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AUG. 2020 8
FEATURES
nwlEAF.COM
THE EQUALITY ISSUE aug. 2020
11 EDITOR NOTE 12 NATIONAL NEWS 14 HEMP INDUSTRY 16 SMALL WORLD 20 BUDTENDER Q&A 24 NATURAL BLESSING 28 WOMEN IN WEED 32 STRAIN OF THE MONTH 36 SEXISM IN CANNABIS 38 COMPLICATED HISTORY 40 THE JOY OF CANNABIS 42 TRANSCENDENCE 46 LAST PRISONER PROJECT 48 HOOD INCUBATOR 50 BALL FAMILY FARMS 54 DIVERSITY SCANDAL 58 REFRESH & RELAX 62 STONEY BALONEY ISSUU.COM/NWLEAF
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#73 Black Lives Matter #74 Economic Recovery and Cannabis #75 Defund the Police #76 Pre-Election Tension Part 2: Get High and Vote!
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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
CONTRIBUTORS
PUBLISHER
Joshua Boulet Illustration Tom Bowers Features Rachel Bujalski Photography Steve Elliott National News Danielle Halle Features Mike Ricker Features Meghan Ridley Editing Pacer Stacktrain Features Jonah Tacoma Features Octavia Thorns Illustration Jerry Whiting Hemp Fletcher Wold Photography Bruce & Laurie Wolf Recipes
WES ABNEY | founder & editor-in-chief Wes@nwleaf.com 206-235-6721
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Daniel bermaN | photography & design daniel@bermanphotos.com
ADVERTISING Shane vancamp | ADVERTISING SALES shane@nwleaf.com 253-561-6837
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A B O U T T H E C OV E R
“I would consider myself an artistic activist, striving to uplift Black women and people of color who are underrepresented in illustration. So, when Leaf Nation reached out to design the cover for their Equality Issue, I could not have been more excited. I see Cannabis legalization as a racial justice issue. That is why in the illustration you see the people disproportionately affected by the War on Drugs - weighing more on the scales of justice than the profits from Cannabis legalization. In order to right the wrongs of the past, we have to create a more equitable and diverse future in the legal Cannabis industry.” ILLUSTRATION by OCTAVIA THORNS for Leaf Nation | @PrettyInInkPress
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ABNEY
Editor’s Note Thanks for picking up the first ever Equality Issue of the Leaf! We began planning this issue last December, when the idea emerged to shift our Women’s Issue to something broader reaching. I know that none 11 of our staff could’ve imagined the monumental changes and challenges that 2020 would deliver, and I feel blessed to be able to offer the Leaf as a platform for social justice. When I began publishing the Leaf in 2010, activism was the IT IS THE fuel that pushed each issue out. Cannabis patients and consumers DUTY OF THE were marginalized, persecuted and viewed as second class citizens. CANNABIS INDUSTRY TO I saw the injustice of families broken and lives lost in prison for CONTINUE TO possession of a plant, faced criminal charges for Cannabis myself, STAND UP AND and realized that I had to raise my voice to make change. LEAD THE FIGHT Over the years our fight expanded to include prisoner rights and TO MAKE THIS awareness, the preservation of patient rights, the freedom of our CHANGE A plant under recreational laws, as well as more advanced agendas REALITY! like the inclusion of women in the industry. Today I stand to say that the injustices of the war on drugs - and ongoing systemic racism within America’s criminal justice system and political establishments - are the most important issues in modern history. And within that fight for equality, the Cannabis industry plays a predominant role. For over 100 years drug laws have been used to target Black and Latinx people. Today this continues while slowly shifting power towards already wealthy and mainly white males of the pot industry, doing nothing to address the injustices of the past or present. This was never acceptable. Change is coming. The injustices of the war on drugs must end, and it is the duty of the Cannabis industry to continue to stand up and lead the fight to make this change a reality! We are the victims turned stakeholders, who now have the opportunity to drive the change with our tax dollars, jobs and voices. And while I cannot speak for the entire industry, I know that I speak for my entire staff and family when I say that the Leaf is committed to helping lead this change. We will raise our voice monthly with our Equity Column, holding accountable the broken system as we hope and pray for our country to wake up to a day when we are all equal - free to share our plant, ideas and lives. This is my hope. And I know that with the support of our readers, advertisers and industry, we will make this future a reality. Thank you for sharing our inspiration and please share with whom you have the opportunity.
-Wes Abney aug. 2020
nwlEAF.COM
Exclusive Cannabis Journalism
WES
NATIONAL NEWS
Despite Legality, Racially Driven Cannabis Arrests On The Rise CALIFORNIA legalized Cannabis in 2018, however in that same year, African Americans residing in the Golden State were four times as likely to be arrested as their white, Cannabis smoking counterparts. Despite a 27% decline in total felony Cannabis arrests in California last year, in 2019 that figure not only didn’t improve, it increased to almost 4.5 times as likely. Nationally, people of color are 3.6 times more likely to be arrested for Cannabis. This disparity has also affected California’s Latinx population, whose likelihood for being arrested for a Cannabis related crime is double that of white skinned Californians.
“Like all other patients in Rhode Island, people who use medical marijuana deserve to have access to safe medication, and they deserve to have accurate information about that medication.”
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nwlEAF.COM
-Rhode Island State Health Director Nicole Alexander-Scott, on licensing the state’s first medical Cannabis testing lab, Green Peaks Analytical, to sample and test Cannabis products for pesticides, metals or solvents.
aug. 2020
the south
DISABLED VETERAN FACING FIVE YEARS IN PRISON IN ALABAMA FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA
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ean Worsley, a disabled Iraq War veteran with a traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), is facing five years in prison for possession of medical marijuana after being busted in tiny Gordo, Ala. Worsley got his medical Cannabis authorization back in Arizona, where voters legalized medical Cannabis in 2011. Worsley had relied on Cannabis for years to calm his nightmares and soothe his back THE LEGAL FIGHT WHICH ENSUED HAS pain, reports The Washington Post. So, after his music caught the attention of a local PLUNGED WORSLEY police officer, he consented to a search after the cop claimed he smelled weed in INTO HOMELESSNESS, Worsley’s car. But Alabama doesn’t cut any slack for medical marijuana authorizations. COST HIM THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN COURT The legal fight which ensued has plunged Worsley into homelessness, cost him FINES, AND RECENTLY thousands of dollars in court fines, and recently got him a five-year prison sentence. GOT HIM A FIVE-YEAR “I feel like I’m being thrown away by a country I went and served for,” Worsley wrote in PRISON SENTENCE. a letter from the Pickens County Jail to criminal justice organization Alabama Appleseed. Marijuana isn’t allowed for any purpose, medicinal or recreational, in Alabama.
LEGALIZATION
CANNABIS SALES PREDICTED TO SURPASS $15 BILLION BY END OF 2020
Pawt patrol
DEPUTY & K-9 FIND 78 LBS OF WEED DURING TEXAS TRAFFIC STOP
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recreational marijuana dispensary locations are operated in Michigan by the chain Oz Cannabis, the latest in Ypsilanti, that city’s first.
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U.S. states and the District of Columbia have moved to either legalize or decriminalize Cannabis, a shocking plurality.
$
M
arijuana sales continued to rise during the global pandemic, according to several data agencies and states, reports the Chicago Tribune. States including Florida and Arizona have set new monthly sales records for Cannabis sales in the past few months. Colorado saw a record $192 million in marijuana sales in May, and Oregon crossed the $100 million mark for the first time since 2015. Projects from the Marijuana Business Facebook expect Cannabis sales to pass $15 billion by the end of this year. That represents a 40 percent rise in the legal marijuana market between this year and last. Should the projections be borne out, that will mean weed produces more annual revenue than the NBA, toothpaste and hard seltzer, combined.
The Chambers County Sheriff’s Department seized about 78 pounds of marijuana during a traffic stop in Baytown, Texas, reports 12 News. After being pulled over for failing to drive in one lane, a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado traveling eastbound on I-10 was approached by Deputy Ethan Kahla. He began talking with the driver, Donald Barrows, 27, of Tacoma, Wash. Barrows appeared “extremely nervous,” according to the report. Deputy Kahla asked to search the vehicle, and after Barrows did not give consent for the search, Harvey the K-9 officer was called in. Harvey alerted on the vehicle, which qualifies as probable cause for a search. The search revealed 78 vacuum sealed, clear bags of Cannabis weighing one pound each, according to the report. The weed was in four suitcases inside the vehicle, according to Deputy Kahla.
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1,000 $500k $800k $52m
marijuana dispensaries are now operating in Canada, less than two years after the country legalized recreational Cannabis.
in legal fees may be required to be reimbursed to former CFO James Parker by MedMen, the LA-based pot shop chain.
was the total amount three Massachusetts medical marijuana dispensaries were fined for various infractions last month.
in revenue was brought in by legal marijuana sales in Illinois during the first half of 2020, the governor’s office announced.
By STEVE ELLIOTT, AUTHOR OF THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF MARIJUANA
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EXPERT OPINION
THE HEMP INDUSTRY JERRY WHITING for LEAF NATION L e B l a n c C N E . co m / N WL e a f
No one is going to be rescuing us - certainly not the federal government. We’re on our own and we’re free to work together.
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How Hemp Can Benefit From the Pandemic
With time on their hands, some hemp farmers will become hemp breeders - creating new and potentially valuable cultivars.
COVID-19 is not the flu. It’s not going away anytime soon and when the lockdown ends, we aren’t picking up where we left off. Life is forever changed. The question is: How will hemp be part of the recovery and rebuilding? My faith in hemp hasn’t wavered one bit. In fact, I’m more excited about hemp now than I ever have been before. IMHO, the glass is definitely half full, not half empty. aug. 2020
Fortunately hemp cultivation and processing isn’t overly regulated. There’s lots of room for creativity and innovation. Not everyone will survive, let alone prosper. Today’s economy makes it nearly impossible to run an inefficient, unprofitable business. Weak, unsustainable companies will fail as they should. The flip side of the coin is that well managed companies with quality products have less competition, and are thus better prepared to succeed. People have time on their hands. Either they’re laid off, or working at home without the hassle of commuting. In chaos lies opportunity. Some will turn their attention and talents to creating new things. The lockdown can be an incubator of innovation. Fewer hemp licenses will be issued in 2020 compared to last year. Farmers will grow fewer acres because the market is already flooded. With time on their hands, some hemp farmers will become hemp breeders - creating new and potentially valuable cultivars. There are virtually no hemp specific farm or processing tools. For example, there are no tractor attachments or decorticators. You may already know what you want, but can’t build it yourself. There’s probably a fabricator, mechanic or engineer with time on their hands who can help build what’s in your head. We’re going to see people emerge from their basement, garage or barn with a solution to a problem we didn’t realize existed. Entrepreneurship is happening during the lockdown hidden from public view. My guess is that work isn’t going on across the country, but going on all over the world. If you’ve learned something you’d like to share, Zoom it, make a YouTube video or start a podcast. You don’t need start up capital, an extensive business plan or a huge staff. All you need is the home office or workshop you already have. Once you start, you may find friends, neighbors and strangers who share your passion and curiosity, and are ready to help. One thing I learned during the #Occupy movement is that it’s more fun to play with the other kids on the playground, than it is to play by myself at home. So get busy and socially distance your hemp projects. As a Black hemp farmer during these ever changing and challenging times, I face challenges each and every day just like everyone else. When I wake up my morning mantra is: “Feet, hit the floor!” If you believe in hemp’s potential as an agent of social, political and economic change, we have the gift of time to focus on building the world we want for our children.
