RECHARGABLE & DISPOSABLE DESIGN A N D Y O U ' R E T H E R E !
For use only by qualifying patients or consumers at least 21 years of age.
GET CHERRY VANILLA JAMS FOR BREAST CANCER ACTION AT CURALEAF
In honor of Breast Cancer Action Month, Curaleaf is joining the fight with every Cherry Vanilla bite. Savor the limited-edition Cherry Vanilla JAMS this October only at Curaleaf, and we’ll donate a portion from all sales to support Impact One, an organization that assists breast cancer patients on their journey. Making a difference never tasted so good.
THE ENLIGHTENED VOICE
LEAF / OREGON LEAF
WES ABNEY CEO & FOUNDER
wes@leafmagazines.com
MIKE RICKER OPERATING PARTNER ricker@leafmagazines.com
TOM BOWERS CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER tom@leafmagazines.com
DANIEL BERMAN CREATIVE DIRECTOR daniel@leafmagazines.com
EARLY MARYLAND LEAF PUBLISHER early@leafmagazines.com
WYATT EARLY STATE DIRECTOR wyatt@leafmagazines.com (410) 961-8779
KAYL WOHL COPY EDITOR kayl@leafmagazines.com
ABOUT THE COVER
On the cover of our highly-anticipated Tech Issue is an array of innovative, ground-breaking Cannabis tech delving far and beyond the realm of the simple bong or pipe. These pieces, rigs and bud-bundles allow the Cannabis connoisseur to perfectly dial in the ideal dab or hit, and achieve a level of stoniness that past generations could only ponder. Styled and photographed by Creative Director Daniel Berman at the magazine's Seattle headquarters, this cover was a team effort of the highest magnitude.
PHOTO & STYLING BY DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS
Assisting by @borophoto @mdgfilm @lena_b_sparked
CONTRIBUTORS
WES ABNEY, FEATURES
DANIEL BERMAN, PHOTOS
BOBBY BLACK, FEATURES
JOSHUA BOULET, ILLUSTRATION
TERPODACTYL MEDIA, FEATURES + PHOTOS
JESSE JOHNSON, FEATURES
ZACK JOHNSON, PHOTOS
REX HILSINGER, FEATURES + PHOTOS
MICHAEL GREENMAN, ASSISTING
GREG MALCOLM, PHOTOS
TAYLOR MARTIN, FEATURES
JESSE RAMIREZ, DESIGN
MIKE RICKER, FEATURES
LENA B. WHITE, ASSISTING
We are creators of targeted, independent Cannabis journalism. Please email us to discuss advertising in the next issue of Maryland Leaf Magazine. We do not sell stories or coverage. We can offer design services and guidance on promoting your company’s medicinal, recreational, commercial or industrial Cannabis business, product or event within our magazine and on our website, leafmagazines.com. Email wyatt@leafmagazines.com to start advertising with Maryland Leaf!
CONNECT WITH MARYLAND LEAF
WES ABNEY
Editor’s Note
Thanks for picking up the Tech Issue of Maryland Leaf!
Our cover features the hottest ways to take a perfect temp dab or toke at the push of a button, and that’s a freedom that only technology by stoners for stoners can deliver.
We’ve come a long way from pop can tokes and simple pipes and bongs, and I, for one, am so grateful for the ability to take a dab without a torch. There’s no limit to the creativity when it comes to Cannabis and tech, which is why we drop globs and not bombs. As we look ahead to Christmas lists, any one of our cover-worthy p ieces would look great wrapped under the tree.
While it’s easy to get lost in the wizardry of new dabs and vaporizers, I want to once again make a plea for peace within our community and country. I’m counting down the days to the election, not because I want to see a particular candidate win, but because I cannot wait for us to unite as a country behind the choice of our people. We’ve got so much policy work and progress to be made, as Cannabis is far from truly legal or free in the state you’re reading this or around the country. There are still people being arrested right this minute for Cannabis, whi ch means we still have a lot of work to be done when it comes to ending the War on Drugs.
"THERE ARE STILL PEOPLE BEING ARRESTED RIGHT THIS MINUTE FOR CANNABIS, WHICH MEANS WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE WHEN IT COMES TO ENDING THE WAR ON DRUGS."
In many ways, the advancements in technology are helping move Cannabis toward normalization. Smoking a stinky blunt, which I love to do, is less palatable for most new-to-Cannabis thinkers than a sip of vapor from an e-rig. With new pieces looking sexier and sleeker, being a stoner doesn’t feel lowbrow anymore; it’s actually quite high-tech, pun intended.
So as we edge ever closer toward this election and daylight savings, remember that we are all likely struggling with some form of motion, fear, anxiety and possibly a little hope. Offer to share dabs and tokes with those you can and celebrate our freedom in the technology that we can use to share our planet and come together one hit at a time.
his November, voters in six states will decide on Cannabisrelated measures on their ballots. Here’s what to expect:
Arkansas voters face the proposed Medical Marijuana Amendment of 2024 where Issue 3 aims to expand the medical Cannabis program.
Licensed medical patients could soon grow Cannabis at home, with up to 14 (and up to seven mature) Cannabis plants. Issue 3 would also legalize telehealth appointments for medical marijuana certification and remove the initial application and renewal fees for certification.
introduce medical legalization and regulation. Initiative 437 aims to legalize medical Cannabis use, allowing patients to possess up to five ounces of Cannabis with a healthcare practitioner’s recommendation. For patients under 18, parental or guardian consent is required. Caregivers would also be able to assist patients in managing their medical Cannabis. These initiatives would adopt and enact the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Patient Protection Act, as well as establish the Nebraska Cannabis Commission to oversee the state’s medical marijuana program.
The bill would also extend the certification period from one year to three, affording patients less frequent renewals. Obtaining certification could become more accessible, as all health care practitioners — including physician assistants, nurse practitioners and pharmacists — could certify patients.
In Florida, voting “yes” on Marijuana Legalization Initiative Amendment 3 supports recreational legalization for adults over the age of 21 and would allow individuals to possess up to three ounces of flower, along with up to five grams in the form of concentrate.
“Expected retail sales of non-medical marijuana would generate at least $195.6 million annually in state and local sales tax revenues once the retail market is fully operational,” according to the Florida Financial Impact Estimating Conference.
Despite these projections, Gov. Ron DeSantis opposes the amendment, claiming that he doesn’t want Florida “to smell like weed,” while also leveraging a taxpayer-funded advertisement produced by the Florida Department of Transportation; the ad stated, “DUI crashes increase in states with legalized marijuana, putting everyone at risk.” Evidence of this correlation is sparse, and one could say that the use of state resources to amplify such a message also puts everyone at risk.
