The Chronic Magazine (August 2021)

THE BEST MARIJUANA RESOURCE

CHRONIC 50

E CHRO TH

E

AGAZ IN CM NI

STATES

HILLTOP

GARDENS tter A le Vee m fro

Terpeneinner D

Cannabigerol

CBG

THE REAL LAUGHY TAFFY CHEEBA CHEWS

ALIKAT?

WHAT'S NEW Whoa, Oklahoma BHO

WWW.THEOKLAHOMACHRONIC.COM

AUGUST 2021

CHRONIC M A G A Z I N E GOES

NATIONAL

!EERF-SDNAH OG !ENIZAGAM EVITCARETNI NA ERA EW

THIS WILL ALLOW YOU TO TAKE A FURTHER STEP TO EXPLORE YOUR FAVORITE COLUMNS AND BRANDS.

Therin Miller Chief Operations Officer

Instagram | @oklahomachronicmagazine

Veronica Castillo Writer

Instagram | @v2_traveling_veg_canna_writer

From the Chronic Team Happy August!

Melissa Hall Canna Critic

A lot is happening in the world and August seems to

Instagram | @okcannacritic

present a new set of challenges for some of us as parents, our children are heading back to school,

Dr. Pepper Hernandez

students heading off to college and for all else its

Instagram | @dr.pepperhernandez

the wind down of summer and prepping for the fall

Writer

festivites.

Liquids

Chef Buz Deliere

Anxiety, stress, and many other emotions can be a

Canna Chef

huge factor with all these changes and can

Instagram | @medibles_ok

additionally cause a lot of destructive behavior. We are no stranger to this here at the Chronic Magazine

Carisa Rowe

as we continue to push forward and grow.

Writer

Instagram | @groovygrower

Make sure to indulge in the strains that help you with these emotions, enjoy family time, household accomplishments and overall the things that make

Chynna Pearson

you smile.

Writer

Instagram | @chynnathewriter

Let us know what you are doing to enjoy the things that help you cope by tagging us on Instagram

Terrisha Harris

@thechronicmagazine so we can reshare your

Instagram | @smoke_tree_cannabis

content with the world.

Graphic Designer

Philip Rodriguez

Have a story? Please let us know at

Writer

theoklahomachronic@outlook.com

Instagram | @wheretosmokeokc

Tatiana Melendez

www.theoklahomachronic.com

Writer

Instagram | @_tatiana.me

Sloane Simon Writer

Instagram | @sloaney_11

The Chronic Magazine.

The Best Marijuana Resource

CONTENTS

THE CHRONIC | AUGUST 2021

7

CANNABIS MARIJUANA The reefer madness continues at the expense of Sha'Carri Richardson

12

THE REAL LAUGHY TAFFY Cheeba Chews Interview

by Chynna Pearson

19

A TERPY DINNER

by Tatiana Melendez

23

SHATTERING SALES In a year that was riddled with uncertainties and hardships, one thing was for sure, the American people love their cannabis.

28

MONTHLY RECIPE - CHEF BUZ This month's recipe is a quick and easy dish that will make you feel like a gourmet chef and eat like one too.

30

30

EXCLUSIVE!

ALIKAT WHAT'S NEW

35

A LETTER FROM VEE Travel, Cannabis and Veganism

56

41

12

WORLD OF CANNABINOIDS AND TERPENES CBG - Cannabigerol

45

MONTHLY CANNABIS

With August rolling in and having us all dreaming of cooler Fall nights, I knew the product that would be perfect for this issue. A flower/hash rosin combo that really knocks it out of the park.

How Being Chronically Considerate Breeds a Culture of Success

by Carisa Rowe

48

WHERE TO SMOKE IN OKLAHOMA Keshia's Kastle & Green Buffalo Lounge at Volare Where's a good place to smoke and dab away from home? Here’s a little “Best Of” section for you all.

FAMILY-OWNED INDUSTRY

How Being Chronically Considerate Breeds a Culture of Success

FAMILY-OWNED INSUSTRY

56

MONTHLY CANNABIS REVIEW

60

35

19

63

63

SURVIVOR

Trigger Warning: A survivor's story

10 WAYS YOU CAN SAVE We have experienced quite an array of new challenges in the past year. Some of us have felt the burden of decreased sales and finding new ways to serve our customers.

CINORHC EHT

Hilltop Gardens GMO

Cannabis Marijuana The Reefer Madness Continues at the expense of Sha’Carri Richardson VERONICA CASTILLO

CHRONIC | AUGUST 2021

7

America claims to be the best and freest country in the world, yet American residents and citizens have yet to experience true freedom. In America, residents and citizens have the freedom to make choices from a set of standards that they must abide by.

America says that it’s okay to consume drugs, but only from their list. America says that it’s okay to work, but only from their list of professions. America says that it’s okay to consume plants, but only plants on their list and in their form.

Not even in a legal, recreational, adult consumption state like Oregon, can one consume cannabis without the risk of losing what they have worked so hard for.

America says it’s okay to consume tea, shop for herbs, smoke herbal blends- it just can’t be cannabis.

Because of this, Sha’Carri Richardson was suspended, then taken off of the Olympic team.

WHO IS Sha'Carri Richardson?

Sha’Carri is a Dallas, TX-born, American track and field sprinter who rose to fame in 2019 as a freshman at Louisiana State University. She ran 10.75 seconds to break the 100 m record at the National Collegiate Athletic Association Championships. This win made her one of the top 10 fastest women in history. In April 2021, Sha’Carri did it again; she ran 10.72 seconds becoming the 6th fastest woman of all time and the 4th fastest American woman in history.

In July of 2021, Sha’Carri tested positive for cannabis marijuana. In multiple statements, and in an interview that Sha’Carri did with Good Morning America, the her mom passing away, and Sha’Carri coping with the news of that loss. Because of the failed test, Sha’Carri was suspended, then removed from the 2021 Olympics.

CHRONIC | AUGUST 2021

reason stated for consumption was due to news of

8

AMERICA SANDWICHED BETWEEN COUNTRY-WIDE LEGALIZATION America is sandwiched between Mexico, which recently decriminalized cannabis country-wide, and Canada, which has been federally legal for years.

America won’t even give us medicinal cannabismarijuana legalization- but claims to be the best. In America, though hemp is legal, cannabis/ marijuana remains on the highest and most dangerous DEA schedule, schedule 1: “Schedule I drugs, substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. Some examples of Schedule I drugs are heroin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), marijuana (cannabis), 3,4methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstasy), methaqualone, and peyote.”- the DEA. America is usually battling with its own rules and logic because while the DEA says that cannabismarijuana has no medicinal value, the NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information Search) says:

CHRONIC | AUGUST 2021

9

Cannabis sativa has a long history as a medicinal plant, likely dating back more than two millennia.

THE PROMISE TO CORRECT WHAT WENT WRONG- CANNABIS SUPPORT / LEGALIZATION IN THE 2020 ELECTIONS

Before, after, during- a failed test for a non-approved “substance” is still a failed test and even though this was the case, Phelps was still able to compete in the Olympics.

There were over a dozen prisoners with cannabis marijuana charges that were freed prior to the current

There is another active suspension tied to the Olympics:

president taking office. The current president ran with

middle-distance runner Shelby Houlihan, who tested

the promise to continue the momentum so to speak,

positive for steroids just before Sha’Carri tested positive

stating during the campaign:

for cannabis marijuana. USA Today reports: “The Athletics Integrity Unit has not published the full

“Anyone who has a [marijuana] record should be let

decision on Houlihan’s appeal from the Court of

out of jail”. He also stated and promised to “broadly

Arbitration for Sport.” It looks like Sha’Carri is out,

use his clemency power for certain non-violent and

Houlihan still has a chance, and Phelps beat the system.

drug crimes.”

FINAL THOUGHTS

So now that he is sitting in the oval, the stance is:

Sha’Carri’s removal feels like another attack on the black

decriminalize low-level possession. No one has been

community. And of course many will assume that this is a

freed under this presidency to date, and there is no

typical and emotionally charged statement from a black

senate consideration on this issue. Instead, the house

woman in America. That could be but backed with facts.

judiciary committee has to reintroduce the legalization

Threaded and connected in American history, is the

bill that was already APPROVED by the house of

oppression of black people which has been a constant,

representatives.

and dating back to the time that Columbus stole land with his goons.

Now, there is no talk of decriminalization of possession, but instead, the Chicago Suntimes reports

The Olympics removed Sha’carri, they removed natural

that press secretary Jen Psaki stated that the

hair swim caps made for Black hair types/textures and

President’s position is:

removed black lives matter apparel. Maybe people will argue “rules are rules”, but is it that simple, when the

“reclassifying marijuana so researchers can study its

rules set, do not apply/impact across the board?

positive and negative impacts,” for allowing medical use, for letting states legalize recreational use, and

Athletes can consume the mind and body-altering

for “decriminalizing marijuana use and automatically

substances like nicotine, caffeine, and steroids by way of

expunging any prior criminal records.”

an animal (see how America is all “no steroids”- but you can legally consume them from steroid-infused chicken),

What is happening?!

but cannabis is still an enemy.

SHA’CARRI WAS SUSPENDED AND REMOVED BUT OTHERS WERE STILL ALLOWED TO COMPETE

America needs to pull it together! Being the best and

Sha’Carri Richardson’s situation cannot be compared to Michael Phelps because Phelps consumed cannabis marijuana after the Olympics, not during the trials.

news from a stranger about the death of their parent, and consumes cannabis- marijuana to help cope so that she can get through the trials, wouldn’t be punished for consuming a plant that the NCBI states: “Cannabis sativa has a long history as a medicinal plant, likely dating back more than two millennia.”

10 CHRONIC | AUGUST 2021

There is some content out there that says that

freest country would mean that someone that received

THE REAL

LAUGHY TAFFY

12

Chynna Pearson

CHRONIC | AUGUST 2021

CHEEBA CHEWS INTERVIEW

If you’ve been in a dispensary in California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Nevada, or Oklahoma, you’ve likely seen or bought an edible called Cheeba Chews, or their other brand called Green Hornet.

