The art and science of pairing Cannabis and alcohol

FUTURE OF CONSUMPTION

Hailed as “the future of vaping” by 2Chainz, whose Most Expensivist show has covered a lot of Cannabis related products, we couldn’t agree

more. The Bello is the most unique way to get a group of people high, period. Called the Vapor Tap, the Bello works by loading a cartridge of your favorite concentrate into the center. A vapor-sipping glass gets placed over the cart, and when lightly pressed the internal mechanics cause a hit to fill up the cup.

THE BELLO

The future of Cannabis is vapor being sipped at your favorite Cannabis lounge, and it’s closer than you think to reality. While Cannabis lounges aren’t yet legal in every state, anyone can enjoy the experience of passing a glass of tasty Cannabis vapor around a room with the innovative and sexy Bello. BY WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX

bello.love | @bellotogether

The vapor swirls around as it fills and holds within the cup for easy passing – or the ability to hold it for a short time before consuming the vapor. You sip it like a drink from a glass or with a straw, filling the lungs with Cannabis goodness that takes vaping to a whole new level.

The effects of consuming Cannabis vapor in this way are different from a typical puff of a cartridge, and the vapor is less expansive while retaining full flavor, making it easy to take several glassfulls.

We enjoyed high end solventless rosin carts through the Bello, but any cartridge will work easily. This includes CBD-only or e-cig carts in the 510 thread format, which are perfect for the upscale hookah user. Bello is also working to release cartridges with herbal formulas that can deliver energy or help with sleep – and it’s worth noting that the possibilities are really endless in terms of what you can vape from a cartridge.

We found ourselves clinking glasses and feeling quite classy as we sipped vapor from straws, sharing the glasses around a room, trying different cartridge flavors and enjoying the sensation of sharing weed in a super literal form.

Perfect for at home, a cocktail party or your future favorite dab lounge, we expect to see Bello all over the world as people LISTEN TO LEAF LIFE PODCAST embrace the opportunity EPISODE #98 “THE WIDE WORLD OF CANNABIS TECH,” AVAILABLE ON ALL MAJOR PLATFORMS to cheers with AND LEAFLIFEPODCAST.COM Cannabis.

“We found ourselves clinking glasses and feeling quite classy as we sipped vapor from straws, sharing the glasses around a room, trying different cartridge flavors and enjoying the sensation of sharing weed in a super literal form. “

The world of concentrate vaporizers is not lacking in competition. There are hundreds of brands all over the world that are all clamoring to get to

INDUX LABS REFLUX

the top of the pile with the best hardware. For the past several years, brands like Puffco and PAX have dominated the market by gearing their products towards the mainstream. But, what’s available for the more invested enthusiast? Enter the Indux Labs Reflux vaporizer.

BY NATE WILLIAMS @NATEW415

induxlabs.com | @induxlabs

From concept to design, to production and marketing, Indux Labs aims to provide the most advanced and modular concentrate vaporization hardware in the world to those who are looking to get the most out of

their resin. “The inspiration for the project came from the desire to produce the highest quality of vapor using the precision and purity of electromagnetic heating,” explained Indux Labs Founder, who wishes to remain anonymous.

The Reflux vaporizer is hands-down the most impressive piece of consumption paraphernalia we have come across to date. Each unit is hand-built with incredible attention to detail in Austin, Texas.

The Reflux is the world’s first Slow-Temp™ vaporizer, which slowly builds the temperature and intensity of the vapor to reveal layers of flavor in your concentrate previously undiscovered. The Reflux is designed to deliver a range of control unavailable with other units on the market, and definitely delivers.

The oil is loaded into a borosilicate glass vial along with the user’s choice of titanium heating element. It comes with a variety of designs for the user to experiment with, including both larger, thicker, single elements, as well as thinner ones, which Indux Labs suggests you use multiples of.

The larger elements heat faster while the smaller ones get to temp more slowly, which is just one of the uniquely modular aspects of the Reflux. As one might suspect, the smaller elements produce a thinner, wispier vapor and the larger, thicker ones produce a more robust and expansive vapor. In addition, there is a “key” that is used to control airflow, further allowing the user to dial in exactly how they like their concentrate vaporized.