Long debated in Nebraska after a previous attempt in 2020 was removed by the state’s Supreme Court, Cannabis reaches the ballot once again. Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana announced earlier this year that it gathered about 114,000 signatures in support of two initiatives that would
In Oregon, Measure 119 — also called the United for Cannabis Workers Act — focuses on protecting labor rights within the Cannabis industry by ensuring that workers can freely organize and join unions. It would require Cannabis retailers and processors to sign “labor peace agreements,” which prevent employers from retaliating against or otherwise opposing unionization efforts. This measure would bring Cannabis workers’ rights in line with other industries and aims to address concerns such as workplace safety and the use of harmful chemicals. Non-compliance would result in penalties, including fines or the potential revocation of business licenses.
In North Dakota, previous legalization efforts failed narrowly in 2022, but voters have another opportunity with Measure 5. Voting “yes” is in favor of legalizing recreational Cannabis consumption, allowing adults 21 and over to possess up to one ounce of flower, four grams of concentrate, 1,500mg of THC in the form of cannabinoid products and 300mg of edibles. The measure would also allow individuals to grow three plants with a limit of six per household.
"An estimated 90% to 95% of hemp retail products are expected to be eliminated from sale."
GAVIN
NEWSOME’S EMERGENCY
HEMP REGULATIONS TAKE EFFECT IN CALIFORNIA
INlate September, California’s State Office of Administrative Law enacted emergency regulations that seek to eliminate “health incidents related to intoxicating hemp products.”
An estimated 90% to 95% of hemp retail products are expected to be eliminated from sale, according to Jonathan Miller, general counsel for the U.S. Hemp Roundtable. Jonathan and his team have since launched a lawsuit against the California Department of Public Health in an attempt to block the ban’s implementation. The suit also claims that this ban is in direct violation of state law, the federal Farm Bill, and the commerce clause of the U.S. Constitution.
South Dakota voters will make their third attempt to pass adult-use Cannabis reform this year after previous attempts at legalization were rejected in 2020 and 2022. Measure 29, proposed by South Dakotans for Better Marijuana Laws, would allow adults 21 and older to possess up to two ounces of Cannabis flower, 16 grams of concentrate and six plants for personal use. However, it does not establish a commercial marketplace for Cannabis production and sales.
DIRECTOR OF NY’S SOCIAL EQUITY PROGRAM RESIGNS
Damian Fagon will resign from his position as chief equity officer for the state’s Office of Cannabis Management in November. According to the Times Union, this resignation was announced in light of a recent investigation into allegations that Fagon used his position to implement punishment on a Cannabis processor who was vocal about unlawful practices occurring within the industry. While Fagon’s name was cleared of any malicious intent or wrongdoing, he will remain on leave from the organization until his resignation date.
The total reported revenue of New York’s Cannabis program from January 2024 through the end of August. Weekly sales of $20 million were also surpassed in the month of August for the first time in the state’s history.
The cost of advertisements purchased by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis's taxpayer-funded administration railing against Amendment 3, the measure to legalize marijuana that has strong support on both sides. $ 429.9m $ 15.5m
The number of people arrested in the last year in the U.S. for Cannabis. According to the FBI report, simple possessions made up a majority of those cases; 23% of all drug arrests listed in this report come from Cannabis possession arrests.
AUGUSTA, GA PHARMACY DISREGARDS DEA WARNING AND BEGINS SELLING MEDICAL CANNABIS OIL
About a year after a warning that came from the DEA, Living Well Pharmacy in Augusta began selling low-potency THC oil. The warning came as a reminder that pharmacies selling prescription medications must strictly abide by federal regulations. This is contradictory to the state regulation that permits lowTHC Cannabis oil to be sold at licensed pharmacies throughout the state. The DEA warning appeared to have stopped all sales of this oil until now, and it is unclear whether or not they will have a response to Living Well Pharmacy’s bold decision not to heed their warning.
MARYLAND LEAF BUDTENDER OF THE MONTH
IANCALMA
“THIS LIFE IS A RODEO, BRO.”
riginally hailing from Angeles City, Philippines, Ian found his true community in Laurel, MD. He has really hit his stride since starting in the Cannabis industry in May 2024. When he’s not at the dispensary, you can find him rooting for the Orioles or cutting up on the dance floor at concerts. Be sure to show Ian some love when you stop by Revolution Releaf.
IN WHAT WAYS HAVE YOU SEEN TECHNOLOGY HELP OR HARM THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY? I’ve honestly seen Cannabis consumption become a lot safer and healthier. I personally do a lot of GBs (gravity bong hits), which traditionally use plastic pieces. Since working here, I’ve found technology like the Gravitron, which I feel is much healthier for me. Also, it’s crazy that we can use debit cards to buy weed now, versus the traditional market, which was obviously strictly cash.
DO YOU DAB OR SMOKE FLOWER? I mostly smoke flower, but I have started to put concentrates in my blunts and gravity bong hits. I’m a big fan of Camden Yards Kush sugar from Organic Remedies because I’m a huge Orioles guy.
WHY DO THEY CALL YOU THE “CANNABIS COWBOY”?
This life is a rodeo, bro. I left a job with benefits and guaranteed financial security to join the Cannabis industry because I believe in this community so much. Around here, the Cannabis community really rallies for and supports each other.
WHAT KIND OF MUSIC ARE YOU INTO? I’m into pop punk. Bands like Blink-182, Paramore, The Maine — there really are too many more to count. I went to Sad Summer at Merriweather, and Mayday Parade was the headliner. I got into the pit and got very close to my favorite artists, and I just feel really connected to the scene.
DID YOU GROW UP IN THE PHILIPPINES? WHAT WAS IT LIKE? I didn’t grow up there, but I was born there and came here when I was four years old. This community in Laurel has seen me grow up — from working at the pool to the hospital, working in shoes, and eventually coming here. A core memory from the Philippines would be the street food vendors coming to your house. They would come by, and I’d bother my mom for 40 pesos so I could get food for me and my sister.
WHAT IS CANNABIS CULTURE LIKE NOW IN THE PHILIPPINES? I don’t know how to describe a budtender to a family member back home because they can only see it as a drug dealer. The last president we had went as far as killing drug dealers, which is ironic because his kids ended up becoming the biggest ones of all.
WHAT MAKES WORKING IN THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY SO SPECIAL? Other than seeing the people I see every day, the community surrounding the store and this area. We had a back-to-school drive, and the community brought in a ton of stuff for the kids, which is important to me. Also, knowing what is in the weed we’re smoking now is important to me, from genetic makeup to terpene profiles.
