Kush Colorado Magazine by Randy MALINOFF

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kush

colorado’s premier cannabis lifestyle magazine

42 80 features

20 This Month in Weed History

Dr. Seuss, born March 2, 1904, tackled racism, environmentalism, and fascism. Oh yeah…he wrote a few kids books too...

42 Fertile Ground

The plight of a high school student who suffers from a rare illness and his battle with school authorities to allow him access to use cannabis infused lozenges.

80 The Price of Pot

Supply and demand has taught us lessons on why cannabis prices have changed over the years.

88 Overton Loyd : The Kush Interview

The legendary P-Funk artist ﬁnally reveals the recipe to his tasty true Funk Aesthetic OG.

102 Denver Art Museum

Beautiful both inside and out, the Denver Art Museum will change the way you see art and architecture. 6

102

inside

ine

from the editors

kush

colorado’s premier cannabis lifestyle magazine

hen I think of March Madness, I reflect on the excitement each year of watching the young athletic stars of College Basketball play some of the best hoops we will see all year. The young and hungry college teams fight it out toward the end of their regular season to get a chance to play in the NCAA tournament. Some of the crazy fans like me witnessed our own Colorado Buffs upset the Texas Longhorns just a few weeks ago. In Colorado, March Madness has a completely different meaning. The “Madness” I am referring to is the potential passing of HB 1250, recently introduced with the hopes of outlawing the sale of edibles and infused products with cannabis. As stated in its summary, HB 1250 “would prohibit medical marijuana-infused consumable food and beverage product manufacturing and sale” by amending a portion of HB 1284, the state’s primary medical marijuana regulatory measure. While it is doubtful this bill will pass, it has caused quite an uproar from the medical marijuana community since so many patients rely on getting their medicine from edibles and infused products. The purpose behind the bill is to prevent confusion between products that contain cannabis and do not. Introduced by Representative Cindy Acree (R), she fears that children are gaining access to cannabis infused products

The “Madness” I am referring to is the potential passing of HB 1250, recently introduced with the hopes of outlawing the sale of edibles and infused products with cannabis. and therefore feels that an outright ban on the manufacture and sale is the only solution. This is truly an act of extremism, whereby false propaganda has been propagated by a group of legislators who believe that a complete ban is the only means of solving the problem. There are many critically ill people or persons who suffer from numerous diseases, who turn to edibles or infused cannabis products to alleviate their pain and suffering. While everyone agrees that edibles should not be enticing to children, strict standards about labeling and storage of the products can alleviate any of the issues that Acree’s proposed legislation is attempting to eradicate. On a less dramatic note, in this issue are some great March Madness recipes (for the NCAA tournament!!!) beginning on page 114 as well as an explanation of the science of bracketology on page 96. We also include each month a listing of great music coming your way (p. 110) along with an important article regarding the unfair taxation of medical cannabis dispensaries under IRC section 280E on page 66. So hopefully the only madness we all experience in March is related to great sports and not a boxing match between the politicians who feel the need to knock our already crazy world upside down. Kush Editorial Board, www.dailybuds.com

A Division of Dbdotcom LLC Publishers | Dbdotcom LLC Founder | Michael Lerner Editor | Lisa Selan Assistant Editor | Wasim Muklashy Chief Executive Officer | Bob Selan Business Development | JT Wiegman Art Director | Robb Friedman Director of International Marketing & Public Relations | Cheryl Shuman Director of Colorado Sales | Denise Mickelson Colorado Sales Manager | Christianna Lewis Advertising Sales Reps | Amanda Allen, Ed Docter, Quinn Micklewright , Charlene Moran, Kyle Ragan Designers | Avel Culpa, Marvi Khero, Joe Redmond Traffic Managers | Alex Lamitie, Kevin Johnson Ryan Renkema, Jordan Selan, Rachel Selan Distribution Manager | Alex Lamitie Contributing Writers Alex Brain, Chef Herb, Angela Ciphor, Julie Cole, Robert J. Corry, Tyler C. Davidson, Jay Evans, Valerie Fernandez, John Green, J.T. Gold, Jade Kine, Noelle Leavitt, Bud Lee, Mike Marino, Wasim Muklashy, Austin Hill Shaw, Mike Sonksen, Brian Vicente, JB Woods, Dillion Zachara, Luigi Zamarra Accounting | Dianna Bayhylle Internet Manager Dailybuds.com | Rachel Selan Dailybuds.com Team | JT Kilfoil & Houston SUBSCRIPTIONS KUSH Magazine is also available by individual subscription at the following rates: in the United States, one year 12 issues $89.00 surface mail (US Dollars only). To Subscribe mail a check for $89.00 (include your mailing address) to : DB DOT COM 24011 VENTURA BLVD. SUiTE 200 CALABASAS, CA 91302 877-623-KUSH (5874) Fax 818-223-8088 KUSH Magazine and www.dailybuds.com are Tradenames of Dbdotcom LLC. Dbbotcom LLC 24011 VENTURA BLVD. SUiTE 200 CALABASAS, CA 91302 877-623-KUSH (5874) Fax 818-223-8088 To advertise or for more information Please contact info@dailybuds.com or call 877-623-5874 Printed in the United States of America. Copyright ©2011. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reprinted or otherwise reproduced without the written written permission of Dbdotcom LLC.

SPRINGTIME IS A WONDERFUL TIME OF YEAR - THE DRUDGE OF WINTER FINALLY LIFTS ITS GRIP; ALL THAT WAS dormant comes back to life and the outdoors beckon. Unless, of course, you have spring allergies and then the season of rebirth is nothing more than a call to the medicine cabinet. Allergies are worst in the spring and for those who are sensitive to the pollen, grass and everything else that helps make springtime beautiful, it’s hard to find reason to celebrate. Thankfully, there is a natural regimen that can help lessen the agony of sinus pressure, multiple sneezing and watery eyes. Follow these tips and you’ll no longer be afraid to breathe a breath of fresh air this spring. Eat local honey. Bees collect pollen from local plants and therefore build your tolerance and immunity. Nutritionists recommend eating 1-2 teaspoons regularly before the allergy season really kicks into gear. Eat foods known to combat allergies. Onions, garlic, citrus are all known to contain natural antihistamines. Marshmallow root is a known decongestant and green tea contains antioxidants that may help your body’s reaction to allergens in general. Wash your hair. If you use any sort of product in your hair, realize that you set a trap for pollen and dust. Imagine that after a day of gel in your hair, it essentially becomes a sticky surface for all of those tiny, invisible particles to gather. Rinse, rinse, rinse. Keeping your nose free of pollen is as simple as rinsing your nostrils out with clean water. The tiny hairs that act as a filter for things like dust and pollen need to be kept clean to do their job. Prepare. If you know you’re going to be outdoors during days when the pollen count is high, take extra measures to keep yourself breathing easy. Wear natural fibers that collect less pollen and wash your hands regularly. Avoid sticky lotions on your hands that will collect everything you want to avoid. Sleep in. Pollen is at its peak in the early morning hours. Avoiding outdoor activity from 5-10 a.m is a smart way to avoid itchy eyes. The eyes have it. Allergies can blind those of us who take it right in the eye. Some people sniff, others cough, but nearly all of us tear up when our bodies are reacting to springtime pollen. Look for natural eye drops and keep one in your pocket, one in your bag, one in your car, one at your house, one at you parents’ house… Being an allergy sufferer is just a plain old drag, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy the outdoors during this spectacular time of year. If you haven’t had a skin test, it’s not a bad thing to know (what you’re allergic to). Keeping clean, eating foods with plenty of antioxidants and decongestants are a good place to start. Happy spring! Be well.

by Noelle Leavitt Driving while under the influence could have a whole new meaning for the medical marijuana community under a new law recently proposed to the Colorado General Assembly. The language in House Bill 1261, which was presented to the legislature on Feb. 14, changes the way the state handles those who drive while under the influence of marijuana, yet some are feeling a bit wary of the limits outlined in the proposed legislation. “This is a targeted bill against medical marijuana users,” said Laura Kriho, director of the Cannabis Therapy Institute - a Boulder-based organization that tracks marijuana policy. The bill states that “a person who drives with the tetrahydrocannabinols (THC) blood content of five nanograms or more” will be charged with a DUI, which is a 12 point ticket. That means if a person is pulled over by a cop and is suspected of being high on THC, then they are subject to get a blood test done at a doctors office. Rep. Claire Levy, D- Boulder drafted the nonpartisan bill with Rep. Mark Waller, R- Colorado Springs in an effort to help define the legal limit of THC allowed in the bloodstream of those driving while under the influence of marijuana. “The bill will create a per se limit of THC that a driver can have in their blood. It would just create a per se limit to bring clarity to the issue,” Levy said. “An officer has to have probable cause to stop a driver; if it’s alcohol,

they do a roadside sobriety test. They can do a breathalyzer.” She feels very strongly that the public perception of marijuana use will be more embraced if there are set standards on driving while impaired. “For the most part (reactions from the legislature) have been favorable towards the bill, but we won’t get a reaction until it goes to committee and we get a vote,” Levy told Kush Magazine. The bill will go to committee in mid-March. Yet opponents of the bill say that the law already clearly defines the legal limits for driving while impaired while under the influence of drugs and alcohol. “Our beef for the whole thing is that the arbitrary five nanogram thing has no real research behind it,” Kriho said, noting that every study that Levy has presented is inconclusive in her opinion. Levy worked the Colorado Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice and the state toxicologist at the Colorado Department of Health and Environment to determine the five nanogram limit. “I didn’t select that number myself,” Levy said. Kriho said that the state needs better roadside sobriety tests, not a blood test for determining if a person is too impaired to drive while under the influence of THC. She thinks that those who use MMJ on a regular basis will have a much higher content of THC in their bloodstream than the proposed five nanograms. “Many people that ingest cannabis for chronic pain don’t even get high from it. They’ll built up a high tolerance for it that they don’t even feel anything at all. We don’t need Claire Levy’s little nano bill to set (arbitrary) limits,” Kriho said.

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By Bud Lee

Dr. Seuss

This Month in Weed History has shed light on many historical events and focused on many great icons. This month we want to take you back - waaaaay back. And when you get there…go back even a bit further…now turn around you just might remember this blast from your past: Dr. Seuss. Yes, the Green Eggs and Ham, Cat in The Hat, How the Grinch Stole Christmas Dr. Seuss. Certain people have gifted this earth with their natural talents, others with their beauty, some with their earned intellect, and some with their whimsy. Dr. Seuss’ use of the latter helped him produce forty-four children’s books, of which there have been numerous adaptations to television, feature films, and Broadway plays. If Seuss’ characters had eluded you since childhood, you would have had to look no further than any Shakedown Street or rave party parking lot to find more than a single homage. Whether it was the Cat in the Hat, Yertle the Turtle, the Herk-Heimer Sisters, the Right-Side up Song Girls, Zizzer-Zazzer-Zuzz, Sam I am, or Bippo-No-Bungus & Bustard - this cast of characters will still keep your tongue-twisting, your imagination flowing, and your moral conscience on guard. Theodore Seuss Geisel (pen name Dr. Seuss) was born March 2, 1904, and thanks to him, many of us learned fundamental lessons through his characters and the poetic rhythm of anapestic tetrameter. While we all know Geisel as a writer, painter, and animator, what most don’t know is that Geisel’s start was through very mainstream mediums,

including creating ad campaigns for huge conglomerates such as Standard Oil, General Electric, and NBC, and serving as a political cartoonist for many major magazines. Additionally, his work for the U.S. Army led him to write Design for Death, a film that went on to win the Academy Award for Documentary Film in 1947. Dancing around heavy social and political issues like racism, environmentalism, anti-consumerism, Hitler and anti-authoritarianism, materialism, isolationism, and the arms race, Dr. Seuss never shied away from controversy. Using a pen as his sword, he may have created magical characters, still widely popular with children, and pop sub-cultures, but look close enough and you’ll notice that while Dr. Seuss’ books are warm and fun, they’re also poignant, real-life lessons that still hold up today. He was a lot deeper than first glance may convey - a cerebral activist at heart - and perhaps his work served as a way to simply the day’s toughest issues by breaking it down into digestable and entertaining formats. Something many artists in our community can relate to, and a strategy most of today’s entertainment world has embraced. Let’s just hope the original message doesn’t get lost in all the pretty colors and funny names…

Q: Rob, I am a Denver patient, for whom should I vote in the Denver Mayor election? ~ MaRy JuanIta, D-town, Co

A: MAry, it is grEAt to sEE pAtiEnts

care about who is elected, because these officials have a significant effect on your life. Five front runners in the crowded mayoral field have established positions on marijuana, and here is the straight dope on each:

Doug LinKhArt

www.douglinkhart.net

Only one candidate, Doug Linkhart, has specifically reached out to our community, and supports medical marijuana. As a Denver City Councilman, Doug has repeatedly stood up for patients’ rights, such as voting against zoning restrictions on individual patient grows. Sometimes he has been the lone voice on our side against the “Reefer Madness” zealots. He has pledged to stop wasting City resources on prosecuting people for small personal use amounts. I have known Doug for a while, and have met with him personally, and I formally endorsed him and donated to his campaign. Doug’s got the Nugs. And my vote.

Chris roMEr

www.romerformayor.com

Chris Romer firmly supports the iron fist of the State over the needs of suffering medical marijuana patients with cancer and other debilitating conditions. Romer is to partially blame for House Bill 101284 and Senate Bill 10-109, both of which harm patient access through crushing regulation. While his campaign proposes to “cut [the] red tape and make it easier to do business in Denver,” his actions are the opposite; he called many in the business “thugs and knuckleheads,” and his st ate d

26 26

goal was to put 80% of medical marijuana businesses “out of business.” Romer currently has more money and name recognition than any other candidate, but Denver voters seem to favor “the underdog” in the last three open elections, and he can’t buy our love.

MiChAEL hAnCoCK

www.hancockfordenver.com

Michael Hancock fears medical marijuana. Mr. Hancock would prefer that all dispensaries be “at least a mile away” from schools, a distance that would effectively ban all Denver dispensaries. Furthermore, Mr. Hancock opposes legalization, and subscribes to the discredited notion of marijuana as a “gateway drug.” If Mr. Hancock is elected Mayor of Denver, expect tighter security measures at Denver dispensaries and decisions based on irrational fears of crime and the corruption of children.

