Maryland Leaf - Jan 2019 Issue #1

THE ENLIGHTENED VOICE

F R E E / L E A F N AT I O N M D . C O M

I S S U E # 1 | J A N U A RY 2 0 1 9

INDEPENDENT CANNABIS JOURNALISM SINCE 2010

TABLE OF CONTENTS

8

NATIONAL NEWS

12

SPECIAL | MEDICAL MARIJUANA 101 | A THREE PART SERIES

12

39

OPINION : HEMP PROBABLY ISN”T WHAT YOU THINK IT IS

HIGHLY LIKELY: ELON MUSK

14

ACCESS

4

28

VOICES OF THE CANNABIS WAR

41

16

CONCENTRATE OF THE MONTH | HONEY BANANA

18

42

BUDTENDER OF THE MONTH | TOMMY LYONS PATIENT

20

PROFILE |SEED TO SALE | WHERE DOES YOUR MEDICINE COME FROM?

GROW TECH | SOW A SEED OR PLANT A CLONE

44

24

BREEDER OF THE MONTH | KOMA THE GROWER

STRAIN OF THE MONTH | MAI TAI

46

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REVIEW | MEDICAL GROWING A GARDEN OF PEACE

JAN. 2019

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*SYNERGY Cool coming 2019

NOV. 2019

ON THE COVER THE ENLIGHTENED VOICE

F R E E / L E A F N AT I O N M D . C O M

I S S U E # 1 | J A N U A RY 2 0 1 9

INDEPENDENT CANNABIS JOURNALISM SINCE 2010

MDLEAF_JAN_2019.indd 1

12/19/18 2:06 PM

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The concept behind this cover is an “Ancient Future” visual representation of Cannabis and Maryland coming together in a celebratory way. In the center is a portrait of Queen Henrietta Maria of France (Queen Mary as known in England) as she is the person the name “Maryland’ is dedicated and named after. I have brought her to a galactic canna vibe through renaming her as “Henrietta Maria Juana” and I have in here right hand a sphere that contains the Maryland flag banner with a cannabis leaf in it. She wears an American flag / medical cannabis cross flag pin in honor of the plant. She features sacred geometrical henna print and has diamond for eyes, including the third eye, representing enlightenment. The stars and feathers in her bonnet represent high thoughts, high-deas, and elevated thinking.

The backdrop around features a few Maryland rich icons such as the Oriole, Raven, Terrapin, Blue Crab, and a Black Eyed Susan (state flower). The middle left scene showcases a cannabis plant growing with the word “medicinae cannabis” in latin (medical cannabis) with the staff of Asclepius (representing healing) next to it. A dove of peace flies over the plant. A temple sits on a hill overlooking the city of Baltimore which features the Washington Monument with the sun, moon, and planet above. Surrounding the top right are cannabis leaves to emphasize the brand name.

JAN. 2019

PG 20 SEED TO SALE CU RIO

PHOTO COURTESY OF CURIO

Design & Words

By Brandon Palma, 8THDAYCREATE.COM

THE ENLIGHTENED VOICE

Wishing you healing and happiness, Michael Hughes Editor

WES ABNEY WES@NWLEAF.COM 206-235-6721

PUBLISHER EARLY EARLY@LEAFNATIONMD.COM

EAST COAST CREATIVE DIRECTOR BRANDON PALMA @BRANDONPALMA @8THDAYCREATE

NATIONAL CONTENT DIRECTOR AJ AGUILAR AJ@EIGTHDAYCREATE.COM @AJ.OG

MEDICAL ADVERTISING DIRECTOR IAN NEWMAN, DC CCSP IAN@LEAFNATIONMD.COM 301-305-0002

NATIONAL EDITOR MEGHAN RIDLEY

MARYLAND EDITOR MICHAEL HUGHES MICHAEL@LEAFNATION.COM

WRITERS STEVE ELLIOTT MICHAEL HUGHES PACER STACKTRAIN SPENCER IMBACH SIMONE FISCHER DR. SCANDERSON

PHOTOGRAPHERS

7

DANIEL BERMAN MICHAEL HUGHES WYATT EARLY NINA BATHON SPENCER IMBACH CHRIS RYAN

ILLUSTRATION/DESIGN 8THDAYCREATE

TO ADVERTISE PLEASE CONTACT DOCTORS IAN NEWMAN, DC CCSP IAN@LEAFNATIONMD.COM 301-305-0002 PRODUCERS/PROCESSORS/RETAILERS WYATT EARLY WYATT@LEAFNATIONMD.COM 410-961-8779

LEA F NAT IO N M D. CO M This publication is distributed to Maryland-approved providing doctors for their 21 and over patients and MD dispensaries to patients over 21

LEAFNATIONMD.COM

W

elcome to the premier issue of Maryland Leaf!

I am truly excited to be the editor of the newest member of the Leaf Nation of magazines. Founded in Washington state by publisher Wes Abney in 2010, the publication has now expanded to Oregon, Alaska, and soon, California. Every month we will bring the Leaf’s high quality, independent, patient-focused Cannabis journalism to our great state.

While other parts of the U.S. have had years of experience with medical and even recreational Cannabis, Maryland is a relative newcomer. As such, we at Maryland Leaf are in a unique position to guide and influence the road ahead—building on the experiences of other states while serving the unique needs of Maryland’s patients—and highlighting the industry’s leaders and innovators.

As a long-time aficionado of our favorite healing plant, and a patient myself, it has been staggering to see the wave of change in Maryland as a growing number of patients have gained access to medical Cannabis. Just a few years ago, marijuana was whatever your source showed up with—untested, of questionable origin, and very illegal. Today, a patient walking into a dispensary can be overwhelmed by the variety of products, strains, and delivery systems.

Maryland Leaf will be your trusted guide to the best of Maryland’s doctors, growers, processors, dispensaries, and the cornucopia of medicinal products for your unique healing journey.

Medical marijuana is transforming every aspect of our society—from health care to finance, laws and legal institutions, arts and culture, the sciences, social and criminal justice, and politics. We invite you to join us each month as we chronicle all aspects of this new Green Revolution with Leaf Nation’s unrivaled local, state, and national journalism.

Please let us know what you think of our new venture, what you would like covered in our pages, and share with us how medical Cannabis has brought health and wellness into your life.

FOUNDER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

NATIONAL NEWS POLITICAL

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Maryland Panel Bans Cannabis Advertising THE MARYLAND MEDICAL CANNABIS COMMISSION inDecember voted unanimously to ban billboard, radio, TV, and most online advertising by marijuana companies.

Representatives for the companies said they would fight the move in the Maryland General Assembly when it convenes next month, reports The Baltimore Sun. The new rules also ban advertising in newspapers and magazines that cannot prove that 85 percent of their audience is over 18 years old. Leaflets and flyers are also banned in most public and private places.

Internet ads must be accompanied by an age-verification page that users have to answer. Cannabis advocates claim that essentially bans online ads, since there’s no way to verify accurate ages.

The commission’s move comes just as Maryland’s medical cannabis industry is rapidly growing.

“This is a total ban on advertising,” said Mackie Barch, chairman of the Maryland Wholesale Medical Cannabis Trade Association. Barch said the commission banned advertising in response to the concerns of just two state lawmakers who got upset about a single billboard on Route 50 depicting Adam and Eve smoking a joint.

JAN. 2019

NATIONAL

New York Could Go Legal In 2019 CANNABIS ADVOCATES EXPECT NEW YORK GOV. ANDREW Cuomo to call on the Legislature to legalize recreational cannabis during his first budget address in 2019, reports NBC News.

“We’re drafting legislation,” said Rich Azzopardi, a spokesman for the governor.

Cuomo earlier this year launched a working group to make legislative recommendations based on a study on “regulated marijuana” unveiled in July. The study concluded, “The positive effects of a regulated marijuana market in New York State outweighs the potential negative impacts.”

“There’s a lot of hope for it in the legislative session,” said Kassandra Frédérique, New York State director of the Drug Policy Alliance. “We’re ready with a checklist to hold them accountable.”

ECONOMICS

Pot Perfume Hits Oregon Market

Maryland’s Medical Cannabis Sales Hit $96 Million

WHAT’S BEING CALLED THE FIRST ever cannabis infused fragrance is now for sale in Oregon.

Imeon is available in-store only at OLO Fragrance in Portland, reports WKRN. OLO teamed with vape pen company Quill on the project.

The base for the fragrance is the Purple Hindu Kush strain of cannabis. Lemon, tobacco, and frankincense are also used.

Imeon is described as “elegant, woodsy and warm.” It has no THC, meaning it won’t get you high. The price is the only high involved; it costs $95 a bottle.

MARYLAND’S MEDICAL CANNABIS industry brought in $96.3 million in sales during its first year, reports The Baltimore Sun. Between 250 and 350 patients a day are applying to be certified by the state for medical marijuana. Nearly 52,000 patients bought 730,000 individual products from licensed dispensaries across Maryland since sales became legal in December 2017.

First-year sales more than doubled one industry expert’s earlier forecast of $46 million.

POLITICS

CANNABIS CAN STILL GET YOU FIRED IN MICHIGAN MICHIGAN CANNABIS USERS are adjusting to the reality of the situation, and they have little choice. It’s written right into the new state law legalizing cannabis.

A section of the “Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act” explains that employers are still allowed to screen and dismiss employees and applicants for cannabis use.

“This act does not prohibit an employer from disciplining an employee for violation of a workplace drug policy or for working while under the influence of marihuana,” the Act reads. “This act does not prevent an employer from refusing to hire, discharging, disciplining, or otherwise taking an adverse employment action against a person with respect to hire, tenure, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment because of that person’s violation of a workplace drug policy or because that person was working while under the influence of marihuana.”

STORIES BY STEVE ELLIOTT / TOKESIGNALS.COM

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CULTURE

NATIONAL NEWS

GROW

AW, MAN. DID OREGON GROW TOO MUCH WEED AGAIN? AFTER A BUMPER CANNABIS CROP IN 2017 SENT WEED prices plummeting in Oregon, some farmers were put out of business.

Guess what? This year’s crop looks to be even bigger.

The 2018 harvest increased by five percent over 2017’s, according to economist Beau Whitney of New Frontier Data. The increase came from new growers joining an already crowded industry, he said, reports Willamette Week.

Wholesale cannabis prices fell about 50 percent last year, according to New Frontier. The tough market isn’t just challenging for legal growers, according to Whitney. It could also run black market growers into the ground, as consumers access cheap legal weed.

GROW

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Cannabis Pesticide Contamination Worries Oregon Farmers OREGON FARMERS WITH CANNABIS-GROWING neighbors are increasingly concerned about pesticide drift, reports the Capital Press.

Due to the state’s pesticide testing requirements for cannabis, growers of more conventional crops worry about getting blamed for contamination that renders cannabis unfit for sale.

