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DEC. 2020
ISSUE 126 11 EDITOR’S NOTE 12 NATIONAL NEWS 16 AMERICA VOTES 18 HEMPERTANTRUM 20 HIGHLY LIKELY 24 BUDTENDER Q&A 28 SHOP REVIEW 32 STRAIN OF THE MONTH 36 THE CULTURE ISSUE 37 ICONS 38 MUSIC 39 ART 40 GLASS 42 SPORTS 43 FOOD 46 CELEBS 48 GIFT GUIDE 52 CONCENTRATES 54 EDIBLES 56 RECIPES 58 COFFEE & CANNABIS 60 CANNTHROPOLOGY 62 STONEY BALONEY ISSUU.COM/NWLEAF
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24 BUDTENDER Q&A
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28 SHOP REVIEW LUCID CANNABIS COMPANY, SPOKANE Illuminati over Syzygy Jetcycler
northwest leaf chats with the team behind toro glass to learn about how their iconic designs & technology have revolutionized the cannabis glass art machine.
COURTESY
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44 GANJA GIFT GUIDE INTERVIEW by MAX EARLY @LIFTED_STARDUST/LEAF NATION | PHOTO by JEFF DIMARCO @IAMJEFFD I MARCO
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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
N O RT H W E S T L E A F / O R EG O N L E A F / A L AS KA L E A F / M A RY L A N D L E A F / CA L I F O R N I A L E A F /
A B O U T T H E C OV E R For The Culture Issue, we wanted to highlight the myriad ways that Cannabis can be used and enjoyed by people from all walks of life. This vibrant cutaway scene was created by Baltimore-based illustrator Devin Watson. “My artwork is very inspired by the psychedelic pioneers of the ‘60s and ‘70s, particularly the work of Push Pin Studios, Family Dog, and the Grateful Dead posters of Stanley Mouse,” says Watson, who has worked in the field since 2007. “I love pieces that make people pause to explore the illustration and uncover all its little secrets.”
ILLUSTRATION by DEVIN WATSON @eyeballfortress
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WES ABNEY | FOUNDER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
MICHAEL AHMANN, PHOTOS BOBBY BLACK, FEATURES JOSHUA BOULET, ILLUSTRATION JEFF DIMARCO, PHOTOS EARLY, PRODUCTION MAX EARLY, REVIEWS STEVE ELLIOTT, NATIONAL NEWS MIKE GIANAKOS, FEATURES ELISE MCDONOUGH, FEATURES JEFF PORTERFIELD, DESIGN LUKAS PREVIN, FEATURES MIKE RICKER, FEATURES MEGHAN RIDLEY, EDITING MIKE ROSATI, PHOTOS PACER STACKTRAIN, FEATURES TERPTALK.TV, PHOTOS JERRY WHITING, FEATURES NATE WILLIAMS, FEATURES BRUCE & LAURIE WOLF, RECIPES ALEX WORKMAN, FEATURES
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ABNEY
Editor’s Note What does Cannabis culture mean as we head into 2021? As a high school honors student in 2004, I made fun of stoners without mercy. They were stinky, grungy and certainly not in advanced classes! The messaging about Cannabis from my parents (who are still teachers today), the media and movies like “Dude Where’s My Car” made smoking pot akin to killing brain cells – which was not something I wanted to do yet. But by freshman year in college, our Creative Director Daniel Berman and I had our Journalism advisor ask, “Wes, do you always do your homework when you’re high?”
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My journey with Cannabis culture went from the DARE mindset, to embracing it as a fun party drug, to being arrested for possession – before ultimately realizing the medicinal values that led me to start Northwest Leaf in 2010. This massive change happened for me over a period of an influential year, and I feel like much of America is on a similar journey to what I went WE HAVE through as a teenager. A THRIVING COMMUNITY, America is confused about Cannabis. We have the stereotyping of COMPLETE stoners in the media alongside the massive coverage of the mediciWITH nal and ‘safer-than-alcohol’ recreational benefits, all mixed in with a CULTURE Bible Belt mentality and DARE’s ongoing stigmas, and now even have AND VALUES Oregon decriminalizing all drugs entirely. Simply put, most Americans couldn’t define Cannabis culture, let alone imagine that we have a thriving community, complete with culture and values that lead many of our venerated pastimes like sports, music, arts and celebrity culture. More on that with Ricker’s “Fall of Celebrity Culture” piece – a great read with good reasons as to why Cannabis doesn’t need a Kardashian to share the marquee with. The point is, we know that we have an amazing culture, but the rest of the country is still in the dark. And we have to break out of the past and embrace the future – blending patients with stoners, grunge with rasta, wooks with suits and everyone in between. Because Cannabis touches all walks of life, can help everyone as a medicine or recreational substance, and is going to change the world and how we view it. This I know beyond a doubt, the same way I did when my mom asked if I wanted to live my life behind bars for choosing to smoke pot. My answer? It shouldn’t have ever been illegal … and a few months later the Leaf was born. Thank you for reading and being a part of our community and culture – let’s remember to let it shine! After all, it feels good to be high and smile, so make sure to spread the cheer this holiday season. Our world will thank you for it.
-Wes Abney DEC. 2020
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NATIONAL NEWS nwlEAF.COM
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northwest
northwest
TASK FORCE CREATES PATHWAY FOR MORE BLACK-OWNED CANNABIS BUSINESSES IN WASHINGTON STATE
VINEYARDS LOSE LAWSUIT AGAINST NEIGHBORING CANNABIS FARM
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o-chaired by two Black women, a new task force will help develop diversity criteria for the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board to use when awarding future licenses to Cannabis businesses, reports KING 5 News. “WE AS AFRICAN AMERICANS The task force came from the passage WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE BEING MADE WHOLE IN THIS of House Bill 2870, which allows for more INDUSTRY, AS WE HAVE IN Cannabis business licenses to be handed THE PAST BEEN PENALIZED FOR THIS VERY THING,” SAID out for social equity purposes. It’s part STATE REP. MELANIE MORGAN. of a larger effort by the state to be more inclusive in its Cannabis industry. The Social Equity in Cannabis Task Force has state Rep. Melanie Morgan of Parkland as its co-chair. “The state of Washington is moving along in that progressive place … we have to be radical and make some deep changes,” Morgan said. “We as African Americans want to ensure that we are being made whole in this industry, as we have in the past been penalized for this very thing.” The task force, co-chaired by Paula Sardinas of the African American Commission, features community members and state lawmakers who will create criteria for 35 Cannabis licenses currently unclaimed.
DEC. 2020
DEC. 2020
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wo Oregon wine grape growers failed to convince a state judge that their grapes would be ruined by odors coming from a nearby Cannabis operation, reports the Insurance Journal. Smeara Vineyard and Maysara Winery didn’t meet the burden of proof to justify blocking the Wagner family from growing and processing marijuana, Yamhill County Circuit Court Judge Cynthia Easterday ruled in October, reports The Capital Press. The judge said she deliberated for nearly eight months since the February trial and had re-listened to expert testimony several different times. “This was a very difficult and close decision,” Judge Easterday said. While the potential for the smell of Cannabis to taint wine grapes raises “a threat, a risk, and concerns, there is insufficient proof at this time by a preponderance of the evidence that it will damage plaintiffs’ current or future agricultural products.”
SMEARA VINEYARD AND MAYSARA WINERY DIDN’T MEET THE BURDEN OF PROOF TO JUSTIFY BLOCKING THE WAGNER FAMILY FROM GROWING AND PROCESSING MARIJUANA.
the south
midwest
MISSISSIPPI VOTERS APPROVE MMJ LAWS
KANSAS LAWMAKER CALLS FOR ‘SERIOUS DEBATE’ ON LEGALIZATION
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funny thing happened in Mississippi on November 3. Politicians didn’t want medical marijuana in the Magnolia State. Public leaders in medicine, law enforcement and religion all warned voters against it. Conservative talk radio hosts darkly 22 APPROVED CONDITIONS WERE warned of its grave consequences. GRANTED FOR MMJ. The Legislature, after years of sitting on their hands, offered a weak, watered down “alternative.” And Mississippi’s voters roundly ignored all of that nonsense, and passed their robust medical Cannabis law anyway. The people easily passed Initiative 65 on Election Day, amending the Mississippi Constitution and legalizing medicinal marijuana. A program supervised by the State Department of Health – which opposed the measure – will allow Mississippians with one of at least 22 medical conditions to buy medical Cannabis as soon as August 2021. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves showed himself to be something of a pot alarmist during the run-up to the vote, tweeting that “it would mean the most liberal weed rules in the US! Pot shops everywhere – no local authority.” Voters didn’t agree. Nearly 70 percent of Mississippi voters supported legalizing medical Cannabis, and an even greater share rejected the Legislature’s weak alternative.
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states — Arizona, Montana, Mississippi (medical only), New Jersey and South Dakota, all voted big to legalize.
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new bills have been introduced to loosen Cannabis penalties in Texas.
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states plus D.C. have now legalized recreational or adult-use laws allowing for the consumption of Cannabis.
It’s taken a long time to build up the familiarity, education, and inform the public about it,” said Kansas state Rep. Gail Finney of Wichita, who first introduced a bill which would have legalized medical Cannabis in the state back in 2009. That bill died in committee, but Rep. Finney is one of the few Kansas lawmakers who actively pushes for legalization in Kansas. “They would joke with me and like, ‘Oh, Representative Finney just wants to eat some chips. Smoke weed and eat some chips,’” she said. According to Finney, one of her main opponents when it comes to legalization is law enforcement. Her efforts have received pushback from Kansas officials who have tried to link it to more people being “chemically impaired.” But a poll recently conducted by Fort Hays State University showed more than 60 percent of Kansans support legalization. Rep. Finney said she’ll be making another solid push for it in the 2021 session of the legislature. ACCORDING TO FINNEY, ONE OF HER MAIN OPPONENTS WHEN IT COMES TO LEGALIZATION IS LAW ENFORCEMENT.
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signatories signed a letter calling on President Trump to free pot prisoners.
60
percent of Arizonans voted in favor of Cannabis legalization November 3.
68
percent of Americans now support Cannabis legalization — a new record high.
74
percent of Mississippians voted for medical Cannabis in November.
