THE ENLIGHTENED VOICE
#38 | FEB. 2022
B E R N E R EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW!
T H E C U LT U R E I S S U E F RE E / L E A F M AGA Z I N E S . COM
How the rapper, mogul and iconic face of the Cookies brand is diving into new markets and elevating the Cannabis community. INDEPENDENT CANNABIS JOURNALISM SINCE 2010
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THE CULTURE ISSUE
#38
[
FEBRUARY 2022
issue
K E L LY LO G I U D I C E
feature
& JA S O N M O R G A N
4
F E AT U R E
feb. 2022
32 GARCIA HAND PICKED’S TRIXIE GARCIA THE LEGACY OF FAMILY CANNABIS
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CANNTHROPOLOGY BOB MARLEY | HERBAN LEGEND
BENNNYY BLANCO
In an exclusive interview, Leaf Nation’s Tom Bowers speaks with Berner — the indefatigable rap icon, fashion designer, Cookies Cannabis founder, and advocate, on his life, career, and the future of Cannabis.
CREATIVE COMMONS
20
SHOP REVIEW CULTA, BALTIMORE
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COURTESY
BERNER WYATT EARLY
leafmagazines.com
CANNABIS COUPLES 7 10 14 18 20 24 28 32 34 38 42 46
EDITOR’S NOTE NATIONAL NEWS BUDTENDER Q&A PATIENT PROFILE SHOP REVIEW STRAIN OF THE MONTH BERNER COVER STORY GARCIA HAND PICKED CANNABIS COUPLES CONCENTRATE OTM CANNTHROPOLOGY STONEY BALONEY
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E S TA B L I S H E D 2 0 1 0
T H E E N L I G H T E N E D VO I C E
N O RT H W E S T L E A F / O R EG O N L E A F / A L AS KA L E A F / M A RY L A N D L E A F / CA L I F O R N I A L E A F / N O RT H E AS T L E A F
A B O U T T H E C OV E R In just the last ten years, Cannabis has undergone a radical shift in public perception, and the definition of Cannabis culture, naturally, has changed as well. The Leaf Nation team sought to present a wide range of Cannabis culture figures for this month’s special edition. On the cover is rapper, fashion designer, and the founder of Cookies Cannabis, the one and only Berner. Photographer Bennyy Blanco is well-known in the hip hop community for his photographs that offer an intimate glimpse at stars on and off the stage. Check out more photos and our exclusive interview with Berner inside this issue!
PHOTO by BENNYY BLANCO @BENNYY_BLANCO
FOUNDER
CONTRIBUTORS
WES ABNEY | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
JAMIE-LEIGH BISSETT, PHOTOS BENNYY BLANCO, PHOTOS BOBBY BLACK, FEATURES JOSHUA BOULET, ILLUSTRATION TOM BOWERS, FEATURES EARLY, PRODUCTION EMILY EIZEN, FEATURES STEVE ELLIOTT, NATIONAL NEWS TAYLOR MARTIN, FEATURES BAXSEN PAINE, FEATURES JEFF PORTERFIELD, DESIGN MIKE RICKER, FEATURES MEGHAN RIDLEY, EDITING ZACK RUSKIN, FEATURES JAMIE VICTOR, DESIGN
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PUBLISHER EARLY
EARLY@LEAFMAGAZINES.COM
CREATIVE DIRECTOR DANIEL BERMAN | VISUALS & DESIGN
DANIEL@LEAFMAGAZINES.COM
STATE DIRECTOR WYATT EARLY | AD SALES
WYATT@LEAFMAGAZINES.COM 410-961-8779
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, 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!
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ABNEY
Editor’s Note Thanks for picking up our Culture Issue of the Leaf! THIS IS OUR ISSUE that honors the culture of Cannabis consumers, from the rap and cultivating star Berner to Cannabis couples and high fashion. We’ve come a long way as a community from the days of stoner stereotypes being synonymous with “Dude Where’s My Car” to a point where our culture, community and plant are combining to become a mainstream lifestyle.
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Cannabis has long been part of our society in an underground way – influencing artists and creatives, helping athletes and celebrities, and driving the emergence of hip hop – but without recognition, and has occasionally ruined a career instead of helping to create one. Today we can openly celebrate those that use Cannabis to enhance their lives, enjoy the fruits of the plant sprouting new ideas, and highlight the positive impact it has in leading our country out of the war on drugs’ mindset, and into a new era of acceptance and positivity.
IT’S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE ONLY LIFESTYLE PAST STONERS COULD EXPECT WAS THAT OF ORANGE JUMPSUITS AND 10X10 CELLS.
It’s important to note that the only lifestyle past stoners could expect was that of orange jumpsuits and 10x10 cells, and those who took risks to lead our community deserve to be remembered. While it’s likely that if you read my words you are in a legal state, weed can still lead to prison in many parts of the United States or around the world – which means we have more work to do! That’s why normalizing the decision to make Cannabis our recreational drug of choice as parents, professionals and even influencers, must be shared with the world.
In normalizing Cannabis, we can also open the door for so many other forms of acceptance – from a new approach to drugs in healthcare to opening minds to all walks of life. Cannabis makes our human experience better in every way … even in the bedroom, where hopefully the commercialized St. Valentine’s Day will be bringing people together to reach new highs this year. So get down with the culture and your bad self, ditch the chocolate hearts for infused treats, and try a massage oil or personal lubricant to explore a new way for weed to make your life more enjoyable. After all, being a stoner is a lifestyle choice – and it feels good to feel good.
-Wes Abney feb. 2022
Find local weed deals Save cash on your stash with new savings
Visit weedmaps.com or download the app
national news
politics
normalization
THAILAND PLANS TO DECRIMINALIZE CANNABIS
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U.S. SENATE CANDIDATE FROM LOUISIANA SMOKES WEED IN CAMPAIGN AD
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emocratic U.S. Senate candidate Gary Chambers, Jr. recently smoked marijuana in a field in New Orleans while talking about Cannabis reform in his first campaign ad. The Washington Post calls it a “highly unusual spot.” Chambers is seated in an open field, where he fires up a blunt and takes multiple hits. In a voice-over, he rattles off statistics about the herb. These include facts such as Black people are four times as likely as whites to be arrested for its possession. “For too long, candidates have used the legalization of marijuana as an empty talking point in order to appeal to progressive voters,” Chambers said about the ad. “I hope this ad works to not only destigmatize the use of marijuana, but also forces a new conversation that creates the pathway to legalize this beneficial drug, and forgive those who were arrested due to outdated ideology.”
hailand plans to decriminalize marijuana, moving a step closer to legalizing adult use of the herb. It was the first country in Southeast Asia to legalize medical Cannabis. Cannabis use in food and cosmetics is also legal in Thailand, according to Bloomberg. In January, the Food and Drug Administration proposed to the narcotics bureau that marijuana be removed from its status as a controlled drug. It only needs Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to approve the change and it will then take effect. Adults will be able to access marijuana without fearing lengthy prison sentences and hefty fines, according to Withid Sariddeechaikool of Thailand’s FDA. Currently, possession of Cannabis in Thailand could garner up to 15 years in prison. The plant is considered a Category 5 narcotic drug under current Thai law.
