Cannabis :: April 17, 2019

CO LO R A D O'S LG B TQ M AGA ZINE | F R E E

CONTENTS APRIL 17, 2019 VOL43 NO2

6 CANNABIS IS LOVE 8 A LOOK AT CANNABIS THROUGH THE YEARS 11 KAYA HELPS QUEER TEAM LEADS BUILD DREAMS 14 NATIONAL CANNABIS FESTIVAL CREATES A SPACE FOR INCLUSION IN CANNABIS 18 HONEYPOT LOUNGE GIVES SMOKERS A SAFE HAVEN 20 420 AND CHILL? CANNABIS, KINK, AND SEX MARKETS COLLIDE 28 WHERE DO OUR FLOWERS BLOOM? A LOOK AT HOW CANNABIS COMPANIES GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY 32 THE TRANS COMMUNITY HAS A POT PROBLEM 35 DECRIMINALIZE DENVER’S PUSH TO PASS MAGIC HEALING MUSHROOMS 38 ROBIN KNIECH STILL HAS MORE TO GIVE 42 HASHING OUT RACIAL DISPARITIES IN THE LEGAL CANNABIS INDUSTRY 44 JEHOVAH THICKNESS: HIGH ON LIFE

4 \\ A P R I L 1 7 , 2 0 1 9

SERVING THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS SINCE 1976 PHONE 303-477-4000 FAX 303-325-2642 WEB OutFrontMagazine.com FACEBOOK /OutFrontColorado TWITTER @OutFrontCO INSTAGRAM /OutFrontColorado FOUNDER PHIL PRICE 1954-1993 ADMINISTRATION info@outfrontmagazine.com JERRY CUNNINGHAM Publisher J.C. MCDONALD Vice President MAGGIE PHILLIPS Operations Manager JEFF JACKSON SWAIM Chief Strategist EDITORIAL editorial@outfrontmagazine.com ADDISON HERRON-WHEELER Interim Editor VERONICA L. HOLYFIELD Creative Director KEEGAN WILLIAMS Copy Editor BRENT HEINZE Senior Columnist INTERNS: Arianna Balderrama, Zach Blue WRITERS: Alysha Prieto, Gem Sheps, Jordan Hanson, Yvonne Wright ART art@outfrontmagazine.com DESIGN2PRO Graphic Designer COVER ARTIST: Lonnie MF Allen CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS: Charles Broshous MARKETING + SALES marketing@outfrontmagazine.com BENJAMIN YOUNG Director of Sales & Marketing BRENNAN GALLAGHER Marketing Executive QUINCEY ROISUM Marketing Executive KELSEY ELGIE DOMIER Marketing Executive

DISTRIBUTION OUT FRONT’s print publication is available semi-monthly, free of charge, one copy per person.

Additional copies of OUT FRONT may be purchased for $3.95 each, payable in advance at OUT FRONT offices located at 3535 Walnut Street, Denver CO, 80205. OUT FRONT is delivered only to authorized distributors. No person may, without prior written permission of OUT FRONT, take more than one copy of OUT FRONT. Any person who takes more than one copy may be held liable for theft, including but not limited to civil damages and or criminal prosecution.

COPYRIGHT & LIMIT OF LIABILITY Reproduction of editorial, photographic or advertising content without written consent of the publisher is strictly prohibited. Advertisers are responsible for securing rights to any copyrighted material within their advertisements. Publisher assumes no responsibility for the claims of advertisers and reserves the right to reject any advertising. Publication of the name or photograph of any person or organization in articles or advertising is not to be considered an indication of the sexual orientation or HIV status of such person or organization. Publisher assumes no responsibility for the loss or damage of materials submitted. OPINIONS EXPRESSED are not necessarily those of OUT FRONT, its staff, or advertisers.

RESERVATION OF RIGHTS Q Publishing Group, LTD is the owner of all right, title, and interest in the OUT FRONT brand and logo. No person or entity may reproduce or use (or authorize the reproduction or use of) the OUT FRONT brand and logo in any manner other than expressly authorized by Q Publishing Group.

Unauthorized use of the OUT FRONT brand and logo is strictly prohibited.

OUT FRONT is published by Q Publishing, Ltd., a Colorado corporation and is a member of: the National Equality Publishers Association and Colorado LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce.

OUTFRONTMAGAZINE.COM

// 5

FROM THE EDITOR

CANNABIS is Love Looking back at the history of how certain things have been treated in the U.S. is really wild. When our magazine first started in 1976, queer media could still easily be flagged as “obscene” and banned or made illegal.

At the same time, cannabis was still illegal in every state and considered the “gateway drug.”

As with many prejudices, there was a racist, sexist, and homophobic agenda behind these bans. The worry was not so much that queer media was “obscene,” but that it would normalize femme and queer folks. Cannabis isn’t really dangerous, as we understand now, but it was kept illegal for a long time to keep people of color down and further the agenda of corporations and pharmaceutical companies.

Today, looking back, it seems ridiculous that we used to ban queer media or that we thought cannabis could be so dangerous. It’s even a little funny. But, a slightly deeper look around will reveal that we haven’t really come all that far. Cannabis is still federally illegal, and there are still people serving really long jail sentences and being targeted because of their race.

Queer people are also still targets in the U.S. Just after celebrating a more inclusive president and the right to marry, new legislative policies under the Trump administration are making it tricky for queer people to feel safe expressing who we are, especially trans folks, whose very existence is being questioned.

But while the cannabis and queer communities may have marginalization in common, we also have perserverence in common. None of us are giving up. Medicine, relief from pain, personal expression, the right to be who we are, these are all human rights, and we won’t stop fighting the good fight. Here’s to celebrating all things cannabis and all things queer.

-Addison Herron-Wheeler

6 \\ A P R I L 1 7 , 2 0 1 9

2727 B.C.

500 B.C.

By Yvonne Wright

Persians, Indians, Muslims, and ancient Greeks and Romans record various uses for centuries.

Some 4,500 years ago, Chinese Emperor Shen Nung wrote the first recorded accounts of cannabis' medical uses.

1500s

1600s Farmers in colonies like Virginia, Massachusetts, and Connecticut increasingly grow and use the plant.

Cannabis is likely brought to North America and introduced to the first U.S. colonies by the Spanish.

1937

1915

The federal Marijuana Tax Act essentially bans the sale of the plant by imposing heavy excise taxes.

Utah becomes the first state to outlaw cannabis. Over the next 20 years, more than 30 states, including Colorado, follow suit.

1937

1952 The Boggs Act enacts stiff, mandatory sentences for cannabis use or sale.

1970 Congress passes the Controlled Substances Act and places cannabis in the Schedule 1 category.

This most restrictive category deemed cannabis, along with heroin and LSD, as having no medical uses and a high potential for abuse, thus making it nearly impossible to do research or use in medical applications.

Two Colorado men become the first to be convicted. Both serve prison time. More than 26 million cannabis arrests will take place across the country between then and 2019.

1972 The Shafer Commission recommends decriminalizing cannabis and removing its Schedule 1 status. Then, President Nixon rejects the opinion of the investigative body he appointed.

1970s Oregon, Alaska, and Maine become the first states to decriminalize cannabis despite its Schedule 1 status.

8 \\ A P R I L 1 7 , 2 0 1 9

Today

April 2019

Cannabis remains a Schedule 1 narcotic. Two-thirds of the country have state cannabis legalization laws. Worldwide, countries begin legalizing its use at record speed. Major companies begin investing in the multi-billion dollar industry. The industry becomes the fastest-growing job market in the country.

Colorado Republican Cory Gardner joins Democrat Elizabeth Warren in reintroducing The STATES Act.

December 2018 Reports show 2018 saw $10.4 billion from the industry.

Colorado cannabis taxes bring in $266 million.

Jan. 2018 The Trump administration rescinds Obama-era guidelines, making states and users vulnerable to federal legal action.

April 2018 The STATES Act is introduced in the senate. It would protect states from federal laws regarding cannabis. The republican senate majority leader later kills the measure by refusing to bring it to a vote.

Dec. 2013

2013

Uruguay becomes the first country to legalize cannabis nationwide.

The Obama administration releases a memo that essentially allows states to legalize cannabis.

2012

2000

Colorado and Washington become the first two states to legalize recreational cannabis.

Since then, eight more states legalize recreational use.

Colorado approves medical cannabis use.

1996

1978 New Mexico approves the first medical cannabis research program. It allows physicians to prescribe federally grown cannabis to cancer patients. The program dissolves eight years later.

California voters approve the Compassionate Use Act, making it the first state to legalize medical cannabis use for people with severe or chronic illnesses. Since then, 29 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. territories of Guam and Puerto Rico approve medical cannabis use.

OUTFRONTMAGAZINE.COM

// 9

Kaya Helps Queer Team Leads

Build Dreams

By Addison Herron-Wheeler Photos by DJ Head and Veronica L. Holyfield

Entering the workforce in the 2000s can be a daunting thing, even more so if you’re queer-identified or embrace “alternative” fashion. When Amy Barttelbort studied forensic science and criminal justice, but found herself working in retail, she wasn’t sure how she was going to get the most out of her education.

“I was a manager at Ross for about seven years, and then I wasn't able to move up anymore, because my persona was too rough due to all my tattoos, so my

career was kind of at a standstill,” Barttelbort said.

“A lot of people in my family have had cancer, and I started thinking about ways I could help out and make a difference with what I do.”

The final straw was when her cousin Max, whom she was incredibly close to, passed away. Max was a major cannabis enthusiast, and Barttelbort wanted to honor his memory by working in the industry. She immediately got her badge, pounded the pavement, and landed a job at local dispensary Kaya.

