Alaska Leaf — Jan. 2020

THE ENLIGHTENED VOICE

FREE /AKLEAF.COM

#45 | J AN. 2020

INDEPENDENT CANNABIS JOURNALISM SINCE 2010

HAPPY NEW YEAR! aklEAF.COM

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11 editor note 12 national news 14 one bad apple 16 hempy new year 18 highly likely

JAN. 2020

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q&a allison byrd king street cannabis baked alaska blue bear cannafarm strain of the month

32 history of cannabis 34 leafly’s new flowers 36 post-surgery healing 38 cannabis exercise 40 q&a the cannasexual

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cannabis & desire cookie recipes edible of the month concentrate review stoney baloney

PHOTO by KETI CHIKHLADZE @KETI.PHOTOGRAPHY | STYLING by MALINALOPEZ @MALINALOPEZ

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

ABOUT THE COVER

This month’s cover celebrates the health and beauty of Cannabis for daily life. We hope you will take a relaxing soak into this issue and enjoy a variety of stories, from the historical uses of Cannabis for 10,000 years, to enjoying Cannabis for yoga, and of course: much, much more!

Photography by @Keti.Photography Props & Styling by @MalinaLopez CBD Bath by @TheHempressUK Model @DeathDabforCutieee

CONTRIBUTORS

PUBLISHER

Boom Media Photos Tom Bowers Features Keti Chikhladze Photos Shiela Dejarlais Features Steve Elliott National News Malina Lopez Styling Jeff Porterfield Design Eshom Reed Reviews Meghan Ridley Editing Pacer Stacktrain Features Laurie & Bruce Wolf Recipes

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

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

STATE DIRECTOR AND ADVERTISING joshua stahle | ADVERTISING SALES Josh@AKLeaf.com | 907-317-2536

We do not sell stories or coverage. We are happy to offer design services and guidance on promoting your company’s recreational, commercial or industrial Cannabis product or upcoming event. We are targeted and independent Cannabis journalism. Email or call to discuss advertising.

CONNECT WITH THE LEAF @NWLEAF

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ABNEY

Editor’s Note Thanks for picking up The Health Issue of Alaska Leaf!

THE CLASSIC SAYING that health is wealth has never rung truer than in 2020. I find it has great meaning when looking inward, and at our American lifestyle as a whole.

Life in our modern society is so fast paced that health is often ignored, especially mental and emotional wellness. Attention is commanded by devices and people in an everincreasing hybrid of communication that connects us AS WE HEAD digitally, but not literally. Our ability to live in and for INTO THE NEW the moment seems to be slipping, especially when glued to our phones. We all accept that change is ROARING 20S, needed. But how do we attain it?

100 YEARS AFTER Now let me be clear. I’m not talking about a two week aborted gym membership, or a crash diet of edibles and protein shakes for the new year. When I speak of change, there is only one acceptable type: long term change. And it starts with a simple choice. To celebrate the moment and enjoy the gift of life.

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ALCOHOL’S HEYDAY, WE HAVE A NEW FAD SWEEPING THE COUNTRY. CANNABIS!

As we head into the new Roaring 20s, 100 years after alcohol’s heyday, we have a new fad sweeping the country. Cannabis! And the best benefit of Cannabis is the ability to help bring relaxation, peace, and enjoyment of life without the toxic aftereffects of alcohol or pharmaceuticals. So what is my new year’s resolution for 2020? To put my phone down, pick up a bowl of Cannabis, and allow myself to appreciate the little moments of life as it happens. To enjoy life is the most freeing form of self health care I have found.

I have long evangelized that all use of Cannabis is medicinal, even if it’s simply to feel better on a rough, rainy Monday. If it makes you feel well, it becomes a wellness product, which is the basis for medicine. Cannabis definitely makes people feel better - to put aside politics, stress, fear and even hatred, and replace the negative energy with a wonderful feeling of wellness. That is a gift, one I intend to share in the new decade.

As an honorary Lorax doctor, I recommend that the American people rip a double bong toke of 1:1 CBD and THC, stat! After all, you can’t spell healthcare without THC.

-Wes Abney

JAN. 2020

AKLEAF.COM

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

WES

national news

TEEN WEED VAPING DOUBLES IN JUST TWO YEARS

Buckle in, folks. This is the kind of study that often precedes a crackdown. Twice as many teenagers reported they had vaped Cannabis in 2019 as in 2017, even as weed use itself remained steady, according to new government figures.

The findings were released December 18, 2019, with stats from the federal “Monitoring the Future Survey” produced by the University of Michigan.

Public health officials are still dealing with the latest panic after an apparent outbreak of serious lung illnesses linked to vaping in 2019.

According to the government survey, 20.8 percent of 12th graders reported they’d vaped Cannabis during the past year. Tenth graders were close behind at 19.4 percent, with seven percent of seventh graders reporting they’d vaped weed as well. Each of these figures was more than double what they were in 2017.

The trend was called “very worrisome” by notoriously anti-weed Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).

Volkow claimed teenagers were increasing their chances of an “addiction” (yes, she actually said that) by inhaling high THC vape products.

WHY OREGON COPS APPARENTLY CAN’T DISTINGUISH BETWEEN HEMP AND ACTUAL MARIJUANA

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NO CANNABIS DELIVERIES FOR WASHINGTON STATE RESIDENTS

Cannabis has been legal for more than seven years now in Washington state. But residents of the Evergreen State, saddled with an unfortunately weak legalization law, still don’t have weed delivery services - and they won’t have them anytime soon.

If you’re looking for help from the Washington CannaBusiness Association (WACA), you’re out of luck. In December WACA unveiled its list of 2020 legislative priorities. You might be surprised to know that among their recommendations is that Washington State “is not yet ready for direct-to-consumer delivery.”

Claiming “the system should not be loosened to allow Cannabis delivery,” the group - which ironically counts as its members and financiers, many of whom would be in direct competition with delivery services - cast the business of pot deliveries as being quite dangerous.

“There are a lot of question marks around structuring delivery and what to do with cash and handing payments,” WACA executive director Vicki Christopherson told The Tacoma News Tribune.

“There are safety concerns for drivers.”

Hemp is a problem for Oregon law enforcement officials. It seems that they can’t tell the difference between it and THC-rich marijuana - and that means it’s also a problem for Oregon’s adult-use Cannabis industry, reports Willamette Week.

The federal government legalized hemp in December 2018. The legal definition of hemp means it can only contain trace amounts of THC. But the move created mass confusion among law enforcement agencies trying to stop unlicensed pot grows. The Oregon State Police Forensic Services Division, which had provided testing of plant samples suspected by law enforcement of being marijuana, announced in July it won’t do that anymore - as the tests “could not quantify THC, which is the difference between hemp and marijuana,” said Timothy Fox, OSP spokesman. “So we stopped doing the test, as their was no scientific or evidentiary value in the test.”

Local sheriffs’ offices are left hanging. Oregon cops, already frustrated by the state’s thriving illegal market, complain that hemp provides more cover for unlicensed growers. Some claim illicit marijuana is being grown and exported as “hemp.”

ALCOHOL RELATED CAR CRASHES DROP IN IDAHO AFTER NEIGHBOR WASHINGTON STATE LEGALIZES

MARYLAND COULD SOON SEE CANNABIS EDIBLES Maryland, which legalized medical Cannabis in 2013, didn’t launch its program until 2017. The state still doesn’t allow recreational weed, but marijuana-infused edibles are specifically allowed - it has just taken a while to write their regulations.

The state is in the process of writing the edible regulations, according to Maryland Matters. Tight rules will be enforced. Edibles will reportedly have to be contained in plain, opaque packaging that are tamper-evident and child-resistant. The packaging won’t be allowed to contain cartoons or other graphics that could “influence minors.”

Shapes of edibles can only be “geometric,” with no forms, designs or flavors “appealing to children” allowed.

“These findings are consistent with increased access to marijuana leading to substitution away from alcohol to marijuana,” the paper concluded. The research is the first to look at whether cross-border shopping has an indirect impact on public health. In this case, that was found to be true, since accidents that are the result of alcohol misuse were found to decrease after Cannabis legalization nearby.

Study author Benjamin Hansen, of the University of Oregon, confirmed that searches for the term “dispensaries” increased “dramatically” in Idaho after Washington legalized Cannabis. The author also found that access to recreational Cannabis was associated with a 21 percent decrease in accidents involving alcohol in Idaho counties directly bordering Washington.

NEW SPENDING BILL QUASHES PLANS FOR RECREATIONAL CANNABIS SALES IN D.C.

WEED BEATS TOBACCO IN SEATTLE

Hopes for legalization of marijuana sales in the District of Columbia were dashed in December, as a $1.3 trillion federal spending bill will continue to prohibit D.C. from passing any bill legalizing or regulating the sale, reports WAMU. The prohibition, first put in place in 2015, will now extend through at least September 2020, reports the DCist.

The prohibition, which had been left out of the version passed by the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives, was re-inserted by the Republican-controlled Senate. It remained after both chambers hashed out a compromise spending bill to avert a government shutdown.

“Ridiculous,” tweeted DC Mayor Muriel Bowser on December 16.

“We should have the right to implement #SafeCannabis just like other jurisdictions to promote safety for their residents.”

JAN. 2020

After Washington State allowed Cannabis sales in 2014, drunk driving accidents in next door Idaho dropped, according to a new study. Not only was there an association, but it was also strongest in counties closest to the Washington border, the study found, according to the paper from Utah State University’s Center for Growth and Opportunity.