The dial on the left of the unit controls how long the heating cycle is, and the buttons on the right turn the coil inside of the unit on and off. The combination of heating element(s), airflow and cycle time results in complete user control. This allows the user to slowly ramp up the temperature, dissecting the concentrate and exposing layers of flavor you’d just flat out miss from the same concentrate in dab form.

Both the look and function have a simultaneously new wave, yet classic feel – like a throwback to the future. The analog manipulation of the unit provides a nostalgic kick as you sit back and enjoy a next-level terpene experience. It does take a little dialing in to fully master, but it is fairly intuitive and once understood, becomes second nature.

Comparatively speaking, if a traditional dab taken off a quartz nail is like doing a shot, consuming concentrate out of the Reflux is like pouring yourself a high-end whiskey and allowing yourself to sit and enjoy every nuance of flavor that develops as the spirit opens up and oxygenates.

Between the flavors achievable with this unit, the efficiency it offers and the complete modulation (I can even run it through my dab rig for a smoother, water-filtered hit), my quartz nail, terp pearl and spinner cap will be riding the bench for the foreseeable future.

SMOOJ STRAWBERRY BANANA HARD SELTZER SMOOTHIE &CALDERA EXTRACTS SUPER LEMON OG LAVA DIAMONDS

This pairing is a full-throttle, no-holds-barred, one-way ticket to flavor town.

drinksmooj.com calderaextracts.com

*California Leaf Warning* Anytime you combine two substances of any kind, you have to be extra vigilant of the effects. We strongly recommend conducting pairings in a safe and private space, in small quantities with friends. Always use a designated driver or have a plan to get home safely. TANNINS | SMOOJ STRAWBERRY BANANA HARD SELTZER SMOOTHIE 5% ABV If you’ve got your thumb on the pulse of the craft beer scene, you’re well aware of the heavily fruited sour craze that’s currently sweeping the nation. Also sweeping the nation, but trending more with macro-level breweries, is hard seltzer. So, what has Ann Arbor-based HOMES Brewery done? Taken both and put them together, of course! Enter Smooj, the world’s first hard seltzer smoothie. On one hand it’s only 5% ABV and is gluten and dairy free, and on the other hand it’s absolutely loaded with strawberry and banana puree, making this ‘seltzer’ look, feel and taste more like a smoothie you made as a kid than an adult beverage. Divisive, ironic and delicious, this beverage is utterly ridiculous in both concept and execution – but at the same time, a treat for your taste buds and something you just can’t help but like.

TERPENES | CALDERA EXTRACTS SUPER LEMON OG LAVA DIAMONDS 73.4% THC, .16% CBD, 8.8% TERPENES Caldera Extracts is a new line of concentrates from the sungrown-focused team at Flow Cannabis. Each gram comes packaged with heat seal plastic wrap, as well as a unique seal between the lid and the jar that keeps precious terps from escaping. The aroma on these Super Lemon OG Lava Diamonds is insane – sweet, candied Meyer lemon, exotic mango and papaya, and undertones of deeply complex and classic OG Kush notes spring from the jar before even removing the terp-seal. The jar is filled with large, beautifully faceted hunks of THCA that are marinating in a pool of golden terpenes. A low-temp dab from clean quartz reveals a beautiful translation of the aromatics to the palate and within moments, I felt a calming and relaxing high working its way from the back of my neck through my whole body. Delicious and effective – what more could you want from your dab?

THE PAIRING This pairing is a full-throttle, no-holds-barred, one-way ticket to flavor town. Featuring a mash-up of strawberry, banana, lemon, mango, papaya, chem and fuel, there’s a lot going on flavor-wise. It’s like a mud wrestling match, but instead of mud it’s fruit puree mixed with a touch of gasoline. The Smooj is a nostalgia inducing throwback to childhood and a real world example of how innovative, albeit ridiculous, the brewing world can be. Paired with a dab of Caldera Extracts’ terpy and tropical Super Lemon OG, your palate will be left dancing with an array of flavors that will have you reminiscing back to simpler times. Truly a beautifully ironic complement to one another, the oil brings forth a relaxing and calm vibe — allowing you to fully enjoy the trip down memory lane you’re sure to be taking as you sip on one of the most futuristic beverages in existence today.

