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#164 | FEB. 2024
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the culture issue
#164
[
FEB. 2024
issue
Cover Artist Cabin 7 Originals chats with Leaf Nation’s Katherine Wolf to share more about her process and artistic vision.
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SHOP REVIEW
SKY HIGH GARDENS G R O W TO U R
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ALEX UBATUBA
HIGHCONS
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OF CANNABIS CULTURE
LUCID
FEB. 2024
HASH
DESIGNS
DOPE
50 DESIGNERS CLUB
CALENDAR
BRUCE WOLF
ICONIC ACTOR & ACTIVIST WOODY HARRELSON
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SOCIETY
COURTESY
CREATIVE COMMONS
LEAFMAGAZINES.COM
PHOTO BY CAIN 7 ORIGINALS
GLASS ART SPOTLIGHT
15 16 20 22 26 30 34 38 40 44 48 50 54 58 66 70 74 78 82 86
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EDITOR’S NOTE NATIONAL NEWS BUDTENDER Q&A SHOP REVIEW GROW TOUR STONER OWNER CONCENTRATE OF THE MONTH OFF THE SHELF REVIEWS TOPICAL OF THE MONTH STRAIN OF THE MONTH CABIN 7 ORIGINALS CANNABIS HIGHCONS HIGHER FREQUENCIES DOPE DESIGNERS HASH CALENDAR CLUB TERP BASEL 2 COOKING WITH CANNABIS GLASS ART SPOTLIGHT CANNTHROPOLOGY STONEY BALONEY
COURTESY
A GREENER TODAY RAINIER BEACH
COURTESY
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DANIEL BERMAN
FEATURES
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 / N O RT H E AS T L E A F / U TA H L E A F
A B O U T T H E C OV E R
Each year, we at the Leaf challenge ourselves to find a way to encapsulate the culture surrounding this plant we all love. This year, we turned to the incomparable Bridget Intessimone, better known as Cabin 7, who perfectly distilled the magic and energy of an intimate sesh between bowlmates, overlooking a Main Street buzzing with Cannabis culture. If her work looks familiar you might remember her 1st cover back in December 2021 for The Edibles Issue, where she depicted a winter wonderland utopia of frosty edible goodness set in a ultra-stoney setting. COVER ART BY CABIN 7 ORIGINALS @CABIN7ORIGINALS
WES ABNEY C E O & F O U N D E R wes@leafmagazines.com
MIKE RICKER O P E R AT I N G PA R T N E R ricker@leafmagazines.com | 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 KATHERINE WOLF C O N T E N T D I R E C T O R kat@leafmagazines.com
MEGHAN RIDLEY C O PY E D I T O R meghan@leafmagazines.com
WES ABNEY, FEATURES DANIEL BERMAN, PHOTOS BOBBY BLACK, DESIGN + FEATURES JOSHUA BOULET, ILLUSTRATION TOM BOWERS, FEATURES CABIN 7 ORIGINALS, ILLUSTRATIONS AMANDA DAY, FEATURES EARLY, PRODUCTION MAX EARLY, FEATURES JOELY FISHER, ASSISTING MATT JACKSON, FEATURES JOSHUA MONTHEI, PHOTOS JESSE RAMIREZ, DESIGN MIKE RICKER, FEATURES MEGHAN RIDLEY, EDITING STASH SHOTS, PHOTOS KELSEY STEVENS, PRODUCTION TERPENE TRANSIT, DISTRIBUTION LENA WHITE, PROPS & STYLING JERRY WHITING, EMERITUS CONTRIBUTOR LAURIE & BRUCE WOLF, RECIPES KATHERINE WOLF, FEATURES
We are creators of targeted, independent Cannabis journalism. Please email us to discuss advertising in the next issue of Northwest Leaf Magazine. We do not sell stories or coverage. We can offer design services and guidance on promoting your company’s medicinal, recreational, commercial or industrial Cannabis business, product or event within our magazine and on our website, leafmagazines.com. Email ricker@leafmagazines.com to start advertising with Northwest Leaf!
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Editor’s Note Thanks for picking up The Culture Issue of Northwest Leaf! Cannabis is going through a cultural revolution, having a huge impact on the arts, music and culture across the board – while also becoming normalized as a choice for adults to use legally. What a unique time to be alive as a stoner!
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Weed has gone from highly illegal and very cool, to being mostly legal and somewhat less rebellious. Try going to a party and announcing you have weed. It won’t be like my college years, when a fire eighth could make you a hero for a "CANNABIS night. Weed today doesn’t even smell like a skunk if you don’t want it to. HAS BEEN We have flavors and drinks and breath mints, all infusing our lives with INFLUENCING Cannabis as a wave of highness washes over our American culture. ART, MUSIC, Those that watched Anderson Cooper saw the return of on-air shots of booze to the New Year's Eve celebration, but I was waiting for the power of the dab pen to get puffed on air. It’s almost as if the mainstream media, and the leaders and politicians they elect through the control of information, are completely ignoring weed. It’s legal for medicinal use in two-thirds of the U.S. – but turn on the TV and it’s all ads for pills and beer, and of course, politics.
FASHION AND ENLIGHTENED THINKING FOR CENTURIES, WHILE NEVER GETTING CREDIT FOR SHAPING THE WORLD."
These are strange times indeed, as our world heads closer towards war and our politicians ignore the will of the people heading into another important election season. I have to wonder: Why isn’t weed on the ballot and in the lungs of our politicians? Considering NPR’s report that 25% of Congress is over the age of 70, you’d think the potential for relief from the aches, pains and cognitive decline that comes with aging would be something they’d support – both for themselves and the people they represent. Hello lawmakers, medical Cannabis is here! Our constitution guarantees the right to pursue happiness, and it seems clear that the Founding Fathers felt that any pursuit of this freedom that didn’t harm others was protected. Today, America seems to be embracing more freedoms in the pursuit of equality – but at the cost of censorship of dissenting voices. As stoners, we know what it’s like to be pigeon-holed into a second class of citizenry – facing prison for growing or smoking a plant – so we should have little tolerance for suppression of any ideas or speech, no matter which side it comes from. While the political elites and the mainstream media do their best to isolate and divide us, we must come together as a demographic, as a community, as a culture. Cannabis has the power to unite all walks of life, races and religions, in celebration of a plant that makes us all feel better. Our culture isn’t some subset of the greater culture, it is THE culture that America needs. Cannabis has been influencing art, music, fashion and enlightened thinking for centuries, while never getting credit for shaping the world. It’s time to pass the torch! The era of the stoner is here at last.
-Wes Abney
Got a story suggestion, idea for a product review, or want to share a hot news tip? Email ricker@LeafMagazines.com!
feb. 2024
“MA BUT
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ASHLEY HIRCHERT S O C I A L M E D I A L E A D ashley@leafmagazines.com
CONTRIBUTORS
WES
cannabis NEWS leafmagazines.com
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FEDERAL LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST CANNABIS GUNS BAN The Second Amendment Foundation and a District Attorney in Pennsylvania have filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Government that aims to strike down federal restrictions on gun ownership by medical Cannabis patients.
With medical Cannabis legal in 38 states and recreational Cannabis legal in 24 states, there is a major conflict between individual and patient rights and the status of Cannabis as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act. Classified as Schedule I means that Cannabis has been defined as a “drug with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. Some examples of Schedule I drugs are: heroin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), marijuana (Cannabis), 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstasy), methaqualone, and peyote,” according to the DEA’s website. The irony of this scheduling is that Cannabis, along with LSD, MDMA and Peyote all have therapeutic benefits that have been documented, placing users of these medicines at odds with the government’s regulation of firearms. Specifically, Cannabis patients and users in legal states face a choice between their medicine or their right to bear arms.
LEAFMAGAZINES.COM
feb. 2024
"...the Federal Government has a unique opportunity to recognize the rights of users of Cannabis to also bear arms."
This lawsuit names the U.S. Government, as well as Attorney General Merrick Garland and the heads of the FBI and ATF. “With the increasing acceptance of medical Cannabis, millions of Americans are forced to choose between the exercise of their Second Amendment rights or treating their symptoms with a substance that disenfranchises them from their constitutionally guaranteed right to keep and bear arms,” said SAF Executive Director Adam Kraut in a SAF press release, who is also a Pennsylvania attorney.” Such a choice is incompatible with the Constitution and finds no basis in this country’s history and tradition. We look forward to vindicating the rights of medical marijuana users.” Challenges to the restrictions of gun rights on users of Cannabis have emerged in the courts over the last several years, with recent reporting on the issue by the New York Times in an article titled “Federal Law Requires a Choice: Marijuana or a Gun?” As the Supreme Court prepares to consider more gun rights arguments, and with lesser courts facing cases like this SAF lawsuit, the Federal Government has a unique opportunity to recognize the rights of users of Cannabis to also bear arms. With legal precedence set by the 2022 Bruen ruling, a historical look to gun laws indicates to us that the Founding Fathers would not have restricted the rights of those who chose to use Cannabis – which was present in over 2,000 pharmaceutical medications in 1937 when it was first made illegal in the U.S.
THAILAND CONSIDERS BANNING CANNABIS. AGAIN.
CDC STUDY: UNDERAGE CANNABIS USE DOWN IN WA’S LARGEST COUNTY
With a newly-elected government in control,
Youth use of Cannabis has declined in King County, Washington in the years since Cannabis was legalized, reaffirming activist predictions that legalizing the plant would have a positive impact on youth drug use. Despite fears from drug war propagandists, the number of middle
As more states consider legalization of the medical and recreational use of Cannabis, studies like this demonstrate that the long-standing argument that legalizing hurts kids is simply not true. This data has also been corroborated by a Canadian study that found Cannabis was harder for students to access since legalization. For Leaf news staff, this reinforces a long-held belief that making a drug illegal makes it cool and more enticing – while watching parents eat gummies to sleep and use Cannabis responsibly makes teens less interested in Cannabis overall.
"The ‘current use of Cannabis at least once in a month’ was reported by Marijuana Moment to have fallen from 20.4% in males and 15.5% in females to 7.7 and 9% respectively. "
and high school students who admit to frequently using Cannabis has dropped in the years between 2008 and 2021. The ‘current use of Cannabis at least once in a month’ was reported by Marijuana Moment to have fallen from 20.4% in males and 15.5% in females to 7.7 and 9% respectively. According to the CDC report, the strict controls and age restrictions at dispensaries “might have affected availability of Cannabis to younger persons as well as their opportunities to engage in its use,” which is government speak for admitting that safe regulations work.
