June 2022 - NE Leaf

# 2 2 | J U N E 2 02 2

THE ENLIGHTENED VOICE

NORTHEAST

THE EQUALITY } ISSUE F RE E / L E A F M AGA Z I N E S . COM

CHILLIN’ WITH CHEECH

WEED PUSHING WARRIOR FOR MARIO RAMOS CHANGE

EXPLORING KOSHER KUSH

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BY BOBBY BLACK

BY DAN VINKOVETSKY

BY BAXSEN PAINE

BY BOBBY BLACK

INDEPENDENT CANNABIS JOURNALISM SINCE 2010

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Learn more at grassrootscannabis.com Please Consume Responsibly. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination, and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. 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-feeding may pose potential harms. It is against the law to drive or operate machinery when under the influence of this product. KEEP THIS PRODUCT AWAY FROM CHILDREN. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination, and judgement. The impairment effects of Edibles may be delayed by two hours or more. In case of accidental ingestion, contact poison control hotline 1-800-222-1222 or 911. This product may be illegal outside of MA.

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the EQUALITY issue

JUNE 2022

issue

#22

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N O R T H E AS T

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36

DRUG WAR VICTIM TO ADVOCATE

JUNE 2022

34 JESSICA F. GONZALEZ, ESQ.

INTERVIEW | CANNABIS ATTORNEY

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CANNTHROPOLOGY EXPLORING KOSHER KUSH

COURTESY

28

WORLD OF CANNABIS MUSEUM

32 WEED WARRIOR MARIO RAMOS

COURTESY

CHEECH MARIN OF CHEECH AND CHONG FAME ZOOMS IT UP WITH THE LEAF’S BOBBY BLACK TO TALK HIS LEGENDARY CAREER, NEW CANNABIS BRAND, AND A MUSEUM THAT CARRIES HIS NAME AS WELL AS HIS ART COLLECTION.

COURTESY

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CHILLIN’WITH CHEECH

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EDITOR’S NOTE NATIONAL NEWS LOCAL NEWS LOCAL NEWS BUDTENDER Q&A STRAIN OF THE MONTH CHILLIN’ WITH CHEECH WEED WARRIOR MARIO RAMOS THE CANNABIS ATTORNEY B NOBLE PUSHING FOR CHANGE COOKING WITH CANNABIS TOPICAL OF THE MONTH CONCENTRATE OF THE MONTH CANNTHROPOLOGY STONEY BALONEY

COURTESY CURALEAF

PUSHING FOR CHANGE

BERNARD NOBLE, FAB 5 FREDDY AND CURALEAF PARTNER UP TO STOP THE WAR ON DRUGS

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REAP THE SEEDS YOU SOW. SEED PRIDE, AND WATCH LOVE GROW. During June 2022, with every purchase of The Botanist PRIDE Medley Gummies and limited-edition merchandise, The Botanist will donate a percentage of sales to the Equality Federation.

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Please consume responsibly. This product may cause impairment and may be habit forming. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. 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-feeding may pose potential harms. It is against the law to drive or operate machinery when under the influence of this product. KEEP THIS PRODUCT AWAY FROM CHILDREN. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination, and judgment. The impairment effects of Edibles may be delayed by two hours or more. In case of accidental ingestion, contact poison control hotline 1-800222-1222 or 9-1-1. This product may be illegal outside of MA. Marijuana is legal under Massachusetts law; however, it remains illegal under federal law. License #RMD 905-R, MR282160, MTC-1225, and MR282186

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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 this month’s cover, we looked to Leaf Creative Director Daniel Berman to create an impactful image that could encapsulate everything we are feeling about equality in the Cannabis industry at this unique moment in time. Seattle-based Cannabis stylist Malina Lopez (@malinalopez) has collaborated with us on more than twodozen cover shoots, and really brought home this fun concept. Our thanks as well to House of Cultivar for supplying the fresh live Cannabis, and to our models @devon_manier, @yourflynessthrifts, @jessiesfitclub, @1208garcia and @malinalopez for their time and energy.

PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

CONTRIBUTORS

WES ABNEY C E O & F O U N D E R wes@leafmagazines.com MIKE RICKER O P E R AT I N G PA R T N E R ricker@leafmagazines.com TOM BOWERS C H I E F O P E R AT I N G O F F I C E R tom@leafmagazines.com DANIEL BERMAN C R E AT I V E D I R E C T O R daniel@leafmagazines.com MIKE GIANAKOS S E N I O R E D I T O R mikeg@leafmagazines.com

DAN VINKOVETSKY S E N I O R E D I T O R dan@leafmagazines.com 844-4NELEAF MICHAEL CZERHONIAK S A L E S D I R E C T O R michael@leafmagazines.com O’HARA SHIPE O N L I N E E D I T O R ohara@leafmagazines.com

We are creators of targeted, independent Cannabis journalism. Please email us to discuss advertising in the next issue of Northeast Leaf Magazine. We do not sell stories or coverage. We can offer design services and guidance on promoting your company’s medicinal, recreational, commercial or industrial Cannabis business, product or event within our magazine and on our website, LeafMagazines.com. Email michael@leafmagazines.com to start advertising with NE Leaf!

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ABNEY

Editor’s Note Thanks for picking up the 3rd annual Equality Issue of the Leaf!

My intention for this issue’s cover was to highlight the many hands of our Cannabis community, all brought together by the plant that has helped heal us. Special thanks to House of Cultivar in Seattle for providing the plants, Malina Lopez for her creative styling and approach to bring my idea to life, and to Daniel Berman for nailing the shot. This issue is an expression of our whole team, and our commitment to telling stories that can open eyes and help usher in a new era for humanity.

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Sadly our country has a lot of healing to do in order to right the ravaging effects of the war on drugs.

For the last century, Americans – especially minorities – have been systematically locked away, lost jobs or children, and been killed by police for using Cannabis and other drugs. While I go deeper into this history in my Endless War on Humanity piece (read it online at LeafMagazines.com), I bring it up here to illustrate my point in relation to this issue’s theme.

In the eyes of the Government and Law Enforcement, anyone who chooses to use Cannabis or other drugs is considered a second class citizen. I think it’s high time we address that situation by considering the very foundation of America – the Declaration of Independence – which guarantees “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Is there any greater expression of humanity than using drugs to expand and explore new forms of consciousness, emotions, feelings and experiences? The human condition can be wonderful, painful, and utterly boring in our modern journey. Why is it still thought of as morally wrong to use drugs when happy hour and pharmaceuticals dominate the culture?

And is there no greater perversion of this statement in today’s context than the continued war on drugs? In today’s “free America,” those who use drugs lose their freedom.

IN TODAY’S ‘FREE AMERICA,’ THOSE WHO USE DRUGS CAN STILL LOSE THEIR FREEDOM.

And to be clear, this isn’t about weed only. I’m with Dr. Carl Hart (look up his work) in that all drugs should be legal for recreational and/or medicinal use, with their abuse treated as a social and mental health issue, not a criminal one. We should celebrate our humanity without criminalizing our pursuit of happiness, whether with Cannabis, entheogenic plants like peyote or psilocybin mushrooms, or even with harder drugs.

Treating those addicted to drugs like humans – giving them safe-use sites and social services instead of criminalizing addiction – has reduced drug use in parts of Europe. In America, the difference between a good drug and a bad drug is if a pharmaceutical company can profit from it while advertising on TV. For-profit pharmaceuticals have got to end and legalizing Cannabis is only the beginning … especially with the controlled-commercialized-taxed form of “legal” weed that we accept today. In conclusion (mainly because I’m out of space), when the most dangerous aspect of possessing a drug is being caught with it, nobody who chooses to use it is equal.

Ending the war on drugs could be the greatest step toward all of us being equal, and begin the process by which we can heal as one country, together.

-Wes Abney JUNE 2022

leafmagazines.com

MEGHAN RIDLEY C O PY E D I T O R meghan@leafmagazines.com

BOBBY BLACK, DESIGN + FEATURES JOSHUA BOULET, ILLUSTRATION TOM BOWERS, FEATURES JENN DOE, SALES EARLY, PRODUCTION STEVE ELLIOTT, NATIONAL NEWS MIKE GIANAKOS, FEATURES BAILEY JONSON, FEATURES + PHOTOS MALINA LOPEZ, PROPS + STYLING BOBBY NUGGZ, FEATURES + PHOTOS LEXI PADUSSIS, FEATURES + SALES JEFF PORTERFIELD, DESIGN JESSE RAMIREZ, DESIGN MIKE RICKER, FEATURES ZACK RUSKIN, FEATURES O’HARA SHIPE, FEATURES CHARLES TAGGART, FEATURES + PHOTOS JAMIE VICTOR, DESIGN DAN VINKOVETSKY, FEATURES NATE WILLIAMS, FEATURES

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WEST COAST

GLOBAL

NEWSOM WANTS TO REDUCE CALI POT TAXES

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alifornia Governor Gavin Newsom on May 14 proposed a temporary tax cut for the state’s struggling legal Cannabis industry, reports KTLA. But the plan falls short of what’s needed to revive a struggling adult-use weed market, according to some marijuana business owners.

Adult-use Cannabis sales began in California back in 2018. But hefty taxes approaching 50% in some areas burden the nascent industry.

It doesn’t help that there’s also costly regulation and stiff competition from a thriving untaxed market. Industry analysts estimate the untaxed market to be at least twice the size of the legal one. Meanwhile, a glut of Cannabis from corporate-scale farms has sent wholesale prices into a tailspin and left some growers unable to make a profit. Industry leaders warned Democratic Gov. Newsom in December that the state’s adult-use industry was verging on collapse. They asked for expedited tax relief and a speedy expansion of retail outlets to survive. Photo by Gage Skidmore.