BLUE RIVER TERPENES AND EXTRACTS MIMOSA ROSIN CAPSULES

Presenting a slightly new take on the classic Cannabis capsules, Oakland-based Blue River uses a patented mechanical extraction method to create the full-spectrum solventless concentrates used in all of their products — winning over 50 awards in the past six years from nearly every major Cannabis competition.

10MG THC PER CAPSULE / 30PK

BLUERIVERTERPS.COM

These rosin capsules – which are their first foray into the edibles market – are available in three strain-specific varieties: Strawberry Banana, Peanut Butter Cup and Mimosa. All three varieties are vegan, organic and 100% natural, and contain the standard dose of 10mg of THC per capsule. Aside from the mechanically-extracted cannabinoids and Cannabis-derived terpenes, these Mimosa caps also contain 100 percent pure orange oil, annatto seeds (a natural food coloring that has antioxidant and antimicrobial properties) and inositol – a natural carbohydrate that helps relieve anxiety and depression. Each bottle contains 30 capsules and is made from amber glass – a plus since plastic would not only be bad for the environment, but could possibly leech if it came in contact with the citric acid in the orange oil. Since the capsules are flavored Simple, with strain-specific terps and essential fruit oil, we wanted to taste their contents rather than just swallowing them whole. safe, stealthy

Wanting to taste the strain-specific terps and healthy. and essential fruit oil inside, I pulled one open and stirred the powder into a half glass of water rather than just swallowing it whole. Like the bubbly brunch cocktail after which it’s named, the Mimosa mixture was orange-yellow in color, had a subtle and refreshing orange flavor, and provided a mellow morning buzz that lasted for a few hours.

The label says to expect 30 minutes for the onset of effects, but we took it on a practically empty stomach and it didn’t really hit until around 45 minutes in.

The verdict? These rosin capsules are a simple, safe, stealthy and healthy way to get medicated. And after sampling the Mimosa caps, I honestly can’t wait to try their other flavors – especially that Peanut Butter Cup – which I’m guessing will be even more delicious. Find these and other Blue River products at dozens of dispensaries all across Northern and Southern California.

REVIEW & PHOTO by BOBBY BLACK @BOBBYBLACK420 for CALIFORNIA LEAF

What if getting high was as simple as taking a nice, deep breath? That’s the promise realized by the Nfuzed Cannabis Inhaler.

CANNABIS INHALER

Yes, this product looks exactly like it sounds, making it ideal as a discretionary

option for the stoner on-the-go. Packaged as a translucent, pocket-sized inhaler, the labeling is the only giveaway that what you’re holding isn’t intended to dispense asthma medicine. Instead, each Nfuzed puff features a metered dose of 5mg THC.

Designed to deliver the goods without any of the potential respiratory irritation or damage that can come from smoking or vaping, these inhalers require nothing more than a shake of your wrist and the push of a button (hold for five seconds) to release a measured hit of THC-rich aerosolized mist.

The simplicity of the experience is, quite honestly, astounding.

By eliminating the need for literally all paraphernalia – which in turn means no cleaning to do later – the Nfuzed Cannabis Inhaler can be used practically anywhere your heart desires. Couple that benefit with the fact that this mist, which is citrusy in flavor, offers no hint of the THC contained within, and the convenience truly cannot be beat.

When first experimenting with an Nfuzed Inhaler, be aware that a learning curve will likely be in play. Those who have previous experience with an inhaler will find the Nfuzed model no different, but for novices, finding that sweet spot between dispensing the mist and starting to inhale can take a few puffs to get right.

Fortunately, Nfuzed stocks each inhaler with 50 doses, meaning you’ll have plenty of time to familiarize yourself with the best breathing approach to get the most from every hit you take.

Another major plus is the consistent pleasure measured out, thanks to the device’s metered dosing. With a consistent amount of THC hitting your system hit after hit, it thus becomes a breeze to narrow in on exactly how many puffs are perfect for your personal pot bliss.

5MG THC PER PUFF / 50 SERVINGS

Designed to deliver the goods without any of the potential respiratory irritation or damage.

MARY’S MEDICINALS THC-SATIVA TRANSDERMAL PATCH

Enough THC to be noticeable, but not enough to be a distraction.