By STEVE ELLIOTT, AUTHOR OF THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF MARIJUANA
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NATIONAL NEWS
E L E CT I O N 2020 with Prop 205 but the initiative failed, receiving only 48.7 percent of the vote. This year, Arizona succeeded in legalizing Cannabis for adults 21 and older when an incredible 60 percent of voters approved Prop 207. The new law takes effect once the election results are made official on November 30, 2020 and allows possession of up to an ounce of marijuana, “of which five grams can be concentrate.” The measure also permits home cultivation of up to six plants or up to 12 plants in homes with two or more adults, and allows for expungement of past Cannabis crimes. Under the law, Arizona’s Department of Health Services is responsible for establishing the rules for retail sales and issuing licenses. Adult-use sales could begin as early as the spring of 2021. >> M O N TA N A << Fifty-seven percent of voters in Montana approved Initiative 190, which legalizes the possession, cultivation and sale of Cannabis. Beginning January 1, 2021 adults 21 and older can possess up to an ounce of flower or eight grams of concentrate. Home cultivation of up to four plants will also be permitted. Montana’s new marijuana law tasks the Department of Revenue with establishing the state’s retail program. Yet while possession will be legal this coming January, Montanans will have to wait a bit for the debut of adult-use sales. The Department of Revenue will start accepting applications for dispensaries and providers by January 2022. When retail sales begin, the state will impose a 20 percent tax on pot products.
AMERICA VOTES YES FOR CANNABIS!
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ast month, a divided country waited four days to learn who won the presidency, as Election Day turned into election week. On Saturday, November 7 the race was called and Joe Biden declared the winner. But by then it was clear that the biggest winner of the 2020 election was unquestionably Cannabis, which enjoyed a clean sweep at the ballots. The country appears uncharacteristically united when it comes to marijuana, as voters in four states decisively approved measures to legalize, tax and regulate pot. Those four states – Arizona, Montana, New Jersey and South Dakota(!) – join the 11 states that already legalized Cannabis, bringing the total number of legal pot states in the country to 15 (along with the District of Columbia). While recreational legalization stole the headlines on Election Day, medical marijuana also deserves a mention as voters in Mississippi and South Dakota legalized Cannabis for medicinal use (it was a big day for pot policy in South Dakota, as residents approved both adult-use and medicinal marijuana measures). Medical Cannabis is now legal in 35 states and Washington, D.C. No two state’s pot laws are the same. So let’s take a closer look at what was passed on Election Day and see what residents of the latest legal states have to look forward to.
>> N E W J E R S E Y << New Jersey voters were given the opportunity to do what state lawmakers had been unable to accomplish when the question of Cannabis legalization was placed on the
DEC. 2020
ballot. Leading up to the election, polling indicated that legal marijuana had strong support in the Garden State and campaign finance records showed that pot proponents outraised opponents 130:1. So it was no surprise that voters easily passed the constitutional amendment legalizing recreational Cannabis. Still, the 2-to-1 margin is impressive, as the measure passed with 67 percent of the vote. It’s near impossible to get 67 percent of people to agree on anything. Now that adult-use Cannabis has been approved, lawmakers in New Jersey must create (and, importantly, agree on) the corresponding legislation. Just about all aspects of the program, like the number of cultivation and retail licenses that will be allowed, the rules for regulating and testing marijuana and even possession limits, have to be decided. So while Cannabis will officially become legal for adults 21 and older on January 1, 2021, the state is likely about a year away from beginning retail sales as it works through the process of crafting the program. Recreational Cannabis will be subject to New Jersey’s sales tax (6.625 percent) and local governments can decide to add additional taxes on sales in their jurisdictions.
>> S O U T H D A K O TA << Voters in South Dakota passed a constitutional amendment to legalize Cannabis for adults. The amendment allows possession of up to an ounce of Cannabis and establishes retail sales. The state’s Department of Revenue will be responsible for issuing licenses for the retail program. Once sales are implemented, the new law imposes a 15 percent tax on marijuana products. The law also allows local governments to ban Cannabis sales in their jurisdictions. Those who live in an area without a licensed retail shop are permitted to grow up to three plants at home, or as many as six plants in a single household. South Dakota’s recreational Cannabis amendment passed with 54.2 percent of the vote – easily the lowest percentage of the four states that approved adult-use pot laws. Only an election boasting such resounding victories for marijuana-law reform could trivialize the fact that recreational Cannabis got over 54 percent of the vote in South Dakota.
CANNABIS WAS THE BIG WINNER OF THE 2020 ELECTION.
>> A R I Z O N A << Support for marijuana policy reform was on the rise over the last decade in Arizona, culminating in a resounding victory for recreational Cannabis this November. In 2010, voters narrowly approved the use of medical marijuana, passing Prop 203 with just over 50 percent of the vote. In 2016, Arizona had its first chance to tax and regulate recreational Cannabis
STORY by MIKE GIANAKOS/LEAF NATION
LISTEN TO LEAF LIFE PODCAST #91 POST ELECTION EXHALE PART 1: THE NEW STATES
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EXPERT OPINION
HEMP INDUSTRY Hemp farmers are frustrated with the seeds and clones they get (or can’t get) and the skills they need to acquire for this new crop. Brokers, processors and distributors are frustrated because supplies and prices are always in flux. Retailers and consumers are confused and frustrated by almost everything about hemp.
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WHY HEMP IS LIKE A PETULANT LITTLE CHILD, TEMPER TANTRUMS AND ALL... IT’S BEEN TWO YEARS since the Farm Bill was passed. No matter what else he has done, we all owe Mitch McConnell a round of applause for making it happen.
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As a father of three, I can speak about young children. When I look at hemp over the last two years, I see
a two-year-old before me. Bear with me as I try to speak to today’s immature hemp market as if it were a preschooler. We’ve all know about the Terrible Twos. Two-year-olds … they can talk, which means they can talk back. They don’t know that much, but they think they know it all. They want to be grown up, but they have no idea how to get there. In short, two-year-olds are struggling to find their place in the world. They’re often intelligent beyond their ability to express themselves or control their emotions. Sound familiar? The irony is that hemp isn’t a new plant. In fact, it’s an ancient one – as in thousands of years of cultivation and use by our ancestors. Hemp may be old, but the hemp industry is new. Infantile in fact. It simply needs time (and a little coaching) to grow up. After 83 years of After 83 years of federal prohibition, hemp has been thrust into the federal prohibition, modern world. Farmers don’t know how to grow it; standards are scarce and differ from state to state. hemp has been The federal government has yet to figure out if CBD is legal or not, and thrust into the if so, how it fits into existing product categories like food. modern world. Is the hemp industry ready to take its place in the grown-up world?
DEC. 2020
emp needs to go to preschool to learn how to play with the other kids, where it can be socialized just like any other two-year-old. We don’t need a standalone hemp marketplace – hemp needs to learn to fit into the existing global supply chain. There will be arguments with shouting and crying. The FDA, USDA or even Congress might mandate a timeout. Law and logic may not sway opinions or change behavior – at least not at first. After all, it’s all part of growing up. Pushing boundaries is part of growing up, too. That’s OK. Some in the hemp industry will try to bend the rules and regs, or even cheat. It’s perfectly fair for regulators to scold or punish when done evenhandedly. If there’s one word that describes the Terrible Twos, it’s frustration. A twoyear-old is frustrated by their inability to communicate and navigate the world, while parents get frustrated with crying, hitting and tantrums. Hemp farmers are frustrated with the seeds and clones they get (or can’t get) and the skills they need to acquire for this new crop. Brokers, processors and distributors are frustrated because supplies and prices are always in flux. Retailers and consumers are confused and frustrated by almost everything about hemp. The best thing about two-year-olds? They grow up! The hemp industry is no different. We all need to be patient and supportive – positive parenting is what’s called for. Let’s support the hemp industry both by patronage and kudos. Hemp will mature from a tantrum-throwing toddler to an industry we can all be proud of. I for one can’t wait!
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highly likely
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Highly Likely highlights Cannabis pioneers who paved the way to greater herbal acceptance.
Swami is one of the most recognizable Cannabis experts on the West Coast, with his long beard, white robes and ever-present smile.
Swami S Chaitanya
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Cannabis and spirituality have a long history. So long in fact, that much of the historical record we have of the plant only relates to ancient religious text or writings (Egyptian, Babylonian, Greek), or from archeological discoveries where Cannabis was found near religious temples or burial sites. It’s only post-prohibition that our relationship to the plant as humans has become more secular and separated from the spiritual realm. This does not mean that all modern Cannabis use is devoid of sacred or spiritual application – in fact, it could be argued that what we’re really seeking when connecting with the feelings that Cannabis gives us is some closer connection with something divine outside (and inside) ourselves. And that’s why this month’s subject is so special and pertinent to the times we’re currently living through.
DEC. 2020
WAMI CHAITANYA (BORN WILLIAM ALLEN WINANS) is a
self-described “original hippie” having come up inside the San Francisco scene in the late ‘60s. He even worked on the cult-classic film “Sunseed” which was a documentary of sorts of the many gurus and spiritual leaders who were drawn to the West in the ‘60s and ‘70s in response to the transformation of consciousness that was taking place at Chaitanya the time. For Chaitanya, though, it wasn’t connects a until the late ‘90s that he left his old identity practice to behind through a sacred initiation on the the process banks of the Ganges River. Now he is one of consuming of the most recognizable Cannabis experts Cannabis on the West Coast, with his long beard, at every white robes and ever-present smile. chance. While some could (and do) write off his appearance and spiritual philosophy as a gimmick to sell his Cannabis brand Swami Select, it’s according to Chaitanya that the brand only exists as a means to fund his sanctuary in Mendocino County. The Cannabis they grow is hand-trimmed, prayed over and cured all inside the temple. “Nobody thinks about the farmer,” he told the LA Times in 2016. “Most people want to get high, or they want to get their medicine. When you go to the grocery store for peas and carrots, you are not thinking about the farmer who grew them, right? We are trying to change that.” Chaitanya connects spiritual practice to the process of consuming Cannabis at every chance. He’s a proponent of a technique that connoisseurs of all kinds like to practice: the dry hit. “It’s almost like a mindfulness meditation,” he told Rolling Stone in 2010, “like eating an apple and tasting every bite.” While watching any of the numerous videos online that he’s produced over the past five years – one gets the sense that he’s truly trying to do for Cannabis consumers what any guru or holy man does: get people in their everyday lives to be aware of their ability to be better than they currently are. At the end of the day, this plant has always brought with it hope for humanity, if we’d only slow down and listen to what it’s trying to tell us.
