Feb. 2024 - Oregon Leaf by Northwest Leaf / Oregon Leaf / Alaska Leaf / Maryland Leaf / California Leaf / Northeast Leaf

THE ENLIGHTENED VOICE

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#116 | FEB. 2024

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THE CULTURE ISSUE ROSEBUD GROWERS SHOP REVIEW | PORTLAND

DIANA THOMPSON

HIGH, OREGON!

#116

[

FEB. 2024

issue

ALEX UBATUBA

GLASS ART SPOTLIGHT

OF CANNABIS CULTURE

DOPE DESIGNERS

FEB. 2024

DESIGNS

ICONIC ACTOR & ACTIVIST WOODY HARRELSON

CREATIVE COMMONS

SOCIETY

HASH CALENDAR CLUB46

WILL LANE

LUCID

11 14 16 18 22 26 28 32 36 38 42 46 50 54

EDITOR’S NOTE SHOP REVIEW CONCENTRATE OF THE MONTH EDIBLE OF THE MONTH GLASS ART SPOTLIGHT COOKING WITH CANNABIS STRAIN OF THE MONTH CABIN 7 ORIGINALS DOPE DESIGNERS CULTURAL HIGHCONS HIGHER FREQUENCIES ONE DAB AT A TIME CANNTHROPOLOGY STONEY BALONEY

COURTESY

Cover Artist Cabin 7 Originals chats with Leaf Nation’s Katherine Wolf to share more about her process and artistic vision.

HIGHCONS

COURTESY

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COURTESY

FEATURES

LEAFLINK

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 / U TA H L E A F

A B O U T T H E C OV E R

Each year, we at the Leaf challenge ourselves to find a way to encapsulate the culture surrounding this plant we all love. This year, we turned to the incomparable Bridget Intessimone, better known as Cabin 7, who perfectly distilled the magic and energy of an intimate sesh between bowlmates, overlooking a Main Street buzzing with Cannabis culture. If her work looks familiar you might remember her 1st cover back in December 2021 for The Edibles Issue, where she depicted a winter wonderland utopia of frosty edible goodness set in a ultra-stoney setting. COVER ART BY CABIN 7 ORIGINALS @CABIN7ORIGINALS

CONTRIBUTORS

WES ABNEY C E O & F O U N D E R wes@leafmagazines.com MIKE RICKER O P E R AT I N G PA R T N E R ricker@leafmagazines.com

TOM BOWERS C H I E F O P E R AT I N G O F F I C E R tom@leafmagazines.com DANIEL BERMAN C R E AT I V E D I R E C T O R daniel@leafmagazines.com AMANDA DAY STAT E C O N T E N T D I R E C T O R amanda@leafmagazines.com

MAKANI NELSON STAT E S A L E S D I R E C T O R makani@leafmagazines.com (808) 754-4182

We are creators of targeted, independent Cannabis journalism. Please email us to discuss advertising in an upcoming issue of Oregon Leaf. We do not sell stories or coverage. We can offer design services and guidance on promoting your company’s recreational, commercial or industrial Cannabis business, product or event within our magazine and on our website, leafmagazines.com. Email makani@leafmagazines.com to learn more about our range of affordable print and digital advertising options to help support Oregon Leaf, the state’s longest-running Cannabis magazine!

CO N N EC T WIT H O R EG O N L E A F ! @OREGONLEAF |

@OREGONLEAF

ABNEY

Editor’s Note Thanks for picking up The Culture Issue of Oregon Leaf! Cannabis is going through a cultural revolution, having a huge impact on the arts, music and culture across the board – while also becoming normalized as a choice for adults to use legally. What a unique time to be alive as a stoner!

Weed has gone from highly illegal and very cool, to being mostly legal and somewhat less rebellious. Try going to a party and announcing you have weed. It won’t be like my college years, when a fire eighth could make you a hero for a night. "CANNABIS Weed today doesn’t even smell like a skunk if you don’t want it to. We have HAS BEEN flavors and drinks and breath mints, all infusing our lives with Cannabis as a INFLUENCING wave of highness washes over our American culture. ART, MUSIC, Those that watched Anderson Cooper saw the return of on-air shots of booze to the New Year's Eve celebration, but I was waiting for the power of the dab pen to get puffed on air. It’s almost as if the mainstream media, and the leaders and politicians they elect through the control of information, are completely ignoring weed. It’s legal for medicinal use in two-thirds of the U.S. – but turn on the TV and it’s all ads for pills and beer, and of course, politics.

FASHION AND ENLIGHTENED THINKING FOR CENTURIES, WHILE NEVER GETTING CREDIT FOR SHAPING THE WORLD."

These are strange times indeed, as our world heads closer towards war and our politicians ignore the will of the people heading into another important election season. I have to wonder: Why isn’t weed on the ballot and in the lungs of our politicians? Considering NPR’s report that 25% of Congress is over the age of 70, you’d think the potential for relief from the aches, pains and cognitive decline that comes with aging would be something they’d support – both for themselves and the people they represent. Hello lawmakers, medical Cannabis is here! Our constitution guarantees the right to pursue happiness, and it seems clear that the Founding Fathers felt that any pursuit of this freedom that didn’t harm others was protected. Today, America seems to be embracing more freedoms in the pursuit of equality – but at the cost of censorship of dissenting voices. As stoners, we know what it’s like to be pigeon-holed into a second class of citizenry – facing prison for growing or smoking a plant – so we should have little tolerance for suppression of any ideas or speech, no matter which side it comes from. While the political elites and the mainstream media do their best to isolate and divide us, we must come together as a demographic, as a community, as a culture. Cannabis has the power to unite all walks of life, races and religions, in celebration of a plant that makes us all feel better. Our culture isn’t some subset of the greater culture, it is THE culture that America needs. Cannabis has been influencing art, music, fashion and enlightened thinking for centuries, while never getting credit for shaping the world. It’s time to pass the torch! The era of the stoner is here at last.

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FREE ONLINE ARCHIVE

-Wes Abney

FEB. 2024

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MEGHAN RIDLEY C O PY E D I T O R meghan@leafmagazines.com

DANIEL BERMAN, PHOTOS BOBBY BLACK, DESIGN + FEATURES JOSHUA BOULET, ILLUSTRATION TOM BOWERS, FEATURES AMANDA DAY, FEATURES + PHOTOS MAX EARLY, FEATURES RYAN HERRON, FEATURES MATT JACKSON, FEATURES CABIN 7 ORIGINALS, ILLUSTRATION JESSE RAMIREZ, DESIGN MIKE RICKER, FEATURES MEGHAN RIDLEY, EDITING DIANA THOMPSON, FEATURES + PHOTOS BRUCE WOLF, PHOTOS LAURIE WOLF, RECIPES KATHERINE WOLF, FEATURES

WES

A GAME-CHANGING EDIBLE COLLABORATION, 10 YEARS IN THE MAKING.

shop review

PORTLAND

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FRESHBUDS “ROSEBUD GROWERS WILL HAPPILY SATISFY ANYONE LOOKING FOR A FUN YET EASY-GOING DISPENSARY TRIP!”

