THE ENLIGHTENED VOICE
F R E E / L E A F N AT I O N M D . C O M
#27 | MAR. 2021
INDEPENDENT CANNABIS JOURNALISM SINCE 2010
GROWN.
Our greenhouse expansion is all grown out. Tripling in size to 250,000 sq.ft., our state-of-the-art, “Dutch-style” greenhouse is ready to deliver the natural sun-grown medicine Maryland’s patients deserve.
SUNLIGHT MEETS STATE OF THE ART. SUNMEDGROWERS.COM Medical cannabis is for use only by a qualifying patient. There may be health risks associated with the consumption of cannabis or cannabis products. There may be additional health risks associated with the consumption of cannabis or cannabis products for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
ERIC KAYNE
feature Leaf Nation’s Barron Wolfe interviews Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research PhD David Bryce Yaden, on the lasting power of psychedelics.
How Cannabis
leafmagazines.com
16 helps DJ @GT_Ofice
[
22 ZenLeaf Germantown
feature
30 Cannabis as a Psychedelic
24 Blackberry OG Reviewed “It literally filled my whole house with an aroma that smelled as if the world’s best wookies gathered together a big bag of blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and raspberries...”
/////// story by taylor martin photo by wyatt early
Mar. 2021
strain of the month
MR. MELTY
shop review
MIKE ROSATI
patient profile
18 7 10 12 14 16 18 22 24 28 29 30 31 32 34 36 38 39 42 44 46
TRAVON “CIVILOUTKAST” THOMAS
Chatting with Extreme Terpz CBD Founder D-Roc Palmer
WYATT EARLY
THE psychedelia ISSUE
stoner owner
The American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore
34
#27
[
4
MARCH 2021
issue
EDITOR’S NOTE N AT I O N A L N E W S CANNABIS LAW BUDTENDER Q&A GT_OFICE INTERVIEW EXTREME TERPZ COD ZEN LEAF GERMANTOWN STRAIN OF THE MONTH THE PSYCHEDELIA ISSUE PSYCHEDELIA 101 PSYCHEDELIC CANNABIS MICRODOSING JOURNEY E D D I E F U N X TA P R O F I L E JOHNS HOPKINS RESEARCHER K E TA M I N E T H E R A P E U T I C S READING ENERGY F U T U R E L E G I S L AT I O N BLUEBERRY DANISH ENERGY DISC MIB STONEY BALONEY
Daily specials near you SOME OF OUR FAVORITE DAILY SPECIALS: Quarter of the Day every Wednesday – Featuring new vendors and strains every week 100 Minutes of Savings – From 4:20pm-6:00pm every Thursday, save 15% on the whole store* Select Saturdays! – Buy one Select cartridge and get the 2ndone 50% off! Industry Day – The last Sunday of every month, all industry members will receive 25% off*
24 HOUR ONLINE ORDERING VISIT ANY OF OUR FOUR MARYLAND LOCATIONS: CURALEAF AIRPARK 8355 Snouffer School Rd
CURALEAF GAITHERSBURG 811 Russell Ave
CURALEAF REISTERSTOWN 11722 Reisterstown Rd
CURALEAF TAKOMA PARK 6309 New Hampshire Ave
*Non-sale items only. Cannot stack discounts or promos. All applicable online discounts or promotions will be processed in-store and reflected on the final receipt.
JOIN OUR MAILING LIST curaleaf.com @curaleaf.usa
Must be 18 years or older to view content. Medical cannabis is forcertifiedpatient use only. Consumption of medical cannabis may impair your ability to drive a car or operate machinery. Please use extreme caution. There may be health risk associated with cannabis use, especially during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Accidental consumption of cannabis by children or animals may result in severe adverse reactions. Keep cannabis out of the reach of children and animals.
FEEL LIKE A CHAMPION! It’s March Madness at True Wellness. Celebrate with us and these amazing deals. March Madness Select Sale Select Elite Botanical/CO2 .5g/$40 Select Elite Live .5g/$50 Select Elite Botanical 1g/$80 No limits, cannot combine with other sales, no further discounts apply.
ABERDEEN
New Hours Sun 11 AM-7 PM Mon - Sat 9 AM-9 PM
ABERDEEN 226 S. Philadelphia Blvd. Aberdeen, MD 21001 410-306-6099
LAUREL 14703 Baltimore Ave., Suite B Laurel, MD 20707 240-360-2616
mdtruewellness.com
Medical cannabis is for use only by a qualifying patient.
NM.MD.LeafAds.021821.indd 2
2/18/21 12:52 PM
HAVE A BALL!
It’s March Madness at Nature’s Medicines. Save big with these special deals. March Madness Select Sale Select Elite Botanical/CO2 .5g/$40 Select Elite Live .5g/$50 Select Elite Botanical 1g/$80 No limits, cannot combine with other sales, no further discounts apply
ELLICOTT CITY
10169 Baltimore National Pike Ellicott City, MD 21042 (410) 988-6004
CROFTON
1657 Crofton Blvd. Crofton, MD 21114 (410) 264-1411
naturesmedicines.com Medical cannabis is for use only by a qualifying patient.
E S TA B L I S H E D 2 0 1 0
T H E E N L I G H T E N E D VO I C E
N O RT H W E S T L E A F / O R EG O N L E A F / A L AS KA L E A F / M A RY L A N D L E A F / CA L I F O R N I A L E A F / N O RT H E AS T L E A F
A B O U T T H E C OV E R
ILLUSTRATIONS by MR. MELTY MRMELTY.COM / @MR.MELTY
I’d finally decided to indulge in magic mushrooms, and unknowingly ate about three grams of blue-tinged caps (this was before identification of mushrooms or weed strains was common) and proceeded to have an epic melt at a house party. I don’t remember much, except for walking around a house with a container of Quaker Oatmeal, repeatedly asking people, “Why is the Quaker Oats man so happy?” I also reportedly ate a lot of raw oats.
CONTRIBUTORS
WES ABNEY | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
AMERICAN VISIONARY ART MUSEUM BOBBY BLACK, FEATURES JOSHUA BOULET, ILLUSTRATION TOM BOWERS, FEATURES EARLY, PRODUCTION MAX EARLY, REVIEWS STEVE ELLIOTT, NATIONAL NEWS SAMUEL FARLEY, PHOTOS ERIC KAYNE, PHOTOS TAYLOR MARTIN, FEATURES BAXSEN PAINE, FEATURES JEFF PORTERFIELD, DESIGN MIKE RICKER, FEATURES MEGHAN RIDLEY, EDITING MR. MELTY, ILLUSTRATIONS SCOTT SEMLER, PHOTOS MIKE ROTHMAN, LAW COLUMN TRAVON “CIVILOUTKAST” THOMAS, PHOTOS DAN VINKOVETSKY, FEATURES NATE WILLIAMS, REVIEWS BRUCE & LAURIE WOLF, RECIPES BARRON WOLFE, FEATURES
PUBLISHER EARLY
EARLY@LEAFMAGAZINES.COM
CREATIVE DIRECTOR DANIEL BERMAN | VISUALS & DESIGN
DANIEL@LEAFMAGAZINES.COM
STATE DIRECTOR WYATT EARLY | AD SALES
WYATT@LEAFMAGAZINES.COM 410-961-8779
We are creators of targeted, independent Cannabis journalism. Please email us to discuss advertising in the next issue of Maryland Leaf Magazine. We do not sell stories or coverage. We can offer design services and guidance on promoting your company’s medicinal, commercial or industrial Cannabis business, product or event within our magazine and on our website, leafnationmd.com. Email wyatt@leafmagazines.com for info on supporting and advertising with MD Leaf!
CONNECT WITH MARYLAND LEAF Exclusive Cannabis Journalism @MDLEAF
|
@MARYLANDLEAF
ABNEY
Editor’s Note
FOUNDER WES@LEAFMAGAZINES.COM
WES
This month’s intensely euphoric artwork comes to us from the highly tuned mind of New Mexico-based psychedelic artist Kevin Vigil, better known as Mr. Melty, whose illustrations appear throughout the magazine’s special section. The work is as colorful as it is explosive, and as beautiful as it is daring. In our 2nd annual Psychedelia Issue, we wanted to explore how these powerful experiences can help body and soul to reach their full potential. Who better to lead us on our psychedelic journey than Mr. Melty, an artist “inspired by the beauty and powerful grace of our natural surroundings paired with the metaphysical elements of our inner being.”
@NWLEAF
ISSUU.COM/NWLEAF
FREE ONLINE ARCHIVE
Thanks for picking up The Psychedelia Issue of the Leaf! WHILE I DIDN’T listen to my DARE instructors about Cannabis, or a few other fun substances in college, one warning I always believed in through my college years was to beware of psychedelics. We had all heard the stories of the friend who took 10 hits of acid and wasn’t the same, or the horror stories of eating the wrong mushroom and dying. To be fair, these are true warnings – and I took them seriously until one fateful winter night.
Needless to say, this wasn’t my idea of a typical college party night and I went back to my weed smoking ways for nearly a decade, with the memory of eating too many mushrooms burned into my brain as a powerful warning against psychedelics.
“I FELT CONNECTED TO THE PAST AND PRESENT IN A WHOLE NEW WAY.”
Fast forward to my 29th birthday and I had tickets to see the Terracotta Warriors Exhibit at the Seattle Science Center on Friday, and chose to indulge in a little LSD at the suggestion of close friends. Standing in the immersive Augmented Reality exhibit with amazing color-changing, motion-triggered exhibits while in the presence of the 2,250-plus-yearold warriors gave me a feeling of connection unlike anything I’d ever felt. It was transcendental, and I knew in that moment I would have a new relationship with psychedelics. I felt connected to the past and present in a whole new way, which was heightened by the presence of ancient talismans meant to protect the Chinese Emperor in the afterlife. The experience changed my frame of reference in many ways, especially in regards to opening my mind and consciousness to new experiences.
Since that fateful trip I’ve had the pleasure of unlearning the DARE propaganda, and also ignoring the wooks at festivals offering drugs – instead finding a happy medium between research and controlled experiences, with much intention into the set, setting and those around me as I opened my mind with psilocybin, LSD and DMT in ceremonies that have had major benefit in my life. I went from scared to take a substance (for many good reasons) to being scared not to challenge my own frame of reference while confronting the issue of consciousness and my place in the universe. Today, that fear is what drives me to explore the final frontier of psychedelic therapies and substances. Over 2,000 years ago, Socrates famously said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” I believe that wholeheartedly, and that the use of entheogenic plants is a way to explore one’s life in a way that should be part of everyone’s life experience. We have but a short time on this planet, and finding peace and meaning within the journey will help us to find peace when we reach the destination. While I don’t plan to go out like Aldous Huxley, I have learned from his writings and plan to be in a happy place when my brain releases DMT for the final time, as I pass into the great beyond. I hope my words can inspire those with fear about psychedelics (or life itself) to explore, learn and live in the moment – and that this amazing Psychedelia Issue put together by our amazing Leaf team can be an inspiration and guide to your future experiences.
