Culture Magazine NorCal November 2015 by Culture Magazine

CULTURE // November 2015

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November 2015 // CULTURE

CULTURE // November 2015

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November 2015 // CULTURE

CULTURE // November 2015

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November 2015 // CULTURE

NOVEMBER 2015

Contents 40

Features

32 . INDUSTRY INSIDER Master Bong is an entertaining professional when it comes to creating DIY cannabis devices out of everyday items. 38 . Harvesting How-To Learn the basic steps for your perfect personal harvest. 40 . IT’S HARVEST TIME

FEARLESS AND FREE A MAN OF MANY TALENTS

Jesse Ventura spills about his fruitful career as an actor, wrestler, governor and his strong passion for cannabis legalization.

Cannabis use in Pagan rituals has a fascinating history that goes back centuries. 46 . INCREASING AWARENESS The next step for cannabis is establishing a base for “organic” herb. 50 . ILLUMINATING ILLINOIS Illinois celebrates its first legal medical cannabis harvest.

ON THE COVER: Photo by Lauren B. Falk

10 . Letter from the Editor

NEWS

16 . News Nuggets 20 . By the Numbers 22 . A Look At California’s Cannabis Reform Initiative 24 . Political push 26 . HEALTHY LIVING

54 . MOVIN’ ON UP North Carolina passes new bill to legalize the growth of industrial hemp. 56 . MAGNIFICENTLY MOTIVATED

Discover the positivity of Chase, an artist whose murals have appeared in major cities throughout the world. 62 . INFECTIOUS MELODIES Long-time reggae musician Pato Banton is extremely passionate, friendly and a huge fan of cannabis.

reviews

28 . COMPANY HIGHLIGHT 78 . Cool Stuff 80 . Entertainment Reviews

Departments

98 . Growing Culture 100 . Destination Unknown 102 . Profiles in Courage 104 . Recipes 108 . let’s do this 112 . News of the Weird

Portland Wants to Establish a 'Green Light District' for Cannabis

Canada's Newly Elected Prime Minister is ProRecreational Cannabis

82 . STRAIN, edible &

concentrate ReviewS

64 . HAIL TO THE CHIEF Chief Greenbud is a cannabis musician with a unique alternative country vibe.

GET YOUR CLICK HERE

68 . Holiday Gift Guide The best gift ideas for your favorite cannasseur!

SEE MORE ON OUR WEBSITE

CULTURE // November 2015

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Vol 7 IssUE 5

/freeculturemag

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letter from the editor

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

Give Thanks “We must find time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives.”

-John F. Kennedy

ovember is a tumultuous month for nature, for politics, for your emotions, your busy schedule, and even your finances. The weather is changing, throwing your health and body clock into upheaval; you’re preparing for Thanksgiving and Black Friday, juggling family members, cooking, party planning and trying to save some money, all while trying to remain humble and gracious. With Veteran’s Day and Election Day this month, you’re worried about your future, your past and what’s best for your family, your community and the country. In this season of change, we watch the leaves change color, and we watch the politicians fight for our votes as we start to envision hope in our national future. We can see glimmering hints shining through the issues, arguments and strides toward a better tomorrow, taken one step at a time. Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton both spoke up in favor of medical cannabis access at the Democratic Debate, and Sanders even came out in support for further cannabis legalization and criminal justice reform. Furthermore, many states are revisiting their older medical cannabis regulations, and some states—like Ohio and Maine—may be the next on the legal recreational cannabis train.

CULTURE // November 2015

Photographers Steve Baker, Kristopher Christensen, John Gilhooley, Joel Meaders, Duncan Rolfson, Rick Thompson

Hemp and CBD are becoming legal and more accessible in the South, and many different states are enjoying the fruits of their very first legal hemp harvest. Even in the chaos of all the events taking place this month, we are given opportunities to be thankful in these busy events and bask in our freedoms, our ever-evolving community and the hope of nationwide legal access to cannabis in the near future. Election Day is a reminder of how hard we all fought for equal rights and the democracy of this great nation, and the inevitability of cannabis legalization; Veteran’s Day is a reminder of our rights in this country, and all our loved ones who sacrificed their lives so that we may continue to have those freedoms; Thanksgiving Day, of course, is a reminder to celebrate community, and give your time, energy and love to people without expecting anything in return, and to be thankful for the lives we lead. Even Black Friday can serve as a reminder to be thankful for the invention of capitalism and competition in this country (and amazing sales). As surprising as it may seem sometimes, November is all about giving thanks, observing the change all around us, and looking ahead into the future. Try to remember to stop every once in a while during your hectic schedule and be thankful. c Sincerely,

Evan A. Senn

Editor-In-Chief

Art Director Steven Myrdahl Graphic Designers Tanya Delgadillo, Tommy LaFleur 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

CULTURE® Magazine is printed using post-recycled paper.

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C STATE _______________________

NEWS NUGGETS

company donated $20,000 worth of product, and the donation ran from late September to early October.

Cannabis Collectives in San Jose Work to Comply with City Regulation

Cannabis collectives in San Jose are trying to comply with a strict set of laws, put forth in June of last year, in order to remain in business. The laws require the collectives to re-locate themselves to industrial areas throughout the city and grow their own cannabis or buy from just one local grower, according to The San Jose Tribune. Dave Hodges, a collective owner who is being forced to close his second collective because of the laws, commented on the state of situation, “They’ve designed a system that makes it virtually impossible for anyone to run this type of business.” So far, there are 20 collectives standing after 67 have been shut down due to their inability to abide by these rules. With the last regulation deadline set for December 18, some collectives are hoping that city officials will loosen up on the regulations while others choose to closely abide by the rules in hopes of becoming one of few collectives left in San Jose.

Cannabis Companies Donate to Patients Affected by Wildfires

Medical cannabis companies Care by Design and Absolute Extracts donated $200 worth of cannabis per patient to individuals affected by the valley wildfires that occurred in Northern California. The wildfires burned down 118 square miles, destroying nearly 2,000 homes, according to The Los Angeles Times. Seeing the devastating effects of the wildfires, the companies made the donations available at five collectives in San Francisco, Santa Rosa, Sebastopol and Lake County. The only requirements needed for patients to receive the donation was to have a prescription for medical cannabis and proof of home address in Cobb, Kelseyville, Middletown and Hidden Valley Lake, which were the communities affected most by the wildfires. The

CULTURE // November 2015

__________________________

NATION South Dakota Tribe to Open World’s First Cannabis Resort A small Native American tribe in Flandreau, South Dakota, known as the Santee Sioux, has already begun making plans to open the world’s first cannabis resort on its land. Due to high competition and the residual effects of the recession affecting the Santee Sioux’s casino business, the tribe was searching for new ways to increase customer traffic, according to the New York Post. As a result, the leaders of the tribe have decided to grow their own cannabis and sell it in a smoking lounge that will feature bar and food service, arcade games and eventually expand to offering slot machines and an outside music venue. The tribe estimates that this venture will bring in $2 million a month, which will add to income generated from casino revenue. The resort is expected to begin business in January of 2016, with the first sale expected to take place on New Year’s Eve.

__________________________

World Cannabis Cultivation Legalized in Victoria, Australia

Victoria has become the first Australian state to legalize the cultivation of medical cannabis for patients suffering from conditions such as cancer, HIV/AIDS, epilepsy and chronic pain. This came after the Victoria Law Commission’s Report on Medicinal Cannabis was approved by Parliament. The report includes 42 recommendations on how to safely cultivate, manufacture and transport cannabis within Victoria, as well as patient eligibility and the need for ongoing research, according to Premier of Victoria. While the government only fully accepted 40 of the recommendations, the other two were accepted in principal, which will allow medical cannabis to be conveniently accessible for patients in need. Eligible patients will be granted access to cannabis products such as oils, tinctures and vaporizable liquids but will not be able to legally ingest cannabis in smokable form. Medical cannabis is expected to be fully legal in Victoria by 2017 with children suffering from severe epilepsy given priority access. c VISIT US AT

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by the numb3rs

The number of pages that detail the medical cannabis regulation measure submitted by ReformCA: 26 (Source: Santa Rose Press Democrat)

The suggested donation for cannabis that local collectives asked from patients who were victims of the recent NorCal fires: 0 (Source: Los Angeles Times)

4,103 The number of collectives in San Jose who are vying to satisfy the city’s strict rules and regulations for collective operation: 20 (Source: Mercury News)

The number of people, in millions, who use cannabis around the world, according to the United Nations: 158.8 (Source: The Telegraph)

60 20

The number of valid signatures that Vallejo medical cannabis advocates collected in an attempt to overturn the current city ordinance that regulates collectives: 4,103 (Source: Times Herald)

The number of years that it took for California to begin regulating the cannabis industry since it first legalized medical cannabis, as of this month: 19 (Source: The Cannabist)

The amount of money, in millions of dollars, that is being used to help the cannabis legalization campaign in Ohio: 20 (Source: Tribune-Review)

158.8

The estimated amount of money, in millions of dollars, that Arizona would make annually through taxes if recreational cannabis was legalized: 60 (Source: The Huffington Post)

CULTURE // November 2015

Santa Cruz Cup Organizers for the Santa Cruz Cup never fail to impress guests who attend their annual event, and this year is already on its way to becoming the best cup yet. The event is bigger than ever, and will be hosted in a new, spacious venue that will feature a ton of great happenings. Check out live musical performances by Ancestree, The Leftovers and Coastal Sage, listen in on industry speakers such as Martin Lee, Valerie Corral and Mike Jolsen, and attend panels on topics such as “How to Maintain Artisan or Boutique Farms in Competition with Commercial Production.” The star of this event, of course, is the almighty cannabis competition, which will feature a ton of the best samples of local cannabis in the usual categories, as well as a few new ones, including Best Sublingual, Best Rosin, Best Hybrid and Best Topical. This Santa Cruz Cup is bound to be the best cup yet!

IF YOU GO

What: Santa Cruz Cup. When/Where: Sun, Nov. 8. 2pm-10pm. 2261 7th Ave., Santa Cruz. Shuttles offered at 3454 Paul Sweet Rd., Santa Cruz. Info: Tickets are $33 at the gate. 18+. Visit www. santacruzcup.com for details.

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ReformCA Officially Files its Highly Anticipated California Recreational Cannabis Reform Initiative

O by Kimberly Johnson

On Sunday, October 4, the Coalition for Cannabis Policy Reform (ReformCA) announced that they’d officially submitted their recreational cannabis reform initiative to the office of the California attorney general. This was the group’s first vital step towards its proposal making it on the 2016 state ballot. Chairwoman of ReformCA, Dale Sky Jones, explained via the group’s website, “We believe this effort has the most statewide input and consensus, and thus the greatest likelihood of succeeding on the 2016 ballot.” The group’s proposed initiative is titled The Control, Regulate and Tax Cannabis Act of 2016 and would include the taxation and regulation of cannabis for those 21 and older, allowing for the possession of one ounce without fear of arrest. Additionally, the proposal would seek to create an Office of Cannabis Regulation under the California Department of Consumer Affairs. Similar to other recreationally legal states, retailers, growers, distributors and transporters would need to obtain state licenses to cultivate and sell. During a phone conversation with Dale Gieringer, Director of Cal NORML and one of the co-authors of the initiative, he stated, “We were able to see a lot of convergence amongst many people in regards to where [cannabis] legalization should go, so it was important to incorporate that into the initiative.” Gieringer notes that the coalition worked alongside the Lieutenant Governor’s task force, Blue Ribbon Commission on Marijuana Policy, and with the Board of Equalization and other tax experts in firming up the goals of the proposal. Gieringer adds, “We also held [an

CULTURE // November 2015

California cannabis politics continue to heat up estimated] 15 public meetings from Redding down to San Diego about this, so we’ve really tried to stake out the best possible input.” Gieringer goes on to continue, “We are really happy that we achieved all the basic principles that we outlined in the beginning of the initiative which were to make marijuana legal for general adult use and regulate and tax it somewhat along the lines of Colorado with modifications here for California; allowing for personal use, cultivation, and sharing with family and friends, moving towards infractions and misdemeanor penalties and getting away from felony penalties. We’re also concerned with reaffirming and reasserting rights for medical cannabis patients which were wrongly taken away due to bad Supreme Court decisions in California, as well as improvements to clear prior cannabis convictions as well.” The announcement of the group’s big step towards next year’s ballot has been met with both excitement and panic. While getting cannabis reform on the 2016 ballot is a collective goal for California cannabis reform activists, the abundance of expected 2016 initiatives is causing some concern. According to Los Angeles Weekly, ReformCA’s could be just one of more than six on the ballot for next year; essentially, the more initiatives surrounding the same topic on a ballot, the more possibility for voter confusion. Gieringer acknowledges the growing concern regarding a possible abundance of bills on the 2016 ballot, but assures it shouldn’t be looked at as a prominent issue. “There should be concern about competing initiatives circulating, but I do believe that will all get sorted out before that eventuality happens. I can’t promise it; you never know what nut might be out there with $1 million to go around against cannabis reform and of course things like that have happened, but I don’t expect it and we’re trying to avoid that for sure.”