CAroL Boigon

www.boigonfordenver.com

Carol Boigon shares a fear of medical marijuana. On City Council, she proposed overly restrictive zoning requirements and burdensome security measures. Ms. Boigon also opposed a grandfathering clause that allows established Denver dispensaries to continue their operations. “The issue of unattended children is a big one for me,” Ms. Boigon states, even though with over 1000 dispensaries in Colorado there is not a single documented case of an unauthorized minor obtaining marijuana from a dispensary, and it is much easier for children to buy marijuana from school yard dealers than from dispensaries.

JAMEs MEJiA

www.mejiaformayor.com

James Mejia doesn’t trust medical marijuana. Mr. Mejia states that, “[t]he voters do not currently have what they voted for. There are a lot of people who have no ailments, who are getting access to marijuana.” Mr. Mejia comes from an education background, and his campaign seems centered on educational opportunities for Colorado’s youth.

BottoM LinE: rEgistEr AnD VotE, EArLy AnD oftEn. if you Don’t VotE, you CAn’t CoMpLAin. Robert J. Corry, Jr. is an Attorney licensed to practice in Colorado, California, and the District of Columbia. This column does not constitute formal legal advice, and should not relied upon as such. Please submit comments or questions to www.RobCorry.com.

28 28

by Wasim Muklashy

What do you do when you’re an accomplished war vet and the government forces you to piss on your medical benefits, a truck blows through a stop sign and smashes your wife’s car with your daughter in it, permanently injuring both of them, you lose much of the functionality in both of your legs, relegating you to a wheelchair, and you’re forced to sell your 10 acre family hobby farm to pay for it all and simply stay alive? Well…make pipes of course! Or at least that’s what Bill Edming did. On the surface, Bill is your good ol’ American boy. “I’m a native of Wisconsin and grew up on a dairy farm. I’m a hunter, fisher, a veteran and a businessman,” he proudly proclaims. Beneath the surface, he’s even more so. You see, as a result of his combat and post-combat days, he now suffers from panic attacks attributed to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, not to mention the 4 herniated discs in his back. Due to these conditions, he was relying heavily on a cocktail of pills that

34 34

would make a bartender gag. “I was taking quite a few pain pills, about 180 a month,” he expresses non-chalantly. 180 A MONTH!!! On top of that, just about 3 years ago, “my wife was on the way to see the doctor and a Seneca Foods truck blew through a stop sign and t-boned her little Pontiac Sunfire. That pretty much damaged both my wife and my daughter for the rest of their lives.” As if that wasn’t enough, it was soon after this that “my doctor retired, and my new doctor urine tested me for marijuana. She then tells me that she has to notify the police and cut my medical benefits.” With his wife out of work after the accident, and he was out of his benefits due to the test, they fell behind on the mortgage to the farm and had to sell it. At this point he began seriously considering fleeing his home state to a place where he wouldn’t be treated like an outcast or a criminal. “Wisconsin has taken the Nazi Germany stance,” he says. “They go

to the kids ‘tell on everybody. It’s better if you tell on ‘em.’ It’s the same thing Hitler did!” At the same time, “Michigan had just become legal, and I have a daughter in California and my wife’s sister in Colorado Springs, so I went on a year’s search to see what was the best state to move.” The verdict? Colorado. Now that he’s in a state where he doesn’t have to limit or hide his medical use of marijuana, “my panic attack medicine, which is Lorazepam, I don’t take anymore. I also used to take Cyclobenzaprine, which was for muscle spasms, and since being out here and using medical marijuana freely, I haven’t had to take those either. I don’t have to take any pills anymore whatsoever. Medical marijuana is alleviating all the symptoms the pills were supposed to be taking care of.” “Hopefully stories like mine will help inspire other people. Just go ahead and make that sacrifice. The quality of your life is just going to be so much better. Yeah it’s hard to leave your home, but come try it, give it a chance. You can always go back. But if you never leave, you’re never going to know the difference.” After all, knowing, and living, the difference has proved a huge relief to Edming; finally being able to come out from the shadows and use his extraordinary wood working skills to build a legitimate growing business. “I’m a full believer in let’s pay our taxes on this thing because the government can’t say no when they’re getting money in their hands.” Coming from a background where his grandparents owned a wood factory in which he spent a lot of time, Bill figured the next logical step would be to turn his talents (after all, he did once make spring loaded knives in which everything, including the springs, were made from wood) into his new work, and a new stream of income. He was going to make and sell pipes made out of wood.

Wood? Yes! But don’t knock it til you knock on it! “When I first got here (to Colorado Springs) everybody was like nobody wants wood, everybody wants glass,” Edming admits. “But now that people are seeing these and I’ve been educating the city as I sell them, I’m seeing a pick up in them. People are tired of spending 60, 70 dollars on a pipe… it’s in their lap and the bowl is full, they get out of the car and smash, on the road it goes. You can take one of my pipes, throw that sucker under a truck and do a donut on it, pick it up and still smoke it.” Is that a claim from experience we ask? “Oh yes it is!!” he responds with his burly contagious laugh. You see, the wood he uses isn’t the wood you would think or know. Chances are you’ve never even heard of them...exotic woods like snakewood, pink ivory, and ziricote, imported from places as far away as Africa and South America. “In the old hippie days,” he reminds us, “the pipes were made out of basswoods and soft woods, so when you smoke them they would burn out and you would get the taste of the woods.” But the woods Bill uses are hard to find and relatively expensive exotics. The reason? “These woods are so hard and so dense that they don’t burn up,” he explains. “It’s just like a gavel, you pass that pipe down to the next generation of family.” And they really are quite spectacular. We were surprised when they arrived to the KUSH offices and the staff was found swooning over wooden pipes. They’re unbelievably smooth and just as tough as he described. As a matter of fact, the snakewood one I managed to pry from the discerning sideways glares of the office staff has quickly become my favorite piece. Time to put aside the glass for a while. Who would have thought?

Fertile Ground is a monthly column published in KUSH Magazine highlighting the hottest state and national issues surrounding marijuana reform. This column is brought to you by Brian Vicente, the Executive Director of the advocacy group Sensible Colorado, and a partner at Vicente Consulting LLC, a Colorado medical marijuana law firm.

Imagine being diagnosed with a rare and deadly disease and being told that if you use the only medicine that helps, you will be banned from attending your public school. This nightmare scenario is the harsh reality that a 16-year-old Colorado Springs teenager faces every day. Bill Smith (name changed) suffers from a rare neurological condition called Myoclonus Diaphragmatic Flutter that causes him to undergo massive diaphragm spasms, some lasting up to 48 hours at a time. After one year of unsuccessful treatment, including substantial doses of valium and morphine and frequent hospital visits, Smith and his parents discovered that THC lozenges considerably control his attacks. To say that medical marijuana has had a positive impact on Smithâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life is to put it mildly. After not being able to attend school for a year due to his poor health, Bill, with the help of THC, is now back at high school to resume his education. Since Bill starting taking the lozenges, which were prescribed to him by two nationally recognized hospitals, his attacks have been reduced to once a week and he has not been hospitalized once for severe convulsions. The lozenges are ideal for Bill because once they work to prevent an attack, Bill can spit them out and avoid taking more than he needs.

(continued on page 44)

But it has not been easy for Bill and his family to get to this point. For weeks, Sierra High School would not allow Bill to take his lozenges while at school. Bill’s family responded by moving closer to the school so Bill could walk home to take his medication when he felt an attack coming on. The school rejected this too, arguing that Bill’s presence on campus after ingesting a lozenge constitutes “internal possession.” To justify the school’s actions, the school district cited HB 10-1284, which prohibits medical marijuana possession and use on school grounds, and committed itself to following the “letter of the law,” regardless of special circumstances. Although the school has finally agreed to permit Bill to return to campus after taking his lozenges at home to prevent his painful attacks, Bill’s father, Shan, is not satisfied. The school stated that Bill could return to campus so long as he is not disruptive and does not show signs of medical marijuana usage. However, these policies trigger plenty of confusion: Who decides what qualifies as “disruptive” behavior? What kind of retribution will Bill face should he ever show signs of being under the influence? What constitutes a “sign” in the first place? These nebulous rules only serve to augment Shan’s fear that the school’s policies will remain inconsistent and his son’s enrollment status in the school will remain uncertain. At the core of Shan’s distress is that he was forced to broadcast his family’s personal medical information to the members of the media in order to apply pressure to get Bill back in school. According to Shan, this issue should have remained private between his family and a few members of the school’s administration. Shan’s goal from this experience is to “educate the educators.” For his son, medical marijuana is a rescue medication. It is the only medicine that controls Bill’s convulsions so that he can attend class every day. The lozenges are

odorless and subtle. From a practical standpoint, Shan questions why the school district allowed Bill to go to class on high doses of Valium and morphine, which impede his son’s ability to learn, while it prohibits medical marijuana, which does nothing to hinder Bill’s educational experience. Like many Coloradans who are just now learning about medical marijuana, Shan laments not getting involved in the movement earlier. Up until medical marijuana “rescued” his son and afforded Bill the ability to attend high school again, Shan “didn’t pay attention to the rules and regulations [that the Colorado legislature imposes on the medical marijuana industry]” to see how they can negatively affect severely sick people, like his son. Ultimately, Shan wants medical marijuana to be treated like any other prescription drug. He also hopes that the school district as well as the Colorado legislature, come to their senses about the valuable and rational effect medical marijuana has had on his son, who can now resume his life as a normal high school student. Since 2004, the non-profit Sensible Colorado has been working on behalf of medical marijuana patients and their providers. Learn more at: www.SensibleColorado.org

Living Well

Spring is springing and other than January 2nd, it’s probably the time of year when health clubs and gyms see their highest spike in new memberships. Everyone wants to look and feel their best for the warm months when every day is an invitation to play outside, have a barbecue, hit the beach or lakes and go for long walks or bike rides. Getting in better shape or losing some extra winter baggage doesn’t have to be routine, dull or painful. Remember when you were a kid and could play for hours and even though you were getting a ton of exercise, none of it felt like “working out”? Those days were glorious. There was no such thing as body fat or calories burned—just play. So why do we as adults, join gyms an stare at a television screen or wall while running nowhere on a treadmill when we could actually enjoy our time by getting back to basics and just playing? I’m not saying that the gym is a bad thing—not at all. But for those of you who need a little more action and camaraderie, the recreational sports league might be just the thing to start your spring off right. Nearly every city has a parks and recreations department and you can almost always find them by locating your city’s website and searching for “parks and rec”. Depending on the size of your population, you should be able to locate a league either in or near where you live without problem. One thing to note is that leagues of all kinds tend to fill up quickly, so even though it’s March, it’s a good idea to start researching summer programs now. You can essentially find any group to perform any sort of athletic activity with through parks and rec. On one quick search for “spring activities’ on my town’s site and I discovered: flag football, softball, tennis, swimming, diving, golf, sailing, Frisbee golf, hiking, walking, jogging, squash and even table tennis. Whatever your interest may be, there is something to do and like-minded people who want to do it with you. If it’s been a while since you part of any sort of team, then you probably miss it but just don’t realize it. I was asked to sub for a co-ed softball league that was mostly comprised of very enthusiastic finance guys from a Japanese electronics company. It turns out that they have been playing rec-league softball together for 4 years. Their record to date at the time of my joining was 1-48. That record encompasses all that is wonderful about rec-league sports. Unless you really care, the whole point is to have fun, be on a team, get some exercise and relax. I promise you that the 1-48 softball team went out for beers after every game and enjoyed the heck out of it. It’s not whether you win, or even how you play the game if you don’t play at all. So put this magazine down and log on now to find your next recreational adventure.

ON ONE QUICK SEARCH FOR “SPRING ACTIVITIES” ON MY TOWN’S SITE AND I DISCOVERED: FLAG FOOTBALL,

FRISBEE GOLF,

SOFTBALL,

HIKING,

TENNIS,

WALKING,

SWIMMING,

JOGGING,

DIVING,

QUASH

GOLF,

AND EVEN TABLE

SAILING,

TENNIS.

Pink Lady is anything but a girlie girl strain. This hybrid indica dominant beauty, is vibrant before harvest with effervescent pink threads. When the buds are harvested and dried, the pink threads turn amber and lavender in color. The trichomes are rich and dense and hence, quite inviting, and waiting to be released. Genetically, it is a cross between Black Cherry Soda and Space Queen. When I showed up to my dispensary to pick up my medicine, they had just received Pink Lady, and I knew right away that I had to give her a shot. When I first smelled this strain, it was fresh, fruity, and very mellow, an aroma similar to that of a forest after a fresh rainfall, or a stroll through a farmer’s market in the early morning dew…definitely not skunky and overpowering. The taste is fruity and buttery at the same time with a satisfying pungency on the inhale and a rich finish on the exhale. It kind of tastes like you’re smoking fruit punch. Its medicinal effects are almost immediate and I could feel it first around the eyes before the clear head high took over. While the effects were definitely more concentrated in the head, within 20 minutes, my body was totally relaxed physically. I barely smoked half a joint and didn’t feel the need to inhale any more. The only side effect is that it’s a bit heavy on cottonmouth. This is definitely a great strain for relieving anxiety, and since it is a hybrid indica dominant strain, it definitely is a relaxing high similar to most Kush highs. I felt I could listen to music and relax, but I could also focus and be productive which must come from the 30% sativa portion of the strain. The high lasted around two hours with a short body high turning more into a head high that lasted until the effects began to dissipate. One thing I did notice was the lack of munchies. Food didn’t even really cross my mind while I was under her spell. If you are one of those lucky enough to pick up Pink Lady at your local dispensary, you should definitely do so, for she’s one high class, top shelf flower.

QUESTION: HELP! I THINK I MAY HAVE PROBLEMS WITH BUGS. I DON’T SEE ANY BUT I AM NOT SURE. WHAT SHOULD I BE LOOKING FOR? - ROWDY WILLEM / LAKEWOOD, CO

Buckie: These guys are near impossible to get rid of (ever) and can ruin a full crop at hyper speed if left alone. As they scrape at your plant, fan leaves begin to appear as if they’ve been lightly brushed with dull silver paint, sometimes resembling snail trails. These little buggers are small and hard to notice but you can also inspect your plants for small black specs (poop). An adult can resemble a small wooden sliver but will fly when agitated, appearing as small dust particles floating. If you see any of these signs, scope your plants to investigate further. If you find thrips or their larvae, invest in some thrip munching bugs (GOODBUG.COM). They’ll gladly devour thrips while you reset your grow. Spider Mites: They must be from Transylvania because of their love for sucking the life out of your plants. They may be difficult to see with the naked eye, but it’s easy to spot what they’ve been munching on. Look for tiny yellow and white spots on both sides of the leaves. They track along the veins on the underside of the leaves, creating a fairly linear pattern while ruining your day. Spider mites may leave minuscule webs (larger if unattended) that will trap visible beads of water when sprayed. Scope to investigate further. If you see little plump see-thru to black spots moving- you’re probably looking at mites (or tiny aliens). White flies: You can see these just by shaking your plants around a bit. These little guys wouldn’t be so bad if they didn’t carry diseases that can harm your crop. Like mites, white flies penetrate the underside of the leaves to leech fluid from your plants. White spots on the top of the plant may indicate a white fly infestation, however, it is easy to see the flies with the naked eye. If you’re having a problem with these tiny pests, you can release some ichneumon flies 2-4 times a month until they’ve eaten up the unwelcome white flies. If you’ve experienced problems with any of these pests, it is reckless not to treat your plants in one fashion or another. While it may appear that you have cleared an infestation, many of these pests do not just disappear. If you choose to use a pesticide, it is important to be careful and use only as directed by the manufacturer. As a medicinal marijuana provider, it is crucial to maintain a high standard of cleanliness in order to provide nothing less than medicinal grade cannabis. If you have used a pesticide there may be residual harmful pesticides left on your patients’ meds. A simple pesticide test will determine if the crop is safe to harvest.

