THE ENLIGHTENED VOICE
#11 | NOVEMBER 2019
THE HARVEST ISSUE CULTA’S DIRECTOR OF CULTIVATION, DAVE MYROWITZ, OVERSEES THE COMPANY’S HISTORIC SUNGROWN CANNABIS PRODUCTION / PG. 28 F R E E / L E A F N AT I O N M D . C O M
INDEPENDENT CANNABIS JOURNALISM SINCE 2010
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nov. 2019 leafnationmd.com
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THE HARVEST ISSUE
7 Editor’S Note 9 NATIONAL news 12 hemp column 14 legal column 16 highly likely 18 budtender q&a 19 patient profile 22 kip shop review 24 strain of the month 28 culta sungrown 30 tko reserve 36 cannabis recipes 38 concentrate review 40 wild kombucha q&a 42 on the road 44 DYSCO’S CORNER 46 stoney baloney TRUE OG GROWING AT TKO RESERVE IN SOUTHERN OREGON.
PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS
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
WES ON THE COVER The Harvest Issue Our cover is dedicated to outdoor Cannabis grown, not in California, Oregon, Washington or somewhere else known for the goods — but right here in Maryland. Learn all about Culta’s first annual sungrown Cannabis grow in our feature p.28-29. photo courtesy culta
CONTRIBUTORS
FOUNDER & EDITOR
Alaina Dorsey, writing
WES ABNEY Wes@nwleaf.com 206-235-6721
Ally Dull, writing Wyatt Early, photography Steve Elliott, writing Lizzy Layne, design Taylor Martin, writing Matthew Newton, writing Jeff Porterfield, design Mike Rothman, writing Pacer Stacktrain, writing Laurie Wolf, writing Bruce Wolf, photography
PUBLISHER EARLY Early@LeafNationMD.com
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Daniel bermaN | photography & design daniel@bermanphotos.com PRODUCER/PROCESSOR/RETAILERS AD SALES
wyatt early Wyatt@LeafNationMD.com 410-961-8779 We do not sell stories or coverage. We are happy to offer design services and guidance on promoting your company’s recreational, commercial or industrial Cannabis product or upcoming event. We are targeted and independent Cannabis journalism. Email or call to discuss advertising.
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ABNEY
Editor’s Note Thanks for picking up The Maryland Leaf Harvest Issue! We’ve been publishing our harvest issues for many years now, and it continues to be one of my favorites. There is something truly special about outdoor Cannabis, and the people who put their livelihoods on the line to grow a plant for six or more months with no guarantee of success. Welcome to farming! On top of the sacrifices and risks they face, they also face stigma about the quality of the product they have worked so hard to produce. I ENCOURAGE But let me tell you this. . . ALL OF OUR Cannabis is a plant and the natural expression of READERS TO FLIP terpenes and flavors that the plant produces when THROUGH OUR exposed to sunlight can never be replicated in an indoor environment. SCENIC HARVEST I encourage all of our readers to flip through SPECIAL, READ our scenic harvest special, read the stories of true THE STORIES OF farm life, and enjoy this magazine that we worked TRUE FARM LIFE, so hard to create. But I also challenge you to go AND ENJOY THIS next month and purchase sungrown Cannabis, and experience the plant in a natural form. MAGAZINE THAT Believe me when I say that while it may look WE WORKED SO different than indoor flowers, it’s no less beautiful HARD TO CREATE. - and much more tasty than the mid-grade indoor Cannabis flooding the market. On a sustainability note, our planet, societies and industries are all at a turning point decided by us as enlightened consumers. Do we want synthetic, harmful products for our bodies? Do we want hothouse grown and pesticide sprayed vegetables, or weed? My vote goes to organic fruits and veggies for our families, and an agricultural system that gives back to the Earth. So, what impact do we want our favorite recreational plant to have on our planet? Society votes and decides its future with dollars, and I hope that everyone reading this gives outdoor Cannabis a try. It supports both the farmer and the environment. Not to mention, both your head and your heart will thank you for it! As always, thank you for reading, and please enjoy our Harvest Issue while samping the bounty of this year’s crop!
-Wes Abney nov. 2019
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WASHINGTON STATE TEMPORARILY BANS FLAVORED VAPE PRODUCTS Starting October 10, Washingtonians aren’t able to buy flavored vape products. The Washington State Board of Health approved a 120-day emergency ban during its regular meeting, despite overwhelming opposition from a raucous audience which chanted “shame” reports the Seattle Times. More than 350 people packed the meeting, with about 60 testifying during the public comment session. As ban opponents watched the vote, the ballroom at the SeaTac Marriott filled with the smell of vapor. The emergency ban leads into the 2020 legislative session, where the issue is all but guaranteed to arise. A law passed during last year’s legislative session, to raise the age to buy tobacco and vaping products to 21, goes into effect in January.
national news
West Coast
legalization
YOUTH MARIJUANA USE DECLINES AFTER WASHINGTON STATE LEGALIZES Fewer adolescents in King County, Washington reported past month Cannabis consumption after marijuana became legal for adults in the state, according to a new federally published study, reports Marijuana Moment. After Washington voters legalized weed in 2012, marijuana use decreased or remained stable through 2016 among King County students in grades 6, 8, 10 and 12, according to the study. Researchers with Public Health-Seattle and King County analyzed the data from the Washington State Healthy Youth Survey, which is conducted statewide every two years to assess health risk behaviors among public school students. While Cannabis opponents often express fears that ending prohibition will lead to more teens using weed, such concerns simply aren’t supported by the data. The results were published in October by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
9 EAST COAST
MARYLAND COPS LEAVE MAN PARALYZED AFTER PULLING HIM OVER AND SMELLING WEED Maryland officers left a man paralyzed from the waist down after pulling him over for expired tags in October, then smelling marijuana. Cops claimed Demonte Ward-Blake refused to place his hands on the steering wheel, so they removed him from the car, reports the Pinac News. Once they cuffed him, they claim he tried to escape by elbowing a cop in the face while being searched. Video evidence suggests it was actually Ward-Blake’s words, not his elbow, that made the cops mad. The cops left him with a critical spinal cord injury and a broken nose. “He wants to keep running his mouth, he’s going to jail,” a cop tells Ward-Blake’s girlfriend once he’s in handcuffs. Her videos show a cop standing over Ward-Blake with his hands cuffed behind him, his body slumped forward.
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FEWER ADOLESCENTS IN KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON REPORTED PAST MONTH CANNABIS CONSUMPTION AFTER MARIJUANA BECAME LEGAL FOR ADULTS IN THE STATE By STEVE ELLIOTT, AUTHOR OF THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF MARIJUANA
NOV. 2019
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The SOUTH
GEORGIA’S MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROGRAM STALLS AFTER 6 MONTHS DUE TO FOOT DRAGGING Six months after Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed a law allowing companies to grow and sell low-THC medical marijuana in the state for the first time, the program remains stalled because Kemp and other top politicians still haven’t appointed members of a commission to oversee the expansion, reports the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Aides to Kemp, Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, and House Speaker David Ralston haven’t said why there still aren’t any members for the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission. Until they take action, the expansion is effectively mothballed. House Bill 324 gave the seven-member Commission vast powers over the state’s medical Cannabis program, including selecting which businesses can grow the plant. The commission is also in charge of developing licensing requirements retailers must meet to sell medical Cannabis. More than 50 candidates have already stepped forward seeking licenses. The delay in appointing the commission is a big disappointment for patients and their families who celebrated the law’s passage, believing it would help provide much-needed treatment for severe seizures, terminal cancers, Parkinson’s disease, and other illnesses. “It’s extremely frustrating for medically fragile patients to finally get a bill passed that allows the distribution of medical Cannabis oil, and then still be waiting on Governor Kemp to establish the commission,” said Blaine Cloud, whose daughter Alaina suffers from a severe form of epilepsy that could be treated by Cannabis.
