THE ENLIGHTENED VOICE
# 1 5 | J U LY 2 02 1
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INDEPENDENT CANNABIS JOURNALISM SINCE 2010
SIMPSON SOLVENTLESS @SIMPSONSOLVENTLESS
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TOM BOWERS
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ShopReview 20
CREAM OF THE CROP BANGIN’ GRAPES BADDER
44 Exploring Hash History Did you know that hash has been used for literally centuries across cultures? Leaf Nation’s Bobby Black dives into the amazing history of the world’s first Cannabis extraction tech, revealing the secret of how hash became beloved.
////////// story by bobby black
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feature
WORLD OF CANNABIS MUSEUM
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STONER OWNER EMPRESS EXTRACTS’ EMILY SCARBROUGH
ERIC SIMPSON
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DANIEL KIM
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HERITAGE MENDOCINO offers Cannabis consumers a chance to see a first-of-its-kind onsite hashery up close.
Xtractor Depot Founder & CEO Andrew Yoon created his Southern California-based extraction equipment supply company in 2016. “Helping the clients develop a clear vision for their business is one of the key objectives of the business,” Yoon says.
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EDITOR’S NOTE N AT I O N A L N E W S LOCAL NEWS STONER OWNER SHOP REVIEW STRAIN OF THE MONTH XTRACTOR DEPOT THE HASH ARTIST C O N C E N T R AT E S 1 0 1 HYDROCARBON S O LV E N T L E S S CARTRIDGES WHOLE PLANT NEW & UNIQUE CANNTHROPOLOGY STONEY BALONEY
BEN NEFF
feature
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#15
JUSTIN L. STEWART
the concentrates issue
6
JULY 2021
issue
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CAL I F O R N I A
PRECISELY TEMPERATURE CONTROLLED VAPORIZER FOR CONCENTRATES. Precise temperature control, long-lasting battery life, and thoughtful design. We created “that rig” for you so that you can create more joyful moments.
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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 This month’s cover art came to life through the vision of Eric Simpson of Simpson Solventless LLC, who molded the center shape out of full-melt bubble hash, and the other shapes and letters out of solventless THC-A crystalline. You could dab the cover. The creative photo was styled with the help of photographer and Content Director Tom Bowers, our hash expert Eric, Sales Director Nate Williams, and Creative Director Daniel Berman Zooming in from Leaf HQ in Seattle, to fully realize this aspirational image that spoke to the continued innovation of the California Cannabis industry.
PHOTO by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS ART by ERIC SIMPSON @SIMPSONSOLVENTLESS
PUBLISHER
CONTRIBUTORS
WES ABNEY | FOUNDER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
BOBBY BLACK, FEATURES JOSHUA BOULET, ILLUSTRATION TOM BOWERS, FEATURES EARLY, PRODUCTION MAX EARLY, FEATURES STEVE ELLIOTT, NATIONAL NEWS ALEXA JESSE, REVIEWS DANIEL KIM, PHOTOS BEN NEFF, PHOTOS JEFF PORTERFIELD, DESIGN MIKE RICKER, FEATURES MEGHAN RIDLEY, EDITING MIKE ROSATI, PHOTOS ZACK RUSKIN, FEATURES EMEHT SHERMAN, SALES ERIC SIMPSON, COVER JUSTIN L. STEWART, PHOTOS JAMIE VICTOR, DESIGN NATE WILLIAMS, FEATURES
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 The Concentrates Issue of the Leaf! OUR CONCENTRATES ISSUE is my favorite of the year for one simple reason: I love dabs! My first dab was around 2011 – in the century old boiler room below the now closed Northern Cross Collective Gardens – and I remember feeling the oil touch the red hot nail as the vapor burst into my lungs with the force of a thousand bong hits. The world closed in around me and I felt the reverberation of raw THC as it pulsed through my blood and into my mind, sending me away for the next few hours, humming with a high that was unlike anything else. Over the last decade of publishing and working in Cannabis, I have personally seen the concentrate world evolve from homemade Rick Simpson Oil and open-blasted butane hash oil, to highly medicinal mono-cannabinoid extracts and vaporizable concentrates of all kinds, to being the precursor to a new world of edibles, topicals, capsules and more. For our Concentrates Issue we sought out the best examples of the different types of extractions, to share how they affect the body and the science behind the scenes.
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FOR OUR CONCENTRATES ISSUE WE SOUGHT OUT THE BEST EXAMPLES OF THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF EXTRACTIONS.
Concentrating Cannabis means exactly what it sounds like: taking a full plant and using a process or solvent to extract the purest essence of it. This makes it incredibly important to only consume high quality, pesticide tested concentrates. Quality concentrates have the ability to impart healing value that Cannabis flower alone cannot replicate, delivering a pure flavor and experience that captures the taste and effect of fresh Cannabis in a perfect dab. Look closely and you’ll see that concentrates cover every aspect of Cannabis – every product beyond flower – from medical to recreational uses and benefits. Our comprehensive Concentrates Issue covers the different extraction methods, terminology, ways to consume and much more. So take a dab, flip through this beautiful and informational issue, and learn something new that you can share with someone in need of Cannabis – as both a plant and a medicine. And as always, thanks for reading and sharing the Leaf!
-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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We are creators of targeted, independent Cannabis journalism. Please email us to discuss advertising in the next issue of California Leaf Magazine. We do not sell stories or coverage. We can offer design services and guidance on promoting your company’s medicinal, recreational, commercial or industrial Cannabis business, product or event within our magazine and on our website, leafmagazines.com. Email nate@leafmagazines.com for more info on supporting California Leaf!
WES
national news
legalization
10
MIDWEST
NEW BILL WOULD REVOLUTIONIZE FED DRUG POLICY
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ast month marked the the 50th anniversary – on June 17 – of when President Richard Nixon declared the “war on drugs.” Representatives Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ) and Cori Bush (D-MO) observed the occasion by unveiling the Drug Policy Reform Act (DPRA). The bill would end criminal penalties for drug possession at the federal level. It would shift the regulatory authority from the Attorney General to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). Additionally, the DPRA would expunge records and provide for resentencing, and reinvest in alternative health-centered approaches. The bill also eliminates THE BILL ALSO many of the lifelong ELIMINATES MANY consequences associated with OF THE LIFELONG CONSEQUENCES drug arrests and convictions. ASSOCIATED WITH These include the denial of DRUG ARRESTS AND employment, public benefits, CONVICTIONS. immigration status, drivers’ licenses and voting rights. The DPRA also incentivizes state and local governments to adopt decriminalization policies. Last week, DPRA – in partnership with the ACLU – released a national drug policy poll that found 66% of American voters support removing criminal penalties for drugs and replacing them with health-centered approaches.
AMAZON WILL STOP POT DRUG TESTING FOR JOB APPLICANTS
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east coast
MEDICAL CANNABIS PATIENTS IN MINNESOTA SEEK GUN RIGHTS
VIRGINIA’S CANNABIS LEGALIZATION LAW KICKS IN JULY 1
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S
taunch conservatives and advocates of legal marijuana have formed an unlikely alliance in Minnesota to pressure the Legislature to allow medical Cannabis patients to own guns, reports KIMT 3. The more than 35,000 patients in Minnesota’s program can’t own guns as the law now stands because the federal government classifies marijuana as a Schedule I controlled substance, on par with heroin. Gun-rights supporters and pro-legalization groups are lobbying for Minnesota to petition for an exemption. If they succeed, the Star Tribune reports, Minnesota would be the first of 36 states that allow medical marijuana in some form, to appeal directly to the federal government on behalf of enrollees. THE SOUTH
LOUISIANA GOVERNOR SIGNS DECRIM BILL
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mazon will no longer test most job applicants for Cannabis use in the latest sign of America’s changing attitudes toward weed. Amazon, the second-largest private employer in the U.S., also says it now backs legalizing marijuana nationwide. “In the past, like many employers, we’ve disqualified people from working at Amazon if they tested positive for marijuana use,” the company said in a blog post in June. “However, given where state laws are moving across the U.S., we’ve changed course.” Marijuana users and advocates are cheering the news, but it may also bring relief to Amazon’s hiring managers: The company operates – and is rapidly expanding into – places where marijuana is legal. Amazon’s home state of Washington was among the first in the country to legalize marijuana for recreational use, back in 2012. The company is now building an East Coast headquarters in Virginia, where weed will become legal on July 1. It has also been expanding in New York, which legalized marijuana at the end of March.
