial equity and an inclusive clean economy by making regenerative agriculture accessible to Black, Indigenous and QPOC communities in New York.” The Claudine team uses innovative techniques and sustainable methods to cultivate sun-grown flower, as well as medicinal, ceremonial, and culinary herbs. Through their work, they aim to mobilize toward social justice and make change in the community, particularly through their creation of the Institute of Afrofuturist Ecology.
Hepworth Farms
HEPWORTHSUNGROWN.COM, @HEPWORTHFARMS
“Regenerative agriculture is not something that exists, it’s something that you work at.” Amy Hepworth, owner of Hepworth Farms, has worked her whole life in holistic farming. The family business, which she operates with her sister Gail, is a 7th generation enterprise in organic food dating back over 200 years. Now they are one of New York’s most prominent cannabis producers. By teaming with seasoned California operator Pura, Hepworth cultivates sun-grown, regenerative cannabis on farmland in Milton, NY, releasing a diverse catalogue of genetics and flower into the legal industry. Committed to food sovereignty, Hepworth Farms actively engages in communityled initiatives and with organizations focused on food redistribution by growing and delivering fresh healthy vegetables directly to food insecure neighborhoods.
Florist Farms, based in Cortland, NY, promotes sustainability to the point that their team can say they are literally powered by the sun. Not only does the brand practice regenerative agriculture and produce sun-grown cannabis - and the farm has been USDA-certified to grow organic food for the community for over a decade - but they have also outfitted the property to run on total solar energy. This dedication to conservation extends to packaging, where they make sure to use eco-friendly materials. Founded by Karli Miller-Hornick and Allan Gandelman, Florist Farms emphasizes providing highquality products for affordable prices. Always focused on giving back to others, they provide educational opportunities and job training programs to empower local residents. Their brands on retail shelves include Head and Heal (CBD), Blotter (concentrates), and Tune (infused seltzers). As Florist Farms strives to connect with beginner and advanced cannabis consumers alike, they reinvest profits to efforts that help the community and economy. Fun fact: Theirs was the first flower sold at a licensed New York dispensary!
Based in the Catskills-nestled town of Delhi, NY, Ravens View Genetics is one of the state’s most premium growers, prioritizing the selection and breeding of cannabis to create a unique product with exceptional flavor profiles. Led by Joann and Michael Kudrewicz, a couple with 22 years’ experience in cultivating landrace strains, the company strives to grow the best possible flower with their initiative “For the Love of Grow.” The name Ravens View is inspired by the founders’ late daughter Nina Keona, and her connection to the spiritual black bird, as well as her passion for holistic health and the plant itself. Providing cultivars with rich genetic heritage, Ravens View offers full- cannabinoid strains that are unlike anything else in the legal market. Their team is also involved in efforts to promote diversity and inclusion within the cannabis industry. The company served as presenting sponsor for the 2023 Great NYS Cannabis Growers Showcase, marking the first time in the nation that cannabis could be sold at a state-sanctioned event.
Hudson Cannabis
HUDSONCANNABIS.CO, @HUDSONCANNABIS
Hudson Cannabis, one of New York’s premier cultivator-processors, operates on the 500-acre Old Mud Creek Farm in the town of Hudson. Powered by women and organic-regenerative agriculture, Hudson Cannabis cultivates high-quality cannabis using practices that include crop rotation, agroforestry, and intense biodiversity systems. In collaboration with their co-located entity Hudson Carbon, they sequester 2000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year into the farms’ soils, forests and wetlands to become the first climate-positive cannabis operation in the world. Sisters Melany and Freya Dobson pioneered hemp cultivation as soon as New York allowed it, introducing their Hudson Hemp and Treaty brands in 2019. Now, as a leader in THC products as well, Hudson Cannabis can make use of the full plant. The company also actively supports initiatives to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion within the cannabis industry.
Originally founded in 1973 as a smoke-in by the counterculture group the Yippies, the Parade has evolved over decades to mark New York’s changing relationship with the plant. In 2023, the City became the Parade’s official presenting partner for the first time, with Cannabis NYC Founding Director Dasheeda Dawson emceeing.
It also included an inaugural float carrying City dignitaries and cannabis industry leaders down the Parade’s traditional route on Broadway, starting between 32nd and 33rd Streets and concluding at Union Square Park.
The same route will be used for 2024, but this season will be bigger than ever. Union Square will still host musical performances, educational tables, and speakers, but that’s just the start. Pioneering cannabis journalist Steve Bloom, founder of CelebStoner and Executive Board Member of the Parade, explains the event’s expansion – now with more floats!
“Last year Cannabis NYC’s float came down from Herald Square blasting hip hop with Shiest Bubz leading the way as Grand Marshal,” says Bloom. “This year we plan to have at least five floats, including one dedicated to the Yippies.”