Thailand is considering a shift to making Cannabis illegal again – ramping up the country’s decades-long war on drugs. Thailand made history when they decriminalized Cannabis in 2022, which has allowed medical and adult use of Cannabis to spread in a country that once executed those convicted of drug trafficking. However, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin isn’t fond of these new freedoms and associates Cannabis with the larger illegal drug trade that has caused major problems throughout Asia. Speaking to Bloomberg Television in an interview, the PM said that “the law will need to be rewritten … We can have [Cannabis] regulated for medical use only,” he said intensely. When asked if there would be freedom for adult/recreational use, he replied with a succinct “No.” While it doesn’t look like Thailand will be the new Amsterdam, currently adults over the age of 20 are able to grow, consume and buy Cannabis – with a proliferation of more than 5,000 shops offering products similar to a stateside dispensary, including alleged products from California’s loosely regulated marketplace. For now, Cannabis tourists and users have nothing to fear – but how long this experiment in legalization and decriminalization in Asia will last is up in the air.
STORIES by WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX @NWLEAF
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interview
TEHO STANLEY
NORTHWEST LEAF BUDTENDER OF THE MONTH HOW DID YOU END UP IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST? I came here on a leap of faith four
years ago with my cousin who got stationed in Bremerton with the Navy. At the time, I was doing my own thing – so I did a little research and learned that this was officially the first state to legalize Cannabis, and it made sense for me to explore getting into the industry. WHAT ROLE DID CANNABIS PLAY IN YOUR LIFE GROWING UP? I never wanted to rely on prescription
drugs, so I gravitated to it to relieve stress, or any type of depression I had. I just wasn’t ever that kind of guy looking for those types of highs. TELL US ABOUT YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CANNABIS. I feel like it invited me. Growing up
with music and movies, I recognized the creative influence it could have on me as an artist. I smoke to find inspiration. I’ll smoke sativa flower to get me going, or a dab to get focused on writing. I love how it gives me a nice groove to get the music flowing.
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HOW DOES THE VIBE AT THE REEF DIFFER FROM OTHER RETAIL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE STATE?
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THE REEF GEORGETOWN 303 S. MICHIGAN STREET, SEATTLE, WA THEREEFSTORES.COM @THEREEF.WA 8AM-11PM MON-SAT 8AM-9PM SUN (206) 420-2137
The eldest of four children, Teho grew up in a musically talented family in South Carolina before relocating to Philadelphia. Following in his grandfather’s footsteps, he gravitated to the trumpet and spent his formative years playing in school bands. Music is his love language, which has always brought him peace. Follow him on IG @tehostanley.
It’s all about family at The Reef. Everybody gets along, we love coming to work. Some of my coworkers like Angel, Jasmin, De’Armon and Madi – we have a passion for Cannabis and we love helping people out. Weed brings us all together and I feel like that’s our common denominator. WHAT MUSIC ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
I’m listening to Kid Cudi, his new album ‘Insano’ – it’s bringing back some old sounds.
KID CUDI IS AN UNCONVENTIONAL ARTIST. WHEN I LISTEN TO HIS MUSIC I THINK OF JAZZ. YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT DIRECTION IT’S GONNA GO, BUT IT’S COHESIVE. DO YOU FEEL LIKE CANNABIS BRINGS ALL THIS CRAZINESS TO COMPLETION?
Definitely. Moving here across the country was a risk, but now I haven’t felt so put together in my life because of this plant. It’s just a great vibe for me. I’m doing really good right now.
“MOVING HERE ACROSS THE COUNTRY WAS A RISK, BUT NOW I HAVEN’T FELT SO PUT TOGETHER IN MY LIFE BECAUSE OF THIS PLANT.” feb. 2024
INTERVIEW by MIKE RICKER @RICKERDJ/NORTHWEST LEAF | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS Who’s your favorite budtender? Tell us why! Email nominations to ricker@leafmagazines.com
shop review
S E AT T L E
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THEFUTURE OFTODAY LEAFMAGAZINES.COM
FROM MEDICAL TO RECREATIONAL ROOTS
A Greener Today opened their first location on Rainier Ave in Seattle in 2012, serving patients with high quality flower, edibles and hash. With deep roots in medical and a passion for the plant that is unique in today’s corporate weed market, AGT has a love for Cannabis culture that’s evident in their selection and customer service. “Things have changed so much in the industry and retail in the last few years, so it feels good to still be representing the same values that we’ve had since the beginning,” Owner Brie Dyson said passionately. “We strive to have great quality product options for everyone, from the budget to the high end.” Recently remodeled, the Seattle location has convenient parking in the back and a bright, colorful selection inside, with multiple budtenders ready to chat about all things Cannabis. We even got a hug and a positive exchange of energy from a friendly staff member – further communicating the good vibes from this shop that operates more like a family than coworkers. Whether you’re looking for quick pre-roll picks or selecting the best hash rosin for your next sesh, these folks you covered.
HASH FOR THE HEADS
The OG team at AGT were one of the first to make hash in the medical market, pioneering the grading and labeling of bubble hash using the star system. A May 2015 Northwest Leaf article features AGT hash of each grade, at a time when most of the science of Cannabis was still a mystery. Today the team carries on that legacy by curating a top-shelf selection of solventless hash, focusing on single-source rosin and high-end hydrocarbons that customers drive into the city for. “We care about keeping the culture going and offering a big hash selection. It’s important because it brings the heady connoisseurs, and the pursuit of quality is a very important thing to carry on,” Purchasing Manager Kenny Du said. “We don’t want to push mids all day.” Talk with Du about hash and his eyes light up as he shares his favorite dabs and brands on the market. This passion is what drives the selection process, and keeps the fridge full of chilled, delicious terps!
LOVE F OR ST ON ER CU LT U RE
It’s no secret that companies from the medical era have more respect for the plant and the people who use it, which is why we chose to highlight A Greener Today for our Culture Issue. With six locations around the state including Bothell, Goldbar, Lynnwood, Shoreline and Walla Walla, Cannabis lovers have wonderful access to AGT’s daily and monthly deals on brands and products. Each day offers a general discount – like Try It Tuesday with 30% off one item – as well as a specific brand discount offering 30% off their products. With current rotating brands including Mt. Baker, Lifted, K Savage, Freddy’s Feugo, Mfused, Dank Czar and more, heady Cannabis lovers can find great discounts on the best products in the state. While many stores push deals on cheaper offerings, at AGT the focus is on top shelf and quality products – a passion that has carried the brand for the last 12 years. By staying true to their roots, we expect to see AGT continue to lead in Washington as a premiere Cannabis retail chain.
A GREENER TODAY SOUTH SEATTLE 5209 MARTIN LUTHER KING JR WAY S, SEATTLE, WA | AGREENERTODAY.COM 8:05AM-11:00PM DAILY | (206) 687-7877 | CHECK OUT THEIR LOCATIONS IN SHORELINE, LYNNWOOD, BOTHELL, GOLD BAR & WALLA WALLA!
FEB. 2024
STORY by WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX @NWLEAF | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS
S TA F F PICKS
By Kenny Du, Purchasing Manager Seattle & Shoreline AGT Locations
flower Mount Baker Homegrown’s Gelato 33 is a classic and the Drip Station is fire, a cross of Scotty 2 Hotties & Greasy Runtz. Svin Gardens One Piece is a top strain in 502 that’s an unknown Wedding Cake cross with heavyhitting and cakey-doughy terps.
concentrates With all the big players from the hash world represented, I love Dank Czar, Legendary Labs or Fugu Farms for their rosin. For BHO, Lifted’s badder is phenomenal and some of the most primo BHO you can get, and their small batch is some of the best weed in the state! Dank Czar Terp Diamonds have the fat, chunky diamonds swimming in sauce that will get you through the roof – they have the cleanest diamonds in the game. We also love RSO from Skagit Organics – it’s important to have those options for medical patients.
“WE CARE ABOUT KEEPING THE CULTURE GOING AND OFFERING A BIG HASH SELECTION.”
Edibles Pioneer Squares are the best tasting gummies, my favorites are the Black & Blueberry and Ruby Grapefruit flavors. We also love the Moonshots and Gravity Gummies from Constellation, we sell a ton of their rosin as well!
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grow tour
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Grape Runtz
Wedding Cake and Trop Cherry flower are stand outs along with their Wedding Cake Cold Cured Hash Rosin.
L-R Founder & CEO Phil Seda, Head Grower Lee Gentry, & CFO/COO Scott McManus.
FEB. 2024
sky high gardens SKY HIGH GARDENS has followed a passion for the plant and people since the brand’s launch in 2015, and their legacy continues to grow with the addition of a new single-source hash lab to turn their flower into fire dabs. In the years since Washington legalized, few brands have stood the test of time – but those that have thrived have focused on quality and consistency. With strains like the indica-dominant Pineapple Chunk, a classic on the menu since the grow began, Sky High has maintained a balance of classic strains and pheno hunted new cuts to build a unique menu full of hard-hitting, flavorful strains that represent the best of the PNW Cannabis scene. “Cannabis culture is a love for the plant and represents all the good that it brings to the world. The culture around the plant transcends our differences and unites around a common belief – that Cannabis makes the world a better place. I like to say that Sky High Gardens offers ‘different smokes for different folks,’” said CEO Phil Seda, sharing his philosophy on culture in the garden. “We like our Cannabis [strains] as diverse as the people who support us. Cannabis culture is reflected in our products through the uniqueness of each strain we offer; each offering a distinctive aroma, effect and allure.” The grow team loves uplifting, longer flowering time sativa strains that aren’t represented enough in today’s market, and one of their top sellers is a special phenotype of Blue Dream that’s been on the menu since the beginning. “Our cut of Blue Dream is one that I’m really passionate about – it’s one of my favorite smokes. A lot of people have walked all over Blue Dream as if it’s some outdated strain, but it has a lot of complexities when grown right and it just got a bad name in the early push of 502. We’ve grown it the right way and people are picking up on that and going back to the classics – this was a top seller for us in 2023! The high is a euphoric little pop, a nice daytime, knock out your to-do list with ease strain.” Trop Cherry
Two tiers of Pineapple Chunk.
>> STORY CONTINUES NEXT PAGE
STORY by WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX @NWLEAF | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS See more photos from the garden at LeafMagazines.com
grow tour
STORY CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PG.
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sky high gardens Pruning the Trop Cherry..