Recreational weed is legal in California, but local authorities continue their crackdown on black market marijuana dispensaries, reports ABC 7. Complaints from residents in East Los Angeles about illegal dispensaries led to a massive response from the LA County Sheriff’s Department Narcotics Unit. Authorities raided two locations that had already been shut down previously. “We have about 300 identified illegal dispensaries in unincorporated LA County,” said Captain Holly Francisco of the sheriff’s department. “We have closed approximately 140 of them.” “When we take this off the market, this black market marijuana, it could save a life,” Francisco claimed. After 21 months of legalization, there are 874 licensed dispensaries in California, according to the Bureau of Cannabis Control. An audit by the United Cannabis Business Association found there are almost 3,000 illegal dispensaries and delivery services in the state. According to BDS Analytics, the legal Cannabis market is on track to reach $3.1 billion in 2019, but the illegal market will hit $8.7 billion.
national news
CALIFORNIA BATTLES ILLEGAL CANNABIS DISPENSARIES
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WEST COAST
GOV. NEWSOM’S CAUTIOUS APPROACH TO CANNABIS ANGERS CALIFORNIA LEGALIZATION ADVOCATES
By STEVE ELLIOTT, AUTHOR OF THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF MARIJUANA
NOV. 2019
leafnationmd.com
House Bill 324 gave the seven-member Commission vast powers over the state’s medical Cannabis program, including selecting which businesses can grow the plant. The commission is also in charge of developing licensing requirements retailers must meet to sell medical Cannabis.
California Governor Gavin Newsom supported the campaign to legalize Cannabis in his state three years ago. But he has since angered some industry figures and activists by refusing to allow medical marijuana in hospitals, and outlawing its use on tour buses and in limousines, reports the Los Angeles Times. Newsom also signed several bills in October that will ease weed restrictions, including measures waiving taxes on free marijuana provided by charities to people with serious heath problems, and allowing parents to provide medicinal Cannabis products to their sick children on K-12 school campuses. It was the governor’s first chance to act on marijuana laws since he supported the Prop 64 campaign in 2016, which successfully legalized recreational weed. By the October 13 deadline for the year, Newsom signed or vetoed more than a dozen pieces of marijuana legislation. “The 2019 legislative session has been a mixed bag for the Cannabis industry, but with priority bills signed by the governor in the final hours, the industry is optimistic about future partnership with the administration,” said Lindsay Robinson, executive director of the California Cannabis Industry Association.
expert OPINION
12
BY JERRY WHITING LeBlancCNE.com/podcast
Hempcrete
THE NEW UP AND COMER
leafnationmd.com
Mention hemp to anyone these days and CBD is the first
They’re big and expensive and because hemp hasn’t been grown in the U.S. for decades, decordicators are hard to come by. thing that comes to mind. Keep talking about industrial Ideally, hemp grown for fiber should be close to the processing facility, or transportation costs eat into profits. Therein lies the hemp, and hempcrete is mentioned more than any other catch-22, as many aren’t growing for fiber without a way to separate hurd from bast, and with farmers growing large amounts of hemp for product. But what surprises me is that while many people the fiber market, decordicating one’s crop will remain expensive - if have tried hemp-based CBD products, hardly anyone has possible at all considering the logistics. My advice? Farmers learn how to grow hemp using the current CBD even seen - let alone worked - with hempcrete. market as your learning curve. Read up on hemp for the fiber markets, both construction materials and textiles. Start small, but grow hemp for fiber this summer. In many ways it will HEMPCRETE is a building material made from hemp hurds, the inside be similar to wheat, corn and other crops you’re already familiar with. of the stalks, and lime. It’s a lightweight insulating material that acts Explore potential buyers now, before you plant. Educate yourself and as a moisture regulator. While similar to concrete in some ways, share with other farmers. The market won’t take off until it scales, and it is not meant for weight bearing walls and cannot be used for a no one farmer alone can make this happen. building’s foundation. On the plus side, it isn’t as brittle as concrete It takes acreage to make money in hemp. Consider dual purpose and resists cracking under movement, making it ideal for earthquake crops. There are cultivars that produce seed for food and prone areas. oil, as well as stems for fiber. Cut the tops and shunt the We all know that hemp grows faster than trees, We all know that hemp seeds to some processors. Go back and cut the stems and requires fewer chemicals when grown, and it grows faster than trees, sell them to hempcrete processors. Dual use, dual sales. sequesters carbon. Yes, hemp clothing will soon be requires fewer chemicals We all know hemp is more than just CBD. the norm. But until then, hempcrete may be the plant when grown, and it If only a fraction of the current wood building materials fiber product to go mainstream first. are made with hemp, it’s still a lucrative market. If the The reality is that hemp is being grown for CBD sequesters carbon. Yes, buzz and chatter about hempcrete is any indication, the extraction, not fiber. It’s being grown for the flower, hemp clothing will soon market is there. Given the chance many will incorporate not the stalks. Farmers will have to plant fiber seeds, be the norm. But until hempcrete into construction projects large and small. Talk not CBD varieties. That’s the easy hurdle to cross. then, hempcrete may be about bragging rights! What’s cooler than a hemp wall? Yes, planting for fiber makes harvesting with Who needs adobe when there’s hempcrete? Add bamboo machines easier, but what do you do then? the plant fiber product to furniture and you’ll be the envy of your friends. The planet Separating the stems into hurd (inside) and bast go mainstream first. will thank you too! (outside) requires a machine called a decordicator.
nov. 2019
PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS
SHORE NATURAL Rx
M ar yland’s premiere medicinal cannabis cultivation facilit y. G rower s of the highes t qualit y, organic cannabis. Ser ving patient s from our home on the Eas tern Shore, all the way to G arret Count y.
S H O R E NATU R A L R X .C OM
CANNABIS LAW
MAKING THE LEAP
OUTDOOR CULTIVATION IN MARYLAND
When the first sales of medical
Cannabis in Maryland were made
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in December 2017, a patient could be certain that the medicine they received was raised indoors and grown
leafnationmd.com
under controlled conditions. By carefully regulating the light, climate, water, and nutrients that the plants received, growers could ensure that plants would produce a uniform product for harvest and use by patients. Popular wisdom held that outdoor growing on the East Coast (especially Maryland) was prone to failure due to the high humidity, the variable climate, and the pests that inhabit these parts. But sometimes, Mother Nature cooperates and popular wisdom yields to sheer determination. And that is where Mackie Barch, the President and CEO of the medical Cannabis cultivation company, Culta, comes into the picture. In Fall 2019, Culta undertook a grand experiment - the first large-scale, commercial outdoor harvest of medical Cannabis on the East Coast. This was historic for a number of reasons. First, medical Cannabis is not typically grown outdoors on the East Coast. The weather, the temperature, and the insects all make Maryland a poor choice
for outdoor growing, and a new Cannabis plant that law, patients must rely upon the growers who does well in Maryland weather could be a big boost have been licensed by the State of Maryland. for patients and the availability of products. Cultivators, such as Culta, must find new ways Second, outdoor grown Cannabis is three times to expand the availability of medical products less expensive to cultivate, thereby reducing the to patients, while keeping them affordable to price of popular concentrate and distillate products drive away black markets. This is the key to a to consumers. sustainable, state-sponsored medical Cannabis And finally, outdoor growing has the advantage program where medicinal products are accessible of having a much lower carbon footprint, being by patients at a price they can afford. organic, and sustainable. Last month, a survey by the United Cannabis As Barch himself freely acknowledges, “Outdoor Business Association found that in California there grown Cannabis is by far the most cost-effective were more than three times the number of black way to produce the biomass required market unlicensed dispensaries to deliver the products our patients than licensed dispensaries. require. But make no mistake. It is An industry-backed financial hard work, labor intensive, and still audit projected that roughly very expensive.” $8.7 billion will be spent on While indoor cultivation can unregulated Cannabis products regularly produce perfect Cannabis in California in 2019, compared plants with the full expression of with just $3.1 billion spent on a plant’s terpenes and Cannabis sold by legal trichomes, such intensive businesses. “Outdoor grown Cannabis is by far the most horticultural methods are not If Maryland is going to cost-effective way to produce the biomass always necessary. take the approach that it required to deliver the products our patients Sometimes, the products will only permit licensed require. But make no mistake. It is hard work, growers, processors, and only require certain labor intensive, and still very expensive.” cannabinoids such as CBD, dispensaries of medical CBG, CBN, or delta-9 Cannabis, then it must Mackie Barch | Culta President & CEO tetrahydrocannabinol - better encourage outdoor known as THC, the psychoactive ingredient in cultivation by all of its growers. As Barch put it, Cannabis. And this is where the outdoor market “We went big. We grew one acre of outdoor becomes indispensable to connecting patients with grown Cannabis in Maryland to be harvested this their medicine. Fall. While outdoor is not analogous to indoor As Maryland does not have a “home-grow” grown Cannabis, the outdoor grow certainly exception included in its medical Cannabis exceeded our expectations.”
