Culture Magazine SoCal April 2016 by Culture Magazine

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contents04.16 Vol 7 IssUE 10

118

A GRATEFUL

LEGEND An inside look at Grateful Dead vocalist, guitarist, father and all out amazing performer, Jerry Garcia, and his influence on the cannabis scene.

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ON THE COVER: Photo ÂŠ Jay Blakesberg Photography

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contents

04.16

inside

146 The Most Wonderful Day of the Year

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420 Entertainment Forecast Hollywood has been playing with cannabis for years, but soon, it will take center stage in film and television!

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The Ultimate Party Playlist Check out the cannabisinspired party playlist we’ve created just for you and your 420 holiday gathering. You can even scan the QR code and download it straight to your mobile device!

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Celebrate with Cake! It’s 420—what better holiday to make a giant infused party cake for you and your friends?

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Four Trends for Cannabis in 2016 2016 is going to be a banner year for cannabis— from elevated pre-rolls to innovative new tech, we’ve got the lowdown on what you should keep an eye out for.

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From Hollywood to Humboldt The Cannabis Film Festival hopes to help shape a highend event for this niche genre in film.

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Canna-Honey Bees Take a look at the innovative use of bee pollination and cannabis flowers that a French bee keeper has come up with, in our exclusive interview.

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420 Festivities We’ve got the tips on how to make your 420 party one for the books, as well as trends to look forward to in the industry and so much more!

p h o t o b y V i ctor i a B a ne g a s

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04.16 52 features 224

The Hills Are Alive Cannabis is the center of life to native villagers who live in the Himalayas.

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Saving Gwen The story of young Gwenevere and how using cannabis has saved her from suffering from epileptic seizures.

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Industry Insider CEO Doug Francis has worked to make sure that Weedmaps is an active part of the cannabis community.

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Head Case A recent study by two University of Colorado professors goes into detail about migraines and how cannabis can help.

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Goodbye Torch, Hello E-Nail Discover why e-nails are a safer future for concentrates.

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Help Is On The Way Young Silas may have Leukemia, but cannabis has helped him greatly in lessening his seizures.

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Rambunctious Ruckus Rob Ruckus has used his notoriety on Bad Ink to spread the word about cannabis.

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California Cannabis Policy Reform Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got your cannabis ballot measure rundown.

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Good Vibes The Cali Roots Music and Art Festival is back in town, and is putting on one hell of a show.

departments news

online Exclusive!

30 News Nuggets 32 By the Numbers 34 Local News 36 Legal Corner 44 Political Push

46 Healthy Living

reviews

52 Strain, Edible & Concentrate Reviews 100 Cool Stuff

106 Entertainment Reviews 108 Advocate Highlight 114 Liner Notes

in every issue

266 Shooting Galleries 268 Growing Culture 270 Destination Unknown 272 Profile in Courage 274 Recipes 278 SoCal Now! 280 News of the Weird

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d Rocky Mountain High:

X Games' Tanner Hall Always Skis with Cannabis d U.S. Supreme Court

Tosses Anti-Cannabis Lawsuit Against Colorado

Vol 7 IssUE 10

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CULTURE M

Publisher Jeremy Zachary Editor-In-Chief Evan Senn associate Editor Ashley Bennett Editorial coordinator Victoria Banegas Editorial Contributors Benjamin Adams, Sheryll Alexander, Marguerite Arnold, Jake Browne, Cole Garrison, 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, R. Scott Rappold, Paul Rogers, Joy Shannon, Lanny Swerdlow, Simon Weedn, Zara Zhi Photographers Steve Baker, Kristopher Christensen, John Gilhooley, Joel Meaders, Duncan Rolfson Art Director Steven Myrdahl production manager Tommy LaFleur Graphic Designers Tanya Delgadillo, Jonathan Ibarra los angeles Jon Bookatz sales manager Account Executives Eric Bulls, Kim Cook, Cole Garrison, Gene Gorelik, Emily Musser, Beau Odom, Justin Olson, Jim Saunders, Chris Thatcher, April Tygart general Manager Iris Norsworthy Office Assistant Angelina Thompson director of digital media Brian Gingrich digital media Editor David Edmundson Ctv Contributors Quinn Marie Distribution Manager Cruz Bobadilla

Culture速 Magazine is published every month and distributes 50,000 papers at over 1,500 locations throughout Southern California. No articles, illustrations, photographs, or other matter within may be reproduced without written permission. Culture速 Magazine is a registered trademark. All rights reserved. 2175 Sampson Ave. | Suite 118 Corona | California | 92879 Phone/Fax 888.694.2046 www.iReadCulture.com

CULTURE速 Magazine is printed using post-recycled paper.

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NEWS

nuggets First Licensed Collective in Orange County Unionizes Workers

South Coast Safe Access has become the first legally licensed medical cannabis collective in Orange County and is already getting off to a good start. The collective has signed a labor agreement with United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 324 (UFCW 324) that will help provide its 22 employees with a number of benefits. The contract with UFCW offers starting a minimum wage of $13.50 an hour, health benefits, paid vacation and pension, according to Orange County Register. South Coast Safe Access started working with UFCW 324 after the Medical Marijuana Regulations and Safety Act (MMRSA) was approved by Governor Jerry Brown in October. MMRSA Senate Bill 643 requires collectives with 20 employees or more to sign a contract stating that they will not prevent employees from becoming unionized. UFCW 324 plans on working with other collectives in Orange County to help expand and professionalize the county’s medical cannabis market.

Vermont May be First State to Legalize Recreational Through Legislature Vermont could be the first state to legalize recreational cannabis through legislation rather than voter initiative, according to The National Memo. A bill that was passed by the Senate after a year of review will allow adults 21-and-over to enjoy recreational cannabis by 2018. During its year-long review, Senate determined limits on recreational cannabis use and determined that it would not permit personal cultivation or edible consumption. Aside from the restrictions set forth by the Senate, the bill will also impose a 25 percent tax on recreational cannabis that will go towards drug enforcement and drug education programs. While the bill has been approved by Senate, state representatives are expected to review it before the legislative session ends in May. Cannabis advocates in the state believe that this will encourage other states to pass recreational laws through legislation as well.

Switzerland Hopes to Fight Cannabis Black Market with Legal Clubs With cannabis reform in Europe slowly taking shape, Switzerland has revealed a plan to open four cannabis clubs in Geneva, Zurich, Bern and Basel. The clubs are pilot programs intended to help people with existing drug problems and are planned to allow 2,000 people to use cannabis therapy legally, according to RT. Although this seems like a legitimate approach on minimizing the cannabis black market in Switzerland, this topic has been under debate since 2014, with the Swiss People’s Party in Geneva opposing the movement because to them, cannabis is a “hard drug.” Currently, an estimated 500,000 people illegally use cannabis in Switzerland. In 2013, the federal government decided to remove possession of 10 grams or less of cannabis from its list of criminal offenses and only fine 100 francs for those convicted of possession.

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Moratorium Extended for Medical Cannabis in Apple Valley A moratorium on Apple Valley’s medical cannabis collectives, manufacturers, cultivation and delivery was extended from 45 days to a little over 10 months, according to Daily Press. The Town Council initially voted on the moratorium in January to maintain control over its medical cannabis market in conjunction with the Medical Marijuana Regulations and Safety Act. The extension came after Mayor Barb Stanton visited a local collective and was surprised by the clientele, “ . . . they were all were as old as I am or older. Every one of them . . . I was very, very surprised,” stated Stanton. Stanton went on to express her support for those in need of medical cannabis as therapy, revealing potential for the city to ease up on current regulations. Since 2008, the city prohibited medical cannabis collectives according to MyCaliforniaCannabis.com.

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The number of votes, out of 4, that were made by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in favor of cracking down on illegal cannabis collectives in Los Angeles: (Source: Los Angeles Daily News)

NEWS

The number of illegal medical cannabis collectives that have closed since Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer took office in 2013: (Source: Los Angeles Daily News)

716

The amount of money, in millions of dollars, that former Facebook president Sean Parker donated to legalizing recreational cannabis in California: (Source: USA Today)

The estimated percentage of residents that the city of Desert Hot Springs expects to be working in cannabis-related jobs in the near future: (Source: Sacramento Bee)

The numbered rank that California lies on a list of states that are most “enthusiastic” about cannabis: (Source: 600 KOGO)

The number of signatures required to get the Arkansas medical cannabis initiative on the ballot this fall:

85,000

(Source: Arkansas Times)

The percentage of Texans who support expanding medical cannabis access to include more qualifying conditions: (Source: Extract Suntimes)

The Night Before 420 Party Californians seems to have a collective respect and love for the cannabis plant, which makes 420 just as exciting as Christmas Eve for some. This year, Team KUSH will be hosting a 420 eve party to kick off the holiday. Cannabis lovers no longer have to wait for 420 to arrive to openly celebrate the joys of cannabis, and they won’t have to pay for it 32

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The increased percentage of one cannabis delivery service’s orders during Super Bowl 50 weekend:

310

(Source: Forbes)

WHAT: The Night Before 420 Party. WHEN/WHERE: Tues, April 19. Marina Del Rey (Exact Location TBD). INFO: Visit www.eventbrite.com to register for this event.

either. Team KUSH has decided to host this 420 eve celebration free of charge with free bong rips, goodie bags and other giveaways, all you need to do is register and you’re in, as long as you have a current medical cannabis card! 420 only comes around once a year so don’t sell yourself short—indulge in this exciting opportunity while you still have the chance.

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NEWS

LOCAL

420 Festival

Is Skepticism Toward Cannabis Becoming a Thing of the Past? Congressional hopefuls share support for recreational and medical use

by Victoria Banegas

s Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez of Santa Ana plans to leave the position she’s held for 20 years, in hopes to replace Senator Barbara Boxer as Senator when she retires in 2017, there are a number of individuals looking to fill her spot. Initially, those congressional hopefuls consisted of former senators Joe Dunn and Lou Correa, Anaheim City Council Member Jordan Brandman and the progressive mayor of Garden Grove, Bao Nguyen. In March, four Republicans and one Independent filed papers to join the race, heightening the competition. While these political figures are working for Sanchez’s Congressional seat, Californians are working to create a more stringent and reliable medical cannabis market with hopes to legalize the plant recreationally come November elections. With that in mind, the Orange County Register asked each candidate to express their views on cannabis legalization. Surprisingly, most of the candidates were supportive of medical cannabis, with mixed emotions being revealed on the topic of recreational use. Correa had a neutral stance on the matter stating, “As a father, I am concerned about the message that legalizing marijuana will send our children. I will not take a public position on this ballot measure.” While Dunn was in full support of legalization, medically and

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recreationally stating that it would bring in much needed tax money and decrease activity on the black market. Nguyen was also a full-on supporter stating that cannabis should be removed as a Schedule I substance and that cannabis businesses should have access to proper banking. Three of the Republican candidates expressed their stance with Correa and Rudy Gaona stating that they support medical cannabis but feel the plant should not be legalized recreationally. Irvine Councilwoman Lynn Scott supports medical and recreational use but knows precautions must be made for a safe market. “We need to provide proper and thorough health information and education on the pros and cons of marijuana use to those who seek to purchase it,” Scott stated. The only independent candidate running in the race, Nancy Trinidad Marin, was unsure of her stance on recreational cannabis but fully supports medical use. Trinidad believes that cannabis should be decriminalized along with other drugs, according to the Orange County Register. This is a telling sign of how cannabis is slowly becoming accepted by political figures. Last month, the Voice of O.C. reported that Sanchez, Nguyen and Dunn attended a press conference publicizing the first unionized collective in Orange County, revealing the evolving support and understanding the cannabis market continues to receive. c

While a lot of people celebrate 420 at a political rally or traditional smoke out, Motive Events’ 420 Festival is in a category of its own. Last year’s 420 Festival received pretty good reviews on social media, described by many as an awesome celebratory 420 rave. The event was so big in 2015 that Motive had to change the venue this year to accommodate for last year’s massive turnout. Motive Events proudly announced an amazing list of trance, electro and bass artists for this year’s festival, including Bass Modulators, Frontliner, M.I.K.E. Push, UCast, Xilent and even more that are soon to be announced. With tons of DJs, activities and vendors, the 420 Festival is one of the biggest celebrations to attend this holiday, so keep checking Motive Event’s website for developing details and news on its next big bash. WHAT: 420 Festival. WHEN/WHERE: Sat, April 23. Belasco Theatre, 1050 S Hill St., Los Angeles. INFO: Visit www. motiveevents.com for event updates and ticket info.

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NEWS

legal corner

“Although this new amendment aims to end the hypocrisy of issuing purportedly ‘illegal’ businesses tax certificates, it also does much in the way of cutting off a significant source of revenue for the city of Los Angeles.”

Los Angeles: The Complicated Issue of Business Tax Registration Certificates by Meital Manzuri It’s that time of year again: ‘Tis the season for taxes and things that make you scratch your head. Back in October 2015, the Los Angeles City Council voted to stop issuing Business Tax Registration Certificates (BTRCs) to cannabis businesses since most of them are illegal according to Proposition D, the voter approved initiative in 2013 which basically banned most Los Angeles MMJ businesses. Despite the passing of Proposition D, however, MMJ businesses kept proliferating, and the city continued to issue BTRCs and collect tax revenue from them—legal or not. To councilmembers, it’s senseless to issue BTRCs to businesses that are or could be illegal; in fact, they question why BTRCs continue to be issued when, as they see it, any MMJ business filing for a new BTRC in 2015 or after is clearly illegal. However, unsure of the council’s

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authority to do this, the Office of Finance (the office that issues BTRCS) sought insight or input from the City Attorney. While it awaited approval, the Office of Finance stopped issuing new BTRCs sometime in December of last year. Then, in January, Los Angeles City Council approved Ordinance 184135, which amended Subsection 21.50 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code (LAMC) by mandating that cannabis collectives prove compliance with Proposition D. Thereunder; any collective taxed under LAMC Section 21.50 was required to remit a completed and signed cannabis collective annual Business Tax affidavit by March 31. In the affidavit, the business manager or other responsible party must swear, under penalty of perjury, that the business complies with Proposition D. Namely, that the business has been in continuous operation since 2007 and timely filed with the city clerk before the Medical Marijuana Interim Control Ordinance (ICO) in 2007, timely filed for the Temporary Urgency Ordinance (TUO) in 2010 and, finally, has paid all of its Measure M taxes. To add insult to injury, any business that signs this affidavit falsely could be guilty of a misdemeanor. Keep one important thing in mind: A BTRC does not prove the legality of your business, just that it has applied to pay taxes to the city. Although this new amendment aims to end the hypocrisy of issuing purportedly “illegal” businesses tax

certificates, it also does much in the way of cutting off a significant source of revenue for the city of Los Angeles. Especially given the recent news that the city’s current budget is short about $170 million. In fact, the city will have to “borrow” from its reserves until about $100 million in state funds is received in later this year and again in 2017. True, the $10 million in tax revenue from MMJ business wouldn’t completely alleviate this huge shortfall, but it would definitely make a dent. And if the industry continues to grow—if not be outright regulated— more tax revenue will come in, which in turn, would continue to help relieve any budget woes going forward. With the very real prospect of outright state legalization on the horizon, it makes sense that city, town and community governments throughout California would be happy to collect tax revenue for their coffers, especially in light of budget woes plaguing the state. For example, the city of Los Angeles collected nearly $10 million in 2014 (from 500+ dispensaries) and 2015 (from 450 dispensaries). But things are never as easy as they should or even could be. Here’s what really doesn’t make sense: You have a city budget so desperately in the deficit, and a way to help alleviate that deficit exists through business licensing and taxation of an up-and-coming industry valued at untold billions, yet a poorly written Proposition D forces the city to refuse tax revenue from this industry, even as the industry grows and becomes closer to legalization with every passing day. If that doesn’t make you shake your head in amazement and disappointment, what will? c

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NEWS

POLITICAL PUSH

The Taxman Cometh (For the Cannabis Industry) by Sean Donahoe

The month of April is famous for both the cannabis holiday of April 20 as well as the tax deadline of April 15 and it seems that we should look a bit more at the significance behind the latter. Cannabis is certainly a curious industry when it comes to the levying of taxes. On the one hand it is seen as a goldmine by some local cities and counties, who may believe that it could solve empty budgets and economic blight. But there’s a fundamental problem—if taxes are set too high on regulated sales of a substance still widely available on the illicit market, then consumers will avoid regulated channels and revert to buying off of the street. So it’s a curious relationship 44

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that many cannabis policy reform activists often find themselves in, supporting permissive social policies while also pushing for low government intervention and extremely low limits on taxes set on regulated cannabis sales. Social progressives often find themselves morphing into libertarians, while fiscal conservatives find themselves forming common cause with hippie farmers. Strange bedfellows sharing the same (taxable) joint. In California, retail sales of medical cannabis sold by collectives were determined by the Board of Equalization to be a taxable activity and there has been a variety of city- and county-specific additional local taxes on retail sales adopted by voters, from

Sacramento to Palm Springs. Due to a quirk added to California’s constitution adopted 20 years ago, governments are not allowed to collect any funds from businesses beyond what it actually costs to regulate and administrate the business activity. According to Proposition 218’s provisions, any funds collected above this level would be defined as a tax and not just a fee. Taxes in California must be approved by the voters in a ballot measure, which is the path taken by these several cities with local taxes. Expect to see more cities place cannabis tax ballot measures on this November’s ballot. However, if these localities are seeking to eliminate criminal, illicit sales and encourage good, licensed operators in their communities then any taxes must be set as low as possible. It’s a fine line that must be set and hopefully voters will be smart enough to vote down counterproductive ballot measures with excessive tax rates. Like so many other problems, the biggest tax problem for the cannabis industry comes back to the federal government and a 33-year-old law which is now screaming for deletion. Section 280-E of the Internal Revenue Code disallows standard business operations for any federal taxes filed by businesses engaged in the trafficking of controlled substances. Even though these commercial activities may be legal under state law, these are still federally illegal substances and law-abiding businesses are therefore effectively liable for 70 to 80 percent taxation rates. Ironically, the cost of goods sold (i.e. the production costs of the medical cannabis) may be deducted but not items related to the sales of the federally illegal drug: Storefront facilities, staff wages, security investments and other typical tax deductions that any other businesses would be allowed to deduct. Solving Section 280-E must be done by Congress but less than 10 percent of our House Representatives and none of our Senators have authored or joined as co-authors on 280-E reform bills. In addition to tracking cannabis policy at our state capitol in Sacramento, California’s cannabis industry needs to look to its representation in our nation’s Capitol and send champions like Garden Grove Mayor Bao Nguyen and other progressive, tax-savvy fresh voices to Washington DC. c

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NEWS

healthy living

420 Day Celebrates Humanity’s 10,000 Year Relationship with Cannabis by Lanny Swerdlow, RN LNC No one knows when exactly cannabis came into being as a distinct plant species, but it is believed to have evolved on the steppes of Central Asia, most likely in the regions that are now Mongolia and southern Siberia. The evolution of this unique plant was a most fortuitous event for humanity. From foraging for plants to cultivating plants, agriculture is a recent human development beginning about 10,000 years ago. The renowned scientist Carl Sagan speculated, in his extraordinarily insightful book The Dragons of Eden, that cannabis may have been humanity’s first cultivated crop, writing “It would be wryly interesting if in human history the cultivation of marijuana led generally to the invention of agriculture, and thereby to civilization.” The first documented human use of cannabis was a hemp cord found embedded in a pottery shard at a 10,000-yearold village site in what is now modern day Taiwan. From that early beginning, humans took cannabis with them everywhere. Through trial and error, human cultures all over world discovered which plants were edible, which were poisonous and which provided healing qualities. Every culture in existence has developed their own unique knowledge of 46

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herbs and plants and passed this information down orally from generation to generation. Caraway and thyme are described in the first written record of plants being used for their healing properties about 5,000 years ago. Although cannabis was not in the earliest of these writings, Chinese legends dating to 2,700 BCE record the story of Emperor Shen Nun (also referred to as

the uterus, administering enemas and eye problems such as glaucoma. Its use by the pharaohs was confirmed with the discovery of cannabis pollen on the mummy of Ramesses II, who died in 1213 BC. In India, a 3,000-year-old legend tells the story of the Hindu god Shiva bringing cannabis, his favorite food, down from the Himalayas

“The irony that cannabis cultivation may have been the foundation of civilization lends historic credence to attempts to end its prohibition.” Shennong), considered the Father of Chinese medicine, extolling cannabis’ healing properties. Referred to in Hebrew as Kaneh-Bosem, cannabis made its way into the middleeast around 4,000 years ago where it was sanctified as “Holy Anointing Oil” in Exodus (30:22-23). Two ancient Egypt texts, the Ramesseum III papyrus and the Ebers papyrus, note the healing properties of cannabis along with other ancient Egyptian texts describing its use for inflammation, cooling

for the use and enjoyment of the Aryan people. Bhang, a cannabis drink made with milk, was developed and is used to this day as an anesthetic, a stimulant, an expectorant and to treat a wide variety of maladies. From the nearby regions of Central Asia, the nomadic Scythians brought cannabis with them during their migration to southern Russia around 800 to 700 BCE. From there, nomadic tribes brought it to Germany and other parts of Europe, but cannabis did not arrive in Britain until

around 400 CE with the Anglo-Saxon invasions. Surprisingly, considering its relative proximity, the earliest evidence of cannabis in Africa outside of Egypt were two ceramic pipes containing traces of cannabis found in Ethiopia dating to the 14th Century CE. The use of cannabis for fiber, medicine and as an intoxicant soon spread throughout Africa. As the Bering land bridge submerged over 11,000 years ago, the ancient peoples that crossed over into the New World apparently did not bring any agricultural crops with them as agriculture had barely begun. With no cannabis in the New World, French and British settlers brought it with them cultivating hemp at their colonies in the early 1600s. Its use as a medicine in the Western world did not begin until Dr. William O’Shaughnessy brought his observations of the use of cannabis in India to England in 1842. Its use rapidly spread throughout Europe and the United States. The irony that cannabis cultivation may have been the foundation of civilization lends historic credence to attempts to end its prohibition. For humans to have rejected the plant that led not only to their health and happiness but to civilization itself showcases the utter folly of prohibitions past and present. c

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REVIEWs

strain, edible & concentrate O.penVAPE Craft RESERVE

Available wherever: O.penVAPE products are carried.

There’s a new sheriff in town, and that’s completely unrelated to Peyton Manning retiring! The folks at O.penVAPE have done it again. Their newest oil, Craft RESERVE, is made from hand selected flower in small batches with 100 percent cannabis-derived terpenes. Combined with their innovative O.penVAPE 2.0 Variable Voltage Battery, testers were blown away by the ability to change from 2.5v to 4.0v. They found innumerable ways to enjoy this top of the line concentrate every time. The clear oil served up supremely clean hits. Our reviewers loved the chatty effect the cartridge had, perfect for parties and other social events.

