THE ENLIGHTENED VOICE
#22 | FEB. 2022
CAL I F O R N I A
E XC L U S I V E I N T E R V I E W !
BERNER How the rapper, mogul and iconic face of the Cookies brand is diving into new markets and elevating the Cannabis community. CANNTHROPOLOGY
BOB MARLEY HERBAN LEGEND FEATURES
CANNABIS COUPLES SHARE THEIR STORIES TRIXIE GARCIA AND GARCIA HAND PICKED RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE STAR LAGANJA ESTRANJA CANNABIS FASHION TRENDS AND DESIGNS F RE E / L E A F M AGA Z I N E S . COM
THE CULTURE ISSUE INDEPENDENT CANNABIS JOURNALISM SINCE 2010
THE
ORIG
INAL
SLUSH - HYBRID
GREASE MONKEY - INDICA
PURPLE JELLATO - HYBRID
FLAVORS: Berry, Blueberry, Candy, Orange, Creamy, Fruity, Nutty, Sweet
FLAVORS: Vanilla, Gas
FLAVORS: Fruity, Grape, Herbal, Spicy
AROMAS: Sweet, Fruity
AROMAS: Sweet, Pungent, Gas
AROMAS: Sweet, Fruity, Spicy, Earthy
This strain produces a heavy head high that leaves you feeling cerebral and relaxed. In terms of flavor, this strain reportedly tastes like blue raspberry with notes of earthy undertones.
Exotic Genetix introduced a mother Gorilla Glue #4 to a Cookies & Cream father to create the rare hybrid called Grease Monkey. It’s reported to smell and taste like an earthy mix of vanilla and petroleum. Grease Monkey may deliver deep relaxation that can lead to sleepiness.
It’s got that strong Gelato #33 nose with the insane color of Purple Vapor. These dark beauties taste as good as they look. Often chosen to treat conditions such as chronic pain, depression, muscle spasms, insomnia, and chronic stress.
SUNSET SHERBET x BLUE COOKIES
GORILLA GLUE #4 x COOKIES & CREAM
EFFECTS: Happy, Relaxing, Head High, Cerebral
PURPLE VAPOR x GELATO #33
EFFECTS: Body High, Cerebral, Relaxing, Uplifting
EFFECTS: Relaxing, Sleep Aid
DOMINANT TERPENES: ß-CARYOPHYLLENE, d-LIMONENE, LINALOOL, a-HUMULENE, ß-MYRCENE
DOMINANT TERPENES: ß-CARYOPHYLLENE, ß-MYRCENE, LINALOOL, d-LIMONENE, a-HUMULENE, ß-PINENEO, a-PINENE
VOVO - HYBRID
ASTRO MINTS - INDICA
THIN MINT COOKIES x SUNSET SHERBET
DOMINANT TERPENES: d-LIMONENE, ß-CARYOPHYLLENE, a-PINENE, a-HUMULENE, ß-PINENE, LINALOOL
LA KUSH CAKE - INDICA WEDDING CAKE x KUSH MINTS
TRIANGLE MINTS F1 x KUSH MINTS
FLAVORS: Creamy, Fruity, Nutty, Sweet, Herbal, Menthol, Mint, Spicy
FLAVORS: Cake Batter, Thin Mints, Creamy, Peppermint
FLAVORS: Creamy, Vanilla, Sweet, Mint, Citrus
AROMAS: Herbal, Spicy, Sweet, Fruity This Gelato #41 pheno is a favorite of many. The crosses are Sunset Sherbet and Thin Mint Cookies. It tests high in THC and offers a heavy, relaxing body high without clouding your mind. It may relieve anxiety, depression, mood swings, stress, arthritis, bipolar disorder, chronic pain, inflammation, insomnia, loss of appetite, migraines, muscle spasms, nausea, and PTSD. EFFECTS: Happy, Relaxing, Body High, Cerebral, Creative, Energizing
AROMAS: Vanilla, Creamy, Sweet, Citrus, Mint This indica strain is strong, heavy and sedative. With its creamy vanilla and fresh sugar background notes and hints of mint and citrus makes it a fan favorite. Great for relaxtion and may help with chronic pain. EFFECTS: Body High, Cerebral, Euphoria, Happy, Hungry, Relaxing DOMINANT TERPENES: ß-MYRCENE, TERPINOLENE, a-PINENE, ß-CARYOPHYLLENE, ß-PINENE, ß-OCIMENE, d-LIMONENE, a-HUMULENE
DOMINANT TERPENES: ß-CARYOPHYLLENE, d-LIMONENE, LINALOOL, a-HUMULENE, ß-MYRCENE, ß-PINENE, a-PINENE, a-BISABOLOL
JUPITER JACK - SATIVA
BON BONS - HYBRID
AROMAS: Vanilla, Creamy, Earthy This cross of the popular Wedding Cake and Kush Mints comes from Liberty Health Sciences and Seed Junky Genetics. LA Kush Cake is an indica-dominant strain that smells like vanilla and has an earthy peppermint taste. It’s an easy, smooth hitter, and effects take awhile to come on. This is a beautiful flower, with green and purple buds covered in frosty trichomes. It’s great for relaxing and winding down at the end of the night without much else to do. EFFECTS: Body High, Cerebral, Euphoria, Happy, Hungry, Relaxing DOMINANT TERPENES: ß-CARYOPHYLLENE, ß-MYRCENE, d-LIMONENE, LINALOOL, a-HUMULENE, ß-PINENE, a-BISABOLOL, PINENE, CARYOPHYLLENEOXIDE
SUPREME 41 - INDICA
JACK HERER
GELATO # 41 x TRIANGLE KUSH
FLAVORS: Herbal, Lemon, Pine, Spicy, Sweet, Woody
FLAVORS: Berry, Citrus, Lavender, Sweet, Woody, Lemon, Spicy
LARRY OG x GELATO #41
AROMAS: Earthy, Lemon, Spicy, Sweet, Woody
AROMAS: Sweet, Fruity, Spicy, Earthy, Citrus Seven Leaves spent several years identifying the perfect pheno from a bag of misc. seeds. This hybrid strain is a member of the Cookies family with Gelato #41 and Triangle Kush parents. Introducing “Bon Bons” this is a hard hitter and will leave you nicely relaxed and joyful while relieving aches and pains. May relieve chronic pains, fibromyalgia, headaches, inflammation , and insomnia. EFFECTS: Creative, Euphoria, Focus, Happy, Relaxed, Body High, Cerebral, Long Lasting, Relaxing, Uplifting DOMINANT TERPENES: d-LIMONENE, ß-CARYOPHYLLENE, a-PINENE, a-HUMULENE, ß-PINENE, LINALOOL
FLAVORS: Gas, Fuel, Skunk, Creamy, Earthy
Jupiter Jack is a Jack Herer pheno and is the perfect daytime strain. Be prepared for a cerebral boost of energy while feeling relaxed in the body. The sativa high is happy, bubbly, and euphoric, that spurs energy and creativity.
AROMAS: Gas, Creamy, Earthy Combining Larry OG’s powerful properties with Gelato’s creamy berry and earthy terpenes give you this high THC variety. Powerful soaring high, relaxing but still allows you to focus. Great for those looking for a strong daytime smoke.
EFFECTS: Cerebral, Creative, Euphoria, Happy DOMINANT TERPENES: ß-MYRCENE, TERPINOLENE, a-PINENE, ß-CARYOPHYLLENE, ß-PINENE, ß-OCIMENE, d-LIMONENE, a-HUMULENE
EFFECTS: Body High, Cerebral, Euphoria, Happy, Hungry, Relaxing
BRUCE BANNER - SATIVA HYBRID
DOMINANT TERPENES: ß-CARYOPHYLLENE, d-LIMONENE, ß-MYRCENE, a-HUMULENE, LINALOOL, a-BISABOLOL
GÄZ - HYBRID
OG KUSH x STRAWBERRY DIESEL
RED ZLUSH - INDICA
FLAVORS: Herbal, Lemon, Pine, Spicy, Sweet, Woody
GRANDPA’S BREATH x MOTOR BREATH
AROMAS: Diesel, Earthy, Pungent, Strawberry, Sweet, Herbal, Spicy
GELATO #25 x ZKITTLEZ 2.0 FLAVORS: Fruity, Sweet, Woody, Fuel AROMAS: Sweet, Creamy, Gas, Earthy
The Red Zlush is a cross of Gelato #25 x Zkittlez 2.0. The effects produce an euphoric body high accompanied by strong feelings of relaxation. The effects are almost instantaneous. Consumers say the physical sensation comes on strong, but many find themselves still mentally agile enough to stay productive and creative. The Gelato origins of the Red Zlush gives it the fruity, dessert-like aroma then hits with the after scents of woody fuel nose that the Gelato #25 crossing brings. The cultivators at Seven Leaves say they enjoy seeing the strain produce buds that bloom in dark purple hues and are illuminated by firey orange hairs. The final visual is a unique bud forming structure that when hand trimmed to perfection is always a crowd pleaser on display.
This hard hitting sativa dominant hybrid is a cross of OG Kush and Strawberry Diesel. This strain will have you focused, creative and energetic. It may relieve and be effective for patients with chronic pain, depression, fatigue, loss of appetite, migraines, nausea, PTSD, stress, ADD/ADHD, headaches, hyperactivity, and mood swings. EFFECTS: Creative, Energizing, Euphoria, Happy, Relaxing DOMINANT TERPENES: d-LIMONENE, ß-CAROPHYLLENE, LINALOOL, a-HUMULENE, ß-MYRCENE, ß-PINENE, a-PINENE
FLAVORS: Diesel, Skunky, Sour, Spicy AROMAS: Dark, Earthy, Herbal, Pungent, Skunky, Sour, Spicy Gäz is created through crossing the infamous Motor Breath x Grandpa’s Breath strains and is bred by Dungeon Vault Genetics. The aroma, flavor and effects of this hybrid makes it the perfect anytime strain. May leave you giggly, hungry, relaxing, sleepy, and uplifted. May help those with chronic pain, depression, insomnia, appetite loss, and stress. EFFECTS: Energizing , Euphoria, Happy, Relaxing, Sleepy
ASTRO LATO - SATIVA
DOMINANT TERPENES: ß-MYRCENE, d-LIMONENE, a-HUMULENE, LINALOOL, TRANS-NEROLIDOL, a-BISABOLOL, ß-CARYOPHYLLENE
EFFECTS: Body High, Cerebral, Euphoria, Happy, Hungry, Relaxing
FLAVORS: Floral, Earthy, Spice, Herbal AROMAS: Spice, Earthy, Floral
WILLIES KUSH CAKE x GRAPE PIE
DOMINANT TERPENES: ß-CARYOPHYLLENE, LINALOOL, d-LIMONENE, ß-MYRCENE, a-HUMULENE, ß-PINENEO, ß-OCIMENE
ZRUNTZ - INDICA HYBRID ZKITTLEZ x GELATO x ZKITTLEZ
STREET HEAT - SATIVA
UNKNOWN
FLAVORS: Floral, Lavender, Citrus, Woody
Get ready to explore your creativity with this sativa! As soon as you exhale, the effects of Astro Lato will sink in, starting with a cerbral lift before spreading throughout the rest of your body in tingly waves of energy.
