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#128 | FEB. 2021

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60 Eddy Lepp | Cannthropology Northwest Leaf chats with Cannabis growing legend Eddy Lepp on the early days of his career, befriending Jack Herer, and founding The Multi-Denominational Ministry of Cannabis and Rastafari.

photo by mg imaging

FEB. 2021

EDITOR’S NOTE N AT I O N A L N E W S MIRACLE MADDIE JOINT/COUNTERJOINT THE HEMP EXPERT MUSIC WITH A MESSAGE BUDTENDER Q&A WHIDBEY ISLAND STRAIN OF THE MONTH THE ESSENTIAL ISSUE CONNOR’S COURAGE MOVING FOR THE PLANT T H E L O U N G E E V O LV E S SLEEP CANNABINOID C O N C E N T R AT E R E V I E W VA L E N T I N E ’ S D AY R E C I P E S COFFEE & CANNABIS A LT E R N AT I V E M E D I C I N E LEAF SHOTS DEBUT CANNTHROPOLOGY STONEY BALONEY

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This month, The Leaf debates pharmaceutical pot.

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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 / N O RT H E AS T L E A F

A B O U T T H E C OV E R What is more essential than Cannabis? At the heart of our magazine this month is the utility knife-like nature of this miracle medicine. We looked to Massachusettsbased illustrator Mike Curato to bring to life our concept for a Swiss Army amalgamation of tools one might need for their Cannabis world. Curato is an illustrator and author of children’s books and is most well known for his Little Elliot series. “The cover artwork,” says Curato, “was drawn with pencil and paper and colored digitally (while perhaps having an edible).” His recently released debut young adult graphic novel “Flamer” has been met with critical acclaim. Learn more at mikecurato.com.

ART by MIKE CURATO @MIKE_CURATO

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Editor’s Note Thanks for picking up our first Essential Issue of the Leaf! 2020 WILL go down in history for a lot of reasons, but one shining moment is the day that San Francisco declared Cannabis as essential business during the first COVID shutdown. Out of all the highs and lows in my decade of Cannabis publishing, that was the first moment I truly believed Cannabis would become completely legal in my lifetime.

To understand this sentiment, let me unpack the statement: Being deemed essential means that Cannabis is necessary for tax revenue, jobs, medicine and recreation. It also paves the way for the right to grow Cannabis as a constitutionally protected liberty – the right to pursue happiness and health, as intended by our forefaFROM MY DESK thers who crafted the laws that govern our great country. IN SEATTLE, POT IS STILL

ILLEGAL From my desk in Seattle, pot is still illegal to grow without a TO GROW commercial license. It’s also a felony to have more than 40 grams of flower in Washington state, and there are no protections for pa- WITHOUT A COMMERCIAL tients, parents, employees or drivers who choose to use Cannabis LICENSE. safely. To me, that is not legal – it’s simply regulated and taxed for the purpose of control, not part of an essential liberty that citizens intended when they voted for “legalization” without reading the fine print.

Having lived under the shadow of fake legalization for years, hearing that pot was being declared essential gave me hope that it would lead to people standing up for their rights – and working together to free our plant for all purposes and backyards. And since that sunny day in the Bay when dispensaries were allowed to reopen the Cannabis industry, we’ve seen huge growth and newfound acceptance, as well as five new states joining the recreational and medicinal movement to bring much needed relief to their citizens in the 2020 elections. Cannabis is essential to so many lives, in so many ways, that it really is the Swiss Army knife of plants. Even if you aren’t in pain or struggling, go smoke a fatty and you will likely feel better. And feeling better is essential to us emerging from the pandemic as a more grateful, connected and stoned society. I hope you enjoy our exploration of how Cannabis is essential, and how we see change that brings it closer to legal with each passing day. Thank you for reading and sharing our special plant!

-Wes Abney FEB. 2021

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CALIFORNIA SEES NO RISE IN FREQUENCY OF CANNABIS USE BY YOUNG ADULTS POST-LEGALIZATION

UFC’S KNOCKOUT BLOW FOR TESTING

dult-use legalization in California isn’t associated with any increase in the frequency of Cannabis use by young adults, according to data published in the scientific journal Addictive Behaviors, reports NORML. Researchers with the University of California at San Diego examined Cannabis use patterns among 563 young adults (18-24) in California in the years immediately prior to and following enactment of legalization. “Contrary to our expectations, frequency of marijuana use did not change significantly after legalization and was stable throughout three years of observation,” the study’s authors wrote.

years passed between the federal legalization of hemp and the finalized federal regulations on the crop.

FEB. 2021

medical marijuana bills were introduced by Neb. lawmakers in the January session.

percent of all drug arrests between 2010 and 2018 in Indiana were for Cannabis possession.

FC announced on January 14 a formal change to its anti-doping policy, making Cannabis OK for incompetition fighters, reports CBS Sports. The only time athletes would be punished for using Cannabis or cannabinoids would be if “additional evidence exists that an athlete used it intentionally for performanceenhancing purposes.” “While we want to continue to prevent athletes from competing under the influence of marijuana, we have learned that urinary levels of carboxy-THC are highly variable after out-of-competition use and have poor scientific correlation to in-competition impairment,” said UFC Senior Vice President Jeff Novitzky. “The bottom line is that in regard to marijuana, we care about what an athlete consumed the day of a fight, not days or weeks before a fight, which has often been the case in our historic positive THC cases,” Novizky said.

percent more Cannabis was bought by Americans in 2020 than in 2019.

2,392 new Cannabis cultivation permits were issued by Oklahoma, surpassing California by 88 licenses.

$18.4m was the amount of money paid to Irwin Simon of Aphria, the highest-paid Cannabis CEO in Canada, in 2019.

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east coast

OREGON SALES TOP $1 BILLION IN 2020

regon adult-use Cannabis sales soared in 2020, peaking despite a challenging summer of COVID-19 lockdowns and racial justice protests, reports the AP. The state’s marijuana merchants logged a record year of business, according to numbers from the Oregon Liquor Control Commission, which oversees Cannabis sales in the state. Total marijuana sales in Oregon jumped from $795 million to more than $1 billion – $1,110,520,723, to be precise – for the year 2020. Adult-use Cannabis sales skyrocketed in March when Gov. Kate Brown instituted a pandemic-related stay-at-home order and other restrictions. Sales numbers spiked 20 percent that month and stayed robust all year. In May, Cannabis sales in Oregon topped $100 million for the first time ever. Sales then topped $100 million in each of the three months that followed as well, peaking at $106 million in July.

NEW HAMPSHIRE ADVOCATES CONTINUE LEGALIZATION EFFORT GOV. CUOMO

LEGALIZATION

NEW YORK EYES LEGAL CANNABIS

ov. Andrew Cuomo has announced a proposal to legalize Cannabis for adult use in New York as part of the 2021 State of the State address he began on January 11. “IT WOULD HAVE A BIGGER New York would join 15 other states to IMPACT ON THE UPSTATE legalize adult-use marijuana, including ECONOMY THAN THE neighbors Massachusetts and New Jersey, CRAFT BEER INDUSTRY DOES,” and Vermont in the Northeast. “It would have a bigger impact on the upstate economy than the craft beer industry does,” said Allan Gandelman, president of the New York Cannabis Growers and Processors Association. “If this is done correctly, we will see a billion dollars in total revenue for the adult-use program in the first full year of operating in New York state.” According to Gandelman, the biggest factors will be the types and number of licenses was added, acreages allowed for cultivation and taxation levels.

annabis advocates are continuing their push to legalize adult-use marijuana in New Hampshire, but the effort faces a forbidding path in the GOP-controlled Legislature, reports The Center Square. A bipartisan bill filed in the N.H. House of Representatives in January would, if approved, legalize adult-use Cannabis for those 21-and-older and set up a system of regulation and taxation that would allow retail sales. “The battle continues,” said Rep. Rebecca McWilliams, a Democrat from Concord who is a primary sponsor of the bill. “We keep refining it and negotiating it and trying to come up with something that could potentially get to the two-thirds vote needed to override the governor’s veto.” Republican Gov. Chris Sununu is a firm opponent of legalization.

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Remembering

MIRACLE

MADDIE A mother’s tribute to the power of Cannabis. by MEAGAN HOLT

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A CANNABIS WARRIOR HAS PASSED

ADELINE, OR MIRACLE MADDIE AS MOST PEOPLE KNEW HER, suffered from an extremely rare terminal genetic disease called Zellweger Syndrome. There is no cure or course of treatment for this devastating disease and upon diagnosis, parents are told “cherish the time that you have” and “she won’t be here long.” In just a few fleeting moments, all the dreams you had of watching your child grow and become an incredible adult are quickly shattered. Thoughts of what college she might get into or what kind of person she might marry, quickly turn into what funeral home should we select and what kind of service should we have. While my little warrior’s time here was short, in those eight years my daughter proved that anything is possible.

FEB. 2021

PHOTOS COURTESY HOLT FAMILY

MADDIE’S CANNABIS JOURNEY BEGAN IN THE SPRING OF 2015, WITH AN AVERAGE OF ONE YEAR OF LIFE EXPECTANCY.

So, when she reached her second birthday, we were elated. However, this was also when she began to develop seizures, and not just any seizures, but large, life-threatening seizures where she would convulse for up to two hours, require CPR, and was unresponsive to traditional epileptics – which was the worst part. In a desperate act to save her, I advocated that her medical team do everything possible to save my little girl and therefore, within eight weeks, she was on 26 pharmaceutical medications: phenobarbital, methadone, gabapentin, keppra, dilaudid, zonisamide, lacosamide and clonidine – just to mention a few by name. All of these drugs did nothing but take her further away from me, as she also lost what little skills she had, slept most of the day and began requiring oxygen to breathe, while the light in her eyes was fading. One afternoon, after an extremely disturbing episode where Maddie required maximum CPR, a decision had to be made – transition Maddie to hospice care and trade quantity of life for quality of life. No more CPR, no more painful tests, and no more drugs. This is where this mama has to get real and say the one thing most people reading this are already thinking: “I could never give up on my child. I could never stop fighting.” And while nodding in agreement with the advisers to the plans being made, I couldn’t help but wonder if there was something we were missing. Something that could give her the quality of life she deserved. Over roughly four days and close to 14 hours later, I had researched every possibility – and this was when I found full plant Cannabis medicine. Again, I’m sure people are wondering why we didn’t just give her CBD, and if we were worried about THC. Simply put: No. When you watch opiates take your child’s breath away or watch her withdraw between doses of methadone, you realize that nothing can be worse. My intentions with Cannabis were grim and during Maddie’s life, I spoke candidly about the true intent of giving my daughter Cannabis. Cannabis was never meant to be some miracle for Maddie. I knew she would never be a Leni or Makayla success story because for little Maddie, Cannabis was meant to help her die, not live. My only intent when I began to give her the plant was to give her the

For more on Maddie’s journey, listen to Show #1 C A N N A B I S A S M E D I C I N E LeafLifePodcast.com

Interview by Wes Abney/Nor thwest Leaf @nwleaf Photos by Daniel Berman @bermanphotos

Maddie’s story in the May 2018 Behind the Scenes Issue touched Northwest Leaf readers | www.tinyurl.com/leafmaddie.

power to choose when she was ready, and not when the drugs or the disease decided it was time. I am also happy to say that Cannabis gave us so much more. FROM THAT FIRST DOSE OF CANNABIS, IT WAS LIKE TURNING THE LIGHTS ON.

