May 2023 - Northeast Leaf

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The Wu-Tang Clan alum chats with Northeast Leaf about his journey with Cannabis and his

ABOUT THE COVER

With all the ongoing uncertainty in the Cannabis industry, people seem to be on edge. So, we at the Leaf felt that we could use a reminder of why we spent our quarters in the first place – because it's supposed to be fun! And what represents the thrill of overcoming challenges quite like an exciting round of pinball? Frequent Leaf Magazines contributor Joshua Boulet(theeyebehind StoneyBaloney'ssignatureartworkeachmonth) capturedtheadventureofkeepingtheballin playthroughallthecurlyloopsandbanging bumpersofaCannabis-themedmachine, illustratingtheparallelsofhowtheweedgame canbeananxiety-filledblast!

ILLUSTRATION BY JOSHUA BOULET JOSHUABOULET.COM | @JOSHUABOULET

WES ABNEY

Editor’s Note

Thanks for picking up The Fun Issue of the Leaf!

Over the last 14 years of publishing Cannabis magazines I’ve had a lot of fun moments, from throwing major parties like our Leaf Bowls with free tickets to smoke and revel in the best of Cannabis, to the early days of High Times Cannabis Cups and hot dabs in parking lots from Denver to Seattle. But as I look back on my personal history with weed, it occurs to me that most of the fun I’ve had with Cannabis was when it was illegal.

Now don’t get me wrong – as someone who was arrested and charged for a single gram of weed in college, and harassed by cops and security for smoking many times – I don’t wish to go back into the dark ages. However there was something magical about getting a bag of weed, plotting a time and place to get high, and linking up in the woods to smoke mids that always brought laughter and friendship.

In the early medical days this feeling of fun was amplified. Farmer’s markets proliferated on the West Coast and patients had access to an unimaginable variety of strains, edibles, topicals, and later concentrates. Walking into a medical dispensary felt like winning the Golden Ticket to Willy Wonka’s Factory – where every month there were new strains or techniques making the plant better and helping to heal the patients needing relief. I would characterize the vibe of medical Cannabis as a hippie-rebel-healer movement that was unabashedly fun, helping others with a middle finger to the government and a lawyer on speed dial.

JONSON, REVIEWS + PHOTOS

JON KRAUSE, ILLUSTRATION

SARA MILLS-GAINES, SALES

BOBBY NUGGZ, REVIEWS + PHOTOS

LEXI PADUSSIS, SALES + FEATURES

BAXSEN PAINE, FEATURES + PHOTOS

MIKE RICKER, FEATURES

JAMIE VICTOR, DESIGN

DAN VINKOVETSKY, FEATURES

NATE WILLIAMS, FEATURES

BRUCE & LAURIE WOLF, RECIPES

KATHERINE WOLF, FEATURES

Fast forward to the recreational phase of Cannabis that we are in now, and things have certainly become less fun for those on the industry side of the plant. With ridiculous tax structures and regulatory burdens, the industry is smothered in hoops to jump through that are largely meaningless. Do we really need to track every plant and every gram of weed at risk of penalty or losing a license, when beer companies can give away as much booze as they want? Today’s weed industry lacks the component that made it fun: the weed itself! But instead of smoking and celebrating as a community, most operators are struggling – which combined with the high turnover of the industry, has led to a very temporary and scary feeling inside the weed community.

It’s with that understanding that we decided to have our first ever Fun Issue, with the goal of highlighting how weed improves every aspect of life. We need to recapture the reverence of decades past for the freedoms we have now … as well as for the huge variety of options we have to consume the plant! There is no better time to be a Cannabis user or patient than now, and I believe that calls for a round of fun that doesn’t lead to a hangover.

So my challenge to our audience is to take a moment before your next sesh or joint and meditate on what it was like to wait for a dealer to show up, and the feeling of ecstasy that came with the first spark and inhale when it was finally safe to smoke. Focus on the moment as you inhale, and on how the smoke or vapor is going to make your day better, get rid of pain and help carry you through whatever challenges you might be facing. I hope you enjoy The Fun Issue of the Leaf and take a moment soon to reconnect with the plant we all share and love.

“DO WE REALLY NEED TO TRACK EVERY PLANT AND EVERY GRAM OF WEED AT RISK OF PENALTY OR LOSING A LICENSE...”

AMERICANS SPEND MORE ON MARIJUANA THAN CHOCOLATE

Americans now spend more on legal marijuana products than they do on chocolate. The USA reached this milestone as a nation last year, according to MJBizDaily.

United States residents spent about $30 billion on legal Cannabis in 2022. That compares with roughly $20 billion spent on chocolate. Almost two-dozen states now allow sales of weed for adult use, with 19 more states allowing Cannabis for medicinal use.

Americans also spent more on marijuana than they did on opioid medications ($22.8 billion) and topical pain medications ($2.8 billion) combined. However, legal weed sales are still dwarfed by sales of tobacco products. In 2022, tobacco sales totaled about $53 billion – but those sales are steadily dropping, whereas Cannabis sales are rising.

By 2028, according to MJBizDaily, sales of legal weed could reach $57 billion.

MARYLAND SETS RULES FOR MARIJUANA SALES

Maryland lawmakers expedited getting marijuana regulatory legislation in place before the state’s voter-approved adult-use legalization law takes effect July 1. Now the plan will go before Governor Wes Moore, who has indicated he will sign it into law. Under the new rules, people who are 21 and older will be able to buy recreational Cannabis in Maryland July 1.

“Under the new rules, people who are 21 and older will be able to buy recreational Cannabis in Maryland July 1.”

OKLAHOMA AUTHORITIES SEIZE 7,000 LBS. OF WEED

THE OKLAHOMA Bureau of Narcotics recently seized more than 7,000 pounds of untaxed marijuana amid an investigation into a black market operation, reports KOCO.

On April 14, the Bureau seized the Cannabis from a semi trailer, saying it shut down a black market marijuana warehouse distribution center in Oklahoma City as part of an ongoing investigation. Officials said the investigation has identified multiple farms transporting marijuana to the warehouse. The product was then repackaged into “camera equipment” boxes and shipped to New York and New Jersey. They also said the people orchestrating the operation had ties to Oklahoma consulting groups.

TEXAS HOUSE EXPANDS LIST OF MMJ CONDITIONS

A BILL approved by the Texas House in April would expand the list of conditions that qualify for the state’s medical marijuana program.

House Bill 1805, sponsored by Public Health Committee Chair Stephanie Klick, a Republican from Fort Worth, passed the House 127-19 and now heads to the Senate, reports Axios.

The bipartisan legislation would expand the state’s 2015 Compassionate Use Law. That law allows physicians to prescribe low-THC Cannabis to treat symptoms of epilepsy, cancer and posttraumatic stress disorder, among other conditions.

The new bill would allow doctors to prescribe up to 10 milligrams of Cannabis for chronic pain cases that might normally warrant an opioid prescription.

NEW HAMPSHIRE HOUSE VOTES FOR LEGALIZATION

The bill also addresses commerce-related issues such as the number and types of Cannabis business licenses available, reports CBS Baltimore.