AROMAS: Floral, Lavender, Citrus, Tropical Street Heat packs a punch, with high THC cultivar, it will leave you feeling happy, euphoric, and relaxed
EFFECTS: Energetic, Uplifting, Creative, Cerebral
EFFECTS: Happy, Euphoric, Relaxing
DOMINANT TERPENES: ß-MYRCENE, TERPINOLENE, a-PINENE, ß-CARYOPHYLLENE, ß-PINENE, ß-OCIMENE, d-LIMONENE, a-HUMULENE
FLAVORS: Creamy, Fruity, Nutty, Earthy Fuel AROMAS: Creamy, Sweet, Fruit Laden Smoke ZRUNTZ is the incredible back cross of the super popular Runtz Strain. It’s made by crossing Zkittlez with Gelato and is loved for its incredibly fruity flavor profile. Now this creamy, smooth and fruit laden smoke is given extra flavoring by the additional crossing with her Zkittlez Lineage. This cross really brings out more of the Zkittlez terpene profiles and exemplifies the Gelato lineage bud structure and purple hues. This new Runtz cross could be the prodigy that overtakes her lineage in popularity in both flavor and beauty. This strain produces euphoric and uplifting effects with a noticeable after taste of smooth Gelato undertones that are known to be long lasting.
BLACK SLUSH - INDICA HYBRID OGKB x OG KUSH
PIGGY BANK - INDICA
TRIANGLE MINTS(mitten cake pheno) x KUSH MINTS x SFV OG FLAVORS: Vanilla, Sugar, Whipped Cream
FLAVORS: Earthy, Pungent, Sweet AROMAS: Herbal, Sweet, Earthy Strong body effects that leans toward sedative. Great for pain relief and relaxtion. May relieve chronic pain, depression, fatigue, insomnia and stress.
AROMAS: Vanilla, Sweet, Creamy Piggy Bank is a hard hitting high THC cultivar power house. This cultivar can top out above 40% total cannabinoids. Suggested for night time use and not recommended for novice users.
EFFECTS: Body High, Cerebral, Euphoria, Happy, Hungry, Relaxing
EFFECTS: Body High, Happy, Relaxing, Sleepy, Calming
EFFECTS: Heavy, Sedative, Relaxing, Sleepy
DOMINANT TERPENES: d-LIMONENE, LINALOOL, ß-CARYOPHYLLENE, a-HUMULENE, ß-MYRCENE, ß-PINENE, a-PINENE, ß-OCIMENE
DOMINANT TERPENES: ß-CARYOPHYLLENE, ß-MYRCENWE, d-LIMONENE, LINALOOL, a-HUMULENE, ß-PINEBE, a-BISABOLOL, a-PINENE, CARYOPHYLLENEOXIDE
DOMINANT TERPENES: d-LIMONENE, ß-CARYOPHYLLENE, LINALOOL, a-HUMULENE, CIS-NEROLIDOL
Are you a retailer? We would love the opportunity to be on your shelves. Carry Seven Leaves Products. Seven Leaves is carried by Herbl Distribution Services. Please contact us at carry@sevenleavesca.com or contact Herbl Distribution Services at www.herbl.com/contact/ www.sevenleavesca.com - www.sevenleavesstyle.com @sevenleaves_ca - https://weedmaps.com/brands/seven-leaves
THE TEAM AT SEVEN LEAVES LOOKS FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.
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THE CULTURE ISSUE
FEBRUARY 2022
issue
#22
[
CAL I F O R N I A
F E AT U R E
feature
LAGANJA ESTRANJA
feb. 2022
22 CANNABIS RECIPES FEBRUARY TREATS
42
CANNTHROPOLOGY BOB MARLEY | HERBAN LEGEND
BENNNYY BLANCO
In an exclusive interview, Leaf Nation’s Tom Bowers speaks with Berner — the indefatigable rap icon, fashion designer, Cookies Cannabis founder, and advocate, on his life, career, and the future of Cannabis.
CREATIVE COMMONS
18
SHOP REVIEW CANNABIS BUYER’S CLUB OF BERKELEY
28
BRUCE WOLF
BERNER MIKE ROSATI
leafmagazines.com
34 11 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 28 32 34 36 38 42 46
EDITOR’S NOTE NATIONAL NEWS LOCAL NEWS HIGHLY LIKELY SHOP REVIEW CONCENTRATES CANNABIS RECIPES STRAIN OF THE MONTH BERNER COVER STORY TRIXIE GARCIA LAGANJA ESTRANJA CANNABIS COUPLES FASHION AND DESIGN CANNTHROPOLOGY STONEY BALONEY
JON SAMS PHOTO
8
THE CULTURE ISSUE
FEATURE
leafmagazines.com
10
TRIXIE GARCIA
GARCIA HAND PICKED 32 feb. 2022
STORY by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT/LEAF NATION | PHOTO by GARCIA HAND PICKED
E S TA B L I S H E D 2 0 1 0
T H E E N L I G H T E N E D VO I C E
N O RT H W E S T L E A F / O R EG O N L E A F / A L AS KA L E A F / M A RY L A N D L E A F / CA L I F O R N I A L E A F / N O RT H E AS T L E A F
A B O U T T H E C OV E R In just the last ten years, Cannabis has undergone a radical shift in public perception, and the definition of Cannabis culture, naturally, has changed as well. The Leaf Nation team sought to present a wide range of Cannabis culture figures for this month’s special edition. On the cover is rapper, fashion designer, and the founder of Cookies Cannabis, the one and only Berner. Photographer Bennyy Blanco is well-known in the hip hop community for his photographs that offer an intimate glimpse at stars on and off the stage. Check out more photos and our exclusive interview with Berner inside this issue!
PHOTO by BENNYY BLANCO @BENNYY_BLANCO
PUBLISHER
CONTRIBUTORS
WES ABNEY | FOUNDER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
BOBBY BLACK, DESIGN + FEATURES BENNYY BLANCO, PHOTOS JOSHUA BOULET, ILLUSTRATION TOM BOWERS, FEATURES JACKIE BRYANT, FEATURES EARLY, PRODUCTION EMILY EIZEN, FEATURES STEVE ELLIOTT, NATIONAL NEWS ALEXA JESSE, FEATURES JEFF PORTERFIELD, DESIGN MIKE RICKER, FEATURES MEGHAN RIDLEY, EDITING MIKE ROSATI, PHOTOS ZACK RUSKIN, FEATURES PACER STACKTRAIN, FEATURES JAMIE VICTOR, DESIGN NATE WILLIAMS, REVIEWS LAURIE & BRUCE WOLF, RECIPES
WES@LEAFMAGAZINES.COM
CREATIVE DIRECTOR DANIEL BERMAN | VISUALS & DESIGN
DANIEL@BERMANPHOTOS.COM
SALES DIRECTOR NATE WILLIAMS | ADVERTISING
NATE@LEAFMAGAZINES.COM 415-717-6985
CONTENT DIRECTOR TOM BOWERS | EDITORIAL
TOM@LEAFMAGAZINES.COM
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ABNEY
Editor’s Note Thanks for picking up our Culture Issue of the Leaf! THIS IS OUR ISSUE that honors the culture of Cannabis consumers, from the rap and cultivating star Berner to Cannabis couples and high fashion.
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We’ve come a long way as a community from the days of stoner stereotypes being synonymous with “Dude Where’s My Car” to a point where our culture, community and plant are combining to become a mainstream lifestyle. Cannabis has long been part of our society in an underground way – influencing artists and creatives, helping athletes and celebrities, and driving the emergence of hip hop – but without recognition, and has occasionally ruined a career instead of helping to create one. Today we can openly celebrate those that use Cannabis to enhance their lives, enjoy the fruits of the plant sprouting new ideas, and highlight the positive impact it has in leading our country out IT’S IMPORTANT of the war on drugs’ mindset, and into a new era of acceptance TO NOTE THAT THE and positivity. It’s important to note that the only lifestyle past stoners could expect was that of orange jumpsuits and 10x10 cells, and those who took risks to lead our community deserve to be remembered.
ONLY LIFESTYLE PAST STONERS COULD EXPECT WAS THAT OF ORANGE JUMPSUITS AND 10X10 CELLS.
While it’s likely that if you read my words you are in a legal state, weed can still lead to prison in many parts of the United States or around the world – which means we have more work to do! That’s why normalizing the decision to make Cannabis our recreational drug of choice as parents, professionals and even influencers, must be shared with the world. In normalizing Cannabis, we can also open the door for so many other forms of acceptance – from a new approach to drugs in healthcare to opening minds to all walks of life. Cannabis makes our human experience better in every way … even in the bedroom, where hopefully the commercialized St. Valentine’s Day will be bringing people together to reach new highs this year. So get down with the culture and your bad self, ditch the chocolate hearts for infused treats, and try a massage oil or personal lubricant to explore a new way for weed to make your life more enjoyable. After all, being a stoner is a lifestyle choice – and it feels good to feel good.
-Wes Abney
Have a strain, product, or news tip that the California Leaf staff needs to know about? Contact us at Tom@LeafMagazines.com!
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WES
national news
politics
normalization
THAILAND PLANS TO DECRIMINALIZE CANNABIS
T
U.S. SENATE CANDIDATE FROM LOUISIANA SMOKES WEED IN CAMPAIGN AD
D
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emocratic U.S. Senate candidate Gary Chambers, Jr. recently smoked marijuana in a field in New Orleans while talking about Cannabis reform in his first campaign ad. The Washington Post calls it a “highly unusual spot.” Chambers is seated in an open field, where he fires up a blunt and takes multiple hits. In a voice-over, he rattles off statistics about the herb. These include facts such as Black people are four times as likely as whites to be arrested for its possession. “For too long, candidates have used the legalization of marijuana as an empty talking point in order to appeal to progressive voters,” Chambers said about the ad. “I hope this ad works to not only destigmatize the use of marijuana, but also forces a new conversation that creates the pathway to legalize this beneficial drug, and forgive those who were arrested due to outdated ideology.”
hailand plans to decriminalize marijuana, moving a step closer to legalizing adult use of the herb. It was the first country in Southeast Asia to legalize medical Cannabis. Cannabis use in food and cosmetics is also legal in Thailand, according to Bloomberg. In January, the Food and Drug Administration proposed to the narcotics bureau that marijuana be removed from its status as a controlled drug. It only needs Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to approve the change and it will then take effect. Adults will be able to access marijuana without fearing lengthy prison sentences and hefty fines, according to Withid Sariddeechaikool of Thailand’s FDA. Currently, possession of Cannabis in Thailand could garner up to 15 years in prison. The plant is considered a Category 5 narcotic drug under current Thai law.
midwest
ARKANSAS AWARDS LAST TWO DISPENSARY LICENSES
R
egulators recently approved a rule change allowing issuance of two remaining medical marijuana dispensary licenses permitted under the Arkansas Constitution. The state will have a total of 40 dispensaries, reports Arkansas Online. The change issues the licenses to companies that previously applied for them and are next in line based on scores. It will go before the Arkansas Legislative Council in February. The licenses will likely be issued in March, according to Medical Marijuana Commission spokesman Scott ARKANSAS VOTERS APPROVED Hardin. Arkansas voters approved the constitutional amendment legalizing THE CONSTITUTIONAL Cannabis for medical use in the state in 2016. These are the last two liAMENDMENT LEGALIZING censes. Their distribution completes the medical marijuana program. Voters CANNABIS FOR MEDICAL USE IN THE STATE IN 2016. THESE passed an amendment that would allow 40 dispensaries and 8 growers to ARE THE LAST TWO LICENSES. do business in the state, reports THV11.
politics
the south
IOWA DEMOCRATS REVEAL LEGALIZATION PLAN
ALABAMA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE WANTS TO LEGALIZE MARIJUANA
hree Iowa state senators revealed details of their proposed amendment to legalize marijuana at a January press conference, reports KCRG. The lawmakers called for the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division to regulate Cannabis sales to adults 21 and older. If successful, Iowa would join 19 other states in legalizing adult-use marijuana. The amendment would legalize growing, selling and buying of all marijuana products for adults 21 and older. The plan allows the state to tax sales up to 20 percent. Cities or counties can add on their own taxes, up to 2 percent. It would need to pass in both the Iowa House and Senate in two consecutive General Assemblies to get on a ballot. Once on the ballot, a majority of Iowans would need to vote for the amendment for it to become law.
