Alaska Leaf – May 2018

ALASKA LEAF The patient’s voice since 2010

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may 2018

THE BEHIND THE SCENES ISSUE

ISSUE 25

akleaf.cOM @AKLEAFMAG

SHINING A LIGHT ON CANNABIS STORIES BIG AND SMALL

Orange Diesel

by BAM Alaska

inside cannabis news from around the country National 8 budtender of the month Profile 20 the tv sports commentator relying on cannabis Highly 24 VEGAN STONER COOKBOOK Review 52 ELEGANT CANNABIS DISHES Recipes 54

ALASKA LEAF

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contents

| EMAIL NWLEAF@GMAIL.COM

MAY 2018

20 BUDTENDER

In Fairbanks, we chat with a caring, devoted budtender at GoodSinse — meet Cat May.

48

PATIENT PROFILE

A determined mother set out to save the life of her miracle girl, Maddie, through Cannabis use.

54 CANNA CROSTATA Two elegant dishes to try out this weekend.

ANCHORAGE CANNABIS BUSINESS ASSOCIATION | 32 HOUSE OF GREEN AND BAM ALASKA | 34 BLOWING GLASS WITH JEROME BAKER | 36

BEHIND THE SCENES @BERMANPHOTOS

YOUR BUDTENDER IS NOT YOUR DOCTOR | 40 STOCKPOT IMAGES | 44 MIRACLE MADDIE SURVIVES WITH CANNABIS | 48

07 08 16 20 24 28 32 34 36 40 44 48 52 54

EDITOR’S NOTE NATIONAL CANNABIS NEWS ALASKA CANNABIS NEWS BUDTENDER OF THE MONTH HIGHLY LIKELY STRAIN OF THE MONTH BEHIND THE SCENES // ACBA HOUSE OF GREEN & BAM ALASKA HEATING UP IN SEATTLE BUDTENDERLY ADVICE STOCKPOT IMAGES MIRACLE MADDIE BOOK REVIEW TASTY RECIPES

ON THE COVER vertical integration

Orange Diesel / pg. 34 PHOTO BY BOOM MEDIA

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contents

ALASKA LEAF ALASKA LEAF ALASKA LEAF THE PATIENT’S VOICE since 2010

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may 2016

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apr. 2017

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June 2017

Arctic blue strain

by Arctic Blue Farms

THE FIRST ISSUE

POLITICS

THE GLASS ISSUE

ROCK THE VALLEY VOTE & CITY SMOKING BANS

TASTY RECIPES 3 WAYS TO COOK WITH CANNABIS

REHASHED NORTHWEST CANNABIS CLASSIC Best Store Winner Pakalolo Supply Co.

pg. 32

HEALTH

ISSUE 1

DR. SCANDERSON ON HOW TO BECOME A GOOD GROWER

JAMES GLADLE @HONEYPITGLASS

Piece of Mind Alaska

ISSUE 14

GROWING

From the team behind Northwest Leaf and Oregon Leaf comes Alaska's only monthly Cannabis magazine...

ISSUE 12

THE POWER OF BEING GRATEFUL

ALASKA LEAF ALASKA LEAF ALASKA LEAF THE PATIENT’S VOICE since 2010

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JuLY 2017

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Feb. 2017

WHY CANNABIS CONSUMERS ARE HAPPIER

Pg. 8

inside

MAKING TASTY SUMMER EDIBLES

Pg. 8-12

Pg.22

budtender of the month profile

SUBMIT YOUR VERY BEST POTOGRAPHY!

Pg. 16

Pg.54

rehashing thc fair anchorage

GOD’S GIFT

pg. 28-29

STRAIN OF THE MONTH

TANANA HERB CO.

DABBING 101 / VAPE CARTRIDGES / ROSIN / CO2 OIL / FULL EXTRACT CANNABIS OIL / DISTILLATE / THC-A / HASH / EHO / WATERTECH

EDIBLES

VALENTINE'S DAY TREATS THAT WILL GET YOU HIGH FROM LAURIE & BRUCE WOLF Pg. 32 HEALTH & SCIENCE

SIMONE FISCHER PLANS A CANNABIS DATE NIGHT FOR STAYING HOME ISSUE 10

Pg. 52

CONCENTRATES

Pg. 12

INSIDE

ISSUE 15

ISSUE 16

SUBMIT YOUR very BEST POTOGRAPHY!

NEWS

ALASKA NEWS UPDATE: RECREATIONAL STORES SLOWLY START TO OPEN

17-PAGE

FEATURE

Pg. 20

Pg. 32

P R O C E S S E D BY E I N S T E I N L A B S GROWN BY PEACE FROG BOTANICALS

Pg. 20

national cannabis news and political update

cannabis sandwiches for summer

PLATINUM HUCKLEBERRY COOKIES BHO

Adventures into the Uncharted World of weed

Pg. 44

GROWTECH

PART 1 OF 2 OF DR. SCANDERSON'S GUIDE TO SOW VS. CLONE Pg. 50

ALASKA LEAF ALASKA LEAF THE PATIENT’S VOICE since 2010

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Aug. 2016

Wishing you a blessed & blazed new year!

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jan. 2018

T H E S T R AI N S & G E N E T I C S I S SU E

around the nation News 8-10 weed yoga is here with marijuasana Feature 18 budtender of the month Profile 20

6/MAY 2018 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

ISSUE 4

ISSUE 20

how cannabis helps battle lyme disease Profile 22 wake and bake for breakfast Recipes 46 traveling high & tripping hard Reviews 52

Alaska Leaf turns 2! See other favorite covers & past editions online! www.Issuu.com/nwleaf

pg. 32-43 Going behind the scenes at the tissue culture lab of House of Cultivar, which grows robust buds with cutting edge methods.

ALASKA LEAF

the truth about the plant you thought you knew, IN every issue.

editor’s note Contact editor Wes Abney to place an

advertisement or become a drop-off location to display our magazine. You can also feel free to just share feedback, send pitches, articles, story ideas and hot news tips. This is all our plant.

NWLeaf@gmail.com // 206-235-6721

FOUNDER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Wes Abney

PHOTOGRAPHER & DESIGNER

Daniel Berman

CONTRIBUTORS BOOM MEDIA, PHOTOS SARAH CLIMACO, EDITING STEVE ELLIOTT, NATIONAL NEWS SIMONE FISCHER, HEALTH & SCIENCE DR. SCANDERSON, GROWTECH DR. SCOTT D. ROSE, HEALTH ALIZA SHERMAN, FEATURES PACER STACKTRAIN, FEATURES BRANDON VOSIKA, ILLUSTRATION LAURIE & BRUCE WOLF, RECIPES

MAY 2018 ISSUE #25

Follow us as we go Behind the Scenes! this is our first look behind the scenes of the Cannabis

industry, and I hope that you enjoy all the different profiles, people and companies that make the system work. It takes a lot to bring Cannabis to sale legally, much more than most realize, and it takes a collective effort to make it happen. I am honored to share the profiles we have this month and to highlight the folks making it happen.

On that note, I’d like to touch on the team here at the Leaf, and how much it takes to put these magazines together each month. While we have a big footprint with the magazines, it’s a small core of dedicated staff who grind and stress each month until these magazines are done.

Without our team members, namely Daniel Berman handling design and photography, we wouldn’t have a magazine. Not to mention the dozen or more writers, editors, delivery drivers, and everyone else who helps make the magazine happen.

Behind the scenes, we are here to serve you, the reader, and the Cannabis industry. We do this by selling ads to fund our printing each month, and by counting on readers to pick up and enjoy the magazine.

NATE WILLIAMS, PRODUCTION

ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR Joshua Stahle Josh@AKleaf.com 907-317-2536

Please email or call us to discuss print and online advertising opportunities in an upcoming issue.

We do not sell stories or coverage. We are happy to offer design services with Kush Creative Group and can provide guidance on the best approaches for promoting any medical, recreational, commercial or industrial product and pursuit. We are targeted.

FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF FOLLOW US @AKLEAFMAG FREE DIGITAL ARCHIVES: ISSUU.COM/NWLEAF VISIT WWW.A K L EAF.COM

Department of Corrections

If we have made a factual error or mistake please let us know.

We welcome reader feedback. Please email Wes@NWLeaf.com

It is truly a blessing to be able to publish each month, and not something we, or you, should take for granted. Without support from advertisers and the industry, we would not be here. So, thank you for reading, for the companies that advertise, and those thinking about supporting the Leaf. When you pick up or support us, you help more than just our company grow. You help spread our message, of quality Cannabis journalism, and telling the truth about the plant we all love. Thanks for reading and enjoy!

IT TAKES A LOT TO BRING CANNABIS TO SALE LEGALLY, MUCH MORE THAN MOST REALIZE, AND IT TAKES A COLLECTIVE EFFORT TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.

