THE ENLIGHTENED VOICE
# 2 1 | S E P T . 2020
THE ART AND SCIENCE OF PAIRING CANNABIS
TANNINS & TERPENES
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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As greenhouse expansion continues, the safety of SunMed’s team and patients remains our first priority. SETTING THE STANDARD FOR CLEAN, NATURAL AND SUSTAINABLE MEDICAL CANNABIS CULTIVATION.
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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.
sEPT. 2020
FEATURES
>> 26-35
THE ART AND SCIENCE OF PAIRING CANNABIS
7 EDITOR NOTE 10 NATIONAL NEWS 14 HIGHLY LIKELY 16 BUDTENDER Q&A 18 PATIENT PROFILE 20 SHOP REVIEW 24 STRAIN OF THE MONTH 26 TANNINS & TERPENES 27 NATURE’S HERITAGE 28 MPX 29 DOG WALKERS 30 EVERMORE 31 CRESCO LABS 32 RAR BREWING 34 PRODUCTIVE PAIRINGS 36 CANNABIS RECIPES 38 CONCENTRATE REVIEW 40 HEALTH & SCIENCE 42 CANNTHROPOLOGY 44 DYSCO’S CORNER 46 STONEY BALONEY ISSUU.COM/NWLEAF
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TANNINS & TERPENES STORIES by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT/MARYLAND LEAF | ART by SVTDESIGN
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E S TA B L I S H E D 2 0 1 0
T H E E N L I G H T E N E D VO I C E
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
“Tannins & Terpenes is a combination of the pairing experience of a local sommelier with the Cannabis knowledge of the Leaf crew. Here you see a local craft sour beer from RAR Brewing in Cambridge, paired with medical Cannabis flower from Evermore. This special encapsulates the experience of enjoying these products together in harmony, seeking to open readers’ minds to something new.” -Wyatt Early PHOTO by ERIC KAYNE @PHOTOKAYNE for Maryland Leaf
CONTRIBUTORS
FOUNDER & EDITOR
Mike Ahmann, styling Bobby Black, features Joshua Boulet, illustration Heather Dagler, features Amanda Day, photography Steve Elliott, national Ariana Foote, writing Eric Kayne, photography Taylor Martin, writing Matthew Newton, writing Baxsen Paine, features Jeff Porterfield, design Mike Ricker, writing Pacer Stacktrain, writing Bruce & Laurie Wolf, recipes Alex Workman, features
WES ABNEY wes@nwleaf.com 206-235-6721
PUBLISHER EARLY early@LeafNationMD.com
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Daniel bermaN | visuals & design daniel@bermanphotos.com
ADVERTISING 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 our annual Tannins & Terpenes edition! Marijuana is safer than alcohol! I feel like that statement must lead the way for this note, because it is an unequivocal truth. If we looked at health impacts, deaths and the billions in social and healthcare costs that alcohol is responsible for, we would instead be selling Cannabis on every street corner. That said, it’s 2020 and we are getting closer to a future where Cannabis is at least treated equally to alcohol, and the two certainly do pair well together when the occasion calls for it. When we first started pairing the two in Northwest Leaf in 2012, the idea was to bring awareness to the many flavor profiles and styles that exist in the Cannabis sphere. An attitude from then still prevails today in many parts of the world: All pot is just pot.
7 WE ENJOY BRINGING THESE PAIRINGS TO LIFE AND THIS YEAR WE HAVE SOME GREAT OPTIONS FOR YOU TO TRY.
Our journey through pairing Cannabis and alcohol has led us to throw events celebrating the two, to create custom cocktails and mocktails infused with terpenes, and to get really good at using Cannabis as a hangover preventer. More on this at a later date, but google Cannabis neuroprotective properties and let your mind run. The point being: We enjoy bringing these pairings to life and this year we have some great options for you to try. New for this year are our “Productive Pairings” - a concept from our California Leaf Director Nate Williams. The idea that you can only pair weed with alcohol is silly, so we made four new pairings with tea, coffee, kombucha and mate. These productive pairings are great for starting or getting through the day! I’m currently enjoying a blonde espresso roast with dabs of Unicorn Poop from Echo Electuary in Oregon, and it feels pretty damn good. I hope that this issue inspires you to try new pairings and flavor combinations, becoming an educational tool for you to share with anyone who still thinks all weed is created equal. So light up, pour a tasty beverage and enjoy this scintillating issue of the Leaf!
-Wes Abney SEPT. 2020
High Marylanders: Your guide to cannabis retailers brands products savings strains news education doctors Visit weedmaps.com or download the app
NATIONAL NEWS
northwest
“Our research has always shown that a majority of Montanans support legalization, and now voters will have the opportunity to enact that policy, which will create jobs and generate new revenue for our state.”
CANNABIS SOCIAL EQUITY MAKES PROGRESS IN WASHINGTON STATE
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ttempts to increase minority participation in Washington state’s marijuana industry are ongoing, but government officials there face hurdles in creating a workable social equity program, due to stiff competition and plentiful supplies, reports Marijuana Business Daily. Governor Jay Inslee in March signed House Bill Gov. Jay Inslee 2870 to create a new social equity program “that provides business opportunities to people from disproportionately harmed communities so they can ... become a Cannabis retailer.” Existing weed retailers in Washington are well established, as the state began recreational sales in 2014. That makes the state one of the most competitive in the nation for all types of Cannabis licensees. It will still be months before any social equity business licenses are issued, according to state health department employee Christy Hoff. Members of a task force - expected to consist of about a dozen people from state agencies, Cannabis businesses and minority representatives haven’t been selected.
-New Approach Montana Political Director Pepper Petersen, describing the group’s successful effort to get Initiative 190 and Constitutional Initiative 118 on the November 2020 ballot.
ARIZONA LEGALIZATION INITIATIVE WILL BE ON NOVEMBER BALLOT
C
trends & culture
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‘POSITIVE PERCEPTIONS’ OF CANNABIS FOR LEGAL STATES
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esearchers with the University of Waterloo, School of Public Health in Canada surveyed 5,530 adult respondents living in Alaska, California, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon and Washington state, and they found some very reassuring news, reports NORML. Adults over the age of 21 who live in states where retail Cannabis sales are allowed tend to have positive impressions of the marijuana industry, according to data published in the journal Addictive Behaviors. “The current findings suggest generally positive perceptions of the legal Cannabis market,” the authors reported. “THIS DATA ONCE “Most respondents, including frequent AGAIN AFFIRMS THAT MOST VOTERS DO NOT Cannabis consumers, perceived legal EXPERIENCE ‘BUYER’S Cannabis to be of equal or greater quality REMORSE’ FOLLOWING and convenience, and as safer to buy and MARIJUANA use than Cannabis from illegal sources.” LEGALIZATION.” “This data once again affirms that most voters do not experience ‘buyer’s remorse’ following marijuana legalization,” said NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano. “In the minds of most Americans, these laws are operating as voters intended and in a manner that is consistent with their expectations.”
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tons of Cannabis hidden inside lime boxes was seized at the Mexican border by authorities in August.
Sept. 2020
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percent of Canadian Cannabis market share is earned by vape pens, reports Headset data.
$
southwest
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LEGALIZATION
NEW INITIATIVE TO LEGALIZE CANNABIS SALES FILED IN D.C.
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annabis could become legalized in Arizona in the near future as a new measure has officially qualified for the November 2020 ballot. The Secretary of State in August announced that activists had turned in enough valid signatures to qualify, one month after about “ADULTS WOULD 420,000 signatures HAVE THE RIGHT were submitted, reports TO LEGALLY POSSESS UP Marijuana Moment. TO AN OUNCE Adults would have OF CANNABIS UNDER THE the right to legally MEASURE.” possess up to an ounce of Cannabis under the measure. Cultivation of up to six plants for personal use would also be allowed. Restorative justice provisions are also included in the measure, such as allowing people with prior pot convictions to petition for expungements and establishing a social equity Cannabis business ownership program.
ctivists have filed a new proposed bailout initiative to legalize Cannabis sales in the nation’s capital. The “New Modern Day Cannabis Justice Reform Act” would halt prosecutions of marijuana cultivation, sales and consumption, reports Marijuana Moment. It would also stop Cannabis from being the cause of police searches and provide for record expungement of prior marijuana convictions. D.C. voters approved a legalization measure in 2014, but it only covered possession and home cultivation - not sales. The city has been prevented from implementing a retail model due to a Congressional rider barring it from using local tax funds for such purposes. The currently unregulated system of legalization has failed to address problems such as racially disproportionate enforcement, according to Dawn Lee-Carty, Executive Director of the campaign behind the initiative. To qualify for the ballot, activists would need to collect 24,835 valid signatures from registered voters. Activists recently submitted enough signatures to qualify Initiative 81, which would decriminalize psychedelics in D.C.
politics
PELOSI DEFENDS MARIJUANA’S COVID-19 THERAPY POTENTIAL
H
ouse Speaker Nancy Pelosi in August defended a provision of the Democratic coronavirus relief bill tied to Cannabis. “I don’t agree with you that Cannabis is not related to this,” Pelosi said during a press briefing, reports The Hill. “This is a therapy that has proven successful.” House Democrats passed their own $3 trillion stimulus bill called the Heroes Act on May 15, but it never got a vote in the GOP-controlled Senate, reports Forbes. The provision would have allowed legal Cannabis businesses to work with banking services, reports USA Today. Cannabis business have been deemed ‘essential’ during the pandemic, but aren’t eligible for Small Business Administration loans, according to the National Cannabis Industry Association.
new Cannabis retail licenses will be issued by Illinois in September, more than three months after the deadline.