Alabama businessman who calls himself a conservative Democrat said he’ll work to legalize marijuana if voters pick him as their next governor. Chad “Chig” Martin, 53, has qualified to run for the Democratic nomination in the May 24 primary. Martin said he believes marijuana is a safer drug than alcohol. He said he would like to see it legalized and taxed to boost Alabama’s economy and revenues. Chig is skeptical that Alabama’s medical marijuana industry, MARTIN SAID HE approved by the Legislature last year, will let businesses like his BELIEVES MARIJUANA Honeysuckle Hemp compete fairly when licenses are issued. IS A SAFER DRUG THAN A medical Cannabis commission is still working to set up that ALCOHOL. HE SAID HE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT program. Products won’t be available until next year. “I want LEGALIZED AND TAXED to open up the free trade of Cannabis in the state of Alabama TO BOOST ALABAMA’S without regulations, not just allowing certain groups or compaECONOMY AND REVENUES. nies to participate in this,” Martin said.
AN
T
leafmagazines.com
ADULTS WILL BE ABLE TO ACCESS MARIJUANA WITHOUT FEARING LENGTHY PRISON SENTENCES AND HEFTY FINES.
33% 70% 200
of computer programmers use Cannabis during work hours.
FEB. 2022
is the amount prices for legal flower have fallen in California in the past year.
pounds of illegal weed were seized in a traffic stop near Lincoln, Neb. by the LCSO.
30k
additional signatures were submitted by organizers of an Ohio legalization ballot initiative after efforts fell short.
34k
arrest records still haven’t been processed for expungement in California.
$1.5m
in sales were enjoyed by Montana dispensaries on January 1-2, the first two days of adult-use sales.
STORIES by STEVE ELLIOTT, AUTHOR OF THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF MARIJUANA
local news
CALIFORNIA
$100 Million in Funding Issued Looking to start 2022 off on a positive note, California’s Department of Cannabis Control announced on January 7 that the state had awarded $100 million in funding aimed at aiding in the development of local Cannabis markets.
14
Emphasizing the need to assist Cannabis businesses with the process of becoming fully licensed, the DCC has distributed funds to 17 cities and counties in which provisional licenses disproportionately outnumber the number of full-year (or annual) licenses being issued. Locales selected for funding include Desert Hot Springs, Long Beach, Monterey, San Francisco, Sonoma and Trinity. In a statement, DCC Director Nicole Elliott detailed the criteria used in determining this round of grant recipients, which she noted favored local jurisdictions that “incorporated innovative approaches to meet the specific needs of their license communities.” Those receiving funds are encouraged to use them in pursuit of expanding staffing, establishing IT systems dedicated to licensing, and assisting with environmental assessments and other initiatives aimed at renewable energy and water reduction. Additional funds will also reportedly be made available to any jurisdictions with established social equity programs.
Hungry for Edibles, Glass House Brands Acquires Plus Products for $25.6 Million
LEAFMAGAZINES.COM
Continuing in their self-proclaimed pursuit to create “the largest Cannabis brand-building platform in California,” vertically integrated Glass House Brands has acquired Plus Products for a reported $25.6 million.
Clearly aware of the value of edibles as one of the fastest-growing categories in the Cannabis industry, the deal between Glass House and Plus brings the latter into a company already excelling as a top seller in the flower space. By adding Plus – ranked by BDS Analytics as the No. 1 brand in the California gummy category – Glass House will look to diversify its offerings at a moment when the edibles market continues to spike in popularity. This deal notably falls far short of the estimated $298 million valuation Canopy Growth gave to leading edibles brand Wana in acquiring them last October. This disparity in price can partially be explained by the fact that Plus filed for bankruptcy protection in September, though it also reflects lofty expectations on the part of Glass House when it comes to what they believe Plus will bring to their seemingly ever-widening portfolio of products. As of now, the deal between Glass House and Plus is expected to close by early 2022.
feb. 2022
West Hollywood Seeks to Become CA’s Answer to Amsterdam
Some California Cultivators Forced to Let Crops Rot There is arguably no better visual to depict the current struggles facing California’s craft growers than that of quality Cannabis crops literally left to rot in the ground. Though such a fate seems difficult to process with so many places across the state – let alone the nation – still unable to access quality, legal Cannabis in any form, it has sadly become a reality. Swami Chaitanya, the reputed grower behind Swami Select, recently confirmed that he knew of growers in Mendocino County who were opting to simply skip the entire harvest process due to costs associated with such efforts, which in many cases can exceed what cultivators like Chaitanya can expect to earn back. With the price of flower in the state at a historic low, if a strain isn’t likely to achieve a high price point, it can sadly be less of a loss from a fiscal standpoint to let one’s subpar crops rot. Part of the painful logic here stems from cultivation taxes, which must be paid immediately, rather than upon completion of a sale. Faced with the obligation to pay taxes on product that is now going for a mere $300 to $500 a pound (if not less), the math simply isn’t adding up. Surely a better solution is possible, though the window to enact meaningful policy change appears to be rapidly slamming shut.
West Hollywood is a small slice of Los Angeles with an outsized reputation. Time and time again, this tiny city has repeatedly placed itself on the map, from its Prohibition tenure as a welcoming home to speakeasies to its role as a 1960s rock mecca courtesy of the Sunset Strip. In the 1980s, when
the AIDS epidemic hit, West Hollywood again went against the grain by playing host to some of the first medical marijuana dispensaries to open anywhere in the country. Recalling this history, it thus makes sense that West Hollywood officials and the Cannabis industry are now eyeing the city (home to a mere 35,000 residents) as a potential West Coast answer to Amsterdam. Currently home to six dispensaries, West Hollywood officials reportedly plan to approve as many as 40 additional Cannabis permits over the next year and change. The idea of establishing a socalled ‘Emerald Village’ as a southern counterpoint to NorCal’s Emerald Triangle also partially hinges on the involvement of several A-list celebrities with plans to open West Hollywood Cannabis businesses. They include rapper Jay-Z, comedian Bill Maher, and actors like Patricia Arquette and Woody Harrelson. While West Hollywood’s Cannabis businesses currently generate approximately $2.2 million a year in taxes for the city, officials reportedly expect to collect up to $6 million once all licensed businesses in the queue finally open.
STORIES by ZACK RUSKIN @ZACKRUSKIN for CALIFORNIA LEAF
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highly likely
LEGENDARY ACTOR
Highly Likely highlights Cannabis pioneers who have paved the way to greater herbal acceptance.
MORGAN FREEMAN MORGAN FREEMAN IS ONE OF THE MOST RECOGNIZABLE ACTORS (AND VOICES) IN AMERICAN CINEMA. Sometimes referred to as “the voice of God” from his role in the 2003 film “Bruce Almighty,” Freeman’s cadence, calm and measured persona has made him a sought-after spokesperson for many charities – from One Earth to PLANIT NOW and many other political organizations. Of course, he’s also the star of countless feature films, has won an Oscar and has received many more nominations.
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AF ARCHIVE/ ALAMY STOCK PHOTO
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IN AN INTERVIEW WITH THE DAILY BEAST IN 2015, FREEMAN NOTED THAT HE’S BEEN A LONGTIME USER OF CANNABIS. feb. 2022
nd back in 2015, Morgan “Marijuana has many useful uses. I Freeman came out of have fibromyalgia pain in this arm, the Cannabis closet. To and the only thing that offers any understand how his modern relief is marijuana. They’re talking Cannabis journey started, you have about kids who have grand mal to go back to 2008, when Freeman seizures, and they’ve discovered that was involved in an automobile marijuana eases that down to where accident in Mississippi. these children can have a life. That The accident severely damaged right there, to me, says: Legalize it his left arm, shoulder and elbow across the board!” – causing acute nerve damage As state after state around that prevents him from moving the the country has moved toward fingers in his left hand. He also decriminalization and outright sometimes wears a legalization, Freeman compression glove to has become more and protect against blood more outspoken about pooling in his arm due his use of the herb. to non-movement. In a 2016 interview Thankfully, Freeman with a British reporter, found that Cannabis the then 78-yearwas helpful in treating old actor was asked, the pain and symptoms “Where do you get your Freeman with Jim Carrey energy from?” Freeman of nerve damage. in Bruce Almighty. In an interview with responded, “Well, if the Daily Beast in you smoke enough 2015, Freeman noted that he’s been marijuana, you’ll get everything a longtime user of Cannabis, saying, going.” “They used to say, ‘You smoke that Many of us have watched stuff, boy, you get hooked!’ My Freeman’s amazing talent on display first wife got me into it many years in his countless roles on stage or ago. How do I take it? However it screen, but hidden in plain view for comes! I’ll eat it, drink it, smoke it, years was his use of Cannabis to snort it! This movement is really a help alleviate pain and cope with long time coming, and it’s getting life’s many stressors. legs – longer legs. Now, the thrust We truly live in a wonderful time, is understanding that alcohol has where people in positions of power no real medicinal use. Maybe if you and fame can help to mainstream have one drink it’ll quiet you down, this miracle herb and begin to extol but two or three and you’re fucked.” its benefits publically – and we can When probed about how marijuana thank personalities like Morgan benefits him personally with his Freeman for giving the movement a health condition, Freeman said, little lift now and then.
STORY by PACER STACKTRAIN for LEAF NATION
shop review leafmagazines.com
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“Love is the best business model,” says Owner Aundre Specialé.
