THE FLOWER ISSUE
Do not attempt to smoke this magazine
ABOUT THE COVER
For California Leaf’s annual love letter to the flower we all know and appreciate, the team put their heads together to select some of the hottest heat in the land. This issue features 12 top-shelf cultivars from a dozen top-tier California growers, all selected by the Leaf crew to be photographed and reviewed by COO Tom Bowers. Be sure to read all about these beautiful buds in our special section on pages 24-28!
WES ABNEY CEO & FOUNDER
wes@leafmagazines.com
MIKE RICKER OPERATING PARTNER ricker@leafmagazines.com | advertising opportunities
TOM BOWERS CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER tom@leafmagazines.com
DANIEL BERMAN CREATIVE DIRECTOR daniel@leafmagazines.com
BOBBY BLACK LEAF BOWL DIRECTOR & HISTORIAN bobbyblack@leafmagazines.com
MATT JACKSON CALIFORNIA CONTENT DIRECTOR mattjackson@leafmagazines.com
KAYL WOHL COPY EDITOR kayl@leafmagazines.com
ASHLEY HIRCHERT SOCIAL MEDIA LEAD ashley@leafmagazines.com
CONTRIBUTORS
DANIEL BERMAN, DESIGN
BOBBY BLACK, FEATURES + DESIGN
JOSHUA BOULET, ILLUSTRATION
TOM BOWERS, FEATURES + PHOTOS
JEFF DIMARCO, PHOTOS
WYATT EARLY, NATIONAL NEWS
REX HILSINGER, FEATURES + PHOTOS
MATT JACKSON, FEATURES + ART
TODD MCCORMICK, PHOTOS
JOSH MONTHEI, PHOTOS
BAXSEN PAINE, FEATURES
JESSE RAMIREZ, DESIGN
MIKE RICKER, FEATURES + PHOTOS
We are creators of targeted, independent Cannabis journalism. Please email us to discuss advertising in the next issue of California Leaf Magazine. We do not sell stories or coverage. Email ricker@leafmagazines.com to start advertising!
Editor’s Note
Thanks for picking up The Flower Issue of California 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!
“SEEING A WEED PLANT IN THAT MAGAZINE CHANGED MY ENTIRE VIEW ON CANNABIS AS A DRUG.”
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!
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.
CALIFORNIA LEAF BUDTENDER OF THE MONTH
GUTTA GONE
He’s the number-one-selling budtender for Catalyst Cannabis who doesn’t consider himself a budtender but the best friend you never knew you had. Outside of the shop, you’ll find a family man who coaches youth sports and is following his artistic passion in rap music. Pop by his Instagram @guttagone.
BY GIVING YOURSELF A NAME THAT WASN’T GIVEN TO YOU AT BIRTH, DO YOU FEEL LIKE IT’S A REINVENTION OF WHO YOU ARE? I was given the name Joseph Apana at birth, which I don’t mind. When I was 14, my father died, and Joey, Joseph Apana also died. In search of my own identity, I got in trouble and ended up spending over seven years behind bars. My graffiti name was Goner. Tagging crews turn into gangs and all that. Eventually, I started to play around with music and loved what I heard. I was going by Gone at that time. One time when I was in prison, I rapped the words Gutta Gone and some of the guys said, “That’s hard, man, you should roll with that.” And the rest is history. So, you can call me anything, but this is what I’m going with at this phase of my life.
HOW HAS THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY WELCOMED YOU? I get to be me here.
NOW THAT YOU’VE PAID FOR THE MISTAKES IN YOUR LIFE, DO YOU FEEL OPTIMISTIC ABOUT YOUR FUTURE AND THAT YOU’VE GOT A BIGGER PURPOSE? Definitely. I’m a father of three and I’m very active in their lives. I had given up on myself until my daughter was born while I was in prison. I had to meet her through a glass screen. I always knew I had this power, something special in me, and that was part of the ‘catalyst’ that helped me to wake up and realize that I have more to offer. I’m not that wayward kid with little to offer the world.
WHAT WOULD YOUR 80-YEAR-OLD SELF SAY TO YOUR 33-YEAR-OLD SELF? Find balance. Make sure you touch all the bases before you touch home plate. Don’t cut corners so you don’t have to go back and retrace your steps. I’ve got great things ahead for myself. I’m a natural healer, I have it in my heart.