Seattle is one of just three cities in the United States where marijuana use exceeds the use of all products containing nicotine, according to market research firm Nielsen.

More than 700,000 people 18 and older in the greater Seattle area have consumed Cannabis in the past 30 days, reports The Seattle Times. That’s about 17 percent of the population.

About 16 percent used nicotine products, including cigarettes and e-cigarettes.

Adults in the Seattle area who consume Cannabis have a median income of about $78,000. Those who smoke cigarettes or use other tobacco products average around $59,000. Cannabis users are also much more likely than nicotine consumers to be college graduates, according to Nielsen.

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

SMALL BATCH CRAFT CANNABIS

AVAILABLE IN SELECT STORES IN FAIRBANKS AND ANCHORAGE

alaska news

DON’T LETONE BADAPPLE SPOIL THE BUNCH

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Now more than ever is the time to dedicate ourselves to learning, testing, training & development of the Alaskan Cannabis industry

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udtending is a blessing to meet our community members and know that at the end of the day, it is not just a job - it’s advocacy in action.

Not too long ago, a coworker was helping a lady who seemed to be in a hurry.

She told us that they had just left the doctor’s office because her daughter was having an onset of seizures - a recent symptom to a still unknown condition. She left thanking us, and once again said how she has faith that Cannabis will be the answer to her prayers.

I saw her again a week later and she happily told me that Cannabis was keeping the symptoms at bay, and although they still needed to run more tests, the symptoms were not as severe as they were before they added Cannabis to her daughter’s daily regimen.

Another time, an older gentleman came in and huffed grumpily, “I don’t have time to talk, just give me the highest THC you’ve got.” I gladly obliged, despite the fact that I wanted to ask what he is trying to accomplish from smoking it. I simply respected his request and sent him on his way.

During his following visit, I found out that he was - and still is - in a lot of pain due to a recent surgery, and he wanted some more of the strain he got last time because it helped him relax, and he was able to keep his dinner down.

JAN. 2020

order to ensure continuous and abundant I could go on and on about stories from production. However, with decades of proall walks of life and different reasons why hibition and fighting for our rights to use a Cannabis is their remedy of choice. plant that can help improve our daily lives, I could do the same thing and fill you in is it worth taking such negligent action of with scientific studies and personal testimousing pesticides that may have long term nies from hundreds of people swearing by detrimental effects to gain profits? Industry the positive effects of Cannabis consumpleaders are expected to be the greatest adtion. But it will all boil down to one crucial vocate for ensuring clean products grown truth: Industry leaders hold the responsibilin safe environments. ity to ensure that our consumers get clean As we await the results of the tests orand quality-controlled products. dered by AMCO, it is up to us, consumers Products that will deliver the experience and workers alike, to apply the main lesson that they rightfully deserve, whether they this event has brought to our attention. are using it medicinally or recreationally.

Now more than ever is the time to dedicate Early November was when news about more to learning, testing, alleged use of pesticides training, and development in one of the cultivation It will all boil down of the Alaskan Cannabis grounds in the MatSu industry, and foster proacValley spread on social to one crucial truth: media.

Industry leaders hold the tive leadership.

If we allow these bad This is of overwhelming responsibility to ensure practices to spread concern because current that our consumers throughout the Alaskan regulations do not require get clean and qualitymarket, we will lose what testing for pesticides. controlled products. we have gained after 70 It can very well be what years of prohibition. will change the tides in the Regardless of which company we reprecurrent market, because testing for pestisent, we all hold accountability and power cides will require our lawmakers to update to affect how the Alaskan market will unfold current regulations. This will raise the cost in the coming years. of production, marketing and sales, which One act of alleged malpractice makes in turn raise the retail cost per gram of the already thin ice we walk on even more product. fragile. It is up to us to set the standards of With the Cannabis industry being the responsible cultivation and sales of Cannanew age “Gold Rush,” it is understandbis products in our great state of Alaska. able when business owners take risks in

STORY by SHIELA DEJARLAIS for ALASKA LEAF

expert OPINION

BY JERRY WHITING LeBlancCNE.com/podcast

THE HEMP INDUSTRY

Eat it, drink it, wear it, make things with it.

Let’s all make hemp an object of commerce.

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HempyNewYear!

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T H E N E W Y E A R M A R K S T H E S ECO N D Y E A R H E M P H AS B E E N L E G A L I N T H E U . S . T H E FA R M B I L L WAS S I G N E D I N D EC E M B E R 2 0 1 8 A N D I T H I N K W E C A N A L L AG R E E T H AT T H E R E ’ S N O G O I N G B AC K N OW . M Y M O D E S T P R E D I C T I O N I S T H AT 2 0 2 0 W I L L B E T H E Y E A R O F H E M P A N D I ’ M N O T TA L K I N G A B OU T J U S T C B D , E I T H E R .

I’ve started talking with the staff at stores that sell hemp products.

I ask what sells and to whom. The first thing I learned is that there’s no relationship between the packaging, the contents, and the sales. Shiny and pretty doesn’t necessarily translate into quality products that sell well. I pay special attention when they pass along customer feedback.

I usually shy away from detailed lists of New Year’s resolutions, but Being a hemp advocate includes being a hemp consumer. this year is different. In fact, I’m sharing my modest hemp resolutions to I find myself reaching for hemp bread and granola with hemp. encourage you to adopt one or more of them yourself. No, you don’t have I predict a flood of new hemp-based foods in 2020. Not all of them to be a hemp farmer to help support hemp. It’s arguably more important will taste good, but trying new foods is something my parents instilled that we all buy hemp in one form or another. Eat it, drink it, wear it, make in us as kids. Don’t be afraid to try DIY projects yourself. things with it. Let’s all make hemp an object of commerce.

My kids used to make paper by putting newspaper, leaves, and other If you believe in hemp, buy it. Let’s face it: Until the hemp industry scales material in the blender and pouring it through a screen. I look forward up, it won’t be cheap. Hemp clothing may cost more, but with proper care to using hemp stalks to make paper with my grandchildren. I made soft it will last longer. More importantly, those that make hemp clothing need to cheese with my granddaughter when she was much younger. Now it’s survive and grow large enough to enjoy the benefits of economies of scale. time to make hemp milk with the kids.

The more hemp fiber a company buys, the cheaper it will be. But they need Hemp will work only if we make it part of our day-tocustomers to buy what they make (hint, hint). day life. Vote with your wallet by purchasing what you I reach for plant milk over cow’s milk. For years this meant Hemp will work believe in. You invest in the hemp industry when you soy milk, but now that hemp milk is sold alongside soy, coconut purchase hemp products. Did you find a hemp product and nut milks, I make the conscious consumer decision to buy only if we make it you like from a company you want to support? what I believe in. While Starbucks doesn’t offer hemp milk part of our dayGive it as a birthday gift to someone you love. (yet), many smaller independent coffee shops do. I make it a to-day life. Vote Hemp is legal and showing up on store shelves across point to thank them for including it as an option. If a coffee the nation. We have an opportunity to use hemp to start shop doesn’t offer hemp milk, I ask for it anyway to start the with your wallet by the much larger conversation of why Cannabis isn’t conversation from the ground up. Yes, grassroots organizing purchasing what legal. How can we embrace hemp and simultaneously works for hemp. you believe in. You shun pot?

Talk with those in the industry whenever you can. Does With public support for legalizing marijuana at an allinvest in the hemp someone at your local farmers market or craft show sell time high, why isn’t it legal already? Hemp isn’t killing hemp products? Engage them in a conversation about industry when you anyone, in fact, it’s healing many. Join me in 2020 by what motivated them to enter the industry, their trials and purchase hemp buying more hemp, while continuing to push for full tribulations, and what their vision of the future is. My guess is products. legalization in the new year! that you’ll both learn from each other.

JAN. 2020

PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

highly likely

H i g h l y L i ke l y h i g h l i g h t s Ca n n a b i s p i o n e e rs w h o p a ve d t h e wa y t o g re a t e r h e r b a l a c c e p ta n ce .

MEZZMEZZROW FAMED JAZZ ARTIST AND 1930S-40S ERA CANNABIS P ROPONENT

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connection between Cannabis and creativity, especially when improvising.

In his 1946 autobiography ”Really the Blues” - cowritten with Barnard Wolfe - Mezzrow eloquently described his first experience with Cannabis as happening at a gig, just before taking the stage: “The first thing I noticed was that I began to hear my saxophone as though it was inside my head…Then I began to feel the vibrations of the reed much more pronounced against my lip…I found I was slurring much better and putting just the right feeling into my phases - I was really coming on. All the notes came easing out Milton “Mezz” Mezzrow was an American jazz of my horn like they’d already been made clarinetist and saxophonist who affiliated himself up, greased and stuffed into the bell, so all with some of the greatest muI had to do was blow a little sicians in history, including Fats and send them on their way, FROM EARLY ON IN HIS Waller, Cab Calloway, Sydney one right after the other, CAREER, MEZZ MEZZROW Bechet, Louis Armstrong, and never missing, never behind many more. He was both an time, all without an ounce UNDERSTOOD THE SACRED impresario and a producer for of effort. . . I began to feel CONNECTION BETWEEN jazz recordings, primarily in happy and sure of myself.