For a concise look at the main intents and purposes of ReformCA’s The Control, Regulate and Tax Cannabis Act of 2016, see below. •

•

Control, tax and regulate cannabis as a legal product for adult use by revising existing civil and criminal penalties for adults 21 years of age or older who consume, possess, cultivate or transport personal use quantities of cannabis. Establish a state office to regulate and license the commercial cultivation, manufacture, processing, testing and distribution and sale of cannabis for adult use. The Act strives to help produce tax revenues for California to go towards education, public health, drug abuse prevention, state grants, environmental protection, community restoration programs and necessary strategies for safe and responsible legalization. Improve law enforcement resources for targeting violent crime by eliminating felony penalties for minor cannabisrelated crimes, while assigning felony penalties to serious offenses which undermine public safety, the environment or the welfare of children. The Act makes the consumption of cannabis in a public transit vehicle or the consumption of cannabis by persons sitting in the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle an infraction subject to a fine of not more than $100. Creates a California Cannabis Commission (The Commission). The Commission will be comprised of government officials and experts in public health, medical cannabis, organized labor, local government and law enforcement in order to devise rules and help form the policies applying to the cultivation, sale and consumption of medical and nonmedical cannabis in California. c VISIT US AT

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C The Shortest Year Ever? political push

A by Sean Donahoe

At this time next year, you will be voting to legalize cannabis in California, effectively ending a failed global policy of cannabis prohibition. Let that sink in for just a second. Dwell on the excitement. It’s not often that we stop and meditate on our role in the course of history, and not often that we can see the future’s path laid out ahead of us. Voters in California, Arizona, Nevada, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Florida and possibly Pennsylvania, Ohio and maybe more states will all be asked to do their part in legalizing cannabis next year. Local ballot measures will abound, as cities and counties choose to ban or tax cannabis businesses in their jurisdictions. Candidates from the presidency on down will be pressured to share their views on legalization, on medical cannabis, on taxation issues and on their personal consumption history. The tired arguments of the War on Drugs are no longer credible to the American public and we will hopefully see an elevated discussion over the next year. Perspectives of candidates on legalization will accompany news stories on cannabis, and friends and families will be having new discussions around the dinner table. Simply put, this should be an amazing year ahead, as we push into the mainstream and right historic wrongs using the power of the ballot box. Here in California, we have strong support from our Lieutenant Governor and other state officials but skeptics remain, those that prefer to disproportionately imprison people of color, deny safe access to lab-tested medicine, ignore scientific evidence and generally throw good money down a policy rat hole. The opposition may lack ethical, logical or economic grounds for their positions but we must strive to educate and engage,

CULTURE // November 2015

not demonize nor antagonize. For the cannabis industry, the year ahead will be a year of exciting transition. The recently passed state legislation will begin to be implemented at the state and local levels, as we see a mosaic of farmers and vendors emerge from behind the legal facade of collective-hood. The diversity and innovation at all levels of the supply chain within California is already a sight to behold and we will begin to see more and more cities and counties embracing a new, regulated era for the cannabis industry. Expect early elements of a cannatourism industry, as farms receive local licenses in Humboldt, Mendocino, Sonoma and elsewhere. Hash making classes, tasting sessions, monthly subscription boxes and vaping lounges will become more and more accepted. As we approach next year’s election, celebrities and politicians will come out of the woodwork and declare a sudden affinity for the righteous herb. We should

Photo by Eric Broder Van Dyke

and welcome these newfound allies rather than ask where they’ve been—the era of prohibition caused many to lie to their family and friends, let alone their fans or constituents. The cool scent of honesty will be a welcome change. A word about the actual mechanism of legalization: An anticipated statewide ballot measure, an initiative and/or constitutional amendment. How many? Or which one? What will it/they look like? Where will the money come from? Who will campaign for it? We can’t answer those questions just yet—but pay attention, be engaged and be excited for next year. It will be here before you know it. c VISIT US AT

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

E-Cigs Exonerated

ased on fear rather than fact, 21 states and 438 municipalities have enacted total or partial e-cigs bans. Although California has not passed a ban, it has not been for lack of trying. At the California legislature’s Second Extraordinary Session on Public Health, the Senate passed a restriction loaded bill, but with too little time left in the session, the bill never came up for a vote in the Assembly. The feds had jumped into the fray back in 2009 with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), claiming that e-cigs were an unapproved drug delivery device. In a lawsuit filed by e-cig manufacturers, the FDA was rebuffed from that approach when the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington D.C. ruled that e-cigs do not come under the purview of the FDA as long as they are not marketed as a smoking cessation product. The ruling means that e-cigs can only be regulated in the same way that tobacco products are. Manufacturers can market them as a tasty trendy way to get nicotine stimulation, but not for what e-cigs would be most important for—getting people to stop smoking tobacco. In CULTURE’s July 2014 column, I wrote that e-cigs, “By not creating smoke, eliminate the carbon monoxide

CULTURE // November 2015

and all the carcinogens” and noting “it’s the smoke that is mostly responsible for the 400,000 American deaths each year from tobacco use.” Although I had no proof that e-cigs were significantly less dangerous, I put it forth as a good hypothesis based on common sense. Turns out my common sense hypothesis was right on target. Using recent reports and studies to set the record straight, England’s Public Health Service issued a joint statement in September 2015 stating “We all agree that e-cigarettes are significantly less harmful than smoking.” Commenting on the statement, Public Health Professor, Kevin Fenton explained “E-cigarettes are not completely risk-free but when compared to smoking, evidence shows they carry just a fraction of the harm.” That fraction turns out to be a phenomenal 95 percent less harmful. England’s Public Health Service was concerned that, “millions of smokers have the impression that e-cigarettes are at least as harmful as tobacco.” They were fearful that this mistaken impression could lead people to resume smoking and that it was their “duty to provide reassurance for the 1.1 million e-cigarette users who have completely

stopped smoking to prevent their relapse.” Contradicting a University of Southern California study suggesting that e-cig use might lead teens to begin smoking cigarettes, author Professor Ann McNeil pointed out,”There is no evidence that e-cigarettes are undermining England’s falling smoking rates. Instead the evidence consistently finds that e-cigarettes are another tool for stopping smoking,” E-cigs can significantly reduce smoking and by reducing smoking can significantly reduce the negative health consequences (like death) of smoking tobacco. Yet

lawmakers fall all over themselves making it harder rather than easier for people to use e-cigs. Admittedly, the nicotine found in e-cigs has zero medical use, but if e-cig users can only use e-cigs in the same places where tobacco is smoked, it is questionable whether e-cigs can give them enough of a nicotine fix to overcome the temptations of cigarettes set aflame just a few feet from them. With zero dangers from second hand vapors, e-cig restrictions don’t do anyone any good. This is especially true for cannabis consumers as laws curtailing e-cig use almost always treat cannabis the same as tobacco. The effects of vaporizing cannabis comes on within minutes. Cannabis consumers who use it medically need to be able to use it where they are. If they are undergoing bouts of anxiety, stress, seizures or nausea, they shouldn’t have to search out a place where tobacco smoking is allowed in order to medicate with an e-pen vaporizer. Rejecting science is par for the course for legislators who deny man-made climate change and evolution, but legislators who accept the science behind climate change and evolution somehow just fold when it comes to the science of e-cigs and cannabis. Reefer madness meets e-cig madness. Nothing good ever comes when decisions affecting public health are based on morality instead of science. c

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Company HIGHLIGHT

Care By Design

4770 Occidental Road, Santa Rosa, CA 95401 | CBD.org

non-profit patient collective that takes responsibility for cultivation, extraction, production, distribution, transport and retail. The new state regulations require that many of these functions be done by independent entities. This will require a radical restructuring of the business operations. More importantly though, at each juncture—between cultivation and extraction, extraction and retail—the product has to go through an independent distributor. There will be a very limited number of distributors. All of this combined is likely to dramatically increase the cost structure for producing medicinal cannabis products, which is going to hurt the patient. That being said, in the current climate, there is always a risk of law enforcement action (including “summary eradication” of legal grows)—even for fully compliant, non-profit patient collectives. It will be a relief to not have this weighing on us. What are the goals and visions moving forward for your company? Where do you see your company in five years? We’re currently engaged in research on cannabis’ efficacy in a number of areas, including PTSD, cancer, autism, epilepsy and other conditions. Within five years, we expect to be producing more targeted formulations, and we expect to be able to provide better guidance on which cannabinoid profiles are most appropriate for which medical conditions.

How would you describe your company? What is your specialty? Care By Design produces CBD-rich cannabis therapeutics. What do you offer consumers/clients that others don’t? Care By Design makes products from the flowers and leaf of local, sustainably grown cannabis. We offer products in medically appropriate formulations, including sublingual sprays, smokeless vape cartridges, extracts and soft gel caps. Care By Design offers a full spectrum of CBD:THC ratios and strains so that patients can comfortably optimize their cannabinoid therapy while moderating psychoactive effects based on personal preferences. We maintain rigorous consistency (unit-tounit) in the quantity of active ingredients by manufacturing all products in a PFCcertified lab. We ensure our products are lab-tested and free from contaminants.

CULTURE // November 2015

It is important to us to provide complete and accurate labeling. Care By Design is committed to maintaining full transparency from seed to shelf. We even aim to promote community safety by using non-flammable extraction methods in our processes. How and why did your company start up? We founded Care By Design to provide medical patients with reliably safe and effective cannabis medicines. In particular, our goal was to empower patients to calibrate dosing in a repeatable and reliable fashion for maximum benefit. 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? Currently, California state law requires we maintain a fully, vertically integrated,

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 or this industry, in your opinion? Get comfortable with change! It’s a rapidly changing and growing industry. And, that’s unlikely to change in the foreseeable future. What do you hope to accomplish in the MMJ industry? We hope to play a role in bringing cannabis out of the shadows and re-establishing it as a safe, effective and readily accessible herbal remedy. Any sneak peeks on new products or news you’d like to share? We have a line of topicals and edibles coming out before the end of the year— both of which have market-tested extremely well. We’re very excited. We’re also rolling out soft gel caps. c VISIT US AT

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“If you get stuck doing the same thing over and over again, you’re not challenging yourself.”

Decently blazed on his couch on a sunny afternoon, Master Bong dives into his pizza. Some people eat the crust, others give it to the dog, Master Bong produces a drilling tool and after a few minutes of tinkering, loads up one side of the pizza crust with a bud of Animal Crackers and smokes it. “You can eat it, you smoke out of it. Domino’s puts cheese in the middle of it, I hollowed it out and smoked it,” he says after exhaling a cloud of smoke at the camera. Meet the “MacGyver of Marijuana,” a 30-year-old wild child who has turned a love of making pipes out of unlikely items into an internet sensation. With millions of views on his YouTube channel and 91,000 “likes” on his Facebook page, he’s had the marketing know-how to channel this by R. Scott Rappold popularity into a business that pays the bills and allows him to have a slew of employees. “For me, it’s like sometimes you’re going to come into a situation where you’re out in the world and you don’t have (a smoking device) on you,” says Master Bong in a phone interview. “Or you just broke your bong. You lost your pipe. You broke your vaporizer. You need to have the skill set. If you don’t, how do you smoke?” He goes on to say, “It’s also just about being creative. If you get stuck doing the same thing over and over again, you’re not challenging yourself. You’re not switching things up. Life can get kind of boring.” >>

Master Bong

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Necessity is the Mother of Invention

Master Bong, whose first name is Jake and whose last name he declines to give, came to pipe and bong-making as a teenager, too young to buy one in a head shop. “I wasn’t quite of age yet. We were always figuring out creative fun ways to make devices to smoke out of. I was the person in my crew who was kind of heading that up,” he says. A few years later, he was in college studying to be a social worker but his heart wasn’t in it. He’d had some success with an internet and social media marketing side business and decided to turn that talent toward his passion: Cannabis. In 2008, he shot a short video of himself carving a pipe out of an apple and posted it to YouTube, sporting an afro and sunglasses. Other instructional videos followed, from a gravity bong to a bell pepper bubbler. After all, this was stuff he and his buddies were doing for fun anyway. People at a party might all be toking up, but when everyone gets together to puff out of a hollowed-out watermelon, they might become friends. “You can see how it just brings people together, especially people who wouldn’t normally kick it together, just like cannabis does,” he says. In 2010, he decided it was time to devote himself entirely to his Master Bong alter ego and dropped out of college.

An Internet celebrity

As his videos grew in popularity along with the rising tide of cannabis legalization, he noticed a change. Rather than having to buy his own gear, companies paid him to feature their products in his videos. People might not know or recognize Master Bong, but the dude with the afro was becoming a cannabis celebrity. “Sometimes now, I wish I didn’t have my brand set up like this because when I go to an event and it’s 100 degrees out, I’m not comfortable,” he says. “But it’s a brand. It’s very recognizable.”

CULTURE // November 2015

With a regular output of a dozen videos a month, Master Bong has expanded his repertoire to celebrating everything about the cannabis lifestyle, from growing tips to recipes to general silliness. In fact, his most-viewed video, with 1.6 million views, is on how to roll a Swisher Sweets blunt. But being the “MacGyver of Marijuana” is still his bread and butter, even if individual projects have been less than successful. For example, there was the golf club pipe. The thing was so slim you had to suck incredibly hard to get a hit. Although his products aren’t always great for smoking with, he always makes them work, even if it takes a couple rips from a sponsored-product bong to get there.“We’ll figure out a way and sit there until it works,” he says.

Never stop dreaming

Master Bong never stops thinking of new ways to smoke. He talks about his desire to turn a swimming pool into a massive bong, or to publish a book—complete with carving tools—on 101 ways to make household smoking instruments. Passionate about his pipes and bongs, Master Bong keeps the non-perishable smoking devices he makes, in hopes of creating somewhat of a Master Bong Museum when he finally buys a house. The day Master Bong can afford a house can’t be far off, if it’s not already here. It all started with him and a “horrible flip camera.” Today he has an assistant to check his emails and someone to operate the camera. He once had to pay his own way to attend industry events. Now he wouldn’t dream of buying his own plane ticket or paying to attend an industry event. While he certainly enjoys making a living out of Master Bong, instead of social work, he also loves being able to inform and entertain people.“No matter what you do . . . Maybe you’re an artist, maybe you’re a musician, maybe you want to play sports, whatever it is, follow your heart and passion and it’s going to work out; and getting paid to do that is the American dream.” c

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The Harves 38

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st How-To A step-by-step guide to harvesting your cannabis by Addison Herron-Wheeler

Harvest season is here, and that means it’s time for all the growers who have lovingly cultivated their cannabis plants for months to finally get to reap the benefits of all their hard work. But proceed with caution—cannabis is quite literally a delicate flower, and if treated too roughly or clipped or cured incorrectly, all that love and care could go to waste at the last minute. Here is how to get the best results from harvesting and curing your plants and avoid any nasty mistakes.

1. Cut With Love and Care

Actually harvesting cannabis is by far the simplest part of the harvest process—one simple snip of the stalk is all it takes, and then the hard work begins with the curing and trimming process. Just make sure that you cut in the right place—make the incision below the first intersection of branches, and be sure to cut all the way through the first time.

2. Set Aside Your Initial Trim for Hash

Once you’ve cut off your plant, now it’s time to get rid of the trim so the plant can cure. But don’t just throw all the stuff you cut off away without looking at it carefully first. Any leaves and seemingly useless parts that look crystalized and are covered in trichomes can be sent off to be made into bubble hash, and making hash with the trim will make your yield go a lot further.

