Alaska Leaf — Aug. 2019

THE ENL IGHTENED VOICE

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11 Editor’S Note 12 NATIONAL news 18 budtender Q&A 20 STONER OWNER 22 MARYLAND PROFILE 24 OREGON PROFILE 28 HIGHLY LIKELY 32 STRAIN OF THE MONTH 34 PEACE FROG BOTANICALS 36 MIDNIGHT GREENERY 38 GREEN JAR AK 40 GLACIER EXTRACTS 42 RASPBERRY ROOTS 46 EDIBLE OF THE MONTH 48 CONCENTRATE REVIEW 50 CANNABIS RECIPES 54 ON THE ROAD 58 ARTISAN HEMP 62 STONEY BALONEY

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THE WOMEN’S ISSUE

BUDTENDER OF THE MONTH KYLIE NAEHU FROM MATANUSKA CANNABIS CO.

AUG. 2019

PHOTO by BOOM MEDIA for ALASKA LEAF

the WOMEN’S issue

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HOW EDEN LABS CEO AC BRADDOCK INNOVATED SEVERAL EXTRACTION TECHNOLOGIES AND KEPT THE PASSION TO CHANGE HER INDUSTRY.

STONER OWNER

AUG. 2019

PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

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WES THE ENL IGHTENED VOICE

Editor’s Note

#40 | AUGUST 2019

ON THE COVER

D E S I G N BY B R A N D O N PA L M A 2 019 | 8 T H DAYC R E AT E . C O M

T H E WO M E N ’ S I S S U E FREE / AKLEAF.COM

INDEPENDENT CANNABIS JOURNALISM SINCE 2010

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The Women’s Issue For this month’s special issue, we wanted to celebrate the achievements of Women in the Cannabis industry, from Alaska to Washington to Oregon and even Maryland.

Read and enjoy this edition!

ART BY 8TH DAY CREATE for alaska leaf

7/22/19 2:00 AM

CONTRIBUTORS Boom Media Photos Steve Elliott National News

PUBLISHER WES ABNEY | founder & editor-in-chief Wes@nwleaf.com 206-235-6721

Simone Fischer Profiles Danielle Halle Features Lizzy Layne Design Jeff Porterfield Design

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Daniel bermaN | photography & design daniel@bermanphotos.com

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The Cannabis Industry is brimming with feminine energy and talent, and it’s driving innovation and setting a positive example for how Cannabis is viewed.

Our community is a diverse group that melts across all races and genders, and women deserve an equal place in the industry that should provide opportunity for all.

11 Ownership is statistically dominated by wealthy white men, and is trending further that way as legalization favors those with wealth over experience when balancing resources like licenses along equitable lines.

MY GOAL FROM THE This issue affects people of color as BEGINNING OF THE significantly as women, but the core issue is the LEAF WAS TO SEE same. The plant was meant for everyone, and AND HELP SHAPE THE business opportunities should not be limited to those with money or based on gender or race.

INDUSTRY IN SUCH A I’ve heard too many horror stories to share WAY THAT I WOULD of unreported sexual harassment, workplace FEEL COMFORTABLE violations, and general discomfort at situations WITH MY DAUGHTERS where women are treated incorrectly in the PARTICIPATING IN IT, industry. We as a community and industry need to recognize that Cannabis is no different from AND I AM POSITIVE AND the mainstream business world, and that the EXCITED FOR THE FUTURE same rules apply within the world of weed.

OF THE AMAZING In order to make progress and make change, WOMEN IN WEED. we must hold Cannabis to a higher standard than any other business environment.

My goal from the beginning of the Leaf was to see and help shape the Cannabis industry in such a way that I would feel comfortable with my daughters participating in it, and I am positive and excited for the future of the amazing women in weed.

Over the last decade the Cannabis industry has gone from sexualized sales and misogyny to a growing industry with Women in every step in seed to sale, from CEO’s to creatives, managers to activists, attorneys to growers and so much more. We are honored to highlight a few of the great many who are making positive change, and helping the community and industry grow in every sector.

Please enjoy these profiles and the spotlights into the various forms of the industry, and make sure to ask for women owned products at your local dispensary.

There’s more to support than most realize!

-Wes Abney

AUG. 2019

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AL AS KA L E A F / N O RT H W E S T L E A F / O R EG O N L E A F / M A RY L AN D L E A F

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ABNEY

national news

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west coast

WASHINGTON STATE’S CANNABIS TRACING SYSTEM UPDATE BREAKS DOWN; COSTS BUSINESSES THOUSANDS

EAST COAST

MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION MUST INCLUDE CANNABIS JUSTICE: BALTIMORE STATE’S ATTORNEY Declaring that “the debate over whether we should legalize marijuana is essentially over,” Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby traveled to Washington, D.C. to testify before Congress as part of the first-ever hearing to discuss Cannabis legalization.

“The question is no longer if or even when we legalize marijuana nationally,” Mosby said. “The question policy makers must grapple with is: How should we legalize marijuana?”

According to Mosby, any legislative proposal must make sure it “repairs the damage done by marijuana prohibition and creates opportunities for those communities most adversely impacted.”

“I have seen first-hand the damage done by marijuana enforcement,” Mosby wrote. “Black people and their communities suffer the brunt of marijuana arrests despite studies showing that blacks and whites use marijuana at the same rate.”

For those reasons, on January 29, Mosby’s office became one of the first in the country to decline to prosecute marijuana possession cases regardless of the weight involved, or the holder’s criminal history. Unfortunately, the courts denied her request to right these past wrongs. “So for now, members of our community are living with the scarlet letter of a criminal record for an offense the city no longer prosecutes,” Mosby wrote.

Washington state’s seed-to-sale marijuana traceability system has been shaky, at best.

Past outages of the system have cost Cannabis businesses dearly, and now a planned update of the system has resulted in costly outages once again.

The issue actually involved two separate outages, according to MJ Freeway, which provides the Leaf Data Systems software companies use to document the marijuana supply chain in Washington state.

The outages stopped hundreds of retailers, processors and producers from conducting business-to-business transactions for a period of days in mid-July, reports Marijuana Business Daily.

“People are losing their minds over what’s happening,” said Vicki Christopherson, executive director of the Washington Cannabusiness Association (WACA), before the outages were repaired. “People are losing hundreds of thousands of dollars in a business that they don’t have to lose.”

A survey about the outages was conducted by a nonprofit, The Cannabis Alliance, and asked Cannabis business owners to estimate what the outage cost them. Respondents’ answers ranged from $1,000 to as much as $80,000. Eight of the businesses reported losing more than $25,000 in sales.

legalization

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THREE REPUBLICANS ARE BLOCKING FEDERAL CANNABIS LEGALIZATION With bipartisan support for Cannabis legalization finally here, we still have a problem. Unless the legislation can get past a small, conservative group of GOP senators, the bills won’t become law, according to Rolling Stone magazine.

Senators like Tom Cotton, Republican of Arkansas, in 2017 claimed that voters don’t care about marijuana legalization.

He was, of course, wrong then and even more wrong today in 2019.

More than 60 percent of Americans now favor full legalization. Eleven states and D.C. have legalized adult use, and 36 more have some form of medical use. All that public support has finally started to translate into Cannabis-related legislation in Congress.

But public, bipartisan support for legalization aren’t enough, according to Saphira Galoob, a Democratic Cannabis lobbyist.

“We are still in a situation where the temperature within the Republican Party conference — within the leadership — is not yet signaling it’s okay,” she said.

The three names continually listed by lobbyists, advocates and lawmakers as those blocking any federal Cannabis legalization are GOP Senators Mike Crapo of Idaho, Lindsay Graham of South Carolina, and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.

AUG. 2019

STUDY: WASHINGTON STATE #1 IN WORLD CANNABIS USE Washington is number one on the planet when it comes to cannabis consumption, and now there’s data to prove it, reports Leafly.

A new study from the University of Puget Sound and the University of Washington indicates that the Puget Sound area, including Seattle, has the highest level of marijuana consumption in the world, beating even Amsterdam in that regard.

“We are part of an international study ... with 60 to 80 other cities around the world,” lead researcher Dr. Daniel A. Burgard said. “And according to wastewater, the Puget Sound area has the highest Cannabis use per capita, even over Amsterdam.”

Researchers conducted the study by analyzing sewage from a Western Washington city’s public wastewater from 2013 to 2016, looking for metabolites of THC. By measuring THC-COOH in thousands of samples of raw sewage, scientists aimed to track weed consumption levels and to try and determine if the legal I-502 market has displaced the black market.

Washington began legal retail sales in August 2014, so researchers were very interested in learning how legalization affected Cannabis use. Consumption did go up with legalization, according to the results, “suggesting a doubling” in THC consumption among residents between 2013 and 2016.

By STEVE ELLIOTT, AUTHOR OF THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF MARIJUANA

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LEGALIZATioN

ILLINOIS BECOMES THE FIRST STATE TO LEGALIZE CANNABIS WITHOUT A REFERENDUM

WEST COAST

OREGON’S WEED GLUT IS GOOD FOR CONSUMERS, BUT NOT FOR FARMERS

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Weed is getting unbelievably cheap in Oregon. Some shops are offering grams of popular strains like Blue Dream for two dollars. Bargain hunters can find reasonably decent ounces for 45 bucks. And some downright respectable weed can be had for $100 an ounce or less.

