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#64 | AUG. 2021
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feature
EMILY EIZEN
Leaf Nation interviewed Loriel Alegrete, CEO & Co-founder of 40 Tons in Los Angeles, as part of our feature Voices of the Cannabis Community, examining pivotal questions of equality, equity, growth and potential, in the Cannabis industry across the country.
Breaking the Grass Ceiling
Mary J. White, Chef & Cannabis Cookbook Author
AL HARRINGTON FROM THE NBA TO THE POT SHOP
48 Prohibition’s Racist Roots The legacy of Cannabis prohibition in this country emerges in big and small ways in the Cannabis industry of today. Leaf Nation’s Bobby Black explores how race-baiting journalism and racist politics impacted Cannabis for generations to come.
////////// story by bobby black
AUG. 2021
feature
COLLAGE BY BOBBY BLACK
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GARDEN HIGHLIGHT SNOW LOTUS
32
TERON BEAL
SHOP REVIEW MCC FLIGHT, PALMER
20
O'HARA SHIPE
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O'HARA SHIPE
Profiles of Women-owned Cannabis Businesses
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DANIEL BERMAN
THE EQUALITY ISSUE
#64
Voices of the Cannabis Community
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LEAFMAGAZINES.COM
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8
AUGUST 2021
issue
EDITOR’S NOTE N AT I O N A L N E W S BUDTENDER Q&A SHOP REVIEW GARDEN HIGHLIGHT STRAIN OF THE MONTH VOICES OF THE CANNABIS COMMUNITY FROM THE NBA TO THE POT SHOP BREAKING THE GRASS CEILING EDIBLE OF THE MONTH C O N C E N T R AT E O F T H E M O N T H TA N N I N S & T E R P E N E S CANNTHROPOLOGY STONEY BALONEY
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ENERGY STONES (what is conscious gemology?)
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Marijuana products may be purchased or possessed only by persons 21 or older. This product has intoxicating effects and may be habit-forming. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. For use only by adults 21 and older. Keep out of reach of children.
E S TA B L I S H E D 2 0 1 0
T H E E N L I G H T E N E D VO I C E
N O RT H W E S T L E A F / O R EG O N L E A F / A L AS KA L E A F / M A RY L A N D L E A F / CA L I F O R N I A L E A F / N O RT H E AS T L E A F
A B O U T T H E C OV E R Inspired simultaneously by the vibrant interconnectedness of all life and the battle against generations of systematic oppression and unjust incarceration, Brazilian-born artist Guilherme Lemes incorporated a number of richly colored symbols of the struggle for equality and equity into the art for this month’s cover. “If you’re going to plant a seed, you need your hands,” he said. “So, the future is in your hands. That is the feeling I had when I made this cover. … Let’s use our hands to build a good future from this point.”
ILLUSTRATION by GUILHERME LEMES @GUILEEMES
PUBLISHER
CONTRIBUTORS
WES ABNEY | FOUNDER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
TERON BEAL, PHOTOS BOBBY BLACK, FEATURES JOSHUA BOULET, ILLUSTRATION TOM BOWERS, FEATURES MAX EARLY, FEATURES EMILY EIZEN, PHOTOS STEVE ELLIOTT, NATIONAL NEWS GUILHERME LEMES, ILLUSTRATION BAXSEN PAINE. FEATURES JEFF PORTERFIELD, DESIGN MIKE RICKER, FEATURES MEGHAN RIDLEY, EDITING O'HARA SHIPE, FEATURES + PHOTOS JENNIFER SKOG, PHOTOS JAMIE VICTOR, DESIGN DAN VINKOVETSKY, FEATURES NATE WILLIAMS, FEATURES
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ABNEY
Editor’s Note Thanks for picking up The Equality Issue of the Leaf! WHEN I BEGAN publishing the Leaf in 2010, my mission and hope was to help shape an environment in which Cannabis users could feel equal to the rest of society. To no longer be shamed or risk arrest or worse, for using a medicine or recreational substance that’s safer than alcohol. Now, over 11 years into this publishing journey, we ask the question with this annual issue: What is equality when it comes to Cannabis? Google defines equality as “the state of being equal, especially in status, rights and opportunities.” But how does this concept play out in the real world, where 100 years of the War on Drugs has torn apart lives and communities? What does an equal future for Cannabis look like? What used to be my simple answer of decriminalize and legalize for equality, has become so much more complex as the Cannabis industry and movement has grown from protests into a multi-billion dollar industry.
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OUR GOAL IN SHARING THESE VOICES IS TO START A CONVERSATION AND INSPIRE YOU, OUR READERS, TO DO THE SAME.
Knowing that we don’t have the exact answer to this question, we took to the proverbial streets to ask heritage activists, influencers and stakeholders from around the country to explain what equality means to them in our Community Voices piece. This beautiful collection of thoughts can be found in our special section of this issue, and you can dive even deeper with complete answers to the full range of questions we couldn’t fit in print at leafmagazines.com. Our goal in sharing these voices is to start a conversation and inspire you, our readers, to do the same. This can be small – talking to a community member, family or coworker about your benefits from medicinal or recreational Cannabis, to signing a petition or volunteering with a local Cannabis organization.
For Cannabis as a plant, as well as our movement, to be viewed as equal, we must come together and be seen as unified in our beautiful, diverse and passionate community. I hope that this issue and the voices shared within will inspire you to take action, and give us pause to appreciate all the sacrifices that have been made so that we can all enjoy our plant without fear.
-Wes Abney AUG. 2021
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We are creators of targeted, independent Cannabis journalism. Please email us to discuss advertising in the next issue of Alaska Leaf Magazine. We do not sell stories or coverage. We can offer design services and guidance on promoting your company’s medicinal, recreational, commercial or industrial Cannabis business, product or event within our magazine and on our website, LeafMagazines.com. Email josh@leafmagazines.com for more information on supporting Alaska Leaf!
WES
national news
politics
SCHUMER SAYS ENDING MARIJUANA PROHIBITION A TOP PRIORITY
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ajority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on July 15 said on the Senate floor that he will use his clout to make legislation ending the federal prohibition of Cannabis a top priority, reports The Hill. The legislation would also allow state-compliant Cannabis businesses to have access to financial services, such as bank accounts and loans. The federal Controlled Substances Act lists marijuana as a Schedule I drug. That has resulted in an estimated 40,000 Americans behind bars because of Cannabisrelated offenses, according to Forbes. “I am the first majority leader to say it’s time to end the federal prohibition on marijuana,” Schumer said. “And as majority leader, I’m going to push this issue forward and make it a priority for the Senate.” Schumer also said the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act would make “monumental change.” Marijuana would be removed from the federal list of controlled substances. The bill would also expunge the criminal records of those with low-level marijuana offenses.
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EAST coast
MARIJUANA HOME DELIVERY SERVICES LAUNCH IN MASSACHUSETTS
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H
ome-delivered Cannabis has arrived in Massachusetts. At least two companies announced in mid-July that they have launched operations. Lantern, a sister company of the popular alcohol delivery service Drizly, says it’s now serving the Boston area. Your Green Package, meanwhile, says its driver teams have hit the road in the greater Northampton area in the western end of the state. The companies are among the first to benefit from the creation of new state licenses for recreational marijuana delivery companies, reports Boston.com. The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission said on July 16 that 11 companies have so far been licensed for deliveries, and three of them are now operating. Cannabis advocates have for years called on the state to allow for marijuana delivery businesses, which are already permitted in some form in many of the 19 states that have legalized recreational weed.
5
Democratic Senators – Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y), Ron Wyden (Ore.), and Cory Booker of (N.J.) – are sponsoring the new federal legalization bill.
AUG. 2021
16
grams of Cannabis extract are allowed under New Mexico’s new adult-use legalization law.
The new licenses are critical to making the local Cannabis industry more equitable, according to Aaron Goines, President of the group Massachusetts Cannabis Association for Delivery. He and others say the financial investment and regulatory approvals needed to open a traditional brick-and-mortar retail operation are sometimes too great for minority entrepreneurs to overcome. “This license type is a major piece of the equation in making the Massachusetts Cannabis industry more diverse, equitable and inclusive,” Goines said in a statement at the time. Midwest
OHIO LAWMAKERS INTRODUCE CANNABIS LEGALIZATION BILL
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wo Democratic Ohio lawmakers have drafted a new bill that would legalize and regulate sales for both personal and commercial cultivation of Cannabis, while keeping the state’s current medical marijuana program intact. Under the bill, those medical businesses could get a license to sell recreational marijuana as well. Those with nonviolent, low-level marijuana convictions could have their records sealed. This decriminalization could fill jobs in Ohio, while giving back resources to law enforcement, reports News 5 Cleveland. Democratic state Reps. Casey Weinstein of Hudson and Terrence Upchurch of Cleveland said they drafted the bill to legalize cultivation – personal and commercial – and to regulate sales. It would also allow people previously convicted of low-level marijuana crimes to have their records sealed. “We’re seeing there are dramatic economic benefits, there are medical benefits, and there’s a strong criminal justice avenue here so we can focus law enforcement on violent crime,” Weinstein said, reports The Cincinnati Enquirer. “Right now the reality is if Ohio doesn’t act, we are falling behind,” Weinstein said.
