Oct. 2021 - Maryland Leaf

THE ENLIGHTENED VOICE

THE INSIDER ISSUE F RE E / L E A F M AGA Z I N E S . COM

#34 | OCT. 2021

GEORGETOWN HEMP FARMS FOUNDER DANIEL SIMMONDS >> PG. 30 INDEPENDENT CANNABIS JOURNALISM SINCE 2010

STILL GROWING. NOW REFINING. Introducing SunMed Labs.

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GROWN BY THE SUN. EXTRACTED BY SUNMED. SUNMEDGROWERS.COM Medical cannabis is for use only by a qualifying patient. There may be health risks associated with the consumption of cannabis or cannabis products. There may be additional health risks associated with the consumption of cannabis or cannabis products for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

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THE INSIDER ISSUE

OCTOBER 2021

issue

#34

patient of the month 18

GEORGETOWNHEMP

32

LOUIE BAGZ

GREG MALCOLM

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Maryland Leaf’s Baxsen Paine interviews the founder of Georgetown Hemp, the affable and candid Daniel Simmonds, on how he overcame his past to create a national hemp company with a team of six wholesaling across all 50 states.

INSIDE WEEDMAPS’ TECH PUSH HOW THE SITE CHANGED CANNABIS

46

BRUCE WOLF

[

36

HALLOWEEN RECIPES SPOOKY STONED

52 A History of Rolling Papers

Maybe you take those little paper packets for granted.

After all, they have always been there for you — ready to accept whatever you had lined up to roll up. But the long legacy of these tools, dating back to 8th century Spain, reveals how our community has been shaped by the humble items. ///////////// story by bobby black

OCT. 2021

feature

COURTESY OF WORLD OF CANNABIS MUSEUM

leafmagazines.com

SHOP REVIEW TRILOGY WELLNESS

JUSTIN STEWART

20

WYATT EARLY

How the local music phenom uses Cannabis

7 10 14 18 20 24 28 32 36 40 42 46 48 50 52 54

EDITOR’S NOTE N AT I O N A L N E W S BUDTENDER Q&A PAT I E N T P R O F I L E SHOP REVIEW C O N C E N T R AT E O T M STRAIN OF THE MONTH GEORGETOWN HEMP WEEDMAPS EQUINOX FARM HALEY KNAUB CANNABIS RECIPES GLASS ART SPOTLIGHT A LT M E D C O R N E R CANNTHROPOLOGY STONEY BALONEY

JULIO VISUALS

feature

Tried Squeeze yet?

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FIND A LOCATION

You must be at least 18 years old to view the content. Medical cannabis is for use by certified patients only. Consumption of medical cannabis may impair your ability to drive a car or operate machinery. Please use extreme caution. There may be health risks associated with cannabis use, especially during pregnancy or breast-feeding.

Accidental consumption of cannabis by children or animals may result in severe adverse reactions. Keep cannabis out of the reach of children and animals.

SQUEEZE THE DAY

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

Odds are if you’ve been around Maryland’s Cannabis scene, you have met Daniel Simmonds of Georgetown Hemp. From pioneering his brand to helping write proposed legislation surrounding Cannabis, Daniel’s roots are deep in the Cannabis industry as an insider. This photoshoot took place in the processing lab where his formulations are made in Baltimore, surrounded by top-tier lab equipment.

Photographer Greg Malcolm, otherwise known as Maryland Connoisseur was able to truly capture Daniel in his element doing what he loves most. The passion that these guys share for the Cannabis industry proves to be an inspiration to many.

PHOTO by GREG MALCOLM @MARYLAND.CONNOISSEUR

FOUNDER

CONTRIBUTORS

WES ABNEY | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

BOBBY BLACK, FEATURES JOSHUA BOULET, ILLUSTRATION TOM BOWERS, FEATURES MAX EARLY, FEATURES EARLY, PRODUCTION STEVE ELLIOTT, NATIONAL NEWS GREG MALCOLM, PHOTOS TAYLOR MARTIN, FEATURES BAXSEN PAINE, FEATURES JEFF PORTERFIELD, DESIGN MIKE RICKER, FEATURES MEGHAN RIDLEY, EDITING MIKE ROTHMAN, LAW COLUMN CHARLES TAGGART, PHOTOS JAMIE VICTOR, DESIGN JULIO VISUALS, PHOTOS

WES@LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

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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WES

ABNEY

Editor’s Note Thanks for picking up the Insider Issue of the Leaf!

AS OUR Northeast Leaf Director Danny Danko recently tweeted, “I’ve been in the ‘Cannabis Space’ so long that when I got started, the ‘Cannabis Space’ was just a part of your home you didn’t talk about.”

While the beloved Mr. Danko started in Cannabis long before I did, I still remember that same feeling in 2010 – where working in the weed industry was less a talking point than a risk factor, and even working in publishing for pot was taboo.

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Fast forward to today and society is starting to get used to the idea of Cannabis as an industry with legitimate jobs, which allows us the chance to peel back the layers and highlight some of “WE SHOULD the insiders who are making the Cannabis industry a better NEVER TAKE place to be. With this issue we hope to show that the world of OUR FREEDOM Cannabis is much more than just “stoners growing weed” and FOR GRANTED, OR ASSUME offer a unique perspective on companies large and small that THAT THOSE are doing it right.

ON THE INSIDE

ARE ROLLING As those of us on the inside know, working in the Cannabis IN MONEY OR industry is often harder than taking a mainstream gig. I’ve LIVING THE met plenty of ex-professionals, and I don’t mean athletes, who SWEET LIFE.” left careers as lawyers, nurses, managers, executives and beyond for a chance to follow their passion. Most would say that they work much harder for less money and stability, but the thing they all have in common is their continued commitment to the plant.

Those working in the industry, especially the entrepreneurs and heritage members, have risked everything to make sure we have the opportunity to go to a store and buy a pre-roll. With that said, we should never take our freedom for granted, or assume that those on the inside are rolling in money or living the sweet life.

While there are many influencers on social media who would portray working in weed as a Hollywood dream, the Cannabis industry is really full of dedicated, resilient and strong-willed people who would again risk their freedom or security to defend a plant that helps so many lives.

People who work hard, stay late … all to have a chance to work with our plant. And that’s the way we like it – and what it means to really be an insider in our beloved Cannabis community.

-Wes Abney ocT. 2021

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The best strains for crushing your at home yoga flow

By Brianna Wheeler

Whether you’re easing gently into a series of deep asanas or feeling fired up for an intermediate vinyasa flow, practicing yoga can be markedly enhanced with the right strain of cannabis. There are several cannabis cultivars that are excellent bronchodilators, supporting the deep, even breathing that yoga compels. Other strains are superb muscle relaxers, helping even the stiffest among us maneuver into a prolonged Utkatasana. But, more than physical support, many phenotypes can help quiet the mind, opening up pathways to deeply meditative flows and an unimpeded stream of prana.

Zkittlez Zkittlez was bred from a cross of Grape Ape and Grapefruit, and though its genetics lean toward indica, its effects can skew mildly energetic, depending on the consumer’s resting state. This strain’s effects are strongly cerebral, with fans reporting a bright, creative euphoria that tapers neatly into a calming body high. Zkittlez has a relatively low THC percentage, in fact, the median is about 15%. If you’re flowing through poses with the intention of shuffling into relaxation soon after, a puff of Zkittlez may make the transition that much smoother.

For consumers practicing yoga in the safety of their own home, partaking in a bit of cannabis pre-pose can transform an already valuable, restorative workout into a transcendental cosmic adventure.

Next time you pull out the mat for some traditional Hatha work or even some tantric exploration, consider one of these strains to help you get the most of your session, both physically and spiritually.

Zkittlez is a highly awarded strain often noted for its intense candy-sweetness. Expect dark green, finely sugared nugs with strong, complex layers of tropical fruit, citrus, and ripe berries in both the fragrance and the exhale.

Find these strains and more at weedmaps.com/strains

Kush Mints Aspiring yogis who prefer a milder indica vibe may want to consider Kush Mints, an indica-leaning hybrid with a precise parity of calm physical relaxation and vibrant creative bliss. This cultivar was bred from a cross of Bubba Kush and Animal Mints, and the resulting flowers are dense and crystally. Consumers report highs that are manageably weightless and euphoric, working to both uplift moods and calm the superficial aches and pains that might impede a body from truly relaxing into a fully satisfying flow.