That’s wonderful, right? Yes, if you’re a consumer. But not so much if you’re a weed farmer in Oregon.

Typically, the cheap stuff is outdoor weed, which goes for less not only because the grow light is free — it’s the sun, man — but also because it looks a little rougher than indoor or greenhouse stuff.

With state regulations letting consumers know the potency of their weed, an astute consumer can get just as high on a $2 gram as on a $10 or $12 gram, and that’s bad news for craft growers who go to additional effort, time and expense to produce connoisseur quality Cannabis flowers.

While outdoor growers can barely survive on $2 a gram, many greenhouse and especially indoor growers simply can’t turn a profit at that rate.

Some legal pot farmers have declared bankruptcy. Others have left the business or gone into hemp CBD farming. In 2015, there were 13 registered hemp growers in Oregon; now there are more than 750, reports AlterNet. Hemp acreage, meanwhile, ballooned from 105 acres in 2015 to more than 22,000 now.

AUG. 2019

Illinois lawmakers in June were able to do what legislatures in other states have been unable to do: make Cannabis legal without a voter referendum. They thus became the first state where the Legislature made marijuana sales legal without a vote from the people.

That made Illinois the eleventh state to legalize recreational weed, and the second Midwestern state to do so, following only Michigan, where voters approved legalization in 2018. Illinois lawmakers achieved legalization by addressing issues including minority representation in the nascent industry; such issues had derailed similar efforts in both New York and New Jersey.

The law sets aside $12 million for a Cannabis Business Development Fund to lower licensing fee costs for minority entrepreneurs. The fund will also provide low-interest business loans to minority owners, filling an important gap created by the skittishness of banks to make loans to Cannabis businesses due to weed’s illegal status at the federal level.

Regulators in Illinois are now tasked with creating a Cannabis enforcement agency and setting up a system to license pot shops, growers and processors. Lawmakers set January 1, 2020 as the date for the law to go into effect.

THE BEAN IN CHICAGO

WEST COAST CALIFORNIA REGULATORS UNABLE TO FULLY OVERSEE STATE’S CANNABIS MARKET: STATE REPORT Regulators in California have a long way to go before they will be able to fully and effectively regulate the state’s legal Cannabis industry, according to a new audit by the California Department of Finance.

Despite having a “structural foundation” for managing the legal marijuana industry, the California Bureau of Cannabis Control’s “current status and location of personnel is not sustainable to provide effective and comprehensive oversight of Cannabis activities,” the report concluded, reports Marijuana Business Daily.

The agency’s enforcement staff has dozens of unfilled positions, according to the report. With a vacancy rate close to 80 percent, it’s difficult for regulators to ensure the legal supply chain is running effectively, the report, released in early July, notes.

As of January, only 75 of 219 authorized personnel had been hired at the BCC, according to the report. More staff is required before the agency can do its job properly, the report suggests. As of early July, staffing has increased to 87, according to BCC spokesman Alex Traverso, leaving 132 positions vacant. The audit was from July 2016-January 2019.

By STEVE ELLIOTT, AUTHOR OF THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF MARIJUANA

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Budtender of the month

KYLIENAEHU when did cannabis first come into your life? I don’t remember the age exactly, but I do know it was out of a soda can. We had snuck out of my best friend’s house that night to go see her boyfriend at the time, and it has just been a part of my life ever since.

HOW DID YOU BECOME A BUDTENDER? I’ve known my boss for years, and after working at his headshop for awhile and learning that part of it, he brought me on staff here.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THE JOB? My favorite part is getting the feedback from the customer that they really enjoyed the strain I recommended, or that it helped them in whatever way they needed. Also, I love the small back work stuff like pre-rolling and weighing flower out.

“DON’T GET ME WRONG, I LIKE TO LOAD A BOWL OF SOME GREEN ANY DAY, BUT THERE’S JUST SOMETHING ABOUT A REALLY GOOD HIT OFF A RIG THAT GETS THE JOB DONE.”

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Matanuska Cannabis Company

3550 S Old Glenn Hwy, Palmer, AK (907) 745-4211 MatanuskaCannabis.com

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE WAY TO CONSUME? I think my favorite way would have to be concentrates. Don’t get me wrong, I like to load a bowl of some green any day, but there’s just something about a really good hit off a rig that gets the job done.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE STRAINS AND PRODUCERS? I like anything with a sweeter smell and flavor to it, and that leans more towards being an indica to mellow me out. Apart from our own grow because that’s pretty amazing with a variety of strains - I do like the Connoisseur and a few others.

HOW DO YOU FIND THE RIGHT CANNABIS and products FOR A CUSTOMER? Asking them questions. What kind of high are they looking for? What they are using the product for and stuff like that so I can steer them in the right direction.

aklEAF.COM

WHY DO YOU LIKE WORKING AT MATANUSKA CANNABIS COMPANY? Getting to stare at the plants all day from the viewing window isn’t a bad way to spend the day, but I love getting to know our regulars that come in on the daily and making them feel like this is their store where we know their name and ask about how their life is going since the last time they came in.

WHAT ARE some of YOUR HOBBIES and interests WHEN YOU’RE NOT WORKING AT THE DISPENSARY? I don’t have a lot of hobbies, but I do love being outside and exploring this beautiful state we get to call home. Or anything around water - I’m all for it.

KNOW A GREAT BUDTENDER? NOMINATE THEM FOR BUDTENDER OF THE MONTH: JOSH@AKLEAF.COM

AUG. 2019

INTERVIEW by JOSHUA STAHLE/ALASKA LEAF | PHOTO by BOOM MEDIA for ALASKA LEAF

907.683.2633 @DENALISCACHE

DENALISCACHE.COM

STONER OWNER

ACBRADDOCK

CEO | EDEN LABS

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AUG. 2019

How did Cannabis come into your life?

The quintessential teenage experience. Skipping school to try it out and then playing frisbee.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START EDEN LABS? Eden Labs was

Founded by Fritz Chess in 1994. He was inspired by wide variety of plant medicines and that knowledge base is constantly building. The number of botanicals he knows how to extract for varying components is staggering and exciting. I was inspired by what I saw him doing in 1999, as we shared a strong interest in bettering human health through naturally occuring medicinal plants and lifestyle choices.

Because of this shared interest and the success in my career at the time, he asked me to come run the company in 2004. However, I loved the luxury Built Green project I was working on and declined, so I could have a couple more years to complete it.

In the meantime, I actively advised Eden until 2008, when I took a more active role and then became a full partner and CEO in 2009. It’s been a wild ride since and with providing solutions for the hemp industry and further medical research, it’s not slowing down anytime soon.

WHY DO YOU CHOOSE TO FOCUS ON CO2 & ETHANOL EXTRACTION?

This is not a short answer, but this is industry history based on Eden’s 25 years in Cannabis extraction.

First and foremost, Eden is an R&D company that works with many industries and solvents. Eden innovated CO2 technology for Cannabis and kava kava, installed the first commercial ethanol systems in the mid-90s and developed the first closed-loop systems.

Around the time Colorado and Washington legalized for more than medical (I like to use conscious consumption or lifestyle use), we simply stopped promoting the fact that our CO2 systems could be used with co-solvents.

Why? About 2011, it became perfectly clear to me that all concentrates were under attack from mainstream media and we were at a tipping point for the slow roll or fast track to medical legalization.

At this time, the media was having a field day with “dirty and dangerous drug operations” that were exploding up and down the West Coast, from open blasting in the unregulated market.

This was a significant problem because the media was lumping all concentrates into their frighteningly effective messaging. Concentrates were seen as “druggy” and so were the people who made and consumed them.

On top of that, there were some greedy, uneducated early players who knew nothing about proper purging and didn’t care when provided proper post-processing techniques.

So we asked ourselves, how on earth were we going to fast track legalization with that kind of propaganda and lack of desire for self-regulation from these bad players? How do we help create a pathway that is unquestionably safe in production and consumption?

We used our experience in the production of nutraceuticals, food, biofuels, essential oils, etc, knowing that the industry would eventually need to establish a self-regulated platform for facilities from the viewpoint of fire departments, police, OSHA, etc.

At the time, most of the unregulated industry just wasn’t ready to implement and/or could not afford these kinds of SOPs and facilities, so we provided immediate

alternatives that no one outside of the industry could argue against. And they tried, believe me, they tried. It was fun telling a fire department that CO2 is not explosive, you actually use it to put out fires.

As far as ethanol goes, it has been utilized for thousands of years in medicinal use, and while it was unpopular for a number of years, we knew it would come back and come back it has! We also knew that building this industry would lead to the need for industrial scale systems, and both CO2 and ethanol are proven solutions for efficiencies in large scale production.

“MY FAVORITE PART IS KNOWING WE ARE HELPING SICK PEOPLE, HELPING CHANGE SOCIAL BIAS AND ADDING TO THE POLITICAL POWER OF THE WAVE OF CONSUMERS WHO WANT TO BUY FROM ORGANIC, SUSTAINABLE, MISSION DRIVEN, SMALL BUSINESS.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU BE A CANNABIS BUSINESS OWNER WHO CONSUMES THE PLANT?

It means I support and understand its use and potential. It means I can call BS on misinformation and disinformation on the plant and how it is produced and why. The underlying dedication to what I do stems from the science of one system treating another system. It stems from the desire to recreate our medical system. What we are doing in this industry is treating illness and promoting health and wellbeing through the endocannabinoid system, as well as curing political and social ills around prohibition and the mechanisms that create such horrible and destructive cultural biases.