GLC OG GLC OG works on two levels making it a split-personality strain capable of being the perfect after-work smoke or an invigorating body motivating toke fest. This is not surprising, as no matter what strain you inhale, the effect largely depends on the mood you are in when you imbibe. GLC in Upland should be commended for developing this most ubiquitous OG strain. A hefty, hazy green nug exudes an odor reminiscent of a grapefruit spritzer. Shortly after ingestion, sensuality waves wash over your body and into your mind. GLC OG creates a state of tranquility allowing you to settle down into your favorite chair with a copy of Rolling Stone. If its excitement you seek, the sensuality energizes and heightens your awareness as you enter the Staples Center for an Adele concert.

Available at: DTHC in Los Angeles.

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Available at: GLC in Upland.

High Octane Shatter High Octane is a perfect name for a shatter because that’s exactly why you are using a shatter instead of smoking a bud—you want “high octane” performance, and that is what you get with High Octane Shatter from DTHC in Los Angeles. A pliable, easily “dabable” concentrate with a glowing translucent amber color, High Octane fulfills your expectations with its concentrated power and propels like a Lamborghini at a drag race. A good shatter makes you want to get up and go, and a great shatter gives you the motivation to actually do it. High Octane is a great shatter. If caffeine is not your thing, you might consider a dab of High Octane in place of your morning coffee—it’s the espresso of cannabis.

GET YOUR CLICKS

HERE MaGooch Olive Oil Like to make your own edibles but don’t want the hassle of making your own cannabis infused oil, then take a look at MaGooch Olive Oil available at select collectives throughout Southern California. Use with care, as MaGooch Gravity Lock Olive Oil is very potent. A 1.5 fl. oz. bottle contains approximately 1,300mg THC so a little bit of oil goes a long way. The oil is a little thicker than most olive oils with a pleasant taste that makes it ideal whether used in recipes for baked goods or directly on a salad. Most users will find MaGooch to produce a relaxing feeling and a tranquil state of mind, but need to be mindful of the potency of this product. It would probably be best to add a small measured portion to another oil or dressing especially if you are going to use directly on a salad.

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Available at: Various collectives throughout Southern California.

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REVIEWs

XXX Apple Jaxx Looking for some really heavy serious medication that is uplifting, energetic and borders on overwhelming—then you want XXX Apple Jaxx. The moniker Moon Rocks attached to a strain name usually implies that the bud has been soaked in hash and rolled in kief. Not content with just two coatings, Apple Box Delivery in Riverside first soaks this top shelf flower in hash oil, then soaks it in wax, applies a coat of hash and finally rolls the triple saturated bud in kief. With abundant trichomes peering through the thick kief covering, the bud has a dusty brown coloration. Remarkably, the coatings are embedded deep inside the nug, not just the exposed outer surface. Euphoric, mind expanding and body stimulating, this is strong medicine for pain, insomnia, PTSD and anxiety. Even the most inexperienced user will realize that this is a super-potent smoke and use accordingly.

Available at: Treetop L.A. in Los Angeles.

Available through: Apple Box Delivery in Riverside.

Strawberry Banana Strawberry Banana has got to be the Crème Brulee of cannabis. Firm bulbous nugs, slightly sticky and spongy, covered in red hairs and smothered in trichomes beckon the eye to its marvels. The bud showed meticulous care in the trim process augmenting its competent cultivation. With a taste approximating a strawberry banana smoothie in which there isn’t too many bananas, Strawberry Banana is not lacking in cannabinoid power. Helpful in mitigating pain, facilitating sleep and alleviating anxiety, this strain can be used anytime, anywhere. The effects will creep up on you as you feel tenseness dissolve away and calmness set in. Particularly effective for using after-a-long-day doing anything, this is an all-around smoke that fits into any occasion with steady cerebral effects that linger.

Scarface Al Pacino was phenomenal playing Tony Montana in Scarface delivering the classic line, “Say hello to my little friend!” Of course he was talking about his gun but an even better friend can be found in the bud named after the movie. Large medium dark green bulbous nugs with cleanly spaced orange hairs saturated with trichomes have a dank scent and looks. Flawlessly cured and trimmed, the taste is light and mildly spicy on the burn—dense but not harsh. Works within a few minutes, starts creeping out of the center of your body giving you a tranquil feeling of relaxation but not couch-lock. Most people will experience a very agreeable cerebral stimulation that produces a much needed respite from the stress and anxieties of life. You can say hello to Scarface at the Green Field Collective in Los Angeles.

Available at: The Green Field Collective in Los Angeles.

Platinum Jack Herer

Available at: SOHC in Sherman Oaks.

Nothing would honor the late Jack Herer more than naming an exceptionally good strain after him and Platinum Jack Herer is such a strain. Crossing it with Platinum OG adds OG qualities to an already prodigious strain. This striking nug is colorful with a lavender smell and an exceedingly heavy covering of trichomes spread throughout clumps of red hairs. In less than a minute, the smoothly flowing smoke fills your lungs and travels upward, where it settles in making its presence known by a series of stimulating waves washing over and through your head. There is a corresponding body stimulation although the head stimulation, is more significantly pronounced. This is a good steady effect that can last up to two hours. Clear headed, concentration improved—this is good for house work and home work.

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GET YOUR CLICKS

HERE

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REVIEWs

Art of Choke Choke is slang for what happens when you inhale more cannabis smoke than your lungs can handle. It is definitely an art to inhale just the right amount before you reach the choke point. Knowledge of that art would be of great benefit when smoking Art of Choke, because this proprietary strain from DTPC in Riverside is so inviting and has such a smooth smoke that you had better pay attention as you take your hit or you might just choke. A light camouflagegreen solid bud with a deep juicy dank aroma and a virtual arsenal of trichomes emits a pervasive coriander odor, indicating a vibrant terpene profile. Although potent, it is not discombobulating—this is “do anything you want” cannabis—go shopping, surf the net, read a book, take a walk—it will segue perfectly into whatever you want to do.

Available at: Zen No Ho Collective in North Hollywood.

Available at: DTPC in Riverside.

PR Zen OG Developed as a distinguished Chinese style of Buddhism, Zen is a state of focus that seeks a total togetherness of body and mind. Bringing mind and body together is one of the distinguishing features of cannabis use. Although all cannabis strains do that to one degree or another, PR Zen OG from the Zen No Ho Collective in North Hollywood is particularly adept at achieving that end. Tight compact and dense, the dark green nugs emit a crisp lemon OG with undertones of a pine forest. Smoking is pleasant with a bright fruity taste morphing into a smoky pine flavor. Definitely an upper in terms of mood enhancements, PR Zen OG produces cerebral and body effects of equal proportions. With its inward focus, PR Zen OG can create a mindset that puts problems and concerns into proper perspective and proportion—now that’s real relief.

Available at: LAVC in Los Angeles

Blissful Wizard Blissful Wizard, known for its high THC content, will send you into a blissful state of euphoria with just a few puffs. Found at LAVC in Los Angeles, blissful wizard is so fuzzy with trichomes that the bud exudes a silvery green sheen. When lit, a lemongrass-coconut aroma wafts out—an aroma that stimulates the appetite and adds to the ambiance. Blissful Wizard can get you so far up there that it is best to be laying down as you continue to imbibe. Great alone, but it’s way better to share this intimate experience with a special friend, as waves of sensual stimulation mesmerize your being. Blissful Wizard is so potent that it is quite often used for making hash—so good for making hash that Blissful Wizard won first place for the Best Non-Solvent Hash at the 2015 High Times SoCal Cannabis Cup.

Orange Cookies

Available at: Famous Roots Collective in Sylmar.

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Girl Scout Cookies being part of the genetics of Orange Cookies is just one of the reasons that the Orange Cookies at Famous Roots Collective in Sylmar is so good. With a light orange blossom smell, the large dense bright green nug literally oozes trichomes making for an exceptionally sticky bud. The smoke is smooth and, for those familiar with GSC, is reminiscent of that strain’s rambunctious taste. After a few minutes, most will experience a cerebral buzz and euphoric effect that literally flows through your body, producing a soothing state with just a hint of tension in your muscles. Although you will be calm and relaxed, you will not be sedated or disoriented, so if you have things you want to do, you will still be able to do them. If you are stressed out, anxious or depressed, Orange Cookies are the perfect antidote.

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GoldCaps™ CBD Softgels

Available at: Various collectives throughout California.

Ultra-pure CBD, with or without THC. CBD is rapidly rising in popularity, and but only the best CBD products are suitable for treating both children’s and adult’s illnesses, because they are offered with or without THC. GoldCaps™ CBD Softgels are one such product that offers only the purest of cannabinoids mixed with grape seed oil—meaning there is no residual molds, pesticides, bacteria or other contaminants. The company uses extra-precise clinical measurements in order to maintain the same dose per gel capsule, allowing each one to give a reliable near-exact dosage for a variety of patients. GoldCaps™ has two differing gel capsules products: a CBD-only pill, and a hybrid capsule with 10mg CBD and 10mg THC. Each bottle comes with five softgels. These tiny oral pills can work miracles, and unlike other cannabis products, patients know exactly what they’re getting with each pill. GoldCaps™ is leading the way in making a product that is dependable from one dose to another, allowing patients of any age to safely take their medicine without worry of over or underdosing. As a bonus, if kept refrigerated in the dark, these pills will last a year with almost no change in potency—a fact that doesn’t hold true with strains or edibles.

Soothing Sue’s Rub Me Right Massage Oil This has got to be the cannabis product of 2016. Soothing Sue’s Rub Me Right Massage Oil is made with a proprietary blend of organically grown cannabis in a base of cold pressed organic virgin coconut oil. As a massage oil, Soothing Sue’s is delightfully aromatic, soothing and sensual, providing the giver and receiver of the massage with pleasure. As the massage oil is edible, additional pleasure is easily obtainable. When not on a body, this multi-faceted oil can be used for making edibles, topically applied for pain relief, orally ingested for internal pain and even used as a suppository. Although there is 15mg THCA in each teaspoon, there is no psychoactive effects from the massage as the THCA has not been heated and transformed into THC. Since Rub Me Right is oil based, it cannot be used with condoms, but can be used for all other purposes. Available at collectives throughout Southern California.

Available at: Various collectives throughout Southern California.

2016 Bubba There’s bubba, pre-98 bubba and now there’s 2016 Bubba. The difference between pre-98 bubba and classic bubba is more in the mind than anywhere else, but considering that this legendary strain has sent hundreds of millions to nirvana, then what’s in the mind is what really counts. That’s where 2016 Bubba comes in—it comes in the mind and 2016 bubba at L.A.’s Meds 4 Less gets it there right where you want it. Large, professionally manicured nugs covered in trichomes do justice to this remarkable strain. They are truly a beauty to behold. A few puffs and your body is centered, chilled out and ready for a rapid ride to euphoria. Bubba excels as social cannabis. Sharing with friends brings out the best qualities in both Bubba and you.

Available at: Meds 4 Less in Los Angeles.

OG Ology

Available at: Bonafide Collective in Burbank.

Ology is a suffix meaning study, such as in biology—the study of life. As for OG Ology, there is nothing more profound and meaningful then studying the OG strain—after all, millions of people study the OG strain every day. Your study of OG Ology can begin at the Bonafide Collective in Burbank whose in-depth study of this most revered strain has morphed into OG Ology. The qualities of this nug are amazing— large, expertly cured and trimmed, covered in red hairs and brilliant trichomes. The bud has a cotton candy odor but when burned, an enticing driftwood aroma is enjoyed. Not in the least spacey, OG Ology enhances concentration and focus making this strain good for studying anything from world history to the world of cannabis. Just like you did in college, a hit between classes is not going to hurt.

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REVIEWs

W Vapes Cotton Candy Indica Vape Cartridge W Vapes are one of the best and most potent oil cartridges on the market. Tested for quality, purity, and potency, W vapes use organic supercritical CO2 extracted oils made with a proprietary terpene separation process resulting in amazing flavor and even more amazing potency. The cannabis oil cartridges are strain specific. They test all products for THC, CBC and CBG content printed on each package. We tested the Indica cartridge made with cotton candy which tested at 189mg or %63 THC. It was awesome! The taste is citrus sweet—pleasant and fresh. There is a minimal odor—that does not resemble cannabis. Acts faster than you can say W Vape—goes right to the head— mind expanding, vision creating, euphoria inducing. W Vapes is almost a dab, but considerably more convenient and discrete

Available at: SOHO Collective in Van Nuys.

Available wherever: W Vapes products are carried.

Diablo Reviews abound with many different genetics of Diablo with speculations of blueberry, grapefruit and an exotic African sativa all combined with an OG Kush, but wherever Diablo comes from, it is maxi-devilishly good. Far from being a dark nug as the name might imply, this Diablo from the SOHO Collective in Van Nuys is light in color with an enticing sour fruit smell and a taste to match. The effects come on quickly and unexpectedly. Nothing and then wham—zone out with time distortions. Definitely the ultimate in relaxing. It is quick, firm, heavy and sedating, yet somehow still light and floral like with its intoxicating aroma and aftertaste. Diablo is especially good for late evening intake as it heightens senses but will leave you feeling relaxed and content. Available at: Various collectives throughout Southern California.

VARAVO Oil Cartridge Varavo sees itself as “a socially responsible brand focused on quality, accurate dosing and higher standards.” A high goal to set, but their Varavo Cannabis Oil pens, available in 350mg and 700mg sativa or indica cartridges meet the mark. The oil is made from a proprietary blend of cannabis flowers. Using the latest CO2 extraction technology, each batch of cannabis oil is tested by a certified independent third party lab. No additives including glycols or glycerins are used, making for as pure a cannabis oil as you can get. Tested here were the one-gram cartridges containing 700mg of THC with a potency of 70 percent THC. Whether it is the indica or sativa, the effects begin to be felt within five minutes and provide the powerful cerebral and body effects that would be expected from a 70 percent THC content.

Waxxy Jay’s Pre-Roll With a picture of a busy bee flying around a honeycomb, Waxxy Jay’s pre-rolls are conveniently found in a pack of five, with each preroll protected in an individual plastic cylinder that slides neatly and discreetly into a pocket or purse. Made from 100 percent indoor nug flowers and combined with a top-shelf wax which has soaked through the paper in places, these joints are potent! Strong, thick, hazy smoke intoxicates you from the first hit. The indica mellows you out and takes you down a notch at the end of a hard day, while the sativas get you up and going anytime of the day. Waxxy Jay’s pre-rolls, available at collectives throughout California, are expertly rolled joints that look so good you will want to share them with your co-workers, your boss and anyone you want to impress.

Available at: Various collectives throughout Southern California.

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Platinum Bubba Available at: Sticky Medz in Los Angeles.

Platinum Kush crossed with Bubba Kush brings together two legendary Kush strains known for their mind-relaxing, stressrelieving and demotivating properties. The spongy nugs are surprisingly dense with a sweet smell and taste. The trichomes on the Platinum Bubba found at Sticky Medz in Los Angeles are abundant enough to comprehend its platinum heritage. Subtle “oaky” flavors predominate making for an enjoyable smoke. With the unique combination of qualities of Platinum Bubba’s fabled ancestry, it is perfect for unwinding and relaxing at home after work. Appetite stimulation is characteristic of the kush strain, camaraderie is characteristic of bubba strains, so imbibing before patronizing your favorite restaurant with your friends is sure to produce a meal of extraordinary culinary delights and social repartee.

Jack Herer x Kosher OG

Available at: The Green Easy Collective in West Los Angeles.

Most people are not aware that Jack Herer, the Emperor of Hemp, was Jewish, making it totally appropriate to cross Jack Herer with Kosher OG—in fact, so appropriate that the creators of this unique hybrid chose to name it after its lineage. This is definitely the kind of classic cannabis that Herer would have enjoyed and was fighting all his life for everyone to enjoy. Found at The Green Easy Collective in West Los Angeles, it’s has a tight light-green bud with a spectacular array of crystal trichomes. A smoke smooth enough for a newbie and potent enough to animate a social gathering. No getting knocked out—just good old fashioned kick back and relax cannabis. Although perfectly fit for smoking alone, it is tailor made for animating social gatherings. With its appetite stimulating properties, a good location for the gathering would be Canter’s Deli on Fairfax.

Available at: The Kind Center in Van Nuys.

The Farm With images of serenity and wholesomeness, naming a strain The Farm is a bit pretentious, but it is no exaggeration to note that this proprietary strain from The Kind Center in Van Nuys is just the kind of quality you expect and get when you buy direct from the farm. A deep pastel green, the large irregularly shaped nug has deep set long red hairs and is liberally laced with globular crystal trichomes. A musky yet sweet lavender aroma emanates from the sticky, pliable nug—a good indication of its down-onthe-farm freshness. This is potent with just one hit quickly moving to the head, producing an invigorating euphoria. A second hit brings on the visions. Expect time-distortions with additional intake. Although the big city may beckon, a farm that grows The Farm will keep the young man and woman down on the farm.

Banana Ogre Available at: The Relief Collective in Los Angeles.

Banana Ogre is an incredible new strain composed of a cross of Banana Kush and Ogre. It is powerful, potent and picture perfect. The weighty nug is ripe, juicy, sticky and pliable. The sample available at The Relief Collective in Los Angeles has been lovingly grown and professionally manicured and is so resinous that rolling it into a joint could be a challenge, so consider a bowl or vaporizer. The banana odor namesake is quite noticeable with a pleasant sweet taste that literally rolls off your tongue. The effects rapidly make their way to your head, producing an active euphoria that is uplifting and mildly energizing. A definite evening smoke for relaxing, drifting and sharing. When Shrek lights up with Mrs. Shrek, Banana Ogre is his obvious choice.

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Oasis OG Like an oasis is good to find when traveling through a desert, Oasis OG is good to find when traveling through life. Although the comparison might be a stretch, it is still apropos as there is nothing that makes getting through life more pleasant than cannabis. Oasis OG, the proprietary strain developed by and available at the Oasis Collective in Mira Loma, is an exemplary strain that provides all the health benefits of cannabis and helps you feel good at the same time. A compact nug, it shows care in cultivation and harvest with a spongy pliable texture and expert trim. This is not knock-you-on-your ass cannabis—this is cannabis that induces a pleasant effect that allows you to function and safely carry out your daily life activities while positively enhancing mood. In other words it produces euphoria without producing discombobulation. Oasis OG will not disappoint.

Available at: The Oasis Collective in Mira Loma.

AbsoluteXtracts Gorilla Glue Vape Cartridge Strong, additive-free and supporting a good cause, AbsoluteXtracts of California continues to re-set the bar for pure, medical-grade cannabis products with this Gorilla Glue Vape Cartridge. Here AbsoluteXtracts takes a triple backcross of Diesel and some chocolate — Gorilla Glue — and grows it outdoors, locally and sustainably. A CO2 extraction process yields this oil — which contains no additives and comes pre-packaged in a sleek cartridge for use with an AbsoluteXtracts re-chargeable battery, or another standard vape pen battery. Using it is as simple as drawing on the end for micro-dosed puffs of hybrid cannabis flower to manage pain, stress, insomnia, anxiety. Two dollars from every cartridge sold goes to the non-profit organization, Grow For Vets.

Available wherever: AbsoluteXtracts products are carried.

22K Cartridge Oil Promising patients “strong fast acting response of inhalation in a discrete, portable, healthier and reusable delivery device,” 22K Cannabis Oil Cartridges deliver the goods. Utilizing premium organically grown cannabis, the oil is extracted using stateof-the-art super-critical CO2 extractors. What 22K doesn’t have are any pesticides or molds, polyethylene/propylene glycol, butane or other solvents. There is a fast response to inhalation and with a lab-test potency of 74 percent THC, the response is strong. Vape pens are discrete, but if you take several hits in quick succession, people might detect some disorientation in your demeanor—especially for people who have just started using vape pens. Unless repeated hits are taken, the cerebral effects level off after 15 to 30 minutes and a calm relaxation sets in that can be mist inducing. Get your 22K at the Strain Collective in Chatsworth.

Available at: The Strain Collective in Chatsworth.

Zombie Joints

Available at: Sunset Herbal Corner in North Hollywood.

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Convenience and potency are the hallmarks of Zombie Joints, a quality product produced exclusively by Sunset Herbal Corner and available only at their location in North Hollywood. Do not confuse these with ordinary pre-rolls. No trim used here—only their private reserve stocks including King Louis XIII, Lunatic, Skywalker, White Russian and XJ-13. For added potency, each Zombie Joint is infused with hash. Our samples were not pin joints, but a generous serving that smoked smoothly and burned cleanly—no runs in the paper like lower quality pre-rolls. Each Zombie Joint comes in a durable plastic cylinder so it won’t get crushed in your pocket or purse and can be reused. Select the Zombie Joint strain that works best for you and then let the Zombie Joint work for you.

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Liquid Dreams Refill Oil - Indica Oil makers, dare to dream. Bay Area dispensaries are now stocking this new threein-one product from the award-winning edible makers, Day Dreamers Chocolates. The Liquid Dreams Refill contains one gram of pure CO2 cannabis oil. Designed to refill vape cartridges, it also moonlights as a direct dab dispenser and oral syringe. Hats off to Day Dreamers for updating the traditional syringe refill format. As safe and effective as syringes are—they put people off. By contrast, Liquid Dreams’ child-resistant pill bottle-meets-push-pop functionality is the aesthetic innovation this industry needs. Day Dreamers uses their award-winning, indoor, organic flowers to produce this uncut, full-spectrum oil. The oil has great viscosity for refills and is 52 percent THC—twice the strength of flowers. The Indica Refill vapes up sweet, ultra-light and smooth, with mega-potent analgesic and sedative effects. Also available in Sativa and CBD 1:1.

Available wherever: Daydreamers Products are carried

Bubster Shatter Available at: Various collectives throughout California.

The newfound RVR distributors are sending this high-THC shatter extract to the far-flung reaches of the Golden State. Bubster Shatter from Emerald Family Farms starts with flower from Dragon and Matches, who grew sativa-dominant hybrid of Super Silver Haze and Bubba Kush both outdoors, 100 percent organic, salmon-safe, and herbicide and pesticidefree. The resulting extract is 0 ppm, with a really solid, deep, gold color and very brittle viscosity at room temperature—a true shatter. The extract had little aroma and the hyper-potent vapor was munchie-free and great for neurological support. Patients are vaping high-THC hybrids for tons of ailments—particularly chronic pain, Multiple Sclerosis, chronic stress, and more rarely, glioblastoma, Hepatitis C and hypertension.

Available at: Medical Caregivers Co-op in Los Angeles.

