Dec. 2022 - Oregon Leaf

ABOUT THE COVER

As Cannabis edibles continue to emerge as one of the industry’s fastest growing markets, Leaf Nation sought to showcase how that acceptance and embrace could yield a new twist on the holiday party scene. Our heads dancing with visions of Norman Rockwell and other nostalgic artists, Creative Director Daniel Berman worked with Brooklyn-based illustrator Kiki Kita to bring the concept to life.

Kita grew up in Nagoya, Japan and Dallas, Texas, and counts Smithsonian Magazine and Hilton among her diverse clientele.

Kita’s work has also been recognized by the prestigious American Illustration competition and the Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles.

KIKI KITA for LEAF NATION FOLLOW @_KITAKIKI

CONTRIBUTORS

WES ABNEY, REVIEWS

Editor’s Note WES ABNEY

Thanks for picking up the Edibles Issue of the Leaf!

The holidays are here and there’s no better time to fill up on tasty treats that will put a real sparkle in the Christmas lights this year. December is a huge month for edibles, and no wonder, with so many family gatherings and white elephant parties to attend. And there’s nothing more satisfying than quietly crunching an infused peppermint bark chocolate bar as the kids go on a sugar bender and half the adults on a booze-fueled festivus, while the rest of the family casts their all-to sober and judgemental looks from across the room.

MIKE RICKER OPERATING PARTNER ricker@leafmagazines.com

TOM BOWERS CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER tom@leafmagazines.com

DANIEL BERMAN CREATIVE DIRECTOR daniel@leafmagazines.com

AMANDA DAY STATE CONTENT DIRECTOR amanda@leafmagazines.com

MAKANI NELSON STATE

makani@leafmagazines.com (808) 754-4182

O’HARA SHIPE ONLINE EDITOR ohara@leafmagazines.com

MEGHAN RIDLEY COPY EDITOR meghan@leafmagazines.com

CORTNEY “BUBBLES” DONACA

COMMUNITY & BRAND ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR bubbles@leafmagazines.com

DANIEL BERMAN, PHOTOS

BOBBY BLACK, DESIGN + FEATURES

JOSHUA BOULET, ILLUSTRATION

TOM BOWERS, FEATURES

KATELYN COLLINS, FEATURES

AMANDA DAY, FEATURES + PHOTOS

CORTNEY “BUBBLES” DONACA, REVIEWS

STEVE ELLIOTT, NATIONAL NEWS

RYAN HERRON, FEATURES

KIKI KITA, ILLUSTRATION

MAKANI NELSON, REVIEWS

RESINATED LENS, PHOTOS

MIKE RICKER, FEATURES

MEGHAN RIDLEY, EDITING

RYAN SANETEL, FEATURES

TONY SIMONELLI, PHOTOS

DIANA THOMPSON, REVIEWS + PHOTOS

BRUCE WOLF, PHOTOS

LAURIE WOLF, RECIPES

No wonder Santa has an eating disorder – he has to change his final list constantly to accommodate all the end of the year drama, and people don’t even give him weed cookies! Is it true that kids in states with legal weed have cooler presents and happier holidays than in places where ganja is illegal? I digress, as my own edibles and coffee must really be kicking in…

But here’s the thing: I personally love edibles so much that some days I don’t smoke weed. Nonetheless, I have a constant layer of cannabinoids kicking around in my bloodstream – with specific dosages and blended options including CBD for pain relief and anxiety, Delta 8 THC for less psychoactivity, CBG for the giggles or CBN for sleepy time. You really can dial in your experience one milligram or serving at a time. We live in a glorious era for edibles, and I never take that for granted.

When I started the Leaf in 2010, testing for THC percentages in bud wasn’t available and we had little to no idea about other cannabinoids, terpenes or the entourage effect. Edibles came in dosages like XXX and were wildly inconsistent – to the extent that I didn’t eat them for many years. It only takes one bad trip to teach most users to read the label, and it wasn’t until testing for Cannabis potency at Analytical 360 in Seattle became available that I started sampling infused treats.

The daze of ziplock brownies are long gone, and most people don’t have time for homemade edible adventures – but thankfully we have the option to head to the store and enjoy a selection of infused drinks, mints, treats and even chips in some markets. For my full advice on edible do’s and don’ts, check out my piece later in the magazine, but here is my core advice: Always read the label and think twice before eating more. Edibles take a long time to kick in, but once you’re on the journey, the train doesn’t stop until you wake up the next morning. And remember, no matter what, you will wake up – so don’t waste a trip in an ambulance. The only way edibles could kill you is if a giant tote bin full of them fell on your head.

“WE LIVE IN A GLORIOUS ERA FOR EDIBLES, AND I NEVER TAKE THAT FOR GRANTED.”

SEAN COMBS GETS INTO THE WEED BUSINESS

Hip-hop mogul and entrepreneur Sean “Diddy” Combs is venturing into the world of Cannabis.

Combs has agreed to acquire licensed Cannabis operations in New York, Massachusetts and Illinois, in a deal worth up to $185 million. The transaction marks Combs’ first investment in marijuana and will reportedly create the country’s first minority-owned, vertically-integrated, multi-state Cannabis company. It will also reportedly be the world’s largest Blackowned marijuana operation, according to a release from Combs and the companies.

The transaction comes after Cresco Labs earlier this year agreed to purchase rival Columbia Care in a $2 billion deal. The acquisition makes Cresco the top U.S. marijuana producer. It was one of the biggest deals in the Cannabis industry, and required Cresco to divest assets in limited-license markets including New York state.

The deal includes four retail stores and one production facility in the Empire State; three retail stores and one production facility in Massachusetts; and two retail stores and one production facility in Illinois.

“My mission has always been to create opportunities for Black entrepreneurs in industries where we’ve traditionally been denied access,” Combs said. “And this acquisition provides the immediate scale and impact needed to create a more equitable future in Cannabis.”

GERMANY ENABLES CONTROLLED CANNABIS CULTIVATION & DISTRO

ermany will permit adults to purchase and possess up to 30 grams (a little over an ounce) of Cannabis for adult use, reports Bloomberg. The ruling coalition is fulfilling its promise to legalize weed, as Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s cabinet approved a proposal allowing controlled cultivation and distribution of marijuana. Germany, with Europe’s biggest economy, wants to discourage the illegal (and untaxed) market for the herb.

The coalition government last year struck an agreement to introduce legislation allowing distribution of Cannabis in licensed shops.

The plan would also allow home cultivation of three marijuana plants per adult, reports the BBC.

MARYLAND AND MISSOURI LEGALIZE ADULT-USE CANNABIS

MARYLAND VOTERS in November overwhelmingly passed a measure making the state the twentieth to legalize marijuana for adult use. Meanwhile, 53% of Missouri residents approved a legalization measure of their own.

Under Maryland legalization, possessing amounts between 1.5 ounces and 2.5 ounces will be subject to civil fines. Possession of greater amounts will remain subject to existing criminal penalties. Adults can grow up to two marijuana plants.

Missouri’s new law allows adults to possess up to three ounces of marijuana. Adults can home-cultivate up to six flowering plants, six immature plants, and six plants under 14 inches for personal use.

FIVE TEXAS CITIES PASS DECRIM LAWS

VOTERS IN five Texas cities in November decided in favor of municipal ballot initiatives eliminating local enforcement of low-level marijuana offenses. Voters in the cities of Denton, Killeen, San Marcos, Elgin and Harker Heights decided ‘yes’ on the measures. Specifically, the ordinances limit local law enforcement from making arrests or issuing citations for most marijuana-related violations. It also prohibits police in most circumstances from considering the odor of Cannabis as probable cause of a crime.

“Texans have shown that they want major Cannabis law reforms in Texas via polling, legislative engagement, and now at the local ballot box,” Texas NORML Executive Director Jax James said. “This will have a positive impact on the almost half a million people living in these cities.”

MINNESOTA GOVERNOR PROMISES LEGALIZATION

INCUMBENT Governor Tim Walz (DFL) is planning for Cannabis legalization with Democrats newly in control of the Minnesota Legislature. Spark ‘em if you got them!

The governor promised it will be “one of the first” bills to pass in 2023, according to former governor Jesse Ventura. Walz called him to chat about the implications of November’s midterm election results, Ventura said.

Walz extended an invitation to former wrestling star Ventura – a longtime Cannabis activist – to the anticipated signing ceremony once lawmakers deliver a legalization bill to the governor’s desk.

MISSOURI GROUP PLANS POT-FRIENDLY ENTERTAINMENT AREA

ell, that didn’t take long. Just a day after Missouri voters legalized adult-use marijuana, developers were already rolling out plans for an entertainment district allowing people to consume marijuana onsite.

It will be known as the Smokey River Entertainment District. Planners want to build it in the small village of River Bend, along the Missouri River, north of Independence.

“You go to any music venue throughout the United States, Cannabis has been a part of it whether you know it or not. Whether it was legal or illegal,” said Besa Hospitality Group Marketing VP Joey Pintozzi.

He envisions wedding venues, an amphitheater, clubs, restaurants and spots for adults to consume marijuana. “It’s normalizing Cannabis in everyday life,” Pintozzi said.

MICHIGAN

A JUDGE ALLOWS VIRIDIS’ LAWSUIT TO PROCEED

judge has cleared Viridis North to move forward with its lawsuit against four individuals who worked for the Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency (CRA). The lawsuit alleges these individuals violated Viridis North’s constitutional rights.

According to the suit, they did so by issuing what the company terms “a baseless recall” in November 2021.

U.S. District Court Judge Paul L. Maloney ruled that Viridis North’s suit can continue. This entitles the company to receive documents, discover evidence and question people under oath. This is to determine any individual liability among CRA leadership and staff for their roles in last year’s recall. The recall was against marijuana tested by Viridis North in Bay City, Mich.

“We applaud the Court for allowing this case to move forward so Viridis North can seek justice,” said David Russell, attorney with Foster, Swift, Collins, and Smith, P.C. “This was clearly an ill-conceived recall based on politics, not science, and we intend to pursue all remedies in court. It’s high time for the state to admit responsibility for its actions.”

states – Maryland and Missouri – legalized adult-use Cannabis in November’s election.

years have passed since Colorado and Washington became the first two states to legalize adult-use marijuana.

states have legalized adult-use Cannabis, with two more added after the Nov. 2022 elections.

of voters in Elgin, Tex. approved a city ordinance that will officially decriminalize marijuana.

Cannabis retailers are now open in Massachusetts’ legal adult-use market.

in revenue was brought in by Colorado’s legal Cannabis market in 2021, making it the 2nd largest in the country behind California at $5.2 billion.