“But how do you pivot post-legalization?” he adds. “The pivot is away from protest and toward celebration. We’re presenting a new cannabis economy in New York. The Cannabis Parade lets people learn about the positives.”
Honeysuckle is proud to join sponsors such as Cannabis NYC, The Travel Agency, PAX, the Cannabis World Congress and Business Expo (CWCBExpo), Etain Health, Women Grow, The House of Cannabis (THC NYC), TribeTokes, Curved Papers, The CannaDiva, Prince Lobel Tye LLP, CelebStoner, and NYC NORML.
Bloom shared a few more insights about what we can look forward to for this landmark occasion.
What is the Parade & Rally’s historic significance?
The Cannabis Parade and Smoke-In was founded in 1973 by the Yippies. [Other cannabis events] from the 70s that have continued for six decades are Hash Bash (Ann Arbor, Michigan), Harvest Fest (Madison, Wisconsin) and 4th of July Smoke-In (Washington, DC). The Yippies’ name stands for Youth International Party. The group was founded in 1967 by Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, Anita Hoffman, Paul Krassner, Ed Sanders and others. Legalizing marijuana was one of their main issues. [Activist and Yippie member] Dana Beal eventually took over the Cannabis Parade and created the Global Marijuana March, which takes place in many countries in May.
How is the City of New York supporting the Cannabis Parade this year?
We are producing the event in association with the City of New York, which is a big change for us. Cannabis NYC partnered with the Parade in 2023. The plan for 2024 and beyond is to increase the size of the Parade and turn Union Square Park, where we have our stage, into a festival and marketplace for many of New York’s legal cannabis companies.
How is the structure of this year’s event different?
The structure of the event hasn’t changed much. The march assembles at 11AM at 32nd Street in Herald Square, where we have a small stage for speeches. The floats and contingents leave at high noon and take a zig-zag route to 14th Street. The festival at the park runs from 1-5PM. There will be performers, speakers and
discussions on stage and many tables and tents promoting sponsors and participating organizations and businesses in the plaza. For the last three years, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has been our lead speaker. Bands like Dead Prez and 420 Funk Squad entertain the crowd. We finish the day with an after-party at [Soho museum] The House of Cannabis.
Who organizes the Parade? Tell us about your team!
We have a great team. Troy Smit, who preceded me on the Board, has been with us the longest. I joined the team in 2018 to replace Doug Greene, who sadly passed away in 2019.
Ice Dawson, sister of Dasheeda and Imani (who’s on the [national] NORML Board), joined the Parade team in 2021. Last year, David Holland replaced Noah Potter as our counsel. The team also includes Ryan Lepore, Kym Byrnes, Tanya Osborne, Leo Bridgewater and Ford Guarino. We also receive assistance from Stu Zakim, Michael O’Malley and, of course, Honeysuckle.
The 51st Annual NYC Cannabis Parade takes place on May 4, 2024! For more information, visit cannabisparade.org or follow @cannabisparade on Instagram.
We were able to show to people from all over the world the model of social club that we are representing, and the feedback was amazing. But also we were able to show that doing that in Spain is not easy for us. That there’s still people suffering and fighting everyday to end the hypocrisy and free cannabis in this country.
“ This year’s Spannabis holds immense importance as it serves as a pivotal gathering for cannabis enthusiasts, professionals, and advocates alike. A dope pop-up at Clouds offered a unique opportunity for people from around the globe to explore products and network within the cannabis community. Additionally,theannualHashHoles&Donuts event at Terpy with Fidel, Fran and friends provided a delightful blend of indulgence and terps galore, fostering a sense of camaraderie amongeveryonethatwasthere.Thenweclosed out at the legendary HQ with Champelli, Fidel, Juan from Backpack Boyz and so many more! As a nexus of knowledge-sharing, networking, and celebration, Spannabis served as a catalyst for the advancement and normalization of cannabis worldwide. I can’t wait for next year!
JOSH SCHMIDT, Vice President, Business Development, Natura
“This year’s Spannabis held particular significance for us as we simultaneously launched our Social Club in the bustling center of Barcelona. Leading up to the fair, we meticulously assessed the desires of our community and strived to meet them with utmost dedication. Our latest endeavors in the “Breeding Grounds” project stand as a testament to this commitment, as we forged collaborations with industry legends like Serge Cannabis, Champelli, and Sherbinski’s.
The entire lineup of esteemed breeders journeyed to Spain to announce their participation in the project, serving as a powerful reminder to the industry. With nearly four decades dedicated to both preserving and innovating cannabis genetics, we underscored our enduring influence and unwavering presence in the field.