“I have neighbors growing marijuana, therefore I’m thinking about it,” said Tim Winn, a farmer in Benton County. Neighboring cannabis farmers have asked Winn about the possible source of contamination after their product tested positive for banned pesticides, he said.

While Oregon allows pot farmers to use a few biopesticides, detection of conventional chemical pesticides will disqualify a crop from the commercial market.

The best solution would be for neighboring farmers to work out problems amongst themselves, such as agreeing to plant buffer crops between their fields, said Tracey Liskey, a Klamath Falls farmer. “Do we want the state telling us what we can grow and what we can’t?” Liskey asked.

JAN. 2019

MEDICAL

Connecticut Approves 9 More MMJ Dispensaries Connecticut has approved nine more medical cannabis dispensaries, doubling the number of shops in the state, reports the Associated Press.

The state’s program has been “thoughtfully expanded” to 18 licensed dispensaries since its launch in 2012, according to Consumer Protection Commissioner Michelle Seagull. The department received a total of 73 applications this year.

There are more than 30,000 approved medical marijuana patients in Connecticut, according to officials. Thirty-one medical conditions currently qualify adult patients for cannabis.

Democratic Governor-elect, Ned Lamont, said he expects recreational cannabis legalization to be a priority in the new legislative session, which begins in January. Lamont campaigned in favor of legalization during the election, reports The Washington Times.

The first recreational cannabis shops in neighboring Massachusetts opened in November.

STORIES BY STEVE ELLIOTT / TOKESIGNALS.COM

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OPINION

hemp probably isn’t what you THINK IT IS

BY JERRY WHITING

LeBlancCNE@gmail.com

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otanically, hemp and Cannabis are both Cannabis sativa L. In many ways, the botany is actually the easy part. Legally in the U.S., Cannabis Sativa L. with less than 0.3 percent THC is considered industrial hemp, not marijuana.

Hemp is legal under the federal farm bill, but Cannabis is a schedule 1 drug (though legalized in some states). Confused? So is our government.

The 0.3 percent THC distinction between hemp and Cannabis is an arbitrary legal construct that makes no sense whatsoever. It’s like saying dogs over 10 pounds are vicious and need to be outlawed while smaller ones aren’t really dogs at all and are sweet lovable pets, legal in all 50 states. And disregard the fact that large and small dogs can mate and produce hybrids.

The demand for CBD is growing and farmers are eager to grow hemp to feed this market.

In the stampede to grow hemp for CBD, we’re forgetting all the other things hemp can be used for. Food, fuel and fiber are the tip of the iceberg.

Maybe you’re like me and you order hemp chai at your favorite coffee house; you reach for hemp cereal or snacks when you shop, or like so many folks you’ve been using Dr. Bronner’s soap for years. But hemp’s potential is vast and it has the potential to change our lives for the better.

Leaving CBD aside for a moment, imagine new construction integrating hempcrete as a building material. What if domestic hemp fiber and clothing could be produced right here in America? No one likes hearing about plastic polluting the environment. What if we could replace petroleum-based plastics with plantbased hemp substitutes?

And don’t get me started on clear-cutting and the paper industry. We all know hemp is a sustainable crop that grows faster than trees.

All of these benefits are positive unless of course hemp disrupts your business model.

Plant-based medicines are often safer and cheaper than what Big Pharma sells.

Replace paper and wood with hemp and the lumber industry is left scrambling. Cotton is one of the most toxic crops grown.

Hemp can be grown without salt-based fertilizers and harmful pesticides. The integration of hemp into the food chain has the potential to re-invent farming. In all of these examples, the status quo is left scrambling while new opportunities create new businesses. The three

JAN. 2019

The groundswell of interest in hemp is matched only by the confusion about what hemp is and isn’t.

biggest winners as hemp goes mainstream are farmers, families and Mother Earth. Farmers earn next to nothing growing crops like corn and soybeans. Small family farms can make more from a handful of hemp plants than an acre of corn.

The environmental benefits hemp provides are the biggest win of all. Hemp, and hemp alone give us as individuals the chance to vote with our wallets. Buy hemp, change the world.

LeBlancCNE.com

One day Starbucks will offer hemp milk.

One day we can grow hemp in our gardens right next to the zucchini and carrots.

That abandoned factory? One day we’ll plant hemp to clean it using phytoremediation.

It may sound pie in the sky and naive at first.

But hemp really can turn things around to restore the world to a cleaner, happier and healthier place. Clock is ticking. It’s time to plant hemp.

PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

Highlighting Cannabis pioneers who paved the way to greater herbal acceptance.

ELON MUSK “I WAS NOT ON WEED, TO BE CLEAR. WEED IS NOT HELPFUL FOR PRODUCTIVITY. THERE’S A REASON FOR THE WORD STONED,” HE SAID. “YOU JUST SIT THERE LIKE A STONE ON WEED.”

By PACER STACKTRAIN

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PHOTO COURTESEY OF TED CONFERENCE

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HIGHLY LIKELY

ove him or hate him, Elon Musk is a true iconoclast living in our modern world. Cut in the mold of the genius inventors of old like Galileo, Sir Isaac Newton or Thomas Edison – Musk is also an entrepreneur and investor whose inventions have made him a major celebrity in the realms of finance, science politics and environmental causes.

But all it took was one hit off a joint on the internet to cause this shining star to plummet back to earth for a bit. That incident took place on Joe Rogan’s “Joe Rogan Experience” podcast in early September. The nearly 3-hour long conversation was a wide-ranging one: moving from Musk’s ideas for inventions to his new infrastructure and tunnel construction company (The Boring Company) to his philosophical views on life. Some of the conversations got very deep, with Musk talking personally about his thinking process and personal philosophies. Despite having all of this deep and terrific content associated with the podcast, it was Musk taking one puff off of a blunt that dominated the headlines.

Interest in whether Musk consumes Cannabis or not seemed to peak in August of this year when he tweeted that “Am considering taking Tesla private at $420. Funding secured.” This statement, of course, caused a stir.

Is Elon Musk a closet consumer? Just a short time later, Musk confirmed in an interview with The New York Times that he didn’t mean to use that well-known Cannabis reference when talking about listing his soon-to-be-public companies stock prices. But rather, “I was not on weed, to be clear. Weed is not helpful for productivity. There’s a reason for the word stoned,” he said. “You just sit there like a stone on weed.”

However, post Joe Rogan podcast, he seems to have reversed his stance on Cannabis.

If you watch or listen to the conversation (the video of the session is available on YouTube), it’s more than two hours into the conversation before Cannabis ever enters the conversation. It seems to come out of nowhere. Musk asks about an object on Rogan’s desk, which Rogan (a longtime Cannabis user) says he uses to store joints.

He then removes one from the container. “So, is that a joint?” Musk asks, genuinely curious and looking as excited as he’s looked during the entire two hours. “It’s marijuana inside tobacco, you ever had that?” Rogan responds – then the curiosity becomes more pronounced as Musk states casually “I think I tried it once.”

“You probably can’t because of stockholders, right?” says Rogan with a sly smile as he lights the blunt. Musk casually states, “Well, it’s legal right?” Then someone off camera passes the blunt to him and Musk proceeds to take a big of hit off it, but ultimately cigar inhales the smoke.

And that’s it. The conversation about cannabis basically ends there, save Musk stating that friends are texting him – incredulous that he’s taken a hit off a joint.

But the fallout was far from over. Immediately, Tesla’s stock price dropped 9 percent, and a slew of articles started to appear each deriding his decision to take, one puff as if he’d just committed a crime.

(Cannabis is legal in California where the podcast was filmed and where the two men live.) Headlines around the world would soon give all of us a glimpse into how the mainstream media perceives persons of significant standing when the openly consume Cannabis.

Perhaps we’re not as enlightened as we think we are in these United States when it comes to Cannabis. We still have a long way to go. But, in this author’s opinion – we’re getting closer every day to normalization. And “brave acts” like the one Musk just did back in September get us there – step by patient step.

ACCESS

M AGGI E 'S 3317 KESWICK RD BALTIMORE, MD 21211 / MPSBALTIMORE.COM / OPEN 1M-F 11AM – 8PM SAT 10AM – 8PM SUN 12PM – 6PM / (443) 873-6974

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L-R: Kayla Peters and Judith Davis

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Maggie’s, located on Keswick Road in the heart of Hampden, is what General Manager James Hendricks calls a “neighborhood spot in a neighborhood city.” The spacious, bright industrial interior, with concrete walls and exposed ductwork, is the antithesis of boutique dispensaries, eschewing fancy furnishing and esthetics for a straightforward, no-frills retail vibe. “Baltimore is a working-class town,” Hendricks says. “We do what we can to make our patients’ cannabis affordable while still high quality. We serve people who come in for a $5 pre-roll or top-quality concentrates.”

JAN. 2019

STRAINS 4/5

The flower selection is wide, and all pre-packaged.

Brands in heavy rotation include Verano, Curio, Harvest of Maryland, and Grassroots, but Hendricks says the store has carried all of the Maryland cultivators. The budtenders are happy to hold the product out for eager eyes and noses.

EDIBLES

5/5

Maryland’s “edible” regulations do not include actual foods (at least not yet), but Maggie’s is well-stocked with what Hendricks calls “digestibles”—tinctures (many high in CBD), tablets and capsules, and beverages, from brands like Feel Collection, Evermore, Dixie, Liberty. Verano’s watermelon troches (a fancy word for what the rest of the world calls gummies), at 5mg of THC each, are particularly popular.

The concentrate selection at Maggie’s is large and varied. Shatter, wax, budder (from Evermore, Liberty, OG Clear, Grassroots, Verano) and even live resin sugar (from Culta) are on the menu. The cart selection is excellent (Rhythm, Nature’s Heritage, Curaleaf, and Curio are some of the topsellers), and includes pre-filled Pax Pods. RSO is also available.

4/5

ENVIRONMENT & VIBE 3/5

Like I said, it’s not fancy. The waiting area is utilitarian and too bright, but once you step into the store itself the atmosphere is much more inviting. The addition of a stylish new couch allows patients to chill beyond the sterile waiting area, and local art and clothing hanging on the walls brightens things up and gives Bmore artists a place to show their work.

A mural featuring Mr. Boh and the Utz girl adds a nice touch of Baltimore hominess. And there’s plenty of free parking—if you’ve ever tried parking in Hampden on a busy night, you’ll know how much of a perk that is.

OVERALL Maggie’s budtenders are knowledgeable and helpful, and even when it has been at its busiest (Danksgiving Eve, for example), I’ve never felt rushed. The emphasis is on product variety and price, and Maggie’s delivers on that mission for its patients. With all the available space, there’s room for Maggie’s to grow. And if the always crowded waiting area is any indication, they’re going to need it.

