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inside
contents 1.2019
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HIGH CAL IBER
Five-time boxing champion and current WBC winner, Ava Knight, gives CULTURE a peek into her life—her journey as a boxer, her aspirations and how cannabis plays a significant role in her daily life. ON THE COVER:
PHOTO BY SEAN MCDONOUGH
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Setting the Example Activewear clothing that embraces cannabis and hemp allows consumers to destigmatize the “lazy stoner” stereotype.
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departments
07 Letter from the Editor news 10 News Nuggets 11 By the Numbers 12 Local News 14 Healthy Living reviews 18 Cool Stuff in every issue 28 À La Carte 30 Growing Culture 31 News of the Weird
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Online Exclusive! d New Zealand Loosens Cannabis Laws d Improve Health in 2019 with Hemp
VOL 10 ISSUE 7
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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jamie Solis ASSOCIATE EDITOR Ashley Bennett EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Benjamin Adams ASSISTANT EDITOR Ayesha Rahman EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS Matthew Abel, Hilary Bricken, Devon Alexander Brown, David Edmundson. Caroline Hayes, Carl Kozlowski, Alison Malsbury, Emily Manke, Kiara Manns, Madison Ortiz, Denise Pollicella, R. Scott Rappold, Ed Rosenthal, Kimberly R. Simms, Lanny Swerdlow, Simon Weedn, Laurie Wolf PHOTOGRAPHERS Steve Baker, Kristopher Christensen, John Gilhooley, Joel Meaders, Mike Rosati, Eric Stoner, Bruce Wolf ART DIRECTOR Steven Myrdahl PRODUCTION MANAGER Michelle Aguirre GRAPHIC DESIGNER John Venegas ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Alex Brizicky, Angie Callahan, Eric Bulls, Kim Cook, Casey Roel, Vic Zaragoza OFFICE MANAGER Mikayla Aguilar
CULTURE® Magazine is published every month and distributes magazines at over 600 locations throughout the Southern California. No articles, illustrations, photographs, or other matter within may be reproduced without written permission. CULTURE® Magazine is a registered trademark. All rights reserved.
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/freeculturemag
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LETTER
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EDITOR
Lead by Example
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his just in! Mainstream wellness and fitness publications have confirmed it—cannabis will be one of the hottest health trends in 2019. While we rejoice as the benefits of cannabidiol (CBD) continue to make headlines and bring benefits to the masses, it’s important to remember that whole plant cannabis and hemp have also been used for wellness purposes for many, many years before the CBD trend took over. It should come as no surprise that every year CULTURE dedicates its January issue to focusing on health- and wellness-focused topics that are relevant to the cannabis-loving lifestyle. Reversing the stigma that cannabis consumers are lazy, CULTURE is joined by professional athletes, wellness experts and everyday people who are dedicated to living healthy and active lifestyles with cannabis and hemp. In this special Health and Wellness issue, our cover interview with champion boxer Ava Knight demonstrates just how intertwined wellness, cannabis and professional athletics really are. While our community is always eager to learn more about the many benefits of the most mainstream cannabinoids, CBD and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), CULTURE is looking into the endless wellness possibilities that are held by lesser known cannabinoids that are steadily gaining in popularity. You will also find within these pages an inspirational story about a professional cannabis and hemp chef, who is able
to overcome her own dietary restrictions utilizing cannabis. It doesn’t matter what has led you to picking up this issue, rest assured that you’re now a step closer to embracing wellness through cannabis. In honor of the new year, challenge yourself to focus on bettering your wellness as a resolution. You can start training for a 5K, look into cooking with fresh ingredients at home versus eating fast food, or choose to take the stairs instead of the elevator the next time you’re given the option. Be an example of balance and wellness to others, and make choices that help demonstrate that hemp and cannabis are complementary to a healthy lifestyle. c Cheers!
JAMIE SOLIS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CultureMagazine.com
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NEWS
NUGGETS
Solana Beach City Council Approves Cannabis Ballot Initiative The Solana Beach City Council voted unanimously on Nov. 28, 2018 to send Ordinance 494 to the 2020 ballot, when residents will vote on allowing cannabis retailers, cultivation operations and delivery businesses. In addition, businesses would be able to operate as both an adultuse and medical dispensary. “Based on the validation of the petition
format and content along with the signature verification, the City Clerk certified the petition as sufficient to qualify as an initiative petition for the ballot,” a Nov. 28 staff report reads. The signatures were collected by Joshua Clark and the Alliance For Safe Access. Signature gatherers collected 1,057, when only 860 signatures are needed to be approved. Previous attempts to allow medical cannabis businesses in the city, such as Proposition W in 2012, failed. But after the implementation of Proposition 64 across California, it would appear the bill stands a chance in 2020.