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percent of Czech Republic citizens aged 15 to 34 admit trying Cannabis at least once.
76
percent of the St. Regis Mohawk tribe in New York voted to allow adults to use Cannabis.
legalization
CANNABIS USERS STILL CAN’T LEGALLY BUY A GUN IN VIRGINIA
A
lthough the adult use of Cannabis became legal in Virginia on July 1 and it is legal to possess a firearm, Virginians have to pick one or the other. They cannot legally do both, reports 6 News Richmond. “If I smell it, I know that you’re using, it’s my decision not to sell it to you,” said Gene Landry, owner of Old Town Silver Exchange in Henrico. “If you choose that you want to partake in marijuana, then firearms are out of the question for you,” said Sean Banks, CEO of Virginia Tactical Shooting Academy. Banks said those looking to purchase a firearm need to fill out a federal form from ATF. The form asks if you are an unlawful user or are addicted to marijuana, then goes on to warn that the use or possession of the drug remains unlawful under federal law, regardless of whether it’s legalized in the state. “If they answer that question that they do or would like to, then we legally can’t sell them a firearm,” said Banks. “Whether being that it’s legal in the state of Virginia, that has no bearing on federal statutes.” Banks said this was also the case for medical marijuana cardholders as well, saying they have had to turn customers away because of it.
MARYLAND HOUSE SPEAKER SUPPORTS MARIJUANA REFERENDUM
M
aryland’s House Speaker announced her support July 16 for a referendum to legalize Cannabis on next year’s ballot. House Speaker Adrienne Jones, a Baltimore County Democrat, also announced a panel to study how to implement a recreational marijuana program in Maryland – if voters approve. “While I have personal concerns about encouraging marijuana use, particularly among children and young adults, the disparate criminal justice impact leads me to believe that the voters should have a say in the future of legalization,” Jones said in a statement. “The House will pass legislation early next year to put this question before the voters, but we need to start looking at changes needed to state law now.”
12k 245m
years ago, in China, Cannabis was first domesticated by humans, according to a new study.
dollars will be generated by New York State’s marijuana industry by 2024, according to the governor’s office.
STORIES by STEVE ELLIOTT, AUTHOR OF THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF MARIJUANA
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Entry Information, Complete Categories + Judging Info & Deadlines to be Announced August, with entries accepted through the month of September. CATEGORIES FLOWER: INDICA, SATIVA, HYBRID, CBD PRE ROLLS: INFUSED AND TRADITIONAL TOPICALS: SPRAYS, CREAMS CONCENTRATES: HYDROCARBON DABS, DISTILLATE, CO2, SOLVENTLESS, CARTRIDGES, CBD & MORE EDIBLES: DRINKABLES, BAKED GOODS, CANDIES, TINCTURES For questions, please contact leafbowls@leafmagazines.com or reach out to your Alaska Leaf rep.
interview
W H O ’ S Y O U R FAV O R I T E B U D T E N D E R ? T E L L U S W H Y ! E M A I L N O M I N A T I O N S T O R I C K E R @ L E A F M A G A Z I N E S . C O M
“SMOKING ALWAYS HELPS WITH GETTING MY CREATIVITY GOING."
WITH A PENCHANT for the plant from a young age, Ray Carr is no stranger to the myriad of benefits available to those who choose to consume Cannabis. But it’s been his work in the industry in his adult years that’s been a true gamechanger – where he’s been able to nurture the healing processes for his grandmas, as well as keep his own creativity flowing. Follow him on Instagram @theofficial2rayz. YOU'RE STILL RELATIVELY NEW TO THE INDUSTRY, BUT WE HEARD A RUMOR THAT YOU USED TO GET IN TROUBLE FOR SMOKING WHEN YOU WERE YOUNGER. I got in trouble for it a lot
growing up, but not too much with my parents. My dad was always cool with it, but it was more like my teachers who had an issue with it. I wouldn't smoke in school, but I would always come in smelling like pot. My hoodies always smelled like weed from the night before. WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO GET INTO BUDTENDING? My grandmothers both had
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THE GREEN ROOM AK
Ray Carr
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ALASKA LEAF BUDTENDER OF THE MONTH
AUG. 2021
breast cancer, and they both beat it. But then, one of my grandmothers later was diagnosed with brain cancer, and she lost her battle with it. My remaining grandma has a lot of health issues and uses CBD to help. I really think if it weren't for smoking or CBD, she probably wouldn't be here much longer. I've always thought it was interesting to learn about marijuana and everything else it can do, because it's so misjudged. APART FROM CANNABIS, WHAT ARE YOUR OTHER PASSIONS? I'm an aspiring rapper. I
usually don't do the beats, though – I have a producer I go to for that. But other than that, I just try to make music I can be proud of. That's actually what I want to do for a living eventually. So it's cool to have Cannabis and music because I can go home, make my music, and then come back and do something I love that helps people. SO, DO YOU USUALLY SMOKE BEFORE YOU WRITE YOUR MUSIC? Yeah, for sure! Smoking
always helps with getting my creativity going. I'll get a lot of writer's block, but when I'm sitting there smoking, I start thinking clearer and I usually have a breakthrough. DO YOU HAVE A RAP MONIKER, AND IF SO, WHERE DID IT COME FROM? My nickname
growing up was Ray Ray because I'm already a junior. Then one day, I was rocking a couple of necklaces, and my brother said, ‘Screw 2 Chainz! It's all about 2 Rayz!’ Naturally, the nickname stuck. WHERE CAN PEOPLE FIND YOU ON SOCIAL MEDIA? I am @theofficial2rayz on Instagram,
and you can find my music on Spotify.
INTERVIEW & PHOTO by O'HARA SHIPE @SHIPESHOTS
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shop review
ENVIRONMENT & VIBE Walking into MCC Flight for the first time, it's hard not to notice the shabby chic theme. From wood-paneled walls to homey, nature-themed signs, the vibe is relaxed and comfortable. A delightful air of whimsy comes to life within the space via the store’s adorable handmade touches, including handwritten menus that give the experience a personal, in the moment feel. Decidedly geared towards its Boomer clientele, MCC Flight offers quick, friendly service that's perfect for a pitstop on the way to your next destination.
PRODUCTS
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According to their staff, MCC Flight's best-selling products are loose-leaf flowers sourced from the Valley – featuring companies such as Freedom 49 Farms, Karma Grown Gardens, Worner Brothers, Matanuska Cannabis Co. and Herbal Dreams. However, within the next month, the store will be well stocked with products from their inhouse cultivation, One Sweet World. In addition to flower, MCC Flight has a good variety of concentrates from Herban Extracts and Cold Creek Extracts. Their edible selection wasn’t as robust during our visit, but they do carry high-quality products from Dosed, Fire Eater and Kreative Konfections. You can also pick up glassware from local artist Vinë, who was featured in The AK Leaf Glass Issue in April 2021.
HISTORY MCC Flight got its name from the old airstrip that used to occupy the land plot. Although plans for the dispensary were in the works for several years, it wasn't until 2020 that MCC Flight finally opened their doors. Originally slated to open on 4/20, the dispensary had to postpone its grand opening until July. It wasn't the debut they hoped for, but they have had no trouble honing in on their customer base and fine tuning their menu to best suit their customers.
LEAFMAGAZINES.COM
BUDTENDERS Because MCC Flight is affiliated with the highly regarded Matanuska Cannabis Co., they were able to snag experienced budtenders from day one. The small staff of four is knowledgeable and friendly, not to mention excited, to help each customer find their perfect product. Although many of their clientele are experienced connoisseurs, MCC Flight prides itself on educating new consumers. Currently, the staff is enjoying nerding out on the latest information about terpenes.
QUICK HIT Matanuska Cannabis Company's flagship store in the Butte has such a loyal customer base that the crew decided it was time to open a second location closer to Wasilla. Right off Hyer Road, MCC Flight is conveniently located for customers coming to or leaving the Valley.
R EVI E W b y ALAS KA LEA F STA F F P HOTOS b y O ' HARA S H I P E @ S H I P E S HOTS
AUG. 2021
MCC FLIGHT
MCC Flight Marketing Manager Michael Consolo.
Although many of their clientele are experienced connoisseurs, MCC Flight prides itself on educating new consumers.
MCC FLIGHT 5675 EAST BLUE LUPINE DR, PALMER, AK OPEN 10AM-8PM DAILY (907) 357-4222 @MCCFLIGHT MCCFLIGHT.COM
garden highlight
The canopy of Snow Lotus' flower room.
leafmagazines.com
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snow lotus Bubba Kush
AUG. 2021
Holly tends to a plant.
