Aug. 2022 - NW Leaf

THE ENLIGHTENED VOICE

#146 | AUG. 2022

THE PSYCHEDELIA ISSUE COVER ART BY ALEX GREY & ALLYSON GREY EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW INSIDE F RE E / L E A F M AGA Z I N E S . COM

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#146

RICKY WILLIAMS : A WIDE-RANGING CHAT WITH THE FORMER NFL STAR

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HIG SMAN

THE PSYCHEDELIA ISSUE

PODCAST

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58 THE MUSHROOM RABBI

A CONGREGATION GETS TRIPPY

APEX CANNABIS

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CANNTHROPOLOGY TIMOTHY LEARY AL MY

S E P H O R A P U M ’ CA O B R A , T H E S A C R E D T R I B E

28 SHOP REVIEW

“FLE S H O F T HE GOD S” BY ALE X G R E,Y2021

THE LEAF’S EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH VISIONARY ART POWER COUPLE ALEX GREY & ALLYSON GREY

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EDITOR’S NOTE NATIONAL NEWS HEMP INDUSTRY RICKY WILLIAMS CONSCIOUSNESS COUTURE BUDTENDER Q&A SHOP REVIEW EDIBLE OF THE MONTH CONCENTRATE OF THE MONTH STRAIN OF THE MONTH TRANSCENDENT ART STONED APE THEORY INSIDE INNERTREK MUSHROOM RABBI SACRED FRUITS OUTLAW FILMMAKER END OF LIFE PSYCHEDELICS CANNTHROPOLOGY STONEY BALONEY

O U T S I D E A RT W O R K

STONED APE THEORY DID HUMANS EVOLVE THROUGH CONSUMPTION OF PSYCHEDELICS?

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 EVER SINCE THE LEAF first started doing a Psychedelia Issue, whenever we discussed who should be interviewed or featured on the cover, one name has always topped our wish list: Alex Grey. Alex and his wife Allyson are, in our minds, the greatest visionary artists alive today—and anyone who’s seen their work up close (especially under the influence of entheogens!) knows why.

The custom image the Greys crafted for our cover is actually a mash-up of two works of art: Alex’s “CannaFist” and Allyson’s “New Order 2.” We are honored to have their sensational art gracing our cover and to have an exclusive interview with them inside. Thanks to Alex, Allyson, and their entire team for sharing their genius with us.

ART by ALEX GREY & ALLYSON GREY @ALEXGREYCOSM | @ALLYSONGREYCOSM

WES ABNEY C E O & F O U N D E R wes@leafmagazines.com

CONTRIBUTORS

MIKE RICKER O P E R AT I N G PA R T N E R ricker@leafmagazines.com | advertising sales

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 O’HARA SHIPE O N L I N E E D I T O R ohara@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 EARLY, PRODUCTION STEVE ELLIOTT, NATIONAL NEWS ALEX GREY, ILLUSTRATION ALLYSON GREY, ILLUSTRATION YOUNG KWAK, PHOTOS OUTSIDE ARTWORK, ILLUSTRATION JEFF PORTERFIELD DESIGN JESSE RAMIREZ, DESIGN MIKE RICKER, FEATURES MEGHAN RIDLEY, EDITING ZACK RUSKIN, FEATURES TERPENE TRANSIT, DISTRIBUTION JAMIE VICTOR, DESIGN DAN VINKOVETSKY, FEATURES NATE WILLIAMS, FEATURES JERRY WHITING, FEATURES

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Editor’s Note Thanks for picking up the Psychedelia Issue of the Leaf!

While I didn’t listen to my DARE instructors about Cannabis, or a few other fun substances in college, one warning I always believed in through my college years was to beware of psychedelics. We had all heard the stories of the friend who took 10 hits of acid and wasn’t the same, or the horror stories of eating the wrong mushroom and dying. To be fair, these are true warnings – and I took them seriously until one fateful winter night.

I’d finally decided to indulge in magic mushrooms, and unknowingly ate about three grams of blue-tinged caps (this was before identification of mushrooms or weed strains was common) and proceeded to have an epic melt at a house party. I don’t remember much, except for walking around a house with a container of Quaker Oatmeal, repeatedly asking people, “Why is the Quaker Oats man so happy?” I also reportedly ate a lot of raw oats.

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Needless to say, this wasn’t my idea of a typical college party night and I went back to my weed smoking ways for nearly a decade, with the memory of eating too many mushrooms burned into my brain as a powerful warning against psychedelics.

Fast forward to my 29th birthday and I had tickets to see the Terracotta Warriors Exhibit at the Seattle Science Center on Friday, and chose to indulge in a little LSD at the suggestion of close friends. Standing in the immersive Augmented Reality exhibit with amazing color-changing, motion-triggered exhibits while in the presence of the 2,250-plus-year-old warriors gave me a feeling of connection unlike anything I’d ever felt. It was transcendental, and I knew in that moment I would have a new relationship with psychedelics. I felt connected to the past and present in a whole new way, which was heightened by the presence of ancient talismans meant to protect the Chinese Emperor in the afterlife. The experience changed my frame of reference in many ways, especially in regards to opening my mind and consciousness to new experiences.

I HOPE MY WORDS CAN INSPIRE THOSE WITH FEAR ABOUT PSYCHEDELICS (OR LIFE ITSELF) TO EXPLORE, LEARN AND LIVE IN THE MOMENT.

Since that fateful trip I’ve had the pleasure of unlearning the DARE propaganda, and also ignoring the wooks at festivals offering drugs – instead finding a happy medium between research and controlled experiences, with much intention into the set, setting and those around me as I opened my mind with psilocybin, LSD and DMT in ceremonies that have had major benefit in my life. I went from scared to take a substance (for many good reasons) to being scared not to challenge my own frame of reference while confronting the issue of consciousness and my place in the universe. Today, that fear is what drives me to explore the final frontier of psychedelic therapies and substances.

Over 2,000 years ago, Socrates famously said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” I believe that wholeheartedly, and that the use of entheogenic plants is a way to explore one’s life in a way that should be part of everyone’s life experience. We have but a short time on this planet, and finding peace and meaning within the journey will help us to find peace when we reach the destination. While I don’t plan to go out like Aldous Huxley, I have learned from his writings and plan to be in a happy place when my brain releases DMT for the final time, as I pass into the great beyond. On that note, check out Dan Vinkovetsky’s piece on the use of psychedelics for easing fears at the end of one’s life, page 40-41.

I hope my words can inspire those with fear about psychedelics (or life itself) to explore, learn and live in the moment – and that this amazing Psychedelia Issue put together by our amazing Leaf team can be an inspiration and guide to your future experiences. Thanks for reading, and please share the Leaf!

-Wes Abney AUG. 2022

ON

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N O RT H E AS T L E A F

MIDWEST

cannabis NEWS

WEIRD

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MAN LEAVES COURTHOUSE AFTER WEED CHARGES, GETS BUSTED MOMENTS LATER AGAIN WITH 70 LBS

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ves Duboc tried leaving a Massachusetts courthouse in July with 70 pounds of marijuana after appearing in court for Cannabis offenses.

Duboc, 43, of Biddeford, Maine, appeared in Newburyport District Court for driving without a license and illegal marijuana possession on June 29.

Authorities released Yves under the condition that he didn’t drive until he got his Maine driver’s license. That license was already suspended.

As he left the courthouse, a Massachusetts State Police trooper watched him get into a Toyota SUV with a Florida license plate and drive off. The trooper promptly pulled Duboc over and arrested him for driving without a license, according to state police.

After handcuffing Duboc and putting him in the back of the police cruiser, the trooper searched the SUV. While Troopers reportedly found 70 pounds of marijuana searching, the trooper found a total of 70 pounds of and 20 pounds of extract in the car. marijuana and 20 pounds of marijuana extract.

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THC EDIBLES AND DRINKS NOW LEGAL IN MINNESOTA

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innesota is a real oddity in the world of Cannabis. The North Star State on July 1 became the only state to allow adult-use THC-infused edibles and drinks – without legalizing marijuana itself.

State residents 21 and older are now able to legally purchase edibles and beverages that contain THC, with the new law permitting the products to contain up to 5mg of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) per serving and 50mg per package.

A 5mg THC edible can cause a high feeling for first-time users, but people accustomed to marijuana often require a larger dose to feel the effect. In most states where adult-use marijuana is legal, 10mg is considered a ”serving.” Weed devotees and medical marijuana patients, however, often prefer much higher doses – even measured in the hundreds of milligrams.

THC products in Minnesota must be derived from legally-certified hemp, which contains trace amounts of the psychoactive compound, according to the law. But THC will produce the same effect whether it’s derived from hemp or marijuana.

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POLITICS

HEALTH & SCIENCE

SENATE DEMS TO INTRODUCE FEDERAL LEGALIZATION BILL

TRUCKING STUDY: LEGAL MARIJUANA MEANS SAFER ROADS

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enate Democrats plan to introduce a bill to decriminalize marijuana at the federal level. The legislation faces long odds in the evenly divided chamber due to the opposition of Senate Republicans.

Majority Leader Chuck Schumer worked with Senators Cory Booker of New Jersey and Ron Wyden of Oregon on the measure.

The senators circulated a draft of the bill last year and made tweaks after feedback from Senate committees.

The Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act would remove marijuana from the list of drugs covered by the federal Controlled Substances Act. States, unfortunately, can still maintain and create prohibitions on the production and distribution of marijuana.

The Cannabis Administration and The legislation Opportunity Act would remove faces a steep marijuana from the list of drugs. climb in the Senate, where 60 votes are required to pass most meaningful bills. Most Republicans and a few Democrats, including Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Jon Tester, have opposed decriminalizing marijuana.

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t’s the first study ever on the impact of Cannabis legalization upon the trucking industry. And, guess what? It’s good news.

A group of researchers from the University of Tennessee, University of Arkansas and Iowa State University found adult-use marijuana legalization actually reduced heavy truck accidents by 11% in the eight states studied. Six of the eight saw a decrease in truck accidents; just two saw increases. (The study is a preprint, meaning it hasn’t undergone peer review yet.)

“We’re not saying definitively that legalization will reduce trucking accidents, but there is some evidence that legalization across the board doesn’t necessarily increase accidents,” said Iowa State University Assistant Professor Jonathan Phares. “There are reasons why accidents could decrease as a result of legalization.”

Quoted

“The Russian public has to know, and the Russian court in the first place has to know, that it was not used for recreational purposes in the United States.

It was prescribed by a doctor.” -Alexander Boykov, a defense attorney for WNBA star Brittney Griner, who has been detained in Russia since February 2022 when she traveled with Cannabis vape cartridges in her luggage ahead of a basketball tournament there.

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

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EXPERT OPINION

HEMP INDUSTRY

I cringe when I hear the phrase “minor cannabinoids.” I truly believe that all of the cannabinoids matter. Their influence may not be equal to CBD, but many of the chemicals the plant makes are bioactive in very small amounts.

Consider this: The standard lab test measures only 12 cannabinoids and 9 terpenes. These 21 components are but a fraction of what we know hemp makes. We don’t even know what “minor cannabinoids” are in a given sample. BTW, the standard lab test doesn’t measure other chemicals like flavonoids, anthocyanins, fatty acids, esthers, etc. Don’t forget, these chemicals contribute to the Entourage Effect too.

If different plants make different mixtures of chemicals, there must be a plant or two that works for you but not for me. The more you know about which products work or don’t work for you, the more precise your shopping choices will be. Taking it a step further, you want as many choices as possible. This means hemp farmers need to grow unique crops with one-of-a-kind chemical profiles. They don’t need to grow a lot of it (quantity), but rather, grow something the market doesn’t offer but consumers want/need (quality).

Farmers are you listening? Don’t grow bulk biomass of Cherry Wine, Elektra or Special Sauce. If your neighbor is growing it, think twice before planting any yourself.

Heard about a new “minor cannabinoid” that sounds promising? Search for seeds or clones and read the COA from the breeder or distributor. Do your homework and plant several outliers. Pheno hunt, breed, and keep fastidious notes.