Imperial Beach Sets Application Fee Deposit For Recreational Cannabis Dispensaries On Dec. 5, 2018 the Imperial Beach City Council unanimously approved a recreational cannabis dispensary application fee deposit during its “public hearing to consider approval of Resolution No. 2018-7994 setting the regulatory safety permit cannabis outlet application processing fees pursuant to Imperial Beach Municipal Code Chapter 4.60,” according to the meeting agenda. The required deposit is set to the amount of $10,000. Applicants will be required to pay the city the total cost for processing permit applications. The city will begin accepting 10
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applications for a regulatory safety permit from Jan. 29 through May 4. Imperial Beach City Council will also determine the regulatory fees before any recreational cannabis dispensary can open. Applicants must also have a location that is at least 900 feet away from parks, schools and daycare centers. They will also need to prove that they have a thorough and approved security plan, $300,000 in liquid assets and at least one manager who has first hand legal cannabis industry experience.
World Health Organization Postpones Cannabis Rescheduling Recommendations The United Nations’ World Health Organization (WHO) delayed the release of recommendations on rescheduling cannabis on Dec. 7, 2018. The recommendations were expected to be unveiled on the same day at the Commission on Narcotic Drugs 61st reconvened session in Vienna, Austria. While recommendations on other substances like Tramadal were addressed, a WHO representative said the organization needs more time to evaluate how to proceed with cannabis, leaving cannabis advocates around the world shocked. “When the time came to release the findings on cannabis to the packed audience, all were stunned to watch, in person, the spokesperson for WHO announce that the outcome on cannabis was kept confidential, but did not announce any date for the release,” said a press statement from FAAAT think & do tank, an international drug policy advocacy group. While no new date has been provided yet, member states of WHO are expected to vote on rescheduling cannabis in March 2019.
The number of cannabis business licenses that the city of Solana Beach would allow if voters choose to approve them in 2020: (Source: The Coast News Group)
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The amount of money, in thousands of dollars, that cannabis dispensary license applicants in Imperial Beach must pay in processing fees:
10,000
(Source: Fox5 San Diego) The number of cannabis production facilities, out of 21 applicants, that were being considered to be granted a conditional permit by the San Diego Planning Commission in December: (Source: Del Mar Times)
1
The approximate amount of money, in millions of American dollars, that Thailand’s Government Pharmaceutical Organization invested in a cannabis research plantation: (Source: Asia Times)
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The number of licensed cannabis dispensaries currently operating in Brandywine, Maryland: (Source: Baltimore Business Journal) The number of licensed medical and recreational cannabis producers in Canada that received approval to cultivate and sell cannabis: (Source: The Seattle Times)
The number of signatures required by Solana Beach City Council in order to approve an initiative as an ordinance or ballot measure:
860
(Source: The Coast News Group)
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133
The estimated amount of cannabis, in micrograms, that residents in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada consumed per person, per week from March 2018 to August 2018: (Source: CTV News)
1,310
Lawyer’s Guide to the New Cannabis Market
WHEN: Thurs, Jan. 31 WHERE: San Diego Law Library, 1105 Front St., San Diego WEBSITE: lexvid.com/cle/californias-cannabis-market-cle
Join CULTURE’s legal contributor Kimberly R. Simms as well as Patrick Murphy as they break down the rules and regulations that govern California’s cannabis market. You’ll get a review of current regulations, an overview of the cannabis marketplace, the federal classification of cannabis and an overview of the regulatory framework behind the Medicinal and Adult Use of Cannabis
Regulation and Safety Act. The one-hour presentation will help you keep updated on legal changes that strongly affect cannabis business operators. California’s newly reformed cannabis marketplace is exciting, but not knowing the law can make or break any business. Absorb as much information as you can if you plan on cashing in on the growing market in California. CultureMagazine.com
JANUARY 2019
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NEWS
LOCAL
Reagan Youth
DELIVERY ONLY
California officials approve d e l i v e r i e s i n c i t i e s a n d c o u n t i e s t h at have banned cannabis sales By Benjamin M. Adams
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ne of the most contested aspects of California’s permanent cannabis rules revolves around delivery in cities and counties that have banned the sale of cannabis—but delivery companies will probably win this particular battle. Much to the dismay of various opposing organizations and law enforcement groups, California regulators approved a provision to allow cannabis deliveries in all areas of the state. The Bureau of Cannabis Control (BCC), Department of Public Health and Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) sent final drafts of permanent cannabis rules to the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) on Dec. 3, 2018 and the BCC’s rules include the delivery provision. The delivery provision is a response to reports of several cities and counties that insisted they could arrest cannabis delivery drivers coming from other cities. The OAL was given 30 days from that date to complete its full review and to finalize the permanent rules. Once the permanent rules are finalized, cities and counties can continue to ban cannabis storefronts as they please, but they can’t block delivery companies from entering their jurisdiction. Cannabis delivery companies like Eaze, Kushfly, HERB and Nugg are increasingly staking out territory throughout California, and they could expand much faster under the permanent rules. Pending the OAL’s final green light, any Californian adult could order cannabis via