Bubba Kush wire for LED panels and how to program them to what I needed." Duane's self-reliance extended to the couple's limited grow, Snow Lotus, and has saved them thousands of dollars on startup costs. "It's really expensive to get off the ground, and it can be a major barrier to entry," explains Holly. "This way, we are able to stick to a budget, while also ensuring that we have first-hand knowledge of what our specific plants need." Their hands-on approach also extends to their hand-watering system and daily light monitoring experiments. Of course, with a limited grow operation, each of Snow Lotus' 120 plants is guaranteed to receive special attention – including having a Bluetooth speaker that pipes classical music into the grow room. "We don't know if it does anything, but we were told that classical music can help the plants thrive, so, we figured – why not try it?" laughs Holly. they landed back on Earth, he grew 1,100 space Currently, Snow Lotus produces three strains – lettuce plants. Purple Phantom Cookies, Bubba Kush and Bruce "I looked at how tall they're getting, what the Banner – but they are looking to add two new plant structure looked like, and the internodal strains to the mix soon. length. Every day for four months, I'd go to the "We are producing greenhouse and measure the plants. After the experiment was "We don't know if 10-pounds of flower each month and have our strains done, I actually received a nait does anything, on a monthly harvest rotation. tional award for my work," recalls Duane with a smile. but we were told Right now, we're focused on growing a big batch of Bubba Combining their collective that classical Kush," says Holly. knowledge of molecular and While Snow Lotus has plans biological science with their penmusic can help to continue expanding their chant for technology, the dynamic the plants thrive, operation, they are content to duo decided to try their hand at keep the business in the family. commercially growing Cannabis so, we figured – Holly's sister is the primary trimin 2019. mer, and her best friend takes Although they lucked out with why not try it?" care of the watering. Duane finding a great location in the Valfocuses on providing new tech, ley, opening their cultivation came laughs Holly. while Holly manages the sales with a number of challenges. side. "I had to learn a lot of other "It's been a journey, but we've loved getting to disciplines to get us up and running. I was working be a part of this wonderful community of growers. for an engineering firm at the time, so I learned I feel like we found what we're meant to do, and HVAC, electrical engineering, and many other that's priceless," says Holly. things," says Duane. "When we first started growing in our bedroom, I had 14 LED lights that I made @SNOWLOTUSGARDENS myself with LED panels. So I taught myself how to
ADMITTEDLY, when Duane and Holly Larson met 11 years ago while playing World of Warcraft online, they never imagined they would find not only love, but a new profession. Originally from Wisconsin, Duane relocated to Alaska just months after meeting Holly in person. "Neither of us was looking for anything; it just kind of happened. I had two kids already and was living up here in Alaska, so I didn't think anything was ever going to come of it. But my whole family played World of Warcraft, and we asked him to be a part of our Guild, so I probably should have known it would turn into something," laughs Holly. Bonded by their mutual love of gaming, the duo began building custom computers – inspiring Holly to complete her GED and head to college for a degree in Computer Systems Technology. "I don't think Holly ever thought she would go to college, but together, we completed degree programs in IT," says Duane. Both Duane and Holly worked in IT for years, until Holly's mom began to struggle with chronic illness. Although neither had experience growing Cannabis, they knew they wanted to find a way to help treat Holly's mom's debilitating symptoms naturally. So, they started a small, personal grow in their home. Their first successful plant was grown from a Girl Scout Cookies clone that they received from a friend. But this wasn't Duane's first triumphant cultivation. When he was 17, Duane participated in a science program that partnered with a sister school in Montello, Italy. Through the program, he launched lettuce seeds into space, and when
STORY by ALASKA LEAF STAFF | PHOTOS by O'HARA SHIPE @SHIPESHOTS
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Marijuana has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming and addictive. Marijuana impairs concentration, coordination, and judgement. Do not operate vehicle or machinery under its influence. There are health risks associated with consumption of marijuana. For use only by adults 21 and older. Keep out of reach of children. Marijuana should not be used by women who are pregnant or breast feeding. License # 3a-11638, 3a-23821
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GROWN BY TANANA HERB CO.
AUG. 2021
STRAIN OF THE MONTH
THE SPACEY HEAD HIGH WAS A WELCOME RELEASE AFTER A STRESSFUL DAY.
T
anana Herb Co. was founded in late 2015 and received its cultivation license in August 2016. Since then, they have been growing some of Alaska’s best flower in their 50,000-square-foot facility in Fairbanks. Currently producing a wide variety of indicas made choosing a strain difficult – but with the summer wedding season upon us – we thought sampling Bridesmaid seemed appropriate. Considerably better than the bridesmaid gown your best friend forced you to wear, this beautiful indica will leave you feeling relaxed and content. Although the flower is on the smaller side, each bud was covered by a thick coating of frosty trichomes, making it sticky to the touch. Because of its tiny stature, packing a bowl was quick and easy. At first, Bridesmaid gave off a pungent, earthy, vanilla scent that filled the back of our nostrils. However, as we took our first toke, the dominant flavor was undeniably anise. As anise is an acquired taste, we did find that the spicy smoke made us cough – a lot. But hey, if you’re not coughing, you’re not toking. Like its smoke, Bridesmaid’s high was powerful. Within seconds of our first toke, we felt a gentle fog creep through our brains. The spacey head high was a welcome release after a stressful day, and it wasn’t long before we found ourselves feeling a whole lot lighter. After a few minutes, the high washed over our body and left us happily couch-locked for several hours. @TANANAHERB.CO | 25.11% THC | 27.9% THCA | 0.11% CBD
BRIDESMAID REVIEW by ALASKA LEAF STAFF | PHOTO by O'HARA SHIPE @SHIPESHOTS
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the EQUALITY issue
WE REACHED OUT to dozens of members of the Cannabis industry from a diverse range of backgrounds to get their candid takes on important questions regarding equality and equity in the Cannabis space. We wanted to know what equality and equity mean to the people cultivating this community, what’s working, and, crucially, what needs to change for us to construct this industry in a way that benefits us all.
VOICES OF THE CANNABIS COMMUNITY CINDY DE LA VEGA “EQUITY IS BEING ESTABLISHED, HOWEVER IMPERFECT THE PROCESS MAY BE.”
CEO | STIIIZY | SAN FRANCISCO, CA
What is the Cannabis industry getting right in terms of equality and equity?
I believe that the equity program is one way that equity is being established, however imperfect the process may be. Not only does the Office of Cannabis facilitate business licenses through the program, but also helps advocate for equity partners in challenging situations, such as with their investor partnerships. Another important piece is the work being done by grassroots organizations like the San Francisco Equity Group, which is a coalition of verified equity applicants who are also community leaders and advisors, including myself. We aim to improve and expand on the opportunity for as many equity applicants as possible, showing that the program can work, leading by example, and helping communities across the country secure ownership in the Cannabis industry. Ultimately, our goal is real ownership and sources of security for people most affected by the War on Drugs – not only themselves, but their families, communities and generations to come.
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What does equality in the Cannabis industry mean to you? I’m pushing for equity, which is
What does equality in the Cannabis industry mean to you?
a bit different from equality. Equality normally refers to everyone being treated the same, whereas equity is an effort to ensure those who have been held back get extra support – so that we all end up with the same ability to succeed. Equality doesn’t take history into context, and the history of Cannabis is one where some groups suffered legal consequences far more than others. People of color specifically, as well as cultivators of all colors, have been targeted for arrest, harassment, extortion, loss of their children and much more. In order to have a mutually supportive Cannabis industry, we must be pushing for equity over equality.
It means non-whites having more than less than 1% of ownership within the space. What is the Cannabis industry getting right in terms of equality and equity? Honestly, not much,
MIKE ROSATI
because we aren’t in the rooms making the decisions.
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TUCKY BLUNT
FOUNDER | BLUNTS + MOORE OAKLAND, CA BLUNTSANDMOORE.COM
Can you give us an example of something equitable you’ve seen happen in the Cannabis space? Oakland creating
the equity program from the ideas of Keith Stephenson and championed by Desley Brooks. As a result of their efforts and my work, I became the first equity-owned retail brand in the world.
“AS A RESULT OF THEIR EFFORTS AND MY WORK, I BECAME THE FIRST EQUITYOWNED RETAIL BRAND IN THE WORLD.”
AUG. 2021
JASON ORTIZ
What is the Cannabis industry getting right in terms of equality and equity? New states are
“EQUALITY DOESN’T TAKE HISTORY INTO CONTEXT, AND THE HISTORY OF CANNABIS IS ONE WHERE SOME GROUPS SUFFERED LEGAL CONSEQUENCES FAR MORE THAN OTHERS.”
state contribute significant funding ($50 million) in start-up capital for SEA to access. Places like Oakland are funding cooperative kitchens and using equity cohorts – groups of businesses as the foundation of how equity support is distributed. I think this model of state funding providing hard assets like buildings and equipment to groups of businesses that are mutually supportive, is the future of equity-first economics.
CO-FOUNDER | MINORITY CANNABIS including mandatory set asides of licenses for BUSINESS ASSOCIATION | equity applicants at a minimum of 50% of all HARTFORD, CT MINORITYCANNABIS.ORG licenses. Places like Connecticut are having the
What needs to change about the Cannabis industry as it relates to equality/equity?
The industry must recognize the circumstances of each individual. Be open to diversifying by creating opportunities for everyone. It would be amazing to see more minority-owned companies, farms, labs, dispensaries and other ancillary businesses. Entry into the Cannabis industry via growing, processing and owning a dispensary, needs to be more feasible. Banks and other financial institutions need to be open to accepting Cannabis companies as legitimate businesses, and provide loans and merchant transactions. We would like to see more people that have been incarcerated have an opportunity to be a part of the legal Cannabis industry.
