THE ENLIGHTENED VOICE
# 1 8 | J U N E 2020
The Leisure Issue F R E E / L E A F N AT I O N M D . C O M
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JUNE 2020
36 The world is stressful, and northwest leaf has you covered with our guide to staying stoned at home and in style.
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FEATURES 11 EDITOR NOTE 12 NATIONAL NEWS 14 HEMP INDUSTRY 16 BUDTENDER Q&A 20 NWLEAF 10TH ANNIVERSARY 24 HIGHLY LIKELY 26 THE FAMILY BUSINESS 28 PATIENT OF THE MONTH 32 STRAIN OF THE MONTH
THE LEISURE ISSUE
36 MINDFUL CANNABIS USE 38 ACTIVITIES & HIGHJINX 39 MUST-HAVE MUNCHIES 40 FAVORITE STONER MOVIES 42 GAMES..GAMES..GAMES 43 AUDITORY ENTERTAINMENT 44 CANNABIS & COVID 46 CLEANING 101
47 FINDING MOUTHPEACE 48 CURBSIDE CONUNDRUM 52 FEEL GOOD PIZZA 54 JOHNNY VANELLA EXTRACTS 56 RAINBOW FLAME #14 60 ON THE ROAD: CABIN FEVER 62 STONEY BALONEY ISSUU.COM/NWLEAF
ILLUSTRATIONS by JOSHUA BOULET @JOSHUABOULET for LEAF NATION
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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
ABOUT THE COVER
Kick back and relax with our first-ever Leisure Issue, beginning with this beautiful cover art styled, meticulously by hand (no Photoshop in sight)! Many thanks to House of Cultivar in Seattle for supplying their buds, joints and fan leaves to help in creating this one-of-a-kind piece of art for us. PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN Instagram @bermanphotos STYLING by MALINA LOPEZ Instagram @malinalopez
CONTRIBUTORS
FOUNDER & EDITOR
Joshua Boulet, illustrations
WES ABNEY wes@nwleaf.com 206-235-6721
Tom Bowers, features Steve Elliott, national
PUBLISHER
Heather Dagler, features
EARLY early@LeafNationMD.com
Amanda Day, features Ariana Foote, writing Malina Lopez, styling Taylor Martin, writing Makani Nelson, features Matthew Newton, writing Mike Ricker, writing Mike Rothman, writing Pacer Stacktrain, writing Bruce & Laurie Wolf, recipes Alex Dubs Workman, features
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 Leisure Issue of the Leaf! This issue marks the 10th anniversary of Northwest Leaf, which I began publishing in 2010. Optimism was a big part of my mindset then - knowing that Cannabis healed lives and that 7 it would one day be legal to grow and share. I feel the same energy today as I did a decade ago. We have so much to look forward to, for the scars of the war on drugs to I BELIEVE be healed and our planet to breathe through our sister THE MOST plants - Cannabis and Hemp. IMPORTANT I believe the most important trait we can embody at this time is optimism. It’s something you can’t buy or get from the news and it definitely comes from within. It’s a choice to view the cup as half full and live with a mindset that embraces the positive - allowing negativity to slip into the past.
TRAIT WE CAN EMBODY AT THIS TIME IS OPTIMISM.
It is with that intention that we decided to create a Cannabis Mandala for our covers. Our hope is that Malina Lopez and Daniel Berman’s combined artistic efforts help to lift your spirits and radiate the happy energy of the plant. And once you’ve taken a deep breath of positive vibes and Cannabis, I invite you to explore our first annual Leisure Issue. June is traditionally our Travel Issue, but with the changing reality of Covid-19, we decided to focus on ways to enjoy life from the safety of home. Dive into our guide on all things entertainment and learn some new tips for mindful Cannabis use and keeping your bong or rig extra clean. So embrace the leisure, smoke a new strain and give some of our laid-back recommendations a try! In closing, I would like to thank you for reading. And to all our supporters, advertisers and team members who have contributed to this decade long journey - I can’t wait to see where the next 10 years takes us and the Leaf!
-Wes Abney JUNE 2020
midwest
NATIONAL NEWS
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“Let’s legalize adult use of marijuana.” - New York Governor Andrew Cuomo “The federal government failed Americans with opioids, And we cannot allow that to happen with cannabinoids,” gov. cuomo said in a may 20, 2020 announcement of a legalized marijuana program that could raise $300 million in tax revenue and billions more in economic activity, the new york times reported last month.
TRUMP ADMIN. CUTS OFF FEDERAL FUNDING FOR MENTAL HEALTH OVER MAINE’S MMJ ACCESS
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he federal government will not provide $3.3 million in approved funding for Maine’s mental health programs for kids, because the state allows students to use medicinal Cannabis when authorized. The state got the money as scheduled for the first two years, but recently learned it has been cut off due to a Trump Administration policy change, cutting off states that allow students access to medical Cannabis. Lender Makin, Maine’s Commissioner of Education, said the state has a statutory obligation to permit students to use medical Cannabis if they possess the necessary authorization to do so. Maine won a five year grant in 2018, providing $1.1 million annually for a program called Maine-AWARE, assisting in bolstering mental health support for students. State officials still don’t know if other federal grants will be impacted “by this new and arbitrary requirement,” said Kelli Deveaux, Director of Communications for the state Department of Education.
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Los Angeles County firefighters were injured while working to put out a warehouse explosion last month linked to an illegal butane hash extraction operation, The blast even soared across the street and damaged firetrucks.
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23-year-old Portage, Ind. woman is facing charges for driving while under the influence, resisting arrest and possessing drugs, after allegedly throwing a joint out the window of her car at the feet of a police officer, reports the NWI Times. Police claimed they stopped Evelyn Vann’s vehicle THE OFFICER shortly before 1 a.m. on May 16 after watching it swerve - nearly SAID HE SMELLED striking another vehicle and a concrete pillar. WEED AS HE The officer said he smelled weed as he approached her vehicle and APPROACHED saw a marijuana cigarette near the vehicle’s gear shift, according to HER VEHICLE. police. Vann reportedly denied having any Cannabis in the car, and when questioned about the joint, admitted it was marijuana and threw it out the passenger window where the officer was standing. “I advised Miss Vann she should not be littering,” the officer said. Vann reportedly told police she had drank “a fifth” of liquor that night. She is accused of being verbally abusive with officers, challenging them “to take off her handcuffs and they would see,” according to the police report. the south
LOUISIANA HOUSE APPROVES MMJ FOR ANY DEBILITATING CONDITION
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policy & law
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LITTERING LEADS TO ARREST AND CHARGES FOR JOINT TOSSER
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percent of Washington state residents believe that Cannabis legalization was a success, according to YouGov, an international research data and analytics group based in London.
ouisiana’s House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved bills to expand the state’s medical Cannabis program by including patients with more conditions, and allowing medical dispensaries to deliver Cannabis products directly to patients’ homes, reports Marijuana Moment. The legislation, passed in May 2020, lets doctors issue medical mar“IT’S SOMETHING THAT DESERVES ijuana recommendations for all debilitating conditions, rather than the TO BE DONE,” short list of specific maladies under the previous law. REP. BAGLEY SAID. Both bills were sponsored by Rep. Larry Bagley, a Republican. Bagley’s medical expansion bill was approved 76-15, and the delivery legislation passed 80-15. “It’s something that deserves to be done,” Rep. Bagley said. “I knew that it was bipartisan. I never thought it had a chance to fail unless I messed up somewhere in the presentation.”
east coast
MASS. POT SHOPS WILL OPEN BACK UP
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ecreational Cannabis shops in Massachusetts will be allowed to reopen on May 25 after a two month mandated closure due to the coronavirus pandemic, state officials announced on May 18. The shops had been deemed ‘nonessential’ in March, when Gov. Charlie Baker listed them GOV. BAKER SAID as such in his initial business closure AT THE TIME order. Medical dispensaries, however, THAT REOPENING RECREATIONAL were allowed to remain open and were encouraged to use curbside pickup POT SHOPS WAS to limit contact between patients and employees. A “NONSTARTER.” Gov. Baker said at the time that reopening recreational pot shops was a “nonstarter” - fearing the dispensaries would lure visitors from surrounding states at a time when people were being encouraged to remain home to limit the spread of the coronavirus.
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Cannabis plants and 300 pounds of weed were seized on May 19 by Lake County, FL deputies in what they hailed “the largest marijuana bust in Lake County history.”
$250k $31m is the fee for a marijuana dispensary permit in Rhode Island under new legislation released by the Rhode Island General Assembly. Until 2018, the fee was only $5,000. There are currently just three dispensaries open for the whole state.
was the value of a scuttled deal for Colorado-based pot retail chain Strawberry Fields to be acquired by vertically integrated chain Schwazze, before talks fell through in May 2020.
By STEVE ELLIOTT, AUTHOR OF THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF MARIJUANA
KIP CAN Thanks our Veterans!
*medical cannabis products are for use only by a certified patient*
Our Veterans Commitment Continues! Veterans now receive 27% off every day! Find us at 9 Cranbrook Rd - KIPCAN.com -
Cannabis LAW
“While arrests for simple marijuana possession have decreased 18% since 2010, the national trend line in arrests appears to be on the rise again.”
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No Justice, No Leisure This month’s issue of Maryland Leaf covers the broad topic of ‘leisure’ and focuses on the activities enjoyed by people during recreation while using Cannabis. It explores the activities and classic cultural references that have spread due to the broad, popular appeal of Cannabis around the world.
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ut as I sat down to recount the new and varying ways that people are using Cannabis to complement their leisure and recreational activities, I could not stop thinking about the tragic news concerning the shooting death of Mr. Ahmaud Arbery while jogging in Brunswick, Georgia. While Mr. Arbery’s death had nothing to do with Cannabis, it nevertheless reinforced, once again, how the lens of race contorts everything - even the simplest of leisure activities, such as jogging. Despite the federal prohibition of Cannabis as a controlled substance, 33 states have now passed laws legalizing the medical use of Cannabis, while 14 states have passed laws permitting access to Cannabis with limited THC content or cannabidiol (CBD) only. Eleven states have legalized the adult use of Cannabis altogeth-
er, while 15 states have decriminalized the possession of small amounts of Cannabis. In the US, 327 million people live in such states. Conversely, the outright criminal prohibition of Cannabis now exists in only two states: Idaho and South Dakota. Ergo, there are only 2.7 million people left who now live in a state that retains criminal penalties for the simple possession of Cannabis. With nearly 327 million Americans living in a state where Cannabis is consumed legally, medically, or without penalty for a personal possession amount, it would be reasonable to predict that arrests would be on the decline nationally and the disparity in the arrest rates amongst the races would be disappearing. Unfortunately, old habits are hard to break. While arrests for simple marijuana possession have decreased 18% since 2010, the national trend line in arrests appears to be on the rise again. In fact, there were more arrests for simple marijuana
possession in 2018 than 2015. In all 50 states, black individuals are more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession than their white counterparts, including some states where black people were almost 10 times more likely to be arrested. In 31 states, racial disparities amongst the arrest rates were even larger and more pronounced in 2018 than they were in 2010. Earlier this year, the ACLU published a follow-up to its landmark 2013 report on racial disparities in marijuana arrests in the United States called “A Tale of Two Countries: Racially Targeted Arrests in the Era of Marijuana Reform.” In the report, the authors found that nationally, black individuals were 3.64 times more likely than white individuals to be arrested for simple marijuana possession, even though usage rates amongst the various races were virtually identical. When you drill down into the finer details, Maryland’s Cannabis arrest numbers contain both good news and bad. On the one hand, Maryland now records one of the lower disparities amongst the states between the arrest rates of white people and black people per 100,000 individuals (ranking 44th). And Maryland’s rate of disparity has come down since 2010, when Maryland had the fourth highest marijuana arrest rate in the US. For the bad news, black people make up over 30% of Maryland’s population, yet they make up 52% of the simple possession marijuana arrests. Maryland still arrests black people for Cannabis crimes at a rate 2.1 times more frequently than white people. In his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” written during the Birmingham campaign in 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. wrote, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” He wrote that letter in response to other clergy members who urged him to give up his nonviolent resistance campaign throughout the South and let the fight for civil rights continue in the courts and not in the streets. King argued that not only was civil disobedience justified in the face of unjust laws, but it was necessary and even patriotic. I ask that anyone reading this column, engaged in a leisurely activity such as reading this fine publication and enjoying Cannabis, remember how far the United States has come in the recognition of Cannabis in this country. But also remember how far we need to go to make sure that every American, regardless of race, can enjoy their version of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
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.
jUNE 2020
COLUMN by MIKE ROTHMAN, ATTORNEY & PRINCIPAL | MEDICAL CANNABIS LAW GROUP | PHOTO by @BERMANPHOTOS
A woman-owned and well-trusted medical Cannabis dispensary promoting the health and wellness of the Baltimore area for over two years.
