Hydrolife Magazine | October November 2017 by Hydrolife Magazine

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DECIPHERING

TERPENES

CLIMATE BATTERY | POTCOIN | INFUSIONS | TOPICAL CBD

OCT/NOV 2017 // USA

A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN

THE FUTURE OF ROLLING

SHRED 3 POUNDS IN 2 SECONDS WITH THE FUTUROLA SHREDDER FILL 100 PRE-ROLLED CONES IN 2 MINUTES WITH THE FUTUROLA KNOCKBOX 2

inside

10 our crew / 12 from the publisher / 14 grow it / 16 ask a grower / 18 own it / 44 consultant's corner / 46 cut and dried / 106 the chill list

heal.

grow.

Using a Climate Battery

Finding a Dispensary

Cannabis Light Schedules

Cannabis Use and Memory Loss

Popcorn Buds

Northern Specialty Health

Summit Research

Topical CBD Treatments

Knalysis Technologies

Pesticides in Concentrates

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learn.

enjoy.

GOP on Pot

Deciphering Terpenes

Ed Rosenthal's Marijuana Harvest

Maya Elisabeth

Potcoin

Cannabis Infusions

100

Cannabis Weddings

104

Baking a Fool of Myself

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our crew

Chris Bond August Dunning Kent Gruetzmacher Rich Hamilton Cory Hughes Stephen Keen Gibson Lannister Kent Gruetzmacher Grubbycup Lee G. Lyzit Jodi McDonald Medicine Man Technologies Mary Schumacher Lindsey Schiller Watermelon

Published by

October/November 2017 volume 7 - number 2

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Hydrolife Magazine 3773 Howard Hughes Parkway South Tower, Suite 500 Las Vegas, Nevada 89169

Inquiries to

editor@myhydrolife.com

No part of this magazine may be reproduced without permission from the publisher. The views expressed by columnists are personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect those of Hydrolife or the editor.

Printed in Canada Distribution P.A.I.N. Distribution | 310.488.1911 magazinedistribution.org

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ith about half of the American population living in a state where some form of marijuana is legal, and Canada set to legalize adult-use recreational marijuana in July 2018, it goes without saying that there has been a sea change in political will around the world regarding weed. For this issue of Hydrolife, writer August Dunning caught a few waves with Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (Rep., California), then sat down with him to discuss his role at the federal level on defending cannabis. The Rohrabacher-Blumenauer amendment (formerly the Rohrabacher-Farr amendment) says that all federal agencies, not just the justice department or internal revenue, are required to obey the laws enacted in the states that have legalized cannabis. It means that the internal revenue service, banking… all normal services for legal business must be provided and protected in that state with no exceptions, like any business that follows the rules and regulations of that state. It’s an amazing show of support from a politician with such close ties to President Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Dunning’s Q&A with Rohrabacher can be found on page 70.

On Sept. 7, however, after Rohrabacher and Dunning sat down, the House Rules Committee blocked the Rohrabacher-Blumenauer amendment. It’s a big setback, and a decision that leaves the marijuana industry in America very vulnerable to federal prosecution. It is also a threat to those who rely on medical marijuana to ease their ailments. In a co-written statement, Rohrabacher and Blumenauer said, “By blocking our amendment, Committee leadership is putting at risk the millions of patients who rely on medical marijuana for treatment, as well as the clinics and businesses that support them. This decision goes against the will of the American people, who overwhelmingly oppose federal interference with state marijuana laws. These critical protections are supported by a majority of our colleagues on both sides of the aisle. There’s no question: If a vote were allowed, our amendment would pass on the House floor, as it has several times before.” Interestingly, a recent poll says 61 per cent of Americans are in favor of legalizing marijuana, while in Canada there is a sharp division with just 51 per cent of people in favor. Still, Canada looks to be moving ahead with federal legislation despite its own obstacles, including working its way out of a longstanding United Nations treaty. Medicine Man Technologies has the mechanics of how that will work on page 44. Despite the uncertainty, the world of marijuana is moving ahead. It will be interesting to see what 2018 brings.

“IT GOES without saying that there has been a sea change in political will around the world regarding weed.”

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GROW. HEAL. LEARN. ENJOY.

from the publisher

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grow it

grow it 1. Summit Research Tech’s SPD-4

MPD (modified path distillation)

2. Royal Gold's Coco-based Soils

is here to change the way we see distillation apparatuses. This all-new short-path technology is tailored for high efficiency/speed second pass refinement. A new SOP includes heads for the head section, main body section, refinement pass, and refining tails portions. The first path is isolated from all glassware, joints, jackets, etc. It starts in the flask to achieve ultimate heat conductivity. Instead of using the e-vigoreux section and design, it uses a baffled section where the vacuum-encased key sits. This first path offers a much higher throughput with a variance of how theoretical plates work with this new technology. The second path is isolated and used for upper refinement. Where they join is a discharge and rejection section that isolates both paths. The one-of-a-kind dual vapor paths with independent sections each offer unprecedented technological improvements.

—summit-research.tech

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has been leading the coco fiber revolution for over a decade now. With their continued improvements in production technology and increase in already trend-setting quality control standards, there has never been a better time to grow with the Gold. Leading the charge and changing the indoor gardening game, Tupur by Royal Gold is a soilless mix with no rival. This unique blend is unlike the countless coco perlite competitors and reformulated knock-offs, and is nearly impossible to replicate. Royal Gold’s proprietary forest blend is just one of the key factors that makes Tupur Humboldt County’s bottled lightning. The Kings Mix is Royal Gold’s newest addition to their immensely popular product line. It combines peat with their standard formulations and concepts in a plant-in-bag format, a perfect fit for light deprivation, mixed lighting, and indoor or outdoor gardens. Are you growing with the Gold?

3. Tom’s Tumble Trimmer—the

TTT2600 Commercial Trimmer—is a heavy-duty,

bladeless trimmer ideal for commercial growers who want to trim with maximum efficiency and minimum waste. The machine’s tumble action does 85 per cent of your trimming, with only touchups left and trichomes preserved. This unit trims about 36 pounds per hour, beautifully manicuring five to six pounds at a time per seven-minute cycle. The powdercoated steel frame with industrial motor is fast, effective, and easy to assemble. Tom’s Tumble Trimmer is covered by a one-year warranty on all parts. It comes with both half-inch and quarter-inch mesh nets that are easy to change as well as a pollen screen and dust cover. Minimal cleaning required. Available now through Sunlight Supply.

—tomstumbletrimmer.com

—royalgoldcoco.com

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ask a grower

Hi,

What it the best way to tell the male plants from the females? Thxs, Quintin

Quintin, Thank you for your question. Identifying the differences between male and female plants is very important for any grower. A cannabis plant goes through three distinct stages of growth during its life cycle. The first stage is the seedling stage. This is the earliest stage of growth and is when the plant first develops a root system and leaves. The second stage of growth is the vegetative stage. It is during this stage that the majority of the plantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s structural integrity is developed. The third and final stage of growth for the marijuana plant is the flowering stage. In this stage of growth, the flowers begin to develop and, eventually, mature into the buds that are harvested. Identifying the sex of a cannabis plant is commonly done in the early flowering stage. For outdoor plants, the flowering cycle will begin as the amount of sunlight per day is shortened to around 14 hours. For indoor gardens, the flowering cycle is triggered when the grower changes the photoperiod to a 12-hour light/12-hour dark cycle.

When a male plant begins to show its reproductive organs, it will appear to have a tiny bunch of green bananas at the inner joints of the branches. These tiny bunches are pollen sacks and will eventually open and release pollen. It is important to remember that the damage done by pollination occurs only after the male plants have released pollen. As long as the plants can be positively identified as males and removed from the garden before the pollen is released, no seeds will develop. With the exception of cannabis breeders, the goal of growers is to cultivate seedless female marijuana flowers. Like male marijuana plants, it is difficult to positively identify female plants until they have started to develop their reproductive parts, which happens in the flowering stage of growth. Once the flowering stage has been initiated, the female plants will develop what look like tiny white hairs at the joints and base of the branches. The white hairs, known as pistils, grow in pairs and protrude from the places where the flowers will develop. Eventually the flowers will get larger and, once fully developed, the pistils will turn brownish-red in color. I hope this answers your question. Keep on Growing, Lee G. Lyzit

DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR A GROWER? Email editor@myhydrolife.com to get an answer.

Lee G. Lyzit has been involved in the medical cannabis industry for nearly 15 years. His passion for natural healing drives him to learn as much as he can about the miraculous cannabis plant. Lee breeds his own strains of cannabis to create concentrated glycerine and coconut oil extracts. Aside from cannabis education and consumption, Lee enjoys playing music, gardening, hiking, and cross-country skiing.

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own it

own it 1. No matter why you’re sore, 2. Starting a venture in a market

Cannalife Muscle Rub can offer some relief. Combining the potent synergy of cannabis, arnica, and analgesic essential oils, this all-natural balm is formulated to ease aches and pains while promoting a cooling effect. It’s great for massage and self-care. The 10-ml stick contains a total of 29 mg THC and 14 mg CBD, while the 70-ml stick contains 200 mg THC and 100 mg CBD.

as new and ever-changing as the cannabis industry can be downright daunting. To help ease your worries, try picking up the Idiot’s Guide to

with Marshall’s Wireless

— cannalifebotanicals.ca

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by Debby Goldsberry, who has more than 25 years as a leader in the medical and adult-use marijuana industry. This easy-tounderstand guide will help you navigate this complex industry with insights on legal, financial, security, and permit challenges; marketing strategies; business plans; and day-today management practices.

— dk.com

4. The Internet of Things is taking

Multi-room Speaker System. Sharing the same

Starting & Running a Marijuana Business

3. Your home is your stadium

aesthetic as the company’s guitar and bass amps, the speakers come in three different sizes so you can pick the perfect one for each space you want to fill. Even better, you can play different songs in each room or bring it all together to play the same song throughout the house. With built-in wireless connection to Chromecast, Spotify Connect, and AirPlay, and the option to connect via RCA, aux, and Bluetooth, your musical possibilities are endless.

— marshallheadphones.com

over everything, including your aromatherapy. With the

Chelsea and Brooklyn Smart Diffusers by Pium,

your spaces can always have a smell that perfectly suits the context and your personal preferences. The smart phone app knows your location, so it can set diffusing schedules to release, for example, rosemary in the morning, peppermint at the office, and lavender at night. It also recommends scents based on recent activities and search history. It’s compatible with Amazon Echo, Google Home, Apple Watch, Hue, and Sonos to help create the perfect moment.

— pium.com

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5. Make your morning coffee

and cannabis fix special with a dedicated Wake N Bake Mug from Tokyo Smoke. This Japaneseinspired mug comes with a matching one-hitter and a lid that doubles as an ashtray. Made from rare black clay by ceramicists at The Shop in Toronto, each piece is unique thanks to a firing process that uses both a raw finish and a black glaze.

6. OMG Farms has launched

The Rooster, a state-of-

— ca.tokyosmoke.com

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the-art vape pen specifically engineered for the viscosity of cannabis oil. Each pen is pre-filled with 500 mg of OMG Farms’ proprietary, refined blend of cannabis oil, sourced from Humboldt County’s finest flower. The Rooster has more than 150 three-second tokes and is pre-charged and ready to use for a convenient and discrete cannabis experience. Ask your local budtender about getting yours today.

7. Despite the name, Toast Slices aren’t for eating.

8. Control your pipe smoking

These glamourous-looking joints, which recall the decostyle of the 1920s, are filled with a super-mild, all-natural cannabis blend designed to awaken your inner social butterfly. Much like a single cocktail, a Slice packs just enough punch to gently relax your body, stimulate your mind, and open you up to social connections.

— wetoast.com

experience like never before with the FUNKSH 360 by FUNKSH. This adjustable device allows you to control the amount of air that goes through it, regulating intensity, heat, and flow. Made of medical-grade G-23 titanium, the FUNKSH 360 comes in either a natural finish or polished finished. It’s small, strong, and reliable, and it’s backed by a lifetime warranty.

— funksh.com

— omgfarms.com

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grow

Thrifty Thermals: Using a Climate Battery to Heat and Cool Your Grow

n an increasingly competitive landscape, cannabis growers are looking for ways to reduce operational costs in novel places, including right under their feet. Ground-to-air heat exchangers use the stable temperature of the soil and passive solar energy to provide a renewable source of heating and cooling. Ground-to-air heat exchangers have garnered a proliferation of names in the past decades. The most common is “climate battery,” coined by pioneering engineer Michael Cruickshank and the Central Rocky Mountain Permaculture Institute (CRMPI). Colorado-based Ceres Greenhouse Solutions followed by developing a patent-pending version for cannabis growers called a Ground to Air Heat Exchanger (GAHT). Another acronym is Subterranean Heating and Cooling System (SHCS). Then there’s the most colorful title from a recent video reporting on the concept: “poor man’s geothermal.” Low-cost geothermal is a summary of how a climate battery works. Like traditional geothermal systems, climate batteries use the stable temperatures of the soil underground. However, unlike traditional systems, which involve pipes bored hundreds of feet underground and complex refrigeration systems, climate battery systems are much simpler and cheaper. A network of pipes is buried just a few feet (usually two to five feet) underground. Instead of a liquid coolant, they circulate hot air collected in the greenhouse during the day, taking full advantage of free and plentiful solar energy. Those factors make a climate battery vastly simpler and cheaper than traditional geothermal systems, in the range of few thousand dollars for a backyard greenhouse.

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ey ds

ller i h Sc

Lin

Heating and cooling your greenhouse can be a huge expense. However, there’s a simple system called “poor man’s geothermal” that is making some growers richer.

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grow The systems have been extensively used in greenhouses to provide year-round heating and cooling at a fraction of the cost of fossil-fuel systems (applications in indoor growrooms are possible but rare). Now, cannabis cultivators are adopting the technology, taking advantage of the many benefits of lowcost geothermal systems.

