Apr. 2020 Maryland Leaf by Northwest Leaf / Oregon Leaf / Alaska Leaf / Maryland Leaf / California Leaf / Northeast Leaf

THE ENLIGHTENED VOICE

# 1 6 | A P R I L 2020

the glass issue

ART BY N8 X SAGAN GLASS F R E E / L E A F N AT I O N M D . C O M

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the glass issue

FEATURES 7 EDITOR NOTE 8 NATIONAL NEWS 10 CORONAVIRUS 12 LEGAL PERSPECTIVE 14 HIGHLY LIKELY 16 BUDTENDER 18 PATIENT OTM 20 SHOP REVIEW 24 STRAIN OTM 28 N8 MIERS 30 GLASS ART 34 BUDDER GLASS 36 DISTRICT CANNABIS 38 ISOLATION RECIPES 40 EDIBLE OTM 42 CONCENTRATE OTM 44 DYSCO’S CORNER 46 STONEY BALONEY ISSUU.COM/NWLEAF

APR. 2020

28 LEARN HOW NATHAN “N8 MIERS GOT HIS START IN THE GLASSBLOWING WORLD AND BECAME KNOWN FOR HIS INCREDIBLE GLASS ART.

PHOTO by SAMUEL FARLEY @THC_SAMUEL

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ABOUT THE COVER

Functional, beautiful glass creations are truly a sight to behold. When one sees the craft and utter dedication required to make these pieces, you realize that this really is art — worthy of sitting in a museum or fine gallery. And just like the best artwork, these glass creations inspire us to enjoy life, and be grateful for human creativity. Photo by Samuel Farley Follow @THC_Samuel

CONTRIBUTORS

FOUNDER & EDITOR

Wyatt Early, features

WES ABNEY Wes@nwleaf.com 206-235-6721

Steve Elliott, writing Samuel Farley, photos

PUBLISHER

Ariana Foote, writing

EARLY Early@LeafNationMD.com

Eric Kayne, photos Taylor Martin, writing Matthew Newton, writing Brandon Palma, Illustration Jeff Porterfield, design Mike Ricker, writing Mike Rothman, writing Pacer Stacktrain, writing Josh Stifler, photos Laurie Wolf, writing Bruce Wolf, photography

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Daniel bermaN | photography & design daniel@bermanphotos.com AD SALES / PRODUCER/PROCESSOR/RETAILERS

wyatt early Wyatt@LeafNationMD.com 410-961-8779 We do not sell stories or coverage. We are happy to offer design services and guidance on promoting your company’s recreational, commercial or industrial Cannabis product or upcoming event. We are targeted and independent Cannabis journalism. Email or call to discuss advertising.

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WES

ABNEY

Editor’s Note Thanks for picking up The Glass Issue of Maryland Leaf! Happy 4/20/20! My infatuation with glass art and culture began during my first trip to Piece of Mind in Seattle around 7 2006. Walking through display cases of custom pieces in a time of prohibition was mind blowing. The beautiful colors, styles and technologies fascinated my young stoner mind - and since the Leaf began in 2010 - we have published an A BELOVED annual Glass Issue to honor the culture and love for this RIG OR PIPE IS LIKE AN unique art form. OLD FRIEND,

TRUSTWORTHY

AND COMFY Perhaps the most important aspect in glass art is the AS IT DELIVERS relationship it offers between the user and the plant. THAT SWEET Each piece is an expression of personal taste and vibes, SENSIMILLIA. while delivering a unique consumption experience. A beloved rig or pipe is like an old friend, trustworthy and comfortable as it delivers that sweet sensimillia. The only true functional art in the world, I love sharing the hard work of those who craft borosilicate with flame and kiln.

Today, glass culture has blown up into an accepted form of mainstream art that’s rapidly exploding in awareness and value. Custom pieces fetch hundreds of thousands of dollars and get millions of views on social media - transfixing the heady community with continuous displays of art that will get you high just looking at them. There are so many amazing artists in the region and beyond, that selecting pieces to share is both a fun and difficult process. We have some beautiful pieces spotlighted in all editions of our magazines - with different artists in each - and I hope you take a look at nwleaf.com to see our complete gallery! Remember to buy American glass whenever possible, to support your local headshop, and to always smoke from clean glass!

-Wes Abney apr. 2020

NORTHWEST

NATIONAL NEWS

economy

SALES SPIKE DURING CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC Legal Cannabis sales are spiking nationally as folks stock up on weed amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to March sales data. Sales are up in California, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon and Washington, according to Headset, a Cannabis data company. Recreational marijuana is legal in all five of those states. Sales were a whopping 75 percent higher than average in Oregon, with the spike registered on March 16, reports The Hill. Headset also found the average “basket size” SALES ARE UP - that is the amount of weed people were IN CALIFORNIA, COLORADO, buying at one time - was 29 percent higher NEVADA, OREGON in Colorado, as many states began closing AND WASHINGTON. businesses and asking people to stay in their homes to lower rates of COVID-19 transmission. Several cities, including New York, San Francisco and Palm Springs, California, have wisely labeled Cannabis businesses “essential,” according to the Associated Press. This means pot shops can remain open despite orders locking down the area.

midwest

A M A J O R S H O R T AG E O F L E G A L W E E D

he limited supply of legal recreational FOR CANNABIS TO MOVE BETWEEN Cannabis in Illinois’ adult-use marijuana STATES, IT WOULD market, while not surprising, is nonetheless NEED EITHER frustrating for consumers. Weed smokers in the state A CHANGE IN THE LAW, OR have complained to local dispensaries, but cultivaA FRIENDLY tors can only grow more product so fast, reports the OFFICIAL STANCE Quad City Times. FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF Interstate commerce in weed would help the problem, especially with states like JUSTICE. Oregon experiencing an oversupply. For Cannabis to move between states, it would need either a change in the law, or a friendly official stance from the U.S. Department of Justice to allow such trade. Since the railways are under federal jurisdiction, marijuana could be transported via train through states where recreational Cannabis is illegal, according to proponents of interstate pot commerce. But that is unlikely to happen under a Trump administration, according to Matt Stern, the owner and CEO of Nature’s Treatment of Illinois, a Cannabis dispensary in Milan.

EAST COAST

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BILL TO SHIELD 200K CANNABIS CONVICTIONS HEADS TO MARYLAND GOVERNOR’S DESK

CONVICTIONS FOR MARIJUANA POSSESSION THAT OCCURRED BEFORE OCT. 1, 2014, WOULD NOT BE VIEWABLE ON THE MARYLAND JUDICIARY CASE SEARCH.

hour waits were experienced by PA MMJ patients as sales surged due to the possibility of a pandemic related shutdown.

APR. 2020

The Maryland Legislature approved a bill on March 18 that would prevent almost 200,000 prior marijuana convictions from being viewed on a public database, reports Marijuana Moment. The legislation, sponsored by Democratic Del. David Moon, now heads to the desk of Republican Gov. Larry Hogan. If he signs it, the bill would make it so that convictions for marijuana possession that occurred before Oct. 1, 2014, would not be viewable on the Maryland Judiciary Case Search. Reform advocates celebrated the development, and said automatic expungements of such convictions would be included in legalization legislation they’ll be pushing for in the upcoming legislative session.\

4.2 19

percent of seniors 65 and older reported using Cannabis products over the past year in a 2018 survey.

pounds of Cannabis were seized in a Bakersfield, California traffic stop in March.

pending applications to grow Cannabis for research are currently being reviewed by the Drug Enforcement Agency.

of Ohio’s 88 counties are required to submit signatures to qualify a marijuana legalization bill for the November ballot.

WASHINGTON STATE RELAXES CANNABIS RULES DURING PANDEMIC

anic buying includes Cannabis, in Washington, and that has moved the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board to announce changes to marijuana regulations on March 17, reports the Tacoma News Tribune. Changes include curbside pickup for medical marijuana cardholders, limits on the number of customers inside a pot shop at once, and stricter standards on sanitation to curb the spread of coronavirus and to protect medical users, MANY SHOPS according to Brian ARE REPORTEDLY Smith, LCB spokesman. STRICTLY ENFORCING THE The Board had CAPACITY LIMIT already reminded some AND SANITIZING vendors to support ALL SURFACES AT LEAST EVERY HOUR. social distancing by limiting their customer capacity to 50 people. Many shops are reportedly strictly enforcing the capacity limit and sanitizing all surfaces at least every hour. Seattle weed retailers are also encouraging customers to use their online ordering systems more often, according to Aaron Varner, director of Dockside Cannabis, reports Cannabis Business Daily.

WASHINGTON STATE TO ALLOW SOCIAL EQUITY APPLICANTS EXCLUSIVE ACCESS TO REVOKED CANNABIS LICENSES

he right to apply exclusively for a number of revoked Cannabis licenses was granted to social equity applicants for marijuana businesses in Washington state by the legislature on March 17, reports Marijuana Business Daily. The bill is aimed at increasing participation of minorities in the Cannabis industry. A total of 34 such licenses will become available to members of the minority community, according to the Washington Liquor and Cannabis Board. Minorities have been disproportionately impacted by “the enforcement of Cannabis-related laws” during marijuana prohibition in Washington, according to the bill. Gov. Jay Inslee was planning to sign the bill into law at press time.

