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IN THIS ISSUE 11 editor note 12 national news 14 the emerald cup 16 hashtag wins

JAN. 2020

20 cannabis law 22 hempy new year 24 highly likely 26 autoimmune warrior 30 the happy crop shoppe

32 36 40 42 44

budtender otm strain of the month history of cannabis Leafly’s new flowers Botanical medicine

46 cannabis after nfl 48 mental health 50 fairwinds herbology 52 the cannasexual 54 cannabis & desire

58 gettin’ baked recipes 62 coffee & cannabis #2 66 on the road 70 stoney baloney ISSUU.COM/NWLEAF

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

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Leaf Life Podcast is an entertaining exploration of All Things Cannabis For All People. @beardedlorax

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Join Ricker and The Bearded Lorax for insightful discussions with Cannabis industry influencers. THIS MONTH:

Show #45: Cannabis and AIDS Show #48: Sensory Deprivation on Cannabis Show #49: Too High to Drive?

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E S TA B L I S H E D 2 0 1 0

T H E E N L I G H T E N E D VO I C E

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 using Cannabis for mental health, and of course: much, much more! Photography by @Keti.Photography Props & Styling by @MalinaLopez CBD Bath by @TheHempressUK Model @DeathDabforCutieee

CONTRIBUTORS

PUBLISHER

Tom Bowers Features Keti Chikhladze Photos Jesse Codling Photos Steve Elliott National News Simone Fischer Features Bonnie Fong Legal TJ Gagnier Reviews Danielle Halle Writing Malina Lopez Styling Mike Ricker Features Meghan Ridley Editing Jonah Tacoma Features Jerry Whiting Hemp 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

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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.

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ABNEY

Editor’s Note Thanks for picking up The Health Issue of Northwest 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.

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

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

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. “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 hemp provides more cover for unlicensed growers. Some cops also claim illicit marijuana is being grown and exported as “hemp.”

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.”

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

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. “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.

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WEED BEATS TOBACCO IN SEATTLE

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JAN. 2020

@OfficialMobStudios

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 of Seattle residents had used nicotine products, including cigarettes and e-cigarettes, within the past month. 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

rehashed

A cloud of Cannabis smoke graced the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa for the duration of The Emerald Cup weekend in late December. We may or may not have contributed to the permacloud that made a contact high impossible to avoid, but isn’t that the point of all great Cannabis events? Enjoying the creations of those hardworking farmers, craftspeople, and scientists?

Comedian Ngaio Bealum remarked onstage during the event that “this whole festival is Cannabis infused,” which couldn’t be a more perfect explanation for the wondrous world that is The Emerald Cup. Imagine a farmers market, concert, trade show, and Cannabis cup combined. Featuring over 600 entries and 65 judges, it is easily the largest Cannabis competition in the world and has entries representing every corner of California.

nwlEAF.COM

Operations have changed slightly over the years. With the regulations came taxes and the eviction of unlicensed farmers from the festival. We truly salute the farmers who have worked unbelievably hard to achieve licensed status in this incredibly unpredictable market. It was a highlight of the event to be able to purchase flower, edibles, concentrates, and more directly from the companies and to enjoy prices that are much more affordable and accessible for patients and recreational consumers alike.

JAN. 2020

Another interesting aspect of this event that Californians are used to, but other attendees haven’t seen in years, is the sale of clones. The Emerald Cup is home to not only some of the most impressive genetics a grower can find, but also the most innovative and organic sungrown Cannabis farming techniques and methods in the history of Cannabis cultivation. Out of nearly 130 award winners for the competition, there is only one “Regenerative Farms Award” and 2019’s winner was Organic Medicinals out of Humboldt. This honor is bestowed upon a farm for their dedication to the cultivation of sungrown Cannabis in native soil. As defined by RegenerativeCannabisFarming.org, a farm of this classification “works beyond the boundaries of the cultivation site. It integrates the surrounding environment and community into the systems that build soil, restore habitat, protect water quality, and encourage mutualistic relationships. It breeds resilience and collaboration. It celebrates diversity in its soil, plants and people. It values quality over quantity. It works year-round with the seasons. It is bioregional and heterogeneous. And it is guided by principles and ethics.” This is the award that stands out the most, although congratulations are in order for every single contestant and participant in this festival.

2019

DEC. 14-15, 2019 | SONOMA COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS | SANTA ROSA, CA

More information and award results | TheEmeraldCup.com

With over 600 entries and 65 judges, the emerald cup is easily the largest Cannabis competition in the world and has entries representing every corner of California.

EMERALD CUP STORY & PHOTOS by DANIELLE HALLE @SWEET.DEEZY for LEAF NATION

local NEWS

WHEN IT CAME TO DOING THE RIGHT THING, HASHTAG WAS FIGHTING FOR MORE THAN CHRISTMAS LIGHTS.

In a costly lawsuit, the owners of Hashtag Cannabis fought back against an overzealous Liquor and Cannabis Board ruling this past month.

OWNERS JERINA & LOGAN BOWERS, OUTSIDE THEIR REDMOND SHOP\ CHRISTMAS EVE

HASHTAG STANDS UP

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The true meaning of Christmas is spreading holiday cheer - something the Cannabis retail team at Hashtag Cannabis in Seattle and Redmond take seriously while offering season’s greetings by the gram. Whilst slinging their green-style happiness last year the debatable “War on Christmas” became very real as the retailer was fined $2,500 and slapped with a violation for hanging up Christmas lights in their street-facing window. To call the Liquor & Cannabis Board “The Grinch” might be a stretch, but they sent their officers out over a simple message spelled out in bright lights of green, blue, red and yellow. Pot! The LCB made the argument that the lights legally acted as a sign for the pot store, which is only allowed to have two fixed placement and sized signs. Hashtag was also ordered to remove a Black Lives Matter sign from their entrance, and an All Are Welcome/Safe Space sign. Firm in their freedom of speech rights and holiday spirit, owners Logan and Jerina Bowers decided to challenge the ruling in court. “I was just really pissed,” Logan told the Stranger last month. “We were frustrated with being dicked around. Sometimes doing the right thing costs a ton and it’s a little bit of a bummer.”

JAN. 2020

After a year of litigation and over $30,000 dollars in legal fees that the LCB will be repaying, the Hashtag team were vindicated last month when a judge ruled that the LCB’s rules were not “directly and materially advancing the state’s interests” and that they actually undermined the mission to prevent underage consumption. What started as a sour note became a holiday miracle, and an opportunity to advance policy surrounding the Cannabis industry. “I really assume the LCB was doing what they believed their job was to be, and I certainly don’t fault them for it. I think that it’s cool that as a Cannabis business we can go to court and say that we disagree,” said Christine Cohen, Director Of Marketing and Community Outreach for Hashtag. “My hope is that we can have a more critical eye towards how these rules and regulations are developed and enforced, because that does benefit all Cannabis businesses and the LCB as well. As an agency, if they don’t have to put their limited time towards enforcing parts of regulations that truly don’t help public safety or help avoid diversion to illicit markets or minors, they can reorient towards those things and move away from things that don’t hurt anybody.” When it came to doing the right thing, Hashtag was fighting for more than Christmas lights. The LCB has waged a regulatory war on signage since Cannabis became legal, changing rules often and limiting how the licensed businesses can promote themselves. For many Cannabis retailers, it feels like a double standard.

