Culture Magazine Northern California December 2015 by Culture Magazine

CULTURE // December 2015

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December 2015 // CULTURE

CULTURE // December 2015

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December 2015 // CULTURE

CULTURE // December 2015

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December 2015 // CULTURE

december 2015

Contents 38

68 DAPPER AND DOMINATING

Features 30 . The Cannasseur's Holiday Gift Guide 38

. Industry Insider: Jeremy Heidl of O.penVAPE

42 . Rec Can Learn A Lot from the MMJ Movement 46 . Christ and Cannabis 50 . Hemp Fabric: A History 58 . CBD for the Holidays 62

. New Regs in New York

64 . Bingx has Serious Talent on the Mic

George Zimmer, suit mogul and overall business professional, dishes all about his 50+ year appreciation of cannabis and how he’s changing the game in suit-buying. ON THE COVER: Photo by Tonya Perme

10 . Letter from the Editor

NEWS

Departments

90 . Growing Culture 92 . Destination Unknown 94 . Profiles in Courage 96 . Recipes 102 . let’s do this 104 . News of the Weird 108 . SAY WHAT?!

16 . News Nuggets 20 . By the Numbers 22 . political push 24 . legal corner 26 . healthy living

reviews

Canadian Prime Minister Starts the Process of Legalization

28 . company highlight 78 . Entertainment Reviews 80 . STRAIN, Edible &

Cannabis Censorship on Social Media: The Tricky Divide

concentrate ReviewS

Israel Steadily Rising in the Global Cannabis Market

100 . California Seeks Cannabis "Chief"

CULTURE // December 2015

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Vol 7 IssUE 6

/freeculturemag

/ireadculture

letter from the editor

Publisher Jeremy Zachary Editor-In-Chief Evan Senn associate Editor Ashley Bennett Editorial coordinator Victoria Banegas

Presentation Has

Power

recent study published in Social Psychological and Personality Science specifically studies how formal attire changes people’s thought processes. “Putting on formal clothes makes us feel powerful, and that changes the basic way we see the world,” says Abraham Rutchick, an author of the study and a professor of psychology at California State University, Northridge. Rutchick and his co-authors found that wearing formal clothing makes people think more broadly and holistically, rather than narrowly and detail-oriented. People often say dress for the job you want, not for the job you have. Formal menswear mogul George Zimmer knew this psychological fact instinctually, even at an early age. His obsession with suits and the luxury of the perfect fit helped him create an empire of innovation, invention and success, with a lot of style. The cannabis sector has seen this same psychological effect take hold and help shape our growth as a culture and industry. The original “stoner culture” that birthed the bright and shiny cannabis culture we all know now started without much thought into how it appears to others, its presentation or its packaging. Now, the cannabis world is a thriving

CULTURE // December 2015

and booming industry where presentation is of the utmost importance—to change stigmas, misrepresentations and decades of anticannabis propaganda. With countless tragic events occurring every day, all over the world, it is important to consider how the visual presentation of ideas affects people, positively and negatively. In our industry, cannabis legalization and medical access is the most important shared goal— we are looking to help each other, whether it’s through groundbreaking natural medical treatments or through decriminalization of a natural plant, no one in this industry is trying to harm anyone else. It’s all about the betterment of our society, our community and our world. Taking time to shape our message to the world and to each other, with attention to presentation and respect, can only help our ongoing fight for legalization, access and worldwide peace. c Sincerely,

Editorial Contributors Sheryll Alexander, Marguerite Arnold, Jake Browne, Jasen T. Davis, Alex Distefano, David Downs, Natasha Guimond, Addison Herron-Wheeler, Anthony Herrold, Pamela Jayne, Heather Johnson, Joe Jatcko, David Jenison, Kevin Longrie, Emily Manke, Tyler Markwart, Meital Manzuri, Sandy Moriarty, Madison Ortiz, Denise Pollicella, Paul Rogers, Joy Shannon, Lanny Swerdlow, Simon Weedn, Zara Zhi Photographers Steve Baker, Kristopher Christensen, John Gilhooley, Joel Meaders, Duncan Rolfson, Rick Thompson Art Director Steven Myrdahl production manager Tommy LaFleur Graphic Designers Tanya Delgadillo, Jonathan Ibarra Regional Manager Gene Gorelik Account Executives Greg Andes,Callie Belo, Jon Bookatz, Eric Bulls, Kim Cook, Ryan Dunn, Cole Garrison, Gene Gorelik, Yolanda Imoberstag, Emily Musser, Beau Odom, Justin Olson, Jim Saunders, Chris Thatcher, Paulina Porter-Tapia, April Tygart Office Manager Iris Norsworthy Office Assistant Angelina Thompson digital media Editor Kimberly Johnson Ctv Video Editor Deonica Panlilio Ctv Contributors Anna Logan,Chris Salazar Distribution Manager Cruz Bobadilla Culture® Magazine is published every month and distributes 30,000 magazines at over 700 locations throughout the Bay area. No articles, illustrations, photographs, or other matter within may be reproduced without written permission. Culture® Magazine is a registered trademark. All rights reserved. 2175 Sampson Ave. | Suite 118 Corona | California | 92879 Phone 888.694.2046 Fax 888.694.2046 www.iReadCulture.com

Evan A. Senn

Editor-In-Chief

CULTURE® Magazine is printed using post-recycled paper.

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C STATE ________________________

NEWS NUGGETS

appropriate recommendations, fill out forms, or take steps to comply with such a program.”

__________________________

create a Department of Youth to helps oversee the programs, according to The Sacramento Bee.

Supervisors Hope to Regulate Medical Cannabis in Napa County

Supervisors in Napa County have decided to draft out an ordinance that would prohibit the commercial cultivation of medical cannabis and collectives in “unincorporated areas,” according to the Napa Valley Register. This comes with the passing of the Medical Marijuana Regulations and Safety Act, which will allow the state to be the sole regulator of cannabis within in the city if no ordinance is passed by March 1. The Napa County Supervisors did not have any direct negative comments towards medical cannabis, but did mention their worry of the potential dangers of commercially cultivating such a valuable crop could bring. The ordinance still needs to be passed on to the Planning Commission and the Board. Although the Napa County Supervisors are against commercial cultivations, they are considering allowing patients to grow up to six mature personal plants from their homes.

Sacramento Councilman Proposes Cannabis Tax to Fund Youth Programs

Sacramento Councilman Jay Schenirer plans to introduce a proposal on the 2016 ballot that will tax the cultivation and sale of medical cannabis within the city in order to fund youth programs. Schenirer’s proposal would increase the tax on medical cannabis in Sacramento, which is currently at four percent, and tax recreational cannabis if it is approved by voters next year. Other plans include, taxing the cultivation of both recreational and medical cannabis based on square footage of the grow facility or farm. If this proposal is successful, part of the expected $6-$8 million revenue will be put into general city funds, while the majority would go towards internships, job programs, preschools and school transportation. Schenirer feels this will also enable the city to

CULTURE // December 2015

__________________________

NATION New Bill Allows Doctors to Administer Medical Cannabis To Veterans

The Senate has approved the FY2016 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill, which will allow veterans to access medical cannabis. Before the bill was passed, The Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) prohibited doctors who worked with veterans from administering medical cannabis, even in the 23 states where it is legal, according to Congress. gov. The bill prohibits the VA from spending money on enforcement of these regulations, stating that it cannot “interfere with the ability of a veteran to participate in a state-approved medicinal marijuana program, deny any services from the Department to a veteran who is participating in such a program or limit or interfere with the ability of a health care provider of the department to make

World Mexico Supreme Court takes step toward recreational cannabis use

Wednesday, Nov. 5, The Mexican Supreme Court ruled in a 4-1 vote that growing, possessing and smoking cannabis for recreational use is not illegal. The Court decided on this ruling based on the principal that the personal use of cannabis falls under the right of “free development of personality.”Although this is a big step for Mexico in terms of cannabis legalization, the ruling only applies to the cannabis club who took up a case with the court asking for the right to legally utilize cannabis, and does not include sales or commercial production of the substance, according to 9&10 News. President Enrique Pena Neito addressed the ruling on his Twitter account, agreeing to respect the court’s decision but giving orders to the Mexican Government to thoroughly explain the guidelines of the ruling. Following this ruling, a senator from Neito’s governing party introduced a bill that will allow easier access to cannabis-based medicines for patients in Mexico, according to Fox News Latino. VISIT US AT

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by the numb3rs

5 000

The number of signatures collected by a collective owner for a petition that will allow him to open a MMJ collective on Fisherman’s Wharf: 5,000 (source: San Francisco Business Times)

128,808

The highest possible listed salary for California’s new job posting for the “Chief” for the Bureau of Medical Marijuana Regulation, which will set standards for California’s cannabis industry: 128,808 (Source: Sacramento Bee)

The number of collectives in Oakland that are unionized: 1 (Source: San Francisco Gate)

The number of signatures that the “Marijuana Legalization Initiative Statute” requires in order to be placed on the California ballot in 2016: 365,880 (Source: Times of San Diego)

The percentage of Australians who believe that cannabis should be made legal for medical purposes: 91 (Source: The Guardian)

The estimated number of people who attended the first Southwest Cannabis Conference in Phoenix, Arizona: 2,000 (Source: The Monitor Daily)

58 20

The number of licensed collectives currently operating in Oakland: 8 (Source: San Francisco Gate)

2,000

The newly published percentage of Americans who believe that cannabis use should be made legal: 58 (Source: Gallup)

CULTURE // December 2015

The Emerald Cup Advocating the concept of sustainable medical cannabis cultivation, The Emerald Cup is Northern California’s leading organic cannabis competition. Featuring world-famous speakers and various musical acts, Rolling Stone once referred to The Emerald Cup as the Academy Awards of cannabis competitions. With this year’s panel discussions covering topics such as the “war on drugs” and organic harvesting, attendees are sure to gain insight on the different affects of cannabis regulation as well as safe, organic harvesting techniques. Although educational, Emerald Cup does not forget to show its participants a good time; various musical artists and cannabis comedians will be the Cup’s entertainment, giving guest a variety of activities to participate in. Don’t get too distracted with the panels and live acts, as there will be plenty of vendors with something suitable for all cannabis enthusiasts.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: The Emerald Cup. WHEN/WHERE: Sat, Dec. 12-Sun, Dec. 13. Sonoma County Fairgrounds, 1350 Bennett Valley Rd., Santa Rosa. INFO: Visit www. theemeraldcup.com for details. VISIT US AT

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C political push

FEEL THE RUSH

W by Sean Donahoe

With new state regulations coming into law next month, and with some sort of a statewide voter initiative on the ballot coming in less than a year from now, the political work has only just begun. Cities and counties are beginning to wrap their heads around the notion of licensing something other than traditional collectives, with manufacturing and cultivation licenses being debated from North to South. Cities that have always resisted allowing collectives are beginning to adopt new ordinances and dip their toes into the water of safe access. Elected officials and staff are beginning to understand that a responsible, professional cannabis industry might actually be a welcome addition to their communities. What’s nice about having a state framework, having regulators in Sacramento concerned with setting a reasonable, rational set of operating standards, is that local governments need to only concern themselves with that which no other level of government can accomplish: Land use decisions. What cultivation license type can go on parcels of how many acres? What types of industrial zones should manufacturing be allowed in? Should collectives be allowed in commercial zones, or only in industrial areas? What should the permitting and hearing process look

CULTURE // December 2015

like? Everything else that has traditionally confused local governments will begin to be handled by other agencies at the state level. The tracking and tracing of medical cannabis will be handled by the Board of Equalization. For outdoor cultivation, clearance will be handled by Cal Fire. Construction permitting will be handled by local Planning Commissions, and water diversion issues will be handled by the regional Water Boards. The simplicity and workability of the new framework shouldn’t be underestimated, as medical cannabis commercial activity begins to resemble other commercial activities more and more. With increased certainty comes increased stability, as more investors will feel comfortable about moving into the cannabis industry. Even better, existing industry folks will feel more comfortable in investing in their operations, making bets on horizontal expansion to new markets, in increased spending on laboratory testing, quality insurance and product development, etc. What you should expect to see from a non-industry perspective is an exciting new set of brands, products and retail outlets in addition to increased quality and maybe even lower prices. Real estate prices may skyrocket, as a scarce number of parcels

and buildings are deemed compliant with new zoning rules and located sufficient distances from schools and youth-oriented facilities. The “green rush” is on, and with it, a whole new “land rush” that will change California as we know it—but let’s not get too carried away. Until we have complete federal legalization, taking cannabis products across state lines, whether for medical or recreational, adult use, just isn’t going to be legally permitted. Perhaps a first step might be federal allowance of transfers from medical states to other medical states, or from legalized states to other legalized states—but the type of mass-scale agriculture and mass-scale manufacturing that many Wall Street investors are

salivating over, as hucksters pitch their green dreams to them, just isn’t going to happen. Just because it’s physically and financially possible doesn’t make it politically possible—not yet, at least. What will happen first, is the land rush, as parcels and buildings get snapped up, as retailers expand into newly permitting markets, and as manufacturing and cultivation comes out of residential areas and into compliance with industry standards that the investors, law enforcement, elected officials, and the general public demand. There should be a lot of commotion to the existing cannabis industry, disruption even, but the future looks green—very green. c VISIT US AT