Platinum Fire OG Platinum Fire OG is as sizzling as its name with its mood and mind-altering properties. It’s a spicy loud green nug with a kind of sour-cedar aroma, and tightly clumped red hairs accompanied with heavy sprinklings of reflective trichomes, giving credence to its Platinum Fire name. The nug, found at Medical Caregivers Co-op in Los Angeles, is so incredibly dense that it would be best to use a grinder to obtain proper size pieces for rolling or bowls. It burns cleanly, easily, and moves quickly upward producing cerebral effects that are pleasant and euphoric. Concurrent are extraordinary relaxing effects that meld seamlessly with expanding thought processes. Many find its body effects to be superior to its cerebral effects, but most find a very desirable equanimity. Due to its strength, new medicators should exercise caution when inhaling it for the first time.

Black Mamba Available at: RDC in Reseda.

The sub-Saharan African black mamba is one of the world’s deadliest snakes and although the Black Mamba cannabis available at RDC in Reseda is not deadly, its bite is every bit as potent. A dark green nub with purple splotches and a classic skunk odor, the bud is sticky, pliable and perfectly trimmed. The smoke is enjoyable from start to finish as it slithers into your consciousness. Its potency trips you out, producing a pleasurable upbeat state of mind that mellows into a fairly profound state of relaxation. For an evening out, whether it be for dinner and a movie or a raucous concert, Black Mamba is your ticket. A couple hits when you come home can finish off the evening in a spectacular fashion. Handle Black Mamba with care and you won’t be disappointed.

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POP Naturals THC Gel Caps Modern medical cannabis doesn’t get much more professional this 4/20 than POP Naturals’ THC Indica and Sativa Gel Caps—which look and function much like mainstream nutraceuticals. Each softgel contains 20mg of cannabis-derived THC extracted from indicas or sativa plants with super-pure CO2 and no cosolvents or additives. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) derived from plants has been shown to reduce pain, nausea, spasms in medical reports, and has many other uses. These softgels don’t have a cannabis odor, and look extremely high quality, pure and consistent. They go down tastelessly and begin to work in up to 90 minutes. The two standard doses of THC (20mg) per gel can result in painrelief, nausea reduction and other benefits—potentially sedative, or energetic effects depending on indica or sativa blend. THC is also used to manage alcohol withdrawal and autoimmune diseases.

Available at: Silverlake Caregivers in Los Angeles.

Available wherever: POP Natural Products are carried

Skywalker Skywalker is a strain synonymous with potency and the ability to take you to a galaxy far, far away. Silverlake Caregivers in Los Angeles has a most noteworthy sample of this now classic strain which is well worth checking out. Nicely formed pineapple-shaped nugs show a light lime-green/grey color, sparse orange hairs and a heavy frosting of trichomes. All though the puff is smooth with a delicate and fresh taste, it will hit you like a light saber. It doesn’t take many pulls to propel you with a mind-warping momentum into a euphoric state that eventually settles into a visionary relaxing state. As a result, many find Skywalker very useful in mitigating pain and fatigue. Best of all, take Skywalker with you when you go outdoors for a walk or hike—it makes nature really popout.

Master P x Girl Scout Cookies Shatter California Honey Extracts produces high quality shatters using the “live resin” process which preserves the terpenes thereby preserving and enhancing the products flavors and benefits. An excellent example of their craftsmanship is their Master P x Girl Scout Cookie (GSC) Shatter available at So Cal Co-Op in Woodland Hills. Securely packaged, it is like unwrapping a gift when you open the hard plastic case to reveal the parchment paper containing the beautiful honey-stained glassy-looking wax. Unmistakable scent of GSC wafts up when opened and again when heated on the nail. Fast acting with the expected burst of energy associated with GSC joined with the relaxing, calm state of mind ensuing from the Master P. This would be a great for evening use when settling down in front of the TV or just before bed.

Available at: So Cal Co-Op in Woodland Hills.

Pure Vape Wax Available at: Various collectives throughout California.

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Pure Vape cannabis concentrate oils are a premium product that is exactly what a wax should be—strong, rapid, clean and totally body and mind encompassing. A premium organic CO2 extracted Pure Vape Wax comes in a variety of flavors including strawberry, pineapple, tangie and OG. Easily maneuverable onto the nail, the hit is smooth and clean. Each flavor actually tastes like the flavor on the label with a cannabis flavor lingering in the background. The vape expansion is exceedingly comfortable, even exhilarating as you begin to feel it work. Very rapidly moving from your lungs to where you want it to go, a warm cheery dare I say happy feeling emerges. The warmth does flow through your body but this is principally a cerebral-dominant. Enjoyable to the max even if used alone—expect zoning out but not knocking out.

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REVIEWs Available wherever: MediZen products are carried.

Green Tea Lemonade Break out of traditional cannabis formulations and into your summer fun mode with this ultra-portable and discrete Green Tea Lemonade mix from MediZen. It packs 100 milligrams of THC, equal to ten, standard (10mg) doses. So you can mix a little in with your traditional tea, and save the rest for later thanks to the re-sealable foil pouch. MediZen uses organic kush and sour diesel cannabis oil extracted via CO2, which is very clean. MediZen also uses ServSafecertified staff to prepare the mix—which looks like a lightly green-tinged drink mixer. It has a really enticing, zesty lemon flavor with tea undernotes and no cannabis medicine flavor. Patients ingest hybrid cannabis to get non-smoked management of anxiety, depression and body pain.

Available at: SFVDM Collective in Van Nuys.

VIP OG Most people might think VIP stands for Very Important Person, but in this case it means Very Imperative Pot. If you are into upwardly mobilizing cannabis then it is imperative to visit the SFVDM Collective in Van Nuys and obtain a portion of this noteworthy proprietary strain that is smooth and potent. Astonishingly large crystalline trichomes predominate the tight unusually shaped nugs which exude a pleasant lavender aroma. The effects are swift and pronounced surrounding your head and then moving inward. Many will find it to be bodily innervating and outwardly motivating. This is excellent morning cannabis taken with your morning cup of java to help get your day underway in an uplifting and focused manner. In the evening, it is wonderful to accompany you for a night on the town.

Rilla Stick Disposable Pen Simplify your cannabis experience with the Rilla Stick—a California medical cannabis pen that requires no learning curve. You just tear open the package and draw on the Rilla Stick to access an aerosol of cannabinoids from a CO2 extract of the indica strain Pot of Gold. Rilla Stick easily has the cleanest design in the game with their disposable pen. It’s just as slender, but more stylish than rivals, with a fresh print and real consistent branding. There’s no battery to screw on or off—it’s a sealed system of C02 oil, with wick and atomizer. The Pot of Gold pen had a nice, clean C02 oil taste without any suspicious flavors or additives. Patients say it is a fabulous way to titrate functional doses of indica extract for evening pain, nausea and anxiety.

Available wherever: Rilla Extracts products are carried.

Dark Side of the Moon – Cannabis Infused Gourmet Dark Chocolates

Available at: Various collectives throughout California.

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The Something Chocolate company in Hollywood has come back to us with their take on a classic stoner album, harnessing the spirit of Pink Floyd, in chocolate form. This new chocolate assortment is beautifully packaged in a convenient to carry box, containing four pieces. Something Chocolate has created this epic assortment to take you on a journey, both for your mind and for your mouth. With some musical motivation, they have even cleverly named the chocolates accordingly. These four scrumptious dark chocolate candies are the epitome of transcendental travel, with centers of dark peanut butter, gingerbread, espresso, and chocolate mousse, each containing a content of 20mg THC, and are bursting with flavor. With no cannabis taste noticeable, watch out—the effect is most definitely there. For beginners, one candy is enough to achieve the stimulation or relaxation you seek—more seasoned consumers could indulge in more.

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Mellowjello THC Shooters Finally, a jello shot we can get behind. Elevate your 420 party this year with some Mellowjello—an infused gelatin mix containing 20 doses of THC. Santa Cruz outfit Mellowjello uses 26-time award winner California Sap in their THC powder, grown organically and tested for potency at SC Labs. It’s a family operation with classically trained chefs, herbalists and growers, so each packet contains 200mg of cannabis that equals (12)two-ounce doses of jello. It’s gluten-free and sugar-free and comes in 11 yummy flavors. To make it, add mix to three cups of boiling water, stir, pour into shooter cups, or leave in bowl, and chill for four hours. Chillin’ is the name of the game on these medium-strength edibles, which patients take for sports injury pain and inflammation or when it’s too hard to swallow other edibles.

Available at: Select collectives throughout Southern California.

Available wherever: Mellowjello products are carried.

Napalm OG Napalm OG is an outstanding cannabis strain that provides measure for measure optimal results. The strain produces a large deep-green bud, tight, pliable and gloriously covered in crystal clear trichomes. As a hint of lavender emanates from the smoke, the hit is as even and smooth as it gets. Expansive and intense, the effects move rapidly upward fulfilling the expectation for a quality smoke. Euphoric at the outset, most will find the strain uplifting and energetic, inducing sociability and cohesiveness. Wonderful for social occasions, be it a small gathering of friends or your sister’s wedding, Napalm OG can make a boring occasion tolerable and a stimulating occasion extraordinary. Available at select collectives throughout southern California, this strain is definitely worth picking up.

Lemon Kush OG DNA Genetics, winner of over 50 awards from Cannabis Cup expositions the world over, is the creator of Lemon Kush OG, a strain known for its multifarious cerebral effects—a direct result of its high THC content. The harvest available at the Perennial Collective in Studio City is an exemplary example of this fantastic strain. Light green expertly trimmed nugs are deeply embedded with an abundant concentration of white trichomes. Burns nicely with a mild tongue-tingling effect and an equally mild lemon taste and odor. Have no doubt—this is an upper; a spirit-lifting strain great for a mid-day pick up. If you have a bike, this is truly perfect for cruising through the neighborhood while taking it all in. With heightened sensations, Lemon OG Kush is the most pleasing lubricate for an evening of movies, music and the arts.

Available at: Perennial Collective in Studio City.

Yummi Karma Potato Chips

Available at: Various collectives throughout Southern California.

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The Yummi Karma company’s mission is “to provide high quality, consistent products that appeal to the growing segment of women, professionals and patients who are seeking alternative ways to medicate.” That pretty much includes everybody except men, but just because they are men they shouldn’t be denied the opportunity to enjoyably medicate with Yummi Karma Potato Chips and their entire chip line. The potato chips are light and crisp–as good as any of the premium chips on the market. Each bag contains 50mg THC. Like normal chips, the chips are irregular so you don’t know the exact amount of calories in each chip, but it’s easy enough to estimate what half a package is. It’s okay for beginners to eat more than just one chip, but they would be advised not to consume more than half a pack.

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REVIEWs Available at: Green Light Discount Collective in Sylmar.

Dom Perignon Dom Pérignon is a vintage champagne that is served at the finest and most prestigious restaurants and homes. If cannabis were legal, the same could be said for this excellent proprietary strain from the Green Light Discount Collective in Sylmar. Dense, dark-green and dank smelling nugs covered in sparkling trichomes exude a fruity, sweet juicy aroma. This is a true cannasseur’s flower. Sparkling to the point of effervescent, it has the feeling and taste of quality cannabis. Definitely an upper, inducing energy, perkiness, positive vibes and dare-it-be-said happiness. Like one pops a bottle of champagne open to serve, delight and impress your friends, Dom Perignon is a strain of cannabis that you will want to pack a bowl with and pass around to the delight and admiration of your friends.

Girl Scout Cookie Although fairly recent as cannabis strains go, Girl Scout Cookies reputation has soared making it almost a legend in its own time. As it has spread from its origins in the San Fernando Valley, several phenotypes have made the rounds, but the GSC found at Green Star Collective in Los Angeles, is the real deal and then some. Small brownish green pine cone shaped nugs copiously covered in red hairs with a luscious covering of small glistening trichomes inhabit every niche attesting to the quality and potency of this bud. The bud is sticky with a kind of a dusty spearmint odor that tingles. Euphoria to the point of spacey is its hallmark trait with a time-warp effect that is one of the reasons GSC has become such a popular choice.

Available at: Green Star Collective in Los Angeles.

Super Platinum GSC

Available at: La Brea Collective in Los Angeles.

Girl Scout Cookies is a legendary strain that has become synonymous with extraordinary euphoric relaxation effects. Combining it with Platinum OG, which has its own amazing cerebral effects, makes the new combination so special that the moniker “Super” doesn’t do justice to the duo’s combined output. Available at La Brea Collective in Los Angeles, the nug is gorgeous with a kaleidoscope of earthy colors beginning with a lime green base, leaves with purple accents and orange hairs running through the frosted trichome landscape. No matter how stressed out you are or how many anxieties fill your frantic life, this will calm you down. This is truly an end-of-day, glad to be home strain that zones you out whether reading the newspaper, watching a movie on TV or losing yourself in the arms of a lover.

Three Kings Available at: The Love Shack in Sherman Oaks.

Appropriately named Three Kings because its lineage—Headband, Sour Diesel, and OG Kush—qualify as the Kings of Cannabis. Their popularity rests in their storied potency, rapidity of onset and euphoria inducing states. Available at The Love Shack in Sherman Oaks, Three Kings is a remarkable combination of these three traits. With a color approaching army camouflage, the weighty pine shaped nugs have deep pockets of red hairs and a thick coating of icicle white trichomes. Smoking produces a musky bark odor that storms toward your head producing a head rush that swirls into your consciousness. It burns fast so watch it closely—you will not want to waste any of it. Expect a head expansion that moves downward as a warm feeling and an exciting tenseness. Good for social gatherings as it enhances the extrovert in you.

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Atomic Berry Atomic power may be controversial but the only controversy over Atomic Berry would be if somebody “bogarts that joint.” An exquisite exceedingly tight light-green nug has been expertly cured so that it breaks apart easily for papers and most inhaling implements. Short red hairs abound among a dense carpet of sparkling white trichomes. A distant smell of wild rose hips can be detected and if viewed in the right way, the bud even has a slight resemblance to a rose hip. This is powerful cannabis in which you lose yourself in your own thoughts, to the point that you cannot remember whether you have taken a hit or not. Even so, you remain clearheaded enough to adjust your actions accordingly while letting your inquisitive friends know that you scored this practically radioactive strain at the Green Valley Collective in North Hollywood.

Available at: Greenhouse Herbal Collective in Hollywood.

Available at: Green Valley Collective in North Hollywood.

Don Cristo Ultra Gold With its high THC content, Don Cristo Ultra Gold is a potent strain. Roll it in kief and infuse it with shatter wax and its Don Cristo on steroids. This extraordinary bud, available at Greenhose Herbal Collective in Hollywood, displays a small tight flower with a dusty covering of kief and a very intense cannabis aroma. A scope examination reveals a bud layered with icicle trichomes. As might be expected of a wax-infused product, the effects are rapid and intense—newbies be warned. Expect your head to be literally swimming in psychic phenomenon from colorful visions to mind-warping thoughts. It can affect emotional state so caution is urged if emotionally distraught at the time of usage. Heightened awareness of your immediate environment keeps you fully in control even though your mental processes may be moving in and out of focus.

Strawberry Kush Strawberry Kush is a relatively unknown strain that is not readily available so it would behoove you to make the trip to Kushmart in Los Angeles and score some before it is all gone. With a tightly manicured, strawberry-shaped light-green nug and a super pungent sweet strawberry essence, it literally tickles your mouth when inhaled. Subtle at first, there is a steady rise in the happiness quotient followed with the classic Kush kick-in-the-pants that aids in helping you tackle the chores of the day. This is an excellent morning smoke that builds as the day goes on. It is not going to lay you back, but will provide a boost to your efforts—especially if those efforts tend to be creative in scope.

Available wherever: Kushy Punch products are carried.

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Available at: Kushmart in Los Angeles.

Kushy Punch Recovery Gummy Kushy Punch Recovery Gummies are a scrumptious melt-in-your mouth candy that is created using locally grown cannabis to insure freshness and to support local communities. Although Kushy Punch products have been around for several years, its newest incarnation is Kushy Punch Recovery, a potent candy with 60mg THC and 30mg CBD. Not only does it pack a punch, it also packs a lot of mouth-watering flavor into its chewy-soft gummy texture. This gummy relieves body pain, promotes exercise and helps keep you going when you might not want to. It has got to be one of the best and most discrete ways to medicate on the go. Found at collectives throughout southern California, Kushy Punch Recovery is a very potent edible and if 60mg THC is a bit much, it is divided in four pieces, with each piece having a more manageable THC concentration of 15mg.

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The Indica To name a strain The Indica seems a bit presumptuous, but a few hits reveals this strain from Herbal Pain Relief Center in Mission Hills is the real deal. The nug is large and dense with deep green undertones and a mild pine forest aroma. Excellent curing makes it easy to break up for a roll or a bowl. There is no doubt that this is indeed The Indica, as shortly after imbibing, a feeling of relaxation envelopes, reducing stress and anxiety. It’s perfect after a hard day of physical labor as your muscles will relax and recover. No couch-lock—not even close, but you will slow down to the point that you suddenly snap out of it, and for a moment, may wonder where you are at and how you got there.

Available at: Kind 4 Less Collective in Sun Valley.

Available at: Herbal Pain Relief Center in Mission Hills.

Master P Original Vape Cartridge Master P is a Southern California specialty strain that has become quite popular due in no small part to its potency. It use in the Master P Original Vape Cartridge pen makes it easy, discrete and convenient to partake wherever and whenever. The silver metal cartridge is of high quality and fits on all pens with a standard 510 thread. Currently it is available in bubblegum, green apple, blueberry and tangy flavors but more are on the way. As a discrete way of imbibing, it is absolutely tops. Great for a midday attitude adjustment while destressing on your lunch break. Available at Kind 4 Less Collective in Sun Valley, with 750mg THC in each cartridge, it’s not only strong and effective, it’s a good bang for your buck.

Available at: The Kush Collective in Van Nuys.

Sky OG The sky is the limit when using Sky OG, a new OG strain known for its euphoric and stress reducing qualities. The harvest available at the Kush Collective in Van Nuys is truly awesome. The dense bud is covered in so many trichomes that they stick to your fingers. The odor is elusive—not a typical OG aroma. Such a beautiful bud, you will be anxious to smoke it and not disappointed when you do. A robust dank OG taste floods your mouth as you feel mind and body effects ebb and flow. This is why you smoke cannabis—introspection, calmness and relaxation—and Sky OG disconnects your mind from your body and you feel as if you are floating in a void. Excellent for watching a movie—TV is okay but this bud is so good, it deserves a theatrical setting.

Available at: Kush Valley Collective in Los Angeles.

King Louis “Fit for a king” may be overused to the point of being trite, but this harvest of King Louis available at Kush Valley Collective in Los Angeles would be fitting for the start of a royal meal with royal entertainment immediately following. A fresh, floral aromatic fragrance emanates from a subtlety hued green bud that is overwhelmed by the frosting of trichomes. The bud burns as nice as it looks with a smooth, non-intrusive smoke. Fast acting, expect to be able to efficiently medicate and then concentrate on what needs to be focused on. Because of its ability to promote mental clarity and focus, King Louis excels as a midday pick up. One of the major uses of cannabis is that it can help a person overcome addiction to other substances. Many find King Louis potent enough to use for that purpose.

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AMG Kush AMG Kush is a potent proprietary strain developed by and available at the Alternative Medical Group (AMG) in Los Angeles. A large green nug with trichome covered clusters may look fairly ordinary, but this new strain provides all the qualities of a Kush plus some hybrid vigor from its other lineage. Easy on the burn, there is an even smoke with a distinct cannabis odor—no hiding what you are smoking here. This is very good for reducing stress while providing a gentle relaxed feeling that is both calm and upbeat. Whether used as morning greeter, an afternoon motivator or an evening mood enhancer, AMG Kush is an all-around cannabis strain that provides both the mind and body effects that underscore the reason cannabis is so beneficial to ourselves and our community.

Available at: The Apothecary 420 Collective in Sherman Oaks.

Available at: The Alternative Medical Group in Los Angeles.

Kosher OG You don’t need the blessing of a rabbi to know that Kosher Kush is about as kosher as you can get without actually being kosher, as it won the High Times Cannabis Cup for Best Indica in 2010 and 2011. The Apothecary 420 Collective in Sherman Oaks has a most flawless example with a light green color, lavender odor and a super sticky nug. When inhaled, there is tantalizing zing in the nostrils that quickly propels to the head. No surprise here, as Kosher Kush is known for its high THC levels. Expect a full body sensation that spreads through your arms and legs. This is the opposite of couch-lock. Walk, exercise and get physical. Music will be pronounced and penetrating so dance at home or head to a club for an exhilaratingly evening and experience. Available at: Cannasutra Collective in Studio City.

Cannasutra OG Cannabis has long been known as a stimulant and a tonic for sexual intimacy. The Kamasutra is an ancient Hindu text that revels in human sexuality with detailed descriptions and instructions. Combine the two and—wow! Intrigued? Then you need to check out the sample of Cannasutra OG at the Cannasutra Collective in Studio City. An exotic deep-green pineapple-shaped nug with a heavy covering of crystal trichomes is ultra-sticky and has a light cannabis odor. After taking a couple hits of this mild tasting bud, there is a slow but steady build-up that does not disappoint. Pronounced cerebral effects occur first, producing a heady state that is alert, attentive and arousing. Bodily effects occur soon afterward that are sensual and stimulating. Cannasutra OG is certainly well suited for providing stress relief and anxiety reduction as well, but if you give it a try for intimacy, you will not be disappointed.

Boss OG Available at: Airside Wellness in Van Nuys.

Early in his bodybuilding career, Arnold Schwarznegger frequently smoked cannabis before his workouts. Back then, he probably smoked anything he could get, but if he could have gotten hold of some Boss OG, it would have become his cannabis of choice. Boss OG is great for exercise as it starts as a mild body tonic stimulating nerves and energizing muscles. Cerebral effects come into play a little later, so that visions occupy your mind, distorting time as your body can repeatedly lift weights up and down. This sample of Boss OG comes in at 30.2 percent THC, according to SC Labs. The nug itself exudes a healthy persona—lightgreen, firm and spongy. A scope reveals a bud covered with globular tipped icicle trichomes. Back in the day, when Schwarznegger was using, he couldn’t get Boss OG from his dealer, but today you can get all the Boss OG you need at Airside Wellness in Van Nuys.

Available at: Divine Wellness in Canoga Park.

Fury OG Smelling like a cross between licorice and anise, Fury OG is a proprietary strain that is sometimes difficult to find, but we found it at Divine Wellness in Canoga Park. Large, dense and tightly manicured nugs are covered in clear and milky trichomes. The smoke is heavy and layered, rolling off your tongue with a taste totally appropriate for its licorice/ anise aroma. The effects are very rapid coming on almost before the first smoke is exhaled. Paradoxically creating alternating states of activity and relaxation at the beginning, the relaxation soon takes over producing a lightness of body and feelings of tranquility and peacefulness. This is the perfect smoke before bed as it allows you to be active and playful at the beginning and then soothing and restful when your playful activity comes to an end. 94

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REVIEWs Available at: The Buddha Collective in Los Angeles.