OUTFRONTMAGAZINE.COM

// 1 1

Once she started working with Kaya, Barttelbort had a great experience. She never felt descriminated against for being a queer woman, and quickly moved up in the ranks.

“I was a budtender for probably a good three or four months,” she explained. "Then I got promoted to assistant manager, and I was probably an assistant for not even three months.

After that, I got promoted to inventory, and it kind of just went from there.”

From there, after she became purchasing manager, Barttelbort started working with compliance. Since her background was in criminal justice, she wanted to work something to do with her training into her new job, so she created a compliance management title to accompany her role in purchasing.

Now that she is solidified as a manager and tastemaker for the brand, she wants to find ways to make it even more inclusive to the queer community.

1 2 \\ A P R I L 1 7 , 2 0 1 9

“I think if we opened up more to letting people know we support them, we would get even more queer business,” she said. “I’ve noticed that not a lot of people do sales for Pride and things like that, and I think doing that could bring in a lot more support from the community.”

Still, she feels empowered by the team she works with and her role at Kaya today.

“I love my job; I love my people; I think that we have a great team,” she explained. “Ever since our new management came into play almost a year ago, they've really changed the business, inside and out. It's definitely a place where I want to be for a while. When you love something, you work hard for it. They have big plans for me in the logistics department, but compliance is also always where my heart lies, and someday I would love to run my own compliance department for all the locations. We are growing a lot, and I’m really excited.”

Catch Barttelbot and her team at Kaya for some quality cannabis and inclusive service.

Ready to live in central Denver …

16 Penn Apartments

A 55+ Senior Apartment Community

Colorado Personal Injury & Workers' Compensation Lawyers

16 Penn Contemporary Urban Living at its best!

Thrive@55!

1615 N Pennsylvania Denver, CO 80203

Call now for a FREE Consultation

800-800-8543 Available 24/7, Same day return calls

720-269-4380 Onsite Visitor Parking

Apartment homes starting at $1,395 with $350 deposit.

Prices subject to change without notice.

www.16PennApts.com

Located 1 block south of 17th Ave on N. Pennsylvania

It’s April! The best day of the year is this month... Tax Day! April Fools, it’s 4/20!

OUTFRONTMAGAZINE.COM

// 1 3

National Cannabis Festival Creates a Space for Inclusion in Cannabis

By Addison Herron-Wheeler Photos courtesy of the National Cannabis Festival 1 4 \\ A P R I L 1 7 , 2 0 1 9

With the legalization of cannabis comes cannabis fests, shows, and parties that are meant to be celebrations of the culture. But, like other aspects of the industry, these are often whitewashed and skewed male. For people of color, women, and queer people, the idea of attending a cannabis-themed concert or event can feel daunting, even downright discouraging.

This is where the National Cannabis Festival in Washington, D.C. fits in.

Founded by a woman of color, the idea behind the fest is to create a space where all feel welcome and fit in.

“I’ve been producing events in the human rights sector for many years," explained Founder and Executive Producer Caroline Phillips. “And when legalization of cannabis started arriving in D.C., I noticed a lot of very high-price events in our city.

At those events, I didn't really see people

“This year, we've also expanded the program to meet the needs of our attendees who have been wanting more educational content,” she explained. “We added a hemp CBD pavilion that coexists with our growth schools, our policy and culture pavilion, and also our wellness pavilion. We also introduced the veteran’s lounge this year. We've given out 200 tickets to veterans interested in attending the festival, and in this lounge, they’ll be able to gather and talk to each other. This is also the second year of our policy summit, which is taking place on April 19 at the Newseum in D.C.” Attendees of the event can expect to get high and see some good music but also to be educated on policy and the local culture. But Phillips doesn’t think it’s enough that there is one event catered more towards activism. She encourages all cannabis events and people in the industry to take a look at their processes and the people involved in their circles.

“I think you really need to put intention behind creating a diverse space,” she said. “So, if you don't have a woman sitting around your board table who feels comfortable and reassured that she can raise her hand and disagree with something without being shunned or potentially pushed out of the room, then you really need to consider the makeup of your board. Or, if you have an event

where you look at a panel discussion, and it is all, for instance, men, and maybe all of them of one race, you're also missing out on helping build this more diverse community, and you're missing out on potential audience as well.

“I would encourage people, who are in positions to produce large events, to ensure that their speaker list and the kind of exhibitors they have appeal to a wide range of people,” she added. “I know that if I look at an agenda for an event, and I don't see anybody who's experience resonates with anything that resonates with me, I'm less likely to attend. I think that it's important, just like advertising on TV, or really anything else in the marketing world, that we think about the broad and diverse community of people that will be interested in cannabis now and in the future. I think something else that we can do to ensure more diversity in this industry is to start putting women and people of color in decision-making positions. I think that diversity and equity have really become buzzword in cannabis.”

Check out the National Cannabis Festival this year for some great programming and live entertainment, or follow them for more information on advocates and influencers.

attending that reflected the people in our community. So, I wanted to create an event that was affordable and accessible for everybody in the D.C. region to be able to attend, but also an event that celebrates the work of the nonprofit advocacy groups that have been working so long to get us to this point with legalization.

There's really no better place than D.C. to have that combination of celebration and activism.”

This year, the fest will take place in D.C. at RFK Stadium on 4/20. With headliners Action Bronson and Ludacris on the bill, folks travel from all over to make it to the inclusive and inspirational fest. There is also programming leading up to the big day that focuses on advocacy and activism. While the big-name headliners are a huge draw for many when it comes to the fest, a major focus for the programmers is the aspect of reaching the community.

OUTFRONTMAGAZINE.COM

// 1 5

OFFERS VALID 4/17/19– 4/23/19

2 FOR $20

2 FOR $20

DIXIE GUMMIES

RIPPLE DISOLVABLES

$ $

20

POPCORN QUARTERS

20

EVOLAB ALCHEMY IHITS Valid for recreational only, 4/17–4/23/19. Tax not included.

Purchase limits apply. Available while supplies last.

Must present a valid government-issued photo ID. See store for details.

$

20

HIGH COUNTRY HEALING LIVE RESIN

ge • Arvada • Down d i R tow eat h n W

Line

Grand Opening ALL ABOARD THE

TRAIN

fRiday • ApRil 26

grand opening 9 am – 10am

free rides G Line

10am – 9 pm satuRday • ApRil 27

station paRties 10 am – 2 pm

free rides all rail lines

5 am – 10 pm

For more information visit rtd-denver.com

Honeypot Lounge Gives Smokers a Safe Haven Photo by Mark Adams

By Addison Herron-Wheeler

1 8 \\ A P R I L 1 7 , 2 0 1 9

Cannabis legalization has offered Coloradans a conundrum from the very beginning: where can we smoke?

For a long time, there were no legal smoking areas in Colorado, and now that there finally are, they are few and far-between. Now that some public consumption is allowed, the fact that cannabis spaces can’t serve alcohol has turned off a lot of spaces that may have otherwise allowed social use, and the lack of legal combustion options for cannabis hasn’t helped. But Deen Wean’s Honeypot Lounge thinks they have the answer.

“Every time you come to the bar, you will always have a clean piece of glass clean to use,” explained Michael Polansky, one of the founders of the business. “Just like at any bar, if you step up to my bar, and I gave you some scotch, I wouldn't put it in a dirty glass or ask you to pass it around to everyone afterwards. So, that's sort of what we're trying to do to level things up a little bit.

There's a really cool company called Pipe Dream, and they have a mobile, ultrasound glass cleaning unit that completely sanitizes everything, so they are like our Cintas.”

Essentially, the idea behind Honeypot is to have the experience of a bar, just with cannabis instead of alcohol. Patrons can come up and vape at the bar, or they can take a cup of vapor to “sip” on as they walk around and enjoy the live music or other events that the venue will host. For now, until the laws change, there will be no alcohol on site, and there will be no cannabis smoking, only vaping.

Patrons bring in their own cannabis, and can share with friends new and old, but aren’t expected to bring their own glass. That will all be provided by the venue. There are a number of measures to ensure safety is adhered to, including a system of giving differentcolored wristbands to patrons that indicate whether the guest is a seasoned smoker or a novice who needs to take it easy.

Named for Dean Ween of the band Ween, there is definitely somewhat of an agenda to include music at the venue. But, although Ween often get lumped in with the jam band crowd, Polansky is quick to point out that the venue is for everyone, not just a certain stereotype.

“The connection to Dean is great, and what we really want to do is put interesting people on bills together,” he explained. “Before the spot opened, we would all go to a lot of industry consumption events, and there just wasn’t this aspect of fun to them; I think that was missing. I didn’t see a lot of that fresh-faced joy that comes from music.”

In addition to welcoming in music of all kinds, the Honeypot Lounge will have a comedy night and is open to the idea of stoner drag shows, other live events, and entertainment and gatherings of all kinds. Essentially, they are looking to make their venue a community gathering spot, only one that centers around cannabis instead of alcohol. They stress that members of the LGBTQ community and all people will be welcome to make their home here.

“Anyone is welcome. And we can make anyone feel comfortable.

Whether you haven’t done this or if you’re a seasoned dab head, we can offer good service and make you feel at home.”

Check out Honeypot Lounge’s calendar to find out about upcoming events, or get in touch to book your next show.

OUTFRONTMAGAZINE.COM

// 1 9

420 and Chill?

Cannabis, Kink, and Sex Markets Collide

By Keegan Williams Photos courtesy of featured brands Looking back 50 years to the days of the 1960s, abundant in sexual liberation and social change, one could point to countless cultural shifts that led to modern-day American life. It’s safe to say two ideals remain unchanged today: people love having sex, and they love consuming cannabis.