FEB. 2024

OSEBUD GROWERS is conveniently located on MLK, but you probably knew that since it’s impossible to drive by and not notice the iconic, massive pink mural signage. The storefront has an authentic Portland vibe and that feeling definitely carries while walking through the store.

Fresh weed is probably what most folks come for (and definitely what you get) – but you will likely also be walking out the door with some fresh “Rosebud” merch as well! The shop is well curated with a selection of products that will make any stoner smile, but also appeals to the casual consumer. Overall, Rosebud Growers will happily satisfy anyone looking for a fun yet easy-going dispensary trip! Shop owner Dave has a tangible passion for providing high quality products for the Portland Cannabis community and puts an emphasis on his customer’s experience while they shop around. “This dispensary was never about me ... It is always gonna be about the people who come through,” he shared while we were touring. We wanted to learn more about this farm-to-shop brand, so we dove in with Dave for a quick chat. WHAT IS THE ROS EBU D GROW ERS’ ORIGIN ST ORY?

Before Rosebud, I was working for my buddy's grow and medical shop in Seattle and had a little medical grow myself. The Cannabis industry was becoming recreational, so I was trying to figure out how I could do it myself. My wife and I started visiting Portland to check out stores, grows, and talk to lawyers to see if it was possible for us. At the time, Oregon filed a state of emergency for having too much boof. I knew people would be going out of business and this could provide us an opportunity to buy someone out and start turning dreams into reality. I started looking on Craigslist daily and found Rosebud for $60k. I ended up driving down in a blizzard and checked out the grow. A week later, I gave the seller a deposit and took over April 2019! IF YOU HAD TO DES CRIBE YOU R D ISPEN SA RY IN THREE WORDS , WHAT W OU LD T HEY BE?

Dank ass weed.

WHAT KIND OF PROD U CT S CA N CON SU MERS EXPEC T WHEN WALK IN G T HROU GH YOU R D OORS?

We have everything you want and need. The thing that sets us apart from other dispensaries is that we have fresh Rosebud flower harvests on our shelves every three weeks. All of our flower is fresh from top to bottom and priced for any budget! We all smoke weed and care about the flower we sell, so each tier checks every stoner's box.

ROSEBUD GROWERS 2637 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd B. Portland, OR @rosebudworldwide | @rosebud.growers 9AM-9PM Daily | (503) 954-3373

STORY & PHOTOS by DIANA THOMPSON @DUDE.DIANA for OREGON LEAF @OREGONLEAF

#2 2

SH ER BA NG ER

CONCENTRATE OF THE MONTH

BRAVE HEARTS PRIVATE RESERVE

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“I immediately get why this profile is often described as blueberry-gas, but that description is just scratching the surface.” @BRAVEHEARTS_PR | @SOPHISTICATEDDABTOOLS

67.97% THC | 0.16% CBD | 9.88% TERPENES

feb. 2024

Brave is renowned as a producer of quality flower here in Oregon. I still recall a jar of Starkiller that was above and beyond nearly anything on the shelves when Oregon went through its overlapping med-to-rec transition. NOW, nearly 10 years later, the landscape of legal Cannabis has changed dramatically and the tiny crew at Brave Hearts is still putting the same love and attention into their flower – and of course, that incredible eye for detail into their hash. Brave himself is always on the hunt for which plants will take up the limited space in his garden and these decisions are not taken lightly. “Sherbanger #22 has a loud and exaggerated Sunset Sherbert profile with added fruity terps,” he says about selecting this month’s feature to grow in his garden. “Her high is very potent, uplifting and euphoric – which makes it a good fit for us.” At room temp, the hash in the jar shines like the case in “Pulp Fiction” – catching and casting the light highlighted by a nearly translucent ring of slick rosin. I immediately get why this profile is often described as blueberry-gas, but that description is just scratching the surface. A quick sniff of the jar reveals a mix of half-artificial blueberry and half-racing fuel. Digging into the gram reveals more nose-tickling candy fumes, sour watermelon bubble gum, curing cedar and dank musk. My first low-temperature dab delivers heavily on the fruity end of the spectrum – exhaling silver vapor rich with the scent of orchard fruits and bowls of just-harvested berries. At a slightly higher temperature, I get more of the forest. Expensive cured woods, rich soil and bubble-gum-backed tree resins. Altogether, each hit is a supreme experience that translates the love and energy that went into cultivating the flower. Like all of the Brave Hearts drops, serious connoisseurs should go out of their way to hunt this one down.

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

edible of the month

erb

pistachio

SPACE PUFFS THE MAD SCIENTISTS at erb are ready to launch an edible product unlike any on the Oregon market. We’ve chomped chocolate bars, slurped sodas and eaten gummies by the handful – but we rarely clock a new munchie that has us wondering how the hell they came up with such a delight.

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“Let the puff melt in your mouth or crunch down for a crispy bite or two before it all dissolves into a cloud of flavor.” FEB. 2024

This new product from erb boggled our minds in such a fashion that we had to track down the origins of this unique treat. Not surprisingly, the answer is space. Or rather, an otherworldly mission with dope DJs, intergalactic archaeologists and a group of stoner engineers. Or so goes the creation story around erb’s newest edible: The Space Puff. Admittedly, these light-as-air puffs need a little introduction, and leaning into the Saturday morning fun we had as kids is the right kind of storytelling to get a little buy-in from a dispensary visitor with options. The texture is a cross between a puffed cereal piece and a mouthful of cotton candy. At first glance, I expected these 3mg pieces to crumble into a million bits like similar candies I’ve encountered. Thankfully, each piece stayed intact. Pop one in your mouth and choose your own adventure … let the puff melt in your mouth or crunch down for a crispy bite or two before it all dissolves into a cloud of flavor. In this case, that’s a cloud of pistachio. Next, it could be cranberry-watermelon. After three years of R&D and an award or two, Space Puffs are ready for their official debut and erb plans to drop a new flavor each month for the foreseeable future. Just ask your budtender if they put the Space Puffs near the chocolate bars or with the gummies – or hey, maybe an edible this unique deserves a space all to itself. ERB.XYZ | @ERB.XYZ 3mg THC per piece

REVIEW by RYAN HERRON @THELOUD100 for OREGON LEAF @OREGONLEAF | PHOTO by DIANA THOMPSON @DUDE.DIANA

BIOMAX is a proprietary blend of cannabis/hemp extracts, oils, emulsifiers and natural flavors, ensuring bioavailability maximization and a faster onset of effects, along with making the cannabinoids completely tasteless making for a better edible experience.