CANNABIS BUYER’S CLUB OF BERKELEY BERKELEY
feb. 2022
Jay Maupin and Aundre Specialé
ONE OF THE LONGEST-RUNNING DISPENSARIES IN THE COUNTRY, CANNABIS BUYER’S CLUB OF BERKELEY IS MORE THAN A WEED SHOP. OWNER AUNDRE SPECIALÉ ENVISIONS IT AS A CULTURAL HUB, LAYING A FOUNDATIONAL LEGACY OF SERVICE AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT TO ACCOMPANY CBCB’S PURSUIT OF PROVIDING RELIEF FOR PATIENTS. THE ROOTS OF LEGACY
trying to get me to pay rent for selling drugs in their neighborhood. But it seems to me now, with the regulations, it seems just as hard.” “I’m not sure which I prefer,” she added, referring to the threatening gangs or the regulators. “I literally miss the old days.” THE MEDICINE
Specialé and her team keep the inventory tight but stacked with respected operators and well-crafted gear, ranging from ounces of well-priced smalls for those looking for affordable medicine in bulk, to grams of high-end rosin. She’s especially proud of Specialé, her own brand of intentionally ratioed pre-roll packs – designed to serve in the light moments with CBD-rich blends, to the heavy-hitting moments with high-THC packs, and everywhere in between. “We have something for every moment of your life,” Specialé said. “I believe it’s a life enhancer. I believe the activism of access is having something for every type of person.” For the rest of CBCB’s selection, her inventory philosophy calls for varying price points and the best possible quality available at each. But there’s one bar that every brand has to clear, no matter the value proposition. “We want to work with people who align with our morals and values,” she said. “We wouldn’t want to work with anyone who didn’t align with our values.” To that end, they expect vendors to contribute to the shop’s compassion program. “There were times when people would say they didn’t want to contribute to the compassion program, and that would be the filter, right there,” she said. Specialé looks at it as an added benefit to the consumer, as well. “You can go in and buy an eighth for the same price as the place down the street, but walk out knowing that you’re supporting these programs,” she said.
Specialé’s dedication to Cannabis medicine came from the same source that touched so many lives, though her circumstances were a little different from the rest of us. In the early 1990s, young and homeless in Venice, California, she befriended Jack Herer. “He was just someone I used to say “hi” to every day on my way to the beach,” Specialé said. “He and I started talking, and it was like being hit by lightning. Jack was just a force of nature, and you couldn’t help being swept up by his passion.” Specialé started working the hemp booth for Herer, traveling on the bus to spread the word of hemp manufacturing and plant medicine. “It just became my life’s passion,” she said. She launched a dispensary and built a community center around it, offering free Cannabis to anyone who would offer a free service to the community. They ended up with more than 200 free services, including classes, massage, haircuts and more. “At the time, you don’t really realize you’re part of history, or making history, when you’re doing it,” she says of the time CANNABIS BUYER’S CLUB OF BERKELEY period. 3033 SHATTUCK AVE., BERKELEY, CA Her advocacy and activity in the commuOPEN 8AM-9PM DAILY nity introduced her to the people behind CBCBERKELEY.COM CBCB, whom she befriended and started to @CBCB_CANNABIS help advise on matters of policy with local (510) 849-4201 and regional government. THE PHILOSOPHY
In 2006, Specialé took over from the previous operators – including current budtender Jay Maupin – in order to utilize her experience to help CBCB negotiate a move to a new location. After the move, she put together a number of community services, classes, and launched a smoking lounge – creating a cultural hub for the community, much as she had in the past. To this day, CBCB organizes compassion programs for patients in need and lower income individuals. The purpose behind their shop is to support the needs of the community and its culture. “It’s really important to keep our ethos alive as we move forward,” Specialé said. “I was homeless. I was completely homeless. The fact that I was homeless, and I’ve been in jail – and I wake up, and I have opportunity, and I’m alive and free – I feel like I should take advantage of that and give back.” It’s not easy. Like many others who transitioned from the revered, almost utopic medical market to take a shot at full legalization, she feels the squeeze of governmental oversight. “It’s really hard operating now, as compared to before,” she said. “In the past, I’ve been raided. I’ve had gangs come in
THE FAMILY
Perhaps the biggest testament to the familial nature of the staff at CBCB is the fact that Maupin, originally an owner, stayed on as a budtender after Specialé took over the shop. This puts him in contention for the title of longest-running budtender in the country. Led by Specialé and General Manager Brandt Burgess, the CBCB crew is well-versed in Cannabis medicine and where to find the quality on the shelf, and their energy is overwhelmingly positive and compassionate. It’s no wonder this shop has remained a staple of the Berkeley community for so long – everyone there seems to care deeply about the mission and ethos of service, so much so they remain there for half of their lives. It’s worth a visit to hear the stories alone, and walking out with a bag of happiness is the cream. THE WRAP
With a thoughtful, knowledgeable staff, a well-curated product line, and a legacy of earned respect and support within the community, CBCB embodies the core values of our Cannabis community – a collective built on the desire to alleviate struggle and extract enjoyment out of our time on the Earth. Specialé puts it best when she sums up her approach to the industry: “Love is the best business model.”
REVIEW by TOM BOWERS @CANNABOMBTOM/CALIFORNIA LEAF | PHOTOS by MIKE ROSATI @ROSATIPHOTOS
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concentrate of the month leafmagazines.com
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Bursting with sweet, overripe banana terps, Honey Bananas is a mouthwatering mashup of Honey Boo Boo (Bubba Kush x Captain Krypt OG) x Strawberry Bananas, bred by legendary Bay Area breeder Elemental Seeds. When allowed to warm to room temp, the scent is absolutely overwhelming and kicks off extremely pungent bananas foster and bubblegum aromas. The nose has a pronounced brown sugar type sweetness to it, and when coupled with the banana-forward profile, is extremely reminiscent of Runts or Laffy Taffy candies. The warmer it gets, the more full and rounded the aroma becomes. The consistency is gooey and the rosin is wet with terpenes, without the need for any agitation whatsoever. While the slightly runnier consistency comes with the minor drawback of having to monitor your dab to make sure it doesn’t slide off your tool, it comes with the major benefit of being loud as fuck. My low temp dab delivers a super smooth and flavor-packed vapor loaded with banana, sweet earth, and an herbaceous floral spice that’s somewhere between mesquite wood and wildflowers. The effects are swift and it takes no time at all for an eyelid-drooping, clear-headed euphoria to kick in. The flurry of flavor that just went down results in a buoyant, happy vibe and in no time at all, I’m back for another hit of that sweet banana goodness.
HASH AND FLOWERS
HONEY BANANA LIVEROSIN feb. 2022
“...a super smooth and flavor-packed vapor loaded with banana, sweet earth, and an herbaceous floral spice... ” This one is a standout in a lineup of stellar offerings from Trinity County’s Hash and Flowers brand. Their hash rosin is confirmed fire, with a variety of flavors on deck that are sure to please not only today’s new-school exotic loving, fruit and dessert flavor chasers – but also the OG, gas, skunk and diesel lovers as well. The company’s founder Terry Mines has been an active member of the Cannabis community for decades, and has farmed in nine counties all across California over the span of more than 30 years. His products are a testament to the experience he brings to the game, and in my humble opinion, are a musttick if you’re a concentrate enthusiast in California.
HASHANDFLOWERS.COM @HASHANDFLOWERS2.0 REVIEW & PHOTO by NATE WILLIAMS @NATEW415/CALIFORNIA LEAF
cooking with cannabis
R EC I P E S b y LAU RIE WOLF | P HOTO b y B RUC E WOLF
Sip, Dip & Cluster I don’t know about you, but come February I need some food love. I live in Portland, Oregon – it has been rainy and chilly for months now – and I want some sun. And no, I won’t get sun for weeks and weeks, so I am treating myself to three recipes that help soothe my winter gloom. Nothing hard, nothing not delicious. Share your treats and share the love … now more than ever.
22 2mg THC each | 2 per serving
DIPPED MANGO 1 cup dark chocolate chips 1 tablespoon canna butter or oil, 24mg THC 12 large pieces dried mango
Some say that mango, full of the terpene myrcene, adds to your Cannabis experience. That rocks.
1. Line a sheet pan with parchment. 2. In a small, microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate on 50% for 30 seconds. Check, stirring the chips, and if not melted continue melting at half power in 15 second intervals. When melted, stir in the infused oil or butter. 3. Dip the mangoes into the chocolate, then lay on the parchment for at least 30 minutes to set.
24 clusters | 2mg THC each
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Serves four, 5mg THC per serving
PINK SMOOTHIES 2 cups almond milk, or any other milk 1 cup frozen strawberries, sliced 1 small frozen banana, sliced 1/2 cup strawberry yogurt 1/4 cup pineapple juice 4 teaspoons canna oil or butter, 20mg THC total 1-2 tablespoons honey 2 tablespoons crushed dehydrated strawberries, garnish
1. In a blender, combine all ingredients except for the dehydrated strawberries and process until smooth. 2. Divide between four glasses. Garnish with the dehydrated strawberries.
feb. 2022
IT’S A CLUSTER 2 cups white chocolate chips 2 tablespoons coconut oil 2 tablespoons infused oil or butter 48mg THC total 1 cup granola 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1. Place a 24-cup mini mold on your work space. Place paper liners in each cup. 2. In a double boiler, over low heat, combine the chips and the oils. When almost fully melted, remove from the heat. Spoon the white chocolate into each cup, and top with a teaspoon or more of granola. 3. In a double boiler, over low heat, melt the semisweet chips. Top the granola with the melted chocolate, immediately followed by the remaining granola. Allow to set for at least an hour.
#lov emont h #eat yourCannabi s #calli ngallt erpenes # b oycottha te | La uriea nd Ma ryJa ne.com
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STRAIN OF THE MONTH THE CULTURE ISSUE
HITC
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“An immediately dizzying and pleasurable euphoria.”
feb. 2022
CAL I F O R N I A
TCHHIKER cultivated by connected 24.75% THC | 29% TOTAL CANNABINOIDS CO N N EC TE D CA . CO M | @ CO N N EC TE D . CAL I F O R N I A
R EVI E W & P H OTO b y TO M B OW E R S @ CA N NA B O M B TO M / CA L I F O R N I A L E A F H AV E A L E A D O N S O M E S E R I O U S F I R E ? E M A I L T O M @ L E A F M A G A Z I N E S . C O M
Each month, the team at California Leaf strives to find the perfect flower to anchor the theme of the issue. It’s a worthy quest that exposes us to an endless array of flavors, gardens, and vibrant characters in the state’s astounding Cannabis scene.
