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#68 | DEC. 2021
INDEPENDENT CANNABIS JOURNALISM SINCE 2010
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SweetMatanuskaGreen@Gmail.com | SweetMatanuskaGreen.com Marijuana has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming and addictive. Marijuana impairs concentration, coordination, and judgement. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under its influence. There are health risks associated with consumption of marijuana. For use only by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of the reach of children. Marijuana should not be used by women who are pregnant or breast feeding.
672 E END RD #B HOMER, AK | 844-225-7600 | 907-299-1829 | SHAWN@FRONTIERCBDS.COM
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50 Legalizing The Last Frontier
Alaska has a deep and rich history with the use of Cannabis, and served as a model for how other states would come to approach medical Cannabis and homegrow. This month's Cannthropology dives into that storied legacy. //////////// story by bobby black
DEC. 2021
feature
C H A KA G L A SS STU D I O
9 10 12 18 20 22 26 28 32 34 36 38 40 42 46 48 50 52
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CHARLES TAGGART
DANIEL BERMAN
CANNABIS RECIPES GIFTS THEY'LL LOVE
COURTESY OF WORLD OF CANNABIS MUSEUM
[
EDIBLES 101 INFUSION INFORMATION & KNOW-HOW
48
BRUCE WOLF
REHASHED 2021 ALASKA LEAF BOWL
32
ADOBE STOCK
SWEETS & TREATS 38 OSCAR AVELLANEDA-CRUZ
THE EDIBLES ISSUE
reviews
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LEAFMAGAZINES.COM
#68
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6
DECEMBER 2021
issue
EDITOR’S NOTE N AT I O N A L N E W S LEAF BOWL BUDTENDER Q&A L A D Y G R AY M E D I B L E S RED RUN CANNABIS H O L I D AY G I F T G U I D E STRAIN OF THE MONTH EDIBLES 101 DRINKS, SYRUPS, TINCTURES BAKED GOODS S W E E T S & T R E AT S S W E E T S & T R E AT S S W E E T S & T R E AT S GLASS ART RECIPES CANNTHROPOLOGY STONEY BALONEY
THE EDIBLES ISSUE LEAFMAGAZINES.COM
8
FEATURE
22
DEC. 2021
red run cannabis
Founder Ryan Walker talks with Alaska Leaf about his signature infused drink: Hashade.
STORY by ALASKA LEAF STAFF | PHOTOS by O'HARA SHIPE @SHIPESHOTS
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 Creative Director Daniel Berman commissioned the talented Las Vegas illustrator Cabin 7 Originals to create this month’s incredible cover. “Inspired by iconic classics like Willy Wonka and Candyland, the making of this design was a nostalgic adventure,” she said. “I believe the purpose of art is to make people feel things, and I think that’s achieved here in a super fun way. With its ethereal glow and starry sky, it’s magic and cheer wrapped in a neat little bow. I like my work to remind people that cartoons, colors, and candy are things we can still enjoy as adults - plus now we can enjoy them with a little THC.”
ART by CABIN 7 ORIGINALS @CABIN7ORIGINALS
PUBLISHER
CONTRIBUTORS
WES ABNEY | FOUNDER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
OSCAR AVELLANEDA-CRUZ, PHOTOS DANIEL BERMAN, PHOTOS BOBBY BLACK, FEATURES JOSHUA BOULET, ILLUSTRATION TOM BOWERS, FEATURES CABIN 7 ORIGINALS, ILLUSTRATIONS MAX EARLY, FEATURES STEVE ELLIOTT, NATIONAL NEWS JEFF PORTERFIELD, DESIGN JESSE RAMIREZ, ILLUSTRATION MIKE RICKER, FEATURES MEGHAN RIDLEY, EDITING O'HARA SHIPE, FEATURES + PHOTOS JAMIE VICTOR, DESIGN DAN VINKOVETSKY, FEATURES NATE WILLIAMS, FEATURES BRUCE & LAURIE WOLF, RECIPES
WES@LEAFMAGAZINES.COM
CREATIVE DIRECTOR DANIEL BERMAN | VISUALS & DESIGN
DANIEL@LEAFMAGAZINES.COM
STATE DIRECTOR JOSHUA STAHLE | AD SALES
JOSH@LEAFMAGAZINES.COM 907-317-2536
CONTENT DIRECTOR O'HARA SHIPE | EDITORIAL
OHARA@LEAFMAGAZINES.COM
CONNECT WITH ALASKA LEAF Exclusive Cannabis Journalism @NWLEAF
|
@AKLEAFMAG
@NWLEAF
ISSUU.COM/NWLEAF FREE ONLINE ARCHIVE
ABNEY
Editor’s Note Thanks for picking up The Edibles Issue of the Leaf! ‘TIS THE SEASON for libations and yummy bites, and since edibles deliver the best of both worlds without having to consume any holiday spirits, we can trade a hangover for the munchies and hook Santa up with some real tasty cookies!
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I absolutely love our cover this month by Cabin 7 Originals, who breathed a whimsical and beautiful scene to life from our team’s direction. I’m a sucker for holiday decorations that are adult – and I definitely have a few bad Xmas sweaters that are not family dinner appropriate. While I may self-censor naughty jingles, one thing I definitely don’t hide is the help Cannabis gives me around the holidays. We all have the judgey aunt or disappointed parental unit who will happily take pharmaceuticals, but give you dirty looks for getting more baked than the ham at dinner. And while I don’t recommend trying to convert any lost Qs at the grown up’s table, you can definitely spread good cheer by sharing Cannabis. Which is a big part of why we picked December for The Edibles Issue – the holidays are stressful, they bring out a need to get high in a discrete way, and they make great gifts or intros to Cannabis for friends and family in need of a holiday buzz.
“WHILE I MAY SELF-CENSOR NAUGHTY JINGLES, ONE THING I DEFINITELY DON’T HIDE IS THE HELP CANNABIS GIVES ME AROUND THE HOLIDAYS.“
While many of us have a story of eating too many edibles or a random “XXX brownie” that came from a well-meaning friend, today’s products are precision dosed and regulated to deliver an expected experience. Learn more about this in our Edibles 101 piece, including how to read the label so you don’t end up overdoing it. But if you do, and you or a loved one find yourself melting and unable to function, fear not! Calling an ambulance will only get you an expensive bill for a rehydration IV drip, which can be acquired much easier in the form of Gatorade and snacks. Whether you have a huge tolerance for THC or are just starting to explore this diverse world of scrumptious items that get you high, give our Edibles Guide a look through and go try one! With everything from mints to drinks, baked goods to tinctures, there’s sure to be a buzz that meets your preferences. And don’t forget to take care of Santa!
-Wes Abney dec. 2021
leafmagazines.com
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
midWEST
national news
politics
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POT SHOP OPENS 400 FT. FROM CHICAGO’S WRIGLEY FIELD
MOST LIBERALS SUPPORT LEGALIZATION; MAJORITY OF CONSERVATIVES OPPOSE
IT
seems obvious, on the face of it. Those who tend towards the liberal end of the political spectrum have always also tended to favor marijuana legalization. And those who lean conservative have tended to oppose weed. But more and more, with the mainstreaming of Cannabis, we hear “both sides” arguments, and they have increasing merit. The bottom line is, though, that those who are most conservative in the American political landscape – still, after all these years – oppose marijuana. Most folks know there’s growing bipartisan support for legalization in the USA. And a newly released survey from the Pew Research Center shows broad consensus across ideological lines that patients should be able to legally access marijuana for medical purposes. But when it comes to adult-use, “recreational” legalization, that coalition doesn’t entirely hold. MOST FOLKS The poll, simply stated, shows Democrats are more KNOW THERE’S likely to support full Cannabis legalization than RepubliGROWING cans. To take examples from each end of the ideological BIPARTISAN spectrum, 91% of those classified as the Progressive Left SUPPORT FOR support legalization. Meanwhile, just 33% of “Faith and LEGALIZATION Flag” conservatives – thus farthest to the right – want weed IN THE USA. to be legal.
WEIRD
SUPER BOWL CHAMP ARRESTED FOR POT
LEAFMAGAZINES.COM
P
olice arrested Nigel Bradham, a linebacker on the Philadelphia Eagles team that won Super Bowl LII, in Florida on November 13. Troopers said they found more than three pounds of marijuana in his car during a traffic stop, reports the Philly Voice. They charged Bradham, 32, with possession of marijuana with intent to sell, possession of more than 20 grams of marijuana and possession of a firearm during a felony, according to the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. He posted $1,000 bail and police released him from Leon County jail November 14. The current free agent told a judge he intended to hire an attorney, but court records didn’t yet list one assigned to the case, reports WCTV. Florida Highway Patrol officers stopped the NFL veteran because the tag on his 2021 Chevrolet Corvette didn’t match records. Officers claimed there was a strong smell of marijuana emanating from the vehicle. Bradham claimed to be a Florida medical marijuana patient, troopers said, however he was unable to produce identification to prove that. Bradham’s name then didn’t come up after cops conducted a state registry search, reports TMZ. Medical marijuana is legal in Florida, but adult-use Cannabis remains against the law.
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grams of Cannabis would get you just a $100 fine in a decriminalization bill introduced in Wisconsin.
DEC. 2021
health & science
51
pounds of illegal weed were discovered on a Cali man by Louisiana Highway Patrol officers.
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percent of Americans believe Cannabis should be legal, according to Gallup, similar to last year’s results.
