Maine Cannabis Chronicle Volume II Issue II

Maine Cannabis CHRONICLE

Faces in the Field RYA N O F E A S T & E Y E

Never Gonna Give You Up A N I NTERVI E W WITH R I C K RO LLER

Music Medicine

V A N G O R D O N M A RTI N

Regenerative Life

AT A N C I ENT G R EEN FA R M

VOLUME II

ISSUE II

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CONTENTS 08

Cannabis in the Time of Corona

BY K AT I E W E I T M A N

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Kind & COVID

BY B E N F E R R I & C H E L S E A M AC

I L LU S T R AT I O N B Y K I N G KO M A

P H OTO G R A P H Y B R A N D ON PU L L E N

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Never Gonna Give You Up: An Interview with Rick Roller

BY M C C T E A M

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Her Highness

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Not a Time to Stay Silent:Racial Inequalities, Recent Protests, and the War on Drugs

BY K AT I E W E I T M A N

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Breeder Series: The Melty Interview

BY M R . RO O T S

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Cannabigerol (CBG): The New Cannabinoid on the Block

BY C H A S G I L

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Ticked Off

BY K AT I E W E I T M A N

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Maine Product Showcase

BY M C C T E A M

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Faces in the Field: Ryan of East & Eye

BY K AT I E W E I T M A N

P H OTO G R A P H Y C OU RT E SY OF R IC K ROL L E R

P H O T O G R A P H Y C O U R T E S Y O F M E LT I N G P O T FA R M

P H OTO G R A P H Y B Y M AT T H E W B O U RG E O I S

P H OTO G R A P H Y B Y M AT T H E W B O U RG E O I S

P H OTO G R A P H Y M AT T H E W B O U RG E O I S

P H OTO G R A P H Y T R I C H O M E V I S UA L S & M AT T H E W B O U RG E O I S

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Music Medicine: Van Gordon Martin

B Y E . P.

M A RT I N / EP PHOTOGR A PH Y

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Cannabis, Code, Confusion, and Constraint

BY S A R A B OY E R

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Medical Marijuana Patients Still in Gun Sales Limbo

BY S H AU N B OW E N

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Chocolate Whoopie Pies: A Recipe from Calmbound

BY C A L M B O U N D

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Regenerative Life at Ancient Green Farm

B Y E . P.

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Subone Imagines Stoney Hill

BY M C C

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Coping with COVID: Maine Cannabis Industry’s Response to the Pandemic

BY M I C H A E L S AU N D E R S

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Strain Safari with The Strainger

P H O T O G R A P H Y E . P. & C O U R T E S Y O F VA N G O R D O N

P H OTO G R A P H Y COU RT E SY OF CA L M B OU N D

P H O T O G R A P H Y C O U R T E S Y O F A N C I E N T G R E E N FA R M

P H OTO G R A P H Y M AT T H E W B O U RG E O I S

BY I A N S T UA RT

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A Different Kind of Light Dep

BY M AT T H E W B O U RG E O I S .

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Industry Pages: Maine Grower’s Market

P H OTO G R A P H Y BY C H E L S E A B E A N / A N TOI N ET T E PHOTO GR A PH Y

P H OTO G R A P H Y C O U RT E S Y O F F L OAT 2 07

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Maine Cannabis CHRONICLE

PUBLISHER JA M AC H R I , L LC FOUNDERS M AT T H E W B O U R G E O I S & C H R I S B L A K E EDITORS K AT E L I C H T L E K AT I E W E I T M A N M A N AG I N G E D I T O R DAV I D B OY E R A RT DI R ECTOR J ESSE GEORGIA P RO D U C T I O N M A N AG E R SAR AH HARTFORD C OV E R M AC R O I M AG E O F E A S T & E Y E ’ S W E E K E N D AT B E R N I E ’ S P H OTO BY JA R E D M C K E N N A / Tr i c h o M E V i s u a l s L AYO U T BY J E S S E G E O R G I A PHOTOGRAPHERS C H E L S E A B E A N / A N TO I N E T T E P H OTO G R A P H Y BR ANDON PULLEN JA R E D M C K E N N A / Tr i c h o M E V i s u a l s M AT T H E W B O U R G E O I S CHELSEA BEAN A N DY G AG N E I L L U S T R AT O R K I N G KO M A

F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N O N A DV E R T I S I N G P L E A S E E M A I L :

S A L E S @ M A I N E C A N N A B I S C H R O N I C L E . CO M

JAMACHRI, LLC’s publication of Maine Cannabis Chronicle features content about cannabis, hemp, CBD, and cannabis-related products and information. In addition, the magazine features articles, political editorials, legal information, and medical news relevant to the cannabis industry. All content within our publication and on our website is for educational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered personal, legal, or medical advice. Both the printed publication and website are intended for those over the age of 21. In the state of Maine, cannabis is intended for use only by those 21 and older, or 18 and older with a medical recommendation. If consuming, please keep out of the reach of children.

JAMACHRI, LLC assumes no responsibility for the advertisements within this publication. We strive to ensure the accuracy of the information published. JAMACHRI, LLC cannot be held responsible for any consequences that arise due to errors or omissions. Reproduction in whole or in part is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

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FOUNDER’S LETTER

T H R O W B A C K P H O T O O F M AT T & C H R I S AT A M A I N E C A N N A B I S IN DUSTRY MIXER BY ANTOINET TE PHOTOG R APHY Dear MCC Community, What an interesting year 2020 is turning out to be on a global scale. Many are yearning to return to “normal” life while others are preparing themselves to live in the “new normal.” If you take a moment to step back, you might come to the same conclusion as us: life on earth has always been and will always be in flux. Letting fear and uncertainty control your life is not the answer. It’s more important than ever to stay safe and active and to take care of yourself and the community around you.

Meanwhile, with Maine’s medical cannabis industry deemed essential, a stimulus package from the federal government, and with so many citizens either working from home or collecting unemployment until their jobs start back up, the demand for product has gone through the roof. Prices per pound have gone up, and the medical storefronts/dispensaries have experienced near drought-like conditions. With some growers giving into black market sales and fierce competition among the shops, it’s been a challenge to keep top quality products on the shelf. However, we’ve seen caregivers, product producers, and shops step up their game to meet medical patients’ expectations.

Simultaneously, many businesses have begun shifting their sights to the new adult-use market. OMP predicts these stores will open by the end of 2020. However, with so many different business plans in place, it was only a matter of time before conflicts of interest would arise. We’ve witnessed town and state officials trying to make sense of how to mold this new industry. Legal battles have broken out, and cannabis activists have been as outspoken as ever.

It is important that these two industries learn to coexist and complement each other. Good communications, keeping an eye on lawmakers, and reminding ourselves why we decided to make this plant such an important part of our lives is key. Maine has had a reputation for great flower on the East Coast for some time now. Going forward, we must band together and let the world know that Maine is home to some of the world’s finest cannabis. Thank you for your continuing support!

Love,

Matthew Bourgeois Co-Founder matt@mainecannabischronicle.com

Chris Blake Co-Founder chris@mainecannabischronicle.com

CORRECTION: We wanted to note that in the last issue we had inserted the wrong photo in the @420oldfatlesbians’ Maine cannabis industry article. Big shout out to The Green Alchemist Co. for being so understanding. Keep an eye out in future issues for more on them.

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COVID-19

Cannabis in the Time of Corona B Y K AT I E W E I T M A N I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y K I N G KO M A

As the coronavirus crisis continues, our daily lives are becoming more and more impacted. Businesses across the country are shutting their doors, and state and local governments are enforcing social distancing policies. But the cannabis industry is a unique beast, and the way it is impacted will be unique as well. Cannabis consumers and cannabis company employees in states with medical programs in place can, for now, take comfort in the fact that they are largely considered ‘essential businesses.’

Obviously, no one is suggesting it’s a good idea to be smoking during an outbreak of respiratory infections. People will have to adapt their use to fit the current state of affairs, but they don’t have to worry about going without altogether. Professionals are recommending a switch from smokables to edibles and adopting a “puff, puff, don’t pass” mindset. Distributors are implementing new practices like curbside pick-up, limiting the number of patients in their facilities, and expanding delivery services. Many medical marijuana patients fall into the high-risk segment of the population, and it’s important that changes are made to keep them safe.

When asked for comment, Patricia Rosi, CEO of Wellness Connection of Maine at the time, reported that patients are “thankful [they’re] still open” and that employees have done an excellent job of acclimating to the new situation. Rosi added, “history will recognize this as a critical milestone in the recognition of cannabis in American lives, and companies like Wellness Connection blazed the trail toward earning this recognition.” Wellness Connection is encouraging pre-orders and only letting in one patient at a time, as well as increasing sanitary measures.

One source I spoke with living in NYC (where cannabis is still largely an illicit market commodity) told me that cannabis is getting harder to come by and that smoking etiquette itself has already changed in the city that never sleeps. He told me that he had gone to visit a friend and was asked to bring his own pipe if he planned to smoke to reduce the risk of transmission should either be a carrier. He also reported that in anticipation of long, lonely days stuck at home, “people I know are stocking up and suppliers are running dry and having a hard time replenishing their stock.”

Most marijuana smokers I know consider cannabis use a social act, but our current circumstances are severely hindering all social activities. Amidst the current chaos, large public attractions are shut down, and cannabis industry events are not immune. As the number of cases in the U.S. climbed dramatically, businesses all over the country postponed 4/20 celebrations and trade shows like SXSW, which was scheduled to host a cannabis panel.

For states with legal cannabis markets, we might be seeing the only circumstance in which the federal prohibition on cannabis could actually help out local dispensaries. Although many cannabis producers rely on packing and other supplies manufactured in countries the U.S. has slowed down trade with (particularly China), the products themselves are made exclusively in state. Because the federal government has prohibited interstate cannabis commerce, consumers can reasonably expect their favorite bud, concentrates, and edibles will be unaffected by common supply chain breakdowns. So, if you head down to your favorite mom and pop pot shop, and your favorite THC treats are wrapped in a new bow, you can

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be confident that the product itself hasn’t changed, it’s just wearing a new dress. (And hey, this may mean more ‘Made in America,’ sustainable product packaging on the market!)

Larger companies from established markets like Colorado and California have been facing economic concerns as the stock market suffers record-setting losses. But in newly emerging markets, like Maine, cannabis organizations still operate on a much smaller scale. This means that a single employee becoming infected is a potential death threat to the business.

And marijuana stores and producers will see absolutely zero of the federal bailout money. It will be up to the states to decide what, if any, assistance cannabis-related businesses will receive.

While federal restrictions might help cannabis producers in states with established—even newly established—cannabis markets, the coronavirus pandemic might delay the emergence of new markets in other states. Some states that were hoping to vote on cannabis initiatives in November will have to wait a little longer before they get to welcome this essential industry.

Since states have signature requirements to get measures on the ballot—a Herculean task in the current landscape— many campaigns were forced to discontinue their signature-gathering efforts on account of the pandemic and public health directives against social interaction.

As of the end of July, Smart and Safe Arizona and New Approach Montana have collected enough signatures to get recreational use on the ballot, but signatures still need to be verified by state officials. Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana are in the same boat, having successfully collected the requisite number of signatures for a medical cannabis ballot initiative but still needing verification by state officials. New Approach South Dakota has successfully collected enough signatures for both recreational and medical ballot measures, and both initiatives will appear on the November ballot. Voters in New Jersey will also see adult use on the ballot, Mississippi voters will have a chance to weigh in on medical cannabis, and Drug Policy Action in Oregon has successfully gotten decriminalization of all drugs on the 2020 ballot.

Arkansas, Florida, Ohio, North Dakota, Missouri, and Oklahoma, on the other hand, will all have to wait to cast their votes on recreational measures. Arkansas missed the July 3 deadline for collecting signatures, and Florida, Ohio, Missouri, and Oklahoma are all now hoping to see ballot measures for adultuse cannabis in the future. North Dakota is still hoping to meet a December deadline that would put them on the 2022 primary ballot. Interestingly, advocates in Idaho are holding out hope for getting medical cannabis on the ballot after an unrelated initiative campaign succeeded in suing state officials in federal court for infringing on their constitutional petitioning rights.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, every state with a legal cannabis industry, including Maine, has seen sales go up.