16/20

BIRTHDAYCAKE

BY GRASSROOTS THC: 28%

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Birthday Cake, by Grassroots Cannabis, is an indica-dominant hybrid with a rich, dessert-y sweetness derived from its parents, Cherry Pie and Girl Scout Cookies. The buds (packaged by Maggie’s) were perfectly cured, slightly crunchy with just a touch of stickiness, and iced with frosty trichomes as befitting its festive moniker. When broken open, the scent hits the nose with an overwhelming earthy and citrus wallop (myrcene 0.81 and limonene 0.33) and just a touch of spice (caryophyllene 0.3).

Vaping brings out the unexpected sweetness and the much-loved GSC matrix of flavors. Though indicadominant, a wash of uplifting, bright euphoria is the first indication of where this happy dessert is taking you. Bodily relaxation settles in quickly, but it’s not at all debilitating—just a powerful loosening of muscles, slackening of facial tension, and an expansion of the breath. The synergy of the crystal clear, non-racy head high with the bone-deep indica relief truly makes these just-right nuggets the perfect celebratory gift to yourself no matter when your birthday falls on the calendar.

Hits the sweet spot for stress, depression, anxiety, and pain.

REVIEW & PHOTOS BY MICHAEL HUGHES

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CONCENTRATES

BUDTENDER OF THE MONTH

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TOMMYLYONS How did Cannabis come into your life?

I was fifteen. I was at the bus stop, and we had some Red Haze. We smoked it out of a corncob pipe. That’s when I knew I loved Cannabis and I haven’t looked back, except for a ten-year break when I was on active duty in the Air Force.

LEAFNATIONMD.COM

How did you become a budtender?

I came to Maryland with my family for a fresh start. I had been a patient in New Jersey and wanted to do something in Cannabis because it’s the subject I’m most passionate about. I realized Cannabis was a medicine and I wanted to get into the industry. I went on the MMCC [Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission] website, read all the regulations, and reached out to every business in a 45-mile radius. Then I came across a mention of Nature’s Care and Wellness and contacted them through LinkedIn. I knew I had to do this. This is something I was born to do.

What is your favorite part of the job?

Seeing the patients smile. And they keep coming back. Sometimes they’ll squeeze my hands.

Crying. I’ve cried with them. They’re kicking opiates, having pain reduction, finally getting to sleep. I could go on all day. I relate to these people because I’m a patient, too. I talk to every patient and ask them how the medicine is working for them. I text them. I give them my card and tell them they can reach out to me 24/7.

JAN. 2019

How do you prefer to use Cannabis?

While I would never recommend smoking to anyone, I’m old school. I’m a smoker. I do use concentrates as well, vaping during the day with a high CBD vape so I can stay clear and cognizant. I will put concentrates, like diamonds, in my bowl. When the flower burns, the diamonds just melt into it. Really helps with my PTSD. I’m mostly a sativa guy. I just like to smoke my Cannabis, open my mind, and be productive.

What are your favorite strains and producers?

I like Grassroots and Harvest because their products are consistent. My favorite, hands-down, is Culta. Their buds are so frosty, so tasty, they put so much time and effort into their product.

Their Grapefruit Sour Dream is my favorite strain. It’s fruity, light citrus, so well-crafted and cured perfectly every time. It’s also high in CBG, which really helps me mentally maintain my calm. We did a crab feast with them, in fact.

How do you find the right Cannabis for a customer?

I start with the same question: “Hi, I’m Tommy, how canna we help you?” They start talking and I just listen. Then I ask them how they want to consume Cannabis—smoke? Sublinguals?

Concentrates? If I have the opportunity to do a patient consult, I sit down with them one-onone at the computer with our menu and write

down all of their symptoms and discuss how our products can target them. My goal is to make sure every patient who comes in here gets the medicine they need. And then I follow up with texts to make sure it’s working for them.

Why do you like working at NCW?

At Nature’s Care and Wellness we breathe community. One of the most important things to me is working with veterans. I feel like more than half of our patients are veterans. As a combat vet, I relate to them. Our owner is a veteran.

Any veteran who needs help, I am here for them.

Right now, we’re working on our stockings for soldiers drive. I know what it’s like to be away from your family during the holidays—it sucks!

We even named a strain—Frontline—after one of our favorite veteran customers.

What are your hobbies outside of work?

I play ice hockey—have since I was thirteen. I just started playing video games again. PUBG is my favorite game right now. But outside of work, the only thing that really matters to me is my kids, my daughter (13) and my twin boys (8).

NATURE’S CARE AND WELLNESS 4925 Pulaski Highway, Suite A Perryville, MD 21903 (443) 252-1383 NCWMEDICAL.COM naturescareandwellness

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PATIENT OF THE MONTH LEAFNATIONMD.COM

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JEANNE ALESSI

PATIENT OF THE MONTH JAN. 2019

At age 29, Jeanne Alessi was diagnosed with a tumor on her spinal cord. “I’ll never forget how upset my mother was,” she says. “The doctors told her not only did I only have a 10% chance of ever walking again, but that I would be on pain medication for the rest of my life.”

After her initial surgery to remove the tumor, further surgeries were necessary—a spinal fusion fourteen years later, in which metal hardware and screws were inserted, then another operation to correct the fusion when the hardware was dislodged and began visibly pushing against her skin. Because of the constant pain, she was prescribed Fentanyl patches and Oxycontin, along with five other pain medications and a slew of other drugs. “I was in a daze,” she says, her eyes tearing up. “In a bubble.”

Although she was following her doctor’s orders,

SHE TOOK ALL OF HER HUNDREDS OF PILLS AND DROPPED THEM OFF AT A POLICE STATION. “I SHARED IT WITH EVERYONE I KNEW. LOOK WHAT I DID! I’M GETTING OFF THIS SHIT!”

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she noticed her adult children had started to avoid her. While she kept her medicine in a lockbox in her garage, her daughter had found pills she had accidentally dropped, and worried that one of the grandchildren might find a discarded Fentanyl patch. “They were worried that the medicine I was taking around them could kill one of the kids.”

She knew something that to change, so she began working with her pain management doctor to cut down on the narcotics. Eventually the doctors recommended she get a spinal cord stimulator—a device inserted under the skin that requires an external battery pack. While mulling it over, her primary care physician suggested medical Cannabis. She told her kids about the two choices. “It’s a no-brainer, Mom,” they told her. “Go on medical marijuana!”

With the birth of a new granddaughter looming in August of 2018, she decided to stop taking everything. After 35 years of being on pain medicine, she quit—cold turkey. She took all of her hundreds of pills and dropped them off at a police station. “I shared it with everyone I knew. Look what I did! I’m getting off this shit!”

She immediately got into the Maryland medical marijuana program and began visiting dispensaries near her White Marsh home. At a budtender’s recommendation, she found immediate relief with high-dose THC capsules, taking up to 100mg each day along with a CBD tincture. “That really helped me get over the heebie-jeebies from stopping the twenty drugs I was taking every day. Once I was off the Oxycontin, I was like, I can do this!”

She now takes Rick Simpson Oil (RSO) every morning and vapes flower throughout the day as needed to manage her pain. She prefers flower with a balance of CBD, which takes the edge off the THC. She also credits regular chiropractic treatment with helping maintain her mobility. After noticing tolerance developing, she followed the program by Dr. Dustin Sulak to become re-sensitized to Cannabis, which helped cut down her dosage needs considerably.

She was shocked by the changes in her day-to-day life. “When I got off all those drugs… you don’t realize what you’re missing.

I’m so much more aware, more involved in my life. I feel alive and present again.”

And her family life has improved, too. “My daughter calls me and invites me down to see my grandkids. They want me around now. That’s huge! She told me she’s never seen me so vibrant.

And I don’t have to worry that what I’m taking around my grandkids is gonna kill them.”

Her enthusiasm for Cannabis is infectious.

“People have no clue what they’re missing out on. I listened to my doctors, I did what they told me, but I wasn’t pain-free when I was on all those drugs. I was getting by then, but now—now I’m living. And the side effect is healthiness! There’s no comparison. I don’t need to go back to my pain management doctor. I’m done! I’m off everything!”

Jeanne pauses for a moment, staring out her kitchen window, then smiles. “I want to tell everyone about how much better life is now.”

WRITER | PHOTOS BY MICHAEL HUGHES

PROFILE

SEED WHERE DOES YOU R

TO MEDICINE COME FROM?

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20

N

ew patients entering a medical Cannabis dispensary in Maryland can be overwhelmed by the variety of products available on the shelves. It’s easy to recognize the pungent green flower on display, but how can a single plant species end up in everything from vape cartridges, to tablets, tinctures, drink mixes, oils, and even transdermal patches?

To get an inside look at the high-tech world of medical Cannabis, we took a trip to Curio Wellness’ immense 55,000 square-foot growing and processing operation, located in a busy industrial park in Timonium, Maryland. Curio is one of the largest of the 14 currently licensed growers across the state. After going through layers

JAN. 2019

SALE of security checks and entering the nondescript building, I put on a Tyvek suit, booties, and hairnet to keep from carrying contaminants into the ultrahygienic interior. As CEO Michael Bronfein leads me out of the dressing room, I’m blasted by the scent of Cannabis that permeates the premises.

Curio’s facility, which operates on the “lean” Japanese manufacturing philosophy created by Toyota, is heavily industrial, with arrays of pipes, pumps, ductwork, gauges and computers. Despite all the factory vibe from all the high-tech equipment and automation, however, Curio isn’t producing widgets—rather, Cannabis plants scientifically cultivated to deliver the highest quality medicine.

Everything here begins with a simple seed.

Most Maryland medical Cannabis is grown indoors hydroponically—i.e., without soil, using a growing medium and highly calibrated mix of

CU RIO

purified water and nutrients. Growing in such a precisely manipulated environment allows continuous operation and year-round harvests free from pests, contaminants, and other vagaries of Mother Nature. Centrally-controlled computer systems track and control everything including the temperature, ventilation, humidity, CO2 levels, fertilization, and the schedule of the high-intensity HPS and LED lights that allow the plants to grow and flower optimally.

Our first stop is a room in which Bronfein shows me some tiny seedlings, barely two inches high.

The baby seedlings, with their instantly recognizable serrated leaves, are growing in small pots filled with a mix of peat moss and perlite—substrate materials that keep the roots bathed in the carefully calibrated mix of nutrients.

Then we head through the labyrinthine, industrial

BY MICHAEL HUGHES

21

Cultivation at Curio PHOTOS BY ANDREA STEIN | CURIO WELLNESS

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“ISN’T IT BEAUTIFUL?”

PROFILE

Flowering room and root system of Cannabis plant

Propogation with Curio’s Head of Cultivation

22

Flowering room

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Production of Cannabis tablets

In house processing in analytical lab

JAN. 2019

C02 Extraction Machines

Curio Wellness interior, MD PHOTOS BY ANDREA STEIN | CURIO WELLNESS

tinctures, tablets, capsules, and even salves and transdermal patches. Being able to combine standardized ratios of key compounds is what excites Michael Bronfein. “Our goal is to create those precise calibrations,” he explains while showing me the CO2 systems. “So if you want to sleep, you sleep. Or maybe you want to stay awake but with less pain. We want our products to be targeted and effective.”