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highly likely
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 ce .
EDROSENTHAL
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“I’M JUST A WRITER WHO LIKES TO GIVE ADVICE TO GARDENERS. I REALLY WISH THIS DIDN’T HAVE TO BE A LEGAL CRUSADE.”
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- ED ROSENTHAL
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URU OF GANJA ED ROSENTHAL has been making Cannabis cultivation secrets known to the general public for over 40 years. He has also been a staunch supporter of legalization throughout his career and saw the fruits of his labor realized in the middle of the last decade. Rosenthal was born and raised in the Bronx, developing his lifelong interest in plants throughout childhood. A smart and crafty individual, he worked as a Wall Street stock broker in the ‘60s after college, but soon grew dissatisfied with that work. An interest in marijuana beckoned - and as Rosenthal told the SF Gate in 2007, “If you were interested in plants and you grew up during hippie times, you sort of just gravitated to learning more about marijuana.”
It was around this time that Rosenthal helped to found NORML (the National Organization for Reformation of Marijuana Laws). In 1972 he moved to California, eventually landing in Oakland. In the mid70s Rosenthal worked with his partner/ collaborator Mel Frank (last month’s Highly Likely subject) on what would have been considered a large-scale grow by the standards of our time. Along with Frank, Rosenthal was one of the founders of High Times - where he wrote many columns, including the famous “Ask Ed” column which helped to answer questions from readers around the world about Cannabis. While all of this was happening, Rosenthal also found the time to author many books that have become staples of Cannabis growing culture. His “Marijuna Grower’s Handbook” is a tried-and-true staple of home growers around the world. But he hasn’t only written about growing - you can find books he has authored about Cannabis culture, Cannabis as medicine, and editorials like the famous “Why Marijuana Should Be Legal.” Yes, Rosenthal’s love for the plant goes well beyond horticulture, as he’s been an outspoken activist for the legalization of the plant even before it was in vogue to do so. He has always had a sort of legal bend to his career, seeing the laws regulating Cannabis as important social issues. And the law has affected him personally more than once, notably in 1999 when he was appointed ‘Officer of the City of Oakland,’ directed to cultivate Cannabis for patients. Some three years later, the federal government shut down his city-supported facility. Rosenthal was arrested and put on trial twice for marijuana cultivation in federal court. These highly publicized trials shifted public opinion in favor of state medical marijuana laws - and eventually helped to pave the way for the state legalization we enjoy today. For that and many other things, those of us who enjoy and rely upon Cannabis owe Ed Rosenthal a debt of gratitude.
In tandem with last month’s column on Cannabis journalist Mel Frank, we’re featuring his longtime collaborator and colleague Ed Rosenthal.
jUNE 2020
By PACER STACKTRAIN for LEAF NATION | PHOTO by DABSEL ADAMS/CC
SHORE NATURAL Rx
M ar yland’s premiere medicinal cannabis cultivation facilit y. G rower s of the highes t qualit y, organic cannabis. Ser ving patient s from our home on the Eas tern Shore, all the way to G arret Count y.
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EXPERT OPINION
THE HEMP INDUSTRY JERRY WHITING for LEAF NATION L e B l a n c C N E . co m / N WL e a f
Where’s all the hemp plastic?
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Think of it as a contribution to the cause,
leafnationmd.com
putting your money where your mouth is.
I’m sure you’ve seen the meme or heard someone say, “If it can be made from plastic it can be made from hemp.” Given that plastic seems to be everywhere these days, why is none of it made from our favorite plant? We want it, where is it? Everyone wants to see petroleum-based plastics replaced with plant-based alternatives, but historically biobased polymers (aka bioplastics) make up a mere 0.2% of all plastic in use. The market is growing, with some predicting biobased plastics to make up 5% of all manufactured plastics in 2020 - though current economic conditions mean that all bets are off for the time being.
jUNE 2020
There seems to be little room in today’s market for non-petroleum based plastics because the plantbased plastics cost more and often don’t have the same performance. Because the economies of scale will only work if and when a significant portion of the industry uses biobased polymers, there’s little motivation for the industry to shift if it isn’t as profitable. One would think that bioplastic made from hemp would be non-toxic, biodegradable and compostable. Many of the arguments against bioplastics are really about the environmental impact of conventional farming, including fertilizer, pesticide and herbicide runoff. Farm organically and sidestep these issues. On the upside, bioplastics compost better than petroleum plastics. This alone will have a big impact on municipal dumps and waste sites. Sixty percent of the bioplastic market is packaging and accounts for the largest share of the growth in the industry. The consumer demand is there, so where’s hemp bioplastic in all this? This is the second catch-22: until industrial hemp production shifts from CBD extraction to biomass and fiber, there’s no guaranteed source of bulk hemp suitable for bioplastic production. Compounding matters is the need for factories to be close to farms, otherwise transportation costs add to the manufacturing costs eating away at profits. Hemp contains 60-70% cellulose, and cellulose is used to make cellophane and rayon. Hemp fibers can be used to reinforce composite materials, providing increased tensile strength. I think a hemp-based PLA that can be run through 3D printers is the way to go. The market wouldn’t be large at first, but DIY enthusiasts will come up with prototypes and projects faster than waiting for large companies to lead the way. For a number of reasons, hemp plastics will take awhile to take hold. There’s incredible momentum behind the current plastic industry and change won’t come quickly. Hemp cultivation needs to ramp up to meet future demand for bioplastics. Increased R&D efforts will shorten the learning curve and propel the market forward. Meanwhile, we as businesses and consumers need to choose hemp plastics whenever possible. It costs more? Think of it as a contribution to the cause, putting your money where your mouth is. While 100% hemp plastics may be a lofty ideal, it isn’t necessarily an achievable goal - at least in the short term. Let’s not let that stop us from embracing it sooner rather than later.
PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS
PATIENT OF THE MONTH
CANNABIS BRINGS A MOTHER AND DAUGHTER CLOSER TOGETHER ON A JOURNEY OF RECOVERY
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JEN BLAIR WITH STEPHANIE SANDERS, HER MOTHER AND CAREGIVER.
“I NEVER HAVE TO ASK HER FOR ANYTHING, SHE JUST ALWAYS KIND OF KNOWS WHEN I NEED HELP AND STEPS UP.” -JEN BLAIR
The dynamic between patient and caregiver varies. For some, it is a convenience. For others, it is a connection ensuring that the patient receives their necessary medication. And for a select few, the relationship is a lifeline that extends far beyond the confines of the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission. Towson residents Jen Blair and her mother and caregiver, Stephanie Sanders, definitely fall under the latter category. For the past 13 years, Jen, 48, has outlived the average life expectancy of 12 months given to those diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma - a rare cancer that develops on the lining of the abdomen. But the good fortune that has fallen on the Baltimore native has come at a steep cost. She has undergone three major surgeries, numerous rounds of chemotherapy, two marriages, an interruption to her career and motherhood, as well as an enormous amount of time spent in pain and stress. One constant in her life has been Sanders, her caregiver since birth. “It’s nice to have a mom that is so close,” Jen shared. “I never have to ask her for anything, she just always kind of knows when I need help and steps up.”
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tephanie, 70, is a retired nurse who stepped away from the profession in 2005, but has never stopped working in that capacity. “My mom has been through a lot of tragedy,” Jen said, noting that Stephanie has been the family caretaker for her father (broken neck), her mother-inlaw (stroke) and her late husband Drake, who succumbed to stage four lung cancer in 2018. Stephanie credits a positive attitude towards life, something Drake helped cultivate, for getting through the tough times. But she remains amazed how her daughter has managed to stay strong for this over a decade-long battle with cancer. “It’s like having the Sword of Damocles hanging over your head,” Stephanie said, referencing an ancient Greek parable that infers a person is in a situation in which something very bad could happen to them at any time. “Cancer is such an awful thing to think about. It’s never really gone because it’s always in the back of your mind.” Medicinal Cannabis has been the remedy that has given ease to Jen’s pain and her worries about the recurrence of a disease that has come back twice since arriving in 2008. She first experimented with Cannabis at the age of 15 with high school friends, and her recreational use continued throughout the 90s and into the 2000s. Jen was never shy in sharing her experiences with her mother, praising her as an open and receptive listener. “I always thought that it was a fine thing,” Stephanie said. “It always seemed better than drinking to me. The people I saw drinking would get loud and obnoxious. The people who smoked seemed to be quiet and relaxed.”
Nowadays, the two make trips to dispensaries together - unless Jen is in severe pain - in which case Stephanie goes out. The medicine is a necessity in the reduction of inflammation that so often impacts Jen’s health. “It has helped her immensely with the pain,” Stephanie said. “At first, she was taking oxycodone, and she just slept a lot because of the medicine. She functions a lot better when she smokes or does some of the chewables.” As a mother to her 12-year-old son Kevin, functionality is important to Jen. She begins each morning consuming edibles to dull the pain that remains from the excessive scar tissue of multiple surgeries. She also uses upwards of 100mg of CBD per day. “It really is about my chemical balance,” she said. “Something in me doesn’t feel quite right when I don’t have that medicine.” At her best, Jen is active, doing yoga or dancing in the kitchen as she listens to music and cooks for the family. On her worst days, Cannabis helps bear the pain of being laid up in bed. “People might think by beating this disease it’s all peaches and cream, but that’s far from the truth,” she said. That is where her mother, who lives in the same apartment complex, steps in - or down, two flights of stairs. “I’m probably not the easiest person to get along with when I’m not well,” Jen said. “So to have that person by your side, no matter what, is nice to have. We can cuss each other out one day, and the next we’re back to being fine.” A young soul at heart, Stephanie has experienced an enormous amount of adversity, but manages to maintain an upbeat, vibrant energy. No matter what life throws at her, her motto has remained the same. “You just keep going,” Jen said. Humor, she insists, has allowed them to keep moving through the tough times. The pair, who often get mistaken for sisters, share a variety of inside jokes. Cannabis exacerbates the laughter, though it is a rare occasion for Stephanie, due to the potency of today’s medicine. “She’ll hit it on special occasions,” Jen said. “She takes two hits and gets really, really giggly.” On the week of Mother’s Day, Jen wanted to pay her appreciation forward. After sharing a refreshing walk in the park with her mother, she took a moment to gather her thoughts. “I’d be lost without her,” she said. “People don’t realize when you have a chronic illness, everyday life has to go on,” Jen continued. “Laundry, cooking, even little things like cleaning up your house - the things most people take for granted - become very difficult.” “Friends are nice and can be of help, but there are times you end up in some dark places mentally. To have my mother around to talk with, it means the world to me. I can’t imagine where I’d be without her.”
STORY & PHOTO by BAXSEN PAINE @BAXSENPAINE for MARYLAND LEAF
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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
are on the same level and can comfortably communicate. I ask them a series of questions: What is your experience with Cannabis? What are you trying to treat? Is your goal pain management, alleviating stress and anxiety, or increasing appetite? What consumption method would you like to use? When I have first-time patients, I diligently explain everything they need to know so that they feel comfortable going home and testing their new medicine. With new patients especially, I like to slowly introduce them into the world of medical Cannabis because it can be so overwhelming for some people. I never want one of our patients to leave and feel like they have to frantically search Google for information. WHAT DO YOU LIKE THE MOST ABOUT WORKING AT SOMD RELIEF? That’s easy - the people. All
of them. My amazing coworkers, the owners and the patients that we see day after day. Seriously, I’d hate to sound like Eeyore, but before I started at SOMD Relief, I felt very lost and hopeless. This job has been the biggest blessing. I will forever be grateful for this community of people. So many beautiful souls flowing through these THCfilled bodies. Being able to handle beautiful buds on a daily basis doesn’t hurt, either.