People are anxious and stuck at home; they’ve never needed cannabis more. And as one analyst out of Colorado pointed out in an article for the Loveland Reporter-Herald, when people go to load up on commodities, the ‘stock effect’ (or some of you might know it as “the law of bags”) takes hold – if you buy more, you use more. As patients’ bank accounts deplete due to the economic repercussions of this crisis, we will start to see just how heavily impacted cannabis business profits are, but no one in the industry needs to worry their business will become obsolete all together.

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COVID RELIEF

Kind & COVID: Community Over Competition L O C A L C R E AT I V E S T E A M U P T O D O N AT E T O C O V I D - 1 9 R E L I E F E F F O R T S

A message from Ben of Kind & Co: As COVID gripped Maine, and the world around us, I saw family, friends, and community members feel the harsh implications and grim impacts of the virus. Jobs lost, businesses navigating uncharted waters, some on the brink.

Shit got real, real quick. We were fortunate to have our business deemed essential. As we kept working, I wanted to do something if I could, but wasn’t too sure what. I had a list of folks that had been asking for merch, so I thought it would be a good idea to tie merch sales to some sort of COVID relief effort. I approached Dom at the Arm Factory, and he immediately wanted to help. Dom donated funds via services, and with that, we put the Kind & COVID line out there. We figured folks will be spending a great deal of time at home, so they may be looking for some comfy clothes to binge watch Netflix in. As a result, we made sweat shorts and pants, crop hoodies, vintage wash tees, and French terry hoodies. All the proceeds made from the sale of the merch will be donated to Full Plates Full Potential. Kind & Co will also match Dom’s financial input, as well as purchasing and donating masks/ gloves/hand sanitizer for the folks at Full Plates. We’ve had humbling outreach thus far, especially from our friends at Ripple Wellness. Tyler and the crew there showed huge support and donated a very generous amount to the cause. I appreciate everyone’s help with everything!

P H OTO S BY: B R A N D O N PU L L E N .

G L A M : N ATA S H A B A X T E R D I R E C T E D B Y : C H E L S E A M AC S P O N S O R E D B Y : A R M FAC T O RY P R O D U C E D B Y : C H E L S E A M AC M O D E L S , K E L S E Y M A R T I N , A N D N ATA S H A B A X T E R F E AT U R I N G : K I N D & C O A N D H I G H R O L L E R L O B S T E R C O M PA N Y Y

MAINECANNABISCHRONICLE.COM

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INTERVIEW

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Never Gonna Give You Up An Interview with Rick Roller

BY MCC TEA M

P H OTO G R A P H Y C O U R T E S Y O F R I C K RO L L E R

“A hundred rolls, prepped, rolled, packaged, labeled, sealed is about 30 hours of work for me. Like actual work time 30 hours. And I do that in 48 hours.”

Not all pre-rolls are created the same. Most Maine caregiver shops offer some form of pre-rolled joints, from massproduced rolls made up of lower flowers and shake to premium flower joints, sometimes with some form of concentrate slathered on the outside or rolled inside the joint.

Then there are Rick Roller’s pre-rolls. Rick is a legend among a handful of craft joint rollers here in Maine, elevating pre-rolls to works of art. MCC recently jumped on a ZOOM call with Rick to find out more about his specialty joints.

Rick first started elevating his own joint-rolling game back in 2013. He was living in Portland and producing shatter. He had always been a joint roller, but with an abundance of product around he was able to experiment. At the time, shaped joints were all the rage on the internet — weird-shaped joints, like animals or knives, or shoe-shaped joints even. Rick figured, “they didn’t roll anything, they crafted it.” He explains, “And then I got to that point in my head and I was like, no, I’m a roller. Like, my skill is fucking rolling.”

concentrates that met his high standards would be used. Rick recalls that Kind & Co was one of the first to commission a batch. Soon thereafter, Rick Roller pre-rolls started popping up in shops all over the state. There’s even a Rick Roller custom display case up at Hive Medicinal in Chelsea, Maine.

When asked what sets his joints apart from the average pre-roll, Rick replies, “time.” He continues, “A hundred rolls, prepped, rolled, packaged, labeled, sealed is about 30 hours of work for me. Like actual work time is 30 hours. And I do that in 48 hours.” He works methodically and meticulously on each batch of joints. Currently available in three sizes — the smallest is two grams of flower and a half gram of concentrate; the next size up is three grams of flower and one gram of concentrate; and the largest is five grams of flower and two grams of concentrate. Rick’s packaging is also of note, with its custom color wax-dipped tubes. The tubes keep the joints fresh and feature a Rick Roller sticker to indicate Rick’s seal of approval.

Before finishing, we asked Rick about the proper way to light one of his joints. “I recommend using a little hand torch, a mini-torch, and never inhale while you’re lighting. It is probably like the biggest, like the most important one, I guess. Don’t hit it while you’re lighting it. You’re literally just going to take it, spin it, like this, with both of them [torch and joint] at about a 45 degree angle. Just spin the joint in your hand with the flame stationary until you get a solid cherry all the way around.

And then once you’ve got a nice, real solid cherry, you can start puffing on it,” Rick explains.

Follow Rick Roller on Instagram @iamrickroller.

It was around that time he invented the shatter wrap.

Stretching out the shatter, he wrapped it around the flower inside the joint, and it worked! And Rick was just like, “Alright.

And then I started posting them online, and then it just fucking went off. Like, do you remember the ‘what you’re doing after you smoke this’ meme?” Just like that, Rick Roller became an internet sensation and was thrust into the Maine cannabis community Pantheon.

Flash forward to 2019: More top-shelf flower and a wider variety of cannabis concentrates had become available, and Rick kept improving with every joint he rolled. Likewise, the Maine medical marijuana program had grown and come a long way. Caregiver shops were popping up all over the state. Seeing an opportunity, Rick decided to go into business for himself. He would offer his custom pre-rolling skills to caregivers, who in turn could offer the pre-rolls to their patients. He also decided that only the best flower and MAINECANNABISCHRONICLE.COM

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HER HIGHNESS

W

ell the going definitely got weird since our introduction.

How are you? Just kidding. I know how you are.

When I got my MMJ card at the beginning of March, what feels like an eternity ago, I imagined slowly meandering through the enchanted forest of weed, little by little, a bit overwhelmed, nervous, and of course, excited. What delicious herbal potions and fragrant flowers would I encounter? I daydreamed my first column might cover the weedinduced explosion of the senses at an outdoor concert, or my discovery of the ideal combination of edibles for karaoke night, or planning out my first “High Tea” social event.

Oh sweet summer child, so naive I was for not taking into consideration the then newly unfolding global pandemic, the sudden and unending homeschooling, stay-at-home orders, murder hornets, oh and plague squirrels. Like an orphan child wandering Willy Wonka’s factory, we hit the river of chocolate and shit got real, fast.

With my regular job on hold, I figured I might as well put my aforementioned med card to use—I had research to do, after all. If there was ever a time to explore the warm embrace and therapeutic waters of marijuana, that time was now.

There was just one small concern: a slight dread of what we used to call the “The Boogins.”* [dun dun duuunnn] What are the boogins, you ask? It’s when you have a little too much, too fast and get pushed beyond the fun zone, back into the darkness behind your eyeballs, and paranoia sets in—everyone is looking at you. I have slight PTSD, correction, hilarious stories from

to get out of bed but to finally create these experiences in my late teens my moss-filled snail terrarium. and early 20s. The wildly potent ganja goo-ball at the music festival causing Over the last four months, I’ve my premature retreat, dissolving experimented with a variety of strains, into the sanctuary of my tent, no from Blue Dream to Grandaddy longer feeling the attack on literally Purple, from Berry Gelato to Wedding all of my senses. Or that pinch of a Cake. There are literally thousands of brownie (I swear, it was just a corner!) strains, some wildly unique, others while toiling at work, resulting in my with more subtle differences. walking (barely) off the job a little As my journey progressed, I wobbly and maybe a lot cross-eyed. discovered that it’s actually not that Or the aptly-named strain “face hard to avoid the dreaded boogins. wrecker” that left me convinced that a From lab tested, perfectly dosed peacock feather in a jar was mocking edibles, to tinctures, and shatter, me. The common thread in all these dabs or flower, an endless variety of experiences, however, was my lack strains available, each with its own of understanding of proper unique—sometimes magical— dosage and strength. I was “Want effect. We have certainly simply inexperienced come a long way from the and unaware of the a strain of my college years. benefits awarded that’ll keep weed Through this education when one is armed you happily and experimentation with just a bit of knowledge. playing with I learned that while cannabis is not a cure-all Enter Ryan Holmes of your kids for (nothing is) there likely is Sundog Caregiving, a hours? I got a strain to help you cope, delivery-only cannabis or at least more pleasantly company, servicing areas you.” endure, the pandemic, or from Portland to Topsham. simply to enhance your daily Ryan is one of a legion of experiences. entrepreneurs navigating the No matter how far you have waters in the new age of cannabis; adventured into the land of cannabis, a marijuana mentor whose business or whether you want to delve deeper, model depends on a blissful and thankfully, here in the 207, we have a satisfying customer experience, sans bevy of informative, knowledgeable boogins. When I first called Ryan, pros, who will happily be your herbal he asked me about my condition, escort, and find you as Ryan puts it: tolerance, and my desired effects.

“Anything that brings on a happy He explained a variety of strains, mood.” How can that be bad? their effects, the general difference between indica and sativa, and a Until next time, be well & be safe. primer on proper dosing. With gentle guidance, he proposed “Want a strain that’ll keep you happily playing with your kids for hours? I got you.”

The first strain I tried was Gelato: a delightful tasting indica-dominant hybrid, perfect for the novice or the regular. It is both relaxing yet focused. Excellent for cleaning the house or doing yard work, great for being fully functional, social, calmed.

Perfect for a mom.

My re-entry into cannabis was off to a great start! Next came Pineapple Express: a more sativa-dominant hybrid that provided me with lots of energy, and not only the motivation

boogins

noun Slang. The sensation of unexplainable weirdness that pushes past the “fun zone” induced by dosage and strength uncertainty of cannabis.

“I got the boogins so bad I was blinking in and out of this dimension, like a strobe light.”

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CURRENT

Not a Time to Stay Silent:

Racial Inequalities, Recent Protests, and the War on Drugs B Y K AT I E W E I T M A N The recent ongoing protests have brought racial inequalities to the forefront of America’s collective conversation regarding justice, both legal and moral. Episodes of police violence have been recorded for years, often even, since the advent of smartphones. The nearly nine-minute video of George Floyd’s death seems to have been the straw that broke the camel’s back, at least for the protesters. But police culture is lagging behind. While the United States may be a country founded and built by immigrants, let us not forget that not all of those who came from foreign soil came by choice. The U.S. was built on the backs of the other — other races, other ethnicities, other cultures — resulting in disparate and unfair treatment and opportunities. Our institutions were built around those early false beliefs of the superiority of some over others, and thus the promise of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all is a false one.

A key example of the systemic racism currently being questioned is the war on drugs, which has been used as an excuse to harass and oppress people of color for several decades. In fact, Breonna Taylor — a name often invoked at the rallies — was a casualty to the war on drugs after police shot her while she slept when raiding her apartment for drugs that weren’t there.

In 2018, despite accounting for just around 30% of the population, 90% of drug charges were leveled against people of color—even though white people use drugs at the same rate. Over 90% of these charges were for simple possession, even though the laws were supposedly put in place to go after traffickers and cut down drug sales. In many states, individuals who have been convicted of drug offenses are no longer allowed to vote, meaning that hundreds of thousands of Black voices are not heard when it comes to choosing legislators and enacting new policies.

Reports compiled by government task forces since the 1930s — notable examples are the LaGuardia Report in 1939 and the Shafer Commission in 1972 — have, without exception, recommended drug penalties, in general, and cannabis laws, in particular, be changed. As President Carter pointed out to Congress in 1977, “drug policies [in the United States] are more punitive and counterproductive than in other democracies and have brought about an explosion in prison populations.” That same year, Carter’s drug czar — before his scandalous resignation — expressed similar views, describing the administration’s belief that “criminal penalties that brand otherwise law-abiding people for life are neither an effective nor an appropriate deterrent.”

Over the last couple of months, despite the deafening outcry of citizens tired of horrific images of police brutality, several new videos have surfaced showing what can only be deemed as abuse by the police who are meant to serve and protect their communities. There has been a rising demand for police accountability from citizens who want to break the cycle of officers facing little to no repercussions for crimes for which

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their civilian counterparts would surely be punished. People want police with histories of abuse or assault kept off the force and put on a registry to prevent them from being rehired in other jurisdictions.