75 130k

percent was the amount by which Cannabis sales rose in Oregon during a spike related to the coronavirus pandemic.

signatures would be required to get a Nebraska medical Cannabis initiative on the November ballot.

By STEVE ELLIOTT, AUTHOR OF THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF MARIJUANA

Event Postponed

Stay in the loop with the Leaf as we plan for Maryland's first medical Cannabis educational competition this fall! D I S P E N S A R Y PA R T N E R

www.LeafNationMD.com @MarylandLeaf

NATIONAL NEWS

STORY by ZANE VORENBERG for LEAF NATION

Coronavirus and Cannabis Washington Cannabis activists Grandma Cat Jeter and Jim MacRae are holed up in their respective homes. They’re not taking visitors for the foreseeable future.

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It’s not that they hate company, but as medical Cannabis patients in the high risk group, they’re well aware that the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak that has been growing around the Seattle area could kill them. Both have decided it’s safer to stock up on necessities and shelter in place for the time being, rather than risk exposure. But the spread of the disease is not just a risk to them. And those in the Cannabis industry are also warily watching cases spread, worried about the larger impacts. “I’m in the 10 percent kill rate,” said Jeter, a medical Cannabis provider and activist in Washington who has rheumatoid arthritis and other complications. “I have my Analytical 360 pick up box outside, and people can get what they need there and leave the money for me - although I’m going to have to go to Paypal I think because money can also spread disease.” The all-cash nature of the Cannabis industry is putting dispensaries on high alert. Cash is dirty stuff - often containing fecal matter and even cocaine in small amounts - and it’s just as easy for something like COVID-19 to hitch a ride on it and spread. That’s why High End Market Place, a dispensary in Vancouver, Washington, has hand sanitizer by every register and a new policy of wiping every surface down several times a day with cleaner, according to Gareth Kautz, one of the owners of the store. “We are spending a lot of time wiping down surfaces all over - and the menus as well,” Kautz said. “Good thing we stocked up on cleaning products before this all started to heat up.” He’s also telling employees that are sick to stay home, even if it means short-staffing. But he’s worried that if the virus spreads rapidly, he may not have enough staff available to keep the shop open. “If you get an outbreak, a small shop like this, we’re in trouble,” he said. His cash counting machine has also become a scary device, because when it counts it blows dust and germs from the cash into the air. In Seattle, the effect of spreading cases has had a greater impact on Cannabis dispensaries. Bob Ramstad, owner of OZ. dispensary in the Fremont district, said as schools and businesses started to shut down, so did traffic to his shop. But in the last day or two things shifted a bit, and now he’s seeing some people come in to stock up in case they get locked in their homes. “It’s been weird,” Ramstad said Friday. “In general our sales during this outbreak have been down quite a bit - 20 to 30 percent. But then I think we saw some panic buying “Don’t pass joints, yesterday. Some delivery services don’t pass bowls. for food aren’t functioning right now, and I think people are noticUse common sense.” ing that and wondering ‘what if I’m stuck in my house for three weeks Cat Jeter | Cannabis Activist with no weed?’”

APR. 2020

Ramstad is also disinfecting everything in his shop as often as possible - including ATMs and door handles. He has a solid supply of Cannabis products as well, but there’s a potential looming packaging shortage coming on the grower side because of the economic shutdown in China, where much of that packaging is made, Ramstad noted. “We have vendors that haven’t been able to get their packaging because of the situation in China,” he said. “In some cases, where the laws in Washington changed on packaging at the start of January, some companies designed new packaging for the new year - but now with the China shutdown, they’re still waiting for that to come in.” Chris Bell of Doghouse Cannabis in Vancouver said his grow has seen some shipments slowed from China, but he worked things out with the company’s packaging supplier overseas to limit the delays. “I was worried out of the gate that any products coming from outside the U.S. might be shut down,” Bell said. “Packaging could be a major hold up for other growers as well. Many of them get packaging from China because the same materials are cost prohibitive in the United States.” China is one of the largest global suppliers of lighting supplies used in the Cannabis industry, and while that shortage won’t have a huge impact on already existing grows, it could impact grows across the country trying to set up. “A ton of stuff comes from China,” Bell said. “Even if a particular brand is selling a product in the U.S., a lot of companies have switched to outsourcing components to China.” Doghouse is also changing the way it allows sick time, making it easier for workers to call in sick during the outbreak, because if the disease spreads among his workers like High End Market Place, he would also have to shut down completely. “I just don’t want anybody coming in sick right now,” Bell said. MacRae, who owns the data analysis firm Straight Line Analytics, which has worked on Cannabis testing issues in Washington, said he has been carefully looking at coronavirus statistics out of China and across the globe. This disease scares him, he said, because the lack of available testing in the U.S. means it has likely already spread. And as cases grow, health systems in various areas are likely to be overwhelmed. “One problem is that mild cases are actually pretty dangerous because they go out and spread the disease instead of staying home,” MacRae said. “That has me worried. Even with SARS I didn’t lock myself in the house for a week, but this one - Washington is going to be the guinea pig of this outbreak for the rest of the country.” MacRae lives in between the two major outbreak spots in the Seattle area, and he said many of the other medical Cannabis patients he knows are also planning to hunker down and hope this threat passes. Most of the industry events in the next two months in his area have also already been cancelled. Jeter suggested that Cannabis patients looking to stock up and shelter in place might want to consider stocking up on edibles or FECO drops, because they can relieve body aches and give you a health boost. “My advice if you catch this thing - don’t smoke, don’t vaporize. You shouldn’t do any of that,” Jeter said. “If you microdose with whole plant medicine, though, it can boost your immune system. Also, don’t pass joints, don’t pass bowls. Use common sense. Huge numbers of us are going to catch this, but many people will be just fine. The danger with this is for those of us who are elderly, immunocompromised or have lung problems. For us, this could really go south quickly.”

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Cannabis LAW

“Heart of Gold” by Ryan Tate x Jeff Hilderman

“Looking back on Operation Pipe Dreams, it is hard to see what greater good was achieved.”

unbreakable

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the glass industry’s image problem

“For Tobacco Use Only.” That is the fig leaf that’s supposedly covering the stores who sell glass water pipes (aka bongs), bangers, bowls, and other assorted paraphernalia that are used to ingest or inhale Cannabis and other drugs into one’s body. Sold in high-end glass galleries, head shops, smoke shops and even the local convenience stores, these products are available in large cities and small towns across this country. But this sign is really a legal fiction that reminds us of the many political and law enforcement priorities that have ebbed and flowed through the glass industry. For example, it wasn’t too long ago, 2003 to be exact, that 55 manufacturers of glass water pipes were charged and given jail time for making the very products featured in this issue.

February of 2003, the United States Justice Department launched its first large scale frontal assault on the glass pipe industry out of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania. Code named “Operation Pipe Dreams,” hundreds of businesses and homes were raided in an investigation resulting in the indictment of 27 individuals, including Tommy Chong - famous for his role in the comedy duo of Cheech and Chong. The investigation purportedly cost over $12 million to conduct, and consumed the resources of over 2,000 law enforcement personnel. Fifty-four of the 55 individuals charged in the operation were sentenced to a fine and home confinement. Chong was the only individual to face jail time. He was sentenced to nine months in the minimum security Taft Correctional Institution in California, given a fine of $20,000, and agreed to forfeit $103,000. It was the harshest sentence to come out of this chapter in the federal government’s war on drugs. Looking back on Operation Pipe Dreams, it is hard to see what greater good was achieved. Did the high-profile prosecution of Tommy Chong, his family, and his son’s glass business change any minds?