Mary’s Medicinals is no stranger to the topicals game. Born in 2013, the company began crafting their wellness oriented product line for the Colorado market and has since brought their brand and products to several other regions, including California. I applied the THC-Sativa patch first thing in the morning and did not use any other Cannabis before or while using the product, aiming to truly test the efficacy.

The packaging recommends placing the patch on a venous part of the body like the inside of the wrist or top of the foot. I went with the inside of the wrist and went about my daily routine. About 20 minutes later, the clear-headed and pillowy effects began to settle in. There is enough THC to be noticeable, but not enough to be a distraction – allowing me to go about my day feeling focused and calm.

The transdermal delivery method is effective, discreet and long-lasting, with efficacy up to 12 hours. If you’re looking to switch up consumption methods or for something you can use at work without raising any eyebrows, you can’t go wrong with these transdermal patches from Mary’s Medicinals. @MARYS_MEDICINALS

HYPERLOOP

Art by MAX CASWELL

@maxxswell.ca

“All the designs I make seem to come from seed questions, and the finished pieces are in their own way an answer to the question asked. The answers are always evolving – I don’t feel constrained by the way I’ve done things in the past. Next time I make that style I can mix things up.“

How do you draw inspiration from nature?

It’s difficult not to – nature has done so many things exquisitely. Whether it’s the connection point flowing together for two pieces of glass or a larger, more powerful concept being translated, there are so many examples of highly refined processes and shapes. It’s incredible to see what natural selection has determined after all those years. While most of my work doesn’t literally translate or attempt to mimic nature, I think that there are many subtle cues taken from it. I’ve always loved the way nature handles its color and transitions or contrasts between them. Most recently and perhaps most noticeable within my work, I saw geysers first-hand for the first time in my life. Their raw power and the display they put on is magnificent! Since then I’ve been playing with similar effects and the potential for displaying that power within my functional work.

What pushes you to create new

mind-melting designs? What’s the point of creating if you just make the same thing as everybody else? I wasn’t drawn by or interested in the ability to remake things that have already been made – I much prefer to attempt to make things in a different light. I was drawn by the potential to put my own spin on things. All the designs I make seem to come from seed questions, and the finished pieces are in their own way an answer to the question asked. The answers are always evolving – I don’t feel constrained by the way I’ve done things in the past. Next time I make that style I can mix things up. That freedom is one of my favorite things about glass – it’s incredibly easy to try out new proportions or shapes within designs. Nothing has to be like it was before, I don’t have to remake a mold or rewrite a program to get different shapes for new parts. There’s an amazing amount of freedom within this medium.

THE TOPIC THIS MONTH, THE LEAF DEBATES...FEDERAL LEGALIZATION JOINT/COUNTERJOINT

JOINT BY TOM BOWERS

It’s easy to be pessimistic about the state of federalized Cannabis, when we came of age in a time when even saying the word “bong” in a head shop would get you kicked out for fear of the owners landing in murky water.

But let me spell out exactly why decriminalization – if not a complete and abrupt end to prohibition – is due before 2025: Look at the outcome of the 2020 election cycle.

As an opener, you have President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, who eschewed their Even if it gets shot down in the previous unfriendly Cannabis stances Senate, that certainly doesn’t feel like for progressive decriminalization and a “wait and see” attitude. expungement rhetoric, which they’ll You may say that this will come have to live up to in order to reener- down to states’ rights, but I don’t begize the voter base for a reelection lieve that means that the federal govbid in 2024. ernment will extend prohibition and

That’s not even the big typeface on leave the states to choose. That’s just the marquee. For that, bad business, especially look to conservative strongholds Arizona and South Dakota – both joined New Jersey and You may say that this will come down to states’ rights, ‘‘ when there are billions upon billions of dollars in tax revenue – not to mention millions of jobs – Montana in voting for but I don’t believe waiting in the wings for a full legalization starting in 2021. Add to that the fact that Missisthat means that the federal government will extend prohibition and leave the states to population staring down the barrel of an unprecedented economic crisis. sippi voted to legalize choose. I believe it’s more medical Cannabis, likely that the federal Oregon voted to decriminalize all government will legalize and tax, and drugs and Washington D.C. voted to leave it up to the states to choose decriminalize psilocybin, and what whether or not they want to continwe have sure looks a whole lot like ue with prohibition. That’s how the a boulder-sized snowball picking up U.S. alcohol industry ended up as momentum. a patchwork of states and counties