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WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE WAYS TO USE CANNABIS?
Taylor Davis maryland leaf budtender of the month
I’m a flower child, always will be. With that being said, I don’t shy away from any method. Sometimes when I get off work or if I’m starting a new day, I like to give different strains an honest try with a 100% sober mind. I’ll do the same with different tinctures, vapes and edibles. I will always love flower for its instantaneous relief. Ingestible medicine always takes time to kick in, and sometimes I just don’t have that.
FAVORITE STRAINS? I’m a sativa fiend, so I would hands down say G6 by Verano. Other strains that (301) 242-3200 | SOMDRELIEF.COM @SOMDRELIEF_ will always have my heart are Strawberry OG and Miracle Alien Cookies by HMS. I like AAA OG by Forward Gro for a light pick me up. Air Force The owner of the HVAC company’s daughter HOW DID YOU GET YOUR START WITH CANNABIS? One by gLeaf for a heavy pick me up and Grease happened to be the general manager at SouthWell, this question was harder than I thought it Monkey (if you can get your hands on it) for a ern Maryland Relief and loved how compassionwould be. It’s like the first moment you lay eyes heavy sit me down. But if I am really looking for ate I was with her dad’s customers. I was presenton your newborn child or your first pet you loved a heavy sit me down, my go-to ed with an opportunity I couldn’t - anything in that sense. You just love it and would is usually edibles. Nothing is turn down: reception work at the do anything in the world to savor each moment “I WILL FOREVER better than a nice edible kind of dispensary. After about a year, you get with it. I’ve had a passion for Cannabis BE GRATEFUL FOR evening. I started working as a patient ever since I tried it for the first time when I was 16. THIS COMMUNITY OF consultant. I learned that this amazing plant had the power PEOPLE. SO MANY WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO IN When I’m behind the counter to eliminate all of my stress. I didn’t realize how BEAUTIFUL SOULS YOUR FREE TIME? In June of on the sales floor, I’m in my vital it was for me to consume it until I was in my FLOWING THROUGH 2019, I partnered with SOMD element. Being a budtender is so early 20s, though. Life is hard, but it’s a hell of a THESE THC-FILLED to start my own side business, much more than what I imaglot more tolerable when you have your indicas to BODIES. Smoking Taylor’s Art Studio. ine most people assume. I love mellow you out and your sativas to energize you. We host ‘elevate and paint’ sending someone home with Huge shout out to all medical states for jumpparties which offer the community a safe haven to completely natural medicine that I have absolute ing on board for legalization! People like myself consume their medicine while painting with acrylfaith in. Having these patients come back to me appreciate it! ics and socializing with fellow MMCC-certified with the most fulfilling results is what makes every patients. I’m also a huge family person, so if I’m hardship I’ve ever dealt with worthwhile. WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO BECOME A BUDTENDER? not making art or making money, I’m spending Honestly, it was a dream come true. I was worktime with my amazing immediate family. Not to HOW DO YOU FIND THE RIGHT MEDICINE FOR A ing for an HVAC company, mindlessly grinding be confused with Carole Baskin, but I am a huge PATIENT? IS THERE A PROCESS YOU USE? through each day, wondering if I would be doing fan of my pet cat, and we enjoy Sundays filled Communication is key. Just like anything else, that for the rest of my life. It turns out that the with coffee and SpongeBob SquarePants. you have to make sure that you and your patient universe had more in store for me.
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SOUTHERN MARYLAND RELIEF | 28105 THREE NOTCH RD, MECHANICSVILLE, MD
jUNE 2020
STORY by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT/MARYLAND LEAF | PHOTO by SOMD RELIEF
Gambrills, MD OFFERING FAST & EASY CURBSIDE SERVICE! How to Order at Greenlight: Step 1: FIND Go to Greenlighttherapeutics.com, Weedmaps.com, or Leafly.com and add items to your bag from our menu. Step 2: ORDER Submit your order and follow along with real-time status updates. Step 3: PICK UP Call us upon arrival after receiving the notification that your order is ready. Pay & enjoy your day!
All products for use by certified medical cannabis patients only MON-THURS & SAT: 10 AM- 7 PM FRI: 10 AM- 7 PM SUN: 10 AM- 6 PM (410) 650-4150 www.greenlighttherapeutics.com 782 MD Route 3, N Suite A, Gambrills, MD 21054
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stoner owner
20
HASHMAKER
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FRENCHY CANNOLI
DESPITE HIS GEOGRAPHIC PROXIMITY to the innovators of Silicon Valley, hashmaker Frenchy Cannoli prefers to look to the past. We spoke to the French-born, Northern California transplant about the appeal of hashish, the importance of terroir and affinage, and some of his favorite non-pot related ways of passing the time.
jUNE 2020
“IT IS LIKE A PROTECTIVE BUBBLE FROM THE OUTSIDE WORLD, A MIND SPACE THAT MAKES YOU IF NOT IMPERVIOUS, AT LEAST MUCH LESS VULNERABLE.” -FRENCHY CANNOLI, ON SMOKING HASH
WHAT’S YOUR PROCESS FOR MAKING HASH?
I offer a workshop called “The Lost Art of the Hashishin” to teach everyone how they can make their own hashish using an inexpensive mini-washer and a set of sieving bags. The process, in a nutshell, is to collect Cannabis trichome glands using an ice water sieving methodology based on the traditional dry sieving technique and botanical science of glandular trichomes. Once the glands have been thoroughly dried, I press them with a source of heat into a mass of resin, which then goes through an aging process. The end product is hashish. I am very much like a winemaker who collects grapes to create wine. TELL US ABOUT YOUR NICKNAME, ‘THE HUNTER OF THE MELT’?
The melt is a U.S. term to define the amount of resin formed inside a trichome gland. Every one of us working with Cannabis resin is a hunter of the melt, whether it’s someone with a CO2 or BHO extractor in a cutting-edge lab or someone in the mountains of the Himalayas collecting resin on the palm of their hands. FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NEVER TRIED HASHISH, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE IT? The effect will be
somewhat different, depending on the cultivar and on the person smoking or consuming, but the experience is like being encompassed by a feeling of warmth and an energy of simple wellbeing. It is like a protective bubble from the outside world, a mind space that makes you if not impervious, at least much less vulnerable. WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO OUTSIDE OF CANNABIS?
Traveling would be on top of that list. I gave everything to be a nomad for 18 years of my life. There was nothing more magical than being in a place where everything was new, where your awareness is on constant overdrive from the daily novelty of living within a foreign culture. I am fascinated by ancient history, art and cultures, so I love libraries, museums and ancient ruins. My ultimate stress releaser is dancing. To dance and really get lost into the beat has been a favored pastime STUCK AT HOME AND WANNA MAKE HASH? since forever. However, to tell the CHECK OUT DIY VIDEOS truth in ‘normal times’ there is little AND WRITTEN INSTRUCTIONS I do that it is not connected to YOUTUBE.COM/FRENCHYCANNOLI Cannabis. I have little time left and FRENCHYCANNOLI.COM there is still so much to learn. WHAT IS THE CONCEPT OF TERROIRS AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR HASHMAKERS? Terroir is more than
a concept - it represents respect and love for the land and its diversity. Terroir is a philosophy based on the combination of the land, the climate, the cultivars and the farmer. It is a dedication to quality and exclusivity exemplified in the culture of food and wine. The word expresses the uniqueness of every region and its products. It is the delicate symbiosis between the environment, the plant kingdom and the humans who nurture and enhance the characteristics of the land. Our planet is an abundance of terroirs that have been lost to a great extent due to agricultural industrialization and the globalization of the food industry. A Stoner Owner is a Cannabis business owner who has a relationship with the plant. We want to buy and smoke Cannabis from companies that care about their products, employees and the plant. You wouldn’t buy food from a restaurant where the cooks don’t eat in the kitchen, so why buy corporate weed grown by a company only concerned with profits? Stoner Owner approval means a company cares, and we love weed grown with care. Look for the Stoner Owner stamp when purchasing fine Cannabis, and let’s retake our culture and reshape a stigma by honoring those who grow, process and sell the best Cannabis possible.
INTERVIEW by ZACK RUSKIN @ZACKRUSKIN | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS
GREENHOUSE WELLNESS How this woman-owned dispensary led the medical charge and is now becoming a top destination for cannabis connoisseurs.
GET TO KNOW GREENHOUSE WELLNESS Greenhouse Wellness, conveniently located on the cusp of Ellicott City and Columbia, gained recognition as the state’s leading medical dispensary, specializing in patient experience and customized treatment plans. The dispensary, which was recently featured on the NBC’s the TODAY Show is now a hotspot for cannabis aficionados. With minimal wait times, one of the state’s largest cannabis menus, mouthwatering dabbable concentrate selection, and aggressive daily specials, it’s no surprise why patients and customers from all walks of life are flocking to pick up
4801 DORSEY HALL DRIVE, ST. 110 ELLICOTT CITY, MD 21042
product from Greenhouse. This, paired with a warm and welcoming staff—inclusive of a medical director, nurses,
GREENHOUSEWELLNESS.COM
and other professionals trained in holistic medicine and pharmacology—make Greenhouse Wellness a dispensary not to be missed!
FOLLOW @TEAMGREENHOUSE ON INSTAGRAM
All products for use by qualifying patients only.
STRAIN OF THE MONTH leafnationmd.com
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grown by
RYTHM I WAS ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH ALL OF MY TASKS EFFICIENTLY AND PAIN FREE WHILE ENJOYING AN AMAZING TASTING FLOWER.
JUNE 2020
BLAC
MYRCENE is the most common terpene in Cannabis, but even so, this is quite a large percentage, as it accounts for more than 50% of the entire profile. As a chronic pain sufferer, I vigorously seek out myrcene dominant profiles, but am always faced with the daytime conundrum of the inevitable couchlock effect that comes with high doses of myrcene. AS ONE OF THE ONLY companies using glass packaging, their flower The fact remains that I hurt all day, every day, and I have has been reaching the patients as a well-cured, high quality product. to maintain my job and lifestyle with as little disruption as This fact alone makes any of their flower worth tasting, however, the possible - while still relieving myself of suffering. Black Afghan truly holds a special place as one of the most clearheaded Here, the .6% alpha/beta pinene cocktail allows for a pain relievers on the market. solution to this situation in the sense that it is the terpene The total 27.9% THC makes this flower among the highest testers in that essentially clears the fog of a high. When you are Maryland. But what makes Cannabis truly great is not its THC thinking about really robust, clearheaded and content, but rather the quality of the cure and what terpenes focused highs, you are typically talking about 27.9 THC are part of the entourage. This batch of Black Afghan has pinene dominant profiles. 3.49 TOTAL TERPENES 1.67 MYRCENE almost 3.5% total terps, which indeed makes it one of the WIth the Black Afghan, I was able to .5 CARYOPHYLLENE highest quality flowers around! accomplish all of my tasks efficiently and pain .5 PINENE The Black Afghan stood out to me because of its unique free while enjoying an amazing tasting flower. .11 PINENE combination of myrcene, caryophyllene, pinene and ocimene. .31 OCIMENE The hint of ocimene - a terpene that we need The 1.67% myrcene is clearly the hero of this profile, a lot more research about - really shifts the .1 HUMULENE dominating the other percentages and promising intense pain scent and flavor profile as well. .1 LIMONENE relief to the human lucky enough to consume it. It was as if tropical flowers were blooming in a pine forest and competing for control of my olfactory senses, as the smoke engulfed my brain and spread throughout my body, easing tension and inflammation - but without clouding the mind. I must admit, I smoked the entire eighth in one sitting because I enjoyed it so much. The complexity of both the scent and the symptom relief really stood out to me and I am beyond excited to try more. Much thanks to the growers at Rythm for doing what they do - the Black Afghan is some MD fire!