Recently, one NYPD officer was filmed in Brooklyn using a chokehold to help several other police subdue a man that had been taunting them. The officer was immediately suspended without pay after New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law a ban on chokeholds. This incident represents an example of the intersection between the war on drugs and criminal justice reform. Why? Because the suspended officer, David Afanador, was charged with felony assault in 2014 after pistol-whipping a young Black man he and his partner stopped for possession of marijuana.

Kaheem Tribble was on his way home from a friend’s late one night when Afanador and his partner spotted him ditching $250 worth of cannabis before trying to run from them.

Afanador broke two of Tribble’s front teeth over maybe an ounce of marijuana. At the time of the incident, Tribble was just 16 years old. He admitted to having the marijuana, and that he intended to sell it, and was charged with possession and delinquent behavior. Ultimately, the charges against Tribble were dropped. Afanador faced seven years for second degree assault (and was also charged with criminal possession of a weapon and official misconduct). He was kept on modified duty for two years before being acquitted by a judge in 2016.

Now, Afanador has been arrested and charged with attempted aggravated strangulation and strangulation, both of which were made illegal by the legislation banning chokeholds recently put in place. It shouldn be no surprise that a man who was charged with assaulting a teenager for a victimless crime would again use excessive force.

The laws that allowed Afanador to get away with attacking Kaheem Tribble in Queens are outdated and opposed by the majority of the country. But, more importantly, this gross abuse of power should have prevented Officer Afanador from ever having another opportunity to use excessive force against any citizen for any reason. Officer Afanador used the war on drugs to justify an assault against a non-violent, underage offender.

Our drug war has continued under the noble guise of keeping children safe from the dangers of drugs. From Reefer Madness to Nixon’s War on Drugs to Nancy Reagan’s ‘Just Say No’ campaign and all the way up to William Barr’s recent attempt to expand the DEA’s rights during the recent protests, the government has spent a significant percentage of taxpayer dollars to try and promote false claims that drugs, in general, and cannabis, specifically, pose a threat to American life as we know it. We will never have true justice until those who commit violent crimes are punished more severely than those who commit victimless crimes, and until all laws are enforced in an equal, level, non-racist manner.

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17

INTERVIEW

Breeder Series: The Melty Interview

BY M R . RO O T S

P H O T O G R A P H Y C O U R T E S Y O F M E LT I N G P O T FA R M

SUNSET SHERBERT X LEMON TREE MALE PLANT

On a sunny, yet very windy, day, I met with Sean from Melting Pot Farm to have a proper sit down and discuss his approach to growing and breeding cannabis. We met at the great Watersong Recording Studio in Bowdoinham to record some audio.

Since we agreed to meet mid-morning, I stopped by Wild Oats in Brunswick and picked up some coffee and bran muffins. When we both got to the studio and settled in, we had a mid-morning breakfast together and jumped into some great conversation.

Sean and I both started cultivating cannabis well before the medical program took off here in Maine, in the former times of prohibition. We knew this about each other, and it served as a good icebreaker. We had also both worked tables at the Indoor Cannabis Farmers’ Market that IPK held in 2016, right after adult use was voted in, so we had a good idea of the circle of people we mutually knew. Other than that, we had never previously had an opportunity to sit and talk with each other.

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Talking with Sean that day felt very much like talking with a friend that I had known for years, since the way back days.

The fact that we could reminisce about strains from the midto-late 90s/early 00s that we had both grown, as well as our mutual respect for each other as long-time Maine cannabis gardeners, served as a positive foundation for the interview you are about to read.

I started the interview by asking Sean about his origins with growing the herb.

Melting Pot: “I got started growing cannabis as a late teen, based on my want for cheaper access to better cannabis. I didn’t want to have to continually be dealing with the people I was dealing with to obtain my cannabis. I was lucky enough to find some seeds inside of some pretty good cannabis that I had sourced. From there, it made sense for me to try to put them in the ground and see what would come of it.”

Mr. Roots: “Do you think those were S1s, or you think someone maybe didn’t clip a male? Hard to tell, huh?”

Melting Pot: “Yeah those specific seeds, looking back, I assume were either cross-pollinated, feminized, or S1s. Just because it was from what we considered ‘Canadian Hydro’ back then. But, for me, it was a good source.”

Mr. Roots: “Were these some ‘Beasties’?”

Melting Pot: “Yeah, good ‘Beasties’ though.” (both laugh) Mr. Roots: “Alright! People talk a lot of shit on those but…”

Melting Pot: “There were good ‘Beasties’ back in the day.

Relatively at least.”

Mr. Roots: “Right, I mean, not like today’s herb, but…”

Melting Pot: “Hey, back then you were pretty spiffy if you had them.”

Mr. Roots: “For sure, yeah. Yeah.”

Melting Pot: “Yup, I cracked some S1s in Dixie cups behind a filing cabinet in my bedroom. I got caught, very quickly. I came to a crossroads in my life, and my mother said...the words that I still hear in my head now: ‘You’re going to burn the house down! Take those things and put them in a closet would ya!’”

Mr. Roots: “That’s great advice!”

Melting Pot: “Yeah! Instead of telling me to throw them out, instead of grounding me, she said, ‘What are you crazy?! You don’t put a light behind a file cabinet! You’re going to burn our house down!’”

Mr. Roots: “She progressed your growing right there!”

PIE DOUGH MALE PLANT

White Russian, which is an AK 47 X White Widow hybrid, was my first expensive seed pack. Ugh, the day I grabbed that seed pack, and I had it in my hands...it was no longer just a picture in a magazine...it was important.

“So, from there, I just lucked out, the first seeds were just accidentally put together, and I’ve kept it moving.”

Melting Pot: “She could have put the stop to it, and I could be a shoe salesman right now.”

Mr. Roots: “Nice. Do you prefer to flower from seeds or clones? A lot of people go back and forth with that.”

Mr. Roots: “So, how did you get started with breeding the plant?”

Melting Pot: “I generally go from seed. Uh, actually, a lot of it comes down to, you know, my goal. I usually ask myself before any venture: ‘what is my goal?’ I usually work my way backwards from a goal. If I only have eight seeds that are extremely special to me, I may back them all up multiple times before I ever flower them. I want to see if they have any different tendencies to show phenotypic differences from seed or from clone. A lot of it comes down to the value I see from the number of seeds I have to start with.

Melting Pot: “Again, I think it just made sense to me. I got to the point where I was purchasing seed packs, and back in the mid 90s seed packs were extremely expensive. There were only a few spots you could get them.

“I took a trip to Amsterdam in my late teens and...I goofed, and...somehow, accidentally, when I got home there were some seeds that had found their way into my bag. I was lucky enough to have friends, and we traded some seeds. So in the late 90s, I had a nice little collection of some stuff to work with, and it seemed to make sense to multiply there. It just made sense to try to back them up and have a bigger lot to search through.”

Mr. Roots: “Right. What were the names of some of those strains that made their way back here, luckily?”

Melting Pot: “Luckily. Yeah, we had Sage, Blueberry, and we had White Widow from Greenhouse. Sheherazade. A lot of them have lived on, and some of them have kind of vanished.

Mr. Roots: “Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. What do you think about people making crosses and releasing them untested?”

Melting Pot: “I understand that everyone comes from a different spot. So, it doesn’t surprise me. It doesn’t outrage me, and I know that there are people who are just trying to get by.

Some people are trying to get by financially, some people are filling gaps socially, some people just need to feel like they are a part of something. All of those are reasons for them to make seeds and sell them, and I’m not going to tell anyone that I don’t agree with what they are doing. I wouldn’t support it. I wouldn’t go out of my way to support someone who is doing something like that, but I also wouldn’t put energy into calling them out.”

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Mr. Roots: “Nice, that is a very non-judgemental way to approach it. Because it is very common. I respect that approach you have.”

Melting Pot: “As time goes on, it’s about what is being supported. You would almost have to critique the customers more heavily than you would the sellers. If they are supporting something that doesn’t have a foundation...I guess I would have to take a whole other role in life, and that would be to take a megaphone and tell everyone what I think is right and wrong with the world. Maybe 20 years ago.”

Mr. Roots: “I saw a picture on Instagram of a gorgeous Sunset Sherbert X Lemon Tree stud that you have. How often are you seeing resin on males in your sifts, with those that are non-reversed?”

Melting Pot: “In regular seeds, I see it more rarely. In reversals, the plant seems to hold onto more of its feminine traits, even though it’s passing pollen and showing male sex parts. It’s crazy; it just shows that there is no end to the learning with any of this stuff. Five or eight years ago, that was a big part of what I was looking for. If I came across a male with resin, you know, you get excited, and it makes you think ‘this is the one’ because it’s going to pass that trait on.

“But now, based on what I am still learning—and being lucky enough to take in information from people who have been doing this longer,—is that resin, just like stigmas...10 years ago you were told, ‘those are the traits you are looking for because they will pass on traits.’ Now I am learning that maybe some of that advice was taken based on the strength of these peoples’ names. Now I am realizing, if you are making regular seeds, those traits are actually feminine traits. So you wouldn’t want to use them in regular lines. It should be a cue that they are apt to be more intersexed. I wouldn’t have even taken that into account until very recently.”

Mr. Roots: “Very interesting advice there. There is the assumption that resin males are going to pass on even more trichome production and be a better hash strain.”

Melting Pot: “If someone ran all that right in front of me, and I saw that, I may sway back and reconsider it again. Now the people that I look up to are all reinforcing the other side.”

Mr. Roots: “It’s good to stay open-minded in this field because so much has not yet been vetted as a result of the oppression of the plant.”

Melting Pot: “You got it. There is always someone who has seen more and done more, and if you are not open to what they have to say because you have already come to your own conclusions then, you know, you’re in the wrong business.”

Mr. Roots: “So, the Pie Dough male, that I noticed. Did you select that male?”

Melting Pot: “That’s a feminized girl. She’s seemingly getting pretty well-known in the Northeast. It is Animal Cookies X Stardawg (made by a gentleman out west by the name of ‘True Grit’) that was hybridized and feminized with Cannarado Genetics’ infamous Grape Pie clone, which is Grape Stomper crossed to Cherry Pie. That pack was sourced by a local Mainer named Megaraw Melts. His #4 that came from that

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pack is an extremely special specimen. I’m not very wellversed in the hash game; Megaraw could give you a little more info on the percentages and all those things. What it comes down to is that she is a provider when it comes to resin.”

Mr. Roots: “I’ve taken a couple of dabs of that with my buddy Bang Melts. Woo! Tasty stuff!”

Melting Pot: “Yeah! Exactly! Flavors...It’s fulfilling. Satisfaction all around. It doesn’t leave you needing to smoke anything afterwards. So the male version of that clone was a reversal that I did for Megaraw Melts. He was one of the very few people who got packs of Pie Dough, so it was just a way to up the numbers of seeds.

“His brand now is the home of Pie Dough. I think that is how you can gain security in this business today. By breaking through with something from your own pocket that you are confident with. If your product sells itself like the Pie Dough does, you gain your security because you are out of the race of trying to track down the next clone.”

Mr Roots: “Alright, Sean from Melting Pot Farm, blessings to you man. I really appreciate you taking the time to meet up and discuss your approach to growing and breeding. Thanks so much.”

Melting Pot: “I really appreciate it. It’s been fun.”

This interview was recorded and released as episodes 1 and 2 for IN THE TREES PODCAST, which can be listened to on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or by visiting inthetreespodcast.com.

Melting Pot Farm can be found on Instagram @meltingpotfarm.

Medical patients are highly encouraged to check out his amazing flower at fine caregiver stores like Sinsemilla 207 in Lewiston.

Mr. Roots can be reached @alightforhealth. An avid gardener and 20+ year cannabis grower, he is also the founder and host of the IN THE TREES PODCAST.

CANNABINOIDS

Cannabigerol (CBG): The new cannabinoid on the block

BY CH ARLES GIL

I have been a hemp farmer for the past two seasons concentrating on CBD ( cannabidiol) production.

Unfortunately, prices for extract have fallen greatly, and we’re starting to look at other crops to grow. In addition to the dropping wholesale prices, the THC testing requirements are changing, and soon total THC (and not just Δ9-THC) will basically result in current available genetics not being compliant. I hope the breeders will come up with new CBD genetics, and I believe they will, but as of this growing season, we did not feel comfortable planting CBD.

