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contents
inside
11.2016
POSITIVE VIBRATIONS
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Reggae icon Pato Banton is a musician with talent, charisma and a passion for cannabis legalization. ON THE COVER: p h o t o b y J o h n G i lh o o le y
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features
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Veterans’ Right To Heal In light of this month’s Veteran’s Day, we are digging in to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, a problem that affects millions of military veterans, and the status of their right to medical cannabis in this country.
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Dandy And Diverse Cabin Games’ star musician Brodie Stevens has had his hands in music, film and record labels.
departments
online Exclusive!
news 12 News Nuggets 13 By the Numbers 16 Local News 18 Legal Corner reviews 20 Dispensary Highlight 22 Strain Reviews 24 Holiday Gift Guide 26 Entertainment Reviews in every issue 42 Growing Culture 44 Destination
d Democratic Candidate for Utah
Unknown 46 Profile in Courage 48 Recipes 50 Shooting Gallery 52 News of the Weird
Smarter in New Study
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Governor Position Has a Plan for Medical Cannabis in the State d THC Recently Proven to Make You
Vol 8 IssUE 5
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CULTURE M
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Publisher Jeremy Zachary Editor-In-Chief Evan Senn associate Editor Ashley Bennett Editorial coordinator Jamie Solis Editorial Contributors Benjamin Adams, Sheryll Alexander, Marguerite Arnold, Jake Browne, Cole Garrison, Jasen T. Davis, Alex Distefano, David Downs, Natasha Guimond, Addison Herron-Wheeler, Anthony Herrold, Pamela Jayne, Heather Johnson, Joe Jatcko, David Jenison, Kevin Longrie, Emily Manke, Tyler Markwart, Meital Manzuri, Sandy Moriarty, Madison Ortiz, Denise Pollicella, R. Scott Rappold, Paul Rogers, Joy Shannon, Lanny Swerdlow, Simon Weedn, Zara Zhi Photographers Kristen Angelo, Steve Baker, Kristopher Christensen, John Gilhooley, Joel Meaders, Duncan Rolfson Art Director Steven Myrdahl production manager Tommy LaFleur Graphic Designer Tanya Delgadillo sales director Justin Olson Account Executives Jon Bookatz, Eric Bulls, Kim Cook, Cole Garrison, Gene Gorelik, Teddy Helms, Beau Odom, Chris Thatcher, Vic Zaragoza general Manager Iris Norsworthy Office Assistant Angelina Thompson digital content manager David Edmundson digital marketing Alazzia Gaoay manager Ctv Contributors Quinn Marie Distribution Manager Cruz Bobadilla
Culture® Magazine is published every month and distributes magazines at over 600 locations throughout Washington. No articles, illustrations, photographs, or other matter within may be reproduced without written permission. Culture® Magazine is a registered trademark. All rights reserved. 815 1st Ave | #220 Seattle | Washington | 98104 Phone 888.694.2046 | Fax 888.694.2046 www.iReadCulture.com
CULTURE® Magazine is printed using post-recycled paper.
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NEWS
nuggets
Bellevue City Council Remains Conflicted on Cannabis Retailer Restrictions During a recent city council meeting, it was clear that the councilmembers remained conflicted regarding restrictions placed on recreational cannabis retailers. The council passed an interim ordinance that narrowed down the allowed number of cannabis retailers and stricter permitted zoning regulations. When discussing the interim ordinance, it was clear there were varying views regarding what the next step should be. The Deputy Mayor John Chelminiak believed it was a waste of time to continue discussing limitations on cannabis retailers. “The issue faced by the marijuana industry is that people don’t want to rent to them,” Chelminiak said. “I say quit the tinkering and let’s move on with important city business.” However, Mayor John Stokes shared his opinion on the matter, “I don’t think it’s accurate to say that anyone is pushing for laxity or deregulation. We’re just trying to see what’s best way to do it,” he said. “We’re not going to resolve this next year either, and I think eventually, let’s work real hard actually on the hard drugs and other things that really cause the problems, as far as I’m concerned, and make sure that this one isn’t more of a problem than it is.”
Cannabis Possession Penalties Are Lowered in Memphis, Tennessee The city council of Memphis, Tennessee has moved to lower penalties on cannabis possession. The ordinance allows Memphis Police Department the ability to charge someone who was under the possession of cannabis a lesser charge than what is outlined by the state of Tennessee. Currently in the state, a person who is possessing half an ounce or less of cannabis can face a misdemeanor charge, up to a year of incarceration, plus a maximum fine of $2,500. Memphis’ new law allows an officer to instead charge the accused with a $50 ticket from the city. In the ordinance’s text, the council outlined the reasoning for this change. “Whereas, the City Council does not support or encourage the use of marijuana or any other controlled substance but finds that, when an individual’s only offense is possession or casual exchange of marijuana for personal use, criminal penalties imposed by state law and resulting criminal records for such as offense are disproportionate to the severity of the offense . . .” As the second city in the state to adopt much lesser punishment than Tennessee, it will be interesting to see if this will continue to happen throughout other local governments in the state.
Cannabis Extract is Recognized as Medicine by U.K. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) of the United Kingdom made a decision to recognize cannabis oil that is high in CBD to be medicinal. A letter sent by the MHRA shared its decision with producers and distributors of CBD products. “The MHRA has now completed its review and has considered all information available to it relating to cannabidiol (CBD oil) and having taken into account all the scientific advice and evidence, it has come to an opinion that products containing cannabidiol will satisfy the second limb of the definition of a ‘medicinal product’ . . .” This decision was reached after the proof that CBD oil is able to aid in physiological functions through its ability to affect a immunological, metabolic or pharmacological action. The next step is for the government to make sure the CBD products are regulated accordingly to protect public health.
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WSU to Study How Cannabis Legalization Affects Law Enforcement Washington State University (WSU) is using $1 million to study how cannabis legalization has affected crime and law enforcement in the state. The study will take three years to complete. Mary Stohr is WSU’s Principal Investigator and a Professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology. She shared the importance of this new research, “There are plenty of people starting to look into this area because it has such a huge potential impact on our communities and families and because it’s a retreat from the war on drugs.” She continued, “Our investigation will look at the people with the boots on the ground in that war, the folks who actually have to deliver policy and have to interact with the public and deal with the implications of the policy.” The study could potentially lead to creating a set of “best practices” for legal cannabis in states across the United States.
NEWS
The number of retail cannabis stores that are currently operating in the state, as of October 12, 2016: (Source: Drug Policy Association)
The estimated number of Washington State House members who were ranked with an “A” by NORML for having declared their support for the legalization and regulation of cannabis use (Source: Bellingham Herald) by adults:
445
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The amount of money, in millions of dollars, that was made in Washington State from cannabis dispensaries between January and October 2016:
178
(Source: BDS Analytics)
The amount of money, in millions of dollars, that was spent on new equipment and the hiring of two full-time workers to conduct tests on cannabis for pesticides by the Washington Department of Agriculture: (Source: The Reflector)
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The percentage of Arizonans who favor cannabis legalization: (Source: AZ Central)
The amount of money, in thousands of dollars, that hemp soap company Dr. Bronner’s donated to an Arizona-based pro-cannabis campaign: (Source: AZ Central)
The percentage of Mainers who favor legalizing cannabis for recreational use: (Source: Portland Press Herald)
The amount of cannabis, in ounces, that a person can now legally possess in Memphis, Tennessee after the city council agreed to reduce cannabis possession penalties: (Source: WREG Memphis)
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The number of jobs that have been created by the arrival of a cannabis producer/ processor facility called BMF, located in North Pacific County:
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(Source: The Daily World)
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Seattle International Comedy Competition
WHAT: Seattle International Comedy Competition event. WHEN/WHERE: Wed, Nov. 2-Sun, Nov. 27. Various locations throughout Seattle. INFO: Visit seattlecomedycompetition.org for more information. Comedians from around the world are making their way to Seattle to compete at the 37th Annual Seattle International Comedy Competition. The competition starts off with two preliminary rounds of six shows over 15 comedians. Each comedian is given only five minutes to show off their stand-up performances. The funniest comedians are chosen by the audience, celebrity
judges and people from the entertainment industry. The performers with the highest scores then move on to the semi-finals. Although all semi-finalists win cash prizes, they continue on to compete for the number one spot by performing a 10-minute set in five separate shows. Five comedians go on to the final show at the Seattle Center Cornish Playhouse, where the champion will be crowned.