Kush Mints, as the name suggests, features a minty terpene profile with subtle notes of citrus and sweet herbs, though many swear they taste cookies as well.

national news

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NEW JERSEY EXPUNGED 362K POT CASES OVER THE SUMMER

N

ew Jersey courts have expunged 362,000 low-level marijuana cases over the summer, clearing a massive amount of criminal records in just two months.

The state judiciary had estimated some 360,000 cases qualified for automatic expungement following the passage of marijuana legalization, reports NJ.com. That law did away with fines and penalties for possessing and selling small amounts of weed.

The judiciary began vacating and dismissing cases in July, and then expunged them.

That’s the final step that ultimately clears a person’s record.

About 125,000 to 150,000 marijuana expungements remain for the courts to complete automatically, said MaryAnn Spoto, a spokeswoman for the judiciary. People with Cannabis cases not automatically expunged in New Jersey can file a motion for review with the court.

NEBRASKA GROUP LAUNCHES 2022 MEDICAL INITIATIVES

leafmagazines.com

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2022 ballot campaign for medical Cannabis is underway in Nebraska, reports KLIN. Led by a coalition of families, patients and state senators, Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana wants to qualify a pair of initiatives ahead of the November election next year.

They must gather 250,000 signatures across the state before the July 7, 2022 deadline.

Crista Eggers, a mother of two, is leading the effort to organize a statewide signature drive. One of Eggers’ sons, six-year-old Colton, has severe intractable epilepsy.

With other families and patient advocates, Eggers helped build a grassroots movement to establish a MMJ program in Nebraska.

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California marijuana companies had sued the state as of September 17, after having their provisional business licenses revoked.

OCT. 2021

POTGRESS

POLITICS

LEGALIZATION

CONGRESSWOMAN OPPOSES POT LAWS, OWNS POT STOCKS

V

irginia Foxx, a North Carolina Congresswoman, holds a voting record showing she said “No” to federal Cannabis legalization. But that has not stopped her from investing in the pot industry and cashing in on marijuana stocks, reports Indy Week.

According to a report in Salon, Foxx, who wields power on the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Reform, has made at least six investments in Altria. Ever heard of them? Well, they’re “a leader in the burgeoning U.S. Can- FOXX IS A nabis industry” since MEMBER OF September of last year, THE U.S. HOUSE according to financial COMMITTEE ON disclosure reports.

OVERSIGHT The stock buys haAND REFORM. ven’t previously been reported, according to Salon. They likely make Foxx the largest holder of Cannabis-related stocks in Congress, according to market research firm Unusual Whales.

The stock trades are particularly notable for their timing: just a few months before the U.S. House of Representatives passed the the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment & Expungement Act (MORE) in December. Foxx voted “No” on the measure.

education

NIDA STUDY FINDS RISE IN COLLEGE POT CONSUMPTION STEEP DECLINE IN VA POT ARRESTS

C

annabis arrests have plummeted some 90 percent in the Richmond, Virginia region since the state’s Cannabis legalization went into effect on July 1.

The law legalized adult (21+) possession of up to an ounce and the cultivation of four pot plants per household. During the first seven weeks of the law, police made only 25 marijuana-related arrests in central Virginia.

The area includes Richmond and the counties of Chesterfield, Hanover and Henrico. For comparison, they made 257 pot arrests during the same seven-week period in 2020, reports the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

The numbers come from arrest data provided by law enforcement officials in those localities.

“A 90% reduction in marijuana arrests indicates that the public policy is performing as intended and in a manner that is consistent with post-legalization observations from other states,” said Jenn Michelle Pedini, Executive Director of Virginia NORML.

fun & weird

GARBAGE TRUCK CRASH REVEALS HIDDEN GROW

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crash involving a Michigan garbage truck has led to the discovery of an unlicensed marijuana grow operation. Early on the morning of Sept. 15, the driver of this garbage truck encountered a car that ran a red light.

The garbage truck swerved, but still hit the vehicle. The truck then ran over the median and struck what was thought to be an unoccupied building.

The out-of-control garbage truck knocked a big hole in one wall of the building.

Police responding to the accident quickly noticed that this building was anything but empty. In fact, what cops found were rows of Cannabis plants and grow lights inside the building. Police counted about 260 plants inside, reports WDIV. Police are investigating who is behind the unlicensed grow operation.

Marijuana is legal for adult use in Michigan, but large-scale cultivation requires a state-issued commercial growing license.

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months was the age of Michigan’s youngest medical Cannabis patient as of September.

30

grams or more of Cannabis can get you a Level 6 felony charge in Indiana.

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pounds of marijuana was seized from 49 bags at the Nashville Airport on Sept. 16.

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Cannabis dispensaries are currently operating in Arizona, which launched recreational in 2020.

M

arijuana use continued to rise among college students over the past five years, and remained at historically high levels among same-aged peers who were not in college in 2020, according to survey results from the 2020 Monitoring the Future (MTF) panel study.

The study is financed by the federal National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), which in the past has been a source of anti-pot misinformation.

According to the study, current levels represent the highest rate of marijuana use recorded since the 1980s.

The survey also found that marijuana vaping and nicotine vaping leveled off in 2020, after sharp increases reported every year since 2017 for both college students and same-aged respondents not in college.

Among college students specifically, there was also a significant increase in the annual use of hallucinogens.

Perhaps related was the substantial and significant drop in current alcohol use between 2019 and 2020.

“The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically changed the way that young people interact with one another and offers us an opportunity to examine whether drug taking behavior has shifted through these changes,” said NIDA Director Nora D. Volkow, M.D. “Moving forward, it will be critical to investigate how and when different substances are used among this young population, and the impact of these shifts over time.”

$25k

will be the cost of a medical marijuana license, the Watertown, South Dakota City Council decided.

STORIES by STEVE ELLIOTT, AUTHOR OF THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF MARIJUANA

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INTERVIEW

MARYLAND LEAF BUDTENDER OF THE MONTH

SARAH RADINSKY “I HAVE SEEN THESE PATIENTS TURN THEIR LIVES AROUND WITH CANNABIS.”

HOW DO YOU APPROACH THE TOPIC OF TERPENES WITH PATIENTS? One of my old colleagues went out to California and met a budtender there, and she brought back a piece of information that really resonated with me. He wanted to turn patients from ‘THC chasers’ into ‘terpene hunters’ and I said, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m the same way.’ So I try to take time and educate patients on the importance of terpenes, because they dictate the direction of your high. Teaching patients to work with their body chemistry and find what terpenes work is extremely important.

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WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE CANNABINOIDS TO USE? I love CBG. arah knows the ins and outs of medical Cannabis in Maryland, including what makes the industry Dr. Apgar got me on that, she is one of an exciting place to be – not to mention the nuances people would not expect. She does whatever the owners here at Greenhouse. I tried CBG for the first time, and the aches and she can to bring joy into the patient experience and make their time at the dispensary more than pains in my body melted away completely. just simply buying Cannabis. Be sure to say hello when you see her smiling face walking around I always recommend it to patients who struggle with chronic pain, and they come Greenhouse Wellness in Ellicott City. back with success stories. One of my patients struggles daily with migraines, and claims CBG has changed her life. My favorite strain WHAT SPARKED YOUR INTEREST IN GETTING INTO AS AN INSIDER IN THE INDUSTRY, WHAT IS right now would have to be Sour Gorilla from Curio THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY IN MARYLAND? So it SOMETHING PEOPLE WOULDN’T EXPECT ABOUT Wellness. was actually my grandmother who sparked my interest YOUR JOB? It’s an interesting job because it’s such a in this industry after she passed away in 2015, losing new job. Like you can’t go to Barnes and Noble and get WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR HOBBIES? I’m a nursing her battle with rheumatoid arthritis. She didn’t live long a book on how to become a good budtender. Unlike student at HCC, which takes up most of my free time, enough to experience medical Cannabis in Maryland, some industries where there is a set foundation for but I love it. I’m also into gardening – I grow herbs and but after she passed away I was really interested in getting started, you have to carve out your own path veggies. You can also catch me grinding Cannabis medicine and alternative medicine. Shortly after that, in this industry as you grow into it. This is also a very research in my free time, reading the latest articles on Cannabis became medically legal and I applied to local diverse job in terms of what you experience. The way cannabinoids being discovered. shops, working elsewhere before starting at Greenhouse patients talk to you and open up to you makes you Wellness in March 2021. feel like a cross between a bartender and a therapist WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT CANNABIS/CBD IN – adding a feeling of medical professionalism for MASS MEDIA, SUPER BOWL COMMERCIALS, ETC.?