Here at Chronic, we had the opportunity to speak with Eric Leslie, Co-Owner and Chief Marketing Officer of Cheeba Chews. Eric has been working with this brand since 2009. When he first got into working for an edible cannabis brand, it was due to James, the other owner, showing him what he did.

Cheeba Origins

CHRONIC | AUGUST 2021

13

Eric is a very chill individual and was visibly excited to talk about Cheeba Chews. He and James actually went to high school together.

When James called him to meet up, it did seem to be strictly business even though they have a history together.

At first, Eric was in Ohio and James was in Colorado (where the company began), James needed Eric to come to visit and try a new product he was working on since Ohio is still not solid in its stance on recreational marijuana and medical wasn’t going to be available until 2016.

Once Eric and James sat down and discussed the new product and Eric had tried it, the rest was history. James needed some help in the design department and knew Eric would be the right choice to make the brand pop. The prototype of Cheeba Chews that James handed to Eric was wrapped in a Tootsie Roll wrapper and was also chocolate flavored. Eric recalled that “thirty to forty minutes later, he totally got it. It was catching lightning in a bottle.”

James had a homegrown at the time and was using trim to infuse different types of foods. He needed a sense of homogeneity and consistency in what he made, they found that taffy was the most consistent out of all the experiments as far as being able to blend it throughout an entire batch and give consumers the experience they were looking for.

After they chose taffy, they needed a name.

Cheeba Chews was simply one of the many names James had written down in a brainstorm, after some polling, it was clear it was the name they needed.

The only downfall was that, and Eric said this was James’ fault and not his (he said I could write that), the brand was written in Comic Sans. Eric said, “In the design world you lose all credibility if Comic Sans is your logo. I had to battle with that for a long time because we had so much success with it we didn’t want to change anything.” So they went years with Comis Sans as a logo and Eric was drilled for it no matter how dressed up it was. It wasn’t until 2015 when they did a brand refresh that everything was able to become more palatable as a custom iteration of a few fonts.

he explained that when the market for edibles first was coming about it was chocolates that dominated the scene.

“If you had a bar of good chocolate, you could be wildly successful. Gummies, when we opened up into recreational capacity in Colorado, you could really see gummies explode. If you look at edibles on a pie chart, 35% of edibles sold would be gummies, especially if you cobble together all the markets.,” Eric said, “Gummies were a no-nonsense thing for us to jump into after we did taffy. As for chocolate, they were a close second after gummies took over the market, about 15 to 20%. It was kind of the same idea, if we can do taffy and gummies well, chocolate can be done too.”

As for their extraction techniques, they say they are market-specific so they may be different in one state versus another. Eric recalled how they tried to use CO2 but it created a funky taste and a tackiness to the texture that they didn't enjoy.

They typically use BHO extraction as they can distill down their oil and make it as clean as can be.

14 CHRONIC | AUGUST 2021

One of the other brands they deal with is the Green Hornet gummies. The Green Hornet brand is just Cheeba Chews but made into gummies rather than taffy. They come in flavors like Grape, Blue Raspberry, Watermelon, Mixed Fruit, and Black Cherry.

For the Grape flavor, they have a THC, melatonin, and CBN combination that’s meant to put you right to sleep. Their website describes it as “an extra strength dosage of CBN and THC to help provide an evening "knock out" for a peaceful sleep.

Enjoy this 'every evening edible' containing 10mg of THC and 5mg of CBN in each piece with approximately 2mg of melatonin.”

Cheeba’s Original Edibles The last brand is Dabba, the Cheeba Chews chocolate brand. Currently, Dabba When the company began with Cheeba chocolates are only available in Oklahoma Chews, they knew it was something and Colorado. The current flavors available interesting and fun that not many other Raspberry Dark Chocolate, Peanut companies were trying out. The taffy comes in are Butter Banana White Chocolate, and Mint different flavors like the classic Chocolate Milk Chocolate (The Peanut Butter Banana and Caramel but also comes in flavors like White Chocolate so good. It’s Sour Apple and Strawberry. (There are rumors definitely what I’msounds trying next!) When I asked of more flavors being developed like some Eric why they decided to add to their more fruity flavors that may be based on pies, product list and move from only taffy to but you didn’t hear that from me.) gummies and chocolate too,

Cheeba’s Chew Trifecta

CHRONIC | AUGUST 2021

15

The Cheeba Team was nice enough to let me sample their coolest taffy edible to date, the caramel taffy Trifecta. The Trifecta is a mindblowing combination of not just THC and CBD but also CBG, each totaling 100mg each. The 300mg’s of cannabinoid goodness is a 1:1:1 meant to balance out the user without making them too stoned to take on the rest of the day.

I had spoken to Eric before giving the sample a try (Thank you, Lindsey Clarke, for all the help!) but I still wasn’t totally sure how taffy could possibly be packaged into bite-sized pieces without them all melting together or getting glued to the packaging.

To my surprise, the taffy is presented in the cutest little cups (it kind of reminds me of pills that you pop out from a pack.) The taffy inside is easy to pop out and I have yet to have it melt and stick to the sides.

Eric had actually mentioned that the packaging and the “unchangeableness” of taffy help set Cheeba Chews apart from casual edible brands. The fact that the Cheeba Chews package can sit out in a hot car and become soup in the little cups and not melt into one big edible with no way of dosing yourself correctly is pretty impressive.

The 1:1:1 effect of the Trifecta was actually pretty impressive. Living in Colorado, it is pretty easy to try different edibles and see which one is the best for you.

Most that you see, just like in other states, are simply THC or a 1:1 blend of THC and CBD, the Trifecta is unlike anything I’ve ever tried.

As a matter of fact, I tried two servings and almost immediately felt the intended effects, I was relaxed but still focused and ready to finish up running my errands.

As for the flavor, out of this world, it was creamy, sweet, and didn’t have too hashy of an aftertaste. The texture is reminiscent of Tootsie Rolls and Eric even said the chocolate flavored taffy kind of tastes like them too! If you’re a person who loves taffy and cannabis, this is definitely edible for you.

TERPENE Dinner

by Tatiana Melendez

A TERPY DINNER Cannabis and food are two substances

Most of us can agree that cannabis and

During the hustle and bustle of cooking

with the power to make us humans

food are a match made in heaven. Whether

and creative minds at work, he would

incredibly happy. Few things make a better

you are smoking it or eating it, or drinking it,

make time to speak to his guest about

pair, and with thousands of cannabis

cannabis makes food better. Some would

the meal, what flavors to expect, what

strains and the entire wide world of food

say that cannabis not only enhances your

terpenes cancel out bitterness, etc.,

and drink at our disposal, more pairings are

dining experience but can also enhance the

setting excellent precedence for the

possible today than ever before. So the

flavor of your food and drinks. Like wine,

evening.

question is: how to go about matching a

cannabis has various flavors and aromas,

dish or beverage with its perfect cannabis

also known as terpenes, that can

The dinner started with asparagus, crab,

counterpart? The answer to that --

accentuate, complement, and highlight the

lemon, red bell pepper, and parsley. I

terpenes!

tastes and scents in your meal. My favorite

paired it with sips of Suelo Farmers

happens to be white wines.

Chenin Blanc 2015. Talk about terpene

Everyone talks about terpenes, but what

galore! The crab salad is prepared with

does it have to do with cannabis and food?

Avid cannabis connoisseurs across the

dill cucumbers, lots of parsley, and lemon

Terpenes are aromatic molecules

globe have started thinking about pairing

zest. Finished with red bell pepper,

responsible for the many tastes and smells

different cannabis strains with food, the

preserved lemon peel, micro parsley, and

associated with the cannabis plant. Every

same way you would think about pairing

salt. It was a great way to start the

strain produces its terpene profile based on

wine with food. And thanks to my friends at

evening.

its genetics and growing environment.

RARE Xtracts, they sure made a lot of a stoner's dream come true!

Abundant in Limonene, alpha-Pinene,

Terpenes are present in food, too. You will

RARE Xtracts hosted a private "Terp Dinner"

and Myrcene. These terpenes aid in

find them providing aromas, flavors, and

in Tulsa, OK. The evening included an

boosting mood and reducing stress. Also,

health benefits in everything from oranges

elaborate seven-course meal prepared and

it helps the digestive system and muscle

and tomatoes to seafood and herbs;

cooked by Roque Heidler, hash pairings,

spasms. It did just that; by far the best

matching these aromas and flavor profiles

wine pairings, and local grain-finished beef.

meal to start the evening.

with other scents and tastes that accentuate them is what makes for a great pairing. For example, say you have made lemon bars for dessert; with plenty of lemon flavor packed into each bar, you might

A few plates and pairings caught my senses as the night progressed. First, look at this phenomenal menu. It is too good not to share with you guys.

choose a strain with complementary flavors, like Blueberry, to balance out that intense

A dish that blew me away by looks, taste, and the smell was course III. According to chef Roque, the foie pate held rich fatty notes. It was complemented with sweet caramelized onion and a slight nuttiness

Course I: Asparagus – Crab – Lemon – Red Bell –

citrusy sweetness.

Parsley.

Take terpene Terpinolene, for instance;

Course II: Watermelon – Comte – Evo – Fine Herbs –

due to the pistachio.

The rye was the vessel used for texture

terpinolene is not just piney, floral, musky -it is all of those things at once, with a touch citrusy. It is rarely the dominant terpene in

Pickled Watermelon Rind.

Course III: Foie Gras – Blackberry – Rye – S & V Kale – Mustard Seed.

cannabis, but it is often pulling strings in the background. Research shows some of the health benefits include antifungal and antibacterial properties. It can uplift your mood as well. When it comes to food, think

approachable for nearly every palate.

Another terpene that is great for cooking is Limonene. Limonene is known for its bright,

19

Cornbread – Curry

CHRONIC | AUGUST 2021

stress, and it has antibacterial properties.

Strains rich in limonene pair best with anything you would squeeze lime or lemon

Tomato – Olive – Sherry

tossed in white wine vinegar and sea

"It was an elevated bite of a sandwich." Again, I paired it with sips of Suelo Farmers Chenin Blanc 2015.

This dish was abundant in Limonene, caryophyllene, and linalool. These

Course VI: Beef – Stout Sauce – Cherry – Black Current – Celeriac – Potato

Course VII: Honey – Orange – Caramel – White

terpenes aid in boosting mood, anxiolytic (anti-anxiety), provide calming effects, and serve as pain desensitizers.

