THE ENLIGHTENED VOICE
# 6 7 | J A N . 2020
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FEATURES 11 editor note 14 national news 16 local news 18 opinion
JAN. 2020
20 highly likely 22 the emerald cup 26 patient profile 28 budtender otm 30 eastwood gardens 34 fidus pdx review
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E S TA B L I S H E D 2 0 1 0
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This month’s cover celebrates the health and beauty of Cannabis for daily life. We hope you will take a relaxing soak into this issue and enjoy a variety of stories, from the historical uses of Cannabis for 10,000 years, to enjoying Cannabis with exercise, and of course: much, much more! Photography by @Keti.Photography Props & Styling by @MalinaLopez CBD Bath by @TheHempressUK Model @DeathDabforCutieee
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Editor’s Note Thanks for picking up The Health Issue of Oregon Leaf! THE CLASSIC SAYING that health is wealth has never rung truer than in 2020. I find it has great meaning when looking inward, and at our American lifestyle as a whole. Life in our modern society is so fast paced that health is often ignored, especially mental and emotional wellness. Attention is commanded by devices and people in an everincreasing hybrid of communication that connects us AS WE HEAD digitally, but not literally. Our ability to live in and for INTO THE NEW the moment seems to be slipping, especially when glued to our phones. We all accept that change is ROARING 20S, needed. But how do we attain it? 100 YEARS AFTER Now let me be clear. I’m not talking about a two week aborted gym membership, or a crash diet of edibles and protein shakes for the new year. When I speak of change, there is only one acceptable type: long term change. And it starts with a simple choice. To celebrate the moment and enjoy the gift of life.
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ALCOHOL’S HEYDAY, WE HAVE A NEW FAD SWEEPING THE COUNTRY. CANNABIS!
As we head into the new Roaring 20s, 100 years after alcohol’s heyday, we have a new fad sweeping the country. Cannabis! And the best benefit of Cannabis is the ability to help bring relaxation, peace, and enjoyment of life without the toxic aftereffects of alcohol or pharmaceuticals. So what is my new year’s resolution for 2020? To put my phone down, pick up a bowl of Cannabis, and allow myself to appreciate the little moments of life as it happens. To enjoy life is the most freeing form of self health care I have found. I have long evangelized that all use of Cannabis is medicinal, even if it’s simply to feel better on a rough, rainy Monday. If it makes you feel well, it becomes a wellness product, which is the basis for medicine. Cannabis definitely makes people feel better - to put aside politics, stress, fear and even hatred, and replace the negative energy with a wonderful feeling of wellness. That is a gift, one I intend to share in the new decade. As an honorary Lorax doctor, I recommend that the American people rip a double bong toke of 1:1 CBD and THC, stat! After all, you can’t spell healthcare without THC.
-Wes Abney
JAN. 2020
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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
oregonlEAF.COM
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NO CANNABIS DELIVERIES FOR WASHINGTON STATE RESIDENTS
Cannabis has been legal for more than seven years now in Washington state. But residents of the Evergreen State, saddled with an unfortunately weak legalization law, still don’t have weed delivery services - and they won’t have them anytime soon. If you’re looking for help from the Washington CannaBusiness Association (WACA), you’re out of luck. In December WACA unveiled its list of 2020 legislative priorities. You might be surprised to know that among their recommendations is that Washington State “is not yet ready for direct-to-consumer delivery.” Claiming “the system should not be loosened to allow Cannabis delivery,” the group - which ironically counts as its members and financiers, many of whom would be in direct competition with delivery services - cast the business of pot deliveries as being quite dangerous. “There are a lot of question marks around structuring delivery and what to do with cash and handing payments,” WACA executive director Vicki Christopherson told The Tacoma News Tribune. “There are safety concerns for drivers.”
Hemp is a problem for Oregon law enforcement officials. It seems that they can’t tell the difference between it and THC-rich marijuana - and that means it’s also a problem for Oregon’s adult-use Cannabis industry, reports Willamette Week. The federal government legalized hemp in December 2018. The legal definition of hemp means it can only contain trace amounts of THC. But the move created mass confusion among law enforcement agencies trying to stop unlicensed pot grows. The Oregon State Police Forensic Services Division, which had provided testing of plant samples suspected by law enforcement of being marijuana, announced in July it won’t do that anymore - as the tests “could not quantify THC, which is the difference between hemp and marijuana,” said Timothy Fox, OSP spokesman. “So we stopped doing the test, as their was no scientific or evidentiary value in the test.” Local sheriffs’ offices are left hanging. Oregon cops, already frustrated by the state’s thriving illegal market, complain that hemp provides more cover for unlicensed growers. Some claim illicit marijuana is being grown and exported as “hemp.”
ALCOHOL RELATED CAR CRASHES DROP IN IDAHO AFTER NEIGHBOR WASHINGTON STATE LEGALIZES
MARYLAND COULD SOON SEE CANNABIS EDIBLES Maryland, which legalized medical Cannabis in 2013, didn’t launch its program until 2017. The state still doesn’t allow recreational weed, but marijuana-infused edibles are specifically allowed - it has just taken a while to write their regulations. The state is in the process of writing the edible regulations, according to Maryland Matters. Tight rules will be enforced. Edibles will reportedly have to be contained in plain, opaque packaging that are tamper-evident and child-resistant. The packaging won’t be allowed to contain cartoons or other graphics that could “influence minors.” Shapes of edibles can only be “geometric,” with no forms, designs or flavors “appealing to children” allowed.
“These findings are consistent with increased access to marijuana leading to substitution away from alcohol to marijuana,” the paper concluded. The research is the first to look at whether cross-border shopping has an indirect impact on public health. In this case, that was found to be true, since accidents that are the result of alcohol misuse were found to decrease after Cannabis legalization nearby. Study author Benjamin Hansen, of the University of Oregon, confirmed that searches for the term “dispensaries” increased “dramatically” in Idaho after Washington legalized Cannabis. The author also found that access to recreational Cannabis was associated with a 21 percent decrease in accidents involving alcohol in Idaho counties directly bordering Washington.
NEW SPENDING BILL QUASHES PLANS FOR RECREATIONAL CANNABIS SALES IN D.C.
WEED BEATS TOBACCO IN SEATTLE
Hopes for legalization of marijuana sales in the District of Columbia were dashed in December, as a $1.3 trillion federal spending bill will continue to prohibit D.C. from passing any bill legalizing or regulating the sale, reports WAMU. The prohibition, first put in place in 2015, will now extend through at least September 2020, reports the DCist. The prohibition, which had been left out of the version passed by the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives, was re-inserted by the Republican-controlled Senate. It remained after both chambers hashed out a compromise spending bill to avert a government shutdown. “Ridiculous,” tweeted DC Mayor Muriel Bowser on December 16. “We should have the right to implement #SafeCannabis just like other jurisdictions to promote safety for their residents.”
JAN. 2020
After Washington State allowed Cannabis sales in 2014, drunk driving accidents in next door Idaho dropped, according to a new study. Not only was there an association, but it was also strongest in counties closest to the Washington border, the study found, according to the paper from Utah State University’s Center for Growth and Opportunity.
Seattle is one of just three cities in the United States where marijuana use exceeds the use of all products containing nicotine, according to market research firm Nielsen. More than 700,000 people 18 and older in the greater Seattle area have consumed Cannabis in the past 30 days, reports The Seattle Times. That’s about 17 percent of the population. About 16 percent used nicotine products, including cigarettes and e-cigarettes. Adults in the Seattle area who consume Cannabis have a median income of about $78,000. Those who smoke cigarettes or use other tobacco products average around $59,000. Cannabis users are also much more likely than nicotine consumers to be college graduates, according to Nielsen.
By STEVE ELLIOTT, AUTHOR OF THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF MARIJUANA
TAKE A
GRATEFUL BREAK See if you can find all fifteen words!
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JANUARY SATIVA OREGON GRATEFUL NIGERIAN PREROLL GREENERY SILVER BLUNT
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local news
VITAMIN E ACETATE CONFIRMED AS ADULTERANT In a November 22nd press release by the OLCC, commissioners affirmed the organization’s authority to ban vitamin E acetate from Cannabis products, citing the compound as an adulterant. Adulterants are prohibited in Cannabis products sold across the state. The move to
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According to the Oregonian, health officials don’t know yet if “products used by Oregon residents who contracted the lung illness contained vitamin E acetate.” affirm this decision by the OLCC came after legal battles with Cannabis and nicotine vape companies resulted in a lift on Governor Kate Brown’s flavored vape product ban. Testing standards and high lab turnaround currently hinder the testing of these potentially harmful substances, even if they are technically banned. In the same November news release, OLCC Executive Director Steve Marks acknowledged this obstacle. “The Commission is taking steps with our regulatory partners to put in place additional
CURA PURCHASE PLUMMETS
consumer safeguards. Just this week we discussed with the legislature establishing a state-run reference lab, so that regulators can test marijuana products to better protect consumers.” According to the Oregonian, health officials don’t know yet if “products used by Oregon residents who contracted the lung illness contained vitamin E acetate.” But speculation from several national studies and reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have voiced concerns over the compound.