“Doesn’t it get hot?” were my first thoughts when looking at the all steel pipe from Model 419. Heat and taste have been two major problems faced by manufactures who venture away from more traditional smoking devices and into metallic territory. However, Model 419 seems to have addressed both issues with high-quality materials and a unique design. The pipe is made in the USA out of 100% stainless steel, which is corrosion resistant. It also is polished by hand, with a high luster and will not discolor or lose its shine with continued use. Stainless steel has a high rate of heat absorption and the configuration of the pipe captures most of the heat when lit in its central heat sink, keeping the outside of the pipe and fingers cool. As smoke is drawn through the pipe, a four-stage filtration process cools and cleans the smoke circulating it through a series of intricately engineered ports and chambers to remove particles and debris before inhaling through the mouthpiece. Model 419 might look compact but has a generous bowl that delivers a uniform burn so nothing is wasted. They manufacture the pipe with precision so the parts create a perfect seal with no need for rubber o-rings or extra parts to purchvase.

THEIR WEBSITE SETS FORTH THE FOUR STAGES OF HOW THE FILTRATION CHAMBER WORKS: STAGE 1: The smoke is pulled down from the bowl and circulated through helical ports, which spins it into the first collection chamber. Here larger particles and debris collect on the chamber’s walls. STAGE 2: The smoke speeds up as it is drawn through parallel ports. Here, more debris is collected from the air while the increased air speed helps keep the ports from plugging.

STAGE 3: The smoke passes into a second chamber where it slows down to pass through a stainless steel micron filter. This filter is fine enough to stop particles the size of pollen and large coal dust. STAGE 4: The smoke passes through a third chamber before traveling up the mouthpiece. Here you should see a fine film of residue from the smoke collecting. The result is a cool, smooth, clean hit. There is a noticeable difference smoking out of the Model 419 steel pipe, though it is not off-putting and many users will likely come to prefer the features offered and how smooth it is compared to other pipes. Cleaning is easy requiring only a cloth and warm water as long as you keep track of all the individual parts. Overall, the Model 418 is a pretty cool pipe and provides an enjoyable smoking experience. More information can be found about where to buy, the design, and the filtration and cooling process online at www.model419.com

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by LUIGI ZAMARRA, CPA

In the past several years, public opinion regarding the medical use of cannabis has been changing rapidly. So far, 14 states and the District of Columbia have passed legislation legalizing the dispensing of cannabis for medical purposes and, according to Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), a non-profit policy think-tank, 17 additional states recognize the medical value of cannabis, some of which are considering legislation to allow dispensaries themselves. However, the Internal Revenue Code has yet to be amended to recognize the legitimacy of medical cannabis dispensaries, in large part because cannabis, or marijuana, continues to be treated as a controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act, a federal law passed in 1970. As a result, Internal Revenue Code Section 280E disallows claiming otherwise completely legitimate business expenses that are incurred in a trade or business, simply because the business is associated with medical marijuana.

history of irC section 280E IRC Section 280E was enacted in 1982 during the Reagan administration, long before the general public understood the medicinal value of cannabis. It was enacted largely in response

to public reaction to the Tax Court case of Edmondson v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo 1981-623. The Tax Court ruled in this case that the taxpayer could deduct his telephone, automobile and other business expenses because they were “ordinary and necessary expenses incurred in connection with the taxpayer’s trade or business” of selling illegal drugs. In fact, although the IRS challenged the amount of the expenses, it did not challenge the principal that such amounts were deductible. Congress caught wind of this case and enacted IRC Section 280E in response. In the legislative history the Senate Finance Committee noted that: “On public policy grounds, the Code makes certain otherwise ordinary and necessary expenses incurred in a trade or business nondeductible in computing taxable income. These nondeductible expenses include fines, illegal bribes and kickbacks, and certain other illegal payments.” The report went on, “There is a sharply defined public policy against drug dealing...such deductions must be disallowed on public policy grounds.” Thus, it seems clear that Section 280E was enacted based upon public policy concerns at that time. Well, public opinion changes over time.

Changing public opinion California passed Proposition 215 in 1996. Since then more than a dozen other states have passed similar legislation to legalize medical cannabis dispensaries. Even the larger business community now recognizes the legitimacy of this new industry (see Fortune Magazine, “Is Pot Already Legal?” September 28, 2009.) There are similar movements afoot in many countries around the world. The larger public has learned to differentiate, and it no longer lumps medical cannabis together in the same basket with cocaine and heroin usage. Few people dare to maintain the untenable position that cannabis has more detrimental social effects than alcohol. Public opinion regarding the medical use of cannabis is rapidly changing. The Internal Revenue Service has begun to audit the tax returns of cannabis dispensaries that are legally operating under state laws. They are aggressively applying Section 280E to disallow many ordinary and necessary business expenses. While changes to the tax law lag behind changes made by business enterprises and changes in public opinion, the tax law usually does eventually catch up. Now is the time to amend Section 280E.

federal internal revenue Code should remain neutral Under the federal Controlled Substances Act, cannabis is a Schedule I controlled substance, even though it may be medically recommended by a physician to benefit the health of the user. Thus, the federal law continues to assert a position that contradicts state law, at least with respect to the 14 states that have enacted medical cannabis legislation. Although the Supreme Court has supported this position (See U.S. v. Oakland Cannabis Buyers’ Coop., 532 U.S. 483 (2001)), it continues to be the subject of debate among theorists on Constitutional law. It cannot be denied that the Internal Revenue Code is federal income tax law. However, does this give the federal government the right to disallow valid business expenses to medical cannabis dispensaries that are operating legally under state law? That is just too “back door.” If the federal government wants to fight the medical use of cannabis, it should do so via the Controlled Substances Act and face-off against the states in criminal court.

It should not use IRC Section 280E to punish dispensaries with a hidden “fine.” The Internal Revenue Code should remain neutral, and provide fair rules for taxpayers that are operating legally and legitimately. There should be an exception to the application of IRC Section 280E for any medical cannabis dispensary that is operating legally under state law. This change is clearly supported by the interplay between the legislative history of Section 280E and the change in public opinion that has transpired since its enactment.

to Change Administratively or Legislatively?

It is not clear if this change could be made administratively. But even if it can be, it appears the IRS, the only party empowered to make this change this way, might be unwilling to do so, given the gusto with which it has wielded Section 280E against dispensaries under examination. Thus, it seems that this “technical correction” (a term-of-art used by tax professionals for a change in the tax law that is necessitated by changes in industry that have transpired since enactment of the original tax law) will need to be made legislatively. Making this change to IRC Section 280E is the right thing to do. Medical cannabis dispensaries are legal and legitimate businesses; they are good corporate citizens who pay significant amounts of taxes to local and state governments as well (governments that have begun to depend upon these revenues). It is only fair that they be entitled to the same business deductions as other taxpayers. Denying them deductions because of public policy concerns does not comport well with favorable current (although recently changed) public opinion concerning medical cannabis. Luigi Zamarra, CPA is the Chief Financial Officer of Harborside Health Center, recognized as one of the largest medical cannabis dispensaries in the United States. He has a BS in Commerce and an MS in Accounting from the University of Virginia. He worked with the Big 4 accounting firms for twelve years, rising to the position of Director at PricewaterhouseCoopers, before starting to work with regional businesses as a public accountant in San Francisco. Luigi now lives and works in Oakland, CA. He can be reached at luigi.zamarra@ harborsidehealthcenter.com

Mary Lynn Mathre Patients Out of Time as an entity is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to educating health care professionals and the public about the therapeutic use of cannabis. Founded in 1995, this organization was born out of a sense of urgency to end the unjust and unfounded cannabis prohibition that was causing great harm to patients. I’d like to describe a few key events that led to the creation of Patients Out of Time so you can understand the urgency of our mission as well. The Controlled Substance Act of 1970 was passed to regulate

did have therapeutic value. The DEA used its power to prevent or stall any formal consideration of the petition. A few years after the petition was filed a glaucoma patient by the name of Robert (Bob) Randall had discovered that the use of marijuana could reduce the high intraocular pressure that was causing him to go blind. The reader is encouraged to read Bob’s autobiography, but here’s a quick review of what happened next: He was busted for growing a few plants in DC; he took part in a clinical trial at Stanford University demonstrating the efficacy of

Patients Out Of time: Who Are They?

psychoactive drugs and gave the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) the power to enforce these regulations. The act created five levels or Schedules to indicate the potential health risks of various drugs. Schedule I is the most restrictive category and a drug has to meet 3 criteria to belong in that category: not safe for medical use, has no therapeutic value, and is highly addictive. Marijuana was wrongfully placed in Schedule I (along with heroin and LSD) and the penalties for growing, possessing, consuming or distributing marijuana could be severe. The National Organization for the Reform of the Marijuana Laws (NORML) was founded in 1970 because of the harsh penalties given to casual users of marijuana. At that time it was possible to get a life sentence in prison for possessing as much as a few joints in some states. Also around that time chemotherapy was a developing new treatment to fight cancer and the medicine was quite toxic to the body causing extreme nausea and vomiting. Some patients discovered that marijuana could stop the nausea and increase their appetite. NORML initiated a legal petition to the DEA to remove marijuana from Schedule I and down-regulate it to Schedule II by demonstrating that it was safe and

marijuana for his glaucoma, and found a great pro bono law firm who won his case with a medical necessity defense. His lawyers were then able to get him into what was called the Compassionate Investigational New Drug Program (IND) that allowed him to receive free legal medical marijuana grown and supplied by the federal government. In 1978 Bob was the only person in the U.S. who could legally use marijuana as medicine. In his research he learned that cannabis was a popular medicine before the “reefer madness” campaign in the 1930s that ultimately resulted in the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937. He could not remain silent knowing that other patients could benefit from this medicine so he and his wife Alice O’Leary started the Alliance for Cannabis Therapeutics (ACT). Their goal was to educate the public about the therapeutic value of cannabis and help other patients gain access to this medicine. ACT joined NORML in the petition to the DEA. Finally in 1988, the DEA’s Administrative Law Judge, Francis Young, reached his decision that cannabis should be moved to Schedule II so that physicians could prescribe it. But, the Director of the DEA, John Lawn, decided to ignore the Judge’s ruling and refused to remove marijuana from Schedule I. Bob and Alice continued their work with ACT and by 1990 there were 5 patients receiving their medicine from the federal government. They were: Robert Randall (glaucoma), Irvin Rosenfeld (multiple congenital cartilaginous exostosis), Elvy Musikka (glaucoma),

(continued on page 72)

Millet (glaucoma) and George McMahon (nail-patella syndrome). By this time my husband, Al Byrne and I were on the Board of Directors of NORML and were on the planning committee for the 1990 NORML conference. I wanted to have a panel presentation by these 5 patients to let others know about the Compassionate IND program. The patient panel was a huge success and to top it off, C-SPAN had filmed the program and showed it repeatedly on their network. Needless to say, this created an avalanche of applications for IND access to cannabis, most of which were for HIV/AIDS patients. And this was no easy task. First the patient had to find a physician willing to apply for a Schedule I license and complete the tedious application. The application went to the FDA to approve the protocol, the DEA investigated the physician, patient and the patient’s family for security purposes and to warn against any diversion, and the patient received the medicine in canisters containing 300 rolled cannabis cigarettes that were grown and processed under the National Institute on Drug Abuse’s (NIDA) control. By 1992, the FDA was flooded with applications for medical marijuana. Rather than acknowledge that there was a real need for this program, the federal government decided to close the only legal access to cannabis. Fifteen patients were already in the program and they would continue to receive their medicine. However, more than 30 new patients were approved and hundreds of applications were awaiting review, when our federal government told them the program was closed and they would not have access to this medicine. Al and I knew eight of the 15 patients left in the program and the seven others remained anonymous. In addition to the first five patients we also got to know Barbara Douglass, an MS patient from Iowa. Barbara learned about the use of cannabis from another MS patient named Ladd Huffman. She read about him in the paper when he was arrested for marijuana possession. Barbara contacted him as a fellow patient and as she proceeded to tell him that he shouldn’t be doing drugs, he informed her that it was his medicine. Both of them had applied for the IND access, but her family was well connected with their state legislators while Ladd had an arrest record. Barbara was allowed into the program fairly quickly, but Ladd was one of those whose application was approved, but he hadn’t been issued any medicine by the time the program was closed. So Barbara is legal, but her friend Ladd still has no legal access to his medicine. Two other IND patients who we met were Kenny and Barbra Jenks. Kenny was a hemophiliac and became HIV positive after

receiving HIV contaminated blood products to treat his disease. He then unknowingly infected his wife and both of them developed AIDS. They were very sick and losing weight when someone in their support group suggested that they try marijuana. Kenny tried it first and he no longer needed the waste bin at his bedside for vomiting. Instead he was able to eat and care for Barbra who, after seeing the improvement in Kenny, began using it as well. They got caught using it in their home state of Florida and were found guilty in court. The judge realized how sick they were so he sentenced them to community service - to care for each other. Kenny and Barbra got into the IND program before it closed and like the other patients, they had the help and guidance with the application process from ACT. Despite his illness, Kenny began attending AIDS conferences and would distribute information about ACT and the IND access to cannabis. He was threatened by the DEA to keep quiet or he would be kicked out of the program. Kenny had no fear of the DEA, he was dying and he was on a mission to help others. Now let’s move forward to 1995. By this time, Kenny and Barbra had passed away and Bob and Corinne’s health were failing. It began to seem obvious that the government was just waiting for the rest of the IND patients to die so it wouldn’t have to admit that the federal government actually supplied medical marijuana to a handful of patients yet continued to prohibit it from other patients by keeping it in Schedule I. Something had to be done. Patients needed this medicine. Al and I believed that health care professionals and patients needed to move this issue forward, so we decided to form a nonprofit organization that would focus only on medicinal cannabis. While playing with the acronym of POT, Al came up with Patients Out of Time and we instantly knew we had the right name. As the name implies, suffering patients who can benefit from medicinal cannabis need legal access to this medicine now. They do not have the luxury of waiting for years of clinical trials to prove that cannabis has medicinal value. They are patients out of time. Visit our website - www.medicalcannabis.com - and learn about the science behind cannabis and help support all patients out of time. Mary Lynn Mathre, RN, MSN, CARN is President and Cofounder of Patients Out of Time. She is a qualified cannabis expert and the editor of Cannabis in Medical Practice: A Legal, Historical, and Pharmacological Overview of the Therapeutic Use of Cannabis and co-editor of Women and Cannabis: Medicine, Science and Sociology.