ANA, TERPY
SENSI SEEDS
The Terps Army announcement at Spannabis marks our ambition and new goal to partner with respected and cool growth brands looking to elevate their paper offering in a synergistic way. The Terps Army collaboration fully showcases the creative edge VIBES can offer other brands wanting to associate premium paper with their premium product offerings.
Nico Pettersson, General Manager, VIBES
Awooo Spain was an amazing experience. To see the many different consumption lounges and the community was so welcoming hands down will be one of my top experiences. If you go to Spain visit WeedYou, Terpys, firehouse and WeFlowers ! Wolf Stoner Queen
KAIT
CARIDI, SOCIAL
MANAGER, BUDSFEED
MEDIA
/ SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR, THE CANNADIVA
Spannabis was epic this year because New York was outside! Something about seeing my friends thrive worldwide is special. Plus all the Terpy hash!
This was my 1st time at Spannabis in Barcelona Spain and I had a great time amidst the buoyant shoulder to shoulder crowds. Unlike cannabis trade show / business gatherings I’ve been to in America the vibe at Spannabis was like being at a cool musical festival. The energy was celebratory and every other person was smoking spliffs throughout. It felt like a community of folks that truly love and understand the benefits of the plant. I thankfully didn’t see many of the cornball wanna be get rich quick awkward corporate types that populate similar events in America.
Our brand B Noble, besides being available in 9 states in America through our licensing deal with Curaleaf has recently gone global now doing business in Europe with our recent acquistion of German cannabis medical distributor, CanPharma. The licenses that come with the acquisition allows us to import top grade flower from Canada, Columbia, Portugal et al for our German patients. Many of the folks we’re now doing business with in Europe were all at Spannabis to meet, greet and smoke together. Also with us at Spannabis and now working with our B Noble Global team was cannabis genetic legend, Mario “Sherbinski” Guzman. The man whose hit strains like Sunset Sherbert, Gelato and Acai Berry are among the most loved. We’ve got big plans in the works with Sherbinski for new strains from his vault as well as exploring his “Voice Of The Plant” project where he’s creating dope plant inspired music.
Right after Spannabis and while we were still in the EU Germany, Europe’s largest country announced its adult use legislation which goes into effect this April 1st. It won’t be an April fools joke, but for sure I’ll be having an April 1st smoke!
Divine RBG
I must say I truly love and enjoy Spannabis a great deal. It was my fourth time flying down for the big, big, big event alongside Mario from Sherbinskisi helping spearhead “The Voice Of The Plant,” a new and true brand design for our culture. It was great to see legacy brands fly down from the U.S. for the epic global cannabis explosion. Shouts out to all the shops that show me love time after time. Love you all!!! Tio Divino. When in Barcelona, check out Divine’s new club, The Station, opening April 1! @thestationbcn
I think the first thing was just really seeing the European market, how different it is from the U.S. market and all the different players out there, how seeds play a big role out there, how hash plays a big role out there. They’re like four or five years behind us here, but the enthusiasm is there. The people are really passionate. It felt like our era, the golden era where people were just really passionate about getting it legalized.
Me personally, it was my first time in Spain, Barcelona. The food, the architecture, the people, the way they value the quality of life. They’re not all hustle and bustle. They really value family, food, and their time and happiness is essential. It was really eyeopening.
New Yorkers in Spain
My favorite moment from Spannabis 2024 was attending “The Grand History of Cannabis: The Dutch Chapter” Art Exhibit which was designed by Dutch artist Mossy Giant and presented by Barcelona Social Club La Crème Gràcia. It was insightful to learn about the role the Netherlands played in cannabis history that evolved into the global cannabis culture that exists today.
My favorite moment from Spanna- bis was the joy of strengthening old connections and forging new ones from around the world within the vi- brant community, creating a network of like-minded individuals united by a shared passion for cannabis and the fruitella from Uncle Farms!
PARI PATEL, FOUNDER, FARMACY NYC
It’s so hard to choose a favorite moment; the whole trip was my favorite! But some of my favorite moments were visiting the social clubs, i.e.: Weed You, Fire House, Terpy. They are truly unique to themselves.
FRANKIE FLOWERS, FOUNDER, STAYLIFTEDNYC / BRAND MANAGER, FLOWERHOUSE NY
My favorite moment in Spain was immersing myself in the captivating cannabis club scene. The thrill of approaching hidden doors and discovering a whole new world behind them, like the underground club I visited, was super dope!
TOSIN AJAYI, SENIOR POLICY ANALYST, CANNABIS NYC
Our multi-Clio award winning creative agency, Honeysuckle Studios, provides innovative and ROIdriven services in creative branding, print, digital, photography, video, Out Of Home (OOH), and events.
Since our inception in 2013, Honeysuckle has pioneered many initiatives in plant medicine for NYC and nationwide, across our multiplatform offerings. Visit our creative agency @honeymagstudios for corporate and creative work, including corporate photography, videography, events coverage, and film.