WHAT DRIVES YOUR DESIRE FOR CANNABIS budtenders.

I’m on the fence about it because it has taken over EDUCATION? Definitely my grandmother, and then the so much and grown really fast, that you have to sort patients I have met along the way. Many of my patients through the massive amount of companies to find who is remind me of her, whether they also have rheumatoid selling high quality CBD versus poor quality CBD. When arthritis or another chronic condition. I have seen these GREENHOUSE WELLNESS I see CBD at a gas station, part of me cringes – but I patients turn their lives around with Cannabis, and wish 4801 DORSEY HALL DR STE 110, ELLICOTT CITY, MD also like that everyone sees these things are a part of my grandmother could’ve had a similar experience.

WEEKDAYS 10AM-7PM | SAT./SUN. 10AM-3PM our everyday lives. This helps shift the scope and push This inspires me to stay in the industry and help people for further legalization.

GREENHOUSEWELLNESS.COM @TEAMGREENHOUSE reclaim their lives through alternative medicine.

OCT. 2021

INTERVIEW & PHOTOS by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT/MARYLAND LEAF 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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CANN ABIS FOR A BETTER LIFE

“I feel Cannabis and music come full circle.

They both have the power to influence people.

It’s about love, not hate.”

18

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A NATIVE OF OXON HILL, Machado attributes his creative talents to his Afro-Latino background. His father is a locally renowned jazz guitarist, and his mother is an Emmy award-winning film director.

At the age of three, the pair graced the youngster with his first instrument: a drum set.

“Growing up, we always had music in our household,” Machado said. “Music is something that comes natural to me. I’ve always been rhythmically inclined.”

What began as a childhood hobby, soon became an adolescent escape as trauma uprooted the Machado household. At the age of nine, his dearest grandmother passed away. Months later, that grief was compounded when his parents filed for divorce, rocking the foundations of his world. The separation forced young Louis to inherit more responsibility, tasked with helping his autistic sister, Desi, navigate the confines of an ever-changing landscape.

Anger provided an unhealthy coping mechanism for a young boy forced to grow up quickly.

“Learning that new reality made me mad at myself, like maybe I could have done something different,” Machado recalled. “I had a short temper back then. I’d be in situations where if I didn’t like what the [schoolteacher] said, I would walk out of the classroom. And then I would be mad that I allowed myself to get mad.”

In middle school, music and sports provided an outlet for Machado’s rage. At 17, Cannabis made an introduction into his life, allowing for a creative spark plug and an emotional escape.

“I feel Cannabis and music come full circle,” he said.

“They both have the power to influence people. It’s about love, not hate. They gear people to lead with love instead of hate.”

Since kicking off his musical career at the age of 15, Machado has shared the stage with a variety of big names in the industry. He’s opened for the likes of Meek Mill, Nick Cannon, Gucci Mane and many others. He has performed at venues across the country, including his alma mater – the University of the District of Columbia.

There, he played on the team’s Division II men’s lacrosse team as a midfielder keen on setting his team up to score.

For the past year and a half, he has served as the co-manager to Java Wellness Center in Camp Springs after getting his start as a budtender. The education he’s obtained from being in the industry has also set his family up for better health.

“My sister Desi has always wanted to find Check out Louie more quality of life,” he said, explaining that Bagz on Apple Music, Cannabis has allowed her to better navigate SoundCloud and her struggles with autism. “It’s helped her Spotify, and follow remain calm and given her coping strategies him on Instagram when she’s having a tough time.” and Twitter @ louiebagzmusic.

Cannabis has also provided Machado’s mother with relief from chronic migraines.

“Even when I’m not at work, I find I’m still pushing Cannabis,” he said. “It’s been a very personal journey. It has calmed me down and taken me to a place of peace. [Musically], it has allowed for many blessings to pour in. If you’re in a bad space and you medicate, it pushes you to create. Cannabis allows me to make music from the most honest places.”

If Louie Bagz becomes a household name, Machado promises to turn the focus back to his roots – creating a Cannabis wellness center with the intent of spreading good health and Cannabis education to all of PG County.

“I’m all about community service and giving back to the people,” he said. “I’m trying to create a movement in the area, and help people benefit from local resources while providing entertainment and awareness. My dream is to be great at whatever I put my mind to.”

louie bagz ART IS PAIN. AND SO IS LIFE. The process by which Louis Cooper Machado takes the latter and turns it into the former involves a lot of Cannabis flower. “I feel like with Cannabis and music, there’s a synergy,” said the 26-year-old, who goes by the stage name of Louie Bagz. “Cannabis helps slow down time so you can see more things,” he continued. “You can really appreciate the energy and all the great things that are put into creating one song. It helps put you in a neutral state of mind and you’re more open minded, where you otherwise might be closed off to it.” Machado has accumulated roughly 17,000 followers on Instagram and Twitter (@louiebagzmusic), and racked up nearly a million listens on SoundCloud since his debut EP, “Paint,” was released in 2018.

OCT. 2021

STORY by BAXSEN PAINE @BAXSENPAINE for MARYLAND LEAF | PHOTO by JULIO VISUALZ

CHOOSE YOUR CROWN

PREMIUM CON CEN TRAT ES  LIVE

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SHOP REVIEW

TRILOGY WELLNESS SETTING & VIBE The vibe of this dispensary was very relaxed, almost giving off a feeling of being in your living room at home. I can count on one hand how many times I have seen a dispensary with a dog roaming around the sales floor. Bailey walked around the shop with calmness, which to me was very comforting. There is also so much good food in the area of Ellicott City – a great place to make a run to at lunchtime for some buds and Korean BBQ.

FLOWER 20

Trilogy has a vast flower selection from all of Maryland’s favorite growers and they offer some pretty sweet deals on it. They even have a “make your own ounce” deal where you can combine strains, and daily deals that are hard to pass up.

CONCENTRATES Whether you are just getting started with concentrates or have been dabbing for a decade, there is sure to be a product for every type of consumer here. Some of my favorite items on the concentrate menu during my visit were Sunset Sherbet live badder by Evermore and Mimosa kief from ForwardGro, which came in at nearly 50% THC – on the high end of the scale for kief.

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EDIBLES From Cannabis beverages for you to CBD treats for your pets, you will be feeling proper after diving in on this edible assortment. Their CBD selection is mostly companies local to Maryland, giving you an additional feel good moment with your purchase. Their staff is also extremely well equipped to help patients who are new to edible usage.

QUICK HIT “Mom and Pop” dispensaries are a rare find in Maryland’s market, so I always feel good about entering the doors of a Maryland owned and operated store like Trilogy. Their core values are health, wellness and community, along with the company’s foundation being built on the idea that Cannabis can improve quality of life.

They are the first dispensary in Maryland to be Healer Certified, meaning they underwent doctor developed Cannabis training. This type of certification helps put patients’ minds at ease – and tons of information in the brains of the employees.

OCT. 2021

TRILOGY HAS A VAST FLOWER SELECTION FROM ALL OF MARYLAND’S FAVORITE GROWERS.

PRODUCT REVIEW

FORWARDGRO DARK PHANTOM

This delicious strain is a cross between Cherry Pie and Grandaddy Purp, providing the nose with an overload of fruity, citrusy and floral terpenes. When smoked through 21% Total Cannabinoids a bong, the fruity notes came through noticeably 2% Total with a nutty and peppery finish. I felt an increased Terpenes focus and boost in productivity when smoking this flower during the workday. FORWARDGRO.COM @FORWARDGRO

TRILOGY WELLNESS

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STORY & PHOTOS by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT/MARYLAND LEAF

concentrate of the month

NURSE JACKIE CRESCO LABS

Cresco Labs has earned this month’s featured concentrate for their rendition of Nurse Jackie live resin, serving to show that you don’t need the highest THC to get the high you want – it is the terpenes that deliver that to you via the beautiful, collaborative dance known as the Cannabis entourage effect.

NURSE JACKIE is a cross between Jack the Ripper and Medicine Woman, bred by Homegrown Natural Wonders. To be perfectly honest, I have not smoked it in flower form. This doesn’t really matter these days, since what I am looking for are specific ratios of terpenes and cannabinoids – rather than a particular strain name. What makes a good Cannabis product is the ratio of terpenes in relation to one another, in relation to the cannabinoids, and in relation to your own personal biochemistry.