A
new Cannabis dispensary in Chicago opened just 400 feet from the legendary baseball venue, Wrigley Field, reports Fox 32. Sunnyside Wrigleyville is located at 3524 N. Clark Street. According to shop owner Cresco Labs, it’s the closest dispensary to a national sports stadium in the United States. The ganja shop will have an impressive 21 checkout counters. Cresco said this allows employees to service thousands on “high traffic days when baseball games, concerts and other large-scale city events take place next THE GANJA door.” SHOP WILL Longtime HAVE AN Chicago IMPRESSIVE barflies will 21 CHECKOUT recognize the COUNTERS. envied location: the former home of the John Barleycorn bar. With top shelf flower going for $20 a gram and upwards of $50 an eighth (3.5 grams), shoppers should be ready to drop a few bucks. The dispensary’s presence at such a prime retail location comes at least partially as the result of recent re-zoning by Chicago officials. Rules which prevented pot shops downtown were relaxed.
STUDY: LEGALIZATION DIDN’T INCREASE TRAFFIC INJURIES IN CANADA
M
arijuana legalization did not result in increased traffic injuries in Canada, a new study has found. In a study published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence, researchers sought to investigate claims that establishing Cannabis legalization in October 2018 would make roads less safe, as prohibitionists frequently claim. But analyzing Ontario and Alberta data from 2015 to 2019, they could find no evidence at all to support that. “Implementation of the Cannabis Act was not associated with evidence of significant post-legalization changes in traffic-injury [emergency department] visits in Ontario or Alberta among all drivers or youth drivers, in particular,” the study states. The evidence doesn’t support claims that legalization might increase both marijuana-impaired driving and traffic injuries, said lead author Russ Callaghan.
THE SOUTH
MISSISSIPPI GOV. ‘UNCOMFORTABLE’ WITH THC IN MEDICAL MARIJUANA
W
hile voters approved a pretty good medical marijuana law in 2020, a year later, Governor Tate Reeves says he wants lawmakers to make yet more changes in a proposal to create a medicinal Cannabis program in the state. Voters approved a business-friendly medical marijuana program a year ago, but the State Supreme Court struck down the measure on a technicality. State lawmakers then drafted a measure creating a medical marijuana program and moved it through the legislature. The GOP governor said in November that he wants tighter limits on the amount of Cannabis patients could buy. He also wants to reduce the content of THC, the compound that produces a high and also has medical benefits. Reeves described the THC levels in current drafts of the bill as “higher than I am comfortable with,” without specifying actual amounts.
$150 $30k 67k
is the cost of the “Puff, Puff, Pass” Tour from Las Vegas Cannabis Tours, a 2.5 hr jaunt to creative local dispensaries.
in marijuana products were seized in local stores by police serving search warrants in Hendersonville, Ky.
pounds of MMJ have been sold under Arkansas’ program since May 2019.
STORIES by STEVE ELLIOTT, AUTHOR OF THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF MARIJUANA
2021 A L A SK A L E A F BOW L
W I N N E R BEST TOPICAL CBD
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NOV . 6 , 202 1 EGA N EV EN T C EN T ER
alaska news
A NC HORAGE, A K
12
Let’s face it. For the past couple of years, we’ve all been jonesing for a killer party.
LEAFMAGAZINES.COM
Well, in early November, the Alaskan Cannabis community did something it hadn’t done in years. Everyone came together. In person. Scores of creative cultivators, extraction artists, elite edibles producers, top tier retailers and people who simply love Cannabis dusted off their party shoes and came out for the first annual Alaska Leaf Bowl. DEC. 2021
P RESENTING SPONSOR
I N TA K E P R OV I D E R
Alaska Leaf would like to thank Weedmaps and Green Jar for their support!
Leaf Nation Chief Creative Officer Mike Ricker, left, and CEO Wes Abney, right, presenting awards.
MORE COVERAGE PG. 15>>
STORY by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS/LEAF NATION | EVENT PHOTOS by OSCAR AVELLANEDA-CRUZ @OKIAVE & DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS
alaska news
“It was an honor to participate in celebrating the rich history of the Alaskan Cannabis community and partaking in the diverse weed strains, concentrates and edible pot products that make the ‘Last Frontier’ so unique and special.” -Guest Judge Danny Danko | Northeast Leaf Senior Editor & former High Times Senior Editor
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The Matanuska Medicine Woman team accepts their award.
CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
Danny Danko and Bobby Black present an award to Einstein Labs.
F LEAFMAGAZINES.COM
eaturing more than 150 contest entries and beautifully built booths showcasing nearly 30 companies, this seminal event was humming with electric excitement.
“The energy at the event was vibrant and truly indicative of the enthusiasm this rich community has for Cannabis,” said Mike Ricker, co-host of the Leaf Life podcast, who presided over the evening’s proceedings with Leaf Magazines founder and CEO, Wes “The Bearded Lorax” Abney. In front of a veritable who’s who of the Alaskan weed world, Ricker and Abney riffed and entertained the crowd while handing out awards to the majority of the night’s winners. Expert judges and Cannabis personalities Bobby Black and Danny Danko brought their long-earned pot proficiency to the competition, leaning on decades of judging and organizing Cannabis competitions to the qualifying process. The pair weren’t shy about their love for the Alaskan Cannabis com-
DEC. 2021
Chef Bombshell provided a popular cooking demonstration.
munity, as they took their turn on the stage to hand out the awards for the concentrate categories. “It was an honor to participate in celebrating the rich history of the Alaskan Cannabis community and partaking in the diverse weed strains, concentrates and edible pot products that make the ‘Last Frontier’ so unique and special,” said Danko, who has arguably judged more weed competitions than anyone else on Earth. Logistics for the event for the Alaska Leaf Bowl were handled – efficiently and expertly – by the team at Green Jar. “Hands down the best Cannabis bowl Alaska has seen yet,” said Bailey Stuart, owner and Chief Operating Officer of the respected retailer. “I’ve been a part of almost every Cannabis bowl the state of Alaska has had, and Leaf Magazines by far hit it out of the park – best one yet! It has been over two years since our industry has been able to get together and this event brought many of us
together once again. The event was well received and went off perfectly! The award ceremony took the time to recognize some of the best Alaska has to offer and as an industry, we are excited to see who all enters next year. Can’t wait for the next one." The wait will be over before you know it, as we at Alaska Leaf Magazine will be moving the event to the summer in 2022. The next event will be in June, and the team is already busy booking booths and making preparations. We can’t wait to see you all then! In the meantime, twist one up, drop a dollop in your banger and pop your favorite edible – take the time to enjoy the bounty that the Alaskan Cannabis community has to offer! See more photos from the 2021 Alaska Leaf Bowl at LeafMagazines.com!
STORY by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS/LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by OSCAR AVELLANEDA-CRUZ @OKIAVE & @BERMANPHOTOS
LEAF BOWL WINNERS & JUDGE'S SCORES INDICA FLOWER
cbd FLOWER (250 Possible Points)
GMO Cookies, AKO Farms 196 WINNER
God's Gift, Tanana Herb Company 195
(250 Possible Points)
Caramel Cookie CBD, Top Hat Cannabis 168 Lambs Bread 1:1, Secret Garden 160 RUNNER-UP
RUNNER-UP
Alpha Nebula 101
Strawberry Banana 192 Slurricane 189 Wedding Cake 185 Orange Cream Cake 178 Tundra Berry 177 Black Garlic 174 Sweet Zombie 172 Tart Pop 170 Raindance 169 Eleven Roses 169 LA Jesus Kush 168 Kobe 168 Black DOG 167 Fruity Pebbles 163 Roadkill Skunk 160 Cupcake 159 The Hog 158 Sub-Zero 156 London Cookies 149 Big Thunder 146 Medusa 141 Purple Berry Kush 140 Carbon Fiber 130
infused joint
SATIVA FLOWER
(200 Possible Points)
Mercy Circus, Kreative Konfections 145 WINNER
Critical Hit, Great Northern Manufacturing 142 RUNNER-UP
I N TA K E P R OV I D E R
Sour Amnesia Squared Caviar Joint 114
pre roll tradition
(200 Possible Points)
Orange Wedding Cake, Herbal Dreams 120 WINNER
Girl Scout Cookie Extreme, Great Northern Cannabis 119 RUNNER-UP
(250 Possible Points)
topical creams Transdermal Liquid Patch, Herban Extracts
RUNNER-UP
hydrocarbon concentrates
(250 Possible Points)
Tangie Sugar Wax, AKO Farms 208 Platinum Huckleberry Cookies Terp Sugar, Einstein Labs 198 RUNNER-UP
Kush Mints, BAM Alaska 172 RUNNER-UP
baked goods
(200 Possible Points)
Snickering Doodles, Lady Gray Medibles 124 April's Lemon Dreams, MoMo's Bakery 116 RUNNER-UP
Caramel Indica, Northern Infusions 147 WINNER
Green Apple Boingos, MoMo's Bakery 139 RUNNER-UP
(250 Possible Points)
WINNER
Lemon Mints Live Rosin, Enlighten Extracts 187 RUNNER-UP
Chocolate Bar 136 Lady Gray's Gourmet Chocolate Bar Milk Chocolate 134 Lady Gray's Gourmet Chocolate Orange 131 Garden Pop 126 POG Heavenlys 113 Vanilla Karamels 106 Frontier Ganja Gummies 94 Comfort Caramel 85
tinctures (160 Possible Points)
Lemon Marmalade 160
Peppermint Breath Spray, Herban Extracts 110 (200 Possible Points)
Peaches & Cream Distillate Syringe, Einstein Labs 175 WINNER
Obsession Distillate Syringe, Einstein Labs 158 RUNNER-UP
WINNER
Lady Gray's Sativa Tincture, Lady Gray Medibles 105 RUNNER-UP
Lady Gray's Tincture Indica 103 Lady Gray's Tincture Indica CBD 94
Blue Raspberry Lemonade Distillate Syringe 154
cbd edibles (160 Possible Points)
c02 oil
Happy Booch, Higher Altitude Manufacturing 136
(200 Possible Points)
Black Dog, Top Hat Concentrates 155 WINNER
Awarding Best Beverage to Lady Gray Medibles.