*THE INFORMATION IN THIS MONTH’S ISSUE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY*
7
-Wes Abney MAR. 2021
Navigate the cannabis universe Download the app, get educated, and explore all things weed.
NATIONAL NEWS
politics
california
SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER VOICES SUPPORT FOR CANNABIS REFORM, POT STOCKS BOOM!
S
enate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s commitment to reform federal marijuana laws sent Cannabis stocks surging in February, thrilling advocates – but experts warn high hurdles remain for legislation to pass Congress, reports Marijuana Business Daily. With 60 votes likely required for passage in the Senate, today’s hyper-partisan atmosphere on Capitol Hill could make that a real challenge. Banking reform, however, is a more achievable short-term goal, as it enjoys strong bipartisan support.
The South
10
ADVOCATES BACK SOCIAL EQUITY IN VIRGINIA MARIJUANA BILLS
leafmagazines.com
D
emocrats in the Virginia General Assembly say that social equity is important when ending the criminalization of Cannabis, and that includes ending the disparate criminalization of people of color. Separate bills approved by the Virginia Senate and House of Delegates in February would legalize possession of up to an ounce of weed for adults 21 and older. Both bills would also begin automatically AUTOMATICALLY expunging misdemeanor EXPUNGING marijuana offenses from criminal MISDEMEANOR records on July 1. MARIJUANA Reparations to people of OFFENSES FROM CRIMINAL color and communities hurt by RECORDS ON disparate Cannabis enforcement JULY 1. would include a program giving those who have been harmed preference for licenses to get into the marijuana business as cultivators, wholesalers, processors and retailers. Virginia’s new Democratic majority already decriminalized Cannabis last year, making simple possession of up to an ounce punishable by a $25 civil fine.
15
percent THC would have been the potency limit for Cannabis flowers under a now-abandoned Colorado plan.
Mar. 2021
22
debilitating conditions are covered under Mississippi’s medical marijuana law.
EMERALD CUP ADDS INDOOR AND GOES ONLINE FOR 2021 | For nearly two decades, the Emerald Cup has been the go-to festival and competition for people from all over the world who want to immerse themselves in California sungrown Cannabis culture. Historically focused on flower and products from the Emerald Triangle, the Cup packs out increasingly larger venues year after year, drawing huge crowds, legendary cultivators and killer mainstage entertainment.
BY TOM BOWERS
FOR THE 2021 EVENT, founder Tim Blake, his daughter Taylor Blake, and their team were excited to try something new by moving the competition to Los Angeles, and expanding the contest categories to include indoor cultivators for the first time in the event’s history. But, as with everything in this post-COVID world, the Emerald Cup has had “I’M REALLY GOING TO MISS THE IN-PERSON to reinvent itself in order to fit the new temporary pandemic paradigm. “I’m EVENT THIS YEAR,” really going to miss the in-person event this year,” founder Tim Blake said FOUNDER TIM BLAKE over a Zoom call in February. “Crisis is an opportunity. We have a crisis, and SAID OVER A ZOOM now we have an opportunity.” Blake sees this as a chance to develop new CALL IN FEBRUARY. judging procedures and categories, while also welcoming a broader, more geographically widespread audience with an online format. In order to make the event work, the Emerald Cup has partnered with Social Club TV for a digital broadcast of the awards. The Cup still plans to continue its tradition of complementing the awards ceremony with killer entertainment on the livestream, featuring a to-be-announced lineup of comic and musical entertainers on board to liven up the proceedings. Judging, much of which has involved in-person analysis and deliberation in the past, has moved to Zoom for everything but the initial flower assessments and a final assessment, which will happen in-person in a safe, socially-distanced fashion in Petaluma. Nearly 100 judges will weigh in on more than 40 categories, before the Cup selects winners in each contest. Aside from the temporary changes to the format, Blake says the Cup is making a significant alteration to the way it handles flower categorization. This year, flower entries will be grouped by their primary terpenes, with the best in each class heading to the awards. This change, coupled with the fact that this is the first year in history that the Cup will entertain an indoor flower category, means everyone’s favorite consumer-facing California Cannabis competition is only getting more interesting in the wake of 2020. Stay tuned for more updates, as we’ll follow the Emerald Cup as the team works to put together a celebration of harvest for the fall, and preps for the real live and in-person Los Angeles debut in 2022. In the meantime, we’ll catch you online. THEEMERALDCUP.COM HEALTH & SCIENCE
NEW STUDY OFFERS EVIDENCE THAT LEGAL CANNABIS LEADS TO FEWER DEATHS FROM OPIOIDS
C
ounties with more Cannabis dispensaries saw fewer opioid-related deaths, according to a new study recently published by the University of California, Davis, reports The THE STUDY’S RESULTS Sacramento Bee. While study co-author Greta Hsu cautioned that correlation is not SUGGEST A POTENTIAL causality, she said the results suggest a potential relationship between greater prevalence of RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN dispensaries and fewer recorded opioid fatalities. “Given the alarming rise in the United States’ GREATER PREVALENCE OF fentanyl-based market and in deaths involving fentanyl and its analogs in recent years, the CANNABIS DISPENSARIES AND question of how legal Cannabis availability relates to opioid-related deaths can be regarded as FEWER RECORDED a particularly pressing one,” researchers said in a statement released by UC Davis. OPIOID FATALITIES.
73
percent of North Carolina voters favor medical Cannabis according to a new poll.
67
percent more Cannabis was bought by Americans in 2020 than in 2019.
$300m $831m dollars in annual revenue is the estimated amount that would be added to Virginia’s coffers if adultuse Cannabis were legalized.
dollars in revenue was reported by Oklahoma medical Cannabis dispensaries in their first year (2020).
By STEVE ELLIOTT, AUTHOR OF THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF MARIJUANA
Sign Up for a FREE Consultation with one of Maryland's Foremost Experts on Cannabis as Medicine
9 CRANBROOK RD - COCKEYSVILLE, MD - 21030 (410) 403-0280 @KIPMARYLAND KIPCAN.COM *Medical Cannabis Products are for use Only by a Certified Patient*
Dr. Alexander Dix, Pharm. D
MAKE AN APPOINTMENT AT KIPCAN.COM
Cannabis LAW
THINK DIFFERENT
The Right To Regulate Psychedelics
leafmagazines.com
12
T
ucked away on the Johns Hopkins Medical School Bayview Campus, less than 45 minutes from the outskirts of Washington D.C., sits the Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research. The center is run by its director, Professor Roland Griffiths, a professor of behavioral biology in the Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Departments, as well as a professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine’s Department of Neuroscience. The center is considered to be the first such research center in the United States studying psychedelic compounds – and the largest research center of its kind in the world. The center focuses its research on how psychedelic compounds affect behavior, brain function, learning and memory, the brain’s biology, and mood. In particular, much of the center’s early work focused on psilocybin – the primary psychoactive component found in “magic mushrooms.” Since the center published its first studies in the early 2000s, the center has been collecting human clinical data about psilocybin’s efficacy as a wellness drug for opioid addiction, post-traumatic stress disorder, anorexia nervosa, and alcohol use in people with major depression. Researchers hope to use these findings to create precision treatments tailored to individual patients’ needs. Since early human existence and continuing through the 1960s, psilocybin, LSD and other psychedelic compounds were used and prized for their wellness benefits and mystical effects. By the ‘60s, these compounds had been pushed from a controlled clinical setting to the general population by countercultural forces. These psychedelic compounds became stigmatized amidst the mania
of the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, new ways of measuring mystical, emotional and as well as the War on Drugs. A subsequent meditative experiences while under the influence backlash led to a strict prohibition against of psychedelics. legitimate research on these compounds for In the meantime, research at the center has the next five decades. spawned a whole new generation of curiosiIn 2000, the psychedelic research group ty-seekers who see the benefits that psychedelics at the Center for Psychedelic and Conscioushave to offer. On November 3, 2020, Oregon ness Research obtained regulatory approval made history by becoming not just the first U.S. once again in the U.S. to conduct research state to legalize psilocybin, but also the first with psychedelics in healthy volunteers who jurisdiction in the world to lay out plans for had never used a psychedelic. Their 2006 regulating the drug’s therapeutic use. Although publication on the safety and enduring Oregon is not the first place in the U.S. to loosen positive effects of a single dose of psilocybin restrictions on psilocybin – the cities of Oakland, sparked a renewal of psychedelic research Denver, Ann Arbor, Somerville and Washington worldwide. Since then, the researchers have D.C. voted in the past two years to effectively published studies in more decriminalize the drug – it is the first than 60 peer-reviewed journal state to offer a framework for legal Since early articles. therapeutic use. human existence The center’s research illusIn addition, data from the human and continuing trated the therapeutic benefits clinical trials of psychedelics around through the 1960s, the country continue to support of psilocybin for people who suffer from conditions including psilocybin, LSD and the use of new therapies to treat nicotine addiction, and deother psychedelic the most intractable psychiatric pression and anxiety caused by such as Major Depressive compounds were illnesses, life-threatening diseases such Disorder (MDD), which affects more used and prized as cancer. It has also paved than 17 million Americans. And for for their wellness the second time in two years, the the way for current studies on treatment of major depresU.S. Food and Drug Administration benefits and sive disorder by offering the (FDA) has designated psilocybin mystical effects. first long-term relief for such therapy as a “breakthrough therpatients. Due, in part, to the knowledge they apy,” an action that is meant to accelerate the gained from the first human clinical trials in typically sluggish process of drug development more than 50 years, the center has helped and review, and is usually only granted when other universities around the world gain preliminary evidence suggests the drug may be approval for psychedelic studies by publishan enormous improvement over already availing safety guidelines. It has also developed able therapy.
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.
Mar. 2021
COLUMN by MIKE ROTHMAN, ATTORNEY & PRINCIPAL | MEDICAL CANNABIS LAW GROUP
Get Legal. Online. Fast & Easy | Board-Certified | 100% Guaranteed In as little as 30 minutes (and for as little as $75), you can get your Medical Marijuana card– right from home. Scan the code below to book an appointment with a board-certified physician now.
elevate-holistics.com
®
EXCLUSIVE CULTIVARS FROM CALIFORNIA’S CANNABIS CAPITAL SEEDS: Feminized, Regular, Autoflower, Photoperiod THC & CBD CLONES: Strain license agreements available from our 2018-2020 Unprecedented 10k Plant Phenotype Mega-Hunts!