Wedding Cake Hash Rosin feels the squeeze.
leafmagazines.com
Clockwise from lower right: Founder & CEO Phil Seda, Head Grower Lee Gentry, Lab Director Will Hyde, CFO/COO Scott McManus, & Sales Director Nicole Carlson.
Even the size of micron bags, heat, pressure, GROWING IN a self-described maze of rooms and curing on the back end all alter the quality of in a building that’s been in the SODO area for our hash rosin. If we weren’t inherently passionnearly a century, the team has had to roll up their ate about the plant, the chorus of details we pay sleeves and adapt to produce the best Cannabis attention to would be neglected.” within the space they have to grow in. Since we Inside the building is a hive of activity, with last toured in 2020, the team built a new mother workers moving around the facility, actively waroom to hold the genetic parents of their select tering, trimming and touching the plants as they strains, and a hash-squishing rosin lab to transgrow from clones to fully flowering. Everything is form the flower into bubble hash, and then into grown using LED lights, which has saved tens of top-shelf dabbable rosin. thousands of light bulbs from the dump and helps “Growing and crafting hash rosin is a labor keep the garden sustainable. of love. It really is hard work. I “IF WE “From start to finish we put the believe both are equal parts art and plant up front and center,” explained WEREN’T science. So having a connection Phil passionately. “Everything is with the [plant and culture] provides INHERENTLY hand watered, hand trimmed, hand us with a clearer understanding of PASSIONATE what it takes to create the tastiest ABOUT THE PLANT, touched. Each plant is an individual, even in a row of all Pineapple Chunk, hash rosin on the market right now,” THE CHORUS and each one has specific needs and Phil explained. “We listen to what OF DETAILS WE metabolism if you will, so one might the plants tell us to get the most PAY ATTENTION be ready to drink one day where out of them. So knowing when to TO WOULD BE another only needs a top off – so to harvest, and choosing what strain keep them balanced and happy, we is ideal to freeze in preparation for NEGLECTED,” -CEO PHIL SEDA give each plant attention.” solventless extraction takes skill.
feb. 2024
Doing things the hard way, and growing through difficult times is what it takes to survive in the Cannabis game. With heavy taxation, over regulation of a plant, and crime in the Seattle area putting all businesses at risk, the Cannabis growing game is not for the faint of heart. Since 2015, hundreds of gardens and brands have failed – but not because of money alone. This industry is not kind to those who only want to profit and lack passion for the plant and the culture. For Phil and the team at Sky High, the fight to share their weed with the community has only made them stronger. “Being here after a decade provides us with a sense of gratitude and grit. We are thankful to be doing what we love … we have endured a lot over the years, which has made us stronger,” Phil said as our conversation turned to the future. “My hope is that the market and consumers start to value smaller, craft operations that more closely align with Cannabis culture.” SKYHIGHGARDENS.NET @SKYHIGHWA
STORY by WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX @NWLEAF | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS See more photos from the garden at LeafMagazines.com
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CHAMPELLI POPPING SEEDS FASHION, MUSIC AND CANNABIS As a young buck coming up in ALL BREATHE THE SAME the Bernal Heights neighborhood SMOKE-FILLED AIR, and for the in 1980s San Francisco, young Joe past four decades, Champelli’s been Rutherford drew inspiration and blowing the primo clouds. A soft-spoken, influence from his surroundings. The neighborhood itself was a vibrant, quietly confident icon, Pelli came up fast rustic borough ripe with hippies and in the ‘80s and ‘90s – sharing a similar weed smoke – a hilltop rising up trajectory to hip-hop, San Francisco and among the surrounding neighborCannabis itself. Rising from middle school hoods. grows at his mom’s house to being “It was kind of this vantage point, name-dropped by the biggest names in but it had all these quirky characters hip-hop, Champelli has methodically built that lived up there,” he said. “Santana’s conga player lived up there, and an empire around his greatest passions: it was very old school, ‘80s San Franstreet fashion, Cannabis culture and music. cisco. Working class and musicians Leaf Magazines spoke with Champelli and hippies.” for the Culture Issue to learn about the He recalls some of the people genesis of the Champelli name and to hear who molded him at that early age, what he has planned for the future. perhaps the most influential of which was his brother. “I got to see my brother growing in this pantry that we had off of the kitchen there,” he said of his mom’s house in Bernal Heights. “Next to the cats and the dishes and stuff like that. He was growing there when I was in elementary school, and I ended up snagging some leaves from that area and rolling ‘em up with some friends – trying to figure out how to roll it up or do something with it, trying to roll it in binder paper in elementary school. Then later on in middle school is when I started to grow there myself.” THE COME UP Rutherford immersed himself in the culture of his city, staying as close to the heartbeat as possible. He cultivated Cannabis through middle and high school, developing his creative side as a graffiti artist and skateboarder, catching shows at a venue down the hill called The Farm. He watched the Cannabis culture grow, and with it, the quality and price of the weed. “I watched it go from $20 an eighth to $25, to $30 an eighth, to $35 an eighth, and then there was this huge jump in ‘89 to $50 an eighth,” he said. “I went over to my one buddy’s house, this one dealer, and he rolled up this huge joint and we smoked it and he was like, ‘This is the super indo.’ And it just totally got me obliviated. It was amazing. He’s like, ‘Yeah, that’s $50 an eighth.’ And I was like, ‘$50 an eighth? Holy shit.’ I was like, ‘What? Jesus Christ.’ Yeah, that was that hype.” In 1991, Rutherford dropped out of high school, and got his own apartment, where he continued to hone his craft as a breeder and cultivator, buying lights and setting up a solid indoor grow.
FEB. 2024
CULTIVATING A NAME
“SHE ONLY SEES ME WITH CHAMPELLI TREES SHE ONLY SEES ME HAVING HELLA GS SHE ONLY SEES ME WITH EUROPEAN KEYS …” -MAC DRE, “DAVIN RIMS”
“I WAS INTO MUSIC AND SKATEBOARDING, AND I USED TO DO GRAFFITI … BREAKDANCE AND ALL THIS STUFF, SO I WAS ALWAYS KIND OF IMMERSED IN JUST THE EVOLVING CULTURE.” This is when Rutherford truly started on the path to becoming Champelli. “I was into music and skateboarding, and I used to do graffiti … breakdance and all this stuff, so I was always kind of immersed in just the evolving culture,” he said. “I gravitated toward those scenes, being in touch with professional skaters and musicians, going to shows, and eventually getting little small clothing companies emerging at that time and trading them weed for clothes.” By ’95-’96, he’d started making music with his friend Aris. He dropped an album and founded his own record label. Around the same time, he got his hands on a cut of the Kush. That was when everything really took off. EARNING HIS NAME The Kush cut served as a jumping off point for Rutherford’s transformation to Champelli. “I always had the Kush, so I was always known for having the Kush,” he said. “Then there were a few other strains that I had at that time. One of them happened to be the Champagne, and they were calling me the Champagne Cowboy and all this different stuff. The linguistics here in the Bay Area are very innovative with taking words and putting a twist on ‘em, so Champagne just kind of evolved into Champelli and became my moniker. Then the
weed also turned into Champelli. They were like, ‘Yo, I need that Champelli.’” On the quality of his flower and his chill demeanor, Champelli started hanging with the biggest names in the hip-hop and reggae communities, blessing them with his trademark Champelli heat. “I always had really good luck at getting backstage,” he said. “I’d always end up in the back somehow, even if I didn’t have the hookup – I would just walk back there. I was meant to be there or something. Just be invisible for a moment and end up in these places.” Champelli became a trap household name, getting props from Snoop Dogg, Mac Dre, B-Real, Beanie Sigel, Yukmouth, Memphis Bleek and other rappers in the scene. Recently, B-Real even told a story on Instagram about 2Pac rolling up with some Champelli. “The weed kind of made its way into the culture, into the music and the songs that are still etched into history and time, in urban mythology and lore,” Champelli said, “from Mac Dre to Snoop Dogg to all these Bay Area artists that mentioned the strain. It also made it all the way from
A Stoner Owner is a Cannabis business owner who has a relationship with the plant. We want to buy and smoke Cannabis from companies that care about their products, employees and the plant. You wouldn’t buy food from a restaurant where the cooks don’t eat in the kitchen, so why buy corporate weed grown by a company only concerned with profits? Stoner Owner approval means a company cares, and we love weed grown with care. Let’s retake our culture and reshape a stigma by honoring those who grow, process and sell the best Cannabis possible. L.A. to the East Coast, so artists on the East Coast started to name drop it in songs as well.” THE FUTURE Now, Champelli runs a legal Cannabis brand in California and designs his own fashion line that serves customers all over the world. He stays quietly humble about it. “I’m always looking for different ways to express myself creatively,” he said, “whether it’s musically or design or through cuisine, through creating new strains or doing art design for the brand, doing photography.” He’s currently working through 500-600 new phenotypes to pick new winners to release this year and will be doing a seed drop with Sensi Seeds for Spannabis in Barcelona this March. “This year I am really looking to expand the brand and kind of take things to new heights,” he said. “As a small brand that hasn’t really taken on any investors or anything like that, trying to get the right pieces of the puzzle and the right ingredients to catapult the brand to the next level – I’m working on doing all that myself slowly but surely. But as an entrepreneur, it takes being patient and diligent, and just sticking with your vision and your dream and trying to see it through to the end.” No matter what, Champelli doesn’t plan to lose sight of what inspired young Joe Rutherford all those years ago atop Bernal Heights. “It’s a very magical plant,” he said, “and I feel like it has to be respected as such and treated as such.” @CHAMPELLI | @CHAMPELLI.CO
STORY by TOM BOWERS @CANNABOMBTOM/LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by JOSH MONTHEI @CAPTURECANNABIS
concentrate of the month
One Piece Cured Resin+Live Rosin Grab your favorite katana dab tool and embrace the high-energy, Anime-themed live rosin and cured resin from local legends Svin Gardens.
