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CHRONIC
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SEPTEMBER 2021
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CHRONIC INTERVIEW WITH
Shei Phan
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Veronica Castillo Writer
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From the Chronic Team As we wrap up summer and head into fall I can't help but think about change and the good that can come from it. Here at the Chronic magazine
Melissa Hall
we are looking forward to the changes and making some changes as well.
Canna Critic
We will be slowly starting to transition our magazine to fully digital. This
Instagram | @okcannacritic
transition will take some time and we will still be doing some select prints. We are making a strong push to do more and offer more for our readers and
Dr. Pepper Hernandez Writer
Instagram | @dr.pepperhernandez
advertisers.
One of the changes that you can expect to see is that as we transition to digital we will be offering our digital publication for free to help us expand our reach and target new readers. The second thing you can expect to see
Liquids
and something we are especially excited about is that we will have the
Chef Buz Deliere
ability to offer our advertisers video ads....What video ads? Yes! Video ads.
Canna Chef
As you check out our digital issue our advertisers ads will literally have the
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ability to play videos.
Carisa Rowe
This is just a couple of changes that we will be making as we expand. The
Instagram | @groovygrower
brand where we will offer social media services, seo, and website services
Writer
biggest change is that we are launching the digital agency side of our
to name a few. We will have the ability to hyper target specific markets as we know each market is a little different.
Chynna Pearson
We are very excited and these changes will be rolling out over the next few
Writer
Instagram | @chynnathewriter
months. If you have any ideas on how we can make our publication better please let us know. You can email us below.
Terrisha Harris Graphic Designer
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Have a story? Please let us know at theoklahomachronic@outlook.com
Philip Rodriguez Writer
www.theoklahomachronic.com
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Tatiana Melendez Writer
SEPTEMBER COVER ART BY
@shei_phan_art
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Sloane Simon Writer
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The Chronic Magazine. Top Shelf News, Resource & Lifestyle Magazine
CONTENTS
THE CHRONIC | SEPTEMBER 2021
7
CANNABIS AND MUSIC Honoring Music and People in Music, that Love Cannabis
11
ZEN CANNABIS Specializing in infused edibles and drinks, our delicious hand-crafted treats and drinks will help relax and revitalize your entire being while fitting your unique lifestyle.
16
CANNABIS PHOTOGRAPHY A picture can truly be worth a thousand words.
22
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.
26
26
EXCLUSIVE!
Shei Phan CHRONIC INTERVIEW
39
WORLD OF CANNABINOIDS AND TERPENES What are the Major Differences between CBD and THC?
11
MONTHLY CANNABIS
As September arrives, Oklahomans everywhere take a deep sigh of relief for the impending Fall weather and break from the long, hot Summer. September 2021 has more to offer than just cooler weather.
THE REASON CANNABIS AND ART BLEND TOGETHER
46
46
WHERE TO SMOKE IN OKLAHOMA Alibi's Club OKC Where's a good place to smoke and dab away from home? Here’s a little “Best Of” section for you all.
50
In order to understand the connection between artistic impact and cannabis, we have to look into the culture and future.
16
THE REASON CANNABIS AND ART BLEND TOGETHER
57
MONTHLY CANNABIS REVIEW Gaspac Oklahoma
53 57
SURVIVOR
Surviving the Stigma
BY THE NUMBERS As of August 02, 2021
CINORHC EHT
50
42
CANNABIS andMUSIC
HONORING MUSIC AND PEOPLE IN MUSIC, THAT LOVE CANNABIS
>>>> Veronica Castillo
PHOTO CREDIT: STOCKSY UNITED Cannabis and music- lifelong companions it seems. Where there is music, there is likely cannabis. Where there is cannabis, there is likely music. And where there is a cannabis-loving musician, there are likely 3.5 grams in a blunt. This month, we honor creatives in cannabis! This piece is all about cannabis and music. In this one, we are going to honor and vibe to cannabis lyrics, cannabis-loving- bar dropping emcee’s/rapper’s/lyricists/singers.
CANNABIS LYRICS I don’t know about you but, Wiz Khalifa gave me life with Young, Wild, and Free lyrics: CHRONIC | SEPTEMBER 2021
7
“So what we get drunk So what we smoke weed We're just having fun We don't care who sees (shit) So what we go out That's how it's supposed to be Living young and wild and free”
Remember Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Weed Song?:
“Take me Higher, higher, baby Can you feel it? (feel it, feel it, feel it) Do you feel the same weed high that I feel? 'Cause I'm so high (reefer makes you feel that way) And I feeling so right Roll (roll), let's smoke, I got to get high I been high since the last song (off that la, la, la, la, la, la, la) And I just been smokin' and smokin' Smoke another blunt, roll another up You know that weed can really ease your mind Every time I smoke good reefer that indo high makes me fly” Legendary to music and cannabis, Snoop Dogg and Nate Dogg made a classic with, The Next Episode:
PHOTO CREDIT: BIOGRAPHY
“Hey-ay-ay-ay/Smoke weed every day.” I still get excited when the beat drops. Redman and Method Man gave the culture a classic for sure with, How High:
“Look up in the sky, it’s a bird, it’s a plane/it’s the Funk Doctor spot smoking Buddha on a train/how high? So high so I can kiss the sky/how sick, so sick that you can………”
PHOTO CREDIT: HIPHOPDX PHOTO CREDIT: NPR
I just recently heard Devin the Dude’s, Doobie Ashtray:
“What you gonna do when the people go home/and you wanna smoke weed, but the reefers all gone/and somebody had the nerve to take the herb/up out the doobie ashtray/why they do me that way?”
PEOPLE IN CANNABIS AND MUSIC
PHOTO CREDIT: REVOLT TV
PHOTO CREDIT: GQ
And though not a lyric, it’s a must that I add this. One of my favorite rappers, Lil Wayne, gives me life every time he sparks the blunt before he drops those bars! Listen to him a little closeryou’ll hear it!
Here, we honor those in both the cannabis industry and music industry: Carlos Santana: Musician and owner of cannabis brand, Mirayo. 1st Lady of the West Coast: Singer/Emcee and the first black woman in the United States to have an exclusive line of strains. Wiz Khalifa: Rapper and owner of exclusive strain, Khalifa Kush. John Legend: Singer, songwriter, and recentlycannabis investor.
Afroman Jerry Garcia Willie Nelson Rihanna Madonna Miley Cyrus Lady Gaga Kacey Musgraves Melissa Ethridge Alanis Morissette
FINAL THOUGHTS
CANNABIS LOVING MUSICIANS
Cannabis and music are such a pair that we are seeing huge events with the pairing of the 2:
Of course, all of the above must love cannabis right? But there are many more cannabis-loving musicians:
Sarah Silverman (though known more for acting).
The National Cannabis Festival in D.C; The 420 Music Festival was presented by Sunflowers Spacecakes and DJ Diamond Kuts in Philadelphia; and the Las Vegas Cannabis AwardsMusic Festival in Las Vegas, to name a few.
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Jay-Z: Rapper and man of many business titles and levels, own cannabis brand, Monogram.
CHYNNA PEARSON
As of this year, cannabis companies are popping up all over the world! Countries like Switzerland and Mexico have created new laws making cannabis legal and there are many countries looking to do the same.
