EDITOR’S NOTE

THE ENLIGHTENED VOICE

NORTHWEST LEAF / OREGON LEAF / ALASKA LEAF / MARYLAND LEAF / CALIFORNIA LEAF / NORTHEAST LEAF

ABOUT THE COVER

Inspired simultaneously by the vibrant interconnectedness of all life and the battle against generations of systematic oppression and unjust incarceration, Brazilian-born artist Guilherme Lemes incorporated a number of richly colored symbols of the struggle for equality and equity into the art for this month’s cover. “If you’re going to plant a seed, you need your hands,” he said. “So, the future is in your hands. That is the feeling I had when I made this cover. … Let’s use our hands to build a good future from this point.” Read more about Lemes’ work on pg. 56.

ILLUSTRATION by GUILHERME LEMES @GUILEEMES

PUBLISHER

WES ABNEY | FOUNDER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

WES@LEAFMAGAZINES.COM MANAGING EDITOR

MIKE RICKER | OPERATING PARTNER

RICKER@LEAFMAGAZINES.COM 206-229-WORD CREATIVE DIRECTOR

DANIEL BERMAN | VISUALS & DESIGN

DANIEL@LEAFMAGAZINES.COM CONTRIBUTORS

BOBBY BLACK, FEATURES JOSHUA BOULET, ILLUSTRATION TOM BOWERS, FEATURES EARLY, PRODUCTION STEVE ELLIOTT, NATIONAL NEWS TJ GAGNIER, REVIEWS JEREMY JOHNSON, PHOTOS HOWARD LAO, PHOTOS GUILHERME LEMES, ILLUSTRATION BAXSEN PAINE, FEATURES JEFF PORTERFIELD, DESIGN MIKE RICKER, FEATURES MEGHAN RIDLEY, EDITING TERPENE TRANSIT, DISTRIBUTION JAMIE VICTOR, ILLUSTRATION JERRY WHITING, FEATURES

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WES ABNEY Editor’s Note

Thanks for picking up The Equality Issue of the Leaf!

WHEN I BEGAN publishing the Leaf in 2010, my mission and hope was to help shape an environment in which Cannabis users could feel equal to the rest of society. To no longer be shamed or risk arrest or worse, for using a medicine or recreational substance that’s safer than alcohol. Now, over 11 years into this publishing journey, we ask the question with this annual issue: What is equality when it comes to Cannabis?

Google defines equality as “the state of being equal, especially in status, rights and opportunities.” But how does this concept play out in the real world, where 100 years of the War on Drugs has torn apart lives and communities? What does an equal future for Cannabis look like? What used to be my simple answer of decriminalize and legalize for equality, has become so much more complex as the Cannabis industry and movement has grown from protests into a multi-billion dollar industry.

Knowing that we don’t have the exact answer to this question, we took to the proverbial streets to ask heritage activists, influencers and stakeholders from around the country to explain what equality means to them in our Community Voices piece. This beautiful collection of thoughts can be found in our special section of this issue, and you can dive even deeper with complete answers to the full range of questions we couldn’t fit in print at leafmagazines.com.

Our goal in sharing these voices is to start a conversation and inspire you, our readers, to do the same. This can be small – talking to a community member, family or coworker about your benefits from medicinal or recreational Cannabis, to signing a petition or volunteering with a local Cannabis organization.

For Cannabis as a plant, as well as our movement, to be viewed as equal, we must come together and be seen as unified in our beautiful, diverse and passionate community.

I hope that this issue and the voices shared within will inspire you to take action, and give us pause to appreciate all the sacrifices that have been made so that we can all enjoy our plant without fear. OUR GOAL IN SHARING THESE VOICES IS TO START A CONVERSATION AND INSPIRE YOU, OUR READERS, TO DO THE SAME. leafmagazines.com -Wes Abney AUG. 2021

DOT COM

WE ARE ONE

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