F
or the Culture Issue, we set the bar high (again). The flower needed to come from a legit operator with respect on the set. We wanted something new and special that captured the current collective palate of the community. And, above all, it had to bring the heat. We knew we’d found the right traveling partner when we picked up the Hitchhiker. Thumbing its way from Connected, the Sacramento-based collective that’s earned a reputation for top tier genetics, this gassy pheno brings its own fuel along for the journey. The Connected crew cheekily characterizes the purple-streaked flower as a “combination of burnt motor oil and swamp water” – the types of descriptors only people deep into the appreciation of heady, gassy strains could love. It’s an apt description. The Hitchhiker’s foundation of fuel underlies wet earth and petrichor, alongside subtly sweet hints of lavender. The flower burns clean, sloughing off white ash as the terpenes shine through the entire length of a J, delivering an immediately dizzying and pleasurable euphoria. The Connected crew doesn’t share the lineage behind their new premier genetics, but this flower fits in beautifully with their bedrock lineup of bulletproof standards, including Gelato 41 and Biscotti. It’s joined by three other new crosses that Connected says they expect to become parents in their significant breeding program: Pantera Limone, Slow Lane and Nightshade. (We also sampled the Pantera Limone, which was neck-and-neck with the Hitchhiker for this column.) They’ve come a long way since 2009, when co-founder Caleb Counts first launched Fruitridge Health and Wellness – before growing his empire to include multiple indoor cultivation facilities, a line of concentrates, a partnership with Alien Labs and three Connected-branded dispensaries. We’re looking forward to seeing what else comes out of the Connected breeding program as they continue to work their new crosses into the parental mix. If the Hitchhiker is any indication, it’ll drive the culture to new, delicious destinations.
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FEB. 2022
B E R
THE CULTURE ISSUE
EVERY YEAR, our annual Culture Issue asks, “What is Cannabis culture?” For an increasing number of fans, the answer comes in two syllables: Berner. Powered by his globally recognized Cannabis brand, a fashion line, a staggering 38 albums to his name, and nearly 2 million Instagram followers as of this writing, any move by the 38-year-old founder of the Cookies empire tips the market scale like a fist on a triple beam. New store? Lines around the block. New Cookies-Starter jacket collab drop? People camp on the street for a place in line. New album? Nas, Future and Rick Ross step up to spit a verse. In 2021, Berner faced up to his toughest challenge to date. In the midst of opening new stores, launching new menus and blessing new business partnerships, he got hit with a cancer diagnosis. So he recorded an album. We connected with the man behind it all to discuss his brand, his future and his new album, “Gotti” – which seals his Mafia Trilogy with a lushly produced homage to Don John Gotti, Sr.
N E R
STORY by TOM BOWERS @CANNABOMBTOM/LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by BENNYY BLANCO @BENNYY_BLANCO
BERNER
THE CULTURE ISSUE
Continued from prev iou s page
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“YOU’RE LOOKING AT THE OWNER ALL THE TEAMS PLAY FOR ME.” Legacy
Born Gilbert Anthony Milam, Jr., Berner started small in the early 2000s, trapping and stacking. He dreamt of launching simultaneous careers – Cannabis, fashion, music. He wanted it all. So he pushed. Hard. He made enough money to start his own fashion brand, naming it Cookies after the now-legendary strain he and his partners brought to market. He started releasing albums at a frenzied pace of multiple drops per year. Fast forward to today, and there are more than 40 Cookies-branded stores across 17 markets in four countries. If you’ve bought Cannabis anywhere in the past five years, there’s a good chance it was crossed with Cookies genetics – some of your favorite cultivars likely grow for the Cookies brand. If there’s a magic recipe, Berner has it. “Without a good team, none of this shit would be possible – from leadership, all the way down,” he said. “My main focus is making sure that what I want to happen for Cookies is happening, everywhere we expand. Whether it be the menu, or the look for the store, the experience in the store, new strain names, branding, keeping the clothing line popping. I focus on mostly creative stuff, and let my partners handle the business. Once the business is at the finish line, I come through and overlook, and give my approval, and my blessing, and boom – it’s done.”
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“PRESSURE MAKES DIAMONDS AND BERN WILL NEVER FOLD.” Legacy As summer turned to fall, Berner received the news so many fear. It was colon cancer. But it was operable. He decided he had to get into the studio. He called his old friend and collaborator, Cozmo, to set it up. Next he flew out to meet with John Gotti Jr. to ask permission to name his album after Gotti Sr. Not only did Gotti Jr. offer his blessing, but he provided previously unreleased audio of his father from the federal case against the Mafia Don. “For me, it kind of felt like it might be my last body of work, and I was paranoid with the cancer situation,” Berner said. “... Music’s always been therapy, it’s always been my journal for me. I was looking to make a really good body of work, but also, I wanted to prove my work in the music space.” Berner brought in a stacked deck of heavy hitting collaborators for the effort, and they brought the heat on their verses draped over the lush instru-
FEB. 2022
“HAVING A STRONG FAMILY IS EVERYTHING. AND MY KID IS MY MOTIVATION TO KEEP ROCKING, AND KEEP FIGHTING.”
mentation of Cozmo’s beats. It took a month, from diagnosis to finished album. “There were a lot of emotions,” Berner said. “I didn’t really allow myself to get stressed out about the cancer thing, because I was stressed out about having to figure out how to finish the album in time, and make sure it sounded great – and I had the album artwork, and everything lined up for the release. So it was good, and it kept me distracted.” In addition to serving as a welcome distraction from his diagnosis, the music, like every project Berner endeavors, helps build up the rest of his enterprises. “I feel like the brand makes the music special, and the music makes the brand special,” he said. “They both organically promote and big-up one another. And I feel like the fashion, the music, and the bud is a powerful combo. And we’re kind of the first ones to pair that and pull that off. It was all things that I really loved and wanted to do, and they all complemented each other.” “DO WHATEVER IT TAKES IT’S ALL GAS, NO BRAKES CAN’T SLOW DOWN.” Slow Down It’s a week into December and Berner is calling in from the road, on the way from his Bay Area home to L.A. and Palm Springs for a music festival and the Cookies company Christmas party. He’s pushing hard to cram everything in before starting his cancer treatment after the holiday. Famous for his insatiable need to build and create, Berner has only stepped harder on the gas pedal since his diagnosis. “If you really put it in perspective, I found out I had cancer, I recorded ‘Gotti’ for a month, I came home, I did surgery,” he said. “I had to recover for two and a half weeks, went to New York, did a 10day press run. I only came home yesterday for one day, spent the whole day with the family, watched a movie, had dinner, enjoyed the day. Hopped on a bus at 7 a.m. today, driving all the way to L.A., do a radio interview as soon as I get there, do a listening party for the press, kind of like a meet and greet for the press, do a music video until about 3 a.m., wake up at 7:00, get on a bus to the company party, come back … perform at Rolling Loud (music festival). The shit doesn’t stop. So the point is, you just gotta know how to enjoy the time you have in between those moments.” I share an old axiom, “The tall tree gathers the most wind.” I ask if he’s feeling the pressure of the strong winds, now that he’s outgrown the protection of the treeline. “Shit, I definitely feel that wind, like a motherfucker,” he said. “I feel it this morning. I’m tired as hell, I’m lost, I haven’t been home in hella long. But I feel like life is all about leaving something special behind, and I’m working really hard toward that.” It’s an intense schedule for anyone, let alone a guy battling cancer. For him, there’s no choice. He has to keep building. “That’s just like the last month or two,” he said. “That’s how it always is. The best thing about living
like that, when you’re building a company, is like, I only ask my employees to work as hard as I’m working … I can’t demand that everyone’s grinding hella hard if I’m not. So, by me moving like this, people know, ‘Shit, if he’s doing it, we gotta do it.’ I’m not one of those bosses or CEOs who sit back and call shots from my phone. I’m in the field, and they know that.” “NO ONE WILL EVER BE TWO STEPS AHEAD OF ME. NAH, THEY AIN’T FUCKIN’ WITH MY LEGACY.” Legacy
“MUSIC’S ALWAYS BEEN THERAPY, IT’S ALWAYS BEEN MY JOURNAL FOR ME.”
Berner credits his insatiable drive to his parents. “My dad passed me the crazy genes of work ethic,” he said. “I don’t think I could ever slow down.” His father owned his own Mexican restaurant, and his mom had her own business. They imbued him with a hustle that he brings to everything he does. “They both told me when I was growing up that you’ve got to be your own boss,” he said. “You don’t want to work for nobody.” For Berner, family is the main motivator. He spends as much time as he can imparting knowledge to his daughter, and he married his longtime girlfriend in January. “A good household is everything,” Berner said. “Having a strong family is everything. And my kid is my motivation to keep rocking, and keep fighting. And I feel like I’m leaving a really good example for her, about being an entrepreneur, being a businessperSMOKE SESH Berner drew an eager crowd to the Cookies dome son, and also being a leader. So I’m at the 2021 Emerald Cup at the Santa Rosa, California fairgrounds. just glad to be able to show her what I’m doing, and how I’m handling (the cancer diagnosis). I could have been at the house, working on some scripted series stuff. That would all bummed out and not doing anything. I think it’s be my ultimate goal. Not to sell Cookies, but maya great example for her on how to handle things, be find a partner who brings a little liquidity to the when things like this come in. I always joke with her table in the near future that would allow me to kind that I want her to be the CEO of Cookies one day. of do what A24 is doing right now. I would love I always game her up.” to produce quality, real content. If I had it my way, and cancer doesn’t take me down … the next thing “LEGENDARY MOVES ONLY.” I would do is take whatever money I made and put Zoning it into film.” As he continues to pile lofty goals on his plate, With chemotherapy setting to fade in the rearthe most important challenge lays ahead – and view, Berner continues to push hard, aiming to Berner seems to be approaching the cancer fight build Cookies’ cultural influence past the point of with the same unstoppable forward momentum he immortality. takes to everything. “I think what’s next for me is trying to make sure “After my mom died from cancer, I spent time Cookies lives forever, and plan out the menu for going to Children’s Hospitals, and seeing kids that the next 100 or 200 years,” he said. “It sounds a were suffering from cancer,” he said. little crazy to say that, but it’s definitely possible “... It’s always been something special to me with tissue culture and the amount of breeders we to try to fight cancer with good energy. So that’s have.” what we’re doing. If people want to know how I’m As huge as that dream sounds, it’s still not fighting it, I’m fighting it with good energy. And that enough for Berner, who’s already looking at anothenergy comes from music, weed, and good people er cultural conquest on the horizon. – and that’s it.” “I think the next thing for me is film. That’s always been my biggest passion,” he said. COOKIES.CO “I’ve already written like two or three films, and I’m @BERNER415
STORY by TOM BOWERS @CANNABOMBTOM/LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by BENNYY BLANCO @BENNYY_BLANCO & COURTESY COOKIES
THE CULTURE ISSUE
ROOTED IN REALNESS
THE LEAF CHATS WITH GARCIA HAND PICKED’S TRIXIE GARCIA
GARCIA HAND PICKED is a creative partnership between The Garcia Family and Holistic Industries, also known for brands including Liberty, Strane, and Do Drops. Because Trixie grew up as a Cannabis user in the community, it is very meaningful for her to fight for Cannabis legalization and normalization. She refers to this brand as a labor of love and is adamant regarding how much she cares about the
Singer, songwriter and guitarist Jerry Garcia is shown performing on stage during a Grateful Dead concert appearance.
