Jun. 2021 - NW Leaf by Northwest Leaf / Oregon Leaf / Alaska Leaf / Maryland Leaf / California Leaf / Northeast Leaf

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#132 | JUNE 2021

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THE GLOBAL ISSUE

M AGAZINE

JUNE 2021

Claudia Della Mora, co-founder and managing partner at Black Legend Capital, on Cannabis as a global commodity, the challenging but rewarding path forward for the growing industry, and what the future holds for companies and our community.

GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE CANNABIS LAWS WORLDWIDE

EDIBLES OF THE MONTH GOODIES HARD CANDIES

58 Amsterdam’s Reefer Culture Known as one of the Cannabis capitals of the world, Amsterdam has a long and unique history of accepting and also rejecting Cannabis. Leaf Nation’s Bobby Black unravels the complicated city’s take on Cannabis Culture.

////////// story by bobby black

Jun. 2021

feature

WERNARD BRUINING

[

Ganja Goddess, Seattle

DANIEL BERMAN

VANCOUVER SHOP REVIEW HIGH END MARKETPLACE

ADOBE

Jason McKee

11 E D I T O R ’ S N O T E 14 N AT I O N A L N E W S 15 L O C A L N E W S 16 H E M P I N D U S T R Y 20 B U D T E N D E R Q & A 24 S H O P R E V I E W 28 G L A S S A R T 32 S T R A I N O F T H E M O N T H 36 G L O B A L P E R S P E C T I V E 38 G L O B A L C O M M O D I T Y 42 G L O B A L C R A C K D O W N 44 G L O B A L S T R A I N S 48 E D I B L E S O F T H E M O N T H 50 O F F T H E S H E L F R E V I E W S 52 C O F F E E & C A N N A B I S 54 A LT E R N AT I V E M E D I C I N E 58 C A N N T H R O P O L O G Y 62 S T O N E Y B A L O N E Y

DANIEL BERMAN

CLAUDIA DELLA MORA

feature

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MEDIA

#132

budtender of the month

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PODCAST

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DOT COM WE ARE ONE

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All Things Cannabis For All People PODCAST leaflifepodcast AVAILABLE NOW:

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ADDICTION AND CANNABIS

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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 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 reach of children.

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

A B O U T T H E C OV E R For The Leaf’s first-ever Global Issue, we tapped the artistic prowess of Maine-based illustrator Cody Muir, who has become known for his surreal and futuristic editorial cover pieces for clients like The Washington Post, BBC Science Focus, Seattle Met, and Politico Europe. “I was excited to be approached by the Leaf team with the Global Issue’s cosmos-inspired theme since it gave me a chance to make something truly atmospheric,” he says. “Finding a visual method to express Cannabis’ global importance throughout history was a blast.”

ILLUSTRATION by CODY MUIR @MAGICMUIR CODYMUIR.COM

PUBLISHER

CONTRIBUTORS

WES ABNEY | FOUNDER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

BOBBY BLACK, FEATURES JOSHUA BOULET, ILLUSTRATION TOM BOWERS, FEATURES EARLY, PRODUCTION STEVE ELLIOTT, NATIONAL NEWS TJ GAGNIER, REVIEWS MIKE GIANAKOS, FEATURES CODY MUIR, ILLUSTRATION JEFF PORTERFIELD, DESIGN MIKE RICKER, FEATURES MEGHAN RIDLEY, EDITING ZACK RUSKIN, FEATURES TERPENE TRANSIT, DISTRIBUTION JAMIE VICTOR, ILLUSTRATION DAN VINKOVETSKY, FEATURES NATE WILLIAMS, FEATURES JERRY WHITING, FEATURES

WES@LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

MANAGING EDITOR MIKE RICKER | OPERATING PARTNER

RICKER@LEAFMAGAZINES.COM 206-229-WORD

CREATIVE DIRECTOR DANIEL BERMAN | VISUALS & DESIGN

DANIEL@LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

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 recreational, commercial or industrial Cannabis business or product or event within our magazine and on our website, LeafMagazines.com. Email ricker@LeafMagazines.com for more info on advertising with Northwest Leaf!

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Check out the first-ever animated version of our June 2021 cover by heading over to our Instagram page!

ABNEY

Editor’s Note Thanks for picking up The Global Issue of the Leaf ! CAN YOU IMAGINE a day in the future where Cannabis and hemp are traded on the New York Stock Exchange? Where container ships carry bulk biomass, flower, distillates and finished products like edibles and vape pens, along with the usual haul of bananas, shoes and cars around the world? That future is closer than we think – Cannabis legalization is quickly becoming a global issue, and like all developing markets, is full of enough opportunities and restrictions to make your head spin. I believe that someday I will be able to smoke hash from Spain while eating an edible delicacy from Denmark, while using a transdermal patch for pain from Canada in the comfort of my Seattle living room, or consumption lounge of my choosing. This reality is closer than we think, but also faces a ton of hurdles before my stoner’s delight dream becomes reality. While a lot of pot gets shipped around the world currently, it definitely isn’t legal or regulated, and that means we have a lot of policy to craft as the industry goes from the U.S. dominated states’ rights program, to a universally legal substance.

CANNABIS LEGALIZATION IS QUICKLY BECOMING A GLOBAL ISSUE, AND LIKE ALL DEVELOPING MARKETS, IS FULL OF ENOUGH OPPORTUNITIES & RESTRICTIONS TO MAKE YOUR HEAD SPIN.

Along the way we need to decriminalize all possession, release all non-violent Cannabis prisoners, and find a way to make the global market equitable for all players and consumers. Does that sound like a lot to do? There’s so much more to global legalization than most think, and while it isn’t going to happen quickly, the seeds of change are being planted now. To celebrate this impending change we released our first ever Global Issue, where we explore the history of Cannabis strains, look at the global legal outlook on Cannabis, and explore the reality of turning our plant from a drug into a commodity. So what’s next? While the future is only a day away, we can all take a big bong hit and celebrate our local Cannabis, and use our voices and votes to help end the war on drugs and bring freedom to our people. In my lifetime, Cannabis has gone from super illegal to medically acceptable to completely legal to buy and grow in many states. I can only imagine what the future holds for our plant and our planet as acceptance for Cannabis spreads like a weed. As Jack Herer said, “I don’t know if hemp is going to save the world, but it’s the only thing that can.”

-Wes Abney jun. 2021

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NATIONAL NEWS

THE FEDS

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DEA WILL ALLOW MORE FACILITIES TO GROW CANNABIS FOR RESEARCH

oving to end the University of Mississippi’s decades-long monopoly on supplying marijuana for U.S. research, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) said in May it will soon issue licenses to a number of growing facilities, reports Science Magazine. Since 1968, only one operation, located on the campus of Ole Miss, has been licensed to supply Cannabis to medical researchers who want to explore its value for treating conditions including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and chronic pain.

additional Cannabis growing facilities will be authorized by the DEA.

jun. 2021

Jun. 2021

states currently allow the recreational use of Cannabis by adults.

The DEA announced on its website that it had sent a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to three manufacturers that had applied for licenses to grow Cannabis for research studies. The memos came six months after the agency published a final rule describing how exactly the program would work. This could mark a huge shift after years of delayed license applications. Although consuming marijuana is legal for medical purposes in 36 states and for recreational use in 17 states, consumption remains a criminal offense under federal law. “We were euphoric. This is a victory for scientific freedom,” said Dr. Sue Sisley, president and principal investigator at Scottsdale Research Institute, which received one of the DEA agreements to be able to grow Cannabis for research. In 2019, SRI sued the DEA to force it to end its years of delay in processing license applications.

CAPITALISM

PHARMACY CHAIN RITE AID IS ‘LOOKING AT THE MARIJUANA BUSINESS’

ite Aid CEO Hayward Donigan in May said that “everyone is looking at the marijuana business.” “There is complexity, but (we’re) certainly keeping an eye on it,” she said at The Wall Street Journal’s Future of Everything Festival. The pharmacy chain, based in Camp Hill, RITE AID HAS Pennsylvania, has carried hemp-derived CARRIED CBD PRODUCTS cannabidiol (CBD) products since 2019. SINCE 2019. Donigan said Rite Aid is looking at more homeopathic options in addition to traditional pharmaceuticals. He added that the chain has had all of its pharmacists recertified as integrative pharmacy specialists. “Pharmacists are trained in alternative therapies,” Donigan said. “They are not just trained on traditional medicine.”

37 60 64

states now have medical Cannabis laws; 11 states have CBD-only laws.

percent of Miss. residents favor a special session to reverse a block on MMJ.

percent of Connecticut voters favor legalizing marijuana in a 2021 poll.

percent of Americans say Cannabis should be legal for medical/rec, or both.

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

northwest

the evening of April 13, disaster struck one of Washington’s most recognized brands, Rogue Raven Farms. Due to an alleged electrical short, a fire caught and consumed the roughly 55,000-square-foot facility next to Sanderson Field at the Port of Shelton. Thanks to the hard work of the firefighters and a quality engineered firewall, seven of the grow rooms were spared – and according to operations manager Jeff Harris, represents a glimmer of hope for the farm’s comeback. The case is still under investigation. Fortunately for fans of the brand, a good amount of product had recently been sent off site to be cured, which means you’ll still be able to find Rogue Raven in stores. As a best-case scenario, Harris expects for the facility to be totally rebuilt and functional within a two-year time frame. “We are a family and family doesn’t give up, so we’re doing all we can to make this as painless as possible,” says Harris. “The outpouring of support from the Cannabis community has been unbelievable. Ty Renquist at OGZ Fireweed, DJ Parker at Buddy Boy Farms, and the folks at Skagit Organics were all a big help. They have loaned their resources and offered as much employment as possible to those displaced from work. We’ve put so much effort into building this company and I just feel terrible for everyone who has been affected by this unfortunate circumstance,” he says. “When you least expect it, life has a way of kicking you in the teeth, but at Rogue Raven we truly believe that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. And like a phoenix, we will rise from the ashes.”