Exotic Buddha To Western culture, Buddhism is a mystical and exotic religion with no supreme being and an inner rather than outward direction to achieve enlightenment. This most mesmerizing proprietary strain, available at the The Buddha Collective in Los Angeles, follows this ancient path. Large deep green nugs with clusters of buds so thick with crystalline trichomes that it appears to shimmer. Proper curing is evident as the bud easily breaks apart into convenient bits for packing a bowl or rolling a joint. This is a bud for meditation and relaxation—stretch out, whether it is on your couch or on a blanket spread on the grass of a neighborhood park. Enlightenment comes fairly rapidly with a head rush that is one-part awakening and one-part tranquility. Thoughts turn inward as a warm feeling spreads connecting body and mind, revealing the supreme being within you.

Emperor’s OG

Available at: Various collectives throughout Southern California.

Emperor’s OG is not exactly a new strain but it is not widely available which is very bad because it is very good. Cali Kush Farms has produced an excellent harvest and made it available at a number of select collectives in southern California. An extremely solid nug with a deep green cast is tightly and expertly trimmed with abundant white trichomes forming icicles throughout the bud. A musky odor is pervasive when smelled before and during the burn. Meandering gently to your head, it expands your mind with potent visons and revealing thoughts. This is truly creative ganja whether you are writing the great American novel, creating a painting that reveals your inner passions or composing music that soars to heights unimagined. Make those calls to locate Emperor’s OG—it’s worth the effort.

Available at: Cannabal City Collective in Los Angeles.

3C Tangie The exemplary example of 3C Tangie is available at the Cannabal City Collective in Los Angeles. An amazingly bulky nug, the deep green seduces you so you cannot help but try it. Bulbous clear trichomes and an overwhelming abundance of icicle trichomes reveal its potency and proper cultivation. A rush to the head that rapidly spreads downward produces effects that are hard to describe but you will know them when you feel them. Although a time bender, it leaves you alert with thoughts coming and going. This is social cannabis at its finest and is perfect to share with friends or with that special someone.

Valley Girl Available at: Coast-to-Coast Collective in the San Fernando Valley.

Where do Valley Girls go for cannabis in the San Fernando Valley? “For sure, for sure,” it’s the Coast-to-Coast Collective. Maybe that’s the reason they named their proprietary cannabis strain Valley Girl, but whatever the reason, this strain is totally tubular. The loud lime-green nug is fresh and perky with a fairly strong lemon-pine fragrance. As immaculately manicured as a Valley Girl, a matching floral lemon taste smoothly fills your lungs. Going directly to your head, you will be as wide-eye as a Valley Girl at a Madonna concert with the addition of a feeling of weightlessness that flows back to your head. Going down to the mall to do some shopping and hang out at the food court would all be enhanced being on Valley Girl—especially if you are a Valley Girl. Seriously, this is like truly bitchin’ stuff.

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3. RYOT® Utility Tool

1. Dabsolute Concentrate Pen

Hand crafted in America, the Dabsolute Concentrate Pen is guaranteed not to disappoint users. Its patented airflow and coil design is guaranteed to prevent the pen from clogging so you won’t have to get a replacement. Other features include its stainless steel body with high heat ceramic components that guarantee its lifetime warranty. Easy to use, the Dabsolute Concentrate Pen is attractive in design and will vaporize any wax, oil or shatter if battery wattage is adjusted accordingly. All one has to do to ensure the pen lasts a lifetime is clean the unit every so often and enjoy! PRICE: $150.00 MORE INFORMATION: thedabsolutepen.com

2. Mighty Fast Herbal Infuser Making cannabis-infused edibles doesn’t get any easier than using the Mighty Fast Herbal Infuser. In three easy steps, this convenient machine takes the guess work out of making cannabis extracts for all cooking needs. The Mighty Fast Herbal Infuser has three settings that allow users to determine how long they would like to infuse their base of choice, giving an accurate dosage each time. To make things easier, the infuser has a “Mighty Clean” setting, which does a pre-cleaning of the machine after each usage (some hand cleaning is required). Small and convenient, the Might Herbal Infuser is great for cannabis cooks at all levels of expertise. PRICE: $159.95 MORE INFORMATION: theherbalinfuser.com

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RYOT® has just released what many are calling the Swiss army knife of the 420 market—but technically it’s called the RYOT® Utility Tool. This new tool has everything a dabber or smoker needs. Whether it be poking, scraping, dabbing, scooping, cutting, grinding, drinking or anything where having the right tool makes all the difference. The hardened stainless steel lightweight construction can easily be carried around in your pocket and has a variety of useful essential tools for everyone. As an additional bonus, the tool comes with a slick silicone case with a built in wax storage jar. The RYOT® guys really thought this one through and there is no mistake this will soon be a cannasseur’s household item! MORE INFORMATION: www.volotrading.com

4. O.penVAPE 2.0 Variable Voltage Pen

The innovative product development team at O.penVAPE is poised to shake up the market with the launch of their latest dynamic device. The new 2.0 Variable Voltage Battery allows consumers to suit their preferred taste and intensity of experience by changing voltage settings. The new multi-function battery enables selection from four different settings. They range from 2.5V-4.0V, and have a wax mode to use with your favorite concentrates, the variable voltage settings are designed for optimal performance with the original O.penVAPE cartridge, O.penVAPE Reserve and the newest Craft Reserve (debuting this month). The O.penVAPE 2.0 Variable Voltage battery pairs perfectly with each cartridge to provide the finest experience in vaping today. PRICE: $30.00 MORE INFORMATION: www.openvape.com

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7. GLÓ™ Portable Dab Nail

The Gló™ wireless electronic dab nail was designed by cannabis minded engineers to deliver a better concentrates experience. The compact fireless e-torch can heat to 600 degrees in mere seconds, so concentrates get vaporized with no direct flames or harmful petro-chemical residues. If you love concentrates, you should get to know Gló™. PRICE: $165.00 MORE INFORMATION: gloproduct.com

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8. Marley Natural’s Bubbler

5. Delta 9 Vape Pen For all natural products made without butane or chemical extractions Delta 9 is the way to go. With a sleek design Delta 9 vape pens are small enough to fit in your pocket and come in a variety of 10 different flavors. Easily refillable, Delta 9 vape pen cartridges are disposable and each new cartridge comes with a new atomizer head, to ensure a smooth and consistent vape each time. FDA approved, Delta 9 offers an effective vaping experience with a variety of delicious flavors to choose from with each cartridge containing 400mg of THC with approximately 3.2mg of THC per puff. MORE INFORMATION: delta9.com

Marley Natural is a cannabis lifestyle brand dedicated to increasing awareness of environmental and social change. When it’s not tending to the needs of the world, Marley Natural is designing products intended to create a better experience for cannabis lovers. Stylish and versatile, Marley Natural’s Bubbler is a small water pipe made of glass and black walnut wood. With a “generously apportioned” base and globe-shaped percolator this bubbler offers premium filtration with each inhale. Easy to take apart, Marley Natural’s Bubbler can conveniently be cleaned so its unique design can be displayed on any tabletop or shelf. Made from sustainably sourced materials, this product is collectible, easy to use and is sold at a respectable price. PRICE: $162 MORE INFORMATION: marleynaturalshop.com

6. Haze Dual Vape 3 Allowing users to customize their vaping experience, Haze Dual Vape 3 has a variety of settings to choose from. With interchangeable mouthpieces, two different heat settings and impressive compatibility with dry herb, oils and concentrates, this vape pen is remarkable. An upgrade from the Haze Dual Vape 2.5, the Haze Dual Vape 3 has a more precise temperature regulation system, and dry herb canister with a stainless steel perforated lid that allows a better air flow and heat distribution. With its added features and upgrades from past designs, the Haze Dual Vape 3 is a great tool for beginners and experienced vapers. PRICE: $249.99 MORE INFORMATION: hazevaporizors.com

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entertainment

BOOK

Getting High: Marijuana through the Ages John Charles Chasteen Rowman & Littlefield Publishers Working his way backward in time, author John Charles Chasteen takes an engaging look at cannabis’ global history, over the past 2,000 years. What feels like forbidden knowledge, Chasteen’s scholarly account of cannabis history is insightful and thorough, and dispels myths and misunderstandings about this controversial plant. He is able to place cannabis within larger historical patterns such as migration, colonialism and religion, and helps us understand a larger picture of how people have used cannabis most often as a spiritual, mind-expanding drug throughout our recorded human history. Regardless of your stance on cannabis, Getting High will give you a panoramic perspective on the history of this plant. (Alex Bradley)

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Release Date: April 5 Available on: Xbox One

MUSIC

GAME

Quantum Break Dev. Remedy Entertainment Pub. Microsoft Studios Quantum Break is a beautifully rendered third-person shooter that features a widely talented cast of actors. It boasts both a unique action-adventure plot, as well as a digital live-action series tie-in that coincides with the events of the story. After a time traveling experiment fails, time begins to break down at an alarming rate and during the chaos, the player must explore their newfound abilities that allow them to manipulate time in order to survive. Players can create a time shield that deflects bullets or instantly spawn at an enemy’s location for a melee takedown—the world is your timealtering oyster! (Nicole Potter)

MOVIE

The Hateful Eight Double Feature Films Dir. Quentin Tarantino Quentin Tarantino’s films have always been shocking, challenging, controversial and have reintroduced many long forgotten film styles and genres of the past. It should come as no surprise that his latest film, The Hateful Eight, would continue the director’s love affair with popular genres of the past and showcase his affinity for vintage Westerns. The Hateful Eight tells the story of eight strangers taking refuge from a winter storm in a rural inn, and how their situation intensifies and unravels throughout the course of the blizzard. Including an all-star cast, The Hateful Eight is certainly not one to be missed. (Simon Weedn)

Post Pop Depression Iggy Pop Loma Vista Recordings What Iggy Pop and Josh Homme deliver with Post Pop Depression is an album of tunes that seem more influenced and pointed at Pop’s early, Bowie produced, solo material, which was artsy and a bit avantgarde while still having its feet firmly planted in pop and "motor city" rock and roll. The result is a record that seems to recall the past, yet still sounds fresh and contemporary, and doesn’t find itself basking in any type of nostalgia trip. If this is to be Pop’s final album, it is as solid, bold and different as anything we might expect. (Simon Weedn)

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REVIEWs

advocate highlight

Sean Major Occupation: I am an active duty Wounded Warrior at the Wounded Warrior Battalion. It is my responsibility to attend various medical appointments associated with my 33 medical conditions. It is also my responsibility to enroll in adaptive sports and focus on my future.

When and how did you become an advocate for cannabis? A part of the requirements here at the Wounded Warrior Battalion is to complete an internship, but I want to work in the cannabis industry, so that creates a huge grey area. I attended THC University and gained a number of certificates for the cannabis industry. After a detailed assessment of my character, I became the first and only active duty service member given permission to work in the cannabis industry.

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How has cannabis benefited your life? My father is an Army vet and I unknowingly witnessed a huge change in him as he medicated with cannabis in the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;90s. I lived with my grandparents in 2005 and found out they both medicated as well. While living with my grandparents I utilized horticulture as a form of therapy before I even knew what horticulture was. I created a garden for myself and I absolutely fell in love with the art of gardening. Being at the Wounded

Warrior Battalion, I see other Wounded Warriors completely zombified on some of these drugs. It really digs deep to see all these pills being consumed by those I wish to deploy with. Waking up every morning with a routine to take 12-plus pills is disgusting. You canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even eat a full breakfast because you drank so much water just to get the pills down. Cannabis saved my life by giving me hope in a time where there are an average of 23 veteran suicides daily. Cannabis gives me a sense of purpose. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m blessed with >>

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“Cannabis saved my life by giving me hope in a time where there are an average of 23 veteran suicides daily. Cannabis gives me a sense of purpose.”

the knowledge and passion that can create medicine for those who need it most. I can be a liberator for those who liberate our beautiful country. My guys often remind me to take care of myself. I know I’m a recovering service member, but doing things for others makes me feel more capable. I may have a hard time with a lot of daily activities, but I can grow some amazing relief and teach those in need how to do

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it for themselves. I’m giving a man a fish to eat for a day while also teaching him how to be self sustainable for life. What’s your greatest achievement for the cannabis cause? Simply put, I’m the first and only active duty service member given permission to work in the cannabis industry and I’ve submitted my state physician’s recommendation

for medical marijuana into the navy medical files. Who do you look up to or admire? I admire a lot of people. I would feel disrespectful to just name a few and leave someone out. I have this philosophy to take things I like about people and introduce those qualities into personality. If we are talking about cannabis, there are so many marijuana idols I

have, it will blow your mind. I have items that influenced my actions today that had nothing to do with cannabis. My grandmother is an amazing woman and she has been supportive this entire time with everything I’ve done. She supported me in my choice to defend the constitution and she supports my choice to provide herb for heroes. If you could change one thing about the way cannabis is viewed and/ or treated right now, what would it be? I’m going to make a few people upset but I really want our image with cannabis. And when I say “our,” I’m talking about the cannabis community itself. We advocate for change and fight for the right to be true Americans and enjoy our lives, yet we sometimes create a negative image that makes it take longer to progress. Cannabis is a beneficial herb with life-saving and lifechanging medicinal properties . . . but if we name a strain “Alaskan Donkey Poop,” we aren’t making things any easier on the cause. Cannabis saves lives. Cannabis is a safe alternative to alcohol. These two statements are completely different conversations. Separate the two for the benefit of the patient. c

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liner notes by Kevin Longrie

Manchester, England: The Detroit of England. Or is it Liverpool? Anyway, it’s got a lot of bricks and used to have a lot of industry. Nothing cool happens there anymore, right? Wrong. KENDRICK LAMAR, at an event sponsored by Reebok and Brighter Sounds, performed for some of England’s best and brightest young folk. But it wasn’t a concert in the strictest sense. He moved into the crowd and had freestyle rap battles with English teenagers. Watching the videos of the event, which are circulating online, gives one an insight into the vitality of hip-hop in the lives of young people, how it can be a force for social change and positivity in the way which Lamar has done throughout his career. His most recent album, Untitled Unmastered, continued several themes he began with his masterwork To Pimp a Butterfly. But he also explored new ground and has been receiving near universal praise for the work. This enthusiasm was evident on the ground in Manchester. The teens gathered around him, jumping and shouting and smiling. Even if the event was little more than a promotion for a line of shoes, this kind of audience interaction seems even more vital today than ever.

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On this side of the pond, KANYE WEST is also promoting his own new album in an unusual way: By “fixing” it. Kanye famously tweaked The Life of Pablo meticulously before it came out, changing its title, cover art and of course its music several times, all in the public eye. It became a kind of joke: What will he change next, and why wouldn’t he wait until it was “done” to release details? Recently, he changed the track “Wolves” so that it featured a verse from VIC MENSA and vocals by SIA. Mensa and Sia both performed with Kanye West when he premiered the track on Saturday Night Live! one year ago. These changes also pushed FRANK OCEAN’s contribution to the track out of the song and into its own standalone piece, now called “Frank’s Track.” He also made slight changes to “Famous” and has signaled that he’s not done, either. This is not the first time a band has changed or updated one of their songs. Bands and artists release remixes, live versions and other alterations on subsequent releases. In film, one has the “director’s cut.” In literature, Walt Whitman made so many changes to Leaves of Grass over the course of his life that today, undergraduates are just as likely to study how the poem changed as they

are to read the poem itself. But what makes West’s tinkering interesting is the way in which, at least through TIDAL, he’s able to revise history. He’s able to not just release updated tracks, but replace the currently existing ones. This has caused various media outlets to ask ageold questions: When is a work of art “done” and does it matter? Does West’s ability to change the official version of his album compromise the integrity of an album as an artifact of its time and a reflection of the artist’s emotional and creative state? I’m not sure. It’s 2016, so the old versions of the song are out there, lastingly lodged in the infinite series of tubes that is the internet. Fans will have access to each iteration that West takes us through, so isn’t it possible to see this not as excessive pruning or a distraction from new creation, but as a window into an artist’s process? It’s not difficult for me to imagine a time in the near future when various versions of the songs on The Life of Pablo are held up side-by-side and studied by young musicians and producers. There’s a lot to learn from someone as talented and prolific as Kanye West. His perfectionism might irk some, but it will certainly help others. c

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Photos ÂŠ Jay Blakesberg Photography

erome John “Jerry” Garcia was a larger than life figure, the musical and spiritual leader of the Grateful Dead—a band so beloved that many fans devoted their lives to following them from show to show. And when he died, millions mourned as if they had lost a family member. Originating as the house band of the mid-‘60s San Francisco acid freak-out, the Grateful Dead built a cult following of stoners and vagabonds, flower children and closet

deadheads with day jobs. By the late 1980s, the travelling circus was so huge it could stop a city in its tracks. And Garcia was the driver, “Uncle Jerry” or “Captain Trips,” whose wildly improvisational guitar style melted the minds of generations of fans. He also shared his fans’ love of cannabis; when the house lights at a Dead show went down, the whole audience lit up. But it was heroin Garcia was battling when he checked himself into rehab after a summer 1995 tour. He died there of a heart attack at the age of 53. More than 20 years later, the music is as popular as ever, kept alive by a voluminous

online archive of concert recordings; surviving band members who have continued to tour in various incarnations; and dedicated fans who refuse to let go. Some 70,000 of them turned out in the summer of 2015 when the band played what was billed as their last show together, ever. CULTURE recently caught up with two of Garcia’s four children, Trixie, 40, who represents the Garcia family in the Grateful Dead organization; and Annabelle Garcia, 44, an artist and painter. They talked about the man behind the songs and why his music will never go away. >>

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What is your earliest memory of the Grateful Dead? Trixie: I suppose it was probably being surrounded by people dancing and spinning and hugging and stuff like that. I just remember a general air of festivity, just being in the crowd, seeing everybody you know, that kind of thing. Annabelle: It’s probably my very first memory period. I have a memory of being held in my mom’s arms and looking out over an audience and my dad on stage, so probably like one year old. What was it like to go to the concerts, to see the way people revered your father and his music? Trixie: It made Jerry uncomfortable, the way some people fixated on him. To me, I was always fascinated . . . I used to just sit on the side of the stage and watch the peoples’ faces, watch them go through the motions of a song or I’d find that one person who is really dancing their heart out and just be amazed by how free they were, how expressive they were, and how enraptured they were. How did Jerry balance the constant touring and spending time with his family? Trixie: I don’t know that he did a great job of balancing

From left to right: Mountain Girl AKA Carolyn Adams, Trixie Garcia, Sunshine Kesey and Annabelle Garcia

those things. It was kind of a given that music was his life. That is his purpose. That is his thing and I never really held it against him, for being on the road, because I didn’t really know any different. He wasn’t a perfect person. He was very human and I think he was so exhausted when he got off the road he had to rest for a while. Annabelle, at his funeral you called him “a great American but a shitty father.” Annabelle: He was a shitty father but he was also my best friend. He never made me brush my teeth or do

Uncle Jerry’s Story 1942 August 1 – Jerome John Garcia is born in San Francisco, CA to Jose Ramon “Joe” Garcia and Ruth Marie “Bobbie” Garcia, joining older brother Clifford “Tiff” Ramon.

1947 Spring – A wood chopping accident with his older brother at the Garcia family cabin causes Jerry

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to lose much of the middle finger on his right hand at the age of five.

Winter Jerry’s father drowns while on a fishing trip. 1950 Jerry and Tiff

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move to live with their maternal grandparents for five years. It is during this time that he explores his creativity and begins playing the five-string banjo.

He sacrificed pretty much everything to keep playing, because that’s what he understood best. my homework, none of that. He was like the most killer friend you could have as a kid growing up. He never wanted to sell himself as a great father, like, “Who am I to tell you what

to do, kid?” He just could not be a parent in that way. Jerry has been called a workaholic when it came to music. Do you agree? Annabelle: Completely dedicated to the task. He sacrificed pretty much everything to keep playing because that’s what he understood best. He wasn’t really cut out to be anything else other than this creative exultation of music and spirit. It’s pretty awesome on that level. He’s my dad but he’s also this positive force for so many other people that you kind of separate the two in your head a bit. >>

to his disappointment. He exchanges it for an electric guitar and amplifier, and his stepfather soon introduces him to an open-tuning style.

over his hobby of painting and drawing.

1962

1960 April – Jerry enlists in the U.S. Army at age 17.

1957 August 1 – On his 15th birthday, Jerry receives an accordion,

December – Jerry is discharged from the Army on the basis of “lack of suitability to the military lifestyle.”

1961 February 20 – Jerry narrowly survives a major car accident, which he cites as a “slingshot for the rest of [his] life.” This revelation causes him to choose the guitar

Spring – Jerry and Phil Lesh meet during a party in Menlo Park. Phil later suggests recording one of Jerry’s performances to broadcast on local radio station KPFA. The recording lead to a 90-minute special broadcast, “The Long Black Veil and Other Ballads: An Evening with Jerry Garcia.”

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It’s no secret that cannabis was everywhere at Dead shows. Did your parents try to shelter you from it? Trixie: No, not at all . . . I was sheltered from hard drugs, cocaine and heroin and stuff like that, but not from cannabis. And drunk people were definitely not welcome around the scene. Annabelle: We were rolling weed when we were kids because little tiny fingers could clean up stems and seeds better. Every kid I grew up with, we all have the skill of digging the seeds out, which is a lost skill nowadays. I have very fond memories of the smell of weed, everything about marijuana. My mom wrote the first book about how to grow at home, called The Primo Plant, and we were part of her experimental garden, so it was totally 100 percent with us our whole lives.

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How do you think he’d feel about it being sold legally in stores? Trixie: He’d be amazed. It’s such a huge deal for everybody who watched their friends spend their lives in prison for an ounce or whatever . . . There are so many things Jerry would be delighted about these days and weed for the people is definitely one of them. Annabelle: He was a firm believer in using cannabis and our culture to kind of further his own ability to explore the guitar. It was a huge part of how they got to where they were . . . It was one of the reasons he decided to have fun instead of becoming a really square, normal person. He got turned on early and realized there was a more positive way to get things done than the grind. I think weed in general was kind of the seed for all of that. >>

There are so many things Jerry would be delighted about these days and weed for the people is definitely one of them.

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1963 Spring – Jerry and Sara Ruppenthal form Jerry & Sara. They marry later that same year.

perform their first show as the house band at a Ken Kesey Acid Test in San Jose, CA.