They can sell pot, and the state happily takes taxes, but they are treated like second-class businesses that must be hidden away. For Cohen, the challenge was for every retailer in the state. “It’s very surreal for our business to be a part of a case against the LCB, over something we did not think would be a big deal. Because we’re glad to partner with the LCB to follow all regulations as best we can,” Cohen explained, while admitting that the victory feels well deserved. “It feels good! And it feels good because the outcome of this case is a more fair interpretation for all the Cannabis retailers in the state. Through this case the LCB was forced to examine exactly how these signage regulations are interpreted and enforced, and I expect what will happen next is a more balanced interpretation for the rules, and that’s good for all of us.” With limited resources to protect and regulate both Cannabis and alcohol industries, the merit of enforcing rules that don’t protect the public should be at the forefront of the conversation. Now that the challenge has been overruled, and freedom of speech protected, Hashtag is looking forward to the next holiday season with a big display of cheer. “This industry is evolving and it takes moments like a string of Christmas lights to get us to stop and look and reflect a little bit,” Cohen said with a chuckle. “We are moving locations next year - and if we have big windows - we are going to go all out on Christmas. Deck the halls!”

STORY by WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX | PORTRAIT by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

expert OPINION

CANNABIS LAW Many people confuse sexual harassment and discrimination. Although both can involve gender or sexual identity, there are differences between the two and it is useful to understand the distinctions. Sexual harassment is a form of illegal sex discrimination involving unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct that is based on sex. All forms of sexual harassment are illegal, and employers may be liable for this behavior if they do not take the proper steps to address it. Generally, there are two types of sexual harassment. The first is called quid pro quo. Quid pro quo is the type of harassment that occurs when some type of employment benefit is made contingent on sexual favors in some capacity. For example, this might be a supervisor offering a promotion if an employee will meet his or her sexual demands. Usually this type of sexual harassment, by its nature, occurs between someone in a position of power and a subordinate - but not always. The second is called hostile work environment. Hostile work environment is the type of sexual harassment that occurs when there is frequent or pervasive unwanted sexual comments, advances, requests, or other similar conduct. It can also occur when there is other verbal or physical conduct that is sexual in nature. This could include displays of inappropriate or offensive materials such as notes, drawings, music, or videos. It could be employees telling each other sexual jokes or stories about their personal lives. It could be behavior in the workplace such as staring at someone, licking your lips, or standing in front of someone so they cannot escape. It could also be persistent, unwanted interactions - such as asking for dates continually. Sex or gender discrimination in employment involves treating someone unfavorably because of the person’s sex, whether they are applying for a job or are a current employee. In Washington, state law prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. This means that if an employee feels they are a victim of adverse employment due to their gender or sexual orientation, they could bring action against your company. This

could include promoting only men, or only women.

BRING IT TO

BONNIE

While similar, the areas of law including discrimination and sexual harassment are very different. However, your company could be held responsible if an employee feels they are the victim of either. If you have questions of a particular situation, you should contact a lawyer to see how to best handle it.

SEND YOUR QUESTIONS TO BONNIE@C3.LEGAL The information contained in this column is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for advice regarding your individual situation. We invite you to contact us and welcome your calls, letters and electronic mail. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please do not send any confidential information to us until such time as an attorney-client relationship has been established.

SEXUALHARASSMENT&DISCRIMINATIONINTHEWORKPLACE DEAR BONNIE,

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I A M A P R O D UC E R / P R O C E S S O R O N T H E E A S T S I D E O F T H E M OU N TA I N S . L AT E LY I ’ V E B E E N CO N C E R N E D W I T H H OW M Y E M P LOY E E S H AV E B E I N G I N T E R AC T I N G W I T H E AC H O T H E R , S P E C I F I C A L LY H AV I N G T O D O W I T H S E X UA L J O K E S . I ’ V E H A D N O CO M P L A I N T S S O FA R F R O M E M P LOY E E S , B U T I F E E L L I K E I T ’ S J U S T A M AT T E R O F T I M E B E F O R E S O M E O N E G E T S U P S E T. H OW C A N I B E P R OAC T I V E I N D E A L I N G W I T H S E X U A L H A R AS S M E N T I N M Y B U S I N E S S ?

THANK YOU for asking about this very serious issue. Sexual harassment has become very important in today’s business atmosphere and I’m pleased to know some business owners want to create a safe space for employees. There are things you can do to make your business as safe as possible for all. Although you have had no issues thus far, I recommend you set up a sexual harassment and discrimination reporting system to let it be known that your employees have an open channel for reporting and discussing these types of issues at work. Be sure to investigate any reports of sexual harassment or discrimination in the workplace. Ideally, you would get a written statement from the employee who is reporting it, have information regarding where and when the incident occurred, and who was present. Follow up with witnesses and ask them to provide a written statement as well. Once you confirm what happened, figure out what further actions need to be taken - such as training, employee transfers, written apologies, or termination.

JAN. 2020

You should set up a reporting system for sexual harassment in your workplace. Ideally, you would have a template form for employees to fill out when reporting the sexual harassment. You could also have a drop box in your workplace where people can easily access owners or management. Setting up a human resources email for people to write in to is a good solution, so people can simply email the human resources email to anonymously report an incident. Be sure to include this in your company manual so people understand the availability of the reporting system. To maintain a safe workplace for your workers, you should have annual trainings on sexual harassment. Everyone in your company should be there for the training to make sure people fully understand what is expected of them in the workplace. It is also a good way for people to ask any questions. Lots of HR companies provide such trainings. You should have everyone in attendance sign in to show who attended the trainings. Thanks for being proactive and wanting to make your workplace a safe place for everyone!

STORY by BONNIE FONG, PARTNER, C3 LAW GROUP | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN

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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.

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

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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

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.

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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

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Autoimmune

Warrior nwlEAF.COM

INTERVIEW & PHOTOS by DANIELLE HALLE @SWEET.DEEZY

Co-Founder | My Happy Yoni & Silipuff JAN. 2020

There are many paths one can take on the road to wellness, but for Lily Sensimillia, the journey has illuminated a world of natural options. From her history of negative experiences with pharmaceuticals to her side effect free use of Cannabis, she now puts her personal experiences to work providing plant-based relief to those in need.

Can you tell me about your background using Cannabis as medicine? What symptoms are you treating? I was official-

ly diagnosed with hyperthyroidism in 2018 and have struggled with numerous health issues since childhood. I started to use Cannabis to help with my lack of appetite and to keep my weight in a healthy range. I also use it to help with sleep. When my thyroid levels were at their highest, I had terrible insomnia, night terrors, was screaming in my sleep, and drenching my bed in sweat. Cannabis helped keep me asleep for the majority of the night, otherwise I’d be awake all night. It also helps with my anxiety - with an overactive thyroid comes a “wired but tired” sense of feeling, like you’ve been sprinting for hours. Cannabis calms me down and I have given up caffeine for this reason as well.

“Prescription pills gave me seizures, and the medication I tried for my thyroid made me faint on multiple occasions - reminding me of my past experience. Cannabis has not given me any negative side effects and is effective in what I need it for.”

How long have you been using Cannabis medicinally? Recreationally? Eight years total, medicinally about three.

How did you find out that Cannabis was medicinally beneficial to you? I have had

negative experiences with pharmaceutical medicine. Prescription pills gave me seizures, and the medication I tried for my thyroid made me faint on multiple occasions - reminding me of my past experience. Cannabis has not given me any negative side effects and is effective in what I need it for.

Can you tell me more about your business? Did you create it with Cannabis medicine in mind? I have two! My partner

invented the Silipuff - a silicone joint holder that doesn’t transfer heat - allowing the user to smoke their pre-roll all the way down. It’s easy to clean, doesn’t harbor bacteria like wood, and it’s unbreakable unlike glass! I also started My Happy Yoni. Yoni is Sanskrit for sacred place, so our mission is to tackle period poverty and end period stigma. Periods are keeping girls out of schools because of the stigma, shame, and lack of access to products. Our purpose is to give back to those in need and to provide a healthy alternative to commercial products for others. And I realized how difficult it was to find quality CBD products at an affordable cost. I use Cannabis to help with my menstrual cramps - I go from sweating in pain and unable to move from the bed, but once I smoke a bowl, I’ll be running around on the beach with my dog. I was finding period boxes that only provided junk food, tampons (which are unsafe on multiple aspects), and ibuprofen - which never helped me. I wanted something that provided products that are both safe and effective. The menstrual box consists of an optional menstrual cup, a CBD rub, CBD tincture, and CBD gummies.

