Aug. 2020 — Maryland Leaf

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# 2 0 | A U G . 2020

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AUG. 2020 4

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FEATURES 7 EDITOR NOTE 8 NATIONAL NEWS 10 LEGAL COLUMN 12 HIGHLY LIKELY 14 BUDTENDER Q&A 16 PATIENT PROFILE 18 DIVERSITY SCANDAL 22 JOVA WELLNESS CENTER 24 STRAIN OF THE MONTH 26 AMERICA’S HISTORY 28 LAST PRISONER PROJECT 30 HOOD INCUBATOR 32 BALL FAMILY FARMS 36 SEXISM & CANNABIS 38 TRANSCENDENCE 40 FRAGILE WARRIOR 42 CANNABIS RECIPES 43 CONCENTRATE OTM 44 DYSCO’S CORNER 46 STONEY BALONEY ISSUU.COM/NWLEAF

THE EQUALITY ISSUE

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E S TA B L I S H E D 2 0 1 0

T H E E N L I G H T E N E D VO I C E

A B O U T T H E C OV E R

“I would consider myself an artistic activist, striving to uplift Black women and people of color who are underrepresented in illustration. So, when Leaf Nation reached out to design the cover for their Equality Issue, I could not have been more excited. I see Cannabis legalization as a racial justice issue. That is why in the illustration you see the people disproportionately affected by the War on Drugs - weighing more on the scales of justice than the profits from Cannabis legalization. In order to right the wrongs of the past, we have to create a more equitable and diverse future in the legal Cannabis industry.”

ILLUSTRATION by OCTAVIA THORNS for Leaf Nation | @PrettyInInkPress

CONTRIBUTORS

FOUNDER & EDITOR

Skye Cabrera, Features

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

Heather Dagler, features Amanda Day, photography Steve Elliott, national Ariana Foote, writing Taylor Martin, writing Matthew Newton, writing Baxsen Paine, features Mike Ricker, writing Mike Rothman, writing Octavia Thorns, illustration Pacer Stacktrain, writing Fletcher Wold, photography Bruce & Laurie Wolf, recipes Alex Workman, features

PUBLISHER EARLY early@LeafNationMD.com

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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ABNEY

Editor’s Note Thanks for picking up the first ever Equality Issue of the Leaf!

We began planning this issue last December, when the idea emerged to shift our Women’s Issue to something broader reaching. I know that none 7 of our staff could’ve imagined the monumental changes and challenges that 2020 would deliver, and I feel blessed to be able to offer the Leaf as a platform for social justice.

When I began publishing the Leaf in 2010, activism was the IT IS THE fuel that pushed each issue out. Cannabis patients and consumers DUTY OF THE were marginalized, persecuted and viewed as second class citizens.

CANNABIS INDUSTRY TO I saw the injustice of families broken and lives lost in prison for CONTINUE TO possession of a plant, faced criminal charges for Cannabis myself, STAND UP AND and realized that I had to raise my voice to make change.

LEAD THE FIGHT Over the years our fight expanded to include prisoner rights and TO MAKE THIS awareness, the preservation of patient rights, the freedom of our CHANGE A plant under recreational laws, as well as more advanced agendas REALITY! like the inclusion of women in the industry.

Today I stand to say that the injustices of the war on drugs - and ongoing systemic racism within America’s criminal justice system and political establishments - are the most important issues in modern history.

And within that fight for equality, the Cannabis industry plays a predominant role. For over 100 years drug laws have been used to target Black and Latinx people. Today this continues while slowly shifting power towards already wealthy and mainly white males of the pot industry, doing nothing to address the injustices of the past or present. This was never acceptable. Change is coming.

The injustices of the war on drugs must end, and it is the duty of the Cannabis industry to continue to stand up and lead the fight to make this change a reality! We are the victims turned stakeholders, who now have the opportunity to drive the change with our tax dollars, jobs and voices.

And while I cannot speak for the entire industry, I know that I speak for my entire staff and family when I say that the Leaf is committed to helping lead this change. We will raise our voice monthly with our Equity Column, holding accountable the broken system as we hope and pray for our country to wake up to a day when we are all equal - free to share our plant, ideas and lives.

This is my hope. And I know that with the support of our readers, advertisers and industry, we will make this future a reality.

Thank you for sharing our inspiration and please share with whom you have the opportunity.

-Wes Abney aug. 2020

NATIONAL NEWS

Pawt patrol

“Like all other patients in Rhode Island, people who use medical marijuana deserve to have access to safe medication, and they deserve to have accurate information about that medication.”

-Rhode Island State Health Director Nicole Alexander-Scott, on licensing the state’s first medical Cannabis testing lab, Green Peaks Analytical, to sample and test Cannabis products for pesticides, metals or solvents.

LEGALIZATION

east coast

CANNABIS SALES PREDICTED TO SURPASS $15 BILLION

BY END OF 2020

MARYLAND CANNABIS COMPANY INVESTS $6 MILLION TO EXPAND OUTDOOR FACILITY

$

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DEPUTY & K-9 FIND 78 LBS OF WEED DURING TEXAS TRAFFIC STOP The Chambers County Sheriff’s Department seized about 78 pounds of marijuana during a traffic stop in Baytown, Texas, reports 12 News. After being pulled over for failing to drive in one lane, a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado traveling eastbound on I-10 was approached by Deputy Ethan Kahla. He began talking with the driver, Donald Barrows, 27, of Tacoma, Wash. Barrows appeared “extremely nervous,” according to the report. Deputy Kahla asked to search the vehicle, and after Barrows did not give consent for the search, Harvey the K-9 officer was called in. Harvey alerted on the vehicle, which qualifies as probable cause for a search. The search revealed 78 vacuum sealed, clear bags of Cannabis weighing one pound each, according to the report. The weed was in four suitcases inside the vehicle, according to Deputy Kahla.

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recreational marijuana dispensary locations are operated in Michigan by the chain Oz Cannabis, the latest in Ypsilanti, that city’s first.

aUG. 2020

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U.S. states and the District of Columbia have moved to either legalize or decriminalize Cannabis, a shocking plurality.

arijuana sales continued to rise during the global pandemic, according to several data agencies and states, reports the Chicago Tribune. States including Florida and Arizona have set new monthly sales records for Cannabis sales in the past few months. Colorado saw a record $192 million in marijuana sales in May, and Oregon crossed the $100 million mark for the first time since 2015. Projects from the Marijuana Business Facebook expect Cannabis sales to pass $15 billion by the end of this year.

That represents a 40 percent rise in the legal marijuana market between this year and last. Should the projections be borne out, that will mean weed produces more annual revenue than the NBA, toothpaste and hard seltzer, combined.

Maryland Cannabis cultivation company Culta is tripling the size of its outdoor cultivation facility this year. The expansion will increase Culta’s capacity at their Cambridge, Md. location from one acre to three, according to the company. Culta produces Cannabis flower and extracts, and bills itself as the East Coast’s first outdoor cultivator. According to company officials, with the success of the first harvest in 2019, Culta invested more in technology and expansion.

the south

DISABLED VETERAN FACING FIVE YEARS IN PRISON IN ALABAMA FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA

S

ean Worsley, a disabled Iraq War veteran with a traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), is facing five years in prison for possession of medical marijuana after being busted in tiny Gordo, Ala. Worsley got his medical Cannabis authorization back in Arizona, where voters legalized medical Cannabis in 2011.

Worsley had relied on Cannabis for years to calm his nightmares and soothe his back THE LEGAL FIGHT WHICH ENSUED HAS pain, reports The Washington Post. So, after his music caught the attention of a local PLUNGED WORSLEY police officer, he consented to a search after the cop claimed he smelled weed in INTO HOMELESSNESS, Worsley’s car. But Alabama doesn’t cut any slack for medical marijuana authorizations. COST HIM THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN COURT The legal fight which ensued has plunged Worsley into homelessness, cost him FINES, AND RECENTLY thousands of dollars in court fines, and recently got him a five-year prison sentence.

GOT HIM A FIVE-YEAR “I feel like I’m being thrown away by a country I went and served for,” Worsley wrote in PRISON SENTENCE. a letter from the Pickens County Jail to criminal justice organization Alabama Appleseed.

Marijuana isn’t allowed for any purpose, medicinal or recreational, in Alabama.

1,000

marijuana dispensaries are now operating in Canada, less than two years after the country legalized recreational Cannabis.

$500k $800k $52m in legal fees may be required to be reimbursed to former CFO James Parker by MedMen, the LA-based pot shop chain.

was the total amount three Massachusetts medical marijuana dispensaries were fined for various infractions last month.

in revenue was brought in by legal marijuana sales in Illinois during the first half of 2020, the governor’s office announced.

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

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Cannabis LAW

“Whether Maryland can truly create an equitable medical Cannabis licensing process remains to be seen.”

EQUALITY VS. EQUITY

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S

uppose for a moment that your state is offering qualified students financial aid for college or graduate school. If you could not afford to attend higher education on your own and qualified for this resource, would you rather have your financial aid distributed equally or equitably? And how would society benefit from such a policy?

Equality is defined as “the quality or state of being equal.” In the example above, if student aid was distributed equally, all qualified individuals would receive an equal amount of financial aid, regardless of need and in the exact same measure, quantity, amount and kind.

Equity, on the other hand, is defined as “dealing fairly and equally with all concerned.” Equitable policies are targeted to address the unequal needs, conditions and positions of people and communities affected by institutional and structural barriers.

Using our example above, colleges or universities may decide to allocate financial aid based upon need.

Under this policy, schools would intentionally reserve a larger amount of the overall student financial aid specifically for low income students. Although this final distribution may be unequal, it is considered equitable because such a reallocation of resources provides access to higher education for low income students.

Similarly, Maryland’s Medical Cannabis Commission has recently stepped into this equality versus equity divide - and with mixed results. Maryland, like many other states, launched its medical Cannabis program in 2016, which included a provision for licensing cultivators, processors and dispensaries.

To ensure that there was no bias or favoritism, the Commission designed a “double-blind” application process where they sought to license 15 cultivators and processors.

All identifying information was supposed to be removed from the applications, which were then graded by neutral students from Towson’s RESI School of Economic Studies.

When the dust finally settled after the initial applications period, minority owned or women owned businesses accounted for only three of 15 grower pre-approvals, and three of 15 processor pre-approvals. Only one processor pre-approval was awarded to a Black owned business.

As women represent over 50 percent of the population in Maryland and Blacks comprise nearly 30 percent of the population, clearly something was amiss. In response to the uproar, Governor Hogan and the Maryland General Assembly sought to address discrimination and increase diversity among licensees. They passed emergency legislation increasing the number of cultivator and processor licenses, and required the Commission to evaluate whether minorities and women were disadvantaged in the medical Cannabis industry.

Based on those recommendations, the Commission adopted emergency regulations creating a new application process which reserved 15 percent of the total points on the license applications to diversity related provisions. These regulations did not allocate or “set-aside” licenses for minority owned and women owned businesses.