RYTHM, TRADITIONALLY KNOWN FOR THEIR CARTRIDGES IN MARYLAND, HAS STEPPED INTO THE FLOWER GAME AND IS HITTING IT OUT OF THE PARK!
CKAFGHAN REVIEW by TAYLOR MARTIN @MDCANNAINSIDER | PHOTO by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT/MARYLAND LEAF | RYTHM.COM
the LEISURE issue
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D F U N I L M
S P E T S TO
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CannabisUSE jUNE 2020
ENJOY YOUR MOMENT AND EMBRACE WHAT YOU ARE EXPERIENCING WHETHER YOU ARE NEW TO CANNABIS OR AN EXPERIENCED CANNABIS USER, WE CAN ALL STAND TO GAIN HIGHER CONNECTION WITH OUR TRUE SELVES. In current society, it can be difficult to listen to our inherent, inner desires through the cacophony of responsibilities, relationship expectations and financial demands that are typically included in the modern adult experience. Additionally, new developments in our shared lifestyle - such as the 24-hour news cycle and the constant stream of social media content - only further separate us from the peace and connectedness associated with more simple living. That said, I am happy to report that I have found a strategy that helps me to reconnect with myself: mindful Cannabis use. Cannabis allows us to get in touch with the inner self. Bob Marley himself once said, “When you smoke herb, it reveals you to yourself.” And when we know and understand the inner self, we can start to nourish it for optimal alignment and happiness. I want to share my approach to mindful Cannabis with you so that you can incorporate this tool into your own lifestyle. These steps are straightforward and can be practiced by anyone who has legal access to bud and 10 spare minutes! This guide is intended for someone who is searching for the mindful experience that comes with consuming Cannabis alone. Smoking with a partner or friends is also a wonderful experience - one that harnesses harmony and community. However, for the optimal self-connected moment, I recommend consuming Cannabis by yourself.
HEATHER DAGLEY is a Cannabis writer who writes about the benefits of intentional Cannabis use on her blog, bud and blossom. Heather shares how she has used Cannabis and self-care to achieve optimal self-connection, health, and happiness - and how you can, too! Heather also highlights how Cannabis has helped others, including those suffering from ADHD, seizures, and opioid misuse disorder. You can find Heather’s blog at budandblossom.blog and follow her on Instagram @bud_n_blossom.
1
SOURCE YOUR CANNABIS PRODUCT CONTAINING THC.
2
FIND A COMFORTABLE PLACE IN YOUR HOME AND SET THE TONE.
3
SET OUT YOUR CANNABIS, A JOURNAL, PEN AND SUPPLIES FOR A SMALL ACTIVITY YOU CAN WORK ON POST-CONSUMPTION.
This may require a trip to your local Cannabis shop, or just a trip to your nightstand! By selecting a Cannabis product that contains THC, you are opting into the delightful and elevated headspace that the tetrahydrocannabinol molecule triggers in our brains.
I recommend sitting on a couch or armchair in a well-lit room. Pour yourself a cup of coffee or sparkling water. If you like to listen to music, put on some that lifts you up and makes you smile.
I find that completing an activity with my hands after consuming Cannabis helps to foster the focus and headspace for higher thinking. This might be something as simple as giving yourself a manicure, knitting or drawing.
4
REMOVE DISTRACTIONS.
5
SIT AND CONSUME YOUR CANNABIS.
6
DO. BE. THINK. RECORD. BREATHE.
Turn off the TV and put your phone away. We spend so much time tuning in to what others are saying, but this exercise is about listening to you.
Start low and slow - there’s no need to overdo it or go too fast. Take a dose that has already proven to be comfortable for you, or was recommended by a dosing guideline or trusted budtender.
Enjoy your moment and embrace what you are experiencing. If you feel like it, try the tactile activity that you had selected. Most importantly, spend time with your thoughts. I also recommend writing down any insights you gain while in this elevated headspace. You may find that Cannabis allows us to face pending life uncertainties with greater ease and confidence. This exercise will help you to feel more connected. Connected to what makes you happy. Connected to your joys and your purpose. Connected to yourself.
STORY by HEATHER DAGLEY for LEAF NATION | ILLUSTRATIONS by JOSHUA BOULET @JOSHUABOULET for LEAF NATION
the LEISURE issue
highjinx PLANT A GARDEN
MAX EARLY @LIFTED_STARDUST
WITH AN additional amount of downtime lately, these dull moments are a great opportunity to brighten up our world by going outside and getting your hands dirty in the garden. Whether that means pulling those ever daunting weeds, planting some new ornamentals or building a few raised soil beds, now is the time. Utilizing all of the countless resources we constantly have at our fingertips these days, we can absolutely become the master farmers we all dreamed of growing to be. Visit nwleaf.com and click on this story to find links for your respective state’s best times to plant certain vegetables!
TAKE A MEDICATED BATH
AMANDA DAY @TERPODACTYL_MEDIA
LIFE’S A LITTLE too full of leisure for some these days. For others, it’s a stressful time of ‘essential’ work and uncertainty. Whether you’re lazing-around in lockdown or home after a long day dealing with the perils of the public, you might just benefit from a medicated bath. The process of cannabinoid absorption during a soak is something special. A bath provides several physical pathways for cannabinoids that, in turn, boost bioavailability. For those with a generally high tolerance, a bath bomb or salt soak offers a new way to decompress when dabs just won’t do it. According to studies presented in the Oxford University Press’ Handbook of Cannabis, (stick around for a second while it gets technical), evidence points to maximized uptake in rectal administration from a reduced “first-pass hepatic THC metabolism.” This means that, unless you’re bathing bottoms-up, the compounds will be free to enter your body through a route that skips some of the damage of digestion and inhalation. Cannabinoids are spared from the liver’s breakdown process, resulting in a higher peak concentration of THC in the blood. Research in the peer-reviewed journal Molecules acknowledges this theory and adds that similarly, transdermal absorption offers uptake directly into the bloodstream, “eliminating first-pass metabolism.” Right now, the world is going through a tough transition trying to find the new normal, and a medicated bath is the perfect way to loosen up those stress-stiffened muscles or melt away anything on your mind. So, set aside that digital device, grab a good book, and drown your worries in the warm water of a Cannabis-infused bath knowing that science has your back - quite literally.
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PLAY SOME CROQUET
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU’RE STONED jUNE 2020
MIKE RICKER @RICKERDJ
WHEN PRINCESS DI was once photographed amid a friendly display of mellow mallet marksmanship, she was clearly missing the fun factor. Truth is that this backyard amalgamation of goofy golf, bumper cars and Mouse Trap can be your stay-at-home version of Wipeout! The key is to utilize every nook of your lot by creating a course that will employ skill and strategery. By mindfully placing the wickets in areas of different levels of difficulty, you can turn the feng shui into feng swing. Then once you’ve got the course designed, it’s the rules that make it fun. You can even set mines around the area, and one touch with your ball, mallet or person equates to a loss of turn. Go balls out for the take no prisoners approach that will have you dreaming up strategies for your next round. The best part is when you hit another player’s ball and then send them into oblivion. Note: Be prepared to sleep on the couch.
must-have
MUNCHIES
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PB & J ON A RICE CAKE I know, I know, nothing new here. But just remember: It is not always the recipe that counts, but the quality of the ingredients. Just a thin layer of Adam’s crunchy peanut butter will set the foundation for the heaping helping of Bonne Maman mixed berry preserves that oozes off the sides like an irresistible flow of sweet blue lava. And with organic whole grain Honey Nut rice cakes in place of bread, your indulgence becomes guilt-free. MIKE RICKER
REESE’S PEANUT BUTTER CUPS STUFFED WITH PIECES As if Reese’s weren’t already incredible, in 2016 they debuted their Reese’s stuff with pieces! This delectable combination of peanut butter, chocolate, and peanut butter pieces is sure to satisfy every stoner’s sensations. MAX EARLY
RAINBOW SHERBET I was raised with limited dairy products as a child, so most of the time I would have some sort of milk substitute like soy. Needless to say, I wasn’t a huge fan of ice cream as a result. For the most part, I’d only be able to eat a little bit of chocolate ice cream before I started to feel uneasy in my stomach. Flash forward to now, and I have begun to expand my horizons. I am still not the biggest fan of ice cream, but will indulge in it every so often. During one outing, I ordered rainbow sherbet from a stand and fell in love. Just recently, I poked my head into the ice cream aisle at the grocery store and discovered that they sell gallon buckets of rainbow sherbet. I have now been thoroughly enjoying my nights ever since - high as a kite - curing my dry mouth with tasty sherbet! MAKANI NELSON
KETTLE CHIPS
SMOKED SALMON
Kettle chips are my go-to munchies food, with my favorite flavor being jalapeno. Bonus points if you can get some made fresh and local. Kettle brand will always do the trick to stop the munchies though. WYATT EARLY
Good smoked salmon is hard to find - especially in the contiguous United States. But I do not have that problem. Living in Alaska has many benefits, such as access to an ample amount of salmon. For me, smoked salmon has always been a go-to feel good food. I was raised with it and I will raise my children with it. No matter the occasion, if there is some delicious homemade smoked sockeye anywhere near me, the package in which it resides will soon find its way to empty. The sweet, smoky flavor of fish is to die for. Stores around the country do carry some varieties, but save yourself the disappointment and buy some raw fish (or catch it if you have that luxury), google a recipe and smoke it up yourself. You will enjoy it 100 times more. JOSHUA STAHLE
ORGANIC BABY CARROTS & TJ’S MEDITERRANEAN HUMMUS While it’s not an indulgent, sugar laden snack, my favorite munchie to dive into when baked is organic baby carrots and Trader Joe’s Mediterranean hummus. The union of a creamy, flavorful spread and the crisp crunch of a carrot provides a fun snacking experience you can consume to your heart’s content and not feel guilty about since it’s all plant based! My pup loves carrots too, so I can let her have every third or fourth carrot and we can enjoy snacktime together. NATE WILLIAMS
STORIES by LEAF NATION CONTRIBUTORS | ILLUSTRATIONS by JOSHUA BOULET @JOSHUABOULET for LEAF NATION
the LEISURE issue
trippy
flix FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS
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Story by TOM BOWERS @PropagateConsultants IN HIGH SCHOOL, my friends and I draped over the furniture and howled at Cheech and Chong getting blasted with Paul “Pee Wee” Reubens in “Nice Dreams.” By the time I got to college, my roommates and I shared a room with Dave Chappelle’s smiling face looking down from a “Half Baked” poster hanging over the couch. These were the stoner films of my youth. But as a budding young writer with novel aspirations of the journalistic variety, nothing left a mark like “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.” Now here was a film. Huge, uncomfortably hallucinogenic visuals. Frenetic, hilarious performances. A killer psych rock soundtrack. And at the center of it all, the razor-sharp screenplay filled with the incendiary, the legendary, the unapologetically poetic political commentary of journalist Hunter S. Thompson. “Fear and Loathing” reset the bar for what the drug culture film could be because it wasn’t just a film about getting high. It refocused the conversation on the realm of political discourse, introducing a new generation of heads and aspiring writers to the searing, literary style of Thompson’s brand of Gonzo journalism. I’ll never forget the moment when Flea walks into the bathroom, asking, “What’s the trouble?” before licking acid off of Thompson’s sleeve. Or the way the carpet crawls and slithers in those Vegas hotels. But what really left an impression were the intricate, frenzied internal monologues full of horror and beauty that sliced straight to the marrow of the skeletons in America’s closet. Now, I’ll never be the next Hunter S. Thompson. No one will. But I know 20-year-old me wasn’t alone in dreaming that maybe - just maybe I could be. MAY 1998 | DIRECTED BY TERRY GILLIAM | AVAILABLE ON ITUNES, AMAZON PRIME, GOOGLE PLAY, VUDU, YOUTUBE - $3.99
jUNE 2020
HALF BAKED Story by
NATE WILLIAMS @NATEW415
ONE OF the o’est of g’s and a solid contender for greatest stoner comedy movie of all time, “Half Baked” is an absolute classic and a favorite amongst many that consume the plant. Written by and starring Dave Chappelle, the film tells a story of a group of friends that love to smoke weed and have been lighting up together since they were teens. One night, one of them ventures out for munchies after enjoying some top shelf chronic and winds up in jail after feeding a diabetic police horse A story of a group of all his snacks, killing poor ‘Buttercup’ in friends that love to the process. smoke weed and have The weed-fueled adventure that ensues been lighting up together explores the highs and lows of stonerism, since they were teens. layered with facets of romance and the archetypal coming-of-age story. “Half Baked” is not only a comedic gem of a movie, it has helped shape today’s Cannabis market by inspiring branding for dispensaries, delivery services and consumable products for over 20 years. JANUARY 1998 | DIRECTED BY TAMRA DAVIS | HULU, SLING TV, STARZ - SUBSCRIPTION, ITUNES, AMAZON PRIME, GOOGLE PLAY, VUDU, YOUTUBE - $3.99
CHEECH AND CHONG Story by MIKE RICKER @RICKERDJ
“YOUR LICENSE, I need your license,” the police officer requests at the driver’s side window as smoke flows past. “It’s on the bumper back there,” Cheech points. Is there anything that better represents the genesis of Cannabis normalization? This proverbial slap in the face to authority set into motion a sea change toward public acceptance, while relishing in the notion that Cannabis use, and life, should not be taken too seriously. Released in 1978, this zany romp became the perfect antidote to the uptight Nixon era and post-60s war tension. And for this 12-year-old boy whose father’s daily joint toking was immediately validated, the lasting impression has not been lost 40 years later. SEPT. 1978 | DIRECTED BY TOMMY CHONG & LOU ADLER AVAILABLE ON NETFLIX, YOUTUBE TV, GOOGLE PLAY AMAZON PRIME, VUDU - $2.99
SUPER HIGH ME
FRIDAY Story by
MAKANI NELSON @CHOICENUG
DO YOU remember that one friend that came to get you high when you were feeling down? “It’s Friday, you ain’t got no job, and you ain’t got shit to do!” This iconic quote has held fast ever since being uttered by Chris Tucker’s character, Smokey. And while “Friday” has many different themes to “It’s Friday, you ain’t got unpack, there is no denying no job, and you ain’t got that it is a true stoner classic. shit to do!” Ice Cube wrote a ‘90s masterpiece, capturing a certain time in one’s life. Craig has no direction, he gets fired on his day off, his friend who got him high can’t pay back his dealer, and he has to deal with the neighborhood bully. This movie is loaded with hilarious quotes, as well as many lessons for young men in this demographic growing up at the time. If you haven’t seen “Friday,” please do yourself a favor and watch it. Don’t forget to light one up and remember what Smokey said: “Weed is from the earth. God put this here for me and you. Take advantage man, take advantage.” APRIL 1995 | DIRECTED BY F. GARY GRAY | CINEMAX - SUBSCRIPTION ITUNES, GOOGLE PLAY, VUDU, YOUTUBE, AMAZON PRIME - $3.99
SAVING GRACE Story by
PINEAPPLE EXPRESS Story by
MAX EARLY @LIFTED_STARDUST
WE ALL have that one quintessential heady movie that changed the game for us. Seth Rogen and For me, “Pineapple James Franco’s wild Express” was one of antics make for an the first movies that unimaginable plot. helped me signify between different strains, further growing my curiosity for Cannabis cultivars. After seeing this movie, I began to search for certain elusive strains such as Pineapple Express. For anyone who has had the pleasure of trying it, they know that it’s the real deal! Seth Rogen and James Franco’s wild antics make for an unimaginable plot with lots of twists and turns. So kick back, relax, roll up a cross joint or two - just make sure it’s not the Snicklefritz!