CANNABIS AND CREATIVITY, With my loaded horn I could Harlem in the 30s and 40s.

ESPECIALLY WHEN From early on in his career, take all the fist-swinging, evil Mezzrow understood the sacred things in the world and bring IMPROVISING.

aklEAF.COM

IT’S BEEN ALMOST 100 YEARS SINCE CANNABIS WAS MADE FEDERALLY ILLEGAL IN THE UNITED STATES. AS WE WATCH THE TIDE BEGIN TO TURN AND CANNABIS NORMALIZATION (SLOWLY BUT SURELY) TAKE HOLD IN THE U.S. AGAIN, WE CAN LOOK BACK TO THE HISTORY OF THE JAZZ AGE TO SEE WHAT OUR LONG LOST CULTURE LOOKED LIKE BEFORE IT WAS FORCED TO GO SUBTERRANEAN.

JAN. 2020

them together in perfect harmony, spreading peace and joy and relaxation to all the keyedup and punchy people everywhere. I began to preach my millenniums on my horn, leading all the sinners to glory.”

Lead them to glory he did. Mezzrow wasn’t content to just consume Cannabis, he wanted, it seemed, to extol its virtues to the world. Problem was, the herb had just been made federally illegal in 1937. Because of this, and many other factors, Mezzrow became perhaps the first celebrity Cannabis dealer in history. Although, due to the differences in time and culture, he might just be considered the first Cannabis celebrity.

Apparently, he achieved this status by establishing himself as the (white) jazz musician reported to have the best “golden leaf muta,” due to his relationship with a Mexican syndicate smuggling it into the United States. His weed was so good, it seemed, that some of the hottest musicians of the time were clamoring for it.

Soon, songs referencing “The Mezz” were being played on radio stations around New York, and then around the country.

Ultimately, Mezzrow was so famous that he started to attract attention from the law and was arrested while trying to enter a jazz club at the 1939 World’s Fair with 60 joints.

After playing a festival in France in the late 40s, Mezzrow decided to make his home in the country and he remained there until his death.

His name still graces the jazz club, Mezzrow, in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan.

But it was how Mezzrow saw the role of Cannabis in a musician’s life (who he referred to as vipers) and culture that truly stands out: “Us vipers began to know that we had a gang of things in common…We were on another plane in another sphere compared to the musicians who were bottle babies, always hitting the jug and then coming up brawling after they got loaded. We like things to be easy and relaxed, mellow and mild, not loud or loutish, and the scowling chin-out tension of the lush-hounds with their false courage didn’t appeal to us. Besides, the lushies didn’t even play good music their tones came hard and evil, not natural, soft and soulful…We members of the viper school were for making music that was real foxy, all lit up with inspiration and her mammy.”

By PACER STACKTRAIN for LEAF NATION

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

Budtender

W H O ’ S YOU R FAVO R I T E B U D T E N D E R ? T E L L U S W H Y ! E M A I L N O M I N AT I O N S T O J O S H @ A K L E A F . C O M

Allison Byrd

T H E F ROS T FA R M S 8 5 3 5 DI M O N D D C I R B , A N C H O R AG E / ( 9 0 7 ) 5 2 2 - 5 0 5 0

@ T H E F ROS T. FA M / O P E N 1 0 A M - 12 A M DAI LY

ALASKA LEAF BUDTENDER OF THE MONTH WHAT AR E YOU R FAVO R I TE ST RAI N S AN D P RODUC E R S ? Frost Frontier

of course! Cereal Glue and Wedding Cake are my favorites, and I love Mercy Tree of Alaska - their Mercy Fruit Haze is incredible. I also love AKO Farms and Refine Alaska for concentrates. I dab a lot and I love my Puffco!

H OW D O YOU F I N D T H E R IG H T CAN NAB I S F O R A CUSTO M E R ? I love talking to

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people about weed, and all the different strains and how they affect you differently. Getting to sample each one and have the knowledge to educate customers is a dream come true to me. It’s so enjoyable for me to help someone find what they are looking for, or be there to help when they are curious to try something new.

aklEAF.COM

“GETTING TO SAMPLE EACH ONE AND HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE TO EDUCATE CUSTOMERS IS A DREAM COME TRUE TO ME.” Our Budtender of the Month for January is the knowledgeable Allison Byrd at The Frost Farms, located in Anchorage. Byrd is a fan of smoking blunts, sampling new Cannabis products, working, traveling, and using Cannabis at festivals and music concerts.

WH E N DI D CAN NAB I S F I R ST CO M E I N TO YOU R L I F E ?

Ten years ago, when I was 13. Sorry, Mom!

HOW DI D YOU B ECO M E A B U D TE N DE R ?

Evan and I have been good friends for seven years and he always had a goal to open a store in Anchorage. I watched him achieve that and I’m so honored to be a part of it.

JAN. 2020

WHAT I S YOU R FAVO R I TE PART O F T H E J O B ? Being

around and selling something that I love so much, and am so passionate about, plus being able to educate and help others enjoy something so wonderful. I just love being a part of this growing industry.

WHAT ’ S YOU R FAVO R I TE WAY TO CO N SU M E ? Blunts!

I love rolling and smoking them.

WH Y D O YOU L I K E WO R KI NG AT F ROST FAR M S ? Working for Evan is

so full-circle for me. Seeing my friend go from talking about something he wanted to do, and then watching the process of him execute that idea, has been amazing. But to also get to work at his business and help it grow is something I’m thankful for every day.

WHAT AR E YOU R H O B B I E S WH E N YOU AR E N ’ T WO R KI NG AT T H E DI S P E N SARY ?

Does smoking count as a hobby? I smoke a lot! I do love to travel and go to concerts and music festivals, so I pretty much spend my time working and saving up for the next trip!

I’m very into music - music and marijuana are two of my greatest passions.

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

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

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

VISITING ALASKA

Sights seen from the road

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

Locally owned and operated by a Departs Seward 100pm lifelong Alaskan, Stage Line offers call ahead for pick up point passenger transportation, freight, parcel, and courier service, between Cooper Landing Wild- man’s 200pm Anchorage and the Kenai Soldotna 300pm Peninsula. Our schedule includes, All times are approx Anchorage to Homer, Cooper Landing, Soldotna, Kasilof, Ninilchik, HOMER TO SEWARD Anchor Point. Homer to Seward, June 1st - August 31st Soldotna, Cooper Landing. And any The Stage Line PO Box 353 Anchor Point, Mon Wed Fri points in between! MP flag stops AK available! Private party charters Departs Homer 1242 Ocean Dr 900am The Stage Line 1242 Ocean Dr Homer, Ak available! Reasonable rates, saves 724 W International Anchorage, Ak of Commerce time and money for travelling or your Soldotna Chamber Staging points only 1030am 907-868-3914 907-235-2252 shipping needs.

Cooper Landing Wildman’s 1130 E-mail: stage.line@yahoo.com One of the top 10 most scenic www.stagelineinhomer.com highways.

SHOP REVIEW

KING STREET CANNABIS

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EVERY STRAIN OF FLOWER IN THE STORE IS GROWN IN LIVE SOIL, ORGANICALLY, AND COMES FROM CULTIVATORS AROUND THE STATE.

JAN. 2020

King Street Cannabis is one of Anchorage’s newest retail stores to open their doors. With a heavy focus on providing products that are curated organically in live soil, you can expect to find high quality bud at this store every single visit.

ENVIRONMENT & VIBE

5/5

I love what they have done with the space. The retail store is pleasantly decorated and has that Alaskan DIY appeal. The countertop with LEDs in the astronomically correct location of stars blew my mind.

The attention to detail for a project like that is off the charts. Add the aesthetic in with the knowledgeable staff, and you have built a winner.

PRODUCTS & SELECTION

5/5

With the recent ongoings in the industry, it is always nice to see someone approaching a retail shop with a pure organic mindset. Every strain of flower in the store is grown in live soil, organically from cultivators around the state. Cultivators such as Top Hat, Green Star, Smokin’ Joe’s, and Tundra Jane have plenty of flower available in the store, and the selection is more than worth checking out! In terms of concentrates, the guys at King Street have the same approach as they do to their flower - a varied selection is available in store and well worth some new year perusing!

HISTORY & VALUES

4/5

With the addition of a garden coming in the future, King Street Cannabis is just now getting their feet on the ground with the recreational market. They are appealing to a crowd that I believe is underserved here in Alaska - an added emphasis on live soil products. Definitely head on over and check them out, as I have a feeling they will be around for a long time.

BUDTENDERS & KNOWLEDGE

4/5

I was only able to have an in-depth conversation with the budtender on duty during the time of my visit, but had an incredibly engaging conversation about the industry here in Alaska. Very knowledgeable about the products that they had in store, the methods of growing, and processes involved with manufacturing - this gentleman had on point answers for every question I threw his way. Fantastic knowledge and service at this store!

8430 LAVIENTO DR., ANCHORAGE, ALASKA (907) 522-5464 @KINGSTREETCANNABISCO KINGSTREETCANNABISCO@GMAIL.COM WWW.KINGSTREETCANNABISCO.COM OPEN 9AM-10PM DAILY

Budtender Keon Dunn, Founder/Co-Owner Benjamin English, and Co-Owner Nicholas Gelinas

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

interview

24

BAKED ALASKA Audrey Ranstead is the founding partner of Baked Alaska LLC. A second generation

baker with a self described entrepreneurial spirit, she decided to combine her love for food with Cannabis by starting an infused kitchen when Cannabis became legal in Alaska.