ZEN CANNABIS
Something cool about the world now is that about five countries have legalized cannabis completely, more than 30 are legalized medically, and we still have quite few countries to go until it is a world wide regulation. That is the type of future I want to see! Due to all this change, there are a lot of cannabis companies, like a lot of them. They can be recreational, medical, or both, hemp only, CBD only, and a mix of all of them. Not all cannabis companies are created equal, however. One company that could be listed among some of the best cannabis companies would be Zen Cannabis. Zen Cannabis is an Oklahoma based cannabis company that focuses more on edibles and tinctures than flower products. Oklahoma has officially been in the cannabis business since October 2018, that nearly three years. Over that time, the state has made over “$109,263,635 since 2019, with $137,805,571 in state and local sales tax,” according to Tulsa World and it is still growing! In fact, the United States cannabis community has accumulated over “$28,861,478 from January through May 2021.” (It’s pretty impressive considering all the awful things that happened last year that have trickled into this year.) Additionally, Tulsa World reported, “A 2021 law change let's OMMA contract with the Oklahoma Tax Commission to assess, collect and enforce the 7% excise tax, and a new fee will help OTC conduct audits of cannabis businesses to ensure they are paying taxes. Another change earmarks up to $38.5 million in medical cannabis taxes for a building fund benefiting some charter schools and school districts with “below average property tax bases.””
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The Zen Cannabis company “makes a variety of products and potencies for any mindful cannabis lover looking to find their zen. Specializing in infused edibles and drinks, our delicious hand-crafted treats and drinks will help relax and revitalize your entire being while fitting your unique lifestyle.” The company offers a large line of infused edibles that have a vast range of styles. The ratios of CBD and THC in the edibles help customers find exactly what they need to treat themselves to the perfect zen experience both medically and recreationally. Zen Cannabis offers a lot of different varieties of gummies, tinctures, and milk chocolate bars. The products can be whatever the user needs: rejuvenating satiating, or uplifting experience in every bite or sip.
“Zen Cannabis prides itself on creating products that are consistent in experience, delicious in flavor, and low-calorie. Many of our treats are also gluten-free and fat-free. Our company is committed to quality and consistency, with something for every kind of taste. Reach a new state of peacefulness and find your zen with Zen Cannabis.” Being able to be consistent with their products, the idea of having a reliable source of medication is more needed than recreational cannabis users may think. Many medical cannabis patients truly rely on consistency from cannabis brands and unfortunately there are many companies that cannot provide that. Before we dive into the products that Zen Cannabis provides, I think understanding more about “zen” is needed. Merrriam Webster defines zen in two ways, one of them is, “a Japanese sect of Mahayana Buddhism that aims at enlightenment by direct intuition through meditation,” and the other is “a state of calm attentiveness in which one's actions are guided by intuition rather than by conscious effort.” When Zen Cannabis uses it they seem to be using the second definition. On their website, their very first sentence that you see is this, “Zen Cannabis will help you find peace and relaxation. Committed to the highest quality and consistency, Zen Cannabis’ wide range of products has something for every taste and every need.” Zen Cannabis wants their customers to find the zen that is inside them. WIth their products, it is much easier to attain that state of mind than without it!
As the Zen Cannabis company grows their menu only gets more interesting. Most cannabis companies will only have an assorted pack of gummies that are Hybrid but Zen Cannabis stepped up the game with more than 10 flavors. With this many flavors already in their lineup, I can only imagine what else they have up their sleeves... maybe they’ll go for guava or lemon next! For now, let’s get a closer look at their yummy edibles:
Gummies
The gummies have a lot of flavors and are either in 50-milligram doses or come in Extra Strength doses which are 150 milligrams. The flavors are Fruit Punch (comes in Indica, Sativa, and Extra Strength Hybrid), Dark Berry (Extra Strength Indica), Mango (Extra Strength Sativa), Green Apple (Extra Strength Sativa), Black Cherry (Extra Strength Indica), Strawberry (Extra Strength Hybrid), Orange (CBD: THC 10:1, 50 milligrams CBD and 5 milligrams THC), Grape (The NiteNite gummy. CBD: THC 4:1 with 5 milligrams of Melatonin), Pineapple (Hybrid), Cherry (CBD: THC 1:1), and Watermelon (Hybrid). Something else that makes this company stand out is that all their gummies are gluten-free and fat-free. The gummies also have the word “zen” on them as well as the warning for THC. The thick circular shape of the gummies also makes them easier to cut in half if the customer wants less than the total THC.
Chocolate bar The Zen Cannabis chocolate bar is at the moment only dosed at 1,000 milligrams of some Hybrid THC. They describe it as “a classically sweet and creamy milk chocolate bar that will melt your worries away while it melts in your mouth.” What’s really neat about the chocolate bar’s design is that on the bar itself you can see the word “zen” pressed into it. It’s a super innovative idea that makes the bar fun to eat on top of it being delicious and smooth. With how delicious the milk chocolate is, the flavor options they have for new bars are too vast to even go through. (But I do hope there will be a white chocolate bar in the future! Yum!) Quick side note: From the About page on their website it seems like there may be some cookies on the way!
I can only imagine the flavor possibilities. They could do the classic chocolate chip, ginger bread, sugar, oatmeal, or even something wild like raspberry cheesecake! Whatever they end up going with, I’m sure it will be really tasty and consistent for the customers. The only question is will they do a pack of cookies or just one big cookie? Either one, I’m sure will be yummy! Zen Cannabis’ tinctures are just as potent and tasty as their edibles. It is not often that you see well flavored tinctures, most that are on the market are unflavored and meant to go underneath the tongue so the user doesn’t have to taste the pure marijuana flavor engulfing their mouths. But it is in human nature to want to taste something good rather than something gross so Zen made the tinctures and drinks with real flavors. Zen Cannabis’ tinctures are flavored and each one is designed for the different needs of their many customers:
drinks
TINCTURES As for the tinctures they recently came out with a 500 milligram THC:CBD 10:1 Hybrid in their Fresh Mint flavor, the customers asked and Zen Cannabis listened.
Their other tinctures are two THC:CBD 4:1 tinctures in either Indica or Sativa, both are flavored with Fresh Mint. The Indica is for relaxation and relief while the Sativa is meant to rejuvenate the user. The last tincture on the list is the CBD:THC 4:1. This tincture is described as “bursting with fresh mint flavor. Zen Cannabis CBD tincture provides relief to your body and mind. This CBDheavy tincture will keep you alert, relaxed and in control.” This is for those who need more CBD than they do THC. Also since the tinctures are minty, not only will they make the customer feel better they can act as a nice breath freshener as well!
ZEN CANNABIS’ PRODUCTS ARE WIDELY RANGED AND DESIGNED TO BE ENJOYED BY PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT NEEDS. WHEN CHECKING OUT ALL THEIR PRODUCTS ONLINE, JUST LIKE ANY CANNABIS COMPANY, I LIKE TO CHECK OUT THE RATINGS LEFT BY OTHER CONSUMERS. ON WEEDMAPS, THE ZEN CANNABIS EDIBLES ARE ALMOST ALL RANKED AT FIVE STARS (AND YES, THOSE ARE ALL FROM REAL CUSTOMERS)! A FEW CUSTOMERS EVEN SAID AFTER TRYING THE ZEN CANNABIS EDIBLES, THEY HAVE BECOME THEIR GO TO BRAND. AS THE ZEN CANNABIS COMPANY EXPANDS TO NEW AREAS AND SINCE OKLAHOMA IS ONE OF THEM, THE WORLD WILL SOON BE FILLED WITH A HUGE AMOUNT OF ZEN CANNABIS AND I’M SURE THE WORLD WILL BE BETTER FOR IT. FOR MANY CANNABIS COMPANIES, THE IDEA OF HELPING PEOPLE WHO OFTEN CANNOT HANDLE OTHER TYPES OF TREATMENTS FOR THEIR ILLNESSES MEANS MORE THAN ANYTHING.