WHAT TYPE OF VIBE DO YOU LIKE TO BRING INTO THE WORKPLACE? I want the dispensary to be a safe space for everybody. If you’re a patient, I want to make sure we get you the right product you need. Having worked when it was strictly medical, I know how important it can be to get the right thing for what you’re trying to accomplish. Everyone has a reason for using Cannabis, and I want to help people find what helps them.
“THE STAFF HERE WERE ALL SMILES AS THEY SHOWED ME AROUND THE STORE, LAUGHING AND MAKING JOKES…”
OPENING IN JULY 2023, Story makes affordable, top-tier Cannabis easy to find in Silver Spring. The company has four stores in the state of Maryland and is responsible for some of our favorite brands, like Fade Co. and Just Flower. As a result, they have an impressive collection of strains, making it a destination dispensary for flower you haven't been able to find elsewhere. It always helps when you can feel good about where you buy your Cannabis, and Story is a great group of people working hard to improve our industry. >>
STORY CANNABIS
SETTING AND VIBE
The staff here were all smiles as they showed me around the store, laughing and making jokes with each other and customers. It always creates a more comfortable environment when the budtenders can include other people in their conversations. Once customers are welcomed inside, they are greeted by a colorful wall of products displayed behind the counter. The budtenders are extremely well-versed in Maryland’s product lineup, making great recommendations to those who need a little assistance.
FLOWER
Given the affiliation with Fade Co. and Just Flower, this is the largest variety I have seen of those brands in any one store. Of course, they carry every other hot brand and new strain hitting the market, too. They have so many strains at this store that if you pull up their menu online and scroll through the flower section, your finger will get tired before you reach the bottom of the list.
CONCENTRATES
To name a few items that got me excited while looking at the concentrate menu, they had Froot by the Foot live badder from Organic Remedies Maryland, Jenny D live budder from Beezle Extracts, Texas Shoreline live sugar from Grassroots and so much more. They also have a solid selection of shatter, which is extremely affordable for new dabbers looking to enter this product category.
EDIBLES
One thing I noticed about the edible menu at Story is the strong depth per individual product line. For each edible, they had different flavors, potencies and cannabinoid ratios. Nine different flavors of Betty’s Eddies were on the menu, and 11 different flavors of the Wyld gummies everyone has come to love.
Crossing Rainbow Belts and Strawberry Guava was beyond enough to get me excited about this flower. Fade Co. has been extremely consistent with good-looking, smelling, tasting and feeling weed, and this was no exception. The 3.5-gram bag had one big, dense nugget inside of a gorgeous, light green, trichome-coated flower. This batch was a battle between the gelato-like terpene profile and the fruity strawberry and guava profile, creating a fruity, gassy, delicious blend.
RAINBOW GUAVA
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i c
THE SECRET (OF) STACHE
ROD AND MISSI SANTOS sit in the Stache Products warehouse across from each other at two separate desks. On both desks sit multiple prototypes and leftover parts of grinders, dab rigs and batteries that serve as a testament to Rod and the company’s innovative vision to push the creative envelope when designing and creating their products. “I tell people don’t go in [to the industry] being like ‘I want to be like Michael Jordan,’” 40-year-old Santos explains. “Go be Kobe Bryant, go be [Allen] Iverson and then you’ll be competing with Jordan. But if you go in there trying to be Jordan, you’ll be a second version, at best.”
Rod and his family moved to Maryland from Brazil when he was five years old, settling in the Silver Spring area, where his knack for crafting began out of sheer determination. Not long after smoking weed for the first time when he was younger, he went home and made himself a copper pipe so he could smoke in his room. Eventually, he saved up money and bought his first real piece, a ROOR pipe, but he and his friends would still craft homemade pipes to smoke out of. “If I can’t have it, I’m going to make something similar to it,” he said.
In 2011, he co-founded Bethesda Vapor Company, a vape shop opened to help people quit cigarettes and replace them with Cannabis. At the time, he and the friends he co-founded the shop with were working full-time jobs while simultaneously figuring out how to own and run a business, adding that even though the group barely graduated high school, they were hungry to get after it.
“I think we were all tired of seeing everyone else do something cool and us just working every single day in a non-cool industry,” he recalled. “We wanted that excitement. We loved weed. We loved vaping. We were young and willing to do anything for that dream.”
After seeing a lack of Cannabis vape pens on the market and tinkering with different vape parts, Rod designed the first Stache Pen prototype in 2015. The finished pen combined features like a Clapton coil and a built-in compartment on the bottom to make smoking Cannabis — specifically wax — smoother and more accessible to consumers.
From there, he branched out from the vape shop to start Stache Products and began designing other items like grinders and dab rigs. In 2018, the company introduced the Rig-InOne, a portable dab rig that was the first of its kind on the market. Rod noticed other brands were advertising their wax pens as the closest thing to smoking a real dab. Instead of issuing another vape pen, the RiO would accomplish what Rod had in mind for consumers: taking a traditional dab without feeling intimidated by torches and flames. Additionally, he wanted the
“If weed’s changed, why can’t our grinder change? It needs to evolve.”
-Missi Santos
extra challenge of creating the opposite of what everyone else was making, so he designed the rig to be square, a harder shape to craft with glass. “We mass-produced the hardest shape to make out of glass,” he said. “If you’re gonna do it, why just participate? Compete; let’s make this fun.” Rod carries this same competitive spirit into making his grinders. Stache’s Grynder is made with 6063 aluminum and features small, rounded teeth with the intention of preserving terpenes and THC. They partnered with Orange Photonic last year to have their grinder tested alongside other popular grinders, and the data found that flower ground with the Stache Grynder tested highest in retaining THC content among those in the study.
“We want to be sure that we’re not just telling people that we have a good product,” Rod said. “We take every millimeter with intention. You see grinders everywhere, and they’re all the same; that design has been around for 20-plus years. We don’t smoke 20plus year-old weed.”
“If weed’s changed, why can’t our grinder change? It needs to evolve,” Missi added.
While Rod designs and creates the products, Missi helps bring them to the consumer’s eye. Her specialty is content creation and marketing, among her other responsibilities within the company.
“Content-wise, Rod will have an idea, and I’ll bring it to life,” she said, adding how she often utilizes parts of their own home to help achieve the aesthetic she has in mind. “I love to take advantage of [being in] Maryland because it doesn’t matter what season; you can always find something cool as a backdrop.”
“What I do is very small compared to what she does,” Rod said.
In addition to overcoming multiple manufacturer errors and other brands selling their own version of the Stache pen in its early days, the company has done extensive work to take fake products that resemble their own off the market. Even while working through multiple lawsuits and protecting the reputation of his products, Rod doesn’t let any of the outside noise affect who he is or what he’s built his brand to be.