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NEWS
LOCAL
Weedini: The Marijuana Magician
BUSINESS EXPANSION WSLCB reveals plans to implement use of cloud storage system for new business licenses and permits
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by Jamie Solis new platform to host licensing and enforcement information called SMARTGOV has been chosen by the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB), for both the cannabis and alcohol markets. Applications for permits and licenses will now go through SMARTGOV’s cloud-based hosted service, which will make the time to process such applications must faster, according to a recent release by the Paladin Data Systems, which created SMARTGOV. In turn, it will give citizens, applicants and staff the ability to participate in and engage with the application process as a whole, from beginning to end. The CEO of Paladin, Jim Nall, explained how the public will benefit from this service. “SMARTGOV empowers applicants to become active participants in the permitting and licensing process, providing all of our citizens with information transparency,” Nall stated. The WSLCB’s previous hosted application processing service was not able to accommodate the higher demand of processing since the state’s legalized cannabis industry began back in 2014. The release shares how only 3,000 applications have been processed by the State of Washington since legalization, which leaves an estimated 4,000 licenses still unprocessed. This means that there is more than $1,000,000 sitting in application fees, and has the potential to bring the WSLCB an estimated $7,000,000 in annual fees. Ed Hallda is the Vice President of Strategic Development at Paladin, and he shared how the technology behind SMARTGOV will aid with the WSLCB’s urgent timeline.
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“The SMARTGOV design takes advantage of modern cloud technologies on Amazon Web Services,” Hallda stated. “This provides WSLCB with on-demand scaling, high availability, unlimited secure storage, increased agility and minimal capital expenditures.” He continued to explain how utilizing this platform will enable the WSLCB to spend more time working with customers instead of having to fuss with its processing system. In an exclusive interview, CULTURE got into contact with Kim Brooks, Marketing Director of Paladin Data Systems and SMARTGOV, who shared more about how the new process will affect the state. “If you expand the scope of it to include not just cannabis but liquor also, that means every grocery store, every corner, every bar or restaurant that has a liquor permit is also going to be touched by this. So, another important aspect of what we offer is like a mobile inspection application so when people do feel visits to marijuana shops or to restaurants to verify their wine permit, they’ll be using our app to check in and make notes. The scope of it is actually quite big if you start to like include all of our business licensing,” Brooks told CULTURE. Washington is definitely not the first jurisdiction to utilize the cutting-edge services of SMARTGOV. In fact, there are more than 100 jurisdictions in America that have switched over to the SMARTGOV platform. This has led them to processing more than 280,000 different permits and licenses—a very helpful technology-based storage and operating system The WSLCB will begin utilizing SMARTGOV in 2017. c
Magic shows are not only entertaining for children. This show by Weedini, “The Marijuana Magician,” is targeted at making adults, especially those who consume cannabis, laugh into the night. Known for his tagline, “He’ll make your weed disappear,” the great Weedini is making audiences laugh without actually stealing your cannabis. As a real Wizard of Weed, Weedini performs mind-blowing magical feats that will alter your perception and mind. It’s rumored that he started gaining his magical powers after consuming chronic many years ago. Now he’s chosen to use his magical powers to enhance his love for performance art. Although you don’t need to consume cannabis to achieve psychedelic simulation, you won’t be stopped from partaking if you choose to do so. Demonstrating his magical powers for all to see, join the audience of like-minded individuals as Weedini sets off to blow you away. WHAT: Weedini: The Marijuana Magician magic show. WHEN/WHERE: Sat, Nov. 19. The Pocket, 8312 Greenwood Ave. N, Seattle. INFO: Visit thepocket. org for more information.
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NEWS
bust. These scams tend to involve the same subset of marginal accounting and law firms that assist by securing IRS and SEC reporting delays. Like anything else, if you’re looking at acquiring stock in a reverse merger company, do your due diligence and know the red flags.
LEGAL CORNER
3. Cannabis franchises
BAD BUSINESS Scams take place in every industry, including cannabis by Hilary Bricken
As a cannabis business attorney, I tend to see and hear more than my share of kooky and downright bad business pitches. Unfortunately, like any new and high growth industry with complicated and constantly changing rules and regulations, the cannabis industry is chalk full of scammers and ripoff artists. The following five cannabis scams are the ones I am seeing most often of late. Your job is to make sure you don’t get taken in by any of the following:
1. Cannabis penny stocks
Generally, you may want to consider steering clear of most cannabis penny stocks. As both the SEC keeps pointing out, many (but not all) publicly traded cannabis companies are vehicles for investor fraud. It almost seems that publicly traded stock companies are more focused on selling their stocks than on competing in the market. The herd mentality of investors seems to lead to pump and dump scams where “the group behind the scam increases the demand and trading volume in the stock and this new inflow of investors leads to a sharp rise in its price. Once the price rise has formulated, the group will sell its position
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to make a large short-term gain.” Pump and dump scams with publicly traded cannabis companies are still quite popular, so be careful out there.
2. Reverse merger cannabis stocks
Just like penny stock fraud, reverse merger stock fraud is nothing new. In the typical reverse merger transaction, a privately operating company seeks to acquire controlling shares in an already publicly traded company with the goal of acquiring the public company’s listing. Reverse mergers a relatively fast, cheap and easy way for a private company to “go public” without having to go through all of the SEC reporting, disclosure and registration requirements required by a standard initial public offering. In the reverse merger scam, the underlying publicly traded company is usually just a shell company with little or no assets or positive business history. Because the underlying publicly traded shell has no assets, no real management base, and oftentimes no business at all, the whole point of these scams is to acquire investors and raise capital based on pumped-up stock statistics, prices, and claims before everything eventually goes
Most cannabis franchise “offers” are just plain garbage because they fail to account for all of the reporting, registration and disclosure requirements required by federal and state franchise laws and regulations. Franchising is governed by FTC and various state agency rules. Because of the state and federal law conflict with cannabis, franchising a cannabis business is a very risky proposition and we are finding that most cannabis “franchisors” are not providing their potential “franchisees” with nearly enough risk disclosures.
4. Cannabis “crowdfunding”
In May of this year, the SEC released new crowdfunding rules designed to let the small fry swim with the sharks. As of May 16, 2016, companies can solicit $2,000 from anyone (and more in many cases) in exchange for an equity stake in their business. Companies can raise up to $1 million annually through these offerings, which fall under Title III of the 2012 JOBS Act. As we have written before, the SEC does not care whether your business is a pot business, so long as you follow its offerings rules. Though the SEC’s rules for crowdfunding advertising are incredibly strict, we are already getting wind of crowdfunding cannabis companies seeking to skirt these new rules to the detriment of investors.