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The drinks are different from the tinctures as they seem to take after the look of something like 5 Hour Energy. The drinks are flavored in Berry or Grape. The Berry drinks are available in 50 milligram doses of Indica or Sativa. They are described as “A two-ounce burst of delectably sweet berry flavor to make your aches and pains melt away without dragging you down
This sativa drink will invigorate your taste buds and keep you relaxed and pain-free without putting you to sleep.” The Indica is also two ounces but they say it is a “burst of delicious sweet berry flavor to melt your aches and pains away and help you relax. This indica drink will quell any aches or pains and help you unwind and find your zen.” For these drinks you can drink them straight or they can be mixed into bigger drinks like a soda or a cup of juice.
CANNABIS
SLOANNE SIMON "A PICTURE CAN TRULY BE WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS."
PHOTOS BY: ZANDER LUCERO @CANNABIS_PHOTOGRAPHY_OK
A picture can truly be worth a thousand words. But these cannabis photographers have us wishing a picture was also scratch and sniff.
This month, we are recognizing the artists in the cannabis community and their work. I had the opportunity to speak with two different photographers, both Oklahoma boys, and help showcase their artwork.
Zander Lucero (Instagram @cannabis_photography_ok) has been doing photography for about six years. During his middle school days, Lucero started doing graphic design and dabbling in photography, mostly portraits. By the time he entered high school, Lucero had a steady stream of work doing family portraits after school. Post-graduation, he entered the workforce as a real estate photographer.
Since he’s been growing his own cannabis at home as well, Lucero began his portfolio with his own plants and flowers. Lucero wants to use his gift of photography to provide education to people. Being passionate about the lifestyle, his goal is to help people understand that cannabis is a wonderful, beautiful plant that is providing health benefits for many people. In fact, Lucero’s own diagnosis of Crohn’s Disease is what led him to cannabis. His hope is to help decrease the stigma that cannabis has carried for years as a bad, dangerous plant. In fact, without cannabis, he would still be using chemotherapy as a way to, ineffectively, treat his Crohn’s. Since starting cannabis medicinally, his Crohn’s is basically in remission.
Through his photos, Lucero hopes to share his passion and provide education of the goodness that cannabis provides to its users.
Curtis Taylor
(Instagram @curt_ice) has been involved in the cannabis industry since 2015. Hailing from Clinton, Oklahoma, Taylor would admire the photos of cannabis in issues of High Times but could only dream of being involved at that time. When Oregon legalized recreational cannabis in 2014, he knew it was something he wanted to be a part of. A plan was put into place, and in 2015, Taylor packed his bags and headed to the Pacific Northwest. Landing in Portland, Oregon, Taylor started working as a budtender at one of the toprated dispensaries in the nation. It was here at this dispensary that he was able to fuse his love for cannabis and photography. Not only did he work as a budtender, but his employers allowed him to begin photographing the product and using it for marketing purposes.
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Over the last year, however, Lucero has focused his attention on cannabis photography. Having a natural eye behind the camera, he saw the beauty behind the plant itself. Lucero states, “it’s a unique, gorgeous plant, presenting a new story every time. It’s satisfying to look at.”
Because of its uniqueness, each strain presents differently. What Lucero noticed while scrolling through WeedMaps and Leafly was that many dispensaries and grows weren’t taking advantage of good photography to showcase their product. Lucero began reaching out and offering his services to local growers and dispensaries to better market their product.
Since his initial employment as a budtender, Taylor has since moved to full-time photography, getting to shoot grows up and down the West coast, and more recently coming back home to Oklahoma to capture some amazing shots of our legal cannabis. “Being able to share with people how beautiful and different each plant can be is really special to me,” Taylor states. It was not until recent years that macrophotography of the plant has really come about. This type of photo highlights the small, intricate details of each plant, known as the trichomes that produce the THC and other cannabinoids. These trichomes are captured using extreme close-ups of the flower. In order to produce these images, Taylor uses a technique called focus stacking, which takes multiple exposures, each with a different area of the plant sharply focused. The final product is an image so beautiful and clear, showcasing those tiny little trichomes that provide so much goodness. A self-proclaimed “nerd”, Taylor really enjoys being able to capture so many different plants and learning each unique characteristic that that specific plant holds. In most jobs, the repetitiveness gets old. However, after taking thousands upon thousands of shots, Taylor still finds joy and excitement whenever he finds something new and exciting during a shoot. The plants and genetics are always evolving, presenting new characteristics with each new strain.
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Taylor started using cannabis regularly in his early twenties after a bout with depression. Ever since, he has been a strong advocate for cannabis usage and what it can do for humans. “I love cannabis for its ability to help people with such a wide scope; it is quite remarkable.” Not only does it have many therapeutic and medicinal values without damaging side effects, it has a way to bring people from all walks of life together in a harmonious way. Cannabis has also provided Taylor with a job that he truly loves and is passionate about, a proclamation not many are able to say about their careers.
TALKING HEADZ COOP | PHOTOS BY: CURTIS TAYLOR @CURT_ICE
In fact, his passion behind his work is what has helped him land such an amazing job. Taylor has an amazing working relationship with the Oregon cultivator Green Bodhi. Taylor’s images are used exclusively on the Green Bodhi Instagram account (@greenbodhi). Go check out either Instagram account for some amazing weed porn. Curtis Taylor is out there making a name for himself in the cannabis photography business.
His eye for the beauty that each flower holds has brought him a long way from his manager position at the Fuzzy’s Tacos on Campus Corner in Norman, Oklahoma. As a fellow cannabis lover and Western Oklahoman that knew him back in those Fuzzy’s days, seeing his work, his passion behind every photograph he produces, and watching him grow his brand creates a sense of pride in so many of us. Keep killin’ it, Curtis! Enjoy the photographs these amazing guys have provided and be sure to check their work out on Instagram. Zander Lucero can be found @cannabis_photography_ok and Curtis Taylor’s work @curt_ice and @greenbodhi.
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COOKINGWITHABUZ.COM
" TW IS
" NG KI
ND LET’S GE UP A TC E N OO TO
r ' s e n o t S Delight Salad
BY CHEF BUZ
Good day and welcome back to all my canna chefs out there, I’m stoked for this month's recipe and you should be too! This year is just flying by so in all the chaos we need to make sure we are taking the time to eat something other than fast food and snacks, my Stoner’s Delight Salad is sure to satisfy your deepest hunger and leave you feeling relaxed.
@medibles_ok
With marinated grilled chicken, bacon, and my favorite, fried onion strings all topped with a honey dijon dressing. So grab a bag of your favorite herb, twist one
with a
COOKING
up and let’s get Cooking with a Buz!