Budtender at
Honeysuckle won two Clio Cannabis Awards and a Clio Shortlist in 2023 for our brand redesign with MNML, our Women in Legacy photoshoot, and our CAURD licensee photoshoot.
The Etain x Claw
Blend Pod: The first Etain adult-use product is done in collaboration with world-famous graffiti artist and designer Claw Money
Sharoz Makarechi developed her company, Plaid America, to propel racial equity through benevolent products. Through her pioneering cannabis brand Substance, she aims to address the disproportionate impact of incarceration on people of color in the United States. For each 12-pack of Substance’s premium pre-rolls sold, $8.46 is donated to organizations combating mass incarceration and recidivism. The brand’s sleek packaging and miniature pre-rolls seek to normalize cannabis consumption while advocating for social change. Makarechi’s latest brand Skewville, in collaboration with the New York City artists of the same name, puts a distinctive graphic cool on the cannabis mission - donations from its pre-roll packs support the Justice Arts Coalition, which brings art supplies to prisons. Skewville’s Adam Torrio met Makarechi back when they were both students at New York’s School of Visual Arts; she credits him with being the first person to get her high. Their collaboration represents the Big Apple in its glory. Recently Skewville’s boxes flew high on Times Square billboards, symbolizing a fusion of West Coast ingenuity and East Coast design. Though Substance and Skewville are currently available only in California, Makarechi envisions her brands to soon resonate on the East Coast: “New York is all about diversity, legacy people, making art, and smoking artfully,” she says. Amen to that! californiasubstance.com, @substance_usa
Jorge Valdes, former Medellin cartel kingpin turned author and motivational speaker, at the screening of his SHADOW OF THE WOLF documentary in Miami
Jill Agnello, VP of Customer Experience at True Terpenes, at MJBizCon 2023 in Las Vegas
Chef For Higher’s infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil, one of the first legacy brands on New York’s licensed retail shelves
The Travel Agency Union Square, 835 Broadway, NYC
Artist @badservices models the latest Flower Mill grinders outside Polanco Brothers dispensary on 42nd Street near Bryant Park
Money Artist Series Motif™ Magnetic Vape Pen and
Chef Miguel Trinidad of 99th Floor and team prepare bites for their first team-up with The Astor Club in NYC
er,
Coast to coast, Team Honeysuckle is there to capture your best events, drops, and magic moments in cannabis culture. You might see us at a historic dispensary opening, awards show, hanging with hip hop legends, or setting up a photo/ video activation at your next event! Late night we dance afterhours when the work is through. Work Hard, Play Harder! Where will we see you next?
Roger Hahn, CEO of KLIK, at Shyheim’s 30th Anniversary at Soho’s THC NYC, an official NFT.NYC afterparty. Shyheim AKA The Rugged Child, a hip hop prodigy and Wu-Tang Clan affiliate, celebrates 30 years in music at Soho’s THC NYC
Legends at Terp Basel 2023,
Honeysuckle, dead prez, and 40 Tons at the 2023 Emjay Awards, Las Vegas. Left to right: Sam C. Long, Corvain Cooper, Loriel Alegrete, Anthony Alegrete, Umi RBG, Ronit Pinto
John Seymour, Sweet Chick found -
shows Havoc the rare Mobb Deep poster on wall
Sluggers at Hash Holes and Donuts
Sam C. Long and Queenee Da Kanna Kritic road trip to Golden State Banana’s New Jersey facility
Uncle Rick’s Smoke Out at Terp Basel 2023, Miami: Shiest Bubz, Seth Zaplin, Rick DeLisi, Ronit Pinto and the DeLisioso team
NYC premiere of “Cannabis and Creativity” film at The Angelika:
Havoc signs Honeysuckle’s 17th issue at The Herbal Care dispensary on the Upper East Side, 1412 Lexington Avenue, NYC
Cannabis legends at Shyheim’s 30th Anniversary Party, including Jerome Baker founder Jason Harris and Golden State Banana founder Nick Bryan, THC NYC
Brent Stevens of Fower Mill; Honeysucle founder Ronit Pinto, Richard DeLisi; Delisioso at Happy Munkey’s 710 Sensual
Tishawn Fahie shoots the opening of Etain White Plains, Etain’s first co-located medical/ adult-use dispensary
PURE PUMA: FROM Black Ink TO GREEN FLOWER
PUMA ROBINSON, FOUNDER and CEO of Art2Ink, a Harlem-based tattoo shop and art studio, is widely recognized as one of the talented artists from VH1’s hit reality television series Black Ink Crew. Known for his philanthropy in the local and artistic communities and presence in the cannabis community, Puma has decided to dig up his Legacy roots and plant his feet in the legal market. His collaboration with licensed cultivator/processor Honest Pharm Co will bring a variety of products exclusively to the New York Market, some dropping as soon as this 4/20 beginning at Gotham Buds in Harlem.