MOVE OVER, PEAR!
oregonlEAF.COM
A deal between Cura (Oregon’s largest oil distributor) and the Massachusetts-based Curaleaf Holdings has plummeted after Bloomberg reports touted the purchase as “the largest acquisition so far between U.S. Cannabis companies.” In May, Cura Cannabis Solutions (sold under brand names Select Oil and Select CBD) was slated to sell to Curaleaf Holdings, a Massachusetts company. The all-stock deal was originally estimated at around $950 million, according to the Bloomberg report. By October, the Oregonian revealed a steep decline in price, as Curaleaf’s stock “plunged by nearly half.” In an interview with the Cameron Forni, Cura CEO and founder of Select Oregonian, Curaleaf Holdings blamed “changing market conditions” for the dramatic drop in value. But negative, national vape publicity could be having a larger effect, as Cannabis stocks have seen a general decline. The deal with Curaleaf Holdings has now dropped to $286 million, a sum less than one-third of the original.
JAN. 2020
HEMP SURPASSES STATE FRUIT IN ACREAGE GROWN Hemp has officially surpassed the state fruit in Oregon acreage. According to an article by KDRV ABC, hemp now boasts 50,000 acres, compared to only 19,000 planted acres of pear. Pears were designated as the official state fruit back in 2005 and regions like the Rogue Valley are especially known for their production. But farmers have been flocking to hemp over the past year since the 2018 Farm Bill brought nationwide legalization. Now, pear farmers are looking for alternatives. Ron Meyer’s family has been growing pears in the Rogue Valley for over 100 years. In an interview with ABC, Meyer told reporters that many pear farmers are renting out storage and drying facilities to hemp farmers overwhelmed by production.
STORIES by AMANDA DAY @TERPODACTYL_MEDIA
OPINION
NAVIGATING THE RIVER OF LIFE
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Change is like a river. Some try to build giant dams to attempt to stop and regulate the flow, others learn to paddle and maneuver with the currents, instead of treating it like a force that must be constantly resisted. It’s temping to hold onto comfort and entrenchment, especially as more and more changes in the world.
H
We could have all decided to get out of our Let’s continue to evolve and nourish our personal boats and camp on that rock and live in that power for positive change in the new year! There is still frustration, trying to stop the water. more work to be done - currently the new higher 50mg Instead, enough people took action to look limit doesn’t apply to topicals and capsules - a much ahead and corrected course, reaching out to needed change. our state rulemakers and letting them know they As we progress into 2020, practice keeping your need to come up with a better solution. head up and your boat pointed down the ever-flowing, The reward of continuing down the river rapidly changing river of life. Remember, the power of was realizing that even though you had no collectively embracing change and steering around obidea what was there, you took it as a stacles allows us all to flow forward together, challenge and learned something new. as opposed to stopping the flow and trying to Like the fact that despite the rapids get as many people as you can to help build Matthew Meyers is a in our current situation, just beyond your dam. longtime Oregon Leaf the bend waits progress and calmer contributor and Cannabis If you’re fortunate you’ll find someone activist, working as a Here, one can head forward with the flow waters. But we have to be willing to to share a boat with, which makes these writer and budtender, of the river, looking ahead and making minor accept whatever is around the bend changes more manageable. However, it hailing from Hood River. course corrections to avoid the inevitable rapids to get there, which is the scary part also comes with its stresses, such as the and rocks that confront you on the river of life. of change that we all feel - regardless of our need for consensus and communication when correctA few months ago, I wrote about a troubling confidence levels. ing course or taking action. You can’t assume that you and greedy new THC limit that the OLCC To everyone that took action to help us and your partner both want to go around the upcomplaced on OLCC-approved hemp products evolve past that silly and greedy 10mg hemp ing rock the same way. We’ll always be progressing. (to be sold in licensed dispensaries) that would product limit, I cannot thank you enough. I We can never assume we’ve made our last unknown force full spectrum products with over 10mg of know that time and attention are valuable these river turn. The river will continue to flow throughout our THC to pay tax. This was a frustrating situation days, so thank you for committing some of both lives and long after our timelines have passed. that came up - one of the rocks in the river. to helping solve that challenge. So, if you’re one of the lucky ones feeling good about your awareness and ability to steer through life’s obstacles successfully, then take that confidence and “ The reward of continuing down the river was realizing be an example for someone who’s caught on a rock around you. Pass them a new paddle, give a gentle that even though you had no idea what was there, you took nudge, or even simply remind them to be conscious of where their focus is - and to keep their head up and it as a challenge and learned something new.” looking down the river.
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owever, as time goes on, that entrenchment will come with more hidden stress as the rest of the world and universe continues on its flow down the river, away from your trenches. Be careful of getting disconnected by trying to stop in the river or stop the flow altogether. Instead, keep your head up and look downriver to investigate - where you will be able to realize what’s actually coming at you - rather than building preconceptions in your head before you’ve seen around the river’s bend.
JAN. 2020
STORY by MATTHEW MEYERS @EARLMCDABSITY | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS
highly likely #53
H i g h l y L i ke l y h i g h l i g h t s Ca n n a b i s p i o n e e rs w h o p a ve d t h e wa y t o g re a t e r h e r b a l a c c e p ta n ce .
MEZZMEZZROW FAMED JAZZ ARTIST AND 1930S-40S ERA CANNABIS P ROPONENT
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connection between Cannabis and creativity, especially when improvising. In his 1946 autobiography ”Really the Blues” - cowritten with Barnard Wolfe - Mezzrow eloquently described his first experience with Cannabis as happening at a gig, just before taking the stage: “The first thing I noticed was that I began to hear my saxophone as though it was inside my head…Then I began to feel the vibrations of the reed much more pronounced against my lip…I found I was slurring much better and putting just the right feeling into my phases - I was really coming on. All the notes came easing out Milton “Mezz” Mezzrow was an American jazz of my horn like they’d already been made clarinetist and saxophonist who affiliated himself up, greased and stuffed into the bell, so all with some of the greatest muI had to do was blow a little sicians in history, including Fats and send them on their way, FROM EARLY ON IN HIS Waller, Cab Calloway, Sydney one right after the other, CAREER, MEZZ MEZZROW Bechet, Louis Armstrong, and never missing, never behind many more. He was both an time, all without an ounce UNDERSTOOD THE SACRED impresario and a producer for of effort. . . I began to feel CONNECTION BETWEEN jazz recordings, primarily in happy and sure of myself. CANNABIS AND CREATIVITY, With my loaded horn I could Harlem in the 30s and 40s. ESPECIALLY WHEN From early on in his career, take all the fist-swinging, evil Mezzrow understood the sacred things in the world and bring IMPROVISING.
oregonlEAF.COM
IT’S BEEN ALMOST 100 YEARS SINCE CANNABIS WAS MADE FEDERALLY ILLEGAL IN THE UNITED STATES. AS WE WATCH THE TIDE BEGIN TO TURN AND CANNABIS NORMALIZATION (SLOWLY BUT SURELY) TAKE HOLD IN THE U.S. AGAIN, WE CAN LOOK BACK TO THE HISTORY OF THE JAZZ AGE TO SEE WHAT OUR LONG LOST CULTURE LOOKED LIKE BEFORE IT WAS FORCED TO GO SUBTERRANEAN.
JAN. 2020
them together in perfect harmony, spreading peace and joy and relaxation to all the keyedup and punchy people everywhere. I began to preach my millenniums on my horn, leading all the sinners to glory.” Lead them to glory he did. Mezzrow wasn’t content to just consume Cannabis, he wanted, it seemed, to extol its virtues to the world. Problem was, the herb had just been made federally illegal in 1937. Because of this, and many other factors, Mezzrow became perhaps the first celebrity Cannabis dealer in history. Although, due to the differences in time and culture, he might just be considered the first Cannabis celebrity. Apparently, he achieved this status by establishing himself as the (white) jazz musician reported to have the best “golden leaf muta,” due to his relationship with a Mexican syndicate smuggling it into the United States. His weed was so good, it seemed, that some of the hottest musicians of the time were clamoring for it. Soon, songs referencing “The Mezz” were being played on radio stations around New York, and then around the country. Ultimately, Mezzrow was so famous that he started to attract attention from the law and was arrested while trying to enter a jazz club at the 1939 World’s Fair with 60 joints. After playing a festival in France in the late 40s, Mezzrow decided to make his home in the country and he remained there until his death. His name still graces the jazz club, Mezzrow, in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan. But it was how Mezzrow saw the role of Cannabis in a musician’s life (who he referred to as vipers) and culture that truly stands out: “Us vipers began to know that we had a gang of things in common…We were on another plane in another sphere compared to the musicians who were bottle babies, always hitting the jug and then coming up brawling after they got loaded. We like things to be easy and relaxed, mellow and mild, not loud or loutish, and the scowling chin-out tension of the lush-hounds with their false courage didn’t appeal to us. Besides, the lushies didn’t even play good music their tones came hard and evil, not natural, soft and soulful…We members of the viper school were for making music that was real foxy, all lit up with inspiration and her mammy.”
By PACER STACKTRAIN for LEAF NATION
rehashed
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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.
oregonlEAF.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
extracts SAFETY. QUALITY. RELIABILITY. No Additives or Dilutants Full Spectrum C02 Extract All Cannabis Derived Terpenes At Green Dragon Extracts, our customer’s safety and the quality of our products are our main priority. Since 2015 we have been providing clean extracts that our loyal patients and customers have come to love and trust. Thank you from all of us in the Green Dragon Family.