PORTRAIT by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS
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rehashed
It’s A Small World After All In the great state of Washington there are currently over 100 hospitals housing more than 10,000 beds. Yet, by the good graces of serendipity, two members of our Northwest Leaf family found themselves side by side through the positive laws of gravitation by which Cannabis users tend to delightfully channel. It was the morning of June 27 that our own Mike Ricker was rushed to the emergency room with what was diagnosed as acute appendicitis, requiring immediate surgery. The words “Northwest Leaf” were mysteriously heard over the closed divider while being administered meds by a friendly nurse. “What do you know about Northwest Leaf?” he directed at the chatting stranger to whom he had
haphazardly waved while being carted past. “I was Budtender of the Month last September,” came the voice. “You look like the dude who conducted the interview.” “Ty Horton, is that you?” And, indeed, it was the cheery compatriot,
proudly representing the enigmatic Bud’s Garage in North Everett. So, the center divider was immediately drawn open and the merriment commenced, turning what would normally have been a dour situation to one of optimism and gratitude. Both gents would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the amazing staff at Harborview Medical Center in downtown Seattle for all their hard work in not only making these two knuckleheads feel loved and cared for, but for standing in the face of danger during these challenging times.
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>> Mike Ricker and Ty Horton resting up at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle back in June.
The words “Northwest Leaf” were mysteriously heard over the closed divider while being administered meds by a friendly nurse. aug. 2020
STORY by WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX | PHOTO by HARBORVIEW
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.
WENDY HULL COFOUNDER CEO
FairwindsCannabis.com 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.
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 @ N W L E A F . C O M
Charlie Caldwell
NORTHWEST LEAF BUDTENDER OF THE MONTH
I UNDERSTAND YOU’RE MEXICAN AMERICAN. Yeah, but I actually didn’t meet the Mexican side of my family until I was 21. That’s when I met my dad - who lives in California - for the first time. It was pretty crazy. I’m close with him now and he also loves smoking weed, so it’s cool that we have that in common. DO YOU FEEL THAT WASHINGTON OFFERS A DECENT REP RESENTATION OF EQUALITY IN THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY? I moved here from Idaho. And I don’t know if you know anything about it, but it is pretty white and conservative. And there is an obvious improvement once you get across that state boundary. So, the answer is yes, I do see a lot of diversity here. HERBS HOUSE IS P ROBABLY THE MOST ‘SEATTLE’ SHOP IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON. WHY IS THAT? It starts with the owners, Dave Sloan and Sharon Jacobson. They are really chill people who just like to smoke good weed. The shop is perched up on a corner of a block, it has a fireplace inside with a ramp leading to the front door, and the shop is in an old Victorian house. I feel like a lot of other stores are tying to be more like Apple, where ours is more like the Seattle vibe - cool and laid back. Herbs has got your herbs. That’s a shameless plug, by the way.
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WHAT’S THE TRICK TO BEING A GOOD BUDTENDER? It depends. We get a lot of older people who need help with CBD. Maybe they have a lot of body pain, maybe they have never smoked before, maybe they’re just looking for information or trying to get someone to help them figure stuff out. I think you just want to be respectful and honest with everyone, and keep their best interest in mind. And I love weed - it’s not hard for me to sell people good weed.
“I LOVE DOING DABS. IS THAT A SPORT? IT SHOULD BE.”
WITH SIX YEARS of experience in the Cannabis business dating back to the medical days, Charlie is passionate about the healing qualities of the plant while enjoying the daily blessing of sharing knowledge that helps people ease their pain. There’s a certain pride that comes with budtending at Herbs House for this champion, and he relishes in the splash of diversity he brings to the community.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO FOR FUN? I’m really into sports. I love playing basketball, I like watching football, I’m down to go on some hikes. I love doing dabs. Is that a sport? It should be. THE SONICS HAVE BEEN GONE FOR A HOT MINUTE. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE NEW NHL TEAM, THE SEATTLE KRAKEN? Fuckin’ awesome, Man. I’m ready to buy a jersey because their new logo is badass. I’m into sci-fi and fantasy, so let’s get Kraken!
H E R B S H OU S E | 7 1 6 N W 6 5 T H S T SE AT T L E , WA | H E R B S H OUSE . O R G | @ H E R B S H OUS E I N BA L L A R D | 9 : 0 0 A . M . TO 1 0 : 0 0 P . M . DAI LY
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INTERVIEW by MIKE RICKER @RICKERDJ | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS
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17024 PACIFIC AVE S, SPANAWAY WA (253) 433-3961 NBPOTSHOP.COM MON-SAT 9AM-10PM SUNDAY 9AM - 9PM
aug. 2020
Natural Blessing the little shop that could
“TAKE CARE OF FAMILY FIRST AND EVERYTHING ELSE FALLS INTO PLACE.” -ANTHONY BERKLEY
S
The determination of this particular gentleman is conveyed through telling eyes, while the stern message is not lost on the soft tone of his comforting voice. “We looked at 171 locations to lease and operate, and were rejected every time. Each building was regulated and ready to go, but when the landlord saw that we were “Luck is where opportunity meets prepaBlack, their tune would change.” ration,” he gleams with the wisdom of 50 Corey’s wife Kiyona shares ownership years. “We strive to be good stewards in of Natural Blessing, as the two couples every aspect of our lives and I take pride in partnered to comprise the consummate the fact that we have worked hard to get to dream team. where we are.” And when Mr. Berkley says Through these and other difficulties, “we” - he is referring to Wonder Woman aka however, this unit has remained commitTamara - his centered wife of 26 years who ted and it was the city of Spanaway where recognizes that a serendipitous visit from a they eventually found home. Even having hummingbird is a positive sign to be valued. experienced some very unIt was a long shot, but when fortunate looting as a result Anthony learned in 2015 that of the recent riots, nothing the state was issuing legal will stop this ballast of a licenses to sell Cannabis, the Co-owner Corey Stevens shop from forging forward. idea lightbulb in his head was has remained undeterred Anthony Berkley wants to about to burst. by the struggles that have make something clear: He held faith in the process beleaguered the process “This is collateral damas his father-in-law, Big Ron, in achieving this amazing age, which is the price of had his Cannabis related jailtime expunged due to accomplishment of becoming change. We feel embraced by the people of this area “the great state of Washingone of two retail shops in the and a few bad apples aren’t ton” having decriminalized state of Washington to be going to spoil this bunch. the plant. This gave him the owned by African Americans We feel very humbled and needed confidence, so he set (the other being Kush 21). honored that the community to task and succeeded in achas embraced us and shown quiring the license. However, us respect. And I believe that this is because he and his partners soon discovered that only respect is what people get when they come the first barrier had been hurdled. through the door. I had my reservations Co-owner Corey Stevens has remained about doing this article because I didn’t undeterred by the struggles that have beleawant this to come out as a revolutionary guered the process in achieving this amazing piece. I want this to be about hard work accomplishment of becoming one of two and determination. I’ve always believed retail shops in the state of Washington to be that you take care of family first and everyowned by African Americans (the other being thing else falls into place.” Kush 21). ometimes a challenging situation is where you will find exemplary optimism. And although Natural Blessing co-owner Anthony Berkley will tell you he feels lucky, you will also hear in the same breath that it is generally a word with little value.
Delicious Options
Doghouse Cannabis leads the pack in this fresh smelling refuge of bounty. Their Dogwalker OG sugar wax comes budtender recommended, as well as their other superb concentrates and exceptional flower (also in Oregon)! You’ll also find Cedar Creek offering some top shelf infused prerolls as well as tasty cartridges, while Fairwinds can balance your health and wellness with effective topicals and tinctures. Also, you can get majorly tuned up with 100ml Major drinks! Support for the Supporters
Paying it forward is making deposits into the bank of karma, which always circles back in mysterious ways. At this Cannabis hot spot on the south end of Pacific Avenue, you’ll get the savings you’re looking for. With a 10% military discount as well as a 10% savings for medical patients, you’ve got all the incentive you need for a proper stock up. Also, these neighborhood driven friends offer a 20% loyalty program and pride themselves on being the only store in the state that gives you six long months to cash it in. And hey, a big shoutout to our guy Floyd who will be at the helm to happily greet you with exceptional warmth!
STORY by MIKE RICKER @RICKERDJ | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS
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We’ve Moved! Our Fremont store has moved to:
224 Nickerson St. Seattle, WA 98109 And we have parking!
We’ve Moved! Our Redmond store has moved to:
7829 Leary Way NE Redmond, WA 98052 And we have parking, with its entrance on Cleveland!
SEATTLE & REDMOND, WASHINGTON
all are welcome all are loved we believe in our shared humanity actions speak louder
www.seattlehashtag.com 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.
THE EQUALITY ISSUE
women in weed
THE GALLEY
FEMALE OWNED A N D O P E R AT E D CANNABIS COMPANY / / M A N U FA C T U R I N G & DISTRIBUTION //
ANNIE HOLMAN CO-FOUNDER | CEO & CMO
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WHAT IS THE ORIGIN STORY OF THE GALLEY?