—Wes Abney MAY 2018 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

/7

national

STEVE ELLIOTT is the editor behind tokesignals.com, an independent blog of Cannabis news and opinion.

OREGON’S TOO GOOD AT GROWING CANNABIS

O

regonians are really skilled at growing marijuana. Maybe they’re too good. State officials in February announced that 1.1 million pounds of Cannabis flower was in the state’s database. But last year, Oregon customers

consumed just under 340,000 pounds of legal weed.

State farmers have grown three times the amount that the entire state of Oregon can smoke in a year.

Prices for “regular” bud has come down to $4 or $5 a gram due to the oversupply. Pounds have fallen from $1,500 last summer to $700 by midOctober. One grower told Willamette Week he sold 60 pounds of indoor-grown Cannabis at auction for $100 a pound.

“Currently, we’re operating at a $15,000-per-month loss,” said the grower, who’d invested $250,000 in an indoor farm.

The number of marijuana growers in Oregon is set to double this summer, according to state licensing documents. Basically, the Oregon Liquor Control Commission issues a license to anyone who is qualified.

Prices have fallen so low many farmers are hurting.

Some of the pain has even extended to the pot shops, who aren’t happy about $4 grams, reports Willamette Week.

“The business has been up and down and up and down,” said Don Morse, who closed his Southwest Portland dispensary, Human Collective II, five months ago Family owned mom-and-pop marijuana farms are taking low-ball offers from out-of-state investors. What was once a local market is increasingly being taken over by a few big players since state lawmakers in 2016 allowed money from outside the state into the industry.

“The root of the entire thing was an allowance of outside money into Oregon,” said Myron Chadowitz, who owns a Eugene marijuana farm called “Cannassentials.” “Unlimited money and unlimited licenses, you’re going to get unlimited flower and crash the market.”

To add to the issue, federal law enforcement is watching. “We have an identifiable and formidable marijuana overproduction and diversion problem,” said US Attorney Billy Williams earlier this year. “We’re going to do something about it.”

8/may 2018 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

WHY MICHIGAN HAS YET TO AWARD ANY MEDICAL MARIJUANA LICENSES

O

n April 19, 2017, the Michigan Medical Marijuana Licensing Board gave preliminary approval to nine applications, denied two and postponed action on another. But that seemingly

good news serves to highlight the fact that 16 months after the Michigan Legislature regulated and taxed the medical Cannabis industry, not a single business has been awarded a license.

The medical marijuana business has been estimated to be at least a $700 million business in Michigan, reports the Detroit Free Press. Dispensaries already serving patients are facing a June 15, 2018 deadline to either get licensed or shut down.

“There was a lot to be done after the law was passed,” said Andrew Brisbo, director of the Michigan Bureau of Medical Marijuana Regulation.

“We had to get an IT system set up, build an organization and hire employees.”

Businesses still operating after June 15, 2018, could risk their chance at a license, according to David Harns, spokesman for the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs.

But, he said, “LARA does not currently intend to issue cease-and-desist letters nor refer to law enforcement any applicant who turned in their state application by local attestation by Feb. 15, 2018, has a pending application and is making a good faith effort to become licensed by LARA.” The state in March sent cease-and-desist orders to more than 200 medical marijuana facilities operating without having submitted a license application.

STRIVING TO ENLIGHTEN AND SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY TO LIVE HEALTHY AND INSPIRED LIVES PASSIONATE CANNABIS PROFESSIONALS FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED WEEKLY SPECIALS MONTHLY FIRST FRIDAYS CUSTOMER LOYALTY PROGRAM

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Marijuana has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming and addictive. Marijuana impairs concentration, coordination, and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under its influence. There are health risks associated with consumption of marijuana. For use only by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of the reach of children. Marijuana should not be used by women who are pregnant or breast feeding

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IT’S ALMOST THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN

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EDIBLES SHOWCASE Bake-off contestants will offer ready-to-eat bite-size samples to judges live during the event to crown Best Edible in Alaska. Get ready for the freshest and most delicious edibles competition ever!

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REGISTER AS A JUDGE Want an exclusive, one-of-a-kind experience? Register online today to become one of just 25 Official Classic Judges and get ready to pickup your judges kit on April 20.

CANNABIS

S D R A W A Y R T S

INDU

VOTE FOR THE BEST Vote for your favorite budtender, retail store and more and then be sure to promote your picks to help them win!

NOMINATIONS DUE BY

3/31/18

VOTES DUE BY

4/30/18

national

STEVE ELLIOTT is the editor behind tokesignals.com, an independent blog of Cannabis news and opinion.

Smith Rock

DESCHUTES COUNTY SEEKS CANNABIS CRACKDOWN

D

eschutes County, Oregon is trying to crack down on illegal cannabis production by hiring two new enforcement officers.

County commissioners also want to limit new legal grows by pausing the processing of applications to grow. The move from the

Deschutes County Commission is one of the latest efforts by conservative counties in Oregon to control an industry they claim is growing too fast.

Officials in Josephine County — a prime growing area in southern Oregon — in April went even farther. They sued the state in federal court, asserting state laws are pre-empted by federal marijuana prohibition.

The Josephine County Commission in December tried to ban and restrict Cannabis farming on rural residential lots, but the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals put those restrictions on hold.

Meanwhile, back in Deschutes County, the sheriff and D.A. are complaining that it’s hard to differentiate between legal and black market marijuana crops.

That’s why the Board of Commissioners in April started the process to hire two more members for the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement (CODE) team to focus on Cannabis enforcement.

“The new limited duration marijuana enforcement staff would solely focus on marijuana cases, complaints, and compliance,” said Deschutes County official Nick Lelack, reports the Insurance Journal.

The new staffers, who will be temporary hires, will likely be a deputy sheriff and a Bend police officer, according to Lelack.

12/may 2018 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

Pullman, Wash.

WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY RESEARCHING CANNABIS AND HEALTH

R

esearchers at Washington State University are looking a variety of potential health impacts of Cannabis. Issues being studied include the

effects of marijuana on pregnant women, young people, and those with chronic pain.

The scientists are also studying public and professional attitudes toward weed, its relationship to tobacco, and how Cannabis stimulates the appetite.

The projects, all of which comply with federal law, were awarded recently

by WSU’s Alcohol and Drug Abuse Research Program. The work is funded by Washington state Cannabis taxes and liquor license fees. The program is aimed at pilot projects which focus on “drug abuse” in the state.

In the last three years, the program has awarded no fewer than 28 Cannabisrelated research grants.

“Funding for these pilot grants is essential because it allows us to expand our research at WSU to investigate some of the most pressing questions related to the impact of Cannabis on health,” said Michael McDonnell, associate professor in the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine. McDonnell chairs WSU’s Committee on Cannabis Research and Outreach.

“Pain relief is the most commonly reported medical use of marijuana,” according to the grant abstract. Clinical trials suggest it can being “significant pain relief” and may be safer than opioids. The WSU project is the first to characterize the pain-relieving effects of vaporized marijuana, according to the abstract.

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political update

MAY

By ALIZA SHERMAN for ALASKA LEAF | ILLUSTRATION by BRANDON VOSIKA

CANNABIS LEGALIZATION NEWS AROUND ALASKA INDUSTRIAL HEMP MADE LEGAL IN ALASKA

Hemp can now be grown as an agricultural commodity, opening up new farming and business opportunities throughout the state.

In April, Alaska Governor Bill Walker signed Senate Bill 6 into law which separates hemp from the definition of Cannabis, removing the plant from Alaska’s list of controlled substances.

Cannabidiol or CBD, a non-psychoactive derivative of industrial hemp, was previously banned from being sold in legal Cannabis shops in the state.

In February of 2017, Alaska Alcohol and Marijuana Control Office enforcement officers seized CBD-infused products from 10 Cannabis shops after the DEA made some misleading statements about the legality of industrial hemp-derived CBD. “Removing CBD from the definition of marijuana will alleviate the double standard of CBD enforcement on MJ businesses not suffered by health food stores and grant greater access to people suffering from ailments that CBD treats,” said Alaska Marijuana Industry Association Board President (AMIA), Brandon Emmett.

In a November 2017 meeting, the World Health Organization’s Expert Committee on Drug Dependence (ECDD) wrote in a statement that “cannabidiol does not appear to have abuse potential or cause harm.”

The bill was filed by Senator Shelley Hughes and passed unanimously by both the Alaska Senate, 18 to 0, and House of Representatives, 36 to 0.

CIT Y COUNCIL DISCUSSES BUFFER ZONES, ON SITE CONSUMPTION

Toward the end of April, Fairbanks City Council met in a work session to discuss buffer zones, on-site consumption and putting a cap on the number of Cannabis shops within city limits. The proposed ordinance would increase the buffer distance between Cannabis-related businesses and “sensitive” residential and school areas.

