Culture Magazine Washington January 2016 by Culture Magazine

CULTURE // January 2016

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January 2016 // CULTURE

CULTURE // January 2016

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January 2016 // CULTURE

january 2016

Contents 18

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Features

44 . historic ruling for canada mmj 46

. HEMP CBD vs. CANNABIS CBD

ORIGINAL ROCK

Get a taste of Blues Traveler’s passion and dedication to its own blend of Southern rock—not to mention its pure love and support for the cannabis industry. On the cover: Photo courtesy of Blues Traveler

Departments

NEWS

52 . THE CANNA-NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS

14 . News Nuggets 15 . By the Numbers 18 . Cannabis Growers Penalized in Snohomish County 22 . legal corner

58 . INDUSTRY INSIDER: IRVIN ROSENFELD, AUTHOR AND ADVOCATE

reviews

60 . HOPE IS RISING FOR THE INDUSTRIAL HEMP FARM ACT

28 . Strain Reviews

48 . YOUR 2016 CANNABIS TRAVEL PLANNER 50 . GET COZY WITH CANNABIS TEAS

62 . CannaCon is this year's biggest cannabis event in Washington

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24 . access point highlight 26 . advocate highlight

68 . Growing Culture 70 . Destination Unknown 71 . Profile in Courage 72 . Recipes 74 . washington Now! 75 . News of the Weird

WEB Exclusive! Vermont Medical School Offers Cannabis Science Course

Design Innovation Breaks Apart Open Floor Plans with HempBased Barriers

30 . cool stuff 32 . Entertainment Reviews

64 . Mindie Lind is a Phenom and an inspiration

Japan's First Lady is Completely Down for Hemp

SEE MORE ON OUR WEBSITE

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Vol 7 IssUE 7

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, Rick Thompson Art Director Steven Myrdahl production manager Tommy LaFleur Graphic Designers Tanya Delgadillo, Jonathan Ibarra Account Executives Greg Andes,Callie Belo, Jon Bookatz, Eric Bulls, Kim Cook, Ryan Dunn, Cole Garrison, Gene Gorelik, Yolanda Imoberstag, Emily Musser, Beau Odom, Justin Olson, Jim Saunders, Chris Thatcher, Paulina Porter-Tapia, April Tygart general Manager Iris Norsworthy Office Assistant Angelina Thompson director of digital media Brian Gingrich digital media Editor Kimberly Johnson Ctv Contributors Anna Logan,Chris Salazar Distribution Manager Cruz Bobadilla Culture速 Magazine is published every month and distributes 25,000 magazines at over 600 locations throughout Washington. No articles, illustrations, photographs, or other matter within may be reproduced without written permission. Culture速 Magazine is a registered trademark. All rights reserved. 815 1st Ave | #220 Seattle | Washington | 98104 Phone 888.694.2046 | Fax 888.694.2046 www.iReadCulture.com

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C STATE _______________________

NEWS NUGGETS

Businesses in Whatcom County Apply to Sell Medical Cannabis

The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board has received 19 applications for businesses interested in selling medical cannabis in Whatcom County. So far, the Board has approved six access points that have been running as recreational retailers, according to The Bellingham Herald. The Board started to receive applications in October as a way of ensuring properly mandated distribution of medical cannabis, as it is being incorporated into the recreational industry. Since medical cannabis has been unregulated until recently, medical access points must apply for a recreational license and the endorsement. The endorsement will not take effect until July 1, 2016. Any medical access points existing after July 1 without proper licensing must shut down. Applicants for the endorsement are being chosen based on three priorities, with top priority going to those who applied for a medical cannabis license prior to July 1, 2014.

the beginning of December, there was no further news to report regarding an update on the second and final reading of the ordinance as of this writing.

__________________________

NATION

Zoning Ordinance Coming into Place in Olympia

The Olympia City Council approved a first reading for a zoning ordinance that would allow more recreational access points, according to The Olympian. The ordinance will bring the access point count in the city from 243 to 427, and will reduce the 1,000-foot buffer zones to 500 feet in some cases, with the exception of the state mandated 1,000 feet rule which pertains to schools and playgrounds. The Liquor and Cannabis Board has made it clear that permits will be denied to any applicant whose business violates the 1,000-foot limit. Many access points will be forced to close or be relocated, such as Reiner Xpress, a facility dedicated to helping veterans, which does not meet the buffer requirement because it is located near a playground. Out of the 11 medical cannabis access points in Olympia, only two are already properly zoned. Although the ordinance received a first reading at

CULTURE // January 2016

Intractable Pain Approved as a Qualifying Condition for MMJ in Minnesota

the demands of patients. Minnesota was the 19th state, out of the 24 that have legalized medical cannabis, to add intractable pain to its list of qualifying conditions. Ehlinger will be able to consider and approve other conditions throughout next year, prospectively expanding the list.

__________________________

World

Germany Embraces the Cultivation of Medical Cannabis

The German government has decided to permit the cultivation of medical cannabis within the country. This comes as a relief for the German Hemp Association (Deutscher Hanfverband - DHV), who made this demand long ago for patients to have guaranteed access to the plant, according to DHV. This new regulation will eliminate Germany’s dependence on imported medical cannabis and contribute greatly to the country’s economy. George Wurth, Spokesman for the DHV, states, “Finally, the German economy is not decoupled and can develop their own cannabis industry. We are increasingly being contacted by entrepreneurs, interested in the production of medical cannabis.” Although this is great news, the DHV still demands that the government should allow patients to grow their own cannabis, which would allow them to eliminate insurance agencies and grow strains they find more appropriate for treating their conditions. c

Minnesota has added intractable pain to its small list of conditions that qualify patients to use medical cannabis. The decision was announced by the Department of Health’s Chair, Ed Ehlinger, nearly a month before the state’s January 1 deadline, according to Lexington Herald-Leader. Intractable pain is defined by the state as “pain that can’t otherwise be treated or cured” and is common amongst those who have been in car crashes or have undergone back surgery. The state’s medical cannabis program already has 760 patients, it is unsure how much the recently added condition will add to this amount, but concerns have risen as to whether or not the state’s two approved medical cannabis providers will be able to meet VISIT US AT

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by the numb3rs

The amount of money, in millions of dollars, that was made in November, in Washington, from legal recreational cannabis sales: 57 (Source: The Spokesman-Review)

118 142 19

The number of applications that were submitted by existing stores for medical cannabis “endorsements,” which would allow them to cater to medical cannabis patients: 118 (Source: The Olympian)

The number of retail medical cannabis licenses that were approved by Washington state government to operate by July 2016: 142 (Source: The News Tribune)

The number of applications received by Washington state for new cannabis retail licenses: 962 (Source: The Olympian)

99 1,081

The number of cannabis businesses in Whatcom County that applied to sell medical cannabis: 19 (Source: The Washington Times)

The decreased percentage of cannabis possession arrests since cannabis was legalized last year, in Washington D.C.: 99 (Source: The GW Hatchet)

The amount of money, in thousands of dollars, that was collected by Illinois medical cannabis businesses during the first week of the state’s medical cannabis program: 211 (Source: Daily Herald)

211

The number of new medical cannabis license applications received in Maryland: 1,081 (Source: WBOC)

“The Greg Kucera and Larry Yocom Collection” Greg Kucer and husband Larry Yocom have created one of the Northwest’s most established art collections over the span of 30 years. The collection focuses on contemporary and historic art from the Northwest, and features word-renowned artists. Because the collection is so diverse, this exhibit focuses on Kucer and Yocom’s tastes as collectors with pieces selected by museum curators, that most signify this observation. As a regionally focused exhibition, this show also presents the “opportunity to survey a cultural ecosystem where artist, dealer, collector and the public-at-large all have key contributions to make.” From the abstract works of Jeffrey Simon to the political pieces of Kara Walker, this serves as a great starting point for those interested in experiencing a wide variety of artists, while realizing the tremendous talent deriving from this region.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: “The Greg Kucera and Larry Yocom Collection.” WHEN/WHERE: On view through March 25. Washington State University Museum of Art, off the corner of S Stadium Wy. and Wilson Rd., Pullman. INFO: Visit www.museum. wsu.edu for details.

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Bad for Growth

B by Emily Manke

Back in June, we covered the story of the Snohomish growers banding together to sue the county. In addition to the lawsuit never coming to fruition, the county never backed down on blocking recreational cannabis grows in R5 zones. One of the cannabis cultivators involved in the potential lawsuit was kind enough to get CULTURE up-to-date on the lawsuit, and some of their struggles with bureaucracy in Snohomish County. Due to the ongoing nature of their battle with Snohomish County, our source wishes to remain anonymous. The source weighed in on the lawsuit stating, “The lawsuit was on the tip of everybody’s tongues right after the ban happened in May, but several people in the R5 co-op talked with lawyers about it and came to the conclusion that it was not worth pursuing,” they said. “Basically, the lawyers said that it would cost $150,000 minimum to file a lawsuit and that we wouldn’t win.” “This is due to the fact that the vesting issue has already gone to the highest court in WA State and there is already a precedent set. Simply put, if you do not apply for a building permit before a zoning law is legally changed (by a county council in this case), then you are not legally vested or ‘grandfathered in,’ and there is nothing you can do about it.” Even with all the legal hassles, and having to move, this particular grower’s business has persisted. Investors were found, and a new location is in the works. And it’s no surprise. According to the Washington State Liquor Control Board’s data, Washington state residents are buying over $2 million worth of cannabis a day. Bothell, which borders, and

CULTURE // January 2016

Snohomish County Continues to Penalize Cannabis Growers

“Due to the overreaction by the planning dept., and the County Council basically wasted a year and a half of my life and tens of thousands of dollars. None of which I will ever get back. But that is nothing compared to what some others lost.” sometimes even meanders into Snohomish County, earned the ninth most in cannabis excise tax in Washington. So, despite the struggle, investors are still eager to get in on this burgeoning industry. Which is a huge relief after a hard run for some growers, but not for everyone. “Due to the overreaction by the planning dept., the County Council basically wasted a year and a half of my life and tens of thousands of dollars. None of which I will ever get back. But that is nothing compared to what some others lost.” Snohomish County seems to have a troubled relationship with cannabis. The city of Snohomish currently has a ban on

all recreational cannabis stores. Locals are working hard to reverse the ban. The Snohomish City Council will revisit the issue in 2016. In 2014, six cities, including Snohomish, banned the sale of cannabis. That number stood out as high for the Western Washington counties. Considering Washington State is raking in millions in tax revenue, hindering cannabis production seems shortsighted. c VISIT US AT

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C r e n r co l a g le by Hilary Bricken

Out With the Old, In With the New

ith passage of Senate Bill 5052, the old medical cannabis collective garden model will be over and done with by July 1, 2016 in Washington State. This means that all of the collective garden “access points,” aka dispensaries, will be shuttered by this coming summer if not sooner. SB5052 ensures that Washington’s medical cannabis system becomes one with its I-502 recreational cannabis system. To accommodate the transition into what will be essentially a combined recreational-medical cannabis system, the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board re-opened the retail license application process and lifted the statewide retail license cap, and it is trying to license as quickly as possible those MMJ access points with Priority 1 licensure status under the new state laws and regulations. This year, the Washington State legislature also passed House Bill 2136, an I-502 “technical fix bill.” Among other things, HB-2136 allows cities and counties to reduce the 1,000-foot buffer rule to as low as a 100-foot buffer from statemandated sensitive uses, with the sole exception of schools and playgrounds. Most cities have not taken advantage of the buffer reduction option. However, the city of Seattle is working on changing its land use rules through its “Marijuana Amendments Ordinance” so as to allow for more cannabis retail storefronts in the city. This makes sense, since Seattle