THAILAND GIVING AWAY 1 MILLION FREE CANNABIS PLANTS

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he government of Thailand announced this week that it will give away 1 million free Cannabis plants for home cultivation. Thailand’s public health minister, who has spearheaded the nation’s weed decrim, made a Facebook post in May with the plans. Industry analysts say the moves could help lure more international visitors to Thailand and strengthen medical tourism (tourism accounted for as much as a fifth of Thailand’s pre-Covid economy).

But foreign tourists should exercise extreme caution: current Thai law forbids the THE GOVERNMENT IS DISTRIBUTING THE non-medical use of highly PLANTS WHEN MOST potent marijuana. Tourists conLEGAL RESTRICTIONS victed of possessing the herb can ARE LIFTED JUNE 9. face a draconian 15 years in prison.

MIDWEST

POLITICS

MISSOURI ACTIVISTS TURN IN LEGALIZATION SIGNATURES

SOUTH CAROLINA REPUBLICANS AXE MEDICAL MARIJUANA BILL

egal Missouri wants adult-use Cannabis legalized in the ShowMe State. They turned in more than 385,000 signatures to put the initiative on the ballot — more than double the amount needed (the group needed only 171,592 valid signatures to get the measure on the November election ballot). The proposed constitutional amendment would allow Missourians who are 21 and older to possess, consume, purchase and cultivate marijuana.

arduous seven-year struggle to pass a medical marijuana bill ended with a whimper last month in South Carolina. A Republican House leader ruled the proposal contains an unconstitutional tax increase. South Carolina’s medical Cannabis law would have been one of the most restrictive in the U.S. Only residents with medical conditions such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, glaucoma, sickle cell, autism and PTSD would be able to access marijuana. Smoking weed would be illegal; patients would be instructed to use oil, salves, patches or vaporizers.

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AN

WEIRD

WEED VENDING MACHINE EARNS MAN UP TO $2K A DAY

LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

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uthorities say a man was making up to $2,000 per day by running a marijuana vending machine outside his house. Marcellus Cornwell used it to sell marijuana and pills, according to a criminal complaint. The tip also alleged Cornwell had numerous firearms and was selling weed and guns to minors. ATF agents conducted surveillance at Cornwell’s home, twice buying “suspected marijuana” from the vending machine in February and March, according to the criminal complaint.

AGENTS WITH THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, FIREARMS AND EXPLOSIVES GOT A TIP THAT HE WAS OPERATING THE MACHINE BESIDE HIS HOUSE.

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Arkansas groups are sponsoring legalization signature drives: Arkansas True Grass & Responsible Growth Arkansas.

JUNE 2022

7

of every 10 Biden voters support national marijuana legalization.

18 83%

states have legalized the adult use of Cannabis.

of Texans support medical marijuana legalization, according to a new poll.

THE SOUTH

CANNABIS TESTING LAB COMES TO MISSISSIPPI

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alifornia-based Steep Hill recently became the first Cannabis laboratory starting the ISO accreditation process in Mississippi. Steep Hill, one of the oldest medical marijuana testing companies, already has laboratories in nine states, Canada and Mexico. Construction of the new laboratory, Steep Hill Mississippi, was completed in mid-May as testing instruments and equipment arrived. The laboratory will test marijuana for THC levels and terpenes, along with pesticides, fungus and bacteria.

550

pounds of marijuana were seized in Utah on May 15, after troopers pulled over a tractor-trailer for expired registration.

$1.9m of marijuana was sold on the first day of legal adult-use sales in New Jersey.

STORIES by STEVE ELLIOTT, AUTHOR OF THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF MARIJUANA

LOCAL NEWS

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RHODE ISLAND’S

SISYPHEAN

STRUGGLE

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Photo by Sharon McCutcheon

hode Island is on the verge of passing legalization legislation (stop us if you’ve heard this one before). After months of negotiations, a revised legalization initiative is headed to Judiciary and Finance committees and then (hopefully) to the House and Senate for floor votes in late May. Welcome to the latest installment of Rhode Island’s legalization saga.

This month (just like each installment that came before it) lawmakers in the Ocean State struggle to hash out compromise legislation while invariably characterizing themselves as “close” to legalizing Cannabis.

The state has been stuck in neutral on legalization for months. Lawmakers originally considered three separate adult-use proposals – from the House, the Senate and the governor’s office. After attempting to create a compromise bill, the primary sticking point the legislature encountered was whether a currently existing agency or a new regulatory body should oversee the state’s Cannabis industry.

A new bill attempted to settle that question with a hybrid approach that calls for a Cannabis Office to operate under the state’s Department of Business Regulation, as well as a newly created Cannabis Control Commission.

Unfortunately, Gov. McKee felt this approach from legislators might limit his Constitutional power to appoint all commission members. And so, desperate to avoid a veto, lawmakers went back to work.

The latest iteration of Rhode Island’s legalization bill addresses the governor’s “power to appoint” concerns. Additionally, lawmakers agreed to streamline licensing for hybrid medical/adult-use dispensaries, to provide automatic expungements of past Cannabis convictions by July 1, 2024, to allow local governments to create their own public consumption rules and to several other minor changes that move the legislation closer to consensus.

In response to the latest attempt at legalization, Gov. McKee’s office said, “While this bill is different than the Governor’s original proposal – it does accomplish his priorities of making sure legalization is equitable, controlled and safe.”

Should the new bill actually become law, adults 21 and older would be allowed to purchase up to an ounce of marjiuana, with retail sales beginning on December 1, 2022. Home cultivation of up to six plants would also be allowed.

A spokesperson for the governor added, “We look forward to reviewing the final bill that comes out of the General Assembly and signing legalization of adult-use Cannabis into law.”

Find out why that fails to occur in next month’s installment of Rhode Island’s legalization saga.

$3 BILLION OF BUD IN THE BAY STATE

LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

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he Massachusetts recreational marijuana market continues to grow, as officials announced in April that the state has sold nearly $3 billion worth of pot since launching adult-use sales in 2018.

In three and a half years of retail – November 2018 through April 2022 – Massachusetts has recorded $2.87 billion in marijuana sales, according to the Cannabis Control Commission.

The Commission also reported that the state has licensed 887 marijuana establishments, while an additional 109 applications await approval.

Record sales numbers have led to higher than anticipated tax revenue generated by Cannabis. In 2021, Massachusetts took in over $112 million in marijuana excise tax. That’s twice as much as analysts expected, according to the Commission.

A recently introduced bill would bolster the state’s social equity program by earmarking 10 percent of marijuana excise tax revenue for a Cannabis Social Equity Trust Fund that would provide grants to qualified applicants.

Massachusetts has long led the region’s adult-use market. While Vermont legalized pot possession in 2018, it only recently voted to commercialize Cannabis. And marijuana may be the top crop in Maine, but the state’s market is comparatively small and its medical sales far outnumber recreational retail. With New Hampshire a nonfactor and the region’s other states mired in prohibition, Massachusetts has been the Northeast’s unquestioned adult-use standard-bearer.

However, the region is on the verge of a sea change. With nearby New Jersey launching its recreational pot program in April and New York and Connecticut planning to follow suit in the coming months, Massachusetts will no longer be king of the hill. Yes, the state reported $3 billion in adult-use Cannabis sales over a 42-month period. But, when fully operational, industry experts expect the Garden State to reach $3 billion in retail sales annually. And the sky’s the limit in neighboring New York.

Nonetheless, Massachusetts has gained experience through the growing pains of creating and running a taxed and regulated recreational Cannabis industry for nearly four years. Surely the start-ups in newly legal states will learn from the businesses that have thrived in the Bay State’s marijuana market.

Photo by Kindel Media

JUNE 2022

THE LFIX IS IN Photo by Pavel Danilyuk

awmakers in New Jersey are keeping Cannabis regulators’ feet to the fire as the state irons out wrinkles in its nascent pot program. In May, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a lengthy hearing with the state’s Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC). The goal was to address several issues stemming from New Jersey launching retail sales on April 21.

The Garden State had a big opening day, selling nearly $2 million worth of Cannabis to

more than 12,000 customers.

But building a successful adult-use Cannabis program is a marathon, not a sprint. The states that boast the most successful industries have learned from their mistakes and sought to correct them. It’s clear that Senate President Nick Scutari, who has long supported legalizing pot, hopes New Jersey can

be proactive in addressing concerns that arise from its legalization law.

During the hearing, the committee addressed several issues – including impairment in the workplace. Under the state’s law, employers can prohibit workers from showing up to work high but not from consuming Cannabis during non-working hours. Employers can also force workers to take a drug test if they believe the worker is high on the job. However, because THC can remain in the system long past the point of impairment, a failed drug test is not sufficient evidence for an employer to take action against a worker.

New Jersey’s law requires a “Workplace Impairment Recognition Expert” (WIRE) to examine the employee under suspicion to determine if they were truly high on the job. WIREs must perform field sobriety tests and be certified by the state. But because it is an entirely new job, the CRC is responsible for creating the guidelines for the certification. This has yet to happen and it’s problematic because employers want to be able to follow state regulations and, most importantly, avoid lawsuits.

The other major issue brought up during the hearing was the high price of retail pot in the Garden State. On average, eighths have been selling for $50 to $65. This comes out to $400 to $520 an ounce. Definitely steep, even for taxed and regulated Cannabis – particularly when compared to legal states like Massachusetts where eighths can be purchased for under $30.

