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Nothing to Hide SASHA EXETER ON EMBRACING WEED AND UNLEASHING HER POWER
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CBD + Omega? Yes, please. “The flow state is a peak experience he describes as ‘a heightened sense of wonder, awe, or ecstasy.’”
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Letting go: of our burdens, of our worries, of our anxiety, is a big reason why so many of us exercise, and smoke weed. This letting go, forgetting ourselves, can also be called the “flow state,” a moment of peacefulness, of reprieve, of the disappearance of consciousness, which includes worry and stress. You can enter the flow state at a concert, while working, while riding your longboard or practicing yoga. The flow state, that moment in our existence when our brain is firing gamma rays—fast, high-frequency, rhythmic brain responses that have been shown to spike when higher cognitive processes are engaged—is achievable, with or without pot. They can be activated like a lighter, turned on like a crush. According to Dr. Greg Wells, an exercise medical researcher and expert in kinesiology, in his book Rest, Refocus, Recharge: A Guide for Optimizing Your Life, “Gamma states occur when
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you are in the moment, taking in information about your environment, processing that information against your established memories and experiences, all while your attention is in the here and now.” Reached on the phone to explain the flow state, Wells says, "You feel a loss of time. Hours can go by, but it feels like only moments. You become so engrossed in the moment that time fades away." Carmen Shafer is a skateboarder, master grower, and member of Canupawakpa Dakota Sioux. She’s an athlete, activist, and cannabis consumer. For her, physical exertion, like sexuality and identity politics, are cornerstones of a fully-formed life. Flow state for her is authenticity. It’s a work in progress. She’s evolving all the time. And she says that cannabis, like riding, helps her feel more like herself. “What’s great about skating is it’s pure expression. You’re not told how you’re supposed to do it and I don’t have to conform to anything,”
she says, mentioning on her board she feels weightless, that time becomes elastic, she feels free. “It took me a long time to accept and love myself, but skateboarding has been my longest relationship. On my board, it’s that ecstasy feeling. I breathe easier, my mind is empty—I feel whole.” Feeling whole is what this issue’s about. Defying stigmas, updating the world on what society with legal cannabis looks like, at its best. October 17 marks year three of cannabis legalization and the pages that follow showcase the wide and wonderful world of weed. Athletes and activists, pioneers and pro sports stars come together, using cannabis, not to get wasted (though there’s a time for that), but to live their best lives. Dr. Wells says the flow state is a peak experience he describes as “a heightened sense of wonder, awe, or ecstasy.” You can have a peak experience on the dance floor. At a wedding. On a hike.
On the football field. It's a chance to connect with your body and give a break to your brain. After the pandemic, or with whatever stage of the pandemic we're currently wading through, health is our most natural resource. It’s our north star, our essential service. Sasha Exeter was reminded of that recently, and she changed everything. Our athletes experimented with cannabis to discover that themselves. Happy third anniversary of cannabis, people. It’s a gift to savour. Appreciate. Like Carmen Shafer, to breathe in. “I think it’s important for people to know that just because you consume cannabis it doesn’t make you lazy,” she says. “Cannabis isn’t scary. It can help save the planet. I look at how far I’ve come with everything, and know what? I’m having the time of my life.”
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NOTHING TO HIDE Sasha Exeter Says Removing Our Armour is Healthy @sashaexeter
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Sasha Exeter is one of the country’s biggest health & wellness personalities. A public figure who’s used her platform to promote social causes, mental health, cannabis, and a strong, independent moral compass, she doesn’t suffer fools and she doesn’t—for her mental health—turn the other cheek. A longtime cannabis advocate, Exeter has been up and
down in the public eye, setting trends, moving the needle on important social conversations, and inspiring her legion of nationwide followers to think for themselves, stand up for themselves, and create their own worlds to their liking. Sasha Exeter has learned to embrace her power. She tells Ben Kaplan that all of us should do the same.
STORY BY BY BEN KAPLAN PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT ELLE ALCONCEL STYLING BY SANTANAE LUZIGE / HAIR BY JANET JACKSON / MAKEUP BY FRANCELINE GRAHAM
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Sasha Exeter: Yes, I've actually been using cannabis for quite some time and I am so proud to say that. It was introduced to me for medicinal purposes by my G.P. years ago, I would say back in 2009. I was suffering from debilitating chronic pain, due to my health issues. I wasn't seeing any benefits or improvement from the medications I was being prescribed for the pain so my doctor ended up suggesting cannabis to me and said I would be a perfect candidate for medicinal marijuana. He was pretty forward-thinking at the time.
BK: As a public person, does cannabis frighten you? Are there stigmas attached with cannabis that maybe we wouldn't see with beer or wine? SE: You know what's funny, until the announcement was made that it was going to become legal here, I was not comfortable sharing with strangers that I was a cannabis
relief for so many different ailments and diseases.
BK: Can I ask, point blank, do you smoke weed? SE: You can ask me anything and yes, I do smoke it. Not so much in papers or blunts though. I find it too harsh on the lungs, but I love the Dosist Controller pen and have a few different variants in my rotation. As a parent, using Dosist gives me the confidence in precise dosing when I consume during the day for pain or anxiety. As my condition affects me around the clock, I am able to consume throughout the day without ever having to worry about overconsuming while working or while being with my daughter. It’s a whole different story when Maxwell is off with her dad and I have solo time though. There are so many amazing tasting and hitting edibles on the market right now.
BK: It's much easier, I presume, to say you use CBD. Do you use CBD, and if so, what kind, how, and for what?
BK: You recently paused everything to concentrate on your mental health and wrote the words: “I'm not OK.” How hard was it for you to hit the stop button?
“CBD is great for me during the day—it helps with my anxiety and keeps me calm.”
SE: Yes. The pause was for both my mental AND physical health. It's crazy to think how much our mental health affects our physical health and vice versa. They are definitely connected and I was struggling for a very long time. It felt like I was drowning in a place with no water, and it was absolutely terrifying. I knew I needed to take a break, but as a freelancer I wasn't sure how it was going to be possible. My body and the universe kept nudging me and it got to the point where I literally had a panic attack in the middle of the street and collapsed. I thought I was having a heart attack, but it was the anxiety that had crept to a level I just could not control anymore, and that was the point I said, "Ok Sasha, it is time. Time to press pause." Was it difficult to do? Absolutely. You know, as a freelancer when you don't work, you don't get paid. I was worried about all the people I may be disappointing by taking a step back. I was afraid of what my clients might say or how I would be judged online, but I don't think I was left with much choice.
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Ben Kaplan: I know you've been a friend of the cannabis community since the first time I started writing about weed, even before legalization. When did cannabis first enter your life?
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SE: Yes, it would be a safe assumption that I use BK: Can we talk about your voice? How have you grown into using your power?
“It felt like I was drowning in a place with no water, and it was absolutely terrifying. I knew I needed to take a break.” user. Around close family and friends, sure, but other than that, I never spoke about it openly because I felt that it still carried a stigma. I mean, alcohol is a drug as well, but for some reason people never think about it like that. Actually, we have the government and media to thank for that. It's been so interesting watching how far things have come and how widely accepted cannabis is now. I know people's grandparents who are users now and seeing
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it, but to be honest I am really into edibles and drinkable products that are THC-based or have a THC: CBD ratio. CBD is great for me during the day though. It helps with my anxiety and keeps me calm, or at least calmer during the day time. I use a lot of oil and I like to enjoy CBD bath bomb. For my pain-related issues and sleep disturbances, I need something that is stronger and get a lot of relief from THC products.
SE: I’ve always had a voice and have already tried to use it in the right ways. As I have gotten older, I have grown more confident in doing so, especially for other people and causes, but I am learning to speak up more when it comes to my boundaries and pushing back. That part doesn't come naturally, but I think that will come with time.
BK: I have to touch on this, speaking to you as a black woman: race is a very big issue in the cannabis community, just like the world at large, and it's important. What role do you see privilege playing in cannabis culture? SE: The industry, and the world for that matter, has come a long way, but still has much longer to go. Even though cannabis is legal
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to water or in nature, and doing things that make me happy and fill my cup, instead of things that empty it.
BK: What's your go-to workout and what sort of diet do you follow? SE: I find I feel most confident when I am strong and nothing makes me feel stronger than when I lift weights and do dynamic athletic-based workouts. I do try to be somewhat balanced with the type of training I do though. In a week, there's usually 1–2 days of cardio, a HIIT workout if I am not in a fibromyalgia flare-up, 3 weight training days and of course an active recovery day: yoga or pilates.
BK: What about food? C
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SE: My diet? I wouldn't necessarily say I have one. I just like to eat clean, but I'm also a believer in moderation. I have things like fish, meat and some dairy in my diet.
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here, there is something that white people are still able to take for granted: that their consumption of cannabis will not result in a disproportionate response by law enforcement that could lead to their death. People of colour, especially Black men, unfortunately do not have that luxury and understand there are serious risks associated with possessing cannabis as a visible minority.
BK: Things are getting better but they’re still so royally fucked up. SE: Listen, the cannabis industry is primarily owned and operated by white people, so it would be great to see more from them by way of encouraging investment and ownership into minority cannabis businesses, supporting cannabis conviction expungements for POC and also speaking up against the vastly disparate arrests and
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sentencing for cannabis offenses placed on people of colour.
BK: This is our Health & Wellness issue and I want to hear your advice for our readers: when the shit hits the fan, how do you keep your head? SE: Keeping my shit together has been tough, the last year and a half. It has been for everyone. I was holding on by a thread, so I can't really say I was keeping my head when shit was hitting the fan during this pandemic. But I am developing ways to cope with the help of my therapist, who I see on a weekly basis. I focus a lot on breathwork and meditation, more than I ever have before. Social media is great for many things and my business, but also terrible for mental health. I find I am in a better place mentally after limiting my time online and replacing that time going on long walks, especially close
BK: Lastly, and we appreciate this, and I appreciate it, as your friend, on a personal level. Talk about your mental health and your physical health & wellness. On your journey, what have you learned? How are the two things combined?
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SE: I didn't look at mental health in the same vein as physical health for so long, simply because mental health issues weren't even something people were comfortable talking about publicly. Having fibromyalgia and having to deal with chronic pain, I slowly started to understand that the physical issues I experience—soreness, pain and immobility— cause mental issues affecting my mood, sleep, concentration, memory and can trigger anxiety and depression.
BK: So what do we do? SE: We should all just seek to be overall healthy, instead of paying more attention to one over the other.
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GET TING THE M OST OUT OF YOUR F LOWE R Evidence concludes what’s long been suspected: vaporizers aren’t only an alternative to cannabis consumption, they’re also the better method for optimizing your weed.