AS A BEST-CASE SCENARIO, HARRIS EXPECTS FOR THE FACILITY TO BE TOTALLY REBUILT AND FUNCTIONAL WITHIN A TWOYEAR TIME FRAME.

local news

ROGUE RAVEN WILL REBUILD AFTER FIRE

STORY by MIKE RICKER @RICKERDJ/NORTHWEST LEAF | PHOTOS by ROGUE RAVEN FARMS

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EXPERT OPINION

HEMP INDUSTRY If

you drink hemp milk, eat hemp granola or enjoy a hemp burger, odds are that hemp grain was grown in Canada. So if Americans are migrating to plant foods, why aren’t more American farmers growing hemp as a grain crop? Hemp farmers, are you listening? And what about hempcrete? Seen any at Lowe’s or Home Depot? Everyone’s talking about it, ain’t nobody got none. There’s a lot of groundwork to be done to make it mainstream.Things like building codes need to embrace it. Architects and builders need to become familiar with it. When it does become a mainstream construction material, there needs to be enough to supply Lowe’s. Hemp cultivation will have to scale up to huge volumes to supply this market. Hemp farmers, are you listening? Want proof there’s a market for hemp grown for fiber? This is my third year writing this monthly column. My February column on hemp packaging (LeBlancCNE.com/NWLeaf/Pack-It-Up. pdf) got more feedback than all my other columns put together. Hemp toilet paper isn’t a high priority for you, my dear readers. Amazon boxes are. Amazon shipping containers need to be made out of hemp and Jeff Bezos is more than rich enough to subsidize the hemp industry to make it happen. It might go a long way to untarnishing his image. Trees are sacred and hemp is an Earth-friendly alternative. Hemp farmers, Hemp farmers focused on the CBD HEMP FARMERS, are you listening? No, I’m not trying to market and grew far too much in ARE YOU scare hemp farmers away 2019. Prices dropped considerably LISTENING? – but growing hemp for (duh). Everyone thought the demand the saturated CBD market would catch up with the supply. It doesn’t make sense. didn’t. So what did farmers do? Plant more CBDWhile cultivating for the small, but rich hemp in 2020. It’s estimated that 85-90% growing, fiber market is speculative in of the hemp grown last year was for the CBD the short term, consider this: There’s no market. And of course, prices dropped yet again. shelf-life for hemp fiber. Grow the right Not only will fewer farmers apply for hemp cultivars into tall plants with long fiber. licenses in 2021 as prices continue to fall, seed Stored in a dry building, they’ll last until companies have been sending me emails with the market catches up with you. And sale prices for weeks. Seems no one’s buying it will. Right now, the CBD market has CBD seeds these days. Further evidence the CBD supply greater than the demand. market is shrinking. Hemp fiber is the opposite – in the In the green rush to grow hemp, people have not too distant future, the demand mistaken “hemp” as a synonym for “CBD.” Before for hemp fiber is going to outstrip Sanjay Gupta and Charlotte Figi, the hemp the supply. Hemp farmers, are you movement was about food, fuel and fiber. But listening? farmers aren’t growing hemp for those markets.

STOP GROWING HEMP

Full disclosure: I’m a hemp farmer, but what I’m about to say has your best interests at heart. If you want to grow hemp for the CBD market this summer, please don’t. Ask anyone who grew hemp for the CBD extraction market in 2020 if they’re going to grow any hemp at all this year, and if they are, how little they’ll plant compared to last year.

It’s PHOTO BY ADOBE/GINETTIGINO

LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

Jerry Whiting

not the farmer’s fault – no matter how wonderful or plentiful their crop, the market is flooded with literally tons of unsold “biomass” all over the country. Bales, totes, bins, loose plants, trimmed flower – all of the above in abundance. Sellers, and not a buyer in sight. When the Farm Bill passed in late 2018, states rushed to put rules and regulations in place for farmers to plant in the summer of 2019. Four and half times as many licenses were issued compared to 2018. Acres upon acres fueled by new farmers, betting they could match the high prices earned by farmers in Colorado and Oregon.

Jun. 2021

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

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interview

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

BEING A DAD comes first for this six year veteran of the Air Force who is a selfproclaimed, ganja-loving bibliophile. Jason likes playing golf in his spare time, as well as practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and making music. Follow him on Instagram @___JASN___ (three underscores each side) YOU WEAR A LOT OF HATS IN THE SHOP. YOU’RE THE ACTING PURCHASING MANAGER, YET YOU STILL GET ON THE FLOOR AND BEHIND THE COUNTER EVERY DAY. HOW IMPORTANT IS BUDTENDING IN THAT WHOLE SCHEME? I feel it’s

important as a leader, especially in a small business environment, to have my hand in every aspect of the operation as possible. I like to lead by example, not necessarily by directive. This is something I learned from my military experience and through having great examples in my life to learn from. And not only does budtending change things up for me a bit – it’s afforded me the opportunity to cultivate relationships with customers, which enriches my life. DOING THE PURCHASING AND THEN TAKING THAT KNOWLEDGE TO THE FLOOR, HOW DOES THAT WORK AS AN ADVANTAGE FOR YOU WHEN SUPERSERVING YOUR CLIENTELE? Mentally, I live in two

worlds. As a purchaser, I’m living in the future and as a budtender I’m living in the present. So, I’ve always got a rotation of products in my head and sometimes I’ll go to sell something that isn’t actually on the shelf yet, or I’ll miss a product that’s already sold out because it moved quicker than I anticipated. So, maybe that’s a disadvantage. As an advantage, however, I get to be intimate with the inventory to see a direct correlation between what is selling this week and what I need to get next week. Also, I’m hearing how people feel about the product directly. I enjoy being in the trenches.

LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

"I ENJOY BEING IN THE TRENCHES."

GANJA GODDESS 3207 1ST AVE S, SEATTLE, WA GANJAGODDESSSEATTLE.COM @GANJAGODDESSTEAM (206) 682-7220

jun. 2021

GANJA GODDESS HAS OFFICIALLY WON THE BATTLE OF SODO. WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE THE RECIPE FOR SUCCESS? Success comes down to

Jason McKee NORTHWEST LEAF BUDTENDER OF THE MONTH

understanding customers. I’ve always felt that their money is already mentally spent when they walk through the door, but what they haven’t spent is their time. So, if you value that, then everything else falls into alignment. You’ll make your sales goals, and the owners are happy. It’s understanding that the true transaction is first time, then money. That’s how you win loyalty. Whether or not we’ve won SODO, that’s for everyone else to decide. I’ve never seen our neighbors as competitors, because we share the common goal of furthering the normalization of Cannabis. YOU’VE BEEN THERE SIX-AND-A-HALF YEARS, SO I ASSUME YOU HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE OWNER, TARA. WHO WOULD WIN IN A THUMB WRESTLING MATCH? Oooh, you know, she’s

still very spry and smart – but I’ve got some stocky thumbs man – so it would be a toss-up, for sure. If my raise was on the line, she would definitely win (laughs).

INTERVIEW by MIKE RICKER @RICKERDJ | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

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shop review

VANCOUVER

LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

Jun. 2021

HIGH END MARKETPLACE

Vancouver’s Main Place GREEN GO-GETTER

Like many people who’ve made a life around Cannabis, owner Gareth Kautz sold weed in college, which afforded him a first-hand look into his future. Shortly after, growing became a hobby – so when the legal days hit, he had applicable experience for starting an operation with the intent to hyper-focus on quality. And that is a guy you want to buy from! Eventually, after waiting three years for the proper licensing from the state while dialing in the perfect location, the green light was finally bright. And with the intention of providing the best, clean products for the friends and family he grew up with in the area, there was no deterring the “High End Difference.”

HIGH END MARKETPLACE 1924 BROADWAY ST,., VANCOUVER, WASH. 8AM-11PM DAILY HIGHENDMARKETPLACE.COM

UNRIVALED STANDARDS Flavor, frost and funk – these are the three criteria for products to appear on these exclusive shelves. So, if the bud is supposed to taste like blueberry, then it better taste like it was recently picked off the vine. Frost is important because of the closed jar policy in Washington, so you need to know those trichomes are glistening. With super-standard buying practices, this is the guarantee of quality everyone is looking for. Gareth won’t buy from a farm with a closed-door policy. He believes that the integrity of the people running the operation is a direct telltale of how they treat their plants, so if he can’t get inside to see things for himself, he won’t carry the brand.

YOU’RE WELCOME HERE After years of success in downtown Vancouver, on the first day of the new decade the transition was made to a bigger house with the intention of doubling the offerings with a nearly 4,000-square-foot showroom. With exceptionally high ceilings that lead to cedar planks lining the top, this place is pure PNW. The color of tall evergreens accentuates the indigenous comforts of clean air and indelible offerings. You’ll witness creativity abound with original local art lining the walls and an entire room dedicated to superior glass. It’s easy to see at first entry that this is not the low price/high THC shop, but the #1 medical spot in the city where every single budtender is a certified medical consultant. WOW!