As more chemovars (combinations of cannabinoids and terpenes) If Product A and Product I CRINGE WHEN I HEAR become available, low B both have 11% CBD, quality biomass will THE PHRASE “MINOR that doesn’t mean they continue to lose market deliver the same benefits CANNABINOIDS.” I TRULY value. Outliers have value if one has more terpenes they’re rare with BELIEVE THAT ALL OF THE because than the other. Don’t forget untapped potential. My CANNABINOIDS MATTER. hunch is that successful the Entourage Effect: the principle that all of the farms will be the ones chemical compounds act together to deliver a that grow unique cultivars. In the not more nuanced effect. too distant future, some patients and If terpenes like linalool and myrcene color retail outlets will resemble compounding the effect of CBD, let’s talk about the other herbalists. It all begins with hemp farmers cannabinoids produced by the plant. Legally, and the plants they grow. hemp can’t have more than 0.3% THC – but Growing smaller amounts of quality if Product B has 0.25% THC, it will have a cultivars that have unique chemical different effect from Product A that’s all CBD composition will help you to stand out and nothing else. The Entourage Effect at work from the crowd. Small family farms, are again. you listening?

HEMP:

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THE CHEMICAL FACTORY If I SAY “HEMP,” you might immediately think “CBD.” Am I right? Over the last few years, CBD made from hemp has made its way into countless products used by millions of Americans. We can all agree that hemp has gone mainstream. True, but what we’re seeing and buying is only the tip of the iceberg. Why? Because hemp has the potential to make different kinds of plant-based medicine.

PHOTO BY ADOBE

LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

Jerry Whiting

Please don’t get me wrong: Lots of people have found relief from pain and other disorders by using CBD. People are beginning to make their buying decisions based on more than just how much CBD a particular product has.

Terpenes are a prime example.

AUG. 2022

EXCLUSIVE COLUMN by JERRY WHITING for LEAF NATION // LeBlancCNE.com/podcast

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There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. For use only by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of the reach of children.

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higher standards

20

A mind-expanding conversation with former NFL superstar Ricky Williams

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EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, AN INTERVIEW CREEPS UP IN YOUR BLIND SPOT AND ABSOLUTELY FLOORS YOU BEFORE YOU CAN EVEN HEAR THE FOOTSTEPS. I should have seen it coming when, as I was emailing a representative for Errick Miron – formerly known as NFL legend Ricky Williams – she asked me for the place, date and time of my birth. After all, it’s not every day one of the best running backs in history pulls your astrological chart before you link up to talk about weed and psychedelics.

As the co-founder of Highsman, a multistate Cannabis company built with hopes of inspiring people to be their best selves, Miron brings wisdom and poignant experience to the discourse around Cannabis, entheogenic medicine, and internal versus external identity. Miron discussed his history with the plant, his personal journey of self-discovery, astrology and his goals for the future of his company.

aug. 2022

ON HIGHSMAN, CANNABIS AND ATHLETICS:

ON HIS JOURNEY WITH CANNABIS:

“Our tagline at Highsman is ‘Spark greatness.’ This ritual of lighting up, and ‘What problem, what issue, internal, external, am I going to go after?’ It’s funny; we punish and we ridicule athletes when they get in trouble for consuming, but we don’t ever ask ‘Why are they consuming?’ or ‘What are they doing when they’re consuming?’ The nature of an athlete is that we have opponents, problems, skills – we have these things we have to constantly work toward. For me, when I used Cannabis, I didn’t change. I didn’t just become a different person. It just gave me more breath, and more space, and more insight in which to think about and attack the problems and the issues that were showing up in my life. And I found that extremely useful. There wasn’t anyone in my personal circle or around me that was talking to me about Cannabis in that way, so I had to learn the hard way. The really hard way. So a big part of telling my story and getting this brand out is so people have access to these ideas, and ways to think about and use Cannabis and other psychedelics and entheogens.”

“I came back my senior year to try to get the Heisman Trophy … The season starts off kind of rough. We have a couple of rough games, my girlfriend leaves me and starts dating the quarterback on our team. I was having a really rough couple of weeks. My roommate’s like, ‘Dude, you just need to chill.’ So he brought out his little bong and had me take a couple of hits, and that was the first time I experienced what I would call the therapeutic effect.

Because I was in a bad place. Mentally, my mind was taking me to a really dark place, and I remember smoking that night and laying on my bed, and it was the first night in weeks that I wasn’t obsessing about the girl and the performance, and that cleared some space. And then I started thinking about the future, and thinking about how I was going to bounce back, and how I was going to handle the next week and get myself right. I ended up having back-to-back 300-yard rushing games. That’s, like, some kind of record. I do attribute Cannabis with helping me get my mind to a different place, so I could get myself to a different place. After that, I started to realize, ‘This is useful.’ Even that reflective state of mind, where I had the desire to understand what was going on – that became something more appealing to me.”

ON TAKING RISKS FOR GREATNESS, AND HOW THAT INSPIRED THE CREATION OF HIGHSMAN:

My experience is that it’s a tool, you know?

It’s a useful tool. And it’s something that I’m always thinking about – how to grow and how to become a better person – and really what that means is how to become more of myself. And I’ve realized the experiences I have in the world, they trigger internal things for me to learn about myself. So I go out in the world, and I experience the things that trigger stuff up in me, and I consume Cannabis and I sit with what’s up. In that process, I get to really learn about myself, so the next day when I go out into the world, I can be a more authentic version of myself because I’ve learned more about myself.

I’ve found it’s just a great tool to facilitate that cycle of growth and development. I t’s been a necessity, because early in life, I struggled with the conflict between my external responsibilities and who I was supposed to be, and how it felt to me. And I think that through this process, I’ve learned to lean into going out, and coming in – you know, the breath of life.”

“When I came back for my senior year (instead of going into the NFL draft), people told me I was crazy. I was risking getting hurt and all of this stuff, because my junior year I led the nation in rushing and scoring. I would have been a top five pick. But I came back because I wanted to win the Heisman Trophy. I thought, ‘There’s very few people who even have the opportunity, let alone the opportunity to be the front runner. … It was obvious that it wasn’t a given, but I was like, ‘I’m this close, why not take a shot?’ It was the Heisman Trophy, and also I was really close to being the all-time leading rusher in college football history. These big dreams that people would remember me by. Or I could just be a really good college running back who went to the NFL. It was a choice. Greatness, or pretty good and keep it ON NON-CANNABIS movin’. And I couldn’t resist going for it. That ENTHEOGENS AND THEIR requires the ability to RELATIONSHIP TO THE PLANT: dream. … For me, I saw this opportunity to go for “I can’t honestly say there it. I put all my eggs in are other things that I look one basket and I said I’m forward to, or that I move going for it. The season towards. For me, it’s more “I ended up having started and it didn’t start like, when the medicine calls, well. Things went to shit.

I listen. But it’s not something back-to-back 300-yard I lost that imaginative that I seek out. I feel like rushing games. That’s, state. And that’s when Cannabis is that daily tool – I found Cannabis as like, some kind of record. the tool you use on a daily medicine, and it helped basis like brushing your teeth.

I do attribute Cannabis reengage. It helped me You’ve gotta floss and brush with helping me get my lift out of that, and do your teeth on a more or less the impossible. I broke mind to a different place, regular basis. Right? That’s all the records, I won the maintenance. But then so I could get myself to a just Heisman, I did all of it! every six months, you go in for different place. After that, the cleaning. You’ve got that And Cannabis helped me. That’s the story, and I started to realize, ‘This is pick, and you get that deeper it’s not just sports – it’s I feel like on those useful.’ Even that reflective cleaning. anyone. Going for it. kinds of regular intervals that state of mind, where I had the more powerful medicine Taking your shot. What do you really want to calls.” the desire to understand accomplish with your “It’s interesting, the connecwhat was going on – that life? Because as you go tion between what I’m calling and try to accomplish became something more more powerful medicine and it, there’s gonna be obmore potent medicine and appealing to me.” stacles. There are gonna Cannabis. A lot of times, I’ve be things that knock you noticed people, when they try down. And you’ve gotta have a set of tools where and consume Cannabis, a lot of anxiety and you can transform those obstacles into fodder to help fear, and a lot of things come up for them. A you grow and achieve what you’re capable of. really powerful, nice dose of psilocybin can help them in a more intense way release some ON THE ROLE OF CANNABIS IN HELPING things, so then as they consume Cannabis, there’s more space there. They’ve cleaned some HIM LEARN MORE ABOUT HIMSELF, AND things out. It’s like when you let the garage get WHO HE WANTS TO BE: really, really messy, and then you try to sweep it, and it’s like, ‘This isn’t doing anything! I have to “I know that’s why it’s a part of my life. The story that devote my whole day to the garage!’ Right? And I was told is that it’s a drug, and it’s a problem.

you go through it. Then, once you clean and you sweep, it’s like, ‘Ah, it feels good.’”

ON CHOOSING CANNABIS REGARDLESS OF THE RULES: “There’s a funny quote that comes out every 4/20 – it’s a quote from me and it says, ‘I got high and forgot I wasn’t supposed to get high.’

There was this thing where the biggest issue in my life became these drug tests, and the potential harm that might come. That became the biggest stressor in my life. And sometimes in order to not think about that, yeah, I smoked a little bit. In my imagination, I lived in a world where I wasn’t being piss-tested all the time.

And I needed that feeling, and feeling like I’m not a criminal in order to maintain some kind of sanity. It was frustrating, but it led me on this journey. It forced me to make decisions about what was important to me. We talk about mental health, but if we look at the choices that people make in their lives, they keep choosing to do things that aren’t good for their mental health. And we have all these reasons and justifications. I was just someone who said, ‘I really am going to value my mental health.’

What does that mean? I’m gonna ask myself, ‘Does this feel good to me?’ I think as a football player, so much of the training was ‘it doesn’t matter.’ We still have to score touchdowns. If it hurts, all the better. My training was one way, and Cannabis really helped me create that balance, and realize that I gotta learn to listen to myself and take care of myself, and do what feels good to me – regardless of what the external world thinks.”

ON PLANS TO EXPAND HIGHSMAN’S GOALS TO INCLUDE PSILOCYBIN AND OTHER ENTHEOGENIC TOOLS: (Highsman) is really all of it. I’m wrestling with the guys, but eventually we’re gonna find a way to squeak a little astrology in here. Because it really is about tools to help people achieve their greatness – not by chasing something externally – but from understanding internally what you are truly capable of. So, for us, really, Highsman is about anything. It’s a lifestyle. … To me, it’s more about, if you’re constantly – thinking about how you can be more yourself, how you can be more creative, then all the choices you make are going to be feeding and supporting that idea.”

HIGHSMAN.COM | @HIGHSMAN

STORY by TOM BOWERS @CANNABOMBTOM/LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by HIGHSMAN

COMPANY PROFILE

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AUG. 2022

THE EXPLOSION OF INTEREST in psychedelics and plant medicine has also captured the fashion world’s attention. As this once underground movement begins to find its footing in the mainstream, people naturally want to express their lifestyle in their clothes.

First relegated to thrift shops, dead stock or small runs through independent designers, today, you can find clothes with melting mushrooms and Cannabis leaf symbols on the racks of major retailers like Nordstrom and Urban Outfitters. But higher up in the clothing world, above the realms of vintage and fast fashion, a handful of forwardthinking design houses are leading as examples of not just fashion, but culture.

One such model is CRTFD.

BLUE AND WHITE PLANT PATTERN ISLAND SHIRT AND SLACKER SHORTS.

Launched in 2019 and based in Los Angeles, CRTFD calls itself a “true plant medicine lifestyle brand.” A collective inspired by global subcultures and the urban hippie aesthetic of California, it’s centered on the principles of authentic, creative expression, plant medicine and counterculture.

Initially from the world of Cannabis, their CEO and Creative Director, Seti, has overseen the brand since its premiere at Paris Fashion Week in 2020. This label is his mission to create “high-quality garments with an affinity for lifestyle aesthetics that speak to what I love.”

You may have read about them recently after they opened a Cannabis lounge outpost in Barcelona, where they intend to introduce the European market to more West Coast-inspired art and fashion. These latest collections feature comfortable, upscale pieces that reference psychedelic imagery, often repurposed or reimagined, and paired with thoughts and memories of a questioned reality. If that all sounds a bit trippy, that’s the intention.

ARMY GREEN “HERBAL HEALING” TEE.

COURTESY OF CRTFD

Sustainability is anBLACK “PSYCHEDELIC other significant concern THERAPY” TEE (FRONT). for Seti and the team at CRTFD. Through fashion, CRTFD wants to highlight the thought-provoking imagery of plant medicine and the practices and guidance around it. Most of their Spring/Summer 2022 items are made of recycled cotton and vintage/deadstock fabrics, and emblazoned with messages like “we are all cosmic beings” and “elemental healing.”