IF YOU COULD SHARE A STAGE WITH ANYONE, WHO WOULD IT BE? I wouldn’t want anyone to pull me up. I would want my name to speak for itself. But if I had to, it would be Nas. He put in hard work, dedication and passion. Somebody with poise.
HITTHESLOPES
MOGULS
Owners Doug and Tony had an existing store in San Diego called Torrey Holistics, and on a road trip to the mountain, they decided they loved the area and started looking around for opportunities to spread their vision. So, with open arms from the community, it made sense to venture into the snow-packed area of Mammoth Lakes. The citizens of this fun mountain town welcomed these friends from their San Diego State days with open ski gloves and clear goggles, and before you knew it, they were sharing joints with the lifties once the chairs stopped rolling.
APRÈS-SKI
Creating a lodge feel was a no-brainer, so one of the first things implemented was a fireplace. With the blonde wood decor and elegant touches throughout the showroom, there’s a vibe here for the local ski bum as well as the properly outfitted tourist. You’ll wanna give a “high” five to store manager Dale, a well-known local who always offers first-chair hospitality at a premium, especially as the clock strikes 4:20.
MAKING TURNS
Earning credibility as a respected contributor to the community has always been the gold medal of Mammoth Holistics. Every year they take their place at Bluesapalooza, where 15,000 revelers let loose. Like most ski towns, the year-round parties in the village, like Reggae Fest, are the norm, and when you’re the good guys with the weed shop, everyone wants to be your friend. In 2023, they were runner-up for Best Business in Mammoth through the Chamber of Commerce!
STAFF PICKS
FLOWER
Claybourne Co. King Louis OG - Kait
Dime Bag Ice Cream Cake - Danny
CBX Mount Zereal Kush - Jacob
Torrey Herb Co. Donny Burger - Ben
Joints
Claybourne Co. Frosted Flyers Grape Gasolina - Danny
Torrey Herb Co. Day & Night - Dale
Stuf Cannabis Blunts Runtz - Scott
Kingroll 1.3g Blunt Cannalope AK x Cannalope Kush - Tyler
Carts
CLSICS Rosin All-In-One Pink Lemon Up - Danny
ABX Sauce 510 Cart XJ-13 - Ben
Buddies 100% Liquid Live Resin All-In-One Dr. J - Jacob
turn pods 100% Live Resin Modified Grapes - Nelson
Concentrates
Punch Badder Space Banger - Dale
Nasha Hash Upgrade - Nelson
Jetty Solventless Badder Ice Cream Cake - Kait
Brite Labs Sugar Watermelon Zkittlez - Ben
Edibles
St. Ides Wild Raspberry High Tea - Tyler
Emerald Sky Milk Chocolate PB Cups Sativa - Nelson
Kiva Bar Milk Chocolate 100mg - Emily
Wyld Grapefruit 1:1:1 CBG:CBC:THC Sativa - Dale
@mammothholistics
Open 9 AM - 9 PM Daily (760) 663-7570
SMOKEN PROMISES
THE NEWEST CANNABIS TO DROP IN CALIFORNIA this month comes from a partnership between California giant Connected and the heartfelt and passionate couple behind the popular lifestyle brand Broken Promises. Jason Blake and Mandee Bence founded the company almost a decade ago and have since gained a dedicated following and released multiple big-name collaborations with movie and anime franchises. No strangers to the Cannabis scene (Jason’s brother Sean and his partner Becky run the Cannabis brand Your Highness), Jason told Leaf that he and Mandee found the perfect partnership to incorporate Cannabis into their lifestyle brand.
THE NEW BRAND, Smoken Promises, is helmed by the duo of Blake and Bence, along with Ted Lidie from Alien Labs and Caleb Counts from Connected. Part of the ethos of the Broken Promises brand is embracing the emotion that comes with experience, be that having a promise broken by someone or getting high with your friends. Jason says the team has been focused on “curating a menu of flavors and emotions that allows each customer to craft their own emotional high.” Mandee and Jason even offer suggestions on the brand website for which activities pair with which flavors, along with testimonials from smokers.
By working with a breeding powerhouse like Counts and Lidie, who often QC 60 strains or more a month, Smoken Promises has high-quality flower built into the recipe. Examples like Chem Brulee, Fresca Fiesta and Mystical Gelato show a nice range of effects and flavors for this opening year. Plus, with an additional six strains to fill out the initial lineup, there’s bound to be something for just about everybody (there’s even a classic Wedding Cake).