Dr. Echo Rufer is head of biocompatibility and toxicology for PAX Labs®, based in San Francisco, and an expert on different methods of cannabis inhalation. After studying research on combustion versus vaporization, drawing on studies like the seminal 2004 paper in the Journal of Cannabis Therapeutics* which concluded the superiority of vaporizers over combusting materials with fire, Dr. Rufer, formerly of Apple, feels bullish on her most recent report: vaporizers are the most efficient consumption method for inhaling cannabis. “Vaporizers, put simply, with customized heat control, act like gatekeepers: it’s about the stuff you’re not getting, that you don’t want,” says Dr. Echo, who adds that using fire to heat cannabis creates unwanted carcinogens related to combustion. Another, perhaps lesser known case for cannabis vaporizing is that the actual cannabis inhalation experience is improved with a vaporizing device. Different members of the PAX lineup, notably the PAX 2® and PAX 3® vaporizers, have different temperature settings that allow for precise temperature control, which allows users to customize their smoking experience. As much as 50% of cannabis terpenes are lost when smoking a joint, and so the premium experience of topshelf cannabis is destroyed
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in combustion. To be precise: consuming cannabis with fire can burn between 800 to 1,000 degrees Celsius. Heating cannabis with a PAX vaporizer only heats the cannabis to somewhere between 180–215 degrees Celsius. Lower temperature means less of the good stuff is lost and less of the bad stuff is inhaled. “Terpenes vaporize better and give a more robust flavour at lower temperatures. They are also less likely to degrade on low heat than when burned extremely hot,” concludes Dr. Rufer, making the case once again for the superiority of vapes over traditional fire consumption. “It’s an exciting time for cannabis consumers because the advances
“As much as 50% of terpenes are lost when smoking a joint.”
we’re making at PAX with vaporizers offer better methods of consumption for cannabis consumers.” *Gieringer D, St. Laurent J, Goodrich S. Cannabis Vaporizer Combines Efficient Delivery of THC with Effective Suppression of Pyrolytic Compounds. Journal of Cannabis Therapeutics. 2004;4(1):7-27. doi: 10.1300/J175v04n01_02.
Cannabis can lose more than half of its cannabinoid content when smoked. You’re welcome.
“ With vapes, we inhale lower levels of carcinogens—that’s a very good thing.”
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S U C H G R E AT HEIGHTS Athletes shaking the cannabis stigma are flying higher every day R O S S
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Sha'Carri Richardson is the fastest woman on earth. This summer, a day before she would run for her spot on the US Olympic team, Sha'Carri got the news that her mom had died. She turned to weed. Richardson didn’t harm anyone and didn’t harm herself: she dominated her race the next day and ran a 10.8-second 100-metre race to win her event. Nevertheless, she was suspended. Sha'Carri asked for no mercy. She apologized to her team and told her story. I, too, have dealt with the IOC about cannabis. At the 1998 Winter Olympics, the IOC attempted to disqualify me for cannabis after winning gold even though THC wasn't on the banned substances list. That's bad. Really bad. I even lost my first two appeals before I forced the IOC into the court of arbitration where I won based
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on the fact that the rule the IOC was trying to enforce didn't exist. The most troubling part is how cannabis prohibition is rooted in discrimination. The people being arrested for cannabis possession are mostly people of colour. And who are sport’s greatest athletes? Again, people of colour. It’s time we agree that cannabis is not performance enhancing and athletes—like Sha’Carri Richardson, and myself—should be free to perform how we choose. Athletes use cannabis for pain relief, sleep, to unwind. In edibles, vapes, and infused in their meals. This summer, the IOC did not act in the spirit of sport. In September, however, the IOC announced that they’re reviewing their cannabis policy. It’s about time. Athletes like the ones following use cannabis. They shouldn’t have to hide.
This former marine completed her first fight against Ronda Rousey and is the first openly lesbian fighter in the UFC. A longtime cannabis activist, Carmouche says she’s been advised to keep her mouth closed—advice she didn’t take. “I was told it looked bad as an athlete and business owner and that I’m a driven person and only lazy people use cannabis,” she says. “I have defied the cannabis stigma in my professional life by speaking openly about it in interviews.”
Thank you to Athletes for Care, which is a Canadian non-profit advocating for research, education and compassion for athletes and their physical and mental health. Executive produced by Jay Morzaria, Sports Cannabis PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALLEN VEXLER
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Carmouche uses CBD for inflammation, pain and anxiety and says she prefers it to Motrin. She likes THC and CBD and says that whatever people think, she’s never going to stop speaking her mind. “I think it's important to stand out publicly for things you believe in,” she says. “It's people that stand up for what they believe that are heard.”
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“ They say that a football player withstands the impact of dozens of car crashes every season, for me it was like every damn game.”
MAR S H AW N LY N C H
v v v M A R S H A W N LY N C H , NFL LEGEND @ D O D I S U P P LY
After twelve years with the Seattle Seahawks, Lynch made four Pro Bowls and helped Seattle win two Super Bowls. He’s widely regarded as one of the best running backs of the modern era and also the founder of Dodi Blunts, an Oakland-based licensed producer. We caught up with Lynch for a session.
ML: They say that a football player withstands the impact of dozens of car crashes every season, for me it was like every damn game. To be honest, that shit takes a toll on you, both mentally and physically. If there’s something that helps without hurting anyone, then why wouldn’t we look into it?
kind: If America goes federally legal with pot, do you think it stands that the NFL will have to allow it? Why should the NFL allow pot?
kind: You don't take cannabis for wellness, you ML: Let’s put the politics to the side. Cannabis take it for the buzz, and admit that. Can you is no longer about the plant, it’s about a whole explain what that means? bunch of other shit. If America goes federal, it should take some of the tension out the air and Marshawn Lynch: Dodi helps me get my mind get rid of some of the misleading stereotypes right, ya feel me? Helps me relax and recover that people have about it. If that shit happens and chill when I need to take the edge off. It and we just focus on how it can help people, not helps me get right from whatever I’m working the other shit, then I’m hella hopeful the league on so I can come back solid. It’s also a hella good will come around. way to chill with my squad, my family, and it's something I've been next to my whole life, so it’s not like it’s new to me. kind: I know it’s important to you that your community benefits from cannabis legalization and not just big corporations. kind: During your football career, how did How do you work with your community? you use cannabis, and, if you could write the NFL rule book, what would the policy be ML: We are in these streets, ya know? We live around cannabis? this shit every day. We talk to folks, we blaze
with muthafuckas, we find out what they like and don’t like. We got some young ones on the front lines getting in on the ground floor. The community of Oakland is our lab to breed new ideas and dope-ass products. We hire from the community and promote from the community. And don’t forget, we work with the Last Prisoner Project to employ some of the people that get released from prison through our Ambassador Program.
kind: Your company is called Dodi Blunts, and I know dodi is your Northern California slang for weed. Tell us why you love blunts. ML: In Oakland we smoke blunts, big blunts. We smoke big and we got that good, fire-ass weed. That’s the way it’s always been. Big smoke, hella big clouds and shit. Me and my cousins were sitting on the block back in the day and someone pulled up and asked if we got some of that dodi. And it’s been called dodi ever since. My Dodi Blunts are 2 grams of the finest indoor Oakland flower you can find. Then we infuse it with THC diamonds to make it hella strong and have you ready to cash out. Go get you somma dat dodi–—it’s already rolled for you—and let it get you right.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY TISHAN BALDEO
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R O H A N M A R L E Y, FORMER UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI HURRICANE @ROMARLEY
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Jay Morzaria: What’s it like growing up a Marley? Rohan Marley: Well, with regard to cannabis stigma, mention ‘Marley’ to anyone, and they say I definitely smoke. So I never really said anything, because at the time, I knew that it wasn't the topic to speak about, especially playing in college football. I just smiled.
JM: As an athlete, as an activist, as an entrepreneur, how does cannabis work for you?
RM: It helps soothe me, it takes out the edge. It gives me calmness. It helps me open up more with memory and gives me cognizance, and self-reasoning. Yeah, man.
JM: Have you faced negative repercussions for your cannabis activism? RM: I haven't faced any negative anything; mention Marley to anyone and the first thing you hear is: “Ya, you give me a good spliff!” Everyone always knew that herbs should have been legal—the government made it illegal, not the people.
JM: Is there a brand or strain or method that you're partial to?
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Rohan Marley, Bob Marley’s son, played for the Miami Hurricanes and Ottawa Rough Riders and launched Marley Coffee and Lion Order. He spoke with Jay Morzaria of Sports Cannabis for kind magazine.
SUE BIRD, WNBA ICON Olympic gold medalist Sue Bird also plays for the Seattle Storm in the WNBA and worked in the front office of the Denver Nuggets. This summer, Bird carried the flag for the Americans when their teams made their way into the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics, and Bird, leading her squad, led the American women’s basketball team to an unprecedented fifth gold. She’s widely regarded as the greatest player in the history of women’s basketball. And she’s devoted to CBD. A product tester for Mendi, an American CBD company that was started by Rachael Rapinoe—the sister of her wife, the great soccer genius Megan Rapinoe— Sue Bird is one of the sporting world’s biggest stars to go all-in on CBD. “CBD is a way of life,” she says on the Mendi blog. She uses her CBD either from gummies or with the salve stick, a product she helped develop, which she has said helps alleviate pain and get a better night’s sleep. “The more sleep you get, you’re just better off,” she said. “When I use it, I get instant relief the next day.”
RM: Lion Order, which is my brand. We're working with a company called Heavyweight Heads out of Detroit. So you know, they won the last Cannabis Cup, so we're launching some strains with them. We bring the philosophy of the King of Cannabis into the movement, the King of Righteousness— the King of Vibration is what we represent.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY @BARAVNIFLIX PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF THE MENDICO COMPANY
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This communication is intended for adults only and should not be shared with minors.
Cannabis affects everyone differently. For more information visit www.canada.ca
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>>> At 27 years old, Dr. Hart was finishing his residency when he first tried cannabis. Quickly, his life started to change. “I used it as a medicine, and it helped me with sleep and to treat pain and then it also helped me so much with the aches from after a super-hard workout,” says Dr. Hart, who put his practice on the line by coming forward about his cannabis usage as a popular medical doctor in London, Ontario. “It feels like the cannabis stigma is lifting and we all have a responsibility to vocalize about how we feel about this plant.”
MIKE HART
RYA N VA N D E N B U S S C H E
The plant has worked wonders for Dr. Hart, who of course never would see a patient under the influence, but finds the plant working for him. Coffee, water, minimum alcohol, running, lifting, boxing and weed, properly dosed, keeps Dr. Hart running in his prime. “People just need to get comfortable with their CBD and THC ratios and experiment and find the right way to use cannabis that works for them,” he says. “Cannabis makes your life better, not worse.”