Rather, the added point bonuses in the new application were meant to incentivize the Commission to select Black owned and minority owned businesses for the medical Cannabis grower and processor licenses, and remedy the traditional barriers to entry within the medical Cannabis industry.

In 2019, the Commission received more than 200 applications for up to four additional grower and 10 additional processor licenses. More than 90 percent of the applications were submitted by disadvantaged equity applicants - or individuals who provided supporting documentation that at least 51 percent of the ownership interest in the business was held by a member of a qualifying minority group.

Announcements regarding pre-approval awards were supposed to be announced at a Commission hearing on September 26, 2019.

In February 2020, following concerns regarding the impartiality of the evaluation process and at least one judge’s issuance of a temporary restraining order preventing the announcement of the new pre-approvals, the Commission committed to engage an independent firm to evaluate the concerns that all applicants were not treated equally, and to verify material aspects of the highest ranking applications.

Whether Maryland can truly create an equitable medical Cannabis licensing process remains to be seen. As the state’s survey on diversity has shown, Black and minority owned businesses in the medical Cannabis industry have barriers to entry limiting their access to ownership that are not faced by their white competitors.

Similarly, Blacks and other minorities have been disproportionately harmed by the war on drugs, and specifically the mass incarceration for Cannabis offenses. It would be inequitable to discount the harm that has come to minority communities from those law enforcement policies.

The route to achieving equity will not be accomplished through treating everyone equally. It will be achieved by treating everyone equitably or justly according to their circumstances.

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.

aUG. 2020

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

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H i g h l y L i ke l y h i g h l i g h t s Ca n n a b i s p i o n e e rs w h o p a ve d t h e wa y t o g re a t e r h e r b a l a c c e p ta n c e.

A Veteran and the CEO of Simply Pure, a Colorado based dispensary

>> 12

WANDAJAMES ONE OF THE WORST WAYS THAT THE UNITED STATES HAS RESTRICTED THE CIVIL LIBERTIES OF ITS CITIZENS IS THROUGH THE FAILED AND SADISTIC OPERATION BEGUN

BY RONALD REAGAN IN THE 1980S - AND CONTINUING

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THROUGH TODAY - KNOWN AS THE WAR ON DRUGS.

Roughly 40 years after his official declaration in 1982, we know that the war on drugs isn’t just a war on your ability to take liberties with your body and mind, but that it is also a racist war. That’s because the war on drugs has disproportionately affected people of color since its inception. It is what has helped to create the privatized prison-industrial complex that has wrought pain and terror on our society. It is truly an evil thing, created and maintained by those in power, and it is high time that it is ended for good.

The subject of our column this month is Wanda James, the CEO of Simply Pure, a Colorado based dispensary and brand that prides itself on quality products and social justice. And James has a spectacular story.

Along with her husband, Scott Durrah, James became the first Black American to own and operate a Cannabis storefront, cultivation facility and an edible company.

James is a former lieutenant in the US Navy, who also served on President Barack Obama’s 2008 National Finance Committee. After her brother was given a 10-year sentence for Cannabis possession, she became inspired to help

After her brother was given a 10-year sentence for Cannabis possession, James became inspired to help right the wrongs of the United States’ failed drug war. aUG. 2020

right the wrongs of the United States’ failed drug war. She has also worked to get jail sentences commuted for people imprisoned for similar Cannabis related crimes. She has been an ambassador for the legalization of Cannabis ever since.

She’s highly regarded in the industry when it comes to intelligently thinking about operating a business in this burgeoning marketplace.

When asked by Cannabis Dispensary Magazine about whether the Cannabis industry instills the same sort of discipline and goal of serving the public interest as her time in the military and politics, James replied, “No, I don’t think that the industry instills it at all. I think that it’s really vital that you’ve got a good sense of values before you come into this industry, because this industry will rip and will tear at those - and will challenge you at every turn.”

Today, Wanda James continues to fight for equity and equality in the Cannabis industry. In June, she worked to get Colorado House Bill #1424 passed, which creates a social equity license. This allows someone who might not otherwise qualify for a business license to work with a mentor - an established business willing to be a partner and adviser - through the licensing and operational processes.

The bill signing ceremony by Colorado Governor Jared Polis was held at James’ Simply Pure dispensary, where James said it best: “Social Equity is about righting the wrongs of the drug war and giving diversity a strong foothold in the developing industry.”

By PACER STACKTRAIN for LEAF NATION | PHOTO by WANDA JAMES

Be Safe. Be Well.

Have Your Cannabis Delivered.

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

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FRI & SAT 9am–9pm

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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

Ed Holloway maryland leaf budtender of the month

HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE BIZ? Before I started working in Cannabis I was a massage therapist. I believe personal wellness is important and I’m committed to helping people live healthier, happier lives however I can. I’ve always been a huge advocate for Cannabis use, so when I saw there was an opportunity to work as a budtender at Curaleaf, I knew it’d be a perfect fit for me. I love interacting with our amazing patients, discussing the power of the plant and helping them on their personal health and wellness journeys.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD BUDTENDER?

It’s important to understand the products and the forms of Cannabis that are available, so you can help steer patients toward their wellness goals. Remaining educated ourselves is very important, and we undergo a lot of training to be able to best guide our patients. In addition to believing in Cannabis’ endless potential, I also believe that a good budtender is a reflection of the good attributes found in their fellow budtenders. It takes a team to run any dispensary and I’m so blessed to have such an awesome group of souls to learn and grow with at Curaleaf.

HOW HAS CANNABIS MADE AN IMPACT ON YOUR LIFE?

In addition to being used for its medicinal properties, Cannabis has a varied history as a spiritual herb. Once I understood the herb was sacred, the positive vibes sent me to an infinite high. I’d like to see a world where Cannabis is more widely accepted as something that can be used for medicinal, recreational and spiritual purposes because personally, it has impacted my life in all of those areas. In addition to providing medical relief, it has brought me to have insightful thoughts, meet beautiful new souls and discover incredible new places that I don’t think I would have otherwise. Working at a dispensary has allowed me to interact with and help patients from all walks of life, which has given me an incomparable sense of connectedness, happiness and fulfillment.

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WHAT ARE YOU SMOKING RIGHT NOW?

Personally, I love our flower because of its high quality, potency and flavor. At home right now I have Thin Mints special reserve flower and Skywalker OG flower from HMS - both hybrids - rolled up in my Big Bambu rolling papers.

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WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT BUDTENDING AT CURALEAF?

“I LOVE KNOWING THAT I’M PUTTING MY ENERGY TOWARD A BIG PICTURE I REALLY BELIEVE IN.” CU RALEAF REISTERSTOWN 11722 REISTERSTOWN RD, REISTERSTOWN, MD (443) 881-4782 | CU RALEAF.COM | @CURALEAF.USA

aUG. 2020

I love knowing that I’m putting my energy toward a big picture I really believe in, and that I’m working alongside other compassionate dispensary associates who are equally committed to the wellbeing of our patient community. I enjoy interacting with and assisting our customers to help them figure out which method of medicating works for them, and opening them up to new methods of consuming Cannabis; the goal is to provide the tools and knowledge they need to take control of their experiences with confidence and ease.

WHERE DO YOU GO FOR NEW CANNABIS KNOWLEDGE?

Other than the training and education we receive daily at the dispensary, I like to keep up with industry news on a national level, including legalization efforts and product innovation.

The more I know, the better I can be at guiding our patients.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR INTERESTS AND HOBBIES? I enjoy spending time with my family. I have three sons - my eldest is 16 and I have two 11-year-old twins. I’m also really close to my brother, Dubbz, and we create music together. You can check us out on YouTube under Ap3x Music Productions.

STORY by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT/MARYLAND LEAF | PHOTO by CURALEAF

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PATIENT OF THE MONTH leafnationmd.com

16

Yoga is her salvation; Cannabis, her relaxation.

And for the past three years, Carly Bucher has had a unique role in the Maryland medical Cannabis community that has allowed her to encourage patients to experiment with a daily regimen of both. aUG. 2020

CARLY BUCHER “I’ve always used Cannabis to relax or chill out to help me sleep,” said the 30-year-old Bucher (pronounced Bu-ker). “Yoga just took that a step further.”

Carly is one of the bright faces of Pure Life Wellness (PLW), serving as a patient care specialist and lead yogi for complimentary Saturday sessions in the Baltimore City based dispensary. The Pennsylvania native was also the inaugural GM for PLW, which is based in South Baltimore, in the Federal Hill neighborhood.

“It’s meant the world to me to be able to work in an industry I’m so passionate about - helping people find ways to heal naturally,” she said. “The patients and team at Pure Life Wellness have quickly become family over the years, and I’ve got so much love and appreciation for them.”

Carly guided the team for a 16-month run that included a nod from Leafly.com as the ‘Best Boutique Dispensary’ in Maryland in 2018. She stepped back from running the operation in 2019 to focus more of her time on yoga.

“I try to stay consistent with my practice,” she said. “I recognize when I fall off, as my mind becomes more rigid and starts to take over.”

C

arly’s journey as a Cannabis/yoga guru began as a patient in high school, medicating by way of herb to combat racing thoughts.

“My brain goes a mile a minute,” she said. “So having that reprieve was really beneficial for me.”

She was introduced to yoga a few years later at Harrisburg Area Community College, its Gettyburg campus just a half-hour drive from her hometown of Littlestown, Pa. “I took a yoga course that I fell in love with,” she said.

“When I moved to Baltimore in 2010, I was living in Mount Vernon and didn’t really know a lot of people. So I started going to Charm City Yoga and really got into a daily practice. The place became my new home.”

In 2014, Carly made the leap from amateur to professional, completing a 200-hour teacher training at Charm City Yoga (now known as YogaWorks). The lessons she has learned from a decade

on the mat, as well as a half-dozen years teaching, has greatly benefitted her life.

“I realized how much the practice helped me and when I started to experience that, I said, ‘People have got to know about this,’” she recalled. “It’s not just a way to work out; it’s a huge spiritual piece in my life.”

Carly has elevated her spirituality with the combination of Cannabis and yoga, enhancing her practice with a variety of strains, most prominently Jack Herer and Golden Strawberry.

“For yoga, I recommend a nice indica-leaning hybrid; it helps slow the mind down,” she said. “But it varies. If I want to do a power yoga class, I’ll smoke something a little more energetic.

It’s totally a trial-and-error process that differs for everybody. I encourage all of our patients to start a journaling process, gaining a better understanding of what works for them.”

Cannabis, Carly says, helps deepen her practice and mindfully gain a better understanding of what her body is saying to her that day - something she believes everyone can benefit from.

“Cannabis is definitely something that helps reconnect to yourself and turn inwards,” she said. “When you’re on the mat, you’re already connected with yourself. But when you medicate and start to move, it becomes easier to truly get into what’s happening inside your body, tuning out everything you are constantly thinking about.”

Due to restrictions surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, most of her classes have been via teleconference, including Wednesday evenings with YogaWorks at 7 p.m. Carly also hosts live outdoor classrooms, teaching at Riverside Park on Wednesdays at 7 a.m. and Thursdays at 6 p.m. She will soon be moving back inside to host her Saturday groupings at Pure Life Wellness. For social distancing purposes, the class will be limited to eight MMCC patients.