STORY by PACER STACKTRAIN for LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by MIKE ROSATI @ROSATIPHOTOS
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THIS PRODUCT HAS INTOXICATING EFFECTS AND MAY BE HABIT FORMING. MARIJUANA CAN IMPAIR CONCENTRATION, COORDINATION, AND JUDGMENT. DO NOT OPERATE A VEHICLE OR MACHINERY UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THIS DRUG. THERE MAY BE HEALTH RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH CONSUMPTION OF THIS PRODUCT. FOR USE ONLY BY ADULTS TWENTY-ONE YEARS OF AGE 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
Bo Richardson
NORTHWEST LEAF BUDTENDER OF THE MONTH
“CANNABIS TURNS A FROWN INTO A SMILE.” YOU WERE A PLUMBER BEFORE YOU GOT INTO THE CANNABIS GAME. PLUMBING IS ALL ABOUT FIXING PEOPLE’S DRAINS. WHAT DO YOU THINK CANNABIS FIXES?
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It fixes people’s souls. It fixes your mind, your mood – it’ll fix your whole day. Cannabis turns a frown into a smile. BAD PLUMBING SUCKS, SO IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU LOVE FIXING PEOPLE’S DAY NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO. Indeed. JUSTIN DAVID WILSON IS THE OWNER OF PEACE OF MIND. HE STARTED THE BUSINESS AS A GROUP OF HEADSHOPS BEFORE EXPANDING INTO CANNABIS. DO YOU LOVE HIM AS MUCH AS THE LEAF LOVES HIM? Yeah, he’s so cool.
He stops in often just to tell everybody to have a great day and then high fives us. In a lot of companies, you don’t see the owner too much, but he’ll stand in line like a regular customer and buy products from us. SO, WHAT PART OF GRAVITY PULLED YOU INTO THE WEED BUSINESS? I’m originally from the Fillmore District right in the
heart of San Francisco. My family grew and sold. Honestly, I was trying to get into bartending and I had a buddy who pushed me to try out this instead, and I’m so glad I did because it’s where I belong. I just love selling people the best weed – because when they come back and tell me that it was fire, it puts a big smile on my face.
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THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE GENESIS OF LEGAL CANNABIS. HAS THAT INFLUENCED YOU IN YOUR DESIRE TO MAKE A CAREER OUT OF THIS INDUSTRY? It’s huge. And as the industry gets bigger, I would
love to travel around and experience all the excellent products. My real dream, however, is to succeed with my clothing line that integrates Cannabis into the design. If I can bring my own sense of fashion and style into Cannabis, that’s where I’d like to be. WHAT’S THE NAME OF THE CLOTHING LINE? It’s Bosido. Dosido is one of my favorite strains, so it makes sense.
BO IS FILLED WITH GRATITUDE for the opportunity to do what he loves. As more of a way of life than a hobby, he enjoys collecting seeds and growing – hoping to one day create a strain of his own. @FILTHYBO12
PEACE OF MIND SOUTH HILL | 2808 E 30TH AVE., SPOKANE,WA | (509) 483-8420 | PIECEOFMIND.NET| @PIECEOFMIND_SPOKANE
DEC. 2020
INTERVIEW by MIKE RICKER @RICKERDJ | PHOTO by MICHAEL THOMPSON @TERPTALK.TV
12 STRAINS TO CHOOSE FROM
DOUBLE PURPLE PIE / PEANUT BUTTER BREATH / FORBIDDEN JELLY / SHERBET MIMOSA / FORBIDDEN FRUIT / DO SI DOS / WEDDING CAKE / RAINBOW CHIP SQUARE DANCE / PURPLE PUNCH / GIRL SCOUT COOKIES FOR WHOLESALE STORE ORDERS AND PRICING
PLEASE EMAIL ORDERS@MRGRIMM.NET MRGRIMM.NET / FOLLOW @MR.GRIMM / FB.COM/MRGRIMM.WA
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.
shop review
THE DABBINâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; CABIN
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Lucid Cannabis Company The interior is 95% cedar and 100% beautiful.
DEC. 2020
11414 N NEWPORT HWY, NORTH SPOKANE (509) 465-1197 BESTCANNABISCABIN.COM 8AM-10PM SUN-THURS; 8AM-11PM FRI/SAT
Doug, Sarah, Larkin, and Johanna (owner).
B
HERITAGE ack when they opened the doors in 2016, these folks knew that there was something special about the building and property. Originally erected in the 1960s, the house that still stands proudly on the Newport Highway was once the model for an in-home dealer of classic cedar homes. Well, how serendipitous that one of the kids who spent his formative years inside these golden walls while his dad grew that company would now be a staple of Lucid’s day-to-day operations as the purchasing manager. And now as Lucid Cannabis Company has splintered off from the parent company to become its own proprietary entity, the directive is to continue emanating the indigenous warmth of family and friends onto each person who enters. And now with Costco a stone’s throw away, the fatigued cart pushers can pick up something relaxing for after they’ve arrived home and unpacked the car. INTIMATE SETTING
When you’re in a room made of wood, you feel a genuine sense of security because we all have a relationship with trees, as they can inspire the heart to glow. That’s why it was a brilliant vision by owner, Johanna Grider, to
fill this home with the brethren of Cannabis – creating a feel unrivaled by ordinary pot shops who express no differentiation in their aesthetic. And with the interior being 95% cedar accentuated by pine cabinets, the coalescence of these natural factors makes perusing for delicious Cannabis an absolute pleasure. HARVEST
Hash Company, as well as several others. Finally, edibles are always something to keep stocked and you can’t miss with Odd Duck chocolates, Swifts entire line of truffles, Smokiez gummies, and the Mobius drinks featuring 1:1 CBD and Delta 8, too. Also, get their 100ml Dab Patch! REAL PEOPLE
With a small staff of 10 budtenders, the customer service is literally firsthand. In fact, this is where you’ll find 2019’s Budtender of the Year, Anthony Gonzalez, behind the counter relishing his passion of validating this proud accomplishment each and every day. You’ll also find the absolutely awesome Simone sporting a lanyard packed with pins that rep some of her staple companies. That’s called FLARE! This staff of friends often sesh together when off the clock, and why the heck wouldn’t they? After all, they’re making their living by selling Cannabis. Hello?!
If flower is your fave and you love supporting local companies, then Fifty Fold has got the goods. For other top shelf tasties, Creekside and Rocket are producing some high end stuff, and you’ll want to take the staff recommendation of the Skord Animal DAILY REWARDS Cocktail (Animal Face x Garlic Cocktail) Start the week off right with Munchie Mon– with no relation to the Gold Leaf day and get 15% off! Then on TnT Thursday Animal Sherbert (Animal Cookies x you won’t want to miss another 15% deal on Sunset Sherbert). For solventless hash tinctures and topicals. And of course, there is If you’re in the market for carrosin, Lucid has one a Shatterday Saturday for another whopping tridges, the great Avitas has options of the best selections 15% relief. Lucid respects their heavy clientele in the PAX arena or the 510 cart. of seniors who enjoy that 15% price cut every And if backing the locals is your on the East Side. day of the week, because the elderly deserve personal MO, then get Pure Form to get their medication at a fair price. In fact, Lucid is from Spokane. For you dab heads, try the proudly medically endorsed with a seasoned medical perBodhi High BHO who are also local. son always on staff. And if you’ve got your medical card, For solventless hash rosin, Lucid has one patients have increased medical purchasing limits and of the best selections on the East Side with can buy three times the legal recreational amount. offerings from Dank Czar and Washington
The coalescence of natural factors makes perusing for delicious Cannabis an absolute pleasure. STORY by MIKE RICKER @RICKERDJ | PHOTOS by NORTHWEST LEAF
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hashtag CANNABIS & SUPPLY CO.
Wisdom Discount for 60+ - 5% off Student - 5% off Medical MJ Card - 10% off Military/Veteran - 10% off Cannabis Industry Workers - 20% off Birthday - 25% off
Want to hear FIRST about every sale at Hashtag? Te x t NWLEAF t o 844-986-3903 t o j o i n o u r l i s t.
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Save time when you order online! Seattle Hashtag 224 Nickerson St. Seattle, WA 98109
Redmond Hashtag 7829 Leary Way NE Redmond, WA 98052
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Month Long Sale
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ays
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20% F OF
Storewide
While supplies lastâ&#x20AC;˘Discounts do not stack
Tuesday, D e c e m b e r 1 stMonday J a n u a r y 4 th Hashtag stores are closed Christmas Day.
Preroll Bulk Discount y
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10%F OF
Buy 4 or more prerolls, get 10% off all the prerolls you choose
Regular priced concentrates
20% OFF
all day, every Saturday.
Pioneer Squares Bulk Discount y
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20% F OF
Buy one 10pack, get the second one 20% off
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
hashtag CANNABIS & SUPPLY CO.
STRAIN OF THE MONTH
Truck Driver
nwlEAF.COM
32
GROWN BY
OZ GARDENZ
dec. 2020
Buckle up and make sure the high beams are on, ‘cuz this truck is running hot and heavy for the holidaze with an 18-wheel load of stoned – and heading to your favorite weed store.
r WHILE SOME STRAINS LEAVE YOU FEELING LIKE A NIMBLE SPORTS CAR ON A CURVY TRACK, THIS SMOKE HITS YOU LIKE A MACK TRUCK. F LOW E R
OZGARDENZ.COM | @OZ_GARDENZ
20.4% THC | SUNDAE DRIVER X MAC R EVI E W by W E S AB N E Y @ B EAR DE D LO RA X | P HOTO by DANIE L B E R M AN @ B E R M ANP HOTOS
AS THE SAYING GOES, “If you bought it, a trucker brought it.” This year this quotable tip of the hat to the people that move our packages around the country is especially true, and so we want to thank all the essential workers and drivers who deliver our goods. You’ve earned this smoke after working through a global pandemic, but we must advise you to wait to hit this Truck Driver until you’re off the road. While some strains leave you feeling like a nimble sports car on a curvy track, this smoke hits you like a Mack Truck – one that you are also driving while stoned and trying to dip a flimsy chip from a Taco Bell Nacho Party Pack to attain the perfect balance of guac and sour cream – all the while staying between the two white lines. Those pedestrians are absolutely screwed! OZ Gardenz is a Tier 1 cultivation in Bellingham that focuses on unique strains grown with love and perfection, and this cross of Sundae Driver with the classic MAC is a flower worthy of a roadtrip to taste. Popping open a jar releases bright citrus and skunkyberry-cream notes that ooze out of soft, fluffy and pillow-like buds. Large and in charge, they break open easily to reveal a sticky and sour funk that tickles the nose, hinting at the stoney high to come. Ripping into a bowl delivers a rich and thick smoke that exhales lightly, with a flavor that lingers on the palate after the smoke has cleared. Effects hit quickly, arriving in the form of a stoney alertness, where part of the brain is awake and ready, while the rest of it is totally shutting down and high as fuck. This is a bounce between the lines while driving strain, which we don’t recommend – it will feel like you’re doing an amazing job, but you’re really all over the place. The best part of this strain is the blending of the Sundae Driver with the MAC, which is what brings such a sneaker, sativa high. It’s a strain that leaves you in a good mood, satisfied and ready to truck along even if the situation is a long haul – which is how life in the pandemic often feels. But we must remember to smile, and loading up a bowl of the Truck Driver will get you happy and stoned with a side of euphoria, plus the ability to color (or drive) outside the lines this holiday season.