@Green.Dragon.Extracts
@GreenDragonExtractsOregon
GreenDragonExtracts.com
Keep out of reach of children. Do not drive a motor vehicle while under the influence of marijuana. For use only by adults 21 and older.
PROFILE
Growing Releaf Budtender on surviving cancer and finding relief with CBD Bruce Chaddock Jr. is a veteran budtender and a
passionate patient advocate for Cannabis. After being diagnosed with cancer in 1996, he started using Cannabis again to offset the effects of chemo. Since putting cancer into remission, Bruce has been budtending since 2015. Nowadays he shares his knowledge and experience with others to help them find ways to incorporate Cannabis into their lifestyle as an alternative treatment option.
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ruce was already no stranger to the green when he first began using Cannabis for medicinal reasons in 1996. His father was a jazz musician who also enjoyed partaking. And when Bruce became a father, he went “straight” during a time that shunned parents who used Cannabis. “My father was a trumpet player and would smoke with the jazz players,” Bruce recalled. “I don’t think my father would have been as into pot if he wasn’t a musician. I used to partake when I was younger, but my marriage and children kept me away from pot for good reason. During those years it was okay being “straight” dad. But now, we trade information on CBD, pain relief, and all of the new research. It has been so cool to have the perception of Cannabis turn around in a positive way. Now I talk with my son about how Cannabis is going to make him feel better, or recover faster after a workout.” Before his cancer diagnosis, Bruce worked as a stage manager and high steel rigger. The physical demands of the job took a toll on his body, and Cannabis helped him release and ease muscle tension. “As a stage high-steel rigger, you gotta do your job right - and if you drop something - there are people underneath you. It was very stressful and safety was so important. The job took a major physical and mental toll on my body,” Bruce said. “After being diagnosed with cancer in 1996, a fellow stage-hand was a grower and suggested I try Cannabis in order to help my appetite. The specific strain he gave me was California Gorilla Glue, and it dramatically helped stimulate my appetite.” Chemotherapy is a nasty process that kills the body as well as the cancer. Bruce felt like he was dying from the treatment and longed for something that made him feel better. Cannabis provided a safe alternative option that not only stimulated his appetite, but also helped with the pain. The plant helped uplift his mood and made him feel as if he could get better.
“IT’S IMPORTANT TO OPEN UP YOUR MIND TO SEE NEW EXPERIENCES, AND YOU SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY AFTER THAT,” BRUCE REMARKED. “CANNABIS CRACKED A HOLE IN MY MIND TO ALLOW OTHER THOUGHTS AND NEW WAYS OF THINKING ABOUT THINGS.”
apR. 2019 JAN. 2020
Bruce Chaddock Jr. “With the ups and downs of chemo and nausea, you start thinking you’re about ready to die,” said Bruce. “Sure enough after using Cannabis, I had an appetite. Just this simple thing could do that and I didn’t need anything else at that point. The pharmaceutical side was trying to kill me with chemo, which left a bleach spot on my hand. It was toxic for everything. This was also during the age of oxycontin and the push of opiates. Being 62 and a stage-hand has caught up with me and my body. I take CBD every day to help me get up and get ready for work, and when I leave the house, I’m not hurting. I don’t have to get high or use THC to be pain-free. Being a budtender has taught me so much about wellness and how to take care of myself with Cannabis naturally.” After putting cancer in remission, Bruce shifted from stage managing to budtending, and began learning about new Cannabis research to help himself and others. Ultimately, budtending was easier on his body and gave him full access to Cannabis products and knowledge. Here, he loves working with people and getting to know the growers behind the strains. “I’m a budtender at Growing Releaf in Beaverton, and I focus on the medicinal needs,” he said. “Education is so important, and when I have someone come back and tell me I helped them find a way to have a better quality of life, I get emotional. Nothing beats it. Using Cannabis brings me joy, but when I can help an elderly woman microdose, it brings me such joy! I like that GR is a one-on-one experience with every customer, in order to give people privacy and
respect if they need it. We get a lot of recreational users, but GR is especially conscious of those using Cannabis with a medical emphasis.” When it comes to smoking, Bruce’s favorite way to consume Cannabis is via flower rolled into a joint. He enjoys the social and communal aspects of Cannabis, and the flavor. “Black Domina is one of my favorite strains,” he said. “I think it’s a hidden gem of flavor and sedative - but doesn’t put me to sleep. With all these new strains coming out, everything is getting muddied. It’s hard to find older strains with the onslaught of the new.” Bruce is also a major advocate of tinctures, often turning to them for relief with stress in his lower back and neck. Beyond wellness, Bruce utilizes Cannabis for its capacity to enhance creativity. He considers himself an artist and appreciates how Cannabis can expand the way we see or think about things. Bruce doesn’t confine himself to one type of medium, and thinks like an interdisciplinary artist who uses different mediums to convey different ideas. He is a painter who fancies animation, and uses Cannabis to support his creative endeavors. “It’s important to open up your mind to see new experiences, and you see things differently after that,” Bruce remarked. “Cannabis cracked a hole in my mind to allow other thoughts and new ways of thinking about things.” If you happen to be on the west side of Portland, I highly suggest you go visit Bruce at Growing Releaf. His passion for the plant and life itself exudes from his very being.
INTERVIEW by SIMONE FISCHER @SIMONEFISCHERR | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS
Holly. Jolly. Cannabis. ‘TIS THE SEASON TO VISIT CURALEAF PORTLAND! Oregon’s cannabis market has transitioned from medical to adult-use—and Curaleaf is no stranger to the shift. No matter the reason you use cannabis, Curaleaf is focused on creating a dispensary experience where new customers feel comfortable and safe. The Portland store is impressive. It’s inviting, it’s clean, and it’s got a feel-good-vibe from the moment you walk inside. The employees are excited not just to help, but to educate. There’s this unmistakable energy. We call it Cannabis with Confidence. In addition to a broad and unique range of premium Oregonian cannabis products, Curaleaf ooers an abundant supply of holiday spirit—available at no extra charge.
LOCATED AT 5103 NE FREMONT ST., PORTLAND, OR 97213 Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. For use only by adults 21 years of age and older. Keep out reach of children.
budtender
W H O ’ S YOU R FAVO R I T E B U D T E N D E R ? T E L L U S W H Y ! E M A I L N O M I N AT I O N S T O T H E P AC E R S TAC K T R A I N @ G M A I L . C O M
Sally Pierce
OREGON LEAF BUDTENDER OF THE MONTH E U G E N E O G / 2 0 4 5 F R A N K L I N AV E , E U G E N E , O R / ( 5 4 1 ) 5 0 5 - 7 5 7 5 / E U G E N E _ O G _ 5 4 1
HOW DI D YOU F I R ST E X P E R I E N C E CAN NAB I S ? My first experience with Cannabis was in my freshman year of high school. I had only lived in Oregon for almost a year at that point. I was super nervous, but mostly excited to get high for the first time. It was a classic case of the older kids offering a bowl to a younger kid - who insists they have smoked before - only for the sake of observing a totally stoned noob. So, in my attempt to be accepted and to rebel in my teenage angst, I started my more than decade long journey with Cannabis. HOW LO NG HAV E YOU B E E N A B U D TE N DE R ? WHAT ’ S YOU R FAVO R I TE PART O F T H E J O B ? I started budtending around two-and-a-half years ago. Some of my more rewarding moments at work come when a patient or consumer walks out of the shop with a full, comprehensive understanding of a product that we’ve found will be most effective for their personal needs. Hearing positive customer feedback on a product that I’ve recommended is easily my favorite part of my job. Nothing beats having a positive effect on someone’s livelihood.
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FAVO R I TE M E T HOD F O R CO N SU M I NG CAN NAB I S ? Smoking flower and eating edibles are my tried and true ways. A solid beaker-bottom bong rip with a heady chug has me feeling blissful after a long day. And when it comes to pain management, I’ve found the most relief from consuming full spectrum edibles.
“HEARING POSITIVE CUSTOMER FEEDBACK ON A P RODUCT THAT I’VE RECOMMENDED IS EASILY MY FAVORITE PART OF MY JOB. NOTHING BEATS HAVING A POSITIVE EFFECT ON SOMEONE’S LIVELIHOOD.”
WHAT AR E S O M E O F YOU R FAVO R I TE ST RAI N S , E F F EC TS AN D TE R P E N E P RO F I LE S ? Platinum Huckleberry Cookies, Tropic Heat, East Coast Sour Diesel, and Durban Chocolope. There are too many terps to choose from! I like a nice balance and blend, but I lean towards strains heavier in myrcene, caryophyllene, limonene and pinene. With that, I typically look for three different effects in the flower I smoke - the sedating and heavy body high, the relaxed/ giggly/social high, and then the uplifting/ creative/productive high.
H OW D O YOU F I N D T H E R IG H T ST RAI N S F O R A CUSTO M E R ? What effect are you looking for? How often do you smoke? What flavor profiles call to you? I listen to the customer’s needs. The staff at OG are constantly searching for new information, whether that pertains to new terpene studies, CBD studies, or updates on the vape ban. We share articles [in-house] to educate ourselves and our customers. Most of our staff have gone through a CBD certification course. Sampling products and comparing results amongst one another is also vital for comprehensive analysis. D O YOU P U T M UC H FAI T H I N T H C O R C B D P E RC E N TAG E S ?