STORIES by STEVE ELLIOTT, AUTHOR OF THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK

“It will be known as the Smokey River Entertainment District.”

highliday gift guide highliday gift guide

REVIEWS by MATT JACKSON @ACTIONMATTJACKSON for OREGON LEAF

CAMP HIGH COLLECTIVE HIGH STREET PANT/HOODIE SET

APEX ANCILLARY DABBER TOOL SET

FOR THE DEDICATED HIGH ROLLER

model features a more travel-friendly size and introductory cost. Available in three colors, this version effortlessly grinds two grams at a time and holds a whole eighth of milled product. The powerfully-magnetized top sticks easily to refrigerators. If you’ve wanted to discover the millover-grind difference, this is your chance.

FLOWERMILLUSA.COM @FLOWERMILLUSA | $39.99

Apex Ancillary knows you’re only as good as your tools, and they put a lot of thought into their products. The Pro Tool set includes four distinct dabbers, a silicon mat and a set of grabbers for your terp pearls, all inside a sleek black zipper case. For home storage, their sturdy wooden board magnetizes your tools in place, making it easy to change flavors in a session without wondering where you put your dabber down. The board even contains a sliding lower drawer to store bangers, extra jars or carb caps. LINKTREE.COM/APEXANCILLARY @APEX.ANCILLARY | $49.95 TOOLS, $49.95 STAND

FOR THE DABHEAD WITH FLAVORS ON DECK

Looking to suit someone up in the comfiest fashion around, you only have to look to Camp High Collective. Led by alumni from Burton and Supreme, they’ve been keeping cozy couture on lock since 2018. Back by popular demand, their High Street hoodie and pant set is made of hand-dyed, cotton twill face loop back French terry (which means it’s crazy soft), and features puff printing designs. Knit, cut, sewn and dyed in Los Angeles. It prominently features Kermit greens and sunshine yellows to chase the clouds away or brighten up any zoom meeting.

CAMPHIGH.COM @CAMPHIGHCOLLECTIVE $170 PANTS, $190 HOODIE

FOR THE WORKFROM-HOME STONER

The gift-giving season is about to hit, and we thought we’d help take the sting out of shopping for the people on your list. Check out our curated selection of items for the different stoners in your life…

TUFF TETHERS PEAK AND PROXY LEASH

GRAV LABS WOBBLE BUBBLER

The perfect coffee table device has finally been made. A newer addition to the family of GRAV Labs products, this weeble wobble-shaped bubbler made of borosilicate glass has a four-hole percolator, angled straw mouthpiece, and a chamber large enough to satisfy all your after-work needs. The large, rounded base means less chance of spilling when you have a clumsy moment or a friend with butterfingers. Drop in a quartz banger, and you’ve got a desktop dab rig with both style and function. GRAV.COM @GRAVLABS | $99.99

FOR THE CLUMSY SMOKER

This next choice is the hottest Peak and Proxy accessory on the internet. Tuff Tethers allows you to pick out one of their amazing coil systems to keep your Puffco carb cap in place at all times. Whether you’ve got an oculus plug or a ball cap, their loop system snugly connects it to your atomizer for worryfree dabbing. Plus, they have a tight coil model that fits inside the travel bag. You can even find a setup to turn your Proxy into a pendant for hands-free action at events, or customize your own creation. TUFFTETHERS.COM @TUFFTETHERS | $18-$25

TRAPIS DESIGNS

FOR THE DEDICATED PUFFCO FAN

SEALZ TECH PORTABLE SEALER

For the smoker on the go, the Sealz tech portable sealing device is a great way to keep your loudest flowers under wraps. Premiering at the trade shows, you just need to drop your items into one of their various-sized bags and hook up the handheld device that plugs directly into your phone, sucking the air right out. Think of it like what you’d use to deflate a chipmunk-sized air mattress. We don’t recommend trying to take on a big job with these, but for traveling, it’s incredibly convenient to protect my terps right from the phone. SEALZTECH.COM @SEALZTECH | $39.99

FOR THE TRAVELING TERP COLLECTOR

PUFFCO PROXY

A Puffco Proxy will be the crown jewel of any concentrate fan’s wishlist. One of the top gifts of 2022, this versatile, ultra-portable device can vaporize just about any concentrate and pops out like a hermit crab, sliding into different stock or custom attachments. Simple to use and easy to clean, it features four temperature settings and a secret

FOR THE CONCENTRATE CONNOISSEUR

PODCAST SUBSCRIPTIONS

FOR THE INDUSTRY PROFESSIONAL

FOR THE FASHIONABLE

WOOK

The kind of clothing people on the street will stop you to ask where you got it. One of the most in-demand collaborators on the Cannabis scene, Trapis Designs has worked with Alien Labs, Puffco, Sacred Fruits, Trichadelics and even Ralph Steadman to create incredible tie-dye designs. His vibrant work and prompt shipping make his website a perfect stop to pick up a gift from the wide selection of oneof-a-kind, hand-dyed masterpieces made from vintage t-shirts, leggings and canvas jackets.

TRAPISDESIGNS.COM @TRAPIS_DESIGNS $40-$250

Give your loved one something newsworthy and fun to listen to with a subscription to some of the hottest podcasts in the Cannabis space. First Smoke of The Day is an engaging show that interviews influential owners and operators from all corners of the industry, and patron members get advance access for only $15 a month. The Hashish Inn offers deep dives into the history and practices of some of the most celebrated hashmakers working today. $15 a month buys unlimited access to the podcast, web interviews and their community chat room. The Masonic Smoker podcast with Edgar Peña and Frank Castillo offers serious laughter with a side of canna content. This legendary breeder and popular comedian come together for monthly conversations about branding, breeding, farming, as well as some of the less predictable parts of the Cannabis industry. Of course we can’t forget to shoutout Leaf’s very own Leaf Life Podcast for recording its 200th episode! Free to download on Spotify and Apple Music, hosts Wes Abney (@beardedlorax), and Mike Ricker (@rickerdj) bring qualified voices together to discuss all parts of Cannabis culture. Even topics like sex, scuba diving, and Cannabis hangovers. FIRSTSMOKEOFTHEDAY.COM @FIRSTSMOKEOFTHEDAY $15/MONTH — THEHASHISHINN.COM @THEHASHISHINN | $15/MONTH PATREON.COM/MASONICSMOKERPODCAST @MASONICSMOKERPODCAST | $9/MONTH — LEAFLIFEPODCAST.COM FREE

TALKING TERPS LIGHTER CASE

Talking Terps is a fan favorite amongst the Cannabis crowd. Their art, apparel and vinyl figures are guaranteed to be a hit with any stoner on your shopping list. They’ve partnered with the masters at Sweda jewelry to create a memorable gift, sure to become a treasured heirloom. Captured in either silver, bronze, or brass, this high-end lighter accessory premiered at Complexcon and shows their mascot Terp Crawford in stunning detail along with Talking Terps’ logo stamped into the back. This limited drop is supposed to hit their website in time for the holidays, so keep watch. So meday, your greatgrandchildren will be at the will reading fighting over who gets pop-pop’s favorite lighter. TALKINGTERPS.COM @TALKINGTERPS | $600 SILVER, $300 BRONZE/BRASS

FOR THE ART LOVER

CAREFREE CANNABIS CAREFREE CANNABIS

The store is filled from top to bottom with locally-created and funded products from family-owned companies all across the state.

THINKING BACK TO TIMES

when hash rosin was not as popular, we admit that we may not have been too picky. If it wasn’t too dark in color, we would slap it in a banger and (maybe even) reheat it once or twice. Flash forward to 2022. It’s been just a matter of years but both the compliance and quality of the industry have gone up in a significant way – with pesticide testing tightening up percentage allowances and newly discussed heavy metal testing on the horizon.

Nelson & Company have been on the frontlines of the rise of hash. Some may even say that they knew long before many that hash would make its way back around.

“The obvious next step was to vertical ly integrate,” owner Greg tells me as we walk through his newly-opened store. But things did not start as smoothly as they may seem.

Greg explains to me that they opened their doors in 2018, but closed after just three months. Having found a new partnership in retail, Greg has formed an alliance between Nelson & Co. and Treasure Valley, creating the company now known as Carefree Cannabis.

When you walk in the store, you are immediately greeted with a bulletproof, clear glass ID check station that embod ies a bank style of safety. After checking IDs, we head to the back where we are met with well-lit displays filled with familiar farms and brands, alongside a

staff with knowledge that spans 10-plus years. They understand that although recreationally legal, Cannabis still maintains its medicinal prowess, which is a refreshing outlook from a company that has seen the gambit of economic strife throughout its existence. “We serve the community, not the dollar,” Greg explains to us while describing why their outlooks and morals have never changed. He believes that the maintenance of those ideals have led to the success of the brand.

It’s obvious that each product carried on the shelves here is not from a multi-state-op erated or corpo rate-run farm. The store is filled from top to bottom with locally-created and funded prod ucts from fami ly-owned com panies all across the state. Within a couple sec onds, we could feel a connection to not only the ownership, but the employees behind the counter. The work environment they foster is unlike many stores within the industry.Each employee speaks of the art they create for the store and for themselves, and it’s a heartwarming feeling to see a shop that cares as much about their employees, as they do their customers. It’s a best-of-bothworlds scenario, where Carefree Canna bis provides a refreshing new take on the experience from one side of the counter to the other.

Oregon Leaf Budtender of the Month ANELA GRONEMYER

EDEN CRAFT CANNABIS | 4618 PORTLAND RD NE STE 110, SALEM, OR | EDENCRAFTCANNABIS.COM | @EDENCANNABISPNW | (503) 990-7664 | 9AM-9PM DAILY

Whether it’s cooking up infused burgers or being one of the bright smiles you see entering Eden Craft Cannabis in Salem, Anela Gronemyer always aims to add her own shine and care to whatever she’s doing. Not only does she love helping people feel better through Cannabis, she also enjoys serving up scrumptious infused meals! Born and raised in Salem (on 4/20 at 4:38 p.m. because as her mom says, “A true stoner is always late.”), Anela has family roots in Hawaii that provide her the opportunity to spread joy to people both in and outside of Oregon. Her stories, recipes and personal experience with the power of Cannabis for treating pain relief all come together to make this budtender a triple reinforcement in the Cannabis community!

WHEN DID YOU KNOW YOU WANTED TO GET INTO CANNABIS? It used to help my mom medicinally – and growing up I had stomach issues inherited from her – so she suggested I should try it! It’s been wonderful for her and me. And as soon as that happened, I was like, ‘Wow, this helps people – like, it genuinely helps people.’