1966 Jerry joins the Zodiacs formed by Bill Kreutzmann, with Ron “Pigpen” McKernan and Troy Weidenheimer.

Annabelle Garcia and Jerry Garcia

How do you explain the Dead’s popularity more than 20 years after Jerry’s death? Trixie: I think there’s just something timeless about the music they composed and played. Hopefully going forward, like a fine wine, it’s just going to become more and more special as time goes on. The whole Baby Boomer generation, this is the music of their lives and everyone is trying to reconnect with that time when they felt connected with something, a bigger picture, and that’s why the Grateful Dead has such an enduring legacy. Annabelle: I met so many amazing 18-year-old kids last year at shows . . . and I ask them, “How did you come across the Grateful Dead? You’ve got tattoos? You’re only 18.” And they say it’s the one thing that made them feel like they belong somewhere. The fact that it still has that value is really humbling to be a part of on our end. How did it feel to see so many people come together to celebrate the legacy of Jerry and the Dead (at last year’s concert?) Annabelle: I had a great time. It was amazing, incredibly sentimental and overwhelming on too many levels I can’t even put into words. I was sad at first, and by the end of it I was so happy with this incredible spirit 130

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that was going on with the crowd . . . Here’s 70,000 people having this incredible moment together and it’s hard not to tear up talking about it. Jerry’s guitar style has been credited with helping to create an entire genre of music, jam rock. Do you see that as his greatest musical legacy? Trixie: That’s definitely a thing. But he was composing. His playing style was amazing and he wrote that music. We have (The Jerry Garcia Symphony Tour) and we’ve orchestrated a lot of the music Jerry and (lyricist Robert) Hunter composed and it’s fabulous with an orchestra and it really makes me appreciate Jerry as a composer and to think about what he might have accomplished had he lived longer and branched out, done more jazzy stuff, symphonic stuff. Annabelle: That’s the kind of stuff that will get you shot on some corners of HaightAshbury (Laughs). On one hand, he was a great improvisational guy. He was out there. On the other hand he wrote some of the most amazing guitar riffs, perfect power pop songs. He’s part of this gigantic cultural movement . . . I don’t think we’re going to know for a few hundred years his true impact, or this band’s impact. >>

Fall – Jerry forms The Black Mountain Boys with friends David Nelson and Eric Thompson.

December 8 – Daughter, Heather, is born to Jerry and Sara.

1964 Spring – Jerry joins Bob Weir, Pigpen McKernan, Dave Parker, Tom Stone and Dave Garbett as Mother McCree’s Uptown Jug Champions.

October – Jerry and the rest of the band move into a communal house on Ashbury Street in San Francisco, CA. It becomes a fixture on the local music scene, and provides free concerts throughout the year and a half they all lived there. This leads to the Grateful Dead performing more free concerts than any other band in history.

December Jerry starts dating Carolyn Adams, also known as Mountain Girl, after she breaks off her marriage to George Walker, a member of the Merry Pranksters.

1969

1965 May 5 – Jerry joins Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann, Pigpen McKernan and Bob Weir to perform first gig as The Warlocks at Magoo’s Pizza in Menlo Park, CA.

December 4 – The Warlocks change their name to Grateful Dead, and

May – Jerry enters his “pedal steel flirtation period,” which continues through to 1974. During this time he records one of the best known steel solos on Crosby, Stills & Nash’s “Teach Your Children.”

August 7 – Jerry joins New Riders of the Purple Sage, and continues to be a member of the band until November 1971.

August 23 – Jerry appears on the cover of Rolling Stone Magazine for the first of 12 total covers.

1970 January 20 – Jerry records his only solo electric guitar performance at MGM Studios in Los Angeles, CA, for the movie Zabriskie Point.

February 2 – Mountain Girl gives birth to Garcia’s second daughter, Annabelle Walker Garcia.

September 7 – The band Jerry Garcia & Merl Saunders is formed.

1973 March 2 - Jerry performs with John Kahn, David Grisman, Peter Rowan and Richard Green as Old & in the Way, for the first time, at the Record Plant in Sausalito, CA.

1974 April 20 – Jerry joins Richard Green, David Grisman, Taj Mahal and David Nichtern as The Great American String Band, and make their debut performance at the Pilgrimage Theater in Hollywood, CA.

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People still come up to me and cry about how much they miss Jerry, 20 years later. He meant more to many people then their own families, for whatever reason, for that experience they had with him in the audience that one time, or whatever it was, these deep emotional connections. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s overwhelming how deeply connected the fans are. 132

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thing. Just a hilarious person. He could’ve been a great stand-up comedian. Trixie: He had this way of kind of not giving a f*ck and also being like really happy and amused about it. He was always finding the joke, finding the way to make it not heavy. It was just nice to be around him. He was also a great artist. He also innovated all these business models for the music industry, with free shows, and (audience) recording. It’s a large impact he’s had in our culture.

Lauren Parish, Trixie Garcia, Jerry Garcia and Steve Parish

How do you remember him best, as the father, the guitar player, the friend? Annabelle: The father, for sure, the giggler, the sly chuckler. He could crack a joke in under point-zero seconds and devastate anyone with the most hilarious joke you ever heard, yet with a benevolent smile. The smile is the first

September 21 Mountain Girl gives birth to Garcia’s third daughter, Theresa Adams “Trixie” Garcia. 1975 January 23 – Legion of Mary, consisting of Jerry, Merl Saunders, John Kahn, Martin Fierro and Ron Tutt, hold their first public performance at Sophie’s in Palo Alto.

August 5 – Jerry performs under the name Jerry Garcia Band for the first time, alongside John Kahn, Nicky Hopkins and Ron Tutt at Keystone in Berkeley, CA.

1977

Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

a near-fatal diabetic coma for five days, after which he has to relearn the guitar.

1979 January 30 – Reconstruction, featuring Jerry, John Kahn, Merl Saunders, Ed Neumeister, Ron Stallings and Gaylord Birch, make their first public appearance at The Keystone in Berkeley, CA.

1980 December 31 – Jerry and Mountain Girl marry.

1982 April 13 – Jerry and Bob Weir appear for the first time on Late Night with David Letterman.

April 21 – Jerry Garcia & John Kahn is formed.

December 15 – The Grateful Dead return to performing five months after Jerry emerges from his coma.

1987 Named in tribute to Jerry, ice cream-makers Ben & Jerry’s release Cherry Garcia.

March – Jerry records a number of radio commercials for Levi’s 501 jeans.

November 5 – Jerry appears in the movie

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Were you worried about his declining health in his last years? Trixie: We were all worried and I’d hear stories from the road about how bad he looked and it was progressing, but what do you do? . . . Drugs are bad. Heroin and coke are bad news. Stick with your psychedelics and weed. Annabelle: We would have interventions and he would promise to be better and he would try. He just wasn’t into accepting how bad he felt or how sick he was. I certainly witnessed a whole lot of pain out there on the road because those years were his declining health years. Then he got the reprieve after his coma (in 1986) and had this amazing rebirth. Then I think he kind of gave

1986 July 10 – Jerry lapses into

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March 17 – The Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band

up after that. He’d been through a lot, health-wise. He really wasn’t as strong as everyone seemed to think. He was kind of a frail guy. After Jerry’s death, there was a great outpouring of grief, public gatherings in cities around the country and world. What does that say about how Jerry and his music impacted people? Trixie: People still come up to me and cry about how much they miss Jerry, 20 years later. He meant more to many people then their own families, for whatever reason, for that experience they had with him in the audience that one time, or whatever it was, these deep emotional connections. It’s overwhelming how deeply connected the fans are. Do you find yourself comforting fans or do you cry together? Trixie: We cry together . . . I’m helping to help manage Jerry’s legacy so I’m trying to desensitize myself with exposure, so I can enjoy a concert without crying, which is very difficult for me. But I went to see Prince last night and I cried there too, so maybe it’s just not a Grateful Dead thing. c

makes their first public appearance at The Fillmore during a benefit concert for Artists Rights Today.

February 14 – Jerry and Deborah Koons marry on Valentine’s Day in Sausalito, CA.

December 20 – Jerry’s partner, Manasha, gives birth to his youngest daughter, Keelin Noel Garcia.

1990 December 17 – Jerry and David Grisman perform together for the first time publicly at Sweetwater in Mill Valley, CA.

1994 January 19 – The Grateful Dead is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

1995 August 9 – Jerry passes away at Serenity Knolls Treatment Center in Forest Knolls, CA, at age 53.

August 13 – Jerry is celebrated by 25,000 friends and family at a public memorial in Golden Gate Park. Memorial spans the nation as people all over mourn his passing.

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When Dennis McNally was hired by his idol—Jerry Garcia—the on-the-job training was brief.

“First, we don’t suck up to the press.” “That about covers it—here, smoke this.”

Dennis McNally and Jerry Garcia at a United Nations Press Conference at a benefit for the Rainforest, 1988.

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True story, says McNally, who ran the Grateful Dead’s publicity machine— such as it was—from 1980 until the band’s demise after Garcia’s death. He has written multiple books on music history and authored a book called A Long Strange Trip: The Inside History of the Grateful Dead. He also wrote the definitive work on the history of the band and last fall published Jerry on Jerry: The Unpublished Jerry Garcia Interviews. McNally gave CULTURE a few minutes recently to reminisce about the legend. >>

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Joining the Dead organization, what was Jerry like, compared to how you saw him from the audience? The impression we got in the audience was who he was. He had his dark side and he had his demons but he kept them to himself. When it came to associating with people he was almost always a gentleman. (Rock promoter) Bill Graham once said that the only two people that he knew of in the rock and roll business who were the same versus in later years, after which time they became famous and quite rich were Pete Townshend (from The Who) and Jerry Garcia. Jerry was curious about the rest of the world, interested in other people from when he was an impoverished banjo picker to the day he died. How did the travelling audience build up? 142

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The idea of running off to join the circus—it was the last circus, the last opportunity to run off and join the circus. In reaction to the Reagan era, lots of people did, which began the era of the deadhead. It was a cultural phenomenon. There had been fans in the ‘60s and ‘70s but the stereotype of hordes of people in tie-dye following the band from city to city, that’s a product of the ‘80s. How did Jerry handle becoming an icon for all these legions of fans? People would say, “These kids, they’re devoting their entire lives to the Grateful Dead.” He said, “Well so am I.” As it went on, it became something of a burden, where there were 50 employees and their families and they all needed work and a paycheck. There was a part of him that wanted to permanently be Huck Finn,

with a guitar in his hands and joint in his mouth, not terribly responsible. And he became responsible not only to his employees but to a million deadheads who demanded he give them a musical fix 80 nights a year and that wore on him and is one of the reasons why he self-medicated. Why do you think the music remains so popular? He was genuinely charismatic. He was a truly great musician. The Grateful Dead brought two things. They brought this interesting mix of rock and roll musical modes with jazz-style improvisation that nobody else has really ever quite done . . . Along with an enjoying sense of community that lasts to this day. That community, that connection with the audience, really developed when the Grateful Dead, all of them, went to the (mid-’60s San Francisco) Acid Tests and experienced

this thing where they weren’t the show. Everybody in the room was the show. They were simply the soundtrack and they related to their audience as equals and partners and there was at least a pinch of that with the Grateful Dead for the next 30 years. And that’s powerful. That’s what created the community and nurtured the community. You recently published a volume of interviews with Jerry. What might surprise deadheads in those interviews? His conversation about what’s going on in his brain when he’s improvising is an articulation of things that I didn’t even know can be articulated and certainly that only he could ever articulate and I found it absolutely fascinating . . . I never dreamed he would take my question and run with it for four or five minutes. c

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The Most Wonderful Day of the Year Our cannabis culture is expanding to new heights every day. It is crossing borders and boundaries, and shaping into a global cannabis community and thriving industry. Our nation is changing the way cannabis is viewed all over the world, as we explore all that cannabis has to offer us. The growing cannabis culture is helping local and national economies, families, and people suffering. Our canna-community is vast, and our diversity is great. On this, the most wonderful day of the year, let us celebrate our culture, our community and our cannabis. Have a safe and happy 420!

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CU LT U R E 420

I love cannabis so much because it makes the world a better place! It keeps me focused and loving! -Cake Moss

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Hollywood Goes Green Your 2016 Cannabis Entertainment Forecast

Get a Job comedy

FILM The big screen has always been a big supporter of cannabis. Every generation has their cannabis films. The ’70s brought us Cheech and Chong. The ’80s saw younger kids achieve a whole new high with films like Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Revenge of the Nerds. The ’90s made it cool in films like Friday, Dazed and Confused and Clerks. The new millennium brought with it broader acceptance and an influx of films like Harold and Kumar, Pineapple Express and Ted. So what does the near future hold?

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Meet the Blacks comedy

A coming-ofage tale starring Anna Kendrick and Miles Teller. March

A spoof of The Purge films starring Michael Epps. April

Super Troopers 2

Welcome to Sparkeyville

comedy

The hilarious Vermont state troopers from the 2001 film are back in this sequel. 2016

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comedy

An anti-cannabis Senator wakes up in an alternate universe where everyone smokes cannabis. 2016

Everybody Wants Some comedy

The spiritual successor to Dazed and Confused about college kids dealing with the freedoms and responsibilities of adulthood. April

Midnight Delight comedy

A group of characters in a smoking lounge get into hilarious antics over conversations with total strangers. 2016

CU LT U R E 420

by David Edmundson

annabis has always been a popular trope to mine for comedy gold and tragic woes in film and television. While “stoner” films have thrived as part of a counter culture, where the illegality of cannabis made it more appealing, nowadays the cannabis landscape is significantly different. With a growing number of states legalizing cannabis, it is becoming more acceptable, and thus more lucrative. There’s an old adage in Hollywood, if there is money to be made, there are producers looking to cash in. Here is what can we expect of cannabis in pop culture this year.

Sausage Party comedy

Bad Santa 2 comedy

Seth Rogen stars as an animated sausage on a quest to discover the truth about his existence. August

A new adventure with Santa impersonator Willie Stokes. November

Strain Wise

Boulder Budzz

thriller

Shawn Phillips struggles to survive the dangers of becoming the kingpin of America’s legalized cannabis market, at least long enough to save his family, his fortune and his own life. 2016

comedy

A burnt out cannabis dealer struggles with medical cannabis, the lady of his dreams and long arm of the law. 2016

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CU LT U R E 420

420 Edition

TV If the big screen has embraced cannabis for comedic fodder, the small screen typically used it as a cautionary tale. Many episodes of Law and Order began or ended with an anticannabis message. But in 2016, new cannabis acceptance may bring new opportunities. It looks like networks are stepping over each other to have their share of the proverbial pie.

Here are the top 10 cannabis films to watch this 420 on Netflix.

10 Kid Cannabis

Highland dramedy

Margaret Cho is forced to move in with her dysfunctional family who now runs a cannabis dispensary. Amazon

Super High Me

8 Trailer Park Boys: The Movie

Buds comedy

Parks & Recreation’s Adam Scott stars in a show about the day-to-day operations of a dispensary. NBC

Wet Hot American Summer

6 Scary Movie

High Maintenance

comedy

Follow a cannabis deliveryman called “The Guy” as he delivers cannabis to clients in New York City. HBO

Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure

4 Dude, Where’s My Car?

Kevin Smith’s Hollyweed comedy

Two cannabis users do battle with a cookie magnate in a Los Angeles dispensary. TBD

Half Baked

2 Untitled Chuck Lorre’s Cannabis Comedy

Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back

comedy

The Big Bang Theory creator is developing a comedy that takes place in a Colorado dispensary. TBD

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1 Cheech and Chong’s Up in Smoke

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Aboriginal Native Americans have always depended on Mother Earth . . . cannabis is one of the plants that has helped, generations before it was a popular drug. -Victor

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CU LT U R E 420

Your Ultimate 420 Party Playlist Let the Good Times Roll

p arty just isn’t a party without good tunes, so we’ve set up the best arrangement of upbeat cannabis-related music to act as the soundtrack for your ultimate 420 bash. With an awesome selection of musicians hailing from multiple genres (not to discredit the songs that didn’t make the cut), this list is bound to keep your party bouncing from start to finish. Get down with Snoop Dogg, kick it old school with Bob Marley and sway to the mood of every cannabis-inspired song in between. >>

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Scan this QR code to get our Spotify playlist

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CU LT U R E 420 “Young, Wild and Free”

“Legalize It”

“I Am the Walrus”

by Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa, Bruno Mars

by Peter Tosh

by The Beatles

“Can’t Feel My Face”

“Because I Got High”

“Doses & Mimosas”

by The Weeknd

by Afroman

by Cherub

“You Don’t Know How it Feels”

“Joke”

“Sail”

by Tom Petty

by Chastity Belt

by AWOLNATION

“New Americana”

“Kaya”

“Rainy Day Women #12 & 35”

by Halsey

by Bob Marley

by Bob Dylan

“How High”

“How to Roll a Blunt”

“Light My Fire”

by Method Man, Redman

by Redman

by The Doors

“Blow Dumb”

“Don’t Step on the Grass”

“One Toke Over the Line”

by NoBunny

by Steppenwolf

by Brewer and Shipley

“We Be Burnin”

“High By The Beach”

“I Like Marijuana”

by Sean Paul

by Lana Del Rey

by David Pee l

“The Next Episode”

“Marijuana”

“Summer Mood”

by Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg

by Kid Cudi

by Best Coast

“Goodbye”

“Hits from the Bong”

“Nip Slip”

by Best Coast

by Cypress Hill

by Chastity Belt

“Sweet Leaf”

“Smoke Two Joints”

“Pass the Koutchie”

by Black Sabbath

by Sublime

by Might Diamonds

“Habits (Stay High)” by Tove Lo

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Cannabis is like my cup of coffee in the morning and my shot of whiskey at night. It keeps me groovin throughout the day. -Malia

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420 Celebration Cake INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

CAKE:

Preheat oven to 350Â° F. Prepare two 9-inch cake pans by spraying with baking spray.

2 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups sugar 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 2 teaspoons baking powder 11/2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon espresso powder 1 cup milk 3/4 cup cannabis-infused vegetable oil t 2 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the cake, add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder to a large bowl or the bowl of a standing mixer. Whisk through to combine or, using your paddle attachment, stir through flour mixture until combined well. Add milk, infused oil, eggs and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together on medium speed until well combined. Reduce speed and carefully add boiling water to the cake batter. Beat on high speed for about 1 minute to add air to the batter. Distribute cake batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 3035 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

3/4 cup boiling water Chocolate Buttercream Frosting: 3/4 cup butter 1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder 5 1/3 cups confectioners sugar

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, remove from the pan and let cool completely. To make the frosting, cream butter light and fluffy. Stir in the cocoa and confectionersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; sugar alternately with the milk and vanilla. Beat to a spreading consistency.

2/3 cup milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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Frost cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting, and enjoy with friends! c

t Additional recipe can be found at iReadCulture.com

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Cannabis has always been a part of my social circle. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mellow and makes me feel better in general. -Manny

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p h o t o b y K ell y W i l d e / J une L i on

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Cannabis helps relieve my anxiety, and to view experiences through different lenses. -Elliot Cannabis helps with my insomnia. -Victor C

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by David Downs

mericans have entered a historic, golden age for medical cannabis formulations and modalities. Medical laws and recreational legalization have accelerated innovation to seemingly light speed, and dispensary shelves are filled with products unrecognizable from past years. Lowly cannabis cigarettes now rival the fashionable

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Cohiba cigars, medical cannabis topicals are ready to take on the billion-dollar mainstream body products market. New batches of healthy, high-design, low-dose edibles are attracting a different, Whole Foods-caliber shopper. And a controversial medical cannabis modalityâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;suppositoriesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; has escaped from the lab to help women with their most personal health issues. >>

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Elevating Pre-Rolls

1 Just say, “no, thank you” to dry, trim-filled, flat-smelling prerolls! Say “yes” to glass tips, gold-leaf, functional dosages and celebrity blends. Industry data show pre-rolls are among the fastest growing part of dispensary sales. You just can’t beat the form factor, versatility, flavor and big effects of a pre-rolled cannabis cone. Pre-roll sales grew 68 percent in 2015 in Washington, BDS Analytics reports. Just in time for this new gilded age, The Green Solution in Denver has 24K Gold Caviar Cones—gold-leafed pre-rolls with flower, or an optional hashfortified flower, called Caviar. Over in Michigan, Ann Arbor Wellness Collective joins the mini-pre-roll market this April with Slow Rollers—a pack of pre-rolls custom-sized for more functional dosing. Spotted in California, Hepburn’s Jumbo pre-roll is turning heads this year with its chic, glass tips, mega-size and high-quality flower bud—not trim—fortified with bubble hash. Cannabinoid-specific, strain-specific and custom blends like Medi-Cone’s Ed Rosenthal Selects Sativa or Indica Blends are also on the rise this year, said George Bianchini, co-founder of leading pre-roll brand Medi-Cone. “We see the acceptance and quality of pre-rolls going up.” >>

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Advancing Topicals 2 Last year, Foria Pleasure blew the lid off the best-kept secret in cannabis— it works through the skin without getting you stoned. This Spring, the small Los Angeles company seeks a $1.6 million investment to expand from Colorado and California to Washington and beyond. In its wake, a whole slew of skin treatments have come out of the cannabis closet to seek mainstream fans. California’s all-organic, boutique, high-end Herbabuena line of topicals are clicking with a whole new cannabis customer this year. Their “Quiver” Sensual Cannabis Lubricant is made from organic, whole-flower, strain-specific source material, plus cold water hash, and micro extract of cinnamon and clove. “It’s not warming lube,” Herbabuena Co-Founder Alicia Rose said. “I hate warming lubes. You are not feeling that hot sensation. It’s all about increasing the blood flow, which in turn sends signals to the brain that you’re getting turned on.” Longtime topicals brand Xternal announced this March that it is now in six states, just in time for MMA fighter and Xternal user Nick Diaz to defeat Conor McGregor, this summer. Xternal solidifies its national offerings with its line of Rub/Spray, Cream, Balm, Mud and Soak products, plus animal line K9 Relief Dog Wash and Lame Away Equine Therapy. >>

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High-End Edibles 3 Like New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd, San Francisco surfer Nick Lanza tripped out on toostrong of an edible, and saw a problem: He took a 100 milligram bar and was groggy the next day. “I think everyone has had that experience and it’s turned them off to edibles.” So he’s hit on the future with Outset—a Northern California line of low-dose, organic, veganic, THC-infused dried fruit that pairs with a hike or yoga, as opposed to watching Deadpool or playing The Division on PlayStation 4. “We wanted to create something extremely low-dose, healthy and organic, where you would feel comfortable eating one and not having a fear of eating too much,” Lanza said. Outset is aiming not for the high-tolerance patient that’s the traditional core of the cannabis business, but the vast throngs of

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newcomers from the mainstream with far lower tolerances. “People like me are coming in and creating a whole new market,” he said. Outset’s organic, vegan dried Apple Crisps or Pineapple Crisps evoke Whole Foods-level quality— with 10mg per pineapple crisp and 5mg per apple crisp, for 100mg per bag. Lab testing reduces crisp potency variance to 5 percent or less, he said. Cannabinoids come from a hand-picked blend of sativa hybrids washed in ethyl alcohol to capture full spectrum cannabinoids and terpenes, and purged to 0 ppm. Other Whole Foodsready lineups include Dixie’s California affiliate Altai and their line of Ducle de Leche and Sea Salt Caramel Bon Bons. They come in either 10mg or 25mg THC doses. Also, their 25mg Chocolate Coins are on the money. >>