EARLY
SET IN the beautiful English countryside of Cornwall, “Saving Grace” is a timeless romantic comedy about a widowed cultivator Grace, played by Brenda Blethyn, whose husband leaves her with a ton of debt after his suicide. The movie starts with Grace’s caretaker Matthew, played by Craig Ferguson, digging the grave for her Grace uses her years of recently departed husband hydroponic experience and the sounds of someone and turns the sick little smoking a joint. Turns out plant into a greenhouse Matthew has a sick pot full of prime buds. plant and he brings it to Grace to rejuvenate. Grace uses her years of hydroponic experience and turns the sick little plant into a greenhouse full of prime buds. The plot thickens as they navigate the illegal market to distribute the crop. Filled with many hilarious scenes, as well as true commentary of how just about anyone could end up growing Cannabis for profit when faced with insurmountable debt, this is a classic and truly entertaining Cannabis movie. SEPT. 2000 | DIRECTED BY NIGEL COLE | ITUNES - $2.99, AMAZON PRIME, VUDU, GOOGLE PLAY, YOUTUBE - $3.99
AUGUST 2008 | DIRECTED BY DAVID GORDON GREEN AMAZON PRIME, VUDU - $2.99 / GOOGLE PLAY YOUTUBE - $3.99 / ITUNES - $9.99
Story by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT
“I SAW that movie “Super Size Me” when I was high,” comedian Doug Benson jokes. “MISTAAAKE! That is messed up, you know? The premise of the movie is that it’s bad to eat a lot of McDonalds, but I’m sitting here all high thinking, ‘Well, I could go for a hot apple or a frenchy at this point. Hook me up man.’ And he’s just gorging it all on himself and then throwing up - it’s disgusting. If that’s a movie - eating McDonalds for 30 days - and people are willing to pay to see it, I’ve got an idea for a movie. I’m gonna smoke pot Producer Alex Campbell every day for 30 days, try to remember and director Michael to film it, and my movie is going to be Blieden set out to make called “Super High Me.” Or “Business a mockumentary where as Usual” - I haven’t decided yet.” Doug Benson would Producer Alex Campbell and director not smoke Cannabis for Michael Blieden heard of Doug’s idea 30 days, immediately and approached him, wanting to make followed by 30 days of the movie. They set out to make a mocheavy daily consumption. umentary where Doug would not smoke Cannabis for 30 days, immediately followed by 30 days of heavy daily consumption. Doug says the first 30 days of non-consumption is to show “how awful it can be” when he doesn’t consume Cannabis at all. Since the film was made in 2007, California had not yet legalized recreational adult use, and so Doug had to become a medical Cannabis patient under Proposition 215 to legally consume Cannabis. Doug was tested throughout both 30 day periods to see differences in things like lung capacity, memory, IQ, sperm count and even psychic abilities. During his first set of lung capacity tests, Doug’s doctor stated that in his 17 years of heavy Cannabis use, he hasn’t done any permanent damage. However, his lung function did increase a little more than 2% after three weeks of not smoking. After not consuming any Cannabis for 30 days, Doug kicks off his consumption with a Volcano vaporizer. He enters the dispensary not knowing what to expect or what he wants to purchase at all. It was a pleasant surprise to see educated dispensary operators and budtenders that were able to point him in the right direction. I will leave the results of Doug’s tests a surprise for when you watch the documentary. APRIL 20, 2008 | DIRECTED BY MICHAEL BLIEDEN | VUDU - FREE / AMAZON PRIME - $0.99
GRANDMA’S BOY Story by
The flick follows 35-yearold video game tester Alex as he is forced to move into his grandma’s house after his roommate spends all of their rent money
JOSHUA STAHLE
GRANDMA’S BOY holds a special place in my heart as one of my go-to movies to just kick back and relax. An incredibly hilarious comedy, the flick follows 35-year-old video game tester Alex as he is forced to move into his grandma’s house after his roommate spends all of their rent money on hookers. The trials that follow include the ups and downs of life with Grandma (seriously, buy a microwave!), as well as encounters with some outlandish characters that jump off the screen. Dante, who might just be one of the most overexaggerated stoner characters ever conceived, is of particular hilarity. Although I have never been high enough to put up my Christmas tree in the middle of the summer while only wearing my birthday suit, perhaps that is just the kind of activity I need to pick up the spirits for these trying times.
JAN. 2006 | DIRECTED BY NICHOLAUS GOOSSENE | HULU, HBO SUBSCRIPTION, GOOGLE PLAY, VUDU, AMAZON PRIME - $3.99 / ITUNES - $9.99
STORIES by LEAF NATION CONTRIBUTORS | ILLUSTRATIONS by JOSHUA BOULET @JOSHUABOULET for LEAF NATION
the LEISURE issue
RPG
TOM BOWERS @PROPOGATECONSULTANTS
Given the amount of time we’re spending at home lately, sometimes it helps to just throw on an open-world RPG and simply run around. These games provide the perfect vehicle for these isolated times: vast, gorgeous scenery to battle the claustrophobic cabin fever, endless quests to keep you occupied and the feeling of accomplishment every time you level up your character. Here are a few titles to help you escape while you’re stuck at home...
THE ELDER SCROLLS V: SKYRIM SPECIAL EDITION REMASTERED
ICDPROJEKT’S CYBERPUNK 2077
XBOX ONE, PS4, MICROSOFT WINDOWS
STADIA, PS4, XBOX ONE, MICROSOFT WINDOWS
Scheduled for September release, this game looks absolutely amazing. Not only does it boast a vast techno-future open world, but it features Keanu ‘John Wick’ Reeves to boot. Regardless of whether we’re still living in the COVID world by then, we know we’ll be spending some time with this one when it drops.
RETRO
If you’ve been feeling a little confined during the COVID lockdown, we encourage you to visit - or revisit - “Skyrim,” one of the most completely imagined open-world games of all time. Few game experiences offer more pure escapism than questing among Skyrim’s vast vistas. Climb to the top of a moonlit mountain before bounding down, leading a dragon into a field full of mammoths and giants, and finding a vantage point from which to watch them all battle each other. The definition of epic.
MAX EARLY @LIFTED_STARDUST
CRASH BANDICOOT N. SANE TRILOGY NINTENDO SWITCH, PS4, XBOX ONE, MICROSOFT WINDOWS, IBM PC
32
FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE PLAYSTATION 4
A complete reimagining of one of the most revered titles in RPG history, this April 2020 release offers some of the most beautiful graphics available.
FALLOUT FOUR XBOX ONE, PS4, MICROSOFT WINDOWS
This one may qualify as gallows humor, but there’s something cathartic about rebuilding society in the rubble of a post-apocalyptic wasteland. This vast, inventive and highly entertaining open-world game almost counts as doomsday prep though we’re pretty sure bottlecaps won’t be the currency of that future.
From Spyro to Super Smash Bros., video game consoles like the Switch, PS4 and Xbox One now offer adults the ability to relive their favorite childhood games! With newer and improved technology and graphics, high end flat screen televisions and even higher quality Cannabis products these days, we are truly living in a magical, futuristic place. If only our 16-year-old selves could have had a glimpse into the future - we would all be in disbelief. We highly recommend taking a few dabs of hash and playing Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, a remastered version of the first three games: Crash Bandicoot, Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back and Crash Bandicoot: Warped.
leafnationmd.com
THE LATEST
VIDEO GAMES IN THE MARKET FOR A NEW GAMING CONSOLE? The console wars continue with Microsoft’s Xbox Series X and Sony’s Playstation 5 - keep your eyes peeled for release in late 2020.
jUNE 2020
MAKANI NELSON @CHOICENUG
I’ve been spending more time playing videos games than I have in the past few years combined. As I am still working, the reason behind my recent addiction lies in the fact that many of my friends are currently unemployed and playing video games to pass the time. While many businesses have been impacted negatively due to COVID-19, the video game industry is buzzing - especially with these new titles.
CALL OF DUTY: WARZONE PS4, XBOX ONE, MICROSOFT WINDOWS
ANIMAL CROSSING: NEW HORIZONS
VALORANT
NINTENDO SWITCH
MICROSOFT WINDOWS - PC ONLY
One of the most talked about games of late! Here you’ll spend your time collecting items to sell, with the goal of buying new items to improve your own island. Think of it as your own little town, where you can even invite friends!
This hero-based shooter game has made waves in the online streaming community, Twitch.TV. Similar to Counter Strike Global Offensive, Valorant has drummed up record-breaking viewer numbers.