RUNNER-UP
candies (200 Possible Points)
Tropicana Cherry Live Rosin, Enlighten Extracts 212
distillate
Bake & Wake, Einstein Labs 122
Snicker Doobie 101 Mocha Chocolate Chunk Cookies 90
The Dope Terp Sugar 187 Golden Goat Live Resin 178 Winter Solstice Shatter 174 Arctic Blue Terp Sugar 173 Sour Patch Terp Sugar 172 Boretide Sugar 162 Somango Shatter 160 Strawberry Banana Sugar Wax 159 Silver Sheep Shatter 146 Orange Diesel Shatter 142 Cali Cactus Sugar 129
solventless concentrates
beverages (200 Possible Points)
WINNER
WINNER
WINNER
Skywalker OG, Herban Extracts 156
WINNER
WINNER
(250 Possible Points)
WINNER
High Tea, Lady Gray Medibles 124
CBD Bath Bomb, Great Northern Manufacturing
Grape Kush, Great Northern Cannabis 175
Big Smooth 171 Orange Wedding Cake 171 Riddler 171 Mint Chocolate Chip 170 Cinderella 170 Sundae Driver 169 Island Girl 166 Marmalade Kush Flower 163 Sun Shower 163 Lemon Meringue 161 Beach Wedding 160 Tropicana Banana 160 Wedding Cake 157 Girl Scout Cookies Extreme 156 Bubble Gum 151 Gummy Bears 149 Bilbo Baggins Kush 149 Lime Gelato 146 Magnum Opus 144 Sorbetto 144 Blue Beast 143 Zeorgia 135 Chocolate Frosted Sherbet 128
WINNER
topical cbd
Quantum Kush 177 Tropicana Cherry 175 Gandalf's Haze 174 Mikes Hard Lemon Haze 174 Orange Dream 167 Citrus Sap 167 Super Citrus Farmer 163 Sensi 11 163 Super Lemon Haze 160 Mimosa 159 MTF 157 Chernobyl 154 Stoopid Fruit 146 Wonder Woman 139 Frozen Tangerines 137
(200 Possible Points)
Ghost Train Haze, Herban Extracts 159
Tundra Berry 143 Blue Beast 141 Black DOG 138 Cherry Bomb 135 Gummy Bears 130 Obsession Cartridge 128 Harlequin CBD 128 Blue Raspberry Lemonade 125 Citrus Haze 125 Tangie Crack 125 London Cookies 124
WINNER
Lost Cause, Matanuska Medicine Woman 185
cartridges
RUNNER-UP
Lost Cause 118 Birthday Cake 116 Lemon Meringue 115 Powdered Donuts 111 Riddler 107 Citrus Sap 105 Sundae Driver 97 Big Smooth 93 Orange Ghost 86 Sub-Zero 83
Mercy Fruit, Mercy Tree of Alaska 194
HYBRID FLOWER
P RESENTING SPONSOR
WINNER
Wonka Bars, Top Hat Concentrates 139 RUNNER-UP
Gummy Bears 132
WINNER
CBD Honey, Frontier CBDs 132 RUNNER-UP
Buttermints 1:1 126 Gummies 106 Garden of Delights Raspberry 1:1 92
PHOTO BY @SONDERFELTLLC FOR LEAF NATION
support alaska leaf and reach your customers! email state sales director josh stahle for more information on advertising in the leaf! josh@leafmagazines.com
LEAFMAGAZINES.COM | @AKLEAFMAG | #ALASKALEAF
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
Christina Henslee
SHE’S A NORTH PACIFIC ISLAND GIRL from the land of the midnight sun, staying stoked on aquatic adventures and forest festivities, always grateful for all the diverse human beings encountered along her free-spirited journey.
ALASKA LEAF BUDTENDER OF THE MONTH
CONGRATS ON BEING PREGNANT? HOW DID THAT HAPPEN? JK!
You’re good, it’s actually a hilarious story! I was at a music fest and hung out with this dude who is 10 years younger than me. It was just a onetime thing. LIKE THE MOVIE KNOCKED UP? Totally, that’s what I tell people – hot girl summer turned into knocked-up winter. Be careful out there! HOW IS BEING PREGNANT AND BEING A STONER WORKING OUT FOR YOU?
It wasn’t that big of a transition, because the first trimester was like one gnarly hangover. I use this 60% CBD 1% THC product called Gleemonex that has been great for nausea – I’m not eating edibles or chiefing down on the joints right now – so I’m not too deprived. I really like people, so I love to talk about it and help out anyone who has never tried some of this stuff before.
18
LEAFMAGAZINES.COM
ARE YOU OPEN ABOUT USING CANNABIS THROUGHOUT YOUR PREGNANCY? Yes, I think it’s
WILDFLOWER 158 ALIMAQ DR. KODIAK, AK WILDFLOWERKODIAK.COM @WILDFLOWER_KODIAKAK 9AM-10PM MON-THURS 9AM-11PM FRI & SAT 12PM-8PM SUN
DEC. 2021
“ I REALLY LIKE PEOPLE, SO I LOVE TO TALK ABOUT IT AND HELP OUT ANYONE WHO HAS NEVER TRIED SOME OF THIS STUFF BEFORE."
something each woman has to figure out on their own. For me personally, it’s helped a lot because I’ve been allergic to over-the-counter medications and that’s what I used Cannabis for while growing up. I believe it has huge potential yet to be discovered, simply because we haven’t done testing on pregnant women to my knowledge. So we don’t know the side effects, but seeing other women use it and witnessing the outcome of their kids being normal – I think it’s a good thing. It really helped me out when I couldn’t keep food down. BOY OR A GIRL? It’s a girl. ARE YOU GONNA BE BUMMED IF SHE COMES OUT LOOKING LIKE SETH ROGEN? The dad’s pretty fire, so I
think we’re gonna be OK (laughs).
INTERVIEW by MIKE RICKER @RICKERDJ PHOTO by JESSICA DAVIS @JESSDAVISPHOTO
or g f i f g n i i d p e p a o s h ? S
Stop by Green Jar, for the gifs they’ll really want! 4901 E. Blue Lupine Dr. Ste. E Wasilla, AK 99654
Open 9am - 9pm Daily 907-631-3800
Order directly from our live menu MARIJUANA HAS INTOXICATING EFFECTS AND MAY BE HABIT FORMING. MARIJUANA IMPAIRS CONCENTRATION, COORDINATION, AND JUDGEMENT. DO NOT OPERATE A VEHICLE OR MACHINERY UNDER ITS INFLUENCE. FOR USE BY ADULTS TWENTY-ONE AND OLDER. KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN. THERE ARE HEALTH RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE CONSUMPTION OF MARIJUANA. MARIJUANA SHOULD NOT BE USED BY WOMEN WHO ARE PREGNANT OR BREASTFEEDING. #10008
THE EDIBLES ISSUE
20
LADY GRAY
LEAFMAGAZINES.COM
Medibles Last month, an unseasonable cold swept through the Kenai Peninsula. Temperatures dropped well into the negatives, cracking car windshields that were thawed too quickly by drivers struggling to find warmth. Underfoot, crystalized snow let out loud cracks and squeaks that were tempered only by the joyful prancing of Max, a large Bernese Mountain puppy. The source of his exuberant personality became clear as Tasha Grossl swung her front door open. Wearing a black and white polka dot dress with purple-tipped hair, Grossl is the personification of her Lady Gray Medibles brand – effervescent, polished and delightful. Licensed in 2018, Lady Gray Medibles has become the gold standard of Alaskan edibles, in large part because of Grossl's determination to succeed. "In the beginning, there were a lot of tears and frustration. You know, you're working with not just yourself, but with the lab and all of the legal parameters. Even some of the tiniest details can throw things off, and mistakes in this space are always expensive," said Grossl. Sometimes ignorance is bliss, and that was the case with Grossl's initial launch of seven products. "We were definitely too small to do that! Looking back, it's probably good that we didn't realize it at the time, because it forced us to dive in headfirst," said Grossl.
DEC. 2021
Childhood friend and one of Grossl's first employees, Autumn Newby, recalls working 20 hours a day to help get Lady Gray off the ground. "I remember leaving the bakery at like 3:30 in the morning, only to be back at 6:00 in the morning for pickup. Everything was really grassroots, and it was hard dialing everything in. But at the same time, it was just the most exciting thing to be a part of. It's amazing what a lot of coffee and excitement can do to keep you moving," said Newby. Since then, Lady Gray Medibles has grown exponentially to include a new facility, 11 employees and over 20 unique products, including ice cream, tinctures, chocolate bars, baked goods and personal lubricant. However, Grossl's success has also come with a lot of uncertainty and fear. "The goal has always been consistency, but that can be a really hard benchmark to hit. In this business, every single decision you have to make is a big one," said Grossl. Stringent regulations from AMCO mixed with lab discrepancies and the potential for human error make producing edibles a harrowing endeavor. Add in an unprecedented global pandemic, and the stakes become even higher. "We didn't have access to the same suppliers and ingredients we were used to, and we found out the hard way that even changing the brand of flour we use could negatively affect our bakes. We had cookies that fell flat and couldn't be sold, which is a huge financial loss when you factor in ingredients, manpower and overhead," said Grossl. Now heading into what Grossl calls the "busy season," the potential for error is once again amplified. "We all end up working on not enough sleep, so this time of year, it is so important that we prioritize staying focused and following our protocols," said Grossl.