• Treating glaucoma though its vasodilator and neuroprotective effects; • Decreasing inflammation as seen in animal models of inflammatory bowel disease; • Combatting Huntington’s disease, again through its neuroprotective effects; • Inhibiting tumor growth in animal models of colorectal cancer; and • Killing drug-resistant bacteria, such as Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

This year, we planted CBG with the anticipation that prices will be stable (and higher), and we wouldn’t have to worry about the THC testing concerns.

CBG has been referred to as the “Rolls Royce” of cannabinoids because it is traditionally found at such low percentages using current genetics. We now have breeders who claim to have high-CBG plants that can test over 15% by weight and be compliant with the federal THC limit of less than .3%. We planted these high-testing CBG varieties and anticipate a strong harvest, as we’re already way ahead of last year’s growth. Currently, we have a strong start to the season, with several acres of two CBG varieties. If all goes well, we anticipate a large harvest of biomass to turn into oil and smokeable flower.

What is CBG and why is it a good alternative? CBG is known as the “mother cannabinoid” as it is the precursor of THC and CBD. CBG is not psychoactive, and it has many reported health benefits. There are early studies linking the compound to a whole host of potential therapeutic uses, such as:

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WELLNESS

TICK ED OFF

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TICKED OFF B Y K AT I E W E I T M A N

P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y M AT T H E W B O U R G E O I S It’s tick season again, which has Lyme Disease on the tips of most tongues around here. Last year (or maybe it was the year before), I went to a local Lyme Disease conference as a representative of CannaCare Docs and started doing some research into the topic of cannabis-based Lyme Disease treatments. Granted, I haven’t spent much of my time since following up on my early research, so I’m far from an expert.

But I have learned a few things.

First, Lyme Disease is caused by the intractable bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. Most cases are diagnosed based on symptoms that include fever, chills, headache, fatigue, muscle and joint aches, swollen lymph nodes, and rash.

According to the CDC, most cases of Lyme Disease can be managed with a course of antibiotics, usually lasting for a few weeks. If left untreated, further symptoms might develop, such as severe headaches and neck stiffness; additional EM rashes on other areas of the body; facial palsy (loss of muscle tone or droop on one or both sides of the face); arthritis with severe joint pain and swelling, particularly in the knees and other large joints; intermittent pain in tendons, muscles, joints, and bones; heart palpitations or an irregular heart beat (know as Lyme carditis); episodes of dizziness or shortness of breath; inflammation of the brain and spinal cord; nerve pain; and shooting pains, numbness, or tingling in the hands or feet.

If you know much about medical cannabis in general, the benefits of using cannabis are obvious. Cannabis works for pain, gastrointestinal issues, and is sometimes — but not always — good for mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression, all of which are prominent symptoms Lyme sufferers experience. Several cannabinoids also act as neuroprotectants and can help with nerve pain, while CBD and/or THC topicals can be used to treat rashes or joint pain.

The anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties of CBD and THC alone make cannabis a good adjunct treatment for those suffering from the painful symptoms most individuals with Lyme Disease experience. Numerous studies have shown the efficacy of CBD and THC as pain relievers, not to mention the literature dating back to ancient times attesting to these effects. Not only does cannabis treat pain, it does so in a few different ways. With cannabis, some patients are able to treat different types of pain — like joint pain, pain from inflammation, and nerve pain — with one medication.

worse in others. Some patients, for instance, find that highTHC strains make them anxious or paranoid. In individuals with depression, some of the more sedating strains may lead to increased depression or suicidal ideation. Like any other medication, it is always a good idea to consult your physician before starting a new treatment.

As is true with the relationship between cannabis and most medical conditions, there really hasn’t been enough research done to say definitively how — or if — cannabis may be an effective treatment for Lyme Disease. There is an abundance of anecdotal evidence to suggest that medical marijuana is extremely effective in treating the symptoms of Lyme Disease, but it is still unclear as to the effects it may have on the underlying causes. Because several cannabinoids work as antibacterials, many scientists see promise for the use of cannabis as a general curative for this debilitating disorder, as opposed to just treating its symptoms.

One study conducted in 2008 and published in the Journal of Natural Products, which examined the antibiotic properties of cannabis, offered researchers hope when five major cannabinoids — CBD, CBC, CBG, Δ9-THC, and CBN — showed significant activity in combating the antibiotic resistant bacteria Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

The study concluded that, “[cannabinoids’] high potency definitely suggests a specific, but yet elusive, mechanism of action,” meaning that cannabis definitely kills certain kinds of bacteria, we just don’t know how.

Cannabis is sometimes touted as a cure-all, which makes many skeptical about its medical validity. Surely, no one medication can cure everything, but when it comes to Lyme Disease symptoms, cannabis has a long-storied history of working extremely well. Pain, rash, and GI disorders are among some of the oldest ailments cannabis was used for, and there are documents dating back hundreds of years that detail these uses.

It’s true we don’t have any concrete evidence of cannabis curing Lyme Disease, as is the case for many medical conditions. What we do know about cannabis — and Lyme Disease — leads medical marijuana prescribing physicians to believe cannabis may actually cure the disease in addition to treating its symptoms. It is impossible to know exactly how cannabis might help those with Lyme Disease without undertaking further research, and further research won’t be done until federal laws regulating research are laxed. Luckily, some recent legislation has made it somewhat easier to access cannabis for study, but we still have a long road ahead of us.

Pain from inflammation is commonly treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), naproxen (Aleve), and ibuprofen (Motrin and Advil).

Although both cannabinoids and NSAIDs work as antiinflammatories, they work in different ways. For this reason, cannabis may work as a valuable complement to NSAIDs, or even prove to be more effective in treating pain caused by inflammation for some patients.

Cannabis therapy gets a bit trickier when it comes to psychiatric symptoms such as anxiety and depression.

Although medical marijuana can be used to treat psychiatric disorders and symptoms in some patients, it can make them

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B E S T F R I E N D FA R M S ’ AWA R D - W I N N I N G P H OTO F R O M F R E N C H I E C A N N O L I ’ S HASH PORN CONTEST #1

@WISELYHASH

MELT.INDULGE.SMOKE

166 Central Street Millinocket, Maine Scheduled Pickup | Delivery magiccitymedshop.com (207) 261-1004 Amy Madore Harris, Owner

SHOWCASE

MAI N E S HOWCAS E

Paul’s Boutique Nursery Platinum Kush Breath x Wedding Cake and Candyland Live Rosin Grown and produced by Paul’s Boutique Nursery Available at Paul’s Boutique Nursery in Windham, Maine. Follow Paul’s Boutique Nursery on Instagram @ paulsboutiqueofmaine.

ZEST Tropical Punch Sativa and ZEN Blackberry Indica Hash Rosin Gummies From Southern Maine Apothecary and produced by Le Kine Kitchen Both Zest, a tropical punch infused with sativa hash rosin, and Zen, a blackberry indica hash rosin, are available at Southern Maine Apothecary in Kittery, Maine. Follow Southern Maine Apothecary on Instagram @southern_maine_apothecary.

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Butter Bean Sugar Wax, Peppermint Sapphire Live Resin Crumble, and Peppermint Sapphire Shatter Grown by Sunday Morning Farm Available at TreeLine Cannabis Co. in Lewiston, Maine, Fire on Fore in Portland, Maine, and via delivery from Exhale Cannabis Co. Follow Sunday Morning Farm on Instagram @sundaymorningfarm..

Mimosa and Slurri-Crasher Flower Grown by East & Eye Available at All Kind and Fire on Fore in Portland, Maine and Beach Boys Cannabis Co. in South Portland, Maine. Follow East & Eye on Instagram @eastand_eye.

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Gas Masque Sieved Bubble Hash Cured Resin and Low Temp Gas Masque Flower Rosin Grown and produced by Best Friend Farms Available at Maple Valley Pharms in Waterville, Maine; Atlantic Farms in Portland, Maine; and Treeline Cannabis Co. in Lewiston, Maine. Follow Best Friend Farms on Instagram @bestfriendfarms.

Cherry Prime Live Rosin and Tropic Truffle Flower Grown by Dialed In Farms LLC; live rosin produced by Canna Melts Available at Paul’s Boutique Nursery in Windham, Maine; Friend Jen and Co. in Richmond, Maine; Firestorm Cannabis Co. in Bangor, Maine; Cure Cannabis Co. in Auburn, Maine; and Atlantic Farms in Portland, Maine.

Delivery available through Soylent Greens, The Green Alchemist, and Organically Maine Grown. Follow Dialed In Farms on Instagram @dialed_in_farms.

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Magic Cream and Lavender ReLeaf Bath Soak Produced by Augusta Farms

Gasoline Ice Cream Flower Grown by Frost Factory

Their handmade small-batch products are made with raw flower and areavailable at Green Gnome Holistic in Portland, Maine. Delivery is available through Soylent Greens. Follow Augusta Farms on Instagram @augustafarms.

Available at the Frost Factory in Hallowell, Maine. Follow the Frost Factory on Instagram @the_frost_factory_ _.

White Montage, Thai X ECSD, Lost Coast Hash Plant, and Sherb Breath Flower Grown and produced by Paul’s Boutique Nursery Available at Paul’s Boutique Nursery in Windham, Maine. Follow Paul’s Boutique Nursery on Instagram @paulsboutiqueofmaine.

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FACES IN THE FIELD

Faces in the Field: East & Eye

B Y K AT I E W E I T M A N P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y T R I C H R O M E V I S UA L S & M AT T H E W B O U R G E O I S

A M A C R O P H O T O G R A P H O F E A S T & E Y E ’ S W E E K E N D AT B E R N I E S

The medical cannabis industry in Maine is taking off, and it’s doing it on the backs of a small community of very capable cultivators. They’re not big business — yet — but they’re passionate and driven, paving the way for a cannabisfriendly future. These mad scientists of the marijuana market are barreling ahead at full steam, continuously creating new products and production methods. Masters of their craft, these cannabis farmers are positioning Maine as a major East Coast hub for an industry that is on the cusp of federal recognition.

Maine-born Ryan Henderson at East & Eye is one such cultivator who is bringing some West Coast experience to our humble East Coast market. Ryan has a background in organic farming and permaculture, which has helped him become one of the top cannabis growers in the state. We sat down with him to talk about his experiences, methods, and grow philosophy, and he gave us some great insights into what the

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daily grind is like and where he thinks the future of cannabis is headed. “I’m excited about where we’re at as a community and an industry,” he told us.

Now, Ryan heads a modest team of cultivators at East & Eye. Ryan and his investor co-founded East & Eye in 2018. Their mission ever since has been to provide a locally grown craft cannabis product by hyper-focusing on the details of the growing process from seed to harvest. Their EYE for the plant kingdom and a commitment to a healthy planet keep them working toward a higher standard in cannabis cultivation so that their consumers know that they’re purchasing pure and effective cannabis.

In a field full of unconventional knowledge, experience is key.

East & Eye is not Ryan’s first venture into cannabis cultivation, and he told us he has gained invaluable knowledge from each and every one of his endeavors. After years of smaller

grows in tents and closets, Ryan moved into a room on the third floor of a building right in Portland — his biggest grow space up to that point. At the time, Ryan was traveling to and from California, where he learned organic cannabis farming in large-scale outdoor grows.

Before starting East & Eye, Ryan helped found Stillwater Farms and Fine Tree State some seven or eight years ago.

The partnership lasted a couple of years before Ryan felt it was time to move on. After a second brief partnership Ryan decided ‘no more handshakes and hugs’ and got busy writing up a business plan to pitch to investors.

When asked about his grow philosophy, Ryan said he felt it was “important to bring an organic method indoors.” His desire was to do more with living soil and regenerative, or Korean, natural farming. These concepts were being explored on the West Coast, particularly in California, but Ryan had to figure out how to bring this method indoors.

After doing some research, Ryan decided that what he really wanted to do was build his own soil. By starting with an OMRI-listed, MOFGA-certified base, and growing their own microorganisms, East & Eye are able to build a soil that organically provides the right levels of nutrients for growing high-quality cannabis. They now have 3x3 and 4x8 containers of homemade, organic, nutrient-rich soil.