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.
NOV. 2019
COLUMN by MIKE ROTHMAN, ATTORNEY & PRINCIPAL | MEDICAL CANNABIS LAW GROUP | PHOTO by @BERMANPHOTOS
RAPHAELMECHOULAM FA M E D I S R A E L I CAN NAB I S R E SE A RC H E R & C H E M I S T
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Mechoulam is known as the “Grandfather of Cannabis research.”
leafnationmd.com
THE NAME RAPHAEL MECHOULAM MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR TO YOU, BUT HIS LEGACY IS THAT OF A TRUE PIONEER WITHIN THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY IN THE 20TH AND 21ST CENTURIES. In fact, without Mechoulam’s scientific discoveries, we may have never made it to the zenith of Cannabis knowledge that we enjoy today. Put simply, Mechoulam, an unassuming elderly gentleman, is an Israeli organic chemist and professor of Medical Chemistry at Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel. Raised in Bulgaria, he was a child of the holocaust, with his father actually surviving a concentration camp. Eventually he moved to Israel and started work at Hebrew University. He is best known for isolating the organic compound tetrahydrocannabinol - better known as THC - but the way that he did it back in the 1960s is truly remarkable. He also identified the endogenous cannabinoid, anandamide, in the human brain. Dr. Mechoulam knew that Cannabis was used for thousands of years by humanity for sacred,
NOV. 2019
he decided to conduct his first observations at a dinner party with a group of acquaintances and friends. He had his wife bake a chocolate cake and the willing participants took THC (10mg dosed in icing on the cake), while five of the party members abstained as a control, so that Mechoulam could ascertain the effects. None of the people at the dinner party had tried Cannabis before. The most surprising thing to Mechoulam and his colleagues? Everyone at the party experienced Cannabis differently. One of the participants had an anxiety attack, and the others ranged from laughing fits to mellow or subdued reactions. It took a long time for Mechoulam’s discoveries to actually have any real application, though, due mostly to the prohibition of Cannabis. For example, his team helped to pave the way for using CBD to treat Epilepsy - some 30 years ago! Nowadays, Mechoulam is hoping that the same thing doesn’t happen with his newest discovery - the synthesizing of stable acids found within living Cannabis plants. Most of us consume Cannabis that is dead. But Mechoulam and a group of researchers medical and recreational purposes. But announced in September that they have develwith the advent of new scientific technology oped a process for creating synthetic, stable and methods, he wanted to know just what acids that include variants of CBD and THC Cannabis was doing to the human body which may lead to new medical discoveries in and brain when consumed. the future. To begin his scientific Some of these tests, Mechoulam used MECHOULAM USED WHAT acids, he claims, what was most readily are 1000 times available to him - the WAS MOST READILY more potent in their hashish that could be ability to bond to the found clandestinely in AVAILABLE TO HIM - THE human endocannaIsrael in the 1960s HASHISH THAT COULD BE binoid system than to synthesize the first the ‘dead’ CBD and isolated THC in the FOUND CLANDESTINELY THC we currently modern world. To acIN ISRAEL IN THE 1960S consume. quire the hash, he went He may not be a to the Israeli police, TO SYNTHESIZE THE FIRST household name, but who had been confisRaphael Mechoulam cating large quantities ISOLATED THC IN THE should be regardof hashish that was MODERN WORLD. ed as one in our being smuggled from industry. Lebanon into Israel. For all he has done for more than 50 years After asking the dean of the university to call in the research and development of the medthe police to ask on his behalf, Mechoulam ical uses of Cannabis, Mechoulam should be took the bus to the police station, where he toasted as one of the greatest advocates for procured five kilos of hashish. this plant the modern world has ever seen. After isolating the THC into oil in his lab,
PHOTO COURTESY OF AG / THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY OF JERUSALEM
highly likely
H i g h l y L i ke l y h i g h l i g h t s Ca n n a b i s p i o n e e rs w h o p a ve d t h e wa y t o g re a t e r h e r b a l a c c e p ta n ce .
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PHILLIP FRAZIER “I WENT OUT AND FOUND CANNABIS ON MY OWN BECAUSE I WANTED TO SELF MEDICATE, AS OPPOSED TO USING IT AS A PARTY DRUG. MY USE WAS RECREATIONAL, BUT I STILL FEEL THAT I ALWAYS USED CANNABIS MEDICINALLY FROM THE START.”
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How did Cannabis first come into your life?
I started off smoking in high school, although I was one of the kids who did not want to be peer pressured. So a lot of my friends smoked at the time, but I didn’t want to do it just because everyone else was doing it. I would get invited to smoke sessions with friends, but I would always decline. I went out and found Cannabis on my own because I wanted to self medicate, as opposed to using it as a party drug. My use was recreational, but I still feel that I always used Cannabis medicinally from the start.
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When did you become a budtender? Why did you pursue a job in Cannabis?
I started budtending in early 2019 at Starbuds. I really just wanted to get my foot in the door and get some experience. I had a great time there, and I believe that budtending is a dream job come true. I feel blessed to be able to dispense this medicine in a legal form - it’s a pretty crazy time to be in right now.
What is your favorite way to consume Cannabis? Favorite brands?
I’m definitely a Backwoods guy, and definitely very flower heavy for my consumption. I began dabbling in the concentrates recently, and I feel like Evermore has some of the best products on the market. I actually took a visit to their grow last week and walked away inspired by the hands-on knowledge and passion. I do also favor Culta’s products, and Grassroots is beginning to grow on me.
When a patient needs guidance, how do you find a product that’s right for them?
I like to get personal with all my patients, and I feel like that’s how we both win on a personal level. Not only identifying their needs, but finding out what kind of person they are, what kind of life they live, and why they
NOV. 2019
need to medicate. Once I can isolate those things, I feel more confident to direct them to a product based around their intended use. Most people don’t use flower, so I often have to break down the other ways to consume the product and benefit from this plant.
What has the transition been like seeing Temescal Wellness transform into The Living Room?
It has definitely been a journey. Ironically the first purchase I ever made on the medical market was from Temescal Wellness. I bought an eighth of LA Chocolate grown by GLeaf, and it’s crazy to come back full circle, now working here. Coming in at a new time, as the dispensary changes its name and brand, I feel like The Living Room is on a trajectory to become a Maryland staple dispensary. I really like what everyone is doing here from the grow, to processing, to everyone I work with at the dispensary.