“I could’ve given up after the first Stache pen, the fake RiOs,” Rod said as he wipes tears from his eyes. “I’ve learned as long as you don’t stop, you’ll succeed; that’s it.”
While Stache products can be found in head shops and dispensaries all around the country and in some shops overseas today, Rod said what he really wants for Stache now is to stay relevant and stay true to the company’s mission to design, innovate and create.
“We want to be a part of every pop-up or event. We want to be that wellknown brand here,” he said. “Wherever the Cannabis market and head shop businesses go, we’ll follow along.”
Caroline has made the small town of Williamsport, Maryland, her home since moving across state lines from Pennsylvania in 2017. Located just a short drive outside of Hagerstown, the town boasts a lot of the same scenic landscapes found in the western part of the state that travelers stop to gaze upon from the highway or discover along the backroads. Caroline doesn’t take her surroundings for granted, spending as much time as she can outside during the day.
caroline pettigrew
"I'M
A GARDENER AS IT IS. I grow a lot of wildflowers; that’s my thing,” she says. “I feel like I spend a large portion of my life now in the gardens.”
But living in a small town such as Williamsport comes with unique challenges, such as limited access to certain resources — including buying medical Cannabis. Caroline says the town shares a single dispensary with the rest of the county to serve all medical and recreational patients, with the next closest dispensaries being in or around Hagerstown.
“I make my visits count. It’s very inconvenient from where I’m located,” the 39-year-old says. “I feel like Western Maryland gets forgotten about.”
Caroline was born and raised in York, Pennsylvania, and started smoking when she was 13. She says she’s always had what felt to her like excessive worrying, but looking back, she knew it was severe anxiety and realized that Cannabis would help to calm her down.
“It was like my brain naturally knew that weed would help,” she says. She recalls one time in particular when her parents were away in Lancaster for the day, and she was anxious they
would get into a car accident on the way home. But after she smoked, she says her worries about an accident disappeared.
She was prescribed numerous medications to help combat her anxiety, but they affected other parts of her body, such as her liver and kidneys.
“I’ve been on them for over 20 years. My brain stopped making dopamine and serotonin — stopped making all of that good stuff because it got so used to the pills I was taking,” she says.
While at college, she decided to stop smoking to focus on her education and says it was the worst six years of her life. When she started smoking again, however, she was able to replace three of her medications with Cannabis. Her preference, she says, is any kind of sativa-dominant strain rolled up into a blunt.
“It takes away the edge, and there’s always an edge, and Cannabis has always softened it,” she says. “There are a few medications I’ll always have, but if I had my way, I’d be off all of them and just use Cannabis.”
“I took to this plant immediately. It was just super easy for me to care for, and it was a great experience,” she says, adding that she oiled some of the plant’s leaves with honey and made a medicated simple syrup.
While she dedicates most of her time tending to her flowers, she also utilizes the surrounding area for hiking with her dogs and regularly walks to a neighboring property to visit Mr. Rogers, a horse she describes as “a big bundle of equine love.”
After moving to Maryland, she applied for her medical card and was accepted into the medical program in 2018, calling it a “dream come true” upon being accepted.
“Finally, we’re not going to get in trouble for having a plant that helps us,” she says. “I thought I’d never see that in my day.”
In addition to growing flowers, she put her green thumb to further use this year by growing Cannabis plants. Although she’s only grown one plant so far, she said she intends to grow more when she has time.
“Cannabis helped me discover that authentic version of myself; it makes you reflect, and it brings people together,” she says. “I got to move to a beautiful area with mountains around it; I have a really cool husband, and I have a really beautiful life.”
When asked about the lack of accessible dispensaries nearby, Caroline says a possible solution could be to turn some of the empty shops and vacant buildings throughout the town into dispensaries; the catch would be to design them with the retro feel of a “mom-andpop” store that complements the small-town atmosphere of a place like Williamsport.
“That would be so cute!” she ecstatically yells out as she finishes describing the idea. “A general store, but with Cannabis. That’s a money maker right there.”
Funky Guava Cold Cure Live Rosin
EVERMORE has earned its place in our spread yet again for its incredible Funky Guava cold-cured live rosin! As most dab fiends know, cold-cured rosin products are at the high end of t he concentrate product world, and Evermore rosin products stand in a class of their own.
What you may not yet know is that this Funky Guava stands out even amongst the other Evermore rosins on the market. It has a pristine ivory coloration and perfect creamy texture that both retains flavorful compounds and is as easy to dab in a banger as it is to roll into a joint. The 6.3% total terpene concentration was amalgamated and cured to choice coalescence, resulting in one of the more interesting and flavorful dabs of the year! The profile reads very much like a classic indica effects profile. I found the dab
to be on the sedating side of the spectrum, but despite the overwhelmingly fruity aroma and a large percentage of limonene, it contains no hints of citrus. Instead, the guava, mango, fig and other tree fruits coalesce into a fruit-heavy dominance underscored by a gassy, funky funk that ties the experience together wonderfully. Even the gas isn’t your traditional fuel palate, but rather something closer to the light aroma of charred gym socks dipped in kerosene. As true professionals, Evermore consistently capture the flavors and aromas of their plants through their cold-curing method. This translates directly into the dab experience, allowing the consumer to experience the breadth and nuance of any given variety. Evermore has captured the very essence of the Funky Guava itself in pristine rosin form. For anyone looking for a potently delicious dab for fall, Evermore’s Funky Guava cold-cured live rosin is a must-try.
THIS ISSUE’S flower of the month, Banana Bubbles, hails from CULTA’s illustrious grow in Cambridge, Maryland. The flower has an elaborate crown-shaped nug structure that shows a variety of vivid colorations that really make this genetic stand out. The result of CULTA’s growing process and the meticulous care of its grow team is an absolutely stunning flower that is beautiful to behold and comes packed with rich terpene varieties that every Cannabis enthusiast craves.
CULTA’s Banana Bubbles flower is a tremendous example of the physical beauty this plant can create. The talented grow team has coaxed the absolute best out of this variety, and the quality is evident with every toke. Banana Bubbles not only features a solid 2.3% total terpene content but also exhibits a variety of more niche and rare terpenes than the average indoor variety. When growing indoors, it is always a challenge to get robust terpene profiles. Typically, the best Cannabis terpenes are a result of stress and attacks on the plant, so indoor controlled environments often don’t yield terpy flower.
CULTA, on the other hand, can send out flowers oozing with terpy flavor, and the Banana Bubbles is one such accomplishment.
The Banana Bubbles has a caryophyllenedominant profile that is uniquely and evenly tempered by a dollop of limonene and a steady drip of humulene, linalool, carene and myrcene. For me, this yields a particularly interesting herbal tropical aroma that blends the homeliness of an herb garden with the joy of a tropical orchard. Caryophyllenedominant varieties are rare in the market but typically become some of the state’s most popular options.