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Suppositories’ Day In The Sun 4

Suppository Makers: California PPH OrganiCanna, Deep Healers, Endoca CBD Washington CPC Suppositories Oregon Genesis Farms

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Little known fact—the U.S. government awarded a patent on cannabis up the pooper. It’s held by the country’s only federally licensed cannabis farmer, who works out of University of Mississippi. UMiss’ Dr. Mahmoud ElSohly will tell you— suppositories are the most efficient route of administering cannabinoids for vomiting, pain relief, muscle spasms and appetite, as well as depression and anxiety. But while federal prohibition stymies profiting from his patent—the suppository concept is out of the bag. Celebrity entertainer Tommy Chong reportedly treated his colon cancer with cannabis suppositories. Internal formulations have been spotted at outlets in Washington, Oregon and Colorado this Spring. California-based Foria rolls out Foria Relief vaginal suppositories in California and Colorado. Developed with a Los Angeles urologist and Foria volunteers, the 60mg THC/10mg CBD suppository treats PMS pain and cramping like no other 21st century product, said Foria cofounder Matthew Gerson. “Women with pelvic pain

were reporting the ability to have pleasurable sex again,” he said. Patient reviews support the medical history, as well cell, animal trials and patient selfreports on cannabinoids for menstrual issues. “Not only did my cramps ease up, but I felt good. Really good. There was no heady effect, but I felt serene. It was like if Ativan made a baby with Tylenol,” stated one reviewer. The local-acting THC and CBD does not cause euphoria, Gerson said, so doctors are vetting Foria Relief for use in double-blind placebo-controlled trials. If you can get past the taboo, taking Foria Relief rectally can help manage intractable lower back pain and spasms, and be an effective way to administer cannabinoids for anticancer regimens. Plus, rectal application can relax the sphincter, making anal sex more pleasurable, Gerson reports. “A lot of women have a G-spot that’s more posterior-oriented, but often there’s a discomfort that gets in the way of that pleasure.” Just a head’s up—both Foria products are made with coconut oil—which is not compatible with condoms. c

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CU LT U R E 420 We love cannabis because it enhances our senses and heals us mentally, emotionally and naturally. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s better when we share a delicious joint together, relaxing, having fun and getting out of our heads. Cannabis helps us relieve anxiety and leaves us with increased creativity and concentration. -Darcy Thompson & Stacy Eaton

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Hollywood Meets Humboldt The Cannabis Film Festival by Jasen T. Davis

ellie Butterfield Dodds is the proud CEO and founder of the 2nd annual Cannabis Film Festival, an event being held in Garberville, California on April 23 and 24 that presents movies featuring cannabis, whether it is a

documentary, comedy, drama, short film or anything in between. “This is my baby. I am very grateful that I am able to present a ‘Hollywood meets Humboldt’ festival that presents cannabis with a level of professionalism that is a different face than the usual weed events,” says Dodds. >>

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. . . an event that shows films which present cannabis in a sophisticated manner that draws respect as opposed to the usual cartoonish events that present cannabis as a punch line to a joke. When Dodds moved from the Los Angeles corporate world to Humboldt County, deep in the nexus of the Emerald Triangle, she was already an accomplished businesswoman with a few successful multimillion dollar enterprises on her resume. “I relocated with my partner and spent 25 years enjoying the culture out here,” she says. “I wanted to bring a different perspective.” That means presenting an event that shows films which present cannabis in a sophisticated manner that draws respect as opposed to the usual cartoonish events that present cannabis as a punch line to a joke. “Last year we presented a film called Midnight Delight, set in an afterhours party at a lounge in some metropolis. People meet, smoke joints and just communicate.” Set in the verdant evergreen that is the forested Eden of Northern California, the 2nd Annual Cannabis Film Festival invites participants, vendors, attendees and celebrities to enjoy an event that is as close to nature as it is far from the city. “The event is

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still very Humboldt, very casual. We’re not black tie yet, but there is an open invitation to anyone in the industry” Dodds says. “I am modeling this after the Sundance Film Festival, but set in an open air town that is very natural, very beautiful. You get to walk around in the fresh air, eat great food and hang out with fun people next to a redwood forest.” The Cannabis Film Festival is a way for filmmakers to present their art with both the people who enjoy their art and the people who present it. Dodds has worked to go beyond the normal cartoonish cannabis movies to show films that present cannabis in a positive light that will serve to entertain as well as inform. “It is an opportunity for local film makers. We are a festival for independent film makers that want to attract distributors and supporters. One of our judges is also a producer in Hollywood that helps in the event. We have very professional criteria for how we judge films,” she says. “We offer an award for the best film based on what the judges pick, and then there

is a viewer’s choice award where the audience votes. Afterwards, everyone hangs out with the creators and provides feedback.” Dodds is assisted by a group of people known as “Team Awesome,” including her partner Cheryl Voutour, who has spent a decade farming organic cannabis in the Humboldt area after moving from Orange County, where she was successful in the mortgage industry. Also included is Bobby Black, former Senior Editor of High Times Magazine, and presenter during the awards ceremony. What makes the event unique in comparison to other Hollywood awards ceremony is that it will be 420 friendly. “We have a huge smoking area and even a doctor on site who will qualify you.” Existing to woo industry executives with the big bucks to fund films and mentor young creators, Dodds is proud of the event’s incredible VIP lounge. “We only have room for one hundred people in the lounge, and we offer lavish accommodations, luxury catering and a professional dining experience.” Her dream is to expand the two day event into a weeklong affair that could someday be presented internationally. “We learned a lot in our first year. We built a commodity that is now valuable. Next we are going to turn it into a global event,” Dodds says. c www.cannabisfilmfestival.com

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Cannabis gives me the strength to fight past daily struggles with my health, often invisible to the outside world. I am forever grateful for the medical marijuana community and everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s individual efforts to create a positive reputation surrounding this natural medication; allowing the world to fearlessly educate themselves about the true healing powers of this plant. -Madison

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p h o t o b y B r i a n a Autr a n

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Cannabis helps with my arthritis because I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like to take prescription drugs. I know that with cannabis I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to stay in bed all day like I do with codeine. -Dorris

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-Marvin

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I love cannabis because it helps me relax after a long day. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s my natural remedy. -Ashley Marie

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BEE-LIEVE Honey Bees Create Special Honey Using Pollinated Cannabis Plants by Addison Herron-Wheeler

hat do you get when you cross bees and cannabis? Honey made from pollinated cannabis plants. This cannabis-infused

honey doesn’t harm the bees at all to produce, and in addition to tasting delicious, the canna-honey has some interesting medical benefits. CULTURE spoke

exclusively with Nicolas “Trainerbees,” the French man behind this winning honey-cannabis combination, to find out the secrets of his bees. >> 210

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have felt less anxious. What makes it special is its taste, as if we munched directly in the plant with the taste of sweet flowers behind it.

“People who eat this honey have felt less anxious. What makes it special is its taste, as if we munched directly in the plant with the taste of sweet flowers behind it.” How did you get involved with beekeeping? I have loved honey since childhood. My first encounters with beekeeping date back to my childhood, with beekeepers in my area. I had wild colonies I was watching and I was collecting honey. Later, I helped beekeepers from time to time and it was seven years ago that I decided to take care of bees in order to collect bee products (honey, pollen, propolis). It was four years ago that I became a professional beekeeper. How did you get involved with cannabis, and are you a smoker yourself? Yes I am cannabis user,

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and have been for almost 30 years. I’m hyperactive and suffering from restless legs syndrome. I started to cultivate and educate myself on cannabis nearly 25 years ago. As the years passed, I have evolved techniques while remaining focused on organic cultivation. In the 2000s, I began to educate and help my friends with medical cannabis. How did you come up with this idea, and what made you sure it would work? The idea of using the resin came a little over six years ago, after several friends (cannabis users who knew my ability to understand the nature and behavior of bees),

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said “you’re gonna do well to take the resin from bees to make honey!” It took me four years to get the surprise and joy of seeing the resin inside the hive. What is your process like for having the bees use cannabis to make honey? The bees do not use the resin as honey directly; they use it as propolis in the hive. Tips for how the bees take the resin and then use it will clearly remain secret, because they are still in development. What are the benefits of the honey—what is special about it? People who eat this honey

Does pollinating the cannabis have any positive or negative effects on the bees? The bees are not affected by cannabinoids, unlike alcohol, for example. The colony that produces honey has done so for two years without any particular problems. How do you feel about cannabis legalization so far? What could be done differently, or better? I hope for rapid legalization for all countries of the world. But I also see the slow countries like mine, France, where having a printed cannabis leaf on a t-shirt can take you to jail. Speaking well of cannabis also makes you go to jail. People still need to be educated to understand that cannabis is not as dangerous as they believe. Is there anything else you would like to add? Producing bee products (honey propolis) with trained bees is still not currently profitable because the bees lose a lot during the process and after that, the plants are unusable. I have already finished moving (for more security because of the laws of my country) in order to perfect the technique, before thinking about marketing the honey. c

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CU LT U R E 420 Cannabis improves my overall quality of life.Â It helps me sleep, takes the edge off of my anxiety, and prevents me from having to rely on pharmaceuticals.Â Not to mention, it makes nearly anything just a little more fun. -Rachel

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I enjoy cannabis because it enhances the moment with good friends and good weather in Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finest city. -Josue

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The Greatest 4/20 is no longer just a day about smoking cannabis, it’s about community, camaraderie and a modern culture surrounding the herb. We here at CULTURE have got your back, and have hand-picked a variety of different events for you to really make this year’s 4/20 the best you’ve ever experienced. From enjoying live music put on by fellow cannabis lovers to attending cannabis seminars and conventions, cannabis is our culture— embrace it!

420

710 College Cannabis Processing Tech & Safety, April 2-3 Prepare for your 420 festivities with 710 College, which will offer attendees great information about the industry. Get tips from experts and even enter to win your own cannabis oil processing machine! Address provided upon enrollment, Los Angeles 710college.com Holistic Cannabis Summit, April 4-7 Unlike other 420 events that tend to gather in legal states, the Holistic Cannabis Summit is an awesome opportunity to connect with the cannabis community from anywhere in the world! Check out seminars, explore new information, and get everything you need from cannabis professionals. Free, Online holisticcannabissummit. com High Times U.S. Cannabis Cup and Carnival, April 15-17 Although it’s a bummer to hear that Colorado won’t be having its annual

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Events 420 Blackout: The Expendables, April 20 The Expendables is made up of Santa Cruz-natives who have been jamming together since 1997. Along with the culture of their home, including surfing, skating, partying and playing music, there’s no better place to celebrate your 420 weekend. The Observatory, Santa Ana observatoryoc.com

cannabis cup this year, it’s exciting to know that High Times’ alternative choice of location is here in SoCal. Talk about a bonus event to check out this 420! NOS Center, San Bernardino nosevents.com Kushstock Festival, April 16-17 Join an estimated 3,000 to 5,000 other attendees in making 420 one gigantic, awesome 420 experience. It’s an event for everyone, from growers to business owners to just plain cannafans, who are welcome to check out local vendors, games, a cannabis competition, glass artists and so much more—all for the price of $4.20! Downtown Los Angeles eventbrite.com

Herb N Baked #420Smokeout LA, April 20 This is a first for the Herb N Baked event, offering an indoor/outdoor venue with an open bar, DJ and a few other surprise guests to help ring in 420 this year. West Temple Street, Silverlake eventbrite.com Snoop Dogg, April 24 Cannabis’ favorite rapper returns to SoCal to celebrate the best event of the year. Featuring his own tunes, along with the likes of Warren G, Mack 10, Too Short and many more, Snoop is making sure that yet again, his events are some of the best to check out for 420. The Forum, Inglewood themadisonsquaregardencompany.com

CU LT U R E 420

Cheech and Chong: 420 Celebration The most iconic cannabis-loving duo, Cheech and Chong are coming to Los Angeles this 420, giving fans something to accompany their post medication giggles. Starting as a standup act, Cheech and Chong moved into film and in 1978 presented to audiences the cult classic Up in Smoke. This film became an instant success, becoming the highest selling film of that year. From there on, the duo continued to come out on top with various albums that earned the pair four Grammy nominations and one win for “Best Comedy Album.” Years later, Cheech and Chong show no signs of stopping as they continue to tour and give fans hilarious performances. Rather than sitting on your couch this 420, laugh it up with a live performance from two of the greatest comedians to ever hit the scene.

WHAT: Cheech and Chong: 420 Celebration. WHEN/WHERE: The Novo, 800 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles. INFO: For tickets visit thenovodtla.com.

*Events subject to change without notice

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I love smoking herb because it heightens my vibration and soothes my body and mind like a wave of tranquil, warm energy. -Lauren

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;We were immediately fascinated by their culture and resilience, their ability to adapt to circumstances, their pureness and the humbleness of their life, where everything still depends on Mother Nature.â&#x20AC;?

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Humble Life in the Himalayas Village nestled in the Himalayan Mountains survives because of cannabis by Victoria Banegas

Atop a Himalayan mountain at 9,000 feet, resides a village of humble cannabis farmers, whose livelihood revolves around the plant, financially and spiritually. This village is just one portion of the thousands of families who survive off of cannabis cultivation in the Himalayas, particularly a valuable type of hashish called “charas.” According to journalist Maria Tavernini, who recently wrote on the farmers in National Geographic, charas was originated by Hindu holy men known as Sadhus, and in the ‘70s became ingrained in the culture of local villagers. Currently, charas is made the same way as it was back in the ‘70s—farmers rub their hands on live cannabis plants and spend hours collecting the resin from the palm of their hands. >>

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CULTURE got in touch with Tavernini about her experience with the villagers and how she earned exclusive access to their lifestyle and culture. “We discovered these communities while travelling in India researching for new stories, during spring four years ago, when escaping to the Himalayas to survive high temperatures. We were immediately fascinated by their culture and resilience, their ability to adapt to circumstances, their pureness and the humbleness of their life, where everything still depends on Mother Nature,” Tavernini told CULTURE. Tavernini and her photographer Andrea De Fransiscis spent a total of four years with different villages in different parts of the Himalayas to cover a wide spectrum of farmers during different seasons. While their documentation of the villagers is mesmerizing, it took the duo one year to be granted permission to photograph them, “We needed to explain to them our project and intentions while, on the other hand, narrowing down the scope of the work and entering deeper into their lives, customs and traditions,” Tavernini stated. Because cannabis prohibition is alive and well in India, farmers constantly have to move there fields higher up to avoid police raids. But despite occasional raids, farmers remain loyal to their craft as many have never cultivated a legal crop throughout their lifetime. Villagers produce tons of charas a year to be sold to tourist and Indians from big cities, with charas costing up to 20 dollars per gram and price and demand rising each year, according to Tavernini. Although cannabis grows wild within the Himalayas, farmers choose to live humble lives, with an average field consisting of only 50 plants, which produces 10 grams of charas, a meager price for the strenuous work associated with harvesting the plant. >> Photo by Jonathan Tichon

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“Life is challenging in the mountains, although it feels like the time has a different meaning and pace. Women work as much as men, and the feeling is that it’s rather a matriarchal society. Despite many families in the valley thrive on the profitable, illegal business, many villagers still live a very meager, humble life,” Tavernini told CULTURE. While the farmers continue to work hard while remaining humble their connections with the outside world are ever increasing, slowly changing the “purity and closeness of the valley.” “They live between their ages228

long traditions and an appealing modernity they just recently managed to get in touch with,” stated Tavernini. As the Indian government continues to support cannabis prohibition, putting the livelihood of such villages in danger, Romesh Bhattacharji, former narcotics commissioner of India, stated “Nearly 400 of the 640 districts in India have cannabis cultivation,” adding, “It’s time for the Indian Government to stop being a slave of UNbacked policies: Since 1985, cannabis use and cultivation has only proliferated. Prohibition has failed.” c

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“Nearly 400 of the 640 districts in India have cannabis cultivation. It’s time for the Indian Government to stop being a slave of UNbacked policies: Since 1985, cannabis use and cultivation has only proliferated. Prohibition has failed.”

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Gwenevere’s Miracle

A young child’s life is a miraculous story of a family’s hope, courage and progress by Jamie Solis

The first three months of baby Gwenevere’s life were smooth sailing until she had her first seizure in September 2012. Gwenevere’s seizures continued to get worse, causing her parents, Alexander and ReaganLeigh Repetski, to make frequent trips to the doctor every week. Gwenevere was put on heavy medication right away, and her initial diagnosis of infantile spasms was eventually determined as intractable epilepsy. While certain pharmaceutical treatments Gwenevere received lowered the amount of observable seizures she had, she was still experiencing constant subclinical seizures. Alexander explained, “[Pharmaceutical medications were] a small step in the right direction, but it would remain that every time we took her for an EEG, where they read her brain waves, she was having constant epileptic activity, whether she was having a visible seizure or not.” >>

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The constant interruption of Gwenevere’s brain waves meant that at barely four months old, she stopped developing entirely, keeping her from hitting milestones like crawling, walking or talking. Over the next two years, Gwenevere’s doctors would prescribe her nine different medications to try and stop her seizures. However the medications were still failing to improve Gwenevere’s condition, and Alexander took it upon himself to find other options to improve his daughter’s quality of life. He shared, “I started researching

neuroscience, and along the away I came across all of these powerful neuroprotective elements of cannabis and some other stories about adults as well as children using it for seizure activity. And I said, ‘This has got to be looked at here.’” Alexander continued his research and even considered moving to the U.S. many times before realizing he could soon gain legal access to cannabis through Canada’s federal medical cannabis program. It was during this time Gwenevere’s doctors recommended putting her on other medications as well as a Ketogenic

diet, which would require her to eat a restrictive diet using a G-tube. Alexander knew eating was the only thing his daughter truly enjoyed, and he found himself at a crossroads. “So I literally felt I had two options,” Alex said, “The first being breakdown, go completely crazy, just turn into a bubbling crying lunatic, or I could spend some time and do as much research as I could find time to do.” Alexander would put in about 5,000 hours of reading through data to learn everything he could about making oil, titration, dosages, safety and more. >>

Left: EEG PreCannabis Right: EEG PostCannabis

“The only thing I can say is I’ve seen [cannabis oil] literally transform Gwenevere from a two-year-old who was almost in a vegetative state most of her life to a three-and-a-half-year-old who is off almost all pharmaceuticals at this point and pretty happy.”

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With the support of his wife and family, Alexander decided to start Gwenevere’s cannabis oil treatment. He was able to convince one of his daughter’s doctors to write her a script by presenting logical arguments and scholarly articles. The family moved forward, and Gwenevere started the oil. Miraculously, she did not experience a seizure for two days following. And although she had a seizure on the third day, she has not had a seizure since then. Five weeks into her cannabis oil treatment, Gwenevere went in for another EEG reading. Doctors were blown away by what they saw—her reading showed no epileptic activity. A few months earlier Gwenevere’s EEG showed constant subclinical

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seizure activity, and now it was gone. Doctors even admitted they never thought they would see Gwenevere do so well and continue on to hit her milestones. Alexander shared, “The only thing I can say is I’ve seen [cannabis oil] literally transform Gwenevere from a two-year-old who was almost in a vegetative state most of her life to a threeand-a-half-year-old who is off almost all pharmaceuticals at this point and pretty happy. While she has a lot of hurdles to cross and jump over still, she’s developing, she’s having fun, she’s walking around. She’s doing kid stuff that we feared for very long that we’d never see her do.” At this point, many of Gwenevere’s neurologists have verbally admitted cannabis

must be what is working in her treatment. Cannabis oil has also been added to Gwenevere’s medical charts, which felt like a win to Alexander, “. . . I felt like it was a substantiated step to legitimize it and recognize this is working and to put it in writing. And as before they would not want to talk about it.” Grateful for his ability to find out what was best for his daughter, Alexander shared his hope for the forward path, “There are many “The family moved humans in the world, forward, and both health care professionals and Gwenevere started the private citizens who oil. Miraculously, she are as educated did not experience as myself (many a seizure for two considerably more days following. And so) on the topic of cannabis science. although she had a We need to open seizure on the third the discussions day, she has not had a about the science seizure since then.” and remove the interests of politics and business greed. This will provide a platform for all humans to move forward into the further discovery of the potential of cannabis as a therapeutic and healing agent. “ c

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I ndustrynsider I

Doug Francis of Weedmaps by R. Scott Rappold

There was a time not long ago—or call it the present if you’re unfortunate enough to live in a cannabis prohibition state—when posting the location of a cannabis dealer online would probably lead to a visit by Johnny Law. And if your guy was all out of smoke or only had flattened Mexican ditch cannabis to sell,

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forget about it. Where else could you turn? Yes, the Dark Ages. Those days are gone in many states, thanks to the activists and voters who saw what politicians didn’t and legalized the herb. And at WeedMaps.com, co-founder Doug Francis has been working for eight years to make sure medical and recreational users can find dispensaries, strains and reviews. It’s the Yellow Pages and Yelp for cannabis, and it’s changing the way people shop for cannabis. “We really feel it’s our job to teach the user how to be sophisticated,” said Francis, who at 38 is CEO of the world’s largest cannabis technology company. “Before you could say, ‘I like indica’ or ‘I like sativa’ or ‘I like Blue Dream,’ but that doesn’t mean anything empirically.” “When we give you the tools that show what Blue Dream typically looks like, what you’re buying is this and what the outcome of it should be, that’s the next step and it’s going to be an incredible one and it’s going to be done this year.” >>

“Everything we do at WeedMaps has been done before. It’s just applying those same philosophies to the cannabis industry, at a time when that was extremely taboo, extremely risky and way ahead of the game.”

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“Eventually this will be a normal industry. Weed will be so ubiquitous it will no longer be taboo or cool, but for now, those of us who are fighting prohibition, we’ve done this together.”

Financial Collapse to Riches Francis was working as a mortgageindustry executive in 2007. The financial crash was not kind to those in that line of work. At the same time, medical cannabis clubs and collectives were popping up all over California. He went to a doctor for a medical referral. “When the financial crash came, 2007, it kind of sent everyone who was in that field into a tizzy. For me, my legacy background was marijuana. It was in my DNA,” he said. “So I went to the doctor’s office to get my recommendation . . . and saw how busy they were in the doctor’s office so I figured that would be a safer way to enter the industry as opposed to growing or dispensing.” With the help of pioneering physician Dr. Bonni Goldstein, he co-founded Medical Marijuana Evaluation Centers, which eventually had more than a dozen clinics in California where patients could get referrals. Then he met Justin Hartfield. A techy and struggling writer, Hartfield had dreamed up a website and map showing the hundreds of new collectives opening in California, many of which did no advertising and hid behind nondescript storefronts. He had gone door-to-door signing them up to be listed and advertise on his new website, WeedMaps.com. At some point in 2009, Francis showed Hartfield a spreadsheet and told him the website would make 240

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$300,000 in short order if the former could become chief operating officer. They wouldn’t be reinventing the wheel, as far as listing and review websites, but turning it in a new direction. Said Francis, “Everything we do at WeedMaps has been done before. It’s just applying those same philosophies to the cannabis industry, at a time when that was extremely taboo, extremely risky, and way ahead of the game.” When they began charging collectives and doctors to be listed, the $300,000 came in so fast it made their heads spin.