What is your favorite part about this job/industry?
The fact that I am able to do it at all. I have had traumatic experiences in my past related to black market Cannabis and law enforcement. To be doing this every day in a legal way and to not be anxious, looking over my shoulder when I have Cannabis on me, is a peaceful bliss.
What are your hobbies outside of work?
A lot of things. I am also a designer and visual artist, as well as owner of a cut and sew brand called Black Heart Online. I have been running it since I was 14 (in 2009), and have done all of the branding, product creation (by hand), photo shoots, traveling, and networking. I also just started a new venture, Black Heart Cannabis, where we are trying to promote and merge the culture between Cannabis and street fashion. I believe the two are closely linked and want to bring that to life.
STORY & PHOTO by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT/MARYLAND LEAF
PATIENT OF THE MONTH
Morganne Bryan how cannabis helps treat a rare condition
19 Morganne Bryan had a normal life - a solid education, a well paying job, and good health. But things began to change in 2014, when she began to experience a severe vomiting episode. She knew this was odd, but originally thought it was something minor like a stomach virus. However, when the symptoms continued, Morganne knew that she needed medical assistance. When she approached her doctors with questions, they had little to no answers as to what was triggering her frequent vomiting. They often told her that she had a virus or stomach issues, and at one point told her that Cannabis use could be a trigger for her condition. With no answers, Morganne decided to conduct her own research and discovered her diagnosis: Cyclical Vomiting Syndrome. Cyclical Vomiting Syndrome (CVS) is a disorder that causes long episodes of nausea and vomiting. In Morganne’s case, her episodes can last up to two weeks and she’s completely unsure when the next one will happen. She describes the experience as painful and intense, and says that it feels like a “stomach migraine.” Her condition makes it impossible to work, go to school, and to be around children. Morganne was often in and out of the quarantine at Johns Hopkins for two years. As a result, she has had to stop working and spends most of her time at home. The huge changes in her life also had an effect on her mental health, as she wondered how much longer her body could fight her illness. When she was trying to
find more information about her medical history, her mother told her she had similar vomiting episodes as an infant. She said that they eventually stopped, and she didn’t think anything of it. Morganne was also able to find out that one of her relatives suffers from the illness as well. She was eventually advised to stop Cannabis use from her doctors, and she refrained from use for a year. When she realized that her lack of use was making her condition worse, she knew that medical Cannabis was the right choice for her. She began to look more into the benefits and contemplated moving to Oregon before Maryland had a medical Cannabis program. Now that she has the proper access to Cannabis, she manages most of her symptoms by using concentrates. She says that she primarily dabs to help her nausea, anxiety, depression, and pain. She has been able to get off of 36 prescription medications over time, and replaced them with Cannabis. Now her doctors have started to encourage her Cannabis use, and are often excited to know more about how it helps her and her illness. Between episodes, Morganne has to try and manage her condition by avoiding triggers such as high stress, bad weather, and diet. Due to her surgeries, lack of muscle mass and sickness, she cannot exercise to keep her body in motion. Morganne has to attempt to stay away from dairy and processed foods as well. Morganne was lucky enough to have family and her partner for emotional support during her SHE PRIMARILY DABS journey. Her family were the ones that encouraged TO HELP HER NAUSEA, her to explore medical Cannabis and took her to her first dispensary. ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, She has also found a large online community for AND PAIN. SHE HAS other patients with CVS, where they have a safe place to discuss their illness. BEEN ABLE TO GET OFF Overall, her solid support system helps her deal OF 36 PRESCRIPTION with a unique and chronic condition that has little MEDICATIONS OVER TIME, to no answers. And while Morganne had her world turned upside down when she was diagnosed with AND REPLACED THEM CVS, she’s beginning to improve her quality of life WITH CANNABIS. through medical Cannabis.
STORY by ARIANNA FOOTE @INDICAWIFE for MARYLAND LEAF | PHOTO by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT
TWO OF MD’S LEADING CANNABIS ENTREPRENEURS RELEASE THEIR FIRST BOOK How the founders of Greenhouse Wellness and Blissiva became best friends, grew two successful businesses, and continue to beat the odds. When the co-founders of Greenhouse
upon finding out; but, after a while,
At the core of that message?
Wellness, a medical cannabis dispensary
we realized that other entrepreneurs,
Cannabis is a viable, safe, and effective
in Howard County, and Blissiva,
particularly women business owners,
medicine and you shouldn’t be
a women’s cannabis line, Gina Dubbe
were really intrigued and inspired
intimidated to go for what you want.
and Dr. Leslie Apgar have dinner
by our story.
with family or friends, they often find themselves at the center of the conversation. “We kind of felt like party favors. Everyone was fascinated that we, two suburban moms, created this cannabis business. One night, after
We wanted to create a book that let them know, “Hey, if we can do it, you can too.”
sharing more about how we launched Greenhouse, someone said, ‘You all should write a book!’ We laughed,
And that’s how High Heals: How Two
shrugged it off, and then the very next
Women Found Their Footing in the
day, started Googling the process,”
Cannabis Industry, was born. Co-Authors, Co-Founders, and Best Friends,
shares Gina Dubbe, the managing director of Greenhouse Wellness.
The book, officially published on October
Leslie Adpgar and Gina Dubbé
22nd, is already receiving national “We actually shied away from the idea
coverage from the press and has led Dr.
at first. Here we were trying to be
Apgar and Dubbe on stages across the
quiet about the fact we had entered
The book is available for purchase on Amazon,
country sharing their message.
and of course, at Greenhouse Wellness.
the cannabis industry after banks and friends would disassociate with us
HIGHHEALS.BIZ
+
GREENHOUSEWELLNESS.COM
+
B L I S S I VA . C O M
SHOP REVIEW
22
leafnationmd.com
IN THE BUSY SHOPPING DISTRICT OF COCKEYSVILLE
lies the peaceful KIP dispensary, here to quiet your mind amidst the hustle and bustle. Its quirky but sleek design instantly drew me in like a magnet. Turns out, the big building was once a bank with a drive-thru window. Although the drive-thru isn’t open for Cannabis patients at this time, I was happy to learn that with the right approach and approval, it could be a wonderful option in the months to come. As for now, you won’t have to look very far for a parking spot, as spaces are available in close proximity to the front and back of the building. The windows don’t allow for any peeping inside, so as I waited to be buzzed in, my mind quickly filled with images of what it would look like. But my thoughts weren’t quite a match for the breathtaking interior design I was met with. When I walked through those doors, I immediately noticed how open, modern, and welcoming the space was. After being greeted by a warm receptionist who took little to no time getting me checked in, I was guided into an even cozier waiting area. Here at KIP, they believe “knowledge is power” and it’s best to “keep it personal.” Everything they do is predicated on providing education to patients, sparking such a transformative experience that it helps them feel
super comfortable with their process and products. Kevin Powell, director of retail operations, believes that the most important ingredient that sets them apart from other dispensaries is personal attention. Getting to know the needs, wants, and aspirations of each patient is key when helping them along their Cannabis journey. So it’s no surprise that I was gifted a free, personalized handbook on everything Cannabis to sift through, with the inviting option to schedule a one-on-one appointment with witty and knowledgeable pharmacist, Dr. Alex Dix, in one of the private consultation rooms while I waited. The information is endless and designed for an interactive experience. Televisions are equipped with fun Cannabis quizzes to ace, an easily digestible menu, and a beautiful glass table topped with literature that includes small treasures like lighters and rolling papers to look at before entering the showroom. The luxurious atmosphere of the showroom let me know I was in for a quite the treat. Its marble floors, gigantic windows, high ceilings, and friendly advisors walking me through the process gave me the familiar feeling of touring a museum. In light of the very upscale feel, with weekly deals, hefty discounts for veterans and the elderly, and the impeccable 30% club with higher testing strains for those who love the punch, any product you purchase is worth every penny.
