HIGHLY LIKELY

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

18 >> SUSAN BLACKMORE

Memetics refers to the SUSAN BLACKMORE IS before any sort of In the same lecture, she went on to talk about how study of information and A RENOWNED BRITISH recreational legalization societies have developed relationships to mindculture, and is based on WRITER, LECTURER, in America, Blackmore altering substances: the concept of Darwinian PROFESSOR AND admitted to a largely “In just about every human society there has ever evolution. One of the best BROADCASTER WHOSE academic audience that been, people have used dangerous drugs - but ways to simply look at what FIELD OF RESEARCH she consumes Cannabis: most have developed rituals that bring an element memetics studies is the INCLUDES MEMETICS, “Some people may of control or safety to the experience,” noted concept of the ‘meme’ in PARAPSYCHOLOGY smoke dope just to relax Blackmore. “In more primitive societies, it is shamans internet culture. One can AND CONSCIOUSNESS. or have fun, but for me and healers who control the use of dangerous drugs, study what effect memes the reason goes deeper. choose appropriate settings in which to take them created and shared (and edited) online In fact, I can honestly say that without and teach people how to appreciate the visions can have in the real world; say, on social Cannabis, most of my scientific research and insights that they can bring. In our own society, justice movements or the rise of neowould never have been done and most criminals control all drug sales. This means that fascism. of my books on psychology and evolution users have no way of knowing exactly what they are

Parapsychology is the study of processes would not have been written,” she said. buying and no one to teach them how to use these typically considered outside of scientific “Some evenings, after a long day at my dangerous tools…” knowledge of the capacity of the human desk, I’ll slip into the bath, light a candle “It’s an old metaphor, but people often liken the brain. Processes like telepathy, telekinesis and a spliff, and let the ideas flow - that task to climbing a mountain. The drugs can take and hypnosis. lecture I have to give to 500 people next you up in a helicopter to see what’s there, but you

That said, listening to a lecture from week, that article I’m writing can’t stay. In the end, you have to climb Blackmore can be a heady experience. But it’s Blackmore’s wit and colloquial style of interpretation of big subjects (like, for example – consciousness) that has made her such a popular lecturer and essayist. I recommend a seven minute YouTube video called “Consciousness – A Short Introduction” to see how easy she makes big, sweeping concepts understandable to lay people. But what might be Blackmore’s most compelling thoughts on Cannabis (and for New Scientist, those tricky last words of a book I’ve been working on for months. This is the time when the sentences seem to write themselves. Or I might sit out in my greenhouse on a summer evening among my tomatoes and peach trees, struggling with questions about free will or the nature of the universe, “I can honestly say that without Cannabis, most of my scientific research would never have been done and most of my books on psychology the mountain yourself - the hard way. Even so, the drugs may provide the inspiration to keep climbing.” This is only an introduction to you, dear reader, of one of the many subjects (61, by my count) that this column has covered over the past five years. It is my hope that this small introduction will pique your interest enough to learn a little bit more about her and about your own consciousness - and what beneficial things that Cannabis does for other mind-altering drugs) can be taken and find that a smoke gives and evolution it. If a leading scientist can be helped from her 2005 speech at the Cheltenham me new ways of thinking would not have by this remarkable plant, let’s see what Science Festival. There, a full 10 years about them.” been written.” we can do!

STORY by DAN VINKOVETSKY @DANNYDANKOHT | PHOTO by ROBERT SCHEUERMAN @ROBERTSCHEUERMAN Tyler Curtis

NORTHEAST LEAF Budtender of the Month

At just 25-years-old, Tyler Curtis is already a veteran of the Cannabis community/industry and the jamband music scene in the Northeast. He works at Sunnyside Medical Cannabis in Brooklyn as a budtender for one of New York City’s premier dispensaries and has played drums for a handful of bands. Originally from Verona, N.J. and now living in Queens, Tyler has written about Cannabis and music for High Times, Vice, MerryJane and Mass Roots.

“THE MEDICINAL BENEFITS OF THE PLANT HAVE ALLOWED ME TO BE A MORE SOCIAL AND LESS ANXIOUS PERSON.”

SUNNYSIDE MEDICAL CANNABIS

178 North 4th St. Brooklyn, NY (917) 793-1107 sunnyside.shop @sunnysidedispensary

WHAT EFFECT HAS CANNABIS HAD ON YOUR LIFE? Since I was a teenager, my life has revolved around Cannabis. The medicinal benefits of the plant have allowed me to be a more social and less anxious person. Beyond that, the friends I’ve made around the globe over a simple love of it is as rewarding as it is astonishing. It literally got me to where I am right now!

WHAT MAKES A GOOD BUDTENDER? A listener. Someone that genuinely forms compassion for what they do is guaranteed to have more of a positive effect on their clientele, which should be the end goal. I’ve always put my patients first, and in turn those people come back and form a therapeutic relationship with the store and the medicine we provide. Everything else can be taught, but love for the game cannot.

WHAT ARE YOU SMOKING RIGHT NOW? Been mixing it up with a few different flower strains, but as someone that has mostly used concentrates over the last five years, it’s nice to switch back for the full profile effects. For whatever reason, switching it up between flower and oil has been most beneficial to me as of late.

WHAT GRINDS YOUR GEARS? [I wish] people would open their minds more when it comes to Cannabis, and the world in general! Other than that, I have no complaints!

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT YOUR WORK BUDTENDING AT SUNNYSIDE? The patients. We have some incredibly kind people that come in and make it genuinely fun to show up to work. Beyond that, my coworkers are hands down the coolest and most dedicated folks I’ve met in Cannabis. I’m super thankful to be on this team that supports me every step of the way!

WHERE DO YOU GO FOR NEW CANNABIS KNOWLEDGE? Kind of like any topic, I try to keep as many different sources as I can. I find that googling Cannabis and reading up on the happenings in the news section for NY has been the best way to cover local happenings. I used to watch an online show called Hash Church that featured people like Skunkman Sam and other growers and hash makers, but now I’m trying to read up on the classics like “The Emperor Wears No Clothes” and “Marijuana Reconsidered,” to double down on the foundation that carried us to where we are

IF YOU COULD GET BLAZED WITH ANY FIGURE FROM HISTORY, WHO WOULD THAT BE? Jerry Garcia, hands down! Been a Deadhead my entire life and I think it’d be cool to kick it with him!