BUZ
INGREDIENTS MARINADE/DRESSING ⅓ C Honey 2 Tbs Dijon Mustard 2 Tbs Whole Grain Mustard 1 Tbs Apple Cider Vinegar 3 Tbsp Water 2 tsp Minced Garlic ½ Tbs Lemon Juice 2 ½ Tbs Canna Olive Oil Salt and Black Pepper to your taste 4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
3 cups Romaine Lettuce, washed and chopped 1 cups Red Romaine Lettuce, washed and chopped 1 cups Cherry Tomatoes, cut in half 1 Avocado, sliced 1 Carrot, shredded 5-6 Slices of Bacon
Now that your mind is right let's get started, first whisk the marinade ingredients, now pour half of it into a dish or plastic bag to marinate your chicken breasts. Let the chicken marinate for at least 2 hours before grilling. *Note* Do NOT save the marinade used for the chicken, discard it after use* Once you’ve cooked the chicken, put it aside to cool, while the chicken is marinating you can cook the bacon. In a non-stick saute pan, cook your slices of bacon until they are crispy and let cool on a paper towel-lined plate to drain off the excess grease.
STEP 2 This is also a good time to do your fried onion strings for the salad, mix your flour and spices together, then slice your onion very thin and soak the slices in buttermilk for about 10-15 minutes before removing them to toss in the flour mixture.
STEP 3 Once they are coated well add about ½” of vegetable oil to a pan and let it heat up, once it’s nice and hot carefully place the onions into fry. Use a pair of tongs or a fork to flip, making sure to brown each side evenly, and then remove and place on a paper towel-lined plate to drain. They will take approximately 3-5 minutes to cook so keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.
Now you just need to cut up your veggies for the salad and you’re set, cut the tomatoes in half, slice the avocado, shred the carrot and chop your lettuce. Once you have your salad mix together, dice your bacon and slice your chicken to top your salad, throw on some fried onion strings and top with the remaining honey dijon dressing that you put aside earlier, and voila the Stoner’s Delight Salad is ready to be munched on.
GNIKOOC
STEP 4
22
htiw
1 Vidalia Onion, thinly sliced 2 cups Buttermilk ½ cup Flour ½ tsp Garlic Powder ⅛ tsp Cayenne Pepper ½ tsp Salt and White Pepper Vegetable Oil
STEP 1
ZUB a
FRIED ONION STRINGS
DIRECTIONS
A CHRONIC INTERVIEW WITH
Shei Phan
BY CHYNNA
Art and cannabis go hand in hand. Art and cannabis go hand in hand. In fact, one of the first articles I ever had the chance to write for Chronic was over how cannabis and art intersect.
Art in itself can be many things, a single painting can mean two vastly different things to two different people. The impact of art is truly something to admire.
Phan is an amazing person, she is creative with not only a stunning personality but a beautiful way to look at the world around us and into ourselves. She has completed what some would never have the guts to do and since she is so young, the future is very bright for her. I can’t wait to see what she does with the future.
Shei does consider herself to be an advocate for cannabis, she believes in the medicinal properties that are brought on through the plant. Not only is cannabis good for physical health but mental health as well. For her cannabis is a way to medicate while stimulating her creativity. Additionally, Shei feels that she is “very blessed to create for dispensaries because they're such fun environments.” And she can meet such amazing people and learning more about the cannabis plant and all the other things that they're, that they're able to make out of it is really cool.
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Also,before we dive in, cannabis art isn’t just making an aesthetically pleasing bowl, a stoned Mickey Mouse, or rose wrapped joints, okay? Cannabis art can be trippy looking spaces, introspective looks on the world, and so much more.
This month I had the amazing opportunity to speak with artist Shei Phan, some of you may not know it but you’ve likely seen some of her art before if you shop in Oklahoma City.
Shei was born in Ardmore, Oklahoma and although she moved around a lot in her childhood, her family eventually settled back into Ardmore when she was in high school. During her high school years, she did a couple of years of modeling school. (Do you guys remember Barbizon? That’s what Shei was a part of, she said it didn’t really go anywhere at that time and she left modeling alone. More on this later...) Once she graduated from Plainview High School and moved onto college, during her junior year she set off to move to the biggest city in the United States, New York City. I don’t know many people who would be willing to move from a town with 24,800 people to a city with nearly 8.5 million people. That’s twice the total population of the state of Oklahoma! But, if you want something enough, you have to go for it no matter how scary that something maybe. Once she was in New York, she lived there for around three years. Shei then moved around from Miami to Los Angeles for about a year and a half, then back to New York for another three years. As she currently is living in Oklahoma City, I asked her where she liked living the best. Shei said, “I love New York. I feel like New York is honestly where my soul was meant to be just as creative and the diversity that is New York, has a different energy that's there. I’m in Oklahoma now and I have enjoyed being back, especially since cannabis has been legalized. So I feel like that has definitely opened a lot more doors for Oklahomans and it has expanded some minds to where they're a little more open, you know, stuff like that. It used to be so conservative here and I felt like I didn't fit in. Now coming back, I definitely feel like there is more of a place for me here since cannabis is so welcomed here.” During Shei’s time-traveling, when Shei was 19 she had gotten back into modeling. She explained, “Back then [high school], just being tall and skinny, everyone said, ’ You should model! You should model!,’ at the time I was reluctant since it wasn’t something I really saw myself doing.”
But since she was older, she decided on her own that modeling could be something fun and expressive to work on. When she went back and visit Oklahoma, one of her friends was a belly dancer and asked if Shei wanted to be in a Baby Bash music video. Shei said, “Sure, I love Baby Bash! So I went and did this music video and my friend’s agent was there and she liked how I looked. She ended up setting me up with a photographer to get some photos and see where we can go from there.” Shei ended up meeting with a local photographer who has since moved to Los Angeles, Kenn Perry. Perry does a lot of swimsuit photography and applied nudes, a very classic style photographer. Shei explained, “I pretty much did modeling boot camp with him for, I don't know, about four or five months. He literally taught me everything I needed to know about modeling when it comes to posing glamor, editorial, nudes, swimsuits, action shots, runway shots, you know, smiley commercial shots. We built my portfolio because I would go to the studio after classes, in between classes before work, after work. Then after all that hard work, I ended up getting a contract in New York. I ended up staying there for a long time.” Unfortunately, the agency didn’t seem to know where to place Shei as she is a mixed-race woman, half white and half Asian.
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Some gigs she would get she would be told she looked too much of one race and not enough of the other. Her story is not unlike other mixedrace models, sometimes when people do not know how to place you, you get no place at all. It’s a gross reality for many mixed-race peoples. So Shei did what she wanted and what she needed to do to grow in her own way through modeling. By doing so, she made it on America’s Next Top Model. Yep, that show! (Shei was in Cycle 21 if you were curious.) Shei explained, “After Top Model, everything was kind of put in perspective for me. Modeling really isn't what I'm meant to do.
It became a part of my life because it was another aspect of art. It helped me learn more about my body, lighting, composition, and how to be in front of and behind the camera. It also taught me that, when I got back into painting realism, I knew the body better and ended up doing a lot of paintings just from my own nudes, It just kind of made sense. After Top Model, I kinda lost my, I guess, passion for modeling in a way, because to be an artist and to be a model it is a different world. They only see you as a model because you're a pretty face. So when you're on set, you have no creative say in anything. And to me, I felt that I wanted to give input, but I can't. Because I'm just a model. I don't really have a name either. I'm just a model.”
She says, “I feel like it all happened for a reason. I did modeling and I loved it and I enjoyed it, and it also helped me grow more as an artist.”