CULTA’s Banana Bubbles flower is well on its way to becoming one of the most popular to date!
BANANA BUBBLES
“...AN ABSOLUTELY STUNNING FLOWER THAT IS BEAUTIFUL TO BEHOLD AND COMES PACKED WITH RICH TERPENE VARIETIES THAT EVERY CANNABIS ENTHUSIAST CRAVES.”
CANNATECH
BOMB E-RIG
With a minion-esque look and a beautiful black and yellow color scheme, the Bomb E-Rig is ready to blast off your next dab sesh. Dropping globs in the Bomb is easy and consistent, with a bright LED screen and internal color-changing light. We loved the deep bowl, full 360-degree heating, and a rotating carb cap for easy airflow. At less than half the price of other top-of-the-line options, the Bomb feels pro when getting a dab ready and consistently delivers explosive tokes. With top-shelf features at a budget price, this is a great starter rig or travel addition to any stoner’s lineup. $179
PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS
SURVIVOR PINK AIROPRO
EXCEPTIONAL PERFORMANCE
IN EVERY WAY IMAGINABLE
Enjoy smooth, potent draws with our built-in ceramic atomizer and discreet haptic feedback— no lights or buttons. The sturdy aluminum design and magnetic fitting make it easy to swap pods mess-free and on the go.
Discreet, with no LED lights.
KEY
FEATURES OF AIRO VAPORIZERS
FOCUS V CARTA 2 &SABRE
Sleek and sexy with the soft touch white surface, the V CARTA lights up the mind with each tasty temperature-controlled dab and adds a trippy sensory light show that stands out through the new look.
The CARTA lineup has been improving each year, with better functionality and looks while maintaining the core value and simplicity that makes them amazing e-rigs. The new CARTA 2 boasts a bigger Intelli-Core that can handle bigger globs of concentrate and features improved airflow and a freshly updated heating element.
live resin? The CARTA 2 will dial in your dab and deliver a beautiful strobe show as the effects light up the mind and body. With new, fast wireless charging capabilities, it’s easier than ever to take precisionquality dabs on the go or in the comfort of your home with the new CARTA 2. $350
If you’ve ever struggled with getting a dab off a metal tool or had the displeasure of dropping an oily tool on the ground to be instantly covered in carpet and pet fur, this new Saber is the tool for you. With a replaceable ceramic tip and the gorgeous new clear outer skin, the Saber heats up almost instantly to allow a glob or small dab to slide off the tool, keeping it clean for future use. It avoids the need to scrape or push a tool against the chamber to get a dab ready. The Saber charges quickly with USB-C technology, holds a long charge, and even has a built-in spotlight to shine a light on your terpy dab as it’s dropped into a banger. We can confidently say that, like a choice between a hammer or a nail gun on a construction job site, the next time you’re working on building a buzz, the Saber will be the tool of choice. $40
by DANIEL BERMAN
PHOTO
All together now.
1g & 2g All-In-One Vapes NOW IN MARYLAND
Available in Indica, Sativa, and Hybrid. S I H
Fan-favorite strains team up with discreet and convenient hardware that’s sure to be a winner for your routine. RO_letsroll
CANNATECH
FOCUSVAERIS
While the V CARTA is truly an on-the-go dab rig, the new Aeris is a pocket-friendly answer to the Puffco Proxy that allows for simple, waterfree dabbing with the click push of a button. The best and worst part of bongs and rigs is their watery requirement. A little H2O acts as a filter for the smoke and helps temper the warmth of a dab, but it gets oily fast; both filling and emptying create opportunities for messes that are not ideal when traveling. This is where the Aeris shines, with all the technology of a V CARTA but without the water chamber to complicate the act of quick dabbing. The Aeris features the new Intelli-Core from the CARTA 2 and can also be used to vaporize flower. With a soft-touch ergonomic design and swirling lines that look great on a desk or coffee table, the Aeris fits perfectly in a pocket, cup holder or bag to transform any moment into a heady one. $199
FOCUSV.COM @FOCUS.V
DAVINCI IQ3
Don’t burn your flower or favorite extract — heat it with the highbrow DaVinci IQ3, a high-capacity, compact vaporizer that’s worthy of the name. The new IQ3 improves upon previous designs with more airflow, cooler vapor and a larger oven to load up to 0.7 grams of material into. Sleek and stylish, the outside of the device is made with brushed aircraft aluminum, giving it a beautiful feel. Temperatures are controlled with simple plus or minus buttons, with a dial on the bottom to adjust vapor density and airflow. We found it useful to play with the flow until the vapor was thick and satisfying, but not too harsh, thanks to the Cool Core system that circulates the vapor without overheating for a smoother experience. The temperature lights up on little dots, and while it feels a little low-tech, there’s also no screen to break. A quick 30-second heat-up to the desired temperature and this vaporizer will turn flower or oil into art-inspiring vapor, one hit at a time. $299
FOCUSV.COM @FOCUS.V
CANNATECH
PLANET OF THE VAPES LOBOVAPORIZER
Wolf out in time for Halloween with the Lobo, a powerful handheld vaporizer that combines health and stealth into a streamlined device ready for seshing under a full moon. Vaporizing Cannabis used to require lots of tools and bags, but the beautiful minds behind vape superstore Planet of the Vapes took years of experience and, we’re assuming, lots of puffs to deliver a new portable vaporizer that hits hard. Powering on brings a simple screen with temperature control at the click of a button, readying a 0.2-gram chamber for a perfect bowl of ground flower. From start to first hit is only 40 seconds, sending a few minutes and around a dozen full tokes to the mind with smooth and flavorful effects. The Lobo is easy to clean and reload, and using the swappable batteries, you can keep a sesh rolling, or pack it for extended trips. Vaporizing flower delivers full effects without the need to burn or smoke, which can be easier for those with conditions that prevent smoking, and allow for discrete use in situations where smoking is not appropriate. With a full selection of vaporizers from new to classic, including the Lobo, visit their website for a new way to experience our favorite plant. $159.95
PLANETOFTHEVAPES.COM @POTVLIFE
Experience new highs for less money with the New Peak, a refreshingly simple upgrade to the intro-level e-rig market. Puffco set the standard for the electronic dab rig with their original Peak, which dominated the scene for years with advanced temperature control through a screen, flawless functionality, and a design that was built by stoners for stoners. But at $420, not everyone can afford the gorgeous new Storm Peak Pro, which makes room for the New Peak to entice with simple settings and classic looks. The New Peak is all Puffco, featuring the 3D Chamber and Joystick Cap for consistently excellent performance on dabs. What’s new is the easy four option heat settings, just like the Proxy, and a quick two-click function that means a perfect dab is only 25 seconds away. While purists and snobs might aim for the Peak Pro, we find the New Peak perfect as a travel rig and see big value and elegance in the simpler design. $220
PUFFCO.COM @PUFFCO
CANNATECH