Jerry was an avid consumer of the plant, smoking socially and embracing the integral role Cannabis played the community. When he envisioned creating his own little chain of cafes that he would play music in, his vision included coffee, wine and weed. He smoked joints throughout the day, and enjoyed smoking and sharing weed often. So much so that after family meals, sparking up a joint became a tradition. Garcia’s hand has become an icon and is the focal point of the branding of Garcia Hand Picked – from the name to the logo – with Trixie working with Kyle Barich and Rachel Genderson of Holistic Industries to create the colorful and psychedelic packaging we see on their flower and edibles today. Starting with an image of Jerry from the Grateful Dead’s trip to Egypt, they then played around with different ways to use that photo. The design they landed on is reminiscent of smoke, but it also reminds people of the early tie-dye days with an enticing psychedelic pattern.
PHOTO BY NATE WILLIAMS @NATEW415
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Garcia Hand Picked’s Sour Bubble OG was highlighted as the Strain of the Month in the March 2021 Psychedelia Issue of California Leaf. tinyurl.com/caleafmar2021
FEB. 2022
CONCERT PHOTOS / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO
fans – never wanting to let them down.
Each and every lid is unique on the packaging, and even the edibles produced by this company are shaped like guitar picks. The Grateful Dead family continues to inspire the brand even today, including paying homage to the strains that became famous on the Dead lot. They receive influence from Steve Parish and even Trixie’s mother Carolyn Garcia, who wrote a book called “Primo Plant” on organic gardening. In addition to Trixie, other members of The Garcia Family are giving guidance to the brand on a regular basis, and are very happy with the level of control they are able to maintain. When asked if Cannabis played a large role in the Grateful Dead’s psychedelic experiments, Trixie said, “I bet there is a whole history book that could be written about that. It was having the freedom to expand your consciousness in whatever way works for you. This was a whole generation of people coming out of war in Vietnam, and being totally traumatized by all of those things. Everyone is looking for more GARCIAHANDPICKED.COM @GARCIAHANDPICKED
purpose and deeper meaning to everything, and Cannabis is one of those things that once you try it, your perspective is broadened. That is the parallel between the music and everything like that, it’s all about expanding your consciousness and the human experience. The bonding between people sitting around and smoking joints helped to temper some of the psychedelic experiences occurring. Pot was the main constant throughout that whole thing.” Oftentimes, celebrity Cannabis brands get a negative connotation. In the case of Garcia Hand Picked, however, their authenticity is imbued and their organic approach to holistic medicine is done with all Cannabis consumers in mind, from the medicinal to the recreational. With or without Jerry’s name on the brand and the support of his family, these products would be highly sought after and head stash worthy.
EVERYONE IS LOOKING FOR MORE PURPOSE AND DEEPER MEANING TO EVERYTHING, AND CANNABIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT ONCE YOU TRY IT, YOUR PERSPECTIVE IS BROADENED. STORY by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT/LEAF NATION | PORTRAIT by GARCIA HAND PICKED
THE CULTURE ISSUE
LAGANJA ESTRANJA SHOWS UP WITH A MAJOR PENCHANT FOR POT, THE “RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE” STAR DISHES ON HER TRIUMPHANT YEAR AND WHAT SHE HAS PLANNED FOR 2022. LAGANJA ESTRANJA has built a career from taking leaps of faith. In many cases, these leaps are literal – featured as showcase moments in the high-octane, jaw-dropping choreography fans have come to expect from her videos and live performances. A contestant on the sixth season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” Estranja’s reputation for delivering seismic, sickening death drops as a drag artist is as much a signature of her craft as her well-documented affinity for Cannabis.
PHOTO BY JON SAMS @JONSAMS
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FEB. 2022
Last year, Estranja returned to the spotlight with a celebrated appearance on the “Drag Race” spin-off series “RuPaul’s Drag Race All-Stars.” Prior to that performance, Estranja publicly came out as a transwoman in an interview, the combination of which has led to a breakneck year of bookings and special projects for the L.A.-based artist. “I feel like I’ve really earned this,” she said. “I’ve been jumping off crazy platforms into the splits since the beginning, so the fact that people are now beginning to fully recognize me for it, as I’ve started to transition – it just feels right. It feels correct. It feels like the timing is finally on my side.” A seasoned Cannabis consumer, Estranja’s stage name is an ode to her medicine of choice and proof positive that she’s long been vocal about her love of Cannabis. Remember: Back in 2014, when her season of “Drag Race” first aired, being so openly pro-pot was still quite the gamble. Thankfully, things have finally evolved, allowing Estranja to seize her chance to celebrate Cannabis in the form of an innovative, print-on-demand merchandise line. Featuring several Cannabis-focused prints as well as other options like a Sailor Jerry-inspired design, Estranja says her new merch line has been a huge hit so far. In many ways, it takes its inspiration from the drag star’s own fashion, which often pays homage to pot in some form. For instance, in Estranja’s latest music video, “Poison Ivy,” she donned an outfit equal parts Uma Therman and OG Kush.
PHOTO BY AARON JAY YOUNG @AARONJAYYOUNG
“I wanted to create a look that was an ode to Mother Nature, to my favorite plant, and to one of my favorite comic book characters,” she explained. “I specifically love Uma Thurman’s version of Poison Ivy because she ends up becoming a show girl and obviously, I can relate to that. I also really wanted to have an outfit that had Cannabis on it but that was still within the Poison Ivy vibe, so I had my incredible designer, Howie B, design the look.” While you won’t find Howie B originals for sale on Estranja’s site, the colorful, largely weed-focused options one can purchase deliver an arguably similar blend of chic and sativa. Estranja also recently made the jump into paraphernalia, debuting a line of signature grinders she hopes to supplement soon with a larger size and rolling trays.
“My big dream is to get my merch into headshops,” she added. “That’s something I’m really focused on because, eventually, I want to see this become a lifestyle brand that revolves not around Laganja the drag artist but rather Laganja the brand and the name, much like how Versace does it.” Before taking the next step in her Versace aspirations, however, Estranja plans to spend the near future focusing fully on her transition. To that end, in the coming weeks, she has decided she will begin the process of hormone therapy. “I’m finally at a point in my life where I feel comfortable as myself and I feel ready for that next step,” she explained. “But I want to take it slow. A lot of girls go straight to injections but I’m looking at going the pill route, which is a lot less potent. I just feel like there’s no rush. I waited until I was 32 – which in a lot of
people’s minds is late – to come out, so why rush now?” As for whether Estranja expects Cannabis to play a role in that process, she admits she isn’t sure, though she certainly isn’t ruling out the possibility. “I really won’t know until I start experiencing Estranja was a breakout it for myself,” she said. “I’ve talked to many star on of my sisters and every single person had a RuPaul’s different experience. Truly. For some, Cannabis Drag Race All-Stars. absolutely helps and can be integral to using hormones but for others, because the hormones are already making them feel so emotional and off the chain, Cannabis can make it worse. I don’t think that will be the case for me. Cannabis has always helped me, so I have a feeling that will continue to be the case.” With dates across the planet scheduled for February, March and April, and a new EP (“Daily Basis”) also on the way – Estranja won’t be keeping a low profile for long. And after such a lengthy journey spent steadfastly committing to herself, who can blame her? Looking back at a year packed with big moments, it’s this truth, she says, that stands above all others. “I came back to television, and I came back as myself. Any time you can be yourself, you’re going to succeed.” LAGANJAESTRANJA.COM @LAGANJAESTRANJA
STORY by ZACK RUSKIN @ZACKRUSKIN for LEAF NATION
PHOTO BY ALEXANDER FOST @ALEXANDERFOST
A SEASONED CANNABIS CONSUMER, ESTRANJA’S STAGE NAME IS AN ODE TO HER MEDICINE OF CHOICE AND PROOF POSITIVE THAT SHE’S LONG BEEN VOCAL ABOUT HER LOVE OF CANNABIS.
OAKLAND, CA | 2 YEARS
THE CULTURE ISSUE
CHAOS GIBBONS
Co-founder, The Farmaceuticals Company
JEI SHEPHERD
Professional jeweler, artist, tattooist
HOW/WHEN DID YOU MEET? In New Orleans about 14 years ago. Chaos was working
in the traditional California Cannabis market, and Jei was at a mutual friend’s house when Chaos stopped by with some flower.
FIRST TIME YOU GOT HIGH TOGETHER? On our second date – we went to the Hella Gay
dance party. We met outside and walked to Chaos’ car to smoke some weed before going in. FAVORITE THING(S) TO DO TOGETHER WHILE HIGH? Hosting dress-up-themed dinner/
dance parties in our living room, or hiking with our pup in the Redwoods.
WOULD YOU BE WITH YOUR PARTNER IF THEY DIDN’T SMOKE WEED? Absolutely not
– we both find it difficult to connect with folks who are anti-Cannabis.
GREATEST CHALLENGE YOU’VE FACED TOGETHER? Navigating the shifting landscape
of regulated Cannabis as a small, queer-woman-owned business in the land of giant corporations.
PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENT(S) IN THE CANNABIS SPACE? Winning the High Times
Cannabis Cup for Best CBD and sweeping the WeedCon competition this year!
HIGHER LOVE CANNABIS COUPLES SHARE THEIR STORIES
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IT CAN BE A CHALLENGE finding one’s stoner soulmate – someone you can grow with (both figuratively and literally), who not only tolerates your daily dab habit but can actually go toke-for-toke with you. For hardcore heads, true romantic chemistry, it seems, must include THC as part of the formula. Because as those lucky enough to find their perfect pot-smoking partner will tell you, there’s nothing quite like that “higher love.” I would know – my wife April and I met (then three years later, got engaged) at the Cannabis Cup in Amsterdam and held a weed-themed wedding before that became a “thing.” For us, like so many others, Cannabis has been both the catalyst that brought us together and an invaluable ally in WASILLA, AK | 15 YEARS
JOSIE & ROB GUSTAFSON Owners, RockHardNugzAK Cannabis
On match.com – we were both super excited that the other smoked weed!
leafmagazines.com
WHAT ROLE HAS CANNABIS PLAYED IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP? Cannabis
allows us to relax together. Being able to relax after a very stressful day is so important to maintaining a healthy relationship. Josie has a very hard time winding down, and Cannabis helps. FAVORITE THING TO DO TOGETHER WHILE HIGH? Let’s be real – sex while
high is awesome.
WOULD YOU BE WITH YOUR PARTNER IF THEY DIDN’T SMOKE WEED? Proba-
bly not. We’ve both had relationships in the past where the other partner didn’t smoke and what can I say … I’m with Rob now.
FEB. 2022
BRAD & CHRISTINA ZUSMAN Owners, Mellow Vibes & Blaze Edibles
maintaining harmony in our relationship. So to celebrate Valentine’s Day this month, we asked some of our favorite Cannabis couples to weigh in on how their love of the plant relates to their love for one another. RUTLAND, MA | 30 YEARS
HOW/WHEN DID YOU MEET?
