# 5 | J A N . 2 02 1
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THE FUTURE ISSUE / where the Cannabis industry is growing /
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INDEPENDENT CANNABIS JOURNALISM SINCE 2010
the FUTURE issue
DNA GENETICS
feature
28 DNA Genetics
Iconic Cannabis breeders “D” and “A” on what drives their continued evolution.
profile
Talaria Cannabis
22
glass art
Max Caswell
42
32 The Ganjier Program Leaf Nation’s Tom Bowers dives deep into the Ganjier Program which provides master class expert training on all things Cannabis, but getting into the exclusive program is no easy feat.
photos by ganjier
JAN. 2021
7 EDITOR NOTE 8 N AT I O N A L N E W S 10 L O C A L N E W S 14 J O I N T / C O U N T E R J O I N T 16 S T O N E R O W N E R 18 B U D T E N D E R Q & A 20 S H O P R E V I E W 22 TA L A R I A C A N N A B I S 24 S T R A I N O F T H E M O N T H 28 D N A G E N E T I C S 30 H I G H E R E D U C AT I O N 32 G A N J I E R T R A I N I N G 34 M E L L O W V I B E S 36 F U T U R E O F C O N S U M P T I O N 39 E D I B L E S 40 C O N C E N T R AT E S 41 T O P I C A L S 42 G L A S S A R T 44 C A N N T H R O P O L O G Y 46 S T O N E Y B A L O N E Y
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BAILEY JONSON
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JEN BERNSTEIN
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#05
joint/counterjoint
This month, The Leaf debates federal legalization
4
issue
[
JANUARY 2021
N O R T H EAST
COFFEE? TEA?
HOW ABOUT WEED? CANNABIS DISPENSARIES
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ISSUE #5
38
BELLO VAPOR TAP
The Future of Consumption
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JAN. 2021
STORY by WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS
E S TA B L I S H E D 2 0 1 0
T H E E N L I G H T E N E D VO I C E
N O RT H W E S T L E A F / O R EG O N L E A F / A L AS KA L E A F / M A RY L A N D L E A F / CA L I F O R N I A L E A F /
A B O U T T H E C OV E R For The Future Issue and the first edition of the new year, we knew we needed a beautiful and iconic image to grace the cover. In came Leaf Contributor Danny Danko with a true ‘lightbulb moment,’ and a brilliant idea. The fantastic concept was fully realized in the hands of the talented Portland, Oregon photographer Nicolle Clemetson, and Creative Director Daniel Berman, working from Seattle. Utilizing a MAC 2 clone from Tao Gardens, real dirt, and an 18-inch tall lightbulb lamp, the Leaf team was able to craft the perfect message for our future: glowing bright, and built all around Cannabis. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION by NICOLLE CLEMETSON @NICOLLECLEMETSON CLONE by TAO GARDENS @TAOGARDENS
PUBLISHER
CONTRIBUTORS
WES ABNEY | FOUNDER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
COLIN BAZANNO, PHOTOS JEN BERNSTEIN, FEATURES + PHOTOS BOBBY BLACK, FEATURES JOSHUA BOULET, ILLUSTRATION TOM BOWERS, FEATURES NICOLLE CLEMETSON, PHOTOS EARLY, PRODUCTION MAX EARLY, FEATURES STEVE ELLIOTT, NATIONAL NEWS BAILEY JONSON, FEATURES + PHOTOS DAN MCCARTHY, REVIEWS BOBBY NUGGZ, FEATURES JEFF PORTERFIELD, DESIGN MIKE RICKER, FEATURES MEGHAN RIDLEY, EDITING PACER STACKTRAIN, FEATURES JAMIE VICTOR, ILLUSTRATION NATE WILLIAMS, REVIEWS
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ABNEY
Editor’s Note 2021 is here, and while we may not have flying cars or world peace, Cannabis and psychedelic plants are a lot more accessible around the country – a trend sure to change our lives. THE FUTURE has always been a funny concept to me, in the sense that every moment that we share is the collective “future.” Which means we have been living in the future our entire lives, as it rolls out one second at a time. So predicting the future is akin to looking at where we’ve come from and where we are, by taking stock of reality. It’s not a nebulous concept like the ‘50s version of 2020 (hint, there was no pandemic), but an understanding of what’s next. After the dumpster fire year we just had, it’s understandable if the thought of the future is a little cringe-worthy, but I for one am feeling very optimistic for what’s next. America has a new President-elect, vaccines are being distributed globally, and voters have overwhelmingly swung towards social justice and drug war reform around America.
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THIS IS THE FUTURE WE WANT TO LIVE IN: ONE WHERE THE POLICIES AND POLITICS OF THE PAST ARE BEING REPLACED...
Five new states voted to add legal or medicinal Cannabis in 2021, and Oregon decriminalized all drugs in a policy about-face that could be a shining example for the entire world. By removing criminal penalties for minor drug possession, Oregon defacto “defunded” the police and the criminal justice system from targeting non-violent drug users, choosing to direct those funds towards rehabilitation and social services. This is change in action – in part funded by Cannabis tax dollars – that will save lives and treat drug users and addicts as people to help, not lock up.
This is the future we want to live in: One where the policies and politics of the past are being replaced by a desire for the collective good of the people. Which is why I’m not surprised to see plant-based medicine at the forefront of this conversation. It’s pretty hard to be a ‘Moscow’ Mitch McConnell level dick when you take regular bong hits and the occasional psychedelic reset, which he obviously isn’t doing. But with Washington D.C. even voting to decriminalize psilocybin, could it be heroic dose time in the Capital? Something tells me ‘Mushroom’ Mitch would put people before partisan politics... All joking aside, my point is that as America wakes up – and wakes and bakes more often – we are starting to see ourselves more as humans and less as stereotypes or political categories. We all have the same wants, needs and desires – which makes it high time for us to vote and live like we all deserve a comfortable life, with the freedom to pursue happiness however we find it. This is why the future looks so bright from our perspective, and why we brought to life the concept from Danny Danko of a Cannabis plant growing in a lightbulb. As more and more lightbulbs illuminate around the world, I truly believe we are going to see a future in which we can all vibe and thrive. I hope you enjoy our Future Issue of the Leaf – and as always, thank you for reading!
-Wes Abney JAN. 2021
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WES
N O RT H E AS T L E A F
NATIONAL NEWS
northwest
THE SOUTH
TAINTED VAPES RECALLED IN OREGON AS REGULATORS EYE WIDER BAN
LOUISIANA RELEASES MAN SENTENCED TO LIFE FOR $20 WORTH OF CANNABIS
O
regon Cannabis consumers are being advised to avoid legal vapes labeled with ingredients like “natural flavor” until at least April 2021, reports Leafly. The “natural flavor” could be skin moisturizer made from shark liver oil, also known as squalane. Burning it can reportedly result in lung damage. The Oregon Liquor Control Board in December moved to ban the cosmetics ingredients squalane and squalene, as well as a few more, from entering the legal Cannabis vape market and users’ lungs. The ban would be immediate. It would be Oregon’s first big change in regulations since vaping-associated lung injuries killed 60 people and injured 2,711 more across the nation in the fall of 2019. That series of incidents exposed critical gaps in Oregon’s vape consumer safety rules.
northwest
POT TESTING LAB SELLS FAKE POTENCY RESULTS
O 8
ne Washington Cannabis testing lab has had its license suspended after it was found to have falsified testing results and then tried to destroy evidence of the crime, according to the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board, reports The Olympian. Praxis Laboratory of Centralia, Wash., lied about THC levels in “LABELING CANNABIS WITH Cannabis in 1,200 samples of marijuana, according to a news release from FALSELY HIGH THC POTENCY the WSLCB. The lab labeled the products as having more THC than was LEVELS IS A FORM OF CONSUMER DECEPTION AND IS PROHIBITED actually present, the agency said. UNDER WASHINGTON LAW,” THE “Labeling Cannabis with falsely high THC potency levels is a form of PRESS RELEASE SAID. consumer deception and is prohibited under Washington law,” the release said. “Because of this, Cannabis users seeking more pronounced psychoactive results may choose to buy levels with higher levels of THC.” Praxis was quick to clap back at the agency. “We are extremely disappointed in the agency’s obscene behavior,” Praxis told McClatchy News. “We would like to thank the LCB for attempting a death sentence on a small local business employing approximately 20 local people right before the holidays, during a recession ... not to mention a pandemic. This is a clear-cut case of agency overreach and libel, and we will be pursuing legal action immediately and have already started the appeal process in the interim.” The agency suspended the lab’s certification for 180 days. After that time period is up, it “will seek permanent revocation of the ‘marijuana laboratory’ certification due to fraud and the subsequent investigation obstruction,” according to the LCB release.
EAST COAST
F
ate Winslow has been released from Angola State Prison in Louisiana after serving 12 years for $20 worth of marijuana. Winslow, 53, said reuniting with his four children and three grandchildren — who thought they’d never see him again as a free man — is the most important thing to him. “A life sentence for two bags of weed? I never thought something like that could happen,” Winslow said. Winslow was re-sentenced to time served after Innocence Project New Orleans Director and Lead Attorney, Jee Park, successfully appealed the case based on grounds of ineffective assistance of counsel.
“A LIFE SENTENCE FOR TWO BAGS OF WEED? I NEVER THOUGHT SOMETHING LIKE THAT COULD HAPPEN,” WINSLOW SAID.
THE WORLD
U.N. RECLASSIFIES CANNABIS AS A LESS DANGEROUS DRUG
A
United Nations commission voted in December to remove medicinal Cannabis from a category of the world’s most dangerous drugs, reports The New York Times. The move is a highly anticipated and long-delayed one that could clear the way for expanded medical marijuana research and use. The vote, by the U.N. Commission for Narcotic Drugs, removed Cannabis from Schedule IV of the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. It was listed there alongside dangerous and highly addictive substances like heroin. The vote won’t have an immediate impact on loosening international controls, because governments will still enforce their own prohibitions on Cannabis. But many countries are influenced by global conventions, and the U.N. recognition is a big symbolic win for advocates.
MARYLAND DISPENSARY LAUNCHES MEDICAL MARIJUANA DRIVE-THRU
neleafmag.COM
B
uying medical Cannabis just got easier in Abington, Maryland. Rev Canna, a dispensary in the town, launched a drive-thru lane in December to help protect patients, caregivers, and staff from the COVID virus and make shopping easier, reports The Daily Record. The process, according to the shop, is a lot like picking up prescriptions at the pharmacy drive-thru window. Patients can order their products ahead of time through the Rev Canna website, then simply pull into the drive-thru once they’ve made their selections, according to the dispensary.
31
years behind bars was the amount of time served by Richard DeLisi before his early release.
JAN. 2021
50
dollars is the price of hand-rolled joints in hip hop star Jay Z’s new line of products.
90
years was the sentence being served by Richard DeLisi before his early release in December 2020.
100
medical marijuana dispensaries were open in Pennsylvania as of December.
450 3,100 30k
pounds of Cannabis was seized at the Canadian border by officials in Michigan.
Cannabis plants were seized by the Olympia Peninsula Narcotics Enforcement Team.
pounds of medical marijuana has been sold in AR dispos since opening May 2019.
By STEVE ELLIOTT, AUTHOR OF THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF MARIJUANA
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LOCAL NEWS
New Jersey’s
N
ew Jersey lawmakers have passed a bill that would establish the state’s adult-use Cannabis market. Legislators were tasked with crafting a legal pot program after voters emphatically passed a constitutional amendment to legalize, tax and regulate recreational Cannabis in November. The bill passed by relatively slim margins – particularly in the state Senate, where the vote was 23-17 in favor (a minimum of 21 votes are required for approval). Nonetheless, the legislation is an important step towards implementing adult-use retail sales in New Jersey, which could begin in as little as six months according to the bill’s timetable. The measure underwent a number of changes over the last month due to disagreements over several key components of the proposed law. After all, this is the same legislature that was unable to reach an agreement on legalization for years, before voters took up the issue on Election Day. After a series of negotiations, lawmakers ultimately opted to cap the number of licensed cultivators at 37 for the first two years of the program. The Senate’s original bill did not limit licenses, while the Assembly insisted on restrictions. Those 37 license holders can open multiple locations as long as they have approval from each town – individual jurisdictions have the right to ban Cannabis businesses. There are currently 12 medical Cannabis dispensaries operating in New Jersey and the new legislation would give those businesses the first opportunity to switch to adult-use sales. Social equity was also a point of contention, as some lawmakers felt the
neleaFmag.COM
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Pot Plan
bill did not do enough to benefit communities most impacted by marijuana prohibition. The final version of the measure earmarks 70 percent of state Cannabis sales tax revenue for areas disproportionately affected by the drug war. A social equity excise tax was also added after negotiations. Speaking of taxes, in addition to New Jersey’s 6.625 percent state sales tax, individual jurisdictions can add up to a two percent tax on pot. Additionally, the bill establishes the option for regulators to add an excise tax on a sliding scale. If retail pot is selling for $350 or more, the tax would be $10 per ounce. If the price drops to $250 or less, the tax goes up to $60 per ounce. Lawmakers must walk a fine line when it comes to taxing Cannabis. While the state obviously hopes to benefit from a financial windfall created by retail pot, the product must remain affordable enough to keep customers from returning to the black market. Early projections estimate that legal Cannabis in New Jersey could bring in nearly $1 billion in sales annually by 2024. But more immediately, legalization is expected to save the state around $127 million a year on marijuana-law enforcement. The measure, which passed the legislature December 17, now heads to Gov. Phil Murphy, who is expected to sign the bill into law. Curiously, neither this legalization measure nor a separate decriminalization bill passed by the legislature and sent to the governor, take up the question of personal cultivation. At this point, growing pot at home without a permit from the state could result in jail time in New Jersey.