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glass art spotlight

ALEX UBATUBA @ALEXUBATUBA

leafmagazines.com

UPGRADE TO WARLOCK STATUS FEB. 2024

Welcome to the world of Alex Ubatuba's wondrous and elusive creations. Over the past 20 years, Alex has permanently carved his name into the glass world, offering a style and sleekness in a league of its own.

Alex is world famous for his pendants, known as Warlocks, which have been incorporated into his functional pipes and rigs and used in his Living Light Sculptures. He has worked with countless maestros, including Japanese artist Yoshinori Kondo, Adam G and Calvin Mickle on breathtaking Warlocks and various functional rigs. This wizard of an artist is recognized for creating unique borosilicate colors that are simply out of this world. Alex also works with precious metals and gemstones – bringing to life Warlock pendants that look like they belong in a jewelry store. Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, Alex started collecting pipes at age 14 from a rave record and tape store in the city. At a Widespread Panic concert in 1997 at UIC, he and a friend met a glass blower for the first time selling his pipes in the parking lot. "I wanted to learn how to make them and met two local pipemakers through a friend's brother,” he tells me. “I bought a torch in 2001, and the journey began." After Operation Pipe Dreams in 2003, it forced the artists at Prodigy Glassworks to pivot in a new direction and focus on non-functional work to sell at art fairs. This time was pivotal in his glass-blowing career, opening his mind to new possibilities beyond pipes. "I had a lot of traction till the 2008 market crash,” he explains. “That summer, I began selling pipes and pendants at music festivals. It reinstated my love for traveling and selling glass again." At Lucent L’Amour in 2009, Alex helped their team set up the venue in LA. He was mesmerized by how fabric and LED light interacted and immediately began exploring borosilicate sculptures illuminated by LED. The first Europan Invertebrates sculpture was born in the summer of 2012. The sculpture debuted at Colorado's Sonic Bloom Music Festival and was shown at Burning Man through Jen Ingram with Tribe 13 – blowing the minds of many, including my own. "I realized I could bring my art to new venues and events outside the glass pipe world. I loved influencing people who had no idea about flameworked borosilicate glass. Shortly after, the Warlock pendants began to gain substantial traction. It allowed me to work consistently and continue to refine the Living Light Sculptures into a passion project. It was a massive jump-off point to continue pushing my personal limits of working with glass," says Alex. He currently resides in Evergreen, Colorado and works out of a state-of-the-art studio that he built called Satellite 6. The studio includes a gallery that showcases Living Light Sculptures, functional glass and fine jewelry pieces. "The next few years will be exciting to watch as I create new work and explore new materials with no limitations. It’s an incredible facility to host collaborations, and I truly look forward to what the future holds now that everything is dialed in," he shares. Head over to his Instagram for available work and information about upcoming glass events @alexubatuba.

"The next few years will be exciting to watch as I create new work and explore new materials with no limitations."

STORY by MAX EARLY @LIFTEDSTARDUST for LEAF NATION | PHOTOS courtesy

COOKING WITH CANNABIS

CHOCOLATE MAKES US HAPPY

DOES CHOCOLATE MAKE YOU HAPPY? Wait, let me answer that: Yes, it actually does. Dark chocolate has significant health benefits, both mental and physical. In fact, the darker the better is a significant source of antioxidants and lowers blood pressure. Chocolate also boosts serotonin levels, which helps with depression. It’s like what Cannabis does … although Cannabis does it better!

When I first became a Cannabis lover, my favorite treat was sitting in front of the record player, listening to cool music and eating, from the container, a healthy serving or two of “cool and creamy pudding.”

Fun to make and easy to eat, there is an infused chocolate bark out there for everyone.

CHOCOLATE PUDDING SERVES 4 1/2 cup sugar 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 1/4 cup cornstarch 1/8 teaspoon salt 2 3/4 cups milk 2 tablespoons canna butter or oil 2 teaspoons vanilla 1. In a saucepan, combine the sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt. Add the milk. Heat on medium. Bring mixture to a boil and stir constantly until the pudding coats the back of the spoon.

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2. Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the infused butter and vanilla. Divide between glasses. Chill.

CHOCOLATE CANNA CLUSTERS MAKES 36 CLUSTERS Creamy, crunchy and chewy, and the tender raisins add a touch of sweetness.

CHOCOLATE BARK SERVES 9 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes 2 cups dark chocolate chips or melts 3 tablespoons canna butter 1/2 cup chopped pecans 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots

1. In a small, dry skillet, toast the coconut flakes. 2. In the top of a double boiler over simmering water, melt the chocolate with the canna butter. Mix well. 3. Place parchment on your work surface. Turn the chocolate onto the paper and form a 5x7 inch rectangle. 4. Combine the coconut with the pecans and apricots. Sprinkle the toppings on the just-poured chocolate. Allow to set until completely dry, at least an hour.

FEBRUARY HASHTAGS | #Love #BeYou #DontFearTheEdible #EatYourCannabis

FEB. 2024

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips 3 tablespoons canna-butter or canna-coconut oil, melted 1 cup toasted slivered almonds 1/4 cup chopped cherries 1. In the top of a double boiler, heat the chips with the canna butter. When fully melted, add most of the almonds and cherries, stirring to blend. 2. Place a piece of parchment on your work surface. Drop the mixture, by the tablespoon, on the paper. Sprinkle the still-not-set clusters with the remaining almonds and cherries. Allow to set for 60 minutes.

RECIPES by LAURIE WOLF @LAURIEANDMARYJANE for LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by BRUCE WOLF @BRUCE_WOLF

STRaIN OF THE MONTH

SWISS

WATCH

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SELFMADEFARMS.COM @SELFMADE_CANNABISCOMPANY 38.96% TOTAL CANNABINOIDS 33.15% THC

feb. 2024

In the sun-drenched Applegate Valley, the Self Made crew puts in the effort of selecting strains and working tirelessly to ensure each plant reaches its peak potential. This Swiss Watch best highlights their work. These chunky buds are dense without being compact, sport excellent trichome coverage, and display vibrant color that gives their herb bag appeal from 10 paces. A nice reminder that living here in Oregon is a luxury where, in knowing hands, flower of this quality can be produced in synergy with the seasons. SWISS WATCH is a relatively modern strain and something we’re more likely to find in a warehouse-type grow. When it pops up in an outdoor setting it’s always fun to see how it performs. With this expression, Self Made brought out the best of the genetics. This cross of Gary Payton and Runtz takes the ever-popular Runtz profile and bolsters it with an added earthy musk and an unmistakable scent of diesel. Running the lengthy buds through the grinder fills the room with a variety of creamy dessert flavors. Like a pile of just-starting-to-melt Push Pops, this herb smells like all of the tropical flavors from the candy aisle … plus a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Drizzle that with some highproof booze and take a sniff just before the match turns it all into a flambé. Sticky enough to roll easily, the herb burns clean and evenly, showing off the excellent cure. I smoked these joints down completely, fully impressed by the resin rings left around the paper after each draw. Creative focus hits hard and I venture off my to-do list to explore a page and a half of ideas for next week. Then I’m back at it – folding laundry or whatever it was that needed my attention in the first place. Excellent herb to stock up on and have around as your day-to-day goto, or to stash a jar away for that day you need something fun but functional.