WHAT WAS THE BIG MOMENT WHEN YOU GOT TO HELP YOUR FIRST CUSTOMER THE WAY YOUR MOM HELPED YOU? I will never forget, I was brand new and had never been in the industry. The first day I was on the job I just started talking to people. One of the first ones I talked to was this older gentleman who came in and was asking for his wife, stating that she’d been diagnosed with slowaltering dementia. He said he didn’t need anything else, just something for her pain. It broke my heart … right before I got into the industry I was in a gnarly car accident … I got my med card and found something called Dragon’s Blend and was obsessed with it! I mentioned it to him and that I would definitely give this a go … I told him at least try it – if it doesn’t work, let me know and I’ll pay you back for it, I just need you to try it. Later, he and his wife came in and she walked up to me and said, ‘You don’t know how much this means to me. I’ve never had something work for me – I’ve tried multiple times and different things. I can feel like I can be new again!’ That (to me) was everything. After that happened, one after the other, I was like, ‘OK, this is my purpose.’

IF YOU PUT A TINCTURE, A TOPICAL, AND AN EDIBLE IN A BOXING RING TOGETHER, WHO DO YOU THINK WOULD WIN? Topicals are getting KO’d –they’re done for. I feel like a tincture and edible would have a good run, but I feel like in the end, the tincture is going to win. Like, the tincture is just going to give a nice good uppercut.

WHAT IS ONE OF YOUR FAVORITE INFUSED EDIBLE MEALS THAT YOU’VE MADE?

By far the burgers … because with RSO, you can mix it into the burger meat and give it a honey consistency. I have the Dr. Jolly’s RSO and TJ’s Tinctures … what I also like to do is take the tincture and make ranch. It’s got the fattiness and stuff, so it loves to absorb it … add that to your chicken nuggets or your salad and now it’s infused!

IF YOU WERE STRANDED ON AN ISLAND, WHAT CANNABIS PRODUCT WOULD YOU BRING WITH YOU? Flower – and I’d carve a bong or pipe, like my antler pipe! Or if I’m able to bring glass, I’d bring one that’s at least two-and-a-half feet tall.

SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE SOME COOL GLASS. TELL US MORE ABOUT THAT. I started collecting when I was underage. My dream bong was something colorful and similar to a Zong – wound up finding it as just a shell. Put it together manually and instantly fell in love. Fun Fact: On my birthday I won a 75-piece-set giveaway! It’s one of my favorite things that got me crazy inspired into glass.

ANELA FACTS | She is a professional at blowing O rings; was born on 4/20 at 4:38 pm cause “a true stoner is always late” (her mom’s words); makes entire edible meals (like burgers and dressings); and is a glass collector with over 120 pieces

“WHAT I ALSO LIKE TO DO IS TAKE THE TINCTURE AND MAKE RANCH … ADD THAT TO YOUR CHICKEN NUGGETS OR YOUR SALAD AND NOW IT’S INFUSED!”

jonhamm

Jon Hamm a.k.a Ganja Jon, has spent much of his life fighting. Fighting for his health, fighting for Cannabis, and a couple of times, fighting for his life.

When Jon was 17 years old he received his first kid ney transplant. Thanks to a young girl who lost her life in a car accident, Jon was able to (for a short while) live a life of normalcy. Jon did everything required of him to keep both himself and his kidneys healthy, but a mere five years later, he found himself in need of another kidney.

He didn’t want to go through dialysis again, but knew it was necessary. He also knew “how much it was going to suck.” It was at this point that Jon knew he had to do something different … so he went down to his local head shop, bought a pipe, and went about finding some herb. He managed to find some locals who were able to hook him up – which was a far more difficult task in the time before medical Can nabis, when there weren’t dispensaries or clinics for him to rely on.

“Weed helped with the pain, but dabs helped with the anxiety, with my calm, my chill,” explained Jon.

JON HAD an army of lawyers from the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) behind him. NORML was making a “big f*cking deal about being denied,” said Jon. Given Cannabis’ status as a Schedule I substance, trying to talk a team of medical professionals into giving a “stoner” a kidney was no easy feat.

Because of the nature of the situa tion, Jon was able to have what they call a “high-risk kidney transplant.”

This time, he received a kidney from a man who died from a drug-induced aneurysm. Unfortunately, there were complications right away. They had to remove the kidney, then put it back again. He was suffering from a con dition known as “sleepy kidney” – a situation in which the kidney doesn’t function properly right away.

At this point, Jon felt like he went through the surgery for nothing. He was back on dialysis and feeling hopeless. He had thoughts of ending his life, but he decided that if that was the way it was going to be, he was going to get “high as fuck” first.

Jon took five grams of Full Extract Cannabis Oil (FECO or RSO) and slept for 19 hours. When he woke up, he saw something that he hadn’t seen in over two years: urine. The extract that he had taken the night prior had worked its magic on him: His kidney was working. His surgeon didn’t know what had happened, but he told Jon to “keep doing what you’re doing.” It was then that Jon decided that he was “never going to stop using weed ever again.”

To celebrate his working kidney, Jon partnered with a buddy in Washington and entered the first-ever Cannabis Cup in Seattle – which they WON! Jon referred to this award as his “Weed Oscar,” and felt like he had reached the mountaintop. From there, his open mind and willingness to learn led to “TV deals, documentaries, and many other brushes with greatness.”

These days, Jon lives in Portland and is in the process of building his own home. He continues to stay involved in the industry, making products and consulting for Cannabis companies.

Do you prefer dabbing over flower?

UH HUH!

Do you have a favorite terpene? Almost ALWAYS, I am going to lean towards limonene. Orange flavors, citrusy flavors are always going to be my bag. I’m a tropical bitch. I definitely lean towards skunky stuff and ya know, ‘chemmy’ – but almost always … if you say Mandarin or Tangie or something like that, I am going to go, ‘Ooooooh.’

How would you describe the color green without using any color words? Hmm, the essence of trees, the ground, the earth. Everything around us that isn’t water.

If you could choose one song to play every time you walked into a room, what would you choose and why? Oh goodness, that’s a tough one! I was just listening to a bunch of music today, so I have all of that stuff fresh in my mind. Ya know what, I think it would be Take 5 by Dave Brubeck – which is just a fun, light instrumental song. It’s chill, like I aspire to be. Maybe not like I am, but what I ASPIRE to be.

Tell me about your most unusual talent or party trick. OH! I guess my most unusual talent is taking out my eye and that’s what a lot of people know me for! For a party trick, my absolute favor ite thing to do is, still to this day, to my mom, put my eye ball in the Yahtzee cup right before I roll the dice and kind of throw them at her – and she screams every time!

Do you think that zombies should be fast or slow? 100% fast! I come from the Zack Snyder school of zombies. The 2004 Dawn of the Dead remake is far superior to the original, simply because the zombies are quick. But, in my own personal situation, I would prefer that they be slow if they are chasing after me, cuz I gotta work on my cardio.

If you could be the main character of any video game, who would it be? Ya know, I feel like a lot of people are going to say Mario because of easy access to mushrooms/psyche delics – but I would have to say Nathan Drake in Uncharted because he is like a male Tomb Raider. Action and adventure has always been my bag.

STORY by KATELYN COLLINS @MEDDIKATED for OREGON LEAF | PHOTOS by DIANA THOMPSON @DUDE.DIANA

“Weed helped with the pain, but dabs helped with the anxiety, with my calm, my chill.”

company profile firedept.edibles

When did you start making infused cookies?

Yeah, so it actually started back in 2018 – the kitchen was part of the original Fire Dept. facility located in Springfield. It was just a little baking kitchen in a house that was converted. We basically outgrew that space in about a year.

Was it difficult finding a Cannabis-friendly commercial kitchen to move into? We found this location, which was basically office and warehouse space, and we built the kitchen. I didn’t know anything about kitchens before this! We brought in gas lines and we did all the plumbing from scratch. I mean, this thing was an empty warehouse and now it’s converted into a function ing kitchen.

Which product caught traction first? Cookies. That was our flagship product when we opened and wanted to take a bite out of the edible market, no pun intended. We have a great relationship with the guys over at Buddies, so from the get-go we were sourcing liquid diamonds. This wasn’t another distillate cookie on the market – it was a chocolate chip cookie infused with live resin.

Any plans to expand beyond baked goods?

We have! We’re kind of getting outside of our nor mal wheelhouse and started doing gummies. We have a 20-pack, microdose option and a single 100mg gummy – all live resin infused.

What makes Fire Dept. gummies stand out against the other offerings on shelves? It was important for us to make it a vegan product, so we used pectin and made a softer jelly gum my that we’re really happy with. We’ve got three key flavors: Cascade Cherry, Pacific Pineapple and Mountain Berry. Each with an indica or sativa option. Those are all live resin infused as well.

What should we look forward to from the Fire Dept. kitchen crew? Probably the most exciting is our Sleepy-Time Snickerdoodle. It’s 100mg THC,100mg CBD and 100mg CBN. That will be our kickoff for our rosin-based edibles. So, that’d be a full spectrum, rosin-infused CBN product, on the shelves by the end of the year.

100mg

STORY by RYAN HERRON @THELOUD100 for OREGON LEAF | PHOTOS by DIANA THOMPSON @DUDE.DIANA

“We’re kind of getting outside of our normal wheelhouse and started doing gummies. We have a 20-pack, microdose option and a single

gummy – all live resin infused.”

We caught up with Fire Dept Owner Tony Birch and got the lowdown on how he started his unassuming Oregon canna-cookie empire.

COURTESY TONY BIRCH

ALIBI CANNABIS

ALIBI CANNABIS LEAD GROWER CHRIS EANNUCCI AND OWNER MARIANNE CURSETJEE

Chris, how do you decide which cultivars are going in the garden? Well, you know, it's that balance of what the market demands and that I've been growing for a couple of decades. So, I want what I like and also big yielders. We're pretty picky. We have about 30 new strains in the building and we're in the process of finding what the keepers will be. It's a little more work than growing whatev er the hot hype something is with a Z on the end of it, but it's worth it.

Everything looks so clean and efficient, how long have you been growing indoors? I've been growing for almost 28 years now. In Oregon since about '99 and before that, my dad and I grew in California. Later, one of my good friends started a lighting company and I did a bunch of R&D stuff for him. It just kept progressing. I was pretty fortunate be cause some of the grows I was a part of were doing really good work.

Marianne, what originally inspired you to start Alibi? In 2015 I was diagnosed with breast cancer and did the whole surgery, chemo, radiation. I was feeling awful and somebody gave me some Cannabis to help me through chemo. We never looked back. Now it just helps me every day. We founded the company because everybody needs to have access to this. I know people are using this as a medicine and so let's give them a good experience.