Regulators believe the best way to bring pot prices down is by expanding the market and increasing the supply of Cannabis. And the way to accomplish that is by awarding additional cultivation licenses.

Unfortunately, that supply will not come from homegrows any time soon.

New Jersey remains the only state that bans personal cultivation by both medical patients and recreational consumers.

FACING REALITY IN NEW HAMPSHIRE A fter making history in April when a Senate committee passed a Cannabis legalization measure for the first time ever, New Hampshire abruptly brought us all back to the harsh reality of their prohibitionist mindset when the chamber rejected the bill.

While the measure would not have commercialized Cannabis by establishing retail sales, it would have allowed possession of up to threefourths of an ounce of pot. The bill, which previously passed the New Hampshire House, would have also legalized home growing – allowing adults to cultivate up to six plants (secure and out of sight from others). Limited marijuana gifting and THC-infused products would have been permitted as well. Public consumption, on the other hand, would have remained banned and punishable by a civil fine.

The legalization bill narrowly passed the Judiciary Committee in April by a 3-2 vote and was defeated in the Senate 15-9. Still, in New Hampshire, this outcome is considered historic progress when it comes to marijuanalaw reform. That’s how difficult it has been for pro-Cannabis initiatives to gain traction in the Senate, which just recently rejected a GOP-led home cultivation bill and a separate initiative to legalize adult-use retail sales through a state-run Cannabis industry (a pointless, infeasible proposal).

For the latest measure, which simply would have legalized possession of less than an ounce of pot, the Senate voted “non-concur” and opted not to request a conference committee – which could have theoretically salvaged portions of the proposal.

One of the few senators voicing frustration with the chamber’s intransigence, Becky Whitley (D) said, “This is an issue that young people care deeply about because they understand the nuance of it … We have a problem in New Hampshire of attracting young people to come and move to our state to start families, to participate in our workforce. We’re not listening to our constituents and we are further impairing our ability to have a robust workforce.”

Photo by Yash Lucid

STORIES by MIKE GIANAKOS @MIKEGEEZEEY

15

NEW YORK EYES RETAIL LAUNCH

LOCAL NEWS

>> Continued from pg. 15

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ew York officials are doubling down on launching retail Cannabis sales this year. While regulators initially stated that the process of creating the rules governing the industry would likely push the retail start date into next year, a recent surge of activity in the state has lawmakers optimistic about a 2022 launch. Possibly by the fall.

Much of the marijuana momentum stems from Gov. Hochul’s leadership.

While the adult-use program stalled under former Governor Cuomo, Hochul has made implementing the state’s pot program a priority.

The “seeding opportunity initiative” Hochul signed into law is responsible for fast tracking retail sales. The law allows existing hemp farmers to apply New York Governor Kathy Hochul Photo Wikimedia Commons for Cannabis cultivation licenses and, theoretically, begin creating the supply necessary for a successful statewide sales launch.

In order to qualify for the cultivator license, applicants must have been approved by the Department of Agriculture to grow hemp by December 31, 2021. They also need to have grown hemp for two of the last four years.

Additionally, applicants are expected to “participate in an environmental sustainability program and a social equity mentorship program.”

The Cannabis Control Board (CCB), which oversees industry regulations in New York, has thus far approved 88 cultivator licenses – 52 licenses were

approved when the process began in April and 36 additional licenses have subsequently been approved as we go to press.

The initiative also stipulates that people who have previously been convicted of a Cannabis-related crime will receive the first retail licenses in the state. The rule is an attempt to reward those who suffered under prohibition now that Cannabis has been legalized and commercialized.

However, a recent Siena College poll found that most New Yorkers are opposed to rewarding former Cannabis criminals with the state’s first retail licenses. According to the survey, just 33 percent of respondents favored licensing people with a marijuana conviction on their record first, while 54 percent were opposed.

Nonetheless, most New Yorkers agree that getting to market quickly is important. Especially since New Jersey already began adult-use sales, kicking off their program April 21.

Thanks to Hochul’s initiative, New York should be ready to launch retail sales in just a matter of months. Office of Cannabis Management Director Chris Alexander told NY Cannabis Insider, “By fall, we should have some products that are ready to be harvested … We’ll have the conditional growers, we’ll have the dispensaries online – some of them, at least – and so we’ll have a full supply chain and an active market.”

Photo by Rodnae Productions

LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

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onnecticut has been inundated with applications for the first 12 adultuse retail licenses being offered by the state. Officials will award a dozen retail shop licenses out of the 15,602 applications that were submitted by the May 2022 deadline.

The first six retail licenses will go to social equity applicants. A lottery will be used to select the lucky six winners out of the 8,357 total applications submitted. After the equity licenses are awarded and the applicants’ eligibility is confirmed, the state will move on to the six general licenses (also selected via lottery). A total of 7,245 applications were submitted for general lottery licenses.

While Connecticut failed to limit the number of applications one person or business could submit, it did include rules preventing more than two retail licenses being awarded to one applicant.

In addition to the more than 15,600 retail sales license applications, the state also accepted nearly 2,000 applications for micro-cultivation licenses.

Micro-cultivators are allowed to grow Cannabis in locations as small as 2,000 square feet and as large as 10,000 square feet.

The state’s next application deadline is for delivery licenses – which Connecticut’s legalization law allows dispensaries, hybrid retailers and microcultivators to apply for. One week before the May 18 deadline, the state had received more than 300 applications from delivery license hopefuls. Delivery is slated to begin with the launch of retail sales.

Connecticut followed New Jersey and New York, passing an adult-use Cannabis law in July 2021. The law allows for possession of up to 1.5 ounces of marijuana and up to 5 ounces of pot secured at home. It also establishes retail sales of Cannabis to adults 21 and older.

While the state is working toward setting industry rules and implementing its adult-use program, a retail launch date has not yet been set. Though some optimistic officials maintain sales could begin later this year, most industry experts believe a 2023 start date is more realistic.

CONNECTICUT PREPARES POT PROGRAM

Photo by Unsplash

JUNE 2022

Photo by Grav

STORIES by MIKE GIANAKOS @MIKEGEEZEEY

VERMONT TO LIMIT

THC POTENCY V

ermont will open its retail Cannabis program with a strict cap on THC limits in “high potency” pot products. When adult-use sales begin later this year, the state will ban edibles and concentrates containing more than 60 percent THC, preventing such products from being sold to legal recreational consumers.

Vermont has taken an unusual path to a taxed and regulated marijuana market. The state originally legalized marijuana in 2018. However, that law only legalized possession, as it did not create a commercialized Cannabis industry. But after two years of witnessing nearby states in the region rake in tax revenue through successful retail pot programs, Vermont voted to legalize adult-use sales in 2020, with an anticipated retail start date in October 2022.

The original commercialization bill passed in 2020 included the potency caps for concentrated Cannabis products. However, last month it appeared the state would remove the bans after the Senate passed legislation that eliminated THC limits.

Unfortunately, the House dug its heels in on the issue, insisting that the potency caps be restored in a revised bill. That version of the legislation was approved by both chambers, meaning that when Vermont begins retail sales, all pot products containing over 60 percent THC will be illegal (with the exception of prepackaged vape pens, which are not included in the state’s potency cap).

Clearly, banning legal sales of higher potency Cannabis products is an ideal way to maintain an unregulated black market in the state – or encourage consumers to travel to one of the region’s many other states that offer potent concentrates at retail locations.

Vermont’s own Cannabis Control Board (CCB) opposes potency caps and even explained to state lawmakers that creating THC limits “would be a ‘gift’ to the black market,” according to Seven Days VT. Meanwhile, Vermont’s retail sales launch date of October 1, 2022 is now in serious doubt as the state has failed to fully staff regulatory agencies overseeing the industry. The CCB already missed its deadline to begin issuing retail licenses.

Photo by Jess Loiterton Vermont also missed the May 1 deadline for existing medical dispensaries approved by the state to begin selling adult-use Cannabis.

However, officials did issue the state’s first recreational cultivation license on May 16. And the CCB claims dozens of additional licenses will be awarded in the coming weeks and months.

17

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interview

S

OLAR CANNABIS COMPANY has two locations open in Southeastern Massachusetts,

“ONE OF THE BEST PARTS OF MY JOB IS WHEN A CUSTOMER COMES BACK WITH GOOD NEWS AND STORIES ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH THE PRODUCTS I SUGGESTED.”

with a third set to open soon.

They place a huge emphasis on sustainability – utilizing acres of solar panels, thermallyefficient insulation, LED lighting and heat

20

recycling technology – all in an effort to reduce, and eventually reverse, their energy footprint. We stopped by their Somerset location to speak with celebrated local budtender David Jennings.

DAVIDJENNINGS LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

NORTHEAST LEAF BUDTENDER OF THE MONTH

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN UTILIZING CANNABIS TO IMPROVE YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE? I started using Cannabis when I was about 20 years old. Five years later, I discovered that this was something that could have a positive impact on my mood and day-to-day pain. I developed a special relationship with Cannabis from then on and haven’t looked back. Originally not knowing it would have such a profound impact on my life, I’ve now found it to be something that not only helps me, but might help others, too.