“We’re going to do drops all over the city, all over the state,” says Puma. “They’re going to be called P Rolls. The first two renditions of P rolls are going to be PR 13 and Super Awesome Express . These are all based on my life, my name and the things that I see. When people see the artwork, they’re going to be like, ‘Yeah, this is totally some Puma shit.’”
I remember meeting Puma for the first time in the summer of 2009, when I went to get tattooed at Black Ink Gallery located at 55 Malcolm X Boulevard. The ambience was A1, the walls painted red and covered in artwork. Puma, sitting at the front desk, quickly and enthusiastically got up to introduce himself and answered any question I had regarding this exciting, yet permanent decision I was about to make. He then introduced me to Andre Malcolm, who specializes in Japanese folklore art. I knew I was at the right place for the work I was looking to get done. I went through with the decision that same day to get my first tattoo, which turned out to be an entire sleeve. The ambiance of the shop, the talented artists and the energy from that first interaction the second I walked through those doors was something I’ll never forget.
Outside of the realm of tattooing, early on in Puma’s life, cannabis went from being fun and recreational, to being a form of survival that helped him feed himself and keep a roof over his head. “It’s funny to me now how we’re able to talk about selling weed when we were younger and stuff and being arrested for selling weed and different things like that. I was doing it for survival reasons” says Puma, as he aims to set an example for others in his position to aspire and take advantage of a young, flourishing market and do things the right way. “I saw everybody creating bags and just throwing whatever light deps [setups for the ‘light deprivation’ growing technique] they could find for the low, or whatever high grade shit they could find and just repackage it from wherever they found it.”
It’s no secret that things have changed over the years; we’ve come a long way from the 1515’s and 1520’s dime baggies of the days in the streets to endless strains and elaborate packaging. Yet, there is very little authenticity and very few from the legacy market doing it the right way like the Certz and the Gumbos of the industry.
He goes on to share his personal experience with his peers in the legacy market: “I’ve seen mad people start cannabis companies, big-time cannabis companies, they know what the fuck they’re doing. Like yo, you could be a big CEO right now. You started your own cannabis company, but you’re local.”
We can expect to see more from the Puma x Honest Pharm Co collaboration in the following year as he plans to enter the Florida market next. The artist tells me to keep an eye out for his exclusive strain. “We have the Pure Flower, which is going to be called Puma Piss.
“It’s funny to me now how we’re able to talk about selling weed when we were younger and stuff and being arrested for selling weed and different things like that. I was doing it for survival reasons.”
It’s time we stand up and reclaim our culture, making it equitable for those impacted by the War on Drugs, as many of us come from these communities. Puma is just one of the many who are on a mission to make that transition.
“We try our best to provide for the community, especially since we’re there and we’re making money in the community,” Puma states. “I try to give back to the people.” It’s not just about selling weed, but also about creating an outlet to set an example that this is bigger than us, an industry greater than we can imagine.
We flipped Cheetah and we added White Runtz; this is a shout-out to the legacy of cannabis. We had Cat Piss [a sativa descended from the Trainwreck cultivar] in the beginning of time, then we had Cheetah Piss [a Cookies-created cross of Gelato 42, Lemonade, and London Pound Cake 97] which is [the] present, but the future is Puma Piss,” he says.
Though the rollout of New York State licensed dispensaries was slow all through 2023 due to legal hurdles, with fewer than 30 dispensaries opening their doors, more than 50 new dispensaries have opened since January 2024 alone with many more to come by the end of the year. We can expect to see the same progress with New York cannabis brands hitting the shelves.
For The Culture : Inside The Wake And Bake Podcast
Interview by Jack Porcari, Article by Mace Manjarres
When you hear “Top of the Wake and Bake,” the intro greeting to the eponymous podcast series created by producer and host Fritz, AKA Facts SBC, you are transported into the multifaceted world of cannabis. Facts’ interviews with notables such as Backpack Boyz founder Juan Quesada, Puma from VH1’s Black Ink Crew, Jimmy the Green Giant, and even Honeysuckle’s founder Ronit Pinto have contributed to a greater understanding of the plant’s use in everyday life.
Representing Haitian and Ecuadorian values by embracing community, Bronx native Facts shares insights from those in the legacy to legal to culture spectrum on Wake and Bake. Currently recording Season 3 of the show, he engages guests and audiences in “Sunday Cyph” segments.
Though the host first had the idea for the podcast in 2019, it was the 2020 COVID-19 lockdowns that spurred him to put the wheels in motion. “I was trying to figure out how I can smoke with my peoples,” he explains. “That’s what made me go
Coast crap… We [have] to show love to the West Coast because they started opening up the floodgates for us to know how things work in the legal [marketplace]... It’s only right that we learn from them.”