CULTIVATED BY SELF MADE FARMS

“THIS HERB SMELLS LIKE ALL OF THE TROPICAL FLAVORS FROM THE CANDY AISLE … PLUS A SCOOP OF VANILLA ICE CREAM.”

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

THE CULTURE ISSUE

cabin 7 originals

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Cabin 7 Originals created our Dec. 2021 Edibles Issue cover.

CLOSE MY EYES and find myself with my toes digging in the sand, waves gently rolling in against the shore, palm trees stretching upwards toward the hot sun. But wait, those are no normal leaves on those branches. They’re weed nugs! And that’s no sun setting in the sky … it’s a purple planet. No, I’m not on some sort of cosmic Cannabis beach. I’m in a Cabin 7 Originals piece – portals into whimsical worlds often inspired by founder Bridget Intessimone’s own travels.

FEB. 2024

“A lot of the outdoor scenes in my art are inspired by trips I've been on to different countries or states,” she explains. “I like outdoor stuff and hiking a lot. I’ll find a beautiful spot when I’m out on a trail, or even see a picture of a field while I’m scrolling on Pinterest, and instantly I have an entire story and art idea that goes along with that scene in my head.” Bridget has always considered herself a storyteller first. “I’ve been drawing and writing my entire life, since I was born basically,” she tells me. “Writing has always been a companion to drawing for me and all of it is connected. They can't not be together in my opinion, because there's no art without a story. Story is the central reason for everything humans do really, and that's why art is so intertwined into our culture and existence as a human race.” In fact, the idea for the entire Cabin 7 brand came from a story – one Bridget wrote one summer back in middle school. While her art is now full of lush landscapes, groovy patterns and vibrant colors, you may be surprised to find out the original inspiration was a bit more spooky. “I wrote this book series called ‘The Curse of Cabin 7’ about a haunted summer camp cabin. It was just for me and my friends, really,” she explains. “All of my art for the next six or seven years stemmed from that story and it kind of became my whole identity. My mom was the one who encouraged me to embrace this whole world I had created and start branding myself as Cabin 7.” If you look closely you’ll see many of the same characters appear over and over again in Bridget’s art, and many of them come from that same haunted cabin. “Now I have all these branches of different characters from that original story,” she tells me. “They’ve developed with me as a person over the years because all of my characters are pieces of my personality, but embodied in an individual person. They each have their own storyline but exist in the same universe.”

Cannabis is certainly a major theme in this universe. Her images are almost like a “Where’s Waldo” of weed accessories, with smoking paraphernalia and nods to the psychedelic scene sprinkled throughout. In typical Cabin 7 fashion, each component is part of a story and perfectly placed – down to the individual items on a rolling tray and consumption methods of each character. Bridget explains how, “There’s always something happening and lots of details included, and all of them are super intentional. It's easy to come up with those details if you really know your characters and have that story behind them. Like, ‘Oh, this character wouldn't have their phone on them but this one would, or this character would be hitting a bong and not a blunt.’ It’s all very specific for me. There's always a whole world and that person's entire life story in my head.” These stories have truly been embraced by our community. The picture that changed things and catapulted Cabin 7 to the forefront of Cannabis art and culture went viral on Instagram back in 2018, titled “The Medicated Perspective.” A city street in sad shades of blue and gray becomes alive in rainbow colors when viewed through a puff of joint smoke – a metaphor for Bridget’s own relationship with smoking. “I’ve always used weed pretty medically for depression and anxiety, and it’s really helped me with that,” she shares. “I also use it when I work to relax and focus. It's the only thing that makes it possible for me to concentrate on one drawing for like 12 hours. I’ve always thought art and Cannabis intersect very strongly because there’a a big overlap between people who smoke weed and people who appreciate art. That’s the special thing about weed – the culture around it. Plus, when I smoke, it just shifts everything and makes the world look brighter to me.” CABIN7ORIGINALS.COM @CABIN7ORIGINALS @CABIN7APPAREL

Her images are almost like a “Where’s Waldo” of weed accessories, with smoking paraphernalia and nods to the psychedelic scene sprinkled throughout." STORY by KATHERINE WOLF @KATADELLIC for LEAF NATION | PHOTOS & ILLUSTRATIONS by CABIN 7 ORIGINALS

Tried THCV yet? THCV is the Super Sativa you've been looking for!

Focus and energy minus the clouded mind and munchies. Ask your budtender for whole plant, natural THCV in Kites Super Sativa prerolls. 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 CULTURE ISSUE leafmagazines.com

dope designers

fab Mars Mars grew up in NorCal always wanting his own brand — a dream that ultimately came true in 2016 when he learned how to screenprint, sew and do graphic design. He would travel all around California, going between the Bay and LA to find premium fabrics for his pieces. Mars ended up making the move to LA four years ago and launched the Mars Hype brand there in 2022. He connects with each buyer to create a “one of none” piece that is custom-made for them and collaborates with brands on limited-release clothing capsules. Mars also recently dropped a lineup of accessories to pair with his apparel including heady towels, space bags and dab mats. Some of his favorite pieces to date have been made for Berner and Chris Brown’s 11:11 album release, and he says he’s driven to “create things that last and where people can connect with each other like Mary Jane does for all of us in this community.” Mars’ pieces are truly out of this world and available exclusively through his Instagram accounts. @CREATEWITHMARS @MARSHYYPE

FEB. 2024

Marissa aka FABS is based out of St. Louis — creating “FABstract” designs donned with bright colors and popping patterns. She has a bachelor's degree in fine art and now works as a freelance graphic artist with her own clothing brand telling us, “Being a ‘90s kid, I grew up playing on computers. Combining that with my lifelong love of creating, going into graphic design as a career was an easy choice.” Marissa is most inspired by colorful, patterned work and contemporary, abstract fine art. She says she much prefers shapes and colors to people and things and to quote Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky: "Objects damage pictures." Some of her favorite projects she’s ever done have been via Grassroots California — creating capsule collections and custom pieces for musicians from Jerry Garcia and Janis Joplin to artists like Alex Grey and Chris Dyer — as well as shoe designs for her own brand FAB. You can find her work on her Instagram page as well as on Etsy, Threadless and Society6. @FABSSS