When you smoke cannabis or have sex, you are experiencing a heightened production of dopamine which leads to increased pleasure. Using cannabis doesn’t impact dopamine neurons directly, but it does suppress neurons that inhibit dopamine production.

Cannabinoids in cannabis work directly with the body’s endocannabinoid system, which processes cannabinoids 2 0 \\ A P R I L 1 7 , 2 0 1 9

naturally produced by the body and mediates the cannabinoids in cannabis.

The two most popular cannabinoids one would most likely encounter at their neighborhood dispensary are tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive favorite, and cannabidiol (CBD), the non-psychoactive, medicinal underdog that has boomed in popularity recently.

Privy Peach

Since legalization took hold all over the country, many companies have stepped up to fill the niches of cannabis and recreation, cannabis and music, or cannabis and health. For a few, that niche was cannabis and sex. We spoke to some of the pioneers who are making things happen behind closed doors in the cannabis community.

Kim Koehler was never a regular cannabis user but quickly took notice of CBD’s benefits before starting Privy Peach, a company focused on lubricants, intimate oils, tinctures, and topicals enriched exclusively with CBD. After learning about the anti-inflammatory and circulationboosting properties of the cannabinoid and seeing the lack of cannabis products

made specifically for women and people with vulvas, Koehler decided to dive into this market that is often ignored.

“There are very anti-THC people that are so desperate to improve their sex lives—because that’s their relationship— that they’re willing to, at this point, try anything,” Koehler said. “I mean that’s the point I was at.”

She plans to eventually explore THC products, but CBD has looser regulations state-by-state and can be sold online. In fact, Koehler is currently finalizing a distribution deal as one of the first U.S. CBD companies to export products to sex shops in and around Mexico, which recently legalized CBD. OUTFRONTMAGAZINE.COM

// 2 1

Foria At just over a year old, Privy Peach is on the rise. Foria, on the other hand, has been in the industry about five years, boasting cannabis-infused intimacy lines with varying ratios of CBD and THC. Director of Communications Kiana Reeves said that the company started the conversation of applying cannabis to the genitals and combining cannabinoids to enhance access to pleasure.

With Foria’s variety of products, Reeves echoed Koehler, recognizing not only limited consumer access to products based on THC laws and regulations, but the varied structure of each person’s endocannabinoid system. Reeves said Foria is a cannabinoid company first and foremost.

“Where we really are positioning the conversation is, ‘What does the role of cannabinoids have to play in wellness?’ including sexual health,” Reeves said.

Reeves, who is queer, said that Foria strives to be inclusive of all genders and sexual orientations. Directly tied to this is Foria’s aim to educate the public, break free from the sexually repressed landscape we are often surrounded by, and destigmatize sexual exploration.

2 2 \\ A P R I L 1 7 , 2 0 1 9

“I love that it’s applicable across the board to all people,” Reeves said.

“Anyone who wants to express themselves in any capacity—to explore their pleasure, to empower themselves, to expand on that—that’s really our goal in this conversation.”

Other companies are fully embracing the edible market for sex and intimacy.

1906 The cannabis-infused chocolate company 1906 entered the edible cannabis industry with a variety of tailored experiences.

Every 1906 product has a 1:1 THC:CBD ratio; products are enriched with plant medicines from around the globe, and their edibles are designed to take effect in 20 minutes or less.

1906 also looked toward intimacy and sex with their LOVE aphrodisiac chocolates. Alongside the 1:1 ratio in each dose, LOVE contains herbal supplements with a number of specific purposes like helping increase ability to achieve orgasm; assisting in pelvic, brain, and full-body blood flow; boosting libido; and lowering blood pressure.

Director of Retail Development Jim Freeland said that making LOVE effective for the user, no matter their gender, inherently helps to not only be inclusive for any person or relationship, but it also allows couples and groups to experience the effects of LOVE together.

“We just, honestly, realized that there’s a great connection between our brand and the [LGBTQ] community for a number of reasons,” Freeland said. “There’s more of an openness in the LGBTQ community to explore things that will help enhance your life. That goes beyond the product itself. We want to celebrate more love throughout the world.”

WHAT do you liv for?

9 $15 $20 $15 $30 $

LivWell Blunts .8 gm

Ground bud - recreational only

Full Melt Caramels

100mg THC recreational only

#HASH #shatter 1gm recreational & Medical

Pre-Weigh 1/8 oz Flower Rec LivWell Rewards Price

Pre-Weigh 1/2 oz Flower Rec LivWell Rewards Price

And more. Visit us at LivWell.com for details

colorado | oregon facebook LivWellEnlightenedHealth | instagram @LivWellCannabis_ twitter @livwellcannabis | www.livwell.com

Our Best Offer Ever!

$99 TO START THEN ONLY $79/MONTH NO CONTRACT Come Give Us a Try or Sign Up Online Today

925 Lincoln St

© 2019 LivWell Enlightened Health. All Rights Reserved.

Prices do not include tax. Colorado only.

303.863.7770 matrixfitnessandspa.com

OUTFRONTMAGAZINE.COM

// 2 3

CannaMojo While companies like 1906 started with cannabis and worked toward intimacy, Ted Naylon stood on the other side of the aisle. He created Hard Mojo, a male enhancement pill already thriving in the market, when he realized that no one had thought to infuse cannabis with a product like his. This led to CannaMojo, a cannabis-infused, male enhancement pill that became the first of its kind.

The foundation, or the Mojo, has a blend of all-natural supplements aimed to help sexual and erectile dysfunction, longevity, and arousal, while the 10mg dose of THC distillate in each pill increases desire and sensitivity.

While the current CannaMojo pill is marketed toward men, Naylon said that the base functions of Mojo’s supplements make it a pleasurable, accessible experience for any person.

Naylon has received positive feedback from women and female-bodied people who have tried CannaMojo as it is now, though he receives daily inquiries about creating a product specifically tailored to people with vulvas and is in the process of developing one to ensure CannaMojo is inclusive for all genders.

2 4 \\ A P R I L 1 7 , 2 0 1 9

“We’re going to have a his-and-hers version,” Naylon said, “like, with a gay, male couple, both of them are getting the experience, and we want to bring that into the bedroom with both men and women …

It’s all really exciting that we’re pioneering this whole category of intimacy and THC together. It’s what people want.”

Strap Up Custom Gear Lou DeLucia is another professional working with products surrounding sex and intimacy, and he similarly noticed the need to embrace cannabis along with it. He is co-owner of Strap Up Custom Gear with Stephen Hook in Denver and initially began the venture about four years ago with the intention of shaking up the leather community and offering comfortable, custom gear to folks in the LGBTQ kink community of all shapes and sizes.

Among the custom options Strap Up currently offers are two cannabis leaf prints, and DeLucia said creating custom gear that embraces cannabis designs was a no-brainer.

“With the amount of people here who consume cannabis, it’s become more mainstream to have a belt or a harness in the gay community,” DeLucia said,

“and you can put cannabis on it. If you love cannabis as much as we do, why wouldn’t you?”

As a company that often ships and travels to locations across the country and around the world, DeLucia said that cannabis-related gear clearly flourishes in some areas over others, and cannabisspecific, custom demands will likely shift with the cultural landscape going forward.

As Colorado enters the second half of the first, full decade of legal, recreational cannabis sales, many professionals are eager to see where the flourishing intersection of cannabis, intimacy, and sex lands. On his end, DeLucia is eager for Strap Up Custom Gear to grow with the expanding market in Colorado and the United States and encouraged weed lovers far and wide to embrace the delightful combination that is cannabis and sex.

“We really built on, not only fitting every shape and size, but also fitting every personality and unique style,” DeLucia said. “If you are a cannabis user, cannabis belongs in the bedroom in some way, shape, or form. If you’re not smoking it before sex, you might want to try wearing it during sex, and that’s where we come in.”

®

A Breakthrough Solution for Men Seeking Better Erections & Optimal Sexual Performance GAINSWave® is a drug and surgery free, non-invasive, painless procedure that uses pulse waves to improve sexual performance.

(303) 578-4228 http://rpm-colorado.com/gainswave/

COLORADO FAMILY OWNED Flower, Hash, Vape Pens/Cartridges, Edibles & CBD products!

View our specials @ greenfieldsdispensary.com

4/20 Specials all April long!

Greenfields or don’t inhale

OUTFRONTMAGAZINE.COM

// 2 5

Presented by

Visit these businesses for breakfast, lunch, happy hour, or dinner on Thursday, May 2, and 25% of your bill will benefit Project Angel Heart.

ALL DENVER / BOULDER LOCATIONS

CHERRY CREEK/GLENDALE Barolo Grill Bull & Bush Brewery The Cherry Cricket - Cherry Creek Cuba Cuba Sandwicheria - Glendale Cucina Colore Trattoria & Bar AURORA Hapa Sushi Grill and Sake Bar Anthony’s Pizza & Pasta Cherry Creek Iliff & Buckley Jax Fish House - Glendale La Cueva Machete Tequila + Tacos Sam’s No. 3 Diner - Aurora Cherry Creek BOULDER AREA Piatti Anthony’s Pizza & Pasta - Longmont Sam’s No. 3 Diner - Glendale Avery Brewing Restaurant & Tap Room DOWNTOWN Beau Jo’s Colorado Style Pizza Anthony’s Pizza & Pasta - Downtown Longmont Anthony’s Pizza & Pasta Blackbelly Union Station Mountain Sun Pub & Brewery Appaloosa Grill & Wright Room Southern Sun Pub & Brewery Avelina Biker Jim’s Gourmet Dogs CAPITOL HILL/CENTRAL Bistro Vendôme Angelo’s Taverna - Denver Blake Street Tavern Bang Up to the Elephant!