OVER
30
STABILIZED STRAINS AT THE TOP CALIFORNIA, OREGON, OKLAHOMA & MAINE DISPENSARIES
HumboldtSeedCompany.com
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
G O L D L E A F 2029 W E ST ST, A N N A P O L I S , M D | 4 1 0 -2 6 7-3 0 0 0 | G O L D L E A F M D.C O M | @ G O L D L E A F M A RY L A N D | 10: 00 A M T O 9: 00 P M D A I LY
WHAT STEPS DID YOU TAKE TO HELP GOLD LEAF OPEN IN MARYLAND? From the beginning, we really
“I’M DEFINITELY MORE PASSIONATE ABOUT CONCENTRATES. HOWEVER, I STILL DO USE A LOT OF FLOWER DUE TO THE MEDICINAL AND THERAPEUTIC VALUES.
worked hard with training the staff we had. For seven or eight months we would come in constantly for training meetings. I even helped with the structuring of the dispo, like putting up drywall. Every month for eight months leading up to opening, our license kept getting denied. I have also been a Cannabis user since I was pretty young – I have invested myself in the world of Cannabis and bring first-hand knowledge and realism to the table.
HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT PROCURING GLASS FOR THE GALLERY UP FRONT? We directly
message American glass artists on Instagram, and they are attracted to the fact that we are placing their pieces in a dispensary, versus a glass gallery. Our GM, Eoin Reilly, of the glass section has an unbelievable amount of knowledge. He can look at a rig and tell you the name of the glass color and artist right away. We have a solid range of glass from inexpensive bowls to cases filled with artistic creations.
WOULD YOU SAY THAT YOU’RE MORE INTO CONCENTRATES THAN FLOWER? Yes, I’m definitely more
14
passionate about concentrates. However, I still do use a lot of flower due to the medicinal and therapeutic values. It comes down to effects and efficiency for me; I don’t necessarily dab in order to get super high – I do it for the longlasting medicinal effects in my body and mind. I am classified as a flavor chaser, and eight times out of 10 I let my nose do the deciding for me.
leafmagazines.com
DO YOU BELIEVE THAT PSYCHEDELIC SUBSTANCES SUCH AS PSILOCYBIN HAVE A PLACE IN THE MEDICINAL WORLD? I believe
JAMES JENNINGS MARYLAND LEAF BUDTENDER OF THE MONTH
110% that psychedelics are important to look at when talking about medicine. Everybody is different, and we have conditioned ourselves to use a lot of Cannabis to help with our ailments – but what’s the point of stopping there? I’ve heard from people that it can help out with stress, anxiety and PTSD, so I think it has to be important for the medical market to consider.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO IN YOUR FREE TIME? I collect glass and
have been doing that since I was 16, including a bunch of expensive/artistic rigs and bongs. I love to meet glass artists and see it first-hand. My business is also my hobby, where I help to promote everything from visual artists to streetwear artists. I’m mostly doing music right now, but I am involved in a little bit of everything. Day-trading is also a hobby of mine – it’s a goal of mine to find financial freedom.
JAMES WAS A PART OF THE ORIGINAL GOLD LEAF CREW, and a huge help in the fundamental stages of opening the dispensary. Now he roams the shop surrounded by a team he knows and loves, as well as patients who specifically ask for his expertise in choosing their products. Shoutout to James and the whole team at Gold Leaf for giving patients an elevated and classy dispensary experience.
Mar. 2021
STORY & PHOTO by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT/MARYLAND LEAF
A woman-owned and well-trusted medical Cannabis dispensary promoting the health and wellness of the Baltimore area for over two years.
CARROLL COUNTY’S BEST DISPENSARY
ORDER AHEAD & IN-STORE P I C K U P AVA I L A B L E . W E E D M A P S .CO M | P U R E L I F E B A LT I M O R E .CO M
FIRST TIME? Get a free 30 minute consultation with our clinical pharmacist to help you with product selection and education. Or let us help you with the application process and get you registered for your medical card. Call ahead to schedule an appointment.
Medical cannabis use is for certified Maryland patients only. Must be 18 or older.
35 E Cross Street Federal Hill, Baltimore, MD • 443.708.5683
RETURNING CUSTOMER? Take advantage of our loyalty program. Earn 1 point for every dollar you spend at The Dispensary. Earn 100 points and get $10 off- all the way up to $50 off when you earn 500 points.
DISCOUNTS EVERY DAY Veterans 25% Off Seniors 20% Off Industry 15% Off Plus 20% Off for New Customers!
THEDISPENSARYMD.COM 330 140 Village Rd, Westminster 667-314-3297
Must be 18+ years of age. Products are for use by qualified MD patients only.
@MARYLANDLEAF MARYLAND LEAF MAGAZINE
#MARYLANDLEAF
Your source for exclusive Cannabis journalism. Enjoy our free digital archive at issuu.com/nwleaf.
PATIENT OF THE MONTH
CANNABIS FOR MENTAL PEACE
CaineSheppard aka GT_Ofice
Hand-picked Blue Cheese gently nestled into a honey bourbon Backwoods – that’s the secret behind Ocean City’s Caine Sheppard’s rise to stardom in the world of electronic dance music. Known to EDM festival attendees as GT_Ofice, the former actor turned DJ/Music Producer is fully embracing a second act at the age of 35, and a holistic renovation with medical Cannabis.
“I feel like I’m actually a part of the music,”
leafmagazines.com
16
said Sheppard, who proudly carries over 133,000 monthly subscribers on Spotify and another 15,000 followers on Instagram. “It just puts me in a different mindset. I’m more creative. I can hear every single instrument being played.” Cannabis has helped Caine to do away with alcohol and cigarettes – a pair of vices he used as fuel to energize crowds since jumping on the turntables in 2010. He has taken a new approach to his health following a bout with COVID-19 last March, when Caine caught the virus returning home after a pandemic-forced cancellation of his West Coast tour. “That was terrible,” he said, explaining that his lungs have yet to return to full strength nearly a year later. “I have friends that are out and about partying in Miami. I don’t chill with those types right now. I’m just in the studio every day, smoking blunts and making beats.” Caine misses the giant crowds, which often includes his 73-year-old father, Daniel. “My dad has gone to every festival,” he said with a big smile. “Throughout my career, I’ve gotten a huge amount of support from him and my whole family.” Caine previously shared the screen with Golden Globe award winner Laura Linney on SHOWTIME’s “The Big C.” He held a variety of other roles including an appearance on Nickelodeon’s “iCarly,” but chose
to move away from the profession in 2016, feeling if he wanted to tread water, he could do so at home. “I didn’t get to where I wanted to be,” he said, noting he was still a card-carrying member of the Screen Actors’ Guild. “You go home at the end of the day and you feel you can do it all, but they’re not letting you do it all. It was out of my hands.” By independently producing his “I really feel I’m just not as level-headed without Cannabis. own music, Caine took back the power and found his stride. It helps me get that moment’s peace.” The pandemic has allowed his music to thrive, growing his brand to bold plans to release up a global level, including a very large to 18 new tracks and push fanbase in Brazil. his Spotify subscriber base “It’s bass house,” he explained. to 1 million followers. “They love that [type of] music!” “I have a great team In 2020, Caine produced multiple around me and I know singles, including “Out of My Head,” that this is just the bewhich has racked up over one million ginning,” the graduate song plays on Spoof Stephen Decatur High tify. While he wants School said. to tour in 2021, Mary Jane, he insists, is GT_Ofice is just as the team captain. content in continuing to create “I really feel I’m just not as level-headed without music for those stuck at home. Cannabis,” he said. “Cannabis helps me get that “The one thing every person in moment’s peace. I try to use it throughout the day the world is feeling right now is in different ways. It really helps me mentally, even in loneliness,” he said. “That was the terms of sleeping.” reason I blew up quick. People are Slowing down is a good thing, says GT_Ofice. The sitting at home right now. They want name finds its origins from the phrase “Good Times to listen to music.” Only” (GTO) and Fice, a rabid dog – an endearing If he does hit the road, he wants term his friends used to describe his behavior when to stay safe and stick to outdoor fesdrinking Red Bull and vodka at raves. tivals, touring with his friend, Mime “A lot of success has come to me quickly and I’m – a producer from New York City truly blessed for that. Now I just want to try to keep my that Caine is quick to praise for his head from growing too big,” he laughed. strong mentorship. Caine also has Follow Caine on Instagram @gt_ofice
Cannabis has helped Caine to do away with alcohol and cigarettes - a pair of vices he used as fuel to energize crowds since jumping on the turntables in 2010.
Mar. 2021
STORY by BAXSEN PAINE @BAXSENPAINE | PHOTOS by @KYLECIOFFIPHOTOGRAPHY
grow tour stoner owner
owner
Extreme Terpz CBD
Darmedrick Palmer
18
L I F E C A N C H A N G E at the drop of a hat. Darmedrick Palmer knows that better than most. At the age of 22, Palmer, a.k.a. D-Roc, was struck by a speeding car while biking around his home city of Baltimore. The former Milford Mill Academy athlete nearly had the life knocked out of him, sending his 6-foot-3, 215-pound frame sprawling through the air, only to land on the windshield of the vehicle. “I actually had an out of body experience,” said Palmer, the owner of Extreme Terpz Wellness, a national hemp CBD distributor that holds a home adjacent to Releaf Shop in Mount Vernon.
leafmagazines.com
P
almer came back to Earth to find a pair of paramedics checking his vitals. He had escaped death with a variety of back issues, but gained a stronger appreciation for life. “God gave me my life back,” said the 37-year old, referring to the event as life-altering. In the face of severe inflammation and spasms, Palmer nursed his pain with Cannabis – a friendly plant that previously helped him navigate the trifles of growing up in a city as an anxious teen. Coupling the medical benefits of Cannabis with his newfound outlook on life, Palmer began making a foray into the industry, attending a variety of High Times’ Cannabis Cup events around the country. “At the time, a lot of Cannabis was illegal or streetdriven. So to outsiders, the events were looked at like a big rave party,” he said. “But those ‘rave events’ were really just a lot of patients coming together from across the country, trying to find out more about Cannabis. They were seeking the same knowledge I was.” A father of two, the telecommunications technician unofficially entered the industry as the owner of a small, city-based vape shop in 2014. The shop stayed open for nearly two years, giving Palmer time to cut his business chops before finding the entrepreneurial courage to formulate a plan for what he claims to be the first CBD company in the DMV – Extreme Terpz Wellness.