The answer would have to be a resounding, “No.” In fact, cultural norms seem to have made the prosecution even more out-of-step with the times. As states have begun to legalize Cannabis for adult use and medical use, states have put a low priority on the enforcement of paraphernalia laws. In fact, the law that was used to prosecute Operation Pipe Dreams is still the federal law of the land. And it is still federally illegal to sell or offer for sale drug paraphernalia, including water pipes, and to use the mail, phone, internet or any other interstate facility to transport it. Yet, an average Marylander can go onto the internet any day of the week and purchase a glass water pipe - and have it mailed to them. Is there a difference between a water pipe in a glass gallery, head shop or convenience store, and a water pipe located in your home? Strangely, the answer: maybe. Under federal law the term drug paraphernalia means “any equipment, product or material of any kind which is primarily intended or designed for use in manufacturing, compounding, converting, concealing, producing, processing, preparing, injecting, ingesting, inhaling, or otherwise introducing into the human body a controlled substance.” But there is no federal prohibition against personal possession of paraphernalia. Those laws are left to the states. Maryland Criminal Law provides a list of 13 factors that police and courts can use to determine if an object is prohibited paraphernalia, and hence a crime. Specifically, Maryland law provides that “a person may not use or possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia to . . . ingest, inhale, or otherwise introduce into the human body a controlled dangerous substance.” But in 2016, after enacting the laws laying down the framework for medical Cannabis in Maryland, the Maryland General Assembly specifically added an affirmative defense for the possession of “marijuana.” That is correct. You heard it here. You cannot be charged with the possession of paraphernalia if the Controlled Dangerous Substance (CDS) you were allegedly in possession of is marijuana, and your intent was to use the paraphernalia to ingest or inhale the marijuana. Sound ridiculous? Wait, it gets worse. While there is an affirmative defense to possession of a glass water pipe if you are intending to use it to ingest marijuana, there is no legal protection for the store that is supposedly selling you the glass water pipe, if they know you intend to use the pipe to ingest or inhale a CDS that is not marijuana, including concentrates and any Cannabis product in its non-botanical form. Confused? You should be. Not only do the laws against paraphernalia make no sense, they legitimately harm the dialogue that happens between a knowledgeable shop salesperson and a prospective customer. It is even worse when one considers that a medical Cannabis patient in Maryland may be misusing a product or purchasing one they do not need. In that way, the paraphernalia laws harm everyone. It restricts the free flow of information and creates an adversarial relationship between salesperson and customer, where secrecy is encouraged and store owners are incentivized to learn nothing about their clients.

Since 2008, Mike Rothman has counseled clients regarding Cannabis laws and regulations as the founder and principal of the Medical Cannabis Law Group and the Law Office of Mike Rothman in Rockville, Maryland. Mr. Rothman has testified on Cannabis laws and regulations before the Maryland House of Delegates, taught classes, and lobbied the federal government on behalf of patients and businesses. Mr. Rothman’s Law Office focuses on criminal defense, including use of the medical Cannabis defense.

APR. 2020

COLUMN by MIKE ROTHMAN, ATTORNEY & PRINCIPAL | MEDICAL CANNABIS LAW GROUP | PHOTO by @BERMANPHOTOS

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OLIVER STONE

going on to talk about legalization. “It can be done. It can be done legally, safely, healthily - and it can be Oliver Stone is one of the most famous directors, screenwriters taxed and the government can pay for education and and authors of the 20th century. We’ve all seen his famous films stuff like that. Also, you can like “Platoon,” “The Doors,” “Born on the Fourth of July” and save a fortune by not putting kids in jail.” “Natural Born Killers.” The vast majority of Stone’s screenplays At the time, Stone held a remarkably forward-thinking and films involve his love of history, which is often used to retell mentality about legalization, which wouldn’t take hold in Colorado or Washington stories in a compelling fashion for modern audiences. for two years after the interview.. Talking about legalization, he said, “As a politiStone has been a controversial figure in tone was born in New York City in 1946, cian, I would fight for decriminalization first, because the media for a variety of reasons. and was eventually admitted to Yale. But that is the immediate by-product of this mess that we For one, he has made many statements shortly after he started, Stone dropped out got ourselves into. It’s very hard to pull out of a $40 related to his leftist political views, and has of Yale and went to teach English in Vietnam. billion-a-year industry, which is the prison industry. supported - or seemed to support - conFrom there, he worked on a Merchant Marine It’s probably more than $40 billion. But they will troversial world leaders and governments. ship that traveled from Asia to Oregon frequentfight you tooth and nail to keep these prisons as big Stone has also been outspoken on his own ly. Stone also had quite a career in the military as they are,” Stone said. personal views of human liberty in the 20th with the United States Army, where he served in “It’s worse than slavery, per capita. In the black and 21st centuries. That includes the use of Vietnam. There he earned many military service community, it is a form of slavery, this drug war, beillicit substances and Cannabis. awards for valor. cause it imprisons a huge portion of people, destroys In 2012, as part of major press junkets In the early 1970s, Stone graduated from New their lives, coarsens our culture. And why? Marijuana for the movie “Savages” (which chronicles York University with a bachelor’s degree in film is much less harmful than tobacco and prescription the US-led drug war with Mexican and and started writing screenplays. His 1978 screendrugs in many cases, and certainly alcohol. This puColombian cartels), Stone play for the film “Midnight Express” won him his ritanical strain got started with Nixon. “MARIJUANA IS laid out his feelings on first Oscar. Afterwards, he wrote another screenIt was a political issue for him, and MUCH LESS HARMFUL Cannabis - which he said play - this time based on his own addiction to it’s gotten worse. It’s like the PentaTHAN TOBACCO AND he has smoked all around cocaine, called “Scarface.” Stone says he kicked gon. You can’t stop it.” PRESCRIPTION DRUGS the world. his addiction to the substance while writing it. While Stone has been relatively IN MANY CASES, AND “There’s good weed In 1986, he started directing films, beginning mum on the subject recently, these CERTAINLY ALCOHOL. everywhere in the world, but with what many consider to be his masterpiece: quotes provide perspective into a THIS PURITANICAL my God, these Americans “Platoon.” From there, Stone became the directodirector who has helped shape our STRAIN GOT STARTED are brilliant,” he said, then rial wunderkind we all know today. WITH NIXON.” culture over the past five decades.

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APR. 2020

By PACER STACKTRAIN for LEAF NATION

A pl ll s ea h se ow be s p sa os fe tpo fr ne ie d nd , s

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interview

G OT A FAVO R I TE B U D TE N DE R ? TE L L US WH Y ! WYAT T @ LEA F NAT IO N M D . CO M

“IT WAS ALWAYS A DREAM JOB OF MINE TO WORK IN A DISPENSARY.”

Alex De Leva maryland leaf budtender of the month POTOMAC HOLISTICS | 14808 PHYSICIANS LANE, SUITE 211, ROCKVILLE (240) 654-5276 | POTOMACHOLISTICS.COM

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HOW DID CANNABIS FIRST COME INTO YOUR LIFE?

I got started with Cannabis when I was 16. I remember hanging out with my friends one day and one of them had a joint. When asked to take a hit, I went for it and my initial reaction wasn’t that exciting - it made me cough, but I began to feel the effects of Cannabis slowly kicking in. I was having a great time and conversing with my friends. After that night I became very interested as to how Cannabis could help people medicinally. I wanted to find out what all the fuss was about, because when I began using Cannabis in 2008 you would hear a lot of negative things about it. HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE MEDICAL CANNABIS INDUSTRY?

It’s a funny story - it was always a dream job of mine to work in a dispensary. I was waiting for it to become medically legal in Maryland, which finally happened and it made me really excited. Once it was legal, I immediately registered on the MMCC site as a patient and got my ID number after a

APR. 2020

few weeks. I was actually outside of Potomac Holistics (not working there at the time) in line to be among the first patients in Maryland to make a medical Cannabis purchase. I ended up applying for a job at Potomac Holistics a short time after that, following a recommendation from a colleague, and got the job on the spot. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT WORKING IN THE INDUSTRY?

I love coming in early in the morning and setting up the dispensary a certain way, so the patients can be at ease when they come in. I love when a patient comes in and they have a similar issue to me, that way I can relate to them and try my best to help them out. It makes me really happy when I recommend a strain or product to a patient, and they go on to continuously use this product for their ailments. I love satisfying our patients’ medical needs. HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT FINDING THE RIGHT MEDICINE FOR PATIENTS?

I try to probe with a lot of questions and find out

what their past experience with Cannabis is. For some people, it can be a trial and error process of finding the right products for them, but working with them and hearing feedback helps. I like to teach patients about the differences between terpenes and cannabinoids, and how the different terpenes can make you feel. WHAT DO YOU LIKE THE MOST ABOUT WORKING AT POTOMAC HOLISTICS?

Working here is very different from other Maryland dispensaries because we are a ‘mom and pop’ shop and not a corporate dispensary, if you will. The environment is more relaxed here, and while there are more responsibilities, we have such a great vibe. The owners are from Maryland and got into the medical Cannabis industry after Marinol saved one of their son’s lives. Their goal was to be caregivers, with the most educated employees. We have a nurse on staff and a go-to doctor available 24/7 to answer questions about Cannabis. WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR HOBBIES?

I am really into cars, between modding them myself and going to car shows. I drive a 2008 Volkswagen R32, and I love conversing with patients who notice it outside. I have been playing tennis for over 25 years, and was ranked nationally when I was younger. I recently got back into adult tennis tournaments - I am still loving and enjoying it just as much. It’s pretty cool to have my CBD toolkit to deal with soreness and injuries. When I am not working on my car or playing tennis, I don’t mind going out and playing some poker.