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Svin Gardens’ passion for hash is why we decided to feature their fire dabs in our Culture Issue. FEB. 2024
The strain One Piece is a Wedding Cake cross with an unknown genetic partner, giving it a sense of mys-
tery that fits with the Anime-themed packaging and branding for this cut. Anime and Manga have long focused on esoteric martial arts and mysterious powers, which can also be found when tasting new and rare concentrates. Each new high is like a fresh power up – providing necessary health and mind points to keep moving on the long journey called life. Svin Gardens has embraced the culture of Cannabis with their flying pig packaging, with a quote on their website that shares the vibe behind this Tier 2 craft-focused garden. “They said that it’d be legal when pigs fly. Now that the pigs are flying, we’re trying to grow the best!” Growing top-shelf flower and processing single-source BHO and hash rosin, Svin Gardens’ passion for hash is why we decided to feature their fire dabs in our Culture Issue. We chose to start with the cured resin, which has an Anime skull mark above a treasure chest with a reflective green-gold horde inside. Twisting open the jar releases a rush of sour gassy cake with a lemon-vanilla-honey in a sugared finish that teases the senses as a dab is loaded. The resin has a beautiful golden color and a light consistency – melting at low temps into a silky smooth vapor that grips the lungs in a quick embrace before a clean exhale. Full of lemony-gassy funk, this delicious dab rushes mental effects to the forehead as the body warms and muscles relax with a stoney-euphoric energy reminiscent of classic, old school highs. Now that we were floating a few feet off the ground like an esoteric guru, our attention turned to the live rosin for a second helping of the One Piece. The rosin has a beautiful consistency that glistens with terps and oozes a heavy Wedding Cake gas that’s balanced by notes of lavender, rose petals and a honey finish that’s sweet and funky. First inhales deliver a rich and thicker vapor that’s full of sour gas that instantly clouds the mind in a hazy fog. The rosin captures a heavier effect – slowing thoughts and sedating the body as a warming glowup spreads from nose to toes. Like an iconic Goku power-up Super Saiyan form, we felt stronger, happier and ready to take on whatever trials and bad bosses life throws at us. SVINGARDEN.COM @SVIN_GARDEN
REVIEW by WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX/NORTHWEST LEAF | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS
“The Collaboration You Never Knew You Needed!” WARNING: THIS PRODUCT HAS INTOXICATING EFFECTS AND MAY BE HABIT FORMING. CANNABIS CAN IMPAIR 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 ONLY BY ADULTS TWENTY ONE AND OLDER. KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN.
reviews
D E R O V V A L F
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FLIP SIDE
CLOUD PACK
leafmagazines.com
MILLIONS OF PEACHES
Rip this vape to the song “Peaches” and you’ll understand why the singer wants to move to the country, but we’d rather smoke our peaches – inhaling fresh, tart flavor that is so realistic we can taste the peach fuzz as it tickles our palate. With the option to change temp for bigger clouds or smaller, smoother hits, this disposable has fun art and lots of functionality. FIREBROS206.COM
feb. 2024
MFUSED
RAINBOW CLOUD
These bright and fresh clouds of sugary Sweet Tarts taste so sweet it’s easy to imagine an exhale full of all the colors of the rainbow. Pick either gentle tokes on the Flavor Savor setting or Super Fog mode that will fill a room with gassy Fruit Rollup flavored vapor like a glitter bomb video on YouTube. MFUSED.COM | @MFUSEDCULTURE
WATERMELON SUGAR SATIVA
Inhale the flavor of summer with a candied-sugar watermelon zing that’s fresh and gentle, with a high that mentally transports us to sipping a watermelon cocktail poolside. The new side to the amazing Plaid Jacket brand, Flip Side fills the lungs with an auto-draw or power-hit function that smacks the mind and body with huge clouds of syrupy vapor. @SMOKE.FLIPSIDE
DVAP
ES
MICRO BAR
BLACKBERRY SLUSH
Pressed
ORANGE CREAMSICLE
The Quick Strike edition hits hard, delivering a rush of blackberries that tastes like a fizzy fruit-pouch juice being sipped from a sugared glass – coating the palate in a tingly rush that satisfies and delights with each hit.
Bright and creamy with all the flavor and vibes of an Orange Julius in a classic mall, this citrusy and smooth cartridge delivers heady clouds that taste like fresh sips of a chilled smoothie – plus it has the versatility of working on any battery.
MICROBARVAPE.COM | @MICROBAR.US
PRESSEDFLAVOR.COM | @PRESSED_FLAVOR
off the shelf
In honor of getting high on the down low, we’ve rounded up our favorite flavored vapes for a Culture Issue edition of Off the Shelf. The power of the pen has been long-noted in history, so how lucky are we that our pens get us high in 2024? No consumption innovation has changed the culture of Cannabis more than the cartridge … and more recently, the flavored vape. Knowing that our culture is constantly evolving and coming out of the Cannabis closet in many areas, we chose to highlight the best flavored vapes to enhance the everyday experience. Now before our heady hash lovers look down on fruity cartridges and colorful disposables, let’s all reflect on a time when weed was illegal. This writer remembers frantically triple-washing hands and taking an Axe Body Spray shower to try and cover up the smell of a blunt – which failed spectacularly as everyone in the college journalism class knew who was high. The smell of weed – which appeals to us with beautiful terps and flavors that are often reminiscent of skunks, burnt rubber or piney petrol and Kush – is a natural evolution to deter animal predation of the Cannabis plant. It also lets people know when you’ve been smoking the dank and still holds potential for trouble in the era of legal pot. So why is this relevant? Because not everyone can return from their lunch break smelling like a bong rip of OG Kush, but we can all puff a flavored vape and fit in with the non-smoking tobacco users ripping their Elf bars. This is important, because it allows for a bright and colorful vape that tastes like fruit punch to sneak past the other judgy parents at soccer practice, and provides a discreet opportunity to get totally baked. Plus, some people don’t like to smell like Cheech and Chong’s ashtray, but love getting ripped on Peach Rings vapor! In honor of those choosing a flavored buzz, here are our picks for the best flavored vapes in the Washington marketplace.
REVIEW by WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX @NWLEAF | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS
topical of the month
SKAGIT ORGANICS
WILD MINT TOPICALS SHAKE LOOSE FROM WINTER DOLDRUMS AND GET IN THE GAME WITH HEATING AND COOLING TOPICALS FROM WILD MINT.
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“Wild Mint has hot and cold topicals that are good for both healing and pushing through a workout.”
WARMING SALVE & CHILL RUB STAYING ACTIVE is a key part of being healthy, especially in the PNW where incessant rain and bad traffic make the 5:00 p.m. sunsets even harder to handle. It’s important to remember that the sun will return – and we’ll all want to be feeling good when summer shows up for a few weeks – so suffering at the gym now means good vibes later. For this writer, a mix of hiking and snowshoeing has been thrown into the mix – twisting a knee and adding fresh insults to old injuries with a sharp pain. Luckily for us, Wild Mint has hot and cold topicals that are good for both healing and pushing through a workout. The day my knee started hurting we immediately went for the Chill Rub, savoring the cooling sensation while rubbing the topical into the back of my knee joint. With a chill VapoRub-style smell, the cooling gave quick relief to the knee area. Over the next hour, we felt the muscles relax as the cannabinoids from the full-spectrum oil penetrated, reducing inflammation and calming nerves. After a couple days and a lot of chill, it was time to get back into the gym – and the warming salve was just what the stoner ordered. The green-tinted salve has a solid look but melts onto skin at room temperature, filling the nose with a warming wave of cinnamon and lavender with a citrus and cayenne tang that smells comforting and relaxing. Rubbed onto muscles liberally, within minutes we felt a warming sensation and within an hour the knee was loose and relaxed. With cannabinoid therapy going directly through the skin, healing and recovery can happen at the same time as pain relief and muscle relaxation. Our skin is our biggest organ and a great transmitter for cannabinoids, and with full-spectrum Cannabis in the mix, these topicals will get you ready for whatever aches and pains life throws your way. Skagitorganics.net | @skagitorganics
feb. 2024
REVIEW by WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS
strain of the month the culture issue
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Cultivated by
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khush kush
Rozay x Tropicana Cherry #7 Sip and savor
the flowers that we all really want for Valentine’s Day with this euphoric sativa cross of Rozay and Tropicana Cherry # 7.
feb. 2024
“This flower fills a room with an intoxicating sweet funk as the well-cured, medium-density flower breaks up for a big bowl.”
VALENTINE’S DAY is a love it or hate it holiday that largely depends on whether one is in a happy relationship or not. Luckily for us, Mary Jane is always ready to share her loving embrace – so ditch the roses and buy your lover or yourself a bountiful bouquet of terpy flower from the family owned and operated Khush Kush. People buy roses because they love the colors and we feel the same way about the frosty, purple buds that glisten with trichomes from inside this glass jar. When it comes to jar appeal, this is about as beautiful as weed can get. Opening the lid releases a rush of fizzy cherries, creamy red berries and a kushy-gas finish that’s perfect for setting the mood. Like lighting a candle to get the senses in tune, this flower fills a room with an intoxicating sweet funk as the wellcured, medium-density flower breaks up for a big bowl. First tokes are rich with warm, earthy cherries that coat the palate before exhaling smoothly with a gassy tingle. The Rozay and Tropicana Cherry #7 combine for a sweet and sultry flavor profile that’s delicious and easy to hit – delivering big tokes of clean smoke that gently hugs the body while sending effects floating to the mind. Euphoric and uplifting, a cerebral effect hits first as a warm and happy buzz hits the head like a halo, brightening sounds and tastes as a relaxed buzz slowly hits the body. After a few bowls this flower will have you in the mood for feel-good activities, with a lovely high that’s both in the moment and floating above it at the same time. Grown in Bellingham, Khush Kush is known for their tasty edibles, including the famous Pot Tarts that are exactly what they sound like. Check out our December Edibles Issue for these yummy treats, including their coconutty Haystacks and classic Rice Crispy Treats. With a full lineup of high-end flower to complement their delicious edibles, Khush Kush is a one-stop shop to spark your next special Cannabis experience. KHUSHKUSH.COM | @KHUSHKUSH 23.9% THC
REVIEW by WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS
THE CULTURE ISSUE
cabin 7 originals
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leafmagazines.com
Cabin 7 Originals created our Dec. 2021 Edibles Issue cover.
I
CLOSE MY EYES and find myself with my toes digging in the sand, waves gently rolling in against the shore, palm trees stretching upwards toward the hot sun. But wait, those are no normal leaves on those branches. They’re weed nugs! And that’s no sun setting in the sky … it’s a purple planet. No, I’m not on some sort of cosmic Cannabis beach. I’m in a Cabin 7 Originals piece – portals into whimsical worlds often inspired by founder Bridget Intessimone’s own travels.