3. Dry According to Local Conditions

Once you have done the initial trimming of your plant, it is time to hang it up to dry. If you live at a high elevation during a dry time of year with no snow, the best bet is to leave on some of the bigger leaves until the plant is more dried out. If you live at sea level and 100 miles or less from the ocean, or if there is snow on the ground, then the best bet is to cut off as many leaves as possible so that the plant does not stay too moist and become moldy.

4. Observe and Adjust Accordingly

The drying process can take as long as 30 days, and the plants should be checked regularly during that time to make sure they are curing properly. More leaves might need to be trimmed off if they are too moist, and plants can be hung alongside moister, less cured plants if they are too dry so that they can absorb some of the water.

5. Check out the Final Product

Once all that hard work is done and your plant is properly dried and cured, it’s time for the fun part—testing the product. This is when you’ll learn if the cannabis you grew is truly up to snuff and worthy of being shared. Enjoy, and happy harvesting! c Source: John Hunt, owner of Green and Healthy Wellness Dispensary

November 2015 // CULTURE

The Ritualistic Harvest Pagan Rituals Involving Cannabis By Addison Herron-Wheeler

Hindu Hemp Lore It’s that time of year when magic is in the air–Halloween is just behind us, the harvest is upon us and we feel the most in touch with our pagan roots. Many of the pagan, ancient and classic religious traditions that still exist today, or cultural rituals involved in harvesting, use cannabis in their practices. Here’s a look at how religions and cultures across time and the planet have used cannabis as a sacrament, a healing herb and a part of their daily lives and rituals.

European Paganism

Cannabis, love and sex go hand in hand, and this has been the case since the days of the ancient Germanic pagans. According to “The History of Hemp in Norway,” an article published in The Journal of Industrial Hemp by Jan Bojer Vindheim, cannabis and fertility have long been associated in ancient Norse mythology. The herb was associated with Freya, the goddess of love, and was consumed and harvested at the ironically titled “High Festival,” where fertility was celebrated. The Norse people believed that Freya’s feminine, erotic energy was contained in the flowers of the plant, which would give sexual power to those who consumed them. The article also points out that two ancient Norwegian women were discovered with hemp seeds in their pouch and a hemp cord on their persons, alluding to more practical uses for the cannabis family as well. >>

CULTURE // November 2015

Many Hindus still embrace hemp as a part of their religion–on the festival day of Holi, bhang or cannabis flowers are ritually consumed. According to Mia Touw’s The Religious and Medical Uses of Cannabis in China, India, and Tibet, Hindu mythology states that Shiva created cannabis from his body in order to purify the elixir of life that helped to kick start the world. Another version of the myth states that when the elixir of life touched the ground, the cannabis plant sprang up. Therefore, as long as you are imbibing cannabis in a ritualistic manner, as a sacrament, some Hindus believe it can cause insights about the future and cleanse past sins.

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Central Asian Mysticism

There is much historical evidence that the people of Central Asia have been turning to cannabis for thousands of years, both in ritual and relaxation. The ancient Greek Historian Herodotus recorded in his book Histories that the Scythians, a group of ancient Iranian Nomads, would make steam baths out of cannabis. They would erect crude saunas out of animal skin stretched around poles, put some hemp seed on hot coals, and then stand inside the booths soaking up the steam and the euphoric effects. Additionally, according to Martin Booth’s Cannabis: A History, Tarim mummies from ancient Northern China have been discovered with bags full of cannabis buried in their tombs. It is believed that these men were shamans, and wanted to bring their sacred herb with them into the next world so they could continue practicing their craft. The shaman mummies have also been found with bowls and various other hemprelated items in their tombs, suggesting that this ancient people ate and imbibed cannabis as well as used hemp for fiber.

Cannabis Rites in Africa

Sikhism and Sacred Smoke

Those who practice the Sikh religion today more than likely abstain from cannabis–the modern Sikh teachings outline that intoxication is a distraction from true understanding of God and something that only gets in the way of faith. However, cannabis is a hugely entrenched part of their history, and there are sects of the religion that still stand by its healing powers today. According to the spiritual blog Amrit World’s interpretation of Sikh lore, the Sikhs who fought in the Second Battle of Anandpur in 1701 were being persecuted and constantly pursued by Mughal forces. Because of this, the warriors were always on the run and did not have good access to food, sometimes having to resort to eating things like tree bark. When this happened, they turned to the plentiful weed, bhang or cannabis, to deal with the pains caused by eating such a poor diet. They also used it to help with pain when they became injured in combat and had to remain on the run. As a result, some Sikhs today still ritually use cannabis, and an exception for imbibing is often made on certain holidays. c

CULTURE // November 2015

When it comes to the history of Africa and cannabis, the roots go a lot deeper than the relatively recent advent of the Rastafari religion. Alfred Dunhill, the British historian who spent time studying the history of cannabis in Africa and wrote The Pipe Book, claimed that Africans have used gourd pipes to smoke cannabis since ancient times. The Baluka tribe also formed a hemp-smoking cult at one point in time, called the Riamba, in order to smoke cannabis together in community and honor the herb. According to Pogge and Wissman, two explorers who chronicled the Bashilenge tribe in 1881, there were both clubs of hemp smokers and religious cults. The tribe allegedly referred to themselves as “sons of hemp” and used “hemp” as a greeting when addressing each other. Members of the religious cannabis cults would show their devotion by smoking as frequently as possible, and believed that the magic of hemp would outweigh the negative energy they built up when they had to do things like go to war. They also passed around a guard to smoke out of as a kind of peace pipe whenever making important agreements or deals. The continent also has a history of using the plant for healing purposes since ancient times across various countries.

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November 2015 // CULTURE

CULTURE // November 2015

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November 2015 // CULTURE

What’s organic? In the cannabis market, that’s a difficult query by Jamie Solis

ow can you know for sure that the natural cannabis plant you are about to consume is organic? To put it simply—you can’t. From the exhaustive efforts of cannabis producers across the nation who uphold pristine cannabis-growing operations that follow what appear to be organic practices to the frauds that have been pushing contaminated cannabis and claiming it is organic, the term “organic” is a complicated subject in the cannabis community. The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) organic seal of approval has been around since October 2002. This certification informs consumers which food and agricultural products

CULTURE // November 2015

have been produced with methods that preserve the environment and are free from pesticides, antibiotics, genetically modified organisms and other synthetic materials. Regardless of how it is grown, cannabis is unable to qualify under the USDA’s organic label. This is because cannabis is still a Schedule I Controlled Substance under federal law, and that makes the production of the plant federally illegal. Although state governments like Washington, Colorado and Oregon allow for the recreational consumption of cannabis, state governments still hold no power in certifying cannabis as organic. >>

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“Although state governments like Washington, Colorado and Oregon allow for the recreational consumption of cannabis, state governments still hold no power in certifying cannabis as organic.”

Brian E. Smith is the Communications Director at Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board. Smith explained why his state agency, among others, is at a stand still until federal regulations change. “ . . . Certifying something as ‘organic’ is a federal process. Because marijuana is a federally controlled substance, it won’t allow the ‘organic certification.’ Washington State can’t certify anything as organic if the federal government doesn’t allow it first. So, we don’t have the ability to change our regulations.” Washington isn’t the only state that is facing this struggle; Colorado State has also been facing hardships due to this lack of regulation, as there have been reports of many collectives falsely advertising organic and chemical-free products. Boulder Weekly reported in May 2015 that 10 local collectives had been investigated for pesticiderelated violations, and many of these companies had been advertising their contaminated products as organic. This is a perfect example of “buyer beware” and the problem with the limited regulation on the word organic. After receiving many complaints, Roger Hudson from the Colorado Attorney

CULTURE // November 2015

General’s office commented to Harvest Public Media on the state’s current stance on regulating the production of organic cannabis claims, “Is there a legal definition at this point in time? No there is not. But there is a general idea of what ‘organically grown’ is.” Without a legal definition outlining what we already understand as organic cannabis, Hudson shared that Colorado Attorney General Cynthia Coffman is working with fraud investigators to look into the state’s various collectives that have complaints against them for falsely advertising organic products. It is unclear if there will be negative repercussions for these businesses. The federal government’s lack of regulating sustainable, natural and safe cannabis has opened the door for private companies to step in. Some of the most popular third party companies who are working to provide agricultural certifications to ensure safe, clean and environmentally conscious agricultural and cannabis grows are California’s Clean Green Certified and Oregon’s Organic Cannabis Growers Association. California’s Clean Green Certified offers The Clean Green Certification Program, which covers everything to help ensure farmers will lower their

carbon footprint while creating the safest product available. They do this by consulting on the best methods for growing the crop to testing the crop for pesticides and other contaminants. Organic Cannabis Growers Association has a partnership with Certified-Kind, giving their clients top tier certification program choices. Their Certified Kind Program is known as “The Gold Standard in cannabis certification,” although it is also popular amongst vegetable growers who value sustainability and organic growing methods. The Naturally Grown Cannabis Program focuses on using the most natural and organic products to produce the best quality cannabis possible, and although they aren’t affiliated with the USDA, some of their standards are stricter than the USDA. Farmers who uphold organic integrity use natural processes and materials in every aspect of the production of their product, from soil to pest management and everything in between, deserve the certification that their product is in fact organic. However until there is proper regulation rolling out from the federal government in the near future, it is uncertain when this right will be given. c

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CULTURE // November 2015

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November 2015 // CULTURE

llinois is typically known for its corn harvests, but soon it will be known for its medical cannabis harvests as well. It is now among 23 states that allow cannabis to be used to treat certain diagnosed medical conditions. Even though the state is having its first harvest, the medical cannabis bill was officially passed in August of 2013. Now, the harvest that patients have been waiting over two years for has finally arrived. It will be interesting to see what develops in a state that has been very cautious to make sure everything is being “done right,” according to Representative Lou Lang, D-Skokie, who has been a strong advocate for medical cannabis legalization since 2009. There are more than 3,000 patients who have waited patiently, 16 of them who are children in desperate need of the type of palliative relief that only cannabis can provide. The care they could be receiving from cannabis cannot be denied. To be so close to the finish line, which in a sense could also be considered the starting line for so many people, is an invigorating feeling. For now, patients suffering from PTSD in Illinois are excluded from the list and aren’t able to qualify for a medical card, unless they can qualify with another illness, like cancer or AIDS. Chronic pain also isn’t on the list. Unlike in other states, patients in Illinois cannot grow their own cannabis. Only cultivation centers that are approved by the state can do that. Those centers are also under very strict guidelines and require the utmost scrutiny when it comes to solid

CULTURE // November 2015

security systems and other requirements. One of these cultivation centers is called Ataraxia and it was the first center that was ready for harvest. In Grown is another cultivation center that was ready to start helping patients and experienced their first harvest at the beginning of October as well. With over 60 plants around six feet tall, the president and CEO of In Grown told the Journal Standard, “It looked fantastic for our very first harvest . . . we’re very pleased, very excited and very honored to be part of the program.” Some growers, like In Grown, have already run into some minor issues, like preparing itself for a much higher demand than what reality reflects. Eventually, the industry could boast well over 100,000 patients, but until then they need to stop counting their chickens before they hatch or they’ll be left with a fully catered party and only a few guests. The University of Illinois has the first medical cannabis lab in the state and it’s ready to start testing strains to make sure they are clear of any harmful microbes, pesticides, solvents and fungal poisons, according to the Associated Press. The first dispensary that opened in Illinois is called The Harbory, which opened at the beginning of October, although though cannabis was not available yet. Eager to open their doors and start helping patients, they began, offering counseling, massage and acupuncture. Approved patients have already started receiving their cards and will be able to start medicating very soon. c

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Newly Green North Carolina The Old North State Welcomes SB-313 by Jackie Piper

ven though the South has been quite resistant to legalizing cannabis, even for medical reasons, the region is slowly opening up its arms to hemp. North Carolina just saw monumental support from assembly members in both the House and Senate with both passing Senate Bill 313. The new bill would make it legal to grow industrial hemp, and would also create an industrial hemp commission that would help manage growers across the state. Technically, the term “industrial hemp” is defined as the plant cannabis sativa L., with a delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentration of no more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis. In layman’s terms, it contains very little of the

CULTURE // November 2015

psychoactive substance that will get users “high.” Hemp’s destiny reaches far beyond being a mindaltering substance. It is a valuable crop that, because of its strength, according to the National Hemp Association, can be used for composite materials that could be used to make anything from skateboard decks to car and stealth fighter bodies. The seed can also be used as food and is especially palatable in granola. Many farmers that grew tobacco are now looking to hemp as a way to fill the void that declining tobacco sales have left. Not everyone is convinced that industrial hemp will help, especially because of its tarnished reputation as a derivative to cannabis, but as James Comer, Kentucky’s Agriculture Commissioner said about it, “It’s

not the replacement, but it’s part of the solution.” Because of the looser federal laws that are set in place now, states have more freedom to decide whether or not they want to get involved with industrial hemp. Last month, when law enforcement groups backed off, it passed the legislature by a very large margin: 101 to 7 in the House and 42 to 2 in the Senate. North Carolina state Senator Stan Bingham remarked, “They had some very conservative members that I would’ve thought would’ve voted against this no matter what, but they didn’t. They saw the job opportunities. There’s just a lot of things that can be done with this and I hope we’ll have a bright future.” Although the benefits might seem obvious, industrial hemp

cultivation is not on everyone’s radar. It’s a huge opportunity that many still need to hop on board with. It’s such a high-yielding crop; it produces twice as much oil as peanuts, and nearly four times as much paper as trees. Even Levi’s originally used hemp in their jeans to provide sturdy pockets for carrying gold. Now the bill is sitting on Governor Pat McCrory’s desk, waiting to be vetoed or blocked. If he doesn’t take any action, it will be approved. This would then establish an Industrial Hemp Commission which would naturally oversee a hemp pilot program. That program would be tasked with granting licenses to cultivate industrial hemp and studying the immense benefits that come along with industrial hemp cultivation. c VISIT US AT

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CULTURE // November 2015

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An Interview with Chase by Sarah Elise Abramson

There’s nothing more admirable and inspirational than an artist who’s able to contribute his success to staunch passion, talent, destiny and drive. Born in Belgium, Chase made his way to Los Angeles, California at the ripe, young age of 17. Living by the motto, “always do what you love” Chase’s murals cast an almost omnipresent shadow throughout the streets of the biggest cities in the world, with the majority of them in Los Angeles and London. Hundreds of eyes watching you as you stare back at them, and simple text reassuring us that everything is interconnected, and remaining true to one’s self is important. His murals possess the ability to cut right through the jaded, self-involved reality that is society today and remind us that we are a collective entity with a cumulative conscious. Here at CULTURE, we find these images and messages to be refreshing and a much needed memoranda, and as pleasant pauses in our often overly busy lives. We sit down with Chase and discuss the meaning behind his work and what keeps him so motivated. >>

November 2015 // CULTURE

You often incorporate messages dealing with self awareness, connectivity and unity, things of that nature. Why are these important to you?