GRESHAM, OR | 30 YEARS
JENN & JEREMY BORJESON Owners, The Harvest Cup Competition & Tradeshow
WHAT ROLE HAS CANNABIS PLAYED IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP? Cannabis has played
a huge role. Jeremy is a grower and I’ve always used Cannabis medically for just about everything – from alleviating nausea due to migraines to treating my ulcerative colitis. WOULD YOU BE WITH YOUR PARTNER IF THEY DIDN’T SMOKE WEED? I doubt we
would’ve ended up together. Cannabis was always a huge part of our lives, so I don’t think either of us would have lasted with a partner who didn’t use it. GREATEST CHALLENGE YOU’VE FACED TOGETHER? Dealing with all of the arrests, threats of taking our
children away, having our names published in the paper, having our homes raided three times, etc.
HOW/WHEN DID YOU MEET?
At the LGBTQI+ festival at the Portland waterfront in 1991. Christina was contracted to assist Brad’s catering company vending at the festival. FIRST TIME YOU GOT HIGH TOGETHER?
It’s crazy to think it took 12 years together before Christina used Cannabis! It was the first medical crop we grew together in our house … Christina got so stoned from two bong hits she slept for 15 hours! DID YOU HAVE A WEEDY WEDDING?
We set up a smoke station in the gazebo with assorted Cannabis and infused homemade wine provided by Christina’s parents. MOST ROMANTIC DATE/TRIP INVOLVING CANNABIS? Brad took me to Hawaii for our
anniversary once, and we snuck over some Cannabis and edible treats. We were told not to indulge on the property, so we walked over to some trees on the beach, sat down on a blanket, drank wine, and smoked while watching the waves crash into the rocks.
PORTLAND, OR | 6 YEARS
JESCE HORTON
CEO/Co-founder, LOWD; Co-founder, NuProject & Minority Cannabis Business Association
JEANNETTE WARD HORTON Co-founder/CEO, NuProject
HOW/WHEN DID YOU MEET?
As co-board members on the MCBA in 2015. WHAT ROLE HAS CANNABIS PLAYED IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP? The Cannabis industry definitely
brought us together.
SEATTLE, WA | 11 YEARS
LO & DANIEL LUEBKE
WOULD YOU BE WITH YOUR PARTNER IF THEY DIDN’T SMOKE WEED?
Founder & CEO/Director of Marketing Heylo Vapes
No – a non-smoker wouldn’t have time for Jeannette’s many weed breaks. LOL.
HOW/WHEN DID YOU MEET? On move-in day at
GREATEST CHALLENGE YOU’VE FACED TOGETHER?
Northwestern University. We lived in the same dorm and were instantly attracted to each other.
Being parents to two boys. Parenting has required more growth, adaptation and frayed nerves than any job, and Cannabis definitely helps.
DID YOU HAVE A WEEDY WEDDING? We couldn’t
PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN THE CANNABIS SPACE? We’ve launched two organizations
together: Minority Cannabis Business Association and NuProject, helping to fund $1 million to historically excluded entrepreneurs – over half of them black-owned businesses.
make Cannabis a big part of our wedding, but we had hemp leaves in the bouquet and boutonniere – and we had plenty of Heylo vapes to go around. WHAT ROLE HAS CANNABIS PLAYED IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP? Cannabis has always helped us amplify
life experiences – whether it’s getting creative in the kitchen together, melting into the music at a concert, or celebrating after reaching the peak of a hike.
FAVORITE WAY TO GET HIGH? Sharing a vape on a
walk or a celebratory bong hit. Oh, and our Cannabis lube is always a good time.
SEBASTAPOL, CA | 15 YEARS
ELISE MCDONOUGH Brand manager, Binske, and Cannabis cookbook author
BALTIMORE, MD | 5 YEARS
KELLY LOGIUDICE
Dec. 2019 Maryland Leaf Patient of the Month 710 Budtender Award nominee
JASON MORGAN
Former dispensary owner/manager
FIRST TIME YOU GOT HIGH TOGETHER? It was
within minutes of meeting each other! Cannabis was really the reason we were meeting in the first place. Before we had legal Cannabis in Maryland, seshes and pop-ups were how we connected in the Cannabis community.
HOW/WHEN DID YOU MEET? Working together at High Times in 2002.
We were work friends for a long time before we got romantically involved. FIRST TIME YOU GOT HIGH TOGETHER? At the HT office!
HOW DID YOU FALL IN LOVE? We started road tripping up and down the East Coast with our
dogs, going to glass shows and pop-ups in D.C., and having fun.
MOST ROMANTIC DATE/TRIP INVOLVING CANNABIS?
WHAT ROLE HAS CANNABIS PLAYED IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP? Cannabis was there from the
beginning, and it will always be there. It’s much more than just something we do for fun – it’s an essential part of our lives. It makes us better people, so we can be better people to each other. FAVORITE THING TO DO TOGETHER WHILE HIGH? Order snacks on GoPuff and watch horror
movies, go to an art gallery, or take the dogs hiking.
DAVID BIENENSTOCK
Co-host, Great Moments in Weed History podcast, and Cannabis author/journalist
In 2010, I proposed to Elise in front of the fountain outside the American Hotel in Amsterdam because that’s where we first kissed after working together behind a booth at the Cannabis Cup. WHAT ROLE HAS CANNABIS PLAYED IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP? Canna-
bis is a way to enhance the good things in our lives and relationship, and also helps us see through life’s challenges in a mutually supportive way.
STORY & INTERVIEWS by BOBBY BLACK @BOBBYBLACK420/LEAF NATION
THE CULTURE ISSUE
VIDAKUSH
VIDAKUSH.COM | @VIDAKUSH
Founded in 2011 by LA jewelry designer Rhianna Cooper, VidaKush is the definition of the cool-girl aesthetic. Fueled by modeling and collaborations with some of the most creative women in LA, VidaKush has been a defining staple of the modern, trendy Cannabis user. Using subtle yet recognizable Cannabis motifs in her work, Cooper has found a way to balance style and message. Her intention nearly a decade ago was to transform Cannabis apparel from tacky to chic. Back in those days, even in her hometown of LA, there was still a heavy stigma associated with Cannabis use. Through her accessories, Rhianna quickly discovered that the small gold or silver weed leaves adorning her rings and necklaces helped change the image of the stereotypical smoker. In addition to being gorgeous and intricate, her accessories also act as a type of secret signal – connecting with fellow Cannabis enthusiasts based on a single piece of jewelry, without having to say a word. During the early days of recreational Cannabis, Rhianna connected to the masses of women and femmes who didn’t feel seen by the mainstream, male-dominated Cannabis world. Through curating formal events, chill creative kickback sessions and fun weed-fueled photoshoots, VidaKush has played a unifying role in femme Cannabis culture.
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IN ADDITION TO BEING GORGEOUS AND INTRICATE, HER ACCESSORIES ALSO ACT AS A TYPE OF SECRET SIGNAL
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BLAZING A TREND
Besides the plant, Rhianna also draws inspiration from her heritage: half Indian and half American. The combination of her parents’ cultures and the mesh of traditions she experienced growing up influence her love of bold colors and accessorizing every part of the body. Using bright, shareable and high fashion editorial shoots, VidaKush has successfully changed the image of Cannabis fashion from tacky weed socks and corny t-shirts to a more refined and fashionable motif.
FRESHEN UP YOUR WARDROBE WITH NEW CANNABIS FASHION IN AN AGE when self-expression through art and fashion is available at our fingertips, it is no surprise that the modern Cannabis user is more likely than ever to proudly rep their favorite plant – using weed motifs as a mode of doing so. Both Cannabis and fashion brands alike are entering the marketplace looking to help their consumers embrace this healing plant as a style choice, elevating the culture along the way.
SEVEN LEAVES AIMS TO PROMOTE AN ACTIVE AND CREATIVE LIFESTYLE.
SEVEN LEAVES SEVENLEAVESSTYLE.COM | @SEVENLEAVES_CA
FEB. 2022
Seven Leaves entered the California Cannabis market in 2017 under Proposition 215 with the intention of turning premium Cannabis into an artform. Their indoor flower is grown in a state of the art facility without the use of pesticides. Through the use of targeted sponsorships with extreme athletes, DJs, musicians and artists, Seven Leaves aims to promote an active and creative lifestyle. Fast forward to today’s current legal landscape, and Seven Leaves Cannabis is a top seller in California’s recreational dispensaries. Going across state lines as a Cannabis brand is impossible until federal legalization, so Seven Leaves decided to sell lifestyle products such as sweatshirts, skateboards and other branded items – which are often inspired by one of their premium Cannabis strains. By expanding their brand into apparel, Seven Leaves has noticed major expansion in their social following and brand awareness, even gaining an international customer base. The goal behind their merchandise is to set the stage for brand awareness once federal legalization allows for a national operation.
STORY by EMILY EIZEN @EMILYEIZEN for LEAF NATION
AINTNOBODYCOOL
AINTNOBODYCOOL.COM | @AINTNOBODYCOOL
For their recent collaboration, streetwear brand Aintnobodycool joined forces with Green Dawg Cultivators, well-respected Cannabis farmers in Los Angeles. Their strain, inspired by Aintnobodycool’s recent collection, is called America’s Most Wanted. A streetwear stoner’s dream in which the packaging matches the print of the clothing, this collaboration truly takes the meaning of high fashion to the next level. In the ever changing worlds of hip hop, streetwear and Cannabis, Aintnobodycool aims to “level the playing field” by making accessible fashion that unites these three cultures. Upon first glance, one might not grasp the direction of this seven-year-old brand, but that’s what its founders, Serp and Alex Diamantakos aim for. Their driving brand force is the “freedom to have no rules” – reflected in their humorous, often troll-level marketing. Playing on humor, mystery and youth as their main themes, Aintnobodycool uses mostly graphic-based screen printing, but the brand also explores the resourcefulness of skate culture through techniques such as cut and sew. Aintnobodycool’s Cannabis collaboration with Green Dawg Cultivators is available at select retailers, including Cookies and Lemonnade.
SACKVILLE & CO.
SACKVILLE.CO | @SACKVILLE.AND.CO
Sackville & Co. is a contemporary Cannabis brand designed by women who like to smoke weed, and Lana Van Brunt and Hayley Dineen are the Brooklyn-based duo behind the style-focused Cannabis lifestyle brand. The pair bonded over their shared frustration of not being able to find chic Cannabis products to fit their personal style. Dineen cut her teeth at the world-renowned arts and design college Central St. Martin’s in London, going on to design for high-end brands including Yeezy, OVO, Vivienne Westwood and more. Van Brunt employs her marketing genius to the Sackville brand from her time as a director at VICE Media and ATTN: Media. From crystal ball pipes to their “weed out the bad vibes” hoodie, this brand is made with the creative consumer mind. They believe that Cannabis has been a hidden catalyst for creativity and exploration within fashion, art and music since the beginning. Being artists first, their aim is to build a diverse community that brings together creatives across these disciplines worldwide. Sackville & Co. collaborates with artists and brands who love to create unique work that reflects modern consumption. “To us, fashion is a modality of individual expression. Both Cannabis and fashion are uniquely personal journeys, with no right or wrong way to express yourself. We aim to design products that allow people to express their own aesthetic through uniquely curated Cannabis rituals. Evolving and having fun with your sense of style in all areas of life is what we’re about!”