Both supporters and A large turnout of both supporters and opponents of opponents of the proposed ordinance the proposed ordinance seemed to agree on one thing: seemed to agree they wanted Cannabis to be regulated like alcohol. on one thing: they Each side, however, interpreted what that meant based wanted Cannabis on their viewpoint. For example, one supporter wanted regulated like alcohol. to allow Cannabis consumption on site like alcohol consumption is allowed. An opponent said he’d like to see both treated equally and wanted them both banned.

Once the public hearing was over, Fairbanks Mayor Jim Matherly said the council will consider adopting the current ordinance or an amended version of it on May 9th.

ACCESS TO CANNABIS POSSESSION CONVICTION INFORMATION RESTRICTED

In Juneau, a measure sponsored by Rep. Harriet Drummond, a Democrat, passed that would place some restrictions on access to records of past convictions for Cannabis possession. The bill specifically addresses convictions for possession of less then an ounce of Cannabis for individuals 21 years of age or older with no other convictions.

The purpose of the bill is to address the fact that as of 2014, Alaskans approved adult-use of Cannabis by adults 21 and older. By restricting access to convictions prior to that time, individuals have less barriers to jobs. As of press time, the bill was going to the Senate.

STEEP HILL TESTING LAB CLOSES / NEW FRONTIER RESEARCH OPENS

One of Alaska’s Cannabis labs, Steep Hill, is closing down due to Wells Fargo calling in their loan once the bank learned that Steep Hill was a Cannabis business. The closure is said to be temporary and comes at the heels of a statewide dispute over Cannabis testing irregularities.

New Frontier Research in Wasilla recently opened, bringing the number of testing labs in Alaska back to two, including Anchorage-based CannTest.

At press time, the independent report from DEC’s Environmental Health Lab audit of Steep Hill and CannTest’s Cannabis testing results was still pending.

Editor’s note: In last month’s Alaska Leaf, the Governor of Alaska was incorrectly edited as Gov. Scott Walker. We assure you that the Alaska news columnist is aware that the Governor of Alaska is Gov. Bill Walker.

16/MAY 2018 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

This is a marijuana product. Marijuana has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming and addictive. Marijuana impairs concentration, coordination and judgement. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under its influence.

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alaska leaf

Interview by WES ABNEY | PHOTO by @BERMANPHOTOS

Each month, the Alaska Leaf crew meets to select one special budtender that stands out above the rest! Tell us who you think should be the next Alaska Leaf Budtender of the Month and why they deserve it!

FIRST CANNABIS EXPERIENCE?

“A lot of folks come in and know exactly what they want and then others don’t have any idea”

Oh lord, I started smoking the age of 12.

Yes, I have been actually smoking that long, my older brother turned me on to marijuana. It was a new experience and it was fun, and we did it on the weekends together. I’ve always loved smoking Cannabis. My only break was when I was pregnant with my child in 1986. I’ve been smoking ever since.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN PART OF THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY? I did booze service for 40 years and I was so tired of doing what I was doing. But I always had the love for Cannabis, and I saw the benefits it has for everyone. When it became legal here I decided to give it a shot.

So I got my handlers certificate, and this was the first place I ever applied. I’ve been at Good Sinse for over a year now, and I’m so excited that we have an industry. So many people are benefitting by being able to go into a store, rather than the black market, to buy what they need for personal use.

HOW DO YOU HELP CUSTOMERS FIND THE BEST CANNABIS OR PRODUCTS FOR THEM? I talk to them and ask what they are looking for. A lot of folks come in and know exactly what they want and then others don’t have any idea what they are looking for in strains or products. So, I talk and try to lead them and teach what I have learned and help them find what suits them. More and more, I’m convincing people that higher THC is not the way to goodsinse 2604 Davis Rd. go. If you want a really nice Fairbanks, AK high that lasts more than an (907) 347-7689 hour, go 14 to 18 percent THC strain. It’s not going to last as long, and a lot of people need to be more educated about Cannabis. I talk to everyone and try to see what they want to do or what they are needing Cannabis for, and guide them in the right direction.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ASPECT OF THE JOB?

I love interacting with people and hearing their stories about how Cannabis has changed their lives. For me, interacting and hearing what the plant has done for them is the most rewarding part. Whether they’re trying to get off prescription drugs or trying to deal with pain or sleep issues, to bea patient that a cancer center sent over to get CBD to help with their sickness.

HOW DO YOU LIKE TO CONSUME CANNABIS? I’m just an old-time smoker, I prefer to smoke the flower. I usually smoke it in a preroll or in a glass piece.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE CANNABIS STRAINS AND EFFECTS?

For GoodSinse, the Oh Yea that just came out, it’s a straight Sativa. And [also] our GoodSinse Cookies Kush. It’s an indica that helps me sleep at night. My favorite outdoor grower is Tanana Herb Co. and their Cinderella, that is my favorite strain out there. When we don’t have it on our shelves, I do smoke our Oh Yea. I’m a sativa person, it’s what I look for. For years before budtending, we had a few plants and they were always indica – I was always more laid back and lethargic. When I started working at GoodSince, I learned about Cannabis and effects. I found out about sativa strains, and my whole life switched around, now I’m energetic and ready to get up each day.

20/MAY 2018 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

budtender of the month

CAT MAY

Cat May is an energetic and enthusiastic person who loves helping people find the right weed. She has an infectious energy that makes a stop to GoodSinse feel like a visit to an old friend, and it’s become her passion and work to help as a budtender.

WHY DO YOU LIKE WORKING AT GOODSINSE? GoodSinse is an electrifying place to work, Dan and Danielle Peters are an amazing couple and business owners. They put forth the effort to find out what you need personally and try to make you excel at what you are doing. Everyone is positive there and so forthcoming with information, or anything that you need. I tell them thanks for giving this old girl a chance, they saw something in me, and so I thank them every day.

HOBBIES AND INTERESTS OUTSIDE CANNABIS? I like to hang out with my family. I have a grandchild on the way, my dog and my husband, I’m pretty much a homebody. I do a lot of gardening and grow my own vegetables.

ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO MENTION? Fairbanks keep doing what you’re doing!

We’re slowly but surely beating the stereotyping of the Cannabis world and a big shout out to Shaun Holt, our GM as well!

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This is a marijuana product. Marijuana has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming and addictive. Marijuana impairs concentration, coordination and judgement. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under its influence.

There are health risks associated with consumption of marijuana. For use only by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of reach of children. Marijuana should not be used by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

This is a marijuana product. Marijuana has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming and addictive. Marijuana impairs concentration, coordination and judgement. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under its influence. There are health risks associated with consumption of marijuana. For use only by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of reach of children. Marijuana should not be used by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

highly likely

By PACER STACKTRAIN for ALASKA LEAF

Highlighting amazing Cannabis pioneers who helped pave the way to greater herbal acceptance.

Column # 25

JOHN SALLEY Why the health-focused former NBA player and sports commentator uses Cannabis John Salley is a rare, four-time NBA

health and the environmental benefits of the vegan lifestyle. He’s even champion who earned that honor with been a spokesperson for PETA. Addithree different franchises through his stotionally, Salley is a regular Cannabis ried career. His friendly smile and evensmoker, often consuming Cannabis more-camera-friendly demeanor have after his morning workout. made him one of the most sought-after He’s not alone. He has joined spokespeople in the game. In his career, the growing list of celebrities that he’s worked as a sports broadcaster and are starting their own Cannabis analyst, actor, talk show host and combrands. The company, Deuces22 mentator and done just about everything (named after Salley’s #22 on NBA there is to do in the entertainment inteams) hasn’t officially launched dustry. And now, he’s a proud Cannabis yet – but Salley says they’ll feature business owner. sustainably grown Cannabis oil The winner of four championship rings, and flower. with three different teams, in three differ“Cannabis helps me relax my body. ent decades and two different millenniCombining it with a healthy lifestyle ums says he started smoking Cannabis gives me the feeling of wellness I like. in 1996. At this time he was 36 years It’s not just one thing… It’s a whole old and in the last few months of his pro way of life,” Salley career. He’s said that told High Times. his first experiences THE WINNER OF FOUR CHAMPIONSHIP This is also a famwith the herb were so RINGS, WITH THREE DIFFERENT TEAMS, ily business. Salley’s positive because of IN THREE DIFFERENT DECADES AND daughter, Tyla, serves how much better he slept and how much TWO DIFFERENT MILLENNIUMS SAYS HE as the President and CEO of Deuces22, better his body felt STARTED SMOKING CANNABIS IN 1996. shares that same (including during his perspective—and is also a vegan. final NBA playoff series.) In an on-theOf all the big four sports (NBA, street interview with TMZ, he explained NFL, NHL and MLB), the NBA seems that smoking Cannabis rather than using to be the best equipped to allow it’s pharmaceuticals would likely have explayer to benefit from the healthy role tended his career. He noted in the interthat Cannabis can play in a sports view that “Cannabis fits into my healthy career. lifestyle because it allows me to medicate As to the NBA’s “don’t ask, don’t without damaging my liver, my kidneys tell” policy with Cannabis? “This is a or my spleen. In addition, I don’t have to thing that literally brings peace, calm look like an old man, I don’t have to take and healing,” Salley says. any drug.”