Stoners have always used fashion as a form of self-expression. As the Cannabis and fashion industries increasingly intertwine, these three designers are on the cutting edge of the cultural evolution.

lucid society designs Gretchen, a mother of two out in Humboldt County, has always been a creative artist but started Lucid Society Designs back in 2020. Ice-dyeing is done by covering an item of clothing with ice and sprinkling dye powder across it — the pattern will be determined by the way dye molecules spread as the ice melts and no two pieces will ever be identical. “My friend was trying to come up with something different and fun for their friend’s daughter’s birthday, and I said to let me dye something for her,” she shares with us regarding the ice-dyeing origins. “They both were in the glass-blowing community and between that friend and my significant other who works in Cannabis, things quickly took off making customs for people in both industries.” She also enjoys collaborating with other creators and brands to support the community and recently started doing ice dye events and teaching parties to share her knowledge. These pieces may be made with ice but they certainly bring the heat! Her designs can be found on her Instagram page. @LUCIDSOCIETYDYES

STORY by KATHERINE WOLF @KATADELLIC for LEAF NATION | ILLUSTRATION by CABIN 7 ORIGINALS Photos courtesy | See more photos at LeafMagazines.com

AWARD WINNING

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BENNYY BLANCO

You can’t mention Cookies or Cannabis BERNER culture without mentioning Berner. Love him or loathe him, he’s made moves in music and Cannabis that have impacted and creatively combined both industries – where you can walk down the street in his clothing, listening to his music, on your way to his dispensary, to buy his weed. This year, he’s baking a new batch of ideas to influence Cannabis culture at the brand-new Cookies Compound. It’s a business and multimedia headquarters with state-of-the-art facilities like sales-staging setups, culinary quarters, a podcast room, offices, art installments and more.

erik nugshots Erik Christiansen has built a body of work that’s become a staple in global Cannabis education, entertainment and branding visuals. His magical macro photography, astute use of early social media, and many publications in print gave him prominent public recognition and helped professionalize the visual culture of an entire evolving industry. Recently, Erik was busy chronicling part of that culture, culminating in a book. “Higher, The Lore, Legends, and Legacy of Cannabis,” (written by Dan Michaels and published in April of 2023) is an exquisite and informative homage to the plant exploring a vast range of sources and topics.

woody harrelson Woody and weed go way back. He’s been an advocate for hemp and Cannabis reform since the '90s when he famously withheld his taxes in protest of Colorado’s failure to pass an industrial hemp bill, was arrested in Kentucky for planting a hemp seed, and slipped President Clinton a letter in support of legalization. For his roles in normalization and advocacy, he has even received a spot on NORML’s advisory board, and was awarded the 2022 Emerald Cup’s “Willie Nelson Award.” Most recently, Harrelson has opened his first dispensary in West Hollywood (The Woods), with plans to expand into a consumption lounge.

DAN WILSON

Music and Mary Jane are a match that needs no introduction. The same goes for our first Cultural Icon on the list – if you’re a fan of R&B, Soul and Hip Hop, that is. If you’re not, let us have the pleasure of introducing you to the musically masterful and fiercely feminine creative force that is Erykah Badu. She’s been making music (and waves) since the late ‘90s. This year, she officially entered the Cannabis scene. Her collaboration with Berner at Cookies birthed a new brand called “That Badu.” It’s a women’s health-focused line with plans to expand.

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>> HUMANS ARE at the heart of every community’s culture, so for this year’s Culture Issue we’re highlighting some icons throughout the national Cannabis community. We've selected folks stoking the fires of canna-culture in the arts and entertainment realms and nominated them for recent work. But there just aren’t enough pages to praise the people of the plant. If you’d like to see us make space for someone in next year’s issue, send us your suggestions!

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THE CULTURE ISSUE

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is b a e n r n u Ca lt cu

LIFETIME ACHIEVERS

BOB MARLEY

FEB. 2024

WILLIE NELSON

LOUIS ARMSTRONG

CHEECH & CHONG

SNOOP DOGG

CYPRESS HILL

METHOD MAN

mike tyson

JERRY GARCIA

CAB CALLOWAY

WHOOPI GOLDBERG

MARTHA STEWART

kandid kush

Fine art feeds culture, and we can’t discuss fine art in Cannabis without diving into the work of Chris Romaine. He’s been photographing the plant with a perceptive eye and graceful edge around the world in editorial, commercial and artistic endeavors. While his work splendidly spans styles and subjects, much of his focus has fallen on the macro world of Mary. Recently, this work landed him a special spot in The House of Cannabis (New York). THC NYC is the very first museum, gallery and lounge of its kind – and inside of it lies another first: “The Microverse.” It’s an exhibit featuring Chris’ work in an immersive experience that’s sure to shift perspectives.

B REAL

Cypress Hill is a staple in the stoner’s smoking soundtrack. As one of the first entertainment groups to publicly and openly embrace Cannabis back in the 90s, the crew became synonymous with the plant during prohibition. Since legalization, frontman B Real has only continued that legacy. His YouTube series “The Smokebox” has welcomed celebrity guests to smoke on camera for over 10 years. Back in 2018, he opened up the first of many Dr. Greenthumb’s dispensaries. Today, he continues to expand his empire and influence Cannabis culture through music, media and merchandise.

STORY by LEAF NATION STAFF & CONTRIBUTORS | ILLUSTRATION by CABIN 7 ORIGINALS @CABIN7ORIGINALS | ADDITIONAL PHOTOS by CREATIVE COMMONS

COURTESY

Counterculture and Cannabis are close cousins, and no one knows that better than Ted Lidie. As Founder and Creative Director of Alien Labs, Lidie captured the connection between connoisseur Cannabis and subcultures such as skateboarding and comic books. Alien Labs ted lidie leaned into this with more than just a line of killer Cannabis products and ever-evolving cultivars – they birthed a new age of acceptance through apparel. The full line of clothing, bags and more have bridged the gap for everyone from your seasoned smoker to the mall meanderer that happens upon Alien Labs in big brand stores like Zumiez.

Heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson’s rise to fame in the Cannabis community has found its footing – but the only punches he’s packing these days are THC-backed. TYSON 2.0 is a Cannabis and infused goods brand that’s relatively new to the scene, but so is the notoriously fiery fighter’s outlook on life. In numerous interviews and throughout the brand’s PR campaign, Tyson has expressed the importance of Cannabis and alternative substances in turning around his attitude, aggression and discipline as a businessman. This transparency regarding his therapeutic transformation and promotion of the plant for athletes earns him a spot on our 2024 list.