Using the Greenhouse Effect Climate batteries rely on a simple fact: Most greenhouses collect far too much heat during the day, even in winter. In other words, it is fairly common for a greenhouse to overheat on a cold and sunny winter day. Typically, growers vent this excess heat outside, essentially wasting it. Instead of exhausting hot air outside during the day, a climate battery circulates the heat underground. A fan pumps hot air from the greenhouse through a network of pipes buried in the soil. As air travels underground, the soil absorbs heat from the air. The air is then exhausted back into the greenhouse, cooler and drier. A corollary function of the system is to reduce daytime humidity, a major benefit to help thwart powdery mildew and a host of other pests and diseases. When hot and humid air is cooled underground, it reaches the dew point. The water vapor condenses into liquid and percolates out of the pipes through perforations. Continuous air movement and drainage prevent mold growth in the pipes. Besides cooling and dehumidification, a final function of the system is heating. When the greenhouse gets too cold, the fans again circulate air underground. This time, the soil temperature will be warmer than the air due to the fact that the soil stays a moderate and stable temperature all year. Thus, working in the same direction, the fans draw cooler air underground, where it is warmed by the soil and then exhausted back into the greenhouse.

A ground-to-air heat exchanger uses the stable temperature of the soil and passive solar energy to provide a renewable source of heating and cooling.

In many ways, the soil acts like a battery. During warm periods, the greenhouse heats the soil, essentially charging the battery. During cold periods, it then uses the warmer soil to heat the greenhouse, drawing on this stored thermal energy. The soil is an excellent source of thermal mass, retaining this heat without taking up any room inside the greenhouse.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Instead of exhausting hot air outside during the day, a climate battery circulates the heat underground.â&#x20AC;?

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grow

“A corollary function of the system

is to reduce daytime humidity, a major benefit to help thwart powdery mildew and a host of other pests and diseases.”

Enabling a Closed Greenhouse Many greenhouse cultivators are adopting climate batteries simply for the fact that they are a closed loop. The system conditions the indoor air—providing temperature control, air circulation, and dehumidification—without exhausting any air outside. That is a major benefit for growers in populated areas where strict regulations prohibit cannabis cultivators from exhausting air due to odors. Additionally, less ventilation reduces the exposure to environmental contaminants, such as pests and hemp seeds. As a closed loop system, a climate battery allows the greenhouse to be sealed much of the time, generally aiding environmental control.

A Proven Technology Climate batteries and their counterparts have been around for decades and as such, growers enjoy the confidence that the systems will reliably reduce energy costs. Exactly how great these energy savings are, of course, is the golden question. Returns on investment vary greatly by the size of the operation and the climate. Marc Plinke, chief engineer at Ceres Greenhouse Solutions, says most growers see energy reductions of 30-60 per cent. Growers in harsher climates with greater heating and cooling demands will experience greater savings. Though climate batteries provide renewable heating and cooling almost for free, the systems are not perfect. Importantly, backup heating and cooling systems are needed because of the narrow temperature requirements of most cannabis strains. Particularly with closed greenhouses, an alternate cooling system is required. That requires a hefty upfront investment in climate control equipment. But once again, once the system is installed, it provides virtually free heating and cooling. The power consumption for running fans is very small, and thus the grower cuts their energy bill and adds to the bottom line year after year. Currently a niche system for cannabis cultivators, climate batteries are making inroads to the industry. Three automated commercial cannabis greenhouses in Colorado will be operating with the system this year. Notably, one at 10,200 feet elevation in the Rocky Mountains operates for much of the year using a GAHT system and an energy-efficient greenhouse without backup heating. With energy savings and added environmental closed-loop air circulation, it’s likely many cannabis growers will follow, integrating poor man’s geothermal into very high-tech greenhouses.

Climate batteries can cut costs in the cannabis growing industry.

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Lindsey Schiller studied at the University of Arizona’s Controlled Environment Agriculture Center before delving into sustainable greenhouse design after she moved to Colorado. In 2011, she co-founded Ceres Greenhouse Solutions to enable people to design and build their own sustainable, year-round greenhouses. She writes extensively on greenhouse technology and year-round growing through Ceres’ blog. She is also the author of The YearRound Solar Greenhouse: How to Design and Build a NetZero Energy Greenhouse (New Society Publishers).

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grow

Cannabis Light M Schedules

THE KEY FACTOR IN GROWING CANNABIS IS NOT THE LIGHT PERIODS; IT’S THE DARK PERIODS. SURNA’S STEPHEN KEEN WEIGHS IN WITH HIS PREFERRED LIGHT SCHEDULE FOR GROWING BIG, PRODUCTIVE PLANTS.

BY STEPHEN KEEN

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any growers advocate the use of an 18/6 light schedule (18 hours on, six hours off) while plants are in veg. However, this may not be the most beneficial light schedule. Switching to a series of 6/2 light patterns (six hours on, two hours off) may increase plant growth while potentially creating a more stable controlled environment. While this new schedule may sound risky, it actually comes with a number of benefits. Cannabis is a short-day plant, meaning it will only flower when exposed to long periods of darkness and short periods of light. For cannabis to flower, there must be at least 12 hours of continuous darkness. This allows for the use of

a series of shorter light schedules while the plant is in veg—as long as the plant receives less than 12 hours of continuous darkness, it will stay in veg.

Benefits of a 6/2 Light Schedule

There is a lot of research that suggests cannabis plants can only process a certain amount of light per day. After that level has been reached, the plant can no longer absorb light and any additional light is essentially wasted. By breaking the light cycle into multiple six-hour periods, the plant can rest and process the light it has received. When the lights come back on two hours later, the plant will be ready to process additional light, allowing you to get the most plant growth out of every minute your lights are on.

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grow

Cannabis is a shortday plant, meaning it will only flower when exposed to long periods of darkness and short periods of light.”

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At a biological level, cannabis’s inability to grow more once it has received a certain amount of light can be attributed to the way the plant processes carbon dioxide (CO2). A majority of the mass accumulated in cannabis is associated with the amount of CO2 found inside plant cells. While under light, cannabis tries to prevent CO2 from leaving its cells by cutting off transpiration. However, this prevents new CO2 from entering the cell, blocking new growth. When the lights are turned off and no photosynthesis is occurring, the plant can absorb new CO2 into its cells. Additionally, when plants are exposed to 18 straight hours of intense light, they become stressed. Signs of stress, including droopy or curled leaves, will usually appear toward the end of the light cycle. While some stress can be beneficial to plant growth, too much stress can cause harm to your plants and prevent them from reaching maximum growth potential. Giving plants six hours of intense light at a time not only puts less stress on the plants, it also spreads out the load on your cooling system over a longer period. The cooling system works the hardest when lights are on. By turning off the lights for two hours at a time throughout the day, your cooling system will get a break between light cycles, allowing the room to be cooled to desired temperatures before the lights come back on.

With a properly sized cooling system, this benefit will be minimized as the system will be designed to handle the heat load throughout the entire light cycle. While there are many approaches to veg light cycles for cannabis, a 6/2 schedule allows for maximum plant growth. A 6/2 schedule also allows plants to process more intense light, prevents plants from becoming stressed, and puts less stress on your cooling system. It’s a win all around. Give your plants a break every two hours and you might be amazed at the results.

Stephen Keen is a 14-year veteran of the cannabis industry and life-long tinkerer. He saw a need for cannabis-tailored climate control solutions, which led to his co-founding of Hydro Innovations—now Surna Inc—in 2007. Surna’s mission is to design efficient, reliable, and intelligent equipment for climate control for cannabis cultivation. Keen has vast knowledge of controlled environment agriculture, including serving as the chief cultivation expert for one of Colorado’s largest MMJ operations and being published in various industry magazines. He has served as president and CEO, and now as director of technology, of Surna Inc.

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grow

BRING ON THE

POPCORN BUDS

BUT HOLD THE BUTTER by Kent Gruetzmacher | Though many growers see them as something to be avoided, small, dense popcorn buds can also be valuable and useful if they’re properly handled and trimmed, says Kent Gruetzmacher.

annabis plants love light. It is perhaps the most essential ingredient in a successful crop, indoors or outdoors. How and where light (sunlight or artificial) interacts with cannabis greatly effects the overall growth of plants. That said, lighting also directly dictates the quality and types of flowers that cannabis plants produce. Generally speaking, marijuana buds are classified by size in three categories: colas, mid-size, and popcorn buds. The smallest of these three classifications,

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popcorn buds, are those cannabis flowers that are still large enough (at least the size of one’s thumbnail) and dense enough to be kept with the rest of the more prized buds. Any bud smaller or lighter than a popcorn bud is generally added to a harvest’s trim (leafy matter with THC crystals) and made into concentrates, butter, or edibles. POPCORN BUDS: TRIMMING & HANDLING

As aforementioned, popcorn buds are those small buds that are tightly packed enough to be kept in a bag with the rest of the colas and mid-size flowers.

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However, while popcorn flowers are considered “keepers” in the minds of most cultivators, there are a few stipulations one should remember when processing and storing them:  Trimming popcorn buds is an extremely daunting task. A sure way to burn oneself out while trimming is to schedule an entire day of little bud hand work. If hand-trimming popcorn buds, it is a good idea to mix them in with the larger flowers so as to not overwork oneself while handling these smaller buds in one trim session.  To streamline the process, many cannabis gardeners today choose to use trim machines to clean up their popcorns while hand-trimming the larger, prize flowers.  When harvesting a significantly sized crop, it is easy to overlook popcorn buds and instead put them directly in with one’s trim. Make sure that a keen eye is kept on the harvest process to ensure that these little buds make it into the bag with the rest of the flowers. INDOOR VS. OUTDOOR: PLANT PRUNING AND FLOWER GROWTH

The amount of popcorn buds present in one’s harvest is greatly dependent upon the way one chooses to prune their plants. Along this line of thought, how cultivators prune their cannabis plants is also dictated by whether the plant is grown indoors or outdoors. For indoor gardens, the intensity of artificial light diminishes exponentially the further away it is form a light source. This means that even a mere six-inch difference in how close a branch and flower is to a grow light can greatly affect their growth and productivity. Point being, a uniform canopy will result in a harvest that contains mostly cola and mid-sized buds because the entire

canopy is receiving maximum illumination. Those branches below the average canopy height, however, will yield popcorn buds and trim material. To put the actual flower growth of cannabis plants in perspective, the top cola buds are the largest flowers because they receive the largest amount of light. For indoor gardens, these top cola flowers are generally the only buds that gardeners like to leave in their canopy. Growers usually clean up the bottom three-quarters of the plant. In this process, cultivators use a sterile pair of scissors to remove elements of the plant (leaves, branches, buds) that don’t receive strong light from the artificial light source and those elements will yield airy flowers and popcorn buds. Outdoor cannabis gardeners have the blessing of abundant sunlight and plants that are greatly spread out from one another. Because of the strong sunlight reacting with the side growth, outdoor plants have large colas on the sides and tops of plants. While the general plant processes of growth for indoor and outdoor gardens is the same, the less-restrictive growth space of outdoor gardens requires a different pruning process. For outdoor grows, this pruning process is referred to as “middling” because growers only clean up the middle of the plants and generally don’t cut off the bottom branches (which still receive abundant sunlight). As seen with indoor crops, outdoor cultivators do this middling process to remove all plant matter that isn’t receiving much light.

“

The amount of POPCORN BUDS present in one’s harvest is greatly dependent upon the way one chooses to prune their plants.”

In summary, popcorn buds often share many of the same qualities of their larger, more expensive counterparts. As such, they can offer the cannabis connoisseur an additional opportunity to try out a new, high-quality strain without having to pay a premium for larger buds. It’s worth taking the time to properly handle and trim your popcorn buds.

Kent Gruetzmacher is a Denver-based freelance writer and the west coast director of business development at Mac & Fulton Executive Search and Consulting, an employment recruiting firm dedicated to the indoor gardening and hydroponics industries. He is interested in utilizing his Master of Arts in humanities to explore the many cultural and business facets of this emerging industry by way of his entrepreneurial projects.

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grow

5346 Sc ot Scotts V ts Valley Dr. Su alley, CA ite A, 95066 1-831-2 26-294 8 WWW s ummit-r esearch .tech 3 Years in hard ware Vendor since 20 production 14

A little more than a decade ago, Elliot Kremerman was selling hash and tinkering around with extraction processes in his garage in California. Today, he has led his company, Summit Research Tech, into a role as one of the leading manufacturers and distributors of high-quality distillation, extraction, and evaporation equipment. 32

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grow CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR BUSINESS AND HOW IT STARTED? I started Summit Research from my garage, basically. When I started in 2004, I was a hash vendor in California. I spent most of my time in construction until I decided to take cannabis headon in my mid-20s, when I realized my skills in the lab made me more money than mason work. I saw the growth [in the industry] and became an integral part of innovation. With little to no investment, I started Summit Research, and while doing research and development, I singlehandedly created the only patented cannabis short-path distillation head. Initially, I was turned down by every major manufacturer and told my ideas weren’t valid. When I began my journey, I was a small-time glass manufacturer, and took it all the way to being the leading cannabis scientific glass and resource company on the market. After bringing throughput extraction processes to the market with the first industry-run throughput system, I coined the term to differentiate it from other closed-loop manifold versions that were split-loop systems to a true closedloop arrangement. This throughput operational process is now the most widely used set-up on the market. When I created the closed-loop filter base and introduced gas drying with industry-leading condensing coils, we refused to use steel or import hardware from China, and instead made topquality, billet-machined parts available to the public for the first time. To this day, we are leaders in manufacturing billet closed-loop and laboratory hardware.

I decided to patent my technology and do industry standardization benchmarks. Summit Research’s SPD heads are capable of reaching more than 98 per cent in a single pass during distillation. The SPD series heads hold the record for all first-pass potency results in laboratories, with the fastest achievable speeds for the lowest cost, compared to large-scale, slower machines. A two-liter SPD-1 has the same speed as a 100K WFE, a fiveliter SPD-2 is consistently outpacing a 250K WFE, and then we get into the revolutionary SPD-3 Thermal+ series heads that offer incredible unmatched speeds, with industry-leading output numbers. Summit is now releasing a SPD-4 MPD component system that will drive the market for the highest speeds/potency output. Summit takes pride that its short-path systems, not only patented to retain genuine operational characteristics but also unique geometry, achieve the highest recorded test results in laboratories across the country.