Photo by Add Weed
JAN. 2021
NEW HOPE POT IN CT
FOR LEGAL
C
onnecticut has faced repeated failure in its attempts to legalize Cannabis through the legislature over the last five years. Advocates recognize that the issue still faces strong opposition from both politicians and powerful groups, like the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association, which has stooped to using the fact that there isn’t a dependable test for cops to detect stoned driving to lobby against legalization. However, House Speaker-elect Matt Ritter is determined to help bring a greener future to Connecticut, even if he currently puts the state’s chances of legalizing in 2021 at 50-50. While nearby states like New York are talking up legalization as a means to address deficits worsened by the coronavirus pandemic, Ritter has repeatedly said that legalization is not about the money. “To me, marijuana has nothing to do with revenue,” Ritter said at a virtual meeting last month with the Connecticut Retail Merchants Association. “I could care less. Every year that goes by brings in less revenue for the state. I don’t care if it brings in one dollar or $30 million. It’s completely irrelevant to me.” It’s not like Connecticut doesn’t need the cash that can come with retail Cannabis, as the state faces a $935 million deficit for the current fiscal year. But Ritter insists his interest in legalization goes beyond a quick budget fix. He says he’s advocating for Cannabis because he doesn’t want to see anyone, especially minorities who’ve been disproportionately affected by possession arrests, go to jail for marijuana. Ritter also hopes to see expungement of past pot convictions in Connecticut. There is some reason for hope in the Constitution State, as Democrats have increased their majorities in the state House and Senate, which means that, should Connecticut again try to legalize through the legislature, the bill would have a better chance of making it to the governor’s desk. Ritter appears dedicated to advancing legalization in Connecticut, even if it ultimately means putting the issue before the voters. “I think it’ll be a very, very close vote in the House,” Ritter said at a press conference in November. “I want to be very clear: We will put something on the board to put to the voters of the state of Connecticut to amend the state constitution to legalize marijuana.”
Photo by Karl Solano
Mushrooms and Weed Decriminalized in NJ
T
he New Jersey legislature passed a measure to decriminalize up to six ounces of Cannabis. Gov. Phil Murphy is expected to sign the decrim bill into law. Voter-approved legalization takes effect in January, so lawmakers have been working on a decriminalization measure to stop marijuana possession arrests in the interim. However, when we checked in on New Jersey last month, ‘shrooms were threatening to derail decrim efforts by legislators. In November, Senator Nick Scutari added an amendment that reduced the penalties for possessing up to an ounce of psilocybin, or magic mushrooms, to the pot decriminalization bill in committee. While the Senate passed the amended measure, the Assembly canceled its vote and wouldn’t consider the bill. Fortunately, that crisis has been avoided as lawmakers wisely opted to separate the two issues, giving psilocybin-law reform its own bill. An earlier version of the decrim measure removed penalties for possession of up to a pound of Cannabis. But legislators compromised with the decriminalization of up to six ounces. The bill also allows for expungement of past pot possession records and even stops cops from using the smell of Cannabis to justify a search. In addition to the marijuana decrim measure, lawmakers also passed the standalone psilocybin bill, which makes possession of up to an ounce of ‘shrooms a disorderly persons offense, punishable by fine and up to six months in jail. The penalty had been three to five years in prison, so there was a clear need to reform the law governing psilocybin as well.
Photo by Rhett Wesley
STORIES by MIKE GIANAKOS @MIKEGEEZEEY
LOCAL NEWS
>> Continued from pg. 11
12
CANNABISISKING
INMAINE M
arijuana is now officially Maine’s most valuable crop, as Cannabis has outsold state staples like blueberries and potatoes. While adult-use sales began in Maine in October, medical Cannabis is responsible for making pot the king crop. This year, from January through October, medical marijuana sales reached $221.8 million in Maine. That would put the state on pace for $266 million in sales for 2020, which is more than double the $109.2 million medical Cannabis brought in last year. Adult-use Cannabis sales kicked off on October 9 in Maine and in the first month (Oct. 9 through Nov. 8), recreational pot brought in $1,409,442. By comparison, medical marijuana sales totaled $22 million in October 2020. Of course, adult-use customers faced a shortage of licensed retailers and purchasing limits at the start of legal sales and there’s every reason to expect the state’s recreational market to grow. However, medical Cannabis sales were strong throughout the year, despite the coronavirus pandemic, which caused widespread store closures and depressed sales figures in many other sectors. According to New Frontier Data, the coronavirus lockdowns earlier in the year actually increased Cannabis sales around the country. Sales increased 48 percent in Massachusetts from March to April. Similar spikes were seen in Colorado and Las Vegas as well. And, with the resurgence of the virus this fall, pot purchases are increasing again – with sales in Massachusetts up 34
Photo by Richard T
percent from September to October. Maine’s monthly figures are not currently available for comparison due to how the state collects sales information from Cannabis companies. Despite the availability of adult-use Cannabis, more Mainers are becoming medical marijuana patients. The program no longer requires a qualifying condition to get certified. Doctors can prescribe pot to anyone they think would benefit from it. Additionally, Maine is a reciprocal medical Cannabis state, meaning registered patients from any other program can purchase their meds in Maine.
FELONY CHARGES neleaFmag.COM
FOR GROWER IN VT 48-year-old Vermont man faces felony charges for growing Cannabis plants, according to the news site VTDigger. Bruce Prosper Jr., who goes by BJ, uses Cannabis to treat several medical issues related to his paralysis. Vermont became the first state to legalize marijuana through the legislative process in 2018, allowing possession of up to an ounce of Cannabis and five grams of concentrates, as well as cultivation of two mature plants and four immature plants per household. However, BJ faces up to 15 years in jail or a $500,000 fine for growing more than 12 mature pot plants, despite using the marijuana himself. While many involved in the case, including Sheriff Trevor Colby, thought it would end in a diversion program, State’s Attorney Vince Illuzzi is prosecuting BJ, saying simply, “We are obligated to enforce the law.” BJ had been obtaining his medicine from a dispensary as a registered medical pot patient in Vermont. However, he let his registration lapse two years ago, citing the roughly three-hour roundtrip travel to the dispensary and paying as much as $900 for a 30-day supply of medicine, as reasons
Photo by Jobs For Felons Hub
for deciding to start growing his own Cannabis. Last fall the state passed legislation establishing retail sales of marijuana. However, law enforcement still pursues residents suspected of possessing large quantities of Cannabis. In BJ’s case, a deputy saw his crop, took photos and obtained a search warrant. Sheriff Colby and five deputies searched the house and discovered the crop. To Colby’s credit, he left BJ with two mature plants after the raid – the legal limit in Vermont – so he wouldn’t be without medicine. Additionally, Sheriff Colby opted not to arrest BJ, or his brother and sister-in-law, and instead issued citations to appear in court. BJ’s attorney is challenging the search warrant with the theory that the deputy couldn’t identify the plants as Cannabis, as opposed to legal hemp, simply by looking. While he hopes the case gets thrown out, or the prosecutor uses some discretion, BJ has mixed feelings about the situation. He told VTDigger, “I kick myself in the ass now for being naïve, but I wasn’t hurting the public.”
Photo by Joel Muniz
JAN. 2021
RHODE ISLAND RAMPS UP
O
fficials in Rhode Island are reviewing applications for six new medical marijuana dispensary licenses. The state is in the process of adding six dispensaries to its existing three storefronts and accepted applications from July 17 through December 15. One license will be granted in six different geographic zones throughout the state. The winning applicants will be chosen by lottery sometime in 2021. In order to qualify for the lottery, applicants must receive approval from the community. Unfortunately, some cities, including Newport, have banned Cannabis businesses. Currently, the state boasts medical Cannabis dispensaries in Providence, Warwick and Portsmouth. While those existing dispensaries are permitted to grow marijuana on site, the new storefronts will be retail only. State-licensed Cannabis cultivators must provide their inventory. Licensed cultivators are allowed to apply for one of the new dispensary licenses, however the businesses would have to operate at separate locations. The annual operating fee for dispensaries in Rhode Island is a whopping $500,000. However, business in the Ocean State is booming. The state’s 20,000 registered pot patients spent nearly $60 million on Cannabis in 2020. That’s up $6 million from 2019 and $21.5 million from 2018. The state could also be on the verge of its own marijuana moment, as Gov. Gina Raimondo is determined to bring recreational Cannabis to Rhode
Island. Recently, legislators began discussing plans to legalize adult-use marijuana in 2021 and, promisingly, Sen. Ryan Pearson has said he believes a Cannabis bill will go to committee as early as January. The biggest sticking point at the moment is the debate over whether Rhode Island’s adult-use pot program should be run by the government – as proposed by Gov. Raimondo – or by private industry. Should the state move forward with the governor’s plan, it would be the first in the country to implement a government-run recreational pot program.
Photo by Yash Lucid
Battle Brewing In The Bay State
new Cannabis delivery service license created by regulators in Massachusetts has the state’s established marijuana businesses threatening a lawsuit. As we reported last month, Massachusetts’s Cannabis Control Commission approved a new type of delivery license that allows marijuana companies to deliver their own products direct to consumers without a dispensary license. The new license differs from another delivery license approved last year that allows third-party companies to pick up pot products from dispensaries and deliver them to customers. Both licenses were created with social equity in mind, as delivery businesses allow entry into the Cannabis industry without the prohibitive startup costs or long-term overhead associated with a retail storefront. The CCC is offering both delivery license types exclusively to the state’s equity program applicants for at least three years. The courier delivery license was met with little resistance because those businesses depend on established dispensaries to supply the products being delivered. However, the new license allows fledgling Cannabis companies to purchase their own inventory wholesale and store it in a warehouse. Instead of a storefront, products are displayed online and orders are delivered direct to customers. The new business model approved by the CCC circumvents conventional Cannabis retailers in Massachusetts, who are upset that they don’t get a cut of the adult-use delivery trade and, because most are not in the state’s equity program, they’re cut out of recreational Cannabis delivery altogether (for three years anyway). The Commonwealth Dispensary Association is one of several groups
representing marijuana industry professionals who are protesting the new delivery model in Massachusetts. “This will not be the final word on delivery,” the CDA said in a statement. “We are prepared to contest the matter to ensure that policy continues to adhere to the statute and that the market is not upended.” The CDA, and even some state officials, question whether the Photo by Mike Von CCC has the authority to create the new delivery model, as they claim it violates state law. However, CCC chairman Steve Hoffman is confident that the law is on his side. After first introducing the new license last month, Hoffman told reporters, “We certainly wouldn’t have taken the action we took today without believing we have the authority.” David O’Brien, the president of the Massachusetts Cannabis Business Association, believes the CCC’s efforts could help level the playing field. “Since 2018 alone, the retail Cannabis industry has generated over $1 billion dollars in revenue, but entrepreneurs with limited access to start-up capital, especially Black and Latino entrepreneurs and those who have been harmed by the failed war on drugs, have been largely shut out of this fast-growing market,” O’Brien said in a statement. “These regulations will open the door.” STORIES by MIKE GIANAKOS @MIKEGEEZEEY
PERSPECTIVES
JOINT/COUNTERJOINT THE TOPIC THIS MONTH, THE LEAF DEBATES...FEDERAL LEGALIZATION
JOINT BY TOM BOWERS Counterjoint? Are you with Joint or alization is leg l era Do you think fed are we in or n, izo hor the r just ove ting for figh of for another decade rjoint nte Coi int #Jo m? freedo
It’s easy to be pessimistic about the state of federalized Cannabis, when we came of age in a time when even saying the word “bong” in a head shop would get you kicked out for fear of the owners landing in murky water.