midwest
ARKANSAS AWARDS LAST TWO DISPENSARY LICENSES
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egulators recently approved a rule change allowing issuance of two remaining medical marijuana dispensary licenses permitted under the Arkansas Constitution. The state will have a total of 40 dispensaries, reports Arkansas Online. The change issues the licenses to companies that previously applied for them and are next in line based on scores. It will go before the Arkansas Legislative Council in February. The licenses will likely be issued in March, according to Medical Marijuana Commission spokesman Scott ARKANSAS VOTERS APPROVED Hardin. Arkansas voters approved the constitutional amendment legalizing THE CONSTITUTIONAL Cannabis for medical use in the state in 2016. These are the last two liAMENDMENT LEGALIZING censes. Their distribution completes the medical marijuana program. Voters CANNABIS FOR MEDICAL USE IN THE STATE IN 2016. THESE passed an amendment that would allow 40 dispensaries and 8 growers to ARE THE LAST TWO LICENSES. do business in the state, reports THV11.
politics
the south
IOWA DEMOCRATS REVEAL LEGALIZATION PLAN
ALABAMA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE WANTS TO LEGALIZE MARIJUANA
hree Iowa state senators revealed details of their proposed amendment to legalize marijuana at a January press conference, reports KCRG. The lawmakers called for the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division to regulate Cannabis sales to adults 21 and older. If successful, Iowa would join 19 other states in legalizing adult-use marijuana. The amendment would legalize growing, selling and buying of all marijuana products for adults 21 and older. The plan allows the state to tax sales up to 20 percent. Cities or counties can add on their own taxes, up to 2 percent. It would need to pass in both the Iowa House and Senate in two consecutive General Assemblies to get on a ballot. Once on the ballot, a majority of Iowans would need to vote for the amendment for it to become law.
Alabama businessman who calls himself a conservative Democrat said he’ll work to legalize marijuana if voters pick him as their next governor. Chad “Chig” Martin, 53, has qualified to run for the Democratic nomination in the May 24 primary. Martin said he believes marijuana is a safer drug than alcohol. He said he would like to see it legalized and taxed to boost Alabama’s economy and revenues. Chig is skeptical that Alabama’s medical marijuana industry, MARTIN SAID HE approved by the Legislature last year, will let businesses like his BELIEVES MARIJUANA Honeysuckle Hemp compete fairly when licenses are issued. IS A SAFER DRUG THAN A medical Cannabis commission is still working to set up that ALCOHOL. HE SAID HE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT program. Products won’t be available until next year. “I want LEGALIZED AND TAXED to open up the free trade of Cannabis in the state of Alabama TO BOOST ALABAMA’S without regulations, not just allowing certain groups or compaECONOMY AND REVENUES. nies to participate in this,” Martin said.
AN
T
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ADULTS WILL BE ABLE TO ACCESS MARIJUANA WITHOUT FEARING LENGTHY PRISON SENTENCES AND HEFTY FINES.
33% 70% 200
of computer programmers use Cannabis during work hours.
feb. 2022
is the amount prices for legal flower have fallen in California in the past year.
pounds of illegal weed were seized in a traffic stop near Lincoln, Neb. by the LCSO.
30k
additional signatures were submitted by organizers of an Ohio legalization ballot initiative after efforts fell short.
34k
arrest records still haven’t been processed for expungement in California.
$1.5m
in sales were enjoyed by Montana dispensaries on January 1-2, the first two days of adult-use sales.
STORIES by STEVE ELLIOTT, AUTHOR OF THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF MARIJUANA
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INTERVIEW
MARYLAND LEAF BUDTENDER OF THE MONTH
SYHEE CLARK “ OUR PATIENT BASE FEELS LIKE FRIENDS AND FAMILY AT THIS POINT IN MY CANNABIS CAREER.”
GROWING UP IN BALTIMORE, DID YOU THINK WE WOULD HAVE MEDICAL CANNABIS THIS SOON? Nope, not by a long shot! It still feels so surreal after some transactions, especially because our patient base feels like friends and family at this point in my Cannabis career. Being here at Storehouse for three years, a lot of them have been here the whole way! YOU’RE A FOOTBALL PLAYER, DID MANY OF YOUR TEAMMATES CONSUME CANNABIS BEFORE OR AFTER GAMES? Yes, they did mainly after the games and about as much as any average non-Cannabis patient I’d say – but what wasn’t there was the general acceptance and knowledge of the benefits like there is today. In my opinion, if that were to come around sooner I believe the use would have been much more in the open and possibly even more frequent than it was then!
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WHAT WAS THE TRANSITION LIKE FROM WORKING IN A PATHOLOGY LAB TO THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY? Apart from getting my foot in the door, it wasn’t hard at all! I took it slow and worked as a budtender and repackager for over a year, so I was able to gain my knowledge slowly but surely. I think that’s the best way to start with Cannabis because the market is so vast – products and companies change everyday, so if you try to learn everything at once you will get overwhelmed for sure. Start with terpenes because everything else is up in the air!
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I KNOW YOU’RE AN ARIZONA CARDINALS FAN, WHAT’S THE REASON FOR THAT VERSUS A RAVENS FAN? That’s easy! I had the football knowledge and smarts at a young enough age to know that watching Kyle Boller wasn’t good for my career! I had to end up somewhere, am I right?? WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE STRAINS HERE IN MARYLAND? Terpene enriched strains like Rythm’s Cereal Milk, Kind Tree’s Miracle Alien Cookies, Grassroots’ Kush Mints and Evermore’s Sunset Octane.
S
YHEE CLARK is a Baltimore native, born and raised. He grew up an athlete, focusing on football in highschool, and eventually landing a Partial scholarship to Wesley College. He returned home to Baltimore in 2014 and began working at Sinai Hospital, where a stellar work ethic and professionalism lifted him up to eventually managing the Lab technicians in The Pathology Lab. As a longtime cannabis advocate and supporter, he grew interested in joining the industry as it unfolded in Maryland and he joined the Storehouse team in late 2018.
feb. 2022
TELL ME ABOUT SOME OF YOUR HOBBIES OUTSIDE OF WORK? Honestly, I play video games with some of my closest friends until I can’t keep my eyes open – which ends up being most nights. But my two pups, Charlie and Isabelle, take up whatever time I do not have allocated for work, my girlfriend Max, and family and friends.