CoD:W is still extremely popular, even since its release in March. Activision hit the nail on the head with their free, battle royale style shooter. In addition, there are no restrictions between platforms, enabling more players to play with each other than ever.
leaf nation’s writers share their favorite auditory entertainment
potcasts REPLY ALL
WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT
STARTED IN 2014, Reply All is a podcast that focuses on real stories with real people. My first time being introduced to the podcast was Episode #102, titled “Long Distance.” Host Alex Goldman receives a call from a telephone scammer, prompting him to spend the next weeks of his life uncovering this scammer. He goes as far as traveling to India to find the call center and meet with The podcast is just as useful in the men in charge of the scam. He discovlife as it is interesting. ers the exact ways in which these scammers were stealing money from less tech savvy Americans. Maybe this information will stop someone from getting scammed in the future? Or maybe you are simply laughing at how bad these scammers really are? Not all stories on this podcast involve the hosts - in fact, most of them do not. They involve larger audiences and specific individuals not on the show. The podcast is just as useful in life as it is interesting. Modern technologies are operating in more ways than many of us know and this podcast has brought these stories to light. The hosts have such a vast understanding of technology that they are able to break down complex topics in a way that anyone can understand. If pop culture, internet trends, scams and technology are of interest to you, this podcast is definitely worth a listen. GIMLETMEDIA.COM
MALT COUTURE
NATE WILLIAMS @NATEW415
IF YOU’RE LIKE ME, then listening to folks who are incredibly articulate and knowledgeable about a certain subject is a treat, regardless of the subject matter. When that content is intertwined with laugh out loud antics and also diversified to appeal to a wide audience, it levels up to a rare treat. Malt Couture is both a hilariously good time Malt Couture is both a and highly educational. And it is, by a large hilariously good time margin, my favorite podcast out there right now. and highly educational. While only sporadically discussing Cannabis, the content of Malt Couture is a smattering of beer, wrestling, video games, music, the English language and sketch comedy. Hosted by a trio of comics who also happen to be craft beer enthusiasts, this podcast explores the highly nuanced and constantly evolving world of beer. With Cannabis becoming more mainstream by the week, there are a lot of comparisons to be drawn and a lot of insight to be gained while listening to Alex Kidd, Stephen Loh, Paul Michael Gabriel and their guests unpack and discuss the backend of an industry most have only a surface level understanding of. DONTDRINKBEER.LIBSYN.COM
THE JOE ROGAN EXPERIENCE
MAX EARLY @LIFTED_STARDUST
WHILE MANY of you may know Joe Rogan for his longtime role with Fear Factor, his lifetime involvement in mixed martial arts or maybe his stand-up comedy, the persona that we have all fell in love with has also recorded 1,471 podcasts to date. From mycologist Paul Stamets to heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson, Rogan In 2018, Rogan had Elon Musk steps outside of his comfort zone to deeply queson his show in which they tion his subjects, promoting thought-provoking passed around a fat blunt, conversations. In 2018, Rogan had Elon Musk on sending the world into shock. his show in which they passed around a fat blunt, sending the world into shock. Circle back on one of his latest shows where Musk revisits and they discuss coronavirus, Neuralink and the future! Sadly, Musk didn’t smoke down the second time around. Rogan regularly consumes Cannabis on his podcast, which we can only imagine helps further expand his level of creativity and consciousness. Much commendation is owed to Rogan for taking essential steps towards making Cannabis more widely acceptable by showing that you can live an exceptional life, be a hard worker and consume Cannabis daily! PODCASTS.JOEROGAN.NET
HIDDEN BRAIN
MIKE RICKER @RICKERDJ
HOSTED BY an Indian national who is a Stanford graduate, this open-minded path to a deeper understanding of human behavior is professionally produced education through investigation. If a favorite sativa has got your attention set onto a curious track, here you will immerse into a platform of nonfictionStorytelling that explores al storytelling that explores subjects that subjects that wouldn’t wouldn’t normally manifest into your daily normally manifest into thoughts. And with titles that are both timely your daily thoughts. and timeless, there’s a concept explored for every critical thinker - with seemingly as many options as you might be able to self-imagine. So, when your day of decision making has devolved into a case of brain drain, here you can unlock a spare that does the contemplating for you. NPR.ORG
STORIES by LEAF NATION CONTRIBUTORS | ILLUSTRATIONS by JOSHUA BOULET @JOSHUABOULET for LEAF NATION
33
the LEISURE issue
Cannabis, Consumption &COVID-19 A changing world confronts a growing industry
leafnationmd.com
34
We all have our preferred method of Cannabis consumption. Whether it be vaping, dabbing, smoking, eating edibles or anything in between, it’s a ritualistic part of how many of us conduct our daily lives. If I could choose, I would spend most of my days smoking that sweet, sticky ganja - choosing the perfect strain, picking out the best looking nugs, rolling it up in my favorite papers, and inhaling that smoky, aromatic goodness that cleanses the soul. Well, that was until coronavirus hit the globe and turned the entire world upside down, forcing us to take a good look in the mirror and reflect on how current actions impact future health.
T
he Cannabis industry is fortunate enough to be deemed an essential business in legal states. Though sales have been generally steady across Cannabis companies - with some businesses seeing record numbers - the industry isn’t immune to having to adapt. Farms are limiting the number of trimmers and laborers. Distributors are also limiting staff, wiping equipment, engaging in remote sales and keeping contact to a minimum. Dispensaries are limiting the number of customers allowed in stores, sanitizing as much as possible and offering curbside delivery. These act as a strong first line of defense against the virus, but what else can the Cannabis community do to mitigate risk? From what we know about COVID-19 thus far, it mainly affects the respiratory system leaving those who smoke or have difficulty breathing feeling uneasy regarding the potential for greater risk.
jUNE 2020
Tinctures are highly effective because they’re Though there haven’t been many studies on already activated and fast acting compared how coronavirus and Cannabis are specifically to other methods. Just a few drops under the related, we can look at the emerging data that tongue and the Cannabis is absorbed directanalyzes traditional tobacco and e-cigarette use ly into the bloodstream without having to go in conjunction with COVID-19. through the lungs, stomach or liver. Tinctures There have been multiple studies linking any generally come in a liquid form with a dropper traditional cigarette and e-cigarette use to an to measure dosage, though tincture capsules increased likelihood of developing respiratory isare gaining popularity due to the lack of taste. sues if infected. According to a recent study lead Edibles are typically preferred over tinctures beby Stanton Glantz, director of the Center for cause they taste better due to being paired with Tobacco Control Research and Education at the sweet or savory foods. Though edibles normally University of California San Francisco, current taste great, they’re not as effective as tinctures. smokers more than double their odds of disease Edibles are absorbed via the stomach lining progression if affected with COVID-19. and liver, so they are not directly entering the This means that many Cannabis users are bloodstream and could take anywhere from 30 putting themselves at risk every time they spark minutes to two hours to take effect. The best adup that joint or take that fat dab. vice for figuring out edibles is to start slow, even Globally, humans are realizing that coronaif you think it isn’t hitting yet. You can always eat virus has changed some aspects of daily life more, but you can’t eat less. maybe permanently. Cannabis is no Some people prefer dispensary different. Knowing the consequences IT WAS ALL FUN products because they are tested, smoking and vaping have on the respiratory system, there needs to be AND GAMES BEFORE, professionally made and ready to be consumed straight from the package, a fundamental shift in the way we BUT THE LAST FEW thus making them generally safer and view Cannabis and its relationship to more accurate. our body. MONTHS HAVE Making products at home requires The Cannabis industry has long research, product knowledge and focused on flower and combustion CHANGED HOW availability. There are many ways to inhalation as the favored method of create your own products and hunconsumption. How many videos do WE NEED TO VIEW dreds, if not thousands, of articles onwe see on social media that glorify line that can help consumers navigate hot dab coughs or choking out from CANNABIS GOING the new world of homemade consuma fat blunt? It was all fun and games ables. Nothing is more satisfying than FORWARD. before, but the last few months have creating and eating your own infused changed how we need to view Canhomemade pie. Turns out, you can have your nabis going forward. Cannabis and eat it, too. To safely consume Cannabis in a way that’s As a community and as an essential business, still effective, we need to bypass the lungs it’s our responsibility to evaluate the risks and entirely or at least minimize smoking, as a way rewards of Cannabis in this new world. And the to mitigate risk. The most common ways to conway we view Cannabis and its relationship to the sume Cannabis minus the smoke is by ingesting body must adapt, for better and for worse. tinctures and edibles.
ALEX DUBS WORKMAN is a Cannabis artist, photographer, and amateur chef who is passionate about everything Cannabis. After working in the industry for many years, Alex now spends her time making art with Cannabis, photographing her favorite products, infusing oils, and making homemade edibles for family and friends. She enjoys keeping up with Cannabis trends, products, and industry news in her spare time. You can keep up with Alex’s art and lifestyle on her instagram @workdubs.
STORY by ALEX WORKMAN @WORKDUBS for LEAF NATION | ILLUSTRATIONS by JOSHUA BOULET @JOSHUABOULET for LEAF NATION
the LEISURE issue
cleaning
101
36
THIS GUIDE ILLUMINATES MY MANY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE CLEANING - AND YES BREAKING -
leafnationmd.com
SOME BEAUTIFUL PIECES OF GLASS.
T
he hardest part about writing this article was letting my bong and dab rig get dirty. So hard. There is nothing I enjoy more than tasting all the unique terpene combinations through some nice clean cool water that has traveled through an air diffuser. There is just a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ about the first draw through a clean piece - I compare it to how your car feels like it slices through the air smoother after being freshly waxed. And it’s truly hard to beat a clean and smooth flavor-filled dose of Maryland’s finest medicine through glistening glass. STORY BY EARLY
jUNE 2020
>> T I P S T O B E L E A R N E D A N D R E M E M B E R E D .
ALWAYS PREPARE A SAFE AREA TO PERFORM ANY CLEANING. That can include an old kitchen rag, handy paper towel or preferably an old dab mat (a typically silicone Cannabis accessory used in the practice of dabbing hash oils). This is VERY important, as a safe and soft surface is the best way to ensure that all pieces of the glass emerge unscathed from the cleaning process.
TAKE YOUR TIME. THE WORST THING IS TO END UP WITH NO PIPE, BONG OR DAB RIG WHEN YOU ARE DONE. Be sure when shaking or rinsing the various components that you do not come in contact with the edge of the sink, faucet or other components.
CLEANERS. There are many different products available on the market for cleaning glass used for Cannabis consumption. I have used many over the years - mostly alcohol based - from the first available 420 Cleaner that now comes in several varieties, to boutique blends like Randy’s Black Label that is acetate based. The old standby was 91% isopropyl rubbing alcohol and some kosher rock salt. I have learned over the years that the rock salt was actually scratching the glass as it was doing its cleaning. I would suggest for any inexpensive glass that any of the readily available products will work pretty well, and the scratching is not that big of an issue. For finer quality glass I would suggest using 91% isopropyl rubbing alcohol, Everclear from the liquor store if available in your state, or acetone. If you warm any of these three they work much better, but you must do this extremely carefully!
<< how to clean your bong STEP # 1 Start by running hot water through whatever device you are cleaning. This will help loosen the resins and tars. I like to run the water at about as hot as I can stand through the device for at least a minute. I have used silicone tongs to assist in holding smaller pieces, but this is risky and you must be very careful to not drop anything.
STEP #2 Allow the water to drain and disassemble any components, placing on the safe protective surface.
STEP #3 Follow the directions on your cleaning product, add the appropriate amount, and carefully cover any openings on the device with yours hands. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s good to wear dish gloves or any latex type glove while doing this step. You can also use a nifty device called Res CAPS Bong Cleaning Caps to cover the openings, keeping your hands much cleaner. (www. resolutioncolo.com/products/res-caps). If cleaning small components, it is best to add a small amount of cleaner to a ziplock baggie. You can do this one at a time for the smaller pieces.
STEP #4 Shake the cleaning product throughout the device, making sure to touch all surfaces. It may take a bit of vigorous shaking to break some of the tars and oils from the surfaces. Again, be extremely careful to watch your movements to avoid hitting the glass against anything. It may be best to allow the cleaner to sit for a couple of minutes with heavier resin and tar buildups, rather than repeating.