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But let me spell out exactly why decriminalization – if not a complete and abrupt end to prohibition – is due before 2025: Look at the outcome of the 2020 election cycle. As an opener, you have President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Even if it gets shot down in the Kamala Harris, who eschewed their Senate, that certainly doesn’t feel like previous unfriendly Cannabis stances a “wait and see” attitude. for progressive decriminalization and You may say that this will come expungement rhetoric, which they’ll down to states’ rights, but I don’t behave to live up to in order to reenerlieve that means that the federal govgize the voter base for a reelection ernment will extend prohibition and bid in 2024. leave the states to choose. That’s just That’s not even the big typeface on bad business, especially the marquee. For that, when there are billions look to conservative upon billions of dollars strongholds Arizona and You may say that in tax revenue – not to South Dakota – both this will come down mention millions of jobs – joined New Jersey and to states’ rights, waiting in the wings for a Montana in voting for but I don’t believe that means that the population staring down full legalization starting federal government the barrel of an unprecein 2021. Add to that will extend prohibition the fact that Missisand leave the states to dented economic crisis. I believe it’s more sippi voted to legalize choose. likely that the federal medical Cannabis, government will legalize and tax, and Oregon voted to decriminalize all leave it up to the states to choose drugs and Washington D.C. voted to whether or not they want to contindecriminalize psilocybin, and what ue with prohibition. That’s how the we have sure looks a whole lot like U.S. alcohol industry ended up as a boulder-sized snowball picking up a patchwork of states and counties momentum. with differing laws after the passage You might say that a sea change in of the 21st Amendment putting an the attitudes of the voting population end to Prohibition. There may be dry doesn’t necessarily telegraph a bold, counties here and there, and maybe sweeping action on the horizon. But even a lagging state or two, but there look at the MORE Act – the legislaare too many positives for the leaders tion calling for decriminalization and in Washington D.C. to hold out any expungement brought before the longer. They’re going to open the House of Representatives – introfloodgates and leave it to the individduced by a bipartisan coalition and ual communities to choose to reject passing by an overwhelming majority the resulting windfall. last November.
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JAN. 2021
Our entire criminal justice system needs a reset, from how we treat non-violent offenses and drug addiction to the heinous three strikes system that President-elect Joe Biden helped orchestrate – and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris used to prosecute and ruin countless lives. That same criminal justice system lets killer cops walk free, hands out lesser penalties for sex offenders than drug users, and prioritizes COUNTERJOINT BY WES ABNEY the locking away of lives instead of rehabilitating Our government banks on keeping and empowering those caught in the snare of justice Cannabis (and drugs) illegal. Smoke a to return to society as better adjusted people. joint? Land in the joint – that has been Our tax codes also punish “legal” Cannabis our reality for the last 50 years of the war on drugs, and I don’t see that magically businesses in states that have regulated systems, ending anytime soon. denying businesses their ability to write off general While I personally hope this is not the expenses – which will net the Feds billions in revecase, and will be very pleasantly surprised nue this decade – while allowing them to continue to if I am wrong, I believe it push the war on drugs forward. is going to take the entire If this is making your stomach decade to get Cannabis sour at the thought of corruption, Our entire criminal legalized across our country. that’s the feeling of knowing somejustice system needs a It all comes down to one one has been arrested for pot in the reset, from how we treat simple concept: Having your time it took you to read this opinion. non-violent offenses and cake and eating it too – which Simply put, our country has drug addiction to the is exactly what our federal, heinous three strikes massive flaws in how we view system that Presistate and local governments crime, punishment, taxation, states dent-elect Joe Biden get to do every time they rights, and the ability of Americans helped orchestrate. collect tax dollars from to pursue happiness and freedom Cannabis – while simultaneously receiving as our Founding Fathers directed. And while many funding for law enforcement and the criminal of these problems could be solved by our country justice system to continue the war on drugs. smoking a joint and choosing to put humanity before The drug war has funded the growth and mass media talking points, the ‘America Gets Baked militarization of our police, created private Sesh’ is still a ways out. We have 100 years of prisons with guaranteed capacity contracts regressive policies and damage to undo from the that are subsidized by taxpayer money if war on drugs, and it can’t be fixed by waving a magic quotas aren’t met, and continues to be a tool wand of legalization. of the largely racist system that oppresses America needs to look inward, to see the cancer and arrests BIPOC individuals at much higher that has rotted our police forces, prosecutors and rates than whites for petty drug crimes. politicians, and commit to a plant-based healing And there are a lot of cops, politicians and regimen to heal the rot. But I think it’s going to take unenlightened Americans who support these more than an establishment president, or Oregon policies, just as they supported an openly decriminalizing all drugs, for our country to wake up racist president who attacked everything from and realize that Cannabis is safer than the laws that our environment to our sense of decency. regulate it.
‘‘
A DEBATE by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS & WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX/LEAF NATION
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stoner owner
NORTHEAST
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Petez Pop
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Owned and curated by a stoner, for stoners, Petez Pop is a grocery store featuring exotic sodas and snacks – where rare, limited edition and hard-to-find items with funky packaging and flavors will have you feeling lucky and nostalgic. What used to be a blunt ride to the quickstop for chips and candy is now a dab roast on the way to the first local, exotic snack and soda store. Setting trends, Petez Pop from Pawtucket is bringing the wildest and weirdest snack flavors to Little Rhody.
EXOTIC SNACKS AND DRINKS HAVE BEEN TRENDING HARD. WHAT DO YOU THINK THE ALLURE OF THESE PRODUCTS IS AND WHAT WAS YOUR INTRODUCTION TO BOUTIQUE MUNCHIES? I believe the popularity of these products is taking off right now for two main reasons. First, all of these products are very eyecatching and colorful, plus they have detailed logos and funny characters that we’ve come to love since we were kids. Also, seeing a product that you may have never seen before makes you want it more – it’s rare and exclusive, and the market and pricing reflects that. My second reason is the flavors. Each flavor of snacks and sodas are off the wall and opposite of what we typically see in America. My introduction to the snack game was just a few years ago. A close friend of mine in New Bedford had some really unique snacks – I remember clearly, we were all just chilling and smoking and he was sipping on a Green Cream Fanta in a glass bottle. This sparked my intrigue, and at that time I began seeking rare and exotic flavors of snacks. Soon after, my journey as Petez Pop began. I saw the void in this particular market in Southern New England. Before I knew it, I became the go-to-guy around here if you wanted to pack the snacks, and opened my first storefront in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. GLOBALLY, DO YOU BELIEVE CANNABIS CONNOISSEURS HELP DRIVE THIS TYPE OF EXCLUSIVE PRODUCT MARKET? HOW HAS BEING MORE OPEN ABOUT YOUR CANNABIS USE BENEFITED YOUR BUSINESS? Cannabis consumers play a huge role. That’s been the case for years, especially as Cannabis has become more popular and accepted. It’s no secret stoners like to enjoy their munchies and I’m here to assist them. Honestly, it’s been a really weird but fun and memorable year of business. We’ve had the honor to network at different Cannabis related events and sponsor in different ways before COVID-19. It’s helped us get our products in the hands of target customers.
Petez Pop 151 Benefit St, Pawtucket, RI | (774) 219-6077 | P etezpop.com | @petezpop
JAN. 2021
“IT’S NO SECRET STONERS LIKE TO ENJOY THEIR MUNCHIES AND I’M HERE TO ASSIST THEM.”
YOU OFFER MANY UNIQUE PRODUCTS. WHAT BRANDS OUT THERE ARE OFFERING THE MOST OUT-OF-THEBOX FLAVORS, PRESENTATION AND STYLES? We carry all types of products from Coca Cola and Pepsi brands, to Lay’s and Doritos, Oreos, Sour Patch Kids, the list goes on – chances are if you want it, we probably have it or can get it for you. Doritos constantly releases some of the most unique flavors of their chips, which range from taco, sriracha, and sesame chicken to unforgettable retro classics like old-school 3D Doritos. In my opinion, you can’t beat the classics like Kit-Kat, etc., but as far as presentation goes, the Oreo Moon Cakes from Thailand are really next level and take the cake. It’s one of our more exclusive products. It’s visually striking and reminds me of a Christmas gift – the packaging is out of this world. YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA GAME IS POPPIN’ – WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MARKETING TECHNIQUES AND STRATEGIES YOU’VE USED TO BUILD YOUR PRESENCE SO QUICKLY? Social media is my favorite animal. Before my snack game started, I was always involved in the Cannabis community. From having famous hip-hop artists making appearances at my store to grab their favorite snacks, or sponsoring local outings, I try to stay active and involved in a bunch of different ways. It’s all about getting your product out there and we also ship all over the country. We’ve built a pretty big team – everyone works and shows us love by giving shoutouts and vice-versa, and it helped us secure our following and reputation. DO YOU HAVE ANY PREDICTIONS ON FLAVOR TRENDS OR ANY INSIDER INFO ON UPCOMING SNACK RELEASES CONSUMERS MAY WANT TO LOOK OUT FOR IN 2021? You never know what snacks other countries have in store for Petez Pop – the market is changing every day and I try to keep my finger on the pulse of it all. It’s our promise to always stock new products from Japan, Australia, Canada and further, and find the newest and next best thing. Stay tuned for the launch of our second retail location opening in Peabody, Massachusetts in the new year. We offer custom packs for birthdays and special occasions and are always offering mystery boxes and products. You’ll never find our shelves empty! A Stoner Owner is a Cannabis business owner who has a relationship with the plant. We want to buy and smoke Cannabis from companies that care about their products, employees and the plant. You wouldn’t buy food from a restaurant where the cooks don’t eat in the kitchen, so why buy corporate weed grown by a company only concerned with profits? Stoner Owner approval means a company cares, and we love weed grown with care. Let’s retake our culture and reshape a stigma by honoring those who grow, process and sell the best Cannabis possible.
INTERVIEW by BOBBY NUGGZ @BOBBYNUGGZ_OFFICIAL | PHOTOS by BAILEY JONSON @BADMSBAILEY
NORTHEAST
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Danny Danko teaches you everything you need to know to get growing now!
Featuring some of the most important people in the cannabis industry
Jorge Cervantes, Kyle Kushman, Tommy Chong, Aaron from DNA Genetics, Jenn Doe, Milo from Big Buddha Seeds, Swerve from The Cali Connection, Ed Rosenthal, Chemdog, Adam Dunn
Past guests include
and many more!
Growing your own marijuana can be both a liberating and political act. Former HIGH TIMES Magazine Senior Cultivation Editor and author of the book “Cannabis: A Beginner’s Guide to Growing Marijuana” Dan Vinkovetsky (Formerly known as Danny Danko) and co-host former HT Editor-in-Chief Mike Gianakos provide news, activism reports and cannabis cultivation tips for connoisseurs, aficionados and medical patients alike. Bonus: Interviews with expert growers and professional seed breeders, ‘Strain of the Fortnight’ and ganja growing questions & answers.
Follow along! @dannydankoht @mikecheckg @growbudyourself
INTERVIEW
W H O ’ S YOU R FAVO R I T E B U D T E N D E R ? T E L L U S W H Y ! E M A I L N O M I N AT I O N S T O D A N @ N E L E A F M A G . CO M
Kate Stewart-Sollanek NORTHEAST LEAF BUDTENDER OF THE MONTH Kate spent most of her career in the food and beverage industry before transferring to Cannabis, doing everything from bartending to managing. She lives with her husband Brian, teenage son Andrew and their Jackpit Callie, as well as 11 backyard chickens. She’s also an avid antique collector and plant lover.
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WHAT EFFECT HAS CANNABIS HAD ON YOU R LIFE? Cannabis has had a profound and wonderful
effect in my life. It’s made me a more patient (and fun) parent, and it gives me an added sense of connectivity within my marriage. I’m very high-strung, and Cannabis has helped to keep me grounded and relaxed. It helps ease my anxiety and helps me manage migraines, as well as daily aches and pains.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT LIVING AND WORKING IN THE BERKSHIRES? The culture
here is like no other. There is a strong sense of community here within both the municipal and Cannabis sectors. The intersection of nature and Cannabis is a true Berkshire experience. Plus it’s absolutely beautiful all year round. There really is something for everyone in our beautiful mountain community.
WHAT ARE THE QUALITIES OF A GOOD BUDTENDER? Patience, compassion, a welcoming
demeanor and product knowledge are paramount. Passion for Cannabis is a must! You definitely need to know how to read people and to separate those that want a full experience from those that just want to purchase and go. Making a genuine connection with each customer will truly set you apart.
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WHAT MAKES AN INFORMED CANNABIS CONSUMER? Just knowing what you like/don’t like will
“THE INTERSECTION OF NATURE AND CANNABIS IS A TRUE BERKSHIRE EXPERIENCE.”