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D R . M I K E H A R T, F A M I LY M E D I C A L DOCTOR
R YA N VA N D E N B U S S C H E , FORMER NHL PUGILIST After fourteen years in the NHL, Ryan has retired from the ice and, alongside his wife Lisa, launched New Leaf Canada, which is a nutraceutical health & wellness brand. When he was playing hockey, Ryan had more than 300 fights. “I know firsthand what synthetic drugs do to one’s mind, body & soul over the long haul,” Ryan says, “and I also saw how cannabis helped my wife get through her cancer treatments and look forward to breaking the negative stigma that has plagued our society for the last 70+ years.” Since Ryan retired from the NHL, he and his wife have become popular real estate agents and cannabis entrepreneurs. “When my wife was going through her chemo and radiation cancer treatments it depleted her energy, appetite and mood and when she started taking high concentrate THC and CBD it quickly increased her energy and appetite and put her in a positive state of mind,” Ryan says. “Watching this transformation was life changing and we will forever be thankful that we were able to access this plant medicine.”
PHOTOGRAPHY BY DARYL GRANGER/ROSELE STUDIO
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ANGELINA BLESSED, M U AY T H A I F I G H T E R @ANGELINA.BLESSED Angelina Blessed didn’t use cannabis until she was ten years into her fighting career, but once she tried it, she was in. “I was shocked with how well they helped me with recovery and then, during the pandemic, edibles also were helping my mental health,” says Angelina, who had a popular grey market edibles line called Blessed that she’s just now bringing over to the legal market. “I think it absolutely is the only legislation for cannabis that makes sense.” A longtime fighter, she wants to see some laws change—how is it that Black and Indigenous people are still being arrested so many times more than whites?—but she’s still proud of legal weed. “Alcohol prohibition was a process and what life looks like now isn’t what it will be in twenty years,” she says. “Everyone on the front lines is showing the world just how big this market can be.”
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ELIAS THEODOROU
ELIAS THEODOROU, MMA FIGHTER @ELIASTHEODOROU The world’s first professional athlete to receive a therapeutic use exemption for medical cannabis, Elias punched and kicked away from the stigma of weed. “I bulldoze my way through cannabis history, in the cage and fighting for what I believe in,” says Theodorou, 33. For Theodorou, who consumes cannabis and CBD all day across multiple channels—raw cannabis infused in his smoothies, THC vaped and in tinctures, plus high dosage of CBD right before bed so he can remember his dreams—cannabis isn’t a drug. It’s gotten him off opioids and painkillers and let him manage his pain with a flower. “The way cannabis has worked for me I think is going to open the eyes of many other athletes,” says Theodorou, who's next fight is in Vancouver this winter. “I feel the tides are going in the right direction and I’m just getting warmed up, getting focused. The future looks good for cannabis in sports.”
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JOSÉE BOURGEOIS, ACTIVIST ARTIST AND DANCER @JOJOSDRESSINGROOM Josée Bourgeois, professional dance artist, filmmaker and artist-in-residence at the National Arts Centre of Canada, says she’s been using cannabis as a creative muse. “I feel like my journey with cannabis is part of who I’ve become,” she says, adding that from her home in the Pikwakanagan community she works in the Sovereign Indigenous Cannabis Industry. “Cannabis helps me to balance my mental wellness and it’s a companion as an artist to explore deeper creativity.”
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J A C O B G O L L I D AY, A . K . A . J E S U S O F G O L F, @JESUSOFGOLF
A former college baseball player, Jacob Golliday is a professional golfer and cannabis activist who defies stigma and aces the links on a regular basis. “Cannabis is way more than what I was taught as a teen and I want to make sure everyone understands what their own body wants and needs,” says Golliday, adding that the whole plant is crucial for him and that he enjoys both CBD and THC. For Golliday, being on the frontlines of the golf world hasn’t come without grief. “Being called a stoner is a disadvantage at times, but we are here to change that stigma!”
JOSÉE BOURGEOIS
Currently wrapping her film The Sickness, which she describes as: “through dance and storytelling taking the viewer on an emotional timeline of a woman's sensual existence and a journey from pre-colonialism through the present day,” Josée sees her story as evolving. Wherever conversations are happening about Indigenous culture, traditions and how wellness can intersect with cannabis, I am here to be a strong voice.”
However, Golliday says that strides are being made and the stigma is lifting. “I Iove cannabis along with the culture associated with the plant,” he says, adding that, as a means of consumption, “glass bongs all day.” On his journeys, he’s confronted plenty of non-cannabis people, but he has a word of advice for the curious: “Don’t be scared to ask questions,” he says, “Also support the culture.”
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JACKSON PETTY
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David Ayres was a building operator when he got his NHL start, the oldest hockey player to get a win in his debut at 44 years old. Called in for the Hurricanes against the Leafs in 2020, Ayres was brought in as an emergency netminder and, after letting in two quick goals, he proceeded to shut down the Maple Leafs and make history.
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D AV I D AY R E S , G O A LT E N D I N G PHENOMENON @ D AV I D AY R E S
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J U S T I N R E N F R O W, O F F E N S I V E TA C K L E , EDMONTON ELKS
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I told the guys, ‘If you score one more, I can shut this down,’” says Ayres, whose story is now being turned into a Disney movie with A-list actors in discussion to play the native of Whitby, Ontario. “In the third, the more they were coming down and shooting, the better I felt. I knew we would win the game, and we did.”
After going to a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks, Justin Renfrow took his talents to the CFL, where cannabis is not made an issue. "I use it to help with pain and soreness and don't let it affect the workplace," says Renfrow. “Guys use it for different reasons—for nerves, for anxiety, for pain relief— whatever you do, that’s cool.” Renfrow hosts What’s Cooking, JR?, and says whether people prefer blunts, tinctures, infused sauces, or edibles, adults should have the freedom to do what they think is best. “Shout-out to Athletes for Care, because they provided a lane to break the stigma around cannabis,” he says.
At first, Ayres thought he’d never try a wellness CBD product. In fact, his wife hid her CBD usage from him with great success. Now he swears by the brand Cani-Mend.
“Cannabis makes you lazy? Before the season I was having two-a-day workouts; go home, do it again. Every afternoon, CBD-infused meal and every evening, THC and CBD in my meal and minimum soreness, none. Cannabis makes you lazy? Yeah, right. Look at me."
“After cannabis was legalized, I think athletes are re-examining CBD and people who may have stayed away from CBD are now like, I don’t want to miss out on this thing.”
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JUSTIN MCMURDO
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ON THE TOPIC OF TOPICALS
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Jen Newton explores a fast-growing category of cannabis health Topicals: the unsung hero of the cannabis category. Hear me out. Topicals encompass all cannabis-infused body products, from balms, creams, lotions, salves to bath salts, oils, and sprays. They offer users a way to benefit from the healing properties of cannabis, without intoxication. When applied topically, cannabinoids are absorbed through the skin but don’t travel the bloodstream in a way that produces a traditional high. So one can receive localized benefits of the plant (like easing muscle soreness, pain, tension and inflammation) without the traditional psychotropic experience. That’s because our bodies’ endocannabinoid systems boast CB1 + CB2 receptors within the skin (the largest organ) and throughout deeper layers of the central nervous system. Anti-inflammation is one of CBD’s biggest known benefits to skin, along with moisturization. THC is known as a potent painkiller (lesser-known for its anti-itch properties). Combined in full-spectrum, they work deliver that infamous entourage effect: the state when all cannabinoids, terpenes and other chemical properties
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of the plant work in synchronicity to deliver deeper therapeutic effect. And when these skincare products are formulated with other additional herbal ingredients to known benefit (such as arnica for pain relief or lavender for soothing) they can deliver us a purposeful hit of plant-based medicine—despite companies not being able to make any real claims of efficacy. One quickly finds reason for adding a cannabis topical throughout the daily wellness ritual as a result. A powerpack of anti-aging moisture for the face. A potent pain-relieving salve where it hurts most. An ultra-hydrating, soothing lip balm. An aromatherapeutic bath soak, infused with plant magic. Even an intimacy oil, designed to raise libido and increase enjoyment of sex. Need I go on? Perhaps this array of botanical powerhouse products (disarming our pain while dismantling stigmas along the way) just need a little more love – and a few more champions.
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Discover some of my favourites here:
ÉMOLLIENT CBD 1 MEADOWFOAM SEED FACIAL SERUM BY MADGE AND MERCER This modern apothecary brand (designed exclusively for women) has a lineup of purposefully-formulated products formulated with only wellness in mind—one of the reasons we shouldn’t expect to see flower from the brand. Instead, Madge and Mercer is bringing to market high-end offerings that fit seamlessly into one’s wellness routine and self-care toolkit. This plant-based facial serum was developed closely with renowned dermatologist and author Dr. Sandy Skotnicki, an expert in skin allergies. With a faint citrus aroma, this serum contains ingredients known to be anti-inflammatory and to help with redness, puffiness as well as being super moisturizing—especially for aging skin.
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D A I LY R E L I E F C B D C A N N A B I S O I L C R E A M BY DOSECANN
A high-quality daily CBD cream delivering a higher dose of CBD than other offerings on the market: double the potency of most other CBD topicals at 1,200mg of CBD per unit. With a scent reminiscent of fresh laundry, the cream soothes skin, leaving a hydrated glow. This product calmed my summer sunburn while also soothing a stubborn patch of dry skin, a testament to cannabis's versatility. The formula uses a Naturalipid Meadowfoam seed oil, a plant-based emollient found in high-end skin creams and valued for moisturization, transdermal barrier repair, skin penetration and unsurpassed stability. The result is a cream that promotes the fast, effective absorption of high-quality CBD extract so that the cannabinoids can get where they’re needed quickly, all the while soothing the skin by locking in moisture without a greasy feeling.
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EXTRA STRENGTH BODY OIL ROLLER BALL + BODY CREAM BY APOTHECANNA
The combination of the 1:1 Body cream and Body Oil Roller Ball is my pain-relief prescription to ease the aches of sore muscles and the arthritis in my postsurgery hand. The Extra Strength formula is designed to provide relief from chronic conditions like arthritis, migraines, and carpal tunnel as well as short-term setbacks like strains, sprains, cramps, bruises, and sun and wind burn. Cooling and invigorating, it’s quick to absorb and with a little tingle that tells you it’s working.
U N P L U G 3 : 1 L AV E N D E R 4 CREAM BY SOLEI This ultra-moisturizing daily cream delivers a high-dose of hydration along with a high-
dose of THC. The 3:1 ratio balm (400mg THC: 100mg CBD) with its smooth lavender scent becomes the perfect wind-down ritual at the end of the day, grounding us in the power of our senses and returning us to our embodied selves. The other salves offer a scent range that includes Orange Citrus, Cucumber Mint or Unscented if you’d rather, and offer a range of dosage opportunities including a 1:1 Balance (250mg of both THC & CBD), a 3:2 Unplug (with 350mg THC & 150mg CBD) and an all-CBD salve titled Free, with 500mg CBD.