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delivery—no matter where they live. “The way it would work is similar to pizza delivery,” California Cannabis Industry Association (CCIA) Communications and Outreach Director Josh Drayton told CULTURE. “If a pizza delivery company is in one city, it can deliver into another. The way that this would read for cannabis is that if a delivery service is located in a regulated area, and they are licensed, they are still able to deliver into banned cities and counties.” Originally, the regulations were supposed to remain private for a month, but by Dec. 7, 2018 the rules were released. BCC Assistant Chief of Communications Alex Traverso told CULTURE, however, that the rules are contingent upon being finalized by the OAL. The CCIA represents the voice of Californians who work in the cannabis industry, and the association promotes state laws that are beneficial to its various causes. “Our association strongly supports statewide delivery,” Drayton said. “We do believe that this regulation reflects the will of California voters that supported Prop. 64. [Organizations] launched a campaign against this called ‘Stop Wandering Weed,’ but we fully support this regulation and greatly appreciate that this administration and the BCC also interpreted the statute in the same manner.” The California Police Chiefs Association, League of California Cities and United Food and Commercial Workers Western States Council opposed the provision allowing statewide deliveries and launched an online petition. According to the Stop Wandering Weed campaign website, the delivery provision would “eviscerate” cities’ ability to ban cannabis. Once the permanent rules began to be released, the Stop Wandering Weed campaign pulled its ads off of social media. Their efforts were in vain. Many other rules were clarified or reiterated. The CDFA, for instance, also released its draft regulations, which would continue to allow farm operations to obtain an unlimited number of cultivation permits. The OAL is not expected to approve the permanent rule packages until sometime in mid-January. Until then, California’s emergency rules that were re-adopted in June 2018 will remain in place. c
Reagan Youth’s original singer Dave “Insurgent” Rubinstein committed suicide at age 28 after discovering that his girlfriend had been killed by serial killer Joel Rifkin. Before Rubinstein was gone, he left behind a rich legacy of 1980s punk rock music which lead him to play at CBGB’s in New York City with bands like Beastie Boys and Agnostic Front. Many modern punk banks imitate Reagan Youth’s legendary guitar solos. The band members took it upon themselves to fight against hate groups with elaborate far-left politics written into the lyrics. In the comedy Airheads with Brendan Fraser, Steve Buscemi and Adam Sandler, they perform a cover of Reagan Youth’s “Degenerated” and hold a radio station hostage. Even fictional book characters that die young have been loosely based off of Dave Insurgent. See for yourself why this band is revered so highly. WHEN: Sun, Jan. 20 WHERE: Brick by Brick, 1130 Buenos Ave., San Diego WEBSITE: reaganyouth.com/events
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NEWS
HEALTHY LIVING
The Other Cannabinoids Exploring six lesser-known c h e m i c a l s t h at i n t e r a c t w i t h t h e endocannabinoid system By Lanny Swerdlow, RN LNC
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annabinoids are a diverse set of chemicals used by the endocannabinoid system, one of the largest neurotransmission systems in the bodies of all mammals. Whether the cannabinoids are produced by our bodies (endocannabinoids) or are obtained from external sources like cannabis (ectocannabinoids), they have profound effects on regulating appetite, mood, motor control, immunity, reproduction, pain, memory and sleep, to name a few. The cannabinoids produced in our bodies are not the exact same cannabinoids found in cannabis, but they all interact with the body’s endocannabinoid system in a very similar way and consequently produce very similar effects. There are over 100 “The cannabinoids cannabinoids, but the only ones that make headlines produced in our are the two cannabisbodies are not produced cannabinoids tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) the exact same and cannabidiol (CBD). Both cannabinoids found are known for many health benefits such as relieving in cannabis, but pain, mitigating depression, they all interact inducing sleep and fighting cancer, but THC is notorious with body’s for the psychoactive high it endocannabinoid produces. As a consequence, THC and CBD eclipse the system in a very “other cannabinoids” in similar way and name recognition. The rarely consequently mentioned and less-researched “other cannabinoids” have produce very health benefits that deserve similar effects.” serious consideration. 14
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Cannabigerol (CBG) is found abundantly in immature plants, but as the plant matures it all but disappears as it is broken down by specific enzymes into other cannabinoids—mainly THC and CBD. CBG has been shown to provide relief from irritable bowel syndrome, reduce intraocular eye pressure in glaucoma patients, inhibit the growth of cancer cells and act as an antibacterial agent. As a consequence of these multiple health benefits, geneticists are working to develop cannabis strains that retain high levels of CBG.
Cannabichromene (CBC) is also a derivative of CBG. Of interest is that CBC is reported to provide pain relief by binding with receptors outside the endocannabinoid system leading to increased levels of the body’s natural THC like cannabinoid— anandamide. CBC has also been shown to possess anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal and antibiotic properties.
Tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV) has a similar
Cannabidivarin (CBDV) is similar in structure and
molecular structure to THC, but medical studies have produced conflicting results on whether it has the same psychoactive properties as THC, with some studies finding enhanced psychoactive properties while others found it to reduce THC’s psychoactive effects. As for health benefits, positive results have been demonstrated in treating diabetes, as THCV has been shown to reduce insulin resistance and regulate blood sugar levels. Research has also shown its potential to lessen anxiety in post-traumatic stress disorder patients and reduce the tremors, brain lesions and loss of motor control associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
function to CBD. Studies have demonstrated the ability of CBDV to heighten the anti-convulsive properties of CBD. GW Pharmaceuticals, the maker of Epidiolex, the first cannabis-based medicine to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, undertook research studies to document the ability of CBDV to treat adults with seizures and autism. Even though the studies did not produce the desired results, GW Pharmaceuticals is continuing the research as its totally non-psychoactive properties make CBDV an ideal candidate for treating these disorders.