Now some of you might look at Nurse Jackie and say that a 4.35% total terpene concentration is pretty low for a live dab, and you wouldn’t be wrong. I chose Nurse Jackie specifically because it has the right ratios for me! Breaking down this profile, we see it is dominated by myrcene and caryophyllene, but tempered by pinene and limonene. As a chronic pain patient, that mellow pain relief but still functional headspace is something I require in my Cannabis products, and I have found that I get this type of relief when I have heavier terpenes stacked on lighter ones.

The coloration of the sugar is a gorgeous, deep golden hue and the crystal structure itself is on par with the highest quality sugars available in Maryland. The smell is as robust as any dab, and reminds me of a grape/mango fruit wrap that has been lightly coated with lavender oil and kerosene. The bouquet of creamy rich fruits is complemented beautifully by the floral gas and provides a succulent dab that anyone can appreciate.

Always bear in mind that no single variety or product is likely to ever give you exactly what you need, so please be patient with your process and embrace trying new things. Try starting with Cresco’s Nurse Jackie and see what this profile can provide – it’s never about the most of anything, it’s about the right recipe for you.

T E S T R E S U LT S 86.7% thca 4.35% total terpenes 1.57% myrcene .78% caryophyllene .57% pinene .23% limonene .2% humulene .15% linalool

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CRESCOLABS.COM | @CRESCOCANNABIS

The bouquet of creamy rich fruits is complemented beautifully by the floral gas and provides a succulent dab anyone can appreciate.

OCT. 2021

REVIEW by TAYLOR MARTIN for MARYLAND LEAF | PHOTO by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT

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28

POOCHIE

oct. 2021

STRAIN OF THE MONTH

THIS MONTH’S FEATURED FLOWER HAILS FROM A HOUSE OF RARE GENETIC LINEAGES CULTIVATED FROM THE EARLY DAYS OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST SCENE, RETAINED AND BRED FURTHER BY ARCHIVE SEED BANK.

LOVE

“A WHIFF REMINISCENT OF VELVEETA CHEESE POWDER, OREGANO, MOSS AND PEPPER – SO PRONOUNCED THAT I HAD TO DO A DOUBLE TAKE TO SEE IF I HAD BOUGHT SOME WEED OR SOME MAC AND CHEESE!”

grown by

CULTA

The Culta cultivation crew was able to produce a batch testing at 4.13% total terpenes, which is simply an outstanding terpene concentration anyway you slice it. The predominant terpenes are myrcene at 1.53% and pinene at 1.3%, followed up by a temper of .32% limonene, .26% caryophyllene and .15% linalool. Its parent, Pacific Northwest Dogshit, has been one of the more rare and specialty varieties of the old heads that truly embodies some of the dankest skunk to ever funk. Earning its namesake, the variety has a notorious odor that connoisseurs adore, while others tend to shy away.

Reading about Poochie will tell you that it has a spicy and earthy type of aroma, but for me, the glorious funk of this genetic is the strong cheesy smell. This batch provided me with a whiff reminiscent of Velveeta cheese powder, oregano, moss and pepper, which was so pronounced that I had to do a double take to see if I had bought some weed or some mac and cheese!

The layers of earthy, herbal smells commingle in the background – cycling through to take their turn to trigger an olfactory receptor.

The high hits you quick and the relief is present almost immediately, however, that large dollop of pinene really keeps the stoney headspace that myrcene is known for from overpowering the experience. Indeed, I felt quite clear headed with an excellent presence of mind that lasted for hours off one joint.

The potency of the cannabinoids, synergized with the very powerful terpene profile, pushes the Poochie Love experience TESTING longer than I get from 33.65 thca other strains, and 1.53 myrcene in a way that allows 1.3 pinene .32 limonene me to experience a .26 caryophyllene joyful and stress-free .15 linalool day. This strain has .14 ocimene nothing but love to give your tired body or uneasy mind, and in a way that is sustainable for any job or daytime routine that could come about.

REVIEW by TAYLOR MARTIN for MARYLAND LEAF | PHOTO by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT | CULTA.IO | @CULTAIG

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the INSIDER issue

COVER STORY

GEORGETOWN

HEMP

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32

Founder | Daniel Simmonds OCT. 2021

“If I wasn’t such a coward, I wouldn’t be here today; I would’ve given up long ago,” Daniel Simmonds said.

The Toronto-born, Florida-raised warrior spent 13 years in the dark battling what doctors labeled treatmentresistant major depressive disorder. Promising careers with big corporations like Aflac and Google seemed to slip away as Simmonds’ struggles made getting out of bed in the morning a grand accomplishment.

“Towards the end, I was pretty much incapacitated,” said the 41-year-old

Simmonds, who moved to Washington D.C. as a teenager. “I wasn’t able to work and I was on disability. I was living with my mother in a spare bedroom and basically white knuckling it. I was just holding on and hoping for a miracle.” His miracle came in 2017 with the arrival of medicinal Cannabis in Maryland, allowing Simmonds to customize a treatment plan based around specific terpenes found inside the plant.

Encouraged by his own results, Simmonds began directing his newfound energy towards personalizing plans for others. “Once I found the ability to move forward, there was no way I was looking back,” he said. The Montgomery College attendee became “obsessed” with studying the plant, earning a handful of certifications from a variety of online programs across the country. He drove around the state meeting with fellow patients, offering up the information he had dug up out of desperation – now delivering it from an impassioned place of healing.

Georgetown Hemp became the byproduct of Simmonds’ studies, creating a brand determined to provide services to those in dire need. Four years after its creation, Simmonds now helms a team of six operating wholesale in all 50 states, as well as on an international level. Locally, Georgetown Hemp is helping rewrite legislation to push for reducing the restrictions on the commercial sale of Cannabis in Washington D.C.

What is Georgetown Hemp? We sell CBD products, but we consider ourselves a Cannabis business. We have access to more components from the Cannabis plants and we know the mechanisms they use to impact patients’ health. Growing up in South Florida, I was in the CBD capital of the U.S. The demographic spending the most money on these products – the elderly – are the most affected by the stigma and Reefer Madness. We created Georgetown Hemp to have someone speak to them on a level.

We wanted to be a trusted advisor that could recommend the best products, because at the time, CNN did a study which said two thirds of the products didn’t contain what they said on the label.

What advice would you give our readers who are purchasing CBD? Rather than finding a product you trust, find a retailer you trust. Also, if the product doesn’t come with a COA (Certificate of Analysis), run for the hills. You want evidence that will verify there are no pesticides, no heavy metals and no mycotoxins.

SIMMONDS NOW HELMS A TEAM You’ll also want to see the varying levels of non-CBD OF SIX OPERATING WHOLESALE products such as CBN and IN ALL 50 STATES, AS WELL CBG, because they might be what’s making you feel AS ON AN INTERNATIONAL better or worse.

LEVEL. LOCALLY, GEORGETOWN HEMP IS HELPING REWRITE LEGISLATION TO PUSH FOR REDUCING THE RESTRICTIONS ON THE COMMERCIAL SALE OF CANNABIS IN WASHINGTON D.C.

What does a day in the life of Daniel Simmonds look like? We’re a brick and mortar shop in Rockville. We’ve been here for two years now and we’re open seven days a week.

We get calls on a daily basis and people stop by wanting to pitch products for us to carry. When I was a kid, I’d go into Fuddruckers and you could see them curing your meat to be ground and cooked. Here, we have a similar model where we have retail in the front and a lab in the back. So you’re seeing every step in the process, from seed to sale. It creates a far more informed customer.

Do you consider yourself a Washington insider? [laughs] I have no background in politics whatsoever. But we have Cannabis attorneys we work with to make sure everything we do is on the level. We recently formed a coalition to try to lift the Harris Rider, which blocks the city from legalizing and taxing the sale of recreational marijuana. We’re confident through our lawyers it will be lifted this year.

You teased a big announcement. What is it? We are getting ready to release six products with a television celebrity chef, Jose Garces – winner of Iron Chef, Season Two. We have six unique recipes, but we’re going to start with our chocolate bars. We hope to see them on the end caps in Whole Foods.

You’ve come a long way in a short period of time. Your “cowardice” will be other people’s survival guide. What would you say to someone who is in a tough spot? Don’t give up five minutes before the miracle. Those are the truest words I could speak. I am someone who was in awful shape, and look at me now. If you’re willing to work with us at Georgetown Hemp, we’re going to do everything we can to help you. I know what it means to struggle. Because of that we’re really careful and cautious in what we recommend. We’ll start low and slow, and help dial in to find the right product.