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Not a traditional lubricant—more like an intimate massage oil—a bit of play with the silky smooth 400mg:20mg THC:CBD vegan oil blend (whether partnered or solo) inevitably sets the scene for erotic adventure. Key usage directions: just play. Since there’s no one way to experience pleasure, it’s for each individual to discover what feels good to them.
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THE ORAL HISTORY OF CBD Cannabidiol is forecasted to be a $61.2-billion North American market by 2027 and has been touted as a wonder drug, curing everything from inflammation to anxiety, epilepsy, menstrual pain, sleeplessness and limp, damaged hair. But how did it make its way from contraband to pet food and lotion? kind magazine editor Ben Kaplan hears from those in the know.
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“They gave me five kilos of hashish.”
1963 Dr. Mark Ware: In 1963, Raphael Mechoulam published the structure of CBD before THC— and it got everyone excited. Dr. Raphael Mechoulam: The chemistry of morphine and cocaine were well known at the time. I was surprised that no one was looking at the cannabis plant. Dr. Michael Munzar: A lot of the big early work was coming from Israel, Dr. Mechoulam. Dr. Mechoulam: I was lucky to be able to get hashish from the police. I doubt I would have been able to do that in many countries, but the Minister of Industry called a friend of his on the police force and said, ‘Can you give one of our researchers cannabis?’ ‘Is he reliable?’ the policeman wanted to know. The administrator didn’t know me. ‘Of course, he’s reliable,’ the Minister said. Then I went to the police station, drank coffee with them, and they gave me five kilos of hashish. I took them to the lab and we started to work. Dr. Mechoulam’s work was transformative in isolating the compounds in cannabis and identifying THC as the plant’s only psychoactive compound. However, instead of a watershed moment for cannabis research, restrictive laws would hamper the progress of science. Dr. Munzar: CBD was maligned because of its association with THC. Now, acceptance is better than in the past, but CBD wasn’t widely accepted because of Reefer Madness and every ridiculous thing that goes with it.
1964 Dr. Mechoulam: Nobody was interested, but you keep going. A year later, 1964, 1965, I got a call from a pharmacologist at the National Institute of Health in the United States. A senator asked NIH, do you know what cannabis does? They didn’t know anything, but heard someone in Israel was researching it. So he came over and I gave him what was
then the world’s supply of THC and he took it back to the US. Dr. Mark Ware: The big challenge in a prohibition environment where THC is illegal is: how do you conduct research when your subject is against the law? Dr. Mechoulam: I’m not sure whether or not the NIH pharmacologist smuggled our cannabis home. Actually, maybe he did.
1992 Dr. Mechoulam collaborated with scientists in Brazil, Canada and the United States and, in 1992, at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, his colleagues discovered the endocannabinoid system, neurotransmitters in the body which reflected the pharmacological effects of cannabis. Dr. Mechoulam: I gave the cannabis compounds names and eventually discovered the plant doesn’t make CBD, it makes CBD acid, and not THC, but THC acid—we isolated the acids and elucidated the structures, and basically did this for a long period of time. I did this for 25 years. Dr. Ware: Those early days when we were listening to patients telling us cannabis was helping with symptoms. Before the science, there were the stories. Dr. Mechoulam: We found the structure of the first cannabis compound and called it Anandamide, which means Supreme Happiness. Dr. Ware: At the time, a bunch of research focused on THC or the THC molecule, CBD was not really en vogue.
1980
Dr. Mechoulam: The FDA is one of the toughest institutions I’ve ever been with, they don’t approve anything.
In 1980, Dr. Mechoulam published breakthrough research in collaboration with a Brazilian group that would prove to be a turning point for CBD. His double-blind study showed the efficacy of CBD in epileptic patients.
Dr. Ware: Today, we can talk about cannabis, not just in the euphoric, psychoactive sense, but also cannabis as a medical remedy. CBD has given us—given science—that ability.
2013
Dr. Mechoulam: I hope to go on working for maybe a few more years. I’m 91 at the
Dr. Mechoulam: People had said CBD might work for epilepsy, so we tested cannabis and cannabidiol for epilepsy in models with mice and it worked! We saw it was effective and so we went into humans. We had not too many patients, 16 or 18; half of them got a placebo and the others got CBD. The eight patients that got CBD—and nothing was helping them—four had no attacks (and previously had a few attacks per day) and three got many times less. We published that and thought maybe we can help patients, children with epilepsy, people who nothing is helping them … but nothing happened. Dr. Munzar: I had all these anecdotal reports on how CBD was helping them. You just had to listen to the patients.
In 2013, Canada enacted the Marijuana for Medical Purposes Regulations, which added oomph to a legal Canadian medical cannabis system that began in 2001. The new laws, under Prime Minister Stephen Harper, created the licensed producer system and provided a boost for CBD research and products and opened the door in 2018 to America’s Farm Bill, which made the production, sale and usage of CBD legal in the United States. In October of that same year, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau federally legalized weed. Dr. Munzar: I got involved with HEXO from the start. I was the only doctor in Canada on the board of a licensed producer, but I knew what cannabis, if rigorously tested, could do. Dr. Ware: The big moment for CBD was the 2014 Sanjay Gupta CNN special on Charlotte’s Web and CBD for childhood epilepsy. That brought CBD into the conversation in a big way for America.
2010 Dr. Mechoulam: It went like that for 30 years, until maybe 2010, then people got interested. Families, patients, they heard of this product and started giving cannabis with CBD. Dr. Munzar: The game changer was GW Pharma getting it approved by the FDA. The biggest problem with cannabis drug development was: can we get this molecule into the brain, number one, and number two: is it safe? CBD seems to have both of these components, which makes it remarkable to work with, and now the FDA has approved it.
“CBD gave people permission to talk about cannabis.”
Dr. Mechoulam: Look, we knew that many years ago. We had the science already for years.
“We called it Anandamide, which means Supreme Happiness.”
moment. I like to work with friends, we shout at each other and drink coffee. Have I ever tried cannabis? Well, it was 1965 and some of us got THC and reported on it, but I don’t use cannabis. I barely drink wine. THE EXPERTS Dr. Rafael Mechoulam: The Father of Cannabis Research, according to Discover magazine, Mechoulam is a widely published Israeli organic chemist at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and the first scientist to discover and isolate THC.
2019 Martha Stewart joined the Canopy team in early 2019 and opened the door for celebrities from Kristen Bell to Georges St-Pierre to Gwyneth Paltrow to publicly tout the effectiveness of CBD. In the fall of 2021, research is happening apace and the sector’s greatest minds all believe that we haven’t yet seen even a fraction of the power of CBD. Dr. Ware: CBD has given people permission to talk about cannabis again. Dr. Munzar: Of course, my motto, as a medical doctor, is: ‘science will set you free.’ Well, we’ve studied the science, and I’m a big proponent of CBD.
Dr. Michael Munzar: With four decades of experience as a physician in Quebec, Dr. Munzar helped seed HEXO Corporation, one of Canada’s largest LPs. Widely published and universally heralded, Munzar is also owner and medical director of Statcare Medical Clinic in Pointe-Claire, Quebec, that treats over 50,000 patients per year. Dr. Mark Ware: Executive Director of the non-profit Canadian Consortium for the Investigation of Cannabinoids, Dr. Mark Ware also practices pain medicine at the Montreal General Hospital and has been active in Canadian cannabis research since 1999. He is the Chief Medical Officer of Canopy Growth.
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Jim Belushi can’t sleep without the help of cannabis.
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James Belushi on growing both as a farmer and as a human being.
Even though the pandemic put a stop to his live, on-stage appearances playing music with friends like Dan Aykroyd in the Blues Brothers, the 67-year-old actor, singer and cannabis farmer says his body is still stuck in its nightlife rhythms. So he turns to cannabis before he goes to bed each night, opting for about 2.5 mg of THC in his favourite Bhang chocolate. And despite the pandemic’s near-complete eradication of live entertainment, Belushi’s had plenty of other projects on the go. For one, his journey on Belushi’s Farm, which he bought in 2015, is documented in detail in Discovery’s Growing Belushi TV show, which was just renewed for a second season that’s scheduled to air late fall or early winter. “The title came out of growing cannabis,” he says, “but also out of me growing as a man, as a person, as a member of our community.” Since relocating from Los Angeles to southern Oregon, the Farm’s team has launched three brands now available in four states (Oregon, Colorado, Oklahoma and Illinois). Belushi’s Secret Stash is a premium line of flower strains that include his personal favourite, Cherry Pie. Captain Jack’s features products built around an old-school Afghan strain sourced and grown by a long-time friend of the cast of SNL, where Belushi wrote and performed for 33 episodes between 1983 and 1985. And then there is Blues Brothers, the “working man’s brand” designed in tribute to the musically comedic characters developed by Aykroyd and his older, beloved
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“Well, my training is in theatre,” he explains on a Zoom call, puffing on a cigar on the porch of his scenic riverside ranch in Eagle Point, Oregon. “You spend all day prepping to go on stage. You go on stage at eight o’clock at night. Now your adrenals are fucked and you are peaking at 10 o’clock. It takes a long time to bring those adrenals down. And I think that’s why most actors drink.”
“If John had just stayed “a pothead” and not tried other drugs, he would still be alive today.”
brother John, who died tragically of an overdose from heroin and cocaine in 1982.
never figure out why that happened.”
John’s memory casts a long shadow over Jim, who agrees with friend Aykroyd who said that if Jim had just stayed “a pothead” and not tried other drugs, he would still be alive today. He’s also wondered if his brother, who was an “all-state, all-conference, middle linebacker, tough as shit” football player growing up in Chicago, suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and was self-medicating his brain trauma.
Like a lot of advocates in cannabis and sports, Belushi is a strong believer in the healing power of cannabinoids and their ability to not just aid sleep, but help heal brain trauma, increase appetite for those with chronic illness or help people with anxiety and depression. He gets particularly fired up about veterans, who he says tell him how helpful his products can be for those suffering from PTSD or other health challenges from combat or service.
“It’s my personal opinion. I don’t have any evidence,” he qualifies before elaborating. “I witnessed John having a seizure senior year in our laundry room. I thought he was joking. He started shaking and he fell to the ground. I fucking saved his life. They did spinal taps. They did x-rays. They could
One veteran, a former medic in Iraq, told him he was coping with severe PTSD and was having trouble sleeping and communicating with his family. In a parking lot at a dispensary where Belushi was making an appearance, he told him he was able to ditch the opioids he was
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HIGH-END CANNABIS Learn more 7ACRES.com “He said, ‘It’s the only strain I’ve found where I can speak to my wife and my children, and I can sleep, Jim.’ His eyes teared up, and he hugged me.”
prescribed entirely because of Belushi’s Black Diamond strain.
