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contents Vol 9 IssUE 4
10.17
Success in Strides
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CULTURE Magazine celebrates 100 issues of famous celebrity advocates sharing their support for cannabis.
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The world has changed a lot since CULTURE Magazine first hit newsstands in 2009.
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Medical cannabis was first legalized in 1996— how have states evolved since then?
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inside
contents 10.2017
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48 features
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130
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Southern California’s Finest Learn more about the dispensaries and companies that are contributing to our state’s cannabis industry.
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Industry Insider Hezekiah Allen, executive director of the California Growers Association, is a long-time advocate and businessman who leads by example.
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Caregiver Appreciation Effective cannabis caregivers like Maria Frost dedicate their lives to helping others.
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Ultimate Altruism In the wake of devastation from natural disasters, the cannabis community bands together.
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Lavish Collection Func.Art Gallery in Long Beach displays breathtaking functional art.
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departments 20 Letter from the Editor
news
Online Exclusive! 26 News Nuggets 28 By the Numbers
36 Local News 40 Legal Corner 44 Healthy Living
reviews
48 Strain,
Edible & Concentrate Reviews 74 Cool Stuff 76 Entertainment Reviews
in every issue
130 Growing Culture 132 Profile in Courage 134 Recipes
140 News of the Weird
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d Medical Students Require More Training On Cannabis d Delaware Adds PTSD to List of Qualifying Conditions
Vol 9 IssUE 4
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CULTURE M
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Editor-In-Chief Jamie Solis associate Editor Ashley Bennett Editorial coordinator Benjamin Adams Editorial Contributors Matthew Abel, Sheryll Alexander, Devon Brown, Jasen T. Davis, Alex Distefano, Keira Fae, Natasha Guimond, Addison Herron-Wheeler, Pamela Jayne, M. Jay, Heather Johnson, Emily Manke, Meital Manzuri, Madison Ortiz, Denise Pollicella, R. Scott Rappold, Paul Rogers, Ed Rosenthal, Lanny Swerdlow, Simon Weedn, Laurie Wolf, Photographers Kristen Angelo, Steve Baker, Kristopher Christensen, John Gilhooley, Joel Meaders, Tonya Perme, Josué Rivas, Mike Rosati, Eric Stoner Art Director Steven Myrdahl production manager Michelle Aguirre Graphic DesignerS Payden Cobern, Nathan Hernandez sales director Joe Larson los angeles Jon Bookatz sales manager
Account Executives Alex Brizicky, Molly Clark, Eric Bulls, Kim Cook, Monte Lee, Beau Odom, Casey Roel, Garry Stalling, Ryan Tripp, Shayne Williams, Vic Zaragoza general Manager Iris Norsworthy digital content David Edmundson manager Intern Sophia Rybicki Distribution Manager Cruz Bobadilla Publisher David Comden Culture® Magazine is published every month and distributes magazines at over 1,500 locations throughout 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.
2175 Sampson Ave. | Suite 118 Corona | California | 92879 Phone/Fax 888.694.2046 www.CultureMagazine.com
CULTURE® Magazine is printed using post-recycled paper.
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L ETTER
F RO M
THE
E D I TOR
Upward and Onward
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ULTURE’s 100th issue is more than just a milestone for our magazine—it’s also a milestone for the cannabis community. The first issue of CULTURE hit the newsstands in Southern California in June, 2009. Back then, there were only 14 states that had voted in favor of medical cannabis, in comparison to the 29 states that have enacted medical cannabis programs today. Recreational cannabis states were non-existent in 2009—now in our 100th issue, eight states have legalized recreational cannabis. Through the evolution of our industry, CULTURE has never swayed from its core mission—to bring cannabis into the mainstream by sharing the stories of those who have been silenced for so long. Every page within this magazine has an intention. From sharing medical and scientific research and evidence in favor of cannabis, to promoting the legislative and cultural acceptance of this miraculous plant—we have not strayed from our purpose in 100 issues, and we never will. There are so many reasons to celebrate our victories— both as a magazine and as a community. However, as we revel in our excitement, we can’t forget that we still have a long way to go. Although we celebrate our progress, we must all be aware of the challenges that still lay ahead of us. I can promise you that here at CULTURE, we will continue to face opponents of cannabis, defending
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your inherent human right to consume a plant. By sharing your remarkable, brave, altruistic and awe-inspiring stories within our pages, spreading knowledge to the masses and ensuring consumers have safe access to cannabis will continue to be the inspiration for what we do. Finally, as a free magazine since our very first issue, we’d like to thank the many local and national business owners who have had a hand in supporting our endeavors. It is because of you that our industry has been built with a strong foundation from the ground up. Without our supportive community of patients, advocates, lawmakers and industry experts, we would not be able to share the many untold tales and first-hand stories with the masses for these past 100 issues. c Cheers to 100 more!
Jamie Solis Editor-in-Chief
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NEWS
nuggetS
Lynwood Whittles Down Cultivation License Applicants On September 5, the Lynwood City Council finalized development agreements for 11 cannabis business licensees among those that have received preliminary approval. City staff reviewed over 40 applications including 15 cultivation applications, 17 manufacturing applications, nine distributions applications and two testing applications. It’s taken some time, however, for the city to get this far. “The general plan encourages development of industrial uses that are consistent with the scale and character of surrounding land uses,”
the meeting agenda read. “The proposed project will develop multiple cultivation and manufacturing facilities that are of the scale and intensity appropriate for a manufacturing development.” Last December, the city council waived the full reading of Chapter 4 Article 34 of the Lynwood Municipal Code, Medical Cannabis Business Activity, which regulates the location of cultivation and manufacturing businesses.
Montebello May Allow Cannabis Businesses The city of Montebello is taking steps to license three types of cannabis businesses. On September 5 the Montebello Planning Commission voted 3-2 on Zoning Code Amendment ZCA02-17, which would allow for indoor cultivation, manufacturing and testing facilities on industrial lots in the city. Dispensaries and distribution companies would remain banned. “We have six million people die from tobacco,” said Edin Ednamoredo, a local resident at the meeting. “ . . . but marijuana has zero overdoses on record. If we’re OK with having
Federal Study Indicates Youth Cannabis Consumption Continues to Drop According to data from a national survey by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, youth cannabis consumption in America has dropped overall since 2002. It was reported that 6.5 percent of participants said they had consumed cannabis within the last 30 days—a 21 percent drop since 2002. “The percentage of people aged 12 or older
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liquor stores that sell alcohol and cigarettes down from a school, why are we stuck on worrying about marijuana.” The commission defaulted on California’s 600-foot buffer limits, even though citizens spoke out about extending the buffer zones to 1,000 feet. The city is home to about 100 land parcels that fit the criteria. The ordinance now heads to city council for approval on October 11.
who were current marijuana users in 2016 was higher than the percentages from 2002 to 2015,” The 2016 National Survey on Drug Use and Health report reads. “ . . . The increase in marijuana use reflects increases in marijuana use among adults aged 26 or older and, to a lesser extent, among young adults aged 18 to 25. Marijuana use among adolescents aged 12 to 17 was lower in 2016 than in most years from 2009 to 2014.” The findings support past studies, including a 2016 Monitoring the Future report, that have come to similar conclusions.
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The number of TV showthemed cannabis strains that were unveiled in Los Angeles on the premiere day of the Netflix original series, Disjointed: (Source: Metro US)
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The expected number of dispensaries that will be allowed in Palm Desert if the city council approves its current ordinance: (Source: CBS Local 2)
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The estimated number of cannabis companies that set up booths at the Los Angeles Cannabis World Congress & Business Expo as vendors in midSeptember: (Source: ABC 7)
The number of residents in Perris who submitted applications to open up a dispensary in the city, as of early September: (Source: The Press-Enterprise)
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The approximate percentage of women who hold executive roles in cannabis businesses in the United States, according to a 2017 survey: (Source: Santa Barbara Independent)
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The amount of money, in billions of dollars, that United States businesses will sell in hemp-based products within the next three years: (Source: Forbes)
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The percentage of New Zealanders who either want to decriminalize or legalize cannabis, according to a 2017 market research poll: (Source: New Zealand Drug Foundation)
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Spannabis
WHEN: Fri, Oct. 13-Sun, Oct. 15 WHERE: Pabellón de Cristal of Casa de Campo, Madrid, Spain WEBSITE: spannabis.com Spain is one of Europe’s most cannabis-friendly countries with cannabis clubs that date back to 1991 and decriminalization laws in place to help protect consumers. So, it’s not a surprise that events like Madrid’s seventh annual Spannabis conference are central to the local cannabis community, bringing in thousands of cannabis enthusiasts every year. The event began in Barcelona, but has expanded to the cities of Madrid and Málaga. Event organizers hope that this year’s event will attract even more attendees. The three-day conference 28
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will be held in Pabellón de Cristal of Casa de Campo near the heart of Madrid. There, attendees will learn new tips and skills about the world of cannabis, including topics covering medicine, business, science and politics. The event takes place at a three-story glass pavilion with plenty of space for exhibitors, vendors and speakers. Although consumption of cannabis in Spain is only legal in cannabis clubs and private residences, there is an unlimited amount of knowledge to be discovered at this event. (Sophia Rybicki)
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NEWS
LOCAL
Zoned Ou t Cannabis zoning ordinance approved in Los Angeles By Benjamin M. Adams
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he city of Los Angeles recently released proposed zoning rules and a colorcoded map that would define where commercial cannabis locations can operate in the city. Cannabis advocates in Los Angeles fought hard for more permissive buffer zones, which would have allowed for more suitable locations for cannabis shops, but they lost in the end. The Los Angeles Planning Commission settled on 800-foot buffer zones around schools, parks, libraries and competing commercial cannabis locations. The buffers are 200 feet more than the default 600-foot buffer zones set forth under state law. On September 14, the Los Angeles Planning Commission approved an ordinance, the Commercial Cannabis Location Restriction Ordinance, to set zoning and land-use regulations with a 6-0 vote. Article 5 was added to Chapter X of the Los Angeles Municipal Code to set up zoning guidelines. The zoning ordinance is one step towards implementing Measure M, which regulates cannabis businesses in Los Angeles. “The Commercial Cannabis Location Restriction Ordinance is one component of a larger regulatory structure governing commercial cannabis activity in the City,” the Department of City Planning wrote. “This draft ordinance is limited in scope to location restriction of specific types
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of commercial cannabis activity.” Under the proposed ordinance, property lines of retail cannabis shops would be required to be located at least 800 feet from parks, libraries, drug rehabilitation centers and other retail cannabis shops—that’s 200 feet more than the state of California is asking. Statewide, buffer zones are required to be at least 600 feet. A color-coded map illustrates which areas in Los Angeles are acceptable for cannabis businesses. Commercial areas that are suitable for commercial cannabis locations are hot pink. Industrial areas that are suitable for the locations are blue. The majority of areas in general are blotted out with grey circles that represent areas near schools and other prohibited areas. Eventually Measure M will replace 2013’s Proposition D, which limited the number of medical cannabis dispensaries in Los Angeles to 135 locations that began operating prior to September 14, 2007. The commission also recommended grandfathering Proposition D-compliant businesses in order to keep them at their current locations. Proposition D granted those dispensaries limited immunity from prosecution. One of the main purposes of the ordinance is to prevent cannabis districts with concentrations of the same kind of business. Beyond dispensary limits, the ordinance also sets up commercial and industrial zones for indoor cultivation, distribution and manufacturing operations. “The ordinance, Commercial Cannabis Location Restriction Ordinance, needs to be heard before the Rules, Elections, and Intergovernmental Relations Committee,” Cheryl Getuiza, public information officer for the Department of City Planning told CULTURE. “Council President Herb Wesson is the Chair. The City Council will vote on it after it reaches Committee.” On September 25, the Rules, Elections, and Intergovernmental Relations Committee did indeed OK the proposed ordinance. The proposed zoning rules now head to the Los Angeles City Council after committee review. In addition, more batches of operational requirements to fulfill Measure M are expected to move through committees. c
Q4 Southern California Quarterly Cannabis Caucus The Q4 Southern California Quarterly Cannabis Caucus is the perfect opportunity to take advantage of coaching, guidance, significant educational benefits and interactions between attendees. The event is sponsored by the National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA), the leading national trade association in the cannabis sector and well-respected host of many other cannabis events. As such as high profile event, it also features networking opportunities with many wellknown advocates and business leaders within the industry, such as Hezekiah Allen, Leslie Bocskor and Steve DeAngelo. There will be education provided about state and federal policies and legislation. This event is designed to promote economic and social growth in the cannabis space while moving legislation toward the acceptance of medical and recreational cannabis. (Sophia Rybicki) WHEN: Thurs, Oct. 26 WHERE: Le Méridien Delfina, 530 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica Website: thecanna bisindustry.org/events
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NEWS
LEGAL CORNER
“The benefit of emergency regulations is that they allow businesses to begin or continue operation while simultaneously buying the state more time to work out the normal regulatory procedures in their new regulations.” like a governmental quick fix. Businesses don’t have to wait on the government, and the government alleviates its time crunch while the public still gets the opportunity to voice their opinions.