GEORGETOWNHEMP.COM STORY by BAXSEN PAINE @BAXSENPAINE for MARYLAND LEAF | PHOTOS by GREG MALCOLM @MARYLAND.CONNOISSEUR

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WEEDMAPS

the INSIDER issue

F E AT U R E

How Data and Determination Are Driving the Future of Cannabis

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36

OCT. 2021

W

hen it comes to companies shaping the Cannabis industry, few, if any, loom larger than Weedmaps. Long known to consumers as a premier online destination for finding and ordering Cannabis products in available markets across the United States and Canada, the truth is that few likely know the true scope and depth of this tech business started by co-founders Justin Hartfield and Keith Hoerling back in 2008.

Over the course of 13 years, Weedmaps has drastically expanded both its workforce as well as its ambitions. Now boasting a staff of over 600, the company’s headquarters in Irvine, California is currently complemented by offices in Tucson, New York, Denver, Toronto and Barcelona. It is also the rare Cannabis-affiliated company to be publicly traded on the NASDAQ – another feather in the cap of a business that’s made a habit of leading by example.

In addition to constantly refining its offerings as a top-notch repository for consumers to find the products best suited for their needs, at a convenient location and for a reasonable price, Weedmaps has also become an indispensable resource to retailers – courtesy of its cutting-edge POS (point of sales) and ecommerce integration software.

Tasked with an ever-changing landscape of laws and regulations that vary not only by state, but sometimes by city, the mammoth task Weedmaps undertakes as its primary mission is to create technology solutions that universally lower the barrier to entry into the industry, be it a newbie consumer ready to make their first purchase or a past victim of the war on drugs now eager to start fresh with a legal Cannabis enterprise.

According to CEO Chris Beals, who started with the company as legal counsel and was promoted to his current role in 2019, the mission of Weedmaps is a twofold proposition.

“On one side,” he explained, “we’re the largest marketplace for Cannabis consumers to discover, learn about and find different Cannabis products, and to then be able to purchase and CEO CHRIS BEALS do online ordering from retailers. Then the other side of the business is what we call the ‘business in a box’ – which is this growing suite of stuff that’s like Salesforce meets Shopify for Cannabis businesses.”

The latter set of tools includes a wide array of innovations, including POS integration (like the ability for retailers to embed their menus in their websites), as well as all of the compliance requirements that come with such undertakings (think pop-up disclaimers, age verification and ID collection).

The company also offers its own POS system (WM Retail) available in Oklahoma and select other states, a wholesale exchange program (WM Exchange), and in August they launched an enhanced version of their iOS app with built-in ordering functionality.

>>

STORY by ZACK RUSKIN @ZACKRUSKIN for LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by JUSTIN L. STEWART @JUSTNLSTEWART

the INSIDER issue leafmagazines.com

38

WEEDMAPS How Data and Determination Are Driving the Future of Cannabis

Co n ti n u e d f ro m p re v io us p age

S

taying up-to-date on so many moving parts requires some serious in-house talent, which is why Beals estimates that over 40% of Weedmaps’ employees are currently focused on engineering, product and design.

Among them are principal engineer operations concerns meeting consumCharlie King and software engineer er expectations when it comes to the Warren Applebaum. While King made shopping experience. That’s where King what he terms “a full 180°” when he comes in. pivoted from doing government contract “Consumers generally expect a work to joining up with Weedmaps, certain level of service,” he explained.

Applebaum has been with the company “They expect to be able to buy things for nearly 12 of its 13-year existence. online and then pick them up in-store, Reflecting on Weedmaps’ evolution for example. Well, Cannabis has had to over his long tenure with the company, leapfrog into meeting those consumer Applebaum detailed how issues with expectations within an industry that’s listing medical-only dispensaries back highly regulated.” in 2008 – eight years before California Sure, it may seem simple to place an would approve Prop 64 – provided order via Weedmaps’ website or its app, an early lesson in how things in the but as King shared, the process behind Cannabis industry can often change on the scenes to make such a transaction a dime. possible is actually profoundly complex.

“Before the Obama Administration “There’s a lot to it. We have to prodecided that the federal government vide a compliant ordering system, make would not pursue cassure that you actually es against state-legal pick up the product, The mammoth medical marijuana and then ensure that task Weedmaps dispensaries,” Applebaum the data is reported to undertakes as its said, “it would be this run Metrc or whatever the primary mission is around where the DEA or compliance body may to create technology state and local authorities be. I think an average solutions that would shut down dispenconsumer might take a universally lower saries, only for them to lot of that for granted, the barrier to entry come back online like but the Cannabis indusinto the industry. weeks later. Trying to keep try has been forced to up with that gave us a mature very quickly on preview of what things some of these things to were going to look like down the line give that experience to consumers.” years later.”

Speaking with various members of Nowadays, as each new state comes the Weedmaps team, it’s abundantly online, Applebaum and his colleagues clear that the complex minefield of know to expect changes to these laws, compliance and geographically-specific and as a result, Weedmaps has heavily regulations that collectively define the invested in compliance and governlarger Cannabis industry in the U.S. ment relations teams, so that they can remains one of the company’s chief be aware of what those regulations areas of focus. are going to look like and bake those And no one arguably knows these elements into their applications to meet challenges better than Bridget Henregulatory constraints. nessey, who leads Weedmaps’ GovernAnother vital element to Weedmaps’ ment Relations and Policy team.

OCT. 2021

Irvine, CA HQ

Weedmaps VP of Government Relations Bridget Hennessey and Principal Engineer Charles King

Senior Engineer Warren Applebaum

“The work that we do on this team,” “I couldn’t have been happier with Hennessey shared, “is focused both the way that came together,” CEO Chris on opening new markets, while also Beals enthused when discussing the anmaking sure that current markets are nouncement. The result of six months of reflective of the community. We want to thoughtful conversation between the two ensure that people who were negatively parties, the partnership – announced in impacted by the war on drugs have a August – also ultimately required loopstake in these markets, so we spend a ing in some of the top brass at the NBA lot of our time advocating for social before becoming official. equity programs to be included in new The result, which will align Weedmaps legislation and ballot initiatives. Then with one of basketball’s most acclaimed we continue that work by making sure and influential players in a multi-year that we’re helping to educate people agreement, is reflective of the compaas an industry or market is coming to ny’s renewed desire to lead by example fruition and being implemented.” when it comes to making the Cannabis Given the relatively well defined industry a safer and more inclusive status of markets located on the West space.

Coast, Hennessy confirmed that much “There are so many people who of her team’s focus is now directed would love to reduce KD to just being towards the East Coast and other some stoner guy who plays basketball,” emerging industries in various pockets Beals added, “but we’re talking about of the country. a generational talent here. KD is at the With a timeline top of his game, so the for potential federal fact that he is now involved WEEDMAPS.COM in this makes it very hard legalization still a rather @WEEDMAPS murky prospect, she for people to get out their feels Weedmaps’ efforts stigma paint brushes to try to ensure states with and dismiss it.” current legal markets are diverse and Overall, this focus on normalization is easy-to-access has only become all the one shared across Weedmaps’ various more important. teams and leaders. Be it normalizing And that goes for those interested in the process of conducting Cannabis leading the charge as well. transactions in the retail space or nor“We’re getting to develop the industry malizing the very concept of the plant from the ground up,” Hennessey said. for the public at large, solutions based “And that means that everybody has on a hybrid of cutting-edge technology, an opportunity to be at the table from relentless advocacy and an internal the beginning. For women and for desire to constantly improve, have minorities, I think that makes it a really proven Weedmaps to be a vital facet interesting time to be in this industry of the push to bring Cannabis to the and I encourage people of all walks of mainstream. life to look into it and to try to see how “At the end of the day,” Beals noted, they can be involved.” “this is simply about enabling an open Even Weedmaps itself is stepping and robust legal Cannabis system where up its efforts to reach the public with there’s an opportunity for folks of all a message of de-stigmatization in the different backgrounds – including those form of a new partnership with NBA who are arrested for Cannabis crimes superstar Kevin Durant and his startup, – to come in and have opportunity to Thirty Five Ventures. thrive.”

STORY by ZACK RUSKIN @ZACKRUSKIN for LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by JUSTIN L. STEWART @JUSTNLSTEWART AND @ MIKE ROSATI @ROSATIPHOTOS

39

EQUINOX FARM

the insider issue

PROFILE

Ted Dobson | horticulturalist, general manager & farmer-in-chief

40

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IN

a black market birthed by hippies and outlaws that matured into an industry run by businessmen and investors, one man who’s stood the test of time is Ted Dobson of Equinox Farm. Dobson has been cultivating natural, sungrown Cannabis in Western Massachusetts since the ‘80s, and today he’s the first legal outdoor farmer on the East Coast.