It sets the amount of sales tax those businesses must charge at 9 percent, the The Baltimore Banner reports. Medical Cannabis will be exempt from sales tax. The legislation comes after voters passed a ballot referendum that legalized Cannabis in Maryland’s constitution in November.

LEGAL MARIJUANA is one step closer to reality in New Hampshire after the state House voted 272-109 for HB 639. Legalization efforts have fallen short in recent years, but this year’s effort has momentum heading into the state Senate. HB 639 has bipartisan sponsors in both bodies of state government.

HB 639 would legalize marijuana for adults over the age of 21. Rep. Jason Osborne (R) and Rep. Matt Wilhelm (D) cosponsor the bill, and a broad coalition of marijuana industry figures, civil rights advocates and policy groups also back the bill.

Polling has shown that the vast majority, more than 70%, of New Hampshire residents support marijuana legalization for adult use. In recent years, legalization bills have passed in the state House, but have fallen short in the N.H. Senate.

states in the U.S. have legalized Cannabis for use by those at least 21 years or older.

21 months in jail is possible in Kansas with prior marijuana convictions.

42

46%

percent of Americans say they have used marijuana, according to the latest longstanding survey from Pew Research Center.

88%

percent of Americans say Cannabis should be legal for adult or medical use, according to the same PRC survey.

BIPARTISAN

BILL TO PREPARE US FOR LEGALIZATION REINTRODUCED

U.S.

Democrat and Republican lawmakers have reintroduced a bill to prepare for the legalization of adult-use Cannabis at the federal level.

House Representative Dave Joyce and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries in April introduced the Preparing Regulators Effectively for a Post-Prohibition Adult Use Regulated Environment (PREPARE) Act.

The goal of the PREPARE Act is to bring together a diverse group of experts to collaborate on Cannabis reform. It would provide lawmakers with the information needed to establish a comprehensive federal regulatory system.

Despite more than 21 states legalizing adult-use Cannabis, it remains illegal at the federal level via its continued classification as a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act.

ALABAMA ACTIVISTS PUSH FOR POT DECRIM

Local marijuana advocacy groups are asking Alabama lawmakers to decriminalize nonviolent Cannabis convictions during the 2023 legislative session.

Activists, including the Alabama Cannabis Coalition, are looking at what other states are doing – including legalizing medical Cannabis – as well as pushing lawmakers to make a change on marijuana possession arrests.

“Decriminalization eliminates jail time for petty crimes for so many people and those crimes,” said Marty Schelper, president of ACC, “those misdemeanors and those felonies can actually prevent those people from getting jobs and having housing.”

Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro, is sponsoring marijuana decriminalization legislation for the fourth consecutive year. The legislation has previously passed Senate Judiciary committee review, but died on the Senate floor. Schelper and other advocates are calling for the Alabama Legislature to expunge criminal records for marijuana possession while looking at racial disparities in arrest rates. They’d like lawmakers to then move forward with establishing medical Cannabis dispensaries.

20,000

people

55,000

patients have enrolled so far in Virginia’s medical marijuana program. The state’s first medical marijuana dispensaries opened up more than two years ago.

were arrested in 2021 for Cannabis possession in Texas, which may reduce the penalty for possession of Cannabis and Cannabis concentrates.

U.S. residents spent about $30b on legal Cannabis in 2022 versus $20b on chocolate.

“Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro, is sponsoring marijuana decriminalization legislation for the fourth consecutive year.”

ENHANCING THE EVERYDAY

Simply doing nothing is always a solid option when you’re stoned … but while we love a lazy day, this is the Fun Issue! There are so many activities that can be enhanced by Cannabis, helping you to get even more out of your high – whether you’re looking to get out on the town, get creative or get active – opportunities abound.

HANGING OUT FARMER’S MARKET

Fresh air and fire snacks? Count me in. My absolute favorite thing to do on a Sunday morning is roll up a joint, smoke on my walk to the market, and stock up on local goodies for the week. It’s a great way to get outside, meet people in your community and support small businesses.

CONCERT

Music just sounds better stoned … especially live music. Look up a local show, light up and get out on the dance floor! For added fun, try going to a show for an artist you don’t know or a genre you wouldn’t normally listen to. You just may find your new favorite band out there.

STAYING CREATIVE PUFF AND PAINT

Interested in getting really high at a guided painting class? These events are all the craze these days with classes popping up in cities nationwide. Perfect for a dank date night or group hang, using Cannabis allows you to get out of your comfort zone and can result in some seriously trippy art.

DAY AT THE MUSEUM

When I’m looking for creative inspiration (or something stoney to do on a rainy day), I like to drink an infused beverage or eat a gummy before hitting a local museum. Whether it’s science, modern art or natural history, it’s easy to get lost in an edible-infused exhibit of any kind.

GETTING ACTIVE NATURE TRAIL

Mother Nature is even more magical with Mary Jane. Personally, I love to hit the trail after hitting a nice uplifting sativa strain with a piney terpene profile like an OG Kush. Don’t forget to leave no trace and dispose of any joint roaches or product packaging properly.

STONED SEX

All your senses are heightened when you’re high, making stoned sex a more intimate and pleasure experience. Sharing a joint, using THC or CBD lube, or giving a massage with infused body oil can sure shake up sexy time – just be sure to keep the communication open with your partner.

JOIN THE ORIGINAL GRASSROOTS CANNABIS ACTIVIST

ORGANIZATION IN MASSACHUSETTS, 31YEARSONTHE GROUNDAND STILL GROWING TOGETHER!

HIGH &SEEK HIGH &SEEK

THERE IS A DAY when mushrooms grow from ink and clay, through cracks in walls and walkways springing up on our streets and stores – creating a worldwide scavenger hunt for everyone who loves art.

Called Game of Shrooms, it’s a global holiday that Hi Fructose Art Magazine co-founder Daniel Seifert, known as Attaboy, unintentionally created in 2019 “as a way to change the narrative of my day.”

KEVIN THE RACCOON by Carli Christina

QUAGMIRE CLUSTER by Attaboy

In the mini-documentary filmed in 2022, Seifert describes how he started hiding mushrooms after a sudden bout of existential depression caused him to turn to a familiar kind of art therapy.

As a child, he and his grandmother would paint ceramic mushrooms together in her studio and place them all over her garden, living room and kitchen, so making mushroom art has always been a soothing source of inspiration. Creating and hiding little pieces of art gave him a sense of purpose. He felt not only some control over his own day, but a secondary joy thinking about the positive effect it might have on someone who found one. After all, understanding that you have the ability to make others happy through art is something people strive for their entire lives.

The inspiration caught on with others who were going through their own struggles, especially during the Covid-19 lockdown. Seifert began seeing other artists hiding mushrooms across galleries and museums, and after a moment, he understood this was becoming something larger than just his own road to wellness – it represented a whole highway that could be mobilized into an insane art caravan.

Since launching that first official game in 2019, Seifert told us the hunt has become larger than he could have ever imagined. In Poland, Mexico, Russia and all over the United States, people are sharing their locations to the website www.yumfactory.com/gameofshrooms and adding to the global map, with Antarctica even getting into the mix for 2023.