“I don't shoot as much as I used to. But I do shoot nudes and a lot of the nudes I shoot, I ended up painting. The series of mine called Forget Me Not are all self Shei does still do modeling nudes. Most of them, my face She loves that she is able to from time to time now is not shown. It's a nude body connect to other creatives though. with a unicorn head and it through social media, she pretty much represents how calls the people who interact She says she is a little more in today's society, everyone and follow her Pandas. picky about what she does sees women just for their now, it must be something bodies. It's like, yes, you can A lot of them may have that can benefit herself as an have my body, but you can't started out as fans but she artist. However, she will still have my soul. This is why the feels they have become a do shoots if her friends ask head is not mine since, you family of insanely creative to model some of their know, the eyes are the people. The fans who came clothing or other things like windows to the soul. I use a from Top Model got to see that. unicorn because unicorns are that not only is Shei a powerful, very fierce, and beautiful model but is a In some of her art today, her unattainable creatures. I feel talented artist as well, what a modeling skills make her art like they embody what win! more unique. women really are.”
32 SEPTEMBER 2021 | CHRONIC
She continued, “That's when I started getting back into doing art. Moving back to New York, I got back into doing street art, doing graffiti and just finding the artist community in Brooklyn. I felt like my voice was getting heard a lot more and I was able to create the way I wanted to create. Even with photo shoots that I would book, I was able to put in a creative perspective in a way that still benefited me as an artist.” Although Top Model wasn’t what Shei was waiting for a career, it definitely gave her a lot more positives than it did negatives.
From being on Top Model, Shei was able to quickly build a social media following that could be based around her rather than simply her modeling.
The Forget Me Not series is truly something to behold. On Shei Phan’s website under the Gallery tab, you can find these paintings. Before speaking to Shei I was already drawn to this series, they are impactful, graceful, and powerful. As you look through the series you can feel the story Shei was telling. Each piece has its own heart and it’s own soul that seeps off the canvas. If you have a chance, I highly recommend taking a look especially if you like art that you can relate to. On top of doing canvas work, graffiti and street art are also a big part of Shei’s art style. It was Brookly where Shei found the art scene she was looking for. Since this was directly after Top Model, Shei knew it was the time to make a name for herself. She wanted to be known as herself and not just a model.
She remembers how the community was so open and welcoming. The people she was around even helped her get some walls to do her own work and connected her with other artists. During all this Shei was doing her own reaching out on Instagram by searching #newyorkstreetartist and following and DM-ing people. Social media is quite the amazing thing if you know how to use it correctly. Doing street art anda doing murals aren’t too different but Shei’s murals are a huge part of her career now. She has created murals for multiple different dispensaries around Oklahoma. For Shei doing the art for dispensaries is a fun task, it may be hard but she can express herself so much when creating a piece the size of a wall.One of her favorite murals that she has done was for a dispensary called Gas Monkey. “I did four portraits on a huge wall, probably a 10 by 15 feet wall. I did Steve Jobs, I did Nipsey, I did one of the owner's close friends and I did Mike Tyson and the owner owns a monkey.
34 SEPTEMBER 2021 | CHRONIC
“So I started following all these artists on Instagram and like street art is huge in New York. There are murals everywhere. There are stickers everywhere. There's graffiti everywhere. So, honestly, I just printed out some pandas of mine and some unicorns of mine and just walked. I walked, I don't know, like 50 to 100 blocks. I had some spray adhesive and put them up... that's how it started.”
From then Shei got together with other graffiti artists in Brooklyn and began to learn what it took to be a street artist, like how to properly use a can of spray paint.
So I painted the monkey as well. All of it is in black and white, then I came in with highlights of just all sorts of different colors. So it looks like the light that hits them is a neon green or a neon orange or neon pink. It really brightens it up.” She explained that the fun thing about this mural was it was the first time she ended up using plaster to add texture to the picture. With the plaster, she basically built up the wall and made some of the elements look three-dimensional. Shei explained that she “built up the built-up the weed bag, the nugs that are in the weed bag, built up the chain and made it protrude from the wall. So it kind of really gave it a 3D aspect. That was a lot of fun. And while I was doing it, I got to hang out with the monkey!” She continued and said that the owner was a great client whom she ended up doing about four other big pieces. She said she felt like the artist he would go to for anything and it was very special to experience someone enjoying her art enough to keep her busy.
CHRONIC | SEPTEMBER 2021
35
As for all of the series Shei has done, she says she doesn’t have a favorite. “Each series is just like a different part of me. It's a different personality because they all bring their own kind of story to them and they, I feel like, connect to different types of audiences. I don't know if I have a favorite one because they're all fun. And when I do the interactive shows with them, they all kind of create their own world. They're all so different. Like one that I’ve done called The SMALL Things, that's based around keeping your inner child alive. So that world is like, you're immersed like within the jungle, but it's filled with all of these childhood things, you know, like the castle is building blocks. There are like giant flowers that
There are giant ladybugs that manage the poppy flower medicine field. There are paper airplanes, you know, there are these big flowers that have eyes. It's kind of really about these childhood things and childhood memories and keeping that alive.” Shei has another series called PANDANATION. She describes it as a futuristic industrial city that combines a lot of different types of cultures within it. Her pandas may not be the typical pandas you’d see that are fluffy, fat and smiley. Shei’s pandas are skeletons or skeleton-like, they may be different looking but they are meant to show a good message. She said they “threaten you with a good message” and she is right.
The panda is a universally loved cerature so designing them with a different look will draw attention for any reason, good or bad. They are also featured on her Gallery page on her website, super cute yet riveting. I would absolutely have a couple of those stickers on my computer! For Shei art is an expression of herself and what she feels inside her heart. I had asked her what she liked doing most and she didn’t have a solid answer because she loves doing any type of art. Whether the piece is going to be a canvas or a sticker or a giant mural, each moment she is creating art she feels she is able to be who she is.
Canvas’ are able to move and be taken places while murals are stationary and will be stationary forever. There is a different type of love that goes into each piece Shei does and that’s what makes her art so amazing to behold. 36 SEPTEMBER 2021 | CHRONIC
For those of you who haven’t seen her art, Shei describes it as “controlled chaos.” She is truly a talented artist, I wouldn’t be surprised if she becomes a household name. So what’s next for Shei Phan? “I plan on leaving my mark! My future plans are definitely to just expand my artwork and continue to build my skillset and what I'm good at and just get back to focusing on my own series and creating that.” I don’t know about y’all but as someone who can now say she is a part of the #PandaNation, getting to watch Shei grow in her art will be a real blessing. Be sure to check out www.SheiPhan.com and follow her on Instagram and Snapchat @shei_p !
THE WORLD OF CANNABINOIDS AND TERPENES This is a great question that I get a lot from people outside of the cannabis growing community. Newbies that want to learn more to help themselves and see if it's the right medicine for them often want to know more about this. So let me try to explain a few of the major differences and get clarity around this question. Let's begin with the fact that both THC and CBD are cannabinoids. What are cannabinoids, you might ask? Cannabinoids are naturally occurring compounds found in the Cannabis sativa plant. There are over 480 different compounds, and only around 66 are termed cannabinoids. But don't worry, we are not going to go into all of them. Just CBD and its benefits mainly in this column. The main way in which cannabinoids are different is based on their CHRONIC | SEPTEMBER 2021
39
degree of psychoactivity. THC, for example, is a cannabinoid that can alter your perception of reality. Which could be an excellent thing for chemo patients. Now CBD, on the other hand, is non-psychoactive.