Speaking of good experience, tell us about your collaboration with Astral Treats. We just love them. 100mg peach and huckle berry gummies in easy-to-dose star shapes. Syrups in those same flavors, also 100mg. We've got pre-rolls and we're very excited about the solvent less hash-infused pre-rolls as well. It's been fun seeing them go out to dispensaries all around Oregon.

STORY by RYAN HERRON @THELOUD100 for OREGON LEAF | PHOTOS by DIANA THOMPSON @DUDE.DIANA

“WE FOUNDED THE COMPANY BECAUSE EVERYBODY NEEDS TO HAVE ACCESS TO THIS.”

-OWNER MARIANNE CURSETJEE

We stopped by the immaculate Alibi facility to talk with the lead grower Chris Eannucci and owner Marianne Cursetjee about what inspired the company, their roots in the legacy market, and the new edible collaboration with Astral Treats.

CEREAL MILK

Tropicanna Cookies yin yang jars

TOURING THE SHOP, it’s easy to tell that every square inch of their facility is being used, as well as every part of the extract –something I have not seen at any of the larger extraction labs.

The direction the company is headed with (both solvent and solventless extraction) seems to be setting the pace for labs everywhere – working directly with the OLCC on new products, as well as the standardization of operational procedures.

Many of the team have back grounds rooted in the medical market of the past. So the brand will be releasing products familiar to those that consumed medical Cannabis prior to recreational legalization, creating a nostalgic buying experience for Oregon’s originals. They have also taken the dive into two-gram packages of extract, something they call Yin Yang Jars.

After seeing the facility and speaking with the husband and wife owners, we set out to try this new product for ourselves. Orig inally tasting it off of a quartz terp slurper, it’s apparent that there is little to no remediation done to the color of this product. Having tried several cultivars, we noticed that each consistency was a different color and all-around terpene profile. The ability to choose what you want to con sume has to be one of the top reasons why consumers will flock to these. They offer a choice between Live resin diamonds or sauce. Each diamond seems faceted to perfection and clarity is spot on, not to mention the flawless breakdown time for the diamond in the banger.

“A choice between dry THCA diamonds or fractal terpenes that come in a glossy, badder-like consistency.”

Calyx Crafts became the first licensed extract facility in De schutes County in 2016, with no investors and backed solely by Green Leaf Garden Center. They tell us it allowed them to increase profits quickly while minimizing overhead (thanks to a thought fully designed lab that makes use of every square inch of the facility). Now that they’re inte grating several employees from the former Lunchbox Alchemy THC crew, make sure to keep an eye out on the market for several products that have been lost, but

not forgotten.

Winding over the mountaintop headed toward Central Oregon is a wild frontier of desert land, lakes, rivers, and valleys as far as the state stretches. After stopping in Bend for a microbrew and a bite to eat, we decided to visit the crew over at Calyx Crafts to get a firsthand look at their new products.

REVIEW by RYAN SANETEL @QUALITY.CONTROL.MEDIA for OREGON LEAF | PHOTO by AMANDA

This month, we’re diving into Louis VuChron Don: good news for those of us who sat in the back of the class sniffing markers. This potent herb is nose-deafeningly loud with a sweet, Chem-forward aroma. In short, opening a jar of Louis Vuchron’s selection of Don Mega smells like you’ve been up all night eating candy and siphoning racing fuel.

We talked with the crew at Louis VuChron about selecting this heavy hitter. “Solfire Genetics based out of Washington is a super lit breeder! We have had a lot of success with their gear. Every seed pack [we’ve had from Solfire] has a wide variety of unique phenotypic expressions. We always find some HEAT!”

“We had seven or so winners and decided to keep this phenotype based on a few key factors: smooth smoke and strong effects, nose-stinging aroma, uniform bud structure and vigorous growth,” the team told us.

This winner in the garden translates well to the jar. The finished buds have violet-striped calyxes, dark in color even under a blanket of frosty trichomes. Occasional hints of lime green are revealed only by running the buds through a grinder. At first, the aromas of permanent marker, rubber and oiled leather dominate the profile.

On closer inspection, this cross of GMO and Black Banana shows off its funky and fruity lineage.

Raw garlic and earthy wild onion scents settle over notes of under-ripe peach and chalky banana candies. Together, the bouquet reads as a complex mix of gas, funk, leather and fruit. As savory and evocative as Dad’s cologne, this memorable profile catches your attention the instant the lid is cracked.

Ideal for rolling a joint, this tacky herb has the proper moisture content to light easily and burn evenly. Though the candy flavors get lost in the inhale, the funk components are all fully present.

Thick smoke hangs heavily in the air, and the effect carries a similar feeling – light enough to not get stuck to the couch, but relaxing to the point of not wanting to leave the house.

This is ideal head stash herb, but with a scent so potent, expect to have difficulty hiding it from anyone who might want a taste.

REVIEW by RYAN HERRON @THELOUD100 for OREGON LEAF | PHOTO by AMANDA DAY @TERPODACTYL_MEDIA

THIS INFUSED LIFE THIS INFUSED LIFE

Advice for optimizing the edible experience.

For the first timer…

Go slow! You can always eat more, but never less. Start with a single serving of 5-10mg, wait a couple hours, and enjoy the feeling. Pay at tention to how your body reacts and remember: One plus one, doesn’t equal two. Everybody reacts differently to servings, and you might feel great at 10mg and feel sick and out of control at 20mg. So take it easy, start slow, and build a tolerance and dosage range that works for you over time.

What’s a serving size? How do I decide dosage?

Looking at the label on an edible might seem confusing, but there are a few simple tricks to figuring it all out. The two most important things to note are the serving size and total cannabi noids/potency. Most states define a serving as either 5mg or 10mg of THC. Potency will always be based on milligrams. The total potency could be 50mg or 100mg, depending on regulations, but it could also be as high as 1,000+ milli grams if it’s a tincture or high-strength option. Reading this and knowing your dosage is the difference between a fun time and a neverend ing rollercoaster of THC.

For most people, eating a single serving is going to be perfect. People with low tolerances might find medicinal relief at just two or three milligrams, but a sweet space seems to be 10mg. Once you feel comfortable there, explore by adding a serving per edible experience so you can expand your comfortability zone.

It’s also common to have a personal range when it comes to dosing. For this writer, 1020mg is a daily relaxer and anti-anxiety tool, 50mg does the trick for pain but makes it hard to focus, and 100mg is a full-blown, drooly edi ble trip. But this is just me – I’ve seen people eat 250mg and reach for the next cookie. So take it slow and find your sweet spot when it comes to dosage … you’ll have fun and feel great!

Can I overdose on edibles?

Here’s the good news about eating too much THC: You can’t die! The only way edibles could kill you is if a loaded crate of them fell on your head in a tragic weed warehouse accident. But that’s where the good news ends.

Do you remember the first time you got too drunk? Most of us have at least a few college-age, puking-in-random-places memories that we’d like to forget. That said, consuming too much THC or other cannabinoids can result in serious discomfort similar to alcohol overconsump tion, with symptoms including nausea/puking, paranoia and the spins. In extreme situations,

This holiday season, get ready to fly as high as a reindeer with our annual Edibles Issue! To avoid crashing and burning like Rudolph after a long night of whatever keeps his nose so red, check out our edibles advice for living your best infused life. While most of this information is for new consumers, it’s always great to get a refresher course – and to keep sharing with friends and family before embarking on a journey into the holidaze.

the high level of psychoactive effects can lead to crazed behavior.

The only cure for over consumption is time and water, which is why you should avoid wast ing a medical professional’s time at a hospital getting fluids and a large bill. If you or a friend end up too high, grab the Gatorade and a weighted blanket, and plan to sit it out. This might mean silence and darkness or putting on a favorite movie – but rest assured that it will pass and once you fall asleep, you’ll be on your way to a fresh start the next day.

The Edible Hangover

While edibles are much safer than alcohol, they can still cause a hangover that can be incred ibly unpleasant. Imagine being stuck in a sort of mental quicksand and having every move ment slowed down 30%, while feeling like the dehydrated SpongeBob that tried to hang out in Sandy’s air environment. Like a fish out of water, eating too much can leave you gasping … and

there’s not a lot to help but coffee and fluids. Our best advice to prevent a hangover is to go slow, and make sure to eat edibles with enough time to activate and have effects before sleep. And if your goal is sleep, don’t wait until your bedtime to pop the CBN. Giving the cannabinoids time to kick in will help with either fun or sleep, and allow for a restful night without effects clouding your mind the next day.

In Budtenders We Trust

Last but certainly not least, trust your budtender when you have questions, concerns or expe riences to share. Don’t be shy: They’ve heard it all and probably love helping with advice!

If they don’t, pick a more enthusiastic bud tender and dive in. Getting trusted info from the source is always clutch, especially before dropping money on a new product or trying something different. And for the best advice possible, always tip your budtender for good service. It will definitely pay off!

PHOTO BY ADOBE STOCK

EDIBLE LIFE HACKS FOR THE MODERN STONER

In many Cannabis markets across the United States, the dosage cap for edibles often seems to scoff in the face of the medicinal food and beverage movement that helped create so many of the names we know today. So, what do you do if you want something with more THC than what’s available on the shelf? We’ve come too far now to go back to making questionablydosed brownies in our kitchen, and not everyone wants to learn the art of cooking with Cannabis. But there are a ton of hacks –and even some products out there – that will help you transform your favorite edibles into amazingly potent “haute cuisine.” Below, you can find four suggestions for spicing up your edibles without becoming a Michelin SensiStar chef.

One classic example is a dessert I learned about in Europe in the early 2000s called a Yogi. All you need is some hash, some oil, and a sin gle-serving carton of yogurt. Head to your local shop and ask for some melty bubble hash, place about one third to one half of a gram into a spoon with a bit of coconut or cooking oil, and heat the bottom until they melt into one mixture (alternatively, you can warm them up in a ramekin). Then drop that into your cup of yogurt, stir, and eat up. At first, you’ll wonder if it’s even working, but after a couple hours in … get ready for a beautiful ride that can last half the day.

If you’re looking for something a little fancier, how about something I worked up by accident?

Called the Canna-Potta, this take on a classic Italian dessert usually calls for two thirds to a whole bag of gummies per serving. Take your gummies and place them into a muffin top tin. Let them melt at 95 degrees on a lower rack for two to three minutes, or until they become one solid disc. Heat gelatin powder, heavy cream, salt, sugar and vanilla bean extract together. Whisk well, then let cool and pour into cups. Pop everything into the fridge to chill for at least four hours, then place that high-powered con fection on top and bon appetit.