SHANEL LINDSAY
FOUNDER & PRESIDENT | ARDENT LIFE, INC. BOSTON, MASS. ARDENTCANNABIS.COM Can you give us an example of something equitable you’ve seen happen in the Cannabis space? Timing of access is
really important. In Massachusetts, we have a three year window that is exclusive for economic empowerment and social equity delivery businesses. These exclusivity windows can help to give a more level playing field. Investment capital for equity businesses is also critical. Predatory loans are a big problem, so states that have enacted loan funds or give grants are doing the right thing to support equity entrepreneurs.
D-ROC PALMER OWNER | EXTREMETERPZ BALTIMORE, MD EXTREMETERPZCBD.COM
“THE MORE WE UNITE AS A PEOPLE, OUR VOICES ALONE CAN BE LOUD ENOUGH TO FORCE THE POLITICIANS TO CREATE CHANGE.”
DIRECTOR OF TALENT MANAGEMENT & DIVERSITY | CURALEAF | NEW YORK CITY CURALEAF.COM
What does equality in the Cannabis industry mean to you? A healthy, inclusive, well-regulated
Cannabis industry that provides for social, financial and environmental benefits shared by all. Equality in the Cannabis industry means to support “ALTHOUGH equal opportunity and provisions for communities impacted by the DECRIMINALIZATION War on Drugs, so there can be fair IS A POSITIVE START, and just opportunity to participate in the Cannabis industry. What needs to change about the Cannabis industry as it relates to equality/equity? Legislation! To bring about real change in this industry, it starts
with the laws that make it. Although decriminalization is a positive start, expungement of Cannabis crimes and employment for those individuals should not be negotiable. We believe individuals with low level Cannabis related offenses should not be shut out of the industry – and as a commitment to right the wrongs of prohibition – we are employing at least 10% of all our 2021 new hires from the directly impacted communities.
DAVE DELUCA
EXPUNGEMENT OF CANNABIS CRIMES AND EMPLOYMENT FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS SHOULD NOT BE NEGOTIABLE.”
What does equality in the Cannabis industry mean to you? [When] everyone
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is given the same opportunities and tools to succeed. Be it investors, rules and regulations enforcement, workplace environment, or personnel-workforce impartiality – all the given variables of the Cannabis industry. Everyone has a seat at the table, and those voices are heard and matter. Look at medical versus recreational. Really the only thing that is similar, is the fact that rec businesses are allowed to operate at all. The evolution of the medical Cannabis industry is outpacing the rec industry in some states, and in others, rec is now in the forefront and the medical industry faces stagnation. When we see equity with both sides of these two entities, that’s a positive step in equality and uniformity. In doing so, a collective voice is spoken. Unity between the two creates a homeostatic relationship, rather than the ‘us and them’ environment as it currently stands.
CEO & CHEMIST | BABYLON COMPANY ANCHORAGE, AK @BABYLONCOMPANY_
“THE EVOLUTION OF THE MEDICAL CANNABIS INDUSTRY IS OUTPACING THE RECREATIONAL INDUSTRY...”
Most states are moving forward to create change within their communities. We need to understand that the laws and regulations are created by the people. The more we unite as a people, our voices alone can be loud enough to force the politicians to create change. People do not want to fight alone due to the years of fear-mongering around the plant, but with the unity of like-minded individuals, there is a great deal of power.
LANETT AUSTIN
What challenges are facing the Cannabis industry in terms of equality and equity? The tsunami of corporate forces
that have entered or are attempting to influence Cannabis, both on the local and state levels, and on the national stage. These businesses are “THESE BUSINESSES concerned about their own profitability above all else and ARE CONCERNED aren’t concerned with righting ABOUT THEIR OWN the wrongs of prohibition – or PROFITABILITY ABOVE even allowing full freedoms, like home grow. They even ALL ELSE AND AREN’T attempt to co-opt the equity conversation, gaslighting CONCERNED WITH the public into thinking they RIGHTING THE WRONGS stand for equity. We have seen this happen time and OF PROHIBITION...” time again in Massachusetts, and the stakes are even higher when we consider federal legalization. It is also important for consumers to be aware and to care about the places they are spending their dollars. Creating a conscious Cannabis consumer base dedicated to supporting equity businesses will also be key.
Can you give an example of something equitable you’ve seen happen in the Cannabis space?
INTERVIEWS by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS/LEAF NATION | ILLUSTRATION by GUILHERME LEMES @GUILEEMES
the EQUALITY issue
VOICES OF THE CANNABIS COMMUNITY Continued
from previous page
“THE FACT THAT LESS THAN 5% OF ALL LICENSE HOLDERS ARE AFRICAN AMERICANS, AND EVEN LESS THAN THAT ARE FEMALE, IS A PROBLEM. ”
EMILY EIZEN
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LORIEL ALEGRETE CEO & CO-FOUNDER | 40 TONS LOS ANGELES, CA 40TONS.CO
What needs to change about the Cannabis industry as it relates to equality/equity?
The changes need to begin at the top: the states who issue the licenses, the application process, and most of all, the taxes that are associated with holding Cannabis licenses. All of this needs to incorporate people of color. The fact that less than 5% of all license holders are African Americans, and even less than that are female, is a problem. Yet a majority of the people incarcerated over this same plant are Black and brown. This is what needs to change. Nothing in life is free and I completely understand that. … But we need access to the same starting points as everyone else. What is the Cannabis industry getting right in terms of equality and equity? The industry is attempting to recognize
more POC within the space as the years pass. Social equity programs are designed to level out that playing field. I’d say the industry is attempting to get it right, but still has a long way to go.
MARY PRYOR
What do equality and equity in the Cannabis industry mean to you?
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We’re still fighting for both in totality. Equality is to have equal rights and access CO-FOUNDER to items – health care, food, schooling – CANNACLUSIVE NEW YORK CITY, NY based upon the damaging ramifications and the absurdity of racism. Equity is being CANNACLUSIVE.COM able to have invested interest that evolves into tangible and recognized, not only wealth – but credit, access and ownership of said involvement – in anything relating to industries that have been built off of the backs of BIPOC, Indigenous, melanated communities. In this case, speaking as a Black woman, I can say that equality is an item that I have never, ever seen, and more than likely will never see as an individual who is melanated, because of how deep and how far we think white supremacy has gone in this country. Not only has it divided us in race, it’s divided us across gender, it’s divided us across ethnicity, it’s divided us across so many levels within our own communities – whether we’re white or not white, to where it’s just an automatic, horrible instrument of discord, dissension, hate, anger “EQUITY IS THE ITEM and misunderstanding. Equity is the THAT I STILL HAVE item that I still have to beg, plead and fight for in terms of access, influence TO BEG, PLEAD AND and total erasure that I have to bring FIGHT FOR IN TERMS OF up, in terms of … said items that have been built off of my likeness, my ACCESS, INFLUENCE culture and my imprisonment. When AND TOTAL ERASURE...” we talk about Cannabis, that is that.
AUG. 2021
ROBIN ABLEDAUGHTER & CHAOS GIBBONS CO-FOUNDERS THE FARMACEUTICALS COMPANY | SAN RAFAEL, CA THEFARMACEUTICALSCOMPANY.COM
What challenges are facing the Cannabis community with regards to equality/equity? As a queer
women-owned company, we have certainly experienced our share of inequality in this industry. The California Cannabis industry shifted a lot after legalization – it became corporate, and for lack of a better word, more “bro-y.” Since then, we’ve struggled with tamping down our queerness and trying to hide it. Would people buy our products if they knew we are “WOULD queer owned? Would we survive PEOPLE BUY as a company? OUR PRODUCTS In the end, we just had to be IF THEY KNEW unapologetically WE ARE QUEER who we are. OWNED? WOULD There’s nothing else to be. Part WE SURVIVE AS of the reason we’re able A COMPANY?” to do that is because, like all identity politics, it’s about intersection. Although we are queer, we are two white women and so we have white privilege. We know that while large Cannabis corporations (run predominantly by cis white men) are getting investments and bringing in huge profits, there are still thousands of people of color incarcerated for Cannabisrelated offenses. Black people in particular are disproportionately targeted and jailed for Cannabis-only offenses at an astounding rate. What does equality in the Cannabis industry mean to you? To us, equality
and equity would look like white-owned Cannabis companies giving back to communities of color. We’d like everyone in the Cannabis industry with white privilege to join us in asking: How can we use our privilege to help lift up others? … We have a chance here to make things better, to create a more equitable industry and a more equitable world. And we believe firmly that by joining together, we can really make an impact.
What does equality in the Cannabis industry mean to you? I honestly
don’t hear the term equality used in this industry. To me, equality in the Cannabis industry is a difficult concept to grasp, as we’re talking about a profit incentivized capitalist environment where MSOs are rewarded for influencing the obliteration of small FOUNDER business within the GW SMOKEBREAK TV Cannabis industry. HUMBOLDT, CA There is nothing equal @GWSMOKEBREAKTV about this industry, nor in the world of fast-paced American business. Equality in the Cannabis industry means understanding that the plant is the equalizer. Marijuana culture is in fact about inclusivity “MARIJUANA and equality. I’ll never forget the CULTURE IS IN FACT words of Pam Lane Sohum from ABOUT INCLUSIVITY SoHum Royal Farms when she said, “In the ‘60s and ‘70s it was AND EQUALITY.” all about sitting in a circle, deseeding your bud, rolling a joint and passing it around.” There’s something about that imagery that clearly defines equality as it pertains to authentic California Cannabis culture. Our industry can become a true pillar for social change and the values we hold dear via our products, branding and messaging. This is the power of the plant, the almighty equalizer.