WHAT WERE THE START-UP YEARS LIKE? When I left construction, I got dinged badly on losses. I was a newlywed and moved into my parents’ cottage to save money, and then went back into cannabis, slaving away growing and trimming. I started an organic nutrient brew company, making custom largescale 500-5,000-gallon vortex-style brewers for growers, and slowly learned my passion was extracting. With $500, I invested in glass tubes and butane; two weeks later, I had a Tamisium, and two months after that

I had a Subzero. Shortly after, I found the model I liked, the original EV-6.3 model. From there, I moved into the Santa Cruz mountains and began the journey again, starting from scratch to become one of the largest producers at the time. Slowly, the industry caught up, but even large outputs like mine had to struggle to get contracts. With the $500, I had hired a glass manufacturer to work with me and it got me as far as a prototype. I kept working hard in the Santa Cruz mountains and after a few modifications and prototypes, I was able to create the SPD series set-ups. After spending every last dollar I had on bringing the idea to life, I had to produce them nearly one at a time. Slowly, after being a producer and running this new technology, both myself and my customers were at the leading curve of cannabis distillation. I kept hammering away and making more and more glass, becoming the leader in custom glassware tailored to the cannabis industry. This is how Summit developed, by always offering the best, with extensive warranties and services for free. We strictly aim to do what’s right, come in below retail price, and offer a service to educate customers without any cannabis tax. From distillation to filtration, we lead the pack with industry-first, non-copied products, and first-of-its-kind technological advances.

“

We strictly aim to do what’s right, come in below retail price, and offer a service to educate customers without any cannabis tax.”

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HOW DID YOU GAIN MARKET SHARE AND RECOGNITION? Overnight, Summit virtually had 99 per cent of the market share, and within the first year, we rode on nearly 90 per cent of the market share. We are now holding steady at about 70-75 per cent, the only difference being that the open market copied us on everything we did. We came into the market with a “high-quality USA-made” motto. Summit products produce better end-product with higher potency, and physically resemble the highest-grade glass manufacturing. Our products are flawless compared to cheap knock-offs and similar products produced by individuals and companies intending to profit off the Summit name and image. From the SPD-1 or SPD-2 legacy systems to the SPD-3 Thermal+ and SPD-4 MPD, we made unique items that people gravitated to.

WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT PRODUCT LINE? Distillation, filtration, chromatography, laboratory solutions.

WHAT ARE YOUR COMPANY’S STRENGTHS? High-quality hardware. We are a proud company that offers strictly American-made products that we make and support for the lifetime of the product. We employ American glassworkers, American machinists, use American valve companies, and American media companies. Summit Research also offers free consultations and training at our showroom and lifetime support for all our existing customers. Our showroom facility is set up to perform daily demonstrations as well as offer advanced classes.

We cover topics ranging from short path distillation and laboratory training to filtration techniques and terpene science. We also offer advanced processing classes that gives hands-on experience with our trained technicians and specialists. Our flagship services include crystallization training and hardware sales to build on purity separations with large growth. From pesticide removal to releasing free SOP tailored to get everyone on the same page, we hold nothing back and refuse to abuse the knowledge for money.

WHAT SIGNIFICANT THINGS HAVE YOU LEARNED SO FAR ABOUT THE INDUSTRY? It’s moving into pharmaceutical-grade extracts. In the near future, we will no longer see raw oleoresin consumed and called medicine. Scientific processes are taking over to create real engineered extracts with profiles that can virtually be printed by the press of a button.

“

We employ American glassworkers, American machinists, use America valve companies, and American media companies.”

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“W

e’re aiming to connect the entire medical marijuana field,” says Knalysis CEO Paul Methot, who connected with Inews to talk about his company. “Our products were developed directly with a national network of clinicians in the medical marijuana domain, and are built to deliver better monitoring of symptoms, moods, and treatments for both physician and patient.” The primary goal is to determine the efficacy of cannabis strains on the symptoms of all illnesses currently treatable by medical marijuana.

With a vision that they could provide health technology that connects all aspects of the medical marijuana industry, Canadian company Knalysis Technologies has envisioned and pioneered software to seamlessly link physician, provider, and patient. Who or what inspired the idea for Knalysis Technologies?

Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada 1-416-554-0543 WWW

knalysis.com

1st Year in business 38

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Our other business, Pragmatic Informatics, is a software development company. One of our biggest clients has been Marijuana For Trauma (MFT), a military veteran-owned and operated company whose mission is to improve the quality of life for anyone suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), chronic pain, and other medical conditions using medical cannabis. Much of what they do—and indeed, a lot of what the whole medical cannabis field is trying to do—has never been done before. They are all paving new paths. Together with MFT, we identified massive gaps in the technology. Over two years, we built several technology platforms customized for the cannabis industry and helped them leapfrog into being one of the largest cannabis businesses in Canada. In early 2016, MFT ventured into doing clinical research on the efficacies of the medical strains on the market to combat PTSD, but they struggled to find a way to capture the data. Together, we built the wellness tracker app. By the summer, so many other businesses were asking them to share the tools we had built—especially the app—so we spun off Knalysis Technologies to offer them to the public. We have now commercialized our products so that others can now make use of our app, analytics web portal, and cannabis patient manager.

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Who is using the cannabis patient manager? How does it differ from existing medical software? There are a lot of electronic medical record (EMR) platforms out there. You see them every time you go to the doctor or dentist. The administrators are the backbone of this industry and they found it far too time consuming to use a normal EMR, which are designed for hospitals. They are huge, robust platforms with thousands of features, which meant thousands of buttons and options on the screen they have no need to use. They wanted a tool to track patients with fields specific to medical marijuana. We customized everything about our cannabis patient manager to address how they worked with the goal of automating many of their tasks and saving them time. Their adoption of it proved we were on the right track.

What are the key differences between your two trackers, the Knalysis wellness tracker for everyday use and the wellness tracker for PTSD? Our everyday use version of the app is designed to determine what medical cannabis strains help to alleviate symptoms of 54 ailments currently recognized by the US and Canadian governments. This can include PTSD, multiple sclerosis, cancer, and seizures, for example. The PTSD version of the app contains only moods and symptoms specific to PTSD. Both versions of the app empower users to actively engage in their personal health monitoring for ailments treated by medical marijuana. Users can track their symptoms, moods, and treatments.

For a user, they enter in their present symptom(s) and the mood(s) they are currently feeling. They take their treatment and in about an hour the app asks them to provide their mood again. I’m over-simplifying the process, of course; however, the before and after provide us a metric. Combine that with the quantitative data of tens of thousands of others having the same symptoms, moods, and treatments, and we can start to draw some conclusions. Anecdotally, veterans with PTSD will tell you that Pink Kush will help them have far less nightmares at night and get a much better sleep. With the app we can track all the different strains offered in the Pink Kush family across North America and tell you exactly which growers make the one that treats it the best. For someone suffering, this can make the difference between a medicine that works decent or one that works great. We are working with cannabis coaches, clinicians, growers, and researchers as the app, gains uptake. Currently, they recommend strains to users and then watch the data. We can then hone in on which strains work best for particular symptoms and moods. This influences what the grower focuses on for their next grow cycle on or what the dispensary should order next. As we gain more data, the app will begin to offer suggestions, especially if it detects negative patterns over time. As for our moods, we have five levels of moods ranging from green (happy) moods down to red (angry) moods. A complex algorithm assigns values to the combinations of moods chosen so it can be used for graphing and pattern analysis.

“WE WANT TO EMPOWER THE USER TO SEE THEIR OWN PATTERNS AND HABITS AND MAKE CHANGES.”

Does the PTSD app make strain recommendations based on a person’s mood, or, how exactly does it work? How accurately can mood be established with a smartphone? For businesses that work in this industry (clinics, dispensaries, researchers, growers) we offer a subscription to Analytics Web Portal, a website where they can monitor all the users and customers in their group and test out their own strains to see which ones best help the symptoms. Users can choose to join or leave any group.

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grow Lastly, we have a fourth module in the app called “impact.” Sometimes events in your life influence your mood (your dog dies, you get married, etc.) and we want to be able to tell the difference between moods associated with symptoms and influences from external events.

Where does the information (treatment recommendations, mood patterns, and graphs) come from? Currently, we are not recommending anything through the app. We want to empower the user to see their own patterns and habits and make changes. Are you waking up every morning at 4 a.m. in pain? Perhaps you need a longer-lasting intake method (a capsule can last for many more hours than vaping, for example). It’s not always that simple, though, and that is why the app data can be shared with the user’s doctor or coach to find the strains that best work for them. Using colors for the moods can show at a glance how you are progressing week over week and month over month. Now they have data that tells them what they

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are doing is not working and that they need to make a change, get advice from a professional, and try different strains. Soon you will be able to also track your other medications alongside your cannabis treatments, water intake, blood pressure, and many more. Our lead developer is Richard Bennett, who has a doctorate in machine learning and data analytics. Our team is made up of coders with past employment at Microsoft, IBM, McAfee, and Boeing. We also have several PhDs on staff who excel in math and algorithms.

Is there a social media/sharing aspect to this technology? Definitely not. We want people to share their feelings and symptoms in the app and feel comfortable being candid. Adding in Facebook might deter people from being honest. If the user consents, then they can share their data with their doctor, cannabis coach, or as part of a group gathering data on strains. The technology was designed to be very secure (the background of most of the team was in IT security, myself included). Our technologies meet or exceed all standards for security and privacy in North America.

“FOR SOMEONE SUFFERING, THIS CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MEDICINE THAT WORKS DECENT OR ONE THAT WORKS GREAT.”

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grow “THE PRESENCE of pesticides is not detectable by sight or smell, so it must be tested in a certified lab with highly sensitive instrumentation.” Why are Pesticides Important?

Pesticides in

CONCENTRATES by Jodi McDonald

Pesticides can be so toxic to humans that when it comes to testing, they are measured in parts per trillion. Jodi McDonald explains how lab testing is keeping up with pesticide testing in cannabis products.

omebody recently asked me if they should be concerned about pesticides in concentrates. The short answer is that you should be aware and informed. There are many identified health risks related to consuming products that contain pesticides. There is also a longer answer. There are many stories in the US and Canada regarding the production practices and testing of cannabis. With legalization of recreational adult-use cannabis in many states and Canada’s legalization date fast approaching, it is evident that strict regulated testing is needed to control the industry and make it safe. This regulation must include clear regulations about pesticide use in cannabis cultivation. In February 2017, NBC’s Channel 4 investigation team from Los Angeles tested 44 samples from multiple dispensaries in California. The results were surprising: 41 of 44 samples tested positive for pesticides, some at levels high enough that these products would have been banned for sale in some states.

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This story highlights concerns around pesticide exposure. Pesticides are very toxic when inhaled. As former USC chemistry professor Dr. Jeffrey Raber stated, “It’s really like injecting pesticides into your bloodstream.” The presence of pesticides is not detectable by sight or smell, so it must be tested in a certified lab with highly sensitive instrumentation.

Why do I Keep Hearing About Pesticides? As the industry continues to develop and meet the needs of patients and growers, the tools to measure product quality will develop too. Pesticide detection has been highlighted recently by a number of stories about product recalls due to pesticide contamination. In the US, there are no national guidelines to regulate pesticides in the cannabis industry. Instead, states are independently developing regulatory frameworks for pesticide use. In fact, Oregon has been at the leading edge and has established strict guidelines for cannabis growers.

When I explain the process for pesticide analysis, I start with the fact that the instruments used to measure the levels of pesticides are tuned to detect parts per trillion (ppt). This is a very small number when you consider that one ppt is equivalent to one second in 31,709 years. Knowing that your test lab is looking for such small quantities of pesticide compounds is revealing about the importance of pesticide testing. Testing the dry flower for the absence of pesticides is important for consumers. Knowing that your products are safe and free from contaminants is critically important. Of course, testing of extracts products is equally important. It is necessary to understand the process of converting plants to oil is essentially a way to remove the solid plant materials and be left with the desired, concentrated extract. The methods to make oil from plants not only concentrate the cannabinoids but the pesticides as well. Typically, the rate of concentration of the cannabinoids is in the range of two to five times. Pesticides, on the other hand, can be expected to reach concentrations 10 times higher than in the raw materials, as discussed in a Cannabis Safety Institute white paper from 2015. Again, this critical step that purifies all the goodness of the plant also concentrates the pesticides; pretested, clean starting material actually contains an alarming amount of contamination after processing. Be alarmed. This is important enough for consumers to ask for pesticide-free products. It is also important enough that if you are preparing your own extracts from purchased plant materials, you should consider testing your final extracts for pesticides. Jodi McDonald is the president and founder of Keystone Labs and is a medical microbiologist, inventor, and super science-geek. She has 20 years’ experience in the quality control, regulatory, and quality assurance environment for the pharmaceutical industry. Jodi believes testing is essential for taking control of your personal health.

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NEW CANNABIS REGULATIONS FOR

CALIFORNIA The Californian senate recently updated the state’s cannabis regulations. Here’s an overview of the changes and what it means for cannabis business owners and consumers. BY MEDICINE MAN TECHNOLOGIES

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t Medicine Man Technologies, we’ve been keeping a close eye on the west coast and were pleased to hear that the California Senate replaced the Medical Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (MCRSA) with SB 94. The latest and greatest evolution of the state’s laws, SB 94 essentially repeals MCRSA while incorporating certain policies into the licensing provisions set forth by the Adult Use of Marijuana Act (AUMA), also known as Proposition 64, which was passed by voters in November of last year. Under the new bill, the hybrid program of consolidated provisions is known as the Medicinal and Adult-Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (MAUCRSA). The outcome is a regulatory structure that’s intended to be more operator-friendly. The California Growers Association remarked that the bill was “a thoughtful and robust foundation for a well-regulated cannabis marketplace in California.”

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WHAT SB 94 MEANS FOR CALIFORNIA CANNABIS The new MAUCRSA structure generally imposes the same requirements on both commercial medicinal and adultuse cannabis activities, with specific exceptions. Highlights of the changes include the following: • The Bureau of Cannabis Control is now the governing regulatory agency. Control of industrial hemp fibers will be transferred to the Department of Food and Agriculture. • The available licenses remain the same. M-licenses for medicinal operators and A-licenses for commercial adult-use operators. If someone holds both types of licenses, he or she is required to keep the premises separate and distinct; however, this might only require a physical barrier versus a separate location. • Micro-business licenses, specialty cottage cultivation licenses, and indoor, outdoor, and mixed-light cultivation licenses will be offered for both recreational and medicinal marijuana operators and made available on or by January 1, 2023. • Vertical integration prohibitions that were part of MCRSA have been removed, while the ban on large-scale cultivators remains. Other cultivators can now apply and be approved for multiple licenses in different categories, including acting as their own distributor. • Transporter and producing dispensary licenses are not available under MAUCRSA. • Retailers are now allowed to have a brick-and-mortar store that is not open to the public and only sells cannabis through delivery. • With MAUCRSA, applicants may show prior compliance with local laws prior to obtaining state licenses. The city or county now is responsible for alerting the state within 60 days if the applicant is not in compliance with local laws. • Changes to testing, inspection, and quality assurance are also part of SB 94. Distributors must store cannabis on their premises during testing and will be responsible for quality assurance reviews for labeling and packaging compliance. • The residency requirement has now been removed. This means that foreign and out-of-state companies are now allowed to sell both medicinal and recreational marijuana. This will not stop some cities or counties from creating their own residency requirements.