The Venty is a heavy-hitting dry herb vape that is impressive straight out of the box. It’s built like a tank, with the same top-notch craftsmanship that made the Volcano a household name. You can tell right away they didn’t skimp on materials, and like previous Storz & Bickel products, it feels sturdy and built to last. With adjustable airflow, on-device temperature controls and the fastest heat-up time of any S&B vaporizer, the Venty is all about versatile efficiency. This device was built for convenience and precision with its multiple settings and smart connectivity. What separates the Venty from the rest is the way it hits. This thing produces dense, flavorful clouds that rival most desktop vaporizes. Whether you’re after a smooth, mellow session or want to turn things up for a bigger punch, the Venty lets you fine-tune your experience to get your high dialed in exactly how you like it. It’s rare to find a portable vape with this kind of power, but the Venty manages to pull it off. It’s a bit on the larger side for a handheld but really hits. So, if you’re prioritizing performance over portability, this could be the vaporizer to scoop in 2024. $449
The latest innovation from Stündenglass brings a new level of versatility to your Modül setup, evolving it into a sleek handheld rig. The Dok station magnetically attaches to the anodized aluminum base, with the Stündenglass valve stem glass on one side and your concentrate or flower-fueled Modül on the other. Right out of the box, the clean, thoughtful design and solid build are evident, with each piece fitting perfectly in the matching travel case. Within 90 seconds of opening the package, I was already dabbing, which speaks volumes about the ease of setup. While the Modül has already made waves with the popular Stündenglass Gravity Infusers, this latest attachment takes things up a notch. It’s clearly designed with hash lovers in mind, offering a more versatile, handheld and functional experience. What really sets this apart is the smart product design — sturdy, intuitive and incredibly user-friendly. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or “hash curious” and just getting into the game, the Stündenglass Modül + Dok combo checks all the box es and offers a seamless, enjoyable experience for both concentrate and flower users. $449
IN THE 1980S, Richard Stoner (no, we’re not kidding) developed a revolutionary plant-growing technique known as aeroponics. This exciting growing method used only air and a fine mist of nutrients to cultivate crops with extraordinary efficiency. Naturally, NASA took notice when looking to sustain space crews with crops — dirt doesn’t exactly fit into a zerogravity scenario.
SPACE WEED
Zero Gravity Gardening
IN 1997, NASA partnered with Stoner’s company, AgriHouse, to develop an experiment for the Mir space station. With his years of experience and a patent under his belt, Stoner helped NASA bring space gardening to life, focusing on ways to grow food in zero gravity. According to NASA Spinoff, this research opened the door to aeroponics as a viable, futuristic farming method. But space tomatoes were only the beginning.
Tech probs
Fast forward a few decades and aeroponics has found its way back to Earth. This space-age technology, once reserved for astronauts, is slowly seeping into greenhouses across the globe, offering growers a highly efficient, sustainable way to cultivate their crops. So what exactly is aeroponics, and why does it have the potential to change the way we grow Cannabis?
Magical Mist
Aeroponics ditches the dirt altogether. Instead, plants are suspended with their roots freely dangling in the air rather than directly into soil or water. A nutrient-rich mist is sprayed directly onto those exposed roots. The setup typically includes energy-efficient LEDs, an intricate misting system and a closed-loop environment to recycle water and maximize nutrient efficiency. Unlike traditional soil-based growing or even hydroponics, aeroponics uses significantly less water — up to 98% less than soil growing and 40% less than hydroponics. That’s a massive deal for cultivators in water-strapped areas like California, where every drop counts. But it doesn’t stop there. The roots’ exposure to maximum oxygen means faster growth rates — up to three times faster than soil — and potentially higher yields. This method isn’t just sustainable; it’s a powerhouse for production.
Water Wise
Water conservation is just one of the perks. Aeroponic systems are often fully enclosed, creating a controlled environment that’s practically tailor-made for Cannabis cultivation. Pests? Not here. Diseases? Hardly. By eliminating the risk factors that soil can introduce, growers can skip the pesticide aisle altogether, and that’s a win for everyone (except the chemical companies).
And when it comes to nutrients, aeroponics allows growers to control exactly what the plant absorbs. There’s no guessing game in nutrient delivery, which can significantly reduce fertilizer use — by as much as 60%, according to NASA research with BioServe Space Technologies and AgriHouse Inc. In short, aeroponics lets Cannabis cultivators dial in their process to a degree that simply isn’t scientifically possible with traditional methods.
While aeroponics might still seem like tthe shy new kid on the block, we’ve already seen companies making waves in the Cannabis space with this technology. Enter Aeriz, one of the largest aeroponic Cannabis farms in the U.S. They’re perfecting the art of combining sustainability with high-quality Cannabis production with a focus on reducing environmental impact, all while still churning out award-winning strains. Going green doesn’t have to mean sacrificing quality.
Like any new technology, aeroponics comes with its own set of challenges. The cost of setting up an aeroponic system is no joke. An aeroponic system requires high-tech sensors, specialized misting nozzles, and automated controllers to ensure the whole process runs smoothly. While automated systems aren’t new to big production facilities, that initial investment can be steep, and for many smaller growers, it might be unreachable — especially in an industry battling big financial burdens due to continued federal inflexibility. But for those willing to take the plunge, the long-term savings on water, nutrients and labor can offset the startup costs over time.
Then there’s the technical knowledge required. On top of plant biology and nutrient management, aeroponic growers must rely on system engineering skills to keep things running smoothly. This is precision farming, and even a small mistake could lead to big consequences. If the misting system fails for a short time, the plants’ roots can dry out, and the entire crop could be lost. That’s why backup systems and redundancies are crucial to avoiding catastrophe, but they also pose an extra cost.
Flavor Fuel
Critics might question whether aeroponic-grown Cannabis can deliver the same flavor and quality as traditional methods, but they’re in for a surprise. Companies like AeroFarms, which focuses on food production in a culinary niche, have demonstrated that this method can actually produce a fuller flavor spectrum, thanks to the strict control over nutrients. But Cannabis consumers will have to be the judge of whether that translates to smoke.
sustainability
For all its challenges, the future of aeroponics in Cannabis still shines bright, if only dimmed a bit by the distance… Technological advancements are slowly but surely making these systems more accessible, with automation, sensors and AI integration taking much of the guesswork out of the equation.
