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contents 03.16 Vol 7 IssUE 9
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EXCITING AND ELECTRIC AWOLNATION’s Aaron Bruno speaks exclusively with CULTURE about eclectic inspiration, independence and getting creative with cannabis.
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ON THE COVER: Photo provided by Red Bull Records
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contents
inside
03.16
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24 58
features 42
The Emerald Isle Wants Green Too! Ireland is making headway in medical cannabis access.
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The Complexity of Organic Cannabis Regulators begin weighing in on pesticides like never before.
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Neon Fairytales Artist Lori Field’s work is brightly colored and boldly designed.
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Embracing Heritage Gaelic Storm has been mixing traditional Irish music with modern influence for 20 years.
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departments
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news 10 News Nuggets 14 By the Numbers 16 Local News 18 Legal Corner 20 Political Push reviews 24 Strain & Concentrate Reviews 28 Cool Stuff 30 Entertainment Reviews in every issue 54 Growing Culture 56 Destination Unknown 57 Profile in Courage
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58 Recipes
60 News of the Weird
The 'Paranoia Gene' in Cannabis Smokers d Facebook Attacks
Cannabis Collective Pages
Vol 7 IssUE 9
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CULTURE M
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Publisher Jeremy Zachary Editor-In-Chief Evan Senn associate Editor Ashley Bennett Editorial coordinator Victoria Banegas Editorial Contributors Sheryll Alexander, Marguerite Arnold, Jake Browne, Jasen T. Davis, Alex Distefano, David Downs, Natasha Guimond, Addison Herron-Wheeler, Anthony Herrold, Pamela Jayne, Heather Johnson, Joe Jatcko, David Jenison, Kevin Longrie, Emily Manke, Tyler Markwart, Meital Manzuri, Sandy Moriarty, Madison Ortiz, Denise Pollicella, Paul Rogers, Joy Shannon, Lanny Swerdlow, Simon Weedn, Zara Zhi 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 Regional Manager Beau Odom Account Executives Jon Bookatz, Eric Bulls, Kim Cook, Cole Garrison, Gene Gorelik, Emily Musser, 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 Anna Logan, Chris Salazar Distribution Manager Cruz Bobadilla
Culture速 Magazine is published every month and distributes 20,000 magazines at over 500 locations throughout San Diego. 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
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NEWS
nuggets Applicants Line up for Medical Cannabis Permits in Ramona The city of Ramona has received another application for a medical cannabis operation. This brings the total number of cannabis establishments proposed to operate in Ramona to five, according to the Ramona Sentinel. So far, three establishments have applications pending, one a cannabis cultivation center, which has yet to submit an application. San Diego County regulations state that a medical cannabis facility may only operate in unincorporated areas and only if the sheriff’s department issues a Medical Marijuana Facility Operating in Compliance Certificate. “The time it takes to obtain the operating certificate rests solely on how quickly the applicants can complete construction and be signed off by the planning department,” Detective Mike Helms of the sheriff’s license and registration unit told the Ramona Sentinel. Because cannabis operations are restricted by zoning regulations and 1,000 buffers from schools, parks, youth centers and churches, Ramona is ideal for these facilities as its unincorporated areas are clearly marked for use.
Pharmacies in Croatia Set to Distribute Cannabis Capsules Cannabis capsules are expected to hit pharmacy shelves in Croatia sometime this month, according to Total Croatia News. With the help of a Canadian manufacturer, the Institute of Immunology will be distributing capsules with small amounts of cannabis oil, at less than one tenth the cost of capsules on the black market. According ˘ to Vecernji List, a monthly dose of capsules on the black market costs 15,000-20,000 kuna ($2,224-$2,965 USD). Director of the Institute of Immunology, Dr. Nevenka Kovac, states that their capsules will only cost patients 1,500 kuna for a monthly dose. Although there is not currently a set price on cost of the capsules, Kovac states that it will be determined based off of transportation costs and profit margins. Medical cannabis has been legal in Croatia since October 2015, however, substances like cannabis capsules will only be available to those suffering from AIDS, Multiple Sclerosis, cancer and Dravet Syndrome.
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San Diego Welcomes Two More Legal Medical Cannabis Collectives Collectives approved to operate in San Diego are slowly but surely coming to life. Two new collectives have been added to the roster of legal collectives: Harbor Collective in Barrio Logan and Mankind Cooperative in Mira Mesa. The opening of these collectives brings the number of legally approved medical cannabis shops operating in San Diego to five, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune. Eight more collectives are expected to open in the coming months under the city’s 2014 Medical Marijuana Consumer Cooperative ordinance, which allows a total of 36 collectives to open up, four in each of the city’s nine councils. The two new additions to San Diego’s pool of collectives are relatively small 1,000 square feet, with Harbor Collective being the closest collective to the city’s downtown area. So far, District 6 (Mira Mesa, Kearny Mesa) and District 8 (Barrio Logan) are the only two districts to have reached the allotted four collectives.
Senate Bill 73 Will Allow Patients to Legally Medicate in Utah Things are looking up for medical cannabis patients in Utah. With the efforts of Senator Mark Madsen, Senate Bill 73 was approved and will allow patients to ingest cannabis with recommendation from a certified physician. Under SB-73, cannabis can be ingested through vaporizing, oils and edible consumption, but smoking the plant is prohibited. Illnesses that qualify patients to legally use medical cannabis under SB73 include Alzheimer’s, AIDS, ALS, cancer, Crohn’s disease, PTSD, epilepsy, Multiple Sclerosis and chronic pain. Senator Madsen tried to make medical cannabis legal last year during a legislative session but was defeated in the senate. This year’s bill was approved because it was equipped with research from stakeholders, state agencies and industry leaders, as reported by KUTV. Like other medical cannabis markets, Utah’s will be highly regulated for patients, doctors and collectives.
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NEWS
The number of San Diego cannabis collectives that opened during the month of January: (Source: The San Diego Union-Tribune)
The estimated number of San Diego collectives that have secured building permits, and plan to open by the end of 2016: (Source: The San Diego Union-Tribune)
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The total number of legal medical cannabis collectives that have opened in San Diego so far: (Source: The San Diego Union-Tribune)
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The estimated number of cities in California that have instituted a ban on cannabis since December 2015: (Source: The Sacramento Bee)
The number of votes, out of 38, that helped pass AB-21 in favor of removing the March 1 deadline for cities to make a decision about cannabis: (Source: The Washington Times)
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The number of residents in Chicago, Illinois who qualify to receive medical cannabis from medical collectives throughout the state: (Source: ABC 7 Chicago)
4,000
The estimated amount of medical cannabis, in tons, that was consumed last year in Arizona: (Source: Arizona Daily Star)
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Local Sesh
5.4
(Source: CNBC)
What: Local Sesh. When/Where: Sun, March 20. Hilton San Diego Resort and Spa, 1772 E. Mission Bay Dr., San Diego. Info: Visit www.localsesh.com for details.
Come out to Local Sesh and get connected with other patients, advocates, professionals and local collectives. This is an exciting cannabis event that’s focused on maintaining a strong and healthy cannabis community in the lovely city of San Diego. Not only is Local Sesh a great opportunity to widen your social circle, its focus is aimed on informing those in the cannabis community through educational
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The amount of money, in billions of dollars, that was made from legal cannabis sales in the U.S. in 2015:
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lectures held by industry professionals. Other activities patients can enjoy at Local Sesh are the variety of live musical performances, games and raffles being held at the event. Free gift bags will be given to the first 100 patients through the door, so you might want to arrive early. If you’re all about supporting your local cannabis community head out to Local Sesh, for a fun, informative and cannabis infused day.
