THE FLOWER ISSUE
Dante's Inferno
cultivated by Fade Co.
March Forward
with Roll One ™ Vapes. Affordable, discreet, and ready to go. Vape carts and all-in-ones, now available.
THE ENLIGHTENED VOICE
WES ABNEY CEO & FOUNDER
wes@leafmagazines.com
MIKE RICKER OPERATING PARTNER ricker@leafmagazines.com
TOM BOWERS CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER tom@leafmagazines.com
DANIEL BERMAN CREATIVE DIRECTOR daniel@leafmagazines.com
EARLY MARYLAND LEAF PUBLISHER early@leafmagazines.com
WYATT EARLY STATE DIRECTOR wyatt@leafmagazines.com (410) 961-8779
BOBBY BLACK LEAF BOWL DIRECTOR & HISTORIAN bobbyblack@leafmagazines.com
KAYL WOHL COPY EDITOR kayl@leafmagazines.com
ABOUT THE COVER
For this year's Flower Issue, we wanted to switch things up from our traditional slate of grow tours. We took a bunch of fire nugs down to the Maryland Connoisseur studio for a shoot with the professional and talented Greg Malcolm. Using image stacking and ultra-macro photography, Greg was able to show off the individual details and trichome forests of every single nug we shot. Dante's Inferno by Fade Co. spoke to us when we examined the buds, basically under a microscope. The lovely bud structure, pungent smell coming off the nug and the vast depth of the flower helped us land on this cover shot.
PHOTO BY GREG MALCOLM @MARYLANDCONNOISSEUR
WES ABNEY, FEATURES
BOBBY BLACK, FEATURES
JOSHUA BOULET, ILLUSTRATION
TOM BOWERS, FEATURES
DANIEL BERMAN, DESIGN
HAYLEY EWING, PHOTOS
MATT JACKSON, FEATURES + ART
JESSE JOHNSON, FEATURES
ZACK JOHNSON, PHOTOS
REX HILSINGER, FEATURES + PHOTOS
GREG MALCOLM, PHOTOS
TAYLOR MARTIN, FEATURES
JOSH MONTHEI, PHOTOS
JESSE RAMIREZ, DESIGN
MIKE RICKER, FEATURES
WES
ABNEY
Editor’s Note
Thanks for picking up The Flower Issue of Maryland Leaf!
This is our ode to weed: the buds, the nugs, the plant that fil ls our minds and lungs with healing and happy smoke! Frosty trichome-covered flower is the input for every product we find on a dispensary s helf, processed into concentrates and then into edibles and topicals. It all starts as a plant, and that’s why we’ve picked the best buds to share with you!
I vividly remember the first time I picked up a High Times magazine, in the early 2000s, and saw a fully flowered plant covered in trichomes, red hairs and edgy leaves under a blue light filter. It looked almost alien! This illegal exotic plant could put you in jail, yet it looked so crummy in the dime bags and e ighths of BC bud around Seattle at that time. I was stunned and intrigued. I wanted to see the plant in the dirt, sending my roots into the weeds that day.
In my youthful era, Cannabis was illegal, and I was told that the Devil’s Lettuce would give me testicular cancer, ruin my brain like a fried egg, and steal my motivation. If only the warnings about alcohol had been equally as serious. It might seem trite, but seeing a weed plant in that magazine changed my entire view on Cannabis as a drug. How could all this fear be about something similar to an orchid or a tulip?
The first time I held a pot plant, in a red Solo cup, I was again struck by the juxtaposition between the reputation of the plant and the r eality of a little green seedling. I was reminded of the Parable of the Mustard Seed — how faith is like a tiny seed that can grow into a large tree that provides food, an environment for other animals and a safe space for birds and critters. What better example than the humble pot seed, which provides food, fuel and fiber as hemp and delivers medici ne and a safe recreational high as Cannabis? Surely the plant that can do it all is a gift from God, and definitely not comparable to lettuce!
CONNECT WITH MARYLAND LEAF
Exclusive Cannabis Journalism CONTRIBUTORS
“SEEING A WEED PLANT IN THAT MAGAZINE CHANGED MY ENTIRE VIEW ON CANNABIS AS A DRUG.”
We are creators of targeted, independent Cannabis journalism. Please email us to discuss advertising in the next issue of Maryland Leaf Magazine. We do not sell stories or coverage. We can offer design services and guidance on promoting your company’s medicinal, recreational, commercial or industrial Cannabis business, product or event within our magazine and on our website, leafmagazines.com. Email wyatt@leafmagazines.com to start advertising with Maryland Leaf!
I’ve been to the Portland Rose Garden, tripped in the Seattle A rboretum at the peak of blooming season, and yet no plant I’ve ever seen or sme lled compares to the beauty of Cannabis. Our favorite plant can share the same scent and flavor of a sugary strawberry patch in bloom, have the creamy-cheesy-garlicky funk of ripe durian fruit, and even share the same chemical compounds as the spray from a skunk! All of nature is represented in the spectrum of flavors, from the swee t to the cat piss.
Cannabis is the only plant that can send us to the sky in euphoria, help us rest peacefully and get us totally ripped while healing the body. I believe that all use of Cannabis is medicinal, because even on a rainy spring day, if the only reason for smoking is to feel better, then the act is one of healing. How many people turn to alcohol, pharmaceuticals or the ever-present sugar to feel bett er while harming their bodies?
There’s only one plant we can smoke or vaporize to feel better, which is why we celebrate all the beautiful colors, shapes and flavors in our annual Flower Issue!
NORTHWEST LEAF / OREGON LEAF / ALASKA LEAF / MARYLAND LEAF / CALIFORNIA LEAF / NORTHEAST LEAF / UTAH LEAF
BY THE NUMBERS
In Massachusetts, this is the percentage of dispensary retail products out of 100 that failed mold testing requirements. According to Christopher Hudalla, Ph.D., founder and CSO of testing laboratory ProVerde, the results of the tests are alarming. He said, “Well over half of the samples submitted do not pass the state’s own criteria for safety.” Who knows what blend of respiratory, allergy and fungal infections and reactions could result from using these products?