“I think teams need to invest more What seems to particularly go hand-ininto the thought of [Cannabis.] hand with his Cannabis lifestyle is Salley’s They need to invest more into penchant for healthy living. Throughout what’s going on and into keeping his post-NBA career, he’s become intheir players healthy--not just for creasingly health conscious. while you have them, but for the life As a vegan, he promotes a raw, plantthat comes after.” based diet – noting both the personal

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“Cannabis fits into my healthy lifestyle because it allows me to medicate without damaging my liver, my kidneys or my spleen.

I don’t have to look like an old man, I don’t have to take any drug.”

Thepacerstacktrain@gmail.com Instagram: @ThePacerStackTrain

(1) "Marijuana has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming and addictive;” (2) "Marijuana impairs concentration, coordination, and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under its influence;” (3) "There are health risks associated with consumption of marijuana” (4) "For use only by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of the reach of children;” and (5) "Marijuana should not be used by women who are pregnant or breast feeding;”

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ALASKA Leaf

extremely relaxing and mood enhancing effect that doesn’t let go for a while.

STRAIN OF THE MONTH REVIEW by ALASKA LEAF | PHOTO by BOOM MEDIA

T

he first thing to note about this flower is always the aroma, strong notes of grapefruit prefaced by a sweet tart almost pine sap note.

Visually it’s dense light green color is contrasted by its dusting of trichromes and light orange hairs, the combination of which give the plant an almost surreal aura. The taste is equally as aromatic — upon first inhale you’re met with a thick pungent earthy flavor that’s followed almost immediately by a sweet yet almost sour citrus rind, not quite the sweetness of the juice but the muddled terpenes you’d expect from a grapefruit peel.

On exhale is where you will find that sweet tangy pine sap note to finish off the hit.

The high and effect are easily matched by the flavors and terpenes. The sativa dominant qualities leaves you with a nice tight headband feeling between the eyes nose and forehead.

After 10 minutes the headband subsided and you’re left with an extremely relaxing and mood enhancing effect that doesn’t let go for a while.

All in all, Grapefruit is a great smoke!

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GRAPEFRUIT

Grown by FROST FRONTIER

JUICE

20.3%

THC may 2018 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

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ACBA BEHIND THE SCENES ISSUE

ALL ABOUT

ALASKA LEAF

Photo by John Ragozzino

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By ALASKA LEAF DIRECTOR JOSHUA STAHLE

Every other Wednesday, the old Pioneer Schoolhouse in downtown Anchorage hosts an unlikely event.

As a diverse group of individuals shows up for the occasion, the rooms empty seats slowly fill as chatter starts to flow through the air. It is just about time to start the meeting, so roll is called for this gathering of the Anchorage Cannabis Business Association. Started in March of 2015, the ACBA was created to give a voice to the Cannabis industry in Anchorage. Like-minded business owners joined this group and they found something that they did not have previously: a voice. This community outreach has made strides in the industry and has really allowed the City of Anchorage to receive input from both sides of the Cannabis industry.

“The Anchorage Cannabis Business Association is just a group of people who were interested in starting a Cannabis business in Anchorage,” said Nick Miller, President of the ACBA. “In the early days, we met with the City to provide input to the regulations that were being developed.

We also did a lot of community education outreach with community councils and other groups to answer questions about what a Cannabis business looks like. We put a lot of effort in educating the general public which removed a lot of the concerns that they originally had,” said Miller.

Right after the vote for legalization, the industry was still very much in question as many around the state had reservations against the industry.

With the slower pace of development in the state compared to other states where legalization has occurred, the ACBA’s main goal is to make sure that the new Cannabis industry is treated just like any other industry within the state.

They wanted to do their best to avoid the industry being demonized and to change the minds of those who have never actually viewed Cannabis as a benefit to society.

“The goal of the organization is to normalize Cannabis businesses. We want a Cannabis busi-

ness to be viewed without the old stereotypes that have always been associated with Cannabis. Our members work very hard to be responsible business owners by following all current regulations, participating in community events and providing community education,” said Miller.

The outreach efforts are helping the association and enhancing Cannabis’ public image.

“Many of our members have joined their local community councils boards and other community-based organizations in Anchorage. Most people who have a negative opinion about Cannabis have never really sat down with someone who is in the business and had an honest discussion,” he said. “By interacting with the community on a regular basis they get to know us and discover that we are just like everyone else.

We like to say we are changing minds every day and I really believe that we are.”

These small business owners unite in knowing they have all been through this same process, at the same time. It has definitely not been a short and easy process. The experience the organization has gathered over this time shows.

“The biggest value that we bring to the members is the relationships we have developed over the past three years with the City,” said Miller.

“We have all been through the process of zoning and permitting a business in Anchorage. We can provide guidance and the right person to meet with to solve issues as they arise. We also are very involved and provide input to any new or changing

THE GOAL OF THE ACBA IS TO NORMALIZE CANNABIS BUSINESSES.

Anchorage Cannabis Business Association AnchorageCannabisBusinessAssociation.com

regulations that are being proposed in Anchorage. As an organization that represents several businesses in Anchorage, our input is sought from the city and our support or opposition to any proposed regulations does carry weight.”

My first time going to an ACBA meeting in December of 2017, I noticed right away that these individuals have done more than just start an organization. They have coalesced into something more. They not only work for their businesses but they fight for the whole industry. This has helped to make the Anchorage Cannabis community a tight one.

From their work with the community at large to the input they have made with the City of Anchorage, they have made their presence known. Personally, I feel lucky to have been invited into this circle by various members and I would encourage anyone thinking of entering the industry to get connected with this group.

The resources and expertise that have been gathered over three years are invaluable.

“If a business is considering joining the ACBA, I would at least encourage them to attend a couple of meetings and get to know the other business owners and see what the organization is about,” said Miller. “We have learned several hard lessons over the past three years and are always happy to provide those lessons learned to others. If there is an issue that needs attention, it’s always better to approach the issue with the support of several businesses instead of trying to go it alone.”

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ALASKA LEAF

BEHIND THE SCENES ISSUE

HOUSE OF GREEN

AKCOOKIES

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QUANTUM KUSH

INSIDE THE VERTICALLY INTEGRATED OPERATIONS AT HOUSE OF GREEN, THE CANNABIS RETAIL SHOP, AND BAM ALASKA, THE ONSITE CULTIVATION FACILITY

By ALASKA LEAF DIRECTOR JOSHUA STAHLE | PHOTOS by BOOM MEDIA for ALASKA LEAF

ON

“Mike knew the previous owner of the building, the main road leading from Ted Stevens Inwhich is what started the whole process for us. ternational Airport to downtown Anchorage, The downstairs was perfect for our cultivation, they couldn’t have picked a better spot to set with enough room upstairs for a small retail space. up shop. House of Green is one of AnchorThat enabled us to have a place to directly sell our age’s newest Cannabis retailers and cultivators. products,” said Voth.

But getting to that point was quite an endeavor.

“The first time we opened the door, the interior COMPLICATED PATH didn’t look that bad. It was when we started to take it “This whole thing wouldn’t have been possible apart that a lot of the problems were revealed,” said without our lawyer, Jana Weltzin of JDW Counsel.

Mike Dillard, the President of House of Green and VP She is the one who really made this whole transof BAM Alaska, the cultivation facility downstairs. formation possible,” said Voth.

“We gutted the building down to the studs and “We had to have the city define the legal defithe brick walls downstairs. We tore everything out,” nition of a playground, as well as an athletic field, added Steve Voth, the VP of the House of Green and which were left in this grey area. We thought we President of BAM Alaska. had hit the end of the line twice, thanks to a little “We were not intimidated though. We both come hopscotch thing that is close by. Then she went to from contractor backgrounds.” work to have the city define those terms and got Instead of spending additional funds to make all us through the whole process. She gave us hope of the repairs, they decided to use another form of when we thought we were down and out. currency that they affectionately refer to as Jana took a lot of the guesswork out of “sweat equity.” the whole process and set precedents “We did 90 percent of the work for the industry with the city. We couldn’t ourselves, which helped us cut costs on HouseofGreenAK.com have done this without her.” the renovation. Everything had to go 3105 Minnesota Dr, The final results of their efforts are now on besides a single pipe leading from the Anchorage, AK 99503 full display. Up the stairs to the front door toilet to the city sewer. We knew it was a (907) 929-3105 gets you into the boutique-style retail facility manageable project, and we didn’t want with a friendly and knowledgeable staff. Downstairs is to get in over our heads. We came close, but we where the magic happens at the cultivation facility. pulled it off,” Voth said.