FEB. 2024
“A lot of the outdoor scenes in my art are inspired by trips I've been on to different countries or states,” she explains. “I like outdoor stuff and hiking a lot. I’ll find a beautiful spot when I’m out on a trail, or even see a picture of a field while I’m scrolling on Pinterest, and instantly I have an entire story and art idea that goes along with that scene in my head.” Bridget has always considered herself a storyteller first. “I’ve been drawing and writing my entire life, since I was born basically,” she tells me. “Writing has always been a companion to drawing for me and all of it is connected. They can't not be together in my opinion, because there's no art without a story. Story is the central reason for everything humans do really, and that's why art is so intertwined into our culture and existence as a human race.” In fact, the idea for the entire Cabin 7 brand came from a story – one Bridget wrote one summer back in middle school. While her art is now full of lush landscapes, groovy patterns and vibrant colors, you may be surprised to find out the original inspiration was a bit more spooky. “I wrote this book series called ‘The Curse of Cabin 7’ about a haunted summer camp cabin. It was just for me and my friends, really,” she explains. “All of my art for the next six or seven years stemmed from that story and it kind of became my whole identity. My mom was the one who encouraged me to embrace this whole world I had created and start branding myself as Cabin 7.” If you look closely you’ll see many of the same characters appear over and over again in Bridget’s art, and many of them come from that same haunted cabin. “Now I have all these branches of different characters from that original story,” she tells me. “They’ve developed with me as a person over the years because all of my characters are pieces of my personality, but embodied in an individual person. They each have their own storyline but exist in the same universe.”
Cannabis is certainly a major theme in this universe. Her images are almost like a “Where’s Waldo” of weed accessories, with smoking paraphernalia and nods to the psychedelic scene sprinkled throughout. In typical Cabin 7 fashion, each component is part of a story and perfectly placed – down to the individual items on a rolling tray and consumption methods of each character. Bridget explains how, “There’s always something happening and lots of details included, and all of them are super intentional. It's easy to come up with those details if you really know your characters and have that story behind them. Like, ‘Oh, this character wouldn't have their phone on them but this one would, or this character would be hitting a bong and not a blunt.’ It’s all very specific for me. There's always a whole world and that person's entire life story in my head.” These stories have truly been embraced by our community. The picture that changed things and catapulted Cabin 7 to the forefront of Cannabis art and culture went viral on Instagram back in 2018, titled “The Medicated Perspective.” A city street in sad shades of blue and gray becomes alive in rainbow colors when viewed through a puff of joint smoke – a metaphor for Bridget’s own relationship with smoking. “I’ve always used weed pretty medically for depression and anxiety, and it’s really helped me with that,” she shares. “I also use it when I work to relax and focus. It's the only thing that makes it possible for me to concentrate on one drawing for like 12 hours. I’ve always thought art and Cannabis intersect very strongly because there’a a big overlap between people who smoke weed and people who appreciate art. That’s the special thing about weed – the culture around it. Plus, when I smoke, it just shifts everything and makes the world look brighter to me.” CABIN7ORIGINALS.COM @CABIN7ORIGINALS @CABIN7APPAREL
Her images are almost like a “Where’s Waldo” of weed accessories, with smoking paraphernalia and nods to the psychedelic scene sprinkled throughout." STORY by KATHERINE WOLF @KATADELLIC for LEAF NATION | PHOTOS & ILLUSTRATIONS by CABIN 7 ORIGINALS
leafmagazines.com
BENNYY BLANCO
You can’t mention Cookies or Cannabis BERNER culture without mentioning Berner. Love him or loathe him, he’s made moves in music and Cannabis that have impacted and creatively combined both industries – where you can walk down the street in his clothing, listening to his music, on your way to his dispensary, to buy his weed. This year, he’s baking a new batch of ideas to influence Cannabis culture at the brand-new Cookies Compound. It’s a business and multimedia headquarters with state-of-the-art facilities like sales-staging setups, culinary quarters, a podcast room, offices, art installments and more.
erik nugshots Erik Christiansen has built a body of work that’s become a staple in global Cannabis education, entertainment and branding visuals. His magical macro photography, astute use of early social media, and many publications in print gave him prominent public recognition and helped professionalize the visual culture of an entire evolving industry. Recently, Erik was busy chronicling part of that culture, culminating in a book. “Higher, The Lore, Legends, and Legacy of Cannabis,” (written by Dan Michaels and published in April of 2023) is an exquisite and informative homage to the plant exploring a vast range of sources and topics.
woody harrelson Woody and weed go way back. He’s been an advocate for hemp and Cannabis reform since the '90s when he famously withheld his taxes in protest of Colorado’s failure to pass an industrial hemp bill, was arrested in Kentucky for planting a hemp seed, and slipped President Clinton a letter in support of legalization. For his roles in normalization and advocacy, he has even received a spot on NORML’s advisory board, and was awarded the 2022 Emerald Cup’s “Willie Nelson Award.” Most recently, Harrelson has opened his first dispensary in West Hollywood (The Woods), with plans to expand into a consumption lounge.
DAN WILSON
Music and Mary Jane are a match that needs no introduction. The same goes for our first Cultural Icon on the list – if you’re a fan of R&B, Soul and Hip Hop, that is. If you’re not, let us have the pleasure of introducing you to the musically masterful and fiercely feminine creative force that is Erykah Badu. She’s been making music (and waves) since the late ‘90s. This year, she officially entered the Cannabis scene. Her collaboration with Berner at Cookies birthed a new brand called “That Badu.” It’s a women’s health-focused line with plans to expand.
ELAINA WILCOX PHOTOGRAPHY
ERYKAH BADU
LIVEPICT.COM
>> HUMANS ARE at the heart of every community’s culture, so for this year’s Culture Issue we’re highlighting some icons throughout the national Cannabis community. We've selected folks stoking the fires of canna-culture in the arts and entertainment realms and nominated them for recent work. But there just aren’t enough pages to praise the people of the plant. If you’d like to see us make space for someone in next year’s issue, send us your suggestions!
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LIFETIME ACHIEVERS
BOB MARLEY
FEB. 2024
WILLIE NELSON
LOUIS ARMSTRONG
CHEECH & CHONG
SNOOP DOGG
CYPRESS HILL
METHOD MAN
mike tyson
JERRY GARCIA
CAB CALLOWAY
WHOOPI GOLDBERG
MARTHA STEWART
kandid kush
Fine art feeds culture, and we can’t discuss fine art in Cannabis without diving into the work of Chris Romaine. He’s been photographing the plant with a perceptive eye and graceful edge around the world in editorial, commercial and artistic endeavors. While his work splendidly spans styles and subjects, much of his focus has fallen on the macro world of Mary. Recently, this work landed him a special spot in The House of Cannabis (New York). THC NYC is the very first museum, gallery and lounge of its kind – and inside of it lies another first: “The Microverse.” It’s an exhibit featuring Chris’ work in an immersive experience that’s sure to shift perspectives.
B REAL
Cypress Hill is a staple in the stoner’s smoking soundtrack. As one of the first entertainment groups to publicly and openly embrace Cannabis back in the 90s, the crew became synonymous with the plant during prohibition. Since legalization, frontman B Real has only continued that legacy. His YouTube series “The Smokebox” has welcomed celebrity guests to smoke on camera for over 10 years. Back in 2018, he opened up the first of many Dr. Greenthumb’s dispensaries. Today, he continues to expand his empire and influence Cannabis culture through music, media and merchandise.
STORY by LEAF NATION STAFF & CONTRIBUTORS | ILLUSTRATION by CABIN 7 ORIGINALS @CABIN7ORIGINALS | ADDITIONAL PHOTOS by CREATIVE COMMONS
COURTESY
Counterculture and Cannabis are close cousins, and no one knows that better than Ted Lidie. As Founder and Creative Director of Alien Labs, Lidie captured the connection between connoisseur Cannabis and subcultures such as skateboarding and comic books. Alien Labs ted lidie leaned into this with more than just a line of killer Cannabis products and ever-evolving cultivars – they birthed a new age of acceptance through apparel. The full line of clothing, bags and more have bridged the gap for everyone from your seasoned smoker to the mall meanderer that happens upon Alien Labs in big brand stores like Zumiez.
Heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson’s rise to fame in the Cannabis community has found its footing – but the only punches he’s packing these days are THC-backed. TYSON 2.0 is a Cannabis and infused goods brand that’s relatively new to the scene, but so is the notoriously fiery fighter’s outlook on life. In numerous interviews and throughout the brand’s PR campaign, Tyson has expressed the importance of Cannabis and alternative substances in turning around his attitude, aggression and discipline as a businessman. This transparency regarding his therapeutic transformation and promotion of the plant for athletes earns him a spot on our 2024 list.
PEDRO GARCIA
Jim Belushi is another actor-turned-activist who’s invested his time and money in Cannabis culture. His support started with his brother’s passing in ‘82 from a drug overdose – a tragedy that Jim believes could have been avoided if John consumed Cannabis for his trauma instead. It became Jim’s “mission from God” to share the plant’s healing powers, and he eventually opened a southern Oregon grow operation (over 12 years ago) that has since expanded into multiple states. These days, Belushi has teamed up with Discovery Channel to welcome viewers onto the farm in his three-season series, “Growing Belushi.”
Cannabis cups are an integral part of this culture and we can’t talk about “cups” without mentioning “California’s longest-running, most authentic celebration of Cannabis culture and quality.” The Emerald Cup is entering its 20th year, and behind it is a man with even more years of dedication to the culture. Tim Blake is a lifelong activist. Prior to founding the Emerald Cup, he helped start the Mendocino Farmers Collective & Healing Harvest Farms, Coalition for Cannabis Policy Reform (Prop 64), Mendocino Cannabis Policy Council and Mendocino Cannabis Industry Association. His dedication to cultivating a community around Cannabis and organic lifestyles continues to send waves worldwide, far beyond his humble California roots.
COURTESY
JIM BELUSHI
MIKE ROSATI
COD NEWSROOM
TIM BLAKE
SUPERFESTIVALS.COM
hcons
PATCH UP WITH MÖBIUS PATCH UP WITH MÖBIUS MÖBIUS CBD PATCH PATCH UP WITH MÖBIUS PATCH UP WITH MÖBIUS PATCH UP WITH MÖBIUS PATCH UP WITH MÖBIUS PATCH UP WITH MÖBIUS PATCH UP WITH MÖBIUS PATCH UP WITH MÖBIUS PATCH UP WITH MÖBIUS PATCH UP WITH MÖBIUS MÖBIUS CBD PATCH PATCH UP WITH MÖBIUS PATCH UP WITH MÖBIUS This product has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming. Cannabis 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 21 and older. Keep out of the reach of children.