Cannabinol (CBN) is formed from the exposure of THC to light and air. With minimal psychoactive effects, the high produced by cannabis decreases when THC degrades into CBN due to improper storage. Although CBN will not produce a psychoactive effect, studies have shown an ability to reduce insomnia, fight infections and provide relief from pain.
Delta-8-Tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta-8-THC) has the same atomic composition as traditional THC, but the atoms are arranged differently. Somewhat less psychoactive, it has shown great promise in treating cancer patients as research has demonstrated its ability to kill cancer cells and reduce tumors in mice. Studies have confirmed the research undertaken with mice as Israeli researchers have reported successful cancer treatments utilizing Delta-8-THC in 480 patients. In addition, it has been shown to significantly reduce nausea and vomiting, which would benefit cancer patients experiencing the debilitating side effects of chemo and radioactive therapies.
Although cannabinoids can provide benefits on their own, research has established that the cannabinoids found in cannabis work best in the presence of other cannabinoids and not in isolation. Known as “The Entourage Effect,” whole-plant cannabis used in its natural form with its cornucopia of cannabinoids intact remains effective and is perhaps one of the best ways to obtain the health and medical benefits of cannabis. c
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“ . . . they can’t keep denying that there are some world class athletes that smoke and train and break world records.”
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PHOTOS BY SEAN MCDONOUGH
ava knight is a great ambassador for both boxing and cannabis BY DAVID EDMUNDSON
C
hampion boxer Ava Knight has been boxing for more than half of her life. Starting as an amateur in her teen years, she quickly ran out of opponents and opportunities. After turning pro at age 19, she has won several championship title belts, including the International Female Boxers Association Bantamweight Championship, International Boxing Federation Flyweight World Title and World Boxing Council Silver World Title, and trained some of the biggest names in the music industry, all the while keeping her signature positive attitude and indelible work ethic. She’s also the first female boxer from the United States to win the World Boxing Council Diamond Belt Championship. She is a tremendous ambassador of her sport, and a bright light in the sometimes-
dark world of professional boxing. Knight is also part of a list of elite athletes who have come out on the side of cannabis and its medicinal benefits. She, along with a growing number of high-caliber athletes, are trying to combat years of misinformation and attacks on a plant whose healing benefits they have felt first hand. Fighting takes a tremendous toll on your body—not only during the actual fight, but in the thousands of hours spent preparing for the bout. As injuries and fatigue take hold, Knight has used cannabis as part of her healing regimen and sings its praises. CULTURE was able to sit down with Knight to discuss her boxing career, training Wiz Khalifa and Joe Jonas, comparing women in boxing and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and how women’s boxing can compete with men’s boxing.
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Have you always been into contact sports? Yeah, I started at the age of 13, and since then I have always been into contact sports. Since I’ve started, I’ve taken about two years off, and that’s it. Did you immediately take to boxing? It was kind of a weird thing. I started going to the gym with a friend as a teen. I had never watched a boxing match. I had never been involved in any type of contact sport before that. It was just kind of an accident that happened to be a blessing, in that I got to find my calling in life. After trying it at a young age and wanting to do it, it became a passion after about six months of doing it. I just fell in love with it. In the early days was there an abundance of female opponents? Coming from Northern California, there was barely anyone involved where we were at. But we would drive down to the Bay Area all the time. We would find fights in Oakland and San Francisco. I would fight the same girls three or four times as an amateur. It was always hard to find opponents on a steady basis. I had gone to a national tryout in 2006, and they told me that women would never see the Olympics. It was kind of heartbreaking, but at that moment I decided that I had gone as far as I could as an amateur and turned professional. By going professional, I had the opportunity to fight more often. Can you tell us where your nickname “Lady of Boxing” comes from? My first coach Joe Rodriguez, the one who started me out and kept me going, would always call me a lady. He was a very old school military man, and I when I would come to the gym, I wouldn’t be rude or talk back to anyone. So, since I was nice and polite, he would call me a lady. The nickname has stuck with me ever since then. 22
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“i also think that all the people that have a criminal record because of cannabis should have their records expunged. the country should be free to use and smoke as they please. ”
You recently came back to the ring after a two-year absence; have you or the sport changed? The break didn’t start out as something I wanted to do. Women’s boxing was really bad, and nothing was happening at the time. I got an amazing opportunity to become Joe Jonas’ personal trainer on the road. So that was a blessing, and it was great to teach him boxing, while I got to still have some passion in what I did and travel the world. But I did see that during that time, that women were starting to become mainstream getting on television, and things were starting to look up for women in boxing. So, I decided I wanted to come back. And while I can’t say it is a whole lot better, they have taken some steps forward.