STOREHOUSE DISPENSARY
5730 FALLS ROAD BALTIMORE, MARYLAND 21209 STOREHOUSEMD.COM OPEN 8AM-8PM MON-THU, 8AM-10PM SAT & SUN, 11AM-8PM SUN (443) 438-4160
INTERVIEW by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT/MARYLAND LEAF | PHOTO by JAMIE-LEIGH BISSETT @JLBISSETT07 S E N D N O M I N AT I O N S F O R B U D T E N D E R O F T H E M O N T H T O W YAT T @ L E A F M A G A Z I N E S .C O M
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email wyatt@leafmagazines.com M O N D AY– S AT U R D AY 10 a m – 8 p m | S U N D AY 1 1 a m – 6 pm
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HARVESTED BY HAND. CRAFTED BY CULTURE. CULTA IS A LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED SEED-TO-SALE BRAND CONSCIOUSLY CULTIVATED FLOWER From CULTA’s indoor and Clean Green Certified outdoor flowers to high-grade cannabis from partners like Cookies, our flower and pre-roll selection is curated to make your experience with CULTA exceptional.
PRODUCER OF QUALITY EXTRACTS CULTA is a licensed processor with a wide variety of extracts and concentrates including wax, crumble, budder, shatter, live resin, sauce, diamonds, distillate, rosin, and aqua for a high-potency cannabis experience.
Available throughout Maryland Dispensaries Scan to find your nearest location or visit www.Culta.io
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18
CANNABIS FOR A BETTER LIFE
Quinn Meissinger What hits harder than your favorite bong? Life. And it’s how one bounces back from those obstacles that ultimately determines their quality of time on Earth.
For Baltimore native Quinn Meissinger, a sexual assault at the age of 15 put her in a downward spiral. A decade of depression and crippling anxiety followed, as the overwhelming toll of stress manifested in a variety of health issues, both physical and mental. But at age 32, Quinn is finding a type of fulfillment she never believed was possible. Quinn has a job she loves, working as an art teacher to special needs students. At night, she attends the Community College of Baltimore County in pursuit of an associate’s degree in education, with a specialty in American Sign Language. And in the small spare time she is allotted, Quinn dabbles with cryptocurrency, does professional astrology readings and makes music with her partner, Patrick.Better to have found it late, she says, than never at all. “I lost some of the best years of my life,” said Quinn, who grew up in the Canton neighborhood of Southeast Baltimore. “But I also realized the years were going to keep ticking and that life wasn’t going to wait around for me.” By 25, Quinn was tired of searching for a cure-all pharmaceutical that would magically enhance her life. Stress had exacerbated matters and physical symptoms appeared in the shape of digestive issues such as Crohn’s disease and diverticulitis. “I found myself so locked up with trauma that I was overwhelmed,” said the Poly High graduate. “I always thought someone was going to come save me from all of it. But that wasn’t a reality. I had to save myself.” A friend suggested Cannabis as an outlet for her discomfort and Quinn found the practice alleviating, at which point she began to study the science behind the plant. In 2017, she became a card-carrying medical Cannabis user and put her studies to use, working alongside Maryland dispensaries to host educational workshops. “I ran classes and events about Cannabis and how to medicate,” she said, referencing the group known as the Backyard Trailblazers. “We built a community and it was fun.” Experience, she told her fellow cardholders, was the best teacher. After a year of medicating, Quinn discovered a balanced routine. She now begins her mornings with a CBD-rich 10:1 edible. After work, she medicates with her dab rig – lessening the pain that builds up in her body throughout a work day. If she really needs something for sleep, a CBN-rich capsule does the trick. This routine has led to steady improvements, opening the door for Quinn to venture out into the world. She’s no longer intimidated by the thought of therapy, happily opening up about her past trauma in sessions, which has led to new levels of healing.
“You get a certain sense of clarity when you start to heal.”
feb. 2022
“Cannabis has really been a catalyst for growth,” she said. “Before Cannabis, I was just surviving. Now I live an enjoyable life and I am genuinely thriving. If I hadn’t found [Cannabis], I never would’ve opened up. I wouldn’t have fought as hard for a community and I wouldn’t have found a purpose. It’s really been a huge part of my life.” Quinn is scheduled to graduate with an associate’s degree in the spring. In the summer, she and Patrick are planning to move to Las Vegas, where she’ll continue her education in early childhood development. Patrick is a budtender in the industry and the two of them hope to make friends within the Nevada Cannabis community, too. The notion of mapping out a future has left Quinn feeling quite blessed. “There’s a huge period of time in my life that I can’t get back,” she said. “But you get a certain sense of clarity when you start to heal. And when that happened, I looked around me and saw how much of my life was overgrown. I didn’t like my friend group. I didn’t like that I didn’t have a career path. And I didn’t like that I had no purpose or direction to get out of bed in the morning.” “Depression is a mental phase that leaves you frozen,” Quinn continued. “Once you realize you have control of your life, you also realize it’s a big burden to turn it all around. It doesn’t happen overnight. I started with small steps and then another and then another.” Moving, and moving forward, is all that is on her mind. “Every now and then, I’ll go for a dip in the grief pool, dry off quickly and get back to life again,” she said. “If I stop for too long, it’ll come back.”
STORY by BAXSEN PAINE @BAXSENPAINE for MARYLAND LEAF | PHOTO by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT
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SHOP REVIEW
CULTA SETTING & VIBE Best described as a friendly boutique, large glass windows and high end display cases make this location truly sparkle. You’ll see products displayed proudly as you make your way to the counter, and behind the counter is a collection of vibrant and enticing products from Cookies, including merchandise and the flower itself.
FLOWER 20
Over 60 strains of flower were available at Culta during my visit. T his is by far one of the best places in the state to buy Cookies flower, as the selection is consistently strong in numbers. Looking to grab that new Apples & Bananas? Look no further. They also have several strains in 7g packaging, which allows patients to save some money at the dispo.
CONCENTRATES Affordable options are here in plenty, including sugars, shatters, badders and live resins from several different companies. I was also quite stoked to see hash rosin on the menu from Nature’s Heritage. When I’m looking to make homemade edibles, I always look for a cheaper shatter to infuse into oil/butter. Culta has several different shatters available at varying ranges of THC – perfect for at-home Cannabis confections.
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EDIBLES If you’re looking for gummies, Culta is the place for you as the edible menu is stacked with options in different ratios of cannabinoids. They also have staples like RSO, and even the Select Squeeze that everyone has been raving about. For those after a higher dosage, RSO can be one of the most medically beneficial products on the market today.
QUICK HIT Looking out from inside the shop, Culta has views of the Baltimore Inner Harbor and sits right next to Federal Hill. An impressive storefront, I marveled at the fact that a dispensary now sits in this location. You can expect to find top quality products from start to finish here at Culta – be sure to stop in and grab some meds the next time you are taking a stroll through Baltimore.
feb. 2022
AFFORDABLE OPTIONS ARE HERE IN PLENTY, INCLUDING SUGARS, SHATTERS, BADDERS AND LIVE RESINS FROM SEVERAL COMPANIES.