It ignited her in a way I had never seen before. Immediately, she began breathing through her seizures – and within a couple of weeks the grand mal seizures completely stopped, and she was quickly taken off of two medications that no longer served a purpose. While Cannabis continued to help Maddie thrive in some areas, it did not, however, stop her disease from continuing to progress. In the summer of 2017, Maddie had a massive internal bleed and it was discovered that not only was she in liver failure, but she needed emergency surgery. Despite being an eight-hour procedure, she not only did it but she did it opiate-free, and was discharged just 10 days after her procedure. By the winter of 2017, Maddie was off all but four pharmaceuticals and her cognitive abilities had skyrocketed. She began relearning sign language, was vocalizing and even speaking a few words, started playing with switch-activated toys, and even started doing physical therapy again. Maddie’s “The only medication health got so good that administered at the she was even end of her life was discharged off Cannabis. Cannabis hospice twice, allowed her to be 641 for a few months each days seizure-free, time.

350 days opiate-free, and 1,141 days no benzodiazepines.”

In early 2018, another amazing person came into Maddie’s life. Her “Ahah,” Chad. Chad played a crucial role not just in helping me perfect Maddie’s Cannabis regimen, but was also the friend she needed. One of the few people willing to get on her level and just be with her, within six months of being in our lives, Chad successfully helped me wean Maddie off her final opiate. Then our dear friend, Ben from True Terpenes, graciously gifted little Maddie a terpene kit after discovering how responsive she was to the terps in the medicine she was receiving. Beta-caryophyllene, myrcene and linalool are what helped her fight opiate withdrawal and opened my eyes to a whole new world of possibilities for my little girl. Terpenes became an active part of Maddie’s pain control and for helping us “set the mood” when she did have to go into the hospital. In 2018, her liver dove into advanced end-stage failure and she began requiring blood transfusions roughly every 14 days. She was re-admitted into hospice and her team warned us that receiving blood products so frequently was not sustainable and that most people will succumb to either heart failure or they simply stop tolerating the blood. These transfusions quickly became a part of our day-to-day life for the next two years. October 23, 2020 Maddie left us. And while the moments of a person’s death are rarely graceful or beautiful, I will say that Maddie’s final moments were exactly what I had always hoped for in her final moments – and I was left with a natural smile. The only medication administered at the end of her life was Cannabis. Cannabis allowed her to be 641 days seizure-free, 350 days opiate-free, and 1,141 days no benzodiazepines. In the end, Maddie was the one

who chose when it was time to take that last breath. Not the drugs. Not the disease. Her. Losing a child is an indescribable feeling. You feel completely out of control and in that moment, being able to hold her, being able to feel a semblance of normalcy was enough to help me see. See that her death was really a rebirth. A passing of the torch. MADDIE’S LEGACY WAS SPREADING LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS AND NOW IT’S OUR TURN TO CONTINUE THAT LEGACY.

In addition to me beginning an undergraduate program for political science at a prestigious university, we have started a family lifestyle blog, The Hand That Heals. We also founded a nonprofit in her name, Maddie’s Hand, and have been spreading light in other people’s lives in every way we can, including sharing our grief journey. Maddie was and always will be the definition of what an advocate should be. Humble, kind, spunky and resilient, she spoke few words and yet could silence a room and move you to tears just by being in her presence, just by sensing her energy. Her entire life she stood up for others and some of her advocacy included: Snohomish County March of Dimes Ambassador Baby for 2014, helping Seattle Children’s Hospital develop a procedure for the off-policy use of Cannabis, PBS story “No Car, No Care” about Medicaid transportation, Maddie’s Law (which would allow children to use Cannabis inside of schools), an interview highlighting Cannabis and its ability to provide cognitive relief from Mr. Chris Ulmer of Special Books by Special Kids, a Cannabis massage photo published on National Geographic’s Instagram, and so much more. It is no surprise that on her last day

here she was advocating. Advocating that the hospice that assisted us in her end of life not be sold to private profiteers. So, as you peruse Northwest Leaf magazine and continue your day-today life, remember this: Death is a part of life. It is not something to fear or hide from. It is only when we hide from our darkness that we lose control over it. Never give up your power. Never underestimate the power of hope and love. Chad and I also wanted to highlight the two companies that, in the end, were there for us: Skagit Organics – specifically Angela – for helping us perfect Maddie’s blends and dosing in a way we never thought was possible, and to the entire staff at PRC – especially Max, Caleb, Tommy, Matt, Thomas and Melia – for being incredible and for truly understanding our needs every time we came into the store. Maddie’s “service” is going to be unlike anything you have seen – a festival of life honoring her life through art, music and dance. This event is tentatively scheduled for April 1, 2021, pending the COVID-19 pandemic. We are planning on having an art gallery, live music and a laser light show to honor her. We are currently working on collecting special memories of Maddie, so whether you met her or just heard her story, we want to hear them. We are putting together a few special things for her celebration of life, and want to ensure all of these stories are included. For more information about her celebration (including how to RSVP, all are welcome), to submit a memory, or to donate to help make this event possible, please send an email to thehandthatheals.37@gmail.com.

JOINT/COUNTERJOINT

PERSPECTIVES

THIS MONTH, THE LEAF DEBATES...PHARMACEUTICAL POT

Counterjoint? Are you with Joint or the issue of on Where do you stand and style ale -sc cal pharmaceuti methods? d an g win gro s Cannabi #JointCointerjoint

Each month, we task two Leaf Nation contributors to debate both sides of a controversial subject. As with all debates, these are assigned positions that are being defended for the sake of an argument and education, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the writer, our staff, or our organization.

‘‘

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While the average stoner is drooling over the Weedmaps menu in legal states, big pharma has been plotting their profit-driven takeover of pot for the last 20 years.

Should we turn our natural plant over to the same big JOINT BY WES ABNEY pharma companies that poisoned our country for profit with opiates and massive overprescription of pills? I say no!

The future of Cannabis medicines will certainly involve science – so don’t take me for a “whole plant and nothing but the plant” type of activist. After all, I love getting scientifically processed and purged concentrates that are tested for harmful pesticides and chemicals, which produces a much tastier product than the open-blasted BHO of my Cannabis youth. But we must not let our quest for safer products lead to handing control of our plant over to either government regulators or big pharma. Cannabis has been consumed by humans for thousands of years, and many states are still fighting to have access to Cannabis medicine, let alone getting baked recreationally. While the average stoner is drooling over the Weedmaps menu in legal states, big pharma has been plotting their profit-driven takeover of pot for the last 20 years. Need proof? Google Sativex – GW Pharmaceuticals’ attempt to patent and control Cannabis medicine in the UK and beyond, with a terrible synthetic version of a tincture that can be made in any home kitchen. There’s also the Phylos BioScience betrayal of thousands of growers – who submitted their genetics to learn about their plants’ lineage – but later learned Phylos was harvesting information to submit patents and had ties to big pharma money. Their goal? To create genetically modified plants that can be grown with minimal human contact. Personally, I want to smoke GMO (Grandpa’s Mouth Odor) flower, not genetically modified garbage from a mega-grow. We’ve proven in the last decade that Cannabis provides incredible benefits naturally, whether by smoking the flower, vaporizing concentrates, eating edibles or extracts like FECO, or through topicals and transdermals. There are thousands of high-end products that are produced naturally, with love, by a human being paid to get their hands dirty as they grow our favorite plant. Do we need big pharma to change this? Absolutely not. We should free the plant for all people to grow and share, not regulate it further and take it out of the soil and the hands of farmers. You can make nearly every product necessary for a medicinal treatment in your kitchen, and anything you can’t is readily available from a focused, local craft producer. That is freedom – choosing our own medicine, who makes it, and with an intention to heal – not just profit.

FEB. 2021

COUNTERJOINT BY TOM BOWERS There’s a simple beauty in being able to plant a seed and grow your own medicine.

As homegrown, plant-based therapy, Cannabis provides safe, clean relief for millions of people. But not everyone can grow their own Cannabis plants. In fact, most people can’t – and those people rely on increasingly larger companies to produce their medicine. Cannabis continues to transform from homegrown medicine into large-scale industry, and as more and more consumers come to rely on its benefits for their lives, it’s a foregone conclusion that the modern pharmaceutical and medical industry will play a role in this growth. It’s already happening. While this development will bring its share of complicated downsides – these are the same people accountable for the opioid crisis, after all – there are upsides to the situation. When it comes to When it comes to medicine, a few indispensable traits come to medicine, a few mind: It needs to be clean. It needs to be consistent. It needs to be indispensable traits precisely dosed. It needs to be widely available. come to mind: It needs to The modern pharmaceutical industry already has the infrabe clean. It needs to be consistent. It needs to be structure, distribution channels, standards and processes to meet precisely dosed. It needs these criteria. Their labs are among the most clean, controlled to be widely available. environments on the planet – and they are accustomed to producing and distributing billions of precisely dialed doses of their medicines globally, with an efficiency so ingrained that it almost seems effortless. Imagine what that level of organization could do for bringing Cannabis medicine to people all over the globe... Sure, there are glaring downsides. In a bloodthirsty quest for shareholder value, the pharmaceutical industry will attempt to patent genetics and processes, seek to outlaw home cultivation, and will no doubt try to force their own, proprietary synthetic cannabinoid blends on the public. It’s like that person you work with who’s amazing at their job, but is also a complete asshole. We will have to learn to work with the modern medical industry before we get to where we’re going – that’s unavoidable. We need to be creative and unwavering in our fight for the plant and the rights of the people who rely on it, and at the same time, try to reap the benefits of infrastructure provided by a monolithic global capitalistic behemoth – without being destroyed in the process. Easy-peasy.