PEDRO GARCIA

Jim Belushi is another actor-turned-activist who’s invested his time and money in Cannabis culture. His support started with his brother’s passing in ‘82 from a drug overdose – a tragedy that Jim believes could have been avoided if John consumed Cannabis for his trauma instead. It became Jim’s “mission from God” to share the plant’s healing powers, and he eventually opened a southern Oregon grow operation (over 12 years ago) that has since expanded into multiple states. These days, Belushi has teamed up with Discovery Channel to welcome viewers onto the farm in his three-season series, “Growing Belushi.”

Cannabis cups are an integral part of this culture and we can’t talk about “cups” without mentioning “California’s longest-running, most authentic celebration of Cannabis culture and quality.” The Emerald Cup is entering its 20th year, and behind it is a man with even more years of dedication to the culture. Tim Blake is a lifelong activist. Prior to founding the Emerald Cup, he helped start the Mendocino Farmers Collective & Healing Harvest Farms, Coalition for Cannabis Policy Reform (Prop 64), Mendocino Cannabis Policy Council and Mendocino Cannabis Industry Association. His dedication to cultivating a community around Cannabis and organic lifestyles continues to send waves worldwide, far beyond his humble California roots.

COURTESY

JIM BELUSHI

MIKE ROSATI

COD NEWSROOM

TIM BLAKE

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THE CULTURE ISSUE

higher s f e e r qu ncie

he number of Cannabis podcasts has really opened up over the last couple of years. With so many video and audio programs out there, there’s truly something for everyone. Many of you already subscribe to hits like Masonic Smoker, the OG Potcast and First Smoke of The Day, but here’s some other recommendations for listening to interviews, histories and interesting stories about weed.

Don’t forget to check out some of these podcasts from members of our Leaf Magazine Family.

Leaf Life

Wes Abney & Mike Ricker

hot dabs Now on its

third season, this hash-centric video podcast asks people from around the Cannabis community to answer compelling questions as they exhale huge dabs that get up to 900 degrees. Hosted by Dustan of Real Deal Resin, episodes have featured former professional wrestler The Godfather, Mami Uvas from “Life Is Not Grape” and Fran Terpy, the founder of social club Terpy Barcelona.

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@HOTDABSPOD

the hashish inn Intimate conversations with

some of the most celebrated, decorated and recognized hashmakers in the game today. Host Shoragim is dedicated to collecting the stories and shared history of America’s modern hash culture. This combination audio/ video podcast has featured makers like Dammit Bobby, Tree City Solventless and Hanzo Gardens. @THEHASHISHINN

That’s Good PizzZa Host JPeezy sits

down with passionate movers and shakers, letting them tell their story and asking their all-time desert-island favorites. One thing that’s great about this video/audio podcast is that they have a diverse range of guests. From incredible cultivators like Anna from CAM or Dave from Preferred Gardens, to passionate makers like Cozy Cubes edibles and Rektipz founder D-Rek. @GOODPIZZZAPODCAST

Leaf Magazine’s audio/video podcast where, just like Cannabis, the topic can go anywhere. With guests and episodes that range from parenting and meditation to social media and AI’s role in the industry, nothing is off the table. Along with this, the team features regular segments in which they review new products and devices. @LEAFLIFEPODCAST

Cannthropology Bobby Black

An engaging podcast presented by The World of Cannabis Museum project and hosted by WoC Executive Director, California Leaf Editor and marijuana media icon Bobby Black. In each episode, Bobby speaks with a different expert or significant figure in Cannabis culture to provide an entertaining and educational history lesson. @CANNTHROPOLOGY

The Smoking Spot Amanda Breeze & Ryan Herron

dreamtown

terpene therapy An informative

An NPR-style audio history hosted by David Weinberg. The seven-part stylized story details the California town of Adelanto and its 2014 battle with legalizing cultivation in order to save failing revenues. Tailored for a more general audience, it pairs well with a road trip. @CROOKEDMEDIA

look at terpene profiles and Cannabis products. Not just smokable and dabbable, they also look at the items we use to consume them. Alongside these discussions, they also record on location at events such as The Smoking Jacket and Ego Clash. Episodes have featured John Dawson from Kung-Fu Vapes, glass artist Zach Brown and Stache Products. @TERPENETHERAPYPODCAST

FEB. 2024

Explore the world of Cannabis and through interviews and discussions with industry insiders. Hosts Amanda and Ryan are contributing writers to a slew of publications nationwide (including Oregon Leaf), offering listeners a unique perspective having written for many parts of the industry. Recent episodes have featured Leafly Editor David Downs, renowned photographer Kandid Kush and Oregon micro-growery Brave Hearts.

Smoke & Bridges Be a fly on the

wall for a casual conversation between Cannabis personalities and journalist/ event creator Jimi Devine. Join in the audio one-on-one as Jimi sits down for an hour-long chat with industry figureheads like Champelli, Keith from Fig Farms and Kayla’s Marc Hammond. @YOURGREENSTATE @THEJIMIDEVINE

@THE.SMOKINGSPOT

Grow Bud Yourself Danny Danko & Mike Gianakos

Author of “Cannabis: A Beginners Guide to Growing Marijuana,” Former HIGH TIMES Senior Cultivation Editor and recent Northeast Leaf Editor Danny Danko offers news, activism reports and cultivation tips for listeners of all skill levels, alongside co-host, Leaf Nation writer and former HT Editor-In-Chief Mike Gianakos. @GROWBUDYOURSELF

STORY by MATT JACKSON @ACTIONMATTJACKSON for LEAF NATION | ILLUSTRATION by CABIN 7 ORIGINALS @CABIN7ORIGINALS

We're proud to nurture and craft every aspect of our products, from soil to oil, and that's the secret behind our unbeatable quality at a price that's simply irresistible. With a diverse range of 13 cart flavors and a full line-up of dabbables there's always something new to try on the horizon. Explore our exquisite range of products at your nearest dispensary and discover the extraordinary, every day.

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THE CULTURE ISSUE

one dab at atime

The Hash Calendar Club creates a whole new way to ask what day it is.

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ROUCHO MARX famously said he’d never join any club that would allow him as a member but then, Groucho never knew about the Hash Calendar Club. This secret set of subscribers are part of an amazing program presenting people with a bespoke box containing the hottest hash from around the country – all custom packaged and themed for specific holidays. Just like an advent calendar full of chocolate, you open up a different section each day to uncover a rosin sampling from new favorites, heavy hitters and rare flavors.