C U LT A
Holy Roller Flower
Big Sur Holy x Dosidos CULTA
215 KEY HWY BALTIMORE, MD 10AM-8PM DAILY CULTA.IO | @CULTAIG (844) 507-9333
Busting open this jar revealed a blend of trainwreck-like fruity terps combined with an underlying doughy smell from the Dosidos cross. On the exhale, the terpenes shine through in a piney and smoothie-like blend. I felt a euphoric high, with waves of happiness and giggles throughout the duration of its effects. 25.87% THCA, 1.72% TERPENES
STORY & PHOTOS by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT/MARYLAND LEAF
STRAIN OF THE MONTH
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grown by
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GRASSROOTS “UNDENIABLY FUELLY AND SPICY, THE AROMA HARKENS BACK TO ITS CHEMDOG PARENTAGE.”
CHEM DE LA FEB. 2022
Earning a spot as a crowd favorite in Maryland due to its high potency and not-sotop-shelf price tag, Chem de la Chem by Grassroots Cannabis is a gassy cross of Chemdog and I95 that’s been holding its own on dispensary shelves for a couple of years.
LACHEM
And in a market where shelf space is often dominated by the latest crosses, a strain with such staying power is saying something. The batch we got came in with 27% THCa and only a couple terpenes, but super useful ones: consisting primarily of caryophyllene, limonene and myrcene for a classic stoney, heavy high. Undeniably fuelly and spicy, the aroma of Chem TESTING de la Chem 27% THCa harkens back .71 caryophyllene to its Chemdog .68% limonene parentage – a .59% myrcene notoriously potent and gassy variety. It expresses a heavy gas slightly underscored by a nuanced dollop of herbaceous notes, and with 27% THCa, this flower is heavy-handed and an excellent candidate for pain and sleep needs. However, I would be careful about daytime use as this profile creates a cloudy, stoney high that, while excellent for healing, is not the best for productivity. That being said, sometimes a nice medicated trip to the couch is exactly what the body calls for – and Chem de la Chem is one of the options that will steer you towards such serenity. Grassroots has been producing flower in our state since the beginning of our medical Cannabis program, including some of Maryland’s top selling flower products. Their Chem de la Chem remains consistent with the quality that we as a community have come to expect from this company over the years, and is a fabulous option for high quality pain management at an affordable price.
REVIEW by TAYLOR MARTIN for MARYLAND LEAF | PHOTO by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT | GRASSROOTSCANNABIS.COM | @GRASSROOTSCOMPANIES
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FEB. 2022
B E R
THE CULTURE ISSUE
EVERY YEAR, our annual Culture Issue asks, “What is Cannabis culture?” For an increasing number of fans, the answer comes in two syllables: Berner. Powered by his globally recognized Cannabis brand, a fashion line, a staggering 38 albums to his name, and nearly 2 million Instagram followers as of this writing, any move by the 38-year-old founder of the Cookies empire tips the market scale like a fist on a triple beam. New store? Lines around the block. New Cookies-Starter jacket collab drop? People camp on the street for a place in line. New album? Nas, Future and Rick Ross step up to spit a verse. In 2021, Berner faced up to his toughest challenge to date. In the midst of opening new stores, launching new menus and blessing new business partnerships, he got hit with a cancer diagnosis. So he recorded an album. We connected with the man behind it all to discuss his brand, his future and his new album, “Gotti” – which seals his Mafia Trilogy with a lushly produced homage to Don John Gotti, Sr.
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STORY by TOM BOWERS @CANNABOMBTOM/LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by BENNYY BLANCO @BENNYY_BLANCO
BERNER
THE CULTURE ISSUE
Continued from prev iou s page
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“YOU’RE LOOKING AT THE OWNER ALL THE TEAMS PLAY FOR ME.” Legacy
Born Gilbert Anthony Milam, Jr., Berner started small in the early 2000s, trapping and stacking. He dreamt of launching simultaneous careers – Cannabis, fashion, music. He wanted it all. So he pushed. Hard. He made enough money to start his own fashion brand, naming it Cookies after the now-legendary strain he and his partners brought to market. He started releasing albums at a frenzied pace of multiple drops per year. Fast forward to today, and there are more than 40 Cookies-branded stores across 17 markets in four countries. If you’ve bought Cannabis anywhere in the past five years, there’s a good chance it was crossed with Cookies genetics – some of your favorite cultivars likely grow for the Cookies brand. If there’s a magic recipe, Berner has it. “Without a good team, none of this shit would be possible – from leadership, all the way down,” he said. “My main focus is making sure that what I want to happen for Cookies is happening, everywhere we expand. Whether it be the menu, or the look for the store, the experience in the store, new strain names, branding, keeping the clothing line popping. I focus on mostly creative stuff, and let my partners handle the business. Once the business is at the finish line, I come through and overlook, and give my approval, and my blessing, and boom – it’s done.”
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“PRESSURE MAKES DIAMONDS AND BERN WILL NEVER FOLD.” Legacy As summer turned to fall, Berner received the news so many fear. It was colon cancer. But it was operable. He decided he had to get into the studio. He called his old friend and collaborator, Cozmo, to set it up. Next he flew out to meet with John Gotti Jr. to ask permission to name his album after Gotti Sr. Not only did Gotti Jr. offer his blessing, but he provided previously unreleased audio of his father from the federal case against the Mafia Don. “For me, it kind of felt like it might be my last body of work, and I was paranoid with the cancer situation,” Berner said. “... Music’s always been therapy, it’s always been my journal for me. I was looking to make a really good body of work, but also, I wanted to prove my work in the music space.” Berner brought in a stacked deck of heavy hitting collaborators for the effort, and they brought the heat on their verses draped over the lush instru-
FEB. 2022
“HAVING A STRONG FAMILY IS EVERYTHING. AND MY KID IS MY MOTIVATION TO KEEP ROCKING, AND KEEP FIGHTING.”