5. State-illegal cannabis companies
Not all cannabis companies are lawful under state or local cannabis laws, even in cannabis-legal states. In fact, we often see blatantly illegal cannabis companies not only out there operating, but seeking investors and raising funds. Many states outlaw cannabis delivery services, online sales and distributor companies, cannabis telemedicine, cannabis bars and/or vape lounges, and cannabis events where cannabis is provided by the venue. Make sure you know what’s lawful under state and local law before putting your hard-earned funds or time into a company that’s only going to get shut down or be prosecuted shortly thereafter. c
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REVIEWs
dispensary highlight
The Gallery Interviewed: Lauren Sweet, General Manager 13005 Pacific Ave. S., Tacoma, 98444 thegalleryco.com How and when did your dispensary start up? The Gallery opened on March 1 of 2015. What’s the story behind the name of your dispensary? The Gallery was formed with the concept that we are an art gallery that happens to sell marijuana. What does your dispensary offer patients that they can’t find anywhere else? We are confident that The Gallery truly does offer the largest selection and widest variety of prices in the area. 20
An added perk of our stores is our one-of-a-kind art pieces on display. How has the cannabis industry in Washington changed since you have been in the business? Where would you like to see it go? The cannabis industry has really expanded since we opened last year. With more players in the game, we have been able to witness new and exciting products hit the market that we are then able to expose our customer base to. I would like to see the industry continue to grow
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Top Selling Strain: Cookies and Cream by Sonic Green Top Selling Concentrate: Northern Lights by Ionic Top Selling Edible: Silica Chocolates
and expand for not only our recreational customers but our medical patients as well. What are the biggest challenges you face in this industry as a dispensary? Biggest joys? The biggest challenge in this industry is fighting the negative stigma attached to marijuana. My biggest joys come from assisting a customer in finding a product that they truly enjoy, or introducing customers to a product that they haven’t tried before. What is the one thing you want patients to know about your dispensary? The Gallery is more than just a store; it is an experience. From our well educated, friendly staff, to our beautiful art displays and top notch product. You won’t be disappointed.
If someone wanted to open a dispensary and get their feet wet in the industry, what advice or counsel would you give them? In order to be successful in this industry you really need to do it right and take the time to find a good location with plenty of parking. What is the most important thing you hope to accomplish while in the MJ/ MMJ community? I really want to bring awareness to the fact that motivated, productive members of society smoke marijuana rather than just the stereotype. We look forward to changing the industry and providing a new face to cannabis. c
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REVIEWs
strain Available at: Bud Commander in Tumwater.
Dirty White Girls As you may have guessed by the unforgettable name, Dirty White Girls is a cross between The White and Dirty Girl. The White’s parentage is unknown, though it is known to be a sativa-indica hybrid, while Dirty Girl is a confirmed sativa-dominant hybrid. The smell reflects the name as well, with a potent dirty diaper and citrus aroma. Produced by evergreen Northwest, this elegantly packaged flower was tested at 28.6 percent THC, and .24 percent CBD. After inhaling Dirty White Girls through a water pipe, we noted it was clean and smooth. Flavors observed were orange and lemon zest, with notes of pine and fresh earth. The impacts of the flower can be felt immediately and very much in the front of your head. Quickly, they spread back, and down your body. This is a truly a euphoric specimen, with the sativa genetics in full effect. Still calming, this is the perfect flower to accompany, or prelude, any occasion. As long as you’re responsible, you can’t go wrong with Dirty White Girls.
XJ13 by Leaph
Available at: Green Token Cannabis in Lacey.
It’s impossible not to open this without mentioning the remarkable artwork on the label. Mark Henson illustrated the frog and mushroom seen on the label. Clearly marked a sativa, the package also cleverly directs customers to Leaph’s website. But it’s inside the package that really counts! This lightgreen dreamy flower has light fragrances of lemon, and pine, with a unique metallic hint. The flavor has a hint of spice, with citrus and musty elements as well. When it comes to the effects of this XJ13, perhaps their own website says it best: “This potent and stimulating sativa cross of Jack Herer and G13 Haze retains just enough indica effect to take the edge off, providing a lively day smoke without anxiety.” At 22 percent THC, this is the perfect beginner flower this sativa will bring the giddy experience of sativa, without inducing any panic attacks from over introspection to a newbie. Which makes this the perfect herb to have on hand for guests and parties! Or if you’re trying to convince your parents or grandparents to smoke this Thanksgiving.
Underdog OG by White Star Vintage-inspired white on navy blue star spotted packaging makes this White Star standout with ’90s-esque design. If you bust this flower out at a nineties themed party, or when you’re binge watching nineties movies with the squad, things are going to get lit, guaranteed. This flower tested 24 percent THC, .10 percent CBD, and has a subtle minty smell, with mild teases of something more pungent under the surface. The flavor was very much in line with the scent, fresh and minty, with an earthy flavor hidden just under the surface. After vaping and using a water pipe to test this flower, we noticed the effects were a whole-body affair. Happiness commenced, as did intense relaxation. We noticed our bodies were notably loose, and our minds were able to drift off into thought, or even sleep if that’s what was desired. A perfect light but effective way to help ease in sleep, or help comfort minor pain, without making you too groggy.
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Available at: Greenside Recreational in Des Moines.
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Toker Poker
G U IDE! 2016
Get the hottest gift item of the season—the legendary Toker Poker! Finally your poker/ dabber, tamper, hemp wick and lighter are all in the same place. This 420 multi-tool has everything you need to vape, dab, roll and toke. Its ergonomic design provides the most basic but essential tools for any smoker. Glow in the dark, chrome and other limited editions are now available online. Sure to be a stocking stuffer hero! Use “CULTURETP16” at check out for 20 percent discount online at TokerPoker.com (offer expires 12/31/16). Price: $7.95 Website: www.tokerpoker.com
Grow For Vets USA
To honor, give thanks and give back to U.S. veterans, O.penVAPE has created a fund raising promotion with our partner Grow For Vets USA. We’ve designed two batteries, one customized with a camouflage design and the other an American flag. Both will be sold online and in retail outlets across the country. For every battery sold, one dollar is being donated to Grow For Vets USA. The organization’s primary mission is to save the more than 50 veterans who die each day from suicide and prescription overdoses. Grow for Vets provides veteran heroes with a safe alternative to deadly prescription drugs. Helping wounded veterans to receive the respect and dignity of life that they deserve is a mission we are proud to be part of. Price: $24.95 Website: openvape.com
My Bud Vase “Daily Bread” Water Pipe
This beautifully crafted My Bud Vase is a water pipe fashioned from a traditional flower vase. Made from high-grade ceramic material, this delicate but lovely pipe has a large bubble chamber to help filter the incoming smoke and a wide mouthpiece that allows for a pleasant smoking experience. These vase-pipes are the perfect gift if you’re searching for both a highquality bubbler that can double as a nice centerpiece for a kitchen table— and it’s the kind of gift that keeps on giving throughout the year. Price: $119 Website: www.dankstop.com
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Cannabis Leaf Track Jacket
It’s time to help cannabis fashion transition from the stereotypical hippie-inspired garb to some new articles of clothing that are classy and trendy instead. Treat your cannabis-lover with a gift like this cannabis leaf track jacket. This particular jacket is made of thin spandex and meant for light weather, allowing the wearer to literally wear their love for cannabis on their sleeve. Your giftee can simply zipup and head out into the world with confidence that cannabis is on the rise. Price: $26.95 Website: www.originalhoneystraw.com
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REVIEWs
entertainment
BOOK
Marijuana: A Short History
MOVIE Release Date: November 29 Available on: PlayStation 4 and Xbox One
John Hudak
GAME
Brookings Institution Press
Final Fantasy XV
John Hudak, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution traces the history of America’s laws and attitudes toward cannabis in his new book, Marijuana: A Short History. Hudak offers a unique and up-to-date summary of how this natural plant with a seemingly controversial history has emerged from the shadows of subcultures and secret illegal use to become a seriously treasured medicinal public policy issue and source of legal revenue for states, businesses and government. Hudak goes into detail about why attitudes have shifted and what the future for cannabis is in our ever-changing political world. (Alex Bradley)