BriDer Rotisserie and Kitchen Bones The Cherry Cricket - Ballpark Cuba Cuba Cafe & Bar Corridor 44 DiFranco’s D’Corazon FIRE at the ART, a hotel Euclid Hall Bar & Kitchen Former Saint Craft Kitchen and Taps Fruition Restaurant French 75 Little India - 6th & Grant Freshcraft Luca Jax Fish House - LoDo Mizuna Pieology Pizzeria - 12th & Broadway Kachina Cantina Prohibition Machete Tequila + Tacos Racines Restaurant Union Station Shells and Sauce Marco’s Coal-Fired - Ballpark Table 6 Mercantile dining & provision Uno Mas Taqueria - 6th Ave Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox Osteria Marco

Panzano The Pig & The Sprout Red Square Euro Bistro Rhein Haus Rioja Russell’s Smokehouse Sam’s No. 3 Diner - Downtown Stoic & Genuine TAMAYO Two-Fisted Mario’s Pizza Ultreia Gastroteka Uncle Joe’s Hong Kong Bistro Vesta Wally’s Wisconsin Tavern EAST COLFAX Annie’s Cafe & Bar Bastien’s Restaurant The Denver Biscuit Company E Colfax Fat Sully’s Pizza - E Colfax Machete Tequila + Tacos - Colfax Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs Trattoria Stella - Colfax EAST DENVER Anthony’s Pizza & Pasta 7th & Colorado Anthony’s Pizza & Pasta Dartmouth Cake Crumbs Bakery The Cherry Tomato Citron Bistro Copper Kettle Brewing Company India’s Restaurant Inga’s Alpine Tavern La Fogata Mexican Restaurant Evans Lowry Beer Garden

Monaco Inn Restaurant North County Oblio’s Pizzeria Tables GREEN VALLEY RANCH Anthony’s Pizza & Pasta Gateway Park Green Valley Ranch Beer Garden NORTH METRO Anthony’s Pizza & Pasta 120th & Huron Anthony’s Pizza & Pasta - Brighton Asti d’Italia Cuba Cuba Sandwicheria - Thornton Flatz Restaurant Great Scott’s Eatery - Broomfield Great Scott’s Eatery - Denver Hana Matsuri Sushi Peel Handcrafted Pizza Tuk Tuk Thai Bistro - Westminster NORTHWEST DENVER/HIGHLANDS Ash’Kara Bar Dough Billy’s Inn Café Brazil The Denver Biscuit Company Tennyson duo Restaurant El Camino Community Tavern El Five The Family Jones Spirit House Fat Sully’s Pizza - Tennyson Firenze a Tavola :: Authentic Tuscan Dining & Wine Bar Gaetano’s Highland Tap & Burger

In 2019, Project Angel Heart will prepare and deliver delicious, medically tailored meals for more than 3,000 Coloradans living with HIV/AIDS, cancer, kidney disease, and other serious illnesses. The meals are designed to improve their health and quality of life.

“Many times before your help, I didn’t eat just to make sure Darren did. Now, we both eat together.

It just means so much to us.”

—Mike & Darren, living with HIV/AIDS

M AY 2 , 2 0 1 9 Hops & Pie Linger LoHi SteakBar LOLA Coastal Mexican MAS KAOS Pizzeria & Taqueria Ohana Island Kitchen Old Major PARISI pizzeria.trattoria.vino Prost Brewing Company Root Down Señor Bear Tap & Burger Sloan’s Lake Tocabe - North Denver Trattoria Stella - Highlands The Truffle Table Vital Root RINO/FIVE POINTS Cart-Driver Death & Co Dunbar Kitchen and Tap House Hop Alley Jack Rabbit Slims Julep Nocturne Jazz & Supper Club Osaka Ramen Rosenberg’s Bagels & Delicatessen Five Points Stowaway Kitchen Work & Class

DiningOutForLifeDenver.org

Fat Sully’s Pizza - S Broadway Gozo Imperial Chinese LEÑA Palenque Mezcaleria Punch Bowl Social - S Broadway Sputnik Sweet Action Ice Cream Taste of Thailand Turtle Boat SOUTH METRO/DTC Anthony’s Pizza & Pasta - Castle Rock Anthony’s Pizza & Pasta - DTC Anthony’s Pizza & Pasta - Lone Tree Burger Theory - Holiday Inn & Suites DTC-Centennial Cranelli’s Italian Restaurant Cuba Cuba Sandwicheria Castle Rock Cuba Cuba Sandwicheria - DTC Farro Italian Restaurant La Fogata Mexican Restaurant - DTC Marco’s Coal-Fired - Inverness Sahara Restaurant Tap & Burger Belleview Station Tocabe - Greenwood Village Tuk Tuk Thai Grill - DTC SOUTHEAST METRO Anthony’s Pizza & Pasta - Parker Anthony’s Pizza & Pasta - Smoky Hill LuBo’s NY Pizza Trapper’s Chop House

SOUTH BROADWAY Adelitas Cocina y Cantina S Broadway Beatrice & Woodsley Blue Bonnet Restaurant SOUTHWEST METRO Colore Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria Adelitas Cocina y Cantina - Littleton The Denver Biscuit Company Anthony’s Pizza & Pasta S Broadway Highlands Ranch

Donating $1 for every Tito’s cocktail sold on May 2

One lucky diner will win a $2,500 gift card from King Soopers

Anthony’s Pizza & Pasta - Littleton Café Terracotta Cuba Cuba Sandwicheria Highlands Ranch Land of Sushi Piccino Wood Oven Pizza Rolling Smoke BBQ - Centennial Romano’s Italian Restaurant Littleton Sazza Pizza + Salads The South Restaurant The Wooden Table STAPLETON Anthony’s Pizza & Pasta - Stapleton The Berkshire Restaurant Cuba Cuba Sandwicheria - Northfield The Denver Biscuit Company Stanley Marketplace Punch Bowl Social - Stapleton Rolling Smoke BBQ Stanley Marketplace Stanley Beer Hall UPTOWN Ace Eat Serve Atelier by Radex beast + bottle Coperta Mile High Hamburger Mary’s Steuben’s - Uptown Vine Street Pub & Brewery WASH PARK/DU Anthony’s Pizza & Pasta - DU Bird Blackbird Public House Bonnie Brae Tavern Inc.

#DOFLDEN

Carmine’s on Penn Kaos Pizzeria Little India - South Downing Palizo Italiano Que Bueno Suerte!

Steam Espresso Bar Uno Mas Taqueria - S Pearl Wash Park Grille WEST METRO/MOUNTAINS 240 Union Restaurant A Creative Grill Anthony’s Pizza & Pasta 53rd & Wadsworth Anthony’s Pizza & Pasta Alameda & Simms Anthony’s Pizza & Pasta Evergreen Anthony’s Pizza & Pasta - Golden Beau Jo’s Colorado Style Pizza Arvada Beau Jo’s Colorado Style Pizza Evergreen Bob’s Atomic Burgers José O’Shea’s Moose Hill Cantina School House Kitchen & Libations Steuben’s - Arvada Tuk Tuk Thai Grill - Lakewood MEAL DELIVERY SERVICE SupperBell =

Donating 25% of food and bar sales!

projectangelheart @proj_angelheart

Where

do Our Flowers Bloom?

A look at How Cannabis Companies Give Back to the Community

By Addison Herron-Wheeler and Veronica L. Holyfield

2 8 \\ A P R I L 1 7 , 2 0 1 9

Legal cannabis sweeping the city, state, and country is not new news, by any means. But now that walking to the corner store to buy some joints and edibles is as routine as picking up dinner, we can sit back and really see how cannabis is impacting our community.

Clearly, there are pros and cons to cannabis being legal. Arrest rates are down and people feel safer buying cannabis, but rent prices are expensive and people of color still aren’t fairly represented in the industry.

None of these are problems we can fix overnight, but one way cannabis companies can help combat any negative effects is by giving money back.

Companies in Denver positively impact the cannabis community, the queer community, and beyond. Giving to charity is a part of being a successful business, and many cannabis companies take it above and beyond. We talked to a few about the good work they are doing and how they make a difference.

Good Chemistry The beloved Colorado cannabis brand is a pioneer when it comes to giving back, especially to the LGBTQ community. CEO Matthew Huron watched his father and his father’s partner suffer the effects of HIV and vowed to do everything he could to fight back against the virus.

“Good Chemistry dedicates substantial financial and human resources to a wide range of organizations that help achieve the company’s overall goal of 'Making Life Better' for those in need,” he explained. “Some of the groups Good Chemistry has supported in recent years

include One Colorado, Colorado AIDS project, The Gathering Place, local veterans' support groups, Denver Rescue Mission, and The Burns Center on Poverty and Homelessness.

“My father was a cab driver, but even on a limited budget, he would donate time and money to community support groups,” he added. “He instilled in me the value and responsibility of making life better for those in need, and today that remains a pillar of Good Chemistry’s mission.”

High Level Health This local company goes above and beyond to create both a safe space for folks of all walks of life to shop and a good company that gives back to the environment. They even choose to give back to environmental charities that do a lot of good behind the scenes.

“High Level Health has been working with the nonprofit group Rocky Flats Downwinders,” explained Chaz K, head grower for High Level Health. “This group is working to raise awareness about the former Rocky Flats nuclear weapons plant located near Arvada and the health problems reported by residents.