DANIEL MONTERO
What does equality in the Cannabis industry mean to you?
MIKE MCINTYRE FOUNDER | ESKIMO FIRE BETHEL, AK @ESKIMOFIRE
“IN THESE OUTER COMMUNITIES, IT’S NOT CANNABIS – IT’S WEED.”
Equality means equal access to Cannabis for everyone. While you enjoy your easy access to this resource, the people in very rural areas are still unable to access it, even though it is fully legal. In these outer communities, it’s not Cannabis – it’s weed. It even gets confiscated when they find it on you. I am just here to point out the obvious. Everything aside, I try to do my best to have passion for what I do. I have the love for what I do and my iluqs (Yup’ik translation: Male First Cousins) love it too. Just imagine sitting in a village out in the boonies smoking Triangle Mints #23. What is the Cannabis industry getting right in terms of equality and equity? I’ve seen Black entrepreneurs get some help through
an equity system, and they were getting somewhere. It made me feel good for somebody to rise above. I just wish there was something like that here. I have also seen a lot of inequity – too much business crawling into somewhere it shouldn’t be.
ELIZA PIRES
OWNER SANCTUARY FARMS YUBA CITY, CA What challenges are facing the Cannabis industry in terms of equality and equity? One of the most obvious obstacles
NEIL LEQUIA
LGBTQ CANNABIS ADVOCATE | FOUNDER THE FULL SPECTRUM | SEATTLE, WA
MARIE MONTMARQUET CO-FOUNDER MD NUMBERS, INC. SALINAS, CA
JENNIFER SKOG
MDNUMBERSINC.COM
What does equality in the Cannabis industry mean to you? Equality in
Cannabis means replicating the legacy market into the compliant Cannabis market – giving those who have been over-persecuted and who have risked their lives to consume and distribute Cannabis for decades, the chance to do so legally. The same politics that supported “THERE ARE STILL arresting minorities has yet to put that same vigor behind social justice. OVER 40,000 What needs to change about the Cannabis industry as it relates to equality/equity? Right now, Cannabis
PEOPLE CURRENTLY INCARCERATED FOR CANNABIS CHARGES.”
in the United States of America is only for the privileged. There are still over 40,000 people currently incarcerated for Cannabis charges. And it is still used as a war on minorities throughout this country. Compliant Cannabis has turned into a local and state cash grab. There’s no compassion for small business or legacy operators. The barriers to enter the compliant space are nearly impossible for those who have been negatively impacted by the War on Drugs.
THEFULLSPECTRUMNETWORK.COM
Can you give us an example of something equitable you’ve seen happen in the Cannabis space? I’m seeing
more and more expungement fairs happening, which is fantastic! Auto-expungements are happening in a lot of the newer states that are legalizing as well, and a lot are also creating equity programs for “THERE IS A HUGE license distribution from the start – instead of trying to fix LACK OF HUMAN something that was forgotten RESOURCES. A NEW about initially.
INDUSTRY MEANS THAT EVERY BUSINESS IS A STARTUP.”
What challenges are facing the Cannabis industry in terms of equality and equity? Washington was one
of the first states to legalize Cannabis, and made a lot of missteps when it came to ensuring an equitable playing field. We’ve already issued our licenses, before making sure they would be distributed fairly and equitably. Now we’re trying to be more intentional as licenses get redistributed. There is a huge lack of human resources. A new industry means that every business is a startup. Not every business has policies or protections in place for their employees. Not every business is a safe place for a minority to thrive. We have an inconsistent patchwork of how we’re handling criminality and expungement – it’s harder to be effective when there are so many independent movements and challenges. We need a bit more awareness, compassion, and cohesion to truly impact equality and equity in the industry.
in the way of reaching equity in the Cannabis industry lies with the federal scheduling and prohibition. Federally legalizing, or at least descheduling, would allow us to operate much like existing companies who produce medicinal and recreational products. This inhibits our access to banking. Although it is possible to get banking for a Cannabis business, we are subject to exorbitant monthly fees that make it almost impossible for a small farmer to maintain. Small farmers face a number of local and state challenges as well. The most glaring example of inequity lies in the ability for each county to develop their own ordinance, instead of following a statewide set of rules. This way, farmers in some counties are “SMALL FARMERS limited to 10,000 FACE A NUMBER OF square feet of LOCAL AND STATE cultivation (or less), while other CHALLENGES counties allow AS WELL.” for the state's full four acres. This makes it difficult to compete with farms allowed to cultivate 15 times (or more) our square footage. We also encounter a disparity between the state granting us the right to do business, and the counties holding us back with long, drawn out and limiting processes. All of this is compounded by the multitude of fees, price gouging when Cannabis is mentioned, and the expectation of funds up front before product sales … issues that our wealthy, well-funded counterparts have no trouble with. … there must be a shift away from money outweighing knowledge and experience. This would open the doors for those of us who intend to supply the market with quality.
INTERVIEWS by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS/LEAF NATION | ILLUSTRATION by GUILHERME LEMES @GUILEEMES
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“PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE USE CANNABIS.” -AL HARRINGTON
AUG. 2021
Harrington retired from the NBA in 2014 and founded The Harrington Group, launching the successful Viola Brands among other Cannabis businesses.
After 16 years playing in the NBA, Al Harrington found Cannabis and became a powerful voice for the plant.
STAR POWER
STORY by BAXSEN PAINE @BAXSENPAINE for LEAF NATION | PHOTO by TERON BEAL @TERONBEAL
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hen the news broke in July that U.S. track star Sha’Carri Richardson would be banned from the 2021 Olympics after testing positive for Cannabis, Al Harrington just shook his head.
“I thought it was bullshit,” the retired NBA veteran said of Richardson, who admitted to medicating to cope with the recent death of her mother. Never one to mince words, the 41-year-old overcame enough adversity during his 16-year career, which included stops in seven different cities to learn there are a variety of ways to combat pain – and not all are good. By the end of his athletic journey, Harrington found himself hooked on a thrice-daily dose of painkillers to battle chronic inflammation stemming from a variety of operations on his back and knee. “In Denver, I had a botched knee surgery – the team doctors sort of screwed me,” he said. “I had a picc line in my arm and I was on all these medications. I felt horrible. My business partner Chloe came to see me and suggested I try CBD. I put some on and my legs started feeling better, my elbow started feeling better.” Harrington left the league in 2014 and hasn’t taken a pharmaceutical drug since. During that time, he has used his influence to become a leading voice in the fight for medical Cannabis,
creating The Harrington Group – an organization that includes a trio of Cannabis enterprises that operate in six states (Colorado, Oregon, Michigan, California, Arizona and Nevada). Viola Brands was the first of his creations, originating in 2011. The brainchild of his grandmother, Viola – a sweet, church-loving lady who struggled with chronic pain stemming from glaucoma and diabetes. Al convinced a then 79-yearold Viola to use CBD, improving the quality of her golden years. “For someone like my grandmother to try it and have it work – for how religious she was, and growing up in the 1930s when prohibition started – it really spoke volumes to me,” the New Jersey native said. Breaking the social stigma that surrounds medical Cannabis is difficult, especially within an African American household, Harrington said. The 6-foot-9, 245-pound power forward grew up during the height of the “Just Say No” era, where stop-and-frisk policies regularly placed young Black and brown men in jail for possession of marijuana. Becoming a daily consumer was hard enough, nevermind a business mogul. “People from the Black community really have a form of PTSD with how [Cannabis] has affected their community,” Harrington said, noting a high number of arrests in the city of Orange where he was raised. “Growing up, it was drilled into
our heads that it was a gateway drug. My grandma used to kick my aunts and uncles out of the house for smoking, and my mom used to get into it with my stepfather about it, too. I was scared that I’d get into something bigger.” Two seasons in Denver changed Harrington’s perspective, including his final year when public support allowed Colorado to become the first state in the nation to legalize recreational Cannabis in 2012. “I was seeing people walk out of stores with weed and I was like, ‘Oh shit, you can do this?’” he said. “I don’t know where I’d be right now if I hadn’t been there at that time. I’d probably be coaching basketball somewhere or playing golf.” He sees the creation of The Harrington Group as an opportunity to create generational wealth and open up opportunities inside communities of color. Last year, the company rolled out Viola Cares, a philanthropic initiative which aims to help formerly incarcerated people transition back into society. Harrington made waves by claiming it was the mission of Viola Brands to turn 100 Black individuals into millionaires over the next few years. “Now I can’t just give a million dollars out to people,” he smiled, admitting the line may have been taken too literally. “It’s about finding people with ambitions and the visions of an entrepreneur. Then we can tap into resources and fund their opportunities. We’re a high-quality brand, but we also want to use that recognition to bring people of color into this industry and make them successful. We want to be able to inspire economic empowerment and lift each other up.” Sports, he says, will continue to be a vessel that drives his entrepreneurship, as well as advocacy on behalf of new and current patients. Harrington remains in close contact with the National Basketball Players Association in hopes of educating players on the benefits of CBD, as well as the pitfalls of painkillers. “For me, that’s the easiest to use,” the 1998 firstround draft pick said. “One thing we don’t realize is that the same way we all eat food, the same way we all listen to music – people from all walks of life use Cannabis.” Even world-class athletes like Sha’Carri Richardson. “The [International Olympic Committee] is going to have to reevaluate the way they do things,” he said. “In the U.S., we lead everything. Here, you see the way professional leagues have taken it off the list, or turned their back on testing for it. It’s become a very common thing to do.” “Is anybody thinking it made her faster?” he laughed. “It’s nonsense, but hopefully it shines a big enough spotlight on this to make a change.”