Playing is easy. Along with the site, you can follow #gameofshrooms on Instagram to see which artists are participating – that way you have some idea of what you want to start hunting for.

On the official day, watch each artist’s stories for clues to where they’ve hidden their shrooms. Follow the clues, and if you’re lucky enough to recognize where it’s hidden, take a picture and tag the artist so others know the piece has been found.

Finding hidden artwork is like fol lowing an Indiana Jones adventure to a priceless treasure. There are the emotional highs and lows of winning and losing, the spark of competition, and the thrill of the hunt. This holiday doesn’t care how artistic you think you are, it encourages everyone to create and hide their stuff in order to spark a connection between people and art, but also one that is person to person. Once you get that rush of emotion from finding one of these mushrooms, it’s hard not to want to pay that feeling forward. The rolling thunder has gotten so loud that last year Seifert rented out Fairyland Children’s Park in Oakland to throw an adult-themed meet-up where participants could gather, celebrate a job well done, and maybe hide some last-minute mushrooms.

For anyone who’s interested, visit the website for all the details, or check out the tag on Instagram #gameof shrooms to see examples from past years.

On June 10, there will be a bigger crowd than ever looking to hit those streets and they’re going to need all of us spores. So break out your pens, paints, construction paper, 3D printers, crayons and clay… because the Game of Shrooms is on.

yumfactory.com/gameofshrooms

@gameofshroomsofficial #gameofshrooms

Since launching that first official game in 2019, Seifert told us the hunt has become larger than he could have ever imagined.

Art by Attaboy.

ART OF

ART OF

GRASS HOPPA

Luxe Rolls and Luxe Roll Bar Founder and renowned creative joint-rolling artist Grass Hoppa, is a professional roller sponsored by top brands including The Flower Mill, Organitips, Caligar Rolling Glue and Raw Papers. She specializes in live joint-rolling services and custom smokeable art, and she can be found twisting up expertly-rolled joints and shocking onlookers with her machine-like precision at well-known industry events like The Emerald Cup, The Secret Session and The Trans Bay Challenge. Her services have given her behind-the-scenes access to high profile parties across the country, and she has been commissioned to roll joints for some of the biggest brands in Cannabis. Grass Hoppa is an accomplished competitive roller, and currently serves as one of the judges for Raw Rolling Papers’ annual worldwide rolling competition. @thegrasshoppa

STURT DOINKS

An OG in the scene with a couple decades of experience at every level of the industry, Sturt has the connections, quality assessment expertise and rolling ability to create some of the loudest, most flavorful hash holes anywhere. In fact, Sturt is credited with proliferating the “hash hole” nomenclature beginning in early 2018. The sourcing often comes from top quality flower brands like Blueprint, GreenDawg Cultivators, SureFire Selections and NorCal Gardens, and the hash is usually from Hash Assassins or one of West Coast Alchemy’s many collabs – all elite companies producing some incredible products, which Sturt then artfully pairs to create stunningly flavorful and hard-hitting bars.

@sturtsdoinks_official

SPLIFF WIZARD

JUNE DA GOON

June Da Goon is a Stockton, Calif. based roller with some impressive accolades. Raw Papers holds an annual worldwide rolling competition, and June Da Goon holds four championship titles. In fact, he is now a judge for the event and sits on a panel with Raw Brands’ Founder and CEO, Josh Kesselman. With nearly a decade of experience in creative rolling under his belt, coupled with eight years of competitive rolling, he has honed his craft and earned himself a spot as one of the top joint rollers in the world. One of his most notable works of late was a 3D replica of the goat on the cover for Berner’s “El Chivo” album – which he personally gifted to him in 2020. @xxjune_da_goonxx

Ryan Dawley is a self-described “natural born roller,” whose unique skills have led him on a journey from Miami to Europe to the West Coast and beyond. In addition to his self-taught joint-rolling talents, he is also a graduate of Full Sail University and a professional photographer and social media manager currently freelancing for a number of brands in both Oregon and California. Dawley has done it all, from winning rolling competitions to teaching and training crews of joint rollers how to properly roll infused joints, plus aspects of cultivation, extraction, security and more. It’s safe to say that Dawley’s life revolves around the plant, and his passion for the art of the roll has elevated his status to legendary in the tightknit and highly-exclusive rolling scene. @spliffwizard

PHOTOS BY ROSE OVERHOES

THE ROLL

THE ROLL

BRUNO’S ROLLS

Bruno is an absolute joint surgeon capable of producing perfectly hand-rolled doobies stuffed to the brim with unmatched precision and consistency. He began his love affair with the plant as a cultivator in Tuolumne County in 2012, and after years as a grower, he met his now wife who encouraged him to follow his dream of mastering the art of the roll. Pursuing that passion has led him to become one of the top rollers in the country, and perhaps the world. Last year, Bruno hand rolled more than 18,000 joints, which earned him some notable recognition, including the title of “Joint Rolling Champion” at the 2022 Emerald Cup and two 1st Place wins at Lumpy’s California’s Finest 2022 competition. @brunosrolls

TONY GREENHAND

One of the original joint artists in the game, Greenhand is wid ely renowned for his creativity and imagination, where he’s been crafting art-forward joints professionally for almost 15 years. Greenhand has worked with some of the biggest stars in the world, including Rihanna, Snoop Dogg, Juice WRLD and Tommy Chong. Smokeable Space Needle? Greenhand has done it. A quarter-pound replica dab pen joint? Check. Pizza, Pokémon, guns and grenades? You bet. Greenhand has done it all, and continues to produce standout work with unmatched detail and intricacy. When asked about his style of rolling, he replied, “I enjoy the technical challenges involved in engineering never-before-seen joints and plan to continue to blend new concepts and designs into future art.” @tonygreenhand

MARCOS SURITA

THE JOINT

began as a simple, filterless Cannabis cigarette, but has evolved into something very different. Today, joint rolling is both a profession and an artform –producing a modern era featuring standout talent with a variety of skill sets.

Some are practitioners, technical joint-rolling samurais, focusing on cleanliness and consistency. Some are visionary artists who transform everything from cultural icons to everyday objects into certified smokeable art.

We’ve scoured the country to find out who’s got the best joint-rolling abilities, and we caught up with a few of them to learn more about their history in Cannabis and how they discovered their passion for the art of the roll.

Entrepreneur, certified award-winning joint roller and CGO Lyfestyle brand Founder Marcos Surita is a Sacramento native and an absolute beast with the bars. A free agent with his own brand renowned for fire hash holes and limited apparel drops, Surita collaborates with top tier cultivators and flavor curators like Emerald Queen Farms, Champelli, Prodigal Company, Doja and Bay Area Flavors, and hash artists from across California to create his carefully constructed and extremely exclusive wares. Surita’s joints, crafted with Organitips, are usually made by order and have created a demand for his skills taking him all over the country. @cgo__lyfestyle

PROPER DOINKS

Proper Doinks is an up-andcoming, brand-forward rolling company with eyes on the recreational market. Having just locked down space for their own grow, distro, delivery and production studio, the brand is hoping to bring their properly produced products to discerning California consumers this summer via a members-only delivery service. While the team at Proper Doinks certainly maintains a significant focus on a precise roll, their ability to judge flower quality and only put the top 1%-level herb in their Doinks is second to none. In addition, they’ve done a service to the community with their entertaining and educational Instagram reels that help push consumers towards better smoking technique and etiquette. If you’re lucky (and follow their Instagram closely), you can score one of their limited edition reusable glass tips. @properdoinks

PHOTO BY JOSH MONTHEI @CAPTURECANNABIS

Today, joint rolling is both a profession and an artform.