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO WORK WITH CANNABIS CONSUMERS EVERY DAY? DO YOU SHARE A SIMILAR COMMON GROUND WITH MANY OF THEM? Everyone who walks in the door at Solar Cannabis Co. is interested in Cannabis to some degree. So having Cannabis as the commonality with customers makes a lot of the interaction easier and more personal. There are a lot of people from all walks of life that come into the dispensary each day. Having those interactions with a myriad of people who come in to help with their needs can be a truly gratifying experience. Our customer

JUNE 2022

base varies greatly throughout the course of a day. It could be someone dropping by on their 21st birthday, a novice Cannabis user, or an elderly individual looking for something to help them sleep. Having Cannabis as a common interest with our customer base really allows me to get to know those people on a personal basis.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE QUESTIONS YOU ASK WHEN TRYING TO ASSESS STRAIN SPECIFIC NEEDS? Each customer and their needs are so different; however, once I get to know a repeat customer, we eventually get to find out what product piques their interest and works best for them. One of the best parts of my job is when a customer comes back with good news and stories about their experience with the products I suggested.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PART OF WORKING FOR ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR DISPENSARIES IN NEW ENGLAND? Solar is cultivating and producing some amazing products, which seems to be bringing more new customers through the door.

Their popularity has even brought in people on vacation that

are experiencing dispensaries for the first time. I really enjoy working with these first-timers. To know that I can provide some sort of help and product knowledge means a lot to me.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE STRAINS OR PRODUCT RECOMMENDATIONS OFFERED AT SOLAR? I’m a big fan of our Waffle Cone and Purple Trainwreck flower. I like indicas and those are two of my favorites. Another one of my absolute favorites are our ‘byky’ espresso hazelnut bonbons.

They’re a mix of Cannabis, chocolate and coffee!

HOW CAN OUR READERS KEEP IN TOUCH WITH YOU? Please visit me anytime at Solar Cannabis Co. in Somerset, Mass. Come on in and say high!

SOLAR CANNABIS CO.

1400 BRAYTON POINT ROAD SOMERSET, MA 508-300-3366 | SOLARTHERA.COM | @SOLARCANNABISCO OPEN 9AM-9PM MON-SAT | 10AM-6PM SUN

INTERVIEW by BOBBY NUGGZ @BOBBYNUGGZ_OFFICIAL for NORTHEAST LEAF | PHOTOS by BAILEY JONSON @BAILEYNUGGZ

@m00dgallery / 23 4th ave. / Neptune City, NJ / Opening 4 . 2 . 2022

the EQUALITY issue STRAIN OF THE MONTH

Apple Fritter CULTIVATED BY MAINE’S ALTERNATIVE CARING

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24

JUNE 2022

NORTHEAST

“OOZING THE AROMA OF SOUR APPLE CIDER AND AN EARTHY UNDERTONE.”

REVIEW & PHOTO by CHARLES TAGGART @KINDBUD.PHOTOS for NORTHEAST LEAF

APPLES HAVE played a huge role in American history with a deep cultural resonance dating back to before the founding of the Republic.

For our Independence Day celebrations just around the corner next month, I sought out an apple-flavored weed strain to light up with on the Fourth of July. Declaring my desire to honor “baseball, hotdogs, apple pie and Cannabis” to Maine’s Alternative Caring’s co-owner D.J., he directed me to an exquisite collection of strains that fit the bill.

“You’re in luck! We’ve got several appleflavored strains!” said D.J. as he flipped burgers during their 4/20 party in front of the dispensary. After sampling their dank varieties, I settled on their delightful Apple Fritter.

Apple Fritter is a hybrid cross of Animal Cookies and Sour Apple bred by Lump’s Flowers. The growing team at Maine’s Alternative Caring in Windham deserves great credit for cultivating such a tasty product.

In the eighth jar, there were two large, tight nuggets with the aroma of sour apple cider and an earthy undertone. Oozing a potent stickiness as I attempted to pour out the buds, one even got stuck to the rim of the glass jar.

The flowers boast a dark olive-green coloring with bright orange hairs. A closer look reveals the buds are completely covered in trichomes that sparkle as though they were coated in sugar. They’re easy to break up and roll, with no need for a grinder as long as you don’t mind sticky fingertips.

The flavor reminds me of apple danishes or eating the apple pie right out of the tin (as I often enjoy with my morning mug of coffee).

As a daytime smoke, I found Apple Fritter helped keep me focused and creative with strong effects that came on quickly – just a couple puffs and my stresses were chased away. With each consecutive toke, I seemed to just get higher and higher – eventually feeling as though I was one with the universe. If you’re more of an evening toker, this is the perfect strain to fill a Sherlock pipe with by the fireside for a relaxing night.

Medicinally, I highly recommend Apple Fritter for chronic pain, depression and stress, but don’t sleep on this strain’s sociability.

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the EQUALITY issue LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

28

“I’m a flower guy, man.

I like a pipe and flower.

But I’m getting to like edibles more.”

JUNE 2022

chillin’with

cheech

When it comes to icons of Cannabis culture, few are more universally recognized or revered as the legendary comedy duo of Cheech and Chong. From their humble beginnings as an improv act at a Vancouver strip club in the late 1960s, Richard “Cheech” Marin and Thomas Chong rose to counterculture stardom in the ‘70s and early ’80s with a string of gold and Grammy-winning comedy albums, followed by a series of hilarious films featuring characters that were laughable-yetlovable exaggerations of stoner stereotypes. Sadly, in 1985 – after nearly 20 years of entertaining audiences – the pair reached a creative impasse and decided to part ways.

As a solo artist, Marin transcended typecasting – appearing in dozens of films and television shows, including “Born in East L.A.” (which he wrote and directed) and the popular program “Nash Bridges,” as well as countless cameos and voiceover roles (including several animated Disney characters).

Then in 2012, to the delight of their fans, Cheech and Chong announced that they were reuniting.

They’ve since done several live comedy tours and an animated film together, and have launched their own Cannabis brands – further solidifying their status as reefer royalty.

But Cheech isn’t just an icon in the worlds of Cannabis and entertainment … he’s also an icon in the Mexican-American community. Marin has dedicated much of his life to illuminating and elevating Chicano culture and has spent decades amassing one of the most impressive collections of Latino art in the world. Now, he’s sharing that collection with the world via a sensational new museum bearing his name that opens its doors in Riverside, Calif. later this month. One month before the grand opening, Cheech sat down for a conversation with Leaf’s own Bobby Black to discuss his career, his thoughts on legalization, and his lifelong passions for art and marijuana.

When did you first get turned on to marijuana? I was 19 and a

freshman in college. I came home one night and there was a party going on in my apartment. My roommate passed this cigarette thing to me and I said, ‘What’s this?’ He says, ‘Marijuana.’ … So I smoked it and passed it around, and by the time it came back, I was high. Everything was going slower, more mellow, and the music sounded better. From that day forward, I was like, ‘Oh, so what else have they been lying about?’

After moving to Canada in the late ‘60s to avoid the draft, you met Tommy and began doing improv shows together – eventually signing a record deal with Lou Adler and releasing a series of comedy albums. The most famous of these is probably “Big Bambu,” which looked like a huge pack of rolling papers and even came with a giant rolling paper inside. Whose idea was that?

That was a guy named Craig Braun, who had this graphics company and made album packages. He also made the Rolling Stones album “Sticky Fingers” with the zipper. He came to Lou with the idea, and Lou went for it.

“Big Bambu” went on to become the best-selling comedy album in history at the time. I’m guessing you guys must have smoked a joint rolled with that giant paper at some point? Numerous times! We’d be on the road, and kids would bring them to us and say, ‘We were saving this to smoke with you!’

Continues next page

INTERVIEW by BOBBY BLACK @BOBBYBLACK420/LEAF NATION

the EQUALITY issue

CHILLIN’ WITH CHEECH

Continued from previous page

Cheech and Chong in their early days (1970).

30

From albums, you soon transitioned into films – starting with 1978’s cult classic “Up In Smoke.” You went on to make six movies together, including “Nice Dreams” which featured an appearance by LSD guru Timothy Leary. What was he like, and did you guys trip out with him? Yeah, sure! [laughs] Timmy was one of our best friends. He was like a psychedelic Irish pub rabble-rouser. He was incredibly intelligent and the most fun guy you could ever meet. He knew a lot about astronomy, and he used to come over to our house and point out all the stars and the constellations to us. We spent a lot of time together.

about the word marijuana? Do you think it’s negative and should be canceled? I don’t really subscribe to that argument. Marijuana, Cannabis … it doesn’t matter to me.

The fact that it’s a Spanish word means more to me. So for me, it’s a totally positive word.

What’s your favorite Cheech and Chong film, and why? Probably ‘Up in Smoke’ because it encompassed a lot of the bits we were doing before and it was a big hit worldwide, but also because it was our first movie. Your first movie is really special, like your first love.

Some states are trying to rectify the War on Drugs’ injustices against people of color via social equity programs. What’s your assessment of where things are in terms of social equity for Hispanics and Chicanos?

I think it’s wide open right now. Anybody who cares to join, it seems, can … but it depends on what state you’re in and who controls that state. That’s the problem. So the big answer is to make it legal federally, and that wipes out a whole bunch of problems. We have to get it de-scheduled. I mean, when you have 39 out of 50 states that have some form of legalized marijuana, whether it be medical or recreational, how is that not legal? You gotta legalize it.

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As you know, the word “marijuana” originated in Mexico as a slang term for Cannabis. Do you know much about how the word originated and was used? It was used to denigrate [Cannabis] and give it this Mexican hue so that the police could use that as an excuse to stop Mexicans. It was also used to denigrate jazz musicians and black guys – like only them and Mexicans smoke this shit.

Well, yes … but that’s how Harry Anslinger and yellow journalists who had racist agendas used it against Mexicans. But it wasn’t a bad word among Mexicans, was it? No, no – it was a salve. They made salve out of marijuana. They boiled it down … just like you have CBD now. Mexicans were using it for all kinds of ailments – to rub on their skin and make it hurt less. So from the very beginning, it’s always been a medicine.