I do take the percentages with a grain of salt, yet looking at testing percentages can really make the difference in someone’s high, especially with high CBD ratios. Terpenes are responsible for the different effects of a Cannabis high. I think as an industry, it’s now our responsibility to educate consumers about terpenes’ role in the plant. We provide as much hands-on information as possible in the shop, then offer take-home information for deeper consideration. With education, we see [less] looking for the highest THC and [more] looking for terpene rich flower. WHAT SETS EUGENE OG APART?
We aim to make our customers feel comfortable, but also make them feel like part of our team. Our honesty, thoroughness, and genuine care and curiosity for our customers is revered by our regulars. We’re always looking for new ways to make the experience fun at our shop - activities that get our customers excited and looking forward to something new. WHAT ARE SOME OF YOU R HOBBIES/INTERESTS OUTSIDE THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY?
I love both creating and appreciating With its long history and culture of fine Cannabis growers, the Eugene visual art, going to live music shows, area continues to produce products that make other larger cities in the and trying new food. Pacific Northwest envious. That’s why it’s important for any Cannabis connoisseur - no matter where they live - to make the trek to Eugene every now and then. While it may not be the flashiest shop in town, Eugene OG makes up for it with fantastic products difficult to find anywhere else, and with great customer service. Hands down, Sally, our first Budtender of the Month of 2020, is a huge part of what makes this shop truly great.
JAN. 2020
INTERVIEW by PACER STACKTRAIN | PHOTO by AMANDA DAY @TERPODACTYL_MEDIA
Lobbying Advocacy Regulatory Help Policy Updates Wholesale Reports Monthly Meetings Access to Banking
stoner owners
EASTWOOD GARDENS MIKE PASSARGE & ADAM MEARS
EASTWOOD GARDENS has been a mainstay at local Portland dispensary, TreeHouse Collective. While they made their mark in the medical market, they have just recently reemerged on the scene via the recreational market. Coowners Adam Mears and Mike Passarge thrive on gassy cultivars that keep their minds controlled, yet active, and help them perform to their highest potentials. HOW DID EASTWOOD GARDENS ORIGINALLY BEGIN?
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Adam: I met Mike as an electrician’s apprentice through a mutual friend that he had done some electrical work for. I bought a house in 2010 and needed enough power to blow out a mini-Tuff Shed in my backyard. During that time, we found we shared the same passion for Cannabis and the game. A few years later I reached out to Mike, posing an opportunity for a medical grow. We both wanted a grow space away from our families. You don’t shit where you sleep. Plus, I was born and raised in Northeast Portland. Mike’s from Sellwood. In turn, we created Eastwood. We chose an elephant to represent our brand, because elephants are extremely loyal and never forget.
Adam: A fat joint. Truly the only way to judge a strain. If the smell of the weed transfers to taste, you have a winner. Also, how the weed smells burnt is another indicator of a keeper. Can’t lie, since our collaboration with Echo, I’ve been dabbing like a maniac. Low temp live resin/rosin! Mike: Always a good bong rip of flower, but lately I really enjoy fresh frozen rips as well. HOW DID YOU GO ABOUT CREATING THE ELUSIVE ELEPHANT EARS?
Mike: It helps me focus, increases my sense of well being, and makes most activities more enjoyable.
Adam: Can’t front, it was a happy accident. In 2015 a member of the Eastwood family was removing a male Grease Monkey out of the flowering room, full of fire. He tripped and fell, creating a mushroom cloud of pollen, pollinating the entire room! Over the years we’ve popped many seeds out of the Grease Monkey massacre. We found two keepers: Elephant Ears (Dog Walker Og x Grease Monkey) and Funnel Cake (Platinum Cookies x Grease Monkey), which will be released on the recreational market in a few months.
WHERE DO FIND THAT YOUR MAIN SOURCES OF INSPIRATION COME FROM?
WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR OTHER ASPIRING CANNAPRENEURS?
WHAT BENEFITS DO YOU FIND CANNABIS PROVIDES?
Adam: Cannabis gives me patience, and helps me to focus and prioritize. Something about a dab and a five mile run is almost meditative. I also love how it connects people. I’ve met a few lifetime friends over a joint.
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WHAT ARE YOUR PREFERRED METHODS OF CONSUMING CANNABIS?
Mike: My main sources of inspiration include my son, Cannabis, music, nature, and architecture. Adam: The love of weed and the pride of my city! The idea of my brand being known when you think of Portland drives me. To see people rep Eastwood inspires me on another level. This is just the beginning.
Adam: Create a true community around your brand. People are drawn to authenticity. We can see through that watered down fake shit. You’d better have a passion and love for the plant. I see people entering this space with the amount of money I want to leave with. This is a culture beyond spreadsheets and ROIs.
Mike: Make sure it’s your passion and get ready for a beating, both physically and mentally, because this industry is twisted. If it’s what you truly want to do, then just do it! However, if it’s because you think it’s easy money, trust me, there are easier ways to make money. WHAT CAN WE EXPECT TO SEE FROM EASTWOOD GARDENS IN 2020?
Adam: Over the next year we are looking to expand our brand and offer more products. We have our solventless micro-processing endorsement, and we are in the process of building out our hash room. Also, we are teaming up with a few breeders to keep bringing that exclusive heat. But we are still waiting on a Tier 1! We’ve had keys in hand since June 2017, but between the city and OLCC, it has been a nightmare. The process is what allows all these “Chads” to get a head start. They have corporation money or Daddy’s money to get it done, leaving the OGs to have to grind it out. I don’t trip though. It’s all motivation. EASTWOOD_GARDENS_PDX
A Stoner Owner is a Cannabis business owner who has a relationship with the plant. We want to buy and smoke Cannabis from companies that care about their products, employees and the plant. You wouldn’t buy food from a restaurant where the cooks don’t eat in the kitchen, so why buy corporate weed grown by a company only concerned with profits? Stoner Owner approval means a company cares, and we love weed grown with care. Look for the Stoner Owner stamp when purchasing fine Cannabis, and let’s retake our culture and reshape a stigma by honoring those who grow, process and sell the best Cannabis possible.
apR. 2019 JAN. 2020
INTERVIEW by MAX EARLY @LIFTED_STARDUST | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS
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CANNABIS TONIC
Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. For use only by adults 21 years of age and older. Keep out of the reach of children.
shop review
FIDUS
7501 SW CAPITOL HWY, PORTLAND (503) 889-0682 | 10AM-7:55PM DAILY INSTAGRAM @FIDUS_PDX
PDX
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Beautiful paintings by local artist @MilesBrowne decorate the space
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When you first walk into Fidus, a couple of things stand out right away. First off, it’s definitely got a vibe. The sleek design, striking art on the walls, and the minimalist merchandising deliver the message that this place is managed with care. The second thing you notice is that the shop isn’t huge. Whereas some shops feel like an Apple store or a Plaid Pantry, going to Fidus is more like shopping for weed in the living room of your friend’s high-end apartment.
JAN. 2020
IN
this case, that high-end apartment belongs to Tyler Hewitt and John Monteleone III, two steadfast strain hunters who see it as a personal mission to hunt out and breed the best genetics, cultivate them at their tier two indoor grow in North Portland Fidus Family Farms - and sell them via the Fidus shop in Multnomah Village. ”We knew we had to build a place like this in order to fully be able to capture the experience that we want for the consumer, and in order to educate the consumer how we want,” said Hewitt, who runs the retail arm of the business. The shop always stocks a selection of its own genetics, and all of the products Fidus carries are
made only from material they grow. That means that the truffles from Crop Circle Chocolates and the concentrates from Natural Gas Extracts all come from Fidus flower. You won’t find any Cannabis product available at Fidus that they didn’t have a hand in growing. “Our main focus as a business is to cultivate, curate, preserve and progress brand new genetics - proprietary genetics - that are unique to not only our company, but Oregon as a platform,” Hewitt said. “We feel that a lot of the hype stuff still comes from California and other parts of the black market, and it’s a shame that a leading marketplace like Oregon, that’s had some of the best if not
Clockwise from top-left: Ghost OG, O.M.G. (T’s Pheno), Quantum Kush, Tongue Twister B, Shiatsu Kush and Retroberry #1
the best Cannabis in the world on the medical side of things, has now been degraded to this mids-y, boof-ville type of stigma that we have now. I feel that’s why we rose to offer what we call connoisseur-grade Cannabis.” Talking with Hewitt about the strains on Fidus’ shelf is an experience I recommend to anyone who wants to see what passion for Cannabis looks like. If you want to see his face light up, ask him about the phenomenal Shiatsu Kush, a Himalayan indica strain that ended up in Japan, where it was isolated and inbred for many years, developing what Hewitt calls a “fancy defense mechanism” - it’s abnormally high in Ocimene, a terpene that is antifungal and antimicrobial, making it an extremely friendly strain to cultivate in difficult, damp climates.
Designs by My-G @IndamixRecords
"Our main focus as a business is to cultivate, curate, preserve and progress brand new genetics proprietary genetics - that are unique to not only our company, but Oregon as a platform." -C o - Founder Ty l er H ewi t t
C
ustomers can also ask for a run-down on the terpenes and cannabinoids found in each strain. Fidus has resources printed on the counter to assist consumers in making their selections. And Hewitt is more than happy to take people to school. The dudes at Fidus are so into unique genetics that Hewitt is almost apologetic when discussing the more classic, well-known strains they keep on hand like Ghost OG, Sour Cookies, and the ubiquitous GG. “We have those really as heirloom building blocks, as those cornerstone pieces that if we want to outcross or backcross or something like that, then we can do that,” he said. “We’re focused on preserving and progressing genetics more than anything. That being said, we’ve been hunting different landrace genetics for years now. We’ve been working into heirloom crosses.” In the big picture, Fidus hopes to establish itself as a brand synonymous with high-quality, rare genetics. They want to control the means of production so they never have to compromise on quality. If all goes well, they see Fidus having boutique stores in high-end shopping sectors in places like New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Prada, Gucci, Fidus. After talking with Hewitt, I can see it.