TEAM EFFORT Antoine has been here since day one, having grown up with the shop and currently running the paraphernalia department. On top of that, he’s got exceptional knowledge with a very good nose. Brian does the inventory and has a side hustle distributing rolling papers, providing H.E.M.P with probably the best selection in the state! Jeff is currently writing a book about Cannabis, so he’s always making sure everyone has the requisite educational materials. Erin is passionate about animals and left for a short time to do dog grooming, but returned shortly thereafter due to the sadness of having to leave the animals every day. She keeps the shop tidy and is well-versed on products. Finally, Cynthia is a Cannabis photographer – running social media and shooting farms around town.

THE MENU FLOWERS This is homecourt advantage if you love SKORD products, boasting of carrying the best drops in the state. ROYAL TREE is a big player, too, and BLUE ROOTS brings consistent quality. In fact, they’ve got some of the best joints in the game. Look for the Champagne Kush, Orangeade and MAC (staff recommended).

rosin, they’ve got PACIFIC NORTHWEST ROOTS, CONSTELLATION, HEAVENLY BUDS and more to choose from. For hydrocarbons, look for SUB X COLD SMOKE and the SKORD PHO. Lastly, we have to throw props to CANNA ORGANIX again for being on point for their Gelato and GMO, probably the best around.

EDIBLES You’ll find the usual players here like CARTS Look for a guy out of Goldendale who calls himself JV RANCH for the best, reasonably priced carts. Also, lots of patients come in for his RSO. For other great options, you’ll find AVITAS, CANNA ORGANIX and SUBDIVISION by SUB X.

SWIFTS, SPOT and ODD DUCK, but as far as tinctures and capsules, FAIRWINDS is the choice to make. They all taste great, they are formulated and researched, and as good as you can get.

jointS At any time, you’ll find between 120-150 joints DABS Focusing on high quality extracts is something worth bragging about. Starting with

and none of them are ever trim. The motto here is: no trim, no trash, no bullshit hash.

FLAVOR, FROST AND FUNK – THESE ARE THE THREE CRITERIA FOR PRODUCTS TO APPEAR ON THESE EXCLUSIVE SHELVES.

STORY by MIKE RICKER @RICKERDJ | PHOTOS by FLETCHER WOLD @FWOLD_PHOTOGRAPHY for NORTHWEST LEAF

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Inside Tammy Baller’s New Studio (In A Skatepark)

TAMMYBALLERGLASS

Tammy Baller is known for her amusing cartoon-character-inspired functional glass rigs and bowls she creates as one of the top glassblowing artists in the country. She was raised in Upstate New York where she fell in love with creating art during high school. Her talents got her into RIT (Rochester Institute of Technology) and she was instantly fascinated by their Glass Fabrication building. She eventually dropped out of college, got into a little bit of trouble, and then rebounded by pouring all of her energy into creating her unique and whimsical glass pieces. Tammy’s boyfriend is an avid skateboarder and collector, and her new studio on his property is surrounded by several rideable pools and skate ramps. During the summer, skaters catch air right outside the picture window – while we discuss Tammy’s glassblowing career and her plans for the future. Tammy is very involved in both functional glass events and art festivals all around the country, and you can often find her demonstrating blowing glass with poise and passion. She has trained and inspired numerous other glass artists in the Northeast and beyond. “I like to make people smile and be happy,” says Tammy. “And if I can make something that makes me laugh, that’s what truly inspires me!”

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Tammy is very involved in both functional glass events and art festivals all around the country.

JUN. 2021

@tammyballer

STORY & PHOTOS by CHARLES TAGGART @KINDBUD.PHOTOS for LEAF NATION

STRAIN OF THE MONTH

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Our country loves dough so much we use it to describe money, which we use to buy things made from dough, which now includes this fantastic strain grown by Seattle’s Private Reserve. The Dank Dough was bred by the infamous Archive Seed Bank in Portland, where they crossed Gelato 41 with Moonbow (Zkittles x DoSi-Dos) to create a rich and pungent strain

THE AVERAGE AMERICAN WILL EAT 6,000 SLICES OF PIZZA IN THEIR LIFETIME, WHICH IS A LOT OF DOUGH – AND A NUMBER THAT IS SURELY GOING UP IN THE PNW, WHERE THE DANK DOUGH HAILS FROM.

frosty trichomes. Seattle’s Private Reserve is known for growing big buds high in both THC and terpenes, and they did an excellent job from start to curing these beautiful nuggets. Breaking the flower reveals a thick density with a sticky layer of hash that coats the fingers – perfect for a slow-burning blunt or bowl. We loaded our trusty Leaf bong and took a mighty rip, relishing the sharp bite of the funk in the nostrils, and loving the rush that left our eyes watering as the effects gripped the frontal lobes. After a few tokes, we felt the robust daze of Gelato 41 mixing with the hazy energy of the Moonbow for a powerful and relaxing high without any physical

Strain available from Evergreen Market locations, Euphorium, PRC Arlington, and PRC Edmonds.

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energy drain, although mentally it’s definitely a strong sedative. This phenotype from SPR is a heavyhitter, so expect to be spectacularly stoned after indulging in the Dank Dough at any time of day. And whether it’s doughnuts, pizza or a different dough-filled creation, prepare for the munchies when indulging in this blessedly calorie-free strain.

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

worthy of a name synonymous with cash. Popping open the thick glass jar sends out a woosh of sour funk that slaps the nose and settles into the air like an uncooked sourdough loaf off-gassing with a big burp. Both dank and doughy, the flower has a uniquely skunky aroma with hints of a warm compost bin and fermented lemongrass blending into a warm, sour-yeast finish. A weed connoisseur’s dream, this strain is also something you might say yuck to if it was found under the sink or wafting from the backseat of an unclean car. True funk lovers will take one mighty wiff and be ready to rip into the buds, which are tipped in purple and covered in

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These products have intoxicating effects and may be habit-forming. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination, and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. For use only by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of reach of children and pets.

the GLOBAL issue

L A B O GL PECT I V E P E RS

UNITED STATES

at home and s rm fo re s e in exam nabis laws n LEAF NATION a C n o rt o p re pecial abroad in this s d. around the worl

THE U.S. HAS EXPERIENCED A FLURRY OF PRO-POT REFORM SINCE ELECTION DAY IN 2020 AND FOUR STATES – NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, VIRGINIA AND NEW MEXICO – PASSED LEGALIZATION LEGISLATION IN JUST THE FIRST FOUR MONTHS OF 2021!

Currently, 17 states and the District of Columbia have legalized Cannabis for adult use, while 36 states (and D.C.) have approved medical marijuana programs. More than 237 million Americans now live in a state with some form of legal Cannabis. While individual states have spearheaded the recreational and medical marijuana legalization movement, beginning with California’s landmark Prop. 215 in 1996, it is possible the federal government may soon follow suit. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has announced plans to introduce a measure that would legalize marijuana federally, removing it from the CSA and its insidious designation as a Schedule I narcotic. It’s true that President Joe Biden favors decriminalization and would likely prefer to see Cannabis rescheduled rather than descheduled. However, Senator Cory Booker, who is working with Schumer on the federal legalization bill, believes that Biden would back the legislation. And with a slight Democratic majority in the legislature, there really is a chance that Cannabis is legalized in the United States this year – an unthinkable scenario just months ago.

WITH THE U.S. ON THE VERGE OF HISTORIC CHANGE, LET’S SEE HOW THE REST OF THE WORLD IS HANDLING MARIJUANA-LAW REFORM: NORTH AMERICA

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CANADA

After first approving medical Cannabis more than 20 years ago, Canada became the second country in the world to legalize recreational marijuana in October 2018 when the aptly named Cannabis Act took effect. The adult-use law legalized possession of up to 30 grams of pot. The Cannabis Act also established retail sales and rules for home cultivation. While Canada’s provinces create their own guidelines for retail (and can also opt out of personal cultivation), online sales are legal throughout the country. Provinces also set the minimum age for consuming Cannabis, which varies from 18 to 21.

MEXICO

In 2018, the Supreme Court declared prohibition to be unconstitutional and tasked lawmakers with creating a legalization law. Earlier this year it appeared that Mexico would finally join the ranks of recreational Cannabis countries. However, while legalization legislation passed both chambers, the bill has stalled in the Senate, as lawmakers failed to meet the deadline set by the court. A special session could be held later this year to pass the bill but at the moment, legalization in Mexico remains up in the air. Personal possession of pot has been decriminalized in Mexico since 2009 and a medical law allowing for the use of marijuana with less than 1% of THC was passed in 2017.

JUN. 2021

MIDDLE EAST

ISRAEL

There is a long history of Cannabis in Israel, as many consider the country the birthplace of marijuana research. Israeli Professor Raphael Mechoulam discovered THC in 1964. Since then, Israel’s dedication to Cannabis research has made the country a global leader in the field. Israel boasts a strong medical marijuana program that began in the ‘90s. Recreational Cannabis is partially decriminalized for possession of up to 15 grams.