FEB. 2024

What began as a passion project in December of 2021 has now quadrupled in size with people lining up to get on the waitlist. Box sets and limited collections have seen a rise in both popularity and creativity over the last two years, as fans have shown a desire to interact with the Cannabis companies they love – the same way they do as with brands like Nike or Supreme. The difference here is that Hash Calendar Club boxes are not only limited but curated, both by the community and by its creator Big Gim. Imagine a collection of specially-built, shared experiences for the hash enthusiast, where along with your fellow members, you get to open a new window each day and discuss the flavor – sometimes opening the box up to discover elaborate edibles, delicate glassware, or chances to win huge prizes. These sets are released a few times a year, built from the ground up as a showcase of who is pulling ahead of the pack. Every part of the experience is carefully thought out, then visually designed by the talented artist Van Gogh Zuh. When we asked how important art was to this project, Big Gim told us that good visuals are essential to taking members of the club on a ride with him through each immersive adventure. With every elaborate edition, members are led along haunted hallways, through wizard’s castles and into enchanted forests – one delicious dab at a time. It’s an exclusive and somewhat costly list to get onto, but Big Gim pointed out that’s due to the labor-intensive nature of collecting the diverse selection of incredible products from

around the country, then spinning a whole new world around them. He especially thanked @ billwilldabs and @bigmikejax for their help in pulling it all off. Current members of the club represent a wide variety of both basic consumers and people with access to the private market – all looking to uncover new delicacies and have a little fun along the way. As Big Gim put it, for members, “It’s about the dabs, but it’s also about the discovery.” At the end of the day, the goal is to create something fun while helping break down the walls of access. Big Gim has already seen the importance of keeping the original spirit while listening to new members about what they’d like to see next. The process is a blueprint that’s still being drawn out as he goes, and Big Gim is one of those people whose mind is always working on a good idea. Throughout our conversation he would punctuate his answers with new concepts and additions for future versions, writing his inspiration down between dabs. Since I first discovered the Hash Calendar, I’ve watched it continue to swing for the fences. Whether it’s adding new members, custom accessories or outrageous thematics, there has yet to be a plateau for this project. For the next edition in July, Big Gim cryptically promised, “a return to its roots with some big surprises.” Until then, I’ll be percolating with anticipation to see what new escapade he and the next set of hashmakers dream up for their members. @THEHASHCALENDARCLUB

STORY by MATT JACKSON @ACTIONMATTJACKSON for LEAF NATION | ILLUSTRATION by CABIN 7 ORIGINALS @CABIN7ORIGINALS Photos courtesy Hash Calendar Club | See more photos at LeafMagazines.com

THERE’S NOTHING SWEETER THAN

cannthropology

PRESENTS

It’s no accident that racism-driven marijuana prohibition coincided with the dawn of the Jazz Age: In the early 20th century, jazz was originated and performed almost exclusively by Black musicians—many of whom used the creative influence of Cannabis (aka “reefer,” “tea,” “gage,” “muggles,” or “shuzzit”) to fuel their musical improvisations. Those who smoked it were known as “vipers” (allegedly because of the hissing sound they made when taking a toke), and the biggest viper of all also happened to be the world’s most famous entertainer — one of jazz’s founding fathers, Louis Armstrong.

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BORN ON THE BAYOU Louis (pronounced “Lewis,” not “Louie”) Armstrong was born in New Orleans in 1901 and grew up in a ghetto called the “Battlefield.” As a child, he would reportedly dance for pennies and stuff them in his mouth to keep other kids from stealing them — earning him the nickname “satchel mouth,” or “Satchmo” for short. By the age of 11, he’d managed to buy a used cornet for $5 from a local pawn shop and began honing his skills under the tutelage of renowned cornetist Joe “King” Oliver. Satchmo played in bars, brothels, and on Mississippi riverboats until 1922 when his mentor recruited him to be his second horn in Chicago. There, he made a name for himself at the legendary Cotton Club — performing and recording with Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band. In 1925, after a year-long stint in New York City, he returned to Chi-Town and formed his own ensemble: Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five / Seven. GAGA FOR GAGE In 1928, Armstrong began a months-long residency at Chicago’s Savoy Ballroom. It was outside during intermission at one of those Savoy gigs that a white arranger (possibly infamous clarinetist/weed dealer Mezz Mezzrow) turned Armstrong on to his first reefer cigarette. For Louis, it was love at first toke. Smoking “gage,” as he called it, quickly became an essential part of his daily routine. Photographer Jack Bradley recounted seeing Armstrong smoking a “bomber joint” on the toilet often in the mornings while on tour. In fact, Bradley even claimed that Louis’ other famous nickname was weed-related. “His nickname ‘Pops’ comes from pot … it’s because he was the father of marijuana,” Bradley once said. “[Pops] probably turned more people on to pot than anybody else in the world.”

feb. 2024

Louis lights up: Beloved jazz musician, vocalist, and cultural icon Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong had a lifelong love affair with Cannabis.

Eventually, Armstrong was reportedly smoking up to three large blunts worth of weed a day. Armstrong used marijuana medicinally to help with sleep and anxiety — finding it a far better alternative to alcohol or heroin (both of which were popular in the jazz scene at the time). ‘’It really puzzles me to see marijuana connected with narcotics … dope and all that crap,” he famously wrote. “We always looked at pot as a sort of medicine … It’s a thousand times better than whiskey — it’s an assistant, a friend.’’ Cannabis also helped him vibe better with his fellow musicians — something essential in an improvisational group. “That’s one reason why we appreciated pot, as y’all calls it now — the warmth it always brought forth from the other person,” Armstrong observed. “It makes you feel a special kinship.” Satchmo almost always toked up before performances and during recording sessions, and encouraged all of his band members to do so as well. “Louis insisted everyone smoke some of that good shuzzitt before they began recording,” notes Laurence Bergreen in his book “Louis Armstrong: An Extravagant Life.” “By the