I’ve always been interested in philosophy and Eastern thought, so that plays a part. But other than that, when I was a kid, conscious hip-hop really sort of saved me. I was in and around a lot of bad situations and Tribe, Gangstarr, Krs, Pharcyde and all these other guys really influenced me to keep an open and positive mind, to make something out of nothing and to maintain and keep focus. Once I started painting on the street I wanted to sort of do the same because now I had an immediate audience. I started putting universal messages in the work that were motivational in nature, as a way to do my part. Things like “goodness is the only investment that never fails,” “remember who you are” and “nothing to it but to do it.” People responded to it so I kept going with it. No one else was doing that at the time so it felt good. At the same time keeping myself involved with these ideas ensured that my focus stayed clear and I was definitely able to weather some storms because of it.

graphics, the clothes, the style—all the adventures on the street. It informs me to this day.

Favorite piece you’ve ever done would be . . . ? And why?

Putting Legs on a Snake, one of the pieces I did for the “OutSide/In” show at Art Center Pasadena is one of my faves. It’s about the redundancy of idea that you need to be anything other than what you are. We’re so prone to buying into the idea that we are somehow not right, imperfect, not pretty enough, that something is missing, that we need therapy, that we need self-help, that we need religion in order to become who we really are, but there’s something to be said for just accepting who we are right now with all it’s flaws and shortcomings. To truly being you, now. To see through the programming and say “Nope, you’re not going to get me to feel like shit about myself in order to sell me something.” In Zen, they say “Don’t put legs on a snake,” it’s fine the way it is if only we can stop fidgeting around with everything. c

What are you most often trying to communicate with your work?

Lately, I’ve been trying to create trippy vibes based on some psychedelic experiences I’ve had. I’m trying to point to how weird this whole thing of being alive is, how strange that we are on a rock ball in the middle of nowhere, revolving around this spherical fire. What a situation.

What are your thoughts on medical cannabis?

I’m all for it. I’ve seen it really help people with all kinds of conditions.

You travel a lot for work. What has been your favorite place?

I really love Tokyo; it’s like visiting a different planet. It’s such a trip. Every time I go I want to stay forever. Everyone’s style is so on-point and everything is just so weird and different. I’m a fan.

What role did skating play in your life/ in your art?

Skating was everything. It completely formed me and influences everything in me since I started skating when I was 11. The mags, the vids, the

CULTURE // November 2015

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November 2015 // CULTURE

Belting it out with

Banton Passionate reggae artist Pato Banton has been a leading legend in the genre for decades, and is still going strong by Pamela Jayne Pato Banton is an internationally renowned reggae star, known for infectious melodies, lyrics overflowing with wisdom and energetic live shows. His contributions to reggae music, began in the 1980s and have cemented his rightful place in the top tier of the genre. The only thing more intense than his work ethic, is his sincere compassion for his fellow human beings. Pato’s mission is not to achieve fame and fortune, but rather, to enhance the lives of his fans, not only through music, but also through one-on-one interaction. He opens his home for spiritual counseling and fellowship, even giving out his personal phone number to keep in close contact with fans worldwide. He is also extremely passionate and vocal about the cannabis plant and its many benefits. CULTURE was recently blessed to spend an afternoon speaking with this extraordinary person, and we are excited to share the experience with you. What message do you want your fans to receive from your music? I think the most important message for me right now is to encourage my fans to recognize themselves as sons and daughters of God and to be the best they can be in this lifetime. You are an inspiration to people across the world. Who inspires you? What inspires me is my love for truth. My love of God keeps me focused on living a good life, a right life and doing the right thing. People inspire me to serve. I have a lot of people who stay in touch, many of my fans have my phone number. Being in touch with so many different people, and understanding that

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different people have different needs . . . To me the greatest thing you can do in this world, is to inspire people to be happier. You’ve been in the music industry for quite awhile. What have been some of the highlights of your career so far? One of the best times of my career was having the opportunity to go in the studio with Sting. I recorded two songs and two videos with Sting. I was number one on the British charts for four weeks straight after recording a song with UB40. I was entered into the British Hall of Fame. The BBC in the UK gave me a lifetime achievement award for my dedication to reducing crime in my city.

What are your personal thoughts on cannabis? When I look at cannabis, I see it as a natural herb. I’ve never in my entire life had the viewpoint that cannabis is a drug, or a criminal substance. In the history of mankind, cannabis has been considered one of the most beneficial plants on the planet. Not just for ingestion, but also for its uses for fiber and for oil. There’s such a long list of uses for this beautiful plant. I think the real criminals are the ones who made cannabis into a criminal substance, and I know that this was brought on by the pharmaceutical industry. Cannabis should be totally decriminalized, and should be allowed to be grown by anybody, anywhere in the world for whatever they want to do with this plant. And

there should be no compromise in that way of thinking. What do you have coming up in the future? We are going to do a Northwest tour, from Los Angeles up to Seattle in the last two weeks of November. I will also be speaking at the Harvard Divinity School in Cambridge, MA. They’ve invited me to speak there on the 18th of November. Anything else you would like to say to CULTURE readers? I would like to say to the readers, just stay positive. Life is a struggle, but never give in, just stay positive. Don’t just exist, find a purpose, find a cause you believe in and support that cause. Live a life of purpose. c VISIT US ATpatobanton.com iReadCulture.com

November 2015 // CULTURE

HAIL TO THE CHIEF 64

CULTURE // November 2015

Experience the Southern sound of Chief Greenbud by Simon Weedn In 2005, an unassuming small business owner was arrested in Tennessee for cannabis possession. The prosecution and ordeal that followed would become a catalyst, and super hero origin story of sorts, for one of the cannabis legalization community’s most beloved and popular members of late, Chief Greenbud. Though the Chief’s music is thoroughly rooted in his Southern home’s country, roots and Americana traditions, he brings into it a wit and comedic sense which often finds him drawing more comparisons to Cheech and Chong than Willie Nelson. It is with that humor that allows Chief Greenbud to loosen up his audiences, just like good cannabis music should, but also allows his message of legalization and tolerance to become extremely accessible and travel far and wide. Recently, Chief Greenbud released his fourth album of cannabis themed music, appropriately titled, Volume 4, which is already drawing rave reviews from both within the legalization community and outside it. CULTURE was able to catch up with the Chief to hear all about the new record, what inspires him (Hint: It’s natural, green and smells like skunk), and his passion for activism. >>

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You just released your new album, Volume 4. Can you describe it to me?

It’s a CD! And it’s got music! It’s round and shiny! Sorry, I joke around entirely too much. Basically, I’ve done some parody songs in the past, but this CD, much like the first CD, is 100 percent original songs. The songs on this one are really good, and, actually, I like more songs on here than any others I’ve put out so far. However, like the other CDs, this one has kind of a mix of styles. I live in Tennessee and I have a country voice, so there’s no changing that. But, we have one song that’s a bit on the reggae side, one song that kind of sounds bluegrass-y, there’s one tune that’s a rock song with a little ska, so there’s a nice variety.

Was it your intention to be a bit more stylistically diverse on this record? No, not really. I write about what I feel, things that I’ve heard, things that have happened to me or about things that have happened to other people whose stories have been related to me. When I write, I never know what I’m gonna write, and I generally start with a chorus and then fool around with chords, progressions and feels. So, I never try and write a country or a bluegrass album, I just write what I write. It just ends up being a nice blend, a little something for everyone.

I’ve read that it was a cannabis-related arrest that inspired you to begin writing some of these

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songs. However, before that, was cannabis always something that inspired you musically?

Well, I’ve smoked for a lot of years, and it’s not necessarily that I smoke 100 joints a day or that I’m stoned from the time I get up to the time I go to bed, but it’s always been around. When I was young, my parents used to go to these music parties out in the hills of West Virginia, and everybody would be playing music and cannabis was part of that culture. So I was always around it, and I never heard any of the negative things about it, except when I was in school from the D.A.R.E. program and things of that nature. So, it’s always been around me and, actually, two songs on the first CD I wrote years before I ever thought about doing the Chief Greenbud project. I mean, “Grandma’s Getting Into Grandpa’s Ganja,” came from a guy I knew coming up with that song title and him saying to me, “Hey, if you can write that song, I’ll give you an ounce of weed!” and I was like, “Done!”

Is cannabis something that helps you with your creativity both writing these songs, and tunes of other topics?

I do write a lot of other types of songs as well, and, yeah, I really think it does. I think a lot of people trying to be creative will tell you that. It does alter things so that you can get a different perspective. And I’m not saying that people who don’t smoke and create art are any less creative. But, hell yeah, let’s fire one up and write a tune!

You’re also involved in a large amount of cannabis activism, what are the things in the activism world that have you the most excited at the moment?

Seeing initiatives placed on the ballot for recreational marijuana in all of these different states. I think there are something like 16 states this year that have legislation coming up to change real laws. That is in direct relation to everybody’s hard work going out there and collecting the signatures required to change laws, or at least get it to where the voting public has the right to make those decisions.

There has obviously been a great deal of progress made on the legalization front over the last few years. Is it a bit surreal to you to think that someday soon there may never be another cannabis arrest in the United States, and that what happened to you won’t happen to anyone ever again?

Well, that is the goal. When I was growing up trying to find pot here and there, before anything was legalized, I thought you’d have to go to Amsterdam to smoke weed legally without fear of arrest or prosecution. I’m 46 years old now, and to see this happen in my life time is incredible. And I can’t say that I haven’t thought about moving to a recreational state, but I just keep hoping that my state is going to say “OK!” And that’s actually a lyric from a song called “iBake” which is a tune on the new album. c www.chiefgreenbud.com

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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

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November 2015 // CULTURE

by R. Scott Rappold Before there was Trump, “the Donald,” tough-talking celebrity-turnedpolitician, shaking the political establishment to its core, there was Jesse “The Body” Ventura. A Vietnam veteran, actor and former professional wrestler, Ventura was elected Governor of Minnesota in 1998, the most successful candidate of Ross Perot’s Reform Party before or since. The man who fought an alien alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger in Predator and preferred the bad guys in his heated color commentary on WrestleMania proved just as feisty as governor, battling both major parties for four years before stepping aside. But he was only getting started. Not one to fade into the sunset, he has attacked the partisanship of American politics and exposed government lies and cover-ups in half a dozen bestselling books and several internet shows. He is a staunch advocate of cannabis reform and though he’s been out of office for 12 years, he remains a force in American politics, waiting on the outside for a time when America might again be fed up with the two-party system. And 2016 just might be that time. CULTURE recently caught up with the 64-year-old Ventura by phone from his half-year home in Minnesota. He talked at length about his storied political career, his love of cannabis and how he could be the game-changer in next year’s election. >>

CULTURE // November 2015

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Photos by Lauren B. Falk

November 2015 // CULTURE

“How can the government t e l l yo u w h at o r w h at n ot to use, as far a s w h at yo u want to ingest i n y o u r b o d y, a s l o n g a s yo u don’t harm a n yo n e e l s e ? ”

Could you tell us a little bit about your new book? It’s a rehash of an old one, American Conspiracies, but we’ve added about four more chapters. That’s one good thing in general about the government. If you wait four or five years, you can do four or five more chapters on them because they’re good for about one a year. It seems to be that way. You spend a good part of your time in Mexico? I spend probably half the year or more there. I bet you’re a not big fan of (Mexican-bashing presidential candidate) Donald Trump. I’ve actually known Donald for 25 years now, and I do respect Donald. I don’t agree with him on everything, especially on the immigration policy, but that’s just one issue. I love what he’s doing, the fact that he’s fracturing the Republican Party, and I love what Bernie Sanders is doing to the Democrats. As you know, I’m fiercely independent and I’ve written a book called Democrips and Rebloodicans, where I’ve equated them to being the same as the L.A. street gangs. In fact, I apologized to L.A. street gangs for using their names that way. On certain issues, Democrats are maybe a little bit closer to you. They’re coming around on cannabis legalization and some other issues. Do you identify with them at all? I’m fiscally conservative and I’m socially liberal. That puts me on the conservative side of lesser government because I feel we have far too much government overseeing us. I’m closer to being Libertarian . . . I’m absolutely a believer in ending the war on drugs, which is also a Libertarian viewpoint. The war has been a miserable failure and always will be. In what’s supposed to be a free country, it comes down to this: How can the government tell you what or what not to use, as far as what you want to ingest in your body, as long as you don’t harm anyone else? Did you ever partake in cannabis as a young man? Of course. I grew up in the ‘60s. Anyone that would tell you they didn’t and they grew up in the ‘60s is either lying or they didn’t grow up in the ‘60s . . . I remember one time a friend of mine who sold me an ounce had to apologize six times