mentation of Cozmo’s beats. It took a month, from diagnosis to finished album. “There were a lot of emotions,” Berner said. “I didn’t really allow myself to get stressed out about the cancer thing, because I was stressed out about having to figure out how to finish the album in time, and make sure it sounded great – and I had the album artwork, and everything lined up for the release. So it was good, and it kept me distracted.” In addition to serving as a welcome distraction from his diagnosis, the music, like every project Berner endeavors, helps build up the rest of his enterprises. “I feel like the brand makes the music special, and the music makes the brand special,” he said. “They both organically promote and big-up one another. And I feel like the fashion, the music, and the bud is a powerful combo. And we’re kind of the first ones to pair that and pull that off. It was all things that I really loved and wanted to do, and they all complemented each other.” “DO WHATEVER IT TAKES IT’S ALL GAS, NO BRAKES CAN’T SLOW DOWN.” Slow Down It’s a week into December and Berner is calling in from the road, on the way from his Bay Area home to L.A. and Palm Springs for a music festival and the Cookies company Christmas party. He’s pushing hard to cram everything in before starting his cancer treatment after the holiday. Famous for his insatiable need to build and create, Berner has only stepped harder on the gas pedal since his diagnosis. “If you really put it in perspective, I found out I had cancer, I recorded ‘Gotti’ for a month, I came home, I did surgery,” he said. “I had to recover for two and a half weeks, went to New York, did a 10day press run. I only came home yesterday for one day, spent the whole day with the family, watched a movie, had dinner, enjoyed the day. Hopped on a bus at 7 a.m. today, driving all the way to L.A., do a radio interview as soon as I get there, do a listening party for the press, kind of like a meet and greet for the press, do a music video until about 3 a.m., wake up at 7:00, get on a bus to the company party, come back … perform at Rolling Loud (music festival). The shit doesn’t stop. So the point is, you just gotta know how to enjoy the time you have in between those moments.” I share an old axiom, “The tall tree gathers the most wind.” I ask if he’s feeling the pressure of the strong winds, now that he’s outgrown the protection of the treeline. “Shit, I definitely feel that wind, like a motherfucker,” he said. “I feel it this morning. I’m tired as hell, I’m lost, I haven’t been home in hella long. But I feel like life is all about leaving something special behind, and I’m working really hard toward that.” It’s an intense schedule for anyone, let alone a guy battling cancer. For him, there’s no choice. He has to keep building. “That’s just like the last month or two,” he said. “That’s how it always is. The best thing about living
like that, when you’re building a company, is like, I only ask my employees to work as hard as I’m working … I can’t demand that everyone’s grinding hella hard if I’m not. So, by me moving like this, people know, ‘Shit, if he’s doing it, we gotta do it.’ I’m not one of those bosses or CEOs who sit back and call shots from my phone. I’m in the field, and they know that.” “NO ONE WILL EVER BE TWO STEPS AHEAD OF ME. NAH, THEY AIN’T FUCKIN’ WITH MY LEGACY.” Legacy
“MUSIC’S ALWAYS BEEN THERAPY, IT’S ALWAYS BEEN MY JOURNAL FOR ME.”
Berner credits his insatiable drive to his parents. “My dad passed me the crazy genes of work ethic,” he said. “I don’t think I could ever slow down.” His father owned his own Mexican restaurant, and his mom had her own business. They imbued him with a hustle that he brings to everything he does. “They both told me when I was growing up that you’ve got to be your own boss,” he said. “You don’t want to work for nobody.” For Berner, family is the main motivator. He spends as much time as he can imparting knowledge to his daughter, and he married his longtime girlfriend in January. “A good household is everything,” Berner said. “Having a strong family is everything. And my kid is my motivation to keep rocking, and keep fighting. And I feel like I’m leaving a really good example for her, about being an entrepreneur, being a businessperSMOKE SESH Berner drew an eager crowd to the Cookies dome son, and also being a leader. So I’m at the 2021 Emerald Cup at the Santa Rosa, California fairgrounds. just glad to be able to show her what I’m doing, and how I’m handling (the cancer diagnosis). I could have been at the house, working on some scripted series stuff. That would all bummed out and not doing anything. I think it’s be my ultimate goal. Not to sell Cookies, but maya great example for her on how to handle things, be find a partner who brings a little liquidity to the when things like this come in. I always joke with her table in the near future that would allow me to kind that I want her to be the CEO of Cookies one day. of do what A24 is doing right now. I would love I always game her up.” to produce quality, real content. If I had it my way, and cancer doesn’t take me down … the next thing “LEGENDARY MOVES ONLY.” I would do is take whatever money I made and put Zoning it into film.” As he continues to pile lofty goals on his plate, With chemotherapy setting to fade in the rearthe most important challenge lays ahead – and view, Berner continues to push hard, aiming to Berner seems to be approaching the cancer fight build Cookies’ cultural influence past the point of with the same unstoppable forward momentum he immortality. takes to everything. “I think what’s next for me is trying to make sure “After my mom died from cancer, I spent time Cookies lives forever, and plan out the menu for going to Children’s Hospitals, and seeing kids that the next 100 or 200 years,” he said. “It sounds a were suffering from cancer,” he said. little crazy to say that, but it’s definitely possible “... It’s always been something special to me with tissue culture and the amount of breeders we to try to fight cancer with good energy. So that’s have.” what we’re doing. If people want to know how I’m As huge as that dream sounds, it’s still not fighting it, I’m fighting it with good energy. And that enough for Berner, who’s already looking at anothenergy comes from music, weed, and good people er cultural conquest on the horizon. – and that’s it.” “I think the next thing for me is film. That’s always been my biggest passion,” he said. COOKIES.CO “I’ve already written like two or three films, and I’m @BERNER415
STORY by TOM BOWERS @CANNABOMBTOM/LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by BENNYY BLANCO @BENNYY_BLANCO & COURTESY COOKIES
THE CULTURE ISSUE
ROOTED IN REALNESS
THE LEAF CHATS WITH GARCIA HAND PICKED’S TRIXIE GARCIA
GARCIA HAND PICKED is a creative partnership between The Garcia Family and Holistic Industries, also known for brands including Liberty, Strane, and Do Drops. Because Trixie grew up as a Cannabis user in the community, it is very meaningful for her to fight for Cannabis legalization and normalization. She refers to this brand as a labor of love and is adamant regarding how much she cares about the
Singer, songwriter and guitarist Jerry Garcia is shown performing on stage during a Grateful Dead concert appearance.
Jerry was an avid consumer of the plant, smoking socially and embracing the integral role Cannabis played the community. When he envisioned creating his own little chain of cafes that he would play music in, his vision included coffee, wine and weed. He smoked joints throughout the day, and enjoyed smoking and sharing weed often. So much so that after family meals, sparking up a joint became a tradition. Garcia’s hand has become an icon and is the focal point of the branding of Garcia Hand Picked – from the name to the logo – with Trixie working with Kyle Barich and Rachel Genderson of Holistic Industries to create the colorful and psychedelic packaging we see on their flower and edibles today. Starting with an image of Jerry from the Grateful Dead’s trip to Egypt, they then played around with different ways to use that photo. The design they landed on is reminiscent of smoke, but it also reminds people of the early tie-dye days with an enticing psychedelic pattern.
PHOTO BY NATE WILLIAMS @NATEW415
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Garcia Hand Picked’s Sour Bubble OG was highlighted as the Strain of the Month in the March 2021 Psychedelia Issue of California Leaf. tinyurl.com/caleafmar2021
FEB. 2022
CONCERT PHOTOS / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO
fans – never wanting to let them down.