Mar. 2021
“I had to find out how strong I am as a forms including pill capsules, tinctures, topical person, and what I can endure and what I salves, vape additives and edible gummies. can create,” he said. “Legislative-wise – I The company has paired with a handful of had to put my big boy shoes on and go manufacturers around the country and willingly to Annapolis. I didn’t know where to go or provides the certificate of analysis (COA) of who to turn to, but I had the highest faith each full-spectrum product that is created. and I was a firm believer in what I was “It’s all about relationships,” Palmer said. “I doing.” put myself in my customers’ shoes Palmer knew if CBD could and ask, ‘How would I feel if I were “It’s all about help improve the life of a presented with CBD for the first relationships. young man in his 20s, it time?’ And education is really the I put myself in certainly could raise the key when it comes to Cannabis. my customers’ quality of lives that lived in the That’s how you get people away shoes and ask, communities he loved. from the stigmas associated with ‘How would I “Being a Black male in the the plant.” feel if I were Cannabis industry, it’s not Palmer takes measures beyond presented with easy,” he said. “I was turned Extreme Terpz, a brand name CBD for the down so many times, being based on what he considers his told I can’t do this, or I’m not creed: living life to the extreme. first time?’” supposed to do this. I said, The Baltimore native is intent on ‘You got the pen, but I’ve got the drive, creating a community – one large family that and I know this might make somebody’s benefits physically, mentally and spiritually from life better – to help this person with their wellness education. anxiety, or this person with an ailment they “I never had a real tight family growing up, might have.’” but I give kudos to my mother and grandmother In 2018, Extreme Terpz finally opened for raising me to be the man I am today,” he its online doors and paired with Releaf said. “This whole journey changed me – my Shop to help build the Corner Store – a lifestyle – for the better,” he added. “I want to dispensary he refers to as family. be that walking specimen. A lot of people talk a “I’m forever grateful to [Releaf] for good story, but a lot of people don’t walk what giving me the opportunity to spread my they talk. My story is about letting people know wings,” he said. your life can be gone at the drop of a moment. Extreme Terpz strives to sell “quality, I want to have a good legacy for my name, affordable health and wellness products regardless of when God allows me to leave made from CBD-rich hemp” in a variety of here.” ExtremeTerpzCBD.com
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. Let’s retake our culture and reshape a stigma by honoring those who grow, process and sell the best Cannabis possible.
STORY by BAXSEN PAINE for MARYLAND LEAF | PHOTOS by TRAVON “CIVILOUTKAST” THOMAS @CIVILOUTKAST
All Things Cannabis For All People PODCAST leaflifepodcast AVAILABLE NOW:
beardedlorax
rickerdj
#103 CORONAVIRUS CRISIS PART 5: THE VACCINE #104 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS #106 CORRUPTION AND THE SCAPEGOAT
#105
RELIGION & CANNABIS NOW ON LISTEN ON:
LEAFLIFEPODCAST.COM THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS
Marijuana products may be purchased or possessed only by persons 21 or older. This product has intoxicating effects and may be habit-forming. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. For use only by adults 21 and older. Keep out of reach of children.
SHOP REVIEW
ZEN LEAF GERMANTOWN SETTING & VIBE Zen Leaf is putting “patients before products” in the words of budtender Benjamin Grossman. The staff of this store truly seems interested in continuing to increase their deep understanding of Cannabis, all in the name of passing that information on to their patients. For the experienced folks, you can be in and out of here in five minutes. For those that need a helping hand, they can phone in their clinical director to give a live video consultation.
FLOWER
22
40+ flower strains can regularly be found on the menu, with a strong mix of growers from around the state. You can expect to find a wide variety of Verano strains here as well. Every smoker’s needs will be met with their wide variety, and with options ranging from top of the line strains to budget bags, you are sure to find quality Cannabis in both categories.
CONCENTRATES RSO from several different brands, kief galore, live resins, shatters and more can all be found here. The variety of forms and strains on this menu would impress any patient in the country! It was nice to see different weight options available, such as two gram and eighth sized jars of badder and sauce.
leafmagazines.com
EDIBLES When it comes to edibles, Zen Leaf has the newest of the new and the classic favorites that have been around since the start of this program. They had every single flavor of the Wana chews available in different dosages. Having a robust selection of edibles is extremely important when addressing a patient’s consumption needs or constraints, and they have this department covered.
BACKGROUND Zen Leaf Germantown is one of Zen Leaf’s four dispensary locations in Maryland, which combined employ 77 people in the state. A top priority for the dispensary staff is to send patients out the door with a stronger understanding and deeper knowledge of the Cannabis plant and products they are using. Being close to 270 makes them easily accessible to those patients traveling from Western Maryland for their meds. You can also expect delivery coming soon, with an area range as high as 55 miles from the store.
Mar. 2021
ZEN LEAF GERMANTOWN IS ONE OF ZEN LEAF’S FOUR DISPENSARY LOCATIONS IN MARYLAND, EMPLOYING 77 PEOPLE IN THE STATE.
PRODUCT R E VIEW
CHERRY GORILLA FLOWER BY VERANO
OPENING THIS JAR released a heavy aroma of sweet fruit, gasoline and earthiness that filled up the entire room. The earthy scent tends to fade away on the exhale, leaving you with a fruity and gassy pop of flavor. This strain helped to put my mind at ease, and was the perfect way to relax after a long day of work. 26.61% Total Cannabinoids, 2.5% Total Terpenes
23
ZEN LEAF GERMANTOWN 13007 WISTERIA DR UNIT 28-29 GERMANTOWN, MD
10AM-8PM MON.-SATURDAY, 10AM-6PM SUN. ZENLEAFMD.COM @ZENLEAFDISPENSARIES
STORY & PHOTOS by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT/MARYLAND LEAF
STRAIN OF THE MONTH leafmagazines.com
24
grown by
SHORE NATURAL RX
BLACKBER
mar. 2021
SHORE NATURALS HAS LOW KEY BEEN PUMPING OUT SOME OF THE TERPIEST FLOWERS ON THE MARKET, AND THEIR RENDITION OF BLACKBERRY OG IS NO EXCEPTION! THIS PARTICULAR BATCH CLOCKS IN AT OVER 3% TOTAL TERPENES – ABOUT AS TERPY AS MARYLAND GETS.
RRYOG
The Blackberry OG is a particularly excellent example of their quality, and one of the most flavorful smokes of 2021 so far! The aroma is an effervescent and light bouquet of mixed berry and gas notes, flooding the whole room when you open the bag. It literally filled my whole house with an aroma that smelled as if the world’s best wookies gathered together a big bag of blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and raspberries, crushed them up, distilled them into a cleaning solution and scrubbed my whole house down! This powerful of an aroma was a big draw for me to sample and I’m happy to report that the flavor held up to the smell. The inhale and exhale did not shift the flavor profile much, as the gassy and berry notes tickled my various cannabinoid receptors with a smooth and full-bodied smoke. The Blackberry OG also sports a healthy 1% dose of terpinolene at the top of the profile, followed by a myrcene and ocimene temper. This combination is quite rare and I would guess responsible for the particularly exquisite aroma and flavor profile. It also offers a very niche hybrid effect that I find to be particularly excellent for gastrointestinal relief and mood elevation. A couple of bong rips T E S T I N G into my eighth and my 24.25% THCa .35% pinene body sank into rubbery .51% myrcene relief as my limbs .46% ocimene became a gelatinous .19% limonene ode to Gumby, 1.02% terpinolene minus any heaviness. .39% caryophyllene .1% humulene Additionally, I could .11% carene feel my slightly queasy stomach settle with a strong antiemetic effect that quickly snowballed into an absolutely elated mood. The experience of this cultivar is allaround unique and the flavor alone is worth a buy. Thank you so much Shore Natural for pushing out some ultra dank medicine that truly earns a unique place in 2021’s top Cannabis varieties.
MY BODY SANK INTO RUBBERY RELIEF AS MY LIMBS BECAME A GELATINOUS ODE TO GUMBY.
REVIEW by TAYLOR MARTIN for MARYLAND LEAF | PHOTO by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT
The ease of oil, the feeling of Select Elite Live Oil brings you closer to the living plant than ever before. It's premium high-quality oil with the potency you're looking for and the full flavor you love across a wide variety of strains. And our unique live resin provides enhanced strain specific effects, so indicas feel more sleepy and sativas more uplifting.
FIND IT AT A DISPENSARY NEAR YOU
Must be 18 years or older to view content. Medical cannabis is for certified patient use only. Consumption of medical cannabis may impair your ability to drive a car or operate machinery. Please use extreme caution. There may be health risk associated with cannabis use, especially during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Accidental consumption of cannabis by children or animals may result in severe adverse reactions. Keep cannabis out of the reach of children and animals.
*
the PSYCHEDELIA issue
HAVE A SEAT AND STEP INTO * THE *
leafmagazines.com
28
In 2010, my inspiration for publishing a Cannabis magazine was the esoteric nature of a hidden medicine that had the power to heal and change the world, and it is that same drive that has led the Leaf to publishing this second annual special issue. What more noble a cause is there than freeing the truth? Especially when it brings healing for our minds, consciousness and spirits – which have been completely ignored by Western medicine for the last 50 years. In 2010, I asked a simple question that the Founding Fathers of our great country would have resonated with: If a law governing a plant is unjust, should I be willing to break it? My answer was yes – to bring freedom and knowledge to people suffering, and most of all, to provide hope that a plant could deliver revolutionary medicine that a laboratory-made pill could not. Just as Cannabis’ path to legalization came from decriminalization and activism, so is the march towards the legalization of psychedelics via entheogenic plants and synthesized therapeutics like Ketamine and LSD. The field of psychedelic research is exploding as laws loosen, allowing scientists, therapists and psychonauts alike to explore how these substances can provide huge medicinal benefits – including alleviating depression and PTSD, helping confront death in end-of-life therapy, and even regrowing neural pathways that can help unlock the true potential of human consciousness and the brain’s ability to heal.
Mar. 2021
PSYCHE*DELIA *
ISSUE * *
So, here I am in 2021 asking the same question I asked in 2009 as I was being arrested for Cannabis. Should we criminalize nature? Should we deny substances that heal, both clinically and in personal use? I believe the answer is a resounding, NO! The time is now to explore, learn and heal our species as we grapple with the realities of a digital society on a warming planet, spinning at 1,000 miles per hour in a huge cosmic expanse. As we continue to progress this movement, knowledge and empathy will be our most powerful tools in undoing the Drug War and the misconceptions of anti-drug propaganda. Showing the lives that are helped through education will lead to enlightenment, at which point our society will be unable to ethically condone criminalizing any type of drug use, especially when it is beneficial and brought to us by Mother Earth. I hope that you enjoy this Issue, and learn and share the knowledge you find with those you love – for it’s only by circulating seeds of knowledge that we grow into better people, communities, and together as a species.