Written by Dr. Pepper Hernandez ND, Ph.D., CTC, CNHP, NHC Board Certified and Award-Winning Holistic Health Practitioner
This means you can use it
The interaction affects the
and have no ill side effects
release of neurotransmitters in
when using oil from a
your brain. Neurotransmitters
quality source farmer and
are the chemicals responsible
distributor. CBD is well
for relaying messages between
tolerated, even in large
cells and have roles in pain,
doses.
immune function, stress, or sleep.
Both CBD and THC have the same molecular
CBD has been used to help with
structure: 21 carbon atoms,
other various conditions, such
30 hydrogen atoms, and 2
as:
oxygen atoms. Seizures
A slight difference in how the atoms are arranged accounts for the differing
Inflammation Pain Mental disorders Inflammatory bowel disease
effects on your body. CBD
Nausea
and THC are chemically
Migraine
similar to your body’s endocannabinoids. Yes, our bodies have their system made to interact with the cannabis plant. This system allows both cannabinoids to interact with your cannabinoid receptors.
Anxiety
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.
CBD and THC both have medical benefits. They are also both considered safe. My suggestion is always fullspectrum whole plant medicine
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
when choosing a product for your ailment. Local, organic and grown sustainably is definitely something to look for.
Go forth, Go Cannabis...
40 SEPTEMBER 2021 | CHRONIC
own endocannabinoid
Depression
Not all cannabis cultivars are alike, and as organic farmers continue to breed their specific genetics, users need to know what the cannabinoid profile is. Knowing the flower they are testing can bring positive experiences, the best experience and outcome, and an educated decision on what will be best for their medical issue and or aliment. Please check with your cannabis therapy consultant for more guidance.
The Reason Cannabis and Art Blend Together by therin miller
Different artists all over
Legendary figures such as
While Brian Wilson of the
the world have used
William Shakespeare used
Beach Boys said marijuana
cannabis to reinforce their
cannabis in his playwriting.
helped him write Pet
creativity and widen their
Pablo Picasso used
Sounds, which is the second
artistic horizon. We might
cannabis to express his art
best album of all time on
think of musicians,
in the form of abstract
the Rolling Stone Magazine
painters and
paintings.
list.
influenced by cannabis in
We might think what really
Bob Marley said that music
all their output. In order to
goes on inside the brain
and herb go together. He
understand the
while high on weed. The
started smoking when he
connection between
THC keeps the flow of
first started singing in the
artistic impact and
neural transmissions more
1960’s. In the contemporary
cannabis, we have to look
constant and in effect,
music industry, we have
into the culture and future.
creates more creative ideas
Lady Gaga who writes
and concepts.
music while smoking pot.
photographers who were
As per Dr. Alice Weaver
Some notable names in the
Flaherty who is a
The dopamine release
music industry are Bill Hicks,
neurologist and specialist
causes euphoria that leads
Justin Timberlake and Alanis
in brain stimulation,
to wider imagination thus
Morissette.
cannabis has the ability to
helping artists create music,
stimulate and trigger the
painting, and many others.
Meanwhile, Steve Jobs said,
brain's frontal lobe.
This is because of the
“The best way I would
chemistry and how the brain
describe the effect of
This part of the brain is
operates while high is not
marijuana and hashish is that
active in creative people.
similar to the normal state
it would make me relaxed
She added that marijuana
of mind.
and creative.” Even if he is
is a stimulant and it can
CHRONIC | AUGUST 2021
Here are some of history's
can be part of the creative
However, the effect is still
most creative and famous
minds list.
based on dosage and
musicians and artists who
individual traits. For
are known to use marijuana
Therefore, to elevate the
example, some artists who
to enhance their artistic
thought process and think
struggle with anxiety may
prowess.
of something more original
prefer a calming indica to
yet inspiring, people can use
help them get to their
Louis Armstrong is a
cannabis and make sure to
groove while others look
trumpet player who was one
record in pen and paper or
for more stimulating
of the first musicians to
phone when ideas flow in
sativa. Nevertheless,
admit his affinity to the plant
order not to forget the
cannabis has helped
and stated in his biography
racing creative juices.
artists create new and
which he described as
inspiring pieces of work
better than whiskey and
Cannabis can really impact
for hundreds of years
also an assistant and a
all areas of arts and
already.
friend to him.
entertainment.
42 SEPTEMBER 2021 | CHRONIC
45
not an artist by definition, he
boost all types of output.
Where To Smoke In Oklahoma
Alibi's Several articles printed over the
(
last couple of years
and especially
since the pandemic began
)
have
+
population
:
gay bars
,
,
are disappearing at
an alarming rate
Typically
.
,
2019
by Greggor Mattson
,
200
over
.
,
a sociology
Whereas there were
lesbian bars during their
1980 , ’
peak in the late
,
and
up for
.
ll wear my newest suit to
“
take it for a spin
”
that evening at a couple of places
(
Gotta get the most out of it
-
!).
study published
numbers are dwindling across
the country
I
-
before it goes to the dry
professor from Oberlin College in
Ohio
, ’
and then
cleaners
According to a
job at a suit shop
Saturdays are typically the shifts
work
especially those primarily for POC
or for women
-
we get the most dressed
highlighted a troubling fact for the
LGBTQ
I work a day
s
it
s thought
21
that there are now only around
still open in the United States
.
Given that I was a cisgendered man
wearing a suit
(
the ideal outfit to
make a man look good
,
but also the
uniform of imperialists and
oppressors for centuries now
),
I
felt like I would stick out like a sore
thumb at a place like Alibi
’ , s
and
almost worried about the
possibility of hostile or questioning
The Lesbian Bar Project
,
an online
looks
.
foundation dedicated to helping
these institutions stay open
three of the
21
’
lists
locations in
Oklahoma alone
Alibi
,
:
Frankie
s in Oklahoma City
’
,
whatsoever
s and
walked in
and the
Yellow Brick Road Pub in Tulsa
.
as Spencer and I
I was immediately
.
Everyone seemed to know
as well as check out their patio
’
,
;
reminded of the old sitcom Cheers
Wanting both to show my support
stopped by Alibi
I had no reason to worry
,
I
s on a Saturday
everybody
’
s name
,
and the mood
was one of welcoming
fashioned comfort
,
old
-
.
evening with my good friend
Spencer Tracy
,
after we
’
d met up
at The Pump and had a few drinks
there
.
Patrons sang karaoke in a room to
the left of the main area
,
while
others sat at the bar sipping
everything from canned beer
Alibi
’ ( s
iced drinks in bright neon colors
as evidenced by the fact
that the bartender working that
night
,
and nearly every patron
familiar with him on a first
basis
),
-
,
was
name
so he was all too happy to
take my lesbian bar virginity
.
to
(
46 I
highly recommend the Electric
Lemonade
potent
).
;
tasty and surprisingly
But the main draw for me
was the patio
,
a fenced
the rear of the bar
-
in area in
SEPTEMBER 2021 | CHRONIC
Spencer is a frequent visitor to
,
PHOTO CREDIT: gOOGLE MAPS It
’
s well
-
decorated with
Yet another draw on Saturday
,
comfortable patio furniture
nights
and has ample space to
stoned and medicated crowd
spread out in
,
with plenty of
wall art on the back of the
building to gaze at
’
s Tamales stops by
around midnight to sell freshly
made tamales and burritos
On this particular summer
evening
,
,
has to be that locally famous
Molly
.
especially for the
,
.
Owned and operated by a
the majority of the
patrons were outside
and I
delightful queer family
,
and
made from scratch with old
was far from the only one
recipes passed down through
enjoying some legal
generations
cannabis
.