LEBANON

In April 2020, Lebanese lawmakers legalized the cultivation of marijuana for medical use. The policy change, which officials say was financially motivated, made Lebanon the first Arab country to allow Cannabis cultivation. Legislators also legalized growing industrial hemp. The U.N. considers Lebanon one of the world’s top producers of pot and its crops could be worth up to $1 billion annually. ASIA

SOUTH KOREA

While recreational Cannabis remains highly illegal, South Korea passed a landmark law in 2018 that made it the first country in East Asia to approve the use of medical marijuana. The program is quite strict, requiring a doctor’s recommendation as well as approval from the government to obtain medical Cannabis. And, only pot-based medicines like Sativex, Epidiolex, Marinol and Cesamet are allowed. AFRICA

SOUTH AFRICA

Thanks to a Constitutional Court ruling in 2018, personal consumption, possession or cultivation of Cannabis in private is legal in South Africa. Medical Cannabis is also legal and a doctor can prescribe pot for any condition. Prescriptions are filled at registered pharmacies.

ZIMBABWE

In 2018, Zimbabwe legalized the cultivation of medical Cannabis. However, it took nearly a year for the first license to be awarded (in exchange for a $46,000 fee). While the medical program is struggling, it calls for high quality Cannabis to be mailed to qualified patients by licensed producers.

EUROPE

SOUTH AMERICA

The Czech Republic decriminalized possession of up to 10 grams of pot and home cultivation of up to five plants in 2010. Lawmakers approved a medical Cannabis law in 2013, which allows for patients to obtain 180 grams of marijuana per month by prescription through pharmacies.

The country decriminalized possession and private consumption of small amounts of Cannabis in 2009. In 2017 the government approved CBD for medicinal use, and in 2020 President Alberto Fernández expanded the program to allow home cultivation of medical Cannabis. The new law also permits pharmacies to sell pot products (like oils and creams), which must be covered by insurance for any patient with a prescription.

CZECH REPUBLIC

DENMARK

Despite the famed Freetown Christiania neighborhood, which became famous for tolerated Cannabis sales, marijuana remains illegal in Denmark. However, the country began a four-year pilot program for medical Cannabis in 2018. The government is allowing the marijuana used in the program to be grown locally through a special permit.

GERMANY

Germany legalized medical Cannabis in March 2017, but the program is extremely strict. Only seriously ill patients qualify for a prescription. The government licenses companies to cultivate Cannabis for the limited medical program.

IRELAND

While recreational Cannabis remains illegal in Ireland, the country is experimenting with medical marijuana in the form of a five-year pilot program approved by the health minister. Seriously ill patients failed by conventional treatment would qualify for “compassionate access to Cannabis for medical reasons.”

ITALY

ARGENTINA

BRAZIL

Cannabis remains illegal in Brazil, and those caught with small amounts are subject to community service and conscripted education on the effects of drugs. While medical marijuana has been allowed since 2015, it is reserved for terminally ill patients. In 2019 the program was expanded to include sales through pharmacies.

CHILE

Despite widespread support for, and use of, Cannabis in Chile, pot remains illegal in the South American country. Nonetheless, there have been pro-pot reforms over the years. In 2015, Chilean President Michelle Bachelet removed marijuana from a list of dangerous drugs, where it had been classified along with heroin and cocaine. The move allowed Cannabis to be sold at pharmacies. Additionally, home cultivation for personal use of recreational or medicinal marijuana has been decriminalized.

COLOMBIA

Possession of up to 20 grams of Cannabis has been decriminalized in Colombia since 2012, and in 2015 the country approved home cultivation of up to 20 plants. That same year, Colombia legalized medical Cannabis and established dispensaries. Most recently, in 2019, the Constitutional Court overturned a ban on public consumption.

ECUADOR

Personal use amounts of Cannabis and hash are decriminalized in Ecuador and possession of up to 10 grams is essentially legal. The Ecuadorian government legalized medical marijuana in Sept. 2019.

Medical marijuana was legalized in Italy in 2013. Shortly thereafter, the government announced that the Italian army would grow the Cannabis for the country’s medical pot program. In February 2021, the health ministry granted a license to a private company to grow medical Cannabis. Prescriptions are only available to qualified patients and marijuana is available through pharmacies. Recreational Cannabis is decriminalized in Italy and as of 2019, home cultivation for personal use was legalized.

URUGUAY

THE NETHERLANDS

The Australian government legalized medical marijuana federally in November 2016, after changing the Narcotic Drugs Act to allow for the cultivation of Cannabis for medicinal purposes. However, the rules for pot patients in Australia differ depending on the jurisdiction. While parts of the country have decriminalized pot, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) became the first jurisdiction to legalize Cannabis in January 2020. While still federally illegal, the ACT law allows for the possession of up to 50 grams and home cultivation of as many as four plants per household.

Everyone’s favorite pot vacation spot; yet most don’t realize marijuana is illegal in Holland. Cannabis is tolerated by the government and sold at coffeeshops. Possession of up to five grams is decriminalized. Public consumption at coffeeshops is allowed.

PORTUGAL

In 2001, Portugal became the first country to decriminalize all illicit drugs, including Cannabis. Currently, those in possession of up to 25 grams of marijuana or five grams of hash face no criminal or civil penalties. Portugal legalized medical Cannabis in 2018, establishing sales through pharmacies. Growing marijuana remains illegal.

In 2013, Uruguay became the first country in the world to legalize recreational marijuana. The following year, lawmakers approved home cultivation of up to six plants and cultivation clubs allowed growers to work together to produce 99 pot plants a year. In 2017, Uruguay implemented its dispensary program, consisting of 16 licensed pharmacies approved for retail sales.

DAB UNDER

AUSTRALIA

CARIBBEAN

BARBADOS

Barbados legalized medical Cannabis in 2019 and also allows registered Rastafarians to legally use marijuana through the Sacramental Cannabis Bill.

JAMAICA

In 2015, Jamaica legalized medical Cannabis and decriminalized possession of up to two ounces. Personal cultivation of up to five plants is allowed, as is the sacramental use of marijuana by Rastafarians. Jamaica faced a Cannabis shortage earlier this year due to a drought and increased demand.

STORY by MIKE GIANAKOS @MIKEGEEZEEY/LEAF NATION

the GLOBAL issue

CANNABIS CA CANNABISCANNABISC CANNABIS W 38

THE GLOBAL COMMODITY

hat will it take for Cannabis to become a global commodity, and what does success imply for the current and future marketplaces that are selling Cannabis in the U.S. and beyond? I zoomed with Claudia Della Mora, the co-founder and managing partner at Black Legend Capital – an investment and advisory firm based out of Los Angeles and an expert in international Cannabis legalization – to explore what the future holds for the plant, the industry, and our ability to consume Cannabis internationally.

CANNABIS AS A COMMODITY Traditionally, a commodity is the raw material that makes up finished products like petroleum, sugar or rice that can be traded internationally in large quantities with little restrictions, with pricing based on supply and demand as prices fluctuate. Commodity potential within the Cannabis industry includes THC flower, hemp biomass, THC/CBD distillates or isolates, and crude oil. While these have potential as bulk commodities and to one day be traded on the exchanges, there are three essential pieces to the puzzle that must be made to fit before Cannabis products can be sold as commodities globally. While most U.S. companies see the future of Cannabis as a commodity coming from federal legalization, the real barrier to global trade is the United Nations Drug Treaty. “Cannabis needs to get to a point of international legalization to have a commodity status, and that will require a type of standardization and minimum requirements for products to be traded and sold,” said Claudia Della Mora. “Although everyone looks at the U.S. as the biggest market, it’s only the biggest developed market, but it’s not going to be the biggest manufacturing market. I do believe when everything is federally approved, Cannabis will be cultivated in low labor cost countries like China, Mexico, Columbia – so those countries will be very important while people buy from them.”

JUN. 2021

Claudia Della Mora, Black Legend Capital co-founder and managing partner.

CANNABIS

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IN TERNATION A L L EG A L I Z A T I ON

ANNABIS CANNABIS SCANCAN SO S T ANDARDIZA TION

For Cannabis to be treated as a commodity, there must be universally accepted standards for products. Currently, every state in the U.S. has different standards, as does each country across the globe. For there to be import/export of products, standards for quality, testing, ingredients and many other factors must be determined. There will be different standards for medicinal/ pharmaceutical grade and recreational Cannabis, including cultivation, processing and the end user product. PR IC E T RANSP A REN CY

There has to be a benchmark for prices, with differentiation, just like with the oil and gas industry. Once there are standards agreed upon internationally, there can be pricing set for types and grades of products, which would allow the ability for trade on a global commodity scale. “In order to be a commodity, a product must be freely traded and sold,” said Della Mora. “Oil is a benchmark for pricing, but gas is refined from oil and priced locally. One interesting thing is that raw materials are sometimes a minor cost of the cost of the finished goods – sugar costs very little by the pound, while a two-liter bottle of Coke is above two dollars with little added expense.” THE THREE VERTICALS OF THE INDUSTRY

While it is easy to think about the Cannabis industry as one giant melting pot, there are actually three distinct divisions that come from the same plant: industrial hemp, medical Cannabis and recreational Cannabis. Recreational Cannabis is like the alcohol or consumer packaging industry with lower regulations, medical Cannabis

is similar to pharmaceuticals in terms of regulations and expectations, and industrial hemp can be used for either industrial applications, pharmaceutical grade medical products, or even recreational use. This is a complex web of overlapping products, and it’s important to understand how each vertical has a different function on a global level. INDUSTRIAL HEMP & CBD

Hemp is the only aspect of the three that is today at a commodity level globally, with import and export being legal in the U.S. at under .3% THC, or .2% THC in the European Union. As a commodity, hemp-derived CBD has crashed in prices globally, and the value continues to fall as supply outstrips demand and more farms come on-line globally to produce industrial hemp and CBD. MEDICAL CANNABIS VS . R E C R E AT I O N A L

MMJ is a very specific aspect of the commoditization of Cannabis because processors use THC and CBD raw materials that are specialized, not just anything random. They often require specific ratios of cannabinoids and for the products to be grown or processed in a specific way, like European Union Good Manufacturing Processes certified. These raw materials are also used for specific types of treatments. When you get down to specifics, the real difference between recreational and MMJ is not the end user, but the standards used to classify what category the Cannabis falls under. Apart from regulations like quality control or specific dosing, the only difference between MMJ and recreational is the label on the jar. G L O B A L DE MA N D

Although the global pandemic may have caused an up-tick in Cannabis consumption over the past year, the numbers appear to be here to stay. “Americans legally purchased $17.9 billion of legal Cannabis in 2020, not including the black market or states without legal Cannabis,” said Della Mora. “Which is $7.2 billion more than was bought in 2019 – so the pandemic saw a massive increase in sales – with the combined medical/rec market projected to reach $23 billion annually by 2025. Globally, the value is estimated at $130 billion by 2025, with Mexico alone estimated to be a $60 billion market.”