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Cannabis plants were seized after two men were arrested for illegal cultivation in Bradford, England
$50m $348m
is the projected value of Virginia’s limited commercial medical Cannabis program by the year 2024.
was the jaw-dropping record amount of retail Cannabis sales reported for California in just the month of July.
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Highly Likely highlights Cannabis pioneers who paved the way to greater herbal acceptance.
>> leafnationmd.com
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SUSANBLACKMORE In the same lecture, she went on to talk about how Memetics refers to the before any sort of SUSAN BLACKMORE IS societies have developed relationships to mindstudy of information and recreational legalization A RENOWNED BRITISH altering substances: culture, and is based on in America, Blackmore WRITER, LECTURER, “In just about every human society there has ever the concept of Darwinian admitted to a largely PROFESSOR AND been, people have used dangerous drugs - but evolution. One of the best academic audience that BROADCASTER WHOSE most have developed rituals that bring an element ways to simply look at what FIELD OF RESEARCH she consumes Cannabis: INCLUDES MEMETICS, of control or safety to the experience,” noted memetics studies is the “Some people may PARAPSYCHOLOGY Blackmore. “In more primitive societies, it is shamans concept of the ‘meme’ in smoke dope just to relax AND CONSCIOUSNESS. and healers who control the use of dangerous drugs, internet culture. One can or have fun, but for me choose appropriate settings in which to take them study what effect memes the reason goes deeper. and teach people how to appreciate the visions created and shared (and edited) online In fact, I can honestly say that without and insights that they can bring. In our own society, can have in the real world; say, on social Cannabis, most of my scientific research criminals control all drug sales. This means that justice movements or the rise of neowould never have been done and most users have no way of knowing exactly what they are fascism. of my books on psychology and evolution buying and no one to teach them how to use these Parapsychology is the study of processes would not have been written,” she said. dangerous tools…” typically considered outside of scientific “Some evenings, after a long day at my “It’s an old metaphor, but people often liken the knowledge of the capacity of the human desk, I’ll slip into the bath, light a candle task to climbing a mountain. The drugs can take brain. Processes like telepathy, telekinesis and a spliff, and let the ideas flow - that you up in a helicopter to see what’s there, but you and hypnosis. lecture I have to give to 500 people next can’t stay. In the end, you have to climb That said, listening to a lecture from week, that article I’m writing the mountain yourself - the hard way. Blackmore can be a heady experience. for New Scientist, those “I can Even so, the drugs may provide the But it’s Blackmore’s wit and colloquial tricky last words of a book honestly say inspiration to keep climbing.” style of interpretation of big subjects (like, I’ve been working on for that without This is only an introduction to you, for example – consciousness) that has months. This is the time Cannabis, most dear reader, of one of the many subjects made her such a popular lecturer and when the sentences seem to of my scientific (61, by my count) that this column has essayist. I recommend a seven minute write themselves. Or I might research would covered over the past five years. It is YouTube video called “Consciousness sit out in my greenhouse never have my hope that this small introduction – A Short Introduction” to see how easy on a summer evening been done will pique your interest enough to learn she makes big, sweeping concepts among my tomatoes and and most of a little bit more about her and about understandable to lay people. peach trees, struggling with my books on your own consciousness - and what But what might be Blackmore’s most questions about free will or psychology beneficial things that Cannabis does for compelling thoughts on Cannabis (and the nature of the universe, and evolution it. If a leading scientist can be helped other mind-altering drugs) can be taken and find that a smoke gives would not have by this remarkable plant, let’s see what from her 2005 speech at the Cheltenham me new ways of thinking been written.” we can do! Science Festival. There, a full 10 years about them.”
Sept. 2020
By PACER STACKTRAIN for LEAF NATION | PHOTO by CREATIVE COMMONS
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
Raul Rodriguez maryland leaf budtender of the month
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leafnationmd.com
“CANNABIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY GO-TO MEDICINE.” WHAT SPARKED YOUR INTEREST IN BECOMING A BUDTENDER? The ability to help people through
Cannabis. Cannabis has always been my goto medicine and now it is my pleasure to help patients find the right products to help them in their daily lives.
It’s definitely a great feeling to show someone a new item on the market or something they haven’t tried yet, and have that be exactly what they’ve been looking for. Also the feedback, especially from the patients who are new to Cannabis, since they’re still figuring out what works best for them.
WHERE DOES YOUR TECHNICAL/SCIENTIFIC CANNABIS KNOWLEDGE COME FROM? Most of my
WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT WORKING WITH PEAKE RELEAF? The team. They are the absolute
knowledge has come from the extensive training from Peake, which actually introduced me to the knowledge of terpenes and their potential medical benefits. As well as keeping up with scientific studies from across the world on Cannabis. I get most of my scientific studies from Google Scholar. The layout makes it really easy to find different studies and sorts it by the year it was published. WHAT DO YOU FIND MOST REWARDING ABOUT WORKING WITH PATIENTS ON A DAILY BASIS?
Showing a patient a new favorite item.
Sept. 2020
best and make the experience of being at Peake Releaf like no other. Also, the fact that we are a family. We all share an enormous amount of respect for each other and the work that we do. WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE THINGS TO CONNECT WITH PATIENTS ON? I really
enjoy connecting with patients about their past life experiences. Learning about the different experiences that patients have gone through is certainly an eye opener, and has left me excited to see what else life has to offer.
WHAT ARE YOUR HOBBIES OUTSIDE OF WORK? My favorite hobbies outside
of work have been music and video games. I really want to put the time and effort into learning the piano. My love for jazz and bossa nova really put me on to how beautiful the piano is and sparked the need to learn it. I also have a lot of friends that make music and that really inspired me to go for it. As far as video games, I’ve been playing a lot of FIFA and Call of Duty recently.
Peake ReLeaf 2001 Chapman Ave, Rockville, MD (301) 703-2400 | peakereleaf.com @peakestagram
STORY by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT/MARYLAND LEAF | PHOTO by PEAKE RELEAF
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PATIENT OF THE MONTH
cannabis & bipolar ii disorder
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Life is moving fast for Ashley Busse. As the mother to an 11-month-old baby, Eleanor, and newlywed to her husband, David, Ashley is doing her best to balance responsibilities, including keeping up their new Parkville residence. The 24-year-old recently took a step back from her duties as an office manager and put her aspirations of completing a bachelor’s degree on hold to ensure her daughter gets the best care. “It’s been interesting,” she said of all the changes. “After giving birth, I definitely struggled a lot with depression.” Diagnosed with Bipolar II disorder at the age of 18, Ashley functions at her best when maintaining a sense of consistency. Despite her current challenges , Ashley insists she has found a greater peace than at any other time in her life. “When I was seven, my father committed suicide,” she said. “It was very traumatic. My pediatrician gave me some heavy antianxiety meds, but I didn’t have anywhere to go for an outlet. So I grew up angry and sad because those emotions had been suppressed inside for a long time.” Her teenage years and young adulthood were spent experimenting with various prescription drugs. One medication would work but often at the expense of a side effect, leading to a game of whack-a-mole. “If I was groggy in the morning, then I’d take something that would make me way too hyper and anxious,” she said. “If I was in the middle, I might be shaky and have no appetite. Then I might have to take something for sleep. At that point in life, I didn’t really feel or experience any emotions. It was all on a surface level.” At 22, Ashley was tired of playing the pharmaceutical fiddle and decided to travel down a route of medical Cannabis. As she began her trials, she learned she was pregnant and put a halt to her medicating. “My doctors couldn’t agree on what I could take while pregnant, so they took me off everything,” she said. “I got through the pregnancy on hormones, but afterwards, the onset of postpartum [depression] was hard, so I went back to medical Cannabis.” Her struggles are common to patients of Bipolar II disorder, who do not reach full manic states and are more inclined to suffer from depression. “Mood swings,” she said. “I had trouble finding the patience needed, especially with the lack of sleep I was enduring. Having a steady sleep schedule with bipolar is so crucial.” Her husband, Ashley says, stepped in whenever possible to help, even after coming home from long days working as a project manager. “David is the best person I’ve ever met,” she said. “He is my biggest supporter and always stands by my side. He was there at every doctor’s visit for Eleanor. He’s our backbone and he keeps me level. Every time I need a break, he’s there to give me the time I need to be a better mom.”