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NEWS
LOCAL
Cannabis Business Cultivation and Education
Crime Against Us
Defendant faces life in prison for medical cannabis collective robbery by Pamela Jayne
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t’s 2016, and although the cannabis community has made great strides in raising cannabis above its typical stigma, crime against collectives is still an issue. Countless medical cannabis patients rely on collectives for their medicine, and those collectives are constantly at risk of robbery due to the amount of money that they have coming in on a daily basis. However, owners operate anyway; knowing the risks, but it’s tragic to see that crime against cannabis businesses is still so frequent. Two collectives in San Diego were the target of a violent robbery in 2014, leaving one man dead. The remaining thief is now charged with firstdegree murder, among other crimes—all because collectives are such a high target. At only 19 years old, Kuerse Bell has been charged guilty of first-degree murder, attempted murder and two robbery counts stemming from armed hold ups conducted at Illusions smoke shop on El Cajon Boulevard on April 21, 2014, and Greener Alternative Collective in North Park on April 25, 2014. Bell, who was only 17 at the time of the crimes, was charged with attempted murder for firing a shot during one of the robberies that narrowly missed the collective owner. During the trial, Bell’s defense attorney disputed whether or not that shot was directed at the owner, claiming it could have been fired at the wall. The first-degree murder charge was placed on Bell because he fled the scene during a shoot out with the security guard at Greener Alternative Collective, where his accomplice in that robbery, Marlon Thomas, was fatally shot by the guard. Although it was not Bell who fired the fatal shot, California State law allows for him to be charged with the murder, because the death
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occurred during the commission of a robbery. Three weeks after the robberies at Greener Alternative and Illusions, detectives arrested Bell and another co-defendant Jonathan Collins in a Los Angeles-area motel. During the trial, prosecutors successfully argued their case that Bell and his cohorts were gang members involved in a robbery crew that targeted businesses in San Diego, and that Bell and Thomas were drug dealers who ran out of cannabis to illegally sell, and needed to “re-up,” which led to the robbery of the North Park collective. As for physical evidence, a pair of shoes found in the motel room where Bell was staying matched a shoe print that was found on a door that was kicked in at one of the collectives that was robbed. Detectives also found a hooded sweatshirt belonging to the defendant that had a bullet hole in the right sleeve. The sweatshirt also tested positive for gunshot residue. According to the prosecutor, Bell’s fingerprints were also on a bag of cannabis that was left at the dispensary crime scene. In addition, a very distinctive glass piece from the dispensary was found in Bell’s possession. This is a tragic case. A life was lost, and many innocent victims will forever live with the memory of those events. Patients who have been following this case feel relief that the justice system takes criminals who target cannabis related businesses seriously, but they still have questions about the prevention of these crimes, and how safe they are when purchasing their medication. It’s safe to say that these crimes could be lessened if there was a better way for owners and employees of collectives to safely store the business’ money. c
As one of California’s leading educational resources, 420 College has been aiding individuals in becoming successful contributors to the ever-growing medical cannabis community in the golden state. In its “How to Start a Cannabusiness and Cannabis Cultivation Workshop,” 420 College offers up a variety of valuable information. Day one of this two-day workshop will include information on how to obtain a business license, advertising strategies and where to obtain cannabis for your business, along with a variety of other resources essential to running a cannabusiness. Day two will include information on cultivation, harvesting and processing, students, will learn beneficial lighting techniques, pest control and what equipment they will need to run a successful grow site. While there are a number of factors that go into creating a successful and sustainable cannabusiness, 420 College is a great starting point for cannabis education. WHAT: Cannabusiness Cultivation and Education. WHEN/WHERE: Sat, March 12Sun, March 13. Location given upon ticket purchase. INFO: Visit www.420college. com for details.
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NEWS
legal corner
COOPERATION, NOT COMPETITION Women Grow Inspires and Educates
by Attorney Kimberly R. Simms
From February 3-5, over 1,2000 cannabis industry professionals descended upon Denver for the second annual Women Grow Leadership Summit. The Summit provided an opportunity for men and women to come together to network, build relationships and grow their knowledge of how to engage in a responsible and ethical cannabis industry. The first day treated attendees to a full day of Ted-style talks which motivated and inspired all who attended. Day two offered a variety of panel discussions lead by experts in MMJ healthcare, testing, business practices, finance and funding, legal compliance, branding and trademarking the importance of diversity. One of the highlights of the conference though came on Thursday afternoon when Melissa Ethridge delivered the keynote address. Ethridge shared her personal history and journey with cannabis as a breast cancer survivor. She spoke about how women in cannabis is part of a huge paradigm shift in how we look at health and taking care of ourselves. At the end of her keynote address, Ethridge said, “Cooperation, not competition, is what moves us forward” and this sentiment seemed to resonate throughout the entire conference. On Friday afternoon, the Law Office of Kimberly R. Simms, alongside Colorado based-Sally Kent
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Peebles and Shawn Hauser of Vicente Sederberg, LLC and Illinois basedDina Rollman of Rollman & Dahlin, had the pleasure of presenting on the topic of “Business Relationships & Contract Best Practices.” This panel served as an excellent resource for attendees at all stages of their business life cycle. On the topic of building strong business relationships, the panel imparted to the audience the notion that it takes a dedicated amount of time, energy and consistent work to build strong and long-lasting business relationships. A good business network should be comprised of a qualified, selective group of people who add value to each other’s businesses. The panel gave seven tips for building a strong business relationship: 1
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Identifying what type of partner(s) you need. Take the time to develop the relationship. Clearly define your expectations and goals. Engage in consistent communication. Be transparent and honest with potential partners, but also be sure to protect your intellectual property. Acknowledge when it’s not working and when it’s time to walk away. Ensure that your business partners are educated and compliant with the cannabis laws in the states where you are operating.
Once a business relationship and partnership has been established, it’s time to memorialize that relationship in writing. Contracts are the fundamental building blocks for any business. They constitute the binding relationship between the companies and individuals and help to define terms, conditions, expectations, fee structures and methods for dispute resolution. Failure to execute a sound legal contract can result in a waste of the organization’s time, lost revenue, increase in cost and potential risk and liability. The panel outlined seven fundamentals to keep in mind when drafting contracts: 1 2
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Put your agreements in writing. Hire an attorney practicing in the cannabis field. There are many legal nuances that occur from federal, state to local law that must be contemplated when drafting. 3. Clearly define terms to avoid confusion down the road. Be open to negotiations. Include dispute resolution remedies. Draft contracts in consideration and preparation for changes in law. Protect your intellectual property. This includes trade secrets; customer lists, marketing strategy, and all other proprietary information.
The panel concluded by discussing red flags to watch out for the industry. When building business relationships and executing contracts, businesses should be on the look out for partners who are focused on short term profits and a quick exit as well as any potential partner who seeks to rush through due diligence. Overall, the panel and the entire Leadership Summit was a great success. Participants walked away with renewed energy and excellent knowledge to propel themselves forward during this very exciting time in the cannabis industry. If you are interested in learning more about Women Grow, visit www. womengrow.com. If you would like to attend San Diego Women Grow Events, find us on Facebook or email sandiego@womengrow.com and request to be added to our email list. c
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NEWS
POLITICAL PUSH by Sean Donahoe
California’s Cannabis Capitals:
Oakland and Humboldt As California’s cannabis industry steadies itself after the last few months of municipal freakouts, with ban after ban sweeping the state, let’s spend some time looking at the progress made in some friendlier territories. At the county level, there can be no other leader than legendary Humboldt County, heart of the famed Emerald Triangle and home to more than 4,000 outdoor cannabis farms. At the city level, the city of Oakland is home to Oaksterdam University and the famed Harborside Health Center. In both of these jurisdictions, elected officials and city staff understood well over a year ago that their respective local ordinances needed updating to prepare for new medical cannabis license types and for adult use legalization (likely) right around the corner. After many public meetings and with substantial effort by staff, both of these communities will soon have 20
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new regulations governing a newly expanded licit cannabis industry. Up north, the grassroots industry organization California Cannabis Voice Humboldt began hosting barbecues and informational sessions a year and a half ago, establishing personal and trusted relationships with members of their Board of Supervisors and sending speakers to Rotary Club and local Chamber of Commerce meetings. Ongoing compliance outreach efforts of the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board and a collaborative county staff has brought previously cautious cannabis farmers into the public eye as new, comprehensive medical cannabis cultivation ordinance was drafted, debated, re-drafted, debated again and ultimately approved. The resulting law allows for up to one acre of cannabis canopy per parcel to be cultivated in an environmentally sound and forprofit manner while staying true to the
Emerald Triangle specialty of highend connoisseur, sun-grown cannabis flower. Farms are developing brand identities and listing their strains in catalogs to pick and choose from, while groups of farms are teaming up to form agricultural cooperatives to help better distribute and market the county’s famed bounty. In Oakland, the mayor and city council have appointed a Cannabis Regulatory Commission which holds its meetings in the council chambers in city hall. We have been holding meetings since 2014 on the subject of adding licenses for cultivation, manufacturing, testing laboratories and other activities to our existing dispensary ordinance, as well as adding more dispensaries licenses and delivery-services licenses. The majority of our conversation has not concerned operating conditions nor application procedures, which takes up the bulk of the conversation in most other jurisdictions. Back in February 2015 we laid out several proposed business activities and appropriate license types for each, then spent much of the rest of the year on other matters. From our experience, the most pertinent questions to consider revolve around zoning and placing business activities in appropriate parts of the city. Little more needs to be considered by local governments as they begin implementing the state MMRSA framework, yet cities and counties will likely continue to screw it up. Not a week goes by that we don’t see a city attempt to create guidelines for testing laboratories or a sheriff’s office attempt to determine how much cultivation yield a farmer should be allowed to produce. These types of micromanagement of commercial activity is frustrating to witness, yet it goes on and on. Hopefully, other California counties and cities learn to let the state agencies sweat the hard stuff and stick to that realm of decision-making that they are uniquely positioned to fullfill. Humboldt and Oakland should serve as an example to the rest of the state of what to do, while from Long Beach to Yuba there are so many examples of what local governments should not do. Not every locality has a homegrown activist organization or an appointed panel of experts, so it will be fascinating to local governments stumble their way towards better public policy. c
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REVIEWs
strain & concentrate Available at: Left Coast Collective in La Mesa.