“I don't want to put things into my body without knowing exactly what is in it, and I think there are a lot of people who feel the same way.”
LADYGRAYMEDIBLES.COM @LADYGRAYMEDIBLES
Part of Lady Gray's protocols includes having every step double and triple-checked for accuracy to ensure maximum yield. Grossl said it is a lot of math to get things just right, but it's worth it when she sees the reactions customers have to her products. "We want people to be able to trust us and our brand. So, when something new comes out, your customers will be more willing to try it because of the positive experiences they've had with our other products. Having repeat business is a really good feeling," said Grossl. Although consistency and premium ingredients are pillars of Lady Gray, empowering women and promoting the wellness aspects of Cannabis are equally important. "My mom, the original Lady Gray, was a nurse for more than 40 years. I think seeing her uplift other women and help care for others had a profound effect on me and how I view my business," said Grossl. Originally attracted to Cannabis after being diagnosed with endometriosis in her 20s, Grossl has spent over 20 years researching the plant in hopes of furthering the discussion about Cannabis as medicine. "I wasn't content to rely on conventional medicine that included heavy painkillers and synthetic drugs. My desire for natural remedies has definitely stuck with me. I don't want to put things into my body without knowing exactly what is in it, and I think there are a lot of people who feel the same way," said Grossl. Her commitment to health and transparency has gained Grossl two lifelong fans: her parents. "They were nervous when I first told them about my plans, because there aren't a lot of women in the Cannabis space. But they are just tickled to death to see me following my passion in such an ethical way. Both my mom and dad even got their handler cards so they can help in the kitchen when they visit."
REVIEW by ALASKA LEAF STAFF | PHOTOS by O'HARA SHIPE @SHIPESHOTS
THE EDIBLES ISSUE
Hanna Walker labels freshly made Hashade.
Red Run Cannabis
LEAFMAGAZINES.COM
22
They say that necessity is the mother of inventions. When it comes to the invention of Red Run Cannabis’ signature drink, Hashade, it was equal parts necessity and sheer power of will. Hashade creator Ryan Walker gives us the inside scoop on the drink’s tasty origins. We know you grew up in Homer — was that a big factor in developing Hashade? I
definitely think it was! [Prior to legalization] I had a property with an acre, which gave me the space to process oil before legalization without being detected. I had people bringing me 55-gallon trash bags full of trim all the way from Fairbanks. I literally had thousands of pounds of trim just piling up all over my property, and I was making so much oil that I didn’t know what to do with all of it. So, I started experimenting with putting it in moonshine and different kinds of edibles.
DEC. 2021
So, the precursor to Hashade was actually infused moonshine? Yeah.
Actually, I was watching the news one day and somebody – in like Tennessee or somewhere down in the Lower 48 – got busted with a semi-truck load of Cannabis infused lemonade. The light bulb was kind of going on in my head. I was like, ‘Why would they want so much lemonade like that and who would risk transporting that much product? Like what's going on here?’
Did you ever think you might one day be selling legal truckloads of your own infused lemonade?
Yes, and no. When I started experimenting with lemonade, I was taking samples with me everywhere – like, even Town Hall meetings. People were just going crazy for it! You were bringing product samples to Town Hall meetings? Oh, yeah! And even Bureau meetings
when talks about legalization started. It was pretty funny because I would show up just absolutely blitzed out of mind. My crew and I were probably the highest group on the planet.
Cannabis Diamonds
“When I started experimenting with lemonade, I was taking samples with me everywhere – even Town Hall meetings. People were just going crazy for it!”
Hashade Creator Ryan Walker
Isn’t the first rule of the game not to get high on your own supply? Maybe. But it
didn’t stop us!
When legalization happened, what was the next step for your budding business?
I had already gained a lot of popularity with my Hashade, so when everything legalized, Red Run Cannabis reached out about going legal with the drink. It was a no brainer for me because I knew I’d have support and access to all of the equipment to really do things right.
You were pretty instrumental in helping physically build Red Run Cannabis’ retail store and manufacturing facility, weren’t you? I had worked construction most of my
life and knew that I could do a lot more for Red Run than just the Hashade, so I jumped in. I lived in an RV for months and just worked seven days a week to help us be the first to the market. It was a race to be first, for sure. Did you have any formal training in building manufacturing equipment?
No, but I was always good at problem solving. Being homeschooled as a kid taught me how to learn and how to teach myself. It never occurred to me that I couldn’t figure something out. Hashade bottling equipment
Looking around, it looks like you’ve honed in on your production process because this is a ton of product! Honestly,
it's hard to keep up with demand. We are constantly working on fulfilling orders and there are times we go through all our oil and still have orders to fill. It’s actually pretty crazy!
Any idea on how many bottles you’ve sold over the years? I don’t know off the top
of my head but I know my wife, Hanna, has put the label on every single bottle of Hashade ever produced and she says it's around a million. That’s a pretty incredible number! Yeah,
sometimes it does feel surreal. I am really proud of everything we’ve accomplished with Hashade and I’m excited to keep developing the product. Right now, we are perfecting our 100mg version and that has been a fun, sometimes frustrating, project.
Well, congrats on all of your successes. You’ve definitely worked hard to make things happen for yourself.
I really appreciate that!
REDRUNCANNABISCOMPANY.COM @REDRUNKENAI
REVIEW by ALASKA LEAF STAFF | PHOTOS by O'HARA SHIPE @SHIPESHOTS
leaf picks
Holiday GIFT GUIDE 1 MyBudVase Artisan Vase/Bong
Smoking made beautiful, this South Carolina-based company adds a chic element to your stoney lifestyle. With a wide selection of tasteful designs, the hardest part will be deciding if you want to put it to use, or simply keep it on display. @mybudvase - $125-$225
2 Wokeface Magnetic Lid Rolling Tray 26
You won’t be using a boring tray again anytime soon. This artfully adorned magnetic lid and rolling tray go together like peanut butter and jelly. Mobile joint rolling optimized! @wokeface - $20
1
3 Pax Era Life vaporizer
Airy and diminutive with 2.5x the battery life, you’ll top this unique vape battery with an oil-filled pod for a pint-sized powerhouse puff. With so many color designs to choose from, it’s a stoney extension of your personality. @pax_official - $35
4 Blazy Susan Spinning Rolling Tray
The ultimate home base for all your weed things. If your life requires more organization, this will keep every dab accessory right where you left it. Spin to win! @blazysusan - $80-$145
2
leafmagazines.com
5 Phoenix Art Project Natural Resin Art
This handmade desk art is designed from pieces of nature collected in New England and cured in eco poxy, environmentally-friendly resin. Framed, on the desk, or hanging from the tree – Cannabis enthusiasts will cherish the uniqueness. @pheonixartproject - $30-$89
6 Dynavap Battery-Free Vaporizor
The innovative design allows clean air flow, which equates to an old school meets new cool experience. With more control over the temperature, you’re distinctly in charge with ultimate access to the true flavor of your weed and oil. Dynamite! @dynavap - $87-$225
7 sitka hash dome
High end smokeware is few and far between, but this old school hash company is bringing the dome to your home. Bucket list complete! @sitkagold - $150
DEC. 2021
8 tOTEEZ MINI BINS
Who needs a nug jug when you’ve got a tiny tote? Now you can match your weed stash with your garage stash with this cute, durable box. @toteeztinytotes - $10
9 Puff Puff Pass Card Games Put the drinking games back in the closet for a stonified replacement. Thought provoking cards allow players to modify the rules as they go, making the fun virtually limitless. @playpuffpuffpass - $15
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10 EZ Pipe Ooze Lighter Pipe Combo
Take your entire show on the road with the Swiss Army Knife of weed pipes. Inexpensive and practical, it’s an all-in-one compact device that keeps all your vital tools in one handy place. @ezlitepipe - $9.99
11 Powerhitter 12 Vessel Touchless Smoking Vape batteries Since the 1970s, this squeezable tube has been letting you rip it without lipping it. Load a joint inside and watch the smoke pour into your mouth like fog rolling over the hilltops. Now you can smoke a joint in the shower! @powerhitterco - $25
Where discretion meets style, these beauties are at the top of their class. With sleek designs and high-end functionality, you’ll feel spoiled with every taste. If you’re spending on quality oil, it makes sense to invest in the best. @vessel_brand $45-$60
13 stACHE RIO DAB RIG
Whether at home or away, this cold-start device will get you properly ignited. With a built-in torch, dead batteries and burnt coils are a thing of the past. @stacheproducts - $199
REVIEWS by LEAF NATION STAFF | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS & MIKE RICKER @RICKERDJ
LEAFMAGAZINES.COM
28
DEC. 2021
STRAIN OF THE MONTH
CARBON FIBER GROWN BY ENLIGHTEN GARDENS
COMPLEX AND ENTICING WITH AMAZING BAG APPEAL.
REVIEW by ALASKA LEAF STAFF | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS
OUR POWERHOUSE STRAIN OF THE MONTH IS MUCH LIKE ITS NAMESAKE, MADE FROM LAYERS OF THC COATING A PURPLE AND ORANGE HAIRED BUD STRUCTURE, COMBINING LEGACY GENETICS INTO AN INNOVATIVE AND POTENT INDICA.