HAS IT BEEN HARD TO BE A WOMAN IN THE INDUSTRY?

It’s complex. In some ways it’s easier because it is a health and wellness industry, and because social issues like sexism are constant topics. We went from an industry that was exclusively marketed to men, and in particular men under 30, to an industry that calls out companies that abuse the use of women and sex to sell what is essentially a health product.

We had the highest number of women owned businesses and C Suite in any U.S. industry in 2014.

The downside is the slide since from health and wellness based business to same old, same old business, and we have lost that momentum. It’s harder for women in business in any sector, period.

An example - it was easier in the beginning of the regulated market because no one had access to funding. Entry into a craft industry is more accessible.

Now there is a significant decline in women owned business because data says for every $58 million men get in funding, women get $1 million - according to the NY Times.

It’s very difficult for anyone to compete with big business coming into the industry, but especially difficult for women and people of color.

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE AND FAVORITE PART ABOUT OWNING A CANNABIS BUSINESS? My favorite part is knowing we are helping sick people, helping change social bias and adding to the political power of the wave of consumers who want to buy from

organic, sustainable, mission driven, small business.

I enjoy the political work I have done in NCIA, The Cannabis Alliance, Stewardship Partners, Women of Weed, etc. Being a part of political action and market development alleviates the frustration of watching bad regulation, stigma, racism, sexism and prohibition which is still very much alive and kicking.

WHAT KIND OF CHANGE WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE FOR THE INDUSTRY OVERALL? We need to diversify. We need legal

pathways to medical, nutraceutical, food, building materials, textiles, etc. As Dr. Ethan Russo likes to point out, if you had to take one plant to a desert island, this would be the one that could sustain, clothe and shelter you. If we allow the molecularization of the plant to be the only pathway to legal use - and I mean legal personal use - we have failed on so many levels and as humans we will pay a significant and devastating price in this lost opportunity.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE STRAIN AND WAY TO CONSUME?

LOL. I don’t have any favorites for multiple reasons.

The biggest reason is I am currently going through 45 concentrate entries from the Terpestival!

I am not looking at strains, but rather combinations of terpenes and cannabinoids. I am making my way through them with my nose and other senses. It’s fantastic. I strongly believe we should be cultivating and extracting specific cultivars for our individual endocannabinoid needs. It’s a very personal journey that I am enjoying. As far as consumption, I was just gifted a Puffco Peak, which has been a delight. And I like full spectrum tinctures and vaping.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY DOING IN YOUR FREE TIME?

Anything that consumes my awareness and is nature oriented, but especially yoga, gardening, surfing, skiing, music and spending time with my feisty as hell friends and colleagues. So good. All of it.

E DE N LAB S . CO M

@ EDENLABS

A Stoner Owner is a Cannabis business owner who has a relationship with the plant. We want to buy and smoke Cannabis from companies that care about their products, employees and the plant. You wouldn’t buy food from a restaurant where the cooks don’t eat in the kitchen, so why buy corporate weed grown by a company only concerned with profits? Stoner Owner approval means a company cares, and we love weed grown with care. Look for the Stoner Owner stamp when purchasing fine Cannabis, and let’s retake our culture and reshape a stigma by honoring those who grow, process and sell the best Cannabis possible.

INTERVIEW by WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

PATIENT OF THE MONTH aklEAF.COM

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dealing with chronic pain

An Army veteran relies on the plant s

complications made her feel so little from the waist down that she couldn’t feel her contractions from childbirth, delivering her child on the highway at the last minute as a result. She was eventually turned into a single mother after leaving an abusive relationship and had to provide for her son, with life continuing to rain down.

Life went on, and Stacy continued to survive and provide for her family.

Eventually, things became more normal and Stacy remarried and had two more children. She was still struggling with her mental health, often having serious side effects from her medicine. She said it was hard to live life every day when “your mind is fucked, your body is fucked, and you feel like you can’t go on.” Her side effects would make her lethargic and often cause severe hallucinations. She was floating through life as an empty shell.

“I was only keeping on with my life for my children,” she said.

Being a fighter and no longer wanting to feel empty, she could tell that At 19 years old, things began to snowball as Stacy got injured during battle, she wanted to live life to the fullest. She wasn’t going to let pharmaceutical resulting in a severe back injury and PTSD. companies have power over her life anymore. At 21, she finally decided to Constantly in pain emotionally and physically, she still had to serve and looked give medical Cannabis a try. to self medication in this dark time. As Stacy described, “I was eating Tylenol PM She originally noticed a change in her health when she began managing to ease my pain, using alcohol and pills or anything to numb my body. We all her IBS with Cannabis, saying that it helped replace a muscle relaxer used to chew on Motrin and swallow it. It was awful.” she was on. She began to notice a difference mentally and physically Shortly after her injury, Stacy was assaulted by someone she trusted, and on a after going a week without them. She eventually moved to Cannabis for different occasion also discovered him viewing her in the shower. Her assailant complete pain management and slowly began to eliminate all her pain never faced any discipline and her story was swept under the rug. medications through Cannabis use. She most recently was able to kick Sexual assault in the military is common, with at least 25% of women serving her Prozac prescription by experimenting with different indica strains. Her in the U.S. military having been sexually assaulted, and up to 80% have been exploring of Cannabis for her mental health has lead her to Bubba Kush, sexually harassed. After seeing things that should not be seen and experiencing her favorite strain. She said it helps with her muscles and her cramps. Stacy traumatic events, Stacy knew it was time for her to head home when she was also uses small amounts of RSO for long term daily relief. able to do so. She was discharged after writing her congressman at the time, to Stacy has made great strides in her journey and ensure she would get out on the date she was eligible has improved her life through medical Cannabis. to come home.

“I joined the Army and my life was downhill Safely back at home and away from the field, STACY EVENTUALLY from there, until I signed up to be a patient in Stacy still felt angry, hurt and alone. Her quality of life MOVED TO CANNABIS October of last year,” recalled Stacy. As of June improved in some ways, but continued to decline in 2019, Stacy was able to finally ditch her cane others. Her mobility was limited by having to always FOR COMPLETE PAIN just in time to surprise her son at his high school use her cane since a young age.

MANAGEMENT AND SLOWLY graduation. Although things in life aren’t perfect, When released, the VA said they allegedly had no Stacy is the healthiest she has been in as long as record of her injuries or her first pregnancy, despite BEGAN TO ELIMINATE ALL she can remember. Here, her revitalized self can having all her medical documentation. Stacy often HER PAIN MEDICATIONS play with her children, go on dates, and begin to had her pain questioned and often had her concerns take control of the rest of her life. ignored by her physicians. Her injury and drug THROUGH CANNABIS USE.

tacy Ann Bryson has a story that is tragic, beautiful and incredibly unique - finally leading her to the world of Cannabis. She was born in Kingston, Jamaica, resulting in a bit of knowledge about Cannabis, but never indulged or was around it often. When she came to America at the age of ten, she quickly realized she wanted to serve her new country.

Fresh out of high school, she decided to enroll in the Army in order for her to pay for schooling. She had no idea that a life of depression, assault, and lifelong pain were waiting for her as a result of this choice.

aUG. 2019

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CANNABIS PATIENT STACY ANN BRYSON

STORY by ARIANA FOOTE @INDICAWIFE for LEAF NATION | PHOTO by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT

PROFILE aklEAF.COM

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Trish has been a Cannabis patient since 2011 and her history with the plant runs deep. Trish was an advocate for the Oregon medical program to increase access for patients across the state. After dealing with chronic pain stemming from endometriosis, she began to experiment with Cannabis as a viable, long-term treatment option.

Once she found a regimen that worked for her, she found she was able to drop opioids all together.

TRISH CHINGON Although Trish has been familiar with Cannabis throughout her life, she didn’t start using the plant intentionally until October of 2010.

At that time, she was trying to kick a depleting opioid addiction due to multiple surgical operations caused by endometriosis.

Simultaneously, her sister was dying of cancer and Trish wanted her to try Cannabis to see if it would give her any relief.

“I have dealt with multiple surgeries because of the severity of my endometriosis, but before the medical program I was put on a cocktail of opiates to reduce the resulting chronic pain,” recalled Chingon.

“I was finally detoxing from opiates in 2010, but I was still able to manage my chronic pain with Cannabis. In May of 2011, I finally got my first OMMP card and became a patient.”

Endometriosis is an autoimmune disease that affects women, and often results in fertility issues, fibroid, extreme abdominal pain from cramping, and can often lead to surgery. After trying full extract Cannabis (aka FECO) and experiencing relief, she started giving the FECO to her sister in late stage cancer.

“Initially, my family was against Cannabis because they were around during the times of reefer madness. It took them seeing my recovery through Cannabis before they were comfortable with giving it to my sister. Not only was my health improving, but I was a joy to be around again and I wasn’t so angry from dealing with ongoing pain. My sister died in 2011 from cancer, but I was able to make her passing as comfortable as I could with Cannabis treatments.”

Trish began using Cannabis medicinally four years before WHAT’S legalization in Oregon. It was difficult to advocate for WORKED Cannabis to her family and sister with cancer due to the FOR HER > MYRCENE AND stigma of prohibition.

LINALOOL FOR Although the medical program had been around since PAIN RELIEF 2000, the plant’s legitimacy was constantly called into > EDIBLES AND question due to lack of research and legal prohibition.