CULTURE // January 2016

limitations as set forth in RCW 69.51A.085. Regarding zones in which cannabis businesses can locate, the proposed ordinance keeps pace with Seattle’s old cannabis zoning ordinance in that major cannabis activity is still prohibited in the following zones: Single-family zones Multifamily zones Neighborhood Commercial 1 (NC1) zones Pioneer Square Mixed (PSM)

still has over 100 operating MMJ access points and delivery services and if at least some of those cannabis businesses are not accommodated, they will disappear. According to the Seattle Mayor’s office, the new land use rules “would . . . allow the siting of state-licensed stores more equitably and fairly throughout Seattle while also limiting the possibility of clustering retail stores on a single city block.” The new ordinance provides as follows: [T]he 1,000-foot restriction from playgrounds and schools would remain in effect while restrictions for all other public amenities would be reduced to 500 feet (approximately 1-2 city blocks). The new rule would establish an additional 1,650 acres for retail locations to be sited in Seattle. In addition, retailers must locate at least 500 feet from each other. The ordinance also creates odor standards for producers and processors engaged in “Major Marijuana Activity” which entails the city working with the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency to determine for each producer and processor what steps need to be taken to reduce odor emission and pollutants. The ordinance defines “Major Marijuana Activity” to encompass all selling, producing and processing of cannabis, which is a change from Seattle’s old cannabis laws that based the definition on plant count and ounce

International District Mixed (IDM) International District Residential (IDR) Downtown Harborfront 1 (DH1) Downtown Harborfront 2 (DH2) Pike Market Mixed (PMM) Ballard Avenue Landmark District Columbia City Landmark District Fort Lawton Landmark District Harvard-Belmont Landmark District International Special Review District Pike Place Market Historical District Pioneer Square Preservation District Sand Point Overlay District Stadium Transition Area Overlay District

Should the city of Seattle pass this new ordinance (and we believe that it will), the race will be on for potential retailers to find viable property within relatively limited zoning that meets even the new 500 foot buffer requirements. This already has some industry stakeholders in a fit either because their existing spaces will not qualify even under the new, more liberal buffer rules, or simply because finding space in this city has become impossibly difficult and expensive. In addition, none of this means that Seattle landlords are ready and willing to lease their spaces to cannabis businesses. So, though the reduction of state buffers is undoubtedly positive to provide greater access to cannabis, it’s way easier said than done when it comes to actualization, particularly in the Emerald City. c VISIT US AT

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Access Point HIGHLIGHT

Tacoma Holistic Collective Interviewed: Kevin Heiderich (Owner) 3908 6th Ave., Tacoma, 98406 www.tacomaholistic.com What’s the story behind the name of your access point? We based our name on the acronym for THC. The T stands for Tacoma, where we are located. The H stands for Holistic. This is because we are a medical collective and focused on the holistic healing aspect that MMJ patients need, and the C stands for Collective because we are here to serve both our patients and our community. What does your access point offer patients that they can’t find anywhere else? We offer knowledgeable staff that genuinely take an interest into each individual patient’s health goals and takes pride in seeing their success. How has the cannabis industry in Washington changed since you have been in the business? Where would you like to see it go? The MMJ industry resembles a completely different animal from the time we started two years ago. The number one change we’ve seen for MMJ patients is the decline in products, providers and access points. Moving forward, our vision is to provide a robust variety of products which enable patients to accurately

CULTURE // January 2016

treat their conditions time and again. Also, increased regulation of production and testing of product will lend themselves to more consistent and high quality products for Washington state patients. What are the biggest challenges you face in this industry as an access point? Biggest joys? Our biggest challenge is adapting to the changing rules set for MMJ in Washington State. We must remain true to the best practices we have established and set the bar high going forward, while being compliant with all coming regulations. The biggest joy is when a patient has breakthrough success. Being a community oriented collective we have the privilege to see and interact with our patients on a local and personal level. It is also very exciting being part of an industry that is blossoming after we close the history books of over 80 years on prohibition.

What is the one thing you want patients to know about your access point? At our access point the two corner stones we start with in product acquisition are quality and consistencies, as these are the primary barriers to treating patients’ conditions. Our staffs’ product knowledge helps pair the proper meds to the client’s needs that most effectively treats the patient and ensures the best chances of them reaching their healthcare goals. If someone wanted to open an access point and get their feet wet in the industry, what advice or counsel would you give them? Start looking at other states that are going to pass MMJ legalization such as Florida, Missouri and Ohio.

Top-Selling Strain: Platinum Girl Scout Cookies Top-Selling Concentrate: Jesus OG Top-Selling Edible: Home Style Brownies

What is the most important thing you hope to accomplish while in the MJ/ MMJ community? We hope to achieve full legalization where one could grow in their own backyard. I hope to champion the message to both law makers and the public at large that cannabis is a much safer alternative than prescription medication. c

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Advocate HIGHLIGHT

Raya Thomas Occupation: Student, activist

When and how did you become an advocate for cannabis? It wasn’t until I became a medical patient that I really started advocating for marijuana. Shortly after obtaining my recommendation I started working as a bud-tender in a medical collective. It was then that I gained the vast knowledge that I now use to educate people about cannabis’ advanced medicinal properties. How has cannabis benefited your life? Cannabis has greatly benefited me and the chronic pain that I deal with. I have a rare bone disease called Fibrous Dysplasia (FD). Basically, my body takes normal healthy bone and replaces it with fibrous tissue. The tumors are extremely painful and fragile leaving us, suffering from FD, more susceptible to fractures and breaks. I had a rod placed in my leg in 2012 and ever since then I’ve suffered with excruciatingly unbearable pain. When I finally built up the courage to ask my doctor about using marijuana for my pain I was amazed that she wrote a recommendation.

CULTURE // January 2016

With her blessing, I felt more comfortable using marijuana again for the first time in five years. I was shocked at how effective it was and the many ways to medicate. Having access to high CBD strains, tinctures, edibles, pills and patches has forever changed my life. Cannabis has been just as, if not more, effective than any other prescription I have ever tried. Not to mention safer. I love having access to safer alternative natural medicines. If you could change one thing about the way cannabis is viewed and/ or treated right now, what would it be? I’d love to see the idea that marijuana is a drug to dissipate. It isn’t a drug, it is a plant. One with a multitude of medicinal values. Grown in the ground not made in a lab. It breaks my heart to still hear people calling it a “gate way drug” when in reality it is safer than alcohol and cigarettes. c VISIT US AT

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Available AT: Emerald City Collective In Seattle.

Super Hazy Train

Gorilla Glue

STRAIN

This incredibly dense, yellow-green is remarkably crystal-packed. Chunky flowers, and a pungent smell definitely make Gorilla Glue standout in a crowd. The genetic makeup of this hybrid flower is a bit murky, but it’s generally accepted as being sativa-dominant. Upon consumption via water pipe, the most noticeable flavor present was a sort-of sweet pine flavor that was unique and quite nice. Gorilla Glue’s effects were immediate and powerful. Though the happy and uplifting sativa traits are present in droves, so is the relaxation from the indica genes. And as with any powerful relaxing medicine, this is accompanied by a bit of a brain fog. So this strain may not be suitable for daytime smoking, or productivity for some. But it is perfect for recreational or social outings for all cannabis users. Because who doesn’t want to be more happy, uplifted and relaxed?

Lime-green in color, abundant yellow-orange hairs, with leaves completely draped in crystals, this flower is an attractive site. Upon giving it a squeeze and a sniff, the aroma was strong and incredibly unique. In addition to the more standard piney and earthy smell, the scent is savory, almost yeasty like bread. This sativa-dominant hybrid has a diverse genetic background that makes for some high-quality flower. Lineage includes Haze and Trainwreck. We consumed this flower using a water pipe, and found the flavor to be pleasant and delicate, with a slight sweetness not present in the aroma. The effects are gentle, pleasurable, blissful and elevating. It has all the markers of a good sativa. It’s giggly, energetic and conducive to creativity. Whether hiking or painting, Super Hazy Train will lift you up without bogging you down.

Available AT: Green Organics in Tacoma.

Strawberry Cough

Available AT: Greenside Recreational in Des Moines.

Purple Nepal

The package for this Strawberry Cough from SPARK has the word “focus” featured prominently on the front, along with a smaller “sativa” to cleverly indicate the flower’s attributes. On the back of the package is where you’ll find the hard data: The strain name, Strawberry Cough, and the THC percentage, 18.6 percent. So right away with this flower, you know what you’re getting into. A light and airy flower, this is perfect for undertaking creative projects. And after using a vaporizer and water pipe to ingest this flower, it lived up to its claims. It’s the perfect mild flower to bring to share in a mixed crowd with various tolerances. It will provide a nice pick-me-up for the serious cannabis users, and a wonderful, happy and euphoric experience for those with low tolerances to cannabis (even first-time users).

There’s something to be said about nice, dark purple buds, like this Purple Nepal from Mana Gardens. The contrast between the fine but plentiful light orange hairs, and the dark green undertones on the neatly-trimmed sugar leaf is stunning. Purple Nepal is a cross between an original strain from Nepal, and Lemon Thai. Whatever it was exactly that was mixed with the Lemon Thai, produced a flower so aromatic and complex you have to smell it to believe it. Once the sweet fruity aroma hits you, you know you’re in for a treat. And after we inhaled this flower using a water pipe and vaporizer, it did the trick. This indica-dominant strain provides a tranquil and joyful experience, but it’s still clear-headed. While some indicas can overpower more moderate cannabis users, this strain seems like it would be suitable for anyone in the right environment. And for moderate to serious cannabis users, Purple Nepal is totally appropriate for undertaking some daytime activities, such as exercise, light housework and relaxed artistic work.

CULTURE // January 2016

Available AT: various access points throughout Washington State.

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cool stuff Phantom Open D.E. System

The Commercial DE Open Lighting System is state-of-the-art doubleended technology that uniformly delivers optimum photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) value over a broad footprint. With the unique ability to remove its ballast, this product allows you to eliminate heat generated by the ballast, making it convenient for controlling temperatures. Designed with a high-precision microprocessor, the ballast is totally silent, lightweight, highly efficient and extremely reliable. Aside from its innovative design, Phantom Ballasts Commercial DE is equipped with an efficient reflector that dissipates heat and elongates lamp life.

miVape

GET YOUR CLICK HERE PRICE: $259.99

Utilizing high-quality quartz crystal glass components, including a glass heating element, heat chamber, airway and mouthpiece, the miVape delivers the truest tasting, full-flavored vapor of any portable vaporizers. The uniquely designed and patented spiraling glass airway cools the vapor long before it gets to the mouthpiece, so there’s no burning in your throat. Its long battery life is just as important as its clean and discreet ergonomic design. The miVape is also dual voltage and can charge on 110/220V.

Holmes Smart Wifi-Enabled WeMo TrueHEPA Premium Air Purifier

Thanks to this bad boy, you can keep the air in your home clean and pure for you and your loved ones, no matter where you are. The Holmes® Smart Air Purifier with WeMo® can be controlled from anywhere using your smart phone or device. Set a weekly schedule, receive air quality status and be informed when to adjust settings. This air purifier operates quietly and reduces common odors and allergens without any annoying buzz or hum. True HEPA filtration captures up to 99.97 percent of airborne particles like pollen, dust, mold, pet dander and smoke. Seriously clean air at the touch of your finger.

CULTURE // January 2016

PRICE: $589 MORE INFORMATION: hydrofarm.com

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PRICE: $19.99 MORE INFORMATION: makingyoubetterbrands.com

Xternal Cream

PRICE: $199.99 MORE INFORMATION: holmesproducts.com

The wondrous aspects of cannabinoids and their capacity for cell rejuvenation are infused into this amazing facial grade, all natural Xternal Cream for full body relief. Simply massage onto an area that hurts! This amazing cream is cited in Ed Rosenthal’s book, Beyond Buds, and is great for sprains, stiffness, joint pain, arthritis, muscle aches and even skin irritation! Because the main ingredient in this cream is THCA, which is an anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective, people are using the cream as a beauty aid showing impressive results. This cream is used by professional and weekend athletes alike to deter pain in 60 seconds before and after their sporting activities too!