overnor John Bel Edwards of Louisiana has signed into law House Bill 652, taking away the possibility of jail time for possession of small amounts of marijuana. It’s the latest shift away from Louisiana’s historically harsh stance on the herb. Edwards is a conservativeleaning Democrat who often moves in lockstep with the state’s sheriffs, and has long opposed legalizing marijuana. Gov. Edwards hailed it as a criminal justice reform effort. The decrim bill kept gaining strength in the two month legislative session that ended last week. Some viewed it as a make-good, after a GOP-sponsored bill to legalize Cannabis narrowly failed in the state House. The push indicated a growing willingness by the conservative Louisiana Legislature to look at loosening the state’s punitive laws surrounding marijuana.
tarting July 1, people in Virginia can smoke marijuana in the privacy of their home, but it will still be illegal to do that in a public space. It is also still banned on school property and in vehicles. Adults who are 21 and older will be allowed to have up to an ounce of Cannabis legally. That is about the weight of a pencil. Anyone caught with more than an ounce could face up to a $25 charge. Users will also be allowed to grow up to four plants per home. Virginia is not an open marijuana market, so people will need to be careful. When the law goes into effect, it will still be illegal to buy and sell marijuana until January 1, 2024, at which point retail sales are expected to begin.
FLORIDA’S SUPREME COURT BLOCKS INITIATIVE FOR THIRD TIME
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or the third time in three months, the Florida Supreme Court dashed the hopes of Floridians who want to see expanded access to Cannabis. In a 5-2 ruling on June 17, the state’s highest court found a ballot initiative to legalize marijuana to be misleading. The initiative, titled “Regulate Marijuana in a THE STATE’S HIGHEST Manner Similar to Alcohol to Establish COURT FOUND A BALLOT INITIATIVE TO Age, Licensing, and LEGALIZE MARIJUANA Other Restrictions,” TO BE MISLEADING. would have also allowed Floridians to grow Cannabis at home. Had it reached the ballot, the initiative would have needed the approval of 60% of voters to become a part of the state Constitution. Attorney General Ashley Moody asked the court to weigh in on the ballot language in September 2019. It took the court the better part of two years to issue its ruling.
5.5m $23m $338m
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patients in the USA now have authorized, legal access to medical Cannabis.
in additional funding was obtained in June by Seattlebased Cannabis startup Leafly.
in medical Cannabis has been sold in just over two years in Arkansas.
STORIES by STEVE ELLIOTT, AUTHOR OF THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF MARIJUANA
Your all-in-one spot Find cannabis savings at local retailers
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CALIFORNIA
Industry Ignores Governor Newsom Recall Efforts 12
FOR AS MUCH as California Governor Gavin Newsom celebrates the progress legalized Cannabis has made during his tenure, the industry remains fairly skeptical of his intent.
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At minimum, there are major lingering resentments held by those who feel Newsom has failed to adequately address concerns like sky-high tax rates and prohibitive barriers to entry. Nonetheless, it does not appear this animosity has festered to a point where the Cannabis industry feels inclined to hitch its wagon to current efforts to recall Newsom as governor. Factoring in Newsom’s May announcement of a one-time $100 million grant intended to alleviate issues concerning provisional licenses and tout support from the labor sector, it wouldn’t be fair to say any wounds have healed – but nor are they likely deep enough to elicit big Cannabis donations in support of ousting Newsom. As of now, a date for California’s special recall election remains undetermined.
California Bill to Legalize Possession of Psychedelics Approved by State Senate THE GOLDEN STATE is halfway towards passing a landmark bill that would legalize personal possession of a number of psychedelics. Sponsored by San Francisco State Senator Scott Wiener, SB 519 scored a landmark victory on June 1 when it was approved by the State Senate on a vote of 21-16. Having made it this far, the bill will now run the same gauntlet in the State Assembly, where if successful again, it will then travel to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk for a signature. While that still leaves plenty of meaningful miles left to go, the milestone of a state with California’s influence enacting legislation similar to what Oregon passed in November 2020 cannot be overstated. Notably, a APPROVED BY THE provision concerning record expungement did not survive the Senate STATE SENATE ON committee process, though Wiener has since pledged to reintroduce that A VOTE OF 21-16. item separately at a later time.
Cannabis Bribery Scheme Leads To Prison Sentence for Two Calexico Officials
LA Delivery Service Offers Paid Pot Testing Internship
YOU CAN take the crime out of Cannabis, but you can’t take the greedy out of people. Such was the
GETTING PAID to consume Cannabis is basically the dream, right? Well, for a temporary time, this concept will become reality thanks to the Los Angeles delivery service Emjay. In a job posting
recently published to Indeed, Emjay details what amounts to a three-month, paid internship open to adults 21 and older in California – in which the chosen intern will be tasked with trying and reviewing all of the products on Emjay’s expansive menu. For compensation, the company is offering up to 16 hours a week of work at $15 an hour for the duration of the internship. To apply, applicants are being asked to send a one-page writing sample or a video (no longer than four minutes and 20 seconds) highlighting what makes them the ideal candidate.
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Former Calexico Councilman David Romero
lesson proved once more when two Calexico, California officials were sentenced to two years in federal prison for taking a bribe from an undercover FBI agent. In June 2020, the officials in question – David Romero, a former Calexico councilman, and Bruno Suarez-Soto, the former Commissioner of Economic Development – pleaded Bruno guilty to a charge of conspiracy to Suarez commit federal program bribery. -Soto The incident in question centered on a $35,000 bribe the pair accepted in exchange for guaranteeing a Cannabis dispensary permit. It was also apparently not the first time the two had engaged in such dealings, though the scheme is now unlikely to continue with the two set to do time in a San Diego federal prison.
STORIES by ZACK RUSKIN @ZACKRUSKIN for CALIFORNIA LEAF
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WHAT MOTIVATES YOU AS A CANNABIS ENTREPRENEUR? The stories of hope and healing that I have heard or been involved in motivate me beyond belief. Waking up each day and knowing that my work is making a difference in the lives of others is a blessing beyond measure. … I am going to keep sharing this love and knowledge to as many people as possible, in hopes to keep our communities happy and healthy. WHAT DO YOU THINK NEEDS TO CHANGE ABOUT THE INDUSTRY? First off, taxes! From the patients to the farmers, taxes need to be reformed ASAP to keep this medicine affordable and accessible to all. The industry needs to keep the small farmers and craft producers in a place where they’re set up for success. This problem, along with the corporate takeover of Cannabis, separates the producers with a passion for this medicine and has pushed so many amazing folks out of this industry.
WHAT ASPECTS OF THE COMMUNITY DO WE NEED TO PROTECT AS THE INDUSTRY GROWS? Compassion is key! We need to protect and enhance our compassionate Cannabis programs to give access to all those that need this miraculous medicine. Dear Cannabis is a program that is doing amazing work connecting farmers, manufacturers and retailers to provide Cannabis to those in need. Legalization and new regulations in the California Cannabis market have hindered the gifting of Cannabis in a way that has truly hurt community members like veterans, terminally-ill and low-income patients. Operation Evac, jazzcabbage a.k.a. BLK CANNAJOY, and Sweetleaf Collective are a few of the programs that help contribute to providing safe access and affordable medicine to our Cannabis community.
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Founder Emily Scarbrough
EMPRESS EXTRACTS leafmagazines.com
“THE STORIES OF HOPE AND HEALING THAT I HAVE HEARD OR BEEN INVOLVED IN MOTIVATE ME BEYOND BELIEF.”