£400,000
The value of a Cannabis farm dismantled by police in North Yorkshire, England. The grow was discovered by an electrical company that discovered an irregular amount of power being used on the property during a power outage inspection. According to BBC News, officers described the operation as “sophisticated,” even though only two people were on scene during the raid. The police caught the two 30ish-year-old men, who are believed to be linked to an organized crime group.
55% 20 lbs. $100m
The amount of Cannabis found along with a handgun in a traffic stop by the Florida Highway Patrol. The 27-year-old driver was stopped for illegal window tint when the officer noticed a heavy smell of fresh Cannabis. When asked, the driver admitted to smoking but could not provide a license or medical Cannabis card. The gun wasn’t loaded, but having random cash throughout the car and several large bags of different quantities of Cannabis didn’t help.
The Michigan Department of Treasury is distributing nearly $100 million among 302 local entities and tribes, according to a mid-February announcement. Detroit will receive $3 million in Cannabis tax revenue, the most of any community in Michigan. Of the counties, Wayne County rings the bell again this year with the most in tax revenue, around $5 million. The 10% sales tax provides counties with a little more than $58,000 per licensed Cannabis business in their jurisdiction.
$300
New York’s Cannabis Control Board issued 74 new adult-use geared licenses in February spread out across six distributors, 10 microbusinesses, 39 processors and 16 retailers. As of late February, the state has 307 legal Cannabis retail stores in operation. Many more licensed Cannabis businesses in New York have yet to open, but the market should see an exciting uptick in mid to late 2025.
In early February the Idaho State Senate voted 27-8 to approve a bill creating a mandatory minimum fine of $300 for simple Cannabis possession. Individuals 18 and older will receive this fine when caught with up to 3 ounces of Cannabis. With the amount of neighboring states that have lax Cannabis systems, this is only a small step in the right direction. This was almost the final hurdle after the House passed the bill just days earlier with a 54-14 vote. Now it goes on to Gov. Brad Little for consideration. If signed into law, it would take effect on July 1 of this year.
Since the first six months of Ohio’s recreational Cannabis program, state sales went to nearly $320 million. This number is eye-opening considering the medical program in Ohio did less than $15 million in revenue during its first six months. The state’s Division of Cannabis Control reports more than $2 billion in the medical market since 2019 across 37 cultivators, 46 processors, nine testing labs and 131 retailers.
The number of Cannabis stores in Seattle that were hit with a smash-and-grab burglary on the same day in late February. The Reef Cannabis in Capitol Hill and Cannazone in SoDo had vehicles driven through their doors after hours, costing the owners tens of thousands of dollars in repairs. This isn’t the first time thieves have targeted these stores, with each store having $15,000 to $20,000 in merchandise stolen in previous years in the same style of burglary.
HOPE NELSON
FOR YEARS, Hope has been a respected and welcoming presence in the Maryland Cannabis industry. Her dedication to helping patients experience the full benefits of Cannabis has cultivated strong, lasting relationships throughout the community. Affectionately known as 'Mama Duck,' her primary motivation is caring for others. Next time you're at Far and Dotter in Timonium, be sure to say hello and make a new friend.
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO PURSUE A CAREER IN THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY SPECIFICALLY AS A PATIENT CARE ADVISOR? My journey into the Cannabis industry was personal. It started shortly after losing my dad -- My best friend. It was hard coping and just talking to someone wasn’t enough, then my therapist suggested trying medical Cannabis. And voila, it works! Coming from a background in beauty and wellness, I’ve always been passionate about helping people feel their best.
I started pursuing a career in Cannabis. Curio Wellness (Far & Dotter) happened to be the company that welcomed me into the industry and taught me everything I know. I’m really happy that I have had the opportunity to work with patients and Team because it has enlightened me on how I’m able to help others achieve their goals. I’ve always been in the beauty and wellness industry, and been into communications, but I never imagined my place here.
When I learned more about the therapeutic benefits of Cannabis, I saw an opportunity to combine my love for patient care with education and advocacy. As a Patient Care Advisor, I get to guide people toward products that actually improve their quality of life — whether they’re managing pain, anxiety, or other health concerns. Seeing firsthand how Cannabis changes lives is the most rewarding part of what I do.”
TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR PLANS TO LAUNCH YOUR OWN LINE OF CANNABISINFUSED FOODS AND WELLNESS PRODUCTS. WHAT KIND OF PRODUCTS DO YOU ENVISION CREATING? I’ve always loved creating, whether it’s in the salon, wellness, or the kitchen. My goal is to launch a Cannabis-infused food and wellness brand that blends natural, high-quality ingredients with the therapeutic benefits of Cannabis. I want to focus on products that feel both indulgent and healing — things like infused gourmet treats, soothing topicals, and wellness blends that people can easily incorporate into their daily routines. More than just selling products, I want to educate people on how Cannabis can be a part of a balanced lifestyle. Ultimately, my biggest goal is to name my company after my father Sonny, honoring his legacy while envisioning a brand rooted in love, family, self-care, quality and community.
YOU’RE ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN VOLUNTEERING AT FOOD PANTRIES. WHY IS GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY IMPORTANT TO YOU? Giving back has always been a big part of who I am. Since I was two years old, my family nicknamed me "Mama Duck," because I was always so caring, and wanting to help. I was raised to believe that if you have the ability to help others, you should. Volunteering at food pantries and being active in my community allows me to make a real difference in people’s lives, even in small ways. It’s not just about handing out meals — it’s about showing people they’re seen, valued, and not alone. I believe that true success isn’t just about what you achieve for yourself, but what you do for others along the way. No matter where life takes me, I’ll always make time to give back.
HOW HAS THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY EVOLVED SINCE YOU STARTED YOUR CAREER? The Cannabis industry has come a long way since I first started. When I began my career, there was still a lot of stigma around Cannabis use, especially in a medical context. But over the years, I’ve seen a major shift toward acceptance and education. People are more open-minded and willing to learn about the healing properties of Cannabis. It’s no longer just about recreational use — it’s become a recognized part of holistic health. The growth in research, accessibility, and the availability of products tailored to individual needs has really changed the landscape. It’s exciting to see the industry move in such a positive direction, and I’m proud to be part of it.
HOW DO YOU BALANCE YOUR CAREER, FAMILY LIFE, AND ENTREPRENEURIAL PURSUITS?