Seth Rogen talk about how much high-potency weed they smoke all day, every day?
“He said, ‘it’s the only strain I’ve found where I can speak to my wife and speak to my children,” recounts Belushi, voice ever-soslightly trembling. “‘And I can sleep, Jim.’ And his eyes teared up. And he hugged me.”
“Seth is a hero,” he says, adding that it’s really up to budtenders to help guide consumers. “He is a cannabis user and a wonderful, funny man — a very, very beautiful spirit about him. But he is a consumer and his brand is all about the strain and the potency.”
And he gets equally fired up when I ask about the potential health risks of over-indulging — does it worry him to hear fellow celebrities like
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For Belushi, celebrities do perform an important public service educating,
@7ACRESMJ
de-stigmatizing and normalizing growing and consumption after decades of a failed war on drugs. He also credits celebs like Snoop Dogg, Willie Nelson and Tommy Chong — who he says “laid on the barbed wire so the rest of us could walk through” — for being brave enough to advocate for cannabis before legalization was on the table in any state. And despite being firmly entrenched in the celebrity cannabis and advocacy world, he’s not a heavy consumer like his peers.
This communication is intended for adults
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PA S S T H E DUTCHIE TO YOUR MOM AND DAD
Bringing your Parents (& Grandparents) into the Cannabis Age B Y
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A R T W O R K B Y A M B E R C R A I G , @ S T O C K PA P E R S C I S S O R S_ Smoking a joint with my mom is at the top of my life bucket list. I would love her to experience the transformation of the smoke experience: that moment of comfort where the power of the flower seems to settle upon you, into you, somehow soothing body, mind, soul. A cradle from Mother Universe. She insists she’ll never do it: hates the smell, it hurts her throat. “Cannabis is not for me,” she declares. And yet. Sunshower Gummies—a microdose of 1mg & 2mg THC in a crave-worthy gummy edible—have all but replaced her prescription pills to sleep. A few drops of a CBD:CBN tincture have become part of her evening wellness routine. A Solei lavender salve sits beside her bed, soothing away pain from arthritis and muscle strain. Cannabis evidently has its hold on her. As legalization took hold, the conversations that began to excite me most around the waves of change ended up being with people I knew over fifty: humans, gracefully experiencing those ailments of aging. “Have you tried cannabis?” seemed to become my most-used phrase. This cohort—where polypharmacism is the norm, trust is placed in the doctor and
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their prescription pad and stress seems to be what’s fueling society—was clearly a segment of the population desperate for help from the cannabis plant. A return to natural order. Helping teach our elders how to navigate through the weeds to find the wellness within cannabis suddenly became an important, if unexpected, side effect of my
“Have you tried cannabis?” seemed to become my most-used phrase.
love for cannabis. It felt almost like a duty, to help bring what I was learning of the powerful benefits of the plant to the people who, perhaps, needed it the most. And so was born ELDRFLOWER.com: an education platform for Aging in the Age of Cannabis. The mission: make cannabis more accessible for boomers and seniors— the fastest-growing segment of cannabis users in the population (up over 25% in the past year) and projected to keep growing.
According to the WHO, the number of people over 60 is expected to double by 2050. 97% of older-aged cannabis users say that cannabis helps them feel better, while decreasing their reliance on prescription medication.
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The older we get, the more likely we are to acquire an ailment or condition that’s amenable to cannabis. 55% of older adults report experiencing one or more chronic condition potentially treated by pot, including: arthritic pain & inflammation, neuropathic (nerve) pain, chronic pain, PTSD, insomnia, Parkinson’s Disease, chemotherapy-induced nausea, spasticity from MS or spinal-cord injury and palliative/end-of-life pain. But many of these people are hesitant to go to their primary care physician with questions around plant wellness. Most report having not spoken to their doctors at all about the potential benefits cannabis could add to their routines, despite a majority reporting being curious to learn more. Even my own father, a longtime sufferer of Parkinson’s Disease, has shyly posed the question once or twice at my insistence, only to be recommended by two different doctors to not interfere with his medication protocol. Indeed, Reefer Madness may have been the most successful marketing campaign of all time: the unlearning required from antipot propaganda still being methodically unravelled. Platforms like ELDRFLOWER that can spark intergenerational conversations and help aid deeper understanding are what begin to shift perception, and ultimately stigma. With plans to establish a network of educators across North America bringing ELDRFLOWER's learning to their own communities, cannabis champions of all ages are beginning to join the movement. Mandy Harlan is one of these champions, a Florida-based cannabis enthusiast and CBD educator, who established a Cannabis Club with her mom at The Villages: the largest retirement community in the state. Now working full-time in the state’s medical cannabis industry and helping usher in recreational legalization, Harlan was formerly
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anti-cannabis, until she began exploring the plant as an alternative to alcohol as a result of her Crohn’s disease. Quickly realizing the plant was about much more than recreation, she experienced the healing properties of the plant first-hand. Her condition is now in remission. At first she hid her cannabis use from her parents, assuming an old-school mentality toward Miss Mary Jane. But then her parents (both in their 80’s) began witnessing proof positive in her Crohn’s remission; once Mandy’s work turned to education around CBD, the respect for the plant became enough for them to take up Mandy’s cannabis movement. “Mandy and I started the Medical Marijuana Club of The Villages, one of the largest retirement communities in Florida,” Mandy’s mom Dorothy tells me proudly. “As I started to use cannabis medicinally, I found a lack of information in the senior community with no place to turn, so I was thrilled to start bringing Cannabis 101 education to our peers. While we don’t consume together often, working with my daughter on this mission has helped break a lot of personal stigmas in my community, and that is priceless.” Shawn King, head of marketing at PAX Labs, experienced a similar sequence of realizations around cannabis benefits, first for himself and then with Bill, his father, a military veteran experiencing ongoing pain, insomnia and PTSD.
for vaporizing flower, Bill wasn’t interested in cannabis—or in getting high. The duo paid a visit to a clinic in Halifax for veterans who help guide patients through the process of being prescribed medicinal cannabis. Through education, conversation and exploration, Bill was able to discover the product and dosing protocol that worked best for him: a combination of 1:1 capsules and an oil/tincture with high CBD and increasingly high THC (sometimes necessary to treat true pain).
“97% of older-aged cannabis users say that cannabis helps them feel better, while decreasing their reliance on prescription medication.”
SLOW RIDE BAKERY Because everyone likes to get home baked.
Three months later, Bill’s chronic pain and inflammation had subsided and his temperament and patience had improved. He said: “I haven’t slept this well in 25 years!” Still, certain biases remained. Shawn’s not only a son, but also a father, and this made him realize that he held his own judgments on weed. When his son began asking questions about cannabis, Shawn flinched. “I didn’t love the idea at first, as a parent, of my kid consuming,” he admits, and this is someone who works in weed, “but after much open dialogue, lots of questions, and ongoing information-based conversations, I feel confident he’s going to be equipped to use cannabis intentionally.” Eventually, Shawn shared a moment with his son. It came about casually; nothing planned or overdone, just a sincere, loving stoner scene. Standing in a circle one evening, Shawn’s son lit a joint, took two puffs and passed it to his dad.
“In 2017, pre-legalization, I was having impactful and enlightened conversations while taping our podcast Turning a New Leaf, and I met a cancer patient treating with cannabis,” says King. “A former NFL’er who’d used cannabis to get off opioids. He began to shift even my own ideas about what ‘consuming cannabis’ with openness really meant. The stories proved that with holistic, intentional use, this plant is truly a medicine.”
The impact of the full-circle moment struck him: he took the joint as his son and his friends cheered. Stigma had been the barrier to healing for too long. And it would get better, because Shawn’s dad Bill also was there. Sure, the family patron took two hits, declared he’d never been thirstier, went inside and never came back. But cannabis was out in the open for their family, and it’s a scene that will be replicated in homes all over the country and, indeed, eventually, all over the world.
The realizations inspired Shawn to suggest cannabis to his dad, who was using prescription medication in an attempt to help with sleep and chronic pain. But despite Shawn’s creative and professional proclivity
Perhaps that’s all it really takes: an open dialogue, a willingness to ask and answer questions, a judgement-free zone. And if all else fails, just pass the Dutchie to the left. Especially if it’s to your mom or dad.
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K I N D This communication is intended for adults only and should not be shared with minors.
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E N T E R TA I N I N G W I T H CANNABIS FOR F L AV O U R A N D F U N This fall, let the OCS help you prepare safe and delicious infused meals B Y
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Legalizing cannabis and making it available through the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) and Authorized Cannabis Stores has encouraged a new wave of responsible, innovative infused home cooking. It’s inspired everyone from rookies in the kitchen to bonafide experts, like Rose Reisman, who describes herself in her kitchen, with cannabis, as “reborn.” Reisman, who published the cannabis cookbook Be Blissed with the Ontario Licensed Producer TREC Brands, says that her infused recipes have become extremely popular at cozy gatherings with family and friends. By dosing lightly and broadly experimenting, Reisman says cannabis infusions have expanded culinary opportunities for her fall. “I like to microdose a four-or five-course meal,” says Reisman, one of Canada’s leading authorities on eating and living well. "With cannabis in the kitchen, I’m reinventing myself again.” It’s important when reinventing your recipes with cannabis infusions to always keep infused food away from anyone under 19. It’s also essential to let guests know which dishes have been infused and, to cook like Reisman, use low doses from cannabis that has been approved by Health Canada and purchased
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^ Chefs Janice Buckingham and Travis Petersen serve an 8-course infused vegan dinner.
at the OCS or an Authorized Cannabis Store. An infused dinner, dosed incorrectly, is no one’s idea of a good time. On the other hand, however, according to Pete Shearer, senior category manager at the Ontario Cannabis Store, pairing cannabis with recipes can unlock tremendous potential—both in flavour, and in fun. “I’ve seen great success in pairing cannabis flavour profiles with sauces and dressings and by using strong gassy profiles to complement flavours in foods such as pesto, salsa or vinaigrette,” says Shearer. For instance, you could try baking a poppyseed loaf with an infused Super Lemon Haze strain or adding the strain OG Kush to Chimichurri sauce. “With savoury foods, I think the terpenes actually help bring out the flavour which makes food taste better, as opposed to trying to make an infused food item that merely works by masking the cannabis taste. Cannabis, infused correctly, actually tastes good!” Good things have happened in intimate home entertaining spaces since October 17, 2018, when Canada became the first G7 country
to legalize cannabis for adults over 19. Three years into our nation’s progressive legislature, adults are finding unique ways to bolster their enjoyment with cannabis from the OCS and Authorized Cannabis Stores across Ontario. In Ontario, says Rose Reisman, the possibilities found in cannabis are boundless around the table this fall. When she entertains, she says her guests now insist she not only heads to the farmer’s market, but also her local cannabis store.