These efforts extend beyond the reach of just the clothing. Their sister company, Mycosymbiotics, has a long C R T F D WA N T S T O H I G H L I G H T T H E and respected history of T H O U G H T- P R O V O K I N G I M A G E RY O F searching PLANT MEDICINE AND THE PRACTICES the wilds of the U.S. to A N D G U I D A N C E A R O U N D I T. catalog the seemingly endless varieties of medicinal and edible mushrooms. A strong proponent of plant culture, it has worked closely with makers, artists and creators to highlight education in new and evolving ways.

This strong bond between a fashion label and a decentralized citizen research effort might seem odd. Still, it only exemplifies that shared mission to bring together a community of like-minded people and how we’re genuinely stronger together. At their cores, CRTFD and Mycosymbiotics are bonded by a desire to build and design systems to activate our higher consciousness – a shared passion expressed through their third face, the PRG. The Psychedelic Research Group (or PRG) represents “psychedelic warriors” – thinkers who gather on the edge of the wilderness to experience expansions of consciousness together. Randomly timed based on energy, these invitational excursions are all about trust and acceptance in the healing journey CONNECT of psychedelics.

WITH CRTFD CRTFD.COM | @CRTFD Participants must be willing to make space for change, activate their higher self, and pay homage to those individuals who use psychedelics to evolve and awaken their conscious selves.

Each of these parts – fashion (CRTFD), plant education (Mycosymbiotics) and life experience (PRG) – make up a grand mycorrhizal network connecting different parts of our cultural ecosystem. It makes CRTFD one of the fashion houses creating clothing that aligns with their values and aesthetics, proudly displaying a joy for the benefits plants bring into our lives – and not just trying to cash in on an awakening.

STORY by MATT JACKSON @ACTIONMATTJACKSON for CALIFORNIA LEAF | PHOTOS & MODELING by EMILY EIZEN @EMILYEIZEN

THE PSYCHEDELIA THE TRAVEL ISSUE ISSUE interview

W H O ’ S Y O U R FAV O R I T E B U D T E N D E R ? T E L L U S W H Y ! E M A I L N O M I N A T I O N S T O R I C K E R @ L E A F M A G A Z I N E S . C O M

He’s a passionate sports fan who is into coaching baseball.

And if you can’t find him at the shop or on the field, he’s probably hanging with his besties – his dogs and kitten.

YOU SPENT 10 YEARS AS A PROFESSIONAL VALET BEFORE YOU GOT INTO CANNABIS. WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO CHANGE GIGS?

I just wanted to get out of that industry because it can be stressful dealing with high-end vehicles. I was already spending a lot of money on weed and the Cannabis industry appeared to be a more chill environment and community.

WHAT WAS IT LIKE DOING VALET? We did a lot of events and

Zack Reasor

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LEAFMAGAZINES.COM LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

N O RT H W E S T L E A F BUDTENDER OF THE MONTH

“GOOD PEOPLE SKILLS ARE A MUST WHEN BUDTENDING.” KUSH21 BURIEN

17730 AMBAUM BLVD S UNIT D SEATTLE, WA KUSH21.COM | @KUSH21WA OPEN 8AM-11:30PM DAILY | (206) 402-6955

AUG.2022 MAY aug.

2022

private stuff. We worked with the Seahawks at their training camp and their Christmas parties. I got really good at finding parking spaces in Downtown Seattle.

DID YOU EVER DRIVE STONED?

On the record, no. Allegedly, it may be possible that some drivers who look like me might have used Cannabis pretty much every day on every drive, but I wouldn’t know anything about that. Cannabis helps you deal with pressure and new hires and stuff.

Oftentimes, we had to deal with people from different countries with foreign dialects and it’s not always easy to keep your cool when their customer service practices aren’t the same as ours. I did enjoy meeting people from all over the world, though.

HOW HAS THIS EXPERIENCE TURNED INTO GOOD PRACTICES AT THE GREAT KUSH 21? Good

people skills are a must when budtending, so it prepared me for that. In the valet business, you’ve got to know how to deal with conflicts and resolutions, and you can’t reciprocate those emotions when people are frustrated. It is a lot easier dealing with people who just want to find some good bud.

IF YOU WERE TO GO BACK TO THE VALET BIZ, WOULD IT BE YOUR ULTIMATE GOAL TO LEGALLY DRIVE A HIGH-END BUS FULL OF STONERS? Never thought

of that. In fact, nothing could get me back into that business (laughs).

STORY

by AUTHOR @INSTAGRAM PHOTO by PHOTOG@BERMANPHOTOS @INSTAGRAM INTERVIEW by MIKE RICKER @RICKERDJ | PHOTO by|DANIEL BERMAN

shop review

“MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR SEPTEMBER BECAUSE APEX IS PLANNING A SUPER SIXTH BIRTHDAY PARTY. IT’S ONE OF THE FOUR SUMMIT SALES AND INCLUDES SOME OF THE DEEPEST DISCOUNTS CUSTOMERS WILL SEE ALL YEAR.”

SPOKANE

APEX CANNABIS

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AUG. 2022

PEAK PERFORMANCE S TA F F PICKS

FLOWERS Blue Roots Trainwreck – Billy Sub-X Sinmintz – Jadeyn Good Earth Wedding Cake – Kristen Lilac City Sour Berry – Natalie

Joints GLW Pink Taco – Alyssa Lifted Sugarstick – Katt Legit Live Resin Ice Cream Cake – Tyler Legendary Pineapple Fruz – Kristen

CARTS VIP TREATMENT SURE, it’s the standard procedure for compliance, but you can’t help but feel special when an Apex Cannabis employee lifts a velvet cordon upon the obligatory ID check. That’s how they do things here – with a touch of class. It’s about offering a better experience in every aspect of the operation, while simultaneously providing an amazing selection at the right price. And check out all the colorful packaging!

IT’S PERSONAL TEN YEARS AGO, co-owner Stacey Peterson knew absolutely nothing about the plant. Then her father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer – the same condition that previously claimed her fatherin-law’s life. Armed with a purpose, she visited a medical dispensary and began her education, which she shared with her dad as he was adamant about not wanting to smoke (hello, Volcano vaporizer.). And wouldn’t you know, he lived for another 10 years! In the process, she and her husband, co-owner Troy Peterson, learned about Cannabis as a business opportunity and ventured into opening the first Apex shops in Moses Lake and Otis Orchards. Two years later, they opened the Spokane shop, which you are experiencing now.

CANNABIS CLASS

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION!

FORMERLY a furniture warehouse, the redesign offers a warm but industrial feel featuring original timber reinforced with steel beams. And if you’ve never heard the term “pretty security” before, you have now – as the windows are covered with artisticallycut sheet metal that lets the light in, while keeping intruders away from the stash (so there’s more for you to choose from). And for you medical patients: Consider getting comfortable at the handmade tables and chairs while getting first-rate consultation from medically-certified budtenders. Oh, and next door is Apex Cannagear – with plenty of glassware, vape tools and even hemp-based CBD products for all that ails.

MARK YOUR calendars for September because Apex is planning a Super Sixth Birthday Party. It’s one of the four Summit Sales and includes some of the deepest discounts customers will see all year (the other sales are 4/20, Black Friday and Valentine’s Day). Look for whopping savings across the board and a good time had by all!

Cold Smoke Do Si Dos – Jadeyn Avitas Agent Orange – Billy Equinox Gardens Pineapple Upside Down Cake – Natalie Two Heads Sour Apricot – Katt

DABS Solstice Pineapple Thai - Billy Lilac City Mimosa – Jadeyn Trichome Mango – Kristen Cold Smoke Roasted Garlic Margy – Tyler

EDIBLES Constellation Pink Lemonade – Natalie HONU Turtles - Kristen Pioneer Squares Black and Blueberry – Alyssa Ceres Dragonballs – Katt

SPOKANE

1325 N. DIVISION SUITE 104, SPOKANE, WA (509) 443-4654 | APEXCANNABIS.COM | @APEX_SPOKANE OPEN 8AM-11PM MON.-SAT. (CLOSES 9PM SUNDAYS)

MOSES LAKE

955 W BROADWAY AVENUE, MOSES LAKE, WA (509) 765-4216 | MOSESMANAGER@APEXCANNABIS.COM OPEN 8AM-11PM MON.-SAT. (CLOSES 9PM SUNDAYS)

OTIS ORCHARDS

21502 EAST GILBERT ROAD OTIS ORCHARDS, WA (509) 922-9235 | OTISMANAGER@APEXCANNABIS.COM OPEN 8AM-11PM MON.-SAT. (CLOSES 9PM SUNDAYS)

STORY by JOE BUTLER for NORTHWEST LEAF | PHOTOS by YOUNG KWAK @YOUNGKWAK

EDIBLE OF THE MONTH

The lineup includes blends across the spectrum from indica to sativa, with options including CBG for energy and mental health support, CBN for sleep and relaxation, and CBD for general wellness.

Since we are still in go-mode for summertime adventures, we decided to start our product testing with the Sour Apple Sativa Enhanced gummies – perfect for a hot day playing in the pool.

Unwrapping the origami-style box feels classy, with a bag inside containing a strip of gummies that look like fruit strip squares. The sour apple is bright and fresh, with hints of Granny Smith and a sugary finish that’s both sour and sweet. It has a thicker mouthfeel that takes a few chews before it melts away, delivering a puckered, sour vibe that lingers after the gummy is in the tummy. We enjoyed the energy of the sativa buzz and paired four pieces with a Redbull before practicing water basketball slam dunks.

As is often the case after a day in the sun, we found ourselves tired and sunburnt … but still needing a nightcap buzz to go along with the aloe vera bath that had turned the bathroom into a Nickelodeon slime incident. This is where the CBN gummies work perfectly, with effects that calm the mind and body in preparation for a restful night’s sleep. Bringing a sweet and tart berry flavor that’s enhanced with indica terpenes, these gummies had us chillaxing within an hour. Make sure to check out the huge variety of flavors and effects (including CBD-only versions available online) that WYLD has to offer before your next escape – whether you’re hitting the great outdoors or hitting the bong on your couch.

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With beautiful packaging and a distinctly fun name, WYLD has taken the gummy world by storm by launching their fruit-flavored treats around the country. While you may have seen their CBD versions at a head shop or gas station, these gummies are full of THC and available at Cannabis retailers in Washington state. With a huge variety of flavors like sour cherry, huckleberry, pomegranate, peach and more, the most difficult part is picking which flavor and cannabinoid combination is right for you.

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WYLDCANNA.COM | @WYLDCANNA SOUR APPLE SATIVA ENHANCED 10MG THC ELDERBERRY 2:1 10MG THC, 5MG CBN

“The most difficult part is picking which flavor and cannabinoid combination is right for you.”

Take a trip into the WYLD world of tasty gummies featuring flavors and blends that can power you up or help you recover from your latest adventure.

WYLD

GUMMIES

REVIEW by WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX/NORTHWEST LEAF | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS & MIKE RICKER @RICKERDJ

THE POWER OF THE

FLOWER We grow for flavor and effect. From our hash rosin to our prerolls, the journey starts with the flower. We hunt for unique terpene profiles and invite you to experience our new flower strains preserved in a new terp-lock jar.

EST. 2017

ENJOY YOUR JOURNEY WWW.CONSTELLATIONCANNABIS.COM PRODUCTS ARE NOT TO SCALE

Marijuana products may be purchased or possessed by only persons 21 or older. This product has intoxicating effects and may be habit-forming. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination and judgement.

Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. For use by adults 21 and older. Keep out of reach of children.

concentrate of the month

KNOTS

SHERB CANDY ROSIN

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“Lightly-watering eyes settle the high as a glowing halo of cannabinoids kills extraneous thoughts.”

Humans have been concentrating Cannabis to achieve psychedelic experiences for thousands of years, culminating in the art of making rosin using only water, ice, heat and pressure to extract the essence for our own journeys into the spirit of the plant – amplifying its already natural psychedelic properties.

AUG. 2022

By increasing the potency of cannabinoids and terpenes, much more potent effects can emerge and absolutely verge on trippy.

Anyone who’s taken a fat glob or a too-hot glowie can attest to these powers. And of all the dabs, nothing represents the true flavors of the plant better than hash rosin.

The delicious Knots rosin starts out as bubble hash – made by agitating Cannabis with ice and water to separate the trichome heads from the plant material – which are then collected and cured before preparing for squishing.