Chocolate – Hash Shortbread.

As the evening went on, small groups of

Chenin Blanc 2015 by Suelo Farmers/wildnatives, OK.

Pinot Noir 2015 by Suelo Farmers/wildnatives, OK.

over. Such as seafood plates, carne asada tacos, or avocado toast!

fashion of a dill pickle, and the kale was

Course V: Lobster – Lobster Shell – Scallop –

citrusy aroma and slightly bitter taste.

Limonene is known to elevate mood, relieve

pickled mustard seed was done in the

salt.

Course IV: Braised Mushroom – Strawberry –

of terpinolene as an all-around crowdpleaser. Its flavor profile is complex yet

but also giving off a little caraway. The

new friends enjoyed the fresh air and partook in the therapeutic rituals of cannabis. It was an exceptional evening to explore all the given senses. Plus, what is not to like? Good food, hash, wine, and

You would think one cannot eat this much in four hours, but let me tell you, chef Roque made it possible.

company.

Whether you choose comparable or contrasting flavors is up to you! There are no right or wrong answers, and pairing is all about personal preference. Do you like the pairing? Then it is a good one.

Just as everyone experiences the effects of different cannabis strains a little differently, everyone experiences flavors differently, too.

Factors including your body chemistry, past experiences, and the region you are from can all affect what you taste.

Here are some vitamins that can create a

“powerhouse” when

cooking as well. Some have the same effects as terpenes as listed above.

Zinc – Studies have shown that symptoms of depression and low mood can be improved by introducing foods rich in Zinc.

Zinc also contributes to healthy brain function, and production of serotonin which stabilizes mood.

Omega-3 – high stress levels deplete the brain’s reserves of omega 3, as the body releases omega 3 into the bloodstream to provide extra energy as the flight or fight response is triggered.

Food rich in omega 3 has been proven to lower stress levels, marked reductions in anxiety levels and inflammation in the brain.

20 CHRONIC | AUGUST 2021

Friendly tip: do not waste time worrying about whether you are doing it right; enjoy cannabis and food, friends!

SHATTERING SALES ACROSS THE NATION SLOANNE SIMON

In a year that was riddled with uncertainties and hardships, one thing was for sure, the American people love their cannabis. Most companies and major markets posted huge losses after the dumpster fire that was in 2020, except for the cannabis industry. With record sales of $17.5billion, cannabis had an astounding 46% increase in sales over 2019.

CHRONIC | AUGUST 2021

23

It is hard not to look back at the pandemic and assume that that was the driving force behind the astronomical boom in sales. Though it was an integral part, with many Americans realizing the need for mental health aid during some unprecedented times, sales were also boosted by the recreational legalization in populous states such as Illinois and Massachusetts. There are now 36 states with legalized medicinal cannabis, fourteen of those with adult-use recreational usage.

Tying into the addition of legalized states is the increase in consumers.

Heavy hitter states like California, Colorado, and Oregon saw an increase in consumers to their already mature market. These states all saw over a billion-dollar sales year with increases from 2019 around 26-29%.

In fact, Illinois, after just passing adult-use cannabis, hit sales of over a billion dollars. Newly legalized recreational usage states showed around a 136% increase in sales since switching from medical to recreational. With the change from medical to recreational, black market sales are also decreasing, which allows for legal sales to continue to increase as well.

A lot of this sales surge stems from the ease of obtaining cannabis. Many dispensaries opened up the availability of delivery services, curbside service, and deals upon deals to pull in customers. Once deemed essential during the pandemic, sales took off. In fact, over two-thirds of cannabis consumers reported partaking on a daily basis with either flowers or concentrates. In turn, over half of edible connoisseurs reported daily usage.

Many growers, processors, and dispensaries spent time during the pandemic exploring new ways to market the different possibilities for consumption, to reach more people. 2020 cannabis consumption also seems to have been used as a coping mechanism for most of us that partook.

According to Leafly, established consumers, such as myself, had a 33% increase in the amount purchased per month. The increase in the monthly purchases could have been a direct result of consumers stocking up, or just a jump in daily usage due to stress.

With all of the uncertainty that occurred over the last 15 months with the pandemic, cannabis was a way to help medicate, to decrease the anxiety, and the stress. In fact, around 25% of cannabis consumers reported an increase in usage over the initial six months of the pandemic. Personally, as a stay-athome mom with three young children, attempting to complete online virtual learning for a first grader and pre-k kiddo, plus a toddler in tow, medicating was imperative.

I can attest to the increase in usage over those first six months, I definitely increased my amount used to cope with the craziness and uncertainty of the time we were all experiencing.

Many talking heads expected to see a decrease in sales for 2021 after the record smashing year cannabis had in 2020. However, the numbers are showing that cannabis consumers are not slowing down, in fact transactions for 2021 have already shown a 1520% increase over last year.

Now that the world has been attempting to open up again postpandemic, sales continue to explode.

People are happy to be out in the world again, interacting with each other and enjoying a sesh with friends. With summer in full swing, there are many gathering places that allow for outdoor consumption.

Places such as Relax Park in Oklahoma City have created a safe haven where people can come together and not be hassled while enjoying a joint in public.

The trend is showing that more American’s are turning to cannabis. I think what needs to be taken into consideration, as well with the boom in sales, is how many people are viewing pharmaceuticals in comparison to cannabis. There has been a shift away from these manmade drugs that have been pushed on us to help with mental health for the last couple of decades.

Although states, according to the proposal, will still be able to write their own laws in accordance with legal cannabis, the possibilities for growth are astounding.

Dependent on how the law is written, more people will be allowed the possibility to consume if they so desire.

So, again, the more people that can consume, the more that people can purchase. Which leads to more and more growth in sales.

As laws continue to change and more and more research is done to show the benefits of cannabis, the industry in itself is going to continue to grow. For instance, new techniques are being introduced to the manufacturing of edibles, making them more desirable to the consumer due to quicker, more consistent highs.

These developments allow for the consumer, who does not want to smoke but wants the healing effects of cannabis, to find the appropriate dosage and know that they will experience the same response each time.

Falling in line with different techniques for edibles, researching terpenes and their profiles and the effects those have on the consumer also opens up the possibility for greater sales.

Booming sales are only the beginning of this cannabis phenomenon. It is already a multi-billion-dollar industry, taking each legalized state by storm. With the possibility of federal legalization looming on the horizon, there is no stopping the growth that will be inevitable in the cannabis industry.

We are sitting on the good side of history with cannabis, I am excited to see the growth that our nation and our economy is about to experience. To the moon!

24 CHRONIC | AUGUST 2021

As more and more people are turned off by the side effects that typically correlate with the antidepressants being prescribed, and more medical professionals are seeing the benefits of cannabis usage, cannabis sales will continue to increase. In fact, projections show that by 2025, cannabis sales could hit $41 billion.

Billion, with a B.

At the time of publication, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer had recently introduced his proposal for federally legalized cannabis.

ORDER YOURS TODAY!

COOKINGWITHABUZ.COM

" TW IS

TOASTED CANNA CHIPS

" NG KI

ND LET’S GE UP A TC E N OO TO

ROASTED SENSI SALSA

nd a

BY CHEF BUZ

A good day out there to all my canna chefs and welcome back, I don’t know about you but I'm super excited for this month’s recipe.

It’s one of my favorite things to snack on, and it’s quick and simple to make.

So while you’re chillin’ on the back porch enjoying your after-work joint you can munch on my Toasted and Roasted Chips and Salsa and watch the sun, and all your

@medibles_ok

worries fade away.

with a

COOKING

BUZ

INGREDIENTS TOASTED CANNA CHIPS 1 bag yellow corn tortilla Canna vegetable oil Juice from ¼ lime 1 tsp chili powder

Let’s not waste any time and jump right into it, so grab a bag of your favorite herb, twist one up and let’s get Cooking with a Buz!

DIRECTIONS TOASTED CANNA CHIPS

Now for the Toasted Canna Chips, first preheat that oven to 400, and let's go, grab about 4-5 tortillas and stack them up to cut them into 8th slices. Makes sure to use a sharp knife for this, a dull knife can be dangerous and more likely to cut yourself. Once you’ve cut enough chips, I usually cut about 3-4 tortillas per person, lay them out on a foil-lined baking sheet and spray with the canna vegetable oil and lime juice mixture and then sprinkle with salt and lightly sprinkle with the chili powder. Pop them right in the oven and they will bake for as long as 10 minutes so just check them frequently to make sure you don’t burn them. Once they are done they are ready to serve!

ROASTED SENSI SALSA ROASTED SENSI SALSA

28

htiw GNIKOOC

Place your oven rack near the broiler and let’s get started. For the salsa, I prefer mine more on the mild side so I’m using only two jalapeno peppers and I've removed the membrane and seeds. If you like a more spicy salsa I suggest leaving the membranes and seeds in while roasting and also adding to the salsa another fresh jalapeno minced. On a foil-lined baking sheet place, your tomatoes and jalapenos cut side down and your peeled garlic and lightly drizzle with a little canna olive oil and I also like to sprinkle a tiny bit of salt on them and place them in your oven on broil and let them roast until they form a brown, almost black skin on them. The garlic will be browner and the tomatoes and peppers will have more black skin. Once they’ve cooled you can remove the skin from the tomatoes and discard it, for the jalapenos you can just scrape the skin off, and also if you have any black garlic ends to make sure to remove them because they will make your salsa have a really bitter flavor. Now put the tomatoes, jalapenos, garlic, onion, lime juice, salt, and pepper in a food processor and pulse a few times until it’s a smooth consistency. Now add your cilantro, sugar, cumin, and 1 Tbs canna olive oil to the mix and pulse a few more times, and now taste to adjust your flavor. If your salsa still looks too thick then add water 1 Tbsp at a time until you reach the desired consistency Refrigerate the Roasted Sensi Salsa and let the flavor set in before serving.

ZUB a

1# tomatoes, washed and cut in half 2 large Jalapeno peppers, cut in half, with membrane removed and deseeded 5-7 cloves garlic, peeled ½ red onion, fine diced 1 Tbsp canna olive oil 1 bunch cilantro, washed and chopped ½ tsp. salt black pepper to taste 1-2 tsp sugar ½ tsp. cumin juice from 1 lime, no seeds, please 2-3 Tbsp water

ALIKAT?