There are some wokesters now who are claiming that the word “marijuana” itself is racist and that it shouldn’t be used anymore. As the world’s most famous and beloved Chicano pothead, how do you feel

JUNE 2022

“I just get happy on weed.”

Are there any equity organizations you’ve been involved in supporting? I like the Last Prisoner Project. We’ve been supporting that a lot.

Because there are some guys still in jail for having a joint, you know? It’s ridiculous. It was a way to suppress that community, and they’re still trying to. But there’s no segment of society now that marijuana doesn’t enter – it affects the whole country.

In 2018, you launched your own Cannabis brand, Cheech’s Stash.

How’s that been going? It’s going very well. We’ve got everybody

in the family working on it. My daughter, who’s a graduate of the Art Institute of Chicago, she handles all our graphics and social media. And my son is heavily involved in sales and … well, let’s call it ‘quality control.’ [laughs] But it’s hard to make a celebrity brand go because everybody has like “Elvis wine” or something, you know?

If anybody has enough cred to put out a weed brand, it should be you. Well yeah, if it’s good … cause everybody’s gonna catch on real quick if it’s not. And so our motto is, ‘It will always be good.’ It may not always be the same, but no matter what strain it is, if it has our name on it, it will always be good.

Have you ever grown your own weed? Were you any good at it? Yeah, but the less I did, the better it got. [laughs] A friend of mine who will go nameless – although his name is Jan Michael Vincent – he was an actor and a very good friend of mine. And one day he came to me and said, ‘Hey, I’m growing a bunch of plants here, and I’m gonna give you a couple.’ I said, ‘Oh, okay, great … where should I put ‘em?’ He told me, ‘Just put ‘em over there by those bushes.’ Then I went out on tour and when I came back, there were these Christmas trees that had grown through the bottom of the pot! They were huge,

museums a lot because you have to see paintings in person to get the full value. So when I had enough money all of a sudden, with the success of Cheech and Chong, I could actually afford to buy art. That’s when I discovered the Chicano painters.

I said, ‘Whoa – I see what these guys’ influences are; they’re all international art and Mexican culture and their neighborhoods, and wow – how come they’re not being shown? Why aren’t they getting shelf space in museums and galleries?’ So I said, ‘OK, well, I’m gonna start collecting this art’ – because all the masterpieces of Chicano art were basically still out there for purchase. So I was the right guy at the right place at the right time.

with giant colas on them, and it was like, ‘Holy shit, man!’ And this had just coincided with the advent of the Seal-a-Meal, so you could vacuum-seal all your food. I thought, ‘Should work for marijuana, too’ – so we vacuum-sealed all the biggest buds and we had great weed for a long time.

You and Tommy are also launching a new Cannabis brand together now, right? Yeah, it’s called Cheech and Chong’s Cannabis Company. We still have our own separate lines, but there’s a lot of value in being together rather than apart, and there was a company that thought so and put the money behind it. The original intention was to open Cheech and Chong dispensaries, but that doesn’t seem like such a viable thing now because you don’t really need brick and mortar dispensaries in a lot of cases, and that’s a real big overhead.

So we decided to just do our products, sell them to everybody and increase the presence of our brands.

Do you still get high pretty often?

Define pretty often … like every minute? [laughs] Well, maybe not every minute, but every day – sometimes all day. I just get happy on weed.

What’s your preferred method? I’m a flower guy, man. I like a pipe and flower.

But I’m getting to like edibles more.

What about dabs, do you like dabs?

Yeah, as a matter of fact, I do – very much.

How I got introduced to it is that I had to have my second knee replacement about a year or two ago. For the first one, I was prescribed these opioids to ease the pain and the rehabilitation. That was a long journey – I got kind of hooked on them, and at the end, it wasn’t working no matter how many I took. It got very depressing because the pain was still there, and nothing I was doing was helping.

Then, after six months, one day it just stopped. I waited 10 years before the next operation because I didn’t want to go through that again. And that’s when I found dabs. A buddy of mine introduced me to dabs, she said, ‘This will help ease that pain.’ So I did it, and it was unbelievable. I mean, you got high, but it was a body high – it kind of invaded your whole body and took the edge off the pain. And then the rehabilitation was just two months and I was ready to go – I could walk, run, do anything.

ABOVE: the facade of The Cheech at dawn.

LEFT: The yetuntitled 26-foot lenticular artwork

by Einar & Jamex de la Torre, seen standing with Cheech Marin at its base during installation on April 26, 2022.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE RIVERSIDE ART MUSEUM

How would you compare the classic strains from the ‘70s to modern weed? Well, the new weed doesn’t pop your eye out if a seed explodes. [laughs] You always had to watch for that, man. You know, ‘Pop! Oh, geez – it almost got me!’

Because it was Mexican weed, and they just chopped it down and bundled it up.

Let’s shift away from Cannabis and talk about your other great passion – art.

Tell us how that incredible collection of yours came about. Well, I was always interested in art from a very early age because I had this group of Chicano cousins who were very bright, and they started assigning us topics to go out and find out about – and I got assigned art.

So I went to the library and took out all the art books and was like, ‘Oh – that’s what Picasso looks like, that’s what Michelangelo and DaVinci and Miro look like.’ And that’s how I learned about art. From that day forward, I used to go to

And now, that collection is serving as the foundation of a new museum in Riverside that’s opening this month called The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art and Culture.

Or, as the intimates like to call it, ‘The Cheech.’

This has obviously been in the works for a long time, so I bet you’re very excited about it. Tell us how it all came together.

I’m so excited, I can’t tell you! I was doing a show with part of the collection at the Riverside museum there, and it was the biggest show they ever had attendance-wise. It was unbelievable. And so they had this beautiful mid-century building, which was the town library, but they were gonna build a new library down the street and they had to repurpose the building. So the town manager saw the show and came up with this big idea: He said, ‘Why don’t we give the building to Cheech, and he’ll house the collection there.’ I said, ‘OK – sounds good to me!’ That was five years ago. It got delayed due to Covid, but now on June 18 the museum is finally going to open, and it’s spectacular. I mean, I’ve been in a lot of museums in my life, and this one is really spectacular.

So, what can attendees expect on opening day? Is there going to be a big party? Oh yeah — We’re gonna have three days of festivities before we open. We’re even gonna have a low rider parade come up to the front of the museum. And people can expect to see a really unbelievable museum with art they’ve generally never seen before. Because my mantra is: You can’t love or hate Chicano art unless you see it.

ABOVE: Artwork

by Frank Romero in Cheech’s personal art collection.

What’s next for you after this? You know, Woody Harrelson just opened a smoke lounge in West Hollywood … I know you said you’re not opening dispensaries, but what about a smoke lounge with a Cheech and Chong theme and decor? That would be really cool. I actually just finished working with Woody on a picture this December in Winnipeg, and we had a great time. He’s an old buddy. But yeah, sure – I mean, if some smoke lounge opens up and it makes sense, we’d be interested. You never know.

CHEECHMARIN.COM | @CHEECHMARIN

INTERVIEW by BOBBY BLACK @BOBBYBLACK420/LEAF NATION

weedwarrior

the EQUALITY issue

VETERAN PROFILE

LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

32

BORN AND RAISED IN NEW YORK CITY, Mario Ramos participated in the early incubation era of hip-hop – painting graffiti, breakdancing and consuming Cannabis from an early age. When the crack epidemic hit the city hard in the 1980s, Mario sought to escape the violence by joining the U.S. Military and serving 16 years in the Marines and as a Seabee in the Navy. “A lot of people around me were dying or going to jail,” he tells me. “And a friend of mine came around in his Naval uniform and I got the idea to join up!”

After an honorable discharge in 2004, Mario deployed the organizational skills he learned into running a hip-hop/graffiti store, coordinating numerous Cannabis events and starting his own brand called “I Bud You.” You’ve probably seen his ubiquitous stickers featuring the logo either in person or online, where his promotional skills are fully on display. He also pioneered the “weedeasy” seshes where vendors display their Cannabis products much like an urban farmer’s market for weed.

Mario’s abilities to perfect artist relations and curate VIP experiences led him to explore opportunities in the emerging legal Cannabis marketplace. Unfortunately, a visit to a potential event space in November 2017 in Morris County – which happened to have an unlicensed grow room attached – led to a threeyear ordeal in the New Jersey criminal justice system and resulted in almost two years in jail.

He’s currently serving 18 months on the Intensive Supervision Program and incredulously tells me, “Governor Murphy had vowed to make it legal within 100 days, so we were preparing to create a space for people to gather. This travesty could have happened to anyone!”

Upon being released in March of 2021, Mario quickly found his employability severely curtailed.

Job interviews ended abruptly once his criminal status was revealed. Even with the new legal Cannabis landscape in New Jersey, his convic“As a minority, a U.S. Veteran tion and time served disqualified him for and victim of the drug war, many of the jobs he was most suited for Mario felt that he should be – leaving him wondering how to provide first in line for a license for for himself and his family.

As a minority, a U.S. Veteran and a dispensary, cultivation and victim of the drug war, Mario felt that he consumption lounge, but the should be first in line for a license for a reality wasn’t so simple.” dispensary, cultivation and consumption lounge, but the reality wasn’t so simple.

With the help of lawyer Jessica Gonzalez, (featured on page 34), he’s fighting for his deserved opportunities but, without the deep pockets of the MSOs (Multi-State Operators), his struggle continues.

Mario is currently working as a member of the research team at Cannabis PR firm Nison Co., serving as part of their re-entry hiring program in partnership with Last Prisoner Project.