You might say that a sea change in with differing laws after the passage the attitudes of the voting population of the 21st Amendment putting an doesn’t necessarily telegraph a bold, end to Prohibition. There may be dry sweeping action on the horizon. But counties here and there, and maybe look at the MORE Act – the legisla- even a lagging state or two, but there tion calling for decriminalization and are too many positives for the leaders expungement brought before the in Washington D.C. to hold out any House of Representatives – intro- longer. They’re going to open the duced by a bipartisan coalition and floodgates and leave it to the individpassing by an overwhelming majority ual communities to choose to reject last November. the resulting windfall.

Are you with Joint or Counterjoint? Do you think federal legalization is just over the horizon, or are we in for another decade of fighting for freedom? #JointCointerjoint

Our entire criminal justice system needs a reset, from how we treat non-violent offenses and drug addiction to the heinous three strikes system that President-elect Joe Biden helped orchestrate – and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris used to prosecute and ruin countless lives. That same criminal justice system lets killer cops walk free, hands out lesser penalties for sex COUNTERJOINT BY WES ABNEY offenders than drug users, and prioritizes Our government banks on keeping Cannabis (and drugs) illegal. Smoke a the locking away of lives instead of rehabilitating and empowering those caught in the snare of justice joint? Land in the joint – that has been to return to society as better adjusted people. our reality for the last 50 years of the war Our tax codes also punish “legal” Cannabis on drugs, and I don’t see that magically businesses in states that have regulated systems, ending anytime soon. denying businesses their ability to write off general

While I personally hope this is not the expenses – which will net the Feds billions in revecase, and will be very pleasantly surprised nue this decade – while allowing them to continue to if I am wrong, I believe it push the war on drugs forward. is going to take the entire decade to get Cannabis legalized across our country. It all comes down to one simple concept: Having your cake and eating it too – which Our entire criminal justice system needs a reset, from how we treat non-violent offenses and drug addiction to the ‘‘ If this is making your stomach sour at the thought of corruption, that’s the feeling of knowing someone has been arrested for pot in the time it took you to read this opinion. Simply put, our country has is exactly what our federal, heinous three strikes massive flaws in how we view state and local governments get to do every time they collect tax dollars from system that President-elect Joe Biden helped orchestrate. crime, punishment, taxation, states rights, and the ability of Americans to pursue happiness and freedom Cannabis – while simultaneously receiving as our Founding Fathers directed. And while many funding for law enforcement and the criminal of these problems could be solved by our country justice system to continue the war on drugs. smoking a joint and choosing to put humanity before

The drug war has funded the growth and mass media talking points, the ‘America Gets Baked militarization of our police, created private Sesh’ is still a ways out. We have 100 years of prisons with guaranteed capacity contracts regressive policies and damage to undo from the that are subsidized by taxpayer money if war on drugs, and it can’t be fixed by waving a magic quotas aren’t met, and continues to be a tool wand of legalization. of the largely racist system that oppresses America needs to look inward, to see the cancer and arrests BIPOC individuals at much higher that has rotted our police forces, prosecutors and rates than whites for petty drug crimes. politicians, and commit to a plant-based healing And there are a lot of cops, politicians and regimen to heal the rot. But I think it’s going to take unenlightened Americans who support these more than an establishment president, or Oregon policies, just as they supported an openly decriminalizing all drugs, for our country to wake up racist president who attacked everything from and realize that Cannabis is safer than the laws that our environment to our sense of decency. regulate it.

WORLD OF CANNABIS

PRESENTS

Adam “Mr. Hash Bash” Brook

The History of Hash Bash The origins and evolution of Ann Arbor’s annual reefer rally

This is the story of how a small Midwestern college town became the home of America’s longest-running Cannabis event and a legendary legalization location.

It all began in December 1966, when prominent poet, pot activist, and White Panther John Sinclair unknowingly gave two joints to an undercover policewoman from the Detroit Narcotics Bureau. A month later he was arrested, tried, and in 1969, sentenced to a shocking 10 years in prison.