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• Advertising requirements that regulate online advertisements and create a universal edible cannabis symbol have been added. • The cannabis excise tax will be measured by the average market price (as defined) of the retail sale instead of by the gross receipts of the retail sale. Overall, the team at Medicine Man Technologies sees this bill as a positive and comprehensive step towards creating a sensible framework for California’s expanding cannabis market.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR AUMA IN CALIFORNIA? Now that the California Senate has replaced MCRSA with SB 94 and the bill was signed by Governor Jerry Brown at the end of June, the state can more easily move towards establishing a system for adult-use, recreational cannabis. Several license types should be made available in January 2018, at which point retail sales may commence. For now, adults who are 21 years of age and over can consume and possess up to an ounce of flowers or eight grams of concentrate. They can also grow up to six plants in an enclosed area hidden from view or in their homes.

“Overall, the team at Medicine Man Technologies sees this bill as a positive and comprehensive step towards creating a sensible framework for California’s expanding cannabis market.”

If you are considering entering California’s cannabis industry, our experts at Medicine Man Technologies can help you understand and navigate the new rules implemented by SB 94. Our consultants will ensure you’re able to set up a compliant and successful venture.

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strain review

CUT AND DRIED: A MONTHLY LOOK AT DIFFERENT MMJ STRAINS

BY GIBSON LANNISTER Not for rookies, Jack Herer lives up to its namesake by leaving you clearheaded, creative, and energetic.

Jack Herer I am a cancer survivor and medical and recreational cannabis user. I try to approach each new strain I try from both perspectives. There is a definite cool factor to Jack Herer, a strain of cannabis named after legendary pot activist and author, The Hemperor himself, Jack Herer. I tried it because its name piqued my interest and stood out like a sore thumb. And I’m glad I did because this strain is going to be my new daytime medicine.

and less than one per cent CBD. I only recommend this strain to experienced cannabis users.

Uplifting High

A Beautiful Strain

I use a vaporizer far more often than I smoke or take edibles. Jack Herer seems to give me this never-ending flow of vapor that keeps me alert and gets my mind moving in a creative direction. It’s an uplifting high that always leaves me in a great mood. The comedown is mild and hardly noticeable, which is great for someone who needs to partake frequently throughout the day. Jack Herer greatly, and I mean greatly, increases my appetite like no other strain has before. It also helps relieve my pain and greatly reduce my bowel spasms. It is quite potent with an average 20-25 per cent THC

“There is a definite cool factor to Jack Herer, a strain of cannabis named after legendary pot activist and author, The Hemperor himself, Jack Herer.”

Jack Herer is a beautiful strain. It has been around since the ‘90s, so there are many different phenotypes. The Jack Herer I’ve been enjoying is at the sativa end of the spectrum. The light green buds are flecked with trichomes universally throughout, and there are thick patches of long, orange hairs. Its scent is earthy with pine, mixed with hints of melon and berries. The terpenes found in Jack Herer are pinene, myrcene, and transnerolidol. The compact buds are easy to break up for use in a vaporizer or for rolling into joints.

Jack Herer can be grown indoors. It can get quite large, more than three feet in height. It is suggested that you start flowering early while the plants are still small, or you could use the sea of green method to maximize growing space. Flowering time should be anywhere from seven to nine weeks. Expect a decent yield in return for your love and hard work. I recommend Jack Herer for gardeners with some experience.

Like the Man Himself

There’s a reason Jack Herer has been around for so long. Much like its namesake, it is clearheaded, energetic, and creative. There are so many positives and few negatives to this strain. I definitely plan on using Jack Herer frequently. It’s the perfect daytime smoke for medical and recreational users.

Gibson Lannister currently enjoys sharing his research and knowledge with the international gardening community. He is excited to share another personal passion, music, with the readers of Hydrolife.

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Finding

“The One”… Dispensary, That Is

by Cory Hughes | With dispensaries popping up in record numbers around the world, those looking to find a single source for their cannabis needs have quite a few things to consider before choosing a main provider.

hen examining your local cannabis market, there are a few questions you need to ask yourself. Why do some places cost twice as much as others? What pesticides does this company use? Am I safe walking to my car with my purchase? These questions and more should all be factors in making the decision of which cannabis dispensary to trust with your health and well-being. The first thing you need to consider is if your purchases are going to be medical or recreational. If you are of legal age and wish to purchase recreational cannabis, you will need to find a dispensary that will sell to adults without a doctor’s recommendation. That limits your search to only a handful of US states and parts of Europe. Canada is on its way to full legalization, but it’s still some time away from being finalized. If you wish to purchase medical marijuana and have a doctor’s recommendation, you have many more options. There are medical dispensaries in over half the US states, throughout Canada, and may areas of Europe. Dispensaries come in all shapes and sizes. There are some that are so clean you almost feel uncomfortable walking in with your dirty shoes on.

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Then there are those that feel like your uncle’s garage with incense burning and Phish piping in over the speaker system. Whatever you are into, there is a dispensary whose atmosphere will make you feel right at home. Atmosphere is important because, as a customer, nothing will make you walk out that door faster than an uncomfortable or awkward setting. Staff is another very important factor in whether customers return to a dispensary. Every customer who walks through that front door to buy cannabis has a different level of knowledge and expertise. The dispensary staff needs to know how to overcome the language barrier when it comes to assisting people who may or may not know how to articulate what they are looking for. The person selling you your cannabis needs to go above and beyond to make sure you get exactly what you are looking for, even if you don’t know yourself. Pharmacists spent years learning how to assist patients; your budtender smoked a joint on her break. Yes, there’s a huge education gap that the cannabis industry needs to overcome, but in the meantime, it’s up to you to find a dispensary whose staff is knowledgeable and trustworthy.

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Of course, since you plan on spending your hard-earned money on cannabis, you want to make sure it’s good. After all, quality is of the utmost importance (duh). Cannabis quality is determined in the growroom by everything from nutrients to air quality to pest control, but odds are that the budtender behind the counter doesn’t know anything about the growroom conditions. If they did, they probably wouldn’t tell you anyway. Also, quality can be hard to determine with a single purchase. One batch may be great or it may not, but just one visit to a dispensary isn’t enough to know for sure. Also, reviews are your friends. Research any press the company has had or any awards it may have won. Take the time to find out exactly who is growing your medicine. Next, you want variety. One of the best things about cannabis is that there is an abundance of different colors, shapes, tastes, and aromas. There are strains that make you feel up and there are strains that make you feel chill. There is a strain for just about every mood you want to find yourself in. Dispensaries should always have a wide variety of strains, not just for every mood but also to fit every ailment. Medical cannabis dispensaries depend on a large selection of specific, ailment-related strains. If the shop you were considering only has a handful of strains, you might want to extend your search. Location, location, location. Regardless of how many times you tell yourself you are just going to hit the dispensary across town because they have the best Purple Urkle, forget it. Whether the dispensary is across from your apartment or next to your place of work, convenience always finds its way into the equation. Now, that should never be your only criteria.

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“ there are [dispensaries] that feel like your uncle’s garage with incense burning and Phish piping in over the speaker system.”

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heal Sure, it’s great when you run out 10 minutes before closing and the only dispensary you can get to is two blocks away, but close doesn’t equal quality or knowledgeable or any of the other important factors when it comes to picking a main provider. You should end up frequenting the dispensary that meets all the other criteria and is as convenient as possible. Finally, cost is one of the most important things that will influence your decision when picking the correct cannabis provider for you. Prices vary wildly, sometimes for good reason and sometimes not. Overall, however, competition has driven the cost of cannabis down in most markets. Still, while paying a low price is a good thing, sometimes too low of a price can be an indicator of things you want to avoid. Always inspect your cannabis before you buy it. Make sure the quality isn’t low even if the cost is. On the other hand, if the dispensary is charging nearly twice as much as the shop next door, go find out why. High prices are warranted on boutique-quality strains and competition winners, but they are not warranted just because the shop owner can’t pay his bills. Find a balance between quality and price that you can live with.

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Finding a new dispensary shouldn’t be a chore. It should be fun. Take your time and sample what the local cannabis community has to offer before making any commitments.

Know what you like and know who you are dealing with. Keep these things in mind and it will make your final choice in cannabis providers a rewarding one.

Cory Hughes is a former police officer turned full-time commercial grower in Denver, Colorado.

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and

Cannabis Use Memory Loss

o say that recreational use of marijuana is an anathema to memory is to highly overstate the claim. Not all memory is created equal, nor does the smoking of marijuana affect adolescents the same as adults, or males the same as females. While there are some irrefutable instances of cause and effect between smoking weed and forgetting any number of important notions (that may keep you out of trouble), there are numerous factors to take into account.

Memory Loss in Adolescents

by Chris Bond

When it comes to cannabis use, one fact is clear: adolescents that partake heavily experience memory problems. How it affects adults, however, is a little hazier. Chris Bond cites the most recent reports while explaining where we’re at with cannabis and memory loss. 54

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There can be no doubt that the heavy and chronic use of cannabis by adolescents causes memory problems. Excepting for cases where it is used for medicinal uses, marijuana use by teens should clearly not be encouraged. This is not to say that an occasional joint is going to do any long-term harm, but given that the adolescent brain is much more vulnerable to the potentially negative effects of cannabis, it should be avoided. What’s more, a UK study revealed that adolescents experience less of a satiety effect after smoking marijuana than adults, so they are inclined to consume greater quantities of cannabis than adults. Adolescence is the period in human development when the processes that refine and strengthen neural networks occur, and they continue on until a person reaches their mid-20s. Brain matter and integrity of that matter increase during this period of life. Heavy usage of marijuana during this time affects the “wiring” of the brain and as such can inhibit myriad memory functions. Numerous studies on the matter have shown that the regular adolescent users of marijuana consistently perform poorer in cognitive functions than their non-using peers. Most types of memory are negatively impacted by adolescent abuse of marijuana. Executive memory, which is the type of memory used to assist in planning, reasoning, and problem solving, is particularly affected, as is the processing speed of the information. Frequent adolescent marijuana smokers also show a higher rate of impaired verbal memory and story memory than non-using peers. Interestingly, other types of memory such as associative and visuospatial memory do not seem to be impacted. It also seems that memory loss in adolescents does discriminate; female, heavy users of marijuana show poorer episodic memory than their male, heavy-using peers.

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“Large-scale studies, such as a Swedish study of more than 50,000 individuals and a New Zealand study that followed a cohort of over 1,000 individuals for 20 years, prove that numerous types of memory are poorer by any measure for the marijuana users in comparison to peers who do not use marijuana.”

All is not lot lost though for younger cannabis connoisseurs, however. As more studies are performed, the less evidence there is for any correlation between lower IQs and recreational marijuana usage. Even better is that after a three-month hiatus of using marijuana, most cognitive functions return to normal peer levels. One study has even shown that among college students (technically young adults, not adolescents), recreational marijuana usage results in higher mental processing speeds as compared to their non-smoking peers. Don’t take that one to the bank just yet, as the results of that one study could just be an anomaly. The most recent data suggests that marijuana usage among adolescents is at an all-time low since the 1970 declaration of marijuana as a Schedule 1 substance, but it is trending upwards again. Six per cent of American high school seniors admit to smoking marijuana on a daily basis and 21 per cent admit to being regular smokers of cannabis. For comparison, less than 10 per cent of the overall United States population (22.2 million) reports marijuana use in the past month.

Memory Loss in Adults There is no shortage of hard evidence linking the chronic and heavy use of marijuana to cognitive deficiencies in adult users. Large-scale studies, such as a Swedish study of more than 50,000 individuals and a New Zealand study that followed a cohort of over 1,000 individuals for 20 years, prove that numerous types of memory are poorer by any measure for the marijuana users in comparison to peers who do not use marijuana. Specifically, learning, working memory, and attention are affected. The silver lining (or is it Silver Haze?) is that upon abstinence of marijuana use, many (if not most) cognitive functions return to normal levels, so this can be reversible. Of course, not all researchers agree. Some findings suggest that if the hippocampus is damaged due to heavy cannabis usage, memory loss may not be reversible upon abstinence.

Worst-case Scenario What would an article about the effects of using marijuana and its impact on memory loss be if it didn’t end with a nightmare-like scenario? Chronic cannabis use has been attributed in rare cases to inducing the mother of all memory loss episodes: the fugue-like state. When someone falls into this amnesia-like state, there is no memory of one’s self; not a name, history, or any idea how, when, or why they exist. The resulting confusion usually makes the individual unstable and dangerous to him or herself and those around them. Fortunately, relatively few persons ever experience this, and it is difficult to deduce for how many it would have occurred without the use of cannabis, since it is a psychotic state that can be triggered by numerous stimuli, including cocaine use, physical trauma, and misuse of other medications.

Chris Bond is the manager of the McKay Farm and Research Station at Unity College in Maine. His research interests are with sustainable agriculture, biological pest control, as well as alternative growing methods. He is a certified permaculture designer and certified nursery technician in Ohio and a certified nursery professional in New York, where he got his start in growing.

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The journey from a life-changing accident to owning a cannabis dispensary has been a long and arduous one for Ryan Milkey, proprietor of Northern Specialty Health in Michigan. A former electrician, Milkey is now providing medicine to countless patients in the Upper Peninsula and has recently opened a second location. In this dispensary profile, Lee G. Lyzit sits down with Milkey to get the backstory of how it all began.