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C r e n r co l a g le by Kimberly Simms

LANDMARK DECISIONS

n October 19, 2015, the medical cannabis industry celebrated a major victory. In U.S. v. Marin Alliance for Medical Marijuana, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California lifted an injunction against one of California’s oldest medical cannabis collectives. The court ruled that the injunction, granted to the Department of Justice (DOJ) back in 2002, was no longer enforceable. This decision was based on the RohrabacherFarr Amendment, a congressional spending amendment that precludes the Department of Justice from spending funds on prosecuting collectives in compliance with their state law. Since the Amendment passed, there has been some uncertainty over the practical effect that the amendment would actually have on cannabis businesses. The intent of the amendment was clearly to prohibit the DOJ from enforcing federal law in states that allowed legitimate medical cannabis business. However, the DOJ took their own interpretation and largely ignored the amendment by continuing to operate in the same way they had since the Cole Memo was released in 2013. Even after the passage of the amendment, the DOJ continued to pursue cases against business who were acting in compliance with their state medical cannabis laws. The U.S. v. Marin Alliance for Medical Marijuana (MAMM) case dates back to 1998 when Lynette Shaw, Marin Alliance for Medical Marijuana and five other

CULTURE // December 2015

collectives were ordered to stop distributing cannabis per the Controlled Substances Act. The Defendants openly violated the court injunction, which ushered in contempt proceedings, and that case ultimately ended up before the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court case held that there was no medical necessity exception to the Controlled Substances Act and focused largely on the expressed congressional judgment that cannabis had no known or accepted medical uses or benefits. On June 10, 2002, the District Court entered a permanent injunction against Shaw, MAMM and the other defendants. MAMM bravely continued to operate its collective out of the same location until 2011, when the U.S. Attorney’s Office engaged in statewide effort to shutter as many collectives as possible. MAMM was one of hundreds of collectives to receive a cease and desist letter, threatening the businesses’ landlords with asset forfeiture. The U.S. Attorney eventually settled the matter with MAMM’s landlord, who agreed to no longer lease the property to MAMM in exchange for the government not seizing the property. After the Rohrabacher-Farr Amendment passed, MAMM decided to revisit the case. They argued that based on the amendment, the injunction was no longer enforceable and should be lifted. The Court agreed and modified the injunction to the extent that MAMM and Shaw were operating legally under state law. The District Court held that its job was to “interpret and

apply Congress’s policy choices, as articulated in its legislation.” Since the language of the amendment prohibits the DOJ from utilizing funds to enforce laws that interfere with a state’s own medical cannabis laws and programs, the Court held that it could only enforce the Controlled Substances Act in so far as the business was not in compliance with “state laws that authorize the use, distribution, possession or cultivation of medical marijuana.” This is a precedent setting decision by U.S. District Judge, Charles Bryer. It is the first known ruling by a federal judge to protect cannabis collectives under the budget amendment approved by Congress in December of 2014. If this decision is upheld on appeal, it could also halt federal action against other locally licensed cannabis businesses. It is important to note that this case is not binding in other federal jurisdictions and judges in other jurisdictions may not choose to follow the wisdom of Judge Bryer. Further, Judge Breyer did not say whether or not his reasoning would also apply to criminal prosecutions. This ruling is truly a landmark decision for the entire medical cannabis industry. As Americans for Safe Access so eloquently stated, “It is apparent that the Rohrabacher-Farr Amendment is not merely symbolic, and has meaningful impact in preventing the federal crackdown on state-legal medical cannabis conduct.” As we bring 2015 to a close, let us all pause to celebrate this monumental victory. c VISIT US AT

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C g n i v i l hy t l hea by Lanny Swerdlow, RN

Have a Safe, Sane and Cannabis-Infused New Year

or all its traditional vibes of home and hearth, for many, the holiday season is a time of party, party, party. Family, work, friends, organizations, clubs and more all vie to celebrate the holidays in the most extravagant and joyous fashion. Alcohol plays a central role in many of these parties as a social facilitator, consciousness transformer and a celebratory symbol of the season. Yet the result of this alcohol consumption is tragic. The National Safety Council reports that over the last decade an average of 400 people are killed each year in traffic accidents during the holiday period, with an estimated 40 percent of these fatalities being the result of drinking and driving. Although one might reasonably expect New Year’s Eve to be the worst of the holiday season, it is actually at the very beginning, with Thanksgiving Eve seeing such a substantial rise in DUIs that bartenders and police refer to it as “Blackout Wednesday.” During the holiday season, alcohol consumption is promoted everywhere. Ads abound across the media for alcoholic beverages. Bars and restaurants exalt their offerings

CULTURE // December 2015

of specialty libations. Billboards and shopping malls display images of joyful alcohol-infused celebrations. The message is unmistakable—consumption of alcohol is de rigueur—so de rigueur that about 15 percent of all holiday alcohol consumption is by underage drinkers. The media that makes over two billion dollars annually from alcohol and alcoholrelated ads, atones for these windfall profits by running articles offering safety tips on alcohol consumption during the holiday season. The advice is not about abstaining or even cutting down, but usually centers on avoiding hangovers. Business journal, Forbes advises executives to eat before consuming alcohol. CBS News recommends watering down your drinks. Cosmopolitan endorses taking antioxidants, while WebMD warns against using carbonated mixers. Even the Mayo Clinic jumps in with advice noting that many people take over-the-counter pain relievers, such as aspirin or ibuprofen to prevent hangover symptoms with a cautionary note that acetaminophen may cause liver damage if too much alcohol is consumed. Alcohol abstinence most definitely will prevent a

hangover, but let’s get real here—people like to alter their senses, get a little crazy, reduce their inhibitions and partake of communal traditions and abstinence doesn’t cut it. What every single advice article on how to best handle holiday alcohol consumption doesn’t mention is consuming cannabis— the one substance that actually can provide all the socialenhancing, mind-altering and spirit-lifting qualities of alcohol without the negative consequence of hangovers. If the holiday season is truly about peace on Earth and good

will towards men, then what is more likely to bring that about— booze or cannabis? Whether it be in preparation for shopping on Black Friday, suffering silently at family Christmas reunions with relatives who drive you up a wall or heading out to welcome in the New Year, nothing satisfies like cannabis. Toasting with the passage of the ceremonial joint is far more communally bonding than booze-filled glasses momentarily clinking together before going down the hatch. High quality, potent cannabis gladdens the heart, delights the senses, fulfills the spirit and heightens the feelings of pleasure more assuredly than alcohol ever will—not to mention the medical benefits. If you are part of the significant minority that likes to get totally blitzed, then dabbing, the newest trend in cannabis consumption, is your ticket to a fun-filled, hazeinduced holiday season and an almighty New Year’s Eve. Unlike alcohol, where multiple drinks will eventually knock you unconscious after multiple dry and not-so-dry heaves, dabbing cannabis concentrates can go on all night long. One of the best parts of consuming cannabis to celebrate New Year’s Eve is that come New Year’s Day morning, you’ll wake up bright-eyed and bushytailed. Fit as a fiddle, you will be ready to enjoy the Rose Parade, the Rose Bowl or whatever you choose to do on the first day of the New Year, including imbibing more cannabis. c

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Company HIGHLIGHT

Eureka Vapor www.eurekavapor.com

How would you describe your company? What is your specialty? Eureka Vapor is one of the leading Co2 companies in the Golden State of California. With products in over 300 collectives, Eureka Vapor has proven to bring quality to the ever competitive medical cannabis market. Aside from Eureka Vapor’s known quality products, their devotion to their patients is what proudly places them as a leading brand. What do you offer consumers/clients that others don’t? In an industry where the purity and quality of products can determine a person’s well being, Eureka Vapor proudly brings 100 percent all natural cannabis oil to their patients. Eureka Vapor’s care for the process shows its quality in the product, solely for the patient.

CULTURE // December 2015

How and why did your company start up? Eureka Vapor was established to fulfill their mission of showcasing cannabis as medicine and above all, relieving people of pain. Several Eureka Vapor team members have been indirectly effected by various diseases, thus fueling them to help finally bring a healing answer to patients in need. With the changing landscape of MMJ and recreational cannabis, what do you see as the biggest challenges to your progress as a company? Any advantages? One of the largest challenges Eureka Vapor faces is perhaps a battlefield for the entire medical marijuana industry,

educating patients and lawmakers alike. However, the perception of this industry has created a huge buzz for people who understand the tax revenue incentives form the medical and recreational use of cannabis. What are the goals and vision moving forward, for your company? Where do you see your company in five years? Eureka Vapor is thrilled to announce they are currently in the process of expanding. With a license acquired in Denver, and plans to soon be in various other states, Eureka Vapor is looking forward to bringing their top notch products near you. In addition to geographic expansion, they vow to bring you new quality products in this ever changing market. With their soon to launch new product, Eureka Clear, Eureka Vapor will continue to provide it’s patients with premium products that lead this industry. What words of advice would you offer anyone seeking to enter the world of cannabis business? More specifically, what is unique to this type of work / this industry, in your opinion? Just like breaking into any industry, having a strong understanding of the market, proper connections and the drive to succeed will determine your outcome. Eureka Vapor would like to ask: Are you up for the challenge? What do you hope to accomplish in the MMJ industry? It’s Eureka Vapor’s mission to one day see the Medical Marijuana industry treated the same as any other American company. Above all, they are champions of a new market rising beyond the current restrictions they’re faced with daily. Any sneak peeks on new products or news you’d like to share? We’re currently putting the final touches on our Clear line. With these products, we hope to make a large impact in every patient’s life by bringing the finest potency and purity of a well known product from the Eureka Vapor brand. c VISIT US AT

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Kannastör® GR8TR™ VAPE Grinder

The Kannastör® GR8TR™ VAPE is an all new grinder design and a must-have for any dry herb vape user. It provides the finer grind preferred by experienced vape enthusiasts, and it’s modular design easily transforms to a pocketable travel puck. The GR8TR™ Vape is made from high quality, medical grade aluminum and includes a limited lifetime warranty. Worldwide patents pending. Visit www.kannastor.com and use Promo Code Holiday420 to receive 20 percent off purchase.

Holiday Vdab200 EverSmooth Portable Vaporizer

Introducing the world’s first “Load n’ Go!” portable vaporizer for waxes and shatters of all kinds, the Vdab200 provides 200 puffs that are truly EverSmooth. The QanTeq engineers have outdone themselves with a Controllable Chamber that holds one full gram and allows you to twist the patent-pending steel top a quarter-turn to fill the heater cup with NO HASSLE and NO MESS! This unit comes with a vv battery to get the temps where you like ‘em. Visit www. vdab200.com promo code HOLIDAY for $50 off. $195

CULTURE // December 2015

G UI D E ! 2015

Toker Poker

Get the hottest gift item of the season—the legendary Toker Poker! Finally your poker/dabber, tamper, hemp wick and lighter are all in the same place. This 420 multi-tool has everything you need to vape, dab, roll and toke. Its ergonomic design provides the most basic but essential tools for any smoker. Glow in the dark, chrome and other limited editions now available online. Sure to be a stocking stuffer hero! $7.95 www.tokerpoker.com

The SmokeBuddy

Just in time for Christmas! The Smokebuddy company has just now released Smokebuddy glow-in-the-dark, available in two sizes, Original and JR; and in two colors: White that glows green, and blue that glows blue! The Smokebuddy is a personal air filter designed to reduce second hand smoke and odor, simply blow your smoke in and clean air comes out on the other side. Original smoke buddy is good for about 300 uses and Smokebuddy JR is good for about 150 uses. Glow in the dark original $24.95 | Glow in the dark Jr $19.95. 20 percent OFF use discount code CULTURE. Smokebuddy.com VISIT US AT

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Bhanga Box

Holiday

Bhanga Box is an odor proof, pocket-sized case for your smoking essentials. Whether you smoke joints, blunts or concentrates—the four uniquely sized compartments keep your stash odor-free from the outside world with no risk of cross contamination within the box. The Bhanga Concentrate Kit includes food grade silicone inserts for each compartment. The inserts provide a nonstick surface for your extract; and are completely removable so you can customize your setup, include a vape pen and USB charger, or a combination of herb and extract material. These intelligent products from Bhanga Goods help you smoke smarter, while on the go. www.bhangagoods.com $27.95-$49.95

G UID E !