As a legacy member of the California Cannabis community, Empress Extracts Founder Emily Scarbrough understands the power of the plant. We had the chance to connect with the charismatic entrepreneur behind Empress Extracts (@empress.extracts) to discuss the Cannabis industry, her philosophy, and her company. WHAT PATH LED YOU TO THE CANNABIS COMMUNITY? I was fortunate to be raised in the Bay Area with an accepting family that always had a love for Cannabis. My mom is a master gardener and I’m really lucky to have family in Northern California that has cultivated for generations. I have always loved helping people, and Cannabis has helped me to do just that. HOW DID YOU BECOME INVOLVED IN PRODUCING EXTRACTS AND CONCENTRATES? My sister asked me to help the mom of a friend who was given four months to live due to a stage four lung cancer diagnosis. She asked me to make a special batch of medicine known as Rick Simpson Oil to ‘kill her cancer.’ I pulled together my resources, did some research, and made a special batch. That woman went into remission, and I started to receive multiple cards thanking me for this woman’s life. I knew from that point that I was meant to extract, educate, and expand the knowledge of this powerful medicine to help others. I made cold-water hash at a young age and loved seeing no part of the plant wasted. I saw a need in the market for concentrates and was fortunate to be friends with tons of amazing growers that had fabulous material. I used the product from my own indoor grow and other growers’ trim to create concentrates that highlight the high quality Cannabis of Northern California, creating the brand Empress Extracts and Gemmy’s.
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IF YOU COULD ACCOMPLISH ONE THING AS A LEADER IN THE CANNABIS COMMUNITY, WHAT WOULD IT BE? Education on the healing powers of Cannabis is my main goal. … As a mother, sister, niece and friend of multiple cancer survivors, I hope to be a voice that can be heard over the negative stereotypes and stigmas that are placed on Cannabis as a medicine. I strive to empower people to provide a hopeful and better solution for their grandma’s arthritis pain, uncle’s cancer, friends’ sleeping problems, or whatever ailment that could be causing anyone pain. If I can educate and enhance the healthcare world with a solution to their medical or mental health problems, I will leave the world a better place and show my son how to empower those in this world with health, hope and healing. ANY FUN PROJECTS ON THE HORIZON? Empress is always looking to expand, educate, enlighten and collaborate with good people. I have been working with Novium, which is a CBD-based gel cap company that is really connecting Cannabis to the medicinal market with an awesome user-friendly product that could get grandma or other non-Cannabis users to give THC and CBD a try. … I’m also a part of Good People, which is a consulting network of TONS of amazing folks that have extensive knowledge of all aspects of Cannabis. I’m working on expanding Empress Extracts and creating more ways to consume Gemmy’s RSO/FECO that will help the patients. Also, I have 60 acres in Northern California that I am planning to do some amazing things with. A few plans/ideas include: large scale art, Cannabis, music, camping/glamping, sustainability, psilocybin, CBD, wellness, compassion, community, and fun! I feel blessed to be a part of this growing and evolving Cannabis community at this time in life – I plan to make the most of it and continue to make a positive impact any way possible.
A Stoner Owner is a Cannabis business owner who has a relationship with the plant. We want to buy and smoke Cannabis from companies that care about their products, employees and the plant. You wouldn’t buy food from a restaurant where the cooks don’t eat in the kitchen, so why buy corporate weed grown by a company only concerned with profits? Stoner Owner approval means a company cares, and we love weed grown with care. Let’s retake our culture and reshape a stigma by honoring those who grow, process and sell the best Cannabis possible.
STORY by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS/CALIFORNIA LEAF | PHOTOS by DANIEL KIM @DKIMREPORTS
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SHOP review
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PRODUCT R EVIEW
SNICKERDOODLEZ FRESH PRESS ROSIN NATE WILLIAMS @NATEW415
CRAFTED in collaboration with Giving Tree Genetics and Gold Standard Pharms, the extraction team at Heritage masterfully coaxed this gorgeous fresh press hash rosin from the Snickerdoodlez (Scott’s OG x Viper Cookies) plant from which it came. When dabbed at a low temp, this beautiful rosin releases a light, minimally expansive vapor that is packed with flavors of brown sugar, doughy cream and funky, overripe fruit. The effects are notably soothing and relaxing, making it a great option to combat stress and anxiety – or to unwind with at the end of a long day. @HERITAGEMENDOCINO | 68.29% THC
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Owner and Founder Kyle Greenhalgh
HERITAGE
MENDOCINO SOMETHING NEW
Heritage Mendocino is the world’s first public Cannabis hashery. Let that sink in. Think brewery or distillery, where the public can come in and view the live production process and also purchase the in-house made products onsite. No, you can’t consume them there too … yet. The hash lab produces only solventless products, meaning there is zero danger to the public or the dispensary staff. Currently, getting behind the scenes access as a consumer to be able to see where and how a Cannabis product is made is virtually impossible, which makes Heritage Mendocino’s unmatched level of transparency that much more appealing.
A DIFFERENT FEEL The ambiance in Heritage is atypical of most other shops in the Triangle and offers a high end, modern, yet rustic feel. The store was designed from the ground up by Owner and Founder Kyle Greenhalgh and is constructed largely from locally sourced and reclaimed materials. The space is well lit and clean, featuring an open floor plan with the various types of products split between several cases, including a fully refrigerated deli case for the shop’s concentrates. There is a degree of exclusivity associated with being able to see behind the scenes of any Cannabis operation, so for Heritage to put it on display and involve the public in this way is next level.
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FRESH HASH FOR LESS CASH Thanks to their onsite hash lab, you’re guaranteed to have some of the freshest and rarest full melt and rosin options around. Aside from the in-house branded products, you’ll find options from outstanding local Mendocino County operators like Lit House and Mendocino Grasslands, as well as from top suppliers in the state like 710 Labs and STIIIZY. The pricing for all but the highest-end, lowest yielding AAA-grade solventless hash is very consumer friendly. While it’s obvious the shop focuses on hash, there is also a well-rounded flower menu and a small, but well-curated selection of edibles to shop from.
SMALL CIRCLES The staff at Heritage Mendocino is largely made up of friends and associates of Greenhalgh. In line with the mentality of Mendo and the Emerald Triangle, his preference is to keep his team small and tight knit. Many of the staffers work or have worked on Bon Vivant Farms, Greenhalgh’s licensed gardens. The budtenders are approachable and eager to help out, offering insight about their preferences using descriptions of flavor and perceived effects, rather than price points and percentages – something we greatly appreciate when we encounter it. It’s always a good sign when the staff appears stoked to be there, which was certainly the case on our recent visit.
WORTH THE TRIP From the moment you walk in, you are staring straight at a hash lab, setting the tone for an awesome and unique experience right out of the gate. As you venture further into the shop, you’re met with a gorgeous buildout, friendly and knowledgeable staff, and a highly curated menu with consumer friendly pricing. Greenhalgh and the team at Heritage Mendocino have done an outstanding job bringing this epic, game-changing, dispensary-hashery-hybrid to life. Simply put, they’ve nailed the recipe for an awesome weed buying experience that is sure to impress, regardless of the patron.
HERITAGE MENDOCINO
1076 CUNNINGHAM ST, UKIAH, CA OPEN 10AM-7PM DAILY HERITAGE-MENDOCINO.COM @HERITAGEMENDOCINO
THANKS TO THEIR ONSITE HASH LAB, YOU’RE GUARANTEED TO HAVE SOME OF THE FRESHEST AND RAREST FULL MELT AND ROSIN OPTIONS AROUND.
REVIEW by NATE WILLIAMS @NATEW415/CALIFORNIA LEAF | PHOTOS by BEN NEFF @BNEFF420 for CALIFORNIA LEAF
427 H St. Arcata, CA
Hashy Hour 4:15 - 5:15 pm every day
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24
grown by
SEVEN LEAVES
SEVENLEAVESCA.COM @SEVENLEAVES_CA
27.63% THC | 33.21% TOTAL CANNABINOIDS
JUL. 2021
WALKING AROUND THE SEVEN LEAVES CULTIVATION FACILITY IN SACRAMENTO, it becomes apparent that they know how to grow a business as well as they know how to grow Cannabis. Founder Tyler Kearns started cultivating in Humboldt in Northern California, developing his abilities before choosing to move to an indoor facility in Sacramento and launch Seven Leaves in 2016 – where he now produces top-tier indoor flower for the adult use market.
CAL I F O R N I A
A PERFECT EVENING STRAIN TO ENJOY AFTER A LONG DAY.
