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#56 | DEC. 2020
INDEPENDENT CANNABIS JOURNALISM SINCE 2010
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Ask your budtender for that Sweet Matanuska Green today! S W E E T M ATA N U S K A G R E E N.C O M | F B .C O M / S W E E T M ATA N U S K A G R E E N | S W E E T M ATA N U S K A G R E E N @ G M A I L .C O M Lic # 17105 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 machiner y under its influence. (3) There are health risks associated with the consumption of marijuana. (4) F o r u s e b y a d u l t s t w e n t y - o n e a n d o l d e r. K e e p o u t o f r e a c h o f c h i l d r e n . ( 5 ) M a r i j u a n a s h o u l d n o t b e u s e d b y w o m e n w h o a r e p r e g n a n t o r b r e a s t f e e d i n g .
DEC. 2020
ISSUE 57 11 EDITOR’S NOTE 12 NATIONAL NEWS 14 BUDTENDER 18 WEEMOTIONS 22 SCORPION GRASS 26 THE TREE HOUSE 28 STRAIN OF THE MONTH 32 THE CULTURE ISSUE 33 ICONS 34 MUSIC 35 ART 36 GLASS 38 SPORTS 40 FOOD 42 CELEBS 44 GIFT GUIDE 46 LADY GRAY EDIBLES 47 HERBAN EXTRACTS 48 TANNINS & TERPENES 50 CANNTHROPOLOGY 52 STONEY BALONEY ISSUU.COM/NWLEAF
O'HARA SHIPE
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18 JOSHUA HARRISON
36
O'HARA SHIPE
THE MAN BEHIND WEEMOTIONS DESIGNS
26 SHOP REVIEW THE TREE HOUSE, ANCHORAGE Illuminati over Syzygy Jetcycler
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alaska leaf chats with the team behind toro glass to learn about how their iconic designs & technology have revolutionized the cannabis glass art machine.
44 GANJA GIFT GUIDE INTERVIEW by MAX EARLY @LIFTED_STARDUST/LEAF NATION | PHOTO by JEFF DIMARCO @IAMJEFFD I MARCO
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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 judgement. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the innuence 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.
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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 /
A B O U T T H E C OV E R For The Culture Issue, we wanted to highlight the myriad ways that Cannabis can be used and enjoyed by people from all walks of life. This vibrant cutaway scene was created by Baltimore-based illustrator Devin Watson. “My artwork is very inspired by the psychedelic pioneers of the ‘60s and ‘70s, particularly the work of Push Pin Studios, Family Dog, and the Grateful Dead posters of Stanley Mouse,” says Watson, who has worked in the field since 2007. “I love pieces that make people pause to explore the illustration and uncover all its little secrets.”
ILLUSTRATION by DEVIN WATSON @eyeballfortress
PUBLISHER
CONTRIBUTORS
WES ABNEY | FOUNDER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
BOBBY BLACK, FEATURES JOSHUA BOULET, ILLUSTRATIONS TOM BOWERS, FEATURES MAX EARLY, FEATURES STEVE ELLIOTT, NATIONAL NEWS JEFF DIMARCO, PHOTOS JEFF PORTERFIELD, DESIGN LUKAS PREVIN, FEATURES ESHOM REED, REVIEWS MIKE RICKER, FEATURES MEGHAN RIDLEY, EDITING ZACK RUSKIN, FEATURES O'HARA SHIPE, PHOTOGRAPHY PACER STACKTRAIN, FEATURES NATE WILLIAMS, REVIEWS DEVIN WATSON, ILLUSTRATION
WES@NWLEAF.COM 206-235-6721
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CONTENT DIRECTOR O'HARA SHIPE | EDITORIAL
OHARA@SHIPESHOTS.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, akleaf.com. Email josh@akleaf.com for more info on supporting and advertising with Alaska Leaf!
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ABNEY
Editor’s Note What does Cannabis culture mean as we head into 2021? As a high school honors student in 2004, I made fun of stoners without mercy. They were stinky, grungy and certainly not in advanced classes! The messaging about Cannabis from my parents (who are still teachers today), the media and movies like “Dude Where’s My Car” made smoking pot akin to killing brain cells – which was not something I wanted to do yet. But by freshman year in college, our Creative Director Daniel Berman and I had our Journalism advisor ask, “Wes, do you always do your homework when you’re high?”
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My journey with Cannabis culture went from the DARE mindset, to embracing it as a fun party drug, to being arrested for possession – before ultimately realizing the medicinal values that led me to start Northwest Leaf in 2010. This massive change happened for me over a period of an influential year, and I feel like much of America is on a similar journey to what I went WE HAVE through as a teenager. A THRIVING COMMUNITY, America is confused about Cannabis. We have the stereotyping of COMPLETE stoners in the media alongside the massive coverage of the mediciWITH nal and ‘safer-than-alcohol’ recreational benefits, all mixed in with a CULTURE Bible Belt mentality and DARE’s ongoing stigmas, and now even have AND VALUES Oregon decriminalizing all drugs entirely. Simply put, most Americans couldn’t define Cannabis culture, let alone imagine that we have a thriving community, complete with culture and values that lead many of our venerated pastimes like sports, music, arts and celebrity culture. More on that with Ricker’s “Death of Celebrity Culture” piece – a great read with good reasons as to why Cannabis doesn’t need a Kardashian to share the marquee with. The point is, we know that we have an amazing culture, but the rest of the country is still in the dark. And we have to break out of the past and embrace the future – blending patients with stoners, grunge with rasta, wooks with suits and everyone in between. Because Cannabis touches all walks of life, can help everyone as a medicine or recreational substance, and is going to change the world and how we view it. This I know beyond a doubt, the same way I did when my mom asked if I wanted to live my life behind bars for choosing to smoke pot. My answer? It shouldn’t have ever been illegal … and a few months later the Leaf was born. Thank you for reading and being a part of our community and culture – let’s remember to let it shine! After all, it feels good to be high and smile, so make sure to spread the cheer this holiday season. Our world will thank you for it.
-Wes Abney DEC. 2020
DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS | Our Nov. 2020 interview with Budtender of the Month Suzie Hollister of Pakalolo Supply Co. mispelled her name. AK Leaf regrets the error and welcomes reader feedback.
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N O RT H E AS T L E A F
national news
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northwest
MISSISSIPPI VOTERS APPROVE MEDICAL MARIJUANA LAW
VINEYARDS LOSE LAWSUIT AGAINST NEIGHBORING FARM
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wo Oregon wine grape growers failed to convince a state judge that their grapes would be ruined by odors coming from a nearby Cannabis operation, reports the Insurance Journal. Smeara Vineyard and Maysara Winery didn’t meet the burden of proof to justify blocking the Wagner family from growing and processing THE COMPANIES DIDN’T MEET marijuana, Yamhill County Circuit Court Judge Cynthia Easterday ruled in THE BURDEN OF PROOF TO October, reports The Capital Press. JUSTIFY BLOCKING THE WAGNER The judge said she deliberated for nearly eight months since the February FAMILY FROM GROWING AND PROCESSING MARIJUANA. trial and had re-listened to expert testimony several different times. “This was a very difficult and close decision,” Judge Easterday said. While the potential for the smell of Cannabis to taint wine grapes raises “a threat, a risk, and concerns, there is insufficient proof at this time by a preponderance of the evidence that it will damage plaintiffs’ current or future agricultural products.” northwest
TASK FORCE CREATES PATHWAY FOR MORE BLACKOWNED CANNABIS BUSINESSES IN WASHINGTON STATE
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o-chaired by two Black women, a new task force will help develop diversity criteria for the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board to use when awarding future licenses to Cannabis businesses, reports KING 5 News. The task force came from the passage of House Bill 2870, which allows for more Cannabis business licenses to be handed out for social equity purposes. It’s part of a larger effort by the state to be more inclusive in its “WE AS AFRICAN AMERICANS WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE Cannabis industry. BEING MADE WHOLE IN THIS The Social Equity in Cannabis Task Force has state Rep. Melanie Morgan INDUSTRY, AS WE HAVE IN of Parkland as its co-chair. “The state of Washington is moving along in that THE PAST BEEN PENALIZED FOR THIS VERY THING,” SAID progressive place … we have to be radical and make some deep changes,” STATE REP. MELANIE MORGAN. Morgan said. “We as African Americans want to ensure that we are being made whole in this industry, as we have in the past been penalized for this very thing.” The task force, co-chaired by Paula Sardinas of the African American Commission, features community members and state lawmakers who will create criteria for 35 Cannabis licenses currently unclaimed.
KANSAS LAWMAKER CALLS FOR ‘SERIOUS DEBATE’ ON LEGALIZATION
aklEAF.COM
It’s taken a long time to build up the familiarity, education, and inform the public about it,” said Kansas state Rep. Gail Finney of Wichita, who first introduced a bill which would have legalized medical Cannabis in the state back in 2009. That bill died in committee, but Rep. Finney is one of the few Kansas lawmakers who actively pushes for legalization in Kansas. “They would joke with me and like, ‘Oh, Representative Finney just wants to eat some chips. Smoke weed and eat some chips,’” she said. ACCORDING TO FINNEY, ONE According to Finney, one of her main opponents when it comes to legalization is law HER MAIN enforcement. Her efforts have received pushback from Kansas officials who have tried to link it OF OPPONENTS WHEN to more people being “chemically impaired.” But a poll recently conducted by Fort Hays State IT COMES TO LEGALIZATION University showed more than 60 percent of Kansans support legalization. Rep. Finney said IS LAW she’ll be making another solid push for it in the 2021 session of the legislature. ENFORCEMENT.
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states — Arizona, Montana, Mississippi (medical only), New Jersey and South Dakota, all voted big to legalize.
dec, 2020
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new bills have been introduced to loosen Cannabis penalties in Texas.
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states plus D.C. have now legalized recreational or adult-use laws allowing for the consumption of Cannabis.