C
arbon Fiber is made by layering carbon atoms together to form bonds that shape fibers only five micrometers long, which add up to become a versatile product that can form aircraft parts, sporting equipment, or an aftermarket hood on the neighbor kid's Honda with a blown out exhaust. Definitely a space age material that we are still learning about, it’s fitting that an exotic strain from the Cookies Family in California would carry the same intention in layering three powerful genetic lines into one perfect cut of Carbon Fiber. This strain is a cross of Grape Pie, Cookies and Cream, and the infamous Biscotti – which has bred together for maximum impact, creating an indica strain full of hype and stoney effects. Grown by Enlighten Gardens, this new to the Alaska scene strain had us excited from our first peek into the pile of nuggets. Squeezing open a mylar releases a fruityearthy-dankness that lingers in the air with heavy aromatic Grape Pie terps. The buds are simply beautiful, with a solidly dense structure and a ridiculous coating of frosty trichomes. Breaking open a nug delivers a satisfying snap, releasing a sweeter and brighter citrus-haze-fuel from the Biscotti that balances the Cookies and Pie flavors, revealing this strain to be both complex and enticing with amazing bag appeal. Once we drooled over the perfect flower long enough, it was time to pack a bowl and take this three-way indica cross to task. First tokes are sweet and smooth, rushing into the lungs and exhaling like a kiss, with a syrupy-diesely-fruit flavor that lingers on the palate. Initial effects grip the mind, featuring a classic time-warping slow down from the potent parentage. Layering a few tokes back to back, much like how carbon atoms are layered to make Carbon Fiber, causes a stoney chemical reaction that builds up a heavy high – dominating the body and mind. With a warming euphoria that starts from the chest, each inhale of smoke adds on to create a euphoric, relaxing and perfectly baked buzz. Just in time for the holidaze, this exotic strain will prepare you for whatever the crazy month of December offers – like putting on a THC infused armor made of Carbon Fiber.
INDICA HYBRID | 23.95% THC AVAILABLE FROM ENLIGHTEN RETAIL ANCHORAGE | ENLIGHTENAK.COM
the EDIBLES issue
edibles 101
32
Decarboxylation
Emulsifier
Decarboxylation is a necessary pre-process in the creation of edibles that involves heating up your Cannabis product (flower or oil) to 220º F to break off carboxyl units from Delta 9 THCa, thus converting inactive THCa into active THC. This process happens naturally when smoking or vaporizing, however edibles require decarbing prior to product creation. Decarbed Cannabis can be infused into an edible product.
Because Cannabis is infused into oil/butter and many edible recipes require the use of water, emulsifiers are used to create many edible products. As you probably remember, oil and water do not mix. An emulsifier is a compound that is added to oil/water concoctions so that they can blend together in a homogenous solution, and is an essential step for many edible products.
Edible Infusion
Nano-emulsified
Food that incorporates a variety of Cannabis infusions to create a product that tastes as good as its effects are. These products are orally ingested and metabolized through the liver, which is a distinctively different mechanism of action from inhalable products. Expect a slower onset, more robust body effect, and significantly prolonged duration compared to other consumption methods such as smoking or vaping. These products include anything that can be made using oil or butter.
11-OH-THC (11-hydroxy-THC)
When Cannabis oil is mixed with an oil or butter, this is considered an infused product. Generally THC is infused into an oil or butter in a known quantity, and then that butter or oil is incorporated into a chef’s favorite recipe to create an edible Cannabis product. Ethanol can be used to extract THC and then evaporated directly onto sugar, salt or pre-made products to create infused products, however these are not as stable or consistent compared to something infused with butter or oil. Infusions are most commonly made from solvent-based extractions like hydrocarbon, CO2 and ethanol. The quality of the infusion is a direct result of the quality of the extraction process, as well as the extraction input material.
This compound is a metabolite that is derived from the metabolization of Delta 9 THC within the liver. Enzymes in the liver convert the Delta 9 THC into 11-OH-THC when we orally ingest Cannabis, and this conversion accounts for edibles exponentially high potency and prolonged effects when compared to inhalation. 11-OH-THC is approximately five to 10 times more potent that Delta 9 THC, and is only created via liver metabolization.
Dosing Guidelines
PHOTO BY ADOBE STOCK
LEAFMAGAZINES.COM
What is an edible
Low and slow is the rule for all Cannabis products, and this rule is even more important for proper edible dosage. Due to the notoriously potent effects of edibles that result from the conversion of Delta 9 into 11-OH-THC, dosing recommendations start at 1mg for first time users. From there it is recommended to slowly increase your dosage until you find the dose that is comfortable for you and your needs. Consumers often get too high from edibles because they try to match their smoking dosage to their edible dosage, without realizing that eating a gram of Cannabis is significantly more potent than smoking a gram of Cannabis. Your lifestyle, medical needs and product access will help you determine the best dosing regimen that supports your personal relief, with regard to your daily schedule.
DEC. 2021
Solventless Infusions
A trending subset of infusions that utilizes Cannabis oil derived from a solventless process. These products typically contain the most robust amount of cannabinoids and effects possible, particularly compared to their solvent-based competition. These are typically infused with hash and rosin products, and are generally considered to be a FECO product (full spectrum extract Cannabis oil).
There are hundreds of types of emulsifiers that can be used to create products, depending on the nitty gritty details of your product development. A sonicator is a tool that utilizes ultrasonic frequencies to break up particles on a molecular level. When utilizing a sonicator with an emulsifier, you can lower the amount of emulsifier needed, as well as increase the bioavailability of the cannabinoids in the product. Thus you create a nano-emulsified product that, in theory, produces a higher quality effect with less active ingredients used.
Edible vs. Ingestible
‘Edible’ typically refers to a food-based product, whereas ‘ingestible’ can refer to any product that is consumed orally. Ingestibles include drinks, tinctures and tablets, which are also processed through the liver and share the same mechanism of action as edibles, just with varying degrees of potency/onset. An edible is more traditionally thought of as a brownie or cookie, but today can include anything from a gummy, to a jerky, to a savory pie, to a steak dinner.
STORY by TAYLOR MARTIN for LEAF NATION
the edibles issue
DRINKS, SYRUPS & TINCTURES LADY GRAY MEDIBLES
INDICA/SATIVA/HYBRID TINCTURE
34
Tinctures are the perfect way to make any drink an infused drink, which is perfect when dealing with stress this holiday season. Simply pick your buzz, decide how baked you want to get, and then add a few droppers full to any beverage – or right into the mouth for a barely there, lightly sweet tincture that disappears quickly from the palate. Unlike the powerful buzz that will rock your body and mind when consuming in large doses! 100mg THC/bottle Ladygraymedibles.com
RICO ROSSI
LEANGRIA
LEAFMAGAZINES.COM
Get your lean on without pharma in this funky twist between a Carlo Rossi wine jug design and a Cannabis infused “lean” syrup. While we don’t love products that emulate hard drugs like cough syrup, if you need to feel cool and sip syrup, at least do it with a Cannabis infused version! For everyone else who’s never heard of lean, this product is a yummy, fruity, syrupy tincture that can be taken by the spoonful, or added easily to a beverage or cocktail to get a buzz – whether you stay vertical or horizontal. 5mg THC/serving, 50mg THC/bottle | @leangria
LADY GRAY MEDIBLES
BIRCH SYRUP
Made from Alaskan Bridge Creek Birch Syrup, this unique and potent concoction can be added to drinks, used in baking as a sugar substitute like honey, or for a tangy-sweet flavor in a marinade – turning any meal into an experience that will have you thanking the Son of a Birch that combined THC with this local delicacy! 50mg THC/bottle Ladygraymedibles.com
DEC. 2021
FIRE EATER
LADY GRAY MEDIBLES
HIGH TEA
It’s high time for tea, but you don’t have to have tea at a certain time – just be ready to get high when it is tea time. Confusing? Just drink a bottle of this delicious, lightly sweetened tea and it’ll all make sense! 50mg THC/bottle Ladygraymedibles.com
HIGH FLYER ENERGY Following in the footsteps of their highly successful High Dive Sodas, Fire Eater is at it again with this caffeinated version. Currently available in orange, pineapple and strawberry, these lightly carbonated beverages pack a punchy, weedy flavor. But start slow – the caffeine and sativa dominant oil can be strong. 5mg THC/serving, 50mg THC/bottle TUNDRA BREWING
SPLASH SPRUCE TIPS & PONCHO’S PUNCH The creative team at Tundra Brewing has been whipping up unique Cannabis drinks that are perfect as solo beverages, or mixed into your favorite holiday cocktail concoction. The Spruce Tips are earthy and piney, with a sweetness that comes from the blend of Alaskan honey to soften the sharpness of the spruce. Mix it into a gin and tonic for a new herbal infusion, or go all out with a batch of Ponchos Punch that will kick up the Hawaiian Punch at the kids table – but for adults only! 5mg THC/serving, 10mg THC/package @tundrabrewing
REVIEWS by ALASKA LEAF STAFF @AKLEAFMAG | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS & O'HARA SHIPE @SHIPESHOTS
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THE EDIBLES ISSUE
BAKED GOODS
SECRET GARDEN
SNICKER DOOBIES Like their full-sized cousins, Snicker Doobies have the same distinctive crackling and cinnamon-sugar topping we’ve come to expect. The texture is a balanced mix of crunch and chewiness that doesn’t disappoint. The slightly larger size of the cookie was an added bonus, as it helped us slow down and enjoy the moment. 5mg THC/serving, 25mg THC/package | secretgardencannabis.com @secretgardenAK
SECRET GARDEN
CHRONIC CRISPS Another childhood snack has been transformed. The first bite revealed a distinctly weedy flavor, giving these little rice crispy treats a big flavor. The finish was pure marshmallow gooeyness, leaving us with a sweet smile. 5mg THC/serving, 20mg THC/package secretgardencannabis.com @secretgardenAK