Connected says this new endeavor represents a years-long desire to work with Broken Promises due to the way their brand aligns with both Alien Labs and Connected aesthetics. With Smoken Promises, Counts says Connected’s breeding program has added a third identity, one that reflects Blake and Bence’s personalities just as Alien Labs does for Lidie. With a well-received launch that included 175 stores throughout California, Broken Promises fans seem quick to show their support for this new extension of their favorite lifestyle brand.
“SMOKEN PROMISES HAS HIGH-QUALITY FLOWER BUILT INTO THE RECIPE.”
Jason Blake & Mandee Bence
Alien Labs’ Ted Lidie & Connected’s Caleb Counts with Jason & Mandee
DOPE AS FUCK SWEET TARTS ROSIN
“Dope As Fuck isn’t just the name of this brand, it’s also how you
feel staring into the jar.”
Just because it’s the Flower Issue doesn’t mean we’re not ready to talk about some amazing concentrate. After all, what is rosin if not pressed flowers?
DOPE AS FUCK isn’t just the name of this brand; it’s also how you feel staring into the jar. Launched in the spring of last year, the boys at DAF have been releasing single-source, WPFF extract that’s been high up on people’s radars in the recreational market. WPFF stands for Whole Plant Fresh Frozen, which means within a few hours of harvest, the larger fan leaves are removed from the plant and it all gets dropped into a deep freeze at subzero temperatures to preserve the delicate trichomes and terpenes.
DAF is the sister brand to the award-winning Hash and Flowers. Grown at its newer farm in Calaveras, using all the same techniques and genetics, the brand offers a chance for the team to highlight the quality terroir in central California while HAF stays repping Trinity County.
Just working into their stride on the land, DAF has already dropped a nice variety of both exotic and mainstay flavors ranging from Pisang Raja to Cake Crasher. On the menu this time around is DAF’s Sweet Tarts rosin, which was originally bred by Purple City Genetics (the people who gave us Morrocan Peaches). Sweet Tarts, also known as Street Tarts, is Guava Tarts crossed with Street Guru, part of PCG’s 2024 Seasonal Selects collection.
Chosen for its strong aroma of candy with gas, PCG called this strain one of their favorites from last year. Written out in longhand, the makeup is (Caribbean Cookies x Grandi Guava) x (Gush Mints x Oreoz). If you start to go even deeper, you’ll see the recipe calls for Guava, Gelato and Kush, with a whole mess of herbs and spices.
The flower significantly darkens in the final weeks before harvest. The resulting rosin carries a golden caramel color that really terpy outdoor rosins can carry. Sweet Tarts has a beautiful wet look coming out of the jar. As you tap underneath the thin candy shell, there’s a rush of a deep, fruity smell that, after the initial bombardment, settles into a tropical profile.
While the flower is known to carry an earthy, pastry-like flavor, and even some gassiness in the smell, this rosin seems to pull all the candy and fruit notes right to the front of the line, leaving little room for any additional flavors. The intense rush pushing through the palate has that deep fruit but sheds any of the gas or dough, giving an understanding as to why they chose to call this Sweet instead of Street.
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CULTIVATED
ONE OF MY FAVORITE BAY AREA CANNABIS PRODUCERS, SENSE, has been wowing me with exceptional-looking flower since I first met them at Jimi Devine’s Transbay Challenge in early 2022. Back then, California Leaf reported on their incredible Pink Certz and how, in the hands of Sense, “flower reaches its delicious potential.” This time, we’re back with another one that feels like it’s been given overdrive by the team. SENSEGROWN.COM
ORANGE CHAI was originally named Caliburger by Ziplock Seeds. A citrusheavy Tangie Cookie Burger x Tropsicle, Sense grew out a few different phenos of this plant before settling on one that had an exceptionally strong spiced quality in the taste and aroma. Given their proximity to San Francisco, the rename Orange Chai sounds more apropos. Breaking down the lineage into longhand, the equation for Orange Chai is (Han Solo Burger x Tangimal), bred with ((Sunset Sherbert x Animal Cookies) x (Tropicanna Cookies F2 x Peanut Butter Soufflé)).
Considering that Han Solo Burger and Tangimal both have Cookie in their history, you can begin to see the pattern weld of all that Tangie and Cookie folded on top of each other like layers of doughy, citric steel — all quenched in a bath of sorbet and soufflé. The resulting creation is something just a little different and far more complex.