Balancing my career, family, and entrepreneurial pursuits is a constant juggling act, but Cannabis
has definitely helped me find that balance. I’m also very spiritual, and my faith is a big part of how I navigate life. I put my family first, and now that my kids are all grown, I get a little more breathing room, which makes it easier to focus on the things that truly interest me. With all of that in place, it helps me stay centered and get things done without losing sight of what matters most.
YOU’RE ALSO KNOWN AS THE PRANKSTER OF THE FAMILY. WHAT MOMENTS STAND OUT? I love keeping things lighthearted. One time, I pranked my son by hiding a fake joint in his room and catching him on the porch about to torch it he didn’t know if he should eat it or cry!! Another time, I had some fun with prank phone calls, pretending to be someone else and catching him completely off guard. It’s all in good fun, and I think it keeps everyone on their toes. My family knows they’ve always got to be ready for whatever I throw at them next!”
“ANYONE CAN BE SUCCESSFUL IN THIS INDUSTRY IF THEY PUT THE WORK IN AND LEAVE THEIR MIND OPEN.”
DISTRICT CANNABIS
FRESH ON THE SCENE with its doors opening in early February, District Cannabis now has a Maryland dispensary just minutes from its grow and processing facilities. The business has set roots in Hagerstown and connected with the local Cannabis community. Just outside the Valley Mall, this location is easily accessible from the highway and perfect for trips to and from Western Maryland. They have a huge stock of the freshest products from their own brand, District Cannabis, in addition to all of the Maryland market staples.
SETTING AND VIBE
The store is lined with red velvet stanchions, making it feel classy while maintaining different lines for online orders, medical patients and even consultations. They also have 4 walk-up windows to grab orders from outside the store. New patients and adult-use customers should feel encouraged to speak with someone about their goals with Cannabis. This can help to establish a basis for what products may be suited to your liking and ensure the best possible experience when using Cannabis.
FLOWER
The massive variety of flower at this store is made even better with $25, $30 and $35 eighths available every day. More importantly, they are all high-quality and you still get a lot of bang for your buck with the lower price point. This lowers the barriers to trying out several different strains and finding which terpene profiles and THC levels speak to your desired level of consumption.
CONCENTRATES
The concentrate options here are endless, with a heavy focus on terpene-rich concentrates like badders, live sugars, live rosin and many more. District’s flower translates really well into concentrates, so seeing so many flavors available is exciting for any connoisseur. I also appreciated how they had the same strains in different forms, like a Gelato Cake budder, live resin batter and sugar.
EDIBLES
Especially considering their doors have opened so recently, this store has a massive selection of edibles, including the newest on the market and the mainstays Maryland loves. Keef sodas, Evermore’s Tall Seltzer and Betty’s Eddies were some of my favorites on the menu. Keep an eye out for a full line of edibles coming from District Cannabis in the near future.
"THE MASSIVE VARIETY OF FLOWER AT THIS STORE IS MADE EVEN BETTER WITH $25, $30 AND $35 EIGHTHS AVAILABLE EVERY DAY."
Kill Shot, a cross of Sunset Sherbet and Mike Larry from Jungle Boys, delivers a sweet berry flavor with hints of fuel in liquid live resin form. The taste is reminiscent of the flower's aroma during cultivation. Live resin vapes are the perfect way to pack in flavor and effects on the go, with one or two hits getting me to my sweet spot. Keep an eye out for this strain and others from District Cannabis. 77.1% TOTAL CANNABINOIDS | 9.59% TOTAL TERPENES
HAYDEN HALE
HAYDEN HALE sits by himself before his next fight and tells himself that today is the day — the training through camp and preparation for this moment is worth it, win or lose. For some, the lights can become too bright in this situation. For the 18-yearold aspiring MMA fighter, he seizes the opportunity any time he steps into the cage.
“It’s like the thought of the future is so distant, but it’s right in front of you, happening in the present,” he described that particular moment. “It’s like what Bruce Lee said, ‘Be like water,’ let it flow.”
Growing up around the world of combat sports, Hayden said he first became interested in them after hanging around his grandfather’s martial arts studio when he was younger. The studio in Baltimore carried on the teachings of American Kenpo Karate, created by the late Ed Parker. Hayden later expanded his education to observing other combat sports like boxing and wrestling, finding inspiration in the different techniques used by various types of athletes.
“Of course we all love the ‘Rocky’ movies,” he joked. “I’ve just been in love with fighting, and it’s been about combining all of that into one thing for me.”
The family moved from Florida to Maryland in 2013, and he competed in karate tournaments until he reached high school and showed an interest in joining the wrestling team. However, his freshman year was upended by COVID-19 shutting down schools and gyms, including his family’s back home. He said he was starting to drift away from the world of combat sports and felt shut out from competing until he was able to finally join the wrestling team in his sophomore year. He went as far as reaching the state championship tournament in his senior year.
In addition to wrestling and karate, he began competing in jiu-jitsu tournaments in high school against adult competitors, feeling a need to “level up” in his fighting career. Even though he lost his latest fight, he uses the loss as a reminder to take things slow and “learn more from the guys that are around already.”
A normal day of training for Hayden consists of two separate workouts, one focused on endurance and the other dedicated to technique or strength training. He emphasizes that discipline has also played a big part in helping him stay mentally and physically fit for any situation, crediting his work ethic to his dad, who served in the Marines.
"...heprefersasolid hybridstraintohelphim recoverfromafightand jumpstarthiscreativity whiletraining."
“When it comes to things that people my age are worrying about, I’m not worried about that right now,” he said. “I’m worried about getting what I need to get done and making my mark.”
With his consistent training schedule and the toll of constant competition on his body, Hayden has relied on Cannabis for relief, as well as elevating his creativity both in and out of the cage. In 2024, he became a medical patient in Maryland and prefers a solid hybrid strain to help him recover from a fight and jumpstart his creativity while training. Hayden said he prefers to keep his consumption limited to flower and edibles during camp, especially when cutting weight, saying Cannabis acts as a “boost” to help him make the cutting easier to push through.
“It slows everything down so I can see things a little differently,” he said. “It’s very cool to tap into those little weird spots where you find new things.”
While there is some controversy around fighters using Cannabis in any instance, Hayden added that it helps him to absorb hits easier and aids in his recovery time from injury.