CONCENTRATES “In the beginning my family gave me a hard time because prohibition has influenced most folks a great deal,” said Chingon.

“Once they saw how my health improved over time and I stopped pharmaceuticals, they started to ask questions - and now some use CBD and low doses of THC themselves. I also have been working in this industry since 2012 and am now a manager at Cannasource.”

Trish’s advocacy of Cannabis led to a management position at a local dispensary in Portland. Hard earned and valuable experience make people like Trish a wonderful contribution to our community because she can help people who may be dealing with the same issues. As for medicating, Trish prefers edibles and concentrates to deal with chronic pain, but loves flower for elevating any activity.

“I love Cannabis in all forms, but I use edibles and dabs for pain control and sleep, and flower to enhance any activity. Ken Estes’ Grand Daddy Purple strain is a favorite for pain and insomnia because of the high amounts of myrcene and linalool for pain. But I use limonene and pinene to elevate mood. And of course caryophyllene for wellness.”

“Once they saw how my health improved over time and I stopped pharmaceuticals, they started to ask questions - and now some use CBD and low doses of THC themselves.” apR. 2019 aug.

INTERVIEW by SIMONE FISCHER @SIMONEFISCHERR | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

TRISH CHINGON

VA C A T I O N S W E E T S B O O K I N G D A I L Y

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 con consumption of this product. For use only by adults 21 and older. Keep out of reach of children.

highly likely

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Highlighting Cannabis pioneers who paved the way to greater herbal acceptance.

HOW THE OUTSPOKEN MUSIC ICON SHARES HER LOVE FOR CANNABIS WITH THE WORLD

RIHANNA

aklEAF.COM

A S O N E O F T H E WO R L D ’ S WEALTHIEST FEMALE M US IC I AN S , T H E M US ICAL P H E N O M K N OW N S I M P LY A S R I H A N N A L I K E LY N E E D S L I T T L E I N T R O D UC T I O N .

In brief, she was born in Barbados, moved to the U.S. in 2005 as a signee with Def Jam Records, and scored a big hit with the song “SOS” in 2006, helping her burst onto the international R&B scene.

And with it all she brought her unmistakable swagger and powerful self-confidence. Her sometimes controversial, but ultimately humanizing approach to celebrity, has won Rihanna adoration from fans and the media alike. Throughout it all, Rihanna has done celebrity her way – with little regard for what people think.

Perhaps that’s why, even before it was legalized, Rihanna has been outspoken - or at the very least - never tried to hide her relationship with Cannabis. While many celebrities recoil from the public spotlight when it comes to consuming herb, she is often found smoking out in the open, and very often it’s on social media.

The first time Rihanna made Cannabis related headlines was due to getting kicked out of a hotel in 2010 for setting off the smoke alarms in her suite due to smoking blunts. A year later,

AUG. 2019

RIHANNA HAS BEEN SPOTTED IN THE PRESS USING PLENTY OF CANNABIS, OFTEN ROLLING BLUNTS DURING INTERVIEWS AND HER PHOTO OPS...

“SHE’S OUT THERE TOASTING LIFE’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND SPECIAL MOMENTS LIKE SO MANY OF US DO, WITH CANNABIS MORE OFTEN THAN ALCOHOL.“

the cover of her album “Talk That Talk” featured her blowing out a massive puff of smoke, thus announcing to the world that Cannabis was an integral piece of her creativity, style and personality.

But it wasn’t until social media outlets like Instagram became the modality by which we corrode our social structure that we truly found out how many blunts Rihanna actually smokes. Here, instances abound.

There was the time that she rolled a blunt on her bodyguard’s head while seated on his shoulders in the audience at Coachella in 2012, and more recently at Coachella 2018 - minus the epic rolling performance.

There’s also the widely publicized photo of her smoking yet another blunt dressed in renaissance garb, shot by Terry Richardson for CR Fashionbook.

And while these photos are just the tip of the iceberg for this hyper-celebrity, what

truly makes following her on social media interesting is how casual she is about smoking given her stature in the world as an international celebrity.

She’s out there toasting life’s accomplishments and special moments like so many of us do, with Cannabis more often than alcohol.

At the end of the day, people love Rihanna because she’s authentically herself - and of course, the music that comes along with this embodiment. This is refreshing, because while Cannabis is more legal than it has ever been in America, the world as a whole is still catching up.

An international celebrity like Rihanna is helping with that, but it’s also an insight into the fact that Cannabis gives us the opportunity to see our reality in a different light, a way to adjust our own perspectives and to be open to the moments as they come to us.

That’s the freedom this herb provides, and perhaps that is what attracts celebrities like Rihanna to it. Thankfully, she’s not hiding it.

By PACER STACKTRAIN for ALASKA LEAF

STRAIN OF THE MONTH

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SUPERGLUE Grown by

THE CONNOISSEUR

Open the bag and you’ll find a light colored nug surrounded by deep green frosted leaf, speckled with vibrant maroon trichomes.

On the first sniff your nose will find this ultra funky earth fragrance, followed promptly by the true glue aroma, one of my all-time favorites.

This strain is a cross of Chem Dawg and Gorilla Glue #4, and you’ll find both of these strains ever apparent in this cross.

The inhale brings to mind more of the chem characteristics - a piney, extremely light citrus, followed like a freight train by the gorilla glue - which does have a way of creeping up on you and smacking you down into a couch or the nearest low lying surface.

This particular breed does that, except in the most cerebral way possible - leaving me wanting to relax, but finding relaxation in the accomplishments of everyday chores.

It can leave you a bit spacey though, so use with caution.

AUG. 2019

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REVIEW by ESHOM REED | PHOTO by BOOM MEDIA for ALASKA LEAF

THE WOMEN’S ISSUE aklEAF.COM

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DOLLYNDA PHELPS is the cofounder of Peace Frog Botanicals in Kenai, which just celebrated its first crop in a new facility. Built by Dolly and her husband after a move from Montana, Peace Frog Botanicals is the definition of a family run grow, where every plant gets individual attention and love.

Here the couple has found a new love for growing Cannabis, new friends, and an amazing industry to be a part of since moving to Alaska to grow and share their Cannabis.

AUG. 2019

DOLLYNDA PHELPS

Co-Founder | Peace Frog Botanicals

HOW DID CANNABIS COME INTO YOUR LIFE?

I started using it when I was in my teenage years, but not really heavily until I was more of an adult. It has played an important role in my life because it brought me peace. We all have trials and tribulations we go through, and Cannabis has been there for me in those tough times.

WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO AK & THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY?

In 2010 we moved here during the recession from Montana and I didn’t have access to Cannabis for a couple years. We didn’t know where to get Cannabis, so when the legalization measure came around I knew I really needed to get into this and grow in my backyard. I’m 48 years-old and a drywall and finish specialist, and that’s a difficult job - not just as a woman, but as an older woman. So, I saw an opportunity to do something I love and make a living at it.

HAS IT FELT GOOD TO BE IN THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY?

It has been quite a journey, stepping out of the box as a construction worker and being able to be involved in the industry and public speaking.

I think I’ve really grown as an individual in this process with the regulatory framework because I’ve stepped out and done things that I might have been previously afraid to. I’ve been a very loud voice during the regulatory process with the state and participating in that has been very rewarding, to see the positive changes and implementation of regulations that might not have happened if people like myself hadn’t taken the opportunity to make change.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START PEACE FROG BOTANICALS?

We started Peace Frog because we knew we couldn’t do our current job forever, so how would we pay the bills? We had tossed around a few ideas, and I love Cannabis so much we decided to give this a try! Also, to be successful and not kill ourselves physically. So we started growing a few plants at home before the law passed, and then started a limited grow in our basement that propelled us into a new facility.

TELL US ABOUT THE NEW FACILITY YOU LAUNCHED!

The biggest thing is that we never had enough product, so we had to turn people down that wanted our weed for a long time. And we thought we should be able to offer more. So, Little Frog (limited grow) funded our entire project over to Big Frog, and we just pulled our first harvest last month! We are forged out of more demand for our product, and our new facility is right across the street. We can tend to it morning, noon and night.

“THE RECEPTION IS CHANGING, BUT NORMALIZATION IS WHAT WE ARE AFTER.”

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS WITH PEACE FROG? We did this without any loans. We lived within our means and that’s why we started small, and I think that was for the better. The goal now is to continue operating. We don’t want to get any bigger and have to worry or manage a huge facility. This has been a long time coming - the whole push started when we moved here and had to reestablish our lives, and we had to start over with a dream. So we are ready now after nine years to enjoy some of the success we’ve been able to create, and take a little more time off for fishing and family! We want to keep small, keep our quality handcrafted with the staff of three helpers, and between the five of us we want to grow the best product that we can. It has been a long journey to get here, and that’s why we want to enjoy it. We’ve planted the flowers, now we want to enjoy them.

HOW HAS IT BEEN TO BE A WOMAN WORKING IN THE ALASKAN CANNABIS INDUSTRY? I am a bold enough individual

that I never considered that an issue. I put my efforts where I think they should be and if they are well received, great - and if not - oh well. I think women are being taken more notice of than usual in this industry and it’s neat to see so many powerful women that are able to push for something they care about. I admire everyone who works in the industry, but I think that women have really pushed and propelled themselves forward.