STORY & PHOTO by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT/MARYLAND LEAF

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PATIENT OF THE MONTH

VENUS HEMACHANDRA

leafnationmd.com

THE OWNER OF HERBICULTURE REVEALS HOW CANNABIS HELPED HER RECOVERY AFTER A BRUTAL CANINE ATTACK LEFT HER SEARCHING FOR RELIEF AND ANSWERS. APR. 2020

In Season Four of the iconic television series “Breaking Bad,” one half of the show’s beloved stars, pusherman Jesse Pinkman, reveals a hidden agenda in attending a Narcotics Anonymous support group. “You’re nothing to me but customers!” Pinkman says, lashing out at an astonished group of onlookers. Herbiculture’s co-owner Venus Hemachandra is familiar with Pinkman and his Golden Globe winning performance, having watched all five seasons of its glory. There was a time when the 30-year-old related to Pinkman’s mindset, seeing Cannabis as a means to an ends: money. “I was a businesswoman,” said Venus, who alongside her sister, Pam, broke ground on the Burtonsville-based dispensary in 2015. As licensing and permits were completed, the Montgomery County medicinal shop was on pace for a 2018 March rollout. But five months prior, those plans were put on hold. On a midday afternoon in October, Venus and her husband, Shreemal, kindly offered to provide emotional support to a neighbor who was putting their aging dog down. A friend of the neighbor’s also arrived, showing solidarity with his dog - a large, energetic Rottweiler. A canine lover, Venus asked if she could pet the dog and whether he had any restrictions. Given the OK, she leaned down and got more than she asked for - a vicious attack.

“EVERY TIME I CLOSED MY EYES AT NIGHT, I WOULD SEE THAT DOG,” SHE SAID. “IT WAS TERRIFYING.”

In the time it takes to flick a lighter, she was left frantically trying to hold her jaw in place and stem the tide of blood flowing from her face. “I don’t remember much about it,” she said. “I freaked out.” Sixty stitches and multiple plastic surgeries later, Venus was left with a slew of scars. She was missing pieces of her face, including her bottom lip, impairing the neuromuscular control that helps stop the mouth from drooling. The resulting nerve damage was extensive, forcing her to use painkillers to try to minimize the pain. A heavy dose of Xanax was also prescribed to help her sleep and rid her of ongoing nightmares. “Every time I closed my eyes at night, I would see that dog,” she said. “It was terrifying.” The ensuing months featured a steady diet of painkillers, benzodiazepines and copious amounts of restoration. Family and friends stopped by often, while Neelo, her small Aussiepoodle, stayed by her side daily. Days turned to weeks, weeks into months, as a long drawn out recovery unraveled. During this time, Venus made sure not to cross paths with a mirror. “I didn’t want to look,” she said, estimating it took nearly two months to gather the courage. “I knew I had to get over it. I had to get through it - step by step, day by day. Two years later, I’m better. But it’s still something that every time I look in the mirror, I have to get over.” One month prior to opening, Venus, a newfound medical Cannabis patient, received her first taste of medical marijuana - a 1:1 CBD vape. With just one hit, she says, her mindset went from a Pinkman-like pusherman to a patient overwhelmed by its magical benefits. “I was sitting on my couch, and I just started bawling my eyes out,” she said. “My family came running over, asking if I was OK. I told them yes - these were tears of joy. My nerve pain something the (over-the-counter) painkillers hadn’t completely been able to reliev - was gone.” Venus quickly began trying different strains of Cannabis to try to break hold of the painkillers that often placed her brain in a fog, and the Xanax she had become dependent upon for sleep. “Being able to try all these products and reap the medical benefits, it changed me. It changed my personal perspective,” she said. “When you’re on the outside of it, you’re ignorant to it. Most of them just think the patients are potheads looking to get high. And it couldn’t be further from the truth. At one point, I shared that mentality. My eyes have been opened.” With her empathy enhanced, Venus was determined to help every patient that walked through the Herbiculture doors. Whatever was needed, she filled the role: receptionist, budtender, manager, and of course, owner. She wanted to be there to help patients ease the pain they were going through. “This is the most rewarding job I’ve ever had,” she said. Herbiculture is currently pursuing a license to grow their own brand of Cannabis. As one of the few Maryland dispensaries run by minority women owners, Venus hopes to be the first to grow Cannabis - if they are lucky enough to receive a license when the MMCC awards five this Fall. Like Pinkman, she’d begin cooking. If and when she does, Venus will lean on her personal experiences, as well as the interactions she’s had for the past two years with patients. “Maryland has a really good Cannabis program,” she said. “Our patients are informed and they often tell us what they are looking for. Thankfully, I’ve been there to listen. I really think if we get a grow, with our experience, we can give the patients what they want.” Life broke bad for Venus Hemachandra, but that hasn’t stopped her from being one who knocks down doors for minority women in the Maryland Cannabis industry. And with her continued passion and a little luck, we just may find her planting seeds this Fall.

STORY & PHOTOS by BAXSEN PAINE @BAXSENPAINE for MARYLAND LEAF

SHOP REVIEW

FLOWER 5/5 The flower selection

here went on and on, combined with the luxury and pricing setup of deli-style budtending. The budtenders were also manicuring the buds very nicely - a key to deli-style service.

EDIBLES 5/5 Tablets, troches, elixirs,

chews, capsules, edible oils - you name it! True Wellness has you covered from head to toe with your pain and sleep related issues. Here you can find a truly solid mix of products from different companies.

CONCENTRATES 5/5 The concentrate wall

at True Wellness is something to marvel at, from the vast selection to the way it is set up. While there were many different forms, the amount of ‘sauce’ they had was very impressive. Pretty much every strain you can imagine from Culta is here in concentrate form.

ENVIRONMENT

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5/5 The inside is a perfect

mix of stoner culture within a high end retail shop. From the family feel to the nicely designed interior of this shop, you are sure to feel right at home in Aberdeen. Jason and his crew at True Wellness will give newcomers a very positive first dispensary experience, while satisfying the needs of long time Cannabis patients.

226 S. PHILADELPHIA BLVD ABERDEEN MD, 21001 MDTRUEWELLNESS.COM 410-306-6099 MON-SAT 10AM TO 9PM, SUN 11AM TO 7PM

APR. 2020

TrueWellness

ABERDEEN

ooking for an epic dispensary in Aberdeen with deli-style flower and a staff of true connoisseurs? Look no further than True Wellness Aberdeen. For those unfamiliar with the term ‘deli-style,’ this means they have bulk amounts of flower at the dispensary, which is weighed purchase-by-purchase for the patients. One of the biggest advantages to deli-style is being able to see and smell the flower before purchasing. How many times have you purchased an eighth from a dispensary and been really excited to bust it open, only to be slightly disappointed in terms of smell and looks? The care and passion that these employees put into their work shines through in the experience they give their patients. Everyone who walked in during my tour at the dispensary was greeted by first name and treated like family. Many of the dispensary agents also engage in outside training that makes them better at dealing

with patients, as well as grants them additional Cannabis knowledge. Many have attended THC University, and pride themselves on teaching patients daily. True Wellness is a stand alone building, making it easy to find and meaning that they have a very large private parking lot. When you walk in, there is a long waiting room with several couches and some reading material. Deli-style tends to take a bit longer per patient than prepackaged, so True Wellness has made it comfortable for your potential wait. After being let into the dispensary room, you see carefully displayed product stands and a wall full of cylindrical tubes filled with Cannabis. The wall of concentrates here is insanity, with every form of concentrate you could ask for, from almost every processor in Maryland. There is truly something for everyone at this dispensary, and they are sure to help you find the right product for your individual needs.

GRAPEFRUIT SOUR DREAM AQUA LIVE RESIN SAUCE 77.9% T O TAL C ANN ABIN OID S 12.61% TERP ENES

The first thing that struck me as awesome and different with this sauce was the bright gold, almost white color. I was also happy to see almost 13% terpenes, and the flavor matched the profile, providing a sweet and spicy sensation on my palate. I found this concentrate to be best for daytime use, due to the energetic boost I felt after a dab. Definitely a strong tool to have in your wheelhouse for when you need to medicate, yet have tons of things to get done.

There is truly something for everyone at this dispensary, and they are sure to help you find the right product for your individual needs.

INVITING ATMOSPHERE

STORY & PHOTOS by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT

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Order exclusively at greenhousewellness.com starting Feb 14.

LOCAL DISPENSARY MAKES NATIONAL NEWS ON THE TODAY SHOW. Greenhouse Wellness, the award-winning cannabis dispensary in Howard County, was recently featured on The Today Show with Maria Shriver for their active role in shifting the national perception of cannabis as medicine. Founders Dr. Leslie Apgar and Gina Dubbe shared on the show how, as two mothers, they find it important to create a dispensary that leads with education, patient consultations, and is rooted in science and medicine.

Greenhouse is leading the charge in this space and continues to garner national recognition by participating in studies with Stanford University and by sweeping awards for best workplaces

LOOKING TO HELP CHANGE THE NARRATIVE AROUND CANNABIS? Want to take a page from Greenhouse Wellness and help your friends, family, and community become open to the healing benefits of cannabis as plant medicine? You can now order High Heals: How Two Women Found Their Footing in the Medical Cannabis Industry, a short read about how two mothers found their former beliefs around cannabis completely altered and how they built a platform to help others understand the healing effects of the medicine.

(the dispensary is a two-time winner of The Baltimore Business Journal’s “Best Places to Work Award” and a 2020 recipient of “Top Company to Work For” in Cannabis Dispensary Magazine).