WHAT'S NEW Whoa, Oklahoma BHO

30 CHRONIC | AUGUST 2021

by CARISA ROWE

KELSEARYNEPHOTOGRAPHY

Alikat at The Walk for Cannabis Awareness, 17th of July 2021

When I earned this article about AliKat Processing, I made up my mind to go in blind. Outside of the knowledge that the company’s name was based on its founders, Alvin and Kathryn, and one photo featured in June’s issue of this magazine, I had no presumptions, to include knowing what kind of processing business AliKat conducts.

CHRONIC | AUGUST 2021

31

On the day of our interview, I pulled up to AliKat Processing ready to discover everything I could about them with zero preset notions, other than they must be a fun group based off the single photo I’d seen. When I entered the facility, I was pleased to discover that AliKat is a family-owned business that runs like a well-oiled machine.

The founders, Alvin and Kathryn Standridge, are an enthusiastic and kind couple who have managed to build a big little I enjoy this approach to my business in a short amount of job quite a bit: I get to go in time. My first big surprise at with curiosity. The feeling is AliKat, after the team’s kind of like a blind date. You spectacular vibe, was that the have just enough info to get creamy, color-rich jars of fresh you on the hook and so much concentrates that greeted me mystery that all you can do is were butane hash oil (BHO), a approach the job with solvent based concentrate that excitement. AliKat Processing is used as an umbrella for proved to be absolutely worth common products like badder, the surprise. wax, and diamonds.

Most of my experience with BHO has been with product that is very white or yellow and often very abrasive when inhaled.

I can attest, after locating a couple grams of AliKat concentrates, that their product provides a clean, natural taste without the abrasiveness of solvents and the sting of added terpenes.

Their diamonds are packaged “dry”, without reintroducing terp sauce, so that the value of the purchase is in the weight of the product, not added flavoring. Their badder burns smooth at low temps and tickles the end of your nose on exhale. It’s obvious that these folks appreciate high end cannabis.

Alvin explained that the company goes out of its way to obtain clean, whole bud flower so that they are able to process the highest quality concentrate possible. In addition to processing the whole flower, AliKat’s processors, brothers Dakota and Damian, take extra care to purge the solvent from the raw material before filtering it through their color-retention filtration process.

Some of the jars reminded me of sweetness, like vanilla or cake while others had bright citrus notes like fresh lemon peel.

I was having a great time sniffing jar after jar of fresh hash oil as the team introduced themselves and described their company and roles within. The different bouquets from each jar varied in such depth that made me feel like I was smelling a rainbow.

Speaking of funk, Alvin is full of it. I mentioned that photo of him twice, now again for a reason. In the photo, Alvin is standing with a colleague and both are robbed in eccentricity. Alvin is in a lavish tuxedo and his platinum hair is a voluminous expression of the zeal he exudes.

My favorites are the high berry notes because they make my mouth water while my least favorite are the garlics. I can appreciate a pungent stank when I smell it, however, and AliKat was not disappointing when it came to funk.

Alvin has an energetic personality. He expresses excitement and passion throughout our conversation as we wander through the halls and history of the company.

AliKat Processing is approaching its first anniversary this October. In just under ten months, AliKat’s team has managed to develop a distribution reach that puts them in more than ten percent of Oklahoma’s dispensaries.

Alvin’s excitement about this is reinforced by his commitment to grow his company.

Alvin’s story is fascinating.

Kathryn helps us stay on track as we discuss the genesis of the company and the company’s processes and visions. AliKat Processing started as a farmhouse furniture business and it was born from Alvin’s boredompreventing side hustle selling products for a now defunct cannabis company.

As a retiree whose wife mostly handled the furniture company, Alvin needed something to do, so he picked up a job helping someone get better distributed. In a matter of weeks, Alvin had managed to sell 12,600 grams for the company but trouble was on the horizon. The company had to close unexpectedly, without much time to sort affairs in an organized manner.

This presented Alvin and Kathryn with an opportunity to take the money Alvin had earned and turn it into a quick investment.

This cold solvent helps keep plant material frozen while valuable trichomes and terpenes are extracted into the butane. After a time the material is drained from the cylinder and run through a process intended to evaporate and reclaim the solvent. The next step in the process is the filtration step.

This process helps remediate plant material and other undesirable contaminants that are small enough to mix in with the trichomes and terpenes.

The filtration media that Dakota and Damian use is effective at maintaining the integrity of the raw extract while removing undesirable particles from the final product. The last step in the process is to purge it. The purge process at AliKat is a little bit of the magic behind their rich color and genuine flavors and I will be leaving their magic to them as they have worked very hard to perfect it.

Their small batch process and attention to detail have paid out dividends on their marketability, especially when coupled with their funk and their magic. The conversation circles back to the beginnings of AliKat. Alvin admits to a troubled past.

Alvin is a Vietnam-era veteran with who struggled with substance abuse. His abuse ultimately led to incarceration. He’s built high-rise complexes and created a successful gutter and roofing company, which he retired from after twenty years. In retirement, Alvin stumbled into celebrity impersonations.

Alvin was in Oklahoma City at The Bricktown Brewery when he won a lookalike contest that he a) hadn’t entered, and b) didn’t even know was occurring.

32 CHRONIC | AUGUST 2021

The maneuver allowed the Standridges to launch AliKat Processing in October 2020 and to bring Dakota and Damian on board to run their labs. The lab was beautifully sterile, even though it was not operating due to maintenance the day I was there. The brothers are proud to run small batch BHO so that they can control the outcome of every single batch. Their small batch routine also gives them an opportunity to create BHO products that are true-to-varietal.

The process begins with fresh frozen flowers, direct from a farm brought to the facility and maintained in quarantine while the material is confirmed contaminant free. Once released, the frozen material is fed into a canister that is then “washed” over with butane from the top of the cylinder until it is full.

As it turns out, Alvin Standridge is a convincing doppelganger for Rod Stewart, something I realized as Alvin and Kathryn are sharing the story.

Alvin’s surprise victory caught the attention of Oklahoma celebrity impersonation band Superfreak. Alvin joined the group in 2006 and has since developed relationships throughout the entertainment industry. Alvin even sponsors a race car driver, 4X Nostalgia champion, Dusty Rose.

It shouldn’t have been surprising that Alvin and Kathryn utilize multiple laboratories from around Oklahoma to test their products and confirm accuracy in the information they provide their consumers.

They will frequently submit samples to more than one testing facility in order to achieve more concrete validation of their success as well as to detect any patterns of inaccurate reporting, if they were to arise.

Alvin was keen to state that the variations in reporting have been miniscule, something he hopes indicates homogeneity in testing practices and reporting procedures. This commitment to quality is a final testament that AliKat is ready to deliver high-grade concentrates to even more Oklahoma cannabis consumers.

Alvin’s natural disposition lends itself well to the world of weed where big personalities and genuine enthusiasm are deeply valued. In his many lifetimes, as a veteran then convict turned contractor then performer, now professional weed man, Alvin Standridge has managed to uphold a perspective of gratitude.

He speaks of each of the versions of himself with appreciation for who he was at the time and for the opportunities for growth that presented themselves to him.

On the topic of appreciation, Alvin notes how deeply inspired he is by his peers in the Oklahoma cannabis market.

He enjoys seeing everyone’s effort toward this common goal and is invigorated by the diversity of industry professionals.

He drips gratefulness about his team. He expresses his pride by taking time to explain how vital each of them are to his company.

CHRONIC | AUGUST 2021

33

Office manager Angela, who happens to be Kathryn’s daughter, runs compliance and administrative tasks flawlessly.

Kathryn oversees packaging and inventory of the final product. The sales team is empowered with complete, accurate information about their products. Alvin keeps fanning everyone’s flames with his bigger than life passions. The company is looking to expand their product line.

Dakota and Damian are working on developing the cleanest distillate possible so that AliKat can deliver even more variety for their consumers.

WE

IS M

A

VEE

LET

M

F R R O E T

CHRONIC | AUGUST 2021

35

V

E

EG

OM

AN

LC

TO

TR

AV

EL, CANNABIS

D N A

AT THE BARRETT FARMS BY 1ST LADY OF THE WEST COAST

Traveling is an essential part of life for me. It has been my everything since age 8. I have sat at jobs, doctors' offices, dates, and gatherings- dreaming of travel. I have always been intrigued with what places have to offer that others don’t, what they look like, smell like, what the people are like, and so on. At age 8, I knew that I’d be a writer living out of a suitcase, I just didn’t know what I’d write about.

That changed in 2015 when Cannabis was introduced as medicine into my life. I was diagnosed with chronic migraine with vertigo and no prescriptions were helping. In 2015, my condition started to improve because I dropped prescriptions and started to consume cannabis- never looking back. Not too long after that, it hit me. I’d travel and tell the truth about cannabis. And so here I am, vee_traveling_veg_canna_writer.

With the help of the Chronic Magazine, I will take you with me around the globe as I visit, explore, and learn about cannabis and other plants, from people and businesses in the cannabis industry like Herb of Life Cultivation and the Harvest Foundation LV. As I study and learn, I bring it back so that you can learn. As I experience amazing cannabis vacations and cannabis getaways, I report back to you so you all have insight into vacation planning. As I am invited to witness all the magical cannabis cultures out there, I share with you.

This is the place you want to be for insight into cannabis culture everywhere. Cannabis consumers need this insight and information, and it is my pleasure to provide it in collaboration with one of the best industry magazines- the Chronic Magazine- which is now a national publication- congrats are in

order!

In this year alone, my adventures have taken me all around the

"Traveling fosters a medium to build human connections with one another by learning about culture, food, new sites, music, and the way people live their day-to-day lives in different parts of the world. It's the best on-site learning a person can get. The internet can only explain so much about a place."

United States to meet some amazing people, to tour farms, and stay on/near the business to report from the ground, from the soil, testing facilities, dispensaries, and more.

- The NYU Dispatch

THERE IS SO MUCH COMING! I’ll give you a hint- east coast tours, all-woman-owned and managed farm stay, cannabis music festivals, and people that made cannabis industry history.