RYOT® Pack and Protect™ NoGoo® Collaboration Packs

Magic Flight

Leave the torch at home! Voted “Best Portable Concentrate Vape” at last year’s Kush Cup, the MuadDib from Magic-Flight has a newly engineered screen design that fully vaporizes concentrates in three to five seconds. This batterypowered vape lasts for 50+ uses at a time, making it easy to dab on the go. Upgrade to the optional gold batteries for the perfect pairing. Lifetime warranty included. Visit magic-flight.com and use promo code CULTURE10 at checkout to save 10 percent on the Muad-Dib through January 31, 2016.

CULTURE // December 2015

As the use of concentrates has expanded, so has the need to better manage the important accessories and super gooey substances. RYOT®, a designer of modern smoke accessories since 2003, now incorporates top quality NoGoo® silicone mats into select styles to create the ultimate concentrate utility cases, able to Pack and Protect™ your glass rig, dab tools and more. Visit www.RYOTcom and use Promo Code RYOTXMAS to receive 20 percent off purchase.

THE CRIPPLE CREEK Dab Kit

This 7” x 7” dab box is made out of beautiful Colorado aspen and beetle kill pine. The CRIPPLE CREEK Dab Kit comes with three 7-mil silicon jars, a 4” titanium dab tool and a 3” x 5” medical silicon dab mat. Only the best products go into our stash boxes. This dab box is made with our with coloradostashbox.com custom airtight lid, which is perfect for a rolling tray. No hinges, no clasp, just that perfect lid to keep your dab rig in one box.

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Ankit Dope Lights Need a little ambient lighting to perfect the mood in your living space? Ankit has the solution for all cannabis-loving interior decorators with Dope Lights. These captivating string lights consist of 25 individual green lights, all shaped like cannabis leaves, that comes with a 10-footlong wire that you can wrap around a number of fixtures within your home. The lights run off of three AA batteries, so you won’t have to hide excess wires. $24.99 www.theankit.com

The Stinky Candle Co. Marijuana Scented Candle

If you can’t get enough of the herbal smell of cannabis, this is candle is for you. Handmade in the U.S., this candle will have your home smelling like cannabis without having to partake in a smoke session. It’s legal in all 50 states, and The Stinky Candle Co’s Marijuana Scented Candle will make your home more welcoming with its potent and relaxing aroma. $9.99 www.stinkycandlecompany.com

Holiday

Aroha Silhouettes THC Molecule Necklace

Display your love for cannabis without having to sacrifice your fashion sense with this chic and light-weight necklace. With a charm shaped like the chemical compound for THC, this necklace is a minimal stainless-steel piece, available in silver and gold, that will go great with many looks. Supported by a double link chain, this necklace was made to last. A great gift for yourself or the cannabis lover in your life. $50-$75 www.etsy.com/shop/ ArohaSilhouettes

G UID E !

2015 cont.

Blundt Cake Mold

Have fun when baking your cannabis-infused goodies with these neat, cannabis leaf-shaped cake molds. A fun take on the word “bundt,” these “blundt” silicone cake molds will get your sweets shaped perfectly without sticking. The Blundt Cake Mold is great for parties when your guests need to differentiate between infused and non-infused sweets, or if you just want to have fun-shaped brownies or cupcakes. Bring out your inner Betty Crocker with these cannabis-friendly baking molds. $11.99 www.perpetualkid.com

CULTURE // December 2015

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When Jeremy Heidl came to Denver in 2010, you might say it was on a wing and a prayer. The recession had hit his trucking and construction businesses in Atlanta particularly hard. And as a lifelong lover of cannabis, he had been watching, with great interest, the medical cannabis boom going on in Colorado. “We ended up packing up everything, cashing in our life savings, selling most of our possessions and then we drove across the country in a Penske truck with our two cats and a dog and made it happen,” Heidl told CULTURE. The so-called “Green Rush” to Colorado produced plenty of successes and failures in those early days of changing regulations and uncertainty about federal enforcement, but few success stories can rival Heidl’s. Starting with a single dispensary, he went on to coby R. Scott Rappold found O.penVAPE, the vape pen that revolutionized the discreet vaporizing experience. Smaller, simpler and cheaper than anything else on the market at the time, it allowed cannabis users to puff practically anywhere. And the pre-filled cartridges of THC-infused oil, sold specifically for the O.penVAPE at medical cannabis dispensaries, eliminated the headache and mess of filling up the oil. Today, the pens and cartridges are available in 1,000 stores in nine states where medical or recreational cannabis is permitted, making it one of the largest consumer cannabis products in the nation. And with the tide of legalization continuing, Heidl, Chief Operations Officer, may only be getting started. “We dreamt, like everyone in this industry dreams, that we were going to someday grow up to become what we are, but it came true.” >>

Jeremy Heidl of O.penVAPE

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“We dreamt, like everyone in this industry dreams, that we were going to someday grow up to become what we are, but it came true.”

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Small Start

The entrepreneurial spirit was instilled in Heidl at a young age. In third grade, he realized that since lunch cost 90 cents, each student would have a dime of change after lunch. So he began selling blow pops to his schoolmates, at 10 cents each. Fast forward to 2009. Looking for a lifeboat from the sinking ship of his own businesses, he and his wife made the decision to head west. The cannabis industry seemed rife with potential, and besides, it sure would be nice to live somewhere with legal cannabis. His first dispensary investment seemed rocky when a landlord issue forced him to abandon an entire grow operation, so Heidl learned quickly to partner with others in Denver’s medical cannabis industry for product and assistance. Vape pens were in their infancy in those days, and at his dispensary, Heidl fielded plenty of gripes about the products on the market. The oil was inconsistent, and if you loaded a pen but didn’t finish all the oil, get ready for a mess. And in many cases, the pens didn’t work right and manufacturers wouldn’t stand behind the product. He’d gotten to know Ralph Morgan, owner of several medical cannabis businesses and Organa Labs, a Denver-infused product manufacturer. “Let’s do a better vape pen,” he said one day to Morgan. Morgan replied, “I’ve got the formula,” and O.penVAPE was born.

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Freebies

Heidl isn’t quite sure how many O.penVAPEs he gave away in those first years, but it’s easily more than 100,000. The pen and oil cartridges hit Colorado medical dispensaries in 2012. As a new product, Heidl figured patients wouldn’t be willing to spend a lot of money on a pen when they could just buy a sack of buds. So the pens—basically just a battery and an atomizer—were to attract the customers. The oil would keep them, and the lifetime warranty would ease their minds. It helped that, with the passage of recreational cannabis in Colorado, there was a crackdown in Denver (amongst other places) about smoking in public. Here was a discreet, low-odor and tidy way to partake anywhere, whether at a concert at Red Rocks or in the bedroom while the kids are watching TV. And it was simple–just load the cartridge and inhale. There wasn’t even a button. A few months later, it debuted in California, then in Washington. Since every state had their own quirks on cannabis regulations and the feds were always hovering like the Sword of Damocles, competing oil producers weren’t branching into other states. O.penVAPE hired lawyers to navigate these murky waters and licensed with growers and oil producers in each state to produce the O.penVAPE cartridges. The battery and charger aren’t given away for free anymore, running about

$20, but that doesn’t appear to have hurt business. As of late 2015, O.penVAPE was available legally in nine states. Of course, there are plenty of other vape pens on the market these days, but O.penVAPE isn’t shying from the competition. In September, the company signed an agreement with Timeless Herbal Care in Jamaica to produce cannabis-infused products outside of the U.S. for the first time in history. Closer to home, the company has also announced a partnership with CBD Biosciences to open a massive industrial hemp oil extraction facility, which is expected to employ 163 workers in a former rocket factory in Pueblo, Colorado, by 2017. Thankfully, with the passing of the 2014 Farm Bill which contains an amendment to legalize hemp production, and the Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2015 which is currently in process, Heidl was able to work with local governments and acquire millions of dollars in incentives for the project. In fact, all across its history, O.penVAPE has thrived because of such partnerships, Heidl said. “What has made us as successful as we are is the ability to work in partnerships. It’s one of our core values and being able to partner with our licensees around the country and our vendors and our employees. Our tagline is ‘It’s what’s inside that counts,’ and it’s more than just the oil. It’s our people and our partnerships.” c VISIT US AT

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What recreational cannabis can learn from the medical movement

by Franco Faraudo

The cannabis industry was born from the act of giving

arly activists like “Brownie” Mary Rothburn brought the medical cannabis movement into public’s consciousness with her generosity. She collected donations and spent her social security money baking infused brownies for San Francisco AIDS patients in the 1980s. Her arrest in 1992 brought international attention, due in part to her age, adorableness and message of compassion. She was subsequently acquitted of her charges because, according to the judge, Rothburn “was able to testify that her deliveries were made to assist others in need, not to advance individual greed, that the nobility of her actions outweighed the

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reprehensibleness of her offense according to the law.” Since its inception, the medical cannabis industry has evolved greatly, but through all the changes, the spirit of compassion remains. Harborside Collective, one of California’s most successful and well-connected collectives, donates medicine to members that can prove financial hardship. They have free member services that range from yoga to acupuncture and are regularly the biggest corporate contributor to the Alameda County Food Drive. It is hard to find a collective that doesn’t give products or services to members in need. >>

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Now, producers and extractors are following suit. Jetty Extracts, a CO2 extraction company based in California, recently started its Shelter From the Storm Project, which aims to provide cancer patients with all the medicine they need for their treatment. “One for You, One for Cancer” is the slogan printed on a burlap sack hanging in the company’s office. Jetty, like many other companies in the medical space, was created with the idea of helping those in pain. Now, as they look forward towards a for-profit industry, the Jetty team believes that they can make the transition and still help people like Michelle Zagert, a recipient of donations and outspoken proponent of the Jetty’s Shelter From the Storm Project. Zagert uses cannabis products everyday for her Synovial Sarcoma, a rare disease that causes soft tissue tumors. In a recent interview, she told us about her initial struggles to pay for her medicine, “It became so expensive that it was almost the cost of a car bill and I was slowly weaning myself off of it right before I found Jetty Extracts.” Some outreach programs have gone on to change the industry as a whole. In 2013 CNN’s Sanjay Gupta told the world about Charlotte Figi, a five-yearold girl with Dravet Syndrome. Despite a variety of treatments, she suffered

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“It became so expensive that it was almost the cost of a car bill . . .” about 300 grand mal seizures a week. Her parents, in their search for a way to help their child, came into contact with the Stanley brothers, five siblings that had succeeded in breeding cannabis with industrial hemp. The result was a new strain of cannabis that had almost no THC, but contains high levels of CBD, a chemical that was being studied for its positive effects on brain function. Physicians noticed a reduction in the number of seizures after the first dose was administered.

Now the strain, named “Charlotte’s Web” after the brave little girl that pioneered its use, is one of the most sought after varieties on the market. Not bad for a product that was originally called “Hippie’s Disappointment.” The Stanley brothers went on to start The Realm of Caring, a non-profit organization that sells Charlotte’s Web products, sponsors research and consults patients thinking about trying the natural treatment. Their contribution to Charlotte, and countless others, have helped create a new product category and have given hope to many who suffer from seizure causing ailments. As legalization and permitting initiatives pass some worry that forprofit companies will not participate in the same types of programs that medical non-profits do. Founders of medical cannabis organizations had to risk a lot in the past decade from police raids and asset seizure to social stigma. To wade into the murky legal waters of a legalization movement without much precedent took a lot of courage. Often times the only people with this type of courage were those willing to risk everything to stand up for something that they believed in, namely, providing medicine. Luckily, new regulations and changing public perception have made it much less risky to be a cannabis entrepreneur. The downside is that we might not see the same kind of organizational cultures focused on altruism as we did with the medical movement. Ultimately, it is the consumer who will decide. Every dollar spent on organizations that give to people in need is a vote toward a compassionate future. To bastardize a great Gandhi quote, “Buy the change you want to see in the world.” We are witnessing a new industry sprout before our eyes, now it is up to us to make it into the type of industry we can be proud of. The type of industry “Brownie” Mary would have been proud of as well. c VISIT US AT

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“Although the New Testament does not talk much of Christ’s use of the anointing oil, the discovery of Gnostic texts, ancient documents found hidden in a cave in Egypt revealed that Jesus . . . share[d] this magical oil with all the people of the land. Not only did these texts reveal the true nature of Jesus Christ, they revealed that the anointing ceremony was the highest rite of passage in Christianity. . .”