Story by WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX | Illustrations by MR. MELTY @MR.MELTY for LEAF NATION
*
Story by MAX EARLY @LIFTED_STARDUST
COMMON PSYCHEDELICS cannabis Cannabis Sativa is a plant that contains the psychoactive compound of THC, as well as 500 other compounds, including 113 cannabinoids. Effects are traditionally euphoric, mood-enhancing, and known to reduce pain and nausea. It is the combination of these various chemical compositions that produce different reactions in humans consuming Cannabis. When consumed in higher doses, Cannabis is known to have psychoactive effects. Where is it produced? Indoor, outdoor and greenhouses Common amounts consumed: 1g joint 25mg edible serving 10mg of concentrate/maximum .1g Therapeutic usages: Anxiety reduction, mood elevation, depression, chronic pain, neurological conditions
LSD LSD is an indispensably powerful synthesized psychoactive compound. When consuming even the smallest amount, the effect on humans distorts all sensory perceptions. Visual and auditory hallucinations are known to provide sights of fractals, visualized sounds and changing colors. Where is it produced? Synthesized in laboratories. Common amounts consumed: Micro-dose = 1 ug (1/100 tab) Therapeutically = 100 ug (1 tab) Therapeutic usages: PTSD, repressed psychological trauma, anxiety, depression, psychosomatic diseases, addiction
psilocybin Psilocybin is a naturally occurring psychoactive compound found in many different species of mushrooms. Many patients have noted that psilocybin has helped to provide a deeper connection with the self and inner peace in therapeutic settings. Reports have shown that many patients of therapeutic psilocybin experience visions of patterns or faces that may appear warped. Where is it produced? Naturally occurring and grown in laboratories. Common amounts consumed: Micro-dose = .1-.25g Therapeutically = 2g Therapeutic usages: Depression, anxiety, addiction, OCD, end of life therapy
Ayahuasca Ayahuasca is a psychoactive plant-based brew or tea, containing MAOI and dimethyltryptamine. In recent decades, researchers have been discovering usages of
ayahuasca for treating substance abuse and other disorders. This mind-altering psychedelic helps individuals deal with past traumatic events, providing a sense of clarity. Typical dosages are still unknown, as this substance remains illegal within the U.S. Where is it produced? In South America by tribes. Dimethyltryptamine is extracted from Mimosa tree bark and other plants. Common amounts consumed: Unknown
*
*
Therapeutic usages: Aids with overall psychological wellbeing and substance dependence.
TURN ON, TUNE IN, VIBE OUT EXPLORING PSYCHEDELIC MEDIA... Thinking about prying open your third eye by experimenting with some psychedelics? Or perhaps you just want to be better educated about entheogens? Whatever your trip, here are a few mind-expanding media recommendations to help get you in the right headspace for your journey toward enlightenment.
Fantastic Fungi
(2019)
fantasticfungi.com
Filmed in glorious 4K by the filmmakers behind “Moving Art,” “Fantastic Fungi” seamlessly switches between mind-blowing time lapses, stunning CGI graphics, and in-depth interviews with mycological mavens like Paul Stamets, Michael Pollen and Dr. Andrew Weil. This comprehensive documentary explores every aspect of mushrooms and their unique role in the cycle and evolution of life, including how their underground mycelium networks enable trees to communicate, how their psychedelic properties may have kickstarted human consciousness, and how their enormous medicinal and psychiatric potential is finally being studied after decades of demonization via the Drug War. A must-see for mycophiles. –Bobby Black
Entangled Life / Merlin Sheldrake
(2020)
merlinsheldrake.com/entangled-life
Written by tropical biologist and fungal researcher Merlin Sheldrake, “Entangled Life” is an incredible book dedicated to providing a further understanding of mycology and how fungal networks operate. For those of you yearning to learn more about mushrooms, their unique relationship with the environment around us and how they could potentially help save the world, this book is for you. Pick up a copy today and grow your knowledge on mycelium, microbiology and much more! –Max Early
Lonerism / Tame Impala (2012) official.tameimpala.com
If the Beatles were to make Sgt. Pepper today, this is what it would sound like. With Lennon-esque vocals and fuzzy riffs pounding along with sweeping synth star sails, your musical soulmate awaits through the mind of Perth, Australia’s Kevin Parker. Released in 2012, this is no new news for longtime fans who’ve seen the band headline festivals worldwide, but nothing has rivaled the impact on guitar-driven music since. The psychedelic highlight is Endors Toi, where the anxious mind is reassured that the safety of dreamland is only one long blink away. Yes, this was their commercial breakthrough, but for good reason: The ‘60s splendor matched with third eye imagination leaves something hidden in every note for the intrepid tripper. – Mike Ricker
the PSYCHEDELIA issue leafmagazines.com
30
C
ommonly associated as an intoxicant or a depressant, Cannabis has a long history of being wrongly allied with laziness, procrastination and “burning you out.” More importantly, many have disregarded the fact that this sacred herb is much closer to being an entheogen and a psychedelic more than anything else. In our March Psychedelia Issue, we seek to expand your minds to the use of Cannabis as a tool to help with mood balance, increased creativity levels, and show you how to utilize the plant as a perspective-changing medium. Like other plant-based psychedelics, Cannabis is an excellent way to help us view the world through a different lens, giving us an appreciation for all of the little pieces that influence our scope of life. Smoking a bowl can help you smell and view the flowers in an entirely new way than you have ever encountered them before, or maybe make your favorite meal taste that much better. Both Cannabis and psychedelics can help us identify new instrumentals on a track that we’ve heard a million times, or provide a deeper connection to the lyrics in a song. Unlike inhaling Cannabis, when you orally ingest it, your body breaks it down in an entirely different way, creating a longer duration of effects. Once you have eaten an edible, the Delta-9-THC enters the liver and undergoes first-pass metabolism. This process removes some Delta-9-THC and metabolizes a huge percentage into 11-Hydroxy-THC. Once this has happened, the remaining Delta-9-THC and 11-Hydroxy-THC flood our bloodstream and penetrate vascular tissues like the brain and other muscles. Due to the increased 11-Hydroxy-THC, the effects are far more profound than any other way of consuming Cannabis, providing a more psychedelic experience overall. We are all familiar with the look on a baby’s face seeing something or experiencing a new sense for the first time. Plant-based entheogens like Cannabis and psilocybin can inspire that feeling of being a kid again – helping us further take in our surroundings, seeing them in a new way, and appreciating them for everything they have to offer in more depth. It is easy to go throughout life and not take a second to slow down to appreciate all that our short experience here has to offer. Plant-based medicines are a way to realize the beauty within every day, and feel the interconnectedness with Mother Nature and our fellow human beings.
Like other plant-based psychedelics, Cannabis is an excellent way to help us view the world through a different lens. Mar. 2021
CANNABIS IS A REAL PSYCHEDELIC
STORY by MAX EARLY @LIFTED_STARDUST/LEAF NATION | ILLUSTRATION by MR. MELTY @MR.MELTY
A JOURNEY OF MICRODOSING MUSHROOMS
CHASING SUNSHINE
I
am beyond grateful for having discovered the healing power of earth derived medicines at a young age. It’s entirely possible I wouldn’t be here today if the universe had led me in a different direction.
Growing up in California’s Bay Area in the ‘90s, Cannabis was available in abundance and if you knew where to look or who to ask, other substances weren’t hard to obtain either. I first tried Cannabis around 16 and instantly recognized its ability to make me feel more comfortable in my pubescent and rapidly changing skin. Like many during this challenging period of life, I struggled with a feeling of extreme discomfort living in my own body, which manifested itself as depression. At that age, I wanted to be a professional skateboarder and was pushing myself to my limits on the regular, sustaining frequent injuries as a result. I realized that I would heal much faster when I used Cannabis as part of my recovery regimen, and I became a believer in the plant’s healing ways – knowing deep down that what I had been led to believe about Cannabis was false. I had only ever taken a very small amount of mushrooms a couple of times while partying as a teenager – very much for recreational use – before meeting a now ex-girlfriend at the age of 21 who opened my eyes to the power of the fungus. After splitting three-and-a-half grams made into tea, I felt “better” in a way that is hard to describe – like taking a weight vest off that you had forgotten you had on. I knew somewhere deep within me this was medicine and another substance I had been misled to believe wasn’t good for me. We would brew tea a couple times a year, always using between two and five grams of Cubensis mushrooms. Because we were taking larger doses, these experiences were certainly what I would classify as “trips,”meaning they were intense, emotional, moving and certainly at times psychedelic. The resulting post-trip effects would last for months and felt like a mental breath of fresh air, leaving me feeling rejuvenated and thoroughly happy with a renewed lust for life. I maintained my same source and relative frequency of consumption for several years, until I made a significant discovery. Over the last five years, the culture around and mainstream acceptability of psychedelics and plant medicine had changed fairly drastically. More and more, I began to see articles
31
It was like that little gray cloud that always put a damper on things dissipated and I could feel the sun begin to shine brightly once again. and hear stories about techies at some of the largest companies in Silicon Valley microdosing psilocybin and LSD to operate at their fullest potential. This intrigued me. Then, one day, I happened upon one of these editorials and something clicked. I realized that much like my evolution in understanding of Cannabis and how to use it, my approach with mushrooms was not wrong per se, but I could consume them differently to take better advantage of their benefits. So, at 29-yearsold, I bought a new coffee grinder, a basic capsule-making machine and empty vegetable glycerin caps, and began teaching myself how to microdose psilocybin.
My goal was to harness the positive effects of the mushrooms without dealing with the somewhat negative side effects of having to go through a mildly hallucinogenic and moderately intense experience to do so. It took some dialing in to find my titrated dose, but what I discovered through the process was miraculous and freeing. In less than a year, that depression that had never really gone away and had been with me for the last 14-plus years simply fell away. It was like that little gray cloud that always put a damper on things dissipated, and I could feel the sun begin to shine brightly once again. Altering my delivery method and frequency ended up being a life-altering decision and has made all the difference for me — with knowledge, comes power.
STORY & PHOTO by NATE WILLIAMS @NATEW415/LEAF NATION | ILLUSTRATION by MR. MELTY @MR.MELTY
the PSYCHEDELIA issue
INTERVIEW WITH A MEDICINE MA
leafmagazines.com
32
A
42-year-old Cannabis cultivator and cactus collector, Funxta has tripped out hundreds of times on everything from psilocybin, peyote and ayahuasca, to MDMA, LSD and DMT. He’s authored numerous articles on psychedelics and helped lead the 2016 effort to legalize mushrooms in California. He’s studied under legendary Cannabis activists like Jack Herer, Ed Rosenthal and Rick Simpson, as well as renowned Sonoran toad expert Dr. Gerry Sandoval Isaac. MORE IMPORTANTLY, though, he’s helped thousands of patients with Cannabis oil and mushrooms – making him one of the most experienced alternative healers in Southern California. But whatever you do, don’t call him a shaman. “I don’t consider myself a shaman – I prefer to call myself a neo-medicine man,” Funxta clarifies. “Shamans do some hard, heavy work – they can draw deep demons out of people. I’m not comfortable doing that … I’m still fighting those demons myself.” For Eddie, those personal demons arose from a difficult childhood.
Mar. 2021
For millennia, indigenous healers known as medicine men or shamans have utilized psychoactive plants to treat ailments and cultivate a deeper understanding of the universes both inside us and around us. In recent years, a movement has been building to rediscover the therapeutic potential of these ancient plant medicines, led in part by modern-day medicine men like Eddie Funxta.