“A PATTERNED BLANKET OF LIGHT GREEN WITH OLIVE FLECKS, THESE THICK, SHARPLY ANGULAR BUDS ARE RIFE WITH TRICHOMES AND WILD ORANGE HAIRS.”
Like we were saying, Orange Chai really got its name from the aroma. Freshly zested tangerine peel rests surprisingly calm next to an earthiness that, one minute, gives a cologne-like spice on the back end and, the next, more of an earthy cocoa throughout. There were moments I swore I got hints of the chocolate oranges you get during the holidays. A patterned blanket of light green with olive flecks, these thick, sharply angular buds are rife with trichomes and wild orange hairs. Bowl-sized pieces easily break off the stem and will be positively cemented to your fingers if you try to break it down without a grinder. The flavor is a mixture of sweet orange and tangerine (fun fact: in the fruit world, they call that a tangor). Past that thick blanket of Tangie terps, discerning smokers will catch the Cookies’ crumb trail in the way the exhale hits an earthy, creamy note at the salivary glands.
Sense warned us that this could be a bit of a creeper strain, so we waited a minute before smoking more… and they were right. The pleasant but still cerebral onset lured us into thinking another round would be even better, but the next thing we knew, this turned that upbeat cerebral to a happy brain fog and then went to work tenderizing our muscles into a relaxed and non-functioning state. It is just as easy to smoke this strain and fix up the house as it is to throw on a movie and take an afternoon nap — so plan accordingly before you take that fourth bong rip of Orange Chai. I honestly believe this team is growing some of the best weed on the California retail market, and I’m always blown away by how consistently sticky and loud their flower is. Even if you aren’t a big fan of orange terps, the spicy, sweet flavor, mixed with the relaxed, peaceful high makes this some classy day weed.
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.
"
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?”
bright, airy zip of lemony terps
A Golden State Celestial Peak
Lemon Sherbet x Black Afghan
For years, this top-tier cultivator from the shadow of Mount Shasta has enrobed its flower in beautiful, simplistic packaging that speaks to the quality of the flower within. This selection from their latest lineup features the bright, airy zip of lemony terps with a hint of pepper and herbaceous earthy undertones. | agoldenstate.com @agoldenstate
blueprint life alert
GMO x The Answer (GMO x Runtz) With the battle between candy and gas, leave it to the legends at Blueprint to drop Life Alert on us. A balance of sweet candy character with waves of that gassy GMO funk, this one hits all the right notes. Don’t sleep on the hilarious social marketing behind the strain, starring cofounder Jordan Aguilar disguised as an elderly head in need of assistance. blueprintcannabisco.com @blueprint_california
pushes out serious heat
bosky genetics
cherry zeltzer
Cherry Pie x Zkittlez x Biscotti Few up-and-coming brands on the scene have a lineup that hits as hard as Bosky. Founder Ryan Clark has a stellar nose and palate and pushes out serious heat — his Cherry Zeltzer is no exception. Perfect for the seekers of mouthwatering fruit and candy terps, these frosty, dark green nugs live up to the name and then some. boskygenetics.com @boskygenetics
Savory pine
sweet fruit
CAM
CAM POP
Pop Rocks x Purple Push Pop
Lowkey one of the biggest, brightest stars on the heat map, Anna Willey’s CAM turns out a vast array of quality cultivars. The CAM Pop carries the company name for a reason — it’s a standout among standouts. Savory pine and sweet fruit soothe the palate, and the trichome-laden nugs bring massive jar appeal. camdispensary.com @cam_incali
Tribute x Eye Candy
A name synonymous with stellar genetics, Compound recently released several cultivars bred using the company’s Eye Candy genetics. Old Money #6, a cross between Eye Candy and Tribute, was one of the standout phenos from this project. Bright trichomes against a lush, dark green backdrop emit a potpourri of aromas and flavors, with hints of gas leading way to sweet, rich dessert topped with energetic citrus zest. | compound-genetics.com @compoundgeneticsofficial
the perfect dessert strain a true leaf team favorite compound genetics old money
Green Dawg Cultivators Bedrock
Sherb x Zkittlez
Fuel and fruit take center stage with Bedrock, which must have been named because of its similarities to Fruity Pebbles. This is a layered example of how candy and gas terps can combine to create a complex, memorable experience — another winner from the living legends at Green Dawg. | @greendawgca
Fig Farms Kronuts