CULTURE // November 2015

because it cost $12 instead of $10. The standard thing in those days was $10 a lid, and a lid was an ounce of pot. Can you imagine? Ten bucks. The first time I tried it I said, “This is way better than drinking. They’re not even comparable.” And I drank way before I touched pot. Were you a hippie? No. Not a bit. I enlisted right after high school in the United States Navy and became a frogman and a Vietnam veteran . . . The culture went beyond the hippies. The whole generation wound up (smoking pot.) After you left the military, did you ever partake, like when you were in the wrestling world? Absolutely. I wrestled in Hawaii before they made it illegal and everyone in the nation wanted to get Hawaiian. That was the primo of the primo in the ‘70s. Because it’s grown over there and I don’t know what the volcanic soil does to it but it makes it very good. I’m also old enough today to know that when they spread this stuff about the dangers, that the pot today isn’t like the pot of the ‘60s because it’s more powerful, that’s actually a positive. If it’s more powerful it doesn’t require you to smoke nearly as much, does it? And that makes it healthier, doesn’t it? Were you always political, or was it after the acting slowed down that you decided to get into politics? I think I was always aware politically, because my father made me so. My father had six bronze battle stars in World War II and my mother was also a World War II veteran, so I come from a family of all veterans. My dad was opposed to the Vietnam War before the hippies were . . . I had a father who, at the dinner table, would get worked up. I remember times my mom would send him to the basement because he’d get so worked up over Vietnam or whatever the issue might be, so being from my dad, I can see where it comes from. Was your father a big part of your decision to run for mayor and then governor? No, I had no intention to ever seek office. The run for mayor happened because the city council wanted to access a storm sewer curb and gutter tax and we didn’t need it . . . Then I realized the city of Brooklyn Park had a massive good old boy network, headed >> VISIT US AT

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November 2015 // CULTURE

CULTURE // November 2015

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November 2015 // CULTURE

by the 25-year incumbent mayor. As I got more involved locally, one day I was there and I looked at him and I had the podium and I said, “You’re going to make me run, aren’t you?” And his buddy on the council burst out laughing and said, “You couldn’t win.” And I left the city hall that night with the usual attitude that nobody tells me I can’t do something. So I was running for mayor. I ended up beating the 25-year incumbent 66 percent to 33 percent. How do you feel about what you accomplished as mayor and how did that lead you to run for governor? We rousted out the good old boy network. It took us three elections to do so. Then I moved on. Because I don’t believe public service should ever be a career, like most of these guys get re-elected for 30 years. I think that’s ridiculous . . . Then I moved to my ranch out in Maple Grove and I was doing just fine. I was doing morning talk radio four years later and Minnesota had billions of dollars of surplus; too much money. The economy was great at the end of the Clinton years and the state had, I don’t know, three billion dollars more than they budgeted for. And instead of returning it to the taxpayers, they spent it. I got outraged on talk radio, I said, “Wait a minute. They set the budget. They have no right, because the economy is powerful and they’re taxing us too much, then, to just collect this money and spend it above and beyond their budget?” I kind of backed myself in a corner. I kind of threw it out there and said, “Maybe I should run for governor?” And boy that took off like wildfire. Are you going to run for president in 2016? I don’t know. I’ll wait until the pikers are gone. Who’d be stupid enough to jump in now? The Libertarians have their convention next June and that’s where they’ll pick their candidate and if you get in next June you’ll have ballot access for pretty much the whole country and then you only have

CULTURE // November 2015

to run until November. It’s all about timing. So when these other two gangs get down to one, whoever their guy is, then you jump in and you beat them and you steal the election. So you’re considering a run as a Libertarian? Yeah. It’d be the only way I could get ballot access. You’ve got to get ballot access and the libertarians have it. All you have to do is go to their convention in June and if they pick you as the nominee, then you’re off and running. Then the key is to force them to let you in the debates. I was polling only 10 percent (when he joined the Minnesota gubernatorial race) which would not get me into the debates today. And yet in Minnesota, 10 percent at Labor Day and I won the election in November. It took me only two months. Two months and three debates and I destroyed them. Let me do that in the presidency and we’ll see a repeat of it . . . If I ran, I would run on one issue. I would make

the Libertarians agree I’m not part of their party but I’ve got their endorsement to run, and I’m not a member of their party. I could use this to win. I would challenge the American people to elect the first president since George Washington, the father of our country, who does not belong to a political party, and I believe you could win on that alone right now. You’ve been known for so many different things–a wrestler, actor, governor and writer. How do you hope you’re remembered? I don’t care. They were all important to me at the specific times I lived them. I’m 64 now, and if I live to 80 or 85, if I’m lucky, I don’t want to say “woulda coulda shoulda.” I never planned anything out. I just live life and when you come to a Y in the road you make a decision and you go that way and you see what happens. I had no vision ever. I didn’t have a vision that much of even being a pro-wrestler—it just kind of fell into place.

Now that you’re 64, you still feel like you ain’t got time to bleed (the title of one of your books and a famous quote from the film Predator)? Now that I’m 64, I don’t even worry about it. I got an offer to do a film and I turned it down. I don’t feel like acting anymore . . . I’m pretty happy doing my internet show right now. It gives me the freedom to talk about what I want to talk about. I can say anything. Nothing’s censored. You can call bullshit “bullshit” without worrying about being fined. Do you think we’ll ever see national cannabis legalization or do you think we’ll see it go state by state? The federal government should get out of it completely and they should leave up to each state like they do alcohol. Alcohol is governed by each state, whether they have dry counties, what the drinking age is, and how they handle it. There’s no reason to have the federal government involved in any way, shape or form. It’s going well in states like Colorado, Oregon and Washington . . . I’ve been through Colorado quite often because there is a sense of freedom there that I really enjoy feeling. I tip my hat to Colorado and the people of it and for having the courage to do what they did . . . It’s long overdue. It’s too many jobs. And that plant itself has too many uses to be eradicated. I love to say this to all the religious people out there: If you believe in God, then you believe that God created every plant on this planet. Well I don’t think He created marijuana for us to eradicate it. I think He created it for us to use it. Religious people should look at it from that perspective when they take a stance on marijuana. Do you still partake yourself every now and then? Only if I’m in Colorado. (Laughs.) There’s a good political answer for you. Only if I’m in Colorado, that way I can’t get in any trouble, right? c VISIT US AT

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November 2015 // CULTURE

cool stuff Small FlowerHouse PlantHouse™

The FlowerHouse PlantHouse™ creates a convenient and effective way to nurture and protect your tender plants against damaging environments. For the green thumb in your life, this little PlantHouse™ will improve and aid in the growth and life of any plants! UV-resistant, waterproof Gro-Tec™ material features rip stop protection as well. Compact and lightweight, the PlantHouse™ allows for optimum ventilation, while also protecting your plants from pests.

Brinno GardenWatch Time Lapse Camera

PRICE: $159.99 MORE INFORMATION: www.brinno.com

PRICE: $28-$350 MORE INFORMATION: www.flowerhouses.com

Now, you can geek out with your own garden! A time lapse camera that will allow you to literally watch your garden grow. The Brinno GardenWatchCam is a weather-resistant, time lapse camera that will help you easily capture cool video of activities that regular snapshot photography takes forever to do. Imagine capturing a flower blooming, a house being constructed or your little sproutlings growing up right before your very eyes.

PRICE: $349.99 MORE INFORMATION: www.mytrimmer.com

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mega CVault

PRICE: $93.95 MORE INFORMATION: www.theCvault.com

CULTURE // November 2015

The ultimate storage solution container for your herb, the mega CVault is made from food grade stainless steel and is airtight and impenetrable by light when secured. This bad boy is durable, super lightweight and commercial quality. This really is the only container you need for curing and storing your green. Each mega CVault comes with Boveda too. Never mold again!

The Magic™ Trimmer

Enough with the high-price, barely effective trimmers of the world. The Magic™ Trimmer is the only trimmer that the professionals trust, and the only one you’ll ever need. The detailed patent-pending design safely removes the trimmings from your plants in a fast and effective way, and its hand held power trimming is precise to your movement, so you can truly control the trim. Seriously, The Magic™ Trimmer stands out against all other trimming machines—it’s affordable, it’s small and handy, cuts all kinds of plants safely and gets the job done fast and right, the first time.

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November 2015 // CULTURE

entertainment Release Date: November 10 Available on: PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One

Fallout 4 Dev. Bethesda Game Studios Pub. Bethesda Softworks

The Cannabis Manifesto: A New Paradigm for Wellness Steve DeAngelo North Atlantic Books

It’s been many years since the last release of a Fallout game, but the arrival of Fallout 4 has prove to be the most massive title in the franchise yet. Players will venture forth into a post-apocalyptic earth 200 years after war has subsided, complete with radioactive damage that has ravaged the world. Explore the open world setting of Boston to complete quests, collect and make all sorts of weapons, and travel the grief-stricken landscape with your lovable canine companion, Dogmeat!

American Tragic Wax Idols Collect Records

The world of independent music is filled with a variety of striking, outspoken, intellectual figures, but few are as outstanding, strong and deep as Hether Fortune, the mind behind West Coast post-punk group, Wax Idols. Taking only a two-year break between albums, Wax Idols return with possibly it’s most beautiful, focused and well-produced album to date, American Tragic. American Tragic is a brilliant step forward for a band which continues to push the post-punk genre well past its traditional boundaries. (Simon Weedn)

Jurassic World Universal Pictures Dir. Colin Trevorrow

Helmed by newcomer director/ writer, Colin Trevorrow (Safety Not Guaranteed), and led by rising superstar actor, Chris Pratt (Parks and Recreation, Guardians of The Galaxy), Jurassic World rewards longtime Jurassic Park devotees in a major way. Not only does the film take viewers into some strange future, where the world has become so jaded and unimpressed with dinosaur cloning that scientists begin to genetically modify dinosaurs into super-saurs, Jurassic World delivers everything you could hope for in a mega blockbuster, and is by far one of the best monster romps in years. (Simon Weedn)

CULTURE // November 2015

The Cannabis Manifesto: A New Paradigm for Wellness is Steve Angelo’s masterpiece and call to action. The Cannabis Manifesto has reached number one for the categories of Government Social Policy, Politics & Social Sciences and Medicine & Herbal Remedies on Amazon. Steve DeAngelo has co-founded some of the largest companies in cannabisHarborside Health, Steep Hill Lab and The ArcView Group. DeAngelo produces a radical treatise, arguing that there is no such thing as recreational cannabis use. He encourages using cannabis for wellness and the responsibility of cannabis smokers. (Benjamin Adams)

+ Cannafest Prague Going on its sixth year now, the International Trade Fair of Cannabis and Medicinal Herb, or Cannafest, will be especially exciting this year as CULTURE will be one of many exhibitors expected to participate in this year’s celebration. Alongside CULTURE, hundreds of international exhibitors will be featured at this year’s event, offering up an array of cannabis products and resources. Visitors are encouraged to attend various conferences, film showings and live performances, with the option of taking a break and getting a relaxing hemp message or hanging out in the fest’s “Chillout Zone.” For those who can’t get enough of Cannafest, two after parties are taking place during the run of the festival, giving visitors the chance to mingle with cannabis enthusiasts alike. Bigger and better than ever, don’t miss out on this year’s Cannafest, aiding in the growth of the cannabis industry, culture and awareness. (Victoria Banegas)

IF YOU GO

What: Cannafest Prague hemp and cannabis fair. When/Where: Fri, Nov. 6-Sun, Nov. 8. Prague Exhibition Grounds, Výstaviště 67, 170 90 Praha 7, Czech Republic. Info: Visit www.cannafest. com for details.

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November 2015 // CULTURE

Available AT: Barbary Coast in San Francisco.

STRAIN + edible + concentrate

Red Congolese Wax

Dragonfish Farms and Oakland Extracts presents this extract of the 100 percent sativa Red Congolese. The exotic strain is reportedly a mix of Mexican x Afgani, and it’s been popping up for its unique smell, color and sativa buzz. Fresh, indoor Red Congolese plants went into this hydrocarbon extract—which has a lovely honeycomb texture, and the inviting terpene profile of a light sativa. The wax is nice, dry and consistent, with a really beautiful blond color. Each gram has been seemingly shaped into little circular dollops. Best in vape pens, but dabbable, too, Red Congolese Wax draws smooth, light and ultra-potent, with a ghostly note of cheese dankness. The extract is multiple times as potent as flowers, providing a clear-headed effect that’s energetic and euphoric. People use sativa waxes for severe conditions that are often psychological including depression, ADD and Tourette Syndrome.

Super GSC

San Francisco’s Excelsior District hotspot Mission Organic always carries great flavors at different price points. For the elite shopper, there’s Super Girl Scout Cookies—a stand-out cut of the unbeatable indica hybrid strain. Mission Organic’s Super GSC has a lighter hue than some of its cousins, but really incredible density, resin production and that loud Cookies smell. Our samples were medium-green with orange pistils. The tightly trimmed indoor broke apart in resinous, fragrant hunks and its essential oils coated our fingers and perfumed the air. Grinding really taps the Super Girl Scout Cookies terpenes—that complex, rich world of dark berry, spice and fuel. Super Girl Scout Cookies is best enjoyed in bongs or large joints, where you can get the full flavor in big mouthfuls of syrupy-sweet and astringent fuel. Patients are using max-strength indica-dominant hybrids for dozens of conditions, especially chronic pain and insomnia.

Available AT: Mission Organics in San Francisco.

Purple GSC

Available at: The Cookie CO 415 in San Francisco.

Lavender Goo

San Francisco’s The Cookie Co 415 brings world-class genetics from the Cookies line to locals and visitors alike with Purple GSC. Grown indoors, hydroponically and organically, by The Cookie Co 415’s mad scientists, this indica hybrid looks phenomenal. It’s a cross of Blue Cookies and Purple Kush— two strains that keep patients coming back to the club on Mission Street in the Mission District. Opening up the bag, we got less of a loud Cookies hit, but the buds were very dense, resinous and sticky. As we pulled it apart, we smelled big, sharp pepper notes amid a dark berry sweetness. Another grinder-locker, Purple GSC shredded into a well-dried, super-pungent powder. The samples smoked, heavy and maximum-potency, with a huge Cookies indica taste best enjoyed at nighttime by patients with a high tolerance.

Prepare to stare. Lav Goo from Grass Roots SF has the raw, rugged, powerful look of a Northern California coastal mountain range—verdant green, dappled with purple, seemingly sparkling after the morning fog, and packing a sweet, super-floral, lavender aroma. Grown by New Horizons, Lav Goo is a 100 percent indica cross of Af-Goo, Lavender and Light of Jah. Each of those are crosses. Af-Goo is Afghani indica and Maui Haze. Lavender is Super Skunk, Big Skunk Korean and Afghani Hawaiian. Light of Jah is a Jack Herer pheno. These indoor buds were grown organically, in a CO2-enriched sealed environment, and they are total top-shelf. The dense, huge nugs were perfectly dried, cured, and manicured to be totally twinkling with trichomes. Lav Goo has a mediumbodied, potent sweet flavor and heavy body effects for pain, stress and insomnia.