BON BONS REVIEW & PHOTO by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS/CALIFORNIA LEAF
Kearns showed us around his facility, starting with the newer, significantly built rooms with dialed automation systems, efficient HVACs and uniform plant canopies. One by one, we looked at the rooms in the facility, impressed by his team’s attention to detail. At the end of the tour he showed us the original rooms, which are still used to run strain and lighting tests. At that point, the journey of Seven Leaves came into sharp focus. Here is a cultivator that is committed to continuous improvement and doing things right, all the way down to their dedication to working with Sacramento Municipal Utility District in order to do energy impact studies. (They also run their facilities off of SMUD’s Green Power program, meaning all of their power comes from 100% renewable resources.) This dedication is good news for anyone who digs quality indoor Cannabis, because 7 Leaves flower is already damn fine. This month, we couldn’t get enough of the Seven Leaves Bon Bons – a hybrid from the Cookies family that comes from a cross of Gelato #41 and Triangle Kush. The nugs are tight, dark green and chunky, featuring slight hints of purple with twinkling trichomes – big jar appeal energy. The strain tested high in Caryophyllene, Limonene, and Linalool, with a nose of sweet sandalwood, pastry and fruit, like dessert with an earthy backdrop. It smokes smooth with a rich mouthfeel, leading to relaxed, slightly heady effects. It’s a perfect evening strain to enjoy after a long day. We can’t wait to see what comes out of the Seven Leaves cultivation facility in the future, as they continue to expand. If it’s more strains like the Bon Bons, flower connoisseurs around the state will be in for a treat.
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the concentrates issue
“Having an honest approach to our business and helping our customers is our key to success.” Founder & CEO Andrew Yoon
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XTRACTOR
DEPOT JUl. 2021
DURING THE GOLD RUSH, as so many intrepid fortune seekers journeyed west to find the gold in them thar hills, their trailblazing softened the soil for entirely new sectors of the economy to sprout. Ancillary businesses popped up to support the endeavor and countless fortunes were made, not on striking gold, but on selling the equipment to furnish the seekers. It was such a novel and lucrative approach to capitalizing on the Gold Rush hype, it birthed a nickname for the segment of industry that exists to sell equipment to those seeking their fortune in a new, hype-driven sector – “selling the picks and shovels.” Fast forward to 2021, and California is once again the hub for another get-rich-or-bust movement: the Green Rush. And companies like Xtractor Depot are aiding the cause by selling the picks and shovels.
Are clients looking to build their own brands? Are they looking to get into toll processing, creating customized bulk product to sell to those who want to build their own brands? These are the types of top-level questions Xtractor Depot looks to help clients answer before drilling down into their capital investment, market research and other aspects of their business plans. With all-in buildouts getting up into the seven-figure range, and equipment-only orders ranging from $200-$500k, it’s crucial to ensure that customers are ready to swim once they jump in. “That will be the key information that we need on our end to provide the right type of equipment,” Yoon said. Xtractor Depot isn’t simply trying to sell each client whatever they can pile on. Their goal is for their customers to succeed, so they can keep CLOCKWISE FROM TOP-LEFT: Luis Martinez, a scientific glass blower, works on a glass distillation head in the glass blowing workshop; the relationships going. Yoon Stacie Smith, Assembly Lead, works on top manifold parts in the warehouse; The Xtractor Depot core values hang on the wall; invests in building his industry Various extraction equipment rests in the Xtractor Depot showroom. knowledge in order to pass it on to his clients. “The people in this EARLY STAGES OF GROWTH tars, including locations industry will tell you Xtraction Depot Founder and CEO Andrew Yoon in San Bernardino what you need to do knew he wanted to work in a Cannabis-related busiand Montebello. He to succeed,” he said. ness at a fairly early age – his mission started when he focuses on equip“You just have to enwas at university in St. Louis. ment engineering gage with them and “In college, I had an import business, selling conand supply, and has be knee-deep in it to tainers for oil and torches, and stuff like that,” Yoon an in-house glass be successful.” said over a call in June. “It was called Butter Blocks. … fabrication division. “Having an honest That kind of brought me out to California, meeting a Yoon also maintains a approach to our bunch of people in the industry.” licensed toll-processing business and helping Once he got to Cali, he saw a need for more extraction facility in the our customers is our processors to handle the immense amount of cannabiregulation-heavy juriskey to success,” he noid-laden biomass coming out of the state’s rediction of Long Beach said. “… They don’t nowned cultivation sector. Yoon immediately expanded to keep the extraction (always) struggle with beyond packaging and implements and went to work side of his business manufacturing the building out an extraction facility. moving. product. It’s more so It was then, during the buildout phase, that he saw “That has helped the distribution and the true opportunity in front of him. us develop a better understanding of what the most sales of all this product. Do we have a “During that equipment search, I realized that stringent jurisdictions are going to require, and create market for all that product we’re going to nobody was doing this professionally, and the person a robust process,” Yoon said. “So, when the customer make?” that I bought my system from was doing it out of his is setting up their lab, it isn’t going to be a confusion of The way Yoon sees it, selling the picks garage,” he said. “... The system was missing all kinds red tape.” and shovels is the perfect way to help the of parts, and it was a nightmare experience.” greater industry succeed, while building his Naturally, the savvy entrepreneur saw the opportunity SETTING UP FOR SUCCESS own success at the same time. Just like the to fill that niche. Yoon understands that the best path to future stability, Gold Rush, it’s a hard path to success and for the industry and for his company, is to help enfor every gold strike, there’s someone who STRONG GROWTH PATTERNS sure that his clients celebrate recurrent successes and struck out. Yoon founded Xtractor Depot in 2016 and began healthy growth. Rather than simply selling equipment, “A lot of people come into the market building out the equipment supply chain in order to Yoon’s team consults with extractors on their business with money and no knowledge at all,” help would-be extractors avoid the negative experience plans, their scaling models, and their visions for the Yoon said. “We’re trying to educate our he had when setting up his own lab. future. clients, so that they can stay afloat.” “It was a segue from being an extractor to being an “Helping the clients develop a clear vision for their extractor provider, providing the equipment,” he said. business is one of the key objectives of the business,” Now he operates significantly sized brick and morYoon said. XTRACTORDEPOT.COM
STORY by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS | PHOTOS by JUSTIN L. STEWART @JUSTNLSTEWART
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the concentrates issue
THE HASH ARTIST
Passion, practice and study led him down a path that started with the basic hair straightener tech, scaling up to a tee-shirt press, all the way to his current tool of choice – the Long’s Peak Pure Pressure rosin press.
SIMPSON SOLVENTLESS MAKING GREAT HASH is an art. Making art from great hash even more so. That’s exactly what Eric Simpson of Simpson Solventless, LLC, does in his lab in Northern California. You may have seen Eric dropping some niche rosin pressing knowledge on YouTube with Pure Pressure, or you may have seen his Instagram @simpsonsolventless, where he has helped to re-popularize hash art with his incredible solventless formulations and artistic molding.