Emergency Regulations in California
L A Cannabis Regulations What’s the emergency? By Alexa Steinberg, Esq. of Manzuri Law
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or the past few years, the 2018 deadline has been all the talk. Now the long awaited licensing deadline is fast approaching, and officials have been working as quickly as governmentally possible to finish the regulations before the clock runs out. So, what happens when time is up, but regulations and ordinances aren’t ready for their debut?
Introducing Emergency Regulations! When Sacramento sets out on the rulemaking process, they must ensure that the public participates in the formation of new regulations. However, emergency regulations are passed under circumstances where immediate preservation of public peace, health and safety is necessary. Emergency regulations, as we like to call them, drastically speed up the standard legislative process. Because emergency regulations are intended to avoid serious harm and require immediate action, the emergency rulemaking process is substantially abbreviated compared to the regular rulemaking process. Thereafter, emergency regulations generally remain in effect for a 180-day period. One major difference between the regular and emergency processes is the time allotted for the public to submit comments on the proposed regulations. While normal regulations give a window of 45 days for the public to review and comment, that period is cut to a mere fivedays for emergency regulations. The benefit of emergency regulations is that they allow businesses to begin or continue operation while simultaneously buying the state more time to work out the normal regulatory procedures in its new regulations. Therefore, emergency regulations work 40
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In April, at the state level, regulations were already proposed to the public and sent through the standard public comment period. However, these proposed regulations were related to the original Medical Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (MCRSA) and are now outdated. As January 1, 2018, approaches, time is a limiting factor and Sacramento must use the emergency, rather than regular, rulemaking processes for the final round of cannabis regulations to make sure the state is ready to begin licensing, as promised, on January 1, 2018. Although the emergency regulation system allows for temporary regulations in time for state licensing, don’t worry, we will get a chance to be heard before any regulations are set in stone. This is because, before the 180-day clock expires on emergency regulations, the state must put any regulations that it would like to make permanent through the regular 45day review period rulemaking process.
Los Angeles’ Version of Emergency Regulations In late-June, the city of Los Angeles released its draft proposal. Thereafter, as standard rulemaking process goes, a 60-day public comment period followed. Los Angeles-based its draft cannabis requirements on the MCRSA and Prop. 64 proposed regulations. These two laws were later modified by the Medicinal and Adult-Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (MAUCRSA), which was signed into law the same month that LA released its draft, making Los Angeles' drafts already outdated. As a result, the Los Angeles City Council amended its draft, and on September 7, 2017, the Department of City Planning released its recommendation for Los Angeles’ cannabis ordinance. The city declares, in bold, under the section title of urgency, that “this ordinance is required for the immediate protection of the public peace [as the] . . . proliferation of unauthorized cannabis businesses . . . poses a current and immediate threat to the public welfare.” Just as California released drafts describing proposed emergency regulations for commercial cannabis businesses ahead of January 1, Los Angeles may be following suit. Although Los Angeles has not labeled any of its proposals under the category of emergency, Los Angeles is on its own time crunch with an internal goal of November 2017, for release of its ordinance and applications. It may be a race to the finish, but the finish line is just the beginning! c
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NEWS
HEALTHY LIVING
Realistic Fears
Medical science debunks spooky cannabis tales By Lanny Swerdlow, RN LNC
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rightening Halloween tales of goblins, witches, ghosts and vampires may send shivers down the spines of children, but pale in comparison to the fear coursing through the minds of adults from the tales of savagery, debauchery and horror pedaled by the United States government over cannabis. In the 1920s most Americans had no idea that the cannabis sold at their local corner drugstore was the demon weed “marijuana” that early prohibitionists like our first “drug czar” Henry Anslinger portrayed as the “most violence-causing drug in the history of mankind.” Rising from the ashes of the Bureau of Prohibition, Anslinger was determined to make his Bureau of Narcotics a powerhouse police agency of munificent proportions. Newspapers and movie newsreels gave headline treatment to his frightening tales that “Marijuana is an addictive drug, which produces in its user’s insanity, criminality, and death” and that “You smoke a joint, and you’re likely to kill your brother.” Openly skeptical of Anslinger’s claims, New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia, commissioned a study in 1939 on “The Marijuana Problem in the City of New York.” Known as the LaGuardia report, the study, which was undertaken by the New York Academy of Medicine and published in 1944, found that smoking cannabis did not lead to addiction or the use of harder drugs, did not cause violent, anti-social behavior or uncontrolled sexual urges and that “The publicity concerning the catastrophic effects of marijuana smoking in New York City is unfounded.”
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The report was given little notice in the media. Anslinger’s lies about cannabis continued to flourish even after his retirement in 1962 evidenced by the Outstanding Record Citation bestowed on him by President Kennedy. Although the government no longer peddles Anslinger’s tales as the boogey man of cannabis, it now peddles fake and faulty science. The most often cited scary health story that even some respectable medical researchers accept is that since smoking cannabis produces similar carcinogens as when tobacco is smoked, smoking cannabis causes lung cancer. Believing the connection to be there and looking forward to the publication of the definitive scholarly paper connecting cannabis to lung cancer, the National Institute on Drug Abuse provided Dr. Donald Tashkin, a renowned pulmonologist and researcher at the UCLA David Geffen Los Angeles School of Medicine, with so much money that he undertook one of the largest population based studies ever conducted on the relationship of cannabis to lung cancer. Not only did his research not find any connection between smoking cannabis and lung cancer, his paper was one of the first to present evidence that cannabis reduces the incidence of cancer. One of the groups in the study provided evidence that the people who smoke cannabis had a lower incidence of lung cancer than people who did not smoke anything at all.
Another repeated scare story is that smoking cannabis can lead to heart attacks. The government continues to peddle that tale even though the authors of the original study claiming a link to a slight increase in susceptibility to heart attacks repudiated the study in a subsequent publication writing that the reported increase “did not reach nominal statistical significance”—i.e. there was no increase. A New Zealand study that claimed children who smoke cannabis had an eight-point lower IQ score than children who had not smoked cannabis is the nexus for the government’s “it-will-make-you-stupid” tale to scare children and parents of children stupid enough to fall for this line. Except that a subsequent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reported the original study was faulty as the fall in IQ is more likely correlated with socio-economic status than cannabis use. Whether it is for funding their own police agencies or to prevent a viable product from competing with the multi-billion dollar pharmaceutical and alcohol industries, the “Reefer Madness” crowd for over 80 years has spread tales of mayhem, murder, heart attacks and stupidity. They have never been concerned with science, compassion or common sense. Just like the age-old Halloween stories of ghosts, gremlins and demons told to innocent and gullible children, they will continue fermenting scary tales of cannabis forewarning of tokes in the night and cannabis under the bed. c
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REVIEWs
strain, edible & concentrate
True OG Cartridges are hands-down one of our favorite ways to consume cannabis. There is something about the marriage of a smooth and powerful draw awarding instantaneous effects in such a discreet and convenient delivery that really speaks to us. The True OG by 710 Roils Oils was a much-welcomed review item, as we knew from the sleek gold and black packaging that is was going to be fire. Although our cartridge of True OG was of the indica variety, we found no problem tackling our day-to-day work flow while taking a draw every couple hours. The taste of the True OG oil was soft and floral—not in any way assaulting on the senses. However, the True OG oil stayed true to its indica lineage, as it provided us with relaxation from head to toe—even our fingertips felt tingly. This oil, which is a light honey color, does the impossible by transforming from a daytime variety to a nighttime staple. We found that upping our consumption brought on even stronger effects, making sinking into the couch following a long day of labor an even easier task.
Available wherever: Day Dreamers products are carried.
Available wherever: 710 Roils Oils products are carried.
Day Dreamers Peppermint 720 Sativa Medicinal Cannabis Chocolates There’s an unmistakable deliciousness in peppermint chocolate, and rarely can consumers find this great and simple flavor in a cannabis-infused candy bar. The Day Dreamers Peppermint 720 Sativa Medicinal Cannabis Chocolates is like a taste of Christmastime with its powerful peppermint flavors. It certainly feels like a gift as well. The melty chocolate dissolves on consumers’ tongues quickly, and the semi-sweet chocolate is suitable for almost anybody’s taste buds. There are a total of six chocolates in each package with 120mg in each candy totaling 720mg per package, hence the name. Since there are only sativa extracts used in this edible consumers will notice that the effects are not so inhibiting as edibles typically can be, allowing consumers to enjoy the 720 chocolates whenever. Day Dreamers is an edible producer that has its formula figured, always providing consumers with a reliable option for eating edibles.
The Famous OG by Sugar Leaf Extracts Feeling famous? If you want to feel famous, even for just a few hours, then The Famous OG is sure to do the trick. Sugar Leaf Extracts is known for its impressive OG varieties including Comanche OG and Sour Chem OG, among other strains. The Famous OG is equally impressive and another claim to fame. Sugar Leaf Extracts, given its sweet-leafed strains, is the perfect company name. It produced a sweet lemon and pine cleaner aroma with impressive trichome formations. The semi-hard, dense and heavy nugs broke up into a bigger bowl than we had initially anticipated. The effects lasted longer than we were used to—which is the tell-tale sign of a quality strain. We didn’t stay awake after that point, which confirms this strain’s powerful indica effects.
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Available at: Divine Wellness in Canoga Park.
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REVIEWs
3C Grape Krush Before we could finish unscrewing the canister lid, 3C Grape Krush filled the room with a robust, well-rounded sweet aroma that reminded us of a refreshing can of grape soda on a summer day with a side of garden fresh berries. The colors were astonishingly beautiful, green with deep violet stripes and tangerine hairs. Given its Blueberry pedigree, 3C Grape Krush absorbed some of those qualities including its unique terpenes and taste. The flavor was even better with an unusually fruity exhale. With its strong effects on the body, this strain could be ideal for those with restless legs syndrome or those with insomnia. The effects are also more creative than your average indica. Even with the strong body effects, it compels the consumer to create and explore. This is the type of strain you’d smoke before embarking on an art project or an attempt at creative writing.
Available wherever: POP Naturals products are carried.
Available at: Cannabal City Collective in Los Angeles.