THE PASS | 1375 N MAIN ST. SHEFFIELD, MA | THEPASS.CO @THEPASS.CO | 413-644-6892
JAN. 2021
help us make an informed suggestion for you. It helps when consumers have an idea of an experience they are trying to have or achieve. Our goal is to make each visit a fun, educational and helpful experience, whether you’re a seasoned consumer or new to Cannabis!
WHAT ARE YOU SMOKING RIGHT NOW?
Pass products obviously! 19 Sweet Sweet for daytime, Orange Cake for evening. Holistic’s Chaos Kush is also heavy in the rotation. Pass gummies are also a staple in my Cannabis diet.
WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT BUDTENDING AT THE PASS? We have the best staff
in the Berkshires, hands-down. My colleagues are amazing and everyone brings a wealth of knowledge to the table. The community here is so welcoming and the variety of people I get to meet on a daily basis makes my job very interesting!
INTERVIEW by DAN VINKOVETSKY @DANNYDANKOHT/NORTHEAST LEAF | PHOTO by COLIN BAZANNO @COLINBAZZANO
QUALITY YOU CAN TRUST
B2B BULK SALES D I S T I L L AT E S I S O L AT E S
WE ’ R E O PE N FO R B U S I N E S S NEWENGLANDEXTRACT.COM / 29 INDUSTRIAL PARK RD N, STERLING CT 06377 / 401.217.5973 These statements, and any statement made on NEX website, have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
shop review
SOUTH PORTLAND, MAINE
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SEAWEEDCO. Nestled amongst tall grasses and brush, set back from the main road, busy intersections and Portland’s strip malls, sits SeaWeed Co. – one of Maine’s first adult-use dispensaries that opened in October of last year. The unassuming location stems from owner Scott Howard’s vision to create a space and an experience where Cannabis lovers could feel secluded, secure and enjoy taking a break from urban sprawl. JAN. 2021
The flagship retail space of SeaWeed Co. gives off a light and fresh feel, with the vibe of a yoga studio meeting a West Elm showroom. The Los Angeles based, women-led architectural team MAAM MADE presented a Scandinavian-influenced design to Howard, who points out their good eye for detail. “We were intent on creating an experience that felt warm and inviting for the community,” says Howard. “From designing an open floor plan to the minute detail of planning the budtender’s flower bar, it was all done with community in mind.” Director of Business Development Kaspar Heinrici points out that the initial plans were based on a theme of Scandinavian design and wellness drawing inspiration from Sweden’s archipelagos, which share similarities with Maine’s landscape. MAAM’s design choices for the space included solid ash, zellige tile, and a unique pass-through drawer system behind the cash registers.
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eeping with the community theme meant sourcing and employing as many local artisans as possible. As soon as you enter the dispensary, your eye is immediately drawn in and greeted by SeaWeed Co.’s fluorescent neon purple mermaid which flanks the check-in desk and was created by Might + Maine, a graphic design agency in Portland. According to Heinrici, the logo was meant to “evoke the feeling of being near the sea with the look of maritime scrimshaw line etching, and of course, the mermaid as our mascot,” he says. “We are a locally-owned Maine company with a connection to the ocean and a desire to be more sustainable, so I try to carry that into all the products we make and package.” In fact, if this is the future of the Cannabis retail experience, we’re in good hands. The SeaWeed Co. experience puts the consumer first and foremost, with well-being and personalized attention. The spacious floor plan invites customers to mosey around large island tables where the best of Maine’s products are on display. Everything from CBD drinks to unique takes on ceramic smokeware can be touched and held, which is a nice departure from staring into glass cases or straining to read a label. Walking around SeaWeed Co. brings a nice flow and each selection is interesting and most importantly, locally sourced. There’s the one-of-a-kind ceramic glazed lobster claw bowls made by Blue Moose Castings, and the sturdy, smooth leather rolling trays – both pieces of art that can deepen your experience with the plant, while supporting a fellow Mainer. “We’re set up to showcase local craftspeople, CBD brands and our own merchandise, to give people a deeper experience of our values and interests, while being able to directly experience everything as much as possible,” Heinrici says. “Budtenders can educate on our Cannabis products behind the flower bar, or walk the floor to discuss products while filling a virtual shopping
cart on their iPad. It feels more interactive than just transacting at a counter.” The same love, attention and embracing of local artisans that imbues SeaWeed Co. carries over into their Cannabis products with even greater detail. Whether Howard is a “control freak” or just a cultivator with 25 years of experience under his grow belt, one thing you can be certain about is his passion for, and processing of, this plant. He’s so involved that just last week he went on-site to help harvest a year-round, solar-powered greenhouse. “I do it for quality control and because it’s a beautiful plant that I want to be around,” he says. “If I’m part of the process, the end product comes out the way that I want and expect it to. I’m the same way with cooking. I want the best ingredients and I know what I want the meal to look like – it just makes sense to be involved start to finish.” Building community with a strong local vibe and creating a craft market to showcase local artisans and cultivators has always been a top-tier priority for SeaWeed Co., and is an underlying ethos and ideal. “We took a little bit of a different approach. Our goal here is community. We’ve built a deck out back, we have food truck parking, no consumption yet on-site, but we do plan on embracing the caregiver community and bringing them in here,” says Howard. One of the many ways SeaWeed Co. supports the local grow scene is by doing special strain drops and showcasing the grower. Since Howard has a couple decades under his belt participating in farmers markets, running a commercial greenhouse and comes from a world of cultivation, the idea of putting community first isn’t exactly foreign to him. “It’s the same philosophy as a farmers market. Let’s let the people meet the farmer. These are the people that are bringing it to them. It’s not us. We don’t rebrand their stuff or anything. I want their labels on there. I want you to know where your Cannabis came from,” he says. Asked about SeaWeed Co.’s future, Howard hopes they can create and truly embrace the craft Cannabis culture he’s always envisioned. “It’s hard with our government on a coronacation, but we need this bill to pass and allow for the transfer of medical to adult-use,” says SEAWEED CO. Howard, who currently 185 RUNNING HILL RD. can only work with five SOUTH PORTLAND, ME or six growers. “We SEAWEEDMAINE.COM need the medical side @SEAWEEDCO.ME to be able to partic(207) 819-4114 ipate in adult-use. This way when product becomes available, we can have people come in and choose what they want based on what they need, rather than what we have,” says Howard. “It’s the economics of supply and demand. We have some great Maine growers who we’d love to have in our store – but for now, our hands are tied.”
“If this is the future of the Cannabis retail experience, we’re in good hands.”
“We’re purposefully off the beaten path. I wanted a country feel where you can sit, relax and not have to look into a metropolis. The strip mall model wasn’t on our radar at all,” says Howard. Providing consumers a way to feel at ease with purchasing Cannabis, and not be so out in the open, was of paramount significance to Howard. “To be able to recreate this vision in the city was awesome,” he says. “I built a place where my wife could go in and feel comfortable. Cannabis has been something to be private about and we respect that.” These days, while the old school stigma of stoners still exists, dispensaries like SeaWeed Co. are proving that we’ve come leaps and bounds from the past. Stoner culture has stepped up. In fact, it’s barely recognizable. Say good riddance to the typical, eyeroll inducing imagery of dreadlocks and cross-eyed smiley faces, because stepping into a Cannabis retail dispensary like SeaWeed Co. is akin to walking into a beautifully curated and mindful space, one where you’ll be breathing fresh air – not stale, old, cheesy-puff dust.
STORY & PHOTOS by JEN BERNSTEIN @NYCJAMGAL for NORTHEAST LEAF
producer profile
TALARIA FAM I LY- R U N C A N N A B I S FARM
Tell us about Talaria, your mission, and how you got to this point as a licensed cultivation center? At Talaria our mission is to
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create and provide the patients of Rhode Island with clean Cannabis while focusing on patient needs, patient education and giving back to the communities we are a part of. Our CEO Adina Birnbaum came from a dispensary background in Pennsylvania, and this gave us insight into what patients need from the medical market. After moving to Rhode Island, we partnered with our friend Brent VanZile, an experienced grower with deep knowledge in cultivation science who has set up grows all around the region, and started Talaria together. We think of the patients in every aspect of our grow, from the strains we choose to cultivate to the variety of products we are working to produce. We know that we are a part of the medical community and strive to be as involved as we can, even in a pandemic.
Please weigh in on Rhode Island’s current medical laws and where you’d like to see things in the future. Currently there are about
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60 operational licensed cultivators, three dispensaries and the opportunity for home-grow. Many of the small business cultivators here have been in business for many years and produce some of the best medicine in the country. If you have a qualifying medical condition, you must get a doctor recommendation to become a patient and dispensaries can also accept out-ofstate patient cards. We’d like to see even more qualifying conditions included and an adult-use market come to Rhode Island.
We’re hearing that Rhode Island will allow six more compassion centers in 2021. How will this affect production and sales for you and other cultivators? We’re very excited about the opening of an additional six dispensaries! Currently, Talaria and the other cultivators in the state can only sell to the three licensed compassion centers. Once the new dispensaries are open, we’ll have nine dispensaries here to sell to. We hope that the new dispensaries will lead to a more robust market with more access for patients, and an opportunity for Talaria to introduce new products to new patients.
JAN. 2021
Much like the winged sandals and symbol of Hermes known as the Talaria of Mercury, Talaria – a family-owned and operated Cannabis cultivation business in Providence, Rhode Island – also helps people get their wings. Patients in America’s smallest state can fly high knowing that they’re getting clean meds from an experienced local staff. Talaria sells to two out of the three available compassion centers, so getting your hands on some Lavender OG or Ice Cream flowers is a snap, and depending on current Cannabis laws (the state may be seeing an additional six compassion centers in 2021), Talaria could be seeing a boom in business. Talaria’s capable and diligent staff has strong family roots and we had the chance to meet the whole gang – Adina and Val, as well as daughter Sasha – to tour their operation and gain some insight on business, Cannabis and growing together. Recreational legalization in Rhode Island might be changing the situation soon. How do you think this will affect Talaria? It all depends on how recreational marijuana is legalized. The Governor’s budget act proposed a wholly state-run contractor system that we believe could destroy the current market and drastically increase prices. This would drive patients either back to the black market or into our neighboring states. However, there are other ways to legalize based on a regulated free market that are also being considered. Either way, we hope that in the legalization process, medically-licensed cultivators will be able to participate in the transition or merging of the markets.
What types of grow techniques does Talaria specialize in? What are your favorite strains to grow? At Talaria we specialize
in data-driven optimization and lots of hands-on care. We think of ourselves like a craft brewing company. We specialize in smallbatch, high-quality flowers. Since we’re a smaller grow, we are able to spend more time on individual plant needs. Once the plants are harvested, we carefully dry, cure and hand-trim each bud. The only machine we use is a grinder for making pre-rolls. Lavender OG is a company-wide favorite. It’s an indica-dominant hybrid and a cross between Goji OG and Lavender – high in both limonene and myrcene. Myrcene is found
mostly in indicas and really helps you relax, but when balanced with limonene, gives a calming but not overly sedative effect.
After meeting with the family and also learning about your grower power couple, Brent and Liv, we can’t help but feel the family vibes. Tell us more about the family! Even though we’re a family working together, we all bring different strengths to the business. Val’s expertise is based in business planning, financial planning and bookkeeping. Adina’s focus is on human resources, development and community outreach. Sasha’s background is in engineering and art; she focuses on data collection, as well as all of our social media, marketing and packaging design. While at times it’s difficult, we enjoy the challenge and it has brought us even closer together as a family.
It seems like you employ a lot of great people in the community – can you tell us about the staff and how they are coping during the pandemic? A company is only as good as the
staff they employ. We are really fortunate to have a staff that genuinely cares for each other. We have a small staff that is very cohesive, unified, motivated and comes to work with a great attitude. The pandemic has been challenging for everyone, there is no ignoring it. Even before the pandemic it was important to keep our growing environment controlled – that meant wiping down doors and wearing gloves when handling plant material. We have added more safety precautions including a mask mandate and increased cleaning … the safety of our staff, the dispensary staff, and especially the patients’ health and safety continues to be a priority for us.
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PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND
We hope that the new dispensaries will lead to a more robust market with more access for patients, and an opportunity for Talaria to introduce new products to new patients.
Any upcoming strain releases heading to the dispensaries?
We’re available seven days a week if you ever want to chat with us! Every day we post a menu of what products are available at each of the dispensaries. We also post a picture from the grow at 4:20 each day, where you can get a sneak peek into what strains are coming up next.