BY LEE G. LYZIT

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en years ago, Ryan Milkey, now the owner of the medical marijuana dispensary Northern Specialty Health in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, was pursuing his career as an electrician. Back then, he would never have dreamed of becoming a medical marijuana dispensary owner because pursuing a career in the electrical trade was his passion. This is not to say that he didn’t understand the healing powers of cannabis. He acknowledges that he experimented with cannabis in high school as both a recreational drug and a medicine for pain relief. Milkey was a football player who, like most football players, had sustained some serious and painful hits throughout his days on the gridiron. “Looking back, it was like I was subconsciously choosing cannabis as a medicine for pain instead of pain pills or alcohol,” says Milkey of his cannabis use in high school. Cannabis helped him stay “mentally grounded” when other substances, including alcohol, could make him feel aggravated or uncomfortable. However, Milkey’s electrical career, and just about everything else in his life, completely changed in June 2007. A horrendous four-wheeler accident left him with a broken neck and back and five broken ribs. Lucky to be alive, Milkey spent several months rehabilitating his damaged body. Though fortunately still able to walk, he suffered substantial nerve damage that affected the proper use of certain leg muscles and experienced severe ongoing nerve-related pain in his feet. After the accident, Milkey worked as much as he could but was unable to continue his electrical job in the same capacity. Working around his body’s good and bad days, he at times needed to lie down throughout the day, which made it difficult to maintain an electrician’s typical schedule. Still, battling the physical pain from his accident and on a slew of prescription pain killers that left him feeling “groggy and irritable,” he continued to do side jobs to make ends meet.

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Milkey’s lack of stability in the work place wasn’t the only new hardship he acquired. After fighting just to stay alive immediately after the accident, Milkey was then left with another problem: an addiction to prescription painkillers, including hydrocodone and fentanyl. “They would work at first, but then I would build up a tolerance and need more. So, I would take more and then I would run out before my prescription was ready to be filled,” he says. In the time between prescription refills, it was not uncommon for Milkey to experience withdrawal symptoms. “This was not only extremely hard on me, but it was a very difficult time for my family.” Milkey knew he could not continue in the way he was headed, for his own sake and for the sake of his family. Remembering his experiences with cannabis in high school, Milkey decided to get a medical marijuana card with some encouragement from his wife, Penny. After voters approved the initiative in 2008, Milkey became one of the first patients to receive a medical marijuana card in the state of Michigan. Like others before him who had searched for effective alternatives to addictive pharmaceuticals, Milkey decided to take the propagation of his medicine into his own hands. He grew his own cannabis and experimented with a variety of extracts to see what would help his condition the most. With the help of medical marijuana, Milkey weaned himself off all opioids; something he describes as “life-saving.” Cannabis became his principal pain medication, supplemented by only one other pharmaceutical for his nerve problems. At this time, Northern Specialty Health was already operating in Houghton, MI. As Milkey grew his own cannabis and made his own extracts, he had only visited the dispensary on a couple of occasions. In 2013, Milkey heard there was a possibility the dispensary might close its doors. Passionate about the healing power of cannabis, Milkey was appalled at the possibility of the local dispensary closing. “I just couldn’t bear the thought of them closing down a facility that supplied a medicine that was so life-changing for me,” he says. Until then, he had never thought about owning this, or any other, dispensary. After some discussion, the Milkeys decided to buy Northern Specialty Health. They took over ownership on December 22, 2013. Since purchasing the business, the Milkeys have helped supply high-quality medicinal marijuana to countless patients in the Upper Peninsula. In April 2015, Northern Specialty Health expanded and opened a second dispensary location in Calumet, MI. Supplied with a with a wide variety of cannabis-based medicines, Northern Specialty Health is stocked with cannabis flowers, Rick Simpson oil (RSO), tinctures, gel caps, shatter, wax, kief, RSO lotion, and moon rocks (cannabis bud dipped in RSO and then dipped in kief). They also stock a wide variety of edibles, including gummy bears, fruit leathers, caramels, infused honey, brownies, and cakes. Aside from the medicine itself, Northern Specialty Health also supplies vaporizers and smoking accessories. “We would love to be known as a dispensary that consistently provides the highest quality medicine,” says Milkey. Since the Milkeys took over as owners, Northern Specialty Health’s mission has been to focus on quality over quantity. “We’re not worried about growing really big or getting rich. Our priority is supplying safe and high-quality medicine to patients in need.”

“WE’RE NOT WORRIED ABOUT GROWING REALLY BIG OR GETTING RICH. OUR PRIORITY IS SUPPLYING SAFE AND HIGH-QUALITY MEDICINE TO PATIENTS IN NEED.”

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Soothing Salves How Topical CBD Treatments Work by Chris Bond

When it comes to treating inflammation, cannabis doesn’t always have to be ingested or smoked. Instead, it can be put on the skin. Here’s how it works.

he anti-inflammatory effects of Cannabis sativa have been known for centuries. Though its use dwindled in the early 20th century, we are now rediscovering the ways that cannabis can be used as a prescribed pain killer. One particular cannabinoid, cannabidiol (CBD), has been studied repeatedly of late. In their paper “Topical and Systemic Cannabidiol Improves Trinitrobenzene Sulfonic Acid Colitis in Mice,” Schicho and Storr found CBD to have a “favorable side effect profile.”

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The Whys and How of Topical CBD

Cannabidiol can ameliorate many chronic disease symptoms related to pain and swelling. In addition to its antiinflammatory properties, Giacoppo et al. found in their study, “A new formulation of cannabidiol in cream shows therapeutic effects in a mouse model of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis,” that CBD can also suppress a wide range of pro-inflammatory cytokines. For sufferers of degenerative diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS), CBD has been shown to positively alter how the disease progresses.

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The potential of topical CBD to treat pain and

inflammation is being tested on a wide range of maladies.”

The efficacy of CBD to alleviate or reduce pain from swelling is many times greater when applied as a topical solution as opposed to an oral one. When ingested, the human liver metabolizes cannabinoids and reduces their effectiveness to our bodies. After the liver has done its job, there is only a 13-19 per cent bioavailability of the CBD and a low aqueous solubility. As Giacoppo et al. wrote, this means that what CBD is left for the body to use is still not in a very “user-friendly” format as compared to the greater effectiveness of CBD as a systemic (injected) or topical application.

Case Studies

The potential of topical CBD to treat pain and inflammation is being tested on a wide range of maladies. In Giacoppo et al.’s particularly profound Italian study, mice afflicted with MS were daily anointed with topical creams containing CBD.

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According to this study, the application of a topical cream containing as little as one per cent CBD could exert “neuroprotective” effects against autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a commonly used model for MS, and could go as far as helping sufferers to recover some lost feeling in their limbs or extremities. In their trial, some of the mice recovered sensitivity in their hind limbs. Schicho and Storr’s study, which was also conducted on mice, considered the use of CBD to address symptoms of colitis, or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The Canadian and Austrian researchers compared oral, systemic, and topical CBD formulations. Mice given intrarectal applications of CBD had significantly higher rates of symptom mitigation and control. The application of the topical CBD protected against the possibility of intestinal inflammation, and researchers deemed it an easy method of drug administration.

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The application

of the topical CBD protected against the possibility of intestinal inflammation.”

A third study by Thapa et al., which was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, looked at the ability of topical CBD to address ocular pain caused by damaged corneal tissue. The corneas of mice were anointed with capsaicin, the agent found within hot peppers that make them spicy. A percentage of the mice received a topical CBD treatment, while others received different or no treatment. Those that received the CBD treatment were found to blink far less, an indication that their eyes were bothering them less than

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those not provided with the CBD alternative. This study stated at the outset that current treatment for corneal pain sufferers are “frequently ineffective” and concluded that topical CBD formulations “could offer a novel therapy for ocular pain and inflammation.” And while not exactly life-threatening but relevant to millions of people worldwide, an in-depth, recent European study by Oláh et al. showed great promise and success in the trials of using CBD on human cells to disrupt the formation of acne. The CBD prevents the formation of excessive fat that is caused by pro-acne agents. Furthermore, the study found that cannabidiol demonstrated “remarkable anti-bacterial activity.” Whether life-threatening or superficial, CBD topical treatments seem to hold some of the greatest potential for curing—or at least mitigating—the numerous negative and often painful effects of dozens of common to rare conditions. With continued research, topical CBD could be available as a pain relief for many who suffer even the most banal of aches and pains, without risk of side effects or potential for abuse or misuse that is so common with opiate-derived prescription pain killers.

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Au By

GOP ON POT

Congressman Dana Rohrabacher and the Current State of Cannabis Legislation Support for legalizing medical marijuana at the federal level is being driven by an unlikely supporter: Republican Congressman Dana Rohrabacher. August Dunning sat down with the congressman to understand Rohrabacherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s role and his reasons for ending prohibition.

AUGUST DUNNING: The cannabis industry is in a state of growth and great change. A new attorney general, and many new states have legalized medical cannabis and outright recreational use. What do you think is driving the charge to change federal laws?

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DANA ROHRABACHER: Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the reality that the states, one by one, are becoming pro-legalization states. And the more states that legalize it and the use of marijuana in their states, the more people in Washington DC realize that they are on the wrong side of this issue.

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learn AD: So, the people still have the power to determine this movement?

DR: Right. AD: At the federal level, what is your

role to end prohibition? Not just change it from Schedule 1 to Schedule 2 to hand it over to the pharmaceutical companies, but to end prohibition altogether.

DR: My role is to do my best to tie the

legal status of marijuana at the state level with the legal status of marijuana at the federal level. That’s my only task because we can win votes based on what the states don’t want the federal lawmakers to determine as policy. Because all that counts regarding marijuana law and policy is the combined will of the three groups that count: the president, the people, and the people in congress in terms of setting policy.

AD: How have cannabis laws, in your words, “violated every principle America stands for over the last 75 years?” Do you think they have been an affront against liberty? DR: The answer is yes. And there have

been a number of things that have been an affront, like peacetime drafts that were ended by Nixon with the support of Goldwater and Reagan, or the federal government’s decision to prohibit alcohol. In fact, we’ve had numerous examples of the government going beyond its constitutional authority trying to control what people consume, which is not the job set out for them by the Constitution.

AD: You and I come from the same gen-

eration. What has been your experience and how has it changed your views on cannabis laws over the years?

DR: There has been no change in my

views. Since I was in college, it has always been my view that people have a right to consume what they want to consume. It’s their right to do so, especially when it comes to things that might help their health. In terms of marijuana itself, I haven’t consumed any marijuana since I was 23 years old but about three years ago, I had a shoulder that began giving me severe pain. I used a CBD salve on it and it alleviated the pain for about an hour and a half. I honestly believe that had we had the research at the time, it wouldn’t have been an hour and a half;

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who knows, it could have been five, six, maybe seven hours but as it was, it worked better than some opiate that would have serious side effects.

AD: In that respect, how do you feel cannabis is different from other drugs? DR: Well, it’s a natural substance, but I suppose you could say that opium is a natural substance too. But cannabis can be grown in someone’s backyard easily. It’s impossible for the federal government to control, especially people that want to use it for medical purposes, if that’s what people decide they want to do.

AD: The human body has endocannabinoid receptor sites that allows the plant-based cannabinoids to act on the human body. Do you feel this is a good reason to use cannabis for medical purposes? DR: I support people being able to use whatever they want to handle their medical problems and it’s their right to choose the cannabis strains that they want if they are more effective than other things they have tried from doctors.

AD: That’s interesting because the different strains of cannabis have different levels of terpenes, the fragrance molecules that give the plants different unique fragrances like pine or lemon. It’s been shown in multiple examples in foreign research papers that terpenes like limonene and pinene can get inside cancer cells and short circuit the NF kappaB signaling to prevent cancer cells from replicating. What kind of protections need to be provided to advance this same research in this country?

“Since I was in college, it has always been my view that people have a right to consume what they want to consume. It’s their right to do so, especially when it comes to things that might help their health.”

DR: It’s been illegal up until now for

universities to possess the strains of cannabis with the levels of potency to study those findings and replicate them. But now, with state legalization of medical marijuana, researchers in those states are making huge strides and are way beyond the curve in understanding the potential use medically for cannabis rather than just for recreational use.

AD: You’re a California congressman

and I think our readers would like to know what role you played in the legalization of cannabis for recreational use there in November.

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learn risk to enforce the law. I support law enforcement, don’t get me wrong, but without strong federal legislation, the business owner is vulnerable and not protected from this kind of corruption. But in the current asset forfeiture situation, the American people then rightly can ask the question: What’s the difference between the criminals and the police? The answer is that one has a mask and one has a badge.

AD: The president was very pro DR: The Rohrabacher-Farr amendment had a lot to do with it. Congressman Farr, who was my partner in this for a number of years, is from northern California and a Democrat, so there was a bi-partisan California consensus. However, there were only four of my fellow republican colleagues from California that joined us and supported the amendment, but it was supported by almost all of the Democrats. Congressman Farr is now retired and Oregon Congressman Blumenauer has become the co-author of the bill in the House. There are a lot of bills currently floating around congress, but most of them have zero chance of being enacted because they only address singular issues. That’s not what the industry needs. I, on the other hand, have one bill that will handle all the marijuana and cannabis issues that people need to have a medical or recreational business. The bill says that all federal agencies, not just the justice department or internal revenue, are required to obey the laws enacted in the states that have legalized cannabis. It means that the internal revenue service, banking… all normal services for legal business must be provided and protected in that state with no exceptions, like any business that follows the rules and regulations of that state. This will stop the wholesale confiscation by the police of money and resources that is currently taking place by police departments and corrupt district attorneys. It’s a huge problem when you have an industry trying to get started in states with legally regulated cannabis where businesses cannot deposit in the banks due to the federal banking money laundering laws. They have to keep their money in huge plastic bags at their place of business or homes, and the local law enforcement or federal agents can just come in and seize it under asset forfeiture laws. This is an organized theft that is just tearing down any respect for the law and it cheapens and demeans the good people that go out every day at great personal 70

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medical marijuana during the campaign, but his new attorney general, Jeff Sessions, seems to be at odds with the president’s position.