Birds Eye POP Cart POP Naturals has a knack for producing extracts with a uniquely potent and characteristic taste true to the strain—and the Birds Eye is no exception. Buried underneath the strong earthy and musky flavors is the classic lemon flavor, rounding out a palate of unique tastes. POP Naturals has upped its game to produce a more potent oil while still only using a strictly CO2 extraction process, capturing essential terpenes without adding any unwanted solvents, yielding the most pure and natural hash oil possible. Possessing a total THC content of 70.26 percent, cartridge lovers will be happy to see the high levels found in this CO2 extract. A rounded chrome mouthpiece is a notable feature as it is the most ergonomic option allowing for comfortability when puffing away and does match the battery and case as well. Lab-tested, pure and potent, POP Naturals continuously shows why its team can be trusted when it comes to extracts—and the Birds Eye may be the company’s all-time best yet.
Fifty One Fifty “Unrivaled Potency”—there is no arguing that catchphrase when it comes to the Fifty One Fifty bars produced by Korova. Weighing in with a massive THC content of 500mg per bar, these are not designed for any lightweights. Best to be shared with a few friends, the euphoric and psychedelic effects typically onset with an hour or two and can last for approximately eight hours, so it’s smart to set aside an entire day if intending to consume any larger portions. A buttery and flaky texture bears the sweet chocolate and vanilla flavors paired generously with the taste of cannabis making for a delicious treat. Consumers need to exercise extreme caution when consuming the Fifty One Fifty bars, as the extremely high THC content can be more inhibiting than expected. Korova never seems to fail when it comes to making a superior cannabis-infused delicacy, cementing themselves as a champion in the edible world.
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Available wherever: Korova products are carried.
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Available wherever: Ganja Gold products are carried.
Tarantulas These are the only tarantulas in the world that won’t paralyze consumers with fear per say, but they sure are good for tranquilizing anybody who tries to get in their way. Available in two different sizes (the one-gram Tarantula and the two-gram King Tarantula), these beasts are stuffed full of top-shelf nug and hash before being twisted up, slathered in CO2 wax and then rolled in kief. It would be hard to find another pre-roll out there with this much high quality cannabis packed densely into one place. Live resin, hash and kief are applied onto every Tarantula with precision, as there is never an uneven burn, and the thickness of the smoke is particularly dialed in with the Sour Tangie variety we sampled. Bring one of these to the next house party and instantly become the center of attention— Tarantulas by Ganja Gold are an absolute riot.
REVIEWs
Nugz Step aside, cannabis novices—because Nugz are not for the faint-hearted. Nugz are tailored for the seasoned cannasseur who has a sky-high tolerance, someone who needs more than a basic flower to reach the new heights. The dark, dense and extra dusty nuggets inside a Nugz bag look to have epic potency. Breaking open a nugget is like sawing a purple and orange tree in half. The inner rings indicate that Nugz are made from high quality OG flower, which is generously drenched in hash oil and rolled in kief for a relatively non-sticky finish. The taste is heavenly sweet and hash-like but with the distinction of multiple forms of potent cannabis concentrates. We didn’t remember much else after that point, which indicates an amnesia effect often found in OG concentrates. Show up your friends with Nugz on deck.
Available wherever: Nugz products are carried.
CULTUREMAGAZINE.com GET YOUR CLICKS
HERE
Pineapple Jesus Cartridge The team over at Beezle Extracts originally made a name for themselves producing top quality live resin concentrates in California. More recently, they have been applying their hash-making skills toward cranking out cartridges that even the most devout dabbers aren't turning their noses up at. The newest of these cartridges is a collaboration with Atrium on the recently released Pineapple Jesus pen. This terpene rich cartridge is filled with a combination of potent distillate and flavorful live resin sauce. The sauce, in this case, is a pineapple phenotype of the revered Jesus OG strain, giving way to favorable cerebral effects and unrivaled flavor. For those of you who are concerned about pesticides making their way onto dispensary shelves, also take note that the material used to produce Beezle's distillate and concentrates is grown organically and prescreened for pesticides. If you're a concentrate buff who hasn't tried a cartridge before, scoop up one of the Pineapple Jesus cartridges by Beezle Extracts and enjoy yourself some mobile dabbing, minus the rig. 56
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Available wherever: Beezle Extracts products are carried.
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REVIEWs
Available wherever: Kan+Ade products are carried.
Kan+Ade Extracts Louis XIII OG Nug Run Louis XIII OG is one of Snoop Dogg’s all-time favorite strains, and the strain is even better in extract form. Kan+Ade Extracts' Louis XIII OG Nug Run is a selection fit for a king. It is one of the area's favorite extracts that is indica-dominant and not for beginners in any sense of the word. Its pine and evergreen aroma was like a sugary version of a freshly picked evergreen wreath. Kan+Ade Extracts' Louis XIII OG Shatter will satisfy any OG lover. The translucent golden slabs were nearly as clear as glass and were bendable to a certain point. You could read a book through its translucent pieces. It dabbed well and tasted nothing short of heaven. It’s ideal for picky cannasseurs who have seen it all and who are hard to impress. Show them up with some Louis XIII OG Nug Run.
Available wherever: Elicit Labs products are carried.
Blue Dream Blue Dream has been circling around cannabis circles all throughout America since the early ’80s, and this extract by Elicit Labs certainly does everything to honor the integrity of this classic strain. It is comprised of a firm yet brittle, dense and cake-like substance, this is neither a crumble nor a wax but a texture all of its own. The light butterscotch coloring in this concentrate looks very similar to the kief of Blue Dream, a clear sign of extraction done right. With over 84 percent THC in this Blue Dream creation, it’s pretty clear that there is going to be a potent punch inside. Consumers will feel sedated, stress-free and without aches and pains when using this Elicit Labs masterpiece. Undoubtedly, a perfect way to showcase the Blue Dream strain is in a concentrate. 60
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REVIEWs
Kan+Ade Medible Mixer: Grape 500mg
Available at: Herbal Pain Relief Center in Mission Hills.
The Kan+Ade Grape Medible Mixer, at 500mg of active THC, will last you a long time. Considering that 10mg of THC is the ideal dose for many consumers, this mixer will provide up to 50 doses. Don’t make cocktail and edible-making harder than it has to be. This mixer is ready to pour on the spot. The 4.4 ounce bottle looks innocent enough, but don’t leave it around children or cannabis novices, as it is extremely potent. Its delicious grape flavor can be mixed with food or drink to infuse them with cannabinoids. Mix this delicious syrup into drinks for dazzling effects. Kan+Ade Medible Mixers range in potency from 60mg THC to 500mg THC. Medible Mixers also come in Blueberry Pomegranate, Green Apple, Juicy Watermelon and Sweet Peach.
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3C Sauce This sativa-dominant hybrid is one of the frostiest-looking varieties that reviewers at CULTURE have sampled in a while. Upon opening, the strain emits a powerful creamy and skunk smell that was definitely unique and almost smelled like baby powder. The jumbo-sized nuggets were bulbous yet fluffy, and when broken up, they littered crystals all over—so use a grinder with a kief catcher with this strain. Unlike most sativa-dominant strains, it carried as much power as any indica. It exceeded our expectations, and we felt a sudden rush to the head that was overwhelmingly pleasant and creative. It has noticeably more visual effects than most other sativa-dominant strains. It reminded us of other more visually enhanced strains like LSD. This strain should be tried for its unusual flavor alone, but the long-lasting sativa effects and visual enhancement are an added bonus.
Available at: Coast to Coast Collective in Canoga Park.
Available at: So Cal Health Supplies Delivery in Los Angeles.
Cartier OG Presumably this strain is named after the famed French jeweler of the same name, given the diamond-like shimmering flower exterior which makes Cartier OG equally dazzling. Show someone special you really care with the gift of a sparkling Cartier OG nugget to adorn his or her stash. Cartier OG is one of the most underrated strains that can be found in the Los Angeles area, and it is often overlooked among strains with flashy names. It is frequently found at the top of the list in top-shelf flower menus at various local dispensaries. With a sweet pungent smell, the strain delivers strong indica effects that are perfect for a latenight evening in front of the fireplace. Its piney and earthy flavor is common in OG varieties. Cartier OG is useful to those who are looking for relief from insomnia, anxiety and chronic pain.
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Available wherever: Punch Extracts products are carried.
REVIEWs
Available at: Harbor Collective in Spring Valley.
Cruise 212 by Punch Extracts
Harvest Delights Watermelon Rings Just because summer is over, it doesn’t mean you have to give up eating watermelon on the daily. Get your hands on these sweet and tart chewy Watermelon Rings by Harvest Delights, which offer a cure for a sweet tooth while providing substantial medicinal effects. At 20mg of THC per piece, the pack of 15 rings allows the consumer to medicate as little, or as much as needed, depending on their individual tolerance. Expect pain relief and drowsiness to set in as little as 30 minutes after consumption, which may last several hours, depending on dosage.
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With a peanut butter consistency and a warm beige color, we knew we were in for a ride with the Cruise 212 by Punch Extracts. The original strain Cruise 212 is also known as Ogre, and it is one of the most sought after sativa-dominant strains in Southern California. But Cruise 212 is a much better and more appetizing name than Ogre. The small white box opened up with a plastic carrying case inside. The sample we tried had the consistency of live resin with an opaque appearance overloaded with terpenes. The aroma was nothing short of an olfactory miracle. It produced a pungently sweet lemon skunk aroma. Cruise 212, in flower form, is a resinous big producer, which is why it is one of the strains frequently chosen for concentrates. The effects were sativa-like, and we experienced a sudden rush to the head that made us feel creative and euphoric.