THE CULTURE ISSUE
higher s f e e r qu ncie
T
he number of Cannabis podcasts has really opened up over the last couple of years. With so many video and audio programs out there, there’s truly something for everyone. Many of you already subscribe to hits like Masonic Smoker, the OG Potcast and First Smoke of The Day, but here’s some other recommendations for listening to interviews, histories and interesting stories about weed.
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Don’t forget to check out some of these podcasts from members of our Leaf Magazine Family.
Leaf Life
Wes Abney & Mike Ricker
hot dabs Now on its
third season, this hash-centric video podcast asks people from around the Cannabis community to answer compelling questions as they exhale huge dabs that get up to 900 degrees. Hosted by Dustan of Real Deal Resin, episodes have featured former professional wrestler The Godfather, Mami Uvas from “Life Is Not Grape” and Fran Terpy, the founder of social club Terpy Barcelona.
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@HOTDABSPOD
the hashish inn Intimate conversations with
some of the most celebrated, decorated and recognized hashmakers in the game today. Host Shoragim is dedicated to collecting the stories and shared history of America’s modern hash culture. This combination audio/ video podcast has featured makers like Dammit Bobby, Tree City Solventless and Hanzo Gardens. @THEHASHISHINN
That’s Good PizzZa Host JPeezy sits
down with passionate movers and shakers, letting them tell their story and asking their all-time desert-island favorites. One thing that’s great about this video/audio podcast is that they have a diverse range of guests. From incredible cultivators like Anna from CAM or Dave from Preferred Gardens, to passionate makers like Cozy Cubes edibles and Rektipz founder D-Rek. @GOODPIZZZAPODCAST
Leaf Magazine’s audio/video podcast where, just like Cannabis, the topic can go anywhere. With guests and episodes that range from parenting and meditation to social media and AI’s role in the industry, nothing is off the table. Along with this, the team features regular segments in which they review new products and devices. @LEAFLIFEPODCAST
Cannthropology Bobby Black
An engaging podcast presented by The World of Cannabis Museum project and hosted by WoC Executive Director, California Leaf Editor and marijuana media icon Bobby Black. In each episode, Bobby speaks with a different expert or significant figure in Cannabis culture to provide an entertaining and educational history lesson. @CANNTHROPOLOGY
The Smoking Spot Amanda Breeze & Ryan Herron
dreamtown
terpene therapy An informative
An NPR-style audio history hosted by David Weinberg. The seven-part stylized story details the California town of Adelanto and its 2014 battle with legalizing cultivation in order to save failing revenues. Tailored for a more general audience, it pairs well with a road trip. @CROOKEDMEDIA
look at terpene profiles and Cannabis products. Not just smokable and dabbable, they also look at the items we use to consume them. Alongside these discussions, they also record on location at events such as The Smoking Jacket and Ego Clash. Episodes have featured John Dawson from Kung-Fu Vapes, glass artist Zach Brown and Stache Products. @TERPENETHERAPYPODCAST
FEB. 2024
Explore the world of Cannabis and through interviews and discussions with industry insiders. Hosts Amanda and Ryan are contributing writers to a slew of publications nationwide (including Oregon Leaf), offering listeners a unique perspective having written for many parts of the industry. Recent episodes have featured Leafly Editor David Downs, renowned photographer Kandid Kush and Oregon micro-growery Brave Hearts.
Smoke & Bridges Be a fly on the
wall for a casual conversation between Cannabis personalities and journalist/ event creator Jimi Devine. Join in the audio one-on-one as Jimi sits down for an hour-long chat with industry figureheads like Champelli, Keith from Fig Farms and Kayla’s Marc Hammond. @YOURGREENSTATE @THEJIMIDEVINE
@THE.SMOKINGSPOT
Grow Bud Yourself Danny Danko & Mike Gianakos
Author of “Cannabis: A Beginners Guide to Growing Marijuana,” Former HIGH TIMES Senior Cultivation Editor and recent Northeast Leaf Editor Danny Danko offers news, activism reports and cultivation tips for listeners of all skill levels, alongside co-host, Leaf Nation writer and former HT Editor-In-Chief Mike Gianakos. @GROWBUDYOURSELF
STORY by MATT JACKSON @ACTIONMATTJACKSON for LEAF NATION | ILLUSTRATION by CABIN 7 ORIGINALS @CABIN7ORIGINALS
W W W. C A S C A D E K R O P Z . N E T SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOW US ON:
@CASCADE_KROPZ_WA #CASCADEKROPZ
2 1 + R E C R E AT I O N A L CANNABIS
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dope designers
Stoners have always used fashion as a form of self-expression. As the Cannabis and fashion industries increasingly intertwine, these three designers are on the cutting edge of the cultural evolution.
Mars Mars grew up in NorCal always wanting his own brand — a dream that ultimately came true in 2016 when he learned how to screenprint, sew and do graphic design. He would travel all around California, going between the Bay and LA to find premium fabrics for his pieces. Mars ended up making the move to LA four years ago and launched the Mars Hype brand there in 2022. He connects with each buyer to create a “one of none” piece that is custom-made for them and collaborates with brands on limited-release clothing capsules. Mars also recently dropped a lineup of accessories to pair with his apparel including heady towels, space bags and dab mats. Some of his favorite pieces to date have been made for Berner and Chris Brown’s 11:11 album release, and he says he’s driven to “create things that last and where people can connect with each other like Mary Jane does for all of us in this community.” Mars’ pieces are truly out of this world and available exclusively through his Instagram accounts. @CREATEWITHMARS @MARSHYYPE
FEB. 2024
STORY by KATHERINE WOLF @KATADELLIC for LEAF NATION | ILLUSTRATION by CABIN 7 ORIGINALS | PHOTOS by MARS
>> Story continues next page
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dope designers Continued from previous page
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lucid society designs Gretchen, a mother of two out in Humboldt County, has always been a creative artist but started Lucid Society Designs back in 2020. Ice-dyeing is done by covering an item of clothing with ice and
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sprinkling dye powder across it — the pattern will be determined by the way dye molecules spread as the ice melts and no two pieces will ever be identical. “My friend was trying to come up with something different and fun for their friend’s daughter’s birthday, and I said to let me dye something for her,” she shares with us regarding the ice-dyeing origins. “They both were in the glass-blowing community and between that friend and my significant other who works
in Cannabis, things quickly took off making customs for people in both industries.” She also enjoys collaborating with other creators and brands to support the community and recently started doing ice dye events and teaching parties to share her knowledge. These pieces may be made with ice but they certainly bring the heat! Check out more of her designs on her Instagram! @LUCIDSOCIETYDYES
STORY by KATHERINE WOLF @KATADELLIC for LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by LUCID SOCIETY DESIGNS
the culture issue
dope designers Continued from previous page
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fab Marissa aka FABS is based out of St. Louis — creating “FABstract” designs donned with bright colors and popping patterns. She has a bachelor’s degree in fine art and now works as a freelance graphic artist with her own clothing brand telling us, “Being a ‘90s kid, I
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grew up playing on computers. Combining that with my lifelong love of creating, going into graphic design as a career was an easy choice.” Marissa is most inspired by colorful, patterned work and contemporary, abstract fine art. She says she much prefers shapes and colors to people and things and to quote Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky: “Objects damage pictures.”
Some of her favorite projects she’s ever done have been via Grassroots California — creating capsule collections and custom pieces for musicians from Jerry Garcia and Janis Joplin to artists like Alex Grey and Chris Dyer — as well as shoe designs for her own brand FAB. You can find her work on her Instagram page as well as on Etsy, Threadless and Society6. @FABSSS
STORY by KATHERINE WOLF @KATADELLIC for LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by FAB
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the culture issue
one dab at atime
The Hash Calendar Club creates a whole new way to ask what day it is.
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ROUCHO MARX famously said he’d never join any club that would allow him as a member but then, Groucho never knew about the Hash Calendar Club. This secret set of subscribers are part of an amazing program presenting people with a bespoke box containing the hottest hash from around the country – all custom packaged and themed for specific holidays. Just like an advent calendar full of chocolate, you open up a different section each day to uncover a rosin sampling from new favorites, heavy hitters and rare flavors.
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What began as a passion project in December of 2021 has now quadrupled in size with people lining up to get on the waitlist. Box sets and limited collections have seen a rise in both popularity and creativity over the last two years, as fans have shown a desire to interact with the Cannabis companies they love – the same way they do as with brands like Nike or Supreme. The difference here is that Hash Calendar Club boxes are not only limited but curated, both by the community and by its creator Big Gim. Imagine a collection of specially-built, shared experiences for the hash enthusiast, where along with your fellow members, you get to open a new window each day and discuss the flavor – sometimes opening the box up to discover elaborate edibles, delicate glassware, or chances to win huge prizes. These sets are released a few times a year, built from the ground up as a showcase of who is pulling ahead of the pack. Every part of the experience is carefully thought out, then visually designed by the talented artist Van Gogh Zuh. When we asked how important art was to this project, Big Gim told us that good visuals are essential to taking members of the club on a ride with him through each immersive adventure. With every elaborate edition, members are led along haunted hallways, through wizard’s castles and into enchanted forests – one delicious dab at a time. It’s an exclusive and somewhat costly list to get onto, but Big Gim pointed out that’s due to the labor-intensive nature of collecting the diverse selection of incredible products from
around the country, then spinning a whole new world around them. He especially thanked @ billwilldabs and @bigmikejax for their help in pulling it all off. Current members of the club represent a wide variety of both basic consumers and people with access to the private market – all looking to uncover new delicacies and have a little fun along the way. As Big Gim put it, for members, “It’s about the dabs, but it’s also about the discovery.” At the end of the day, the goal is to create something fun while helping break down the walls of access. Big Gim has already seen the importance of keeping the original spirit while listening to new members about what they’d like to see next. The process is a blueprint that’s still being drawn out as he goes, and Big Gim is one of those people whose mind is always working on a good idea. Throughout our conversation he would punctuate his answers with new concepts and additions for future versions, writing his inspiration down between dabs. Since I first discovered the Hash Calendar, I’ve watched it continue to swing for the fences. Whether it’s adding new members, custom accessories or outrageous thematics, there has yet to be a plateau for this project. For the next edition in July, Big Gim cryptically promised, “a return to its roots with some big surprises.” Until then, I’ll be percolating with anticipation to see what new escapade he and the next set of hashmakers dream up for their members. @THEHASHCALENDARCLUB
These sets are released a few times a year, built from the ground up as a showcase of who is pulling ahead of the pack. STORY by MATT JACKSON @ACTIONMATTJACKSON for LEAF NATION | ILLUSTRATION by CABIN 7 ORIGINALS @CABIN7ORIGINALS Photos courtesy Hash Calendar Club | See more photos at LeafMagazines.com
Now AVAILABLE
FULL TANK BALLER JARS
@PETROLEXTRACTS WARNING Cannabis products may be purchased or possessed only by persons 21 or older. This product has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming. Cannabis 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 and older. Keep out of reach of children.