“We pride ourselves on the quality of product that Dillard and Voth have received a gracious we are producing. Almost all of our strains and floatamount of input from the community — thanking ing around in the mid-20s” said Voth, referring to the them for taking the run-down building and turning THC percentage of the flower. it into a respectable place of business.

“We take a lot of love and care of the plants, and “We have received lots of positive feedback with that time and effort, we are seeing the results from the community,” said Dillard. “A lot of people that we like to see. Starting with a seed or clone, each are saying ‘good job,’ thanking us for turning it plant takes about four months before it makes it onto into an operating building. It seemed [that] the the shelves of our store. It has to grow, goes into its building was used by a lot of people that were up flowering stage, then the time to cure and prepare to shenanigans. So, we took a place the neighborthe product. With what we have been producing, we hood worried about and turned it into something couldn’t be happier. It allows us to be picky [about] wonderful, and it is in a great location.” anything else that we bring into the store. It has to pass our standards. We don’t want to sell a mediocre product. We want the best selection.”

Between the renovated building and the products that they have been putting out, House of Green has definitely put themselves on the map. “We want to be the boutique shop with really good Cannabis. We don’t care about being the biggest, we care about the quality of what we are putting out there,” said Voth.

“We took the experiences that we expected out of other businesses and restaurants and made that our goal – [to] provide the best product with the best customer service. We are passionate about what we Steve Voth, President of BAM Alaska do. We believe that is what sets us apart, and hope our customers feel the same way.” and vice president of House of Green.

HOUSE OF GREEN

WE DON’T CARE ABOUT BEING THE BIGGEST, WE CARE ABOUT THE QUALITY OF WHAT WE ARE PUTTING OUT THERE

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ALASKA LEAF

BEHIND THE SCENES ISSUE

HEATING UP

GLASS ARTISTS JEROME BAKER & CREW RING IN 4/20 WEEKEND INTERVIEW by WES ABNEY | PHOTOS by @BERMANPHOTOS

J

erome Baker came to Seattle last month with just one goal in mind: making the world’s largest functional bong. In a tale of two cities, the 24foot monster was crafted in individual segments over 4/20 weekend at a studio in the shadow of the Space Needle. Then it was shipped to Las Vegas to be assembled and put on display this July. Part one of our coverage of this epic event covers Baker’s history as a glassblower and his inspiration for this piece.

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How did you start working with glass?

I’m an artist by art and trade and I started in 1991, where learned from a guy named Bob Snodgrass.

When I started with him it was a very special time.

There wasn’t a lot of glass pipes being made and he invented the color changing glass technique.

At the time, I was going to the University of Oregon when I met Bob. It changed my life when I saw him making pipes.

Bob Snodgrass is a legend! You were in Oregon at a really unique time in glass history.

I came up in Eugene in that heavy-duty glass scene.

I started a company and by 1996 and was doing

$1 million a year in bongs. By 1999, I was doing $4 million a year. We had 70 employees and we prided ourselves on making the best functional art bongs in the world. On February 23, 2003, I was arrested along with Tommy Chong and 55 others in a sting called Operation Pipe Dreams. I was arrested for manufacturing drug paraphernalia.

But that obviously didn’t stop you from making glass!

For me, it’s about art. I make things with my hands, so when I got off probation I was already working at the U of O glass blowing program. I helped create, design and build the equipment and curriculum of the program. I’m also a founding member of the Eugene

Getting it hotter

Safety First

Artist Jerome Baker in Seattle

Morgan Peterson shapes a connection

Glass School. But I did move to Maui and was making non-smoking glass art until around 2012 when Cannabis became popular again. I reignited my brand and have worked in bongs ever since.

Why do you make giant bongs?

My giant bongs are a metaphor for what’s happening in the world, and a great way to crossover art and culture into Cannabis. For me as an artist, I think of the giant green bong and think of the great time we had as a team and the special things that went into the creation. For the public, it’s overwhelming, surreal, massive and a larger than life presence. People will go home remembering the piece and what’s being created in this industry.

That inspired me to get here and move forward.

What excited you about the world’s largest project?

It’s a performance piece, built on the road with a lot of people involved, with a lot of eyes on the process. Documenting the blow and putting it out to the general public, creating awareness to the high intensity and highlights the skill level it takes to create glass in general. It also shows the difference between Chinese imports and the stuff we can do when we put our hearts and passions into it.

What is the process of making glass this size like?

Making a piece like this requires equipment and a shop with the right tools to create such massive pieces of glass, so there’s a lot of logistics involved in planning to make these. Plus, feeding and housing the team on top of planning and building.

The most magical moment is when you have the team on the floor and a dance happens. It’s a communication thing without talking.

The people we hire are incredibly skilled and have been doing this glass dance for 10 years or more. And production goes from the first blow into the bubble, handing it off to the back team who finishes it. Then a side team doing marbles, each team works together while dancing around the whole shop. The whole thing is like a big ballet. It’s something you only get in a moment when a team is working together in harmony.

How much glass will be used total in the process?

About 1,000 pounds of glass in it. We also have to find special glass, it’s made entirely of uranium glass, which is hard to find and handle. But once we get it into the bong and hit it with blacklight it lights up like Superman’s kryptonite. It will have a very spiritual presence when it is finally on display.

When is the final process and where will it be on display?

The piece will be made in multiple parts, each has to be cut and polished, with at least three weeks of cutting and polishing ahead of us. We made custom wood crates for each section, trucked them to Vegas, offloaded and we will start to construct it in June. It’s going on display at the new Cannabition gallery in the heart of Fremont in Las Vegas.

We will do a big unveiling in July and a smoke out. Then it will stay on display and be JEROMEBAKER.COM for sale until it finds a @Jerome_Baker home, with a price tag MauiGlassblowing.com around $150,000.

What has been the best part of the project so far?

For me, I feel like it’s a great thing because it helps my cause and my brand projection.

It’s functional glass and that’s where I have my roots. A bong is a tool – more than just a pretty piece. You use it to get inspired and I’m helping change people’s thought processes.

I enjoy using my artwork as a tool for a change of perspective.

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CELEBRATING OUR 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY!

MAY 25

TH

ALASKA LEAF

BEHIND THE SCENES ISSUE

YOUR BUDTENDER

IS NOT

YOUR DOCTOR Budtenders can offer advice for how certain strains will work, generally, but it’s not medical advice.

By JANELLE LASSALLE @JENKHARI for ALASKA LEAF | PHOTO by @BERMANPHOTOS

W

was fired from his job for testing positive for THC, despite using a tincture he was told was “CBD only,” people had lots to say on the subject.

Some folks were straightforward and degrading in their remarks, saying the man should have at least Googled it before trying it out. While a few expressed pity, many others disparaged “the system” in general, saying that the use of a CBD product alone shouldn’t warrant losing one’s employment.

“His story highlights a problem I’ve seen half a dozen times this year: people with legitimate health problems ‘consulting’ with dispensary sales staff. This is essentially practicing medicine without a license,” wrote user Seems2Me in a comment on WWeek.com.

The fact that this man put the fate of his livelihood in the hands of a budtender when the stakes were so high is a sign that something has gone amiss.

Somewhere along the line we’ve failed to properly educate consumers and this is the living proof.

“Last November, Jeff Anderson, 62, started taking a daily dose of a hemp tincture to treat the pain from his psoriatic arthritis—a chronic inflammation of the skin and joints,“ wrote Karina Brown at Willamette Week.

Anderson had driven for Beaverton School District for 18 years, Brown notes. The tincture alleviated his pain and he thought he was in the clear using CBD. “I was emphatic when I walked into the dispensary that I can’t test positive for THC,” Anderson told Willamette Week.

“My job was on the line, and I don’t know about this stuff. I’m not a biochemist. But I lost my job, I lost health insurance for me and my daughter, I’m living on peanuts. And I don’t feel like I did anything wrong other than trust in a company.”

This isn’t to say budtenders are automatically unreliable sources of information. Many are fueled by their hen an Oregon public school bus driver

40/MAY 2018 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

passion for the industry as patients or caregivers Though our cheery smiles may brighten your day we and do their best to educate themselves as much as can’t take the place of a licensed professional when it possible. Some even undergo special training like comes to maintaining your health and wellness. in the East Fork Cultivars’ CBD Certified Program Cannabis can help manage pain, reduce anxiety, while others commit on a personal level, attending improve mood and many other grand things, but it’s classes, workshops and seminars. not a magic cure all and should not be your lone methUltimately, budtenders are only people. We have od of treatment for serious conditions. a social responsibility to honor and we do our best You can seek out a medical marijuana doctor, of to uphold that, but we’re limited in the amount of course, but don’t be scared to broach the subject with information we have access to on a daily basis. your primary care doctor, either.