CULTURE // December 2015

hristmas is the day that many people celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, and the events surrounding his life, including how he was miraculously born from a virgin named Mary in a quaint little stable in Bethlehem and how the angel Gabriel appeared to the shepherds telling them to visit the son of God. Although there are many beliefs revolving around Christ, one little known anecdote is that the anointing oil Christ used to bless and cure many people was infused with cannabis. According to Exodus: 30, 22-23, the holy anointing oil used by Christ, consisted of “500 shekels of liquid myrrh, half as much of fragrant cinnamon, 250 shekels of q’aneh-bosm, 500 shekels of cassia and a hind of olive oil.” The word q’aneh bosm was translated in the early 20th century by Polish scholar, Sara Benetowa. The term translated to English is kaneh-bosm, which in turn means “hemp,” according to The Herb Museum of Vancouver, revealing that “the anointed one” was actively administering cannabis to heal his people. Other hints that Jesus’ anointing oil was infused with cannabis are the references to psychoactive experiences mentioned in the Bible. As stated in author Chris Bennett’s book, Sex, Drugs, Violence, and the Bible: Origins of the Judaic Christian Traditions, “From the time of Moses until that of the later prophet Samuel, the holy anointing oil was used by the shamanic Levite priesthood to receive the ‘revelations of the Lord,’” while later, certain kings would use the oil to become “possessed with the holy spirit.” Such references suggest that the holy oil was creating some kind of mind-altering effect on those blessed by it. Although the discovery of the Book of the Law made use of the anointing oil prohibited, and was associated only with those conducting Pagan rituals, the holy anointing oil re-emerged, along with the Jewish Messiah-kings, under the ministry of Jesus. Although the New Testament does not talk much of Christ’s use of the anointing oil, the discovery of Gnostic texts, ancient documents found hidden in a cave in Egypt revealed that Jesus may have been more of a Greek Dionysus or Indian Shiva, ignoring the laws of kings in order to share this magical oil with all the people of the land. Not only did these texts reveal the true nature of Jesus Christ, they revealed that the anointing ceremony was the highest rite of passage in Christianity, according to Bennett. While religious scholars like Lytton John Musselman, author of A Dictionary of Bible Plants, believe that kaneh-bosm is indeed calamus, which has the ability to achieve the same medicinal effects as described in the Bible, we know the truth: Cannabis is the key to “unfading bliss” and the cure for many illnesses that are otherwise untreatable. So when you’re celebrating this Christmas, remember that Jesus Christ may have been one of the first cannabis advocates, and fully supported the healing power of the cannabis plant. c

Sources: http://www.herbmuseum.ca/node/1565 | http://articles.latimes.com/2002/aug/11/news/adfg-narcs11 VISIT US AT iReadCulture.com http://www.vice.com/read/did-jesus-perform-his-miracles-with-cannabis-oil | http://zzco.org/chris_bennett/christ.html

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The history, invention and innovation in hemp clothing by Addison Herron-Wheeler Hemp has always been in production and use across the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;but as soon as cannabis started coming under fire for being a substance that causes altered states, even the non-smokable form of hemp came under fire. Today, as cannabis is starting to be accepted into society once more, we

CULTURE // December 2015

are also embracing the wonderful way that hemp works as a fiber, from hemp backpacks and purses to necklaces and shirts. As we move forward into this bold new world of clothing possibilities, we should also remember the awesome ways that hemp function as a garment fiber in the past. >> VISIT US AT

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How Does it Work? Hemp is a strong, canvas-like fiber (in fact, “canvas” comes from the word “cannabis”)—so while it makes amazing jewelry, purses and backpacks that can stand the test of time, it is not the most comfortable or soft thing to use for clothing that makes contact with skin. For that reason, hemp that is used in clothing is usually blended with either flax, cotton or silk, usually at a ratio of 55 percent hemp and 45 percent of the other material.

A Fiber of Firsts

Middle Ages

Hemp was actually one of the first plants that was processed into fiber for clothing, due to its durable nature and how easy it is to grow. Remnants of hemp have been found as early as 8000 BCE in Mesopotamia, making it one of the earliest examples of human industry. It was also grown to be made into cloth in the Sung Dynasty in China in 500 CE. The emperor of the Sung apparently liked having it around as a textile and ordered his subjects to grow it. By 1200 CE Europe was also cultivating cannabis for fabric.

Hemp served as very important crop during the Middle Ages, when Henry VIII actually declared that all farmers had to use at least ¼ of their land for hemp growing. The fiber was essential as the material for sails and painting canvases, two very important items at the time, and up until the 1920s it is estimated that about 80 percent of clothing in the U.K. were made from hemp fiber. >>

Annotated Bibliography CRRH. (2011) “Archeologists agree that cannabis was among the first crops cultivated by human beings at least over 6000 years ago.” “Industrial Hemp.” Agriculture and Agrifood Canada. Government of Canada. “The People’s History.” (Sept./Oct. 2000) The Thistle. Volume 13, Number 2. Retrieved from: http://www.mit.edu/~thistle/v13/2/history.html

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Early Days of Colonization Hemp was still grown as a major fiber during the early colonials days in the U.S., Jacques Cartier noted when he first got to the new world that hemp grew everywhere as a wild weed, and that the natural hemp that grew in the colonies was of a very strong variety. Hemp was grown in California, Kentucky New York, Oregon, Utah, Texas, New England, Virginia, Massachusetts, Louisiana and Missouri during the colonial days and the early days of the U.S., and was considered and important textile cash crop an one of the major ways that early American clothing was manufactured. The amazing ability of the American continents to produce hemp was not lost on the British– they imported hemp grown in Canada for textile until the 1800s.

“Remnants of hemp have been found as early as 8000 BCE in Mesopotamia, making it one of the earliest examples of human industry.”

Decline in Production Sadly, at the end of the 1800s and beginning of the 1900s, hemp production started to decline. The U.S. embraced the cotton gin and cotton production, and unfortunately, the evil of slavery that came with it. Since cotton was easier and more affordable to produce, it began to weigh out over hemp. Then in the 1930s, the combination of propaganda against cannabis and synthetic textile companies driving hemp out completely suppressed the production of hemp, to the point that it was actually outlawed along with smokeable cannabis. This victory of synthetic textiles over hemp has to be one of the most extreme cases of capitalist competition in history.

Modern Day Luckily, now that we are rethinking the insanity that is complete prohibition of something as helpful and benign as cannabis, we are also rethinking the prohibition of one of the world’s most useful fibers. Today, hemp clothing is back in fashion. Hemp necklaces made of macramé-woven hemp and beads are a great way to practice a hobby and make unique jewelry that is strong and durable but also very affordable. Similarly, hemp can be used to make things like backpacks and tote bags that really last, or woven in with cotton to make hearty clothing. Today, wearing hemp is a multi-layered statement—you are claiming you support the earth and sustainable practices, the legalization of cannabis, and a return to our natural roots. c

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“’CBD isn’t just for cancers . . . CBD is whole body preventative wellness that will one day be rolled out in big box retail stores.’”

CBD for the Holidays Giving the best gift possible by Sheryll Alexander

to those you love

This holiday season, consider an alternate route in the giftbuying arena, and pick up a CBD product for a loved one who is sick, has a chronic condition or just wants to feel better, but won’t take that step to get a CBD product for themselves. >>

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“The reason CBD works so wonderfully in the human body is a fact even most doctors don’t know: Our endocannabinoid system is the most widespread such receptor system in the human body.”

ne way to explain CBD use to friends and family is it allows the user to “stay functional.” That is, CBD is not psychoactive, so you don’t get that headin-the-clouds feeling. Rather, a high CBD cannabis product gives the body and mind a slight and more prolonged lift towards less anxiety and less disease, and to more health and more happiness. And who doesn’t want more peace and healing in their lives during the season of joy, right? In fact, CBD has such a mild effect on the psyche (yet powerful healing benefits on the whole body including having the power to tell cancer cells to commit suicide) that kids with debilitating conditions such as epilepsy and ADD/ADHD are being treated with CBD oil. The reason CBD works so wonderfully in the human body is a fact even most doctors don’t know: Our endocannabinoid system is the most widespread such receptor system in the human body. Clustered in the brain and other major organs like the liver, this system of cannabinoid “receptors”

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quietly runs through our bodies much like the lymphatic system. First discovered in 1992, the role of the human endocannabinoid system is to maintain balance (or homeostasis). “Cannabis tells the cells: Hey! Turn it down!” explains prominent cannabis doctor and advocate Bonnie Goldstein. To put it simply, she says cannabinoids help the body to relax, to eat, to sleep, to forget and to protect. Dr. Goldstein, who is the medical director for California-based Canna-Centers, also says our bodies don’t know the difference between naturally-made cannabinoids (yes, our bodies make their own form of cannabis chemicals) and ones introduced via smoking, teas, edibles or oils. She also says her patients react well to either constant, low doses of CBD products or shortterm high doses for acute conditions. Is Grandpa forgetting more than usual this year? Tell him Dr. Goldstein says cannabinoids such as whole plant extracts of CBD decrease the aging process, especially for the brain. Think a staunchly anti-cannabis relative still just won’t get it no matter what? How about if CBD is good enough for kids. Yes, CBD has been a breakthrough miracle medication for a growing number of children. Mother and now cannabis entrepreneur Tracy Ryan has spent the last several years trying to erase the stigma of CBD dosing for kids. After her daughter Sophie was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, the family decided to add a CBD oil protocol to her chemotherapy and it worked. Sophie’s brain tumor has almost completely shrunk and she is in remission. Doctors even say the miraculous shrinking of the tumor may have even saved her from going blind in one eye. “CBD isn’t just for cancers,” says Ryan, who has created her own CBD oil products and sees about 250 patients a month in her Beverly Hills-based CannaKids clinic. “CBD is whole body preventative wellness that will one day be rolled out in big box retail stores.” Know an uncle or cousin who suffers from dry winter skin, eczema, psoriasis or skin rashes? CBD not only has anti-inflammatory properties, but also stops new capillaries from forming. (Yes, CBD-based creams and salves really can reduce the redness of winter’s cold noses and cheeks.) Ryan also swears by CBD as an anti-asthmatic and sore throat remedy. Armed with some cannabis education and a whole lot of compassion, this could be the year a relative or two has a breakthrough when it comes to understanding the healing wonders of cannabinol. c VISIT US AT

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Updates in the Big Apple 62

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Medical Cannabis Regulations in New York by Victoria Banegas

n 2014, New Yorkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s governor, Andrew Cuomo, signed the Compassionate Care Act, after various revisions were made to prohibit smoking cannabis and decreasing the amount of eligible illnesses, making New York the 23rd state to legalize medical cannabis. Since then, many patients and advocates have been worried about the restrictive guidelines of the bill. The Compassionate Care Act requires that patients diagnosed with a severely debilitating or life-threatening illness to pay a $50 fee to apply with the Department of Health (DOH), and must provide both their personal information as well as a doctorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s certification. If approved for a registry card, the card will only be valid for one year for patients who do not have a life-threatening illness, and for those who have a terminal illness, the card will be valid until death. Although these guidelines seem simple enough, what makes the bill so restrictive is the fact that only 10 illnesses are currently covered by the bill, while only five organizations are allowed to operate within the state by opening only 20 dispensaries for the almost 20 million people residing in the state, according to The Village Voice. Aside from this, the companies will only be able to carry five types of medical cannabis including oils, tinctures, capsules and other non-smokeable forms. VISIT US AT