“When I’m getting punched in the face constantly, you do notice a difference when you’re sober and when you’re not,” he said.
Outside the cage, Hayden has a deep passion for art, particularly drawing with dark ink. He said the act of ink gliding along a blank canvas is satisfying, but added that the minimalist style can also reflect how people perceive a modern-day fighter.
“There’s that hard exterior, the black and white,” he described. “But if you look beyond that, there’s beauty in the actual art of what they’re doing.”
Understanding that his body won’t be able to bounce back as quickly when he’s older, Hayden is confident in his decision to pursue a full-time career as a professional fighter and compete in a larger organization with the dream of becoming a champion.
“I’m only 18, and I’m still young in this game,” he said. “I have so much more that I want to do. It’s just all those manifestations. Late at night, I see myself in the octagon with a belt around me.” @therealhaydenhale
terrascend
Several years have passed and a change of facility has happened since the last visit to TerrAscend’s grow. Now nestled in Hagerstown, their 25,000-square-foot facility is pumping out an impressive amount of delicious flower and concentrate on a regular basis. They have around 35 strains in rotation at the current moment, which is surely enough to keep the connoisseurs of Maryland happy.
Dirty Kush Breath Sea of Green Vegetation Maintenance
Cherry Slushee
TerrAscend has long been known and loved for staple strains like Afghani, Apple Crisp, Bubblegum Wedding and Peanut Butter Pie, but they have so much more cooking that it’s truly inspirational to see. Some of the brands grown in-house at TerrAscend’s facility include Kind Tree, Legend and Cookies. With a library of strains and brands this deep, the team tries to really hone in on what they know is good medicine and what works in their facility.
Entering a grow room is like stepping into a different world. The environment is carefully controlled, with optimal temperature, humidity and lighting conditions. The air is filled with the sweet, citrusy, gassy and earthy scent of different Cannabis plants intertwining. As soon as I stepped into a flowering room my nose was flooded with scents of Dirty Kush Breath, Lemon Splash, and Cherry Slushee.
Grow rooms are divided into different zones, each with its own specific purpose and set of smells. The vegetative zone is where the plants spend their early stages of growth. Here, they are given plenty of light and nutrients to help them grow strong and healthy. You can’t really smell any specific terpenes at this stage, but TerrAscend had one of the cleanest and most organized veg rooms I’ve ever seen.
is typically 12 hours on and 12 hours off. This triggers the plants to start producing buds. Different strains go through various time periods in the flowering stage. Hence the importance of growing plants with similar life cycles, making it easier to take down entire rooms at once during a harvest. The terpenes in a flower room are overwhelming, but the feeling of being overcome with the fresh smell of terpenes is one of a kind.
Once the plants reach peak maturity, they are harvested, cured and dried over several weeks. This not only locks in and increases flavor but, if not done properly, it can negatively affect the potency. The grow team here works meticulously to ensure their plants are getting the level of care they need from the seed in the dirt to Cannabis going out to retail locations for sale.
A grow room is a complex, delicate environment that can be learned but not mastered. It takes a lot of skill and knowledge to grow Cannabis successfully, and the journey is part of what makes it so fun and special to be able to see. When done with passion and an intense desire to create a quality end product, the results can be amazing.
Once the plants are mature enough, they are moved to a flowering room. Here the light cycle
The folks at TerrAscend are passionate about all facets of the plant and have been a breath of fresh air for me in the industry. Shoutout to Malik, Jessica, John, Nolan and the rest of the staff who made our visit so special!
Pre-Roll Heaven
The air is filled with
Grow Team
Harlem's Finest
Drying Room
El Lechero
ORGANIC REMEDIES MARYLAND
MYTHIC SKUNK CURED BADDER
Organic Remedies has crafted an incredible display of concentrate prowess with their Mythic Skunk cured badder. Mythic Skunk is an in-house blend of Golden Skunk and Garlic Cherry Gelato cultivars, precisely and artisanally extracted and cured for an impressively robust terpene profile.
THE RESIN ITSELF is beautifully colored with an almost waxy consistency, bursting with an array of interesting aromatic notes that only come from the highest quality extraction techniques. Organic Remedies produces their cured concentrate lines from a proprietary blend of hydrocarbons that expertly captures some of the most diverse arrays of Cannabis terpenes in Maryland. Cannabis extractors all approach their craft in slightly different and nuanced manners, leading to the variety of consistencies and qualities we see across the concentrate market.
Ethanol, CO2 and hydrocarbons are the main solvents used to extract Cannabis resin, with each style offering its own set of pros and cons. Hydrocarbon setups, like the one Organic Remedies uses, offer any extractor the opportunity to extract high-quality concentrates with quite high levels of preserved terpenes.
However, when an extractor starts to access “proprietary blends” of hydrocarbons, the quality of extracts improves significantly.
The Mythic Skunk cured badder is precisely one such high-quality extract, as evidenced by its extremely nuanced profile that preserves meaningful quantities of several rarer and more volatile terpenes. A blend of hydrocarbons refers to a secret recipe of hydrocarbons, like butane and propane in exact ratios, that are optimized to gently extract and preserve a diverse array of terpenes.
When this technology is combined with well-cured and well-grown flower, you get extracts like the Mythic Skunk.
“MYTHIC SKUNK IS A COLLECTION OF UNIQUE, PLEASANT AROMAS AND FLAVORS THAT ANY CONNOISSEUR SHOULD SEEK OUT TO EXPAND THEIR PALATE.”
Not only is the aroma profile an alluring set of spicy, fruity and floral graduation, but the depth of the aroma and flavors comes alive in the gentle heat of a lowtemp dab. With noticeable quantities of linalool, bisabolol, eudesmol, terpineol and guaiol, Mythic Skunk is a collection of unique, pleasant aromas and flavors that any connoisseur should seek out to expand their palate. The adventure of rare fruits, elegant florals and spicy alliums is just a dab away with Organic Remedies’ Mythic Skunk cured badder.