O.M.G. (T’SPHENO) Fidus THIS unbelievably frosty aromatic, myrcene-dominant strain is laden with bright orange hairs against a backdrop of dark green. Smooth and easy, it offered mellow, slightly spacey effects without hindering the ability to function socially. This is one of those phenotypes that proves that high THC numbers have very little to do with an effective, pleasurable experience. $15/g rec $12.50/g med, 18.78% THC
AROMA 5/5 DENSITY 5/5 CURE 5/5 LOOKS 5/5 FLAVOR 5/5 EFFECTS 4/5 TOTAL 29/30
Crop Circle Chocolate
DARKCHOCOLATE YUZUFRUITTRUFFLE TASTE 5/5 EFFECT 5/5 PKGNG 4/5 VALUE 4/5 TOTAL 18/20
CROP CIRCLE CHOCOLATE has made a name for itself with its quality-crafted truffles, and their collaboration with Fidus’ The Glue strain is no exception. These dark chocolate truffles feature a snappy shell and a rich, luscious interior. Half of one of these kief concentrate infused truffles sets a perfect stage for an evening out, with mostly energized, positive effects - and very little of the heady sleepiness that can accompany edibles. Highly recommended! $20 rec, $16.67 med (two-pack) 25mg THC per truffle | @CropCircle.Chocolate
REVIEWED by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS
shop review
1234 NE 102ND AVE, PORTLAND | (503) 384-2959 | TREESMARIJUANA.COM | 7:30AM-10PM MON.-SAT. / 8:30AM-10PM SUNDAY
CULTIVARS 5/5
Although Oregon doesn’t require mold tests, Trees goes a step above the rest when it comes to their protocol and procedure for their intake process. In doing so, all of the Cannabis you can find at their stores has been tested to meet strict microbial standards at Pixis Labs. When shopping here, you are rest assured that all options are safe to smoke with zero molds. Each cultivar has a card placed directly in front of it, indicating genetics as well as indica, sativa, and hybrid distinctions. During our visit, I scoped some Durban Poison from Ruby Farms for $4/gram, Cherry Chem by Garden First Cannabis for $5/gram, Recon from Eugreen Farms priced at $7.50/gram, and lastly Archive’s Duct Tape cultivated by DeTerra Farms, clocking in at just $10/gram. That said, there are sure to be extraordinary options for all, no matter your budget!
TREES DISPENSARY
EDIBLES
4/5
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Parallel to the rest of their offerings, Trees does an incredible job at providing a large number of edible options, all at a price that won’t break the bank. Snickerdoodle cookies, mixed berry taffy, sea salt milk chocolate, caramel chews, and a large assortment of lollipop flavors - is your mouth watering yet? The shelves were lined with a wide amount of options from Sun God Medicinals, including their Aja, Hypnos, and Heka tinctures, designed with herbal allies for anxiety relief. Siskiyou Sun Grown’s CBD Cannabis Oil was also available for $42/gram, for those looking to medicate without the psychoactive effects.
CONCENTRATES 3/5
Stored underneath a locked light box, you will find all of Trees dab-able options. As a part of their weekly Wednesday-Wednesday deals, they had Sugar Tree shatter available at only $8/gram! Additionally, you can come here to find brands like Rogue River Family Farms, Willamette Valley Alchemy, Original Extracts, CBDiscovery, and Dirty Arm Farms - just to name a few. Directly below the light box you will find all of your cartridge options. Dotcom Cannabis’ Kali Kush was currently in stock at $28 for a full gram cart, with WVA’s Black Betty Liquid Live Resin cartridge available for $36 per half gram. Anthology’s Root Beer Float is another great option for those looking to get the best quality product at an affordable price point.
ENVIRONMENT
oregonlEAF.COM
5/5
Using state-of-the-art kiosk stations, Trees offers the option to pre-shop so to speak. Ranging from the following categories, Smoke It, Eat It, Drink It, and Apply It, customers can virtually scroll through their entire menu. You can find menus around the store on flat-screen TVs, as well. Their helpful staff had their fingers on the pulses of all of the latest companies and products, and were quick to answer any questions we had. With lively dispensaries sometimes being a bit overwhelming, Trees provides a relaxing shopping environment for you to easily make your decision with confidence and a clear mind. In need of a way to roll up or get lifted? Trees also has a large selection of papers, rolling trays, bongs, rigs, and dabbing accessories.
OVERALL 17/20
With the peace of mind and certainty of mold-free Cannabis, affordable and quality products, and an eager to help staff, I’m positive I will be making my way back to one of Trees’ locations when I am in the area next. Located directly on SE 102nd Ave, Trees has a large parking lot, further taking the stress out of shopping here.
JAN. 2020
Known for their unique attention to consumer safety, Trees Dispensary is a solid Cannabis shop offering all of the product variety one can hope for.
Budtender Colleen McDonald, Regional Manager Dominik Jackson and General Manager Joshua Thomas
Dirty Arm Farm
HATERTEARSEXTREME CREAM UTILIZING SINGLE SOURCE greenhouse AAA flower, Dirty Arm Farm has released a recent crowd favorite, Extreme Cream. Bred by Exotic Genetix, this cultivar is a cross of Extreme OG and Cookies and Cream. The nose is super OG forward, with notes of gasoline and pine. With a perfect ratio of diamonds to terpenes, there is no need to stir it around, as each dab provides a pleasant balance between the TASTE 5/5 two. The diamonds are crystal clear, EFFECT 4/5 accompanied by almost colorless PKGNG 4/5 terpenes. After taking a few dabs, my VALUE 4/5 TOTAL 17/20 mouth was coated with a sweet and creamy marshmallow taste, followed by hints of fuel. The effects are calming and tranquil, as I felt my muscles start to loosen up after an intense workout. $40/g, 90.05% THC, 4.25% Terpenes DirtyArmFarm.com @Dirty.Arm.Farm
Sips Elixir
PEACHCANNABISELIXIR “WHEN SHOPPING HERE, YOU ARE REST ASSURED THAT ALL OPTIONS ARE SAFE TO SMOKE WITH ZERO MOLDS.”
WITH A WHOPPING 250mg of THC packed into a one-ounce bottle, drinking this entire elixir will surely be a one-way ticket to outer space. That said, I started TASTE 3/5 with the recommended EFFECT 4/5 dosage of one teaspoon, PKGNG 3/5 which equaled out to VALUE 5/5 40mg THC. The flavor TOTAL 15/20 was a bit strong and sharp, so I decided to mix it with some orange juice. After stirring the elixir and juice, I downed it and waited for the effects to start. About 15 minutes later, I could slowly start to notice myself becoming more and more tired, as I threw on a movie and kicked back. I found myself asleep on the couch a few hours later, indicating that this tincture was effective and did its job. I would recommend this product to anyone trying to get the most bang for their buck! $25, 1oz 250mg THC per bottle | @SipsElixir
REVIEWED by MAX EARLY @LIFTED_STARDUST | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS
2020 HAPPY NEW YEAR! Thank You To Everyone Who Has Supported ReUp Farms Throughout All Of 2019. We Are Excited To Bring Brand New Genetics To The Market For 2020 While Maintaining Our Vision Of Crafting Quality, Clean Cannabis For All Enthusiasts To Enjoy. We Couldn’t Have Done It Without You, And For That We Say Thank You And Happy New Year! reupfarms.com
reupfarms
STRAIN OF THE MONTH
HUCKLEBERRY WEB IS THE CBD-RICH LOVECHILD OF OREGON HUCKLEBERRY #5 AND CHARLOTTE’S WEB.
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B
red by Dynasty Genetics and pheno-hunted at Deep Creek Gardens, the buds boast a deep forest green color and are covered in a blizzard of ripe, amber-colored trichomes. Opening the jar reveals a pungent, berry forward aroma, complemented by an earthy and fuel forward backbone — this batch was cured to perfection. A low stretch plus a fast bloom time makes this strain particularly desirable for novice growers, as it is more on the low maintenance side. The buds snap off the stem with ease while still remaining sticky, and impossible to break down without a grinder. I loaded a few massive bowls into my Zob glass bong and was blown away by how well the aroma translated into the flavor, like THE MEDLEY OF taking a giant spoonful of a fresh SWEET, FRUIT FLAVORS IS baked huckleberry and cherry pie COMPLEMENTED absolutely delicious. BY A RELAXING, The medley of sweet, fruit flavors FUNCTIONAL, is complemented by a relaxing, AND SLIGHTLY functional, and slightly cerebral high. CEREBRAL HIGH. Each bowl burned to a clean white ash and each hit was impressively smooth. After smoking a few bowls I felt energized and motivated to knock out a few chores, even at 11:00 PM. Huckleberry Web often tests at a perfect 2:1 ratio, around 13% CBD and 6% THC, making it an incredibly desirable strain for consumers and patients needing to remain functional while medicating. @DeepCreekGardens
HUCKLEBER JAN. 2020
12.96% CBD 6.39% THC
RRYWEB2:1 REVIEW by WILL FERGUSON | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS
Eric MacLeod, M.D. Chairman
When the worldwide green rush sparks an adrenaline rush. Welcome to the boom. Our Chairman tackles every challenge like he does every climb — as if his life depends on it. The global demand for pure, premium CBD products is sky high, and while many are struggling to keep up, Eric is determined to crown GreenFarms king of the mountain. Planting, growing and harvesting the healthiest, highest-quality hemp plants is our passion and our life’s work. But what really sets GreenFarms apart is our unmatched vision: we intend to cultivate relationships with like-minded people like you to fulfill our mission to harness the healing power of hemp for the health and wellbeing of our planet and the people who live on it.