A NORTHERN CALIFORNIA NATIVE, Eric is a self-
taught solventless guy that has been working in and around Cannabis since he was 16, helping to pioneer some of the earliest evolutions in the Cannabis industry. If not for the open blasters and tee-shirt pressers of decades past, we would likely not have the cache of extraction knowledge we do today – and Eric is one of those early adopters who got into the industry and developed a passion during a wave of Cannabis innovation. Like many of us, he started his love affair with Cannabis as a grower in small, intimate set-ups. However, after a little experimentation, Eric quickly jumped into the newly developing world of extracts – which at the time consisted mainly of open blasting BHO and pressing flower with a hair straightener. Passion, practice and study led him down a path that started with the basic hair straightener tech, scaling up to a tee-shirt press, all the way to his current tool of choice – the Long’s Peak Pure Pressure rosin press, where he is now
pushing the envelope for quality solventless. Today, Eric has turned his knowledge into a consulting business where he helps farmers and companies produce the highest quality products possible, using state-of-the-art solventless techniques. This ranges from helping to pick out the best cultivars for production, all the way to producing and formulating novel products for the market. Always generous with his knowledge, he has also earned a reputation as a high quality, dedicated educator in the space. His other benchmark – stamping, sculpting and molding hash – is not a new practice. Indeed, most of the hash producing world has traditionally stamped their hash product with a family seal or brand image, and this practice is still maintained to this day. Eric is helping to bring this tradition into the American solventless space by taking it to a whole new level — not only by branding his products with signature shapes, but creating straight up pieces of art to delight Instagram followers and
ERIC SIMPSON
hash connoisseurs alike. He also plays with temperatures and various types of solventless products to create new consistencies and exquisite product pairings that are as aesthetically pleasing as they are robust and flavorful. Working with everything from full melt hashes to solventless crystalline isolates to cold cured rosins, Eric utilizes all the tools in his arsenal to concoct tantalizing creations like two-toned THC-a crystalline donuts, and mushroom and skull shaped full melt sculptures I can only describe as Willy Wonka chic. Strictly utilizing the finest cultivars from the finest growers, Eric is quick to shout out his cultivators because he deeply adheres to the mantra of “fire in, fire out” for hash/oil production. The best hash maker in the world cannot produce a quality product from poor flower, and every quality resin worker knows this. When asked if he had a favorite grower, Eric humbly replied, “I can’t even shout out just one because they are all so quality, it’s just too many. I am really grateful for the growers I get to work with.” This excellent relationship with his cultivators and his self-made learning journey, combined with his commitment to education and passion for self expression, make Eric Simpson a name worth knowing anywhere in the Cannabis world – and synonymous with the forefront of the solventless industry. @SIMPSONSOLVENTLESS
STORY by TAYLOR MARTIN @MDCANNAISINSIDER | PHOTOS by SIMPSON SOLVENTLESS | PORTRAIT by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS
the concentrates issue
CONCENTRATES 101 DATING BACK TO THE LATE 11TH CENTURY, the original usage of Cannabis concentrates was for oral ingestion purposes, but since then, a lot has changed. Over the years, extract artists have continued setting the bar higher and higher by constantly pushing themselves to produce innovative ways to experience hash in different forms. These days, you can commonly find forms of extracts incorporated into topicals, pre-rolls, and of course, edibles. But the main question is: What defines something as an extract or a concentrate? These terms refer to a broad spectrum of products that contain higher levels of cannabinoids than are encountered in the Cannabis plant. They can be as solid as a rock like diamonds, or a liquid like honey – with some extracts getting their name from their appearance or consistency, such as badder, honeycomb and shatter. Below, you will find a guide to help you maneuver around the wide world of all things hash-related.
SOLVENTLESS
SOLVENTLESS CONSISTENCIES
BUBBLE HASH
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Utilizing water and ice, extract artists take their starting material, either cured plant matter or fresh frozen flowers, and carefully wash with a paddle in large buckets of ice water. This liquid is poured through a set of micron filters, meticulously separating the trichome heads. The extraction artist carefully removes the trichome heads from the filters to avoid breaking or damaging them. From there, the end product is either put into a freeze drier or air-dried to perfection.
SIX-STAR BUBBLE HASH Six-star bubble hash is the raw and unadulterated microns of trichome heads that provide the highest quality smoking experience. Six-star will usually be the higher microns, such as 73-120u, and looks like beach sand.
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HASH ROSIN After the bubble hash has been freeze or air-dried, the product is placed in another micron filter specifically micronized to produce hash rosin. Using a high-pressure heat press, a micronized screen is used to refine the hash with pressure to secrete what is known as fresh press rosin.
FRESH PRESS
BADDER
ROSIN JAM
Fresh Press rosin is pure and unmixed, coming straight off of the rosin press into your jar, without any additional steps added. This product often looks very clear and transparent.
Badder has a texture that usually imitates cake batter, soft and palatable. Cold cure and heat cure techniques are applied to achieve this type of consistency.
Rosin jam is a saucy combination of both THCa diamonds and terpenes. By utilizing a combination of heat and pressure, extract artists have further developed a new way to smoke solventless.
FULL PLANT EXTRACT/RSO (RICK SIMPSON OIL) With the purpose to produce more minor cannabinoids such as CBG and CBN, full plant extracts were originally created by the pioneer Rick Simpson. This process was done by simply soaking Cannabis for long periods in hexane or ethanol. Once this process is completed, the hexane or ethanol is removed with heat or evaporation, leaving a full spectrum product containing many more cannabinoids than traditional concentrates. Innovators have since created a new version of FECO, utilizing advanced CO2 extraction equipment.
STORY by MAX EARLY @LIFTED_STARDUST/LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS
HYDROCARBON BHO/PHO
Using the hydrocarbon known as butane, BHO or butane hash oil, was one of the first products to hit the common hash market. Propane is also used in this process, either in a mixture with butane or on its own. Working with highly evolved closed-loop extraction systems, the extract artist takes either cured or fresh frozen starting material and places it inside large steel columns for processing purposes. The gas is run through the material multiple times, extracting the terpenes, along with the plants’ fats and lipids. Once processed, this raw material is dewed to remove the undesirable components. From there, the product is dumped out in liquid form and then placed inside of a vacuum oven to purge and remove all solvents.
CO2
CO2 extraction uses highly sophisticated machinery that pulls high levels of terpenes amongst a broad spectrum of cannabinoids. Under controlled circumstances, supercritical CO2 dissolves substances into fractions that can be separated and removed. The end product is ideal for cartridges, edibles and dabbing purposes.
DISTILLATE
Cannabis distillate is created by using a combination of extraction processes. All distillate starts as final processed terpenes and THC. Different extract artists have their unique approaches, but most utilize a sequence of steam, pressure and heat, further refining the extract by removing any last impurities. This process is usually repeated until the final product is a light golden color. Ordinarily, distillate ends up making its way into edible products and cartridges.
HYDROCARBON CONSISTENCIES SHATTER
DIAMONDS
Shatter takes after its name, as this consistency of BHO is often very fragile and will break easily at the touch. Its appearance is clear and almost looks like glass.
Often dazzling and dancing with gleaming clarity and sometimes accompanied with colorful terpenes, THCa diamonds are as hard as a rock or, in this case, a diamond.
BADDER
HONEYCOMB
BHO Badder is a homogenized product combining cannabinoids and terpenes, that provides a very simplistic smoking experience. Similar to rosin badder, BHO badder appears soft and provides an effortless smoking experience.
Usually using cured material, honeycomb and crumble BHO look exactly how they sound. Both are whipped and can appear very soft, but disintegrate effortlessly when touched.
the concentrates issue
HYDROCARBON MOM’S MAGIC LIVE SAUCE By Humboldt Brand | 68.48% THC | 77.98% Total Cannabinoids
PAPAYA LIVE RESIN
If you’ve ever wanted to simply eat a concentrate the minute you open the jar, you’ve experienced something similar to what happened to us when we first got our hands on this Mom’s Magic live sauce from Humboldt Brand. Using stellar inputs from Huckleberry Hill Farms, this smooth, honeylike sauce offers apricot, jellybeans, hops, cotton candy and pineapple on the nose. It tastes not unlike a pina colada jellybean. Yum. @THEHUMBOLDTBRAND
By Apex Extractions 84.41% THC 6.24% Terpenes Apex Extractions is an up and coming, Oakland-based hydrocarbon processor specializing in both cured and live resin concentrates. This Papaya live resin is both potent and flavorful, with each dab coating the mouth with the funky, tropical flavors the strain is known for. The oil produces a smooth vapor that is easy on the lungs and within moments of inhaling, incites a lightly euphoric and mellowing high. It only takes one dab to realize why Apex Extractions is quickly becoming a favorite for many concentrate enthusiasts across California. @APEX_EXTRACTIONS
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JEROME BAKER BLUEBERRY MUFFINS LIVE RESIN By Errl Hill | 72.1% THC .12% CBD | 74.22% Total Cannabinoids We simply couldn’t get enough of this delectable, impressive extract from the amazing wizards at Errl Hill out of Humboldt County, part of the collab series with glass legend Jerome Baker. Cinnamon spice and blueberry tantalize the nose, and the spiced fruit character carries on to the mouthwatering palate. This balanced, amazing extract should not be missed. @ERRLHILL
FRUITY PEBBLES OG LIVE RESIN By Humboldt Terp Council | 72.1% THC What do you get when you give award-winning Humboldt extraction artists Humboldt Terp Council beautiful fresh frozen, full season material from Humboldt legacy cultivators Dewpoint Farms? You get uniquely aromatic live resin whose terps explode from the jar the moment you crack it. This Fruity Pebbles OG is downright candy-like in smell and evolves into a far gassier and kush-forward vapor when inhaled. The resulting effects are classic OG, heavy-handed and heady. @HUMBOLDTTERPCOUNCIL
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Hydrocarbon extracts are the most common and popular form of Cannabis concentrates on today’s market. This method of extraction utilizes solvents such as butane and propane to remove the desirable components – cannabinoids and terpenes – from the plant material. These extracts are then purged to ensure the removal of any residual solvent and that nothing but pure Cannabis oil is left over. Hydrocarbon extracts are highly diverse and can exist in a wide variety of consistencies and textures, as well as made from both cured or fresh frozen material – the latter of which is classified as “live resin” when in its final form.