In a project spearheaded by one of our senior growers, Tiffany, our grows have developed a high-testing, 1:1 THC:CBD strain called ‘Rocky Flats,’ which is a proprietary cross between C4 and Mimosa. The strain was created in an effort to bring awareness and relief to a group of people who have a true need for medicinal cannabis.”

The company also works with the Veterans Association of Colorado and allows for their strains to be tested as a treatment for PTSD.

OUTFRONTMAGAZINE.COM

// 2 9

Kaya Cannabis

Shift

Kaya Cannabis holds itself to the highest standards and prides itself on upholding ethical and compassionate practices that are above expectations. They are home to a fascinatingly diverse group of employees, because at their core, they are sure to seek out the most qualified for internal positions, regardless of status or personal background.

Shift puts their cannabis philanthropy in an interesting place: the world of sports. Their nonprofit foundation, Safe Roots, has dedicated time and resources to a coach curriculum training program. The program is just in its pilot stages now, but the goal is to create something in time for this fall that will help with giving coaches the tools they need to succeed.

Open to feedback and adjusting, Kaya ensures a safe environment for their employees and customers alike. When it comes to environmental practices, they are constantly monitoring industry standards and changing necessary business practices regularly to uphold quality, safety, and efficacy regulations. Since they grow their own flower, they watch for pesticides and nutrients that are within state regulations and apply air filtration systems in their cultivations to avoid air pollution.

"Safe Roots Foundation is thrilled to be working with Shift to combat harmful teenage substance use in one of the most powerful and underutilized venues in the United States: the sports field," said Kirk Friedrich, executive director of the Safe Roots Foundation.

They use as much of the plant as possible to avoid waste and are currently researching new and improved forms of packaging to find the most environmentally friendly materials. Kaya makes a concerted effort to partner with local causes that they are able to work with. Setting aside time and financial aid, the staff is passionate about working with causes that impact Denver residents, specifically homelessness, food insecurity, community renewal, and animal shelters.

Lightshade Lightshade see themselves as more than an inclusive company, but one that is a true partner to the community. Working with local organizations such as Gathering Place, a Denver nonprofit that works with women, children, and transgender individuals, they also internalize a culture of giving by providing meal services and career counseling for those interested in a future in the cannabis industry.

Ultimately, for Lightshade, it’s about creating a family-oriented work environment that is a safe space for all their staff members who embody diversity in race, gender identity, and sexual orientation. They have also established a Corporate Social Responsibility program, which includes relationships with 10 nonprofit organizations throughout the metro area. Through food, clothing, and dollar donations, as well as employee volunteering time, they are helping to improve food access and support services to those experiencing extreme poverty or homelessness.

In addition to giving back to the community, Lightshade is committed to sustainability and reducing the company’s carbon footprint. A new greenhouse cultivation facility was completed this month featuring systems specifically designed to cut our energy consumption in half, reduce water and nutrient use by more than 50 percent, and significantly decrease waste.

Lightshade also limits plastic use by partnering with Green for Green, which collects, cleans, and reuses typically high-waste dram containers. They will also switch their packaging to Mylar bags, which will reduce their use of plastic by 85 percent.

3 0 \\ A P R I L 1 7 , 2 0 1 9

The Flower Collective The Flower Collective (TFC) may be a small company, but they sure are mighty. Nestled in the basin of the Rocky Mountains, this Nederland cannabis growing and producing company is dedicated to crafting naturally potent products while harvesting an inclusive space in their small mountain town.

As one of their core values, inclusivity is reflected in their hiring practices as well as their culture, one in which people from all walks of life can feel comfortable, happy, and productive.

Putting this value into action, TFC supports policies that facilitate the early release of inmates convicted of nonviolent cannabis crimes as well as programs that scrub those crimes clean from public record. The fact that cannabis-related convictions disproportionately affect people of color makes this issue especially high-priority to TFC and pushes them even more to create a business that is inclusive and supporting of marginalized communities.

Additionally, TFC is focused on sustainably grown cannabis that is locally sourced using soil and nutrients from businesses located within Nederland. They recapture water in an effort to reduce impact and use recycled material for all their packaging.

Though they admit that the state’s strict packaging regulations and indoor growing limitations mean they generate more waste than they would like, this is something they have committed to improving as TFC continues to grow and the cannabis industry evolves.

Terrapin Care Station Terrapin Care Station comes from Boulder, and they make it a point to support the queer community in their home town.

“Out Boulder County is proud of our ongoing relationship with the people of Terrapin Care Station,” said Mardi Moore, who runs the queer organization Out Boulder. “They walk the talk when it comes to enacting corporate responsibility.

Their inclusive hiring and training practices coupled with their philanthropic giving is a model. The funding given to OBC makes Boulder County a better place to live and work.”

In addition to their work with Out Boulder, Terrapin also gives money to the Reentry Initiative, a program that helps women in prison rehabilitate to society and serves many queer women.

SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DRAG: ISSUE RELEASE PARTY Photos by Veronica L. Holyfield

OUT FRONT JOINED BETTY SWALLOWS ON MARCH 23 AT PRIDE AND SWAGGER FOR THE WEEKLY SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DRAG COMPETITION.

OUTFRONTMAGAZINE.COM

// 3 1

The Trans Community Has a Pot Problem

By Jordan Hanson

The transgender and gendernonconforming (TGNC) community has a real pot problem, only it isn’t what you think. My problem isn’t with the fact that trans people smoke pot more frequently than other groups, even though that’s generally true, with 25 percent of selfidentified frequent users versus just 8 percent in the general public. My problem is that we can’t talk openly about our substance use.

When I mentioned the early draft idea for this article—an investigation into whether or not cannabis might help transgender folks find some form of relief from gender dysphoria—the topic piqued a lot of interest among every trans, gender-nonconforming, or nonbinary person I spoke with. I thought, with such widespread cannabis usage evident among TGNC people, there had to be a reason why, right? So, I went in search of answers.

In my search, I spoke with many healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, lab technicians, and pharmacists, in addition to several others who work in the cannabis industry.

There was a common trend in every conversation: nobody wanted to go on the record with their comments, out of fear for their jobs. In private, these professionals told me how they weren’t afraid to speak to patients about cannabis use, but that they also understood why some patients might be reluctant to give honest answers about their substance use.

Many patients are afraid that being honest might limit their treatment options, like being denied surgeries or being restricted from hormone replacement therapy.

Others have commented that they were afraid of “feeling judged” or “even more gatekeeping.”

3 2 \\ A P R I L 1 7 , 2 0 1 9

To that end, one healthcare professional I spoke with shared one improvised solution: promising patients that if they talk honestly about their substance use, they won’t report it in patient records, thereby preventing insurance companies from ever finding out. It was more important, they said, to maintain the patient’s trust in their primary care provider than it was to include that information in patient records.

The larger problem here is that there isn’t an easy answer to this conundrum, either. If healthcare professionals are working on behalf of patients and against insurance companies when it comes to cannabis, how much is our science really progressing? If such a silencing effect and stigma still exists around even legal use of cannabis, here in Colorado of all places, what does that say for how our doctors feel compelled to work around the system in order to provide better patient outcomes?

There is promising research out there that suggests better answers are forthcoming with regard to gender development.

A February 2014 study published in Psychology reports, “[iI]t has been suggested the image of sex organs of [transgender people] are ‘hard-wired’ in the brain in a manner which is opposite to that of their biological sex.” This is only preliminary research, of course, but it’s a heartening message for some in the community: it underscores that there may still be important medical differences about what it means to be transgender, about when and how gender development occurs, and many in the community are cheering for further results.

But while we cheer for more results, the truth is that we may never know how much more frequently the TGNC

population consumes cannabis compared to cis people. Part of the problem is a lack of consistently reliable patient data, which itself is subject to error because it, too, relies entirely on self-reporting.

And with both healthcare providers and their patients seemingly reluctant to share this kind of information out of fear for how insurance companies might wield it like a weapon, that situation doesn’t look like it will change any time soon, in a meaningful, regulatory sense.

Even with a general unwillingness to speak on record among the healthcare professionals I interviewed, some pointed me to research that already exists.

Authorities in the medical community have generally concluded that, while there may be some therapeutic benefits for ailments such as chronic pain, nausea, sleep, and MS-related spasms, much more research is still needed to confirm any potential benefits for other medical conditions.

Let’s be clear: the jury is out when it comes to health benefits from cannabis. Nobody is anywhere close to confirming that cannabis can help treat gender dysphoria or alleviate symptoms of feeling like your body might be "wrong." But without a change in how openly we can talk about cannabis with our medical and mental health professionals, we will continue to lack consistently reliable data about how vast the pot "problem" is among TGNC community members.

Most healthcare professionals told me they would rather know about substance use than not know. We have a pot problem as a community, but it’s not entirely our fault. Healthcare professionals, in this case, just want to help—and we should let them.

OUTFRONTMAGAZINE.COM

// 3 3

3 4 \\ A P R I L 1 7 , 2 0 1 9

Decriminalize Denver’s Push to Pass

Magic Healing Mushrooms

By Veronica L. Holyfield

S

hall the voters of the City and County of Denver adopt an ordinance that would make the personal use and possession of psilocybin mushrooms the city’s lowest law-enforcement priority? This question will arise as Initiative 301 on the upcoming ballot in the city of Denver on May 7, potentially granting the Mile High City another first in the national wave of decriminalization. But what exactly does this initiative mean, and what are the potential impacts?

Psilocybin mushrooms, better known as magic mushrooms (or simply shrooms), have been a controversial and illegal substance in America since the 1960s. However, they have long existed before the Age of Aquarius; their use has been documented in religious rituals and medicinal purposes dating back to the 16th century.