STEP #5 You may likely need to use a few cotton swabs to clean out trouble areas. Dip the swab into your cleaner and carefully rub until clean. There are many types of brushes available as well to assist in the cleaning process. Make sure they do not have metal shafts, as they can scratch your glass.
STEP #6 Rinse and clean and rinse and clean and rinse and clean. Many of the commercial cleaners can leave behind residues and scents that are not so great, so use your nose and clean it until it has no odor.
STEP #7 Carefully towel dry your glass with a soft rag, reassemble, refill with water if used, and enjoy!
MAX EARLY @LIFTED_STARDUST
Moose Labs
37
MouthPeace UTILIZING A SIMPLE COMBINATION OF PLATINUM-CURED SILICONE AND TRIPLE-LAYER ACTIVATED CARBON FILTERS, MOOSE LABS IS BRINGING YOU THEIR NEW AND IMPROVED MOUTHPEACE.
TO USE this revolutionary product, one simply presses a filter down into the MouthPeace. From there, the possibilities are endless! Realizing that bongs and rigs come in all different shapes and sizes, Moose Labs certainly had their end users in mind, as MouthPeaces are made to fit all styles of glass - as well as joints and blunts! With our current reality and the pandemic on our hands, we could not think of a better time to take a load off your lungs and filter out some of the less desirable tars and resins. Following taking my usual five or six bong hits throughout the day, my lungs felt an undoubted difference when using the MouthPeace. After flipping over the activated carbon filter, I was amazed and taken aback all at the same time by the amount of resin that was on it. It is always important to note that while the MouthPeace removes certain types of toxins, resins and tar, the terpene profile is not affected or compromised by any means. Smoking my normal sized bowl pack, I encountered a substantially smoother hit - all the while experiencing the same flavors and effects that we love so much. Whenever you feel that it's time to replace the filter, their no-touch design makes it incredibly simple, while also promoting good hygiene. Simply remove the filter by squeezing it up and out with your thumb from the bottom of the MouthPeace. Moose Labs went above and beyond with their new creation, hitting the drawing boards for 16 months of R&D to offer us an environmentally-friendly product designed using both recycled and biodegradable elements. Consumers can confidently purchase Moose Labs products knowing that the company makes every effort possible to be sustainable. MOOSELABS.US
I ENCOUNTERED A SUBSTANTIALLY SMOOTHER HIT - ALL THE WHILE EXPERIENCING THE SAME FLAVORS AND EFFECTS THAT WE LOVE SO MUCH.
ILLUSTRATIONS by JOSHUA BOULET @JOSHUABOULET for LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS
concentrate of the month
EVERMORECOMPANY.COM | FB.COM/EVERMORECOMPANY
“OPENING THE JAR IMMEDIATELY FLOODED MY SENSES WITH SMELLS OF TROPICAL FRUIT, FOLLOWED BY STRONG NOTES OF A SWEET, ALMOST PIXIE-STICK LIKE SMELL.”
78.39% THCA 3.43%THC 0.32% THCVA 0.4% CBCA 0.16%CBDA 1.09%CBGA 0.19% CBG
15.308% TERPENES 4.103% Limonene 3.536% b-myrcene 2.690% trans-caryophyllene 1.098% Linalool 0.875% A-Humulene 0.807% A-Pinene 0.129% Camphene 0.642% b-Pinene 0.507% Ocimene 0.010% A-terpinene 0.012% gamma terpinene 0.074% trans-nerolidol 0.070% Terpinolene 0.049% Geraniol 0.047% Guaiol
38
(TROPICAL SUNSET X UNCLE PURPLE)
leafnationmd.com
83.97% CANNABINOIDS
PURPLE ECLIPSE
CRYSTALS IN SAUCE O u r m o nt h l y co n cent ra t e fe a t u re h a s b e en b l es se d w i t h a l l s o r t s o f i n c re d i b l e ex t ra c t s fro m s h a tte r t o h a s h t o ro s i n . T h i s m o nt h , we ’ re rev i s i t i n g o u r g o o d fr i en d s a t E ve rm o re fo r a n o t h e r d e l e c ta b l e b a t c h o f t h e i r ‘ C r ys ta l s i n S a u ce . ’
jUNE 2020
PURPLE ECLIPSE IS A CROSS OF TROPICAL SUNSET AND UNCLE PURPLE, TWO OF MARYLAND’S FAVORITE HEAVY HITTERS FROM EVERMORE. The dankness of the lineage is deepened by Tropical Sunset’s cross of Purple Punch and Sunset Sherbet, and Uncle Purple’s cross of Larry OG and GDP. The Larry OG brings a nice lemon flavor into the mix, while the Purple Punch and Sunset Sherbert burst with sweet flavors and aromas. Opening the jar immediately flooded my senses with smells of tropical fruit, followed by strong notes of a sweet, almost pixie-stick like smell. Dabbing this on a low temperature quartz banger really brought that smell through in the flavor. The combination of limonene, b-myrcene, trans-caryophyllene and linalool creates a mix of sweet and spicy sensations on the palate. This blender of terpenes helped me with back pain and didn’t drag me down or hinder me from a busy work day (at home of course). One thing I always look out for with ‘sauce’ is the crystal to terpene ratio. You need the perfect ratio of sauce coating the crystals, while still leaving a small puddle for dipping and mixing in the jar. This batch was a prime example of the perfect ratio, featuring each crystal shimmering with bright gold terpenes. Due to the large size of some of the crystals, I chose to crush and mix them together with the sauce - allowing me to get the most consistency in dosing and flavor from dab to dab.
STORY & PHOTO by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT/MARYLAND LEAF
}
}
Deliveryand CurbsidePickup Options
The Living Room Pikesville
Curbside Pickup and Delivery
The Living Room in Pikesville is a great option for both pickup and delivery. You simply place your order online, select whether you want to pick up your medicine or have it dropped off, and wait for the text confirming your order is ready. They have plenty of parking in the lot and the staff tends to remember you by first name after a visit or two (even with a mask on). When you order FREE delivery you must spend at least $122, which isn’t bad considering the 22% discount on everything. Nonetheless, I am still really looking forward to the day we can go back inside this comfortable dispensary. THELVRM.COM
Health for Life Baltimore curbside pickup and Drive-thru
Health for Life Baltimore is in the location of what used to be a fast food restaurant, so they have had a drive-thru in house since day one. Although other than the drivethru, the inside and outside of the dispensary look nothing like a fast food restaurant anymore. This boutique dispensary is allowing patients to place orders online ahead of time, and pick them up curbside or use their drive-thru. What better way to get your medicine than having minimal contact with a minimal amount of people? They usually have a wide selection of concentrates from MPX and flower from many producers. HEALTHFORLIFEDISPENSARIES.COM
Mana Supply Co. Edgewater Drive-thru
Another seamless drive-thru experience can be found at Mana Supply Co. in Edgewater. You just pull up and push a button to check in, before pulling up to the window where you pay and retrieve your online order. This eliminates a lot of back and forth between checking patients in and taking payments, allowing budtenders to dispense medicine quickly and safely. Mana also has a price match guarantee, meaning they will price match any regularly priced item with a competitor’s price, within 15 miles of the dispensary. MANASUPPLY.COM
gLeaf Frederick & Rockville curbside pickup and delivery
Gleaf recently opened a second dispensary location in Rockville, offering both curbside pickup and delivery. Just to put into perspective how far they deliver, I am able to get medicine delivered from the Frederick store to Pikesville. In times like these, it can be safer and more enjoyable to kick back and let your medicine come to you. Thanks to Gleaf for another great option. GLEAF.COM
From drive-thrus to deliveries, Maryland’s medical dispensaries have been finding new ways to safely get patients their medicine. This is a critical effort made by dispensaries, as they have to take into account the potential for patients with underlying conditions that could be directly impacted by Covid-19. Let’s walk through a few of Maryland’s options for pickup and delivery that I have found helpful during this time.
STORY by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT
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cooking with Cannabis
FEEL GOOD PIZZA As most of us hunker down and stay safe, food is among the ‘high’ points of the day. One of the best comfort foods - pizza, with Cannabis - makes me feel better. Always remember that when you are cooking with Cannabis, don’t let the oven temp go above 340 degrees. #DontFearTheEdible
Being able to make a white sauce, or béchamel, provides lots of wonderful culinary options. And it sounds real fancy. Spoon it over your pasta or ladle over seafood. Add cheese for a great mac and cheese or pour over the top of nachos.
GREEN PIZZA BIANCO 1 SMALL HOMEMADE/STORE-BOUGHT PIZZA CRUST ½ CUP BÉCHAMEL SAUCE (RECIPE BELOW)* 3 CREMINI MUSHROOMS, WIPED CLEAN AND SLICED 1 TABLESPOON ROSEMARY, CHOPPED CRUSHED RED PEPPER ¼ CUP FONTINA CHEESE, THINLY SLICED, ROOM TEMP.
40
PINCH OF SALT 1. Heat oven to 400° F. 2. Place the crust on a baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil. Bake according to the package directions, but remove the crust five minutes before the time suggested. 3. Turn oven down to 340° F. 4. Spread the crust with the white sauce, then top with mushrooms, rosemary, red pepper and fontina. 5. Bake until the cheese melts, about 4-5 minutes.
BÉCHAMEL SAUCE 3 1/3 TABLESPOONS CANNA-BUTTER 4 TABLESPOONS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR PINCH SALT & PINCH WHITE PEPPER 2 CUPS MILK, WARM 1. In a small saucepan melt the canna-butter over low heat. 2. Whisk in the flour, salt and pepper until smooth.
1. Heat oven to 400° F.
1 LARGE PREPARED PIZZA CRUST
with the unmedicated olive oil. 3. Bake according to the package directions, but
4 TEASPOONS CANNA-OLIVE OIL
remove the crust five minutes before the time
1 CUP TOMATO SAUCE
suggested. Turn oven down to 340° F.
½ CUP SOPPRESSATA, THINLY SLICED
4. Cook without simmering until the white sauce thickens, about 5-7 minutes.
¼ CUP CHOPPED SCALLION
[ 10 1/4 cup servings]
[Serves 4]
COARSE BLACK PEPPER
GARDEN PIZZA Salad pizzas have always been an interesting concept. Confusing, but after years of contemplation I have decided they are pretty cool. Like crusty bread and a salad but better.
jUNE 2020
2. Place the crust on a baking sheet and drizzle
2 TABLESPOONS OLIVE OIL
1 ½ CUPS MOZZARELLA, ROOM TEMP.
3. Slowly add the milk, whisking to prevent lumps.
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SOPPRESSATA PIZZA
4. Spread the pizza with four teaspoons of canna-olive oil added to the tomato sauce. 5. Top with the cheese, soppressata, scallion and black pepper, and add pizza back to oven to bake until cheese is melted, about 6-8 minutes.
We have decided to go with soppressata rather than pepperoni for this pizza. Nothing personal. Just a new tasty take on an old classic. If you like you can add some béchamel sauce - double whammy.
1 SMALL PREPARED PIZZA CRUST
INSTRUCTIONS
1 TABLESPOON OLIVE OIL
1. Heat oven to 400° F.
2 CUPS SALAD GREENS
2. Place the crust on a baking sheet and drizzle
¼ CUP BELL PEPPERS, CHOPPED
with the unmedicated olive oil. Bake according to
¼ CUP RED ONION, PEELED AND CHOPPED
the package directions.
1 TABLESPOON OLIVE OIL
3. In a medium bowl, combine all the remaining
2 TEASPOONS CANNA-OLIVE OIL
ingredients including the optional goat cheese.
2 TABLESPOONS BALSAMIC VINEGAR
4. When the pizza crust is done place it on your
COARSE SALT, COARSE BLACK PEPPER
plate. Top with the dressed greens.