ORGANICREMEDIESMD.COM @ORGANICREMEDIESMARYLAND
THE FLOWER
CULTA Apollo 22
Curio Wellness Opals and Banonoze
Evermore Cannabis Company Midnight Circus
FLOWER ISSUE
Grassroots Cannabis Company
Novarine
Fade Co. Dante’s Inferno
Kind Tree Loud Cake
Novarine
Opening the jar released a complex and potent aroma — a striking blend of cheesy, citrus and pine terpenes. This beautiful flower crosses Thai Landrace and the renowned sativadominant hybrid, Caprichosa Thai. A couple of bowl hits brought out an energetic and creative buzz, all while maintaining a comfortable headspace. This strain is gaining recognition for its high THCV content, which is believed to have potential appetite-suppressing effects.
kind tree loud cake
The moment I tore into the Mylar bag, a potent gelato aroma, mixed with notes of freshly baked goods, filled the air. This strain, a cross of Project 4516 and Pancakes by In House Genetics, was expertly cultivated by Kind Tree, showcasing the plant’s full potential. The smooth exhale delivered a gassy flavor that lingered pleasantly. A single joint left me deeply relaxed, making this the ideal strain to unwind after a long day. @kindtreecann
A symphony of color dances across the surface of this exquisite flower. Deep, velvety purple hues dominate, punctuated by stark white patches where trichomes have accumulated in thick, frosty layers. Vibrant light green snakes through the dense bud, contrasting beautifully with the darker tones. Emerging from the frosty blanket is a profusion of fiery orange pistils, and the entire surface shimmers with a kaleidoscope of colors. The nug was dense but soft to the touch, a testament to the careful curing process. The smoke was smooth and had a sweet and rich flavor, and after a joint, I had an uplifting feeling in my head and behind my eyes.
This flower is absolutely drenched in trichomes — the buds practically disappear beneath a shimmering blanket of resin. Bred by Clearwater Genetics and Tiki Madman, this cross of Oreoz and Devil Driver delivers a delightful aroma of berries and cream. The flavor follows suit, mirroring the nose with a sweet, sugar-cone finish. The cure by Fade Co. is spot-on, resulting in that perfect, slightly squishy bud density that I always appreciate. If only Dante had a taste of this sweet strain, maybe his trip through the Inferno wouldn’t have been so hellish.
@fadeco2.0 thefadecompany.com @clearwatergenertics cwgenetics.com @tikimadman
tikimadman.com
31.33% Total Cannabinoids 1.24% Total Terpenes
Must be 21+ to view this content. Cannabis is for use by adults 21+ or certified Maryland medical patients.
Dosidos #2222 has been a Maryland Cannabis favorite for years, and CULTA’s cross with Space Walker takes it to a whole new level. The Z terps linger on the palate, beautifully complemented by a unique fuel-injected layer cake flavor that adds both depth and complexity. If you’ve smoked CULTA’s Dosidos #22, you know just how relaxing it can be, and this new cross is no exception. After just one joint, I felt a wave of relaxation wash over me, a feeling that lasted throughout the day.
@cultaig | culta.com
6328 Baltimore National Pike, Catonsville, MD 21228
+1 (443) 840-8287
summitdispensary.com
Order Here!
Limited Availability - Strain Selection Subject to Change
$10 ALL Fade & Just Flower Prerolls
$5 OFF ALL Top Shelf Fade (1/8oz)
$25 Fade (1/8oz)
Cherry Pie, Dante’s Inferno, Floss Sugar, Papaya Fuel, Pie Hoe, Sundae Driver, Zack’s Pie
$25 Just Flower (4g)
Ghost Rider, Illuminati, Oreo Blizzard, Pink Runtz
$90 ALL (15g) Just Flower
Chesapeake Kush, El Chivo, Floss Sugar, Gelatti Pancakes, Ghost Rider, Illuminati, Oreo Blizzard, Pink Guava, Pink Runtz, Tenacious
$23 (.5g) ALL Just Vape Cartridges
$38 (1g) ALL Just Vape Cartridges
Take something you already love — the strain Apples and Bananas — and cross it with Blue Power plus Gelatti for Opals and Banonoze. Popping the lid off this jar freed a mixture of exotic fruity flavors with pastry dough aromas lingering from beautiful purple and orange buds. I found this batch, containing over 2% myrcene and 0.6% pinene, particularly effective for relieving my anxiety and pain, making it an excellent anytime strain. @curiowellnessbrand curiowellness.com
iDO ROBOTS GROW WITH ELECTRIC SEEDS?
compound genetics, node labs and the hunt for synthetic seeds
WAS AT A PARTY when Felipe Recalde from Compound Genetics came up and pulled out a vial filled with these clear, gelatinous bubbles. Inside each orb was a tiny green shoot suspended in goo like an embryo in a fish egg. He shook them up and poured some into my hands to show they weren’t as delicate as they appeared. “These,” he said, “are Cannabis seeds.”
When you think of planting fields of Cannabis 100 years from now, what do you imagine it will look like?
Certainly far different than the hoop houses or even the giant indoor facilities we see today. Looking at the progression from small farms to large facilities and seeing the title of this article, it’s hard not to start picturing some kind of science fiction garden from “Blade Runner” or “Alien.” Certainly the term “synthseeds” sounds like it was made by the Weyland-Yutani Corporation. The concept of a synthetic seed, or seed analog, was actually first discovered back in 1958.
A SEED BY ANY OTHER NAME
Presented as a concept in 1977, the very first synthseeds were reproduced in 1984 with somatic embryos from alfalfa.
Even looking the concept up online you’ll find YouTube videos dating back to five and six years ago from places as far away as Australia. The National Library of Medicine lists a 2022 study examining artificial seeds as an alternative approach for the commercial-scale use of clones. Because, to be clear right from the start, we’re not talking about a solution for traditional Cannabis cultivation methods but rather another tool in the playbook for large-scale cultivation.
There will always be a need for natural seed stock in the world of Cannabis and the genetic diversity it provides. However, as more commercial facilities open up, synthetic seeds have undeniable applications in those environments — particularly for transferring genetics. Many different laws and regulations still apply to seeds. Remember that while a package might say “novelty use,” it’s still subject to agricultural restrictions. Many tourists have come back from Amsterdam only to discover their “novelty” seeds taken at customs. In speaking with Compound for this article, Recalde says the meristem cell contained inside an artificial seed represents base cells and can’t simply be planted in the ground to grow. Therefore, they’re excluded from many of the situations traditional seeds can find themselves in.