Tranquil Elephantizer by Bodhi Seeds This bud is an absolute stunner! It glistens with an insane amount of frosty trichomes that shine over lavender, almost pink colored leaves. Its aroma leans towards the sweeter end of the spectrum, but with a hefty dose of hash plant that provides a nice, earthy balance. The flavor is phenomenal. It has the spicy bite of hash, with an earthy undertone and just a bit of sweetness. The hit is powerful, with a clean expansion that is amazingly smooth. An instant head change follows, providing a giggly, euphoric effect that is powerful, yet functional. Overall, the Tranquil Elephantizer by Bohdi Seeds is an A+ medication that will not disappoint. Left Coast Collective continues to bring the best of the best to San Diego patients.
Cold Water Concentrates 73 Micron Ice Water Hash
Available through: California’s Kindest Delivery.
This solvent-free bubble hash from California’s Kindest Delivery is the color of golden honey graham crackers and bubbles up like lava as the hit is lit and pulled. It has a surprisingly (in a good way) spicy flavor, with a dark chocolate taste—a wonderfully well-balanced flavor combination. The hit is very expansive, remarkably clean and leads to an instant full body effect that relaxes muscles, relieves physical pain and ushers in a very mellow mood, followed with deep, restful sleep.
Diamond OG The Diamond OG from Limitless Care Collective sports an impressively dense nug structure with deep shades of green, as well as lighter tones peering through. Its hairs are a deep burgundy color, and they are plentiful! In appearance, The Diamond OG looks like traditional jungle camouflage. It smells of sweet citrus, with a bit of a fuel-like aroma. The flavor is incredible, tasting of citrus, pine and fuel, quickly followed by major expansion that offers full body relaxation and pain relief. This strain is heavy on the indica tip and will definitely lead to a serious case of couch-lock, so plan accordingly! Expect a long-lasting, euphoric cerebral effect and heavy physical relief that is ideal for pain, sleep and nausea.
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Available at: Limitless Care Collective in Pacific Beach.
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REVIEWs Available at: Alternative Patient Care in San Diego.
Platinum Bubba Kush Alternative Patient Care offers a prime sample of Platinum Bubba Kush that has super tight nug structure, and beautiful shades of dark green leaves with slight purpling accented by bright trichomes. Its aroma is deep, earthy, and pungent. The flavor is earthy and piney as well, and really coats the tongue with a nice, solid hit that is completely smooth—not at all harsh. The effect of this Platinum Bubba Kush is cerebrally uplifting and physically sedative; making it great for patients in search of relaxation for both mind and body.
Sunset Sherbet
Available at: Torrey Holistics in San Diego.
Sunset Sherbet is a strain that is getting a lot of attention lately. Leafly is calling it the heir to the Girl Scout Cookie throne, and for good reason. The stellar example of the strain that was given to us by Torrey Holistics in San Diego is dense and piney with a strong nose. Beautiful purple hues of color peering out from behind dark green trichrome covered foreground. This hybrid leans to the heavy indica side and is strong medication for pain relief, and for increasing appetite and helping with sleep issues. A few hits will have you locked into the couch with little to no worries.
Available through: Cali Care Collective Delivery.
Cavi Cones Strawberry The Strawberry Cavi Cone, available through Cali Care Collective Delivery, is a unique coned shaped pre-roll that is expertly rolled with precision and care. It has an impressively smooth hit, with a nice fresh strawberry flavor. As soon as the Cone is removed from its package (which is nice and sturdy, preventing crushing), a very strong whiff of the fruity, sweet aroma fills the air. After just a few hits, the Cavi Cone’s effect settle in, providing cerebral effect that is uplifting and floaty, and may lead to a case of the giggles. It also provides substantial muscle relaxation and pain relief. Patients with limited dexterity due to neuropathy, or complications from Multiple Sclerosis, who prefer medication in joint form, will appreciate the relief in the Cavi Cone.
Available at: Miramar Private Club in San Diego.
Krush Extracts Girl Scout Cookies Live Resin Krush Extracts continues to put out great products and the Girl Scout Cookies Live Resin that is available at Miramar Private Club is another great example. This live resin was extremely clear and full of major flavor. The terpenes are strong and the flavor of the Girl Scout Cookies strain are clear and present in each hit, Giving you an instant head rush and settling into a long strong body buzz. Very sedative and long lasting, would be great for patients that are managing pain or have trouble relaxing.