Each and every lid is unique on the packaging, and even the edibles produced by this company are shaped like guitar picks. The Grateful Dead family continues to inspire the brand even today, including paying homage to the strains that became famous on the Dead lot. They receive influence from Steve Parish and even Trixie’s mother Carolyn Garcia, who wrote a book called “Primo Plant” on organic gardening. In addition to Trixie, other members of The Garcia Family are giving guidance to the brand on a regular basis, and are very happy with the level of control they are able to maintain. When asked if Cannabis played a large role in the Grateful Dead’s psychedelic experiments, Trixie said, “I bet there is a whole history book that could be written about that. It was having the freedom to expand your consciousness in whatever way works for you. This was a whole generation of people coming out of war in Vietnam, and being totally traumatized by all of those things. Everyone is looking for more GARCIAHANDPICKED.COM @GARCIAHANDPICKED
purpose and deeper meaning to everything, and Cannabis is one of those things that once you try it, your perspective is broadened. That is the parallel between the music and everything like that, it’s all about expanding your consciousness and the human experience. The bonding between people sitting around and smoking joints helped to temper some of the psychedelic experiences occurring. Pot was the main constant throughout that whole thing.” Oftentimes, celebrity Cannabis brands get a negative connotation. In the case of Garcia Hand Picked, however, their authenticity is imbued and their organic approach to holistic medicine is done with all Cannabis consumers in mind, from the medicinal to the recreational. With or without Jerry’s name on the brand and the support of his family, these products would be highly sought after and head stash worthy.
EVERYONE IS LOOKING FOR MORE PURPOSE AND DEEPER MEANING TO EVERYTHING, AND CANNABIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT ONCE YOU TRY IT, YOUR PERSPECTIVE IS BROADENED. STORY by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT/LEAF NATION | PORTRAIT by GARCIA HAND PICKED
OAKLAND, CA | 2 YEARS
THE CULTURE ISSUE
CHAOS GIBBONS
Co-founder, The Farmaceuticals Company
JEI SHEPHERD
Professional jeweler, artist, tattooist
HOW/WHEN DID YOU MEET? In New Orleans about 14 years ago. Chaos was working
in the traditional California Cannabis market, and Jei was at a mutual friend’s house when Chaos stopped by with some flower.
FIRST TIME YOU GOT HIGH TOGETHER? On our second date – we went to the Hella Gay
dance party. We met outside and walked to Chaos’ car to smoke some weed before going in. FAVORITE THING(S) TO DO TOGETHER WHILE HIGH? Hosting dress-up-themed dinner/
dance parties in our living room, or hiking with our pup in the Redwoods.
WOULD YOU BE WITH YOUR PARTNER IF THEY DIDN’T SMOKE WEED? Absolutely not
– we both find it difficult to connect with folks who are anti-Cannabis.
GREATEST CHALLENGE YOU’VE FACED TOGETHER? Navigating the shifting landscape
of regulated Cannabis as a small, queer-woman-owned business in the land of giant corporations.
PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENT(S) IN THE CANNABIS SPACE? Winning the High Times
Cannabis Cup for Best CBD and sweeping the WeedCon competition this year!
HIGHER LOVE CANNABIS COUPLES SHARE THEIR STORIES
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IT CAN BE A CHALLENGE finding one’s stoner soulmate – someone you can grow with (both figuratively and literally), who not only tolerates your daily dab habit but can actually go toke-for-toke with you. For hardcore heads, true romantic chemistry, it seems, must include THC as part of the formula. Because as those lucky enough to find their perfect pot-smoking partner will tell you, there’s nothing quite like that “higher love.” I would know – my wife April and I met (then three years later, got engaged) at the Cannabis Cup in Amsterdam and held a weed-themed wedding before that became a “thing.” For us, like so many others, Cannabis has been both the catalyst that brought us together and an invaluable ally in WASILLA, AK | 15 YEARS
JOSIE & ROB GUSTAFSON Owners, RockHardNugzAK Cannabis
On match.com – we were both super excited that the other smoked weed!
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WHAT ROLE HAS CANNABIS PLAYED IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP? Cannabis
allows us to relax together. Being able to relax after a very stressful day is so important to maintaining a healthy relationship. Josie has a very hard time winding down, and Cannabis helps. FAVORITE THING TO DO TOGETHER WHILE HIGH? Let’s be real – sex while
high is awesome.
WOULD YOU BE WITH YOUR PARTNER IF THEY DIDN’T SMOKE WEED? Proba-
bly not. We’ve both had relationships in the past where the other partner didn’t smoke and what can I say … I’m with Rob now.
FEB. 2022
BRAD & CHRISTINA ZUSMAN Owners, Mellow Vibes & Blaze Edibles
maintaining harmony in our relationship. So to celebrate Valentine’s Day this month, we asked some of our favorite Cannabis couples to weigh in on how their love of the plant relates to their love for one another. RUTLAND, MA | 30 YEARS
HOW/WHEN DID YOU MEET?
GRESHAM, OR | 30 YEARS
JENN & JEREMY BORJESON Owners, The Harvest Cup Competition & Tradeshow
WHAT ROLE HAS CANNABIS PLAYED IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP? Cannabis has played
a huge role. Jeremy is a grower and I’ve always used Cannabis medically for just about everything – from alleviating nausea due to migraines to treating my ulcerative colitis. WOULD YOU BE WITH YOUR PARTNER IF THEY DIDN’T SMOKE WEED? I doubt we
would’ve ended up together. Cannabis was always a huge part of our lives, so I don’t think either of us would have lasted with a partner who didn’t use it. GREATEST CHALLENGE YOU’VE FACED TOGETHER? Dealing with all of the arrests, threats of taking our
children away, having our names published in the paper, having our homes raided three times, etc.
HOW/WHEN DID YOU MEET?
At the LGBTQI+ festival at the Portland waterfront in 1991. Christina was contracted to assist Brad’s catering company vending at the festival. FIRST TIME YOU GOT HIGH TOGETHER?
It’s crazy to think it took 12 years together before Christina used Cannabis! It was the first medical crop we grew together in our house … Christina got so stoned from two bong hits she slept for 15 hours! DID YOU HAVE A WEEDY WEDDING?
We set up a smoke station in the gazebo with assorted Cannabis and infused homemade wine provided by Christina’s parents. MOST ROMANTIC DATE/TRIP INVOLVING CANNABIS? Brad took me to Hawaii for our
anniversary once, and we snuck over some Cannabis and edible treats. We were told not to indulge on the property, so we walked over to some trees on the beach, sat down on a blanket, drank wine, and smoked while watching the waves crash into the rocks.
PORTLAND, OR | 6 YEARS
JESCE HORTON
CEO/Co-founder, LOWD; Co-founder, NuProject & Minority Cannabis Business Association
JEANNETTE WARD HORTON Co-founder/CEO, NuProject
HOW/WHEN DID YOU MEET?
As co-board members on the MCBA in 2015. WHAT ROLE HAS CANNABIS PLAYED IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP? The Cannabis industry definitely
brought us together.
SEATTLE, WA | 11 YEARS
LO & DANIEL LUEBKE
WOULD YOU BE WITH YOUR PARTNER IF THEY DIDN’T SMOKE WEED?
Founder & CEO/Director of Marketing Heylo Vapes
No – a non-smoker wouldn’t have time for Jeannette’s many weed breaks. LOL.