CHANGES YOU WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE IN THE INDUSTRY?

I’m frustrated daily by the fact that Cannabis is still perceived as a scary drug. At the last MCB meeting an enforcement officer asked, “God forbid, what would happen if someone lost a package of marijuana?” And I’m like, “Okay, wait a second. I can have beers in my fridge with kids in the home and it really isn’t a big deal, because responsible parenting is separate from a substance - whether it’s Cannabis or alcohol or bleach.” I’m frustrated that the view of Cannabis hasn’t grown up. I want those stupid warning labels removed! There’s no scientific evidence that you shouldn’t smoke while breastfeeding, or that Cannabis causes harm. Let’s be real.

Let’s get science and do this with facts, not made up concerns. We’re still not getting a fair rap as business owners, and are treated like criminals each step of the way. There has got to be some line of trust from the state who considers us partners in the industry.

HOW DO YOU COMBAT THAT IN YOUR DAILY LIFE?

We sit down with people and tell them what we do for a living. It really is sparking more questions now, and we’ll talk about it openly at the DMV or the grocery store. The reception is changing, but normalization is what we are after. And that’s the goal I want to see. I’d love to make a good living along the way and have something to leave for our kids, but overall, national change is the goal - and worldwide eventually. But we have to start on one piece of the cookie at a time.

FAVORITE PART OF BEING IN THE CANNABIS BUSINESS?

What I have enjoyed the most is meeting so many fantastic people. We started this in 2014, but for our first four years in Alaska we were building a home and didn’t get out much and meet many people. But as soon as we got involved in Cannabis, all these awesome people started coming out, and those are our closest friends in Alaska today. We are very blessed, and there are people we’ve met that we’ll be friends with for the rest of our lives! Facebook.com: Peace Frog Botanicals

INTERVIEW by WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX @NWLEAF | PHOTOS by BOOM MEDIA for ALASKA LEAF

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THE WOMEN’S ISSUE

TINA SMITH is the passionate CEO behind Midnight Greenery, an education and outreach company focused on ending the stigma surrounding Cannabis and enlightening the Alaskan public about the benefits of the plant.

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MIDNIGHT GREENERY features a mix of online content and live streamed weekly shows, including “Through The Looking Glass” and working with AKCannaEd to provide education and marijuana handlers courses.

aklEAF.COM

“I DON’T WANT US TO BE A CUTTHROAT INDUSTRY. THAT’S NOT WHAT CANNABIS IS ABOUT. WE NEED UNITY.”

AUG. 2019

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS WITH MIDNIGHT GREENERY?

TINA SMITH

CEO | Midnight Greenery HOW DID CANNABIS FIRST COME INTO YOUR LIFE?

That happened when I was really young, maybe 12 years old. My aunt has always been a stoner and we were at her place for a wedding and my cousin introduced me. It wasn’t something that continued at that point, that didn’t start up until I was 24. That’s when I began using it recreationally.

Now I’m under the belief that all use of Cannabis is medical use, but at the time I had no clue.

HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY?

Before legalization, my dad died from an illness that we had to walk him through and I remember feeling so helpless. Then a family member came to me with a possible diagnosis of cancer, so I went into research mode and everything that kept popping up was for Cannabis. The more I started to do research, the more I recognized I had symptoms that Cannabis could help with too. I was dealing with a 20-year opioid addiction, and at that time I started to get really pissed off. If I didn’t know, then other people didn’t, and I wanted to figure out how to get people educated. I saw Midnight Greenery through Facebook doing classes, so I reached out and started chatting, and next thing you know I was helping with the 420 event in 2015! That was my anniversary and the beginning of my journey with Midnight Greenery.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO FOCUS ON EDUCATION?

Right now what we do is educate and entertain, because people get educated when they are entertained. It sticks with people more when they have something to laugh about that sends a positive message.

WHAT ARE THE TWO SIDES TO MIDNIGHT GREENERY?

There’s the educational department and the production department. The educational side has the Alaska Certified MJ Handlers Permit Course, which I’m the director of and teach the classes. And then our production side has shows and social media like our show “Through the Looking Glass” - a weekly live show at 4:20 on Saturdays. We invite people from the community and industry to chat and smoke and share how Cannabis has affected their lives. We have two other shows we are working on right now as well!

I would like the educational department to continue with the handlers course as a core, but also to add more courses over time like budtending and cultivation techniques. I want to bring in experts in those fields to teach those courses, so that we can get people entering the industry to have more knowledge, which will help create a strong and thriving Cannabis industry. On the production side, I want to keep bringing in content and get revenue coming in for advertising. This is such a new industry and people are blown away by all the new science, technology and different delivery methods with Cannabis. We want to get away from high THC and start talking about terpenes and the things that people don’t know. So while Cannabis helps people recreationally on their weekends, it can also help them make a transition from big pharma to something that is a lot more healthy.

MEDICAL CANNABIS IS A BIG TOPIC FOR YOU AS WELL. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON HOW IT HAS DEVELOPED IN ALASKA? A lot of people say we left medical behind when we got

legalization passed, but I also believe that with legal pot the news and information is going out faster to Alaska and America than it ever was with medical. When it was medical, people just ignored it or laughed at medical cards to smoke pot. But as it’s becoming faster and faster in growth across the U.S., everyone wants to know about it. They want the info, and so as much as medical Cannabis has been left behind in Alaska - and we need regulations to protect it - recreational Cannabis has allowed for so much more information to be shared in the last few years.

HAS IT BEEN HARD BEING A WOMAN IN THIS NDUSTRY?

Women owned businesses are such a small percentage of overall business owners, and in the Cannabis industry it’s larger, but still only about 30% - still ridiculously small. There’s been multiple times when I’ve been sitting in a meeting and what I have to say is completely talked right over until a male says it. And so of course, we women have to get a little louder and pointed when it comes to the things we need to say and share.

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE FOR OTHER WOMEN THINKING ABOUT ENTERING THIS INDUSTRY?Let the negatives roll off your

back and stay strong. Stick with your convictions and keep going! Wear that armor. We all have it as women, armor that protects our hearts.

Wear it but don’t let it override everything.

WHAT KIND OF CHANGE WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE?

We need more education and awareness! I’ve walked into so many stores, and you can get such a vast difference in knowledge with your budtenders. Some stores have budtenders that are so knowledgeable, who will sit and talk and give all the info you’re looking for. And then there are some who treat it like a fast food or convenience store to pop you in and out. That’s not something we need in an industry right now where people are so scared. We need budtenders to be knowledgeable about what it is they are sharing with the public. I also would like to see the industry come together the way they do when a new ban or law changes, but to do that all of the time. I don’t want us to be a cutthroat industry. That’s not what Cannabis is about. We need unity.

HOW CAN PEOPLE FIND AND SUPPORT YOU IN MAKING THAT HAPPEN? There’s a lot of ways! They can find us through social

media - just look for Midnight Greenery or AKCannaEd. You can watch our shows, take our courses, and people can support us through our patronage page or sponsor our shows with commercials.

Stay blessedly lifted, Alaska! @MidnightGreenery Facebook.com/MidnightGreenery

INTERVIEW by WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX @NWLEAF | PHOTOS by BOOM MEDIA for ALASKA LEAF

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THE WOMEN’S ISSUE

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aklEAF.COM

BAILEY STUART Owner | The Green Jar

AUG. 2019

HOW DID CANNABIS COME INTO YOUR LIFE?

After graduation, moving into my own home I found myself at parties where alcohol was available. Being raised Mormon, that was my first exposure to intoxicants. Quickly I decided that was not something I enjoyed, and was not as relaxing or fun as everyone had made it out to be in our youth.

My neighbor noticed that I was not consuming [alcohol] and asked why. I told her it was just not for me. She asked me if I had tried Cannabis and immediately gifted me my first opportunity to try it. It was exactly what I needed in my life! I am already so motivated and full of energy that sometimes I need help relaxing, and Cannabis was just that.

HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN THE INDUSTRY?

For years, my partners and I saved in hopes of one day being business owners and getting ourselves out of the oil industry. We mulled over businesses to get into for years and nothing seemed right for us.

We wanted to be passionate about what we do in life. So instead of jumping on anything, we waited, saved, and knew we would know when the right time came. In 2012, Washington went up for a vote of recreational Cannabis and word had gotten out that Alaska could be next.

It was easy to be passionate about Cannabis and the change we could bring into the world.

We spent 2013 watching the changes happening in Washington and paying close attention to their rules and regulations, so we would have a good idea of what to expect if Cannabis legalization came to Alaska. In the fall of 2014 we made a trip down to Washington to check out the newly opened retail shops and see what a starting industry looked like, so we could do our very best in the state of Alaska when our opportunity came around. In November 2014, our opportunity came and we have been at it since!

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR GREEN JAR?

From the moment we decided to get into the Cannabis industry, our goal was to be a part of the change. We wanted to change stigma, we wanted to show the public what a Cannabis user really looks like, and the passion we have for this flower. Our biggest goal is to change the stigma we have all been privy to. We wanted to change the way Cannabis is sold and be the store that provides the best customer service, alongside the best product we can find in the state.

HAS IT BEEN HARD TO BE A WOMAN WORKING IN THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY? In some regards it has

been hard being a woman in business. I have experienced some sexism with other business owners. I found that just being assertive and friendly has helped me navigate these situations.

BIGGEST CHALLENGE AND FAVORITE PART OF OWNING A CANNABIS RETAIL LOCATION?