Dispensaries have limited resources to work with, Oregon residents take solace in knowing that the and while they do their best to educate their budOregon Health Authority is required to provide “guidetenders there’s still only so much they can realistilines for attending physicians to follow when recomcally achieve. mending the medical use of marijuana for the purpose “It’s really hard for dispensaries to have the reof mitigating the symptoms or effects of a debilitating sources to run their own educamedical condition.” tional programs or to pay for those So if your doctor agrees medical resources,” said Anna Symonds, marijuana is a good idea, then they THOUGH OUR CHEERY SMILES education and partnership managare obligated “to provide that patient MAY BRIGHTEN YOUR DAY WE with a... thorough patient evaluation, er for East Fork Cultivars.

“Some are able to manage it, treatment and follow-up plan.”

CAN’T TAKE THE PLACE OF A but oftentimes it’s left up to individThere’s also the promise of a more LICENSED PROFESSIONAL WHEN “patient-centered, integrative cannaual budtenders to try and educate themselves, which can also be a big IT COMES TO MAINTAINING YOUR binoid care” at American Cannabitask. There are some good educanoid Clinics, where the Knox clan of HEALTH AND WELLNESS. tional programs available, but not doctors have created a system that everyone can afford the fees.” focuses on advising patients on the Budtenders want to help. But we’re not doctors. use of medical Cannabis for illness and chronic disWe aren’t discouraging you from asking queseases. ​It’s also a good idea to sit down and do some tions; rather, we are urging you to get the help you research for yourself. deserve. We want to help but we can’t do it for you.

Learning what terpenes your body is attracted to is We can only point you in the right direction. a far more reliable indication if a cultivar will work for If you’re suffering from a life-threatening illness; you over THC percentage alone, and that provides you experience debilitating pain as the result of a severe with invaluable information you can take back to your injury, have a chronic condition or any other condidoctor. This can then help you better tailor a plan to tion that can’t simply be bandaged up, I implore you tackle your specific health issues head-on. to please seek the help of a medical professional.

Good luck in your quest. We’re rooting for you.

Janelle Lassalle is a lifestyle writer, new contributor to Alaska Leaf and a budtender at Jayne in Portland.

This is a marijuana product. Marijuana has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming and addictive. Marijuana impairs concentration, coordination and judgement. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under its influence.

There are health risks associated with consumption of marijuana. For use only by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of reach of children. Marijuana should not be used by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

ALASKA LEAF

BEHIND THE SCENES ISSUE

Photo by Linus Shentu/StockPot Images

44/MAY 2018 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

INTERVIEW by WES ABNEY | PHOTOS by @STOCKPOTIMAGES CONTRIBUTORS

[STOCKPOT IMAGES] Ophelia Chong is the founder of StockPot Images, a stock photography company that focuses solely on Cannabis, from consumption to lifestyle and everything in between. She’s a creative and inspiring entrepreneur who has taught as an art school professor and now works to educate through messaging of Cannabis. She is also the creator of Asian Americans for Cannabis Education, and a partner at Bevel Group, which seeks to help Cannabis brands expand into new markets. We had the pleasure of chatting with her about the stigma Cannabis users face, and how photos have the power to change how Cannabis is perceived worldwide.

How did Cannabis come into your life?

What brought me to it was my friends who brought Cannabis over when my parents were away. This was all Canadian weed, in Toronto where I grew up. It was seeds and twigs, basically ditch weed back in the early 80’s, and I kept thinking is that all there is?

I didn’t smoke again until I came to California.

What brought Cannabis back into your life?

What spurred me three years ago was my sister’s autoimmune disease. She was shrinking down to 80 pounds and all her soft tissues were hardening.

Although she lives in a country where Cannabis isn’t allowed, she tried it and it helped her.

I hadn’t touched it except the occasional joint at a party in years, but she asked me for help getting her medicine since I lived in California, and suddenly I was going into dispensaries in Los Angeles and I had no idea what I was walking into.

What was the Los Angeles dispensary experience like then?

I went to a place to get my card and asked where to buy Cannabis, and the lady said next door. So I went into an alley to meet a guy who had a gun, and he lets me into a tiny little room filled with furniture from garage sales and Bob Marley posters.

I was buying for my sister but had to pretend it was for me, so I told them I can’t sleep and don’t want to smoke, and they gave me two cookies and said just eat a little bit and you’ll be totally fine. The first night she ate a little and was totally fine, but the next night she ate way too much and had an edible horror story. She was puking and I was watching her and the first thought that came to my mind was “woah,

she’s a stoner.” Then the next thought slapped me on head – I just stereotyped my own sister. I realized at that moment about stereotypes and how they affect our vision of weed.

How did that experience lead you to take action?

I worked in a stock photo agency previously, so I went to Getty Images and typed in “pot, weed & MMJ.” The images that came up of people smoking had keywords which tag and track images, and they were words like addict, addition, illegal, convict, drug dealer. Especially for people of color. I looked at this and said that’s how they view my sister. From that moment it hit me, I needed to start my own stock agency and change this perception, and Stock Pot Images was created January 8th and launched April 20th of that year.

How do you select images for Stock Pot Photography?

I have one big rule, inclusivity. This means no objectification of women, of others, and all people in images have to be real Cannabis users. That’s why our portraits are so powerful, you can see the authenticity.

What kind of photos and people are found in your images?

We have veterans holding Cannabis and pills, little ladies growing, pregnant women using Cannabis, people of color, LGBTQ and more. There are vintage images from the 70s of people growing on Kona, drug busts, and even photos of old drug planes downed in the Bahamas.

I REALIZED AT THAT MOMENT ABOUT STEREOTYPES AND HOW THEY AFFECT OUR VISION OF WEED.” MAY 2018 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

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ALASKA LEAF

BEHIND THE SCENES ISSUE

StockPot Images | Continued from pg. 45

George Post

David Michaels

“IMAGES ARE ABLE TO CHANGE PEOPLE’S OPINIONS WITHOUT USING WORDS OR LANGUAGE.” -Ophelia Chong, StockPot Images founder

Do you feel the images have the power to make a change?

I feel that it is a very subconscious way of educating people. Images are able to change people’s opinions without using words or language. I can show a picture of two people hugging and kissing, to someone doesn’t speak my language, and they will understand that that’s love.

How has StockPot Images grown since starting?

We launched on April 20, 2016, with about 3,000 images and 60 photographers, and that was working 24/7 to make it happen. Now at our third year, we have over 20,000 images and 200 contributing photographers.

Has the business model been successful?

Does it help the photographers?

The backend is all built on a business model that has already been proven. Basically, you put images out that you love, and hopefully find someone who needs them. It’s kind of like dating, when someone finally comes looking for you a photo gets licensed.

I offer the highest photographer commissions in the industry, at 50 percent, because I respect the fact that photographers came out of the closet and want to show their work with their name on it.

What is the benefit of using StockPot Images over another stock photo agency as a Cannabis company?

A lot of new startups want to create their own content, but after a while, you can’t because of cost or staffing. At the lowest end, it’s $15 per image or the largest at $375 for a poster-sized photo – you can’t pay a photographer $15 to go shoot a grow.

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How do you feel about women in the Cannabis industry?

My first objective was to not sexualize women and pust that kind of photography. No nugs between boobs king of thing. For women, this industry is like the internet in 1995. Everyone is running into it. And in the beginning, Brownie Mary (1977 Mary Jane Rathburn) began making brownies for her patients, this history created a space for women to create products that included edibles and topical products for healing. Today women are entering in all facets of the industry, from creators to financiers.

What about minorities in Cannabis and the imbalance?

For minorities in Cannabis, about 2.4% are Asia/ Islanders, Latino’s about 4%, African Americans about 6%, and the rest is all white. There is also a real problem with Cannabis conventions too.

When there are panels with diversity in the title, it is really condescending when there aren’t people of color on the panel. If they can see someone of color on a panel talking cultivation or financing or extraction, then you don’t need diversity panel anymore, that’s where you can make a difference, not looking at us by color but by skill.

You were a part of helping PUSH Magazine start, an all women-run magazine. What started that, and how do you feel about Cannabis journalism and media in the industry today?

The reason why we called the magazine PUSH is that all of the women that started the magazine were pushed out of an unhealthy work environment.

They were let go or walked out while working there because the misogyny was so bad – that is how it started. For media, Cannabis is basically

Justin McIvor

Seagrass Photography

losing its outlaw stereotype as it becomes mainstream. For media to survive you have to think out of the box and what is it you can offer an audience others have not offered.