LAST YEAR, THE COMPANY ROLLED OUT VIOLA CARES, A PHILANTHROPIC INITIATIVE WHICH AIMS TO HELP FORMERLY INCARCERATED PEOPLE TRANSITION BACK INTO SOCIETY.
VIOLABRANDS.COM @VIOLA
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BREAKING THE
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Cannabis Chef & Cookbook Author Mary J. White, at home in Seattle, WA. Photo by Daniel Berman @bermanphotos
AUG. 2021
GRASS CEILING PROFILES OF WOMEN IN CANNABIS IN 1968, an intrepid teenager named Mary White
began her first forays into Cannabis. Not one for drinking, White discovered that taking on what she calls “mild happy weed” was enough to keep her in fashion without the side effects of hellish hangovers. Like many teenagers, her consumption was sporadic throughout high school and further waned as she reached her 20s and 30s. “I enjoyed Cannabis, but it wasn’t something that I thought about much. It was kind of just something you do at parties when you’re young. I never thought I’d end up working with it,” explains White. Little did she know, 16 years after her first toke, Cannabis would be her ticket out of bankruptcy. “It’s a horrible, long story, but basically I got really sick and had no insurance in 1984. I was in dire straits and needed money, so I reached out to some people I knew who were operating illegal grow houses in Seattle,” says White. “I didn’t sell it; I just took care of the plants, but that helped lift me out of bankruptcy, and I was able to buy a house.” At the time, White says she felt empowered and strong despite being the token female within the grow operation. She loved taking care of the plants and often referred to them as her babies. Illegality aside, White had found herself in the kind of self-sufficient position that still eludes many working women today. “I was happy and I felt secure, but now looking back at it, I was the only woman – and I did kind of get forced out of a job as soon as there was a man who could do my job. It’s funny how you don’t think about that kind of stuff when it’s happening,” says White. Sadly, White is one part of a pervasive narrative that still exists within today’s legal market. Despite being a small business owner and published author, White says that feeling like an outsider is part and parcel of being a woman in the industry. “I am teaching cooking classes, which is traditionally thought of as a woman’s job, but there are a lot of times I feel really out of place. I’m already older than most of the people I work alongside in the industry, and then I am a woman on top of that. So sometimes I wonder if I’m not just some weirdo lady hanging around with the guys,” explains White. A MALE-DOMINATED INDUSTRY According to a 2017 study by MJBiz Daily, women occupy roughly 36-percent of executive positions within the industry.
Caroline Frankel, Owner of Caroline’s Cannabis, Masachussett’s first recreational dispensary. Photo by MacNeil Media Group
So why, if every piece of Cannabis we consume is female, are women taking a backseat to their male colleagues? MJBiz Daily suggests that the recurring issue preventing women from entering the industry is a lack of access to capital. The amount of money needed to start a Cannabis business can easily surpass six figures, and the networks of investors that can provide that amount of money – high-net-worth individuals and venture capital firms – can be difficult for women to access. Additionally, women-owned businesses often receive less funding and fewer resources than their male counterparts. It’s something that Caroline Frankel has experienced first-hand. Massachusetts’ first recreational dispensary owner, Frankel, spent years scraping together $300,000 of her own money to open her Uxbridge store. “You really don’t hear about women self-funding their marijuana business, and it’s something I’m proud of,” says Frankel.
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STORY by O’HARA SHIPE @SHIPESHOTS/LEAF NATION
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Autumn Brands Co-Owner & CFO Autumn Shelton, left, and Co-Founder Hannah Brand, in Santa Barbara, CA. Photo by Autumn Brands
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stay-at-home-mother, Frankel says she would put her three children to bed and retire to her basement, where she spent hours following the legalization process as it moved from the West Coast to New England. Putting her business degree from Johnson and Wales University to good use, Frankel developed a comprehensive business plan for her dream dispensary. She also navigated the licensing process mainly on her own. “When the state was ready for general applicants like myself, I was ready to go. I actually ended up being the first general applicant in Massachusetts,” says Frankel. In early April 2020, Frankel opened Caroline’s Cannabis, and she now has plans to expand to a second location. However, Frankel’s success has been somewhat tempered by the response she has received from other mothers within her community. “Of course, my kids love me regardless. But with other moms, I definitely felt like I was being judged a little bit for not only being someone who
AUG. 2021
uses Cannabis, but then also being someone making a living in it as well. It was always the other parents or the people in my community that I felt judged me a little bit more than anyone else,” says Frankel. JUMPING HIGHER HURDLES Canadian physicist Donna Strickland famously received a Nobel Prize before being promoted to full professorship at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada in 2018. Some claimed that Strickland’s experience is the quintessential example of women being held to impossible standards within the workplace. However, Strickland eschews such notions and says that she didn’t receive a promotion because she never asked. Strickland’s story resonated with many women who said that they often feel that they need to do more and jump higher hurdles than their male counterparts to prove their worth in the workplace. Unfortunately, the Cannabis industry isn’t exempt. “I totally have always felt that I’ve had to work
harder because Cannabis is a male-dominated field. Even from the municipality and licensing standpoint, I was spending a lot of time rehearsing my presentations and investing money into making them look better than anyone else’s. I always felt like I had to compete more,” Frankel explains. Some feelings of inadequacy might be understandable in Frankel’s case, as she was cutting a new path for women-owned dispensaries in a newly legalized state. But the pervasive bias that White felt 30 years ago is the same one that women in the industry continue to butt up against. As a former ice hockey goaltender, Oregonian Megan Hunt is used to being the only woman among a sea of men, so she felt at home when she entered the industry as a trimmer in 2018. At the time, Hunt had several female coworkers trimming alongside her, but as her ambitions to rise within the ranks took hold, she began to realize that her perception of gender equality had been somewhat skewed. “There are women that do trimming, produc-
Tao Gardens’ Director of Propagation, Megan Hunt, in Eugene, OR. Photo by Tao Gardens
tion or processing, but I don’t really see a ton of women growing. I feel like there has to be a ton out there, but just in my personal experience, I haven’t really worked with a lot of other female growers. I’ve learned almost everything from male growers,” explains Hunt. Although Hunt says her male mentors and colleagues have always treated her with respect, she still experienced pushback when she expressed her desire to take on a leadership position within the grow operation. “I definitely feel like there’s a period of time where you have to prove yourself in any position, but I do think you end up getting undermined a lot more in fields that are predominantly male. You have to prove yourself and let them know, ‘Hey, I know my shit. I can grow and I can do everything you can do. Including lifting a five-gallon bucket of water.’ Once you get through that, it’s usually pretty smooth sailing,” says Hunt. SHIFTING THE NARRATIVE While Hunt has cemented her place in the industry as Tao Gardens’ Director of Propagation, she remains part of an exclusive club of women who have broken through the proverbial glass ceiling. “I mean, it’s … it’s kind of confusing to me because I know that a lot of women are into plants and love biology and healing with herbal medicine. And so, it’s kind of a perplexing question to me as to why more women aren’t taking those leadership positions or just growing in general,” says Hunt. One theory is that there remains a stigma around female Cannabis consumption. Currently, male consumers make up nearly three-quarters of the recreational market. As was the case with Frankel, the notion of being a woman and mother