While you could smoke this bubble hash and get nicely baked, turning it into rosin is doubling down on the extraction. This process is known as squishing (as the bubble hash is pressed between highpressure heated plates), pushing out the purest oil that’s incredibly rich in terpenes and cannabinoids.

Light-colored and bursting with terps, the gooey cookie-badder consistency of Sherb Candy loads into a banger for a low-temp dab easily. Opening the jar releases a crashing wave that slams into the senses with a sour-rose-vanilla-gas combining with a sugary-sherbfunk – blending the best of the Rainbow Sherbert and the Runtz Buttonz for a thick and effervescent, senses-brightening aroma. Melting down at a low temp, the oil turns to a clean vapor that grabs the lungs in a warming embrace … before rushing out with a candiedsour-fruit and vanilla-rubber exhale that’s both delicious and complex.

Effects start building from the chest, spreading to the extremities as relaxation and a numbing tingle make movements feel both slower and faster, coalescing in a stoner speedball sensation. Melting with euphoria, lightly-watering eyes settle the high as a glowing halo of cannabinoids kills extraneous thoughts, putting the user directly in the moment – a perfect experiential rosin that blends top shelf taste and flavor with a buzz that’s worthy of the Psychedelic Issue. @KNOTS.CANNABIS RAINBOW SHERBERT X RUNTZ BUTTONZ 75.8% THC | 6.08% TERPENES

REVIEW by WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX/NORTHWEST LEAF | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS & MIKE RICKER @RICKERDJ

THIS PRODUCT HAS INTOXICATING EFFECTS 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. THERE MAY BE HEALTH RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH CONSUMPTION OF THIS PRODUCT. FOR USE ONLY BY ADULTS TWENTY-ONE YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER. KEEP OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN.

STRAIN OF THE MONTH LEAFMAGAZINES.COM leafmagazines.com

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CULTIVATED BY AYRA 17.5% THC | 2.57% Terpenes ayrasodo.com | @ayra_sodo

DARK PLASMA X PINK LEMONADE EXPRESS AUG. 2022

PSYC

T

ake a journey into your senses as the original psychedelic drug gives flight to the mind and body with a floaty, invigorating buzz that’s perfect for bong hit trips over and over again.

ELIC RELIC

“Complex, funky and effervescent.”

REVIEW by WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX/NORTHWEST LEAF | PHOTO by @BERMANPHOTOS & @RICKERDJ HAVE A LEAD ON SOME SERIOUS FIRE? EMAIL RICKER@LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

GROWN AND BRED by Ayra in the SODO district of Seattle, this unique cultivation is one of the only aeroponic gardens in the PNW. Aeroponic means “working air” in Greek, utilizing a process of air and mist to deliver water and nutrients to plants that are grown without soil. The plant roots are suspended in a system that keeps them hydrated and happy, dangling with white tendrils below that soak up the goodness and send it up to the plants that are grown under LED lighting. This entire system uses a fraction of the water and energy of most indoor grows – not to mention produces spectacular results in flavor and potency.

But the true power of Cannabis isn’t in mind-melting, out-of-body experiences like those of DMT or psilocybin, but in making the normal mind-body experience feel amazing each time we consume – which is a trip in itself.

Aptly named for this type of experience, the Psychedelic Relic was bred by Ayra (combining Forum GS Cookies x Obi Wan OG & Pineapple Express x Pink Panther) and is a sativa-dominant combination of Dark Plasma and Pink Pineapple Express. The Dark Plasma brings cookies and OG to a pink and pineapple strain cocktail that blends perfectly into a best of both worlds high.

The buds are thick and frosty with hints of purple in the leaves, and a medium-light density that’s perfect for rolling or loading bowls.

Cracking open a nug releases a warming rush of sour grapefruit that melts into pink licorice, layered on top of burnt rubber and earthy kush.

Complex, funky and effervescent, the Psychedelic Relic takes the senses on a journey of flavors before the first bowl is even smoked. First hits are sweet and tingly with a super clean, earthy-pinkkush exhale that lingers on the palate pleasantly. The flower burns evenly to a white ash, with little expansion or cough, allowing for big tokes to get the buzz going quickly.

Effects begin in the mind, wrapping around the frontal lobes with a floaty euphoria that relaxes cranial tension and allows happy chemicals to flow down into the body, which relaxes instantly.

Similar to the lighter-than-normal effects of psychedelics, this strain felt a little like a moonwalk – with movements flowing as the body and mind come together in a perfect stoney bliss. With a happy energy and effects that magnify a centered, peaceful aura, this strain is perfect for a daytime weed-only sesh, or to accompany you on your next trippy journey.

THE psychedelia ISSUE

THEARTOF TRANSCENDENCE The Leaf gets inside the heads of visionary art power couple Alex Grey & Allyson Grey to find out what effects Cannabis and psychedelics have had on their art, spiritual beliefs, and lives.

INTERVIEW by BOBBY BLACK @BOBBYBLACK420/LEAF NATION

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S

ince its emergence in the late 1960s, psychedelic culture has continued to grow, evolve and express itself – primarily through music and art. And over the past few decades, no psychedelic artists have achieved higher notoriety or had a more meaningful impact on our culture than Alex Grey & Allyson Grey.

BEST KNOWN to many through his collaborations with the progressive metal band Tool, Alex’s art is a spectacular synthesis of love, light, birth, death, rebirth and beyond. His imagery penetrates the psycho-spiritual strata of existence – peeling back the superficial surfaces and exposing the auras and energies that surround us, vibrating and pulsating when viewed through one’s third eye.

The same is true of his soulmate, Allyson. In contrast to Alex’s anatomical style, Allyson’s art is abstract – tapping into the sacred geometry of the cosmos to utilize fractals, symbols and mathematical patterns to develALEX & ALLYSON AT THE CHAPEL OF SACRED MIRRORS - HUDSON VALLEY, NY. op her own secret, sacred language.

Together, they comprise a psychedelic power couple regarded by many as spiritual leaders with an almost cult-like status.

I first met the Greys at the Cannabis Cup in 1998, and our paths have continued to cross ever since. I attended one of their earliest Full Moon gatherings at their apartment in Brooklyn, blazed with them in Amsterdam, tripped out in their tent at Burning Man, and visited the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors, or CoSM – their temple/art gallery in NYC – countless times. Yet, I’d never had the pleasure of interviewing them … until now.

“CANNABIS SUTRA” BY ALEX GREY, 2007

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“CHAOS, ORDER, & SECRET WRITING” BY ALLYSON GREY, 2009

Was your desire to become an artist innate, or did something happen in your life that made you consciously decide to become an artist? Allyson:

Teachers and peers recognized both of us, at an early age, as artists. That foundational encouragement gave us our artistic identities.

Growing up, we both won awards for our art, exhibited our work, and were leaders in school.

Alex: My father introduced me to drawing as an infant. I would watch faces and creatures emerge from the tip of his pencil, and I’d dance in amazement. He activated something that may have been part of my past lives.

How did you meet and fall in love? Alex: We met in

art school in 1974, in a class on Performance Art, Mixed Media and Conceptual Art. Throughout art school, we continued to create performance installations and paint collaboratively.

Your work has inspired a great many people … but who inspired you? Allyson: As early as high school,

abstract expressionists Jackson Pollack and Helen Frankenthaler influenced me, as well as minimalist Sol Lewitt and mixed media creator Lucas Samaras.

Alex: Michelangelo was always my favorite artist.

After taking LSD, I discovered visionary artists who drew inspiration from psychedelic experience, like Ernst Fuchs, Mati Klarwein, William Blake and Jean Delville. But Allyson has been the most inspiring and influential artist in my life.

It’s often said that the best art arises from suffering … does that adage hold any truth for you?

Alex: Buddhism teaches that life is suffering.

Everyone suffers. We love our life – the highs and the lows. My art has embraced hopefulness as well as depression and difficult challenges, both personal and global.

Allyson: My art reflects an inner world – a spectral psychedelic vision and an essentialized worldview that is both bright and dark.

Alex — your work has reached a broader audience thanks to your collaborations with Tool. Tell us a little about that relationship. Alex: Adam Jones came to

my 1999 exhibit in a Santa Monica gallery, and we became friends. Adam invited my work to be part of three amazing albums: Lateralus, 10,000 Days, and the astonishingly prescient Fear Inoculum. Over the past 21 years, I’ve designed stage sets, music video collaborations, posters and merchandise to accompany their tours … I even painted a drum set for Danny Carey. The members of Tool and their fans have been some of the greatest forces in supporting CoSM. Inside Entheon is a Tool shrine with some cool relics, including a bronze sculpture

by Adam, samples of Maynard’s wines, a wrap of the drum design and many photos, posters and preliminary drawings for the art that became associated with Tool. They are masterful musicians and it’s been an inspiration to work with them.

Describe your first experience with Cannabis. Allyson: My sister and her friend got me stoned just before I went off to college at age 17. It was unpleasant, and I had to sleep it off. Almost as soon as I left home, I moved out of my dorm room and into an

apartment with hash dealers. We smoked every day, and I remember laughing my ass off listening to Firesign Theater.

Alex: At 18, on my way to my first music festival featuring Mountain and Traffic.

How often do you use Cannabis? Is it a part of your creative process? Alex: Until Covid, we used it daily

and often. It has been part of our creative process, but we’ve also created art stone-cold sober for years at a time.

When did you first try psychedelics and what was your experience like? Allyson: My first trip was at

age 17 on the campus of NYU with my high school boyfriend. It was supposedly mescaline in pill form, but I suspect it was actually LSD. We walked about 70 blocks down 5th Avenue talking about our experiences and life. After that, I was privileged to experience LSD regularly and often for about three years – Orange Sunshine, Purple Haze, Owsley acid, and others.

Alex: My first trip was in Allyson’s apartment in 1975. Wary of my mental health, I waited until I was 21. That day I had asked God to give me a sign that I should go on living. That evening on the way to Allyson’s party, I was offered LSD mixed into a bottle of Kahlua. I drank half the bottle and when Allyson met us at the door, I handed her the other half of the bottle. I sat for hours, not speaking to anyone, envisioning a pearlescent spinning tunnel. I was in the dark, spiraling toward the light. The light was God, and that became my path. It was my first night with Allyson – that has lasted all these years. INTERVIEW CONTINUES >>

ARTWORK & PHOTOS courtesy ALEX GREY & ALLYSON GREY

THE psychedelia ISSUE

ARTISTS ALEX GREY & ALLYSON GREY

INTERVIEW CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

THEARTOFTRANSCENDENCE

“THE LIZARD KING” BY ALLYSON GREY, 2011

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How would your art and lives be different if you’d never taken psychedelics? Alex: It cured my

suicidal ideation. Without meeting spirit, I don’t know if I’d be alive today.

Allyson: For three years, I took LSD with friends and alone – climbing a mountain, people watching, and on bicycle excursions. Every journey was evolutionary and self-revelatory.

In 1971, I read the book “Be Here Now” by Ram Dass and tried taking LSD solo in a dark room. In that journey, I saw Secret Writing – the cryptic language of the divine. It transformed me and my artwork. Until I met Alex three years after, I dared not share the meaning of my secret body of art.

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Allyson — can your “secret writing” be translated and comprehended, or is it purely an abstract expression of imagination? Allyson: Secret

Language in my art is an ineffable and untranslatable language of creative expression coming directly from my personal vision. They were made visible to me in the psychedelic state. Their meaning comes from the divine, the force some call God.

What does “God” mean to you?

Allyson: God is faceless. God is

ineffable, beyond physicality or description – a force in all beings and things. Any guru will tell you that God is within.

Alex: God is an experience that, once known, cannot be unknown.

God is beyond conceptions. The divine

aug. 2022

is a transcendental force animating all life and the creative intelligence that birthed the cosmos.

Is there one religious tradition you relate to most, and why? Alex: Born

into a family of Methodists, I saw Christ as my first spiritual friend. After meeting Allyson, I began studying Tibetan Buddhism in the late ‘70s – a connection that has strengthened for decades. Having studied the mystic traditions, I find connections between them all.

Allyson: Since Alex began studying Buddhism, I’ve learned and appreciated a great deal in the wisdom of that tradition. Decades ago, we had the privilege of studying with the Dalai Lama at Harvard Divinity School.

It is our regular practice to read to each other from Tibetan Buddhist texts each morning after yoga and meditation.