As these innovations continue to roll out, aeroponics could become more financially feasible for growers at all levels, not just those with big investors. And then there’s the sustainability factor. In an industry that’s increasingly focused on its environmental footprint, aeroponics offers a way to grow Cannabis more sustainably by conserving water, reducing fertilizer use and eliminating pesticides. For growers who want to do right by the planet, aeroponics is an attractive option.
So, is aeroponics the future of Cannabis cultivation? It’s got all the right ingredients: water efficiency, faster growth, better yields and sustainability. But, like any industry, Cannabis has its traditionalists who might be slower to adopt this space-age technology — and we can’t blame them. From the initial costs and the technical demands to ditching generations of gardening practices passed down, the shift to this tech will certainly be slow.
However, the potential to revolutionize cultivation is undeniable. As more companies look to push the boundaries of Cannabis farming, aeroponics might just float to the top, offering a cleaner, greener way to grow the plant we love.
For those who choose to stand out, be di erent, and create their own path
Danielle Guthrie
On a warm, sunny Seattle summer day in 2012, Danielle was walking to Hempfest. On her way to the event, she walked past an artist known on Instagram as @danigirlglass who got her attention and insisted she check out her case of line-worked bubblers. She told Dani her name was Danielle, and Dani gave her an oil tray. That was the day that started Danielle’s journey into the current world of contemporary glass art.
Orange Joystick Cap
CARTA Trombone Recycler
IT’S ALWAYS NICE to catch up with a previously featured artist. This month we have the extremely talented Danielle Guthrie. Hailing from Issaquah, Washington, and starting on the torch in 2013, she was fortunate to mentor under the highly acclaimed PNW artist Sean Witschger (@gl_asshole). From there, Danielle moved on to 7 Point Studio where she helped out around the studio, taught classes at the Boro School and had the fortune to learn more than a thing or two from the legend that is Nate Dizzle (@swissperc). Danielle spent a little over the next two years at 7 Point before moving on to work with another wizard in our industry, Phil Siegel (@philsiegelglass). Currently, Danielle works out of a studio at her home in the North Cascades at the base of Mount Baker. This is where you’ll often find her looking for every last stash of powder during the ski season! When I asked her how her views on glass may have changed over the years, she said, “Nowadays I approach glass more artistically. I want to create a certain vibe and feeling with my work. I lean more toward finding designs and aesthetics that are palatable to our current market. But my construction methods have changed a lot over the years. Instead of making a section and seeing what I can put together with it, I come up with a design on paper and execute it from start to finish.” As Danielle says, “You have to be able to adapt because things change. That’s just the lesson of time.”
RECENT WORK
The Trombone attachment featured here is made for both the current versions of the Puffco Peak and the Focus V CARTA. They feature water percolation with a recycling function to make operation as smooth as possible.
The joystick carb caps are functional for both the CARTA 2 and the New Puffco as well.
You can find these new additions and other great works for all walks of life on her website, danielleguthrieglass.com, or on her Instagram @danielleguthrieglass.
Trombone Recycler attachment, $500
Orange Joystick cap, $33
Korok Joystick cap, $124
Puffco
Trombone Recycler
Korok Joystick Cap
Puffing Proto
When it comes to stoner tech, it doesn’t get much more historic than the Proto Pipe. Often referred to as the “Swiss Army knife of paraphernalia,” the Proto Pipe was essentially the first smoking device explicitly designed with the Cannabis consumer in mind.
EARLY INSPIRATION
The Proto Pipe is the brainchild of an artist and self-taught machinist from Denver named Phil Jergenson.
“As kids, we used to build slot cars,” Phil’s brother Richard recalls. “That’s where we learned how to solder metal, which later became instrumental in birthing the Proto Pipe.”
As a teenager in the late 1960s, Phil got turned on to Cannabis after a neighbor brought some back from a visit to San Francisco. A short time later, while riding a ski lift, Phil had what he calls his “Eureka moment.”
“I was trying to light a pipe … and I realized I didn’t have any of the implements that you needed,” he told the LA Times in 2021. “That’s when I decided I was going to design a pipe.”
THE PIPE DREAM
At that time, there weren’t many pipes for weed smokers — only pipes made of corn cobs, wood or cheap, screwed-together metal components. With the Space Race and James Bond all the rage, Jergenson aspired to create as cool and futuristic a pipe as possible. As a stoner earning his living drafting detailed architectural models, he was well equipped to do so.
brass, which solved the problem. With each iteration, he added more features, such as a permanent screen, a swivel bowl lid, a tamper, a steel-tipped poker, a resin trap, and a storage pod to keep your “combustibles” in. Finally, after countless hours, he came up with a device he was satisfied with, called “The Contrivance.”
PROTO PIPE TAKES OFF
With a cool new pipe to sell, all he needed now was to connect with his market. And so, in 1970, Jergenson moved to the countercul ture capital of San Francisco to find his fortune. After securing a warehouse in the Mission District, he summoned his brothers, Kent and Richard, to help him get the business off the ground.
The brothers began selling the Contrivance to hippies on the street for five dollars apiece. But things got off to a rocky start: their drill wasn’t creating precise-enough holes, making many of the pipes unsellable. As a result, they didn’t earn enough to cover their expenses and had to get day jobs. For Phil, that unfortunately meant moving down to Fullerton to work a carpentry gig.
After a year or so of lackluster results, Jergenson feared his pipe dream might go up in smoke. Then, in June 1972, he took a gamble and spent $120 to place an ad in an up-and-coming magazine called Rolling Stone. A few months later, their post office box was overflowing with orders. Now living in SoCal, Phil had to take commuter flights up to the Bay to make pipes on weekends. It would take nearly a year before they’d earn enough for Phil to move back to San Fran and make pipes full time. By 1973, business was so good that they were able to open a second workshop in Berkeley. But the real game changer came in the fall of 1974, with the premiere of High Times magazine. The Jergensons placed an ad for The Contrivance in HT’s second issue (Spring 1975), and the response was so overwhelming that they continued to advertise in the mag for nearly a decade.
Above: Original ad in Rolling Stone.
Proto Pipe creator Phil Jergenson circa 1974. Below:
RIPOFF & REBRANDING
One day in 1975, while selling pipes on Telegraph Avenue, Phil was propositioned by a so-called record promoter from SoCal named Israel Juda, who flashed him a briefcase full of cash and made him a dubious offer:
“He said, ‘Look — this is going to go one of several ways,” Richard recounts. “You’re either going to sell me the business for $30,000, or we’re going to be business partners fifty-fifty, or I’m going to make these without you.”
He also had an odd, Andy Warhol-inspired marketing shtick in mind to sell them.
“I’m going to call them The Tomato,” he reportedly pitched. “We’re going to etch the name ‘Tomato’ on the top of the pipe and put ’em in a can with a tomato label on it.”