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My background was originally graphic design and marketing, so I had a small design firm for 25 years. I got burnt out doing that, sitting in front of my computer, and wanted to do something else. I got lucky because one of my longtime clients owned an insurance company, and she started to write insurance for Cannabis. She and I got together and decided to make a brand this was in the Prop 215 days. She actually won a chunk of change at the Kentucky Derby and we opened a little bakery with it. The bakery was called Derby Bakery. We had medical cookies and basically had a lot of really good traction throughout the state because we were one of the first brands to put high-end CO2 oils into cookies. We were able to produce really nice white chocolate, lemon, macadamia nut, toffee and roasted pecan cookies - thick, chewy, bakery-style cookies that actually tasted good. We won 2nd Place at the Emerald Cup for our lemon cookies and 8th Place for our peanut butter cups. When Prop [64] passed, we were down in Petaluma and they were not Cannabis friendly. We had to shut down the bakery. I was searching for buildings and I quickly realized that every cent of the three million dollars I fundraised was going to have to be put toward buying a building. I actually got very lucky because I met my current business partners at a trade show in Oakland, totally randomly. We started talking and she said she had a building in Santa Rosa and wanted to get into Cannabis, but didn’t know anything about it. I was there the very next day that’s how we put this together. We originally planned to do extraction and share space, where a brand could come in and rent the space.
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But, when I started traveling around to all the events and talking to brands, I realized two things really fast: We didn’t need to do extraction because there were so many great people already doing it in Santa Rosa, and no one wanted to rent our space. Everybody just wanted us to make the products. Once we figured that out, we had to figure out what we were going to manufacture. We have an 8,300 square foot building, and in that building we have five areas of production. All of these areas have high end, high output equipment - as the idea is to not have to do things by hand as much. We have a commercial kitchen for edibles - double roll rack oven, range - anything imaginable in a commercial kitchen. Next door we have a dedicated beauty product room, including topicals and tinctures, complete with emulsion blenders, bottle fillers, etc. In the back of the plant we have two rooms that are our candy rooms. One of those contains the candy machine for gummies, hard candies and caramels. And in the second room we have a chocolate machine that makes everything chocolate: chocolate bars, chocolate in molds, chocolate covered grasshoppers. Completely automated. WOULD YOU COMPARE THE FACILITY TO THE WILLY WONKA FACTORY OF CANNABIS MANUFACTURING? You could say that!…It’s a dream that
took two years to put together. We can pack flower, process pre-rolls, as well as vape pens. Our distribution license allows us to perform fulfillment for our clients. We will either take the products to the dispensaries or hand them off to the delivery services. We might eventually hire some salespeople, but we have to get the manufacturing all dialed in first. We just got our licenses in April and we have 15 employees. With Covid-19 it has been a little challenging, I won’t lie, but we have a wonderful Director of Operations and she set up our plant to be very secure. We have strict, stringent rules in place: everyone wears a mask and we have hand sanitizer everywhere. In the beginning of Covid-19, we decided to pivot because we hadn’t gotten our Cannabis licenses yet, so we decided to make hand sanitizer. That felt really good, because we were able to help out our community.
WHO IS YOUR CLIENTELE? We have a myriad of different clients. The type of client that is particularly important to me is one that is considered a legacy brand. They’ve taken all the risk, paved the way and were booted off the shelves [when Prop 64 passed]. We’re trying to work hard to get them back on the shelves. I have a lot of good sources from years of being in the packaging and design industry, and do my best to pass them on to clients. WHAT ARE THE FUTURE PLANS FOR THE FACILITY?
We sit on two pieces of property, and have our offices on the second piece. We have enough space there to build a second building, so eventually we will expand. We also built an event center. Our original plan here preCovid was to have all types of events here, in our repurposed shipping containers. We planned to have nonprofit events, educational events, all sorts of things. We had a couple already that were super successful. I’m a cofounder of a women’s Cannabis networking group called Bloom - we had our first event for that here. WHAT TYPE OF A LEADER ARE YOU? My general
overall way of looking at this business is that it’s about the people first, always. I feel strong about building long term partnerships with people, and also with the other manufacturers out there. I firmly believe in collaboration, not competition. A lot of the brand owners ask, ‘What’s most important to you?’ And I say, ‘You are.’ I have one other woman partner, and so I really value all of my people and their opinions. We have lots of meetings where everybody gets to contribute and collaborate, and my door is always open. I’ve seen too many companies where the person at the top is scary and that just doesn’t work. It filters down from the top. I’m super transparent with people, but I like that about myself, so I’m not going to change. I’m radically honest, which works for me 80% of the time. I really try to connect people with the right people, and to help others because people are always helping me. This industry is particularly similar, which means a lot and is super gratifying to me. It all ties back to when I had my medical bakery and was helping patients with my cookies.
DON’T BE AFRAID TO TAKE A RISK - THIS INDUSTRY IS GENERALLY A LITTLE NUTTY BUT WOMEN ARE REALLY GOOD PROBLEMS SOLVERS.
CAN YOU TELL ME MORE ABOUT BLOOM, THE CANNABIS NETWORKING GROUP? Formerly a
Women Grow chapter, we came together as a networking group for women - although some guys show up and that’s fine too. We basically get together and support each other and have speakers come in who we find helpful. It’s all volunteer-based. We used to meet at a local restaurant that would sometimes provide food, but we’re going to change the format to meet here in a potluck style gathering. We meet once a month with a speaker, and there’s a big group of women here in Sonoma County that are absolutely amazing. I want to be able to continue to support this group of people. If they’re experiencing some of the same hurdles I am, being able to help to solve some of those things leaves me beaming at the end of those gatherings. It’s mostly about networking and a little bit about information, but a bit more casual. We bloom together. DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR YOUNG WOMEN WITH CREATIVE IP OR AN INTEREST IN BUSINESS, BUT NOT EXPERIENCED WITH FINANCIAL PLANNING OR FUNDRAISING?
Find yourself a mentor. I’m actually at the place where I’m looking around for a few people to mentor. I have a mentor that I talk to from 8:30-9:00 a.m. every day. He’s actually a man, and he’s amazing. He helps me through everything. Find yourself a mentor for whatever you need - there’s tons of women in this industry who would be willing to do that. Finding the right fit is critical. And get involved with organizations like Bloom, because that’s also how you can meet and connect with the right people. Don’t be afraid to take a risk - this industry is generally a little nutty - but women are really good problems solvers. We can pivot, and we do all this calmly. If this were easy, everyone would be doing it. If you’re here, you made it. Find a way to hang on. If you want this, your place will become obvious and it will come to you. This industry is just now getting going.
CONNECT WITH THE GALLEY FB.com/thegalleysonomacounty
STORY by DANIELLE HALLE @SWEET.DEEZY for LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by THE GALLEY
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aug. 2020
SMARTIEZ
STRAIN OF THE MONTH
REVIEW by WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS
Nostalgia has the power to transport the mind to moments and feelings of the past, where a classic Smarties candy can be the perfect reminder of the childlike wonder in which a sweet treat could make a day magical.
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We found that same magic in the Smartiez by Dank Czar, which captivates the mind while relaxing the body, returning a sense of wonder that many of us are lacking in the quarantine daze. This indica dominant hybrid is a cross between Blue City Diesel and Girl Scout Cookies, blending the sweeter flavor and unique Hawaiian gassiness of the diesel with the rich and lemony cookies, for a sweet and tart flavor. Breaking open a nug causes syrupy, earthy, grape and citrus aromatics to waft openly in the air, with a sweet kiss of lemon-cookies that peels out in the background for a perfect finish. The Smartiez grows large nugs with a medium density, boasting purple frosted tips and an explosion of THC crystals over every visible surface. Looking like pieces of THC candy, it’s hard not to lick fingers clean after breaking up this flower, so don’t even try! The sticky buds burn light and easy, bringing a clean smoke that shines with a sugary exhale that lingers on the palate. Effects land on the mind as quickly as the smoke leaves, with an energetic and euphoric rush that lightens the head and fills the mind like a balloon of THC. But don’t let the first few minutes fool you! The indica effects fill the body from the chest outward, expanding on the floatiness, but with a solid anchor of highness that grounds the overall vibe for a unique, hybrid high. Very few strains taste legitimately sweet when burned - and this batch of Smartiez delivers. The care and love taken in the growing, flushing and curing process combines in a perfect treat for the head and lungs.
25.2% THC | @DANKCZAR_WASHINGTON
the equality issue
“ W O M E N S H O U L D B E P R I M A R I LY RESPECTED FOR THEIR KNOWLEDGE O N C U LT I VAT I O N , G E N E T I C S , R E TA I L M A N A G E M E N T A N D BUSINESS INVESTMENTS - NOT JUST HOW PRETTY THEY LOOK S M O K I N G W E E D O N I N S TA G R A M .”
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Where Do Women Fit in the Cannabis Industry?
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WE’VE ALL READ THE ARTICLES AND LISTENED TO PODCASTS ABOUT THE UPHILL BATTLES WOMEN FACE IN THE CANNABIS ARENA, RANGING EVERYWHERE FROM INVESTMENTS AND OWNERSHIP TO SEXUAL HARASSMENT.
I could give you data from a 2020 UCLA study about how women working in dispensaries report significantly greater levels of sexual harassment and unwanted sexual attention than men. Or we could talk about how multiple studies confirm a correlation between traditional masculine gender norms and increased Cannabis use. However, none of the data or anecdotes will change the minds of some. Many people think they understand sexism in Cannabis as just that - regular sexism - without diving into the history behind it. To really get an understanding of how the Cannabis industry got to this point, we need to go back to the illicit black market days, before legalization. With the trap came the risks, especially for women. Women were typically kept away from positions of ownership or authority since most of the underground game was tough and masculine, both as a culture and as a means of actual physical security. Because of this, women involved in the illicit Cannabis markets were either drug mules
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or, more commonly, intimately involved with someone along the supply chain. Now that the industry has shifted into the light, a lot of the same key players remain on top - breeders, cultivators, suppliers, you name it. A lot of those staple figures are heterosexual men that spent a long time in the same market honing their craft and waiting for legalization. An inherent problem with that, however, is that a lot of the same attitudes and ideas shifted to the legal market at the same time. And why wouldn’t they if they worked so well underground? The reason a variety of these issues remain the same is because the culture never changed from the underground to the legal market. At the same time, white collar investment companies and large overseas firms began to sink their teeth into the Cannabis space. There’s no need to dive into sexism and discrimination in corporate companies because it’s already well researched and discussed, but the need to highlight its presence in Cannabis is important. Between the two ultra-masculine powerhouses of the illicit and corporate worlds, women have been historically held back from real engagement and involvement. Now that we’ve taken a look at how men have
influenced Cannabis, it’s time to shift toward the other end of the spectrum: the perpetuation of sexist stereotypes by other women. There’s been a push over the years to make space for women by showcasing stereotypical traits - like vibrant pink colors, manicures, jewelry and other traditional behaviors. When looking at ‘normal’ events that aren’t geared to any gender (which is debatable), Cannabis is the focus with top-shelf flower, high quality hash, heady glass and equipment dominating discussions. At women-forward events, there seems to be a focus on femininity and aesthetics more than the Cannabis, or the real ways in which women are involved with it. CBD products are heavily marketed toward women at these events, like eye creams and moisturizers, in lieu of cannagars or specialty blunts that are featured at several other non-gendered events. Commonly, women are marketed to by companies and other women by using femininity to sell products instead of actual quality. Being feminine is not inherently bad and does a lot of meaningful good by proving that anyone can be ‘girly’ and consume Cannabis. Women should be primarily respected for their knowledge on cultivation, genetics, retail management and business investments - not just how pretty they look smoking weed on Instagram. Between the underground market players becoming legitimate, the corporate world wedging itself at the top of major chain networks, and companies playing off traditional gender norms, women are fighting obstacles at multiple angles. Old school players from the black market need to realize their roles in perpetuating harmful stereotypes of sexualizing women or by keeping the top positions a ‘boys club’ only. Corporate Cannabis needs to understand that women are more than just pretty faces to greet customers to boost sales, and deserve the same pay as their male coworkers for the same work. Women need to understand that women also love quality products and not just stereotypically traditional services and events - we’re more than eye creams and jewelry. Sexism will never be completely eradicated from the field, but the best we can do is try to understand it and learn from it, progressing toward a better future in Cannabis.