But I grew up in the Jewish tradition, which most resonates with my psychedelic experience. God’s message is transferred through writing in all the major religions, and in Judaism – where graven imagery of God is prohibited – the Torah and libraries of commentary are the most revered works of influence.

How did you first conceive of the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors? Allyson:

The Chapel of Sacred Mirrors (CoSM) was inspired by a 1978 collaborative performance called Life Energy that included Alex’s life-sized ink drawings

“NET OF BEING” BY ALEX GREY, 2007

of the human anatomy. After noticing the popularity of these charts within the performance, I suggested painting an entire series of life-sized paintings that would include the systems of the human body, mind and spirit.

Alex: In 1984, a collector who was interested in purchasing the series gifted us two doses of MDMA, then legal. Three days later, we took MDMA for the first time and envisioned the series as an installation that included sculpted pictorial frames in a public psychedelic space.

Within months we began sculpting and casting the 21, 10.5-foot frames for the paintings that became the Sacred Mirrors.

When did the “Chapel” part enter the picture? Alex: CoSM became a

nonprofit organization in 1996 with the following mission: ‘To build an enduring sanctuary of visionary art to uplift a global community.’ In 2002, a shaman advised us to begin hosting Full Moon ceremonies and pray with friends for the advancement of that mission. The first CoSM Full Moon ceremony was held in our Brooklyn loft in January 2003. There has since been an unbroken chain of 244 Full Moon ceremonies to date.

Allyson: On Easter Sunday, April 20th, 2003, a landlord offered us a raw industrial space on 27th Street in New York to hold ceremonies and events. By August 2004, the CoSM spiritual creative center was open – offering exhibition space for the

“LSD HAS ALWAYS BEEN OUR FAVORITE. IT OFFERS THE LONGEST AND MOST VISUAL JOURNEY. WE’VE ENJOYED MANY PSILOCYBIN EXPERIENCES AND HAVE PARTICIPATED IN NUMEROUS AYAHUASCA CEREMONIES IN THE PAST FEW DECADES.” -ALEX GREY

“FLESH OF THE GODS” BY ALEX GREY, 2021

An artist rendering of the soon-to-be-completed ENTHEON—the Greys’ 12,000-square-foot temple/gallery, which will host the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors (below), galleries of both of their artwork, and rotating art from the International Visionary Art movement.

Sacred Mirrors and ary art, Entheon – many of our other which is set to open works, a rotating exsoon – will host the hibit of works by other Chapel of Sacred visionary artists, a Mirrors, galleries of dance studio, an event both our art, and space, offices and an annually rotating a gift shop. But five exhibit of the Interyears into our lease, a national Visionary new landlord threatArt movement. ened to quadruple our rent. We realized In recent years, that our ‘enduring it feels like dark “SECRET WALLS #1”

BY ALLYSON GREY, 1976 sanctuary’ needed forces have been a secure home and ascendant in this would be better suited to a tranquil country and around the world. environment in nature. Fortunately, What, if anything, can we do to Alex found the perfect location – a reverse this tide and move things small retreat on 40 wooded acres, back toward the light? Allyson: As 65 miles up the Hudson River from darkness gets darker, light appears Manhattan in Wappinger, New York. brighter. That’s what we can do – be Alex: The property features eight a beacon of light. Creativity and restored buildings, including a compassion can make our tiny corner 10-bedroom house to accommoof the universe a better place by date guests and an old carriage being the best we can be, through house that’s been transformed into a eco-consciousness and our acceptance 12,000-square-foot exhibition space of differences. Be kind, and if only for called Entheon. A sanctuary of visionyour own benefit, love everyone.

“CANNABACCHUS” BY ALEX GREY, 2006

IN 1971, I READ THE BOOK “BE HERE NOW” BY RAM DASS AND TRIED TAKING LSD SOLO IN A DARK ROOM. IN THAT JOURNEY, I SAW SECRET WRITING – THE CRYPTIC LANGUAGE OF THE DIVINE. IT TRANSFORMED ME AND MY ARTWORK.” -ALLYSON GREY

ALEXGREY.COM @ALEXGREYCOSM ALLYSONGREY.COM @ALLYSONGREYCOSM COSM.ORG @CHAPELOFSACREDMIRRORS Read our full, unabridged interview with the Greys and see more of their artwork on our website | leafmagazines.com/greys-interview

INTERVIEW by BOBBY BLACK @BOBBYBLACK420/LEAF NATION | ARTWORK & PHOTOS courtesy ALEX GREY & ALLYSON GREY

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THE psychedelia ISSUE

Did eating psychedelic mushrooms play a role in early primates’ ascendance to higher consciousness?

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IT ALL STARTED in 1992 when McKenna broke the world’s collective brain with his book “Food of the Gods: The Search for the Original Tree of Knowledge: A Radical History of Plants, Drugs, and Human Evolution.” In it, he proposed a radical evolutionary theory: that psilocybin mushrooms were responsible for catalyzing our evolution from Homo Erectus into Homo Sapiens. In other words, our bodies and brains function as they do today because our ancestors tripped out on psychedelic mushrooms. The psychoactive effects of these mushrooms, he argued, essentially reorganized the information processing center of the primitive primate brain – sparking the evolution of consciousness, cognition and language – by prompting hominids to engage in experiences like community, spirituality and self-reflection. Psilocybin, McKenna wrote, brought us “out of the animal mind and into the world of articulated speech and imagination.” This theory would eventually come to be known as the Stoned Ape Hypothesis (though McKenna himself never actually used that term).

Since its publication, people haven’t stopped talking about the Stoned Ape Hypothesis – despite the fact that traditional scientists have consistently dismissed it as “simplistic” and nothing more than a “high thought” (albeit the most elaborate high thought ever, articulated in over 300 pages). But recent developments in psychedelic science have greatly expanded what we know about the impact of entheogens (particularly psychedelic fungi) on the brain, and some believe these new findings bolster the validity of the theory.

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he internet is both a blessing and a social curse. However, one of its better contributions to society is that it has kept the spirit of late ethnobotanist and psychedelic pundit Terence McKenna alive. Though he died in April of 2000, McKenna’s ideas and philosophies still soar through the interwebs, thanks to Reddit, podcasts and numerous social media platforms. One theory in particular that has continued to gain steam is the so-called “Stoned Ape Hypothesis.”

“When Terrence wrote [Food of the Gods], While we still don’t fully understand the most people dismissed it, saying he’s a nature of consciousness or how it evolved, crazy druggie trying to come out with this scientists generally agree that it was more idea,” said Terence’s younger brother Dennis complicated than simply eating psychedelic McKenna (who helped him shape the theory) mushrooms. on the “Conversation with Kais” podcast last Consequently, many Stoned Ape haters year. “Some of the more thoughtful critics scoff at the simplicity of the McKenna theory said it was plausible, but now because of the – such as paleontologist Martin Lockley, discoveries about [mushrooms’ impact on] Ph.D., who explained to Inverse in 2017 that neurogenesis, epigenetics and neuroplastithe Stoned Ape Hypothesis hinges on concity, Stoned Ape has gone from plausible to sciousness sprouting from a singular source. probable.”

But the McKennas never actually claimed McKenna was undoubtedly a man ahead that mushrooms were the sole cause for the of his time. Unlike today, he didn’t have a rise of consciousness; in fact, Dennis has library of scientific research to cite showing publicly stated that the media has oversimthat psychedelic mushplified the theory and that he RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN rooms stimulate the believes psilocybin mushPSYCHEDELIC SCIENCE HAVE rooms were only a factor in growth of new neurons, GREATLY EXPANDED reorganize synaptic conthe emergence of consciousWHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE nections or impact gene ness and the mind – a sort of IMPACT OF ENTHEOGENS expression – concepts evolutionary catalyst. on which the Stoned Ape “It’s not so simple to say (PARTICULARLY PSYCHEDELIC Hypothesis is essentially that [hominids] ate psilocybin FUNGI) ON THE BRAIN, AND predicated. Anthropomushrooms and suddenly the SOME BELIEVE THESE NEW logical evidence indibrain mutated,” he explains in FINDINGS BOLSTER THE cates that the brain size the film “Fantastic Fungi.” “I VALIDITY OF THE THEORY. of Homo Erectus roughly think it’s more complex than doubled between 2 million and 700,000 that, but I think [mushrooms] were a factor. It years ago. What’s more, it’s estimated that was like software to program neurologically the brain volume of Homo Sapiens grew modern hardware to think, have cognition, three times larger between 500,000 and and to have language.”

100,000 years ago. Though mainWhile most scientists get hung up on this stream scientists remain flummoxed single-source-for-consciousness notion, about how and why this occurred, there are some who agree with the McKenthe Stoned Ape Hypothesis offers nas. While admitting that the Stoned Ape a potential answer.

Hypothesis is technically unprovable, iconic “The fossil remains we’ve mycologist Paul Stamets nevertheless advofound show that hominids and cates for it. cattle lived in the same environment,” “I suggest to you that Dennis and TerDennis McKenna explains. “If you have ence were right on,” Stamets proclaimed in these two elements in the ecology – espethe keynote address he gave at the 2017 cially cattle, because where there are cows, Psychedelic Science conference entitled there’s cow shit – mushrooms had to be “Psilocybin Mushrooms and the Mycology there. There is no fossil evidence showing of Consciousness.” “I want you or anyone this because mushrooms don’t hold up well, listening, or seeing this, to suspend your disbut mushrooms grow on cow dung. If you belief,” he advised. “I think this is a very, very go to any similar ecology in modern times – plausible hypothesis for the sudden evolution tropical pastures with cattle – the world over, of Homo Sapiens from our primate relatives.” you will find these mushrooms.”

Apparently, the crowd agreed – as evidenced According to science, a state of consciousby the roaring ovation they can be seen giving ness is an effect of receiving and processing him in the YouTube video of the discussion. information through multiple qualitative Regardless of what modern science says, experiences, including sensations and anyone who’s done a deep dive into the feelings, the nuances of sensory qualmushroom realm understands how the ities, and cognitive processes (i.e., Stoned Ape Hypothesis could be true. And if evaluative thinking and memory). there’s one nugget of wisdom we can take Essentially, our hominid ancestors’ away from this discussion, it’s that humans warm, almost tropical environhave always been fascinated with psychements allowed for a symbiotic delics – particularly when it comes to the trifecta between cattle, existential ponderings of how we got here mushrooms and people – and the story of humankind. theoretically creating the “If I could sum it up, I would say the ideal conditions for exmushrooms taught us how to think,” Dennis ponential brain growth McKenna asserts. “They gave us the tools of and the emergence of the imagination, and from that, everything such consciousness. else proceeds.”

STORY by MARY CARREON @MARYYYPRANKSTER for LEAF NATION | ILLUSTRATION by OUTSIDE ARTWORK @OUTSIDEARTWORK

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THE psychedelia ISSUE

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FIRST FACILITATORS As psilocybin therapy is set to take flight in Oregon in 2023, first of its kind facilitator training charts a groundbreaking new course.

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Oregon is the first state to legalize psilocybin for therapeutic use as the passage of Measure 109 provides an outlet for those over 21 seeking services. But purchase, possession, and use must occur within the walls of a state-regulated psilocybin service center under the supervision of a facilitator. Until licensing opens up in January of 2023, Oregon is in a developmental period of shaping what these services will look like. It sets the state up with a unique chance to find a framework for the future while tackling mental health and wellness from a fresh angle. But building a new branch of wellness services requires a new field of facilitators – one that, until now, never existed in our country.

TO GET SOME INSIGHT, we spoke with two people on the frontline of facilitator training: Tom Eckert, MS and Nate Howard. Eckert is an experienced therapist, founder of the Oregon Psilocybin Society and Sheri Eckert Foundation, architect of Measure 109, and more. Howard facilitates the Plant Medicine Healing Alliance, brings a public service and plant-driven policy background to the table, and has roots in the Cannabis community as the co-founder of East Fork Cultivars.

As Program Director and Director of Operations, Eckert and Howard are integral members of InnerTrek, an organization currently in the licensing process of becoming a fully-functioning training program. It is one of just six programs approved by the Oregon Health Authority (at the time of this article) and is currently awaiting approval from the Higher Education Coordinating Commission.

INNERTREK’S TOM ECKERT, MS & NATE HOWARD

InnerTrek plans to begin training Oregon’s first round of psilocybin facilitators at the beginning of August (pending HECC licensure).