GREENHOUSEWELLNESS.COM

Filled with Maryland patient stories, the book is a heartening and illuminating read designed to challenge the stigma of cannabis and open hearts and minds across the country.

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at Greenhouse Wellness in Ellicott City.

HighHeals.Biz, Amazon.com, and in-store

STRAIN OF THE MONTH leafnationmd.com

grown by

GROW WEST “THE COUGH OG WAS SIMPLY STELLAR, BRINGING NOTHING SHORT OF A PERFECT CURE.”

APR. 2020

GROW WEST’S COUGH OG BURST FROM THE CROWD FOR THIS MONTH’S FEATURED STRAIN - BOASTING A 33% THCA AND A TANTALIZING 2.85% TOTAL TERPENE CONCENTRATION, WITH A WHOPPING 19 DIFFERENT TERPS REP RESENTED. Grow West has been one of my favorite growers because they’ve consistently turned out products with a great cure and well-preserved moisture content. The Cough OG was simply stellar, bringing nothing short of a perfect cure - leaving me reveling at the buds as they retained their sticky form even after squeezing them flat. Having confirmed that the flower was indeed well-preserved, I was confident that the eclectic 2.85%, 19 terpene profile, was intact. The vast combination of terpenes came together in a floral, piney funk with gassy overtones that really penetrated my olfactory system. With its dominant terpenes being myrcene and pinene, I could kind of expect this general smell. However, the temper of ocimene, nerolidol and limonene, with micro amounts of bisabolol, eudesmol, borneol, terpineol, fenchol, camphene and eucalyptol, brought in a very interesting floral note that didn’t quite match any specific flower, but nevertheless provided a distinct scent. The myrcene and pinene dominance is a terpene combination I have come to love as a standard in my medical regimen, combining the quintessential indica and sativa stereotype effects into one balanced result. However, I did not experience even close to the same headspace I am used to feeling when smoking similar profiles. Where I typically feel physically sedated but mentally alert, the Cough OG had me sleepy stoned in a super comfortable and all-encompassing way. The high was a full body, full head stoney feeling that eliminated my pain and had my eyes getting droopier with every puff. I tapped white ash for at least double the amount of time it takes me to smoke something dryer and I reveled in the moist, dank smoke of the Cough OG. The combination of the cure and the vast terpene profile really put a lot of staying power behind the high, as I was feeling effects for hours after smoking. A powerful high with a distinctive effect and nose to match, the Cough OG provided me with amazing nighttime relief. The product was a great example of the highest quality flower Maryland can offer, and a big shout out to Grow West for producing this wonderful medicine for the community. Be sure to check out this cultivar and let me know what all those micro-terpenes do for you!

COUGHOG REVIEW by TAYLOR MARTIN @MDCANNAINSIDER | PHOTO by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT/MARYLAND LEAF | GROWWESTMD.COM

⚫ 100+ SPEAKERS ⚫ EXCITING EXHIBITS ⚫ CANNA BOOT CAMP ⚫ PANEL DISCUSSIONS ⚫ NETWORKING MIXERS ⚫ CANNAQUARIUM EXPERIENCE

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THE WORLD’S LARGEST CANNABIS SCIENCE EVENT!

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"Cannabis Science Conference has proven to be among the most influential educational events in the movement. They assemble the brightest researchers in the world to teach patients & medical professionals sitting side-by-side, learning together. Cannabis Science Conference is helping to galvanize rigorous scientific data supporting cannabis as a medicine."

-Sue Sisley, MD, President & Principal Investigator, Scottsdale Research Institute

SAVE THE DATE for our West Coast Event!

PORTLAND, OREGON

8/31-9/2, 2020

OREGON CONVENTION CENTER

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Sponsorship and exhibition opportunities are available. Please contact Andrea at Andrea@CannabisScienceConference.com for more information.

the GLASS issue

EXTRA-GALACTIC

The Story of

nathan miers The world of glass art has continued to evolve and grow in popularity as Cannabis legalization has swept across most of the nation. Artists from around the world have found unique lanes and levels of complexity within the glass art spectrum. Here, American made glass pipes range in price from the hundreds to the tens of thousands of dollars, truly entering the world of fine art.

n leafnationmd.com

athan Miers - better known as ‘N8’ - has positioned himself in the fine art category of functional glass art. N8 grew up in Washington state surrounded by creatives and he found Cannabis at an early age living on the West Coast. The community and friendships built through Cannabis happened quickly for N8. When he first tried Cannabis around his junior year in high school, Miers remembers getting the severe munchies and downing a whole bag of frozen strawberries, recalling the experience with a grin. Nathan was an energetic kid and found that Cannabis helped to reduce his anxiety and allowed him to focus more, leading him to do well in school. He ended up going to college for graphic design, and actually began acquiring college credits while still in high school. Breaking the old school

APR. 2020

traditional Cannabis consumer stereotype, N8 went to college and that’s where he acquired his first real piece of heady glass - when he ordered himself a custom pipe. Nathan remembered paying around $60 for the custom bowl and when he received it, he thought to himself, “This is cool, I think I can do this and bet I could do it even better.” And so began the journey into his adventures in glass blowing. N8 began blowing glass in 2002 after a local artist who had a garage studio setup asked him if he wanted to give it a try. He began to make pendants and small items, listening to electronic music and teaching himself to blow glass while the studio owner was on vacation. Around that time is also when N8 started to keep a journal of his future goals. He had an early desire to one day have a shared creative studio space with like-minded creatives. That dream would later come to complete fruition in the form of the now legendary Everdream Studio in Evergreen, Colorado. Soon after, within six months of blowing glass, he decided to leave college and was working as a glass blower full-time, selling pipes to local shops. 2006 marked the time period where he became more interested in

the heady market - marbles, jewelry and other things non-bong related that were made from glass. “Being creative was and still is the main goal,” said Miers. The ability to create and make a living as an artist was another early goal for Nathan that he has stayed true to during his career. In 2010, Miers decided to make the move from California to Colorado full-time to work at the Shackmansion in Denver. During this time he worked with now legendary artists and partners in Everdream Studio, including Adam G and others. 2010 was also the year he decided to devote his creative work exclusively to the space work and galaxy glass designs he had begun working on in Oregon. In addition, this is when he began to expand his thinking of what might be possible for a glass pipe, its acceptability to the mainstream and overall cultural acceptance. Instead of the glass pipe being a negative clandestine item, to N8 it was a beautiful piece of art meant to be shared, enjoyed and smoked. He remembers showing his grandmother one of his pipes, and even being a non-smoker, she immediately took to the artwork. It’s a moment in N8’s career he remembers fondly. When asked about the current state of Cannabis legalization and its impact on

SPACE DRAGON CLAW n8 x mike luna

Sakana bottle n8 x eusheen

N8 x Buck x WJC x Darby

N8 x sagan

“I like to think of myself as a painter. Some glass artists create these complex sculptures, while I view my work as more of a canvas to create the depth and space scenes I include in my work.”

the culture and community of glass art, N8 mentioned, “Legalization paved the way for the entire functional glass art community to come out of the shadows after Operation Pipedreams. Combine legalization with social media and it has allowed the community to flourish and advance at a much more rapid rate than ever before.” N8 moved to Colorado in 2010 and by 2015 he was well known across the country as one of the best glass artists in the world - making insane space scenes, taking his collectors on a deep voyage into his glass universe. Asked about how he views his own style and work, he mentioned, “I like to think of myself as a painter. Some glass artists create these complex sculptures, while I view my work as more of a canvas to create the depth and space scenes I include in my work.” Miers made his first space pipe in 2006 in Oregon. Others had made spacey glass before, but in 2008 Miers - while looking over his outdoor grow in California - thought to himself after a day on the production grind, “I don’t want to keep making what everyone else is making.” He gazed up at the stars overlooking his California grow and remembered the space pipe in Oregon, and decided to start experimenting with his now world famous space techniques and IG murrine series. When it comes to remaining creative and finding new inspiration nearly 20 years into his glass blowing career, N8 is “striving to evolve as an artist and as a craftsman. My brain is always seeking out new ways to creatively express myself.” N8 and the fellow artists that now operate Everdream Studio have become well known for throwing some of the largest and most elegant functional glass art shows in the world. The annually ‘canceled’ Wook Show, Heaterz and Heazter90210 that wrapped up last year in Beverly Hills are all examples of how the glass art community is thriving, with the artwork and attitude of Nathan Miers being a large part of that culture. N8 recently had a new showcase of work on the East Coast at the well known StokedCT Gallery in Connecticut, and will be having another major show in 2020 in California later this year. Work by Nathan Miers can be seen on his Instagram at @Nathan_Miers and at galleries around the country.