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GET YOUR CLICKS
HERE
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REVIEWs
For More Products Go To www.iReadCulture.com
3
1. Times Hemp Company T-Shirts
3. BULLET Bluetooth Earpiece
North America’s premium hemp apparel brand. From cut and sew to fabric dye, every manufacturing process is done by small business owners in L.A.’s Fashion District. Times Hemp Company is on a mission to utilize and promote the industrial use of hemp and other organic materials with their great hemp apparel. PRICE: $35 MORE INFORMATION: www.timeshempcompany.com
The BULLET Bluetooth Earpiece is said to be the smallest of its kind, featuring lightweight design at 3.5g and it's also comfortable. It will allow you to not only take calls with its built-in microphone, but also stream music when you aren’t chatting up a storm. It uses CVC noise reduction, and has crystal clear sound. While it has a battery that will keep going for about six hours, it makes sure you won’t be without as it comes with a capsule for charging that can juice it up four times over. PRICE: $150 MORE INFORMATION: schatzii.com
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2. Neyya Smart Ring Finally, one ring to rule all. The Neyya Smart Ring uses gestures such as swiping and tapping to let you have full control over presentations, calls, music, camera and more. It’s like a universal remote for your life! From your T.V. to mobile phone; and it’s ready to go, right out of the box. It also has the capability to give you notifications through vibration for smartphone alerts and reminders. There are options of silver sterling titanium or a medallion gold finish. PRICE: $139 MORE INFORMATION: www.myneyya.com
4. Thync System 2
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GET YOUR CLICKS
HERE
A wearable technology that can give you relaxation and calm you down or can boost your activity and give you energy. Thync uses neurosignaling to activate specific cranial and peripheral nerves to influence a shift to a state of relaxation or energy in just minutes. From the elegant and curved design and fit of the lightweight module, to the bio-friendly materials used in the strips, to the simplicity and groundbreaking technology of the app, Thync is one of the first to comfortably and effectively aid an active lifestyle through wearable tech. PRICE: $199 MORE INFORMATION: www.thync.com
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REVIEWs
entertainment
BOOK
WEED: The User’s Guide: A 21st Century Handbook for Enjoying Marijuana
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Release Date: March 8 Available on: PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC
GAME
Tom Clancy’s The Division
David Schmader Sasquatch Books
Dev. Ubisoft Massive Pub. Ubisoft
In this busy and growing contemporary canna-culture craze, author David Schmader explores the cannabis culture in every facet, for a new and interested generation and audience. WEED explores the history, the uses, the medical and recreational effects and varieties of cannabis, as well as cannabis etiquette, what to do if you’re not having a good time while using, and what to do to keep yourself entertained while enjoying cannabis. With humor and factual information, this is a great new user’s guide to all things cannabis. (Alex Bradley)
New York is ravaged by a horrible smallpox virus that is spread on the infamous shopping holiday, Black Friday— five days later, the entire U.S. Government collapses. In The Division, you play as a member of a group of tactical agents who must prevent the fall of society at all costs. This thirdperson shooter offers highly detailed setting, including destructible environments and a unique weather system, and free-roaming capabilities that allow players to truly immerse themselves in the world. Team up with friends to take out those who are infected with the virus, as well as those behind its unleashing. (Nicole Potter)
March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com
MOVIE
Black Mass MUSIC
Warner Brothers Pictures Dir. Scott Cooper
In My Mind
Just in time for Saint Patrick’s Day, one of the most brilliant and dark depictions of Boston’s Irish Mob, Black Mass, is on the shelves. With a story that seems almost too scary to be real, Black Mass handily showcases not only its stars’ acting abilities, but truly brings to life one of the most terrifying marriages of law enforcement and organized crime. Featuring such megastars as Benedict Cumberbatch, Kevin Bacon and Johnny Depp, Black Mass takes viewers on a ride through the seedy bars, dark alleys and criminal underbelly of Boston’s Southie neighborhood circa the 1970s and ‘80s. (Simon Weedn)
Many listeners have become very familiar with the voice and style of BJ The Chicago Kid. BJ has brought a distinctive voice and soulful character wherever he goes. It comes as no surprise that The Chicago Kid’s debut album, In My Mind, is a tour de force of modern R&B, soul and hiphop, that features a relative "who’s who" of contributing artists and producers. In My Mind is a home run of a first outing for BJ The Chicago Kid. With songs and content this extraordinary, let’s hope we don’t have to wait another 10 years for the follow up. (Simon Weedn)
BJ The Chicago Kid Motown
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By Addison Herron-Wheeler
Everyone in the 21st century is familiar with the feeling of
Aaron Bruno is no stranger to being in the limelight, but has
being roped into an awkward social situation and wanting
always preferred the D.I.Y. ethics of underground subgenres,
to leave to work on a craft, see a significant other or just go
an ethos Bruno brings to his high-profile status as leader
home and sit in front of the television. AWOLNATION has
of this wildly successful new band. While AWOLNATION
created an ode to that loner mentality with his music—his
may be experiencing pop stardom, Bruno keeps his feet
very name references the urge to suddenly go AWOL and
planted firmly on the ground. In between hiding out and
disappear, and reaching a whole nation of people who want
making awesome music, Bruno took the time to chat with
that same thing. As a seasoned hardcore and punk musician,
CULTURE about music, cannabis and success. >>
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Photos provided by Red Bull Records | Live photos by Matthias Heschl
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How does having a background in punk and rock inform what you do as the leader of an electronic band? How do you think those influences and the electronic elements of the band work together? I feel pretty lucky that I went down that path—I took that road in a lot of ways because it gave me a completely different perspective than someone who is aspiring to be in a big rock band or a big pop artist. I didn’t ever take those aspirations too seriously, but I felt at home in the hardcore scene and the punk rock scene. At that time, there was no way to really promote your band online; you had to go to local high schools, flier cars and get in trouble for that, or go to other concerts of minor bands, so if
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nothing else I learned how to operate as a functioning band and how to do everything on my own, so the work ethic of that was great, feeling like it was you against the world. Those are things that are invaluable to me, and on an artistic or more musical tip, I feel there are a lot of great parts in a lot of the songs that I listened to my whole life that people haven’t heard, so I am lucky I have a library from that world of influences that maybe others wouldn’t pull from. I feel like it’s an advantage for sure.
Do you listen to mostly electronic music or rock? Have you always had an eclectic taste in music? I never listen to just one kind of music—I think there
is greatness in all forms and genres of music. I spend a lot of time trying to explore and look for new music—at least new to my ears. I am constantly trying to search for something that will mature my songwriting and craft. That’s always the hardest question to answer; I think it takes time to really decide if something lasts the test of time.
What is it like being signed to Red Bull Records? You’ve referred to that relationship as more of a “partnership” than a typical record deal— what do you mean by that? There are ups and downs just like everything else, but I think there would be a lot more downs if I was with a more traditional label. When they came to me they were
still new and hadn’t had any success with any of their bands yet. It has been really nice to kind of work together and navigate the wild west of the industry while we try to figure out how to have a presence in such an oversaturated marketplace. I didn’t want to do another major label deal because I had been involved in two prior and they didn’t work for me. When they came to me they offered to allow me to continue down this tunnelvision path I had in my mind which was to make a record with no compromises where I controlled the whole thing. It wasn’t that I had ego or wanted to be thought of as a solo artist—I just felt I didn’t want to have arguments and deal with the stress of having >>
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other bandmates. My other band had broken up and I saw that as an opportunity to just go at this alone and really put it all on the line and utilize everything I had seen along the way.
Rumor has it the band name comes from your high school nickname. How did that nickname come about, and what made you decide to use that as the band name? The nickname came from my name being Aaron and a play on the first letter of the word, like a lot of rappers that came up at that time. As a joke, I called myself that, and then it became somewhat relevant when I realized I am bad at saying goodbye and getting out of a social situation where you have anxiety and want to disappear but can’t. I find that your good friends will understand when you are in a situation where you just want to leave and you do. At a certain point I attached “Nation” to it because I thought you might as well go for it and I have this ambitious movement in my mind that I never thought would actually happen, and then six years on we have somewhat of that ambitious dream before us. I just figured there had to be a hypothetical nation of people who had the same feelings on certain issues in life, and that is sort of what the name means to me at this point. But everyone has an interpretation of what the name means, so I don’t want to change what that means to anyone in general. Sometimes it is disappointing to discover the meaning behind names or songs, so I want to remain deliberately vague about it.
Which album do you feel best represents your career, and how do you feel your sound has changed since AWOLNATION first got together? I am in love with the newest record and very proud of it artistically—I think it is one of the best records >> 38
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in years. Why do it if you don’t believe what you are producing is one of the best records of all time? I believe it; I really do; I don’t think anyone else is going to think so, but I still do believe it. I know a lot of artists who say they don’t like their records and I can appreciate that and relate to it, but it can be interpreted strangely because if you don’t think your music is good, does that mean you think your fans are lame for liking the music? I have a philosophy in my mind that I am very proud of the music I put out there.
What do you have in the works now—are you releasing a new album? I am of course producing and working and writing with two different artists—one’s name is Iron Tom and I am halfway done with their record—they are about to get some sort
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of record deal and I just love them—I became kind of part of them. I threw everything I have into their songs—it has been a labor of love like everything else and has been my pleasure to mentor these kids who haven’t had the influence or help I had. I am very passionate and excited about the six songs they already have. People can look forward to hearing some of their stuff in spring or summer.
What do you have going on as far as tour plans or other projects? We are about to go on this arena tour with Fall Out Boy—they are so big that I don’t know if I’m even helping promote the tour (laughs). They have had this incredible career through the ups and downs and have lasted for a long time. It will be the first time we’ve played for a pop audience and gained
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a few fans. I am still trying to get used to us being a headliner—a lot of times when we headline one of these bigger shows I am surprised that we are headlining.
Do any of you use cannabis recreationally or medically? Has cannabis ever been a theme in your music? I was completely sober until I was 21, when I had my first sip of alcohol and smoked weed for the first time. It seems to be the opposite for most people— they get in trouble at a young age and get caught smoking weed when they are 14, where I was too much of a nerd and was too afraid to try mindaltering stuff. It wasn’t until I was 21 and felt comfortable trying that stuff. It was a great experience, and there are so many benefits to it, obviously— but just like anything else, too much of any other thing can dumb down it being good.