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signatories signed a letter calling on President Trump to free pot prisoners.
A
funny thing happened in Mississippi on November 3. Politicians didn’t want medical marijuana in the Magnolia State. Public leaders in medicine, law enforcement and religion all warned voters against it. Conservative talk radio hosts darkly warned of its grave consequences. The Legislature, after years of sitting on their hands, offered a weak, watered down “alternative.” And Mississippi’s voters roundly ignored all of that nonsense, and passed their robust medical Cannabis law anyway. The people easily passed Initiative 65 on Election Day, amending the Mississippi Constitution and legalizing medicinal marijuana. THE PEOPLE EASILY A program supervised by the State PASSED INITIATIVE Department of Health – which opposed 65 ON ELECTION DAY, AMENDING the measure – will allow Mississippians with one of at least 22 medical conditions THE MISSISSIPPI CONSTITUTION to buy medical Cannabis as soon as AND LEGALIZING August 2021. MEDICINAL MARIJUANA. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves showed himself to be something of a pot alarmist during the run-up to the vote, tweeting that “it would mean the most liberal weed rules in the US! Pot shops everywhere – no local authority.” Voters didn’t agree. Nearly 70 percent of Mississippi voters supported legalizing medical Cannabis, and an even greater share rejected the Legislature’s weak alternative.
south america
ARGENTINA TO ALLOW MEDICAL CANNABIS TO BE GROWN AT HOME
A
rgentina in November authorized patients to grow Cannabis at home for medicinal use, after a years-long struggle by supporters to make it widely available to those suffering from a broad range of ailments, reports The New York Times. A decree issued by President Alberto Fernandez also allows pharmacies to sell Cannabisbased oils, creams and other products, and orders public and private insurance systems to allow patient access to Cannabis products. The decree places special emphasis on families who are currently forced to resort to illegal cultivation for medicine. It acknowledges that the role of the government is “to adequately regulate access to the controlled cultivation of the Cannabis plant, as well as its derivatives, for purposes of medicinal, therapeutic and/or palliative treatment of pain.” The new regulations also note that restrictions on access to Cannabis and its derivatives are far too stringent for patients, and how high costs make the products financially prohibitive for patients as well.
60
percent of Arizonans voted in favor of Cannabis legalization November 3.
68
percent of Americans now support Cannabis legalization — a new record high.
74
percent of Mississippians voted for medical Cannabis in November.
By STEVE ELLIOTT, AUTHOR OF THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF MARIJUANA
willsworldalaska.com willsworld_ak@outlook.com @ wills_world_extracts
THE DIFFERENCE IS CLEAR
Lic # 12536 1) Marijuana has intoxicating ef fec t s and may be habit forming and addic tive. (2) Marijuana impairs concentration, coordination, and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machiner y under it s inf luence. (3) There are health risk s associated with the consumption of marijuana. (4) F o r u s e b y a d u l t s t w e n t y - o n e a n d o l d e r. K e e p o u t o f r e a c h o f c h i l d r e n . ( 5 ) M a r i j u a n a s h o u l d n o t b e u s e d b y w o m e n w h o a r e p r e g n a n t o r b r e a s t f e e d i n g .
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 J O S H @ A K L E A F . C O M
CHERRY FERRY
ALASKA LEAF BUDTENDER OF THE MONTH Cherry is an old-school stoner who appreciates each person she meets in the shop – from the age of 21 to 84. She prides herself on top shelf customer service and enjoys gardening, camping, boating, fishing and mixing her Cajun flavors with all the fresh local seafood.
YOU MOVED TO KETCHIKAN IN 1992 FROM YOUR HOME CITY OF NEW ORLEANS. DID YOU EVER SMOKE WEED IN THE FRENCH QUARTER GROWING UP? Oh, hell yes! WAS IT BLACK MARKET, TABASCOLACED, OIL RIG WEED? Pretty much (laughs). We used to call it Mexican. I remember the first pound of Acapulco Gold we got – a lot of people called it Colombian Gold, but we knew it as Acapulco Gold. And then you also had Thai Sticks. There was always seeds in the weed back then, so you had to use your album cover to sift them out.
14 "I CALL CANNABIS MY MENTAL MEDS."
NOW THAT YOU’RE IN THE LEGAL CANNABIS BIZ, HOW MUCH BETTER IS THE CANNABIS THAN WHEN YOU USED TO SIFT THE SEEDS ON YOUR LED ZEPPELIN ALBUM? There’s no comparison. I didn’t know what a cannabinoid or a terpene was. And back then I did not use it for medical purposes, it was just a party tool. Now, don’t get me wrong – I love my high – but there are some strains that I dearly love for my aches and pains and mental health.
aklEAF.COM
WHAT STRAINS ARE THOSE? One of my favorites that we grow is Blue Dream, but I mostly like indicas. We have one called Blue Widow that is insanely good – it really helps ease the physical pain of the arthritis in my neck and shoulders. And for my mental health – I call Cannabis my mental meds. I used to be on a lot of prescription pills like Zoloft and Prozac and that kind of crap, but I started using tinctures and edibles, as well as smoking. It has been a saving grace for me – I swear it has. IF YOU HAD TO CONVINCE SOME FAMILY MEMBERS TO COME TO ALASKA, HOW WOULD YOU PITCH IT? Up here it is so laid back, and in the lower 48, everyone is so busy. And the beauty here – Alaska is truly the last frontier. I just love it. IS YOUR BIRTH NAME CHERRY FERRY? No, that’s a married name – I married Tom Ferry. And my birth name is Blossom.
RAINFOREST CANNABIS
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dec, 2020
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Onion down a drea On a stormy Monday afternoon in Anchorage, the roads are obscured with a fresh coat of black ice and the remnants of the previous night’s snowfall. With COVID-19 restrictions tightening amidst a surge in case counts, the city is eerily quiet as 35-yearold Joshua Harrison navigates the mile of treacherous road that stands between his home and work. When he arrives, the parking lot is mostly vacant. He slips on a black face mask and adjusts his light blue work shirt before entering through the back door of Anchorage’s iconic greasy spoon, The Lucky Wishbone.
aklEAF.COM
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Inside, there is a flurry of activity as apron-clad workers rush about the tightly packed kitchen. Over the sound of cleavers, deep fryers and the hum of industrial freezers, Harrison greets his coworkers before setting up his small workstation. For the next five hours, Harrison will lovingly prep hundreds of onion rings from scratch. “All of my friends always ask me how I don’t cry around all these onions,” explains Harrison with a smile. “I guess it’s just something you get used to. Plus, no one else can make the rings like I do.” As Harrison nimbly dunks freshly cut onions into a container of batter before coating them in breadcrumbs, it’s evident that this humble man exemplifies the principle that the journey is more important than the destination. “I definitely didn’t think that I would be working here for 16 years – you start to fall in love with the process and the people. But I’ve always dreamed of starting my own business. My first idea was to open a food cart called ‘Nacho Average Nacho,’” laughs Harrison.
B
ut just like the perfect onion ring has to be plucked from hot oil at precisely the right time, Harrison needed time to find what he was truly passionate about. In 2017, while sitting on his favorite leather chair in the condo he shares with his mom,
DEC. 2020
he dreamed up Weemotions. “It seems like for the longest time, people have had an unchanging mental picture of weed,” says Harrison. “It’s always the same leaf depicted and the same image of some stoner hippie smoking on their couch, but the reality is that Cannabis users are everyone from doctors to teachers. It occurred to me that there’s still a real stigma around the usage of Cannabis.” Initially conceptualized as a specialized emoji keyboard featuring Cannabis leaf cartoons, Harrison wanted to change the face of Cannabis one emotion at a time. A year later and with a notebook full of inspiration, Harrison had the makings of a great business idea. Still, he lacked the proverbial missing ingredients to get his dream off the ground. He had never owned a laptop. He didn’t know about the computer programs he would eventually need to digitize his sketches. And perhaps most importantly, he’d never built a business from the ground up. “When I started, I didn’t know nothing at all. Like, literally, I had to stop so many times just to watch YouTube or read about how to do something,” says Harrison. Realizing the complexity of developing an emoji line, Harrison decided to transition his business from tech to an urban-influenced product line. It began with the production of stickers featuring a few of the growing number of characters he had created.
Joshua Harrison, founder of Alaska apparel company, Weemotions, doesn't let his day job get in the way of his passion for illustration.
am Weemotions Designs Soon, Harrison’s friends were asking for branded, wearable merchandise. “I never really saw myself pursuing a career in clothing – designing it is just something I love to do. I like to create and I feel like a lot of stuff is being created by people with money, not by people who are actual Cannabis consumers. So, I figured I should fill the niche that wasn’t being filled,” Harrison says. The niche that Harrison hopes to occupy is as a global brand for Cannabis culture that includes everything from apparel to paraphernalia, and even adult comic books. “The ultimate would be to have a show on Adult Swim,” says Harrison. To date, Harrison has sunk $40K of his own money – or approximately the cost of 4,100 orders of onion rings – into developing Weemotions. But it’s a price he’s willing to pay for one remarkable reason: A crucial element of Harrison’s business model is to manufacture his products locally in Alaska, so he can provide economic opportunities to the disenfranchised. “A good friend of mine was getting out of jail on a felony charge, and I knew it was going to be really hard for him to find a good job. I also have friends who are single moms trying to raise multiple kids. You know, I want to be able to provide a business where people could drop in and work when they are down on their luck,” Harrison says. Although Harrison might be a ways from realizing his goal, that’s not stopping him from working for it. Harrison’s line of hats, t-shirts, hoodies, stickers and air fresheners are currently stocked at two Anchorage dispensaries, Dankorage and Tip Top. He’s also planning to launch an online store and website in the new year.