From Map to Yelp The money came in so fast the bank suspected it was stolen and temporarily froze it, causing employees of the fledgling company to miss two paychecks. “Being the only player in the States, the only (collective) finder site, the only vertical integration portal, obviously we had a huge lead on everyone else and we took advantage of that,” said Francis. “The success of WeedMaps was instant only because it was filling a void in the marketplace that was absolutely needed.” Francis and Hartfield knew the collectives. They knew the doctors. They knew the strains. As other states like Colorado and Washington got in on medical marijuana, site revenues and visitors skyrocketed. The company has grown to 180 employees, with some 4,000 listings on

the site. It bought the domain Marijuana. com, a clearinghouse of cannabis news, reviews and discussion. The company’s “seed to sale” tracking software could play a role in legalization in France and Spain; Francis was reached by phone from the latter for this interview. “Each country and each state is its own story and I think we’re unique in the sense that we have policy writers here and abroad working with local activists to make sure that WeedMaps is right there helping them with all the structured resources of policy writing, attorneys, all the things these guys can’t afford but we can, we provide that to the industry,” Francis said.

Data is the Cornerstone Francis acknowledges there will be a time when Google and Facebook get over their fear of cannabis and seriously try to compete with WeedMaps. Yelp already does. But he says they can only try to compete. And they won’t win. That’s because at WeedMaps they go deeper than their competitors. Thanks to relationships with cannabis testing laboratories, Francis hopes to soon allow people to choose their buds by terpene profiles, the tastes and aromas that can accurately depict a strain in an industry when strains are often mislabeled. Connoisseurs will also be able to search not just by strains, but by cannabis brands. While he expects some people will always shop at their favorite collective, the evolution of WeedMaps is to also cater to the discriminating consumer willing to get into the minutiae like terpenes to find the perfect medicine or high. Francis also attributes the success of WeedMaps to the fact they are part of this industry, supporting cannabis back when the federal response to medical cannabis was uncertain, and continuing to assist legalization efforts today. “Eventually this will be a normal industry. Weed will be so ubiquitous it will no longer be taboo or cool, but for now, those of us who are fighting prohibition, we’ve done this together,” said Francis. “A lot of my friends have risked life and limb to do that and that creates a bond, a fraternity of those who are fighting the power, so to speak.” “It won’t always be the case but right now WeedMaps is the main company spending the most amount of money to help all our friends make this wonderful plant legal.” c

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Cannabis Prevents and Aborts Migraines Not Exactly Breaking News 244

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by Lanny Swerdlow, RN

Although the use of cannabis to treat headaches has been known for millennia, hostile adversaries continue to oppose the reintroduction of cannabis into our pharmacopeia, demanding that scientific proof must be developed to prove its safety and efficacy. Fortunately for humanity, two diligent Assistant Professors at the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science have just issued a report to confirm the validity of this millennial old use of cannabis to both treat and prevent migraine headaches. Dr. Danielle Rhyne specializes in geriatric pharmacological studies providing clinical pharmacy services for elderly patients including transitions of care, chronic care management, pharmacotherapy consults and drug information. Dr. Sarah Anderson is Clinical Pharmacy Specialist in Adult Internal Medicine providing pharmacotherapy consultations and patient care visits for resistant hypertension, diabetes, anticoagulation, hospital discharge follow-up and general medication management. >>

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headaches and that marijuana seemed to be effective for those patients. We decided to conduct a research study to see how patients were using marijuana and the effects that it had on the number of headaches they had per month.

Dr. Anderson

Dr. Rhyne

What is a migraine? Dr. Anderson: A migraine is defined as common episodic disorder, the hallmark of which is a headache. People can have migraines and have other symptoms but the most common symptom is a headache. Why do people get migraines? Dr. Rhyne: The exact mechanism of action behind migraines is not fully understood but there is evidence that neurotransmitters like serotonin are involved and that a decrease of serotonin in the brain could cause migraines. Anderson: Depending on the individual patient they may have other symptoms associated with a migraine that are not necessarily headache related but a headache is a symptom that is very much associated with a migraine. Not all headaches are migraines—you can have tension headaches, you can have cluster headaches—there are other types of headaches besides just migraines.

Do you find cannabis to be effective in treating migraines? Rhyne: We found that patients who used marijuana did have a decrease in the number of headaches per month. With marijuana use, the average number of headaches went from 10 headaches per month down to 4.6 headaches per month. How do patients use cannabis to treat migraine headaches? Anderson: Many patients who

“Cannabis has analgesic and antiinflammatory properties acting on cannabinoid receptors that are located throughout the body. When patients use marijuana the cannabis goes to these cannabinoid receptors causing inflammation and pain to decrease.”

How did you come to study migraines and cannabis? Rhyne: During my first year of residency, I heard quite a few questions from physicians about medicinal cannabis and how cannabis can be used by patients. After doing some reading I realized that there was not much information out there. During my second year of residency, I had a preceptor who knew a physician who ran a medical marijuana clinic. The physician noticed that a lot of her patients would come in with migraine 246

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had multiple migraines per month reported that vaporizing marijuana would stop their headache and that edible marijuana would prevent them from having a headache. A fairly common patient scenario would be taking an edible with 10 to 20mgs of THC at bedtime. If they felt like they were having a headache the next day, they would use vaporized marijuana to help stop the headache. Was smoking cannabis as effective as vaporizing? Anderson: Yes—smoking was very common, but the provider at the clinic would educate patients about the potential risks of smoking marijuana and encourage them to use vaporizers as it is safer for the lungs, but smoking did have the same effect on migraines as vaporizing.

How does aspirin compare in its effectiveness in treating headaches to cannabis? Anderson: Aspirin is not the drug of choice for migraine headaches. Aspirin is very commonly used by patients for tension type headaches or cluster type headaches, but for patients who had migraine type headaches it tends to be prescription medications like Imitrex or the generic triptans. How does Imitrex compare in effectiveness in treating migraine headaches as compared to cannabis? Rhyne: Currently, there are no studies comparing Imitrex to marijuana so the comparison cannot be made. Imitrex is used for acute treatment of migraine. In our study, we had patients using marijuana for both acute treatment as well as preventative therapy. Studies comparing the two are needed in order to know the differences in effectiveness. How does cannabis work to prevent or relieve headaches? Rhyne: Cannabis has analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties acting on cannabinoid receptors that are located throughout the body. When patients use marijuana the cannabis goes to these cannabinoid receptors causing inflammation and pain to decrease. So migraines are caused by inflammation? Rhyne: Correct. There are a few other mechanisms out there dealing with serotonin that are thought to be related to migraines. They are believed to activate 5HT receptor sites which is the same mechanism of action as the triptans which means marijuana may have the same mechanism of action as triptan in the brain. Would you use cannabis to treat your migraines? Rhyne: I would first use the approved therapies like the triptans and see if they were effective. If not, then it would be a conversation I would have with my provider to make sure cannabis would be a safe option and then I would be a little more likely to try marijuana. c

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The Shift to Electronic Nails by Addison Herron-Wheeler Any cannabis enthusiast or entrepreneur will tell you that dabbing and the use of concentrates is one of the biggest rising trends in the cannabis world. Vaping purely concentrated product has a ton of great benefits and not a lot of drawbacks. You avoid harmful smoke inhalation and get all the flavor and punch of your product with none of the ash, mess or bad

tasting hits from a bowl or bong. Patients are able to imbibe cannabis without the smoke, and recreational users can puff on the go without being a public nuisance. However, there is a dark lining around this happy vape cloud—the blowtorch. In order to dab—to vape by dropping your concentrate on a piece called the nail and then inhale the vapor—it’s necessary to get the nail

extremely hot for the vaping to be effective, and to date, the best way to do so is to heat the nail directly with a blowtorch. Obviously, there are many downsides and drawbacks to this method. Dabbers must carry around cumbersome blowtorches and buy harmful butane, burns are common, and having to use a torch carries the connotation of being a drug user. >>

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“Trying a dab for the first time can be intimidating. I believe advances in the application of technology towards the field will help to improve these issues.”

So what is the alternative to the nasty torch problem? There are a few new ideas in the works, and if the success of the cannabis industry so far is any indication, those who are heading up these new discoveries are posed to do some great things. One of the ways people are trying to defeat the torch is the development of the electronic nail, a nail that gets plugged in and heated electrically instead of getting blasted by a torch. CULTURE caught up with George Melcer, who is currently launching an electronic nail product of his own, to get the scoop behind the new technology. “Cube is a smart e-nail,” he told CULTURE regarding his new product. “It heats up to the exact temperature you choose, cools down and shuts off when you forget. The iOS and Android app visualizes your usage and blocks restricted users. Because Cube is smart, it’s always 250

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being updated with new features. Cube is currently in development, but we will be taking orders in the near future.” This nail links directly to smart phones, so that users can check their apps to see if the nail is the correct temperature and if everything is working. It allows control over the vaping experience while also eliminating the unsavory look, cumbersome nature, and danger of the blowtorch. “One of the cool things we are able to do is detect how big of a hit you take and visualize it—think ‘Fitbit for vaporizing,’” Melcer added. “We have some pretty cool LED effects that inform you throughout the heating process and a beautiful app that brings the whole system together. After talking to friends we realized there was a need for a sophisticated, reliable and beautifully designed e-nail that people are proud to have in their home. Since then we’ve been

hard at working, designing and engineering Cube.” This sentiment seems to be pretty common— most people involved with dabbing seem to think that concentrates are the future, but that the torch will soon be phased out. “I think more convenient and professional nail solutions are on the horizon,” stated Josh Hindi of Dabble Extracts. “Overall this is still a very new and growing segment of the market but I have seen several nice electronic nail solutions, both portable and stationary, start to come to market. I do believe this will continue to improve as more technology is applied to this sector.” “Traditional nails and torches have a ‘hard drug’ feel even for the adept marijuana user,” he added.

Trying a dab for the first time can be intimidating. I believe advances in the application of technology towards the field will help to improve these issues. As much as the stigma around nails and torches currently exists it’s still one hundred times better than ten years ago when the most convenient way to vaporize hash for most was to heat knives on a stove burner and inhale through a cut off two-liter top or paper towel roll. In some circles, lighters are even being phased out of the smoking process. Humans are amazingly innovative creatures and concentrates are a cleaner, purer and more efficient alternative to marijuana smoking. Where there is an opportunity, young entrepreneurs will come flocking.” c

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Tell us a little bit about Silas. What are his favorite things? His favorite is the Cars movie. Mater is his favorite. He’s really into Jack Skellington too, that’s his second favorite. He knows all the songs from The Nightmare Before Christmas. He loves all the boy toys—cars, planes, trains and trucks. He’s rough-and-tumble, but he’s a big lover too. He loves hugs and kisses.

Strength

f r Silas A Family’s Journey to Wellness through Cannabis

by Pamela Jayne

The life of the Tedesco family is typical of most Northern Californian’s. They enjoy the outdoors. They eat organic, healthy food and have a centered, spiritual approach to life. They also have a child with cancer. Ash and Mike are the proud parents of two perfect children, Silas who has cancer and Gia who does not. A beautiful and empathic girl, Gia intuitively tends to her brother’s needs with maturity well beyond her years. Her baby brother has Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Silas loves cars. Toy

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cars, real cars and especially the Cars movie. He recently, along with his family, enjoyed an experience of a lifetime at Disneyland, being treated like royalty by the cast and characters of the Cars series. This well deserved experience was provided by the Make-A-Wish Foundation. CULTURE recently chatted with Silas’ mother, Ash. The exhaustion was evident in her strong voice, as was the hope. Ash Tedesco is a woman on a mission, not only to heal her own child, but also to aid families affected by this devastating, yet treatable, disease.

What is Silas’ diagnosis? When did you receive the news? May 2013. On Sunday morning, Mother’s Day, we took him to the ER for the second time, and they did blood work. His white blood cell count was through the roof and his hemoglobin was super low, so much that he needed a transfusion right that moment. They put us on a Flight for Life from Eureka to San Francisco. They found he had Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, which is cancer of the blood. Over the course of his treatment, he developed epilepsy from the chemotherapy.

The epilepsy is a direct result of the chemotherapy? Right. He has more seizures around his chemo days. Chemotherapy for leukemia is about two and a half years, but for boys, it’s six months to a year longer, because leukemia cells hide in the testicles. We’re looking at about three-and-a-half years of chemo, because his leukemia is so aggressive that if they don’t conduct this length of chemotherapy, it’s highly likely to come >>

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back, and if it does, it will be much more aggressive. We’re trying to avoid that at all costs. It’s looking like September 2016 will be the end of treatment, and that’s when he’s scheduled to start kindergarten. Hopefully he’ll be clear and able to start being a normal kid.

How does cannabis help Silas? Cannabis helps him eat, and stay active. Different strains help him sleep. We’ve done a lot of research, and believe that cannabis kills cancer cells. Combining chemotherapy with cannabis treatment, I feel will give him the best possible outcome.

How does Silas medicate? We use full extract cannabis oil. We don’t use the Rick Simpson Oil method because we don’t use isopropyl alcohol we only use organic, food grade alcohol for Silas’ medicine. He can have an edible, but we try to limit his sugar as much as possible. We feed him the best possible diet we can.

What other medications does he take? It’s about three pages long. He takes an oral chemotherapy every day and a more aggressive chemotherapy every Tuesday. He gets chemo through his port once a month. He has a lumbar puncture with intrathecal chemo every three months. He takes a steroid pulse, twice a day, every day for five days, every month. He also has other daily medications and rescue meds we give him when he has a seizure. His medication profile is very extensive.

What do you want people to know about being a CannaMom? People think that we just sit

“We’re basically doing our own clinical trials. If it weren’t for social media, we wouldn’t be able to do that. I don’t care about the negativity that comes to me; it’s all about Silas and doing what’s best for him.”

around on Facebook, but the reality is you’re making connections and doing research for your child. We’re basically doing our own clinical trials. If it weren’t for social media, we wouldn’t be able to do that. I don’t care about the negativity that comes to me; it’s all about Silas and doing what’s best for him.

How is Silas feeling today? He’s having a rough day, he had chemo through his port this afternoon, and that’s aggressive. He had two smaller seizures this morning so I’ve been on high alert with that. Every day is different. We try to track it and find the patterns, but you’re always on your toes. c

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Raising A Ruckus Reality Star Uses Fame To Spread Cannabis Awareness

by Pamela Jayne

Rob Ruckus, of A&E reality show Bad Ink has parlayed the notoriety he gained on the small screen, to star in the ultimate reality show—a life of spreading awareness of the benefits of cannabis. Whereas Bad Ink ’s premise was to cover up regrettable tattoos with beautiful, meaningful artwork, Ruckus’ new calling aims to replace deadly, addictive pharmaceutical drugs with healing cannabis oil. With a deep, rumbling voice, inked exterior and punk rock personality, Ruckus isn’t the stereotypical cannabis advocate, which may be exactly what the movement needs. That low register laugh quickly changes to an introspective, sensitive tone as the subject shifts from music, his passion, to cannabis and his life’s calling. >>

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“Seeing the changes in people’s lives makes me know that this is what I’m supposed to be doing.”

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Did A&E know you were a cannabis advocate? Were you able to medicate while filming? I medicated daily, but I was under a morality contract with A&E, so I wasn’t allowed to advocate in any way, shape or form. But, I’ve always stood up for what is right. While I was doing the show, I was still making Rick Simpson Oil. I started doing it because I lost a couple of very close friends to stage 4 lymphoma. I come from the punk rock world; they don’t call me Ruckus for nothing. A friend’s daughter was born with bladder cancer. Her mother chose cannabis oil. She’s nine years old now, and cancer-free. She never had chemo or radiation, just the oil and a good healthy diet. Seeing an entire family change because of something you gave to one child, is the most rewarding thing I have ever had in my entire life. That’s when I decided that this is my life’s calling.

With the show, I got to go into the homes of 12 million people. Being on TV, people trust you. When my contract ended, that’s when I started posting about cannabis again, and going to every medical event I could. I’d love to do a show explaining cannabis to people. Seeing the changes in people’s lives makes me know that this is what I’m supposed to be doing.

How has your notoriety from Bad Ink helped you to spread the word about the benefits of cannabis? Would you consider doing another reality style show?

On a much more trivial note, you must have seen a lot of awful tattoos while filming Bad Ink. What was the worst? The ones that didn’t make it onto the show. The prison tattoos, the gang

Why do you personally use cannabis as medicine? I used to jump off stages. I worked construction; I was run over by a limo . . . my body has been through a lot. I was addicted to painkillers. For goingon seven years, I’ve done nothing but cannabis oil. I haven’t touched so much as an aspirin. I wake up hurting a bit, but a couple squirts of cannabis oil, and I’m good to go!

tattoos on people whose lives have completely changed. The guy who had a huge swastika on his back, but now has two beautiful little black daughters. Are you content with how the Las Vegas medical cannabis scene is going? Is there anything you’d like to change? It’s just getting started, it’s nowhere near where it needs to be. Not one dispensary in the state has Rick Simpson Oil, which is the most helpful use of the plant for some patients. A lot of people do care, but a lot of people don’t. If they did, RSO would be in the dispensaries. You also host a radio show—what should listeners expect when they tune into Ruckus on the Radio? I’m a vinyl addict, a record junkie. I play everything from ‘50s rock ‘n’ roll, to punk rock, jazz, country, bluegrass . . . I love finding forgotten records. I love music so much; I don’t want it to die. Any last words for CULTURE readers? Keep up the good fight. We’re nowhere close to being done. c robruckus.com

“Whereas Bad Ink’s premise was to cover regrettable tattoos with beautiful, meaningful artwork, [Rob] Ruckus’ new calling aims to replace deadly, addictive pharmaceutical drugs with healing cannabis oil.”

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California Cannabis Policy Reform The Ballot Measure Rundown by Sean Donahoe

Twenty years after medical cannabis was approved by voters with the passage of Proposition 215, Californians are going to be asked (again) to take the next big leap, to legalize the adult use of cannabis. The stage was indisputably set by the ground-breaking Proposition 19 six years ago, which earned more votes than the Republican candidate for Governor but came up short at the ballot

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box due to a spooked political class, low youth turnout and an unconvinced cannabis industry. After moving the ball forward, four states and D.C. have since legalized, with four to seven states currently slated for legalizing recreational this year, and two or more slated to pass medical cannabis ballot measures. With the strong promise of legalization of cannabis in California over the past few years, a total of 19 state ballot initiatives were created, all with

the intent of giving California its best chance at fairly legalizing cannabis. As time passed, initiatives slowly dropped from the race to legalize—currently leaving us with only four more initiatives fighting for your vote. 2016 will be a very, very big year for cannabis policy reform, and the remaining initiatives are California’s last hope in creating a better future for cannabis. Here’s a breakdown of the remaining initiatives and what they’re bringing to the table. >>

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Adult Use of Marijuana Act (AUMA) (15-0103) This is the “consensus” ballot measure, also known as the Control Regulate and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Initiative, drafted and funded by Sean Parker and Weedmaps’ Justin Hartfield, and promoted by the Drug Policy Alliance and the Marijuana Policy Project, which can now claim a broad coalition has backed it (after amendments were accepted). This ballot measure is 62 pages long and funded by national organizations, high net worth individuals and also supported by the California Cannabis Industry Association.

Pro: Professionally managed, this measure gives the best-funded chance for allowing businesses to receive adult use licenses. It allows for private use for adults over 21, and claims it is “the toughest regulations of any adult-use marijuana proposal submitted to date—in the interests of protecting children and preventing diversion to the illegal market.”

Con: Creates the potential for different standards throughout California, allows cities and counties to set local bans without a vote of the people, and transporting or gifting more than an ounce would remain a criminal offense. Allows for single corporate entities to hold all license types and be fully vertically integrated. Taxation at multiple levels may discourage consumers from leaving the illicit market.

Find out more at: www.letsgetitrightca.org

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Marijuana Control Legalization Revenue Act (MCLR) (15-0120) The MCLR, aka California Marijuana Control, Legalization and Revenue Initiative, was initially crafted in an “open source” manner as an editable-byanyone Google Doc which went through revision after revision for three years, as various policy concepts were studied by grassroots activists, reformers and small business supporters. The ultimate work product of these efforts, however, resulted in Version 7.0 being a streamlined legalization language with a one-page signature form to print at home, collect five signatures, and then mail back to the campaign.

Pro: Would legalize for adults over 21 and create a statewide set of standards for adult use cannabis and its cultivation, manufacture, sales and usage. Would not allow local governments to ban cannabis activities without a local vote of the people. Implementation would be left to the legislature.

Con: Run by political outsiders, it is still unclear where funding to gather signatures and pay for the campaign will come from, unclear whether this generally more permissive language will encourage increased opposition spending. Implementation would be left to the legislature.

Find out more at: MCLR.us

ReformCA (15-0075) This is a ballot measure developed by the board, staff and hired consultants of the Coalition for Cannabis Policy Reform after two years of town hall meetings, stakeholder outreach and public opinion polling. Oaksterdam University Chancellor Dale Sky Jones and NAACP chair Alice Huffman, among other notable supporters, are proponents for this initiative. In late 2015, a majority of the board members split from ReformCA and individually endorsed AUMA. However, despite that fact, this initiative is technically still in the running. No documentation confirms that ReformCA has given up hope just yet.

Con: This organization did not gain support from national reform organizations or their significant donors. It was unable to implement its small donor fundraising strategy, and did not receive significant backing from grassroots activists or cannabis industry leaders. It may or may not continue its journey to November ballot.

Find out more at: ReformCA.com

California Cannabis Hemp Initiative (15-0050) Roughly speaking, this is the “free the weed” measure supported by purists, some grassroots activists, and a loose coalition of decadeslong supporters. This measure is affectionately known as The Jack Herer Initiative, the Marijuana and Hemp Legalization Initiative, or simply CCHI, and is inspired by Jack Herer and other vanguard activists. Although it has received much less favor by potential voters in comparison to competing initiatives, it is still in the running, and is currently working on collecting signatures up until April 20.

Pro: Would create the least restrictions regarding cannabis and would liberate those incarcerated for cannabis offenses. The initiative’s longevity and legacy of activism is impressive, and it should be applauded for the honesty and truth of its vision.

Con: CCHI has not presented its passion for cannabis legalization in a way that allowed it to gain notable followers of the general public, unlike its competitors. Was unable to successfully promote previous older versions of the initiative, and failed to reach the ballot multiple times in the past. It may or may not continue its journey to November ballot.