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To clarify exactly what forms of cannabis New York patients are able to ingest under the Compassionate Care Act, CULTURE spoke with Legislative Director at Empire State NORML, Doug Greene, to get some professional insight, “Patients will be allowed capsules for oral administration and metered liquid or oil preparations for vaporization or oromucosal or sublingual administration, as well as any other forms approved by the Department of Health,” Greene stated. So far, patients will not be able to obtain cannabis in flower form or as edibles, unlike what is permitted in other states where cannabis is medically legal. On top of the restrictive list of allowable forms of cannabis, patients are only allowed a 30-day supply of whichever form of cannabis their physician prescribed with the ability to get a refill the last seven days of their 30-day trial. The prescribed cannabis must be in its original package and cannot be consumed in public. A more recent concern amongst patients and professionals is the mandatory course physicians are required to take in order to be certified to administer cannabis to patients. Doctors have to pay $249 to participate in a fourhour course titled, “Practitioner Education for the Medical Marijuana Program,” which will cover how to properly administer dosage and the various warnings and precautions associated with cannabis use. Although this seems reassuring for patients, many believe that four hours is not nearly enough for physicians to become properly educated

on cannabis and its various strains and cannabinoids. In a recently published article by The Village Voice, the man who constructed the bill, Richard Gottfried, comments about how there are definitely changes that need to be made. Gottfried had first introduced the Compassionate Care Act in 1997 but it was given little to no consideration. Now, 13 years later, the bill was passed but carelessly deconstructed by Governor Cuomo. Gottfried, like many, believes that the bill makes it nearly impossible for patients to access the medicine they desperately need in its current state. Fortunately, for those concerned that various aspects of the bill will prevent medical cannabis from being legally accessible in January, Governor Cuomo signed two bills that will allow critically ill patients expedited access to medical cannabis. The bill will also allow for suppliers to apply with the Department of Health to offer services to patients, with the ability to possibly obtain resources from out of state, according to Crain’s New York Business. Gottfried, who sponsored the bills, agrees that immediate action needs to be taken for those in dire need of alternative medicine, “This emergency access law is designed to get medicine to the neediest patients, including young children, as quickly as possible.” There have already been a handful of deaths in the slow coming of the Compassionate Care Act, showing those in New York and the rest of the United States just how important cannabis is in the lives of so many. c

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Dreaming

Big with Bingx

Rapper Bingx has found his place in performing and creating music by Pamela Jayne

After a childhood of bullying, due to having Tourette Syndrome,

signed to CaviGold Records, a label grown from the well-known

an addiction to opiates following an accident and two years

Caviar Gold Brand of medical cannabis products. CULTURE

serving in the military, Bingx has found where he belongsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;on

recently caught up with this emerging and energetic performer,

stage and in the studio, with a pen and mic in hand. He is currently

who defies both genres and stereotypes. >>

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but I can laugh at myself. I haven’t run into any problems professionally. When I sing, when I’m rapping, my Tourette’s goes away. When you’re performing music, you’re using a different part of your brain.

You are heavily into the cannabis scene. Why is cannabis legalization important to you?

I absolutely stand for legalization. I love marijuana. Marijuana is a good thing. Whether it’s medical or not, it’s a positive thing. It makes people laugh, it brings people together. One of the strongest things I can say about marijuana, is if you have any type of painkiller that you have to take, if you smoke weed instead, your life will be a hundred times better. I promise.

Do you prefer flowers, concentrates, edibles or all of the above?

How long have you been writing, recording and performing?

I was 16 when I heard Tech N9ne for the first time. It was mesmerizing to me, because I was raised on rock music. I joined the military when I was 18, and got out when I was 20. When I got out, I bought a new Macbook Pro and started recording songs on Garage Band. I was performing at an open mic venue and this dude comes up, tells me he loves my music. He asked me what I needed to move forward. I was like; well I can’t afford studio time. He handed me $200, and we hit the studio a week later. He still manages me to this day— Michael Doyle. So that’s how I got started, was by listening to Tech N9ne, and now I’m on tour with Strange Music!

You’re currently on the Strange Music Malta Bend Tour with Stevie Stone. How’s that going?

It’s fantastic! I’m learning a lot. Strange Music does big tours. They’re real road warriors. This CULTURE////December December2015 2015 66 66CULTURE

is my first nationwide tour, so I’m getting to soak up game from people who have been doing this for a long time. I’m getting positive feedback from the cities that we’ve been through. It’s cool to sit and chop it up with different people from around the nation, everybody has a story to tell.

Tell us about your new album.

between the two of them. It’s really powerful; I like storytelling.

What is it like to have Tourette Syndrome, and be a performer? Does it impact you professionally? My Tourette’s is not the hardest thing in the world to deal with. I make noises, I twitch,

Edibles mess me up! I like dabs, no matter the strain. My favorite weed is Caviar Gold, and I know you may think I get paid to say that, but I mean it! I can’t even tell you how many different kinds of weed I’ve tried, they get offered up everywhere. But Caviar Gold, I think it’s the oil and the weed mixed together, there’s just something about it that always lifts me up. I don’t get couch lock from it. It’s an uplifting, bouncy high. Caviar Gold is definitely my favorite. c

W.O.R.D.S is an acronym for “Where Only The Realest Dreams Succeed.” It’s available on iTunes, you can buy it online anywhere music is sold. I think the most impactful song on it is “Bully.” I have Tourette Syndrome. I make noises, I have involuntary muscle movements. In the song “Bully,” the first verse is about the kid that’s getting bullied and the second verse is about the guy who is doing the bullying and that he’s bullying because at home he’s getting beat by his dad. So that’s the only way he knows how to show emotion. The third verse is about what happens VISIT US ATbingxmusic.com iReadCulture.com

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CULTURE // December 2015

Photos by Tonya Perme

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There’s a fine line between looking average and looking excellent when it comes to formal attire. When men want to look impressive, whether it’s in the realm of the normal office environment, meeting clients or to look dapper for a date, a suit can make or break any situation. Men’s Wearhouse Founder, George Zimmer, knows all too well the power of a good suit. Zimmer found the expressive niché art of personalized suits a profitable industry and a fulfilling endeavor, for all parties concerned. Zimmer founded Men’s Wearhouse in 1973 and 40 years later, he has opened over 1,200 stores across the United States and Canada. Instead of opting to hire an actor, Mr. Zimmer chose to be the commercial personality for Men’s Wearhouse, making his image synonymous with suit-buying in America. Zimmer drove Men’s Wearhouse from a small company into an international empire. Zimmer left his role as Executive Officer at the Men’s Wearhouse in 2013, collecting his holdings of the company which are estimated at $67.45 million. Zimmer owns 1.8 million shares of the Men’s Wearhouse stock which is 3.5 percent stake in the company. Last August, Zimmer told CNBC that he’s smoked cannabis on a regular basis for the last 50 years. Zimmer has publicly pushed for cannabis legalization several times in the past, even in non-election years. Zimmer conceived his second brain child, zTailors on New Year’s Day, 2014. Zimmer launched zTailors publicly in June 2015 and Generation Tux in September 2015. Zimmer describes zTailors as traditional tailoring for the millennial consumer. Mr. Zimmer holds advisory roles in the company. Zimmer created Generation Tux to improve the experience of buying a tuxedo for weddings and prom events. Zimmer shared with CULTURE his insight into his entrepreneurship and how cannabis has played a role in his journey to success. >>

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CULTURE // December 2015

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December 2015 // CULTURE

going to be on the ballot next year for responsible adult use, so I think the time is right. You were the keynote speaker at the Cannabis World Congress & Expo in September. What do you have to say to young aspiring entrepreneurs? Well, really what I told them was not to become entrepreneurs like their fathers. What we don’t need in the cannabis business is crony capitalism where people make decisions that only serve themselves and their friends. What they would make for a great example of the type of capitalism that the world would benefit from- is a form of cannabis distribution that respected the individual’s right to personally cultivate for personal use only and to have a fair taxation system so that the tax revenues will be earmarked by states and localities for public education, and not confiscated by the IRS for general federal purposes.

As a businessman, you have founded many companies over the years. What events led you to your very first foray into business? What was the name of the business? Actually the first company I significantly founded was Men’s Wearhouse when I was 24 years old, but after I graduated from college, and before I founded Men’s Wearhouse, I got involved with some college friends who started a company called Fmali, which was the name of somebody’s cat. It went on over several generations to become The Good Earth Tea company, but I was long gone by then. I started Men’s Wearhouse in 1973. That really was the beginning of my business career. I used to say it was the beginning and end of my career, but that’s not true anymore. You have worked in Men’s suits for quite some time. Do you have a personal interest in menswear; what

CULTURE // December 2015

is it that attracts you to that industry? Other than lawsuits, I’m wearing right now a sport coat and slacks. What attracted me to the business was very simple. I only had $7,000 in cash and very few business contacts, so at the age of 24, opening a clothing store was the only thing I could do. In fact, I didn’t even sell suits when we first opened. Just sport coats and slacks. Do you always wear a suit? What’s your favorite item of clothing you wear regularly? I don’t wear a suit every day. I don’t believe that most men should wear suits every day, but most men should wear suits probably more often than they do. You’ve said you have smoked cannabis regularly for 50 years. How did cannabis come into your life? I’m a student of the ‘60s. It was troubling then. As my

life unfolded, and I came to understand both experientially as well as intellectually, there’s far more damage done to the body by the drugs that are being legally promoted. Alcohol, cigarettes and pharmaceutical products—there’s far more damage from those, including deaths. Cannabis, interestingly, even in a state like Colorado, which has legalized as you know, traffic deaths are down. Crime, like domestic abuse, is down. Clearly there is an aspect of cannabis that leans towards nonviolence. We’ve seen CEOs that are now willing to publicly show support for cannabisrelated investment and legislation including Michael Bloomberg, Peter Lewis, Richard Branson, PayPal’s Peter Thiel and Facebook’s Sean Parker. How is it easier to open up about personal cannabis use nowadays? It’s really not any easier, other than I live in California, as you know, it’s

You donated $50,000 towards Proposition 19 in 2010. Why is supporting recreational cannabis important to you? Many years ago, 30 to be exact, my mother died. At that time there was no medical marijuana. I simply said to her, “Why don’t you try marijuana?” She said, “Well, it’s illegal,” and got very irritated and did not try it. She died shortly thereafter. Fifteen years later, I was delighted to be involved in medical marijuana in California. In 2010, a friend of mine literally put that proposition together. I really demonstrated solidarity with him. Even though he knew that most people thought it would be better presented during a presidential election year. So next year, during the presidential cycle, the responsible adult use act will be on the ballot in California. Has smoking cannabis ever changed the way you’ve run an enterprise—for better or for worse? I’m an alpha male, I’ve built a successful business and I >> VISIT US AT

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consider myself competitive, sometimes to a fault. In my new company, Friday, I challenged anybody in my office to play a game of ping pong, and offered to pay anybody $100 for beating me. Well, only a competitive jerk does things like that. I think [cannabis] has softened that aspect of my personality. I think it belongs as an adjunct in some people’s lives. Not for children, but alcohol is not for children either. Your method of corporate management has been described as cutting-edge and unique. For example in 2004, a spiritual advocate was nominated onto the Men’s Wearhouse board. Can you tell us about your involvement with that decision and how it affected your business? That would be Deepak Chopra. He and I were friends, then. I brought him on knowing that most of my board members didn’t know who he was, but feeling that capitalism needed a heart and a soul. That’s what I wanted him to bring to the table. Not to mention he’s a brilliant man. I was disappointed, to be candid, that it was during the disturbance that ultimately led to my termination. He was out of the country, but nonetheless went along with the board’s decision.

CULTURE // December 2015

Some business sectors suffer the consequences of the changing times. What makes a business survive through these technological changes? I think that competition is fierce, so we need to bring a combination of high tech and high touch. We really need a hybrid model, in which we combine people with sophisticated technology, because one without the other doesn’t work as well, which is why we created Generation Tux and zTailors, which combines tailors with technology. In other words, renting tuxedos with the internet so that you never have to leave home. Right now if you rent the tuxedo in a store you make three trips. One to rent it, one to pick it up, and one to return it. If you do in online,

you never have to leave your house, and if there is a tailoring adjustment needed, a tailor can be dispatched to your home, so that you don’t leave home until you get married. You run your new enterprises differently than how you operated in the past. Can you tell us more about Generation Tux and Tailors? I’d love to. The main business is Generation Tux, which of course is tuxedos. It’s very simply an online tuxedo rental business, although we do rent suits as well as tuxedos because so many weddings now involve suits. Most of the business is actually for weddings. Proms are next in importance. Because weddings are the main business, we actually target millennial weddings. What I think makes it very exciting is that in 1999, for a quarter of a century, after I opened the first Men’s Wearhouse, I brought tuxedo rentals inside Men’s Wearhouse stores and over 13 years grew into, quite successfully, into an enormous business, renting millions of tuxedos. Now, what I’m doing is replicating that business but doing it online instead of doing over 1,000 stores. The network in fact, if you will, that we live to create is that we have zTailors, which is a nationwide on-demand tailor service, in which tailors come to your home or office to do alterations. In the event that there are issues with the tuxedos that we rent, we have tailors around the United States that are able to go and make it right, including being available to be hired to attend actual weddings. Instead of hiring an actor for the ad campaign at Men’s Wearhouse, you chose to take on the role of the video personality. How did you come to this idea? It was pretty simple, actually. My team at the Men’s Wearhouse just asked me if I’d appear in the ads, and I said “of course.” Interestingly, the “I guarantee it” line was never scripted. I said it on the set while we were shooting, and it became iconic almost VISIT US AT iReadCulture.com overnight. c

December 2015 // CULTURE

entertainment

Release Date: Tues, Dec. 1 Available on: PC, PS4 and Xbox One

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege Pub. Ubisoft Dev. Ubisoft Montreal

The Medicinal Power of Cannabis: Using a Natural Herb to Heal Arthritis, Nausea, Pain and Other Ailments John Hicks, MD Skyhorse Publishing

Moshe Kasher

The newest game to release in the Tom Clancy line is Rainbow Six Siege, an intense online multiplayer, first-person tactical shooter game that requires some excellent communication and teamwork in order to win matches. The environment is highly destructible, which opens up many options for how to overtake enemy teams. Thanks to the game’s use of the AnvilNext engine, Siege features amazing level design and realistic gameplay in the different 11 maps that are available at launch.