Up to this point, their focus has been largely on producing a consistent product. They are almost at capacity with three grow rooms, but are taking their time and trying not to get ahead of themselves. Building the business slowly has helped them achieve a consistently high-quality product. Ryan has had the chance to play around with several cultivation methods and told us he’s learned a lot from all of his experimentation. From general hydroponics using bottled nutrients to general outdoor organic, Ryan’s vast experience has allowed him to tailor his approach and focus on the small details that make all the difference.

Ryan admitted it’s been a learning curve, and that they’ve “definitely had [their] share of pests and pathogens along the way,” but said that they’ve ultimately been able to strike a balance that allows for a product rich in essential oils and terpenes that also burns clean and has notable aromas and good resin production. Ryan says this is a difficult balance to achieve, but that they’ve finally been able to produce a product that is “exactly what [they’re] trying to go for.”

Now that they’ve had some time to experiment with indoor growing techniques, East & Eye is looking into solventless

extraction methods and equipment with plans to add a hash lab and commercial kitchen. Ryan told us that he has solid experience with ice water extraction, but is looking forward to experimenting with freeze-drying and rosin press technology.

With things at East & Eye running smoothly, Ryan is also back to working on a pitch and portfolio to try and bring in new investors. He has his eye on a few pieces of land so he can return to outdoor growing — his passion — and is paying attention to which municipalities he thinks he’ll be able to work with.

Currently East & Eye is an entirely indoor operation, but Ryan does keep a small garden patch at the homestead in Portland, where he currently has four plants he’s cultivating as a fun pet project. His focus right now is cutting costs and making East & Eye a profitable venture before finding a permanent space where he can get back outside.

East & Eye is also trying their hand at some in-house breeding.

They’ve developed a new strain dubbed Bob Ross, which is a cross of Purple Orange — a higher CBD, low-THC backcross of California Orange Diesel that Ryan referred to as a good “entry level strain” from Best Friend Farms — and Mimosa, from Symbiotic Genetics. They’re currently working with two phenotypes that have the traits they were going for. “The genetics game is so full of heat right now [...] it’s an exciting time to be a grower!,” Ryan told us.

While East & Eye hopes to one day break into the recreational market, they are in no rush to transition from medical. Overall, Ryan says he’s very excited about where he and East & Eye are at, and where the state of Maine is at, and he’s looking forward to a bright future. “I want to see everybody that has their hearts in the right place be able to make a living, and I really feel like the demand for Maine cannabis is going to allow for that to happen.”

From building their own soil to pressing their own hash, East & Eye is focused on creating high-quality, small-batch organic craft cannabis. With a handful of distributors in southern Maine now carrying their products, the brand is building some serious street cred and angling to continue expansion as laws loosen. Just recently, East & Eye had to turn down several wholesale requests due to production limitations and quality control concerns. Ryan says they would maybe be open to working with another one or two shops, but that the shops he’s already working with would be more than happy to take as much product as he’s willing to sell them. You can find their products at All Kind, Fire on Fore, Beach Boys, and Kind & Co. MAINECANNABISCHRONICLE.COM

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MAINE ARTIST

VA N V I S I T I N G B R Y O N U P AT B E S T F R I E N D F A R M S

Music Medicine: Van Gordon Martin

I N T E R V I E W E D B Y E . P. P H O T O G R A P H E D B Y E . P. A N D C O U R T E S Y O F VA N G O R D O N M A R T I N Chicago, the home of electric blues, not only birthed a genre that would go on to change the face of music, it is also the birthplace of musician Van Gordon Martin.

Martin’s grandmother played the guitar, the musical gene strumming its way through to her grandson who began his musical journey when he was 7 years old. Displaying versatility in his use of instruments, as well as an openness to reach to the roots, Van found himself amidst elders who led him down the road of true reggae beats and was received by a welcoming community of healing.

As an American reggae artist, Martin was brought into a community where he received insight into not only a form of music but also a community of Rasta elders who birthed an art form through oppression with a need and yearning for social change. Martin has made this his life’s passion, explaining, “I have the responsibility as a human and an artist to use my voice to stimulate change by creating music with a purpose that brings a message.” As we find ourselves on the brink of social change, now is the time as both artists and humans to take responsibility for ourselves and accountability for our actions to change for the better.

In 2002, Van moved to Massachusetts where he attended the internationally acclaimed Berklee School of Music. It was during this time that connections were made that brought Van,

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along with his musical talents, to the state of Maine. He was welcomed by a community of artists who received him openly, and he soon became a household name among the locals.

A self-taught multi-instrumentalist who began his musical journey playing the guitar, Van found a home for his sound in the busy streets and soul in the beautiful valleys of Maine — a state where art and freedom are celebrated, creating the perfect platform for artists of all walks to find their place among those who choose to heal through ART. Van went on to start his international touring career in 2004, later going on to tour with several of his musical heros, like Steel Pulse, Toots & The Maytals, and The Skatalites.But he always found his way back to Maine, drawn back to the musical community, as well as the quality cannabis grown organically. Being of the belief that cannabis, when grown consciously, can be used as a healing tool through experience with depression and anxiety, Van says, “I am a strong supporter of cannabis medicine. Good, clean, organically grown medicine should be accessible to those in need.”

Finding that both the Maine musical community, alongside the Maine cannabis community, paved a way to creating opportunities and forming lasting friendships, Van forged a special friendship with owner and breeder of Best Friend Farms, Bryon Fortin. While performing two years ago at a Slightly Stoopid afterparty with music group Organically Good

Trio in which Van plays lead guitar — a friendship was molded when Bryon, who is a caregiver and has personally healed with cannabis, gifted Van a nug of Lemon Cream, which tastes and smells just like it sounds. It’s a medicine grown regeneratively with conscious hands tending flower that heals with each puff. This friendship opened doors to firsts for both friends:Organically Good Trio was the first East Coast Band to have a cannabis strain named in their honor, and a first for Master Breeder Bryon Fortin, who created OGTangie (Organically Good Tangie), a cross between Angel’s Tangie (Angel Food cake x Tangie) x Tropicanna Cookies. The strain had her release party in February of this year and saw a turn out neither could have imagined — a message that right now we as a people need to go back to our roots, finding healing of our minds, bodies, and souls through clean medicine and conscious music. This kind of healing is sweeping across the globe, something Van highlights as being the vision for his latest single, “Calling Out,” a mission statement for Universal Love for all people, making efforts towards living a heartcentered existence through music and meditation, with the assistance of organic medicine.

addition to playing guitar for hip hop legend Big Daddy Kane, Club D’elf, Mighty Mystic, Naya Rockers, and many more.

He extends his knowledge and musical talents and shares his wisdom with those with the desire to learn. During the f pandemic, Van has been giving guitar lessons via Zoom to young children, who during this time are experiencing a wealth of feelings and needing to understand those feelings are valid and that they can do anything channeling those feelings into art.

As art and healing find their way through the chaos of change, Van plans to host private gigs across the state this summer.

Check out Van’s latest single, “Calling Out,” on all music platforms. “I feel tremendously grateful for the Maine music community and the Maine cannabis community’s support of music, using this time to grow together with this movement,” Van says. Organic cannabis helps us get in touch with animal spirits and nature; getting in touch with our roots is what will bring healing to our nation.

Van plays full time with his own band “Van Gordon Martin,” as well as in Organically Good Trio and Dub Apocalypse, in VA N A N D T O O T S H I B B E R T C O U R T E S Y O F VA N G O R D O N M A RT I N / J D CO H E N P H OTO G R A P H Y

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INDUSTRY

CA N NA BIS, CODE , CON F USION, AND CONST R A I N T B Y S A R A B OY E R

So much is up in the air in the Maine cannabis real estate market. There is no denying that the Maine cannabis program is complex. Licenses to cultivate, process, or sell medical or recreational cannabis are typically tied to a specific piece of property, making due diligence crucial. Navigating the intricacies of zoning, caps, buffers, opt-ins/opt-outs, licensing, and moratoriums is essential.

Maine has taken the approach to let local towns hammer out their own guidelines, which is great, but since there is no exact formula, this can be daunting to a prospective renter or buyer. Most states, cities, and towns limit where marijuana businesses can operate, and buffers and local zoning laws can significantly restrict location options. Finding a state and locally compliant location for a cannabis business can be difficult, especially when navigating local code enforcement offices. In my experience, it has not been uncommon to be given false or misleading information from cities and towns. It is disconcerting to call a town and be told that my prospective property is in an appropriate zone for a medical or recreational retail cannabis business, only to later find out that a moratorium is in place. This is frightening, as business owners and investors have great financial stakes based on the information provided to them by their town governments.

When you can’t rely on your local government offices to provide accurate information when asking all the appropriate questions, your job becomes much more difficult and could potentially lead to a financial catastrophe.

Working with municipalities where zoning laws and community leaders strongly support the development of cannabis businesses can make all the difference. Just because a city or town has decided to opt in does not mean the locality is supportive of cannabis development. This has become clear in cities like Portland. Other towns, like Turner for instance, directed me to their website where I could find a cannabis checklist and offered services from a town employee who could help a potential buyer/tenant navigate the process.

Although this was at the cost of the buyer/tenant, it was still much cheaper than hiring an attorney, and I had a very informative and productive conversation with the Turner Code Enforcement Officer. It goes to show that if a town with roughly 6,000 residents and a conservative budget can successfully navigate and endorse the will of Mainers, Portland

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— with a population more than 10 times that — should certainly be able to do the same. I sat at a Portland board meeting one evening and watched a member of the board resign because they simply couldn’t get on board with the will of the town’s people. This is no longer about personal views regarding the morality of marijuana.

Stigma not only exists within city and town governments but also among local commercial property owners. I’m shocked when I speak to a listing broker and they express that the owner is morally opposed to allowing a cannabis business to operate in their property. A cannabis tenant has more to lose than most, with licensing that is time-consuming, expensive, and highly sought after. Deep pockets are required. I’ve heard stories from clients that the rate per square foot happened to double when the property owner learned that the space was going to be used for a cannabis business.. We may see some changes in the moral compasses of these owners whose once sought after commercial space remains vacant. Some sort of change in attitudes toward cannabis is necessary, but it seems to be happening as slowly as implementation of the legalization law…

The commercial real estate market has taken a hit with COVID-19, changing retail and office markets as we know them. Landlords may come to depend on cannabis dispensaries to fill their vacant retail spaces, cannabis cultivators to fill their vacant warehouses, cannabis producers to fill their vacant commercial kitchens, and cannabis distributors to fill their vacant office spaces. One thing is certain: after the smoke clears, icannabis will be driving the markets.

DEVICE REVIEW

Device Review: Loupolus Pipes

BY MCC TEA M.

Recently, Loupolus Pipes, a pipe manufacturing company, reached out to us on Instagram. They offer a modern version of the Arabian Medwakh pipe handmade in Germany. Curiosity got the best of us, and we started researching Medwakh pipes online. The style of pipe is mainly used to smoke dokha, a mix of tobacco and herbs that is still popular in many Arab countries. However, if you go way back in time, the ancients would have preferred smoking opium, cannabis, and other medicinal herbs out of these pipes. The company was gracious enough to let us design our own custom pipe on their website.

Flash forward to a recent trip to Best Friend Farms, where they’ve been producing some of the finest traditional hash temple balls in the state of Maine. We figured it would be a perfect opportunity to test out the unit. On a bed of Gas

Masque flower, we placed a miniature temple ball of hash on top. The long thin design of the pipe helped cool down the hit of perfumey hashish smoke. Although this might not be an everyday use piece, the tradition and history of the pipe’s design allows the user to connect with cultures from the past. The smoke session was elevated to a borderline spiritual experience.

The pipe comes with disposable filters that help cut down on carcinogens. Although we tested out the pipe without the filters, they do fit perfectly into the pipe. You can find similar Medwakh designs online for less money, but the fine German construction — and being able to customize the pipe design — constitutes the high price.

You can find out more at www.loupolus.com.

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W E O F F E R S E V E R A L PAC K AG E S TO F I T YO U R B U D G E T.

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POLICY

Medical Marijuana Patients Still in Gun Sales Limbo B Y S H AU N B OW E N It’s the middle of the day when I receive a text, distracting me from my work. A family member decided to reach out to me regarding a question that he and his doctor — with whom he was currently in an appointment with — were tussling over.

Can you own a firearm and be a medical marijuana patient?