Sept. 2020
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AS ELEANOR GREW, SLEEP SCHEDULES BECAME MORE REGULATED, ALLOWING ASHLEY TO DEVELOP A CONSISTENT ROUTINE TO HER CANNABIS MEDICATION.
shley begins each morning with a joint of an indica leaning hybrid. With a clear mind, Ashley journals her goals for the upcoming day before waking up her 21-pound bundle of joy for a baby bottle. She switches over to an appetite stimulant like Georgia Pie during afternoon naptime, and after putting Eleanor to bed for the evening, she caps the night off with a dab of Obeah Cookies. The routine has taken time to perfect, but she swears by it. “They say it takes a village to raise a child,” Ashley said. “But during corona you can’t have a village. So I just get up, smoke my Cannabis, put myself in a good mindset, and say I’m going to make it happen.” “With Cannabis,” she added, “I feel everything how I am supposed to. And when I feel down, I no longer allow it to ruin my whole day, week or month.” Bipolar disorder cycles between periods of highs and lows, but this time of year always falls in the latter for Ashley. July 21 was the birthday of her father - a man she fondly remembers as “the life of the party.” September 13 is the anniversary of his death. “Everybody loved him,” she said. Ashley hopes this year will be different, as she focuses her mind towards doing her own parenting. Baby Eleanor began July with her first steps and has only grown more emboldened. “The Little Monster” - a moniker her mother warmly refers to her as - is captivated by Elmo and loves playing with her Green Bay Packers doll - a gift from David, who is from Milwaukee. Her mother takes great pride in reading her “The Hungry Caterpillar” and “Pat the Bunny.” “I always knew I wanted to have kids early,” Ashley said. “I knew I wanted a daughter and I got that.” It’s never easy, but at 24, life is as good as it’s ever been for Ashley. And for that, she is thankful - for her daughter, for her husband and for medical Cannabis allowing her to be the best version of herself. “I’m not the victim in my story, I’m the hero. I’m not only a survivor, I’m thriving.”
STORY by BAXSEN PAINE @BAXSENPAINE for MARYLAND LEAF
MARYLAND ROOTS. COLORADO EXPERIENCE. As an independently owned and operated dispensary we enhance the patient experience by compassionately and ethically dispensing the highest quality medical cannabis.
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2001 Chapman Ave, Rockville, MD 20852 | info@peakereleaf.com | 301.703.2400 Facebook & Twitter: @PeakeReLeaf | Instagram: @Peakestagram Hours: Monday – Sunday 10:00 am – 8:00 pm Medical cannabis products can only be used by a qualifying certified patient in the state of Maryland. For additional instructions regarding delivery please refer to our website. Y đ?˜°đ?˜°đ?˜śđ?˜ś đ?˜Žđ?˜Žđ?˜śđ?˜śđ?˜´đ?˜´đ?˜ľđ?˜ľ đ?˜Łđ?˜Łđ?˜Śđ?˜Ś 18 đ?˜şđ?˜şđ?˜Śđ?˜Śđ?˜˘đ?˜˘đ?˜łđ?˜łđ?˜´đ?˜´ đ?˜°đ?˜°đ?˜§đ?˜§ đ?˜˘đ?˜˘đ?˜¨đ?˜¨đ?˜Śđ?˜Ś đ?˜°đ?˜°đ?˜łđ?˜ł đ?˜°đ?˜°đ?˜đ?˜đ?˜Ľđ?˜Ľđ?˜Śđ?˜Śđ?˜łđ?˜ł đ?˜ľđ?˜ľđ?˜°đ?˜° đ?˜ˇđ?˜ˇđ?˜Şđ?˜Şđ?˜Śđ?˜Śđ?˜¸đ?˜¸ đ?˜ľđ?˜ľđ?˜Šđ?˜Šđ?˜Şđ?˜Şđ?˜´đ?˜´ đ?˜¤đ?˜¤đ?˜°đ?˜°đ?˜Żđ?˜Żđ?˜ľđ?˜ľđ?˜Śđ?˜Śđ?˜Żđ?˜Żđ?˜ľđ?˜ľ .
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OPTIMIZE YOUR CANNABIS EXPERIENCE WITH OUR QUICK, COURTEOUS AND CONVENIENT DRIVE-THROUGH SERVICE!!
Coming Early September!! *medical cannabis products are for use only by a certified patient*
SHOP REVIEW
FLOWER 5/5 Many of my favorite
flower companies were available here including Curio, Culta, Verano, Grassroots, HMS, Grow West, Nature’s Heritage and Strane. Flower containers are presented on a large wall in the main dispensary room, giving patients a beautiful visual display to peruse and making it easy to see what’s available, without digging through a menu.
The Dispensary
CONCENTRATES 5/5 The concentrate wall
in this dispensary goes far and wide, featuring dozens of products from multiple processors like MPX, Evermore, UKU and many more. The vape pen selection is nothing short of top tier, leaving my hardest decision as to which one to pick.
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EDIBLES 5/5 From the Betty’s Eddies
Extra Strength to the Healer Whole Plant CBD Drops, you can be sure to find an edible here that suits your needs. They have many ratios of THC:CBD options available, making this the perfect shop to spend some time dialing in the cannabinoid profile that works best for you.
ENVIRONMENT
leafnationmd.com
5/5 Whether it’s sports, glass,
weed, hash or life in general, the staff here will always have a solid conversation with their patients and each other. When you walk in the front door, you see a huge glass and accessories store - solidifying The Dispensary’s status as a one-stop shop for all your stoner needs.
@THE_DISPENSARY_MD THEDISPENSARY.BRYTEMAP.COM (667) 314-3297 330 140 VILLAGE RD SUITE 7 WESTMINSTER, MD MON DAY- SATURDAY 10AM-8PM SUNDAY 11AM-7PM
sept. 2020
The Dispensary in Westminster opened in mid-March of 2020, merely a week after COVID-19 began hitting Maryland. Clinical Director Steve Seidel and his staff have remained open throughout the entire pandemic, providing an essential service for Maryland patients. As we toured the shop, we couldn’t help but notice the employees laughing and joking with one another, feeling right at home in their place of work and bringing nothing but good vibes.
THE CONCENTRATE WALL IN THIS DISPENSARY GOES FAR AND WIDE, FEATURING DOZENS OF PRODUCTS FROM MULTIPLE PROCESSORS.
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PRODUCT R E VIEW
CHEM 91 X ADC LIVE SAUCE BY CRESCO LABS
Live sauce from Cresco has quickly climbed the ranks into some of my favorite concentrates available in Maryland. This batch smelled of petrol and pepper, with a spicy and smooth gassy finish on the exhale - where after only one dab, a noticeable calming of the mind and increasing of the appetite settled in. Crescolabs.com 88.67% CBD, 6.62% Terpenes
STORY & PHOTOS by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT/MARYLAND LEAF
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Delivering to the greater Montgomery County area & surrounding suburbs. Free delivery for orders over $150.* Cannabis use is only for certified patients. Content is intended for viewers 18 or older. *Orders less than $150 will have $10 delivery fee. Limited numbers of same day deliveries each day. Scheduled deliveries are only available in the service area based on region of delivery. Please call 888.493.6066 to learn more. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider before starting any new treatment or discontinuing an existing treatment with medical cannabis. Talk with your healthcare provider about any questions you may have regarding your cannabis use. The information and materials provided to you by PharmaCann should not be used as a substitute for the care and knowledge that your physician can provide to you. There may be health risks associated with the consumption of medical cannabis, consult your physician. ©2020 PharmaCann. All rights reserved.
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ONLINE ORDERING & CURBSIDE PICKUP We’re here to find your perfect strain—the one that lets you de-stress, eases anxiety, or fulfills your own unique needs. Your stress-free solution is waiting at Southern Maryland Relief.
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STRAIN OF THE MONTH
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grown by
SUNMED GROWERS
SUNSHINE4 #
sept. 2020
SUNMEDGROWERS.COM | @SUNMED.GROWERS
4
SUNMED GROWERS RECENTLY RELEASED A SUPERB BATCH OF THEIR HEAVY SUNSHINE #4, FEATURING A DEEP EARTHY SCENT THAT WRAPS AROUND A TINGE OF SPICY WILDFLOWER, MAKING IT A STANDOUT ON SHELVES AND AN OBVIOUS CHOICE FOR OUR STRAIN OF THE MONTH.
THE BIG BURST OF LIMONENE PUTS THE SUN IN SUNSHINE #4 BY FLOODING THE MIND WITH SEROTONIN.