36 THE NEXT DEGREE
STONEY MOOSE KITCHENS
We love bite sized edibles that make it easy to get a single dose, or a whole package down without feeling too guilty about the calories. These delicious snackable treats deliver an edible twist on two classic items – a chewy, chocolatey brownie and a sumptuous, soft and perfectly pumpkin muffin that hits the spot this holiday season. 10mg THC/serving, 30mg THC/package
Stoney Moose Kitchens has never shied away from embracing the natural flavor of weed and their Moose Chip Cookies are no exception. Cannabis is the dominant flavor and scent, so this is the lightly sweet treat purists will love. More crunchy than chewy, the texture decidedly Nabisco, not Tollhouse. But if you want a softer cookie, pop it in the microwave for 10 seconds. 10mg THC/half cookie, 40mg THC/package | @StoneyMooseKitchens
BROWNIE /MUFFIN BITES
MOOSE CHIP COOKIES
TREAT YO’ SELF
CINNAMON TOAST MUNCH Two of the best stoner foods out there have to be Rice Krispies Treats and cereal. In their infinite knowledge, the folks at Treat Yo’ Self have done one better and combined the chewy gooeyness of a Rice Krispie Treat with the cinnamon sweetness of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal, creating their signature Cinnamon Toast Munch square. 5mg THC/serving, 20mg THC/ package | @TreatYoSelf.907
SECRET GARDEN
LEAFMAGAZINES.COM
POT BROWNIES From the second we popped the top off of the canister, our noses were hit with an exquisite blast of dark cocoa. These soft morsels were delightfully chewy with a light hint of weed that blended wonderfully with the chocolate. Try them warmed in the microwave for 10 seconds for a real treat. 5mg THC/serving, 25mg THC/package secretgardencannabis.com @secretgardenAK
DEC. 2021
MOMO’S BAKERY
APRIL’S LEMON DREAMS Conceptualized by MoMo’s baker April Luce, these little cookies are an indulgent sweet treat that will leave your mouth doing a happy dance. 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. 5mg THC/serving, 25mg THC/package | @MoMosBakeryAK
LADY GRAY MEDIBLES
LADY GRAY JOYFULS Catch the holiday spirit with a joyful of healthy ingredients and a perfect buzz in each delicious ball. Made with almonds, organic dates, coconut and cocoa, these bites have a lovely texture and a lightly sweet bite with a datey-chocolate finish. 5mg THC/cookie Ladygraymedibles.com | @ladygraymedibles
REVIEWS by ALASKA LEAF STAFF @AKLEAFMAG | PHOTOS by O'HARA SHIPE @SHIPESHOTS & DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS
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THE EDIBLES ISSUE
SWEETS & TREATS LADY GRAY MEDIBLES
SWEET THC ALASKAN FIREWEED HONEY
LADY GRAY MEDIBLES
Honey is the nectar of the Gods, and there is no sweeter Alaskan version than Fireweed honey. Useful as an additive for tea or hot drinks, as a sugar substitute in baking or simply by the spoonful – this all natural concoction brings a warm and happy buzz, like the bees who made it for us! 50mg THC/package Ladygraymedibles.com | @ladygraymedibles
BUTTERMINTS 1:1 Tasty and versatile, these will satisfy a peppermint craving with a light crunch before melting away on the palate – refreshing breath while serving as a dessert worthy for any time of day. 5mg THC/ serving, 50mg THC/package | Ladygraymedibles.com
38
SECRET GARDEN
TROPICAL GARDEN POP
LEAFMAGAZINES.COM
Otter Pops have gotten an adult sized glow-up with Tropical Garden Pops. Bursting with fresh fruit flavors, the most notable being pear, these frozen treats will become your new favorite indulgence. The sugary, sweet concoction also tastes great in a blended margarita. 5mg THC/serving, 25mg THC/package | secretgardencannabis.com
SECRET GARDEN
COMFORT CARAMELS
LADY GRAY MEDIBLES
CINNAMON ROLL BUTTERMINTS Delicious squares that have a creamy crunch and melt-away mouthfeel, coating the palate in a buttery cinnamon roll flavor that is intoxicating and addicting, with a happy 1:1 THC and CBD blend for mental and physical relief. These dessert bites are perfect in any situation, but especially when it’s high time for some me time – one bite at a time. 5mg THC/serving, 100mg THC/package Ladygraymedibles.com | @ladygraymedibles
DEC. 2021
Brace yourself for one of the most addictingly delicious edible sweets we have come across. Buttery soft, these caramels will instantly melt in your mouth – and hands, if you’re not careful. We’d recommend storing them in the fridge, as they did have a tendency to stick to their packaging at room temperature. 5mg THC/serving, 25mg THC/package | secretgardencannabis.com | @secretgardenAK
REVIEWS by ALASKA LEAF STAFF @AKLEAFMAG | PHOTOS by O'HARA SHIPE @SHIPESHOTS & DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS
THE EDIBLES ISSUE
SWEETS & TREATS LADY GRAY MEDIBLES
KREATIVE KONFECTIONS
This chocolate is so yummy we’d buy it uninfused, but thankfully we don’t have to make that choice – leaving us with the impossible decision between orange chocolate, strawberry chocolate, peanut butter chocolate or almond sea salt. We loved the fruit infused flavors, especially the strawberry, which melted into the palate with a creamy rich chocolate and a bright tang of syrupy strawberry to tantalize our taste buds – kicking our buzz into holidaze levels! 100mg THC/ bar Ladygraymedibles.com | @ladygraymedibles
Feeling fine is quite divine, and whether you crunch or suck your hard candy, the buzz is definitely divine. With flavors including pina colada, strawberry lemonade and cherry limeade – on top of the sweet and effervescent Watermelon Divine – there’s a hard candy flavor that will get your sleigh rocking this holiday season. 10mg CBD + THC/serving, 100mg THC/package @kreativekonfectionsak
ASSORTED CHOCOLATE BARS
40
WATERMELON DIVINE 1:1 THC/CBD CHEWS
KREATIVE KONFECTIONS
LEAFMAGAZINES.COM
HEAVENLY POG 1:1 THC/CBD CHEWS Acronyms and weed go hand in hand, and these POGs (passion fruit orange guava) chewy edibles bring a much needed trip to the tropics for your taste buds, even when stuck in the snowy grips of winter. These melt in your mouth bites have a powerful buzz, with a 1:1 formula certain to get the vibe right – bringing a sweet finish that will brighten the darkest winter day with an island time buzz! 10mg CBD + THC/serving, 100mg THC/package | @kreativekonfectionsak
DOSED EDIBLES
WATERMELON GUMMIES Sweet and sour, with a tang of sugary bliss that reminds us that edibles can be both simple and fun. While the ingredients are basic, this gummy stands out as a yummy version of a product category that is often overlooked as basic. 5mg THC/serving, 50mg THC/package | Dosededibles.com DOSED EDIBLES
MIXED GUMMIES The holidays are like a mixed bag of candy, or maybe like Bertie Bott’s every flavor beans from Harry Potter – where one is bound to be earwax. Fear not when picking up a mixed bag of gummies from Dosed, as each flavor is tasty and brings a feeling that could easily be described as magical, especially after eating a whole 100mg bag. 5mg THC/serving, 100mg THC/package Dosededibles.com
DEC. 2021
GARDEN OF DELIGHTS
PASSION FRUIT GOURMET GUMMIES From the Great Northern Manufacturing team comes a full plant extract, effect-specific gummy in indica or sativa, with unique flavors like raspberry or the photographed passion fruit. Soft and chewy without sticking to teeth, these yummy gummies have a strong, full spectrum buzz that delivers happiness one bite at a time. 10mg THC & 10mg CBD/serving, 100mg/THC & 100mg CBD/package northinfusions.com
REVIEWS by ALASKA LEAF STAFF @AKLEAFMAG | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS
THE EDIBLES ISSUE
SWEETS & TREATS GREAT NORTHERN MANUFACTURING
LEAF CHEWS
Opening this box of chocolates would make Forrest Gump jealous, because each piece is guaranteed to get you high, which also makes that movie worth a revisit. These delectable salted chocolate caramels are beautiful, delicious, and have a full plant extract infusion – bringing a robust, heavy high that is perfect for a trip down memory lane. 5mg THC/serving, 20mg per/package northinfusions.com | @greatnorthernalaska
Get your luau on this winter for a taste of the tropics and a buzz that will have your mind on the beach, even if your toes are stuck in a cold pair of boots. The Luau Punch tastes like Hawaiian Punch – with a creamy finish unique to Leaf Chews – and features a big dose of THC from Einstein Labs extracts. Look for new packaging and flavors for this tasty candy in the new year! 10mg THC/ serving, 100mg THC/package | @leafchewsofficial
SEA SALT DARK CHOCOLATE DIPPED CARAMELS
42
LUAU PUNCH CHEW
CULTIVATED CONFECTIONS
LADY GRAY MEDIBLES
Move over Altoids, there’s a new primo mint in town! Curiously strong, Alaska Anchor Mints are powerful enough to hide a multitude of sins, like an everything bagel topped with smoked salmon. Their playful packaging also makes them discreet enough to indulge in just about anywhere. 5mg THC/serving, 50mg THC/package | @Cultivated_Confections
Featuring organic ingredients masterfully blended into three equally delicious flavors – chocolate, strawberry and vanilla – Lady Gray’s ice cream is a standout product. Each ice cream has 50mg of THC and is individually labeled for “anytime,” “daytime” or “nighttime,” to help you pick your perfect high. 5mg THC/serving, 50mg THC/ container @LadyGrayMedibles
ALASKA ANCHOR MINTS
ICE CREAM
LEAFMAGAZINES.COM
GREAT NORTHERN MANUFACTURING
MILK CHOCOLATE AND DARK CHOCOLATE SATIVA If food is medicine, then chocolate is the nectar of life – and combined with full plant extract, this chocolate can be both! There is a simple beauty to the richness of Cannabis extract in a balanced, creamy-sweet chocolate bar, with a perfect format for sharing or taking down the whole thing. Consider it a personal wellness treat that will have you feeling happy and stoned, all in one bite. 10mg THC/serving, 100mg THC/package northinfusions.com | @greatnorthernalaska
DEC. 2021
GOOD ALASKA
CHOCOLATE BARS GOOD makes a variety of flavored chocolate bars that are perfect for the discerning chocolate connoisseur. Whether you’re looking for a sweet, infused milk chocolate, or a lavish dark chocolate with grown-up hints of strawberry and cardamom, GOOD has you covered. The bars also come in indica, sativa and hybrid, to suit every need. 5mg THC/ serving, 50mg THC/package @GOODAKCannabis
REVIEWS by ALASKA LEAF STAFF @AKLEAFMAG | PHOTOS by O'HARA SHIPE @SHIPESHOTS & DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS
the edibles glass issue art leafmagazines.com LEAFMAGAZINES.COM
46
I RECENTLY stopped by Chaka Glass Studio in Portland, Maine to talk with Cristian Gazmuri – a veteran glass-blowing artist known as Chaka with over 16 years of working with molten glass. His career started with figurative glass sculpture classes from Milon Townsend in his studio, as well as more recently at Corning Glass (about eight years ago). I’ve always enjoyed his mastery of snow and ice themes within his rigs, pipes and pendants.