‘‘

A DEBATE by WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX & TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS/LEAF NATION

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EXPERT OPINION

HEMP INDUSTRY W

hat will it take? A steady and growing supply of fiber-specific hemp being grown in bulk, and the processing infrastructure to convert that hemp into cardboard. The first part is agricultural and the latter is manufacturing, and the two must be developed in tandem. Why grow hemp fiber if there’s no demand for it? Plus, a hemp cardboard factory needs plant material in bulk at a price that makes economic sense.

STEP ONE: Farmers need to grow hemp at the scale they now grow corn, wheat and soybeans. Farmers need to grow hemp fiber cultivars that produce long, strong fiber and lots of it, ideally adjacent to other farms doing the same thing – creating a centralized source of raw hemp fiber.

It’s All About Hemp Packaging, Not Hemp Toilet Paper

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ADOBE/ARTJAZZ

PACK IT UP! I’M THE PRESIDENT OF LEBLANC CNE and we began growing hemp several years ago for fiber, not just CBD extraction. We work with papermakers as our test kitchens for hemp paper production. I see discarded cardboard everywhere. Flattened boxes occupy a disproportionate amount of household and commercial trash. Everyone is ordering online during the pandemic, resulting in a flood of individual purchases often shipped in single boxes. Recycled or not, that represents far too many trees being cut. Here’s my vision: Amazon and the USPS switch to tree-free boxes. They commit to shifting from wood products to hemp, bamboo and other renewable fiber sources. They need to invest in those already making hemp fiber products and help others by incubating this new industry. Pay a premium for non-tree packaging. Educate entrepreneurs and farmers by teaching them what you want. The packaging industry needs to pivot knowing it’s a long term investment – an investment for all of us – not just their stockholders.

What if Amazon and the USPS switched to tree-free boxes?

FEB. 2021

STEP TWO: Why not use the existing paper and cardboard manufacturing factories? The current paper and cardboard industry is fine tuned to wood pulp. Hemp is neither a hardwood nor a softwood. Removing the bast on the outside from the hurd on the inside is not the same as stripping bark from a log. The wood pulp chemistry isn’t the same as hemp. For example, pectin binds the individual bast fibers together, as well as lignin and hemicellulose. It’s almost better to build hemp cardboard factories from scratch. In a perfect world I see hemp fiber factories

smack dab in the middle of hemp farm country. Moving fiber from farm to factory should be quick and cheap. The corn belt is the ideal candidate, especially the Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota and Iowa. Lots of land, lots of tractors and other farm equipment, access to trains and highways, and a strong farming tradition. Bonus: There’s no existing outdoor recreational Cannabis industry, so cross pollination is a non-issue. Let’s start integrating hemp farming into 4H, educating local county extension agents and making agricultural schools our partners. In the end, hemp is just another crop. Small companies are the ones doing the cutting edge work with hemp fiber. These are entrepreneurial hemp activists looking towards the future, quietly doing the work somewhat out of sight. This industry will grow and grow quickly. Now is the time to jumpstart, nurture and foster an American hemp fiber industry. Are you listening Amazon? I see far too many of your discarded boxes on the curb come trash day. Recycled or not, at some point a tree was cut. Incentivize the market. Invest in innovators. Plant the seeds of a hemp packaging industry. A crumb from your table can be a feast at another’s.

CO L U M N b y J E R RY WH I T I NG f o r L E A F NAT IO N // T HE HE M P KI TE . CO M

PHOTO BY @SONDERFELTLLC FOR LEAF NATION

for march 2021 ad pricing & inquiries email ricker@leafmagazines.com FOLLOW ALONG: NWLEAF.COM | @NWLEAF | #NORTHWESTLEAF

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BudsGarage.com | Everett WA 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.

LOCAL NEWS

MUSIC WITH A MESSAGE Now through the end of March, local nonprofit Seattle World Tour is teaming up with three revered dispensaries – The Reef, The Bakeréé, and Clutch Cannabis – taking food donations benefiting Rainier Valley Food Bank.

BACKGROUND The annual Seattle

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World Tour, traditionally a showcase of local musicians performing in historic venues across Seattle to raise money for people in need, is changing its format in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the previous two years, the group has put on an annual campaign of five shows at five different venues with five different lineups, five nights in a row. This year, the newly formed Seattle World Tour Foundation will launch a number of campaigns throughout the year, starting with the “Music with a Message” series, a three-month digital and physical campaign featuring a diverse range of 12 Seattle artists.

“Based on the success of the past two Seattle World Tours and the reality that we will not be able to host in-person shows till 2022, we knew we had to find a creative way to meet our joint goals of rallying artists to use their platform to support the most vulnerable in our community and providing a showcase for worthy artists, many of whom are POCs who are already making a difference in their own communities,” said Seth McDonald, co-founder of Seattle World Tour Foundation.

THE NONPROFIT

The goal of the “Music With A Message” series is to raise food donations and funds for Rainier Valley Food Bank and South King County & Eastside COVID Mutual Aid. Each week, The Seattle World Tour Foundation will be featuring one artist – starting with a full episode and accompanying content throughout the week with a full in-studio performance, interview, and information on homelessness in our local area. Local sponsors helped cover the production of the

series and the start of donations, with many thanks to local Cannabis companies The Reef, The Bakeréé, Clutch, Suspended Brands, Craft Elixirs and Torus for making this series happen.

GET INVOLVED

Enjoy all the shows, as well as make monetary donations online at www.seattleworldtour.org, or donate food items and other necessities at Clutch Cannabis, The Reef Capitol Hill, and the Georgetown and Greenwood locations of The Bakeréé through March.

ARTIST LINE UP

Sol, All-Star Opera, La Fonda, MistaDC, Taylar Elizza Beth, KingYoungblood, Nobi, Emma Lee Toyoda, Sendai Era, Scarlett Parke, Remember Face, and Claudine Magbag.

Each week, The Seattle World Tour Foundation will be featuring one artist – starting with a full episode and accompanying content throughout the week with a full in-studio performance, interview, and information on homelessness in our local area. SEATTLEWORLDTOUR.COM

FEB. 2021

SUBMITTED by JESSE CODLING/THE REEF SEATTLE

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interview

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

TYLER LOVING NORTHWEST LEAF BUDTENDER OF THE MONTH

Tyler loves the premise of Star Trek where the world is more accepting of individual diversity. When not behind the counter, he enjoys heeding the siren’s call from his boat when in Puget Sound, and is looking forward to a healing and healthy year ahead.

LOVING FARMS IS A FAMILY-OWNED SHOP HEADED BY YOUR BROTHER. WHO GAVE WHO THE WEDGIES GROWING UP? I gave

him the wedgies – I’m older and bigger! My mom and dad are part owners, and aunts and uncles, too. It’s definitely a family affair.

SO, WHAT IS THAT LIKE BEING A BUDTENDER IN THE FAMILY BIZ? I’m super

proud of what I do. We’re actually the only locally owned shop in Mt. Vernon and it’s brought us all closer together – and we were already really close. It’s been a fun six years. I sell a lot of weed to friends and family and we’ve been in this valley forever, so we know a lot of our customers from the community. YOU WERE BORN WITH EHLERS-DANLOS SYNDROME. PLEASE TELL US ABOUT THAT.

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It causes a lot of bruising and inflammation, and Cannabis is the best medicine for it. I take it orally and it cuts back on the inflammation and alleviates the pain in my joints – and takes the edge off. I spread the message to all my fellow zebras in the Ehlers-Danlos community. ZEBRAS? Yeah, we look normal but have different stripes.

“MT. VERNON IS THE PUNK ROCK CAPITAL OF THE WORLD.”

WHAT’S THE BEST THING ABOUT LIVING IN MT. VERNON? Mt. Vernon is the punk rock

capital of the world.

LOVING FARMS 2615 OLD HIGHWAY 99 S, MT. VERNON, WA (360) 419-9700 LOVINGFARMSMARIJUANASTORE.COM @LOVING__FARMS

FEB. 2021

REALLY? I COULD HAVE SWORN THAT WOULD’VE BEEN NEW YORK OR LONDON.

It’s in Washington now. It’s in Skagit Valley.

WELL, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU NEED TO GET THAT ENGRAVED ON THE WELCOME TO MT. VERNON SIGN AND REPLACE THE TULIP WITH A SMASHED GUITAR. Pierced tulips!

INTERVIEW by MIKE RICKER @RICKERDJ | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS/NORTHWEST LEAF

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Featuring some of the most important people in the cannabis industry

Jorge Cervantes, Kyle Kushman, Tommy Chong, Aaron from DNA Genetics, Jenn Doe, Milo from Big Buddha Seeds, Swerve from The Cali Connection, Ed Rosenthal, Chemdog, Adam Dunn

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WHIDBEY ISLAND CANNABIS CO.

FEB. 2021

FREELAND

The Island Anchor THE BALLAST For a seasoned seaman, the anchor is a symbol of safety. It holds the ship in place, representing strength and security. And once you disembark the ferry from Mukilteo to make your way toward the north star of this island, the first barge of Cannabis fortifications you will witness is this pleasant shop. And when the car is parked and you find yourself skipping toward the doors, you will pass the giant mooring that is dug into the earth, providing the guarantee that you have arrived at a place of assurance.

WHIDBEY ISLAND CANNABIS CO. 1860 SCOTT RD, FREELAND OPEN 9AM-8PM DAILY (360) 321-6151 WHIDBEYISLANDCANNABISCO.COM @_WHIDBEYISLANDCANNABIS_

ON DECK If these bulkheads could speak, they would tell many tales. Assembled in the 1930s, this structure has served many purposes. Having once been a butcher shop and another time a real estate company, you get the sense that this one is here to stay. Because with the white-washed rafters that catch the clouds’ reflection through the skylights, the nautical draw is unmistakable. Throw a subtle, yet noticeable sound system creating a generous atmosphere in there, and you’ve found your home at last.