TERPENES 26.72% THC 1.03% MYRCENE .74% LIMONENE .3% CARYOPHYLLENE .11% OCIMENE LINALOOL BETA-PINENE
With 1% myrcene, Sunshine #4 is firmly rooted on the deeper indica side of the spectrum and with a classic temper of limonene and caryophyllene, I indeed experienced the quintessential couchlocking fog. As always, this foggy sense of mind was accompanied by the comforting aura of pain relief that myrcene and caryophyllene are known for. The wildflower essence inserts itself into the earthy and spicy profile with around a 1:1:1 ratio of ocimene:linalool:betapinene. These terpenes are of the more floral and woodsy variety, pronounced in plants like lavender and orchids, really bringing together the sense of smoking in a wildflower meadow dotted with herbs and spices. This combination is particularly calming to the mind and added a nuanced layer of relaxation to my pain relieving sedation that was pleasant and safe. The branding behind SunMed’s Sunshine #4 - creating an internal image of a wildflower meadow, presumably under the sun - is not lost on me. Mindsets derived from medicine fed by the sun are a beautiful image to cultivate, and this strain certainly had me enjoying such a headspace all day. My body was free of the usual fight of inflammation and the wildflower blend kept my anxiety under control. The big burst of limonene puts the sun in Sunshine #4 by flooding the mind with serotonin, although I didn’t get a strong citrus flavor in the smoke. This is not surprising since the nuanced aspects of the profile could easily blend a fruit into a flower on the palate. Regardless, the mood elevation was absolutely there in spite of the sedative pain relief - leaving my mind dancing around my heavy body movements. A big thanks to SunMed for producing some quintessential pain relief in a childproof package. The patient community is always thankful for maintenance strains to help them get through the day and the Sunshine #4 does just that.
REVIEW by TAYLOR MARTIN @MDCANNAINSIDER | PHOTO by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT/MARYLAND LEAF
tannins & terpenes issue
TANNINS & TERPENES
THE ART AND SCIENCE OF PAIRING CANNABIS
WHAT ARE TANNINS? WHAT ARE TERPENES? WHY DO THEY MATTER? Well, you’ve got questions, we’ve got answers. Both tannins and terpenes are organic substances found in a wide variety of plants. These compounds have similar roles within the consumable products they’re fabricated into.
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* TANNINS are astringent phenolic molecules that are most commonly found in wood, but also found in everything from foods like grapes, apples, strawberries, blueberries, peaches, mint and basil, to beverages like wine, tea, kombucha, cider and beer. Tannins are bitter and also tend to cause a drying effect on the tongue - think the ‘pucker’ of red wine. * TERPENES are a large and diverse class of organic hydrocarbons produced by a variety of plants and some insects. These molecules have strong odors and are largely responsible for dictating the smell and effect of a particular Cannabis strain. Terpenes are the primary constituents of essential oils and are also used in food, cosmetics and biotechnology. leafnationmd.com
* TANNINS AND TERPENES not only contribute to the experience of consuming the products they exist within, they are directly responsible for a significant portion of it. As a generally curious bunch, we dedicate this Tannins & Terpenes Issue to exploring the relationship between these two compounds and sharing our findings with you. Enjoy! -NATE WILLIAMS @NATEW415
Sept. 2020
NATURE’S HERITAGE ONYCD 3.0 KIEF DUCK POND PINOT GRIGIO Nature’s Heritage makes another appearance in our annual Tannins and Terpenes issue with this scrumptious batch of kief. Kief refers to the resinous trichomes of the Cannabis plant that have been sifted off of buds. My favorite way to enjoy kief is dusting some on top of a bong or bowl pack, but you can also sprinkle some in your joints.
NOSE
Busting open this jar revealed a combination of sweet, piney, earthy and citrusy aromas that lingered in my nostrils for minutes.
TASTE
On the exhale, I tasted such strong notes of earthiness, pepper and citrus that the flower’s flavor was overpowered in the best of ways.
EFFECT
I experienced joint and back pain relief within a minute of my first hit. Not long after I slowly began to slip into a sleepy and relaxed state of mind, making this perfect for nighttime use.
LOOKS / BAG APPEAL
These grams of kief are nicely packed into glass jars as little flat or dome shaped pucks. The color and consistency can be best described as soft golden sand.
IN THE GLASS
This pinot grigio comes from our Oregon Leaf fam in the Willamette Valley, but was purchased right here in Pikesville, Maryland. Grapefruit, melon and nectarine flavors are abundant in this wine, along with notes of lemon zest. Best enjoyed with spicy shrimp scampi and ONYCD 3.0 kief. << 39.8% Total Cannabinoids / 1.50% Terpenes naturesheritagecannabis.com / greatoregonwine.com
REVIEWS by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT/MARYLAND LEAF | PHOTOGRAPHY by ERIC KAYNE @PHOTOKAYNE | ART DIRECTION by @BERMANPHOTOS
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tannins & terpenes issue
MPX SECRET SAUCE LIVE RESIN BATTER BALLER JAR BLACK-EYED SUSAN COCKTAIL NOSE
The flavor profile of this batter was even better than the high expectation I had for it. It brought me back to being a kid and being handed a sliced lemon with a peppermint stick jammed in it.
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TASTE
Smooth, with a gassy flavor accompanied by sweet and tangy citrus. The flavor of this concentrate was just as strong as the nose.
EFFECT
Anxiety relief was the strongest effect this concentrate had on me, making it an extremely valuable tool for any time of day. It can be hard to find a strain that significantly reduces anxiety - kudos to MPX for giving me that strain and concentrate.
LOOKS / BAG APPEAL
leafnationmd.com
This batter is saucy and golden from the bottom of the 3.5 gram jar up, and to be honest, it took everything inside of me to not dab this before our photo shoot. Waves of terpy batter form after digging through the jar with a dabber.
IN THE GLASS
MPX has consistently been putting out top tier batches of concentrate in all forms. This Secret Sauce is yet another prime example.
Sept. 2020
A Maryland staple, the Black-Eyed Susan was the official drink of Preakness 2019. Its sweet, fruity flavor makes for a perfect Summer drink to be paired with a sweet and citrusy concentrate. The ingredients are a little bit of Maryland-made vodka and bourbon, orange juice, pineapple juice and sour mix garnished with a maraschino cherry. Best paired with pasta or corn salad on a hot Summer day. 83.52% Total Cannabinoids / 5.048% Terpenes meltingpointextracts.com
Who doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t enjoy smoking a nice joint while out walking their dog in nature? I sure do, and Big Dog pre-rolls are sized nicely for the occasion. Filled with .75g of premium Rythm flower, these will put you in the sweet spot of just the right amount of joint smoke.
DOGWALKERS
CITRUS TSUNAMI #9 BIG DOG PRE-ROLL LEMON AGAVE HIBISCUS
WILD BASIN BOOZY SPARKLING WATER NOSE
Even just unscrewing the lid, a massive waft of sweet citrus smells overtook my senses. When smoking, the room was filled with a smell that reminded me of lemon Pledge.
TASTE
Fresh squeezed lemonade and lemon Ice Pops came to mind, with the back end of the joint bringing flavorful notes of creamy and doughy terpenes.
EFFECT
This strain was perfect for me to use before physical or mental activity, as it gave me a ton of positive energy. I used this strictly as a morning strain for productivity and focus.
LOOKS / BAG APPEAL
From the glass pre-roll tube to the perfectly packed joint inside, these look awesome all the way around. The filter tips are also branded with a DW for Dogwalkers.
IN THE GLASS
These boozy sparkling waters are crafted using water from the St. Vrain River in Colorado. Not only were these tasty, but they are only 100 calories and easy to find at many stores across the country. The sweetness of the lemon agave hibiscus flavor paired perfectly with the citrus of the pre-roll. Best paired with lemon bars and Citrus Tsunami #9. 26.4% Total Cannabinoids / 1.50% Terpenes dogwalkersprerolls.com / wildbasinboozywater.com
REVIEWS by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT/MARYLAND LEAF | PHOTOGRAPHY by ERIC KAYNE @PHOTOKAYNE | ART DIRECTION by @BERMANPHOTOS
tannins & terpenes issue
EVERMORE CITRUS KLEANER RAR BREWING OUT OF ORDER ‘ALL INCLUSIVE’ NOSE
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Island vibes can be brought right to your living room with this strain, reeking of exotic fruit scents and stinking up the room.
TASTE
This strain’s strong flavor of fresh orange juice hung around on my palate and in my bong for days. Even when taking a rip of something else following Citrus Kleaner, limonene lingered. Similar to the taste of Purple Obeah, another very popular strain from Evermore.
EFFECT
For a sativa dominant hybrid, I felt a significant amount of clarity when smoking this strain. During busy days, I used this to straighten my head out and concentrate.
leafnationmd.com
LOOKS / BAG APPEAL
Long orange hairs envelop these tasty, trichome covered, green buds. After squishing a nug between my fingers, I was confident the cure of these nugs was on point.
IN THE GLASS Evermore is constantly releasing new strains in both flower and concentrate, spending time crafting their favorites of each. Citrus Kleaner is a combination of Heavy Duty Fruity and Chem Dawg 91, creating a vast array of dank and fruity smells and flavors.