At the end of the day, Mario’s commitment and compassion remains unwavering. “Our motto is ‘If you’re stuck in jail, we’re coming to get you out,’” he says.

“I remember what it felt like to get letters and know that people were thinking of me and helping me, so now that’s what we do for those that are still inside. I don’t want to see any of our peaceful brothers and sisters locked up!”

JUNE 2022

Mario is currently working as a member of the research team at Cannabis PR firm Nison Co., serving as part of their re-entry hiring program in partnership with Last Prisoner Project.

STORY by DAN VINKOVETSKY @DANNYDANKOHT/NORTHEAST LEAF | PHOTOS courtesy MARIO RAMOS

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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-feeding may pose potential harms. It is against the law to drive or operate machinery when under the influence of this product. KEEP THIS PRODUCT AWAY 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 Products may be delayed by two hours or more. In case of accidental ingestion, contact poison control hotline 1-800-2221222 or 911. This product may be illegal outside of MA. Please Consume Responsibly. For use only by adults 21 years of age or older. Keep out of the reach of children. Marijuana should not be used by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Advocating for Access

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CANNABIS ATTORNEY

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jessica f. gonzalez, esq.

JUNE 2022

JESSICA F. GONZALEZ, ESQ. serves as a Cannabis attorney at Hiller PC, as well as outside General Counsel for Minorities for Medical Marijuana, Inc. She also led the social impact committee for NJ CAN 2020 – the coalition that organized and ran the most successful legalization campaign in the country. Jessica is passionate about helping her clients navigate the maze of licensing applications in the newly legal Cannabis industry in New Jersey. ​​Through her advocacy work, she has helped shape Cannabis policy with an emphasis on social equity and empowerment for minorities and drug war veterans. She recently spoke to Northeast Leaf about her efforts.

How did you first decide to get involved in Cannabis activism and law? I got involved late 2017 as soon as Governor Murphy pledged to legalize adult-use Cannabis within his first 100 days. I was a first-year attorney working in the entertainment industry protecting domestic and international trademarks. I ended up having what one could call an absolute existential crisis about my career. I knew that if I was going to continue down this legal path, I would need to find an industry that aligned with my spirit. I’ve been a Cannabis consumer since I was 17 and Cannabis has remained a constant in my life. I decided right then in 2017 that I would dedicate my career to a plant that helped shape me and my level of consciousness.

Once I decided to get involved, the whole universe conspired to make it a reality.

I educated myself heavily on the history of Cannabis, attended any event I could and spoke with anyone who would speak to me. Eventually, I went from an eager audience member to a stage panelist. I leveraged my law degree, my background growing up in a low socio-economic community and the support of my community to fight for equitable policies. I looked around and realized no other lawyers

were fighting for communities most harmed, so I took it upon myself to be that voice, to be that pillar and to be that changemaker.

What needs to change in the Cannabis industry as it relates to equality and equity? I am tired of seeing pretty words on paper, but disastrous implementation. To turn words into a functioning reality, equity programs need funding and resources tied to its goals. Allocating a number of licenses to specific groups does not equate to success.

A license in hand does not guarantee an awardee will become operational or successful. What about those who were harmed

by Cannabis prohibition, but do not want to get involved in the Cannabis industry?

In my opinion, these communities should also benefit from the Cannabis industry and have access to education, general business loans, incubator programs, etc. funded by Cannabis tax revenue. We also need more transparency and reporting from states on licensing, equity programs and tax revenue so we can analyze what is working, what is not and where more money should flow. The more information and data we have, the more effective we can be when advocating for equitable policies – especially when it comes to federal legalization.

“Sadly, much of the work we advocates fought for on the state level – such as no license caps, a ban on competitive licensing, low application fees, and priority levels for social equity and diversely-owned businesses – are being undone on the municipal level.”

As a lawyer, what is your advice for people who’ve been convicted of Cannabis offenses looking to expunge their criminal records? First, if their state offers expungements, to seek a qualified criminal defense attorney to assist with their expungement paperwork. Second, to advocate for automatic expungements to remove that burden from the petitioner if

their state does not contemplate for automatic expungements.

What are the biggest challenges facing social equity applicants for Cannabis licenses in New Jersey? Our definition of ‘social equity’ applicant is a bit limiting, but working with what we have, access to capital, professional assistance and obtaining municipal support. Despite the wonderful guardrails set up in regulations to insulate against predatory practices, the high level of compliance results in high fees for professional services to assist applicants with navigating complex regulatory waters. Sadly, much of the work we advocates fought for on the state level – such as no license caps, ban on competitive licensing, low application fees, and priority levels for social equity and diversely-owned businesses – are being undone on the municipal level. In order to obtain a license from the Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC), you need site control and proof of local support. It costs money to hold property for an indefinite amount of time and it costs more money to apply on the municipal level than it does on the state level. It all comes down to money and connections and without both, it’s going to be difficult (but not impossible) for applicants to apply, operate and most importantly, succeed.

How can someone find out more about entering the New Jersey adult-use Cannabis business? The CRC’s website is a fabulous tool for eager applicants looking to learn. The CRC has issued summaries, guidance documents and FAQs, as well as recordings of all the public meetings, special meetings, workshops and educational seminars. If you’re not into reading 400+ pages worth of laws and regulations, then I suggest taking a close look at the Notice of Application Acceptance (Notice). This Notice sets forth what’s required for those looking to apply for Cultivation, Manufacturing, Retail and Testing Labs. New Jersey currently does not have regulations or an application period for Wholesalers, Distributors and Delivery Operators, but that will come in the near future. Regardless, the Notice is a good starting point if you’re looking to cut to the chase.

What is the status of homegrow in New Jersey? Will patients or adults ever be able to cultivate their own Cannabis? Homegrow is still illegal in NJ despite multiple homegrow bills pending in the state legislature. I anticipate that homegrow will be allowed once the adult-use market is up and running. It’s only then that we can prove to the legislators with numbers, data and figures that allowing homegrow will not cut into their anticipated revenue margins. And FOLLOW JESSICA more importantly, that ON INSTAGRAM their fear of diversion @CANNABOGADA is baseless.

STORY by DAN VINKOVETSKY @DANNYDANKOHT/NORTHEAST LEAF | PHOTOS courtesy JESSICA F. GONZALEZ, ESQ.

pushing for change

JOE SCHILDHORN/BFA.COM

the EQUALITY issue

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Bernard Noble + Fab 5 Freddy

LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

Bernard Noble, Fab 5 Freddy and Curaleaf partner up to fight the war on drugs SIRENS BELLOWED across the Manhattan sky, placing Bernard Noble in a frightful fit. The 54-year-old tossed a lit joint aside, sprung from his seat and attempted to flee. With his anxious mind running faster than his feet, Noble fell to the pavement, a finger bending backwards upon crash landing.

“I saw a cop car, so I started to run inside!” he laughed. “I should’ve realized where I was. It’s nice not to be targeted here [in New York] for [Cannabis].”

Noble was previously sentenced to 13 years of hard labor in a Louisiana prison after being arrested for possession of less than an eighth of Cannabis.

The New Orleans native was released on parole in 2018 – seven years after his initial incarceration.

His trials and tribulations are spotlighted in the Netflix documentary “The Grass is Greener” in an effort to highlight the larger injustices committed by an antiquated U.S. judicial system.

Since his release, Noble has reacquainted with his family and begun to use his newfound fame to partner up with the film’s director, Fred Brathwaite – a well-known visual artist and hip-hop pioneer, better known to fans as “Ten percent of proceeds Fab 5 Freddy. The dynamic duo are embarking on from the sale of each a mission to promote B Noble – a Cannabis brand which aims to raise awareness and create funding to B Noble product will defend people from Cannabis-related criminalization. be donated to a local “The film began to haunt me,” said Brathwaite, fororganization dedicated to mer host of MTV Raps! and native of New York City.

“I got an in-depth education about the history and advancing social equity and truth around Cannabis. With all I learned and all that providing opportunities to was said, I thought, I’ve got to continue to tell these those directly impacted stories of the people who have been incarcerated. For by the War on Drugs.” what? Because of a plant that kills no one?”

JUNE 2022

The B Noble brand partMassachusetts products will nered with Curaleaf to disbenefit MASS CultivatED, an tribute a national rollout of organization that supports product that intends to Cannabis reform and helps increase awareness, beprovide pathways toward ginning with Maryland a successful post-incarand Massachusetts on ceration future.

July 13, 2021. The In Maryland, proceeds date represents the “When this team of amazing people will go toward Changing seven years of the came into my life, they gave me an Perceptions – an orga13-year sentence he amazing new outlook on my name.” nization working with served. The symbolic previously incarcerated -Bernard Noble delivery continues beindividuals seeking to hind a plan to release two-packs of re-enter the workforce. “high-quality one-gram pre-rolls” – “It’s really a blessing and an ina nod to the two grams of Cannabis credible opportunity,” Fab 5 Freddy for which Noble was arrested for. said, complimenting Curaleaf on “I never had this much interest their diversity program. “They’ve got in my own name,” Noble proudly great, smart people dialed in on all smiled. “When this team of amazing the issues.” people came into my life, they gave “I’m here hanging in New York me an amazing new outlook on my City,” Noble smiled. name. So I’m pushing for change.”

“I have this platform now and Ten percent of proceeds from the I’m going to teach the people to sale of each B Noble product will be informed, to be educated and be donated to a local organization to be noble,” he said. “I’m here to dedicated to advancing social equity help take this experience, learn the and providing opportunities to those medical benefits of the plant and directly impacted by the War on Drugs. erase some of its criticism.”