STRAWNANA MICRO DIAMONDS By MyChron | 72.62% THC | 77.53% Total Cannabinoids Oakland-based MyChron crafts a number of tasty products using hydrocarbon and solventless extraction, from its infused pre-rolls to these micro diamonds. These light, golden, sauced-up beauties draw supremely clean, crisp and bright. While not overly fruity, the Strawnana micro diamonds provide a refreshing note to any session. @MYCHRON
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BANGIN’ GRAPES BADDER By Cream of the Crop | 90.66% THC | 8.71% Terpenes
SANDMAN X JEDI KUSH BADDER
Bangin’ Grapes is a hybrid of Sour Grapes and Bang Bang, grown in-house by the team at Cream of the Crop and extracted into this terpy sugar sauce. The oil delivers distinctly heady and uplifting effects, without being racy or inducing paranoia. This is thanks to a healthy presence of myrcene, which they list along with the other top terpenes in the oil on the side of the package. A low-temp dab reveals flavors of fresh cut flowers and earth, underscored by subtle funky fruit tones. @COTC_GARDENS
Connected is known for sharing limited and experimental crosses with the public and this Sandman x Jedi Kush badder is a perfect example of that. This mashup features lineage from SFV OG, Death Star, Blueberry and Anesthesia, and delivers funky fruit-laden terps on the nose and a full-flavored and complex, skunky, rotting berry vapor when dabbed at a low temp. The resulting high provides both heavy body relaxation and an intense cerebral head high. @CONNECTED.CALIFORNIA
By Connected | 75.89% THC
REVIEWS & PHOTOS by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS & NATE WILLIAMS @NATEW415/CALIFORNIA LEAF
the concentrates issue
SOLVENTLESS Solventless extraction methods are as old as the tradition of Cannabis consumption itself. The first form of Cannabis concentrate, charas, was hash that was removed from one’s hands after harvesting the plant. Today’s techniques are far more sophisticated, but still utilize very basic principles to create flavorful and potent Cannabis extracts. The two most popular styles of solventless concentrates are the old school bubble hash, which is primarily used as a bowl topper, and hash rosin, which has skyrocketed in popularity over the last year.
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PEANUT BUTTER BERRIES LIVE ROSIN By Papa’s Select | 68.13% THC
Papa & Barkley’s solventless extracts brand, Papa’s Select, has been steadily pumping out some of the highest grade melt and rosin available to the adult-use market, thanks to some tight relationships with amazing Emerald Triangle cultivators. This Peanut Butter Berries was derived from fresh frozen material grown by Humboldt Kine Farms, and features a layered and complex profile that includes notes of cereal milk, fresh raspberry and almonds. The consistency is a lovely cake frosting texture, making enjoying this luscious concentrate a breeze. @PAPAS_SELECT
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GELATO 33 ICE WATER HASH By Sunset Connect | 42.01% THC The team at San Francisco’s Sunset Connect is no stranger to fine hashish. Working closely with the legendary Frenchy Cannoli, Sunset Connect uses his proprietary Delta 9 Separations hardware to craft beautiful ice water hash, temple balls, and other fine solventless products. This Gelato 33 ice water hash has a sweet, creamy cake-like aroma with a touch of gas and a subtle fruitiness. Evenly blended into some ground flower and rolled into a joint, the hash slowed the burn rate significantly and bumped up the potency, while also adding some extra kick and depth in flavor to the smoke. @SUNSETCONNECT
TAHOE OG ICE HASH By Elevation Craft Cannabis | 46.44% THC Elevation Craft Cannabis is the in-house brand for Elevation 2477’, which is the only recreational dispensary in Nevada County, and serves residents in Nevada City, Grass Valley, Auburn and beyond. This Tahoe OG ice hash is straight up loud and is bursting with sour, pine and fuel-laden aromas that develop into a cacophony of funky, hashy, woody and kush-forward flavors on the palate. The smoke induces a clear headed, but deeply relaxed and euphoric state, making this Tahoe OG ice hash a wonderful pairing for meditation. @ELEVATIONCRAFTCANNABIS
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DOZI LUNA WATER HASH By Sunrise Mountain Farm | 60.21% THC
TROPICANNA ROSE ROSIN By Heritage Hash Co. | 69.98% THC | 0.23% CBD The Tropicanna Rose is a blend made from hash derived from Huckleberry Hill Farm’s signature strain, Whitethorn Rose, and Bon Vivant Farms’ Tropicanna Punch – producing this incredible purple-hued rosin. The aroma is as outrageous as the color, kicking off mind-blowing, candy-like strawberry and orange notes right out of the fridge. The resulting vapors of a low temp dab yield crazy, orange-soda-meets-strawberry-creamsicle flavors that stick around well after exhaling. Within moments, blissful, euphoric vibes settle in. This one is special! @HERITAGEHASH_CO
Sunrise Mountain Farm is located deep in the mountains of Humboldt County and sits at 2,500 feet of elevation, surrounded by lush greenery and a unique microclimate that aids in the production of decidedly terpene-rich Cannabis, from which this awesome Dozi Luna water hash was made. This fragrant hash is best enjoyed atop a bowl of your favorite flowers or wrapped up in a joint to kick the potency up a notch and deliver some added complexity to your smoke. This Dozi Luna water hash boasts delicate aromas of fresh flowers and gas, which translate to a complex mashup of flavors on the palate and eventually to a buoyant, bubbly high. @SUNRISEMOUNTAINFARMS
REVIEWS & PHOTOS by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS & NATE WILLIAMS @NATEW415/CALIFORNIA LEAF
the concentrates issue
CARTRIDGES Due in no small part to their discreet, compact and highly customizable nature, cartridges continue to be one of the leading methods of all Cannabis consumption on the adult-use market. Whether you’re looking for a high-end, single-strain rosin cartridge with steam-distilled terpenes, or a highTHC distillate cartridge with a formula dialed to your favorite terpene profile or flavor, you can find something to suit your tastes in a supremely sippable cartridge.