KEYSTONE PICTURES USA / ALAMY

Song of the Viper

time the musicians played, everyone was pleasantly stoned, Louis most of all … the band may as well have been called Louis Armstrong and His Vipers.” Satchmo recorded two songs in praise of pot: the 1928 hit “Muggles,” and “Song of the Vipers” in 1934. Released in 1947 by Polydor Records, “Song of the Vipers” was pulled off the shelves when the label realized what the title meant (it would be decades before it would be reissued in the US). POPS GETS POPPED In 1930, Armstrong began a residency at the renowned Cotton Club in Culver City, California. On the night of November 14, 1930, he stepped outside with drummer Vic Berton during intermission to “blast a joint” in the parking lot and was approached by two narcotics officers who placed them under arrest — making Armstrong the first celebrity ever busted for weed. (California was the first state to pass a law prohibiting Cannabis in 1913). Turns out, a rival band leader had “dropped the nickel” on them (pay phones didn’t cost a dime yet) … but the cops were such big fans that they not only let him finish his second set before taking him downtown, but practically apologized for having to arrest him. “When we found out that you was the one we must nab, it broke our hearts,” Armstrong remembered one cop saying. “When we reached police headquarters, they all recognized me right away,” he continued. “They too had been diggin’ my music nightly over the radio.” Nevertheless, on March 10, 1931, he was sentenced to a thousand-dollar fine and six months in jail. Luckily for Louis, though, an influential club owner apparently pulled some strings, and he ended up serving just nine days in Downtown Los Angeles City Jail. “The judge gave me a suspended sentence, and I went to work that night — wailed just like nothing happened,” Armstrong later recalled. “Every night I would run across those same detectives who arrested me, glad as ever to see me, and me back on the mound blowing again.” TRICKY DICK & THE SMUGGLED MUGGLES As legend has it, the architect of the Drug War himself, Richard Nixon, once unknowingly smuggled Louis’ muggles through customs for him in the early 1950s. The story An old publicity photo of goes like this: Satchmo with Nixon (1957). The US State Department had appointed Armstrong as a so-called “Goodwill Ambassador” and sent him to Europe and Asia to promote American values abroad during the Cold War. Upon returning from the first two legs of the tour, “Ambassador Satch” was waved through customs due to his “official” status. So, when returning from the third leg in Japan, he decided to fill one of his suitcases with three pounds of gage. But when he landed at New York’s Idlewild Airport (now JFK), customs officials (having sup-

“We always looked at pot as a sort of medicine ... it’s a thousand times better than whiskey — it’s an assistant, a friend.”

posedly gotten an alert to look out for smugglers) instead directed him to the inspection line with the rest of the travelers. While waiting for what he assumed would be his inevitable arrest, then-Vice President Nixon rolled in with a security detail and press posse in tow and, wanting to meet the jazz icon, made a b-line for Louie. “Satchmo, what are you doing here?” he reportedly asked. Then, according to Nixon advisor Roger Stone in his book “Nixon’s Secrets: The Rise, Fall, and Unknown Truth About the President, Watergate, and the Pardon,” this is how it went down: “Without hesitation, Nixon grabbed both of Satchmo’s suitcases. ‘Ambassadors don’t have to go through customs, and the Vice President of the United States will gladly carry your bags for you,’ Nixon said. Whereupon the Vice President ‘muled’ three pounds of pot through United States Customs without ever knowing it.” It wasn’t until years later that one of Nixon’s aides — after hearing about the incident from a musician who’d traveled with Armstrong — informed the President about what was in the suitcase … to which Nixon allegedly replied incredulously, “Louie smokes marijuana?” As fun as that story may be, however, it’s unlikely that it actually occurred. According to research by Ricky Riccardi — Director of Research Collections for the Louis Armstrong House Museum and author of “What a Wonderful World: The Magic of Louis Armstrong’s Later Years” (Pantheon, 2011) — most of the dates and details simply don’t add up … not to mention the fact that Louis himself apparently never relayed the tale.

it got into her purse and ended up only paying a small fine. Nevertheless, the incident shook Armstrong — prompting him to dictate a letter to his manager, Joe Glaser, threatening that if Glaser couldn’t get him some kind of legal “permit” to possess and smoke Cannabis, he’d be forced to retire. “Mr. Glaser, you must see to it that I have special permission to smoke all the reefers that I want to when I want, or I will just have to put this horn down,” he declared. “I can’t afford to be ducking and a-dodging and being tense, fearing that any minute I’m going to be arrested, brought to jail for a silly little minor thing like marijuana … I just won’t carry on with such fear over nothing.”

VIPER TO THE END Naturally, Glaser couldn’t obtain such a permit. Instead, he chose to protect Armstrong in his own way — by allegedly using his mafia connections to ensure that Louis was never busted again, and by insisting that all references to Cannabis in the autobiography released that year, “Satchmo: My Life in New Orleans,” be omitted. Louis hoped to release a sequel containing all of his stories and thoughts on marijuana entitled simply “Gage,” but that never materialized. It wasn’t until speaking with biographers Max Jones and John Chilton months before his death in 1971 that his love affair with the herb finally came to light — thanks to the 750 tapes of audio journals he’d dictated into his reel-to-reel recorder at his home in Corona, Queens (now the Louis Armstrong House Museum). These tapes are the source of nearly all of Armstrong’s quotes about Cannabis. To avoid the “drastic penalties” LUCILLE & THE LETTER imposed on vipers, he claimed publicly to have given up the Armstrong only Louis and wife Lucille in his home office. gage ... but in reality, Satchmo encountered legal continued smoking reefer for the rest of his life. troubles relating to marijuana one other time: “The respect for gage will stay with me on New Year’s Day 1954, after just arriving forever,” Armstrong testified. “If we all get as from Tokyo, Louis’ wife Lucille was arrested old as Methuselah, our memories will always at her hotel in Honolulu and charged with be of lots of beauty and warmth from gage … smuggling after a Customs officer discovered I don’t intend to ever stop smoking it, not as “about $5 worth of marijuana” (one joint and long as it grows.” two half-smoked joints, totaling around 14 grams) inside her eyeglass case. The weed undoubtedly belonged to her husband, but she For our podcast & more Cannabis history content took the rap for him: She denied knowing how visit worldofcannabis.museum/cannthropology.

STO RY b y B O B BY B LAC K @ CAN N T H RO PO LO G Y for LEA F NAT IO N

PHOTOS & POSTER COURTESY OF LOUIS ARMSTRONG HOUSE MUSEUM

Original “Song of the Vipers” record.

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

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IS IT JUST ME or does everyone have a spot in their living area where the items that are too uncategorizable to belong anywhere specific end up? This is a place devoid of a proper name. And we’re not talking about the junk drawer. The junk drawer is for junk, but this is something else. This item has a potentially important role, you’re just not sure when you might need it. It belongs in a place that’s fairly accessible – but determining ‘where’ is the conundrum. Whoever invented this item was smart. In fact, so smart that they convinced you it would be an imperative addition to the massive amount of shit you already have. They did this by instilling the fear of uncertainty that if you found yourself in a situation that required it, but didn’t have it, you would suffer the consequences for a lack of preparedness. Yes, it was an impulsive purchase, but you never know. And now finding space for it – a place you know you won’t forget you have it – is tricky. You’ve thought about it … but haven’t quite been able to pinpoint where it rightfully belongs. And during this epoch of contemplation while waiting for the solution to naturally reveal itself, it lives in purgatory – in the vortex of randomness – in a closet, on the floor, or in your home office. Wherever this item lands, it is clearly out of place – causing an unwanted splash of stress each time it catches your eye. And it’s not a promotional t-shirt with a brand logo you’ll never wear. We all know that goes in a plastic bin either in the garage or the storage unit. Or maybe in the far back corner of the bottom dresser drawer. By the way, this is an area where you have never put your weed.

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