The extracted chemical components can then be formulated into a wide number of products for the public. Curio, as a “vertically integrated” company—meaning it grows, processes, and operates a dispensary—does all of their processing in their facility, and has a staff of pharmaceutical industry professionals creating their infused products. There are dedicated rooms for manufacturing and packaging tablets, oil cartridges, the Dixie line of tinctures and elixirs, and the Kaviar brand of concentrateinfused pre-rolls.

To the chagrin of many patients, food products or edibles are currently prohibited in Maryland, although gummies (or troches) have recently appeared on the shelves. So if you want Cannabis-infused brownies, candies or salad dressing, you’ll need to make it yourself.

If a key goal for medical Cannabis is standardization, standardization is only possible with accurate testing. All Cannabis products in Maryland are required to undergo stringent testing for pesticides and other agricultural chemicals, heavy metals, microbiological impurities (mold, bacteria, hair), and solvent residues. They are also tested for percentages of Cannabinoids and terpenes, hence the detailed labels you find on all of the products you purchase. Curio tests its own products in-house, which helps with their formulations and quality control, but all companies’ products sold in Maryland are required to be tested and deemed safe by one of five independent labs.

Once the products are produced, tested and packaged, they still need to get to you— the patient. Maryland currently has 70-plus dispensaries where patients go to purchase their medicine. Dispensaries vary considerably in their retail atmosphere, product selection, and pricing. Curio has a separate retail area offering nutritional supplements, a room for classes and events, and offices for health and wellness providers. Other dispensaries offer lounges with reading materials, consultation rooms, and even kitchens.

Only patients with proper identification or their official caregivers can enter dispensaries.

Each purchase is tracked across the internet by the centralized Franwell Marijuana Enforcement Tracking Regulation and Compliance System (Metrc, pronounced “metric”). The state knows exactly what and how much you buy, measured either in grams of flower or milligrams of

Chris Holshouer, Curio head of cultivation

“BUT ALTHOUGH FLOWER IS THE MOST WELL-KNOWN METHOD OF INGESTION, MEDICALIZATION AND INDUSTRIALIZATION HAVE ENABLED MUCH MORE PRECISION IN CANNABIS DELIVERY SYSTEMS.” THC, and you can check on your purchase history at the MMCC website to monitor your monthly allotment. The system has occasionally gone down, leaving patients and dispensaries frustrated, but those outages have become much less common.

Budtenders are the folks you’ll meet behind the counter, and the majority are well-educated and eager to help you find the appropriate form and dosage of Cannabis for you. Don’t be afraid to ask questions—with the growing number of products and ways to ingest them, your budtender can help you find your optimal personalized regimen.

According to the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission, there were more than 265,000 transactions at dispensaries as of November, 2018, and the expected revenue of nearly $100 million for the year was double what had been forecasted. The vast majority of items sold (over 500,000) were extracts or Cannabis-infused products, although 7,650 pounds of dried flower was purchased—not insubstantial!

So that’s how your medicine gets to you, all the way from tiny seed to sale. Upcoming issues of Maryland Leaf will introduce you to more of the growers, processors and retailers, as well as reviewing Maryland’s finest flowers, concentrates, and the growing array of specialty Cannabis products and services. Be sure to ask for the latest issue!

BY MICHAEL HUGHES

23

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corridors to one of the larger cultivation chambers.

When the doors open the light is nearly blinding.

“Isn’t it beautiful?” Bronfein asks.

For anyone who loves this plant and appreciates its medicinal value, seeing row upon row of thriving Cannabis plants exploding into flower under the intense clarity of the grow lights is indeed jaw dropping—that’s a lot of medicine! Twenty-three strains are currently being cultivated, and each plant—6 to 7,000 growing at any time—is barcoded and tagged for tracking throughout its life cycle.

Strains are selected not just for their THC content (the ingredient responsible for the beloved high), but for their terpenes (aromatic oils that give strains their various scents and flavors, as well as medical and psychoactive effects) and other medicinally useful cannabinoids, most notably the increasingly trendy Cannabidiol (CBD). Modern horticultural techniques—many of which were pioneered by underground growers—have enabled growers to maximize the Cannabinoid-rich flowers while minimizing the plant’s size for tight indoor spaces.

After the plants are harvested and dried, the flowers are trimmed of excess or unwanted leaves.

Flower can be trimmed via machine or handmanicured by a dedicated team using scissors.

Then the flowers are cured for days or weeks under controlled temperature and humidity, which stops the plant from degrading and preserves the terpenes and Cannabinoids, while heightening each strain’s unique flavors and potency.

But although flower is the most well-known method of ingestion, medicalization and industrialization have enabled much more precision in Cannabis delivery systems. Brian Sanderoff, P.D., Curio’s Dispensary General Manager and Clinical Director, explains: “The medical world is tending more toward the processed products—tablets, capsules, tinctures, lozenges. The pharmacist in me loves this because I can be very exact with the dosage. If I use a tincture, I can tell you I’m giving you one milligram of THC and one milligram of CBD. With flower, I can tell you what the percentage the THC is, but the dosage is hard to know because there are so many variables.”

The primary active chemicals are removed from the raw Cannabis using solvents (butane or alcohol are common) or, in Curio’s case, supercritical CO2 fluid extraction technology. The plant matter is packed into a chamber, where CO2 at extremely low temperatures is run through the material at various pressures. The ultra-cold (-70°F) gas becomes a liquid, and as it passes through the Cannabis it dissolves the trichomes (the sticky, resinous and frosty hairs) so the active compounds can be isolated.

Additional runs through the process at differing pressures can further isolate the sought-after Cannabinoids and terpenes.

CO2 extraction allows the creation of a large number of products, including oils used in vaporizer cartridges, concentrates of varying consistencies (wax, shatter, budder), edibles and ingestible

HIGHLY EFFECTIVE FOR STRESS, PAIN, NAUSEA, AND ANXIETY, EASING YOU INTO A MELLOW STATE OF RELAXATION WITHOUT UNWANTED SEDATION.

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JAN. 2019

Mai

GROWN BY GLEAF PURCHASED AT: STARBUDS BALTIMORE

REVIEW BY SPENCER IMBACH

STRAIN OF THE MONTH

T

esting at an alarming 34.8% THCA, this topshelf exotic strain from GLeaf has the glimmering resin to attest to its score, along with a pungent, fruity aroma that complements its bright colors. The tight, rocky nugs are overloaded with trichomes, and breaking open the bud reveals underlying earthy tones of skunky pine. This subtle, kush-influenced profile is likely attributable to its Sunset Sherbet parent which, when crossed with Purple Punch, provides a more sweet and fruity scent that enhances the strain’s tropical essence.

When vaporized, these tropical flavors were wonderfully exaggerated and provided a rich bouquet of fruit flavor. A smooth and almost creamy yogurt-like grape Kool-Aid finish accompanied the exhale, lifting my spirits and putting my mind quietly at ease. Smoking a raw cone facilitated this relaxed headspace by providing stronger waves of level-headed relaxation. With over 30% total THC, this indica-dominant hybrid is a great daytime smoke, highly effective for stress, pain, nausea, and anxiety, easing you into a mellow state of relaxation without unwanted sedation.

Take one or two hits for quick relief, or indulge in the intoxicating effects of this potent strain that will have you convinced it’s 75 degrees and sunny—even on an icy winter day.

PHOTO by WYATT EARLY

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Tai

34.7% THCA

New Section For 2019!

Mission Statement To promote and foster the growth of the cannabis retail experience. To develop and enhance the Business 2 Business relationships between dispensaries and vendors in this emerging market.

Our Vision Our vision is to bring collectives, vendors, growers and auxiliary companies together to create the synergy that was lacking in this area of the cannabis culture/industry. One of the biggest problems (which is universal in this industry) Is that the buyer or procurement agent is lacking time. This allows the decision maker, to meet, see and discuss products at their leisure. This allows the decision maker to see many compliant companies at once, and to create ongoing relationships. Justin, Hap and the Champs Dispensary+ team look forward to helping create an atmosphere that you can thrive and conduct business, at your LEISURE. We are also open to companies/vendors you want to see there. Feedback is important, and we are open to it. The industry is changing and helping you expand to a bigger market share is our goal. The Champs family of shows continues to grow and look forward to growing with you.

For More Information Hap Kent- office: (818) 855-1528, cell: (818) 640-7010, email: Hap@ctsdplus.com Justin Wilson- cell: (509) 994-7051, email: Justin@ctsdplus.com

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about Cannabis is being caught with it. Very few consumers can say that they, or someone they know, haven’t been arrested or stigmatized for Cannabis use. And even as Medical Cannabis use is being debated and over-regulated, corporations and big pharma are lining up with billions of dollars to invest and profit from the plant.

So, why does Medical Cannabis matter? It matters because it helps. It helps cancer patients battle chemotherapy, AIDS patients to eat, and for my lower back pain. It helps children with autism and rare cancers, soccer moms with endometriosis or anxiety, the elderly to treat pain without opiates, for Veterans to heal from PTSD or traumatic brain injuries, and many more conditions. I have seen our plant help and heal countless lives, and it can be grown in your backyard or closet. That’s why Cannabis means so much.

To say it’s just a plant takes away from the amazing medical potential of Cannabinoids, and I look forward to science catching up from a century of prohibition. But to me, the greatest potential lies in a small personal garden, and freedom from a for-profit healthcare system.

Pot isn’t the answer for every illness, but it can easily replace half of the average medicine cabinet, and reconnect us to nature through the act of gardening. Growing your own medicine is an extremely satisfying and human thing to do, and I hope to see the plant freed for the entire planet to love and heal with.

As we head towards a new future of medical and recreational Cannabis use, it is important to remember our roots, those who’ve suffered, and to share the truth about the plant and medicine that benefits so many.

Whether you are new to Cannabis or a lifelong smoker, share your voice and experiences about the plant.

That’s how we will make change nationally, in our communities, and in the lives that we touch every day. And it’s what we strive to do with the Leaf Nation of magazines.

Each month we look forward to bringing our readers the truth about Medical Cannabis, and stories that are from their local community. Since starting Northwest Leaf in 2010, to our expansion in Oregon and Alaska, we have worked to highlight the companies and products that are changing the way our plant is perceived. I am honored to be bringing Leaf Nation to Maryland and future locations on the East Coast, where we plan to continue our legacy of quality journalism surrounding Cannabis.

I hope that you enjoy our efforts to bring the truth about the plant we all thought we knew, and to share enlightenment one magazine at a time. Thank you for reading the Leaf—I hope that you share a copy with friends and family, and look for our new issues each month as we learn together how Medical Cannabis can help our species, country, and planet.

“POTISN’TTHE ANSWERFOREVERY ILLNESS,BUTITCAN EASILYREPLACE HALFTHEAVERAGE MEDICINECABINET, ANDRECONNECT USTONATURE THROUGHTHEACT OFGARDENING.”