“I do it to help people heal, to help people feel better,” she said.

“Ever since I was little, I was a super people person. I’ve always been a helper and always loved helping people. It makes me feel good to watch other people smile and get better.”

“IT’S MEANT THE WORLD TO ME TO BE ABLE TO WORK IN AN INDUSTRY I’M SO PASSIONATE ABOUT HELPING PEOPLE FIND WAYS TO HEAL NATURALLY.” STORY & PHOTOS by BAXSEN PAINE @BAXSENPAINE for MARYLAND LEAF | PURELIFEBALTIMORE.COM | CARLYBUCHERYOGA@GMAIL.COM

THE EQUALITY ISSUE

18

INSIDE THE FIGHT FOR EQUALITY IN MARYLAND’S MEDICAL CANNABIS MARKET

diversity problem >> We often view the struggle for equality and justice as being borne by grand actions writ large on the world stage: protests in the streets, rallies, speeches and calls for sweeping, revolutionary change. But the most complex work - and arguably the most effective - is often done in the chambers where bills are drafted and policy decided. It is in those chambers where the battle for Maryland’s Cannabis industry wages on, and the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission - the presumably well-meaning protagonist of this story - has been beset on all sides by obstacles, missteps and corruption. The latest chapter of this story is nearing its close, as an investigation into allegations of corruption in the licensing process is expected to reach a conclusion in the coming months. Before that happens, let’s catch up to where we are in the story so far.

leafnationmd.com

SETTING THE STAGE

In 2010, a report by the American Civil Liberties Union found that Maryland laid claim to the fourth highest arrest rate for Cannabis possession in the country, at one arrest per 250 citizens.

That same report found that Black citizens were 2.9 times more likely to be arrested for possession than white Cannabis consumers (that number jumped to 5.6 times more likely in Baltimore).

When legalization of medical Cannabis came to Maryland, many in the industry argued that the intention should be to ensure the licensee pool reflects the demographics of the state.

In a state where 31% of citizens are Black and 51.6% are female, that would mean that 31% of licensees would be Black, and 51.6% would be female. The reality, as is so often the case, did not reflect the intention.

aUG. 2020

THE FIRST ACT

After the first round of licenses were awarded in 2016, Black business owners noticed something strange about the pool of processor and cultivator licensees - it was largely white. In fact, the concern at the time according to a report in The Washington Post, was that there wasn’t a single majority-owned Black business among them.

As a result of the outcry, in 2017 Governor Larry Hogan ordered the MMCC to conduct a disparity study of the new medical Cannabis industry. And in 2018, the results of that study confirmed “the presence of large, adverse, and statistically significant disparities affecting African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans, minorities as a group, nonminority females, and minorities and women as a group.”

According to the study, non-white and female entrepreneurs and employees in the industry earned significantly less than their white, male counterparts. And at that point, only 10% of owners and investors in Maryland Cannabis businesses were non-white, according to a report by the Baltimore Business Journal - with only a small number of them owning a majority stake in their companies.

In reaction to the study, the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission concluded that a new slate of cultivation and processing licenses would be made available, with the application process to take place in Spring of 2019.* THE SECOND ACT

The new round was to award four cultivation and 10 processing licenses, after a licensing period set to conclude on May 24, 2019.

This time the application included a significant diversity section, intended to ensure that the licensee pool better reflected and supported the racial and economic diversity of the state citizenry.

The deadline came, and according to a report in the Baltimore Sun, was subsequently delayed until 5 p.m. on June 24 in order to account for complaints that the submission system was flawed and that many applications were submitted incorrectly.

The June deadline came, and a timeline for review of the 202 anonymized applications and preliminary approval was set for August.

Then August came and it was delayed again.

On September 26, the Baltimore Sun reported that a Montgomery County judge issued a temporary restraining order against the awarding of any new licenses, after RemiLeaf, LLC - one of the applicants - claimed that the application process was flawed in part because the MMCC refused to accept the company’s application, though a company representative arrived with the documents at the office at 4:55 p.m. on June 24, five minutes before the 5 p.m. deadline.

At that time, according to the Baltimore Sun report, the Legislative Black Caucus also requested that the MMCC postpone the awarding of new licenses, expressing concerns that the process was still unfair to minority-owned companies.

Then, in December 2019, the bombshell dropped. Records of a secret deal between now-for“AFTER THE FIRST mer Baltimore Delegate Cheryl Glenn and federal prosecutors were unsealed, and Glenn resigned her ROUND OF LICENSES post amid charges of wire fraud and bribery.

WERE AWARDED In January 2020, Glenn pled guilty to the IN 2016, BLACK charges, admitting that she “solicited and accepted BUSINESS OWNERS $33,750 in cash payments through an associate to NOTICED SOMETHING help an out-of-state marijuana dispensing comSTRANGE ABOUT THE pany.” At this point, the identity of the associate is being withheld. In the wake of the allegations and POOL OF PROCESSOR Glenn’s guilty plea, the MMCC had no choice but AND CULTIVATOR to suspend the awarding of any new licenses on an LICENSEES - IT WAS indefinite basis, while the licensing process and the LARGELY WHITE.” leading applications undergo a thorough independent investigation. >> Continues pg. 20

STORY by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS for LEAF NATION

DRIVE IN OR DRIVE THRU KIP GIVES YOU THE CHOICE 9 CRANBROOK RD - COCKEYSVILLE MD 21030

COMING SOON!!

KIP gives you the option to Drive In or Drive Thru! Follow us on Instagram or Facebook to get the latest updates regarding our drive-thru Grand Opening!!

*Medical Cannabis Products are for use Only by a Certified Patient*

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

ORDER AHEAD & IN-STORE P I C K U P AVA I L A B L E .

W E E D M A P S .CO M | P U R E L I F E B A LT I M O R E .CO M Medical cannabis use is for certified Maryland patients only. Must be 18 or older.

35 E Cross Street Federal Hill, Baltimore, MD • 443.708.5683

THE EQUALITY ISSUE

INSIDE THE FIGHT FOR EQUALITY IN MARYLAND’S MEDICAL CANNABIS MARKET

diversity problem THE THIRD ACT

>> In correspondence with Maryland Leaf, the MMCC’s Director of Communications, David Torres, remained optimistic and steadfast about the Commission’s dedication to diversity and the future of the industry in Maryland.

Though the MMCC and the hopeful applicants still await the outcome of the investigation, he says the Commission has taken and continues to take steps to ensure a level playing field within the application process and the industry at large, including teaming with the Legislative Black Caucus to hold workshops for racial minority and women business owners, and others interested in the Cannabis industry. One of the most important steps, Torres said, is in the diversity makeup of the MMCC itself, pointing out that “the Commission is fortunate to have the diversity of its membership reflect the diversity of the State. This is central to the Commission’s ability to include diverse perspectives in the policy-making process.”

MMCC BOARD MEMBERS

20

FEMALE...46% MALE...54% WHITE...46.2% BLACK...31% HISPANIC...7.6% ASIAN...7.6% OTHER...7.6%

STATE DEMOGRAPHICS 51.6% WHITE OR NON/LATINO...50% BLACK/AFRICAN-AMERICAN...31% HISPANIC OR LATINO...10.6% ASIAN...6.7% FEMALE...

leafnationmd.com

Continued from pg. 19

EDITOR NOTE: IN MAY AND JUNE 2019, THIS WRITER PERFORMED CONSULTING SERVICES FOR A COMPANY LOOKING TO EARN PROCESSING AND CULTIVATION LICENSES IN THIS ROUND OF APPLICATIONS.

MAJORITY OWNERSHIP (>50% OWNERSHIP) FOR ALL LICENSE TYPES EXPRESSED BY NUMBER OF LICENSES HELD

LICENSE HOLDERS AFRICAN-AMERICAN/BLACK

4%

MINORITY-OWNED

(MINORITY MEN + MINORITY WOMEN)

20% WOMEN-OWNED

(WHITE WOMEN + RACIAL MINORITY WOMEN)

27%

DISPENSARIES

AFRICAN-AMERICAN/BLACK

4

AFRICAN-AMERICAN/BLACK

2%

MINORITY-OWNED

(MINORITY MEN + MINORITY WOMEN)

16

MINORITY-OWNED

(MINORITY MEN + MINORITY WOMEN)

9%

WOMEN-OWNED

24

WOMEN-OWNED

(WHITE WOMEN + RACIAL MINORITY WOMEN)

19%

MINORITIES + WHITE WOMEN

39

CULTIVATORS

AFRICAN-AMERICAN/BLACK

9%

$241,886,978 Total Cannabis Sales Dec. 1, 2018 – Dec. 9, 2019

MINORITY-OWNED

(MINORITY MEN + MINORITY WOMEN)

19% WOMEN-OWNED

(WHITE WOMEN + RACIAL MINORITY WOMEN)

24%

PROCESSORS

>> Sources | Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission; MMCC 2019 Minority Ownership Report; US Census.

aUG. 2020

STORY by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS for LEAF NATION

SHOP REVIEW

FLOWER 4/5 This dispensary has

several choice options for flower, with a heavy focus on products from brands like Grow West, Verano and Rythm. Even if you are looking for a $25 eighth, you can get quality Cannabis for that cost here.

EDIBLES 4/5 Whether you like

troches, chews, RSO droppers and capsules, tablets or any other ingestible, this dispensary has a nice range of edible products available. These budtenders are well-versed on the flavors and anticipated effects, so don’t hesitate to ask questions and let them point you in the right direction.

ENVIRONMENT

22

5/5 I could tell the entire

staff felt right at home working at JOVA Wellness Center. Everyone I met had smiles for days, with their authentic passion and excitement to be working in the Cannabis industry on full display. During my time in the store, the first patient they ever dispensed medicine to stopped by - speaking volumes to the loyalty patients have for this dispensary.

EXPERIENCE

leafnationmd.com

5/5 The experience that

these budtenders provide you with is nothing short of spectacular, from the knowledge to the friendliness to their individual awesomeness. I love when I can chat with my budtender for a minute and see how their day is going or learn about a new product.

5486 ALLENTOWN WAY, CAMP SPRINGS, MD (301) 278 - 5184 JOVAWELLNESS.COM SUN.-THURS. 10AM-8PM FRIDAY/SAT. 10AM-10PM

aUG. 2020

JOVAWellness Center

CAM P S P R I N G S , M D

Many residents and passersby of PG County have become familiar with JOVA Wellness Center. Located in Camp Springs, customers seemed to feel truly at home while purchasing their medicine at this Black owned and operated dispensary - one of only two in the Maryland Medical Cannabis program. When you come in the door, you are greeted by smiling faces who are eager to help you out with your Cannabis needs. The store can best be described as a boutique style dispensary, where art on the walls, glass display cases containing various forms of medicine, and clothing and accessories of all shapes and sizes set the vibe.

STORY & PHOTOS by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT/MARYLAND LEAF

Jova Wellness Center Owner Kwasi Johnson, below, with the caring staff of the shop.