THE CAPTAIN For a few years after opening, there was a slight lack of direction for this little company, and the seasoned locals of Whidbey have always been skeptical of newcomers with intentions of capitalizing on the heritage. But with the arrival of Kathy McCoy twoand-a-half years ago, the ship was righted through the rough waters. The result has been a 300% uptick in business, achieved by implementing an environment steadied by a lighthearted atmosphere and empowered by a sense of pride in the budtenders she’s handpicked. Her message has been to simply appreciate the moment and celebrate the opportunity to be thriving in this special industry, which has equated to successful interactions with said locals. And that’s the Whidbey Island way.

THE CREW Each of the members of this sparkling team offers fresh eyes of perspective with a tangible degree of eagerness. Having proven themselves through their love of weed and respect for the island aesthetic, they recognize that Cannabis is not just about getting high, but also helping people embrace empathy. Whether their love for the plant is simply a hobby or a chosen career goal, it is all about improving quality of life. And when these sailors take shore leave, you’ll find sisters Megan and Kati rock climbing, while Trevor and Taylir strap on the snowboards. Steven is a true gamer and James likes beaches and bonfires. These are passions driven by Cannabis, often celebrated through outside terpene talks around the anchor.

THE GALLEY Everything begins with FLOWER. Here you’ll find the Dutch Brothers Fruit Loops bursting with flavor. The Pioneer Nuggets are the #1 seller, but don’t overlook the Island Gro that’s delivered directly by the owners from their farm in nearby Oak Harbor. For VAPE CARTS there’s Washington’s Original CO2 company WAM Oil, and you’ll find Walden Cannabis’ clean green certified distillate with added terps. If you love DABS, Select Cannabis offers really good grams for 45 bucks. They also carry Dank Czar Lemon Cane, Cherry Mamba and Pineapple Sundae solventless hash rosin flavors. For EDIBLES, try the Sweet June’s pretzels and the Kalisto Chocolates. You’ll also find gluten free, vegan 1:1 Hash Bars from Trip’s Kitchen! Also, the full array of Mr. Moxey’s infused mints and Journeyman Jellies will round off your day. And last but not least, TOPICALS are always a nice way to spoil yourself. Be sure to try the Rub-ADubshot by Topshelf, simply made with 200ml of CBD, 100ml of THC and coconut oil. And hey, in the summer months look for the Whidbey Island Lobster Food Truck for mouth-watering meals!

WHETHER THEIR LOVE FOR THE PLANT IS SIMPLY A HOBBY OR A CHOSEN CAREER GOAL, IT IS ALL ABOUT IMPROVING QUALITY OF LIFE.

STORY by MIKE RICKER @RICKERDJ | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS/NORTHWEST LEAF

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STRAIN OF THE MONTH

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THIS IS OLD SCHOOL, SKUNKY AND FUNKY WEED, WITH NO HOLDS BARRED AS IT SMACKS YOU IN THE FACE WITH A EUPHORIC, STONEY BUZZ.

GROWN BY

CEDAR CREEK FARMS feb. 2021

KNOWN AS ORIGINAL GANGSTER OR OCEAN GROWN, THE HISTORY OF OG KUSH IS ESSENTIAL TO TODAY’S GROWING POT MARKET, AND AN ARCHETYPAL STRAIN WORTHY OF ATTENTION AS IT CONTINUES TO DEFINE FLAVOR AND EFFECTS FOR DECADES OF GROWERS AND STONERS.

G KUSH 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

From Florida roots with Matt “Bubba” Berger to the ‘90s Los Angeles Cannabis scene – where growing legend Josh D developed the strain to prominence – OG Kush has teased with beautiful buds and loud flavor that dominated the world of Cannabis for decades. OG Kush led to beloved strains like Girl Scout Cookies and Headband, as well as many other crosses that we have smoked and loved. But we have an affinity for the classics, and for our Essential Issue we chose to throw it back to a strain that is still tasty and relevant – not to mention the reason we have so many other stellar strains that we know and love today. The OG Kush has old school bag appeal with solid, medium density yet fluffy buds that are covered in an equal mix of red hairs and frosty trichomes. Tearing into a mylar releases a rich, sour cloud of earthy, lemon-lime zest that tickles the nose with bright, powerful terpenes. Easily one of the most iconic flavor profiles, these terps are timeless. This is old school, skunky and funky weed, with no holds barred as it smacks you in the face with a euphoric, stoney buzz. Ripping into a 25.46% THC bowl delivers a clean, easy smoke that coats the palate with a piney-kush tingle that leaves lips smacking long after the last exhale. The smoke exits cleanly and burns evenly with a white ash, a testament to the clean growing and curing processes bringing the flower to market. Effects start rushing into the mind quickly, delivering that essential feeling of being stoned. Not super energetic, not super sleepy – just happy, stoned and probably hungry. And if you aren’t hungry, give it another bowl and a half hour – the munchies will come calling. Like a hug from an old friend, this OG Kush welcomes new and old school stoners alike with a friendly, let’s get baked and bake some cookies type of buzz that is much needed as we wait for winter to turn to spring. Cedar Creek Cannabis is grown in Vancouver in a pesticide-free indoor environment with genetics that go back 30 years. They process their own flower into a full lineup of concentrates, pre-rolls, edibles, tinctures and topicals, which ensures that the care for the product is in the process from start to finish. With tasty options from simple syrups to strain-specific diamonds, there is a ton of value and flavor to be discovered at Cedar Creek Cannabis. CEDARCREEKCANNABIS.COM | @CDRCRK | LIGHTLY STONEY HYBRID

Essential!

the ESSENTIAL issue

ABOUT THE SPECIAL

Shortly after the COVID crisis careened into our lives like a flaming truck packed with irradiated skunk carcasses, something happened that no one could have predicted: Our fearful leaders declared the Cannabis industry essential to the survival of our society. Essential. That word carries weight. It shoulders everything it touches with necessary gravity.

nwlEAF.COM

For those whose lives are impacted by the plant, it can be a matter of the quality of life, and even the difference between life and death. FEB. 2021

But what does it mean to be essential? And why does the Cannabis community – until recent years the green-clad parolee at the family dinner table – suddenly merit the classification from the same governmental bodies that once sought to destroy it? Let’s start with easily measurable metrics. In 2020, the estimated employment statistic for the adult-use Cannabis industry neared 300,000, according to a July report by MJ Biz Daily. That’s up from 211,000 in 2019. That same report models those stats to hit more than half a million legally employed, tax-paying workers in the Cannabis sector by 2024. It’s a staggering figure, when you consider it only accounts for legal-market states, and doesn’t take into account employment in the unregulated Cannabis market, which is exponentially greater, but much harder to track. That’s a lot of bills paid and people fed – something this country needs, desperately. For more easily identifiable proof of the indispensability of indica, look at the money. In its first year of adult-use, Cannabis hit $1billion in combined sales in Illinois, according to figures from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. And that’s on a base of only 82 licensed dispensaries. If that seems like a huge number, look at California during the same timespan. The state clocked more than $1 billion in Cannabis tax revenue alone, according to the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, from total sales estimated to exceed $5 billion. That’s a lot of cabbage. But the concept of essentialism goes beyond mere money. For those whose lives are impacted by the plant, it can be a matter of the quality of life, and even the difference between life and death. In the following pages, we explore the concept of Cannabis essentialism by taking a close look at fine details in the fabric of the grand tapestry. We speak with a teenage racecar driver and NASCAR hopeful from Maryland whose life was literally saved by Cannabis, and who pushed for legislation that improved the lives of patients all over his home state. We share the stories of individuals and families pulling up stakes and moving across the country for the promise of a career and a paycheck in the legal market. We explore the past, present and future of public consumption and the concept of cannabinoids as medicine. In this, our first Essential Issue, we attempt to identify and define some of the ways in which Cannabis has become indispensable in all of our lives.

STORY by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS/LEAF NATION | PHOTO by ADOBE/WOLLERTZ

the ESSENTIAL issue

Connor’s Courage Three years ago, teenage racecar driver Connor Sheffield was in a sprint for his life. Plagued since early childhood with a progressive disease that rendered him unable to digest food, Sheffield approached his 13th birthday at a withered 74 pounds.

But his is not a tragic story. The tale of 16-year-old Sheffield is one of a young man driven to win against overwhelming opposition. It’s a story of survival, of the strength of family, and of beating the odds. It has racecars, heroic budtenders, inspiring speeches – and more racecars. And at the center of it all is Cannabis.

nwlEAF.COM

DRIVEN BY A DIAGNOSIS

Sheffield and his family spent his childhood struggling with the fact that he simply couldn’t eat. “We thought it was just normal,” said Tricia Sheffield, Connor’s mom. “You know, like someone has acid reflux or something. But as Connor got older, things just kept getting progressively worse.” Connor wasn’t thriving and despite their best efforts, the experts at esteemed medical facilities couldn’t offer hope. The doctors at Boston Children’s Hospital diagnosed him with Gastrointestinal Motility Pseudo Obstruction and Dysphagia, a progressive disease that has no cure or treatment plan. In and out of the hospital, he underwent several procedures and had to have portions of his bowels removed. He had to be put on a feeding tube and when that stopped working, he had to be fed intravenously. Sheffield couldn’t find hope. Then, at the age of nine, his parents suggested racing. “When I was younger, I played baseball, I played football, I was going to get into lacrosse,” Sheffield said.

FEB. 2021

“But because my medical conditions were getting worse and worse, I couldn’t perform. I couldn’t participate. We didn’t know that racing required a lot of strength and endurance – so we got into it, and then we found out.” In a life marked by fatigue and struggle, racing drove Sheffield forward. “I love the speed, the competition, the people you meet – everything,” said Sheffield. “I even love the stress that comes with it … There’s something about going to the track.” LIFE-SAVING MEDICINE

Though driving a racecar helped, hope sustains the mind, not the body. Racing, which was far more physically demanding than the Sheffields predicted it would be, started to take its toll. Connor considered quitting. “We thought that if he gave up on racing, that he would give up on himself,” Tricia said. It was then that a friend named Bobby Windsor directed them to his medical Cannabis dispensary in Perryville, Maryland – aptly named Nature’s Care and Wellness. “She had come to her wits end,” Windsor said of Tricia. “I just said, ‘You have to come in. You have to give it a try.’”