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entertainment Release Date: January 26 Available on: PS4

Cannabis Regeneration: A Multiple Harvest Method for Greater Yields J.B. Haze Green Candy Press

The Witness Dev. Thekla, Inc. Pub. Thekla, Inc.

Coming from the mastermind behind the unique platformer, Braid, comes a new game about discovery. The Witness is a puzzle game set in first-person view with a simple goal: Complete the puzzles in all 10 sections of the island in order to reach the top of the mountain. There’s a total of 650 puzzles to seek out and complete, which will allow players to explore the vastly different genomes of the island and pick up clues about the its previous inhabitants who have long since disappeared. (Nicole Potter)

Editorials: (wartunes) Silas Blak Cabin Games

For those looking for a bit of hip-hop that harkens back to the golden days, then look no further than Silas Blak. A veteran of Seattle’s independent hip-hop community, Blak returns an older, wiser and more seasoned MC with a lot to say. Blak’s proper debut, Editorials: (wartunes), is chock-full of passionate, well-crafted and beautifully delivered rhymes touching on everything from police harassment and brutality to commentary on the state of popular hip-hip and other social issues. Blak easily demonstrates that while he may be one of the scene’s elders, his music is just as fresh and remarkable as it ever was. (Simon Weedn)

Marijuana Business Association Meeting

This is a great new book for cannabis growers, large and small. Written specifically for the intermediate cannabis grower, this book focuses on showing exactly how to get multiple harvests from one single plant. Including info about the basics of growing as well as expert tips, the author goes into great detail about his revolutionary grow method that increases plant production at home, and saves time and money. Utilizing the whole plant for multiple harvests using regeneration, this author shows us how easy it can be to use the same plant for as many harvests as possible, without compromising the quality of your buds. (Alex Bradley)

Cooties Lionsgate Dir. Jonathan Milott, Cary Murnion

Over the last few years, the zombie genre has undergone something of a renaissance. New directors Jonathan Millot and Cary Murnion put a new twist on some classic horror monsters with their debut film, Cooties. The film follows the harrowing struggles of a group of elementary school teachers, lead by Elijah Wood (Lord Of The Rings, Wilfred) and Rainn Wilson (The Office, Super), as they battle their way through ever growing hordes of zombie children and attempt to escape their infested school. For those with a particularly dark sense of humor, Cooties is one to watch immediately. (Simon Weedn)

CULTURE // January 2016

The Marijuana Business Association (MJBA) is one of the most prominent B2B associations in the industry today, as its goal is to maintain a regulated cannabis industry so that it can thrive compliantly with state and federal laws. MJBA welcomes all cannabis law and business professionals to its meetings, in order to grow a strong network of advocates who are highly educated in the cannabis industry. This is a great platform for those who would like to obtain insight on the cannabis industry in terms of business and legality. With thousands of digital publications read by thousands of cannabis supporters MJBA is the “authoritative voice” of cannabis in America. Build up a network of trusted advisors by attending MJBA’s monthly meet ups, and start your journey in the industry of cannabis.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Marijuana Business Association Meetup. WHEN/WHERE: Tues, Jan. 19. The Factory Luxe, 3100 Airport Way S., Seattle. INFO: Visit www.mjba.net for details.

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CULTURE // January 2016

Photos courtesy of Blues Traveler and Brandon Hill

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Blues Traveler won our hearts with its original rock music, but its dedication and passion keeps us comin’ back for more by Paul Rogers The true success of a rock band is measured by decades of experience in musical creation and performances—but a band can only truly be honored when it manages to both, innovate and maintain its core sound over the course of a long career. Blues Traveler, for instance, didn’t win a multi-platinum Grammy Award for lack of hard work—its strides in the blues rock genre have transformed the category into the scene that you see today. Many believe that the “jam band” scene of the 1990s blossomed because of Blues Traveler. Others praise its unique approach to improvisation during live shows or uniquely segueing one song to the next. But everyone can agree that Blues Traveler has approached its Southern rock sound in a way that few can emulate. Blues Traveler, like many great rock bands, began as a simple garage band made of up high school students John Popper, Brendan Hill, Chan Kinchala and Bobby Sheenan living in New Jersey in the mid-1980s. However, it wasn’t until the group moved into a shared apartment in New York City following graduation that Blues Traveler began to gain notoriety at local venues. Soon enough, the band signed to its very first record label, and began touring the East coast following the release of its first self-titled album. Later on, following the group’s founding of the H.O.R.D.E. festival and its release of the next album, four, famous tunes such as “Run-Around” and “Hook” were conceived. One could say that the rest is history, but Blues Traveler’s rise to mainstream success was only the beginning. The band’s movement across the blues rock board has been steadily climbing, leading up to its newest album release, Blow Up the Moon, early last year. CULTURE caught up with the band’s drummer, Brendan Hill, at a tour-stop in Minneapolis to discuss the current progress and future of Blues Traveler’s music, what he thinks about medical cannabis, and his own personal venture into the cannabis industry. >>

January 2016 // CULTURE

of the culture. So I think it hasn’t really changed that much from my perspective! I think we’re seeing it become more mainstream. I love the shift that I have seen [away] from the ecstasy and cocaine which was kind of in my lifetime, in the ‘90s, and heroine and those kinds of much harder substances that were highly addictive and destroyed peoples’ lives. My prediction is, a few years from now, you’re going to see there’s going to be a huge artistic blossoming from those places like Washington, Oregon and Alaska because these artists and people that have been hiding or not using [cannabis] openly being able to say “this is my artwork that was inspired when I was able to consume legally.” I think it’s just a wonderful time to be in the forefront of this industry and it’s a great opportunity to do some good as well as to be a part of this exciting venture.

Blues Traveler released its 12th studio album, Blow Up the Moon, in April and will celebrate its 30th anniversary in a couple of years. What are the secrets of this rare longevity? We’ve been through pretty much everything together and I think we’ve stayed friends, which is a very important part of making music together. You want to be able to trust the other people you’re playing with. This latest record reflects even a new approach to that trust, in which we’ve brought outside people [including 3OH!3, Plain White T’s, The Dirty Heads and Thompson Square] in to collaborate . . . I

think it’s one of the most innovative [albums] for us, in our career, just because it spans so many different styles, musically. Blues Traveler was associated with the 1990s jam band scene, which was somewhat synonymous with cannabis use. How have you seen attitudes to cannabis shift over the course of your music career? It was just part and parcel of being in the scene back in the day. We were in the New York club scene and it was very prevalent. Most of the groups that we played with in the early days were jam band music that we all listened to–Grateful Dead, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Pink Floyd, even The Beatles–and all those groups sort of had that same acceptance of cannabis and it was just kind of part

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You’ve been a professional musician for the great majority of your adult life. Is your dispensary, Paper & Leaf, your first business venture outside of the music industry? I’ve done production, producing of records and I’ve done a lot of [recording] engineering. I’ve been in other music groups. But outside of the music industry, yes. [My partner had] never done anything like this before either . . . and we had a shared vision, so I think for us both this was a really exciting adventure to do but we kind of needed somebody else to bounce ideas off of that we kind of spoke the same language with. Washington is one of only four U.S. states where recreational cannabis has been legalized. How does so-

called “pot tourism” factor into the Paper & Leaf business model? We’ve seen . . . people coming in from other states and even from Canada and other countries who are interested in just seeing what [cannabis] looks like. I think before Washington and Colorado legalized that Amsterdam was possibly the only place where you could actually go into a store and look at a menu and order something and feel like you weren’t doing something wrong. It’s a really good thing for people to see that the stores can be done in a way which is very friendly, very artistically done and very welcoming, so when they go back to their home state they’ll be more likely to encourage their friends and family to vote in the positive for initiatives that might come on the ballots in the future. >> VISIT US AT

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January 2016 // CULTURE

CULTURE // January 2016

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January 2016 // CULTURE

How have the (non-regulated) medical and (regulated) recreational cannabis industries coexisted in Washington since the state’s first recreational licenses were issued last July? And how could the overhaul of Initiative 502 earlier this year help to effectively merge the two? It’s been a fine line. There have been some excellent dispensaries that have been open for years and years and perhaps started on the underground but had been serving and doing everything correctly–basically serving as a coop and a collective garden for medical patients that really do need the product. I think the dispensaries that have followed the rules and have paid their taxes and had business licenses, I think with Initiative 5052, these will be the first ones to actually receive the next set of licenses . . . And I think that’s a really great way to do it. I think the state’s doing it basically merit-wise, which I think is a really good next phase. I think there’s going to be quite a few more medicinal/recreational stores opening up–it could be in the hundreds, maybe even the thousands, but I do see that there is a big move for the medicinal market to be kind of rolled into the recreational, because now it’s kind of this slightly grey line. I think the state’s just saying that if you kind of lump it all together and you’re able to tax the medicinal customers slightly less but increase the amount that they can buy . . . it’s a little more easily governed. That will also dissuade the

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black market and the other various elements which have given cannabis a bad name. Is the integration of medical and recreational going to become the new model for legal access to cannabis nationwide? I believe that there are many states now that have medicinal marijuana on their ballots and the way Washington did it and Colorado was perhaps different than other states are going to do. I think recreational first and then kind of putting the medicinal into the recreational was just how it happened in Washington, but in states like Michigan, I think even Florida and New York State have medicinal initiatives coming up on the ballot [and] actually it might be better to start that way because those are the people that really kind of feel like they’re being persecuted for something which they believe is medicine, which I think is very accurate. [Cannabis] should be accessible by everybody who needs it and then I think the recreational part is something that will follow hopefully quicker after that, because people will see that it’s not, in my opinion, as dangerous as alcohol—you can’t overdose on it. There are so many reasons why cannabis should be legal recreationally for people over 21. What could be the social and medical ramifications of such a proliferation of legalized recreational cannabis? So many people are clamoring for it–there’s

got to be a reason why. Let’s start studying [cannabis] and I think that will kind of force the hand of the federal government to deschedule it as a Schedule III, I’m hoping, so doctors and pharmacists and chemists can actually start doing the research. There’s so many unofficial studies about the effects of [cannabis on] chemotherapy, easing stomach pain and increasing appetite; and glaucoma, reducing stress on the backs of the eyes; to muscle aches . . . I think it would be so wonderful if we could finally say, OK, this does help treat X. It just baffles me that we’re not doing research on a plant which seems like it has so many wonderful medicinal benefits and we need to change this–declassify it so that the researchers can actually start looking at this and not fear prosecution. Finally, what does the near future hold for you–both with Blues Traveler and Paper & Leaf? Very busy, I think! I’m a player, so I love being on stage, I love playing my instrument, I love recording–I love those aspects, which I don’t think will ever go away. There’s a kind of adrenaline you get when you’re performing on stage–it’s hard to replace that with anything else, so I think music will always be a part of my life and Blues Traveler is a wonderful thing that I helped to create and so it’s always going to be a part of my life. c

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January 2016 // CULTURE

Historic Conviction in Canada May be One of Many Steps Towards Legalization by Victoria Banegas

recent conviction set forth by a Canadian judge reveals the gradual changes the country is making towards the acceptance of cannabis culture. Judge Pierre Chevalier of Quebec, made history one day in late November when he charged, 46-year-old cannabis patient, Mario Larouche $1.30 for cultivating 30 cannabis plants. Larouche, who suffers from pain as a result of a 2000 car accident, tried many times to get certification for medical cannabis, but was denied. Taking matters into his own hands, Larouche cultivated plants for personal use, which were seized from his truck by police in late June. When Chevalier announced Larouche was guilty, no one expected the verdict that he was to follow. “We are in a society where people are accused of possession and use of marijuana while more than half the population has already consumed. These are laws that are obsolete and ridiculous,” Chevalier said in support of his decision. So far, 600,000 Canadians have criminal records for possession of small amounts of cannabis, while statistics show that cannabis use amongst Canadians 15 to 24 is the highest amongst the developed world, according to the Washington Post. With the government spending 500