Have you ever tried a tincture milkshake? One of the benefits of the Cannabis beverage explosion has been the increase of delicious, large-dose mixers in a wide array of flavors on the market. It’s a misno mer that beverages must be low-dose, and a good tincture can work solo or in tandem with a Cannabis beverage. For example, stopping by your local store and tossing 200mg of Mango

tincture in with some blueberries, vanilla ice cream and coconut milk makes for an incredible afternoon (you can pour them into two glasses, but we can’t guarantee you’ll share). Up your level by topping it with your favorite canna-drink.

Want something a little simpler, but with almost no end to the possibilities? Look no further than RSO. Also called Full Spectrum Oil, by adding a drop the size of a grain of rice to something like buttered toast, you can achieve a similar effect to a handful of treats – or even transform a gummy into a supercharged edible. When consuming THC, it’s important to remember it’s lipid-soluble, meaning it will need to bond with fat to produce that wonderful experience. Now, who’s ready for a 50mg fried peanut butter and banana sandwich?

There’s no telling what new ideas you might get the next time you’re checking out the edible section at a dispensary! If you come up with something fun, tag Leaf Magazines and let’s share the culinary creativity.

PHOTO BY ADOBE STOCK

“For a Yogi, all you need is some hash, some oil, and a carton of yogurt.”

E D I BLES CARTS

In a stroke of genius, elbe's created a line of cereal-milk cookies made with their potent cannabutter – an infused collaboration brought to you by DogHouse. Munching one of their Fruitydoodles with a crunchy sugar topping on a soft baked cookie feels like a Saturday morning cartoon for your mouth. Brighten these gray days with this fine flavor, or check out Honeydoodle and Chocodoodle – all on shelves now.

46.02MG THC PER PACKAGE | ELBESEDIBLES.COM @ELBESEDIBLES

REVIEW BY RYAN HERRON @THELOUD100

PRUF

SOLVENTLESS HASH ROSIN GUMMIES

“RESTFUL SLEEP” WILDBERRY TEA 1:1

From the alluring scent to easy-to-eat consistency, the Pruf “Restful Sleep” wildberry tea gummies capture what it would be like to have a sleepy-time tea in gummy form. Opening the biodegradable packaging, I felt like I walked into the most calming berry-scented perfume department. The vegan ingredients help make each square gummy go down easy, without the tough or chewy consistency. Once the berries were done hugging my tastebuds, my tongue was met with a calming, deep, earthy, tea flavor that lingered. Around an hour later, I felt the gummies softly rocking my body back and forth to a blissful state.

96.53 THC/PACKAGE | 100.89MG CBN/PACKAGE PRUFCANNABIS.COM @PRUFCULTIVAR

REVIEW BY CORTNEY “BUBBLES” DONACA @CALLOFBOOTYJUDY

MELLOW VIBES KETTLE CORN

Each popcorn kernel feels like a crunchy cloud in my mouth that dissolves into a mellow caramel profile. With little to no taste of Cannabis, I almost forgot it was infused! After eating the entire bag in one sitting, it was no surprise that I was met with feelings of giggles and a notable body high. The flavor, consistency and effect all make this edible great for anyone wanting to turn a movie night or laid-back hangout into something simultaneously silly and relaxing. 105.46MG THC PER PACKAGE

MELLOWVIBES.COM @MELLOWVIBESBRAND

NELSON & CO.

CAREFREE DARK CHOCOLATE BAR

This single-source, 10-piece hash rosin bar uses semi-sweet, Fair Trade dark chocolate that melts in your mouth like a handful of gourmet chocolate chips. Alongside this silky flavor, hints of vanilla and Cannabis play out in the aftertaste. Grown and processead by Nelson & Company, each bar is 100mg, 10mg per serving, and has been made in a facility that processes nuts and gluten. This is a warm and comfortable solventless experience that’s great for making s’mores by the fire.

99.76MG THC PER BAR

NELSONANDCOMPANYORGANICS.COM @NELSONANDCOMPANY_

REVIEW BY MATT JACKSON @ACTIONMATTJACKSON

REVIEW BY CORTNEY “BUBBLES” DONACA @CALLOFBOOTYJUDY

PHOTO BY AMANDA DAY @TERPODACTYL_MEDIA

ELBE'S FRUITYDOODLE CEREAL MILK COOKIE

VIVA THCV CANNABIS GUMMY

Viva produces flower high in THCV, the appetite-depressing cannabinoid known to be uplifting and psy choactive. Concentrated by Mule Extracts, this flower goes into effect-forward edibles and vapes that are no slouch in the looks, taste or dosage departments. We tried the 1:1 THC and THCV variety, but these invigorating gummies are available in a ton of flavors and cannabinoid combinations, so finding your favorite is half the fun. 46.6MG THC/PACKAGE | 31.4MG THCV/PACKAGE | THCVIVA.COM @VIVATHCV REVIEW BY RYAN HERRON @THELOUD100 | PHOTO BY AMANDA DAY @TERPODACTYL_MEDIA

HAPPY HOLIDAZE YO

BOTZ BY GREEN STATE OF MIND SOUR APPLE FULL SPECTRUM GUMMY

The emerald green, sugar-coat ed Sour Apple Botz gummy from Green State of Mind instantly had my attention. The full-spec trum, fast-acting gummy was scored into 10 sections (about the size of a pencil eraser) containing roughly 10mg of THC each. I tore off one of the sections with my hands and popped it into my mouth, and my taste buds were instantly hit with sweet and sour apples and Cannabis extract. The gummy was soft and flavorful with a kick of sourness. I don’t get sour edibles very often and this was a fun experience!

97.36MG THC/PACKAGE

1.64MG CBD/PACKAGE

GREENSTATEOFMINDINC.COM

@GREENSTATEOFMINDINC

REVIEW

BY KATELYN COLLINS

@MEDDIKATED

SMOKIEZ EDIBLES SOUR JAMBERRY

CBN FRUIT CHEWS

Dive into sweet dreams with a uniquely flavored gummy that delivers a perfect blend of THC and CBN in a yummy bite that’s great for a regular nightcap. Sleep is a precious commodity that has frustrated patients and doctors for many years, but the discovery of CBN has led many to a restful night without over-the-counter sleep aids that can be addictive. The only addictive part of these Sour Jamberry gummies is how delicious they are! What is a jamberry? A combination of strawberry, blackberry and blueberries in one bite that’s perfectly sweet and gently sour – like a kiss of jam before dreams of sugar plums from these effective CBN gummies.

10MG THC AND 10MG CBN/SERVING 100MG THC AND CBN/PACKAGE

SMOKIEZ.COM @OFFICIALSMOKIEZ

REVIEW BY WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX

PHOTO BY DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

FIRE DEPT. CANNABIS

MOUNTAIN BERRY JELLY GUMMY

Berry-flavored edibles hold a very special place in my stoner heart and this Mountain Berry Gummy by Fire Dept. Cannabis absolutely solidifies my reason as to why. Tangy and sweet, this treat packs 100mg of honor able tastiness that satisfied my craving right before I hit the hay. Halfway into watching the new season of Love Is Blind on Netflix, I could feel my eyes sink and head lift into the clouds. 105.52MG THC PER PACKAGE

FIREDEPTCANNA.COM @FIREDEPT.CANNA.OR

REVIEW BY DIANA THOMPSON @DUDE.DIANA

RETREATS BY WILLAMETTE VALLEY ALCHEMY

VEGAN

1:1 STRAIN-SPECIFIC GUMMIES

The jammy heaven that greeted us in the Retreats kitchen comes from a perfect puree of passionfruit, blueberry, grapefruit, lychee and strawberry – real fruit flavors you can find in each pack of these nectarous gummies. Willamette Valley Alchemy extracted Tokyo Starfish’s Grandpa Larry and East Fork Cultivars’ Cherry Wine in-house, just feet from the same delicious kitchen we drooled about earlier. Together, these extractions provide this product's 1:1 balance of THC and CBD. The final goodies are presented in a pocket-friendly tin and even offer a refill program with 10% off when you bring it back to your local shop!

103.6MG THC/PACKAGE | 99.4MG CBD/PACKAGE

RETREATSEDIBLES.COM @RETREATS_WVA

REVIEW BY AMANDA DAY @TERPODACTYL_MEDIA

JUNK BY LEIF GOODS

FIELD TRIP SWEET LEMON FUNCTIONAL MAGIC GUMMIES

The Field Trip Functional Magic Gummies from JUNK Leif Goods piqued my interest from the get-go. These “state of flow” 1:1 gummies featuring L-Theanine (an amino acid found in plants and fungal species) are something special. I received the Sweet Lemon flavor, and let me tell you, the aroma that graced my senses upon opening the resealable package inspired a vivid recollection of old-school lemon drop hard candy. My first bite revealed a perfectly squishy, silky consistency. These gluten-free, vegan,100% natural gummies are delicious and unique. The perfect addition to any Field Trip! 102.06MG THC/PACKAGE | 100.55MG CBD/PACKAGE

JUNKWORLDWIDE.COM @EATMOREJUNK

REVIEW BY KATELYN COLLINS @MEDDIKATED

GRÖN PIPS 1:1 DARK CHOCOLATE

PEANUT BUTTER TREATS

These binge-able chocolate treats feature a burst of peanut butter in the center and a pleasing, can dy-coated crunch. They’re reminiscent of an M&M, but unquestionably more fun when you factor in the 1:1 ratio of THC and CBD delicately disguised in Grön’s smooth, Fair Trade chocolate. Each bag is broken into 20 pieces, with each piece measuring roughly 10mg of cannabinoids. While this sounds simple to dose, if you’re like us, you’ll find yourself a handful of Pips deep before remembering that these sly, snackable little sweets are packing a punch.

100MG THC & 100MG CBD PER PACKAGE

EATGRON.COM @EATGRON

REVIEW BY AMANDA DAY @TERPODACTYL_MEDIA

SMOKIEZ EDIBLES LIVE RESIN FRUIT CHEWS

Embrace the gummy lifestyle with the Live Resin Fruit Chews lineup from Smokiez Edibles. Live resin edibles are all the rage right now, with high terpenes and better flavor making for a heady edible experience. You’ll find these crafty tins made from recycled ocean plastic filled with effect-specific indica or sativa blends, and flavors like Sour Guava, Sour Watermelon, a sweeter Guava and Sour Mango, amongst other delicious options. We love the sour fruit flavors that tease the palate and with the option to choose effects, it’s sativa gummies for lunch and indica for dinner.