My biggest challenge has been myself. I want to be the best leader I can be, which means leading by example. I lead by showing my flaws, being open and honest, and showing my team that we work together with our strengths and recognize our weaknesses. And that it is okay to make mistakes, that we are human, and that we need not to dwell on our mistakes - but to look forward and recognize the positives even in the negatives.

With that said, I love my team! I wake up every day looking forward to seeing the beautiful people that make Green Jar what it is. We strive to maintain healthy relationships with ourselves as a team and with our community, and it has been an amazingly rewarding challenge.

WHAT KIND OF CHANGE WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE FOR THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY OVERALL?

I would like to see the industry come together more. I would like to see us look at each other as family working towards the same goals with legalization and legislation.

WHAT’S YOUR PREFERRED WAY TO CONSUME?

Lately, concentrates. I enjoy a clean euphoria that helps me relax, but not overthink my day. Plus, it is quick and convenient.

And for a busy woman such as myself, that works perfectly with my lifestyle. My favorite strain is Cinex.

HOBBIES AND INTERESTS AWAY FROM WORK?

I love skating! I spend nine months out of the year training with Boom Town Roller Derby. I have been skating for almost eight years and have been a trainer on the team for seven. When I am at home, I love to bake pastries and play my piano. Not to mention I am always ready to go for a hike or a run. I just like to stay active in my free time and do things that help me grow as a human on this planet. GreenJarAK.com

“I AM ALREADY SO MOTIVATED AND FULL OF ENERGY THAT SOMETIMES I NEED HELP RELAXING AND CANNABIS WAS JUST THAT.”

INTERVIEW by WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX @NWLEAF | PHOTO by BOOM MEDIA for ALASKA LEAF

39

THE WOMEN’S ISSUE

Glacier Extracts GLACIER EXTRACTS IS A MARIJUANA PROCESSING AND MANUFACTURING OPERATION LOCATED IN ANCHORAGE. WE INTERVIEWED RETAIL MANAGER MARLA DIAZ FOR HER TAKE ON HOW THE INDUSTRY IS DEVELOPING AND WHAT SETS THEIR WELL-REGARDED COMPANY APART IN THE MARKET.

aklEAF.COM

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AUG. 2019

HOW DID CANNABIS FIRST COME INTO YOUR LIFE?

I’ve been in Alaska almost 30 years and Cannabis has always been a staple in our communities. Being fully out in the open now gives Alaskans more of the chance to be themselves and not have to hide against the social stigma that sometimes comes with Cannabis and its uses. Seeing its benefits for people I love and my fellow Alaskans, it is a privilege to provide them with products they want in a safe and regulated environment. That is the key to growth and success in this industry, and the wellness of our great state.

Glacier Extracts is proud to be part of it.

HOW DID YOU START IN THE WORLD OF EXTRACTING?

Seeing the benefits both recreationally and otherwise interested me in finding quality, pure extracts for the people that needed them. After looking around I found a home here at Glacier Extracts, mainly because they concentrate on quality and purity to provide a cost effective product to the public.

And I thought their logo was awesome too.

WHAT TYPES OF PRODUCTS “WE STRIVE TO DOES GLACIER EXTRACTS PROVIDE THE PUREST PROVIDE?

CARTRIDGES AND CAPSULES

Glacier Extracts only AND SAFEST EXTRACTS provides the purest CO2 IN ALASKA TO extracted Cannabis oil.

No MCT. No Butane.

ALASKANS BECAUSE No harmful solvents. No propylene glycol. No WE ARE ALASKANS, polyethylene glycol. Just OWNED AND plain and simple Cannabis CO2 oil. We have OPERATED.” a variety of products all made with our same pure extraction methods. From CCELL CO2 cartridges and dab syringes, as well as JUUL compatible pods. Our newest and most popular line is our glacier infused line, where the user can get an infused preroll or blunt at a fraction of the cost of competitors, and at least 100mg of THC stronger.

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WHERE DO YOU SOURCE THE MATERIAL THAT YOU PROCESS?

We are working with a few cultivators such as Third State, with their retail Pipe N Leaf. Working with these multi-license holders allows for us to keep the cost down for both parties and provide CO2 oil that matches what flower they have on their shelf. We’re most excited for when our cultivation will have harvest and we can supply a steady stream of oil.

AARON STARTING THE ROTOVAPE

WHAT MAKES YOUR TEAM PASSIONATE ABOUT CREATING CONCENTRATES?

Our passion at Glacier Extracts comes from the love of Alaska and its people, first and foremost. We strive to provide the purest and safest extracts in Alaska to Alaskans because we are Alaskans, owned and operated. When you combine that with the amazing properties of Cannabis, how can you not be passionate?

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS AS A BRAND AND COMPANY?

Our goal is to be the best by providing the best to the best.

Quality in for quality out. We’re doing runs with flower such as our Granddaddy Purple cartridge to prove this point.

We want to be able to provide an exceptional product for an everyday user’s price. We want everyone to know where that blunt - the FireLog that packs a punch - comes from — Glacier Extracts at Hillside Natural Wellness.

Learn More at HNWAlaska.com

INTERVIEW by JOSHUA STAHLE/ALASKA LEAF | PHOTOS by GLACIER EXTRACTS

FIRE AND ICEBERGS

AUG. 2019

SHOP REVIEW

RASPBERRY ROOTS This Anchorage Cannabis retail shop has been in operation for a little over a year, but if you haven’t stopped by recently, the team have finished up an expansion of the store, that more than tripled their retail space.

ENVIRONMENT & VIBE

5/5

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What a big difference a little extra space can make!

What used to be a retail space on the smaller side of things in Anchorage, has now become an expansive store that has plenty of room to handle every customer that walks through the door. The remodel has done wonders to the overall space. Aside from the extra breathing room, employees are very knowledgeable about the products that they carry and will be able to answer your questions!

PRODUCTS

5/5

The product selection at the store is always fantastic! At the time of this writing, the store carried 22 strains, which were broken down evenly between sativas, indicas, and hybrid flower from cultivations across the state. On the concentrate side, you can expect to find a variety of products including shatter, wax, kief and cartridges from brands such as Top Hat, Good Titrations, and their in-house brand Canamo. For edibles, you can expect a wide variety from brands such as Treat Yo’ Self, Stoney Moose, Red Run, Fire Eater, and their in-house brand Northern Delights.

HISTORY & VALUES

4/5

aklEAF.COM

Having been open for about a year now, Raspberry Roots has been establishing themselves as a top notch store in the Anchorage area. They have also been producing flower for a little longer than the store has been open. With their new brands of Canamo and Northern Delights, they are positioning themselves to be a big player in the Alaskan market for years to come.

BUDTENDERS

5/5

The budtenders here are very down to earth and friendly. From observing and the conversations that I had with multiple members of the staff, they are very engaging with their customers. Always having a smile on their faces, I would recommend for someone who was trying Cannabis for the first time to come and talk to these guys.

aug. 2019

REVIEW by JOSHUA STAHLE / ALASKA LEAF | PHOTOS by BOOM MEDIA

501 RASPBERRY ROAD, ANCHORAGE, AK 10AM – 11PM DAILY 907-522-2450

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AKLEAF.COM

WITH THEIR NEW BRANDS OF CANAMO AND NORTHERN DELIGHTS, THEY ARE POSITIONING THEMSELVES TO BE A BIG PLAYER IN THE ALASKAN MARKET FOR YEARS TO COME.

Marketing / Consulting Trusted Transport CBD Retail & Wholesale Banking Services Point of Sale Systems, Debit & Credit Card Processing Ask about I Heart Jane and Springbig!

CONNECTING GREAT PEOPLE WITH GREAT CANNABIS ALL OVER THIS

Training, connecting and educating consumers with the current industry!

GREAT STATE OF ALASKA

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EDIBLE OF THE MONTH

LARRYVILLE LEMON COOKIES Created by

WAKIN’ BAKERY

46

Larryville Lemon Cookies from Wakin’ Bakery are a newer product on the market with material sourced from Sparkle Farms in Ketchikan, Alaska.

I was anticipating trying them out and was stoked to see them come across my sample list.

Most notably when I try a new edible from places I have not sampled before, I try to see how well the Cannabis flavor is hidden - or sometimes how it’s used in conjunction with the product it’s in.

As far as a cookie goes, they’re pretty delicious, with a sweet citrus flavor and a light chewy texture, it hits all points for cookies!

These cookies, being only 5mg THC per dose, aren’t going to knock you out for a day.

In fact, the high was slow and mellow, allowing me to go about my day with an enhanced mood.

aklEAF.COM

“As far as a cookie goes, they’re pretty delicious, with a sweet citrus flavor and a light chewy texture, it hits all points for cookies!”

WAKINBAKERY.COM AVAILABLE AT ALASKA BUDS, PAKALOLO, AND MANY OTHER RETAILERS ACROSS AK

aug. 2019

REVIEW by ESHOM REED | PHOTOS by BOOM MEDIA

(1) "Marijuana has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming and addictive;” (2) "Marijuana impairs concentration, coordination, and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under its influence;” (3) "There are health risks associated with consumption of marijuana” (4) "For use only by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of the reach of children;” and (5) "Marijuana should not be used by women who are pregnant or breast feeding;”

concentrate OF THE MONTH

48

MEDICAL MYSTERY TERP SAUCE

“Once you crack the jar open, you’re met with a citrus candy funk almost like a sweet tart.”

aklEAF.COM

Created by RED RUN CANNABIS

I WAS ELATED to have some of Red Run Cannabis’ terp sauce and a chance to get busy familiarizing myself with their Medical Mystery.