With every purchase we donate to nonprofit organizations that raise awareness, educate, and give back period products to those in need globally!

Which method of delivery/products provide the most relief? A joint always does the trick. I also do love Cannabis rubs and oils. Those are great for when you are sore from a workout. I like using both CBD and THC!

Has your treatment changed since the medical shops have been replaced by the recreational shops? Not entirely.

I moved from Wisconsin, a very illegal state, to California at the end of 2017 - before it went recreational. So I didn’t really experience the only medical aspect for that long. I was just amazed by the fact you could get Cannabis delivered to your home. However, I did have my medical card ready before moving and it was nice even while it was recreational, because it helped a little bit with the cost of taxes! The tax is ridiculous because it is considered medicine to many and some need a larger quantity, which can be difficult to afford. When prescription pills are covered by insurance and Cannabis is taxed so much, it seems a bit odd.

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SHOP review

A River Runs Through It

nwlEAF.COM

Th e H a p p y Cr o p S h o p p e E a s t We n a t c h e e northwest leaf dispensary of the month JAN. 2020

REVIEW by MIKE RICKER @RICKERDJ | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

“THEY TAKE PRIDE IN BEING PART OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND HELPING DIRECT THE CITY’S DECISION MAKERS TO A PLACE WHERE CANNABIS GETS POSITIVELY RECOGNIZED.” ENVIRONMENT The word happy fits right into the name, as these friendly folks took over a dog washing station and converted it into a Cannabis shop. And the tail wagging hasn’t stopped since! Although this place is newly renovated, there’s still a homey feeling with the wood décor and original fireplace around the open cases, artfully displaying glass and products with space for consideration to take you away from your already crowded life. Also, the groovy tunes and exceptional views toward the Saddle Rock will make you feel right at home.

PRODUCT SELECTION There’s no shortage of yummy stuff to get you to the harvest at this place. You’ll find top tier concentrates from WAM Oil and Bodhi High, as well as Landrace Labs who just began delivering their Sauce Boss oil. For flower you’ll love the Burnwell products, as well as Soulshine and local favorites, Manna Productions, who grow beautiful indoor flower. On the health and wellness side, look for the Fairwinds FECO. And for glass, there’s a nice array of pipes, bubblers, bongs and rigs showcasing mostly local designers and features West Coast Glass. Finally, if you’re feeling adventurous, you can pick up a gas mask with bong attachment for 30 bucks.

HISTORY & VALUES When you’re one of the first 25 shops in the state, it instills a certain degree of trust amongst the community. It started when prior to legalization, four friends from three families banded together to serve the people of Central Washington by setting up a medical shop at this same location, where it’s been locally owned ever since. Here, they take pride in being part of the Chamber of Commerce and helping direct the city’s decision makers to a place where Cannabis gets positively recognized. Maybe that’s why they’ve been voted as Wenatchee’s best Cannabis shop for four years in a row.

BUDTENDERS & SPECIALS The mantra here is good prices for good products, so what’s not to love? And when customer appreciation is the name of the game, you’ve found a shop that suits your needs. Chances are you’ll be greeted by the lovely Araceli, whose grandparents emigrated from Mexico to work in the apple and cherry orchards. In fact, many of the budtenders are bilingual, which can be helpful and fun at the same time if you’re trying to brush up on your Spanish. And you can test that tongue when attempting to form sentences that include Wax Wednesday, veteran’s discount, senior discount and industry discount. Good luck!

QUICK HIT Smack dab in the middle of crop country is the bustling community of Wenatchee. And when we say dab, we mean dab. That’s because the right side of the city is fully stocked with smiles and warmth, and the right goods to set your day straight when you’re ready to embark on a smooth cruise along the Columbia River. They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away, and when combined with your favorite Cannabis bliss, there’s absolutely nothing that can keep you down.

JESS MIKKELSEN Store Manager & Product Mgr.

50 ROCK ISLAND RD, EAST WENATCHEE, WA | (509) 888-1597 | THEHAPPYCROPSHOPPE.COM @THEHAPPYCROP.SHOPPES_ | 8AM-11PM SUN-TH, 8AM-11:55PM FRI/SAT

interview

W H O ’ S Y O U R F AV O R I T E B U D T E N D E R ? T E L L U S W H Y ! E M A I L N O M I N A T I O N S T O N W L E A F @ G M A I L . C O M

northwest leaf budtender of the month

Emily Jane Russell YOU ’ V E B E E N B U D TE N DI NG F O R T WO Y EAR S . HOW D O YOU F I N D T H E E X P E R I E N C E CO M PAR E D TO J O B S I N T H E PAST ?

It’s morally gratifying in a way I didn’t ever expect. It makes you want to come to work every day and allows you to be happy at work every day - which equates to having fun in what you do - and doesn’t make it feel like work. I F YOU HAD AN Y CO M P LAI N TS , WHAT WOUL D T H E Y B E ?

AS A B U D TE N DE R , D O YOU F I N D T H E R E AR E P RODUC TS T HAT WO R K B E T TE R F O R YOU R M E DICAL CO N DI T IO N T HAN OT H E R S ?

100 percent! CBD on its own, although I know it is used Working in the customer service everywhere now medicinally, industry can have its challenges. I doesn’t do much for my worked in the restaurant industry symptoms caused by MS. But before and it’s kind of funny how when combined people are weird with THC, I about their weed, “I TEACH YOGA truly start to like they’re weird feel better. And ON MY OFF about their food. MS and I’m medically DAYS FROM THE with having chronic certified, so you SHOP, WHICH pain and really have to get inflammation IS REALLY to know certain the body, my regulars that EFFECTIVE FOR injoints feel large make emotional MS, TOO.” and stiff and connections with I’m not moving you, which wasn’t the way I want to. So when the case in serving food. And I get blazed and feel better, opening up to people like that isn’t there’s a sense of confidence always easy. that I can get through any day.

YOU HAV E B E E N DI AG N OSE D WI T H M S . I S T HAT WH Y YOU G OT M E DICAL LY C E RT I F I E D ?

Yes. I was never a medical patient, but I do feel like I use Cannabis medicinally and that led me to want to share with other people.

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like to think I have time to play with those ideas. I am going back to school to get a degree in dietetics so I can further my obsession with holistic health. Also, I teach yoga on my off days from the shop, which is really effective for MS, too.

THE FIRE HOUSE 1714 S Canyon Rd, Ellensburg, WA | (509) 968-5454 | FireHouseNW.com

JAN. 2020

L IVI NG WI T H M S , AR E YOU I N TE R E STE D I N F I N DI NG A RO LE T HAT AL LOW S YOU TO E X PAN D B E YO N D O N LY SE L L I NG CAN NAB I S ?

Absolutely. I don’t know what that looks like completely, but I have a lot of ideas. I’m 24-years-old and

I F YOU COUL D G E T B LAZ E D WI T H AN Y F IGU R E I N T H E H I STO RY O F M AN KI N D , WH O WOUL D T HAT B E ?

Deep thoughts. . . The only person that’s coming to mind is Genghis Kahn in a non-violent setting (laughs). I just travelled to the Great Wall this past summer and I’ve been listening to some crazy Chinese Mongolian EDM dubstep. So, I think I’d smoke a doob with that guy - talk about spreading love, not war.