Welcome once again, my faithful ﬂoral facilitators! This month I will explore the hows and whys of organic gardening, be it for medicinal cultivation or just rockin’ some killer tomatoes on the back porch. There is no shortage of hype about organics these days- my favorite is the assertion that organic corn makes better ethanol to run your car! (umm no, not exactly…) On the plus side, there is quite a bit of emerging research out there that organic farming, whether on a large or small scale, can be even more productive than we once thought. First, some of the hype; organic farming will save the world through reducing nasty chemicals sprayed on our food supply. Lots of truth to that, but also some hype- after all, just because a substance is organic does not mean that it is automatically safe or nontoxic. Just ask Socrates about his organic hemlock… Also, even organic fertilizers can cause nutrient rich runoff that damages soil and surface water, causes unhealthy algae blooms and poisons groundwater. Hog farmers and cattle feedlot owners, among others, constantly have to deal with this problem. Another hyped idea (by those opposed to organics) is that you can’t treat insect, fungal or microbial infestations organically. NOT true! Turns out there are plenty of organic repellants and pesticides out there including my favorite, pyrethrum sprays. Very effective against spider mites, this spray can be manufactured from plant sources and in fact growing garlic or marigolds (a member of the pyrethrum family) around the perimeter of your garden signiﬁcantly reduces pests. Now, on to some of the research being done. It turns out that many of those microbes in the soil that people used to either ignore or attempt to eradicate

are extremely helpful to the process of growing plants in ways science is just beginning to discover. For instance, some microbes are very helpful in assisting nutrient take up through the plant’s root system, in some cases even manufacturing nutrients or breaking down substances into forms the plant can use. Fungi known as micorrhizae actually act as root system extenders to help your plants take up nutrients faster without having to grow more roots themselves. Others eat old, dead roots and thereby allow the plant to regenerate itself, a process that happens continually, even in healthy plants that live 90 days or less… Still more of them assist in buffering the soil or water medium, helping stabilize pH, eating harmful organisms and again, making more nutrients available right where the plant needs them. Who knew? I wholeheartedly encourage you, no matter what your growing situation, to ‘go organic’, not only because of its sustainability and all the above advantages, but also simply because of an idea so obvious I don’t hear people mention it- the fact that these microbes and plants evolved together, symbiotically, and that attempts to enforce a ‘divorce’ lead to reduced productivity, less vigor, and increased susceptibility to infestation and disease. The best advice on what to use for your speciﬁc situation can be found wherever organic supplies are sold or on the internet. Remember that the ultimate goal of organics is to create ideal conditions for your plants- AND for the little microbes in your growing medium who are working so hard to help you out! That’s it for this month, so happy growing! As always, any comments or questions can be sent to my email address and I’ll be happy to answer them! indoorcultivationconsulting@gmail.com

GROWERS GROVE

The Cannabis Movement is at an economic turning point. Shifts in politics and local regulations have created a massive influx of new growers and new dispensaries in recent years and a new generation of Cannabis consumers has evolved as well. These new consumers who came to know Cannabis through medical Cannabis dispensaries in the last 5 years have always known a market represented by storefront Cannabis shops, a wide selection of Cannabis products and relatively low prices. For those of us that have seen the transition from the days of simply knowing “some guy” who had weed and the now flooded market of the “green rush”, it’s important to note what has changed and, perhaps more importantly, what hasn’t changed. Some economic principles are timeless and some overhead is fixed. As the old saying goes, “It’s not about what you spend, it’s about what it costs you”. Well, what we’ve spent is less and less. What it’s costing us is both quality and genetic diversity. To discuss it plainly in terms of current market trends will undoubtedly irk a wide variety of people in the Cannabis industry. Still, my loyalties have always been to the plant itself and I’m not going to hesitate to call out anybody who is taking advantage of the plant or the growers. For now, let’s take a look at the last 10 years of Cannabis evolution from a totally different perspective. Sit back and take a few tokes, because we’re about to take a journey through the last decade – not through the eyes of the consumer or the dispensary or the grower, but from the perspective of the pot itself.

Life as a Pound of Pot: Looking Back at a Decade of Getting Smoked Imagine, for our purposes here, that you’re a pound of wholesale marijuana in California in the year 2000. You live in a quaint, one room turkey bag with a constantly changing view. It’s a very exciting time and place to be a pound of wholesale marijuana. It’s a time of acceptance and love. Everyone wants you and there is never enough of you to go around. You may be lighter or heavier, from good genetics or common genetics, but no matter what type of pound you are – you will fetch a good price. But the odds are – you’re either very good or excellent. You’ve most likely been raised by a grower that has been growing for many years, since most of the Cannabis on the market at this time comes from experienced growers. Up until recently, you’ve found your final 80 80

retail home in the smoky living room of Mr. Some Guy. You’d go directly from the grower that raised you to Some Guy’s house. Some Guy would pay between $3500 – 4500 for you and then introduce you to lots of people who you would all make very happy. Your final retail price was typically between $50 and $60 per eighth depending on how late in the evening the consumer called Some Guy looking for a hook up. But as times moved forward, your turkey bag traveled to storefront Cannabis cooperatives – we’ll call them “Cannabis Stores” for economic simplicity. The view was slightly different, but similar. No matter what your quality level, there was a home for you somewhere on the menu. When you looked your best and made people very happy, you still were valued at $4000+ per pound. There weren’t very many of these retail places yet, and because of that, you could still be valued according to the former market’s economics. Despite the fact that the Cannabis Stores had many more costs associated with them – labor, security, rent, legal fees, etc. - You still sold for your normal price of $50 – 60. The consumers were happier with you than ever. Not only could they now get a variety of Cannabis, they could get it legally, in a safe environment, from knowledgeable staff, during regular store hours. Best of all, consumers didn’t even have to pay more for these costly features. Because the Cannabis Store could offer a better business than Mr. Some Guy, they could turn over more product faster and absorb the extra overhead costs in the process. Now let’s fast forward to about 2007. The so called “Green Rush” explodes onto the scene. Even before president Obama was elected, there was a major surge in Cannabis Stores in California. Perhaps it was excitement for the end of the Bush dynasty and its anti- medical marijuana policies. Or maybe the exponential growth was inevitable and simply exploded because the movement crossed some critical threshold of social acceptance. Whatever the reason, the number of Cannabis Stores started to grow rapidly. Then the Obama Administration’s Attorney General, Eric Holder, expressed the administration’s reluctance to prosecute Cannabis businesses that were “unambiguously in compliance with state law”. The number of Cannabis Stores skyrocketed. The only thing that multiplied faster than the Cannabis Stores during this time was pounds of marijuana, just like you. Well, maybe not just like you. (continued on page 82)

Many of the new pounds on the market were now coming from new growers. In many instances, they learned how to grow from other beginner growers who had barely started to get the hang of Cannabis growing when they started to teach their friends. The new pounds of Cannabis in the market look somewhat similar to other pounds, but now they often smoke harsh and are less potent – mere sub-par doppelgangers of the real deal. Despite the fact that you were a difficult but prized variety of Cannabis to grow and are of a higher quality than other pounds on the market, your value has now started its freefall. Over the coming few years, the price of wholesale Cannabis pounds like you will plummet. For many varieties other than a few high-yield hybrids, the prices will drop below the point where it is feasible to grow them. Sadly, the genetics at this time represent a peak in the diversity of excellent Cannabis varieties and many of them have been disappearing like rainforests. Newer growers eager to establish themselves in the market start to turn over low quality Cannabis for rock bottom prices. They grow only high yielding varieties or designer varieties (especially purples) and the new consumers in the market who have never seen high quality Cannabis start to believe that the “top shelf” of the Cannabis Stores is actually the highest quality level that can be obtained in the market. In addition, lower quality pounds now find a home before you do because you are the wrong color. But these new consumers in the market don’t just judge you by your color. Perhaps you’re a Sativa. Long flowering, lower yielding Sativas are now largely a thing of the past in most medical Cannabis markets. Replaced by short flowering hybrids with only slight Sativa characteristics, these outstanding Sativa plants produced flowers that are amazingly potent with lots of cerebral characteristics but were loose and airy in their structure. What was once known as the most exquisite of Cannabis experiences is now simply pot that looks “too spindly” to many Cannabis buyers - some of whom have little clue what less common forms of Cannabis look like. Sadly, some young buyers have never even seen real 12 week Sativas because the growers simply don’t work with those varieties anymore. Displaced by an increasingly ignorant market, many of these outstanding Sativa genetics are being lost to the world despite the many years of breeding and care put into developing them. Throughout history, humans have payed the price for decreasing the genetic diversity of plants. In a particularly dramatic example, reliance on one variety of potato in Ireland led to the devastating famine that changed the course of both Irish and American history.

The Market Value of Risk There’s a common belief that the current price of Cannabis is comprised mostly of compensation for the risk taken to grow it where it’s prohibited. The assumption then follows that if Cannabis is legalized, the price will drop drastically. The amount of the price drop has been widely debated in the last year as California approached a vote on legalization. The RAND Corporation, a former cold war think tank that now does analysis of social issues, came in with an extreme low prediction of $38 per ounce. Now, they did say it 8282

would be difficult to predict. One thing that is not difficult for me to predict is the fact that if there were $38 ounces, they would definitely not be a high quality medicine. That’s just a fact. You might get some mid grade commercial outdoor for that price, but no fine, controlled environment product will sell for $40 an ounce anytime soon even if we do legalize it. I mean, not unless the cost of all resources and materials also suddenly decreases. Cannabis gardens require a considerable amount of resources to produce good medicine: labor, hardware, energy to name just a few. In the last decade, the price of metal, plastics, fuel, electricity and just about every other tangible resource commodity has increased in price. The wholesale price of Cannabis, however, has dropped dramatically and the profit margin on growing Cannabis, once imagined to be quite lucrative, has been crushed between rising costs and falling wholesale prices. For consumers, the retail price has stayed relatively stable, but the availability, selection and ease of acquisition have all gotten much better than the days of the black market. Despite these major improvements in the Cannabis industry, the consumers still pay the same amount for pot today as they did 10 years ago despite the overhead of storefronts now used to sell Cannabis. While compensation for risk is also part of the price, I think the price of physical resources and other self limiting factors will hold the price of medical grade Cannabis at values far above $38 an ounce, even in a legal environment. The idea that most of the price of marijuana is simply a fat layer of profit over a small amount of production cost is typically what non-growers imagine when they think of a pot grower. In fact, this is one of the fundamental assumptions that have fueled the demise of whatever margin the grower did have.

Everybody Wants a Piece of the Grower’s Pie Over the last decade, one of the biggest misconceptions of the Cannabis industry is that Cannabis growers are wealthy by virtue of their trade. The idea is that the producers of Cannabis get their Cannabis essentially “for free” and bask in the easily obtained financial rewards of an extremely profitable crop. Having been a part of many gardens over the years for large medical marijuana dispensary chains, underground growers and my own head stash alike, I can tell you this idea of the wealthy pot grower is now largely a story from the past and there’s a lot more work involved in good medicine than you might imagine. Outdoor growers can still enjoy a wider margin than indoor growers, but in the current market, there is less margin than ever before for growers across the board. Over the last decade, the wealthy pot grower fable has spurred a massive influx of pot profiteers disguised as entrepreneurs that have flooded into the industry all looking for a piece of the grower’s margin. It started with the explosion of the hydroponics/indoor gardening industry – many manufacturers of hydro products increased their consumable product lines like nutrients and additives. The less scrupulous ones told growers they need to use 20 different bottles on every watering, hiked the prices, watered down the products, and increased the application rates. Plus, growers were told they’d need lots of high-tech, expensive gear if they wanted a good crop. No one was sponsoring information on

do-it-yourself gardens or cost-effective methods to grow safe and potent medicine. With every grower and every product, the basic selling point always seemed to be some version of “You need it.” And lots of growers have been swept up in the overwhelming consumerism of the hydro industry ever since. But it’s not like the hydro industry was the only one gobbling up the grower’s margin. The rise of the modern Cannabis store has been built on the grower’s margin, not a passed along price increase. Again, consumers who once paid $50 - $60 per eighth of Cannabis from Some Guy where they had little if any selection, no security, no regular store hours, no staff to support them are still only paying $50 – 60 per eighth. Despite the massive drop in wholesale prices, retail prices have changed very little. In essence, the growers have directly sponsored the rise and continued existence of dispensaries, since they have sacrificed much of their margin in order to sell to legitimate dispensaries in the hopes that it would also mean lower risk. This can be beneficial to the growers in many cases, but only if the decrease in margin is proportional to the decrease in risk. Even the doctors have started to get in on their piece of the grower’s margin. Doctors, who live comparably riskfree existences compared to growers have begun to sell expensive “grower’s licenses” to new patients who aren’t yet aware of the fact that there is no such thing as a “grower’s license”. This product is one of fantasy, with no legitimate basis for its existence. Let me make this very clear: if you are a legitimate medical Cannabis patient with a doctor’s recommendation, you have the legal right to grow your own Cannabis. You do not need to buy a “grower’s license”. In addition to this, in California, a state supreme court case found that plant number limitations are unconstitutional. (Just google “Kelly Case Marijuana California” for more info.) That means that while there are terms used like “reasonable amount for the patients needs” to define the amount people could grow; there is no specific number that you are or are not allowed to grow. (The only consensus is to definitely stay under 100 plants per growing site to reduce the risk of federal prosecution which typically only occurs at levels of 100 plants or more.)

so the judge will recognize the severity of your ailment and your patient status without question. However, if the judge sees that your “grower’s certificate” was generated at some place that simply advertises and sells these products for a hefty fee, then it’s not worth the paper it’s written on and loses all legitimacy. Exploiting a loophole in such an obvious and flagrant manner is bad for the image of medical Cannabis. Not to mention it directly takes advantage of a legal exemption that was put there to ease the suffering of seriously ill patients. When people exploit these exemptions, the entire medical Cannabis community suffers and we risk losing important legal exemptions like this one because of these irresponsible abuses. New growers are better off investing those several hundred dollars in their gardens to grow better medicine. In Part 2 of this no-holds-barred look at the price of pot, we’re going to delve deeper into the shifting economic landscape of Cannabis, both in the medical Cannabis market and in the re-surging underground market. Crop-specific limiting factors that influence the economy of scale will be discussed in relation to the recent “mega-farm” prospects. We’re also going to take a closer look at the Green Rush and some more of it’s unfortunate side effects for both growers and consumers. To cap it off, we’ll dissect what really goes into those pounds of premium Cannabis. What’s inside might just surprise you. All this and more next month – the inside stories you can only find here in the Grower’s Grove.