HOW/WHEN DID YOU MEET? On move-in day at
GREATEST CHALLENGE YOU’VE FACED TOGETHER?
Northwestern University. We lived in the same dorm and were instantly attracted to each other.
Being parents to two boys. Parenting has required more growth, adaptation and frayed nerves than any job, and Cannabis definitely helps.
DID YOU HAVE A WEEDY WEDDING? We couldn’t
PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN THE CANNABIS SPACE? We’ve launched two organizations
together: Minority Cannabis Business Association and NuProject, helping to fund $1 million to historically excluded entrepreneurs – over half of them black-owned businesses.
make Cannabis a big part of our wedding, but we had hemp leaves in the bouquet and boutonniere – and we had plenty of Heylo vapes to go around. WHAT ROLE HAS CANNABIS PLAYED IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP? Cannabis has always helped us amplify
life experiences – whether it’s getting creative in the kitchen together, melting into the music at a concert, or celebrating after reaching the peak of a hike.
FAVORITE WAY TO GET HIGH? Sharing a vape on a
walk or a celebratory bong hit. Oh, and our Cannabis lube is always a good time.
SEBASTAPOL, CA | 15 YEARS
ELISE MCDONOUGH Brand manager, Binske, and Cannabis cookbook author
BALTIMORE, MD | 5 YEARS
KELLY LOGIUDICE
Dec. 2019 Maryland Leaf Patient of the Month 710 Budtender Award nominee
JASON MORGAN
Former dispensary owner/manager
FIRST TIME YOU GOT HIGH TOGETHER? It was
within minutes of meeting each other! Cannabis was really the reason we were meeting in the first place. Before we had legal Cannabis in Maryland, seshes and pop-ups were how we connected in the Cannabis community.
HOW/WHEN DID YOU MEET? Working together at High Times in 2002.
We were work friends for a long time before we got romantically involved. FIRST TIME YOU GOT HIGH TOGETHER? At the HT office!
HOW DID YOU FALL IN LOVE? We started road tripping up and down the East Coast with our
dogs, going to glass shows and pop-ups in D.C., and having fun.
MOST ROMANTIC DATE/TRIP INVOLVING CANNABIS?
WHAT ROLE HAS CANNABIS PLAYED IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP? Cannabis was there from the
beginning, and it will always be there. It’s much more than just something we do for fun – it’s an essential part of our lives. It makes us better people, so we can be better people to each other. FAVORITE THING TO DO TOGETHER WHILE HIGH? Order snacks on GoPuff and watch horror
movies, go to an art gallery, or take the dogs hiking.
DAVID BIENENSTOCK
Co-host, Great Moments in Weed History podcast, and Cannabis author/journalist
In 2010, I proposed to Elise in front of the fountain outside the American Hotel in Amsterdam because that’s where we first kissed after working together behind a booth at the Cannabis Cup. WHAT ROLE HAS CANNABIS PLAYED IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP? Canna-
bis is a way to enhance the good things in our lives and relationship, and also helps us see through life’s challenges in a mutually supportive way.
STORY & INTERVIEWS by BOBBY BLACK @BOBBYBLACK420/LEAF NATION
Be Safe. Be Well.
Have Your Cannabis Delivered. Order online at
gLeaf.com
or call
1-800-208-WEED (9333)
Order Online and Pick Up In-Store at Either gLeaf Location 808 Hungerford Drive Rockville, MD 20850
4606 Wedgewood Blvd. Frederick, MD 21703
(301) 917-3665
(301) 662-2222
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concentrate of the month
SUNMED GROWERS
38
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RUNTZ LIVE RESIN BATTER SunMed Labs has come crashing into the Maryland medical Cannabis scene and absolutely taking it by storm, earning this issue’s Concentrate of the Month honors with their sublime iteration of the famous Runtz genetic. It is worth mentioning that SunMed has been on the scene since the inception of the state’s medical program and we have seen quite a bit of their flower extracted by other companies. But this is my first experience with their own flower extracted in their new lab, and I have to say, I am very impressed by it. Runtz is a cross of Zkittles x Gelato and has been nationally recognized for over a year now. Known for a very sour, fruity bouquet and potent effects, Runtz has truly been a crowd favorite in any state it gets grown in. Here in Maryland is no different – but what might be different is the Sunmed extraction team’s ability to harness and preserve a super quality dab from this illustrious genetic. Truly, this dab hits all the top quality points for its color, consistency, aroma, flavor and overall experience.
feb. 2022
The aroma is reminiscent of a bag of sour candies and a gentle wildflower fuel note. I have always maintained that there is something about fruity bouquets underscored with gassy notes that really make a profile pop, and this Runtz has exactly that. The overwhelming dominance of the smell is really a fruity amalgamation of grape, strawberry and blueberries, but there is also an undeniable note of something a bit gassy. Not enough gas that it shines through on its own, but enough that it can highlight and sharpen the fruity notes into a truly mouthwatering aroma. This all translates to an explosive flavor being carried into the dab itself, filling the sinus cavities and lingering on the palate long after the exhale. The mouthfeel, richness of the smoke, and duration of the flavor all indicate a superb quality – resulting in a dab that is truly a velvety, luscious toker that has one smacking their lips after each and every hit. I wholeheartedly recommend that you try some of SunMed’s extraction products and definitely their Runtz dab. It has a robust high that can touch just about every symptom you might be dealing with, while still offering you a superior flavor. We are entering into the age of top shelf medicine, and this live resin batter is a perfect example of how your medicine can also be a connoisseur experience. sunmedgrowers.com | @sunmed.labs
A velvety, luscious toker that has one smacking their lips after each and every hit. T E S T R E S U LT S 76% THCa 13% total terps 4.14% myrcene 3.57% limonene 1.6% linalool 1.2% caryophyllene .8% pinene .43% fenchol
REVIEW by TAYLOR MARTIN for MARYLAND LEAF | PHOTO by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT
@KINDTREECANNABIS KINDTREECANNABIS.COM MEDICAL CANNABIS PRODUCTS ARE FOR USE ONLY BY CERTIFIED PATIENTS.