Fare Thee Well The Grateful Dead Rhino Records

Whether loved or hated, The Grateful Dead’s influence and story is one to be respected, and its latest release, and possibly last of “new” material, is one that is at least worth giving a chance. Fare Thee Well is a double disc worth of highlights from the band’s final set of shows at Soldier’s Field in Chicago, which marked The Grateful Dead’s 50th anniversary. The recordings capture spirited, vibrant performances by the veteran musicians who, though aging, have surely not lost their passion for playing. (Simon Weedn)

American Ultra Dir. Nima Nourizadeh Lionsgate Pictures

Dr. John Hicks’ new holistic health book focuses on cannabis and healing, targeting and discussing the root cause of most diseases— inflammation. Hicks illustrates how inflammation progresses into the various diseases and ailments that plague us. He shows how cannabis and CBD can stop the inflammation and heal the issues. With information ranging from easy-to-understand terminology to scientific studies based on Hick’s four decades of experience in integrative medicine, this book can really help patients seeking longterm holistic relief. (Alex Bradley)

Fast-paced action comedy starring Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart— amongst other talented actors—American Ultra is a cannasseur’s ideal DVD rental. A little distracted, much like its protagonist, the film jumps from scene to scene and plot line to new plot line jaggedly. Unbeknownst to bored and boring Mike (Eisenberg’s character), he is actually a highly trained, lethal sleeper agent. In the blink of an eye, as he discovers his real identity and Jason Bourne-style skills, Mike and his girlfriend Phoebe (Stewart) find themselves in the middle of a deadly government operation and are forced to try and fight for their lives in this intense, slightly awkward dark comedy. (Alex Bradley)

CULTURE // December 2015

There are a number of reasons to familiarize yourself with this comedian if you haven’t already. With a variety of titles under his belt including, the Los Angeles Times’ “Faces to Watch” and iTunes “Comic of the Year,” Moshe Kasher has been winning over the comedy scene since the early 2000s. Although he started doing stand-up around 2001, 2009 was Kasher’s breakout year as he was titled “Best of Fest” at the Aspen Rooftop Comedy Festival, which opened doors to bigger opportunities, like an invitation to the Just for Laughs festival in Montreal. Aside from his impressive resume of comedy shows and TV appearances, Kasher has a best-selling book, Kasher in the Rye and a Special on Netflix titled, Moshe Kasher: Live in Oakland. Come out and become of fan of one of the most entertaining comics performing today.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Moshe Kasher live. WHEN/WHERE: Wed, Dec. 9. Punchline Comedy Club, 444 Battery St., San Francisco. INFO: Visit www. punchlinecomedyclub.com for details.

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December 2015 // CULTURE

Available AT: Barbary Coast in San Francisco.

STRAIN + edible + concentrate

Bruce Banner #1

Keep yourself from hulking out over work and life stress with the help of this Bruce Banner #1 from Barbary Coast. There’s a whole slew of “Bruce Banner” phenotypes—including the #1, #3 and #5—but elite growers at Golden Room Society are partial to #1, which they call “the most well-balanced and fully representative of the strain’s diverse lineage.” We’re going to take their word for it, because this cross of OG Kush and Strawberry Diesel is our new, favorite go-to flower. It’s Hulkgreen, icey with trichomes and spiky like an OG. At 60 percent sativa, 40 percent indica, it is really balanced, and it tastes and smells very candy-sweet with a hint of strawberry and fuel—amazing. The effects are soaring, creative, and long-lasting without inducing anxiety. Available AT: Green door in San Francisco.

NYC Sour Diesel Shatter

The Green Door in San Francisco wears the crown when it comes to top-shelf extracts and that’s not likely to change any time soon—especially with shatters like this New York City Sour Diesel made by Dynasty Extracts. Warriors fans will love the logo. THC fans will love that its 86.19 percent THC, more than four times stronger than any flower. Inside the jewel case, on parchment paper, a beautiful, golden wafer of concrete essential oil sits. Dynasty Extracts used only terpenerich flower buds (a ‘nug run’) in this hydrocarbon extract. It smells very clean, ultra-light, with an evanescent cannabis resin aroma. Best used with dab rigs, or vape pens, the shatter vapes ultra-fine into a potent, floral vapor that can treat severe, chronic neuropathic pain and muscle spasms, some patients report.

Peppermint Cocoa Infused Drink Mix

AbsoluteXtracts Sour Diesel

Available wherever: Medizen products are carried.

The annual pilgrimage to the crowded Christmas tree lot just got way less stressful. Medizen has a line of hot beverage mixes infused with the active ingredients in medical cannabis. Each packet of Peppermint Cocoa Medicated Drink Mix contains 100mg of THC, or 10 standard Colorado doses of the cannabinoid. Start with a quarter of the bag in a seven-ounce mug of boiling hot milk. You’ll love the chocolatey, minty smell of the powder and the steam as you stir it in. It sips kind of like a hot chocolate tinged with a hint of yerba mate. Medizen used organically grown Kush and Sour Diesel, a CO2 extraction process, as well as a ServSafe-certified staff. Patients ingest hybrid cannabinoids to help manage symptoms of chronic injury pain, body aches from colds, and seasonal affective disorder.

The kind of innovation going on in the advanced medical cannabis market of Northern California leaves the rest of the country in the dust. Witness AbsoluteXtracts new wallet-sized vape pen case, complete with battery, USB charger, and slot for one cartridge of oil. Just screw the disposable cart onto the battery, and draw for a fine, pure, potent vapor that’s totally innocuous. AbsoluteXtracts Sour Diesel cart comes from 100 percent sativa sour diesel grown locally and sustainably and ran through an additive-free CO2 extraction process. Independent lab test show AbsoluteXtracts cartridges have the highest THC and purity at the best price. The fast-acting strain delivers energizing, thoughtprovoking and long-lasting effects. Patients are using these vape pens to discretely get the medication they need to treat conditions like migraines and arthritis.

CULTURE // December 2015

Available wherEver: AbsoluteXtracts products are carried.

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December 2015 // CULTURE

Available wherever: Bloom Farms products are carried.

Highlighter - 500MG Hybrid

Bloom Farms adds to its line of chic vape pens and cartridges with the Highlighter - 500MG Hybrid. Each cartridge pairs with standard “510” thread vape pen battery and is filled with an oil extract of a 50 percent / 50 percent hybrid blend of multipls cannabis strains. All of Bloom Farms’ cannabis is organically and sustainably grown, then lab-tested for potency, pesticide, mold and fungus. At 45-50 percent THC Bloom Farms™ Hybrid is the safe, enjoyable way to relax, find relief, inspire creativity and have a little more fun. Bloom Farms is also the first to roll out a recycling program, which features spent cart and battery collection boxes at participating dispensaries. These types of vape pens travel great and simplify medicating for hundreds of thousands of patients.

Available WHEREVER: Big Pete's Treats are carried.

Ginger Spice Minis

Big Pete’s Treats gets into the swing of the season with their new, delicious Ginger Spice Minis. Each soft cookie contains 20 mg of THC folded into buttery, gingery, molasses goodness. Six of them come plastic-wrapped and sealed in a Big Pete’s Treats sleeve. Inside the bag, a wonderful ginger cookie smell of butter and mild spice that makes milk or anything else superfluous. The potent indica effects are not to be trifled with. Eat one cookie and wait two hours, Santa. Patients are using small edible doses of cannabinoids for a wide range of symptoms including neuropathic pain and anxiety.

CULTURE // December 2015

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December 2015 // CULTURE

Available at: US Bloom in Vallejo.

Jahgoo

No less than High Times’ Nico Escondido himself shouted out the Jahgoo this November as his top pick for Outdoor Bud of the Year in 2015. Jahgoo is a cross of Jasmine and Afgoo. Vallejo’s collective US Bloom’s indoor cut of Jahgoo is everything you’d want in something from the NorCal purple family—with dark purple leaves, an ultra-resinous white finish and a divinely floral, sweet, purple soda smell. Our sample was dense, immaculately trimmed, with the perfect cure. It ground into delightfully pungent powder and smoked medium-bodied and smooth with maximum purple soda flavor and a hybrid effect and a tiny bit of psychedelic feeling. We loved Jahgoo after work best while playing video games, as it’s a great stress reliever without being too sedative.

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www.iReadCulture.com Available AT: Highway 29 Healthcare in Vallejo.

Pure 777 Extracts’ Banana Kush Shatter

Welcome to the elite level of artisanal medical cannabis extract production. Welcome to Pure 777 Extracts’ Banana Kush Shatter. Carried by Highway 29 Healthcare, this shatter comes from some pristine, fresh nugs of indoor-grown Banana Kush (a 60-40 indica Ghost OG X Skunk Haze). The source strain smells and tastes of floral banana, and Pure 777 have mastered their extractions from it. This hard essential oil gets perfect marks for solidity, transparency, purity, taste and potency. It’s the platonic ideal of shatter, which is why it’s so rare. This Banana Kush Shatter is also lab-tested by SC Labs, who states its 87.53 percent THC. We loved the strong yet balanced hybrid extract effects, which in micro-doses are appropriate for managing daytime anxiety and repetitive stress pain.

Available AT: doctor’s orders in sacramento.

OG Jack Clear

Sacramento’s Doctor’s Orders caters to the “clear” crowd with this OG Jack Clear from extract-makers, Dab Face. “Clear” cannabis extracts have surged in popularity in the last few years. They’re often translucent, very sticky, oils that can be very pure and potent. Clears are often made through a process of filtered steam distillation to remove impurities, and perhaps winterization to take out plant waxes. All that’s left is a tiny, ultra-potent ultra-gooey sap. Sometimes, pure terpenes are added back to the clear. Our OG Jack Clear had amazing clarity, consistency and large, citrus lemon aroma. Dabs of OG Jack Clear vape ultra-fine, light and potent, with citrus notes and hybrid effects multiple times as powerful as raw flowers. Patients dab high-THC extracts to manage very, very severe conditions including spinal cord injury pain and spasms, and addictions to opioids or other hard drugs.

CULTURE // December 2015

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December 2015 // CULTURE

CULTURE // December 2015

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December 2015 // CULTURE

Cherry Bomb

Available wherever: Hashman products are carried.

Hashman turns over a new leaf with its redesigned Cherry Bomb Dark Chocolate, containing 420 milligrams of THC and “Pot Rocks.” That’s 42 standard doses under California’s new medical regulations, making it very strong. “Pot Rocks” are a type of candy that pops in your mouth, creating a kinetic sensory experience to go with the cherry flavor. Hashman’s paperboard containers look super-clean and professional, and inside is this super-dark chocolate-smelling disc that’s been scored into 10, 42-milligram segments. It makes titration much simpler, but folks with low tolerance need just a sliver of a slice. The Cherry Bomb has a fine, super-dark chocolate flavor with the cherry taste and pop of the rocks. Patients are eating high doses of THC to manage conditions like cancer pain, without smoking anything.

WVapes Disposable CO2 Pen - Fire OG

WVapes has been outdoing itself in terms of quality production for the last several months, easily swooning consumers with their standout results. Consisting of full-body effects, beginning first in the head, then moving throughout the body, WVapes Disposable CO2 Pen is well-crafted, highly effective, discreet and simply enjoyable—ideal for managing and treating stress, chronic pain and depression. The supercritical CO2 oil tests in at a 52 percent THC level and is certified pure in the lab, as well as on the tongue. Try the Hybrid Pen to experience the scent and taste of the OG Kush and SFV OG Kush combination—very reminiscent of honey and tropical flavors. Luckily for us, WVapes knows what the real cannabis connoisseurs wants, leaving out any synthetic flavors or additives in exchange for a “nature knows best attitude.” Available in 300-500mg disposable cartridges, and tested for quality, purity and potency, you can feel well-assured that this product delivers with both convenience and strength. Head to www.WVapes.com to find a retailer near you.