We are originally from New York where, up until 2016, medical marijuana was tightly regulated. The program has now been expanded past its limited scope of primarily terminally ill patients to include a host of qualifying conditions, with the biggest expansion being the addition of chronic pain. My family member, having been horribly hurt in an accident back in school, has regular checkups since they have a prescription for opioid pain medications. They, like millions of other Americans, use cannabis as well.

With the rise in addiction, many doctors now require monitoring of prescription drug usage and evaluations from addiction specialists to help determine the needs of the patient versus the risk of addiction. After reviewing the results from my relative’s most recent drug test, their doctor suggested that they sign up for the medical marijuana program. It would give them access to regulated dispensaries, perhaps lower the amount of needed opioids, and allow them to have a medical excuse for the metabolites being in their system should they be tested for any official purpose.

At first glance, this all makes sense: the doctor knows you qualify, it’s something that is known to help your condition, and it would protect you from employer drug tests. But nothing is ever so simple. Being from a small, upstate, rural town, we, like millions of others, are surrounded by the hunting and sportsmen culture. From campouts when we were Scouts to hunting with friends and family to recreational target practice in the backyard, firearms have always been a part of our lives. Now, as we’ve grown older and started families of our own, gun ownership is becoming even more important, not just for recreation but also for security.

This is where the conflict between the doctor and my family member arose. The doctor claimed that there was no problem. Being the one in the family who worked in politics, and specifically marijuana reform, whenever questions like this come up, I’m the one my family reaches out to. In our conversations about my work, I’ve often brought up one of the most troubling aspects of the current conflict between state and federal law: gun owners who are medical cannabis patients are now being forced to choose — either give up your Second Amendment rights or give up your medicine.

As of this writing, there are 33 states (plus Washington, D.C.) that have some form of adult-use or medical marijuana, ranging from the open markets of Colorado and California to the extremely rigid medical laws in Louisiana. While each state has its own legal framework, in general the most common way medical patients get their cannabis is through a recommendation from a licensed doctor that is entered into a state database, through which a patient card is issued to purchase marijuana from a licensed seller.

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Since the introduction of these legal schemes with California’s 1996 Prop. 215 initiative, the relationship between state and federal law has always been complicated. Under federal law, gun shops must have a Federal Firearms License [FFL] to carry out transactions either within or across state lines.

When an FFL holder makes a sale, they must fill out a 4473 form to record the transaction and initiate a federal NICS background check. It is with the 4473 form that the problems for medical marijuana patients seeking to legally buy firearms arise. Specifically, the problem relates to question 11E on the form, which states, “Are you an unlawful user of, or addicted to, marijuana or any depressant, stimulant, narcotic drug, or any other controlled substance?” If you have a medical recommendation, you might think that you can answer that question with a “no,” but you’d be mistaken.

Under current federal law, marijuana is a Schedule I drug listed as having no accepted medical properties and a high chance of addiction, sitting alongside drugs like heroin, GHB, and mescaline, among others. Because of this current scheduling, any person who is a marijuana user, whether doctor-recommended or not, is technically an “unlawful user” and therefore unable to legally buy firearms or transfer firearms through a licensed dealer in the U.S. Should a person lie about their usage, they could receive a possible fine with up to five years in federal prison.The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives [BATFE], which is tasked with regulating gun sales, released a memo reaffirming this position to all FFL holders in 2011 after calls for clarification from gun shop owners.

Now some might be asking, “what about gun shows or private sales?” While private sales do not require an FFL license or an NCIS background check in states that haven’t passed legislation mandating it, this doesn’t get around the issue of ownership. According to federal law, anyone who is an illicit drug user cannot own a firearm, in addition to being unable to purchase one. Since many states use a database for patient registration, it quickly becomes clear that millions of citizens in these states who may want to seek access to cannabis have to make a choice between their medicine or maintaining their Second Amendment rights.

This problematic situation became a reality for Hawaiians in 2017 after the Honolulu Police cross-referenced the new medical marijuana database with the state’s handgun licenses and started issuing letters claiming that patients had 30 days to voluntarily surrender their firearms. In these letters, they stated that, “Your medical marijuana use disqualifies you from ownership of firearms and ammunition.” After a public backlash, the HPD stated that they would not enforce a surrender.

While many might think that this is a niche issue, according to a recent poll roughly 42% of U.S. citizens claimed to own some type of firearm. Gun sales continue to reach all-time highs, with a near $16 billion industry. And, as more and more states pass marijuana-friendly legislation, this issue is becoming more pressing. In 2016, a federal court upheld

the ban following a lawsuit out of Nevada. According to NBC News, “The 9th Circuit said in its 3-0 decision that Congress reasonably concluded that marijuana and other drug use ‘raises the risk of irrational or unpredictable behavior with which gun use should not be associated.’”In 2018, another lawsuit was filed in Pennsylvania after a doctor with no criminal history was denied a handgun sale because of his status as a medical marijuana patient. Since then, Pennsylvania regulators decided they will no longer provide the names of medical marijuana patients to law enforcement agencies.

This issue has not gone completely under the radar. At the federal level, in 2014, Sen. John Walsh (D-MT) attempted to add an amendment to the 2014 Senate budget bill that would have defunded the BATFE from going after lawabiding gun owners who are also medical marijuana patients.

Unfortunately, it never received a floor vote. Since then, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) has floated the idea of introducing similar legislation if he could get a bipartisan co-sponsor, but he has yet to introduce a bill. In April 2019, Rep. Alex Mooney (R-WV) introduced the Second Amendment Protection Act, which would have allowed for medical users to legally purchase or own firearms, but the bill hasn’t advanced past its introduction.

Some states have taken precautions to help mitigate this issue. Here in Maine, the state’s medical marijuana cards are anonymized, and police are statutorily prevented from accessing the state database. In Pennsylvania, the legislature followed in Maine’s footsteps when they passed their medical marijuana program into law. The recent medical law passed in Missouri explicitly mentions that enrollment in the program

does not negate a person’s firearm rights. The spokesman for the Missouri campaign said that, “We clearly believe that medical marijuana patients should be able to both possess and purchase a firearm. Unfortunately, just like the other 32 states that have a medical marijuana program, there are some federal laws that do complicate that.” There is only so much that can be done at the state level when federal law is also involved.

Having worked in cannabis advocacy, I know that the issue is trans-partisan and has no fixed left or right wing support. It is a true bipartisan, coalition issue. While that coalition is good when it comes to the issue of legalization, it leaves a tangential issue like this one in limbo along more traditional partisan lines, as advocates don’t want to mix messages. Cannabis advocates don’t want to be seen as advocating for allowing “drug users” to have access to firearms, and gun rights groups don’t want to run afoul of their more right-wing base who may not support legalization. Perhaps this is why groups like the NRA are remaining silent when it comes to the issue, despite it being a direct attack on Second Amendment rights.

In the end, patients are caught in a legislative trap with few fighting for them. Until we see further reforms, more and more of them will be forced to have uncomfortable conversations with their doctors. Sadly, not all of them have family members on the other end of the line who know about cannabis laws and can send links to BATFE documents.

For footnotes visit https://bit.ly/mmj_guns

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RECIPE

Chocolate Whoopie Pies

Makes 8 whoopie pies Pro tip: Substitute coffee for water to enhance the chocolatey flavor!

Ingredients Cakes: • 1 8-serving package of Calmbound or Technic chocolate baking mix • 1 cup water or coffee Filling: • 1 cup (2 sticks) of cold vegan butter or dairy butter, softened (if using dairy butter, add 3 to 4 tablespoons of milk to thin out filling) • 2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 38

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Directions Make cakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, stir baking mix with water or coffee until smooth. Be careful not to overmix.

Scoop batter into eight mounds (roughly two tablespoons each) about twoinches apart onto each of the prepared baking sheets. Allow to chill in the freezer for 10 to15 minutes.

Bake until puffy, when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 15 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Allow to cool completely on the pans.

Make filling: Beat the sugar, butter, milk (if using), and vanilla extract in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until well-combined and fluffy.

Assemble pies: Spread two to three tablespoons of filling on the flat sides of half of the cakes. Top with flat sides of the remaining cakes and enjoy!

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CAREGIVER PROFILE

R E G E N E R AT I V E L I F E AT A N C I E N T G R E E N FA R M I N T E R V I E W B Y E . P. P H O T O S : C O U R T E S Y O F A N C I E N T G R E E N FA R M Regenerative farming is farming using living soil and all organic materials; it creates an environment that generates and supports life by following natural processes. By implementing this method of farming, the earth used is remediated over time.

heal continues to grow, along with their connections to many like-minded farmers. Bobby brings his cannabis knowledge, and Kate is gifted with a green thumb, forming a land where healing and regeneration is felt as soon as you set your feet upon it.

Many farmers are now turning to regenerative ways of farming and living, seeing an increased interest in not only growing food but also a consciousness regarding how it is grown.

As the world realizes that what we consume determines our standard of living, many are choosing quality over convenience, a change our world needs! Maine is rich with generational organic farmers who have maintained heirloom strains from apple to maple. From vegetable gardeners to cannabis farmers, Maine has a wealth of health that is about to sweep the nation and set healing into the world. In essence, Maine has become the state to emulate.

The family-run and owned farm is home to Bobby, Kate, and soon-to-be big sister four-year-old Olivia. The farm also houses meat chickens, egg layers, cows, and two beautiful dogs, who take their jobs very seriously. With their vision materializing, the Gaudettes have built their farm starting with the beds in their first cannabis garden, which came from trees cut down on the land. Each hand-built bed houses a single plant, which is carefully guarded by wire cages, an impressive sight to take in. Wood chips, which also come from the land, have been placed all around the flooring, a farmer’s way of organically keeping weeds at bay. “We use regenerative farming practices, which means using all we can from the land to create fertility and biodiversity in our gardens and lessening our off-farm resources,� explains Bobby. Ancient Green Farm is a DEM Pure certified regenerative family farm, an organic certification created by Dragon Fly Earth Medicine.

This certification is not easily attained, as self-sustaining farms take time, effort, and patience to create and maintain.

To learn more about the DEM Pure certification, please see @dragonflyearthmedicine on Instagram or visit www. dempurefarms.com.

Husband and wife duo Bobby and Kate Gaudette own the beautiful hidden gem Ancient Green Farm in the quaint town of Bowdoinham, Maine. With a love for farming and living a life that exhales regeneration, the duo grow clean organic cannabis and maintain gardens to provide for their vision of healing through cannabis. The Gaudettes, like many, appreciate the way of living in Maine. Their land awaited use for a greater purpose, and though work needed to be done, the vision was clear. Five years in, and their desire to

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With gardens filled with vegetables, herbs, and flowers, Ancient Green Farm mainly grows full-season plants. Each garden site is designed with the landscape and plants in mind.

A Walipini greenhouse—which is a solar-powered, geothermal, subterranean greenhouse for maximum season extension here in the northern climate of Mid-Coast Maine—allows for additional months of outdoor gardening time while a light dep greenhouse is in the works. The Walipini greenhouse was designed and built by Bobby Gaudette and woodworker Zach Murdoch over the winter and spring of 2019 and features local cedar wood milled on the farm. The Hugelkultur-inspired raised beds going around three sides are layered with wood chips, cannabis stalks, dairy compost, rock dust, and locally composted soil.

In just five years, Ancient Green Farm has dug deep to reach the roots of Maine, crafting unfiltered raw CO2 cannabis oil, a Maine original. “No additives ever, only the pure nectar of the plant with maximum terpene retention,” notes Bobby. As a self-sustaining farm, all products are grown, extracted, and crafted on the farm using only the purest, organic ingredients and methods available. The farm offers a cosmic line of THC products including CO2 cartridges, capsules, oils, tinctures, and salves as well as a separate line of CBD hemp oils, capsules, CO2 cartridges, salves, and skin care.

cannabis, CBD, and local products including art, pottery, produce, and locally grown foods. Set to officially open late summer/ early fall 2020, the store features a traditionally handcrafted frame and interior built from locally harvested and milled timber. It was crafted in collaboration with builder and designer Zach Murdoch of Sacred Timberworks (@ sacredtimberworks). Zach, an essential part of the Ancient Green Farm team, was trained in the art of timber framing at the Island School of Building Arts in British Columbia and under Steve Chappell’s Fox Maple in Costa Rica.