are so tied together that society struggles to “When I was seven or eight, separate the two. So, when a stay-at-homeI had a childhood friend who mom decides to open a dispensary, it seems saw her parents get arrested for shocking in a way that it would not be, had marijuana possession. I rememMARYJWHITE.COM it been a stay-at-home-father. ber it being weird to me – here CAROLINESCANNABIS.COM “I think [the Cannabis industry] can be was this perfect family that was so TAOGARDENS.COM a little daunting. Cannabis has still been a happy and healthy and took care AUTUMNBRANDS.COM stigma for so long, so I think women may of their kids, and took care of me JDWCOUNSEL.COM still be a little hesitant about it. For womwhen I stayed with them – getting en, it’s still high risk because it’s federally ripped apart by the cops. After illegal. So, you just might not have those that, I knew I wanted to be a lawyer, and I had no other women executives that want to take that intentions of doing anything else,” says Weltzin. risk at this time,” explains Autumn Brands The founding member of JDW Counsel in AnchorCo-owner and CFO Autumn Shelton. age, Weltzin focuses her legal practice on land use and One of California’s first women-owned zoning law, recreational marijuana business law, and Cannabis businesses, Autumn Brands regulation compliance in Alaska. A staunch advocate has made it their mission to bring more for the industry, she was instrumental in working with women into the industry and destigmatize the Coalition for Responsible Cannabis Legislation to female Cannabis use. According to Shelhelp launch Alaska’s recreational market in 2015. ton, achieving their goals comes down to Over the last six years, Weltzin has established herself re-branding. as a powerhouse Cannabis attorney, but she is quick to “Women traditionally are the ones that give credit to the female mentors who helped pave the make decisions for health and wellness for way for her. themselves and for their families, and they “I learned from my mentor Jordan Rose. Especially are really dedicated to that. So when we when it comes to my dealings with men, I remember think about Cannabis, we think about it as she would always tell me to be realistic about what a a health and wellness product. And that exman’s priorities are with you. You want to get the most tends to our packaging and our branding,” you can out of the relationship without ever comprosays Shelton. mising your own values and your own beliefs. So, you A mother and Cannabis consumer, have to be okay with their reaction when you set a hard Shelton understands the importance of shifting the line,” says Weltzin. stoner narrative that has been perpetuated by pop Known for her direct, firm communication, Weltzin culture. ruffled some feathers when she be“It’s about normalizing gan carving out space for herself. Cannabis in the way a glass “I think that men came in with of wine has been. I think the a different expectation and maybe perception is that all pot conthought that I couldn’t handle getsumers are getting super high ting certain code amendments, but on bong rips, and that needs I did. Some thought that I couldn’t to change. Of course, when I handle getting certain approvals was younger, I used to do that done, but I’ve gotten every single – but I am a mom now, and necessary approval out there for that has shifted how I think marijuana shops. I think it took about Cannabis. Now, all I me showing them that I can do it; need is a few hits of a joint, I’m not just this little girl trying to and it allows me to get out of make it in a big man’s world,” says my head and release tension Weltzin. so I can come back and be While Weltzin has played the ready to be a mom again,” game, she is adamant that she explains Shelton. should not have had to clear extra Even though Shelton is professional hurdles simply because fighting for the normalization she is a woman. of not only female Cannabis “What are we not hearing collecuse, but women occupying tively as a society? Why are things JDW Counsel Founder Jana Weltzin, space in the industry, she tone-deaf when women speak a Cannabis attorney in Anchorage, AK. admits that it can be difficult and not when men speak next? I Photo by Chris Owens @owensneversleeps finding a balance. don’t know if that’s a ‘man issue,’ “It can be confusing when you’re a parent, though. I think it might be more of a societal issue that because on one hand society says that Cannabis is needs to be corrected,” says Weltzin. something that is not good, and on the other hand, So, how does the Cannabis industry become a your child is wondering why you would work in a shining example of equality for women? On this matter, business that is surrounded by it,” says Shelton. Weltzin, Hunt, White, Frankel and Shelton agree. “We have to step up and have each other’s back. CREATING THEIR OWN SPACE Men have been doing that for decades and decades, The struggle to reconcile years of cultural proand as women, we haven’t. We’re conditioned not to gramming with the reality of Cannabis as medilike each other; we are conditioned to be competitive cine is something that Alaskan Jana Weltzin was with each other. The reality is that we shouldn’t be confronted with at a very young age, and it ended competing with each other. We have to be the ones to up shaping her life. say where our place is,” says Weltzin.
STORY by O’HARA SHIPE @SHIPESHOTS/LEAF NATION
edible of the month
Reviews April’s Lemon Dreams Remember that scene in “Shrek” when Donkey said, “Have you ever met a person, you say, ‘Let’s go get some parfait,’ they say, ‘Hell no, I don’t like no parfait?’” That’s precisely how we feel about April’s Lemon Dreams from MoMo’s Bakery. Conceptualized by MoMo’s baker April Luce, these little cookies are an indulgent sweet treat that will leave your mouth doing a happy dance.
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Individually packaged and created using a dough similar to that of a snickerdoodle, the cookies are soft and slightly chewy. The texture is complemented by a strong punch of lemon infused into the dough, but don’t think these cookies are tart – the bitterness of the lemon is tempered by a generous drizzle of sweet coconut, white chocolate drizzle that melts in your mouth. At 5mg THC per cookie, edible lovers can easily enjoy multiple doses in one sitting. But be careful, as these half-dollar-sized treats are potent. We took two while watching the Tokyo Olympics and woke up on the couch eight hours later. Luckily, it was just in time to catch reruns of Jerry Springer while we noshed on a big bowl of Lucky Charms for breakfast. Want to get the most out of your Lemon Dreams? Take one with a glass of whole milk. The high-fat content helps amplify the sedating effects of the indica-dominant cookie and guarantees your quick journey into dreamland. @MOMOSBAKERYAK
"An indulgent sweet treat that will leave your mouth doing a happy dance." AUG. 2021
REVIEW by ALASKA LEAF STAFF | PHOTO by O'HARA SHIPE @SHIPESHOTS
concentrate of the month
Reviews Secret Garden Cannabis
LEAFMAGAZINES.COM
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Blue Beast Cartridge
"Smooth and tangy, with tasting notes of citrus and fruit."
AUG. 2021
Vertically integrated, Anchorage's Secret Garden Cannabis boasts a dispensary, cultivation and in-house extraction lab. With eyes on every step of the process, the company's CO2 cartridges provide a clean, high quality smoking experience. Suffice to say, it was challenging to settle on a single cart to review. But with a weekend camping trip on the horizon, we figured we’d channel the unbridled energy of Blue Beast. According to the team at Secret Garden, the best way to enjoy Blue Beast is with their new Baked Battery. Sporting three unique voltage settings, the battery allows you to heat your carts to your ideal temperature. So naturally, when it came to sampling Blue Beast, we decided to crank up the heat. Blue Beast's smoke is smooth and tangy, with tasting notes of citrus and fruit. The cart does leave a somewhat spicy aftertaste, but it was a nice contrast to the sweetness of the inhaled smoke. In addition to the smoke, we found ourselves captivated with the visual purity of the light @SECRETGARDENAK gold-colored oil, 76.92% THC | 0.4% CBD which heated up 4.77% TERPENES | SATIVA beautifully. A formidable sativa strain, Blue Beast's effects were nearly immediate. Within seconds of our first inhale, we felt a burst of energy course through us. Comparable to a quad shot of espresso, we were perky and focused for several hours before we noticed our high slowly fading away. But one quick puff, and we were riding high all over again.
REVIEW by ALASKA LEAF STAFF | PHOTO by O'HARA SHIPE @SHIPESHOTS
TANNINS & TERPENES
T H E A RT OF PA I RI NG CA N N A BI S TANNINS
If you haven't heard of Jinro Soju, you're not alone. You won't find this spirit at your local bar, and it can be hard to find at most liquor stores. The number one selling spirit in the world for the last 20 years, it's worth spending the time to find a store that carries it. Imported from Korea, Jinro Soju is a clear, neutral spirit akin to vodka, but with half of the alcohol content. The result is a smooth drink that is perfect for shots and cocktails alike. The lower alcohol content also means you have a fighting chance of staving off the dreaded hangover that comes from drinking hard liquor. However, don't let Jinro's relatively low alc/vol – 12% to 24% depending on flavor – fool you. It's nicknamed "feelings juice" for a reason and can easily leave you loose-lipped.
TERPENES
Sour Zkittlez by The Hangar AK is a hearty sativa with a secret. Upon cracking open the canister, we were met with an unexpectedly earthy scent with subtle hints of sour citrus. However, once we cracked the bud open, we understood exactly why this strain is admired for its exquisite terpene profile. The inside of the bud revealed a potent, tropical scent that gives Sour Zkittlez its namesake. While the exterior of the bud wasn't particularly impressive, the internal structure looked exactly like a frosty trichome forest. Because Sour Zkittelz is loaded with trichome goodness, packing our bowl was a little bit of a sticky mess, but the sweet scent left behind on our fingers was well worth the sacrifice.
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THE PAIRING
LEAFMAGAZINES.COM
For the pairing, we decided to go with Jinro's plum-flavored Soju to bring out the sweetness of Sour Zkittlez. Akin to drinking flavored water, the Soju was smooth with a playful splash of plum that delighted our nostrils and taste buds. With the plum flavor still lingering in the back of our throat, we took a big toke of Sour Zkittlez. Just like the Soju, the smoke was pleasantly smooth with a minimal burn. The lemon-lime inhale was met with a subtly sour exhale, and it wasn't long before we felt the happy, somewhat hyperactive effects of the flower. By the end of the night, our apartment was clean, we'd texted our entire friend group to let them know how awesome they are, and our dog was begging us to calm the eff down. All in all, this was a fun pairing.
The lemon-lime inhale was met with a subtly sour exhale, and it wasn't long before we felt the happy, somewhat hyperactive effects of the flower.