“It seems like for the longest time, people have had an unchanging mental picture of weed,” says Harrison. “It’s always the same leaf depicted and the same image of some stoner hippie smoking on their couch, but the reality is that Cannabis users are everyone from doctors to teachers. It occurred to me that there’s still a real stigma around the usage of Cannabis.”
You can follow Joshua's journey on Instagram: @Weemotions Find his apparel at the Anchorage dispensaries, Dankorage & Tip Top.
WEEMOTIONS.COM
STORY & PHOTOS by O'HARA SHIPE @SHIPESHOTS/ALASKA LEAF | ILLUSTRATIONS by WEEMOTIONS
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garden highlight aklEAF.COM
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As a former pro snowboarder, Smith is used to being knocked down and coming back stronger.
DEC. 2020
Lead Cultivator Ryan Smith
SCORPION GRASS Pulling up to 266 S. McCallister Drive in Wasilla, you would never suspect that a little over a year ago, the sleek industrial building standing in front of you was engulfed in flames. On June 26, 2019, just days from his first harvest, Lead Cultivator Ryan Smith received the devastating news.
"A
ll you can really do in that situation is drink a bottle of tequila – or at least that is what I did," explains Smith. As a former pro snowboarder, Smith is used to being knocked down and coming back stronger. And that is precisely what the California-native has done. The now wholly rebuilt indoor garden features an elaborate automated feeding system that Smith calls the cultivation process’ heart and soul. Powered by Dosatron nutrient injectors, the automated system is fed by on-site well water that undergoes ultraviolet purification before being mixed with a specialty nutrient blend that Smith makes in-house. Apart from allowing Smith to keep absolute control over the water temperature and nutrient blend, the Dosatron system is also a space saver. "For all of these rooms and all of these plants, we would have needed massive mixing tanks to accommodate the 1,000 to 1,200 gallons of water we have running through here on a daily basis. Plus, I can control the entire system from my phone – anywhere in the world," says Smith. CONTINUES PG 22
STORY & PHOTOS by O'HARA SHIPE @SHIPESHOTS/ALASKA LEAF
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garden highlight
continued from pg. 21
SCORPION GRASS
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aklEAF.COM
H
aving a tight locus of control is the key to Scorpion Grass' success as Smith's crew is currently overseeing 60 ‘moms,’ from which 1,400 clones will be taken. The clones will spend 10-14 days in the mom room until they take root and are moved to the veg room. In the veg room, the clones are planted in pre-filled coco coir cloth planters. Made from coconut husks, the coco coir is more environmentally friendly than peat moss and tends to produce hardier plants. "We decided on this system because the coco bricks expand quickly and in a big commercial setting like this, that saves labor as opposed to buying bags and coco to pack the pots by hand. The fabric pots also breathe a lot better so we can get more oxygen to the roots," says Smith. Space-saving coco bricks are only one way that Smith is maximizing his available space. The veg room's high ceilings make it ideal for vertical gardening, so Smith's team
DEC. 2020
utilizes three-tiered stacked tables on wheels to accommodate 1,400 growing clones. "The idea was to save square footage on the building by having really high ceilings. So, we actually have more canopy space than actual floor square footage," explains Smith. Though the high ceilings are only used in the mom and veg room, Scorpion Grass' two bloom rooms are just as magnificent to witness. 1,100 successful clones are spread out across five, 48-foot-long tables that stretch the length of the room. Overhead, the budding plants are nourished by 72 massive lights that are 25x50 feet in size, and a drip water system. But the sheer size of Scorpion Grass' bloom rooms is only one part of what makes the rooms so remarkable. "Everything about this building was designed for growing Cannabis and selling it, and then it burned down. I still remember coming in here after the fire and seeing a charred opening in the roof. The sun was shining in, and it was so
surreal. It was like looking at a war zone," recalls Smith. It was in this devastation that Smith saw a small glimmer of hope. "I had to walk through here and take cuttings of some of the plants so we could save the genetics. And then I saw a piece of my favorite strain – Ice Cream Cake – literally growing out from underneath these old burned trusses from the roof. It was this real sentimental moment when I took that clone," says Smith. The clone has since been cross-bred with MAC to create Smith's signature strain – Attic Fire – and is one of about 60 strains that Smith has overseen during his time with Scorpion Grass. With in-house pollen stores, Smith can continue to craft new strains, but for now he’s focused on the goal of honing in on 30 reliable varieties that can be rotated monthly. SCORPIONGRASSAK.COM | @SCORPION_GRASS
STORY & PHOTOS by O'HARA SHIPE @SHIPESHOTS/ALASKA LEAF
SHOP REVIEW
THE TREE ENVIRONMENT & VIBE
The Tree House experience begins the moment you pull up to the store. Large storefront windows give you a peek at a larger-than-life mural by artist Ted Kim. It is not until you walk into the lobby that you realize the artwork is done entirely in black Sharpie markers. But this is only one of many pleasant surprises that await you. The Tree House interior is open concept and blends the hipster feel of the Pacific Northwest with Muldoon’s urban vibe. Uncensored hip-hop is on constant blast from the store’s speakers, and you can frequently find customers and budtenders engaged in impromptu karaoke – adding to the undeniably cool vibe that emanates from The Tree House.
PRODUCTS
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There is no shortage of products to choose from at The Tree House. Customers can choose from 20 flower strains from Karma Grown Gardens, Scorpion Grass, Arctic Farm and Freedom 49 Farms, to name a few. Or, if edibles are more your speed, you’ll find everything from Honey Sticks to Mountain Man Cookies and Fire Eater Soda to Dosed Gummies. The dispensary is also wellstocked with concentrates, pre-rolls and topicals. To keep their products affordable, The Tree House has a generous rewards program and daily deals ranging from Wax Wednesdays to CBD Sundays.
HISTORY The Tree House quietly opened its doors on July 17, 2020, after three years of planning. Owned by an Eastside local, The Tree House is equipped with an elevated but accessible urban vibe that is aspirational for surrounding businesses. As one customer remarked, “The Tree House is a breath of fresh air around here.” Although COVID-19 restrictions put a damper on having a grand opening, the store has quickly become a hotspot due to its prime location, vibe and dedication to serving its remarkably diverse customers.
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BUDTENDERS The majority of The Tree House’s 10 budtenders migrated to the Eastside from other Anchorage dispensaries, so they all come with a wealth of knowledge and previous experience. They are also Cannabis connoisseurs and are excited to help guide newbies to the right products for their individual needs. Their high level of professionalism mixed with their passion for Cannabis results in supremely satisfied, loyal customers. One could say that The Tree House is Anchorage’s dispensary version of Cheers. 341 BONIFACE PARKWAY #D, ANCHORAGE (907) 229-2284 THETREEHOUSEAK.COM @THETREEHOUSEAK MON.-FRI. 8AM-MIDNIGHT SAT./SUN. 10AM-MIDNIGHT
dec, 2020
Situated in the heart of one of Muldoon’s up-and-coming neighborhoods, The Tree House is perfectly tailored to its diverse customer base. As an added bonus, this brand new dispensary is flanked by small, mom and pop restaurants and even a gas station, making it the perfect grab-and-go for Anchorage’s Eastsiders. REVIEW by ALASKA LEAF STAFF | PHOTO by O'HARA SHIPE @SHIPESHOTS
EE HOUSE THE TREE HOUSE IS EQUIPPED WITH AN ELEVATED BUT ACCESSIBLE URBAN VIBE THAT IS ASPIRATIONAL FOR SURROUNDING BUSINESSES.
STRAIN OF THE MONTH aklEAF.COM
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GROWN BY SMOKING JOE’S TERPS
@SMOKINGJOESTERPS
dec, 2020
CLEM
A treasure to smell, but an absolute dream to smoke.
LET’S FACE IT, WE COULD ALL USE A TROPICAL VACATION RIGHT NOW. BUT UNTIL WE’RE OUT OF THIS DUMPSTER FIRE OF A YEAR, WE’D RECOMMEND CRANKING UP THE THERMOSTAT, THROWING ON YOUR FAVORITE BOARD SHORTS AND DIPPING INTO THE LATEST HYBRID STRAIN TO COME OUT OF SMOKING JOE’S TERPS – QUEEN BANANA CLEMENTINE.
H
QUEEN BANANA MENTINE
ighlighted by its bright yellow-green color, the bud structure looks like it would be a heavy-hitting indica. Yet, the real treasure is hidden inside. Upon breaking open a nug, you’ll notice the flower’s almost quartz geode-like appearance, which is packed full of trichomes that sparkle and shine like Edward Cullen in the sun. This bud delivers an unmistakable banana scent on the first inspection; however, a longer whiff will reveal an aromatic profile that is more tropical than a real banana. Cannabis connoisseurs may also detect the citrus notes from the Clementine strain and subtle hints of pepper that fill the senses when you inhale deeply. Not only is Queen Banana Clementine a treasure to smell, but an absolute dream to smoke. Don’t let this hybrid’s delightful aroma fool you – it packs some major punch! After the first spark of your lighter, its effects creep over your face and wrap your head in a warm fuzzy balaclava of royal bliss, eventually dropping into your chest. Just like Queen Banana Clementine’s incredible scent, the bud’s three primary terpenes make for a great, multi-layered smoking experience. Not surprisingly, the smoke is also astonishingly smooth and pleasant. With a THC content of 25.8 percent, the Queen has enough sativa to keep you active and focused, with a nice indica finish that you can feel in your bones. Simply put, one toke and you will have found your own personal, tropicallaced nirvana. 25.8% THC | Stoney Indica Hybrid
REVIEW by ALASKA LEAF STAFF | PHOTO by O'HARA SHIPE @SHIPESHOTS
the CULTURE issue
STORY by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS + MIKE RICKER @RICKERDJ
CANNABIS CULTURE. Together, those two words encapsulate an encouraging phenomenon – the idea that a plant can inform identity, binding individuals to one another. But that’s what Cannabis does. It inspires the mind and spirit of those who invite its synergistic qualities into their bodies, and by doing so, sows the seeds of lifestyle. Within the evolution of modern human history, Cannabis influence has woven into the fabric of our shared existence in a myriad of ways: The saxophonist improvising rich, sultry notes in sweaty underground jazz clubs. Rasta mystics channeling a higher level of spirituality. The Beat poet hammering out the essence of America on the keys of an Underwood typewriter. Tie-dyed miracle seekers smiling brightly outside of a show with a finger held high. Good parents slyly sipping on a vape pen. Entrepreneurs evaluating a pitch to fund their startup over a pre-roll. Grandma slathering medicated lotion on arthritic joints, savoring an infused chocolate.