Ancient Green Farm is a family farm that continues to reach, extend, and exchange its regenerative way of farming and living with farmers and individuals who also value the sustainability and longevity of the earth. Ancient Green believes in creating friendships through healing and regeneration; one such friendship is that with Best Friend Farms (@bestfriendfarms)—a friendship grounded on the healing of the people, providing clean organic medicine, and creating strains of cannabis that further heal and reach the nation. The two farms come together as regenerative farmers who desire to see people receive organic medicine, grown with intentions of healing and well-being. Regeneration of the nation can only occur when farmers of food and cannabis turn back to the earth, using what she has given and allowing each plant to grow as nature intended.

While Ancient Green Farm products can be found in several dispensaries, the Gaudettes decided to build their very own store on the farm. They want patients to receive the best medication that the farm has to offer as well as having the opportunity to see where their medication comes from, something often overlooked when it comes to medical cannabis. The Ancient Green Farm store will carry clean

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SHOP DOG

Hey there! My name is Farley from Farley’s Cannabis Farm in Woolwich, and boy am I happy to meet you! If you’ve ever stopped in at the family’s shop, there is a good probability I have had the pleasure of enthusiastically introducing you to my beloved Bun Bun. If you haven’t had the chance to stop by but I am still looking familiar, it could be because of some of the modeling work I did when I was a younger pup. I don’t like to brag, but maybe you’ve seen my charming poses in an LL Bean Catalog? Possibly saw my "Blue Steel" next to a pair of hunting boots? Some say I’m the reason LL Bean can’t keep flannel dog beds in stock, but that’s neither here nor there. Though I may remind most people of a beautiful lock of perfectly groomed surfer hair, I don’t let the compliments get to my head; I’m here for the people I love.

As the official welcoming committee, I look forward to greeting our returning patients and welcoming our new ones. When I’m on duty, you can be sure to leave Farley’s with some killer bud and a dog-induced-smile on your face. So come on in, browse our powerful products and selective strains, and I’ll show you that I’m even friendlier than I am handsome. And that’s coming from a dog that has been handsome professionally. Big wet kisses.

-Farley 42

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CULTURE

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The MCC team was recently invited to visit the outer room of the Stoney Hill Cannabis Company’s facility, where the legendary Subone, aka Tim Clorius, was working on a new work of art. Combining both aerosol and brush techniques, Subone created a mythical landscape with a group of loveable animals busy trimming the latest cannabis harvest. The piece is massive, and the photos hardly do the piece justice in terms of scale. Stay tuned; we will be posting videos from the session online soon.

Follow Subone on Instagram @timclorius.

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COMMUNITY

Coping with COVID: The Maine cannabis industry’s response to the pandemic B Y M I C H A E L S AU N D E R S , C O N T R I B U T I N G W R I T E R / C E O S OY L E N T G R E E N S To say that 2020 has brought with it some significant challenges for the majority of us would be putting it mildly. For many people, this year has been devastating to their physical, financial, and mental health. Record numbers of people are unemployed, with global, national, and local economies facing a massive recession and a possible depression. On top of all of this, most people are being asked to manage these personal financial issues without much assistance from the government.

Compared to other states, Maine has experienced a relatively low number of cases of COVID-19; however, over 100 lives in Maine have sadly been lost due to the virus. The impact to our economy has been and will continue to be devastating to Maine’s people for years to come. With this summer being largely a wash relative to Maine’s tourist season, seasonal business owners in Maine who rely solely on those dollars to get them through the off-season are left reeling and wondering what they will do to move forward.

For many cannabis businesses, this year has been filled with contradictions — a little good and a lot of bad.

In every state that has a medical marijuana program, businesses providing these services have been deemed “essential,” thus allowing them to remain open during the pandemic — seemingly, a win for cannabis companies.

Many industries in Maine and across the U.S. have been decimated by the shutdowns associated with the pandemic.

With what little guidance was presented to businesses relative to their operations during COVID, Maine cannabis companies who have remained open have had to adapt their operations to safely serve the community.

In response to the pandemic, many cannabis businesses in Maine quickly shifted their operations to offering curbside services, adding delivery, or simply limiting access to their stores in some fashion. With cannabis sales rising generally, and with a humbling sense of community and gratitude, some cannabis companies in Maine have found ways to give back during the pandemic. One such company is Kind and Co. We caught up with Ben Ferri, one of Kind and Co’s co-owners, and talked about some of the changes they made to their operations when COVID-19 hit, in addition to discussing the ways they are trying to give back to the community during this challenging time. For some background, Ben started Portland Cannabis Company, now known as Kind and Co, as a passion project and in direct opposition to the market position corporate cannabis dispensaries were taking in Maine by subverting the individual caregiver market model. Ben was born and raised in Maine, began cultivating about eight years ago, and was determined to prevent companies like the Wellness Connection from

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taking over medical and adult-use markets. Having to focus more on the needs of his own business, Ben set his roots down a few years ago in Windham, launching the name Kind and Co and opening a store in 2017.

When COVID-19 hit, Ben and his team toyed with different ideas, including offering delivery, but ultimately decided to move to exclusively offering curbside pickup for their patients.

They also converted their store to an additional packaging and processing facility during this time. Ben has a reputation for being a good human in general, so it is no surprise that in seeing the pain and suffering going on around him during the pandemic, he tried to find a way to give back. In an attempt to raise money for charity, Kind and Co developed a line of loungewear called “Kind and Covid.”

Proceeds from the sales of this high-quality, quarantine clothing goes to Full Plates, Full Potentials. So far, they have raised over $3,000 for this charity.

One of the other realities of the pandemic is the disproportionate impact the health crisis is having on the African American and minority populations of the U.S. With the addition of the tragic killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, many of the deep-rooted, institutionally racist policies and practices that would have otherwise remained in the shadows in America have become highly visible in recent months. Ben and others are working on a way to try to address this issue in a way that is both long-term and meaningful. Please stay tuned for more to come about this mission.

There are a couple other cannabis companies that pivoted their operations in order to meet the needs of their patients during COVID-19. Humble Family Farms, as an example, decided to contract with a delivery company to provide home deliveries to their patients as a way for them to safely and legally access their products. Soylent Greens, a cannabis delivery company, implemented the state’s first contact-free delivery protocol in order to safely engage with patients and continue providing access to

essential medications during the pandemic. Soylent Greens also provides their own online ordering and delivery scheduler platform to allow patients to safely and easily order their medication. However, cannabis businesses are still forced to accept cash as a primary means of payment due to federal banking restrictions and the federal scheduling of cannabis.

Every business in Maine has been affected in some way by COVID-19. Many businesses have shifted operations to meet the needs of the Maine people during the pandemic.

Distilleries in Maine have started making hand sanitizer, cannabis extractors, like Blue Sky Lab, are also stepping up by making sanitizer for our industry. Idexx Laboratories is manufacturing COVID-19 tests and providing rapidtesting sites. Other Maine businesses are rising to the call as well. Really, there’s too many to mention.

To everyone out there trying to survive this, and particularly to groups of Americans that are disproportionately impacted, we have more in common than we think, and we should be doing everything in our power to support one another. We look forward to seeing the work Ben and Kind and Co and many others are doing to call out and challenge institutional racism, classism, and xenophobia, and to support movements that produce real change for African Americans and other minority communities. If a global pandemic highlighting these issues doesn’t wake people up, it’s hard to know what will.

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OUR WEBSITE IS UP A N D RU N N I N G !

C H E C K I T O U T.

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REVIEWS

Strain Safari with The Strainger fourth tasted like the second, so being a professional, I had to do a quality check on all of them in a single sitting. And yes, that’s why the intro to this article is as long as it is. Please send more.

A VA R I E T Y O F E D I B L E S F R O M P O S I T I V E G R O W T H G A R D E N S

Positive Growth Gardens Edible Review: I can be a picky eater. It’s not that I’m trying to be particular about my food, I just know what I like. The problem with knowing what you like, however, is that you will most likely fall into a trend of eating the same thing every night. I spent most of my twenties binging on cheap Stouffer’s pizzas, easy pasta recipes, and a couple of Dagwood-inspired sandwiches that could’ve choked Scooby Doo. I wouldn’t have been surprised to find my weekly menu written in chalk on a board above a highschool snack shack, nutrition and taste thrown out for a bland culinary routine. Thankfully I’ve seen the error of my previous diet and now enjoy a myriad of different flavors and cuisines, now finding new foods to be particular and picky about. Honestly, maybe too much so, I am currently gorging my way through my thirties like a competitive eater at a Major League Eating Championship, and I am the favorite to win both first and second place. I don’t need Maury Povich to cut me out of my house just yet, but I have written some sharply penned Yelp reviews to several under-staffed buffets locally.

The only thing I like more than discovering a new food I can be particular about is a new edible I can be high and particular about. Recently, while out buying medical supplies at the Maine Mall dollar store, I stopped by Positive Growth Gardens in Westbrook. Caesar, the proprietor, was nice enough to let me sample a few of their medicated candies. What a spread!

He hooked me up with strawberry-flavored salt water taffy, cardamom caramels, their OG salted caramels, and a tin of Harmonizer’s microdosed espresso beans covered in caramel and chocolate. Caesar also threw in a T-shirt. After asking what size I was, I countered with a laundry list of excuses listing the reasons I’ve gained so much weight recently ending with a, “...but I just started working out, so maybe I can fit into an XL?” Caesar laughed, “Yeah, I’ll give you an XL.Something to work for.” “Sure,” I nodded in approval, “says the guy who just handed me a bag full of candy.”

Sitting down alone later that evening, I pawed my way into Caesar’s care package. I had been a fan since trying their delicious salted caramels earlier last year and was excited to explore their new culinary concoctions. The first thing I popped open was the tin of Harmonizer’s, looking like raisinets you’d find in the back room of a hacky sack factory. I couldn’t stop eating them. The first drop tasted like a caramel M&M that had been up studying all night at a Starbucks. The second tasted like a coolatta that had been made at a booth on Harry’s Hill. The third one tasted like the first one, and the

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Trying to stave off the wicked caffeine buzz I had given myself, I dove into the cardamom caramels as well as the salted caramels. Zipping around like a mosquito on Motley Crue’s tour bus in the mid-80s, I combined the two caramels together and chewed the wad like a minor league pitcher walking his fifth batter in a row. And though the flavors differ slightly, the combination was delightful, beginning as salty and buttery before transitioning into a pleasantly sweet aftertaste.

My tastebuds exploded like an M-80 in a drunk redneck’s hand on a summer holiday. The flavor was so rich I could hear the ghost of Julia Child’ moaning in my head. Send two more.

Well, I wasn’t going to bed anytime soon. I was flying off the espresso beans and so high I should have called the FAA for clearance. I’m a sucker for strawberry candy and figured that at that point I couldn’t get any more stoned. (I was wrong.) I tore open the package of salt water taffy like a racoon ripping apart a poorly placed trash bag. Soft and chewy, it was like eating a strawberry Charleston Chew that had third row seats for half the Dead and Co. tour last year. Before I knew it, I had finished the entire package. On my fourth bag of edibles, I was somewhere in the high 300mg range and had ingested an untold amount of calories. Disappointed in myself and stoned like an oceanside patio, I caught myself zoning out on the T-shirt Caesar gave me. I looked around at all the discarded plastic candy wrappers lying lifeless on my carpet, then I looked around at all the discarded packages that held those pieces of candy, then I looked back to the T-shirt...and that shit definitely won’t fit now.

G M O L I V E R E S I N O N E - T I M E U S E C A R T F R O M U P S TAT E G A R D E N S

Review Pen: Mowing the lawn, GMO Live Resin Upstate Gardens It had rained for a week straight, and my lawn was beginning to look like I had rolled the wrong numbers playing Jumanji.

Unlike my neighbors, I am not enthusiastic about maintaining my yard. I’ll mow and weed whack, but I’m not installing rock walls and fountains like Mike across the street. Not only am

I lacking a green thumb, but I also hate our mower. One of my issues with our mower is that even on the highest setting I’m a bit too tall to comfortably slog the machine around on the grass. Simply put, the shit hurts my back. It’s the only mower I have, however, and after a few laps of cutting plants while blasting death metal in my headphones, I turn off the mower for a minute to search my well-worn cargo shorts for something I can use to pull my hair up and out of my sweaty face.

Both of the shows went smoothly and safely, though for some unknown reason, I have an easier time remembering my first performance from the evening...