Growing up in the projects of East LA, he was denied knowledge of his Native American/Mexican heritage by his family over fears they would be ostracized. When he was seven, his parents divorced and he lost touch with his father’s Yavapai side, leaving him to be raised by his mother’s “hardcore Catholic” side of the family. Living in the ghetto, disconnected from his Native heritage, under an intense Christian dogma that he rejected, he was in his words, a “very bad kid.” But Eddie’s angry trajectory started shifting at age 15, thanks to the influence of a history teacher who assigned his class a research project on a controversial topic of their choosing. “Everybody was picking Hitler and other crazy shit,” he recalls. “Since I grew up listening to psychedelic rock like The Doors and Jimi Hendrix, I picked magic mushrooms and shamanism.” Eddie headed to the library, looked up psychedelics and found three books: Aldous Huxley’s “Doors of Perception,” an installment of Carlos Castaneda’s “Don Juan” series, and a cultural book about Mesoamerica that recounted tales of ancient shamanic mushroom ceremonies. “The stuff I was reading was amazing to my young mind,” he says. “I was blown away – I felt like a curtain had been pulled back on my reality.” A week after his class presentation, his friend Johnny showed up at school with a sheet of acid. Eddie and his friends threw a party, tripped out for the first time and had a life-changing night filled with “dancing, laughter, colors, compassion and connection.” In the following months, Funxta immersed himself in the new world that had opened to him – tripping on acid or mushrooms two to three times
a month and even selling them at school. After dropping out in 1996, he began growing weed and selling it to celebrities and dispensaries around Hollywood. It was at one such dispensary that he met a woman named Sister Somalia, who first opened his eyes to marijuana’s medicinal value – instigating Eddie’s transformation from a thuggish drug dealer to a compassionate caregiver.
Funxta began visiting homes, hospitals, hospices and clinics, offering Cannabis to cancer and AIDS patients, as well as addicts trying to kick methadone, meth and heroin. BEFORE LONG, he realized that many patients were unable or unwilling to smoke joints, and recognized a huge gap in the medical market. “We had flowers, dabs, topicals … but Phoenix Tears – or Rick Simpson Oil as most people know it – wasn’t being produced on an adequate scale in SoCal.” So in 2010, he set out to fill that need. Through mutual friends, he connected with Rick Simpson himself, learned how to properly produce the potent full-plant oil, and started to distribute large quantities of the product under the name Native Healing Oil. “I know Rick Simpson was upset with people calling it RSO,” Funxta explains. “I’m not Rick Simpson, so it’s not RSO – it’s NHO.” While his NHO was effective in treating many patients’ physical ailments, Funxta knew that emotional/psychological wounds required a deeper
H AN
eddie funxta “Jack was microdosing a gram or two of kind of medicine. He recalls one particular patient Amanita muscaria a day,” he says. “Within six to that he helped transition from physical to meneight months, he’d regained his speech.” tal healing: A 57-year-old former beauty queen Of all the substances he’s taken, Funxta says who’d used NHO while battling breast cancer, but his most healing trip came from a combination was left with scars inside as well as out. of ayahuasca and yopo – a powder made from “She’d had a double mastectomy, lost her hair the dried seeds of a South American tree that’s and teeth … she didn’t recognize herself in the traditionally blown up into one’s nostrils. Taken mirror anymore.” Suffering from depression and together, these two substances panic attacks, she asked Eddie for produce a prolonged, profound help and he recommended mushshamanic experience. rooms. Though initially resistant, “For 12 hours I was in the deepshe eventually gave it a try. est, heaviest psychedelic space I’d “The very first dose I gave her ever been in,” he recounts. “I was shook her out of her depression carried away by the spirit world, I instantaneously,” he remembers died and was reborn, and gained proudly. “She called me the next a deep understanding and peace day with a completely different with myself and the universe.” outlook, saying she felt great. She Over the past decade, Funxta ended up starting a breast cancer has used Cannabis and other support group and becoming an entheogens to assist over 2,600 advocate for plant medicines.” sick and dying patients to recover Fungi aren’t just capable of or transition. In 2019, his career altering one’s state of consciousThe inspiring 2019 documentary of compassion drew the attenness – they can actually alter the on Eddie by Jeremie Norrie tion of filmmaker Jeremy Norrie, brain’s structure itself by rebuilding is available on Amazon Prime. who featured Eddie and several cognitive connections. of his patients in the film “About Cannabis and The late activist icon Jack Herer (whose family Cancer” – one in a trilogy of medical marijuana Eddie has worked with) medicated with mushdocumentaries produced for Amazon Prime. rooms after suffering a debilitating stroke in 2000.
“The stuff I was reading was amazing to my young mind,” he says. “I was blown away – I felt like a curtain had been pulled back on my reality.”
Another film about psychedelics is already in the works. “The last American witchhunt is plants,” he testifies. “Cannabis, mushrooms, holy cactus … any plant that alters your state of consciousness has been made illegal or portrayed as detrimental to society, when in reality they are what first brought people together to create societies and build civilizations.” Unfortunately, due to a bitter divorce that placed him in potential legal jeopardy, Funxta was forced to abandon his NHO brand indefinitely as of 2017. Nevertheless, after spending some time backpacking through Yosemite (hiking, vision questing and dancing under the stars), he’s rededicated himself to his spiritual mission – only this time, without the drugs. “I’m creating a natural healing space in the California desert … sound bath and singing bowl ceremonies, yoga, meditation – but zero illegal plant medicines,” he explains. “You don’t always need a hit of acid – you can find that healing space without it … it’s already inside you.” @FUNXTAZ_VISIONARY_COLLECTION
STORY & PHOTOS by BOBBY BLACK @BOBBYBLACK420/LEAF NATION | ILLUSTRATION by MR. MELTY @MR.MELTY
the PSYCHEDELIA issue
JOHNS HOPKINS CENTER FOR PSYCHEDELIC AND CONSCIOUSNESS RESEARCH david bryce yaden, PhD
leafmagazines.com
34
The psychedelic experience is one that many people have pondered, but is still beyond full scientific understanding. That lack of understanding by our culture has been a key factor in impeding these fascinating substances from going mainstream for therapeutic use – until now. As the landscape around psychedelic research continues to evolve, Leaf Magazines caught up with Dr. David B. Yaden – a postdoctoral psychedelic researcher at Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research, and, full disclosure, this writer’s cousin, for a behind the scenes look at the latest developments in the emerging field – and how he found himself immersed in the world of psychedelic science. Follow him on Twitter, @ExistWell. I know it has been a long journey to attaining the position you hold today – could you give us some background info and a breakdown of your education? Where did the motivation come from to make it this far in your field? My journey to becoming a scientist studying psychedelic drugs started with an experience I had in college, that actually had nothing to do with drugs. It was an experience that seemed to come completely out of nowhere – of total unity and feelings of love for everyone and everything. I learned later that people call this kind of moment a ‘peak experience’ or ‘mystical experience,’ and I was lucky enough for it to happen to me spontaneously while lying on my dorm room bed. It left me wondering, ‘What the hell just happened to me?!’ That experience was so important and so positive in its effects, but it only
Mar. 2021
lasted for a few minutes at most. Afterwards, I became fascinated with how brief experiences can have a long-lasting positive impact. For a while, I studied comparative religions, philosophy, neuroscience and psychology, just to see if I could find something to help me understand my experience. The most important book that I found with all of this reading was one by William James called “The Varieties of Religious Experience.” By the way, if you’ve had one of these kinds of experiences, you can help our research by describing it at www.varietiescorpus.com. I got my PhD in psychology, which trained me in how to measure and conduct studies on these
kinds of experiences. You can ask people to think back to their experiences and describe them, but to do good scientific work, you really need to be able to cause these experiences in a controlled setting. That’s where psychedelics come in – they provide a tool that researchers can use to trigger these positively transformative experiences in the laboratory. Researchers are currently finding all kinds of benefits (as well as a few risks) associated with using psychedelics to treat disorders like depression and addiction.
I know Johns Hopkins is a global leader in the field – can you give some insight into the program itself? What drugs have your team been researching?
“We have an opportunity as a society to treat psychedelics with more respect this time around.”
findings, describing a new theory or summarizing previous research findings. In the afternoon, I analyze data from studies that we’ve already run or work on launching new studies, which involves a huge amount of paperwork and thinking through safety issues. I try to schedule meetings later in the day, after I’m fried from writing and analyzing data. In the evenings, I usually go for a walk by the river to decompress. I work pretty much every day. I should say that this is how life looks for me during the pandemic – once it’s safe for the lab to return to normal, I will be administering psilocybin to study participants and helping to guide psychedelic sessions.
What are some of the greatest challenges to progress you and your colleagues have faced in your field?
Yaden stands outside of the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore.
The Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research at Johns Hopkins is currently the world’s largest lab studying psychedelics. Researchers like Roland Griffiths and his colleagues have been studying psychedelics since around 2000, but this new center (funded by Tim Ferris and a group of philanthropists) will allow a lot more psychedelic research to happen. We have studied many psychedelics like DMT, 5-MeODMT, and especially psilocybin. Psilocybin has shown a great deal of potential as a treatment for mental illnesses while also being pretty safe when administered in clinical settings. There are so many open scientific questions about psychedelics. First, how does this substance change the brain to produce such a substantially altered state of consciousness? Second, how do set and setting influence this altered state of consciousness? Third, how does
the experience (and associated brain changes) from psychedelics tend to result in such positive psychological changes for so many people? Last but not least, what are some of the risks of taking psilocybin and when should some people avoid taking it for safety reasons? These are just a few of the kinds of questions that we’re conducting research to address.
Walk us through the average day of a psychedelic scientist? I love being a scientist and I feel incredibly grateful that I can spend my time trying to understand psychedelics and other questions about how the mind works … but it’s not very glamorous! I start my morning by making coffee and practicing meditation for about 20 minutes. I make sure that I write every day, so I usually spend the rest of the morning writing about new
I wrote an article with my advisor (Roland Griffiths, PhD) and my wife (Mary ‘Bit’ Yaden, MD) that describes a bunch of my worries about psychedelic research and use. Basically, I’m worried that there will be a lack of the necessary amount of care with psychedelics. These are really powerful psychological experiences that we’re talking about. The biggest challenge that I see is getting people to slow down and think carefully and realistically by paying attention to what the scientific evidence has to say. In general, we’ve already seen during the 1960s how psychedelic research and recreational use can go wrong and lead us to a dead end. We have an opportunity as a society to treat psychedelics with more respect this time around. My recommendation is to stick to what the science says. The full article is available at by visiting JamaNetwork.com and searching for “Psychedelics in Psychiatry—Keeping the Renaissance From Going Off the Rails”.