Let’s grow together. GreenFarmsCBD.com
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 oregonlEAF.COM
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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
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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
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Q&A | Dr. ShenaVander Ploeg “I want to help revolutionize holistic healthcare and destigmatize the use of Cannabis as a therapeutic.� 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
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
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
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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.
oregonlEAF.COM
How did your Cannabis journey begin? 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
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:
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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
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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.
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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. Why the change? The old paradigm was based on the same system carried over from the illicit market, which categorized plants based on looks and aroma, to which Leafly added subjective user-submitted information. No testing was performed, so no hard data was available. Though growers and retailers attempted to predict the effects their products would offer, the system has been imperfect at best. Nick Jikomes, Principal Research Scientist at Leafly, says that now that state and local governments require third-party laboratory testing for all legal products, research is catching up with the lightning-paced growth of the burgeoning industry. Leafly partnered with labs in multiple regions and culled anonymized data for all the strains the labs tested.
When looking at the new Leafly Flowers, there’s a simple code: diamonds are THC, circles are CBD. The stronger the concentration of either Cannabinoid, the more pronounced the shapes become.
JAN. 2020
“We went and got that data, and we said, ‘Let’s just look.’” Jikomes said. “Let’s see how different indicas, sativas and hybrids are on average. How different are different strains? Are there really 3,000 different strains out there, or is all weed basically the same?” They found that most strains are fairly similar. According to Jikomes, around 85% of strains on the market are THC-dominant, and around 40% of them are heavy with the terpene myrcene. A picture started to form. When you discard strain names, and instead focus entirely on the scientifically measurable properties of the plant, Cannabis starts to divide itself into its own, more complicated categories. “Cannabis is a complex plant. It’s a complex product in a complex space,” Jikomes said. “It’s this amazing plant that has dozens, potentially hundreds of active compounds in it. They’re gonna have different types of psychoactive, recreationally oriented effects, and medicinal effects. And if you want to very precisely understand how to get someone to the right strain or the right product, you have to understand the plant at that level. You have to understand it from the inside out. “You need a simplified way to get around that complexity for the average person.” Jikomes compares Cannabis flowers to wine grape varietals. Over centuries, the wine industry has divided grapes into categories based on measurable properties. “I know that I like Pinot Noirs and Syrahs more than Chardonnays and some other types of wine,” he said. “They have organized their products in a way that I can get a bottle of wine with confidence anywhere on the planet … I’ve been able to map my own tastes onto a simple categorization system that’s based on objective attributes of those types of products.” With the new Leafly Flowers, Jikomes believes that the company is getting closer to a comfortable level of consumer awareness, and informed buying. How it works “The important thing we wanted to do was create a way for a consumer to see if and when different strains are actually different from each other based on objective features of their ingredients, without having to understand what they are actually looking at,” Jikomes said.
When looking at a Leafly Flowers, there’s a gating thousands of data points together across simple code - diamonds are THC, circles are CBD. hundreds of growers,” Jikomes said. The stronger the concentration either way, the If Leafly’s grand vision works, Jikomes says it more pronounced the shapes become. will mean a safer, more fine-tuned experience for The team then compiled all user-generated, consumers, eliminating confusion at the counter. It effects-based data points from their community, comes back to the wine analogy. and assigned color schemes based on corollary “The system allows me to find what kind of wine terpenes. Terpene profiles commonly found in I like, even though I don’t have an expert level strains associated with relaxation show up as cool knowledge of it,” Jikomes said. “Part of what we’re colors like blue or green. Terpenes regularly found doing with our education efforts, is we’re building in energetic strains present as hot colors such as tools to help people figure out what kind of Canorange, yellow, and red. nabis they like. The basic idea “We’re using shapes and is, you want to learn, ‘Oh, I like colors to communicate about orange ones. I don’t really like cannabinoids and terpenes, blue ones.’ Or vice-versa.” some of the stuff inside the plant,” Jikomes said. “There What’s next are some basic patterns that As Leafly continues to roll out start to jump out in terms of these changes, the company’s the diversity of landscape of education division is holding budthe flower products that are out tender seminars in order to help there. There are thousands of familiarize those on the front lines strain pages on Leafly, there are of the industry. The team also thousands of brands. There’s continues to unveil educational all this diversity, but really, there tools on the company website, are just a few basic types of Leafly.com. Cannabis out there.” “The vast majority of purchases In theory, if you find a strain in the industry are happening, that you like, you can look for a basically, at the recommendaN I C K J I KO M E S , flower with a similar pattern of tion of the budtender,” he said. Principal Research shapes and colors, and should “They’re an important educationScientist at Leafly, be able to have a similar exal touchpoint for many consumers says “Consumers are perience. It’s far more reliable out there. So, we’re making sure no longer at the mercy than strain name, which often the budtenders are educated.” of the strain names has no basis in actual genetics. In the end, Jikomes says Leafly and the branding and marketing tricks that “(Consumers) are no longer is trying to eliminate the rampant are so pervasive now.” at the mercy of the strain names confusion and misinformation and the branding and marketcurrently plaguing the industry. ing tricks that are so pervasive right now,” Some of which, he admits, was perpetuated by Jikomes said. “That’s something I’m super pasyears spent promoting the sativa-hybrid-indica trinity. sionate about.” “If you go on the internet, you can find people That means that if you find a phenotype of that say, ‘Indicas make you sleepy because they GMO Cookies that you love, you can enter the have more THC,’” he said. testing information (if available) into the Leafly “You can find other websites that say, ‘Sativas system, and it will show you a number of other make you excited because they have more THC.’ strains that have similar, scientifically measurable, You can find people saying, ‘Indicas make you properties. sleepy because they have more myrcene.’ People “When you look at the strain pages, what you have been trying to figure it out, but at the end of see on the Blue Dream page is basically the most the day, you just have to go and look at the data common chemical composition associated with … Getting that data is easier said than done, but Blue Dream that’s out there, based on aggrethat’s basically what we did.”
STORY by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS | GRAPHICS by @LEAFLY | PHOTO by @JULIASUMPTER
THE health ISSUE
The Sun + Earth logo adorns Luminous Botanicals’ product lineup Sun + Earth Certified East Fork Cultivars in Takilma, OR
Luminous Botanicals’ Devan Anthony
Green Source Gardens Owners Nick Mahmood & Elizabeth Luca-Mahmood
Sun + Earth Certification
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Expands Into Oregon, Aims For Global Change
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Consumer confidence.
“It finally felt like there was a certification that fit us and our business.” Unlike other similar organizations, Sun + Earth only certifies sungrown farms employing organic, regenerative farming practices. It also analyzes its members’ employment practices, ensuring that employees receive benefits and fair wages.
These two magic words carry significant weight in the fledgling Cannabis industry, where each legal state has its own testing requirements, but so little is known about the products and the farming practices that produce them. Sun + Earth as a nonprofit and new standard That’s where groups like Sun + Earth “When we were putting together the Sun + Earth Certified come in. certified standard, the nonprofit structure allowed One of a broadening field of watchdog everyone to freely contribute their ideas, without any certification programs, the California-based one person taking ownership,” said Andrew Black, Sun + Earth aims to analyze the employfounder of Certified Kind and Sun + Earth founding ment practices and production methodolboard member. “It helped us create a stronger, more ogies of its members in order to enforce a creative standard.” strict set of standards. More than that, the nonprofit status helps ensure Like Certified Kind, Clean Green and an added level of consumer confidence other certification organizathat the certification can be trusted. tions, Sun + Earth analyzes the Sun + Earth “If you’re looking to maximize your growing practices of cultivahopes to continue income as a for-profit company, I think tors and producers to ensure to spread its outsiders would question the integrity of clean practices. But there are message and the standard,” said board member Les a few significant details that expand its vision to the rest of Szabo, Director of Constructive Capital set it apart, and those aspects the industry. at Dr. Bronner’s, the progressive comcaptured the interest of Sally pany which owns California Cannabis Alworth and Devan Anthony Eventually, the brand Brother David’s. of Luminous Botanicals, who organization “Your interest [would be] in certifying recently spearheaded an effort hopes its logo as many entities as possible, in the into bring the Sun + Earth Certibecomes a global terest of gaining a profit. Just the optics fication to Oregon. signifier of ethical & of being for-profit may call your integrity “We were thrilled to see Sun ecologically friendly practices. into question.” + Earth roll out,” Alworth said.