DR: Jeff Sessions is the attorney

general; he is not the president of the United States. The president won in several states that the cannabis voters may have been a determining factor in his winning in those states. This president seems to be following through on his pledges, unlike many past ones. And although Jeff Sessions has always said drug use needs to be stamped out because government needs to protect people from themselves, this view undermines every concept of freedom and liberty this country is founded upon. Mr. Trump said medical marijuana should be legal and adult use should be left up to the states. He said it several times during the campaign. I’m trying to make sure that we get the president to focus on this so we can know whether or not his vision that he expressed during the campaign will be the dominant force on marijuana policy or if it will be left up to the attorney general. The big question is whether the president is going to listen to the people that have failed to prevent people from utilizing drugs, all the while making a fortune from asset forfeiture. The result of these failed policies is a drug cartel industry on our southern border that is monsterously powerful. The president needs to assert his vision.

“The bill says that all federal agencies, not just the justice department or internal revenue, are required to obey the laws enacted in the states that have legalized cannabis.”

AD: You know both men. Have you had a chance to talk to them about your bill and this issue? DR: I have talked to both of them

on other issues but not this one yet. I hope to have a chance to sit down and do so soon.

AD: How soon do you think your bill may be passed? DR: There is an 18-month deadline

for a vote, but I hope to get it passed in eight to 12 months.

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learn AD: What do you think is holding back

the end of federal prohibition?

DR: Perception. AD: Perception? DR: Yeah, too many images of Cheech

and Chong and the hippies of the ’60s still in the minds of legislators, of kids smoking dope and fornicating in the park at the Summer of Love. It’s hard to fight this image while trying to explain how useful cannabis is. All those images in media of the ’60s have poisoned the well in the minds of those asked to have a serious discussion about cannabis in Washington DC.

AD: When marijuana is legal, should there be any move to release prisoners that have been arrested for non-violent cannabis crimes?

capacitor energy storage devices; expensive and difficult to manufacture. In Canada in 2014, it was found that hemp waste can be used to create the same super capacitor and it’s a great use of the by-product of hemp seed and seed oil production—sticks and stems. You cook the bark of cannabis hydrothermally to dissolve the lignin and the semi-cellulose. This produces carbon nanosheets; a pseudo-graphene structure at one-thousandth the cost of graphene. This invention could reduce or possibly eliminate the need to purchase lithium from Chile or Bolivia and recycles plant waste in an ecologically smart system for energy storage as green batteries. Made in the USA. The list of benefits is long but ethanol, oils, fabrics, cosmetics, building materials… all the things we once used and need to invent from this important plant and remember: the constitution of the United States was written on hemp paper.

“Eventually, the government listens to the people and their voice drives the laws.”

DR: Yes, both at the state and the

federal level, people that have been arrested for using cannabis should be immediately released.

AD: Is there anything you can tell the readers what to look forward to in the future with marijuana laws? DR: I would remind them that, even-

tually, the government listens to the people and their voice drives the laws. We have gotten to the point now that large numbers of normal Americans, I think something like 60 per cent, have said they want these laws to change and around 45 per cent want prohibition to end. Large numbers of identifiable Americans, senior citizens, veterans, and cancer patients that need to use cannabis for medicinal purposes are voting to have these changes enacted at the state level. These groups were on the opposite side of this debate only a few decades ago. It is changing, and I am working to get the bigger changes enacted so we can enjoy the benefits of a new age of cannabis utilization in industry, medicine, energy storage…

AD: Energy storage? DR: Sure. If we want to go to an electric car and solar power paradigm, at some point we will need a lot more batteries than the current global sources of lithium can provide for lithium ion batteries. Graphene is another material that can possibly be used—sheets of carbon atoms that can become super

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AD: Thank you, Dana, we appreciate your efforts to change the laws.

DR: You are welcome; I’m just fighting for freedom and having fun.

Editor’s note: On Sept. 7, as Hydrolife was going to press, the House Rules Committee blocked the RohrabacherBlumenauer amendment that prevents the Department of Justice from interfering with state medical laws. Because of this decision, Rohrabacher and Blumenauer will not be able to offer their amendment when the House considers fiscal year 2018. Rohrabacher and Blumenauer coreleased a statement saying they condemn the decision, adding it will put at risk millions of patients who rely on medical marijuana for treatment.

Augustus Dunning is the CEO of Eco Organics and is a physicist, chemist, and an inventor. He is the former systems ops designer for the International Space Station and a former regional manager of liquid, solid, and electric propulsion systems for Pratt and Whitney space propulsion, Edwards AFB, NAWC, and JPL.

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learn enjoy Ed Rosenthal’s

by Grubbycup Today, more Americans than ever before have the ability to grow and cultivate marijuana for medical and personal use. Marijuana Harvest teaches cultivators how to avoid making costly mistakes, identify problems, and solve them quickly. Long-time grower Grubbycup reviews Rosenthal’s much anticipated new book.

Photo by Tonya Perme Photography

arijuana Harvest: Maximizing Quality and Yield in Your Cannabis Garden addresses in detail the critical stages of harvest, curing, and storage. Even the best-grown, top-shelf buds can be ruined with improper practices at any of these final stages. While these topics are usually relegated to a couple of brief chapters at the end of cannabis growing guides, Marijuana Harvest is Ed Rosenthal’s new book devoted entirely to them. The text portion runs 213 pages and covers a variety of related topics from harvest to finished product. The introduction by co-author David Downs sets a tone that is informative yet easy to follow. The writing isn’t overly technical or academic, and a conversational voice carries through the pages. Planning is often an important part of success, and the book devotes an entire chapter to harvesting strategies. A garden that only requires minimal effort the week before harvest may have a staggering amount of work to be done the weeks of and following harvest. By using strategies such as those suggested, these influxes in labor demand can be planned for and accommodated. Harvesting cannabis plants when they aren’t at their peak is lost potential that can never be regained. The chapter on Curing has a strong influence on flavor, and both contemporipening describes in detail, and rary and traditional methods are discussed. I found the section shows with illustrating photos, devoted to water curing particularly interesting, as it is an the physical signs to watch for older practice that is enjoying a resurgence in popularity. It to determine harvest readiinvolves soaking the buds in a water bath (changed daily) ness. The discussion on for a few days. The method is not without risk, as a mistake, trimming runs the gambit especially during drying, can easily ruin an entire batch. Even of hand trimming versus if successful, water curing leaves the buds looking mistreated machine trimmers, and and ruined. It dramatically reduces “bag appeal” regardless of wet trimming versus dry, the quality of starting material. However, when properly done, with the pros and cons it creates a surprisingly smooth smoke that has an extremely of each addressed. mild flavor. While the process removes much of the personality Drying cannabis too of flavor, it has uses where that can be an asset, such as in the quickly can impart case of cooking if strong cannabis flavors are not desired. unpleasant flavors, but drying too slowly proMy overall impression of the book was that it covered its chomotes mold growth. The sen topics well and in an easy-to-understand method. There book explains strategies are a few points here and there where my personal opinions for avoiding both. differ, but that can be expected as many experienced growers will have picked up their own methods they are comfortable with over time. The information given could well save an inexperienced gardener more than the purchase price of the book in a single harvest, and it makes some points of value for even a seasoned grower.

Grubbycup has been an avid indoor gardener for more than 20 years. His articles were first published in the United Kingdom, and since then his gardening advice has been published in French, Spanish, Italian, Polish, Czechoslovakian, and German. He is also considered one of the world’s leading authorities on crochet hydroponics.

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POTCOIN

THE BITCOIN ALTERNATIVE FOR THE MARIJUANA INDUSTRY

Bitcoin may be the most well-known cryptocurrency, but it isn’t the only one. In the cannabis space, Potcoin is an up-and-coming contender looking to be the currency flowing in and out of people’s digital wallets.

by Cory Hughes

ver the last year or so, we have seen the rise of a new phenomenon known as cryptocurrencies. By now, many of us have already heard about Bitcoin. Bitcoin was the first and still the largest cryptocurrency in the space with a market cap now breaking $41 billion. As Bitcoin continues to grow and gain real-world adoption as both a payment system and a store of value, hundreds of new digital coins have emerged, each offering their own take on blockchain technology.

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“

UNLIKE MANY OF THE COINS ENTERING THE CRYPTO MARKET, POTCOIN FULFILLS A REAL-WORLD NEED.”

Many cryptocurrencies are targeting specific industries. There is Chronobank, whose new coin seeks to change the way staffing is handled. There is Musicoin, which wants to become the musician’s currency of choice. And then there is Potcoin, which looks to change the way cannabis banking, or lack thereof, is handled at the retail level. Potcoin has entered two brand-new markets at a time when both cannabis and cryptocurrencies are spreading at exponential rates. Unlike many of the coins entering the crypto market though, Potcoin fulfills a real-world need. Instead of simply attempting to compete with Bitcoin—which is no small feat—Potcoin looks to help the cannabis industry solve the problem of being, for the most part, unbankable.

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Federal regulation in the US continues to prevent the big banks from dealing with cannabis money, and many of the smaller banks follow their lead. There are few banking solutions out there, but they can be inconvenient, meaning not in your state or otherwise not attractive to businesses that are thus forced solely to deal in cash. Being forced to keep cash on hand is a major hindrance for cannabis companies. That, combined with tight restrictions on taxes and the inability to write-off business expenses that every other industry gets to enjoy, paints a picture of an industry in desperate need of a solution. The problem of banking has forced many seemingly reputable cannabis dispensaries to skirt the law and open separate “Joe’s T-Shirt Company” type entities to handle credit and debit card transactions. Still, a few shirts on the wall does not a T-shirt company make. Potcoin, however, offers dispensaries and cannabis companies a lawful way to bypass cash and remove the problem of banking while simultaneously participating in the new digital economy. One of the biggest fears about accepting cryptocurrencies at the retail level is the incredible amount of volatility. As cryptocurrencies are traded on an open market, they do fluctuate in price. But who wants to make a sale only to find out their money is worth 20 per cent less the next day? Over the years, new cryptocurrency-related merchant services have expanded. Nowadays, Potcoin and a handful of other often-accepted retail cryptocurrencies can instantly be turned into Bitcoin or even a digital version of the US dollar for stability. If the retailer needs to make payments in real George Washington dollars, there are retail-ready, third-party solutions that make money transfer and payments easier than using a credit card.

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learn The one feature of using Potcoin and other similar blockchain technologies that should most appeal to cannabis business owners is the direct ownership of the coins. A bank is a third party that bows to the whims of the federal government. As we’ve seen, banks have no problem handing over bank accounts of those simply accused of a cannabis crime. Cryptocurrencies, on the other hand, exist on the blockchain and can be controlled only by those who possess the private key to unlock their coins. That means that if a dispensary’s business is seized, whether for just reasons or not, no one can take, view, or access the money if it is secured on the blockchain.

“

IT IS SAFE TO SAY THAT CRYPTOCURRENCIES ARE NOT SIMPLY A CURRENCY BUT A NEW FORM OF TECHNOLOGY THAT THE WORLD HAS NEVER SEEN BEFORE.”

Cryptocurrencies are still in their infancy. Still, they have seen their market cap grow from only around $13 billion last year to more than $115 billion. The technology is becoming easier for both customers to use and businesses to receive. Potcoin and other cryptocurrencies utilize technologies that are only now starting to gain the attention of major financial institutions and even governments. Countries like Japan have already legalized cryptocurrency use at the retail level and it is only a matter of time before their mass adoption makes its way to North America. It is safe to say that cryptocurrencies are not simply a currency but a new form of technology that the world has never seen before. Solving the banking problems the cannabis industry currently faces is only the beginning.

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DECIPHERING

TERPENES

The aroma and flavor of a specific cannabis strain is trying to tell you something. Just like THC and CBD, terpenes attach to receptors in the brain and have various effects on the mind and body. Rich Hamilton helps you pair the ailment with the terpene.

he main compound that cannabis is famous for is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). This is the active ingredient that creates the â&#x20AC;&#x153;highâ&#x20AC;? feeling that is experienced when cannabis enters the bloodstream. Cannabidiol (CBD) is the secondary compound found in cannabis and has risen to prominence in recent years in the form of CBD oil due to its amazing health benefits and the fact that it contains none of the psychoactivity of THC. This makes it an attractive alternative health choice for people who would never contemplate using cannabis otherwise.

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MJBizCon: The Industry Show You Can’t Miss “

This is an industry that’s ever changing, and if you miss an opportunity to become educated on those new trends, you’re behind. So you have to be here, in order to stay on top of what’s going on and stay current.

”

-Patrick Rea, CEO & Co-Founder at Canopy Accelerator

MJBizCon.com OR CALL (401) 354-7555 X 1

Las Vegas Convention Center November 15-17, 2017

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enjoy â&#x20AC;?LEARNING TO identify terpenes is a

great skill to have in terms of widening your knowledge of cannabis.â&#x20AC;?

There are other compounds, however, that are still unfamiliar to most but are beginning to be better understood as the benefits of cannabis are further explored by science. These compounds are called terpenes. Simply put, terpenes are fragrant oils that are secreted in a flowerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sticky resin glands, the same place that THC and CBD are secreted. Unlike THC and CBD, however, terpenes are not exclusive to cannabis and are present in lots of plants and fruits, such as peppermint, coriander, lavender, mango, and pine. They are what give these and other plants their signature smell and are what essential oils are derived from. In scientific terms, terpenes are organic compounds, a large group of volatile hydrocarbons found in many plants (and even some insects). In terms of their purpose, the strong odor is thought to act as protection for the plant from herbivores by deterring them and attracting predators of herbivores.

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enjoy In cannabis, terpenes are probably most noticeable in the smell (or the flavor) and explain why different strains can have such different odors, ranging from citrusy to sweet to spicy. This makes it very easy (after a little practice) to identify which terpenes a strain contains just by smelling it. As they do in essential oils, terpenes in cannabis have different properties that are thought to be therapeutic for different needs. Just like THC and CBD, terpenes attach to receptors in the brain and as a result, have various effects on the mind and body. So, wondering which terpenes your cannabis contains, what they do, and where else you can find them? There are at least 120 identified terpene compounds in cannabis plants, so it would take a long time to look at all of them. Below are six of the most common cannabis terpenes to get you started. The boiling point of the terpene is important to keep in mind if you are cooking with cannabis, as heating it beyond this point will see you lose the terpenes benefit as it burns off.

MYRCENE

PINENE

HUMULENE

Pinene helps alleviate inflammation and asthma, as well as increases memory retention and alertness. Its aroma is a sharp, sweet pine smell, and it is also found in conifers, pine, and sage. It has a boiling point of 155°C (311°F).

