HIGHLY LIKELY

Highly Likely highlights Cannabis pioneers who paved the way to greater herbal acceptance.

CLIFF ROBINSON

CLIFF ROBINSON WAS ONE OF THE MANY GREAT ‘CHARACTERS’ TO PLAY IN THE NBA’S GO-GO 1990S AND INTO THE 2000S. HOWEVER, A DEEPER DIG INTO HIS LIFE REVEALS A MAN WHO WAS FAR MORE THAN JUST AN ATHLETE.

Robinson played for almost a decade for the Portland Trail Blazers, and during these years with the team from 1989- About that stint with the Blazers; Robinson was part of the team that was - to fans, at least - affectionately referred to as ‘The Jail Blazers.’ 1997, he made the playoffs almost every year. There he earned the name ‘Uncle Spliffy’ (a

During his time in the league, he scored derivation of his moniker ‘Uncle Cliffy’ better more points than some of the NBA’s greatest known to Blazers fans) from NBA writer Peter players, including Magic Vecesy, following numerous Johnson, Isaiah Thomas and “I think suspensions due to CannabisScottie Pippen, with Robinson currently ranked 54th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. He Cannabis will eventually be related incidents while in the NBA. But there was nothing funny was an excellent defensive recognized about this label - in truth, player as well - making the as a help many Blazers’ players were NBA’s “All-Defensive Team” twice during his career. But while basketball was for athletes, rather than a subject to racial profiling by the Portland Police Department, most of the time something that Robinson was hinderance.” for Cannabis. supremely gifted at playing, it did not entirely define him as Cliff Robinson Unfortunately, due to this Robinson became a target for a person. law enforcement, resulting in a

Robinson was a family man and he loved SWAT raid of his home. Portland, so much so that he began moving his Post-NBA, Robinson became outspoken family and friends here shortly after starting his on his love for all things Cannabis. Once stint with the Trail Blazers in the late-1980s. legalization took hold, Robinson signed on as an ambassador for Pistil Point in the infancy of Oregon’s legal Cannabis industry.

Robinson became a fixture at Cannabis events in Portland, and spoke about how beneficial the herb can be medically - especially for athletes. “[I want] to knock down the myth that athletes and Cannabis don’t mix,” Robinson told the Oregonian in 2017.

“I played 18 years in the NBA and I used Cannabis on and off along the way, and I didn’t have a problem. The more we continue to stay out in front of it in a positive way and continue to push being responsible with it, I think Cannabis will eventually be recognized as a help for athletes, rather than a hinderance.”

Robinson will always be remembered for his friendly personality and warm smile - and by many accounts, for his wonderful singing voice.

While Robinson’s passing away in late August 2020 after a long battle with lymphoma is a big loss for NBA fans and Blazers’ faithful, for the Cannabis industry, we lost a true leader.

Adriana Myles

NORTHEAST LEAF Budtender of the Month

Adriana began her Cannabis career in her hometown of Las Vegas, Nevada. It was there at a small medical dispensary that she developed a passion for medical Cannabis policy, patient education and product knowledge. During this time, she also worked on educating the community with a Cannabis 101 presentation series and won “Medicine Woman of the Year 2016” during a local industry award show. She now works at FP Wellness in Manhattan, a small, boutique-style dispensary that focuses on patient care. In her spare time she has been known to take work home with her, where product testing and painting go hand-in-hand. @a_dri15

INTERVIEW by DAN VINKOVETSKY @DANNYDANKOHT | PHOTO by @LIVEGOLDENVISIONS

FP WELLNESS 2 E 30TH ST, NEW YORK, NY (212) 689-8676 FPWELLNESSNY.COM @DISPENSARYNYC WHAT EFFECT HAS USING CANNABIS HAD ON YOUR LIFE? Cannabis has greatly improved my quality of life all around. I use it to alleviate my insomnia, treat my endometriosis symptoms and decrease my anxiety. Without it, I would be a different person.

WHAT ARE THE QUALITIES THAT MAKE FOR A GOOD BUDTENDER? You need a combination of compassion, product knowledge and experience. Patients - especially those new to Cannabis - have a lot of questions, and those three components work together to give one great consultation.

WHAT ARE YOU SMOKING RIGHT NOW? I always keep a sativa handy, and right now that’s mostly Jack Herer. I also tend to experiment using different dosage forms, such as capsules and powders.

WHAT IS ONE THING YOU WOULD CHANGE ABOUT THE INDUSTRY? I wish it was easier to convince more people to increase CBD with their THC. The entourage effect is awesome - just try it!

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT BUDTENDING WITH FP WELLNESS? I love that we are people focused and not just patient focused. When we were vandalized during the protest, FP Wellness and our parent company GTI responded to the vandalism with compassion, understanding and solidarity. I am reassured that I am in good hands and it motivates me to pass that feeling of reassurance on to our patients.

“I LOVE THAT WE ARE PEOPLE FOCUSED AND NOT JUST PATIENT FOCUSED.”

WHERE DO YOU GO FOR NEW CANNABIS KNOWLEDGE? I love to keep up with industry as well as policy, so I look at everything from Leafly and Weedmaps to MJ BIZ and the MBCA newsletter (Minority Business Cannabis Association). Good old fashioned Google works too!

IF YOU COULD BLAZE WITH ANY FIGURE FROM HISTORY, WHO WOULD THAT BE? That’s a hard one, I have so many. My number one would have to be the artist Jean Michel Basquiat. The artist in me would love to blaze and pick his brain!