With a focus on organic ingredients, Baked Alaska has developed a great reputation for tasty edibles with full spectrum effects for medicinal and recreational users.

aklEAF.COM

H ow d i d yo u r j o u r n ey w i t h C a n n a b i s b e g i n? I was never a Cannabis user, but when

Colorado and Washington legalized I followed the developments and it was very fascinating to me. I was more interested in the medical benefits of the plant and learning the differences between THC and CBD and terpenes, and everything else around the plant. So, that’s how I got introduced to Cannabis.

W h a t i n s p i re d yo u to st a r t yo u r ow n C a n n a b i s b a ke r y? I’ve owned a bagel shop

in Fairbanks called Bagels & Brew for 14 years now, and before that I owned a little cafe and

JAN. 2020

in the late 90s - an espresso cart in a Fairbanks business building. Food and beverage have always been my passion, and baking has always been a part of my life. My mom was an excellent baker who made wedding cakes here, and she was always in the kitchen, so it was a natural thing.

We launched with one product, our ginger snap cookies, and then over the course of several months launched the rest of our cookies. They were well received, and so this summer we launched almost everything on our approved list.

W h e n d i d yo u g e t s t a r te d , a n d w h a t k i n d o f p ro d u c t s d i d yo u b r i n g to m a r ke t ? We got licensed on December 11 of

medical benefits, so we sourced a high CBD strain called Tora Tsu by Third State, and we made a 2:1 high CBD brownie bite that was extremely well received. So those quickly became our most popular product, in a six-pack with 5mg of THC and 10mg of CBD. For people

2018, and it took longer than I wanted, but we were ready to go and hit the ground running and had product on shelves before Christmas.

W h a t wa s t h e i n s p i ra t i o n fo r yo u r h i g h C B D e d i b l e s? I was really interested in the

“

We focus on allnatural ingredients.

I’m a big believer in limited ingredients, and ones where you can pronounce the word.”

Cannabis snacks for humans and their furry friends

start with Cannabis infused butter or coconut oil that we make in house. We use organic inputs and an organic base flower, trying to source as many organic ingredients as possible, keeping our recipes classic and very simple.

Yo u a l s o ke e p eve r y t h i n g s t ra i n s p e c i f i c ! Yes we focus on effects, so for

our ginger snaps and snickerdoodles we use a sativa strain, Green Crack grown by Blue Bear Cannafarm. And for our peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies, we use an indica - Starkiller, also by Blue Bear. For our brownies, we use a high CBD strain from Alaskan Blooms called Snow Monster.

We are very strain specific and source our Cannabis from really reputable cultivators and have a great relationship with them!

who consume edibles on a regular basis, I believe they will feel the difference because it’s a gentle high with complete body relaxation. I also promote them to people who want to try edibles for the first time, because it’s not just about getting high.

I now eat edibles and consume them mostly in the evening. So basically instead of a glass of wine when I come home, I now have a brownie - and it’s much more relaxing and really helps with sleep and waking up refreshed.

Tell us about your ingredients, which are designed to be healthful and wholesome. We focus on all-natural

ingredients. I’m a big believer in limited ingredients, and ones where you can pronounce the word. We also don’t use extracts in any form. We create full infusions, so all our recipes either

H ow d o e s yo u r p a c k a g i n g wo r k to ke e p t h e p ro d u c t s f re s h? I have my

business degree from UAF with a marketing emphasis, so I’m very much into branding and packaging. I think our packaging is simple and conveys our message, but we went the extra step and have packaged every cookie and brownie in its own mylar, so everything stays fresh with a long shelf life.

I want everything to taste fresh and good.

Facebook.com/GetBakedAlaska BakedAlaskaEdibles.com Instagram @BakedAlaska

Te l l u s a b o u t yo u r h e a l i n g b a l m t h a t h e l p e d o u r D i re c to r J o s h S t a h l e s o m u c h i n h i s AC L s u rg e r y re cove r y. We worked on

the recipe for a year before getting licensed, and it starts with a coconut oil base and a high CBD strain from Ester Horticulture. Then we infuse into the oil the other ingredients, including shea butter, emu oil, beeswax, and lemongrass extract. Everything in our balm is good for you, but when you add in a full spectrum Cannabis blend it becomes medicine. The Emu Oil is transdermal and drives all the ingredients including the THC and CBD through the skin, and that’s why people are finding a lot of relief. I believe the full spectrum plant medicine is really important and it works! People buy the balm and feel instant relief, becoming repeat customers.

W h a t a re yo u r h o p e s fo r t h e f u t u re o f B a ke d A l a s ka? We are

looking forward to 2020 and the market is continually growing up here, so my hopes are that it will continue to grow and the stigma of Cannabis becomes less and less. I hope people will be more willing to try medical Cannabis, and I think edibles or topicals are a great place to start and stay too!

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

interview

26

STARKILLER

TERESA AND THE CANNAFARM

BLUE BEAR CANNAFARM Teresa Lane is the owner and founder of Blue Bear Cannafarm in between Fairbanks and North Pole. Located on over 100 acres, her family has farmed vegetables and flowers for years, with new strains now being added to the family menu. A firm believer in the medicinal benefits of Cannabis and a self proclaimed lifelong connoisseur, Teresa has focused on craft Cannabis and is a shining example for boutique growing.

What started your relationship with the plant?

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It started a very long time ago, probably before it should have. My friends first brought Cannabis into my life with a combination of hot summer nights, concerts, and fire pits!

What inspired you to go into the Cannabis industry?

I have a farm and come from a farming family, so it kinda made sense to me that when it became legal, this would be something my farm could take care of. I love to grow plants, from Cannabis to tomatoes, potatoes and flowers. So I thought, why not me? Why shouldn’t I get into the recreational industry? I’ve been a connoisseur

JAN. 2020

of Cannabis for my entire life, so it just makes sense for me to do it.

Tell us about your farm! I’m considered

an unlimited grow for the Cannabis portion, but my place is small. I could have done the limited cultivation, but I chose not to go that way, so I had the option of growing more plants. So my place is small. I like to get a couple little harvests out each month, which I like as opposed to taking it down all at once. I like to grow and take it down in small batches.

What strains are you growing currently?

We have a lot of variety of high THC and CBD strains. For THC we have Green Crack, Green OG Kush, Sour Diesel, Moonshine Ghost Train Haze, Starkiller, Tangerine Sour, Chocolate Mint OG, Cotton Candy Cane, and a couple CBD strains - Green Crack CBD, Norcal Critical CBD, and several other general CBD strains.

What is your approach for growing such a variety of strains?

We grow using rockwool and an ebb and flow system where our reserves flood and the plants get their nutrients that way, starting with a water softening system and a reverse osmosis system.

TRIMMING OG KUSH

LOYAL CREW

SOUR DIESEL

This means our water starts at zero parts per million, and we use a cocktail of nutrients to find the perfect balance. Because all of our plants are unique and have different nutrient uptakes, we treat them all differently. You can’t expect a Moonshine Ghost Train Haze to draw nutrients in the same as a Tangie cut, and I think that’s probably one of the most challenging things for our grow. We have many small tables and batches, grown and harvested and treated differently. So it’s not a cookie cutter way of growing each strain.

So you are definitely growing craft Cannabis...

I was hoping the market would be receptive to craft Cannabis, and I call it boutique. It’s the same thing. I like to think of the farm as a boutique buttery, that’s what we joke about over

here. I grow boutique style because there is no one strain that suits every individual.

Everybody likes different flavors and effects, and if we’re only growing one strain, we only hit one target of people. So I’m trying to spread it around. I also think that growing different strains is a type of artistry - it’s creative!

What are your views on Cannabis and health?

I believe so strongly that people smoke Cannabis because they are looking to feel better, but they don’t understand why they need to feel better. I think that a long time ago people got their cannabinoids through natural methods, like animals eating hemp and us eating the animals - and when it became illegal, people couldn’t get those cannabinoids. Our bodies are just filled with those receptors, so we smoke and finally we are getting our medicine again. I believe that this is not a miracle drug, but has so many

properties that can heal so many things.

I think that sometimes people think that pot smokers are just smoking, but there is so much more to it. Cannabis can reach a lot of people and be a good medicine for many.

Goals for the future of Blue Bear?

First off, I would like to say Blue Bear is not just about me, it’s all about my team. This is a mom and pop operation, but when it comes to growing and taking care, we have a team of 11 employees.

Everyone here is very passionate about Cannabis and we really do want to put the best stuff out in the state. So the future of Blue Bear is that we are going to continue to focus on new strains, adapting with the market and staying focused on growing the best possible flower for our customers.

BlueBearCannafarm.com @BlueBearCannafarm

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

STRAIN OF THE MONTH

28

KOKOPU

aklEAF.COM

GROWN BY RASPBERRY ROOTS

JAN. 2020

“AS THE SMOKE WENT ON, THE FLAVOR INTENSIFIED TO BRING THAT CREAMY COFFEE FLAVOR TO THE FRONT.”

UFFS

KOKO PUFFS FROM RASPBERRY ROOTS has been a sample I’ve been anxious to try and found it to be well worth the wait.

When I opened my container for the first time I realized where the name came from, as the blending of the coffee and chocolate aroma with the fruity cream notes reminded me of Lucky Charms marshmallows topped with a bowl of Coco Puffs.