LINALOOL

Linalool is believed to combat insomnia, stress, depression, anxiety, pain, and convulsions. Its effects are thought to be sedating and calming. It has a floral, citrus, and spicy aroma and is also found in lavender, citrus fruits, laurel, birch, and rosewood. It has a boiling point of 198°C (388°F).

CARYOPHYLLENE

Caryophyllene is thought to work as an antioxidant as well as helping inflammation, muscle spasms, pain, and insomnia. It has no known physical effects. It has a pepper, wood, and spice aroma and is also found in pepper, cloves, hops, basil, and oregano. The boiling point is 160°C (320°F).

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Myrcene works as an antiseptic, an anti-bacterial, and an anti-fungal, and helps with reducing inflammation. It is sedating and relaxing, probably a result of its ability to enhance the effects of the THC in cannabis. Myrcene’s aroma has notes of musk, clove, herbal, and citrus. It is also found in mango, thyme, citrus, lemongrass, and bay leaf. The boiling point is 168°C (334°F).

LIMONENE

Limonene is supposed to be good for gastric reflux. It also works as an anti-fungal while helping to reduce depression and anxiety. The effects of limonene are elevated mood and stress relief. It smells heavily of citrus, of lemon and orange. No surprise then that it is found in citrus rind as well as juniper and peppermint. The boiling point is 176°C (349°F).

Humulene is thought to assist with pain relief, and it works as an anti-inflammatory and an anti-bacterial. Its physical effect is that it suppresses appetite. It has a woody, earthy aroma and is also found in hops and coriander. Its boiling point is 198°C (388°F).

”IN CANNABIS, terpenes are probably

most noticeable in the smell (or the flavor) and explain why different strains can have such different odors, ranging from citrusy to sweet to spicy.”

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â&#x20AC;?LEARNING HOW to do this can only

serve to make you appreciate cannabis more and make you a true connoisseur.â&#x20AC;?

At first glance, some of these benefits can be associated with the effects of THC or CBD by themselves, such as relaxation or pain relief. It is worth looking a little deeper into which strains you are ingesting, however, as the particular terpene associated with it could only heighten these effects or add to them. Labs that create medical marijuana are starting to map out the terpene profile of different strains and manipulate them by increasing the content of one type of terpene or crossing strains to add another terpene. This is interesting because it means we could reach a time when cannabis strains could be tailormade to focus their active ingredients on a specific effect. Learning to identify terpenes is a great skill to have in terms of widening your knowledge of cannabis. Think of it in the same way how wine tasters identify the region or type of the wine they are drinking and what food it complements best. With terpenes, you are identifying which strain of cannabis complements your needs best at that time. Learning how to do this can only serve to make you appreciate cannabis more and make you a true connoisseur.

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Rich Hamilton has been in the hydroponics industry for more than 20 years, working originally as a general manager in a hydroponics retail outlet before becoming an account manager at Century Growsystems. He currently works at Eden Horticulture. Rich enjoys working on a daily basis with shop owners, manufacturers, distributors, and end-users to develop premium products.

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A BAKER’S DOZEN with

Maya Elisabeth By Mary Schumacher

As cannabis becomes mainstream, markets that were once in the shadows are emerging into the light. Canna-innovators Whoopi Goldberg and Maya e W hi t o t hy im T Elisabeth teamed up to develop a specialty line just for women’s o by Ph o t menstruation cycles and not only is it working, it’s taking the market by storm.

n a whirlwind of top talent and innovation, the Whoopi & Maya brand was born. It began with actress Whoopi Goldberg, who had the unique idea to make a line of cannabis products specifically for women to address the pains and mood swings that come with menstruation. She called then associate publisher of High Times, Rick Cusick, and told him her idea. It all sprang from there. Rick assembled a team of top pot players, including Maya Elisabeth, whose infusions had already won her seven Cannabis Cups at the time. Maya is a purest in the purest sense of the word, and brought a level of spirituality and oneness to the project. She also made sure that all ingredients were human- and animal-friendly. No animal testing,

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no GMOs, no subpar ingredients, almost everything organic: just good-forthe-soul remedies that get women in the mood to work, play, and even enjoy their time of the month. Based in California, the products remain medical in nature and have not yet opened up to the recreational market, but Whoopi & Maya has big plans on the horizon. From a mostly female-led collective to products that can’t be found elsewhere, the brand has risen to be the cream of the crop. Maya was kind enough to take some time with Hydrolife to tell us more about how she and Whoopi connected, what the atmosphere is like in the California cannabis scene, and more about the wonderful concoctions of Whoopi & Maya.

Hydrolife: What was your initial reaction when approached about the Whoopi & Maya line? Maya: My first reaction when I was ap-

proached about the Whoopi & Maya line was absolute shock, excitement, anticipation, and an overall feeling of luck. I kept thinking “what are the chances?” I grew up watching this woman’s movies and never when I was watching them was I thinking “you and I will be partners someday!” To take it one step further, I never was thinking “you and I will be making cannabis medicine together someday,” and even one step further… I never knew that she and I would be making menstrual relief cannabis products together. To this day, the feelings of joy, excitement, and luck are still with me.

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What is important about this women-dedicated line of products? I believe it’s very important that this line is geared towards women because the menstrual cycle is something that women deal with for many years of their lives, and often suffer silently without choices for relief. It’s really important to have a healthy, effective, delicious, and enjoyable arsenal of tools. There are only positive side effects for women on the go. A woman doesn’t get time off from her life because of her cycle and we have to keep moving so we can pay our bills. The importance of this is almost beyond words.

What are the products geared for? Our products are geared for menstrual relief. Cannabis is helpful for physical discomforts as well as mood support, and it makes it the perfect life-hack for every cycle and dealing with PMS. All of our formulations are very deliberate, and they are made with intention for specific needs. One of the ways that we achieve that is by using different herbs that have been helping women with menstrual discomfort for thousands of years.

Do you take any extra measures to ensure the medicinal benefits? We do take extra steps to make sure that our product is the best product we can deliver. A series of lab tests all the way through to make sure that our dosing is on point and that we are free from molds and pesticides. We also do our best to get wild-crafted herbs and use almost all organic ingredients. Our packaging is sourced from America and we try our absolute best to make the most sustainable decisions possible for ourselves and everyone involved.

What types of ingredients can we expect from the cacao? Our chocolate is made with six organic, raw, vegan, fair trade, gluten-free ingredients—all that you can pronounce.

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You could literally rub it on your skin (and then lick it off) and you would probably have some benefits. That’s the philosophy behind both companies (Om Edibles as well, more on that to follow)—if you can’t put it on your skin, don’t put it in your mouth, and if you can’t eat it, don’t put it on your skin. We believe that our edibles and topicals are only as good as the ingredients we use to produce them and that you really get out what you put in.

How about the other products? You can expect the same quality in all of our products. We use pharmacological-grade Epsom salts in the soak that are created in a controlled environment because we understand they’re touching your most intimate parts. We also only use therapeutic-grade essential oils and almost all our ingredients are organic, cannabis included, even though we’re not allowed to say so on the packaging because it’s federally illegal. Going one step further, we use organic biodynamic cannabis. Another benefit of pharmacological-grade salt is that no damage is done to the Earth to source them. We really like that. It also spares you from contaminants in the environment.

No animal

testing,

no GMOs, no subpar ingredients, almost everything organic: just good-for-the-soul remedies that get women in the mood to work, play, and even enjoy their time of the month.”

Do you plan on expanding to the recreational market? We are really excited about the recreational market, but we are also watching with caution as we definitely are a medical cannabis company first. That being said, I do believe that all use has medicinal value, even recreational, and I’m a big supporter in people being able to find safe access to cannabis in anyway possible. We are doing what we always have done: paying close attention, consulting with experts, and making the most informed and healthy decisions possible.

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enjoy How does Om Edibles fit in? I think it’s safe to say that Om Edibles and Whoopi & Maya are sister brands. Without Om, Whoopi would’ve never found me. It’s definitely the foundation. Whoopi & Maya is a celebrity line that’s geared towards women, so as different as the brands are, we still share the same philosophy for a quality of standards for both brands. We both view and treat cannabis as a superfood and healing herb and we believe that when cannabis is combined with other super foods, healing herbs, and nutritionally dense ingredients, a superior medicine is made. That’s the same exact philosophy for Om. Om has been around for more than eight years and is still kicking strong to this day. I see very bright futures for both companies.

Cannabis is

helpful

Photo by Timothy White

for physical discomforts as well as mood support, and it makes it the perfect lifehack for every cycle and dealing with PMS.”

What special skills do you and your team bring to the table? I’m blessed to say we have a fabulous production crew and we all have a few things in common. Number one, we all enjoy cannabis responsibly and medicinally

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heal and reap the benefits daily. It’s so important to understand the value of making medicine because all of that intention and energy actually ends up in the products. We like responsible, positive, healthy attitudes of people that consider this work and will work and enjoy and understand the responsibility and value of it. We mostly have women working on production, except for one man, and it’s not that we’re against hiring men, it just kind of ended up that way.

How did you form your team? Our team has been formed very naturally. Our head of production was a trimmer with me for years. This is kind of the evolution of our trim scene. Now, we are in a commercial kitchen and everybody gets paychecks, which is very exciting for someone who has watched this industry grow. We usually hire friends and family, or people that we know from a recommendation, because it’s actually quite a responsibility to work in this environment. We only work

with people that we know and trust, and that usually comes by way of a friend’s recommendation. We try our best to keep it in the family.

How did the collaboration between you and Whoopi first materialize? The partnership with Whoopi all happened because of High Times publisher emeritus, Rick Cusick. Because Om has been competing in competitions for so long and had some success, when Whoopi reached out to High Times with her idea, Rick began scanning his Rolodex with the sales team and realized that we are an all-female collective that has nine Cannabis Cups and three Emerald Cups. He decided to reach out to us to see if we were the people to talk to. At that point, I said yes, we absolutely were and I reached out to my herbalist friend Alexis Gandara, who owns a company called Rooted Grounds. She’s an extremely talented herbalist medicine maker who has had a line

of tincture and rub for menstrual discomfort that does not contain cannabis, but does contain many healing herbs. For years, we’ve been talking about putting our medicine together, so once I got the phone call we went from there and two of the four products are multi-herb collaborations between her and I and the other two are original Om formulations.

What can we expect next from the company? You can expect lots of new things from us! We have plenty of things in the works that I can’t tell you just yet, but I will let you know we have a roll-on for our topical coming out very soon and we definitely have something in store for the men.

Mary Schumacher has been writing for cannabis publications for 12 years, specializing in celebrity and musician interviews, movie and album reviews, and developing news stories. More recently, she has focused on technical cultivation and lighting articles. She also contributes to the New York Post as a book reviewer.

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THE

UN-CONFUSION CANNABIS INFUSION by Rich Hamilton

Cannabis infusions are a popular, yet slightly confusing, way to produce edibles. After all, how do you know the end potency of your concoction? Rich Hamilton is here to clear things up.

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popular way to cook with cannabis is via infusion. Infusing decarboxylated cannabis with something like butter or oil makes the possibilities of what you can make almost endless, as most recipes either contain some sort of fat or can have it added without too much consequence. You can also be quite confident that you will get a pretty even spread of the infusion throughout your meal. Most importantly, though, THC binds easily to fat, so it is a no-brainer to infuse it with butter or cooking oil for optimum potency. When creating an infusion, it is important to roughly calibrate the strength. If you’ve experienced what it’s like to consume too much cannabis, you’ll know it’s not a pleasant experience and can lead to a range of side effects including anxiety, nausea, dizziness, and, in some cases, hallucinations. This risk is heightened in the case of edibles because the active ingredients are absorbed into the bloodstream through the digestive system, which causes the effects of the cannabis to be felt more strongly and for a longer length of time than they would be if the cannabis had been smoked. Another issue with edibles is that after consumption, the effects of the cannabis are not felt for around 20-30 minutes. People will often eat more to make the effects more immediate, like they are when smoking. However, this, as you could guess, doesn’t speed up your digestive system. It simply sets you up for a much larger dose than you are used to. A good place to start is to make an infusion with 10 milligrams (mg) of THC per teaspoon. Of course, it’s easier to achieve this when you know the THC percentage of your cannabis. Figure 1 is a table to give you a general idea of how much cannabis to use depending on your THC strength.

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Figure 1

THC percentage

Cannabis amount

30%

0.12 oz (3.5 g)

20%

0.19 oz (5.5 g)

25% 15% 10%

0.16 oz (4.5 g) 0.25 oz (7 g)

0.37 oz (10.5 g)

If you do not know the strength of your cannabis, pick a cannabis amount from the infusion guide above. Then, before cooking, try half a teaspoon to check the potency. If you can handle a full teaspoon, then that’s where you need to be. If you need it weaker, then just add more fat to reduce the strength. If you find that it’s not strong enough, there’s not much you can do at the infusion stage. Instead, simply increase the amount of the cannabis butter or oil you use in your recipes. Just be sure to note down all your dosages along the way so that you can adjust your next infusion to the perfect strength if needed. It’s important to remember that during the decarboxylation and infusion process that some THC is lost. If infusions are made carefully and correctly, then this loss should not be more than 20 per cent. (This has been factored in to the calculations in the measurements table above, however, so you that you will still be producing 10 mg THC per teaspoon even after this loss has occurred.) Heat is the main reason for loss of THC during cooking. So, to maintain the highest levels of potency, you should keep temperatures as low as possible and use an oven thermometer to ensure that your temperatures are, in fact, correct despite what your oven dial may say. For that reason, I would advise against cooking anything that has been infused in the oven above a temperature of 340˚F. You should also not microwave anything, cook at high heat on the stovetop, or bring your infused butter or oil to a boil. As such, recipe cooking times may need to be extended, but be patient. All good things come to those that wait.