THE CULTURE ISSUE
terp town
Miami Welcomes The Weed World for Terp Basel 2
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F
OR A SECOND YEAR, the world of fine art and Cannabis came together near the shores of Miami Beach. Terp Basel, a gathering of Cannabis, community and couture, took over a skate park near the Wynwood district for a full weekend including art, music, podcasting, fire dancing, a rolling competition – and plenty of smoke.
Since 2002, the week of Art Basel has transformed the city of Miami into one of the world’s premiere artistic gatherings and since 2022, the Cannabis community has come together to also celebrate creativity at an event called Terp Basel. Expanding this year from two days into four, the organizers invited brands from Florida, as well as California, New York, and Colorado, providing them a chance to put on a show in the streets of the sunshine state. For its sophomore outing, the team behind Terp Basel incorporated fashion and flavor with infused pizza options and a runway show, transforming a Miami Shores skatepark into a system of separate hang out areas and smoke spots. More than just a collection of tables and booths, you could also find live glassblowing, an airbrush t-shirt station, calisthenics, on-site embroidery, and big names like Terphogz, Fidels, Sherbinski, and Natura alongside 2023’s Legends of Hashish competitors like Sugar Magnolia. We saw a lot of excitement at the Zatix
booth over their OG Diesel, as well as for the Moroccan Peaches at the Mountain Man Melts table. Some of my personal hits included the Magic Z from Humboldt County’s Jelly Wizard, a Peyton Manning rosin that Colorado brand Bakers spent three years pheno hunting, the special on-site drop of the Truly Red Panda/Astraluxe collab, and a Rosin-infused sugar from Miami brand NWO (pro-tip, ask your local barista to make you a Cafe Cubano with the sugar packet). Longer than most events we’re used to, Terp Basel stretches out in order to work in harmony with all the other happenings across the city, including MINS Basel, Dab Day, Uprising and Art Basel itself. This year saw the addition of even more events including a Kapow Berries release with edible darlings Super Chill, who gave Floridians a non-medicated preview of the flavors for their upcoming California recreational release. At the event, things heated up with a performance by Dead Prez, live magic, a taping of First Smoke Of The Day podcast – there were even free massages and workouts on the last day. Terp Basel packs a lot of elements into a relatively short period of time, giving visitors all day to cruise the murals and galleries then grab a Cuban coffee before hitting the venue after 6:00 p.m. It’s a bizarre thing to be smoking a joint having spent your day staring at works by Chris Dyer, Mab Graves, Yoshitomo Nara, and Ai Weiwei, then look up at a skate ramp covered by Atomik, knowing that the through line is Cannabis. To punctuate the point, the venue was also decorated with well-placed groves of hemp plants rented from a local service to give things a real garden feel. Terp Basel offers those of us from other parts of the country, and Cannabis in general, a chance to take a place in the circle and see what comes out on the canvas. Still in its infancy, there’s a lot of potential for growth seeing as the Florida crowd seemed excited to discover new brands faceto-face. For those of us visiting, it provides a chance to check out a state whose scene we know little about, during one of its most exciting weeks. Part of the spirit of this art-centric weekend is to bring together different elements of a movement, letting them mix and mingle in the Florida heat under the watchful eye of an audience, something Terp Basel definitely accomplished this year. TERPBASEL.COM | @TERPBASEL
Longer than most events we’re used to, Terp Basel stretches out in order to work in harmony with all the other happenings across the city, including MINS Basel, Dab Day, Uprising and Art Basel itself.
FEB. 2024
STORY by MATT JACKSON @ACTIONMATTJACKSON for LEAF NATION | ILLUSTRATION by CABIN 7 ORIGINALS @CABIN7ORIGINALS Photos by @scooch_lifestyle | See more photos at LeafMagazines.com
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COOKING WITH CANNABIS
CHOCOLATE MAKES US HAPPY
DOES CHOCOLATE MAKE YOU HAPPY? Wait, let me answer that: Yes, it actually does. Dark chocolate has significant health benefits, both mental and physical. In fact, the darker the better is a significant source of antioxidants and lowers blood pressure. Chocolate also boosts serotonin levels, which helps with depression. It’s like what Cannabis does … although Cannabis does it better!
When I first became a Cannabis lover, my favorite treat was sitting in front of the record player, listening to cool music and eating, from the container, a healthy serving or two of “cool and creamy pudding.”
Fun to make and easy to eat, there is an infused chocolate bark out there for everyone.
CHOCOLATE PUDDING SERVES 4 1/2 cup sugar 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 1/4 cup cornstarch 1/8 teaspoon salt 2 3/4 cups milk 2 tablespoons canna butter or oil 2 teaspoons vanilla 1. In a saucepan, combine the sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt. Add the milk. Heat on medium. Bring mixture to a boil and stir constantly until the pudding coats the back of the spoon.
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2. Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the infused butter and vanilla. Divide between glasses. Chill.
CHOCOLATE CANNA CLUSTERS MAKES 36 CLUSTERS Creamy, crunchy and chewy, and the tender raisins add a touch of sweetness.
CHOCOLATE BARK SERVES 9 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes 2 cups dark chocolate chips or melts 3 tablespoons canna butter 1/2 cup chopped pecans 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1. In a small, dry skillet, toast the coconut flakes. 2. In the top of a double boiler over simmering water, melt the chocolate with the canna butter. Mix well. 3. Place parchment on your work surface. Turn the chocolate onto the paper and form a 5x7 inch rectangle. 4. Combine the coconut with the pecans and apricots. Sprinkle the toppings on the just-poured chocolate. Allow to set until completely dry, at least an hour.
FEBRUARY HASHTAGS | #Love #BeYou #DontFearTheEdible #EatYourCannabis
FEB. 2024
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips 3 tablespoons canna-butter or canna-coconut oil, melted 1 cup toasted slivered almonds 1/4 cup chopped cherries 1. In the top of a double boiler, heat the chips with the canna butter. When fully melted, add most of the almonds and cherries, stirring to blend. 2. Place a piece of parchment on your work surface. Drop the mixture, by the tablespoon, on the paper. Sprinkle the still-not-set clusters with the remaining almonds and cherries. Allow to set for 60 minutes.
RECIPES by LAURIE WOLF @LAURIEANDMARYJANE for LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by BRUCE WOLF @BRUCE_WOLF
MARIJUANA PRODUCTS MAY BE PURCHASED OR POSSESSED ONLY BY 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 ONLY BY ADULTS 21 AND OLDER. KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN.
glass art spotlight
ALEX UBATUBA @ALEXUBATUBA
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UPGRADE TO WARLOCK STATUS FEB. 2024
Welcome to the world of Alex Ubatuba's wondrous and elusive creations. Over the past 20 years, Alex has permanently carved his name into the glass world, offering a style and sleekness in a league of its own.
Alex is world famous for his pendants, known as Warlocks, which have been incorporated into his functional pipes and rigs and used in his Living Light Sculptures. He has worked with countless maestros, including Japanese artist Yoshinori Kondo, Adam G and Calvin Mickle on breathtaking Warlocks and various functional rigs. This wizard of an artist is recognized for creating unique borosilicate colors that are simply out of this world. Alex also works with precious metals and gemstones – bringing to life Warlock pendants that look like they belong in a jewelry store. Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, Alex started collecting pipes at age 14 from a rave record and tape store in the city. At a Widespread Panic concert in 1997 at UIC, he and a friend met a glass blower for the first time selling his pipes in the parking lot. "I wanted to learn how to make them and met two local pipemakers through a friend's brother,” he tells me. “I bought a torch in 2001, and the journey began." After Operation Pipe Dreams in 2003, it forced the artists at Prodigy Glassworks to pivot in a new direction and focus on non-functional work to sell at art fairs. This time was pivotal in his glass-blowing career, opening his mind to new possibilities beyond pipes. "I had a lot of traction till the 2008 market crash,” he explains. “That summer, I began selling pipes and pendants at music festivals. It reinstated my love for traveling and selling glass again." At Lucent L’Amour in 2009, Alex helped their team set up the venue in LA. He was mesmerized by how fabric and LED light interacted and immediately began exploring borosilicate sculptures illuminated by LED. The first Europan Invertebrates sculpture was born in the summer of 2012. The sculpture debuted at Colorado's Sonic Bloom Music Festival and was shown at Burning Man through Jen Ingram with Tribe 13 – blowing the minds of many, including my own. "I realized I could bring my art to new venues and events outside the glass pipe world. I loved influencing people who had no idea about flameworked borosilicate glass. Shortly after, the Warlock pendants began to gain substantial traction. It allowed me to work consistently and continue to refine the Living Light Sculptures into a passion project. It was a massive jump-off point to continue pushing my personal limits of working with glass," says Alex. He currently resides in Evergreen, Colorado and works out of a state-of-the-art studio that he built called Satellite 6. The studio includes a gallery that showcases Living Light Sculptures, functional glass and fine jewelry pieces. "The next few years will be exciting to watch as I create new work and explore new materials with no limitations. It’s an incredible facility to host collaborations, and I truly look forward to what the future holds now that everything is dialed in," he shares. Head over to his Instagram for available work and information about upcoming glass events @alexubatuba.
"The next few years will be exciting to watch as I create new work and explore new materials with no limitations."
STORY by MAX EARLY @LIFTEDSTARDUST for LEAF NATION | PHOTOS courtesy
WARNING Cannabis may be purchased or possessed by persons 21 or older. This product has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming. Cannabis can impair concentration, coordination, and judgment. Do no operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. There may be health risks associated with the consumption of this product. For use by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of reach of children.
cannthropology
PRESENTS
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It’s no accident that racism-driven marijuana prohibition coincided with the dawn of the Jazz Age: In the early 20th century, jazz was originated and performed almost exclusively by Black musicians—many of whom used the creative influence of Cannabis (aka “reefer,” “tea,” “gage,” “muggles,” or “shuzzit”) to fuel their musical improvisations. Those who smoked it were known as “vipers” (allegedly because of the hissing sound they made when taking a toke), and the biggest viper of all also happened to be the world’s most famous entertainer — one of jazz’s founding fathers, Louis Armstrong.