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million in Canadian dollars annually on drug reformation, roughly 50 million of that goes towards regulating cannabis as police forces conduct massive sweeps of cannabis grow sites each year. Although the country has shown indifference towards cannabis, recently instated Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau promised to make it legal as early as 2016, according to Yahoo News. Trudeau, like Chevalier, believes that cannabis prohibition is outdated and unjustified. So far, there is no specific information as to how Trudeau and the liberal party plan to begin this journey, but they have revealed plans to regulate cannabis similar to Colorado and Washington. Support from Canadians is evident as cannabis support is at its highest rate in three decades. A recent poll conducted by Forum Research revealed that 59 percent of those who participated were in support of the Liberal Party’s plans to legalize cannabis recreationally. Although things seem to be changing for the better, there are still those who are clinging onto cannabis prohibition for dear life. CULTURE got in touch with Larouche’s lawyer, Catherine Barriére Gratton, who informed us that the Crown’s office is appealing the sentence. Gratton went on to state in an email, “Legal precedents in similar cases were

“We are in a society where people are accused of possession and use of marijuana while more than half the population has already consumed. These are laws that are obsolete and ridiculous.” presented before the Court and have shown the Court’s clemency in such situations. Fines are sometimes presented as joint submissions and given in our district for similar cases.” Let’s hope the Court’s clemency allows Larouche to receive the medical attention he needs and is convicted fairly for his actions. c VISIT VISIT US US AT AT iReadCulture.com iReadCulture.com

January 2016 // CULTURE

Hemp Derived CBD vs. Cannabis Derived CBD

CULTURE // January 2016

Where’s the

Difference?

by Lanny Swerdlow, RN LNC

ven though most people who experience the cannabis high produced by THC find it to be pleasant and stimulating, for some reason medicine that makes you feel good while getting you well is frowned upon. Enter cannabidiol, commonly referred to as CBD, as a way to obtain the medicinal benefits of cannabis without the THC psychoactive effects making CBD an acceptable gateway drug to the world of cannabis. CBD is a powerful cannabinoid with research showing it to be effective in reducing cancer cell growth, minimizing seizures and convulsions in children, decreasing inflammation, mitigating pain and providing therapeutic relief for many other ailments. This newfound interest in CBD has led to an explosion of CBD oils made from industrial hemp. In terms of its molecular structure CBD is CBD is CBD—it’s the same molecule whether the CBD comes from hemp, cannabis or a test tube. Hemp generally has a CBD concentration around 3.5 percent CBD which is pretty low but the concentration of THC is even lower, usually less than 1 percent. Hemp meets the criteria of being low in THC, but its level of CBD is relatively low especially in comparison to certain cannabis strains, which have significantly higher amount of CBD than industrial hemp. Whether the CBD comes from hemp or cannabis flowers is not the ultimate factor. The key factor is the process by which the CBD is extracted, concentrated and formulated. Cannabis strains such as Charlotte’s Web, Avidekel and ACDC are low in THC but high in CBD with up to a 20 percent CBD concentration level. By comparison, hemp’s typical 3.5 percent CBD concentration level is rather paltry. Since the concentration of CBD is low in hemp, it requires large amounts of hemp to produce a small amount of CBD oil. The most efficient and least expensive way to extract the CBD oil is to use solvents, but dangerous solvent residues can remain in the CBD oil. In 2014, Project CBD, a California-based nonprofit dedicated to promoting and publicizing research into the medical uses VISIT VISIT USUS ATATiReadCulture.com iReadCulture.com

“The whole effort to harness CBD from industrial hemp is fraught with challenges that are made more difficult by the fact that fiber hemp plants with high amounts of CBD by dry weight—like the ACDC cannabis strain—are not yet available for industrial grows.”

of CBD, tested several CBD hemp oil products available to the public over the Internet and found significant levels of toxic solvent residues in random samples. CBD oil extracted from industrial hemp is a thick tar-like substance that needs to be thinned with a compound such as propylene glycol. A widespread additive found in CBD vape oil cartridges, propylene glycol may convert to formaldehyde, a known carcinogen, when heated and inhaled. Hexane, a solvent frequently used to extract CBDs from hemp, has been found by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to be neurotoxic producing numbness in the extremities, muscular weakness, blurred vision, headache and fatigue, according to a official statement by the EPA. Even if it is possible to produce solvent-free CBD oil from hemp, there is another problem in that industrial hemp is a bio-accumulator that naturally absorbs toxic substances from the soil. Hemp is such an efficient

bio-accumulator that it was used at the Chernobyl Nuclear power plant after the meltdown because it is excellent at sucking up heavy metals and radiation, according to McGraw Hill Education. Great for healing the earth, but not for healing humans. Martin Lee, co-founder and Director of Project CBD, summarizes the problems of obtaining CBD from hemp. “The whole effort to harness CBD from industrial hemp is fraught with challenges that are made more difficult by the fact that fiber hemp plants with high amounts of CBD by dry weight—like the ACDC cannabis strain—are not yet available for industrial grows.” There are other considerations as well. One of the most important is that CBD by itself does not work as well as CBD in conjunction with THC. In what is known as the entourage effect, the medical efficacy of CBD is enhanced in the presence of THC. The proper ratio of CBD to THC varies from person to person, but as Martin Lee points

out “the best ratio of THC to CBD is often the most THC a person can comfortably handle.” The bottom line is since hemp is so low in THC and other cannabis components, you don’t get much of an entourage effect when you use hemp oil as when you are using oil derived from a CBD-rich cannabis plant. If certain cannabis flowers are so much better for producing CBD, then why all this fuss over industrial hemp? Rather than anything to do with medical science, it has everything to do with the illegal status of cannabis. The manufacturers of CBD oil from hemp claim that it is legal to market their products as a dietary supplement even though the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has refused to recognize hemp-derived CBD oil as a dietary supplement. The FDA singled out for criticism CBD oil producers for making unsubstantiated medical claims about treating pain, spasms, cancer and other ailments. The

FDA has never approved CBD as a supplement for any kind of medical use. Under current state medical marijuana laws, the only way a CBD-infused oil product—derived from hemp or cannabis—can be used legally for therapeutic purposes would be for it to be grown, harvested, processed and consumed by a certified patient in a state that has legalized medical cannabis. That is not the case with products made from CBD hemp oil imported from abroad which remain illegal under both federal and state laws. For many reasons, CBD-rich cannabis is a better source of CBD than industrial hemp. The only reason CBD derived from hemp is gaining any notoriety is as an attempted end-run around federal law. When cannabis prohibition is ended and cannabis is treated like any other agricultural product, CBD will be extracted from the best source of cannabidiol—CBD-rich cannabis. The need to derive CBD from industrial hemp will end. c

January 2016 // CULTURE

2016 Cannabis Travel Planner

Consider touring the great U.S. of A. with green-colored glasses!

by Sheryll Alexander

hether you live in a recreational or medical cannabis state, a soon-to-be legal state or your state is still in the dark ages when it comes to cannabis, travel to a recreational state seems like a whole lotta fun, right? In fact, cannabis tourism is still in its infancy and– even in legal states–the continued stigma has kept cannabis tours on the fringes of the multi-billiondollar travel industry.

CULTURE // January 2016

Still, with a whopping eight states (California, Arizona, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio) having good potential at going recreational this fall in 2016’s election cycle, now is a good time to start planning for that ultimate cannabisfriendly trip. Fortunately, there’s no shortage of cannabis cups, music festivals, expos and business summits to please any and all travelers. And the list keeps growing every year. >>

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Ready to book a cannabis-themed trip in 2016? Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a comprehensive global calendar to help with your travel plans:

Top 2016 Cannabis Events January 8-10: HempCon, Bakersfield, California January 9-10: THC Hemp & Cannabis Fair, Medford/Ashland, Oregon January 21-22: The Emerald Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada January 22-24: HempCon, San Jose, California January 29-31: Hawaii Cannabis Expo, Honolulu, Hawaii January 30-31: Indo Expo Show, Denver, Colorado January 30-31: High Times Cannabis Cup, San Bernardino, California February 1-2: Dispensary Next Conference, Portland, Oregon

February 3-5: Women Grow Leadership Summit, Denver, Colorado February 5-7: High Times Cannabis Cup, San Bernardino, California February 13-14: Cannabis Business Conference, San Francisco, California February 18: California Year of Marijuana Law Symposium, Los Angeles, California March 3-5: Marijuana Investor Summit, San Francisco, California March 7-9: Canna Tech International Summit, Tel Aviv, Israel March 9: Dab.A.Doo Invitational, Barcelona, Spain March 11-13: Spannabis, Barcelona, Spain March 12-13: The Hemp & Cannabis Fair (THC), Roseburg, Oregon

March 18-22: National Medical Cannabis Unity Conference, Washington D.C.

April 24: Oregon Marijuana Business Conference, Eugene, Oregon

March 19: Cannabis Grand Cru, Seattle, Washington

April 30-May 1: MardiGrass, Nimbin, Australia

March 26-27: Abracadabs Cup, San Bernardino, California

May 7-8: CannaGrow Expo, San Diego, California

April 2: Ann Arbor Hash Bash, Ann Arbor, Michigan

May 14-15: THC: The Hemp & Cannabis Fair, Corvallis, Oregon

August (Dates TBA): Northwest Cannabis Classic, Tacoma, Washington

April 2-3: THC: The Hemp & Cannabis Fair, Bend-Redmond, Oregon

May 28-29: Lift Cannabis Expo, Toronto, Canada

August 19-21: Seattle Hempfest, Seattle, Washington

June 15-17: Cannabis World Congress, New York City, New York

August 28-29: CannaGrow Expo, Portland, Oregon

April 16-17: THC: The Hemp & Cannabis Fair, Salem, Oregon

June 19-25: International Weed Science Congress, Prague, Czech Republic

September (Dates TBA): Expo Cannabis, Madrid, Spain

April 23-24: Cannabis Film Festival, Garberville, California

June 20-22: Cannabis Business Summit, Oakland, California

April 23-24: New England Cannabis Convention , Boston, Massachusetts

June 25-26: Product Earth Hemp Music Festival & Exhibition, Peterborough, England

April 15-17: Hempcon, San Francisco, California

June 27-30: International Cannabinoid Research Society Symposium, Bukovina, Poland July 9-10: Chalice California, San Bernardino, California

November 12: Cannabis Grand Cru, Los Angeles, California

dates and locations are subject to change

January 2016 // CULTURE

n some areas–especially the Middle East, Russia, China and Japan–serving up a piping hot cup of tea is not only warming, but also nourishing and nurturing. In winter, drinking tea also heats up cold hands, soothes the throat, relaxes the mind and can even reinvigorate the soul. These calming aspects of herbal teas are especially true when it comes to cannabis and hemp brews.

Drinking hot teas not only warms you up in winter, but also provides a bounty of healthful nutrients. Like edibles, cannabis infused into a tea takes longer for the body’s endocannabinoid receptors to get the message to chill out. Currently, our favorite kinds of cannateas are THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol). THC teas are psychoactive and will have similar effects to

that of your favorite edible, depending on dosage and product specifics. CBD is non-psychoactive, and will make you feel slightly relaxed, lighten your mood and provide healthful benefits (as CBD in high doses can literally kill cancer cells). Ready to try out cannabis teas to discover for yourself if you feel more overall happiness, balance and serenity?

Before getting into a taste test, consider these simple rules about making herbal teas:

Always use what is called “freshly drawn” water from a fastrunning faucet to oxygenate the water before boiling.