The Sheffields were doubtful. “At first I was against it,” Tricia said. “I didn’t think it was medicine – I thought it was a way to get high.” After Windsor’s urging and a little research, they paid a visit to the dispensary. “Connor was so sick that day, he could barely keep his head up,” Tricia said. “He was falling asleep at the table. They had someone who worked at the dispensary who also used Cannabis for (gastrointestinal) issues. They told me, ‘This is going to help him, and he’s going to get better.’ And I was like, ‘You can’t tell me that. Because he’s dying on me, and you can’t tell me that. We’ve been to hospitals and doctors all over, and they couldn’t help us. So how can you help us?’” The budtender answered their questions and the Sheffields procured a Cannabis tincture from Windsor’s shop. To hear the Sheffields and Windsor tell it, the change was miraculous. “After about 25 minutes of him taking it, he started pepping up,” Tricia said. “He was like a wilting flower and he just started coming to life. He told me he was hungry and wanted to eat.” Sheffield’s first solid meal in years was a cheeseburger. “I don’t want to say we saved his life, but it’s a good feeling,” Windsor said. “I cry every once in a while, thinking about it.”

Off the track, Connor strapped in for another contest. This time, he was fighting to allow Cannabis medicine in schools.

SURPASSING THE STIGMA

For the first month of Cannabis treatment, the Sheffields kept Connor’s medication a secret from everyone – including his doctors, for fear of backlash. “At 30 days, we brought him in and they were like, ‘Wow, he’s doing great,’” Tricia said. “And that’s when we decided to tell them that he was using medical Cannabis. They said, ‘Wow! Really? Well, whatever it is that you’re doing, we’re going to tell you to keep doing it.’” It was a turning point. “For the first three months or so, I didn’t want to believe that it was working,” Connor said. “But I felt the improvements and I saw the weight gain. And I went and saw my doctors, and then I saw them less and less, and now I only see them every six or seven months if I have issues.”

After a while, people stopped giving him sideeye at the track. The crowds and other racers have even been supportive, and Sheffield’s Crew Chief, Kris Reardon, says Connor has never been stronger. “People even secretly ask me about Cannabis and ask me how they can use it to help their medical condition,” Connor said. KEEPING CANNABIS IN THE SCHOOLS

Off the track, Connor strapped in for another contest. This time, he was fighting to allow Cannabis medicine in schools. “Whenever I felt as though I needed my medication, I would text my parents,” Connor said. “They would drive to school, take me out of class, and I’d need to walk off of school property completely, down the street, take my medication, walk back to the school, and walk back to class. It was a lot to THE WRECK THAT NEVER CAME do. It’s even a mouthful to explain.” After years of racing dirt sprint cars, Connor The situation was untenable. The Sheffields came on as a developmental driver on the CMI connected with Maryland State Senator Brian FeldMotorsports team in the NASCAR Advance Auto man, a former lawyer for the Department of Justice Part Weekly Series (late model cars). who sits on the Marijuana One would think that Cannabis could Legalization Work Group complicate Connor’s NASCAR dreams. for the State General Early on, the Sheffields recall a race Assembly. Sen. Feldman in Texas where they were forced to tape started working on MD over all of the logos for their primary HB331, a bill nicknamed sponsor, a dispensary. “Connor’s Courage,” “We just felt like people were just which would allow the waiting for Connor to wreck,” Tricia staff at public schools in said. “All eyes were on Connor that Maryland to adminisShown here racing for Mindbuzz ter Cannabis medicine weekend.” at Hickory Motor Speedway in Sept. Connor laughs, “I actually ended during the schoolday, as 2020, Connor was recently named up doing pretty well. They didn’t know they would with any other Cannabis Patient Advocate of the what to expect. They thought I was legal medicine. Year by Explore Maryland Cannabis. going to wreck people. They thought I “Finding a way to help was going to be high.” these kids out was the Ever since starting with Cannabis, Sheffield’s primary motive for getting into it,” Sen. Feldman strength and skills have improved significantly. said. “Connor is one of the kids to beat in the dirt Sen. Feldman introduced the Sheffields to Gil series,” Tricia said. “They come to try to beat ConGenn, a lobbyist whose office is covered with picnor. To have people look at him and think, ‘I hope tures of him rubbing elbows with the most powerful I can beat him tonight,’ that’s a great feeling.” U.S. politicians of the past 50 years.

“So I got the call from Tricia,” Genn said, “and she described Connor’s Courage, Connor’s Law, and she said, ‘We need help.’ I said, ‘It would be my honor.’” At the outset, school officials opposed the bill because they worried it would endanger their federal funding. They came up with excuses. “They said, ‘Aside from all of the Connor and Lobbyist liability issues … We have no idea Gil Genn helped pass and no training on how to give this Connor’s Law. medicine,’” Genn said. “They needed to have a task force to train on how to give drops of a tincture.” Genn said that during the hearing, he provided a list of the various medications school staffers were permitted to administer on school grounds. Then, Genn finished with a flourish – he brought in a bottle of simulated Cannabis tincture and stood there, cheekily explaining to a roomful of adults how to use a dropper. “I had people slapping their desks and laughing. It just blew them out of the water. That was the turning point, I think.” Sen. Feldman recalls another tide-shifting moment during the hearing, when a young epileptic Cannabis patient started having a seizure. “His mother put something under the child’s tongue and he calmed,” Sen. Feldman said. “It wasn’t about smoking, or pulling out a bong.” In the end, the bill passed both the House and Senate with nearly unanimous bipartisan support. “At heart, these kids had severe ailments,” Sen. Feldman said. “There was a way to help them go to school. And why would we not allow them access to something that was legal in our state?” Now, Connor and patients like him in Maryland have safe access to their essential medicine during school hours. And to think it all started with a family taking the advice of a budtender. “I am so glad that we did,” Tricia said. “I don’t know what would have happened to Connor, if I didn’t just forget what I’d been taught my whole life about Cannabis being horrible, and just try it. Because now, Connor’s surviving – and he’s thriving.”

STORY by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS/LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by ERIC KAYNE @PHOTOKAYNE & COURTESY SHEFFIELD FAMILY

the ESSENTIAL issue

uprooted ON THE MOVE FOR THE PLANT

Whether searching for compassionate policy, seeking industry opportunity or fleeing persecution, Cannabis has people pulling up roots and planting new seeds all over the country. ORIGINALLY FROM Salt Lake City, Jenn Doe fled the archaic and prohibitive Cannabis laws of Utah to Washington to ply her trade as a grower and hash-maker. She thrived under the medical marijuana program and eventually won the High Times NorCal Cannabis Cup in 2014, becoming the only woman to win the award for solventless hash – made by her from plants she grew herself. The offers should have rolled in for a “The amount of money champion extract artist, and yet she felt it takes to have a stifled by the restrictions that had been business there, versus imposed on caregivers after recreational being a functioning legalization passed in 2012. caregiver business Jenn promptly moved to Massachuhere in Maine is setts for a year to grow and wash her changing significant, and it’s not flowers in peace, until the laws there policies nearly as saturated of changed as well. A business opportunity a market.” arose and once again, she wound up back in Washington working for Gavita Lighting. Upon their acquisition and the subsequent restructuring of the company, Utah to Washington she decided to again relocate – this time to the state of Maine. to Massachusetts to Why Maine? Jenn tells me, “I couldn’t do anything in the Washington to Maine Pacific Northwest without serious investment, due to the laws, or I would have to work for someone else – which I’d rather by Dan Vinkovetsky @dannydankoht not. The amount of money it takes to have a business there, versus being a functioning caregiver business here in Maine is significant, and it’s not nearly as saturated of a market.” As recreational legalization sometimes guts medical patient protections, Jenn finds the caregiver laws to be more reasonable for the mom n’ pops and small businesses, and the irony doesn’t escape her. She laughs as she tells me, “Each of my moves corresponds to the shift from medical to recreational. … All I know is I will continue to seek favorable conditions for farming and hashmaking on a boutique scale, because that’s who I am and that’s what I want to do!”

nwlEAF.COM

JENN DOE

FEB. 2021

industry opportunity

GIDDYUP Oklahoma to Colorado to California to Nevada to Oklahoma

by Bobby Black @bobbyblack420

AS THE founder of Emotek, Jayson “Giddyup” Emo is the mohawked marijuana mogul behind 2012’s groundbreaking OBE-DOS closed-loop butane extraction system that immediately became the industry standard. He’s also the co-creator of live resin – the wildly popular style of concentrate that has taken the market by storm (and that his machine made possible). Giddy originally hails from Oklahoma – a state that, just a few years ago, had some of the strictest pot laws in the nation. Over the past decade, Giddyup “When you move has moved from state to state to a new state with several times, always for reasons big plans, all that shit related to Cannabis. First, in 2010, typically goes out the he moved from Oklahoma City to window when you get Longmont, Colorado with the idea there,” he chuckles. of growing weed for dispensaries, but that plan didn’t quite pan out. “When you move to a new state with big plans, all that shit typically goes out the window when you get there,” he chuckles. Building on the success of his extractors, in 2015 he launched his own brand of concentrates: Giddyup Extracts. After having established himself as an industry leader in Colorado, Giddy set out to bring his equipment and expertise to other legal states. First, he spent a few years in Nevada setting up licensing deals and selling to that market. Then in 2017, he moved to Hollywood to consult in the California market, which he described as a nightmare. In 2018, Giddy moved back to Oklahoma and established a 20,000-square-foot greenhouse grow, followed by his own dispensary named Giddy’s OKC, which opened in January 2019. According to Giddy, states that are new to legalization are a smarter move for those seeking employment in the Cannabis industry.

industry opportunity

RYAN SMITH

CHECK OUT LEAF LIFE EPISODE #97 CANNABIS MIGRATION ON ALL MAJOR PLATFORMS AND LEAFLIFEPODCAST.COM

California to Alaska by O’Hara Shipe @shipeshots

fleeing persecution

THE STADLERS Texas to Colorado

by Bobby Black @bobbyblack420

MIKE STADLER used to live in the small town of After returning home from Copperas Cove, Texas with his wife Sheena and the Denver Cannabis Cup their five-year-old son Kayden. An HVAC tech by in April 2014, they learned trade, Stadler sold weed on the side, as well as plainclothes police had growing a few plants for personal medicinal use. been snooping around Stadler also made an effort to set a good example their property. and help his community by starting a community vegetable garden in a vacant lot he called Grow Your Own. The garden was a hit around the neighborhood, but ended up drawing scrutiny from law enforcement. First, City Hall changed local ordinances forcing them to shut down the garden. Next, after returning home from the Denver Cannabis Cup in April 2014, they learned plainclothes police had been snooping around their property. Then police tried bullying Sheena into letting them search their home without a warrant. A few days later, eight cop cars returned, accompanied by Child Protective Services. Luckily, she was out shopping at the time. After being advised by their lawyer that they could likely lose custody of their son, the couple made a fast and fateful decision: They hurriedly packed a few bags, got in their car, and fled to Greely, Colorado. “I don’t regret it at all,” says Stadler of the move. “I don’t have sleepless nights anymore, where I’m worried about whether a noise I hear is the police at my door, or if I get pulled over that I’m going to go to jail.” Though CPS in Colorado was obligated to pay them a follow-up visit, Stadler had no trouble getting the accusations dismissed. “I told them the whole story and they said, ‘We’ve had other families move here for the same situation … if anybody calls from Texas with any more complaints, we’ll tell them to screw off because you live in Colorado now.”