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REVIEWs
For More Products Go To CultureMagazine.com
1. HYDROLOGY9 We all could all use a crash course in hydrology. The HYDROLOGY9 liquid filtration vaporizer by CLOUDIOUS9 could very well be the pinnacle of flawless design and engineering execution in a vaporizer product. A microchip-controlled temperature feature utilizes a chip that can sense when the temperature is falling and quickly adjust the temperature back to normal. Its patent-pending “Tunnel Tube” filtration system facilitates smoother, cleaner draws and lowers carcinogen intake. HYDROLOGY9’s LED light indicator is located inside the water chamber, which lights up the liquid in the container in color for a bubbly ethereal effect. Its heat distribution system is also patent pending, a feature rarely found among vaporizer products. Price: $250 MORE INFORMATION: www.cloudious9.com 2. Chameleon Color Tones Not everyone was born a Leonardo da Vinci—some of us need a little more assistance when it comes to getting creative. Look no further than your friends at Chameleon Color Tones. These revolutionary pens encompass the dying trend of ombre-everything and make it relevant again. Available in a seemingly endless variety of colors, these pens will make coloring the doodles of your adult coloring book all the more relaxing. However, we can’t promise your artwork will have the same lasting impression as “Mona Lisa” and her famous expression. PRICE: $26.99+ MORE INFOrmation: store.chameleonpens.com 74
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3. Powerleaf+ Outdoor Solar Panel Charger In 2017, our dependence on a power source to charge our phones is like a baby’s umbilical cord—it’s impossible to live without it. That’s why developers came up with this three-panel solar panel charger system that enables consumers to never run out of battery power. It comes with a USB port to charge your devices, a jump starter, external batteries and a large 4000mAh power bank. The device features ETFE film coating and laminated dimple technology on the solar panels, which increases solar absorptions by five percent. Now you can feel more secure while outdoors with the advantage of a renewable energy source. Price: $69 MORE INFORMATION: www.flexsolarcells.com 4. Spectacles Do you ever miss a memory because you didn’t have enough time to whip out your phone and record it? With Spectacles, you’ll never miss another moment. These stylish glasses were designed to record short videos that are automatically imported to Snapchat with the press of a button. Spectacles can record 10-second video “Snaps,” and each Snap can be extended twice to a 30-second video. (In Snapchat Memories, the videos will be broken up into three, 10-second Snaps.) What’s even more amazing is that Spectacles come with a case that can charge the glasses when they’re not in use. Each charge can capture about 100, 10-second videos. Time to kiss Snapchat withdrawals goodbye! PRICE: $129.99 MORE INFORMATION: www.spectacles.com
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REVIEWs
entertainment
BOOK
Cannabis for Chronic Pain
Release Date: october 27 Available on: PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC
Dr. Rav Ivker Touchstone
As the dangers of opioids being used to treat chronic pain continue to loom, Dr. Rav Ivker serves a noble purpose with his book Cannabis for Chronic Pain. People who suffer from a variety of pain disorders, from arthritis to Crohn’s disease will find an easy-to-understand guide that will help them consider the benefits of cannabis as a non-addictive medication. Aside from a “cannabis as medicine 101” introduction, this book also goes in depth with chapters on inflammation, low back pain, migraine headaches, menstrual pain, cancer pain, emotional pain and more. Patients everywhere will find this as a useful, trusted source toward living a healthier life with cannabis. (Jacob Cannon)
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GAME
Assassin’s Creed Origins Dev. Ubisoft Montreal Pub. Ubisoft
Ubisoft has been plugging away at Assassin’s Creed games for 10 years now, and the series’ next upcoming title (and 10th installment in the series as well) is rekindling the excitement of visiting the past. Assassin’s Creed Origins (ASO) takes place in ancient Egypt during the rise of Cleopatra’s reign around 49 BCE—complete with horses and camels as the best form of transportation between areas in this open world. Check out the new combat mode that pits players against increasingly challenging waves of enemies while you wonder how to climb stealthily to the top of the local pyramids. (Nicole Potter)
MOVIE
The Big Sick MUSIC
Dir. Michael Showalter Amazon Studios
Hiss Spun
For decades now, romantic comedies have followed, more or less, the same basic formula, but thankfully, The Big Sick has come to shake things up a bit and breathe new life into the genre. Written by Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani and based on real events that happened to them while they were dating, the film takes viewers on a nuanced, incredibly interesting ride through a truly modern relationship that faces the challenges of everything from dating with different cultural backgrounds to dealing with aggressive illnesses. Featuring incredible performances from Kumail Nanjiani, Zoe Kazan, Holly Hunter and Ray Romano, The Big Sick is a most definite must-see. (Simon Weedn)
After just a twoyear break between albums, goth and doom rocker Chelsea Wolfe has returned with her heaviest album yet on Hiss Spun. Brimming with all of the dense, textural, sludgey soundscapes her fans have come to know and love, the new record sees Wolfe continuing the trajectory of her previous work and pushing her sound deeper into the depths of darkness. With guitar and bass tones as thick and scorching as hot tar, pounding, war drum rhythms and Wolfe’s beautiful but powerful voice gliding in over the top of it all, Hiss Spun achieves everything it sets out to accomplish. (Simon Weedn)
Chelsea Wolfe Sargent House
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of importance
In celebration of our 100th issue, culture reminisces on inspiring words from cover features and history passed, while remaining forthright in our mission toward cannabis reform
M
ilestones are an important part of life. In the cannabis industry, we measure success in every minor and major event. Our industry’s growth and evolution is improved with every skeptic whose mind is changed, with every medical cannabis patient whose story is told and with every state making progress to decriminalize or legalize cannabis.
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We here at CULTURE have watched this news come and go, and we have reported on those events as they unfolded. Since 2009 when CULTURE Magazine began, we have been, and still remain, a humble publication that promotes truthful information in the industry and covers the most important news in a variety of locations. Now in honoring the arrival of our 100th issue, we’re bringing back the memories and milestones
of the past. Join us as we explore some of CULTURE’s greatest cover stories, examine a timeline of how far cannabis has grown since the first medical cannabis state was established, and delve into a comparison of how much our world has evolved since our first issue in 2009 in comparison to now. If there’s one thing that hasn’t changed, it’s that cannabis still is, and always will be, a lifestyle that we all share.
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legendary statements to culture over the years Joe Rogan | March 2010 [Cannabis reform is] important to me because when I was younger, I had the wrong idea about pot. I had this misconception that pot made you stupid and lazy. But it turns out that those people were just stupid and lazy. Pot won’t enlighten you if you are lazy.”
Melissa Etheridge | August 2010 Cannabis during chemotherapy was just a lifesaver. It was a pain reliever; it gave me my appetite back; it settled my stomach from all the gastric napalm going on inside of me. And it also brings a lot of clarity to understanding what disease is. The benefits go on and on and on and on.”
Willie Nelson
September 2011 I remember reading a book called The Emperor Wears No Clothes by Jack Herer, and in there he said a lot of great things. And one of them was that stress is the biggest killer on the planet, and the best medicine for stress is marijuana. And I know that to be a fact. I’ve done a lot of experimenting with it, and I know for a fact that it is good for stress.”
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Margaret Cho September 2010
I think people should use marijuana instead of alcohol. I think it’s better for you, health-wise. It’s the least harmful drug around. I think alcohol is far more destructive. There’s just this stigma around [cannabis]; that there’s something wrong with it or it’s a gateway. But, truly alcohol is worst of all. I don’t know, people who use pot, to me, are often peaceful, creative and insightful.”
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Wiz Khalifa April 2011
[My relationship with cannabis] is not just a musical thing, not just a creative thing. I just like to be in that zone. And it helps me just do everything. I’m not dependent on it. But pot just plays a huge roll in the everyday mechanics of my life. It totally keeps me grounded.”
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Bill Maher January 2012
You know, first of all, I think people think I smoke a lot more pot than I do. I’m just not a connoisseur. I know that people are into the sativa and the indica. I know that one is the more upper and one is the more relaxing one. To me it’s all the same. It works. I know people have different reactions to marijuana. Some people it makes sleepy and some people it makes paranoid. And then there’s the kind of person who it kind of like wakes them up—and I’m that kind of person. And any kind of marijuana will do that.”
Lily Tomlin October 2012
I just don’t get it. I don’t know how we can have one law [on medical cannabis] and the feds can have another, and can come in and do whatever they want to do.”
Roseanne Barr May 2012
[The crackdown on medical cannabis] makes me furious, because that’s cracking down on sick people. What kind of a psychopathic theory is that? The thought of this country as a bully country, and that really makes me angry, that it only picks countries to attack that have no army, only blames the poor for what rich people do. They don’t pay taxes, we never talk about that, but the poor, they always blame people at the bottom rung other than the top. They always go after the sick, the widows and the orphans. That’s whose retirement they cut. Our government is in control of psychopathic bullies.”
Kevin Smith May 2013
Cheech and Chong April 2012
The reason pot is illegal because it’s so good and hemp products are so good, it’s environmentally friendly. So you have the plastics industry that lobbied against it. Then you’ve got the pharmaceutical companies lobbying against making pot legal. You’re buying sleeping aids and being killed like Whitney Houston on pharmaceuticals that are dangerous. Here’s an herb that helps with arthritis, that helps with cancer, that slows MS. It really is a Godgiven plant that we’ve been abusing, not with use but by passing laws against it.” 84
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If you think about the brain as a series of folders that you keep creating, weed for me is like a program that puts them all in order alphabetically and allows you to prioritize what is important. That is how I’ve been able to spin so many plates the last few years. My medicinal problem is that I have problems sleeping, and if that is doing it for somebody who has mild medicinal needs like myself, imagine what it can do for people who have absolute medicinal need. Instead of filling them with yet another synthetic narcotic put together chemically in a lab . . . I don’t want to get all stoner on ya, but there is a reason it just grows naturally.”
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Tenacious D September 2014
And it’s funny now, when we play the songs about getting stoned, I always feel a little bit hypocritical, because, I’m like, ‘I’m not going to smoke a joint with any of you after the show,’ but I still have to sing the songs. I’m in support of legalization absolutely.” - Jack Black
Bob Marley and Family April 2015
The herb was a spiritual and natural part of life for Bob. As he said, ‘make way for the positive day.’ I think we’re seeing that positive day.” - Rita Marley
Sandra Bernhard MAY 2015
I think my father just believed it was legal just because everywhere he went he was able to acquire it. Herb for him was a spiritual thing. It made him feel connected to God and the Earth. He believed it was a sacramental thing.” - Cedella Marley
Bob is the perfect frontrunner for the advocacy of marijuana being legal, and use of the plant, in many different ways—medicinal and spiritual. He would be honored to be the champion of the use of marijuana. He would be very proud of this moment.” - Stephen Marley
Sanjay Gupta | April 2014 We know that cannabis can be a medicine. I’ve seen this now myself. They’ve known this in other countries for a long time. We’ve probably known it here even though we haven’t been as public or as vocal about it. We know cannabis has been used as a medication openly in hospitals in Jerusalem because they believe it’s part of a treatment protocol that extends and improves lives.” 88
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I think that it is important that [cannabis] is legal. I think kids shouldn’t be arrested or thrown in jail for it. I don’t use drugs at all, including cannabis. If you are a casual drinker or a casual smoker, that’s fine.”
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Montel Williams | June 2017 I haven’t gone a day without cannabis in 17 years [ . . . ] It took about three months of getting my saturation level up, to stop being high, and start getting relief. Now, I have it fined-tuned to the point where if I wake up in the middle of the night with pain, I go in the bathroom—I’ve got five pens in there, and I know which is which in the dark. Bang, I’m back to sleep. I’ve got it all dialed in, absolutely.”
AWOLNATION March 2016
I was completely sober until I was 21, when I had my first sip of alcohol and smoked weed for the first time. It seems to be the opposite for most people— they get in trouble at a young age and get caught smoking weed when they are 14, where I was too much of a nerd and was too afraid to try mind-altering stuff. It wasn’t until I was 21 and felt comfortable trying that stuff. It was a great experience, and there are so many benefits to it, obviously . . . ” - Aaron Bruno
Lucy Lawless September 2016
They should legalize it so they know where it’s bloody coming from. Listen, it being available hasn’t made me start smoking [marijuana] any more than legalized homosexual marriage has made me want to turn gay . . . I don’t know what they’re afraid of!”
Chainsmokers | August 2015 It’s crazy. We all did it, but there were a lot of consequences tied to what it meant. In going to Amsterdam—you waited your whole life to come here and just do nothing but smoke weed, legally. It’s really cool, for that fact alone. But, obviously for the medical purposes, it’s great as well.” – Alex Pall 92
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Toby Keith | August 2017 It’s funny [ . . . ] In the legal world they treat it like it’s the devil’s grass, but in the real world I know people who smoke weed who you’d never assume even drink a beer much less smoke. Most people I know that smoke will come home at night, smoke about half of something, and then go lay down and go to bed. It’s just always been funny to me how much weight it carries in the world and how little it actually affects anybody. When I was really young, I had some friends in high school that ended up going to prison over [cannabis], and it was like, ‘Really?!’ They were pretty serious convictions over something that grows out of the ground.”