THE EXPERIENCE THAT THESE BUDTENDERS PROVIDE YOU WITH IS NOTHING SHORT OF SPECTACULAR.

23

F LO W E R R E V I E W

Grow West code blue The fluffy green buds of this Code Blue had me very excited to roll something up. Upon busting open the bag, my nose was filled with a piney and earthy aroma. I found the effects of this strain to be sedating and best suited for evening use. The resonance between smell and flavor was unmistakable, leaving a taste on my tongue reminiscent of herbal tea.

Growwestmd.com 22% THC, 1.86% Terpenes

STRAIN OF THE MONTH leafnationmd.com

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GUAVAIX

TERPENES 27.2 THCA .91 CARYOPHYLLENE .6 LIMONENE .54 MYRCENE .3 HUMULENE .16 LINALOOL .12 NEROLIDOL

aug. 2020

grown by

NATURE’S HERITAGE

NATURESHERITAGECANNABIS.COM | @NATURESHERITAGECANNABISCO

A CARYOPHYLLENE DOMINANT STRAIN, TEMPERED WITH A BURST OF LIMONENE SUNSHINE AND A THRESHOLD DOSE OF MYRCENE.

GUAVA IX HAS BEEN ON THE MARKET FOR MONTHS, FLYING UNDER THE RADAR OF MOST MEDICAL PATIENTS, BUT EARNING A TOP SPOT WITH THE OLD HEADS AND DAILY TOKERS ALIKE. Consistently maintaining a similar terpene profile and always being above 25% THC, this strain is truly one of Maryland’s medical gems!

A very mellow, muscle relaxing, heavy high accompanies the Guava IX headspace, with spicy overtones atop a fruity zephyr of flavor. The high is just heavy enough without crossing the line into a couch-locking fog, which I find to be a top quality indica effect.

The Guava IX is special as far as indica effects are concerned, as it is a caryophyllene dominant strain, tempered with a burst of limonene sunshine and a threshold dose of myrcene.

Caryophyllene is typically very body sedating, providing strong pain relief without the quintessential cloudy headspace that accompanies a myrcene dominant profile.

This versatile terpene also tends to beat back the anxieties, which combined with the serotonin dump provided by the limonene, makes the combination particularly potent for mental health symptoms.

Heavy in the muscles but not in the mind, the Guava IX helped me pursue my day with energy, vigor and a vibrant energy that only the most special of Cannabis profiles can bring.

Not to mention the pearl white ash that stayed locked to my joint, cigarlike, indicating an excellent cure and a resinous plant to boot.

I could taste the spicy wash of temperate fruits with each and every inhale, with the notes on the exhale hinting at an earthiness and freshness that is enticing to a wide range of consumers.

The aroma profile stays true to the flavor profile, retaining its enticing vibes, and in my experience has maintained this from batch to batch, month to month.

Caryophyllene dominant profiles bring a more subtly powerful indica effect and are infinitely more rare than their myrcene dominant counterparts, so I’m happy to have had the experience of Guava IX. I really appreciate the Nature’s Heritage team and their efforts to bring this fantastic medicine to market.

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

THE EQUALITY ISSUE leafnationmd.com

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STORY by SKYE CABRERA @SKYE.CABRERA for LEAF NATION

AMERICA’S COMPLICATED CANNABIS HISTORY

It

had almost been a year since I had spoken to my 31-year-old, Connecticut-based cousin Edward Greene but Cannabis has a way of bringing estranged ties back together.

From the Nisenan lands in the West to the Mohegan winds of the East, weed transcends all sorts of barriers. I tell him I’ve been asked to write an opinion piece on equality and Cannabis, and that he is the first person who came to mind. Not just because we both enjoy a nice indica hybrid - and conspiracy theory dialogues on how the government is trying to ban all things that bring optimal health, to keep people sick and Big Pharma rich - but because Edward has had a stint with incarceration since his late teens.

As a free man who has witnessed disproportionate affairs, he confirms that he still smokes Cannabis and for good reason.

“I think marijuana has kept me out of prison a lot. I feel like weed is my calm down thing. If I’m angry, it helps me relax, calm down, think it through - breathe. It helps me with anxiety and doing things I don’t wanna really do. I smoke a blunt, I relax and realize everything is gonna be OK.” I never missed one of his collect calls from jail and often we shared the same sentiment that in the ‘real world,’ a lot of the jobs being offered to young POC didn’t pay nearly as much as what the streets were offering - sadly, illegally.

We recalled stories of our selfmade neighborhood friends - highly intelligent street

Aug. 2020

entrepreneurs at the forefront of a now billion dollar industry. With inflation and gentrification rising in our cities and minimum wage staying stagnant, it seemed like a surefire way to keep people behind bars, and most of my friends pushing joy-filled baggies out of Nike duffel backpacks for survival.

We knew that it was a system designed to simply control a certain demographic.

“I view this as a race thing,” says Edward.

“Why give us what helps us? They pick and choose what’s best for us. Xanax or all these pills. But why not make marijuana legal? Because it helps us. They don’t want to see us be productive in society or do anything that helps our brothers and sisters.”

Richard Nixon’s decisions are still attempting to govern our primal need to connect with nature and tap into our own consciousness.

We speak on how the judicial system has been trying to trap minorities or POC for decades, with weed as its scapegoat. It’s that prominent sentence in Tupac’s legendary track, “Changes”: “Instead of war on poverty, they got a war on drugs, so the police can bother me.”

We speak about Hip Hop culture, adopted trends and the romanticism of blunt smoking in Notorious B.I.G. videos in the late ‘90s.

How every white kid we knew wanted to be included in every puff session and rap cypher in the hallways of the Chelsea Housing Projects of Lower Manhattan in ‘98, but not take the charge if caught.

How someone knew an elite lawyer or doctor who would get someone to bring them an

eighth to their apartment, discreetly.

How if a white guy smoked he was a hippie, but if a Black guy did, he was a problem.

How anything that brought POC joy or even remotely made them feel good was debunked, destroyed, taken or given surplus amounts of jail time.

How Maya Angelou has even written poetry about how happy weed made her feel. How Indigenous tribes and B.C. Egypt had a handle on Cannabis and were healing generations before it ever got into the hands of controlling officials.

How happiness and self esteem might be dangerous to the 1%. How 80% of those in jail for marijuana possession by 2017 were Black and Latinx. How some of them still haven’t been released for petty dealings in 2020.

We speak about mental health. How Justin or ‘J the Don’ was my first psychiatrist at 23.

When my therapist suggested Prozac, it was his hand out with a, “Yo, you wanna smoke?” that saved me and made me trust myself.

We speak on just how warped it is that alcohol and cigarettes are so freely available to consumers, but cause the most damage.

And not only psychologically - we watched cigarettes kill our grandmother and alcoholism destroy our organs.

We pray for the ones who got out of jail and are so traumatized by their incarceration experience that after 10 years, the talk of marijuana at a gathering sparks PTSD. How somehow a plant they once adored has become the one they have come to fear, like

] “No other drug can compete with Cannabis for its ability to satisfy the innate yearnings for archaic boundary dissolution, and yet leave intact the structures of ordinary society.”

]

-Terence McKenna

the stigma imposed by Baby Boomers or conservatives. How they recall handcuffs instead of happy times and Purple Haze.

We speak on how the system of religion once demonized this medicine and its enthusiasts, only to now be glorified in handheld podcasts as rituals for new moons. How it’s been appropriated from the Himalayas to Ethiopia, and used against their same great great grandsons in courtrooms.

We speak on how many friends have a misdemeanor on their record still, and can only get jobs at the local Nissan car dealership.

How weed has become as trendy as yoga and matcha tea lattes, but has had a trail of pain and broken families behind it - with most new users never having to endure or recall the trauma that came to families affected by its criminalization before legalization.

How every city should follow Oakland’s blueprint of bringing equity and opportunity within the Cannabis industry to those previously incarcerated.

How we can’t relive another John Sutter-esque Gold Rush, where so many people are uprooted from their place of prosperity - we all deserve a piece of the pie.

How the government needs to stop being such a damn killjoy.

Because at the end of the day When we ALL sit down to split the nugget, dissect the seeds and smoke the tree We all have the same innate need No matter the race, the color, the creed To just, simply Feel good, feel equal, feel free

THE EQUALITY ISSUE

LAST PRISONER PROJECT

The Last Prisoner Project won’t stop until every Cannabis ‘criminal’ is free.

leafnationmd.com

28

THE LAST PRISONER. The phrase carries its own gravitational pull.

The weight, the importance, the finality of the word ‘last’ - a terminal statement that means ‘beyond this point, there will be no more.’ Here in the world’s most profusely incarcerated nation - where prison is a multi-billion-dollar, profitable industry that people actually buy stock in - the idea of a ‘last’ prisoner seems unattainable. But that’s exactly what Last Prisoner Project strives to achieve. Thousands upon thousands of nonviolent Cannabis offenders languish in cell block purgatory for committing acts now deemed not only legal, but necessary in many states - and the LPP refuses to rest until the last of those prisoners walks free.

Founded in 2019 by legendary Cannabis activist Steve DeAngelo, LPP seeks not mere clemency and commutation, but the eradication of all non-violent Cannabis convictions past, present and future.

It’s a battle that’s been fought in the street and on protest frontlines for decades, and now that Cannabis is available for legal curbside pickup in large swaths of the nation, the LPP hopes to bring another level of organization to the movement - employing political intervention and advocacy, celebrity awareness campaigns and industry-driven financial firepower in the fight.

C A S U A LT I E S I N A N U N J U S T W A R

A AUG. 2020

ccording to a comprehensive incarceration study conducted by the ACLU in 2010 (and updated in 2018), Cannabis offenses account for more than half of all drug arrests in the United States. And those arrests disproportionately impact disadvantaged communities.

Last Prisoner Project actively advocates for dozens of prisoners currently behind

“AS THE SAYING GOES: WHEN THE DISPENSARY LOOKS LIKE AN APPLE STORE, IT’S TIME TO RELEASE A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM PRISON.”

E

nlisting the help of influential figures such as Snoop Dogg, GZA and Chelsea Handler, LPP raises public awareness of cases like Thompson’s, mobilizing the citizenry to apply pressure to policy makers to change unjust laws and fight for clemency for current prisoners.

The organization itself continues to add starpower to its ranks, with advocates such as Melissa Etheridge, Stephen and Damian Marley, and Oregon’s own celebrity Cannabis business owner Jim Belushi currently sitting on its board.

And it’s working. For instance, Bailey said the LPP has engaged with more than 130,000 concerned citizens via FreeMichaelThompson.com in a drive to pressure Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer to award Thopmson with clemency.

They haven’t won the fight yet, but with increased awareness, Bailey feels optimistic about their chances.

TEAMING UP AGAINST INJUSTICE

bars for possession and distribution of Cannabis, providing legal and financial assistance and amplifying individual stories in order to shine a spotlight on the injustice of incarcerating nonviolent Cannabis consumers.

Delving into the stories listed on the LPP website, certain common threads weave through the narratives. All are charged either with possession or nonviolent distribution-related activities. Many are racial minorities or are from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. And all of them are currently serving or have served excessive sentences.