CBD Softgels Available WHEREVER: POP Naturals products are carried.

The new standard for “medical” in medical cannabis has to be POP Naturals’ CBD Softgels. Each translucent gold, high-quality, pure gel capsule contains 17.6 milligrams of CBD and 2.3 milligrams of THC, and can treat certain types of pain, inflammation and seizure disorders—with very low or no psychoactivity. For some patients with epilepsy, products like these can give them back their normal lives. POP Naturals prides itself on the purity of its process, as well as its precise lab-testing, which had been lacking from many medical marijuana products. The California-based POP Naturals team uses pesticide-free cannabis, and an all-natural carbon dioxide-only extraction method. The high-CBD oil is then processed and placed into grapeseed oil and encased in soft gelatin. One Softgel is one dose, and effects can take up to two hours to be felt.

Available WHEREVER: WVapes products are available.

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Cannabis Hot Cocoa

On a cold winter’s day, when holiday pressures are mounting and stress is taking its toll, what better way to relax than with a warm cup of medicated hot cocoa? Skyline Boulevard Co.’s Cannabis Hot Cocoa drink mixes are perfect for patients who want to medicate without the adverse effects of smoking. Each drink mix comes in its own cork-stoppered glass vial filled with rich hot cocoa mix, marshmallows, sprinkles, and/or peppermint. Just pop the top and pour the drink mix into a thermos of hot milk, water, or coffee to experience some warm holiday cheer and relaxation. Each tube is plastic-sealed to be tamper evident for safety and lab-tested to contain six California doses of THC (10 milligrams), for a total of 60 milligrams. The mixture quickly and smoothly dissolves into hot milk, water, or coffee for a tasty, low-profile way to medicate. The taste is sensuous-rich and creamy; it warms your insides, keeping you cozy and satisfied. Skyline Boulevard Co.’s Hot Cocoa drink mix is a delicious wintertime treat that makes the perfect gift during the pressure filled, chilly winter days of the holiday season.

CULTURE // December 2015

Available AT: The Cookie Co. 831 in Soquel.

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December 2015 // CULTURE

by Ed Rosenthal

growing culture

Indoor-Outdoor

WINTER GARDEN

n early October, I asked my friend if he could give me a couple of plants for an experiment. A few days later, my friend dropped off two well-branched “3x Crazy” plants. They were used to test the toxicity of an organic pesticide on their leaves. The results were negative, the pesticide didn’t affect them and I was left with two healthy specimens. At the beginning of October, the plants were receiving approximately 12 hours of natural light daily, with early morning sundown in shade. One month later, they were receiving only 10.75 hours daily. Of course, under this regimen, the plants went into flower immediately. The weather was warm during the entire month of October, so I decided to keep the plants outside and let them flower under the short days of autumn. The plants are in small containers so it’s easy to move them around the yard three times daily as the sunny area shifts. Only now, in early November, has the nighttime temperature started dipping into the high 40 degrees. So I’ve decided on a routine change. Instead of leaving the plants out at night, each evening they are being carried inside and given supplemental light using a 1,000-watt high pressure sodium (HPS) light. The routine goes like this: 7am: Plants are indoors. Light goes on. 10am: Plants are carried outside to sunny section of yard, as long as it is not cloudy or rainy, and the temperature is above 68 degrees.

During those times, the plants are kept indoors with the light on. If outside, plants are moved various times during the day to keep them in sunny locations. 4:30pm: Plants are moved inside. Lights are on. 6pm: Lights go off. On most days, the light will be on only 4.5 hours, and on cold, foggy or rainy days, which are infrequent here in Northern California, the light will be on all day indoor. Plants can also be left inside if you’re away from home. I’ve also installed a UVB fluorescent tube in the middle of the garden so that only a part of each plant receives its light. After harvest, I will check for differences in the potency and terpene content of the buds that received the light and those that didn’t. This requires marking the plants in such a way that they are returned to the same position indoors each time, so the light falls on the same buds. Using this technique, I am minimizing energy use, but still getting light to the plants. I realize that in some areas of the country, it’s just too cold to put the plants out anytime during the fall, going into winter, and the light gets dim during the winter in many parts of the country too. In that case, you might be able to use a southfacing window or a skylight and supply supplemental light to meet the plants light requirements. c

you like, have heard about or have always dreamed of growing. Plants growing indoors or in a greenhouse can be trained into small bushes with a diameter of three to four

2 Close-up of one of the small flowers.

Each branch was developing into a cola.

4 Plants being moved to a sunny area of the yard.

5 With colder nights and dimming sun, the plants started receiving enhanced care: Supplemental lighting in the morning and evening and shelter from the cold.

TIP OF THE MONTH FROM ASK ED®

f you are planning to grow outdoors this spring, now is the time to start selecting varieties and to get the indoor starter garden together. Choose seeds or clones from varieties that

1 The plants were placed outdoors in early October. One month later, in early November, the plants are midway through flowering.

square feet for transplanting outdoors in the spring. If it’s warm enough to plant early in the spring, you will be able to get an early harvest because the dark period will be long enough to trigger flowering.

6 Plants basking under 1,000 watt lamp.

Copyright by Ed Rosenthal. All rights are reserved. First North American Magazine rights only are assigned to culture Magazine. No other reproduction of this material is permitted without the specific written permission of the author/copyright holder.

CULTURE // December 2015

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December 2015 // CULTURE

Vermont

destination unknown

by Sheryll Alexander

Vermont Lights Up as Winter’s Best Vacation Wonderland IF YOU GO:

Cannabis has been legal for only seven “debilitating” medical conditions since 2004, although it took until 2013 for just three not-for-profit dispensaries to open legally in the state with another one going live in 2014 for a total of four cannabis clinics. First, patients should unfortunately start online by finding the Vermont Crime Information Center, which oversees the Vermont Marijuana Registry (VMR). Any MD, DO, PA, PA-C, ND or APRN who has been certified by the state with a “special license endorsement” and a “bonafide health care professional-patient relationship” can prescribe cannabis. Fortunately, there’s dozens of MMJ docs even in this sparsely-populated, yet pro-cannabis state. Next, Vermonters are forced to make an appointment at a dispensary, show up with licensed always in hand and, interestingly, bring a locked box to securely stash justpurchased meds. This heavy regulation makes prices for cannabis products in Vermont sky high, but some clinics use a sliding scale for those in need. Vermont is one of five states that will potentially go recreational in 2016 with two recreational bills still alive in the legislature and pro-cannabis politicians such as Governor Shumlin, State House Speaker Shap Smith, State Sen. David Zuckerman, Sen. Patrick Leahy and Presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders. Gov. Shumlin and other Vermont politicians now support legalization after a Rand Corporation study back in January revealed that 80,000 Vermonters are regular cannabis users and switching to a recreational status could harvest an estimated $20-75 million annually in tax revenue.

Fun-Filled Facts Solitude is something to discover in this far-flung state as there’s about 626,000 Vermonters in only 251 towns and cities with Burlington being the most populous at around 40,000 yearround residents.

Vermont is the U.S.A.’s No. 1 maple syrup producer. While the sap doesn’t run until spring, Vermonters put their locally-made sweet liquid treat on some of winter’s best comfort foods such as atop pancakes and inside everything from sausages to desserts.

CULTURE // December 2015

Time to Go: Winter Weather: Cold and snowy Budget: $$$$$

Vermont voters are so forwardthinking that it was the first state to legally recognize gay couples by creating civil unions and was the first state to pass a marriage equality act. 2

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or some, medicating amongst snow-laden pine forests can mean only one thing: A winter trip to Vermont. Plus, Vermont provides some of the very best of winter’s snowy mountain and trail activities. However, when it comes to medical marijuana, Vermont doesn’t quite live up to its tourism tagline of “independent, friendly and quaint.” Sure, Vermonters (as they call themselves) are mostly friendly, freedom-loving folks. Perhaps it is the state’s remote location, vast mountainous pine forests, raging rivers and cold winters that have kept Vermont one of the least populous states in the nation. And this isolation certainly makes for tough, independent-minded people who are open to visitors and most especially to their tourist dollars. Tiny and landlocked Vermont, however, has somehow become this country’s best winter playground with no less than 19 alpine ski resorts and 30 cross country touring centers. Outdoor recreation abounds in this stunningly beautiful state with such heart-pumping and body-warming activities as skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, snowshoeing and ice skating. Even culture and food blooms in Vermont’s winter wonderland. Concert halls, opera houses, art galleries and community halls open their doors and then turn the heat up for an eclectic mix of dance, music, festivities and performances. Other seasonal celebrations include costumed galas, holiday bazaars and First Night festivals. Don’t miss the Woodstock Wassail Weekend from December 11-13, Montpelier Christmas Antiques Market on December 22 and First Night Burlington on New Year’s Eve. Vermont makes for a fantastic winter’s getaway for those who love to medicate in crispy clean mountain air. c

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December 2015 // CULTURE

Hoot Gibson profile in courage

Age: 44 Condition/ Illness: Multiple Sclerosis, severe degenerative disk disease, tremors, muscle spasms, stuttering, chronic pain, cognitive difficulty. When did you start using medical cannabis? 2011

Are you an MMJ patient with a compelling story to tell? If so, we want to hear from you. Email your name, contact information and details about your experiences with medical cannabis to courage@ireadculture.com.

CULTURE // December 2015

Did you try other methods or treatments before cannabis? Yes; surgery, chiropractic therapy, opiates, sedatives, injections, anti-convulsants, acupuncture and physical therapy. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the most important issue or problem facing medical cannabis patients? I feel the most important issue facing medical cannabis patients today is the limited access created by the current infrastructure of state laws. Medical cannabis is not legal in my home state which forced me to move 2,000 miles to a state which would allow me access to the medicine I needed. What do you say to folks who are skeptical about cannabis as medicine? I would ask them if their family member, child or loved one had a serious illness and had tried every medical option available to them without success, wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t they want for that person to at least have the option of trying medical cannabis? Everyone does not have to be a believer in the medicinal benefits of cannabis but everyone should have the opportunity to make that decision for their own health. c

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December 2015 // CULTURE

HOLIDAY HAPPINESS Wonderful winter eats to satisfy that hibernation hunger recipes

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Classic Roast Beef Spinach and Gruyere Soufflé Cranberry Vanilla Cheesecake

Like clockwork, the holiday season has snuck up on humanity once again. It’s that time of year when gift shopping is an annual nightmare, but the togetherness caused by that good old “holiday spirit” makes up for the madness. Enjoy the company of friends and family while you dine together this month, enjoying a hearty meal that compliments the occasion. Bust out the fine china, silverware and cannabis ingredients to make a delicious holiday dinner featuring a classic roast beef, cheesy soufflé and a sweet cranberry and vanilla cheesecake. Cannabis makes everything better, and we here at CULTURE hope you enjoy exquisite dishes while you celebrate a safe and happy holiday season!

Spinach and Gruyere Soufflé Ingredients

Cranberry Vanilla Cheesecake Ingredients 4 ounces chocolate graham crackers 3 tablespoons cannabis-infused vegetable oil t Cooking spray 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup Chambord (raspberry liqueur) 3 tablespoons water 1 cup sugar

2 (8-ounce) packages blockstyle 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup (4 ounces) block-style fat-free cream cheese, softened 1 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/8 teaspoon salt 3 large eggs 2 large egg whites

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°. Wrap outside and bottom of a 9-inch springform pan tightly with a double layer of heavy-duty foil. Place graham crackers in a food processor; process until finely ground. Drizzle with oil; pulse until combined. Press mixture into bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of prepared pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 8 minutes; let cool on a rack. Reduce oven temperature to 325°. Place cranberries, sugar, liqueur and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for 8 minutes or until cranberries pop and mixture is syrupy. Turn off and let cool 20 minutes. Place mixture in a food processor; process 1 minute or until smooth. Combine 1 cup sugar and cheeses in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Beat in yogurt, vanilla and salt. Add whole eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Place 2 egg whites in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until soft peaks form using clean, dry beaters. Fold beaten egg whites into cream cheese mixture. Pour filling over crust. Spoon cranberry mixture over filling. Place springform pan in a 13 x 9-inch metal baking pan. Add hot water to the pan, to a depth of 2 inches. Bake at 325° for 50 minutes or until center of cheesecake barely moves when pan is touched. Turn oven off. Cool cheesecake in closed oven for 30 minutes. Remove cheesecake from oven. Run a knife around outside edge. Cool on a wire rack. Cover and let chill 8 hours.