“Terpenes can help bring out flavour which actually makes food taste better.”
“Because of COVID, I’m not entertaining as much as I used to and it’s generally with much smaller groups,” says Reisman, adding that the intimacy of her meals have presented her with an unintended surprise. The meals, generally infused, feel more special. “Since we’re not entertaining like we used to, a home-cooked meal with friends is almost a bigger treat,” she says. “Friends will come over for an infused meal and they love it, they don’t want the evening to end.”
For more entertaining tips go to OCS.ca/entertaining.
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Madison Makepeace grills vegetarian cooking’s hottest new star Madison Makepeace: Tell us about the journey that led you to a plant-based lifestyle and what inspired you to share your love for plants with the community. Who is The Dirty Raven? The Dirty Raven: I started to have a difficult time coming to terms with the planet’s well-being, seeing the environmental impact of everything. It just stopped making sense for me personally to continue to indulge. I read somewhere that you could conserve water by either not showering for six months, or not eating a single burger, and that just hit me right in the face. You can make small changes that can have a big impact.
MM: Do the healing properties of plants play a role in the food you make and your relationship with the recipes you create? DR: Yes and no. It depends on what I want the food I’m eating in that moment to be doing for me. I know, overall, eating plants can be great for me so I should eat them at every opportunity possible. For some reason, lunch feels like my “responsible” meal? And dinner feels like it can be a bit more indulgent, razzle-dazzle, craving-oriented.
MM: With fall harvest approaching, from a flavour and health standpoint, can you talk to us about the importance of cooking produce that’s in-season? DR: Eating with seasons ties neatly into also eating locally and celebrating that bounty nature is handing out to us. It’s supporting farmers, foragers and creators who are working tirelessly to bring nature to our door. That’s a powerful force.
MM: Can you sum up your mission in one catchy phrase?
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THE DIRTY R AV E N M A K E S CLEAN FOOD
ENDIVE G R AT I N INGREDIENTS 2 heads of endive, trimmed and cut in half 1 grapefruit, cut into segments (reserve that juice) 1 cup of breadcrumbs (use up that old bread) 2 cups of parsnip puree (don’t panic! the recipe is below) ¼ cup of sunflower salsa verde (this one you can find on my site, I switched out the walnuts with sunflower seeds and added an additional tablespoon of red wine vinegar) neutral cooking oil Parsnip Puree: 2 parsnips, peeled and cut into rounds ½ onion, sliced 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced just enough water to cover
INSTRUCTIONS 1
Pre-heat oven to broil. In a cast iron pan (or any deep enough skillet), add enough oil to cover the bottom and bring to high heat. Salt your endive to season it properly and sear them cut-side down. Reduce heat to medium and cook until golden & caramelized (about 4 minutes).
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Reduce heat to low, flip endive over (the centre should still be crunchy) and pour parsnip puree into the pan. Bring to a quick simmer. Pop pan in the oven to broil for 2–3 minutes, until golden on top.
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Add a squeeze of grapefruit juice, some olive oil, heavy salt to get things rolling. When you’re absolutely ready to serve, add your herb salsa, grapefruit segments & breadcrumbs on top. Serve immediately and be generous with the sauce!
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YOU'LL NEED Cast iron pan Medium pot with lid Blender
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Add parsnips, onion and garlic into a medium-3sized pot and cover with just enough water. The key here is to cook everything until it is tender without adding colour to it. Bring liquid to a boil, cover with a lid and reduce to a simmer. Add a pinch of salt and cook until tender (about 20 minutes). In a blender, add the parsnips, onion and garlic but keep the water in the pot. Add only as much water as needed for this until you get that perfectly creamy texture. Place off to the side for braising (it should have the consistency of thin yogurt).
DR: We can change the world one plate at a time.
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MAPLE-MISO ROASTED CAULIFLOWER INGREDIENTS 1 medium-sized head of cauliflower 1 lemon, juice and zest ¼ cup of tahini (or any nut-butter honestly) 5 cloves of garlic, minced 2 tablespoons of dijon mustard 1 tablespoon of maple (or agave) 1 tablespoon of miso 2 tablespoons of oil Some roasted seasonal vegetables you fell in love with at the market A puree/sauce on the bottom is nice (maybe it’s my white bean dip, maybe it’s a fancy little number you worked on yourself) Garnish with whatever is fresh and singing to you (I did sundried tomatoes, pomegranate, pickled red onions, cucumbers and pine nuts)—honestly, let your heart soar
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Preheat oven to 450 °F, place your head of cauliflower on parchment paper in a Dutch oven or oven-safe pot. Cut a large X in the cauliflower that pierces the centre stem in it (that's the real trick). Add all the other ingredients in a bowl and whisk together. It doesn’t have to emulsify perfectly, don’t sweat the small stuff. Taste the mixture and adjust it to your palate (you got to eat it after all, bud!). Rub the entire head in your delicious mixture. Place a lid on top. Pop the dish into the oven for approx. 45 minutes (check on it halfway and see how things are going). Poke the centre with a knife—it should be tender. Remove the top of the Dutch oven, let it roast for another 20–30 minutes, until the top is golden and delicious. To plate it, place down some sauce, followed by any extra roasted veggies, then the cauliflower. Poke a spoon in the X you cut and open that beauty up a little bit. Add in some generous spoonfuls (you’re worth it!) of your garnish. Add a pinch of finishing salt, maybe some zest of lemon and call it day.
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GRILLED CARROTS WITH CHERRIES INGREDIENTS Carrot puree: 1 bunch of heirloom carrots, rinsed and cut in half 1 large orange carrot, peeled and cut into rounds 3 cloves of garlic ½ onion, diced 3 pieces of cherries, cut in half and pitted 5 pieces of ground cherries, cut in half Savoury Almond Crumble: ½ cup of almond meal ¼ cup of oat flour 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ cup vegan butter, cold in the fridge To Plate: Wild greens for garnish, edible flowers, nasturtium, whatever you can find Salt + cooking oil of your preference
CARROT PUREE 1
In a pot, place large carrot, garlic and onion and cover with water. Boil until carrots are tender, like “baby food” tender.
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Place in a blender with ¼ of vegan butter, blend on high until smooth. Adjust seasoning accordingly to your preference and let cool to room temperature.
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Starting with a tablespoon, add in tempered butter and mix gently by hand. Continue to add vegan butter by the tablespoon until it just comes together as a crumble—when you press it together in your hand, it should stick together and crumble. Place crumble on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, turning the backing tray 180 degrees halfway through cooking time. Remove from oven and let cool completely.
T O P L AT E 1
YOU'LL NEED Large pot Blender Bowl Baking sheet
Pre-heat oven to 350 °F. In a bowl, combine almond meal (you can grind almonds in a blender if you can’t find this), oat flour, pepper, cumin, coriander, baking power + salt. Whisk together.
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Heat grill up to about 500 °F (this can be done in a pan or an oven, but you will need to roast for longer at a lower temperature). Season carrots generously with salt and a brushing of oil, place cut side down on the grill. Close lid and let carrots cook for 4–6 minutes, flip onto other side and repeat the process. They should be soft but still have a bit of texture to them. On a plate, add three generous dollops of carrot puree in a triangle position and line carrots up evenly so there are no gaps between them. Place almond crumble down, followed by cut cherries (I do 3–5 of each cherry), followed by finishing salt to finish and some greens to add a splash of colour.
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Slow Ride Bakery is the new Ottawa-based husband and wife team making edibles for Indiva that infuses each cookie with cannabis, and love. Karen Dhawan of Slow Ride Bakery was never a cannabis consumer. Vik Dhawan, her husband, was, and he even had experience working with a licensed producer, where his colleagues would snatch up his wife’s baking which he brought in to their delight. However, when Karen had a bad car accident in 2001 and developed chronic pain, a doctor recommended that she try cannabis. It was a match that stuck like a rack of cookies on an ungreased pan. Her life, she says, was immediately changed. “I went the opioid route for my neck condition and it was so awful that even though I wasn’t comfortable, at the beginning, with cannabis, it really did change my life,” says Dhawan, a master baker who began experimenting with cannabis oils while working retail and became an expert in dosing, and taste. “I made infused granola bars and found ways to medicate myself while Vik consulted with Health Canada and then worked with a licensed producer until one
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EAT YOUR HEART OUT day, we both sort of said, ‘Wait a minute, this is something we can do!’” That something has resulted in the Slow Ride Bakery, named after the Foghat song and, indeed, classic rock fuels the small Ottawa kitchen where Karen Dhawan oversees and hand-prepares every cookie Slow Ride Bakery makes. For the licensed cannabis producer Indiva, which has achieved tremendous success in the edibles market by importing popular American brands Wana and Bhang, having a Canadian producer in their stable made sense. However, their partnership with Slow Ride isn’t just a play for patriotism, says Indiva CEO Niel Marotta. The cookies are delicious and the Dhawan family are exactly the kind of people that the company aims to support.
“ Karen and Vik are exactly the kind of high-integrity people that the company aims to support.” Indiva CEO, Niel Marotta
“We would not have done this deal, or any other deal for that matter, without feeling like there was a strong sense of fidelity between the partners, and Karen and Vik are highintegrity people,” says Marotta, adding that, in the US, baked goods represent 10–15% of the edible category while in Canada it’s less than 1%, meaning Slow Ride represents a huge opportunity for growth. “We get a chance to support a microprocessor, which is similar to what we do with our Artisan Batch brand— supporting craft and micro-cultivators. The fact that Slow Ride Bakery is a home-grown Canadian brand started in Ottawa, Ontario, where our corporate headquarters are located, is also a source of pride.” The pride in Karen’s cookies emanates in Vik’s explanation of his business. Currently, the couple produces three lines of cookies—spicy ginger, peanut butter and big chocolate—and there’s more in the oven as the Dhawan family, with the help of Indiva, prepares to expand. Vik says he’s glad to partner with Indiva and share Karen’s infused, affordable, delicious goodness with the world.
“Karen’s baking is so good and she makes so much that she can only fatten me up for so long,” he says, with a laugh. “In all seriousness, working around the industry for as long as I have, I knew it could stand for a change.” Karen Dhawan, meanwhile, is keeping her eyes focused on her kitchen, creating new recipes, infused concepts and spreading her particular brand of home-baked love. To speak to Dhawan is to be awash in her general goodness. Her mom vibe is exactly the kind of warmth that cannabis lovers have been lacking, and deserve. “I’m the kind of person that never stops feeding people,” she says. “I want people to love my cookies for the taste and the flavour and when you get high on the side, that’s great!”