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Cannabis is the touchstone, the common thread that stitches the tapestry together. It’s the flag. So, then, how do you define Cannabis culture? Perhaps it’s not typical of any one type of person or distinct aesthetic. Its mystery is not delineated by socioeconomic status, skin color or geographical region. We all know what it is not. It’s what it is that stretches the barriers of our imaginations and escapes the dogma of definition. Cannabis culture is defined by the tribe who prescribe and imbibe. It’s a community of seekers reaching for an unconventional connection that swirls in the ether outside the periphery of conformity. They are not easily fooled, are wise to propaganda and weary of carpetbagging capitalists with steely smiles.
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We are on the precipice of an overwhelming shift and the momentum is palpable. Cannabis is essential and so are the people who apply it to their lives and improve their precious time on this planet. We are at the epicenter of a movement, blasting through the atmosphere like a rocket to the sun, staring down the inevitable collision of rainbow supernova proportions into a massive collective spiritual awakening. All around this plant. It’s a community of seekers reaching for an unconventional connection that swirls in the ether outside the periphery of conformity.
DEC. 2020
We all inherently understand where we are and what we are, but Cannabis allows us to better understand and express who we are. It helps all of us seekers on our quest for deeper meaning and stronger connection. In this issue, the Leaf staff have humbly extracted the indispensable intricacies of Cannabis culture into a sticky concentrate for your consumption. Please enjoy.
ART
FOOD MUSIC GLASS ICONS SPORTS SOCIAL
CELEBS GIFTS ART BY IRINA
HUNTER S. THOMPSON “I have always loved marijuana. It has been a source of joy and comfort to me for many years. And I still think of it as a basic staple of life, along with beer and ice and grapefruits – and millions of Americans agree with me.”
BROWNIE MARY “I’m not a criminal. I did nothing wrong. I was helping my kids. We desperately need medical marijuana in this country.”
B-REAL “Like Louis Armstrong played the trumpet, I’ll hit that bong and break you off somethin’ soon.”
DAVE CHAPPELLE “I don’t do drugs, though. Just weed.”
ZACK GALIFIANAKIS “I don’t know what my assistant would do besides get me pot.”
JOE ROGAN “If you lock someone up for smoking a plant that makes them happy, you’re the fucking criminal.”
DOUG BENSON “A message to parents who think legalizing weed will make their kids want to try it: They will anyway.”
WHOOPI GOLDBERG “The vape pen has changed my life. No, I’m not exaggerating. In fact, her name is Sippy. Yes, she’s a she. And yes, I named her Sippy because I take tiny, little sips – sassy sips, even – from her. And with each sip comes relief – from pressure, pain, stress, discomfort.”
SNOOP DOGG “Can we get a muthafuckin’ moment of silence for this small chronic break?”
BILL MURRAY “I find it quite ironic that the most dangerous thing about weed is getting caught with it.”
CARLOS SANTANA “Legalize marijuana and take all that money and invest it in teachers and in education. You will see a transformation in America.”
MARTHA STEWART “Of course I know how to roll a joint.”
SARAH SILVERMAN “I’d have to be honest: I have contempt for pretty much every drug other than pot. I find drunk people gross. Most people with more than one drink in them aren’t giggly, goofy and happy the way people are with a puff of pot smoke in them. At a party, I have so much fun stoned, flitting about -– but once I sniff that first wave of drunkenness on someone, I’m out of there.”
icons ICONS 25 CANNABIS CULTURE
33 SETH ROGEN “Yes, I have a medical marijuana prescription, personally. I went in, and they said, ‘What do you need it for?’ And I said, ‘I have a very specific ailment – it’s called, I ain’t got no weed on me right now.’”
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
CARL SAGAN “The illegality of Cannabis is outrageous, an impediment to full utilization of a drug which helps produce the serenity and insight, sensitivity and fellowship so desperately needed in this increasingly mad and dangerous world.”
MORGAN FREEMAN “I have fibromyalgia pain ... and the only thing that offers any relief is marijuana.”
JACK KEROUAC “I smoked more grass than anyone you ever knew in your life.”
LOUIS ARMSTRONG “We always looked at pot as a sort of medicine, a cheap drunk and with much better thoughts than one that’s full of liquor.”
LIL WAYNE “I love weed so much I tried to marry Juana.”
BOB MARLEY “I feel so high, I even touch the sky / Above the falling rain ... I got to have kaya now.”
JIMI HENDRIX “Please pass me the peace weed, and take some heed. Throw away all that mixed up speed.”
TOMMY CHONG “You can smoke marijuana, you can eat it, you can wear it, it’s a perfect plant!”
WILLIE NELSON “The biggest killer on the planet is stress, and I still think the best medicine is and always has been Cannabis.”
SHAGGY (SCOOBY DOO) “Like wow, my favorite! A double triple decker sardine and marshmallow fudge sandwich.”
WILLIAM S. BURROUGHS “Unquestionably, this drug is very useful to the artist, activating trains of association that would otherwise be inaccessible, and I owe many of the scenes in Naked Lunch directly to the use of Cannabis.”
CREATIVE COMMONS IMAGES/LEAF NATION STAFF
the CULTURE issue
STORY by LUKAS PREVIN @DEBTCRISISDC
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MUSIC
From Then ‘Til Now: Music and Marijuana
As long as music has existed, so has the relationship between its creators and their preference of muse-inspiring consumption. We can start way back with Louis Armstrong – one of Jazz’s most influential artists, Armstrong was a household name for his genius on the trumpet spanning five decades from the 1920s to 1960s. He also used those huge lungs to inhale Cannabis between blowing out notes. Arrested outside the Los Angeles Cotton Club in 1930 for smoking a joint – reportedly laughing the night in jail away – Armstrong had no clue “what a wonderful world” was yet to come for Cannabis. As Armstrong’s last notes trilled into the ether, Jamaica was about to introduce the world to another Cannabis legend - Bob Marley. A true icon in the culture of Cannabis, Marley smoked partly due to his deep religious Rastafarian beliefs. ‘Ganja’ is a Rastafarian word taken from the Sanskrit language for marijuana, and on the song “Ganja Gun,” the lyrics lay out his deep love and respect for the medicine. Marley’s likeness continues to grace grinders, bongs, pipes and the Marley Natural brand, with his timeless music ringing throughout every storefront. Another artist you’re likely to hear banging from your dispensary’s speakers is the mighty Black Sabbath. Formed in 1968, Black Sabbath are pioneers of metal and stoner rock. Infamous for both their sound and reputation, Sabbath cemented fear in the hearts of parents around the world when they released their third studio album “Master of Reality” with the ode to Cannabis “Sweet Leaf,” starting with a rhythmic loop of Ozzy and guitarist Tony Iommi coughing from a joint, continued by a Cannabis love letter in musical form. Then there’s Willie Nelson, a man who truly adores our beloved plant and has written numerous classics on the topic. Nelson’s blend of authentic country sound and an outlaw’s attitude earned him worldwide fame. He smuggled his sound across the borders of genre, and continues to light up a style of music that usually doesn’t see much cultural crossover. Willie cashed the cigarettes and booze in 1978, when four fights with pneumonia - and a self-awareness of not being a kind drunk - turned Cannabis into his one true love. These days, his Willie’s Reserve brand of Cannabis is available across the country.
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We can see that Cannabis has shifted from underground whispers and innuendo to mainstream acceptability in the arts.
Next we pass the pipe to Snoop Dogg – perhaps the only man to claim to have smoked 81 blunts in a day and be believed. An artist, advocate and entrepreneur, Snoop helped pave the way for other celebrities to come forth with their own Cannabis use. From his albums, to his Snoop Dogg Pounds glass line, to the Cannabis company Leafs by Snoop,this titan of toking shows no signs of slowing down. Much thanks to Snoop, we find the evolution of open lyricism about Cannabis in the music of Wiz Khalifa. Hailing from North Dakota, Wiz has been burning through charts and Cannabis. Releasing records with infused titles like “Kush and Orange Juice” and “Rolling Papers,” Wiz squashes the stigma of lighting up. Another entrepreneur in both industries, Wiz has launched Khalifa Kush and his own rolling paper collab with RAW. Over the years, Cannabis representation in the arts has shifted from underground whispers and
innuendo to mainstream acceptability. A modern-day example of this crossover is Margo Price. Born in Illinois and based in Nashville, Price is currently one of country’s biggest rising stars. Grammy nominated in 2019, Margo came out as a Cannabis user stating that “some musicians want to sell clothes on the Home Shopping Network, but I want to sell weed.” Price would do just that with her All American Made line supported by Willie’s Reserve. Price’s alignment with Nelson not only brought extra attention to her music, but also bolstered her counterculture image as a pioneer in the Cannabis field. With each generation of artists, the public’s embrace of Cannabis progresses like the notes in a scale. Today, we have the legends of yesterday collaborating on music and Cannabusiness with the next class of hitmakers. There’s no telling what the green muse will inspire in the generations to come.