HYDROCARBON
TANGIE CIRCUS LIVE RESIN By URSA | 81.6% THC | 7.15% Terpenes This orange-amber elixir comes from Bear Extraction House, which puts out a number of hydrocarbon cartridges and dabbables from its facility in Arcata. Featuring candied citrus peel character in a smooth, delicious vapor, the Tangie Circus is delightful, discreet, and easy to love. @URSAEXTRACTS
HYDROCARBON
LIVE PINEAPPLE SHERBET LIVE RESIN By Absolute Xtracts | 78.3% THC | 0.07% CBD
Absolute Xtracts sources Cannabis from Northern California cultivators for their lab in Santa Rosa, which produces an array of dabbables and cartridges. The ABX Live line is comprised of hydrocarbon-crafted live resin oils in carts or for rig use. The ABX Live Pineapple Sherbet is a lovely amber color, with a somewhat spicy fruit character coming from its caryophyllene, myrcene and pinene terp profile. @ABSOLUTEXTRACTS
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HYDROCARBON
DNA GENETICS ZTRAWBERRIEZ LIQUID LIVE RESIN HYDROCARBON
By PlugPlay | 84.02% THC
By Errl Hill | 72.22% THC 0.173% CBD | 81.7% Total Cannabinoids | 7.6% CBGA
PlugPlay is well known for their proprietary hardware that produces massive dab-like rips. The brand has several different oil lines for their Plugs, including the DNA line, which is an acronym for Daytime, Nighttime and Anytime, and features a variety of strain specific flavors. This Girl Scout Cookies oil has sweet and floral, spice-forward flavors that are accompanied by a mellowing, but not sedating high. PlugPlay is constantly dropping new and limited strains and color ways for their unique hardware, keeping things fresh and fun! @PLUGPLAYALLDAY_
Respected Cannabis geneticists Don Morris and Aaron Yarkoni have achieved legendary status after nearly two decades in the game – a journey that took them from their Los Angeles roots to set up operations in Amsterdam. This collab with Errl Hill is one marker of their brand’s return entry into their home state. Light, tantalizingly fruity and sweet, this easy-drawing disposable all-in-one unit features the phrase “Our terps don’t lie” emblazoned in its design. It’s a true statement for this delightfully fruity hydrocarbon offering. @DNA_GENETICS @ERRLHILL
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GIRL SCOUT COOKIES PLUG
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DISTILLATE
MONARCH ORANGE CREAMSICLE By Legion of Bloom | 89% THC | 95% Total Cannabinoids Northern California’s Legion of Bloom continues to be one of the premier purveyors of distillate cartridges for discerning palates. The company uses strain-specific, solventlessly extracted terpenes to bring aroma and flavor to its THC-rich oils, produced in a wind-powered facility. The Monarch Orange Creamsicle is light, transparent gold, with a slightly piney, fruity character that comes across airy and clean – with immediately uplifting effects. @THELEGIONOFBLOOMCA
WHOLE PLANT + RSO When Rick Simpson first developed a process to reduce all of the elements of the Cannabis plant down to a supremely medicinal extract, he introduced an unparalleled concentrate to the world. Originally dubbed “Phoenix Tears” by Simpson due to the extract’s healing properties, but commonly called “Rick Simpson Oil,” “RSO,” and Full Extract Cannabis Oil (FECO), whole plant concentrate provides exceptionally therapeutic effects for patients looking for pain relief, help with sleep and appetite stimulation, among other manifold benefits believed to be provided from consuming this uncut version of the plant and all of its compounds. These extracts are not traditionally associated with recreational use and it’s definitely recommended that the uninitiated follow the guidelines on the packaging when sampling these products for the first time.
GG4 RSO FULL-SPECTRUM TABLETS
SOLVENTLESS
TROPAYA LIVE ROSIN By Doc Green’s | 74.02% THC | 6.29% Terpenes Doc Green’s is a Berkeley-based brand focusing on live rosin and live rosin infused pre-rolls, made in collaboration with legacy producers, small farms and equity brands. This Tropaya live rosin cartridge was crafted from fresh frozen whole plant material grown by Lifted Organics in Santa Cruz, and features luscious notes of grape Hi-Chew and orange Creme Saver. The oil produces full-bodied effects that will leave you wondering why you need a dab rig at all. @DOCGREENSOFFICIAL
DISTILLATE
FAN TAN CARTRIDGE By Brothers Cannabis 88.78% THC Brothers Cannabis recently teamed up with Yolo County’s Flora Fuego Farms to bring this high potency cured resin, Fan Tan cartridge to the market – providing a fantastic bang-for-yourbuck option for consumers not looking to break the bank to stock up. The oil is a gorgeous translucent golden hue, and it only takes a couple puffs of the citrusforward vapor for a heady, yet focused high to settle in. This cart is a perfect option to take with for traveling, outdoor adventures, or just as an affordable daily driver. @BROTHERS.CANNABIS
By Emerald Bay Extracts 400mg THC/package | 10mg THC/tablet Emerald Bay not only produces the traditional syringes full of RSO, but they also offer precision and convenience-focused pressed tablets for those looking for relief. These tabs still pack the same impact as the straight RSO/FECO, but in an easily dosed product. Where most RSO consumers usually have to measure their oil intake by comparing their dosages to grains of rice, these tablets take out the guesswork. @EMERALDBAYEXTRACTS
DOCTOR’S ORDERS 1:1 THC:CBD RSO By SoHum Royal | 27.7% THC | 34.72% CBD SoHum Royal comes at life from an independent, wholesome perspective, focusing heavily on therapeutic products such as their Royal Compound Full Spectrum Cannabis Oils. These extremely effective oils condense all of the plant matter down into a thick concentrate that packs a lot of punch into a very small package. Dark brown, bitter and vegetal, these medicinally-focused products annihilate pain, sleeplessness, and a number of other ailments. There’s a reason many people have turned to RSO and full plant extracts to replace various pharmaceutical answers to problems, and these products – available in THCdominant, 1:1, and CBD-dominant 20:1 formulations – definitely do the job. @SOHUMROYAL
REVIEWS & PHOTOS by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS & NATE WILLIAMS @NATEW415/CALIFORNIA LEAF
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the concentrates issue
NEW+ UNIQUE ALIEN CANE “BLASPHEMY” LIVE ROSIN By Alien Labs x Suprize Suprize 66.37% THC Sacramento’s Alien Labs and Arcata’s Suprize Suprize have teamed up to bring forth a brand new product for the adult-use market, “Blasphemy” rosin, a hybrid of solventless live rosin and hydrocarbon live resin blended together at a 90:10 ratio. The unique blend produces an exceedingly flavorful, punchy and expansive vapor that is followed by an immediate and significant head change. Alien Cane is decidedly fuel-forward, but has some notable OG Kush undertones that bring an enjoyable complexity to the profile. @ALIENLABS | @SUPRIZE_SUPRIZE
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PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE LIVE DRIP DIAMONDS By Chemistry | 87.9% THC | 1.5% Terps Chemistry produces their extracts using proprietary methods that are unique to their brand. The resulting oils are full spectrum, flavorful, potent and pure. This Pineapple Upside Down Cake was grown in Mendocino County by Radicle Herbs and then crafted into gorgeous extract by the team at Chemistry. The oil is bursting with ripe tropical fruit aromas that jump out of the jar and rush your senses, and there is little lost in translation from the nose to the palate – delivering a flavorful vapor packed with doughy mango and pineapple terps. @TRYCHEMISTRY
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The world of Cannabis extracts is constantly changing and evolving as new methods and technologies are introduced and spread throughout the market. In this section, we’re spotlighting some proprietary concentrates that don’t fall into other categories and stand alone as unique offerings.
REVIEWS & PHOTOS by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS & NATE WILLIAMS @NATEW415/CALIFORNIA LEAF
cannthropology
WORLD OF Cannabis PRESENTS
HASHistory 44
When it comes to the history of hashish, the facts are as fascinating as the folklore. Hashish Smokers (1887) GAETANO PREVIATI
ISLAMIC ORIGINS
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It’s believed that the word hashish derives from the Arabic root word hasis, meaning dried grass or herb. The first historical records of hashish date back to the “Golden Age of Islam” in ancient Persia – sometime between the writing of the Koran in 632 and 900 CE. Unlike alcohol, which was forbidden by the Koran as a khmar (intoxicant), Cannabis was originally considered a medicine and therefore not prohibited. The earliest written reference to hashish appears to be in “The Book of Poisons” – a toxicology/astrology treatise by Iraqi alchemist Ibn Wahshiyya published in the 10th century. In it, Wahshiyya refers to a toxic concoction containing Cannabis extract and other aromatic herbs, which he claimed was lethal when inhaled. Another, more famous text from that period in which hashish is mentioned is the fabled “1001 Arabian Nights,” which even includes a story entitled “The Tale of the Hashish Eater.”
Sufi monks viewed hashish as a sacrament.