STORY by ALEX WORKMAN @WORKDUBS for LEAF NATION | ART by @ANGELINA_BAMBINA_DSGN
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THE EQUALITY ISSUE nwlEAF.COM
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STORY by SKYE CABRERA @SKYE.CABRERA for LEAF NATION
AMERICA’S COMPLICATED CANNABIS HISTORY
It
had almost been a year since I had spoken to my 31-year-old, Connecticut-based cousin Edward Greene but Cannabis has a way of bringing estranged ties back together. From the Nisenan lands in the West to the Mohegan winds of the East, weed transcends all sorts of barriers. I tell him I’ve been asked to write an opinion piece on equality and Cannabis, and that he is the first person who came to mind. Not just because we both enjoy a nice indica hybrid - and conspiracy theory dialogues on how the government is trying to ban all things that bring optimal health, to keep people sick and Big Pharma rich - but because Edward has had a stint with incarceration since his late teens. As a free man who has witnessed disproportionate affairs, he confirms that he still smokes Cannabis and for good reason. “I think marijuana has kept me out of prison a lot. I feel like weed is my calm down thing. If I’m angry, it helps me relax, calm down, think it through - breathe. It helps me with anxiety and doing things I don’t wanna really do. I smoke a blunt, I relax and realize everything is gonna be OK.” I never missed one of his collect calls from jail and often we shared the same sentiment that in the ‘real world,’ a lot of the jobs being offered to young POC didn’t pay nearly as much as what the streets were offering - sadly, illegally. We recalled stories of our selfmade neighborhood friends - highly intelligent street
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entrepreneurs at the forefront of a now billion dollar industry. With inflation and gentrification rising in our cities and minimum wage staying stagnant, it seemed like a surefire way to keep people behind bars, and most of my friends pushing joy-filled baggies out of Nike duffel backpacks for survival. We knew that it was a system designed to simply control a certain demographic. “I view this as a race thing,” says Edward. “Why give us what helps us? They pick and choose what’s best for us. Xanax or all these pills. But why not make marijuana legal? Because it helps us. They don’t want to see us be productive in society or do anything that helps our brothers and sisters.” Richard Nixon’s decisions are still attempting to govern our primal need to connect with nature and tap into our own consciousness. We speak on how the judicial system has been trying to trap minorities or POC for decades, with weed as its scapegoat. It’s that prominent sentence in Tupac’s legendary track, “Changes”: “Instead of war on poverty, they got a war on drugs, so the police can bother me.” We speak about Hip Hop culture, adopted trends and the romanticism of blunt smoking in Notorious B.I.G. videos in the late ‘90s. How every white kid we knew wanted to be included in every puff session and rap cypher in the hallways of the Chelsea Housing Projects of Lower Manhattan in ‘98, but not take the charge if caught. How someone knew an elite lawyer or doctor who would get someone to bring them an
eighth to their apartment, discreetly. How if a white guy smoked he was a hippie, but if a Black guy did, he was a problem. How anything that brought POC joy or even remotely made them feel good was debunked, destroyed, taken or given surplus amounts of jail time. How Maya Angelou has even written poetry about how happy weed made her feel. How Indigenous tribes and B.C. Egypt had a handle on Cannabis and were healing generations before it ever got into the hands of controlling officials. How happiness and self esteem might be dangerous to the 1%. How 80% of those in jail for marijuana possession by 2017 were Black and Latinx. How some of them still haven’t been released for petty dealings in 2020. We speak about mental health. How Justin or ‘J the Don’ was my first psychiatrist at 23. When my therapist suggested Prozac, it was his hand out with a, “Yo, you wanna smoke?” that saved me and made me trust myself. We speak on just how warped it is that alcohol and cigarettes are so freely available to consumers, but cause the most damage. And not only psychologically - we watched cigarettes kill our grandmother and alcoholism destroy our organs. We pray for the ones who got out of jail and are so traumatized by their incarceration experience that after 10 years, the talk of marijuana at a gathering sparks PTSD. How somehow a plant they once adored has become the one they have come to fear, like
] “No other drug can compete with Cannabis for its ability to satisfy the innate yearnings for archaic boundary dissolution, and yet leave intact the structures of ordinary society.”
]
-Terence McKenna
the stigma imposed by Baby Boomers or conservatives. How they recall handcuffs instead of happy times and Purple Haze. We speak on how the system of religion once demonized this medicine and its enthusiasts, only to now be glorified in handheld podcasts as rituals for new moons. How it’s been appropriated from the Himalayas to Ethiopia, and used against their same great great grandsons in courtrooms. We speak on how many friends have a misdemeanor on their record still, and can only get jobs at the local Nissan car dealership. How weed has become as trendy as yoga and matcha tea lattes, but has had a trail of pain and broken families behind it - with most new users never having to endure or recall the trauma that came to families affected by its criminalization before legalization. How every city should follow Oakland’s blueprint of bringing equity and opportunity within the Cannabis industry to those previously incarcerated. How we can’t relive another John Sutter-esque Gold Rush, where so many people are uprooted from their place of prosperity - we all deserve a piece of the pie. How the government needs to stop being such a damn killjoy.
Because at the end of the day When we ALL sit down to split the nugget, dissect the seeds and smoke the tree We all have the same innate need No matter the race, the color, the creed To just, simply Feel good, feel equal, feel free
the equality issue
P
RIOR TO WORKING IN CANNABIS, Joy was a Division 1 basketball player at the University of Arizona, played professionally in Europe and has coached both college and youth teams. She is also an active organizing member of the Emergency Feeding Program based in Renton, which serves over 200,000 pounds of food each month to challenged communities. We sat down to talk about her past as an athlete, her work in Cannabis and the nonprofit sector, and how racial inequality can be addressed by the Cannabis industry.
HOW WAS CANNABIS INTRODUCED INTO YOUR LIFE? I was introduced to Cannabis via my mother, who uses Cannabis for her pain of severe scoliosis. I had no idea, until she sat us down for a family meeting when I was 18. I thought she had cancer - she never called meetings! She said that my brother and I were old enough to know, that she didn’t want to hide it anymore. WHEN DID YOU FIRST TRY THE PLANT? As an athlete who was drug tested and took sports seriously, you probably didn’t party your way through college, right? Absolutely, I waited until after I graduated to smoke with my mom - to see what all the hype was about. At the age of 22 she introduced me to a joint; I hit it and had never had that type of sensation, so I fell to the floor. She told me directly, verbatim, “Get your ass up, that was only one hit.” THAT’S CRAZY! TALK ABOUT A HEAD RUSH. WAS CANNABIS IN THE FAMILY WHAT LED YOU TO THE BUSINESS? On the longer end of how I
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got into the business was my uncle, who is paralyzed from the neck down, and my Grandma who is now 99 - they both use Cannabis medicinally. And with my brother, who grew his first plant in a UW dorm room and then expanded that operation into my grandmother’s basement, while being active in the medical market. Then 502 hit in 2012 - with Obama getting elected, and legalization of weed and gay marraige. We were in Capitol Hill together, everybody was screaming and laughing and hyped out at the moment on election day - and I remember Raft celebrating so hard. A couple months went by and he sat us down and said, ‘I really want to grow Cannabis and us to have a farm.’ I told him he was crazy, because I wanted to be a college basketball coach and continue working in the nonprofit sector. But he had a full powerpoint presentation and was persistent, and our Dad took out his retirement for the farm. In 2014, when we bought the land in Shelton, it went from a plan to being serious.
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HOW DID IT FEEL TO GET THE LICENSE TO GROW CANNABIS LEGALLY AND BE A PIONEER? AND THE ONLY BLACK-OWNED FARM TO DO THAT? We were licensed on July 4, 2014, which we celebrate
as our true Cannabis independence day for our family. We put plants in the ground, and when I look back, they were so small and dinky but it was something. At the time we didn’t think about the Black side of it, that type of presence - it was more so we were scared of the feds shutting the system down. Back then the industry was very secretive and just getting started; it’s more transparent now than it has ever been before because of social media and branding. But we felt optimistic, like it was adventurous for our family. And we did not know what the industry would morph into over the last six years. It was a scary and exciting moment - as an entrepreneur you have to have this optimism and naive notion that things will be OK - that we’ll figure it out as we go. That’s kinda been our thing. WHAT’S IT LIKE TODAY TO BE IN THE BUSINESS WITH BLACK LIVES MATTER BECOMING SUCH A WORLDWIDE CONVERSATION, AS WELL AS THE WAR ON DRUGS AND THESE FACTORS OF INEQUALITY?