One of the highest profile Cannabis POWs on LPP’s list is Michael Thompson: A Flint, Michigan resident 25 years into a 40-to-60-year sentence stemming from a 1996 bust in which he sold Cannabis to an informant. The case was exacerbated by prior nonviolent offenses and the fact that after his arrest, two guns were found when executing a warrant to search the then 45-year-old’s home. (Thompson

asserted that one gun was an antique family heirloom and the other belonged to Thompson’s wife). At this point, Thompson will be well into his 80s when he can qualify for parole.

I F YO U ’ R E N OT A N G RY, YO U’R E N OT PAY I N G AT T E N T I O N

The way LPP Managing Director Mary Bailey sees it, everyone who benefits from Cannabis should be infuriated by the imprisonment of Thompson and other nonviolent offenders.

“Anyone who has been incarcerated for Cannabis is a victim of unjust laws,” Bailey said.

“They are the pioneers of this industry and they are the experts in the field. Cannabis has been deemed essential in the midst of a global crisis, and it’s an absolute travesty that there are so many people incarcerated.”

As the saying goes: When the dispensary looks like an Apple store, it’s time to release a lot of people from prison. It’s only fitting that dispensaries themselves get involved in the fight.

“This past year, we’ve really been looking at Cannabis policy reform in our country,” said Emily Carideo, Marketing Manager for Golden Leaf Holdings, a company that operates businesses in multiple states including the Chalice Farms chain of dispensaries in Oregon. ”Once we saw (Last Prisoner Project’s) mission, it really resonated with us.”

Chalice and Golden Leaf Holdings recently committed to donating monthly to the LPP, and to using their retail and social platforms to help amplify the organization’s message.

“Once you hear those stories directly, it’s pretty difficult to not realize that you need to do something,” Carideo said.

Many other regional and national Cannabis and industry adjacent brands have committed to raising money and awareness for the cause, including Oregon’s East Fork Farms, Buddies, PuffCo, Dr. Bronner’s, PAX, Wana and more.

The full list of companies is available by visiting LastPrisonerProject.org.

The way Bailey sees it, the more awareness, amplification and financial firepower LPP brings to the fight, the better chance the organization has of achieving justice for those still unjustly held for nonviolent Cannabis offenses.

It’s a long way to ‘last’ - but the Cannabis community can get there together, one act of clemency at a time. L ASTPRISONERPROJE C T . O R G

STORY by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS for LEAF NATION | PHOTO by IANA ALTER

THE EQUALITY ISSUE

HOOD INCUBATOR

Co-founders Lanese Martin & Ebele Ifedigbo discuss what’s next for the Black-led, Bay Area-born organization committed to reversing the harmful impacts of America’s drug war.

leafnationmd.com

30

WE COULD USE A LOT MORE PLACES LIKE HOOD INCUBATOR IN THE WORLD. aug. 2020

Founded by Lanese Martin and Ebele Ifedigbo in 2016, Hood Incubator is an organization with the stated goal of “ending the drug war and reversing its harmful impacts on Black communities.” Initially, Martin and Ifedigbo focused on their local community in Oakland with a business accelerator, assisting hopeful Cannabis entrepreneurs with the resources, training and mentorship required to land a permit with the city.

“There was this wave of Cannabis legalization happening, first in Colorado and then in these other Pacific Northwestern states,” said Ifedigbo of their motivation to partner with Martin on Hood Incubator. “We were seeing a trend of the industry being whitewashed.

Knowing that California is a leader in this industry - and seeing that some of the factors that we needed to do this work were already in place there - we decided to launch here, in Oakland, and pick up the work from there.”

However, as time has gone on, it has become apparent to Hood Incubator’s founders that focusing too intently on Cannabis justice is akin, in Martin’s words, “to putting on a Band-Aid, but a bunch of blood keeps flowing out.” In this case, blood is taking the form of housing instability, voter disenfranchisement, and the large scale refusal of public institutions and private businesses to fund Black-led endeavors.

“That’s when we realized that we needed to start organizing people to make sure they understood these systemic issues,” Martin explained by phone to California Leaf. “We also want them to know that they have the skillset to dismantle them, both in their local communities as well as nationally. That’s what led us to the current work we’re doing.”

That new work has largely taken the form of organizing and networking. Martin is currently working to add a handful of national Hood Incubator affiliates across the country. With soft verbal agreements currently in place with existing organizations in cities like Chicago, Los Angeles and Buffalo, NY, Martin is hoping her organization can assist with eliminating redundant policy conversations by bringing people with past experience together.

“New York City shouldn’t be talking about legislation that Oakland or Los Angeles has already tried and learned doesn’t work,” Martin explained. “You can learn from something that Chicago did or something that St. Louis did, so The game speaks to what Hood Incubator’s founders feel is the we really need to make sure that we start having next chapter in the battle: shining a spotlight on the intertwined these conversations together, especially at the histories of past federal drug policy and the demands for justice local level.” now emanating from streets across the country.

Even as Hood Incubator looks to expand its “Our organizing tenet is to meet folks where they’re at and footprint, it still continues to offer the services that to provide that direct service,” Martin said. “Then you can start first cemented the organization as a vital asset to building the base for the larger issue and that’s what we’re the community. That includes doing. What we have now is a group the aforementioned “Cannabis of people who don’t know how a

BY CONNECTING THE DOTS Accelerator” program, which bill becomes a law outside of that consists of eight sessions held BETWEEN POLICY, POT AND cartoon that we got to watch in over four weeks. In a three elementary school - if they showed it THE POWER OF THE VOTE, series intensive course, parto you.”

HOOD INCUBATOR HOPES ticipants learn about power By connecting the dots between (both generally and as it relates TO HELP LOCAL COMMUNITIES policy, pot and the power of the vote, specifically to the Cannabis inHood Incubator hopes to help local HARNESS THEIR dustry), as well as technical skills communities harness their collective COLLECTIVE STRENGTH. and campaign development. strength. Part of that work involves While those offerings cater reframing and reinvigorating the to individuals ready to make a conversation around the idea that the fight doesn’t end with a full professional commitment to Cannabis, Hood Cannabis permit. Martin points to grassroots campaigns like Ban Incubator also features more laid back, drop-in the Box and Defund the Police as examples of the broader coacurriculum as well. litions that she wants to see Cannabis activists align themselves One example is their “Higher Learning” series: with - if true change is the desired outcome. a monthly gathering to discuss an item of news “We want to tell people that you have the power to dismantle or work of art related to the intersection of Black the impact of the drug war,” Martin said. “It’s less about ‘you’re life and the war on drugs. Martin also previews making money while my cousin’s still in jail.’ It’s about giving an upcoming ‘virtual edutainment experience’ in people the opportunity to get the full, political education of what the form of an online trivia game that will provide went down and what their role is in keeping the status quo. More players both with fun Cannabis facts, as well as importantly, we want them to understand what their role can be in foundational information on the drug war and its dismantling the status quo, so that we can get to the shared vision lasting impacts. of justice that we want.” LEARN MORE AT HOODINCUBATOR.ORG

STORY by ZACK RUSKIN @ZACKRUSKIN for LEAF NATION| PHOTOS by RACHEL BUJALSKI @RACHELBUJALSKI

THE EQUALITY ISSUE

Q&A | CEO CHRIS BALL From hustling ounces, sitting in prison facing 10 years of federal time, to legal Cannabis business ownership in the most competitive market in the country - Chris Ball’s love affair with the plant spans decades.

ball family farms

32

THE EARLY YEARS

leafnationmd.com

Chris Ball grew up with a pretty normal childhood in South Central Los Angeles, in the quiet suburb of Rowland Heights. At the young age of only eight-years-old, Ball had his first exposure to Cannabis - even though he wasn’t aware of what it was at the time. He began to notice that his father would retire to the couch after dinner, grab a rolling tray and twist up and enjoy a funny smelling cigarette, while his mother would relax with a glass of wine.

He would smell the same funny smelling cigarettes and watch his uncles, cousins and even grandmother enjoy them at family functions.

As he got older, he came to understand what the substance was, but was left perplexed by the seemingly opposite paradigms that were being presented to him.

On one hand, the Reagan administration was pushing the “Just Say No” campaign, spreading the message that drugs, including Cannabis, were bad for you and to reject experimenting with any and all substances.

On the other hand, his real world experience showed him that was not the case at all.

The Ball Family would always score their herb from Chris’ cousin Earl and eventually, Ball connected the dots and the foundations of his enthusiasm for Cannabis business began to take shape. His cousin Earl always had the newest sneakers, the freshest fits and a nice car - and Ball realized this was a result of him selling weed. He got his first ounce from his cousin at 16 and got to work learning how to sell Cannabis.

AUG. 2020

STORY by NATE WILLIAMS @NATEW415 | PHOTOS by BALL FAMILY FARMS

MICHAEL, CHRIS AND CHARLES BALL

Dabbling in the weed game was fun and mildly lucrative for him, but Ball had big dreams and his innate athleticism drove him to pursue a professional football career. He used the profits from selling weed to fund his basic needs and schooling at Mt. San Antonio Community College, where he was able to earn a full ride scholarship to UC Berkeley to play football.

A GROWING PASSION FOR THE PLANT

Once at UC Berkeley, he stopped hustling weed on the side as it was no longer a necessity.

The scholarship provided the support he needed to focus on going pro and Ball’s sights were set on the NFL. After he graduated, he was recruited to join training camp with the 49ers but was cut before making the final roster.

Instead, he caught the attention of some CFL scouts and wound up landing a contract to play professionally in Canada. It was there that Ball would be bitten by the cultivation bug.

“Before then, I was just a middle man, you know? I just got weed and then I sold it and made a couple extra bucks,” he recalls.

Chris’ best friend on the team’s girlfriend had a brother who was a grower in Vancouver, and the three made several visits to go and gawk at his garden. Once Ball discovered the per pound cultivation cost, he knew instantly there were amazing margins to work with if he could buy in Canada

and sell in Los Angeles.

It turns out being from Los Angeles and working for the Canadian Football League would provide the perfect cover for Ball to transport product from Vancouver to Southern California without raising any red flags. Establishing this route in 2003 or 2004, he gained popularity in the LA scene quickly because he could undercut the rest of the market’s prices - thanks to the enhanced margins he was working with.

For over five years, Ball ran Canadian packs down the West Coast to LA. Here he was building a name for himself in the scene, as well as a substantial network, all while gaining boots-on-the-ground experience and learning invaluable lessons. What began as a means to simply provide for himself and support his passion for football had ultimately altered his life path in a major way, becoming his new passion.

HITTING THE FAN

Then, suddenly everything came to a screeching halt in 2010 when Ball was arrested and indicted on federal racketeering charges. The move came shortly after Ball began working with a new business partner who, as it turns out, was being watched by the feds. In the long run, Ball would find out that this business partner was working for El Chapo. Yes, that El Chapo. About six months after meeting this new business partner, the author-

ities swooped in and arrested Ball, charging him and 13 others with violating the RICO act. Chris was looking at up to 10 years of prison time.