CULTURE // November 2015

Available AT: Grass Roots in San Francisco.

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November 2015 // CULTURE

Available WHEREVER: Jilly Jane’s Edibles are carried.

Available AT: Harborside Health Center in Oakland and San Jose.

Fruity Stoned Bar

Manage chronic neuropathic pain and muscle spasms with something a little bit nostalgic. Jilly Jane’s Fruity Stoned Bar smells like a really sweet, Sunday morning in front of the television, eating cereal and watching cartoons with your siblings back when you were little kids. It’s crunchy. It’s gooey. It tastes like a guilty, midnight dessert, and that’s before the heroic dose of THC. Each Fruity Stoned Bar contains 180 milligrams of THC, equal to 18 Colorado doses, so new patients should take about an 18th of the bar and wait two hours. Adjust dosage as needed. Jilly Jane’s uses near-tasteless, solvent-free CO2 oil for their medicine. The hybrid edible packs long-lasting body effects sought after by certain types of pain patients. Keep in a cool, dark place that’s also locked up and away from children and pets.

CULTURE // November 2015

Gorilla Glue #4

Oakland and San Jose’s Harborside elevates sungrown again with this Gorilla Glue #4—part of a season of deals on phenomenal bud and other products. This hot strain of 2015 looks, smells and tests as high as most indoor strains, plus, it’s a value-buy. SunGrown GG#4 is a sativa-dominant hybrid of Sour Dubb, Chem’s Sister and Chocolate Diesel that test at 19.6 percent THCA. We really enjoyed mid-day breaks with this strain. It provides functional anxiety relief for high-tolerance patients. A good reference point for GG#4 is Sour Diesel and OG Kush—with that medium-green color, chunkiness, rusty brown pistils and really vibrant, glimmering trichomes. GG#4 has a biting, piney OG Kush meets Jack Herer sweetness that carries through to the medium-bodied, smooth smoke. This is well-flushed, well-dried and well-cured ganja. Bravo. For more info go to harborsidehealthcenter.com/sungrown.

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November 2015 // CULTURE

The Hulk

Available at: Oakland Organics in Oakland.

The Natural Cannabis Company collectives in Santa Rosa, Oakland, and Hopland have swung their allegiance to a new superhero—the bright, green, incredibly strong Hulk. Don’t be too put off by the name. She is a surprisingly fragrant and versatile agent. Hulk was grown indoors by a local Sonoma County artisan cultivator, and is a rare, Bruce Banner phenotype with an SC Labs-tested score of reportedly 27.74 percent THC. This she-Hulk is true to her name, with a light green, bulging appearance, light orange pistils and loads of resin. Most surprising is the deliciously, sweet and tangy terpene profile. We loved using this full-strength Hulk during the day for bashing through busy work, or keeping calm and not Hulking out at times of high stress. That’s what super-friends are there for.

UK Cheese

Maximum potency in a minimal format is the name of the game with Gold Drop’s sap-like UK Cheese extract. It’s multiple times as potent as the source plant—which in this case is the iconic UK Cheese. Around for decades, UK Cheese was among the first generation of high-potency, indoor strain brands out of Amsterdam—taking root first in England and spreading to Canada. It’s an indica hybrid, with a distinct, cheese odor. Here, Gold Drop has applied their proprietary extraction process to yield a clean, high-purity, translucent gold resin. It pairs really well with a dabber, and releases a light-bodied, hyper-potent, ephemerally cheese-flavored vapor. Not for new patients—Gold Drop’s UK Cheese is a fast-acting way to manage some intractable conditions including Crohn’s Disease and arthritis.

Available WHEREVER: Gold Drop products are carried.

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Girl Scout Cookie “Thin Mint Cut” Nug Run Shatter

Available WHEREVER: Bronx Rx is carried.

Bronx Rx is bringing some hard-to-beat, hand-crafted pure quality extracts to the Bay Area available at Releaf Alternative, Mercy Wellness, Redwood Herbal and Grass Roots. Bronx Rx’s Girl Scout Cookie “Thin Mint Cut” Nug Run Shatter is a top-shelf, flavorful, hyperpotent type of hash that high-tolerance patients use. Here, the artisans at Bronx Rx used a hydrocarbon solvent process to yield a brittle, glassine, solid essential oil several times more potent than flowers. Bronx Rx selects there own cultivated high-terpene content flower, no trim in their “Nug Run.” The source of their flowers were the highly sought-after, indoorgrown, “Thin Mint” cut of Girl Scout Cookies. The shatter vapes in a clean, even boil releasing a hyper-potent, yet ultra-light vapor with a pleasant note of Cookies terpenes. Patients are dabbing indica hybrids for instant management of body pain and spinal cord injury spasticity as well as severe PTSD and other conditions. Available AT: various collectives throughout California.

Oakor Slips - Medicated Peppermint Breath Strips

Let’s be blunt; time is valuable, and the more multi-tasking we can do in this fast-paced era, the better. When medicating on the go comes into play, the ingenious technology of breath strips proves itself to be one outstanding option in the flourishing market of infused edibles. Compact, effective and with an additional complimentary function of freshening one’s breath, Oakor Slips are highly recommended to experience this notable moment in cannabis-infusion. The company offers 10mg sativa, 10mg indica and a 20mg extra strength hybrid option, all accessed in a discrete and highly compact 10-count container. Because the Slips are put under the tongue and absorbed, the consumer reaps the benefits of the delta 9 THC nearly immediately. Simply open the pack, remove the paper backing and place the breath strip underneath the tongue; within minutes, the Slip disappears, leaving noticeable and distinct full body effects. Reach for the sativa option to relax the nerves and percolate the mind before a creative conversation, or grab the indica option in order to target chronic pain.

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November 2015 // CULTURE

Available AT: Holistic Healing Collective in San Pablo.

Gelato #1

There’s an awesome story that comes from the choosing of Gelato #1 from Holistic Healing Collective in San Pablo, and it begins with the expertise of famous NorCal rapper, B-Legit. He along with a few other reviewers, had the opportunity to sample the first 15 different phenotypes, all of which were tested by Steep Hill Laboratory. Through a detailed voting system, which included an analysis of each strain’s exterior, taste, scent and it’s effect on the body, the group finally narrowed down their choices to five strains—and B-Legit chose Gelato #1 as his favorite. The strain is a cross of Girl Scout Cookies and Sunset Sherbert, and is an intensely hybridized, aromatic and potent cross only recommend to high-tolerance patients. It’s very frosty, very dense and grinds into a floral powder that evokes the strain’s mythical, closely held vintage Purple Pain and Pink Panties ancestors. Gelato packs intense, hybrid effects—relaxing and pain relieving without being sedating.

Available WHEREVER: Rilla CO2 Extracts are carried.

Casey Jones Wax

Rilla CO2 Extracts shows off their CO2 skill with this fine sativa hybrid, Casey Jones Wax. It’s semisolid at room temperature, making it sticky but manageable on a dabber or otherwise. The color and consistency is really marvelous. The source strain, Casey Jones, is a reported cross of Oriental Express (Trainwreck x Thai) and East Coast Sour Diesel, making it clearly on the sativa side. The source strain, Fresh Ripe Casey Jones flowers were fed into a super critical CO2 Extractor, resulting in this fine, translucent, pure, consistent wax. Patients are dabbing CO2 oil to get fast-acting, max-strength effects while avoiding butane and other hydrocarbon extractions.

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November 2015 // CULTURE

Available AT: Collective efforts in Sacramento.

Gelato #41

Collective Efforts in Sacramento steps up their Cookies game to new levels with this batch of Gelato #41—offering everything you’d want from the Cookies line in 2015. Gelato #41 is part of a slew of variants on Cookies’ core genetics. It’s hyper-dense, hyper-resinous and often purple, with a ground aroma of fuel and dark berry sherbet dessert. One nug is capable of perfuming an entire room. Flavor hunters—get ready to be sedated. Even the sealed baggy was on-point, rocking Cookies branding. Gelato #41 smoked extremely potent, with huge gelato flavor. Patients are vaping, or better yet, smoking indicadominant flowers for fast-acting relief from nausea, stress and pain. Terpenes are therapeutic all on their own, and Cookies’ combines both its aromas and high-THC levels to create its blockbuster effects.

J-1 Live Resin

Available AT: The House of Organics in Sacramento.

South Sacramento’s The House of Organics focuses on medicine crafted with non-toxic, organic methods in mind. They carry a pretty decent selection of concentrates in addition to their flowers, including medical-grade oils and ice water hash. This month, they’re serving up J-1 Live Resin, a sugary-type extract with a really lovely tropical aroma. Different strains always respond differently to hydrocarbon extraction—sometimes forming glassine shatters, or whipping into butters or waxes. But sometimes the matrix of cannabinoids and terpenes forms angular, opaque crystalline conglomerate—or “sugar.” Purged of solvent to safe levels, it’s a very pure, hyper-potent product ready for vape pens, dab rigs and topping bowls. This extract vapes up in a clean consistent sizzle, with a smooth light, yet hard-hitting vapor. This hybrid-derived extract can be used to manage pain, inflammation and nausea.

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Available AT: CC101 in Sacramento.

Blondie Wondicon

South Sacramento’s CC101 collective has a huge selection of extracts that includes this Blondie Wondicon sap-type extract. Of course, it packs a huge mental wallop—with multiple times the THC found in flowers. It’s great for getting the same effects with far less throat irritation and vapor, compared to using flowers. Blondie Wondicon’s sap isn’t quite solid at room temperature and has very little terpenes, as is usual with heavily processed extracts. But it’s perfect for dabbing, where it vapes up medium-bodied with a resinous, slightly sweet taste and mega-effects. Just a tiny dab is equal to smoking several hits off a joint—making dabs ideal for patients with bronchial issues who still want something fast-acting and strong. High doses of THC can help manage certain types of intractable pain and spasticity.

CULTURE // November 2015

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November 2015 // CULTURE

Available AT: Canna Culture Collective in San Jose.

GET YOUR CLICK HERE Available AT: Club 1820 IN SAN JOSE.

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POP Naturals - Dream Star

One of the leading names in proven, pure cannabis extraction— POP Naturals—has something for the longer fall nights. Labtested, 60.24 percent THC extract of Dream Star—an awesome cross of Blue Dream and Stardawg. Blue Dream is Blueberry and Haze—the perfect 50-50, sativa-indica strain. Stardawg adds in some other leading flavors from the Chemdawg family. POP Naturals took fresh, ripe Dream Star flowers and performed a proprietary, CO2-based extraction, with no co-solvent—yielding a clean, 3.54 percent terpene, light, amber oil. The applicator makes it perfect for refilling vape pens. The oil flows with little force, and also be added to joints, or bowls for a super-potent mix. Again, POP Naturals uses no co-solvent, or additives like propylene glycol, making them the choice of health-conscious extracts lovers.

CULTURE // November 2015

Black Diamond Sherbet

We are living in the golden era of Cookies crosses, as evinced by Club 1820’s exclusive Black Diamond Sherbet—a massive, mouth-watering boulder recommended to experts only. The grower is Gold State Legends, who is working hydroponically, indoors. The genetics combine the elite pheno Black Diamond OG with Sunset Sherbet, itself a cross of Girl Scout Cookies and Pink Panties. The result is hulking and dark green, bordering on purple. It’s dense, yet sprawling, and just caked in sticky, pungent terpenes that reek of fuel and dessert. Yes, please! A grinder is a must here—the buds are too dense and too oily— making them a challenge to dry completely. Black Diamond Sherbet is dry, but just barely. Decanting it really brightens up a room, and it hits thick, with a tsunami of sherbet-fuel flavor and a maximal dose of THC.

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Available AT: Airfield Supply Co in san jose.

Sour Diesel A-Pow

Formerly South Bay Healing Center, Airfield Supply Co is an expansive, modern runway of a space with some seriously high technology. On the shelves, this Sour Diesel A-Pow tops out at 98 percent THC-A, among the most potent extracts ever created. It comes in a tiny little screwtop seal jar and inside is very pale white, granules. Astoundingly, the extract still has an evanescent terpene profile that’s inviting, and not clinical. It’s pretty hard to dab up the granules of near-pure THC-A but once you do and apply them to a hot nail, the heat decarboxylates and activates the THC—making for an ultra-potent, ultra-light hit. Patients dab extracts like these to try and ward off impending, and otherwise chronic, intractable migraines. They also inhale high-THC formulations to treat Multiple Sclerosis. Keep in a cool, dark, low humidity place to preserve consistency.

Premium Jack

Available AT: Revolution Health Center in San Jose.

There are a couple strains that should be the cornerstones of any decent medical cannabis collection—and among them is the multiple award-winning, versatile sativa hybrid, Jack Herer. Named for a famed cannabis activist and author, crafted in the hotbed of breeding in Amsterdam in the ‘90s, Jack Herer brought together the best of the era: Skunk #1, Northern Lights #5 and Haze. RHC’s Premium Jack rivals any of the Cup-winning cuts—with a perfect, candy-sweet aroma and Jack’s classic, lime-green coloring, blood orange pistils and fields of microscopic trichomes that take you back the first encounter with good Jack. Our sample was the perfect dryness, with a peak cure and good hand-trim. It ground up super sugary-sweet with that consistent, sativa Jack Herer taste and effect—great for daytime management of dozens of conditions.

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Available AT: Theralief Relief in San Jose.

Monster Cookies

In the immortal words of James Franco: “the cat is out of the box, man.” Once closely held genetics for Girl Scout Cookies—a mix of a vintage San Francisco local strain called Purple Pain, crossed to Durban Poison, crossed to a Florida OG Kush—have gone global. Bagseed and friendly gifting has made Cookies a must-have part of dispensary menus. Over at Theraleaf, they’re sporting some Monster Cookies—one of the many early offshoots from the line. Our sample packed Cookies’ unique aromatic impact—spicy, hashy, sharp and peppery, with the density and resin of a good Cookies cut. It ground up into a really strong, nicely dried fluff best in bowls or fat joints where you can taste all the complexity. Patients are smoking highpotency indica hybrid flowers for fast-acting, maximum strength nighttime management of a variety of symptoms.