Their program will “meet and exceed minimum state requirements,” which includes 120 hours of core training and 40 hours of supervised practicum in areas ranging from plant medicine history to neuroscience and clinical research.

“Plant medicines and psychedelics have been around forever, but the narrative around them changes,” says Eckert. “I think the foundational inspirations come from how these natural medicines (let’s call them) have been used throughout history in ceremonial or contained contexts, basically: facilitation. Clearly, we’re bringing this into western culture and the present day.

That has its own character. But there’s a fundamental inspiration that always comes through in the history of plant medicines. So we’re mindful of that and inspired by the science.”

INNERTREK PLANS TO BEGIN TRAINING OREGON’S FIRST ROUND OF PSILOCYBIN FACILITATORS AT THE BEGINNING OF AUGUST (PENDING HECC LICENSURE). THEIR PROGRAM WILL “MEET AND EXCEED MINIMUM STATE REQUIREMENTS,” WHICH INCLUDES 120 HOURS OF CORE TRAINING AND 40 HOURS OF SUPERVISED PRACTICUM IN AREAS RANGING FROM PLANT MEDICINE HISTORY TO NEUROSCIENCE AND CLINICAL RESEARCH.

Measure 109 excludes facilitator prerequisites outside of state residency, age and high school equivalency. And as Howard tells us, of the roughly 400 applicants already interested in this curriculum, it’s clear that there’s a multidisciplinary group ready to get in on the ground level.

“They mostly have master’s level credentials and above,” says Howard. “But there are also folks coming at this with experience in this particular field – which, is not easy to attain.

We have folks that have done work in different countries, too. But for the most part, it’s folks interested in healing work. Therapists, MDs and naturopaths – there are a lot of professionals in that regard.”

Howard adds that this “new form of healthcare” is far outside of any traditional models we have seen. It provides a chance to create a more inclusive healing community – one where facilitators “don’t have to have 10 years of medical education and the massive student debt that comes with that.” As a result, both Howard and Eckert believe these services will be more accessible to both patients and those interested in providing care.

“It’s really a gateway into integration and (hopefully) a net of support,” says Eckert.

“We’re creating a support system and a way of entering into self-work and wellness that I hope inspires a new ecosystem of support and services.”

STORY by AMANDA DAY @TERPODACTYL_MEDIA for LEAF NATION | ILLUSTRATIONS by @OUTSIDEARTWORK

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THE psychedelia ISSUE leafmagazines.com

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THETRIPPY TRIALSOFTHE MUSHROOMRABBI Rabbi Ben Gorelick faces legal trouble in Colorado for providing his unorthodox congregation with psychedelic sacraments.

Here’s why he’s confident the Sacred Tribe will prevail. aug. 2022

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abbi Ben Gorelick is a man of unflappable faith. Even restricted to the confines of a Zoom conversation, the founder and spiritual leader of the

Sacred Tribe projects a palpable sense of calm, joy and confidence. Not only does it radiate across the digital divide – it also offers a telling glimpse into Gorelick’s general outlook on just about everything.

IT’S UNDERSTANDABLE that he takes great pride in discussing the unique, non-denominational congregation he’s overseen in Denver since 2018.

However, Gorelick’s certainty that his flock will land on the right side of history is all the more impressive when one considers that he is also presently at the center of a potentially precedent-setting court case involving religious freedoms and psychedelic sacraments.

In this instance, the entheogen in question is a paste that includes psilocybin mushrooms. Grown

by Gorelick and a few close collaborators at a nearby cultivation facility in north Denver, the use of the substance by his congregation is part of a larger philosophy that he largely credits to the school of mystical Jewish thought known as Kabbalah.

“In Kabbalah,” he explained, “there are a number of access points to explore connection, but breathwork is probably the primary one that really underpins it all. And it’s meant to be transcendent, ecstatic, breathwork. You’re not laying on a mat.

You’re supposed to be up and moving and dancing and screaming and crying.”

Over the past two years, Gorelick has taken to guiding small groups through in-person, multiday retreats that focus largely on breathwork and creating space for conversation of all kinds: inner, external and spiritual. As part of these sessions,

the Mushroom Rabbi in the crosshairs of the Colorado legal system.

In February, Gorelick turned himself over to local authorities to face charges of possession with intent to manufacture or distribute a controlled substance. If found guilty, the first-degree felony would mean a minimum eight-year prison sentence.

Still in the early stages of what looks to be a protracted legal slog, Gorelick is adamant in his contention that the actions of his congregation are protected by a religious exemption.

“It’s been hard for me,” he conceded, “but I am wildly optimistic about our future, because, at the end of the day, I have to believe that people like us will choose togetherness over separation every time.”

Some of Gorelick’s optimism also likely lies in the precedent of past cases involving similar matters. In the 1990s, federal courts ruled that religious freedom protected the right of Native American tribes to hold peyote ceremonies. Then, in 2006, the U.S. Supreme Court further codified this position by unanimously affirming that a small religious group from South America had the legal right to continue rituals involving the consumption of ayahuasca tea. consenting adults are also given the opportunity to The Sacred Tribe’s situation isn’t exactly identical. take a sacrament of psilocybin.

Though Gorelick believes his congregation is entitled The Sacred Tribe’s optional sacrament is meant to a religious exemption per the DEA’s Religious Freeto help followers more easily and fully give themdom Restoration Act, he has not yet received one. selves over to this breathwork. As Gorelick noted, But even as legal proceedings begin to lurch Kabbalah recognizes psychedelics – and specifically forward – the case’s first preliminary hearing was psilocybin mushrooms – as a possible held on June 27, over four months afbeneficial aide in this practice. ter Gorelick’s arrest – there is also the “I HAVE TO BELIEVE Before the 42-year-old Gorelick was possibility that the voters of Colorado THAT PEOPLE LIKE nicknamed the Mushroom Rabbi, he will simultaneously choose to legalize US WILL CHOOSE was a boy being raised in a tight-knit psilocybin mushrooms statewide this TOGETHERNESS Orthodox community in New Mexico. fall. It all depends on whether the NatOVER SEPARATION A move to a new state at the age ural Medicine Health Act can garner EVERY TIME.” of 10 saw his active religious pracenough signatures, but thus far, signs tice lapse, and by 17, Gorelick had suggest it just might. moved to Alaska to take a job as a mountaineering Gorelick’s case also arrives at a moment when instructor. It was during that tenure that he was efforts to decriminalize or outright legalize psytragically present to witness an avalanche claim the chedelics on the local and state level are gaining life of a close friend. momentum across the country.

In search of answers, Gorelick next spent an unPerhaps best encapsulated by the efforts of the satisfactory stint at a rabbinical school before landing organization Decriminalize Nature, these grassroots on Kabbalah, and eventually, the concept of using campaigns are further fueled by a continually expsychedelics to enhance his spiritual experiences. panding body of scientific research into the medicIt was not, in fact, until the age of 38 that the inal efficacies of numerous botanical psychedelic Mushroom Rabbi tried psilocybin for the first time. compounds. In July, for instance, UCSF was expected According to Gorelick, prior to that moment, he to begin testing subjects for a new, groundbreaking, had never taken an illegal substance in his life.

FDA-approved study involving botanical psilocybin.

“Then I took mushrooms,” he said, “and it really It’s a lot to take in, but for the Mushroom Rabbi, his did change everything.” focus remains small – while his hopes remain skyhigh.

The arrival of the Sacred Tribe in 2019 over“We’re a spiritual community,” he said. “We lapped with Denver voters approving a measure are people who want to get together and do these to decriminalize psilocybin mushrooms that fall. things and it just so happens that we’re now tied But as a result of the latter, a curious loophole up in this bigger matter. But again, I am wildly emerged: Yes, it was now OK to consume psilocyoptimistic about this. It sucks to be in the middle bin mushrooms – but where were people supposed of so many really hard conversations right now, to get them? especially because it feels like we’re having all of It’s for this reason that Gorelick took to cultivatthem at once, but I also see people being forced to ing 39 strains of psilocybin mushrooms, solely for use learn how to connect again: to themselves, to each by the Sacred Tribe. Then, this January, a fire inspecother, and to God or spirituality. That’s why I’m so tion-turned-raid on the group’s cultivation facility put excited to be alive right now.”

STORY by ZACK RUSKIN for LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by ANDY CROSS, THE DENVER POST & SEPHORA PUMA’COBRA, THE SACRED TRIBE | ILLUSTRATIONS by @OUTSIDEARTWORK

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THE psychedelia ISSUE

MUSHROOMS FORTHE MASSES As the psilocybin movement spreads like mycelium on the heels of the normalization of Cannabis, mushroom cultivators and product manufacturers quest for the best way to translate their passion for an increasingly mainstream audience.

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SACRED FRUITS is a California-born passion project run by psychonauts who have spent years perfecting their processes and developing a branded identity that speaks to the power of psilocybin.

The company seeks to bring quality control and consistency to what many believe will be the next market to break out of the illicit underground and into a legalized therapeutic space.

Leaf Magazines connected with Sacred Fruits, who wished to speak anonymously, to discuss their path to mushroom medicine.

aug. 2022

COMMUNITY BORN

Sacred Fruits’ introduction to psilocybin may sound familiar to anyone who’s gone psyche-spelunking prior to this new, branded and marketed era.

“The first time it was kind of something that found its way to me,” Sacred Fruits said. “I was probably around 18 or 19, and did it in a great setting. We consumed the mushrooms at their house and listened to records. Listened to Jefferson Airplane and stuff like that, laid in the hammock and on the floor. That opened my mind to psychedelics, but it wasn’t something I actively pursued for another three to five years. The next time that I consumed mushrooms, I wanted to find mushrooms, and it was a mission that I set out to accomplish. It was 4/20 at Golden Gate Park and Hippie Hill. I was with some friends and we smoked weed every day, so we decided if we really wanted to celebrate, we wanted to find mushrooms. … I stumbled upon some chocolates and they were in the shape of dancing bears, which I was super stoked on … Experiencing the mushrooms with friends on a sunny day in the park turned out to be a wonderful setting. We shared a lot of laughs, and memories were made. It was the common experience with friends of mine that opened my eyes to the possibilities of what mushrooms are capable of.”

A TASTE FOR CULTIVATION

Aside from opening Sacred Fruits’ eyes to the power of mushroom medicine, that experience on Hippie Hill sparked inspiration.

“I wanted to take a heavier dose, because my first time was a moderate to light dose. I had to eat a lot of chocolate to accomplish that heavier dose, and I’m not really into chocolate – so I wasn’t into eating all that chocolate,” Sacred Fruits said. “That’s what sparked my interest in cultivation.”

The project started slow, with batches coming only when Sacred Fruits ran low on personal supply. But with the scalability of PF Tek – the cultivation methodology pioneered

by Robert “Psylocybe Fanaticus” McPherson using a blend of grain (brown rice, rye berries) and vermiculite – they started getting some ideas.

“It was still pretty much a hobby for a few years,” Sacred Fruits said. “It wasn’t until 20182019, through the encouragement of many friends who started to tell me to take it seriously.”

SPROUTED FROM THE PLANT

One of Sacred Fruits biggest champions was a close friend who is a Cannabis cultivator on the freshly minted legal market.

“He was actually encouraging that I learn tissue culture so he could use my knowledge in what he does as well,” Sacred Fruits said.

With inspiration from the Cannabis community, they decided to build their reputation on single-strain, single-source products – in order to provide people with consistency and reliable quality they said was hard to find – when many people were making products from simply

“I THINK WE’RE STILL IN THE DARK AGES, AND I’M EXCITED TO SEE MORE TESTING FOR OTHER ALKALOIDS OTHER THAN PSILOCYBIN AND PSILOCIN.” -SACRED FRUITS

whatever psilocybin sources they could get their hands on.

“I think one of the most important things with the single source is that it allows for strict quality control,” Sacred Fruits said. “The high level of attention to detail carries over to every step of the process. Whereas working with multiple suppliers to produce a product, obviously there could be different quality standards across different suppliers, different moisture levels in the finished product – things like that. It’s more consistent when it comes from one place with one SOP.” Sacred Fruits branded its product line with a human brain overlaid with an unlocked padlock, and built out a lineup of dried and freeze-dried whole mushrooms, strain-specific capsules, and Magic Carpets – which are fruit leather-style strips.

Each package offers weight-based dosage advice culled from years of anecdotal experience and personal research.

“I really like the Avery’s Albino. I love the appearance, and the effects,” Sacred Fruits said.