BOTH CANNABIS AND FASHION ARE UNIQUELY PERSONAL JOURNEYS, WITH NO RIGHT OR WRONG WAY TO EXPRESS YOURSELF.
GLASSHOUSE FARMS X EMILY EIZEN CANNABIS ARTIST and Leaf Contributor Emily Eizen collaborated with Carpinteria, California’s Glasshouse Farms on a t-shirt design that reimagines the farm’s logo and benefits the Transgender Law Center. tinyurl.com/eizenwear
@RICKETTBREWING WWW.RICKETTBREWING.COM
844-420-4733
@GREENSTONEUS WWW.GREENSTONE.US LIC#C11-0000948-LIC
cannthropology
WORLD OF Cannabis PRESENTS
Bob Marley Herban Legend
leafmagazines.com
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When it comes to the great global icons of Cannabis culture, few figures loom as large as the immortal king of reggae himself, Bob Marley. RISE & SHINE Born February 6, 1945, in the small Jamaican village of Nine Mile, Robert Nesta Marley was the only child of Captain Norval Marley (a 60-year-old British plantation manager) and a 17-year-old Jamaican girl named Cedella Malcolm – who he reportedly seduced, impregnated, then largely abandoned. After Norval died in 1955, Cedella and her son moved in with her boyfriend Thaddeus Livingston and his son, in Kingston’s notorious Trench Town tenement yard. There, tweenRASTAMAN VIBRATION age Bob and his new stepbrother Neville (nicknamed “Bunny”) started hanging with a During Marley’s absence, Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie, who Rastafarians worshipped as the new messiah, famously visited Jamaica – inspiring a maslocal street gang called the Rude Boys, who nicknamed him “Tuff Gong” and turned them sive surge in the popularity of Rasta culture. By the time Bob returned to the island in early 1967, his wife and bandmates had all converted to Rastafari on to the hot new sound known as ska. and he quickly followed suit – embracing the faith’s rituals of growing the hair Around the age of 14, Marley dropped out out into dreadlocks and smoking ganja as a sacrament. Under this new Rasta of school to pursue his passion for music. influence, the popular ska and “rocksteady” genres morphed into a mellower, He and Bunny started singing together and were soon taken under the wing of a famous more political musical style with an offbeat “riddim” known as reggae … and Debut album from the clean-cut Jamaican singer named Joseph Higgs. Later the clean-cut vocal trio transformed into the rebel rude boys we know today. looking Wailing Wailers. Reflecting this rebirth, Bunny changed his last name to Wailer and the band regarded as the “Godfather of Reggae,” it was shortened its name to The Wailers. Higgs who taught the duo how to sing and play guitar, as well as introduced them to two pivotal figures in their CATCH A FIRE lives: producer Clement “Coxsone” Dodd and a young guitarist After a falling out with Dodd, the group teamed known as Peter “Tosh” McIntosh. After numerous lineup and name up with producer Lee “Scratch” Perry to produce changes, their group solidified as The Wailing Wailers – a vocal trio two albums: “Soul Rebels” in 1970 and “Soul comprised of Marley, Livingston and Tosh. The group recorded over Revolution Part II” in 1971. Then in 1972, The 70 songs for Dodd’s Studio One label, which released their eponyWailers hooked up with soul singer Johnny Nash mous debut album in 1965. for a European tour. But when the tour fizzled out It was during those sessions that Marley met his first love, Rita Anand left them stranded in London, they decided to derson – a teenage mom who sang in a group called The Soulettes. meet with Island Records founder Chris Blackwell, The two were married in February 1966 … but just days after the who sent them home with £4,000 to record a new wedding, Bob left Jamaica to live with his mother in Wilmington, album. The result was “Catch a Fire” – the first Delaware (where she’d moved four years earlier).
feb. 2022
“Herb is the healin’ of the nation. Everyone on earth is supposed to smoke herb. God created herb for man ... one’s supposed to smoke freely and be free.”
Contemplation in a cloud of smoke: Bob Marley relaxes with a spliff between interviews at a press junket in a West Hollywood hotel in 1976.
album produced under the band’s new label Tuff Gong and their first with major label distribution. Released in April 1973, it was, according to one Rolling Stone article, “the first wholly formed, cohesive reggae album.” The initial 20,000 pressings were cleverly designed to look and open like a Zippo lighter; after that, the cover featured a close-up of Bob smoking a huge joint. Their next album, “Burnin’” (released that October), eventually went gold – thanks in part to guitar god Eric Clapton, who helped put the band on the map in 1974 when his cover of “I Shot the Sherriff” hit number one. Despite the group’s rising success, however, Bunny and Tosh were allegedly unhappy with Blackwell’s commercial vision for the band and chose to leave the group later that year. Marley quickly assembled a new lineup, rebranded the group as Bob Marley and The Wailers, and powered on toward stardom – releasing “Natty Dread” in 1974, then “Rastaman Vibration” in 1976 (his first album to reach Billboard’s Top 10 list).
EXCUSE ME WHILE I LIGHT MY SPLIFF ATTACK & ILLNESS Exploding into the international spotlight, MarEventually, though, ley was beset by the press, which predictably some of Marley’s focused their questioning on his then-contropolitical activism would versial religious beliefs and ganja habit (which come back to bite him. On December 3, was rumored to be up to a pound a week). 1976 – two days before he was set to perform In interview after interview, Bob blazed and at the Smile Jamaica concert organized by the praised the sacred herb (with a hard “h”). People’s National Party – seven gunmen hired “Herb is the healin’ of the nation,” Marley by the rival Jamaican Labour Party shot up preached in a 1975 Ann Arbor Sun article. Marley’s home/rehearsal studio in Kingston, “Everyone on earth is supposed to smoke injuring him, Rita and his manager. Miracuherb. God created herb for man, mon … lously, no one was killed … but the incident one’s supposed to smoke spooked Marley enough that herb freely and be free.” he fled to England, where he In July 1976, shortly after remained for nearly two years. a show at LA’s Roxy Theater, While in self-imposed exile Bob invited former Island there, he recorded “Exodus” – Records publicity chief Jeff an album that, over 20 years Walker and his wife Kim Gotafter its June 1977 release, tlieb-Walker to his hotel room would be named the best in West Hollywood to do a album of the 20th century by photoshoot for his upcoming Time magazine. interview with High Times. That same year, Marley was “Bob normally didn’t like diagnosed with a malignant to pose for photos, but he melanoma in his toe. He was thrilled to pose for the refused doctors’ recomcover of High Times,” recalls mendations to amputate on Gottlieb-Walker, whose religious grounds; as a result, iconic images of Marley are the cancer spread throughout compiled in the phenomenal his body – causing his health photo book “Bob Marley and the to severely deteriorate in the years Golden Age of Reggae.” When that followed. Tragically, Bob the interview was published in Marley died on May 11, 1981, at the magazine’s September 1976 a Miami hospital while en route issue, Marley became the first home to Jamaica. He was just 36 musical artist to ever be featured years old. After a state funeral aton the cover of High Times. tended by over 100,000 adoring In 1978, The Wailers released fans, he was buried with his guitar their mellowest, stoniest album – and a stalk of ganja – near his Back of the Kaya album. yet entitled “Kaya” (another birthplace in Nine Mile. nickname for ganja). In the album’s first song, “Easy Skanking,” Bob sings: THE LEGEND LIVES ON “Excuse me while I light my spliff / Oh God Since his passing, Marley’s status as a cultural I gotta take a lift.” And in the title track he icon has only grown – through his music, which sings, “I’m so high, I even touch the sky … has transcended all barriers of race, religion Got to have kaya now.” and age to sell more than 50 million records Though often difficult to understand due to worldwide; through his 11 children, who carry his thick patois accent, Marley became the on his legacy; and through the Cannabis brand most open, unapologetic public advocate for that now bears his name. He’s ranked 11th on Cannabis the music industry had ever seen. Rolling Stone’s list of the 100 greatest musical “Herb is a sacrament,” he explained in one artists of all time. Like John Lennon and Jerry famous 1979 New Zealand interview. “When Garcia, Bob Marley has surpassed mere rock you smoke herb, herb reveal yourself to you … stardom to become a living embodiment of because herb make you meditate. Man makes peace, social justice, and the power of music to laws against it. But how is what is natural and unite and elevate human consciousness across made by God illegal?!? I think government the globe. And, of course, one of the greatest action, that illegal.” ganja evangelists in history.
STO RY b y B O B BY B LAC K @ CAN N T H RO PO LO G Y fo r LEA F NAT IO N | M AI N P HOTO b y KI M G OT T L I E B - WAL K E R / LE N SWO M AN . CO M
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All Things Cannabis For All People beardedlorax rickerdj stashleylynn
PODCAST
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#152
CAFFEINE &CANNABIS (Is it Addiction or Love?) THIS MONTH: #153 PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING & CANNABIS (Fake Props/Real Pain) #154 ROLLER DERBY & CANNABIS (Rolling Joints and Rolling Wheels) #155 CANNABIS & CHOCOLATE (The Art of Chocolatiering)
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THE stoney CULTURE baloney ISSUE LEAFMAGAZINES.COM leafmagazines.com
46
LADIES, YOU’VE GOT IT ALL FIGURED OUT. All Hell could be breaking loose, but so long as you’re armed with that imperative satchel that keeps your vitals accessible, you’ll always be ready for the world. This is your most necessary accessory, accentuating the confidence that proves you’re an irreplaceable bad ass. And one purse is not enough. Only one cannot ensure your command of any room’s attention. Because with reasons and seasons in constant flux, your ability to adjust to any given outing is critical for your interchangeable persona that presents your unavoidable qualities to the scrutinizing public. In your woman cave, there hangs the quiver of handbags that typify extensions of your character – different exciting versions of you that either offer cohesion or contrast with the varying surroundings. Sometimes you will blend, other times create distinction to an otherwise bland landscape. Either way, these carryalls help you to turn super into superlative. And when it’s time to turn things up, like the stitching in and of itself, your look is seamless. It is usually with great intention that this wing-thing is chosen, as if each was specially designed for your evolving moods. It exemplifies your womanly power, completing the statement that you’re always intending to make. It is the cherry that perfects the sundae. The rabbit on the moon. Mona Lisa’s smirk. Like her, you hold your mysteries close. And should anyone attempt to ambush you into divulging the wondrous secrets that are yours alone, the lips will slightly pucker while the stunned onlooker futilely wonders how to tap the hidden spring that spouts your charm. What lies inside this clutch is part of that mystery: the perfect shade of lipstick, the dramatic mascara, a feminine product. But almost more importantly, the cartridge of vaporizable oil which lights the wick to the Roman candle that explodes into the eager night, sprinkling your unique stardust into the otherwise flat black sky.
FEB. 2022 feb. 2022
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