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Then and Now
Times have changed since CULTURE first hit newsstands in 2009
Americans in Favor of Legalizing Cannabis 40% (2009) 60% (2017) (Source: Gallup/ Quinnipiac)
National Minimum Wage $7.25 (2009) $7.25 (2017) (Source: Department of Labor)
Number of Recreational cannabis States 0 (2009) 8 (2017)
Number of Medical cannabis States 14 (2009) 29 (2017) President of the United States Barack Obama (2009) Donald Trump (2017)
The New York Times Best selling book The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson (2009) Seeing Red by Sandra Brown (2017) (Source: The New York Times)
In the News Bill Clinton Negotiates the Release of Journalists in North Korea. (2009) Hurricane Harvey and Irma Ravage Texas and Florida. (2017) Average Home Price $170,000 (2009) $200,700 (2017) (Source: Zillow.com)
Number of states where Gay Marriage is Legal 3 (2009) 50 (2017) 94
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average National rent $842 (2009) $959 (2017) (Source: United States Census)
united States’ National Debt $11.9 trillion (2009) $19.8 trillion (2017) (Source: Department of Treasury)
Most Hot Dogs Eaten in 10 minutes 68 (2009) 72 (2017) (Source: Nathan’s Hot Dogs)
#1 song “I Gotta Feeling” by The Black Eyed Peas (2009) “Look What You Made Me Do” by Taylor Swift (2017) (Source: Billboard)
Highest Paid Athlete Tiger Woods, $100 million (2009) Cristiano Ronaldo, $92 million (2017) (Source: Forbes)
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USA Today Print Circulation 1.9 million (2009) 812,971 (2017) (Source: USA Today)
Comic Book Movies with Theatrical Releases 3 (2009) 10 (2017) (Source: IMDB)
Total Box Office of the Fast and Furious Franchise $965.4 Million (2009) $5.134 Billion (2017) (Source: BoxOfficeMojo)
Fastest Marathon ran 2:03:59 (2009) 2:02:57 (2017) (Source: International Association of Athletic Federations)
Cost of Amazon Stock $81.17 (2009) $979.10 (2017) (Source: Nasdaq)
Donkey Kong High Score 1,050,200 (2009) 1,218,000 (2017) (Source: Twin Galaxies)
Number of female CEOs at Fortune 500 Companies 12 (2009) 32 (2017) (Source: Fortune)
Cost of Sears Stock $40.69 (2009) $7.89 (2017) (Source: Nasdaq)
Richest Person Bill Gates, $40 Billion (2009) Bill Gates, $86 Billion (2017) (Source: Forbes)
Most Twitter Followers Ashton Kutcher, 1 million (2009) Katy Perry, 103.7 million (2017) (Source: Twitter) 96
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Average Tuition and Fees in a Private FourYear University for One Academic Year $25,739 (2009) $33,476 (2017) (Source: College Board Annual Survey)
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November 6 – Proposition 215, which allows patients and their primary caregivers to possess and cultivate cannabis with a physician’s recommendation, took effect after being approved with 56 percent voter approval. Proposition 215 historically made California the first state to establish a medical cannabis program.
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1998
December 3 – Measure 67, the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act, took effect and legalized medical cannabis. Alaskan voters approved Measure 8, the Alaska Medical Marijuana Act, which legalized medical cannabis. Washington voters approved Initiative 692, the Washington Medical Marijuana Initiative, which legalized medical cannabis.
November 2 – Question 2, Maine Medical Marijuana for Specific Illnesses, which legalized medical cannabis, took effect in Maine.
June 14 – Hawaii’s thenGov. Ben Cayetano signed Act 228, which effectively legalized medical cannabis in the Hawaiian Islands. November 7 – Amendment 20, the Colorado Medical Use of Marijuana, which legalized medical cannabis in Colorado, received approval by voters by a 53.53 percent vote in favor. Nevada voters approved Question 9, although it would take another 15 years before medical cannabis would become available in dispensaries.
July 1 – Vermont legislature approved Senate Bill 76, which took effect upon its passage and effectively legalized medical cannabis. November 2 – Montana voters approved I-148, The Montana Medical Marijuana Allowance Initiative, which effectively legalized medical cannabis.
January 3 – The Edward O. Hawkins and Thomas C. Slater Medical Marijuana Act was enacted by Rhode Island legislature and signed into law.
2008 2007 2006
November 5 – San Francisco voters approved Proposition P by a landslide, which called upon the state of California to stop punishing doctors who prescribed medical cannabis. Proposition P would enable the San Francisco Cannabis Buyers Club, the first public dispensary in the United States.
2000 1999
1996
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Our nation’s colorful history of medical and recreational cannabis was shaped by the pioneering activists who risked their well-being to fight for access. The United States’ earliest medical cannabis dispensaries were frequently called “buyers clubs” and were modeled after secret clubs that sold holistic herbal medicines to patients with AIDS. These would eventually evolve into elaborate medical cannabis dispensaries and recreational retail outlets. As we reflect back on the many steps forward we have made in the industry, let us not forget how far we have yet to go.
2004
a historical timeline of cannabis legalization in the U.S.
March 13 – New Mexico legislature passed Senate Bill 523, The Lynn and Erin Compassionate Use Act, which legalized medical cannabis.
November 1 – Michigan voters approved Proposal 1, the Michigan Medical Marihuana Initiative, which legalized medical cannabis, but didn’t set up dispensaries.
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November 12 – Colorado approved Amendment 64 and Washington approved Initiative 502, making both states the first to legalize recreational cannabis. Many more states would follow suit, and the cannabis movement would never be the same.
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February 24 – Alaska’s recreational cannabis sales began following the passage of Measure 8. April 2 – Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal signed Haleigh’s Hope Act, which legalized CBD oil for epileptic patients. June 1 – Texas then-Gov. Greg Abbott signed the Texas Compassionate Use Act, which legalized CBD oil for patients with epilepsy. June 30 – Louisiana legislature legalized medical cannabis with Senate Bill 143, the Louisiana Therapeutic Marijuana Act. August 1 – The North Carolina Epilepsy Alternative Treatment Act, which legalized CBD oil for patients with epilepsy. October 1 – The first day of recreational sales began in Oregon following the passage of Measure 91, the Oregon Legalized Medical Marijuana Initiative.
2016
April 17 – Gov. Tom Wolf signed Act 16, making Pennsylvania the 24th state to legalize medical cannabis. The law went into effect May 17. June 9 – Gov. John Kasich signed a bill legalizing medical cannabis in Ohio. The law went into effect September 8. November 9 – Voters in California, Nevada, Maine and Massachusetts all approved recreational bills, doubling the amount of states that allow recreational cannabis.
2017
2014
January 1 - Recreational cannabis sales historically begun in Colorado. March 26 – Utah became the first state to legalize low-THC CBD oil only for patients with epilepsy. A handful of other states would follow. May 29 – Minnesota legislature approved Medical Cannabis Therapeutic Research Act, which allowed limited forms of medical cannabis. July 7 – New York became the 23rd state to legalize medical cannabis with the Compassionate Care Act.
January 30 – Maine’s Marijuana Legalization Act took effect, allowing retail outlets to open. April 6 – Senate Bill 386 took effect in West Virginia, which legalized non-smokable forms of medical cannabis including vaporized preparations. April 26 – Indiana’s House Bill 1148 was signed by Gov. Eric Holcomb, which legalized CBD preparations for patients with epilepsy. July 1 – Nevada’s recreational cannabis sales began after the implementation of Question 2.
2018
2012
May 13 – Delaware then-Gov. Jack Markell signed Senate Bill 17, The Delaware Medical Marijuana Act, which effectively legalized medical cannabis.
2015
2010
2011
January 18 – New Jersey then-Gov. Jon Corzine approved Senate Bill 119, the New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act, which legalized medical cannabis. November 2 –California voters unexpectedly failed to pass Proposition 19. If it had passed, Prop. 19 would have made California the first state to approve recreational cannabis. November 13 – Arizona voters approved Proposition 203, the Arizona Medical Marijuana Question, by a narrow margin. It marked the third time Arizona has approved medical cannabis, but the first attempts failed to take effect.
January 1 – Recreational cannabis sales are scheduled to commence in California following the passage of Proposition 64. Summer – Maine recreational sales are predicted to begin late, sometime in the summer of 2018.
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indus t r y
sp o t ligh t s
Airside Wellness
Vermont Herbal Center, known as Airside Wellness, specializes in providing patients with top shelf medications including CBD-based products. Airside Wellness provides consistency in products and selections. The company started back in 2006 to serve the community at the time when patients had very few choices. We are concentrating on growing and acquiring a totally clean medication free of any pesticides and chemicals that may cause
harm to a patient. Part of our advantage is we have been in Los Angeles for over 10 years. Our knowledge in growing, serving the community and abiding by the rules and regulations imposed by the local government is a big part of our success. The greatest joy we receive from working in the cannabis industry is having the opportunity to tend to patients’ needs and to provide the best possible service to the community. Our goal is to continue being a place for clean and safe medications and best service.
Apothecary 420
We’ve described our company as a classy collective with the utmost customer service, [where] the patient always comes first. Our specialty is high-end cannabis at an affordable price. What we offer that others don’t, aside from our opening welcoming vibe, is a wide variety of concentrates, flowers, edibles, topical, tinctures and name brands. Excellent customer service with knowledgeable budtenders that listen and recommend is what you need. We started this company because we love cannabis, we love helping people and
it was a perfect fit. We love what we do every day—that is why we do it. Who else gets to work in an industry where they love waking up every day and coming into work? The goals and vision that we have is to provide knowledge about cannabis consumption, and clean medicines to our patients, to be leaders in the cannabis market space, leaders in our community with helping outreach and to be a household brand-name. You know if you have an Apothecary 420 product, that it is tested, it is clean and it is of the best quality.
Cannabal City Collective
Cannabal City Collective is Los Angeles’ resource for the highest quality medicinal cannabis in the industry. Helping people through cannabis is our passion, and every aspect of our collective works towards providing the best possible experience to our patients. All the strains you find at Cannabal City Collective are exclusive 3C genetics of unparalleled potency, grown to perfection by our expert team of cultivators at 3C Farms. We cultivate all of our flowers in-house using industry standard hydroponic techniques, often hybridizing our own unique strains from exotic genetics. Our namesake derives from the use of hemp in our master
blend of nutrients, making our cannabis plants the “cannabals.” We provide the most renowned and innovative products for every medical condition, including a huge range of potencies, many non-psychoactive options and more. 3C Farms cultivates premium craft cannabis unparalleled in potency, quality and sustainability. We feel a responsibility to protect the future of clean medicine with the intention to create more sustainable means of cultivation. 3C Farms are consistently pushing the limits of what is possible through cannabis, finely tuning our process and our genetics to perfection—we call this “Craft Cannabis Cultivation,” or 3C.
Cannasutra
CannaSutra is a non-profit collective dedicated to providing safe access to the highest quality meds for medical cannabis patients in Studio City, Burbank, Sherman Oaks and surrounding areas. As one of the original pre-ICO medical marijuana dispensaries operating in Los Angeles, CannaSutra strives to provide consistent excellent service, offering a wide variety of true genetic flowers, award-winning concentrates, gourmet edibles and more. CannaSutra is home to several High Times Cannabis Cup award-winning strains. As one of the original pre-ICO collectives, we set off to pave the way as the go-to collective for the
best quality products in the market. We strive to provide a safe environment for our patients to become educated on the meds they are using, and the best methods to consume them for the pains they are experiencing. We spend many hours researching our strains and educating our budtenders to be able to give each patient the best experience possible. We believe our patients expect and deserve the best from us—which we intend to deliver. The average consumer also does not understand that under the new regulations our tax rates have skyrocketed and do not want to pay any more for the exact same product.
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Coast to Coast COLLECTIVE
Coast to Coast Collective is a high-end medical marijuana retail company that focuses on providing top quality cannabis and products to its patients. We cultivate over 33 in-house strains on-site. You can view our strains live in our main “grow show,” located on the shop floor. We also provide exclusive strains and genetic crosses that we have created at Coast to Coast Collective. Our company started up, because we know how to grow! Our art of growing exceptional flower came far before Coast to Coast was
born, we just put a name and location on the map. While we are still waiting for the final guidelines to be issued from California, but we see Coast to Coast adapting to the new landscape ahead of us. Our company’s aim is to be a name you can count on when it comes to clean top quality cannabis and exceptional customer service. We hope to be in various locations throughout the state. In the cannabis industry, we hope to become a destination cannabis location where you will find everything you need and more.