“I always had a fetish for greens,” Dobson tells me after a sip of his kombucha. At the moment, he is not talking about a fresh bowl pack, but mesclun and arugula. He is reflecting on his time as a young farmer in Berkshire County – it was 1980 and Ted had just returned home from studying Agroecology at U.C. Santa Cruz, where he learned the organic, “French intensive/biodiversity” farming method under Master Gardener Alan Chadwick.

Dobson bought some land and got to work, finding early success in the farm-to-table movement, selling less common salads and greens to restaurateurs in Boston and New York. He established himself as an influential figure in the Northeast culinary scene by applying what he learned out west to his new plot in the Berkshires.

EQUINOXFARMBERKSHIRES.COM

ocT. 2021

Of course, Ted’s West Coast education “It was a dream of mine, but I didn’t extended beyond the classrooms and think it was possible,” he says of his gardens at UCSC, and he left the Goldinitial reluctance. But following a lot of en State with more than a degree. “I had research, legal advice (money), meetings met a number of Cannabis growers from with the Joint Committee on Marijuana Santa Cruz up through Mendocino and in Boston, a complicated caveat and Humboldt,” Dobson says. “And I moved cooperation from local officials, Dobson back home with a really interesting selecreceived approval to grow on the farm. tion of seeds.”

Ted met with local start-up Theory Ted planted those seeds in the rugged Wellness, as the two parties had somewoods between the Berkshires in Massathing the other was looking for. The chusetts and the Taconics in New York, young company had the capital Dobson employing the same techniques for his needed to prep Equinox for a compliant marijuana that he did for his greens. And marijuana grow. while the quality of the first harvest exOn the other hand, the Theory team ceeded what was readily available at the knew working with Ted could significantly time, it was difficult to grow in the region. reduce their carbon footprint as legaliza“The weed was used to such a dry tion increased demand. climate,” says Dobson. “I had mold and “Ted’s approach to farming really mildew issues with the California indica aligned with our goal of creating a more strains. I was fortunate to meet a guy in sustainable industry,” says Thomas WinConnecticut who had been growing satistanley, V.P. of Marketing at Theory. vas that had incredible mold and mildew And he’s right. Dobson’s farm doesn’t resistance … it just wasn’t very strong.” waste energy on grow lights or climate Dobson bred the strains and found control, and it doesn’t pollute the ecosysthe results to be hearty, potent flowers. tem with synthetic nutrients or pesticides At the time, high quality marijuana – organic farming enriches the soil and was in greater demand than lettuce or surrounding environment. baby greens. It was also Winstanley, a Berkshire the target of tough law County native, grew up “TED’S APPROACH enforcement measures unfamiliar with Dobson’s TO FARMING REALLY der then-President Ronald work. He says the team ALIGNED WITH OUR Reagan. Ted even averted jumped at the opportunity GOAL OF CREATING A prison in the late ‘80s with to work together. “Ted is MORE SUSTAINABLE the help of kind-hearted prolific,” he says.

INDUSTRY.” thieves that ransacked the The first fully licensed -THOMAS WINSTANLEY, V.P. grow days before a police grow at Equinox preOF MARKETING, THEORY. raid. The evidence still sented difficulties you threatened legal repercussions, but the don’t see at indoor facilities. Mother charges were eventually dropped. Still, Nature tested Dobson’s experience with he chose to downsize to avoid attention. heavy storms and pests, but experience Over the next 30 years, Dobson prevailed. continued to farm his greens for the October’s harvest surpassed expecrestaurants, and buds on a smaller tations and introduced natural, sustainscale. He maintained his favored strains, ably-grown Cannabis to the region for bred others, and traded harvests with the first time. like-minded folks in the area. In the early It is important to note that while the 2000s, he relocated from Great Barsoil and methods Ted uses are organic, rington to Sheffield with the help of the the FDA will not recognize Cannabis as Massachusetts Department of Agriculture organic due to federal prohibition. and the Sheffield Land Trust. Science The natural weed from Equinox is baland technology continued to advance, anced and uplifting. The wide spectrum but Ted stuck to the old-world organic of cannabinoids hits in a way sometimes methods he learned in Santa Cruz. lost with high-test indoor strains, and When Massachusetts voted to legalize rarely resorts in couch-lock. It’s the stuff in 2016, Dobson began researching the you can smoke any time, any place, but possibilities of attaining a license to grow some people say it’s best enjoyed under at Equinox. the sun – just like it was grown.

STORY by JON SCHMITT for LEAF NATION | PHOTO by TOMMY STEPHENS

Star Buds Baltimore 5975 Belair Road Baltimore, MD 21206 (443) 438-7494

the INSIDER issue

HALEY KNAUB PROFILE

@BOBBLEHEADBAR @EARTHAIRORGANICS @ZEROGRAVITYCANNABIS

@MAINEWOMENSCANNACONNECTION

42

Co-Founder | Earth Air Organics, Maine Women’s Cannabis Connection Director of Marketing | Zero Gravity Cannabis, Bobblehead Bar Edibles

leafmagazines.com

It was recently reported that women account for over 30 percent of the ownership and upper management in the Cannabis industry – substantially higher than most agricultural industries. As an example, the wine industry is only around eight percent women-owned (including upper management).

So, when I hear of women in the Cannabis industry hiring and helping other women, I want to meet them! A native of Portland, Maine, Haley Knaub attended Monmouth University – earning a business degree in marketing and management – before moving back to Maine and going into business with her fiancée and father with Earth Air Organics. She’s also Director of Marketing for two other Cannabis companies and a co-founder of the Maine Women’s Cannabis Connection.

GIVEN THE FEMALE FOCUS OF YOUR WORK, HOW MANY WOMEN WORK IN YOUR BUSINESSES? Earth Air is small with just the three of us right now, so one woman with 40 percent ownership. Zero Gravity also is a small business that’s mixed with some diverse employees, which is awesome. But then there’s Bobblehead Bar and Women’s Cannabis Connection – both are 100 percent women-owned and operated, so I couldn’t be prouder to stand alongside the other women running them and making headway in the Cannabis industry.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO HELP CO-FOUND THE MAINE WOMEN’S CANNABIS CONNECTION, AND WHO DID YOU CO-FOUND IT WITH? After starting in the Cannabis industry and knowing this was my niche and my purpose, I wanted to find a way to give back. I think the world should definitely move towards for-profit, for-good companies. So even if you’re making a profit, you’re giving back in some way or doing some good with the proceeds you’re earning, power and influence you’re gaining, and the audience and following you’re building.

I knew that I also wanted to connect with other

OCT. 2021

women in the industry, so I decided to combine these two pursuits into one. Sue and Lee of @420oldfatlesbians inspired me to move forward with the group and officially formulate it as the Maine Women’s Cannabis Connection. They’ve been huge supporters of our events since day one. Hallie Mitchell, Taylor McElhinny and Heather Dadiego are the other amazing women behind this effort, and make up our board members. It’s amazing what we have been able to accomplish in just six months!

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE GOALS OF THE MAINE WOMEN’S CANNABIS CONNECTION? Our goals are to host regular in-person networking events, give back to the community, educate others on the benefits of Cannabis, highlight new Cannabis products and share patient success stories, and provide women connections and opportunities in the Cannabis industry. The future goal is to further expand the organization or idea outside of Maine.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO OTHER CANNABIS CAREGIVERS IN MAINE ABOUT SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY? Many Cannabis caregivers are lifelong residents of Maine who are hard-working individuals trying to make a living off of the land. They are community members who have experienced the benefits of Cannabis and want to share those benefits with others, especially those who are suffering.

We have a tight-knit community where most companies make an effort to give back and be socially responsible, yet there’s a stigma against Cannabis in some communities that must be overcome. The more we can promote the good things that we are doing, the better our future will be and the more others will want to join our community!

STORY & PHOTOS by CHARLES TAGGART @KINDBUD.PHOTOS for LEAF NATION

Be Safe. Be Well.

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Order Online and Pick Up In-Store at Either gLeaf Location 808 Hungerford Drive Rockville, MD 20850

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Medical cannabis use is for certified Maryland patients only. Must be 18 or older.

Watch as the Winners from 2021 come to compete head to head in a challenge that will test their skills to the utmost. At stake are cash, prizes and a coveted spot in the Champs Glass Games “Hall of Flame”.