10MG THC/SERVING | 100MG THC/PACKAGE | SMOKIEZ.COM @OFFICIALSMOKIEZ

CROP CIRCLE CHOCOLATES

VANILLA HAZELNUT CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Delightfully adorned with a sprinkling of hazelnuts, these Rosin Truffles from Crop Circle Chocolate ensnare your taste buds in a dance of flavor. The fruit-forward notes from Ananda Farms’ Tally Mon rosin extracted by BNK Solventless pair ever so eloquently with the deep notes of the Fair Trade, organic dark chocolate brought to us by Crop Circle. The first bite was bliss. Velvety smooth hazelnut ganache delicately blanketed in an outer shell of dark chocolate decadence. Tally Mon is known for its *ahem* exciting effects, and the whole experience was pleasurable for my flavor (and endocannabinoid) receptors. 93.2MG THC PER BOX CROPCIRCLECHOCOLATE.COM @CROPCIRCLE.CHOCOLATE

REVIEW BY KATELYN COLLINS @MEDDIKATED

SMOKIEZ EDIBLES GREEN APPLE

CBG CALM FRUIT CHEWS

If Snow White had these Green Apple gummies she might have been able to tolerate her seven dwarves instead of trusting that evil witch. As a parent, these gummies are a lifesaver – with CBG acting as a mood stabilizer and relaxer that melts stress and puts a smile on your face. Munching on a delicious chewy bite tastes exactly like a Granny Smith apple, with a perfect blend of sweet and tart, and a lovely blend of THC and CBG to help you survive – or thrive through your next work day or grand adventure.

10MG THC AND 10MG CBN/SERVING 100MG THC AND CBN/PACKAGE SMOKIEZ.COM @OFFICIALSMOKIEZ

REVIEW BY WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX

PHOTO BY DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

ASTRAL TREATS FULL SPECTRUM STARDUST HUCKLEBERRY GUMMY

Alibi Cannabis and Astral Treats have teamed up to bring us a Kush Mints-specific surprise. It’s a tangy little treat that offers an easy-to-peel (and particularly cute) star gummy with a gooey, fruity feel. For this picky palate, there’s a nearly-unnoticeable extract flavor that goes down smoothly with heavy hints of huckleberry that hang around on the tongue for just long enough to make you want more. Overall, this gummy offers a fun experience – from the packaging to the pull-apart-dosing. 101.38MG THC PER PACKAGE ASTRALTREATS.COM @ASTRALTREATS.ETH

REVIEW BY AMANDA DAY @TERPODACTYL_MEDIA

REVIEW BY WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX | PHOTO BY DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

BEVERAGES & TINCTURES

THE CO2 COMPANY MANGO FRUIT LUST SYRUP

Upon pouring the syrup into a glass, it breaks down almost immediately without stirring thanks to nano emulsification – a process made popular by studies which have shown immediate effects when using this style of amalgamation.

The syrup has a sugary-mango-tang and a comforting sensation that creeps up and morphs into effects ranging from weighted eyelids to the incessant need to “just sit down for a second.” Although the product is new to the market, CO2 Company has been in the game for sometime now.

1,080MG THC/BOTTLE THECO2COMPANY.COM @THE_CO2_COMPANY

REVIEW BY RYAN SANETEL

@QUALITY.CONTROL.MEDIA

FARMER’S FRIEND EXTRACTS FULL SPECTRUM HIGH THC INDICA COCONUT OIL TINCTURE

This tincture is new to the market, made by a trusted source with a background in medicinal Cannabis, and well known for their RSOs (Rick Simpson Oil). It’s a suave, creamy-like consistency that’s nearly clear, with indica-specific strains and comes in two sizes: a 1oz bottle with 1,000mg and a 5ml (mini) bottle with 150mg. This product has been asked for by specific users in need of large supple ments to combat chronic illnesses such as cancer and fibromyalgia, as it helps to re lieve symptoms and fight the side effects from other treatments. Supplemented since 2016, FFE has built a solid name for themselves by delivering consistent, med ical-grade products to the state. 1000.64MG THC/BOTTLE FFEPDX.COM @FFEPDX

REVIEW BY RYAN SANETEL

@QUALITY.CONTROL.MEDIA

CROWN B ALCHEMY CANNABULL WILD CHERRY SOUR DIESEL NANO-CANNABINOID SYRUP

In the market to try something new?

Crown B Alchemy dug its heels into the dirt and knocked it out of the park when they produced this Wild Cherry Nano-Cannabinoid Syrup. The bottle provides a lush taste but intense high if ingested carelessly, so be vigilant! I added a serving to my crispy cold Sprite and was perfectly stoned about 35 min utes later. The best part of this Cannabull was the boost it provided (and I needed) to get through the rest of my Sunday chores. Nice work, CBA!

1,052MG THC/BOTTLE CROWNBALCHEMY.COM @CROWNBALCHEMY REVIEW BY DIANA THOMPSON @DUDE.DIANA

HERBAN TRIBE CANNABIS INFUSED POG JUICE

A delightfully smooth and refreshing combination of pomegranate, orange and guava, in conjunction with a combined 100mg of THC per bottle, create a quick and easy avenue for on-the-go consumption without running the risk of smelling like Cannabis. Directions for use, as well as measurement lines added to the side of the bottle, create a sense of comfortability while consuming. With a thin consistency, this product goes down like a refreshing cup of water. Effects start within 15 minutes and last for upwards of two hours, with feelings ranging from calming and relaxing vibrations, to full body tingling. 100MG THC/BOTTLE HERBANTRIBLE.COM @HERBANTRIBE | REVIEW BY RYAN SANETEL @QUALITY.CONTROL.MEDIA REVIEWS by OREGON LEAF STAFF & CONTRIBUTORS @OREGONLEAFMAG |

BEVERAGES & TINCTURES

HAPY KITCHEN STONE’D FRUIT SYRUP (BLACKBERRY 1:1:1)

Within milliseconds of Hapy Kitchen’s Stone’d Fruit Syrup hitting my tongue, it was almost as if I had taken a dive into liquid silk. The smooth, almost creamy texture was then met with a combined flavor of blackberries and nugs dancing on my palate. About 40 minutes later, my eyelids began to feel heavy and my body relaxed – as if the Sandman had made this blackberry 1:1:1 fruit syrup himself. With mini mal-to-no grogginess and feeling quite refreshed, I was happily ready to start the day – making this Hapy Kitchen Stone’d Fruit Syrup perfect for anyone who needs a physical reset.

253.8MG THC/PACKAGE

244.35MG CBD/PACKAGE

244.12MG CBN/PACKAGE

HAPYKITCHEN.COM

@HAPYKITCHEN_PORTLANDOR

REVIEW BY CORTNEY “BUBBLES “DONACA @CALLOFBOOTYJUDY

ATOMIC APPLE SOUR APPLE BEVERAGE

SUN GOD THC CLASSIC TINCTURE

GREEN DRAGON STYLE

Ingesting tincture is not always my first choice, but this “green dragon style” tincture by Sun God is an exciting refresher for my memory as to why sativa tinctures can be a life-saver during a slow morning. I started my hump day with one dropper (a single serving) and a cup of black tea to help dilute. In 20 minutes time, I was met with a solid high that felt productive and functional, but also mellow. Sun God continually creates noteworthy products that are always gluten-free, non-GMO, vegetarian, and small batch-crafted.

1021.23MG THC/BOTTLE | 3.43MG CBG/BOTTLE | 34.9MG CBC/BOTTLE

SUNGODMEDICINALS.COM @SUNGODMEDS

REVIEW BY DIANA THOMPSON @DUDE.DIANA

VERDANT LEAF

GREEN APPLE LIVE SHO SYRUP

When you’re ready to start the holiday happy hour, Verdant Leaf has you covered with their Live Solventless Hash Oil Syrup. One tiny, twoounce bottle can make a round of 10mg drinks for you and 49 of your closest friends. The green apple variety has a sweet, candy flavor up front and a heavy Cannabis aftertaste that lends well to a mixed beverage. Strain-specific and single-source, this is also nano-enhanced for a faster activation time – with most people feeling the effects after around 25 minutes.

518MG THC/BOTTLE

VERDANTLEAFFARMS.COM @THEVERDANTLEAF

REVIEW BY MATT JACKSON @ACTIONMATTJACKSON

Plainly said, I am a beverage person. I’ll be the first to admit that I have three drinks in rotation on my bedside table. So you can understand my excitement when I tasted this sour apple deliciousness by Atomic Apple. Drinkable edibles can be intimidating due to dosage, but the Atomic Apple has clear measurement markers for con sumption. This sipping snack packs natural flavors and an amazing high that makes “Sativa Stans” sing their praises.

99.54MG THC/BOTTLE

THCESSENTIALS.COM

REVIEW BY DIANA THOMPSON @DUDE.DIANA

GENESIS PHARMS HIGH CBD CANNABIS TINCTURE

With no alcohol or added flavoring, Genesis Pharm’s High CBD tincture is a tried and trusted, versatile option for a wide array of ailments. The smooth, amber liquid is served in a dropper conve nient for everything from adding it to your favorite tea to sublingual supplementation. The fractionated coconut oil base is gentle on the tongue and stomach, for those with sensitivities.

102MG THC & 1072.73MG CBD/BOTTLE

GENESISPHARMS.COM @GENESIS_PHARMS

REVIEW BY AMANDA DAY @TERPODACTYL_MEDIA

Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. For use only by adults 21 years of age and older. Keep out of the reach of children.

THE EDIBLES HALL of FAME

This feisty medical marijuana legend moved to the Bay Area during World War II to embark on a career in social activism. In the early 1980s, she volunteered at San Francisco General Hospital and became known for baking and distributing Cannabis brownies to AIDS patients suffering from wasting syndrome. After several high-profile arrests, the city eventually gave Rathbun permission to provide brownies to people with AIDS. She also helped establish Dennis Peron’s San Francisco Cannabis Buyers Club – the first medical Cannabis dispensary in the U.S. For more on Brownie Mary check out Bobby Black’s Cannthopology column this month.

“...the city eventually gave Rathbun permis sion to provide brownies to peo ple with AIDS.”

“He later soured on the practice of eating weed

An author, journalist and explorer, Fitz Hugh Ludlow started eating Cannabis extracts during college at Princeton in the mid1800s – in particular a tetanus remedy called Tilden’s extract – during the time that marijuana-infused medicines were a part of the medical pharmacopeia. He wrote his autobiographical book “The Hasheesh Eater” in 1857, extolling the ability of Cannabis to enlighten and boost creativity. He later soured on the practice of eating weed after becoming addicted to opium, and unfortunately ended up expressing racist and bigoted remarks in his later works, but his influence in introducing edibles to many in the the public remains.