Fortunately, Ball was able to afford a good attorney who was able to get him an accurate idea of what they had against him.

With it being his first offense and the minimal amount of evidence they had against him personally in the case, Ball and his lawyer worked a plea bargain for 30 months for admitting to his part in the illegal trafficking activity.

His lawyer also worked to get him bail and won an appeal to keep Ball from having to serve his 30 month sentence until the trial was over.

The other defendants would fight their cases and trials, lasting about four years before coming to a close. During this time, Ball lived life on the upand-up and kept his nose clean, working corporate retail jobs and paying his taxes.

As the case wrapped up and it was time for Ball to face sentencing for his 30 month bid, his lawyer came to bat for him yet again and argued that the main target of the investigation and indictment was handed a five year sentence. Whereas Ball, a first time offender, was handed nearly three years and for the last four years had been a gainfully employed, tax paying and law abiding citizen.

The judge gave Ball ‘time served’ and in 2014 he walked out of the courtroom a free man. >> Continues pg. 34

THE EQUALITY ISSUE

ball family farms >> Continued from pg. 33

BACK ON THE HORSE

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34

There is no doubt that Ball has a deep passion production. By 2017, Ball had gotten wind of for the plant. Within a matter of weeks of narrowLos Angeles’ equity program and realized he ly avoiding a multi-year prison sentence stemqualified. ming from his involvement “pushing the pack,” In January of 2018, California legalized he was filling a 14 light grow room with plants Cannabis and by December of that same and flipping on the lights to take his first shot at year, Ball received an Adult-Use production growing Cannabis himself. license from the state.

Shortly after the trial was finished, Ball went to collect on an owed debt from a former business GROWING PAINS OF A NASCENT INDUSTRY associate. He ended up accepting the grow in Despite Ball’s good fortune to learn of Los place of the money that was owed to him and it Angeles’ equity program early on and obtain was off to the races. Granted, it wasn’t without licensure in the first year of California’s recredealing with growing’s steep learning curve that ational legality, he had no qualms vocalizing he was able to produce anything of value with his disappointment with the way the system the grow. “I burnt up currently functions. “I plants for a good two won’t lie to you,” he says WITHIN A MATTER OF WEEKS years not knowing what when asked about how OF NARROWLY AVOIDING I was doing,” he exthe program helped him plained. “But the more with the process. “They A MULTI-YEAR PRISON you grow, the more you granted me the license SENTENCE STEMMING FROM learn, the more people and then that was it. It you ask for help. And would be the equivalent HIS INVOLVEMENT “PUSHING you meet people - I met of you getting a football THE PACK,” CHRIS BALL WAS a couple cool cats that scholarship and then FILLING A 14 LIGHT GROW were willing to come in they don’t pay for your and split some equity housing, they give you ROOM WITH PLANTS AND with me and teach me no money for books, FLIPPING ON THE LIGHTS the ropes.” they give you no money TO TAKE HIS FIRST SHOT AT In the same year his for food, they give you trial was finished - and no tutors - they just say GROWING CANNABIS HIMSELF. despite crystal clear you can come to the warnings by the judge school.” that any Cannabis related conviction would have From Ball’s perspective, the system may Ball going straight to jail - he had new partners lower the barrier of entry for applicants to and was taking steps towards vertically integratenter the industry, but it does nothing to ing his business with his new cultivation facility. support newly licensed operators who are From 2015 to 2016, he refined his cultivation forced to overcome a nightmarishly steep skills and really learned the ins and outs of learning curve to stay in business. Had Ball not had years of experience in growing and a substantial network from his prior distribution efforts - learning the tough lessons that come along with being successful in the illicit Cannabis market during that time - he would BALLFAMILYFARMS.COM | @BALLFAMILYFARMS have never made it into the legal market with

AUG. 2020

a legitimate, licensed and state recognized business.

“There needs to be some money, and some help and some consulting behind the scholarship of the license,” says Ball.

Despite an incredibly thorough 75+ page report analyzing potential barriers that may prevent social equity applicants from equitable access to the legal Cannabis industry - along with opportunities to overcome these barriers commissioned by Los Angeles before California legalized in 2018 and having received over $7.8 million in funding since October of 2019 - complicated issues remain. Here, Ball’s real world experience and the overall lack of diversity in the space indicate the need for further investment into the development of the structure of the industry’s equity programs not just in Los Angeles, but across California.

STORY by NATE WILLIAMS @NATEW415 | PHOTOS by BALL FAMILY FARMS

THE EQUALITY ISSUE

“ W O M E N S H O U L D B E P R I M A R I LY RESPECTED FOR THEIR KNOWLEDGE O N C U LT I VAT I O N , G E N E T I C S , R E TA I L M A N A G E M E N T A N D BUSINESS INVESTMENTS - NOT JUST HOW PRETTY THEY LOOK S M O K I N G W E E D O N I N S TA G R A M .”

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Where Do Women Fit in the Cannabis Industry?

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WE’VE ALL READ THE ARTICLES AND LISTENED TO PODCASTS ABOUT THE UPHILL BATTLES WOMEN FACE IN THE CANNABIS ARENA, RANGING EVERYWHERE FROM INVESTMENTS AND OWNERSHIP TO SEXUAL HARASSMENT.

I could give you data from a 2020 UCLA study about how women working in dispensaries report significantly greater levels of sexual harassment and unwanted sexual attention than men. Or we could talk about how multiple studies confirm a correlation between traditional masculine gender norms and increased Cannabis use.

However, none of the data or anecdotes will change the minds of some. Many people think they understand sexism in Cannabis as just that - regular sexism - without diving into the history behind it.

To really get an understanding of how the Cannabis industry got to this point, we need to go back to the illicit black market days, before legalization. With the trap came the risks, especially for women. Women were typically kept away from positions of ownership or authority since most of the underground game was tough and masculine, both as a culture and as a means of actual physical security. Because of this, women involved in the illicit Cannabis markets were either drug mules

AUG. 2020

or, more commonly, intimately involved with someone along the supply chain.

Now that the industry has shifted into the light, a lot of the same key players remain on top - breeders, cultivators, suppliers, you name it. A lot of those staple figures are heterosexual men that spent a long time in the same market honing their craft and waiting for legalization. An inherent problem with that, however, is that a lot of the same attitudes and ideas shifted to the legal market at the same time. And why wouldn’t they if they worked so well underground? The reason a variety of these issues remain the same is because the culture never changed from the underground to the legal market.

At the same time, white collar investment companies and large overseas firms began to sink their teeth into the Cannabis space. There’s no need to dive into sexism and discrimination in corporate companies because it’s already well researched and discussed, but the need to highlight its presence in Cannabis is important.

Between the two ultra-masculine powerhouses of the illicit and corporate worlds, women have been historically held back from real engagement and involvement. Now that we’ve taken a look at how men have

influenced Cannabis, it’s time to shift toward the other end of the spectrum: the perpetuation of sexist stereotypes by other women.

There’s been a push over the years to make space for women by showcasing stereotypical traits - like vibrant pink colors, manicures, jewelry and other traditional behaviors.

When looking at ‘normal’ events that aren’t geared to any gender (which is debatable), Cannabis is the focus with top-shelf flower, high quality hash, heady glass and equipment dominating discussions. At women-forward events, there seems to be a focus on femininity and aesthetics more than the Cannabis, or the real ways in which women are involved with it.

CBD products are heavily marketed toward women at these events, like eye creams and moisturizers, in lieu of cannagars or specialty blunts that are featured at several other non-gendered events. Commonly, women are marketed to by companies and other women by using femininity to sell products instead of actual quality.

Being feminine is not inherently bad and does a lot of meaningful good by proving that anyone can be ‘girly’ and consume Cannabis. Women should be primarily respected for their knowledge on cultivation, genetics, retail management and business investments - not just how pretty they look smoking weed on Instagram.

Between the underground market players becoming legitimate, the corporate world wedging itself at the top of major chain networks, and companies playing off traditional gender norms, women are fighting obstacles at multiple angles. Old school players from the black market need to realize their roles in perpetuating harmful stereotypes of sexualizing women or by keeping the top positions a ‘boys club’ only.

Corporate Cannabis needs to understand that women are more than just pretty faces to greet customers to boost sales, and deserve the same pay as their male coworkers for the same work.

Women need to understand that women also love quality products and not just stereotypically traditional services and events - we’re more than eye creams and jewelry. Sexism will never be completely eradicated from the field, but the best we can do is try to understand it and learn from it, progressing toward a better future in Cannabis.

STORY by ALEX WORKMAN @WORKDUBS for LEAF NATION | ART by @ANGELINA_BAMBINA_DSGN

#MARYLANDLEAF @MARYLANDLEAF MDLEAF

Affordable Advertising Available email Wyatt@LeafNationMD.com for details on including your brand & company in the Sept./Oct./Nov. 2020 Maryland Leaf!

THE EQUALITY ISSUE

Transcend TELL ME ABOUT YOUR TRANSITION. Well, I’ve been on hormone replacement therapy for fourand-a-half years. I feel like it was missing from my body. My brain needed it, my body needed it. I was constantly hearing things like ‘you’re weird’ and ‘guys don’t do that.’ That’s what I’ve heard a lot, but I wasn’t a guy, although they thought I was. I tried to believe I was a guy because I was told I was, and I lived as one but I believed there was a Santa Claus, too, until I learned that he doesn’t exist.

WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ON EQUALITY IN THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY? I don’t know a single

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EFFIE LOU WARREN

owner that is LGBTQIA. I have heard a statistic that 30% of Cannabis users are LGBT, but I don’t know of any owners. People love to stereotype, stoners included, but I try to prove that wrong. Yes, I can!

STICKY BUDZ REGIONAL SALES MANAGER

IS THIS THE RIGHT COMMUNITY FOR YOU RIGHT NOW? Well, it’s the only place I want

@EFFIE_MLM

leafnationmd.com

“I KNOW WHO MY PEOPLE ARE AND I’M REALLY PROUD OF THE SHOPS WHO AREN’T RUN BY BIGOTS.”

to be. And to be honest, I don’t think there is another industry that would accept me this well for who I am. I’m proud of MLM, the parent company for Sticky Budz. When I took many interviews before them, I always thought I was going to get a call back, but it never came.

It was Tiffany Louie who gave me my shot. If it were not for her, I would not be in this business and now I’ve been a part of the organization for over two years - enjoying a lot of success.

DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU’VE BEEN JUDGED AT ALL BY THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY? I know there

are a certain amount of shops I shouldn’t go to. They won’t welcome me to have lunch with them, they won’t allow me to do a vendor day with them. And I have to keep my mouth shut so I don’t lose those accounts. Yet, I still have to win these shops over. I’m gonna get in your shop, Dude! You know why? Because I’m gonna have product you need. And you know what I’m gonna do when that happens?

I’m gonna walk my flamingo ass in there so perched up and you’re not going to be able to say anything, because I’m making you money.

I’m fucking gangster! Otherwise, I know who my people are and I’m really proud of the shops who aren’t run by bigots.