Sept. 2020
RAR Brewing has been killing it lately with their Out of Order series and Maryland craft beer fans have been loving it. All Inclusive is lactoseconditioned on pineapple, coconut, mango and vanilla soft serve. If you served this beer to me in a piña colada glass with a cherry and a straw, I wouldn’t question if it were a piña colada. Best paired with grilled pineapple and barbecue. << 25.93% Total Cannabinoids / 2.318% Terpenes evermorecannabisco.com / rarbrewing.com
CRESCO LABS TRIANGLE KUSH X CRESCO COOKIES LIQUID LIVE RESIN CARTRIDGE
WOODCHUCK GRANNY SMITH HARD CIDER NOSE
Popping open the little mylar container, a smell of sweet cake dough was revealed and began to fill my nose with a delicate aroma.
TASTE
This cartridge produced a sweet and earthy vibe, with hints of pine and herbal tea. The sweet and skunky flavor kept me coming back for more.
EFFECT I always personally enjoy the flavor of liquid live resin cartridges over distillate. With a much higher terpene concentration and still arguably high levels of THC, these are a great method for medicating on the go and getting in your daily dose of terpenes.
Immediately, my brain was hit with a feeling of cerebral euphoria and creativity. Perfect for a rainy afternoon working on an art project or fixing things around the house.
LOOKS / BAG APPEAL
Bright golden oil fills the cartridge in a slightly more viscous state than some of the other distillate carts on the market. These cartridges are color coded for indica, sativa and hybrid.
IN THE GLASS
The sweet and sour flavors of Granny Smith hard cider blended perfectly with the smooth and piney flavors of the cartridge. A day on the beach can be a lot more enjoyable with a Cresco cart and hard cider. Best paired with a cheeseburger and french fries. << 83.98% Total Cannabinoids / 7.98% Terpenes crescolabs.com / woodchuck.com
REVIEWS by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT/MARYLAND LEAF | PHOTOGRAPHY by ERIC KAYNE @PHOTOKAYNE | ART DIRECTION by @BERMANPHOTOS
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RAR BREWING
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Sept. 2020
{INTERVIEW} CO-OWNER JT MERRYWEATHER Heading towards Ocean City from Baltimore, I stopped in historic Cambridge to visit RAR Brewing for a tour and interview with Co-Owner JT Merryweather. The Taproom and Chessie Burger (RAR’s restaurant) were both filled with local art, beautiful handmade wooden tables, and plenty of space indoor and outdoor to gather with friends. Head over to RAR in Cambridge this summer for some of the tastiest brews and burgers around!
What’s with the name? Our name is an acronym for Real Ale Revival and basically you can pronounce it ‘rawr’ or spell out R-A-R. It’s a fun little debate to hear people get hype with each other about and they always ask me, ‘Well, what is it?’ And I’m like, ‘You can say it either way.’ And they’re like, ‘That’s bullshit!’
What made you get into brewing beer? Basically it was a hobby. We
were all kind of hanging out in the same group of friends and hunted beer in our spare time. We were always stuck hanging out with each other and someone would be like, “I was in Pennsylvania and had the best beer from Victory Brewing or Troegs.’ Keep in mind this was 10 years ago when craft breweries really started getting hot. One day we finally had the bright idea to try making our own beer. It was something we really just wanted to have fun with, and six or seven of us together chipped in a couple hundred bucks each. It became clear who was the most interested in it, and my business partner and I were there almost every week trying to brew. We were watching the evolution of beer and thought about how cool it would be to do it ourselves. We realized that mentally, we were in a similar place to many of the craft breweries that were operating. That’s when we stopped treating it like a hobby and started treating it like a job.
Where do you draw inspiration for the flavors in your Out of Order series?
Everywhere honestly, it happens very serendipitously and by the time we sit down for our monthly meeting we already have tons of ideas in our heads. For instance, the All Inclusive from the last drop (lactose based sour beer conditioned on pineapple, coconut and vanilla soft serve), we knew we wanted to be a ‘painkiller’ cocktail type beer. We kick around tons of ideas, maybe get a little elevated and come up with some ideas. We’re also group texting constantly, so if someone is out at a restaurant and has a crazy drink, dish or dessert, they’ll text the group, ‘Guys, we gotta make something like this.’ We are trying to be creative AF with this stuff - we have never not released an Out of Order flavor we created.
What is your favorite thing about coming to work? Seeing the people
SEEING THE PRIDE THAT MY TEAM TAKES IN THEIR WORK IS INCREDIBLE AND THEY KNOW WE’RE ALL ON THIS SHIP TOGETHER.
I work with and knowing I get to create that environment, workplace and vibe that we have. It’s also the little things, like making sure the guy who cans the beer can get out on beer release day and see the people freaking out about his hard work. Seeing the pride that my team takes in their work is incredible and they know we’re all on this ship together. We’re going to keep making the best beer that our customer base responds to and offering it at a great price - I hope you guys like it.
Do you think craft beer and craft Cannabis have room for collaboration?
I do. I have recently become aware of THC being water soluble, which means you can possibly have a Cannabis beverage that would act similarly to alcohol. With a two minute onset, you can be halfway through your Cannabis seltzer and you’re feeling a buzz already. To me, that is the future of intertwining those two worlds. You can’t smoke alcohol, but you can certainly drink THC - and THC beverages could bring the smokers in from outside.
What does the future hold for RAR? We are currently in the process of converting 10,000 feet of storage space into our new production facility, just a few miles from our current one. Pre-COVID, we had plans to open new spots in both D.C. and Ocean City, which has been temporarily put on hold. For now we are looking to expand and we have our ears to the tracks.
STORY & PHOTOS by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT/MARYLAND LEAF | RARBREWING.COM
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tannins & terpenes issue
CANNABIS & CAFFEINE
PRODUCTIVE PAIRINGS
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Orange Vines with Green Tea ORANGE VINES
The Orange Vines taste like a kiss of sunshine hitting an orange grove in the peak of harvest, transporting the mind to a grassy patch under trees heavy with ripe fruit. Covered in layers of delicious crystals, the beautiful orange hairs ooze with citrus and gassy sap that awakens the mind and brightens the senses with a perfectly stoney bliss.
leafnationmd.com
GREEN TEA
Since green tea’s accidental discovery as a beverage in 2737 B.C., it has been enjoyed as a mental stimulant and as a daily beverage in many cultures. With a sweet and nutty taste known all over the world, many people today are turning to tea instead of coffee for a jolt of mental clarity, and a variety of different flavor options. While this pairing focuses on green tea, combining different Cannabis strains with tea can deliver positive effects for the start, middle or end of the day.
THE PAIRING
Gelato 33 with Stumptown Cold Brew Coffee GEL ATO 33
Gelato 33 is a cross between the Sunset Sherbet and Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookies. Grown with love and attention to detail, this beautiful flower is frosty and rich with orange and berry notes, hiding gassy Cookies in the background. Classics would call this a stoney hybrid, with slowed down contemplative thoughts and a light-feeling, powerfully relaxed body high.
STUMPTOWN COLD BREW COFFEE
Originating in Japan and brewed in the Northwest, the Stumptown Cold Brew is a smooth and tasty way to experience lower acid coffee right out of the fridge. Cold brewed coffee is made by soaking coarse ground beans for 12-24 hours, resulting in a higher caffeine brew that doesn’t have the oils and fatty acids of hot brewed coffee. This delivers different flavor profiles and a smooth taste, whether enjoyed black or with a favorite cream or flavor.
THE PAIRING
We sipped a freshly brewed cup of green tea on a lazy weekend, when morning had already become afternoon. Looking for a pick-me-up that wouldn’t cause brain fog or a later energy crash, the first step was breaking up the flower while the tea brewed. The aromatic citrus of the Orange Vines awakens the senses, and the first tokes are bright and energetic with a syrupy exhale. The tea follows big hits with a mellow, sweeter taste that balances the palate and clears the way for the next hit. Enjoying both led to a lightly caffeinated body buzz and electric cerebral effects, with the mind gloriously uplifted and sparkling with a happy and fun high.
Known as a hippie speedball, or occasionally as a Seattle speedball, the combination of coffee and Cannabis is truly a match made in heaven. Nothing pushes the senses forward while simultaneously dulling them like the sweet bliss of being speedballed in the morning. Our favorite buzz combines a heavier or stonier strain with strong coffee, to allow the effects to balance and meet in the middle. Hence, a speedball. The stoney euphoria of the Gelato 33 delivers a perfectly grinning daytime buzz, while the high caffeine content and strong, chocolatey flavor of the cold brew wash it all down with a perfect amount of pep in this writer’s step.