First thing on the business side, we are happy to still be alive and in the industry. We’ve seen a lot of people with tons more resources go out of business, so we feel very fortunate and blessed. In terms of where we are today with COVID- 19, the war on drugs, BLM, all these different components going on - we are very conscious of the platform that we stand on, and the
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THE JOY OF CANNABIS shoulders of our ancestors that came before us. And so we understand that even though we might not have asked for this platform - to be able to articulate social equity in Cannabis - we want that spotlight because we would be doing a disservice to our community if we didn’t use our platform for good. DO YOU FEEL LIKE THIS IS A MOMENT FOR THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY TO FACE THESE ISSUES? I feel like it’s a moment for people
to really start recognizing racial injustices and inequality. Right now it feels like the world has stopped in a sense. All the white noise and the stuff that usually has people’s attention has stopped, and now people actually have a chance to really focus in on these issues. Let me tell you - you have George
Floyd, but before that it was Trayvon Martin and Sandra Bland and all these people that came before - and this was like the perfect storm for people to be like, ‘Yo, stuff is really unfair and needs to change.’ WHAT TYPE OF CHANGES WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE SPECIFIC TO THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY? I would like to see
a lot of changes. The first is for people to get more into the industry that look like us. Like on an ownership level, which we talked about on the Leaf Life Podcast, how we are able to be on the street twirling signs, but not at ownership levels or management positions. So, wanting to be able to help create a pathway for ownership in the industry is
“FOOD INSECURITY IS REAL, RACIAL INJUSTICE AND SYSTEMIC RACISM ARE REAL T H E Y P L AY I N T O E AC H O T H E R .” important, as an ancillary business or directly. We want to be able to expose people to these opportunities and create a Cannabis incubator. Here in Washington, to have a place where people can come to throw around ideas and find resources, being taught about the plant and the different aspects of the Cannabis business. YOU ARE ALREADY TAKING ACTION IN YOUR COMMUNITY THROUGH NONPROFIT WORK WITH THE EMERGENCY FEEDING PROGRAM. HOW IS THAT HELPING MAKE POSITIVE CHANGE? The program started
in 1977 and we have been feeding the community through different avenues. Before COVID hit this organization did a lot of non-perishable goods and snack packs to communities and schools, and we transitioned now because we have seen a massive increase in food insecurity - particularly in low-income and underserved communities of color. You see, the resources haven’t trickled down to those communities and food insecurity is real. So we’ve been able to partner with great organizations like Amazon and Whole Foods, who have generously donated a lot of food, in addition to NW Harvest. We repack that food in boxes and distribute them all across King County, primarily South Seattle and South King County. HOW DO YOU GET THE FOOD OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY? We service all people, but we focus on
>> When Joy isn’t busy as Director of Operations at Hollingsworth Cannabis Company, which she founded with her brother Raft and other family members to become one of the only Black-owned Cannabis farms in Washington, she is working at and managing the Emergency Feeding Program in Renton - providing more than 200,000 pounds of food each month to community members in need. STORY by WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS
communities with people of color. We service today through schools, churches, senior homes and complexes - with monthly over 200,000 pounds of food going out into the community. I think the biggest thing we do that I am proud about is that we lower the barriers for people to access food. What does that mean? You don’t need an ID if you need food, or a light bill or documentation. If you are hungry and you need food, that’s the only thing that you need to get it. There’s no judgement. We’re here to service people and give food, and I am proud of the barriers we have lowered. WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST MESSAGE TO SHARE ABOUT FOOD INSECURITY AND CHANGE THAT NEEDS TO BE MADE? A lot of people who have never experienced food
insecurity are now because of COVID, and now people are having a greater appreciation of that. Everyone’s basic needs of food and shelter and safety should be met - these basic things we argue about every four years but can’t seem to get it right. The biggest message that I can say is that food insecurity is real, racial injustice and systemic racism are real, and they play into each other. We are trying to help end food insecurity in communities of color and make the change we want to see.
HOLLINGSWORTHCANNABIS.COM @HollingsworthHemp @THCcompanyWA EmergencyFeeding.org/mission-2
Listen to Leaf Life Podcast Episode #73 on BLM & Joy Hollingsworth!
THE EQUALITY ISSUE
Transcend TELL ME ABOUT YOUR TRANSITION. Well, I’ve been on hormone replacement therapy for fourand-a-half years. I feel like it was missing from my body. My brain needed it, my body needed it. I was constantly hearing things like ‘you’re weird’ and ‘guys don’t do that.’ That’s what I’ve heard a lot, but I wasn’t a guy, although they thought I was. I tried to believe I was a guy because I was told I was, and I lived as one but I believed there was a Santa Claus, too, until I learned that he doesn’t exist. WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ON EQUALITY IN THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY? I don’t know a single
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owner that is LGBTQIA. I have heard a statistic that 30% of Cannabis users are LGBT, but I don’t know of any owners. People love to stereotype, stoners included, but I try to prove that wrong. Yes, I can!
EFFIE LOU WARREN
IS THIS THE RIGHT COMMUNITY FOR YOU RIGHT NOW? Well, it’s the only place I want
STICKY BUDZ REGIONAL SALES MANAGER
to be. And to be honest, I don’t think there is another industry that would accept me this well for who I am. I’m proud of MLM, the parent company for Sticky Budz. When I took many interviews before them, I always thought I was going to get a call back, but it never came. It was Tiffany Louie who gave me my shot. If it were not for her, I would not be in this business and now I’ve been a part of the organization for over two years - enjoying a lot of success.
nwlEAF.COM
DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU’VE BEEN JUDGED AT ALL BY THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY? I know there
are a certain amount of shops I shouldn’t go to. They won’t welcome me to have lunch with them, they won’t allow me to do a vendor day with them. And I have to keep my mouth shut so I don’t lose those accounts. Yet, I still have to win these shops over. I’m gonna get in your shop, Dude! You know why? Because I’m gonna have product you need. And you know what I’m gonna do when that happens? I’m gonna walk my flamingo ass in there so perched up and you’re not going to be able to say anything, because I’m making you money. I’m fucking gangster! Otherwise, I know who my people are and I’m really proud of the shops who aren’t run by bigots.
@EFFIE_MLM
“I KNOW WHO MY PEOPLE ARE AND I’M REALLY PROUD OF THE SHOPS WHO AREN’T RUN BY BIGOTS.”
RIGHT ON. THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING FOR YOU, EFFIE. Actually, I’m not just gangster,
but I’m gay and I’m proud - I’m a trans woman who deserves to exist just like any woman or man.
AUG. 2020
INTERVIEW by MIKE RICKER | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS
ndence
D
IFFERENTIATION IS EVERYWHERE. No two organisms, due to the laws of physics, are truly identical. And obviously, when it comes to people, we are not above those laws. One can liken the varying differences of personality and appearance to a sky filled with clouds - from the naked eye they all appear white and similar, but to watch their existence unfold over time, one will see that they change form and directive in accordance with the elements from which they were borne. But as society cannot directly control or change the course of a cloud, there is an overwhelming agenda to control people by manipulating parameters that go against our innate instinct to flow and evolve in congruence with nature. From the time we are birthed, the lessons begin to shape us into what optimally benefits the greater collective by providing a system that keeps it simple: boys wear blue and girls wear pink, ad infinitum. And as this pounding of information into impressionable minds is effective for most, for many who don’t fit into that narrow ideological picture-perfect frame, living their truth becomes paramount to their mental wellness, and ultimately their survival. Here, we have two members of the Cannabis community who celebrate their individuality through the daily display of who they are at the very core - for us to recognize and embrace as we struggle to find the answers to our own existence. Their mettle is an example of how we can all improve this rare miracle called the human experience, as we grasp for clarity with the intention of living the best, most authentic life possible.
I found that it helps with PTSD and the pain of growing older. I got on board with that and started looking at the history of prohibition and became intrigued as a reporter to fight back against the false propaganda surrounding the plant. And I used to be a gourmet beer snob, so I quit drinking beer and translated that energy towards becoming a gourmet Cannabis smoker. WAS IT HARD FOR YOU TO COME OUT AS TRANS? I came out to my dad after the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando in 2016, because I was really torn up about that - my dad is gay. And then I came out as trans to the public in 2018. I think I have an advantage over some gay men because I grew up straight without the torment of being a gay person, because I was a girl who liked boys. So, the torment was from being a guy in a girl’s body. Being gay is new because I’ve always been trans. But the world is now defining me as gay by sexual preferences. I’m not too into labels anyway.
ZANE VORENBERG HIGH 5 CANNABIS BUDTENDER & CANNABIS JOURNALIST
SPEAKING OF LABELS, DO YOU SEE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HOW THEY ARE ATTACHED BETWEEN STANDARD SOCIETY AND THE CANNABIS SOCIETY? Yes, to a certain degree. I think the Cannabis
@EXPLODINGEGG AS A CANNABIS JOURNALIST, WHAT HAVE YOU COVERED?
Over the years I’ve written about Cannabis legalization in various states. I covered medical legalization in New Mexico, covered legalization for the Columbian here in Vancouver, and then jetted out on my own as a freelancer. SO, I ASSUME YOU KNEW YOU WERE GAY AT A YOUNG AGE, BUT AT WHAT AGE DID CANNABIS COME INTO YOUR LIFE AND CHANGE EVERYTHING ELSE?
Well, the term ‘gay’ is sort of strange for me as a trans guy because I was straight (laughs). I mean, I knew I was trans when I was four or five, but there were no words for it really. So I was kind of making it up as I went along - the ‘being me’ experience, I guess. I smoked in high school, blowing off steam, but then I gave it up for 30 years. Then, when legalization started, a friend of mine took an eighth of Master Kush and dumped it on my kitchen counter and said, “If you’re going to be writing about this, you’re going to have to know what you’re talking about.” So, I got a pipe, smoked some and thought to myself, ‘Wow, this is pretty nice.’
“I THINK THE CANNABIS WORLD AND THE JOURNALISM WORLD ARE MORE OPENMINDED TO PEOPLE WHO ARE DIFFERENT OR QUIRKY.”
world and the journalism world are more open-minded to people who are different or quirky. This world has been really welcoming for me as I transition. High 5 is a very diverse workplace. There’s another gay guy on the staff, there are Black and brown staffers, bisexual folks, and many of the crew speak multiple languages - including sign language, which helps a lot with our equally diverse customer base. It’s a very nice fit for me, with a lot of open-minded people. COULD YOU SEE YOURSELF IN ANY OTHER INDUSTRY THAT WOULD BE AS ACCEPTING FOR WHO YOU ARE? Not really. It’s nice to be treated
with respect because nobody in this industry really cares about your differences. And I’m open about being trans. I like being open about being trans, because people will make up their own preconceived notions about things they have no experience with, so it gives me the opportunity to be a positive example for people who don’t know anyone who is trans. I’d like to change people’s misconception that a trans person is supposed to be weird or different. We are a normal part of human society that has always existed.
INTERVIEW by MIKE RICKER | PHOTO by FLETCHER WOLD @FWOLD_PHOTOGRAPHY
GOOD VIBES
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THE EQUALITY ISSUE
LAST PRISONER PROJECT
The Last Prisoner Project won’t stop until every Cannabis ‘criminal’ is free.