the CULTURE issue
STORY by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS + MIKE RICKER @RICKERDJ
CANNABIS CULTURE. Together, those two words encapsulate an encouraging phenomenon – the idea that a plant can inform identity, binding individuals to one another. But that’s what Cannabis does. It inspires the mind and spirit of those who invite its synergistic qualities into their bodies, and by doing so, sows the seeds of lifestyle. Within the evolution of modern human history, Cannabis influence has woven into the fabric of our shared existence in a myriad of ways: The saxophonist improvising rich, sultry notes in sweaty underground jazz clubs. Rasta mystics channeling a higher level of spirituality. The Beat poet hammering out the essence of America on the keys of an Underwood typewriter. Tie-dyed miracle seekers smiling brightly outside of a show with a finger held high. Good parents slyly sipping on a vape pen. Entrepreneurs evaluating a pitch to fund their startup over a pre-roll. Grandma slathering medicated lotion on arthritic joints, savoring an infused chocolate.
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Cannabis is the touchstone, the common thread that stitches the tapestry together. It’s the flag. So, then, how do you define Cannabis culture? Perhaps it’s not typical of any one type of person or distinct aesthetic. Its mystery is not delineated by socioeconomic status, skin color or geographical region. We all know what it is not. It’s what it is that stretches the barriers of our imaginations and escapes the dogma of definition. Cannabis culture is defined by the tribe who prescribe and imbibe. It’s a community of seekers reaching for an unconventional connection that swirls in the ether outside the periphery of conformity. They are not easily fooled, are wise to propaganda and weary of carpetbagging capitalists with steely smiles.
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We are on the precipice of an overwhelming shift and the momentum is palpable. Cannabis is essential and so are the people who apply it to their lives and improve their precious time on this planet. We are at the epicenter of a movement, blasting through the atmosphere like a rocket to the sun, staring down the inevitable collision of rainbow supernova proportions into a massive collective spiritual awakening. All around this plant. It’s a community of seekers reaching for an unconventional connection that swirls in the ether outside the periphery of conformity.
DEC. 2020
We all inherently understand where we are and what we are, but Cannabis allows us to better understand and express who we are. It helps all of us seekers on our quest for deeper meaning and stronger connection. In this issue, the Leaf staff have humbly extracted the indispensable intricacies of Cannabis culture into a sticky concentrate for your consumption. Please enjoy.
ART
FOOD MUSIC GLASS ICONS SPORTS SOCIAL
CELEBS GIFTS ART BY IRINA
HUNTER S. THOMPSON “I have always loved marijuana. It has been a source of joy and comfort to me for many years. And I still think of it as a basic staple of life, along with beer and ice and grapefruits – and millions of Americans agree with me.”
BROWNIE MARY “I’m not a criminal. I did nothing wrong. I was helping my kids. We desperately need medical marijuana in this country.”
B-REAL “Like Louis Armstrong played the trumpet, I’ll hit that bong and break you off somethin’ soon.”
DAVE CHAPPELLE “I don’t do drugs, though. Just weed.”
ZACK GALIFIANAKIS “I don’t know what my assistant would do besides get me pot.”
JOE ROGAN “If you lock someone up for smoking a plant that makes them happy, you’re the fucking criminal.”
DOUG BENSON “A message to parents who think legalizing weed will make their kids want to try it: They will anyway.”
WHOOPI GOLDBERG “The vape pen has changed my life. No, I’m not exaggerating. In fact, her name is Sippy. Yes, she’s a she. And yes, I named her Sippy because I take tiny, little sips – sassy sips, even – from her. And with each sip comes relief – from pressure, pain, stress, discomfort.”
SNOOP DOGG “Can we get a muthafuckin’ moment of silence for this small chronic break?”
BILL MURRAY “I find it quite ironic that the most dangerous thing about weed is getting caught with it.”
CARLOS SANTANA “Legalize marijuana and take all that money and invest it in teachers and in education. You will see a transformation in America.”
MARTHA STEWART “Of course I know how to roll a joint.”
SARAH SILVERMAN “I’d have to be honest: I have contempt for pretty much every drug other than pot. I find drunk people gross. Most people with more than one drink in them aren’t giggly, goofy and happy the way people are with a puff of pot smoke in them. At a party, I have so much fun stoned, flitting about -– but once I sniff that first wave of drunkenness on someone, I’m out of there.”
icons ICONS 25 CANNABIS CULTURE
37 SETH ROGEN “Yes, I have a medical marijuana prescription, personally. I went in, and they said, ‘What do you need it for?’ And I said, ‘I have a very specific ailment – it’s called, I ain’t got no weed on me right now.’”
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
CARL SAGAN “The illegality of Cannabis is outrageous, an impediment to full utilization of a drug which helps produce the serenity and insight, sensitivity and fellowship so desperately needed in this increasingly mad and dangerous world.”
MORGAN FREEMAN “I have fibromyalgia pain ... and the only thing that offers any relief is marijuana.”
JACK KEROUAC “I smoked more grass than anyone you ever knew in your life.”
LOUIS ARMSTRONG “We always looked at pot as a sort of medicine, a cheap drunk and with much better thoughts than one that’s full of liquor.”
LIL WAYNE “I love weed so much I tried to marry Juana.”
BOB MARLEY “I feel so high, I even touch the sky / Above the falling rain ... I got to have kaya now.”
JIMI HENDRIX “Please pass me the peace weed, and take some heed. Throw away all that mixed up speed.”
TOMMY CHONG “You can smoke marijuana, you can eat it, you can wear it, it’s a perfect plant!”
WILLIE NELSON “The biggest killer on the planet is stress, and I still think the best medicine is and always has been Cannabis.”
SHAGGY (SCOOBY DOO) “Like wow, my favorite! A double triple decker sardine and marshmallow fudge sandwich.”
WILLIAM S. BURROUGHS “Unquestionably, this drug is very useful to the artist, activating trains of association that would otherwise be inaccessible, and I owe many of the scenes in Naked Lunch directly to the use of Cannabis.”
CREATIVE COMMONS IMAGES/LEAF NATION STAFF
the CULTURE issue
STORY by LUKAS PREVIN @DEBTCRISISDC
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MUSIC
From Then ‘Til Now: Music and Marijuana
As long as music has existed, so has the relationship between its creators and their preference of muse-inspiring consumption. We can start way back with Louis Armstrong – one of Jazz’s most influential artists, Armstrong was a household name for his genius on the trumpet spanning five decades from the 1920s to 1960s. He also used those huge lungs to inhale Cannabis between blowing out notes. Arrested outside the Los Angeles Cotton Club in 1930 for smoking a joint – reportedly laughing the night in jail away – Armstrong had no clue “what a wonderful world” was yet to come for Cannabis. As Armstrong’s last notes trilled into the ether, Jamaica was about to introduce the world to another Cannabis legend - Bob Marley. A true icon in the culture of Cannabis, Marley smoked partly due to his deep religious Rastafarian beliefs. ‘Ganja’ is a Rastafarian word taken from the Sanskrit language for marijuana, and on the song “Ganja Gun,” the lyrics lay out his deep love and respect for the medicine. Marley’s likeness continues to grace grinders, bongs, pipes and the Marley Natural brand, with his timeless music ringing throughout every storefront. Another artist you’re likely to hear banging from your dispensary’s speakers is the mighty Black Sabbath. Formed in 1968, Black Sabbath are pioneers of metal and stoner rock. Infamous for both their sound and reputation, Sabbath cemented fear in the hearts of parents around the world when they released their third studio album “Master of Reality” with the ode to Cannabis “Sweet Leaf,” starting with a rhythmic loop of Ozzy and guitarist Tony Iommi coughing from a joint, continued by a Cannabis love letter in musical form. Then there’s Willie Nelson, a man who truly adores our beloved plant and has written numerous classics on the topic. Nelson’s blend of authentic country sound and an outlaw’s attitude earned him worldwide fame. He smuggled his sound across the borders of genre, and continues to light up a style of music that usually doesn’t see much cultural crossover. Willie cashed the cigarettes and booze in 1978, when four fights with pneumonia - and a self-awareness of not being a kind drunk - turned Cannabis into his one true love. These days, his Willie’s Reserve brand of Cannabis is available across the country.
DEC. 2020
We can see that Cannabis has shifted from underground whispers and innuendo to mainstream acceptability in the arts.
Next we pass the pipe to Snoop Dogg – perhaps the only man to claim to have smoked 81 blunts in a day and be believed. An artist, advocate and entrepreneur, Snoop helped pave the way for other celebrities to come forth with their own Cannabis use. From his albums, to his Snoop Dogg Pounds glass line, to the Cannabis company Leafs by Snoop,this titan of toking shows no signs of slowing down. Much thanks to Snoop, we find the evolution of open lyricism about Cannabis in the music of Wiz Khalifa. Hailing from North Dakota, Wiz has been burning through charts and Cannabis. Releasing records with infused titles like “Kush and Orange Juice” and “Rolling Papers,” Wiz squashes the stigma of lighting up. Another entrepreneur in both industries, Wiz has launched Khalifa Kush and his own rolling paper collab with RAW. Over the years, Cannabis representation in the arts has shifted from underground whispers and
innuendo to mainstream acceptability. A modern-day example of this crossover is Margo Price. Born in Illinois and based in Nashville, Price is currently one of country’s biggest rising stars. Grammy nominated in 2019, Margo came out as a Cannabis user stating that “some musicians want to sell clothes on the Home Shopping Network, but I want to sell weed.” Price would do just that with her All American Made line supported by Willie’s Reserve. Price’s alignment with Nelson not only brought extra attention to her music, but also bolstered her counterculture image as a pioneer in the Cannabis field. With each generation of artists, the public’s embrace of Cannabis progresses like the notes in a scale. Today, we have the legends of yesterday collaborating on music and Cannabusiness with the next class of hitmakers. There’s no telling what the green muse will inspire in the generations to come.