ART BY OLEGGANKO
STORY by MAX EARLY @LIFTED_STARDUST
@MILEHIGHGALLERY | MILEHIGHGALLERY.BIGCARTEL.COM
Brain Heart displays by Emilio Garcia with chairs by Takashi Murakami
Mark Whalen’s “Ok Okay” vinyls
High Art
Drew Degen | Q Q& &A Mile High Gallery
From vinyl toys to canvas paintings, high-end glass art to recycled tables crafted out of skateboards, Mile High Gallery has it all. We were lucky enough to pick owner Drew Degen’s brain a bit for our December Culture Issue, gaining insight into the underground art scene world and how Cannabis has influenced these rebellious pioneers. With art curators like himself, we hope that both street art and Cannabis will become more widely appreciated and accepted. Visit Mile High Gallery’s Instagram page, where Drew steadily adds art on the daily.
WHAT PARALLELS DO YOU SEE IN CANNABIS AND THE UNDERGROUND STREET ART CULTURE? Both Cannabis
and street art are still illegal in most places worldwide, but are still a positive part of the daily lives of millions of people. Growing up, both of these subjects were frowned upon, but the overall public opinion on both of these subjects over the past two decades has changed dramatically in a positive direction. Colorado played a big part in doing this because it was one of the first states to legalize recreational back in 2012 – and we also have one of the largest underground art scenes currently. Only two years before legalization, the first Crush Walls event occurred. Crush Walls is a counterculture graffiti-based event which takes place annually in Denver. Crush Walls focuses on creative expression and has hosted iconic artists like Shepard Fairey, Cryptik, Hoxxoh, Elmac and many more.
HOW DO YOU FIND THAT CANNABIS INFLUENCES ARTISTS TO PUSH THEIR BOUNDARIES AND THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX? Cannabis
has incentivized creativity in humans and artists for thousands of years. From cave art to the emergence of graffiti as a counterculture art form in the 1960s, it’s common to find Cannabis as a collaborating partner. It’s scientifically proven that Cannabis can make you more creative – it increases cerebral blood flow to the brain’s frontal lobe – which is directly linked to creativity.
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“Nebula Panther” by Adam G and Buck @sweaterkingpin @buckglass
Cannabis companies using art directly on their products and packaging to look more attractive and to pertain to the common Cannabis user, who most likely appreciates art too. This is a direct correlation between artists and the Cannabis community. I’ve been noticing that more muralists are getting hired to paint public spaces, including the walls on the exterior and interior of Cannabis dispensaries and headshops.
HOW ARE ARTISTS INFLUENCING THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY? Cannabis and art go hand
in hand. Some of the most notable artists in the world have shaped their careers off using Cannabis, whether it’s musical artists from Willie Nelson and Bob Marley portraying their lyrics about how Cannabis helps them, to painters like Alex Grey directly depicting the plant. Not only does Cannabis influence artists, but artists also influence the Cannabis community greatly. I often see
Hebru Brantley Flyboy and Lil Mama vinyls with a mask made by Dan Schaub
(Left to right:) WJC (@wjcglass) x Rose Roads (@roseroadskojima) Heartifact, WJC x Adam G Heartifact; Quave (@quaveglass) x Buck(@buckglass) Fish Klein PHOTOS BY ALEX WORKMAN @WORKDUBS
the CULTURE issue Jumbo Jetcycler with jumbo Jet Perc
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Custom Jetcycler with Jet Perc
Q & A | J P To ro & W e nd y
The To ro aklEAF.COM
Tea m
dec, 2020
TORO GLASS For glass aficionados, Toro has been a name that has been familiar for years, and that is certainly not changing anytime soon. Toro Glass was one of the first brands to truly make a name for themselves, becoming an internationally renowned company and innovating the way we all consume Cannabis. From Y2K on, collectors have been flocking to their local headshops for their shot at JP Toro’s bongs and dab rigs – and Toro’s latest creation, the Terp Slurper, has become one of the most sought after glass-related items this year. Here we find what gets JP’s gears turning and what it takes to keep a machine like Toro Glass finely tuned and running clean.
Through many different trials and errors, and R&D with a couple o f m y c l o s e b o y s , t h e Te r p S l u r p e r w a s c re at e d . I t l i t e ra l l y t o o k almost three years for people to catch on, but today there is a super craze for the Slurpers and their function.
Terp Slurper
Illuminati over Syzygy Jetcycler
WENDY, CAN YOU PLEASE GIVE US AN IDEA AS TO WHAT IT TAKES TO KEEP A COMPANY LIKE TORO HIGHLY FUNCTIONING FOR THE PAST 15+ YEARS?
Marbles
It wasn’t until 2015 that I started to fuck with quartz, but I immediately became obsessed.
A lot of hard work, customer service, great employees and adaptability! We are a family-run business of 12 employees. Everyone who works here we hired through word of mouth and through a friend of a friend. There are a couple of married couples, along with some of their close relatives and family friends. We are so blessed to have the crew we have. Our families and children all grew up with each other, and we often even celebrate holidays together. Our bonds and respect for one another run deep. Luckily too, JP designed Toro as a ‘classic.’ As the industry ebbs and flows from flowers to hash, from titanium to domes to quartz, we are adaptable and luckily JP is always at the forefront.
JP, WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO CREATE? For function, the
desire to make the ultimate hitting piece. For art,
are industry standards and the building block behind so many pieces. Back at the beginning of this industry, there were tubes and hand and water pipes. When I first made ‘micro’ and ‘macro’ pieces, people were not sure what to think of these smaller styles of glass ‘rigs’ – and then when titanium was introduced onto them with glass domes in late 2006-2007, it was a serious issue and most stores thought I was nuts! They were scared to sell any sort of dabbing accessories – but time went on, people adapted to the change, and it all became industry standard. Mad props to Quave for bringing the quartz banger to the scene and increasing the dabbing experience by allowing for larger surface areas and cleaner dabbing all around. It wasn’t until 2015 that I started to fuck with quartz, but I immediately became obsessed. In 2017, I remembered Bubble Man did some sort of burping terps for flavor, which got me thinking about how I could create a piece of quartz that caused terps to percolate. I closed my eyes and imagined percolation holes, and the hash bubbling and popping and creating flavor. It reminded me of slurping fine wine. Through many different trials and errors, and R&D with a couple of my close boys, the Terp Slurper was created. It literally took almost three years for people to catch on, but today there is a super craze for the Slurpers and their function. Other innovations, such as the TempTech in 2018, which allowed people to dial in their dabbing temperatures, also helped the movement by not making it seem so intimidating to dial the Slurper’s temperature in.
CAN YOU GIVE US SOME INSIGHT ON YOUR RIGOROUS PROCESS OF MILLIE WORK? My new favorite art form at the to keep trying to make a masterpiece that makes me happy. I am always trying to outdo myself. Definitely, I am my own worst critic and never satisfied, which keeps me going on and staying behind the torch every day – even after blowing glass for 22 years.
WHERE DO YOUR INNOVATIVE IDEAS COME FROM WHEN DESIGNING NEW PRODUCTS? Living life … it’s random.
I can be driving down the road and see a tractortrailer with a certain color pattern on the side of the truck, which I may then incorporate into my next piece. I spent a lot of my younger years in downtown Philadelphia, where a crew of us designed and worked on comic books. I found that it allowed me to stretch my imagination because it is not the real world and anything is possible/ doable. This world/realm taught me that there are no boundaries, even when it comes to glass. At first, when I started to create, people wondered what I was doing. Now today, a lot of the designs
moment is Millie work. I did a bunch years ago, but then got so busy with Toro and life, that I had to put some of my own passions on the backburner. But pulling from my Philly years and animation experience, I have been creating a lot of original images and characters and incorporating them into my art in multiforms, from glass millefiore to fashion, to producing music. There is a story behind it all, but as with everything I have done thus far, it may take a minute for it all to make sense and come together. Hopefully, in this lifetime I am able to accomplish it, but ultimately, I am having a blast doing me for a change! It is hard to shake the ‘production’ stigma of Toro, but exciting to get to introduce myself in a different light that most people have not seen yet. Most importantly, experimenting, creating and designing for this newer body of work is what keeps me sane during these crazy times! TOROGLASSGALLERY.COM | @TORO_GLASS | @JPTOROLIFESTYLE
INTERVIEW by MAX EARLY @LIFTED_STARDUST/LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by JEFF DIMARCO @IAMJEFFDIMARCO
the CULTURE issue
STORY by MIKE GIANAKOS
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SPORTS Athletes are the new rock stars. Players from the four major American sports (well, three of them anyway) increasingly become major celebrities with massive social media followings, recognizable brands and, whether you realize it or not, a great deal of cultural influence. Cannabis has long played a role in sports. Pitcher “Spaceman” Bill Lee was a loud and proud pothead in the ‘70s and old school NBA centers Robert Parish and Bill Walton were certainly known to partake. But as it’s become increasingly socially acceptable to consume, athletes have played a major role in bringing marijuana into the mainstream. Likewise, the culture around Cannabis in professional sports is finally beginning to change as pot policies are relaxed. Of course, this shift coincides with changes in the legal landscape. There are 123 teams across the four major American sports (football, basketball, baseball and hockey) and 101 of them play in a state that has legalized recreational and/or medical marijuana (that’s over 80 percent). Still, for a long time, the NFL was content to keep its pot policy in the dark ages, subjecting players to random tests and punishing them with suspensions. Ricky Williams is probably the best-known example of an athlete embracing Cannabis –– and paying the price. The former running back used marijuana to cope with social anxiety disorder and to recover from workouts. But after failing a drug test, Williams found it difficult to navigate the NFL’s draconian pot policy. Testing became more frequent, so frequent that Williams says he was drug tested at least 500 times during his football career. He was also suspended for an entire season. Williams opted to retire rather than be governed by the league’s pot rules. He got away from the NFL, traveled to India, studied Ayurveda and grew as a person before returning to football. Williams ultimately had to toe the line in the NFL, but he never let the league’s ridiculous take on Cannabis change him. In fact, it’s pretty clear he changed the culture of the NFL, as players view marijuana in a different light thanks to Ricky. Now, it’s commonplace for players to use Cannabis to recover from the wear and tear of the sport. Estimates indicate that anywhere between 50 and 89 percent of the league partakes. In fact, many players advocate for using marijuana in place of harmful opioids when dealing with
dec, 2020
pain. Ricky definitely has something Previously, players were randomly tested As it’s become to do with that. He was a pioneer. four times over the season and positive increasingly socially pot tests were met with escalating punishUnfortunately, as the saying goes, pioneers usually end up with arrows in ments, including suspensions. Under the acceptable to their backs. new rules, players are screened for PEDs consume, athletes After years of forcing pot prohibibut not recreational drugs. tion on players, the NFL has at last Additionally, the NHL and more recently have played a major changed course: The new collective MLB don’t ban Cannabis and treat its use role in bringing bargaining agreement does away with as a health issue. MLB also did away with marijuana into the suspensions for pot use, limits the testsuspensions for minor leaguers who test ing window to the first two weeks of positive. mainstream. training camp and significantly raises Competitors in extreme sports and the threshold for a positive test. e-sports have largely embraced Cannabis. Pot is also prevalent in the NBA. Despite estiYet as e-sports have grown to rival some traditional mates that as much as 85 percent of the league sports in viewership and ad dollars, drug testing is consumes Cannabis, the Association had banned becoming more commonplace. Still, Cannabis and pot since 1983. Change finally came this summer gaming are undeniably linked and testing in these when the NBA and the players union agreed on a leagues is certainly on the liberal side. But if you new drug policy prior to resuming play in Orlando prefer to watch stoned gaming, remember, some following the coronavirus outbreak. e-sports leagues make marijuana mandatory.