Donut Shop x Krypto Chronic Fig Farms has done it again with the chunky, scrumptious Kronuts, one of many stellar cultivars coming out of the Oakland cultivator’s grow rooms. Like eating Dole Whip in a forest, Kronuts features phenomenal fruity terps, making for the perfect dessert strain. Don’t miss this sticky, sweet strain. figfarms.com | @fig.farms
Huckleberry Hill Farms Whitethorn Rose
Paradise Punch x Lemon OG
Every so often a cultivar becomes bigger than itself, inspiring trends beyond the grow room. Such is the case with Whitethorn Rose, now more famous for the hash made from the flower than for the flower itself. We couldn’t miss an opportunity to shine a light on WTR, a true Leaf team favorite with its eye-opening character that we once likened to “electrified Tang.” If you see this flower grown by the man who bred it, John Casali of Huckleberry Hill Farms, do yourself a favor and pick it up. You won’t regret it. pickhumboldt.com | @huckleberryhillfarms_wtr
few have hit the sweet spot like MOCA this cultivar pulled smooth
moca humboldt rainbow sherbet #11
Pink Guava x OZ Kush
When RS-11 dropped in Doja bags a few short years ago, it immediately rose to the ranks of the most noteworthy cultivars on the market. Since then, plenty of growers have tried their hand at this strain, but few have hit the sweet spot like MOCA out of Humboldt. Frosted green with shocks of amber hairs, this expression lays down a layer of ripe funk with sweet overtones. There’s a reason these guys win awards — they bring the heat. | mocahumboldt.com @mocahumboldt
Team Elite Genetics Freeze Cup
Fuzzy Melon x Styrofoam Cup #1
We’ve been tremendously impressed with the array of hash and flower flavors coming out of the Team Elite Genetics jars, and the candied fruit character of Freeze Cup struck our sensors at just the right angle. Refreshingly sweet without going overboard, this cultivar pulled smooth and left a pleasant taste on our palate, leaving us wanting another sip. teamelitegenetics.com
Funky, gassy and zingy
Wood Wide High Craft Headbanger
Sour Diesel x Biker Kush
We may chase new terps on the daily, but the Leaf team has a huge soft spot for the classics. You know, those strains that used to be on every menu but dropped off years ago. Mendocino’s cherished children, Wood Wide High Craft, produces excellent expressions of classic strains, and their Headbanger takes us back at least a decade. Funky, gassy and zingy with sweetened chem notes, this is one of the most perfect expressions of the strain you’ll find nowadays. Seek it out. | woodwidehighcraft.com | @woodwidehighcraft
layers of crumbly sugar cookie
snowtill animal crossing
True OG x Platinum x Kush Mints x Animal Cookies
Formerly known as Grumpy Tiger, this cut was gifted to Snowtill by the amazing dudes at Wood Wide High Craft. Raised in the expert care of the Snowtill team, Animal Crossing doesn’t play games with its complex terpene profile. This one unfolds in layers of crumbly sugar cookie, slight earthy funk, and an overall delectable nature. Another win for this San Francisco cultivator. snowtill.com | @snowtillorganics
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.
Zach Gates
In a world filled with limitless creative possibilities, some artists find their niche in the most unexpected places.
Zach Gates is one such artist, whose journey into glassblowing began in Baltimore and led him to Philadelphia. From being a collector to a creator of stunning borosilicate glass designs, he continues to allure with his incredible works and techniques.
A JOURNEY THROUGH TIME AND GLASS
When asked what he would do first with a time machine, Gates’ answer was simple: “I’m going back to the dinosaurs!” This playful remark reflects the sense of wonder fueling his artistic vision.
Born and raised in Baltimore, Gates’ interest in the medium started as a collector’s hobby. In 2017, he purchased his first glass art piece, created by Andy G, which ignited his passion and led him to explore what borosilicate glass could offer. That same year he had the opportunity to view live glass blowing by Scooby Meow Glass.
In 2019 Gates relocated to Philadelphia, where his journey as a glass artist began. He came with no prior experience, simply drawn to the material’s possibilities. His dedication culminated in his graduation from the renowned Salem School of Glass in 2021. Since then he has enjoyed the amazing artists’ community in the Philadelphia area.
“In 2019 Gates relocated to Philadelphia, where his journey as a glass artist began.”
FUMING: THE HEART OF THE CRAFT
When asked about his favorite aspect of glassblowing, the answer was simple — fuming.
Silver striking, a fuming technique, is especially fascinating to him. It involves metal vapor to color glass, and silver produces vibrant hues.