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THE LAST PRISONER. The phrase carries its own gravitational pull. The weight, the importance, the finality of the word ‘last’ - a terminal statement that means ‘beyond this point, there will be no more.’ Here in the world’s most profusely incarcerated nation - where prison is a multi-billion-dollar, profitable industry that people actually buy stock in - the idea of a ‘last’ prisoner seems unattainable. But that’s exactly what Last Prisoner Project strives to achieve. Thousands upon thousands of nonviolent Cannabis offenders languish in cell block purgatory for committing acts now deemed not only legal, but necessary in many states - and the LPP refuses to rest until the last of those prisoners walks free. Founded in 2019 by legendary Cannabis activist Steve DeAngelo, LPP seeks not mere clemency and commutation, but the eradication of all non-violent Cannabis convictions past, present and future. It’s a battle that’s been fought in the street and on protest frontlines for decades, and now that Cannabis is available for legal curbside pickup in large swaths of the nation, the LPP hopes to bring another level of organization to the movement - employing political intervention and advocacy, celebrity awareness campaigns and industry-driven financial firepower in the fight.
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C A S U A LT I E S I N A N U N J U S T W A R
A AUG. 2020
ccording to a comprehensive incarceration study conducted by the ACLU in 2010 (and updated in 2018), Cannabis offenses account for more than half of all drug arrests in the United States. And those arrests disproportionately impact disadvantaged communities. Last Prisoner Project actively advocates for dozens of prisoners currently behind
“AS THE SAYING GOES: WHEN THE DISPENSARY LOOKS LIKE AN APPLE STORE, IT’S TIME TO RELEASE A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM PRISON.”
E
nlisting the help of influential figures such as Snoop Dogg, GZA and Chelsea Handler, LPP raises public awareness of cases like Thompson’s, mobilizing the citizenry to apply pressure to policy makers to change unjust laws and fight for clemency for current prisoners. The organization itself continues to add starpower to its ranks, with advocates such as Melissa Etheridge, Stephen and Damian Marley, and Oregon’s own celebrity Cannabis business owner Jim Belushi currently sitting on its board. And it’s working. For instance, Bailey said the LPP has engaged with more than 130,000 concerned citizens via FreeMichaelThompson.com in a drive to pressure Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer to award Thopmson with clemency. They haven’t won the fight yet, but with increased awareness, Bailey feels optimistic about their chances. TEAMING UP AGAINST INJUSTICE
bars for possession and distribution of Cannabis, providing legal and financial assistance and amplifying individual stories in order to shine a spotlight on the injustice of incarcerating nonviolent Cannabis consumers. Delving into the stories listed on the LPP website, certain common threads weave through the narratives. All are charged either with possession or nonviolent distribution-related activities. Many are racial minorities or are from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. And all of them are currently serving or have served excessive sentences. One of the highest profile Cannabis POWs on LPP’s list is Michael Thompson: A Flint, Michigan resident 25 years into a 40-to-60-year sentence stemming from a 1996 bust in which he sold Cannabis to an informant. The case was exacerbated by prior nonviolent offenses and the fact that after his arrest, two guns were found when executing a warrant to search the then 45-year-old’s home. (Thompson
asserted that one gun was an antique family heirloom and the other belonged to Thompson’s wife). At this point, Thompson will be well into his 80s when he can qualify for parole. I F YO U ’ R E N OT A N G RY, YO U’R E N OT PAY I N G AT T E N T I O N
The way LPP Managing Director Mary Bailey sees it, everyone who benefits from Cannabis should be infuriated by the imprisonment of Thompson and other nonviolent offenders. “Anyone who has been incarcerated for Cannabis is a victim of unjust laws,” Bailey said. “They are the pioneers of this industry and they are the experts in the field. Cannabis has been deemed essential in the midst of a global crisis, and it’s an absolute travesty that there are so many people incarcerated.”
As the saying goes: When the dispensary looks like an Apple store, it’s time to release a lot of people from prison. It’s only fitting that dispensaries themselves get involved in the fight. “This past year, we’ve really been looking at Cannabis policy reform in our country,” said Emily Carideo, Marketing Manager for Golden Leaf Holdings, a company that operates businesses in multiple states including the Chalice Farms chain of dispensaries in Oregon. ”Once we saw (Last Prisoner Project’s) mission, it really resonated with us.” Chalice and Golden Leaf Holdings recently committed to donating monthly to the LPP, and to using their retail and social platforms to help amplify the organization’s message. “Once you hear those stories directly, it’s pretty difficult to not realize that you need to do something,” Carideo said. Many other regional and national Cannabis and industry adjacent brands have committed to raising money and awareness for the cause, including Oregon’s East Fork Farms, Buddies, PuffCo, Dr. Bronner’s, PAX, Wana and more. The full list of companies is available by visiting LastPrisonerProject.org. The way Bailey sees it, the more awareness, amplification and financial firepower LPP brings to the fight, the better chance the organization has of achieving justice for those still unjustly held for nonviolent Cannabis offenses. It’s a long way to ‘last’ - but the Cannabis community can get there together, one act of clemency at a time. L ASTPRISONERPROJE C T . O R G
STORY by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS for LEAF NATION | PHOTO by IANA ALTER
THE EQUALITY ISSUE
HOOD INCUBATOR
Co-founders Lanese Martin & Ebele Ifedigbo discuss what’s next for the Black-led, Bay Area-born organization committed to reversing the harmful impacts of America’s drug war.
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WE COULD USE A LOT MORE PLACES LIKE HOOD INCUBATOR IN THE WORLD. aug. 2020
Founded by Lanese Martin and Ebele Ifedigbo in 2016, Hood Incubator is an organization with the stated goal of “ending the drug war and reversing its harmful impacts on Black communities.” Initially, Martin and Ifedigbo focused on their local community in Oakland with a business accelerator, assisting hopeful Cannabis entrepreneurs with the resources, training and mentorship required to land a permit with the city. “There was this wave of Cannabis legalization happening, first in Colorado and then in these other Pacific Northwestern states,” said Ifedigbo of their motivation to partner with Martin on Hood Incubator. “We were seeing a trend of the industry being whitewashed. Knowing that California is a leader in this industry - and seeing that some of the factors that we needed to do this work were already in place there - we decided to launch here, in Oakland, and pick up the work from there.”
However, as time has gone on, it has become apparent to Hood Incubator’s founders that focusing too intently on Cannabis justice is akin, in Martin’s words, “to putting on a Band-Aid, but a bunch of blood keeps flowing out.” In this case, blood is taking the form of housing instability, voter disenfranchisement, and the large scale refusal of public institutions and private businesses to fund Black-led endeavors. “That’s when we realized that we needed to start organizing people to make sure they understood these systemic issues,” Martin explained by phone to California Leaf. “We also want them to know that they have the skillset to dismantle them, both in their local communities as well as nationally. That’s what led us to the current work we’re doing.” That new work has largely taken the form of organizing and networking. Martin is currently working to add a handful of national Hood Incubator affiliates across the country. With soft verbal agreements currently in place with existing organizations in cities like Chicago, Los Angeles and Buffalo, NY, Martin is hoping her organization can assist with eliminating redundant policy conversations by bringing people with past experience together. “New York City shouldn’t be talking about legislation that Oakland or Los Angeles has already tried and learned doesn’t work,” Martin explained. “You can learn from something that Chicago did or something that St. Louis did, so The game speaks to what Hood Incubator’s founders feel is the we really need to make sure that we start having next chapter in the battle: shining a spotlight on the intertwined these conversations together, especially at the histories of past federal drug policy and the demands for justice local level.” now emanating from streets across the country. Even as Hood Incubator looks to expand its “Our organizing tenet is to meet folks where they’re at and footprint, it still continues to offer the services that to provide that direct service,” Martin said. “Then you can start first cemented the organization as a vital asset to building the base for the larger issue and that’s what we’re the community. That includes doing. What we have now is a group the aforementioned “Cannabis of people who don’t know how a BY CONNECTING THE DOTS Accelerator” program, which bill becomes a law outside of that consists of eight sessions held BETWEEN POLICY, POT AND cartoon that we got to watch in over four weeks. In a three elementary school - if they showed it THE POWER OF THE VOTE, series intensive course, parto you.” HOOD INCUBATOR HOPES ticipants learn about power By connecting the dots between (both generally and as it relates TO HELP LOCAL COMMUNITIES policy, pot and the power of the vote, specifically to the Cannabis inHood Incubator hopes to help local HARNESS THEIR dustry), as well as technical skills communities harness their collective COLLECTIVE STRENGTH. and campaign development. strength. Part of that work involves While those offerings cater reframing and reinvigorating the to individuals ready to make a conversation around the idea that the fight doesn’t end with a full professional commitment to Cannabis, Hood Cannabis permit. Martin points to grassroots campaigns like Ban Incubator also features more laid back, drop-in the Box and Defund the Police as examples of the broader coacurriculum as well. litions that she wants to see Cannabis activists align themselves One example is their “Higher Learning” series: with - if true change is the desired outcome. a monthly gathering to discuss an item of news “We want to tell people that you have the power to dismantle or work of art related to the intersection of Black the impact of the drug war,” Martin said. “It’s less about ‘you’re life and the war on drugs. Martin also previews making money while my cousin’s still in jail.’ It’s about giving an upcoming ‘virtual edutainment experience’ in people the opportunity to get the full, political education of what the form of an online trivia game that will provide went down and what their role is in keeping the status quo. More players both with fun Cannabis facts, as well as importantly, we want them to understand what their role can be in foundational information on the drug war and its dismantling the status quo, so that we can get to the shared vision lasting impacts. of justice that we want.” LEARN MORE AT HOODINCUBATOR.ORG
STORY by ZACK RUSKIN @ZACKRUSKIN for LEAF NATION| PHOTOS by RACHEL BUJALSKI @RACHELBUJALSKI
THE EQUALITY ISSUE
Q&A | CEO CHRIS BALL From hustling ounces, sitting in prison facing 10 years of federal time, to legal Cannabis business ownership in the most competitive market in the country - Chris Ball’s love affair with the plant spans decades.
ball family farms
50
THE EARLY YEARS
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Chris Ball grew up with a pretty normal childhood in South Central Los Angeles, in the quiet suburb of Rowland Heights. At the young age of only eight-years-old, Ball had his first exposure to Cannabis - even though he wasn’t aware of what it was at the time. He began to notice that his father would retire to the couch after dinner, grab a rolling tray and twist up and enjoy a funny smelling cigarette, while his mother would relax with a glass of wine. He would smell the same funny smelling cigarettes and watch his uncles, cousins and even grandmother enjoy them at family functions. As he got older, he came to understand what the substance was, but was left perplexed by the seemingly opposite paradigms that were being presented to him. On one hand, the Reagan administration was pushing the “Just Say No” campaign, spreading the message that drugs, including Cannabis, were bad for you and to reject experimenting with any and all substances. On the other hand, his real world experience showed him that was not the case at all. The Ball Family would always score their herb from Chris’ cousin Earl and eventually, Ball connected the dots and the foundations of his enthusiasm for Cannabis business began to take shape. His cousin Earl always had the newest sneakers, the freshest fits and a nice car - and Ball realized this was a result of him selling weed. He got his first ounce from his cousin at 16 and got to work learning how to sell Cannabis.