While there are U.S. based companies that have hundreds of employees and millions of dollars in revenues, even the largest U.S. producer/processor is woefully undersized and unprepared for a global Cannabis market. The market conditions that currently exist domestically have created an environment that has made Cannabis a cash crop in America, but this will not necessarily be the case long term. At the center of this bubbling market is the American idea that Cannabis producers have an inherent value that will make them ripe for acquisition from multinational companies, or that the products and brands they produce have enough domestic value and demand that there will always be a warm market for U.S. companies to sell their products domestically. However, this rose-tinted optimism has new competition on the horizon. “A small number of companies can already supply all the commodity input needed to meet global demand for CBD,” explained Della Mora. “THC is limited state by state in the U.S., currently with high demand, but there is no sense in producing Cannabis in expensive countries or in climates not friendly to cultivation. Small producers might want to provide their knowledge, distribution networks and sales relationships to larger companies that will ultimately produce Cannabis in Mexico or elsewhere. That is the primary value that a small cultivator in the U.S. can provide to a large company once Cannabis is legal globally.” In short, the current state of global legalization works in the producer/processor’s favor in the U.S., as does a lack of federal legalization. Even if the U.S. legalizes before the U.N., a national legal market would likely hurt small to medium U.S. producers in the long run, as they try to compete against multi-state operators and the rush of investment from major corporations. “Of course, I don’t want to sound like a downer, and no producer/processor wants to hear this as they continue pouring money into companies, especially when there is domestic demand,” said Della Mora. “But from an entrepreneurial view, you have to understand your clientele before starting a business – and I think a lot of people are not sophisticated enough to make good decisions long term.” CAN AMERICAN GROWERS COMPETE? >>

CANNABIS

while the U.S. currently dominates the Cannabis conversation, it is far from the center of the world when it comes to pot’s future as a commodity. And while the U.S. can legalize at the federal level, that doesn’t mean they can export it lawfully. “It has to be the United Nations moving Cannabis to a U.N. Schedule II or III – that would allow countries and investors to create a market for products to be sold legally,” said Della Mora. “Right now to import and export MMJ, a narcotic license is necessary and it has to be compliant to the 1961 U.N. convention.”

THE CURRENT STATE OF GLOBAL LEGALIZATION WORKS IN THE PRODUCER/ PROCESSOR’S FAVOR IN THE U.S., AS DOES A LACK OF FEDERAL LEGALIZATION.

STORY by WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX/LEAF NATION | PHOTO by BLACK LEGEND CAPITAL

Continued from previous page

CANNABIS

THE GLOBAL ISSUE

CANNABIS - THE GLOBAL COMMODITY

Listen to Leaf Life Podcast Show #115 Legal Cannabis in Mexico, with guest Claudia.

LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

CAN AMERICAN GROWERS COMPETE IN A GLOBAL MARKET?

products. ‘Made in America’ could be the stamp that keeps U.S. companies alive – just like the demand seen in the United Kingdom for Australian products that follow the commonwealth trade history of other commodities.” In the European Union and most of the developed world outside the U.S., local governments As noted previously, with commoditization control commodities like minerals and natural comes standardization, meaning that Cannabis resources, and issue permits to companies to in Mexico or Columbia will have to follow the extract, refine and sell these products. From a same rules, regulations and standards as Cannaregulatory standpoint, the less companies involved bis grown in the U.S. In reality, all Cannabis will the better, as it takes fewer resources to regulate be regulated similarly globally, meaning that the and hold accountable a couple massive compasame standardized quality will come from counnies than a large number of smaller companies. tries with more favorable growing climates and This means that globally the market is already lower production costs, which will make it very tilted in favor of huge companies, especially those difficult for U.S. domestic producers to compete with experience in other industries. abroad. The biggest hope for U.S. growers will “In Germany, three companies won the right be local demand, and the potential for the U.S. to cultivate because it is a no-brainer for the Government to impose tariffs or taxes that make government to work with three companies instead competition easier for U.S. growers producing the of dozens, with less management and risk, and same quality of products as those in other parts of everything being provided the world. easily in big amounts on a silver “I think that there will be consum“THERE’S ALWAYS platter,” explained Della Mora. ers domestically and globally that “So any little company would be OPPORTUNITY want to choose ‘Grown in Amera waste of time for a regulating ica’ products versus those grown WHEN THERE ARE government.” in South America or elsewhere,” LIMITATIONS, SO I Nonetheless, Della Mora sees explained Della Mora. “Not all, opportunity within the complex but there will be those who choose ALWAYS ENCOURAGE web of global Cannabis. domestic products if regulations ENTREPRENEURS “There’s always opportunity allow disclosure of where the raw when there are limitations, so I material comes from, like in food/ OR BRIGHT MINDS always encourage entrepreneurs beverages/clothing. If those trends TO THINK ABOUT or bright minds to think about follow, there will be a portion of the SOLUTIONS,” solutions,” she said. “Because consumers that prefer locally-made

JUN. 2021

CANNABIS

when you provide a solution, it’s a good investment of time. Obviously, whoever finds solutions in the meantime is going to make a lot of money, because it’s going to be a few years at least before full commoditization. Eventually, what we would like is for a real commodity situation, for Cannabis to be traded globally – and whoever is first to figure this out will take the market.”

espite the challenges facing American companies on a global market, Della Mora is hopeful that the changes in international law will lead to a greater acceptance of Cannabis as a safe recreational drug and medicine, which will continue to create new opportunities for companies in America and around the globe. “My hope is that it will be federally and internationally legal, so that everyone can use it recreationally,” said Della Mora. “But I really hope that this plant can be recognized medicinally and wellness-wise everywhere, because it really does help. We are discovering that Cannabis consumption might even help or protect against viruses like COVID, so we need more research and acceptance. I really hope that people who use Cannabis for medicinal uses can do so without the stigma and ignorance, and that there is going to be global information awareness so that people can learn more about this amazing plant – not from the point of view of stoners, but from medical practitioners working to save lives.”

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STORY by WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX/LEAF NATION

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the GLOBAL issue

Signs in Amsterdam warn against smoking Cannabis in public.

AMSTERDAM’S

COFFEESHOP CRACKDOWN

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OR THE PAST HALF-CENTURY, Amsterdam border municipalities (where many rowdy tourists enter has been considered the Cannabis capital from neighboring countries like Germany, France, Britain of Europe, if not the world. Long before and Belgium) rather than in Amsterdam, where weed legalization seemed possible here in Ameritourism comprises a significant portion of the city’s econca, Amsterdam’s coffeeshops were the only omy. Sadly though, it looks like that’s about to change. place where one could buy and consume Earlier this year, Amsterdam’s first female mayor Femmarijuana openly without fear of criminal repercussion – ke Halsema, proposed, among other things, enforcing thanks to the Netherlands’ policy of “soft drug” tolerance the wietpas ban in the capital for the first time. In a letter (gedoogbeleid). But over the past decade, that tolerance to the city council on January 8, Halsema outlined a sehas eroded due to the right-leaning Christian national ries of policy changes regarding the city’s Cannabis ingovernment and complaints from the citizenry. dustry. Aside from the so-called “residence criterion,” the Just before the pandemic, tourism to Amsterdam was proposal would also institute new licensing requirements at an all-time high – averaging nearly 2 million to legalize the supply chain – allowing THE LOSS OF visitors per month – half of whom were there, shops to purchase their Cannabis legally at least in part, to visit some of the city’s 166 from government-approved sources (thus CANNABIS Cannabis coffeeshops and/or infamous Red Light eliminating the problem of illegal “backTOURISM IS District. Residents have long decried the throngs of door” suppliers who are often connectSURE TO HAVE ill-behaved tourists who reportedly piss, puke, lited to organized crime) and keep more A DEVASTATING ter, shout and fight in their streets, and seeing the stock on-premises. However, these new EFFECT ON THE city tourist-free during the COVID lockdown has requirements would also limit the number only spotlighted these “overtourism” complaints. of locations each coffeeshop brand can CITY’S ECONOMY To address these “quality of life” concerns, the operate and eliminate over half of the Dutch government began taking steps to reduce tourism: remaining coffeeshops in the city. banning new hotels and tourist-targeted businesses As expected, coffeeshop owners are pushing back (such as Red Light tours and souvenir shops), restricting hard against these measures. Joachim “Joa” Helms, Airbnb rentals and increasing their “tourist tax.” In 2012, co-owner of the legendary Green House coffeeshop and they introduced the “wietpas” (weed pass) policy, which spokesman for the Dutch Cannabis Retailers Association banned non-residents from visiting coffeeshops; howev(BCD), says that the coffeeshop industry is being unfairly er, until now, the policy has been enforced primarily in targeted for the problem of misbehaving tourists.