RIGHT ON. THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING FOR YOU, EFFIE. Actually, I’m not just gangster,

but I’m gay and I’m proud - I’m a trans woman who deserves to exist just like any woman or man.

AUG. 2020

INTERVIEW by MIKE RICKER | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

ndence

D

IFFERENTIATION IS EVERYWHERE. No two organisms, due to the laws of physics, are truly identical. And obviously, when it comes to people, we are not above those laws.

One can liken the varying differences of personality and appearance to a sky filled with clouds - from the naked eye they all appear white and similar, but to watch their existence unfold over time, one will see that they change form and directive in accordance with the elements from which they were borne.

But as society cannot directly control or change the course of a cloud, there is an overwhelming agenda to control people by manipulating parameters that go against our innate instinct to flow and evolve in congruence with nature.

From the time we are birthed, the lessons begin to shape us into what optimally benefits the greater collective by providing a system that keeps it simple: boys wear blue and girls wear pink, ad infinitum.

And as this pounding of information into impressionable minds is effective for most, for many who don’t fit into that narrow ideological picture-perfect frame, living their truth becomes paramount to their mental wellness, and ultimately their survival.

Here, we have two members of the Cannabis community who celebrate their individuality through the daily display of who they are at the very core - for us to recognize and embrace as we struggle to find the answers to our own existence.

Their mettle is an example of how we can all improve this rare miracle called the human experience, as we grasp for clarity with the intention of living the best, most authentic life possible.

I found that it helps with PTSD and the pain of growing older. I got on board with that and started looking at the history of prohibition and became intrigued as a reporter to fight back against the false propaganda surrounding the plant. And I used to be a gourmet beer snob, so I quit drinking beer and translated that energy towards becoming a gourmet Cannabis smoker.

WAS IT HARD FOR YOU TO COME OUT AS TRANS? I came out to my dad after the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando in 2016, because I was really torn up about that - my dad is gay. And then I came out as trans to the public in 2018. I think I have an advantage over some gay men because I grew up straight without the torment of being a gay person, because I was a girl who liked boys. So, the torment was from being a guy in a girl’s body. Being gay is new because I’ve always been trans. But the world is now defining me as gay by sexual preferences. I’m not too into labels anyway.

ZANE VORENBERG HIGH 5 CANNABIS BUDTENDER & CANNABIS JOURNALIST

SPEAKING OF LABELS, DO YOU SEE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HOW THEY ARE ATTACHED BETWEEN STANDARD SOCIETY AND THE CANNABIS SOCIETY? Yes, to a certain degree. I think the Cannabis

@EXPLODINGEGG AS A CANNABIS JOURNALIST, WHAT HAVE YOU COVERED?

Over the years I’ve written about Cannabis legalization in various states.

I covered medical legalization in New Mexico, covered legalization for the Columbian here in Vancouver, and then jetted out on my own as a freelancer.

SO, I ASSUME YOU KNEW YOU WERE GAY AT A YOUNG AGE, BUT AT WHAT AGE DID CANNABIS COME INTO YOUR LIFE AND CHANGE EVERYTHING ELSE?

Well, the term ‘gay’ is sort of strange for me as a trans guy because I was straight (laughs). I mean, I knew I was trans when I was four or five, but there were no words for it really. So I was kind of making it up as I went along - the ‘being me’ experience, I guess. I smoked in high school, blowing off steam, but then I gave it up for 30 years. Then, when legalization started, a friend of mine took an eighth of Master Kush and dumped it on my kitchen counter and said, “If you’re going to be writing about this, you’re going to have to know what you’re talking about.” So, I got a pipe, smoked some and thought to myself, ‘Wow, this is pretty nice.’

“I THINK THE CANNABIS WORLD AND THE JOURNALISM WORLD ARE MORE OPENMINDED TO PEOPLE WHO ARE DIFFERENT OR QUIRKY.”

world and the journalism world are more open-minded to people who are different or quirky. This world has been really welcoming for me as I transition. High 5 is a very diverse workplace. There’s another gay guy on the staff, there are Black and brown staffers, bisexual folks, and many of the crew speak multiple languages - including sign language, which helps a lot with our equally diverse customer base. It’s a very nice fit for me, with a lot of open-minded people.

COULD YOU SEE YOURSELF IN ANY OTHER INDUSTRY THAT WOULD BE AS ACCEPTING FOR WHO YOU ARE? Not really. It’s nice to be treated

with respect because nobody in this industry really cares about your differences. And I’m open about being trans. I like being open about being trans, because people will make up their own preconceived notions about things they have no experience with, so it gives me the opportunity to be a positive example for people who don’t know anyone who is trans. I’d like to change people’s misconception that a trans person is supposed to be weird or different. We are a normal part of human society that has always existed.

INTERVIEW by MIKE RICKER | PHOTO by FLETCHER WOLD @FWOLD_PHOTOGRAPHY

THE EQUALITY ISSUE

THEON WITH HIS PARENTS, JESSI AND JAMES.

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AUG. 2020

fragile warrior Meet Theon Preston, a pediatric patient from Oregon battling Osteogenesis Imperfecta Type 1, better known as Brittle Bone Disease. Coupled with ADHD and Sensory Processing Disorder, Theon is a fragile yet ferocious warrior. Watch out world - with the help of the Cannabis plant alongside a loving and supportive family - Theon lives his best life playing with his cat and dog, admiring crystals, and enjoying movies like Star Wars and Transformers.

HOW DOES YOUR MEDICINE MAKE YOU FEEL?

Theon: It makes me feel better, better all over.

It makes my pain go away and my brain focus, so my body does what I want it to do. I don’t like when my body does not listen.

WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE TRANSFORMER AND WHY?

Theon: Bumblebee is my favorite Transformer, but I would like an Optimus Prime toy. I like Bumblebee the best because he talks using the radio and music, and I love music.

WHEN DID YOU FIRST START INTRODUCING CANNABIS INTO THEON’S LIFE? WHAT ARE SOME OF THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT YOU’VE ENCOUNTERED SINCE?

Theon’s Mother Jessi: I first started introducing Cannabis into Theon’s life two years ago, after he broke both his arms and had to have a rod placed in each arm while they were healing. The doctors gave him painkillers that made him feel very aggravated and incoherent. If he was to take the painkillers at the rate he was, for every break he sustained, his liver would be damaged before puberty. I did not want to risk him having long term health problems for temporary pain relief.

Cannabis helped his pain while making his mind clearer, not incoherent. Cannabis does not damage his liver and actually has side effects that are beneficial for him, such as inducing his appetite.

Theon takes different strains at different times of the day, and different doses depending on the level of pain he is in. For example, he needs a larger dose after a break than he does on a daily basis to deal with his daily pain. In the daytime he uses a strain high in the terpene limonene to help his appetite and motor coordination. At night he uses a strain high in the terpene myrcene to help ease his muscle spasms and inflammation, while also helping him to relax into sleep.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE THE WORLD TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THEON AND OSTEOGENESIS IMPERFECTA TYPE 1 + SENSORY PROCESSING DISORDER?

Jessi: Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI aka Brittle Bone Disease) is a genetic disorder that is caused by a mutation in the gene that affects bone formation and strength. Though it is most commonly associated with the skeletal system, it does affect other body tissue as well. OI is a lifelong condition, meaning there is no cure for it and very limited treatment is available.

Some notable traits in children with OI are short stature, bone deformity and pain, low bone density, loose joints and ligament laxity. Theon deals with all those traits.

He has a rare combination of OI, ADHD and Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), which puts him at higher risk for injury. His brain is telling him to seek sensory stimulus, while his body is too fragile to handle the stimulus.

My job as his mom is to keep him safe, at the same time keeping his mind occupied with body safe activities. As he says, his medicine helps him feel better all over and really changed his quality of life. Since he has been on Cannabis, he has not had any breaks because it helps him focus and make safer decisions. Because of Cannabis he is a happy boy with what I hope will be a bright future.

“IT MAKES MY PAIN GO AWAY AND MY BRAIN FOCUS, SO MY BODY DOES WHAT I WANT IT TO DO.”

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHER PARENTS WHO ARE CONSIDERING GIVING THEIR CHILDREN CANNABIS FOR MEDICAL REASONS?

Jessi: I would suggest parents do research into what has worked for other children with the same diagnosis as their child. When you hear success stories it takes the fear away. I would also suggest starting off with a small dose and try different strains until you find one, or a combination of strains and doses, that work for your child specifically. Everyone has a unique endocannabinoid system, and thus needs a different dose and strain to help them.

FACEBOOK.COM/THEONSMEDICALNEEDS

STORY by MAX EARLY @LIFTED_STARDUST for LEAF NATION| PHOTO by AMANDA DAY @TERPODACTYL_MEDIA

In a medium bowl, combine the sliced banana with the lemon juice and canna-oil. Freeze in a plastic bag. In a small pan, warm the oil. Stir in the cocoa

cooking with Cannabis

and agave or honey and mix till smooth. Add the vanilla and set aside. Place the frozen bananas in the bowl of a food processor. Puree until smooth.

Immediately scoop into serving bowls or place in the freezer in a freezer safe bowl. To serve, place a scoop of ice cream in serving bowls, drizzle with the chocolate sauce and sprinkle with the chopped coconuts. Serves 4.

MANGO SORBET In the bowl of a food processor, combine all the ingredients. Process until smooth. Pour the mixture into a bowl. Cover and chill for 2 hours. Pour the mixture into the freezer can of an ice-cream freezer and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions. Spoon sorbet into glasses immediately and serve or keep in the freezer in a freezer safe bowl or container. Serves 4.

2 medium ripe mangoes, about 2 cups, cubed 1 cup fresh pineapple, in chunks 3 tablespoons pineapple juice 4 teaspoons canna-oil 1 tablespoon lime juice 2 tablespoons agave

MAGICAL BANANA SUNDAE

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3 medium bananas, peeled and sliced 1 tablespoon lemon juice 4 teaspoons canna-oil 2 tablespoons canola oil 2 tablespoons cocoa powder 1 teaspoon agave nectar or honey ½ teaspoon vanilla 4 tablespoons walnuts, chopped

In a blender combine the yogurt, oil and blueberries. Place 1/3 of the blueberry/yogurt mixture in a bowl and keep in the fridge. Divide the angel food cake among the 4 bowls. Pour 2/3 of the blueberry mixture over the cake. Freeze. Remove from the freezer and top with the sliced strawberries. Top with the remaining blueberry/yogurt mixture.

Freeze again until firm. At serving time allow the dessert to sit at

leafnationmd.com

room temperature for about 5-10 minutes. Serves 4.