Neatly packaged in a one gram jar and packed in a mylar bag to preserve freshness, this is a gorgeous sampling of terpenes and cannabinoids.

Once you crack the jar open, you’re met with a citrus candy funk almost like a sweet tart.

REDRUNCANNABISCOMPANY.COM AVAILABLE AT RED RUN CANNABIS AND OTHER SHOPS ACROSS ALASKA FROM KENAI TO ANCHORAGE

aug. 2019

Pulling a dab in a well-lit area, its thick and saucy texture reveals a glittering plethora of crystals.Your first inhale you’ll taste that sweet citrus candy flavor, followed by what’s best described as an earthy, old-school funky flavor that lingers in the back of your throat.

The high is euphoric and cerebral, with a long lasting effect sure get you through daytime activities.

Testing at almost 72% total cannabinoid content and about 5% terpenes, it’s sure to hit heavy!

REVIEW by ESHOM REED | PHOTOS by BOOM MEDIA

Leaf Life Podcast is an entertaining exploration of All Things Cannabis For All People.

Join Ricker and The Bearded Lorax for insightful discussions with Cannabis industry influencers.

THis moNTH: Show #17: DABSTARS w/ Jonah Tacoma Show #18: Prohibition In A Legal State Show #21: Things To Do In Alaska When You’re Stoned

LeAFLiFePodCAsT.Com ThAnkS To ouR SPonSoRSis

21+ 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 judgement. 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 twenty-one and older. Keep out of reach of children.

RECIPES

HIGH-DRATED!

THESE SUMMER DRINKS ARE INFUSED with the delightful strain Curious Jorge from Phresh Cannabis. The flavors of candy, citrus and banana from this Banana Kush-Loud Sour cross lend themselves to these refreshing summer libations. My new go-to with smoothie making is freezing all the fruit, even if it’s fresh, until solid. I put everything in the blender with the fruit still frozen, and get it into the glasses immediately. Skip the ice so it doen’t get watered down, resulting in a frosty, creamy texture, with an uplifting high that relaxes the body and mind. #DontFearTheEdible

VEGAN ORANGE MANGO MADNESS Serves 2

1 ½ cups fresh or frozen mango chunks 1 small banana, sliced and frozen 1 cup coconut milk ½ cup orange juice 2 teaspoons canna-oil 1-2 tablespoons agave, optional

50

*Blend ingredients on low to start, then crank up to medium high to finish.

RED ALL OVER

Serves 2

1 ½ cups fresh or frozen berries, sliced 1 cup seeded watermelon chunks 1 cup apple juice 2 teaspoons canna-oil 1-2 tablespoons agave, if needed *Blend ingredients on low to start, then crank up to medium high to finish.

PEACHY YET BLUE

Serves 2

aklEAF.COM

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries ½ cup vanilla ice cream/frozen yogurt ¼ cup milk, any kind 1 teaspoon canna-oil 1 cup peaches, peeled and sliced ½ cup vanilla ice cream/ frozen yogurt ¼ cup milk, any kind 1 teaspoon canna-oil 1. Place frozen blueberries, ice cream or yogurt, milk and canna-oil in the blender. Blend until smooth. Place into container and the freezer.

2. Place the frozen peaches, ice cream or frozen yogurt, milk and canna-oil in the blender.

Blend until smooth.

3. Remove the blueberry mixture and take turns pouring the two different flavors into the glasses.

aug. 2019

RECIPES by LAURIE WOLF | PHOTO by BRUCE WOLF

“Why fly? When you can enjoy the most beautiful ride on earth”

ANCHORAGE TO HOMER June 1st-Aug 31st Monday – Friday Departs Anchorage Arctic & International – 724 W. International - Garrett’s Tesoro Cooper Landing Wild- man’s 300pm Soldotna Chamber of Commerce 500pm All times are approx. Stage Line Summer Schedule HOMER TO ANCHORAGE June 1st-Aug 31st Monday – Friday Departs Homer 830am 1242 Ocean Dr Soldotna Chamber of Commerce 1015am Cooper Landing Wildman’s 1115am

VISITING ALASKA

Sights seen from the road

SEWARD TO HOMER June 1st – August 31st Mon Wed Fri

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.

Experience Fruitopia.

Look for E Blunt in Colorado, Washington and Alaska.

At this time we are only offering our products to licensed distributors. If you would like to be a processor/distributor in your area please contact us.

eblunt.com @ ebluntvapes Facebook/ Twitter/ Instagram

rob@eblunt.com (907) 351-8207

Find in Alaska Alaska Fireweed Alaska’s Green Light District AlaskaBuds Alaskan Leaf AM Delight Catalyst Cannabis Co

Dankorage Denali 420 Recreationals Denali’s Cannabis Cache Enlighten Alaska Fat Tops Fuzzy Monkey Great Northern Cannabis, 4th Ave and

Dimond Green Jar Herbal Outfitters High Bush Buds House of Green Pakalolo Supply Co Permafrost Distributors

Pine Street Cannabis Co Rainforest Cannabis Red Run Cannabis Remedy Shoppe Satori The Fireweed Factory The Frost Farms

Marijuanahas intoxicating effects andmaybehabitforming andaddictive.Marijuanaimpairs concentration,coordination,andjudgement.Donotoperate vehicleormachineryunderits influence.Therearehealthrisks associatedwithconsumptionofmarijuana.Foruseonlybyadults 21andolder.Keepoutofreachofchildren.Marijuanashouldnotbeusedbywomenwhoarepregnantorbreastfeeding

/ NWLEAF @NWLEAF

AKLEAF.COM

ON THE ROAD WITH JONAH TACOMA

MIAMI

I twisted my wedding band in circles subconsciously as we waited in the lobby of the SLS Miami Beach hotel, turning to give a glaring look to Jeremy Jacola, Dabstar CEO and my traveling companion for the event. I got engaged to Jess on the mainstage of last year’s Boston Freedom Rally - we weren’t married yet, but I wore the ring for protection on the road and it looked like I was going to need it. “ DI D N ’ T YOU SAY T H I S WAS A CAN NAB I S B US I N E S S CO N F E R E N C E ? ” I asked quizzically, motioning to the large

banner behind the front desk proudly announcing “The Cons” - a three day, three part event taking place at the hotel.

Cannabis Con had slightly edged out Ink Con, but had lost the battle for top billing to Cam Con. Jeremy grinned in reply patting me on the back.

“It is?” he said laughing. I raised a critical eyebrow, imagining what a Cam Con would look like.

Florida itself was a battleground and the fight for legal marijuana in the sunshine state had been long and arduous.

Residents had only recently won the right to purchase smokable flower through the medical system and had been resigned previously to breaking their flower out of ceramic pods, a legal loophole allowing the usable product to be sold as an edible.

We had been out last summer for the Cannabis Business Awards, held aboard a mega yacht as it sailed across the harbor wafting the smell of good Cannabis into the air. The people of Miami seemed ready, but there were still too few opportunities for Cannabis brands to stand out in Florida’s emerging scene. The Cons as I would learn, had been one of the few to pull something off, establishing themselves in the years previous as an up and coming event in spite of their unorthodox approach to the demographic.

The rooms at the SLS were well appointed and a large picture window looked out over the pool to Miami’s South Beach. I quickly set to work stretching a shower cap over the only smoke alarm, and draping a rolled up towel across the threshold of the door before blazing to life the oversized blunt that dangled from my lips.

Inhaling deeply I fell back onto the bed exhaling a cloud of smoke towards my reflection on the mirrored ceiling.

“You’re getting older,” I thought to myself, blowing another hit towards the mirror. These last six years on the road had been a crazy beautiful blur and gone was the fresh faced kid that had volunteered at the Cannabis farmers market all those years ago, replaced by the man who now stared back at me through clouds of smoke.

aklEAF.COM

54

AUG. 2019

I FOUND JEREMY BY THE POOL BAR which had been emblazoned with giant Porn Hub logos.

The logos themselves seemed to be permanently adhered to the countertop as if they had always been there, in fact much of the hotel’s prominent advertising for the event seemed to be permanent, though it couldn’t possibly be.

The sun was starting to set and a team of hotel employees busied themselves inflating pool toys of all shapes and sizes for the festivities to come.

“Not your typical Cannabis event,” I joked taking the empty seat.

Florida itself was Spanish for ‘land of flowers’ - and Cannabis being a flowering plant, had always thrived here in spite of the legal turpitude.

Medical marijuana had arrived in the state in 2016, allowing limited access to terminally ill patients. The scope eventually broadened by a barrage of ballot initiatives, written and lobbied for by citizens and business interests, fed up with sitting on the sidelines.

A glaring yellow sun woke me the next morning as it shone through the open curtains and I groaned at my lack of foresight, fumbling to close them before grabbing a water from the mini fridge. There were several talks scheduled for later that day, including one from Gringo Loco at Highly Questionable Travel that I was particularly interested in. After last night’s pool side debauchery, it was time for something more traditional to a Cannabis event.