BY WES ABNEY, LEAF NATION FOUNDER

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s America wrestles with a divided political reality, Medical Cannabis usage and patients have become an important centrist cause that starts with a plant most Americans have never seen.

I grew up in the DARE program days, when “marihuana” was considered as dangerous as heroin, and drug advocates came to sing songs about the dangers of getting high at schools. While DARE has removed Cannabis from its own list of dangerous drugs, that didn’t stop former Attorney General Jeff Sessions from claiming that Cannabis is on par with hard drugs in the last year, and for our criminal justice system to continue the unjust war on drugs.

America has a 100 plus year legacy of arresting people for non-violent drug offenses that will one day be a stain in our history books. We lock humans in for-profit cages for growing or smoking a harmless plant, and treat those addicted to drugs (illegal or prescribed) as criminals to be hidden away from society. Even in this new age of enlightenment surrounding drug policy, people are still going to jail for pot, with an arrest every 48 seconds. While some states are collecting hundreds of millions in tax revenue from the sale of “legal” Cannabis, others are stealing freedom for as little as an eighth of pot.

When I began as an activist for Cannabis in 2009, legalization was considered a pipe dream and Medical Cannabis a thinly veiled attempt to legalize drugs. I was arrested for less than one gram of Cannabis while in college—having dodged the law with much larger amounts previously—and nearly lost a scholarship and my freedom.

Over the last decade, I have seen many lose their freedom or their children for something we know to be beneficial for medicine and recreation.

So, when I ask myself why Medical Cannabis matters, it starts with those in jail. Nobody deserves to be in jail for a plant. That fundamental injustice aside, the most marginalized group is those needing Cannabis as medicine—the patients. The right for Medical Cannabis was won by sick and dying cancer and AIDS patients who knew their message meant more than the risk, and that they wouldn’t be alive long enough to experience prison. It literally took the sick and dying raising their voices for the plant to become accepted.

Today, Medical Cannabis covers a broad range of social issues that touch every household in the country. From the essential human right to cultivate a medicinal plant, to the criminalization and stealing of freedom for generations, to the racist past and present of how our drug laws are enforced, pot has a big impact. As the joke goes, the most dangerous thing

SPECIAL

his article is addressed to adults (18 and older) who are Maryland residents. If you live in another state but receive medical treatment in Maryland, or want to register a minor or a patient currently in hospice care, please see the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission (MMCC) website for further details: mmcc.maryland.gov Until the rules changed in December of 2018, you didn’t need an official MMCC ID card to access your medicine, only your patient ID number. That has changed, and now all new patients must purchase an MMCC ID card when registering for the program. Beginning April 1, 2019, all patients— even those previously registered who do not have cards—must present the state-issued ID card to purchase their medicine.

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DO YOU QUALIFY?

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The current list of conditions that are approved for enrollment in the program include:

• • • • • • • • • •

Anorexia Cachexia (weakness and wasting due to illness) Chronic pain Glaucoma Post-traumatic stress disorder Seizures Severe nausea Severe or persistent muscle spasms Severe pain Wasting syndrome If you don’t have any of those conditions, do not despair. There is a clause appended to the list, which states: “…or another chronic medical condition which is severe and for which other treatments have been ineffective.”

That clause leaves a good bit of leeway for your doctor to decide whether or not he or she thinks cannabis will benefit you.

JAN. 2019

STEP -BYSTEP

STEP2

GET MATERIALS TOGETHER

EMAIL ADDRESS

You will also need a clear digital photograph that has been taken within the past six months. It should look like a color passport photo, with a plain white or off-white background. Make sure you are clothed in the photo (because, really), are facing forward, and have both eyes open.

Your easiest bet is to use one of the many passport photo apps easily found in the Apple or Google app stores. These apps will assure the photo fits the guidelines.

Make sure you have a valid, easily accessible email address (and you may want to use a personal rather than work email address, as this will be your main point of contact with the state’s program).

NOTE: I found it much easier to register using a laptop or desktop computer because of the complexities of dealing with file systems and web forms on phones.

INSTRUCTIONS

STEP1

STEP3

MMCC ONLINE REGISTRY Now it’s time to set up your patient account by visiting the MMCC Registry website:

mmcc.maryland.gov and click on the blue box that says “Patients,” then click “I Am Ready to Register.”

On the following page, click “Create Account” under “Patients.” You will create a username and password (write them down! Keep them safe!) then answer a few simple questions, and will be sent to the Patient Registration Form.

On this page, you will also upload the digital documentation (photo ID and recent photo).

You will also be guided through the steps to purchase your MMCC ID card.

Every new patient must purchase the card ($50) or you will not be able to purchase Cannabis.

STEP4

FIND A DOCTOR You do not need to get a prescription from your primary doctor—and you probably shouldn’t, as most are not registered with the state. Instead, visit a doctor who is officially registered with the MMCC. There is a gnarly, headacheinducing spreadsheet of registered doctors available from the MMCC website, but you’re better off using listings in this magazine, Google, or the ever-popular Weedmaps app to search for one near you.

Most doctors charge around $150 to $200 for the initial consultation. You can shop around a bit for better pricing, and many offer discounts for veterans and seniors. Check their website if they have one.

Set up the appointment, and ask what materials you will need to bring, as some doctors will ask you to bring any pertinent medical records. DO NOT FORGET TO BRING YOUR PATIENT NUMBER. Don’t be nervous! The doctors are there to help you gain access to quality medicine, not to interrogate you. Be honest about your desire to gain relief and healing, and let them know if cannabis has previously provided you with relief from your symptoms.

Once you complete all the information, and fix any errors, you will receive a verification email which you MUST reply to. If you don’t, you will not be entered into the system. So be sure to look for that email and follow the verification instructions!

So now you have an account...is it time to see the doctor?

No. Now comes the wait. Depending upon the number of people ahead of you in the system, it can take up to 45 days to get your approval. It only took me a couple of days, but please be patient, future patient. Chances are it will not take the full 45 days.

At some point, after you have worn out your fingers refreshing your email, you will receive a confirmation that you are in the system. You will receive your official patient number—save that email and write down your patient number and keep it in a secure place.

STEP5

OFFICIAL REGISTRATION Once your doctor processes all of your information and adds you to the system (usually a matter of days) you will be notified. Congratulations! You are now officially a registered patient—but you still need to get your physical card before you can begin accessing the healing properties of Cannabis. A temporary card will be mailed to you, but in the meantime you will be able to print a copy of your temporary card directly from the MMCC website.

STEP6

PURCHASE When you receive your temporary card (or print one from the website) you are all ready to go shopping! And so begins a whole new set of questions: what to buy?

Flower, oil, concentrate, or ingestible?

How much should you take? Where are the best dispensaries? Look to an upcoming issue of Maryland Leaf for help with those questions, and in the meantime your budtender or doctor can help you find the unique, personalized medicine for your healing journey.

Your provider will determine the maximum amount of medical Cannabis (in dried flower or in milligrams of THC) you can purchase. The amount is calculated as arolling30-day limit; i.e., not by the calendar month. The current maximum allowed under law is 120 grams (about four ounces) of dried flower or 36 total grams of THC (in concentrated, non-flower form).

Exceptions may be made for very severe illness.

How does the state keep track of my purchases? How can I?

restaurant, sidewalk), in a motor vehicle, at the dispensary (or on its property) or in a rented property if the owner forbids it. Taking it at work is also risky in that you are unlikely to be protected by law at your workplace.

In other words, use your medicine at home if you want to avoid potential legal entanglements.

You can’t be under the influenceof your medical Cannabis while operating a motor vehicle or while undertaking any task when doing so would constitute negligence or malpractice (driving a school bus or operating on a patient, for example).

The law is essentially the same as for operating under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. In short, be discreet and responsible.

Each purchase you make is carefully logged with the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission (MMCC) centralized system at the time of purchase, using software called the Franwell Marijuana Enforcement Tracking Regulation and Compliance system (Metrc). The software has occasionally broken down, resulting in headaches for dispensaries and patients alike, but the state has been quick to put fixes in place. You can log into your patient account at the MMCC website to see how much you have purchased/how much you have left within your rolling 30-day limit.

Can I buy edibles?

Where can I legally travel with my medicine?

No, thanks to federal law. This is likely to be a contentious issue, and subject to legal challenges, as the number of patients grows. Although HIPAA regulations provide confidentiality with regards to your medical records, Maryland State Police can ask you if you’re a medical Cannabis patient when you seek to buy a gun. If you lie to them, you can face up to ten years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

You can travel anywhere in the state of Maryland. The only exception is federal property—federal law still prohibits cannabis possession.

So avoid national parks, federal buildings, and any property owned by the federal government. Every patient should keep his or her medicine in its original packaging, without all intact labels, especially when traveling.

Where can I ingest my medicine?

Ideally, you will take your medicine in your private home, out of the view of the public.

Where and when can I not take my medicine?

You can’t ingest medical Cannabis (via smoking, vaping, eating, dabbing, etc.) in a public location (park,

Maryland does not currently allow infused edibles (foods like cookies, chocolates, etc.). The law does allow Cannabis products that can be orally ingested, including tinctures, mints, tablets, oils, and recently troches (aka gummies).

Can I grow my own?

33

No.

Can I own or buy a firearm(s) if I’m in the state program?

If I’m already in the system, but don’t have an official ID card, do I need to get one?

Yes, you absolutely need an official ID card. The rules have changed, and beginning April 1, 2019 you will need to show your official card (or temporary version) to purchase medical Cannabis. Log in to your MMCC patient account to order your card ($50 cost) to avoid being cut off on April 1.

BY MICHAEL HUGHES

LEAFNATIONMD.COM

How Much Medical Cannabis Can I Buy?

SPECIAL LEAFNATIONMD.COM

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IT’SNOTDOPEANYMORE...

POT, DOPE, CHRONIC, DRO, HERB : MEDICINE/CANNABIS

I

HIGH, STONED, BAKED : MEDICATED/EFFECTS

t has been said that the pen is mightier than the sword, and that the power of words is timeless. Language is what defines humanity, and the proper wording has the power to change minds--even the world. That said, it is extremely important for medical marijuana patients to describe themselves and their medication in a professional and respectable manner. This is not only for the benefit of patients, but for the outside world looking in. Here in Maryland, patients have direct and increasing access to their medicine, and it is important to set a good example.

Consider this list of common terms associated with marijuana, and the proper MMJ terminology for patients or new adult users to use.

JAN. 2019

GREEN CARD : MEDICAL MARIJUANA AUTHORIZATION DUB/ZIP/FULL : PROPER NAME REFERENCED BY

WEIGHT EX. 4 GRAMS OF MEDICINE

POT BROWNIE OR OTHER INFUSED ITEM : MEDIBLE BONG, PIECE, BUBBLER, VAPORIZER : THESE ARE OK! SACK, BAG, STASH : SUPPLY OF MEDICINE/CANNABIS JOINT/BLUNT : PRE-ROLL SHOOTS, STARTS, STARTERS : CLONES

DISPENSARYETIQUETTE it is inappropriate to barge into a back room, potentially triggering security systems. Just like any other business, wait your turn and be respectful to both staff and other patients alike.