Hoping to utilize his money rather than get ripped off, Phil reluctantly agreed to bring him on as a partner. A short time later, he showed up at their warehouse with 10,000 cans, which he’d scammed from the American Can Company. However, after Richard met him and talked it over with his brother, they decided to back out of the deal.
Sure enough, about a month later, tomato cans containing cheap forgeries started showing up in shops around the Bay. To counteract these knockoffs, the Jergensons changed their product’s name: One night, a friend who meant to say “prototype pipe” mistakenly called it a “proto pipe,” and the name instantly stuck. They registered the new name and began etching a pair of interlocking “P”s (inspired by the Rolls-Royce logo) onto all of the new Proto Pipes they produced.
They also brought in some more trustworthy partners — including an underground cartoonist named Larry Todd, who’d made a name for himself with his Dr. Atomic comics. Todd helped them rebrand the Proto Pipe by drawing up fun new ads and lending them one of his characters to use as their mascot: a trash can-shaped robot they renamed “Probot.” They even made a life-size Probot costume to promote at trade shows. In fact, at the NY Fashion and Boutique Show in the winter of 1979, Probot became the hit of the show.
“Our timing was perfect because Star Wars had recently come out,” Richard remembers. “Everybody was saying, ‘Look — it’s R2-D2!’ And we were like, ‘No, it’s Probot!’”
DRUG WAR DOWNERS
By the early ’80s, Proto Pipe was employing around a dozen staffers and churning out nearly 500 pipes a week. Unfortunately, they were also facing new challenges. First, in 1979, their warehouse in Berkeley was sold, and their rent was doubled overnight. As a result, they moved their operations to a former car dealership in the small Men-
With the Space Race and James Bond all the rage, Jergenson aspired to make as cool and futuristic a pipe as possible.
docino town of Willits. But apparently, the city council wasn’t too happy with them being there, even though everyone knew the town’s economy was Cannabis-driven.
“We were the only visible tip of the underground economy that was keeping all these communities in Northern California alive for decades … and we weren’t out in the hills — we were right on Main Street,” Richard explains. “We were harassed, so we ended up moving to another side of town.”
In 1986, President Reagan pushed through the Anti-Drug Abuse Act, which, among other things, banned the interstate sale and transportation of drug paraphernalia. Not wanting to end up in prison, the brothers sold the business to a friend named Michael Lightrain in the winter of 1987, with the understanding that whenever legalization came about, they could buy it back. Rebranding it as a tobacco pipe, Lightrain ran the company for the next three decades.
Meanwhile, the Jergensons moved on to other pursuits, founding a “life-sized Erector set” company called Grid Beam. Richard also devoted more time to his other passion: cannthropology. Over the years, he curated thousands of pieces of counterculture memorabilia and artifacts. This impressive collection would eventually inspire the Jergensons to reclaim the brand they built.
REUNION & RECLAMATION
Fast forward to 2014: After surviving a battle with cancer, Richard was reexamining what he wanted to do with the rest of his life.
“I’ve got this astonishing archive of counterculture material,” he thought. “Why not do something with it?”
Richard contacted Emerald Cup organizers Tim and Taylor Blake, who, after visiting him and seeing his collection, offered him a space at the event that December.
“I invited Phil and Larry, so it was the three horsemen back together again after three decades,” Richard recalls. “We had a great showing. The reception was just fantastic.” Impressed by how legit the Cannabis community had become, the partners were inspired to get back in the game. The only problem was that Lightrain was less than cooperative.
“We had an agreement that when legalization came, we wanted the business back. However,
when that day came, the agreement was not honored,” he says. Unable to reclaim their brand as promised, Phil decided to move forward without the Proto Pipe name, designing a new pipe with a larger, round bowl and other new features, which he dubbed the Mendo Pipe. Lightrain’s mismanagement of the company would soon work in the brothers’ favor.
“He ultimately drove the business into the ground because he was an absentee owner and was never really a part of the culture,” Richard says.
As a result, the company fell into debt, and by 2017, Lightrain was so far behind on rent that the landlord evicted him and offered the he warehouse back to the brothers. Moreover, Lightrain had let the trademark and patent lapse, enabling the brothers to reclaim them. After nearly 30 years, the Jergensons finally had their Proto Pipe back.
THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME
Since then, the Jergensons have rejuvenated the brand, renaming the Mendo Pipe the Proto Pipe Rocket and enlisting Phil’s daughter, Rona, to build their website. The website enabled stoners around the world to access their products and garnered some free marketing, courtesy of LA Times journalist Adam Tschorn, who wrote a feature on them in 2021. Today, they’re producing about 1,000 pipes a month and have sold more than 1.5 million units worldwide.
“The numbers aren’t quite what they were back in the heady days,” Richard admits. “But the quality of the pipes is off the charts. And everyone is so happy that the founders are back.”
“In many ways, [Proto Pipe is] the Levi Strauss of Cannabis,” noted Tschorn.
As the company’s official archivist and historian, Richard is currently working on a book that will tell the full story behind Proto Pipe’s colorful history — one that, as a fellow cannthropologist, I look forward to reading someday.
To read the full, unabridged version of this story and listen to the interview on our podcast, visit worldofcannabis.museum/cannthropology.
The Jergenson brothers with life-sized Probot in Willits.
Richard displays his archives at the Emerald Cup.
Phil selling pipes on Telegraph Ave in 1975.
PEOPLE tell me this sometimes. But am I narcissistic or just eager to be recognized? A little of both, methinks. Aren’t we all guilty of wanting attention at some level? I mean, at what point are you self-absorbed or just looking to feel relevant in this glorious human experience of lightning strikes and rolling stones? Because let’s be honest, every one of us, from an instinctual level, is looking out for numero uno as much as any other living organism. And some of you would argue that you always put your child before yourself, but if that’s really the best means for your DNA to reach the next millennium, then why does the flight attendant instruct you to put your life vest on first?
Because the kid ain’t gonna make it without its momma.
I get it, drawing too much attention to yourself can always be a means for criticism in this environment of acceptance where all people are welcome to share the stage equally. But all people aren’t equal, physically or mentally. Just like weed.
And I’m not claiming that I or my country, race, religion, gender or candidate is better than any other person or living thing on the planet, just that it seems silly that we should consider ourselves the same. In kindergarten, they told us we are all unique in our own special way, like a snowflake. Right about the same time, they told us how to dress, which god to worship and which football team to root for.
Contradictions are everywhere.
I understand that global equality is basically in reference to civil rights, which I’m down with. And I believe we all deserve the same opportunities. And I believe in following a dab with a bowl of flower and maybe chasing it with an edible.
So, am I a narcissist?
Or am I an alchemist?
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