Divine Wellness Center
We are one of the oldest Proposition D, Pre-ICO compliant shops in Los Angeles County. Throughout the years, we have established a reputation as one of the most premier, yet compassionate collectives in Los Angeles. We strive to provide great quality meds and unsurpassed service. We offer our consumers educated budtenders, high quality and clean meds at compassionate prices and a dedication to top-notch customer service. We go above and beyond to make sure the patient is satisfied with their visit. In 2006, given the uncertain landscape, we still had the passion
to build a collective that was going to serve the greater good for many years to come. With the changing landscape of medical and recreational cannabis the biggest challenge we face are the unlicensed, un-regulated, un-policed, shops that exist and continue to remain open to this day. The advantage of running our collective is expanding onto our already established reputation. In the future, we see ourselves expanding to multiple locations and will continue to spread the good will. Besides promoting the healing attributes of cannabis, we will also strive to lift the taboo so more people will benefit.
Kushy Punch
Kushy Punch was built upon a foundation of innovation. We’re one of the few companies out there with an in-house manufacturing process from the starting product all the way to the infusion process. We specialize in edibles, but are branching out to vapes and a line of CBD products. We offer our customers a level of consistency most companies struggle to compete with. Doing things from scratch is a dying art that not many care to practice anymore. You can taste the difference. Getting permitted, creating compliant
products and expanding into other states would be our top three challenges. Being a pioneer for the state of California and potentially the rest of the country, we’re at the precipice of something potentially amazing and we’re elated to be a part of it. This is the advantage of being one of the first legal companies in a legal space. We have a promising vision for our future. In three years we will expand into almost all the states that have medical and recreational markets. I think in five years we will be the leader in this industry.
MedMen
MedMen is a leading cannabis management and investment firm based in Los Angeles, with operations and exposure across North America. The firm offers turnkey services to license holders in the areas of cultivation, extraction, production and retail operations and deploys capital in key strategic markets across the U.S. and Canada. MedMen stores are designed for browsing rather than just conducting transactions. The idea is to create a welcoming environment where you can spend as much or as little time as you want. The stores carry an extensive assortment of high-quality products and features that enhance the
shopping experience such as iPad menus with charts of marijuana strains and “Bud Cases,” acrylic containers that allow shoppers to closely examine the flower and smell them. Since its founding in 2010, MedMen has been introducing best practices that will turn cannabis into a legitimate industry. We had about 15 employees when we started 2016. Eighteen months later we are close to 200 employees. We will continue to lead this industry to become a mainstreamed part of the American economy. When buying cannabis is no different than buying a bottle of wine or health supplements, we’ll know we’ve made a difference.
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SFVDM
The idea of starting SFVDM came after watching a close relative fight the effects of cancer and its various treatments. My family and I felt so helpless during this battle. Because of her, I became aware of many people who looked to medical marijuana for relief. After much research, I felt that if I became involved in the MMJ industry, I could prevent others from suffering the way she did. I wanted to create a place where patients like her could come and feel safe to discuss their medical issues and get the best available medicine they needed to achieve a better quality of life. SFVDM is known
for our great customer service, knowledgeable bud tenders and good patient relations. When SFVDM began in 2007, the cannabis industry was still very much considered underground. CBD was not available then, and the wax/ shatter trends hadn’t left their mark yet. We always try to be competitive in the industry by providing the best deals for our patients every. The biggest joy and most rewarding aspect of what we do is definitely being able to help people, including those like my family friend, who have ever been in chronic pain, depressed or lost hope of ever feeling well again.
Sunset Herbal Corner
In 1996, one of our four original partners was the first to be involved in the legalization of medical marijuana. Partnered with a grower in 2007 and the opportunity for Sunset Herbal Corner became a reality. The brand Sunset Herbal has grown through all the legal battles with the state and federally and we maintain in strict compliance to help patients and their needs. The name originated from always spending time on Sunset Blvd. There was a small dispensary operating there and we took
a form of the name and made it ours. We separate ourselves by treating our patients like family and making your visit friendly and inviting. We offer extremely affordable donations and utilize some of the best vendors throughout Southern CA. It started as a mom and pop operation everywhere and it has now grown into big corporate structure and soon it could lead to mega cannabis malllike dispensaries. The evolution of cannabis and the creation of strains that help with patients illnesses are our greatest joys.
Varavo
Varavo is a socially responsible brand focused on producing simple straightforward products with a higher standard. Fixated on every detail we strive to produce a product which sets the standard for the rest of the industry. We specialize in every product we make and refuse to release anything unless its 100 percent which includes vapes, chocolates and gummies. Varavo offers a unique product and experience to customers—no marketing gimmicks, simply a product that does its job beyond anyone’s expectation. Our company was started due to the lack of quality in the market at the time and with our extensive experience in the industry we set out to produce a product
deserving to the cannabis plant. We set our mission and fought threw trends and gimmicks throughout the years to be where we are now. Compliance will be the most challenging task on hand. We have been working tirelessly for the past two years preparing not only our operation but our products for the recreational legal market. Self-regulation throughout the years based on other states recreational markets have prepared us for what is to come. Many companies have come and gone some making a quick buck while others like us have been setting the standard for legal cannabis. We hope to always improve and push the envelope—at Varavo there is no such thing as perfection.
Zen Noho
Zen Noho is a Pre-ICO, Prop D Compliant and Prop 215 Compliant. We take pride in providing quality medicine with a deeply imprinted ethic of personal service and with the most compassionate prices possible. Besides offering products for patients from all walks of life the central principle of our company is providing the most genuine service possible. We follow the golden rule “Treat others how you want to be treated.” We recognize the need of each patient and make sure they leave our dispensary satisfied and understood. We were always convinced of the medical benefits of cannabis and Zen Noho was created to enhance the development
of physical, mental and emotional health of patients. While several states have legalized marijuana, either for medical or recreational use, the drug remains illegal at the federal level, leaving many companies uncertain of what’s going to happen next. With Proposition 64 legalizing the recreational use of marijuana, the industry is now getting supersized. We are looking forward to expand, offer new products and services by making sure we stay true to our company’s key values. We are committed to conducting business in a manner that will always comply with applicable laws and regulations. We strive to become the epitome of genuine service and patient care.
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Industry Insider
Tricky Transition Hezekiah Allen is helping to cultivate the future in favor of California’s cannabis roots By R. Scott Rappold
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ou might think, with California emerging from decades of cannabis prohibition, that our state’s cultivators would be feeling euphoria not unlike how folks feel when consuming their product. You would be wrong. And while the state lumbers toward legalization and regulation in 2018, nobody is voicing their concerns louder than Hezekiah Allen. As Executive Director of the California Growers Association, he’s not trying to be a buzzkill at the legalization party, but rather to point out that the devil is in the details. That’s why he says only 12 percent of cultivators have started the process to be licensed and regulated growers. “That doesn’t mean folks don’t want to. There are pretty significant barriers to entry in the marketplace,” said Allen. “I think a lot of people would like to make the transition, but without access to banking and small business development loans, the one-time costs are pretty hard for most folks to bear.”
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he explained. Then came Proposition 64, which legalized recreational cannabis use for adults in the state. Allen, no stranger to the press, raised some eyebrows when he told a reporter he wouldn’t personally vote for it. In fact, he estimates half the association’s members felt likewise, that it was trying to do too much, too quickly.
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Allen, 34, was born with Humboldt County cannabis credibility, in an off-the-grid house among a family of longtime growers. Anyone who smoked cannabis before there were dispensaries knows that Humboldt County bud has always been among the best. Along with the counties of Mendocino and Trinity, the region is known as the Emerald Triangle, where the soil and climate are ideal for cultivation, and cannabis has been a way of life since long before even medical cannabis was legal. “It’s been the family business for as long as I can remember,” said Allen. After college and some international travel, he wound up back home in 2008. Lacking any other opportunities in a depressed economy, he started growing again. But authorities were still raiding farms, his friends were still going to jail, and an alarming number of illegal grow sites on public lands were wreaking havoc on the environment. He soon decided that growers needed to step out of the shadows and organize. “We were going to have to take on more risk and expose ourselves, and if we didn’t expose ourselves and speak for ourselves, the policies would never change,” he said. In 2014, Allen sold the ranch, 112
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left the verdant green hills behind and moved to a sixthfloor apartment in Sacramento, to become a full-time advocate for the state’s growers, with the Emerald Growers Association, which later changed to the California Growers Association.
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What first spurred him to become a lobbyist was a proposal by lawmakers to impose strict limits on the number of cultivation licenses. Other states had enacted similar restrictions, but California, especially the Emerald Triangle, was different than other states. “We’ve got tens of thousands of growers. To put an artificial cap on that . . . The number I heard was 30. These 30 growers get licenses and everybody else is out. The idea that there would be limits on cultivation licenses is what got me to (Sacramento). We successfully defeated that bill in 2014.” Another idea he had to battle was a proposal to have cannabis regulated by the California State Board of Pharmacy. “Our line in the sand was, ‘We are farmers. We want to be regulated like farmers. Cannabis is an agricultural product and not a pharmaceutical product,’”
Continuing Uncertainties
Still, the people spoke in the election, and state officials and the industry have been toiling ever since to come up with a framework for how it will be implemented. There are plenty of things Allen likes so far. Any household can cultivate up to six plants legally. The only limits on the total number of licenses involve two of the 20 specific categories. Large commercial licenses—the sort Allen fears will bring big businesses into the state—won’t be available for several years. Yet there are plenty of uncertainties. How high will the license fees be? What sort of limits will there be on vertical integration—for example, a grower who also wants to have a dispensary? For his 1,200 clients, all of whom are planning to seek licenses, these are key questions. And what will happen to the vast majority of growers who have not yet started the application process after the state begins issuing licenses in January 2018? All these questions are looming, but for now Allen is confident that California will create a system that won’t shut out the family farmers who have been growing since long before anyone thought legalization could occur. “I think the state is taking a pretty balanced approach to making sure folks can participate.” c
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Compassionate Care Being a cannabis caregiver requires dedication to improving lives By Devon Alexander Brown
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ome folks are simply destined to help others; Maria Frost is one of those people. For the past 15 years, she’s worked as a caregiver—assisting clients with everyday domestic tasks like housekeeping, eating and errandrunning. Only in the past two years has she found herself caring for cannabis plants, as well as her aging mother. Born in San Diego, California, Frost has happily spent her entire life on the west coast. After living in Washington for 19 years, she followed her parents to Oregon in 2005 once her mother, Kathy, was forced to leave
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Tennessee due to severe environmental allergies and progressive medical illnesses. Kathy suffers from rheumatoid arthritis. It started in her hands before affecting her knees and shoulders, and it continues to spread. She also has bursitis—inflamed bursae or fluid-filled sacs—in one of her shoulders. As a cannabis caregiver, Frost cultivates all of her crops on private grow-space and uses the harvest to manufacture salves and full extracted cannabis oil for to treat her mother’s chronic pain. Before she was designated as Kathy’s caregiver, Frost would accompany her mother to dispensaries. As a fellow medical cannabis patient, this was never an issue. But after a series of disappointing purchases, Frost decided to research how cannabis products were made and then began crafting her own. Her mother uses the products every day—without them her pain is so severe she would require prescription opioids.