INTERVIEW by MIKE RICKER @RICKERDJ | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

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For E vents & Deal Info @MrBillsBuckley @buckleymrbills 29393 STATE RT. 410 E, BUCKLEY, WA

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This product has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination, and judgement. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. For use only by adults 21 and older. Keep out of the reach of children. Marijuana products may be purchased or possessed only by persons 21 years of age or older.

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36 STRAIN OF THE MONTH

grown by FREDDY’S FUEGO

JAN. 2020

After years growing a heritage medical cut of Sin Mint Cookies, the Freddy’s Fuego team set out to add more flavor to the intense effects and began hunting for a new high. They worked through three packs of Breath Mints by Sin City Seeds over the course of months to find the perfect phenotype, searching for a combination with an extremely potent high and all the flavor of the Mendo Breath. Their team is driven by a passion for growing unique Cannabis with love and intention. They are always popping new seeds and hunting for fresh flavors to deliver the best smokable booty to their growing fan base. Freddy’s Fuego definitely brings the right blend of connoisseur grade fire grown with love to kick off your Roaring 20s with new experiences and good vibes.

REVIEW by WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS | STYLING by MIKE RICKER @RICKERDJ

body’s core. The warm smoke is incredibly light - with almost no expansion and zero cough - burning smooth to deliver a flavorful experience that rewards with big hits. Effects are euphoric for both the body and mind, starting with Purple and frosty, Breath Mints has impeccable bag appeal a calming and tingly body high that develops into full chillaxed with hand trimmed nuggets liberally covered in frosty trichomes. mode. The mind is swept off course within 15-20 minutes as the With a perfect balance of density and cure, the flowers snap high settles in, slowing thoughts and reducing anxiety, while easily while leaving a thick sappiness on the fingers and releasing replacing most cognitive functions with a feeling of stoned and rich aromas of minty, chocolaty cookies. content indica bliss. Tasty and heavy, this is a sweet Smelling good enough to eat with heady notes of treat to enjoy at the end of the day - or at least when vanilla and caramel, the flowers ooze out sugary cookie critical brain activity is no longer needed. Available from flavors that will get the mouth watering at the thought A tantalizing combination of Sin Mint Cookies and Have A Heart of giant tokes. As the first breaths of sweet cookies kiss Mendo Breath, the Breath Mints delivers both flavor and Clear Choice the lungs, the effects begin building outward from the The Bakeree potency in a uniquely powerful combination.

The year is 2020 and the definition of fresh now includes the cut of Cannabis you bring to the party, so ring in the new Roaring 20s with a tasty and mind melting hit of the Breath Mints by Freddy’s Fuego.

BREATH MINTS

A sweet treat to enjoy at the end of the day or at least when critical brain activity is no longer needed

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Let’s grow together. GreenFarmsCBD.com

THE health ISSUE

CANNABIS USAGE THROUGHOUT HISTORY

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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

THE health ISSUE

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.

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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 of 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 thousands of data points together across hundreds simple code - diamonds are THC, circles are CBD. of growers,” Jikomes said. The stronger the concentration either way, the more If Leafly’s grand vision works, Jikomes says it 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 terpenes. Terpene profiles commonly found in wine I like, even though I don’t have an expert strains associated with relaxation show up as cool level knowledge of it,” Jikomes said. “Part of what colors like blue or green. Terpenes regularly found we’re doing with our education efforts, is we’re in energetic strains present as hot colors such as building tools to help people figure out what kind orange, yellow, and red. of Cannabis they like. The basic “We’re using shapes and idea is, you want to learn, ‘Oh, I colors to communicate about like 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 the flower products that are out budtender seminars in order to there. There are thousands of help familiarize those on the front strain pages on Leafly, there are lines 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, bathat you like, you can look sically, at the recommendation of N I C K J I KO M E S , for a flower with a similar the budtender,” he said. “They’re Principal Research pattern of shapes and colors, an important educational touchScientist at Leafly, and should be able to have point for many consumers out says “Consumers are a similar experience. It’s far there. So, we’re making sure the no longer at the mercy more reliable than strain name, budtenders are educated.” of the strain names which often has no basis in In the end, Jikomes says Leafly and the branding and marketing tricks that actual genetics. is trying to eliminate the rampant are so pervasive now.” “(Consumers) are no longer confusion and misinformation curat the mercy of the strain rently plaguing the industry. Some names and the branding and marketing tricks that of which, he admits, was perpetuated by years spent are so pervasive right now,” promoting the sativa-hybrid-indica trinity. Jikomes said. “That’s something I’m super passion“If you go on the internet, you can find people ate about.” that say, ‘Indicas make you sleepy because they That means that if you find a phenotype of GMO have more THC,’” he said. Cookies that you love, you can enter the testing “You can find other websites that say, ‘Sativas information (if available) into the Leafly system, and make you excited because they have more THC.’ it will show you a number of other strains that have You can find people saying, ‘Indicas make you similar, scientifically measurable, 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 aggregating that’s basically what we did.”

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

THE health ISSUE nwlEAF.COM

Q&A | Dr. ShenaVander Ploeg â&#x20AC;&#x153;I want to help revolutionize holistic healthcare and destigmatize the use of Cannabis as a therapeutic.â&#x20AC;? We connected with Oregon-based naturopathic physician Dr. Shena Vander Ploeg to learn more about her approach to wellness, and her thoughts on the role Cannabis has to play. Though plant-based medicine predates all other forms of treatment, it has encountered varying degrees of acceptance since the dawn of westernized medicine. With the growing success of the Cannabis legalization movement, people are becoming increasingly curious about the potential of this plant, as well as many others, to treat ailments and enhance quality of life. Further Reading MerkabaNaturalHealth.com AANMC.org | OANP.org Protanicals.net

JAN. 2020

How did you begin your journey with naturopathic medicine? Why did you choose to get involved in naturopathy?

Undergraduate studies in biology, chemistry, and psychopharmacology created the foundation of my inquiry into health and medicine. At first, I thought I would make my way into pharmaceutical research and design methodology. My education and experience led me to botanical medicine, nutrition, and yoga. I soon realized that a more integrative, sustainable, and holistic approach was my preference. I explored graduate programs in naturopathic medicine that seemed much more in alignment with me, my values, how I wanted to live my life, and what I wanted from my career. I love that naturopathic medicine affords people options! Naturopathic physicians can offer conventional treatments, as well as time-honored naturopathic supportive therapies. Where do you feel naturopathic medicine fits into the overall pursuit of personal wellness, as compared to pharmaceutical and westernized medicine?

Naturopathic medicine guides patients in pursuit of holistic personal wellness, prevention, and health optimization - mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. This individualized approach allows the practitioner to meet the patient where they are. Conventional medicine, alternatively, is best suited to manage acute health issues, trauma, or injury. I find it best integrated with conventional medicine where appropriate. Naturopathic medicine empowers people to partner in determining their course of treatment. Pharmaceutical interventions may be indicated, while simultaneously providing naturopathic supportive therapies and developing other lifestyle practices to best support health goals. This scenario offers an opportunity to remove obstacles so that new lifestyle practices/ habits can further contribute to their desired health outcomes. I like to think that this multivariate approach offers synergistic support that can be more restorative and regenerative in the long term. Naturopathic medicine seems to be growing in the public’s consciousness, and it’s approaching new levels of mainstream acceptance. In what ways can conventional westernized medicine and naturopathic medicine coexist?