ART BY EMILY
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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
the CULTURE issue
STORY by ELISE MCDONOUGH @CANNABISEDIBLES420
cuisine CUISINE High Hospitality is the Culture We Deserve By far, the most common way to introduce an American to a new culture is through food. Sharing food forms an instant connection, a long-standing way to bridge the divide between strangers. Coming together around a table to enjoy a meal initiates people into the etiquette, rituals and customs of different cultures, forming the basis of much human socialization in societies around the globe. H O W H A S C A N N A B I S I N F L U E N C E D F O O D C U LT U R E ?
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Whether you’re eating THC or smoking it alongside meals, it’s important to know that for most of human history, Cannabis was food. There were no arbitrary laws separating it from any other useful plant, and its effects were wellknown among ancient cultures. Simmered with milk and spices, Cannabis infuses bhang lassi, an Indian beverage that dates back to 2000 B.C.E. Mixed with melted butter, sugar, spices, ground nuts and dates, Cannabis imbues mahjoun with potent psychedelic effects, and this recipe for the first-ever edible originated in the Middle East in the 11th century. These days, you might find people hot-boxing their car in restaurant parking lots, firing up their appetites before they eat. According to research conducted by Giovanni Marsicano of the University of Bordeaux, it’s been scientifically proven that “THC – the primary psychoactive ingredient in marijuana – fits into special receptors in the brain’s olfactory bulb, allowing users to smell and taste food far more acutely while high.” Cannabis is one of the few plants on Earth proven to enhance appetite, which has medical applications for patients suffering from AIDS wasting syndrome, anorexia, or the side effects of chemotherapy. For the rest of us, weed elevates even a humble meal into a taste sensation. Eating while high can help you notice more nuance in the taste and textures, conferring a newfound appreciation for even the simplest things, like sourdough toast slathered with butter. H O W H A S F O O D C U LT U R E I M PAC T E D C A N N A B I S ?
Chefs have long had an affinity for weed, as discussed by Anthony Bourdain in the 2010 New York Times article “Marijuana Fuels a New Kitchen Culture,” with the memorable quote “Everybody smokes dope after work … People
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uating various wines, “cannaphiles” rave about you would never imagine.” bud structure, trichome coverage, terpene profiles Outspoken Cannabis aficionados like Eddie and cannabinoid percentages, devising systems for Huang bridged the gap, bringing an appreciation pairing specific Cannabis cultivars with food and for how being high led to creative ideas for new wine. dishes at his acclaimed NYC bun shop Baohaus. Someday, in a post-COVID world when the hosWhen I interviewed Huang for High Times in 2013, pitality industry revives, we’ll see the full flowering he said, “I do discover a lot of flavor combinations of the Cannabis culinary movement: a full-service, when I’m high that I normally wouldn’t.” infused fine dining experience. Nothing epitomized this paradigm shift more Previously only available through than the VICE series “Bong Appétit,” underground supper clubs, the full inwhich transformed Cannabis cookery Cannabis is one of the tegration of Cannabis into a regulated methods from a mindset of scarcity few plants on Earth dining experience will be an evolving to abundance, revolutionizing how process, as evidenced by the OG CanCannabis is perceived as an ingrediproven to enhance nabis Cafe project in LA. ent. Introducing chefs to the plant and appetite, which has A fully-realized Cannabis restauteaching them how to integrate it into signature dishes, “Bong Appétit,” let the medical applications rant scene is the ultimate goal that all chefs continue to work world know that those inspired stoners for patients suffering weed-loving towards – where you can indulge in a were going way beyond brownies. from AIDS wasting joint on an outdoor patio before being Today, as the Cannabis culinary movement evolves, we see a level of syndrome, anorexia, seated, or pair vapes with each course before finishing off the meal with a connoisseurship comparable to wine. or the side effects of Cannabis-infused dessert. It’s a future Just as oenophiles have developed a worth looking forward to. lexicon of their own devoted to evalchemotherapy.
ART BY IANA ALTER
THE CULTURE ISSUE
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ROCK AND ROLL IS DEAD. You can blame American Idol for that, but let’s not get into it. Let’s do get into, however, why it doesn’t matter to Cannabis people whether you’re playing a stage or staging a play — if you are a stoner, you’re cool. And the fact that someone notorious draws eyes for their talent, or lack of, is neat, but kind of ends there. Because what you do for work does not validate you as a viable influencer in the Cannabis community. There is no validation required to be a part of it. You either get weed, or you don’t. Since the Green Rush that began around five years ago, many companies have learned the chilly truth that having celebrity status in Cannabis can get you recognition, but it does not guarantee credibility. And in any known movement that values credence over crap, credibility is paramount. Cannabis lovers have learned the inherent differences between deception and authenticity because they very simply can tell good from bad. A con from a sucker. Fire from mids. People don’t like to be suckered and Cannabis people have been suckered for a hundred years. Whether it’s the fear mongering propaganda of Henry Anslinger, the failed war
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on drugs begun with the Nixon administration, or simply buying a bag of black-market brick weed, everyone has gotten burned at least once. And just because a new celebrity brand has insert retired professional athlete’s name here repping it, that don’t mean it ain’t bullshit junk CBD powder irrigated by some of the world’s gnarliest tertiary treated sewer water in China. We do not give a shit who is promoting it, just make sure it works. Because the list goes on with the Willie Nelsons, Tommy Chongs, Jay Zs, Martha Stewarts, Seth Rogens, Mike Tysons, Jimmy Buffetts, etc. who have slutted themselves for a ticket on the passing bandwagon without first getting high on their own supply. And just because people know your name does not make you any more of an authority on quality Cannabis than Aaron Rodgers on car insurance, or Post Malone on prescription glasses. Anyway, Rock and Roll is dead (name one significant band in the last 20 years) because no one cares who is playing the guitar, they just want to hear the music. Mercury is stuck in retrograde, and Kim Kardashian is off the air. And now she’s stuck in retrograde, too.
That’s show biz, Honey. Here’s the deal. The celebrity is the flower. Get used to it. It is not the trendy artist with the most fuck you money and teardrop face tattoos. The celebrity is Blue Dream, Wedding Cake and Green Crack. Because people and their influence are only as important as you make them to be, while the plant will always endure. Its nature is pure and its identity true. Cannabis prospers. No earthquake, famine, pandemic, or government will ever stop a weed from growing. It will journey through all periods, and for as long as people inhabit the earth, it will make itself available. It is the food of the gods, the essence to our senses. So, here at the end of the most reality checking year of our lives, celebrity fatigue is real. But it is possible that our stargazing tendencies could again get the better of us. Because if Kanye manages to pull off a Hail Mary in 2024, Kim Kardashian will indeed be your first lady. You scoff, but stranger things have happened. After all, there is still that swearing in bit in January that has yet to take place.
Because people and their influence are only as important as you make them to be, while the plant will always endure.