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All caregivers within the state of Oregon are legally allowed to care for up to four patients and can grow up to six mature plants per patient. Frost says she would love to increase the number of patients in her care, but the space required is too great and the fees too costly (Oregon law requires a $200 registration fee for each patient). Moreover, the extraction machines required to produce quality cannabis oils are expensive, ranging anywhere from $300 to $3,000. Frost says the legalization of recreational cannabis might be to blame for the increasing prices. “Ever since things have become recreational in most states, that’s overshined everything else, and medical is kind of disappearing,” Frost said. Frost shared that caregivers are also having a hard time maintaining patients, due to increased costs. “People can’t afford it . . . I know a lot more people that would grow for a lot more patients, but the prices that it’s costing them to give the state is not allowing them to help patients out anymore,” Frost said. “They’re having to drop their patients.” However, Frost also recognizes the benefits that have resulted from legalization. Most especially with the senior community who has been slow to embrace medical cannabis over prescription pain medicine. “When they do, I’ve noticed them say ‘oh, well this isn’t so bad,’” Frost said with a chuckle. As a caregiver, Frost says she’s seen tremendous change in the patients choosing to abandon opioids for cannabis. She has heard patients report that they can function better without dizziness and nausea, which helps promote a better appetite. But she also knows that being a cannabis caregiver—despite its medicinal benefits—isn’t for everyone. Though that doesn’t mean doubters shouldn’t weigh their options. “More people should have an open mind about people treating with cannabis,” Frost declared with enthusiasm as we ended our conversation. “I would recommend anyone thinking about it or [anyone who] has a sick family member to absolutely check into it. Keep an open mind.” c
How to Become a Cannabis Caregiver There are currently 29 states with medical cannabis programs, but each state approaches medical cannabis differently, and not all states with medical programs allow for cannabis caregivers. However, anyone able and interested in becoming a caregiver will follow a similar procedure. Be Designated: In states where caregiving is an option, the caregiver is required to be selected by the patient.
Maria Frost tends to her mother Kathy
“More people should have an open mind about people treating with cannabis.”
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Be of Legal Age: This varies by state, but a potential caregiver must, at a minimum, be at least 18 years or older. Be Approved: After a caregiver has been designated by a patient, they must submit a formal application. Potential caregivers must also be free of any prior felony convictions. Be Paid in Full: Caregivers, like patients and dispensaries, are required to pay fees for applications and cultivation sites. Treating multiple patients often requires multiple fees be paid. Since caregivers are responsible for the well-being of their patients, it is crucial to have extensive knowledge surrounding cannabis. Caregivers often cultivate a limited supply of crops for their patients, manufacture products like oils and salves, procure products from dispensaries and assist with administering medicine at the proper dosages. Many patients have debilitating medical conditions, so caregivers should be well-versed in treating a variety of illnesses.
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Valiant Values D Cannabis gives back following natural disasters
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By Addison Herron-Wheeler
uring the past few months, the nation has been swept with multiple hurricanes and wild fires, while monstrous earthquakes have devastated our neighbors to the south. The southern hemisphere was bombarded with major hurricanes named Harvey, Irma and Maria, which all have exhausted existing natural disaster relief. While this is tragic, reactions from the community show the good in humanity during a time when most of the country is politically divided. The cannabis industry is no exception, as numerous companies have come forward with a desire to give back to those affected by hurricanes. In Denver, Colorado, one of the major hubs for the cannabis industry, many transplants and travelers felt the pain of their brothers and sisters down south or out west. The Colorado chapter of CannaBellas, a woman-run charity, partnered with dab straw company Texas Skeeter & Hognose, a Coloradobased business with Texas roots, to bring attention to the horror and devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey. They decided to head up a drive and collected supplies that will go directly to Project Care and Project Undercover through the United Way of Greater Houston.
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“I'm originally from Kansas, so we always got together for tornados, putting care packages together, and helping out, whether it was school or church,” Josie Sexton, president of CannaBellas in Colorado, told CULTURE. “I think doing things like this is important, because I find the cannabis industry to be a very accepting community, and I think that giving back is important because you don’t want to lose that. The whole industry is based off of people and their needs; people have gone to jail for legalization. It’s important now to show what we can do for the greater good.” In Arizona, Zen Dispensary also collected items to help with hurricane relief in Houston. The drive took place throughout September, and the store collected supplies such as bottled water, formula, diapers, pet food and non-perishable food items. “Medical marijuana patients are among the most caring and empathetic people on this planet,” explained Tony Pagni, store owner. “We were overwhelmed by the phone calls and emails we received by community individuals and patients
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“I think doing things like this is important, because I find the cannabis industry to be a very accepting community, and I think that giving back is important because you don’t want to lose that.” wanting to help. One patient donated supplies for almost half of our U-Haul truck.” Large companies with their hands in multiple states also rushed to provide relief in the areas that needed it the most. Although Hurricane Irma was less severe than expected when it touched down in Florida, much damage was still sustained, and it was
up to entrepreneurial do-gooders to provide relief. Liberty Health Sciences, an cannabis investor and operator in multiple states, announced in September that Hurricane Irma did no damage to their facility in Alachua, Florida and that no plants or inventory items were damaged. As a result of their good fortune, the company will be donating 10 percent of its revenue for the next two months to help with hurricane relief. “As a proud member of the Florida business community, we really feel for everyone affected by Hurricane Irma,” George Scorsis, director and CEO of Liberty Health Sciences Inc., explained to CULTURE. “We wanted to offer support in a tangible way to help with hurricane relief efforts and ensure a swift recovery. We hope that providing 10 percent of our revenues for two months to the Red Cross will help our Florida neighbors in their time of need.” Southwest Cannabis Conference & Expo (SWCC), a well-known cannabis conference, also released a statement expressing the organization’s sympathy for the victims and claiming that they would help provide connections and repair networks for those who had their businesses damaged by Irma. “After hosting two events in Texas and now having just hosted our first event in Florida, we have had a chance to develop relationships that really matter. Please know, we are thinking of you,” according to SWCC. “SWCC is here to help you rebuild your connections and recover your dreams. Do not hesitate to contact SWCC to learn about the ways we can help to overcome these catastrophic natural disasters. Keep following SWCC to learn more about the new programs we are creating to assist the Texas and Florida cannabis industries and the people who make them happen.” Despite the negative stigmas that are still held throughout the country in regards to cannabis use, the cannabis community is committed to giving back and showing that they care about those affected by tragedy and natural disasters. These are only a few of the examples of how our community has stepped up to the plate in light of these devastating storms. c
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Artistry
Extravagant
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Photo by Alex Reyna
By Alex Distefano
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estled in a quasi-retail, residential part of Long Beach, Stephen Beyer’s Func.Art Gallery sits on 7th Street, where without walking inside one would never feel or experience the level of talent, creativity and artistic energy brewing in this humble, industrial-style art gallery. The walls are full of various psychedelic artwork, paintings, pictures and decorative posters, but the true magic is the collection of glass pieces in the display cases throughout the gallery—some of most insane, colorful and intricate pieces of glass art are actually fully functioning dab rigs.
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Gallery owner Stephen Beyer sitting in Func.Art gallery before it opened over a year ago.
“For most of the time, this type of art has been sold through smoke shops and retail outlets,” Beyer told CULTURE. “But in the past couple of years it has risen to the level where it demands a better venue to showcase it, more of an art gallery setting which is what I offer.” Beyer moved to Orange County from out of state when he was eight years old. He shared with us that art has always been one of his passions. “Just out of high school I had a kid, and ever since I’ve been hustling to raise a family,” he said. “My life plans were altered, and I stayed local and went to an art school for photography.” B eye r s a i d h i s i n te re s t i n photography is where his love and respect for arts of all types blossomed and began to take over his career ambitions. “In the ’90s I worked in the publishing world for a magazine in the hip-hop industry, and from there, my taste in art just grew and grew.” Beyer has been consuming cannabis for two decades, with beneficial results, but said it is just like a coin. “Like with anything else there is good and bad to anything in life, but it can help, and it has been wonderful in my life, and I think it can help in the creative process,” he said. Beyer came to opening Func.Art Gallery in Long Beach in 2016, after falling in love with glass art and the culture of the cannabis community. “I found this
community of functional glass art and fell in love with the artists, talent, energy and creativity, so I started networking and meeting people, just having fun and building a base, and now—here we are,” he said. With one look at some of the pieces Beyer displays in the gallery, it is no wonder that the prices will often raise to tens of thousands of dollars. Beyer explained how much time, effort and talent goes into each work of art, which attracts many high-end art collectors to the gallery. Currently, some of Beyer’s featured clients include glassblowers and artists like Banjo, Amani Summerday and Joe Peters, among others. “It’s not everywhere you can walk into a gallery and see pieces of functional glass art worth $50,000 dollars,” he said. “I have relationships with the top glass artists in the world. I show their work in a way that the art demands and respects as well as carrying a lot of contemporary and abstract artwork.” Beyer considers himself not only a gallery owner, but an artistic purveyor and representative of the artists he works with. “For me with the art, it’s a connection with the deeper level of things,’ he said. “I am not just looking to flip art that is hot to make money. I want to take time and pride for something that is going to someone’s home, into their life."
“It’s not everywhere you can walk into a gallery and see pieces of functional glass art worth $50,000 dollars.”
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+ funcartgallery.com
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Carving by Tim Pate Pumpkins and location courtesy of The Maze and The Pumpkin Patch in Sauvie Island, Oregon.Â
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By Ed Rosenthal ATTENTION: I am interrupting my regularly scheduled column— the conclusion of “Summer Experiments”—to bring you this special article on harvesting big plants—fast. Anyone who has harvested a moderately large garden knows what a challenge it can be. It usually starts off joyously, but it becomes a chore before it’s over. You can reduce picking to a fraction of the time using some of the new techniques that I have developed. The tools required cost less than an ounce, so the technology is quite affordable. Cannabis cultivation has been a hands-on process. Most of the time its farmers and gardeners have resisted mechanization. The first tools that were offered were various types of manicuring appliances, first hand trimmers such as Bonsai Scissors and then the twister type machines. These machines proved that bud cleaning could be mechanized. When I was writing my new book, Marijuana Harvest, my goal was to show readers the most efficient ways to harvest while maintaining quality. The very first part of the harvest is picking the
plant, so I decided to start there and will discuss it today. Picking is the act of separating the bud from the plant. A person might spend 15 minutes dissembling one of the 15-foot giants being grown in the northwest. Besides the time, there’s a lot of physical labor involved. Using power tools cuts both time and labor to a fraction versus cutting manually. Here are a few of them. The Mini-Hedge Trimmer The mini hedge trimmer comes with two blades. The “grass shearer” attachment is used to leaf plants prior to harvest, that is, removing the fan leaves about a week before harvest. This opens the buds to sunlight being blocked by these outer leaves. The shearer doesn’t always trim entire leaves off, but it cuts enough away to get sunlight to the ripening buds. The hedge trimmer blade can be
“The first tools that were offered were various types of manicuring appliances, first hand trimmers such as Bonsai Scissors and then the twister type machines.”
used to remove individual colas from the outside of the plant. The trimmers are light-weight, easy to direct and very accurate. They can also be used to remove most branches. The Electric Clipper The electric clipper handles branches as with diameter up to about three-quarters of an inch. They are slightly slower than using a manual clipper when you first start. However, after spending some time clipping, your hand may get tired, strained or sore. Using this rechargeable battery operated tool, you’ll still be merrily clipping along. The Hedge Trimmer Hedge trimmers make short work out of long branches. Working from the top, going down, aim the blades so it cuts the branches at the node, where they meet the stem. Cutting parallel to it, they fall into neat piles. To cut branches from bushy plants, start from below and cut upward. In a short time the plant will be ready to hang or process. Hedge trimmers usually sport 18-inch blades or longer, although a few models come with 12-inch blades. I find the shorter bladed tools more convenient to use. The whole process outlined here is explained fully in the “Picking” chapter of my book Marijuana Harvest. Watch a video demonstration of the technique at Edrosenthal.com.” c
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The author cutting small buds from a bushy plant using an upward stroke of a long bladed hedge trimmer.