To learn more, we headed to Compound Genetics’ facility in Santa Rosa, Calif., where they maintain a lab as well as a facility to work on long-term projects like synthseeds. Part of Node Labs and connected to an antique barn, the facility can house a staggering 450 different cultivars, but Production Manager Emily Hsu says they normally store around 300 strains. These range from Compound and other recreational flower brands to a section for private client storage and a space for their work with the Origins Council to offer free genetic banking for farmers stewarding
California’s legacy outdoor genetics. Together with Lauren Avenius, CEO of Node Labs, Hsu walked us through the breakdown of the parts of a synthetic seed and how they’re made, a process they say all starts with meristems cells.
WHAT ARE MERISTEMS?
A meristem is a cluster of cells within a plant containing a bunch of actively dividing initial cells, along with derivative cells that have an intended purpose. Avenius says, “Think of it a bit like the stem cell of the plant world.” They collect these meristems and then prepare them into synthetic seeds which they refer to in the lab as “boba.” When asked why the reference, Avenius said, “I think we've all had boba tea before, and you understand how it has that outer casing within that little bit of a pop when it opens up, and then it’s filled with a sugary sort of fluid, right? That's basically what this is. We simulate everything that’s inside a seed: all of the food, the little bit of hormones, all of the sugars and starches that that seed embryo gets, we put in here.” Softer than your traditional seed, the shell is made of sodium alginate, a completely organic, edible substance that the plant can easily break through but requires a bit of force to burst from the outside.
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To anyone who can recognize how important genetics are to the future of Cannabis, this represents a possible game-changer."
in tissue culture, and eventually replacing clones is Avenius and Recalde’s long-term goal. “Our vision for the project is that these become a viable product to replace clones so that you’ll get all the benefits of a sterile clone and genetically identical plants, with all the agronomic data, so you can dial in your room and be able to have that perfect product output,” Avenius says.
From there, we went to the lab station where Shannon Healy, manager of R&D, was sitting down to create the artificial seeds by collecting the fluid and meristem into a scientific turkey baster, dropping it into the sodium alginate, where it instantly formed a tiny egg, and was scooped out into a sterile container. We asked Healy if the recipe for the liquid starter was universal to the process, and she says they actually went through several different mixtures of sodium alginate and calcium chloride before achieving a successful autoclavable solution. When asked how long these stay viable, Healy said they have some in cold storage that are as old as five months. Even the ones I was sent home with sat in and out of my fridge for six weeks before tiny sprouts started to poke through the shells.
THE FUTURE IS NOW
Currently, Recalde says Node and Compound are stress testing to see how long the meristem stays viable, as well as running trials on how to eventually plant these straight into rockwool cubes. He believes that with a tissue culture lab in Colombia and partners in Germany, Canada, Israel, Thailand and Australia, “we need to simulate that supply chain now to be ready.” Long term, Avenius says, they want home and commercial growers to be able to plant these just like seeds. The result would be a healthy, harvestable plant grown straight from nothing but the tiny bit of tissue and its boba bathtub. Recalde says he sees one of the most important long-term benefits as the ease with which synthetic seeds allow us to transport plants.
Also, Avenius points out, unlike seeds you can’t just plant a meristem and have it grow into a plant for harvest. “Those meristems need that direction, the right growth medium and hormones to get it to grow into what you want. Sometimes that can make the plants have a strange morphology,” she says. That’s the reason they don’t recommend using tissue culture as a flowering crop but instead recommend growing it out to become a mother plant.
For now, they want boba seeds to become a replacement for the traditional storage methods
This leads me back to what put me into this story in the first place: the idea that you can wander around with a container full of healthy clones right in your pocket, ready to be delivered anywhere you can reach in at least six weeks. To anyone who can recognize how important genetics are to the future of Cannabis, this represents a possible game-changer. Despite the 40-year-old technology still being 10 to 15 years away from what Node and Compound are picturing, this is something they see as part of prepping for the future.
This year at Spannabis in Barcelona, Avenius says they hope to unveil the project to commercial growers with a simplified explanation: “How do we combine the best thing about seeds, which is they’re cheaper and healthier, with the best thing about tissue culture and clones, which are genetically identical and have proven commercial viability?”
Sensi Sensibility
Celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, Holland’s Sensi Seed Bank is the world’s oldest and most influential Cannabis seed company still in operation.
EARLY DAYS
Sensi Seeds was founded in 1985 by Dutch cultivator and entrepreneur Ben Dronkers.
Born on Dec 25, 1949, Dronkers was raised in Rotterdam, where he first gained an appreciation for horticulture while spending time with his mother in their garden.
In 1963, at the age of 15, he began working as a boatswain’s boy (an assistant deck hand) for the Rotterdam-based Holland-America merchant shipping line. While visiting ports of call in various countries, he sought exotic fabrics for a clothing company he hoped to start. Three years later, Dronkers had already married and had his first son, Alan. In 1968, he and his wife did indeed open their own clothing boutique… but by then, his passion had already started shifting towards another pursuit: Cannabis.
INTRODUCTION TO CANNABIS
Dronkers smoked his first joint (tobacco and hashish, as was typical in Europe at the time) at 17 while walking on a pedestrian bridge across the Nieuwe Maas River with a friend. Soon, instead of just collecting hemp fabrics on his voyages, he was also collecting seeds. And since there was nowhere to get hash or weed there in Rotterdam, he and his friend began riding down to Amsterdam to cop.
Like in America, the late ’60s saw a counterculture beginning to emerge in the Netherlands. In June 1970, around a year after Woodstock, Rotterdam had a psychedelic rock festival of its own. Billed as “Europe’s answer to Woodstock,” the Holland Pop Festival — aka “Stamping Ground” and the “Kralingen Music Festival” featured a stellar lineup, including Santana, Jefferson Airplane and Pink Floyd. It was this concert that many cite as the birthplace of the Dutch’s famous tolerance towards Cannabis use, or gedoogbeleid — and Dronkers was right at the heart of it.
“Everyone knew that at the festival a lot of people would be smoking, so the police said they would take it easy, that there would be no arrests because they were afraid there would be riots,” he told High Times in 1996. “So we made a ‘Hash and Marijuana Here’ sign and sat under it and sold it.”