Jade Kine Growers Grove writer Jade Kine is a former greenhouse manager for the medical Cannabis industry with over a million plants worth of experience. He is also the founder of CannAcademy, a trade school dedicated solely to horticultural training for growers. Got a grow question for Jade? Drop him a line at JadeKine@gmail.com Complete bio at JadeKine.com

Now, there is a provision in the law that does allow doctors to specify that their patients can grow larger amounts of Cannabis if there is a need and the doctor specifies an amount. This little known provision is intended to allow terminally ill patients to grow larger gardens because of the nature of their ailment. Basically, it’s a way of saying that if you have something like cancer, grow a big garden. You shouldn’t need a green thumb to consistently produce your medicine. Just throw lots of plants at it and, even if you don’t have a green thumb or the nicest garden, enough of the plants should become medicine to meet your needs. The idea is that seriously ill patients shouldn’t be scrutinized on the number of plants in their garden. The doctor’s statement saying you can grow up to a certain number of plants is supposed to be something that will help you in court by providing additional legal recourse. It does not actually authorize you to grow Cannabis, your recommendation does that. This extra statement is supposed to make your case look even more legitimate. It’s 83 83

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Besides James Brown, Rick James or George Clinton, Detroit-born artist Overton Loyd is one of the few officially authorized to talk about the word “Funk.” Loyd’s cover art for seminal funk band Parliament aka P-Funk is the visual equivalent of P-Funk‘s music. His signature style is now known the world over as the “Funk Aesthetic” and his work retranslates funk music’s swagger and flavor into cartoons, comics, loose sketches, paintings and digital illustrations. For over 30 years Loyd’s art has worked symbiotically with P-Funk’s music to bring a powerful ‘multimedia’ experience before ‘multimedia’ even existed. Like many pioneers he has been too busy living the experience to realize how groundbreaking the work is. “Never in my wildest dreams could I imagine that we were actually at the genesis of initiating contemporary urban branding,” he reflects. “I’m only now waking up to that wild idea.” L.A. artist and publisher John Carr has published several of Loyd’s images in his book “Yo What Happened to Peace?!” and has some pretty flattering words about him. “I’d put him in the same category as a jazz virtuoso or your favorite hip-hop MC - crazy improvisation and freestyle while delivering a tightly crafted message,” emphasizes Carr. “his drawings and paintings ArE jazz, ArE funk, ArE hip-hop.” Loyd’s work can rightfully be called a precursor to the urban art movement of West Coast graffiti and hip-hop. Arik Marshall, former guitarist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers calls him “a truly gifted artist whose versatility with different styles and mediums is extraordinary—the man can paint like Monet money...make you marvel at his Marvel meets Richard Pryor comic book cartooning...sell you some surreal estate in the Daliwood Hills...silly, serious, classic, abstract, funky, highbrow...whatever’s clever...da bruthaz got it all!” In order to understand why Loyd is so versatile it’s important to talk about Detroit. Loyd was born in the Motor City in the mid 1950s, a time when the city was still booming. Motown was still in Detroit until 1970, but as Vietnam began to set in, factories began closing down, and jobs became harder to come by. Motor City made way for Devils Night, and Detroit of the Civil Rights era was hot like Watts. The city’s 1967 riots were the biggest riots in American history until Los Angeles assumed that crown in ‘92. Detroit’s climate of chaos and unstable socioeconomics made music of protest. The Chicago-Detroit Nexus was one of the centers of the Black Arts movement, and Broadside Press, founded by Detroit poet Dudley Randall, published Black Arts poets like Amiri Baraka, Gwendolyn Brooks, Don L. Lee, and Sonia Sanchez. Beside the black artists, some progressive white boys were also pushing frontiers. The band MC5 formed the White Panther Party in Detroit around the same time punk rock pioneers Iggy & the Stooges were coming to rise. Loyd soaked up all of this in his Detroit youth. And the rest? The rest was the beginning of history… He began his epic journey as an artist in 1971. “Before I met George Clinton, I created an oil painting of Isaac Hayes in high school,” Loyd recalls. “A woman who worked with Hayes saw me doodling in a sketch book at a cafe, and invited me to Isaac’s birthday party, where I presented him with the painting.” From there, he got a gig as the in-house artist for Detroit’s Shelby Hotel. “I was painting a mural for a club that they had called JJ’s Lounge where I met a ton of performers, including Sun Ra and Martin Mull.” Loyd has always had a golden touch of meeting the right person at just the right moment. “Comedian Martin Mull convinced me and my girlfriend to go to New York to try my hand at commercial art,” Loyd recalls. “I traveled to New York in 1976 where Mull introduced me to his wife at the time, Kristen Johnson - who was also working in the illustration field.” She introduced him to prominent illustrator Robert Grossman, the artist that created the poster for the movie, “Airplane.” ”He saw me doing caricatures in front of the Guggenheim Museum one day and said he was looking for an assistant,” Loyd recalls. “Assisting for Grossman ignited my career as an airbrush illustrator for various magazine publications.” And then came 1977. “A pal of mine from the Shelby Hotel, Joey Zalabak - was working on the road with George Clinton,” Loyd says. “He invited me to a listening party premiering the record ‘The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein.’ It was there that I remet George just in time to scribble up the underground comic insert for his next album, ‘Funkentelechy vs. The Placebo Syndrome.’ Before long, I was on the road

helping to create the funkiest multimedia shows on earth!” Loyd’s cover for the 1978 Parliament album ‘Motor Booty Affair’ was an instant classic. The pioneering style Loyd developed working with P-Funk is now known the world over as the “Funk Aesthetic,” or “Bop Art,” something Loyd laughs off: ”We never named the style that we were doing. We were too busy doing it!” He’s designed costumes for the band, illustrated P-Funk comic books, and his 1982 animated video for P-Funk’s “Atomic Dog” was awarded the “Best Use of Computer Graphics” award from Billboard Magazine. Creating their own mythology. “George has empowered us all to take the art of our minds and transform it into the art of this world!” After several years of touring with P Funk, Loyd eventually landed in L.A. “For the last couple of decades I’ve been doing a little bit of everything,” he says, which is no joke! He flourishes in dynamic environments like television or live concerts, and was the featured caricaturist on “Win Lose or Draw” for several seasons. ”Peek over his shoulder at one of his live sketching sessions at a nightclub, capturing the vital essences of his subjects, and you’ll immediately feel that you’re in the presence of an artistic giant,” John Carr gushes. “He draws with the same ease that most people have talking and using hand gestures. He’s got the ability to crystallize a story into a single frame, and a knack for “détournement” - flipping everyday concepts into opportunities for mind-expansion, empathy or even just a good laugh.” According to Los Angeles based artist Mear One, before the internet, kids looked to special effects in movies and album covers as inspiration, heavily influencing the young west coast artists of the 80s…Loyd’s work being at the forefront of it all. Loyd shares the love, “I’m really inspired by the generation of artists that P-Funk inspired. Upstart Art-stars from Mear to Murakami are impacting my creative sensibilities.” Most recently, Loyd found himself featured as a guest art director for Cartoon Network’s “Class of 3000,” where he remixed the character designs of Outkast’s Andre 3000. Additionally, he animated a 2009 DVD for P-Funk and created the cover for “George Clinton and his Gangsters of Love,” a 2009 album featuring an unlikely combination of musical giants including Shavo (System of a Down), Sly Stone, The RZA (Wu-Tang Clan), El Debarge, Santana, and Red Hot Chili Pepper’s John Frusciante & Anthony Kiedis. He’s also been painting skateboard decks, and even had a painting featured in Pershing Square, L.A.’s version of Central Park. Yet despite this insanely rich history, Loyd insists he’s just getting started. “I’m hyped about the future,” he says. “I got a funny feelin’ that we’re once again standing on the verge of flippin’ the ol’ paradigm. I see a future in which I explore some of the over-the-top approaches to branding and exhibiting that Dali initiated, Warhol mastered and Murakami redefined. Only now, am I beginning to comprehend the true power of picture making. Transform the Norm.” “I stand for the possibility that art can generate a breakthrough in communication that might allow us to shift our consciousness, embrace our humanity and access the eternal.” And therefore, Loyd insists on “standing for the possibility of a future in which we truly learn to ‘listen’ outside of our own internal filters. When humanity finally hears itself.” He might be onto something here…do we have it in us to ‘listen?’ Mike The Poet is a Spoken Word Artist, Tourguide, Educator, Journalist, and Historian based in The City of Angels. mikethepoetla.tumblr.com youtube.com/user/MikeThePoet1

In W re om co en gn M ’s itio on H n th ist of : or y

One Team One Dream!

NORML Women:

Nothing normal about ‘em! In May 1929, Pauline Sabin founded the Women’s Organization for National Prohibition Reform (WONPR). It was a platform for women who were demanding the repeal of the 18th amendment forbidding the manufacture and sale of alcohol. Known as the Sabin women, the leadership of the WONPR consisted primarily of the nonpartisan wives of leaders of American industry. In a little over a year, almost 1.5 million Sabin Women were publicly calling for an end to prohibition-inspired violence and political malfeasance related to the illegal production of alcohol. In 2011, concerned female scientists, politicians, mothers and working women all over America are fighting with equal passion to end the prohibition of marijuana. They are following in the footsteps of Pauline Sabin, M. Louise Grosse (Founder of the Molly Pitcher Club), Mary T. Norton (the first female Democrat elected to serve in the house and member of the WONPR Advisory Council), and other female leaders of the 1930’s anti-prohibitionist movement. Like their predecessors, these women are the true change makers who are working to normalize, legalize, tax and regulate the use of a substance currently used by tens of millions of Americans. They are inspiring women from all social circles and political spheres to speak up and publicly support sensible, responsible cannabis policies based on science, reason and compassion. In 2010, The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), announced the launch of the NORML Women’s Alliance, a non-partisan coalition of prominent, educated, successful, geographically diverse, high-profile professional women who believe that cannabis prohibition is a self-destructive and hypocritical policy that undermines the American family, sends a mixed and false message to our young people, and destroys the cherished principles of personal liberty and local self-government.

Says NORML Executive Director Allen St. Pierre: “The prominent role of women in the effort to end marijuana prohibition is pivotal, necessary, and long overdue. According to recent national opinion polls by Gallup and others, the dramatic rise in the public’s support of marijuana law reform is being driven primarily by an increase in support among America’s women.” The NORML Women’s Alliance Steering Committee convenes in Washington, DC to talk strategy for each coming year. Last month, the women met in the shadow of the White House to discuss new and innovative ways to move public opinion towards the legalization of marijuana. Ordinary women doing extraordinary things brought about the repeal of alcohol prohibition and NORML believes women will provide the final push needed to legalize cannabis. Historically, women support legalization at much lower levels than their male counterparts. It is the mission of the NORML Women’s Alliance to increase this base of support through addressing and vocalizing the concerns of modern, mainstream women. Each year, at their various events, seminars, and conferences, NORML, which celebrates it’s 40 year anniversary this month (check out their site for some priceless artifacts they’re bringing back from the archives…including a 1976 PSA recorded by Peter Tosh), presents awards in recognition of extraordinary activism, academic study or political and cultural leadership in the field of marijuana and marijuana policy reform. This year, Kush Magazine proudly nominates and supports Cheryl Shuman for the Pauline Sabin Award, given in honor of and recognition for the crucial need and importance of women leadership in ending marijuana prohibition. Further information about the NORML Women’s Alliance is available online at: http://www.norml.org/women. If you’re in the Colorado or California area and want to become involved, contact Cheryl Shuman at Cheryl@DailyBuds.com

“We believe that there are multitudes of women who are opposed to national prohibition who welcome an opportunity as a body to voice their opposition and work for such a change in the law.” —Pauline Sabin

The NORML Women’s Alliance Steering Committee is: Sabrina Fendrick: NORML Women’s Alliance (NWA) Chair/ Director Diane R. Fornbacher: Vice Chair NORML Women’s Alliance/Steering Committee Cheryl Shuman: Director of Public Relations and Media, KUSH Magazines, KUSH Conventions & DailyBuds. com, Former Executive Director Beverly Hills NORML Anne Druyan: NORML Foundation chair and film producer Madeline Martinez: Executive Director of Oregon NORML

Debby Goldsberry: co-founder of the ARCH Collective Anne M. Davis, Esq.: Executive Director of NORML NJ Greta Gaines: Musician, television host and internationally recognized pro-snowboarder and flyfisherwoman Angel McClary Raich: Cofounder of the ARCH Collective Anna Diaz: Co-founder of Oregon NORML Kyndra S. Miller, Esq.: President and CEO of Miller Entertainment Group Inc., Law Firm

Carina Cialini: Pot Couture Sales and Marketing, Cannabis Times - Multi-Media Manager and East Coast Sales Manager Shaleen Aghi Title: Speakers Bureau Director of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP)

Jessica Corry: Colorado attorney, former Director of the Colorado Civil Rights Initiative, and Huffington Post guest columnist

Jeralyn Merritt: A television legal analyst (MSNBC and Fox News); creator and principal author of the weblog TalkLeft: The Politics of Crime

Serra Frank: Founding Director Moms for Marijuana, Secretary Idaho NORML

Tonya Davis: President of Miami Valley NORML & Ohio Patient Network; Host of a Public Access Television Show Medical Marijuana Common Sense; Medical Marijuana Director with Ohio NORML

Stacia Cosner: Outreach Director, Students for Sensible Drug Policy

Ms. Barbara Ehrenreich: Best selling author and columnist for Time magazine.