STORY by BAXSEN PAINE for NORTHEAST LEAF

COOKING WITH CANNABIS

tastes of summer JUNE ROCKS. And it’s Pride Month. The weather tends to be good … hopefully warm, not crazy hot. From Alaska to SoCal to the East Coast and beyond, we all should be able to enjoy some outdoor merrymaking. My strain of the month is Life Coach from Noble Farms. First of all – and I hate to be shallow – it’s pretty. But more importantly, as the love child of Orange Cookies and Biscotti, it’s sweet, fruity and quite uplifting. Oh Cannabis, I love you.

Serves four | 5mg THC per serving

ARUGULA SALAD EXTRAORDINAIRE 4 strips bacon 1 large shallot, peeled and minced 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced 2 tablespoons brown sugar 6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 3 tablespoons orange juice 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 2/3 cup olive oil 4 teaspoons canna olive oil 4 large handfuls of arugula 4 large handfuls mixed salad greens 20 large cooked shrimp, cut in pieces if desired 1 red onion, thinly sliced 20 grape tomatoes 1 avocado, pitted, peeled, cut in chunks and tossed with lemon juice salt and pepper

1. In a medium skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain off grease, reserving the fat in the pan. Chop bacon.

2. Heat the bacon drippings in the skillet, over medium heat. Add shallot and garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add brown sugar and stir to dissolve.

3. Scrape the contents of the skillet into a blender.

Add the vinegar, juice, mustard and oils. Blend well.

4. In a large serving bowl, toss the greens with the shrimp, red onion, tomatoes and avocado. Add the dressing and toss again. Season with salt and pepper.

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Serves four | 5mg THC per serving

FANCY FISH TACOS

R EC I P E S b y LAU RIE WOLF P HOTOS b y B RUC E WOLF

Serves four | 5mg THC per serving

CANNA CARBONARA

LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

2 tablespoons olive oil 4 teaspoons canna olive oil 2 ounces pancetta or lardons of bacon, cut in small pieces 2 cloves garlic, minced 3 large eggs ½ cup freshly grated parmesan, plus more for garnish 1 pound spaghetti salt and pepper

1. In a large saute pan, heat both of the oils over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook for 2-3 minutes, until starting to get crisp around the edges. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs with the cheese.

3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and cook according to the directions on the package. The pasta needs to be hot for this dish to be successful. Drain the pasta and immediately add to the saute pan.

4. Remove pan from the heat, add egg mixture to pasta and stir fast to coat pasta.

5. Season with salt and pepper and serve with additional cheese, if desired.

JUNE 2022

¼ cup cooking oil 8 small flour tortillas 4 radishes, thinly sliced 3 scallions, sliced ½ yellow bell pepper, cut in chunks 1 avocado, cut in cubes and tossed with lemon juice 2 tablespoons chopped red onion 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced ½ pound cod or other white fish salt and pepper 4 teaspoons canna olive oil 1 tablespoon olive oil parsley, cilantro, lemon slices to garnish

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat the oil. Saute the tortillas quickly on both sides and place on paper towels or a clean dish towel.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the radishes, scallions, pepper, avocado, red onion and garlic.

3. Place the fish on your work surface. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a medium saucepan, combine the canna and olive oils. Break the fish into pieces and saute quickly, about 3-4 minutes, tossing to cook evenly.

4. Add the fish to the vegetable mixture in the bowl, tossing gently to combine.

5. Place two tortillas on each plate. Top each tortilla with some of the fish mixture. Garnish with the parsley, cilantro and lemon slices. Salt and pepper to taste.

#Celebrat ePri de #HappyBi rt hdayBruce #Ea tYourCa nna b is # D ontFea rTheEd ib le # Ukra ine

TOPICAL BY THE HEALING ROSE topical of the month

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LEMON GINGER

Salve

The Endocannabinoid System or ECS is a complex physiological network throughout the entire human body composed of cannabinoid receptors. Phytocannabinoid-rich CBD hemp oil works with the CB2 receptors found throughout your peripheral nervous system and are non-psychoactive. By increasing the CBD content to 1,200mg in this salve, we’re getting more of the therapeutic value that’s so essential.

Other ingredients include: arnica extract – known to decrease swelling and inflammation and well-suited for all types of spa services such as sports massages and facials; eucalyptus oil

– commonly used topically to subdue stress and anxiety; menthol – for cooling the skin; and pepper oil – known to fight free radicals and prevent signs of premature aging.

All of these ingredients work in utter harmony and create a symphony of healing benefits just in time for summer’s skimpy clothing and bathing suits.

We definitely recommend trying this product and the whole line of offerings from The Healing Rose LLC. Check them out online at TheHealingRoseCo.com or at many local dispensaries and CBD shops near you.

“THE INGREDIENTS WORK IN UTTER HARMONY AND CREATE A SYMPHONY OF HEALING BENEFITS.” 1,200MG CBD | 2.25OZ | $80 THE HEALING ROSE 2 3 H A L E S T R E E T N E W B U R Y P O R T, M A 978-409-1091 | THEHEALINGROSECO.COM @THEHEALINGROSE_

REVIEW & PHOTO by BAILEY JONSON @BAILEYNUGGZ for NORTHEAST LEAF

LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

SUMMER HAS ARRIVED and not a moment too soon! Just in time for the warm weather and sunny healing vibes, The Healing Rose presents their latest and strongest topical salve yet. With lemon and ginger as the stars of this formula, the sweet fragrance and texture is only surpassed by the high-quality, medicinal CBD that we have come to enjoy from The Healing Rose’s product line.

concentrate of the month

ROOT BEER FLOAT LIVE ROSIN

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C U LT I VAT E D & P R O C E S S E D B Y B L U E R I V E R T E R P S

LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

BLUE RIVER TERPS has brought to market a concentrate with a new take on terpenes and technology. This company hit the Massachusetts scene recently and their innovations are crafted by people who are experts in extraction.

Tony Verzura leads the team and is someone with an impressive array of knowledge and skills. Having created some of the first legal concentrates back in the early 2000s in Colorado, he’s now bringing his experience to the East Coast.

Root Beer Float live rosin is made with a solventless separation process to extricate the best of the plant’s resin glands by use of ice-water extraction. This process is now considered to be the best and most natural way to make concentrates, ensuring your dab won’t have any extra chemical additives.

With a huge focus on terpenes, this live rosin is extremely aromatic and flavorful.

Caryophyllene is the most dominant with 38.22mg present, and may smell familiar as it is also found in many natural herbs and spices such as black pepper, basil and oregano. It can be spicy, with a warmth to the nose similar to the effects of cinnamon and cloves.

Scooping out a dab is reminiscent of the look and texture of caramel sauce and it’s easy to forget this isn’t a decadent dessert.

JUNE 2022

The composition is perfect and a dabber with a larger shovel side will be the best tool to use. Flavor-wise, expect nothing short of absolute smoothness with unique notes of blood orange and sugar.

An interesting fact about this product is that it does not already contain high amounts of Delta-9 THC – instead it has 69.35% THCa, which does not become psychoactive until heated. This seems to be the reason why this concentrate is shelf stable and doesn’t need to be refrigerated like other rosins on the market.

The effects bring a potent sense of euphoria with a touch of trippy visuals that make the world suddenly appear a bit more colorful, bright and alive. Laughing is easy and light conversations are effortless – bubbly, happy and smooth – just like a root beer float!

“SCOOPING OUT A DAB IS REMINISCENT OF THE LOOK AND TEXTURE OF CARAMEL SAUCE AND IT’S EASY TO FORGET THIS ISN’T A DECADENT DESSERT.” BLUERIVERTERPS.COM @BLUERIVERTERPS T O TA L A C T I V E C A N N A B I N O I D S 7 8 . 7 1 % D9THC 7.85% | THCA 69.34% | CBGA 1.3% C B G . 2 2 % | N AT U R A L LY D E R I V E D T E R P E N E S 6 % - 1 0 %

REVIEW & PHOTO by BAILEY JONSON @BAILEYNUGGZ for NORTHEAST LEAF

cannthropology

PRESENTS

The ruins of the temple fortress at Tel Arad in Israel’s Negev desert.

Below: Tokin’ Jew seder plate.

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Kosher Kush LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

Highlighting the history of Jews and Cannabis.

It’s well established that, for mil“purchase order” for Grav Labs’ menorah bong. lennia, Cannabis has been used as hashish in exchange for food and fiber, as well as for mesilver dating from the dicinal and sacramental purposes 13th century CE. by many ancient cultures … but would it surprise you to know that TEXTS & TEXTILES the Hebrews were among them?

But these are hardly Now, a new exhibit at New York the only references to City’s YIVO Institute for Jewish Cannabis in ancient Research is showcasing the age-old Hebrew texts. The relationship between the Chosen People and their apparent Talmud (the primary source of Jewish religious drug of choice. Titled “Am Yisrael High: The Story of Jews law) discusses growing hemp and how it should and Cannabis,” the exhibit contains a number of contembe kept separate from other crops. There are porary items – including a shofar pipe, a Yiddish translation also references to Jews using hemp textiles to of the book “Hashish” and a menorah bong by Grav Labs, make religious garments such as tallitot (prayer which curator Eddy Portnoy says served as the inspiration for shawls), tzitzit (knotted fringes or tassels), and the exhibit. It also features a sampling of documents from even burial shrouds. the Cairo Geniza: a collection of around 400,000 Jewish “It’s most prominent in clothing and is manuscript fragments discovered in the Ben Ezra Synagogue considered to have a form of spiritual in Old Cairo in the 1800s. Among the gems found in this protection, so it was used very comtreasure trove of material are song lyrics monly in burying the dead in Israel,” about a Jew high on hashish and wine says Rabbi Yosef Glassman, MD, who with a severe case of the munchies, and a spoke at the exhibit’s opening. “It’s be-

JUNE 2022

Tokin’ Jew shofar pipe.

lieved that when there’s resurrection of the dead in the future, people will be wearing Cannabis clothing.”