JUN. 2021

“People who come to smoke weed aren’t the ones causing the disturbance,” he asserts. “Usually, it’s guys being loud on the street and being drunk – and those aren’t typical coffeeshop people.” So if drunk people are causing most of the problems, BCD representatives argue, why not ban tourists from bars? They also point out that the ban will only exacerbate the very criminality officials claim to be concerned about. “If you want to prevent an illegal market, then coffeeshops are essential,” says Helms. “Every smoker that’s not allowed in a coffeeshop is one that buys his weed from an illegal dealer!” According to them, the tourist ban is bad policy for several reasons: It endangers tourists by exposing them to shady street dealers who also sell hard drugs, carry weapons and rip people off; it funnels revenue from Cannabis sales into the hands of criminals, rather than regulated, tax-paying businesses; and it forces tourists to consume their Cannabis out in public, rather than inside designated shops, thus exposing passersby to their smoke. “With the US and Canada legalizing, Cannabis culture is only getting bigger and bigger,” Helms observes. “So instead of closing shops to tourists, we should embrace what this city was always known for and legalize. That’s the best, most obvious solution.” As of now, plans to relocate the Red Light District from the city center to a new “sex zone” on the outskirts of town are already underway, and the Cannabis control proposal is on track to take effect next year. Even if the ban does go into effect, however, many predict it will be short-lived, as the loss of Cannabis tourism is sure to have a devastating effect on the city’s economy – not just the coffeeshop owners, but also hotels, tour operators, restaurants and other businesses. Hopefully, a fairer compromise can be negotiated that addresses residents’ legitimate concerns, while still allowing tourists to continue enjoying Amsterdam’s world-renowned coffeeshop culture.

STORY by BOBBY BLACK @BOBBYBLACK420 for LEAF NATION

the GLOBAL issue

THE WIDE WORLD INDICA

MATANUSKA THUNDERFUCK

Alaska’s Matanuska-Susitna Valley is the origin of this classic strain that is commonly referred to as MTF. Popular since the 1980s and known to produce different effects in different users, this cultivar is a bit of a wild card. Those familiar with the varietal claim it is one of the most potent and complex strains in existence.

SATIVA

JACK HERER Jack Herer

is the name of both a legendary Cannabis activist, and an equally renowned, energetic and notoriously flavorful thin-leaf varietal hailing from Amsterdam. Bred from a threeway cross of Haze, Northern Lights #5 and Shiva Skunk, breeder Sensi Seeds created the strain in the mid‘90s in honor of the great activist. This spice, pine and citrus forward cultivar is known to produce a heady, cerebral and creative high.

INDICA HYBRID

DJ SHORT BLUEBERRY

44 INDICA HYBRID

OG KUSH

Legend has it that DJ Short scoured Central America and Southeast Asia to find the genetics that would eventually be bred into the renowned DJ Short Blueberry, also known as the True Blueberry. The purported lineage of the strain is Highland Thai, Oregon Purple Thai and Afghani. While the strain has international roots, the legwork to breed the strain was done in Seattle, Washington.

leafmagazines.com

The OG Kush has a truly wild history behind it. Reportedly, the strain originated in Florida in 1991 and in 1996, Josh D flew wet cuts from Florida to Los Angeles, California where it exploded in popularity amongst both consumers and celebrities. At one point in time, outrageous prices of SATIVA $6,000 to $10,000 per pound were MAUI WOWIE being paid to Hawaii is known to be home acquire this to some incredible tropical especially hefty ganja, as well as some smoke. prized genetics. Maui Wowie is a classic thin-leaf varietal that is arguably the most famous of the archipelago’s cultivars, bursting onto the scene after making its way stateside in the 1970s. Maui Wowie features a mango, lemon-lime, pine-forward aroma that is known for its euphoric and mellowing effects.

HYBRID

MONTANA SILVERTIP

This sparkling cultivar is Montana’s shining gem and a rare, but special cultivar. With storied lineage that is said to be a Grand Daddy Purple x Silver Kush cross, this heavy-duty hybrid packs a powerful punch, delivering characteristics of both the body-high-leaning GDP and the uppity zip of the Silver Kush.

SATIVA

NYC SOUR DIESEL

SATIVA

ACAPULCO GOLD

Mexico’s most famous Cannabis strain and arguably the world’s best known sativa, Acapulco Gold is a musky, tropical, haze-esque landrace strain that exploded in popularity in the 1960s and was touted as the first “connoisseur pot.” Though rare, it can still be found in old heads’ gardens along the West Coast and beyond.

The exact lineage of NYC Sour Diesel is a bit muddled, thanks to two versions of the strain existing. The original version was most likely a Chem Dog plant that was unintentionally pollinated by another plant in the same room in Staten Island, New York sometime in the early 1990s. Later, Soma Seeds got a cut of the Sour and put out their version – which many referred to as Grapefruit, thanks to its aroma and flavor that called the fruit to mind.

SATIVA

RED CONGOLESE

Popularized in California, this hybrid is derived from landrace strains from two different continents – South America and Africa – producing a notably stimulating, creative and motivating cultivar. The strain has a strong tendency to produce focused and functional effects, coupled with a high degree of mental clarity, making it an excellent choice for daytime consumption.

SATIVA HYBRID

DURBAN POISON

JUN. 2021

Durban Poison is a special landrace varietal originating from the South African port city of Durban. The strain is a classic thin-leaf varietal and produces a buzzy, energetic and motivating high via a piney, lemon-lime and musk-forward smoke. Rumor has it that the strain was popularized by Cannabis greats Ed Rosenthal and Mel Frank in the late 1970s.

OF WEED STRAINS

INDICA

HINDU KUSH This strain

is named after the mountain range stretching through Afghanistan from Pakistan to Tajikistan, which is the area this cultivar is indigenous to. Hindu Kush is a short and bushy plant that produces thick, hefty and tree-like colas. The strain has a reputation for producing stunningly dark purple and black leaves, and is commonly known to create a couch-locking, heavy-handed body high for the user.

HYBRID

SHIATSU KUSH

Originally bred as an heirloom strain, Shiatsu Kush hails from the Japanese island of Amami Oshima. This rare varietal was originally brought to the Americas by legendary seed bank BC Bud Depot, known for its deeply relaxing effects and complex terpene profile that tends to present with prominent notes of cedar and menthol.

STORY by NATE WILLIAMS @NATEW415/LEAF NATION

CANNABIS HASN’T ALWAYS BEEN THE HIGHLY DEVELOPED, HYBRIDIZED AND SELECTIVELY HUNTED PLANT THAT IT IS TODAY. Once upon a time, certain Cannabis strains existed solely in specific regions throughout the world. As the popularity and value of the plant rose, so did cultivators’ interest in diversifying their product lines – thus beginning the development of our modern day Cannabis cultivars. Select growers took this niche interest and began traveling internationally, hunting for new varietals from select regions around the world. These growers, many of whom eventually changed their focus from cultivation to breeding, helped usher in a new era for the plant and the community around it.

WE CULLED TOGETHER SOME O F T H E T O P ST R A I N S F R O M AROUND THE WORLD TO SHOW HOW CANNABIS’ I N T E R N AT I O N A L R O O T S H AV E S E T T H E STA G E F O R A N E W G LO B A L M A R K E T.

“All equally vibrant … they melt or crunch easily with a mild Cannabis flavor that complements the sweetness.”

48 edibles OF THE MONTH

LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

GOODIES HARD CANDIES WHEN IT COMES TO HARD CANDIES IT’S ALL ABOUT FLAVOR, AND THESE DELICIOUS LITTLE SQUARES ARE BURSTING WITH FRUITY JUICE THAT MELTS ON THE PALATE IN SUBLINGUAL PERFECTION. JUN. 2021

MOST hard candies remind us of the We found it really hard to eat just one crappy treats that smelly old people had serving, but also experienced long lasting in purses as a child, which was never effects that were satisfying and consistently a pleasant experience. So imagine our stoney. surprise at the bounty of sweetness found Made from the same company that in the Goodies Hard Candies, featuring brought Dama premium flower to 502, delicious flavors including green apple, wild we expect to see these Goodies at stores strawberry, blue raspberry and mango. around the state, along with their new Each one is mouthwateringly yummy, line of buttery caramels. We loved the soft with their own unique texture of the french vanilla @GOODIES.WA vibe that comes with a bean chewy caramel, which consistent buzz. was sweet and sultry with FB.COM/GOODIESWA The mango and a deep vanilla kiss, and 10MG THC/SERVING strawberry flavors taste the hard candy style brown exactly like fresh fruit, butter caramel, which offers while the green apple is a rich brown sugar caramel delightfully tart without being too sour, and that can be crunched or sucked. the blue raspberry tastes like a trip back to With a big variety in flavors that are a ‘90s sugar high. All equally vibrant, the all equally tasty and artfully developed, candies are hard squares easily broken into Goodies has taken the simple hard candy two 5mg pieces for microdosing, and they category and turned it into a gourmet melt or crunch easily with a mild Cannabis flavor experience. Between the sweet, sour flavor that complements the sweetness, and or savory options, the only thing limiting a lets you know that this candy comes packing heady buzz is having to pick which flavor more than just sugar. to enjoy.