ILLUSTRATION BY JEFF PORTERFIELD
THE CULTURE ISSUE
Ganja Gift Guide
You wouldn’t try to put a round peg in a square hole, right? So why would you try cleaning your banger with a rounded cotton swab? Proswabs has come through with the solution to keep your banger clean and chazz-free use after use! These swabs have a pointed tip on one end, allowing you to reach the hard to clean spots in your nail — particularly the area where the wall meets the base. Available in bulk size (300 swabs) tubs and coming soon in travel packs (30 swabs), Proswabs are ready to keep your gear as fresh as possible, both at home and when out and about. $5.99/300pk, ProSwabs.com
Proswabs
Puffco Peak Pro Blazer GT8000 Big Shot Torch
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For the analog dabbers of the world, heating up is a part of the ritual and there is no more ubiquitously used tool to accomplish that job than the Blazer Big Shot GT8000 Torch. Offering a powerful flame, the Big Shot heats up even thick bottomed nails quickly and with ease. The sleek frame is ergonomic and makes the torch easy to handle, while the base allows the torch to stand upright when not in use. The Big Shot is a must-have item for any concentrate enthusiast not using an electronic dab rig. $79.99, BlazerProducts.com
Gifts GIFTS
Puffco’s revolutionary Peak made a lightning fast ascent to become the industry’s gold standard of electronic concentrate vaporizers since its release in January 2018. With a sleek design that’s on-the-go friendly (it fits flawlessly into your car’s cupholder, though we certainly don’t suggest you use it while driving) and an intuitive torch-free function, it’s no wonder the Peak has become the go-to tool for many dabbing enthusiasts worldwide. The new Peak Pro addresses the atomizer issue that plagued the original models, adds bluetooth integration for smart phone connectivity and control, and now has wireless charging capabilities — improving upon an already stellar platform. $399, Puffco.com
FOR CANNABIS LOVERS
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Kasher Every lighter needs a Kasher and every ganja smoker needs a lighter. By the transitive laws of nature, this means every stoner needs a Kasher. And for good reason — these helpful little tools are great to help clean out finished bowls, pack down weed in your joint or blunt, and can even function as a skewer for your doobie when it gets down to the finger-stinger stage. As an added benefit, Kashers go a long way in helping keep lighters in their rightful owners’ pockets by adding a unique look and helping differentiate yours from everyone else’s. $7.99, MyKasher.com
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OCB Organic King Size Slim Hemp Papers + Tips When it comes to rolling papers, there are really only a few factors you need to take into consideration — the thickness of the paper, the stickiness of the glue and the flavor. OCB Organic Hemp Rolling Papers deliver on all of these important aspects and provide a highly enjoyable smoking experience each and every time. After years of smoking through every paper on the market, OCB’s Organic Hemp line wins out as the thinnest, easiest to use and best tasting papers available from your local head shop. $4.99/32pk book, RollOCB.com
Pax 3
Not everyone wants to smoke their Cannabis flower — some want a cleaner, more lungfriendly option and want to vaporize it. For these folks, we recommend the newest rendition of Pax Labs classic dry herb vaporizer: the Pax 3. Their new version offers a fleet of new colors, bluetooth connectivity for phone or computer-based temperature control, and upgraded battery life to make it the longest lasting unit on the market. Add in intuitive function, versatility in its ability to be used for both concentrates and flower plus a sleek design, and the result is an exceptional piece of hardware any Cannabis enthusiast would be thrilled to receive. $249.99, Pax.com
EDIBLE OF THE MONTH
Reviews LADY GRAY MEDIBLES
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ICE CREAM aklEAF.COM
Peruvian Chocolate, Strawberry and Vanilla The consumption of ice cream may be more closely associated with hot summer days and horrible breakups than with a winter treat, but Lady Gray Gourmet Medibles holds the key to changing that perspective. Their delicious Cannabis-infused ice cream comes in three decadent flavors – Peruvian chocolate, strawberry and vanilla – each with their own unique high.
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OF THE THREE FLAVORS, the Peruvian chocolate is the most akin to digging into a classic pint of the good stuff. The rich, almost buttery texture scoops like a dream and tastes like some of the best chocolate you’ve ever had. But before you turn into Augustus Gloop and start shoveling this delicious treat into your mouth, be aware that the recommended serving size is about two-and-a-half teaspoons. Like any edible product, you likely won’t feel the high for about an hour, but when it does hit, you’ll want to be near a bed or couch because sleep is inevitable. More of a body high than a head high, the Peruvian chocolate is infused with a potent indica strain that will, for lack of a better descriptor, knock you on your ass.
To help with dosing, the gals at Lady Gray This ice cream is Medibles have conveniently marked the outside of their 50mg containers in 10mg increments. so good, you’ll The only problem is that this ice cream is so likely find it hard good, you’ll likely find it hard to stick to just one to stick to just portion. So, you might want to consider having something else sweet on hand to keep your sugar one portion. tooth satisfied. For those who don’t bow to the altar of chocolate, Lady Gray’s strawberry ice cream is a great substitute. Made with freshly pureed LADYGRAYMEDIBLES.COM | 50MG THC strawberries, this pale pink treat gets its color from all-natural ingredients. Unlike its chocolate cousin, the strawberry ice cream has more of a sherbet texture, but it nonetheless packs a huge flavor punch. Infused with a hybrid that seems to lean more towards a sativa dominance, the high you can expect is a combination of head and body. Initially, the high began with a subtle euphoric feeling, but soon turned into an energizing high marked by hyper-focus. If you’re looking for a late-night Cannabis fix to help you sleep, you’d be better off opting for something else – but if you need something to help quell your anxiety while also giving you an energy kick, this is a great option. Lady Gray’s final flavor is vanilla, but unlike its namesake, this ice cream is anything but boring. An intense vanilla scent gives way to an unexpected skunky flavor that any Cannabis purist will adore. The ice cream is similar to ice milk in terms of texture, so it tastes best after thawing at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before consumption. Texture and flavor aside, this ice cream has one more plot twist: The strong sativa infusion will leave you with an energetic, focused buzz that lasts for hours. All in all, Lady Gray Medibles knocks it out of the park with their ice cream – they have a flavor, texture and high to suit your every need.
REVIEW by ALASKA LEAF STAFF | PHOTO by O'HARA SHIPE @SHIPESHOTS
concentrate of the month
HERBAN EXTRACTS
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Hidden Hoarfrost
CULTIVATED BY Kenai Peninsula gardeners Cottonmouth Road, Hidden Hoarfrost has the high-THC percentage the Kenai Pen is known for. Its 72.5% THC content is mixed with a 5.9% terpene profile that includes high levels of limonene, caryophyllene and myrcene, making this sativa-leaning hybrid perfect for an easy-bake, all-day smoke session. Hidden Hoarfrost’s flavor profile is more on the subtle side. Still, the experienced smoker will 907MARYJANE.COM detect the delicate flavors of dried figs and raisins, @HERBANEXTRACTSALASKA in addition to the concentrate’s more dominant 72.5% THC earthy flavor. The cartridge’s CCELL technology boasts a 360° heating coil, ensuring that the atomizer is uniformly heated, preserving Hidden Hoarfrost’s unique flavor. For sophisticated flavors like this strain, the non-burning cartridge is a huge asset. But enough about the flavor, let’s talk about the high! After a few long hard puffs on a pen, you are swept away into experiencing a lovely tingling, blissful headband that slowly trickles down your face before creeping its way down to your toes. Although you’ll initially experience a comfortable body high, it isn’t long before the sativa and limonene show up to the party. The nice boost of euphoric energy adds a little pep in your step and a fantastic get-up-and-go feeling – ideal for trying to forget that the sun now sets at 4:00 p.m. We definitely hit the pen several times throughout the day to keep this lovely buzz alive, but with varying cartridge sizes of 0.3g and 0.5g, you have some dosing flexibility. Bottom line, Herban Extracts is one of the top names in the Alaskan Cannabis industry for a reason – and Hidden Hoarfrost lives up to the hype.
REVIEW by ALASKA LEAF STAFF | PHOTO by O'HARA SHIPE @SHIPESHOTS
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As Alaska creeps closer to the much-anticipated December 21 winter solstice, the days grow shorter and the weather colder. The result? Enjoying a toke outside so you don’t violate your lease by smoking in the apartment becomes a labor of love. Long story short, we could not wait to get our hands on Herban Extracts’ newest concentrate: Hidden Hoarfrost.
The nice boost of euphoric energy adds a little pep in your step and a fantastic get-up-and-go feeling – ideal for trying to forget that the sun now sets at 4:00 p.m.
Tannins & Terpenes
T H E A RT OF PA I R I NG C A N N A BI S AS FALL GIVES WAY TO THE FIRST DUSTING OF SNOW, WE AT ALASKA LEAF ARE REMINDED OF THE SIMPLE PLEASURES OF CLASSIC HOLIDAY FLAVORS AND SCENTS, WHICH IS WHY WE COULDN’T WAIT TO GET OUR HANDS ON FREEDOM 49 FARMS’ VANILLA BEAN FLOWER. The flower’s bright green coloration is the perfect backdrop for the snow-like trichome layering that accentuates its tightly curled pistils. Although the flower is a hybrid, the heavy, compact bud structure hints at its indica dominance. At first, the flower gives off a subtle citruslike scent, but as with any good dessert, the real magic happens when heat is added. Vanilla Bean’s smoke features the undeniably seductive scent of vanilla, reminding us of fresh baked vanilla cake. With 17.7% THC and a touch of 0.9% CBD, the high is of the lovely couch-lock variety that will creep up on you, so tread lightly. But what is a weekend toke without a refreshing beverage? When you add in a sip of Zip Kombucha’s brand-new Black Label Booch, the enjoyment of the high is only amplified. Although Black Label Booch has six tantalizing hard kombucha flavors, any of which would pair beautifully with Vanilla Bean, we opted for Buried. The tea’s notes of tart blueberry and raspberry helped cut the overall sweetness of the drink, allowing it to seamlessly mix with Vanilla Bean’s delicate flavor. Of course, we also enjoyed the kombucha’s 6% ABV, tempered with an increasingly euphoric high provided by the Vanilla Bean. If you’re looking for the perfect weekend toke to help you shed the stress of another workweek, this is the strain for you. Just don’t plan on lighting up and binge-watching The Tiger King, because Vanilla Bean’s sedating effect will have you drifting off to sleep before we find out if Carole Baskin really is responsible for 2020.
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FREEDOM 49 FARMS VANILLA BEAN PAIRED WITH ZIP KOMBUCHA BURIED BLACK LABEL BOOCH
ZIPKOMBUCHA.COM @ZIP_KOMBUCHA @FREEDOM49FARMS
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*Alaska Leaf Warning* Anytime you combine two substances of any kind, you have to be extra vigilant of the effects. We strongly recommend conducting pairings in a safe and private space, in small quantities with friends. Always use a designated driver or have a plan to get home safely.
With 17.7% THC and a touch of 0.9% CBD, the high is of the lovely couch-lock variety that will creep up on you, so tread lightly.