It’s a weird question because I’d like to say it’s a good thing for everyone but it doesn’t necessarily work for everyone. Sometimes you are in a good headspace and sometimes you are not. There have been ups and downs, but mostly I find it to be a wonderful thing. And creatively speaking, everybody knows it’s great. Having said that I will tell you there have been many times that I thought something was incredible I had worked on and then listened with a sober mind and it was awful. (Laughs) It’s about finding the balance.
Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers? I always want to thank anyone who took the time to read this or be part of this interview and took the time to care about what I think in any way—it’s a pretty interesting feeling. c
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Medical Cannabis Gains Headway in Ireland Dr. James Linden is working hard to get Irish patients access to medical cannabis
by Victoria Banegas
In last year’s March issue of CULTURE, we told the story of Dr. William Brooke O’Shaughnessy, who introduced cannabis as a medicine in 1839. Over 100 years after O’Shaughnessy revealed to the western world the medical benefits of cannabis, his homeland remains in opposition of his findings, as cannabis is still medically illegal in Ireland. Cannabis became illegal in Ireland and the rest of the U.K. in 1928 following the 1925 Dangers of Drugs Act. However, doctors were able to prescribe cannabis for a while, until 1971 when the Misuse of Drugs Act was passed. Since then, cannabis has remained strictly illegal in Ireland, making access to the plant nearly impossible. Luckily, another Irishman and doctor, James Linden, has been leading the Dublin-based research firm GreenLight Health in a quest to make medical cannabis legal in Ireland, by highlighting its effects on various medical conditions. >>
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With a number of people in Ireland suffering from conditions like Multiple Sclerosis (MS), glaucoma and cancer, the black market is their only source to turn to for medicine. As of last year, being in possession of a substance like cannabis resulted in a €2,750 fine and up to 12 months in prison. Seeing these ludicrous penalties, Linden and his group began working a campaign to address this issue to the government. With hopes of utilizing some fundraiser money for its campaign, GreenLight Health created a page on fundraising Indiegogo, where they were only able to raise €147. Although the amount of financial support shown to GreenLight Health was null, the team has found other investors, Linden told CULTURE. In an effort to revolutionize Ireland’s medical cannabis market, Linden and the team at GreenLight Health have been working hard, “researching and developing effective and affordable cannabis medicines,” according to Linden. As the only Irish pharmaceutical company dedicated to producing medical cannabis products, the team is currently implementing a trial of supplements designed to treat joint and muscle pain, as well as arthritis. Not only does GreenLight Health hope to improve the lives of those affected by conditions that are seemly only treatable with cannabis, the company hopes to create 500 research and development jobs within the next five years. When asked why he decided to start up a cannabis research firm, Linden explained in the podcast Newstalk, “Cannabis gives people relief from symptoms of cancer but it also gives people relief from chemotherapy but there is also research that shows THC, one of the cannabinoids in cannabis . . . directly impacts tumors and can kill cancerous cells.” He finished by saying, “that kind of research is breaking through and we realize that there’s an opportunity in Ireland, an English speaking country, good pharmaceutical exporting country, great knowledge based around research, door steps of Europe and America, to get a very interesting cannabis research and development company going here.” While medical cannabis remains unobtainable for patients, in November 2015, the Irish government revealed plans to move towards decriminalization of substances like cannabis. Chief of Ireland’s national Drug Strategy Aodhán
“Not only does GreenLight Health hope to improve the lives of those affected by conditions that are seemly only treatable with cannabis, the company hopes to create 500 research and development jobs within the next five years.” Ó Ríordáin, even expressed plans to open injection rooms as a way to show empathy towards heroin addicts. If empathy can be given to addicts of a substance with no known medicinal value, patients in need of medical cannabis in Ireland should not have to suffer much longer. Hopefully, with efforts put forth by Linden and his team, patients will have access to effective and cost affordable medicine without having to pay the penalties. c Photo by Patricia Hofmeester
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Organic Rules
Just in time for planting season, state regulators weigh in on pesticides like never before
by David Downs
Washington State regulator Erik Johansen gives lots of public talks to farmers about pesticide use, and he expects a mute shrug or maybe one or two questions in response. Not with cannabis. “The enthusiasm for me to be there is just—they line up afterward to shake my hand, and they thank me,” said the Department of
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Agriculture policy assistant. “Cannabis growers have as many questions as you have time to answer. If you have handouts, every last one will be gone. They’re hungry for information.” Fact is: America’s amateur and professional cannabis gardeners are getting more state guidance than ever before. Medical and recreational cannabis laws in 35 states
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have forced officials to weigh in on what should be allowed on cannabis crops—which can be tainted with dangerous chemical sprays. State agencies are responding with unprecedented, official lists of allowable pesticides. These guidelines are rudimentary, but they’re a historic start. State agencies in California, Colorado, Washington, Oregon and beyond are now routinely posting and updating
lists of approved pesticides. California’s Water Board released a modest, one-page list. Colorado’s allowable pesticides list is 26 pages long, and Washington’s list is 22 pages long. Oregon released a list of 257 allowed pesticides on February 5. America now has a patchwork of cannabis pesticide laws, with two New England states mandating their programs be completely organic. >>
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California’s Allowable Pesticides And Uses Sulfur Mites, flea beetles
Neem oil Mites, powdery mildew
Predatory nematodes Root diseases
Potassium bicarbonate; sodium bicarbonate Powdery mildew
Azadirachtin Aphids, whiteflies, fungus gnats, leafminers, cutworms
This guidance is the first minor step in cleaning up America’s cannabis supply. Thousands of consumers will likely sicken themselves or others either applying or consuming pesticides on cannabis. Significant amounts of black market cannabis, as well as medical and recreational supplies are tainted, experts say. Under total prohibition— cultivators face little official consequences for spraying. Some farmers will do anything to save the valuable crop, which is subject to infestation from dozens of pests and diseases.
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The United States’ first medical cannabis law in 1996 and adult use law in 2012 have helped ignite efforts to clean up legal supplies. Since cannabis is still federally illegal, no pesticide is federally approved for use on cannabis. So states are guiding growers to the most benign active ingredients already allowed for use on analogous crops like tobacco or herbaceous herbs. They’re adapting EPA guidelines of “minimal risk” natural pesticides exempt from mandatory approval—often essential oils, and beneficial molds, fungus, insects or
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other animals. “Until things change federally—it’s kind of tough,” said Johansen who developed Washington’s allowed list. “It’s not a perfect system, but it’s a system that at least tried to address [the issue] by allowing things that are fairly low in toxicity.” Legalization regimes have also begun mandating testing of supplies, which have helped reveal commonly banned pesticides in use. Colorado’s mandatory pesticide screening has resulted in 19 product recalls in 19 weeks as of early February, affecting hundreds
of thousands of items in circulation, from vaporizer cartridges to edibles. In January, an Oregon lab caught the pesticide abamectin in supposedly organic “Guardian Mite Spray.” Washington State regulators verified the finding, leading to a national advisory and the pulling of Guardian from store shelves. Washington fined two commercial cultivators in the last year, but guidelines can have the most effect on home growers who now have a concise list of allowed products to use, Johansen said.
Just Getting Started “There’s no reason at this point to open this industry to chemical dependency. That’s where the states should be right now. It’s a huge opportunity. I wish we had these opportunities in some other crops that don’t need pesticides.”
Washington cannabis farmers now have about 80 allowed active pesticide ingredients, versus about 1,000 for an apple farmer. The state is under pressure to add more allowed chemicals. “I think we’re being fairly conservative and there’s a reason for that. We just don’t have data to go any further,” Johansen said. Consumers who want to ensure they are inhaling clean products must either grow their own according to new guidelines, or buy products that come with an independent, third party certification for “organic”grade cleanliness. In Washington, two
companies—Certified Dank and Clean Green—provide such certifications. “It’s tough right now, to be honest with you,” said Johansen. “I think we’re beginning to get a handle on it. The industry by and large has been very supportive.” In California, the Department of Pesticide Regulation will help set standards for allowable levels of pesticide residue this year, officials told CULTURE. Jay Feldman at the non-profit Washington D.C. advocacy group Beyond Pesticides said America has a golden opportunity to ensure the next major legal crop is fully organic. Colorado’s 26-page list is already too lax, Feldman said. States are giving users a false sense of security, when regulators should be enforcing federal law that no pesticide has been evaluated, let alone approved, for use on cannabis. Copying EPA recommendations from tobacco “is really un-protective of public health and the environment,” he said. “I would say it’s worse than nothing.” Beyond Pesticides advocates banning all pesticides on cannabis, except organic ingredients listed as OMRI-certified (minus registered pesticides) as well as the EPA’s “minimal risk” “25b” list. Cannabis has a chance to be a global agricultural role model, instead of another dirty crop, he said. “There’s no reason at this point to open this industry to chemical dependency,” Feldman said. “That’s where the states should be right now. It’s a huge opportunity. I wish we had these opportunities in some other crops that don’t need pesticides.” c
Usual Suspects Banned Pesticides Commonly Found in Cannabis Myclobutanil: Fungicide. Active ingredient in notoriously popular Eagle 20 pesticide. World Health Organization (WHO) considers it “slightly hazardous.” Label warns of nervous system problems and toxic fumes.