FORMER PRO-SNOWBOARDER Ryan Smith has had his fair share of adversity to overcome. Whether it was the end of his athletic career or a tragic accident while firefighting, he has found ways to exemplify the Japanese proverb, “Fall down seven times, stand up eight.” But Cannabis has challenged the California-native in ways he never anticipated. “I am completely self-taught and I have made a lot of mistakes over the years,” says Smith. “You know, it’s kind of been just trial and error – and Nothing could have screwing up a lot.” prepared Smith His dedication to his craft paid off for what he would when he relocated in 2018 to take encounter on June 16, over the position of Lead Cultivator 2019, when a devasat Wasilla-based grow Scorpion tating fire engulfed Grass. “I always wanted to live in the farm in flames. Alaska, so when the opportunity came up, I jumped and haven’t looked back,” says Smith. But nothing could have prepared Smith for what he would encounter on June 16, 2019, when a devastating fire engulfed the farm in flames. With nothing left to do but watch as his hard work went up in a cloud of smoke, Smith says he felt the pangs of despair. The next day, the flames extinguished, Smith walked through the gardens to see if anything could be saved. It was in this devastation that Smith saw a small glimmer of hope. “I had to walk through [the garden] and take cuttings of some of the plants so we could save the genetics. And then I saw a piece of my favorite strain – Ice Cream Cake – literally growing out from underneath these old burned trusses from the roof. It was this real sentimental moment when I took that clone,” says Smith. The clone has since developed into one of Scorpion Grass’ signature strains, Attic Fire, and is the living representation of Smith’s moxie.

STORY by LEAF NATION CONTRIBUTORS | ICONS by THE NOUN PROJECT Air travel Olena Panasovska | Moving Luis Prado | Cannabis KonKapp | Fire Vladimir Belochkin

the ESSENTIAL issue

The evolution of socializing will include consumption in public meeting places.

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LOUNGING AROUNd T

he moment is seared into my memory. It was the mid-’90s and I was a bright-eyed 25-year-old in Amsterdam for the first time. I stepped into a “coffeeshop” and was immediately transported to a magical realm – one where I could order Cannabis from a menu and be treated like a customer instead of a criminal. Compared to what we went through back home to “score weed,” it all felt so … civilized.

FEB. 2021

I SAT DOWN and rolled myself a joint while watching people ride by on their bicycles outside, and I knew that things would never be the same. I couldn’t go back to the way things were in the United States without doing everything I could to change it. I vowed that one day we would see consumption lounges all over the world, so that everyone could know the true feeling of freedom. The first social consumption of Cannabis dates back to ancient times. Shamans of various tribes in Central Asia, India and the Middle East burned the flowers in rituals meant to induce a trancelike state. Hashish lounges have been a staple of Nepal and Afghanistan, as well as throughout the Middle East for centuries.

haring a pipe, bong or joint with others has been a natural way to mix and mingle for as long as people have been getting together in groups. There were even “tea pads” for legal smokers established in the United States during alcohol prohibition. Soon however, worldwide crackdowns on Cannabis put a serious damper on social use. Fear of arrest and prosecution drove users and providers underground, and for many years, anyone wishing to share their stash with others measured the risks and proceeded with extreme caution. It wasn’t until the early 1970s, when Dutch hippies tested their country’s newfound “tolerance” to soft drugs, did a scene emerge in which Cannabis was openly sold and smoked in designated areas. The coffeeshop culture thrived in Holland and over time, Amsterdam became a destination for anyone seeking to sample a new way of Cannabis and hashish consumption. In the ‘90s, the scene spread to Spain under the guise of nonprofit In late 2019, three members private social clubs deigned for of the The Leaf team had members only. Inevitably, as laws in the opportunity to visit the U.S. and Canada were reformed, Amsterdam and enjoy in lounges sprang up in North America, the historic Cannabis coffeshop culture. including the New Amsterdam Cafe Check out the rehashed trip down in Vancouver and the HotBox Lounge memory lane in the Dec. 2019 issue: & Shop in Toronto.

Cannabis consumption lounges have flourished around the world.

The HotBox Lounge & Shop in Toronto

tinyurl.com/leafgoestoamsterdam

The New Amsterdam Cafe in Vancouver, BC

The Summit Lounge in Worchester, Mass. ADAM GLANZMAN

Though how we share Cannabis has certainly changed due to COVID-19, our desire to socialize amongst like-minded compatriots will only increase over time.

IN 2009, The World Famous Cannabis Cafe, run by Executive Director of Oregon NORML Madeline Martinez, opened up in Portland, Ore. as the first state-authorized lounge for medical cardholders. Sadly, they closed their doors in 2016, but places like Flight Lounge and Kaleafa Social Club continue the tradition, welcoming private members to consume flowers and dabs to their hearts’ delight. Longtime California activist Richard Lee launched Coffeeshop Blue Sky in Oakland, even enduring a raid by Federal law enforcement in 2012, but which opened the door for places like Moe Greens, Bloom Room and Barbary Coast Dispensary. The passage of Colorado’s Amendment 64, also in 2012, brought about clubs such as iBAKE Denver and The Speakeasy Vape Lounge, which allow members to consume Cannabis but do not permit sales. Since then, many other spots nationwide have opened their doors to patients and customers yearning for connection. In Michigan, places like Vehicle City Social in Flint and D’Mirage in Detroit create safe spaces for Cannabis consumers to relax and enjoy their buds with friends. New England staples like Tetra Hydro Club in Wakefield, R.I. and Summit Lounge in Worcester, Mass. provide a respite from the bars and nightclubs. I even visited a unique spot in Las Vegas called NuWu on Native land, which is a dispensary with a smoking lounge attached. In states where Cannabis remains illegal, lounges tend to be movable “seshes” that shift from location to location and provide makeshift booths with Cannabis products, entertainment and consumption on site. Worldwide, along with the Netherlands and Spain, there are now social clubs in New Zealand, South Africa, France, Germany and elsewhere. They are all under attack in one form or another from authorities, and the precariousness of their existence is fragile. Though how we share Cannabis has certainly changed due to COVID-19, our desire to socialize amongst like-minded compatriots will only increase over time. As responsible Cannabis consumers, it’s our obligation to continue to change the laws and push to legalize social use and consumption lounges so that we can get together and enjoy our pot in peace.

STORY by DAN VINKOVETSKY @DANNYDANKOHT/LEAF NATION | ILLUSTRATION by KELLY BJORK @KELLY_BJORK

THE ESSENTIAL ISSUE nwlEAF.COM

CBN& sLEEP CURIO WELLNESS’ INNOVATIONS

THE CONCEPT of cannabinoid therapy continues to be one of the most invigorating and promising new frontiers on the legalized Cannabis landscape. The Cannabis plant has roughly 426 chemical entities (and more than 60 cannabinoid compounds) according to the National Institute for Health, and researchers have come to find that many of those compounds react in specific, powerful ways with our bodies’ endocannabinoid system. Many of those cannabinoids have well-known and researched effects. THC provides psychoactive effects, but also helps with gastrointestinal issues, muscle relaxation and other ailments. CBD reduces inflammation and battles anxiety.

Curio Wellness’ Good Night Tablets

FEB. 2021

A large portion of the sleep-affected community has tremendous difficulty staying asleep and gaining the benefit of a full night’s rest. But THC and CBD are a small piece of the puzzle, and as research expands, scientists will further unlock the potential of the wealth of compounds in the Cannabis plant. In short, we’re going to start seeing more effect-based products hitting the market. Curio Wellness, out of Maryland, sees the potential. The company recently released a new product, dubbed Good Night Pulse Release Tablets, in order to help with a specific issue that impacts us all: sleep. In order to help people achieve and maintain a good night’s sleep, Curio Wellness’ Good Night Tablets combine THC with CBN, a lesser-known soporific cannabinoid that in recent years has gained popularity because of its focused sleep-inducing properties. To create a product that consumers could trust, Curio Wellness partnered with SleepScore Labs to conduct an observational sleep study with 35 certified Maryland medical Cannabis patients with self-described sleep disorders, clinically testing their new Good Night Tablets. Their formulation is a 2:1 THC:CBN ratio with each tablet containing 10mg THC and 5mg CBN. Participants completed a six-week comparative study, where for the first three weeks their sleep was monitored in accordance with their existing sleep routine, including any sleep aids they already used. In the second three weeks, patients replaced their routine with use of Good Night Tablets, according to the independent study protocol. Across all phases of the study, participants sleep was monitored via the SleepScore Max Device and the completion of self surveys via the SleepScore research app. Participants were also required to stop using any other Cannabis product within three hours of bedtime, to avoid clouding the data while trialing the Good Night product.