What has been your most shocking or unexpected finding in your work at Johns Hopkins? One of the early findings from psychedelic research at Johns Hopkins continues to blow my mind. Roland Griffiths and his colleagues found that in a sample of people who were given psilocybin in a supportive setting, twothirds of them reported that the experience was among the top five most meaningful experiences of their entire lives. In other words, people who took psilocybin and laid down on a couch with eyeshades for a few hours said that the experience was almost as meaningful as events like graduating, getting married, or the birth of a child. That, to me, is an absolutely amazing fact and the findings have been replicated in many studies since.
STORY by BARRON WOLFE @BARRON.WOLFE/LEAF NATION | PHOTO by ERIC KAYNE @PHOTOKAYNE | ILLUSTRATION by MR. MELTY @MR.MELTY
the PSYCHEDELIA issue leafmagazines.com
36
C
Mar. 2021
INTEGRATIVE AND HEALING KETAMINE THERAPY dr. radu kramer
onsidered a wonder-drug since its origins as the most common anesthetic used by our soldiers on the battlefields of Vietnam, Ketamine has been utilized to save the lives of people and animals for decades – but has also received criticism for its illicit recreational use. As mentioned in The Harvard Health Blog, when it comes to modern day psychiatric therapy, intravenous Ketamine treatment is the proverbial “new kid on the block” for depression management, and even suicide prevention.
Dr. Radu Kramer is a nephrologist and internist who began incorporating Ketamine into his practice in 2019, and has practiced integrative medicine as a medical doctor for more than 25 years. Integrative medicine, or in Radu’s mind, “just medicine,” is considered to be a broader approach to evaluating and treating a person. As he explains, “Physical, genetic, immunologic and psychological elements must be diligently evaluated in order to identify a correct diagnosis. The treatment will focus on the cause of the disease whenever available, and will expand to involve the whole person. Mental health disorders alter the balance of the immune system. A less competent immune system does not resist or fight infectious diseases as well, generates inflammation, allows autoimmune conditions to develop and increases the risk of malignancies.” Many patients, close family members, and even Dr. Kramer himself suffer from depression and anxiety at times - which makes these exciting developments crucially important in more ways than one. “It’s a pleasure talking with you about Ketamine, as it has gained reputation in the management of treatment-resistant mental health disorders,” Dr. Kramer told The Leaf. “The intense pain associated with these conditions cannot be appropriately understood by those who have not experienced it. Unfortunately, the current conventional psychiatric therapies, while initially effective, tend to have limited and inconsistent long-term benefits and come with side effects, sometimes difficult to tolerate.”
HERE TO HELP HEAL
To better respond to those asking for his help, Dr. Kramer has taken several courses in psychopharmacology, participated in numerous meetings on newer therapeutic modalities in psychiatric disorders, and has attempted to remain current with any significant advances in this field. “When the studies on the effect of Ketamine performed in major universities and hospitals were released, it became clear that its new mechanism of action comes with an advantage in the outcome of those suffering from treatment-resistant depression (TRD), chronic pain, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), addictions and chronic migraines,” he said. For over 20 years, he and his team have been providing intravenous infusions with antioxidants, amino acids, vitamins and glutathione to decrease inflammation and enhance the function of the immune system. Plugging Ketamine into the equation was a turn-key process, but as Dr. Kramer explained, it needed slight modifications. “We prepared the office for Ketamine infusions by creating an environment where patients have additional privacy, and at the same time, can be monitored.” Potentially there could be serious side effects with anesthesia inducing drugs that’s why it is important to have such infusions performed in the presence of a medical doctor, other trained professionals, and in an appropriate environment.” The therapy also may not cure everyone’s depression and anxiety, as Dr. Kramer discovered through his own personal trials. In his case, his unpleasant feelings actually increased – but he admits he didn’t follow through with the same protocol he gives to his patients. “My personal experience is a constant reminder that everyone needs an objective guide through the therapy,” he said.
REDEFINING KETAMINE
For the past two years, Dr. Kramer and his team have conducted hundreds of Ketamine infusions for all the conditions previously mentioned. As he explained, “Ketamine is an anesthetic, but when used in subanesthetic doses, works more like a psychedelic substance
and has been proven beneficial in several mental health disorders, where conventional treatments were not nearly as effective. The fact that this represents over 50% of patients treated for depression, in the 21st century, is scary.” While there can be confusion over what to call Ketamine, it is officially classified as a dissociative – still, the inner workings of the substance remain elusive. “The precise mechanisms of action for “I believe that the reintroduction of Ketamine remain the other psychedelics, under the unknown,” Dr. Kramer explained. “We undersupervision of well-trained therapists stand that it stimulates and physicians, will forever transform glutamate, which is a the rudimentary modalities still in use neurotransmitter, meaning that it contributes today to manage mental illness.” to the transmission of a nerve impulse – like serotonin, dopamine, GABA and acetylcholine. The most common side effects are drowsiness, nausea, muscle spasms, blurred vision, hallucinations and confusion. Generally these effects resolve spontaneously over a few hours following an infusion.” At a time when we are being faced with increasing suicide rates, Dr. Kramer specifically noted the Harvard study that showed Ketamine’s ability to treat suicidal levels of depression, highlighting the instantaneous effect of the substance on the patient. “The impact on depression is practically instant, unlike any other treatment, and that is the reason it can change the desire to leave this world due to the enormous pain and hopelessness that often is associated with depression,” he said. “The fact that one can experience painlessness within minutes, gives those desiring an end of their sufferance by ending their lives a sense of hope, and their perception actually changes. The initial effect may last from a few hours to a few days. That is why we recommend building up a more predictable response, which requires six infusions over a period of two to three weeks. If the response is positive, we transfer the patients to Esketamine, which is a nasal spray and has essentially the same effect as intravenously-infused Ketamine.”
A MATTER OF ACCESS
Due to the fact that so few doctors are offering this treatment to their patients, medical Ketamine therapy can be difficult to gain access to – yet its availability on the black market makes it common at festivals and in clubs around the globe. When asked about recreational Ketamine use, Dr. Kramer said, “As a physician who pays a lot of attention to the Ketamine dosing, tolerability and benefits to patients with mental health disorders, it is difficult to endorse unsupervised use of Ketamine – as the risk of more profound anesthesia exists and the availability of life support mechanisms does not.” In other words, if you took too much, it could lead to needing medical attention that might not be available. “It is unfortunate that not enough physicians are open-minded enough … I believe that the reintroduction of the other psychedelics under the supervision of well-trained therapists and physicians will forever transform the rudimentary modalities still in use today to manage mental illness,” he concluded. “I have to point out how important it is to put an end to the primitive stigma associated with mental health that is quite alive in society and in families. The shame of being judged or ridiculed has prevented too many from getting help, and pushed them to suicide as the only solution to end the unbearable pain associated with major depression.” ComprehensiveHealingMD.com
STORY by BARRON WOLFE @BARRON.WOLFE/LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by SCOTT SEMLER @SWEATER.BOY | ILLUSTRATION by MR. MELTY @MR.MELTY
the PSYCHEDELIA issue leafmagazines.com
38
READING ENERGY
T
he world has spent the last year on house arrest. But instead of wearing a tracking collar, your ball and chain is a face mask. And if we’ve learned anything from watching horror movies for the past several generations, concealing one’s identity is a practice utilized by bank robbers, guerrilla taggers and Marvel villains. Some heroes wear masks, but at least you can see their mouths. And you can learn a lot from a person’s mouth. BUT WE ARE currently at a social disadvantage, unable to access the cues that facial gestures afford us in public interaction. Having become accustomed our entire lives to relying on our eyes as code sensors, determining true meaning through language is a vital nuance for accurate interpretation. So, hearing only a person’s voice offers limited perspective, and therefore, without the telltale crease in the corner of a mouth, the slight flare of the nostrils or the brightness of teeth, it is difficult to harmonize the limited data for an authentic read. What we are missing is subtle punctuation that relays intent. Because we lean heavily on the subconscious to guide our judgement, whether we are aware of it or not, these are the clues that lend comprehension to the charge of people’s words, be it negative or positive – which is paramount to our success as a species. And although there is a range of tactics we employ (albeit many dysfunctional), the one common goal we share is to procure love. Love directs everything we do – the way we dress, the way we work, the way we communicate. Love is as vital to our existence as food and water. It is what drives people to thrive. Without it, life is pointless. From the moment we enter the world, conditioning is imparted, marginalizing the spirit with borders and barriers, rules and institutions. Boys wear blue, girls wear pink. Go to school to learn the system, worship a higher power, work, provide, pay, repeat – until you get your Social Security and an RV to see the country roads of president carved
BY MIKE RICKER
These are the Soaring ‘20s, where open minds will save the planet.”
Mar. 2021
mountainsides and other national monuments that reinforce your indoctrination. Die and pass along your savings in hopes that your legacy will one day jump socioeconomic classes. We are born on the farm and the fences are high. There are some, however, who insist upon knowing their personal truth. That with which they were born – to rediscover the genuine soul inside the skin suit that needs a deeper meaning to reality prior to being manipulated into a societal role. And the more perceptive we become to the natural world, the more the answers to living a happy, fulfilling life will be revealed. And what connects everything we know is magnetism. Reading energy is the attempt to understand magnetism, or to harness the flow.
Flow is being in the zone, fully conscious and optimal, and this is where your potential shines. Psychedelics (Cannabis arguably being a light one) can heighten our ability to observe this magnetism from a place of humility, allowing the mind to break free of the perpetual static and oblige the instinct to interpret the language of the universe from the conscious level. This can relinquish the tension of the subconscious, which is what we all want – for this to get easier, lighter, less stressful. This is the reason we call Cannabis medicine. In the Amazon, ayahuasca is referred to with the same respect. And we know that much of the world’s sail is catching the wind of this plant-based decriminalization movement, as the galvanizing of fresh thoughts returns us to the origin from which we were originally derived – that being the soil. So, don’t worry too much about the mask. Because this is the beginning of a change. These are the Soaring ‘20s, where open minds will save the planet. And the more adept you get at letting go of your preconceptions – the dogma you’ve been saddled with since birth – the more the intuition will supersede the bad habits of applying useless labels and definitions to your world. Everything you need is here. You are provided for, just as a mollusk attached to a rock in the surf is brought the sustenance it needs. Your perception is what is holding you back and natural medicine can be a valuable tool to assist in breaking down walls that are blocking the view to the double rainbow. And when you see it, you will cry with joy.
ILLUSTRATION by MR. MELTY @MR.MELTY
PSYCHEDELIC LEGISLATION
L
ike mycelium branching out beneath the damp forest floor, the movement to legalize entheogens and psychedelic compounds continues to propagate across the country. Sparked, no doubt, by the fact that Cannabis ended up being a zero-downside game for the public health and for the states’ tax revenue streams in legalized markets, the concept of plant and mushroom based recreation and therapy continues to lose its stigma. The movement has thrived beneath the surface for decades. Spiritual seekers and merry pranksters have fought this fight ever since the U.S. Government sought to criminalize and weaponize psychedelics in the 20th century.