Grass shearer blade of mini hedge trimmer easily trims a plant quickly.
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Colas fall onto a tarp unharmed as the hedge trimmer slices them from the plant.
Electric clipper doesn’t tire after an hour’s work. Internal battery must eventually be charged, though. Two clippers’ are better—one charges and the other attacks.
Mini-hedge trimmer clipping puny branch. It can clip a 1/2-3/4 inch diameter branch.
Mini-hedge trimmer is lightweight and ergonomic.
Copyright by Ed Rosenthal. All rights are reserved. First North American Magazine rights only are assigned to culture Magazine. No other reproduction of this material is permitted without the specific written permission of the author/copyright holder.
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Kristin Murr
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Age: 32 Condition/Illness:
Chronic back injury When did you start using medical cannabis? A close friend of mine suggested I try cannabis for pain relief and inflammation associated with hockey injuries. Within two days, I was feeling better than I had in years and started to wean myself off of prescription medications. Did you try other methods or treatments before cannabis? Yes, I was prescribed a daily dose of Vicodin and Flexural, as well as daily chiropractor visits. My doctor told me to take each as needed, which you can imagine led to taking these pills every three to four hours since I was in constant pain. I gained weight, became lazy and lost an all-around desire to excel or succeed in life. What’s the most important issue or problem facing medical cannabis patients? The lack of availability for everyone who needs it and the stigma that is still attached to cannabis use are the largest barriers medical patients face. Magazines like CULTURE help to educate those who are not familiar with the healing benefits that
cannabis can provide. I will admit, when someone first suggested I use cannabis to help my sports injuries, I was skeptical and thought it was just for recreational use. But after feeling the release of chronic pain and gaining the ability to get back to day-today life without the pain and pain killer haze, I immediately joined the movement. What do you say to folks who are skeptical about cannabis as medicine? Again, education is key during any movement. I believe it’s important to know your grower. What are their motives? Why do they do what they do? What inspires them to help others? Ask many questions and do your research. There are hundreds and hundreds of cases that reflect how lives (both children and adults) have been changed because of cannabis being used as medicine. History has shown us that we don’t always know what’s best. When something new and groundbreaking presents itself, it’s important to have an open mind and take a moment to really understand the benefits it supplies. Yes, people need medicine, but we need a medicine that doesn’t come with countless side effects that are detrimental or fatal to our health. c
Are you an medical cannabis patient with a compelling story to tell? If so, we want to hear from you. Email your name, contact information and details about your experiences with medical cannabis to courage@ireadculture.com.
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Treats designed by MommyBones Custom Creations
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Menu: Centennial Cupcakes Chewy Sugar Cookies Chocolate-Covered Pretzel Sticks
What better way to commemorate CULTURE’s 100th issue than with an assortment of sweet cannabisinfused recipes to make? There is no better thing to pair with the feelings of achievement than a soft and delicious cupcake, with frosting so creamy you’ll think it was spun from silk. Not into soft and spongy cake? Go ahead and treat your taste buds to a crisp and salty pretzel, lavishly dipped in cannabis-infused chocolate—giving you the perfect mix of sweet and salty. For those who want to land somewhere in the middle, there is always the tried and true gold standard for pastries—sugar cookies. Join us in marking this joyous occasion by baking some delicious treats that will bring the celebration to your dessert table. Whatever your sweet tooth calls out for, there’s always room for it here. Plus, at a party everything is calorie-free . . . right?
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culture growing 2 tablespoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 3 tablespoons cannabutter 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 eggs, lightly beaten 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup milk Pinch of salt 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder for chocolate cupcakes (optional)
2. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.
6. Fill muffin cups about 2/3 full with batter. Bake for 16 minutes.
3. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
7. Once done, let the cupcakes cool off for at least 30 minutes.
4. Beat the cannabutter and sugar in a large bowl until it is a whipped at a fluffy consistency, then stir in eggs and vanilla.
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1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
8. If desired, decorate the cupcakes with piping tools and star tips, add decorative pearls, fondant medallions or edible gold leaf flakes.
Buttercream Frosting Ingredients: 1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temperature) 5 tablespoons skim milk 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder for chocolate frosting (optional)
Instructions: 1. Carefully beat in butter, confectioner’s sugar and vanilla extract until the mixture is a fluffy consistency. 2. Pour milk and continue to beat for about three more minutes. 3. For chocolate frosting, add 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder to the mixture.
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5. Slowly add in dry ingredient mixture and milk while beating the mixture at a slow to moderate speed.
Instructions:
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Sugar Cookie Icing Ingredients: 1 cup powdered sugar 2 teaspoons milk
Chewy Sugar Cookies Makes two dozen cookies Ingredients: 1/4 cup cannabutter 3/4 cup unsalted butter
Instructions: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with spray or butter. 2. Soften cannabutter and butter or let warm to room temperature.
1 cup sugar
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1 egg 2 tablespoons vanilla extract 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon baking powder Pinch of salt
3. Whip cannabutter, butter and sugar until fluffy and light. 4. Stir in egg and vanilla and combine while slowly adding in flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Whip for about one minute
until the mixture has combined. 5. Divide dough in half. Wrap it in waxed paper. Refrigerate for two hours. 6. Sprinkle flour on cutting board. Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thick. Cut into desired shapes. 7. Bake about 10-12 minutes for a chewy cookie consistency. 8. Allow 30 minutes for the cookies to cool. Add icing and additional dĂŠcor as desired.
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1. Lay out several sheets of wax paper.
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Chocolate-Covered Pretzel Sticks Makes 24 sticks Ingredients: 1 (12-ounce) package of pretzel sticks 12 ounces milk chocolate chips 1/2 cup white chocolate chips 2 tablespoons cannabutter
2. Melt chocolate chips at a medium/ low temperature in a double boiler, stirring often. Stir in cannabutter until melted. 3. Once the chocolate mixture has melted, carefully dip each rod into the mixture about 2/3 of the way down. 4. Place the dipped pretzels onto wax paper, leaving an inch
2 teaspoons light corn syrup 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract Food coloring Instructions: 1. Beat powdered sugar and milk in a small bowl. 2. Stir in corn syrup and vanilla extract. 3. Add food coloring if desired.
of space between each rod. As the rods are drying, melt the white chocolate chips in a double boiler, stirring often. Dip a fork into the white chocolate mixture and drizzle the melted chocolate over the rods, using a smooth, long hand motion. 5. If desired, sprinkle chopped nuts, sprinkles or candies on dipped rods or roll them in sprinkles on a plate for a different effect. Use a decorative vase or mug to display.
Legal Disclaimer Publishers of this publication are not making any representations with respect to the safety or legality of the use of medical marijuana. The recipes listed here are for general entertainment purposes only, and are intended for use only where medical marijuana is not a violation of state law. Edibles can vary in potency while a consumers’ weight, metabolism and eating habits may affect effectiveness and safety. Ingredient management is important when cooking with cannabis for proper dosage. Please consume responsibly and check with your doctor before consumption to make sure that it is safe to do so.
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News of the
Weird
By the Editors at Andrews McMeel
LEAD STORY— INEXPLICABLE The Adair family of Deerfield Beach, Florida, were startled awake on July 15 by the sound of something meaty crashing onto their roof. When they investigated, they found two packages of Italian pork sausage in the side yard, and three more packages still on the roof. The sausages were in bags marked with the name of a land-clearing company in Alabama. Austin Adair called the company to inquire about the wayward sausages, but “the guy had no idea what I was talking about and probably thought I was crazy,” he said, and the mystery remains unsolved. “I would love to know what really happened,” said Jennie Adair, “because it’s just so, so odd.” THE NAKED TRUTH Summers are hot in Lawrence, Kansas, and Christopher Steven Carlson, 34, of Riley took advantage of the warm temperatures on July 30 to stroll down a sidewalk in the busy college town in his birthday suit—twice. Police first arrested Carlson around 2 p.m. in downtown Lawrence for indecent exposure, after which he paid his $500 fine and was released. He caught a taxi from the Douglas County Jail back to the downtown area, where he stiffed the 140
driver, left his clothes in the car and resumed his in-the-buff constitutional. Local business owner Meg Heriford said: “Our customers were not alarmed. It was more like, ‘Hey, there’s a naked guy.’” Nakedness does leave one a bit vulnerable, as Travis Tingler, 32, found out on July 16 as he stood unclothed outside his girlfriend’s house in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, shouting and threatening to hurt the people inside. When police arrived, they tried and failed to get Tingler back into his pants, so they handcuffed him. As they struggled to put him in the police car, Tingler picked up a lighter off the ground, and a probe from an officer’s stun gun struck the lighter, igniting Tingler’s chest and beard hairs. An officer was able to pat the fire out. THE CONTINUING CRISIS Out of eight candidates for Detroit mayor in the Aug. 8 primary, half were convicted felons, the Detroit News reported. Three women and one man have convictions including gun crimes and assault with intent to commit murder. “Black marks on your record show you have lived a little and have overcome some challenges,” opined political consultant Greg Bowens. Michigan law allows convicted felons to vote and run for office unless they are currently incarcerated, or if their offenses are fraud-related or constitute a breach of public trust. (Update: None of the felons advanced to the general election.)
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IRONIES In Green Bay, Wisconsin, the Spartans of Vincent T. Lombardi Middle School won’t be playing football this year because of a lack of coaches. Jim Van Abel, principal of the school named after the revered coach of the Green Bay Packers, told parents in a letter that the district had been advertising for coaching positions since April, to no avail. Student Alex Coniff said last year about 55 students played on the school’s two football teams. (Interestingly, the district was also unable to provide a representative to be interviewed for the story.) THE PERFECT NAME Weedville, Pennsylvania, more than lived up to its name on July 31 when the North Central Municipal Drug Task Force busted Tiffany R. Potts, 23, and James Michael Dunshie, 30, at their home. The pair were caught with heroin, methamphetamines, hallucinogenic mushrooms, firearms and drug paraphernalia—but, apparently, no weed. THE JOB OF THE RESEARCHER Sexing certain species of turtles used to be an invasive process, sometimes requiring surgery on the little guy or gal. But Donald McKnight, a Ph.D. student at James Cook University in Queensland, Australia, has perfected a method that speeds up the process—and presumably pleases the shelled reptile. McKnight uses a vibrator to stimulate the underside of the turtle, which causes a male to “reveal himself,”
sometimes in as little as 4 seconds. McKnight did his research in Oklahoma on threatened western chicken turtles. OOPS! A Hartford City, Indiana, man was outed to police by a tattoo on the back of his neck as he tried to use an alias on July 28. The incident started when James Jason Buck, 33, pounded on the door of a Muncie home, demanding a drink, and homeowners called the police. At first, the man said he was Robert Dill, 37, of Florida. But when an officer noticed his tattoo, “Buck,” and called him Mr. Buck, he confessed his real name and date of birth. Mr. Buck also had a plastic bag with crystal methamphetamine, and, officers discovered, a rather long rap sheet. IT’S IMPORTANT TO HAVE GOALS When federal agents turned up in May 2016 with a search warrant at the Miami home of 19-year-old Phyllistone Termine, they interrupted the teenager as he crafted a summer fraud to-do list. Items on the list included buying credit card numbers and security codes on the “dark web.” Between March 2015 and his arrest, Termine had used stolen Social Security numbers from more than 1,000 victims to collect unemployment benefits in excess of $1 million. Next to his bed were blank white credit cards with magnetic strips and equipment to encode those strips. In July, Termine was sentenced to 4 1/2 years in federal prison, where his organizational skills may be put to some more legal purpose.
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