I was unable to find a hair tie but stumbled upon a vape pen I had forgotten in my shorts the day before — a disposable GMO live resin vape pen from Upstate Gardens. Small and sleek, the pen reminded me of a small phaser from Star Trek The Next Generation. Taking a few flavorful rips, my back started to ease up as my shoulders began to relax. I was feeling better already. I threw my headphones back in and began pushing the mower. Thanks to my newfound highly kinetic energy, I breezed through the rest of the front yard and began to tackle the back. As I made my way from the side of the house, I saw my fiancee waving me down. I took out my headphones, asking, “What’s up?,” as she folded her arms.

“Did you mow the front yard?,” she asked. “Yes, I just finished.”

“Look again,” she said, “How high are you?” Puzzled, I walked to the front of the house and immediately realized my mistake.

The grass had not been cut. After I had ripped the pen, I threw in my headphones and neglected to turn the mower back on, blissfully rocking out to music and failing to notice a lack of lawn trimmings. I’m not always a fan of vape pens, but damn, this one was good.

B L U E W I D O W B U D D E R F R O M N O R T H E A S T N AT U R A L S

Blue Widow Northeast Naturals

Tropic Truffle Dialed in Farms - Comedy Show

I wouldn’t be a true wook if I didn’t have a preference for how hot I think my dab banger should be. As it stands now, I am a street-hardened soldier in the cold start gang. After years of breathing fire on hot nails and spicy glass, I have found my peace with cold starts. For those who do not know: a cold start is when you place your concentrate in a cold banger, cap it, and then heat it up until the exact point of combustion.

And though you may be left with a small puddle of dabs after the torch, the experience is that much better on many levels: the taste, the high, hell, even the cough is different. If you haven’t tried a cold start dab, stop what you’re doing and treat yourself.

Live stand-up comedy is not dead, but due to the current situation, it has changed. I was booked to perform on a show at a local distillery, outside on their patio, with social distancing, masks, and safety precautions all in place. We had two shows, both sold out. Given the instructions to distance ourselves from everyone before, during, and after the shows, I knew I had some time on my hands. So to pass the time, I brought along a couple joints I rolled with the Tropic Truffle strain grown by Dialed in Farms. The buds were picturesque: forest green buds highlighted by a purple only Prince could pull off, with thick orange hairs that would make a stepchild weep. The joints stank, in a good way of course. Mask or no mask, people could smell the dankity-dank from 50 yards away. Between shows, I indulged in more than a few puffs and made note of the light fruity taste. Like a Twizzler used as a straw in an expired Snapple, the Tropic Truffle was so sweet I made an appointment with my dentist to check for cavities.

I had planned to organize my Super Nintendo collection. I was working on a shelf in the corner of my man cave that has a slew of classic titles that get little to no use. After sifting through a few nostalgic titles, I got a hankering for a daba-roo. I grabbed my trusty dab rig, the torch, my pick, and Northeast Naturals’ Blue Widow. The dabs were white, like Karen on a rampage at Walmart over whether she needs to wear a mask white. Nice and clean, they tasted like organic cleaning chemicals you’d use to tidy up a van that a banjo player has been using as permanent housing. I took two dabs and quickly lost interest in organizing games; I wanted to play a few. Another two dab hits of the Blue Widow, and I was kicking some serious monster ass on Zombies Ate My Neighbors. An uplifting and powerful high, the Blue Widow was a perfect companion to an evening filled with the smashing of A and B buttons. I may have finally beat the high score I set back in the day, but the shelf is still unorganized.

T R O P I C T R U F F L E F R O M D I A L E D I N FA R M S

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WELLNESS

A Different Kind of Light Dep Light dep, or light deprivation, in the cannabis cultivation world is reducing the light periods for the plants to speed the flowering process. The practice has become increasingly popular with outdoor cannabis growers here in Maine, and we are excited to hear that news. However, this article isn’t about that. Rather, it’s about practicing a little light dep on yourself, in what is known in the wellness world as sensory deprivation.

In the last issue, I attended a yoga class that allowed practitioners to utilize cannabis. Since then, I’ve been looking for other activities that could be enhanced with cannabis.

Having always been curious to try sensory deprivation, and with Maine businesses slowly starting to open, I booked myself a session at Float207 in Hermon, Maine. Their website (float207.com) is easy to navigate and book a session. I noticed they offer infrared sauna sessions as well. They have a great FAQ page, and their site answers the question of “What is floating?”

A sensory deprivation tank also called an isolation tank or most commonly known as a flotation tank is used for restricted environmental stimulation therapy (REST). It’s a dark, soundproof tank that holds just about one foot of water and has over 1,200 lbs of Epsom salt dissolved inside. This allows you to effortlessly float in water that is 93.5 degrees, which is skin-receptor neutral. You’ll have the unique experience of weightlessness; you cannot sense where the air stops and the water begins on your body. The tanks and rooms are totally insulated from sound. You have the opportunity for lights and music, although true sensory deprivation is one without.

Floating has proven to help reduce anxiety, lower stress, and aid those who suffer from PTSD. Physically there is zero pressure on any joints or muscles allowing the body to relax and release tension. This permits the body and mind to enter theta state. Theta state is one of very deep relaxation; brain waves are slowed down to a frequency of 4-7 cycles per second.

Our sessions are 90 minutes, giving you plenty of time to unwind and recharge!

Opened in 2018, the location is close to Bangor and easily accessible off of Interstate 95, with ample parking. Once inside, I noticed how immaculately clean the place was throughout. A super friendly and knowledgeable staff made my first visit anxiety free. Float207 offers a variety of audio soundscapes but you can also bring your own sounds as well.

I, of course, had medicated by smoking a joint before arriving at the location, but please note that I’m a regular cannabis user and do not recommend you try sensory deprivation while using THC. I found the experience extremely relaxing, restorative, and rewarding, however. I enjoyed the meditative place my inner self found during the 90 minutes. I can understand how floating on a recurring basis would be a beneficial practice to anyone aiming to quiet the mind. I am looking forward to booking my next session already.

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After my session, I had time to ask Roscoe Whitham, owner of Float207, a few questions.

Matt: What was your first sensory deprivation experience like?

Roscoe: My first sensory deprivation experience was enlightening, I suffer from anxiety, and almost immediately I felt at ease. I shut off the lights and music and focused on my breathing. It was strange at first once the water settled and I could no longer feel it! It is the same temperature as your skin so it feels like floating in nothing, much like how I’d imagine being weightless in space would feel like. Before I knew it, my session was over, and I found myself in disbelief that 90 minutes had passed. I left feeling refreshed, and my chronic pain had subsided. It was amazing. I knew we had to have one in the Bangor area, so that’s how it all started for me.

Matt: What could a first-timer expect and how should they prepare themselves?

Roscoe: Before booking a float, make sure that you have not had a spray tan within twop weeks of your appointment, and make sure any recent hair coloring is not staining towels or running in the shower. Both of these affect our water quality.

The best way to prepare for a float is to not shave the day of your float, and do not consume any caffeine four to six hours prior to the float. Arrive 15 minutes before your float to sign waivers and go over new floater orientation. You do not need to bring anything with you, except maybe a comb and a contact case and solution if you have contacts. We provide towels, shampoo, body wash, conditioner, make-up remover wipes, A&D ointment for cuts, two different types of earplugs, ear cleaner, and a float pillow. We also have a tea station with assorted teas for post-float and a powder room with a blow dryer.

Matt: I personally medicated on THC for my first experience and enjoyed everything thoroughly but I can imagine that is definitely not for everyone. What, if any supplements, could a client coming to float use to enhance their experience?

Roscoe: While smoking is not allowed on the premises due to the terms of our lease, we do offer CBD from Northern Hemp Company at our center. We even have a deal on a two count of 25mg capsules to add to the relaxing effects of floating.

I personally love taking CBD before floating as it helps me get in the zone more quickly. I have found THC to be slightly

COASTAL ROOTS distracting when trying to quiet my mind during a session. We suggest going sober for the first float as it is an experience that is hard to describe and is amazing on its own!

Matt: What type of products can clients find in Float207’s retail area?

Roscoe: We currently sell workout supplements and other products by ONNIT, Host Defense mushroom products, and Northern Hemp Company CBD (full-spectrum and isolate). We also have a customer discount code with TheraGun! We will be introducing new products and companies in the coming months, so make sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook (@float207) to see when we announce the new products!

Matt: What makes the infrared (IR) saunas different from traditional saunas?

Roscoe: Infrared saunas use far-infrared waves to heat you instead of the room itself. These are the same infrared waves that you get from the sun, making it feel just like you’re on

the beach on a sunny day. They are much more comfortable to be in than a traditional sauna. They are neither humid nor dry and are much easier to breathe in compared to the 170 degree traditional or steam saunas. Our IR saunas are set to 130 degrees; you can adjust this up to 150 but most find 130 to be sufficient. IR saunas have proven health benefits, some of which include preventing arterial chlorosis (hardening of the arteries), assisting with weight loss, reduction in chronic pain, stiffness, arthritis, and help with many skin conditions (psoriasis is one example). We have had many people with Lyme disease be referred to us from their doctors because of the reduction in joint pain and stiffness.

Matt: How far out do you recommend clients book an appointment?

Roscoe: Don’t rule out same-day appointments! While we don’t do walk-ins because appointments have to start at their specific times, many times we do have some openings the same day. Our live booking is on our website, or we can book via phone too.

Matt: Any other info you’d like the readers of MCC to know?

Roscoe: Floating is one of the most beneficial and lifechanging things I have done in my life. I have always wanted to slow down and meditate but was unable to prior to floating.

It just makes it so easy to shut off even if your mind is always going! Your autonomic nervous system takes over and puts you in a theta wave state making meditation achievable even to those who have a hard time turning off. Floating has gone mainstream over the last decade, with many professional sports teams having float tanks in their facilities. It can calm both the body and the mind.

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51

INDUSTRY

Maine Grower’s Market: May 21, 2020 P H OTO G R A P H Y BY A N T O I N E T T E PH O T O G R A PH Y

Thanks to Larry and Pammy from Potluck Joint Relief for hosting Independent Diamond Brokers’ first outdoor, socially distanced Maine Grower’s Market!

The Maine Grower’s Market is a B2B-only networking event designed to connect craft growers throughout Maine with local retailers.

Connect with @independentdiamondbrokers on Instagram for updates on future events.

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Lady Grown

Augusta Farms

Upstate Gardens

CalmBound

Dialed in Farms

Jennifer from Ladyjane Branding, Haley from Zero Gravity Extracts

Ganja Babes

Larry & Pammy from Potluck Joint Relief

Vetted Cannabis

Jennifer from Ladyjane Branding, Sue & Lee from @420oldfatlesbians

Frame to Flower

Jennifer from Ladyjane Branding & Rick Bissonnette from Independent Diamond Brokers

Zero Gravity Extracts

Wake & Bakery

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POETRY

Regenerative

BY E.P. May your soil be regenerative Creating life alongside death.

What feeds the one has Come from the death of another.

May the water that seeps And awakens your granules, Minerals, clay, and castings be Well fed.

As weeds show their heads Among your flowers, Gently pluck them out.

Where needed tug at them To get to their roots.

Tilling, creating space for Movement through disruption, Each flower spreads its roots further.

Once rooted, you slowly Start to bud Opening up to bloom in season.

S TA R R Y N I G H T A B O V E T H E G R O W B Y A N D Y G A G N E P H O T O G R A P H Y, @A N DYG AG N E P H OTO G R A P H Y A N D @ M A I N E _ C A N N A B I S _ P H OTO G R A P H E R , A N D T H E F A R M T E R R A H O R TA C O , @ T E R R A H O R TA C O

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“White Montage” (The White x Mendo Montage) _

“Black Dog Kush” Live Rosin

8 Crimson Drive Windham, ME 04062 207.210.1993

www.PaulsBoutiqueNursery.com @PaulsBoutiqueOfMaine

“Do-Si-Dos” Live Rosin

“Sherb Breath” (Sunset Sherbert x Mendo Breath)

It is our mission at Paul’s Boutique to keep our patients, staff, and community healthy and thriving.

At this time, we are conducting all business ‘curbside’ for your safety and convenience.

This process keeps your cannabis and medicinal shopping simple and hassle free.

Stay safe and be well!

Place your curbside pickup order online at: http://pauls-boutique.kushcart.us/ New patient? Give us a call to register today!

32 Riverside Drive Auburn, ME 04210