IN RECENT YEARS, those underground tendrils started popping up above the surface, bearing fruit and spreading spores on the winds. In 2019, Oakland, Calif. and Denver, Colo. became the first cities in the country to decriminalize psilocybin-producing mushrooms, scoring a huge victory for myco-nauts and practitioners of entheogenic therapy. Then, in 2020, Washington, D.C. – the heartbeat of the country – voted to decriminalize psychedelic mushrooms, meaning a person could arguably trip out while wandering around the Washington Monument without worrying about being arrested. On the other side of the country, Oregon decriminalized all drugs, and – even more importantly for entheogenic therapy – voted to legalize psilocybin for use in a therapeutic setting. That’s the big word here: LEGALIZE. In decriminalized areas, psychedelics remain illegal but law enforcement is directed to not pursue arrests or convictions. Legalization means that not only will you not be arrested for psychedelics, but you can’t even get a “no tripping” ticket. That wedge in the door means the legalization movements for psilocybin and other psychedelic compounds are ripe for huge gains in the coming years. In the wake of those pioneering states and municipalities, other regions are starting to look at decriminalization as a first step toward building acceptance of entheogenic compounds. California State Senator Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, told the SF Chronicle that he plans to introduce legislation in 2021 that will effectively decriminalize psychedelics throughout the state. On the East Coast, lawmakers in New York are fighting to decriminalize psychedelics, as Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal introduced legislation in 2020 to remove psilocybin from Schedule I of New York’s list of controlled substances. On a hyper-local level, the City Council of Somerville, Mass. voted to decriminalize entheogenic plants and fungi in January of this year.
While the fight for legalized Cannabis continues to rage on, it’s becoming clear that psychedelics are the next thing. Larger and larger companies within and without the Cannabis industry are starting to move beyond the exploratory phase, and into the non-psychedelic mycological therapy space – no doubt in a move to set up standards, build out supply chains and begin to gauge consumer interest in mycological products. A Bloomberg report in December 2020 showed that the psychedelic market has been gaining traction with the venture capital sector, attracting many of the same investment firms that seeded the Cannabis industry. And powerhouse Cannabis companies are starting to enter the mycology space, such as Cookies in California, which recently released its Caps by Cookies line – which blends terpenes and cannabinoids with non-psychedelic, organic mushrooms. When looked at on the whole, all of these pieces add up to give us a view of where the entheogenic movement is going, and where it’s taking us. And that looks to be a bright, shimmery, trippily beautiful future.
While the fight for legalized Cannabis continues to rage on, it’s becoming clear that psychedelics are the next thing. STORY by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS/LEAF NATION | ILLUSTRATION by MR. MELTY @MR.MELTY
39
Be Safe. Be Well.
Have Your Cannabis Delivered. Order online at
gLeaf.com
or call
1-800-208-WEED (9333)
Order Online and Pick Up In-Store at Either gLeaf Location 808 Hungerford Drive Rockville, MD 20850
4606 Wedgewood Blvd. Frederick, MD 21703
(301) 917-3665
(301) 662-2222
MON–THUR 9am–8pm
◊
FRI & SAT 9am–9pm
◊
SUN 10am–8pm
Medical cannabis use is for certified Maryland patients only. Must be 18 or older.
concentrate of the month
EVERMORE EVERMORECANNABISCO.COM | @EVERMOREBRANDS
42
leafmagazines.com
BLUEBERRY DANISH THE DAB CONNOISSEURS OF EVERMORE have blessed us once again, this time with their absolutely mouthwatering Blueberry Danish live resin cake badder. Weighing in at 78.5% THCa and 9.6% total terpenes, this extract strikes a perfect balance between vigorous potency and robust flavor. The fruity and floral blend lingered on my palate long after each dab.
Mar. 2021
LIVE RESIN CAKE BADDER
When it comes to extract production, the rule of thumb is “fire in, fire out,” TESTING and with regard to Evermore’s dabs, we can always expect some fire flower going 78.57% THCa into their extraction process. In this case we have a beautiful cross of their top tier 9.546% total terps Blueberry Muffins cultivar crossed with their infamous Cheshire MAC, resulting in 3.01% myrcene the illustrious and vibrant Blueberry Danish! 1.9% limonene As far as terpene profiles go, this is about as pristine of an indica as they 1.33% linalool come. Myrcene dominates the profile at 3%, placing it firmly on the heavier side 1.27% caryophyllene of the spectrum, but I wouldn’t say this dab is a couch-locker. Rather, it is the best .51% pinene kind of “functionally sluggish” one can experience. The myrcene causes a huge .47% humulene wave of pain relief and muscle relaxation, but the 1.9% limonene, 1.3% linalool and 1.2% caryophyllene temper round out the top of the profile with a lulling, .25% fenchol calm and upbeat mood. .2% terpineol The nose is packed with succulent fruit aromas wafting around floral, hoppy notes that immediately get the salivary glands flowing. The initial puff is all fruit on the inhale, with notes of mango, berry and citrus forming a smoothie of flavor that is sharply penetrated with a spicy note of lavender and hops on the backend of each exhale. As I sank deeper and deeper into my high, the world around me thickened and I had to push through the soup of reality with kaleidoscopic flavor cycles circulating through my respiratory system. The fruity and floral blend lingered on my palate long after each dab, leaving me smacking my lips like a happy baby long after my lungs cleared. The Blueberry Danish effect is a cocoon of anxiolytic pain relief, creating the sensation of moving through a viscous medium, slowly and methodically, but never stopping. I found this to be excellent for my bones, joints and mental health – even bringing quite an amazing sensation of altered reality. Complete with tantalizing flavor and effect, this Blueberry Danish is something worth savoring.
REVIEW by TAYLOR MARTIN for MARYLAND LEAF | PHOTO by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT
CUSTOMIZE YOUR CANNABIS WITH WANA SOUR CHEWS! Choose from a Variety of Classes, Doses, and CBD/THC Ratios
For use by qualified patients only.
wanabrands.com
GLASS ART
EDM(ENERGY DISC MIB When and how did you two first meet?
Darby and I met in 2000 at Studio G, which is the shop that I started glass at. About six months in, in June 2000, I got invited to watch Darby work at his home studio. He was making a rad bong and a slide. We may have met before that also, because our parents were friends.
What sparked the idea to create this EDM collaboration? Darby and I have made at
least one of almost all of the designs I currently make, and we hadn’t made an EDM until this one. EDM stands for Energy Disc Mib – it’s three of my designs in one.
How have psychedelics helped you achieve a higher level of consciousness? How have they inspired your bodies of work? I have a special connection with mushrooms because of a life-changing trip I had when I was 17. I would most definitely not be the man I am today without them.
leafmagazines.com
44
@eusheen | @darbyholmglass
“I have a special connection with mushrooms because of a life-changing trip I had when I was 17.“ -Eusheen
ART BY EUSHEEN X DARBY Mar. 2021
INTERVIEW by MAX EARLY @LIFTED_STARDUST/LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by SAMUEL FARLEY @THC_SAMUEL
View our Menu on our website
DAILY DEALS MON TUE WED THUR FRI SAT SUN
30% OFF Vapes & Concentrates BOGO 50% OFF Reg. Priced Eighths Premium Eighth Deals 30% OFF Edibles & Topicals Bulk Flower Deals BOGO 50% OFF Vapes & Concentrates Choose any Daily Deal above!
YOUR RELIEF IS HERE. The only medical cannabis facility in St. Mary’s County is open and ready to help you stay centered.
ONLINE ORDERING & CURBSIDE PICKUP A R E AVA I L A B L E AT S O M D R E L I E F. C O M With daily deals, online ordering, knowledgeable team members, and all the necessary health precautions to keep staff and patients safe, it’s never been easier to get relief.
5806 York Road, Baltimore MD 21212 (410) 323-0100 www.blairwellness.com
While supplies last. Discounts cannot be combined with other offers. For use only by qualifying medical cannabis patients. Flash deals not applicable for Second Chance Sunday
M O N D AY– S AT U R D AY 10 a m – 8 p m | S U N D AY 1 1 a m – 6 pm
S O M D R E L I E F. C O M
stoney baloney
byMike Ricker
THE BODIES EXHIBIT
46
ON SHROOMS Y
leafmagazines.com
ou want to know if I did it. Of course not, are you out of your fucking mind? I understand that the title may have revved your imagination, but no person of sound mind would, or should ever, attempt such a psychotic journey into the darkest recesses of one’s essential nature for any reason. The mental stability of a thrill-seeking individual bent on this ultimate experiment would have to be seriously questioned, save for maybe that deranged whack job from “The Human Centipede.” I mean, if you have some morbid desire to screw yourself up with self-inflicted behavior modifications that are way beyond normal rationale – so that for the rest of your life when you look at a sandwich what you really see is a bummed-out prisoner’s dissected cerebellum between two slices of bread – be my guest. But this is something not even recommended for sickos like Marylin Manson. Throughout history, people have purposefully endeavored ridiculous feats – like Evel Knievel attempting to jump the Snake River Canyon on a rocket cycle, Hunter S. Thompson infiltrating a District Attorney’s convention on a full dropper of liquid LSD, and the insurgent QAnon guy in the horned fur cap charging the Capitol to steal the vote back for the Donald. But thankfully, instinct has provided a built-in dipshit button that prevents most of us from doing irreparable damage to mind, body and soul. So, understand that in the attempt at heightening your misadventures by way of dual integration, realize that there are some things that will never mix: whiskey and ice cream, Jeffrey Lebowski in Malibu, and The Bodies Exhibit on mushrooms. A sneaky, succulent vape toke of Green Crack before a rip through Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride? You already know.
mar. 2021
F O L L OW @ R I C K E R D J | G E T T H E AU D I O V E R S I O N & EV E RY E P I S O D E AT S TO N EY- B A L O N EY. C O M
ELEVATING THE STANDARD. MARYLAND'S TOP QUALITY CONCENTRATES
LARGEST SELECTION & EXCLUSIVE LOW PRICING AT HEALTH FOR LIFE DISPENSARIES meltingpointextracts.com Medical Cannabis is for use by certified patients only.
"Maryland's Best Overall Dispensary" -Leafly
BALTIMORE WHITE MARSH BETHESDA
NOW: PRE-ORDERS ONLY Guaranteed 2 Hour Pick Up The Best New Patient Specials in Maryland Daily Deals & Excellent Rewards Program Consistent 5 Star Reviews From Patients www.hflmd.com
MARYLAND'S LARGEST SELECTION OF MPX PRODUCTS! Medical Cannabis is for use by certified patients only.
Trusted everywhere. For every patient need. Colorado-based Dixie is trusted by medical cannabis patients across the country. Its comprehensive line of soak, elixirs, tablets, and balms provide a consistent dose of reliable relief in a variety of potencies and flavors. Available now at your local dispensary. Learn more at curiowellness.com. Produced locally by Curio Wellness. For personal use only by qualifying patient.