9 CRANBROOK RD, COCKEYSVILLE, MD 21030 | (410) 403-0280 | MONDAY-SATURDAY 10AM-7PM, SUNDAY 12PM-5PM
NOV. 2019
FLOWER
4/5
Kevin Powell, director of retail operations, believes that the most important ingredient that sets them apart from other dispensaries is personal attention. Getting to know the needs, wants, and aspirations of each patient is key when helping them along their Cannabis journey.
Looking for strains that are 30% or more? Look no further. KIP carries the bulk of them, as well as the not-soheavy stuff if you need something lighter at decent prices. EDIBLES
5/5
If you want something sweet to snack on, drink, or ingest in any form, you’ll be pleased with the many options they provide. CONCENTRATE
5/5 KIP offers a wide selection of concentrates with an array of tools to use them! ENVIRONMENT
5/5 With the museum like decor, patient driven atmosphere, and home-esque vibe, it’s hard not to leave KIP feeling well taken care of.
OVERALL SCORE:
19/20
Product REVIEW:
PINK LEMONADE from EVERMORE CANNABIS
This batch of Pink Lemonade from Evermore Cannabis is another member of the 30% club. With such high testing results and a myrcene concentration of 1.18%, this strain gave me the balance I was looking for. The buds smell and taste fruity and delicious, and I was pleasantly surprised to see a presence of THC-v in the profile.
STORY by BRIA PRICE | PHOTOS by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT | KIPCAN.COM
STRAIN OF THE MONTH
28.9% THC 2.68% TERPENES .74% LIMONENE .62% CARYOPHYLLENE .61% MYRCENE .22% HUMULENE .12% LINALOOL .11% A PINENE .11% B PINENE
grown by
SUNMED GROWERS
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SUNMED GROWERS HAVE PUSHED OUT A DANK 28.9% TOTAL THC AND 2.68% TOTAL TERPENE FLOWER THAT IS ONE OF THE FUNKIEST COMBINATIONS I HAVE SMOKED IN MARYLAND.
Meatbreath is a relatively rare genetic that crosses the infamous Meatloaf and Mendo Breath cultivars to produce a very potent diesel, citrus, and spicy aroma that comes out smelling like garlic cured and smoked meats - in the best kind of way. A meaty, spicy funk may not sound like the most palatable description, but in Cannabis, some of the best and most rare varieties are classified by some distinctly unpleasant sounding names. Pacific Northwest Dog Shit and Cali Cat Piss are two examples of some extremely quality smokes that are hidden behind their funky names. It is important to bear in mind that these cultivars smell like these things in the best kinds of ways. SunMed’s Meat Breath is just such a funky genetic, that it simmers in its own terpy juices of dank uniqueness. Opening the bottle invites aromas of fruity diesel that quickly turns to a spicy funk that harkens back to the rare Meatloaf parent genetic. This also ensures a very balanced, however slightly drowsy mood, propped up by the limonene and mellowed out with the myrcene and caryophyllene. The humulene and linalool temper the mood and keep anxiety down, while also providing some more floral and earthy tones that contribute to Meat Breath’s distinctive odor. The distribution of limonene, myrcene, caryophyllene, humulene, and two small alpha and beta pinenes, keeps it in the comfortable high world. It is calm, chill, safe, and effective in a wildly funky way. Meatbreath will be one of those smokes that you run out of before you know it - forever imprinted as a truly unique Cannabis for years to come.
NOV. 2019
THE HUMULENE AND LINALOOL TEMPER THE MOOD AND KEEP ANXIETY DOWN, WHILE ALSO PROVIDING SOME MORE FLORAL AND EARTHY TONES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO MEAT BREATH’S DISTINCTIVE ODOR.
MEATBREATH REVIEW by TAYLOR MARTIN @MDCANNAINSIDER | PHOTO by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT/MARYLAND LEAF
SUNMEDGROWERS.COM
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the HARVEST ISSUE
28
CULTA SUNGROWN
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OUTDOOR, ORGANIC, NO-TILL, SUNGROWN MEDICAL CANNABIS HAS COME TO THE EAST COAST AT LAST, AND IT’S NO SURPRISE T HAT CULTA IS LEADING THE CHARGE.
EVERYONE HAS AN OPINION on indoor versus outdoor grown product, and I am not here to tell you which growing method produces the best Cannabis. However, I am here to tell you that indoor and outdoor grown products have different attributes and require different methodologies, genetic varieties, and people to cultivate it. The endeavor that is an outdoor farm comes with a whole world of obstacles and challenges that indoor growers barely have to consider, and given
NOV. 2019
that medical Cannabis has not been cultivated outdoors legally on the East Coast since prohibition, most of the best outdoor medical varieties have been bred for the West Coast climate or indoor systems. To pioneer this daunting challenge, one of Culta’s own, Dave Myrowitz, stepped up to the role of Culta’s new Director of Outdoor Cultivation. This noticeably positive and happy dude was kind enough to take us around the one acre plot of plants that
“The endeavor that is an outdoor farm comes with a whole world of obstacles and challenges that indoor growers barely have to consider, and given that medical Cannabis has not been cultivated outdoors legally on the East Coast since prohibition, most of the best outdoor medical varieties have been bred for the West Coast climate or indoor systems.”
they had just begun harvesting, and show us everything he has accomplished this season. As you might imagine, with Culta resources in his corner, Dave was able to accomplish quite a lot. Their new outdoor garden is approximately one acre of no-till, live soil beds with dozens of cultivars in varying stages of their flowering cycle. I mentioned that Dave and his team had just started their harvest, meaning that some of the sickly and early flow-
ering plants were chopped, leaving hundreds of the larger cultivars for our viewing pleasure. As Dave explained his setup, you could really see his love, pride and excitement over the living organisms under his care oozing out of his being - exactly the sort of attitude you want in someone growing your medicine! With 48 different, 120-foot hand assembled live soil beds - totalling over 240 tons of hand mixed live soil, giving life to over 50 different cultivars
IN THE FIELD
and over 500 different phenotypes - Culta required someone with a strong work ethic and true passion for sungrown Cannabis to make something happen in uncharted waters. And while granted they only just started their harvest and plenty of things can still go wrong, they have a fully functioning acre of outdoor Cannabis growing from scratch with almost no time to spare. Now, Dave is a very humble and positive guy - very quick to give praise and credit to the people around him. But as HEAD GROWER someone who has helped start DAVE MYROWITZ up my own fair share of grows, I cannot understate the amount of work needed to be done, and be done well. I am quite positive that Dave slaved over this acre plot on a 24/7 schedule for months at a time, with nothing more than a smile on his face and his sleeves rolled up. In a world where so much profit can be made by cutting corners and dropping your quality standards, it’s truly refreshing to have a company that took the time to cultivate leaders like Dave who are dedicated to the production of clean and safe medicine, the hallmark of true Cannabis quality. Finding that kind of passion in the emerging corporate Cannabis world is rare, and both Culta and Dave have that energy in spades. In this case, it’s Dave’s leadership and grow design itself that is the product, since this is an experimental grow after all. Meaning that before we can count on a consistently fire outdoor grown product, we first must decipher what to grow and how to grow it in the Maryland environment. This requires an experimental grow and a good old-fashioned pheno-hunt, in which the best suited Cannabis genetics are found, stabilized, and propagated to Maryland’s specific terroir. In short, it is Dave’s responsibility to not just grow product, but to grow literally hundreds of phenotypes of dozens of strain varieties, track their metrics throughout the year, and zero in on one or two phenotypes from four or five strain varieties to breed into stable lines. To do this, Dave chose a no-till setup which minimizes their environmental impact, a live soil feeding bed which brings their plant inputs down to just water, and hand assembling/ mixing everything. Cannabis has been a lifelong passion for Dave and I am quite confident in his ability to steer the direction of East Coast outdoor medical Cannabis towards one that reflects the needs and standards of the patient community. With his dedication to quality, organic and sustainable Cannabis, Maryland patients have nothing but the promise of increasing amounts of consistent relief for any number of ailments.