STORY & PHOTOS by SAMUEL FARLEY @THC_SAMUEL for LEAF NATION

the GLASS issue

30 Pot Medic @Matt_Donofrio_glassart Available from Gathering Glass Bellingham

sky blue beaker tube leafnationmd.com

@JakeCGlass

Dellene peralta

rainbow cup & tube @kevinmurrayglass @roboglass

APR. 2020

< DankCzarGlass.com@DankCzarGlass >

@delleneperalta

wigwag dichro high heel @delleneperalta

frog and orchid in red

Available from Gathering Glass Bellingham

@lacefaceglass @turtletimeglass

< Available from Gathering Glass Bellingham >

PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS/LEAF NATION

the GLASS issue

galaxy @DosaGlass Available from Dank Czar Gallery

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pink and purple murrine retti starburst @DosaGlass DankCzarGlass.com @DankCzarGlass

APR. 2020

Hammâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; s Encalmo Windowpane Set 2017 @hammswaterworks

Breathing Ball UV Reactive Mini Ball Rig Available from Gathering Glass Bellingham

@JakeCGlass x @MothershipGlass

Available from Dank Czar Gallery

PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS/LEAF NATION

the GLASS issue

BUDDER GLASS Budder Glass is a Baltimore native who first purchased a glass blowing torch in 2010. Back then, he was messing around making dabbers and such, and didn’t have the expertise to make pipes. After losing a job with the state, he found a part time job and started blowing glass four days a week. During this time, glass sales were almost non existent besides pendants and things for friends and family. Alex was self taught for his first two years, and picked up tips from friends and fellow glassblowers along the way. Fast forward to today and he has logged more than 10,000 hours blowing glass. He spent the entire last week making custom pipes for people all over the country. Check out his past and available works on IG @budderglass.

SOLO RBR Recycler

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“I like to make my dewar RBR recyclers very trippy and art inspired, jamming as much art into them as possible. They are only around six inches tall, so when you have such a small canvas you are able to get a lot of detail in a small space. I really like how they function too - they are really small and sleek, almost like a throwback on your classic bubbler. If you look closely at the horns, you can see that I try to create a smoke-like effect in them, so it looks like smoke is always rising from the piece.”

“When you have such a small canvas you are able to get a lot of detail in a small space.”

APR. 2020

Yellow Wu-tang Incycler LOUDMOUTHGLASS collab Alien Abduction “I actually drew this piece up a couple of years ago, before I was able to make it. I had it sitting in my sketchbook, and I just kept going back to it. We had a show coming up at Ruckus, and I knew I had to pull some fire out of my sketchbook. Basically it is an alien - he has a helmet around his head, and inside that he’s riding in a spaceship, so he’s completely jacketed. He is abducting a cow, with the cow holding onto the ground and pulling up some of the earth around it. For the rocks I did greens, reds and yellows - kind of like the earth is melting as the alien fired the tractorbeam. I actually tried making the piece once before, and after one dab the piece clogged. I knew I had to try again, so I redesigned what would turn out to be a three day piece.”

“Wu-Tang was our inspiration behind this piece, and we had their logo as a milli. We were actually watching the Wu-Tang series on Netflix when we decided to make the piece. I have always listened to them while blowing glass and we grew up in the city, where listening to rap was always there. With the skull, I wanted it to look like a bandit with a bandana going around its eyes like a mask. We made the internal drain go through the head and cycle up through the top of the piece.” @LoudMouthGlass

STORY by WYATT EARLY@ERRLYWYATT/MARYLAND LEAF | PHOTOS by JOSH STIFLER @MARYLANDERL

GARDEN OF THE MONTH

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DISTRICT CANNABIS This month we are happy to welcome and feature newcomer District Cannabis to the Maryland medical marketplace! We were invited to their official ribbon cutting ceremony where founders Andras Kirschner and Edward Weidenfeld presented their ambitions for their new cultivation license, as well as disclosed their personal relationship with Cannabis and the endearing backstory that led to their partnership. Having only recently finalized their cultivation license in Maryland, District Cannabis is definitely a new presence on the Maryland medical market. But some of you may have already heard of them or even tried their products - in our neighboring recreational market of Washington D.C. - where out of state medical authorizations are accepted. Upon asking around the Maryland scene, everyone seemed to have the same opinion of District Cannabis, which could be summed up as “consistently fire.” That kind of reputation is invaluable in this industry, and the fact that this company has already tapped into the minds of Maryland

APR. 2020

patients so positively, is a huge indicator of their future in our state. As I mentioned, District Cannabis only recently finalized their license and at the time of our tour, had only just started their first round of plants. And without observing plant growth, it is quite hard to judge the efficacy of a facility. But I will say that all their equipment is set up to truly be state of the art, and the workflow throughout the facility looked to be streamlined to a competitive edge. I have no doubt of their ability to own their reputation for producing consistent and quality products - as soon as those first plants make it through flowering! Having a state of the art facility is of course a huge part of their formula, but it isn’t what I feel makes them stand out from the crowd. The real source of their superb reputation comes down to the vision of co-founders, Weidenfeld (Chairman of the Board) and Kirschner (CEO and Cultivation Director). This combination of top level leadership/ownership is, in my experience, unique to the Maryland industry. The first factor in their success comes from Weidenfeld, who is a medical Cannabis patient himself. To be clear, the criteria for being a medical patient has expanded rapidly over the past couple decades, but there was a time when this entire movement was

“...it was not long at all before he noticed the profound benefits Cannabis brought to the symptoms he deals with to this day.”

fueled by the suffering of some of the most difficult conditions for people to deal with. Chairman Weidenfeld was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease over 15 years ago, which is a tremendously difficult diagnosis to receive. Up until that point Edward had never used Cannabis and never really thought to. Indeed, it was many years before he came to find the benefit of Cannabis - but find it he did after reading some Israeli studies that suggested positive benefits for Parkinson’s patients using medical Cannabis. After discussions with his primary care doctors, he decided to try to explore the benefits. At the time he had no access to medical Cannabis and was forced to turn to his sons to help him source our beloved plant, and learn the ropes so to speak. But after acquiring the plant, it was not long at all before he noticed the profound benefits Cannabis brought to the symptoms he deals with to this day. The benefits that came with dealing with motor symptoms like tremors really made a huge difference in his quality of life and, armed with that relief, he began to medicate with Cannabis and start the quest that led him to meet CEO and Co-Founder, Kirschner. Now there are very distinctive benefits that Cannabis provides for a

variety of medical symptoms. There is also a world of relief that slides under the radar of mainstream clinical studies that Edward also experienced, that further solidified his love for this plant and vision for the future. That is the separation from our emotional distress while medicated. I am not talking about seizures ending or inflamed muscles calming - I am talking about dealing with life perspectives, and the anxiety and depression that comes with living with some of these conditions. Edward confessed that he suffered a great deal emotionally and psychologically after getting his diagnosis, and that only made his physical symptoms harder to manage. Dealing with the secondary effects of our conditions is often a glossed over aspect of the patient experience, but Edward experienced firsthand the importance of this relief on top of his physical symptom relief. Cannabis not only helped him gain control over some of his symptoms, but it also helped him take a step back emotionally and gain a new lease on life. Since then he has been battling with Parkinson’s, using Cannabis as a powerful tool in that fight. It is precisely his interest in his own quality medicine that led him to Andras, who at the time when they met, was running a medical cultivation cooperative out west. Andras is the other piece of the management team that I feel really sets District Cannabis up for success! A medical cooperative is a specific type of growing structure that hasn’t reached Maryland, but is available in other states. Essentially, the regulation allows for patients and caregivers to organize cultivation direct from grower to patient, specific to that individual patient’s needs. A grower, for example, might be able to grow four or five plants per patient in the cooperative, specifically for a certain patient, who in turn pays a membership for the consistent and more custom supply of Cannabis. This is in contrast to our state, where a patient can only buy directly from a dispensary and are subject to the varieties that the cultivation companies decide to grow, based on their own understanding of the market. Andras’ background in this structure means that he is very in tune with the average patient’s needs, and has the skillset to produce a wide variety of cultivars specific to the needs of a variety of patients. Naturally, Andras impressed Edward when they met, and the two became fast friends and ultimately partners in an endeavor to ensure that the highest quality Cannabis reaches the patients who suffer. Thus, District Cannabis was born. The two founded their cultivation company and one of my favorite things to see a Cannabis company do, happened Andras took on the role of head of cultivation! This means that an actual license holder and owner of the company will be directly responsible for plant production. It is rare to see license owners who even use Cannabis, let alone know anything about how to cultivate it. Even companies that hire excellent growers with a ton of experience ultimately have a ceiling on their potential, simply by the fact that it is very hard to align a business goal with a plant cultivation program that centers around true and genuine quality. There are always sales goals to hit and ROIs that need to be made, and I am sure Andras is well equipped to handle those types of requirements. He and Edward both set the goal for consistent quality Cannabis, and I feel it will be very easy for him to stay the course, given his experience as a cooperative grower and his ownership of the company. All in all, this pair really synergizes in a way that bodes quite well for the future of the company and for Maryland medical patients overall. A company owned and led by a true Cannabis patient and an accomplished Cannabis cultivator is something we have yet to see here in Maryland. I have high hopes that District Cannabis will become a major player in our industry over the next year.