You’re absolutely right. Every year more states adopt licensing for naturopathic physicians. I think this is due to public demand. People want wellness care to improve their health, to prevent disease, and to minimize their reliance on pharmaceuticals by being more active in their health and ultimately in their lives. I think integration is the future. We are seeing these two areas of medicine coexist more now in the developing field of functional medicine. Ultimately, providing holistic healthcare services to support wellness will reduce primary care visits and prevent chronic diseases.

Over the past five years, Cannabis therapeutics have become an integral part of my practice. With the passage of Measure 91 and pre-exI don’t think people realize the options availisting medical programs, there is increased able to them. A common misconception is that demand for educated professionals willing to naturopathic physicians cannot offer the same discuss these topics with their patients based on “level of care” as a conventional medical doctor. existing research and evidence. The scope does vary from state to state (which is Botanical medicine was instantly a passionate confusing), but in Oregon and Washington, for interest of research, one which I delved into fully. example, we have the ability to prescribe and act In 2008, I was personally looking for an alternain the capacity of a primary care physician. tive to prescription medication, so I began forIt is our responsibility as naturopathic physimulating botanical and Cannabis combination cians to educate the public on our training and products. Then once licensed, in 2014, I worked expertise. Naturopathic physicians train in botanunder a medical doctor at The Aurora Clinic ical medicine, pharmacology, nutrition, biomein Portland, serving many chanics, IV nutrient therapy, Oregon Medical Marijuana and complete a four-year Patients. Working with this rigorous accredited medical patient population was program including clinical so rewarding; I was so internship and licensure with inspired by transformational prescriptive authority. stories about relinquishing dependence on pharmaDo you believe ceuticals and attaining a cannabinoids and much-improved quality of other Cannabis-derived life (with Cannabis alone). compounds have a role My experiences and clinito play in the pursuit of personal wellness? cal work inspired PROTANYes, absolutely. The EndoICALS™, the first physicannabinoid System (ECS) cian-formulated Cannabis My dream is to pioneer is well researched, and it is and botanical product line one of the most prolific and that is medically minded, the use of Cannabis integrated systems of the offering therapeutic options and botanicals as body. As it turns out, Cannafor the Cannabis consumer therapeutics bis, many other botanicals, here in Oregon. and lifestyle factors influMy dream is to pioneer ence the ECS. Cannabinoids offer many people the use of Cannabis and botanicals as theraalternative sustainable treatment replacement peutics. My goal is to create products that I can for stronger conventional treatments that have recommend confidently. It is time that we have unwanted side effects, secondary effects, or products that address cannabinoid tone, so it withdrawal symptoms. becomes a pillar of support and a cornerstone of holistic healthcare approaches. What challenges do you face as a naturopathic physician?

What role, if any, do hemp or Cannabis derived compounds play in what you do at Merkaba Natural Health?

Botanical medicine is a pillar of my practice. Regarding Cannabis, I want to be very clear that I cannot and do not prescribe cannabinoids. No doctor can according to federal law because it is a Schedule I substance. Personally, I want to help revolutionize holistic healthcare and destigmatize the use of Cannabis as a therapeutic. My question is, “Can we integrate Cannabis into botanical medicine where it belongs?” For Cannabis curious patients, some have read, heard, tried CBD/Cannabis products, and/ or want to learn how to optimize their experience. This is where the naturopathic principle “doctor as teacher” comes in. We discuss the endocannabinoid system, distinctions between Cannabis and hemp, how to assess growing practices and products, how to access resources relevant to their exploration of Cannabis, dosing strategies, sensitization breaks, and harm reduction. This provides support in making well-informed decisions in a rapidly changing supplement market.

What advice do you have for people who want to employ a naturopathic approach to their own health?

It all starts with finding a naturopathic physician that is a good fit, as I think is true of any healthcare provider. Creating an open and honest dialogue is key, so your doctor can best understand your healthcare goals and your current level of motivation. Like conventional doctors, naturopathic physicians may have particular areas of expertise and preferred methods of assessment and treatment. It is important that their methodology works for you. I think naturopathic medicine is best suited for those looking to actively participate in their health process, while being offered holistic options in their healthcare. Insurance companies provide limited coverage for naturopathic medical services (policy dependent), so be prepared to invest in your health. I think this is actually an upside, because people who invest in themselves are committed to participating in the process. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

INTERVIEW by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

THE health ISSUE nwlEAF.COM

Lofa Tatupu

>>>>

ZoneIn CBD Chief Evangelist & Co-Founder

Lofa Tatupu played six years in the NFL as a Seahawk and went to three Pro Bowls before leaving the NFL as a result of injuries during his celebrated career. CBD had a big role in Tatupu’s journey of healing, which he credits for bringing him back into the zone. The brand ZoneIn is a tribute to the benefits he found in full spectrum oil, which is the basis for products that can now be found in Bartell Drugs around the country. We interviewed Tatupu to hear how CBD gave him a health resurgence, and became his new mission to share with others around the world.

JAN. 2020

How did your journey with the plant begin?

I enjoyed Cannabis when I was younger, when it was very frowned upon and people hated on the plant, both Cannabis and hemp. Being an athlete I knew that ingesting smoke was not the way I should go about it, so I let it go towards my later years of high school to really focus on sports. Honestly there was a lot of misinformation. Obviously smoking is not good for you, but the alternatives we were given as medicine are not good for us. Fast forward and I had left Cannabis for my first love, football, and I was blessed to go to college for it and call it a job in the NFL. Your football journey led you to Seattle, where Cannabis was first legalized! How did your time in the NFL affect you? After six wonderful but

hard years, physically, mentally, and emotionally I was trending into decline. I started out really good, went to a couple Pro Bowls, but I didn’t realize that even then I was going through trauma. Both mind, body and soul. So continuing on the best path I knew how, I took the medications I was prescribed and kept going about

my daily grind. Eventually that’s what led to my career being short, in terms of the injuries. I was never able to correct the injuries or heal — it felt like massive pain. I’m still grateful for every opportunity I had and couldn’t have asked for a better organization than the Hawks, but when I got out of football I still felt those injuries. Even though you’re done playing ball, those injuries stay with you. How did you end up working with Cannabis?

Me and [former Seahawk] Matt McCoy got into the recreational business with 1937 Farms, and even though I had been away from Cannabis for so long we got into it because we realized the healing it was doing for other people. With great purpose and good intentions we got into this, and while I was not smoking I was hearing a lot about CBD. And I had heard about it towards the end of my career, but thought it was going to be like THC, the stuff I wasn’t allowed to have. Again, all misinformation and miseducation. So I started experimenting after hearing all these stories and testimonials, and tried isolate and broad spectrum oils,

we don’t need CBD everything. And with 60% of products mislabeled or without CBD at all, we want to focus on solid products and fight the misinformation that exists in the industry. Do you wish you’d had access to CBD in the NFL? I swear that I would just

and then finally came across full spectrum oil. It was eye opening, like being reborn. How has CBD changed your life? It was like all

of my opportunities started coming back. I was clear headed for the first time in a long while. I’ve had 10 surgeries, 15+ concussions, and there was a lot of disconnect going on between my mind and body. So I was looking for a real solution, and I’m grateful to have found it in full spectrum oil. That was in 2017, and for three years I was giving it to friends because I started to make this miraculous recovery. I went from 280 pounds down to 230. It wasn’t overnight, but it was me being able to recover quickly enough to go to the gym. And it just started this positive change of reaction, and everything started falling into place. “I get up What was the tipping point for starting ZoneIn CBD?