Known for their hallucinogenic and spirituality-enhancing response in the human brain, popularity of mushrooms grew during the late 1950s, and clinicians worldwide began to study the effects of psilocybin during sessions of psychedelic psychotherapy. With its low toxicity and harm potential, the benefits seemed to outweigh the costs. However, after the infamous War on Drugs hit, psilocybin was classified as a Schedule I drug in 1970, and all clinical trials and testing were halted.

OUTFRONTMAGAZINE.COM

// 3 5

Schedule I drugs are considered illicit drugs that possess no known therapeutic benefit; they are substances with high potential for abuse, not acceptable for medicinal purposes, and there is a heavy discouragement for safe usage under medical supervision. Other Schedule I drugs include heroin and quaaludes, and possession of Schedule I drugs can result in a felony charge.

However, we already know that the Schedule I classification doesn’t always hold up to real-life experiences.

Cannabis is also still a Schedule I drug on the federal level, even though no one has ever died of a cannabis overdose, and legalization in several states has led to a healthy medical industry and responsible recreational use.

Decriminalize Denver, an organization that has turned more than 8,000 signatures to the City of Denver, feels that mushrooms, like cannabis, are wrongly classified as Schedule I and would like to see their status change eventually.

“When we think about the kinds of things that are actually legal in this country today, products pumped full of sugar, alcoholic beverages, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, we don’t think, ‘Wow, these things are saving lives,'" said Richard William Guerra, associate publisher of Sensi magazine and a local advocate for mushroom legalization. “These aren’t things that are changing the structure of people’s mental capacity or making their bodies heal; we think of destruction.”

As a psilocybin activist and the associate publisher of a cannabis lifestyle magazine, Guerra is working alongside dozens of individuals within Decriminalize Denver in the push to remove the harsh restrictions on mushroom possession and consumption.

“Being a part of this growing organization that is Sensi, I’ve been able to work within an organization that is, at its heart, normalizing and de-stigmatizing the use of plant medicine. So, I developed a purpose in that regard,” he said.

Guerra does admit that while cannabis has played its part in people being concerned about misuse and illegal trafficking, psilocybin plays a very different role in society.

3 6 \\ A P R I L 1 7 , 2 0 1 9

“The general public just doesn’t hear stories or experience situations where psilocybin is the reason for why there is crime, or why somebody is driving erratically and why somebody got killed on the highway. It just isn’t a part of those narratives,” Guerra said. “For the most part, the general public is not looking to buy a bunch of psilocybin.”

Surprisingly, there isn't a ton of pushback from lawmakers or drug antagonists on the notion of decriminalization, and that could be because mushrooms are simply not associated with violent crimes or incidents of assault. Typically, any sort of recoil on the subject is mostly due to a personally negative experience, aka a “bad trip.”

“I, personally, was really ignorant to it early on; my intention was to take a lot of it to have a trip and have a good time; that is not so great of a decision for an individual,” Guerra said.

“Everybody's affected differently by this plant medicine, and now, all these years later, my wisdom has come to show me that it should be revered, and that we should really just take enough to get to the healing we want.”

Healing from psilocybin has been documented and studied over the last 10 years by researchers, and the results of these findings are rather undeniable.

They have found that through these psychedelics, activation of serotonin receptors in the brain provide significant relief to sufferers of PTSD, depression, and anxiety.

A study in 2006, led by the National Institute of Drug Abuse, stated that 79 percent of participants reported moderately to greatly increased life satisfaction and a sense of well-being.

Although 13 percent reported that dysphoria, an experience of fear, or a “bad trip,” existed for the duration of the session, none of them reported lasting negative effects, and not one participant reported having a lasting negative effect on their well-being.

So, where does the fear come from, and why such harsh restrictions and punishments around a hallucinogenic plant? When laws exist, such as regulations and limits, and education around dosage and expectations can

be given, can there truly be a downside to lowering the penalties with these magical mushrooms?

“We need to do some research, like we have with cannabis. We should establish a mushroom review panel to assess and report on the effects of this law,” Guerra said. “This framework doesn’t have selling legalities, so we’re not talking about a recreational legal market; it’s just in a medicinal setting.”

Apart from healing, Guerra also believes that the mushroom movement could offer major benefits to citizens, and society as a whole, by opening up the hearts and minds of individuals through the psychedelic realm in a decriminalized society.

“I think that there’s a call and a push for plant medicines and ceremonial psychedelics in general, for more people to have access to that and not be afraid of prosecution,” he said. “We can watch people be a lot happier and nicer to each other, understand each other a lot better. There would be a whole lot less division and fighting; it’s one of those potential lights of hope where so many of us are not really seeing a lot of that.

That’s the kind of thing we can all agree that needs to happen immediately.”

So, shall the voters of the City and County of Denver adopt an ordinance that would make the personal use and possession of psilocybin mushrooms the city’s lowest law-enforcement priority?

We shall see on May 7.

VOTE

BY MAY 7

Delivering a more welcoming, modern and progressive city for everyone.

HancockForDenver.com HancockForDenver.com Paid for by Hancock for Denver

Around h she’s a ere, Council M OM Robin’s our first and only out Councilmember. She’s been there for the LGBTQ community and all of Denver.

Paid for by Kniech for Council At-Large City Wide - At-Large - You Can Vote For Two

www.KniechforCouncil.com OUTFRONTMAGAZINE.COM

// 3 7

Robin KNIECH

Still has More to Give

By Addison Herron-Wheeler Photo courtesy of Robin Kniech

3 8 \\ A P R I L 1 7 , 2 0 1 9

After two terms as city councilwoman at-large, Robin Kniech has a pretty impressive resume under her belt. As Denver’s firstout LGBTQ councilwoman, she has worked to create genderneutral restroom options, outlaw conversion therapy in Denver, and support the income non-discrimination act and trans inclusion in homeless shelters. As far as broader policy goes, she has supported the Climate Action Plan and worked toward public safety and affordable housing.

For some, this would be enough, but not for Kniech. If reelected, she plans to work to make low-income services more inclusive and help trans folks overcome employement barriers.

We spoke to her about her campaign for reelection and her hopes for the coming election cycle.

Why did you decide to run for reelection?

I feel very proud of having passed dozens of policies that are affecting of people's lives.

Whether it's policies or programs that I started, like helping to get people into homes, or when it comes to evictions, giving families more time to move out or to keep their records from having an eviction on them, I’ve done a lot of things to help reduce the impacts of the housing crisis, and I’d like to do even more. These are things that have a major impact on people’s lives. I'm just so proud of that impact. I am running to build on these accomplishments and impact people even more people.

What accomplishments are you the most proud of so far?

The Affordable Housing Fund, and the way we turned a brownfield into an open space in a low-income neighborhood. Housing is probably my biggest legacy. But I’m also really proud of the minimum wage raise we just passed to $15 an hour for people who work with the city or for our contractors.

What would you like to accomplish if you’re reelected?

In the same way that I worked to create sustainable funding for affordable housing, I would really like to be a part of creating sustainable funding for Denver's long-term transportation needs. Our city can't keep up with growth and ensure that it has a conscience unless we have transit that is more efficient, faster, and supports people. We want to be sure that we have busses running north to south, east to west, every 10 minutes.

With a bus system like that, we can have more people on buses, and I want to make sure that there aren’t gaps in our sidewalk systems, that our bike lanes are safe, and our streets are safer.

I'd love to be able to help lead the sustainable funding for that vision of the transportation realm. And I also think that I can grow on my housing accomplishments; we really have a lot more I think we want to try to do.

Sometimes state legislation can be a barrier, but I am hopeful that they're going to give us a little more opportunity on this session on things like raising the minimum wage for all Denver workers and being able to require developers to build affordable rental in market rate projects.

I also have another dream, which is called participatory budgeting. It’s where you turn over a portion of the city's budget to a community for small-scale projects, maybe a mural, or some kind of improvement. It might be a playground or a soccer field improvement in a park, whatever the most important investments are for this community. You have folks develop ideas and vote on them. I’ve been working on it for a couple years, but I haven't been able to get it done yet. But I think this is something that we as a city should be doing to help ensure that people feel like they have a voice in the change that's happening around them, especially when it’s their dollars.

What will you do to continue to support LGBTQ people if you get reelected?

This year, we have the 50th anniversary of Stonewall, and in the past, I've worked with the city's LGBTQ commission to make sure that folks understand the history of LGBTQ rights and how engaging the city government helps to create and build that change.

I think we have more work to do on making our services, especially for the lowest income and homeless, more inclusive to the LGBTQ community. That continues to be an area that needs more work.

I know that many of our trans residents face barriers to getting jobs, and a number of our elders have challenges with the housing in our city. They experienced the same challenges that other communities do but with an added layer, so we need to provide them support.

I will continue to listen to the community and make them my partners shaping that agenda and helping to accomplish it.

OUTFRONTMAGAZINE.COM

// 3 9

Colorado Harvest Company:

SPONSORED CONTENT

Home of the Dankest Herb

In Colorado, there are a bounty of cannabis growers, producers, and dispensaries to choose from, and it can often feel overwhelming to decide where to purchase the finest cannabis. Yet, while the options are as diverse as the strains themselves, there is one company in particular that is checking all the right boxes.

Champion production: From flower to edibles, extracts to concentrates, their extensive selection is primed to please every palate. Through innovative processes, Colorado Harvest Company offers at least 20 freshly harvested strains in stock at any given time and has small batch down to a literal science.

Colorado Harvest Company is home to quality retail cannabis, and they offer an excellent experience for every kind of consumer.

Whatever your favorite form and flavor, one of their many locations will undoubtedly have the best fit for you.