Achieving the entire rainbow spectrum through fuming is a key element that adds depth and complexity to his creations.
But fuming isn’t the only technique that draws his attention. Faceting, the process of cutting and shaping the glass to create intricate patterns, complements fuming perfectly. The interplay between the colors from fuming and reflective patterns from faceting gives a stunning, multidimensional quality that’s become his signature style.
One of Gates’ current favorite designs is the “Bloopcycler,” which stands out for its unique, fluid structure.
He said that he prefers to select a combination of colors from Molten Aura Labs and Greasy Glass, and enjoys showcasing their rich colors that make the art truly pop. The vibrancy of Royal Jelly, Magenta and Pink are particularly striking, allowing techniques like sleeving and ghosting to come to life.
These elements — rich color, intricate technique and fluid design — are central to his work. With each new piece, he blends creativity with technical mastery, and his love for the material deepens.
“With every new piece, his love for the material deepens, and his craft continues to evolve.”
WHAT’S NEXT?
Looking to the future, Gates has several exciting projects on the horizon. One of the most anticipated is a drop at Ignite Glass and Gifts, where fans can get a chance to see new creations firsthand. An innovative project is also in the works: “Gemception,” a captivating piece that features a gem within a gem. This unique idea promises to push the boundaries of glassblowing even further, combining the natural beauty of gemstones with the skill and intricacy of glass art. With exciting projects on the way, the world of glassblowing surely will see more of his captivating creations in the years to come. @GATEZGLASS | GATEZGLASS.BIGCARTEL.COM
THE ARTIST’S EVOLUTION
Salute to the SKUNK MAN
DAVID WATSON 1949-2025
Remembering the legendary breeder known as Sam the Skunk Man.
by BOBBY BLACK
The Cannabis community is mourning the loss of yet another of its greatest icons — breeder and entrepreneur David Watson (better known as Sam the Skunk Man), who passed into the great beyond on Monday, January 27, 2025 (the same day that medical marijuana activist Dennis Peron died seven years earlier), at the age of 76.
“Every Cannabis breeder operating over the past 40 years owes a debt of gratitude to the Skunk Man.”
Watson — aka Skunkman Sam, aka Sam Selezny, aka Sadu Sam — was, by most accounts, the most influential Cannabis breeder in history. Starting out in Santa Cruz County in the early 1970s, he began collecting, cataloging and crossing Cannabis cultivars from around the globe, eventually creating several classic strains, including — as his nickname suggests — the legendary Skunk #1, whose genetic fingerprints can be found within many of the popular varieties enjoyed today.
Watson shared the unique genetics he’d procured and produced with the public through the seed company he founded, Sacred Seeds (America’s first commercial seed bank). Then, in 1984, he brought around a quarter million seeds to Amsterdam, where, under the new name of Cultivator’s Choice, he sold his genetics (including Skunk #1, Afghan #1, Durban Poison, Hindu Kush and the original Haze) to all of the Dutch growers, who then used them to help create the iconic strains and seed companies we know today. It’s not overstating things to say that every Cannabis breeder operating over the past 40 years owes a debt of gratitude to the Skunkman.
Beyond breeding, Watson made numerous other groundbreaking contributions to Cannabis culture and science. In the late 1980s, he published the first pamphlet explaining how to make water hash and is credited with coining the phrase, “If it don’t bubble, it ain’t worth the trouble.”
He later went on to co-host the infamous Legends of Hashish dinner party and competition (held in Amsterdam each November during the Cannabis Cup) with his lifelong friend, botanist Robert Connell Clarke, and Marcus
“Bubbleman” Richardson. He and Clarke also co-founded the International Hemp Association, as well as the genetics company Hortilab, and Hortapharm, the world’s first privately funded pharmaceutical cannabinoid research company.
Regarded by many as a kind-hearted curmudgeon, Watson was almost universally beloved by growers around the world. But despite his revered status in the community, he eschewed all accolades and recognition, preferring to live a very private life as an expat in Amsterdam (where he resided with his wife and partner Diana since the 1980s) and forbidding photos of himself to be made public. It’s only now, after his death, that friends have begun posting images of him.
As part of his final wishes, Watson’s ashes have been portioned out into small, custom-blown glass vials to be shared with his friends and other prominent growers around the world, with the intention that they be sprinkled into the soil of their next crops so that his remains can nourish the sacred plant he so loved and devoted his life to.
Skunk Man’s ashes in glass vials to share with friends and fellow growers.
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).
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.