Way ahead of her time, Alice B. Toklas was born in San Francisco but later moved to Paris to join the emerging avant-garde movement. She had a four-decade relationship with writer Gertrude Stein and the couple hosted legendary parties for American expats, budding intellectuals and French painters. She published her “Alice B. Toklas Cook Book” in 1954 with a recipe from her artist friend in Morocco, Brion Gysin, for “Haschich Fudge” for brownies infused with Cannabis and featuring dates and figs. The original edible was later immortalized in “I Love You, Alice B. Toklas” – the 1968 film starring Peter Sellers.

“She published her “Alice B. Toklas Cook Book” in 1954.”

Born and raised in Illinois, Jim Wilson Jr. — aka Chef Ra — excelled in academics and athletics but also endured racial abuse. He soon joined the counterculture, traveling to Woodstock and Jamaica before becoming a fixture of Ann Arbor’s Hash Bash and Grateful Dead tours with his Rasta Pasta Pesto. His friend, High Times Editorin-Chief Steven Hager, hired him as an edible columnist and put him on the November 1987 cover. Ra’s ebullient personality and recipes – such as Springtime Ganja Nachos and Ultimate Hash Brownies – were also featured in the videos “Chef Ra Escapes Babylon” (1989) and “Ganja Gourmet” (2003). Sadly, Jim passed away on December 26, 2006.

“He soon joined the counterculture, traveling to Woodstock and Jamaica...”

We are pleased to be Introducing the first 10 inaugural inductees into our Leaf Magazine Cannabis Edibles Hall of Fame honoring lasting contributions to the world of marijuanainfused foods. These pioneers and legends changed the way we consume weed, from brownies to beverages and beyond.

“Mickey continued to produce weed candy while becoming more active in pot politics.”

Mickey Martin co-founded Tainted Inc. and Compassion Medicinal Edibles in Oakland after the passing of Prop 215 to provide patients with Cannabis-infused chocolate bars with names and labels mimicking established brands. After parting ways with partner Chris Bliss, Mickey continued to produce weed candy while becoming more active in pot politics. He eventually “grew into a large marijuana-candy maker that bought chocolate by the ton” – according to the DEA, which raided Tainted Inc. in 2007, resulting in Mickey’s arrest on Federal charges. He remained defiant, co-authoring “Medical Marijuana 101” in 2012 and founding Parents 4 Pot, a nonprofit that provided support and Christmas presents for families of pot prisoners. He passed away in 2017.

In the early 1990s, activist, entertainer and model Mary Jane Dunsdon made a name for herself on Vancouver’s Wreck Beach –selling cold slices of watermelon along with weed cookies to locals in-the-know. She was arrested several times, sometimes while topless, adding to her notoriety and bringing attention to the need for a legal framework for Cannabis in Canada. “Watermelon” was featured on multiple covers of High Times and also in the video “High Times presents Watermelon’s Baked and Baking” in 2003. She’s now the founder and operator of the Commercial Drive Licorice Parlour.

“Watermelon” was featured on multiple covers of High Times.”

Elise McDonough began her career at High Times in 2002 as a talented art designer, but quickly discovered her prowess as an edible writer and editor. Having judged the infused food category of multiple Cannabis Cups (over 500 edibles!), she created a new lane for herself as a food critic and author who introduced an element of fine dining to Cannabisinfused cuisine, becoming the first-ever Edibles Editor at HT. Elise is the author of “The Official High Times Cannabis Cookbook,” “Marijuana for Everybody!” and Vice’s “Bong Appetit.” Elise has experience as a PR specialist and brand builder and is currently the Director of Marketing at multi-state Cannabis brand binske.

“McDonough wrote ‘The Official High Times Cannabis Cookbook,’ ‘Mar ijuana for Every body!’ and Vice’s ‘Bong Appetit.’ ”

Cheri got her start as a circus performer and magician, eventually pivoting into a career as a professional food writer and recipe developer. After discovering medical marijuana and graduating from Oaksterdam University, Cheri set out to turn her foodie credentials into a career in Cannabis cuisine. Since then, she’s engaged in activism – organizing multiple rallies and fundraisers – and is also the author of “The Cannabis Gourmet Cookbook” (2012), “Mary Jane: The Complete Marijuana Handbook for Women” (2015) and “The Easy Cannabis Cookbook” (2018). She also teaches live classes, as well as online Cannabis cooking courses on her website cannabischeri.com.

“Sicard is known for her activism, organizing rallies and fundraisers.”

As a co-founder of Tainted, Chris Bliss was the chef and chocolatier who created the recipes, logos and branding for their chocolates and truffles – long before any of it was remotely allowed. He also prepared some of the first multi-course marijuana laden meals ever served. Trained in all aspects of cooking, from the busiest diner kitchens to the impeccable restaurants of Wolfgang Puck, his experience helped pioneer the manufacturing, labeling and packaging we see in the current edible industry. Many of today’s legal brands owe Chris a huge debt of gratitude, as he taught and trained the founders in the alchemical arts of infusion.

“Bliss helped pioneer the manu facturing, labeling and packaging we see in the current edible industry.”

“Bobrow introduced the main stream public to Cannabis cocktails and mocktails.”

Author, chef, mixologist and “Cannabis Alchemist” Warren Bobrow got his start in the alcohol industry, having studied food writing at New School University and the French Culinary Institute. He’s also written multiple books, including “Apothecary Cocktails, Whiskey Cocktails, Bitters and Shrub Syrup Cocktails” and “The Craft Cocktail Compendium.” His 2016 book, “Cannabis Cocktails, Mocktails & Tonics: The Art of Spirited Drinks & Buzz-Worthy Libations,” introduced the mainstream to marijuana-infused liquid beverages – now an entire segment of the legal weed industry. In fact, he’s also the co-founder and CEO of Klaus (@drinkklaus), creating terpene-forward craft Cannabis cocktails for the marijuana marketplace.

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS

Laurie Wolf never quite planned for her career in the high-end NYC culinary scene to lead her to the Portland Cannabis industry – but after being dubbed the “Martha Stewart of Edibles" by The New Yorker, I’d say she ended up exactly where she’s meant to be.

Following her graduation from The Culinary Institute of America in New York, Laurie spent years working as a successful chef, caterer and recipe developer for various magazines. Soon after turning 30 and trading in the city life to move out to Oregon, she was diagnosed with absence epilepsy. “I would feel a little sick, a little nauseous, and then I wouldn’t know my name or where I was,” recalls Laurie. “I wouldn’t know anything. It was awful. I couldn’t drive, I was on really strong medication and everywhere I went, I had to have a little name card on me in case I had an episode.”

It was this experience that led Laurie to ultimately discover the magical, miraculous world of Cannabis edibles. “One day I was sitting next to this old guy with white mad scientist hair who looked like Albert Einstein,” explains Laurie. “We just started talking, I told him about my epilepsy and he asked if I had ever used Cannabis for it. At the time, I didn’t even know Cannabis was medically legal. He said, ‘Call this doctor, get your card, and come find me if it doesn’t work. I guarantee you, your episodes will stop.’”

Leaf Nation sits down with Laurie Wolf, the culinary mastermind and Cannabis connoisseur behind the Laurie + MaryJane

brand.

Laurie and Mary Jane, at their production facility in Portland, Oregon.

Laurie was willing to try just about any thing for relief, so she took the word of the mad scientist and started going around to different dispensaries. Back then, edibles were only sold in 1,000mg bars, so she’d get one and break it up into very small pieces. “I’d take about five milligrams every morning. I started doing that and I became seizure-free. My epilepsy was not gone, but managed so that I could live a normal life, which was just unbelievable,” says Laurie.

The only problem?

Laurie says the edibles at the time were not only difficult to dose, but “tasted like somebody dipped a bud in chalk.” She knew she could make something better, which inspired her to start ideating her own edibles company. After her son Nick and his new wife Mary decided to follow in Laurie’s foodie footsteps and also relocate from New York to Portland, Mary offered her help with the logo she had been working on. “She added the whisk, and it just completely changed the look. I asked her to be my partner and the rest is history,” says Laurie.

Laurie + Mary Jane officially opened its doors in 2014 with the goal to make edi bles so delicious, people would want to eat them even if they weren’t infused.

Laurie said that her profes sional culinary background has been crucial to the critically-ac claimed success of the brand. “I just wanted to hear people say, ‘Oh my god, this is so good,’ and have the quality of the ingredients be top notch,” ex plains Laurie.

HOMEBASE

Portland, Oregon

COOKING STYLE Comfort rustic

MOST SMOKED STRAIN Forbidden Fruit

GO-TO MUNCHIE SNACK Potato chips

FAVORITE LMJ PRODUCT Almond Cake Bites

“Having gone to cooking school and owning a catering business, I knew how to do that and how to season things. I could overcompensate for the flavors of the Cannabis with a mix of spices and things that would work together.”

Today, Laurie + Mary Jane products can be found in over 300 dispensaries throughout the state of Oregon. From cookies and chocolates to crackers and cake pops, their lineup includes both sweet and savory treats that make great gifts for seasoned stoners and inexperienced edible eaters alike.

“Cannabis is definitely a part of our holiday celebrations. I like to bake infused holiday cookies and things for gifts,” says Laurie. “A lot of my friends who have nev er tried or enjoyed Cannabis before have now come to like it because I’ve helped

them do it in a non-scary way and they don’t get uncomfortable.”

Laurie continues to tell me about how she enjoys blending Cannabis and community around the holi days, making infused festive breakfasts of pancakes or french toast for loved ones. Her go-to meal around this time of year is a Puerto Rican dish called Pernil – a shoulder of pork that is flooded with herbs and garlic and marinated for two days before a low-and-slow bake – served with vegetables and rice and paired with a tres leches cake and coconut flan for dessert. My case of cottonmouth from trying one of the brand’s Fudgy Brownie Bites before my interview was quickly cured by Laurie’s mouth-wateringly delicious description of this meal.

“A lot of the kinds of foods that I like to cook tend to be comfort food rustic, and to me, there are so many strains that lend themself to that,” says Laurie. And I’d have to agree with you there – there truly is no pairing that makes me feel quite as comfy and cozy as some good ol’ home cooking and Cannabis around the holidays.

LAURIEANDMARYJANE.COM @LAURIEANDMARYJANE

STORY by KATHERINE WOLF @KATADELLIC for LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by FLETCHER WOLD

Katherine Wolf is a Cannabis writer, branding specialist, and the Chief Marketing & Operations Officer of Malek’s Premium Cannabis, a small-batch Colorado cultivator focused on flavor-first genetics.