The flower was equally impressive, with its thick multicolored hues and frosted dense peaks. Add that with a fine manicure, and I knew it was going to be an enjoyable smoke.

On the first couple inhales the flavor was light and mellow, but as the smoke went on the flavor intensified to bring that creamy coffee flavor to the front, with a very floral and sweet afternote.

Testing at 24.35% THC and being predominately indica, it definitely brought the high I expect and enjoy from indica dominant plants.

Available at Raspberry Roots

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

+

The largest Garden Superstore in the state with top brands you love, and the largest CBD selection in the country, all under one roof.

Southside Garden Superstores isn’t just the largest garden supplier in Alaska, we also have a gigantic selection of CBD products. Our friendly staff of gardeners are seriously big on know-how. We offer special member pricing, 6-month exchanges for electronics and a price match guarantee. Stop by and we’ll help you find anything and everything you need for indoor gardening and hydroponics — and we’ll also send you home with the knowledge to succeed. Now that’s huge!

907.562.9997 2809 ARCTIC BLVD ANCHORAGE, AK 99503

907.357.9997 449 W PARKS HWY WASILLA, AK 99654

SGSAK.COM

THE health ISSUE

CANNABIS USAGE THROUGHOUT HISTORY

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32

CHINA // 10,000 YEARS AGO

NETHERLANDS // 4,500 Y.A.

EGYPT // 3,500 YEARS AGO

The mind reels trying to think this far back into history.

To our time-bound minds, 100 years seems like a very long time. But there is evidence to suggest that Cannabis and hemp were incorporated into daily life by the ancient Chinese.

The first written history we have of the ancient use of Cannabis in China comes from the pharmacopeia of the shaman Shennong, who describes its usage in medicinal and spiritual practice, typically as ‘juice’ or tincture.

The Beaker culture existed sometime around 2500 BCE in what is now the Netherlands.

In 2007, a Neolithic grave site was found containing an unusually large concentration of Cannabis pollen, along with the indigenous herb meadowsweet.

Meadowsweet was used for its fever reducing properties, so it is likely that the person whose grave was discovered was seriously ill and using Cannabis for its pain relieving properties.

In ancient Egypt, the Ebers Papyrus describes the usage of medical Cannabis as through suppositories for relieving the pain of hemorrhoids, and through a ‘paste’ applied to treat sore eyes. The goddess Seshat (goddess of wisdom) is portrayed with a Cannabis leaf above her head. There are also many hieroglyphs that portray Cannabis being used in religious ceremonies.

ANCIENT INDIA // 1,000 BCE

GREECE // 2,500 YEARS AGO

MIDDLE EAST // 1,000 Y.A.

Surviving texts from ancient India demonstrate that the psychoactive properties of Cannabis were recognized and respected by physicians for treating insomnia, headaches, gastrointestinal disorders, and pain management - sound familiar? Indians utilized bhang, which is finger-hash combined with milk, to cure these hosts of ailments.

Ancient Greeks used Cannabis to dress the wounds on their horses. For humans, Cannabis leaves were used to treat nose bleeds, and Cannabis seeds were used to expel tapeworms. Green Cannabis seeds were also steeped in tea or wine and used to treat earaches. Cannabis was also used in steam baths, which drove participants to a frenzied state.

1,000 years ago in the medieval Islamic world, Arabic physicians used Cannabis for a range of reasons, including its antiepileptic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic properties from the 8th-18th century. Most of these treatments used dry-sift hashish applied to different formulations.

Cannabis has been prized throughout human civilization for its therapeutic properties.

While the last century saw the plant vilified by mainstream society - mostly led by prohibition in the United States - that has not always been the case for Cannabis in the rest of the world, where it has been used in sacred, healing, and ritual practices for eons.

JAN. 2020

STORY by PACER STACKTRAIN for LEAF NATION

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THE health ISSUE

34

Leafly’s Pretty Flowers Beyond just sativa, indica and hybrid, Leafly, the Cannabis information website, has created a new interpretative approach to Cannabis identification and presentation — one it hopes will help consumers choose the best Cannabis strain for their needs.

By now, even the most casual of Cannabis consumers knows the holy trinity of strain types: Sativa is synonymous with “up.”

Hybrid is a wild card. Indica puts you “in da couch.” No company did more to evangelize the trinity than Leafly, an online resource and strain library that has become ubiquitous in the industry.

The company’s categorization became so popular that its color code - red/green/purple - was adopted by dispensaries and brands in legal states all over North America.

Now, after a decade of bringing the three category system to the mainstream, Leafly wants you to forget it. The company recently scrubbed its old system for a new one - a far more complex combination of shapes and colors they refer to as “Leafly Flowers.” It’s a bold move for a company to toss aside one of its key calling cards and attempt such a significant pivot.

aklEAF.COM

Why the change?

The old paradigm was based on the same system carried over from the illicit market, which categorized plants based on looks and aroma, to which Leafly added subjective user-submitted information. No testing was performed, so no hard data was available. Though growers and retailers attempted to predict the effects their products would offer, the system has been imperfect at best.

Nick Jikomes, Principal Research Scientist at Leafly, says that now that state and local governments require third-party laboratory testing for all legal products, research is catching up with the lightning-paced growth of the burgeoning industry.

Leafly partnered with labs in multiple regions and culled anonymized data for all the strains the labs tested.

When looking at the new Leafly Flowers, there’s a simple code: diamonds are THC, circles are CBD. The stronger the concentration of either Cannabinoid, the more pronounced the shapes become.

JAN. 2020

“We went and got that data, and we said, ‘Let’s just look.’” Jikomes said. “Let’s see how different indicas, sativas and hybrids are on average. How different are different strains? Are there really 3,000 different strains out there, or is all weed basically the same?”

They found that most strains are fairly similar.

According to Jikomes, around 85% of strains on the market are THC-dominant, and around 40% of them are heavy with the terpene myrcene.

A picture started to form.

When you discard strain names, and instead focus entirely on the scientifically measurable properties of the plant, Cannabis starts to divide itself into its own, more complicated categories.

“Cannabis is a complex plant. It’s a complex product in a complex space,” Jikomes said. “It’s this amazing plant that has dozens, potentially hundreds of active compounds in it. They’re gonna have different types of psychoactive, recreationally oriented effects, and medicinal effects. And if you want to very precisely understand how to get someone to the right strain or the right product, you have to understand the plant at that level. You have to understand it from the inside out.

“You need a simplified way to get around that complexity for the average person.”

Jikomes compares Cannabis flowers to wine grape varietals. Over centuries, the wine industry has divided grapes into categories based on measurable properties.

“I know that I like Pinot Noirs and Syrahs more than Chardonnays and some other types of wine,” he said. “They have organized their products in a way that I can get a bottle of wine with confidence anywhere on the planet … I’ve been able to map my own tastes onto a simple categorization system that’s based on objective attributes of those types of products.” With the new Leafly Flowers, Jikomes believes that the company is getting closer to a comfortable level of consumer awareness, and informed buying.

How it works “The important thing we wanted to do was create a way for a consumer to see if and when different strains are actually different from each other based on objective features of their ingredients, without having to understand what they are actually looking at,” Jikomes said.

When looking at a Leafly Flowers, there’s a gating thousands of data points together across simple code - diamonds are THC, circles are CBD. hundreds of growers,” Jikomes said.

The stronger the concentration either way, the If Leafly’s grand vision works, Jikomes says it more pronounced the shapes become. will mean a safer, more fine-tuned experience for The team then compiled all user-generated, consumers, eliminating confusion at the counter. It effects-based data points from their community, comes back to the wine analogy. and assigned color schemes based on corollary “The system allows me to find what kind of wine terpenes. Terpene profiles commonly found in I like, even though I don’t have an expert level strains associated with relaxation show up as cool knowledge of it,” Jikomes said. “Part of what we’re colors like blue or green. Terpenes regularly found doing with our education efforts, is we’re building in energetic strains present as hot colors such as tools to help people figure out what kind of Canorange, yellow, and red. nabis they like. The basic idea “We’re using shapes and is, you want to learn, ‘Oh, I like colors to communicate about orange ones. I don’t really like cannabinoids and terpenes, blue ones.’ Or vice-versa.” some of the stuff inside the plant,” Jikomes said. “There What’s next are some basic patterns that As Leafly continues to roll out start to jump out in terms of these changes, the company’s the diversity of landscape of education division is holding budthe flower products that are out tender seminars in order to help there. There are thousands of familiarize those on the front lines strain pages on Leafly, there are of the industry. The team also thousands of brands. There’s continues to unveil educational all this diversity, but really, there tools on the company website, are just a few basic types of Leafly.com.

Cannabis out there.”

“The vast majority of purchases In theory, if you find a strain in the industry are happening, that you like, you can look for a basically, at the recommendaN I C K J I KO M E S , flower with a similar pattern of tion of the budtender,” he said.

Principal Research shapes and colors, and should “They’re an important educationScientist at Leafly, be able to have a similar exal touchpoint for many consumers says “Consumers are perience. It’s far more reliable out there. So, we’re making sure no longer at the mercy than strain name, which often the budtenders are educated.” of the strain names has no basis in actual genetics.