CULTURE // January 2016

How hot is too hot? Herbs should not be scalded so bring water to a rolling boil, but then let it sit a bit before pouring.

Use at least one tea bag per mug serving (about 1¼ cups water).

It is best to use a warmed up two-cup porcelain teapot with a lid to get the best out of infusing and heat retention.

Let the tea steep for at least three minutes for black teas and up to five minutes or longer for lighter teas such as green and chamomile. >> VISIT US AT

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An even more ancient method to enjoying maximum nutrients found in herbal teas such as cannabis and hemp is to infuse freshly-drawn and boiled water along with several tea bags or a handful of loose leaves in a large mason jar. Leave on a counter overnight. In the morning and throughout the day, drink this nourishing brew at room temperature in place of plain water or other beverages. So, how do cannabis teas taste? Is the taste pungent and too earthy like some edibles? Or is it mild and drinkable? In fact, cannabisinfused teas look, smell and taste like any other herbal tea and provide a tasty way to fill your endocannabinoid receptors with cancerfighting health-promoting medicine. Perhaps this blistery winter is finally time to try cannabis in tea form for one of the most relaxing and yummy ways to medicate.

Top Cannabis Tea Brands

Venice Cookie Company’s Subtle Tea brand has four “flavors” each with 40mg of THC including black, green and chai. The “PM” tea is a potent sleepinducer as it is filled with chamomile, peppermint, lemongrass, lemon balm, catnip, tilla Estrella and 25mg of valerian root.

Cannabis tea is just beginning to be recognized for its relaxing and healing properties. So far, just a handful of companies have created cannabis-infused teas, including:

Pure Hemp Botanicals has created a vegan-friendly and cruelty-free 25mg CBD tea, which comes in a delightful silver tin with bags also made from hemp.

Jane’s Brew has some of the best-tasting brews including 20mg doses of green, black and chamomile teas in both bag and pod forms.

Pot-O-Coffee’s black and green (and soon-to-be-launched chamomile) teas come in both THC (10, 50 and 100mg) and CBD (10mg) bags and Keurig-style pods. Pot-O-Coffee sources its hemp-based CBD oil from highquality manufacturer, CannaVest.

The Mad Hatter Coffee & Tea Company claims it was the first to infuse cannabis into teas and has a long list of brews that come in 20, 60, 80, 120 and 160mg bags.

January 2016 // CULTURE

CULTURE // January 2016

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January 2016 // CULTURE

Get Rid of the Schedule I Status for Cannabis

It’s becoming clear that the Schedule I status for cannabis needs to be done away with if we want to move forward with scientific research. In 2015, a group of U.S. senators proposed that we re-schedule cannabis as Schedule II—a substance that has some medical value—so that tests can be done to determine why and how it helps people with conditions like chronic seizures. Some people didn’t like this because they wanted to make the substance completely legal— but either way it works out, it’s clear that there is no reason cannabis should be scheduled as something with no medical properties.

Legalization in California

The Sunshine State has been nearly-legal for a long time, and the great access they grant medical patients and variety of products they offer makes them one of the states at the forefront of the cannabis industry. “California was the first state to adopt a medical marijuana law and it inspired states around the country to adopt similar laws,” Mason Tvert, head of the Marijuana Policy Project, told Time Magazine. “It’s a state that carries a lot of weight nationwide. It’s a massive population center and it’s a very diverse state.” If this state legalizes, that could equal a lot of the money, scientific advances and huge strides in general for the cannabis industry.

CULTURE // January 2016

Medical Access Everywhere for Extreme or Chronic Conditions

As much as we’d all like to have cannabis fully legal in the U.S., it’s clear that it may take a while for certain states to warm up to the idea of recreational cannabis, or even of readily-available medical cannabis that can be prescribed for many ailments. However, there are people out there, including children, with severe, chronic conditions like epilepsy that only respond to cannabis. We would like to see those individuals get access to medicine regardless of where they live. Pennsylvania just legalized medical cannabis for serious conditions, and Virginia now allows people with severe conditions to import CBD oil and use it. In 2016, it would be great if everyone in the U.S. who suffers from these serious conditions has equal access to the medicine they need. >> VISIT US AT

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January 2016 // CULTURE

Better Access to Cannabis in Legal States

Lastly, let us hope for better access to cannabis in legal states. Although cannabis is legal in Colorado, for example, many counties still don’t allow dispensaries, meaning that access to the product is limited mostly to those in urban areas. And some urban areas don’t allow smoking lounges, meaning the only legal place to consume cannabis is inside the home instead of out on the town. Let’s hope 2016 brings us new products, access and areas to smoke, as well as better quality products for everyone! c

Legalization in the South-West and North-East

Yep, that’s right—right now these are the two areas of the country that are leaning the furthest towards legalization. In addition to California, Nevada and Arizona are considering legalization in 2016. Polls now show that most Americans support legal cannabis in general, but although Arizona will be voting on this issue, it’s a mainly conservative state. Arizona could go either way, but with any luck they may just take the leap and fully legalize. Nevada, although another conservativeleaning state, is also putting legalization on the ballot. “Voters will have the opportunity to end marijuana prohibition next year and replace it with a policy that actually makes sense,” Tvert told Time. “Law enforcement officials will be able to spend their time addressing more serious crimes, and adults will no longer be punished simply for using marijuana.” In New England, both Maine and Massachusetts are considering legalization. Maine already decriminalized in their major cities, and are notorious for voting liberally, even favoring Ron Paul as their political candidate one year. “There’s been an ongoing public dialogue,” stated Tvert. “I’ve always believed that the more people learn about marijuana and the fact that it’s not as dangerous as they’ve been led to believe, the more likely they are to support treating it that way.” In Massachusetts, cannabis is medical already, and polls are supporting the idea that most residents favor full legalization.

CULTURE // January 2016

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January 2016 // CULTURE

Irvin Rosenfeld

is the longest surviving federal medical cannabis patient in the United States by R. Scott Rappold

Once a month, a tin case of 300 joints arrives at Irvin Rosenfeld’s pharmacy in Florida. Some people roll their own. Rosenfeld’s are rolled and shipped by Uncle Sam. Yep, that same Uncle Sam that considers cannabis a Schedule 1 drug with no medical benefits and locks up its own citizens for using it. It’s ironic that Rosenfeld has been living for more than three decades, as one of just a handful of people to receive government-grown cannabis for a medical condition. The

CULTURE // January 2016

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Stockbroker and advocate

10 joints he smokes a day ease his pain from a rare bone tumor disorder and let him live a normal life. “I’ve not had a tumor grow develop since I was 21, and the doctors don’t know why, but I know why they haven’t developed. It’s cannabis,” said Rosenfeld, 62, a stockbroker. “Cannabis has saved my life.” Today 23 states allow some form of medical cannabis, but those two words had rarely been used in the same sentence in the 1970s, when he discovered how much it could alleviate the pain and grant him mobility. He fought to become only the second person to receive government cannabis under the Compassionate Investigational New Drug program. That program never reached more than a dozen patients, and only two are left, including Rosenfeld. But Rosenfeld believes the program, and the efforts of patients like himself to tell the American people about it, helped set the stage for cannabis law reform sweeping the nation. “It helped launch the whole national movement. When we could stand up and say, ‘We are using this. We are legally using it and doing very well,’ people stood up and took notice,” said Rosenfeld, author of My Medicine, a book about how he “forced” the government to provide his medicine. The government had only negative things to say for cannabis, but, Rosenfeld said, “If all that is true, if it’s so bad for you, explain me.” >> iReadCulture.com

Another 28 were approved but awaiting final enrollment when President George H.W. Bush ended the program. The 13 patients were grandfathered in but no new ones would be accepted. Despite a campaign promise, President Bill Clinton never reopened the program, which might have vanished into obscurity but for the efforts of patients like Randall and Rosenfeld to tell the world about it.

Taking the fight to the states

Discovered by accident

Rosenfeld was 10 years old when, after throwing for the final out in a baseball game, he suddenly couldn’t move his arm. Movement returned shortly thereafter but he was eventually diagnosed with multiple congenital cartilaginous exostoses, which causes painful bone tumors. He survived four major surgeries by the age of 18 to remove the tumors, but doctors said the possibility of death from internal bleeding related to a jagged tumor was real. He couldn’t attend school or play sports and took a cocktail of medications and painkillers that left him in a fog. He moved to Miami for college and because he thought the warm climate would

all, he did some research that showed cannabis was used in many medications between 1850 and when it was outlawed in 1937. So he kept smoking and noticed his pharmaceutical use dropped by 80 percent. His sleep, appetite and movement all improved. He started playing sports again. But questions nagged at him. Why did he have to go to a drug dealer to get this medication? And why did using it make him a criminal?

Fighting the power In 1976, glaucoma sufferer Robert Randall defeated the federal government in court and won access to marijuana for his condition, which helped save his eyesight. The story

“My disorder had caused me lots of problems. I was able to take that disorder and make something good come out of it. I was able to help millions of people nationwide to help understand medical cannabis.” help his condition. A law-abiding citizen, he’d never smoked cannabis and once, he even kicked out a girlfriend for bringing a joint over. But cannabis was everywhere in Miami in 1971, and he gave into peer pressure, not feeling a thing until the tenth attempt. Though not feeling sedated or euphoric, he noticed that he had been sitting still for a half hour; normally stiff joints forced him to get up every 10 minutes or so. And then he realized he hadn’t taken a pain pill in six hours—also unusual. Maybe there was something to this. After

inspired Rosenfeld, who had been conducting a scientific study with his orthopedic surgeon on himself and how cannabis improved his condition. He met Randall, who suggested he apply to the Compassionate IND program. After years of stonewalling , the Food and Drug Administration gave him a hearing before a panel of doctors. Much to his surprise, the panel approved and in 1982 Rosenfeld began receiving government cannabis. The little-known drug program survived the anti-drug furor of the ‘80s and expanded to 13 patients, many of them AIDS patients.

Rosenfeld insists he doesn’t get high. Maybe it’s tolerance, a side effect of his bone condition or the low THC content of the government cannabis, but he is able to take his medicine and live his normal life without being impaired. Supervisors and clients took some convincing, but they accept a stockholder smoking joints while working. His tumors haven’t returned and he hasn’t taken a narcotic for pain since 1990. Cannabis has improved his life so much he has spent much of it fighting to help others gain access. When California voters went to the polls in 1996 to become the first state to allow medical cannabis, Rosenfeld estimates he did some 50 radio shows in support of the measure. It’s one thing to tell people how medical cannabis can help people. It’s another to show them. Medical cannabis passed in one state after another, with the help of patients like Rosenfeld. “I felt exonerated. Here I’ve been saying for years that it’s medicine. Bob (Randall) and I had educated people to the point that the largest state in the country had recognized the use of medical cannabis and approved it,” Rosenfeld said. He self-published his book (available at his website Irvinrosenfeld.com and on Kindle) in 2010 to spread awareness and has watched with pleasure as many states have approved recreational cannabis. His utopia is a world where anyone can grow as much cannabis as they want without fear of prosecution. And he’ll keep supporting legalization efforts, because while some states have relaxed laws, most of the country has not. He remains the only legal cannabis smoker in the state of Florida, though activists hope to change that in the 2016 election cycle. For Rosenfeld, it’s a very personal fight. “My disorder had caused me lots of problems. I was able to take that disorder and make something good come out of it. I was able to help millions of people nationwide to help understand medical cannabis,” he said. “It’s like me giving the middle finger to my bone disease. F*ck you, look what I’ve done because of you.” c

January 2016 // CULTURE

HOPE FOR HEMP A Rundown of Hemp Farming Act History

by Nicole Potter

imilarly to the fight to legalize cannabis throughout the U.S., the Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2015 is a campaign that aims to legalize the cultivation of industrial hemp on a federal level for use in development and production. This particular movement was most recently introduced to the Senate with SB-134 on January 8, 2015, but has yet to garner any attention by congress. So far, almost 30 states have legalized industrial hemp for production— and more are likely to do so in the future. Considering the act’s history and the rapid increase of attention to hemp as a versatile material, 2016 may finally be the “Year of Industrial Hemp.” Over the past few years, a number of industrial hemp bills have been introduced to congress. The attempts to make industrial hemp legal have been many, largely increasing in popularity over the past decade or so. The

CULTURE // January 2016

Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2005 reached for the stars as the first bill of its kind, and aimed to define industrial hemp as different than cannabis, specifying that hemp is a cannabis sativa L. and the THC content is less than 0.3 percent, but it did not receive a hearing. Next came the proposal for the Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2007, a bill with the same language as its earlier predecessor, co-sponsored by Ron Paul and 13 others—but it also did not receive a hearing. Paul brought the bill back yet again as the Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2009, which also did not get a chance for a hearing or floor vote, but gathered 25 cosponsors by the end of the congressional session. Paul sponsored the bill one more time with the Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2011, which was his last attempt before retiring. Impressively, by the end of the legislative congress, it had 37 cosponsors despite a lack of hearing.