STORY by TAYLOR MARTIN @MDCANNAINSIDER | PHOTOS by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT | CULTA.IO
29
the HARVEST ISSUE
EAGLE POINT, OREGON
30
leafnationmd.com
TKO RESERVE
BLUE CITY COOKIES
NOV. 2019
A
decade ago, Allie and Charlie Cassidy couldn’t have possibly predicted that their Seattle-based medical Cannabis delivery service would lead them to Oregon. Yet in 2015, when the burgeoning recreational industry dampened the Washington medical market, the couple embarked on a journey that transformed them into influential pioneers of the Oregon Cannabis industry. “It was a blessing in disguise,” Allie said. “We took the plunge and moved down here.” Now they feel right at home in the rolling Rogue Valley hills, tending to full-term and hybrid greenhouse gardens, living among the trees and their transitioning harvest-time colors, producing flowers that earn hard-won respect among the region’s Cannabis connoisseurs.
CREATING A CANNA-SANCTUARY
After making their home in the Rogue, the Cassidys quickly grew their farm family. Not with people, mind you, but with friends that were a bit, well, furrier. “It just kind of happened,” Allie said. “It all started because we wanted alpacas for our compost.” In short, TKO has cultivated a second life as an animal rescue sanctuary, all because they wanted alpaca fur. The oil-rich fur combines with the other organic matter generated by the farm to create nutrient-rich compost. The Cassidys came across a sanctuary in Jacksonville that was housing some rescued alpacas, and decided to take some home. “We only wanted one or two, and we ended up leaving with all eight of them,” Allie said. “They totally play a role in everything we do. They contribute to our compost, they mow down our fields.”
WALKING THE ROWS OF FULL-TERM CANNABIS ON TKO RESERVE’S FARM IS A PHENO-HUNTER’S DREAM.
Fast-forward to the present, and aside from alpacas, the farm has 30 rescued chickens, a few head of steer, and a couple of pigs that would make Wilbur jealous. >> TKO RESERVE PG. 32
OWNERS CHARLIE & ALLIE CASSIDY
STORY by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS
the HARVEST ISSUE
32
TKO RESERVE
DRAGON PISS
CONTINUED FROM PG. 31
STRAIN HUNTING
On our visit, the farm’s dozen outdoor rows were packed with 20 strains comprising more than 400 phenotypes. All the colors and smells of the rainbow - some of which can probably make you smell colors.
leafnationmd.com
The farm crew will collect pollen and keep clones for breeding the best of the best, so TKO can keep ahead of the curve on bringing new strains to market. They’re currently working through some killer phenos. On our visit, we were blown away by a sweetly spiced Jaeger, sticky Superglue, and an absolutely stunning Blue City Cookies (White Tahoe Cookies x Blue City Diesel), with dark leaves and bright purplish-pink pistils. When you ask Charlie what he’s most excited for, his face lights up and he immediately mentions the Unicorn Piss — ZOZ BX Skittlez crossed with Cat Piss. But he’s really excited for a Banana OG x Do-Si-Dos cross, plus a strain they’re calling Slurp Juice.
LA CONFIDENTIAL X CHERRY PIE
NOV. 2019
“It’s just so resinous, it’s insane,” he said of the Papaya x Purple Punch plant, which, along with the Banana OG x Do Si Dos, is a collaboration with Deo Farms. “But I won’t know my favorite until we harvest.”
20 STRAINS & 400 PHENOTYPES
CLARISSA WALDON, PAULA NEALEY AND TERRI THOMAS TRIMMING MASTER KUSH HEMP LAST MONTH
CULTIVATING THE FUTURE Though they still hang their hats on THCrich Cannabis, the crew at TKO Reserve jumped into the CBD-rich hemp flower game in 2018. They own multiple hemp farms in multiple states, and currently farm 8:1 hemp to Cannabis on their home farm in the Rogue Valley. But Charlie doesn’t see that as the future of TKO. “We’re just practicing for THC on a large scale,” he said while walking the rows of beautiful full-term THC-rich genetics that make TKO famous.
FARM LIFE
The Cassidys and TKO Reserve plan to keep innovating in the strain game long into the future. Fans of their Mochi Gelato will be happy to hear that. TKORESERVE.COM | @TKO.OREGON
STORY by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS
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RECIPES leafnationmd.com
36
INFUSED THANKSGIVING NOV. 2019
THREE INFUSED SAUCES, UNLIMITED POSSIBILITIES. . . Thanksgiving is approaching, and it’s time to start meal planning. You may be a traditionalist, or have some unusual additions to the meal, but I’m guessing that at least one of these three sauces could make it into your holiday menu this year. Adding Cannabis to the main attraction, be it the turkey or the pumpkin pie, makes it an adults only option - and that’s just not fair. So, my solution is to infuse the sauces and have your guests take charge of their own Cannabis consumption. Sauce on the side, pour at your own risk. Happy Thanksgiving from Laurie and MaryJane. #Dontfeartheedible
BERRY SAUCE Makes 9 servings
1 lb raspberries, rinsed ¼ cup honey 2 tablespoons canna-coconut oil ½ cup orange juice 2 teaspoons cornstarch Pinch salt 1. In a small saucepan, combine the berries with the honey and canna-oil and heat on warm setting. 2. In a small bowl, combine the orange juice with the cornstarch. Stir to mix. Add the cornstarch to the berries and stir until the mixture begins to thicken (sauce will continue to thicken as it cools). Stir in the salt. 3. Remove from heat and pour into gravy boat, small pitcher, or vessel of choice.
CUSTARD SAUCE Makes 9 servings
2 egg yolks 2 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons canna-butter 1 1/4 cups whole milk 1 teaspoon vanilla Pinch of nutmeg 1. In a medium saucepan, whisk egg yolks, sugar and canna-butter until well mixed. Whisk in the milk. The mixture should not bubble, and it should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. 2. Remove from heat, add the vanilla and pinch of nutmeg. 3. Place the pan over low heat and cook, stirring frequently until thickened, about 15 minutes. Stir constantly for the final five minutes. Drizzle sauce over pumpkin pie or fave desserts.
CARAMEL SAUCE
Infused caramel sauce is a dream topping for ice cream, drizzling over waffles or pancakes, and for apple dipping. You will not believe how good this is. Makes 9 servings
1 cup brown sugar ½ cup half-and-half 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons cannabutter Pinch of salt 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1. In a medium saucepan, mix the brown sugar, half-and-half, butters and salt. 2. Over low heat, stir the mixture for about 5-7 minutes. The sauce will get thicker. 3. Once the sauce has thickened, remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
RECIPES by LAURIE WOLF | PHOTOS by BRUCE WOLF
concentrate OF THE MONTH
EVERMORE
GMO COOKIES DIAMONDS IN SAUCE
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“CYCLING THROUGH FRUITS, FLORALS, GASSES, AND SPICES WITH EACH DAB QUICKLY HAD ME MUCH HIGHER THAN I INTENDED TO BE, BUT NOT IN AN UNPLEASANT WAY.” Succulent HTFSE/HCFSE diamonds soaked in sauce and dropped into quartz bangers are quickly becoming a new Cannabis staple for the Maryland dabbing community. Hash, rosin, and the illustrious ice hash rosin have yet to make a similar impact on the medical marketplace as these diamond sauces, simply because such top tier dabs tend to be on the expensive side. And if you’re paying extra money, the average consumer will go for higher potency over flavor profile. The potency is typically what makes a diamond shine through to the consumer, as the terpene profile of the product is often not fully understood or appreciated. The general reputation is that hashes and rosins have better flavor profiles, whereas diamonds - being large chunks of crystallized THCa - achieve a higher degree of potency, and thus have the most bang for your buck. As the East Coast catches up to the West Coast in terms of market development, diamond sauces will continue to be patients’ preferred top tier dab.