Imidacloprid: Insecticide. Found in popular Merit and Mellet brand pesticides. WHO considers it “moderately hazardous.” Considered moderately toxic in ingested or inhaled.
Abamectin and the avermectin chemical family: Insecticide. Found in Avid and Lucid pesticide brands. The Pesticide Action Network lists avermectin as a “bad actor,” and Avid is labelled as “harmful if inhaled.”
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“When I begin a new body of work I tend to sift through these piles of references and take out the things that are calling out to me at the moment. I later sift through that smaller pile and begin to compose what figures I’ll be working on next in whatever medium.”
Luscious and Luminous Visual Artist Lori Field creates genre-pushing masterpieces that will make you swoon By Sarah Elise Abramson
Hyper-realistic neon colors depicting lady-like creatures with two headed kittens in place of a normal one is what Brooklyn-based artist and textile master, Lori Field creates. Her characters are drawn and composed together in busily pleasing ways heavy with the mythical, mythological and paranormal/ science fiction. Along with shape and color, Field plays with layering in her paintings. Markings from an earlier layer will be visible through the milky clear skin of the androgynous faces she adorns her often tattooed figures with. Repetitive imagery creates a sort of déjà vu feeling; that with the softened shapes and colliding patterns lend a hand in depicting Field’s allegorical fairy-tale. She sits down with CULTURE to talk artistic inspiration and personal thoughts on cannabis. >>
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What format and mediums do you enjoy working with and why? I am in love with drawing, the more obsessive and detailed the better. Most of my work, even the painting is drawing based. My encaustic (pigmented wax) paintings incorporate detailed color pencil drawings embedded over and under the wax medium. I think drawing allows me to go into a trance of sorts, and work very intuitively, especially with silverpoint drawing where you can’t erase.
How does femininity play a role in your art? I have been told over and over again that my work is feminine. This is a cool thing to hear but that interpretation is not intentional on my part, just kind of what my vision ends up looking like. I’ve been told there are no male figures in my art. I think that’s true to an extent. I tend to create androgynous and gender bending little creatures that don’t fall into any neat categories. I also make a lot of anthropomorphic figures and sometimes use colors that are deliberately fluorescent or brilliantly toned . . . I guess you could say they are feminine colors. However, I choose these colors to kind of heighten the experience of the work as representing “the other”—they are psychedelic to stress their otherworldliness not their femininity.
endless. Such as Chinese acupuncture charts, medieval botany drawings, Elvis in Las Vegas photos, French erotic cabinet cards, exotic bird etchings, tinted flapper postcards from the roaring twenties, vintage first aid manuals, you name it, I’m obsessed with it. When I begin a new body of work I tend to sift through these piles of references and take out the things that are calling out to me at the moment. I later sift through that smaller pile and begin to compose what figures I’ll be working on next in whatever medium. As far as other artists, I am inspired again and again by Henri Rousseau, Henry Darger, Kiki Smith, Hans Holbein, Louise Despont, Roger van der Weyden, Hieronymous Bosch, Frida Kahlo, and Balthus, but there are many many more who ring my chimes.
What are your personal thoughts on the legalization of cannabis? Marijuana smoking personally makes me so paranoid I’ve actually fantasized about my dead relatives climbing up my leg while under the influence, so I don’t imbibe anymore. I do love hashish however, can we legalize that?! But back to marijuana, for other people, please legalize it already . . . my stupid Governor “Chrispie Crème” never will . . . so while you’re at it, can someone impeach him or vote him out of office too?
What can we expect to see from you in the coming year? I am working on a series of lithographs that I started in
the summer of last year. I love lithography because it’s the printing method that is the most drawing intensive. I’m also going to be preparing a new body of work on black grounds, producing an artists book and a special tarot deck, designing a rug and textiles featuring my creatures, designing more of my wearable sculpture and wearable drawings for a small solo project in Albuquerque, and beginning the process of collaboration on an animated film of my mythological creatures in action. I would also like to curate a show somewhere in NYC this year or next . . . we shall see. I’ve got most of the artists lined up and the title, just need the venue. I am in several group shows coming up in NYC and Nashville. c
Who and what inspires you most? The things that intrigue and inspire me are seemingly www.lori-field.com 50
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Keeping the Irish Spirit Alive Irish band Gaelic Storm creates music for the people by Simon Weedn
“. . . the music just seems to bring the past alive and helps inspire this innate sense of coming together.”
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For many, it might be hard to believe that 2016 marks Gaelic Storm’s 20th anniversary as a band. What started out as a small group of friends playing their traditional Irish music at their favorite pub quickly burgeoned, with a little help from an appearance in the movie Titanic, into one of the most well-known and successful Celtic bands to rise out of America. While deeply rooted in Irish and Scottish musical influences, Gaelic Storm has distinguished themselves from the rest of the Celtic scene by not only composing great volumes of original material, instead of relying on tried and true traditional songs like countless other Celtic acts, but also by incorporating aspects of other musical traditions as well. Though the band’s line-up has undergone a few changes over the years, Gaelic Storm continues to be helmed by its two founders, Patrick Murphy and Steven Twigger, and the group remains just as strong and powerful, both on recordings and in concert. In light of this month’s St. Patrick’s Day holiday, CULTURE reached out for a conversation with Steven Twigger to hear all about the attraction and charm of Irish music, the band’s inspirations, and of course, his opinions on cannabis.
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Though a lot of your music is composed of original material, your sound is obviously very rooted in classic and traditional Irish music. What is it about that style and sound that you think people continue to find so alluring? Steve Twigger: You know, I think it’s a connection to the past. Especially in America here, people are fairly obsessed with their heritages. As one would be, this is a vast country and you can become anonymous very quickly here. So, to root themselves in their own history is an important part of connecting. The songs themselves are based on a storytelling tradition; a lot of our songs are story driven, so that’s easily relatable as well. Then, of course, there’s just the great party spirit of the jigs and reels that we play. Additionally, the Scottish pipes are just stirring in nature. So, I don’t know, the music just seems to bring the past alive and helps inspire this innate sense of coming together.
We heard that your album Chicken Boxer was inspired by a trip to Ireland to reconnect with your roots. Have there been any other experiences that you or the band has had in recent years that have seriously inspired or affected your song writing? For that album, Patrick and I went off to Ireland and traveled around; I believe we did 1,100 miles in a week. As you said, a lot of songs came from that, and continue to come from that experience. But, we meet amazing people along the way all the time that inspire us. As we gotten older we’ve lost a few good friends, which inevitably happens, and songs like “What A Way To Go” are inspired by that, by the spirit of somebody else’s life. Songs like that are about the common experience. We get people that come up to us after our shows, shake our hands, and just say, “Thank you, thanks for the music it got me through this
band time,” or, “It helped me celebrate this good time.” People get married to our songs; people get buried in our songs. Just to know that we’re part of that very serious nature of life, we take that very seriously, because of that we try and take inspiration from our fans. They can just be ordinary people and ordinary lives, but we try and put that into song. You all tour the country extensively and get to see a wide variety of people and social movements. What are your thoughts on the cannabis legalization movement, happening around the globe? I’m not against it in the slightest, let alone for medical purposes. Anything that helps people I’m all for. It makes sense to me to legalize it, there are way too many people filling up the jails for what I’d consider minor offenses. Any type of musician is around marijuana all the time, everybody knows
“Anything that helps people I’m all for. It makes sense to me to legalize [cannabis], there are way too many people filling up the jails for what I’d consider minor offenses.”