Aside from Joe Jonas, you’ve also been training with former CULTURE cover Wiz Khalifa. Are they training to possibly fight, or more for fitness? Joe just did it for fitness, to get into shape and look great. He did an awesome job with it. And Wiz is amazing. He has taken up Muay Thai, and I’ve done some boxing with him. I’ve held pads for him and sparred with him as well. He is catching onto the sport so fast, so well that I’ve told him that he should do an amateur fight. He’s really thinking about it. He told me that there are only a few things he loves in the world—his son, his music, his weed and the gym. It was awesome to see that he really loves his contact sports. Do you enjoy training fighters; is it something you could see yourself doing when you hang up your gloves? I do, because when I was hurt or couldn’t find a fight, the only way I could get my excitement was teaching people to box. You get that little spark inside of you that you got when you fought in the ring. I want to start a gym in south Texas. I know it’s a really poor area down there, but fighting is a poor man’s sport. I started it as a kid in a family with no money, and it kept me going. It’s not making most of us rich, but it fulfills a deep passion within. How has it been working with Mayweather Promotions? Working with Mayweather Promotions is great. So far, they’ve been very good to me. They’ve got me on my last two cards really quick. I don’t know Floyd [Mayweather] very well, but at the
end of the day, when it comes to boxing, this man knows his stuff, and he is very supportive of the people he puts in the ring. What can the sport do to elevate women’s boxing to the level of the men? The women in the sport are doing what they do very well, and that’s boxing. It’s hard now that we live in a society with social media. You become more popular on Instagram with likes than you are if you’re just a badass boxer. The world has changed in the sense that entertainment and money has fallen into the politics of boxing. But the women are doing a great job of being fighters. The problem in boxing is that the men don’t support us as much as they do in sports like MMA. MMA puts them on the top screen, they put their pictures out there, they advertise them very well and they get them sponsors. The world for women in boxing is going backwards. We don’t have that support, like you would find in other mixed gender sports like
tennis or MMA. MMA is doing great with the women. In MMA, you had Ronda Rousey who became as famous, if not more famous, than her male counterparts. Do you foresee a time that boxing follows suit? If it is a possibility, and I am being as positive as I can, it is not going to be anytime soon. The problem in boxing, that is different from MMA, is that boxing is an old sport. It is run by a big group of old men who might not want to accept women into the sport, whereas MMA is fueled by a younger crowd who accept different things better. They bring women into the gym and train with them. In boxing, it can be hard to walk in and be treated like a reputable fighter. There’s always someone trying to pull you back when it comes to boxing. To be a female gladiator is still kind of unheard of. No matter where you go people are still surprised that you’re a female boxer. It would be nice to see that part change. Once it changes in the gyms, it will spread to the higher-ups. CultureMagazine.com
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fighters I know do it but keep it under wraps. I would say like 50/50. Do you think boxing’s unwillingness to embrace the medicinal properties of cannabis stems back to that “Old Boys” club you mentioned? Things are always “too new” for the sport. Just like women in boxing, they can’t keep denying that there are some world class athletes that smoke and train and break world records. But with boxing, since it is so old school, I just don’t see them changing their minds. You live in Las Vegas, Nevada where cannabis is recreationally legal. Do you feel it should be readily available nationwide? I think cannabis should be legal for recreational use throughout the country. Canada just did it, and we could do the same thing. We could tax it and use it to build up the country. Also, we should be allowed to grow it and do things organically without getting in trouble for it. I also think that all the people that have a criminal record because of cannabis should have their records expunged. The country should be free to use and smoke as they please.
Would you be interested in switching from boxing to MMA for those reasons? I’m definitely thinking about it; only because that seems to be the women are going, especially the good ones in boxing. Not that I am following in anyone’s footsteps. I have my own plans for my career, and I want to see some good things come from it. Do you consume cannabis or cannabis products? Marijuana is such a taboo thing in the athletic world, and I questioned admitting that I smoke weed, but at the end of the day I feel like it’s such a positive plant, that has medical benefits to it, that I feel like I can’t deny it. I use topicals, and I do smoke. How has cannabis helped in your recovery from fights? I use the Dixie Elixirs balm. I use it on my wrists. I severely hurt my wrists during the first fight I had this year, and every day I go to the gym I use this balm on my wrists, and since the last two fights I have not had pain at all. Even now I can 24
“to be a female gladiator is still kind of unheard of. ” turn it, move it and there is no inflammation. It is getting better and better every time I use it. I’ve tried so many other things like Tiger Balm and things like that. My dog had surgery the other day, and she was swollen. The only ointment that could get the redness away from her chest was the Dixie Elixirs balm, and it did wonders for her. When I do smoke though, my friend grows his own marijuana, and it helps me sleep. I have insomnia, and it has helped me 100 percent. How prevalent do you think cannabis is in the boxing world? I want to say it’s everywhere. The biggest