When the Farm Bill passed in 2018 I made it my purpose to help others and create a national brand. It takes a team, because nobody does anything by themselves, and we partnered with a lab and have what I believe to be one of the best formulations that seems to resonate with a ton of people. Where does the name ZoneIn come from? A big differ-

ence in our product is that

while others say CBD is for sleep or anxiety, we say ours is for performance enhancing, for life enhancement. I think everyone can attest to wanting to be in the zone, which is where the name comes from. ZoneIn is a play off the zone, which in positive psychology is flow state, which is what full spectrum oil has brought me to. Where I don’t have to think anymore, I just do. I get up and go to the gym and don’t think about being sore, I conquer it. Then I go about my day and have a work day that I crush, and when my kids come home it’s family time. And I’m in every single one of those moments. Being in the zone is being in those moments, and it’s cleared up a lot of noise in my life and I’m grateful for it.

and go to the gym and don’t think about being sore, I conquer it. Then I go about my day and have a work day that I crush, and when my kids come home it’s family time. And I’m in every single one of those moments.”

You have focused on two products, capsules and a tincture, along with a sore muscle cream coming out in the new year. They can now be found at Bartell Drugs, local retailers, and online. Why did you keep it simple when it came to the product line?

We call our product Balance, because some people need to come down and some people need to come up, which brings you into homeostasis. So we have the same product, two different delivery methods as tincture or capsules. And we have a muscle rub coming out in Q1. We only have a couple products because you only need a few,

be finishing my career if I had this six years ago when I retired. My title is Chief Evangelist and I know people can hear it in my words. I’m excited for our nation and the world, and for everybody to be a little nicer - not only to each other - but to themselves. All too often we are too hard on ourselves, being our own critics, and life is tough and even harder when you are fighting yourself. I feel like this has given me cognitive benefits that are what allowed my body to fall into place in terms of correcting and managing pain while moving effortlessly. Since you’ve had concussions I want to ask about CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, a degenerative brain disease from repetitive brain trauma) which is a national conversation surrounding football. Do you feel CBD can help other athletes like it helped you? I always want to pay homage to

the NFL, they are doing a tremendous job with the Players Association of reaching out and making sure guys get the help they need. I can’t definitively say, because you don’t know if you have CTE until you pass away and donate your brain, but there were cognitive issues I was having when I left the game. My short term memory was slipping, it was tough. My attention span and focusing on everyday tasks was hard. CBD seemed to bring back that clarity, everything making sense and no cloudiness or fog taking over my mind. It brought me back to a young mindset, and when you get older these are issues that everyday people face. So even though ZoneIn is brought to you by athletes and doctors, it’s for the everyday person. I’m grateful that this will help somebody, and you can’t make claims according to the FDA, but my story is my testimonial and there are more and more stories coming out just like it. What excites you the most about the future of ZoneIn? My circle of friends saw me go from 280 to

230 pounds and my health resurgence, and they all asked what I was doing. As I shared CBD my friends all said wow, this is real. It’s that snowball effect and it takes some time, but it’s going to lead to a healthier and happier world and I could not be more excited about that. ZoneInCBD.com @ZoneInCBD

INTERVIEW by WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX | PHOTOS by ZONEIN CBD

THE health ISSUE

HIGH RISK, HIGH REWARD

nwlEAF.COM

JAN. 2020

Exploring Cannabis & Mental Health Whether we like it or not, the truth about Cannabis as a brain medicine is that we don't really know the full extent of its effects. We don’t know how beneficial or detrimental it might be over the course of a lifetime. We don’t yet know what factors increase or detract from the efficacy of the plant and its derivatives. And we don’t truly know what causes one individual medicating with Cannabis to feel relief and another to feel no benefit at all - or even feel worse. One of the least understood areas of the plant’s effects surround mental health. From government sponsored propaganda misinforming people that Cannabis kills brain cells, to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services owned patent 6,630,507 on cannabinoids as protectants from brain damage and degeneration, it’s easy to understand why there’s a lot of confusion around using Cannabis to promote mental health. The reality of the situation is that we won’t gain the thorough, technical understanding of these factors until we see Cannabis rescheduled to a different classification or de-scheduled all together, which would allow legitimately qualified research and development companies greater access to the plant. While the majority of the industry and its consumers continue to self-educate without the benefit of significant scientific research, trial and error, community agreement, and word-of-mouth recommendations remain the method with which we prescribe Cannabis to ourselves and others. Anecdotally, we have an overwhelming amount of evidence that Cannabis can help alleviate symptoms caused by depression, anxiety, epilepsy, Alzheimer’s, cancer, Crohn’s, glaucoma, schizophrenia, PTSD, multiple sclerosis, muscle spasms, nausea, and pain. With time and further legalization, scientists will be able to study and truly quantify some of the bigger unknowns, like proper dosage and which strain(s) to prescribe for which ailment.

Mental Health in the Industry

Take time for yourself, trust your gut, and put your foot down for your personal health when you need to. There is more to life than being a professional, and without your health, you'll have no career in any industry.

In an ironic twist of fate, mental health issues are common throughout every sector of the Cannabis industry. In large part, this is thanks to a nominal percentage of businesses offering any benefits to their workers at all, much less those of the mental health variety. Many businesses answer only to the margins and the bottom line is the most important aspect, despite any branding or marketing conveying otherwise. In addition, there is a laundry list of factors at play that challenge the mental health of both owners and workers alike all across the industry. These factors include, but are not limited to: financial risk or difficulty due to association with

a federally illegal industry, desire of ownership to scale and resulting pressures levied on workers as a result, as well as physical safety. The high stress nature of owning or working at a startup business in any industry is well documented, but it’s pretty difficult to truly comprehend what hurdles fledgling Cannabis businesses must clear in order to survive. The side effects of this is an industry that’s rather cut throat, difficult to navigate, and difficult to succeed in - as it pushes those who work in it to their max. Turnover is frequent and loyalty is low as well qualified individuals are often poached by rivaling businesses. Laws change regularly, often challenging business owners to come up with four to six figures to become compliant with them. Other times a business owner will invest that amount to become compliant, only for that rule to be repealed or amended shortly thereafter.

Finding Health in Chaos While it’s easy to get excited about a career in Cannabis and jump in full force, don’t forget balance and diversity are key to health and happiness. Take time for yourself, trust your gut, and put your foot down for your personal health when you need to. There is more to life than being a professional and without your health, you’ll have no career in any industry. There are many individuals who have left stable, mainstream careers to pursue a passion for the plant and have been able to make it stick. Many others were hustlers, growers, trimmers, and backyard open blasters for years before legalization, and are now making an oddly similar - yet opposite - transition. Everyone brings something different to the table. And in the short term and likely in the long run, each company will need people with both types of experience to succeed. While younger companies will demand more from fewer, generally speaking older and more established businesses will have more allowance for individuals to focus on a single job. The flip side to this is that younger companies will almost always have more opportunity for ownership than established ones. As this freshly legalizing industry is forming, to get ahead, remember that essentially every single Cannabis business in existence is a startup. Startups have lots of holes that need to be filled and if one can identify areas where growing companies need help, it can be a relatively easy process to making oneself invaluable to that company. This industry was built on communication and trust, and owners who aren’t part of the Green Rush still rely heavily on their gut instinct to make business decisions. Proving loyalty and value should be at the top of the list for anyone looking to secure steady, profitable work in the Cannabis industry. Finding the sweet spot between your work-life balance, income stability, and career growth potential in this industry isn’t easy - but if you truly love the plant - then all the hurdles you clear to get there will be unquestionably worth it.