CULTIVATING THE DREAM
By 1975, Dronkers had begun growing his own Cannabis in makeshift greenhouses using seeds he’d acquired abroad or culled from some of the better quality weed he’d come across.
“Back then we were experimenting with the first indoor grow techniques, using cool-tubes shaped as a tipi to try and get some buds. The weed was not good, but it worked,” he once explained. “For us, it felt amazing that we could just put some seeds in the ground, water it, and grow your own weed.”
Dronkers began setting up larger-scale grows, then tried to sell his harvests to coffeeshops. But ironically, since the Dutch market wasn’t used to seeing kind bud, he initially encountered resistance.
“The first two to three years that I grew Cannabis in greenhouses, no one wanted to buy it,” he explains. “The Dutch had only seen brown Thai and African weed, which was pressed into blocks and dried out. So when they saw green buds, they didn’t know what to do with it. They even called it ‘spinach.’”
Eventually, though, he convinced a few shops to take a chance on his “spinach,” and they they were not disappointed: it was flying off the shelves, thanks in large part to American tourists.
“[People] were getting so stoned that they would literally fall off their stools!” Dronkers emphasized.
BUILDING THE BANK
From 1978 to 1984, Dronkers spent much time traveling to various regions along the infamous Hippie Trail (e.g. India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Morocco), procuring quality hashish and landrace genetics.
Sensi Seed Bank owner Ben Dronkers in front of his shop in Amsterdam.
Dronkers with a Skunk bush in his greenhouse (1983).
Then, in the early to mid-1980s, Holland’s tolerance toward Cannabis began attracting some of America’s top pot pioneers who were eager to share their cultivation knowledge and genetics with Amsterdam’s burgeoning marijuana market. From grow gurus like Ed Rosenthal, Jorge Cervantes, “Seattle Greg” McAllister, and Sam the Skunk Man, Dronkers obtained now-classic strains like Skunk #1, Early Pearl, Original Haze and Northern Lights. Using these cultivars and those he’d curated from his travels, Dronkers began developing and stabilizing his own hybrids.
SENSI SMILE
In addition to selling his weed to coffeeshops in Amsterdam, Dronkers also opened his own shop in his hometown in 1983. The first Cannabis cafe in Rotterdam, Sensi Smile, was originally just his clothing shop with a big pot leaf in the window from which they sold weed and hash.
Additional locations were later opened in Amsterdam, Groningen and other parts of Rotterdam. Unfortunately, raising his public profile like that also led to unwanted scrutiny from the law. And though Dutch authorities tolerated the sale and possession of small amounts of Cannabis, growing more than five plants was still considered illegal, so Dronkers’ large-scale grows inevitably led him to run afoul of the law. Luckily, though, penalties for Cannabis in Holland weren’t very harsh.
“Altogether, I’ve been arrested about 80 times in my life,” Dronkers confessed to HT. “I’ve been convicted about 15 times and jailed four or five times, but always for a short time. The longest period I’ve been in jail was six weeks.”
As the story goes, it was during one of these jail stays that Dronkers began researching the legal basis of Cannabis prohibition in Europe, the Opium Act (celebrating its centennial this year), and discovered a loophole of sorts: apparently, Cannabis seeds were exempt from the ban. After verifying this find with his lawyer, he decided to shift gears and sell seeds instead of weed. And thus, the Sensi Seed Club (aka Sensi Connoisseurs’ Club) was born.
SEEDS OF SUCCESS
In 1985, Dronkers rented a storefront in Amsterdam’s infamous Red Light District and began selling their seeds. The shop was an immediate success, attracting aspiring home growers and pros worldwide.
Sensi’s most famous strain, Jack Herer, has become one of the most popular “sativas” in the world.
Of course, Sensi wasn’t the only seed company operating out of Holland at the time: Super Sativa Seed Club (SSSC), Lowlands Seed Company, and The Seed Bank were also in the mix. Of these, The Seed Bank was the first and most successful, thanks to founder Nevil Schoenmakers’ bold move of selling to Americans via ads in High Times. Unfortunately, that strategy backfired when he became the target of the Bush administration’s Operation Green Merchant sting in 1989.
In 1991, Schoenmakers was arrested in Australia and faced extradition to the U.S. During his incarceration, he struck a deal to sell his entire seed and plant stock — as well as his mansion known as the “Cannabis Castle” — to Dronkers. With the acquisition of Nevils’ Seed Bank, Sensi Seed Club became the Sensi Seed Bank… and with the dissolution of SSSC, Lowlands, and Cultivators Choice soon after, emerged as the largest seed company in the world.
THE CANNABIS CUP
With a vast genetic library and no serious competition, Sensi Seeds began cranking out phenomenal new strains (e.g., Silver Haze, Black Domina, Sensi Skunk, Big Bud and Hindu Kush), some of which would go on to win awards at High Times’ newly-created (1988)
Cannabis Cup competition — even sweeping the Seed Company category in 1993.
But it was the 7th Annual Cup in 1994 that would prove to be the real game-changer for Sensi. That was the year Sensi first opened up the Cannabis Castle for tours and, during a special ceremony there, premiered what would become their most famous strain — one that bears the name of the weed world’s most legendary activist, Jack Herer. Allegedly a cross between Haze, Northern Lights, and Skunk, this sativa-dominant sensation ended up taking home the top prize that year and has since become one of the most popular “sativas” in the world.
After 2002, Sensi took a decade-long hiatus from participating in the Cannabis Cups. It wasn’t until 2013, at the 26th Cup, that Dronkers finally decided to re-enter the competition, and High Times celebrated his return by inducting him into their Counterculture Hall of Fame.
HEMP COMPANY & MUSEUM
In addition to his seed company, Dronkers has spearheaded several other groundbreaking projects in the Cannabis space.
The same year he launched Sensi Seeds, Dronkers also opened the Cannabis Info Museum — the world’s first Cannabis museum — just a few blocks from his seed shop. With help from Rosenthal, he curated an ongoing exhibit showcasing some of the countless Cannabis-related artifacts he’d collected on his travels. After an expansion in 2008, then a complete remodel in 2012, it transformed into the iconic Hash Marihuana & Hemp Museum we know today. A sister museum was opened in Barcelona mere weeks after the Amsterdam location’s reopening.