AUG. 2020
STORY by NATE WILLIAMS @NATEW415 | PHOTOS by BALL FAMILY FARMS
MICHAEL, CHRIS AND CHARLES BALL
Dabbling in the weed game was fun and mildly lucrative for him, but Ball had big dreams and his innate athleticism drove him to pursue a professional football career. He used the profits from selling weed to fund his basic needs and schooling at Mt. San Antonio Community College, where he was able to earn a full ride scholarship to UC Berkeley to play football. A GROWING PASSION FOR THE PLANT
Once at UC Berkeley, he stopped hustling weed on the side as it was no longer a necessity. The scholarship provided the support he needed to focus on going pro and Ball’s sights were set on the NFL. After he graduated, he was recruited to join training camp with the 49ers but was cut before making the final roster. Instead, he caught the attention of some CFL scouts and wound up landing a contract to play professionally in Canada. It was there that Ball would be bitten by the cultivation bug. “Before then, I was just a middle man, you know? I just got weed and then I sold it and made a couple extra bucks,” he recalls. Chris’ best friend on the team’s girlfriend had a brother who was a grower in Vancouver, and the three made several visits to go and gawk at his garden. Once Ball discovered the per pound cultivation cost, he knew instantly there were amazing margins to work with if he could buy in Canada
and sell in Los Angeles. It turns out being from Los Angeles and working for the Canadian Football League would provide the perfect cover for Ball to transport product from Vancouver to Southern California without raising any red flags. Establishing this route in 2003 or 2004, he gained popularity in the LA scene quickly because he could undercut the rest of the market’s prices - thanks to the enhanced margins he was working with. For over five years, Ball ran Canadian packs down the West Coast to LA. Here he was building a name for himself in the scene, as well as a substantial network, all while gaining boots-on-the-ground experience and learning invaluable lessons. What began as a means to simply provide for himself and support his passion for football had ultimately altered his life path in a major way, becoming his new passion. HITTING THE FAN
Then, suddenly everything came to a screeching halt in 2010 when Ball was arrested and indicted on federal racketeering charges. The move came shortly after Ball began working with a new business partner who, as it turns out, was being watched by the feds. In the long run, Ball would find out that this business partner was working for El Chapo. Yes, that El Chapo. About six months after meeting this new business partner, the author-
ities swooped in and arrested Ball, charging him and 13 others with violating the RICO act. Chris was looking at up to 10 years of prison time. Fortunately, Ball was able to afford a good attorney who was able to get him an accurate idea of what they had against him. With it being his first offense and the minimal amount of evidence they had against him personally in the case, Ball and his lawyer worked a plea bargain for 30 months for admitting to his part in the illegal trafficking activity. His lawyer also worked to get him bail and won an appeal to keep Ball from having to serve his 30 month sentence until the trial was over. The other defendants would fight their cases and trials, lasting about four years before coming to a close. During this time, Ball lived life on the upand-up and kept his nose clean, working corporate retail jobs and paying his taxes. As the case wrapped up and it was time for Ball to face sentencing for his 30 month bid, his lawyer came to bat for him yet again and argued that the main target of the investigation and indictment was handed a five year sentence. Whereas Ball, a first time offender, was handed nearly three years and for the last four years had been a gainfully employed, tax paying and law abiding citizen. The judge gave Ball ‘time served’ and in 2014 he walked out of the courtroom a free man. >> Continues pg. 51
THE EQUALITY ISSUE
ball family farms >> Continued from pg. 51
BACK ON THE HORSE
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There is no doubt that Ball has a deep passion production. By 2017, Ball had gotten wind of for the plant. Within a matter of weeks of narrowLos Angeles’ equity program and realized he ly avoiding a multi-year prison sentence stemqualified. ming from his involvement “pushing the pack,” In January of 2018, California legalized he was filling a 14 light grow room with plants Cannabis and by December of that same and flipping on the lights to take his first shot at year, Ball received an Adult-Use production growing Cannabis himself. license from the state. Shortly after the trial was finished, Ball went to collect on an owed debt from a former business GROWING PAINS OF A NASCENT INDUSTRY associate. He ended up accepting the grow in Despite Ball’s good fortune to learn of Los place of the money that was owed to him and it Angeles’ equity program early on and obtain was off to the races. Granted, it wasn’t without licensure in the first year of California’s recredealing with growing’s steep learning curve that ational legality, he had no qualms vocalizing he was able to produce anything of value with his disappointment with the way the system the grow. “I burnt up currently functions. “I plants for a good two won’t lie to you,” he says WITHIN A MATTER OF WEEKS years not knowing what when asked about how OF NARROWLY AVOIDING I was doing,” he exthe program helped him plained. “But the more with the process. “They A MULTI-YEAR PRISON you grow, the more you granted me the license SENTENCE STEMMING FROM learn, the more people and then that was it. It you ask for help. And would be the equivalent HIS INVOLVEMENT “PUSHING you meet people - I met of you getting a football THE PACK,” CHRIS BALL WAS a couple cool cats that scholarship and then FILLING A 14 LIGHT GROW were willing to come in they don’t pay for your and split some equity housing, they give you ROOM WITH PLANTS AND with me and teach me no money for books, FLIPPING ON THE LIGHTS the ropes.” they give you no money TO TAKE HIS FIRST SHOT AT In the same year his for food, they give you trial was finished - and no tutors - they just say GROWING CANNABIS HIMSELF. despite crystal clear you can come to the warnings by the judge school.” that any Cannabis related conviction would have From Ball’s perspective, the system may Ball going straight to jail - he had new partners lower the barrier of entry for applicants to and was taking steps towards vertically integratenter the industry, but it does nothing to ing his business with his new cultivation facility. support newly licensed operators who are From 2015 to 2016, he refined his cultivation forced to overcome a nightmarishly steep skills and really learned the ins and outs of learning curve to stay in business. Had Ball not had years of experience in growing and a substantial network from his prior distribution efforts - learning the tough lessons that come along with being successful in the illicit Cannabis market during that time - he would BALLFAMILYFARMS.COM | @BALLFAMILYFARMS have never made it into the legal market with
AUG. 2020
a legitimate, licensed and state recognized business. “There needs to be some money, and some help and some consulting behind the scholarship of the license,” says Ball. Despite an incredibly thorough 75+ page report analyzing potential barriers that may prevent social equity applicants from equitable access to the legal Cannabis industry - along with opportunities to overcome these barriers commissioned by Los Angeles before California legalized in 2018 and having received over $7.8 million in funding since October of 2019 - complicated issues remain. Here, Ball’s real world experience and the overall lack of diversity in the space indicate the need for further investment into the development of the structure of the industry’s equity programs not just in Los Angeles, but across California.
STORY by NATE WILLIAMS @NATEW415 | PHOTOS by BALL FAMILY FARMS
THIS PRODUCT HAS INTOXICATING EFFECTS AND MAY BE HABIT FORMING. MARIJUANA CAN IMPAIR CONCENTRATION, COORDINATION, AND JUDGMENT. DO NOT OPERATE A VEHICLE OR MACHINERY UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THIS DRUG. THERE MAY BE HEALTH RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH CONSUMPTION OF THIS PRODUCT. FOR USE ONLY BY ADULTS TWENTY-ONE YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER. KEEP OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN.
the equality issue
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INSIDE THE FIGHT FOR EQUALITY IN MARYLAND’S MEDICAL CANNABIS MARKET
diversity problem >> We often view the struggle for equality and justice as being borne by grand actions writ large on the world stage: protests in the streets, rallies, speeches and calls for sweeping, revolutionary change. But the most complex work - and arguably the most effective - is often done in the chambers where bills are drafted and policy decided. It is in those chambers where the battle for Maryland’s Cannabis industry wages on, and the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission - the presumably well-meaning protagonist of this story - has been beset on all sides by obstacles, missteps and corruption. The latest chapter of this story is nearing its close, as an investigation into allegations of corruption in the licensing process is expected to reach a conclusion in the coming months. Before that happens, let’s catch up to where we are in the story so far.
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SETTING THE STAGE
In 2010, a report by the American Civil Liberties Union found that Maryland laid claim to the fourth highest arrest rate for Cannabis possession in the country, at one arrest per 250 citizens. That same report found that Black citizens were 2.9 times more likely to be arrested for possession than white Cannabis consumers (that number jumped to 5.6 times more likely in Baltimore). When legalization of medical Cannabis came to Maryland, many in the industry argued that the intention should be to ensure the licensee pool reflects the demographics of the state. In a state where 31% of citizens are Black and 51.6% are female, that would mean that 31% of licensees would be Black, and 51.6% would be female. The reality, as is so often the case, did not reflect the intention.