STORY by NATE WILLIAMS @NATEW415 | CALIFORNIA LEAF STATE DIRECTOR

THE health ISSUE

Interview

HERBOLOGICAL SYNERGY Maxwell Goldman is the lab director and chemist for Fairwinds Manufacturing, a Washington based company that creates herbal based products in THC and CBD versions. Goldman is the lead product formulator at Fairwinds, where he

combines a degree in chemistry with years of training in a Buddhist monastery in the ancient art of herbology. After recording an episode of Leaf Life Podcast on the topic of herbology, we sat down to talk about the historical connections and benefits of combining herbs and Cannabis. How did your Cannabis journey begin?

nwlEAF.COM

When I first tried it, I was maybe 15 with some buddies in high school. I’ve struggled with health problems my whole life and believe I was born with an endocannabinoid deficiency. Dr. Ethan Russo has proposed the theory that a whole class of diseases are caused by ECS deficiency, with the three main issues being fibromyalgia, migraine headaches, and mental disorders like depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia. I have had migraine headaches from birth - some of my earliest memories are struggling with the pain - and have battled depression and anxiety. So, I tried Cannabis in a park late at night and it was almost like a religious experience. It was very powerful for me and liberating. I suddenly felt healthy in a way that I had never felt before.

Did you always know Cannabis was going to have a big impact on your life? It became a really big focal point in my mind and a point of contention. Back in 1995 it was illegal everywhere and the idea of Cannabis as medicine was unsubstantiated. For a long time I was thinking, maybe I’m just a drug addict. So I felt conflicted because I knew it was improving my health when I used it frequently. Then California passed MMJ and I began getting really serious into herbal medicine.

You got a degree in chemistry but went all the way to India for your herbology education. How did your time in India shape your view of life? For three years I

lived in an ashram with a guru and his disciples, like a monastery but not an official building in the Himalayan Mountains. When I first went out I had a lot of existential questions - like why are we here - and those questions got answered early on for me. Not directly, but by listening. And the Bhuddist type of thinking and speaking really cleared up how I view reality and my life.

“Modern medicine doesn’t acknowledge ancient medicine. That’s why it has been lost and why there’s a huge opportunity to bring it back into society.” JAN. 2020

Do you consider Cannabis to be an herbal medicine?

It’s probably one of the first herbal medicines. Cannabis is really powerful medically and is probably one of the best spiritual medicines on Earth. It’s an excellent tool for enhancing your connection with the divine and medically - it’s powerful in both ways.

How are modern medicine and herbology connected? What’s exciting to me

about the Fairwinds mission and products is what Cannabis is doing for humanity. Because Cannabis and herbal medicine have been suppressed for the last 100 years, big pharma has put an iron grip on medicine and wellness. They’ve kind of brainwashed society into thinking that to treat diseases, you have to use synthetic drugs. And intentionally or not, natural medicine has been completely suppressed. A lot of people don’t know that most drugs are derived from plants. Drug companies would go out to a village and find a tribe that was treating one of their illnesses with a particular medicine, some ancient tradition, and researchers would sample and isolate molecules, testing them until they found the one molecule that works. They then patent it and make money by making it more potent. Nobody was isolating molecules from herbal medicine or studying them except pharmaceutical companies, and all the research was private. So some companies knew about the benefits of herbs, but they buried it because they couldn’t make money off them.

Broad-Spectrum CBD Oil w/ Terpenes

Fairwinds Release CBD Tincture

Fairwinds Deep Sleep CBD Tincture

Essential Oil Blend

Herbal Extract Blend

Essential Oil Blend

Herbal Extract Blend

Sweet Orange, Bergamot,

Passionflower,

Bergamot, Lavender,

Magnolia Bark,

Neroli, Lavender, Ylang Ylang,

Magnolia Bark

Chamomile, Pepper-

Passionflower,

mint, Vetiver Root

Skullcap Root

Frankincense, and Copaiba

Combining Cannabis with a host of beneficial herbs is the special recipe for the incredible product lineup from Fairwinds Manufacturing Why does this excite you? What is exciting for me is that Cannabis is like a crowbar cracking a door open into the world of herbal and natural medicine, and people are starting to see that there is a lot of power there. And it’s totally safe and very cheap, which is what we really need in medicine. I think a lot of people have thought herbs were useless, old wives tales. I think Cannabis is changing that view as it’s seen as a powerful medicine, and so understanding is pulling Cannabis along with a similar view of other herbs.

How can the entourage effect of combining herbs and Cannabis help make them both more effective? Traditionally holistic medicine uses Cannabis along with other herbs to enhance effects. Herbal synergy can be best explained through modern medicine with the endocannabinoid system, which is so wide reaching in the body that it regulates almost every system - enhancing herbs that work on the same system that Cannabis works on. If you have an herbal formula for joint pain from arthritis, adding Cannabis to the formula will immediately make it work better. The entourage effect is a real thing, not just in Cannabis, but in Cannabis and other herbs.

“What is exciting for me is that Cannabis is like a crowbar cracking a door open into the world of herbal and natural medicine.” FairwindsManufacturing.com FairwindsCBD.com Listen to Max on the Herbology episode of our Leaf Life Podcast:

Fairwinds Flow

CBD Pain Relief Cream

Purified Water, Essential Oil & Terpene Blend (Bergamot, Lemon, Turmeric, Nutmeg, Clove, Wintergreen, Cinnamon, Peppermint, Linalool, Eucalyptol, Borneol, Menthol, Caryophyllene), White Willow Bark, Canna Vera, Avocado Oil, Oregon Hemp Extract, Docosanol, Ceramides 1,3,6-11, Hyaluronic Acid, Lactylate, Comfrey Extract

What advice do you have for people considering combining Cannabis and herbal remedies, or pharmaceuticals? I’d say this is a very good thing, and there’s really no danger with normal use. Cannabis interacts with a lot of herbs and pharmaceuticals in a positive way. Some people would say there is a risk, but I would say that the risk is really just that it makes the drugs work more. And sometimes that’s a good thing, like with opiates. They are very dangerous with overdoses and dependency, and other health problems. If you can use Cannabis to take less opiates and get the same benefit, that’s huge. And Cannabis is clinically proven to cut opiate doses in half or less.

What is your mission with herbology? Big pharma doesn’t want you to know about herbal treatments or to treat yourself for free. I’m excited about changing that. Pushing medicine to the next step of evolution, which is the convergence of ancient traditional medicine with modern medical science, based on chemical analysis. Those are both super powerful, but modern medicine doesn’t acknowledge ancient medicine. That’s why it has been lost and why there’s a huge opportunity to bring it back into society.

How does the product lineup at Fairwinds tie into the mission? Overall we have over 40 products with THC and CBD versions, from our suppositories to capsules and tinctures that combine Cannabis with herbal treatments - all of which people depend on, love, and have changed their lives. This is really a humanitarian mission. Of course we are all in this to make a living, but the main driver for us is helping people and delivering on the potential of Cannabis and herbal medicine.

Leaflifepodcast.com INTERVIEW by WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX

THE health ISSUE

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.

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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 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

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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

RECIPES

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

GETTIN’ BAKED NOTHING LIKE A DIPPED COOKIE

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 INSTRUCTIONS 1. Heat oven to 325˚. Spray two baking pans with spray. In a small bowl combine the coconut, sugar, flour, and salt. Mix well. 2. Drop by two rounded teaspoons onto baking sheets. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. 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.

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

PEANUT BUTTER & JELLY CREAM CHEESE COOKIES

INSTRUCTIONS

FRUITY COOKIE PIE

INSTRUCTIONS

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

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

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

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

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

MAKES 12 COOKIES

JAN. 2020

3. Add the baking soda and salt and blend to combine. Chill for 30 minutes. 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. 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.

2. In a large bowl, blend the butter with the extracts until light and fluffy. 3. Add the sugars and mix until well incorporated. 4. Add the egg and stir until well incorporated. 5. Sift the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt into the dough. Combine with a spatula until evenly mixed. 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. 7. Let cool for 20-30 minutes and cut into 12 slices.