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Square Enix Business Division 2 Square Enix Final Fantasy XV (FFXV ) is proof of how far the series has come since the original game released in the late-1980s. During a time of war on a planet called Eos, almost all countries are controlled by the empire of Niflheim, leading the heir of the only free kingdom, Noctis, to travel on a journey to save his homeland. FFXV is an action-RPG that takes place in a beautiful open world, and features like a new battle system, along with the familiar unique weapons and magic types. Needless to say, this game is worthy of its legacy title. (Nicole Potter)
Ghostbusters
MUSIC
Dir. Paul Feig
Patient Ones
Columbia Pictures
Erica Freas
The debate regarding the value of re-making classic films and re-launching iconic film franchises like Ghostbusters has been a contentious one. However, for those who are able to eschew measuring it against the 1984 original and accept it for what it is, then the film can be quite enjoyable. This film is a fun reimagining of an awesome premise meant to introduce new, younger fans to a great comedic film series, with the most striking difference being it’s all female leading cast. Filled with gut busting slapstick comedy and enough subtle references to the original to please old fans. (Simon Weedn)
Don Giovanni Records For the past six years, Erica Freas has developed a reputation for fiery live performances and heart-felt singing and songwriting. However, over the years Freas has also been cultivating a growing catalog of softer, yet no less powerful, honest and passionate solo, acoustic music as well. Patient Ones is Freas’ second full length album of such recordings and continues to show off the depth and beauty of Freas’ songwriting. Much like her first solo album, Belly, Patient Ones contains both new songs and acoustic versions of RVIVR favorites and offers an intimate look at one of contemporary punk’s best songwriters. (Simon Weedn)
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Pato Banton is a famed reggae musician, profound community leader and cannabis advocate by Paul Rogers Reggae star Pato Banton was in the midst of his biggest-ever tour—a global trek for Peter Gabriel’s WOMAD organization in 2000— when he learned that two of his sons had been injured in a drive-by shooting in his native England. He immediately put his burgeoning career on hold to go hunt-down the perpetrator. Gunman found, he then turned his outrage and sorrow into the impetus for award-winning community and educational initiatives which would consume the next six years of his life. Reading like some gritty screenplay, this extended episode epitomizes a man whose fourdecade public presence has increasingly transcended music to convey a singularly positive and often spiritual message. Emerging from a working-class community in Britain’s second-largest city, Birmingham, in the 1970s, Banton is now based in Southern California, from where he continues to tour extensively while simultaneously serving as a mentor (and sometimes minister) to fans worldwide. Banton was almost born into a world of reggae sound systems, with his Jamaican DJ stepfather hosting illegal house parties in his childhood home at which the preteen served as a lookout, doorman 30
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and ultimately, performer. Born Patrick Murray, Banton’s nocturnal musical escapades earned him the nickname “Patoo,” a Jamaican word for owl (“Banton,” meaning formidable lyricist, was added by music producers later). By his late teens, “Ranking Pato” had been declared his hometown’s number one MC seven years in a row and was touring Europe with a local reggae band. But it was his performance on The Beat’s 1982 album Special Beat Service that put him on the mainstream map. Appearances on UB40’s 1985 Baggariddim and Little Baggariddim releases confirmed Banton as a major toasting talent and imminent solo force. Banton’s debut solo album, ‘85s Mad Professor Captures Pato Banton, is still regarded as a genre classic. A string of hits including “Absolute Perfection” and “Handsworth Riot” followed. By the mid 1990s he was topping charts internationally with a cover of Eddy Grant’s “Baby Come Back” (featuring Ali and Robin Campbell of UB40) and collaborations with Sting (a remix of “This Cowboy Song” and a remake of the Police’s “Spirits in a Material World”). Throughout, Banton has been an outspoken promoter of p h o t o s b y J o h n G i lh o o le y
cannabis (referencing how he “smoke up the ganja” on his second single “Allo Tosh,” and that he “only smoke the sensimilla” on 1987 classic “Don’t Sniff Coke”). A famously charismatic, inclusive live performer known for evocative storytelling and comic vocal characterizations, Banton threw himself into philanthropic work after his sons’ shooting, founding community projects, becoming a qualified music teacher, and setting up his own School of Musical Arts and Technology in Birmingham. He has earned numerous accolades for his musical and humanitarian accomplishments, including the BBC’s prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award. Upon returning to musicmaking a decade ago, Banton embarked upon a mission to spread positivity, spirituality and universal love. He has two new albums slated for release in February and will be touring in the U.S., U.K., Africa and Asia next year. He just re-recorded “Baby Come Back” with Ali Campbell for a new UB40 release. CULTURE chatted with the affable Banton about his music, message, and long relationship with cannabis. >>
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Starting out in Birmingham in the 1970s, would you ever have pictured yourself still having a thriving career and living in sunny Southern California nearly four decades later? I would not! I had a lot of doubts about my future, but music was always my hobby . . . So it’s really just been an evolution of fun and just a continuation of my love of music and never really felt like an “official” career. Can you paint a picture of the sound system scene from which you emerged? We’d have our sound system in [a living room] with our music box with all the records in it and a speaker box that took up half the room! And we’d be playing music just really for our friends in a dark room and just going on the microphone and chanting lyrics, ‘til eventually it emerged for us to be in nightclubs doing the same thing. What does a typical week in the life of Pato Banton look like these days? Getting the band together . . . hitting the road; doing shows [and] doing interviews while I’m travelling. Writing lyrics. And I’m on my computer every chance I can get—I’m reaching out to new promoters, booking shows for months ahead, because I do my own bookings, I shoot my own videos, I record my own songs in my own recording studio. So it’s really non-stop. You seem to tour constantly. Is that the best part of the job? I get great pleasure out of meeting people—meeting my fans; meeting other artists in the industry; seeing new places. And one of my main motivations is to make people feel better, so I get a chance to meet my fans, talk to them, uplift their spirits—while I’m performing and in person. So I’m not just trying to build a fanbase—I’m actually building a spiritual family as well as I travel, and to me that’s the ultimate goal. Your live shows are unusually participatory experiences. What is your approach to concert performance? It’s not about me just going on stage and doing a rehearsed show—it’s about saying ‘how can I get this entire crowd of people . . . involved in this experience, connected to each other, and get everybody feeling good.’ We never have a set list . . . So it’s really a personal experience for the crowd and no two nights are the same. >> 32
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“The medicinal uses of marijuana and cannabis are so obvious now and so globally recognized now that it is insanity not to allow it to be explored and understood at increasingly deeper levels.�
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How has your sense of humor helped you spread your message? I think the sense of humor is very important, especially considering that most of my lyrics are pretty serious . . . [It] allows people to let go of the stress and drama, enjoy the moment, but also reflect on subjects that are meaningful. From your earliest days recording with Ranking Roger and UB40 to your later hits with Sting and recent work with Mystic Roots, collaboration appears crucial to your creativity. Why is that? It’s friendship when I bond in the studio with another artist . . . And then creating something new, to me, is just very, very inspiring. You touch their audience with your style and then touch your audience with their style. I can do albums by myself, but it’s just much more fun when you go into a situation where someone who has a totally different style to you; a totally different approach to writing to you. Your career straddles the old music business, dominated by major labels and radio play, and the new era of downloads and social media. What have been the pros and cons of these two contrasting landscapes? The pros with a major label really are that you have a team . . . working on every single avenue of your career, because of their investment into you. The cons of a major label are that they only give you less than 10 percent of everything you earn. With downloading, the new era that we’re living in now, there’s no real control of your music . . . But the sales that you do make, you make 100 percent of your own sales. And so for me, as a live touring artist, I sell most of my CDs on the road . . . And, once I release my music digitally now, I own it 100 percent, rather than a record label owning my music. In May, you held your 4th annual Spiritual Gathering in L.A. Just what is Pato Banton’s Spiritual Gathering? A lot of people who are not in religion or in churches are looking for some kind of community . . . We give participants a 30-minute slot to give a presentation to everybody. And these presentations can be on prayer or a spiritual subject or a global subject that has a serious meaning to everybody. And then, in between each speaker, we have people who can sing or play instruments play some music. >> 34