REVIEW by WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX/NORTHWEST LEAF | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

reviews

FRESH & TASTY GREEN APPLE

The largest of the three options, weighing in at a full gram, Fresh & Tasty’s Green Apple is also the only on this list with multiple types of concentrate inside. Featuring both EHO and dry sift, Fresh & Tasty is the most bang you can get for your buck in infused pre-rolls. The added apple flavoring provides a more blunt-like experience and makes the joint taste a bit like Apple Jacks cereal. Overall, the high feels very hybridized with a calm body feeling washing over the consumer – great after a long day of running errands or being back in the office. sitkagold.com

EXPERIENCE ORGANICS SWEET J

Whereas Fresh & Tasty’s Green Apple is packed with a number of additives in its quest towards infusion, Experience Organics’ Sweet J only contains some additional kief (and absolutely no pesticides). A smoother smoke with gassy spice and sweet herbaceous notes, this joint burns to a solid white ash (always a good sign). A “louder” and more positive high than the first on this list, the Sweet J is a great option for those looking to have a more classic style smoke, while still packing a bit more punch than your usual full flower pre-roll. Also worth mentioning: It has the highest analytics of the three at over 40%, if you’re into that sort of thing.

LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

experienceorganics.net

off the shelf THIS MONTH | THE LEAF REVIEWS 3 INFUSED PRE-ROLLS When it comes to classic Cannabis consumption methods, pre-rolls are about as straight forward as you can get. They are good alone, they are good to share – joints are generally good all around. But sometimes, they just don’t quite get you to where you want to be. Enter the infused pre-roll: the whiskey shot counter to a conventional joint’s light beer mentality. So, what are your best options when you want a strong single smoke without breaking the bank, or even needing to hit the ATM? Here are three infused pre-rolls under $10 that will without a doubt get the job done, assuming you aren’t Tommy Chong or Wiz Khalifa.

Jun. 2021

SEATTLE BUBBLE WORKS FUCKING INCREDIBLE

This joint unequivocally lives up to its name. Filled with bubble hash and only $5 apiece, it’s hard to pass up anything from Seattle Bubble Works when considering budget conscious infused prerolls. These joints rarely “run” and are super easy to smoke. Fucking Incredible absolutely melts away any stress and tastes pretty good while doing it. At $5 apiece, if I only had $10 for infused prerolls, I would recommend just buying two of these. They are only a half gram per, but that just means you can get two sessions with possibly two different strains for the same price as one of the larger, full gram options. seattlebubbleworks.com

REVIEW & PHOTO by TJ GAGNIER @TJGAGNIER for NORTHWEST LEAF

coffee & cannabis LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

HONEY LATTE &

BANANA PUDDINTAIN One of the best parts about being a frequent (read: all day) Cannabis enjoyer is that there seems to never be a lack of new things to try. With the proliferation of indoor grows, there is not really a harvest season like there used to be and as such, there are always unfamiliar and interesting crosses and products hitting the shelves.

company that does this particularly well is Skörd, located in Vancouver, Washington. With an expertly coordinated and publicly available “drop” schedule, fans of the brand can always be on the lookout for hot, contemporary strains fresh from the curing room. One of their latest offerings, Banana Puddintain, presents a unique cross ideally suited for the current Cannabis market and, conveniently, it pairs excellently with a honey latte. If the classic combination of honey and bananas wasn’t justification enough for this pairing, there’s also the fact that honey lattes, like weed strains, experience a somewhat dynamic experiential existence. It should be pointed out that honey is one of the most varying and diverse sweeteners available. Unlike caramel or raw sugar which are generally consistent from cafe to cafe, honey changes based upon the pollen with which it is produced. Clover, wildflower, blackberry – these are all common bases for honey and each provides a slightly different flavor. So, while a honey latte can be a great way to enjoy coffee with a more natural form of sweetener, the tasting notes also slightly fluctuate and provide for a “regular” drink that doesn’t get stagnant or boring after dozens of recurring orders. Meanwhile, beautifully manicured and exceptionally presented with a very aesthetically pleasing and easy to decipher packaging, Banana Puddintain begs to be smoked before you’ve even asked for the budtender’s opinion. A cross of Banana OG and GMO/ TK Skunk, the aromas emanating from this Cannabis are grassy, with all the banana undertones that one would expect. When sparked up, the flavors are robust and complex, but still offer some backend fruity sweetness. Although Banana Puddintain is labeled as an indica leaning hybrid, the high can be chatty, confidence inducing and quite “loud,” especially in larger quantities. Not that you necessarily need to smoke a ton in one sitting – one bowl definitely gets you close to where you want to be. Banana Puddintain and a honey latte make for an excellent mid-afternoon session.

Jun. 2021

The classic combination of honey and bananas make for the perfect mid-afternoon session. ISKORD.COM @SKORD502

Activities that pair nicely with this coffee and Cannabis combo include exploring a new playlist, hitting a beach party, practicing your golf or tennis swing, or texting some people you may have neglected during the pandemic to reconnect now that things are lightening up a bit. If you’re looking for a more interesting “dessert-style” strain, look no further than Skörd’s Banana Puddintain as the treat you’re searching for this summer. And make sure to keep an eye out for those drops – their products tend to run out quickly.

STORY & PHOTOS by TJ GAGNIER @TJGAGNIER for NORTHWEST LEAF

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alternative medicine

KRATOM

Interview with Mac Haddow, Senior Fellow on Public Policy at the American Kratom Association

It was an unseasonably cold February night in 2018 when I found myself in one of Alaska’s roughest neighborhoods. Indistinct shouting and blaring police sirens cut through my anxiety as I approached a wooden lean-to lit by only a neon green sign that read “Smoke Shop.” When I opened the creaky front door, I was greeted by dim fluorescent lights and a slew of unsavory characters who were probably just as confused by my presence as I was. But we were all there for the same thing: kratom.

Effects

JUN. 2021

STORY by O’HARA SHIPE @SHIPESHOTS/LEAF NATION

Illustration by Adobe/Irissca

LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

erived from the Mitragyna speciosa tree that is native to Southeast Asia, kratom has been consumed for centuries. An herbal cure-all of sorts, kratom is said to treat everything from impotence to stomach bugs, as well as ease pain and anxiety. While the plant has a rich history in Eastern medicine, it is relatively new to the Western consciousness. First introduced to Europe in the early 19th century by Dutch botanist Pieter Korthals, the plant has yet to gain wide acceptance Suppose Haddow is correct in his assertions, and kratom can in the United States, in part, because of misinformation. wean those addicted to prescription opioids of their affliction. Why is So, why has this humble plant become so demonized in kratom currently classified as a Schedule I drug alongside Cannabis, the United States? Used in small doses, heroin, LSD, ecstasy, meth and peyote? According to Mac Haddow, a Senior Fellow on Public kratom works as a In this, Haddow is succinct. Policy at the American Kratom Association, the answer is stimulant – similar to “[The FDA] has expansive power, and they disseminate relatively straightforward. drinking an energy propaganda about [kratom]. They infect the whole discussion from “It’s probably an outgrowth of the [FDA] bias against drink. In large quantities, a public policy standpoint by citing a string of deaths that were all-natural products. They hate homeopathic products, kratom can have an previously attributed to kratom, but have since been refuted,” says and they hate plants and anything that doesn’t require a analgesic effect as it Haddow. ‘New Drug Application,’” says Haddow. binds to the body’s The most damaging narrative to come from the FDA concerns the The problem, Haddow believes, is akin to the natural μ-opioid death of nine Swedes in 2010. Two years later, the original cause of FDA’s response to vitamin supplements in the ‘90s. In receptors death was redacted by The National Board of Forensic Medicine in 1991, the Nutrition Advertising Coordination Act was Sweden. While kratom was detected in the systems of the deceased, introduced, in which the FDA would have the power to the Board determined that it was not the primary cause of death, but rather, it was tighten the regulations regarding supplement labeling. The Act was shot the adulteration of the consumed kratom. down and replaced by the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act “Kratom in its pure state is not dangerous,” insists Haddow. (DSHEA) in 1994 during the Clinton Administration. Under the DSHEA, Just like Cannabis, the problem is not the plant itself. It is the mismanagement a dietary supplement cannot be approved or authorized for investigation of the product by smoke shops and other entities that saw the analgesic effect of as a new drug, antibiotic, or biologic unless it was marketed as a food or kratom and thought, “Maybe we can mix it with some things.” dietary supplement before such approval or authorization. On this, Haddow and the FDA agree. This distinction becomes important when it comes to the ability of “As we work to combat the opioid crisis, we cannot allow unscrupulous vendors kratom producers to market or advertise their product as being able to take advantage of consumers by selling products with unsubstantiated claims to treat illness. More importantly, it stifles one major sector of kratom that they can treat opioid addiction or alleviate other medical conditions,” wrote consumers: those trying to beat their opioid addiction. acting FDA Commissioner Ned Sharpless, M.D., in a June 2019 press release. When used in small doses, kratom works as a stimulant – similar Without tight regulations and rigorous testing protocols, consumers can be to drinking an energy drink. In large quantities, kratom can have an putting themselves at risk by consuming kratom. But that doesn’t mean that we analgesic effect as it binds to the body’s natural μ-opioid receptors should throw out the baby with the bathwater. As a 2020 Johns Hopkins led (MOR). Unlike prescribed opioid drugs such as Tramadol and Percocet, survey of 2,798 adult kratom users in the United States revealed, kratom is worth the bond kratom forms to the MOR are weak – reducing the likelihood of the investment of creating stringent regulations. In the survey, 87 percent of those forming an addiction, making it a possible answer to the opioid crisis. consuming kratom to treat opioid dependence reported relief from withdrawal “The difference is significant because kratom doesn’t give you that symptoms. Even more remarkable, 34 percent of addicts were free from opioids reinforcing high, so therefore, it doesn’t have addiction liability. What after a year. happens with traditional opioids is that they go to your respiratory system, “It’s just like the FDA’s response to supplements. The solution was not to ban and that’s what accounts for the them. The solution was to make sure that they were regulated properly. And that’s majority, or the vast majority, of IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN what kratom needs, which is why we advocate at the state level right now for the opioid overdoses. You literally LEARNING MORE ABOUT KRATOM kratom Consumer Protection Act, which essentially says you cannot adulterate it; suffocate. Kratom has no significant AND THE COMPANIES BACKED BY THE you can’t synthesize the alkaloids, you have to manufacture properly and label it impact on your respiratory system,” AMERICAN KRATOM ASSOCIATION, properly,” says Haddow. explains Haddow. VISIT AMERICANKRATOM.ORG.