I found the rest of the stoners gathered around a large cabana that Mammoth Nutrients had rented for the weekend. “Good morning, sunshine!” shouted Billy from Gold Coast Extracts. I waved, grunting in reply before sliding into a shaded seat. The Miami heat was no joke for a Colorado boy and the temperatures were already climbing into the 90s.

THE EVENT WAS DIVIDED INTO THREE DAYS,

with Cannabis taking the stage on the third and final day, leaving us to fill our time on the beach - dabbing and relaxing in the sun while we waited for our turn to shine. We were a small crew but several canna brands had turned out for the show and the unique format had cliqued us all together, creating a sort of haphazard tribe with Gringo Loco at the lead, acting as de facto tour guide.

As the sun peaked in the sky, Gringo announced the beginning of the panels, mobilizing our motley crew. Shaking off the sand we began the short trek back to the venue.

The talks were held in small air conditioned conference rooms adjacent to the pool and we filed in filling the empty seats. The topic was Alternative Advertising and a heated debate quickly broke out around the pros and cons of advertising on major porn sites. Weedmaps had recently started advertising on RedTube and I was listening with interest as Billy from G.C.E.

questioned the potential negative effects of associating your business with porn, to much rebuke from the panel.

The remainder of the day was slotted for a series of pool parties, the themes of each explained in a small handbook and backed up by full color portrayals of last year’s event.

With nothing better to do we retired to the cabana, drinking and smoking long into the night, venturing out only for street tacos, of which Miami was famous for.

I ROSE EARLY THE NEXT MORNING, ordering a large breakfast to the room. It was game day and I was ready. We had spent most of the weekend wondering just what it was we were doing there. Today it was time to show them what our scene was about. Grabbing my gear I took off for the lobby, ready for battle.

Stepping out of the elevator I looked around in shock. Gone were the giant banners announcing the event, the laminated prints that covered the windows and doors were also missing. I hurried through the lobby towards the pool bar. Gone were the Porn Hub logos that had adorned its surface the night previous.

I quickly set to work stretching a shower cap over the only smoke alarm, and draping a rolled up towel across the threshold of the door before blazing to life the oversized blunt that dangled from my lips.

EVEN THE PEOPLE HAD CHANGED. The mix of tattooed cam girls and porn stars had been replaced by traditional tourists. It was as if someone had erased all signs of the event overnight. Retreating to the back pool I found an equally bewildered looking group standing around a denuded cabana.

The hotel had apparently pulled the plug blaming edible sales and excessive smoking in the days prior. While Cannabis was moving forward by great leaps and bounds, the public perceptions still needed some shaping.

As I stared out the window of the Boeing 747 bound for Seattle it hit me, event or no event, ultimately the climate around Cannabis was changing. These were the times we would look back on in fond retellings with our grandkids.

This was our revolution and as states like Florida slowly fell like dominos, you could tell that we were winning...

STORY by JONAH TACOMA FOR LEAF NATION

OPINION

BY JERRY WHITING LeBlancCNE.com/podcast

ARTISAN

I’d rather be a small farmer with a high quality harvest year after year, than a new farmer on a tractor struggling to grow 50 or more acres. I’d like to be a small farmer with hemp as part of my crop rotation. There will be hemp only farmers and farmers who grow hemp too. The former lends itself to monoculture, the latter leans towards sustainability.

Soybean, wheat and corn farmers have a learning curve with hemp.

4H didn’t prepare them and their county agent is of little help. Large amounts of mediocre hemp won’t bring strong prices.

With hemp legal across the country, each and every farmer is competing with every other farmer. Those that grow high quality hemp, CBD or otherwise, can get a higher price for their crop.

The hemp supply chain favors organic plant matter without pesticides or heavy metals. This is counter to what conventional farmers have been doing. Small organic farmers with a high quality product can compete against larger players on this fact alone.

One of the challenges facing all hemp farmers is finding the cultivars (strains) that work best for them. Hemp genetics are new and lack extensive field trials. The genotype/terroir matchup is a crap shoot.

Small farmers can experiment and adjust what they grow faster than large corporations. Neighboring farms can cooperate and share It’s no news that hemp is big and getting bigger. cultivation tips. Just like wine grapes, regions will focus on specific types All the headlines, tweets and media hoopla focus of hemp. Imagine hemp and Cannabis appellations. Regional tastes will almost exclusively on CBD. It’s fair to assume that determine what sells, and what’s grown locally will mold regional tastes.

Think about apples. Golden Delicious, Granny Smith and McIntosh are the hemp-derived CBD market will consolidate of no use if you’re making cider. Everyone is rushing into industrial hemp quickly, not so much based on who has the best grown for CBD extraction. There’s an underserved market for smokable products, but who has access to the retail supply hemp, both pre-rolls and trimmed flower.

This is just the kind of product that can be grown, processed and chain. Established national brands have the inside packaged by small companies and then sold locally and online. Bulk track to drugstores, grocery stores, the big boxes hemp flower can be sold at farmers markets and by CSAs (Community and every mall in the land. CBD is today what Supported Agriculture).

Some farmers will specialize - nurseries with clones, those that grow probiotics was yesterday. seed crops, hemp grown for on site use (animal bedding), etc. If family farms grow sheep to make wool, why not grow hemp for handmade paper? I met a farmer in Wisconsin who grew sunflowers, pressed the oil and heated her home. She wanted to try hemp for the oil to see if it was a more efficient fuel. The pressed meal she used as animal feed. Farmers Some of us don’t shop at malls or mainstream grocery stores, are resourceful if nothing else. If they grow hemp, they’ll figure out how and don’t buy multinational brands. I’m a food co-op, credit union, to sell it or use it on site. farmers market, microbrewery kinda guy. So is there a place in the As more and more people throw themselves into industrial hemp, many hemp economy for small local farmers and producers, local brands aren’t thinking ahead. Yes, CBD today, but what’s next? Bulk biomass is and family businesses? Will there be an artisan hemp economy the pot of gold everyone’s chasing now, but my guess is that 2020 will moving forward? Yes and yes! see a thinning of the herd. I don’t worry Why was Montana the third largest industrial about the well-financed big players, it’s the hemp producer in 2018? Because people J US T L I K E WI N E G R A P E S , mom and pop operations I worry about. own large tracks of land. Not because the R EG IO N S WI L L F OCUS O N Many have heard me say that it all climate or soil was ideal, or there was a strong begins with the plant. Lose sight of this S P EC I F IC T Y P E S O F H E M P .

Cannabis culture full of experienced growers. It and risk success. Big Ag has no interest in was about land, not culture.

R EG IO NAL TAS T E S WI L L maintaining a large and diverse genetic Those who’ve grown Cannabis have an D E T E R M I N E WHAT SE L LS , portfolio. Scale, volume, and consistency are advantage growing hemp compared to those the way to risk-free profits. who haven’t grown pot before. Sorry, but just AN D WHAT ’ S G ROWN Outlier strains may be the key to the because your grandparents grew tobacco or LOCAL LY WI L L M O L D next market opportunity. Small farms even hemp doesn’t mean you can grow and R EG IO NAL TAS T E S . can maintain diverse genetic collections, harvest a high quality product. preserving valuable hemp genetics.

As states issue hemp licenses, pay attention My advice? Grow your brand, grow your business. Sell direct, bond to places with a preexisting Cannabis culture, either recreational, with your customers. Dr. So, my acupuncture teacher, says, “Don’t chase medical or black market. Who better knows Cannabis’ soil and the dollar and the dollar will chase you.” nutrient requirements, how to prune, the transition from veg to flower, Do what you love, follow your passion, and stay close to the plant. and most importantly how to harvest, dry and store a crop?

HEMP?

(YES IT’S A THING)

aklEAF.COM

58

AUG. 2019

PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

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 21 and older. Keep out of reach of children. Marijuana should not be used by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. License 14432.

SMALL BATCH CRAFT CANNABIS

AVAILABLE IN SELECT STORES IN FAIRBANKS AND ANCHORAGE

STONEY BALONEy

62

Party Injuries

aklEAF.COM

It happened in the co-ed dormitory at college. There I was chatting it up outside of someone’s room in the hallway, when I heard the words splattered out in a high pitch cheer. “Mikey!” It is one of my buddies who is twice my size. He comes charging down the hallway with what I think is going to be a loving bear hug. Which is indeed the case. Until midway through when he spontaneously decides to apply a World Wrestling Federation Standing Guillotine Drop, finished with a ripe, moist kiss on the cheek. My knee has never been the same.

My girlfriend was floating the river with some friends. They came upon a 60-foot cliff ledge that people were climbing to and jumping from. What ensued for her, having had zero experience in this particular field of expertise, was an extremely painful seated landing that resulted in severe, dark purple bruises that led from the bottom of her feet, up the backs of her legs, to the cusp of her buttocks. She sat on an inflatable donut for two weeks.

My childhood friend Brad disappeared at a Kenny Chesney concert, completely blacked out, and no one could find him anywhere. He was wearing an American flag bandana around his head, which made picking him out of the crowd difficult. His phone was going straight to voicemail.

Then the show ended, and everyone was at the car ready to go home when suddenly he appeared like Charlton Heston as Moses returning from the mountain with the Ten Commandments in tow. He’d spent the entire set sitting cross-legged with his knees resting on the stage-right amplifier, so he could “really feel the bass.”

His hearing has never been quite as acute.

Please note that none of these episodes occurred while under the influence of Cannabis.

aug. 2019

More episodes at stoney-baloney.com