¼ CUP GOAT CHEESE, OPTIONAL
[Serves 2]
RECIPES by LAURIE WOLF | PHOTOS by BRUCE WOLF
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DYSCO’S CORNER
musings from aparent &Cannabis consumer Now that most of us are working from home, presumably not under our boss’s surveillance (I insist Alexa wear a mask), many patients who usually suffer all day at the office are now able to use Cannabis to treat everything from pain to anxiety CORONAVIRUS. UGH. QUARANTINE. UGH. SOCIAL to ADHD, all day long. And it’s pretty clear to me that people DISTANCING. UGH. LONELINESS, DEPRESSION are definitely getting a little, dare I say, “looser” during their AND EVERYTHING THAT GOES ALONG WITH “workdays” at home. PROLONGED ISOLATION… UGH! NOT TO MENTION I think the result of this collective loosening up is that the THAT MANY OF US SEEM TO BE SHOWERING LESS loosened are weathering the boredom in a more positive way AND ‘DRESSING’ NOT AT ALL. A FEW DAYS AGO, than expected. We are all being asked to be satisfied with I SAW A MAN WALKING BACK FROM THE MAIL less of everything - except apparently anxiety, boredom and CENTER IN PAJAMAS, CHEAP HOTEL SLIPPERS AND weight gain. Less freedom, less financial security, less socialA PINK TERRY CLOTH BATHROBE. MY MOTHER SAID, izing, less activity - it’s enough to make anyone feel paralyzed “THANK GOD HE WAS WEARING A BATHROBE!” about the future. This is where the medicine part comes in. SELF ISOLATION is definitely lonely and depressing. However, If you’re going to be medicated while working in isolation, I have found that it gets a lot less depressing after a pre-roll, and it’s now more important than ever to choose your strain and I’ve noticed that I’m not the only one saying it out loud. delivery method carefully. I mean, there is still work to be A few days ago I was watching the morning news. A maindone. With unemployment at an all-time high, now is not the stream anchor was interviewing a PhD time to be slacking off because you hit I was definitely regarding increasing rates of depression and the indica a little too early... anxiety during this unprecedented time. This I prefer smoking sativa pre-rolls during wound up tight guy was intelligent and very well spoken - as the day if I want to get anything done, after weeks PhDs being interviewed on the morning news including thinking. of being in tend to be. The interviewer wrapped up his interview by asking, “And, before we go, isolation with NOW, I REALIZE that a few months ago doctor, what have you personally been doing I raved about the Volcano, and it definiteGarcia, my loyal to improve your time in isolation?” ly still has its place and time. But, in retlapdog, as my His reply: “Actually, I’ve been smoking a lot rospect, that’s a much foggier place and main option for of pot.” time than your typical workday. It took me Cut to commercial. Seriously. I’m not a minute to realize just how foggy it was. conversation. kidding. How I wish I could have seen the On the plus side, it is an excellent vessel look on Gayle King’s face. Personally, I liked his honesty. He’s not for those times when you want to be in the fog. the only one who has found Cannabis to be an essential medicine Shortly before all the lockdowns, I had dinner with a few during this pandemic and I applaud him for recognizing its therafriends and the Volcano. The hosts were smoking from their peutic usefulness on such an unexpected platform. personal bowl all night. Everyone was active and coherent. We successfully played word games and even Jenga before breaking out the Volcano shortly before dinner. Dinner was probably more delicious than usual, and everything seemed to be fine. But then, halfway through dinner,
life, plans and change
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jUNE 2020
one of my friends suddenly abandoned his silverware and started eating the tuna steak with his hands - like that was normal. Later the next day, when I told him that I had noticed a big difference in him after the Volcano, he laughed and said, “I noticed a big difference, too! What happened next?” On a personal note, my Volcano is now reserved for extreme anxiety relief. This brings me to what happened just this morning. I was working against a deadline (this one) and given the fact that I hadn’t even decided on a subject yet, it’s fair to say that I had quite a bit to do. I was flipping through my notebook, anxiety mounting as I tried to think of something, anything… Note to self: See above. This is NOT the time to break out the Volcano. However, I decided that it was definitely the right time to roll a joint. I needed to calm my anxiety while sparking creativity and increasing motivation. Now, that’s a big ask for any pharmaceutical, which is why so many of us continue to switch to Cannabis, right? But back to my earlier writer’s block, mounting anxiety and subsequent decision to roll up some Gorilla Bomb. I was definitely wound up tight after weeks of being in isolation with Garcia, my loyal lapdog, as my main option for conversation. I call him a lapdog, but at this stage of isolation both Garcia and I have been experimenting with just how often we can go to the kitchen and find scraps of leftover food on the counter or on the floor. We have both gone up a couple sizes, so to call Garcia a lapdog at this point seems a bit generous. And he really, really needs a haircut, but according to the government, his salon is to remain closed indefinitely. At this point, my lapdog looks more like a snaggle-toothed ewok, and I adore him regardless of his presentation. Garcia usually sits on my lap or snuggles behind me against the chair-back when I work, and a 10 pound fluff muffin can do that. But an ewok? Not so much. Over the last month, his increasing fat and fluff has been throwing elbows against
my butt so effectively that this morning I realized he was sprawled comfortably on the seat behind my back while I, the human, was teetering on the edge of it - barely balancing on a two inch strip of my ever-expanding ass. I knew it was time for some pre-roll therapeutics in order to break through my writer’s block, quell my anxiety and motivate me into action.
But first: Just who the hell does that dog think he is taking my chair? Did I mention that isolation sometimes makes me cranky? Well, it does, but I would have been pissed off at Garcia taking my writing chair even if we hadn’t been in lockdown. I was, perhaps, a few minutes too late on the pre-roll, and perhaps lacking a bit of empathy when I scooped him up from the chair and unceremoniously dumped him onto the dog pillow (better known as his princess poof pillow, but we can save the gender politics discussion for another time) next to my monitor on my desk. Garcia himself insisted the pillow be placed on my desk as back-up seating for emergencies such as this. You may ask yourself, “Hmm. How exactly did Garcia, Dysco’s 10-16 pound transitioning constant companion, manage to communicate his demand?” Well, since Garcia and I have been sequestered together, we have had a lot of time to really study each other and get to know and understand each other in all sorts of new ways. For his part, Garcia has gotten to be a very effective communicator, as illustrated by the way he communicated his feelings about being left on the desk - vomiting all over it. He could not have spoken more clearly if he’d been using the Queen’s English. Some might even call it performance art. He managed to slime my writer’s notebook with a sticky liquid mucus, so that the color coded ideas I’d painstakingly categorized in colorful inks were left swirled and marbled throughout the sticky pages.
Garcia addressed his feelings about his princess poof pillow in a similarly direct and unflinching manner by coating it with brown and yellow mustard-like puke. Imagine two jars of country style Grey Poupon splattered for maximum impact - clumped over a large white furry pillow, seeping through the notebook pages, slowly rolling off the edge of the desk, and finally dripping down to the carpet on the floor - ensuring that there will be no misunderstanding. Nobody puts baby in the corner. It was quite a statement. I mean, I had to break out a freaking spatula just to complete phase one of cleaning. This is the sort of thing that normally would have sent me spinning out of my mind in negativity and frustration. It would have definitely set my attitude back to where I needed to start procrastinating writing this column all over again. But that’s not what happened. Contrary to years of training in the over-dramatic arts, I was actually totally chill about it. I didn’t even yell at Garcia. Instead, and I definitely credit the Gorilla Bomb pre-roll for this, I simply took his action for what it was. You may ask me, “And what was that exactly, you self-proclaimed dog-whisperer?” Garcia’s performance art reminded me of the iconic movie “Pitch Perfect.” It was his expression of how frustrated he is at not being able to control his life right now, except in very small ways. I get it. I’m pretty sure we all know somebody we want to throw up all over in protest. We can all relate to that desire sometimes to throw up our hands (or our cookies) in the face of uncertainty. We can all relate to wondering why we need to wear pants at all anymore. Who imagined a Lego movie could be so prophetic? Some days I’m so lonely, but I’m also glad I don’t have to see anyone, because then I’d have to shower. That’s not usually a good sign, but I also know that I am not the only one who has days like that. So just remember, when that happens to you, they have a sativa for that.
43
-Dysco
SUBMITTED
to MARYLAND LEAF
44
Cabin Fever
LEISURE ISSUE EDITION
STORY by JONAH TACOMA @DABSTARS2.0 for LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by JESS LARUE @JESSICALARUE_420
“Some say the Cannabis community is lost, others say they would be lost without the Cannabis community…” Wise words from an unknown stoner who had managed to cut right to the heart of the issue. Those words rang truer than ever for me now as we entered day 40-something of quarantine lockdown.
JUNE 2020
As a traveler who thrived on the energy of the community, the separation/stagnation was starting to take more of a toll than I had imagined. We were a community divided, torn apart by a virus that had already all but ruined the much anticipated 4/20/20, and was now threatening to put an end to the rest of the summerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s events as well. HUMANS ARE NATURALLY Champs Tradeshow a policy which had been and MJBizcon had SOCIAL CREATURES AND historically bad for pot pages, announced virtual STONERS AS A COLLECTIVE which often fell target to attacks editions of their from ideological opposition. summer shows and ARE NATURALLY rumors were swirling REBELLIOUS. Rage Against the Machine blared around the viability loudly from the kitchen where of Seattle Hempfest, Jessica was finishing up the dishes. my favorite hometown Cannabis event, which had gone on We were all doing our best to work from home uninterrupted for decades. but the cabin fever was starting to evolve into something more insidious. It was hard not to Many vendors were up in arms about the $2k Champs feel like cattle as you stood outside in a faceless was asking for a virtual booth. Word was still out on Bizcon line, six feet apart waiting to go buy overpriced booth prices, but virtual attendance tickets were available commodities. I was starting to wonder just how on their website at $40 a pop, a sharp decrease from the much of this we could take. $500 walk-in price years previous. As Covid raged on the Cannabis community in particular was feeling the strain, even social media which seemed like a logical respite, was not without its own complications. Instagram and their parent company Facebook were both AFK at the wheel. Appeal processes had been replaced with Covid-19 warnings explaining that we had all been left at the mercy of an algorithm,
Humans are naturally social creatures and stoners as a collective are naturally rebellious. Cannabis was the common denominator, but what really united our community was the willingness to break unjust laws. A willingness to stand together in open criminal defiance for something we believed in. Sure, you could walk into a store and buy Cannabis in more than a dozen states, but it had not always been so. Legal Cannabis was a concession, an acknowledgement from the powers that be and for the observant, a chink in the political armor. For now we were happily appeased, reveling in the spoils of our hard fought victory, but time did not seem to be on the side of the establishment. The people had scored their first big victory in a long time.The people were waking up. We had taken back Cannabis. What was next?
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by Mike Ricker What Happened to The Shotgun? It was the sexiest move ever.
For those of you who have no context from which to draw for the legendary shotgun, it was
the old school move of smoothness where you took a lit joint, flipped it around and carefully cupped your lips over the center without touching the cherry. You then forced an exhale, pressing the smoke outward through the hole and into the recipientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s open mouth, without drenching the paper with saliva. And the cooperation with which you administered this fashionable toke lent directly to the level of closeness you wished to share. Today it is as much of a foregone cultural trend as disco music, the CB radio and the Six Million Dollar Man. For stoners, there was nothing cooler. And then, poof - gone, like an out of fashion pop group. The beer shotgun followed, but that was stupid. So why did this practice of provocative participation diffuse into thin air? The shotgun was very communal. Kind of like splitting a banana split. And it required no technology other than weed and a rolling paper. If you think about it, it was like sharing a peace pipe with Sitting Bull - and I am not referring to my Camp Couch buddy Davey Dabs. Moustaches made a comeback. Hippie clothes made a comeback. Backstreet Boys made a comeback. We should lobby the Danksonian Institute to revive it from the archives. Because like those native chiefs who forged pacts in a teepee, our world leaders could blow shotguns into each othersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; mouths before the customary presentation of old war swords and hand painted vases as diplomatic gifts. In fact, after a good shotgun blast, they may for once see value in the trippiness and functionality of these items. Maybe the shotgun can be the first step toward ending social distancing. By the way, these days he would be called the Six Hundred Million Dollar Man.
June 2020
Get the audio version and every episode at Stoney-Baloney.com
@RickerDJ
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For personal use only by qualifying patient. Available at licensed dispensaries throughout Maryland.