This disproportionately draconian penalty (no doubt intended to make an example of Sinclair), drew widespread outrage among the counterculture community—particularly with the Youth International Party, or “Yippies.”

In December 1971, they helped organize a massive rally on Sinclair’s behalf at the University of Michigan’s Crisler Arena in Ann Arbor. Known as the “John Sinclair Freedom Rally,” it included Yippie activists Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, David Peel and future High Times founder Tom Forcade, as well as beatnik poet Allen Ginsberg and NORML founder Keith Stroup. More importantly, though, it featured performances by top musical acts like Bob Seger, Stevie Wonder and most impressively, former Beatle John Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono.

Just three days after that concert, Michigan’s Supreme Court ordered Sinclair’s release on bond pending appeal after serving only two-and-a-half years of his sentence. At the appeal hearing, that same court dismissed his case—ruling that he’d been entrapped and that his sentence was “cruel and unusual.” Moreover, the court declared that the 1952 state law used to convict him—which classified Cannabis as a “narcotic”—was inaccurate and therefore unconstitutional, and overturned it.

The state legislature quickly drafted and passed a replacement, but enforcement of that new law didn’t take effect until April 1. This meant that for about three weeks, marijuana was technically legal in the State of Michigan.

Taking full advantage of this unique window—and inspired by the action that had set Sinclair free months earlier—local activists organized a pro-pot political rally on the very day the new law was set to take effect. And that, my friends, is how Hash Bash was born. Held at high noon on Saturday, April 1, 1972, at “The Diag” (the central Diagonal Green) on the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor, the original event—called simply “Hash Festival”—was reportedly attended by somewhere between 150-500 people and had no arrests.

The Democrat-led city council in Ann Arbor had already debated downgrading marijuana possession from a felony to a misdemeanor in 1971. In May 1972—just a month after the rally—they passed an ordinance reducing the penalty for possession to a mere five dollar fine, followed by another in September allowing those fines to be paid through the mail, rather than

having offenders appear in court. This gave Ann Arbor For the first the dubious distinction of being the city with the most liberal pot laws in America. decade and a half

When April Fool’s Day rolled around again the following year, so did Hash Bash—this time drawing 3,000-5,000 attendees. Outraged, conservatives fought of its existence, back—repealing the lenient law in 1973. But less than a year later, the quarrelsome issue made it onto the ballot Hash Bash was as a voter referendum and was voted back into law in April 1974 — just in time for Hash Bash number three, which was now officially an annual event. little more than Thanks to the “Just Say No” Reagan era, attendance and interest in Hash Bash saw a steep decline in the 1980s— a gathering of leading some local officials and newspapers to prematurely celebrate its seeming demise. But all that changed in 1988 people smoking with the arrival of High Times; then Editor-in-Chief Steve Hager and his Freedom Fighters (including columnists Ed Rosenthal and Chef Ra, among others) rolled into Ann Arbor pot in public. sporting Colonial tricorn hats and musical instruments— drawing a crowd of nearly 2,000 and reinvigorating the However, from faltering festival. A further effort was made to increase attendance in 1991, the early ‘90s on, when the annual date of the event was changed from the first of April to the first Saturday in April. In the years that followed, the University made several attempts to shut the rally it became a platform for some of down by denying permits and such, prompting five lawsuits from Hash Bash organizers, NORML and the ACLU—all of the most prominent voices in the which the University lost. For the first decade and a half of its existence, Hash Bash was little more than marijuana movement. a gathering of people smoking pot in public. However, from the early ‘90s on, it became a platform for some of the most just heard the police had 200 officers waiting in prominent voices in the marijuana move- riot gear,” Brook recounts. “Every April Fool’s Day ment, including Tommy Chong, authors we’d publish some sort of claim … Bill Clinton was Jack Herer and Gatewood Galbraith, showing up, Sasha Obama … and sure enough, hippie icon Stephen Gaskin, Yippie Dana the media shows up.” Though no longer serving as Beal, and of course, John Sinclair, who its emcee, Brook still attends each year and hosts a returned to the event (and to Michigan) private event called the Hash Bash Cup the weekend in 1996 after an almost 20-year absence of the rally. living in New Orleans. The new millennium brought many changes to