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What is your favorite memory as a boxer? People think winning world titles is the best part of boxing. But I think the most memorable and happiest moment for me in boxing is bringing it home to my parents. I think knowing that I made my parents proud of what I’m doing, and the road I’m going down is probably the best feeling in the world. Who’s your favorite boxer? Tommy Hearns was my favorite. He was tall and lanky and could throw with power. He wasn’t undefeated, but that man fought everybody. He was just an amazing fighter. If you could box anyone from history, who would it be and why? I’m going to go for a swing here and say Donald Trump. Maybe it’s just a celebrity boxing thing, but I disagree with so much of what this man says that I would just love to get into the ring, and just get my problems out of the way with that. Get that anger out. c www.officialavaknight.com
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fashionably GREAT
Stigma ® adds st yle to your workout routine with a nod to cannabis and hemp By Caroline Hayes
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ew year, new you. Some might consider this phrase cliché, but many people think of the new year as an opportunity to make changes and develop positive habits. People are always vowing to get in shape, but why not actually do it in 2019 and aspire to lead a more active and meaningful life? It can be hard to get the ball rolling, but we have an idea that might excite you—stocking your closet with items from mindful and cannabis-forward companies to complement your new active lifestyle. By choosing to support companies that grow organic hemp or cotton or vow Fair Trade practices and less of a carbon footprint, you are helping the sustainable clothing movement. Stigma® is a California-based, global company whose brand is focused on spreading a procannabis message through its activewear clothing line, team and upcoming cannabidiol (CBD) enhancement products. Founded by a brother and sister duo, Anthony and Nicole Gonzales, Stigma® is a cannabis health and wellness lifestyle brand. The siblings created the company around a mission to deconstruct stereotypes about “lazy stoners” by highlighting members of the cannabis community who are active and motivated. Anthony told CULTURE, “People of all different ages and backgrounds consume cannabis while leading healthy, productive and active lives.” In addition to their own stories, Anthony and Nicole have a global network of brand ambassadors who share their personal experiences about the positive role cannabis has played in their lives. Stigma®’s line of activewear is chic and fashionable with a powerful message. They make sports bras, tanks, leggings, performance shorts, joggers and hoodies that are made from sustainable fabrics like organic cotton and rPET (recycled plastic bottles) with subtle messages like “F*ck Stereotypes” and “Aim Higher.” Anthony says that they have plans to incorporate hemp as a fabric in the future. “Hemp is a highly sustainable and low impact crop that provides several benefits over other natural materials. For us, our challenge has been incorporating this natural fiber into activewear products that are typically made from performance materials such as nylon and polyester. We’re working with suppliers to develop a fabric that uses hemp
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and other fibers specific to our sports application. We want something that is soft, durable, sweat resistant,” he said. Anthony’s mission to found Stigma® started after he saw firsthand how cannabis positively affected his health. He wrote in an Instagram post that two years ago he was suffering from stomach issues, was overweight and working a high stress job at Apple. Doctors were prescribing him pharmaceuticals to relieve his pain and inflammation, but he knew that there had to be a better way than prescription drugs. He started doing research and discovered CBD as a natural remedy, which greatly improved his health. He wrote, “I started using cannabis to support my fitness routine and found it made a huge
difference. The gym and working out became fun again as I played around with different sativa strains prior to my workouts.” He explained that a vape hit before a long run, CBD salve for sore muscles or eating an edible to relax and rest are ways to incorporate cannabis into a workout. Anthony’s sister Nicole, who is cofounder, is involved with all clothing designs, is Stigma®’s primary photographer and also utilizes the health benefits of CBD. “She’s been with me since the inception of the brand and has played an integral part in pretty much every decision. We’re a small family startup with my sister, dad and boyfriend all supporting in some capacity,” Anthony said. Stigma®’s other focus is a line of CBD sports performance products for athletes, set to debut early next year. Anthony said they will be infusing oral spray, protein powder and topicals with 100 percent organic CBD plant material. “We’re using an innovative CBD delivery system
to improve bioavailability within the body versus traditional CBD oils. Many people don’t realize that only 10 to 20 percent of the CBD contained in oil-based hemp extracts actually enters into the human body,” Anthony said. The hemp from which the CBD is derived is grown outdoors in Colorado without pesticides or herbicides in a zero waste process. Anthony explained, “Our manufacturing partner utilizes 100 percent of the hemp byproducts for fiber, animal bedding and biomass energy.” Stigma® has a lot of room to grow and has big plans for the future. Look for the company’s CBD enhancement products early next year and for their new hemp gear to come after that. Treat yourself to some stylish mindful gear to help jump start your new active lifestyle. If you feel the part you will act the part. Power the sustainable clothing movement by supporting companies that use mindful practices and renewable resources while redefining the stigma surrounding cannabis with movements like this.
Hemp Roots
“PEOPLE OF ALL DIFFERENT AGES AND BACKGROUNDS CONSUME CANNABIS WHILE L E A D I N G H E A LT H Y, P R O D U C T I V E AND ACTIVE LIVES.”