It’s time to go big or go home. Past winners include AKM, Justin Jeneke, Hurley, HEndy. Grimm, McMillieman & Noah, just to name a few.

cooking with Cannabis

R EC I P E S by LAU RIE WOLF | P HOTO by B RUC E WOLF

spooky sensations O

NCE AGAIN, IT’S HALLOWEEN. Be safe and have fun! Green matcha and white chocolate is an easy way to celebrate Cannabis and Halloween, the creepiest day of the year.

The warm cider is topped with a white chocolate ghost, which will melt slowly and infuse the drink with creaminess and stellar flavor. If you want a little more of a buzz, add a bit of your favorite infusion to the melting chocolate. Stir it in, that’s it. White chocolate and Cannabis are perfect together – one of my favorite foods to infuse. Growing up in New York, black and white cookies were in lots of bakeries. This Halloween, go with purple and orange frosting – so pretty. These recipes are made with coconut oil infused with the strain Durban Poison, which seemed fitting for this month. It’s an uplifting strain, providing lots of energy for your ghoulish, safely-distanced shenanigans.

For dosing I recommend 5mg THC per serving, unless you know otherwise.

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4 servings

CANNABIS CIDER

Makes 1 dozen cookies

COOKIE MONSTERS

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1/3 cup butter, softened 2 tablespoons canna-butter, softened 1/2 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder pinch salt 1 cup powdered sugar 3-4 teaspoons any milk or cream 1 teaspoon almond extract food coloring, gel preferred

1. Heat oven to 340. In a medium bowl cream together the butters, sugar and extract.

2. Add in the dry ingredients, mixing until crumbly. Gather into a ball. Divide the dough into 12 pieces. Place each ball gently on a greased cookie sheet.

3. Bake until golden brown, about 11-15 minutes. Cool thoroughly.

4. In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, milk and extract. Remove all lumps. Divide into two, add orange food coloring to one, purple to the other. Drizzle or dip the cookies into the frosting. You be the artist, Happy Halloween!

OCT. 2021

1/3 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup heavy cream 4 teaspoons canna-oil 4 cups apple cider 1 cinnamon stick 3 whole cloves 2 ounces white chocolate mini chips

1. In a saucepan, heat the sugar, cream and canna-oil for 2-3 minutes, over low heat. Stir to mix well. Add the cider and the cinnamon stick and heat, stirring for 2 additional minutes.

2. In a small microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate in 10 second intervals. When melted, place the chocolate on parchment paper, forming it into simple ghost shapes. It’s easy, you really can’t go wrong. Dot the eyes with the chips and allow to harden.

8 servings

MATCHA POPCORN 4 ounces white chocolate, chopped 1-2 tablespoons canna-oil, or equivalent dose of your preferred infusion 3/4 teaspoon matcha green tea powder 8 cups popped popcorn

1. In a microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate in 10 second intervals. Stir between each interval. When almost fully melted, add the matcha and the oil. Stir and process for another 10 to 20 seconds.

2. Place the popcorn in a serving bowl and drizzle with the white chocolate. Toss well and allow to set for 30 minutes. Totally yummy.

#B oo #HappyHallow een #EatYourCannabi s #BeS afe #L essI sMore # BeKind | La uriea nd Ma ryJa ne.com

Find Wana near you at wanabrands.com For use by qualified patients only.

glass art highlight

slate glass

48

LAYERED BALL

FLAMING BIRD

To watch him control the glowing glass within the fire is something to behold!

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s

oft spoken, humble and knowledgeable, Matt Slate of Slate Glass works with a torch as though he’s taming a fiery phoenix being born from the molten glass, while turning many smaller pieces into beautiful and functional pieces of art. We’ve seen him at several large Cannabis events doing live demonstrations of his work, as well as collaborations with other artists from Rhode Island up to Maine.

Matt started learning how to blow glass seven and a half years ago, paying someone 50 dollars a lesson – slowly investing his money until he had enough equipment to build and start his own studio. He’s been blowing glass ever since, earning quite the following of glass collectors who rave about the quality of his work.

He designs in his head, as he says he can’t draw, so being able to create this way is the only way he knows.

To watch him control the glowing glass within the fire is something to behold!

RIGS

ocT. 2021

Matt finds it very fulfilling to be able to provide for his family with his glass artwork. He and his wife and daughter recently moved into a larger house, and have a newborn on the way he’s excited to meet and hold. You can find his pieces at many glass shops in the Northeast, as well as get ahold of him on Instagram @slateglass.

STORY & PHOTOS by CHARLES TAGGART @KINDBUD.PHOTOS for NORTHEAST LEAF

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE CORNER leafmagazines.com

50

Floating Along THE POWER OF SENSORY DEPRIVATION TANKS

S

ensory deprivation or ‘float’ tanks have an abundance of physical health benefits, including increased endorphins, decreased blood pressure and overall body relaxation.

On the mental health side, these chambers offer many advantages, as they are known to lower anxiety, promote muscle relaxation and improve symptoms of depression.

These safe spaces are the perfect place to clear your mind and improve your level of concentration and focus.

Earlier this year, I embarked on a mystical adventure and took a look behind the scenes at Float Om Healing Center and Tranquility Tanks in Eugene, Oregon. As soon as I entered the building, a wave of tranquility and relaxation crashed over me as I took in my surroundings. After being greeted at the front desk, I walked down to the second room on the right, where I began my float session.

Approaching the sensory deprivation chamber, I grinned and embraced what was to come as 50mg of THC:CBD started to take hold. After shutting the door to the tank, it took a few minutes to settle in and to start working on removing my mind from the outside world.

Before this experience, I had floated on several occasions where Cannabis was not a part of the equation.

Although isolation tanks are enjoyable while being completely sober, it can sometimes be a bit harder to shut off your mind entirely. With the right amount of Cannabis consumption, this venture can take you to infinity and beyond.

Following getting comfortable, I familiarized myself with what appeared to be a giant black room that offered everything, yet nothing at the same time. This astral plane of existence was ever-expanding to the point where you had no idea if you were looking up, down, left or right. This feeling can be frightening initially, but once you embrace this empty yet immersive expanse, the magic all begins to unfold as your weightless body floats into a sea of space.

The water for most tanks gets kept at 93.5 degrees, which is skin-receptor neutral, meaning you lose the sensation of where your body ends and the water begins.

I couldn’t help but feel like the hand of a higher power cradled me throughout the float.

Through the assistance of Wim Hof’s breathing method, as silly as it may sound, I saw my soul escape my body and start dancing around colorfully and happily – vibrantly full of life. For those of you who have seen the recent movie “Soul,” the character I saw similarly resembled one of the souls in the great beyond.

I then heard the music start, which meant that my float was over. I was relieved to get out and back to my life, yet at the same time, still wishing I had a bit longer to continue with this astral soul projection. Upon opening the door back up, the room vibrated with a rush of colors and energies – and after having the opportunity to assess and evaluate my venture, I realized that I came out of this tank a lot more calm and relaxed than I originally started the day. For those looking for a unique way to nurture your mind, body and soul, sensory deprivation tanks just may be your ticket to the astral plane.

OCT. 2021

“I couldn’t help but feel like the hand of a higher power cradled me throughout the float.”

STORY by MAX EARLY @LIFTED_STARDUST/LEAF NATION | FLOAT-OM-ISOLATION-TANKS.COM

World’s First

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Roll With It

PHOTO COURETSY OF BAMBU

52

A double-wide, unfiltered account of the history of rolling papers.

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ORIGINS IN ALCOY

Humanity has been smoking herbs for millennia, but it wasn’t until after Christopher Columbus brought tobacco home from the Americas in the 16th century that we began using rolled paper as a means to inhale.

“Columbus came back from the ‘New World’ to Spain with these kinds of rudimentary cigars wrapped in leaves and tied with string,” explains rolling paper mogul and historian Josh Kesselman. “They land in Seville, and the process of people smoking cigars in Europe begins.”

Though only aristocrats could afford cigars at the time, they’d often throw their butts away on the ground, where peasants would retrieve and re-roll the tobacco in used newspaper.

This practice eventually made its way to the nearby town of Alcoy, where its future fate would take root.

“Alcoy is the true birthplace of rolling paper,” asserts Kesselman.

Alcoy was founded in the 8th century by the Moors, who brought with them the art of papermaking they’d learned Alcoy, Spain—birthplace of rolling papers. from the Chinese (as well as

OCT. 2021

Left: The old Bambu factory in Barcelona.