RECIPES by LAURIE WOLF | PHOTOS by BRUCE WOLF

THIS PRODUCT HAS INTOXICATING EFFECTS AND MAY BE HABIT FORMING. MARIJUANA CAN IMPAIR CONCENTRATION, COORDINATION, AND JUDGMENT. DO NOT OPERATE A VEHICLE OR MACHINERY UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THIS DRUG. THERE MAY BE HEALTH RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH CONSUMPTION OF THIS PRODUCT. FOR USE ONLY BY ADULTS TWENTY-ONE YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER. KEEP OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN.

coffee & cannabis #2

Brewed by The Reef

CAPPUCCINO & WHITE FIRE OG For many years now, the cappuccino has been bastardized. These days, any espresso beverage with a layer of thick foam on top can masquerade as one. But traditionally, cappuccinos possess a much more strict and formulaic recipe - only between five and six ounces in size and generally equal parts espresso, milk, and foam. While coffee has been abased for mass consumption, Cannabis has had the opposite trajectory. White Fire OG by Freya

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Other recommended activities that would pair well with this combination of coffee and Cannabis include...

• Pregaming • A long brunch with your conservative, out-of-town relatives • Going to a farmers’ market with your partner and asking to sample all the fruit, changing into a disguise, and then resampling all the fruit • Binge-watching your favorite holiday movies JAN. 2020

Much like a cappuccino is topped with thick and luxurious foam, The White’s heavy trichome production dusts WiFi OG with a thick crystal layer.

LEGALIZATION has brought the breeders’ revolution and with it more hybrids than ever before. Long gone are the days when you had one or two options from your dealers. Shelves are stocked with more options than most know what to do with. But while some bemoan the loss of classic strains in the process, hybridization has brought us the Cookies phenomenon, countless blue cuts, and a myriad of other choices offered by your neighborhood dispensary. White Fire OG - often referred to as WiFi - is a textbook example of a great hybrid. It’s East meets West. California’s San Fernando Valley OG crosses with OG Kush to create one parent, Fire OG, while the Florida-based Triangle Kush becomes The White. Much like a cappuccino is topped with thick and luxurious foam, The White’s heavy trichome production dusts WiFi OG with a thick crystal layer. Fire OG lends an earthy and gassy note, ultimately leading to White Fire’s sour citrus and herbaceous, peppery flavors. Similarly, as espresso mixes with the steamed milk and foam of a cappuccino, syrupy and nutty tastes erupt, with cream softening the bright, slightly bitter espresso. The diesel of the Cannabis is mellowed by the thick layer of soft foam on top of the beverage. The tart flavors of both coffee and Cannabis collide and complement, while the deeper notes of pepper pair beautifully with the rich, smooth experience of the espresso. Cappuccinos are traditionally a morning drink - thought too heavy to be consumed past 11:00 - and the same could be said for WiFi OG. The high sets in with a thick cerebral fog, more euphoric than your average haze, and velvety like the head of the cappuccino. You’ll feel relaxed but uplifted, making this strain great for grabbing coffee with friends or being creative while tucked away in a cafe.

STORY by TJ GAGNIER | PHOTOS by JESSE CODLING | MARKETING

& CREATIVE DIRECTOR, THE REEF SEATTLE

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This product has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination, and judgement. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. For use only by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of the reach of children.

CBG

CBN

CBD

on the road

Las Vegas, NV

S P E C I A L H E A LT H I S S U E E D I T I O N

STORY by JONAH TACOMA @DABSTARS2.0 for LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by JESS LARUE @JESSICALARUE_420

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fished my phone from my pocket as it began to chirp and shudder. I had forgotten to turn it on airplane mode and as we swooped low over the desert on our final approach to McCarran International Airport, it had come alive with messages and alerts directing us to the night’s festivities. While only on its third year, MJBizcon, had ballooned massively in the last two, growing to

JAN. 2020

occupy the entire north hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center, and it seemed like all of Cannabis was in town for the event. Even High Times was hosting a satellite Cannabis Cup, taking advantage of the massive influx of industry and community members all concentrated in one spot. The sun was already setting as we made our way to the Mayweather Suite at the Palms. Justin Willson waved us into the hotel bar as we entered the lobby.

“Are you ready for some craziness?” he said grinning. I laughed, winking. This had been ground zero for last year’s Dabstar party and it was a miracle that we were even still allowed in the building. Jessica had missed the fun and I had been giving her a hard time ever since. “Ready for the party of the year babe?” I asked, pulling her close as we shot up 55 floors to the penthouse. Salina Mcclelland - dubbed the party

“I BLINKED MY EYES R E P E AT E D LY , M A K I N G S U R E I T WA S A R E A L M O N K E Y A N D N OT T H E P S I LO CYB I N . ” witch - was already buzzing around the kitchen making preparations for the next day’s debauchery. Salina was the organizational force behind all of the mayhem and had raised 30K in sponsorships for what promised to be one crazy event. We woke the next morning, bleary-eyed from a night of green carpets and limo rides down the strip. I rubbed my temples in wonderment. The once agrarian community was now surrounded by an ocean of suits and money, nowhere was this rising tide more apparent than here in Las Vegas. Grabbing our life preservers and paddles, we made ready for the day, catching an Uber to the convention center to try and take in the 1,300 booths that made up MJBizcon. At $500 a ticket, the massive event space was bustling with investor entrepreneur types, their neatly finished blazers sported over t-shirts and jeans. I asked one of the smaller booths what they had paid for the 10x10 space, whistling when I heard the answer. Just over $6,000 USD for a chance to fish that top account or would be investor from the crowd. Climbing a two-story extraction vessel the size of a Buick, I was able to take in the scale of the massive event for the first time. Returning to the suite, things were in full motion. Chef Nikki’s crew was busy preparing an infused feast while a live band did sound check in the

main room. The guys were in the back, reviewing a collection of party favors that Hunter S. Thompson would have been proud of. I busied myself checking the fittings on the large nitrous tank kept on hand for emergency dental work. Nick Woodward and Duane Woods had both flown in for the party and were setting up a row of dab rigs with the Dip Device crew. Every detail was covered and thanks to our sponsors, everything was free. I grabbed a round of drinks from the bartender who was setting up in front of a wall of liquor, as an IV nurse passed by with a bags of saline, headed towards a row of couched-out patients who had gone a little too hard the night before. Everyone looked up as the doorbell rang. This was to be a secret party for 400 or so of our closest friends, but there was some worry that the secret was out. We were using the same venue two years running, and more people were asking when than where. By the time the party officially started things were already in full swing. A pair of costumed contortionists performed an opening routine, while the five piece band wailed on behind them. I did a double-take as a Capuchin Monkey passed me clutching to his owner with one hand, while holding a stuffed animal in the other, I blinked my eyes repeatedly, making sure it was a real monkey and

not the psilocybin. By 2:00 AM a small group of 20 or so had taken over the master bathroom, the large tank of nitrous hidden conspicuously near the tub as the party raged on outside. By 4:00 AM the suite looked like a crime scene, the last of the partygoers still milling about the wreckage. Call it what you want, this was our time to let loose. You didn’t have to be a Wall Street reporter to see what was happening to the industry. Next year’s election would likely see Cannabis descheduled. Then what? It was easy to see who was waiting on the sidelines. Big companies with big money all being held at bay for the time being. Whatever the future held for this community turned industry, one thing was certain: We were a long way from the finish line.

nwleaf.com

SEPT. 2019

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.

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@RickerDJ

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Warning: This product has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming. Smoking is hazardous to your health. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. Should not be used by woman that are breast feeding. For use by adults twenty one or older. Keep out of reach of children. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination and judgement. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. This product may be unlawful outside of Washington State.