REVIEW by ALASKA LEAF STAFF | PHOTO by O'HARA SHIPE @SHIPESHOTS
Full-extract ethanol hash oil expertly crafted into a cannabis tincture, ready for edible consumption. Glass dropper for precise THC micro-dosing. Enjoy under the tongue or swallowed.
cannthropology
WORLD OF CANNABIS PRESENTS
Throughout modern history, countless artists and musicians have used marijuana to help enhance their creativity … but far fewer have actually featured it as their subject matter. Many of those who did helped forge new genres of “degenerate” art—like jazz, comic books and concert posters—that
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would eventually establish them as counterculture icons. One such artist is Pat Ryan.
CANNABIS AMERICANA
Celebrating the weed-infused work of underground art icon Pat Ryan
EARLY LIFE
Raised in suburban Long Island, Paul Ryan heard his artistic calling early— beginning to paint and draw cartoons by the age of eight. A born rebel, Ryan became enamored with Mad magazine, whose irreverent satire was “exposing the shortcomings of the Leave it to Beaver generation of Americans becoming homogenized.” He spent his teenage years in the jazz clubs and coffeehouses of Greenwich Village—getting into Dylan, Kerouac and Ginsberg. Then in 1962, Ryan moved out to Hermosa Beach, where he discovered the SoCal surfer scene, weed and psychedelics. After working as an art director for an ad agency across the street from the Whiskey a Go-Go and taking lots of acid, he soon grew disillusioned by the phony LA scene and wanted out.
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BEST BUDS
In 1971, Ryan moved up to Marin County, where he opened a tiny studio and jumped headfirst into the area’s art scene. Within months he met a kindred soul who would become his best friend and partner for the next decade—comic artist Dave Sheridan. Ryan moved into Sheridan’s studio, and the two formed a company called C.O.D. (Consistently Over Drawn!) Grafix and began cranking out content. Sheridan created the comic character Dealer McDope and collaborated with Gilbert Shelton and Paul Mavrides on the cult classic The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers; Ryan produced a series of Native American-themed paintings and a comic about hitchhiking called Hit the Road (1972), which Sheridan helped him get published. In 1974, the doobious duo relocated into a large building in San Rafael that served as a collective studio space for local artists, including rock poster
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greats Alton Kelley, Stanley ‘Mouse’ Miller and Victor Moscoso. Officially named the Concrete Foundation of Fine Arts, the collective was better known by its nutty nickname: the Peanut Gallery. To raise money for rent each month, the Peanut Gallery threw huge parties dubbed the “Black Death Parties”—named after the Black Death beer Sheridan brewed.
THE CANNABIS HOMEGROWERS ASSOCIATION
During these salad days at the Gallery, the two partners came up with the idea for a series of marijuana brand label parodies they called the California Homegrowers Association. “We’d sit around smoking joints and coming up with fictitious brand names,” Ryan recalls. “We made a whole list of them … that’s what became the California Homegrowers Association.” Some of the iconic phony brands they created included Harvest Moon, Sticky Fingers, High Society and Space City—each of which was illustrated with a humorous charm inspired by the well-known California agricultural labels of the day. They planned to use the images to market a line of merchandise to stoners all over America via head shops and ads they placed in High Times magazine. Unfortunately, however, the products hit the market in 1982 just as President Reagan launched his notorious “Just Say No”
anti-drug campaign, leading to the closing of head shops across the country and kneecapping their dream before it had a chance to take off.
ARTISTA GANG
In 1979, the Peanut Gallery was evicted and reconstituted under a new name: the Artista Gang. Throughout the 1980s, “Gang” members designed album covers and concert posters for several classic rock performers, including Journey, Santana and the Grateful Dead, as well as Steve Miller’s Greatest Hits, for which Ryan did the lettering. It was also during this time that Ryan created his famous “Indoor Bud” painting, which now resides in our World of Cannabis collection; prominently featured against a red background, it’s a dense, dark nug that sparkles with crystals—an effect he achieved by coating it with clear acrylic paint and then sprinkling glitter on it. That nug image ended up gracing the cover of the Fall/ Winter 1985 issue of Sinsemilla Tips magazine. But that wasn’t the only reefer rag Ryan was featured in during this period: In 1983, High Times ran an article on the Homegrowers Association in their March issue and featured the t-shirts in their December gift guide, and the following year ran a few of Dr. McDope comics drawn by Ryan. Like the Peanut Gallery, Artista Gang were notorious for their wild parties. One particular rager in 1983—held at a clubhouse in an upscale San Anselmo neighborhood called Sleepy Hollow— featured the group’s first-ever cannabis judging contest. Strain samples were brought from all over California, and according to Ryan, the winner was a clear standout. “The winner was a guy from Santa Cruz named Dave Watson, a.k.a. Sam the Skunkman,” Ryan recalls. “He had something so sticky and outrageous, nobody had seen anything like it before. He won hands-down.” The Artista’s parties and cannabis contests continued to grow, as did their roster—eventually numbering over 700 members. Sadly though, Dave Sheridan would never get to see what Artista would evolve into; diagnosed with lymphatic cancer on March 3, 1982, he died suddenly of a brain hemorrhage less than a month later—just a week shy of his daughter’s birth. He was only 38-years-old.
HIGH IN HUMBOLDT
In 1992, Ryan moved from Marin County up to a log cabin in the Emerald Triangle, where he spent several years living pioneer-style and cranking out over 50 event posters, as well as a series of t-shirts featuring new characters and brands he created, such as Seaweed, Redeye and Hightops. Then in 1999, he moved back down to Sonoma County, where— with some assistance from his pals in Humboldt—he started growing his own “really wicked bud” for the first time in his garage. An avowed sativa man, Ryan grew mostly Orange Crush, but admits his current favorite strain is Blue Dream.
RECENT RESURGENCE
This past decade has been one of Ryan’s most prolific yet. In 2011, Last Gasp Publishing released a 40-year anthology of his work entitled Sinsemilla Sinsations, as well as a set of greeting cards called “High Again” based on his Humboldt designs. In the past few years, Ryan has returned to his roots with a series of weed-themed comic books called Tales of the
In 1974, the doobious duo relocated to a large building in San Rafael that served as a collective studio space for local artists, including rock poster greats Alton Kelley, Stanley ‘Mouse’ Miller and Victor Moscoso.
World Famous Drive Thru Bud (Golden Frog Press), based on the various characters he’s created over the years (including Humboldt Honey, Super Skunk and Budzilla), accompanied by a line of branded stoner swag which they sell online and at cannabis and comic events up and down the West Coast—bringing the merchandising dream he once shared with Sheridan full circle. Most recently, he’s created a series of paintings based on popular strain names similar to the “Purple Haze” painting we have in our collection, including “Ice Cream Cake,” “Blueberry Kush,” and “White Widow.” Sadly, in recent months, Ryan’s health has been in steep decline due to stage four liver cancer. His family has started a gofundme and is planning an art auction to help raise money for his medical costs. If you’d like to help please visit worldofcannabis.museum/ post/pat-ryan-fundraiser.
For more on Pat Ryan, listen to Episode #4 of our podcast at worldofcannabis.museum/ podcast
-Bobby Black, Pat Ryan, Vince Dugar of Golden Frog Press. -Blueberry Kush and SuperSkunk art by Pat Ryan.
Published originally on worldofcannabis.museum and reprinted with permission.
STORY by BOBBY BLACK @CANNTHROPOLOGY for LEAF NATION | ART COURTESY WORLD OF CANNABIS MUSEUM @WORLDOFCANNABIS.MUSEUM
CAN WE PLEASE END CHRISTMAS? isten, I’m not trying to be a jerk here. I used to love Xmas just as much as any kid. Catching a glimpse of Santa nibbling on a cookie or hearing the patter of hooves on top of the apartment complex made sleeping unbearable. It’s just that I’m not sure I can bear grandma getting run over by a reindeer for the umpteenth time before even having a chance to banish my yard witch back to the shed and evaluate the leftover bowl of miniature Snickers and candy corn. Out with the devil and in with the lord. Because the problem with Christmas isn’t Christmas day — it’s the fact that we’re hyped for two months on the front end and then stuck with a stiff tab on the back end. Which equates to one sixth of your life forced into a whimsical play where everyone dresses like they’re from Norway in the 1600s. And I know what you enthusiasts are thinking: I can simply choose to not take part. Which is about as easy as choosing to not take part in death and taxes. “But it’s for the kids,” you say. Fair enough, but do you really want them learning that the plastic packaged gifts — which magically appear under the tree that was cut down to end up in the dumpster — came from a stranger with an addiction to spiked eggnog? Why not teach them real values, like patience leads to prosperity? And that violence in Walmart on black Friday is not how adults should behave. I get it, there’s nothing wrong with spreading good cheer, but can we at least ease up on the carpet bombing of commercials for stuff we don’t need? Like shiny new cars with ridiculously large bows and another collared shirt with a snowman tie? And can we do it every leap year just to freshen things up? It’s becoming Groundhog Year. By the way, you do realize that mom infuses Santa’s Christmas cookies, right? That’s because she secretly feels his pain.
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by Mike Ricker
DEC. 2020
F O L L OW @ R I C K E R D J | G E T T H E AU D I O V E R S I O N & EV E RY E P I S O D E AT S TO N EY- B A L O N EY. C O M
FRONTIERFARMERS.COM FRONTIERFARMERS_AK@OUTLOOK.COM @FRONTIERFARMERS
SOUR SLURRICANE #1
HARAMBE Lic # 12550 1) Marijuana has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming and addictive. (2) Marijuana impairs concentration, coordination, and judgment. D o not operate a vehicle or machiner y under its influence. (3) There are health r isks associated with the consumption of mar ijuana. (4) For u s e b y a d u l t s t w e n t y - o n e a n d o l d e r. K e e p o u t o f r e a c h o f c h i l d r e n . ( 5 ) M a r i j u a n a s h o u l d n o t b e u s e d b y w o m e n w h o a r e p r e g n a n t o r b r e a s t f e e d i n g .