that it’s all out there, and I’m all for legalizing it generally, and very specifically medically if it helps. Besides your current tour, does Gaelic Storm have any other ambitions for 2016? We started a documentary towards the end of 2014 where we started filming a tour up through Utah, The Rockies and way on up through Idaho and Washington State, and we interviewed various interesting people we met along the way. We did this to show the world all of the kinds of various characters we meet while we’re on the road. So, this is going to be an ongoing project, and what we thought was maybe going to be a yearlong project might turn out to be a five year project. Eventually though, we’d like to cover the whole country and show people the diversity of people whom we encounter. It’s tentatively titled, American Crossing. c www.gaelicstorm.com
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culture growing RECIPES UNKNOWN DESTINATION
by Ed Rosenthal
Last month, I planted 35 different varieties in six-inch round containers. They include 3/8-inch braided nylon wicks that hang down into a reservoir of water/nutrient solution. This provides passive irrigation, keeping the soil moist by replacing it, as needed using capillary action. I carried out my plan to have the plants grow vegatatively for 10 days, and then force the plants to flower by changing the lighting regimen from continuous light to 12 hours of light and 12 hours of uninterrupted darkness. I kept to the schedule, despite some unanticipated problems. I had prepared the soil using fibrous and chunky coir, previously used planting mix and homemade compost. As soon as the plants came in contact with the mix they began showing symptoms of various nutrient problems including Calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg) and Iron (Fe) deficiencies as well as unidentified fertilizer burn. At first I thought it was only a Ca/Mg deficiency, which sometimes occurs even in fertilized water here in the Bay Area, because of the low natural mineral content. This is common in water derived from snow run-off, the San Francisco East Bay’s water source. I decided to add extra Ca and Mg to the water using a fertilizer composed of the two minerals. This solved some of the problems but there were still signs of overfertilization as well as Fe deficiency. Analyzing the symptoms further, I realized that the planting mix was the cause of the problems. The coir had been washed before it was used so I didn’t
Nutrient Problem Symptom Ca-Necrosis of edges and then interior of new as well as older leaves. It appears as brown dried spots. Mg-Leaves in the middle first and then in upper leaves as well, the veins remain green while the tissue between turns yellow. Fe-Upper leaves grow bright pale yellow. Fertilizer burn-Leaves curl downward or upward, sometimes look ultra-dark green.
TIP OF THE MONTH FROM ASK ED® Use spring light to enhance your garden. During the spring, south facing windows, sun patios and greenhouses receive light at an oblique angle, so the light penetrates into the space from the side. In the southern tier of the country they can be placed directly outdoors when the temperature rises into the high 60s. If you are just starting plants or are growing just a few plants you can save electricity by moving the plants from the electrically lit grow area and placing them in the sunlit space. The plants are returned to the electrically lit area when they become shaded.
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.
Next month: Flowering in full bloom!
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think that it was excess salts left from the manufacturing process. Other plants were growing in combinations of my aged used planting mix so I didn’t think that was a problem. That left the homemade compost. It had been slow aged for over a year and was crumbly with a healthy earthy odor. However, it was probably absorbing the nutrients from the fertilizer and preventing the plants from getting proper nutrition. The solution: run nutrient water solution through the containers three times over the next few days. This provided extra nutrients to the planting mix so that it would absorb as much as it could use. At the same time, the roots were able to absorb nutrients directly from the water. Within days the new growth showed signs of total recovery. I decided to move the plants to a larger space because they were growing more vigorously than I anticipated, even though they were flowering. I removed them from the grow tent and the 35 plants were placed in a four-foot by eight-foot tray in a greenhouse giving them just a little less than a square foot per plant to finish flowering. Right now they are getting natural light enhanced with eight hours of a 1000W HPS lamp on a track. Another lamp will be added shortly. c
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The garden, one week the light period was reduced to 12 hours to force flowering.
THC Bomb one week after the light period was reduced. Notice that the plant was suffering from nutrient deficiencies.
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The garden two weeks later.
THC Bomb beginning to flower, and in recovery.
The garden a month from beginning flowering.
THC Bomb in full flowering and recovered.
THC Bomb close-up showing somewhat arrested flower development.
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culture
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HERE
if you go:
Illinois Lights Up for Spring by Sheryll Alexander
Illinois is known for baseball, farm fresh produce and road trips in spring, but this year, the “Land of Lincoln” has one more reason to visit: 25 newly-opened cannabis collectives. Although Illinois’ medical cannabis law went into effect in 2013, it took until late Fall 2015 for about nine collectives to go online in Evanston, Schaumburg, North Aurora, Addison and Ottawa while another dozen have opened in the greater Chicagoland area this winter. In Spring, Illinois comes alive again with loads of outdoor adventures. Baseball used to be the state’s most popular pastime, but new trends are emerging including farm-to-table experiences at top notch eateries such as Elburn’s Heritage Prairie Farm, Fairbury’s Slagel Family Farm,
Caledonia’s Kinnikinnick Farm and Effingham’s Epiphany Farms. Illinois is also a place to explore some of the nation’s best craft breweries and distilleries. In Chicago, check out Revolution Brewing or tour J.K. Williams Distilling in East Peoria. While there’s no mountains to climb in this plains state, Illinois is the perfect place for cyclists, rock climbers and even aquatic escapes and underground cave networks. Don’t miss Savanna’s Mississippi Palisades State Park, Harrisburg’s Garden of the Gods and Madison’s Old Chain of Rocks Bridge. Ready to head to Illinois farm land or the urban sprawl of Chicagoland this spring? Illinois has finally weathered its cannabis storm and is heading hopefully into the smooth waters of being a cannabis-friendly state. c
Actual medical cannabis dispensaries are so new to Illinois that it’s hard to gauge how a visitor should react. To get “licensed,” MMJ patients meet with a certified physician, fill out an application, pay $100 (fee is reduced to $50 for veterans) and provide an inordinate amount of documentation including an annoying fingerprint check and passport-sized self portrait. And even though Illinois’ has finally opened its dispensary doors, a historic anti-prohibition law was recently filed in the Illinois General Assembly. State Rep. Ken Dunkin filed House Bill 4276, which would allow adults 21+ to legally grow and consume cannabis. Illinois NORML says the bill also allows for “licensed retailers, commercial growers as well as private non-commercial production of cannabis.” The bill has some political backing as while lawmakers in Illinois are looking to add revenue to their state budgets and finding ways to create jobs, a recent study shows legalization in Illinois could add up to the beleaguered state’s $90 million in annual tax revenues.
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Time to Go: Spring Weather: Mild, cardigan weather $$$$$
Celebrate Spring’s colorful beauty by attending the annual Chicago Flower & Garden Show. This year, the show heads to Chicago’s renovated Navy Pier from March 12-20. The show features 20 lush and fragrant gardens created by top landscape architects. There’s also art, free activities for kids, wine tastings, cooking demonstrations and loads of shopping for garden gadgetry. 1
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GET YOUR CLICKS
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Illinois surprisingly has more than 100 wineries and vineyards located all over the state and even in Chicago itself. Just find the official Illinois Wine Country map to road trip through the state’s many vineyards or plan a wine-themed romantic escape to one of the state’s charming winery-based B&Bs. 2
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Carlos Castro
Age: 27 Condition/ Illness: Lower spine nerve damage, fractured L1-L5 and S1 Using medical cannabis since: 2010
Why did you start using cannabis? I was at home still bedridden from my fractures and injuries and I was on pain medication— vicodin and morphine— and it always left me in depression, always feeling bad and with intense headaches. One day, my brother said “Why don’t you try marijuana? Maybe it will help with your pain.” When I did, not even five minutes later, my pain was subsiding and I wasn’t feeling depressed, and I was able to eat fine. Then, after a while, I let go of my pills and just stayed with the medical cannabis. It was the best decision I’ve ever made. I started seeing significant changes in my mood, I wasn’t
depressed as much and now, I’m able to sleep at night without any pain. Did you try other methods or treatments before cannabis? Yes I was on vicodin and morphine for awhile. I hated the feeling of it. What’s the most important issue or problem facing medical cannabis patients? The closed-minded people that don’t see past the “stoner” stereotypes. What do you say to folks who are skeptical about cannabis as medicine? I would say it works and I’m proof that it can really make a difference for people. Don’t judge so quickly and pick up a magazine, read an article about it, look online for more answers. You will be surprised by the great benefits of medical cannabis. 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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culture
Canna-Pickled Vegetable
Infused Berry Perserves
RECIPES
growing
Canna-Dijon Mustard
For more of these recipes go to ireadculture.com
DESTINATION
UNKNOWN
Infused Roasted Fingerling Potato Salad
PROFILES
IN
COURAGE
Roasted Red Pepper Canna-Hummus
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Infused Kumquat Marmalade
March 20162016 february iReadCULTURE.com iReadCULTURE.com
Sweet & Spicy Infused Nuts
Menu:
Sweet and Spicy Infused Nuts Infused Kumquat Marmalade All About the Olive Tapenade
2 lemons, juiced 8 cups water, or as needed Directions
Payton Curry has a thriving non-cannabis restaurant called Brat Haus in Arizona, and works with dispensaries coast to coast developing local sourced, organically driven edible kitchens. He is hoping to broaden awareness of what he calls a “nutrient-rich vegetable” by writing the upcoming Nutritional Cannabis Cookbook. He teaches medical cannabis patients how to cook with cannabis and has partnered with the Epilepsy Foundation of Arizona to provide free cannabis and cannabis cuisine classes to parents of sick children and the sons and daughters of aging parents. Payton has also just launched a raw cannabis juicing platform, which Payton says “showcases the abilities of marijuana to oxygenate aging blood cells and improve motor function all without being psychoactive.”