Cheyanne Weldon: Secretary/ Board Member Texas NORML

Nadine Strossen: President, American Civil Liberties Union and Professor of Law, New York Law School

Mikki Norris: Director of the Cannabis Consumers Campaign Elisabeth Rodriguez: Cofounder, Dallas/Fort Worth NORML

AnnaRae Grabstein: CEO of Steep Hill Lab

Marjorie Russell: Professor and the chair of the Practice, Advocacy & Litigation Skills Department

There are upwards of a million medical cannabis patients in the United States today. Each and every one of them has a unique story of their journey toward becoming a patient and deciding if cannabis would be a valid form of treatment for their medical condition. Heidi of Colorado is one of those patients. Growing up, Heidi moved frequently due to her Dad’s involvement with the military, but she ended up spending the majority of her life in Colorado. “I have an affinity for snow and winters in Colorado,” she said enthusiastically, and snow capped mountains beckoned her to visit with snowboard in tow. “I think of the mountains and snowboarding as being like a church,” she continued. So Heidi honed her skills, planning numerous adventure weekends with family in order to challenge her abilities. Heidi’s past experience with cannabis was virtually nonexistent. A few experiences with marijuana as a young adult left her paranoid and anxious. In addition, Heidi was athletically inclined and involved with ballet and gymnastics. She believed marijuana might inhibit her performance as an athlete, and quite possibly interfere with her intelligence. One of her fears was that “pot would make me stupid.” The path that lead Heidi to use medical cannabis was a result of the sport she loved—snowboarding. The turning point for Heidi came in 2004. While getting off a chair lift, she had to adjust her bindings, and her lower back decided that enough was enough. “I had never felt pain like this before,” she said. Being someone who is constantly aware of her body due to her physical activities, Heidi knew that this was serious. Unlike skiers, snowboarders typically reach out to absorb the shock, which wreaks havoc on the lower back. In Heidi’s case, prior falls and injuries contributed to the degradation of her back, and she now relies on a wheelchair for mobility and comfort on a daily basis. Diagnosed with neuropathy, which is damage to the nerves in the L4 and L5 region of the lower back, Heidi treated her condition

with traditional medicines recommended by her doctors—opiates. This class of medication is derived from the opium poppy which is used to make heroin, and the pharmaceutical industry manufacturers oxycontin and percocet to name a few. The challenge with opiates is that they can become addictive, and effectiveness of opiates to treat conditions can actually dissipate over time. The patient needs to increase their dosage in order to find relief. The excruciating pain Heidi felt especially when trying to sleep forced her to consider cannabis as an alternative. A friend of Heidi’s lead her to Altermeds, a medical cannabis center in Louisville, Colorado to determine if cannabis would provide a solution. Heidi is the type of person who likes to have all of her facts and concerns addressed before she jumps into anything. In this case, Altermeds was a perfect fit. “I had so many questions, and they would always get back to me with answers at anytime,” she said. She recognized the decision to use medicinal cannabis was an important one that could result in a wide range of consequences. Would family members approve? How would it impact her ability to find work? At the same time, Heidi was living in pain and reminded herself of the many nights when she was up at 3:00 in the morning. She felt that she was dying without enough sleep in her life and that was enough for her to use cannabis. Altermeds gave her all the answers she needed to begin her treatment program. After doing some testing, she realized that edibles were her preferred method of medicating, and her new best friend became “Sativa.” Those days as a young adult and feeling paranoid were now replaced with the relaxation of living pain free, and the excitement of knowing that medical cannabis actually works. Heidi calls medical cannabis “priceless.” In the lobby area of Altermeds, a large sign with the word “BELIEVE” hangs on the wall for patients to admire. Heidi thinks back when she was on the opiates and says “I look back at a modified version of myself.” But today she is able to fully experience all that life has to offer--because she believes.

Hempful Hints

RAWGANIQUE by VALERIE FERNANDEZ

It’s rare to ﬁnd a business that puts ecology before economy. One that puts Mother Nature before their bottom line. One that believes in sustainability, integrity, fair pay, and quality of life, allowing the stay-at-home artisans making their goods to produce their products outside of a dreaded sweatshop. But we’ve found one, Rawganique.com, and their line of cotton, linen and hemp products are on a whole nother level.

Making sure their vast line of products are free of harsh elements like PVC, formaldehyde, dioxin, pesticides, heavy metals, acids, or chemicals shows Rawganique’s commitment to the bigger picture, and this sentiment of conscious concern is not just for fad or fashion (though their clothes are). This is the mentality in which the company is built upon, a company whose co-founders live totally off the grid on a small island off the Strait of Georgia. With solar and wind power, and a totally organic garden, these people are truly ”walking the walk.” Since 2000, this family business has been producing men’s and women’s wear, footwear, bed linens, bath products (including soaps, deodorants and shampoos), kitchen products, paper products, books, bags, rugs, fabrics, pajamas, hammocks, yoga mats, and even specialize in elegant hemp wedding clothes for brides, grooms, and the whole wedding party. Their wedding line has both formal and informal options. With beach and ecofriendly weddings on the rise, Rawganique has become “Hemp Wedding Central,” with their casual, yet stylish garb. This line is both dashing and classy, while remaining uniquely different from the normal rent-a-tux penguin suits found at the mall. Rawganique clothes come in Standard, Plus & Petite sizes, and Big & Tall sizes up to a 50” waist, and 38” inseam. Their selection ranges from everyday shorts, jeans, and shirts, to an array of jackets, sweaters, blouses, and dresses. The line of bed and bath linens are just as vast. Hemp sheets, pillow cases, and Duvet covers made with organically grown hemp ﬁbers without chemicals, heavy metals, dyes, or synthetics make for very comfortable and cozy linens. With “green” hotels, resorts, and spas becoming popular, Rawganique hemp sheets are used in some of the most prestigious around the globe. If the kitchen is the main room in your house, Rawganique has an ecofriendly selection for you too. They have everything from aprons, towels, place mats, napkins, table clothes, oven mitts, and pot holders. With Organic Hemp foods, Sundried Fruits, Organic Nuts and Butter, Maca and Vegan foods, and even a Raw Cuisine Turbo Blender to help you get healthy, this site seems to be a one-stop shop for you healthy Hemp nuts. They’ve even got 100% biodegradable cleaning products using Soapnuts, used for laundry detergent, house cleaner, hair shampoo, pet shampoo, or dish detergent. Rawganique has covered just about everything. For more information on Rawganique’s products, or just to browse through their web-store, go to www.Rawganique.com. With so many eco-friendly products to choose from, it’s really worth a visit.

YOUR ONE-STOP, ECO-FRIENDLY SHOP

WheW, made it through the holidays! NeW year’s - survived it! Bowl games - wow, too many of those! the super Bowl was great - rodger’s got that belt! man, i’m still full - i gotta start that diet, and get to the gym. Poor tiger, still can’t find his stroke. all-star Weekend was awesome! Blake cruises for the slamdunk crown, and Kobe lands the mvP. so now what? Well, melo’s finally a Knick - we’ll see if that pays off. the Celtics opened the door for the east, nice trade… ahh, it doesn’t mean shit ‘til the playoffs anyway…and regardless, these guys are all just overpaid entertainers. But not the college kids! thank god for college hoops. Possibly the last honest arena for true sport…oh baby!!! march madness is finally here again!!! this is gonna be awesome!!! Who’s gonna cut down the nets this year? What is it that makes NCaa Basketball, and the march to the Final Four so special? maybe it’s the chance for a smaller (Cinderella) team to shock the world? For david to beat goliath? Where else besides the olympics is a collegiate (or non-professional) athlete given the opportunity to step up to the world’s stage…raise themselves into the spotlight, and further yet, as a part of a team, where the collective actions of a group become one driving force, with one driving purpose…a championship. Not to say that this doesn’t take place within the professional realm, as there are plenty of great stories of driven, and determined teams, both favorites, and underdogs, but, there’s something about the NCaa Basketball tournament that creates insanely consuming passion. to hear the chants of 30,000 + fans, present students and alumni, all religiously wearing one color, or agreeing upon one particular way to throw off a free-throw shooter by waving their arms in a hypnotic way, or humming incessantly (only while the opponents have the ball), or dressing up as a giant teapot to hopefully distract the visitors enough to grasp that ever-so-slight edge that can end up being a determining factor…all taking place so close to the action that the student’s celebration more often than not pours onto the court. the rush is like no other in sports. With each team taking on their own unique, possibly game-swaying distraction, combined with all the different venues, histories of the particular schools, and the rivalries amongst them, locally, regionally, and nationally, it can get pretty heated. With thirty-two college conferences, each winner of that conference gets a berth in the tournament, previously leaving thirty-two other teams to be determined by a rating system, based on their scheduling, and statistical difficulty. With an opportunity for a smaller team, and/or smaller time player to grab attention in this tournament, the competition is often times nailbiting. this tournament proves that on any given day, one team can beat another. the daily coverage, and highlights can seem endless, keeping most junkies home with “esPN-itus,” that usually afflicts the nation around march. most people catch it around the office water cooler, trash-talking, or comparing “brackets” is from cubicle to cubicle. it also allows the most unknowing of fans to topple the most arrogant of flag waving, color-wearing, mascot-loving, school-touting collegiate heroes. Fill out your brackets, pull them in and out of your pocket in full oCd fashion for three weeks straight. this round by round elimination now starts with sixty-eight teams (jumping for the first time from the normal sixty-four), then, confusingly enough, back

down to sixty-four, then thirty-two, then to the “sweet 16,” the “elite 8,” to the “Final Four,” and of course, the Final Championship game. although the larger divisions such as the Pac ten, Big ten, aCC, seC, and Big east, will usually get their 2nd and 3rd teams in also, since every division, even the smaller schools have representation, it evens the playing field for all schools participating. With many of the top 25 overlapping in these divisions, there are more openings within the sixty-eight starting teams. this tournament truly does relish the smaller school’s fight, and determination to be noticed with the more popular, or dominant teams like duke, villanova, syracuse, ohio st., Pitt, uconn, and Byu. the tournament also allows for gambling junkies of all sorts, to sink their teeth into about three weeks of action. grab your brackets, head to vegas, and happily maximize your opportunities to go broke during march. With the tourney starting with multiple games, day after day, leading to one big night in early april, this championship game crowns another school King of the Court, and allows for one year of bragging rights. a team’s run in this tournament can not only determine watercooler bragging rights, but can seriously encourage, and determine many schools recruitments. this of course leads to big dollars for the schools, much of which translates into scholarships. While many choose the tempting ride of the lucrative NBa, those that do stay in school have proven to be smarter players, and this is what makes the NCaa Basketball tournament so great. it is still pure, and untarnished. so as i pick my teams this year, and some of them are upsets, i’m reminded of something my old friend tommy used to say as he’d pick his underdog winners, “… remember, the ball is round.”

by Austin Hill Shaw

By Austin Hill Shaw A man walks into a clothing store looking for a new pair of pants. He finds a pair that catches his eye and tries them on. He likes the way they feel and the way they make him look in the mirror. He takes them to the cashier, pays for them, and leaves.

mance athlete from the exercise bulimic? What separates the user from the abuser? These are difficult questions, questions that require continuous assessment on a case-by-case basis. One possible answer, however, lies in exploring the nature of habits themselves.

Moments later, another man walks into the store, also looking for new pair of pants. He settles on the same exact style, tries them on, likes the way they feel and the way he looks in the mirror, takes them to the cashier, pays for them, and leaves.

The question of whether we are using something in a positive manner or abusing it is challenging. And it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t apply exclusively to shopping, or to eating habits, or to controlled substances, it applies to everything. All human activities, even such sanctified activities such as education, fitness, and spiritual and religious practices, can be used in ways that improve the overall quality of our lives or abused in a ways that detract from it.

Habits are patterns of behavior that become involuntary. Instead of exercising choice in a situation we react without thinking. This is not to say that all habits are bad. Such a reflexive, machine-like approach can be quite useful, allowing us to complete run of the mill tasks in an efficient manner. Habits allow us to lace up our shoes without effort, make lunch while carrying on a conversation with a friend, and drive a car without being entirely consumed by the task. Our ability to relate habitually with the world can free us up, creating space for us to do more of what we want to do or to put our attention on more pressing issues. But this same habitual approach to life, robotically addressing the little things so we can put our focus elsewhere and distancing ourselves from our own direct experience, can also lead to boredom and discontent. This is because our habit of not focusing on tying our shoes, not focusing on making lunch, and not paying attention while driving in favor of seemingly more important ideas in our heads cuts us off from the life we are actually living. If we do this over a long period of time, we end up substituting some idea of life for the experience of life itself, eventually finding ourselves cut off, suffering with a subtle or overt sense of isolation and lack.

How can we tell the difference? What separates the diligent worker from the workaholic, the avid reader from the escapist, the perfor-

Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s take another look at our two shoppers, this time from the inside, this time seeing how habit plays a role in each manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s decision making.

From the outside, we have two seemingly identical situations unfolding in the exact same store. Inside, however, in the minds of each of the two men, the experience is remarkably different. The first man is shopping to enrich his life, using it as a means for obtaining a valuable product to fulfill a basic need. The second man is a shopaholic, impulsively spending money to buy things that never really satisfy him.