Once you have chosen your Cannabis and acquired it, it is important to be discrete when leaving an access point.

Always keep your Cannabis out of sight from the general public, and do not smoke near the location or in a public area. If you plan to drive away, store your medicine in a secure place-- preferably the trunk. This will help protect you in the event of an encounter with law enforcement.

Above all, be safe and smart and enjoy the privilege of buying medical Cannabis!

TIPSFORBUYINGMEDICINE

THENOSEKNOWS

Remember! Adult users without a Cannabis authorization cannot buy any Cannabis products at a medical access point. So, don’t plan to bring a friend or try and enter a store without first becoming authorized.

While it might sound cliché to smell you medicine before purchasing, it’s the most important factor for experiencing Cannabis in a store. Test results, branding and packaging can tell you a lot about a product, but nothing speaks to the body and mind like the smell. And it’s much more than “that’s some skunky stuff!” Smelling Cannabis allows your body to take in the terpenes and other flavonoids that guide the effects of the THC and other Cannabinoids in the plant. Let your nose guide you towards smells and flavors that are desirable to you! It’s your body’s way of saying “I like that terpene profile, let’s choose that.”

POTENCY This is a very important aspect of choosing your Cannabis.

All products sold in Maryland will have test results on the package listing THC content and other Cannabinoids. Most consumers tend to think that high THC content means a product will get them the most “high.” While THC does promote the majority of the psychoactive responses that one receives when consuming Cannabis, it is the entourage effect of terpenes and other Cannabinoids that really has the most influence on how potent and how long the effects last after consumption. With all the hybridization of plants, we are now starting to see cultivars that grow like sativas but carry a heavy sedative effect like an indica characteristically would do, and vice versa. Just because a plant is 20-someodd percent THC doesn’t particularly mean you will be on a space rocket ride for four hours. The combination of other cannabinoids and terpenes, along with environmental stimuli, will all play a role in how the effects are felt and their longevity. Learning about the major terpenes in Cannabis and how they interact with your body chemistry can help reduce anxiety attacks and negative effects associated with consumption.

“TESTRESULTS, BRANDINGAND PACKAGINGCAN TELLYOUALOT ABOUTA PRODUCT,BUT NOTHINGSPEAKSTO THEBODYANDMIND LIKETHESMELL.”

TAKINGA BUDTENDER’SADVICE Don’t be bashful. Budtenders will generally have a pretty decent idea of what product can meet your price point and expertise level if you converse with them. This should also be taken with a grain of salt, because some producer/ processor companies promote better than others, and budtenders may be trained to be more knowledgeable in these companies’ products.

As with any occupation, not all budtenders are created equal. While some take their job seriously and are very knowledgeable, others are just there for the discount and shoveling off grams. Let the budtender know if you are a first-time consumer or new to Cannabis, so they don’t send you home with something that may be way too potent for your experience level.

Remember, it’s easy to consume more, so take things slowly and learn where your line is. Yes, you can overmedicate on Cannabis, but it won’t kill you. It will, on the other hand, make you feel extremely uncomfortable and can alter your plans very quickly--possibly making you look rather foolish when you are laying down on the floor.

The point to take home here is that the budtender should have a decent idea of what the product is like and the effects, but do your homework. No one knows you better than you do.

OVERALL In the long run, the best way to find out what works and what doesn’t is by doing a little bit of research about what you are looking for, plus trial-and-error sampling and questions for the budtender. Don’t buy an ounce of something unless you are sure you like that cultivar and the farmer who grew it. Don’t forget that Cannabis is a commodity like any other crop--there are good harvests and bad harvests. One farmer’s Northern Lights might not be the same as the next farmer on the shelf.

BY WES ABNEY, LEAF NATION FOUNDER

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While recreational Cannabis stores in legal states are similar to a liquor store experience, the medical Cannabis dispensaries in Maryland are set up differently. The Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission’s system is designed to be for patients, and each location will deal with that process a little differently.

Always approach a new dispensary with respect and pay attention to any posted signs or rules. Once inside, there may still be a waiting period before getting access to Cannabis. It is always best to assume that there will be a wait when coming to an access point (dispensary) without an appointment. Always wait to be invited/escorted into a back medicine room. Security is tight at most locations, and

SPECIAL LEAFNATIONMD.COM

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Sativa vs. Indica ativa for the mind, Indica for the body—that’s a general rule of thumb anyway. Here we find the plant species Cannabis sativa L. and its two main sub-species used for medicinal purposes: Cannabis indica and Cannabis sativa. The type chosen will greatly influence the medicinal outcome, as each has its own distinct set of characteristics.

Cannabis sativa is often characterized as uplifting and energetic, with the effects of sativas being more cerebral. Cannabis indica offers an effect often described as a pleasant body buzz.

Indicas are great for pain relief and for an overall sense of calm and serenity. Let’s compare and contrast the differences between these two types of Medical Cannabis, and also meet a third--Cannabis ruderalis—who many are starting to become more familiar with.

First off, there is debate in the scientific community on the question of whether indica and sativa represent two distinct species, or whether they represent subsets of the same species. In other words, two different species may have evolved from the same genus, or perhaps one species split along geographic lines. Regardless, Cannabis divided into two easily distinguishable plants. Sativas are found growing wild in almost all equatorial regions of the globe, while indicas thrive in southern Asia and the Indian subcontinent. The two species have traditionally been cultivated and bred for specific uses—sativas more for straight smoking and indicas for making hashish. These practices continued for thousands of years, without the two lines ever crossing paths. A combination, or hybrid, was created by man to garner the best effects of both for improved medicinal outcomes.

These hybrids are commonly called strains, and typically represent some varying percentage of Cannabis indica and Cannabis sativa genetics. Through selective breeding techniques and hybridization, new strains are created to select for and perfect certain desirable attributes while diminishing the less desirable. These attributes can range from optimizing the plant for certain growing environments (indoor vs. out), to the potency and medicinal effect of the end product (varying ratios of active constituents). The varying ratios of the hybridized genetics influence the medicinal outcomes through the expression of the uniqueness of the parent plant’s chemistry.

The plant’s chemistry is dictated by Cannabinoids and terpenes, which are the active compounds found in Cannabis. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD) are two of more than one hundred known Cannabinoid compounds that are center stage for medicinal activity. THC is the only psychoactive compound in the medicine, and CBD seems to have much more to offer Medical Cannabis patients.

Indicas are higher in CBD than THC, and sativas are the opposite with higher THC than CBD. Therefore, many hybridized medicinal strains are indica-dominant. Terpenes are the aromatic compounds of Cannabis, giving rise to the distinctive odors. Sativa plants are generally sweet and fruity, where indicas are stronger smelling with a stinkier, skunky odor. Cannabis contains over one hundred identified terpenes, with 20 commonly found in higher concentrations. These odor compounds have unique smells and known physiological effects. An association of the individual odoriferous qualities and known effects can lead to better choices in medicine, and more predictable outcomes.

JAN. 2019

Explained “MEDICAL CANNABIS PATIENTS NEED TO ARM THEMSELVES WITH THE INFORMATION NECESSARY TO MAKE MORE TARGETED CHOICES IN THE SELECTION OF THEIR MEDICINE, AND PROPER DELIVERY FOR THEIR CONDITION.”

BY DR. SCOTT ROSE

Cannabis INDICA

SATIVA

PLANTS ARE SMALLER IN STATURE, RELATIVELY SHORT AND BUSHY. THE LEAVES ARE MUCH MORE WIDE AND BROAD. SHORTER PERIOD TO GROW, MATURE, MORE BUSH-LIKE WITH HIGHER YIELDS MAKING INDICA A MORE POPULAR CHOICE FOR INDOOR CULTIVATION. BUDS GENERALLY MORE PUNGENT AND SKUNKY ODOR.

PLANTS ARE TALL AND ROUND, TO LEAN AND SPINDLY. THE LEAVES ARE LONG AND THIN. TAKES LONGER TO GROW, MATURE, AND REQUIRES MORE LIGHT THAN INDICA. YIELD IS USUALLY LOWER THAN INDICA, BUT QUITE POTENT. BUDS GENERALLY SMELL SWEET AND FRUITY.

MORE LIKELY TO HAVE HIGHER PERCENTAGES OF CBD

GENERALLY HIGHER IN THC THAN CBD.

EFFECTS OFTEN DESCRIBED AS A PLEASANT BODY BUZZ, MORE RELAXING, STRESS RELIEVING, AND AN OVERALL SENSE OF CALM AND SERENITY.

EFFECTS ARE UPLIFTING AND ENERGETIC. MOSTLY CEREBRAL, OFFERING A FEELING OF OPTIMISM AND WELL-BEING, AS WELL AS PROVIDING A GOOD MEASURE OF PAIN RELIEF.

GOOD CHOICE FOR NIGHTTIME USE

GOOD CHOICE FOR DAYTIME USE.

EFFECTIVE AS A RELAXANT FOR ANXIETY, PAIN, NAUSEA, SLEEP, APPETITE STIMULATION, MUSCLE SPASMS AND TREMORS, AMONG OTHER SYMPTOMS. THEY ARE KNOWN TO INDUCE “COUCH LOCK” AND MANY FIND THE SEDATIVE EFFECTS UNDESIRABLE DURING THE DAY.

EFFECTIVE IN APPETITE STIMULATION, RELIEVING DEPRESSION, MIGRAINES, CHRONIC PAIN, LACK OF FOCUS AND NAUSEA. THEY CAN HAVE A SPACEY EFFECT, AND THE HIGHER THC CAUSES SOME INDIVIDUALS PARANOIA AND ANXIETY.

SOME POPULAR INDICAS : OG KUSH, PURPLE URKLE, AFGHANI, ROMULAN, BLUEBERRY, NORTHERN LIGHTS

RUDERALIS FLOWERS EARLIER THAN C. INDICA OR C. SATIVA, NOT AS TALL, CAN WITHSTAND MUCH HARSHER CLIMATES. INDIGENOUS TO CENTRAL ASIA, CAN BE FOUND WILD IN MIDWESTERN NORTH AMERICA. BUDDING BASED STRICTLY ON AGE AND NOT ON CHANGES IN LENGTH OF DAYLIGHT. LOWER THC CONTENT THAN EITHER CANNABIS SATIVA OR CANNABIS INDICA.

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FREQUENTLY CROSS-BRED WITH CANNABIS INDICA TO PRODUCE PLANTS WITH HIGHER THC CONTENT, AS WELL AS THE HARDINESS AND REDUCED HEIGHT OF CANNABIS RUDERALIS. KNOWN AS AUTO-FLOWERING.