Next, in 1993, Dronkers founded HempFlax, a company that grows hemp in several European countries and processes it into fibers for textiles and plastic substitutes. It’s the largest CBD oil producer in Europe.
Then, in 2004, he created the Cannabis Culture Awards — an annual ceremony at the museum honoring individuals who’d taken an extraordinary stand on behalf of Cannabis, including Herer, Rosenthal, Dr. Lester Grinspoon, Todd McCormick, and Sir Richard Branson.
A NEW CHAPTER
Now, at 74, Dronkers lives in Malaysia in semi-retirement, passing the proverbial torch to his son (and executive director) Gio Dronkers. Under his stewardship, Sensi has continued to thrive — now offering over 500 unique and classic cultivars. And at MJ Bizcon last December, Sensi announced that they would be merging with both Nor-Cal’s ILGM (I Love Growing Marijuana) and fellow Amsterdam icons Barney’s Farm Genetics, and plan to take the new conglomerate public later this year. This would make it the world’s first publicly traded Cannabis seed company.
“This partnership strikes a balance between honoring the legacy market and shaping a brighter future for the Cannabis industry,” Dronkers said of the merger. “We are devoted to innovation, quality and preserving the seeds of this rich, diverse and extraordinary plant.”
For our podcast and more Cannabis history content visit worldofcannabis.museum/cannthropology.
Sensi Seeds’ Cannabis Connoisseurs Club (1992).
Dronkers in a Cannabis field in Afghanistan in the 1970s.
Jack Herer celebrates the debut of his namesake strain at Sensi’s Cannabis Castle (1994).
Dronkers & Rosenthal at his Rotterdam coffeeshop during the1980s.
Amsterdam’s Hash Marihuana & Hemp Museum: before and after. Sensi catalog (1996).
HERB ' N' LEGENDS
Welcome to another case of examining some of Cannabis’ most enduring superstitions.
This month we look at one that, to this day, gets brought up at smoke sessions and livestreams all over the world. Some people will tell you irrefutably and with religious conviction that not only do you need to hold in your Cannabis hit but that you aren’t getting as high if you don’t. And while half of that statement is true, which half and why might just surprise you.
THERE’S NO DOUBT a minigame involved in trying not to immediately exhale after taking a puff. Contests are often held around a rotation to see who exhales before the joint gets back to them or who explodes into a coughing fit from trying. The phrase “if you don’t cough, you don’t get off” seems directly tied to the idea of holding in a hit. So, considering the firm belief, we have to ask: Is there merit to this idea? The Cannabis world often suffers from a lack of scientific studies to properly determine whether myths like this are fact or fiction. However, this is one of those instances where the science isn’t just available — it’s been there for years. Between the YouTube videos and brand-written articles on the subject, the National Institutes of Health website outlines a 1989 study in which Cannabis smokers were asked to hold their hits for zero, 10 and 20 seconds. Researchers then monitored them to determine whether breath-holding affected function or efficacy. Even back then, they found no conclusive evidence to support the idea that purposely holding your breath results in a
greater absorption of THC into the lungs.
From that breadcrumb, you might find a 1992 study published in the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, which concluded that there was more evidence for cumulative exposure (i.e., how many puffs you take) rather than prolonged exposure. Though the study was a weeklong trial with a small sample size, most of the same team reunited in 1995 to create a second study examining volume versus duration, published in the same journal.
"...there’s a reason you might feel more lightheaded after holding your breath for 30 seconds or coughing your guts out."
From both these studies, the team was able to report that their findings “support the notion that cumulative puff volume systematically influences biological exposure and subjective effects, but cast doubt on the common belief that prolonged breath-holding of marijuana smoke enhances classical subjective effects associated with its reinforcing value in humans.”
Despite all this, there’s still some mystery in the situation. That 1989 study is also quick to point out that “the actual influence on breath-hold duration
in response to marijuana smoke” wasn’t what was being studied, but rather the use of “systematic manipulation of breath-hold duration on the physiological, cognitive and subjective response to marijuana smoke.”
The 1992/1995 research team also saw a slight uptick in results when smoke was held in for three to 10 seconds, but that’s not how this myth gained such a lasting legacy that people on social media will constantly bring it up.
For one thing, there’s a reason you might feel more lightheaded after holding your breath for 30 seconds or coughing your guts out. Both of these activities deprive your brain of oxygen, elevating carbon dioxide in the bloodstream and producing feelings of spaciness, confusion and dizziness. So yes, these things will make you feel more fucked up, but that’s different than being higher.
We’ll have to wait for more studies to examine THC absorption, but for now, the next time someone comments on how long you held in your hit, you can remind them that you’re here to get high on weed, not a lack of oxygen.
DRAGON ASS SHOULD NOT BE CONFUSED WITH DRAGGING ASS.
Dragging ass is something we all do when our energy is low, especially in the moments upon waking before the requisite black brewed stimulant sparks the body’s motor that consumes fuel and burps exhaust.
We all know that feeling of lethargy. For so many of us, the first 30 minutes of the day is like boot camp. And if you happen to find yourself in a bizarre situation where that previously mentioned human gasoline called coffee is not available, motivating your brain toward a direction of productivity is like tugging cement through water. You are a recoil starter on the lawn mower with an empty tank. Regardless of how many times you tug on that sucker, the engine ain’t turning over until it gets some gas.
It’s not dissimilar for some stoners, you know. Different kind of gas, of course.
Anyway, dragon ass is something completely separate. However, these intelligent lizards have been known to be unapologetically lazy when perched atop their spoils of plunder, enjoying a good snore. At least that’s what we learned from the “The Lord of the Rings.” They’re kinda like cats when the belly is full. They will aimlessly drift into a back nap with the loins exposed — dreaming colorful fantasies of torching small village rooftops while blissfully unaware of the dribble of drool leaking through the muzzle’s lower incisors.
But then the interruption can be so very abrupt when the scent of hairy feet fouls the nostrils, alarming the defenses of little pint-sized thieves called Hobbitses. And nothing pisses a dragon off more than getting his favorite hood ornament jacked from his booty. So, with a burst of smoke and a toss of the tail, he boldly rises with awesome drama and devours him in one swallow.
And then he sniffs for a mate. Preferably one with nice booty.
Made for Well Beings