Sustainable activewear made from hemp is an ongoing trend that has been around for decades, and companies like PrAna and Rawganique are a couple of leaders in the industry. PrAna is a sustainable clothing brand with conscious initiatives. PrAna as a company has shared that we all have a choice in what we choose to wear, grow and buy. PrAna is committed to utilizing 100 percent organic cotton and hemp, recycled wool, responsibly sourced down and Fair Trade practices. PrAna makes sustainable clothing that keeps up with the trends and what people want and need. Its activewear seamlessly allows people to transition from the gym or yoga studio to running errands or to happy hour. From the mountains to the beach, PrAna makes athletic gear for all activities. “Ultimately, sustainable clothing respects the
planet and its people,” according to the company’s website. Founded in 1977 by off-thegrid islanders, Rawganique handcrafts clothing from hemp, linen and organic cotton. The company grows, combs, spins, weaves, knits and sews all of its products. Activewear items like hemp socks, undergarments and T-shirts help wick away moisture during a workout. Rawganique’s hemp gym bags and hemp or polyvinyl chloride-free yoga mats are perfect to accompany to the gym. Rawganique even makes hemp home furnishings such as sheets, curtains and rugs. Supporting smaller companies like Rawganique helps them in their quest of sustainable practices. c CultureMagazine.com
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À LA CARTE
Whole Food Magic C a n n a b i s a n d h e m p h av e l e d t o successful business ventures and p e r s o n a l w e l l n e s s f o r A s h l a e Wa r n e r By John McClain
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ood blogger Ashlae Warner works her whole food magic creating decadent-tasting cannabis edibles and is expanding to a fullspectrum hemp oil line. When cannabis first became legal in Colorado, her husband stood in line for hours and brought back a quarter-ounce of bud. But Warner wasn’t interested in smoking it—so she turned it into an infused coconut oil. “And it just sat in my pantry,” Warner told CULTURE. “I made these amazing raw brownies for some friends [. . .] They said, ‘This is so amazing, you need to bring this to the market.’” Warner is the blogger behind Oh, Lady Cakes, a corner
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of the web dedicated to traditional sweet treats. She has used her experience in whole food recipe development to create a line of healthy and fun edibles, Alchemy Food Co. After two-and-ahalf years of research and development in a Denver, Colorado commercial kitchen, Alchemy opened in February 2018. Warner keeps a high standard for the ingredients her company uses in its products, which continues to be represented through the products and the packaging the company uses. Even the grower, Los Sueños Farms, was chosen in part for its cannabis grown in the sunshine, which Warner believes is “how cannabis is supposed to be grown.”
Like the ingredients and packaging of her edibles, even her company’s name is thoughtful and intentional. “Alchemy is the precursor to chemistry, which is highly scientific, and alchemy is naturally-occurring elements,” said Warner. “All of our products are made with whole foods, natural ingredients, not processed, so ‘Alchemy’ was super-fitting.” Alchemy uses dates, nuts, cacao and handmade canna-coconut oil, which Warner whips up using an Instant Pot and a high-shear homogenizer to keep the oil consistently potent. The canna-coconut oil, Warner said, is an awesome way for people to infuse their recipes safely while knowing exactly how potent they
will be. Next year, the company hopes to expand with new canna-coconut oils and a hemp product. In August, Warner and her husband launched Supergood, a full-spectrum hemp oil infused with turmeric, that both Warner and her husband use personally. Warner discovered that cannabis allowed her to tolerate gluten in foods, but the main benefit was actually treating her ulcer and gastritis that had developed after being prescribed 2,800mg of ibuprofen daily for her endometriosis pain. She has been using the fullspectrum hemp oil to treat that pain as well as anxiety. Her husband Thom, an Iraq War veteran, suffered from insomnia and posttraumatic stress disorder for years, and visited the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for assistance before trying cannabis. “They prescribed him the craziest medication,” said Warner, who said her husband didn’t like taking drugs. “Like bottles and bottles and bottles of blood pressure medication, and heart medication, and sleeping pills, and I was just like, ‘Why are you going to put this into your body?’” “He’s not a fan of using any kind of drug, not even caffeine,” she said. “He won’t do [it]. We started Supergood, and he started using those products and [. . .] it was like day and night for him when he started taking it, which was incredible.” Supergood hemp products have made a
“The insomnia t h at h e h a s i s c o m p l e t e ly gone. He sleeps through the n i g h t f i n a l ly, a n d h e c a n fa l l asleep and s tay a s l e e p. A product I c r e at e d h a s changed my p a r t n e r ’ s l i f e .” vast improvement in his life overall, which many of us personally know can start with a healthy sleep schedule. “The insomnia that he has is completely gone. He sleeps through the night finally, and he can fall asleep and stay asleep,” said Warner. “A product I created has changed my partner’s life.” Warner said the couples’ previous experience with Alchemy and the cannabis industry gave them knowledge that helped them create a good, trustworthy product in Supergood. Now they are able to pass on that expertise to their customers through education and support. “It’s not something we’re required to do,” she said, “but we feel like it kind of brings a little more integrity to our company and our products.” c
eatalchemy.com | supergoodhemp.com CultureMagazine.com
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GROWING CULTURE
OAKLAND OUTDOOR GARDEN: T H E F I N A L I N S TA L L M E N T By Ed Rosenthal
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y last report on the garden was in late November. At the time, almost half of the plot had been harvested. Harvesting continued through the end of the month. There were several reasons for the sense of urgency in harvesting these plants. First, some of the buds were beginning to get overripe. Secondly, the weather, which had been amazingly sunny as a result of the drought in California, was about to turn. There were numerous rainstorms on the way. Except for Thanksgiving, harvesting continued through the end of the month. The procedure was to cut the plants, place them in wagons and transport them to the processing center. The plants were dunked in hydrogen peroxide solution to wipe of dirt and kill spores and bacteria. Then they were hung to dry. The drying frame was constructed out of steel beams with four levels of wire hung across the area. Wires were spaced three feet apart to promote air circulation. The space was heated and dried using a blower powered by its own generator, which filled the room with warm air with a relative humidity
The rafters are filled with drying plants and branches. The blower fills the drying area with warm dry air. The lift is used to place plants on the high levels.