Here’s a little insight as to where my cannabis travels have taken me so far (to see everything- shoot over to Instagram).

WA- The Happy Cannabis Collection OR- Fern Valley Farms CA- Ranchera Familia, Cannasafe, and Terpene Belt Farms PA- The Lair 420 Social Club NC- Hempress Farms LLC NV- EthcxLV

My passion and writing have led me on a guided journey of our

Sol Spirit Farm & Retreats

Humboldt Soup Company

founder of Humboldt Grace (a huge thank you to 1st Lady of the

Mendocino Generations/Arcanna Flowers

Sweet Leaf Joe

West Coast for joining me and Kathleen Bryson for being our

Herb and Market Humboldt

Taylor Blake w/ the Emerald Cup

travel base). On that magical journey, I met so many people and

Papa & Barkley

Sunnabis

experienced so many great things. Though more detailed insight

Social Nature

Moon Made Farms

is coming (focused stories, interviews, and more coming soon)-

Humboldt Social

Flowerdaze Farm

I’ll provide a sneak peek:

Sunboldt Grown As I continue to live out of my suitcase in cars and on planes, in honor of this beautiful plant, I will

8 Mile Farms Kiskanu Dispensary Barrett Farms True Humboldt Booney Acres

continue to report back. Subscribing for alerts is a great idea so that you don’t miss anything.

Connect with me on my website, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Thank you for being here and tuning in.

And a huge thanks to one of the best publications in the industry- the Chronic Magazine.

36 CHRONIC | AUGUST 2021

cannabis mecca- the Emerald Triangle; led by Lelehnia Dubois,

THE WORLD OF CANNABINOIDS AND TERPENES The cannabis plant contains over 120 cannabinoid chemicals, including cannabigerol.

Decarboxylated cannabigerolic acid is used for the creation of cannabigerol, which is a form of cannabidiol.

Cannabisbigerol is also known as CBG, which is a plant molecule that serves as a "mother" molecule to all other phytocannabinoids. Initially, CBG is converted to its acidic form, cannabigerolic acid (CBGA).

Then, as cannabis plants grow, CBDGA converts into other cannabinoids, such as CBD, THC, CBN, and so on. Without CBG, there would be no CBD or THC derivatives as we know them today.

CBG has preliminary findings that scientists have encouraged to continue research with it alone or in conjunction with other cannabinoids and therapies to treat various

CHRONIC | AUGUST 2021

41

ailments.

The non-psychotropic nature of CBG means it can be used to treat psoriasis, analgesic pain, and antidepressants. Used in topical or tinctures with a preference of the full spectrum synergy.

Written by

CBG Dr. Pepper Hernandez,

ND, PhD, BCHP, CNHP, CTC

cbg There have been many European studies that have shown promise for CBG as a possible cancer treatment.

CBG has great potential by blocking receptors.

Not all cannabis cultivars are alike, and as organic farmers continue to breed their specific genetics, users need to know what the

CBG inhibits the development of cancer cells. According

cannabinoid profile is. Knowing the flower they

to one study, it inhibits colon cancer cell growth in mice,

are testing can bring positive experiences, the

slowing down its progression. Thus, a new treatment option for colorectal cancer has been identified with

best experience and outcome, and an educated

CBG, as it suppressed tumors that cause colon

decision on what will be best for their medical

carcinogenesis.

issue and or aliment. Please check with your cannabis therapy consultant for more guidance.

This Cannabinoid can be helpful with: Anti-Anxiety Nervous system Relaxation Inflammatory Bowel Disease Muscle Spasms Strains or cultivars high in CBG: White Whale

All information in this article is for educational purposes only. The information provided is derived from research gathered from external sources. Please check with your Cannabis Educated Primary Health Care Physician or Cannabis Therapy Consultant before beginning any new diet or lifestyle change.

Dr. Pepper Hernandez ND, CTC, CNHP is a Naturopathic Nutritionist, Cannabis Therapy Consultant, the Founder, and Education Director of the Cannabis Holistic Institute.

Mickey Kush Sour G Jack Frost The White John Snow Frosted Cake CBG

Go forth, Go Cannabis...

42 CHRONIC | AUGUST 2021

White Widow

To find out more about her private practice, educational programs, videos, and other offerings you can and find her on the massive inter-webs, social platforms, or at drpepperhernandez.com

Family-Owned Industry

by Carisa Rowe

HOW BEING CHRONICALLY CONSIDERATE BREEDS A CULTURE OF SUCCESS

I suggest you begin this article by asking Google to define

Even in the case of brands like Cookies, Peak, or Starbudz –

I found a paper by industrial/organizational psychologist, Dr.

“family”. Open the dictionary definition that auto-populates

all brands that are recognizable in other legal markets, the

Gerald Pulvermacher, which details the keys to a functional family

and you can read nearly a dozen definitions for this

company is still majority locally owned, thanks to SQ 788

business. In that paper, “What Makes a Family Business

complicated concept. The easiest definition is that a family

activists. Having an accessible market to enter like

Functional vs. Dysfunctional?”, Dr. Pulvermacher lists twelve

consists of people connected by genetic bonds but that is

Oklahoma’s gave many families the inspiration they needed

observations he believes to be essential behaviors of functional

rarely enough of an explanation for what a family actually is.

to pool resources and launch a family weed business.

family businesses.

The definition lists other arrangements, including the informal

When the weed market was born here, just three short

The top three considerations Dr. Pulvermacher lists include

definition of a “group of people united in […] activity”. The

years ago this past June, two types of families got into the

respect, an emotionally safe environment, and accountability. In

word provided in those brackets was “criminal” and I guess,

biz: those with no prohibition experience or those with a

my observations as a consultant, I agree wholeheartedly with

federally, that’s what we are in the weed industry. That

legacy of “marijuana”. There are many variables that come

these foundational elements. If a company, whether it is family-

definition, like all definitions for family, falls far too short of

into play, of course, but the most compelling differential

owned or not, does not promote an environment of respect, it

describing this sort of a family.

(from my perspective) is the criminality factor of this

cannot be successful.

industry and how it affects legal commerce and industry

CHRONIC | AUGUST 2021

45

It might also help to have a clear definition for “family

functionality.

business”. The Small Business Administration identifies a

The amount of respect that a company creates for its team is directly proportional to the company’s continued success. When

family business as “any company wherein two or more

The success of a family business in the cannabis industry in

respect is the norm in a company, it creates a safe environment

family members operate the business and the majority

Oklahoma seems dependent on whether the business has

and within that structure, accountability comes easily.

control lies within the family”. Family businesses employ

enough criminals to navigate the traditions of this industry.

nearly two-thirds of all American workers and generate more

The downfall to criminalizing cannabis for more than eight

The most functional companies I have consulted in this industry

than 64% of the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP).

decades is the secrecy required to maintain commerce.

have professional environments that are considerate of the staff,

Family-owned businesses maintain the economy and are

Secrets, by their very nature, create an environment of

businesses have leadership that recognizes the value of hard

responsible for the overall well-being of their employees.

deceit. When you must operate the family business in

work and who offer understanding when productivity or energy is

That certainly holds true in the Oklahoma cannabis industry

secret, the family dynamic becomes one of distrust. There

low.

where activists worked vigorously to ensure that local

are a majority of research papers available to dissect

ownership would hold priority over out-of-state interests.

functional and dysfunctional family business models.

as employees, and as non-employees. These family-owned

These businesses receive loyalty and gratitude in exchange for this consideration. Arguably, of the remaining nine factors in Pulvermacher’s paper, the vast majority focus on the consideration and healthy communication: offering and receiving apologies with grace, allowing expression of emotions, being kind in humor, allowing for growth, and courtesy at home first.

Perhaps the next strongest factor in Pulvermacher’s list is that functional family businesses, like healthy families, understand the value of the setting, maintaining, and respecting clear boundaries. This is a pretty significant key to success from my perspective as a consultant and this is where my experience in behavioral health provides me the most insight into a company’s likelihood of success.

The interesting thing about this factor being near the bottom of Dr. Pulvermacher’s list is that a company can have all of those other factors running like a welloiled machine but all it takes is one violation of boundaries to throw the whole company’s timing off.

In a family-owned business, there is double the opportunity to violate boundaries.

The boundaries are sometimes enmeshed between familial ties and professional maneuvers and this is significantly convoluted in an industry that spent sixty years operating in the dark.

Within the legal cannabis market in Oklahoma, there exists a dysfunctionality in respect, a lack of authenticity in accountability and apology, and repeat violations of boundaries across organizations and individuals. By all measures, despite the majority of our cannabis businesses being family-owned, the Oklahoma cannabis industry has a lot of introspection and growth to experience. The culture of the cannabis business is currently still operating with the broken communication and norms of an underground market. All too often, I encounter handshake deals and verbal promises from one beloved “family member” to another that have gone terribly awry

because of poor communication or violation of boundaries.

By virtue of being “business” deals, there is often a matter of money or reputation at stake. In an industry that is heavily dependent on the fluidity of funds as well as clout, there are incredible opportunities for dysfunction. Interestingly, Pulvermacher notes that “having each other’s backs” in a family-business

environment is achieved most successfully by avoiding choosing sides during times of disagreement.

He suggests the healthiest approach is to direct plaintiffs to discuss grievances directly with the offender. When handled directly, with respect and consideration, violations of boundaries can be quickly

Maintaining a reputation of respectability requires that industry

resolved. However, in a newly legal market like

players hold respect for their colleagues in word and action, even

from pleasure in an industry such as this but it is of utmost

Oklahoma’s, there are still a lot of unhealthy

when there may be miscommunication or a violation of

importance that when family, business, and fun are so

behaviors to correct. This is where we circle back to

boundaries at play. The singular function of that effort is that

overlapped, individuals honor one another’s boundaries and

accountability.

individuals must hold themselves accountable. Holding oneself

work hard to ensure that familial love and business don’t

accountable is a far more valuable skill than holding others

become imbalanced.