CULTURE // November 2015

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November 2015 // CULTURE

Cracker Jack Elves’ Bread by Skunk Feather Concentrates

Skunk Feather Concentrates’ Elves’ Bread offers the uplifting effects of Cracker Jack, the three-times High Times Cannabis Cup sativa-dominant strain and the intense effects of a high THC concentrate. It has a pale-yellow color and a light and fluffy, yet pliable consistency, perfumed with notes of citrus and lemon. It’s easy to press together a fat dab of this pure wax. This concentrate is enjoyable to dab by itself any time of day, but it is also a tasty topper on bowls or in joints. It vaporizes lightly and evenly, while tasting pure and feeling smooth. The uplifting sativa effects give a pleasant cerebral high that allows functionality with enhanced clarity, while paired with a pleasantly sweet, citrusy taste. This powerful extract is a cure-all for everything from chronic inflammation, to anxiety relief and even appetite stimulation. Skunk Feather Concentrates’ Cracker Jack Elves’ Bread balances the powerfully sedating effects of a high THC extract with the energizing effects of a sativa-dominant strain. Cracker Jack Elves’ Bread is carried exclusively at The Cookie Co. 831 located in Santa Cruz.

White Buffalo

Available AT: Caliva in San Jose.

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San Jose’s Caliva has a rare creature indeed—the mythic White Buffalo, a potent sweet allegedly 80 percent sativa from King Klone Genetics. True to its name, White Buffalo is very frosty, testing at 19.57 percent THC according to SC Labs. Our sample was grown indoors in organic soil, and these growers nailed it. King Klone lists its genetics as Romulan X (Bay 11 x Blackberry Kush) and our White Buffalo had a frosty, uniformly medium-green color and came in these dense, angular, spearheads very reminiscent of Kush and Romulan. It was very dense and surrendered to a grinder only grudgingly, releasing a very mild, sweet aroma. White Buffalo smokes medium-bodied, sweet, smooth, well-cured and wellflushed. Despite the indica roots and look, it definitely has a sativa effect, and patients are using the sativa hybrid strain for creativity, energy and appetite.

Available AT: The Cookie Co. 831 in santa cruz.

Available AT: Greenway Compassionate Relief in Santa Cruz.

Wine Tincture

Grammy Award-winning musician Melissa Etheridge made headlines when she announced a line of cannabis wine—well, come to her window. This a really high-quality, tasty and potent wine tincture. The grenache grapes were grown biodynamically by vintner, Lisa Molyneux, in Aroyyo Grande. The Bubba and Sour Diesel is mostly hybrid cannabis grown organically in the Santa Cruz mountains. The bottle has no labels, just some written information and an autograph in silver pen. Wax is sealed over the cork and we loved what we smelled when we popped the cork. It was light and crisp—not heavy or herbal. It looked like a more dark rose, with really great consistency and tanins. We also got the terpenes of Sour Diesel, but not the vegetation flavors like the chlorophyll or phytol. A dose is one to three ounces. It helps with pain, IBS issues, digestive issues, stress and it helps you sleep.

CULTURE // November 2015

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November 2015 // CULTURE

by Ed Rosenthal

growing culture

EXPERIMENTING WITH LIGHTING —The Harvest

arlier in the season, I set up a garden in a greenhouse that received light only from the front and the top, far less than the total amount of light the plants could use. An induction fluorescent was mounted on a sidewall that delivered light only to the middle of the garden. The plants close to either the front or rear door received no light from the fixture. The plants under the light were harvested September 3rd. The controls were harvested 12 days later but by that time the weather had changed. Oakland, a coastal city, experiences high humidity because the ocean heavily influences it. With the temperature dropping at night to 55° and the plants spending a large part of the time in the 55° to 70° range, it was almost inevitable that the plants would be attacked by powdery mildew (pm). We tried controlling it using a 10 percent milk solution and herbal fungicides, but the attack was overwhelming. The second part of the harvest was not worth our collection efforts because of the looser buds resulting from late September’s lower light levels and widespread attacks of powdery mildew. So, the use of supplemental light resulted in higher yields of the light enriched plants, and also decreased ripening time, saving the crop from the onslaughts of fall weather.

The uncut plants were hung in an unheated room for about three weeks. The temperature in the space stayed in the cool range of about 60°70°. The buds dried but retained some pliability; perfect for smoking- not over-dried to stale and crisp. Then a friend manicured the four plants. The two Jack hybrids weighed 68 grams and 87 grams respectively. Two unknown hybrids weighed 80 grams and 53 grams, respectively, a total of 288 grams, about 10 ounces. All the buds were moderate size but tight and fully loaded with trichomes. The buds were placed in clean glass jars and will be stored in a refrigerator at about 45°, which will keep them fresh. The point of the beginning garden experiment was to see if flowering could be induced using far red light of 730 nm after dusk. This experiment was unsuccessful, but inadvertently I noticed I was conducting another experiment, enhancing light intensity using electrical lights. The result: Plants that received supplemental lighting during the normal light period produced bigger buds and the time to ripening was reduced by two weeks. The upshot: Expect plants grown in shade or under cloud cover to yield less in more time. However, you can improve yield and shorten ripening time with nominal supplemental light. c

TIP OF THE MONTH FROM ASK ED®

he possibly frantic days of harvest are over. The plants have dried and been manicured. Now you might have some time to deal with the leaf and trim that you have saved. There are so many ways that it can be used: Tincture-Make a tincture by soaking the grass in high-proof alcohol such as Everclear or

over-proof rum for a week. Shake occasionally. You can use it as a drink or concentrate it into drops. Salve-easily made by mixing ground leaf or buds in glycerin, aloe and alcohol or into a commercial salve. Use it externally for pain relief. Kief-Rub leaves or buds over a silk or metal screen.

Kief screens are available in many shops. Marijuana Butter or OilMake this by slowly simmering the leaf/trim in butter or oil for a few hours. Strain the leaf and use. Water hash-Shake leaf/ ground bud in a jar with water and ice for 5 minutes. Let settle. Pour out the water and leaf. The THC containing glands remain at the bottom of the container. Dry and use.

Plants hanging in a cool room to dry and cure. The process takes about three weeks.

2 Close-up of buds hanging.

3 Branches trimmed from stem, ready to manicure.

4 Three of the varieties have been manicured. The fourth is about to be transformed.

5 All the buds were tight.

6 The Jack hybrid produced some tight long buds with great color and mixed aroma.

7 The cups runneth over. More jars are needed to store the buds.

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 // November 2015

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November 2015 // CULTURE

Arizona

destination unknown

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by Sheryll Alexander

Arizona Comes Alive A as Fall Cools Down IF YOU GO:

Fun-Filled Facts 1 Arizona has the most ghost towns of

any state (about 275!). Ghost towns are typically free to visit and are mostly concentrated in the central northwest and southeast regions of the state. 2

Starting November 27, visitors can enjoy “Silent Night” or Las Noches de las Luminarias at Scottdale’s pretty Desert Botanical Garden. With the Sonoran Desert as a backdrop, the gardens are set aglow with no less than 8,000 hand-lit luminaria bags for viewing a pop-up outdoor art gallery into the warm serene night.

Surprisingly, Arizona is also a haven for electric vehicles (EVs). The state’s official tourism bureau, Travel Arizona, even provides EV road trip guides with places and tips for charging from L.A. and San Diego as well as points within Arizona.

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Arizona is fast becoming a mecca for medical cannabis patients with legalization on the lips of every cannabusiness out there. The sheer number of dispensaries is quite astounding given the ultra conservative politics of this dry state. Although Arizona went medical in 2010, it took a couple of years for the new pro-cannabis law to form into a Californialike system of medical cannabis doctor recs along with viable and reliable dispensaries to pop up. Now, thankfully, Arizona’s medical cannabis program has taken shape and has blossomed into a rather safe haven for those seeking healing (and legal) relief in the form of just about every cannabis product imaginable from flower buds to edibles to CBD oils. Arizona’s current medical cannabis law also includes a cool grow provision: Residents living more than 25 miles away from a legal dispensary can tend (in a locked, enclosed space) up to 12 plants.

Time to Go: Fall, Winter or Spring Weather: Warm in Fall and Winter with occasional rain in Spring Budget: $$$$$

rizona is truly an inspirational locale to medicate with its almost ethereal skies, mountains, valleys, canyons and waterways and is most especially enjoyed when the heat has subsided in late fall. A medical cannabis state since 2010, Arizona is coming into its own with now hundreds of cannabis dispensaries focused on the more populated cities of Phoenix, Mesa, Tempe and Tucson. One of the best things about a getaway to Arizona is ease of transport. The Phoenix airport (one of the busiest in the nation) is located smack dab in the middle of the state and has some of the most affordable flights anywhere. Snow birds hit their rental car right after getting off the plane because all of Arizona can be yours with your own wheels. In November, Arizona’s top towns burst with foodie autumn harvest energy from farmer’s markets to farm festivals to farm stands to food truck frenzies. The state also celebrates the cool fall season with hiking in the early mornings to hitting lots of outdoor music and arts events such as the Mesa Music Festival (November 12-15). While there, visit the famed Mesa Art Center for no less than five art exhibits of actor, comedian and cannabis activist Cheech Marin’s vast Chicano art collection (free through December 10). Although Arizona is not yet a recreational state, this scenic state is fast on its way to legalization and is certainly a pleasurable place to visit while medicating during the Southwest’s temperate fall season. c

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Seth Green profile in courage

Age: 25 Condition/ Illness: Cerebral Palsy, Seizures, Scoliosis, Stroke, Anxiety, Depression, Multiple Sclerosis.

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.

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When did you start using medical cannabis? I started using cannabis when I got into high school. Did you try other methods or treatments before cannabis? Yes, seizure medication and anxiety and depression medications. The seizure medications were actually making me have more seizures and the depression medication made me feel like a completely different person. So, I just gathered up all meds and threw them away. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d rather suffer than take man-made pills that poison my body. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the most important issue or problem facing medical cannabis patients? Getting the elected officials that are funded by pill companies out of office. The elected officials control the access of cannabis for so many people, and the pharmaceutical

companies have so many politicians in their back pocket, at this point in time. What do you say to folks who are skeptical about cannabis as medicine? That they need to open up their minds more and think of the big picture. There are millions of people suffering needlessly, or overdosing on pills. There have never been any deaths from cannabis; it is all-natural and helps treat hundreds of illnesses. Cannabis has been proven to be safer than man-made medications. We need to let the people who choose cannabis over pharmaceuticals have a real say in what goes on; they are the ones that are taking a safe medication and want real and safe access to healing, for all. That will not only help in the medical field, but it could potentially bring millions of dollars to states that need it for roads, schools and more. c

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recipes

Menu:

Pumpkin Soup with Sage Pesto Turkey meatballs with Cranberry Glaze Spicy Citrus Brussels

Turkey meatballs with Cranberry Glaze 1 pound of lean ground turkey 1 tablespoon cannabis-infused olive oil t ½ cup finely chopped onion (1 medium onion) ¼ cup unseasoned dry bread crumbs 1 egg, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce ½ teaspoon black pepper ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning 1 can (16 oz) jellied cranberry sauce ½ cup water

PREPARE TO FEAST KICK THANKSGIVING UP A NOTCH

As we move into the holiday season once again, we’re reminded that it’s that time of year to take a step back and be thankful for everything that life brings to the table—especially when it comes to food! This Thanksgiving, immortalize that warm, fuzzy feeling of happiness that we associate with the holiday with hearty soups, creamy mashed potatoes, tasty stuffing and turkey galore—all of which are classic culinary staples. Take those typical flavors and spice up a few of our modern recipes that come with a healthy dose of cannabis, and enjoy the relaxing, euphoric food coma that you deserve.

In medium bowl, mix all ingredients except cranberry sauce and water. Shape mixture into about 45 (one-inch) balls. Heat infused oil in 10inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add meatballs; brown meatballs on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes (or until thermometer inserted in center of meatballs reads 165°F). Slowly stir in cranberry sauce and chicken water. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until cranberry sauce is smooth.

Spicy Citrus Brussels 2 pounds brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise 1½ tablespoons cannabis-infused olive oil t

1 tablespoon red pepper flakes Coarse salt 2 teaspoons lemon zest 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 450°, with racks in middle and lower third. Divide brussels between two baking sheets and toss each with oil and red pepper flakes. Lightly sprinkle coarse salt over brussels. Roast until browned in some spots and tender when pierced with a knife, about 20 minutes, stirring and rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer to a serving dish and top with lemon zest and lemon juice. 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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t Additional recipe can be found at iReadCulture.com

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serves

Pumpkin Soup with Sage Pesto

Soup

1 large sugar or pie pumpkin, cut in half and seeds removed and reserved (plus 4 small ones if you are making the pumpkin bowls) 1 tablespoon cannabisinfused olive oil* salt and pepper 6 tablespoons canna butter* 2 small shallots, chopped 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped

4 cups chicken broth 1 cup coconut milk + 1 cup water (or 2 cups water) 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more or less to your liking) 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

Sage Pesto 1 head garlic (or you may sub 1 clove raw garlic) 1 cup fresh parsley 1/2 cup fresh sage 1/4 cup shelled pistachios 1/4 cup cannabis-infused olive oil*

1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (if you do not like blue cheese, substitute with feta or parmesan) 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preheat the oven to 400°. Cut your pumpkin in half or into fourths and de-seed. Place the pumpkin on a baking sheet, rub the pumpkin with 1 tablespoon infused olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Chop off the top portion of the garlic head to reveal cloves. Peel any excess paper/ skin off from the bulb of garlic. Pour about a teaspoon of infused olive oil on top the garlic cloves and cover with foil. Roast both the pumpkin and garlic together on the same baking sheet for 45 minutes, or until the pumpkin is fork tender and the garlic is golden brown and soft. Remove from the oven and allow everything to cool five minutes. Squeeze garlic out of the paper skin into a small bowl, mash well with a fork and set aside. Grab the pumpkin and add it to a food processor (or mash extremely well) and puree with 1 cup of the chicken broth. Puree until completely smooth. Heat a large pot over medium heat and add the canna butter and shallots. Sauté the shallots until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the thyme and cook another 30 seconds. Add the pumpkin puree, remaining chicken, coconut milk, water, cayenne, nutmeg, maple syrup and crushed red pepper. Bring the soup to a low simmer and simmer 15-20 minutes. While the soup cooks, make the pesto. Put the roasted garlic, parsley, sage and pistachios in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped and then stream in the infused oil. Add the cheese and pulse a few more time until combined. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls (or your roasted pumpkins) and top each bowl with a dollop of pesto and if desired, drizzle with coconut milk. Enjoy!