PHOTOS BY EMERALD MOUNTAIN MEDIA

FUN-SIZED

From baby blunt wraps and tiny torches to entire sesh table scenes, Levelheady has carved out a notable niche in the world of Cannabis miniature art. We sat down with the Denver-based artist, who has been putting out small resin replicas that are making big waves, to find out what’s so fun about finger-sized art.

In the world of Levelheady, loud art comes in little packages.

What was your journey to working with resin as a medium? Art has always been an escape for me, but I started working with resin in 2016. I was doing a ceramics project in college and wanted to incorporate mixed media – my art teacher recommended I try out this thing called ‘resin.’ I bought some, watched tutorials online and was like, ‘Woah. This is kind of cool. I want to do this.’ I suddenly was no longer interested in ceramics at all and actually dropped out of college during that time because I became so focused on working with resin.

How did you get your start in your niche of making miniatures? I started focusing really hard on the scale model aspect in 2020. I had been serving tables and doing art on the side forever, and I would have a breakfast shift, come home and work on a project, then post whatever I did that day. I didn’t even think of it. I was just consistently sharing with the world, ‘Hey, this is what I'm working on. This is something I'm excited about.’ One of my pictures went viral and I think other people saw what I was doing and thought it was unique – so they would share it, and it just kept growing from there. Then the pandemic hit and I didn’t want to serve anymore, and thought maybe it was time to just focus on my art. I bought a website and started posting like crazy. That’s when companies started noticing me and being like, ‘Hey, this is cool. Would you make minis of our product?’ I had this moment where I was like, ‘Oh, I can do this!’ So that's kind of how it all started.

Where do you draw inspiration from, and how does Cannabis play a role in your artistic process? Almost everything I've done has had something to do with a small version of weed stuff. I’ve always been really intrigued by Cannabis. These days, I’m inspired by Japanese resin techniques because they’re a lot more in-depth than the ones here. In the U.S., a resin pour is just one thing in a mold – but in Japanese culture, they’ll be inspired by all these little details. It’s about as much detail as you can put into one little space. It’s almost gaudy. And I was like, ‘I like that. I want to do that, but I want it to be inspired by my own stuff.’

What would you say is fun about you and your art? I just love fun! I genuinely believe magic is real and want to bring a little bit of that feeling to people through my art. I want them to feel transported, and I think that’s the really fun thing about my minis – people can look at them and be like, ‘Oh my god, this is my smoke table at home!’ There’s also the connection we all have to miniatures from our inner child. It brings you back to being like, ‘This is so small, I would have played with this when I was a kid. But I like it as an adult because it’s my torch?’ It’s kind of a paradox … it’s silly and there’s no reason for it, other than to look at it and smile or think or show someone. Even if your only response is to laugh at my art, that makes me happy because I brought joy out of someone by doing something that I enjoyed.

levelheady.com | @levelheady

“I just love fun! I genuinely believe magic is real and want to bring a little bit of that feeling to people through my art.”

COYOT E C A NN A B I S

CO M I NG SOON TO UXBRIDGE, MA

SOLVENTLESS

POWERED BY

Staff Picks

Fast-Acting

These THC gummies deliver potential effects in 5-15 minutes! Natural fruit flavors. Vegan and gluten-free.

These stylish, convenient pens are formulated with high potency distillate and naturally derived terpenes.

Bred and cultivated in the Finger Lakes Region of Central New York State by Ithaca Organics Cannabis Company, the Ithaca OG boasts a heady 25% THC.

HOWEVER, for some Cannabis connoisseurs, it’s Ithaca Organics’ connection to the community that makes the coveted strain so attractive. A third generation operation that was originally a dairy farm, the company owned by Trever and Monica Sherman has transitioned to growing USDA-certified organic fruits and veggies, which they’ve sold at local farmers markets since 2009.

In 2016, the Shermans added hemp to their organic farm and began selling highly sought-after CBD products. This endeavor positioned the company to apply for a cultivation license under New York’s nascent adult-use law, which allows hemp farmers first crack at growing the state’s legal weed. Ithaca Organics was granted one of the first cultivation licenses, and now you can find their Cannabis products in many recreational dispensaries statewide.

Head Cultivator Tim Lagarry learned his Cannabis cultivating skills in California’s famed Emerald Triangle – but when New York expanded hemp farming in 2016, Lagarry returned to the Empire State. During a tour of Ithaca Organics’ greenhouses, where he had

just finished replanting a crop into soil using large fabric pots, Lagarry explained that, “Ithaca OG is our selection of the strain Spice from Twenty20 Mendocino, which is Biscotti x The Whip!”

Upon opening a sealed container of the Ithaca OG, a slight earthy, spicy fragrance emanates from the solid, light green nugs, which are covered in glistening orange hairs and shining trichomes. The first puff reveals a peppercorn taste on the tip of the tongue, yet a fruity, melon-lemon twist in the back of the mouth. This strain pairs perfectly with a cup of coffee – an ideal way to start the day! Additionally, the Ithaca OG clearly possesses medicinal properties, as just a few hits soothed lower back pain and relieved anxiety.

A quick word to the wise: Don’t be greedy with the Ithaca OG. Larger inhales can definitely lead to coughing fits (and giggling fits as well).

Ultimately, the strain results in an easy creative flow that is most enjoyable – a great daytime smoke, ideal for get-togethers with good friends, an afternoon hike or sitting around the campfire chatting, giggling and inevitably … coughing.

“THE FIRST PUFF REVEALS A SPICY PEPPERCORN TASTE ON THE TIP OF THE TONGUE, YET A FRUITY, MELONLEMON TWIST IN THE BACK OF THE MOUTH.”

CHOCOLATINA

EBONY & IVORY HORACE

HASH PLANT 1

WELL-VERSED WELL-VERSED

For Wu-Tang Clan’s Inspectah Deck, the weed dealer is the healer.

Inspectah Deck x Coyote Cannabis

Jason Hunter, better known as Inspectah Deck from Wu-Tang Clan, is celebrated for some of the most iconic verses in the history of hiphop including “Protect Ya Neck,” “C.R.E.A.M.” and “Triumph.” He recently sat down with Northeast Leaf to reveal the role that Cannabis plays in his lyricism, his first time smoking pure hash rosin and his newest collaboration with Coyote Cannabis in Massachusetts to release Deck-branded flower, gummies and “Rollie Fingers” pre-rolls.