His conversations with Zack, founder of the meme-based brand Zackwoods, provided a personal turning point. “Once I interviewed Zack… it allowed me to understand both sides,” he asserts. “Zack’s nostalgic vibe and innovative ideas [were] game-changers for the cannabis culture… bringing people back memories. Shout out to Night Owl Buds for making that connection.”
Eager to feature another influential West Coaster “para mi gente,” Facts believed it was fate when Juan Quesada, AKA “Q” of the Backpack Boyz, was in New York City. This interview marked a significant milestone for Wake and Bake, as the two discussed the Lemon Cherry Gelato craze and educated audiences about the impact of “Candy” strains. Quesada’s Backpack Boyz, along with Runtz and Cannatique, introduced the world to Candy. Facts charmed the hesitant Q with his
to chemotherapy for his young son, King, and his family’s ardent work through their nonprofit - inspired by King’s positive attitude and empathy for fellow young patients - embody hope for a future where the plant can be integrated as a holistic healing modality.
Season 3 of the podcast will weave a tapestry of voices unified by cannabis culture. Facts’ recent foray into Barcelona’s cannabis scene promises to enrich the series with a global perspective. For those ready to engage with pioneering dialogue and a diverse prism of stories, Wake and Bake invites you to tune in and join the cultural ascent.
Watch WAKE AND BAKE episodes on YouTube or follow @ wakeandbake_show on Instagram.
From Dealer To Healer : Meet ReLegalize Nepal Founder Heman Shahi
By King Gregory Headley
“Namaste, Brother!
How are you
feeling?”
More concerned with my health than the interview, Heman B. Shahi’s role as a healer is obvious. “Heman the Healer,” as he is known, was visiting me after I had suffered an asthma attack a week earlier. I described how the experience had taught me not to spread myself too thin, and get proper rest.
“If not, your body will get it for you,” Heman said. Born in Nepal, my friend moved to the United States in 2004 at age 18. After 8 years selling clean renewable energy, where he made a big impact by reducing the carbon dioxide footprint by billions of pounds, Heman became a recognizable figure in cannabis. He’s the founder of Re-Legalize Nepal (or “Legalize Nepal”) and Free the Plant Globally, social movements for cannabis legalization that have raised international awareness of conscious consumption. Along the way, the educator has been spotlighted on National Geographic and Vice, his teachings gaining notable fans like Mike Tyson and Steve DeAngelo.
At our meeting, Heman took a deep breath and stared directly ahead. I’ve seen this look before. He wasn’t looking at the wall, but into his past.
“After living in America for so many years, I would enjoy smoking flower,” he explained. “Eventually I was introduced to the cannabis industry by my cousin. Since we--Nepal--had such a rich history with the plant [and] the art of making hash, I joined the [American] legacy market. No one had a culture of hashish [here]… Those days were gone, thanks to the War on Drugs, so I learned how to make hash and everything took off!”
Nepal’s history with cannabis goes back thousands of years. The traditional ceremonies, the cultural uses and practices surrounding the flower. Heman recalled first coming across that knowledge at age 15: “I purchased two books, The Cannabis Grow Bible. And Grow like a Pro, by Cannabis Culture. [The latter was] rich with history and not too technical… more culturally inclined… I remember debates [regarding] the origins of cannabis. I’ve long contested with my peers that, ‘This book says … Nepal,’ only to be dismissed! Like the terpdriven consumer market of today, the 90s held a select few who cared about more than just getting high. Those who care about the people, the culture, and the traditions. The healers. The educators. The cultivators.”
He continued, “Back home we had a lot of sacramental uses of the plant, so we already had a lot of history and culture. Nepal [was] the first country in the world to have a government licensed cannabis shop, cafe, or an event! I mean the whole nine yards. When I was growing up, I used to hear stories about Nepalese Temple Balls being sold in Manhattan during the 60s and 70s. Then, in 1973 with the War on Drugs, we were shut down back home. There were so many stories I grew up with [that] intrigued me!”
It was only natural that the advocate bonded with America’s legacy cannabis culture. Heman chuckled and rubbed his chin, recounting his days as a legacy operator. That too, he approached by diving into research. Books and websites such as Dasheeda Dawson’s How to Succeed in the Cannabis Industry and nycannabisconnect.com gave him and fellow entrepreneurs, enthusiasts, and Ganjiers ways to enter the cannabis industry successfully. Heman also recommends Eric Schlosser’s Reefer Madness, which chronicles activists Dana Beal, Jack Herer, and others who have fought to free the plant and all plant medicine.
With all that introspection, Heman found himself immersed in tradition and spirituality. He emerged with a new quest: To Re-Legalize Nepal!