dec. 2021 dec. 2021
@CHAKAGLASS
CHAKA GLASS STUDIO “First and foremost, I’m a craftsman. What I really enjoy is the process.”
How did you get your start in glass? I started out doing craft shows and jewelry. I always did pipes as a side thing, which is why I had the name ‘Chaka,’ so as not to get busted.
You were making pipes before Cannabis started becoming legal – when just getting caught with a pipe could get you arrested? Yeah, back then as pipemakers, we all had to be in the dark and not be too loud in what we were doing. It was a really grey area with headshops – they had to say it’s for tobacco only, while it was obvious it wasn’t for tobacco. People tend to smoke tobacco out of wooden pipes – not fancy, heady glass pieces.
What inspired you to start doing your cold, wintery, ice themes in your functional glass pieces? I was just messing around in my studio in the middle of summer – cooling myself off with an ice cube – and I thought it might be cool to make an ice cube out of glass. I was already making these little penguins and was getting closer to doing more conceptual work.
What excites you as a glass artist? First and foremost, I’m a craftsman. What I really enjoy is the process. A lot of my work is a reflection of what I do with the torch. Much of the art arises out of doing the process. And I just love working with glass – it’s really the best medium. We’re in the Glass Age, or at least that’s what some say. There
was the Iron Age, the Bronze Age. At Corning Corporate Headquarters, we’re developing all the glass we use in all of our phones and tablets – glass fiber.
How important is understanding the chemistry of glass? I’m really into meteorology and minerals – I have a pretty decent collection at home. A lot of the same elements that give color in minerals are the same elements that give glass its color. Glass blowers do need to know chemistry – the flame chemistry will affect the colors – if you add more oxygen to your flame, you’ll oxidize the colors. And if you take it away, it gets much more greasy and will reduce the colors and have streaks of copper appear. But that might not be a mistake – it really depends on what you want, or are looking for.
STORY & PHOTOS by CHARLES TAGGART @KINDBUD.PHOTOS for LEAF NATION
cooking with cannabis
R EC I P E S by LAU RIE WOLF | P HOTO by B RUC E WOLF
food gifts To see what works for your dog, try a half biscuit first. Some dogs will need more CBD for treating pain, or if they are very large, experiment starting low.
H
OMEMADE FOOD GIFTS ARE THE BEST. Since most of the folks who give me presents love eating as much as I do, there have been some pretty remarkable gifts. You too can be the giver of “special” extraordinary treats. The white chocolate bites are lightly infused, filled with dried cherries, sliced almonds, coconut and a dusting of chili powder. A little different and they travel well (unless it’s in the middle of the summer). And this fudgy, chippy, toffee-laden brownie may become your new favorite. Last but not least, the CBD-only dog biscuits will help your anxious pet get in a good head space for holiday entertaining. My little dogs have a lot to say when people come over; the treats chill them out so they seem well-adjusted. I’ve infused all these recipes with my absolute favorite strain: Forbidden Fruit, from the talented folks at Sugar Tree Farm. This fragrant strain never disappoints. I like to keep doses pretty low this time of year – be mellow, enjoy and take it easy! Makes 50, 10mg CBD biscuits
FIDO’S FRIENDS 3 cups rolled oats 1/2 cup coconut flour 2 eggs 1 cup peanut butter, nothing but 1/3 cup CBD oil 1/2 cup cooked vegetables, i.e. broccoli, peas, corn, green beans, carrot (chopped) 1 tablespoon no salt bouillon, chicken, beef or vegetable 1 cup hot water 2 teaspoons turmeric
1. Heat oven to 300. 2. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients. Press into a greased 9x9 inch pan. Using a sharp knife cut into 30 pieces. 3. Bake biscuits for 50-60 minutes. The biscuits should appear dry. They can be cooked longer, dogs are not gonna care. Leave the biscuits in the oven for a couple of hours after the oven is turned off. Keep frozen, they will last longer.
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Makes 4 dozen bites
TOFFEE CHIP BROWNIE BITES 1 pkg. fudge brownie mix 1 cup water 3 eggs 1/4 cup oil 1/4 cup canna-oil or butter, melted and cooled 1 cup chocolate chips 1 cup toffee bits, plus extra for topping
leafmagazines.com
1. Heat oven to 340. Spray mini muffin pans. 2. Prepare the brownies according to the package instructions. Replace 1/4 cup of the regular oil with 1/4 cup canna-oil or cannabutter. Add the chips and toffee, stir to combine. 3. Fill the 48 muffin cups two-thirds full. 4. Bake the brownies for 21-25 minutes, or do the toothpick test. 5. Remove the brownies and sprinkle with more toffee bits. Do not operate heavy machinery.
Makes 32, 5mg THC bites
SPICY WHITE CHOCOLATE BITES 2 1/2 cups white chocolate chips 1/8 cup canna-oil or butter 1/3 cup chopped dried cherries 1/3 cup sliced almonds 1/2 cup shredded coconut Chili powder
1. Line mini muffin pans with paper liners. 2. Place the chocolate and oil in a microwave safe bowl. Melt in 20 second intervals, stirring every time. 3. Stir in the cherries, almonds and coconut. 4. Drop the mixture into the muffin liners. Sprinkle with a tiny pinch of chili powder. 5. Allow to sit at room temperature to set, at least an hour. Serve with or without paper liners.
DEC. 2021
#D ont feart heedi ble #sharelov e #gi v i ngi sgood #peaceonea rth # p la y nice | La uriea nd Ma ryJa ne.com
“Why fly? When you can enjoy the most beautiful ride on earth”
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VISITING ALASKA
Sights seen from the road
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Locally owned and operated by a Departs Seward 100pm lifelong Alaskan, Stage Line offers call ahead for pick up point passenger transportation, freight, parcel, and courier service, between Cooper Landing Wild- man’s 200pm Anchorage and the Kenai Soldotna 300pm Peninsula. Our schedule includes, All times are approx Anchorage to Homer, Cooper Landing, Soldotna, Kasilof, Ninilchik, HOMER TO SEWARD Anchor Point. Homer to Seward, June 1st - August 31st Soldotna, Cooper Landing. And any The Stage Line PO Box 353 Anchor Point, Mon Wed Fri points in between! MP flag stops AK available! Private party charters Departs Homer 1242 Ocean Dr 900am The Stage Line 1242 Ocean Dr Homer, Ak available! Reasonable rates, saves 724 W International Anchorage, Ak of Commerce time and money for travelling or your Soldotna Chamber Staging points only 1030am 907-868-3914 907-235-2252 shipping needs. Cooper Landing Wildman’s 1130 E-mail: stage.line@yahoo.com One of the top 10 most scenic www.stagelineinhomer.com highways.
cannthropology
50
WORLD OF Cannabis PRESENTS
Legalizing The Last Frontier
LEAFMAGAZINES.COM leafmagazines.com
How the second-to-last state to join the Union became the second US state to decriminalize marijuana.