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enjoy “Infusing decarboxylated cannabis with something like butter or oil makes the possibilities of what you can make almost endless, as most recipes either contain some sort of fat or can have it added without too much consequence.” When using your infusion, remember your dosage rates. One teaspoon of cannabutter equals one serving. So, four teaspoons of cannabutter would make a dish strong enough to serve four people. You can, of course, add more cannabutter if you feel you need it to be stronger. This is personal preference and fine if only you will be eating it. However, be sure to take others into consideration if they are going to be eating your food, as everyone has different tolerance levels or may not be used to the effects. Always inform people that your food is infused and to what strength before you offer it to them, and label food clearly in case of unexpected/unaware snackers. Also, remember that the addition of cannabutter to your recipes may alter the taste. If you like the taste of cannabis, this isn’t an issue. If you want the taste to remain authentic, the best way to disguise the cannabis is to increase the other ingredients with the strongest flavours. With sweet baked goods, this is much easier as you can increase or add natural flavourings such as chocolate, coffee, cinnamon, and peanut. Trial and error is the key here. Like many things, making edibles is down to the individual and what their expectations, needs, and tolerances are. This guide is just that, a starting point for you from which to get creative. So, go and give it a try and see what you can come up with using this wonderful and versatile herb. The possibilities really are endless. Just remember, with great power comes great responsibility. Take it easy at the start.

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CANNABUTTER RECIPE Ingredients: 16 oz unsalted organic butter 7 g decarboxylated cannabis, chopped or blended until very fine Tools Saucepan Mesh strainer Cheesecloth Glass bowl Spatula 16-oz airtight container

Method: • Heat your unsalted butter until melted. • Add your decarboxylated cannabis, giving it a good stir. • Cook for three hours on a low heat stirring every 15-20 minutes. • Layer the fine mesh strainer with cheesecloth and pour the finished cannabutter mixture through it into your glass bowl. • Press the mix in the cheesecloth with the back of your spatula to squeeze out as much of the infusion as possible into the bowl. • Let the butter infusion cool down, but not to the point where it begins to solidify. Pour it into your airtight container. Close the container and store in your fridge, where it will keep for up to three months. Please note that when cooking with the infusion, you will need to melt the butter once again before adding to your recipe so that it mixes in well with your other ingredients.

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I DOOB THE CANNABIS WEDDING, FROM DÉCOR TO DOOBIES by Chris Bond

As theme weddings take on new and unusual forms (unicorn wedding, anyone?), the idea of making cannabis a centrepiece of your big day doesn’t seem too far-out. And if a typical booze-soaked reception isn’t your thing, a cannabis bar could provide a feasible alternative, says Chris Bond. 100

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s legalization of recreational cannabis continues to proliferate, so does its accepted use in seemingly unusual or even mundane places. Enter cannabis weddings. I don’t mean passing around a joint behind the reception hall with your buddies at cousin Scott’s wedding or bong hits with the soon-to-be groom at his bachelor party, but cannabis as a part of the actual ceremony and reception. It’s becoming a thing and, in some places, big business.

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CANNABIS WEDDING DÉCOR The inclusion of cannabis at weddings can take the form of an in-your-face celebration of the joys of smoking marijuana, or as a discreet way to indulge amongst a group of friends. The image of the cannabis plant or its flowers (or an abstract design representing it) may be incorporated into a bridal altar, into the bride’s or groom’s attire, that of the wedding party, or as the prevailing theme with the reception decorations. Other betrothed couples may wear cannabis itself. This can take the form of wedding gowns, suits, cummerbunds, ties, and ribbons made of hemp fibres or blended with hemp, or wearing some form of the plant. Some brides and bridesmaids may wear cannabis corsages, and the bride may carry (and later toss) a bouquet complete with cannabis leaves or flowers, while the groom and groomsmen may wear cannabis leaf or flower boutonnières. Reception tables at cannabis weddings are often adorned with floral arrangements including cannabis leaves or flowers in their centrepieces and/or table settings. Guest gifts at some cannabis weddings range (depending upon local laws) from the giving of actual marijuana plants to a sampling of blends or strains of cannabis that the bride and groom enjoy. Still others mark the day for their guests or wedding party with personalized bongs, bowls, rolling papers, or lighters.

“

DURING THE RECEPTION, in lieu of the traditional champagne toast, a celebratory smoke may be proposed to toast the newly joined bride and groom.”

CANNABIS CONSUMPTION IN THE CEREMONY/RECEPTION Using cannabis prior to the big day, especially during bachelor/bachelorette parties, is nothing new, but publicly using it on the wedding day is. However, the use of cannabis can fit in to all aspects of the wedding and reception. Some use it to ease the normal tensions and anxiety associated with wedding day jitters. It can also be a great bonding experience for the bride, groom, and wedding party. Some couples incorporate it into the actual ceremony with a couples’ first toke or bong hit upon being declared legally bound. The bride and groom may request that those in attendance may also share in that experience if they wish. During the reception, in lieu of the traditional champagne toast, a celebratory smoke may be proposed to toast the newly joined bride and groom. Some weddings may have cannabis bars instead of, or in addition to, traditional bars with alcoholic beverages. Hookah bars or vaping areas are not unusual for some cannabis weddings. Locating these areas in separate rooms or simply away from the main gathering allows guests to choose if they’d like to partake or not, as well as offers some privacy for those who do. The use of cannabis during a wedding reception can create a mellow atmosphere among those in attendance. In fact, receptions that offer cannabis and not alcohol can have a lower potential for altercations amongst guests. It also takes a smaller amount of product to have a strong effect, which means stocking a cannabis bar with flowers, concentrates, and edibles can be much cheaper than stocking a wet bar with alcohol. Andrew Mieure at Top Shelf Budtending estimates hiring a budtender, which is recommended for assisting novice consumers, costs approximately $500 per event. The cost of cannabis on top of that can vary, with an estimated consumption rate of about two ounces of dry flower or 13 grams of concentrates per 100 guests.

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“

ANOTHER OPTION instead of smoking or vaping is to offer edibles in the form of beverages or baked goods.”

Another option instead of smoking or vaping is to offer edibles in the form of beverages or baked goods, such as cannabis tonics, brownies, cookies, gummies, or candies. Of course, not all cannabis weddings are so organized; some simply state on the invite that guests can or are encouraged to BYOC (bring your own cannabis).

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR CANNABIS NUPTIALS You need not be a grower, seller, or employee of a dispensary to make a living supporting the cannabis wedding phenomenon. There is a marijuana-themed corollary for almost every aspect of a traditional wedding (sorry, no hemp paper marriage certificates just yet). Weed wedding planners, photographers, and bakers abound, ready to cash in on all things kush. Obviously, not everyone is comfortable being around marijuana or its use. Those proprietors of businesses that cater to wedding events that either use themselves or support marijuana’s legal use are poised for success in those markets where it is legal to use cannabis recreationally. Even in municipalities where it is lawful to consume marijuana recreationally, it is not typically permitted for public use and may not be consumed on government-owned premises. This can mean that many traditional sites for weddings and receptions like parks and public gardens are off-limits to cannabis weddings. However, any privately owned location can be utilized for tying the knot with pot, providing that it is done so with the property owner’s permission.

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Cannabis wedding expos are starting to pop up in neighbourhoods where pot is legal. Weed wedding-themed (weeding?) websites, which are having great fun with all the puns to be found (like loveandmarij.com), are proliferating by highlighting the myriad ways in which folks can interweave cannabis into their wedding day festivities. Even “traditional” wedding websites are starting to discuss the recent trend of weed weddings and giving tips on how anyone may incorporate aspects of it into their own ceremonies.

“

EVEN ‘TRADITIONAL’

wedding websites are starting to discuss the recent trend of weed weddings.”

Though it will not ever likely eclipse the popularity of the chapel wedding, marijuana weddings are on the rise, with outfits like Colorado-based Irie Weddings booked for more than a dozen weed-themed weddings in 2016. Make sure that you RSVP (Ready to Smoke or Vape Pot) promptly when you get your first invitation to one. I am sure that cannabis funerals are not far behind…

Chris Bond is the manager of the McKay Farm and Research Station at Unity College in Maine. His research interests are with sustainable agriculture, biological pest control as well as alternative growing methods. He is a certified permaculture designer and certified nursery technician in Ohio and a certified nursery professional in New York, where he got his start in growing.

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I find it quite ironic that the most dangerous thing about weed is getting caught with it.

lon terme

A FOOL OF MYSELF A Cannabis Culinary Column

- Bill Murray

TENTH COLUMN. TENTH COUNCILOR.

As we’ve read in her previous columns, Watermelon isn’t a stranger to politics, the law, and change. Now, she’s combining the three and running as a candidate for Vancouver city council.

his marks my tenth column, and we are really starting to cook with cannabis now. We’ve covered the basics, such as cannabis conversion, time-honoured recipes, and why I profess to be an “expert.” We then moved on to some advanced concepts, like how to fight the law and win, glutenfree options, and “Fried! Fried Chicken!” If you’ve been following along, you know for certain that cooking with cannabis does not need to be a daunting task. It becomes a very creative process once you get the hang of it. Essentially, it’s an herb. Use it like one. The options are endless: juice it, dry it and crush it, soak it in booze, toast it in the oven, sauté it in duck fat, etc. Most recently, I infused stovetop popcorn with two tablespoons of Ms. Envy cannabis coconut oil in a pot with a tight-fitting lid. Simple! Delicious! Mildly intoxicating! Another time, I sautéed a teaspoon of dried sativa flowers in peanut oil to mix in with peanut butter. Then, I made a modified classic: PBBJ (peanut budbudder and jam). Rocket scientist need not apply. I love to invent things. Food. Myself. Sometimes, I rearrange the furniture and pretend that I moved. Embracing change and moving forward is always exciting. After all this talk about running for mayor, I am suddenly running for city council in Vancouver’s by-election. Geoff Meggs stepped down to become chief of staff for the new B.C. premier, John Horgan. So, there is one open seat to fill on a council of 10, not including the mayor. Dana Larsen, who ran the Sensible BC campaign, called me up to pitch I run as a “cannabis-friendly councilor.” We would call our party Sensible Vancouver. He would run the campaign. I would be the candidate. So far, it’s the perfect storm.

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Cannabis and its burgeoning new industry will be a great benefit to this city, if done in a meaningful way. Along with offering effective, non-toxic new medicines, it also offers a dynamic, new, green industry and economy. Why inaugurate this new economic opportunity with impossible or arbitrary regulations that make regular citizens unable to compete? After a long struggle for the legalization of cannabis, we cannot hand over the helm to our prohibitionists. British Columbia has always had a thriving cannabis community, regardless of its legal status. How could it otherwise? We must integrate these existing players or suffer mutiny for years to come. We need only to look at Colorado and Washington states to see who has best practices. Colorado integrated compliant stake holders and has had great success. Washington did not and still suffers a thriving black market. No good captain sets sail knowing mutiny is on the horizon. It would be a huge waste of time and money. Plus, you’ll most likely lose your ship.

B.C. BAKED SALMON WITH “ASPARAGRASS”

“ CANNABIS and its burgeoning new industry will be a

great benefit to this city, if done in a meaningful way.”

SALMON

Several 5-8 oz. servings of fatty salmon (such as chinook or sockeye) 1 g dried cannabis per serving of fish Rock salt

• Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C)*

• Place fish on lightly greased casserole dish • Rub dried, crushed marijuana on each serving of salmon • Sprinkle with rock salt

• Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes

• Remove foil and brown the top a bit. Notice the white fat oozing out the sides of the salmon; that is the perfect fat for conversion, along with fish skin *You could also pan fry this dish with similar success.

Sensible Vancouver intends to inspire a large group of people who wouldn’t normally vote, as well as win the hearts of those who do, to come out and support us. It is obvious now that harms caused by prohibition are worse than whatever is being prohibited. We want to reduce those harms until we can legalize all drugs, decriminalize prostitution, and regard shelter as a basic human right. We’ve been gaining overwhelming support from dispensaries and their users by simply talking to them about our idea. We are also reaching out to other communities, such as sex worker advocates, and asking what more needs to be done. If you use a dispensary and want to see it stay open, please join our efforts and vote Mary Jean Dunsdon in this coming Vancouver by-election on October 14, 2017. Personally, I am very excited about the near future. I want to be a fresh voice for Vancouver city council. I want nothing more than to help inclusively usher in this new era of legal cannabis in Canada. I am so full of enthusiasm and Canada is so full of promise right now. We have so much to get right after so much we got wrong. Let’s get it right.

myhydrolife.com

ASPARAGRASS 2 tbsp butter 2 g shake flour 2 cloves chopped garlic 1 lb washed and trimmed asparagus • Start the butter and shake flour on medium-low heat • Toss in the garlic

• Add the asparagus. It will depend on how cooked you like your asparagus as to when you put it in

• Use tongs to keep turning asparagus in weed butter garlic sauce as it cooks • Plate alongside B.C. Baked Salmon

grow. heal. learn. enjoy.

105

MIGRATION BONOBO

British-born and LA-based ambient electronic artist Bonobo keeps things moving with Migration. Bonobo’s music is everchanging, smooth, and sophisticated. He has allowed himself inspiration from many different world sounds and absorbed them into his own. Migration will take you to a new world.

by Gibson Lannister

SILVER EYE GOLDFRAPP

Gibson Lannister has been a musician for more than 15 years and continues to expand his knowledge of theory and technique.

106

Silver Eye is the seventh studio album from UK’s Goldfrapp. The electronic duo of Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory incorporate some gritty alt-rock and industrial sounds into their dreamlike futuristic style. Take a hit of your favourite strain and time travel with Goldfrapp.

grow. heal. learn. enjoy.

WAITING ON A SONG

DAN AUERBACH

Dan Auerbach, lead singer of The Black Keys and The Arcs, has released a second solo album. Waiting on a Song is further proof that he is the hardest-working man in rock and roll. Dan once again puts forth an endless stream of amazing tracks.

SAVAGE TIMES HANNI EL KHATIB

LA-based singer-songwriter Hanni El Khatib returns with his fourth album. He has truly projected his sound and personality into Savage Times. Taking influence from rock, blues, country, and disco, Hanni El Khatib pushes himself as an artist. And at 19 tracks long, Savage Times delivers the goods and then some.

4.5

MADE BY GOD (CHAPTER 1, 2, & 3) DIE ANTWOORD

South African hip-hop group Die Antwoord is shaking it up with Made by God (Chapter 1, 2, & 3). Each of these albums features instrumental re-imaginings of their best tracks. I was really surprised by how much I liked these albums. Plus, without lyrics, I can finally listen to my favourite Die Antwoord songs around my kids.

4.5

BORN YESTERDAY HOLLERADO

The kings of Canadian indie rock, Hollerado are breathing life back into the scene with their new album, Born Yesterday. This album has been well worth the wait. Born Yesterday is all about the good things in life and taking advantage of them, so don’t wait to check out this stellar album.

myhydrolife.com