STORY by TAYLOR MARTIN @MDCANNAINSIDER | PHOTOS by ERIC KAYNE @PHOTOKAYNE | DISTRICTCANNABIS.US @DISTRICTCANNABIS.US

RECIPES

I INTENDED APRIL’S RECIPES, A WHOLE MONTH OF 4/20 THIS YEAR, TO BE CELEBRATORY. P a r t y f ood , t o ho no r o u r f a v o r i t e p l a n t . H o w e v e r , t h i s A p r i l , p r e t t y m u c h a l l a r o u n d t h e w o r l d , i t l o ok s l i k e w e w i l l b e hu nk e r i n g d o w n a nd e n j o y i n g o u r o w n c o m p a n y . T h e r e ’ s a l o t g o i n g o n a n d a l ot t o t h i n k a b o u t . S o m e v e r y i m p o r t a n t d e c i s i o n s t o m a k e . I f y o u a r e h e a l t h y b e h e l p f u l , a n d t a k e g o o d c a r e o f y o ur s e l f , t o o . T h ese recipes make one serving, but they can be doubled or tripled easily. # D on t f e a r t h e e d i b l e

Ramen noodles are pure comfort. I was introduced to them by my son Nick when he was in college. Clearly a simple package of ramen needs no directions, but I have ramped up the ingredients and added a little canna-love. When you mix the cannaoil with sesame oil, a totally awesome flavor combination emerges. Check your fridge - there is bound to be something there to add to your soup. I like to get the packages of ramen noodles that don’t have MSG in the ingredients. It makes me feel weird and it’s pretty simple to avoid. If you feel the same way and can’t find the noodles without it, don’t use the flavor packet and add some tamari sauce, and use chicken or vegetable broth instead of water. Make it a bigger meal by adding tofu, shrimp or chicken.

SUPER RAMEN FOR ONE 1 PACKAGE RAMEN NOODLES

HUNKER DOWN AND EAT WELL

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CRUNCHY CHICKEN WITH SALSA ½ ROMA TOMATO, CHOPPED ¼ YELLOW PEPPER, CHOPPED 2 TBS THINLY SLICED SCALLION 1 TBS CHOPPED FLAT LEAF PARSLEY AND WHOLE LEAF 1 MEDIUM RADISH, CHOPPED 2 TBS AVOCADO, TOSSED WITH ½ LEMON 2 TBS OLIVE OIL 1 TEASPOON CANNA-OLIVE OIL SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE JUICE OF ½ LEMON 1 EGG, LIGHTLY BEATEN 1 POUND BONELESS CHICKEN BREAST ½ CUP PANKO BREAD CRUMBS ¼ CUP PARMESAN 1 TBS CHOPPED PARSLEY 2 TBS CANOLA OIL

APR. 2020

6 SNAP PEAS, HALVED ¼ CUP SHREDDED CARROTS 1 SOFT BOILED EGG, PEELED/HALVED ¼ CUP SPROUTS CILANTRO LEAVES 2 TEASPOONS SESAME OIL 1 TEASPOON CANNA-OIL INSTRUCTIONS Open the package of ramen and remove the flavor packet. Add two cups of water or stock to a medium size saucepot and bring to a boil. Add the watercress, scallion and noodles to the pot and simmer 3-4 minutes. Add the peas and carrots along with the flavor packet from your package of ramen, and cook an additional minute. Pour the soup into a bowl, add the egg, sprouts, cilantro and the oils and serve.

GARLICKY BUCATINI 2 TABLESPOONS OLIVE OIL 1 TEASPOON CANNA-OLIVE OIL 2 GARLIC CLOVES, PEELED AND SLICED 4 CHERRY TOMATOES, HALVED IF LARGE 1 CUP FRESH SPINACH, PACKED PINCH CRUSHED RED PEPPER SALT AND PEPPER, TO TASTE PARMESAN, OPTIONAL

In a small bowl combine the tomato, pepper, scallion, parsley, radish and avocado. Add the oils, salt and pepper and lemon juice and toss well. Chill.

INSTRUCTIONS In a small skillet over medium-low heat, heat the oils. Add the garlic and cherry tomatoes and sauté for three to four minutes. Add the spinach and sauté until wilted, three to four minutes. Stir in the crushed pepper, and add salt and pepper to taste.

Place beaten egg in a shallow bowl. On a plate combine the breadcrumbs, parmesan and parsley.

Be sure to make the salsa before you cook the chicken. You can even make it the night before, just add the avocado as close to dinner as possible. You want the contrast of the hot chicken and the cool vegetable topping.

1 SCALLION, SLICED

3 OUNCES BUCATINI PASTA

INSTRUCTIONS

In a medium skillet heat the canola oil. Dip chicken breast in the egg then into the breadcrumb mixture and place carefully in the skillet. Cook the chicken breast in the oil until crisp, about four minutes/side. Transfer to a plate and top with the vegetable mixture.

¼ CUP PACKED, RAW WATERCRESS

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. When tender, drain and place in a bowl.

Bucatini is a thick spaghetti-like pasta that is extremely satisfying. If it’s not your cup of tea, feel free to use any other shape. In summertime an angel hair would be delightful. Again the ingredients can be changed to suit your taste. Adding shrimp or chicken could be a nice way to go.

Add the sauce to the pasta and sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan, or add a couple of tablespoons of goat cheese and some fresh or frozen peas. Awesome flavor combination.

RECIPES by LAURIE WOLF | PHOTOS by BRUCE WOLF

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EDIBLE OF THE MONTH leafnationmd.com

BETTY’S EDDIES CHEWS Betty’s Eddies, produced in Maryland by Kind Therapeutics, continue to rank among favorite ingestibles in Maryland’s medical market. The first thing that gets me excited is the ingredients. Not only are these chews made with real fruits and veggies, but they are vegan, gluten free and dairy free - making them an option for people with food preferences and allergies. And with three options to choose from, there’s sure to be a dosage that meets your ingestible needs. Let’s dig in...

“MY FAVORITE FLAVORS WERE THE STRAWBERRY, LEMON AND GRAPE, WHICH WERE SO TASTY I WOULD EAT THEM EVEN IF THEY DIDN’T HAVE THC!”

CLASSIC BETTY’S | 20mg THC per chew The classic Betty’s - as I like to call them - come in a pack of five chews, with each chew containing 20mg of THC, for a total of 100mg THC per pack. The flavors come in strawberry, lime, orange, lemon and grape, with all of them boasting funky names like ‘Oh My Grapeness.’ My favorite flavors were the strawberry, lemon and grape, which were so tasty I would eat them even if they didn’t have THC in them! I found these to be useful for daytime pain relief, not creating the foggy feeling that higher doses of ingestibles can lead to. When first starting out with ingestibles, remember: You can always eat more, but you can’t eat less.

APR. 2020

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BERRY GOOD THINGS AND APPLE PIE EXTRA STRENGTH CHEWS | 50mg THC per chew As a patient with a high tolerance to THC, I was happy to see Betty’s come out with an extra strength version of their chews. At 50mg THC per chew, you are able to get a stronger dose while consuming less - which means less sugar, etc. The testing results show these also had over 10mg of CBG between the five chews. For me, CBG has been known to curb anxiety related to higher doses of THC. This gave me an added level of comfort with taking a larger dose. I found these most effective for trying to get a full eight hours of steady sleep, or a lazy Sunday on the couch.

BEDTIME BETTY’S | 20mg THC and 2mg melatonin per chew These were very interesting to me, as I had always heard about the benefits of mixing a little melatonin into your sleep routine. I must say, these truly did make me feel tired quickly. I would’ve enjoyed a little more THC in the mix to keep me steadily sleeping through the night (wink wink, maybe make an extra strength sleep version). The flavor is incredible, especially since I love all things citrus. The mixture of agave and lemon gives you a sweet and citrusy flavor that helps to mask the Cannabis taste, all the while delivering an effective dose of medicine.

STORY & PHOTOS by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT/MARYLAND LEAF

A woman-owned and well-trusted medical Cannabis dispensary promoting the health and wellness of the Baltimore area for over two years.

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concentrate OF THE MONTH

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TROPICAL SUNSET

TERP CRYSTALS Tropical Sunset HTFSE/HCFSE diamond sauce by Evermore Cannabis Company is one of the tastiest dabs I’ve had the leafnationmd.com

pleasure to toke in Maryland this year. The concentrate’s perfectly translucent gold color was revealed in a dazzling display of dancing light, twinkling through the crystal pieces - indicating a superb extraction and a top tier dab. APR. 2020

“I WAS ABSOLUTELY BLOWN AWAY BY THE NEAR CANDY-LIKE FLAVOR OF THE SAUCY CRYSTALS - BOTH SHARP AND GENTLE ON THE PALATE.”