TALARIA RHODE ISLAND TALARIA.COM | @TALARIACO AVAILABLE FROM
SUMMIT COMPASSION CENTER 380 JEFFERSON BLVD #2 WARWICK, RI SMCCRI.ORG @SUMMITCCRI GREENLEAF COMPASSION CENTER 1637 WEST MAIN ROAD PORTSMOUTH, RI GREENLEAFCARE.ORG @GREENLEAF.RI
STORY & PHOTOS by BAILEY JONSON @BADMSBAILEY for NORTHEAST LEAF
JAN. 2021
A MUST-PUFF FOR GAS LOVERS.
1637 West Main Road Portsmouth, RI (401) 293-5987 greenleafcare.org @greenleaf.ri
Greenleaf Compassion Center
25.82% THC PRE-98 BUBBA X ORIGINAL CHEM 91 SKUNK VA CUT
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NORTHEAST
24 STRAIN OF THE MONTH
STORY by BOBBY NUGZ @BOBBYNUGGZ_OFFICIAL for NORTHEAST LEAF | PHOTO by BAILEY JONSON @BADMSBAILEY
grown by
MAMMOTH INC.
PURPLE CHEM
Sticky, dense buds are absolutely caked in resin – almost as if the flowers were rolled in sugar. A proper specimen and representation of this strain bred by The Cali Connection, this is certainly one of the more well-grown and exotic versions of Purple Chem. Lavender-hued calyxes are stacked and swollen, embedded with brick-red hairs. Connoisseurs love the golf ball sized nuggets – just a few buds will take up your whole jar. Purple Chem’s scent and terpene profile is unmistakable. This is the real thing – aromas of musky grape overtake you, carried by tones of diesel petroleum fuel that sends you on a terpene rollercoaster ride. A must-puff for the gas lovers around here, its lineage adds a nice twist on the palate with true oldschool grape flavor. This is one of the best indica strains around and it’s no wonder that, almost a decade after its debut, Purple Chem still blooms under lights all over the land. Its heavy sedative effect is perfect for someone looking to escape their daily chronic pain, while retaining the ability to eliminate anxiety and stimulate appetite. For those with a lower tolerance, this is not the strain for you if you’re trying to be productive. You will undoubtedly find yourself glued to the couch! Mammoth’s Purple Chem is available for purchase at Summit and Greenleaf Compassion Center in Rhode Island. Testing at over 25% THC, this is a powerhouse indica with great flavor. As long as you have a valid medical Cannabis card from any state, you can visit the 401 and grab some of this headstash for yourself.
YOU COULD ARGUE THAT PURPLE CHEM IS CURRENTLY THE MOST COVETED STRAIN IN RHODE ISLAND. BLESSED ARE MY LUNGS BECAUSE THANKS TO ONE OF LITTLE RHODY’S OWN CULTIVATION CENTERS, MAMMOTH INC., I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRY SOME OF THEIR P. CHEM THAT IS SOLD IN OUR LOCAL 401 DISPENSARIES.
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the FUTURE issue
THE FUTURE OF
DNA GENETICS 28
Since bursting onto the bud breeding scene with Cannabis Cup wins in 2004 and 2005 for their LA Confidential and Martian Mean Green, Don Morris and Aaron Yarkoni (The “D” and “A” in DNA) have been at the forefront of new, potent and stable genetics. At the time, they relocated from Los Angeles to Amsterdam in order to build their company and expand their genetic library under the relative freedom of Dutch pot policies.
DNA Genetics x Copperstate Kosher
neleafmag.COM
Magic seeds
dnagenetics.com | @dnagenetics Holy Grail
JAN. 2021
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LA Confidential
heir infusion of California’s finest varieties into the stagnant gene pool changed the game, and countless international victories over the ensuing few years led to me inducting them into the High Times Seed Bank Hall of Fame in 2009. Hundreds of award wins later, DNA Genetics is now established as one of the biggest seed brands in the world, looking into the future with strategic partnerships, new breeding technologies and legislative reform.
Behind it all is their abiding love for the Cannabis
D&A DNA Genetics is utilizing cutting-edge tissue culture techniques to bypass the old ways of cloning and propagation.
24k Gold
DNA Genetics Founders Don Morris and Aaron Yarkoni
plant and commitment to finding new flavors and sharing them with the entire planet. They’ve now moved back to their beloved Southern California and, working with friends and colleagues, the expansion of DNA Genetics is taking shape with their eyes on a legal landscape in which protecting intellectual property, genetic material and even their own likenesses, will be paramount to success. While many brands were hampered by prohibitionist laws, operating as a Dutch seed company allowed them to ship genetics internationally with the proper paperwork and certificates of authenticity. They also work with the Global Alliance for Cannabis Commerce to push sensible legislative and banking changes at the federal and international level, as government activities behind the scenes everywhere prepare for a legal worldwide marketplace. Speaking of the strategic partnerships, Aaron tells Leaf Magazines, “We’ve always looked at working with our friends as a plus. Even way back, we created Reserva Privada as a line of seeds from breeders we admired back home, and that’s how we teamed up with Crockett Family Farms. These new deals are an extension of that process.” President of DNA Genetics, Rezwan Khan, echoed that philosophy when I asked about how the international expansions began. “It started in Canada with Canopy, which at the time was Tweed. At the time, the deal we made was unprecedented and allowed us to test out a new model for the industry in which we trade exclusive regional use of our genetic library in exchange for royalty payments or long-term partnership. This type of licensing model was unheard of for Cannabis brands and bringing professionalism to the table allowed us to prioritize IP protections of strain names, standard operating procedures for cultivation of our varieties, as well as analysis of sales, data and marketing.” With the Canopy deal as their “beta,” DNA was able to expand their operations into newly legal state markets as well. Their 2019 strategic partnership with Copperstate Farms gave them a foothold in Arizona’s quickly emerging market. As Rezwan explains, “When we first met them, they were going through literal growing pains in their massive 40 acres of greenhouses, having inherited legacy tomato farmers who didn’t get Cannabis. We came in and identified that they needed new genetics and new techniques. We brought in our team and revamped the operation, increased yields at lower production costs with higher-quality products. We also helped train the frontline budtenders so that the end user receives a consistent and accurate experience.” In Oregon, Don and Aaron partnered with Halo Labs to bring their strains and concentrates to the legal marketplace, in a deal that makes Halo the only grower and manufacturer of DNA Genetics brand flowers and extractions in the state. Halo also features cutting-edge product forms such as their unique “Dab Tabs.” The DNA deal with Halo also positions them as the exclusive provider of genetics to Bophelo Bioscience & Wellness in the Kingdom of Lesotho, a country within the borders of South Africa. DNA Genetics expansion into Michigan runs through SKYMINT Brands, a vertically integrated company and the largest medical and recreational license holder in the state. The collab features DNA strains sourced and pheno-hunted in the medical
market in Michigan, so they could hit the ground running with the right flavors launched in multiple recreational SKYMINT locations, plus select retail partners. Don and Aaron are excited to be “going back to Cali” by collaborating with Dr. Greenthumb – their longtime friend B-Real of Cypress Hill – to launch DNA Genetics x Insane premium Cannabis flowers at select Dr. Greenthumb, Cookies and URBN Leaf dispensaries. Southern California is their backyard and having their strains available there has been a lifelong dream. As B-Real says, “We are excited to finally have flower from the DNA Genetics family at Dr. Greenthumb’s. They are one of the most revered genetics companies in the Cannabis industry and we can’t wait for people to experience the flavors.” Another flag was planted back home with their newest deal with Natura Life + Science, based in Sacramento. Their amazing brand-new facility boasts 290,000-square-feet of space for cultivation, propagation, concentrate production, edible manufacturing, a showroom, an education center and much more. It’s a massive curated Cannabis campus – the first of its kind to feature state-of-theart laboratories for the research and development of new strains. Sid Gupta, VP of Strategy at Natura says, “Especially exciting to us will be our ability to offer state-of-the-art technology for the cultivation of DNA genetics and the breeding of the next hottest flavors.” Speaking of new technologies, DNA is utilizing cutting-edge tissue culture techniques to bypass the old ways of cloning and propagation. Using tissue culture – cloning on a molecular level under sterile conditions – allows them to streamline the breeding process and reinvigorate old strains that have suffered over time. “It’s not just about cleaning up the strains and relieving them of endemic stresses,” said Rezwan. “Gene mapping allows us to better understand our cultivars and their medicinal properties. And we can dispel the misinformation and expand knowledge on the terpenes, cannabinoids and flavinoids – that’s yet another goal for us.” Rezwan continued, “If Bayer and Monsanto are doing it, we figure we need to do it based on what smokers want to smoke, for the right reasons with all the benefits of the science. Genetic marker identification can find PM resistance and higher yields, but not necessarily a better flavor. We’re still allowing Don and Aaron to guide the process by doing it the same way they’ve always done, but with more information. We’re about the flavors and telling the story better beyond just piney, gassy or fruity.” With the future of Cannabis in the hands of larger and larger corporations, it’s important to maintain credibility at the top. Having lifelong stoners like Don and Aaron and the rest of their team on board, companies like DNA and their partners can help to keep the industry honest to a set of ideals that favors the consumer. As they develop markets throughout Europe, Africa, and North and South America, it’s reassuring to know that there are true believers at the helm. As Rezwan said, “We’re all about getting Don and Aaron’s genetics into grow rooms around the world. We want to continue to create amazing flavors and share them with the entire planet!”
INTERVIEW by DAN VINKOVETSKY @DANNYDANKOHT/LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by DNA GENETICS | ICON by JAMIE VICTOR
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the FUTURE issue
HIGHER EDUCATION 30
Sure, you might have studied Cannabis back in your dorm room a time or two, but now you can actually earn a masters in medical Cannabis from the University of Maryland, Baltimore.
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neleafmag.COM
he nation’s first-ever Master of Science (M.S.) in Medical Cannabis Science and Therapeutics program is closing in on its inaugural graduation. Hosted by the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB), the two-year, 30-credit online graduate program has proceeded smoothly amidst a global pandemic. “It’s been a great experience,” said 27-year old Washington D.C. native Torshie Cineas. “Everyone in the program has something they are trying to accomplish and everyone is there for a different reason.”
Cineas, a nursing graduate from Marymount University, is one of 175 students currently in the program. Thirty states are represented, with a variety of scholars also representing the international community. “We’re so proud of all our students,” said Program Director Dr. Leah Sera. “To have such a diverse program with students from all different academic and professional backgrounds – and to be able to help this industry move forward in terms of policy development and clinical practice – it’s really exciting.” The curriculum for the program was developed with input from faculty in multiple departments in the School of Pharmacy, including pharmacologists, chemists, pharmaceutical scientists and clinicians. The process began in 2017 when Dr. Sera was asked to provide students with an education in basic science (pharmacology, chemistry and medical Cannabis delivery systems), clinical uses of the drug, public health considerations, and federal and state laws and policies.
JAN. 2021
Dr. Sera, 39, was selected in part for her master’s studies in instructional systems – in particular, designing curricula. After graduating from the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy in 2010, she spent a residency year in palliative care alongside patients who were curious about medical Cannabis. “My interest in Cannabis as a medicine began when patients would ask what I knew about it, or nurses would talk about hospice patients asking about it,” she recalled. Dr. Sera is quick to acknowledge the current limitations in medical research due to restrictive laws. “We teach what we know scientifically and clinically about the plant,” said Sera, who has been an Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice at UMB since 2012. “In order to make this a 30-credit master’s program, we dive into a lot of the background literature, the research, the policies and the regulations.” UMB also teaches basic pharmacology and chemistry to students. As more clinical studies become available and repressive policies loosen
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We teach what we know scientifically and clinically about the plant,” said Program Director Dr. Leah Sera, who has been an Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice at UMB since 2012. “In order to make this a 30-credit master’s program, we dive into a lot of the background literature, the research, the policies and the regulations.”
around the country, Sera and her colleagues will adapt. “The program is likely to evolve itself, as what we know evolves,” she said. “It’s not going to be a static program.” Interaction between students takes place largely inside a Facebook Group. Topics are approached and participants are encouraged to interact and engage with each other. “There are lawyers, pharmacists, CBD entrepreneurs – folks as young as 20 and as old as 70,” said Cineas, who is also the Operations Manager of the Potomac Holistics dispensary in Rockville. “We even have a lot of students who have never tried Cannabis and are just there solely to learn from it.”
D
r. Sera hopes UMB’s bold foray
into medical Cannabis will serve as inspiration to
graduate.umaryland.edu other institutions around the country and the world. “I think we are already seeing more and more colleges and universities incorporate medical Cannabis into their curricula, either by developing full programs or individual courses,” she said. Under her guidance, UMB plans to be a trailblazer in improving treatment for medical Cannabis patients. “We want to move the field forward in terms of policy development and clinical practice,” she said. “The field of medical Cannabis is rapidly evolving and the University of Maryland is ready to meet the challenge of evolving with it.”