Hemp was often used to build Schach (Sukkah roofs), and in the Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law) it’s also recommended as the preferred material for wicks in Shabbat lamps and candles.

KANEH BOSEM There are also several places in the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) that refer to a spice called kaneh bosem, which may or may not be Cannabis.

The Aramaic term (also referred to as kanabos) appears five times in the Old Testament – most significantly in Exodus, where God lists it among the five spices in the recipe for holy anointing oil he dictates to Moses. Historically, most sources have translated kaneh bosem as “sweet cane” – a vague description that makes identifying it difficult.

Some scholars have interpreted it to be calamus, while others even believe its identity was purposely kept a secret because it was so sacred.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF YIVO ARCHIVES (4)

TEL ARAD TEMPLE In May 2020, the academic journal of Tel Aviv University’s Institute of Archaeology published an Above: Tel Arad’s “Holy of article revealing that CanHolies.” Inset: Cannabis nabis residue had been resin residue on the altar. discovered on one of two altars in the 2,700-year-old Judean temple known as Tel Arad (located in the Negev Desert about 59 miles south of Tel Aviv). The two limestone altars, which contained traces of burnt offerings, were located at the entrance of the temple’s inner sanctum – also known as the “holy of holies.” The larger of the two altars contained remnants of frankincense, while the smaller was found to contain traces of Cannabis resin (including cannabinoids THC, CBD and CBN) and animal dung, which archeologists believe was likely used to heat the hashish. Researchers also noted that since Cannabis wasn’t typically utilized for its fragrance, it was almost certainly burned for its psychotropic effects.

“It seems likely that Cannabis was used at Arad as a deliberate psychoactive, to stimulate ecstasy as part of cultic ceremonies,” they wrote. “If so, this is the first such evidence in the cult of Judah.”

ISRAEL MUSEUM

MEDICAL USE & THE MIDDLE AGES There’s ample evidence that Jews continued to use Cannabis spiritually and medicinally throughout antiquity and the Middle Ages.

In 1992, an archaeological dig in a cave at Beit Shemesh (about 35 miles west of Jerusalem) uncovered evidence of hashish in the stomach of the 1,623-yearold remains of a 14-year-old girl who was nine months pregnant – leading researchers to conclude it had likely been used as an anesthetic during childbirth as early as the 4th century CE. In the 12th century, Maimonides – the most influential Jewish scholar/physician of the Middle Ages – recommended using Cannabis oil for colds, headaches, respiratory problems and clogged ears.

In the 13th century, a Kabbalistic grimoire called the “Sefer Raziel” suggested Cannabis as a preventative for keeping demons away. And in the 16th century, the chief rabbi of Cairo, Rabbi ben Solomon ibn Abi Zimra, stated that the “leaves of Cannabis make one happy.”

And then there’s Rabbi Israel ben Eliezer (aka Baal Shem Tov), who founded the Hasidic sect in the 18th century. A mystic and kabbalist whose teachings emphasized the importance of joy and direct connection with God, Eliezer was reported to “pray ecstatically,” make medicines from wild grasses and barks, and Hasidism smoke from a water pipe founder Baal which he claimed produced Shem Tov. aliyat neshama (ascension of the soul). In fact, his biographer once said, “he would give his entire portion in this world, and in the world to come, just for a taste of what the Ba’al Shem Tov got from his pipe.”

MOROCCAN MERCHANTS Though it’s always been claimed it was tobacco that Eliezer was smoking, it’s certainly Yiddish translation of “Hashish” (1911). possible there was some hashish YIVO LIBRARY sprinkled in. After all, Jews were among the biggest tobacco and hash merchants in the Middle East at the time. When Morocco became one of the world’s largest producers of hashish in the 17th century, it was the Jews who brokered most of the export deals between the farmers in the Rif Mountains and the Arabic-speaking city dwellers.

“The Jews, in general, did not grow Cannabis … but they received a monopoly from the king for the sale of tobacco in Morocco, and that included sales of the Cannabis plant and the hashish produced from it,” explained Moroccan Jewry expert Dr. Doron Danino in a 2019 interview with the Times of Israel. “Jews used to speak several languages, and they had a business sense, which made it a mutually beneficial partnership.”

According to Dr. Danino, some Jews were even

sprinkling hash into their shakshuka dalashubh — a couscous dish served as part of their preparation for celebrations and events.

EDUARD GUREVICH

Despite the similarity in phonetics, it wasn’t until 1936 that a Polish etymologist named Sula Benet first put forth the theory that kaneh bosem might be Cannabis. In her paper “Early Diffusion and Folk Uses of Hemp,” Benet argued that, after analyzing numerous ancient texts and comparative etymologies, she was convinced that the term had been mistranslated – explaining that the root “kan” actually translated to “hemp” and bosem meant “aromatic.”

If Benet’s theory were correct, it would mean that ancient Jews not only used Cannabis as a textile, but also in their religious ceremonies – a hypothesis recently borne out by archeological evidence.

Sula Benet (1936).

FROM RABBIS TO RADICALS During the rise of America’s counter“Am Yisrael High” exhibit poster culture, Jews were featuring Allen Ginsberg. consistently at the forefront of Cannabis activism. Jazz musician Mezz Mezzrow, aka the Muggles King, was Louis Armstrong’s reefer dealer and one of the plant’s earliest public advocates. It was allegedly Mezzrow who first turned on Beatnik icon Allen Ginsburg, who later co-founded America’s first marijuana legalization advocacy group LeMar in 1964 and led the first pro-marijuana march in New York’s Lower East Side. Ginsberg, in turn, helped mentor the Yippies in the late ’60s, most of whose prominent members (Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, A.J. Weberman and Aron “Pie Man” Kay) were also Jews. Even President Richard Nixon acknowledged the connection between Jews and Cannabis in his infamous 1971 racist Oval Office recording: “You know, it’s a funny thing, every one of the bastards that are out for legalizing marijuana are Jewish.”

In addition to activism, Jews have also led the way in Cannabis science via Israeli scientist Dr. Raphael Mechoulam – considered the “father of Cannabis research” for discovering THC, CBD and the endocannabinoid system in the 1960s – as well as the “godfather of medical marijuana,” Harvard professor/psychiatrist Dr. Lester Grinspoon.

Other prominent Jewish marijuana advocates have included “The Emperor Wears No Clothes” author Jack Herer, grow guru Ed Rosenthal, and Drug Policy Alliance founder Ethan Nadelmann, among many others.

MODERN MITZVAH So, where does Jewish religious leadership stand on Cannabis in the modern age? Though it was declared forbidden under Jewish law by Rabbi Moshe Feinstein in 1973, that stance has since softened significantly. In 2013, Rabbi Efraim Zalmanovich stated that Cannabis was permitted for medical use and three years later, Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky ruled that it could be consumed during Passover.

Since then, several brands have been certified as Kosher by the Orthodox Union, including Vireo, Mitzvah Herbal, and Mazel Tov Farms (who co-sponsored the YIVO exhibit).

“There is no question that the plant has a holy source, God himself,” says Glassman.

“Marijuana usage…is an aspect of Jewish law and tradition that had long been buried, and one that deserves resurfacing and exploration.”

For our podcast & more Cannabis history content visit worldofcannabis.museum/cannthropology.

STO RY b y B O B BY B LAC K @ CAN N T H RO PO LO G Y for LEA F NAT IO N

stoney baloney LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

46

NO MATTER HOW WELL you take care of your body, gravity will eventually pull you back to earth to be reclaimed by the soil. And although very smart people on this planet have developed stunning scientific methods to prolong the everlasting blink, when your train is whistling into the station, you’ll need to politely disembark to clear space for new passengers. This is the end of the line – no pill, no surgery – and no more birthdays.

But you can’t be mad. Being atop the food chain doesn’t mean you live forever – just that you live well, longer. In fact, you’ll most likely dwell here about five times longer than the average caveperson ever did, so be grateful that you don’t have to be worried about being eaten by a razor-toothed land shark. That poor hairy dude didn’t have a gun, a car, or an electric razor … much less a Home Depot.

Yes, there are clams that live over 500 years and there are some trees that live thousands of years. But for you, large brain or not, 120 loops around the glowing orb are what you get – give or take a decade or 10 depending on how well you attract lightning. And that’s a generous estimation, mostly reserved for women living on some isolated island in Japan or Italy with simple diets and a daily glass of vino, sequestered from our instant gratification society of processed foods and secondhand smoke.

So, there’s no denying that some people have temporarily circumvented death. But just as there are clever roundabouts and shortcuts en route to your final destination, the tick of the almighty timepiece will eventually come to a halt. And when that clock finally stops, let’s hope it gets stuck on 4:20.

After all, the best way to go is up in smoke.

JUNE 2022

FOLLOW @RICKERDJ // GET THE AUDIO VERSION & EVERY EPISODE AT LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

INTRODUCING

ASK AN ASSOCIATE FOR DETAILS Please Consume Responsibly. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination, and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. 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-feeding may pose potential harms. It is against the law to drive or operate machinery when under the influence of this product. KEEP THIS PRODUCT AWAY FROM CHILDREN. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination, and judgement. The impairment effects of Edibles may be delayed by two hours or more. In case of accidental ingestion, contact poison control hotline 1-800-222-1222 or 911. This product may be illegal outside of MA.