To date, no Industrial Farming Acts have been made legislative progress, but there was a victory with the Agriculture Act of 2014, which was signed by President Obama. That particular Farm Bill contains Section 7606, entitled “Legitimacy of Industrial Hemp Research,” which defines the THC levels of industrial hemp as 0.3 percent or less. It also allows both universities and state agriculture departments the ability to study hemp, so long as the states they are located in has already legalized hemp. It’s not nationwide legalization by a long shot, but an important step in spreading the word.

All of these bills lead to the most recent attempt to legalize industrial hemp, with the Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2015. It’s sort of a legacy bill, one of many in a long line of attempts to reach the members of congress. So far, according to the legislation tracker on Congress.gov, it was “Read twice and the referred to the Committee on the Judiciary” and has so far gained 10 cosponsors. It’s high time that the newest version of the Industrial Farming Act be taken into consideration, and there’s still hope. The best way to get congress to recognize the newest form of industrial hemp bill is to bring attention to it. Share the status, make people aware, and visit websites like votehemp.com or www. nationalhempassociation.org for updates on the bill and how to spread awareness. The Industrial Hemp Farming Acts have come so far, and it’s about time that it gets some much needed attention. c VISIT VISIT US US AT AT iReadCulture.com iReadCulture.com

January 2016 // CULTURE

CULTURE // January 2016

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CannaCon 2016 . . . Washington’s Premier Cannabis Event CannaCon is one of the largest cannabis business conventions in the world, presenting 260 vendors working within the cannabis industry and 39 seminars focused on educating the public and cannabis businesses on cannabis related topics. The three-day event has been a staple in the cannabis business world over the last two years, with nearly 6,000 attendees in 2014 and nearly 11,000 in 2015. It’s no secret that 2016’s attendance are expected to exceed last year’s in a major way, presumably bringing the attendee count per thousand well into the teens. CannaCon’s quick-growing

platform as a way for the public to view the cannabis industry conducting business and view a large selection of cannabis lifestyle vendors in one place is showing itself to serve the community well. The event satisfies the needs of many within the cannabis industry, but also supplies amenities for enthusiastic consumers intrigued by the latest and greatest innovations within the industry. With 98,500-square-feet of exhibition space, CannaCon 2016 will bring forth thousands of enthusiasts and consumers, as well as those within the cannabis retail, production and finance industries.

The varied assortment of seminars accessible at CannaCon is one of the event’s standout assets, producing leading voices on a variety of topics. 2016’s seminars will include a Q & A with growing authority Kyle Kushman, a breeding course with Adam Dun and a highly anticipated budtenders course with certification by Jerry Whiting of LaBlanc CNE. Seminars covering law, accounting and taxes will also be available to further expand knowledge of the financial law associated with the cannabis industry, and showcase the wide array of financial options for cannabis companies.

Of course, attendees can expect to have their fair share in terms of entertainment, so if you’re attending, be sure to keep your eyes peeled for all those celebrity sightings and signings. CannaCon will as well host a dozen food trucks for attendees’ appetite needs. As a reminder, the event does take place on federal property, so cannabis smoking is prohibited on-site. CannaCon 2016 begins Thursday, February 18 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and continues through Sat, Feb. 20 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Pier 91 located at 2001 W. Garfield St., Seattle, 98119. For more information, and to register for free parking, visit www. CannaCon.org. c

January 2016 // CULTURE

“It’s crazy to go places where it’s not part of the culture, because here it is. I like that about Seattle. I feel really spoiled, and I prefer it.”

Living HER Art Local Musician Mindie Lind’s life is a work of art—and her music is hypnotic by Emily Manke

here are so many remarkable qualities about

more freedom. Perhaps it’s this marvelous attitude,

Seattle artist Mindie Lind. Bluesy, folk-filled and

on top of her major talent, that has gotten her some

soulful, Lind’s voice is husky and delicate. When

serious recognition. In 2014, she opened for Lena

she’s not busy cranking out tunes or working her

Dunham’s book tour when it came through Seattle.

day job, Lind also finds time to write, and appear

More recently, she was featured on an episode of Lena

on the radio as an advocate for the rights of people with

Dunham’s podcast Women of the Hour, where she

disabilities. Which brings us to another way in which

casually mentioned going into a Seattle recreational

Lind is unique. Lind was born with a number of physi-

cannabis store. This past November, her music and

cal differences, including having only six fingers and no

story was also featured on Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls

legs. Lind has not only embraced her role as champion for

site and BuzzFeed. Wondering when you can see

people with disabilities, and Crip Culture, she’s embraced

this powerhouse next? Mindie Lind will be playing at

the role disability has played in her own life as well.

Timbrrr! Winter Music Festival, in Leavenworth on

When describing her everyday life, Lind says it’s “an

January 29 and 30. Even though Lind’s schedule is

act of creativity to get around places and opinions that

undoubtedly pretty packed with work, art and life, she

don’t suit your body.” She often opts for a skateboard

enthusiastically sat down with CULTURE to chat about

instead of a wheelchair because she says it gives her

music and life. >>

CULTURE // January 2016

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January 2016 // CULTURE

When and how did you get started in music? Mindie Lind: Well I was singing my whole life, in choir and church choir. And then I played in marching band for 10 years, French horn. But I didn’t start making my own music until I started hanging out with a lot of street musicians and buskers. They mostly played traditional songs, which interacted with the gospel music I was raised with, so I started singing along. So I started teaching myself to play piano, and as a result, wrote some songs. So that was five years ago. Where are you from? I was born in Connecticut, and I was adopted into a Southern Baptist family. And we moved all

around, but from about eight years old, I grew up in Georgia. The town I was mostly raised in is called Snellville. There’s a water tower that says, “Everybody’s somebody in Snellville.” It’s about an hour and a half outside of Atlanta. What artists have influenced your work? For me right now, I can’t get enough of this band from New Orleans called The Deslondes. They do this really great job of blending country, gospel and soul in a way that I find really natural, and like, the goal. Dean Johnson, he’s a local guy, I’m really inspired by his simplicity. The Moondoggies and Roger Miller, I’m really inspired by all those songwriter types. But then there’s

the other stuff I listen to just as much, like Nas, Missy Elliot and Kendrick Lamar. I really love how that genre, hip-hop, really wears their oppression on their sleeve, and they’re really soaked in style at the same time. And I want to be inspired by that bravery and that courage, and that boldness for myself. Especially pertaining to Crip Culture. I definitely think it could use some of that. Has the cannabis culture of the PNW impacted your art? If so how? In that me and my friends are always getting stoned and writing songs. [Laughs]. That calm, I like. I mean, I can get high and sit on the

couch, which I still do, but I really like to try and be more productive. And I really like that you can go to any show in Seattle and yell “Where the weed at?!” and two minutes later you’ll be getting high. I am a music publicist for my day job, and I recently went to a conference in Nashville Tennessee and tried that trick. It didn’t work as well. I’ve never been to so many shows where people didn’t smoke weed! It’s crazy to go places where it’s not part of the culture, because here it is. I like that about Seattle. I feel really spoiled, and I prefer it. Do you have favorite music to enjoy while under the influence of cannabis? The Black Angels

Phospene Dream is like the best, it’s so good, and I could listen to it over and over again. Any of those albums you can listen to over and over again and still learn something from. So Nas’ Illmatic is that for me, all of Kendrick Lamar’s albums. Any albums from The Growlers, I could always listen to. But that’s me cruising around, but generally though, because I listen to so much music for my job, when I’m home and I’m high, I really try to spend my time working on my own music. So I like getting obsessed on the same melody and singing it over and over again. And that’s why I really like smoking weed and working on my music, because that’s what I do. c

“. . . I really like that you can go to any show in Seattle and yell “Where the weed at?!” and two minutes later, you’ll be getting high.” 66 66

CULTURE CULTURE // // January January 2016 2016

iReadCulture.com www.mindielind.com

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January 2016 // CULTURE

by Ed Rosenthal

growing culture

1 Plants are basking in the greenhouse. They will be cut to dry in a few minutes. I recently purchased another four clones from a local dispensary. They are now about 30 days into flowering.

Indoor-Outdoor

WINTER GARDEN II

wo months ago a friend delivered two well-branched, two-foot tall plants of “3x Crazy.” Since then, the plants have been in a flowering routine in a small greenhouse. At this time of year, dawn takes place around 7 a.m. Then at 8 a.m. a 400-watt HPS lamp hung from a light mover goes on and starts moving back and forth about 2 feet. It covers the length of the garden with light. During most of November it was sunny and warm enough for the plants to go outdoors for some natural sunlight between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. When they returned to the greenhouse they received another two hours of light from the HPS lamp. Towards the end of the month, the weather turned cloudy and chilly. The plants have been enjoying the cozy greenhouse, which is kept at a minimum temperature of 60 degrees day and night. The two plants were about halfway through flowering when I reported on them last month. Now, another 30 days have passed and the plants are ready to harvest. The buds are small but are covered with trichomes and have an intense floral/pineapple/diesel odor. I have picked them and hung them to dry and cure. I am using an unheated indoor space.

At this time of the year, the temperature here varies between the low 50s and high 60s. The humidity varies between 43-54 percent with an average at just about 50 percent. These are ideal conditions for a long, slow dry and cure. The low temperature keeps the terpenes from evaporating. Terpenes, the odor molecules that give all marijuana varieties their particular “personalities” are essential oils. Many of them are volatile at room temperature so they are often lost in the dry, transport or storage phases. The low temperature in the drying space keeps them from evaporating and they will lend their odor and activity to the smoke or vapor. Rather than mess with cutting these small plants into branches I’m hanging them uncut with all of their leaves on. They will be cured, that is, aged for several weeks after they dry in continued cool temperature and 50 percent humidity condition. During this time they lose some of their harshness, becoming a smoother smoke. Then I’ll manicure them and place them in a glass or metal container. I’ll keep some buds in a small bar for easy access. The rest will be stored in a steel metal container made for that purpose, which comes with a pad that stabilizes moisture, keeping the buds fresh. c

TIP OF THE MONTH FROM ASK ED®

2 The Cut. The plants are being cut using a clipper on the first plant.

The bend and snap on the second plant, which was finished off with a clipper.

The Hang. The two plants will now begin the month-long drying-curing process. They will be manicured after that.

The Problem With Zip-Lock Bags

id you ever notice the sides of a Ziplock bag that has been holding grass? They are covered with gland heads that were pulled from the bud and have attached to the plastic, especially if you were carrying

it in a pocket and continually opening and closing it. The plastic’s electrical charge attracts them. If you tried to scratch them off you were largely unsuccessful, they were already locked in. Those glands were removed electrostatically,

and lost to your use. Glass, most hard plastics, metal and wood don’t have electrical charges that attract trichomes. Use containers composed of these materials and place them in a cool-tocold dark place for storage.