STORY by BAXSEN PAINE for LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND
the FUTURE issue
13 14 1 12 2
GANJIER &
THE COUNCIL OF ELDERS 32
No culture or community can thrive without a common language. Tribes, countries, industries – they all agree upon a shared vocabulary and a baseline for communication.
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ong before the dawn of the modern Cannabis industry, the vernacular of weed started to take shape. But now, as we progress toward a future with pot shops in every neighborhood, the culture awaits a leader for defining and formalizing the way we talk about Cannabis.
neleafmag.COM
Ganjier intends to become that definitive source. “The world has never developed a Cannabis palate before,” said Max Simon, CEO of The Ganjier Council, which this month will launch the Ganjier Certification Program, a robust curriculum geared toward training the next generation of Cannabis experts. “In wine, they’ve developed a palate repertoire that’s been used for 100 years. Nobody has ever done that in Cannabis.”
JAN. 2021
1. MAX SIMON CEO, Ganjier
2. JUSTIN CALVINO Co-Founder Emerald Exchange and The Mendocino Appelations Project
3. FRENCHY CANNOLI Master Hashishin
4. DR. AMANDA REIMAN VP, Community Development, Flow Kana
5. DEREK GILMAN Managing Director, Ganjier
6. OMAR FIGUEROA Founding Member, National Cannabis Bar Association
7. NIKKI LASTRETO Co-Founder, Swami Select
8. JEFFREY RABER Organic Chemist | Founder, The Werc Shop
9. SWAMI CHAITANYA Co-Founder, Swami Select
10. WILLIAM PEDRO Friend of Kevin Jodrey, not on Council
11. PATRICK KING THE SOIL KING Founder, Soil King Garden
12. WENDY KORNBERG CEO, Sunnabis Farms
13. KEVIN JODREY Founder, Port Royal | Wonderland Nursery
14. NICK TANEM AKA NIKKA T Owner, Essential Extracts
FACULTY NOT PICTURED: Genine Colman, Origins Council Exec. Dir. Alec Dixon, SC Labs Co-Founder Mel Frank, Legendary Breeder/Cultivator Kimberly Hooks, Frenchy Cannoli Brand CEO Aaron Varney, Dockside Co-Founder Josh Wurzer, SC Labs President
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While many organizations and educators over the decades have toiled to define the dialogue, the industry
hasn’t accepted a broad certification program similar to the Master Sommelier designation for wine and the Master Cicerone program for Beer, whose graduates are considered to be certified experts in the field. The Ganjier program seeks to become that ballast. We spoke with Simon over a video call in November to learn more about The Ganjier Council and its plan to revolutionize the future of Cannabis via standardization. Simon’s energy and excitement about the program was palpable, as he shared soaring stories about the process of collaborating with the rest of The Ganjier Council to build the program.
Assembling the Council
If you’re going to create a program to identify and train the future experts of an industry, you’re going to have to bring in some seriously heavy hitters. Simon, along with renowned cultivator, program co-founder and Ganjier Managing Director, Derek Gilman, did just that. “What we decided from the very beginning was that we didn’t want to take any shortcuts,” Simon said. “We got Frenchy Cannoli to join, who is probably the most experienced hash maker on the planet right now. … He joined the council because he was really dedicated to the fact that The Ganjier Council would be something that would last for 1,000 years.” After Frenchy joined on, the pieces started to fall into place. They sought out the most experienced in each Cannabis field – cultivation, botany, law, chemistry, sales, education – and started gathering the minds. “We really understood that one of the most important criteria levels here was experience,” said Simon. “We were going to be doing things that require a level of experience to understand, and more importantly, to be able to define. We pulled the most experienced people we could find in each category.” In the end, Ganjier ended up comprising 18 renowned names in the industry. Names like Swami Chaitanya, Kevin Jodrey and Mel Frank. “They (see sidebar for full list) collectively span about 600 years of Cannabis experience among those 18 people,” said Simon.
THE ONLINE PORTION WILL BE THE FIRST TO LAUNCH AND WILL CONSIST OF 10 COURSES FOR A TOTAL OF MORE THAN 30 HOURS OF ONLINE CURRICULUM. THE LEAF HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PREVIEW THESE COURSES, WHICH COME ACROSS LIKE INTIMATE, ONE-ON-ONE CLASSROOM LECTURES FROM PROFESSORS OF POT.
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Building a Common Language
With the team built, the Council could begin the real work. Logging more than 8,000 hours over a span of two-and-a-half years, the Council’s Cannabis cognoscenti debated, deliberated and delivered the first level of the program: The Certified Ganjier. The way Simon describes it, the process must have been an experience. “You see Swami and Frenchy, face-to-face, debating vigorously with a piece of hash in Frenchy’s hand,” he said. “It’s the fucking best.” Like the Sommelier and Cicerone programs that inspired it, the Ganjier program will consist of three levels: Certified Ganjier, Advanced Ganjier and Executive Ganjier. The first level, Certified Ganjier, seeks to establish the green standard for knowledge for those operating on the Cannabis front lines – the budtenders, sales reps, consumption lounge sherpas. The online portion will be the first to launch and will consist of 10 courses for a total of more than 30 hours of online curriculum. The Leaf had the opportunity to preview these courses, which come across like intimate, one-on-one classroom lectures from professors of pot. Ganjier defined what they refer to as the “Systematic Assessment Protocol,” which sets a baseline against which all Cannabis products should be judged and discussed. It considers four different factors which will be familiar to anyone who has spent time judging Cannabis competitions: Appearance, Aroma, Flavor and Effects. The classes and coursework cover everything a budding Cannabis expert needs to know, from history, hash, cultivation, chemistry and science, to sales, law and everything in between. As the program materials state, the goal isn’t to teach people how to cultivate Cannabis, rather, it’s to teach them everything they need to know about cultivation. “It’s putting all the Cannabis knowledge on the table that exists, and then defining what a Cannabis sommelier needs to know,” Simon said. Kevin Jodrey | Wonderland Nursery The program culminates in an assessment that students must pass to earn their certification. If it’s anything like the programs in the wine and beer industries, this process will no doubt be rigorous. It has to be. As Simon is quick to point out, if the industry is to grow, it must establish a baseline of trust and clear communication. “Everything in Cannabis comes down to customer service,” he said. “This is about serving consumers in the most effective way.
33 Frenchy Cannoli, Swami Chaitanya & Dr. Amanda Reiman.
Ganjier defined what they refer to as the “Systematic Assessment Protocol,” which sets a baseline against which all Cannabis products should be judged and discussed. It considers four different factors which will be familiar to anyone who has spent time judging Cannabis competitions: Appearance, Aroma, Flavor and Effects. Millions and millions of people are looking for trusted guidance about what to buy. … They haven’t been exposed to the diversity of what’s possible with Cannabis, and that’s because no one has broken it down.”
Get with the Program
As of now, Ganjier expects to launch with a suite of online courses this month, with the in-person portion rolling out in June, COVID-willing. They plan to accept 156 hopefuls out of the first round of applicants. According to Simon, they’ll likely have to increase that number fairly swiftly. Additionally, you will be able to take just the online portion of the curriculum as a standalone option. “The demand is really high,” he said. “I’ve got some of the largest organizations in the country right now asking if they can bring 50 people in to be a Ganjier, and my answer is that I can’t service them that quickly.” With the amount of experience and expertise on staff, Simon believes that demand will only increase as people realize the weight of the opportunity. “I can’t tell you the hundreds of times I would turn to Derek, and we would just look at each other, and think, we’re the luckiest people on planet Earth — to be in this room with these people, who are arguably the most knowledgeable people about Cannabis on planet Earth.”
STORY by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS/LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by GANJIER | GANJIER.COM | ICON by JAMIE VICTOR
the FUTURE issue
It’s an iterative move - Zusman has the ability to scale
SCALING UP
CANNABIS 34
The Cannabis industry is ripping through the atmosphere, a half-built rocket to the stars. With every passing moment, every quarterly report, every election – everyone on board has the same question: What’s this going to look like once it’s finished?
A neleafmag.COM
nd that leads to another question. Who’s going to survive? Who’s going to be able to scale to meet future demand? Who out there is building the Anheuser-Busch, the Sierra Nevada, the Lagunitas of Cannabis? For years, Brad Zusman has watched as would-be titans of industry begged and borrowed their way to vast, industrial-mega-scale manufacturing capabilities, only to be met with diminished demand and stifling legal and regulatory hurdles. As the owner of Mellow Vibes, a multi-line confectionery company broadly distributed in Oregon and Nevada, Zusman has been watching – and all the while, he’s been building his own rocket. He and his company – run largely by family and friends Zusman gathered during his decades as a restaurant and Cannabis business operator in Portland – got a start in the medical days, building retail and then manufacturing from the ground up. “We started with one induction burner, one pot, and one table, pouring jelly into a square mold and cutting it with guitar strings,” Zusman said. At the first taste of success, Zusman didn’t immediately run out and jump on rounds of capital raises. He kept building the thing. This month, Mellow Vibes is flipping the switch on a new setup in a facility south of Portland that should allow them to The Mellow Vibes crew, and Brad Zusman, center. manufacture 72,000 units per shift.
JAN. 2021
up much faster, but with the THC market for that facility confined to Oregon, he must be creative. “I don’t see that there’s going to be a huge need for largescale production until we have interstate commerce,” he said. “We can only scale up so much, so there’s only so many people and so many ways of indulging. I do see an explosion when interstate commerce comes around.” It’s that pending explosion that makes scaling up tricky. Build too large now, and you run the risk of suffocating like a fire starved for oxygen. Wait too long, and when the regulatory curtain between the states disappears, so will your ability to compete with the scaled-up players. Zusman’s company is approaching the issue from multiple angles, and not just by building to suit the CBD market – which he is doing. Zusman is currently working to license the Mellow Vibes brand in multiple markets around the country. He will manufacture all of the non-medicated materials – the confectionery slurries, syrups, and other pre-made ingredients – in his own facilities and ship them along with packaging to licensees. “We want to be His company also will offer able to produce a line of pre-made confecup to 2 million tionery ingredients, along with recipes and SOPs that they gummies per day.” will distribute to companies -Brad Zusman, across the country in the Mellow Vibes Owner THC, CBD and nutraceutical industries. Between those plans, manmellowvibes.com ufacturing his own brands, @mellowvibesedibles and contract “white label” manufacturing brands for companies without their own facilities, Zusman’s growth is starting to pick up speed. “I have a 3,500-square-foot THC kitchen, and a 3,000-square-foot CBD ingredients kitchen, and we’ve already grown out of both buildings,” he said. “And that’s just doing our brands and a few other white label brands.” Next, Zusman plans to build a 40,000-square-foot-plus nutraceutical manufacturing plant. And then another. Both will serve the CBD and vitamin markets until THC becomes federally legal. “We want to be able to produce up to 2 million gummies per day,” he said, in addition to tinctures and raw ingredients for confectioners who want to be able to replicate their product. “Just like Sysco Foods has ready-made muffin mixes, we want to have ready-made ingredients and mixes for jellies, for people to mix however they want, and add their own CBD or THC. Anyone who wants to do small to mid-level manufacturing, we’ll have a ready-made product. The beauty about this model right here is that any white label manufacturer on the market that makes dry mixes, can make this product for you.” For Zusman, it’s about building the supply chain to meet future demand for a federal THC market that doesn’t yet exist. Get the machines up and running, get the processes in place and when the time comes, flip the switch. “The reason these big companies aren’t coming in is that we don’t have the supply chains completely set up,” he said. “Once it’s all set up, and they have large-scale supply chains built from field to cupboard, then the large global companies will come in and buy them up.” Either that, or the smartly-scaled Cannabis companies will be the ones doing the buying.
STORY by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS/LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by MELLOW VIBES | ICON by JAMIE VICTOR
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the FUTURE issue
“Utilizing science and ingenuity, the Dab Rite has taken all of the guesswork out of dabbing. With adaptive goose neck design, the unit is universally capable of reading the temperature of any style of rig.”
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FUTURE OF
neleafmag.COM
CONSUMPTION Make hot dabs a thing of the past with the most modern, versatile and inventive digital IR thermometer to be found: the Dab Rite.
dabrite.com | @thedabrite
JAN. 2021
I
ndustry experts, glass collectors and owners Dr. Seuscio, Dan Wynick, Cody Johnson and Bryan Berc joined forces in January of 2020 to bring this revolutionary commodity to market.
After an intensive year of research and development, their team turned the Dab Rite from a concept to prototypes, ultimately helping their product become the gold standard in the industry. Utilizing science and ingenuity, the Dab Rite has taken all of the guesswork out of dabbing. With adaptive goose neck design, the unit is universally capable of reading the temperature of any style of rig. Unlike other companies that have products that are only useful for banger hanger style rigs, users can bend the flexible neck in any direction to accurately read the heat of the quartz nail on their unique piece of glass art.