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MM: We actually can’t stand each other. It’s a big problem.
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TJ: And, of course, now we’re all in separate green rooms...
AUTHENTICITY IS GOOD FOR YOU The stars of Letterkenny open up about what makes their show, their relationships and their personal lives a success B Y
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Having recently wrapped their ninth season and preparing to tour the States, Ben Kaplan caught up with Michelle Mylett (Katy), Tyler Johnston (Stewart), and Evan Stern (Roald) to hear about how they blend mischief and heart to create something entirely unique—and true to themselves. BK: Weird to think about you people representing Health & Wellness for my special issue, and yet I have half a mind
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TJ: More like Advils for the headaches from the night before. ES: That’s candies! MM: There is a distinct difference, and I’m generalizing, but from what I’ve experienced in America—
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Letterkenny emerged from seemingly nowhere to become one of Canada’s greatest cultural exports, a portrait of small-town Canadiana where beers and relationships are mixed up in a hilarious stew that always leaves viewers laughing, and weirdly, feeling surprisingly good.
ES: Yeah, right. Like, the opposite is true. When we’re on the tour bus, we pass each other notes and candies.
ES: They’re scary.
that your show promotes positive mental health just in being yourself. Tyler Johnston: If you’re not bothering anyone, you’re going to be your best when you’re doing your thing. That’s the authenticity of Letterkenny—people are never more themselves than in a small town. People are like, ‘This is who I am, this is who you are—we might have a scrap about it, but we’ll get over it.’ Evan Stern: Sometimes it can be too extreme for health & wellness, with all the drinking and smoking and fighting, but it is a healthy mindset to just be like, for a lack of a better term: fuck it, I’m going to do me.
BK: Exactly! TJ: The show is good about not putting titles on anybody. You can be who you are in Letterkenny. You might get made fun of— ES: You will get made fun of.
Michelle Mylett: You will get made fun of— but you’ll never be bullied and no one kicks you when you’re down. There’s an inherently kind element throughout the show and it never gets lost and people respond to it. That’s the best way to live a healthy life— make sure you’re leading with kindness.
BK: I love your show and get it, but with your American tour, it just feels like it’s so specifically small-town Canada that it’s hard for me to see how it plays in Detroit or Boston. TJ: We have farms and hockey players, but small town America has, I don’t know, blue collar folks and baseball players? Everyone can relate to the different groups of people, we all know these people in our lives. ES: Our best show, no offense to the Canadian audiences, because they’re so fun and so great, but the show in Detroit? It changed my life. It was that crazy.
MM: They’re just so … out there. They’re standing up, they’re yelling. I guess it comes back to the polite Canadian trope. TJ: We’re here to politely nod to you. ES: In the States, it’s like—literally picking you up and high fives. It’s just different social norms. At the Detroit show, they were so fired up. They knew every line.
that’s part of it. It comes into the audience. TJ: When the characters are introduced in the live show, there’s a couple seconds after each character walked onstage and they were hooting and hollering and like Michelle said, they were finishing the punchlines before we got the jokes out of our mouths!
BK: Assuming you survive the tour, what’s next for each of you outside the show? MM: Well, we went back filming Letterkenny this summer and I finished the movie American Dreamer with Peter Dinklage and Shirley MacLaine. I also have a skincare line coming out in the fall.
ES: Tyler was furious! Let me finish my goddamn jokes! BK: This drops in the fall. Tell us about your line. BK: You can see it with you guys even on this Zoom call. I think it works because
MM: Small-batch, sustainable, a little west
BK: Do audiences come ready to party? TJ: Earlier you mentioned Boston, and we had a show there scheduled that we missed because of COVID, but it was going to be St. Patty’s weekend. I was genuinely afraid. ES: People are already drinking. TJ: And Evan can drink. Evan likes his beer. But St. Patty’s weekend? MM: People arrive at our show ready to party and we like that. The show’s like, ‘Want a beer? I’ll have a beer!’ The double-tap is part of the culture and we’re social, we’re drinking, and
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you genuinely like one another and the show, besides being potty-mouthed and alcoholic, is also really sweet.
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coast brand available as e-commerce. We don’t want to bite off more than we can chew.
this magazine is released in pot shops across the country and legalization is coming upon its third anniversary.
BK: You other guys?
ES: Tyler, do you have any thoughts on weed?
MM: Yeah, where’s your skincare lines?
TJ: Funny you say that, I can smell some right now through my window.
MM: You guys are soulmates.
ES: Is it your arm, outside your window?
BK: All these Americans seeing your show are going to come to Canada and have that be their Amsterdam experience.
ES: I’m working on The Last Gang in Town, a limited production of a book I got the rights to set in 1972 about the Vancouver gangs clashing with the police.
MM: Tyler and I are both west coast kids; weed isn’t a new concept for us.
MM: My dad is obsessed with this book.
ES: He’s an internet phenomenon.
TJ: It feels like it’s been legal here in Vancouver since before I was born. I’m all for legalization, especially when you look at the statistics about the people being thrown in jail for that shit. You have to shake your head. So I’m all for legalization, let the tax people get the money and build schools, build roads, keep that shit moving! I mean, if you can have a 12-pack of beer and hate yourself in the morning, people can smoke some weed.
TJ: Oh you guys, shut your mouths. But I am having a lot of fun; last night my Twitch stream got a little out of hand.
MM: It’s definitely better than alcohol in my opinion. It’s caused a lot of relief for people I know that really need it.
BK: You guys talk plenty about booze, but
ES: The first time I smoked weed was in Amsterdam. I had some beers, smoked a joint
ES: I love that. It’s pretty popular. Aaron Chapman is the author. TJ: I’m excited for you guys. Me, I’ve buried myself in TikTok. MM: He’s blowing up on TikTok.
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and went to a jazz show. I was like, ‘Wow, this is the best night of my life!’ TJ: The first time I smoked weed was in Amsterdam!
TJ: Absolutely, weed tourism is going nuts! By the time next summer rolls around, people are going to go to Smiths Falls and go from one weedery to the next on their hoverboards, like: bzzzzzzz, smoke another blunt, and by their third weedery their hoverboard will be going backwards. MM: You’ve got a business model there. TJ: I already sold it to Canopy.
For information on the Letterkenny tour, and updates about the show’s new season, please see letterkenny.tv.
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TH OU S HA LT O BE Y M E A S HA P H O T O G R A P H B Y T Y L E R A N D E R S O N
Measha Brueggergosman has lived her life under the spotlights. Canada’s operatic soprano is a groundbreaking, ceilingbusting, award-winning musical pioneer with a voice that is liquid and a spirit that’s fierce. She worked with the National Arts Centre to promote Black History and she’s won almost every international music award there is, including the George London prize in New Delhi. In 2010, she sang the opening hymn at Vancouver’s Winter Olympics.
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>>> MEASHA BRUEGGERGOSMAN DROPS KNOWLEDGE ON WHO SHE IS. “I’m trying to be led more by purpose and less by feeling. Trying to shed myself from myself and weed plays a part in that process. It’s detachment, but also awareness; when your brain relaxes into flow. Cannabis has been a huge help in my ability to express myself.”
“I was ‘the only’ so much: the youngest, the blackest, the fattest—all of the things, I was first. But I don’t care about first. I care about lasting.”
“What motivates me is a righteous anger in the need to heal people. My kindness gets aggressive sometimes.”
“If you want to be a reflection of the country, you have to allow different voices to flow.”
“Be seated in your heart.”
“If I wasn’t a servant in the order of Christ, I would bow down to hip hop.”
“I know I’m articulate. I know I have vision, have gravitas. Boom.”
For more on Measha Brueggergosman, see Measha.com.
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All laughs. No hangover.
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K-O S TA K E S OVER THE FALL An all-time great returned this summer with tour dates, new music, and a whole lotta weed B Y
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k-os, an influential rocker who’s been making records since 2002, tells us about his favourite fall pastimes, edibles and that time in Sweden he got high with Black Thought from the Roots and it changed his life BK: Thank you for doing this. Let's pretend there's no COVID and you're inviting six people to a backyard BBQ, who do you invite?
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BK: What's your all-time favourite music festival? Who did you see, where and when? k-os: Osheaga. Kendrick Lamar.
BK: If you were planning the k-os fall music festival, who'd be on the bill? k-os: Billie Eilish, A$AP Ferg, Jesus, The Strokes, Chastity, LOONY, Peach Pit, Kaytranada, Joey Bada$$, Mother Mother, Lil Uzi Vert, Willow Smith.
“Yes to weed drinks. I'll drink all the drinks!”
BK: And who would play the after-party? k-os: Zoe Kravitz, Viggo Mortensen, M.I.A., Noam Chomsky, Chris Hemsworth, A$AP Rocky.
BK: It’s midnight at your BBQ, work with me—what record is playing? k-os: JOHN COLTRANE
BK: You’re in Vancouver now. What’s the difference between Halloween in Toronto and Vancouver and which is more fun at 2 a.m.? k-os: It's easy not to care what people say/it’s harder to pretend to try. Aye... I'm usually sleeping by 2 a.m. these days, but... I am up again by 5 a.m. to run the seawall in Vancouver. That's what I do for fun now.
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A-TRAK and JUST BLAZE.
BK: Now let’s talk about weed. Does your cannabis consumption change in the summer versus the winter and fall? k-os: It rains a lot in Vancouver during the winter because it’s a rainforest. Rainy day consumption in a rainforest is calming.
BK: Your last record was such a shot of joy, that cover of The Cars tune. What makes a great ride, and are you still driving that VW van?
my love for “feeling the road” started. The 1984 Westfalia I own drives like an army vehicle. The driver is positioned directly above the two front wheels so you feel it all. I don't like driving/having a smooth ride. Maybe in a taxi.
BK: What about edibles, and have you tried the weed drinks? It’s a pretty mellow high that I think you’d enjoy. k-os: I recently started cooking with cannabis. It feels like nature’s way. Yes to weed drinks. I'll drink all the drinks!
k-os: I like to feel the road when I drive. My To keep up with everything k-os and learn more legendary uncle had a truck in Trinidad that he about the new record, follow him on Instagram would let us ride in the back of and that's where @kostelevision.
Green Monké is happy hour’s happy soda with 3mg THC + 6mg CBD, 2:1 ratio, fast onset and only 20 calories. @greenmonkécan + greenmonké.ca K I N D
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Dear Jacqui,
Dear Jacqui,
Trying my hardest to get behind this ‘free the weed’ movement. Thought I’d buy my wife some edibles to enjoy our last weekend at the cottage, but it didn’t go as I had hoped.
I don’t know if edibles are the best for menopausal women. I find them very drying (everywhere). I drink lots of water and always enjoy my buzz. But when it comes time to be intimate, I’m too dry to be comfortable. I thought the solution was sex in our hot tub or shower. Our hot water bill is through the roof and I’m still uncomfortably dry.