Harvest season: Since the production is in their own hands, Colorado Harvest Company can ensure weekly harvests, providing new and different strains almost daily. With their expert team of growers, the environmentally conscious company produces more

than 70 strains using natural growing methods in modern facilities to ensure the safest products for customers and mother Earth.

Budtenders who care: Noted for their experienced 50-member team in three different locations around town, the knowledge and service standards of these friendly budtenders make them the best in the biz. With a belief that the cannabis industry can help people find healthier remedies, the high-quality product in conjunction with advanced training ensures that each customer will go home satisfied.

Pocketbook friendly: Colorado Harvest Company knows that you work hard for that money, honey, and they are sure to provide quality at competitive prices. With cannabis starting at just $13 for an eighth (3.5g), and a large selection of products, it is guaranteed that there is something to match every budget.

Whether you are a Denver or Aurora local or an outof-state visitor looking for the preferred spot in town, the care and quality that Colorado Harvest Company offers will definitely turn these stores into your new favorite digs during the dawn of the cannabis revolution.

Alexander Foundation TheThe Alexander Foundation

Through the Ages

Through the Ages Come celebrate who we’ve been and who we are becoming

2019 Alexander Foundation Spring Fling Come celebrate who we’ve been Please join us for an evening of cocktails, heavy hors and who we are becoming d’oeuvres, an exciting silent auction and announcement of the 2019 scholarship recipients. Tickets available online or

at the door. Can’t make it? Make a donation online.

2019 Alexander Foundation Spring Fling Colorado’s premiere spring event!

Friday, April 26, 2019 Tickets start at $55 @ 6-9 p.m.

RSVP Please join us at the William D. Barrow Building– thealexanderfoundation.org Colorado Automobile home of The Colorado Automobile Dealers Association.

Dealers Association Save $5 with promo code: The evening includes cocktails, heavy hors d’oeuvres, 290 Speer Blvd. Denver, CO OUTFRONT an exciting silent auction and announcement of the Presenting Sponsor 2019 scholarship Join recipients. us at the official After-Party

Myra Young, DNP is now accepting new PrEP patients.

Print Sponsor

303-393-8050 • rockymountaincares.org

hosted by The Triangle Bar Spring Fling attendees will receive a complimentary 2019 @ 6-9 p.m.drink ticket

Friday, April 26, 290 Speer Blvd., Denver, CO RSVP: thealexanderfoundation.org Save $5 with promo code: POSTCARD

Schedule your appointment today.

Presenting Sponsor

4 0 \\ A P R I L 1 7 , 2 0 1 9 RMC2019_OutFront_FourthPG.indd 3

2/25/19 11:37 AM

Hashing Out Racial Disparities in the

Legal Cannabis Industry

By Alysha Prieto Photo by Glenn Ross

The legal cannabis industry is an intrinsically prejudiced industry in which people of color are unfairly barred from positions of power and influence. There’s a false narrative, bolstered in part by the country's shifting attitude toward cannabis, that legality has led to inclusivity.

NPR’s Code Switch podcast recently dug into America’s history with race and cannabis criminalization and found it dated back much further than Richard Nixon’s war on drugs. After the Spanish-American war, Mexican migration to the United States increased. A rise in the fear of immigrants followed and was fed by the government and media’s vilification of cannabis.

In reality, the legal industry has tied itself closely to the U.S’ foregoing and biased perception of black and brown people and cannabis. New Frontier Data, a research company that analyzes the cannabis industry, predicted the legal cannabis market to grow to $24.1 billion by 2025 and employ as many as 300,000 people by 2020.

Harry J. Anslinger was a major proponent in this vilification and served in the U.S. government for 31 years, helping tie crime and terror to cannabis, immigrants, and the black community. Finally, cannabis was further criminalized in the 70s by Nixon and his Schedule 1 determination.

Marijuana Business Daily found that white people own 81 percent of legal cannabis companies. Access to capital and a biased legal system have left those most harmed by cannabis criminalization behind. To combat this exclusion, folks are earnestly using diverse models of education.

4 2 \\ A P R I L 1 7 , 2 0 1 9

Recently, the ACLU found that between 2001 and 2010, there were 8 million cannabis arrests in the U.S., and even though black people and white people use cannabis at the same rate, black people are over three times as likely to be arrested for possession. In 2017, cannabis convictions made up more arrests than all violent crimes combined.

Leafly’s online article, “Can You Get a Cannabis Business License if You’re a Convicted Felon?” explained how a past conviction affects your chance of entering the cannabis industry. “The rule is 10 years,’’ the article explained. “When you’re applying [to enter the cannabis industry], you have to report any past convictions. A felony conviction is worth 12 points; a misdemeanor is worth three points, and anything over eight points gets you automatically disqualified.”

Despite cannabis’ federally illegal status, only four states have not legalized the drug on the state level either medically or recreationally. All over the country, cannabis business is booming, and some cities have implemented equity programs to help balance the playing field.

In 2017, the City of Oakland launched its Cannabis Permit Application Process. Interested candidates were required to be Oakland residents with scarce annual income, less than 80 percent of the city’s medium income, and have been affected by the criminalization of marijuana through conviction or zip code/police arrests.

The program has come under criticism for partnering an applicant with a white-owned cannabis chain from Seattle. In February, NPR reported that the Social Equity Program developed in Massachusetts, with similar qualifications to that of Oakland, had ultimately failed, with next to no black or Latino candidates applying for licenses. These failures are thought to be due to fear of government and police and lack of resources and money.

“We’re seeing licensing inequities in every state, which is why every state is in the process of being sued or has been sued over their licensing practices. We need to remove the systemic racism that exists throughout the licensing and the regulatory framework on the state level,” said Wanda James, co-owner and COO of Simply Pure Dispensary in Denver.

Instead of remaining beholden to the norms of the cannabis industry, James and her husband and partner Scott Durrah use advocacy to connect with their customers and communities to change the industry from the inside out. James and Durrah are the first African Americans in the country legally licensed to own a dispensary, a cultivation facility, and an edibles company.

Using their know-how of the cannabis industry, legislation, and their consulting arm, The Cannabis Global Initiative, they will soon release the Cannabis Equity Initiative, which will work with larger companies and states in redefining how licensing works and how companies can “diversify on the board level, in their c-suites, and in their mid-management.”

Another example of someone making a big difference for people of color in the industry is Ru Johnson. Before Johnson moved to Washington D.C. to work with the National Cannabis Festival, she was living in Denver and was both a consumer of cannabis and someone who professionally connected cannabis businesses to nightlife and the local music scene. Working in the industry at such a pivotal time has allowed her to apply that knowledge to her sponsor and exhibitor team, creating digital marketing content for brands and sponsors that work with the festival.

The festival day consists of live performances, “munchies stations,” contests, and education. The day before the festival is the policy summit. The summit is free and open to the public

and brings together a diverse group of speakers—activists, politicians, and leaders in business and beyond—who will speak about cannabis policy.

This year’s agenda will include topics like the role of journalists in reversing the narrative of the war on drugs, whether or not cannabis is an industry that can help victims of the war on drugs, and whether or not the path to federal legislation can inform state law.

“Not everyone is a policy nerd. I think the National Cannabis Festival is pairing music and art and activism in a way that brings an entirely different group of people into the conversation. That is going to be what changes the landscape of recreational consumption in this country,” Johnson said.

Today, the country is reckoning with what it means to include black and brown people in an industry that has essentially been built to criminalize them. On April 2, Colorado cleared a bill in the first committee that eliminates felonies for drug possession. Rep. Leslie Herod and Rep. Shane Sandridge sponsored HB 19-1263, which lowers the penalty for drug possession from a level 4 drug felony to a level 1 misdemeanor but will not change punishments when intent to distribute is involved. Presidential candidate Cory Booker is very vocal about legalizing cannabis federally and offering reparations in the form of record-expunging to those hurt by the criminalization of cannabis Still, the legality of cannabis in most of the country proves that legality alone will not fix the disparities in the industry.

When done right, policy summits and even university courses can tell people that they’re not only welcome in the industry but are valuable assets.

“If I, as someone who works in the industry, feels impacted and finds that information is a challenge, I know that many others who were directly impacted by the war on drugs have no place to start,” Johnson said. “We have a little bit of a disadvantage, because we have to start with education. We have to start with our communities believing that we deserve to be in these spaces and that cannabis is something that is bringing generational wealth for the communities that we live in.”

DRINKS TO SUIT YOUR MOOD

Two Locations: Open Until Midnight Every Day

238 S. Broadway 6150 W. 38th AVE.

www.BardoCoffee.com • Locally Owned & Locally Sourced

OUTFRONTMAGAZINE.COM

// 4 3

Jehovah Thickness:

HIGH ON LIFE

By Gem Sheps Photo by Julian Colas

4 4 \\ A P R I L 1 7 , 2 0 1 9

L

ife changed for local drag queen Jehovah Thickness on December 26, 2018.

“I was sick for three months; I had no idea what was going on with my body,” Thickness said. “When you first contract HIV, you develop these illnesses, and I had this weird inkling and thought, ‘I should be tested.’

It kept gnawing at the back of my mind, so I got tested the day after Christmas, and I was positive.”

Thickness shares this reality with over 39 million others, according to HIV Global Statistics, and it’s a reality they have been aware of since childhood. After coming out at 15, Thickness was kicked out of their childhood home. They moved in with a friend whose mother brought them along to informational seminars. There they learned more about HIV and the stigma against it and first discovered that people with HIV and AIDS shouldn’t be shamed—despite what others told them.