After getting the goose neck dialed in, users can set the temperature anywhere from 200 to 800 degrees fahrenheit. We would recommend 500600 degrees, depending on your nail. Dabbing your favorite concentrates at lower temperatures results in the most pronounced terpene expression achievable. You will never miss another dab again, as the Dab Rite lights up, flashes and beeps whenever it has reached the set temperature, making this an ideal product for those hard of hearing. This fabulous feature will save you a ton of butane in the long run. With replaceable silicone guards on the temperature gauge and above the screen, users can mix and match silicone inserts to customize their Dab Rite units. With over 50 years of combined industry experience, their company’s goal is quite simple: To provide a high-quality product that lives up to its own high standards and expectations – something that their entire team can confidently stand behind. They believe that whether or not you are dabbing top shelf concentrates and extracts out of a higher-end piece, that the experience should be as tasty and enjoyable as possible. The Dab Rite is here to help take your sesh to the next level and the creators are honored to have their products included in your dab shrines, or as Dr. Seuscio calls them, “The Terpification Station.” As a philanthropic group of individuals, their ownership stepped up last year and found creative ways to give back to our community. After the horrendous forest fires in Oregon, the Dab Rite team offered their second drop of product to the public with a necessary donation of at least $15 to $50, ultimately raising $4,000 so far for a great cause. Keep an eye out for their recent collaboration with 710 Labs, as well as their official launch party later this month at Lifted Veil Gallery on January 30 with Toro Glass. Make sure to grab yourself a Dab Rite ASAP – your future seshes will thank you!
STORY by MAX EARLY @LIFTED_STARDUST/LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by MORGAN DEMETER @MOOGANPHOTO | ICON by JAMIE VICTOR
F
rom concept to design, to production and marketing, Indux Labs aims to provide the most advanced and modular concentrate vaporization hardware in the world to those who are looking to get the most out of their resin. “The inspiration for the project came from the desire to produce the highest quality of vapor using the precision and purity of electromagnetic heating,” explained Indux Labs Founder, who wishes to remain anonymous.
INDUX LABS
The world of concentrate vaporizers is not lacking in competition. There are hundreds of brands all over the world that are all clamoring to get to the top of the pile with the best hardware. For the past several years, brands like Puffco and PAX have dominated the market by gearing their products towards the mainstream. But, what’s available for the more invested enthusiast? Enter the Indux Labs Reflux vaporizer. B Y N A T E W I L L I A M S @ N A T E W4 1 5
REFLUX
induxlabs.com | @induxlabs
The Reflux vaporizer is hands-down the most impressive piece of consumption paraphernalia we have come across to date. Each unit is hand-built with incredible attention to detail in Austin, Texas. The Reflux is the world’s first Slow-Temp™ vaporizer, which slowly builds the temperature and intensity of the vapor to reveal layers of flavor in your concentrate previously undiscovered. The Reflux is designed to deliver a range of control unavailable with other units on the market, and definitely delivers. The oil is loaded into a borosilicate glass vial along with the user’s choice of titanium heating element. It comes with a variety of designs for the user to experiment with, including both larger, thicker, single elements, as well as thinner ones, which Indux Labs suggests you use multiples of. The larger elements heat faster while the smaller ones get to temp more slowly, which is just one of the uniquely modular aspects of the Reflux. As one might suspect, the smaller elements produce a thinner, wispier vapor and the larger, thicker ones produce a more robust and expansive vapor. In addition, there is a “key” that is used to control airflow, further allowing the user to dial in exactly how they like their concentrate vaporized. The dial on the left of the unit controls how long the heating cycle is, and the buttons on the right turn the coil inside of the unit on and off. The combination of heating element(s), airflow and cycle time results in complete user control. This allows the user to slowly ramp up the temperature, dissecting the concentrate and exposing layers of flavor you’d just flat out miss from the same concentrate in dab form. Both the look and function have a simultaneously new wave, yet classic feel – like a throwback to the future. The analog manipulation of the unit provides a nostalgic kick as you sit back and enjoy a next-level terpene experience. It does take a little dialing in to fully master, but it is fairly intuitive and once understood, becomes second nature. Comparatively speaking, if a traditional dab taken off a quartz nail is like doing a shot, consuming concentrate out of the Reflux is like pouring yourself a high-end whiskey and allowing yourself to sit and enjoy every nuance of flavor that develops as the spirit opens up and oxygenates. Between the flavors achievable with this unit, the efficiency it offers and the complete modulation (I can even run it through my dab rig for a smoother, water-filtered hit), my quartz nail, terp pearl and spinner cap will be riding the bench for the foreseeable future.
PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS
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the FUTURE issue
FUTURE OF
CONSUMPTION
H
ailed as “the future of vaping” by 2Chainz, whose Most Expensivist show has covered a lot of Cannabis related products, we couldn’t agree more. The Bello is the most unique way to get a group of people high, period. Called the Vapor Tap, the Bello works by loading a cartridge of your favorite concentrate into the center. A vapor-sipping glass gets placed over the cart, and when lightly pressed the internal mechanics cause a hit to fill up the cup.
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THE BELLO The future of Cannabis is vapor being sipped at your favorite Cannabis lounge, and it’s closer than you think to reality. While Cannabis lounges aren’t yet legal in every state, anyone can enjoy the experience of passing a glass of tasty Cannabis vapor around a room with the innovative and sexy Bello. B Y W E S A B N E Y @ B E A R D E D L O R A X bello.love | @bellotogether
JAN. 2021
The vapor swirls around as it fills and holds within the cup for easy passing – or the ability to hold it for a short time before consuming the vapor. You sip it like a drink from a glass or with a straw, filling the lungs with Cannabis goodness that takes vaping to a whole new level. The effects of consuming Cannabis vapor in this way are different from a typical puff of a cartridge, and the vapor is less expansive while retaining full flavor, making it easy to take several glassfulls. We enjoyed high end solventless rosin carts through the Bello, but any cartridge will work easily. This includes CBD-only or e-cig carts in the 510 thread format, which are perfect for the upscale hookah user. Bello is also working to release cartridges with herbal formulas that can deliver energy or help with sleep – and it’s worth noting that the possibilities are really endless in terms of what you can vape from a cartridge. We found ourselves clinking glasses and feeling quite classy as we sipped vapor from straws, sharing the glasses around a room, trying different cartridge flavors and enjoying the sensation of sharing weed in a super literal form. Perfect for at home, a cocktail party or your future favorite dab lounge, we expect to see Bello all over the world LISTEN TO LEAF LIFE PODCAST as people EPISODE #98 “THE WIDE WORLD embrace the OF CANNABIS TECH,” AVAILABLE opportunity ON ALL MAJOR PLATFORMS to cheers with AND LEAFLIFEPODCAST.COM Cannabis.
“We found ourselves clinking glasses and feeling quite classy as we sipped vapor from straws, sharing the glasses around a room, trying different cartridge flavors and enjoying the sensation of sharing weed in a super literal form. “
PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS | ICON by JAMIE VICTOR
CUBES
There are many great examples of Cubism. Atop the list we find Picasso between 1907 and 1917, and of course, when some Hungarian invented the Rubik’s Cube in 1974. And if you ask the legions of fans that have amassed in short time for the strain specific, full-spectrum cannabinoid profiles of The Heirloom Collective’s flagship line of chewables, they’d likely say, “Wait, the Rubik’s Cube was invented in Hungary?” and you’d shrug. Then they’d share one of these with you because damn, they’re good, and often lead to impromptu sharing between friends and hoarding from everyone else. There is no shortage of blocks of dosed gummies in jugs and tins on the legal market, but thanks to the consistent shelf stability, clean effects (lab-tested and organic cultivation/harvest/manufacturing processes) and top-notch flavors (tropical), the Hadley, Massachusetts-based manufacturer keeps customers lined up and coming back at stores all across Western Mass. The regular supply and consistent batches have led to it becoming an anchor product on shelves and tends to fly off just as fast as they arrive, particularly in the Berkshires and Pioneer Valley, where customers regularly check in for restocks should a menu (on occasion) be low on them. Another aspect fueling their consistency is the method in which The Heirloom Collective works with their strains to then use within batches of strain-specific cubes, which vary slightly and most often have a hybrid effect profile. Their use of proprietary protocols for these cubes helps “optimize each strain’s beneficial attributes (cannabinoid content and terpene potency)” and in turn, creates a reliable gummy. The gelatinous mouthfeel and hybrid, upbeat effects are as consistent as you were at never figuring out a Rubik’s Cube. These may or may not change that.
ALSO AVAILABLE AT CANNA PROVISIONS LOCATIONS IN LEE AND H O LY O K E M A S S A C H U S E T T S
The Hadley, Mass.based manufacturer keeps customers lined up and coming back at stores all across Western Mass.
THE HEIRLOOM COLLECTIVE / 457 R U S S E L L ST. H A D L E Y, M A / (413) 540-6783 T H E H E I R LO O M C O L L E CT I V E . U S @ H E I R LO O M T H C
REVIEW by DAN MCCARTHY @ACUTALPROOF for NORTHEAST LEAF | PHOTO by HEIRLOOM COLLECTIVE
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neleafmag.COM
> > 88MG THC / 10-SERVINGS
EDIBLE OF THE MONTH
THE HEIRLOOM COLLECTIVE
concentrate of the month neleafmag.COM
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TCS LIVE ROSIN
Rhode Island’s first and longest-serving medical dispensary, The Thomas C. Slater Compassion Center in Providence, carries an immaculate live rosin that is grown and processed in-house.
Their TCS live rosin is a combination of Tang Breath and Wedding Cake, made from ice water extracted hash that is pressed by machine. Testing at almost 75% THC and 0.7% CBD, this is a very potent concentrate with a substantial amount of terps that fans of gas and citrus flavors will love. TCS’ packaging is on point – sleek and simple, although a bit confusing – as we weren’t sure if this was a blend of two separate strains to enhance flavor and strength, or a cross of two strains grown out and extracted. The hash came sealed in a large plastic bag with the branding of the Compassion Center’s logo, which was very hard to get into and is certainly childproof. Inside that was yet another sealed plastic bag, warning labels and test results printed on the back.
JAN. 2021
FOCUS-ENHANCING
T h e c o m b o o f Ta n g B r e a t h and Wedding Cake brings some serious hybrid effects. THOMAS C. SLATER COMPASSION CENTER 1 CORLISS ST, PROVIDENCE, RI (401) 274-1000 SLATERCENTER.COM @SLATERCENTER_RI
> > TESTING
~75% THC | 0.7% CBD
Popping this jar open, your nose is hit with aromatic scents of orangey, sweet-citrus fruit akin to orange peels. With the sugariness of our fave childhood drink, SunnyD, tempered by the acidity of grapefruit, this rosin delivers a true tangerine-tang flavor. Ever since first trying Agent Orange and Tangerine Dream, we’ve always loved a distinctive citrus tree fruit terpene. The combo of Tang Breath and Wedding Cake brings some serious hybrid effects. Exhaling will leave you lit up in your eyes – fuzzy, slightly blurred, with a buzz creeping up with a headband sensation around your forehead. This strain improves focus and precision, while also easing morning anxiety and increasing appetite. Combining relief for many symptoms, this is most certainly a solventless concentrate you will enjoy keeping in your weekly headstash rotation. And if you’re a valid medical patient from any state, you can visit Rhode Island dispensaries such as The Thomas C. Slater Compassion Center and try it for yourself!
REVIEW by BOBBY NUGGZ @BOBBYNUGGZ_OFFICIAL for NORTHEAST LEAF | PHOTO by BAILEY JONSON @BADMSBAILEY
SANCTUARY MEDICINALS
>>
Sanctuary Medicinals used the strain YMCA in this topical, with this particular variety known for its high CBD content and delivering excellent pain relief to users.
5.37MG THC, 7.90MG CBD / SERVING
SANCTUARY MEDICINALS 1351 BEACON ST. BROOKLINE, MA SANCTUARYMED.COM @SANCTUARYMEDICINALS (617) 366-2900
REVIEW & PHOTO by JENNMARIE CASTIGLIONE @JENNMARIE_76 for NORTHEAST LEAF
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IF YOU’RE searching for a topical that feels great and treats pain effectively, look no further than this amazing Roll-On Transdermal Pain Relieving Gel. We found ours at Canna Provisions in Holyoke, but the product was created by Sanctuary Medicinals in Littleton and is for sale in their dispensaries in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, as well as other select locations throughout the area. Sanctuary Medicinals used the strain YMCA in this topical, with this particular variety known for its high CBD content and delivering excellent pain relief to users. Bottled up and administered in this manner, it provides a simple and effective way to treat localized pain. Having applied the suggested “quarter-sized” amount to the wrists and hands, subtle relief was felt to joints and muscles within 15 minutes. After applying another little bit, we were pleasantly surprised at how well it continued working at relieving the tightness and aching in our hands. The gel itself doesn’t leave a greasy or sticky feeling, making it perfect to apply transdermally anywhere relief is sought. Combining the Cannabis extract with other ingredients, such as sunflower oil, menthol and other essential oils, gives this topical a very pleasant, non-intrusive scent. For anyone seeking an easy alternative to other forms of pain relief, the Roll-On Transdermal Pain Relieving Gel is highly recommended for an easy and discreet way to medicate, so you can get on with your day!