JAN. 2020
Sun + Earth contracts out the inspection to Oregon-based Certified Kind, so the group already had strong ties to Oregon. When approached by Luminous Botanicals, Sun + Earth saw an obvious alignment of core values. Luminous uses only sungrown, organic material cultivated using regenerative practices, and the company offers benefits and living wages to all of its employees. Alworth says they even recently moved to a four-day workweek for all production staff. But even with those boxes checked, they had to go a step beyond. “The first place we had to start, in order for us to be Sun + Earth certified as a manufacturer, is we had to have Sun + Earth certified farms, and there weren’t any (in Oregon),” Alworth said. “So we started reaching out to our farm partners at East Fork and Green Source.” Both farms saw the vision, and agreed to pursue Sun + Earth certification. By winter 2019, all three companies were certified. “Our personal take on certification is that it’s a filter for consumers that helps consumers make choices when they shop,” said Nick Mahmood, who owns Green Source Gardens with his partner, Elizabeth Luca-Mahmood. “Especially consumers who care enough to be looking for a stamp that identifies a product as something more environmentally friendly.” Now that it has a foothold in Oregon, Sun + Earth hopes to continue to spread its message and expand its vision to the rest of the Cannabis industry. Eventually, the organization hopes its logo becomes a global signifier of ethical and ecologically friendly practices. For Devan Anthony at Luminous, it’s all about raising consumer awareness of current practices and setting a standard for where the Cannabis community needs to be. “You can’t produce a $6, 50mg edible, unless you’re incredibly large and have economies of scale, or you’re not paying a living wage, or you’re not paying for the highest quality material,” he said. “We’d really like consumers to start being aware that if they go into a dispensary and they’re buying something that’s incredibly cheap, they may not be paying the price, but somebody is.” Learn about Sun + Earth certified farms and product lines at SunandEarth.org
STORY by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS | SUPPORTING PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS
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THE health ISSUE
Cannabis & Massage: A New Age of Relief The first thing you need to know about Cannabis infused massage is that it doesn’t get you high. It’s euphoric. It’s transcendent. It makes you feel blissed out for hours. But it’s not psychoactive.
T Licensed Massage Therapist Esther Yan uses Cannabis oil in her practice.
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JAN. 2020
hat much is made clear by doing massage therapy with my hands. I the intake forms that clients did not start using Cannabis massage for have to sign before receivmy benefit. But it turned out, a year into my ing a Cannabis oil massage research, that I no longer had hand probwith Esther Yan from Portland. lems, and I could go back to working full Yan is one of a growing number time,” Crispin recalled. “It was almost like of licensed massage therapists someone had to hit me with a 2x4, and LMTs - across the United States who say, ‘That’s the Cannabis, you dummy.’” have begun to employ Cannabis Crispin has since become an advocate and hemp-derived concentrates in for the use of Cannabis oil in massage, intheir massage practices. fluencing regional and national companies As with many aspects of Cannato start using it in whatever forms are legal bis-based therapies, not much hard in their regions. data is currently available about the She currently runs MassageTopicals.com, efficacy of Cannabis oil in masan informational website on the topic. sage. Much of what is available is According to Crispin and others, the anecdotal, but that information is massage practices that employ CBD in undoubtedly growing. their massage see a significant increase in Yan got the idea for using business and client retention. Cannabis oil in her massage a “CBD topicals are the biggest trend few years ago, when one of her massage school instructors told her I have seen in my 20-year massage it relieved the pain she experienced and spa career,” said Eric Stephenson, from fibromyalgia and allowed her Chief Wellness Officer for Elements to continue her practice. Massage in Colorado, which recently Yan also felt inspired when her started using CBD in their practice. partner, Devan Anthony - who makes Cannabis tinctures and topi“Our CBD Herbal Ritual Massage at cals at his Oregon-based company, Elements Massage has many clients raving Luminous Botanicals - introduced about relief from pain, inflammation her to one of the nation’s leading and accumulated stress on their bodies,” voices on the use of Cannabis in Stephenson said. “When so massage, Julie Crispin. many are commenting on the Crispin is the current relief they are experiencing, Government Relations you know there is something Chair of the Oregon important going on.” Chapter of the AmeriBefore she started using can Massage Therapy Cannabis oil on her regular Association. massage clients, Yan first In recent years, she tried it out on her friends. has sought approval According to When they raved about it, from the national office of the AMTA to endorse Crispin and others, she decided to start offering massage practices it to all interested clients. Cannabis oil massage, that employ CBD in Even when it’s not obvious and while she has yet at first, she says it makes a to get explicit approval, their massages see a significant increase difference. she has been given “For some folks, they don’t what she describes as a in business and client retention. really notice any difference “long leash.” until we decide, ‘Oh, let’s For her, the evidence stop using it,’” Yan said. that Cannabis oil makes for a ben“And then they notice how long the eficial addition to massage is more effects last after the massage. Sometimes than anecdotal. It’s personal. they’ll say they don’t feel an overall full re“When I first started, I had De laxation, where they want to go home and Quervayne’s Syndrome,” Crispjust kind of be Jello. Which is how they feel in said. “I was getting cortisone after the Cannabis massage.” injections in my wrists, and I was
STORY by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS | YAN PORTRAIT by CORRINNE THEODORU @CORRINNETHEO
THE health ISSUE
Women in Weed
Morgan English
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Stoned +Toned apR. 2019 DEC.
The Cannabis consumer has long played a vital role in the shaping of counterculture, but for the so-called stoner who wants to get ripped before getting ripped (or whatever version of fitness you’re engaged in), opportunities are few and far between. Until now, where Stoned + Toned is bringing the worlds together in the most wellness-based of ways. “IT WAS REALLY INCREDIBLE to see at the launch event how many people wanted to come out and smoke,” remarks Stoned + Toned Founder Morgan English. “I mean, I was honestly worried that people wouldn’t want to smoke, or they would just want to come work out and support us because they know us personally. Everyone wanted to smoke, and then the people who normally didn’t smoke before a workout came out and were like ‘I’ve never enjoyed working out so much.’ It was remarkable to be quite honest. We were completely blown away.” While people may have a difficult time envisioning weed and workouts working together in a productive fashion, English was sure to note that the synergies outpace the stereotypes in this arena. Here, what it means to be stoned takes on a whole new meaning. “Yeah, we’re stoned! Mindfully stoned,” says English. “A lot of people have said things like ‘how ripped do I have to be to do the workout?’ It’s really not about getting overly-high, it’s more about allowing Cannabis to bring you into the moment or to ease pain if you have inflammation, and it’s something that just enhances the workout.” THE WORKOUT
“So, in our videos online, you’ll often see us taking two or three puffs and then getting into the workout. We lean much more into the side of micro-dosing before the workout, as opposed to smoking a whole one gram joint.”
“You’re worth setting aside time in the day, you’re worth the energy that you’re going to give yourself.” “At our launch event, Molly and I definitely smoked a little more before our class than we normally do, but that was because it was a social setting. We weren’t too high - it was more of a way to be more present here in the moment, have your stress eased, and have your nerves about teaching the class alleviated. It allows us to just connect better with everyone in the room.” And with two ways to enjoy the class - both online and at the occasional pop-up - individuals have the opportunity to access this new age approach to working out from the privacy of their own home, or an invigorating space shared with others. As workouts and Cannabis can cause the occasional anxiety, having these two options makes the concept all the more accessible. “I used to hate working out. I’m not gonna lie. I used to despise it, and it was something that I always felt I had to do because I ate something, or because I wasn’t the right number on a scale,” says English. “And it wasn’t until I just combined working out with weed, that all those thoughts stopped, and eventually they changed into, ‘I can do this next 30 second sprint’ or ‘I’m strong enough to do this, I’ve been here before, I can do it again.’”
“It really fuels my workout,” says English. “And for someone with social anxiety, I don’t know if I ever would have been able to walk into a spin studio without consuming Cannabis beforehand, because I would have been too nervous. But, because of Cannabis, I was not only able to enhance my workout, I was able to make human connections.” BUILDING COMMUNITY
“I’m a part of a larger fitness community here in Long Beach, I don’t just do our classes online,” says English. “For pop-ups, we are trying to get into the groove of doing them more regularly. We are hoping to do more, especially throughout 2020 so that we can hit more cities. We definitely want to see more people sign up online. We love doing our film days and making workouts more accessible. Our memberships are just twenty bucks a month, so it’s not your 100+ dollar a month membership for a boutique studio, or something like that.” The team at Stoned + Toned also gives their online community access to videos four at a time, as opposed to dropping them weekly. “If you want to do them earlier in the month, you can,” says English. “I like to do one video multiple times in a
week and kind of see the strength that I build from the first time I did it, to the last time I did it on Friday. Your body is used to the movement and so you can get into it more, and your strength builds when you’re working the same parts of your body out. So we promote one video every Monday, but we release four videos at a time for the month.” “We film everything in one take,” English adds. “It’s just real. I drop my weights. Especially on the first day of filming - I was not nearly as strong as I am now. So, you see it in real time. That way, you’re on that journey with us. And who does 100% on every rep every time? It’s just not real. And we want it to be fun. We film every 30-minute workout in one take. Our intros we do until we get them right, and then from that we go straight into the workout. We film five to six of those in one day, so we’re dead afterwards.” GETTING RIPPED
“For someone with social anxiety, I don’t know if I ever would have been able to walk into a spin studio without consuming Cannabis beforehand, because I would have been too nervous.”