Activist attorney Irwin Ravin—known as the grandfather of If you asked the average American which states Alaska’s Cannabis legalization movement. were the pioneers of Cannabis legalization, off – eventually opening a law they’d likely answer California and Colorado. practice together in AnchorBut in reality, Oregon was actually the first state to decriminalize marijuana age and getting high together way back in 1973, followed soon after by Alaska in 1975. And unlike the often. It was during one of their former states, who legalized Cannabis through voter initiatives, both Oregon smoke sessions in late 1972 and Alaska did so through their state legislatures. In Alaska’s case, that law that the duo began plotting to was undoubtedly influenced by an iconic act of civil disobedience by the overturn what they viewed as man who would become known as the grandfather of the state’s marijuana the state’s unjust Cannabis law. movement: Irwin Ravin. Ravin’s legal partner/defense attorney and The political conditions there former state NORML rep Robert Wagstaff. seemed ripe for change: Earlier THAT’S SO RAVIN that very year, Alaskans had amended their state constitution to include an Irwin Ravin was born on June 20, 1939 in Newark, New Jersey, and grew explicit right to privacy (Article 1, Section 22). Plus, the justices on the state’s up in a traditional Ashkenazi Jewish home in the nearby suburb of Hillside. Supreme Court were among the youngest and most liberal in the country. All Irwin, it seems, developed a fondness for marijuana at an early age – as the partners needed was the right test case to mount their legal challenge. evidenced by the recollection of his younger sister Deena, who claimed that Luckily for them, fate would soon intervene on their behalf. he was growing his own plants by the time he was 16 years old. At age 20, On the evening of December 11, 1972, Ravin was pulled over for a he dropped out of college to join the Army, serving an 18-month stint in broken tail light in Anchorage. It was just a routine traffic stop, but it providKorea (1959-1960). After his tour was up, Ravin returned home to complete ed him the perfect opportunity and he decided to act: Knowing he had two his education: first graduating from Rutgers University, then NYU Law School. joints in his coat pocket, he refused to sign the ticket and deliberately got Upon passing the bar exam, he went to work for his uncle Morris as a law himself arrested – allegedly even holding up the weed in his hand until he clerk at the family firm of Ravin and Ravin. But after the Newark race riots in was taken into custody. July 1967, Ravin chose to flee the dangers of the inner city; within a month, “It wasn’t even my car,” he recalled in a 1990 Homer News article. “I he moved his wife and two young sons up to Fairbanks, Alaska. made them arrest me, and then gave them the pot.” It was there in Fairbanks that he met a fellow pot-smoking lawyer (and Ravin’s arrest provided him and Wagstaff the perfect vehicle to attempt to assistant district attorney) named Robert Wagstaff. A jazz fan originally from overturn the existing Cannabis law. Kansas City, Wagstaff had been smoking reefer since 1961. The pair hit it
DEC. 2021
“It wasn’t about pot – it was about the right to privacy,” Ravin told the Homer News in October 1990. “It was a philosophy of freedom from government intrusion into personal life.”
Ravin was charged with violating Alaska Statute 17.12.010 – possession of Cannabis for personal use. At a District Court hearing in early May 1973, Wagstaff (and another lawyer they brought on by the name of R. Collin Middleton) filed a motion to dismiss the charge. Ravin’s team put forth a two-pronged legal strategy: First, they argued that in light of the constitution’s right to privacy guarantee, there was no legitimate state interest in prohibiting possession of marijuana by adults for personal use; second, they argued that marijuana’s classification as a dangerous drug was irrational and prohibition was irrational: The court – citing the separation of powers therefore denied Ravin due process and – deferred to the legislature to address it … which, it just so happened, equal protection under the law. they were in the process of doing. Before long, Ravin’s case was being championed by both NORML (of which DECRIM WIN Wagstaff was now the organization’s Serendipitously, while Ravin’s case was being state coordinator) and the ACLU, whose deliberated by the court, the Alaska State LegAnchorage chapter president Sally Coegislature had begun moving forward on a new hom expressed her support to the press. Cannabis reform bill. Sponsored by young Re“The circumstances of arrest have publican state senator Terry Miller of Fairbanks, no relevance to the issue,” Coeghom SB 350 decriminalized possession of up to one said in an article in the Fairbanks Daily ounce of marijuana for adults 18 years or older, News-Miner (on, of all days, April 20th). reducing it to a mere civil infraction punish“The state cannot constitutionally declare able by a fine of $100 or less. Fearing that its a substance illegal unless it is proven to passage might dissuade the court from rulbe harmful. The clear evidence is that On May 16, 1975, ing in their favor, Wagstaff actually testified marijuana is harmless, period.” against the bill – a position that justifiably the personal NORML flew in several expert witnessdrew ire from his NORML colleagues. Nevuse, possession es to testify on Ravin’s behalf, including ertheless, on May 16 – just 11 days before esteemed Harvard psychiatrist (and godthe court’s ruling – the bill passed, and with and cultivation father of medical marijuana) Dr. Lester Governor Jay Hammond’s declination to of Cannabis Grinspoon, who attested to the relative neither sign nor veto it, became the law of had effectively harmlessness of the plant. Together, the land. Ravin, NORML and the ACLU mainWhether the legislation had any effect on become legal in tained that the burden of proof lied with the court’s decision or vice versa is uncertain Ravin at work in his office. Alaska. the government to show that there was a … what was certain, however, was that the “compelling public interest” in prohibiting personal use, possession and cultivation (thanks to a subsequent ruling the drug. Unsurprisingly, the state didn’t agree. by the state attorney general) of Cannabis had effectively become legal in AlasOn Nov 17, 1973, the District Court ruled that ka. What’s more, this new law essentially nullified the charge against Ravin, who the law was indeed constitutional and denied was now basically off the hook. their motion. Undeterred, Ravin’s team ap“He won,” his sister was quoted as saying, “and he became a Paul Bunyan, a pealed to the Superior Court (which upheld the folk hero up there.” prior decision), and then finally to the Alaskan Supreme Court. LEGALIZATION LEGACY The Supreme Court took up their case on In the years that followed, Cannabis law in Alaska was liberalized even further: October 16, 1974. After hearing two hours of first in 1982, when the $100 fine was removed, and again in 1986 when the oral arguments and testimony from the expert maximum possession amount was raised to four ounces in the home and one witnesses, the court adjourned to deliberate. ounce in public. Then in 1990, in a remarkable reversal of course, Alaskans Six months later – on May 27, 1975 – they passed Ballot Measure 2 which re-criminalized possession of small amounts of announced their unanimous verdict. Cannabis – making it a misdemeanor punishable by a $1,000 fine or up to 90 Regarding the first question, the court condays in jail. But thanks to the precedent set by Ravin v. Alaska, that initiative was cluded that Alaskan’s right to privacy “would ultimately struck down as unconstitutional. encompass the possession and ingestion of As for Ravin, he eventually retired from the legal profession and ended up substances such as marijuana in a purely perdriving a taxi in Homer. On April 7, 2010, he suffered a heart attack and was sonal, non-commercial context in the home.” sent to Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage where he died four That landmark decision made the Alaska days later. He was 70 years old. Supreme Court the first and only court in the Though Irwin Ravin didn’t live to see Cannabis fully legalized for adult use in history of the United States to recognize a Alaska in 2014 (another Measure 2), he did live long enough to see it legalconstitutional right to privacy in regard to Canized for medicinal use in 1998 (Measure 8), and was also around to see his nabis. Granted, those protections were limited landmark ruling survive another challenge in 2003 (in the case of Noy v. State). NY Times article announcing the to within an individual’s private residence – but More importantly, though, Ravin’s legacy as an Alaskan icon of personal liberty Alaska Supreme Court decision this was nevertheless a monumental victory for remains as solid and enduring as the great Denali. May 28, 1975. the pro-Cannabis and libertarian causes. “It wasn’t about pot – it was about the right to privacy,” Ravin later told the Homer News in October 1990. For more about legalization in Alaska, listen to Episode #17 “It was a philosophy of freedom from government intrusion into of our podcast at worldofCannabis.museum/cannthropology. personal life.” Regarding the second issue, as to whether or not marijuana’s 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
DEENA OKSENHORN
RAVIN V. ALASKA
stoney baloney LEAFMAGAZINES.COM
52
LET’S BE FRANK, getting a shitty gift that is only going to end up in the garage stuffed inside a plastic bin for the next eight years is a burden you didn’t ask for. Yet, you’re forced to choke out a smile while pretending that a jigsaw puzzle of a flower garden somewhere in Germany has been the missing piece to completing your own life puzzle. Unexpectedly, you are thrust into an acting role, forced to exemplify the positive attributes of an item for which you not only have zero interest, but resent for even being categorized as someone who would. You first comment on the colorful packaging, secretly hoping that grandma accidentally farts and deters the attention of the room so you can slide it aside in hopes that the distraction will direct the party onward to the next present in line. You summon grandma’s bowels through the manifestation of positive thinking. It works. She is oblivious while everyone cringes, awkwardly ignoring the robust rip that just filled the delicate air. Except for Uncle Ernie, who busts out in a gargled gut laugh and you think the gin blossoms on his nose are going to pop. “Weather reports say beware of breaking wind!” The room eventually settles. There is a moment when you meet eyes with the benefactor of said gift, as the person calculates your guise. You are uncertain of how to react, measuring their nuances for a tick, looking for a crack in their façade in the attempt of determining the level of excitement that is expected. You wonder how they could have possibly concluded that this gift was a personal fit for you, but fuck it. For the sake of pleasantry, you play the role and tell them it’s perfect. Your cousin Tara, who gets it, takes a hit from her vape pen and nods with a subtle smirk. Funny how we never get re-gifted Cannabis products.
DEC. 2021
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(From Pot Brownies to Nano-Infused Capsules) THIS MONTH: #143 THE FAST FOOD SHOW (Marketing to Stoners) #145 MORAL DILEMMAS (Battling the Moral Majority) #142 THE MIDS (The New Budweiser)
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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.
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