In order to achieve the beautifully functioning family

It can be hard to separate business from family or business

accountable.

industry that we all crave, we must first determine the

Some key considerations are that business not take place at

norms of our industry. Norms are the informal and

Both of these foundations of success depend on strong personal

family gatherings, that family members are treated the same

formal rules of a community. The informal rules

boundaries and the individual’s ability to maintain them. When

as non-members when at work, and that family or personal

include folkways and mores. Folkways are simple

people feel wronged or misunderstood, the most natural

issues be addressed away from the work environment. This is

behavioral expectations that don’t have a punishment

inclination is to demand that the situation be rectified, and all too

a key dysfunction that must be corrected in our industry, with

for violating. Think smacking at dinner or holding the

often that demand is made abruptly or without consideration,

the added consideration that these grievances rarely require

blunt too long. Mores are a little more strictly held

leading to further miscommunication and escalation of

public attention to resolve.

and can result in punitive measures such as exclusion

dysfunctional behavior. When we create a professional

from the community. It is unsurprising, in an industry

environment that is mutually respectful we can avoid these

Our industry is celebrity-adjacent and it seems that the

built by hundreds of families, that there is no agreed-

escalations and focus on resolution and evolution.

Oklahoma scene read that to mean that every disagreement

upon social structure and hence, no norms.

should take place publicly. The court of public opinion is the Successful family businesses make mistakes and turn them into

Pulvermacher’s final suggestion is that family

growth opportunities. This culture of evolution is how many family

businesses follow the Golden Rule – that is: to treat

businesses continue to grow their empires.

others as you wish to be treated. I believe this is a

wrong place to be looking for restitution, my friends.

The only thing you will find there is a grab bag of criticism or validation – neither of which will make any difference in

great starting place to eliminating dysfunction and

The Small Business Administration suggests that strong company

correcting the imbalance.

redesign the structure of the Oklahoma cannabis

culture plays a major role in family-business success. The culture

Arguably, if you are in the cannabis industry in Oklahoma, you

family.

that Oklahoma’s cannabis industry needs to be focused on right

can’t spit without hitting someone else “in the industry”.

now includes personal accountability, apology, and growth. In We should, as one cannabis cog within the national

order to maintain the spirit of SQ 788, Oklahoma’s cannabis

Our network is vast and complicated as is any web. When

and global cannabis industry, demonstrate that

players are going to have to get real honest with themselves real

families and business opportunities begin to intersect one

Oklahoma values respect above all other factors. By

fast and then turn right around and extend sincere apologies in

another, their lines can get tangled very easily without a clear

loudly creating space for each other, we diversify the

the directions they’ve made mistakes.

plan of action and a vision for the future. These

likelihood that this medicine that we all love

entanglements often happen loudly or publicly resulting in

continues to receive attention in the fight for decriminalization.

rumors and escalated dysfunction such as threats or lashing out up to and including violence. When Oklahoma’s business

responsibility to recognize the communication and choose to

leaders take steps to correct these dysfunctions, we will see

move forward with respect. Whether the relationship becomes a

the industry become more functionally cohesive.

The more accessible we make one another to our

working relationship is less important than removing dysfunction

consumers, the more knowledge we share and the

from the overall industry dynamic. These broken relationships,

This cohesion depends on our commitment to the

more research we can demand. Spending our time

within family businesses and between peer companies, are

foundations of success: respect, safety, accountability,

clamoring for our stake in the game at the expense

painting Oklahoma’s cannabis industry in a poor light.

consideration, communication, and adaptability. The

of our colleague’s reputations is a surefire way to ensure criticism from lawmakers and consumers.

dysfunctions are going to continue to erupt, even in a healthy What a shame to be less than shining in a state whose national

environment. It is how we, as industry leaders and players

reputation is that we know how to band together to survive in

conduct ourselves in dysfunction that determines longevity in

any conditions.

this industry.

46 CHRONIC | AUGUST 2021

It is important to note that after this, it is the other party’s

Where To Smoke In Oklahoma

48 CHRONIC | AUGUST 2021

Keshia’s Kastle It’s something I think about a lot: we live in one of a few states where cannabis is legal and, technically, available to any person with a doctor’s recommendation. Processor, grower, and dispensary permits are available to anyone who abides by the guidelines of each, and whoever has the money to pay for them. But we also live in a state where, according to the Vera Institute of Justice, a Black person born in 2001 in Oklahoma has a one in five chance of being incarcerated in their lifetime (1 in 10 for Hispanic/Latino people, and 1 in 29 for white people). And according to a 2020 study from the ACLU, despite medical legalization, cannabis arrests in Oklahoma have been trending upward since 2018, with statistics showing a Black person is 4.2 times more likely to be arrested for cannabis than a white person.

So with all of this in mind, I’m frequently frustrated, discouraged and saddened that it’s all too rare to find a dispensary or cannabis lounge owned by a Black man or woman in Oklahoma.

These places absolutely exist, but I don’t see them get promoted or highlighted in the same way that a lot of large, corporate dispensaries (all too often owned by rich white men) frequently are on Instagram and in advertisements.

CHRONIC | AUGUST 2021

49

That’s why I’m all too happy to share about Keshia’s Kush and Keshia’s Kastle, two fantastic Black womanowned businesses, owned by proprietor Lakeshia Blakes. While Keshia’s Kush might be where you can grab your supplies, Keshia’s Kastle is a cannabis smoking lounge, and the two are situated next door to each other in a strip mall right off of Reno Avenue in Del City.

Wanting to stop by and check it out me one Saturday evening after leaving my day job, I checked Google for the hours—I should have called to confirm. Though their listing says they’re open until 4 am nightly (I was shocked but impressed and pleasantly surprised), their actual hours are 12-7 pm, seven days a week. When I arrived, dressed to the nines in a new blazer and hat I’d just purchased from work, I found that the lounge was unfortunately already closed for the night.

Luckily, however, Keshia was still hanging around with some of her coworkers in front of her shop, and she was gracious enough to let me in and give me a tour of the lounge.

I’ll be honest: the facade of Keshia’s two businesses, while absolutely not drab or uninviting by any means, doesn’t at all convey how large and lavish the lounge inside is.

After coming through a small lobby where you’re greeted at a front desk, you enter into a large room with hand-painted murals, ample seating, string lights, and a projection screen (movie nights and big games on the screen are just a few of the events that Keshia’s hosts, with concerts, vendor pop-ups, edible market pop-ups, and even Birria Taco Tuesdays featured on the calendar as well).

The lounge stretches to the back of the building, and is subdivided into several different rooms and areas, all of them a stoner’s dream. Want to play Xbox with your friends on a giant TV, while an attendant brings you snacks and all the supplies you need for your smoke sesh?

It’s not just possible but encouraged. Or maybe you want to hang out by your lonesome in a room lit only by string lights, smoking your stash while you take in the artwork on the walls around you; Keshia’s Kastle allows for a custom-tailored experience made to fit every smoker’s needs.

el t s a k s ai h s e k @

CHRONIC | AUGUST 2021

e l t s a K s' a i h s e K : t i d e r C o t o h P

50

Whether you’re wanting to dip in casually for a quick smoke, or you’re wanting an all-inclusive monthly membership featuring a VIP smoking room, Keshia’s has you covered for exactly the kind of experience you desire. Monthly memberships are tiered, starting with a $50 package which includes access to the lounge, one edible and one 8th of flower from Keshia’s Kush dispensary next door, all the way up to a $650 a month VIP package, complete with provided transport, back-door entry, a VIP smoking room, and food and beverage service from a “personal Kush doll,” similar to bottle service at a nightclub.

I’ll absolutely have to come back extremely soon in order to actually partake at the Kastle, and highly suggest anyone interested to do so as well. For more info, check out their Instagram page, or www.keshiaskastle.com.

Green Buffalo Lounge at Volare Offering one of the most high-class experiences in a beautiful new building situated in Norman’s famous Campus Corner, the Green Buffalo Lounge at Volare is a unique, upscale cannabis-smoking lounge; and it might be my new favorite public smoking spot.

CHRONIC | AUGUST 2021

51

Volare is a bar and Italian restaurant, situated in a relatively new (constructed in 2016) building right next door to the famed Campus Corner bar The Deli. But on the third floor is the fanciest cannabis lounge I’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting, complete with food service from the excellent restaurant downstairs (with the most authentically Italian and best-tasting pizza I think I’ve ever had).

The lounge echoes the swanky settings of the restaurant downstairs, with something of a cigar bar vibe as well: plush, oversized recliners, ottomans upholstered with ornate paisley patterns, dark wood, reflective surfaces, and gorgeous views.

A balcony outside the lounge allows for customers of the lounge to consume cannabis as they gaze out over Campus Corner, the University of Oklahoma Campus, and Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.

When I first heard of the Green Buffalo Lounge, in fact, I thought that perhaps the Birds Nest, a cigar bar about a block away, had closed and a cannabis lounge had moved in. Luckily for cigar aficionados, they can still roost anytime they please; but now there’s somewhere swanky for the cannabis smokers in Norman as well.

e g n u o L ol a f f u B n e e r G

52

CHRONIC | AUGUST 2021

: s ti d e r C o t o h P

SPOAUCTED GOT "WE THAT FIRE"

VERTICALLY INTEGRATED

EP. 4 IME!" ET B E T "MI

HTS HIGH THOUG OO WITH BAMB THE

CANNA PANDA

MONTHLY CANNABIS REVIEW

by Melissa Hall, M.Ed. "IT REALLY PUZZLES ME TO SEE MARIJUANA CONNECTED WITH NARCOTICS… DOPE AND ALL THAT CRAP. IT’S A THOUSAND TIMES BETTER THAN WHISKEY – IT’S AN ASSISTANT –A FRIEND."

―LOUIS ARMSTRONG

HILLTOP GARDENS

By Melissa Hall, M.Ed.

As sure as the hot Oklahoma Summer sun makes for a long, hot day, I am back on the hunt for the outstanding. The rarely found, the exceptional Cannabis product that screams superior quality. With August rolling in and having us all dreaming of cooler Fall nights, I knew the product that would be perfect for this issue. A flower/hash rosin combo that really knocks it out of the park. If you are a new Cannabis user or a seasoned Veteran, you most likely have heard of the strain GMO. The funky one, the smelly one, the one that you are not sure you should love or be repulsed by. If done right GMOs can leave an almost similar body odor aroma.

Sounds appealing? Well, just trust your nose, my friends. The grower/processor that did this powerful strain so right that it got our attention is Hilltop Gardens.