JUl. 2021
THE SUFI The earliest group to embrace hashish were the Sufis – a mystical branch of Islam that arose during the 8th century. Once called “the hippies of the Arab world,” Sufi monks believed that hashish assisted in elevating consciousness to achieve communion with Allah. For them, eating hashish was, according to one Muslim critic, “an act of worship.” One Sufi legend even claimed that it was one of the sect’s founders, Shayk Haydar, who
first discovered hashish. According to the story, after 10 years of reclusivity in his mountaintop monastery, Haydar ventured into the desert, where he discovered a “sparkling” plant and ate it. He returned to the monastery in a euphoric state, shared the plant’s magical properties with his fellow monks, then swore them to secrecy about it. While there’s no evidence that Haydar actually made or used hashish, the Sufis did eventually embrace it as a sacrament. THE HASHASHIN Though Cannabis resin was referenced centuries earlier, the word “hashish” wasn’t reportedly seen in print until 1123 – in an Egyptian pamphlet accusing a group called the Nazari of being “hashish-eaters” (a derogatory term used to denote undesirables). Another mystical branch of Islam founded in 1090, the Nazari were based in a mountaintop fortress in northern Iran called Alamut Castle and ruled over by their founder, Hassan-i Sabbah – a.k.a. “The Old Man of the Mountain.” Sabbah created an elite squadron of warrior-spies called the Fidai, who he sent out on covert espionage and murder missions. The Fidai were allegedly so devoted to him that they’d Hassan-i Sabbah (above), and The Fidai at Alamut.
sacrifice their lives at his command. Sabbah allegedly brainwashed his fanatics by feeding them copious amounts of hashish – a practice that supposedly earned them their notorious nickname: Hashashin (Arabic for “hashish users”), from which we derive the modern word “assassin.” In fact, no evidence exists that they ever used hash; nevertheless, the legend stuck – thanks in part to the writings of Marco Polo. Though Genghis Khan’s armies killed off the Hashashin in 1256, they didn’t kill hashish’s appeal; on the contrary, many Arab historians credit the Mongols’ invasions – and the resulting Sufi refugees – for spreading hashish throughout Iraq, Syria, and Egypt during the 13th century. INTO EGYPT The first record of hashish in Egypt comes from a Spanish-born Muslim botanist named Ibn al-Baytar, who in 1227 observed Egyptian Sufis swallowing charas balls in Cairo. There was a park there called the Gardens of Kafur where Sufis and other poor stoners congregated, grew Cannabis and made hashish – that is, until 1266, when King al-Zahir Babar outlawed hashish, destroyed the gardens, and threatened anyone caught with it with prison and “de-teething.” Eventually, concerns over moral decline led Sunni authorities to declare hashish illegal under Islamic law, essentially condemning the Sufi as heretics. Regardless, hashish use continued to expand; it wasn’t until four centuries later, however, that it would make its mark on Europe. ENTRÉE FRANCE In 1798, French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Egypt. Since alcohol was banned in the Muslim country, his soldiers had no access to wine and instead adopted hashish as their intoxicant of choice. Hashish smoking among the troops became such a problem that in October 1800, General Jacques-François Menou banned Cannabis across Egypt. But when the French troops were driven out by Anglo-Ottoman forces in 1801, they brought the hash back home with them. By that time, most French citizens had heard of hashish, thanks to Antoine Galland’s translation of “The 1001 Arabian Nights” published a century earlier. The stories sparked a romantic fascination with hashish in France’s collective imagination. Over the next two centuries, that love affair only grew – fueling a creative explosion that culminated in the formation Grand meeting room at Les of the infamous Club Club des Hashischins. des Hashischins. Founded in 1844, Les Club des Hashischins was a private social club in Paris where the literary, artistic, and intellectual elite of the day would gather to get high. Dressed in Arabic attire, they’d hold séances and drink coffee laced with a green paste called dawamesk made with butter, nuts, spices, and of course, hashish. FROM PRESCRIPTION TO PROHIBITION During the 19th century, medical research and experimentation with Cannabis flourished across Europe. Studies were written, compounds were extracted, and a number of hashish-derived remedies were formulated. But most medical professionals, still operating under old misconceptions that it
The counterculture movement of the 1960s introduced hashish to the New World. induced violence and insanity, avoided studying hashish. This kind of misinformation helped bring an end to the burgeoning medical marijuana field and usher in the new age of global prohibition instituted in the 20th century. While most associate America as the architect of pot prohibition, it was actually Egypt that originally led the charge for its international embargo. Both Egypt and the US attempted (unsuccessfully) to add hashish to the list of prohibited drugs outlined in the League of Nations’ International Opium Conventions of 1912 and 1925. Nevertheless, by the late 1920s, nearly 60 countries had outlawed hashish. THE HIPPIE TRAIL The counterculture movement of the 1960s introduced hashish to Eden Hash Center—a popular the New World. Starting in the late ‘50s, thousands of beatniks and hippies embarked on pilgrimages to the great hashish capitals of stop on The Hippie Trail. the East in search of primo smoke – rechristening the old Silk Road WORLD OF CANNABIS MUSEUM as “The Hippie Trail.” Some, like Travis Ashbrook of the Brotherhood of Eternal Love, smuggled tons of hash back to the US to power the psychedelic revolution. Others brought the art of hash making into new areas, like Morocco; though Cannabis had been grown in the region for centuries, until then it had only been smoked with tobacco. In the decades that followed, however, Morocco’s Rif Valley would become the world’s largest producer of hashish. Just as the Hippie Trail was subsiding, Amsterdam – which had recently undergone its own social revolution – became the new hub for hashish. Hash from all over the world was smuggled in and sold at the city’s hundreds of Cannabis coffeeshops. It was amidst this happening hash scene that another former Hippie Trail traveler by the name of Mila Jansen invented a revolutionary new resin collection method that used ice water rather than hand-scraping or dry sieving – creating the first ever “bubble hash” (aka ice hash, full-melt) and earning her the honorific “Hash Queen.”
Hashish assortment lithograph (1970).
HASHISH TODAY Though still widely popular in WORLD OF CANNABIS MUSEUM Europe, demand for hashish in the US has declined dramatically over the past few decades – due largely to the rise of the more potent hydrocarbon concentrates (dabs). In fact, you’d be hard-pressed (pun intended) to find any traditional hash for sale in US dispensaries, with one notable exception: the old-school hashish made by Frenchy Cannoli. Like those old Hippie Trail pilgrims, Frenchy spent his youth traveling to many of the world’s great hash centers and mastering the classic techniques, which he now teaches to a new generation with his “Lost Art of the Hashishin” workshop series. Thanks to the passion of master hashishin like him, hashish’s history will undoubtedly live on for centuries more.
Demand for hashish in the US has declined dramatically over the past few decades.
For more on the history of hash, listen to Episode #13 of our podcast at worldofcannabis.museum/cannthropology. Story and photos originally published on worldofcannabis.museum and reprinted with permission.
STO RY b y B O B BY B LAC K @ CAN N T H RO PO LO G Y for LEA F NAT IO N
MORAL DILEMMAS
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46
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by Mike Ricker
here she was, standing over a fresh dog poop, looking down upon a thin strip of sidewalk grass along a quiet suburban road holding her only bag, bulging and tied off. The Rhodesian Ridgeback at the end of the leash, quite unfortunately, just unleashed an unexpected second helping. To leave or not to leave – that is the question that I ask of Steve. Maybe she has a favorite uncle named Steve, I don’t know. It rhymed. Is there anyone in America who doesn’t know someone named Steve? It doesn’t matter. Regardless, she is faced with a conundrum. You find a small stash on the bathroom floor. You scan the room, concluding that six of them are potential contenders. The nugs are juicy. Do you announce to the patrons of Patron that one of them has potentially lost their imperative sack, or do you hightail it out of the parking lot and fill your coughers? You scan the motley crew for bloodshot eyes while the dank scent effervesces through the pants pocket to the nostrils like a trail from Pepe Le Pew’s tail. It is as if the universe itself is checking your pulse to determine if the moral compass is deserving of her positive karma, and worthy of continuing to inhabit her fruitful loins of perfect symmetry. Every one of us, at least once in our lives, has been apprised to this test. You clutch the bag and address this reckoning by announcing to the entire venue that someone has lost their weed and you are ready to bestow it to the rightful owner. A man comes to you and admits that he, indeed, had dropped the bag and hadn’t noticed until that moment, upon realizing that his pocket is empty. He takes the Cannabis gratefully. He offers to smoke a bowl with you outside, to which you politely accept. You have made a new friend. His name is Steve.
JUl. 2021
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