ART BY OLEGGANKO
STORY by MAX EARLY @LIFTED_STARDUST
@MILEHIGHGALLERY | MILEHIGHGALLERY.BIGCARTEL.COM
Brain Heart displays by Emilio Garcia with chairs by Takashi Murakami
Mark Whalen’s “Ok Okay” vinyls
High Art
Drew Degen | Q Q& &A Mile High Gallery
From vinyl toys to canvas paintings, high-end glass art to recycled tables crafted out of skateboards, Mile High Gallery has it all. We were lucky enough to pick owner Drew Degen’s brain a bit for our December Culture Issue, gaining insight into the underground art scene world and how Cannabis has influenced these rebellious pioneers. With art curators like himself, we hope that both street art and Cannabis will become more widely appreciated and accepted. Visit Mile High Gallery’s Instagram page, where Drew steadily adds art on the daily.
WHAT PARALLELS DO YOU SEE IN CANNABIS AND THE UNDERGROUND STREET ART CULTURE? Both Cannabis
and street art are still illegal in most places worldwide, but are still a positive part of the daily lives of millions of people. Growing up, both of these subjects were frowned upon, but the overall public opinion on both of these subjects over the past two decades has changed dramatically in a positive direction. Colorado played a big part in doing this because it was one of the first states to legalize recreational back in 2012 – and we also have one of the largest underground art scenes currently. Only two years before legalization, the first Crush Walls event occurred. Crush Walls is a counterculture graffiti-based event which takes place annually in Denver. Crush Walls focuses on creative expression and has hosted iconic artists like Shepard Fairey, Cryptik, Hoxxoh, Elmac and many more.
HOW DO YOU FIND THAT CANNABIS INFLUENCES ARTISTS TO PUSH THEIR BOUNDARIES AND THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX? Cannabis
has incentivized creativity in humans and artists for thousands of years. From cave art to the emergence of graffiti as a counterculture art form in the 1960s, it’s common to find Cannabis as a collaborating partner. It’s scientifically proven that Cannabis can make you more creative – it increases cerebral blood flow to the brain’s frontal lobe – which is directly linked to creativity.
“Nebula Panther” by Adam G and Buck @sweaterkingpin @buckglass
Cannabis companies using art directly on their products and packaging to look more attractive and to pertain to the common Cannabis user, who most likely appreciates art too. This is a direct correlation between artists and the Cannabis community. I’ve been noticing that more muralists are getting hired to paint public spaces, including the walls on the exterior and interior of Cannabis dispensaries and headshops.
HOW ARE ARTISTS INFLUENCING THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY? Cannabis and art go hand
in hand. Some of the most notable artists in the world have shaped their careers off using Cannabis, whether it’s musical artists from Willie Nelson and Bob Marley portraying their lyrics about how Cannabis helps them, to painters like Alex Grey directly depicting the plant. Not only does Cannabis influence artists, but artists also influence the Cannabis community greatly. I often see
Hebru Brantley Flyboy and Lil Mama vinyls with a mask made by Dan Schaub
(Left to right:) WJC (@wjcglass) x Rose Roads (@roseroadskojima) Heartifact, WJC x Adam G Heartifact; Quave (@quaveglass) x Buck(@buckglass) Fish Klein PHOTOS BY ALEX WORKMAN @WORKDUBS
the CULTURE issue Jumbo Jetcycler with jumbo Jet Perc
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Custom Jetcycler with Jet Perc
Q & A | J P To ro & W e nd y
The To ro nwlEAF.COM
Tea m
DEC. 2020
TORO GLASS For glass aficionados, Toro has been a name that has been familiar for years, and that is certainly not changing anytime soon. Toro Glass was one of the first brands to truly make a name for themselves, becoming an internationally renowned company and innovating the way we all consume Cannabis. From Y2K on, collectors have been flocking to their local headshops for their shot at JP Toro’s bongs and dab rigs – and Toro’s latest creation, the Terp Slurper, has become one of the most sought after glass-related items this year. Here we find what gets JP’s gears turning and what it takes to keep a machine like Toro Glass finely tuned and running clean.
Through many different trials and errors, and R&D with a couple o f m y c l o s e b o y s , t h e Te r p S l u r p e r w a s c re at e d . I t l i t e ra l l y t o o k almost three years for people to catch on, but today there is a super craze for the Slurpers and their function.
Terp Slurper
Illuminati over Syzygy Jetcycler
WENDY, CAN YOU PLEASE GIVE US AN IDEA AS TO WHAT IT TAKES TO KEEP A COMPANY LIKE TORO HIGHLY FUNCTIONING FOR THE PAST 15+ YEARS?
Marbles
It wasn’t until 2015 that I started to fuck with quartz, but I immediately became obsessed.
A lot of hard work, customer service, great employees and adaptability! We are a family-run business of 12 employees. Everyone who works here we hired through word of mouth and through a friend of a friend. There are a couple of married couples, along with some of their close relatives and family friends. We are so blessed to have the crew we have. Our families and children all grew up with each other, and we often even celebrate holidays together. Our bonds and respect for one another run deep. Luckily too, JP designed Toro as a ‘classic.’ As the industry ebbs and flows from flowers to hash, from titanium to domes to quartz, we are adaptable and luckily JP is always at the forefront.
JP, WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO CREATE? For function, the
desire to make the ultimate hitting piece. For art,
are industry standards and the building block behind so many pieces. Back at the beginning of this industry, there were tubes and hand and water pipes. When I first made ‘micro’ and ‘macro’ pieces, people were not sure what to think of these smaller styles of glass ‘rigs’ – and then when titanium was introduced onto them with glass domes in late 2006-2007, it was a serious issue and most stores thought I was nuts! They were scared to sell any sort of dabbing accessories – but time went on, people adapted to the change, and it all became industry standard. Mad props to Quave for bringing the quartz banger to the scene and increasing the dabbing experience by allowing for larger surface areas and cleaner dabbing all around. It wasn’t until 2015 that I started to fuck with quartz, but I immediately became obsessed. In 2017, I remembered Bubble Man did some sort of burping terps for flavor, which got me thinking about how I could create a piece of quartz that caused terps to percolate. I closed my eyes and imagined percolation holes, and the hash bubbling and popping and creating flavor. It reminded me of slurping fine wine. Through many different trials and errors, and R&D with a couple of my close boys, the Terp Slurper was created. It literally took almost three years for people to catch on, but today there is a super craze for the Slurpers and their function. Other innovations, such as the TempTech in 2018, which allowed people to dial in their dabbing temperatures, also helped the movement by not making it seem so intimidating to dial the Slurper’s temperature in.
CAN YOU GIVE US SOME INSIGHT ON YOUR RIGOROUS PROCESS OF MILLIE WORK? My new favorite art form at the to keep trying to make a masterpiece that makes me happy. I am always trying to outdo myself. Definitely, I am my own worst critic and never satisfied, which keeps me going on and staying behind the torch every day – even after blowing glass for 22 years.
WHERE DO YOUR INNOVATIVE IDEAS COME FROM WHEN DESIGNING NEW PRODUCTS? Living life … it’s random.
I can be driving down the road and see a tractortrailer with a certain color pattern on the side of the truck, which I may then incorporate into my next piece. I spent a lot of my younger years in downtown Philadelphia, where a crew of us designed and worked on comic books. I found that it allowed me to stretch my imagination because it is not the real world and anything is possible/ doable. This world/realm taught me that there are no boundaries, even when it comes to glass. At first, when I started to create, people wondered what I was doing. Now today, a lot of the designs
moment is Millie work. I did a bunch years ago, but then got so busy with Toro and life, that I had to put some of my own passions on the backburner. But pulling from my Philly years and animation experience, I have been creating a lot of original images and characters and incorporating them into my art in multiforms, from glass millefiore to fashion, to producing music. There is a story behind it all, but as with everything I have done thus far, it may take a minute for it all to make sense and come together. Hopefully, in this lifetime I am able to accomplish it, but ultimately, I am having a blast doing me for a change! It is hard to shake the ‘production’ stigma of Toro, but exciting to get to introduce myself in a different light that most people have not seen yet. Most importantly, experimenting, creating and designing for this newer body of work is what keeps me sane during these crazy times! TOROGLASSGALLERY.COM | @TORO_GLASS | @JPTOROLIFESTYLE
INTERVIEW by MAX EARLY @LIFTED_STARDUST/LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by JEFF DIMARCO @IAMJEFFDIMARCO
the CULTURE issue
STORY by MIKE GIANAKOS
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SPORTS Athletes are the new rock stars. Players from the four major American sports (well, three of them anyway) increasingly become major celebrities with massive social media followings, recognizable brands and, whether you realize it or not, a great deal of cultural influence. Cannabis has long played a role in sports. Pitcher “Spaceman” Bill Lee was a loud and proud pothead in the ‘70s and old school NBA centers Robert Parish and Bill Walton were certainly known to partake. But as it’s become increasingly socially acceptable to consume, athletes have played a major role in bringing marijuana into the mainstream. Likewise, the culture around Cannabis in professional sports is finally beginning to change as pot policies are relaxed. Of course, this shift coincides with changes in the legal landscape. There are 123 teams across the four major American sports (football, basketball, baseball and hockey) and 101 of them play in a state that has legalized recreational and/or medical marijuana (that’s over 80 percent). Still, for a long time, the NFL was content to keep its pot policy in the dark ages, subjecting players to random tests and punishing them with suspensions. Ricky Williams is probably the best-known example of an athlete embracing Cannabis –– and paying the price. The former running back used marijuana to cope with social anxiety disorder and to recover from workouts. But after failing a drug test, Williams found it difficult to navigate the NFL’s draconian pot policy. Testing became more frequent, so frequent that Williams says he was drug tested at least 500 times during his football career. He was also suspended for an entire season. Williams opted to retire rather than be governed by the league’s pot rules. He got away from the NFL, traveled to India, studied Ayurveda and grew as a person before returning to football. Williams ultimately had to toe the line in the NFL, but he never let the league’s ridiculous take on Cannabis change him. In fact, it’s pretty clear he changed the culture of the NFL, as players view marijuana in a different light thanks to Ricky. Now, it’s commonplace for players to use Cannabis to recover from the wear and tear of the sport. Estimates indicate that anywhere between 50 and 89 percent of the league partakes. In fact, many players advocate for using marijuana in place of harmful opioids when dealing with
DEC. 2020
pain. Ricky definitely has something Previously, players were randomly tested As it’s become to do with that. He was a pioneer. four times over the season and positive increasingly socially pot tests were met with escalating punishUnfortunately, as the saying goes, pioneers usually end up with arrows in ments, including suspensions. Under the acceptable to their backs. new rules, players are screened for PEDs consume, athletes After years of forcing pot prohibibut not recreational drugs. tion on players, the NFL has at last Additionally, the NHL and more recently have played a major changed course: The new collective MLB don’t ban Cannabis and treat its use role in bringing bargaining agreement does away with as a health issue. MLB also did away with marijuana into the suspensions for pot use, limits the testsuspensions for minor leaguers who test ing window to the first two weeks of positive. mainstream. training camp and significantly raises Competitors in extreme sports and the threshold for a positive test. e-sports have largely embraced Cannabis. Pot is also prevalent in the NBA. Despite estiYet as e-sports have grown to rival some traditional mates that as much as 85 percent of the league sports in viewership and ad dollars, drug testing is consumes Cannabis, the Association had banned becoming more commonplace. Still, Cannabis and pot since 1983. Change finally came this summer gaming are undeniably linked and testing in these when the NBA and the players union agreed on a leagues is certainly on the liberal side. But if you new drug policy prior to resuming play in Orlando prefer to watch stoned gaming, remember, some following the coronavirus outbreak. e-sports leagues make marijuana mandatory.