Can you tell us about AACE?

Asian Americans for Cannabis Education is a group that shares stories from Asian Americans willing to talk about Cannabis, for it educates my own community and shares how it should not be stigmatized.

Here in Orange County, we have a heavy Asian American population that is also the biggest anti-Cannabis group in the state.

They are wealthy and educated but know nothing about Cannabis.

What is the biggest lesson the Cannabis community needs to learn?

Same lessons we need to teach every girl, it’s about self-respect. In Cannabis, we also need to value each other, and even though we might have different opinions, we need to listen to everybody. A lot of people had to either go to jail or lose everything and rebuild to make this industry happen. We don’t even have a generation walking around yet that has not known legal weed. None of us in the last 100 years can remember buying Cannabis at a local pharmacy or store without fear. We’ve all grown up in an age of prohibition, and we are the first generations seeing it move towards legalization.

StockPotImages.com | Ophelia@StockPotImages.com

Miracle Maddie ALASKA LEAF

BEHIND THE SCENES ISSUE

As five-year-old Maddie battles Zellweger Syndrome, whole plant Cannabis is reducing this little girls’ seizures.

Her mom, Meagan Holt, is pushing for increased access to Cannabis for children with life-threatening illnesses.

By WES ABNEY | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN Our Behind the Scenes Issue takes us into the world of Meagan and Maddie Holt, a mother and daughter who have faced tremendous adversity and powered through with love, positivity and a lot of Cannabis. Maddie was born five years ago with a genetic disease and was not expected to live past her first birthday. Today, her family and the many that follow her story are filled with hope, as medical Cannabis continues to help heal her body and keep her alive.

how does MADDIE’S CONDITION affect her development?

She has a genetic disease called Zellweger Syndrome. It destroys the white matter of the brain, and most kids don’t live past the first year of life.

It’s been a miracle that she made it as long as she did before using Cannabis. She was born 12 weeks premature and weighed only two pounds and could fit in the key tray of a normal stroller. She had no issues being premature, so she wasn’t genetically tested because she did so well in the beginning.

When did you find out that she had the condition?

It wasn’t until eight months when I noticed one thing after another. The first thing was that she didn’t respond to noises properly. We had a chihuahua that would bark and she didn’t react like a baby should, she didn’t cry or even look at the dog. So, at 10 months we saw a geneticist, and two days before her first birthday we got a call.

What was that like? It was scary. I tell people I don’t

remember much of the day after that call. It was Oct. 30th and I was coming to the gate of our apartment after birthday shopping for her when the geneticist called and asked if I wanted to hear the results. “Of couse I want to hear them,” I said. “We don’t know what to tell you, other than we’re sorry.”

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What did you do next, and how did you move forward?

I was really in shock for a few weeks, knowing she’s supposed to die at any moment. It all just hit me that I wanted her to live. They had been wrong before, so why dwell in that place. So, I chose from the very beginning of Maddie’s journey that no matter how long she was here she would be comfortable. I’d make sure to give her the best life possible, to enjoy all those things that we enjoy as human beings.

How did the next phase of her life go?

She did really well, learned 150 words in sign language, was rolling over, could play with toys and could say “hi” and “mama.” In January 2015, after turning two, she started having seizures.

She coded the first one (often doctors use the term for a cardiopulmonary arrest) and stopped breathing. Which means doctors can find a pulse but not making a respiratory effort and she was completely blue. Those events can last two hours or more, and within eight weeks they had her on 26 pharmaceuticals.

Was she aware when the seizures and meds started?

I would say she’s very aware now, but back then she wasn’t. What always drove me with Maddie was when I saw from the first time she waved “hello” and signed “mama.” I knew, “omg my kid is brilliant!” But when we started meds the change was immediate. She was manic, screaming at top of her lungs, trying to bring her hand to her face to sign “mama.” She looked drunk, her eyes roll back into her head and immediately she stopped trying to communicate. So, of course, I did what every parent would and listened to the doctors.

We tried everything available, down to opiates and those became an even bigger problem. Eventually, it got to the point where her seizures would cause intubation, where she needed a machine to breathe, and then the medications started causing that too.

So, the medications would make her stop breathing?

That’s incredibly scary. It got so bad they gave me a

bag mask to go home with. I knew she would stop breathing if I gave her opiates or benzos. Over that eight week period, Maddie lost everything. It was a blur for me. I tell people when I think about it, the best way to relay it is the poems at beginning of my book, to understand what we went through.

It can be so chaotic when you are going through something like that.

THC HAS A BIG EFFECT ON HER, SHE COMES ALIVE WITH THE PLANT. How did you find her medicine? We were fortunate

enough to be linked with Grandma Cat, and she was bringing us her oil. First, it was every day, coming to Children’s Hospital and meeting me with Cannabis. Then it moved to once a month, where we’d get our jar of FECO. And about a year into our journey, we met Jerry Whiting and project CBD. That’s where I had gotten my info about whole plant medicine and Cannabinoids. I met Jerry just before Coleman passed, and we began perfecting Maddie’s Cannabis use.

That’s when we began tinctures, using whole bugs as a sniffer and was able to use the terpenes to pull her out of a seizure. There are even videos of me using terpenes to stop her seizure and withdraw symptoms. The terpenes also help us microdose the Cannabis, instead of 10mg of THC I can dose with two and a half and it acts like 10mg, because of the beta-caryophyllene, terpinalol and linalool are in her blend.

How much Cannabis does Maddie need each day, and has it really helped? Maddie was supposed to die and

it became a Cannabis success story. Usually, we dose her three times a day, but it can be closer to six. There was one day where it went up to 12 times, but it depends on how she’s doing. I would say on average she gets 125 mg a day. THC has a big effect on her, she comes alive with the plant.

The misconception with THC and getting high is not even a thing, the first time I saw her sign again was after she had THC.

Did you start out with THC, or something else?

That had to be incredibly difficult for you as a parent.

Today I say I have pharma-trauma. I remember being in the hospital and hearing a call go out over the loudspeaker, about a child coding, and knowing it was my child. Nobody else in the hospital knew it was my child, but I did, and hearing that over and over was heartbreaking.

Did the pharmaceuticals work? No. She would scream at the top of her lungs. You would think someone was hurting her, with sweaty and clammy hands and skin. Sadly, it’s what you see with people going through opiate withdrawals, that’s exactly what she was going through. It’s very intense and has been the hardest part of the last three years. Cannabis saved her life so quickly, but also what kills me and

drives me to stand on the platform I do. This is why I am so vocal because we spent more time getting her off the pharmaceutical drugs than it took for Cannabis to save her.

When did you begin treating Maddie with Cannabis?

We started with mostly CBD and no THC, but when we gave her the THC she came back to life.

The lightbulb turned on, she would perk up for 20 minutes at a time, and now she can stay awake for hours at a time. We caught her turning sideways in her bed, which means she’s moving again, not something she’s supposed to do.

She’s relearning sign language, doing augmentative communication, using switches like Stephen Hawking, turning on and off toys. She will go all the way through the cycle of Minnie Mouse, waits until it says goodbye and then starts it again.

These are things I thought would never be possible again. I didn’t think we would be here looking for ways for her to learn again.

It’s nice to have hope again.

On April 10th, 2015, we were sent home for one last night outside the hospital and that was when I got her authorized. You can’t start Cannabis as an inpatient but if you are discharged and leave the hospital you can become a patient. I told her doctors that was my goal, to make her a patient, they knew-- and palliative care MADELINES WHOLE PLANT JOURNEY Facebook.com/MaddiesFight was receptive to the ideas. I had no Cannawarrior22@gmail.com other choice, and nothing left to lose.

Article continues next page

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/49

ALASKA LEAF

BEHIND THE SCENES ISSUE

Miracle Maddie | Continued from pg. 49

“When I chose to treat her with Cannabis, I made a decision no matter what it took, I wasn’t going to listen to other opinions. I promised that I would do what’s best for Maddie and speak up for her.”

Is she improving now? And does it feel better for you?

Yes. I have hope. Hope that she has a future because nobody knows, there’s not enough research. She is past her life expectancy, and doctors say “keep doing what you’re doing”, and I love it. She’s started saying “mama” again, a couple weeks ago, she still understands about 100 words and can sign five. She also knows the whole alphabet and will spell the first letters of people’s names as a way of recognizing.

Has it been hard to use Cannabis for her as a parent and what issues have you faced with that? When I go

to the legislature, where I’ve been very active in talking about Cannabis, I’ve had to rescue her from a seizure with Cannabis. Nobody realizes what I’ve done and that I’m forced to do it in public.

No one knows what I’m doing, and I think is it really that big of a deal, and people look at us like any other mom with a special needs child.