Find out more information: cchi2016.org

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IF YOU GO WHAT: California Roots Music and Arts Festival. WHEN/WHERE: Fri, May 27-Sun, May 29. Monterey County Fair & Event Center, 2004 Fairgrounds Rd., Monterey, 93940. INFO:

Bringing Music and Art to Monterey California Roots Music Festival If there’s one festival to look forward to attending this year, it’s the California Roots Music and Art Festival 2016 (Cali Roots). Whether you’re a cannabis lover or just in love with great music, this festival has been all about positive vibes, music and fun since its inaugural year in 2013. Since then, the festival has continued to grow in size, even adding a live stream for Cali Roots lovers around the world who can’t attend in person. This year, the festival will be just as spectacular, giving festivalgoers tons of entertaining activities to engage in as it works with nonprofit organizations to spread the positive energy and oneness inspired by music. Since its first year, Cali Roots has done its best to provide fans with some of the best up and coming and headlining musical acts. This year’s festival will include a stellar line-up with performers like Pepper,

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Damien Marley, Atmosphere, Slightly Stoopid, Rebelution, Tribal Seeds and so many more hitting the stage over the weekend. Although music is the main reason fans come to Cali Roots each year, the festival also offers a ton of accommodations that add to its welcoming vibe. Working with the non-profit environment and social awareness organization, REVERB, Cali Roots will be offering free water refill stations to help fans stay hydrated throughout the day (fans can bring their own refillable water bottle or donate $15 for one that will go towards environmental and social organizations associated with the festival). Cali Roots has also teamed up with Sierra Nevada Brewing to give festivalgoers access to Hoppy Roots IPA. Not only is this beer exclusive to Cali Roots, it contains less alcohol by content, creating a tasty

Photos by Josue Rivas

Tickets are $85+, for more information visit californiarootsfestival.com.

and responsible drinking experience for beer lovers. In between the countless awesome musical performances, fans are invited to enjoy live painting sessions and scope out secret performances, accessible only with the help of the Cali Roots mobile app. Not to mention that when the festival is done for the day, attendees can enjoy after-parties and the fest’s “After Dark Lounge” to keep the party going. It’s a comfy spot for festivalgoers to relax in after a long day in the sun and will include comfy pillows, tea service, LED/Fire dancers and more! Cali Roots is a pretty big deal, and it’s well-known for going above and beyond to create a positive, warm and exciting experience for fans. Because of this, Cali Root’s popularity continues to double each year, with tickets selling out many weeks in advance. This is that “what are you waiting for?” moment where you should immediately order tickets to this year’s hottest festival! c

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SHOOTING GALLERY

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Testing The Varieties: Part 3 The plants have been flowering since February 18, but they have another three to five weeks before they ripen. There are several reasons why ripening has been delayed by a few weeks. First, this area has had multiple weeks of mostly cloudy or rainy weather, limiting the amount of light the plants received as compared with what they receive on sunny days. Even in the low light months of February or March. Secondly, about three weeks into flowering the lighting schedule failed due to a mal-functioning timer. The plants received two to four extra hours of light each day for five days. This probably delayed ripening for 10 to 12 days. The plants were started in a tent with a four-by-four-foot canopy but were moved into the greenhouse four weeks ago because they were outgrowing their quarters. The move doubled the canopy size to four-by-eight-feet. They have filled that space too, but they have stopped growing larger and are concentrating their energy on flowering. The greenhouse receives light only from the top and the front. The other sides are building walls. To supplement the natural light two 1000-Watt HPS lamps switch on from 10a.m. to 4p.m. One is on a light

TIP OF THE MONTH FROM ASK ED®

When the buds are near ripening there are a few advantages to keeping the temperature high day and night. With CO2 enrichment the plants grow fastest and yield the most when the top leaves have a surface temperature of about 85 degrees. During the dark period lower the temperature by 10 degrees. The high temperatures are above the preferred range for both powdery mildew and botrytis so an attack is much less likely to occur.

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.

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by Ed Rosenthal

mover and the other is attached to the back wall to light the darker back part of the greenhouse. There are 35 plants in the garden. Each is a different variety. All were purchased as clones from local dispensaries. Each plant has just less than two square feet of space, a square measuring almost 18 inches per side. The purpose of the experiment is to get an idea in miniature of how each variety would perform if it had more space and time to develop into a larger plant. To do this, I forced the plants to flower when they were still small, only 10 days after they had been transplanted into six-inch containers. The lighting was switched from being on continuously to a split cycle of 12 hours on and 12 hours of darkness. Almost all varieties start to flower when they receive a minimum of 10 to 11 hours of uninterrupted darkness daily. Since the plants are close to one another, the sides of the plants and the understory leaves and branches don’t get much light. Since light powers both the plant’s growth and its metabolism, these parts don’t contribute to the plant’s growth. Instead they use energy produced by the canopy to fuel their metabolism, and they hinder the free flow of air between the plants. Removing them, which I did for this article, helps the plants by easing crowding, facilitating airflow and lessening the energy load nonproductive parts use. Save all the leaves from the pruning process and run them through the juicer to make a healthy drink. Some people use the fresh leaves as medicine for debilitating chronic medical conditions. At the end of this experiment I will have an idea of each variety’s morphology, the amount of space it requires, its yield, the quality of the bud and its cannabinoids and terpenes. c

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The greenhouse. Besides the 35 experimental plants, six plants that were living outdoors to get an early start on the summer have taken up temporary residence to stay out of the rain.

The plants in the garden before pruning away the lower branches.

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After pruning the air flows freely and the plants have a bit more space.

Five of the varieties being tested; THC Bomb, Sour Diesel, Kosher Kush, Sunset Sherbet and Purple Urkle.

Young bud of Sour Diesel close-up.

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Photo by Andrey Bayda

How to Plan for a Spring Trip to Australia’s Nimbin

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A trip to Nimbin during Australia’s tropical version of autumn (our spring months) is still filled with '60s hippie culture gone wild as well as some of Australia's most relaxing and breathtaking natural adventures. Plus, now is the time when cannabis enthusiasts all over the world gear up for Nimbin’s annual MardiGrass Festival, which will be held this year from April 30-May 1. The two-day festival is replete with events like the Nimbin Cannabis Cup, the Hemp Olympix, a protest rally complete with

“ganja faeries” and nightly musical entertainment. While the days of drinking a flat white with a slice of cake and openly smoking at Nimbin’s Hemp Bar may be over for now (after an infamous police raid several years back), the toking continues in private. Still, the ability to stock up on vacay stash in Nimbin any time of year is rather simple these days (quietly ask around town or enlist aide at the Nimbin Hemp Embassy). Day trippers and vacationers flock to Nimbin and the surrounding countryside for easy-to-score

cannabis, the village’s eclectic hippie-frontier vibe and the natural beauty of this place, which is ringed by mountain forests and lush valleys while nearly empty, pristine shoreline is but an hour’s drive away. Don’t just think Nimbin is some New Age Nirvana. The central village has attracted a nefarious drug culture in the past decade or two so visitors must be on their toes. Truly, Nimbin is a fun, cheap and mostly safe way for cannabis-seeking travelers to explore all of the delights of New South Wales’ northernmost country lifestyle. c

Fun-Filled Facts Nimbin has few accommodations, so planning ahead is essential during festival time especially. More and more visitors are opting for private rooms or entire mountain forest or beachside cottages via Airbnb rather than B&Bs near town. 1

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Hiking upstream to a fresh water river’s deep pond and then spending time swimming and sunning is a favorite pastime of outbackers in Australia. Nimbin is surrounded by some of the country’s best “holes” such as Dalwood Falls, Marom Falls, Tosha Falls and Killen Falls. 2

Time to Go: Spring Weather: Warm with high humidity and nearly constant rainfall. Budget: $$$$$

if you go: Australia’s Parliament finally made an amendment to its Narcotic Drugs Act on February 24 to allow for legally growing of cannabis for medical and scientific purposes. Pro-cannabis proponents called it a “historic day,” however, what happens next for MMJ patients is rather murky. So, buying, growing and consuming cannabis are still illegal as of today. Nimbin is quite the exception as this faraway tropical town was literally built as a pot paradise. Ever since a crackdown in 2008, the good ol’ days of lighting up inside cafes and outside on the frontier-style sidewalks are gone. In addition, a very unfortunate fire in 2014 took out the city’s priceless cultural artifacts at the Nimbin Museum. Fortunately, the free-wheeling spirit of the original hippie village remains and is resparked every year during the city’s high-flying MardiGrass Festival.

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Douglas Szklarski

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Condition/Illness: Disease in the spine, arthritis, carpal tunnel, chronic migraines, cholesterol issues, cirrhosis of the liver, pancreatitis, and other issues. Using Medical Cannabis Since: 2007

Why did you start using cannabis? The pills weren’t working and someone brought me a joint in 2007—and afterwards, I realized I wasn’t in any pain. I was using cannabis as a subsidy because of cost and didn’t use it full-time until the VA threw me in the psych ward for three days, claiming that I said I wanted to commit suicide, which was a result of all of the pills I was taking. Cannabis has restored me—you can take care of anything by smoking the herb, but the true healing power comes from the oils. Did you try other methods or treatments before cannabis? Pills like vicodin, methadone, shock therapy, creams, lotions— my skin was so sensitive. The balance in my body was totally off because of the medical treatments, and my body is finally

getting back some kind of balance now—it feels pretty good. What’s the most important issue or problem facing medical cannabis patients? The most important issue is that cannabis should be legalized across the country. No more of this hiding and telling lies. So, the big thing is having people being taught how to properly use cannabis, grow cannabis and be able to heal from cannabis, because it’s going to take the medical field about five to 10 years to catch up. The high CBD plants just do a wonderful job. I think that when people complain about plant counts in people’s homes—I look at them as heroes, especially for our veterans. What do you say to folks that are skeptical about cannabis as medicine? Look at the research— what they are doing with research now is phenomenal. The truth is finally coming out, but there is still a lot of negativity. There are too many toxicities out there for us—that’s why a variety of cannabis works, because our body builds up an immunity to it. I need 16-20 different strains of cannabis to help my various ailments. c

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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Savoring the Season of Spring

Seared Salmon with Pea Puree Brown CannaButter Asparagus Arugula Bruschetta

recipes by Laurie Wolf photography by Bruce Wolf

April is a lovely time of year for eating seasonally. Asparagus, peas, baby arugula and wonderful wild salmon—no heavy sauces required. Let’s let the freshness and flavor of these natural ingredients shine through this spring. We suggest a teaspoon of canna-butter or canna-oil per person, going for a dose of about 10 percent THC. The CBD percent is your call. There seems to be no question that those two cannabinoids, along with lots of others, can work wonders on what ails you. Less is more, and have fun.

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Seared Salmon with Pea Puree

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Ingredients 4 teaspoons canna-olive oil t 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 3 sprigs of thyme 8 scallions, trimmed, halved and cut in thin strips

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2 cups fresh peas (or 10-ounce package frozen) 2 tablespoons plain yogurt 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon canola oil 4 6-ounce pieces of salmon Salt Pepper

Serves

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t Additional recipe can be found at iReadCulture.com

Instructions In a large skillet, heat the canna-olive oil. Add the garlic, thyme, scallions and peas. Sauté for 7-9 minutes, until the peas are tender and the scallions have softened. In a food processor, process 3/4 of the pea/scallion mixture. (You just want to have enough left in the pan to garnish the salmon pieces). Add the yogurt and lemon juice to the pureed mixture and process until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. In a skillet, heat the canola oil. When hot, place the salmon, skin side up in the skillet. Cook over medium high heat, for 4-5 minutes. Turn and cook an additional 3-4 minutes. Spread the green sauce over the bottom of four plates. Place a piece of salmon in the center of each. Top with a sprinkling of peas, scallion and thyme. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, if desired.

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Birch (asparagus) 1634 N Cahuenga Blvd., Los Angeles (323) 960-3369 www.birchlosangeles.com Frankie’s Italian Kitchen (bruschetta) 267 N Pass Ave., Burbank (818) 567-2288 www.frankiesitaliankitchen.com

Brown CannaButter Asparagus

Enterprise Fish Co (salmon) 174 Kinney St., Santa Monica (310) 392-8366 www.enterprisefishco.com

Ingredients

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Local eateries with similar dishes

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2 tablespoons butter

4 teaspoons canna-butter t 1 teaspoon lemon zest Sage for garnish

Instructions

Arugula Bruschetta Serves

Ingredients 8 slices bread, toasted 2 garlic cloves, peeled 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 cups baby arugula

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1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion 10 cherry tomatoes, halved 4 tablespoons goat cheese, crumbled 4 teaspoons canna-oil t

Instructions Place the toasted bread on your work surface. Take the garlic cloves and rub the cloves on one side of the bread. Drizzle with the olive oil. In a large bowl, combine the arugula, onion, tomatoes and goat cheese. Place the lettuce mixture on the bread slices. Drizzle with the infused oil.

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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Salt and coarse black pepper

Laurie Wolf is a regular recipe developer and edibles contributor to The Cannabist, High Times, Oregon Leaf, and Cannabis Now. She graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and worked as a chef, caterer, and food stylist in New York before relocating to Portland. She is a published author—recent works include A Food Lover’s Guide to Portland and The Portland, Oregon Chef’s Table. She is currently co-authoring two cannabis cookbooks including HERB, a crowdfunded cookbook from the folks behind The Stoner’s Cookbook. Laurie has been a trained chef, food stylist, food editor, recipe developer and cookbook author for over thirty years. Her company, Laurie and MaryJane, is dedicated to producing high-quality medicated food. Laurie’s passion for cannabis as treatment stems from her exposure to her father’s endof-life care as well as her own successful management of a seizure disorder.

PROFILE

In a large skillet, heat the butter. Add the asparagus and sauté over medium heat, shaking the pan gently to cook evenly, 5-7 minutes. Place the canna-butter in the pan, sprinkle with the lemon zest and cook an additional minute or two. Garnish with the sage.

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1 pound asparagus, trimmed

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6 sage leaves, chopped

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SOCAL NOW! event listings

RuPaul’s Drag Race, April 22

Ellie Goulding, April 8

Ellie Goulding captivated the world with her voice, even headlined the royal wedding reception in 2011. You can hear her signature voice in her latest album, Delirium. Staples Center, Los Angeles www.stapolescenter.com

“Reigning Men: Fashion in Men’s Wear,” Opens April 10

This exhibit covers hundreds of years of men’s fashion from the 18th century to present. See how clothing shows no boundaries in masculinity and femininity and how men’s clothing through the ages has been as equally lavish as female dress through the times. LACMA, Los Angeles lacma.org

Bob’s Burgers Live, April 29

Join the cast of Bob’s Burgers as they do a table reading of the show and participate in a Q&A after. If this isn’t exciting enough, be prepared to expect surprise celebrity appearances and sneak peeks of future episodes. The Wiltern, Koreatown thewiltern.com

Iggy Pop + Joshua Homme, April 28

Kinky Boots, Opens April 13

Kinky Boots tells the story of a young man, Charlie Price, who’s working the family shoe factory. With the help of a fashionable friend, Price creates an irresistible line of shoes that helps revive the family business. The Pantages Theater, Hollywood www.hollywoodpantages.com

Tom Papa, April 16

Tom Papa is a well-rounded comic who has some impressive work under his belt. As a close friend of Jerry Seinfeld, Papa has worked with some of the best in the biz to learn what it takes to get audiences laughing. Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, Thousand Oaks www.civicartsplaza.com

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featured event

Featuring some of the best drag queens to grace the RuPaul’s Drag Race stage, this comedy, cabaret is the biggest Battle of the Seasons Tour yet. Hosted by Michelle Visage this event is sure to be packed with sass and fierceness. The Grove, Anaheim citynationalgroveofanaheim.com

Comedy Bang, Bang, April 30

This unconventional podcast is hosted by Scott Aukerman (The Mr. Show) and features a wide and unexpected array of guests. Join Auckerman as he casually chats with guests or engages in friendly comedic competition. The Theater at Ace Hotel, Los Angeles acehotel.com

“Bob Dylan: Photographs by Daniel Kramer,” Through May 15

Photographer and film director Daniel Kramer photographed Bob Dylan for a year between 1964 and 1965. This exhibit showcases 50 images from Kramer’s

In an interview with The Late Show, Iggy Pop told the story of how he contacted Queens of the Stone Age front man Josh Homme from his flip phone asking if he’d like to collaborate on an album. Luckily that call went through and the duo created, Post Pop Depression, an album reviewers see as redemption for Pop.

Greek Theater, Griffith Park greektheaterla.com collection as a documented Dylan’s transition from folk artist to rock n’ roll legend. The Grammy Museum, Los Angeles grammymuseum.org

“Robert Mapplethorpe: The Perfect Medium,” Through July 31 Robert Mapplethorpe is known

for composing “shocking” images that are admired by many for their technical mastery. From the collection of the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation, The Getty Center will have a variety of the photographer’s images, books and other artifacts from the artist’s estate. The Getty Center, Los Angeles getty.edu

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News of the

candidate has emerged. No charges have been filed against Branch, but before he enters any room at the Pentagon, classified material must be stowed away.

LEAD STORY—CHANNELING GEORGE CARLIN u “Military Intelligence”: The head of U.S. Navy intelligence has for more than two years been prohibited from accessing classified information (as the Pentagon disclosed to The Washington Post in January). Vice Admiral Ted Branch came under investigation in 2013 in a corruption scandal involving a foreign defense contractor and various Navy personnel and might have been suspended from all duties—except that, given the political gridlock in Washington, no consensus

RECURRING THEMES u New World Order: (1) Yet another woman gave birth to her own granddaughter in January. Tracey Thompson, 54, offered to be the surrogate mother for her fertility-challenged daughter, Kelley, and delivered a 6-pound, 11-ounce girl at The Medical Center in Plano, Texas. (2) After notable successes in the United States, Latin America claimed in December its first transgender pregnancy after Ecuadorean Fernando Machado announced he was expecting a child with his partner Diane Rodriguez. Fernando used to be “Maria”; Diane used to be “Luis”; and though both undergo hormone therapy, they have retained their birth organs.

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u In January, 15-year-old Anthony Ruelas, trying to rescue a classmate gasping from an asthma attack, became the latest casualty in public schools’ relentless insistence on “zero tolerance” of any deviation from rules. Gateway Middle School in Killeen, Texas, suspended Ruelas for two days for what others called his “heroic” assistance in gathering the girl in his arms and taking her to the nurse’s office—while the teacher, following “procedure,” waited passively for a nurse to email instructions. (Ruelas had defied the teacher, declaring, “(F-word) that—we ain’t got time to wait for no email from the nurse.”) The school district’s superintendent later cited a federal law that he interpreted as justifying the procedure. UPDATE u News of the Weird’s longtime super-creative serial litigant Jonathan Lee Riches filed yet another claim in January—against the Tennessee couple identified as winners in the recent $1.6 billion Powerball lottery. John and Lisa Robinson, Riches says, “owe” him half their winnings because he says he sent their daughter (and his pen pal), Tiffany, $20 to buy Powerball tickets. Riches’s lawsuit, written in longhand, claims that he and Tiffany were to be married and move to “a remote island full of milk and honey.” Riches had been serving a federal prison term for parole violation, but his current situation was unreported (except that he now claims an alias, “Jihadi Schitz,” and wrote from a Philadelphia mosque). It is expected that this lawsuit will suffer the same fate as his against, among others, George W. Bush, Britney Spears, Steve Jobs, Nostrodamus, Plato and the various Kardashians. 282

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CAT CULTURE u Longtime National Symphony cellist David Teie announced in November that his crowdfunding project was hugely successful, freeing him to produce an album of music meaningful to cats. (Cats, for example, relax in response to the earliest sound of their mother’s purring, which Teie clocked at 23 harp notes a second). Teie’s work, according to an October Washington Post feature, includes examining waveforms of real-time purrs and creating an organ sound to mimic the opening and closing of a cat’s vocal chords. His KickStarter pitch raised so much money that he might also try creating music for bored zoo elephants or stressed-out whales. In tests, cats responded well to Teie’s music, according to a 2015 journal article (but with less curiosity at the Washington cat cafe Crumbs & Whiskers). LEADING ECONOMIC INDICATORS u Amazon.com has riled up Buddhist temples in Japan, according to a January Associated Press dispatch, by offering traveling monks rentable online to conduct funerals and other rituals. The monk would go to a home, grave or funeral home, at fees and upgrades ranging from the equivalent of $300 to about $8,500. (Many of Japan’s 75,000 Buddhist temples are struggling financially and destined to close. Complained a spokesman for the Japan Buddhist Association, what Amazon is facilitating “is allowed in no other country in the world.”) u In February, Gawker. com introduced the semiserious Lube Crude Index as a poignant indicator of how far the price of oil has fallen. Comparing the world price of a standard 42-gallon

barrel of crude (about $31) with that of a 55-gallon barrel of Passion Natural WaterBased Lubricant (retailing as, when packaged in smaller quantities, a sexual aid) shows that “sex lube” is more valuable than crude oil by a factor of 28—a barrel’s worth of the lube recently priced at $1,175 versus crude’s barreladjusted $41. As recently as June 2014, the Lube Crude Index was near 1. (Gawker reported that only two actual barrels of Passion Natural could be found and that the price would likely rise further if one of them were sold). UNCLEAR ON THE CONCEPT u (1) Angel Rivera, 49, was arrested in December in Orlando, Florida, on allegations that he punched a child in the face because the boy was not getting dressed for church fast enough. (The boy was wearing an ankle brace, which slowed him down). (2) Ryan Dailey, 28, was arrested in Las Cruces, New Mexico, in February on several charges after, police said, he beat his mother by pounding her with a Bible. His explanation, police said, was that when he asked her who her soul belonged to, she repeatedly declined to answer. WHO KNEW? u The much-maligned pigeon was recently found by researchers to be as skilled as humans at distinguishing between slides of benign versus malignant human breast tissue. Writing in the

journal PLOS ONE, specialists from the University of Iowa and University of California, Davis lauded the birds’ processing of color, contrast, brightness and image compression, marveling that pigeons see more wavelengths of light than humans, even though their brains are onethousandth the size. (Birds are already known to distinguish “hostile” humans in celebrated dive-pecking incidents). POLICE REPORT u A near-certain robbery of the PNC Bank in Zebulon, North Carolina, on Jan. 28 was prevented, with employees treated to an almost-slapstick scene in which the bank manager kept the suspect outside by winning a tugof-war for control of the front door. The manager had grabbed the door after noticing an armed, masked man approaching from the parking lot just after the bank opened. (The frustrated perp fled empty-handed, but was at large). u Awkward Moments Ahead in Lockup: (1) Joel Sloan, 51, was booked into jail for DUI by a sheriff’s deputy in Birmingham, Alabama, in February. Sloan was dressed head-to-toe as a clown. (No explanation was offered). (2) Vaughn Tucker, 23, was booked into jail in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in February on drug charges. He was wearing a T-shirt with large lettering on the front: “I Would Cuddle You So Hard.”

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