ART BY EMILY
the CULTURE issue
STORY by ELISE MCDONOUGH @CANNABISEDIBLES420
cuisine CUISINE High Hospitality is the Culture We Deserve By far, the most common way to introduce an American to a new culture is through food. Sharing food forms an instant connection, a long-standing way to bridge the divide between strangers. Coming together around a table to enjoy a meal initiates people into the etiquette, rituals and customs of different cultures, forming the basis of much human socialization in societies around the globe. H O W H A S C A N N A B I S I N F L U E N C E D F O O D C U LT U R E ?
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Whether you’re eating THC or smoking it alongside meals, it’s important to know that for most of human history, Cannabis was food. There were no arbitrary laws separating it from any other useful plant, and its effects were wellknown among ancient cultures. Simmered with milk and spices, Cannabis infuses bhang lassi, an Indian beverage that dates back to 2000 B.C.E. Mixed with melted butter, sugar, spices, ground nuts and dates, Cannabis imbues mahjoun with potent psychedelic effects, and this recipe for the first-ever edible originated in the Middle East in the 11th century. These days, you might find people hot-boxing their car in restaurant parking lots, firing up their appetites before they eat. According to research conducted by Giovanni Marsicano of the University of Bordeaux, it’s been scientifically proven that “THC – the primary psychoactive ingredient in marijuana – fits into special receptors in the brain’s olfactory bulb, allowing users to smell and taste food far more acutely while high.” Cannabis is one of the few plants on Earth proven to enhance appetite, which has medical applications for patients suffering from AIDS wasting syndrome, anorexia, or the side effects of chemotherapy. For the rest of us, weed elevates even a humble meal into a taste sensation. Eating while high can help you notice more nuance in the taste and textures, conferring a newfound appreciation for even the simplest things, like sourdough toast slathered with butter. H O W H A S F O O D C U LT U R E I M PAC T E D C A N N A B I S ?
Chefs have long had an affinity for weed, as discussed by Anthony Bourdain in the 2010 New York Times article “Marijuana Fuels a New Kitchen Culture,” with the memorable quote “Everybody smokes dope after work … People
DEC. 2020
uating various wines, “cannaphiles” rave about you would never imagine.” bud structure, trichome coverage, terpene profiles Outspoken Cannabis aficionados like Eddie and cannabinoid percentages, devising systems for Huang bridged the gap, bringing an appreciation pairing specific Cannabis cultivars with food and for how being high led to creative ideas for new wine. dishes at his acclaimed NYC bun shop Baohaus. Someday, in a post-COVID world when the hosWhen I interviewed Huang for High Times in 2013, pitality industry revives, we’ll see the full flowering he said, “I do discover a lot of flavor combinations of the Cannabis culinary movement: a full-service, when I’m high that I normally wouldn’t.” infused fine dining experience. Nothing epitomized this paradigm shift more Previously only available through than the VICE series “Bong Appétit,” underground supper clubs, the full inwhich transformed Cannabis cookery Cannabis is one of the tegration of Cannabis into a regulated methods from a mindset of scarcity few plants on Earth dining experience will be an evolving to abundance, revolutionizing how process, as evidenced by the OG CanCannabis is perceived as an ingrediproven to enhance nabis Cafe project in LA. ent. Introducing chefs to the plant and appetite, which has A fully-realized Cannabis restauteaching them how to integrate it into signature dishes, “Bong Appétit,” let the medical applications rant scene is the ultimate goal that all chefs continue to work world know that those inspired stoners for patients suffering weed-loving towards – where you can indulge in a were going way beyond brownies. from AIDS wasting joint on an outdoor patio before being Today, as the Cannabis culinary movement evolves, we see a level of syndrome, anorexia, seated, or pair vapes with each course before finishing off the meal with a connoisseurship comparable to wine. or the side effects of Cannabis-infused dessert. It’s a future Just as oenophiles have developed a worth looking forward to. lexicon of their own devoted to evalchemotherapy.
ART BY IANA ALTER
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ROCK AND ROLL IS DEAD. You can blame American Idol for that, but let’s not get into it. Let’s do get into, however, why it doesn’t matter to Cannabis people whether you’re playing a stage or staging a play — if you are a stoner, you’re cool. And the fact that someone notorious draws eyes for their talent, or lack of, is neat, but kind of ends there. Because what you do for work does not validate you as a viable influencer in the Cannabis community. There is no validation required to be a part of it. You either get weed, or you don’t. Since the Green Rush that began around five years ago, many companies have learned the chilly truth that having celebrity status in Cannabis can get you recognition, but it does not guarantee credibility. And in any known movement that values credence over crap, credibility is paramount. Cannabis lovers have learned the inherent differences between deception and authenticity because they very simply can tell good from bad. A con from a sucker. Fire from mids. People don’t like to be suckered and Cannabis people have been suckered for a hundred years. Whether it’s the fear mongering propaganda of Henry Anslinger, the failed war
DEC. 2020
on drugs begun with the Nixon administration, or simply buying a bag of black-market brick weed, everyone has gotten burned at least once. And just because a new celebrity brand has insert retired professional athlete’s name here repping it, that don’t mean it ain’t bullshit junk CBD powder irrigated by some of the world’s gnarliest tertiary treated sewer water in China. We do not give a shit who is promoting it, just make sure it works. Because the list goes on with the Willie Nelsons, Tommy Chongs, Jay Zs, Martha Stewarts, Seth Rogens, Mike Tysons, Jimmy Buffetts, etc. who have slutted themselves for a ticket on the passing bandwagon without first getting high on their own supply. And just because people know your name does not make you any more of an authority on quality Cannabis than Aaron Rodgers on car insurance, or Post Malone on prescription glasses. Anyway, Rock and Roll is dead (name one significant band in the last 20 years) because no one cares who is playing the guitar, they just want to hear the music. Mercury is stuck in retrograde, and Kim Kardashian is off the air. And now she’s stuck in retrograde, too.
That’s show biz, Honey. Here’s the deal. The celebrity is the flower. Get used to it. It is not the trendy artist with the most fuck you money and teardrop face tattoos. The celebrity is Blue Dream, Wedding Cake and Green Crack. Because people and their influence are only as important as you make them to be, while the plant will always endure. Its nature is pure and its identity true. Cannabis prospers. No earthquake, famine, pandemic, or government will ever stop a weed from growing. It will journey through all periods, and for as long as people inhabit the earth, it will make itself available. It is the food of the gods, the essence to our senses. So, here at the end of the most reality checking year of our lives, celebrity fatigue is real. But it is possible that our stargazing tendencies could again get the better of us. Because if Kanye manages to pull off a Hail Mary in 2024, Kim Kardashian will indeed be your first lady. You scoff, but stranger things have happened. After all, there is still that swearing in bit in January that has yet to take place.
Because people and their influence are only as important as you make them to be, while the plant will always endure.
ILLUSTRATION BY JEFF PORTERFIELD
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the CULTURE issue
Ganja Gift Guide
You wouldn’t try to put a round peg in a square hole, right? So why would you try cleaning your banger with a rounded cotton swab? Proswabs has come through with the solution to keep your banger clean and chazz-free use after use! These swabs have a pointed tip on one end, allowing you to reach the hard to clean spots in your nail — particularly the area where the wall meets the base. Available in bulk size (300 swabs) tubs and coming soon in travel packs (30 swabs), Proswabs are ready to keep your gear as fresh as possible, both at home and when out and about. $5.99/300pk, ProSwabs.com
Proswabs
Puffco Peak Pro Blazer GT8000 Big Shot Torch
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For the analog dabbers of the world, heating up is a part of the ritual and there is no more ubiquitously used tool to accomplish that job than the Blazer Big Shot GT8000 Torch. Offering a powerful flame, the Big Shot heats up even thick bottomed nails quickly and with ease. The sleek frame is ergonomic and makes the torch easy to handle, while the base allows the torch to stand upright when not in use. The Big Shot is a must-have item for any concentrate enthusiast not using an electronic dab rig. $79.99, BlazerProducts.com
Gifts GIFTS
Puffco’s revolutionary Peak made a lightning fast ascent to become the industry’s gold standard of electronic concentrate vaporizers since its release in January 2018. With a sleek design that’s on-the-go friendly (it fits flawlessly into your car’s cupholder, though we certainly don’t suggest you use it while driving) and an intuitive torch-free function, it’s no wonder the Peak has become the go-to tool for many dabbing enthusiasts worldwide. The new Peak Pro addresses the atomizer issue that plagued the original models, adds bluetooth integration for smart phone connectivity and control, and now has wireless charging capabilities — improving upon an already stellar platform. $399, Puffco.com
FOR CANNABIS LOVERS
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Kasher Every lighter needs a Kasher and every ganja smoker needs a lighter. By the transitive laws of nature, this means every stoner needs a Kasher. And for good reason — these helpful little tools are great to help clean out finished bowls, pack down weed in your joint or blunt, and can even function as a skewer for your doobie when it gets down to the finger-stinger stage. As an added benefit, Kashers go a long way in helping keep lighters in their rightful owners’ pockets by adding a unique look and helping differentiate yours from everyone else’s. $7.99, MyKasher.com
DEC. 2020
OCB Organic King Size Slim Hemp Papers + Tips When it comes to rolling papers, there are really only a few factors you need to take into consideration — the thickness of the paper, the stickiness of the glue and the flavor. OCB Organic Hemp Rolling Papers deliver on all of these important aspects and provide a highly enjoyable smoking experience each and every time. After years of smoking through every paper on the market, OCB’s Organic Hemp line wins out as the thinnest, easiest to use and best tasting papers available from your local head shop. $4.99/32pk book, RollOCB.com
Pax 3
Not everyone wants to smoke their Cannabis flower — some want a cleaner, more lungfriendly option and want to vaporize it. For these folks, we recommend the newest rendition of Pax Labs classic dry herb vaporizer: the Pax 3. Their new version offers a fleet of new colors, bluetooth connectivity for phone or computer-based temperature control, and upgraded battery life to make it the longest lasting unit on the market. Add in intuitive function, versatility in its ability to be used for both concentrates and flower plus a sleek design, and the result is an exceptional piece of hardware any Cannabis enthusiast would be thrilled to receive. $249.99, Pax.com
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concentrate of the month
BRUCE BANNER BUBBLE HASH & ROSIN
PRIMO BRANDS | P&R PROCESSING
When classic methods of Cannabis preparation meet the quality and precision of modern growing, the result is a delicious strain-specific solventless hash that delivers an old school buzz worthy of the name Primo.