Other than Sinclair, no one has become Michigan’s marijuana laws. In November 2008, votmore associated with the event than ers passed Proposal 1 legalizing medical marijuana. Sinclair’s personal manager, Adam Brook. Nicknamed “Mr. Hash Bash,” Brook Legalization Icon John Sinclair In 2016, State Representative Jeff Irwin (D) attended Hash Bash and announced that he was sponsoring started hosting the rally in 1993 and con- a bill to legalize marijuana for adult use. That September, medical tinued to do so for almost two decades, until 2011 when he topicals, edibles and dispensaries were legalized. passed the mic on to other prominent Wolverine State weed In 2018, gubernatorial candidate Gretchen Whitmer (D) came to warriors. Brook’s specialty was getting media coverage of the speak at the rally and on Election Day that November, voters approved event by playing the press. another Proposal 1—this time called The Michigan Regulation and

“In order to get the TV cameras to show up at Hash Taxation of Marihuana Act—which finally legalized Cannabis use for Bash, I’d call them on Saturday morning and tell them we’d adults statewide. The following April, Ann Arbor celebrated that monumental victory with their biggest Bash ever—boasting well over 10,000 attendees and zero arrests. “In order to get the TV cameras “Welcome to legalization in the state of Michigan!” Sinclair announced to the cheering crowd in 2019. “You haven’t been here Tommy Chong to show up at Hash Bash, I’d call them on Saturday morning and before unless you were here in 1972 when we started it. We went three weeks without any marijuana law, and believe me we took full advantage of every minute of it. Then when the Michigan law went into For more on Hash Bash, listen to Episode #6 of our podcast at worldofcannabis.museum/ tell them we’d just heard the effect on April Fool’s Day, we said, ‘Fuck you—we’re going to go into the Diag to smoke some weed!’ That’s how it started and I’m proud to podcast or visit hashbash.com. police had 200 officers see it continuing in full force.” Published originally on waiting in riot gear." Last year, due to COVID-19, organizers were forced to replace the rally with a virtual Zoom event. Hopefully, Hash Bash will be able to worldofcannabis.museum and reprinted with permission. -ADAM BROOK return to The Diag this April to celebrate its milestone 50th anniversary.

by Mike Ricker

YOUR GPS LIED TO YOU

The tragic miscalculation of digital driving directions can be the cause of great stress. Because when you’re lost, everything appears foreign. Your surroundings are unfamiliar, you find yourself flustered and exposed. This is a dark and confusing place where suddenly every turn, every sidewalk and every streetlight looks identical. Your sense of security vanishes, leaving you vulnerable and frightened, the anxiety heightened.

You feel betrayed by the soothing, relatable personality inside of your electronic device, as their lack of sound decision-making seemed almost purposeful. The voice you once believed is now a clueless idiot and you are determined to get even with a brazen scolding. You will belittle it, call her a bitch or him an asshole, condemning their actions with caustic flare while detailing the irreparable hassle and embarrassment you’ll endure due to their lack of focus. At some point you may forgive them, but now is not the time. You are lost and late – and the world is in a state of utter peril that may take years to repair.

However, although it doesn’t feel like it, this is no one’s fault.

You do feel a sense of responsibility, though, for having blindly trusted what used to be a credible source. So, to rectify the blunder of placing your faith in this digital confidante, you will take uncharacteristic chances in the attempt to absolve yourself of any further regret.

There is no time to waste in getting to the original course. So, you will make illegal U-turns across center-dividers and irresponsibly hit the brakes on a busy thoroughfare. You will knowingly break the law, nervously cursing while backing up on a one-way street to return to the exit passed.

Ninety-five percent of the time, however, this device is correct. Therefore, you should reward your GPS system.

I recommend a digital blow job.

You take a puff from a vape pen and exhale it into the screen.

California Leaf is dedicated to providing accessible, authentic, plant and people focused media to the world each and every month - with over 475 dropoff locations and more added daily, California Leaf is your one-stop shop for Cannabis brand exposure!

Contact nate@californialeaf.com for ADVERTISING RATES & INFO!