THE HANGAR AK SOUR ZKITTLEZ & JINRO PLUM SOJU aug. 2021
19.29% THC | 28.89% THCA | 0.06% CBD
REVIEW by ALASKA LEAF STAFF | PHOTO by O'HARA SHIPE @SHIPESHOTS
PHOTO BY @SONDERFELTLLC FOR LEAF NATION
affordable advertising available email josh@leafmagazines.com LEAFMAGAZINES.COM | @AKLEAFMAG | #ALASKALEAF
cannthropology
WORLD OF Cannabis PRESENTS
CANNABIS
PROHIBITION’S RACIST ROOTS
Since its very inception, America’s Cannabis prohibition has been rooted in racism.
LEAFMAGAZINES.COM
The racist architects (Reagan, Nixon, Anslinger) and symbolic targets (Cab Calloway, Pancho Villa, Louis Armstrong) of Cannabis prohibition. MEXICAN MIGRATION
Mexicans were using Cannabis for medicinal, recreational and spiritual purposes since it was first brought over by the Spanish in the 16th century. But it wasn’t until nearly 400 years later that it would make its way over the border.
The dawn of the 20th century brought a massive influx of Mexican immigrants into the U.S. – thanks to the Mexican Revolution, which caused soldiers and refugees to flee the war, and the Industrial Revolution, which attracted laborers in search of work. Naturally, many of these migrants brought their habit of smoking marijuana (their Spanish name for it) along with them. Since xenophobic stereotypes of Mexicans as dirty, lazy, dishonest and violent were prevalent in white America, powerful racists used marijuana as a way to demonize and harass them. Exxagerated “yellow journalism” about marijuana Most conspicuously, media mogul William Randolph Hearst conducted a massive anti-weed smear campaign throughout the 1910s to 1930s – terrifying white Amerand Mexicans designed to scare white America. ica with fear-mongering features about mad, murderous Mexicans on their “loco weed.” Since these articles always referred to it as marihuana, rather than Cannabis or hemp, most Americans had no clue that the “evil Mexican weed” was actually the same plant they’d been using for textiles and medicine for decades.
AUG. 2021
ILLUSTRATION BY BOBBY BLACK
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REEFER MADNESS Meanwhile, during the late 1800s, the British imported thousands of Hindu Indians to the Caribbean as cheap labor for their sugar plantations – who, like their Mexican counterparts, also brought their habit of smoking Cannabis with them. Eventually, those Indian Hindus, Mexicans, sailors and African slaves all found their way to the port city of More fear-mongering press New Orleans, where their about marijuana and jazz. cultures and traditions all intermingled. It was out of that marijuana-infused melting pot that jazz music was born. Jazz was the first modern musical genre created under the influence of marijuana – or as they called it, “reefer.” Performers like Louis Armstrong and Cab Calloway were open about their love of weed – even writing songs about it like “Reefer Man,” “Viper” and “Muggles” (another slang term). As jazz’s popularity exploded across the country, more and more young white people were attracted to it – hanging out at nightclubs, mingling with other races, and yes, smoking reefer. This infuriated the white establishment, who began using marijuana to target African-Americans – especially the jazz musicians. One notorious racist in power who made it his mission to go after the reefer-smoking jazz musicians corrupting America’s youth was Narcotics Bureau Commissioner, Harry Anslinger. “There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the U.S., and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos and entertainers,” Anslinger once attested. “Their satanic music, jazz and swing, result from marijuana use. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers and any others.” Race mixing, white girls getting pregnant by negroes, insanity, violence, violations of Jim Crow laws … Anslinger blamed it all on marijuana, saying that it made “darkies think they’re as good as white men” and “forget their place in society.” Building on Hearst’s yellow journalism, Anslinger led a campaign of “white fright” to pressure Congress into passing his Marijuana Tax Act in 1937, then used that prohibition to target those who needed to be “put in their place.” In the first year after the law’s passage, blacks were three times more likely, and Mexicans nearly nine times more likely, to be arrested for marijuana than whites. NIXON’S DRUG WAR In the 1960s, the racist prohibitionists’ worst fears were realized: the Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed racial segregation. And thanks to the counterculture movement, marijuana use had become widespread among average white suburban young adults. As one New York Times reporter commented: “Nobody cared when it was a ghetto problem. Marihuana – well, it was used by jazz musicians or the lower class, so you didn’t care if they got two to 20 years. But when a nice, middle-class girl or boy in college gets busted for the same thing, then the whole community sits up and takes notice.” Freaked out by marijuana’s growing influence, Americans elected “law-and-order” candidate Richard Nixon as the new president in 1968. It’s well established that Nixon was a racist. In his infamous oval tapes, he spews derogatory remarks about numerous
Freaked out by marijuana’s growing influence, Americans elected “law-and-order” candidate Richard Nixon as the new president in 1968. minorities – saying that the Jews were all “disloyal bastards” and “commies” who wanted to legalize weed, that Mexicans were “dishonest,” and that “Negro bastards” live “like a bunch of dogs” on welfare. Squashing the hippie and Black Power movements was at the top of his agenda. Announcing a new War on Drugs in 1971, Nixon used the recently passed Controlled Substances Act to target and arrest leftist radicals and civil rights activists – most of whom were Black or Jewish. The racist motivations behind Nixon’s Drug War were later admitted on the record by his domestic policy adviser John Ehrlichman, who said in a 1994 interview: “The Nixon campaign in 1968, and the Nixon White House after that, had two enemies: the antiwar left and Black people … We knew we couldn’t make it illegal to be either against the war or Black, but by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and Blacks with heroin, and then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities. We could arrest their leaders, raid their homes, break up their meetings, and vilify them night after night on the evening news. Did we know we were lying about the drugs? Of course we did.” MASS INCARCERATION The election of Ronald Reagan in 1980 brought with it a ramping up of the Over the past Drug War, with new propaganda campaigns (Just Say No, Drug Abuse Reseveral decades, sistance Education) and harsher policies – including an expansion of Nixon’s the U.S. has seen “mandatory minimum” sentencing guidelines (which prosecutors are twice as likely to pursue for Blacks than for whites charged with the same a 900% increase crime), and the practice of so-called “no-knock” warrants. First in its prison employed by the Nixon administration in 1970, no-knock warrants population. were repealed by Congress in 1975; unfortunately, they made a comeback on the state level during the Reagan administration and have expanded exponentially ever since (from 1,500 warrants in the 1980s to over 60,000 in recent years). According to a 2014 ACLU report, 42 percent of those targeted by no-knock raids were African-American and 12 percent were Latino. Unfortunately, Reagan’s successors continued his tough-on-crime approach well into the 1990s – with increasingly harsh sentences and aggressive new policing policies such as the “three strikes law” which drastically raised mandatory minimum sentences for repeated drug offenses (in some cases, sentences of life in prison or death). There was also New York City’s controversial “stop and frisk” policy, where police began detaining and searching people on the street that they deemed “suspicious,” resulting in a dramatic rise in arrests for minor drug possession charges (in 2018, Blacks and Latinos accounted for nearly 90% of the city’s Cannabis possession arrests). Over the past several decades, the U.S. has seen a 900% increase in its prison population. The vast majority of those prisoners are Black and Latino, most of whom were convicted on minor, non-violent drug offenses. In her best-selling book “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness,” civil rights lawyer Michelle Alexander argues that mass incarceration has become a new, legal form of slavery – forcing tens of thousands of Black and Brown men to provide free labor and depriving them of their right to vote. ENDURING INEQUITY Sadly, the branches of prohibition’s racist roots are still alive and well today. People of color are still far more likely to be stopped, searched, arrested, convicted, harshly sentenced and killed by police over minor drug violations than whites are, even though drug usage rates are virtually identical across races. And although Cannabis is now legal in most states for either medical or adult use, there are still tens of thousands of people of color behind bars on nonviolent marijuana charges, while white executives now make millions for doing essentially the same thing on a far grander scale. And all of these inequities and injustices trace back to the prejudiced propaganda pushed on the public at the dawn of prohibition.
For more on Prohibition’s Racist Roots, listen to Episode #7 of our podcast at worldofcannabis.museum/cannthropology. Story and photos originally published on worldofcannabis.museum and reprinted with permission.
STO RY b y B O B BY B LAC K @ CAN N T H RO PO LO G Y for LEA F NAT IO N
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by Mike Ricker
ike sand through a sifter, there are some items in life that have an uncanny way of eluding your possession. And it seems that no matter how much attention is directed toward keeping these elusive apparatuses secure, they somehow have a way of playing hide and seek. Like that extra sock that is secretly abducted by the clothes dryer, your sunglasses that seem to want to live anywhere but on the bridge of your nose, and of course, your remote control. It's as if there's a mysterious trickster living between the cushions of your couch, playing a game of hide and seek you didn't sign up for with one of your most essential household items. One of life’s great perplexities. I mean, they can find the Titanic 400 miles away from land and 13,000 feet below the surface of the swirling ice waters of the North Atlantic Ocean, and they can return photographs from robotic space probes that have ventured to the end of the galaxy and beyond, but for some reason they can’t install a stoner button on my beloved channel changer. Like, shouldn’t there be something on the television that sends a signal to the remote, which then beeps like a friendly R2D2 who is happy to hang out? Consider this a call to arms! So, here’s the good news: At least you sometimes find a stray nug each time there’s a search. And as far as solving the mystery of the lost sock, I think the Loch Ness Monster ate it.
JUl. 2021
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