Tell me a little bit about your early experiences with Cannabis. I grew up in a neighborhood called Park Hill on Staten Island. There used to be a place on the fourth floor of my building where you could go get these nickel bags. The weed wasn’t quality – it had a lot of sticks and seeds in it. But it was the best thing that we had, so I grew up with the experience of smoking the dirt weed first. Then eventually we had some good buds coming around. There used to be Skunk Weed, Chocolate Thai Stick, and things like that. I was definitely in love with the Chocolate Thai for a while.

I met you at the Harvest Cup a few months ago and we were talking about your collaboration with Coyote Cannabis on products made using hash rosin. How did this unique project come about? I met a great Cannabis lawyer by the name of Blake Menzing, and he was representing a lot of different clients at the time. I met him through a family member and Blake mentioned that he wanted to get out of the legal side and get more into the business. He was running some ideas past me and we were talking to see if Inspectah Deck and Coyote could team up and make something happen. I’m not normally into the vape pens, oils and waxes that are out there, but he convinced me to try his Coyote. I believe it was some solventless shatter. And man, I tell you, when I hit that … YO! And the one thing I was impressed with was the quality of it. The Coyote crew are very big on quality over quantity. We wanted to start out with prerolls, so I have a Rollie Fingers line. My alias in the group is Rollie Fingers because I like to roll up – I’m a hands-on guy.

So we’re going to come with the pre-rolls. We have an idea for some hash-infused gummies, as well as an actual flower for Rollie Fingers.

One of the unique things for me is they do their own cultivation and manufacturing. So it’s not white-labeling someone else’s product. It’s all done in-house, single-sourced and all that. And I think that’s important – that’s what sets apart the product when it’s in a legal atmosphere.

How do you feel about Cannabis becoming more legal in places like Massachusetts and now even in your birthplace of New York? Because obviously, the people most affected by the drug war were people of color who were being locked up at rates much, much higher than their percentage of population. Yeah, it’s crazy, man. I’m one of those people that had marijuana charges back in the days. Fortunately, I wasn’t a grower. I didn’t have huge amounts – but it’s just something that stains your record. They villainized it back then. Nowadays, it’s good to see that we’re lowering the drawbridge. I think the more people legalize and the more people that get on board with the game will realize that it actually is helping your economy. It’s helping your city and state. I’m hoping that Texas joins on board, too. And I believe in the medical properties as well – the CBD aspect of Cannabis and all these elements that are helping people. I believe those are very beneficial. I have family members that use Cannabis for arthritis, for their eyesight, for many different things.

Yeah, it’s interesting because even in your line in the song “C.R.E.A.M.” about “smoking cess” and how “that’s the time when I’m not depressed.” I mean, that’s talking about medical marijuana, even back in the ‘90s when it wasn’t really even a thing as far as being legal. You were already on top of the understanding that Cannabis can help with things like depression or anxiety. You never really shied away from it. To me, that’s interesting –that line and obviously many others – and also talking about the fear and the paranoia of being a target for law enforcement, “handcuffed in back of the bus” and all of that. I mean, it just rings really true to your experiences as far as you yourself being a victim of the drug war and the mass incarceration rates. Yeah, it’s crazy because you look at it now and say, ‘Hey, they decriminalized it. A lot of people are free now.’ But to experience that in the beginning when it wasn’t a thing, it was like you were a villain if you smoked. And for me, yeah, I went through the depressed phase. I went through the anxiety phase. And what I noticed is that if I smoked a little Cannabis, I was able to be calm and settle down and actually think. It gave me a little equilibrium. Even to this day, I don’t smoke as much as I used to – but when I do, I like to smoke something good in a nice, cozy or private place among friends.

“I'm one of those people that had marijuana charges back in the days … They villainized it back then. Nowadays, it's good to see that we're lowering the drawbridge.”

Bianca turned 33 in January and has spent much of this past winter in deep reflection – asking herself where she has been, where she was, and where she wants to be.

BIANCA CURRIE

“MISS CURRIE,

YOU

LOST

YOUR LEG.”

Those words hit Bianca Currie harder than the vehicle that collided with her in 2017 following a car accident outside of Atlanta, Georgia. The 5-foot-4 fashion model had ventured into the city with friends for a night of summer dancing. She vaguely remembers getting into a twocar accident on her way home along I-20. The last thing she recalls is making a conscious choice to check on the other car’s safety.

BUT AS Bianca attempted to exit her vehicle, she was hit by oncoming traffic – losing a tremendous amount of blood and resulting in her being rushed to Grady Memorial Hospital (GMH), where she was resuscitated on an emergency room table. She was then placed into a medically-induced coma, allowing medical personnel to save her. They were successful, but Bianca’s second chance at life came at a steep price.

“Miss Currie, we had to amputate your left leg.”

Waking from the coma, Bianca was confused. She believed the doctors were asking for permission to amputate.

“I said, ‘NO!’” the fashion model recalled. “I told them, ‘I am going to leave and walk right out of here!’”

She rose from the bed, only to come crashing down to the floor. Life as Bianca had known it would never be the same.

“Oh shit – this is really real,” Bianca recalled thinking as she pushed herself up from the hard ground of the Level 1 Trauma Center.

“I didn’t really comprehend the severity of what was going on,” explained the Jamaican native who immigrated to Boston at the age of eight. “It wasn’t until I got home and saw all my shoes –that’s when I broke down crying.”

Bianca spent six weeks at GMH rehabilitating her body, while struggling to come to grips with her new reality.

“The physical part was easier,” she said. “My body healed so fast. I learned how to walk on the prosthetic leg the first day they gave it to me.”

The mental hurdles of living with one leg have been the hardest. It’s something she continues to deal with and it takes a tremendous amount of courage to push forward each day. Cannabis, she says, has been her saving grace.

Bianca began using Cannabis at the age of 15, but her usage accelerated as an adult. Without therapy, she turned to the plant as an outlet for her stress.

“Five years later, I still haven’t got [therapy],” sighed Bianca. “I’d love to do it if given the opportunity.”

Following the accident, she went to live with her mother in Georgia. Eight months later, she secured her own place, but things still didn’t feel right. Wanting a change of scenery, Bianca returned to the area she spent her formative years – claiming residence in Brockton, Mass. in 2021. She still resides there serving as a customer agent for an electrical company that services National Grid and a variety of other outlets that help power America.

“I smoke a lot,” she said, noting a preference of rolling her own papers or leaves. “If I’m not working, I smoke 10 blunts per day. When I’m at work though, I don’t smoke at all. I don’t even think about smoking.”

Bianca turned 33 in January and has spent much of this past winter

in deep reflection – asking herself where she has been, where she was, and where she wants to be.

“I feel like I’m coming out of a dark place now,” she said. “When I came back to Boston, I was in that dark place. I was isolating myself. I wasn’t able to see eye-to-eye with people. It felt like my vision was blurred.”

Time spent modeling, doing television and serving as an extra in movies had given Bianca dreams of being on the big screen. But that time has come and gone, she says. Her goal now is to inspire the next generation to dream big. Leaning on her experience as a survivor, she has written a children’s book.

“I have a series called ‘Bee Bee Goes to School’ – it’s about a little Black girl who has a prosthetic leg. She’s in school surrounded by other disabled children. I think it can help disabled children be more comfortable with themselves. [The series] is all about validation and inclusion,” said Bianca.