SOME POPULAR SATIVAS : SUPER LEMON HAZE, HEADBAND, JACK HERER, SOUR DIESEL

CREATED BY CROSS-BREEDING TWO OR MORE DIFFERENT STRAINS TO CREATE A NEW STRAIN. CREATED TO RETAIN CERTAIN DESIRED CHARACTERISTICS. MOST CANNABIS VARIETIES AVAILABLE TODAY ARE HYBRIDS. BEST OF BOTH WORLDS, VARYING THC TO CBD RATIOS, AND BLENDED TERPENE CONTENT .

MANY PATIENTS BENEFIT FROM THE USE OF HYBRIDIZED STRAINS. SOME POPULAR HYBRIDS : BLUE DREAM, WHITE WIDOW, GG #4, GIRL SCOUT COOKIES

Through limited research and anecdotal report, we are now aware of specific strains that are effective for specific medical conditions and symptoms. Strains are being mixed and matched to select and enhance desired medicinal effects for the benefit of patients. And this body of knowledge is ever increasing. Here, Medical Cannabis patients need to arm themselves with the information necessary to make more targeted choices in the selection of their medicine, and proper delivery for their condition. Efficient, effective, proper use will further help shift the paradigm away from “the smoking of pot”, to the use of Cannabis as the important medicine it is.

LEAFNATIONMD.COM

HYBRIDS

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The Quartz Crystal Atomizer allows the user to load the Dipper like a traditional pack-and-go pen but get a true dab hit.This solves many of the frustrations that come along with traditional packable pens like messes, leaks, clogs, etc. The Dipperalways offers excellent flavor relative to other dab devices.

VOICES OF THE

CANNABIS WAR Pelletier grew up on his family potato farm with his 11 brothers and sisters.

When he was 11 years old, he was ran over by a tractor which caused him to become paraplegic. As a result, he became dependent on a wheelchair and suffered constant pain.

Like many people, after the use of countless pharmaceuticals, Pelletier found that Cannabis provided him the most relief with the least side effects. Eventually, he decided to sell small amounts to make ends meet between his small disability checks.

The federal government built a case against Pelletier claiming he was the kingpin of a large Cannabis drug ring based on the testimony of his co-defendants who received reduced sentences in exchange for their testimony. The quantity of Cannabis was exaggerated, and the jurors did not know their jury rights, leaving him with a life sentence without the possibility of parole. His only chance at freedom was from the jurors. If a single juror had voted not guilty, Pelletier would be free today.

Serving a life sentence for Cannabis is unjust regardless of the circumstances. those with medical conditions serving time for a plant is exasperated. “Being a paraplegic in prison has it twice as hard,” Pelletier said. “I’m in a prison where they have the death-row, ex-gang members. Some of the most hardened criminals. You have to be one step ahead of everyone at all times,” he said.

“Then throw in the mix all of the medical problems.” Since his incarceration, due to the lack of services such a physical therapy, Pelletier has suffered from four blood clots in his legs.

As a wheelchair-bound prisoner, his ability to work and earn money is greatly diminished. Basic necessities like toothpaste, socks, soap, and the like are difficult to come by without a steady income from the labor offered. He’s been imprisoned for over 12 years, with little access to even minimal health care and the added stress of wheelchair dependency.

To cope, Pelletier has turned to painting while in prison. “I gather great relief from my problems, and life in prison, through the escape offered by painting,” he said.

“It’s a place where I can get away from the stressful environment of my living quarters.” You can own a Michael Pelletier original, and help him to buy basic necessities by purchasing art he has made while behind bars. Visit: https://www. michaelpelletierart.com/ to browse through his gallery.

Support from those on the outside is a vital part of surviving a prison sentence. For prison and Cannabis reform such as Amy Povah (CANDO), Mindi Hall (VOW, Freedom Grow), Deedee Kirkwood (The Pot Fairy Project), and Beth Curtis (Life for Pot) are among those who help to keep Pelletier’s story alive and maintain hope that someday he will be free.

“Just knowing someone cares, makes everything a little easier and the day a little brighter. I have such gratitude for all those that have shared their support.

They possess a goodness which brings happiness, to all those whose lives they touch,” Pelletier said. “It’s not what you have in your life, but who you have in your life that counts.” Pelletier is one of the multitudes of applicants waiting for his clemency to be approved. Petition asking President Trump to free Pelletier is available to sign online. We urge you to sign this and consider the vast number of other petitions sponsored

by Can-Do at https://bit.ly/2GuuqsE

“IGATHER GREATRELIEF FROMMY PROBLEMS, ANDLIFE INPRISON, THROUGH THEESCAPE OFFEREDBY PAINTING,”

VOW (Voices Of the Cannabis War) is a group of dedicated cannabis activists who are voices for prisoners incarcerated for Cannabis. VOW writes articles, hosts radio shows, does public speaking, works on special projects and makes images in their honor. VOW has ‘vowed’ to help free them through education, prisoner support, courtroom support and helping to END PROHIBITION.

BY VOW MEMBERS KRISTIN FLOR AND MINDI HALL

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LEAFNATIONMD.COM

This is the month families celebrate the new year together and smoke a joint with friends! Not Michael Pelletier, a 62-year old paraplegic from Madawaska, Maine, who is serving a life sentence in federal prison for Cannabis crimes.

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CONCENTRATE OF THE MONTH

T

Honey Banana

BY MELTING POINT EXTRACTS @ mpx_us meltingpointextracts.com Purchased at: Starbuds Baltimore

he Honey Banana distillate cartridge was one of the first products available in Maryland by Melting Point Extracts (MPX).

Cutting right to the chase with their line of clean, durable, and discreet cartridges, this showcasing of the potential of modern Cannabis extraction science is impressive. The clear glass tank holds a half gram of glistening golden-yellow distillate, complemented by an atomizer that produces a quick and smooth vapor that relaxes the lungs immediately, leaving the consumer with a soothingly sweet honey banana flavor that lingers heavy on the exhale. Next up are waves of physical comfort and cerebral euphoria, followed by a heaviness behind the eyes that confirms the high level of THC. With no artificial flavors added, the taste is true to its flower—Harvest of Maryland’s Honey Banana—where the sweet, mellow flavor will leave you dreaming of golden honey drizzled over sliced bananas. Dig in!

“NEXT UP ARE WAVES OF PHYSICAL COMFORT AND CEREBRAL EUPHORIA, FOLLOWED BY A HEAVINESS BEHIND THE EYES THAT CONFIRMS THE HIGH LEVEL OF THC.”

REVIEW AND PHOTO by SPENCER IMBACH

LEAFNATIONMD.COM

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GROWTECH

The age-old debate: pop new seeds, or plant that clone? You’ll find strong proponents in each category equally as committed to their diametrically opposing positions, and both are correct. I come from a long and tattered history of seed acquisition abuse behaviors and for the longest time refused any clone under any circumstance. After much effort, I have learned to control my habits and have focused on improving techniques with my existing flock. During that time, I took in a few clones from some of my closest family and the results have been stellar. I owe all of my best rounds from this past year entirely to the generosity and kindness of those who blessed me with an elite stock of cultivars to run in my water (you know who you are). Reflecting on this past year’s experience, I find a new balanced perspective between the two approaches for selection.

In this month’s Growtech, I’d like to begin a two-part series comparing the benefits and deficits of starting new seeds vs. planting a clone.

For me, exposing new seeds to the world for

EXPOSING NEW SEEDS TO THE WORLD FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME IS A SPECIAL EXPERIENCE, LIKE BEING A KID ON CHRISTMAS MORNING.

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SOWASEEDOR PLANTACLONE PART 1 OF 2

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BENEFITSANDDEFICITS OFRUNNINGSEEDS

JAN. 2019

the very first time is a special experience and how I imagine people feel when they talk about being a kid on Christmas morning. The idea that the plant I am cultivating is something that has never been exposed to our Earth, its environments or the beings around it, is an opportunity to participate in a miracle. I’ll always have a small space dedicated to opening, testing and exploring new varieties and phenotypes and perhaps I may have a slight bias toward that area. Having said that, I’ve really had my eyes peeled open to the many benefits of running clones over the past year. But let’s start with the benefits of starting from a seed anyhow.

Perhaps you don’t imagine yourself getting the same rejuvenating experience I’m describing from starting new seeds but nonetheless, there in lies an inherent benefit, the uniqueness of the potential is valuable. All of the varieties that people first sought me out for were seeds I discovered through my hobby/habit of acquiring seeds and opening them.

If you wanted to get that variety, there was only one place you could find it. Such a characteristic facilitated many of my most successful partnerships that I still enjoy today. Seeds provide that opportunity to be the first and only with your selection.

The greater the number of seeds you choose to select from, the higher the likelihood of finding a particularly stellar version that is difficult to emulate.

More importantly, you are making those choices. That allows your personal tastes, feelings and expressions of perfection you find with this plant to be fully selfexpressed and personal to you. Naturally the finished product will have the most weighted influence on selection, but growth patterns, veg time, tolerance to stress, longterm stability, ability to maintain perpetual vegetative state and so forth are important too. So not only are you bringing a new selection to the Cannabis community, you are also in many ways expressing yourself as a gardener. Those of us who are not particularly social creatures can also find meaningful

monitored. The results of gender instability can have a devastating effect on your round if you haven’t fully tested that plant. Many of us have made the mistake of running a seed untested in production only to find two to three pods of pollen that blow past day 55.

A dedicated testing space assures the gender stability of the plant and can cull those that don’t meet the selection criteria. It also helps you gain information on the veg times, and approximate time for the various flowering stages. I always like to know about when my plant will stop stretching and start setting, when setting will start swelling and so forth.

As a water gardener, it’s imperative to have this information to provide an ideal nutritional plan. A test round gives up this information in spades, creating a range you know you can safely work to dial in the particulars for.

It also seems responsible to get up on my sustainably harvested, vegan soap box for a moment and offer a little bit of information in the way of consumer protection. I am not a breeder. I don’t do private side projects of my own where I create seeds; I’m still trying to master growing. This has allowed me to sit in a unique space and I am blessed and privileged to say I have seen and worked intimately with many of the world’s top breeders. Needless to say there is a large group of people who care deeply about this plant and want to create new varieties for people to enjoy. Their dedication is unparalleled and inspiring and many of the projects they bring to the table represent a lifetime of work … sometimes more. The breeders in this category deserve a debt of gratitude. They are the bean makers and I’m the bean counter; we are a symbiotic pair. If I did nothing more in this lifetime than select through packs of Cannabis seeds, categorizing, observing, making notes and delivering feedback, I will have lived a rich and fulfilling existence. I’m most grateful to have an unlimited number of lines, breeders and parent stock to pursue this adventure with.