In the end, Jikomes says Leafly and the branding and marketing tricks that “(Consumers) are no longer is trying to eliminate the rampant are so pervasive now.” at the mercy of the strain names confusion and misinformation and the branding and marketcurrently plaguing the industry. ing tricks that are so pervasive right now,” Some of which, he admits, was perpetuated by Jikomes said. “That’s something I’m super pasyears spent promoting the sativa-hybrid-indica trinity. sionate about.”

“If you go on the internet, you can find people That means that if you find a phenotype of that say, ‘Indicas make you sleepy because they GMO Cookies that you love, you can enter the have more THC,’” he said. testing information (if available) into the Leafly “You can find other websites that say, ‘Sativas system, and it will show you a number of other make you excited because they have more THC.’ strains that have similar, scientifically measurable, You can find people saying, ‘Indicas make you properties. sleepy because they have more myrcene.’ People “When you look at the strain pages, what you have been trying to figure it out, but at the end of see on the Blue Dream page is basically the most the day, you just have to go and look at the data common chemical composition associated with … Getting that data is easier said than done, but Blue Dream that’s out there, based on aggrethat’s basically what we did.”

STORY by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS | GRAPHICS by @LEAFLY | PHOTO by @JULIASUMPTER

THE health ISSUE

How one Alaska Leaf staffmember made his health a priority through Cannabis use

36

POST-SURGERY CARE WITH CANNABIS It was a typical frigid morning in Fairbanks back in March of 2008.

aklEAF.COM

W

aking up early in the morning at a hotel on the banks of the Chena River, I had little inclination that the events of the next two hours would linger in my life for the next decade. After all, it was just a hockey game.

One of my last as a youth in my final year of youth hockey. With three games left in our season, the anxiety of being just about done with something that I had dedicated a large portion of my life to was daunting.

Hockey is a fast-paced sport.

The speed that is attainable on the ice makes even the fastest runners in the world look like tortoises. This also amplifies collisions, or in my case, an unlucky chain of events.

In the first period of the game, I skated over the offensive blue line at full speed, with but a single defender to get around on a rush. As I made my way around this defender, not two strides into the offensive zone, I went to push off with my right skate for an unimpeded opportunity on net.

My skate would never touch the ice. Instead, in close proximity to the defender, it landed on top of his skate as he attempted to stay with me. Due to this, he lost his balance and fell to the ice, landing on my right leg and bending my knee sideways. I had torn my ACL 90% of the way through.

I would not fully know the extent of the tear for many years.

JAN. 2020

Over the coming years, I experienced All I wanted was food, to be able to get some chronic knee pain, however, did not care to semi-decent sleep, and for my body to relax. get it looked into. Eventually, another injury So, I started with some indica heavy strains. I cropped up in my right knee involving my relied on a few cartridges I had laying around meniscus. The MRI found minor damage, but from Top Hat, Cold Creek, Herban Extracts, and fully revealed the extent of my ACL damage.

Good Titrations.

The doctor recommended two options: The change in appetite was remarkable on the surgical repair, or cortisone injections to help first day of consuming. Finally being able to keep stabilize the knee. I opted for the latter, as a food down was a huge morale booster in the first long recovery was not in the cards for me at days after the surgery. the time.

My initial goal of trying to do this without the Which brings me to this last summer, when prescribed meds was infeasible. the final bits of the ligament finally gave way The pain was too great. The carts helped take while on a hunting trip along the Denali a slight edge off, but without the pain medications Highway - leading to surgery in November supplementing, comfort was unachievable.

2019 - over ten years from the original injury.

However, being able to finally eat opened a Of all the pain, the worst was post-surgery. new pathway to a good night’s rest - edibles.

It is not even a close comparison.

This was the game changer that got me through My doctors anticipated this and prescribed the trial of the first few weeks of post-op. pain medication to help make me comfortI ended up using a few products from Lady able in the coming days.

Gray, Baked Alaska, and I have never been the Stoney Moose.

All I wanted was food, biggest fan of opioids, Edibles gave me the opto be able to get some so my goal going into portunity to finally become recovery was to minimize well-rested and prepared as semi-decent sleep, and their use as much as I went into the early stages of for my body to relax. possible. physical therapy. Six weeks So I started with some Here, Cannabis later, here I sit - ahead of completely changed my where I should be in terms of indica heavy strains. recovery. Taking the pain recovery, weight bearing, and I relied on a few carts meds would leave me being able to bend my knee to I had laying around from just over 120 degrees. nauseous and delirious.

That is not something A little hope goes a long Top Hat, Cold Creek, you want while recovway and Cannabis gave me Herban Extracts, ering from holes being both the hope and the reality drilled into your bones. of a smoother recovery. and Good Titrations.

STORY by JOSHUA STAHLE/ALASKA LEAF

THE health ISSUE

Women in Weed

Morgan English

38

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Stoned +Toned apR. 2019 JAN. 2020

The Cannabis consumer has long played a vital role in the shaping of counterculture, but for the so-called stoner who wants to get ripped before getting ripped (or whatever version of fitness you’re engaged in), opportunities are few and far between. Until now, where Stoned + Toned is bringing the worlds together in the most wellness-based of ways.

“IT WAS REALLY INCREDIBLE to see at the launch event how many people wanted to come out and smoke,” remarks Stoned + Toned Founder Morgan English. “I mean, I was honestly worried that people wouldn’t want to smoke, or they would just want to come work out and support us because they know us personally.

Everyone wanted to smoke, and then the people who normally didn’t smoke before a workout came out and were like ‘I’ve never enjoyed working out so much.’ It was remarkable to be quite honest.

We were completely blown away.”

While people may have a difficult time envisioning weed and workouts working together in a productive fashion, English was sure to note that the synergies outpace the stereotypes in this arena.

Here, what it means to be stoned takes on a whole new meaning.

“Yeah, we’re stoned! Mindfully stoned,” says English.

“A lot of people have said things like ‘how ripped do I have to be to do the workout?’ It’s really not about getting overly-high, it’s more about allowing Cannabis to bring you into the moment or to ease pain if you have inflammation, and it’s something that just enhances the workout.”

THE WORKOUT

“So, in our videos online, you’ll often see us taking two or three puffs and then getting into the workout. We lean much more into the side of micro-dosing before the workout, as opposed to smoking a whole one gram joint.”

“You’re worth setting aside time in the day, you’re worth the energy that you’re going to give yourself.”

“At our launch event, Molly and I definitely smoked a little more before our class than we normally do, but that was because it was a social setting. We weren’t too high - it was more of a way to be more present here in the moment, have your stress eased, and have your nerves about teaching the class alleviated. It allows us to just connect better with everyone in the room.”

And with two ways to enjoy the class - both online and at the occasional pop-up - individuals have the opportunity to access this new age approach to working out from the privacy of their own home, or an invigorating space shared with others.

As workouts and Cannabis can cause the occasional anxiety, having these two options makes the concept all the more accessible.

“I used to hate working out. I’m not gonna lie.

I used to despise it, and it was something that I always felt I had to do because I ate something, or because I wasn’t the right number on a scale,” says English. “And it wasn’t until I just combined working out with weed, that all those thoughts stopped, and eventually they changed into, ‘I can do this next 30 second sprint’ or ‘I’m strong enough to do this, I’ve been here before, I can do it again.’”

“It really fuels my workout,” says English. “And for someone with social anxiety, I don’t know if I ever would have been able to walk into a spin studio without consuming Cannabis beforehand, because I would have been too nervous. But, because of Cannabis, I was not only able to enhance my workout, I was able to make human connections.”

BUILDING COMMUNITY

“I’m a part of a larger fitness community here in Long Beach, I don’t just do our classes online,” says English. “For pop-ups, we are trying to get into the groove of doing them more regularly. We are hoping to do more, especially throughout 2020 so that we can hit more cities. We definitely want to see more people sign up online. We love doing our film days and making workouts more accessible. Our memberships are just twenty bucks a month, so it’s not your 100+ dollar a month membership for a boutique studio, or something like that.”

The team at Stoned + Toned also gives their online community access to videos four at a time, as opposed to dropping them weekly. “If you want to do them earlier in the month, you can,” says English. “I like to do one video multiple times in a

week and kind of see the strength that I build from the first time I did it, to the last time I did it on Friday. Your body is used to the movement and so you can get into it more, and your strength builds when you’re working the same parts of your body out. So we promote one video every Monday, but we release four videos at a time for the month.”

“We film everything in one take,” English adds. “It’s just real. I drop my weights. Especially on the first day of filming - I was not nearly as strong as I am now. So, you see it in real time. That way, you’re on that journey with us. And who does 100% on every rep every time? It’s just not real. And we want it to be fun. We film every 30-minute workout in one take. Our intros we do until we get them right, and then from that we go straight into the workout. We film five to six of those in one day, so we’re dead afterwards.”

GETTING RIPPED

“For someone with social anxiety, I don’t know if I ever would have been able to walk into a spin studio without consuming Cannabis beforehand, because I would have been too nervous.”

For those looking to incorporate Cannabis into their fitness regimen alongside fellow proponents of plant-based healing, Stoned + Toned is an outlet worthy of exploration.

But at the end of the day, we could all use a healthy dose of self work. “It’s more than just the power of movement, it’s that you continuously show up for yourself,” says English.

“Because that’s what working out is - it’s self work. You’re saying that you’re worth it.

You’re worth setting aside time in the day, you’re worth the energy that you’re going to give yourself. And that will change your world. If you show up enough for yourself, it will filter into everything else you do. It really is awesome when you give it enough energy and put it in for weeks. Don’t just agree to do it for one week, but make it a habit.”