T
he legend of the Primo Brand began in 1975 when Bob Koch first began selling Primo Pipes at Pike Place Market. His classic metal pipes have been a mainstay at the market for 45 years, along with a unique blend of hippie jewelry and throwback stoner vibes. While his hash hasn’t been for sale at the market, Koch has been making old school pressed kief and bubble hash for as long as he’s been selling pipes. Since entering the 502 legal market in 2020, Primo has expanded to bring the traditional hash methods back, along with a new twist in the form of rosin.
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Bruce Banner is the fictional scientist who would turn into the Hulk when mad – and while we didn’t get upset at these tasty hash samples – we did Hulk out on some fat dabs and bowls. Bred by Dark Horse Genetics, the green monster is a cross between OG Kush and Strawberry Diesel that combines to deliver an energetic, and yet not angry high. We decided to start with the classic bubble hash, which has a firm texture and crumbles easily into sticky pieces that are perfect for topping a bowl of flower in a pipe or bong, or to consume with a classic hash pipe or knife hits. For those who haven’t heard of knife hits, do a Google search and thank us later. The bubble hash is full of bright sugary citrus notes with a deep kush flavor that releases as the flame starts the transformation into a melty, bubbly and smokey treat. Effects hit quickly, building into the body with a warming buzz that wraps around the mind in a relaxed, euphoric contentedness. The bubble hash delivers a more chillaxed high, but we really wanted to test the Bruce Banner out and get supremely stoned, so we doubled down with a dab of the golden rosin. With an almost shatter-like consistency, this gorgeous rosin melts down easily for a perfect low temperature dab that A warming buzz big effects. Sweet citrus flavors fill that wraps around brings the lungs, with an earthy exhale and a the mind in a quick rush of energy that balances out relaxed, euphoric the stoniness of the bubble hash. We contentedness. found the combination of the two highs to be like the blend of Bruce Banner and the Hulk. Both separate and the same, they combine to bring a high-powered high that will have you feeling like a holiday superhero.
DEC. 2020
REVIEW BY WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX | PHOTO BY DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS
Vrogueravenfarmsi502 Strain: Freeze OG / Indica, THC: 25.26% CBD: 0.09% Slightly sweet taste, with a nice smooth, smoky avor nish.
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edible of the month
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JUNE’S SWEETS & SAVORIES
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W
SANTA’S TREATS
hether you’re trying to salvage a sense of These cookies are good enough to eat uninfused normalcy this holiday season by socializing or and there are other delicious flavors to experience like hosting parties of one with drinks and smoke Chocolate Chip, Mint Chocolate Chip and Peanut enough for two, this infused menu has a treat Butter. By the end of a hard day of shopping online worthy of telling 2020 to stick to the history books. and eating edibles to review, the highness reached a Look on the bright side! We’ve made it to December and it feels dangerous point where adding another dose seemed like the only thing standing between us and a glorious new year like a good idea. The body was warm and fuzzy, the are the holidays. Socially distanced turkey day was just mind tingly and spontaneously giggly, a warm-up for the real challenge: What do you buy for and Google searches for Santa’s people you haven’t seen all year? We suggest edibles! beard masks had been made. It was Biting into the Edibles are the perfect way to get stoned during the now time for a bright Blood Orange soft-baked but hustle of tinsel and Christmas toons. Snack on a few Fruit Jelly, featuring a rush of citrus perfectly crispy delicious Original Ranch Pretzels while waiting in line and flavor that reminded us of clementines texture delivers within 30 minutes, the holiday music will start sounding in stockings. These are quality way better. June’s also has Jalapeno Ranch and Nacho a harmonious gummies made with real fruit and Cheese Pretzels, which make great single bites that are have seven flavor options and CBD blend of hard to not have multiple of. We loved having the choice versions – something for any occasion creamy white of savory edible options to start the day, but a few hours or craving. chocolate, tart into the buzz we began craving sweet, blissful sugar. The best part of sharing and Christmas calories don’t count, right? cranberries and eating edibles is the feeling you get Following our tummies, the next edible adventure was inside. That warm and fuzzy hug from 10mg of THC. the White Chocolate Cranberry Petite Cookies. These Cannabis is the closest thing to a quarter-sized bites are ridiculously delicious. Biting into friendly squeeze most of us are getting the soft-baked but perfectly crispy texture delivers a harmonious this holiday, so we recommend trying all of Sweet blend of creamy white chocolate, tart cranberries and 10mg of THC, June’s lineup and sharing them with those you love this filling the body and mind with stoney delight. holidaze season.
DEC. 2020
It’s the time of year when comfort food and a comfort buzz go hand in hand, and June’s Sweets & Savories are a perfect idea for an adult stocking stuffer – just remember to leave a few cookies out for Santa, too. 10MG PER PIECE | 100MG PER PACK
REVIEW b y WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX | PHOTO b y DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS | JUNESEDIBLES.COM
IG: @treehawk.farms | W: treehawkfarms.com
Photos and Design: 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.
cooking with cannabis
Home for the
HIGHLIDAYS R EC I P E S b y LAU RI E WO L F PHOTOS b y B RUC E WO L F
Shortbread Rounds Makes 14 cookies
1. In the bowl of a mixer beat the butters and sugar until creamy. Slowly add the flour and salt and mix until just combined. Roll into a log about seven inches in length and chill for at least one hour.
room temperature 2 tablespoons canna-butter, room temperature ½ cup confectioner’s sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2. Heat oven to 340.
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
3. Place the sprinkles on a plate. Roll the log in the sprinkles and cut into ½ inch slices. Bake for 12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
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8 tablespoons unsalted butter,
¼ teaspoon salt Sprinkles
Spiced Pecans Makes 4 cups
1. Heat oven to 300. Line a sheet pan
4 tablespoons dark brown sugar
with parchment paper.
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
2. In a medium bowl, combine the sugar and spices and the infused oil. In another bowl, combine the pecans with the egg white, which helps the
2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon cayenne ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg 2 tablespoons canna-butter or oil
spice adhere to the pecans. 3. Combine all the ingredients and spread on the sheet pan.
4 cups pecan halves 1 beaten egg white
S’more Style Chocolate Dipped Marshmallows Makes 16 marshmallows
1. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
1 cup dark chocolate chips 2 tablespoons infused oil or butter
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2. Place the chips and infusion 16 marshmallows in a small bowl, and microwave 3 graham crackers, crushed on medium for one minute. Stir. Continue to heat at 10-second intervals. Smooth. 3. Dip the marshmallows in the melted chocolate and cover about half. Dip in the crushed graham crackers and place on the paper to set.
While many of us will not be doing much socializing this holiday season, we still want to share the love. And the Cannabis! Gifts of food are always welcome. Label correctly, and don’t leave the infused shortbread cookies out for Santa. He doesn’t indulge, though apparently the Mrs. loves infused hot chocolate. FYI, Blitzen is a stoner.
DEC. 2020
For a few friends, I am offering the gifts in a piece of pottery or mug so that they will have a constant reminder of my love for them. Only the CBD-infused treats will leave Oregon, and you can follow the same recipe for canna-butter with CBD flower. Expect a feeling of wellness without the head high. Keep doses low, spirits high, and be sure to love one another.
#We a rA M ask #Dont FearT heEdi ble #EatYourCannabi s #CallYourPa rents # Ha p p y Holid a y s # WeWillSurvive
BRAND PRINT DIGITAL PACKAGING SOCIAL MEDIA ILLUSTRATION CONSULTING MARKETING GIFT WRAPPING
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coffee & cannabis
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PEPPERMINT MOCHA & CANDYLAND Coffee may be a year-round beverage, but fall and winter bring with them the seasonal flavors that we all know and love. These days there are creme brulee lattes and gingerbread spiced coffees, but the O.G. holiday-time flavor has got to be the peppermint mocha.