There is another side, however. If you are driven by money, greed and ego, you may find an attraction to becoming a Cannabis seed breeder. This is one of the reasons you see literally hundreds of new breeders offering enormous catalogues of seed varieties all between $75-200 per pack. With the proper marketing, swag, glitz and glamor, it’s been proven over and over that you can take a bag of seed from an already established line, rename it, claim it as a new creation of your own with a couple of lights in a small tent, and bang out $50,0000 to $100,000 worth of seed packs in about four months. Combine that with the sludge bucket, pot-pimping shit show called the High Times Cannabis (bought) Cup and you have a circle jerk of people making millions of dollars in a weekend off unsuspecting stoners trying to catch part of the cool. It’s such a tempting proposition to just make a run of seeds, run a pack or two and start selling the shit outta ‘em. Sadly enough,

@DrScanderson_gT Email: DrScanderson@protonmail.com

the marketing and culture has become so commoditized it’s not uncommon to see people boasting about the two females they got from their 10- or even 12-pack of whatever super exclusive $150+ seed pack they waited in line for hours to scoop at High Times. The thirst is literally so real, they just want to be part of any hype at all. It has become socially “uncool” to speak about bad results from a breeder riding the wave of commoditized 420 culture.

From these particular breeders perspective, doing things like fully testing their seeds out in a variety of environments, growing methods and skill levels is just a waste of time. For them, creating anything beyond an f1 would just be an opportunity for their competition to release the next new hotness first, ‘cause that’s all they’re after, no matter what form it takes. These breeders are a cancer on our industry and have done nothing but give

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credential and financing to High Times and other criminal outfits that serve only to exploit a popular social trend for financial gain.

It doesn’t take that long to figure out whom I’m talking about; just run some packs and the results speak for themselves.

I will always be partial to starting a new life by opening a Cannabis seed, and thusly have found in my perspective a way to circumnavigate the bullshit and spend my time only with those breeders that have put the time and intention into their work that I feel is worthy of our combined efforts.

But still, I have yet to produce a bloom from a personal selection in over a year. Wondering how such a dedicated seed junky could reach such levels of recovery? You’ll have to wait until next month to find out when I review the benefits and deficits of planting a clone.

Until then, if you are trying to locate a cultivar in seed form, have questions about which breeders I have had the most success with and which I recommend avoiding. My email is always open at DrScanderson@protonmail. com. Until next time, Happy Gardening!!!

BY NORTHWEST LEAF SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR DR. SCANDERSON

LEAFNATIONMD.COM

connections through the experiences of others enjoying the characteristics that are highlighted through selections.

Seeds also carry with them some pragmatic and inherent benefits. Let’s start with availability: I don’t think you can log onto social media or read through a Cannabis publication of any kind any longer without being bombarded with opportunities to acquire Cannabis seeds. Gone are the send and pray days of being relegated to overseas outfits. There are hundreds of U.S. suppliers and distributors of fine Cannabis seeds and new ones seem to sprout up daily.

Most of them are connected with some of the most reputable breeders in the industry, making supply, selection and competition for a fair market price all work for the buyer.

Seeds are also reasonably easy to store for long periods of time until conditions are ideal to start selecting them. One can acquire a line knowing the future will provide opportunity to select it even if the present doesn’t allow for the care of any plants. Seeds have extremely uniform growth as well, throwing as symmetrical a growth pattern and structure as the plant ever will. Last but certainly not least, seeds are always guaranteed to be free from pest infestation and nearly all diseases.

Prior to having a dedicated quarantine room, this became an open and shut case for me.

I am committed to a 100 percent pest- and disease-free environment, and I simply couldn’t assure the tight levels of controls required to support such a commitment while introducing new plants, any of which could be carrying an endless variety of pests or disease.

Those of you more inclined to run clones may already be hearing some of the challenges associated with running seeds even as the benefits are highlighted. First and foremost, the packet of seed that represents endless potential also includes those with no potential. Meaning, you don’t know what you’re going to get.

It took some time and experience working with multiple lines from various breeders before (at least in my case) it became evident which breeders were working with the types of principles and plants that I wanted the progeny from. I can’t remember reading a description that didn’t sound like the most amazing plant ever to be created. So with everything sounding so dank, how can you choose?

Well, it didn’t take long to figure out which breeders took the time to release a stable product that consistently reached top shelf quality and mirrored the description, and which ones do not. In this learning curve you will find some packs that are duds, with nothing worth keeping, some without the stability you need, and so forth. As a result, seeds are difficult to rely on if a specific result is imperative quickly.

At the end of the day, a large dedicated space to test seeds is as necessary as it is to take in new clones. While the seeds won’t have any pests riding on them, their gender stability is something that often needs to be

BREEDER OF THE MONTH

KOMA @komathegrower | defendtheharvest@gmail.com

Outspoken owner, head grower and breeder behind

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PROLIFIC COAST SEEDS

LEAFNATIONMD.COM

with more than a decade of experience growing.

Koma began creating strains six years ago. After overcoming numerous adversities, Koma is a recognized figure within the breeding scene.

He has made serious strides within Cannabis subculture and is known through the praise of high-demand genetics, like Cakebomb.

“YOU CANNOT BUY OR REPLICATE PASSION AND HEART. YOU HAVE TO DEDICATE YOURSELF ONE-HUNDRED PERCENT.”

JAN. 2019

BY SIMONE FISCHER @SIMONEFISCHER

I started growing bag seeds, 20 years ago outside in Texas, I was just a kid. I grew up in foster homes and life was so overwhelming at times. I hit my friend’s bong for the first time and I knew I found something that made me feel good – [Cannabis] was like a warm blanket. The growing started getting serious as soon as I got to Oregon. When I first arrived, all I was growing was Strawberry Cough and G-13.

What made you want to get into breeding?

It was the failures of others.

These seed companies promised all sorts of success, but the results were anything but. I had kids to feed, bills to pay, I needed the seeds to be good and I needed the bud to be of the highest quality. I was tired of coming up short to the point that I was questioning my [growing] abilities.

It’s interesting to think that potentially solid growers are blaming themselves – or their methods – when it’s actually just faulty genetics.

What do you have to say?

Genetics are key! I acquired some really good cuts, elites, and right away shit changed.

I went from struggling to pulling down high-quality herb overnight. The quality was so good my whole existence changed in one harvest.

When I started breeding six years ago, it was never about production or numbers, it was about quality first and foremost. I started breeding to make flavors. I love artisan craft; Cannabis cultivation is a place for an artist.

What defines “elite” in your mind?

In my opinion, an elite strain stands the test of time and is not a fly by night genetic. Its flower should also fetch the highest dollar on the market.

What cultivars have you created for Prolific Coast Seeds to offer within your seed bank?

I’m working with business owners from the East Coast who are entering into the hemp scene. We are going to open a large hemp processing and large-scale hemp breeding facility in North Carolina.

As for my THC-dominant strains, I currently love the Honey Tree, k-Smorz, Meow and Cake Bomb. My personal favorites are either the Hot Lava or the Meow.

What improvements you would like to see within the current Cannabis breeding scene?

People should start accepting responsibility for their behavior – especially on social media.

When breeders make mistakes, like dropping bad seeds; they should take responsibility for it. When will people own up to their failures? Fifteen years ago, people were very open about their garden problems, but people got so ostracized and belittled for common things like powdery mildew or pests. So nowadays, to be honest I think people are terrified about their issues, so gardens continue to suffer.

How do you think the competitive nature of the Cannabis market has changed the community in the wake of recreational legalization?

Nobody wins if we don’t help each other out. The true reflection of your character is what you do when you lose.

When you lose, everyone’s

going to look, but nobody remembers second place.

Everyone will eventually forget your loss, but it’s important to own up to your shortcomings in order to improve. I’ve made every mistake and did it twice just make sure. Post-Cannabis normalization, dollars went a long way, but you cannot buy or replicate passion and heart. You have to dedicate yourself one-hundred percent.

Least favorite aspect of breeding?

Culling seed and getting the seeds out of the bud.

It’s so tedious. I flash back to junior high with a ton of bag seeds. It totally sucks and there is no easy way around pulling seeds! That’s why this is a labor of love.

When it comes to creating new “elite” Cannabis genetics, what traits and terpenes do you hunt for?

The first thing I look for is smell and terpenes - terp is life. When I was building out the first studs, working with Fire OG, Casper OG, Scott’s OG, and Chem 4, I wanted something funky and really loud. Males are just as important as females when making crosses. It’s a shame that gets lost in so many peoples’ work. I just never wanted the offspring of my parentage to be weaker or less interesting than the parents.

I feel that the studs should be adding layers and depth.

Not just idle pollen donors.

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Where can people find your genetics?

You can find Prolific Coast Seeds at these seed banks: Artizenshop, Thinktank Seedbank 2, Speakeasy Seedbank, Neptune_Seed_Bank and Blockchain Novelties.

THEGROWER PHOTOS BY CHRIS RYAN @CANNABIS.PHOTO

LEAFNATIONMD.COM

When did you begin growing Cannabis and when did you first start to get into breeding?

REVIEW

MEDICAL GROWING

AGARDEN OFPEACE

AUTHOR: DANIEL BOUGHEN

MDLEAF.COM

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132 pages | 2012 | $34.95 US 33.95 CA

JAN. 2019

Daniel Boughen and I both grow cannabis. We use almost entirely different methods. However, that doesn’t matter in the larger scheme of things— because we agree on the really important stuff.

So, what’s more important than how you grow your weed? A couple of things, actually.

One is intention. Now, this may be on the hippie side of things, but life has again and again shown me that intentions matter. Cannabis grown with pure and healing intentions is, in this paradigm, going to be better medicine than that grown with just ONE OF THE MOST the profit motive in mind.

POWERFUL SECTIONS OF Secondly, the sacred bond THE BOOK INCLUDES DIRECT between farmer and plant— and between patient and PATIENT TESTIMONIES ABOUT EXPERIENCES WITH plant—may be mysterious, but it’s real. Boughen and I MEDICAL CANNABIS. were talking shop the other day, and it came to light that both of us tell our plants “I love you” just before harvesting them.

Well, not just then—all season long, actually. But especially then.

“You have to bless and thank them,” Boughen told me. “That love is returned, for sure. A pot grower knows this as a fact.”

The second edition of Daniel’s book, greatly expanded and updated in 2018, has more pages, pictures and information. Most of all, it displays the community engagement which is Boughen’s forté. One of the most powerful sections of the book includes direct patient testimonies about experiences with medical cannabis. Boughen oversees a thriving online community for medical cannabis patients to practice peer support.

Also included is a handy growing guide/diary, which takes you week by week through the growing process. It also features plenty of room for you to make your own notes.

Overall, Boughen gives a step-by-step manual for growing, harvesting, and storing your own cannabis—even including information on making oil. More than 150 photographs make the book a feast for the eyes, as well as for the mind. Recommended!

REVIEW BY STEVE ELLIOTT / TOKESIGNALS.COM

WHAT’S INSIDE MATTERS A pure plant can only come from a pure place.

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