The inspiration for the series comes from her post-accident occupation as an educational counselor. Bianca worked at a preschool for two years until the pandemic shut down the country. During that time, her heart was filled as she led children in sing-a-longs, as well as serving as the orator to their daytime reading.

“Children like to use their imagination,” she said. “They want to read a book they’ll actually enjoy – that they’ll remember. I think for some, mine will do that.”

Bianca still experiences phantom pain in her leg, something that is common in amputees, she said. She also struggles with the fitting of her prosthetic. Even the slightest changes in weight can call for an alteration, which takes up to two months to make.

“If my leg is in good standing, I’m good,” she said. “But if I have pain, that becomes my focus and I’m not good.”

Cannabis helps reduce that inflammation. It also bolsters her creativity, helping her dive deeper into the creative well for the “Bee Bee Goes to School” series.

“When I turned 33, I said this is the year everything changes,” Bianca said. “I’m tired of blaming people [or circumstances]. That chapter is done. This is a new chapter. It’s about realization and taking accountability.”

“If I’m sick or ill, who’s going to do it?” she asked. “It’s all on me. I gotta carry on. I’ve got to pick myself up. I’ve got to give myself a pep talk. I’m trying to help young kids shape the world and make a better tomorrow. So moving forward, I’ve gotta make better decisions – even down to who I surround myself with or who I conversate with. I am doing what I gotta do to better myself.”

The mental hurdles of living with one leg have been the hardest. Cannabis, she says, has been her saving grace.

whitney harmon

The natural world embodied in Whitney Harmon’s glass is an echo of the elements, an ode to the ocean that’s been both an anchor and inspiration all his life.

“I feel like I need water near me to feed my soul,” says Whitney, a native of the Northwest. “The barnacles in my work evolved from my love of beach glass and millefiori slowly coming together over the years. They are made up of many layers of glass – cut off hot, then cold-worked with a rotary bit – before it's all blasted to look like it's from the beach. These have become one of my favorite concepts, as I can apply them to almost any form. It's challenging to accomplish realism in glass – I feel this is as close to it as I have come in my 24 years on the torch!”

Documenting the Cast Away Set was equal parts studio and action shots, with the right time for tide and lighting being essential to the texture of the Birch Bay photo, which photographer Rex Hilsinger describes as “mesmerizing” and “as real to the touch as they look in photos!” Having photographed many of Whitney’s works, Rex says, “His dedication to originality always inspires me to capture images that reflect the story he's trying to tell.”

the Cast Away Set

"The barnacles in my work evolved from my love of beach glass and millefiori slowly coming together over the years."

BEST MENU IN MASS

SPICED &STONED

This May, I’m bringing a little south of the border love with these easy and yummy, infused recipes. I’ve been craving Mexican food a lot and loving the bold, strong flavors. As luck would have it, I was able to find one of my favorite strains – Acapulco Gold – for this month’s recipes. This spectacular blast from my past is a sativa dominant, hard to find, potent plant. And it’s real pretty too.

Rich, spicy and elegant, this hot chocolate is one of our favorite indulgences. And it’s not just for winter – we drink it year round. For extra glam, top it with whipped cream and serve it with a cinnamon stick for stirring.

6 tablespoons dark chocolate hot cocoa mix

1 ½ tablespoons chocolate syrup

2 teaspoons canna butter, at room temperature

2 small pinches of chili powder (optional)

½ cup whole milk, heated until warm

1 ½ cups water, heated until warm

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon or two pinches of cayenne pepper (for garnish)

SERVES 2 | 5MG THC/SERVING

1. In a saucepan, whisk together the cocoa mix, chocolate syrup, canna butter and chili powder, if using, over medium-low heat until the butter has melted and the mix has dissolved.

2. Pour the warmed milk into the pan and whisk until well combined.

3. Pour the warmed water into the pan and whisk to combine. Reduce the heat to low and warm the chocolate until hot, 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Divide the hot chocolate between two mugs, and garnish each mug with 1⁄4 teaspoon cinnamon or cayenne pepper. Serve immediately.

CHORIZO–COTIJA CHEESE QUESADILLAS

2 SERVINGS | 1/2 QUESADILLA PER PERSON

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 green onions (white and green parts), chopped

1 link chorizo, removed from the casing and crumbled (or ¼ cup bulk chorizo)

¼ cup cotija cheese

2 teaspoons canna oil

2 flour tortillas (6-inch)

Sour cream, for serving (optional)

Salsa, for serving (optional)

1. In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.

A quesadilla can be so much more than just melted cheese in a tortilla. This version pairs spicy chorizo with the salt and tang of this Mexican cheese.

2. Add the green onions and chorizo, breaking the sausage up with a spoon into small pieces. Sauté until the onions are tender and all the pink has disappeared from the meat.

3. In a medium bowl, stir together the cheese and canna oil. Add the chorizo mixture and mix thoroughly. Don’t wash skillet.

4. In the same skillet, heat one of the tortillas.

5. Spread the filling across one tortilla, leaving a ¼ inch border around the edges, and place the second tortilla on top.

6. Cook the quesadilla, turning once, until golden brown – 5 to 7 minutes total.

7. Let the quesadilla rest for a few minutes before cutting it in half and serving it with the sour cream and salsa, if using.

GUACAMOLE

MAKES 2 CUPS

½ CUP SERVING

2 large ripe avocados, peeled and seeded

Juice of two medium limes

4 teaspoons canna oil

½ small red onion, diced

¼ cup finely chopped cilantro leaves

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 small tomato, seeded and chopped (optional)

1. In a medium bowl, mash the avocado.

2. Add all the other ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Avocados have tremendous health benefits and they also taste great, especially when made into guacamole. To keep your guac from turning brown, drizzle it with citrus juice and press plastic wrap snugly into its surface (this limits the oxygen exposure that leads to browning).

We like our guacamole chunky, so we mash the avocado only enough to break it up a bit … but you can make yours as smooth as you like.

EDIBLES BY KANEH CO.

Brownies & Blondies

The female-owned, Californiabased Kaneh Co. finds its footing in the Rhode Island Cannabis market with help from Aquidneck Harvest Company – an innovative processing business.

These baked goods are so delicious you can’t have just one.

Sure, a pot brownie is nothing new. But we are somehow pleasantly surprised by this treat, as Kaneh has perfected the classic while keeping it good and simple.

The Peanut Butter Fudge Brownie was first on our must-try list. These little morsels are super cute, and it helps that they come in a convenient, bite-sized square. They smell just like mom’s kitchen after baking and really bring back some brownie nostalgia. While the peanut butter could be stronger and a little more moist, the flavor is undeniably delectable.

The Salted Toffee Blondies were next … and they did not disappoint. With a buttery scent and gorgeous sugary sheen, we couldn’t wait to tuck in! Ultimately, the blondies were incredibly moist, with a soft texture best described as perfect.

Packaged in a plain-but-chic white zipper bag, Kaneh hits every mark for being professional and appetizing. Each piece is 10mg instead of the 5mg typically allowed as the maximum dosage in many states, and they are super easy to eat and even easier to polish off.