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After your sons were shot back in Birmingham in 2000, you successfully set out to find the gunman. Tell me that story and about how it impacted your life. I was blown away . . . I thought to myself ‘wow, here I am doing so much for underprivileged and troubled communities around the world [with WOMAD] and I haven’t had a chance to do anything for my own community.’ That really bothered me. I went back home; I found out who shot my kids and it was actually a friend of mine—his son was trying to kill somebody else and my two sons got in the way . . . But, about six months later this kid went and shot somebody else and was caught and ended up getting a life sentence. I took my recording studio that I had at home and set it up in my community center locally and then started inviting all the kids off the streets. That became such a hit that local authorities . . . asked me to set up the same program in 16 other communities . . . Then that became such a huge hit that the local college invited me to set up a music department. Tell me about your personal history with cannabis and how it has impacted your life and music. Growing up in a Caribbean community in England, cannabis, marijuana was just a part of our culture . . . I started smoking myself about the age of 14, 15, but very casually. One thing I enjoyed about my experience with marijuana is that it always made me think deeply . . . my thought becomes profound; my reflections become deeper and my perspective becomes deeper. In reggae music [and] the Rasta community . . . they see marijuana as a sacrament. So it’s done with reverence—we smoke with reverence and respect for the plant.
“In reggae music [and] the Rasta community . . . they see marijuana as a sacrament. So it’s done with reverence— we smoke with reverence and respect for the plant.”
What are your opinions about both the medicinal and recreational value of cannabis for society as a whole? Both approaches . . . are very, very important for society. Y’know, society needs a different option than alcohol, that’s for sure. [Cannabis] should be legalized and decriminalized and fully accessible—not just to an industry, but also to the individual in their own backyard. The medicinal uses of marijuana and cannabis are so obvious now and so globally recognized now that it is insanity not to allow it to be explored and understood at increasingly deeper levels. For you, how does cannabis enhance spirituality? When I was younger and when I smoked it, it made me think. Thinking is necessary for any kind of progress and profound thinking; deep thinking is necessary for us to go even further in our own personal and social development. So I think that, when I started my spiritual journey, marijuana helped me to become more thoughtful and more self-aware. I hardly smoke anymore; very rarely—I’m more into edibles now . . . but I will say that, when I do eat it, I still have awesome experiences of deeper meditation and deeper thinking.
What are your thoughts on current cannabis legislation in the U.S. and how do you foresee this changing? I feel like the legislation across the U.S. is muddled, confused, and between the federal state and the independent states there needs to be harmony. I think it’s changing and I do see some progress, because this can only go on while a minority of the states have got [cannabis] legislation . . . Once the majority of states slew towards legalization, the federal government will have to back off. Outside of making music, what are the great passions in your life? I do ministry [but] I don’t belong to a church; I don’t belong to any religion. If you want to have the most, you’ve got to give, and so I decided that I wanted to be a minister . . . I’m always serving my fans. I’m performing weddings; I’m christening people; we have spiritual gatherings [and] study groups at my home. Apart from that, I enjoy shooting videos . . . my own videos and I do videos for other people. Your last album was Destination Paradise in 2008. What’s on the horizon for you, musically? I’m working on two albums right now and one of them is basically done . . . It’s called Love is the Greatest and it’s coming from all different aspects of love. And then I’ve got another album that I’m working on called BrotherFriend which is more of a heavy album dealing with world issues. I have a third album as well that I’m working on which is called The Words of Rastafari, which is a three-CD album where I am narrating the words of Haile Selassie over some Bob Marley rhythms. c
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Veterans’ New
Battlefront
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Cannabis
by Benjamin M. Adams
In recent months, a landslide of states are moving forward and adding PostTraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as a qualifying illness. There’s never before been as many advocates becoming vocal about the efficacy of medical cannabis in military veterans suffering from PTSD. Eighteen states now recognize PTSD as well as the District of Columbia and Guam. In November, Montana will decide if they will make the same change. Pressure to add PTSD increases as the American Legion, who represents 2.4 million military veterans, challenged Congress with a bid to reschedule medical cannabis. The Legion passed a formal resolution addressing both the DEA and members of Congress. Dr. Sue Sisley was instrumental with the task of convincing the American Legion to join the battle to allow veterans to medicate with cannabis. The Phoenix-based physician was also a key player in the effort to launch the first Government-aided study on the effectiveness of cannabis in treating veterans suffering from PTSD. Recently, Congress passed a spending bill, but first dropped a provision that would have allowed veterans to have access to medical cannabis in states where it’s legal. The Veterans Equal 36
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Access Amendment would have allowed doctors to recommend cannabis as a treatment for PTSD. Military veterans could benefit from the unique healing mechanisms available from medical cannabis. According to a recent estimate from the National Institutes of Health, there are 7.7 million Americans suffering from various forms of PTSD. Patients say traditional PTSD treatments aren’t enough. Many states list PTSD as a qualifying illness explicitly and in others it falls under additional conditions. In Colorado, the debate has dragged on for a decade. Patients must rely on permission by the state’s Department of Health. The state’s Board of Health has denied many PTSD patients based on the excuse that there is not enough supporting scientific evidence. Colorado is the latest to make a move to add PTSD to the list of eight other qualifying illnesses. A handful of PTSD patients in Colorado filed a lawsuit against the Board of Health, prompting the state panel decision to vote in favor to add PTSD to its list of illnesses. The panel voted unanimously in favor 5-0 to endorse the addition of PTSD to the state’s 2000 medical cannabis law. The recommendation suggests that the state legislature make a move when work resumes in January. The Board of Health
has rejected four separate applications to add PTSD in the past. In New Jersey, Governor Chris Christie recently caved and signed a bill allowing PTSD sufferers to have access to medical cannabis. Remaining a staunch opponent of loosened cannabis laws, Christie stipulated that he hopes the bill will not be used to abuse cannabis. “Requiring conventional medical therapy to be ineffective in treating PTSD before medical marijuana can be prescribed is an appropriate threshold safeguard to deter misuse in the Medical Marijuana Program,” the governor stated after he signed the bill. PTSD joins New Jersey’s list of six other conditions. After several failed attempts, Illinois has claimed victory. Over the summer, Illinois’ Republican Governor Bruce Rauner signed Senate Bill 10 into law, adding PTSD to the list of conditions. Illinois’ Medical Cannabis Pilot program runs through 2020. Advocates believe adding PTSD is just what Illinois needs to sustain its medical cannabis program. Florida’s Amendment 2 would add PTSD to its list of conditions. Voters will decide in November whether to expand the state’s medical cannabis program, which allows low-THC products. Many retired veterans call Florida home and are addicted to opioid-based painkillers and other drugs. >>
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The states that recognize PTSD include the following:
PTSD as a qualifying condition
qualifies as approved by physician
Arizona
California
Connecticut
District of Columbia
Delaware
Illinois
Massachusetts
Maine
Nevada
Michigan
New Jersey New Mexico Ohio Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island Tennessee Washington
“Requiring conventional medical therapy to be ineffective in treating PTSD before medical marijuana can be prescribed is an appropriate threshold safeguard to deter misuse in the Medical Marijuana Program.� 38
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“Cannabis paid the bills, put music in the streets and definitely inspired a piece of every record coming out of the cabin.”