NOV. 2019
At 85% THCa, this diamond product is definitely on the higher side of the potency spectrum, but for a diamond it is reasonably low. Some diamonds can reach the 99% saturation mark, which is quite a potent dab, but very rarely comes with the robust headspace that distinguishes a truly high quality dabbing experience. The inhale comes in spicy and gassy, with the combination of caryophyllene and myrcene really overpowering the traditional limonene citrus flavor I expect when I see a limonene dominant profile. A slow controlled exhale settles one into the beginning of the high and leaves the mouth dancing with tastes of guava, oranges, plus floral and piney earth flavors that are reminiscent of chamomile. Cycling through fruits, florals, gasses, and spices with each dab quickly had me much higher than I intended to be, but not in an unpleasant way. The dabs simply tasted so unique that I wanted to keep sampling.
REVIEW by TAYLOR MARTIN @MDCANNAINSIDER | PHOTO by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT | EVERMORECOMPANY.COM
INTERVIEW
founders INTERVIEw
WILD KOMBUCHA
40
SID SHARMA - Co-Founder / Finance and Marketing ADAM BUFANO - Co-Founder / Product Development / Operations SERGIO MALARIN - Co-Founder
Were you big consumers of kombucha before creating Wild Kombucha?
Adam Bufano: Oh yeah, I was making it for myself in my house for 15 years or so. So I mainly drank my own kombucha, but I would also buy some of the early brands that came out. Sid Sharma: I was not. I actually got into drinking kombucha as this company developed. I had drank it a couple times at Adam’s house in high school, but after I moved to college it was not as accessible. I got back into kombucha after moving back to Baltimore.
From a health standpoint, can you describe some of the reasons people would want to drink kombucha?
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SS: Being a probiotic, kombucha is good for metabolism and digestion. It also contains a lot of healthy acids that are good for liver function and is very rich in Vitamin B. I think the most important reason as to why kombucha is taking off is that it’s an extremely healthy alternative to soda. It naturally carbonates itself so you get that bubbly beverage people crave, while being super low sugar and super low calorie.
Is Wild Kombucha a national brand, or was it started locally?
SS: We started very locally, first selling out of a juice shop in Hampden and growing that to the rest of Baltimore. From there, we moved to the rest of Maryland and now we’re sold throughout the mid-Atlantic. Our reach became a little bit stronger when our products moved into Whole Foods in Ohio, Kentucky, and a couple other places. Our focus is Maryland, D.C., Delaware, Northern Virginia, and Philadelphia.
Are you a medical Cannabis patient?
AB: I have used Cannabis personally to help with back pain and trouble sleeping, and have been thinking about getting my card. Our third cofounder, Sergio, is also working on getting his medical Cannabis card as we speak.
NOV. 2019
“I think the most important reason as to why kombucha is taking off is that it’s an extremely healthy alternative to soda. It naturally carbonates itself so you get that bubbly beverage people crave, while being super low sugar and low calorie.” What sparked your interest in developing a CBD kombucha?
AB: CBD helped me a lot actually, and I would use it to cope with anxiety. Especially with starting this company, a significant amount of anxiety comes along with that. Sometimes I would find myself having a glass of wine in the evening to combat anxiety, but I have kind of swapped that out with CBD. To me, swapping CBD for alcohol seems a little healthier. SS: I think we saw the direction the market was going, and many kombucha drinkers are drinking it for the health benefits. CBD offers an entire additional subset of benefits.
Were there any major roadblocks you came across when creating the blend of CBD and kombucha? AB: It was really tough to find water soluble CBD. We found many people who claimed their CBD was water soluble, that just was not. I have tried so many different samples from various companies, and almost none of them even came close to being water soluble. I landed on one that worked the best, which is provided to us by Grams Distribution. We use a powdered CBD, which is broad spectrum. SS: We posted the first picture of our CBD kombucha on Instagram, and within a day the Maryland Health Department reached out to us. They said, “We just wanted to reiterate that CBD is not legal in food products in the state of Maryland.” At this point it is speculative as to when we will be able to sell it in Maryland.
What is your intended goal with this product?
SS: To offer something unique, similar to our approach with our regular kombucha. The idea is to bring something that is a little bit more approachable for the average consumer. Since we are approaching that customer base, it’s great to be able to bring something else that is emerging to the same customers.
Do you have any plans of getting involved with the medical Cannabis community or events?
AB: We do actually sell in a couple of wellness shops that have dispensaries attached to them, such as Chesacanna in Cockeysville. We have definitely seen a significant interest in the CBD products. As far as going into a THC infused kombucha, I don’t think we are quite there yet. However, I do like to be way ahead of the game when it comes to things like these and I do anticipate fooling around with that idea when it’s in the cards.
STORY & PHOTOS by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT | MOBTOWNFERMENTATION.COM
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Medford, OR H A RVE ST I S S U E E D I T I O N
STORY by JONAH TACOMA @DABSTARS2.0 for LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by JESS LARUE @JESSICALARUE_420
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hit the gas on the Dabstar wrapped Tahoe, ripping around a lumbering semi, the 8x5 trailer snapping into line behind us. Jessica and I had refurbished it into a tiny clandestine camper the summer before. Bamboo floors, cedar tongue and groove walls, she was a rolling hotel room complete with a 55� inch curved screen TV and a battery bank. She was built for trips like this and we were excited to get her out.