Blunts abounded
-
,
,
her food is about
as real as it gets
.
as did several pipes and
even at least one big fancy
glass dab rig
And you can feel good knowing
.
that purchasing these
PHOTO CREDIT: ALIBI'S FACEBOOK PAGE
scrumptious goodies is helping
I
’
d brought my terp pens
a young woman build her dream
along with me on this
particular evening
,
to open her new restaurant
as well
space
as a gram of Skywalker OG
live hash rosin
(
Zodiak
’
!).
grown by
Bear Essentials
-
opening very soon at
The Collective food hall
Chromsix and pressed by
infused pre
(
),
Between Molly
and an
roll from Dr
s Moonrocks
’
s spiciest salsa
(
and my equally spicy
.
more green
.
)
pre
-
roll
,
and even
the
endorphins were really revving
in my brain in the best possible
combination of dabbing hash
relaxing
rosin and then smoking
institution for everyone
exaggerated
;
’
t be
,
s is a welcoming
,
incredibly friendly
,
regardless of sexual
the Skywalker
orientation or whether they
,
like cannabis
and strong feeling of peace
recommend it to anyone
and calm to spread through
looking for a fun and inclusive
,
with the
Black Cherry moonrock
infused pre
-
time
.
d
.
-
roll adding
I
another layer of muscle
relaxation
and I
’
OG hash allowed for a deep
my entire body
CHRONIC | SEPTEMBER 2021
Alibi
’
way
flower really can
47
.
The effects from the
’
ll absolutely be back
both
because I want to support
They were
institutions that are safe
,
perfect for getting me in to
places for queer folx
the mood to be somewhat
as because it
social with my new and
that I felt remarkably
interesting gay bar friends
,
,
’
s a great place
accepted and at
’
as well
-
ease at
while also keeping my
can
anxiety out of the way and
electric lemonades and
out of mind
.
.
I
t wait to go back for more
tamales real soon
.
CHRONIC | SEPTEMBER 2021
CHRONIC | SEPTEMBER 2021
7
7
MONTHLY CANNABIS REVIEW
by Melissa Hall, M.Ed. "I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED MARIJUANA. IT HAS BEEN A SOURCE OF JOY AND COMFORT TO ME FOR MANY YEARS. AND I STILL THINK OF IT AS A BASIC STAPLE OF LIFE, ALONG WITH BEER AND ICE AND GRAPEFRUITS."
―HUNTER S. THOMPSON
GASPAC OKLAHOMA By Melissa Hall, M.Ed.
As September arrives, Oklahomans everywhere take a deep sigh of relief for the impending Fall weather and break from the long, hot Summer. September 2021 has more to offer than just cooler weather. For one, Oklahoma’s favorite Cannabis publication, The Chronic Magazine, turns two. As our second anniversary approached, I knew the review pick must be something simply spectacular to celebrate our second year in print. With much luck, I came across something even more exceptional than I could have even imagined. The first official runs for a team that is anything but new to the game. Gaspac Oklahoma caused a lot of buzz as testers for In House Genetics among other genetics companies. Small but mighty, this team of only 5, has produced a true small-batch craft quality unlike any other. The care, time, love, and attention put into this outstanding flower is simply remarkable.
With every trichome hanging on, every fiery red hair in place and unaltered, anyone that appreciates and spends time and energy looking for the best flower, will simply be blown away by Gaspac Oklahoma’s extraordinary top top-shelf flower.
The Gaspac team may be small, with 5 people running the show, but the quality suggests more time has been put into this amazing flower than even possible. The head Grower Danny, is no stranger to putting in time for the love of the grow. Before Cannabis made its huge debut in Oklahoma, he knew he wanted to learn how to grow and grow properly as a consumer himself. With his wife behind him supporting his bold career move, he moved to Colorado and spent 3 years learning everything he could about growing top-quality Cannabis. “I slept on an air mattress in the grow for 3 years.” He told The
Chronic. Soaking up all the knowledge and learning all the techniques he could, it was a blessing when 788 passed in OK. Especially since his wife and small children stayed behind in OK while he learned his trade. Many long drives and years later, this bold move sure paid off.
When asked what’s next for the Gaspac crew, they replied, “At the moment we are finishing up our new facility. It’s gonna let us be more creative and progressive as a company. We really want to grow as a brand that people really connect with and trust that no matter what we put out, it’s gonna be fired. From art to flowers, edibles, and merchandise. We want to make an impact on this industry and the wave that’s coming with it. Because it’s not just weed or cannabis, for some of us, it’s a lifestyle. And just like with the rest of the world, we come in
50
all shapes and forms. And we one hundred percent understand
SEPTEMBER 2021 | CHRONIC
that.”
Choosing a strain from their first run was more than difficult. With hitters like Mafia Funeral, Platinum Kush Breath, and Garlic Icing to name a few, all strains really deserve a mention. But, there was that one strain that caught my eye and stole my heart.
A looker, a hitter and a strain you don’t see on a shelf very often, the marvelous Banana Mints. Alchemy Genetics did a superb job crossing Wedding Cake BX1 x Banana OG to get this outstanding strain. The bag appeal alone will lure any patient straight to the Centerfold strain.
With deep violet hues and fiery tangerine hairs, among a simply sparkling snow like coating of shiny trichomes, The Banana Mints is definitely a beauty queen. But, don’t let that pretty girl exterior fool you. This gal hits! With effects so deep and immediate onset , Gaspac Oklahoma sets themselves apart with this spectacular growth.
From the first hit to the last, The consistency remains 100% and the flavor is literally just as good as the first to the last puff. This is among the cleanest and purest flowers I have come across in my 20 plus years of loving Cannabis and searching for the better. This flower and the whole first run from Gaspac reminds me of smoking pure hash rosin.
That’s how terpy and strong this growth of the notorious Banana Mints really is. The aroma is gassy, yet fruity with that Banana scent almost giving it a tropical note, but it’s that gas people that shines through and creates a pure dank aroma and flavor to match. I rarely say this as my tolerance is quite high, but one hit will put your mind in a different place instantly.
It’s a great medical strain that alleviates anxiety, depression and works quite the number on any kind of light to serious pain. Any seasoned or non seasoned smoker will appreciate these amazing effects so much. The highly anticipated second run will not hit shelves until late Nov/December. Trust me, this is worth the wait.
Being a true small batch craft, this drop will be very limited. It’s expected to sell out very quickly so follow @thechronicmagazine @okcannacritic
@gro.fux.given @cecebarker and
CHRONIC | SEPTEMBER 2021
@official_gaspac @ovatimetorres
51
@tegridyrx3.0 for updates on this upcoming huge drop! You will not want to miss this very rare, super high quality flower.
As always, Remember to medicate responsibly and Stay Lit Oklahoma.
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
Surviving the Stigma She blew in like a happy cloud of smoke, “Sloane, I thought that might be you!” Kalea Green, like Princess Leia with a “K” in front, grabbed a seat and started right in with ease.
Imagine being three years
Thinking back on it, though, it makes
Sure, oxycontin was an addiction,
removed from a drunk driving car
sense. When we consider the way
but the doctor and society had
wreck that nearly took your life and
mental health has been treated, the
given it a green light by labeling
walking into driver’s ed to this
stigma that would be carried for
it a pharmaceutical, whereas
video discussing the very thing you
taking this type of medication, pain
cannabis has been portrayed as a
had just lived through. It was very
pills would seem more acceptable.