Learn more and find out about classes at StonedandToned.com INTERVIEW & PORTRAIT by DANIELLE HALLE @SWEET.DEEZY for LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by IMAD BOLOTOK @IMADSHOOTS

39

THE health ISSUE

40

Coming at Cannabis and sex from every conceivable angle is a profession unlike any other. But then again, there’s only one CannaSexual. Here we find Ashley Manta, bringing together time-honored taboos for a fresh take on talking dirty.

How did you become The CannaSexual?

It has been quite a ride to get here. I got started as a sex educator 12 years ago, and I was doing sexual violence prevention education working as a rape crisis counselor and a victim advocate.

It was really amazing work, but I burned out because it’s really intense work.

The last thing I did before I made the switch into pleasure focused education was working at Planned Parenthood for a year, which was awesome. I learned a lot about sexual and reproductive health, and that informed a lot of my perspectives moving forward.

aklEAF.COM

How does sexual health fit in with overall health?

Sexual health, I think, is an intrinsic part of overall health and wellness. Even if you are not having sex with a partner, it’s really important to have a sexual relationship with yourself. It’s important to know your body and to take care of your body, to get tested, and to do exams on yourself - regardless of your body or genital configuration. Checking yourself out because it’s part of you, and the better you know your body, the more easily you’re going to be able to tell if something is off in some way.”

JAN. 2020

Ashley Manta FOUNDER | THE CANNASEXUAL

How has Cannabis benefitted your sexual health?

Cannabis has benefitted my sexual health in every conceivable way. From helping with addressing the pain with penetration I was experiencing, to having genital herpes. When I’m having outbreaks, I find that when I apply Cannabis oil to the blisters, they go away faster and they don’t hurt as much.

I don’t have any science to back that up, this has just been my own experience, but it works for me.

I get fewer outbreaks when I’m consuming Cannabis regularly, because it reduces my overall stress level. I’m also prone to migraines and it has helped with that. I have anxiety and PTSD from my trauma, and so when I get panicky, Cannabis will help me get out of my head and into my body so that I can be present with my pleasure.

Can you speak more about how the high priestess of pleasure and pot comes into play here?

One of the downloads that I’ve received on one of my plant medicine journeys is that I am a botanical ambassador. I am kind of like the Lorax - I speak for the plants. And so, I really encourage folks who are bringing Cannabis into a sacred sexual space to treat it with reverence, to create ritual, and to make it a very intentional experience.

Light incense, choose a soundtrack or music that feels like the kind of vibe you’re trying to create, have other plants like roses or flowers in the room.

The way that you lay out your supplies, the way you grind it up, even just the ritual of rolling a joint - sprinkling it in, tightening it up, the licking. That’s sexy as hell. It’s sexy to smoke it.

What is something that you wish they taught when you learned sex education in school?

I actually didn’t learn a lot of sex education in school. I have a master’s degree in philosophy.

Something I wish I understood earlier on in my career was how much the extent to which shame and trauma can get in the way of feeling connected with your body. I learned about trauma early on, but it was very much surviving trauma from a societal, day-to-day living perspective.

It was not as much how trauma impacts your ability to feel pleasure or to feel connected to your sex, especially sexual trauma. I didn’t understand disassociation, the freeze response, and I didn’t understand why my body would just go numb.

That’s something I wish I understood earlier, and how much Cannabis could help with that. Cannabis was something that was very much shamed from the time I grew up. I grew up in DARE culture, in the Northeast, where ‘weed was bad’ and people who ‘did weed’ were bad.

I even had bias towards Cannabis until I was in

me cum harder. And then I like to pair in, depending on the day.

I have shoulder issues, so I’ll do a topical salve and I’ll have my partner do a shoulder massage. Or if I’m stressed and I can’t get out of my head, I will do something with a high CBD 1:1 product, whether it’s vaping flower or puffs off a joint - I like to hit it from different angles.

“Cannabis was something that was very much shamed from the time I grew up. I grew up in DARE culture, in the Northeast, where ‘weed was bad’ and people who ‘did weed’ were bad,” Manta said. my early 20s, and then I got my master’s degree in philosophy and half of my cohort were Cannabis consumers - even some of my professors, that was the thing.

There were people with PhDs smoking weed, clearly it wasn’t just all ‘evil criminals.’ As I started consuming it, it helped me break out of the box. Society loves putting us in boxes and sticking to this very narrow, linear trajectory of what your life is supposed to look like.

Through philosophy, through Cannabis, through throwing out constructs of what sex and sexuality are supposed to be like, I’ve gotten to break out of that box and it feels amazing.

What’s your favorite way to incorporate Cannabis into the bedroom?

God, there are so many ways. I really like doing it from a multifaceted approach. I don’t like to do just one thing.

So, every time I have sex, especially penetrative sex, I use Foria. Every single time. And I use their THC and CBD oil together. The CBD helps with inflammation, and [Foria’s] Awaken Oil has a lot of plant-based botanicals that heighten sensation. And the THC in that brings in the extra blood flow, and I find it makes

What is the most important thing you’ve learned while working as a sex educator?

The absolutely crucial nature 41 of communication. You’ve got to be able to say whatever it is that you’re afraid to say. For consent purposes, it’s so important to ask and get a verbal ‘yes’ and to be checking in about ‘does this feel good, is this working for you, how could it be better?’

It is also to be able to say, ‘I’m done now’ or ‘this isn’t working for me, can we try something else?’

The ability to share your experience and be able to receive information from your partner is of the utmost importance, and it’s the thing that I’ve found that most people struggle with.

People don’t know how to talk about sex or pleasure or their needs, and they feel bad for giving feedback, especially what they perceive as negative feedback where there’s a correction or adjustment.

We feel bad, but in reality what you’re doing is you’re giving a gift. You’re giving the person cheat codes to your body, and the most appropriate response to feedback like that is, ‘thank you so much for letting me know.’

The alternative [to saying what you want] is enduring touch, and I don’t think that’s good for people. You can do what you want, your sex life is your own, but I really encourage folks to do what feels good.

Do what feels like a ‘hell yes’ in your body, and if it’s not a ‘hell yes,’ TheCannaSexual you get to say ‘I need something Learn more about different,’ or ‘I’m ready to be done Cannabis and now.’ And having the courage - as Sexual Health well as the kindness to yourself - to at her website, be able to say that and advocate for AshleyManta.com your own needs is so important.

INTERVIEW & PHOTOS by DANIELLE HALLE @SWEET.DEEZY for LEAF NATION

THE health ISSUE

CANNABIS

aklEAF.COM

42

From couples with chronic pain to libido-seeking lovers, more and more people are ingesting Cannabis before intercourse.

JAN. 2020

&

DESIRE Cannabis and sexuality have a long and complicated history. Their relationship can be traced all the way back to the seventh century in India when tantric use arose “in practices of Shaivite Hinduism and Tibetan Buddhism.”

Educator and Cannabis historian Dr. Michael Alridrich explored these origins in a 1977 volume of the Journal of Psychedelic Drugs.

In its darker historical moments (flashback to Reefer Madness), Cannabis was depicted as a dangerous substance used by predacious and sexually promiscuous people.

Harry Anslinger, fierce pursuer of prohibition and former commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, publicly campaigned against Cannabis, declaring that use encouraged “...sex crimes and insanity.”

From Mexican immigrants to African-American jazz musicians, Cannabis has been widely associated with populations unjustly profiled as a sexual threat to white America. Eric Schlosser - investigative journalist and New York Times bestselling author - reveals Anslinger’s influence and explores other historical connections to Cannabis prohibition in his book, Reefer Madness.

We now understand that the connection between Cannabis and sex stems from how our brains perceive pleasure - a human feeling that has been religiously and politically demonized through history for its association with sexual behavior. Today, access and information have shifted public perception and allowed more Americans to experiment freely.

From couples with chronic pain to libido-seeking lovers, more and more people are ingesting Cannabis before intercourse. Cannabis lubricants have become a dispensary staple, and some strains are even marketed as an aphrodisiac. But what do we really know about how Cannabis interacts with our sexual functions?

Dr. Becky Lynn, a gynecologist in St. Louis, wanted to offer a better explanation when women came to her about Cannabis use and sexual health. In an interview with Global News Canada, Dr. Lynn told reporters that she tried to read up on the topic, but there was almost no research, so earlier this year she started a study.

The sample size was small (with only 373 participants), but what she found after adjusting for race and age verified her own experience with patients: Women with frequent marijuana use, regardless of use before sex or not, had 2.10 times higher odds of reporting satisfactory orgasms than those with infrequent marijuana use.

But the connection between Cannabis use and orgasm is difficult to quantify. So for a closer understanding, we can look at something measurable - like THC’s effects on the brain.

Cannabis and sexual desire both spark a similar reaction in the mesolimbic-mesocortical system, the part of our brain responsible for things like arousal and reward. According to a study by Dr. Bernard Brodie at the University of Cagliari Department of Neuroscience, the dopamine receptors also play a “major role in the control of male sexual behavior.” Dopamine is a chemical most commonly associated with happiness, but this neurotransmitter/hormone has a long history of scientific instability when it comes to Cannabis.