AS AN HTFSE/HCFSE EXTRACT, I knew it would be rich in terpenes and high in cannabinoids, and having smoked the flower before, I knew I was in for a rich bouquet of tropical fruits and thoughts of sunshine. But, even armed with this knowledge, I was still absolutely blown away by the near candy-like flavor of the saucy crystals both sharp and gentle on the palate. Every dab I took was smooth and absolutely bursting with what I can only assume to be the best parts of a Starburst, Skittle and Hi Chew, extracted and crystalized into one glorious concentrate! I highly encourage everyone to set up a low temp dab rig and sample this amazing bouquet of strawberry, kiwi, lime, orange and blueberry. I mentioned the coloring was superb, but our look was even more up close and personal this month, as we actually got to go into the lab and see the crystalized final product before it got packaged up for dispensaries. Diamonds in the lab are far different from the diamonds you get in the dispensary, at least from a size perspective, as these crystals were the size of golf balls! A close examination of these gigantic crystals showed pristine purity and smelled like a gaggle of Valencia oranges and blueberry Gushers, rolled in a strawberry kiwi Fruit Roll-Up! These Tropical Sunset diamonds are aptly named, as every inhale creates the sensation of relaxing on a beach, sampling the most exotic of fruits and marveling at the crispness of the flavor and peace of the moment. Now this might be attributed to the floating sensation I felt as all of my inflammation melted away and my high kicked in, but regardless, the excellent mood and delicious tropical flavors put me on a beach every time. The high was distinctly clear headed with pronounced mood elevation compared to many of the heavier and gassier varieties. I found that this dab elevated my mood and kept it elevated with little to no stoney or cloudy feelings for the better part of a whole day!

REVIEW by TAYLOR MARTIN @MDCANNAINSIDER | PHOTOS by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT

DYSCO’S CORNER

musings from a parent the cool parents DOES USING CANNABIS MAKE US SEEM COOLER TO OUR KIDS? I’VE BEEN SPENDING A LOT OF TIME WONDERING HOW THE LEGALIZATION OF CANNABIS IS CHANGING OUR KIDS’ ATTITUDES TOWARDS USING MARIJUANA. WE HAVE A DAUGHTER IN COLLEGE AND A SON IN HIGH SCHOOL. WHEN I FIRST BECAME A MEDICAL CANNABIS PATIENT, I TREKKED OUT TO THE SHED EVERY TIME I HAD TO MEDICATE, SO MY KIDS WOULDN’T CATCH REEFER MADNESS. I ADMIT IT. MY HUSBAND AND I WERE CONCERNED THAT IF KIDS FOUND OUT THEIR PARENTS USED CANNABIS, THEY WOULD BEGIN THEIR INEVITABLE DESCENTS INTO THE TEENAGE PARTY WORLD.

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Perhaps I needn’t have worried. My son recently summed up his attitude towards Cannabis by saying, “Uh, you know, I’m really not into pot and drinking, Mom. It’s just not cool to me.” And, I totally believe him - mainly because he’s totally into Japanese anime and spends most of his time watching other people play video games on YouTube. As his mother, I find these behaviors comforting, because when I was his age, we were sneaking cigarettes in the alley behind school and tricking liquor stores into delivering alcohol when our parents weren’t home. By the way, our parents were never home. One of my best friends actually stuffed a pillow up her dress and pretended to be pregnant when she signed for the alcohol delivery. Now, she’s a respected ER doctor, but back then, we were afternoon street urchins - roaming from empty house to empty house, getting up to all sorts of no good in our private school uniforms. We were definitely not in our rooms reading comic books, and that was before we started driving… DURING THOSE FORMATIVE YEARS, we became friends with Jason, whom we met while we were trying to score some six packs outside the Hopkins Deli. His parents let him have small parties in his basement, as long as there was no alcohol. Jason was trying to break the rule. The first night we went to his house, Jason shocked us by breaking out a bag of marijuana and a bong. I’d never seen marijuana before. I initially thought the bong was some type of hippie musical instrument. The fact that Jason casually tossed the pot on the table and started rolling joints seemed daring and exotic.

APR. 2020

& Cannabis consumer Suddenly, I felt like I was in a completely different country. This condo with tapestries on the walls was nothing like my house, and Jason’s parents with their beaded necklaces were nothing like my conservative republican parents. Jason’s parents were both successful lawyers. His dad was even a law professor, but they were also bonafide hippies. They had been at Woodstock. Seriously - at Woodstock - for REAL. They talked about “assholes” and cussed unabashedly. At the time, they seemed so different from my parents. While my parents could have been members at Bushwood in “Caddyshack,” Jason’s parents could have been the parents in “Valley Girl.” His dad even looked like Sonny Bono minus the stache. Jason’s parents listened to cool music and used slang. They smoked marijuana openly in their house. However, aside from the occasional beer, they were not drinkers - and while they had no problem with Jason and his friends smoking weed in the basement God forbid anyone snuck beer in through the basement door. I will never forget watching with dread the first time I saw Jason’s mom appear, standing backlit at the top of the stairs while plumes of smoke escaped past her silhouetted frame. Aside from the fact that the basement reeked of marijuana, the sheer volume of smoke escaping from the stairwell past Jason’s mom’s face was a definite giveaway. We were so busted. I knew it. I started checking for exits. I mean, my mom would have already been screaming and calling the fire department. But, no - not Jason’s mom. Nope. Jason’s mom just gave a little cough as if to say, “Hey, you pot heads aren’t fooling me.” Then utilizing her magnificent Baltimorean accent to shout down the stairs - “Jason, there better not be any beer down there!” - before immediately shutting the door again. What? What had just happened? Had his mom just OK’d marijuana use over alcohol? What? Had we just found the holy grail of high school hang-outs? We weren’t sure how much trouble we’d get in for beer, but apparently we could blaze the night away with no issues. I WILL NEVER forget walking home that night with my two best friends, talking about how cool Jason’s parents were. None of us smoked marijuana ourselves. The idea of parents smoking it was radical. Our parents smoked cigarettes and drank, some might say

excessively, and even though some of our parents let us teens drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes at home, that still didn’t make them cool. They were still losers. But Jason’s parents washed their bongs in the dishwasher next to their coffee cups. I mean, they were lawyers openly smoking marijuana in their house without guilt or apology. That seemed so bad-ass. So mysterious. We were fascinated. They were so cool. For sure, Jason’s parents were the cool parents. Fast forward 30 years, and now I’m the mom storing rigs next to wine glasses, but I think it’s definitely different now. Neither my kids nor their friends are interested in me or my Cannabis use at all. They definitely aren’t fascinated. Nothing I do is going to make me the cool parent. That’s OK. Our kids are growing up in a community which decided to demystify Cannabis and put legalization to the test. Of course we all had concerns about how it would impact our children’s attitudes towards recreational marijuana use, but judging from my kids’ attitudes, if anything, legalizing medical Cannabis use has almost made using it uncool. My kids are about as interested in rolling joints as we were in mixing martinis when we were teenagers. After all, who wants to party like their parents? In an odd way, I think we might be beginning to actually gain some ground in the war on drugs. Shhh...don’t tell the kiddos.

-Dysco JASON’S PARENTS LISTENED TO COOL MUSIC AND USED SLANG. THEY SMOKED MARIJUANA OPENLY IN THEIR HOUSE. HOWEVER, ASIDE FROM THE OCCASIONAL BEER, THEY WERE NOT DRINKERS - AND WHILE THEY HAD NO PROBLEM WITH JASON AND HIS FRIENDS SMOKING WEED IN THE BASEMENT - GOD FORBID ANYONE SNUCK BEER IN THROUGH THE BASEMENT DOOR. SUBMITTED

to MARYLAND LEAF

by Mike Ricker A Fungus Among Us

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Try to share your beer with just about anyone these days and they’ll thanklessly grimace at your unsanitary gesture. You may as well have just mauled a garlic seasoned smelt melt and then offered them a French Kiss. “Germs are microscopic,” they think to themselves. “How can I be certain I won’t catch a cold sore?” Or perpetuate a pandemic. If it’s a fancy cocktail in a martini glass, a polite person may reach for the nearest straw to dip and taste from, or maybe even find an untouched side of the rim to sip, but someone would have to be pretty hammered to plant their lips onto the open-ended bottle of brewski that’s still glistening from your last tug. And to be quite honest, the person who impulsively follows your swallow is not necessarily someone you want to be sharing DNA with, either. It’s a hyper-prudent social climate we live in. These are tenuous times. The rules have changed. Offer up a dab, however, and no one blinks an eye. Or a bong hit, or a spliff, or a pipe, or a jay, or a gravity rip - it just doesn’t matter so long as it’s marijuana. And I believe that it has nothing to do with the fact that Cannabis is medicine, because I’ve never returned home with a bottle of Nyquil that didn’t come with a washable plastic measuring cup attached to the lid. But the last time I bought a vape cart, there was no removable sanitary rubber for the tip. So, why is it that when offering someone your drink, people get grossed out? Yet when it’s a puff, they respond with delight? I think I know the answer. Because we inherently trust Cannabis. So, it makes sense that we also trust the user. With booze it is the complete opposite.

APR. 2020 Apr.2020

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