“drug,” bringing stigma and shame.
triggering for Kalea, enough so that
CHRONIC | SEPTEMBER 2021
53
Kalea (Instagram @kalea.smokes.green) has been a proud card carrying member of the medical marijuana scene in Oklahoma since legalization in November 2018. Ever since, she has been an outspoken member of the community to decrease the stigma behind cannabis usage and what those consumers look like, as well as the importance of patients over profit.
she decided not to start driving
Kalea stated that her mother was
until she was twenty-six. Even now,
concerned over the possibility of her
So, Kalea left the medical field to
almost twenty years post-accident,
becoming addicted to the anti-
pursue work in the cannabis
getting behind the wheel can
anxiety/depression meds, so she
industry. It was not a blind
bring up overwhelming feelings at
never really took them. Ironically, the
decision to leave her place of
times.
oxy became an addiction.
employment, it was done with
Oxycontin was the pain reliever
That’s until Oklahoma became a
that her time in nursing school,
prescribed to fourteen-year-old
medical state, and the option
working as a medical assistant,
Kalea, keeping her under it’s
became available to explore other
and spending time in the
trances for the next 16 years. As a
forms of pain relief and medication
medical field could be very
“I shouldn’t be here,” she started her story. At 14, Kalea and her aunt were in a horrible car crash. At a four way stop in Wilson, Oklahoma, a drunk driver blew through the stop sign, smashing into the passenger side of the car where Kalea sat.
teenager, she was seeing a pain
that can actually help with post-
beneficial working in the
management doctor monthly,
traumatic stress disorder. In
cannabis industry. Kalea takes
being made to feel like a criminal
November of 2018, Kalea became a
the knowledge she has gained
every time she entered the doors.
med card holder and started her
over the last several years and
In order to function on a daily
journey with medicinal cannabis.
applies it to cannabis for the
A fractured shoulder, three broken ribs, shattered pelvis, femur, and foot were the resulting injuries, with a side of post traumatic stress disorder. Oh, and let’s not forget the opiate addiction that came from the pain after having seven extensive surgeries to repair the multitude of injuries. Due to the trauma of the car wreck, Kalea opted to postpone driver’s education until she was seventeen. Who remembers the delightful video Red Asphalt? Well, to refresh the memories, it’s an educational video made by the California Highway Patrol to show the dangers of drunk driving, including bad acting and pretzeled bodies on the road.
thought behind it. Kalea believes
patients she helps in her current
basis, pain pills were required. Over time, the Oxy became the way to
At the time of legalization, Kalea was
take the edge off and disassociate
working in the medical field as a
position as a budtender.
from the world around her. Yes, it
Medical Assistant. While working as a
One of my favorite questions to
helped to ease the physical pain
MA, Kalea mentioned having a
ask these survivors I’ve had the
from the car wreck, but she soon
conflict of interest when it came to
pleasure to meet is whether or
realized it would take away the
medicating with cannabis and being
not it’s the terpene profile or the
pain from the emotions and the
employed in the traditional western
THC percentage that treats the
outside world.
medical field. Oddly enough, abusing
patient? We have all come to the
her oxycontin while working with
agreement, it is the terps. It’s
I questioned if she was ever on any
patients and being around other
always the terps.
other medications, like
medical professionals did not weigh
antidepressants or anti-anxiety, to
on her.
However, many patients seek the higher percentage of THC,
help with the triggers and the trauma felt from the wreck. Oddly
Again, it makes sense. Her oxycontin
thinking that means better
enough, she recalls that her
was prescribed to her by a doctor to
results. When you find the
mother was not comfortable with
treat a condition that that
correct terpene profile, you can
her being on these mental health
medication was produced to target
better treat the ailment. Kalea
medications but was totally fine
specifically, side effects be damned.
wants to help educate the
with her being on a very strong,
It was big pharma and western
cannabis consumer on these
very deadly opiate.
medicine walking hand in hand.
terpenes and their benefits
So how does Kalea prefer to
Kalea is a mother, she is
medicate? Since becoming a
gainfully employed, and she is
proud, card-carrying member of
an advocate for cannabis. She
the Oklahoma Cannabis Society, wants to decrease the stigma she stopped using oxycontin to
that many of us have carried as
treat her pain and began
legal and non-legal consumers,
smoking flowers and using
and she hopes to do this
edibles. Her favorite edible is
through educating the people.
50mg by Nature’s Key. Not only would the cannabis Kalea prefers a hybrid edible
consumer and patient benefit
and uses them mostly to treat
from learning more about the
chronic pain. Kalea’s favorite
way our bodies react to
flower is Donkey Butter; an
cannabis, but the non-
Indica heavy sedating strain
consumer could have the
that helps with stress and
opportunity to better
anxiety with pain relieving and
understand it’s benefits as well.
anti-inflammatory benefits. The best way to take care of The terpenes present in Donkey
the patient is to educate them.
Butter are caryophyllene (anti-
Kalea sees the need to teach
inflammatory properties),
the patient about the plant. If a
limonene (anxiety and stress
person is experiencing high
relief), and myrcene (muscle
anxiety, maybe don’t
relaxant and sedative). When
recommend a sativa dominant,
she needs a little pick me up,
high THC strain.
she reaches for a crowd favorite, Blue Dream.
Look for a hybrid that’s high in limonene to help decrease that
Blue Dream is a sativa
anxiety. As a true patient,
dominant strain with terpenes
knowing your body and what
of myrcene and caryophyllene
you need is the first step. For
that provide the anti-
example, Kalea knows that her
inflammatory and muscle
body needs certain terpenes
relaxant aspect that Kalea is
for the chronic pain she
looking for, as well as pinene
experiences from her car
which provides an energy boost
wreck.
to the consumer. Thus, when deciding what to Another common thread I’ve
partake in, she looks for strains
found with these survivor stories
that are high in the myrcene
is the desire to decrease the
and caryophyllene terps for
stigma that comes with
their anti-inflammatory and
cannabis usage. As mentioned
muscle relaxant properties.
earlier, Kalea struggled with working her job as a medical
The key to truly using cannabis
assistant while smoking weed.
medicinally is to understand the way everything interacts.
Even though she was legally
Education is important.
using medical cannabis, she still felt the stigma. It’s that stigma,
As the legal cannabis industry
that stereotype, we’ve been fed
continues to grow and expand,
of what a consumer looks like:
Kalea hopes to see more
the stoner, pothead, lazy and
women in higher positions,
often unreliable. Unfortunately,
making more decisions, and
even in our own industry, there
having their own companies.
are some business types that And her intention is to be
thoughts.
involved in that growth, making connections,
There are higher-ups in the
educating, and de-stigmatizing
cannabis industry that think
along the way.
people that consume cannabis are not capable of running a
Kalea is also active with the
company. Kalea, and many
Cannamoms of Oklahoma
others, hope to break this
group (Instagram
stereotype.
@cannamomsofoklahoma).
cannabis and their kids. It’s about smashing the stigma that comes with smoking as a parent and showing that there is not a single thing wrong with it. Kalea is grateful for medicinal cannabis. Had the appropriate laws not been passed, she would still be in that cycle of seeing her pain management doctor on a monthly basis to re-up the prescription opiate that had had a hold on her for sixteen years. Kalea is a happy, healthy cannabis connoisseur, no longer relying on man-made pain pills to make it through her day.
“Patients over profits, every time.”
54 SEPTEMBER 2021 | CHRONIC
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