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2 tablespoons unsalted canna butter t (room temperature, plus more for baking dish) 1/3 cup plain dried breadcrumbs 5 cups (5 ounces) packed spinach, trimmed and washed 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole milk (or whole canna-milk t) 1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese Coarse salt and ground pepper 2 large eggs, separated, plus 2 large egg whites

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°. Butter a round 1-quart tall-sided baking dish and dust with breadcrumbs; set aside. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons water over medium-high. Add spinach and cook, stirring constantly, until wilted, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a strainer to cool; press to release liquid. In a medium saucepan, melt canna butter over medium heat until bubbling. Add flour and whisk until a paste forms. Continue to cook until pale blond in color, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisking, gradually add milk. Cook, whisking, until lumps are gone and mixture is thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cheese until melted; season with salt and pepper. Transfer soufflé base to a large bowl. In a food processor, pulse spinach and egg yolks until coarsely pureed. Add 1/4 cup soufflé base; pulse until blended. Stir spinach mixture into remaining soufflé base. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat 4 egg whites and pinch of salt on medium-high until stiff peaks form (do not overbeat), about 3 minutes. In 2 additions, gently fold egg whites into the soufflé base. Pour batter into prepared dish and bake until soufflé is tall, golden-browned on top and firm to the touch, about 35 minutes. (Avoid opening oven during first 25 minutes of baking.) Serve immediately.

t Additional recipe can be found at iReadCulture.com

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Classic Roast Beef Ingredients 3.3 lbs. quality topside of beef 2 medium onions 2 carrots 2 sticks celery 1 bulb garlic 1 small bunch fresh thyme,

rosemary, bay or sage, or a mixture Cannabisinfused olive oil t sea salt freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Take your beef out of the fridge 30 minutes before it goes into the oven. Preheat oven to 475°. Roughly chop up vegetables. Break the garlic bulb into cloves, leaving them unpeeled. Pile all the vegetables, garlic and herbs into the middle of a large roasting tray and drizzle with olive oil. Separately, drizzle the beef with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper, rubbing it all over the meat. Place the beef on top of the vegetables. Place the roasting tray in the preheated oven. Turn the heat down immediately to 400°F and cook for 1 hour for medium beef. If you prefer it medium-rare, take it out 5 to 10 minutes earlier. For well done, leave it in for another 10 to 15 minutes. When the beef is cooked to your liking, take the tray out of the oven and transfer the beef to a board or pan and let rest for 15 minutes. Cover it with a layer of tinfoil and a tea towel and put aside until you’re ready to serve.

Legal Disclaimer Publishers of this publication are not making any representations with respect to the safety or legality of the use of medical marijuana. The recipes listed here are for general entertainment purposes only, and are intended for use only where medical marijuana is not a violation of state law. Edibles can vary in potency while a consumers’ weight, metabolism and eating habits may affect effectiveness and safety. Ingredient management is important when cooking with cannabis for proper dosage. Please consume responsibly and check with your doctor before consumption to make sure that it is safe to do so.

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Local eateries with similar dishes

Bluestem Brasserie One Yerba Buena Ln., San Francisco (415) 547-1111 www.bluestembrasserie.com Harry’s Hofbrau 390 Saratoga Ave., San Jose (408) 243-0434 www.harryshofbrau.com Sugar Butter Flour 1875 S Bascom Ave., Campbell (408) 371-5485 www.sugarbutterflour.com

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ith the passing of the Medical Marijuana Regulations and Safety Act, the state of California is looking for a Chief to oversee the Bureau of Medical Marijuana Regulation. Aside from having to advise the Bureau’s Director and executive staff, the individual appointed Chief will have to “Oversee and maintain overall responsibility for all activities of the Bureau’s Licensing, Enforcement and Administration programs, including the Bureau’s legislation and regulation activities,” as stated in a job posting by the Department of Consumer Affairs. With an expected salary of roughly $120,000 a year, the Chief’s responsibilities seem to outweigh the pay. Serving as the face of the Bureau, the Chief is expected to communicate with news media, local and federal agencies, consumers and professionals within the cannabis industry. The Chief will also have to regulate product labeling and weed out collectives that don’t adhere to regulations, according to CBS Local. If the Chief is not knowledgeable about California legislature concerning medical cannabis, it will be hard for them to properly regulate the industry, and starting the agency from nothing does not give inexperienced candidates much leverage. Although this seems like a good idea to government officials, suppliers like Kimberly Cargile of Therapeutic Alternative in Sacramento, hopes the right candidate is chosen, stating, “It’s putting a lot of power in the hands of one person so everyone is a little bit nervous, hoping that the person in charge is compassionate and sees marijuana as medicine.” Whenever the Department of Consumer Affairs finds the ideal candidate for the position of Chief, that individual will have to be approved by Governor Jerry Brown. The Chief is expected to be hired by January 2016, giving them some time to build up the Bureau as well as create the various rules and regulations for the cannabis industry in California. c

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event listings

LET’S

Holiday Heathens, Dec. 8

Stand-up comic Keith Lowell returns for his fifth year of holiday laughs along with a few other special guests. Audiences be warned: This is not an event for the easily offended. Punch Line Comedy Club, San Francisco punchlinecomedyclub.com

DO THIS

International Black Women’s Film Festival, Dec. 11

featured event

This film festival highlights media made by or about black women. Moving and powerful, this event showcases how these women perceive themselves, and the stereotypes often seen in racist and sexist media. The Palace Theater, Oakland ibwff.com

Rock, Paper, Scissors Tournament and Pub Crawl, Dec. 16

ODESZA, Dec. 10

Since releasing their debut album, Summer’s Gone in 2012, ODESZA has been fully embraced by the electronic music community. Enjoy their latest songs like “It’s Only” and “Bloom” at this live concert event. Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, San Francisco billgrahamcivicauditorium.com

A unique take on a classic childhood game, the Rock, Paper, Scissors Tournament in San Francisco is a monthly event where patrons compete to be the rock, paper, scissors champion. Winner of the tournament gets a free bar tab in their name, making for fun competition in a game where strategy is everything. North Star Café, San Francisco facebook.com/ NorthstarCafeSF

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Based off the original Broadway staging that debuted in 2012, this musical adaptation of the 1983 film classic, tells the story of Ralphie Parker and his wish to get a Red Ryder BB Gun for Christmas. This is the perfect event for those who love humor or just need to get into the holiday spirit. Orpheum Theater, San Francisco san-francisco-theater.com

Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis, Dec. 11

Staying active is important, especially during the holiday season, which is why the American Arthritis Foundation encourages everyone to participate in its Jingle Bell Run. Dig out your crazy Christmas sweater and elf hat and gear up for a Holiday activity the whole family will enjoy! Race begins on Freeway Blvd., Sacramento sacjbr.org

A Christmas Story, Dec. 9-13

band, than the historic Fillmore. The Fillmore, San Francisco thefillmore.com

Maceo Parker: Funky New Year’s Eve Party, Dec. 31 Beach House, Dec. 17-19

With the release of its new album, Thank Your Lucky Stars, Beach House continues to own up to their unique melodic sound. What better place to experience the soothing vibrations of this innovative

Looking for a party this New Year’s Eve? Look no further, this jazz event will have you dancing through the night until the ball drops and complimentary sparkling wine is passed around for a New Year’s toast. SFJAZZ, San Francisco stocktonlive.com

6th Annual New Year’s Eve Comedy Show, Dec. 31

Get ready for your New Year celebration with a comedy show and dinner. Guests who attend will have enough time to ring in the new year somewhere else or join in on the after party with featured comedians. Osher Marin Jewish Community Center, San Rafael theothercafe.com VISIT US AT

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Chuck Shepherd's

News of the

Weird

LEAD STORY—DOING TIME RIGHT u In October, a Harvard

University debate team (threetime recent champions of the American Parliamentary Debate Association) lost a match to a team of prisoners from the maximum-security Eastern New York Correctional Facility. Prison debaters “are held to the exact same standards” as college debate teams, according to the director of Bard College’s Prison Initiative, which coaches the inmates. Prisoners took the “pro” side of public schools having the right to turn away students whose parents had entered the U.S. illegally (though team members personally disagreed). The Bard trainers pointed out that the inmates perfected their presentation despite (or perhaps because of) the prison prohibition on Internet access.

COMPELLING EXPLANATIONS u A black alleged gang member,

Taurus Brown, 19, under arrest in Clearwater, Florida, in September for having a marijuana cigarette casually tucked behind his ear as he talked politely to a white police officer, tried to flee on foot but was quickly taken down. Asked why he ran, Brown replied (according to the police report): “I don’t like white people touching me. White people do weird stuff.”

UNCLEAR ON THE CONCEPT u The Merit Systems Protection

Board is (wrote The Washington Post) “a personnel court of last resort” for federal employees unfairly punished by demotion or firing—which is just what employee Timothy

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Korb needed when his federal agency suspended him in 2013, allegedly for revealing at a staff meeting that the agency’s actual case backlog was much worse than it was letting on. Korb’s employer, ironically, is the Merit Systems Protection Board, and in September 2015, an administrative law judge upheld his claim of unfairness.

SHAMELESS u In rare bipartisan action, the

U.S. Senate is preparing a bill to ban taxpayer funds for those military salutes at sporting events. Teams (the legislators believe) already benefit from the fan-friendly staging of heartwarming patriotic displays. (The Pentagon had paid $5.4 million just to the National Football League over the last four years). An NFL spokesman, finally playing catch-up, said in September, “(N)o one should be paid to honor our troops.”

LEGISLATORS IN ACTION u In a recent resolution,

Blount County (Tennessee) Commissioner Karen Miller called for her fellow commissioners and state officials all the way up to the governor to prepare for “God’s wrath” for recent national policies (same-sex marriage, etc). she disagrees with. Though other states might be in for a smiting, Miller’s resolution calls on God to spare Blount County (by the “safety of the Passover lamb”). In October, the commission tabled the resolution, 10-5, but she promised to reintroduce it.

THE WEIRDO-AMERICAN COMMUNITY u “Officially” declaring oneself

not subject to the laws of any jurisdiction (i.e., a “sovereign”) VISIT US AT

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opens a wide range of career choices. The FBI and Las Vegas police say that in Rick Van Thiel’s case, once his porn industry career ended (because someone stole his video equipment), he “decided to go into the medical field,” becoming “Dr. Rick” with expertise performing dozens of abortions, circumcisions and castrations (plus cancer treatments and root canals). Proudly avoiding actual licensing, Van Thiel promoted “alternative” remedies, with an office in a Nevada compound of trailers that one hesitant “patient” described as something out of a horror movie. Van Thiel, arrested in October, nonetheless staunchly defended his ability (acquired, he said, by watching YouTube medical videos). (Bonus entertainment: In court, he will be acting as his own lawyer).

PERSPECTIVE u In June, Tennessee’s much-

publicized program to kick drug users off of welfare rolls (and only from welfare rolls, among

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all people receiving any type of state subsidy) wound up its first year cutting off fewer than 40 people out of 28,559 people on public assistance (“temporary assistance to needy families”). Nonetheless, the sponsoring legislators said they were pleased with the program and planned no changes. The state paid a contractor $11,000 to conduct 468 drug tests, but did not disclose staff costs of processing applications, deciding who to test and managing cases.

LEAST COMPETENT CRIMINALS u Not Ready for Prime Time:

It was at 7:30 a.m. on Oct. 8 that, according to Dallas police, Kristopher Jones, 18, and a buddy decided it would be Joy’s Donut shop they should rob. As they exited the store (one carrying the shop’s cash register), a uniformed, offduty officer (who apparently had pulled up to the store—for doughnuts) saw the whole thing and arrested Jones (though his partner was able to flee).

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Ronda Rousey (2015)

“It’s so unfair if one person tests for steroids that could actually really hurt a person and the other person smokes a plant that makes them happy and he gets suspended for five years, whereas the guy that could hurt someone gets a slap on the wrist. It’s not fair. It’s not fair at all.”

Rihanna (2015)

“I’d rather smoke weed whenever we breathe.”

Melissa Etheridge

Bill Maher

(2015)

“If Republicans can forgive people for armed insurrection, desertion, and speaking Spanish, a Democrat can forgive us for getting high.”

Morgan Freeman (2015)

“I have fibromyalgia pain in this arm, and the only thing that offers any relief is marijuana.”

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“It needs to be legalized across the board. Who draws the line of what’s medicinal? If a hardworking person comes home and they want to enjoy cannabis, who’s to say that it’s not medicine? It helps in many medicinal ways.”

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