The first man walks into the clothing store because he wants to; the second man because he has to. Once inside, the first man maintains a broad awareness as he searches the store, balancing his tastes with what appears before him. The second man exhibits very little awareness and is at the mercy of the external environment, wondering what it is that may satisfy his internal sense of deficiency. The pants that catch the first man’s eye do so either because they meet some or all of the criteria he was considering ahead of time or because they delight him in some unexpected way. For the second, the pants he’s attracted to seem endowed with some special quality, a quality that may satisfy (at least in the moment) his more fundamental sense of lack. Once in the dressing room, the first man can evaluate the pants’ comfort and fit objectively, even having the power to say, “I like them on the hanger, but they don’t actually fit me very well.” The second man justifies the fit regardless of how they look or feel. The two scenarios culminate at the cashier. The first man arrives at the cash register with perspective. He’s well aware of both the cost of the pants and his own financial resources, and has some underlying appreciation that he is part of interdependent world that benefits from interactions and exchange. With this understanding, he buys the pants. His shopping is not habitual; it reflects his choice to participate in the play of the marketplace. The second man, however, has no such perspective. He is led to the cash register, driven by one fundamental desire: to possess, to take something from the world at large and make it exclusively his own. For this man, the world exists as something outside himself, which leaves him feeling isolated. At the time the money is exchanged and the pants are now his, however, he is afforded a glimpse of what the first man has: a sense of connection. But for the second man, it last for only a moment and then is gone, leaving him to search for another fix soon after. The second man consumes impulsively, engaging in something that ultimately fails to satisfy his underlying needs. His shopping is habitual; he lacks any real choice in the matter. With regards to controlled substances, the underlying principle is the same: use based on choice can aid and enriches one’s life while use based on habit or compulsion leads to abuse. Controlled substances are unique, however, in that they significantly alter the perspective of the person who uses them. This means that if we choose to engage them, we must be extra vigilant about how they are affecting us, the reason being because controlled substances change the very way we experience the world, creating whole new perspectives we never thought possible. When used appropriately, controlled substances can improve the quality of our lives, having at times the remarkable ability to relieve physical pain and the power to alter consciousness itself. When used skillfully, when used as tools to assist our underlying sense of well being, controlled substances can bring added vibrancy, perspective, and creativity to our lives. They can even be employed to break us out of other limiting habits, leaving us more intimately connected with the world around us. The opposite, though, is also true. Controlled substances can easily be abused by those of us who employ them to avoid, escape, cope, or

reject other aspects of our lives that we don’t wish to face, detracting from our fullest potential as human beings, isolating us from the people around us, from our responsibilities, and in extreme cases, from reality itself. When abused, the power of these miraculous substances feed into our fears and insecurities, becoming agents that stunt our awareness, ultimately hindering our mind and body’s incredible potential. What can we do to favor the useful benefits of controlled substances while avoiding habitual or abusive activity? Again, the subject is vast, but here are some possible starting places. First off, we need humility, the ability to admit that we don’t know everything, the recognition that the substances we consume always have something to teach us, and their lessons may or may not be appropriate for our particular constitutions. We may use them, but they use us, too, their unique molecular structures geared to dance with our rare and precious human consciousness. Humility also helps us to better evaluate our relationships to the substance and monitor its effects on us as time progresses. Next is awareness, which is linked to our ongoing commitment to learn from our mistakes and to cut through our own selflimiting beliefs. Awareness is the opposite of habit, depending instead upon our willingness to examine again and again the motivations behind the choices we make. Is that new pair of pants really going to serve us? What about the substance that person just offered us? In this very moment, we ask ourselves, will it increase our awareness, or will bring in the fog so we don’t have to look at that problem we’ve been avoiding? Finally, and perhaps most importantly, is connection, our intimate relatedness with the world around us, including the people in our lives? Creating and maintaining connection—with friends, family, the built environment and the natural world - not only fulfills our fundamental desire for love and intimacy, it helps protects us from self deception. Furthermore, relating with others from all walks of life provides us with mirrors, mirrors through which we see reflections of ourselves, mirrors that reveal the effects of the choices we are making, mirrors that can notify us should our use be sliding into abuse. Use versus abuse is not determined so much by what we do but how we do it. Whether or not we engage controlled substances, choosing to pay attention to our activities, especially the little things, brings richness and vitality to all aspects of our lives. Checking out and moving through the world habitually, on the other hand, leaves us feeling isolated, impoverished, and with closets stuffed with unworn pants. By practicing humility, cultivating awareness, and by creating and maintaining connection, we hedge our bets, favoring the possibility that our activities will bring us personal growth, expansiveness, and joy, ever deepening our relationship with the miraculous world that surrounds us. Austin Hill Shaw is a writer, architectural designer, and mapmaker of creativity and the creative process. He specializes in helping others tap into and utilize the creative life force in everything they do. He can be reached at austin@austinhillshaw.com

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WE DIG THIS

Denver Art Museum Caught You Looking By Jay Evans

What is it about humans that makes us so intent on decorating? Is it something inherent in our species? The need to decorate just about everything in our paths, from cars and cell phones, to our hair and skin. Why do we feel the need to apply paint, or carve, or succumb to fashion, or further yet, to alter the temples of our bodies? If it can be designed, shaped, dyed, draped, tattooed, pierced, or be-dazzled, humans have figured out a way to draw attention to, or make things more attractive to the eye. It’s historically been the artist’s job to create such artifacts, and without any official classifications prohibiting one from doing so, artists and artisans of many backgrounds have been leaving their fingerprints on history - history that has been documented with the works of many hands, 102

creating many things - all in an attempt to be remembered. With so many hands building, creating, shaping, cutting, painting, and discovering, it’s the exploration of these artifacts that solidify our place in this timeline called history - but without them, we may have never known what came before us. That understanding has, and always will have a dramatic influence on understanding our future. The exploration of these artist’s hands (and the work they do), is the focus of a very special exhibition right here in Denver, at the Denver Art Museum. Let’s take a look at that exhibit, and some others worth seeing.

Denver has a rich history of Native American Culture, from Apache, Arapaho, Cheyenne, Comanche, Jicarilla, Kiowa, Kiowa Apache, Navajo, Pueblos, Shoshoni, and Ute. While only the Jicarilla tribe remains as permanent occupants of Colorado, the American Indian Art Exhibit at the Denver Art Museum is an outstanding display of this culture’s aesthetics. The work ranges from authentic pre-historic pieces to contemporary art, derived from the period, and genre. The newly remodeled galleries opened this long-standing exhibit back in January, and will run through the whole year. This exhibit focuses on the individuality of each artist, and the hands’ that created these works. On-site displays will feature how artists work, and convey these processes. Showing these artists at work, and their techniques, and different styles, will tap into the creation process. This really opens the doors for those who might have apprehensions about trying the artistic process themselves, especially for young students.

the decorations from past eras, ideas are translated, borrowed, and passed on for future use.

Known for its Native American collection, with over 68,000 pieces from around the world, there is no shortage of history here. And along with Indian culture, came Cowboy culture, which leads to our next exhibit: Creating the West in Art, which is housed in the newly refurbished Frederic C. Hamilton building. The cubist-like building is adorned with highly reflective titanium, similar to the Frank Gehry design of the Walt Disney Hall in Los Angeles.

The Denver Art Museum has gone under some major renovations lately, and is definitely an architectural and design marvel - one could say, a piece of art in and of itself. Along with the special exhibits, it features an array of other collections including African Art, Asian Art, European & American Art, Modern & Contemporary Art, Oceanic Art, Pre-Columbian Art, Spanish Colonial Art, and Textile Art. The first Saturday of every month is free for Colorado residents, so take advantage of this multi-cultural, world-renowned museum.

Imagine open plains, with un-altered territories, and stampeding horses running wild. Feel the strength and gesture of a bucking bronco, or a cowboy in full stride on the back of his horse in the middle of a battle. These fantastic images have been captured in the works of Charles Marion Russell and Frederic Remington in over 155 paintings and sculptures. Seeing these two exhibits back to back is even more poignant for attendees of all ages to understand and contrast this important point of our timeline. And much like

For something totally different, check out the Blink, Light, Sound and the Moving Image Exhibit. Running from March 13th - May1st, this is an exploration of “art that plugs in”: everything from TV’s and radios, to robotic hybrids that will make your eyes pop. This collection of pieces will entertain and push the limits of your imagination. Maybe a trip to Europe is in your future? Try the Cities of Splendor: A Journey Through Renaissance Italy. This mostra (Italian for: exhibit) will take you back to the late 15th and 16th centuries, through Florence, Venice, and Milan, to see the origins of the Renaissance. With more than fifty pieces including paintings, textiles, and decorative arts, this exhibit highlights some amazing work from this period. Make sure not to miss this.

Denver Art Museum 100 W 14th Ave Pkwy Denver, CO 80204 720-865-5000 http://www.denverartmuseum.org/

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It’s a rugged outdoor paradise with a plethora of outdoor activity ranging from whitewater rafting and kayaking on the Arkansas River, to mountain biking, climbing, hiking and backcountry backpacking among the golden aspens and granite summits that dot the landscape. Skiing in the state is world class. By day, you can race down the slopes, snow whipping your face, and then, tome to relax in a heavenly hot tub in a cozy chalet of logs, for some Mile High knotty pine romance of a rustic nature. Not feeling romantic? Take time out from the contemplation of conjugation to mingle with the minions at local pubs and grubs for an ale in Vail or a mulled wine in Aspen at the end of your day of adrenalin pumping downhill thrills. History? Colorado has a full poker hand of it in old mining towns and ghost towns ripe for exploration. Get a dose of the howdy pard Wild West in Glenwood Springs, where gunfighter Doc Holiday spent his last days and hung up his guns. Hell, you can even mosey downtown, to enjoy a brew and a “Doc Burger” at Doc Holidays bar. Can’t miss it. Big neon six shooter fires up brighter than a glalactic super nova! Up on Cripple Creek, (altitude 10,000 feet) as the song goes, you’ll find an old mining town, dressed up like a dance hall girl on Saturday night with the “ca-ching” sounds of slot machines mix with the spiritual silence of cool mountain air. The streets are lined with casinos, eateries, gift shops, museums, a train depot and tourist ride up the mountain, and a not to be missed annual Wild Burro Festival.

Cusine and culture are alive and well. Boulder, Denver and Colorado Springs offer the very best in the magic kingdom of Colorado food and drink. Juicy steaks, and succulent seafoods rub shoulder to shoulder with a variety of vegan delights. The carnivorous among us, as well as the verifiable vegetarian will find something palate pleasing to appease even the most discriminating foodie. If you dare, you can go where many have gone before, and get an intoxicating plateful of Colorado’s most exotic foods. Rocky Mountain Oysters. Don’t know what they are? Heres a clue. Colorado is host to the annual Bull Testicle Festival! No bull, but the food has balls! Literally. Colorado feasts on art like a flock of buzzards devouring roadkill on the highway. Denver dotes on the artistic nature, as a result, a myriad of museums and galleries shed a plebian spotlight on the arts, and they adorn the Mile High City like a strand of beautiful pearls. They give a urbane character to the urban landscape and illuminate her with the Rocky Mountains acting as a willing backdrop to a brilliant bravo performance of culture. If you’re not careful you could overdo it and suffer from a Mile High Art Attack! One town that seems to encapsulate the best of the best of Colorado is Estes Park, about an hour from Denver. So, grab your hiking book, gas up the rig,and hit the road to explore a part of Colorado where cowboys and cappucino rock n’ roll!

What began as a small ranch in 1859 by Joel Estes and his family, has since mushroomed into an atomic explosion of tourism on steroids! Estes Park began it’s life as a resort when an Irish Earl built the first hotel in the region to lure royalty to the Rockies in 1877. The summer population soon expanded exponentially, and when F. O. Stanley of Stanley Steamer fame, opened the doors of the famed Stanley Hotel in 1909, the gold rush of tourism dollars was on! Estes Park offers an orgasmic shopping experience with unique boutiques. kitchenware, bookstores, and a Christmas store for year round holiday celebrating. Those of the tie dyed persuasion, can spare change shop at a local store that offers an eclectic mixture of everything from Bob Marley t-shirts to rock n’ roll gonzo ganja wear and accessories. Lodging is largely rustic and romantic. Log cabins sit on the banks of the Big Thompson River so you can hear the river rush by on crisp, star laden nights. Lodges, motels, hotels, and bed and breakfasts can be found along the river, in town and tucked away off the roadways in neat little ponderosa pine hideaways for maximum privacy. Prices do vary, but for the most part, Estes Park is a dream come true at a budget most can afford. The Stanley Hotel, with 138 guestrooms is perched on a hillside overlooking the town of Estes Park and the surrounding valley, with the Rocky Mountains as a backdrop. Visitors from around the globe come here to stay and play, and to be pleasing pampered in style and fashion. F.O. Stanley built the hotel in 1909, and began ferrying tourists to the area, and then into town to the hotel, in his own invention, The Stanley Steamer. In the lobby, you can see one of those original infernal internal combustion contraptions on display for a touch of history.

There is an outdoor courtyard for dining and enjoying a drink while basking in sunshine and invigorating mountain air. Indoors, you can enjoy a tantalizing meal with regal presentation. The Stanley is also one of the most haunted hotels in America, so you might as well belly up to the bar and hoist a few to the ghosts and other unseen astral spirits that may take a “shine” to you. The Stanley Hotel is famous as the inspiration for the Stephen King classic “The Shining”. Though not the original film location for the Jack Nicholson vehicle, it was for the King produced television version, and is also the hotel where King stayed to write a portion of the book. Everywhere there are reminders in the form of photo’s and of course, “Shining” merchandise galore in the souvenir shop in the hotel lobby. If your staying there, or merely visiting, they do have ghost and history tours daily, so make sure you take advantage of that. Then in you best Jack voice, “Heeeeere’s Johnnnny!!” If you happen to see two little ghost girls by the elevator and a kid on a bigwheel talking to his finger...run like hell! The industrial age helped usher in an era of preservation of America’s natural resources and in the form of National Parks. Rocky Mountain National Park, with elevations from 8,000 to over 14,000 feet is one of the crown jewells of the American park system. Established in 1915 just 6 miles west of Estes Park, RMNP is a eco-gem of flora and fauna unique to the area. Home to elk, moose, mule deer, bears, bighorn sheep, coyotes and eagles, it is also a labyrinth of over 360 miles of hiking and backpacking trails. The roads and trails are a gateway to a treasure trove of fly fishing, hiking, biking and horseback riding opportunites. Waterfalls and true tundra await the traveler along winding, switchback mountain roads including the Trail Ridge Road, which at 12,183 feet tops out as the highest, continuous paved road in the United States. In Colorado you’ll find colorful characters and charming charisma. Wild West history and the hysterically offbeat from Buffalo Bill Cody’s grave overlooking Golden, Colorado to a bronze bust of Alferd Packer, America’s pre-eminent cannibal serial killer center stage in the cafeteria at the medical university. Colorado is cowboys. Colorado is culture and cuisine...and yes, Colorado is cappucino! Above all, the Rocky Mountains rock n’ roll with more altitude and attitude then invaders from Mars high on big plate of tender and juicy Rocky Mountain Oysters!