The results were successful – according to Curio Wellness, the study showed that when taking the Good Night Tablets, patients showed marked improvement in their objective sleep metrics, as well as participant’s subjective feedback indicating improvement in overall sleep quality. The fact that the study subjects were able to stay asleep through the night is something that Curio Wellness sees as a significant factor. A large portion of the sleep-affected community has tremendous difficulty staying asleep and gaining the benefit of a full night’s rest. Falling asleep may be difficult, but staying asleep is what prevents many people from reaching REM sleep and achieving a well-rested body. Curio’s Pulse Release Technology, which allows for targeted dosages at targeted times to interact with the patient’s system, ensures that several hours after ingestion, a second wave of effects enters the body to help keep the patient asleep. This means that by taking one dose, patients feel the initial drowsy effects to help enter a state of sleep, as well as a second targeted release of the cannabinoids several hours after ingestion to help you stay asleep – greatly increasing the probability of a patient sleeping through the entire night. Curio Wellness’ approach to clinical research and product development is refreshing in an industry where many companies simply seek to market products based on trends, not on what they can actually provide to patients and consumers. Everything with Cannabis is dose-dependent around an individual’s tolerance and tied to how the plant interacts with endocannabinoid systems, and we are at the beginning of the journey to unlock what this plant can do. CURIOWELLNESS.COM | @CURIO_WELLNESS

STORY by TAYLOR MARTIN & LEAF NATION CONTRIBUTORS | ILLUSTRATION by ADOBE/ARTINSPIRING + COURTESY CURIO

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

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concentrate of the month nwlEAF.COM

SEMTEX EXTRACTS

Blackberry Cream Rosin

THIS GOLDEN, SAPPY OIL is rich with flavor and easy to glob onto a dab tool. We like to waste it to taste it, meaning we take big dabs at the lowest temperature possible to enjoy all the yummy terpenes (and their effects). The flavor and effect combination of Blackberry Kush and Cookies and Cream balance each other perfectly, delivering sweet and creamy fruit notes that are accented by a tangy, hashy Cookies flavor. The deep Cookies and Cream notes really come out when the rosin is pulled out of the cold fridge and allowed to relax for a few minutes before a dab, teasing the nostrils and mind with a flavor that matches the Blackberry Cream name perfectly. Diving into a dab delivers a sweet and sour inhale that grips the lungs with a hashy, resinous feel that has almost no cough, but a medium constriction that lets you know the vapor is deep in the lungs and planting the seeds of a heavy buzz. Effects build outwards, slowly numbing the mind in a hazy, happy euphoria. Bred by Exotic Genetix, this indica dominant strain will put you on the couch, but in a silly, “might have an adventure in VR” sort of way. Sedated, but alive and feeling good – a great match for today’s world. So, escape the doldrums with a delicious dab of solventless rosin from Semtex Extracts and experience the sweet and sultry flavor combination of Blackberry Cream – found at your favorite dispensary with a hash fridge. @SEMTEXEXTRACTS | 74% THCA

emtex Extracts is producing super tasty single-source rosin that is gaining popularity around the state. Rosin is made by squishing either flower, kief or hash under heavy, heated pressure plates – and what squirts out is the literal nectar of the gods, aka rosin. It’s solventless and as close to all-natural as a concentrate can get – like the freshsqueezed orange juice of weed – and the process allows for full flavor and effects to be experienced one low-temp dab at a time.

Sweet and creamy fruit notes that are accented by a tangy, hashy Cookies flavor.

FEB. 2021

Sweet treats are the perfect coping mechanism to get through the stress of a COVID-isolated winter, and nothing tastes or cures the blues better than a delicious dab of solventless hash rosin. by WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

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cooking with Cannabis

R EC I P E S b y LAU RIE WOLF | P HOTOS b y B RUC E WOLF

hEARTS & flOWERS two servings

LOVEBERRY SMOOTHIE 2 cups strawberries, sliced, fresh or frozen 1 cup raspberries, fresh or frozen 1 small banana, peeled, sliced and frozen

¼ cup orange juice concentrate 1 ½ cups coconut milk 2 teaspoons canna-coconut oil Strawberries for garnish

1. Combine all the ingredients in a blender. Let ‘er rip. 2. Garnish with a strawberry. (Feel free to try using blueberries and peaches instead of strawberries and raspberries. You may use yogurt in exchange for some or all of the coconut milk).

nine servings

CANNABIS CHOCOLATE BARK ½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes 2 cups dark chocolate chips 3 tablespoons canna-butter or oil ½ cup chopped pecans ¼ cup chopped dried apricots

1. Place the coconut flakes in a small dry skillet over medium heat and toast until light golden brown. 2. In the top of a double boiler, over simmering water, melt the chips with the canna-butter or oil. Stir occasionally. 3. Place a piece of parchment on your work surface. Pour the chocolate onto the parchment, spreading it out to a 5x7-inch rectangle. 4. Sprinkle with the pecans, coconut and apricots. 5. Allow the chocolate to set. Store in an airtight container for up to one month.

edible of the month

nine servings

WHITE CHOC. BARK

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2 cups white chocolate chips or melts 3 tablespoons canna-butter or oil 1 cup granola ½ cup dried chopped cherries 1. In the top of a double boiler, over simmering water, melt the white chocolate with the canna-butter. Stir occasionally. 2. Place a piece of parchment on your work surface. Pour the chocolate onto the parchment, spreading it out to a 5x7-inch rectangle. Sprinkle with the granola and cherries. 3. Allow the chocolate to set. Store in an airtight container for up to one month.

FEB. 2021

Well — it’s about to be Valentine’s Day. If you are not a chocolate fan, the smoothie recipe for two, or just you, is healthy and healing. I like to make my smoothies with THC and CBD. Currently, I need all the help I can get. If you are a chocolate fan and want to give some love to friends you can’t hang out with now, these two barks are fire. And with a bark there are no rules – add whatever toppings you like. The bark police have bigger fish to fry. Check out our link at recipes.laurieandmaryjane.com/lauries-famous-canna-butter, and know that the same rules apply for producing CBD.

#We a rA Ma sk #Dont FearT heEdi ble #EatYourCannabi s #CallYourParents # Comf orting Ca nna b is # WeWillSurvive

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.

coffee & cannabis nwlEAF.COM

ICED AMERICANO WITH OPAL ALICE For nearly a year now, it’s been much more of a hassle to get a cup of coffee. Undoubtedly, many switched to brewing at home, whether to keep themselves cautiously socially-distanced or because their local favorite shop has been unreliably open, or even worse, closed altogether.

oing out to get your caffeine fix – something we all took for granted as a quintessential aspect of PNW life – looks quite a bit different these days. A simple task like waiting in line for a to-go cup can be wholly surreal, with a mask on and sanitizer at the ready. But it can also offer a brief trip down the rabbithole to pre-pandemic life. So, when the remote restlessness sets in and you just need to get out of your still impromptu, home workspace for a few minutes, turn to Opal Alice and an iced americano. If you’re going to venture out for caffeine, it is best to capitalize on the opportunity and get something with espresso, since hardly anyone has a quality home espresso machine. The beauty of an iced americano is that it is one of few ways to truly appreciate espresso in something other than a shot. It’s not practical to get to-go espresso, because it should be consumed within a minute of being pulled from the machine for optimal quality. Throwing espresso directly over ice shocks it, and makes the shot bitter. But by dropping espresso into water and then adding ice, it cools the shot down gradually and provides you with a beverage that can be enjoyed for the remainder of the morning. Iced americanos allow for the tasting notes of the espresso – whether they be citrus, chocolate, or even tomato soup – to be fully realized, without milk or sugary syrups getting in the way. If the rabbithole metaphor wasn’t a big enough clue, Opal Alice is a cross between Opal OG Kush and Alice in Wonderland. Some strains don’t live up to their lineage, but Opal Alice absolutely does. Foremost, the bud looks like an actual opal. Specks of purple, orange and green dance across this Cannabis. Additionally, like an iced americano, Alice in Wonderland’s cerebrally focused effects aren’t overly muddled by the indica that is Opal OG Kush, which, as a Frankenstein cross, has its own heady qualities. Together, Opal Alice leaves the consumer less frantically tumbling into Wonderland, and more floating leisurely down – an equilibrium achieved that few strains

FEB. 2021

Perfect combo for floating leisurely down the rabbithole.

can match. When smoked with an iced americano, there is not a lot of lingering or overly prominent tastes, further allowing a more in-depth and high assessment of the coffee’s well-crafted flavors. Opal Alice and an iced americano would be best consumed from an empty park or outlook somewhere, enjoying the hazy winter vistas. Other activities that pair nicely with this Cannabis and coffee combination include getting sucked into a bunch of online menus with your

partner debating where to order lunch from, going to the pet store and pretending you are fish shopping because it’s cheaper than the aquarium and actually open, or just ignoring your inbox while you take a mental health afternoon. We all need a break sometimes – let Opal Alice and an iced americano make your next one actually worthwhile. EMERALDJANES.COM

STORY & PHOTO by TJ GAGNIER @TJGAGNIER for NORTHWEST LEAF

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.

alternative medicine

Brain Blend Lion’s Mane Tincture Immune Blend Chaga & Reishi Tincture With the constant tension and uncertainty that we all currently face, we can likely agree that we could all use a more natural and holistic way to replenish our bodies and take a load off these days. For our first-ever feature on Alternative Medicine, we seek to open your minds to the world of adaptogens and plantbased medicines that aim to help with mental clarity, relaxation and overall health.

HYPHAE WELLNESS

daptogens are natural herbal pharmaceuticals that work to prevent the negative consequences of stress in the human body. Reishi, Chaga, Turkey Tail, Cordyceps and Red Belted Conk are just a few of the adaptogenic mushrooms that are completely legal to cultivate and consume here in the U.S. In fact, some of these mushrooms, such as Lion’s Mane, have also become very popular to cook with due to their desirable taste. While these mushrooms do not contain the psychedelic effects that psilocybin mushrooms do, these contain numerous advantageous properties and health benefits that have proven to strengthen the functional capacity of those who consume them. Eugene, Ore.-based company Hyphae Wellness is solely dedicated and focused on developing functional mushroom products to help bring these types of incredible benefits to their customers, and have developed an enchanting line of mushroom tinctures geared to improve daily productivity and other functional capacities. •Promotes mental clarity, focus, and memory Their Brain Blend tincture •Cerebral and Nervous System Support contains a Lion’s Mane •Optimizes nervous and immune system mushroom extract, which has •Supports cognitive function been proven to promote nerve growth in the brain. It also contains Yerba Santa to assist with anti-inflammation, •Promotes antioxidant and immune support Ginkgo Biloba for increased •Improves blood flow blood flow to the brain, and •Supports healthy digestion Saffron for many beneficial mood-enhancing qualities. This tincture is an exceptional tool to help your mind recover after a stressful workday. Their Immune Blend tincture contains both Reishi and Chaga mushroom extract, allowing consumers to receive a clinical dose of essential antioxidants and extensive immune support. It also contains ginger and nettle leaf to help with digestive health. For anyone interested in improving the preventative steps they are taking to protect their general health, the Immune Blend is for you! Keep an eye on this column to continue learning about the groundbreaking alternative medicines that exist. We hope that Hyphae Wellness products can help you alleviate some stress and get you to that next level in life, both mentally and physically. GETHYPHAE.COM

Brain Blend

nwlEAF.COM

Immune Blend

An enchanting line of mushroom tinctures geared to improve daily productivity and other functional capacities. FEB. 2021

REVIEW by MAX EARLY @LIFTED_STARDUST/LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

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LEAF SHOTS

The purple from the Dosidos shows in the underside of the leaves and hints of purple can be seen in the buds hidden under the layer of trichomes. The stigmas range from yellow to deep orange, the sugar leaves have both vibrant lime greens to darker purples tipped with resin lines on the edges.