Until I open my mouth and say it’s Cannabis, that is when it becomes an issue. That’s the hardest thing for me, the school issue, this kid wasn’t supposed to live past her first birthday. Here we are preparing for something never thought possible.

I threw out college dreams and first day of school fantasies years ago, and now she can’t go to school because I chose to save her life.

I recently did an interview with Q13 FOX and said that when I chose to treat her with Cannabis, I made a decision no matter what it took, I wasn’t going to listen to other opinions. I promised that I would do what’s best for Maddie and speak up for her.

Does it frustrate you that you can’t give Maddie her medicine whereever she needs it simply because it’s different than what people are used to?

If I’m at a park and I give her Cannabis from an “open container” I’m breaking the law. As a law-abiding citizen, I like to think that I’m a good

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member of society and don’t want to break the law.

Everyone says, “oh you can just do it,” but that’s not the point, in fact, it’s against the law. You could go to this park and maybe get arrested, but nobody thinks about an epileptic girl walking with her mommy who has a seizure and needs a tincture.

Speaking up about Cannabis isn’t only about saving Maddie’s life, about giving her life that no one thought possible. Now she’s segregated and no one seems to care. No family should be forced to make that choice over a medicine that works.

Do you still live in fear and awareness that she could die at any time? I do. For me, it’s very real that Maddie could die any day. Her care plan, that I carry everywhere, not only says what my plans would be if I was at home or in a hospital setting, but what I want her end of life to look like. It has the funeral home number and social worker info, everything ready if it happens suddenly.

How are her doctors today about her Cannabis use?

I work closely now with Seattle Children’s Hospital and do advisory work for them. I stood for this from the beginning and said this is not a fight, and Children’s took to that and they really respect me and they don’t have issues with her Cannabis use.

I’m used as a source of education. I’m used to having doctors tell me to “keep doing what we’re doing”, “that it’s a miracle” and “that’s how you know you’re doing the right thing.”

How do you feel about our law changes in WA, and what has happened to the Medical cannabis community?

The regulators and industry need someone like Maddie to humble everyone back to the roots.

To say what are you doing? MMJ started out as a beautiful patient-driven marketplace and now we’re fighting over scraps instead of helping the patients who need the help most.

You’ve chosen to make your story very public.

What drives you to share this, knowing that it has to be both painful and empowering at the same time? It’s not easy, but someone has

to do it. I can’t stand the thought of other parents too afraid to speak, who can’t go to the store or school or don’t have family because they were deserted for choosing Cannabis.

Maddie is what society tells us we shouldn’t see, we’re not supposed to see the kids stuck in the war on drugs. I’m standing up for all the other kids and parents at the hospital that I can’t even talk to because of the laws. I can’t even sit in parent areas because I can’t stand to hear the heartbreak and not be able to help. I want to help you all, and that for me is the way to change.

What is your goal with telling Maddie’s story?

My goal is to uplift, empower and inspire, and that is on all levels across all boards.

This year I’m taking the platform as a patient liaison, and I’m willing to speak with any company or person if they are willing to learn. I want to see the community come back together. I want the world to see what we are doing, our boldness, sticking true to who we are and what we believe in.

I want more patients to rise up and say this is not legalization, it’s reefer madness 2.0 and it has to stop. I really think that moving forward people need to see this bigger picture. Unless we do this together nothing will happen. we have to stand as a community, there is no med and rec, we all work for the same plant and all want legalization, and we have to start working on that together.

Reviews

By STEVE ELLIOTT Editor, Tokesignals.com

THE VEGAN

STONER COOKBOOK

M

ore and more people are choosing vegetarian (no meat) and vegan (no animal products) lifestyles. But

people who choose plantbased diets don’t have to be left out of the party when it comes to Cannabisinfused dishes. Authors Sarah Conrique and Graham Haynes, with this volume, offer a definitive beginner’s guide to stoner-friendly Cannabis cooking.

Just to be clear, the book contains recipes that are simple, convenient, and tasty for stoners, not weedinfused recipes.

Cooking vegan doesn’t have to be hard. And eating vegan doesn’t mean giving up meals that taste wonderful. This entertaining take on veganism shows that even beginners and slackers can put together tasty, satisfying meals with just a few simple ingredients and minimal time and effort. “The Vegan Stoner Cookbook” comes complete with recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner and munchies. The recipes are designed to make vegan cooking fun, feasible and quick.

“There will be moments when you will be in doubt,” the authors advise. “Trust yourself, dig in with your fingers, and grab what feels right. Pay attention to consistency, texture, smell, and most importantly, your taste buds. In time you will rely less on exact measurements and more on instinct.”

It’s enjoyable to browse through the recipes for such treats as Mean Green Smoothies, Asapra-Guy Sushi, Bahnwiches, Animal Cookies, Churro Chips, and many others. While the recipes themselves are great, I would be remiss as a reviewer if I didn’t mention the delightful drawings. They add immeasurably to the quaint appeal of the book; more than once, I’ve paged through the cookbook just to enjoy the artwork. By the same token (or is that tokin’?), I often find myself pulled in by a recipe for, say, vegan Biscuits & Gravy, Fried Tofu Tacos, Chili Cheese Fries, or Apple Rice Pudding. Yum!

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118 pages | by Sarah Conrique and Graham I. Haynes | Ten Speed Press | 2013 | $16.99 hardcover

“TRUST YOURSELF, DIG IN WITH YOUR FINGERS, AND GRAB WHAT FEELS RIGHT. PAY ATTENTION TO CONSISTENCY, TEXTURE, SMELL, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, YOUR TASTE BUDS. IN TIME YOU WILL RELY LESS ON EXACT MEASUREMENTS AND MORE ON INSTINCT.”

ALASKA LEAF

R.C. Tinderbox

Look for our products in stores now!

907.349.5067 - rctinderbox.com - 7801 King St. Anchorage, Alaska 99518 concentration, coordination, and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under its influence.

There are health risks associated with consumption of marijuana. For use only by adults 21 and older.

Keep out of the reach of children. Marijuana should not be used by women who are pregnant or breast feeding.

/ NWLEAF @NWLEAF

recipes

By LAURIE WOLF | PHOTOS by BRUCE WOLF

Laurie Wolf has been a regular contributor to Northwest Leaf since 2015. Named the “Martha Stewart of Marijuana Edibles” by The New Yorker, Laurie has published four Cannabis cookbooks, contributes to six Cannabis publications and runs Laurie + MaryJane, an award-winning edible company based in Portland, Oregon.

STRAWBERRY CANNACROSTATA Serves 4-6 • Flour for dusting • 1 pie crust, store-bought or made from scratch, rolled to 10-12 inches in diameter • 4-6 teaspoons canna-butter or canna-coconut oil, melted • 2 cups strawberries, trimmed and thinly sliced • ¼ cup sugar • 2 tablespoons cornstarch • 1 teaspoon grated orange peel • 1 teaspoon vanilla • Pinch salt • 2 tablespoons sugar

1.Heat oven to 340F. Lay a piece of parchment on a baking sheet with sides. Dust with flour.

Place the crust on the parchment.

Brush the crust with the infused butter or oil.

2.

In a medium bowl, combine the berries, sugar, cornstarch, orange peel, vanilla and salt. Gently toss.

3.

Place the berry mixture on the crust, leaving a 2-3 inch border. Turn the sides of the pastry up partially covering the berries. Sprinkle the crust with sugar.

4.Bake until the juice is bubbling and

the crust is golden brown, about 35-40 minutes.

Allow the crostata to rest for 15 minutes before slicing. Ice cream on top? Sure.

Serves 2 • 3 tablespoons butter, divided • 2 teaspoons canna-butter • ½ pound asparagus • Salt • Coarse black pepper • 2 large eggs, room temperature

1.In a medium saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons butter along with the canna-butter over medium heat.

2.

Add the asparagus to the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes, gently stirring or shaking the pan.

3.

Salt and pepper the asparagus. Divide between the two plates.

4.

Add remaining tablespoon of butter to the pan.

When hot, add the two eggs, breaking them on a flat surface before gently lowering them into the pan.

5.

Cook the eggs to your desired degree of doneness. Spoon the butter on the top of the eggs to add flavor and further cooking.

ASPARAGUS WITH FRIED EGG 54/MAY 2018 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

6. Using a spatula place an egg on each of the

asparagus piles. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and fresh dill.

S TA R T

541 West 4th Avenue Located in Downtown Anchorage

O P E N

seven days a week 10am to 11:45pm

NEW RE S ER V E YOUR BUD O NL INE! Marijuana has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming and addictive. Marijuana impairs concentration, coordination, and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under its influence. There are health risks associated with consumption of marijuana. For use only by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of the reach of children. Marijuana should not be used by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.