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WORLD OF Cannabis PRESENTS
Bob Marley Herban Legend
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When it comes to the great global icons of Cannabis culture, few figures loom as large as the immortal king of reggae himself, Bob Marley. RISE & SHINE Born February 6, 1945, in the small Jamaican village of Nine Mile, Robert Nesta Marley was the only child of Captain Norval Marley (a 60-year-old British plantation manager) and a 17-year-old Jamaican girl named Cedella Malcolm – who he reportedly seduced, impregnated, then largely abandoned. After Norval died in 1955, Cedella and her son moved in with her boyfriend Thaddeus Livingston and his son, in Kingston’s notorious Trench Town tenement yard. There, tweenage Bob and his new stepbrother Neville RASTAMAN VIBRATION (nicknamed “Bunny”) started hanging with a During Marley’s absence, Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie, who Rastafarians local street gang called the Rude Boys, who worshipped as the new messiah, famously visited Jamaica – inspiring a masnicknamed him “Tuff Gong” and turned them sive surge in the popularity of Rasta culture. By the time Bob returned to the on to the hot new sound known as ska. island in early 1967, his wife and bandmates had all converted to Rastafari Around the age of 14, Marley dropped out and he quickly followed suit – embracing the faith’s rituals of growing the hair of school to pursue his passion for music. out into dreadlocks and smoking ganja as a sacrament. Under this new Rasta He and Bunny started singing together and influence, the popular ska and “rocksteady” genres morphed into a mellower, were soon taken under the wing of a famous more political musical style with an offbeat “riddim” known as reggae … and Debut album from the clean-cut Jamaican singer named Joseph Higgs. Later the clean-cut vocal trio transformed into the rebel rude boys we know today. looking Wailing Wailers. regarded as the “Godfather of Reggae,” it was Reflecting this rebirth, Bunny changed his last name to Wailer and the band Higgs who taught the duo how to sing and shortened its name to The Wailers. play guitar, as well as introduced them to two pivotal figures in their lives: producer Clement “Coxsone” Dodd and a young guitarist CATCH A FIRE known as Peter “Tosh” McIntosh. After numerous lineup and name After a falling out with Dodd, the group teamed changes, their group solidified as The Wailing Wailers – a vocal trio up with producer Lee “Scratch” Perry to produce comprised of Marley, Livingston and Tosh. The group recorded over two albums: “Soul Rebels” in 1970 and “Soul 70 songs for Dodd’s Studio One label, which released their eponyRevolution Part II” in 1971. Then in 1972, The mous debut album in 1965. Wailers hooked up with soul singer Johnny Nash It was during those sessions that Marley met his first love, Rita Anfor a European tour. But when the tour fizzled out derson – a teenage mom who sang in a group called The Soulettes. and left them stranded in London, they decided to The two were married in February 1966 … but just days after the meet with Island Records founder Chris Blackwell, wedding, Bob left Jamaica to live with his mother in Wilmington, who sent them home with £4,000 to record a new Delaware (where she’d moved four years earlier). album. The result was “Catch a Fire” – the first
feb. 2022
“Herb is the healin’ of the nation. Everyone on earth is supposed to smoke herb. God created herb for man ... one’s supposed to smoke freely and be free.”
Contemplation in a cloud of smoke: Bob Marley relaxes with a spliff between interviews at a press junket in a West Hollywood hotel in 1976.
album produced under the band’s new label Tuff Gong and their first with major label distribution. Released in April 1973, it was, according to one Rolling Stone article, “the first wholly formed, cohesive reggae album.” The initial 20,000 pressings were cleverly designed to look and open like a Zippo lighter; after that, the cover featured a close-up of Bob smoking a huge joint. Their next album, “Burnin’” (released that October), eventually went gold – thanks in part to guitar god Eric Clapton, who helped put the band on the map in 1974 when his cover of “I Shot the Sherriff” hit number one. Despite the group’s rising success, however, Bunny and Tosh were allegedly unhappy with Blackwell’s commercial vision for the band and chose to leave the group later that year. Marley quickly assembled a new lineup, rebranded the group as Bob Marley and The Wailers, and powered on toward stardom – releasing “Natty Dread” in 1974, then “Rastaman Vibration” in 1976 (his first album to reach Billboard’s Top 10 list).
EXCUSE ME WHILE I LIGHT MY SPLIFF ATTACK & ILLNESS Exploding into the international spotlight, MarEventually, though, ley was beset by the press, which predictably some of Marley’s focused their questioning on his then-contropolitical activism would versial religious beliefs and ganja habit (which come back to bite him. On December 3, was rumored to be up to a pound a week). 1976 – two days before he was set to perform In interview after interview, Bob blazed and at the Smile Jamaica concert organized by the praised the sacred herb (with a hard “h”). People’s National Party – seven gunmen hired “Herb is the healin’ of the nation,” Marley by the rival Jamaican Labour Party shot up preached in a 1975 Ann Arbor Sun article. Marley’s home/rehearsal studio in Kingston, “Everyone on earth is supposed to smoke injuring him, Rita and his manager. Miracuherb. God created herb for man, mon … lously, no one was killed … but the incident one’s supposed to smoke spooked Marley enough that herb freely and be free.” he fled to England, where he In July 1976, shortly after remained for nearly two years. a show at LA’s Roxy Theater, While in self-imposed exile Bob invited former Island there, he recorded “Exodus” – Records publicity chief Jeff an album that, over 20 years Walker and his wife Kim Gotafter its June 1977 release, tlieb-Walker to his hotel room would be named the best in West Hollywood to do a album of the 20th century by photoshoot for his upcoming Time magazine. interview with High Times. That same year, Marley was “Bob normally didn’t like diagnosed with a malignant to pose for photos, but he melanoma in his toe. He was thrilled to pose for the refused doctors’ recomcover of High Times,” recalls mendations to amputate on Gottlieb-Walker, whose religious grounds; as a result, iconic images of Marley are the cancer spread throughout compiled in the phenomenal his body – causing his health photo book “Bob Marley and the to severely deteriorate in the years Golden Age of Reggae.” When that followed. Tragically, Bob the interview was published in Marley died on May 11, 1981, at the magazine’s September 1976 a Miami hospital while en route issue, Marley became the first home to Jamaica. He was just 36 musical artist to ever be featured years old. After a state funeral aton the cover of High Times. tended by over 100,000 adoring In 1978, The Wailers released fans, he was buried with his guitar their mellowest, stoniest album – and a stalk of ganja – near his Back of the Kaya album. yet entitled “Kaya” (another birthplace in Nine Mile. nickname for ganja). In the album’s first song, “Easy Skanking,” Bob sings: THE LEGEND LIVES ON “Excuse me while I light my spliff / Oh God Since his passing, Marley’s status as a cultural I gotta take a lift.” And in the title track he icon has only grown – through his music, which sings, “I’m so high, I even touch the sky … has transcended all barriers of race, religion Got to have kaya now.” and age to sell more than 50 million records Though often difficult to understand due to worldwide; through his 11 children, who carry his thick patois accent, Marley became the on his legacy; and through the Cannabis brand most open, unapologetic public advocate for that now bears his name. He’s ranked 11th on Cannabis the music industry had ever seen. Rolling Stone’s list of the 100 greatest musical “Herb is a sacrament,” he explained in one artists of all time. Like John Lennon and Jerry famous 1979 New Zealand interview. “When Garcia, Bob Marley has surpassed mere rock you smoke herb, herb reveal yourself to you … stardom to become a living embodiment of because herb make you meditate. Man makes peace, social justice, and the power of music to laws against it. But how is what is natural and unite and elevate human consciousness across made by God illegal?!? I think government the globe. And, of course, one of the greatest action, that illegal.” ganja evangelists in history.
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