UNDERCOVER CREATOR: BRODIE STEVENS AKA REDSKIN
Meet the man behind some of Seattle’s most esteemed artistic exports by Emily Manke Musician, filmmaker, and now record label executive, Brodie Stevens AKA Redskin, has worn a lot of different hats in entertainment. He first came onto the scene when he produced and scored a short documentary called Idle No More about an indigenous protest in British Columbia, released in 2013. Since then he has gone on to lend vocals on local musician and activist Gyasi Ross’ album Isskootsik (Before Here Was Here), and spit a verse on Silas Blak’s Editorials: War Tunes. Stevens was listed as Executive Producer on both albums as well. He also co-owns local record label Cabin Games. Innovative original artists like The Ghost Ease, Silas Blak and Gyasi Ross all call Cabin Games home. But Stevens isn’t just a behind the scenes badass, helping everyone else make their projects work. He’s also a longtime musician and MC. Rumor has it, that Stevens may release an album as Redskin in the coming months. So keep your eyes peeled for Redskin, and anything Cabin Games puts out. When he’s not producing albums, rapping and making movies, Stevens likes to hang out at Cabin Games headquarters, a house in South Seattle, enjoying cannabis and listening to music. CULTURE caught up with him during one of those times, and chatted about Cabin Games, music, herb and more.
What musical projects have you been a part of? I’ve had a great run in music and been involved in a lot of super dope projects, but right now I’m all about the present, and these projects we got going at the cabin I couldn’t be more proud and honored to be a part of. We are working on a series of singles with Kjell, our producer, who you guys have had in a past issue. We are also working with Kahara Hodges, and all I got to say about her is that she’s a super special gift from somewhere else sent to impact the world. Kung-Foo Grip—all gas, no brakes, as usual. Plus, something real special with Silas Blak coming. Where are you from? I’m from the Rez, the Tulalip Indian reservation.
What inspires your art? Right now, I’m inspired by responsibility and the chance to rebuild! We have witnessed the tear down with no remorse right in front of our own eyes and the loss of hope. So, I am also inspired by LOVE and I really want to start pushing this motto of LOVE>hate . . . love can save the world! Has cannabis impacted your artistic process, or influenced you at all artistically? Cannabis paid the bills, put music in the streets and definitely inspired a piece of every record coming out of the cabin. What’s your favorite album, or song to listen to while enjoying cannabis? I can’t say there is a favorite cause every high inspires a moment. Drifting off into a place of inspiration is what it’s all about. c cabingam.es
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culture growing RECIPES UNKNOWN
by Ed Rosenthal
Last month I started an experiment trying to produce pollen from female plants. Because female plants carry only female sex genes any flowers pollinated using this pollen will result in seeds that will all become female plants. Three different chemicals were tried: 30PPM colloidal silver sprayed daily, silver thiosulfate (which is a combination silver nitrate and sodium thiosulfate sprayed three times) and a commercial product advertised for the purpose that was sprayed daily. Each liquid was sprayed on four plants, one each of Blue Dream, Candyland, Sour Diesel and Girl Scout Cookies. After 30 days the only plants that responded in any way to the treatments were the four plants that received
the commercial spray. It has been 30 days since the experiment was started and on the four plants sprayed with the commercial formula the male flowers are large and profuse. They look like they are about to open and to release their pollen. These plants have grown no female flowers. My plan is to collect the pollen from each of the bearing plants and then to use this to pollinate unsprayed females. The “unaffected” sprayed plants will also be pollinated to see if they are fertile and capable of producing seed. While this is happening, I am setting up another two groups of four plants to try different versions of the colloidal silver and silver thiosulfate experiment: Rather than use the colloidal silver at 30 ppm daily, the concentration will be increased to 100 ppm with daily spraying.
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Rather than just spraying the silver thiosulfate weekly, the plants will be sprayed with a different regimen. Several are being considered. All of them involve more frequent spraying. I was disappointed that the colloidal silver and STS didn’t work, but I attribute it to a flaw in method since both are successfully used all the time. The new plants will be clones transplanted to 6” containers placed in a 4’ x 4’ tray. They will be given continuous light for three days. Then they will be placed in the flowering section, which is a greenhouse that will get between 11 and 10 hours of sunlight daily, dwindling as autumn progresses. The sun is supplemented with a 1000 watt HPS lamp that is on for 12 hours daily. As the new plants commence flowering, the seeds resulting from the successful pollen production of the earlier experiment will be maturing. Shortly after they mature, representative samples will be germinated and flowered in standard 10” x 20” trays to check their femaleness and for hermaphroditism. At the same time, it will be a study in flowering plants directly from germinating seed. c
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Experimental garden. Three rows were treated with masculinizing agents. The fourth was used as a control.
Each row held four varieties—Blue Dream, Candyland, Sour Diesel and Girl Scout Cookies and coded with different colors for each spray product .
A Sour Diesel treated with the commercial spray switched sexes completely.
Bud of Sour Diesel female plant treated with the commercial product shows no indication of female flowers, just males.
Female flowers of Candyland treated with colloidal silver showed no effects.
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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TIP OF THE MONTH
Some gardeners have refrigerated or frozen the fresh fan or trim leaves from the harvest and manicuring. This leaf can be used to make a special bubble hash. In the living plant there is little THC. Instead the plant holds it as an acid, THCa. It only becomes psychtropically active when it dries and decarboxylates, becoming THC. When the glands go through the liquid sift as bubble hash is made, the THCa never has a chance to change over to THC. If the hash is burned or vaporized, the heat will quickly convert the THCa. However, if I used in preparations in which it is kept cool and moist or wet, most of it may remain as THCa. Since it is not psychotropically active, THCa can be used medically in large doses. To retain these qualities, it should be used in formulas or recipes that are not heated.
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RECIPES
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Time to Go: Fall Weather: Cold with intermittent showers Budget: $$$$$
if you go: Prague may sound like a cannabis lover’s dream, but it isn’t as easy it is sounds. A tradition of using cannabis as medicines goes back thousands of years, so medical cannabis has always been accepted as a true medication. But like most European countries, it isn’t truly legal. However, Prague is the most openly accepting European city for growing your own and toking in public (just don’t do it in front of the authorities). Cannabis growers here do it privately and the best buds can be found by befriending cool locals. Just remember to ask politely and expect to pay top notch prices for whatever you can find.
Prague Magically Lights Ups in November
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by Sheryll Alexander
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Cannabis enthusiasts visiting Prague, Czech Republic in November’s shoulder season can expect less tourists and more affordability, as well as an opportunity to witness the city’s famed Christmas markets that literally light up the chilly outside while club, concert, ballet, opera, black light and marionette theatre season gear up at indoor venues. Prague may be Europe’s most cannabis-friendly city, but it doesn’t wear its cannabis pride on its emerald sleeve, unlike nearby Amsterdam. As in most European countries, cannabis is still illegal and medical cannabis patients are left in limbo land without proper licensing or access to lab-tested premium meds. Still, Prague residents and visitors can rather easily obtain decent-to-excellent flower bud strains from private home-tomedical grade growers (see “if you go” section for buying recommendations).