“Basically, I went within,” he shared of why he started the movement. “That’s when I became more conscious of myself. I realized, it’s not about selling flower! I gave up hustling. I chose tradition, and made the move from legacy to legal. I felt a need to share with the world all aspects of the plant… from traditional use, to medicinal, to spiritual, even textiles. Never [before] in history were we able to reach a million or billion people through social media. So I did more research on the medical uses of the plant, [which have been proven by science]. The science also proves we have millions of cannabinoid receptors in our body. And in [Nepalese] tradition, we have ancient tools and technology to trigger them for an ultimate bliss from within, for free. With this insight, I transitioned from being a dealer, to setting myself up for sacramental use. I opened my mind to the medical uses [and] conscious aspects of the plant… to tradition.”
Having done two events with Heman centered around Chillum practices, and the “5 Elements” of Consuming Hash and Flower, I know he brings esoteric knowledge that fosters community and interconnectivity on a spiritual level.
When I asked The Healer for his message, he simply said: “Let’s free the plant globally for a chemical-free and conscious next generation of humanity.”
For more about Heman and Re-Legalize Nepal, visit legalizenepalofficial.com or follow @re_legalizenepal on Instagram.
The First
May You Buy Your Cannabis Products at Whole Foods and Sephora
By Ricardo Baca
We are all fortunate to be players—big and small, intentional or not—in the evolution of cannabis culture and its integration into mainstream society. I often feel grateful that my life’s journey has led me to an incredibly special relationship with the plant and its cultivators, advocates, enthusiasts and entrepreneurs. Yet still I find myself wanting more. More for the next generations — the young people who I hope are reading this article. The baby Millennials, the Zers, the Alphas. Yes, probably YOU. For you, the generations who have never known a world without some form of legal weed, I have a vision for the future that is both simple and revolutionary: I dream of a day when purchasing cannabis products will be as ordinary as picking up your favorite organic coffee or skincare serum at Whole Foods or Sephora. This is not an aspiration rooted in raw advocacy or lazy convenience, but rather a deeper belief that cannabis, in its myriad forms, deserves official recognition as a natural and beneficial part of our daily lives.
Resilient Cannabis Flows Into Healthy Wellness
The journey of cannabis from the fringes to the forefront of natural wellness has been a tumultuous one, marked by decades of stigma, legal battles and straightup disinformation on a massive scale. Yet, amid these challenges, the plant has emerged as a symbol of resilience, wellness and, importantly, normalization within the broader context of natural products and holistic health. The future of my dreams is a world where the natural properties of cannabis are celebrated and integrated into our everyday wellness as seamlessly as vitamins, essential oils and herbal teas. This is not a distant reality but a future within our grasp, driven by the changing tides of legislation, societal acceptance and a growing understanding of the cannabis plant’s therapeutic benefits. The case for weed as a natural product is compelling. With its wealth of cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids, cannabis offers a truly holistic approach to wellness that aligns with the principles of natural health products. From CBD-infused lotions that soothe inflammation to THC edibles that enhance relaxation, the potential applications of cannabis are as diverse as they are promising— and we increasingly see them enthusiastically advertised and sold. Yet, for cannabis—I’m talking high-inducing, THC-rich marijuana— to take its rightful place on the shelves of a Whole Foods or Sephora, some significant shifts must occur.
Cannabis in Natural Wellness: How We Get There
First, federal rescheduling is imperative to unlock the doors of major retailers—paving the way and, more importantly, the legal landscape—for cannabis products to be sold alongside other natural and organic offerings. This change would not only validate the plant’s status as a legitimate wellness product, but also broaden its appeal and accessibility to consumers seeking natural health solutions. Then there’s the grassroots angle: The normalization of cannabis in everyday health and wellness conversations is critical. Just as the organic food movement has reshaped our understanding of nutrition and sustainability, so too can the cannabis movement redefine our approach to personal wellness and natural products. Through education, advocacy and transparent marketing, we can demystify cannabis and dispel lingering myths, highlighting both its benefits and adverse effects to promote safe and healthy use. My hope for the next generation is that you will live in a world where buying cannabis products is as normal and unremarkable as any other health and wellness purchase. And I truly believe my hope is within reach.
Moving Beyond Acceptance to Full Integration
I am filled with optimism for the future of cannabis. A future where its natural, therapeutic properties are recognized and integrated into our daily lives, available at our favorite retailers, online and housed within brick-and-mortar stores. In this future, cannabis is beyond accepted—it’s celebrated as a valuable component of natural wellness, symbolizing a broader understanding of what it means to live healthily and harmoniously. But this vision for the next generations is more than a dream; it’s a call to action for all of us to embrace the natural potential of cannabis and advocate for its rightful place in our society. Until the plant we all love is treated as the natural product it is by government and commerce, we will never realize this future. We’re so close, though. I won’t stop fighting for it, and I hope you won’t either.