ANGELBERRY FROZEN TRIFLE

REFRESH & RELAX aug. 2020

12 ounces nonfat vanilla yogurt 4 teaspoons canna-butter or oil 1 ½ cups blueberries 1 cup angel food cake, torn in small pieces 1 cup strawberries, thinly sliced

Isn’t this just nuts? Honestly, I am in a constant state of shock, and more than ever, Cannabis is my friend. And for a little extra support, I am adding some CBD oil to my morning coffee and nighttime warm milk. It’s delicious - just warm the milk, add CBD oil, a teaspoon of honey, some vanilla and cinnamon. If you want to make some CBD oil, follow the recipe for THC infusions - you won’t get high, but you will feel better. And who doesn’t want to feel better? These icy treats will refresh! And if you make a bunch, they will be ready in your freezer at a moments notice. Think of all the possibilities in the fruit department. The superb CBD is from East Fork Cultivars and the strain Life Coach is from Noble Farms, where they grow some serious herb.

Last week I made a blueberry almond pie with their Blueberry Kush. It made me a tiny bit happy that we didn’t really have to share the pie. #sixfeetapart #Dontfeartheedible RECIPES by LAURIE WOLF | PHOTOS by BRUCE WOLF

MELTINGPOINTEXTRACTS.COM | @MPX_US

SAUCE 42% THC 23.3% total terps 7.4% myrcene 3.3% limonene 2.8% terpinolene 2.3% pinene 2.7% caryophyllene

“ WA F TS O F F LO R A L , C I T R U S , P I N E A N D G AS M A K E F O R UN D E N I A B LY S P I CY A N D DIVE R S E A RO M AS . ”

STRAWDAIRY LAMB QUEEN MPX

Melting Point Extracts, one of Maryland’s premier medical extraction companies, just put out their StrawDairy Lamb Queen diamond sauce - an exquisite example of quality crystalline medicine. First and foremost, I want to acknowledge that MPX diamonds have consistently been the largest diamond chunks I’ve had the experience of purchasing, with these Lamb Queens being nothing short of boulders. And the sauce dripping from these rocks is equally eye-popping, if not moreso.

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

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D I A M ON D SAUCE

As a patient I am always extremely excited by big, fat d iamonds dripping in a stanky, sticky sauce. But as a reviewer and someone concerned with the quality of my products, the massive size of these diamonds makes it easy spot any potential impurities in the crystal formation - something you can’t do as easily or at all with smaller, sugary diamonds. Simply hold these Lamb Queens up to a light and watch it shine through, glittery and alluring.

There is a very loud, yet indistinct, terpene profile that bursts from the 23.3% total terp count, with a 7% myrcene dominance and equal ratios of limonene, terpinolene, caryophyllene and pinene.

Best described as a diesel essence combined with the finest cleaning smells at the grocery store, wafts of floral, citrus, pine and gas make for undeniably spicy and diverse aromas.

The dabs themselves echoed the flavor diversity in that each and every dab contained a different nuance that was never repeated, but always well paired.

One dab gave me a flash of an orange field in the distance, the next gave me the sensation of walking through a pine forest after a light rain, and yet another dab had me staring across a spicy clove field.

And while each dab was robust, invigorating and took me to a new place, I never went back to the same place twice.

This is truly a new sensation for me, as I am quite used to dialing in my temps and experiencing a consistent gram’s worth of flavor and aroma.

However, the Lamb Queens took me through a harmonious rhythm of nuanced flavor profiles that was akin to being led on a journey through an album’s worth of music.

The effects were consistently heavy, pain relieving, anxiolytic and moderately clear headed - which really puts the cherry on top. Being able to experience different flavor profiles, but still experience quality and consistent relief, makes this dab a powerhouse on the market.

concentrate of the month

DIAMONDS 93.12% THCA 1.48% myrcene .685% limonene

DYSCO’S CORNER

musings from aparent &Cannabis consumer Natural-Anxiety-Banishers in Covid-Country-USA

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“I’ve been doing a lot of bird watching recently. On my TV,” said my friend without a hint of sarcasm. “It totally chills me out.” We were sitting on the beach watching the waves roll in, discussing ways our lives had changed since Covid quarantining, more specifically how we were filling the seemingly unending hours that stretched before us - every, single, day - without losing our freaking minds. Both of us admitted that we were feeling more and more anxiety the longer the pandemic continued.

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ot only were we bored and feeling increasingly anxious at home, but our spouses and kids were also there feeling bored and increasingly anxious at home. And this was for all of the unending hours that stretched before us - every, single, day.

“I don’t know,” my friend sighed. “Now I just hate the days when I have to go somewhere or do stuff.” I think she was joking, but it’s totally open to interpretation.

I think most of us agree it is a royal pain in the ass to go somewhere or do anything in Covid-Country-USA. It often feels like adding insult to injury, especially in Maryland’s summer heat and humidity. It’s like this: You can’t stand being at home for one more second, but being out and about is fraught with so many complications that you wish you’d never left home in the first place.

Staying in produces anxiety. Going out produces anxiety.

I prefer to use Cannabis to help quell my anxiety, so it’s no wonder that most of the time I go out, I swing by a dispensary hoping that I won’t see a Soviet-era-like ‘bread line’ formed outside - only to find myself waiting in it.

aUG. 2020

And as waiting in Soviet-era-like dispensary lines when you’re short on time and wearing a mask in 90 degree heat also produces anxiety, the neverending cycle continues. So, what’s a girl to do to try and break the dark cycle of this Covid quarantine anxiety? To hear some in the media tell it, legal Cannabis users are just staying home and getting wasted. Well, I disagree with certain news outlets on that specific point.

Obviously, that’s not any more true than reporting that drinkers are staying home and doing the same, but just in case you’re tempted, here are two suggestions for natural-anxiety-banishers, which my non-Cannabis using friend and I have both found to work very well - with or without medical Cannabis.

First natural-anxiety-banisher: “Hamilton” (the musical).

Seriously. Just watch and rewatch “Hamilton” on repeat. I’m not going to say much more because you’ve already heard everybody talk about how amazing “Hamilton” is, and everybody is right.

If you don’t have the video option, stream the album, but being able to watch the musical with closed captions is a huge bonus. I know many of you are laughing at me for suggesting that you watch the musical “Hamilton” in order to reduce anxiety, but please, take my word for it.

It works. I tested this theory at the dentist yesterday.

Of course the medical Cannabis I took also helped reduce my anxiety, but the medical Cannabis coupled with the “Hamilton” soundtrack streaming through my headphones? I have never felt so relaxed and euphoric at the dentist.The difference wasn’t Bose, it was “Hamilton.”

As an aside, now more than ever, I think our nation’s complainers could learn a lot from Lin Manuel Miranda’s genius commentary on our history. Get your kids into it. Maybe we can avoid the cycle of history repeating itself again.

My second tip for reducing anxiety effective with or without Cannabis, but I think better with - is backyard bird and squirrel videos.

My friend was totally right. Watching the bird and squirrel videos ‘for dogs and cats’ on YouTube is so relaxing. I started leaving these videos on TV for Garcia a few weeks ago because Garcia, ever the effective communicator, had started to demonstrate his Covid quarantine anxiety by peeing on my pillow while I was out. I was probably waiting in a Soviet-era-like dispensary line at the time. As you can probably understand, Garcia’s thoughtful and direct expression of his anxiety did nothing but increase mine. And so the dark cycle continues.

So, after my friend told me about them, I searched YouTube and discovered that this is a real thing: People have full YouTube channels dedicated to filming and live streaming backyard wildlife - the kind your cat or dog looks at out the window all day. Take it from me, it’s cool.

You should see the elaborate dining rooms these squirrels have convinced people to set up for them.

Garcia may have his own staircase onto the bed, but my squirrels don’t eat off suspended picnic tables. Some videos run for as long as 12 hours.

Amazingly, since I started playing these videos on his big screen all day, Garcia hasn’t expressed anxiety over anything except a missed meal.

First natural-anxiety-banisher:

“Hamilton” (the musical). second natural-anxiety-banisher:

backyard bird & squirrel videos.

And, Leafers, I’ve got to admit that Garcia is on to something. It really is so peaceful to have our home filled with the sounds of birds chirping and squirrels chewing.

Sometimes it’s a little confusing when the video includes the unintentional taped sounds of young kids you don’t have fighting in the background. Really, don’t you think you’d edit out your child screaming at her sibling - “I’m going to tell Dad and he’s going to murder you!” - out of the peaceful backyard sounds video?

While I definitely started playing these videos to calm Garcia’s anxiety, I have found that they also have the same calming effect on me. Sometimes, I’ll walk in from a particularly stressful afternoon of trying to follow the arrows in all my favorite stores and realize that Garcia isn’t barking. If I told you how much time, money and effort has gone into trying to get this dog to not bark, you’d lose whatever respect you have for me.

More often than not these days, I plop down on the couch next to Garcia whenever I notice the birds are chirping in my house.

The first few days, I’d be wandering around the house and start hearing these exquisite bird songs, so I would venture outside, peer up at the trees, and see nothing.

Like the sirens, it took me a few days to remember I was just hearing the birds on Garcia’s video. I started popping into Garcia’s room whenever I became aware of the bird songs. Note: Whatever room he wants to be in at the time is ‘Garcia’s Room.’

I’ve found that once I’m drawn into Garcia’s room by the birdsong, I stay awhile to look at the amazing creatures up close on Garcia’s HDTV. My mind drops everything else and becomes immersed in birds and beauty on the big screen. Who knew their feathers looked like that up close?

I’m obviously not a doctor, but I’m sure my heart rate slows and I become so much more relaxed. The best outcome is when the birdsong brings the whole house together in the same room, like a church bell.

I am not sure why I’m not constantly aware of the birds chirping throughout the house, but I have decided that when I do become aware of the chirping, it’s my brain’s way of telling me to take a break.

I have also found that watching the videos for awhile during the break is a form of meditation — medication in my book.

Wow. After all these years of calling Garcia lazy for lying in the window just watching stuff, I never would have guessed that he was actually years ahead of me in the field of natural healing.

-Dysco SUBMITTED

to MARYLAND LEAF

stoney baloney

emember that television show from the old days called The Dating Game? Before a live studio audience, they would hide an eligible bachelor or bachelorette behind a screen to ask questions to three contestants of potential relationship material.

The purpose was to explore compatibility, with the ultimate reward of romance. The questions were saucy, the young and delightful participants were terribly good looking and everyone had a little fun.

Tila Tequila wasn’t even born yet. You do remember her, right? OK, good, we’re communicating.

By today’s standards, this concept seems unoriginal, while 50 years ago the innovative format was blushingly audacious. Free love was still lingering from the revolutionary ‘60s, so it worked. And the truth is that public dating forums had been kept very discreet by their users up until about 10 years ago when, if someone was brazen enough to create an account on Match.com, chances are they were not public about it for fear of being labeled as desperate.

And we all know that desperation is an extremely effective sex repellant.

So, there was a careful tightrope that the steely dreamer had to balance to maintain a positive reputation, yet still appear appealing. And to announce to the world that you met your partner on the internet would be like saying you met in Vegas.

“It’ll never last,” said their mothers.

Now however, swiping is the preferred form of exploring compatibility, which is great.

On some levels.

Anyway, back to The Dating Game. Not much has changed, really. The person you are corresponding with is behind a screen and what you get is a television version of them.

Sigh. I think I’m gonna do a dab now.

R

by Mike Ricker leafnationmd.com

46

aUG. 2020

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