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

CULTURE // January 2016

5 The greenhouse is heated by a gas burner, often called a CO2 generator that is controlled by a thermostat set at 60 degrees.

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January 2016 // CULTURE

by Sheryll Alexander

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destination unknown

Nevada is Full of C Winter Fun and Frolic if you go: Yes, you really can fly or drive into Las Vegas and then buy your buds and edibles—if you remember to bring a government-issued form of identification that shows you are 21 and older and your up-to-date medical cannabis license. The Vegas area has five dispensaries including Euphoria Wellness, Nevada Wellness Center, Las Vegas Releaf, Inyo Fine Cannabis Dispensary and Nevada Pure. Sparks and Reno have one dispensary each in Silver State Relief and Sierra Wellness Connection, respectively. Nevada’s medical cannabis program is regulated by the state’s Division of Public & Behavioral Health and recognizes the following conditions for a MMJ license: AIDS, cachexia, cancer, glaucoma, PTSD, muscle spasms or seizures and severe nausea or pain. Plus, Nevada’s cannabis states “other conditions are subject to approval,” which opens the door for just about everyone with a chronic health problem. Inside a dispensary, cannabis patients can purchase a maximum 2.5 oz. of flower buds and a rather ambiguous “allowable” quantity of edibles and other THC-infused products. Time to Go: Spring or Winter. Weather: Mild with cool breezes in Spring; cold with some snow in Winter. Budget: $$$$$

Fun-Filled Facts

CULTURE // January 2016

The small Southern Nevada town of Sparks was the first city in Nevada to open a dispensary (Silver State Relief). While that may sound strange, it makes perfect sense when you realize the infamous Mustang Ranch brothel is located on the town’s east end. 1

Want to hit The Strip and ski in the same day? In-theknow locals go to Lee Canyon. Only an hour’s drive from Vegas proper, Lee Canyon is located just north of Mount Charleston. Although Lee Canyon has a rather small ski facility, this resort sits higher than any other ski resort in the state at 8,510 feet—giving it some of the best “dry” powder in the state. 2

annabis patients may be overjoyed to hear Nevada is one of the few states to allow out-of-state medical cannabis licenses at its five Vegas-area and two Northern Nevada dispensaries. Most travelers think of the glitz of Las Vegas and its surrounding desert towns when considering hitting Nevada for some down time. In winter, however, Nevada’s mountain cities such as Lake Tahoe, Reno and Sparks are the places to be for skiing, snowboarding and winter’s many other recreational activities. Nevada’s mountain towns celebrate January in grand style. Don’t miss the Fire & Ice Show in Ely. This snow and ice sculpture competition runs this year from January 15-17 and includes lots of food and drink, an ice fishing derby, rides on a historic “ghost trains,” sledding and ice skating. The weekendlong festivities are capped by a grand fireworks display set against the town’s snowy wonderland. Although the Lake Tahoe side of Nevada (only a 45-minute drive from Reno) does not have a cannabis dispensary, the city’s ski resorts are brimming with the best of winter fun and frolic. For example, Tahoe’s Diamond Peak Ski Resort celebrates every Saturday in January (and through April) with “last tracks.” Guests start at the resort’s mid-mountain Snowflake Lodge—which has an incredibly scenic view of Lake Tahoe—and sip on fine wines and craft brews paired with delicious appetizers at sunset. After drinks and apps, skiers then hit the slopes for the final run of the day down the resort’s perfectly-groomed trails. Wherever you decide to medicate in Nevada, winter’s chill seems just a little more exciting. c

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Clarissa profile in courage

Age: 37 Condition/ Illness: Ovarian cancer, depression, anxiety. When did you start using medical cannabis? 2011

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

Why did you start using medical cannabis? When I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, I was 31, and at the time I had open abdomen surgery to remove my tumor, and then I underwent chemo. Marijuana was kind of this miraculous way to counteract the side effects of chemo, due to a lot of not sleeping, not eating and nausea. The edibles really helped me to sleep—more than the other pharmaceuticals that were prescribed to me at the time. Did you try other methods or treatments before cannabis? Oh yeah, they give you a pharmaceuticals to counteract every symptom. I just couldn’t sleep, and Ambien, which they prescribed to me actually, acted very weird on me. So I was like, Ambien is not working and I have to sleep, so that’s how that came about. What’s the most important issue or problem facing medical cannabis patients? I think the stigma, because marijuana is considered a “drug,” you know. We also don’t have enough data, so I guess the best thing is to encourage skeptics

to research CBD because it doesn’t have the stigma with the “high” that comes with cannabis anyway. So I think the miseducation in the market in general about the differences between non-psychoactive components of the cannabis plant, which have an amazing potential for medicine, and those that have traditionally been more recreational because they have a psychoactive effect. What do you say to folks who are skeptical about cannabis as a medicine? When I was undergoing conditional treatment for chemotherapy, marijuana helped me tremendously to survive. Cannabidiol (CBD) was not even available yet. Five years later now, I’m out of remission and was only recently pronounced cured, but CBD hemp oil now is becoming more well-known. Now, it’s is available in all 50 states. There are people I’ve seen that it has helped with epilepsy, glaucoma and PTSD, to name a few. I’d also like to mention projectCBD. org to skeptics—it’s a nonprofit group that is putting out really legit, impartial information on CBD and they’re not selling anything. It’s a really cool resource and I think people might be surprised. c

January 2016 // CULTURE

Starting the New Year Off Right recipes

Menu:

Scallops with Cannabis-Infused Pesto Roasted Asparagus with Lemon and Hemp Seed Parmesan

With January comes the arrival of a fresh new start. New Year’s resolutions have been made, and often not kept throughout the year, but if there’s one thing you can count on, it’s the blossoming innovation of cannabis and hemp foods. This year, more than ever, will be a time of great transformation for medical patients who choose to utilize cannabis and hemp in their daily meals. Coming far from the origins of the cannabisinfused brownies and cookies of yesteryear, this year we propose a culinary cannabis revolution. Make your own hemp seed parmesan and sprinkle it over a zesty roasted asparagus, or embrace cannabis in fine dining with scallops and a unique cannabis-infused pesto sauce. Embrace that hungering appetite and make this year a great one!

Roasted Asparagus with Lemon and Hemp Seed Parmesan Ingredients 1 pound asparagus spears (thick spears are best for roasting) 1-2 tablespoon cannabisinfused olive oil t 2 cloves garlic, minced kosher salt freshly ground black pepper lemon juice

Directions

Preheat your oven to 400°. Rinse the asparagus spears. If the ends are tough, break them off and either discard or save for stock. In a large mixing bowl, toss the asparagus spears in the infused oil. Line a roasting pan with foil (or silpat), and drizzle some of the infused oil on the foil-lined pan. Arrange the asparagus spears in a single layer on the lined roasting pan. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and minced garlic. Roast for 10 minutes or until the asparagus are just lightly browned and tender when you pierce them with a fork. To serve, drizzle with fresh lemon juice and sprinkle with hemp seed parmesan.

CULTURE // January 2016

Hemp Seed Parmesan Ingredients 1/2 cup hemp seeds 3/4 tsp garlic powder 2 tbsp nutritional yeast Heaping 1/4 tsp sea salt

Directions

Pulse all hemp seed parmesan ingredients together in a food processor until combined and crumbly. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 weeks. 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.

VISIT USatATiReadCulture.com iReadCulture.com t Additional recipe can be found

Scallops

with CannabisInfused Pesto Ingredients 24 large sea scallops, muscles removed 2 tablespoons cannabutter t salt freshly ground black pepper Cannabis-Infused Pesto

Directions

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Local eateries with similar dishes Aviateur French Dinner 1498 Pacific Ave., Tacoma (253) 573-9000 www.aviateurtacoma.com Dockside Bistro & Wine Bar 501 Columbia St. NW, Olympia (360) 956-1928 www.docksidebistro.com El Gaucho 2505 1st Ave., Seattle (206) 728-1337 www.elgaucho.com

Season scallops with salt and pepper. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, then add butter. When butter begins to brown, add scallops and sear until golden, 1 1⁄2-2 minutes. Turn scallops and cook until opaque, 1 1⁄2-2 minutes more. Spoon pesto onto your choice of serving material, then set scallops in pesto for each serving.

Cannabis-Infused Pesto Ingredients 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves ½ cup cannabis-infused olive oil t 3 garlic cloves, peeled 3 tablespoons pine nuts ¼ cup parmigiano-reggiano salt freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Pulse pine nuts and 1⁄2 teaspoon of salt together in a food processor until finely ground. Add garlic and basil and, with the motor running, drizzle in cannabis-infused olive oil. Add parmigiano-reggiano and process into a smooth paste. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

January 2016 // CULTURE

event listings

WASHINGTON School of Rock Bellevue Performs Motown, Jan. 10

Just like the famous Jack Black movie, Bellevue’s School of Rock consists of talented kids, playing various instruments with exceptional skill. This is an all-ages event, where the band will play some of Motown’s best hits. The Triple Door, Seattle thetripledoor.net

Battle of the Sexes, Jan. 17

Up and coming comedians work in teams in attempt to conquer one another. Groups are typically guys vs. girls, with audience suggestions being used in this improvised battle of wits. Tacoma Comedy Club, Tacoma tacomacomedyclub.com

NOW!

featured event

“‘Seeing’ From Inside a Drawing,” Ends Jan. 24

Artist Pae White has created a drawing constructed of acrylic yarn for visitors to walk through “visually and physically.” Depending on where the viewer stands, their perception of the piece varies, creating an array of possible compositions. Henry Art Gallery, Seattle henryart.org

Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen, Jan. 16

Join Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen as they sit and talk with audience members about pop culture and world events. The setting of this event is rather intimate, giving fans a chance to feel connected to the speakers as they casually speak their minds. The Paramount Theater, Seattle ac2live.com

CULTURE // January 2016

Nordic Lights Film Festival, Jan. 14-17

Enhance your knowledge of international film at this unique festival dedicated to showcasing cotemporary films from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. In its seventh year, this year’s event will offer an impressive variety of dramas and documentary films. Nordic Museum, Seattle nordicmuseum.org

Monster Jam, Jan. 17

Trucks, trucks and more trucks! Monster Jam comes to Tacoma with a variety of monster truck drivers participating in freestyle and racing competitions. There will be tons of action at this special event featuring an array of Monster Jam all-stars. Tacoma Dome, Tacoma tacomadome.org

The Book of Mormon, Jan. 26-31

From the creators of South Park, The Book of Mormon tells the tale of a missionary who makes revelations about his faith during a mission in Uganda. With fun dance numbers and clever dialogue, The Book of Mormon is a must see! INB Performing Arts Center, Spokane Inbpac.com

Chase Rice, Jan. 22

Heart throb, Chase Rice reached number one on the Billboard Top Country Music Charts in 2014 with his album Ignite the Night, which features a variety of love songs and party anthems. With plans of a new album in 2016, Rice continues to evolve along with his growing popularity. Paramount Theater, Seattle stgpresents.org

Fight for Air Stair Climb, Jan. 23

Help the American Lung Associate reach their goal of raising $9 million by participating in this “vertical foot race.” Participants will be timed as they run up flights of stairs in a challenging but rewarding event. Rainier Tower, Seattle lung.org VISIT US AT

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Chuck Shepherd's

News of the

Weird

LEAD STORY—THE PATIENT WILL SEE YOU NOW u Professional patients

now help train would-be doctors, especially in the most delicate and dreaded of exams (gynecological and prostate), where a becalming technique improves outcomes. One “teaching associate” of Eastern Virginia Medical School told The Washington Post in September that the helpers act as “enthusiastic surgical dummies” to 65 medical colleges, guiding rookie fingers through the trainer’s own private parts. The prostate associate might helpfully caution, “No need for speed here,” especially since he will be bending over for as many as nine probings a day. A gynecological teaching associate, mentoring the nervous speculum-wielder, might wittily congratulate pupils on having a front-row sight line the “GTA” will never witness: an up-close view of her own cervix.