Ricardo Baca is the former Cannabis Editor of The Denver Post, a current member of Colorado Governor Jared Polis’ appointed Natural Medicine Advisory Board, and the Founder and CEO of cannabis marketing and PR firm Grasslands: A Journalism-Minded Agency, which recently expanded with the addition of a natural products marketing / wellness PR practice.
Love Grows Where Larkspur Botanicals Goes
By Jaime Lubin
First you notice the flower wall - brimming with blooms, brightening the space, and making people happy. Next you see the slender young woman smiling just off to the side, or standing near a Jeep Wrangler adorned with florals of all sorts. You’d never guess she coordinated the event’s star attraction, but for Lindsey Neff, founder of Larkspur Botanicals, her work often speaks for itself.
“I go for joy-seeking projects,” she says. “Flowers to the people, that’s what it’s all about.”
Neff has operated Larkspur Botanicals for 13 years, and the design firm has garnered international recognition with its unique floral activations. With clients including Disney, Google, CO Bigelow, and Bath and Body Works (which recently hired Larkspur for its viral Bridgerton collaboration), the company is solidly rooted in mainstream culture. But for Neff, a longtime consumer and advocate, bringing “floral femme energy” to the cannabis industry is a full-circle experience. Her environmental installations at venues and exhibitions like The Stone Age, On The Revel’s Revelry Block Party, the Cannabis World Congress and Business Expo, Ascend Cannabis, and numerous dispensaries are the talk of the town.
“We’ve collaborated with a lot of brands to show how we can bloom cannabis,” Neff states. “Even with high regulations, dispensaries can’t just look one way, like ‘Apple store but make it cannabis.’ You want to give people a nice time and experience… If they see blooms making the space inviting, they’ll stay longer.”
A New Jersey native and mom of two, Neff comes from a family of “medicine women” with green thumbs. Her great-grandmother, grandmother, and mother all shared a vocation and talent for cultivating plants. At age 18, the iconoclast left home to pursue her other passion, music, in Nashville; she worked in audio production for several years, first on Music Row and then back up north. When the recording industry hit a rough patch, Neff took an unexpected job with a private investigation firm. To combat the stress from her role, she started floral design as a hobby - but the side hustle soon evolved into her main one.
“I built this business from the immigrant mentality I was raised with,” the entrepreneur affirms. “You just grind and run. I sought solace in my craft, and the more I poured into
When the Covid-19 pandemic hit in 2020, Neff’s business actually increased; alcohol brands wanted to do activations to capitalize on how many people were drinking more at home. But as New Jersey and New York legalization rolled out at the same time, the
“I’m applying to cannabis the same [principles] we did elsewhere, but curated,” she explains. “We’re taking pre-roll packs and showing you how to make cool floral decoupage. [Packaging] can be repurposed as an earring holder or traveling case, which we did for alcohol bottles. There’s an eco-friendly mission to reusing. It creates community and space. But I wanted to do it for cannabis specifically.”
Neff’s first official cannabis-centric installation was for The Stone Age, an immersive artistic and educational exhibit that ran in New York City in Fall 2021. Sasha Perelman, co-creator of the experience, gave the flower expert a concept around terpenes and asked her to “freestyle.”
“Can you name another florist where you can just send them a terp profile and they’ll match it with botanicals?” Neff laughs.
But that’s her gift in innovating cannabis events. Everything Larkspur offers is custom, whether that’s a plant wall designed with your brand’s colors, bouquets that mirror the scent of your new edibles line (“I’m giving you flavor, but with florals”), or pressed flower tattoos that make excellent conversation pieces at parties.
“My creative is my commodity,” Neff declares. “It’s hard sometimes… I’ve lost jobs because I work with cannabis and adult brands - or even a crossover like Elevatem, a cannabis-based sexual lubricant! But I’d rather do what I’m passionate about and carve out a niche.”
She shares a story that proved the visceral impact of her business. In June 2022, Neff had been featured at the New York City Flower Show while her marriage was ending. Though she was going through agony inside, she put on a brave face, dark sunglasses with flowers glued to them, and spent the whole day at her installation. While there, the artist discovered every attendee reacted to her piece with palpable thrills and delight.
“Whatever else they were going through, for one second, we zapped them out of their shit,” she remembers. “They’d be happy, grab their loved ones and take a picture… and they zapped me out of my shit. That’s why I do what I do. Now we’re de-stigmatizing cannabis with visuals and showing happy flower powered moments that bring joy and tell
Larkspur Botanicals creates permanent floral installations to bring good energy into your space in the most natural way, and vibe organically. And it’s all thanks to its leading lady,