Finely chop the kumquats and oranges, combine them into a large pot. Add 3 cups of water per each cup of fruit. Let soak in a cool place for 12 hours, or overnight. Bring the fruit mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the rind is very tender. Remove from heat, and measure cooked fruit. Add one cup of sugar to the pot for every cup of the fruit mixture. Mix in the lemon juice, about 1/4 cup. Return the fruit to the pan, add in infused honey, and bring to a boil once again. Boil, stirring occasionally, until the gel stage is reached (the temperature of the marmalade should be between 220 to 222° when checked with a kitchen thermometer). Remove from heat, and skim foam from the surface. Transfer the mixture to sterile jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace, and seal immediately. Process any unsealed jars in a water bath for 10 minutes. Refrigerate until needed, or after seal has been broken.
All About the Olive Tapenade Ingredients 1 cup mixed olives, pits removed
culture
4 tablespoons cannabis-infused honey
2 oranges, rinsed, sliced and seeded
growing
6 cups sugar, or as needed
Charcuterie boards are classic artisanal creations, with house-made pickles, roasted nuts, pâtés, cheeses and meats. You can usually find them at your local craft cocktail lounge or new hip neighborhood restaurant. Well, these boards are also some of the most fun ways to cater your own party with sophistication and ease. Cannabis Chef Payton Curry created the perfect cannasseur’s charcuterie and cheese board exclusively for CULTURE. Good for both canna-friendly guests and non-cannabis using guests alike, we’ve got the perfect charcuterie and cheese board with a few classic and easy cannabis-infused details like roasted nuts, fruit preserves, artisanal potato salad, pickled vegetables and tapenade. With a little help from your friendly grocer, you can find no-stress, high end breads, meats and cheeses to finish off this versatile platter.
24 kumquats, rinsed and thinly sliced
RECIPES
Recipes by Payton Curry
Ingredients
UNKNOWN
Infused Kumquat Marmalade
DESTINATION
The Cannasseur’s Charcuterie and Cheese Board
1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
Sweet and Spicy Infused Nuts
Directions
Ingredients
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 cup raw nuts (your choice of nuts)
Directions
1 tablespoon cannabis-infused olive oil t
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until chunky. Allow to rest overnight before serving.
1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Preheat oven to 325°. Toast nuts on a sheet pan in your preheated oven for about 7-10 minutes. Once the natural oils have come out, pull nuts out of the oven and drop temp to 225°. Toss nuts in medicated oil, and then the sugar/spice mixture while they are hot. Return nuts to the oven on a parchment-lined sheet pan for 10-15 minutes.
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.
t Additional recipe can be found at iReadCulture.com
iReadCULTURE.com march 2016
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3 tablespoons cannabis-infused olive oil t
PROFILES
2 garlic cloves
COURAGE
2 tablespoons white onion, chopped
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Chuck Shepherd's
News of the
Weird
LEAD STORY—STREAMING NEWS u (1) The “public art” statues unveiled in January by Fort Myers, Florida, Mayor Randy Henderson included a metal structure by sculptor Edugardo Carmona of a man walking a dog, with the dog “lifting his leg” beside a pole. Only after inspecting the piece more closely did many observers realize that the man, too, was relieving himself against the pole. Carmona described the work as commentary on man and dog “marking their territory.” (2) A recent anonymously authored “confidential” book by a National Football League player reported that “linemen, especially,” have taken to relieving themselves inside their uniforms during games, “a sign that you’re so into the game” that you “won’t pause (even) to use the toilet.”
CAN’T POSSIBLY BE TRUE u The popular Nell’s Country Kitchen in Winter Haven, Florida, was shut down again (for “remodeling,” the owner said) in December after a health inspector found that it had been operating for two weeks without its own running water—with only a garden hose connection, across its parking lot, to a neighbor’s spigot. It had also closed for a day earlier in 2015 because of mold, roach activity and rodent droppings (although management insisted that business had immediately picked up the day they reopened). u Oklahoma Justice: In 2004, abusive boyfriend 60
March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com
Robert Braxton Jr. was charged with badly beating up the three children of girlfriend Tondalo Hall, 20, with injuries ranging from bruises to fractured legs, ribs and a toe. Braxton got a deal from Oklahoma City prosecutors, pleaded guilty, served two years in prison, and was released in 2006. Hall’s plea “bargain” resulted in a 30-year sentence for having failed to protect her kids from Braxton, and she’s still in prison— and in September 2015 (following a rejected appeal and a rejected sentence modification), the Pardon and Parole Board refused, 5-0, even to commute her sentence to a time-served 10 years. GREAT ART! u Mike Wolfe, 35, of Nampa, Idaho, finally brought his dream to life for 2016—a calendar of photographs of “artistic” designs made by shaving images into his back hair. He said it took him about four months each for enough hair to grow back to give his designer-friend Tyler Harding enough to work with. (January, for instance, features “New Year” in lettering, with two champagne glasses; July’s is a flag-like waving stripes with a single star in the upper left). “Calendhairs” cost $20 each (with proceeds, Wolfe said, going to an orphanage connected to his church). UNCLEAR ON THE CONCEPT u Jamie, 29, and Abbie Hort, 21, an unemployed couple drawing housing and other government benefits, won a United Kingdom lottery prize in December 2014 worth about $72,000, promptly spent it all (including “some” on “silly” stuff, Abbie admitted), and according to a January press report, are angry now that the government will not immediately re-institute
their benefits. Abbie said, as lottery winners, she and Jamie “deserved to buy some nice stuff” and go on holiday, but that now, except for the large-screen TV and Jamie’s Ralph Lauren clothes, the winnings are gone. Said Jamie, this past Christmas was just “the worst ever.” u Public relations spokesman Phil Frame, 61, was arrested in Shelby Township, Michigan, after a Jan. 1 Sheriff’s Office search of his computer and paper files turned up child pornography. The Detroit News reported that Frame had already been questioned about child pornography, in September, by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and for some reason apparently was not intimidated enough (or was too lazy) to clear out his files. (The Homeland Security investigation is still ongoing).
WRONG PLACE, WRONG TIME (1) Neighbors in Inola, Oklahoma, complained in December and January about a Union Pacific train that had been parked “for weeks” while tracks up ahead were under repair. Not only does the train block a traffic intersection, it triggers the ringing of the crossing signal. “It’s annoying, yeah,” said one resident, apparently a master of understatement. (2) At a ski resort in western Vorarlberg, Austria, recently, as the ski lift was temporarily stopped (to address a problem elsewhere on the lift), one occupied lift basket came to rest directly in front of the industrial-strength artificial-snowmaking machine, drenching the two passengers in a several-minutes-long blizzard (of which, yes, Internet video exists).
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