TOPICAL of the month
ROLL-ON TRANSDERMAL GEL
glass art
HYPERLOOP How do you draw inspiration from nature?
It’s difficult not to – nature has done so many things exquisitely. Whether it’s the connection point flowing together for two pieces of glass or a larger, more powerful concept being translated, there are so many examples of highly refined processes and shapes. It’s incredible to see what natural selection has determined after all those years. While most of my work doesn’t literally translate or attempt to mimic nature, I think that there are many subtle cues taken from it. I’ve always loved the way nature handles its color and transitions or contrasts between them. Most recently and perhaps most noticeable within my work, I saw geysers first-hand for the first time in my life. Their raw power and the display they put on is magnificent! Since then I’ve been playing with similar effects and the potential for displaying that power within my functional work.
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What pushes you to create new mind-melting designs? What’s the point
Art by MAX CASWELL
@maxxswell.ca
“All the designs I make seem to come from seed questions, and the finished pieces are in their own way an answer to the question asked. The answers are always evolving – I don’t feel constrained by the way I’ve done things in the past. Next time I make that style I can mix things up.“
JAN. 2021
of creating if you just make the same thing as everybody else? I wasn’t drawn by or interested in the ability to remake things that have already been made – I much prefer to attempt to make things in a different light. I was drawn by the potential to put my own spin on things. All the designs I make seem to come from seed questions, and the finished pieces are in their own way an answer to the question asked. The answers are always evolving – I don’t feel constrained by the way I’ve done things in the past. Next time I make that style I can mix things up. That freedom is one of my favorite things about glass – it’s incredibly easy to try out new proportions or shapes within designs. Nothing has to be like it was before, I don’t have to remake a mold or rewrite a program to get different shapes for new parts. There’s an amazing amount of freedom within this medium.
STORY by MAX EARLY @LIFTED_STARDUST/LEAF NATION | PHOTO by SHERLOCKS GLASS GALLERY @SHERLOCKSGLASS
PHOTO BY @SONDERFELTLLC FOR LEAF NATION
Contact michael@neleafmag.com for ADVERTISING RATES & INFO! NELEAFMAG.COM | @NORTHEASTLEAFMAG | #NORTHEASTLEAF
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Cannthropology
WORLD OF CANNABIS PRESENTS
44
Adam “Mr. Hash Bash” Brook
The History of Hash Bash
The origins and evolution of Ann Arbor’s annual reefer rally
neleafmag.COM
This is the story of how a small Midwestern college town became the home of America’s longest-running Cannabis event and a legendary legalization location. It all began in December 1966, when prominent poet, pot activist, and White Panther John Sinclair unknowingly gave two joints to an undercover policewoman from the Detroit Narcotics Bureau. A month later he was arrested, tried, and in 1969, sentenced to a shocking 10 years in prison. This disproportionately draconian penalty (no doubt intended to make an example of Sinclair), drew widespread outrage among the counterculture community—particularly with the Youth International Party, or “Yippies.” In December 1971, they helped organize a massive rally on Sinclair’s behalf at the University of Michigan’s Crisler Arena in Ann Arbor. Known as the “John Sinclair Freedom Rally,” it included Yippie activists Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, David Peel and future High Times founder Tom Forcade, as well as beatnik poet Allen Ginsberg and NORML founder Keith Stroup. More importantly, though, it featured performances by top musical acts like Bob Seger, Stevie Wonder and most impressively, former Beatle John Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono. Just three days after that concert, Michigan’s Supreme Court ordered
JAN. 2021
Sinclair’s release on bond pending appeal after serving only two-and-a-half years of his sentence. At the appeal hearing, that same court dismissed his case—ruling that he’d been entrapped and that his sentence was “cruel and unusual.” Moreover, the court declared that the 1952 state law used to convict him—which classified Cannabis as a “narcotic”—was inaccurate and therefore unconstitutional, and overturned it. The state legislature quickly drafted and passed a replacement, but enforcement of that new law didn’t take effect until April 1. This meant that for about three weeks, marijuana was technically legal in the State of Michigan. Taking full advantage of this unique window—and inspired by the action that had set Sinclair free months earlier—local activists organized a pro-pot political rally on the very day the new law was set to take effect. And that, my friends, is how Hash Bash was born. Held at high noon on Saturday, April 1, 1972, at “The Diag” (the central Diagonal Green) on the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor, the original event—called simply “Hash Festival”—was reportedly attended by somewhere between 150-500 people and had no arrests. The Democrat-led city council in Ann Arbor had already debated downgrading marijuana possession from a felony to a misdemeanor in 1971. In May 1972—just a month after the rally—they passed an ordinance reducing the penalty for possession to a mere five dollar fine, followed by another in September allowing those fines to be paid through the mail, rather than
For the first decade and a half of its existence, Hash Bash was little more than a gathering of people smoking pot in public. However, from the early ‘90s on, it became a platform for some of the most prominent voices in the marijuana movement.
having offenders appear in court. This gave Ann Arbor the dubious distinction of being the city with the most liberal pot laws in America. When April Fool’s Day rolled around again the following year, so did Hash Bash—this time drawing 3,000-5,000 attendees. Outraged, conservatives fought back—repealing the lenient law in 1973. But less than a year later, the quarrelsome issue made it onto the ballot as a voter referendum and was voted back into law in April 1974 — just in time for Hash Bash number three, which was now officially an annual event. Thanks to the “Just Say No” Reagan era, attendance and interest in Hash Bash saw a steep decline in the 1980s— leading some local officials and newspapers to prematurely celebrate its seeming demise. But all that changed in 1988 with the arrival of High Times; then Editor-in-Chief Steve Hager and his Freedom Fighters (including columnists Ed Rosenthal and Chef Ra, among others) rolled into Ann Arbor sporting Colonial tricorn hats and musical instruments— drawing a crowd of nearly 2,000 and reinvigorating the faltering festival. A further effort was made to increase attendance in 1991, when the annual date of the event was changed from the first of April to the first Saturday in April. In the years that followed, the University made several attempts to shut the rally down by denying permits and such, prompting five lawsuits from Hash Bash organizers, NORML and the ACLU—all of which the University lost. For the first decade and a half of its existence, Hash Bash was little more than a gathering of people smoking pot in public. However, from the early ‘90s on, it became a platform for some of the most just heard the police had 200 officers waiting in prominent voices in the marijuana moveriot gear,” Brook recounts. “Every April Fool’s Day ment, including Tommy Chong, authors we’d publish some sort of claim … Bill Clinton was Jack Herer and Gatewood Galbraith, showing up, Sasha Obama … and sure enough, hippie icon Stephen Gaskin, Yippie Dana the media shows up.” Though no longer serving as Beal, and of course, John Sinclair, who its emcee, Brook still attends each year and hosts a returned to the event (and to Michigan) private event called the Hash Bash Cup the weekend in 1996 after an almost 20-year absence of the rally. living in New Orleans. The new millennium brought many changes to Other than Sinclair, no one has become Michigan’s marijuana laws. In November 2008, votmore associated with the event than ers passed Proposal 1 legalizing medical marijuana. Sinclair’s personal manager, Adam Brook. In 2016, State Representative Jeff Irwin (D) attended Legalization Icon John Sinclair Nicknamed “Mr. Hash Bash,” Brook Hash Bash and announced that he was sponsoring started hosting the rally in 1993 and cona bill to legalize marijuana for adult use. That September, medical tinued to do so for almost two decades, until 2011 when he topicals, edibles and dispensaries were legalized. passed the mic on to other prominent Wolverine State weed In 2018, gubernatorial candidate Gretchen Whitmer (D) came to warriors. Brook’s specialty was getting media coverage of the speak at the rally and on Election Day that November, voters approved event by playing the press. another Proposal 1—this time called The Michigan Regulation and “In order to get the TV cameras to show up at Hash Taxation of Marihuana Act—which finally legalized Cannabis use for Bash, I’d call them on Saturday morning and tell them we’d adults statewide.
“In order to get the TV cameras to show up at Hash Bash, I’d call them on Saturday morning and tell them we’d just heard the police had 200 officers waiting in riot gear." -A DA M B RO OK
The following April, Ann Arbor celebrated that monumental victory with their biggest Bash ever—boasting well over 10,000 attendees and zero arrests. “Welcome to legalization in the state of Michigan!” Sinclair announced to the cheering crowd in 2019. “You haven’t been here before unless you were here in 1972 when we started it. We went three weeks without any marijuana law, and believe me we took full advantage of every minute of it. Then when the Michigan law went into effect on April Fool’s Day, we said, ‘Fuck you—we’re going to go into the Diag to smoke some weed!’ That’s how it started and I’m proud to see it continuing in full force.” Last year, due to COVID-19, organizers were forced to replace the rally with a virtual Zoom event. Hopefully, Hash Bash will be able to return to The Diag this April to celebrate its milestone 50th anniversary.
Tommy Chong
For more on Hash Bash, listen to Episode #6 of our podcast at worldofcannabis.museum/ podcast or visit hashbash.com. Published originally on worldofcannabis.museum and reprinted with permission.
STORY by BOBBY BLACK @CANNTHROPOLOGY for LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by RICK THOMPSON | ART COURTESY WORLD OF CANNABIS MUSEUM @WORLDOFCANNABIS.MUSEUM
YOUR GPS LIED TO YOU he tragic miscalculation of digital driving directions can be the cause of great stress. Because when you’re lost, everything appears foreign. Your surroundings are unfamiliar, you find yourself flustered and exposed. This is a dark and confusing place where suddenly every turn, every sidewalk and every streetlight looks identical. Your sense of security vanishes, leaving you vulnerable and frightened, the anxiety heightened. You feel betrayed by the soothing, relatable personality inside of your electronic device, as their lack of sound decision-making seemed almost purposeful. The voice you once believed is now a clueless idiot and you are determined to get even with a brazen scolding. You will belittle it, call her a bitch or him an asshole, condemning their actions with caustic flare while detailing the irreparable hassle and embarrassment you’ll endure due to their lack of focus. At some point you may forgive them, but now is not the time. You are lost and late – and the world is in a state of utter peril that may take years to repair. However, although it doesn’t feel like it, this is no one’s fault. You do feel a sense of responsibility, though, for having blindly trusted what used to be a credible source. So, to rectify the blunder of placing your faith in this digital confidante, you will take uncharacteristic chances in the attempt to absolve yourself of any further regret. There is no time to waste in getting to the original course. So, you will make illegal U-turns across center-dividers and irresponsibly hit the brakes on a busy thoroughfare. You will knowingly break the law, nervously cursing while backing up on a one-way street to return to the exit passed. Ninety-five percent of the time, however, this device is correct. Therefore, you should reward your GPS system. I recommend a digital blow job. You take a puff from a vape pen and exhale it into the screen.
T
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by Mike Ricker
jan. 2021
F O L L OW @ R I C K E R D J | G E T T H E AU D I O V E R S I O N & EV E RY E P I S O D E AT S TO N EY- B A L O N EY. C O M
NOTHING COMPARES TO
FIN D THE CA LM N COLLECTIV E EX PERIEN CE AT YOUR FAVORITE DISPEN SA RY!
MammothLabs.com
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KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN. FOR USE BY ADULTS 21 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER. DO NOT DRIVE A MOTOR VEHICLE WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF CANNABIS.
inhale exhale WINTER ADVENTURES ARE BETTER WITH CANNABIS. HOLYOKE, MA | (413) 650-2500
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Please Consume Responsibly, This product may cause impairment and may be habit forming. For use only by adults 21 years of age or older. Keep out of the reach of children. This product has not been analyzed or approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). There is limited information on the side effects of using this product, and there may be associated health risks. Marijuana use during pregnancy and breast-feedingmay pose potential harms. It is against the law to drive or operate machinery when under the influence of this product. KEEP THIS PRODUCT A WAY FROM CHILDREN. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination, and judgment. The impairment effects of edible marijuana may be delayed by two hours or more. In case of accidental ingestion, contact poison control hotline 1-800-222-1222 or 9-1-1. This product may be illegal outside of MA.