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Colorado Kush Concert Calendar Live Music Preview: March/April Iration w/ Guests

4.11.11 @ Black Sheep (CO Springs) Iration is a tremendous indie reggae/rock band from Hawaii, currently set up in Santa Barbara, CA. They team up for a show with other yet-to-be-named roots/reggae/rock friends, for quite possibly the most kush-friendly concert of the month. There’s something about reggae and cannabis that just feels so right together. Get your mind right with some music that will hit you right in your soul, washing over you with a cleansing power like one of those big blue Hawaiian waves. Let the vibes take you over at Black Sheep in Colorado Springs on this fine April evening. irationtheband.com

Scissor Sisters

3.20.11 @ Ogden Theatre (Denver) Scissor Sisters are an alternative electro/glam-rock/nu-disco group (what’s with all the genre’s these days?!? just listen to them and you’ll get the idea) formed in 2001 and based in NYC. Spawned by the scuzzy, gay nightlife scene of New York, they took their name from a sexual position between two women, known as tribadism. How charming, you may say. Finding their first wave of success in the UK after their 2004 self-titled release, the Scissor Sisters are back with their third album, Night Work. It’s an album with a big heart, some killer dance moves and most important, some simply gigantic tunes. This 5-piece band is really great, and their live set is fun, funky, and fresh. Get to Ogden for a wonderful evening of live tunes. scissorsisters.com

Travie McCoy w/ Guests

3.28.11 @ The Summit Music Hall (Denver) Travie McCoy, the singer/rapper who leads Gym Class Heroes, has broken out and gone solo lately, releasing his first solo album, Lazarus, back in June of last year. Raised in Geneva, New York, McCoy became involved with both hip-hop and punk rock scenes as a teenager. He formed Gym Class Heroes with a childhood friend, achieving major mainstream success with their 2006 album As Cruel As School Children, and continued success with the 2008 album The Quilt. After getting all super famous and whatnot, Gym Class Heroes decided to take a three year hiatus from music, leaving McCoy to focus on his solo career. The standout single from Lazarus, ‘Billionaire’ featuring Bruno Mars, was a hug hit, showing that McCoy can do it on his own just fine. Most recently, McCoy has been working on Gym Class Heroes’ fourth studio album, The Papercut Chronicles II. But that won’t stop him from a little solo touring, and Denver gets him at the Summit Music Hall on March 28th. Should be a grand time! traviemccoy.com

John Mellencamp

4.06.11 @ The Buell Theatre (Denver) John Cougar Mellencamp (he should have left the cougar in the cage) owns a rock star career that’s seen 13 Grammy nods, 40+ million album sales, and a lil’ diddy about Jack & Diane. This man has more hits than you can shake a stick at. Totally worth the trip to Buell for a chance to sing along with live classics like “Hurts So Good”, “Small Town”, or “Wild Night”... just to name a few. Get your tickets to this show early! If you don’t fancy Mellencamp, or can’t find tickets, there is always the next show with Janet to fall back on this night. www.mellencamp.com

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Janet Jackson

4.06.11 @ Wells Fargo Theatre (Denver) The youngest of the Jackson children, Janet has had quite the career, including 10 albums and 5 Grammy awards. After Michael, she has certainly had the most prolific career in the family. Signed to her first major label deal and releasing her debut album at the tender age of 16, Janet is still going strong (and hot) at age 44. Her voice and body are as strong as ever, and Wells Fargo Theatre will be a tremendous place to see this legendary woman perform in April. janetjackson.com

Andre Nickatina 4.07.11 @ Bluebird Theater (Denver) 4.09.11 @ Black Sheep (CO Springs) Thizz Nation stand up! Andre Nickatina, the Bay Area legend that made us go Ayo for Yayo, is coming to Colorado in April. After not releasing anything since 2005, Dre Dog has pumped out multiple releases in the last couple years. Andre’s good friend Mac Dre died in late 2004, which likely contributed to his brief absence. Part of the Killa Whale Birthday Run Tour, this will be a solid hip hop show, period. andrenickatina.ning.com

Queens of the Stone Age

4.08.11 @ Ogden Theatre (Denver) Led by Josh Homme, Queens of the Stone Age have been rocking hard since the late 90s. They formed in the SoCal desert around 1997, and have really been one of the few great hopes for rock ‘n’ roll music over the course of the last decade. Homme has spent a good amount of time with his other project, Them Crooked Vultures, over the past couple of years... which is a team-up of himself, Led Zeppelin’s John Paul Jones, and Dave Grohl. Homme also formed and plays drums for the Eagles of Death Metal, another great rock band with an amazing live show. Homme, you could say, has made quite the name for himself. If there is a must see show in April, this is it. qotsa. com

My Chemical Romance + Neon Trees

4.09.11 @ Fillmore Auditorium (Denver) The New Jersey boys, My Chemical Romance come to Denver on their most recent North-American tour. These kings of pop-punk put on an inspired live set that can’t be denied. In November of last year, MCR released their fourth album with another incredibly long title - Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys. Joining the party is an emerging band that has seen their fair share of mainstream success over the last year. Like their name, altpop band Neon Trees are a combination of slick pop hooks and sturdy organic rock, both melodic and hard-hitting. Their anthems of adolescent angst, longing, love lost and found, delivered with the kind of heart-on-the-sleeve passion will get eyes and panties wet over the course of a single song. A solid bill at the Fillmore for a dose of emo pop/punk/rock tunes. mychemicalromance.com; facebook.com/neon.trees

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Here are some all day television snack recipes so you can graze your way through the upcoming College Basketball tournament.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT

CHEF HERB COOK WitH HeRB

GO TO WWW.COOKWITHHERB.COM

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Chef herbâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s baked Pretzel ingrEDiEnts -1 cup all-purpose flour -2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese -1/2 teaspoon garlic powder -1/4 teaspoon dried basil -1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary -1/4 teaspoon dried oregano -1/2 cup THC butter -4 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded -3 tablespoons cold water DirECtions Mix the flour, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, basil, rosemary, and oregano in a large bowl. Cut THC butter into small cubes, and add to flour mixture. Use a pastry blender or 2 knives to cut the THC butter into the flour; continue until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in cheese. Sprinkle water, 1 tablespoon at a time, over the flour mixture; mix lightly until dough is evenly moist and clings together. You may not use all of the water. Shape dough into a disc, and divide into 12 equal pieces. Wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm. Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). On a floured surface, roll one piece of dough at a time into an 11 inch long roll. To shape into pretzels: Curve ends of each rope to make a circle; cross ends at top. Twist ends once, and lay over bottom of circle. Place on greased baking sheets. Place pretzels, 2 inches apart, on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks.

DirECtions Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Lightly grease a large roasting pan. In a large bowl, mix crispy corn and rice cereal, slivered almonds and toasted, chopped pecans. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the THC butter and mix with dark corn syrup and light brown sugar. Pour the mixture over the crispy corn and rice cereal mixture. Stir and shake to coat all the nuts and cereal. Pour the coated mixture into the prepared roasting pan. Stirring approximately every 15 minutes, cook 1 hour in the preheated oven. Cool on wax paper, and store in airtight containers.

Cheesy PoP Corn ingrEDiEnts: -1/4 cup THC butter, melted -1 teaspoon paprika -1/2 teaspoon ground cumin -1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper -10 cups popped popcorn -1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese prEpArAtion: Combine melted THC butter, paprika, crushed red pepper, and ground cumin; toss with popcorn, coating evenly. Sprinkle with cheese; toss. Makes 10 cups.

sweet Party Mix ingrEDiEnts -1 (12 ounce) package crispy corn and rice cereal -5 ounces slivered almonds -6 ounces toasted, chopped pecans -3/4 cup THC butter -3/4 cup dark corn syrup -1 1/2 cups light brown sugar

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ParMesan ChiCken winGs ingrEDiEnts: 1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons minced fresh flat leaf Italian parsley 2 teaspoons crumbled dried Italian herbs Freshly ground black pepper to taste 2 pounds chicken wings 1/3 cup melted THC butter DirECtions Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and lightly grease a baking sheet and set aside. In a large shallow bowl, mix together the cheese, herbs, and pepper. Dip each chicken wing into the THC butter and then dip into the cheese mixture and roll to coat. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes, then flip over. Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until golden.

tortilla rolluPs ingrEDiEnts: -12 (14-ounce package) flour tortillas -8 ounces cream cheese, softened -1/8 cup THC butter -1 cup sour cream -1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chilies -3 tablespoons chopped green onion -2 tablespoons finely chopped red bell pepper -12 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, grated -1 cup salsa or picante sauce DirECtions In a medium bowl combine cream cheese, THC butter, sour cream, chilies, onion, red bell pepper, and Cheddar cheese. Mix thoroughly. Spread onto tortillas and roll up. Cover tightly and chill for 2 hours or overnight. When ready to serve, cut each roll into 1/2-inch slices. Serve with salsa or picante sauce. Makes about 8 dozen pieces of tortilla roll-ups.

QuiCk lasaGna Casserole

ingrEDiEnts -8 ounce dried miniature lasagna noodles, broken -12 ounce mild or hot bulk Italian sausage -2-1/2 cups desired red pasta sauce

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-Âź cup THC olive oil -1 egg, beaten -1 cup cream-style cottage cheese -2 tablespoons grated Parmesan or Romano cheese -3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (3 oz.) DirECtions 1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. 2. Meanwhile, in a microwave-safe 2-quart square baking dish, crumble sausage. Cover with vented plastic wrap and microwave on 100 percent power (high) for 4 to 6 minutes or until sausage is brown, stirring once or twice. Drain fat. 3. Stir cooked pasta and pasta sauce into sausage in dish. Cover and microwave on high for 2 to 3 minutes or until heated through, stirring once. 4. In a medium bowl, stir together egg,THC olive oil, cottage cheese, and Parmesan or Romano cheese. Spoon mixture over pasta mixture. Cover and microwave on high for 6 to 7 minutes more or until heated through. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes before serving

Cheesy Potato bake ingrEDiEnts -2 lb. red potatoes -3 or 4 cloves garlic, minced -1-1/2 tsp. snipped fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp. dried thyme, crushed -1/4 cup THC butter -1 cup buttermilk -4 oz. Fontina cheese, shredded (1 cup) -4 oz. Parmesan cheese, finely shredded (1 cup) -1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese -1/2 cup panko (Japanese-style bread crumbs) -1/4 tsp. dried Italian seasoning, crushed -1 Tbsp. THC olive oil -Snipped fresh parsley (optional)

2. In a 12-inch skillet cook and stir garlic and thyme in THC butter over medium heat for 1 minute; add potatoes. Coarsely mash potatoes. Stir in buttermilk, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. black pepper. Fold in Fontina cheese, half of the Parmesan, and the blue cheese. Evenly spread in baking dish. 3. In small bowl combine remaining Parmesan, panko, Italian seasoning, and THC olive oil; toss with a fork to combine. Evenly sprinkle over potato mixture in dish. Bake for 20 minutes or until bubbly and top is golden. Sprinkle with snipped fresh parsley

siMPle Peanut butter bars ingrEDiEnts 2 cups peanut butter* - divided use 3/4 cup THCbutter 2 cups powdered sugar 3 cups graham cracker crumbs 2 cups (12 ounce package) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Mini Morsels divided use Beat 1 1/4 cups peanut butter and THC butter in large mixer bowl until creamy. Gradually beat in 1 cup powdered sugar. With hands or spoon, work in remaining powdered sugar, graham cracker crumbs and 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Press mixture evenly and firmly into a greased 13 x 9-inch Pan. Melt remaining peanut butter and remaining chocolate chips in medium, heavy-duty saucepan over lowest possible heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Spread over graham cracker crust in pan. Chill for at least 1 hour or until chocolate is firm; cut into bars. Store in refrigerator.

DirECtions 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a 2-quart square baking dish; set aside. Scrub potatoes; cut in 1-inch pieces. In large saucepan cook potatoes in lightly salted boiling water 12 to 15 minutes or until tender; drain.

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List of Advertisers 3-D Denver Discreet Dispensary p 49

Doctors Orders Co. Springs p 15

420 Wellness p 39

Emergency Room p 15

Alive Herbal Medicine p 51

Evergreen Apothecary p 40

Alternative Wellness Center p 38

Full Spectrum Labs p 57

Pure Medical Dispensary p 59

Ganja Gourmet p 9

Organa Labs p 40

Altitude Organic p 52 A Mile High p 25 & insert American’s for Safe Access p 84 Apothecary of Colorado p 60 At Home Remedies p 18 B Goods (backcover) Back to the Garden Health & Wellness Center p 36 Ballpark Holistic p 36 BioCare p 43 Blown Glass p 128

Patient’s Choice p 47 PortaPower p 21

Golden Meds p 79 Good Chemistry p 77 Grassroots p 48 Grass Roots Organica p 3 Green Miracle Medicinals p 25 & insert Health Point Wellness Consultants p 25 & insert Herbal Connections LLC p 64 Herbal Love p 71 Herbal Remedies p 7

Post Modern Health p 38

Rob Corry, Esq. p 100 Rocky Mountain MMJ Dispensary p 76 Rocky Mountain Organic Medicine p 97 Rocky Mountain Wellness Center East p 25 & insert Rocky Road Remedies p 61 Root Organic p 46 Safer p 108 Sense of Healing p 28

Botica Del Sol p 25 & insert

Herbs Medicinal p 25 & insert

Broadway Wellness p 130

Higher Ground p 73

Serenity Moon p 37

Bud Cellar p 32

iVita p 65

Canna Center p 63

Karmaceuticals p 33

Southwest Alternative Care p 41

Canna License p 41

Kind Love p 68

Canna Mart p 5

Kindness Medical Cannabis Center p 2 & insert

Cannabicare p 75 Cannabis 4 Health p 85 Cannacopia p 74 Cheeba Chews p 87 Chef Herb p 86 Chronic Wellness p 131

LA Container p 30

The Brothers Green Laboratories p 58

Maryjanes p 30 MarQaha p 17

Medicine Man p 55

Delta 9 p 69 Delta 9 Tekhnologe p 12 DenCo p 53 Denver Canna Club Insert & p 24 & 25 Denver Kush Club p 22 Dixie Elixirs p 45 Doctors Orders p 29

Sweet Leaf p 55

Maggie’s Farm p 127

Colorado Cannabis Caregivers p 58

Connect 2 Cannabis p 31

Stone Mountain Wellness p 25 & insert

Tender Healing Care p 27

Medical Herbs of Fountain p 25 & insert

Colorado Dispensary Services p 36

Sticky Guide p 81

Lil Ballerz Clothing p 127

Colorado Apothecary p 30

Colorado Care Facility Inc. p 49

Sensible Colorado p 109

Metro Cannabis p 47 Mile High Remedies p 25 & insert

The Hemp Center p 18 The Releaf Center p 11 The Trim Shop p 16 Timberline Herbal Clinic & Wellness Center p 74 Today’s Health Care p 19 Top Buds p 25 & insert

MMD of Colorado p 48

Trim Solutions p 18

MMJ America p 4 & centerfold

Universal Herbs p 60

MMJ Daily Deals p 129 MMJ Supply p 93 Natural Remedies MMJ p 23 Nature’s Kiss p 95 Nature’s Best p 25 & insert NCIA p 86

Urban Dispensary p 55 Ute City Medicinals p 25 & insert VapeRX p.13 Walking Raven Dispensary p 16

Patient Benefit Association p 86

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