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The fan leaves are a dark muted purple on the top, with splashes of color along the center midribs and veins. The stem ranges from green to red in color, much like rhubarb. To create this image, first a branch was carefully selected for shape, plant structure and color – paying special attention to make sure there were no pests or diseases present on this sample. The branch is cut at the time of harvest, where I carefully examine the plant on all sides, then begin selectively removing leaves one by one. Leaving some leaves for aesthetics helps with the flow of the image, conveying the colors of the fade, but removing any that may obstruct from a clear portrayal or might distract from the subject. Off-camera strobe lighting is utilized for accuracy and control of colors. When asked about the backstory for Sweet Thang #7, Owner Tyler Rolen said, “I bought the seeds in 2017, and I bought two packs — pheno hunted them out — took about one year to get Sweet Thang #7 into production after our pheno hunt. The Lineage is Cherry Pie x DosiDos, and it’s an Archive Seed Bank genetic. The aroma is rotten cherries and cookie dough with floral notes.” The last batch tested 4.67% total terpenes, and before that over 5% terps – according to Chem History Lab test results. Visually it has a lot going on for it – very frosty and loaded with trichomes.

#LeafShots celebrates the high art of incredible Cannabis photography. Tag us for your chance to be published.

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STORY & PHOTO by @RESINATED_LENS for NORTHWEST LEAF

Sweet Thang #7 Rolen Stone Farms @ROLENSTONEFARMS | ROLENSTONEFARMS.COM

cannthropology

WORLD OF Cannabis PRESENTS

Lepp’s gardenlegendary circa 2003.

Eddy Lepp is a medical marijuana POW whose courage and compassion have secured him a place in Cannabis history.

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Reverence for the Reverend Born in Illinois in 1952, Charles “Eddy” Lepp was the son of a soldier who spent his childhood moving around before eventually settling in Reno. In 1968, he enlisted in the Army alongside his brother, and was shipped off to Vietnam. After returning home, he spent the next two decades struggling with addiction, depression and PTSD – self-medicating with drugs and alcohol and engaging in self-destructive behavior. But when his father got cancer in the 1980s, he decided to get clean; the only intoxicant he didn’t give up was Cannabis. “I used marijuana for years to keep from killing myself,” confesses Lepp. “I was using Cannabis to treat myself, but I didn’t realize that I was medicating because we didn’t have the information.” That information came after Lepp met Dennis Peron and his future hero/ mentor Jack Herer, and his life changed forever. “Back in the ‘80s I met Dennis and Jack, was very interested in what they were talking about, and got to be friends with them,” he recalls. “After that, I

FEB. 2021

was kinda fucked, because you can’t be best friends with Dennis Peron and Jack Herer and not devote your life to marijuana.” After his father died in 1988, Lepp checked himself into the National Center for PTSD in Palo Alto, Calif. It was there that he met his future wife – a young woman named Linda Senti. With the help of Linda, the Center and Cannabis, he was finally able to get sober and begin to heal. “Cannabis was critically important in shaping my recovery and the man that I was going to become,” Lepp attests. “It allowed me to heal myself physically and mentally, and get back in touch with God as I understood him.” CALLED TO ACTION Eddy and Linda got married and eventually settled in Lake County, Calif. They became heavily involved in the legalization movement – helping to gather signatures for the Compassionate Use Act, then setting out to fulfill its promise by supplying medicine to patients … starting with Linda herself who, like Eddy’s father, had contracted cancer. In 1996, with Peron’s help, Lepp planted a garden of 132 plants for her – which he was arrested for later that year. When his case got to trial in 1998, he cited Prop 215 as his medical marijuana defense, and it worked – making him the first person ever acquitted under the aegis of the new law. At the time, few doctors were willing to recommend Cannabis, so the

Lepps began shuttling patients down to Dr. Tod Mikuriya’s office in San Francisco each week for recommendations. Then in 1999, they purchased a 25-acre farm in Upper Lake and began hosting mobile clinics – bringing doctors and patients together for consultations on their property. Within a year, the Lepps had registered a third of the approximately 100,000 legal Cannabis patients in the state. But many patients were unable to procure, afford or grow medicine for themselves, so once again the Lepps stepped up – offering to grow some plants for a few patients they knew. Over the next few years, it became six patients, then a dozen, then 30. That’s how Eddy’s Medicinal Gardens came to be.

In addition to the garden, Lepp also founded a religious ministry: The Multi-Denominational Ministry of Cannabis and Rastafari. Lepp with his late wife Linda, Dennis Peron, and Jack Herer.

CRAIG LEMIRE

JASON DUNLAP

THE HEALING FIELDS It was a simple idea: create a haven where patients could all grow their medicine in one secure, well-tended garden – reducing costs and avoiding countless possible thefts, busts and other calamities. Lepp charged $500 per 10-foot plot, from which patients received all of the Cannabis harvested. And for those who couldn’t afford a plot, medicine was often provided free of charge. In addition to the garden, Lepp also founded a religious ministry: The Multi-Denominational Ministry of Cannabis and Rastafari. Identifying strongly with both the Native American and Rastafari religions, he became an ordained minister in 2000, adopted the title of Reverend, and began providing spiritual support. Until that point, the farm had operated with relative impunity thanks to an understanding between Lepp Eddy’s Medicinal and the Sheriff’s Department. But that accord ended Gardens sign. one afternoon in 2002, when the Lake County Narcotics Task Force raided the farm – confiscating around 400 plants and arresting whatever you want … you pick the first person we say no to.” four people. Surprisingly, they ended She started crying and said, ‘We can’t say no to any of them.’ up being released the next day and And we never did.” “You can’t be best friends no charges were ever pursued. The DEA raided the farm again on February 16, 2005 – By 2003, the Ministry was servicing seizing another 6000 plants, re-arresting Lepp, and charging with Dennis Peron and 100 patients and growing nearly him with cultivation and possession with intent to distribute. Jack Herer and not devote 10,000 plants. Lepp made no atHe wasn’t released until two months later, on a $500,000 tempt to hide what he was doing – in bond (thanks in part to a $10,000 doyour life to marijuana." fact, he actually sent a letter stating nation from comedian Joe Rogan). For more on Eddie Lepp, listen E D DY L E P P his intentions to local and state His lawyers planned a two-pronged to Episode #9 of our podcast officials, but never received a reply. medical and religious use defense, both at worldofCannabis.museum/ Emboldened by the lack of legal of which were ultimately rejected by podcast. repercussions, they doubled down on their efforts – purchasthe judge. Lepp was convicted in 2007, and after several unsuccessful ing property across the road and expanding their gardens up appeals, returned for sentencing in May 2008. to 40 acres, which soon contained nearly 4,000 plots and With the total charges against him, Lepp was facing an incredible Published originally on 30,000 plants. four life sentences, plus 40 years and $17 million in fines. Luckily, the worldofCannabis.museum Unlike other outdoor grows, which were typically small and judge sentenced him to only the mandatory minimum of 10 years. and reprinted with permission. secret, Eddy’s Gardens could be seen (and smelled) while He served eight and a half of those years before being released on cruising down Highway 20, which now ran straight through parole in December 2016. While he was behind bars, both his beloved the middle of his farm. That summer, Lepp even invited High Linda and best friend Jack Herer passed away. Times magazine out, who then recognized the garden as the largest medical marijuana grow in the world – and Eddy RELEASE AND REVERENCE himself as their Freedom Fighter of the Year. Since his release, Lepp has mostly tried to stay out of trouble: spending his time creating art, hosting a podcast, and attending Cannabis events in CONVICTED FOR HIS CONVICTIONS California. Sadly, in October 2020, he announced that he too is now batUnfortunately, though, all of that attention brought about tling cancer, which has metastasized into his lungs and brain; his new wife their undoing. On August 18, 2004, the DEA swarmed their Sandra has created a GoFundMe page to help cover his medical costs. property, arresting Lepp and 14 residents and workers at Eddy Lepp is a modern-day marijuana martyr whose bravery, conviction gunpoint. It reportedly took authorities two days to chainsaw and sacrifices helped pave the way for the freedoms we enjoy today. down the 32,524 plants, which they valued at around $80 Regardless of whether he chooses to use the title or not, our reverence million. It was the largest medical crop seizure from an inditoward the reverend remains. vidual in U.S. history. “Linda said to me, ‘I just wish sometimes it wasn’t so overEddy and his wife, Sandra. Donate to Eddy’s medical fund at GoFundMe.com/eddyleppneedsyou. whelming,’” Lepp remembers. “And I replied, “Well, I’ll do

STORY by BOBBY BLACK @CANNTHROPOLOGY for LEAF NATION | MAIN PHOTO by MG IMAGING

SOCCER MOMS ARE THE BESTEST!

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by Mike Ricker

et’s all raise our flutes of infused lemonade for a big cheer to those intrepid Dodge Caravanners who make up the backbone of America! You do it all, ladies. You keep the whole tribe in order like the Chief Executive Organizer of the Taylor family, bringing home the bacon, frying it up in a pan, and never letting dad forget he’s the man. You captain the crew with equestrian hands, directing the grocery-getter through the avenues and lanes, school zones and sports practices, rattling cat calls from the stands that urge the victories while softening the losses. And all with impeccable punctuality. You value the respect this earns amongst the other mothers with whom you chronicle scenes inside the home, reporting the events with an omniscient eye, desperately aware that these days will evaporate as quickly as your own youth. You are a conductor, orchestrating the chaos into a seamless symphony with the patience of a glacier – through teen shouting matches over clothes swapping and philosophical differences in social image managing. Then, when the evening wanes and the flurry settles into a mindful moment on the couch, a good glass of red and the guilty pleasure of a naughty reality show are a great way to calm the nerves while rubbing the aching dogs. “How do you do it all?” The audience insists to know your secret as these words echo in your thoughts. The purse lies before you on the coffee table. You unfasten the hinge that conceals your essentials. Where there used to be a prescription bottle that rattled like the tail of a diamondback, there is now a vape pen in its place. You push the button, sneak a toke, and the voices of the madding crowd saunter into oblivion, creating open space that will soon again be filled with the sunrise.

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