For those looking to incorporate Cannabis into their fitness regimen alongside fellow proponents of plant-based healing, Stoned + Toned is an outlet worthy of exploration. But at the end of the day, we could all use a healthy dose of self work. “It’s more than just the power of movement, it’s that you continuously show up for yourself,” says English. “Because that’s what working out is - it’s self work. You’re saying that you’re worth it. You’re worth setting aside time in the day, you’re worth the energy that you’re going to give yourself. And that will change your world. If you show up enough for yourself, it will filter into everything else you do. It really is awesome when you give it enough energy and put it in for weeks. Don’t just agree to do it for one week, but make it a habit.”
Learn more and find out about classes at StonedandToned.com INTERVIEW & PORTRAIT by DANIELLE HALLE @SWEET.DEEZY for LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by IMAD BOLOTOK @IMADSHOOTS
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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
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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
when the company is owned and operated by a health professional and plant advocate, quality matters.
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For use only by adults 21 and older. Keep out of reach of children. Do not drive a motor vehicle while under the influence of marijuana. This product is not approved by the FDA to treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
EDIBLE OF THE MONTH
TASTE 4/5 EFFECT 4/5 PKGNG 4/5 VALUE 5/5 TOTAL 17/20 1.000MG THC per container
DR. JOLLY’S
JOLLYTINCTURE
oregonlEAF.COM
70
T IN CT U R E S P ROVI DE O N E O F T HE MOST DI S CR E ET, V ERSATI LE FO R MS O F CAN NAB I S EDI BLE. IT CAN BE ADDED TO BEVERAGES, USE D TO FIN I S H O F F SALADS, D RI Z Z LE D O N FIS H, O R SI M P LY TAKE N SUB L I NGUALLY F O R MA XIMUM E FFECT.
Bend-based Dr. Jolly’s has become known for its alcohol-free 1000mg tinctures, and for good reason. The MCT-oil based tinctures are clean, effective, and potent. For Oregon Leaf’s Health Issue, we chose to spotlight the hybrid version of the Jolly Tincture (indica pictured). Jolly Tincture offers a simple, herbaceous flavor, and a relatively quick uptake when taken sublingually. I found it to be effective for micro-dosing on the weekend, especially once I had the dose dialed-in. At roughly 25mg THC per milliliter, it’s pretty easy to ingest a few extra milligrams and get a little more relaxed than you expected. Of course, customized dosing means you can crank the dial as high or as low as you’d like. I found that a moderate dose of the hybrid Jolly Tincture simply smoothed off the edges, melting away any stress, allowing me to enjoy the day. It’s the perfect edible to start the new year fresh - especially for those of us who’ve decided to start hitting the gym in January. And since it’s an MCT-based edible, it can also be used as a topical — rubbed into joints and muscles post workout. J O L LYBE ND.CO M @DR.JO LLYS.B END
“IT’S THE PERFECT EDIBLE TO START THE NEW YEAR FRESH ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE OF US WHO’VE DECIDED TO START HITTING THE GYM IN JANUARY.” JAN. 2020
REVIEW by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS| PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS
Conscious Intent @ SAC R E D. F LO W E R . FA R M S
/ SAC R E D F LO W E R FA R M S
@ D E M SAC R E D F LO W E R
concentrate OF THE MONTH
EXTRACTED by PORTLAND EXTRACTS | MATERIAL GROWN by LAIRD FAMILY FARMS
99.29% total Cannabinoids
BERRIES
@LAIRD_FA M ILY_FARM S @PORT LAND_EXT RAC TS_
2123 SE Division St, Portland, OR
N' CREAM SOLVENTLESS LIVE THC-A &SAUCE
72
“ THIS HASH IS THE DEFINITION OF A CREEPER HIGH, STARTING WITH A MELLOW
oregonlEAF.COM
84.98%THC
TASTE 4/5 EFFECT 5/5 PKGNG 4/5 VALUE 5/5 TOTAL 18/20
O
ver the past five to ten years, we have seen an incredible amount of progress with regards to all types of concentrates - whether solventless or solvent-based. Just like Tesla’s new Cybertruck, Portland Extracts has crafted a remarkably innovative product: solventless live THC-A and sauce.
JAN. 2020
AND CALM CEREBRAL EFFECT, ENDING WITH AN ALLOVER AND INTENSE BODY HIGH.“ One might ask, “What is solventless sauce?” The term ‘sauce’ was coined a few years back, when hydrocarbon extractors were finding themselves with a product that looked similar to apple sauce. Fast forward to 2020, we now have a wide variety of both hydrocarbon and solventless ‘sauce’ options. That said, Portland Extracts has truly taken it to the next level with their new line of Berries N’ Cream solventless live THC-A and sauce. After cold-curing fresh-pressed rosin, they then take the hash
and whip it to achieve a buddery consistency. Next, the buddered hash is placed into a metal screen to be rosin-pressed once again, for the closing stage of refinement. The result of this is pure THC-A leftover inside the screen, with terpenes oozing out. Finally, the end product is cured in a room held at an extremely low temperature. This ensures that the terpenes stay intact and the budder forms into true THC-A. Combining Laird Family Farm’s Blueberry Muffin #4 (Blueberry x Purple Panty Dropper) and the everso-loved Cookies and Cream, Berries N’ Cream was born. Upon cracking open a petite glass jar, my nose was permeated by a lusciously sweet and creamy smell, reminiscent of a freshly baked batch of blueberry muffins! My eyes were then met with paperwhite THC-A triangles, accompanied by terpenes that appeared almost holographic. After cleaning my rig, I heated the nail and steadily watched my Temp Tech fall in temperature. Trying this new style of concentrate had me feeling a lot like a kid on Christmas morning, uncertain of what was to come. As my nail cooled down to 550 degrees, I went in on what would be a game-changing experience. On the exhale, my lips were smacked with a rich and pungent Afganhi and Flo essence, indicative of the Blueberry lineage. This hash is the definition of a creeper high, starting with a mellow and calm cerebral effect, ending with an allover and intense body high. Ordinarily, with most solventless extracts, I will find myself extremely affected right away, with an effect that lasts anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour. However, with Portland Extracts’ solventless live THC-A and sauce, about ten minutes after taking my first dab, I gradually felt myself getting higher and higher, with effects that lasted well over an hour! I would recommend this product to those who have been around the block concentrate wise, as it is a very powerful form of extract.
REVIEW by MAX EARLY @LIFTED_STARDUST | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS
PAIRING GUIDE
OREGONIC TONIC KOMBUCHA PAIRED WITH TJ’S CRAFT EXTRACTS For our 2nd annual Health Issue, we decided to take a break from the usual Tannins & Terpenes pairings, ditching the alcohol to instead highlight a pair of products that are formulated with wellness in mind. Remember to practice mindful self-care in the new year - there’s only one of you, and we like having you around.
OREGONIC TONIC LEMON HONEY CAYENNE CBD KOMBUCHA WITH THE CBD CRAZE in full swing, you can get just about anything infused with cannabidiol. That said, few of the CBD products on the market make as much sense as kombucha, which is itself known as a wellness beverage. The folks at Oregonic Tonic infuse a small amount of CBD - produced by North Portland’s Danodan - into each bottle of CBD Kombucha. The lemon honey cayenne flavor featured a bright, acidic funk with a ginger spice at the back of the throat. And the cayenne pepper brought the heat on the back end. It worked wonders on a sore throat, providing a searing sort of relief. Those trying to get a significant daily dose of CBD will want to supplement this with another product. Oregonic Tonic’s CBD Kombucha contains 6mg of CBD per bottle - but in a world where you can find CBD pillowcases, that shouldn’t be too difficult.
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TJ’S CRAFT EXTRACTS INDICA SINGLE-STRAIN RSO
oregonlEAF.COM
624.53mg THC/2.83mg CBD
OREGONICTONIC.COM | VISITTJS.COM
JAN. 2020
DUBBED RSO - or Rick Simpson Oil, for the man said to have invented the process - this full extract Cannabis oil (FECO) isn’t to be taken lightly. Out of all product categories on the market, RSO packs more Cannabis goodness per gram than any other. That’s because the extraction process involves reducing all plant material into a dark, sludgy concentrate. While it can be taken recreationally, there are those who believe the healing properties of RSO to be borderline miraculous. I once connected with a woman whose husband had been debilitated by the symptoms of ALS. After giving him some RSO, she told me with tears in her eyes, that she watched him get himself dressed for the first time in two years. Anecdotal, sure, but powerful nonetheless. This version from TJ’s helped me get some much-needed rest while suffering from an intense winter bug, and I plan to keep it handy through the season. If you plan to use RSO recreationally, keep a couple of things in mind. First, it doesn’t taste good, and looks even worse (like thick motor oil). Second, it will hit you in ways that dabs, flower, and distillate-based edibles won’t. The effect is downright medicinal - with heavy, drowsy, next-world euphoria, as well as the potential for intense dry mouth and increases in appetite. Third and especially important for the uninitiated, it doesn’t take much to do the trick. Just a tiny taste.
REVIEW by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS
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OREGONLEAF OREGONLEAF MAGAZINE
#OREGONLEAF
78
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
Rebel Roots Farms Now Mining
Live Resin Diamonds
Distillate • Vapes • Drippers Body Cream • Tinctures • Rosin Moon Doobs • Diamonds • Terpenes Hemp • RSO • Massage Oil For use only by adults 21 and older. Keep out of reach of children. Do not drive a motor vehicle while under the influence of marijuana.