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Sept. 2020
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Lemon Diesel Vape Cartridge with Guayaki Organic Yerba Mate LEMON DIESEL VAPE CARTRIDGE
Dutchberry Flower with GT’s Synergy Kombucha DUTCHBERRY
When it comes to curing the midday blues, we often turn to a 1:1 CBD cartridge or a concentrate high in CBG. Luckily we had this Lemon Diesel cartridge ready to go, with nearly 5% CBG and a heady dose of THC and terpenes. CBG is not only highly medicinal - fighting inflammation, pain and nausea while fighting cancer and IBS - it is also a supreme mood stabilizer. CBG releases anandamide, the body’s native ‘bliss’ molecule, which can help with anxiety and provide a happy, uplifting vibe. Choosing either a CBD or CBG-rich high in the afternoon can help with productivity, especially when paired with a little caffeine.
Artizen is one of the largest producers of Cannabis in Washington, and they’ve found success by maintaining their craft approach and love for the plant as the company has grown. Their 27% THC Dutchberry is a combination of DJ Short Blueberry and Dutch Treat, delivering a ton of happy energy and a unique flavor profile that combines the deep Blueberry of the DJ Short with the hazy, piney freshness of the Dutch Treat.
GUAYAKI ORGANIC YERBA MATE RASPBERRY TERERÉ
Kombucha is a fizzy and fermented tea drink with as many flavor offerings as potential health benefits. The full line of GT’s Kombuchas are raw and organic with live cultures, probiotics and active enzymes. These help support gut health, ease digestion and boost immunity. Perfect for an afternoon or evening substitute for alcohol, or a mid-morning boost, kombucha offers a unique world of fun and fizzy drinks.
THE PAIRING
Perfect for on the go, both the resealable bottle and the portable nature of the cartridge make this a great daytime pairing. The Lemon Diesel slips into the lungs with a bright citrus inhale and an earthygas tingle on the exhale. The terpenes and CBG interact wondrously, dropping a blissful euphoria onto the mind, while relaxing the body without slowing it down. The Raspberry Terere is perfect to wash down the vapor, with a lightly sweet berry-tea flavor that is both refreshing and energizing. After a dozen healthy puffs and a full bottle of mate, we were completely ready for whatever the day had to offer, adventures guaranteed.
The Dutchberry bursts with rich berry flavors that swirl around the palate as visions of dark sweet berries fill the mind. Much like the fizzy pops of the kombucha as it’s being poured, the aroma of the Dutchberry grabs all the senses while waiting to be consumed. Taking a bright and smooth inhale of the flower delivers a sunny euphoria that melts the mind into the body. Chasing a hit with a sip of the grape-forward drink is refreshing and rewarding, as the bubbles tingle and are chased down with the yummy chia for a little added texture in the finish. Nutritious and uplifting, this pairing will help keep motivation high during a long afternoon, or is the perfect alternative to an alcoholic happy hour.
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Yerba Mate is a tea-based beverage made from the plant’s leaves, from which the drink draws its name. Served hot or cold traditionally, today a wide variety of flavors and carbonated or noncarbonated options exist to tease taste buds and deliver a potent caffeine buzz. With less acid than coffee, many choose a bottle or can of yerba mate in place of a cup of coffee or energy drink. Yerba Mate also contains B and C vitamins and antioxidants, making it a healthful choice when making a T&T pairing.
SYNERGY GRAPE CHIA KOMBUCHA
THE PAIRING
STORY by WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX/LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS | STYLING by MIKE AHMAN @MIKE.AHMANN
cooking with Cannabis
STONED SUMMER
Same crazy world, with no end in sight. As we all try to stay safe with our masks and our hand sanitizer, try to remember what you have to be thankful for. And help make the changes we need to be the world we want to have - a healthy planet, equal justice and peace for everyone. Try, we all need to try. These recipes were infused with Noble Farms Royal Wedding, and a bit of Wesley’s Wish CBD from East Fork Cultivars. #BlackLivesMatter #DontFearTheEdible #EatYourCannabis
STEAK & ROASTED POTATO SALAD
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1. In a medium bowl whisk together the vinegar and oils. Add the cumin, salt and pepper. Set aside. 2. In a medium skillet heat the canola oil. Add the scallion, cooked potato and beans, and sauté for 4-5 minutes. 3. In a large mixing bowl combine all the remaining ingredients. 4. Toss the dressing with the steak and vegetables and serve. Serves 4.
>> This is my absolute favorite smoothie. Refreshing, tasty and calming, now when we need it most.
PISTACHIO LIME SMOOTHIE
4 tablespoons sherry vinegar 4 teaspoons canna-olive oil 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon cumin salt, pepper
1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree. 2. Garnish with pistachios. 1 ½ cups almond milk, or preferred milk
¼ cup lime juice concentrate
1 whole avocado, peeled and pit removed
2-4 tablespoons honey
1 banana, peeled and sliced
4 tablespoons pistachios
1 lime, cut in chunks
2 teaspoons canna-oil
1 tablespoon canola oil
>> You can always change the meat or veggies. The last time I made this, I turned the leftovers into a tasty sandwich on a toasted roll.
2 scallions, in pieces 2 pounds cooked potatoes, peeled and cut in chunks 1 cup cooked green beans, trimmed and cut in pieces ½ cup chopped red onion 16 ounces steak, grilled to desired degree of doneness, cut in chunks 4 radishes, thinly sliced
leafnationmd.com
4 cups chopped romaine
>> This dish would also be wonderful with the addition of shrimp, tofu, scallops or chicken. Feel free to use spinach instead of arugula. Although many pesto recipes are made with pine nuts, their current price point has made walnuts my go-to. No regrets here.
sept. 2020
1. In a food processor or blender combine the arugula, walnuts, garlic, salt and pepper. 2. Drizzle in the olive oils. 3. Turn the pesto into a serving bowl and stir in the Parmesan. 4. In a large saucepot bring salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions. 5. Drain the pasta, return to saucepot off heat, and toss with the pesto and the remaining bunch of arugula. 6. Divide the pasta between the plates, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with some grated Parmesan. Serves 4-6.
ARUGULA & PESTO SPAGHETTI
6 cups arugula, packed
Salt
½ cup walnuts
Pepper
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 lb. pasta
½ cup olive oil
1 bunch arugula, rinsed, dried
2-3 tablespoons canna-olive oil
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup grated Parmesan
Small chunk Parmesan for grating
RECIPES by LAURIE WOLF | PHOTOS by BRUCE WOLF
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DURBANCINDY LIVE SAUCE
concentrate of the month
CRESCO LABS
leafnationmd.com
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RESULTS 70% available thc 2.89% terpinolene 1.41% ocimene 1.08% myrcene .86% caryophyllene .77% limonene .60% pinene .31% terpineol .31% humulene .31% eudesmol .27% guaiol .26% linalool
sept. 2020
CRESCO HAS BEEN CONSISTENTLY BREWING TOP SHELF LIVE PRODUCTS AND THEIR DURBAN CINDY IS YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THEIR PRISTINE QUALITY.
Bringing together some of the best aspects of Marylandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s versions of Durban Poison and Cinderella 99, the Durban Cindy live sauce by Cresco Labs is an exquisite example of extraction wizardry. Honey golden oil coates a glittery shell of diamond flakes, wafting a robust aroma of fresh forest fruits from the container. Dominated by a terpinolene zest and followed with an ocimene and myrcene temper, this profile features a variety of tropical fruits mixed in with a floral bouquet and complex array of earthy, wildflower notes. Live products in the extract world are typically found on the top shelf, as they use fresh frozen material directly from the plant harvest. Harvesting top quality plants and preserving their resin content in a deep freeze yields the most robust and variable terpene profiles. Typically this manifests as a very high total terpene concentration and is driven by an overt dominance of one or two terps. The Durban Cindy ocean rocks a very well preserved and even concentration of terpineol, eudesmol and guaiol, intermingled with humulene and linalool. And it is right here, on the backend of the exhale, that the complexity truly shines through. The terpineol enhances the terpinolene notes, bringing floral flavors that lean towards the mint and anise plant, while the guaiol morphs the temperate/ tropical piney forest nuances into a distinctive Cypress wood aroma. On the inhale, the complete bouquet works its way through the complex array of sensory receptors, overloading and calming all at once. And with each exhale, the bouquet clarifies itself and those same smells sharpen to create an amazingly diverse flavor profile. Eudesmol is particularly exciting to find in this dab as it is quite rare, not to mention one of the most beneficial terpenes for gastrointestinal issues. There is a definite increase in appetite - as well as calming gastrointestinal movements reported in a couple studies out there - so I definitely recommend seeing what this terpene does if you suffer from GI complications. Cresco has been consistently brewing up top shelf live products and their Durban Cindy is yet another example of their pristine quality. With its robust profile and rare terpenes, energy and pain relief are abundant with this dab, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m very thankful for the opportunity to experience such grand quality. CRESCOLABS.COM | @CRESCOLABS
REVIEW by TAYLOR MARTIN @MDCANNAINSIDER | PHOTO by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT/MARYLAND LEAF
DUSTIN BRANDON
health & science
cannabis & brittle bone disease
“I’M HERE TO SIMPLY BE A VOICE AND GIVE THE MOVEMENT EVERY BIT OF MY PRIVILEGE: MY DISABILITY, MY WHITENESS AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT I CAN.”