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omething about those candy cane crumbles seems to match the season even more than the corporate red and white decorations on the cafe walls. Mint and chocolate are just about as perfect a pair as you can find – maybe even more so than coffee and Cannabis. When incorporated as a trio, though, they can achieve almost near perfection. As such, in dances Candyland to complement the peppermint mocha, elevating your holiday plans and combatting your end-of-year stresses. Pre-dating even the pumpkin spice latte, the peppermint mocha just makes sense as a coffee beverage – but for whatever reason, seems to be forgotten for most of the year. Perhaps it is that peppermint just epitomizes the time between Thanksgiving and New Years so well. It is cool and bracing like the brisk breeze and mist that envelopes the Pacific Northwest this time of year. And peppermint is also a bit of the antithesis to winter glumness, with its invigorating zing of crisp flavor that brightens you from the inside out. Let’s be clear though, it has to be peppermint. Not spearmint, not wintergreen, not even apple mint. Peppermint is the superior of the mints; something about the menthol quantity lends itself to more than just gum flavoring like the others. After all, you don’t see many spearmint patties or wintergreen bark on the holiday party table. When mixed with the chocolate of a mocha, peppermint makes for a coffee drink that is refreshing while still traditionally sweet. Candyland, much like the ideal combo of mint and chocolate, is a hybrid cross between two Bay Area classics: Granddaddy Purple and Platinum Cookies. For lack of wanting to fall into Nutcracker cliches of
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Candyland is a fun and distracting strain that won’t leave you too dazed when you wake from your midwinter pipe dreams.
prancing sugar plum fairies, Candyland is a fun and distracting strain that won’t leave you too dazed when you wake from your mid-winter pipe dreams. This Cannabis is absolutely gorgeous, with sparkling trichomes and deep hues of purple scattered throughout. The sweet, floral taste of Candyland heightens the mint that much further, making for a sensory experience that is totally counter to the usual cinnamons and chestnuts of short dreary days. When working in tandem, Candyland and a pepper-
mint mocha are a great accompaniment to getting sucked down an online rabbit hole while shopping for gifts, making your new pre-sunrise morning routine more tolerable, or just escaping into daydreams and goal-planning for 2021 instead of listening to your uncle tell all his theories on voter fraud. So if you are looking for a bit of a palate-cleanser after this unpredictable year, consider a peppermint mocha and Candyland – it may just give you that fresh perspective you are looking for. @ F R E YA FA R M | 2 0 .5 % T H C
STORY & PHOTOS by TJ GAGNIER @TJGAGNIER for NORTHWEST LEAF
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cannthropology
WORLD OF CANNABIS PRESENTS
Throughout modern history, countless artists and musicians have used marijuana to help enhance their creativity … but far fewer have actually featured it as their subject matter. Many of those who did helped forge new genres of “degenerate” art—like jazz, comic books and concert posters—that
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would eventually establish them as counterculture icons. One such artist is Pat Ryan.
CANNABIS AMERICANA
Celebrating the weed-infused work of underground art icon Pat Ryan
EARLY LIFE
Raised in suburban Long Island, Paul Ryan heard his artistic calling early— beginning to paint and draw cartoons by the age of eight. A born rebel, Ryan became enamored with Mad magazine, whose irreverent satire was “exposing the shortcomings of the Leave it to Beaver generation of Americans becoming homogenized.” He spent his teenage years in the jazz clubs and coffeehouses of Greenwich Village—getting into Dylan, Kerouac and Ginsberg. Then in 1962, Ryan moved out to Hermosa Beach, where he discovered the SoCal surfer scene, weed and psychedelics. After working as an art director for an ad agency across the street from the Whiskey a Go-Go and taking lots of acid, he soon grew disillusioned by the phony LA scene and wanted out.
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BEST BUDS
In 1971, Ryan moved up to Marin County, where he opened a tiny studio and jumped headfirst into the area’s art scene. Within months he met a kindred soul who would become his best friend and partner for the next decade—comic artist Dave Sheridan. Ryan moved into Sheridan’s studio, and the two formed a company called C.O.D. (Consistently Over Drawn!) Grafix and began cranking out content. Sheridan created the comic character Dealer McDope and collaborated with Gilbert Shelton and Paul Mavrides on the cult classic The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers; Ryan produced a series of Native American-themed paintings and a comic about hitchhiking called Hit the Road (1972), which Sheridan helped him get published. In 1974, the doobious duo relocated into a large building in San Rafael that served as a collective studio space for local artists, including rock poster
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greats Alton Kelley, Stanley ‘Mouse’ Miller and Victor Moscoso. Officially named the Concrete Foundation of Fine Arts, the collective was better known by its nutty nickname: the Peanut Gallery. To raise money for rent each month, the Peanut Gallery threw huge parties dubbed the “Black Death Parties”—named after the Black Death beer Sheridan brewed.
THE CANNABIS HOMEGROWERS ASSOCIATION
During these salad days at the Gallery, the two partners came up with the idea for a series of marijuana brand label parodies they called the California Homegrowers Association. “We’d sit around smoking joints and coming up with fictitious brand names,” Ryan recalls. “We made a whole list of them … that’s what became the California Homegrowers Association.” Some of the iconic phony brands they created included Harvest Moon, Sticky Fingers, High Society and Space City—each of which was President Reagan illustrated with a humorous charm launched his notorious inspired by the well-known Califor“Just Say No” anti-drug nia agricultural labels of the day. They planned to use the images campaign, leading to to market a line of merchandise to the closing of stoners all over America via head head shops across shops and ads they placed in High the country and Times magazine. Unfortunately, kneecapping their however, the products hit the market dream before it had a in 1982 just as President Reagan chance to take off. launched his notorious “Just Say No”
anti-drug campaign, leading to the closing of head shops across the country and kneecapping their dream before it had a chance to take off.
ARTISTA GANG
In 1979, the Peanut Gallery was evicted and reconstituted under a new name: the Artista Gang. Throughout the 1980s, “Gang” members designed album covers and concert posters for several classic rock performers, including Journey, Santana and the Grateful Dead, as well as Steve Miller’s Greatest Hits, for which Ryan did the lettering. It was also during this time that Ryan created his famous “Indoor Bud” painting, which now resides in our World of Cannabis collection; prominently featured against a red background, it’s a dense, dark nug that sparkles with crystals—an effect he achieved by coating it with clear acrylic paint and then sprinkling glitter on it. That nug image ended up gracing the cover of the Fall/ Winter 1985 issue of Sinsemilla Tips magazine. But that wasn’t the only reefer rag Ryan was featured in during this period: In 1983, High Times ran an article on the Homegrowers Association in their March issue and featured the t-shirts in their December gift guide, and the following year ran a few of Dr. McDope comics drawn by Ryan. Like the Peanut Gallery, Artista Gang were notorious for their wild parties. One particular rager in 1983—held at a clubhouse in an upscale San Anselmo neighborhood called Sleepy Hollow— featured the group’s first-ever cannabis judging contest. Strain samples were brought from all over California, and according to Ryan, the winner was a clear standout. “The winner was a guy from Santa Cruz named Dave Watson, a.k.a. Sam the Skunkman,” Ryan recalls. “He had something so sticky and outrageous, nobody had seen anything like it before. He won hands-down.” The Artista’s parties and cannabis contests continued to grow, as did their roster—eventually numbering over 700 members. Sadly though, Dave Sheridan would never get to see what Artista would evolve into; diagnosed with lymphatic cancer on March 3, 1982, he died suddenly of a brain hemorrhage less than a month later—just a week shy of his daughter’s birth. He was only 38-years-old.
HIGH IN HUMBOLDT
In 1992, Ryan moved from Marin County up to a log cabin in the Emerald Triangle, where he spent several years living pioneer-style and cranking out over 50 event posters, as well as a series of t-shirts featuring new characters and brands he created, such as Seaweed, Redeye and Hightops. Then in 1999, he moved back down to Sonoma County, where— with some assistance from his pals in Humboldt—he started growing his own “really wicked bud” for the first time in his garage. An avowed sativa man, Ryan grew mostly Orange Crush, but admits his current favorite strain is Blue Dream.
RECENT RESURGENCE
This past decade has been one of Ryan’s most prolific yet. In 2011, Last Gasp Publishing released a 40-year anthology of his work entitled Sinsemilla Sinsations, as well as a set of greeting cards called “High Again” based on his Humboldt designs. In the past few years, Ryan has returned to his roots with a series of weed-themed comic books called Tales of the
In 1974, the doobious duo relocated to a large building in San Rafael that served as a collective studio space for local artists, including rock poster greats Alton Kelley, Stanley ‘Mouse’ Miller and Victor Moscoso.
World Famous Drive Thru Bud (Golden Frog Press), based on the various characters he’s created over the years (including Humboldt Honey, Super Skunk and Budzilla), accompanied by a line of branded stoner swag which they sell online and at cannabis and comic events up and down the West Coast—bringing the merchandising dream he once shared with Sheridan full circle. Most recently, he’s created a series of paintings based on popular strain names similar to the “Purple Haze” painting we have in our collection, including “Ice Cream Cake,” “Blueberry Kush,” and “White Widow.” Sadly, in recent months, Ryan’s health has been in steep decline due to stage four liver cancer. His family has started a gofundme and is planning an art auction to help raise money for his medical costs. If you’d like to help please visit worldofcannabis.museum/ post/pat-ryan-fundraiser.
For more on Pat Ryan, listen to Episode #4 of our podcast at worldofcannabis.museum/ podcast
-Bobby Black, Pat Ryan, Vince Dugar of Golden Frog Press. -Blueberry Kush and SuperSkunk art by Pat Ryan.
Published originally on worldofcannabis.museum and reprinted with permission.
STORY by BOBBY BLACK @CANNTHROPOLOGY for LEAF NATION | ART COURTESY WORLD OF CANNABIS MUSEUM @WORLDOFCANNABIS.MUSEUM
CAN WE PLEASE END CHRISTMAS? isten, I’m not trying to be a jerk here. I used to love Xmas just as much as any kid. Catching a glimpse of Santa nibbling on a cookie or hearing the patter of hooves on top of the apartment complex made sleeping unbearable. It’s just that I’m not sure I can bear grandma getting run over by a reindeer for the umpteenth time before even having a chance to banish my yard witch back to the shed and evaluate the leftover bowl of miniature Snickers and candy corn. Out with the devil and in with the lord. Because the problem with Christmas isn’t Christmas day — it’s the fact that we’re hyped for two months on the front end and then stuck with a stiff tab on the back end. Which equates to one sixth of your life forced into a whimsical play where everyone dresses like they’re from Norway in the 1600s. And I know what you enthusiasts are thinking: I can simply choose to not take part. Which is about as easy as choosing to not take part in death and taxes. “But it’s for the kids,” you say. Fair enough, but do you really want them learning that the plastic packaged gifts — which magically appear under the tree that was cut down to end up in the dumpster — came from a stranger with an addiction to spiked eggnog? Why not teach them real values, like patience leads to prosperity? And that violence in Walmart on black Friday is not how adults should behave. I get it, there’s nothing wrong with spreading good cheer, but can we at least ease up on the carpet bombing of commercials for stuff we don’t need? Like shiny new cars with ridiculously large bows and another collared shirt with a snowman tie? And can we do it every leap year just to freshen things up? It’s becoming Groundhog Year. By the way, you do realize that mom infuses Santa’s Christmas cookies, right? That’s because she secretly feels his pain.
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by Mike Ricker
DEC. 2020
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I‛m switching, Bob. I‛m making the change from marb reds to Aculpulco Gold.
I made that change years ago, Hank.
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