We suggest trying one (maybe two), then waiting a while to see how you feel before consuming more – good advice for any Cannabis edible, especially ones this delicious.

“Kaneh hits every mark for being professional

CONCENTRATE BY

DABSCIENCE

Ghost Train Haze Cured Resin Badder

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The extractor behind many of the award-winning concentrates from the state of Massachusetts, DabScience is now bringing its specialized techniques to craft cultivators throughout the state.

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One particularly excellent example of their work is the Ghost Train Haze Cured Resin Badder.

Like many Cannabis consumers, I’m a big fan of the strain – and unsurprisingly, the concentrate doesn’t disappoint. The texture of this live resin badder is beautiful, and while a bit viscous, the right dab tool gets the job done with ease.

Bred by Rare Dankness, Ghost Train Haze (a cross of Ghost OG x Neville’s Wreck) smacks your palate with a burst of pine, lemon and citrus, leaving a lingering hashy taste.

You can pinpoint the legendary OG flavor in this one more than the Haze, but regardless of which way it leans, the unique terpene profile leaves a lasting impression that is instantly recog-

nizable to anyone who has tried it.

Upon consuming this concentrate, I was immediately hit with an eye-watering, heady sensation – alleviating my anxiety and heightening my overall creativity and positivity. A great daytime dab, this live resin badder will bring on waves of strong motivation and euphoria.

Keep an eye out for DabScience Extractions’ concentrates wrapped up in sleek and classy packaging that features the company motto –purity with purpose, potency perfected – emblazoned on the front.

Given the total THCA over 73% and hitting almost 3% terps, the Ghost Train Haze Live Resin Badder is proof they plan on keeping their word.

“A great daytime dab, this live resin badder will bring on waves of strong motivation and euphoria.”

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Reefer Madness Revisited

Since the early days of American cinema coincided with the dawn of Cannabis prohibition, it makes sense that some filmmakers would look to the sensationalized stories of marijuana mayhem and madness portrayed in the “yellow journalism” of the era as inspiration for their films. In the 1930s and ‘40s, a number of low-budget, anti-pot propaganda films were produced that were hysterical in both senses of the word: Originally, they were intended to induce a “hysteria” (overwhelming fear and panic) among the American public about marijuana; in modern times, however, they’re hysterical in the humorous sense due to their campy delivery and absurd exaggerations of the dangers marijuana purportedly posed.

Here’s a look back at history’s most infamous “drugsploitation” flicks.

“MARIHUANA”

The first of the pot propaganda flicks to make it to the big screen in May 1936, “Marihuana” (a.k.a. “Marihuana: The Devil’s Weed,” a.k.a. “Marihuana: The Weed With Roots in Hell”) tells the tale of a high school girl named Burma who’s “led to ruin after befriending a drug dealer who invites her to a party at his beach house.”

After Burma and some other girls get drunk and smoke weed at the party, one ends up drowning while Burma becomes pregnant. After she pressures her boyfriend to marry her, he gets hired by the

dealer to unload some smuggled drugs at the docks and ends up being killed by the cops. Upon hearing the news, Burma runs away from home, has the baby and puts it up for adoption – then becomes a drug dealer herself. After graduating to heroin and becoming a junkie (the classic “gateway drug” theory), she tries to kidnap her sister’s new baby and hold it for ransom, only to find out it’s actually her own.

“Marihuana” was produced by the pulp fiction power couple of Dwain Esper and Hildegarde Stadie. Stadie spent her childhood traveling around the country in a horse-drawn wagon with her opium-addicted uncle – a doctor turned snake oil salesman who shamelessly used her to hawk his cure-all, Tiger Fat (including having a pre-teen Hilde appear in front of customers nude except for a python). In 1920, she married Dwain Esper, a former carnival barker who, in 1932 – despite having no training or experience in filmmaking – began a new career as a movie director after acquiring a small studio in a loan default settlement.

With Hilde as his writer and co-producer (and often in cameo roles), Esper began cranking out outlandish B-movies designed to entice and frighten, including 1933’s “Narcotic” (a tale based loosely on Hilde’s uncle) and 1934’s “Maniac” (a.k.a. “Sex Maniac”). Esper not only side-stepped the Hollywood movie industry and their decency standards, but the theater system itself by forming his own distribution company, Road Show Attractions, in 1936.

The Espers would travel around showing their films in pop-up theaters and tents like a circus sideshow attraction, then hightail it out of town before local law enforcement could slap them with obscenity or indecency charges. This practice led Esper to crown himself the “king of the celluloid gypsies.”

In addition to their own films, the Espers occasionally bought the rights to other low-budget films, which they would then spice up with more sex and drug scenes and re-release under new titles. One such film was the one we’ll examine next—twas the drugsploitation classic, “Reefer Madness.”

“REEFER MADNESS”

Originally entitled “Tell Your Children,” the film that came to be known as “Reefer Madness” was first released on July 12, 1936.

The story begins with a high school principal telling a PTA meeting about a group of students lured by pot pushers to a “reefer house” where they smoke marijuana, become immediately hooked, and begin hallucinating and going mad. Under the influence, they commit various violent crimes, including running over a pedestrian, shooting a teenage girl, beating a man with a stick, attempted rape, and suicide. The film ends with the principal cautioning the parents in the meeting (as well as those watching through the camera lens) that “the next tragedy may be that of your daughter ... or your son ... or yours!”

Profiling pot’s most preposterous propaganda pictures.

Directed by Louis J. Gasnier, the film was financed by a Christian church group to “educate” parents about the supposed dangers of Cannabis. But in 1936, shortly after its release, it was acquired by Esper, who added some salacious new shots (naturally) and screened it on his underground film circuit until the early 1950s under different titles in each region of the country: In the South it remained as “Tell Your Children;” in the West he called it “Doped Youth;” in Pennsylvania and West Virginia it was known as “The Burning Question;” but it was in New England that was given the name it would be remembered by, “Reefer Madness.”

Widely considered one of the worst movies ever made, “Reefer Madness” passed into the public domain and was largely forgotten … that is, until it was rediscovered in the early 1970s by NORML founder Keith Stroup – who began hosting screenings of the absurd propaganda pic at colleges to raise money and interest in the budding legalization movement. Today, it’s the most well-known drugsploitation movie by far.

“ASSASSIN OF YOUTH”

Directed by Elmer Clifton, “Assassin of Youth” (a.k.a. “The Marijuana Menace”) is another “cautionary tale” about a young journalist named Art who’s tasked by his editor to investigate the death of a rich old woman killed in a car crash with a “marijuana-crazed youth.” Posing as a soda jerk, the reporter infiltrates a gang of “dope fiends,” attends their wild parties and falls for the woman’s virtuous granddaughter Joan, who’s set to inherit her fortune. Joan agrees to help him but is framed as a degenerate by her promiscuous, pot-dealing cousin Linda, who drugs her and sets her up in compromising positions to get her disinherited through a “morality clause” in the will. Spoiler alert: Art ends up saving Joan’s reputation at the last minute in a dramatic courtroom scene in which he exposes Linda and her suppliers and reads aloud from his article in which he decries the evils of marijuana, which he calls the “assassin of youth” and the “scourge of our country.”