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>> After over 450 fractures, this Portland, OR Cannabis community member has managed to keep his funny-bone intact.
Dustin Brandon (also known as @2lesslegs) is a stand-up comic and Cannabis activist hailing from Boston, Massachusetts. In his 36 years, he’s seen more than his fair share of obstacles battling Osteogenesis Imperfecta, or ‘brittle bone disease.’ But this wheelchair warrior continues to turn tragedy into triumph.
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What originally brought you to Oregon and how did you get started in the Portland Cannabis and comedy scenes? When I was 18, I left Boston to
pursue a professional career in wheelchair basketball. I played basketball my entire life, which is what brought me to Oregon. About five years ago down in Medford, I helped start a team called the Rogue Valley Scorpions. A bunch of us from around the country literally moved from our hometowns to start the team. Unfortunately, after my first year, I was hit by a car while crossing the street in my wheelchair. That put an end to my sports career. It was a pretty significant injury. I went to the hospital with well over 40 breaks and fractures. That’s what got me started in Cannabis. I had to retire (basketball) and my other passions in life were Cannabis and comedy. Portland is a great place for both of those things. As soon as I could heal enough to get back in my wheelchair, I moved and started going to comedy shows, studying my favorite comedians and learning. I spent the rest of my time involved in the Cannabis community - going to events and seshes and soaking up as much as I could. Eventually, I started planning my own events and co-branding with other people.
sept. 2020
Some folks that self-identify as Cannabis ‘activists’ are merely media influencers. As someone that has a deep connection to Cannabis both personally and professionally, what does it mean to you to be an activist? More than anything, you’re always representing the plant. You’re always representing the flower. You’re always representing that side of approval. Wherever you are, you’re always representing Cannabis. I walk around with a weed tattoo on my hand...I did that because I’m not just a consumer. I don’t just love smoking Cannabis - it saved my life. I have an undying dedication to it. Cannabis should be available to everyone, everywhere, whether they can afford it or can’t afford it. Anyone who sees different, I’m willing to have the conversation and respond accordingly.
Anyone watching your social media feed has seen you out supporting the BLM movement for the last 70+ days straight. Can you tell me a little bit about your experience? Proposition 504 (and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973) is very important to me. There was once a time when the Black community came to the aid of
the disabled community in unimaginable ways, simply because they understood. I feel it’s important our generation of the disabled community pays that back any way we can. I’ve turned down a lot of interviews in regards to what I’m doing out here specifically with the Black Lives Matter movement because I’m here to support them...I’m here to simply be a voice and give the movement every bit of my privilege: my disability, my whiteness and anything else that I can. Whether you like me or not in the community, whether you support me or not, at the end of the day I know this is the most important thing going on. I hope that on day one you helped, or day 57. I hope everyone takes some time.
What role has Cannabis played in your life through these trying times? Cannabis has been so
significant to me throughout this entire process. Whether you’re out here every night or you’ve only been out here for 20 days, it does wear and tear on you. Cannabis has gotten me through this entire time. At 36-years-old, after a lifetime of injuries I’ve had well over 80-90 surgeries. Being able to smoke during marches to get my body through it...I can’t even tell you how significant it’s been!
INTERVIEW by AMANDA DAY @TERPODACTYL_MEDIA | PHOTO by MARIAH HARRIS @MOMENTS.BY.MARIAH
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cannthropology
WORLD OF CANNABIS PRESENTS
HOMAGE DOCTOR TO THE
R E M E M B E R I NG D R . LE STE R G R I N S PO O N
June 24, 1928 - June 25, 2020
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As the 1960s drew to a close and newly-elected president Richard Nixon was codifying his anti-drug agenda into law, a handful of pro-pot activists arose to challenge those efforts. These reformers found an unlikely and invaluable ally in a brilliant middle-aged professor from Harvard named Lester Grinspoon. Grinspoon received his doctorate in psychiatry from Harvard Medical School in 1955. It was while teaching there in 1965 that he met young astronomer Carl Sagan at a faculty dinner. The two bonded over their opposition to the Vietnam War, sparking a lifelong friendship. But Grinspoon was shocked to learn that Sagan and others in their intellectual circle enjoyed smoking marijuana. Both intrigued by Sagan’s affinity for cannabis and concerned by what he believed was a dangerous habit, Grinspoon did what any scientist worth their salt might do—he started researching it.
MARIHUANA RECONSIDERED
When he began his study of marijuana in 1967, Grinspoon’s initial intention was to “define scientifically the nature and degree of those dangers” and persuade Sagan to stop using it. Instead, he reached the opposite conclusion—that cannabis was “remarkably non-toxic” and that it may have some beneficial medicinal applications. Grinspoon published his findings in the December 1969 edition of Scientific American, in an article called simply “Marihuana.” “Based on the reaction to that [article], he was encouraged to do a book-length exposition of what he had learned,” Grinspoon’s son
SEPT. 2020
David recalls, “which was basically that he’d been brainwashed along with everybody else into thinking that marijuana was this dangerous substance.” Two years later, he published Marihuana Reconsidered (Harvard University Press), an instant classic in which he dispels many of the myths surrounding the much-maligned herb. “I have concluded,” Grinspoon writes, “that marijuana is a relatively safe intoxicant which is not addicting, does not in and of itself lead to the use of harder drugs, is not criminogenic, and does not lead to sexual excess.” The only real harm associated with cannabis was, he noted, “the way we as a society were dealing with people who use it.” The book also contains an essay extolling the plant’s virtues by an anonymous cannabis user dubbed ‘Mr. X,’ whose identity remained a family secret for over 30 years. Mr. X, it turned out, had been Sagan all along—a fact that Grinspoon only revealed after Sagan’s death in 1996. The impact of Marihuana Reconsidered was immense and immediate—disdained and disowned by his Harvard peers, but extolled by the fledgling legalization community, for whom it was a valuable resource and a validation of their mission. “Lester, without question, was the intellectual leader of the entire movement from the moment his book was published in 1971,” asserts NORML founder Keith Stroup. “Lester Grinspoon’s book was the Bible.”
NEMESIS OF NIXON
Thanks to his book, Dr. Grinspoon quickly became a thorn in President Nixon’s side. After reading a New York Times review of Marijhuana Reconsidered in his daily brief, Nixon launched into an an anti-Semitic tirade. “Every one of the
bastards that are out for the legalization of marijuana is Jewish!” he complained in his infamous oval office recordings. “What the Christ is the matter with the Jews?” Nixon then circled Grinspoon’s name and scribbled in the margin below: “This clown is far on the left.” “When Lester saw that, he was delighted,” says David. “He said, ‘Wow—I made it onto the enemies list of one of history’s biggest assholes!’” The same year that Marihuana Reconsidered was published, he was called to testify before the National Commission on Marihuana and Drug Abuse (aka the Shafer Commission). Nixon appointed the commission to investigate cannabis’ potential harm to bolster his argument for categorizing it as a Schedule I drug under his new Controlled Substances Act. Stroup, who first met Grinspoon at these hearings, recalls being impressed by his confidence. “He was so self-assured, so comfortable with his own intellect, that he showed no signs of being intimidated. He was the most powerful person testifying at those hearings.” Grinspoon’s testimony proved highly effective. When the commission released its final report in 1972 (“Marihuana, a Signal of Misunderstanding”), it concluded that cannabis was in fact not a danger to society, and even recommended decriminalizing it (which Nixon ignored).
JOHN LENNON
Later that year, Grinspoon was called to testify on another high-profile case—at the deportation hearings for John Lennon. After Lennon had campaigned against the president’s reelection, Nixon tried to use a past “cannabis resin” possession charge as a basis to kick Lennon out of the country. Thanks to Grinspoon’s testimony, Lennon’s lawyer Leon Wildes argued that “resin” was a secretion of cannabis, but not technically marijuana, and therefore the immigration law citing “narcotics and mar-
STORY by BOBBY BLACK @WORLDOFCANNABISMUSEUM for LEAF NATION | PHOTOGRAPH by TODD MCCORMICK
ijuana” didn’t legally apply. After three years in court, Wildes finally won the case and Lennon got his green card. To show their gratitude, John and Yoko took Grinspoon out to dinner, sent him flowers, and gifted him with albums autographed to his sons Danny and David. (Side note: It was one of Lennon’s albums— The Beatles’ masterpiece Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band—that “astounded” Grinspoon after getting high with Sagan for the first time, some two years after Marihuana Reconsidered was published.)