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This product has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination, and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. For use only by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of the reach of children. Marijuana products may be purchased or possessed only by persons 21 years of age or older.

cannthropology

WORLD OF Cannabis PRESENTS

Amsterdam’s Reefer Revolution

LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

How a handful of activists and entrepreneurs transformed the Venice of the North into the Cannabis capital of the world. If there’s one city in all the world most associated with marijuana, it is undoubtedly Amsterdam. For decades, the city has been known for its liberal attitudes toward Cannabis … but it was not always this way. The Dutch policy of Cannabis tolerance—and the resulting coffeeshop industry— traces back to a handful of counterculture visionaries in the late 60s and early 70s who pushed back against the powersthat-be and paved the way for the thriving Cannabis culture that followed. THE PROVOS Like America’s Diggers and Yippies (whom they influenced), Amsterdam’s Provos (short for provoceren, meaning “to provoke”) were a leftist group that combined political protests with absurdist street theater in an attempt to goad authority figures into making public fools of themselves. One of their founders was a performance artist and anti-tobacco activist named Robert Jasper Grootveld. Starting in the early 1960s, Grootveld and his Provos launched a guerilla war against the tobacco industry, as well as a pro-pot disinformation campaign called the “Marihuettegame” (marijuana game). The premise was to score “points” by tricking police into arresting you for legal substances that looked similar to weed to demonstrate their ignorance about it. Those points could then be redeemed for real weed at the Afrikaanse Druk Stoor—an underground drug shop they opened in the Jordaan in 1963.

Jun. 2021

Dutch pot pioneers: Kees Hoekert and Provo Jasper Grootveld of the Lowland Weed Company selling Cannabis plants on their houseboat The White Raven. COURTESY COR JARING LOWLAND WEED COMPANY After the Provos disbanded in 1967, Grootveld partnered with a kindred spirit by the name of Kornelis “Kees” Hoekert. Like Grootveld, Hoekert was a disgruntled tobacco addict who’d switched to smoking weed and hash. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much Cannabis available in the Netherlands at that time—just imported black-market hash, typically of questionable quality. Remarkably, it was Hoekert who first realized that Cannabis didn’t need to be imported—it could actually be grown anywhere, including there in Holland. So in 1969, he and Grootveld bought a kilo of hemp seed pigeon feed from a pet store and began planting it everywhere—in the forests, in the parks, by the airport, and even in front of police stations. More significantly, though, they grew thousands of plants out on the deck of Hoekert’s houseboat (The White Raven) and began selling seeds and plants as the Lowland Weed Company. The plants had no THC and weren’t suitable for smoking—it was just political theater designed to educate and trick authorities into creating a bogus scandal. But since Holland’s Opium Act (their version of the Controlled Substances Act) only forbade the sale of dried Cannabis leaves, not seeds or live plants, the police never took the bait. Nevertheless, they achieved their desired result: The police’s lack of action led people to conclude that Cannabis was now legal to grow in the Netherlands—making the Lowlands Weed Company the country’s first “legal” Cannabis merchants. The publicity also drew Cannabis enthusiasts from around the world to the White Raven. It became such an attraction that a hippie tour

called the Magic Bus began stopping there twice a day, bringing tourists below deck for a smoke, a cup of “high tea,” and a speech from Kees or Jasper. Meanwhile, a similar scene was playing out across town, where a hippie chick named Mila Jansen (known today as “The Hash Queen”) had opened a boutique/teahouse called Kink 22 where customers were served a joint alongside every cup of tea sold. MELLOW YELLOW Soon, others would build upon the Cannabis teahouse concept. The first was a 23-year-old hippie friend of Hoekert’s named Wernard Bruining. Tired of dealing hash out of their apartment, Bruining and his roommates Amsterdam’s first coffeeshop, commandeered a the Mellow Yellow. vacant bakery outside COURTESY WERNARD BRUINING the city center and in 1973, opened Amsterdam’s first official coffeeshop. They called it the Mellow Yellow, after the Donovan song based on the urban myth of smoking banana peels to get high—an inside joke they believed only stoners would get. Their plan was simple: Rather than haggling over prices for arbitrary amounts of hash and grass wrapped in foil as was the custom, dealers at the Mellow Yellow sold standard quantities packed in clear bags at set prices, so customers knew exactly what they were getting. To avoid detection, their rotating group of dealers would sling sacks from a leather satchel while disguised as customers. RISE OF THE COFFEESHOPS Naturally, it wasn’t long before other entrepreneurial-minded stoners followed Bruining’s lead. In April 1975, Mellow Yellow regular Maarten Brusselers opened his own coffeeshop, the Rusland. Next came the Bulldog—opened that December by sex shop owner Henk de Vries, who applied a new level of business acumen to the model. Within months of those first shops opening, the Dutch government made a fateful decision—one that would ultimately catapult Cannabis culture in Amsterdam from underground to mainstream. In 1976, they amended the Opium Act to create two distinct classes of drugs: “hard drugs,” considered dangerous to the public good; and less harmful, non-addictive “soft drugs,” under which hash and marijuana were classified.

Old-school Bulldog poster and a 1981 Lowland Seed Company promo. COURTESY WORLD OF CANNABIS MUSEUM AND WERNARD BRUINING

Amsterdam didn’t just pioneer sales and social use of Cannabis—it was also at the forefront of genetics and cultivation. Then, four years later in 1980, they went even further—announcing a pragmatic new harm-reduction policy of Cannabis “tolerance” (gedoogbeleid). After that, Cannabis use and sales—though still technically illegal—would now be decriminalized, thus paving the way for the rise of the coffeeshop industry. In the two decades that followed, the number of coffeeshops in Amsterdam grew exponentially—up to 400 in 1990, then 750 in 1994. In an effort to manage the “wild west” situation unfolding, in October 1994 the Netherlands established a new regulatory system for coffeeshops called the AHOJG criteria (a Dutch acronym), which imposed some basic rules: no advertising, no hard drugs on the premises, no disturbing of the peace, no minors, and no large quantities (daily limits of 500 grams per shop and five grams per customer). THE GREEN TEAM Amsterdam didn’t just pioneer sales and social use of Cannabis—it was also at the forefront of genetics and cultivation. After the Mellow Yellow mysteriously burned down in 1978, Bruining traveled to America in search of sinsemilla—returning the following year with new genetics and a hippie farmer from Oregon by the name of “Old Ed” Holloway. Together, the two set out to “make Holland the Jamaica of Europe”—establishing the first commercial cultivation operation in Europe and selling their harvests to the coffeeshops. Next, Bruining brought in his old friend Hoekert as a partner to launch the Lowland Seed Company—the first commercial Cannabis seed company. Before long, some of the world’s top pot breeders were showing up wanting to join their “Green Team,” including Ed Rosenthal, Sam the Skunkman (developer of the groundbreaking Skunk strain), and Nevil Schoenmakers (who later co-founded the Seed Bank and Green House cofThe genetics feeshop). The genetics Master growers: Soma, Wernard developed in and sold developed in from Amsterdam by these Bruining, Old Ed Holloway, and and sold from legendary breeders would Ed Rosenthal in Amsterdam Amsterdam by serve as the basis for most around 1996. of the popular strains of these legendary COURTESY WERNARD BRUINING today.

breeders would serve as the basis for most of the popular strains of today.

AMSTERDAM DETHRONED Unfortunately, after decades of increasing Cannabis tourism (including the annual Cannabis Cup events each November), the Dutch government began taking steps to reign in the coffeeshop industry. In 2008, they enacted a rule prohibiting shops within 250 meters of a school—forcing 43 shops to close. Then in 2012, they passed the wietpas (weed pass) rule that effectively banned tourists from coffeeshops (for more on this, see this month’s special section). These new restrictions, coupled with the meteoric rise of legal Cannabis in the US, have essentially dethroned Amsterdam as the world’s Cannabis capital. Nevertheless, the city’s groundbreaking policies and pioneers have undeniably paved the way for the Cannabis freedoms and phenotypes we now enjoy in America.

For more on Amsterdam’s Reefer Revolution, listen to Episode #12 of our podcast at worldofcannabis.museum/podcast. Story and photos originally published on worldofcannabis.museum and reprinted with permission.

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