Edibles and other ingestion methods such as vaping are still quite rare, but cannabis tinctures and salves are another matter. In fact, it is legal for citizens over 18 to grow up to five plants for medical use at home. This is why most Czech grannies and grandpas have grown their own for centuries to provide a fresh store of smoking bud as well as soothing transdermal medications to sick friends and family. The city’s famous Christmas Markets rev up this year starting Nov. 26 although Prague’s holiday lights and window dressings magically transform the city by mid-month. Both Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square are open from morning to late evening with dazzling decorations along with holiday shopping, charming carolers, traditional foods and warm drinks such as mulled wine and hot chocolate. c
Fun-Filled Facts Day tripping using Prague as a central base is one of the delights of this ancient city as it sits just slightly northwest of the country’s dead center. One of the best day trips is located just two hours north by train to a mountainous forest oddly enough called Bohemian Switzerland, which is actually sits on Germany’s south border. 1
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Prague’s O2 Arena is one of Europe’s best and biggest concert venues. Lit-up like a jewel at night, “The 02” rocks late fall with the world tours of Rod Stewart (Nov. 7), Jean-Michel Jarre (Nov. 8), Justin Bieber (Nov. 12), Petr Hapka (Nov. 24) and Elton John (Nov. 26). 2
If you are visiting the Czech Republic on Nov. 17, remember this is a national holiday called the Day of the Struggle for Liberty and Democracy. This no-work day commemorates a famous student protest in 1939 against the Nazi occupation and also celebrates the 1989 Velvet Revolution. Most tourist-laden businesses are open for the holiday, but shops frequented by locals will probably be closed or have limited hours. 3
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Jack Splitt
Age: 15 Condition/Illness: Severe Spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy with debilitating Dystonia, chronic pain and nausea Using Medical Cannabis Since: July 2014 - August 24, 2016
Why did Jack start using medical cannabis? Stacey Linn: When Jack hit puberty his Dystonia (constant, severe muscle contractions all over his body that caused contortions, pain and vomiting) became unmanageable. He was taking up to 10 pharmaceutical medicines, most of which were not specifically for Dystonia. All
of the medications sedated him to the point of being unable to think, or even keep his mouth closed, or smile. Jack was nonverbal and dependant on a specially molded wheelchair to sit up. He could not use his arms or legs. Cannabis started working for Jack immediately and I was able to wean him off 85 percent of his medications. He returned to being his bright, engaged self. He was relieved of a great deal of pain and anxiety associated with the Dystonia. He was also healthier in general. In the years prior to cannabis he was constantly hospitalized for respiratory
What’s the most important issue or problem facing medical cannabis patients? The scariest issue facing MMJ patients right now is the effort by cities and counties to create policies that circumvent the state constitutions that legalized medical marijuana and allowed patients to grow their own medicine. There are many ballot initiatives this November that restrict the ability of patients to grow their own medicine by limiting plant counts and ban the manufacture of oil-based medicine. MMJ patients like Jack need large quantities of oil concentrate to treat their illnesses. What do you say to folks that are skeptical about cannabis as medicine? “So was I!” We have all been raised with the antiquated prohibitionist attitudes
about marijuana as a dangerous drug. In fact, cannabis has been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years— and was quite commonly used in this country until it was criminalized in 1937 for political reasons. The ensuing propaganda taught generations the wrong idea about marijuana. It is safe and non-toxic. There have been zero reported deaths from marijuana use to date. Compare the safety of marijuana to the epidemic of deaths from pharmaceutical overdoses—not to mention the addiction problems and dangerous drug interactions. Jack and thousands of others are living proof that medical marijuana works. It stops seizures, pain, muscle spasms, treats cancer and PTSD where traditional pharmaceuticals fail and/ or cause additional harm. It causes no harm. Allow yourself to be educated. Meet some real cannabis patients. Listen to their story of recovery and see with your own eyes what cannabis has done for them. Reversing the false information will only happen by learning the facts. Contact me at CannAbility, my foundation, which has a broad constituency of medical marijuana patients. Talk to them. We can give you countless research on the efficacy of marijuana medicine. Read it. Do this even you are fortunate enough not to have a debilitating condition. Please be compassionate. c
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disease. The first year on cannabis he was only admitted to the hospital twice for respiratory illness, whereas previous years he spent, on average, 10 weeks in the hospital. While on MMJ, Jack was able to lobby with me, his mother, to pass a groundbreaking law in Colorado to allow children like him to take MMJ at school. He was able to sit for hours through committee hearings and visit legislators to help educate them on the benefit of MMJ and the necessity of being able to take it at school. His bravery and bright, engaging spirit changed thousands of hearts and minds.
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Are you an MMJ patient with a compelling story to tell? If so, we want to hear from you. Email your name, contact information and details about your experiences with medical cannabis to courage@ireadculture.com.
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culture growing
Relishing in Fall’s Bounty
Local eateries with similar dishes: Swing Wine Bar & Café
825 Columbia St. SW, Olympia (360) 357-9464 www.swingwinebar.com
The Ridge
7217 Greenwood Ave. N, Seattle (206) 687-7621 www.ridgepizza.com
Dolce Sí Sicilian Bakery & Café
5005 Main St., Ste 105, Tacoma (253) 292-0172 www.dolcesi.com
Menu:
Thanksgiving Stuffed Mushrooms
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Cranberry Walnut Biscotti
recipes by Laurie Wolf The Fall bounty, which in my world includes harvesting outdoor cannabis, lends itself to the earthy, rustic flavors found in these recipes. Of course you can make them any time of year, but seasonal and local is how we like to roll. Happy Thanksgiving!
Yield: 16 Mushrooms, 8 Servings Serving Size: 2 Mushrooms
Thanksgiving Stuffed Mushrooms
Directions
This is the recipe for the folks who can’t get enough of the flavors of that food crazy American holiday. You certainly don’t have to wait for Thanksgiving to try it, everything is available year round. A tasty mushroom for sure.
Preheat oven to 325̊ F. Clean mushrooms using a paper towel to remove any dirt. Do not run under water. To prepare mushrooms: Remove stems, finely chop, and set stems aside. Lightly coat each mushroom with olive oil, salt and pepper; and place cap side up on a baking sheet for later use. In sauté pan over medium low heat, add 2 tablespoon olive oil and cook garlic, shallots, and celery until translucent but not browned. To same pan add turkey sausage, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and poultry seasoning. Continue to cook until turkey sausage is mostly done cooking. Turn the pan to low and add the dried cranberries, applesauce, mascarpone cheese, cornbread and panko breadcrumbs. Blend until thoroughly combined. Blend in the canna-oil and mix for two minutes, ensuring the oil is evenly distributed. Fill mushroom caps with 1½ tablespoon of the filling and bake at 325̊ F for 20 minutes.
Ingredients 16 extra-large white button mushrooms
1 tablespoon chopped poultry seasoning
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped dried cranberries
1 ½ tablespoon salt 2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
1 tablespoon cinnamon applesauce
1 large diced shallot
3 ounces mascarpone cheese, softened
2 minced garlic cloves
1/4 cup crumbled corn bread
1 stalk celery
1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
¾ pound turkey sausage
8 teaspoons canna-olive oil*
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Turkey Meatballs Medicating these glorious meatballs is achieving food perfection. This recipe is inspired by the brilliant chef Mario Batali, and acquired through my friend Freddi. These are now our go-to meatballs. They are amazing. And they are turkey. Go figure.