Workers de-budding the stems and branches.
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of less than 40 percent. The temperature was just under 80 degrees. The perimeter of the drying area was surrounded with powerful fans that circulated air between the rows. By the time the frame was filled with plants and bud, the plants that were hung the earliest were dry and ready to be moved into the curing area. This consisted of a slightly cooler and more humid area. The plant branches were laid on craft paper only one cluster deep. Then another sheet of heavy craft paper was laid down and another layer of branches was placed on them. This was repeated five or six times. Some plant tops were hung on wire along the walls increasing the capacity of the curing center. After spending at least a week in the curing section, the branches were bucked. This was accomplished in one of several ways. Either the plants are stripped by hand [or stripped using a bucket]. Wearing heavy canvas gloves, the branches were pulled through a mostly closed hand, stripping the plant. A more efficient method uses a rim that fits over a five-gallon bucket. Branches are fitted through the slots in the bucket, and pulled through. The foliage is stripped off. The team is also experimenting with a de-budding machine. The stem is fed into a hole in the machine and it pulls through, automatically removing the bud and other foliage. This really speeds up the process. The buds were then being stored in cans. Until the buds are mostly dry, they were kept uncapped. Only when they won’t sweat when enclosed, are the canisters capped. c
TIP OF THE MONTH Are you planning to grow some big plants outside this year? January and February are the months to get seeds and clones started. Give them bright light and start training them to grow into the shape you prefer. By May or early June when you set them out, some varieties that are four or five feet tall have the potential to grow to 10to 15-foot giants.
Fans keep the air circulating between the rows.
Plants in the curing section. The humidity is kept at about 50 percent using dehumidifiers. It consists of layers of branches separated by heavy craft paper.
Some of the plants were hung.
Finished buds will soon be destroyed.
The leaves and small buds will be used for concentrate.
NBF (New Best Friend) bud pile.
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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.
NEWS of the
WEIRD
BY THE EDITORS AT ANDREWS MCMEEL
LEAD STORY—WAIT, WHAT? Akihiko Kondo, 35, of Tokyo, spent $18,000 on a Nov. 4 wedding ceremony to marry the love of his life, Hatsune Miku—a computergenerated hologram with big eyes and long, turquoise hair. Kondo told Reuters he found Hatsune Miku, who has thousands of fans around the world, singing on the internet. The wedding ceremony included traditions such as the exchange of rings (hers was placed on the finger of a stuffed doll created in her image) and friends and
relatives in attendance, although Kondo’s parents did not attend. “I believe the shape of happiness and love is different for each person,” Kondo said. CHRISTMAS COMES EARLY A Bank of America ATM in Houston was the scene of a near-riot on Nov. 25 when it began dispensing $100 bills instead of $10s, reported Click2Houston. After the first lucky driver posted his score on social media, a crowd showed up and stood in line, with a few fights and arguments breaking out over about two hours, until police were summoned and the free money was shut down. Bank of America released a statement the next day that would have galled Ebenezer Scrooge: “Customers will be able to keep the money dispensed.” Turns out the blame lay with
a vendor who incorrectly loaded $100 bills into the $10 slot. There was no report of how much money was withdrawn. LEAST COMPETENT CRIMINALS Richard Robert Langely, 46, of Kansas City, Missouri, was working part time for the Platte Woods Police Department in October when he decided to take part in the department’s drug take-back program. Except, according to court documents, Langely wasn’t disposing of drugs; he was helping himself to pills that had been collected in Lake Waukomis. And to make matters worse, The Kansas City Star reported, his own body camera captured evidence enabling prosecutors to charge him with felony theft of a controlled substance.
Langely is scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 10. Wesley Glenn Bost, 27, of Birmingham, Alabama, made quite the impression when he fell through the ceiling of a Waffle House in Tuscumbia on Nov. 4, not least because he wasn’t wearing pants. Bost apparently went into the restaurant’s bathroom and used his pants to tie the door shut, then, said Tuscumbia police Detective Sgt. Wes Holland, climbed into the ceiling with the intent of robbing the office. WHNT News reported that video of the incident shows Bost shoving other restaurant patrons on his way to the door, which was being held shut by people outside, before hitting the door with his shoulder and falling to the floor. Finally he managed to flee . . . without his trousers . . . which held his driver’s license.
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