Known for their quickly selling drops, extreme flavor, and power hitter effects, Hilltop Gardens always delivers. The only drawback to being a huge Hilltop Gardens fan is that you may have a hard time finding any of the hash at all because it sells out so fast. Never fear patients, our good friends over at Hilltop Gardens have a solution for all. A little birdie told us they will soon be opening their own dispensary in Oklahoma City that will be fully vertically integrated. Meaning they will grow the flower, process the flower themselves and patients will be surprised at the savings that are passed along to them.

Family-run owned and operated Hilltop Gardens shows us their strong family core values by consistently producing a top-shelf product that allows for the extreme care and attention put into it. We are so excited about the new Hilltop Dispensary because for the first time ever patients will be able to purchase Hilltops flowers as well as hash rosin. I was lucky to get an interview with Hilltop Gardens owner Conner, the man behind the magical hash.

The Chronic: What made you decide to have a career in cannabis?

CHRONIC | AUGUST 2021

Hilltop Gardens: It’s a culmination of a lot of things.

Growing up I was around my grandparent's farm and commercial greenhouses a lot so I’ve always been fascinated with plants.

56

Hilltop Gardens: However it mainly stems from my love of the cannabis plant and the amazing benefits it provides us. My dad also played a major role in my choosing cannabis as a career. I was attending Oklahoma State for mechanical engineering at the time, and I just wasn’t truly happy with it. My dad used to always say “You know, If you studied anything as much as you did weed, you’d be a genius.” I never really took it seriously until one day when I was asking him for advice because I wanted to change my major. He told me to do what made me happy and follow my dreams of having a career in cannabis. The next day I changed my major and transferred to the college of agricultural sciences and natural resources. I majored in plants and soil sciences with an emphasis on crop production. Hilltop Gardens was founded my senior year and we had our first harvest just a few days after graduation. It’s been way more than a full-time job, but I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else.

CHRONIC | AUGUST 2021

57

The Chronic: We hear you’re opening a fully vertically integrated dispensary in Oklahoma City, What are the advantages that patients will see from a vertically integrated dispo?

Hilltop Gardens: Indeed we are. Located at 1201 W. Reno Ave. In OKC, just a block north of the Farmers Market.

We are hoping to have the grand opening sometime in August, depending on permit approvals and a few other hold ups.

Patients will get a menu that I personally curate full of great reputable products from Oklahoma's top growers, processors, and edible makers. Served by a very friendly and knowledgeable staff. In addition to all those great brands, patients will be able to find our single source and collaborate live hash rosins at competitive prices.

Later in the year we plan to debut live heads along with our edible line. Our small batch flower will also be making a return for the first The Chronic: How long have time in 2 years, and will be you been making hash? exclusively available at our location. Paired with the Hilltop Gardens: I've made awesome cannabis products, hash for personal use for 8 patients will find a nice glass years or so and commercially and accessory selection to since sq 788 passed. Shoutout fulfill any of their smoking or to my good friend Arley, aka dabbing needs as well as a @lost_roots_hash. He was a variety of beautiful work huge influence on me from talented local artists becoming a hash maker. such as @seanvali, @dawnnaiye , @creekgoblin_ The Chronic: How big is your and many more. We will be team? releasing info about the grand opening party as soon as we have a set date for Hilltop Gardens: The team opening. consists of my parents (who both still work full time jobs The Chronic: What keeps as well), one of my best you doing what you do? friends Andrew, and myself.

Hilltop Gardens: The patients are truly what keep us going and motivated. Hearing a patient say that our products help increase their quality of life is truly an amazing feeling.

Without the patients and their amazing support, there is no Hilltop Gardens. I’d also like to shout out all the amazing growers and solvent-less processors who are killing it out here, truly putting Oklahoma’s solventless scene on the map!

Back to that amazing GMO. GMO is a strain that will surprise you if you give that dank aroma a chance. Many believe GMO weed to be the baby of Divine Genetics.

Divine Genetics primarily creates super strong skunks aimed at experienced smokers, and GMOs certainly meets this criterion. Doubt is cast into the strain’s origins because the company doesn’t reveal its operations base or where they create their strains. As such, several other breed creators have laid claim to GMOs, including Mamiko Seeds and a breeder called skunkmasterflex, leaving its origins unclear.

The strain’s Girl Scout Cookies parentage gives the initial inhale a sweet and earthy flavor, which is pleasant enough if nothing particularly remarkable. The exhale is where this smoking experience comes into its own. It is all garlic, like the most beautiful garlic bread. A slightly spicy, currylike aftertaste also joins the mouth too, creating a unique and delectable flavor.

As GMO is such a THC-heavy breed, any potential medicinal benefits come from its psychoactive properties. This skunk is known for its punch, and in terms of effects, it is strong.

Users report feeling incredibly relaxed and happy.

GMO also gives off equally strong feelings of euphoria and has a generally uplifting effect. Continued smoking can see this relaxation give way to sleepiness.

Potential medical benefits include aiding stress,, pain and anxiety relief.. Due to the powerful effects, it has on your overall mood, some also use GMOs for pain as it completely takes your attention elsewhere.

Hilltop Gardens definitely slayed their grow and wash of the infamously renowned strain. We would like to thank Hilltop Gardens for the sneak peek into their new dispensary and for always providing the patients of Oklahoma with clean, effective medicine. If you see any of this fine hash on a shelf, grab it fast and it never lasts long. Follow @hilltopgardensllc on IG for all the latest updates on the new dispo.

This one is a heavy hitter, always take that in mind when approaching this girl.

Remember, always medicate responsibly and Stay Lit Oklahoma.

cll_nedragpotllih

58 CHRONIC | AUGUST 2021

:stiderC otohP

e g n u o L ol a f f u B n e e r G

: s ti d e r C o t o h P

CANNABIS CANNABIS SURVIVOR SURVIVOR

BY SLOANE SIMON

Trigger Warning: A Survivor’s Story Congratulations to everybody for surviving 2020!” Niki Weed exclaims as we sit down to chat about the life she has lived, and the impact cannabis has had on her.

Yes, her last name is Weed; yes, I am serious.

Niki was born in Connecticut, and by the time her mom was six months pregnant with her, she knew she would be leaving Niki’s dad. As she began to recount, Niki mentioned she had always wondered if the stress that her mother was carrying during her pregnancy transferred over to her.

Some of the stress Niki felt could also be attributed to her mother’s second husband.

This man entered Niki’s life at the age of three, staying around until she was six. Some of that stress she has always felt could also be attributed to the sexual abuse she encountered from hubby number two.

At seven, Niki began having suicidal idealizations, stating that these thoughts felt comfortable to her. “We have to be able to have the hard conversations, life is not comfortable.”

In fact, her mom filed a VPO against

She started questioning

Her dad passed away from lung

her ex on behalf of her kids,

everything she had been told

issues, so her next natural move

keeping Niki away from the one

about cannabis, dismantling the

was to begin smoking cigarettes.

person she felt a connection with.

lies she had been told. As most

“I would rather be dead than

Her mother brought in a new

of us know, the anti-psychotics

follow in my mother’s

girlfriend, who was very abusive to

have the tendency to numb us

footsteps.” Being kept from her

Niki. Much like the sexually abusive

to our outside world, and

father is something she will

stepfather, her mother chose her

sometimes our inner world. With

never be able to forgive her

new relationship over her child,

the removal of the meds, Niki

mother for, and something she

bringing on more issues with

shed about 150 pounds, could

has vowed to never do to her

abandonment and betrayal.

finally feel herself functioning,

own children. Soon after, her

and for the first time, felt like she

family packed up and moved to

Niki moved out at 17 to escape the

Oklahoma from Connecticut.

abuse. She was prescribed

could deal with life.

pharmaceuticals to decrease the

She vowed after that that she

Like most of us that were raised

panic attacks she was now

would never take anti-psychotics

in public schools during the 90’s,

experiencing. Looking back, Niki

again because the risk far

Niki had a very skewed

knew she was not bipolar, she had

outweighs the reward. She

viewpoint when it came to

just been through a ton of shit,

realized, once she became

cannabis. Not only was her last

piled on top of each other.

clearer in her thinking off the

name Weed, so she caught flak

meds, that her suicide attempts

for that, but the good ol D.A.R.E.

Nineteen hits and Niki decided to

were not truly attempts, but a

program was haunting our

move back east to Connecticut. She

cry for help.

school hallways. “D.A.R.E.

also had her first suicide attempt,

scared me, I was a very

followed closely by her second.

impressionable, very hurt

Niki is grateful for her knowledge of cannabis because

child at this point.” We

Her doctor prescribed Depakote

it has helped her to find help for

conversed about our similar

after her mother called the hospital

her daughter, as well. When her

thoughts around cannabis at

she was at, told them she was

daughter was 12, she, too,

this time in our lives.

bipolar, and needed much stronger

attempted suicide. After the

medication.

attempt, her daughter was

Like myself, Niki had also been

admitted to inpatient rehab,

raised, somewhat, in the church.

Along with the complete numbing

however; her bed was only given

Hearing how terrible “drugs”

that comes with the drugs she was

to her if she was on

were, cannabis included, it was

prescribed, she gained 200 pounds

pharmaceuticals. Niki and her

hard for her to see the goodness

over an extremely short amount of

daughter agreed to try the meds

behind cannabis.

time.

in order to get her the help she

At sixteen, Niki was

Niki needed a change of scenery

continued to self-harm and had

misdiagnosed with Bipolar

and moved to Virginia. he began

an overall loss of self and

Disease. Niki’s home life was less

doing a lot of inner work on herself

interest. One month passed, and

than good, her mom had ended

and embracing the idea of

she refused to continue with

a relationship with the one

cannabis for a means to help titrate

Zoloft. Niki suggested CBD, to

person Niki felt close to and

off the strong pharmaceuticals.

which her daughter also refused.

needed. However, her daughter

60 CHRONIC | AUGUST 2021

One of her earliest memories was when she had to trade a French kiss for a bite of coffee cake. There was a lot of denial from her mom, a lot of denial. At six, Niki entered foster homes. She, and her siblings, would continue to be in and out of foster homes for the next six years.