Released in January 1937, the film shares its name with the infamous anti-pot propaganda article published in The American Magazine in July of that same year – an article written by Federal Bureau of Narcotics director Harry J. Anslinger (see our Oct. 2020 edition). The article details various marijuana-related crimes drawn from Anslinger’s “gore files,” similar to those portrayed in this film. While not as overtly absurd as some of its counterparts, “Assassin” shares their paranoia-inducing purpose – apparently effective, since Anslinger’s Marijuana Tax Act (essentially outlawing Cannabis) was signed into law later that year.

“DEVIL’S HARVEST”

Released in 1942, “Devil’s Harvest” is a lousy gangster movie that uses marijuana as a gimmick to drum up an audience.

Directed by Ray Test, this flick tells the story of Kay O’Farrell – a high school girl who gets sucked into the underworld of organized crime. On the promise of a dancing gig, Kay is lured to a wild party, where gals strip down to their undies to dance and get busy after smoking the “loco weed.” After a brawl breaks out and a girl dies, police question all the “kids” from the party (who all look 40 years old) and manipulate Kay into helping bust the marijuana ring. She’s soon recruited by the racketeer suppliers to dance at their nightclub, where the top mobster Larry falls for her. It ends with a showdown in Larry’s office between him and a rival gangster named “Snuffy,” in which they both end up dead. Through it all, Kay remains bizarrely calm and unaffected by everything going on around her. With its flimsy plot, cheesy dialogue, goofy acting, bad lighting and sloppy editing, “Devil’s Harvest” more than earns its place in the drugsploitation Hall of Shame.

“THE DEVIL’S WEED”

Directed by prolific B-movie maker Sam Newfield (a.k.a. “Sherman Scott”), “The Devil’s Weed” regurgitates the same tired tropes of its predecessors: a dancing girl who gets corrupted by marijuana at a wild party, becomes

romantically involved with her dealer, and ends up in ruin. In this case, it’s an orphan chorus girl named Anne Lester who is pressured by a dealer named Markey into smoking reefer at a “tea party.” After Markey seduces her and gets her hooked, she loses her job and goes to work for him selling “tomatoes.” When her younger brother Bob discovers what’s going on, he – ridiculously – hangs himself. Soon after, Anne is arrested, shown a few druggies and the asylums where they end up, and spends a couple of months in jail before cleaning up her act and helping the cops nail Markey.

Like others in the genre, this movie also had many titles: It was initially released as “Wild Weed” in July 1949 through Eureka Productions and was not well-received (“Never did vice seem so devoid of enchantment.” - NY Times). It was later acquired by Hallmark Productions, who made some changes and re-released it – first, as “The Story of Lila Leeds and Her Exposé of the Marijuana Racket” (more on that in a minute), then later as “She Shoulda Said No!” and “The Devil’s Weed.”

Hallmark had more success with it, thanks to new promotional posters featuring racy photos of its leading lady and some fabricated letters to community leaders claiming it was a public service sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department.

The most interesting thing about this film, however, is that it was purportedly inspired by the life of its lead actress, Lila Leeds. On September 1, 1948, the stunning 20-year-old starlet was busted smoking weed with actor Robert Mitchum in her home, charged with felony narcotics possession and sentenced to 60 days in jail plus five years probation. Unfortunately, the stigma of her arrest led to her being blackballed; broke and desperate, she reluctantly agreed to star in “The Devil’s Weed” – which alas, turned out to be her final role.

After that, her life tragically ended up mirroring those depicted in drugsploitation films: she went to prison, became a heroin addict, was involved in a car accident, had parole violations, and eventually turned to prostitution. All of which shows once again that what truly ruins lives is not using Cannabis, but getting arrested for it.

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

Widely considered one of the worst movies ever made, “Reefer Madness” was largely forgotten … that is, until it was rediscovered in the early 1970s by NORML founder Keith Stroup. Today, it’s the most well-known drugsploitation movie by far.

News clipping of Leeds’ & Mitchum’s conviction.

Mobile billboard advertising “Assassin of Youth” circa 1937.

Publicity photo for “Devil’s Harvest.”

WOC MUSEUM

WOC MUSEUM

WOC MUSEUM

I FEEL LIKE BEING BAD. Therefore, I am going to find a sign on the side of a building that prohibits me from hanging out and purposefully look like I don’t belong. I’ll don a feather boa, sparkly and ridiculously-oversized sunglasses, and a t-shirt that says FUCK CORRUPTION.

I think this is what they mean by NO LOITERING. Because I’ve never used the word ‘loiter’ once. Like, did the government pull this one from the archives of the The Old Farmer’s Almanac or something? I know they say ignorance of the law is not an excuse for breaking it, but are they trying to trick all passers-by by using a Portuguese word?

Maybe I’m being profiled. Maybe dudes who appear to be up to something other than spending money are automatically categorized into the class of ‘loiterers.’ Because I had no intention of loitering until you told me not to. And now that I’ve been offended, I’m going to loiter purposefully.

This is my protest.

I will stand here and not spend money until someone arrests my loitering ass. In fact, I will start a club full of people who do nothing but loiter. I will transform the word loiter into the antithesis of the word lawyer. I will run for office, and my campaign slogan will be MAKE AMERICA LOITER AGAIN.

This is all about freedom, people! We only want to hang out, and they have the audacity to put up a sign that says NO LOITERING. Where the fuck are we supposed to loiter, in the woods? Right next to the sign that says NO LITTERING?

This post-pandemic era of division, isolation and detachment has hit a fever pitch – and loitering is exactly what we need to be doing, you assholes!

So, I’m gonna smoke a joint to calm the nerves.

Hopefully, that too falls into the classification of loitering.

EXTREMELY TASTY & POTENT

Whole bud flower is infused with a proprietary process that combined diamonds, natural botanical terpenes and pure kief all contained within the pre-roll to produce a potent flavor explosion and high THC content for that desired Lift o or couch lock without the mess and burn of a traditional pre-roll.

This product has not been analyzed or approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). There is limited information on the side e ects 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. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. The impairment e ects of Edibles may be delayed by two hours or more. In case of accidental ingestion, contact poison control hotline 1-800-222-1222 or 9-1-1. This product may be illegal outside of MA. Please Consume Responsibly.  For use only by adults 21 years of age or older. Keep out of the reach of children. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product.

NORTHEAST LEAF MAGAZINE

IS PROUD TO PRESENT TWO NEW LEAF BOWL EVENTS

The Leaf Bowl is an impartial, independent competition created by Leaf Magazine to determine the best Cannabis products in each state.

Backed by the integrity of Northeast Leaf, the Leaf Bowl is a Cannabis competition like no other — with transparent judging, scores released in print, and no sponsorships allowed by entering companies.

Don’t miss out on your chance to be crowned a LEAF BOWL CHAMPION!

COMING TO NEW ENGLAND THIS FALL!

BOOTHS, BUNDLES, ENTRY DEALS & LIMITED SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE!

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