“The effects of the Albino varieties I find tend to be a bit more visual.”

BEARING FUTURE FRUIT

The differences in strains and products will move from the anecdotal to the scientifically measurable in the next era of mushroom medicine, Sacred Fruits says, ushered in by testing labs like the pioneers at Oakland Hyphae that hold their own testing-based competition: The Psilocybin Cup. “I think we’re still in the dark ages, and I’m excited to see more testing for other alkaloids other than psilocybin and psilocin,” Sacred Fruits said.

It will be especially helpful for the process of making extract-based products, which is where Sacred Fruits’ R&D is focusing its future efforts.

“People are pretty familiar with weights (such as eighths), and there’s enough anecdotal data to let you know what to expect from a different dose, but I don’t think the same thing can be said for extracts, until testing allows us to measure what’s in there,” Sacred Fruits said.

Testing for different alkaloids and compounds and running comparisons against effect will be where the true progress is made.

“But in the meantime,” Sacred @SACRED.FRUITS Fruits said, “consuming the extract by itself has been pretty interesting ON INSTAGRAM and fun.”

STORY by TOM BOWERS @CANNABOMBTOM/LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by @CALYXS_AND_COLAS | ILLUSTRATION by OUTSIDE ARTWORK @OUTSIDEARTWORK

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THE psychedelia ISSUE

THEOUTLAW FILMMAKER After spending nearly half his life in prison, Seth Ferranti aims his lens squarely at the War on Drugs.

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ETH FERRANTI HAD BEEN ON THE RUN FOR TWO YEARS WHEN HE WAS FINALLY BUSTED. Barely old enough to legally order a drink, he sat in a holding cell, wondering why the cops were treating him like a celebrity. “They were coming by and seeing me like I was a zoo animal or something,” he said. “So finally, I asked one of the guys, ‘What is the attraction?’ And he said, ‘You didn’t know? You’re in the top 15 of the U.S. Marshals Most Wanted list.’ They were bringing me my ‘Wanted’ poster and they were asking me to sign it. They were on me like I was Billy the Kid or something.” Ferranti ultimately did 21 years out of a 25-year bid as a first-time, non-violent offender for selling LSD and Cannabis across a five-state territory – and emerged as a pioneer of the new era of thought leaders fighting against the stigma created by the War on Drugs.

aug. 2022

SPARKING A FIRE

Coming up in the mid-’80s, Ferranti choked down propaganda from the firehose of the Reagan-era anti-drug machine.

“Really, by 15, I kind of knew it was bullshit,” he said. “I knew it was a lie. It was a facade that they were pulling over everybody’s eyes in this country. When I smoked weed, I’m real hyper, so it kind of calmed me down, gave me that edge, made me feel whole. Psychedelics, they just really opened my mind – they made me look at things in totally different ways.”

These compounds helped him break down the barriers erected by societal and governmental programming and emerge a free-thinking individual on the other side.

“I saw the therapeutic, the medicinal and the spiritual value of these substances at a real young age,” he said. “I always tell people, I never consider myself a criminal. I was an outlaw, because I broke laws that I thought were wrong. I didn’t carry a gun, I didn’t beat people up, I didn’t have a criminal organization. I saw these substances, and how they could open people’s eyes and help them through life, and help them see what was going on. I felt the need to supply them and to make them available. I’m not gonna say I didn’t want to make money.

I’ve always been an ambitious person. I’ve always had that entrepreneurial mindset.”

GROWING UP BEHIND BARS

It was that very mindset that inspired him to build the distribution operation that landed him in prison. But that only contributed to his momentum. After achieving three degrees, writing nearly two dozen novels, launching a journalistic career and founding a publishing company called Gorilla Convict with his girlfriend Diane – who stuck by him the entire time and married him while he was inside – he breathed free air and embraced his wife for the first time without an armed guard nearby.

“When you get those 25 years as a 22-year-old, it does kind of shake the core of your beliefs,” he said. “Everyone tells you you’re wrong. The government tells you you’re wrong. Your parents tell you you’re wrong. All the people in the prison tell you you’re wrong. They say you’re a drug addict, you’re a felon, you’re a criminal, and they try to stigmatize you and put all these labels on you. It does affect you.

And for the first couple of years in, I really had to figure out, ‘Who was I? My own country gave me 25 years for something I thought was right. It was really kind of Earth-shattering to me.”

It’s safe to say he figured out just who he was.

“I feel justified in my beliefs,” said Ferranti. “I stood up for that as a young man, and I paid the price. I ran, I was a fugitive for two years. I didn’t lay down, they had to catch me. I sold weed and psychedelics the whole time when I was a fugitive. I was a Cannabis and psychedelic activist. I was like a psychedelic knight. I was ushering in the new age. And yeah, I had to pay the price. I had to be inside the belly of the beast. I got that 25-year sentence as a first-time non-violent offender. But I wouldn’t change it.

The sacrifice that I made, and that my wife and my family made, got me to where I am today.”

Now he sells limited edition blotter paper art of his Most Wanted poster, and has become a respected documentarian, focusing his shrewd lens on the harm done by the War on Drugs.

THE CAMERA IS A WEAPON

The funding for his Gorilla Convict projects rolled in after the success of his 2017 documentary “White Boy” – a film about a teenager used as an FBI informant in the 1980s. That film gained enough popularity on Starz and Netflix that it inspired “White Boy Rick,” a feature film co-starring Matthew McConaughey. It threw Ferranti into overdrive. He is currently working on six docuseries, including “Psychedelic Revolution: The Secret History of the LSD Trade” as well as “Tangled Roots,” which explores the history of Cannabis cultivation in Humboldt County.

“Cannabis and psychedelics are righteous drugs, man,” he said, making a distinction between those and other substances such as amphetamines, cocaine and opiates. “I’ve always been a weed, mushrooms, peyote, mind-expanding drugs type of guy.”

As an old-school acid head with deep connections to the network of advocates tied to the Grateful Dead scene he came up in, Ferranti leaned on his “...FOR THE FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS IN, I REALLY connections to get interviews HAD TO FIGURE OUT, ‘WHO WAS I? MY OWN and material few others could COUNTRY GAVE ME 25 YEARS FOR SOMETHING even come close to getting.

I THOUGHT WAS RIGHT. IT WAS REALLY KIND OF “We were just able to get tremendous support from everybody.

EARTH-SHATTERING TO ME.”-SETH FERRANTI Everybody I asked said yes to doing the interview. It’s just an incredibly tight-knit community,” remarked Ferranti. “There’s a bunch of people who are way more famous than me, but because of who I am, I can get the access. And by getting the access, I can tell the stories that have only been whispered about before.”

William Leonard Pickard, Tim Tyler, Sunshine Kesey, Mark McCloud – everyone came out of the woodwork to contribute to his storytelling.

“There are still dudes in there for Cannabis now, and for LSD, and we were the ones that paid the price to usher in this new age,” he said. “We were the ones that were on the front line, fighting this drug war on the good side.”

He’s currently in production and continues to raise funds in order to complete the project so he can tell the story to the masses. It’s been an inspiring, humbling experience – especially after spending so long in prison, dreaming of these opportunities to bolster his community and tell his truth.

“When I did these shoots, both for the ‘Psychedelic Revolution’ and for ‘Tangled Roots,’ so many people in the community would come up to me and thank me for my service, like I was in the military or something,” he said. “It’s weird, but it’s also kind of satisfying, because people are recognizing it. … When that first happened to me, I was kind of taken aback. I was like, ‘You don’t have to thank me, I did my GORILLACONVICT.COM time, whatever.’ But now it’s nice, especially when you see all these corporations and people who aren’t from @GORILLACONVICT the culture moving in, and pushing the legacy operators and the legacy farmers to the side. That’s why I make the ‘Psychedelic Revolution,’ and why I make the ‘Tangled Roots,’ because I want people to know. Without these legacy operators and traditional markets, this culture would have been lost. And it’s still here and still going strong – and what they termed counterculture is going mainstream in 2022.”

STORY by TOM BOWERS @CANNABOMBTOM/LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by ERIC GINNARD @ERICGINNARDPHOTO | ILLUSTRATIONS by @OUTSIDEARTWORK

THE psychedelia ISSUE

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Psychedelics for the End of Life Experience

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“Turn off your mind Relax and float down stream It is not dying It is not dying Lay down all thoughts Surrender to the void It is shining It is shining” “Tomorrow Never Knows” - The Beatles written by Paul McCartney & John Lennon

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IN

1963, WRITER ALDOUS HUXLEY was on his deathbed suffering from terminal cancer when he asked his wife to inject him with 100 micrograms of LSD. In a letter to friends, Laura Huxley wrote that she consulted Sidney Cohen, a psychiatrist who had pioneered the use of LSD. “I had asked him if he had ever given LSD to a man in this condition. He said he had only done it twice, actually,” wrote Laura, “and in one case it had brought up a sort of reconciliation with death.” After the author of “The Doors of Perception” and “Brave New World” passed away, Laura wrote, “All five people in the room said that this was the most serene, the most beautiful death. Both doctors and the nurse said they had never seen a person in similar physical condition going off so completely without pain and without struggle.” Three years later, LSD was officially banned in California.

MUCH HAS BEEN recently distress many terminally discussed on the use of psycheill Americans face in their delics for the treatment of many last days, sabotaging conditions, including its theratheir quality of life and peutic administration for PTSD, time with family and depression, alcohol or hard friends. FDA has granted drug abuse, couples’ therapy, “breakthrough status” to anxiety and more. The focus is psilocybin therapy for deon healing and recovery from pression, in light of safety traumas and unresolved grief. and promising signs of Less is known about utilizing efficacy in stage 2 FDA these same entheogens for trials, especially for end those with terminal illnesses – of life patents. Congress for palliative care during the passed the national end of life experience.

Right to Try Act in 2018 I spoke with Dr. Alison to allow Americans with Draisin PsyD, LMHC, lead life-threatening condipsychotherapist and Director tions to access promising of Ketamine Assisted Psychomedicines that have therapy Provider Training at passed phase I trials, the AIMS Institute, to discover without having to wait for “WE’RE STILL FIGHTING more about her knowledge of completion of the new AND WE NEED Cannabis and psychedelics as drug approval process. a tool in psychotherapy, and in However DEA is blockMORE PEOPLE TO particular, for patients who are ing access to psilocybin BECOME ACTIVISTS AND preparing for their deaths. “End therapy, even as Canada BE PUBLIC ABOUT THEIR of life therapy using these plant is now allowing it north and fungal medicines isn’t of the border.”

SUPPORT FOR THESE about healing and recovery, In a recent opinion END-OF-LIFE THERAPIES but instead about acceptance, piece in the New York pain management and feeling Times, health and science … PEOPLE WHO ARE peace within themselves,” writer and former psycholDYING DESERVE THE explains Dr. Draisin. “The spirogy researcher Dr. Dana RIGHT TO DO WHATEVER itual awakenings can be quite G. Smith writes about cathartic for the patients and Nick Fernandez, who was THEY WANT WITH THEIR observing their experiences has administered “a large BODIES AND MINDS.” brought me peace as well. It’s dose of psilocybin as part so lovely and powerful to bear of a clinical trial at New -Dr. Alison Draisin PsyD, LMHC witness to people’s journeys to York University for people discover death with peace.” dealing with anxiety and Dr. Draisin also tells me depression following a that The AIMS Institute, short cancer diagnosis.” Mr. for Advanced Integrative Medical Science, employs Fernandez wrote about his experience in a Medium post, ketamine for patients in palliative care and recently describing what many would consider to be a miracle. ​ sued the DEA in order for them to allow psilocybin “This psilocybin journey was the single most transformatreatments for those in hospice. Lawyer Kathryn Tucker tive experience of my life,” he explained. “It forced me to of the Emerge Law Group filed a motion on behalf of reconcile with the mortality of being human. It alleviated AIMS clients pushing for rescheduling, but the judge my anxiety and gave meaning to my life.” came back and said the DEA has no precedent.