“Cannabis is definitely a part of our holiday celebrations. I like to bake infused holiday cookies and things for gifts. A lot of my friends who have never tried or enjoyed Cannabis before have now come to like it because I've helped them do it in a non-scary way…”

Mary Jane, Laurie, Emily and Amelia

Baking a Difference

HUMBLE ORIGINS

Brownie Mary was born Mary Jane Rathbun on December 22, 1922, in Chicago, then raised in Minnesota. She was a social justice warrior from the get-go: At 13, she fought back against a nun at her Catholic school for trying to cane her; in her teens, she traveled to Wisconsin to campaign for the unionization of miners; and in the ’40s she fought for abortion rights in Minneapolis.

During World War II, Rathbun and a few of her girlfriends moved to San Francisco hoping to marry a military man … which she did – giving birth to a daughter named Peggy in 1955 – but divorced soon after. She moved into a public housing unit not far from Haight Ashbury and got a job as a waitress at the local IHOP. Coming of age in the 1960s, her daughter befriended many gay men in the predom inantly LGBTQ Castro district. Which is why, after Peggy was tragically killed by a drunk driver at the age of 22, Rathbun began mothering young gay run aways as her new “adopted” children. It was through her embrace of the gay community that she eventu ally connected with her future friend and partner-incrime, Cannabis activist Dennis Peron.

INTRO TO CANNABIS

Rathbun first met Dennis Peron in 1974 when they shared a joint at the Castro’s Cafe Flore. Inspired by Peron, and a copy of Alice B. Toklas’s infamous Can

nabis cookbook, Rathbun started baking weed-laced cookies and brownies as a side hustle to make ends meet using ingredients purchased with her $650 per month Social Security check and grower-donated Cannabis (often left anonymously on her doorstep). She sold her “magically delicious” brownies for a few dollars each out of a napkin-lined basket (and later, at Peron’s Big Top pot market) and advertised them with flyers posted on local bulletin boards. Before long, she was churning out hundreds of brownies a day, with customers reportedly lining up along the stairs to her apartment to order them by the dozen. By the decade’s end, she’d become a folk hero in the Castro known as “Brownie Mary.”

Eventually, Brownie Mary’s endeavors came into the crosshairs of law enforcement when a narc from the SFPD came across one of her flyers. On the night of January 14, 1981, Det. Sgt. Robert Bullard showed up at her apartment posing as a customer and placed her under arrest … to which the feisty, foulmouthed 57-year-old in the flowered apron reacted by saying, “Oh shit.”

After searching her home, police found and confiscated 18 pounds of Cannabis and 54 dozen brownies. To cover her legal defense, it’s rumored she had to sell most of her belongings – including the kitchen table on which the brownies were made. She pled guilty to nine counts of possession and sale of marijuana, but the judge liked her and sentenced her to just three years probation and 500 hours of community service – which, it turned out, she was happy to do. In fact, she found her service so

BROWNIE BUSTS

Compared to everyone from Betty Crocker, Mrs. Field and Sara Lee, to Florence Nightingale, Mother Teresa and Harriet Tubman, Brownie Mary wasn’t just a pioneer of Cannabis edibles – she was a selfless, spirited activist who many consider the mother of the medical marijuana movement.

With best friend and partner-in-crime Dennis Peron.

A never-before-published photo of Brownie Mary.

rewarding that she finished her sentence in a record 60 days and kept on volunteering thereafter.

Despite her probation, Rathbun went right back to baking – except this time, instead of selling the brownies, she gave them away to AIDS and cancer patients for free. On December 7, 1982, while on her way to deliver some brownies to a friend under going chemotherapy, Rathbun had the bad luck of running into one of the cops that had arrested her the year before. After he discovered the four dozen brownies she was carrying, she was arrested again and charged with several counts of possession and a probation violation. Luckily for her, the charges were later dropped – but not before she received a stern warning at her court hearing.

“The judge said, ‘You have to stop the Brownie Mary shtick – it’s over,’” Peron’s husband John En twistle told Bon Appetit magazine in 2019. “‘If you do it again, we’ll send you to jail.’”

Undeterred, for the next decade she made weekly visits to Ward 86 at San Francisco General Hospi tal, where she spent thousands of hours volunteer ing with AIDS patients and supplying them with her brownies at no charge.

“She called them her kids,” Peron recalled. “Many of them were dying alone and despised. Their families wouldn’t even visit them. She baked them something that helped ease their pain, and she also dispensed friendliness and resilience. A lot of those patients called her an angel of mercy.”

Mary became so beloved at the hospital that in 1986 they gave her a “Volunteer of the Year” award.

to court, but police wouldn’t take the bait. Rathbun, however, did get busted again on July 19, 1992, in the town of Cazadero, where she was caught baking brownies at a grower friend’s house and charged with felony possession of two-and-a-half pounds of marijuana. Initially, the Sonoma County district attorney attempted to prosecute her, but that didn’t exactly go as planned.

On August 25, Rathbun testified at a medical marijuana hearing held by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors at City Hall. By the end of that hearing, the Board had not only passed a resolu tion making possession or cultivation of medical Cannabis law enforcement’s “lowest priority,” they also voted to honor Rathbun’s humanitarian work –officially declaring August 25 “Brownie Mary Day” across the city. Addressing the 5,000-plus crowd outside after, Brownie Mary raised her fists and shouted: “If the narcs think I’m gonna stop baking brownies for my kids with AIDS, they can go fuck themselves in Macy’s window!”

putting this saintly septuagenarian on trial, the DA dropped the charges.

As a cause célèbre for medical marijuana, Brownie Mary helped broaden sympathy for the movement and pass Proposition 215 in No vember 1996. That same year, she and Dennis released the book they’d co-authored: “Brownie Mary’s Mari juana Cookbook and Dennis Peron’s Recipe for Social Change.” Notably absent from the book, however, was her famous brownie recipe – because, as Rathbun once told the NY Times, “When and if they legalize [Canna bis], I’ll sell my brownie recipe to Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines and take the profits and buy an old Victorian for my kids with AIDS.”

DEATH & LEGACY

Two different editions of Brownie Mary’s cookbook.

Unfortunately, Mary never got that opportunity. Sad ly, by the time Prop 215 was passed, Rathbun was in so much pain from her numerous ailments that she considered contacting Dr. Kevorkian to arrange for assisted suicide. After suffering a fall in August 1998, she underwent surgery on her neck and spine, after which she was confined to a wheelchair. Finally, on April 10, 1999, Brownie Mary suffered a heart attack and died at Laguna Honda Hospital. She was 76.

ACTIVISM & ANOTHER ARREST

In addition to helping the sick, Rathbun also got more involved in Cannabis activism. At Peron’s invitation, she spoke to the ACT UP organization about the effectiveness of Cannabis in treating HIV patients. And in 1991, she helped him with Proposition P – an initiative to protect doctors in San Francisco from criminal penalties for prescribing medical marijuana – which passed that November with an overwhelming 80% support.

In 1992, Rathbun helped Peron and Entwistle launch the San Francisco Cannabis Buyers Club (the first public medical marijuana dispensary in the country) in Peron’s house, which included a Brownie Mary’s Cafe in the basement. Apparently, the club’s organizers were actually hoping it would get busted so they could take their case for medical marijuana

THE PEOPLE V. RATHBUN

Like that SF rally, Rathbun’s pre-trial hearing – held two months later at a small Santa Rosa courthouse – became a huge media event.

“We marched to court. The radio and television stations all covered it. The court and the halls were filled with everyone from flower children to medical specialists,” explained famed Cannabis attorney Tony Serra in the book “Lust for Justice: The Radical Life & Law of J. Tony Serra.”

With her new high-profile lawyer at her side, Rathbun showed up in her trademark bifocals, polyester pants, and sweater adorned with various pro-pot pins and pleaded not guilty. Serra then presented her defense: submitting a flurry of affi davits from doctors, psychiatrists and activists, and positing that she did not profit from her “crimes” –that they were acts of conscience and compassion and that “the nobility of her actions outweighed the reprehensibleness of her offense.” The judge offered her a “slap on the wrist” plea deal carrying a fine of $10,000, but Rathbun refused – instead insisting on a jury trial. Eager to avoid the negative publicity of

A week after her death, a candlelight vigil was held in her honor in the Castro, where nearly 500 peo ple paid their respects by leaving candles, flowers, photos, news clippings, pot leaf leis and of course, brown ies. Among those who spoke at the memorial were Peron, Serra and SF District Attorney Terence Hallinan, who told the crowd: “Brownie Mary was a hero, and will one day be remembered as the Florence Nightingale of the medical marijuana movement.”

“Brownie Mary is a heroine in the eyes of many,” Serra once aptly attested. “She won herself a place in history.”

For our podcast & more Cannabis history content visit worldofcannabis.museum/cannthropology.

“If the narcs think I’m gonna stop baking brownies for my kids with AIDS, they can go fuck themselves in Macy’s window!”

With famed cannabis attorney Tony Serra (left) and his legal team.

Painting of Brownie Mary by artist Thomasina DeMaio.

Offering brownies to AIDS patients.

ANYONE WHO’S EVER worked in a restaurant knows that when you have two half-empty bottles of the world’s most popular condiment, you pour one into the other to make one of them appear fresh and new while the other gets tossed. It’s called marrying the ketchup. That’s a figurative term.

But what if we made it literal? Because let’s face it, there are a lot of people on this planet who are unhappily married. And if they could run off with a bottle of ketchup to a tropical island for a glorious honeymoon without the rough repercussions of divorce, most would probably drop everything and go. Think about it … a plush balcony overlooking the crashing waves of a majestic coastline with your culinary love. Where’s the sign-up sheet?

If I could marry a bottle of ketchup, I probably would. We already share bottley fluids, so why not consummate what you consume? I mean, talk about compatibility: I want succulent tomato flavor and the sauce’s only objective is to be eaten.

In no time, we’ll have a small family of packets.

And it will never guilt you for inviting other tasty items into the relationship. Like a greasy burger beckons to be dipping in the dripping. And French fries are lacking the jazz with no sauce to give them pizzazz.

Ketchup is good on just about everything. In fact, I’m pretty sure that if you look up the food pyramid from the year 1955, it will tell you that man can survive off ketchup alone. Because we’re not just talking about tomatoes and sugar – but onions, cloves, garlic and other healthy items that put the zing in amazing.

I understand that there are some cultures that prefer soy sauce or chili sauce, but I don’t get it. You could smother a piece of plywood with ketchup, and it would probably still taste good.

By the way, is ketchup really the world’s most popular condiment?

For me it’s bubble hash.