FAMILY TRAGEDY
Dr. Grinspoon witnessed cannabis’ medicinal efficacy first-hand when he and his wife Betsy administered it to their teenage son Danny. Danny had been diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia and was suffering from nausea and vomiting after his chemotherapy...but after smoking a few hits from a joint before each treatment, those symptoms disappeared—dramatically increasing his quality of life and morale. Sadly, Danny lost his battle with leukemia in 1973, but his case led to the first scientific study on cannabis for nausea.
THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA MOVEMENT
Grinspoon went on to author many other books about illicit drugs throughout the 1970s and 80s. Then in 1993, he co-authored a second book about cannabis called Marihuana: The Forbidden Medicine (with Harvard Law professor James Bakalar)— a compendium of anecdotes that further explored the medical potential of the plant and helped bolster California’s burgeoning medical marijuana movement. Valerie Leveroni Corral, who co-founded the Wo/Men’s Alliance for Medical Marijuana, attests to the book’s influence. “It absolutely had an impact on our movement...it had a scholarly element which was profoundly important to not look like just a ragtag team of activists.” Within a few years of its publication, Corral and other prominent cannabis advocates in California co-authored and helped pass the Compassionate Use Act (Proposition 215), which legalized marijuana for medical purposes in America for the first time in 1996. “Without a doubt, [Grinspoon’s] intellectual gravitas lent to the incredible activism that was going on in the San Francisco area,” affirms former NORML executive director Allen St. Pierre. “We have legal marijua-
na in many parts of the country today because of these two unique forces working together.”
THE NEW NORML
One year after the publication of “Forbidden Medicine,” Grinspoon was tapped by NORML to overhaul its then struggling organization. Stroup had enlisted Grinspoon into NORML’s leadership early on. Now, on the brink of collapse, the organization turned to him for help. “In 1994, the NORML board, for all intents and purposes, imploded,” St. Pierre explains. “So Lester was contacted to try to pull together an entirely new board.” “The only thing the board could agree on is that they trusted Lester’s judgment,” says Stroup. “They knew whoever he picked would be good for NORML and for the movement.” At Grinspoon’s recommendation, Stroup returned as NORML’s director and a new board of directors was compiled—ushering in a new ‘golden age’ for the organization. Grinspoon continued to serve on NORML’s board for decades and spoke at many of their conferences. And in 2007, when Stroup and fellow NORML board member Rick Cusick were arrested for smoking a joint at the Boston Freedom Rally and decided to take their case to trial, Grinspoon kickstarted their defense fund with a $5,000 contribution and helped convince renowned Harvard Law Professor Charles ‘Billion-Dollar Charlie’ Nesson to take their case pro bono.
and Writing. Both NORML and High Times named their most prestigious awards after him. There’s also a band named after him in Australia (Grinspoon), and a cannabis strain named after him in Amsterdam (an heirloom sativa called “Dr. Grinspoon” by Barneys Farm). And on April 20 of this year, the cannabis Business Awards, in collaboration with World of cannabis, named him a 420 Icon (one of the top 100 cannabis influencers of all-time).
DEATH & LEGACY
After spending half a century fighting cannabis prohibition, Dr. Grinspoon spent the last decade of his life fighting cancer. On the morning of June 25—one day after celebrating his 92nd birthday— he passed away peacefully at his home outside Boston. Thanks to his groundbreaking work and courageous activism, Lester Grinspoon will be forever remembered as one of the most consequential figures in cannabis history.
Watch our exclusive memorial to Dr. Grinspoon at worldofcannabis.museum/grinspoon, or listen to it on Episode 5 of Cannthropology wherever you get your podcasts. (This content was originally published on worldofcannabis.museum and is reprinted with permission.)
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HONORS & ACCOLADES
Grinspoon retired as an associate professor emeritus in 2000, having twice been ‘green listed’ by the Harvard promotion committee, who didn’t approve of how his controversial stance on cannabis reflected upon the school’s reputation. “He didn’t get a full professorship, which is objectively silly given his level of accomplishments,” David notes. “There was a time when that bothered him, but it ceased to bother him because he got so much out of the community that were engaged in this movement with him.” Indeed, Dr. Grinspoon was a beloved figure in the cannabis community, and was honored numerous times over the years: In 1990, he received the Drug Policy Foundation’s Alfred R. Lindesmith Award for Achievement in the Field of Scholarship
President Richard Nixon’s notes on Grinspoon | courtesy Nixon Library
Lester with longtime friend, astronomer Carl Sagan, left | courtesy Grinspoon family
DYSCOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CORNER
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leafnationmd.com
For the Love of Terpenes
I
think we can all agree on one thing: Our lives are undeniably different than they were six months ago, and none of us are too thrilled about it. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll go out on a limb here and say that most of us would also agree that most things have changed for the worse.
Life has slowed down - way down. In many instances, life has slowed to a halt as politicians and people argue about opening schools, getting back to work, economic stimuli and the quickly advancing presidential race.
Sept. 2020
musingsfromaparent &Cannabisconsumer Now, Leafers, don’t get me wrong - I have opinions about all of those things. Strong ones (yes, yes, yes, and we’re screwed). I have spent months yelling at various talking heads opining their undeniable biases on so-called ‘news outlets’ and frankly, I’m sick of talking about it. And since I’m fairly sure you’re sick of talking about it too, let’s take a break and talk terpenes. It is important to note that I am definitely not a doctor. This should be obvious. Any information I share is totally anecdotal and I don’t claim that anyone else would have the same experience or reactions under the same circumstances. All I can do is share my understanding and experience when it comes to terpenes, but don’t forget that my understanding could be wrong and my experiences are anecdotal. When it comes to taking Cannabis, just like other prescription medications, every patient’s physiology is different and it is possible to have a unique experience. However, as with many other medications physicians prescribe, most people respond as therapeutically intended. That’s why understanding terpenes is so important. They have a significant predictable impact on how most people will experience that particular strain of Cannabis. Before I became a Cannabis patient, I had never heard of terpenes. I believed that all marijuana was basically the same. Wrong. Not anymore. Each strain has its own specific therapeutic properties, based largely on its terpene profile. It goes way beyond my initial understanding that sativa strains were the espressos of Cannabis, while the indica strains were the booze. One goes up, one goes down. Again, everybody has a different sensitivity to sativas and indicas, but it’s a good rule of thumb.
Depending on the day, I use specific sativa strains to treat everything from pain and anxiety to GI and concentration issues. When I need to sleep, an indica works better than an Ambien for insomnia.
Once I understood how terpenes act like specific therapeutics within each strain, everything got better. One of my main issues as a new Cannabis patient was that I had never really enjoyed Cannabis. Not for lack of trying. I tried plenty - once or twice a year from when I was 15 - until, well…let’s just leave it at that. It was always worse than expected. It made me anti-social and then asleep. Neither of those personal states works for me in social situations. Inevitably, my expectation that ‘this time it will be different’ would be shattered again. Terpenes were the game changer for me. I’m eternally grateful to the helpful budtenders along the way who have accumulated hours with me as their student, explaining the specific properties of the various strains according to their terpene profiles. I have found the terpene profiles to be predictive enough to be the driving factor in which strains I purchase. In other words: It’s how I get what I need from my weed. Depending on the day, I use specific sativa Cannabis strains to treat everything from pain and anxiety to GI and concentration issues. When I need to sleep, an indica works better than an Ambien for insomnia. Since I’ve started buying strains based on terpenes, the days when my purse was a mini-pharmacy are solidly far behind me - better living through terpenes. That in itself is all the proof I need that my life has improved since I became an MMMC patient.
-Dysco
SUBMITTED
to MARYLAND LEAF
B AT T LIN G GRA VIT Y he actress Bette Davis once said that getting old is not for the faint of heart. And the reason for this assessment of absolute accuracy is because after managing your life over the Earth’s crust for enough seasons, the force of attraction by which terrestrial bodies tend to fall toward the center of the Earth begins to have an effect on your physicality. That’s what gravity is. But don’t be mad. You see, it is this pull of weight that has afforded us a body at all. Unless you believe we were put here by a superhuman being or spirit, worshiped as having power over nature or human fortunes. Thank God for the dictionary. Wait, my bad, he didn’t create that - a man named Robert Cawdrey did in the year 1604. Or did God create it through him? Hold on, shouldn’t God be referred to with gender neutrality now? Anyway, back to gravity. Our energy attracts the matter that forms muscle, bone, etc. And with the pressure of gravity, your substance grows. And if you are not working the muscle, what occurs is atrophy, eventually resulting in immobility and death. So, it is this force of gravity that has allowed all organisms on Earth to develop and proliferate. If you don’t use it, you lose it. Recently, I went a week without walking due to being bedridden as a result of an injury and with the first attempt, it was clear my muscles had begun the physiological process of atrophy. Now, taking steps along a firm sidewalk was like navigating a massive trampoline surface. Or like a cat walking in booties. Thankfully, Cannabis gets you lifted.
T
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leafnationmd.com
by Mike Ricker
Sept. 2020
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