aug. 2020
THE FIRST ACT
After the first round of licenses were awarded in 2016, Black business owners noticed something strange about the pool of processor and cultivator licensees - it was largely white. In fact, the concern at the time according to a report in The Washington Post, was that there wasn’t a single majority-owned Black business among them. As a result of the outcry, in 2017 Governor Larry Hogan ordered the MMCC to conduct a disparity study of the new medical Cannabis industry. And in 2018, the results of that study confirmed “the presence of large, adverse, and statistically significant disparities affecting African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans, minorities as a group, nonminority females, and minorities and women as a group.” According to the study, non-white and female entrepreneurs and employees in the industry earned significantly less than their white, male counterparts. And at that point, only 10% of owners and investors in Maryland Cannabis businesses were non-white, according to a report by the Baltimore Business Journal - with only a small number of them owning a majority stake in their companies. In reaction to the study, the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission concluded that a new slate of cultivation and processing licenses would be made available, with the application process to take place in Spring of 2019.* THE SECOND ACT
The new round was to award four cultivation and 10 processing licenses, after a licensing period set to conclude on May 24, 2019. This time the application included a significant diversity section, intended to ensure that the licensee pool better reflected and supported the racial and economic diversity of the state citizenry. The deadline came, and according to a report in the Baltimore Sun, was subsequently delayed until 5 p.m. on June 24 in order to account for complaints that the submission system was flawed and that many applications were submitted incorrectly. The June deadline came, and a timeline for review of the 202 anonymized applications and preliminary approval was set for August. Then August came and it was delayed again. On September 26, the Baltimore Sun reported that a Montgomery County judge issued a temporary restraining order against the awarding of any new licenses, after RemiLeaf, LLC - one of the applicants - claimed that the application process was flawed in part because the MMCC refused to accept the company’s application, though a company representative arrived with the documents at the office at 4:55 p.m. on June 24, five minutes before the 5 p.m. deadline. At that time, according to the Baltimore Sun report, the Legislative Black Caucus also requested that the MMCC postpone the awarding of new licenses, expressing concerns that the process was still unfair to minority-owned companies. Then, in December 2019, the bombshell dropped. Records of a secret deal between now-for“AFTER THE FIRST mer Baltimore Delegate Cheryl Glenn and federal prosecutors were unsealed, and Glenn resigned her ROUND OF LICENSES post amid charges of wire fraud and bribery. WERE AWARDED In January 2020, Glenn pled guilty to the IN 2016, BLACK charges, admitting that she “solicited and accepted BUSINESS OWNERS $33,750 in cash payments through an associate to NOTICED SOMETHING help an out-of-state marijuana dispensing comSTRANGE ABOUT THE pany.” At this point, the identity of the associate is being withheld. In the wake of the allegations and POOL OF PROCESSOR Glenn’s guilty plea, the MMCC had no choice but AND CULTIVATOR to suspend the awarding of any new licenses on an LICENSEES - IT WAS indefinite basis, while the licensing process and the LARGELY WHITE.” leading applications undergo a thorough independent investigation.
STORY by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS for LEAF NATION
THE THIRD ACT
>> In correspondence with Maryland Leaf, the MMCC’s Director of Communications, David Torres, remained optimistic and steadfast about the Commission’s dedication to diversity and the future of the industry in Maryland. Though the MMCC and the hopeful applicants still await the outcome of the investigation, he says the Commission has taken and continues to take steps to ensure a level playing field within the application process and the industry at large, including teaming with the Legislative Black Caucus to hold workshops for racial minority and women business owners, and others interested in the Cannabis industry. One of the most important steps, Torres said, is in the diversity makeup of the MMCC itself, pointing out that “the Commission is fortunate to have the diversity of its membership reflect the diversity of the State. This is central to the Commission’s ability to include diverse perspectives in the policy-making process.”
MMCC BOARD MEMBERS FEMALE...46% MALE...54% WHITE...46.2% BLACK...31% HISPANIC...7.6% ASIAN...7.6% OTHER...7.6%
STATE DEMOGRAPHICS 51.6% WHITE OR NON/LATINO...50% BLACK/AFRICAN-AMERICAN...31% HISPANIC OR LATINO...10.6% ASIAN...6.7% FEMALE...
EDITOR NOTE: IN MAY AND JUNE 2019, THIS WRITER PERFORMED CONSULTING SERVICES FOR A COMPANY LOOKING TO EARN PROCESSING AND CULTIVATION LICENSES IN THIS ROUND OF APPLICATIONS.
MAJORITY OWNERSHIP (>50% OWNERSHIP) FOR ALL LICENSE TYPES EXPRESSED BY NUMBER OF LICENSES HELD
LICENSE HOLDERS AFRICAN-AMERICAN/BLACK
4%
MINORITY-OWNED
(MINORITY MEN + MINORITY WOMEN)
20% WOMEN-OWNED
(WHITE WOMEN + RACIAL MINORITY WOMEN)
27%
DISPENSARIES
AFRICAN-AMERICAN/BLACK
4
AFRICAN-AMERICAN/BLACK
2%
MINORITY-OWNED
(MINORITY MEN + MINORITY WOMEN)
16
WOMEN-OWNED
24
MINORITIES + WHITE WOMEN
39
$241,886,978 Total Cannabis Sales Dec. 1, 2018 – Dec. 9, 2019
MINORITY-OWNED
(MINORITY MEN + MINORITY WOMEN)
9% WOMEN-OWNED
(WHITE WOMEN + RACIAL MINORITY WOMEN)
19%
CULTIVATORS
AFRICAN-AMERICAN/BLACK
9%
MINORITY-OWNED
(MINORITY MEN + MINORITY WOMEN)
19% WOMEN-OWNED
(WHITE WOMEN + RACIAL MINORITY WOMEN)
24%
PROCESSORS
>> Sources | Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission; MMCC 2019 Minority Ownership Report; US Census.
Vrogueravenfarmsi502 Strain: Freeze OG / Indica, THC: 25.26% CBD: 0.09% Slightly sweet taste, with a nice smooth, smoky avor nish.
Marijuana products may be purchased or possessed only by persons 21 or older. This product has intoxicating eects and may be habit-forming. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination, and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the innuence of this drug. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. Keep out of the reach of children.
In a medium bowl, combine the sliced banana with the lemon juice and canna-oil. Freeze in a plastic bag. In a small pan, warm the oil. Stir in the cocoa
cooking with Cannabis
and agave or honey and mix till smooth. Add the vanilla and set aside. Place the frozen bananas in the bowl of a food processor. Puree until smooth. Immediately scoop into serving bowls or place in the freezer in a freezer safe bowl. To serve, place a scoop of ice cream in serving bowls, drizzle with the chocolate sauce and sprinkle with the chopped coconuts. Serves 4.
MANGO SORBET In the bowl of a food processor, combine all the ingredients. Process until smooth. Pour the mixture into a bowl. Cover and chill for 2 hours. Pour the mixture into the freezer can of an ice-cream freezer and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions. Spoon sorbet into glasses immediately and serve or keep in the freezer in a freezer safe bowl or container. Serves 4. 2 medium ripe mangoes, about 2 cups, cubed 1 cup fresh pineapple, in chunks 3 tablespoons pineapple juice 4 teaspoons canna-oil 1 tablespoon lime juice 2 tablespoons agave
MAGICAL BANANA SUNDAE
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3 medium bananas, peeled and sliced 1 tablespoon lemon juice 4 teaspoons canna-oil 2 tablespoons canola oil 2 tablespoons cocoa powder 1 teaspoon agave nectar or honey ½ teaspoon vanilla 4 tablespoons walnuts, chopped
In a blender combine the yogurt, oil and blueberries. Place 1/3 of the blueberry/yogurt mixture in a bowl and keep in the fridge. Divide the angel food cake among the 4 bowls. Pour 2/3 of the blueberry mixture over the cake. Freeze. Remove from the freezer and top with the sliced strawberries. Top with the remaining blueberry/yogurt mixture. Freeze again until firm. At serving time allow the dessert to sit at room temperature for about 5-10 minutes. Serves 4.
nwlEAF.COM
ANGELBERRY FROZEN TRIFLE
REFRESH & RELAX aug. 2020
12 ounces nonfat vanilla yogurt 4 teaspoons canna-butter or oil 1 ½ cups blueberries 1 cup angel food cake, torn in small pieces 1 cup strawberries, thinly sliced
Isn’t this just nuts? Honestly, I am in a constant state of shock, and more than ever, Cannabis is my friend. And for a little extra support, I am adding some CBD oil to my morning coffee and nighttime warm milk. It’s delicious - just warm the milk, add CBD oil, a teaspoon of honey, some vanilla and cinnamon. If you want to make some CBD oil, follow the recipe for THC infusions - you won’t get high, but you will feel better. And who doesn’t want to feel better? These icy treats will refresh! And if you make a bunch, they will be ready in your freezer at a moments notice. Think of all the possibilities in the fruit department. The superb CBD is from East Fork Cultivars and the strain Life Coach is from Noble Farms, where they grow some serious herb. Last week I made a blueberry almond pie with their Blueberry Kush. It made me a tiny bit happy that we didn’t really have to share the pie. #sixfeetapart #Dontfeartheedible RECIPES by LAURIE WOLF | PHOTOS by BRUCE WOLF
BRAND PRINT DIGITAL
Photo:
@LexS
cope
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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 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.
emember that television show from the old days called The Dating Game? Before a live studio audience, they would hide an eligible bachelor or bachelorette behind a screen to ask questions to three contestants of potential relationship material. The purpose was to explore compatibility, with the ultimate reward of romance. The questions were saucy, the young and delightful participants were terribly good looking and everyone had a little fun. Tila Tequila wasn’t even born yet. You do remember her, right? OK, good, we’re communicating. By today’s standards, this concept seems unoriginal, while 50 years ago the innovative format was blushingly audacious. Free love was still lingering from the revolutionary ‘60s, so it worked. And the truth is that public dating forums had been kept very discreet by their users up until about 10 years ago when, if someone was brazen enough to create an account on Match.com, chances are they were not public about it for fear of being labeled as desperate. And we all know that desperation is an extremely effective sex repellant. So, there was a careful tightrope that the steely dreamer had to balance to maintain a positive reputation, yet still appear appealing. And to announce to the world that you met your partner on the internet would be like saying you met in Vegas. “It’ll never last,” said their mothers. Now however, swiping is the preferred form of exploring compatibility, which is great. On some levels. Anyway, back to The Dating Game. Not much has changed, really. The person you are corresponding with is behind a screen and what you get is a television version of them. Sigh. I think I’m gonna do a dab now.
R
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nwlEAF.COM
by Mike Ricker
aUG. 2020
F O L L OW @ R I C K E R D J | G E T T H E AU D I O V E R S I O N & EV E RY E P I S O D E AT S TO N EY- B A L O N EY. C O M
TM
HOUSE OF CANNABIS
VETERAN OWNED, LOCALLY OWNED SUPERIOR CUSTOMER SERVICE YOUR HOMETOWN CANNABIS STORE
EST. 2016
TACOMA - TONASKET - TWISP 2632A S 38TH ST TACOMA, WA 98409 (253) 212-3711
305 W 4TH ST TONASKET, WA 98855 (509) 486-0919
1017 E METHOW VALLEY HIGHWAY TWISP, WA, 98856 (509) 997-4200
Warning: This product has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming. Smoking is hazardous to your health. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. Should not be used by woman that are breast feeding. For use by adults twenty one or older. Keep out of reach of children. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination and judgement. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. This product may be unlawful outside of Washington State.