Yield: 10 Servings Serving Size: 2 Biscotti
Ingredients: 10 slices of day old bread
½ cup chopped parsley
2 lbs. ground turkey
2-3 tablespoons canna-olive oil*
¼ lb. prosciutto, diced ½ lb. Italian sausage
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 eggs
Salt and pepper
½ cup Romano cheese, grated
2 cups tomato sauce
Directions: Heat oven to 340° F. In a medium bowl cover the bread with water. After five minutes, drain the bread well. In a large bowl combine the turkey, prosciutto, and sausage. Mix well. Add the eggs, cheese, parsley, oils, salt and pepper and mix very well. Place the bowl in the fridge for 30 minutes. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Use an ice cream scoop to form into meatballs and place onto the parchment. They will be a little flat at the bottom but that’s okay. Bake for 40 minutes. Warm tomato sauce over medium/low heat. Toss meatballs with warm tomato sauce.
Yield: 2 Dozen Meatballs, 12 Servings Serving Size: 2 Meatballs
Cranberry Walnut Biscotti With a cup of tea or coffee these biscotti will kick your butt, but only in the best way. Biscotti are fun to make. It’s a process, but it has a great pace and it’s cool to see the transformation of the dough.
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour
concentrate
2/3 cups sugar
1 tablespoon orange rind
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped walnuts
2/3 cup sugar
½ cup dried cranberries
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 egg white
3 1/3 tablespoons canna-oil*
Sugar
1 tablespoon orange juice
Directions: Heat oven to 340° F. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs and vanilla and add to dry ingredients and mix until moistened. Add walnuts and cranberries and knead into dough. Flour your hands, as the dough will be sticky. Divide dough in half and shape into two 10 x 2 ½ inch logs with floured hands. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Cool loaves on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Place on a cutting board and slice into one-inch pieces on the diagonal. Place the cut side down on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes on each side until light golden brown, a little longer if you like crisper biscotti. Cool completely on wire racks. 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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SHOOTING GALLERY
cannabis culture corner hosted by bud commander and mary jane House of glass in turnwater
photos by Vic Zaragoza
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Chuck Shepherd's
News of the
Weird
LEAD STORY—THESE SHOES WEREN’T MADE FOR WALKIN’ u The upscale clothier Barneys New York recently introduced $585 “Distressed Superstar Sneakers” (from the high-end brand Golden Goose) that were purposely designed to look scuffed, well-worn and cobbledtogether, as if they were shoes recovered from a Dumpster. The quintessential touch was the generous use of duct tape on the bottom trim. Critics were in abundance, accusing Barneys of mocking poverty. GOVERNMENT IN ACTION u The Drug Enforcement Administration has schemed
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for several years to pay airline and Amtrak employees for tips on passengers who might be traveling with large sums of cash, so that the DEA can interview them—with an eye toward seizing the cash under federal law if they merely “suspect” that the money is involved in illegal activity. A USA Today investigation, reported in August, revealed that the agency had seized $209 million in a decade, from 5,200 travelers who, even if no criminal charge results, almost never get all their money back (and, of 87 recent cash seizures, only two actually resulted in charges). One Amtrak employee was secretly paid $854,460 over a decade for snitching passenger information to the DEA. u Update: In August, the Defense Department’s inspector general affirmed once again (following on 2013 disclosures) that the agency has little knowledge
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of where its money goes— this time admitting that the Department of the Army had made $6.5 trillion in accounting “adjustments” that appeared simply to be made up out of thin air, just to get the books balanced for 2015. (In part, the problem was laid to 16,000 financial data files that simply disappeared with no trace.) “As a result,” reported Fortune magazine, “there has been no way to know how the Defense Department—far and away the biggest chunk of Congress’s annual budget— spends the public’s money.” WAIT, WHAT? u In August, the banking giant Citigroup and the communications giant AT&T agreed to end their twomonth-long legal hostilities over AT&T’s right to have a customer service program titled “Thanks.” Citigroup had pointed out that it holds trademarks for customer
service titles “thankyou,” “citi thankyou,” “thankyou from citi” and “thankyou your way,” and had tried to block the program name “AT&T Thanks.” u In July in the African nation of Malawi (on the western border of Mozambique), Eric Aniva was finally arrested—but not before he had been employed by village families more than 100 times to have ritual sex to “cleanse” recent widows—and girls immediately after their first menstruation. Aniva is one of several such sex workers known as “hyenas” (because they operate stealthily, at night), but Malawi president Peter Mutharika took action after reading devastating dispatches (reporting hyenas’ underage victims and Aniva’s HIV-positive status) in The New York Times and London’s The Guardian, among other news services.
u The July 2012 Aurora, Colorado, theater shooter, James Holmes, is hardly wealthy enough to be sued, so 41 massacre victims and families instead filed against Cinemark Theater for having an unsafe premises, and by August 2016 Cinemark had offered $150,000 as a total settlement. Thirtyseven of the 41 accepted, but four held out since the scaled payout offered only a maximum of $30,000 for the worst-off victims. Following the settlement, the judge, finding that Cinemark could not have anticipated Holmes’s attack, ruled for the theater—making the four holdouts liable under Colorado law for Cinemark’s expenses defending against the lawsuit ($699,000). WEIRD CHINA u Misunderstandings: (1) “Mr. L,” 31, a Chinese tourist visiting Dulmen, Germany, in July, went to a police station to report his stolen
wallet, but signed the wrong form and was logged in as requesting asylum, setting off a bureaucratic nightmare that left him confined for 12 days at a migrant hostel before the error was rectified. (2) In August at a hospital in Shenyang, China, “Wang,” 29, awaiting his wife’s childbirth, was reported (by People’s Daily via Shanghaiist.com) to have allowed a nurse to wave him into a room for anesthesia and hemorrhoid surgery—a procedure that took 40 minutes. (The hospital quickly offered to pay a settlement—but insisted that, no matter his purpose at the hospital, he in fact had hemorrhoids, and they were removed.) u Evidently, many Chinese wives who suspect their husbands of affairs have difficulty in confronting them, for a profession has risen recently of “mistress dispellers” whose job instead is to contact the
mistress and persuade her, sometimes through an elaborate ruse, to break off the relationship. For a fee (a New York Times dispatch said it could be “tens of thousands of dollars”), the dispeller will “subtly infiltrate the mistress’s life” and ultimately convince her to move on. A leading dispeller agency in Shanghai, translated as the “Weiqing International Marriage Hospital Emotion Clinic Group,” served one wife by persuading the mistress to take a higher-paying job in another city. IRONIES u Flooding from rains in August tore down a basement wall of the Connellsville (Pennsylvania) Church of God, wrecking and muddying parts of the building and threatening the first-floor foundation, but under the policy written by the Church Mutual Insurance company, flooding damage
is not covered, as rain is an “act of God.” (Church Mutual apparently uses a standard insurance industry definition and thus recognizes, contrary to some religious beliefs, that not everything is caused by God.) u In 2005, India enacted a landmark anti-poverty program, obligating th government to furnish 100 days’ minimum-wage work to unskilled laborers (potentially, 70 percent of the country’s 1.3 billion people). Programs often fail in India because of rampant corruption, but a recent study by a Cambridge University researcher concluded that the 2005 law is failing for the opposite reason --anticorruption measures in the program. Its requirement of extreme transparency has created an exponential increase in paperwork (to minimize opportunities for corruption), severely delaying the availability of jobs.
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