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BORN ON THE BAYOU Louis (pronounced “Lewis,” not “Louie”) Armstrong was born in New Orleans in 1901 and grew up in a ghetto called the “Battlefield.” As a child, he would reportedly dance for pennies and stuff them in his mouth to keep other kids from stealing them — earning him the nickname “satchel mouth,” or “Satchmo” for short. By the age of 11, he’d managed to buy a used cornet for $5 from a local pawn shop and began honing his skills under the tutelage of renowned cornetist Joe “King” Oliver. Satchmo played in bars, brothels, and on Mississippi riverboats until 1922 when his mentor recruited him to be his second horn in Chicago. There, he made a name for himself at the legendary Cotton Club — performing and recording with Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band. In 1925, after a year-long stint in New York City, he returned to Chi-Town and formed his own ensemble: Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five / Seven. GAGA FOR GAGE In 1928, Armstrong began a months-long residency at Chicago’s Savoy Ballroom. It was outside during intermission at one of those Savoy gigs that a white arranger (possibly infamous clarinetist/weed dealer Mezz Mezzrow) turned Armstrong on to his first reefer cigarette. For Louis, it was love at first toke. Smoking “gage,” as he called it, quickly became an essential part of his daily routine. Photographer Jack Bradley recounted seeing Armstrong smoking a “bomber joint” on the toilet often in the mornings while on tour. In fact, Bradley even claimed that Louis’ other famous nickname was weed-related. “His nickname ‘Pops’ comes from pot … it’s because he was the father of marijuana,” Bradley once said. “[Pops] probably turned more people on to pot than anybody else in the world.”
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Louis lights up: Beloved jazz musician, vocalist, and cultural icon Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong had a lifelong love affair with Cannabis.
Eventually, Armstrong was reportedly smoking up to three large blunts worth of weed a day. Armstrong used marijuana medicinally to help with sleep and anxiety — finding it a far better alternative to alcohol or heroin (both of which were popular in the jazz scene at the time). ‘’It really puzzles me to see marijuana connected with narcotics … dope and all that crap,” he famously wrote. “We always looked at pot as a sort of medicine … It’s a thousand times better than whiskey — it’s an assistant, a friend.’’ Cannabis also helped him vibe better with his fellow musicians — something essential in an improvisational group. “That’s one reason why we appreciated pot, as y’all calls it now — the warmth it always brought forth from the other person,” Armstrong observed. “It makes you feel a special kinship.” Satchmo almost always toked up before performances and during recording sessions, and encouraged all of his band members to do so as well. “Louis insisted everyone smoke some of that good shuzzitt before they began recording,” notes Laurence Bergreen in his book “Louis Armstrong: An Extravagant Life.” “By the
KEYSTONE PICTURES USA / ALAMY
Song of the Viper
time the musicians played, everyone was pleasantly stoned, Louis most of all … the band may as well have been called Louis Armstrong and His Vipers.” Satchmo recorded two songs in praise of pot: the 1928 hit “Muggles,” and “Song of the Vipers” in 1934. Released in 1947 by Polydor Records, “Song of the Vipers” was pulled off the shelves when the label realized what the title meant (it would be decades before it would be reissued in the US). POPS GETS POPPED In 1930, Armstrong began a residency at the renowned Cotton Club in Culver City, California. On the night of November 14, 1930, he stepped outside with drummer Vic Berton during intermission to “blast a joint” in the parking lot and was approached by two narcotics officers who placed them under arrest — making Armstrong the first celebrity ever busted for weed. (California was the first state to pass a law prohibiting Cannabis in 1913). Turns out, a rival band leader had “dropped the nickel” on them (pay phones didn’t cost a dime yet) … but the cops were such big fans that they not only let him finish his second set before taking him downtown, but practically apologized for having to arrest him. “When we found out that you was the one we must nab, it broke our hearts,” Armstrong remembered one cop saying. “When we reached police headquarters, they all recognized me right away,” he continued. “They too had been diggin’ my music nightly over the radio.” Nevertheless, on March 10, 1931, he was sentenced to a thousand-dollar fine and six months in jail. Luckily for Louis, though, an influential club owner apparently pulled some strings, and he ended up serving just nine days in Downtown Los Angeles City Jail. “The judge gave me a suspended sentence, and I went to work that night — wailed just like nothing happened,” Armstrong later recalled. “Every night I would run across those same detectives who arrested me, glad as ever to see me, and me back on the mound blowing again.” TRICKY DICK & THE SMUGGLED MUGGLES As legend has it, the architect of the Drug War himself, Richard Nixon, once unknowingly smuggled Louis’ muggles through customs for him in the early 1950s. The story An old publicity photo of goes like this: Satchmo with Nixon (1957). The US State Department had appointed Armstrong as a so-called “Goodwill Ambassador” and sent him to Europe and Asia to promote American values abroad during the Cold War. Upon returning from the first two legs of the tour, “Ambassador Satch” was waved through customs due to his “official” status. So, when returning from the third leg in Japan, he decided to fill one of his suitcases with three pounds of gage. But when he landed at New York’s Idlewild Airport (now JFK), customs officials (having sup-
“We always looked at pot as a sort of medicine ... it’s a thousand times better than whiskey — it’s an assistant, a friend.”
posedly gotten an alert to look out for smugglers) instead directed him to the inspection line with the rest of the travelers. While waiting for what he assumed would be his inevitable arrest, then-Vice President Nixon rolled in with a security detail and press posse in tow and, wanting to meet the jazz icon, made a b-line for Louie. “Satchmo, what are you doing here?” he reportedly asked. Then, according to Nixon advisor Roger Stone in his book “Nixon’s Secrets: The Rise, Fall, and Unknown Truth About the President, Watergate, and the Pardon,” this is how it went down: “Without hesitation, Nixon grabbed both of Satchmo’s suitcases. ‘Ambassadors don’t have to go through customs, and the Vice President of the United States will gladly carry your bags for you,’ Nixon said. Whereupon the Vice President ‘muled’ three pounds of pot through United States Customs without ever knowing it.” It wasn’t until years later that one of Nixon’s aides — after hearing about the incident from a musician who’d traveled with Armstrong — informed the President about what was in the suitcase … to which Nixon allegedly replied incredulously, “Louie smokes marijuana?” As fun as that story may be, however, it’s unlikely that it actually occurred. According to research by Ricky Riccardi — Director of Research Collections for the Louis Armstrong House Museum and author of “What a Wonderful World: The Magic of Louis Armstrong’s Later Years” (Pantheon, 2011) — most of the dates and details simply don’t add up … not to mention the fact that Louis himself apparently never relayed the tale.
it got into her purse and ended up only paying a small fine. Nevertheless, the incident shook Armstrong — prompting him to dictate a letter to his manager, Joe Glaser, threatening that if Glaser couldn’t get him some kind of legal “permit” to possess and smoke Cannabis, he’d be forced to retire. “Mr. Glaser, you must see to it that I have special permission to smoke all the reefers that I want to when I want, or I will just have to put this horn down,” he declared. “I can’t afford to be ducking and a-dodging and being tense, fearing that any minute I’m going to be arrested, brought to jail for a silly little minor thing like marijuana … I just won’t carry on with such fear over nothing.”
VIPER TO THE END Naturally, Glaser couldn’t obtain such a permit. Instead, he chose to protect Armstrong in his own way — by allegedly using his mafia connections to ensure that Louis was never busted again, and by insisting that all references to Cannabis in the autobiography released that year, “Satchmo: My Life in New Orleans,” be omitted. Louis hoped to release a sequel containing all of his stories and thoughts on marijuana entitled simply “Gage,” but that never materialized. It wasn’t until speaking with biographers Max Jones and John Chilton months before his death in 1971 that his love affair with the herb finally came to light — thanks to the 750 tapes of audio journals he’d dictated into his reel-to-reel recorder at his home in Corona, Queens (now the Louis Armstrong House Museum). These tapes are the source of nearly all of Armstrong’s quotes about Cannabis. To avoid the “drastic penalties” LUCILLE & THE LETTER imposed on vipers, he claimed publicly to have given up the Armstrong only Louis and wife Lucille in his home office. gage ... but in reality, Satchmo encountered legal continued smoking reefer for the rest of his life. troubles relating to marijuana one other time: “The respect for gage will stay with me on New Year’s Day 1954, after just arriving forever,” Armstrong testified. “If we all get as from Tokyo, Louis’ wife Lucille was arrested old as Methuselah, our memories will always at her hotel in Honolulu and charged with be of lots of beauty and warmth from gage … smuggling after a Customs officer discovered I don’t intend to ever stop smoking it, not as “about $5 worth of marijuana” (one joint and long as it grows.” two half-smoked joints, totaling around 14 grams) inside her eyeglass case. The weed undoubtedly belonged to her husband, but she For our podcast & more Cannabis history content took the rap for him: She denied knowing how visit worldofcannabis.museum/cannthropology.
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IS IT JUST ME or does everyone have a spot in their living area where the items that are too uncategorizable to belong anywhere specific end up? This is a place devoid of a proper name. And we’re not talking about the junk drawer. The junk drawer is for junk, but this is something else. This item has a potentially important role, you’re just not sure when you might need it. It belongs in a place that’s fairly accessible – but determining ‘where’ is the conundrum. Whoever invented this item was smart. In fact, so smart that they convinced you it would be an imperative addition to the massive amount of shit you already have. They did this by instilling the fear of uncertainty that if you found yourself in a situation that required it, but didn’t have it, you would suffer the consequences for a lack of preparedness. Yes, it was an impulsive purchase, but you never know. And now finding space for it – a place you know you won’t forget you have it – is tricky. You’ve thought about it … but haven’t quite been able to pinpoint where it rightfully belongs. And during this epoch of contemplation while waiting for the solution to naturally reveal itself, it lives in purgatory – in the vortex of randomness – in a closet, on the floor, or in your home office. Wherever this item lands, it is clearly out of place – causing an unwanted splash of stress each time it catches your eye. And it’s not a promotional t-shirt with a brand logo you’ll never wear. We all know that goes in a plastic bin either in the garage or the storage unit. Or maybe in the far back corner of the bottom dresser drawer. By the way, this is an area where you have never put your weed.
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