Local eateries with similar dishes Gary Danko 800 N Point St., San Francisco (415) 749-2060 www.garydanko.com The Monk’s Kettle 3141 16th St., San Francisco (415) 865-9523 www.monkskettle.com The Farmers Union 151 W Santa Clara St., San Jose (408) 277-0545 www.thefarmersunion.com

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event listings

LET’S Laughsgiving Comedy Fest, Nov. 5

There’s no other holiday that embraces indulging in food more than Thanksgiving, but now’s the best time to prepare for that sleep-inducing coma with a bit of side-splitting exercise first. Join comedian Chelsea Bearce and many other talented folk for this one-night event. Cobb’s Comedy Club, San Francisco cobbscomedy.com

40th American Indian Film Festival, Nov. 6-14

This is a monumental time for the American Indian Film Festival, which will be featuring the most Native American films, actors and performing artists for its 40th anniversary celebration. Attendees will also be able to donate to charity and purchase authentic Native American crafts as well. Various venues, San Francisco aifisf.com

DO THIS

San Francisco Green Festival, Nov. 13-15

San Francisco is one of the nation’s leading cities when it comes to being eco-friendly. The Green Festival takes being efficient to a new level, and will feature a large expo offering all sorts of healthy and sustainable ways to live. Cow Palace, San Francisco cowpalace.com

Cherub, Nov. 14

This indie rock duo from Nashville, Tennessee met in college to study music promotion. It wasn’t until they created the band, CHERUB, that “Doses and Mimosas” was born—and the rest is history. Fox Theater, Oakland www.thefoxoakland.com

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Mac Miller, Nov. 13

American rapper and hip-hop artist Mac Miller has created music under many different aliases, but no matter the name, his work in the hip-hop scene has been a major success. Miller has made four mixtapes since he began performing five years ago—if that’s not determination, then we don’t know what is! The Catalyst, Santa Cruz catalystclub.com

Symphony, the event will be surrounded with colorful altars, crafts and dancing for all to enjoy. Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco sfsymphony.org

Run SF, Nov. 8

Take a run through the iconic Golden Gate Bridge with this early-winter race. Get some exercise, see the early morning sun rise and feel a sense of accomplishment (plus receive a free commemorative water bottle). Begins at Aquatic Park, San Francisco runsf.com

featured event

Dia de los Muertos Community Concert, Nov. 15-16

This family-friendly event celebrates the culture and heritage of Latin-America for the Day of the Dead. Joined by Lila Downs and the San Francisco

Hip-hop International DanceFest, Nov. 20-22

Dancing is a huge part of human culture, but it takes some serious skills to learn and perform. Check out the 17th Annual San Francisco International Hip-hop Dancefest for a look into the

world of people who are way better at dancing than us. Palace of Fine Arts Theater, palaceoffinearts.org

Great Dickens Christmas Fair, Nov. 21- Dec. 20

This month-long event is all about celebrating the fiction of Charles Dickens. Try new traditional foods, check out time-specific clothing and check out plenty of Dickens-themed entertainment. Cow Palace, San Francisco cowpalace.com VISIT US AT

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New Evidence Suggests Medical Cannabis for Treatment of Breast Cancer

ecent studies have shown that medical cannabis may have the ability to treat all three subtypes of breast cancer, playing a particularly important role for patients with triple-negative breast cancer, since prognosis for these patients is low. What is believed to improve recovery for patients diagnosed with breast cancer are the abundance of cannabinoid receptors present in tumors associated with breast cancer. Cannabinoid receptors are naturally present in the human body and are categorized by two types, CB1 and CB2, which act as binding agents for

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by Victoria Banegas

cannabinoids produced by the body as well as those introduced through the consumption of cannabis (CBD and THC). Because breast cancer tumors contain a high amount of cannabinoid receptors, their ability to bind to cannabinoids helps inhibit metastasis, which prevents the tumor from spreading throughout the body. In a study conducted by California Pacific Medical Research that was published last year, CBD appears to inhibit tumor genes that promote its growth, Id-1 and Atk, while THC has been found to shrink cancer cells. Besides its potential to improve recovery rates of breast cancer patients, the administration of cannabis has been found to be the safest form of therapy amongst patients so far. This is due to the non-

toxic properties of cannabis as well as its reputation of causing mild side effects like dizziness and fatigue. While therapies like chemo are known to have a series of damaging side-effects, such as causing cell damage to major organs like the kidneys and heart, as stated by the American Cancer Society. Although it seems safe enough to administer cannabis as a sole therapy for patients, researchers are finding that it works more effectively when paired with traditional treatments inducing a â&#x20AC;&#x153;synergistic action against cancer and tumor cells,â&#x20AC;? as stated by The Spirit of Science. Furthermore, the administration of cannabis amongst patients undergoing chemo therapy helps fight off side effect like nausea and vomiting, serving as

a therapy for their therapy. While there seems to be no doubt that cannabis has the ability to help treat patients with various forms of cancer, studies on the effects cannabis has on breast cancer have only been through pre-clinical trial, using cell cultures and animal models to conduct research. Researchers suggest more pre-clinical trials should be conducted on this topic in order to determine which patients would benefit most from its treatment before moving on to clinical trials. Until then, it is not likely that oncologists will prescribe cannabisbased treatment for patients diagnosed with breast cancer, for now, they will have to turn to pharmaceuticals such as Marinol and Cesamet, which are synthetic THC tablets. c VISIT US AT

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Chuck Shepherd's

News of the

Weird

LEAD STORY—A PAPER DRONE u The Federal Aviation

Administration recently granted (likely for the first time ever) an application to fly a paper airplane. Prominent drone advocate Peter Sachs had applied to conduct commercial aerial photography with his “aircraft” (a Tailor Toys model with a tiny propeller and maximum range of 180 feet), and the agency, concerned with air traffic safety, accommodated by treating the request (unironically?) under the rules for manned flights (that, among other restrictions, Sachs must not exceed 100 mph and must engage a licensed airplane pilot to fly it). “With this grant,” said the “victorious” Sachs, “the FAA has abandoned all logic and sensibility.”

QUESTIONABLE JUDGMENTS u Because temperatures

were in the high 90s the last weekend in August, tourists visiting the historical Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland were greeted by the outdoor sprinkler system dousing them near the gates. It was intended as relief, said operators, to keep guests from fainting, but, as one Israeli visitor said, “It was a punch to the gut”—too reminiscent of Auschwitz’s gas chamber. (Jewish prisoners had been marched calmly to their deaths under the pretense that they were only being taken for showers).

NEW WORLD ORDER u Digital World: (1) The North

Carolina Department of Public Instruction announced in July that it would be experimenting with online phys ed courses

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for high schoolers. Students would watch videos on certain activities, then engage in them, and later self-report their (as the agency calls it) “mastery.” (2) British police warned in August of a brand-new sex crime based on the iPhone app AirDrop. The app sends text or photos instantly to nearby AirDrop users (who choose to receive from “contacts” or from “everyone”). Thus, perverts can “flash” strangers by posting nude pictures of themselves to reach AirDrop users set carelessly (or purposely!) to “everyone.”

GOVERNMENT INACTION u The streets of Jackson,

Mississippi, apparently have potholes that rival the worst in the country, but without adequate budget to fix them, according to Mayor Tony Yarber. His remedy, offered earnestly to constituents in August: prayer. “I believe we can pray potholes away.” (Yarber, elected in 2014, was pastor of the Relevant Empowerment Church).

NAMES IN THE NEWS u Charged with choking

and punching his fiancee: Mr. Daniel Gentleman, 28 (Prescott, Arizona, May). Charged with killing her husband and burying his body in a manure pile on their farm: Ms. Charlene Mess, 48 (Attica, New York, April). Charged with sexual assault: Mr. Huckleberry Finn (Keene, New Hampshire, July). And prominent in the news (confusingly so) when the Food and Drug Administration approved the so-called “female Viagra” drug Addyi in August: FDA spokesperson Dr. Janet Woodcock. VISIT US AT

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LEAST COMPETENT PEOPLE u “Selfies” continue to take

their devastating toll on Americans. On Aug. 30 in Orient, Maine, driver Jordan Toner, 29, attempting to lean into a seven-person selfie among his passengers, crashed into a tree, causing numerous injuries. On Aug. 24, Alex Gomez, 36, of Lake Elsinore, California, tried to take one after draping an angry 4-foot-long rattlesnake around his neck. The predictable bite was damaging but not fatal. On Sept. 1 in Houston, a 19-year-old man taking selfies while clumsily fondling his handgun is no longer with us.

RECURRING THEMES u In June, News of the Weird

mentioned a drug dealer in Marseille, France, who was distributing loyalty cards to his best customers (fill 10 squares, get a discount). In August, a small-time cannabis dealer in the central France town of Villeurbanne pushed the envelope further by taping 1-gram samples to hand-lettered leaflets (offering home delivery for 100-euro orders, along with his first name and phone number). The man was of course arrested, with the local police superintendent musing about the man’s “very special” business model.

u More “Slow TV”: Norwegian TV viewers have somehow given strong ratings to a series of seemingly interminable programs (a continuous camera on a salmon-fishing vessel, 12 hours of live log-burning with commentary, five hours of knitters spinning their way to a world record, 100 straight hours of chess-playing, a five-day stretch from a cruise ship), and in August were presented another such gift. The Norwegian caviar company Mills said it would live stream, on a YouTube channel, nearly 11 months of fish eggs aging 24/7 in barrels—7,392 hours of “programming.”

u People With Issues:

Alexander Carlsson, 25, was jailed in Sanford, Florida, in August on federal child pornography charges, but also told agents that he is a “clopper,” which identifies him, he said, as one who masturbates while gazing at figurines and pictures depicting Hasbro’s My Little Pony toys.

READERS’ CHOICE u A thief grabbed the purse

of an elderly woman shopping with her husband at a Fred Meyer store in Spokane, Washington, on July 23 and fled through a parking lot. They had no chance to catch the man, but he happened to run right by hospital nurse Heidi Muat, 42, who surmised the situation and started after him. The thief quickly saw that Muat could outrun him, and he gave up the purse, which Muat returned to the couple. Muat later revealed her alter ego: On her Spokannibals Roller Derby team, she is known as Ms. “Ida B. ChoAzz.”

A NEWS OF THE WEIRD CLASSIC (FEBRUARY 2009) u Though India is recognized

as a world leader in promoting the health benefits of urine, its dominance will be assured by the end of the year (2009) when a cow-urine-based soft drink comes to market. Om Prakash, chief of the Cow Protection Department of the RSS organization (India’s largest Hindu nationalist group), trying to reassure a Times of London reporter in February, promised, “It won’t smell like urine and will be tasty, too,” noting that medicinal herbs would be added and toxins removed. In addition to improved health, he said, India needs a domestic (and especially Hindu) beverage to compete with the foreign influence of Coca-Cola and Pepsi.

YOUR ENGLISH TEACHER WAS RIGHT u In September, Tennessee

Attorney General Herbert

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Slatery concluded that records of an investigation need not be released to the Memphis City Council—because there was no comma. The law requires the records’ release “only in compliance with a subpoena or an order of a court.” Slatery said if there had been a comma after “subpoena,” a council subpoena would get the records, but without the comma, only court subpoenas. And in July, Andrea Cammelleri prevailed on her parking ticket challenge because there was no comma. A West Jefferson, Ohio, ordinance banned parking of any “motor vehicle camper, trailer.” A state appeals judge ruled that, with a comma after “vehicle,” Cammelleri’s truck would have been banned, but without it, only campers and trailers were.

GREAT MOMENTS IN GERRYMANDERING u In April, the City Council of

Columbia, Missouri, rigged a specially drawn “Community Improvement District” to pass a sales tax increase. Under the law, if the District had no “residents” to vote, the “election” would be decided by the tax-friendly business owners. However, the Council somehow missed that college student Jen Henderson, 23, actually lived there and had registered to vote, meaning the business owners could not vote and that the tax increase would be decided by . . . Henderson. (In late August, the Council “postponed” the election and at press time were in a quandary, as Henderson said she’s against higher taxes).

THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT u Spike’s Tactical of Apopka, Florida, introduced its version of the AR-15 assault rifle this summer “designed to never be used by Muslim terrorists.” Laser-etched on one side is a symbol of the Christian Crusades and on the other, language from Psalm 144. Spike’s Tactical CEO Angela Register predicted brisk sales: “Men like to accessorize their guns more than women like to accessorize their outfits.”

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THE CONTINUING CRISIS u A teenage girl in Wyandotte,

Michigan, using $9.95 tools from a website called FakeABaby.com, pretended for months to be pregnant (with abdomen extenders and ultrasound photos of her “triplets”). She received gifts, had a baby shower, joined expectant mother groups and even frightened her 16-yearold boyfriend enough that he began looking for full-time work to feed the soon-due “babies.” However (obviously), the ruse fell apart in the 10th month (in August), drawing community outrage, but according to the sheriff, none of the “victims” who were fooled have come forward to press fraud charges.

CULTURAL DIVERSITY u While “Deep South” states’

courts are notorious for death sentences, the “epicenter” of capital punishment in recent years has shifted to Southern California, according to a September Slate.com analysis. While neither Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, nor Virginia has issued a death sentence this year, Riverside County, California, has recorded seven, and since 2010, Riverside and Los Angeles County have led the nation in death-row assignments. (Ironically, of course, California rarely actually executes anyone; its death row has 748 residents, and no one has walked the last mile since 2006).

u Egypt’s notorious corruption apparently reached a new level of victimizing in the summer as Mariam Malak, one of the topperforming high school students in the entire country, not only failed all six of her final exams but received scores of “zero” in each. Her family, and a legion of supporters on social media, have demanded that the prime minister investigate, especially whether another student had paid to acquire Mariam’s scores or whether Mariam was failed intentionally because she is of Egypt’s Coptic Christian minority. VISIT US AT

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