LATEST RELIGIOUS MESSAGES u American Sharia: (1) U.S.

parents have a right to homeschool their kids, but are subject to varying degrees of regulation, with Texas the most lax, and one El Paso family will have a day before the Texas Supreme Court after one of its kids was reported declining to study because education was useless since he was waiting to be “raptured” (as described in the Bible’s Book of Revelation). (2) U.S. courts increasingly allow customers to sign away state and federal rights by agreeing to contracts providing private arbitration for disputes rather than access to courts—even if the contract explicitly requires only religious resolutions rather

than secular, constitutional ones. A November New York Times investigation examined contracts ranging from Scientology’s requirement that fraud claims by members be resolved only by Scientologists— to various consumer issues from home repairs to real estate sales limited to dockets of Christian clerics.

LEADING ECONOMIC INDICATORS u At a ceremony in Kabul in

November, prominent Afghan developer Khalilullah Frozi signed a $95 million contract to build an 8,800-unit township and was, according to a New York Times dispatch, toasted for his role in the country’s economic rebirth. However, at nightfall, Frozi headed back to prison to resume his 15-year sentence for defrauding Kabul Bank of nearly $1 billion in depositors’ money. Because he remains one of Afghanistan’s elite, arrangements were made for him to work days but spend his nights in prison (in comfortable quarters). Said one Western official, laconically, “(I)f you have stolen enough money, you can get away with it.”

CULTURAL DIVERSITY u Before the terrorist murders

gripped Paris, President Francois Hollande and Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani had been trying to arrange a formal dinner during Rouhani’s planned visit to the city to celebrate the two countries’ role in the recent accord limiting Iran’s nuclear development. France’s RTL radio news reported that “dinner” is apparently more vexing than “nuclear weaponry”—as Rouhani demanded an alcohol-free meal, which was nixed by Hollande,

who insisted that the French never dine without wine.

THE CONTINUING CRISIS u U.S. and European

entrepreneurs offer extreme “games” in which liabilitywaiving “players” volunteer for hours of kidnapping, pain and death threats, but the cult-like, under-the-radar “McKamey Manor” in Southern California (said to have a waiting list of 27,000) is notable for the starkness of its threats of brutality—and the absence of any “safe word” with which a suddenly reluctant player can beg off. (Only Russ McKamey himself decides if a player has had enough). The “product” is “100 percent fear,” he said. “We’re good at it,” he told London’s The Guardian in an October dispatch from San Diego (whose reporter overheard one of McKamey’s thugs promise, “I’m going to tear that girl (player) apart” and “No one is leaving with eyebrows today”).

u In October, the student newspaper of Toronto’s Ryerson University reported a mighty scandal that upset the student body: The school’s executive offices’ restrooms routinely supply two-ply toilet paper while most other campus buildings offer only one-ply. Following up on the hard-hitting Ryerson Eyeopener’s expose, The Canadian Press noted that the universities of Guelph, Ottawa and Toronto comfort all toilet-users’ bottoms the same. Ryerson officials defensively noted that older plumbing in many of their buildings cannot handle two-ply paper. LEAST COMPETENT CRIMINALS u Nicholas Allegretto, 23,

was convicted of shoplifting in Cambridge, England, in October (in absentia, because he is still at large). The prosecutor knows Allegretto is his man because, shortly after the February theft, police released a surveillance photo of Allegretto leaving the store with the unpaid-for item, and Allegretto had come to a police station to complain

that the suddenly public picture made him look guilty. In fact, he claimed, he intended to pay for the item but had gotten distracted (and besides, he added, his body language often looks somewhat “dodgy,” anyway).

RECURRING THEMES u Lowering the Bar in Zero

Tolerance: The 6-year-old son of Martha Miele was given an automatic three-day out-of-school suspension at Our Lady of Lourdes in Cincinnati in October after, emulating actions of his favorite Power Rangers characters, he pretended to shoot a bow and arrow at another student. Principal Joe Crachiolo was adamant, insisting that he has “no tolerance for any real, pretend or imitated violence.” An exasperated Martha Miele confessed she was at a loss about how a 6-year-old boy is supposed to block out the concept of a super-hero fighter (and instead imagine, say, a super-hero counselor?).

u Cavalcade of Fetishes: (1) Among the approximately 100 arrests Seattle police made in an October drug sting were of a man, 63, and woman, 58, accused only of retail theft of $150,000 worth of goods—including about 400 pairs of jeans. Police said the couple “ordered” items from shoplifters and seemed to have an “insatiable appetite for denim.” (2) In November, police in Bethel, Connecticut, arrested Nelson Montalvo, 50—accused of taking about 30 items of underwear from one particular home. Montalvo’s motive is being investigated, but police said his modus operandi was to remove items, cut holes in them and return them to the home. A NEWS OF THE WEIRD CLASSIC (JANUARY 2011) u Name in the News: Sought

as a suspect in a convenience store killing in Largo, Florida, in December (2010) (and an example of the highly revealing “Three First Names” theory of

January 2016 // CULTURE

criminal liability), Mr. Larry Joe Jerry—who actually has four first names: Larry Joe Jerry Jr. (He was convicted in 2013 and sentenced to 42 years in prison).

IT’S SNOT HYGIENIC u The manager of the agency in

Louisville, Kentucky, responsible for, among other things, development planning, zoning changes and historic landmarks revealed in November that his headquarters has a “boogers” problem and ordered users of the third-floor men’s room to stop hocking them onto the walls adjacent to the urinals. According to an internal memo cited by InsiderLouisville.com, Metro Planning and Design Services manager Joe Reverman called the mucus buildup “a very serious situation” and had his executive administrator post signs instructing restroom users on the basics of proper disposal of “anything that comes out of or off a person’s body.”

GREAT ART! u The 1968 Cy Twombly

“blackboard” painting sold for

CULTURE // January 2016

$70.5 million at New York City’s Sotheby’s auction in November (higher than experts’ estimate of $60 million). The painting consists of six horizontal lines of continuous circular swirls (white chalk on a “blackboard”)—perhaps the same swirls that might be made by an extremely bored, aggressive first-grader given a supply of chalk and the absence of the teacher.

CULTURAL DIVERSITY u In an enterprise somewhat

resembling “American Idol,” amateur performers in China become self-supporting online not by soliciting money directly, but through virtual gifts from enthralled fans, with performers getting a cut of each sale. Beijing’s YY.com hosts original performances, and two of the site’s favorites, Mr. Earth and Ms. Cloud, earned the equivalent of about $160,000 last year from their universe of 1.8 million fans (according to a November Wall Street Journal report). In an ancillary industry (led by 9158.com), hard-core fans can purchase access (think “virtual

limousines,” shown “arriving” at a “concert”), giving them bragging rights. (A simple “applause” icon after a song costs about a penny).

BRIGHT IDEAS u The exasperated drug

enforcement chief of Indonesia told reporters in November (following confiscation of a massive quantity of methamphetamine from China) that the ordinary death penalty was insufficient for drug runners, who should instead be forced to overdose on their own shipments. Budi Waseso also mused that crocodiles would make better prison guards than humans because crocs can’t be bribed and later added tigers and pirhanas to the proposed guard roster. Even so, Waseso’s boss reiterated that the government is committed to rehabilitation over punishment.

NEW WORLD ORDER u Watch Your Language:

(1) Recently added to the list of words and phrases to be officially discouraged on campus, according to the University of Wisconsin-

Milwaukee’s website: “political correctness.” The phrase is said to be a “microaggression” that might make some students feel uncomfortable or unsafe if they hear it or read it. (2) In November, the University of Vermont held a (voluntary) three-day “retreat” open only to students who “self-identify as white,” so that they can study the implications of “white privilege” in society (e.g., “what does it mean to be white?” and “how does whiteness impact you?”).

GOVERNMENT INACTION u The Queens (New York)

Redbird Tourist Information Center was finally ordered to close in July following an extraordinarily unsuccessful seven-year run in which, possibly, not a single tourist ever walked through the door. The New York Post, interviewing neighbors in Kew Gardens, found no one who ever saw a visitor, and the center’s lone staff member said she recalled only lunchtime dropins from jury duty at the criminal court building down the block.

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THE CONTINUING CRISIS u Marshall University

(Huntington, West Virginia), seeking a “star free agent” for its medical faculty, hired neurosurgeon Paul Muizelaar in July despite controversy from his previous work at the University of California, Davis. There, Dr. Muizelaar and colleagues, in a daring experiment, introduced live bowel bacteria into the brain—on lab rats—supposedly to stimulate the immune system when other remedies had faltered. However, Dr. Muizelaar, emboldened, also introduced the bacteria into brains of a man and two women who had highly malignant glioblastoma tumors (each patient having consented). However, two died within weeks, and although the third survived more than a year, UC Davis found numerous protocol violations. Dr. Muizelaar’s new supervisor told the Associated Press that he nonetheless felt lucky to land him because “not everybody wants to move to Appalachia.”

IRONIES u Deputy sheriff Michael Szeliga

of St. Petersburg, Florida, in Fort Lauderdale for a weekend training session in July, was to receive a commendation at the formal banquet, for exemplary DUI enforcement, presented by Mothers Against Drunk Driving. (This is News of the Weird; you’ve already guessed the outcome). He, escorted by two fellow deputies, arrived for dinner “staggeringly drunk” (though he did not drive), according to an internal affairs investigation, and he was ordered to go sleep it off. (Szeliga wrote an apology and was transferred out of DUI work. Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said Szeliga was a good deputy but that the incident was “one of the most ridiculous things” he’d ever heard of).

PEOPLE WITH ISSUES u Social science professor

Dr. Jeff Justice resigned from the faculty at Tarleton State University (Stephenville, Texas) in October to head off an investigation into whether he supplied alcohol to students

and proselytized at least one to undergo a self-mutilation practice. Justice admitted, post-resignation, that he was a devotee (since age 13) of the “Sundance” ritual, in which he would hang from a tree in his backyard by hooks connected to stakes in his bare chest and that he demonstrated it to some students but apparently interested none. He attributed the incidents to “severe depression.” (Bonus: He had won a Faculty Excellence award in 2015).

LEAST COMPETENT CRIMINALS u Kaleb Alexander, 25, was

shot and killed in October as he emerged from a United Dairy Farmers convenience store in Columbus, Ohio, still with his gun defiantly drawn after he had just then robbed the clerk. A Columbus police SWAT team was waiting outside the store because Alexander had robbed the store the previous two nights, as well, and somehow must have thought that the police would not catch on to his cunning robbery strategy.

RECURRING THEMES u Are We Safe? As News

of the Weird chronicled in 2010 and 2011, Iraqi police (either corrupt or sincerely unsophisticated) continued to purchase worthless bomb “detectors” to use at checkpoints in Baghdad, instilling residents with a false sense of security, with the result that hundreds of people died in supposedly safe neighborhoods. Briton James McCormick, the most successful con man/seller, is serving a 10-year sentence for the “ADE 651” (which, somehow, Baghdad police continued to buy long after the U.S. had warned of the scam). Since then, more bogus detectors have been peddled to Thailand and other governments. In November 2015, London’s The Independent, in a dispatch from the Egyptian resort Sharm el-Sheikh, reports that luxury hotels’ security officers are now using similar bogus detectors to reassure tourists frightened by the recent terrorism-suspected Russian plane crash in Egypt.

January 2016 // CULTURE

CULTURE // January 2016

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January 2016 // CULTURE