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It was harvest season on the West Coast and the happy sense of optimism that comes with with it pervaded the car. Harvest was the culmination of months of hard work and for Cannabis farmers, a time when they could breathe a little easier knowing their crop had made it past cops and rippers, which could be as bad as russet mites for those still growing off the beaten path cleared by so-called legalization. For some, legalization was starting to look more
and more like regulation and many of the farmers - particularly in the fertile Oregon valleys - wanted nothing to do with it. Our first stop was just outside Portland at the home of one Patrick Emerson. Pat was an old friend and industry buddy that had grown to become family, and these harvest trips had become somewhat of a tradition between us. A smiling Pat was waiting with his bags packed
THE LAST OF A DYING BREED, THE BLACK MARKET GROWERS OF THE WEST COAST HAD PAVED THE WAY FOR THE MEGA-FARMS DOTTING THE HILLS TODAY, PRESERVING AMONG MANY THINGS, THE GENETIC HISTORY AND POTENTIAL OF THE PLANT ITSELF. when I walked in the front door. “Dabs?” he asked, as he held up a hot rig in one hand and dabber full of shatter in the other. A quick sesh and we were out the door to meet up with The Leaf crew. I grinned when Pat told me where our first stop would be. An old friend was set up in the hills outside of Medford running a black market grow on 60 acres. The last of a dying breed, the black market growers of the West Coast had paved the way for the mega-farms dotting the hills today, preserving among many things, the genetic history and potential of the plant itself. We headed up a winding mountain road which eventually gave way to a small dirt road. Our caravan stopped abruptly at a metal gate with a heavy lock hanging from an oversized chain. Pat did his best to keep up as we wound our way past the gate and deeper into the woods on the homemade road. As we broke free from the tree line, a familiar tint of green caught my eye ahead. Embanked by large
chunks of timber was a long, thin stretch of Cannabis plants in full flower, the fall colors greeting us as we entered the open valley. We exchanged war stories over dabs and bong hits, burning up what little bit of sun we had left before saying our goodbyes and heading off once again to meet up with The Leaf crew. Rising early the next morning we detached the trailer and assembled behind the bus en route for TKO farms, a working farm and licensed Cannabis grow ran by Allie and Charlie Cassidy. Allie was an old friend and one time Dabstar photographer, and I was excited to see the farm take off. The crew made its way across the fields of hemp, which seemed to dot the scenery everywhere you go in southern Oregon these days, towards a group of llamas and two giant pigs which were grazing nearby. We hit three more farms that day as we wound our way through Applegate, including TH3 farms, whose stunning crop of outdoor was insanely being turned into prerolls. A glut of non-exportable Cannabis had driven down the value of weed to the point that it was more valuable to grind it all up and sell it as joints. I shook my head as I heard the news. Humblebee Farms sprawled out over the remnants of an old buffalo ranch, took up the hillside as far as the eye could see with Cannabis strains manipulated to meet the requirements of hemp - the end result was smokable hemp that looked and smelled almost exactly like its THC counterpart. The landscape of Cannabis in the valley was certainly changing. Rolen Stone rounded off day two and I was stoked
to see some green giants peeking over the fence as we pulled up. This time it was me who jumped out to take pictures, fumbling with my phone for a live broadcast. Drinks and sushi closed out the day and we hit the rack hard, passing out to The Godfather blaring inside the not so clandestine camper. After a slower than usual start and some sketchy talk about green gel tabs in the morning, we were off to Urban Pharms. As we arrived, I could see why they saved it for last. More akin to an apple orchard, the sprawling expanse of neatly manicured tree-sized plants filled the horizon. Owner and founder Spencer introduced us to the trim team before leading us down into the rows of monster plants. “Each one is four plants planted together,” he confessed. It didn’t matter, each one must have had over 100 kolas on it. Tiny street signs bearing names like “Snow Land” and “Field of Dreams” served as navigational aides through the massive expanse. As we hugged out our goodbyes with The Leaf crew and hit the road bound for Washington, I was struck by just how much things had changed in the last 10 years. Cannabis, more than ever, was becoming a true commodity. What that meant for the farmers in the hills or the shop owners advertising three dollar grams, only time would tell. But one thing was for certain, nothing would ever be the same again...
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DYSCO’S CORNER
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musings from a parent & cannabis consumer He still hadn’t produced anything resembling the marijuana of my youth. As he touched the flame to the glass pipe, he upended the small 45 second hourglass. As the sand streamed from top to bottom, he explained that what the flame was actually heating up was called a “banger” and made of quartz to withstand the high temperatures glass could not. The result was a cleaner delivery of vaporized Cannabis concentrate, instead of carboxylated Cannabis through smoke. Vaporized? Quartz? Torches? Hourglasses? Bangers? I wondered what had happened to the plastic bongs and bowls of my youth. We used to smoke pot out of apples and Coke cans! And what does “concentrate” mean? Is that safe for new users? Will I get flashbacks if I take too much? I mean, where was the actual marijuana in this equation? When the sand ran out, Brian dug the lobster fork into the lip balm and dropped a miniscule amount into the middle of the banger, and it started to sizzle. He dropped a glass lid on top of the banger, which forced the vapor from the sizzling lip balm to start flowing into the glass pipe’s elaborate system of water filled tanks and tubes. Brian then sucked all the vapor through and exhaled. “Wanna try it?” he asked. I stared back at him. “I thought you were smoking Cannabis. I don’t know what you are doing. I don’t want to do whatever it is you are doing.” Back when we were teens in the 80s and 90s, there was only one way to get high. “What we’re doing here, this is called dabbing,” he said. “This isn’t lip balm. It’s concentrated Cannabis material. It’s vaporized so it’s easier on your lungs than burning the plant was watching an old friend engaged in a process which seemed to material. It’s still basically the same stuff.” be a cross between ritualistic and scientific. Modern alchemy, if you I’m lucky because I have Brian to explain everything to me. will. I had recently reconnected with Brian, whom I hadn’t seen since I can then explain it to my parents, who are definitely too old our early 20s. He had been a Cannabis proponent since our teens, to have friends like Brian at their disposal. and he was now trying to convince me to get out of pain There are already so many social stigmas management and become a medical marijuana patient. For a brief moment associated with Cannabis use for older I watched him place a huge hand-blown hourglass next generations. to an intricate glass pipe on his dining room table. Next to I wondered why Not only do we have to overcome our inthem, he lined up a little glass pot of what I thought was lip we weren’t wearing dividual reservations about registering as an balm, a silver instrument I thought was a lobster fork, and MMCC patient, but then we are thrust into a a blow torch. protective eye gear, but totally new Cannabis culture unlike any we A blow torch? Didn’t Robert Downey Jr. use those for Brian seemed pretty recognize from TV or movies - or our youth. freebasing crack? Is that why we need the lip balm? Are Now I’m almost 50. Suddenly I feel like we torching a lobster and then eating it later? What the relaxed about it. the loser in high school who never gets the hell had I gotten myself into? joke, and it makes me wonder how many I stuttered uncharacteristically and nodded towards the people out there get deterred from Cannabis use by all the new torch. “Is, that, uhhhh, really, uh...necessary?” I had trouble spitting out the technology? Cannabis culture intimidates a lot of patients who question because I was confused - clueless as to what was happening. want to incorporate medical Cannabis into their treatment plan. I hadn’t seen someone prepare a bong hit in over 20 years, and while If they don’t have a trusted friend to answer their questions, how my memory isn’t always the best, I was pretty damn sure it didn’t require the many people over 50 don’t try or even consider medical CanWicked Witch of the West’s hourglass and a blow torch back in the 90s. nabis because they don’t understand their options? “When did smoking pot become so dangerous?” I’ve had to start learning an entirely new vocabulary in order Brian chuckled at me like I was a child. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to let to communicate fluidly with my growing circle of associates. you touch anything. Regular lighters just can’t get it hot enough,” he said, And while I have, at times, felt very out of place in this new sparking the torch like Jennifer Beals in Flashdance. high school, I’ve started to make a lot of new friends. And I’m For a brief moment I wondered why we weren’t wearing protective eye looking forward to making many more. gear, but Brian seemed pretty relaxed about it.
WHEN DID SMOKING POT BECOME SO COMPLICATED?
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STONEY BALONEy
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LMFAO
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We all know what this means, right? But in case you’ve been held hostage in a dental office waiting room for the past decade, tortured with easy listening music and nine-month-old gossip magazines, it’s an acronym for Laughing My Fucking Ass Off. Which implies that someone is overcome with a howling expression of jubilation. And this reflex is so genuine that it goes beyond the ability to contain one’s composure. This is not a giggle, this is not a smirk - this is a response to something that is so inherently funny that it results in the physical release of happiness, expressed without restraint. The person is not just laughing. They are laughing hysterically. However, he or she who is using this language - almost always through texting - is only chuckling. They are not laughing hysterically at all. They are pretending to do so by channeling their emotions into contemporary terminology that seemingly does it for them, while the actual expression of this joy, whatever level it is, is still contained within their mind and body. Kind of like being held captive in a dental office. Imagine standing in front of someone and telling them that you are laughing your fucking ass off. They would say, “No you aren’t.” The reply would be, “Right, but I think it’s really funny.” And the other person would say, “Then why aren’t you laughing?” Yet, when an individual sends this expression through their mobile device, their intent is to have us believe they are a fun-loving, outgoing friend who drinks up life with a reckless sense of humor. Realistically, however, this person spends an average of 8-12 hours a day being entertained though a digital screen, with very little to no reaction at all. Just because you say something doesn’t make it true. BTW, Cannabis is my BFF.
nov. 2019
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