She had a little truffle after dinner and she said it was delicious, but made her dizzy and tired. I fortunately or unfortunately didn’t have the same response, I was thirsty in every sense of the word. Where did we go wrong? Maybe weed just isn’t for us.
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C H I L D S ’ P L AY C H I L D S ’ P L AY C H I L D S ’ P L AY Jacqui Childs, the nation’s foremost cannabis sex columnist and Instagram influencer, takes reader questions in the bedroom about edibles, relationships, lubes, sex and love
Signed, Hardly Edible
Signed, High and Dry Dear High and Dry,
Dear Hardly Edible, In my humble opinion, sir, you did the POT wrong! Edibles come in many strengths and forms and everyone’s experience is so different. “Go low” refers to the strength and “Go slow” refers to pacing yourself and preparing for a good experience. I’d try it again, the cottage is the perfect setting for you to enjoy the great outdoors along with an infused drink or edible treat. Maybe share a low-dose chocolate around the fire, and chat about your hopes and dreams for about an hour. By this time, the stars should be twinkling in more than your eyes. I hope this gives you both something to look forward to and a better experience. Enjoy these moments ... together.
Dear Jacqui, I’ve been smoking cannabis for over 30 years, and my new boyfriend hates the smell. I don’t wanna quit smoking—or the boyfriend—so now I’m hiding and lying about my smoking. I guess I have some pretty big decisions to make.
Infused lubes are the answer. So many amazing all-natural products available. And if you feel like kicking it up a notch, throw an infused vaginal suppository in the mix. I’d suggest lying a towel underneath and get ready to slip and slide. Thanks to cannabis, menopause doesn’t have to be the end of your sexual relations. Cannabis helps with the mood and the experience (and maybe will also help with the water bills).
Dear Jacqui, My marriage is on the rocks and I’m desperate to spice it up. We both consume cannabis, but not together, not really. We both used to love travelling, but not together anymore. It seems everything that we once did together, she now does with a group of girlfriends, and I’m left at home wondering how to fix this and if it’s even worth fixing (P.S. nice pics on IG). Signed, Married with Challenges Dear Married with Challenges, Smoke together!!! Tell her exactly how you’re feeling. Go for a walk without cellphones, enjoy a smoke and some hand-holding in the great outdoors and tell her your worries. Cannabis has a wonderful way of bringing people together.
Signed, (Mixed) Smoke Signals Dear (Mixed) Smoke Signals, I’m not sure it’s quite that big of a decision. You could always switch to vaping or use oils, concentrates or edibles, perhaps.
I’m sure there’s a lot more to this story, but maybe less time on my IG and more TLC towards your wife.
The question, however, you might want to ask yourself is: “Do I even want to be in this relationship?” Because it’s 2021 and the cannabis is about way more than blowing smoke. Good luck with the boyfriend.
“Thanks to cannabis, menopause doesn’t have to be the end of your sexual relations.
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T O C E L E B R AT E T H E THIRD ANNIVERSARY O F L E G A L I Z AT I O N , kind wanted to shout out some love to a few of our favorite Canadian brands.
Kolab Project is a cannabis brand that aims to connect with cannabis enthusiasts who have an appreciation for the positive impact that art, culture and design have on humanity. The Kolab Project mission is to provide cannabis enthusiasts with a carefully curated selection of exceptional cannabis, accessories and experiences. In 2020, Kolab Project launched the first industry-wide vape recycling program that accepts carts and batteries from all licensed producers – how can you not love this initiative? They have everything from premium pre-rolls (Kind Award Winner), vapes, soft chews, chocolate and concentrates.
Since legalization, the team at 7ACRES has been committed to providing enthusiasts with high-end cannabis products that deliver an uncompromised experience. 7ACRES cannabis is crafted by knowledgeable cannabis minds, who share a passion for the plant, from seed to package. From large phenotype selections to find the truest expression of each cultivar, to their proprietary whole plant hang dry methodology to retain precious terpenes, and by carefully inspecting and finishing each bud by hand, 7ACRES is able to deliver consistent quality. 7ACRES believes that consumers deserve cannabis that looks, smells and tastes great, and in fact they should Accept Nothing Less.”
These guys are all about bringing local, craft cannabis growers to the national stage and we are huge supporters of providing a platform to people doing kind things. They scour Canada to find the best craft cannabis, grown by the country’s best microgrowers. Artisan Batch features a rotating series of unique strains, all of which have exceptional genetics and high THC potential. The grower, town, and top terpenes are listed on every beautiful jar.
This group brings it all to the table; Iconic lineage (B.C. Pink Kush and D.Budda), legacy growers and farmers with over 25+ years experience in everything from cannabis to tomatoes and lastly, its all natural cannabis - non-GMO, pesticide-free. They also created an online marketplace that is a collection of mindfully-sourced apparel, accessories, objects and art inspired by their love of plants and modern life. The Marketplace features hand-crafted items that are made right here in Canada as well as items created through collaborations with artists and creators who share our love of the world of cannabis.
I get my weed from Ke-Low-Na, that’s my shit! Flowr, based in, you guessed it. Kelowna, B.C., easily makes some of the best cannabis in the country. Winner of the Kind Award for Best Indica Flower (their B.C. Pink Kush), they grow in small batches, non-irradiated and undergo a 14-day cure. They might have the nicest packaging as well, with cobalt blue glass jars to preserve the unique terpene profiles and achieve a precise range for moisture content. Their slogan is ‘Grown True’ and it reflects their identity.
Ask a budtender what their favourite new brand is and there is a good chance you’ll here the name Carmel. Carmel is the coming together of legacy players with a collection of rare genetics and a shared passion to put top shelf products in customers hands. Not much has changed since they started growing in 2005–all of their flower is grown in small batches, hang dried, hand trimmed, slow cold cured and never irradiated.
How can we not talk about the inaugural winner of “Brand of The Year” from the Kind Awards? A Canadian cannabis brand with Indigenous roots, they are farmers; they are scientists; above everything else, they are family. They also have a cult-like following combining tremendous value with tremendous product. Redecan greenhouses are located in the world-renowned Niagara region, leveraging the unique microclimate of Ontario’s Greenbelt in state-of-the-art cannabis growing facilities.
Shred products have tons of potency & flavour but it’s the group behind it that we love even more – when we asked them for some details on their brand for this feature, they responded in the first person...Here is a snippet from their response “Look at me – SHRED – being honoured in this illustrious Top 10 list. There are so many people, strains and terps to thank… this was totally a team effort. Thanks to everyone that has ever purchased me, rolled me, bowled me, given me a rad shoutout on Reddit or asked for me by name in store! Some see SHRED as a lifestyle, some call it a movement – whatever fills your joint friends. All I know is that we're here to stay, long live the #SHREDARMY!”
One of the most beloved cannabis brands in Canada, Broken Coast is special. A group with that quintessential B.C. spirit, that good things take time. They allow their plants to fully ripen and cure slowly to maximize each flower’s flavour and potency before trimming every bud by hand. They grow in small-batch, strain-specific rooms to ensure they give their plants the love and attention they deserve. It enables them to customize each room’s environment to meet the specific needs of each strain.
An Ontario-based premium cannabis edibles and tea company founded by Sarah Gillin and John Aird, Olli Brands, in conjunction with Adrian Niman, an award-winning chef who trained at Michelinstarred restaurants, elevates the edible category. Olli is a growing independent Canadian brand, and a first-mover in product innovation (brownies! dragon fruit chews!) who has become the country’s leader in delicious, properly dosed, infused treats.
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Because you don’t need to know a guy who knows a guy. Bringing Culture Back to Cannabis
Welcome to Little Jamaica, Cirque Du Soleil, Outdoor Winter Oasis,
Every product at Authorized Cannabis Stores across Ontario has packaging stating its cannabinoid content and goes through at least 7 quality assurance steps. Total transparency. It’s the new deal.
Find your nearest store at ocs.ca/buyinglegal
Mary Jane and The Food Factory 50,000 sq Ft, 6 Rooms, 4 Patios 30 + Experiences Live Music and DJ’s
TICKETS ARE LIMITED
Sign up at kindmagazine.ca/winter-fair to secure yours today.
Must be 19+ to enter site/store. O C T
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JO’S FLOWERS Zoë Paliare charts a path for formerly incarcerated individuals with the Field A former trial lawyer and restorative justice practitioner turned business and leadership coach, Zoë Paliare also serves as Director of Equity & Associate Performance at Cassels Brock and Blackwell LLP. This past year, Zoë launched The Field, a podcast focused on sharing the stories of formerly incarcerated individuals, and highlighting the challenges often faced as they re-enter society. Through The Field, Zoë hopes to inspire a future where returning citizens are seen for their humanity, not judged for their past. Madison Makepeace gets her story.
Madison Makepeace: Tell us about The Field and what inspired you to start this incredibly important podcast. Zoë Paliare: When I was in my 20’s, I
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worked for a non-profit in Toronto called Peacebuilders, founded by my incredible mother. One of the programs I was responsible for was based in a downtown Toronto detention center for young men who were on remand, awaiting trial. I got a first-hand look at the ways in which both our system, and we as a society, set up returning citizens to fail: we fail to provide the supports needed for people to prepare for their release, and we don’t welcome folks back with open minds and hearts.
MM: There is such a stigma attached to those who have been incarcerated, please tell us how sharing their stories is helping to end this stigma. ZP: Stigma typically exists where there is a lack of understanding, fear, and an inability to see the humanity in others. Our hope is
*If you would like to nominate a person or group doing good in the world to be featured in our Jo's Flowers column, please email editorial@kindmagazine.ca
that providing people with this access point opens minds and hearts.
MM: What programs are in place to make reentry more successful and what can we as a society do to help? ZP: First, withhold judgment. See people as human first, recognize that they are more than the worst thing they’ve ever done. Second, find the organizations that are supporting people and volunteer or donate. Contribute. Third, create meaningful opportunities for training and employment, and do so with the understanding that for people who have spent years behind bars, there may be a longer or different learning curve. Know that in providing someone with a chance, and supporting their personal growth and development, you are improving our economy, our communities, and data shows most often seeing an incredibly loyal and dedicated employee as a result.
SEVEN’S YOUR LUCKY NUMBER.
BC DOG WALKERS, NEW FROM FLOWR Premium bud, nothing else. BC Strawnana, BC Pink Kush, BC Black Cherry now available in 0.35g. Perfect for a solo sesh or enough to share. flowr.ca
To download The Field podcast, or learn more about Zoë’s work, see thefieldpodcast.com.
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© 2021 Flowr. All rights reserved. This content is intended for legal age, adult audiences only. Available formats vary by province.
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