How do we get to a future in which dying human “It’s a catch-22 because without the right to use beings are able to choose for themselves the treatmushrooms for patients, there’s no studies to show efments they wish to employ? Does “Death with Dignity” ficacy – and the DEA can just point to that and contininclude the right to use psychedelics to help come ue to stonewall any rescheduling by citing the fact that to terms with the end of our lives in a truly “Brave New there’s no evidence.” After the lawsuit was rejected, World?” As Dr. Draisin sees it, the answers are obvious. the company Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps sponsored a “We’re still fighting and we need more people to protest on behalf of Right to Try at the DEA building in become activists and be public about their support Arlington to raise awareness of the fact that the agenfor these end-of-life therapies,” she says. “It’s hard cy was blocking the implementation of the Right to Try because the people who need this the most aren’t able Act passed and signed into law in 2018. to keep up the fight but their loved ones – and anyone The organization addressed the issue in the followwho believes in this right – need to step up. People ing statement: “Psilocybin therapy has shown incredwho are dying deserve the right to do whatever they ible promise alleviating the debilitating existential want with their bodies and minds.”

PSILOCYBIN THERAPY has shown incredible promise alleviating the debilitating existential distress many terminally ill Americans face in their last days, sabotaging their quality of life and time with family and friends.

The FDA has granted “breakthrough status” to psilocybin therapy for depression, in light of safety and promising signs of efficacy in stage 2 FDA trials, especially for end of life patents. — Statement from the Right to Try Act, signed into law in 2018.

Resources for Activists and Patients AIMS Institute aimsinstitute.net

End Well Project endwellproject.org

Right to Try Psilocybin righttotrypsilocybin.com

Dr. Bronner’s

drbronner.com/blogs/ our-community/heal-soul

WAMM (Wo/Men’s Alliance for Medical Marijuana) wammphytotherapies.org

End of Life Washington endoflifewa.org

The Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research hopkinspsychedelic.org

Nushama (Ketamine Assisted Therapy Clinics) nushama.com

The Heffter Research Institute heffter.org

TheraPsil (Canada) therapsil.ca

Center to Advance Palliative Care capc.org

STORY by DAN VINKOVETSKY @DANNYDANKOHT/LEAF NATION | ILLUSTRATION by OUTSIDE ARTWORK @OUTSIDEARTWORK | PHOTO by @DAVID_GOODMAN_PHOTOS

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PRESENTS

High Priest of LSD The

After experimenting with psychedelics in the early 1960s, Harvard psychology professor Timothy Leary experienced a spiritual awakening and became an unlikely icon of the counterculture. Preaching to the nation’s youth to “tune in, turn on, and drop out,” he became America’s poster boy for LSD — and “the most dangerous man in America,” according to President Richard Nixon. But it wasn’t acid that led to the controversial guru’s eventual imprisonment—it was Cannabis.

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INTRO TO PSYCH The year was 1960, and a 40-year-old clinical psychologist from Massachusetts named Timothy Leary had recently begun lecturing at the prestigious Harvard University. There, he learned from a colleague about a sacred ceremony involving hallucinogenic mushrooms he’d recently experienced in Mexico. Intrigued, he traveled down to Cuernavaca that August, where he had his first psychedelic experience on psilocybin mushrooms, which forever changed his life trajectory.

After returning to Harvard that fall, he partnered with assistant professor Richard Alpert to found the Harvard Psilocybin Project: A research program to study psilocybin’s effects on human consciousness using a synthetic version of the compound created

by Swiss chemist Albert Hofman Leary with Richard Alpert at of Sandoz Labs – the same Harvard, circa 1961. chemist who discovered LSD. Leary’s introduction to acid came in October 1961 through a mysterious British “rascal” named Michael Hollingshead, who reportedly showed up in Cambridge with a mayonnaise jar of sugar paste laced with it. Two months later, Leary finally agreed to try it – allegedly swallowing a heaping tablespoon of the stuff, then proceeding to experience an epic death-and-rebirth level trip that literally blew his mind.

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WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

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Timothy Leary with partner Richard Alpert (in the background) at an event at Harvard University in the early 1960s.

MILLBROOK Over the next few years, the Harvard Psilocybin Project conducted several studies, including the Concord Prison Experiment (evaluating the effects of psilocybin on the rehabilitation of paroled prisoners) and the Marsh Chapel Experiment (testing its ability to trigger religious experiences).

But the Project’s unorthodox methods, lack of objectivity and cavalier attitude soon lead to their dismissal from Harvard. Luckily for them, their work had attracted the attention of millionaire siblings Peggy, Billy and Tommy Hitchcock, who in late 1963 offered the duo their 64-room mansion in Millbrook, New York to continue their research.

At Millbrook, Leary and Alpert founded the Castalia Foundation and continued their entheogenic experiments – attracting visits from beatnik icons Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac and William Burroughs, Ken Kesey’s Merry Pranksters, jazz musician Charles Mingus and others. But within a few years, Millbrook had devolved from a research project into a hippie commune/party house. That party ended in 1966 when the estate was raided multiple times – first by the Dutchess County

Sheriff’s Department (led by future Watergate mastermind G. Gordon Liddy) in April, then several more times by the FBI. After Millbrook’s implosion, Alpert took off for India (later reinventing himself as Ram Dass), while Leary headed to California to connect with the burgeoning new hippie movement.

LEGEND OF A MIND By this time, Leary was quickly became an icon of the new counterculture – embarking on college speaking tours, being interviewed

by Playboy, and even having a song written about him by The Moody Blues.

In January 1967, Leary and Alpert were invited to speak at the Human Be-In – a seminal hippie gathering in Golden Gate Park featuring performances by Jefferson Airplane and The Grateful Dead, among others. It was here that he first coined his infamous mantra: “Tune in, Turn on, Drop out.”

“The Human Be-In” poster.

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Recording “Give Peace a Chance” at John & Yoko’s Montreal “Bed-In For Peace” (1969).

It was also during this time that he became friends with John Lennon. Having been inspired to write the Beatles’ “Tomorrow Never Knows” after reading Leary’s book “The Psychedelic Experience,” John and Yoko invited Leary and his new wife Rosemary to their “Bed-In For Peace” at Montreal’s Queen ElizaLeary for Governor beth Hotel, where they famously recorded poster (1970).

“Give Peace a Chance.” Lennon also offered to help Leary in his newly-announced gubernatorial race against Ronald Reagan in California by penning him a song based on his campaign slogan: “Come together, join the party.”

Unfortunately, a pot arrest that December killed Leary’s political aspirations; “Come Together,” however, lives on.

BROTHERHOOD BUST At the end of 1967, Leary moved to Laguna Beach, where he became one of the spiritual leaders of notorious hash smugglers/ LSD evangelists Brotherhood of Eternal Love.

On December 26, Tim and wife Rosemary with 1968, a rookie cop named Brotherhood of Eternal Love Neil Purcell – who had been leader Johnny Griggs (1967). casing the Brotherhood’s neighborhood (nicknamed “Dodge City”) – noticed Leary’s car parked suspiciously and decided to investigate. After recognizing the driver and claiming to smell burnt marijuana, Purcell searched the vehicle and discovered two roaches in the ashtray.

Further exploration allegedly uncovered four pounds of marijuana and hashish, as well as a few tabs of LSD (all of which Leary claimed were planted). Leary, his wife and son Jack were all arrested and charged with suspicion of possession with intent to sell. Leary was later tried and convicted and on January 21, 1970, was sentenced to 10 years.

LEARY V. THE UNITED STATES But that wasn’t the first time Leary had been busted for weed – a year earlier, he was arrested in Laredo, Tex. while he and his family were returning from vacation in Mexico. At the border, a Customs agent reportedly noticed small bits of marijuana and seeds on the vehicle’s floor. Upon searching the car, they

to bust him out. On the discovered a quantity of night of September 14, weed (initially reported Leary climbed a teleas three ounces but later phone pole, shimmied revealed at trial to be along the wire across the around half an ounce), yard, then dropped down including 11 grams over the fence, where hidden in his daughter the Weathermen were Susan’s underwear. waiting nearby to spirit Though Leary took him away. After that, The full responsibility for the Leary’s mugshot Black Panthers providweed, he and his daugh(1970). ed him and Rosemary ter were both arrested. with fake passports and Leary was charged on three counts: the smuggled them to their smuggling and unlawful transportation of safe haven in Algeria. marijuana into the U.S., and not paying Soon after, they moved federal tax on said marijuana (as required Top: Leary’s Calif. Dept. of to Switzerland and by the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937).

Corrections escape bulletin. remained on the Leary’s initial defense Above: Tim & Rosemary’s lam until 1973 – was a religious one, fake passport photos. when they were claiming that the marijuarecaptured by the na was for sacramental Bureau of Narcotics at Kabul airport use and invoking his right and extradited back to the U.S. to use it under the Free Leary spent the next three years Exercise Clause of the First in Folsom Prison, during which he Amendment. Unfortunately, apparently cooperated with the FBI that defense failed and the and informed on all of his associates jury took just 45 minutes to in exchange for a reduced sentence. find him guilty on both counts.

Though he claimed he only gave the On March 11, 1966, the Feds info that was outdated or that judge fined him $30,000 and Poster for fund to they already knew, most of his friends sentenced him to a staggering raise money for Leary’s legal defense. disowned him as a rat.

30 years in prison.

Facing what amounted to DESIGN FOR DYING life behind bars, Leary hired a crack team of Leary was released from lawyers to defend him. His attorneys appealed prison by Gov. Jerry the ruling on the basis that the Marihuana Tax Brown in April 1976, Act was unconstitutional, arguing that to obey “Nice Dreams” after which he spent the federal law, he would’ve been forced to cameo. a short time in witincriminate himself under state law – a clear ness protection before violation of the Fifth Amendment. returning to public life. He spent the next two His case, Leary v. United States, eventually decades lecturing as a “stand-up philosopher” reached the Supreme Court. On May 19, – appearing in movies and TV shows (including 1969, the Court ruled unanimously in his favor the famous cameo in Cheech & Chong’s “Nice – declaring the Marihuana Tax Act unconstituDreams”) and writing books on “far out” topics tional, thus overturning his conviction and nelike space colonization, near-death and out-ofgating America’s federal Cannabis prohibition.

(Unfortunately, Congress passed the Controlled body experiences, and the afterlife.

Upon learning that he had inoperable prosSubstances Act months later, re-criminalizing it along with most other drugs). Despite this victo- tate cancer in January 1995, the ever-eccentric iconoclast said he was “thrilled” – celebrating ry, he was still found guilty of the other charges his imminent demise by hosting a “death day” and on March 2, 1970, was sentenced to 10 party, consuming multiple drugs, and recording years. Combined with the Texas conviction, he the whole thing to broadcast online. He died in nevertheless faced 20 years in prison. his sleep just after midnight on May 31, 1996, at the age of 75. A year later, a portion of his THE FUGITIVE PHILOSOPHER ashes were sent up in the Pegasus rocket – fulOn May 13, 1970, Leary was remanded to filling his dream of becoming an “ashtronaut” the California Men’s Colony – a minimum-seand proving to the world one last time how curity prison in San Luis Obispo. After his final “spaced out” he truly was. appeal was rejected in June, Leary arranged (allegedly through his lawyer Michael Kennedy) to have the Brotherhood pay the radical leftist For our podcast & more Cannabis history content group the Weather Underground $20,000 visit worldofcannabis.museum/cannthropology.

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IF IT WEREN’T FOR THE BUBONIC PLAGUE, rats could easily be man’s best friend. And the rat-infested movie “Willard” didn’t help their reputation, either. You snicker … but what we’re talking about is pretty much just an oversized mouse, right? I mean, if you really put tangible reasoning to our fearful rationale, the rat has never done anything wrong.

Like people, they’re hungry, crafty varmints who are scouring the planet in search of leftovers. The biggest difference between us and them is that we have thumbs and bigger melons – making it a helluva lot easier to find food. Without this enormous advantage, you’d see people crawling wherever necessary to scour up however many bites as it takes to fill that nagging tummy, too!

Hunger will drive you to do the unthinkable.

And OK, they multiply quickly – but so do we.

Now, I’m not advocating for new leash laws for these sniffy scavengers, but if you think about it, they’re docile and furry with cute little mouths who pretty much just want to nuzzle up for a good cuddle (if you’re down to have a pink potbelly warming the nape of your neck). Sure, that tail is thick, but a dog’s is bigger and whippier.

And so are their farts.

You know, every story needs a villain, so it could be said that the negative light shed on these feral friends has painted them as something to fear – when in reality, they could make pleasant companions for us all after a good snipping of the reproductive organs.

Rats seem like happy creatures – red eyes and all! And by the way, there is nothing wrong with red eyes. I see them in the mirror every day after a fat bong rip.

And then I nibble on some cheese.

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