For years, studies were funded and designed to look specifically for a connection between Cannabis use and psychosis - an event generally associated with an imbalance in dopamine functions. Many concluded that Cannabis use interfered with dopamine neurotransmission and in the spirit of this research, dubbed it the cause of abnormalities like schizophrenia.

In 2015, the European Neuropsychopharmacology journal provided a “systematic review of all studies” that had previously examined the effects of THC on the dopamine system.

They found “little direct evidence to suggest that Cannabis use affects acute striatal dopamine release.”

But their findings did suggest that “chronic Cannabis use blunts dopamine synthesis and release capacity.”

What does this mean for your sex life as a Cannabis consumer?

Theoretically, Cannabis can make you feel good, and often in a way that benefits our sexual functions, but our individual use varies greatly.

If you feel Cannabis has negatively affected your sex drive, consider your consumption frequency and dosing.

Dr. Brodie’s “Dopamine and Sexual Behavior” study provides a peek into the relationship between dopaminergic activity and sexual behavior.

Like many substances, an influx of cannabinoids can upset this chemical balance, sometimes resulting in effects like reduced libido.

STORY & PHOTOS by AMANDA DAY @TERPODACTYL_MEDIA for LEAF NATION

43

GETTIN’ BAKED

44

THE TERPENES from the Grape Dosi #4 and the Peanut Butter Pie by Noble Farms begged to be turned into a cookie. And a fine wheat-less cookie it is. The dried fruit in the cookie pie makes the inside chewy, quite satisfying and even feels a bit healthy - though it really isn’t.

The macaroons are just so easy, and there’s nothing like a dipped cookie.

For these rainy and snowy days of January, you deserve these treats! #Indulgeresponsibly #Dontfeartheedible

TREATS

HOLIDAY

aklEAF.COM

44 RECIPES

JAN. 2020

MAKES 12 COOKIES

1 LARGE EGG, ROOM TEMPERATURE 1 CUP JIF SMOOTH PEANUT BUTTER 2 TABLESPOONS CANNA-BUTTER, SOFTENED ¾ CUP LIGHT BROWN SUGAR ¼ CUP GRANULATED SUGAR 2 TEASPOONS VANILLA ½ TEASPOON BAKING SODA ¼ TEASPOON SALT 2 OUNCES CREAM CHEESE, SOFTENED 2-3 TABLESPOONS GRAPE JELLY

PEANUT BUTTER & JELLY CREAM CHEESE COOKIES

5. Combine the cream cheese and jelly until smooth and divide between the cooled cookies. Spread the cookies with the cream cheese frosting. Dot with jelly if so inclined.

4. Place in heaping tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheet. They should be at least two inches apart.

Bake for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool completely.

3. Add the baking soda and salt and blend to combine.

Chill for 30 minutes.

2. In a large mixing bowl cream together the egg, peanut butter, canna-butter, sugars and vanilla.

1. Heat oven to 340˚. Place parchment on two baking sheets.

INSTRUCTIONS

4. Dip half the cookie into the melted chocolate and lay on parchment to set.

3. In a small microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate at 30 second intervals. Check each time, stirring, as sometimes it’s melted but you can’t tell by sight. Place in a narrow bowl.

2. Drop by two rounded teaspoons onto baking sheets. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

1. Heat oven to 325˚.

Spray two baking pans with spray. In a small bowl combine the coconut, sugar, flour, and salt. Mix well.

INSTRUCTIONS

BAKING SPRAY 1 ¼ CUPS SHREDDED SWEETENED COCONUT ¼ CUP SUGAR 2 TABLESPOONS FLOUR 1/8 TEASPOON SALT 2 LARGE EGG WHITES 1 TEASPOON VANILLA 8 OUNCES SEMISWEET CHOCOLATE, CHOPPED OR CHIPS

NOTHING LIKE A DIPPED COOKIE

7. Let cool for 20-30 minutes and cut into 12 slices.

6. Spread the cookie dough, as evenly as possible in the prepared pan. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes, then bake for 15-18 minutes until lightly golden.

5. Sift the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt into the dough. Combine with a spatula until evenly mixed.

4. Add the egg and stir until well incorporated.

3. Add the sugars and mix until well incorporated.

2. In a large bowl, blend the butter with the extracts until light and fluffy.

1. Preheat oven to 340˚. Spray a 10-inch round baking pan.

INSTRUCTIONS

RECIPES by LAURIE WOLF | PHOTOS by BRUCE WOLF

BAKING SPRAY 5 TABLESPOONS UNSALTED BUTTER, SOFTENED 3 TABLESPOONS CANNA-BUTTER, SOFTENED 1 TEASPOON VANILLA EXTRACT ¼ TEASPOON ALMOND EXTRACT ½ CUP GRANULATED SUGAR 3 TABLESPOONS LIGHT BROWN SUGAR 1 LARGE EGG, ROOM TEMPERATURE 1 ½ CUPS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR 1 TEASPOON CREAM OF TARTAR ½ TEASPOON BAKING SODA 1 PINCH SALT ½ CUP DRIED CHERRIES ½ CUP DRIED BLUEBERRIES ½ CUP RAISINS

FRUITY COOKIE PIE

EDIBLE OF THE MONTH

BY NORTHERN INFUSIONS

46

AS THE FIRST BITE INUNDATES YOU WITH THE RICH COCOA, THE SALT AND CARAMEL BLEND BALANCES THE BOLD AND SWEET FLAVORS.

SALTED CARAMELS TASTY SWEETS FROM NORTHERN INFUSIONS WERE A WELCOME ADDITION TO MY TABLE.

P

aklEAF.COM

erfectly placed in dark attractive packaging, you’ll find these equally exotic and elegant dark chocolate confections lightly dusted with cocoa powder and a sprinkling of coarse salt.

The packaging and placement, though elegant, still leaves something to the imagination on the flavor of these caramels.

As the first bite inundates you with the rich cocoa, the salt and caramel blend balances the bold and sweet flavors. The taste of Cannabis is well-paired with the boldness of the dark chocolate, and if noticed, adds to the depth of flavor. Even un-medicated you would probably catch me buying these, and they certainly make a great holiday treat.

JAN. 2020

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

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concentrate OF THE MONTH

48

BY COSMIC SEAWEED

COMING OUT OF HOMER, THE COSMIC SEAWEED CREW HAVE A SUREFIRE WINNER WITH THEIR TANGERINE KUSH WAX.

C

racking the top off the jar reveals the most profound ripe nectarine aroma, with little to no Cannabis or herbal scent. The inhale was smooth, with those thick and fruity terpenes at the front of the line. The exhale was what had me - with almost no fruit aromatics left from the inhale, you are inundated with a thick, robust and earthy aroma, almost like you got the fruit before the peel. The high was euphoric, being like most Tangie varieties, and centered in the forehead and eyes. Testing at 77% and being mostly sativa dominant in effect, it makes for a great daytime smoke.

Available at Green Jar and retailers

CosmicSeaweed.com @CosmicSeaweed_Homer

TANGERINE aklEAF.COM

KUSH WAX T H E H I G H WA S E U PH O R I C , BEING LIKE MOST TANGIE VARIETIES, AND CENTERED IN THE FOREHEAD AND EYES.

JAN. 2020

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

Eric MacLeod, M.D. Chairman

When the worldwide green rush sparks an adrenaline rush.

Welcome to the boom.

Our Chairman tackles every challenge like he does every climb — as if his life depends on it. The global demand for pure, premium CBD products is sky high, and while many are struggling to keep up, Eric is determined to crown GreenFarms king of the mountain. Planting, growing and harvesting the healthiest, highest-quality hemp plants is our passion and our life’s work. But what really sets GreenFarms apart is our unmatched vision: we intend to cultivate relationships with like-minded people like you to fulfill our mission to harness the healing power of hemp for the health and wellbeing of our planet and the people who live on it.

Let’s grow together.

GreenFarmsCBD.com

52

by Mike Ricker

Tuesday is my Friday People have been attempting to place identifiable descriptors to the days of the week for as long as there have been calendars.

And as technology has advanced and created more demand for higher yields outside of the once standard nine-to-five workday, our schedules have fluctuated, signifying that we are now officially a 24-hour society. Therefore, it’s safe to say that the timetable that was made commonplace for the past two thousand plus years is now completely out of whack.

But we, as those who work best within the stability of organization, still find it necessary to hold true to a particularly standardized schedule in order to effectively compartmentalize our lives and bring the highest level of productivity. And productivity ultimately equates to more movement of machines and people working on Saturdays and Sundays.

Of course, that’s assuming you like Saturdays and Sundays. Because believe it or not, some people actually like Mondays. And for some, Mondays are really Fridays.

And for others, Saturdays are actually Mondays. I know, trying to rationalize this concept makes your head spin.

Saying that we’ve complicated things is an understatement. Instead of stating, “I have the next two days free from having to be at my job,” people will apply what they know as the easiest shortcut to describe the meaning they are attempting to convey.

Jan.2020

“Today is my Saturday.”

“But today is Wednesday.”

“Yes, I know, but for me it’s Saturday.”

“Congratulations?”

It’s true, the days of the week have become as interchangeable as the heads on your electric toothbrush.

Do you know what it’s called when you start partying hard on Friday night and eventually find you’re watching the Sunday morning sunrise, having not slept a wink in 40 hours because you love booze and cocaine? That’s called Fraturunday.

By the way, that never happens to a stoner.

Get the audio version and every episode at Stoney-Baloney.com

@RickerDJ

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