Above: JOB promo poster by artist Alphonse Mucha (1869).

the Arabian Acacia gum that would later be used for the adhesive strips).

In 1154, Alcoy became the first city in the region to manufacture “mouldmade paper” – a machine-made paper renowned for its durability and surface texture – and over the next few centuries, established itself as the papermaking capital of Spain.

“The Alcoyanos take one look at those people smoking in newspaper and they know that’s not healthy, so they decide to make a special paper just for smoking,” says Kesselman. “That was really the world’s first rolling paper.”

It’s believed that a form of rolling paper was made in Alcoy as early as the 1500s. Those early versions were made from the recycled pulp of hemp and other textiles, and were sold as giant sheets that needed to be folded into squares and cut. It wasn’t until centuries later that they would be branded and take the forms we’re familiar with today. In fact, the practice of pre-cutting and packaging papers in a protective booklet didn’t come about until 1765, when it was introduced by a Dominican monk named Father Jaime Villanueva Estingo.

Remarkably, the first 10 trademarks ever filed in Spain were all for rolling papers; by 1850, there were around 50 brands registered. The first and oldest continuously branded rolling paper company in existence is Pay-Pay (pronounced pie-pie), founded in 1703.

Old-school Pay-Pay pack.

Another of Spain’s earliest manufacturers that are still in business today is Bambu. The company’s first factory opened in Alcoy in 1764, though originally it produced Bible paper; it wasn’t until the rise in popularity of cigarettes during the late 1800s that owner Rafael Abad Santonja switched to making rolling papers. The company premiered its trademark “Winking Spaniard” design Bambu’s in 1876 but didn’t officially establish the famous “Bambu” brand until 1907.

“Winking

THE FRENCH CONNECTION

Spaniard.”

More than mere consumers, the vipers, beatniks, and hippies embraced cannabis smoking as part of their cultural identity...and rolling papers were included in that zeitgeist.

Like Bambu, Zig-Zag adopted their own marketing mascot in 1879: an illustration of a French infantryman called a “Zouave” who became known as the “Zig-Zag Man,” aka “Captain Zig-Zag.” According to their lore, the original Captain Zig-Zag’s pipe was shattered during battle, forcing him to roll his tobacco in paper torn from a musket cartridge.

The new century brought with it other changes in the industry: Rizla’s introduction of flavored papers in 1906, the creation of king-size papers, the formation of a rolling paper manufacturing consortium in Alcoy called Papeleras Reunitas in 1934, and changes in ownership for many of the most popular brands (including Rizla, Pay-Pay, Bambu and others). At one point, Bambu’s factory in Alcoy was even dismantled and reestablished in Barcelona. But perhaps the most significant change in the 20th century would be the dramatic expansion of their customer base, thanks to a new demographic of smokers: potheads.

Though rolling papers were invented in Spain, it wasn’t long before France got into the game. During the 16th century, Napoleon’s soldiers returning from Spain brought the habit of smoking rolled tobacco home with them (though it wasn’t until 1830 that they began calling them “cigarettes.”)

Legend has it that, after encountering such Vintage a soldier in 1532, an enterprising Frenchman Zig-Zag booklets. named Alexandro Lacroix traded CANNABIS & THE COUNTERCULTURE a bottle of Champagne for the From the jazz age of the 1920s to the councavalryman’s rolling papers terculture of the 1960s and ‘70s, marijuana’s and began reproducing them popularity skyrocketed throughout the century. for himself and his family. In More than mere consumers, though, the vipers, 1736, his descendant François beatniks and hippies embraced Cannabis smokLacroix began mass-producing ing as part of their cultural identity – and rolling them as the Lacroix Rolling An antique papers were included in that zeitgeist. Soon, the Paper Company. It would be packet of Rizla+ papers.

Zig-Zag Man was popping up on numerous more than a century later counterculture posters and flyers – most famously before the company would switch to rice paper and change its in June 1966, when underground artists Stanley Cover of Cheech & Chong’s name: taking the French word for rice (riz), and abbreviating Mouse and Alton Kelly used the logo on a the family name Lacroix to La+ (“croix” is the French word for “Big Bambu” album (1972). handbill for a pair of concerts by Big Brother “cross”), becoming RizLa+. and the Holding Company (Janis Joplin’s band) at San Francisco’s Avalon In the 19th century, competition in the industry started to Ballroom. (Twenty years later, hip-hop icon Dr. Dre would do something heat up. First, in 1822, two brothers – René and Guillaume Zig-Zag Man concert poster similar for his debut album “The Chronic.”)

Bolloré – opened a paper mill on the banks of the Odet River

by Mouse & Kelly (1966).

Another famous example of artists incorporating rolling paper logos into in the town of Cascadec to produce rolling papers, calling their their projects were Cheech & Chong. The legendary comedy duo used Bambu’s branding twice: company OCB (“O” for Odet, “C” for Cascadec, and “B” for first in 1972, for their album “Big Bambú,” which looked like a Big Bambu pack and featured Bolloré). Next came Jean Bardou, a giant mock rolling paper inside; then again in 1978, for their first film “Up in Smoke,” whose whose company trademark promotional materials also utilized Bambu’s branding. was his initials “JB” separated One company that sprang out of Cannabis culture was E-Z Wider. by a small diamond shape. But Established in 1972, they were the first papers designed specifically for rolling when people kept mistaking the weed rather than tobacco. Founder Burton Rubin allegedly got the idea to diamond for an “O,” he went with create his “double-wide” papers in 1969 after watching some of his law it and changed the company’s school classmates connect two regular-sized papers to roll a larger joint. name to JOB in 1849.

INDUSTRY INNOVATIONS

The next breakthrough in packaging was “interleaving” – the method whereby papers are inserted into the booklet in a Jean Bardou criss cross manner – so that each one readies the next when it’s pulled out. Though Kesselman believes that the interleaving was actually created by Italian paper manufacturer Saul David Modiano years earlier, it was a Paris-based company that, in 1894, perfected and patented the horizontally-folded “z” shape method we’re familiar with today. This innovation was so popular that it not only won them a gold medal at the 1900 Universal Exposition in Paris, it also convinced founders Maurice and Jacques Braunstein to rename their company after it: Zig-Zag.

PAST AND PRESENT

The past few decades have ushered in yet more innovations in this centuries-old industry: the addition of built-in wire roach clips and tear-off filter tips attached to the booklet; the creation of clear, cellulose papers, and even 24k gold leaf paper. But the most successful innovation of the modern era is undoubtedly the vegan, natural, organic, unbleached hemp papers and cones from Kesselman’s flagship brand Raw – which, remarkably, are all produced using the traditional machinery and methods at the old Papeleras Reunitas factory in the city where it all started.

History, it seems, is still alive and well in Alcoy.

For more on the history of rolling papers, listen to Episode #15 of our podcast at worldofcannabis.museum/cannthropology.

Story and photos originally published on worldofcannabis.museum and reprinted with permission.

STO RY b y B O B BY B LAC K @ CAN N T H RO PO LO G Y for LEA F NAT IO N

I’LL SEE IT WHEN I BELIEVE IT

W

54

LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

by Mike Ricker

hen you really put your mind to understanding the human psyche, you’ll see that it is easily manipulated.

There’s no denying the obvious, that if you reinforce a concept to curious individuals with the right degree of conviction, you are sure to make an impression. In fact, they may even become thoroughly convinced that what you’re pitching is going to improve their lives eternally. No matter how severely absurd something may be due to the limitations of logic and physics, the facts will not be recognized once their mind is made up. They will buy into your influence unconditionally, transforming into true zealots in pure defense of this information.

Information, it could be maintained, may ultimately be to blame for the eventual downfall of our species. Because as big brains can defy common sense, small brains act entirely upon common sense.

So, who is wiser, the man or the ant? But we’ve conquered the food chain, which allows us to live longer, so it’s ridiculous to argue, right? Wait, who conquered the food chain? The dude planted on a ripped sofa wiping Taco Bell fire sauce on his pants playing World of Warcraft?

Lewis and Clark don’t think so.

Anyway, as much as people think they dominate nature, the reality that we all face is that the bigger the brain, the more the insecurities will surface about who we are, what we’re doing and why we exist. And for people who crave certainty, this poses an existential conundrum. These people need to fill the gaps in their lives to feel complete, therefore, if you repeat something long enough … the illusion around truth is bound to take hold.

We are gullible creatures.

And yes, many still believe that Cannabis is for dirty hippies, too.

oct. 2021

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