With the removal from the home, came the beginning of therapy, something that she has been doing on and off for 29 years.

Twelve was a pivotal age for Niki.

At 15, Niki and her daughter

When we find out why people

decided to get her medical card

hurt, we can provide more

for her. Per Niki, her daughter

options to their healing.

reports feeling much better using THC. She is able to focus more, able to have only one thought go through her mind instead of a barrage of noise.

They are still learning what works best for her, what terpene profile can calm her mind, but still allow for her to function as a teenager.

Since getting her med card, Niki’s daughter has not faced school and its possible backlash. Niki’s hope is to be able to have an open, honest discussion with her school officials in order to allow her daughter to continue medicating throughout the school year to protect her mental health.

“I want to learn how to heal and learn how to live, because our children deserve better.”

As Niki pointed out, we are

Niki isn’t only an advocate for her

facing a time where there is a lot

daughter, but for cannabis usage

of suffering, collectively and

and mental health as a whole.

individually. So far, we’ve missed

However, as magical as cannabis

the medicinal aspect of

is, it is not a cure all. We still have

cannabis.

to do the mental work that is needed to promote healing. Our

Yes, we know that THC and CBD

mindset must be in the right

can provide help with our

place, and we can’t put it all on

mental health, but what are the

one thing or one person. The key

terpenes we need to treat PTSD

is interdependency between the

and other trauma responses?

cannabis usage and the way we approach our mental health.

“Weed is just the beginning.”

Niki is passionate about the research side of cannabis, how terpenes and their profiles work with our endocannabinoid system. On top of research pertaining to cannabis, Niki, as well as many others in the cannabis community, sees the need for research into plantbased medicines and entheogens, such as psilocybin.

Looking further into these other CHRONIC | AUGUST 2021

61

options allows us to find more natural ways of healing. When we tap into these other options, it allows us as a collective to encourage growth in our healing, more compassion to the ones doing the hard work, and showing true, genuine care to the patient.

“Weed” is the only thing Niki

has left of her dad. For a long time, she hated carrying that last name. Her love for her dad and what he gave her was overshadowed by the social conditioning we experienced about cannabis. From the ages of twelve to thirty-five, she was living to die; now, she’s dying to live.

Niki will celebrate her 40th birthday in August, and she’s never been more excited to live.

“I know what I don’t want to do, I’ve never had the opportunity to do what I want.

I feel like I’m twelve again!”

“I’ve come to peace with my trauma, but I made a conscious choice to do more than just survive. We can manifest some magical shit.

So, wash your hands, smoke weed, stay hydrated, and love yourself! Don’t be afraid to go inward, because that is where the magic is.”

Ten Ways YOU CAN SAVE YOUR BUSINESS

Money

CHRONIC | AUGUST 2021

63

by Higher Accounting

Every penny counts, right? Sure, it does! Install automatic shut of switches for forgotten areas of your business, such as storage spaces and bathrooms.

This will cut down the increasing costs of electricity. The censored switches do cost a little more, but the investment will ensure that you will not have to follow behind your staff turning off lights. Things happen and it is very common to leave an unoccupied room lit during business hours.

Secondly, you should also replace your lights with LED bulbs if possible.

They last longer than standard bulbs and don’t use nearly as much energy to operate.

Have you ever considered how much you spend on normal office supplies like paper towels?

If you add it up, you would be shocked. Reduce unnecessary environmental waste and cut costs by installing an air hand dryer in your bathroom. The dryers are more expensive than your standard dispenser, but you will see a return within a few months of not buying paper towels. It also helps reduce paper messes and clogging issues in your restroom.

Plus, these dryers are COVID friendly as it reduces contact with common surfaces within your facility.

Set up business rewards. Rewards can add up, especially when you frequent a particular supply store. Find out if they have rewards and sign your business up.

Are you worried about receiving too many advertisements once you join?

64 CHRONIC | AUGUST 2021

We have experienced quite an array of new challenges in the past year. Some of us have felt the burden of decreased sales and finding new ways to serve our customers. However, this may have left you questioning your budget and current expenses. How can you find ways to save your business money? We will discuss 10 different ways that you can save in 2021.

Truth is you will, but there is a solution. Set up a “coupon” email. Use this email only for the accounts you must register an email to participate. You may be offered exclusive coupons for your everyday business items.

Before your shopping trip, check this email for any applicable deals. By using a separate email, you never have to fill your inbox with advertisements but are able to keep them available in case they are useful to your purchases.

Falling in line with the loyalty rewards earnings, you may also consider using a business credit card with cashback rewards.

Use it to pay your monthly expenses such as rent, utilities, or supplies.

CHRONIC | AUGUST 2021

65

Make a budget. As simple as this sounds, it works! A budget will lay out your monthly expenses and can expose where money is being wasted.

It also sets a financial goal for your business. It will help you control unnecessary expenditures. Ask yourself, is this in this month’s budget?

Do a break even point analysis on your business.

Professional accountant can prepare these and provide workable BEP tools you can use for planning. There are also some free tools out there than can help you create one on your own.

This shows you a breakdown in dollars or units that have to be earned/sold in order to If you pay off the balance by the keep your business end of the statement period, operational. Every dollar or unit you will not accrue interest but past your BEP is straight profit. still receive a cash back bonus.

You may use the rewards to pay It includes variable and fixed off balances or cash in the costs so you can determine bank. You can set up your where you have room to recurring bills to be auto drafted reduce or eliminate some from your card which does expenses. You can break it several things for you; builds down to daily, monthly, or credit, earns rewards, and annual calculations and make protects your banking budgeting a breeze. information.

Keep detailed records well It is much easier to replace a organized. Even if you don’t card (in case your information have a monthly bookkeeping gets compromised) then it is to service, keeping good records protect your direct banking will save you money and time. information. Routing and Having the necessary account numbers are valuable documents for compliance information that you should are not only required, but protect. without the proper documentation it can cost Outsource if necessary. Yes, we you thousands in fines. like to do everything ourselves, however when it comes to a By not providing the proper highly to moderately skilled task, backup receipts you can lose you may find it more cost deductions on your income effective to outsource. return during an audit. With lost deductions your taxable Many companies can provide income increases which also services at a lower overall cost increases your taxes due. and have faster completion times than performing in-house. Remember to keep all The cost of training alone can supporting documents for at be expensive, not to mention the least 7 years and digital practice it takes to become storage is acceptable form. If faster at the task at hand. your documents are easy to find and have a clear system Some of these areas can of organization, you will save include but are not limited to yourself time with many tasks. sales, marketing, and accounting. Remember that an These same documents are increased payroll also increases used for loan/banking your Workman’s Compensation applications, insurance insurance payments and your signup, and other business company’s portion of services. withholding tax liabilities.

The faster your response time to document requests will improve your relationship with that company/agency, as we all appreciate timeliness.

Good records will also reduce your tax preparation costs, as your tax preparer will have less work to do when classifying your business transactions.

Get paid for your referrals.

Do you like a service? Do you have a go-to product or service that you swear by? You may already support the companies and businesses that you love by leaving a review. It is highly appreciated to any business to receive a great review.

However, did you know that many companies will pay you a referral fee for contracted services?

Inquire with your account representative to see if they offer a referral program. If so, you can get paid for your successful referrals or at least a discount on your own services.

Save the earth and money.

Try to go paperless when you can. Anything that can be written down can also be entered in an Excel spreadsheet or Word document.

Share company information via email. You will save paper, ink, and storage costs. Ink toner refills can be $65 dollars or more per color, typically costing around $100. Go digital when you can and save the supplies for emergencies.

They can go unnoticed as some of the payments can be as small as $4.99, but if you find that you have 10 unused services, you have saved yourself $50 already! You may just discover that some of these subscriptions you do not utilize fully.

When you find an underutilized subscription, you can reduce the package inclusions or even replace it with the “free version” of the service. We would recommend reviewing subscription services and utilization of them on a quarterly basis.

There are multiple ways you can save some coins for your business. The ten ways discussed in this article have a minimal cost or no cost to implement. This can be the starting point for you to examine your business processes, find ways you can reduce your costs, and become more efficient.

Always examine and question your spending, it changes over time.

Don’t miss out on opportunities to save. Get creative, brainstorm with coworkers, and get feedback. You may just discover additional free or low-cost ways to reduce your expenses. Any time you are considering adding or removing services, equipment, or expenses, take the time to analyze your current expenses.

A few questions to ask yourself:

What does this product/service do for my business?

What product/service can this item replace?

How does this item add value to the business?

How often will this product/service be used in a month?

Is this item necessary to increase/improve the business?

Check on your subscription services. Do you have memberships for Sam’s Club and Costco? How about Mail Chimp or Canva? Are you using these services on a monthly basis?

When you are finished asking yourself some of these questions, you will most likely have If not, you should reduce formed an opinion on the need of the your subscriptions to the product/service and how it will work within most utilized within its your budget. Always question everything you category. Often, we move do, even for a short minute, it just may save on with other products and you money. forget to cancel previous similar services.

THE CHRONIC

FIFTY STATES

50

FIFTY STATES

50

FIFTY STATES MAGAZINE

The Chronic Magazine Never Miss An Issue

THEOKLAHOMACHRONIC.COM/MAGAZINE

BY THE NUMBERS AS OF JULY 2021 THERE IS STRENGTH IN NUMBERS

Growers

As of July 1st, there are 8,247 growers within our state

Processors Dispensaries

We have 1,461 licensed processors in the state We currently have 2,274 dispensary licenses with this great state

Transport Laboratory Waste Disposal

We now have 84 Transportation Licenses We have 25 licensed labs We have 10 licensed waste disposal faclities

Active Licenses: 373,943 Patients & 2,192 Caregivers

S TO N ER S CRO SS WO R D PU ZZLE

STUDIES SHOW THAT MAGAZINE ADVERTISING DOES MORE THAN BRAND RECOGNITION AND TOP-OF-MIND AWARENESS, IT ALSO HELPS SALES TEAMS CLOSE MORE SALES. (ACCORDING TO MAGAZINE FACTBOOK 2020)

ASK US HOW WE CAN NOW MEASURE YOUR ROI ON PRINT ADVERTISING WITH US

(405) 310-0026

THEOKLAHOMACHRONIC@OUTLOOK.COM