“Later, I moved back in with my family, and my dad had this strict policy that I had to volunteer at hospices where people were dying of AIDS, because he wanted me to stop being gay,” Thickness said.

Forcing LGBTQ people to see the “inevitability” of HIV and AIDS that comes along with their identities has been a popular conversion technique since the AIDS crisis of the 80s. HIV and AIDS have been referred to as "gay cancer" and "gay-related immune deficiency," and these labels only added to the detriment that widespread deaths from HIV and AIDS brought to the community.

The constant fear-mongering that Thickness experienced, however, didn’t have the desired effect on them.

“As a kid, I had to watch that happen, and it molded me into someone who accepts everyone for who they are, because my dad didn’t accept me in any way,” Thickness said. “And, you know, oddly enough, when I was diagnosed with HIV, I called my dad first. When I was told that I have HIV, I took it really well. I wasn’t going to allow it to hold me back. I’m not going to destroy myself just because I have HIV; I’m going to try and build something better” Despite their positivity, Thickness said that HIV took a major toll on their body in the beginning. Like most other viruses, HIV gives you fevers, chills, and aches within the first few weeks of incubation. Many people experience nausea and weight loss, too.

“Those few months I was so sick, I was nearly dying,” Thickness said. “Medical marijuana made it possible for me to get help and get through the beginning of being diagnosed with HIV. When I first got diagnosed they put me on Biktarvy, a medicine. It made me so tired; it gave me the craziest dreams, and it got me fired from my job, because I couldn’t stop oversleeping. I had to stop taking the medication I took for body pain because it interfered with my HIV meds. It was a lot of adjustment.”

On top of HIV, Thickness struggles with anxiety and depression, the symptoms of which are often exacerbated by the virus.

“They tried to put me on mental health meds, and it all made me manic,” Thickness explained. “This week, with the meds out of my system for a minute, I’m calm.

I can focus. It gave me this awareness that I don’t need mental health meds right now. Weed is what’s really helping me.”

The days of cannabis being used only by people with cancer or seizure disorders are behind us; medical cannabis is now popularly used by people with anxiety and depression, chronic pain, and hundreds of other ailments. Medical cannabis use by people with HIV can be dated back to the early 90s, when doctors used synthetic THC to stimulate the appetites of patients with HIV wasting syndrome.

Today, the diversity of medical cannabis extends to include CBD products, which provide relief for mental illness symptoms, physical pain, and insomnia.

“I’ve also started using CBD products regularly; the CBD helps so much with my anxiety,” Thickness said. “One night, my roommates brought home a bunch of CBD stuff and offered me a CBD dab before bed. Best sleep of my life. They introduced me to a bunch of products, and it really started turning things around for me. CBD started helping me with my sleep cycle, my anxiety, and my mania.”

Thickness doesn’t limit themselves to medical cannabis usage, though—they’re an avid recreational smoker, too.

“I love dabs and concentrates,” Thickness said. “That’s my thing. They’re so beautiful, and so straight-to-thepoint. I’m a very straightforward individual, and that is reflected in my weed use. Dabs get to the point. I love every f*cking second of it.”

Overall, Thickness refuses to deny themselves the simple pleasures of life simply because of HIV. In fact, they’re using their platform in the community as a drag queen to bring more awareness to HIV prevention and destigmatization. Thickness recently performed a number about HIV prevention and positivity during Activism Week for Ultimate Queen Competition 2019 and wants to continue bringing attention to the issue.

“The most important thing I want people to know about HIV is that together we can end this,” Thickness said.

“It’s preventable. This is something that, if we take a moment to pause and stop judging one another, and stop stigmatizing, and we start to look at one another as a community, we can actually eradicate this. Just take a few seconds and listen to each other. Getting on PrEP, getting regularly tested—they could have prevented me from getting HIV, and we need to be preaching that, along with compassion. Be kind to one another, and let your friends and family know that, no matter what the test result is, you love them, and you’re there for them.”

OUTFRONTMAGAZINE.COM

// 4 5

4 6 \\ A P R I L 1 7 , 2 0 1 9

OUTFRONTMAGAZINE.COM

// 4 7

LAURA JANE GRACE & THE DEVOURING MOTHERS Photos by Veronica L. Holyfield

LAURA JANE GRACE'S NEW PUNK OUTFIT LAURA JANE GRACE & THE DEVOURING MOTHERS ROCKED DENVER'S MARQUIS THEATRE APRIL 1 WITH SUPPORT FROM MERCY UNION AND CONTROL TOP.

4 8 \\ A P R I L 1 7 , 2 0 1 9

CELEBRATING TRANS VOICES Photos by Charles Broshous

Providing support, education and advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community and their loved ones since 1980.

CELEBRATING TRANS VOICES AT UNIVERSITY OF DENVER, MARCH 31, WAS HOSTED BY YOUTH CELEBRATE DIVERSITY, ONE COLORADO, THE ACLU OF COLORADO, THE GLBT COMMUNITY CENTER OF COLORADO, AND THE UNIVERSITY OF DENVER FOR CELEBRATION OF TRANS DAY OF VISIBILITY.

• Free monthly support groups • Confidential Support Line and Mentoring services • College Scholarship Program • Free Speaker’s Bureau • Free Online and Printed Resources • Community events and fundraisers

Interested in getting more involved with the community?

We have many opportunities for you to volunteer, attend events, donate or become part of our team.

Please contact us. We’d love to hear your story and welcome you into our PFLAG family. www.pflagdenver.org www.facebook.com/PflagDenver/

(303) 573-5861

OUTFRONTMAGAZINE.COM

// 4 9

OUTREACH

QUEER-FRIENDLY HEALTHCARE

FOR INFO ON PLACING AN OUTREACH AD CALL 303.477.4000

Pride as a Tool for Mental Wellness

moments, and throughout the year, people continuously take from

As a therapist who works primarily with queer people, I see day-in

volunteering at Rainbow Alley to give back to queer youth? Is it

it. What is essential is identifying the ways we can recharge. Is it

and day-out the effects of systemic oppression and bigotry on

coffee with people in our community whom we love and trust?

resilience. We are exhausted by society’s need for us to justify

Is it joining queer athletic leagues or social clubs? Or is it taking

our humanity by constant misnaming, miss-pronouning, and

time out of your year to attend large gatherings of like-minded

misgendering, in addition to violence, hatred, and fear. The idea

folks such as Pride? This kind of recharge is what provides us

that Pride is a place where most of us feel accepted and no longer

with resilience to better cope with anxiety, depression, and other

the outlier is not a novel one. But, I’m thoughtful of how we rarely

forms of mental illness.

validate how essential these moments are to our mental health.

So, my question to you is, where are your recharging stations?

In my own story, I have found that being surrounded by

Do you know? Are you aware of how and when your battery is

heteronormativity and misogyny drains me. I often feel like I

being drained? If not, let’s find out.

have this battery pack of energy that I can use to manage those

Justin R. Lewis, M.A, LPCC – The Denver Element

5 0 \\ A P R I L 1 7 , 2 0 1 9

BAR TAB | THE HOTTEST COLORADO NIGHTLIFE

BOYZTOWN

117 Broadway St. Denver (303) 722-7373 boyztowndenver.com

CLOCKTOWER CABARET

16th St. Mall @ Arapahoe, Denver (303) 293-0075 clocktowercabaret.com

DADDY’S BAR & GRILL

1120 E. 6th Ave. Denver (303) 993-6365 daddysdenver.com

EL POTRERO

2036 N. Broadway St. , Denver (303) 658-0913 triangledenver.com

STONEY'S UPTOWN JOINT

Uptown_Ad.indd 1

5/7/18 7:33 PM

1035 E. 17th Ave. Denver (720) 485-5503 Stoneysuptown.com WED: All You Can Eat Wings & Team Trivia THU: $1 Tacos & Tequila Specials FRI: Feud Trivia @8pm SAT/SUN – Brunch, Bottomless Mimosas ’til 2 p.m.

HAPPY HOURS: M-F 4-7 p.m.

CLOCKTOWER 16 T

H

ST .M

AL

K

PRIDE & SWAGGER

PA

AV E

TRIANGLE 17TH AVE.

L

COLFAX AVE.

PA R

.

ST

T NU

A AR

E HO

.W

ES

.

ST

31ST AVE.

T

HAMBURGER MARY’S

STONEY'S XBAR

.

11TH AVE.

1ST AVE. LI’L DEVILS

OGDEN ST.

COMPOUND BOYZTOWN

BROADWAY

GLADYS TRADE

PENNSYLVANIA

6TH AVE.

CLARKSON ST.

8TH AVE.

WASHINGTON ST.

VYBE

DADDY’S BAR & GRILL

R+R DENVER

CHARLIE’S BLUSH & BLU

VD BL

1027 N. Broadway St. Denver (720) 608-8923 vybe303.com

AL

T.

R

VYBE

W

ES

EE

X BAR

K LA

MILLERS & ROSSI

TRACKS

COLORADO BLVD.

TRADE

B

SP

5 2 \\ A P R I L 1 7 , 2 0 1 9

www.StoneysUptown.com

SANTA FE DR. KALAMATH ST.

LIPSTICK DISCOTHEQUE

3542 Walnut Street, Denver

THE TRIANGLE BAR

LIL’ DEVILS

5660 W. Colfax Ave. Denver (720) 669-3470

N• T JOI N

TRACKS

629 E. Colfax Ave. Denver (303) 832-2687 xbardenver.com

255 S. Broadway St. Denver (303) 733-1156 lildevilslounge.com

W

3500 Walnut St. Denver (303) 863-7326 tracksdenver.com

HAMBURGER MARY’S

1336 E. 17th Ave. Denver (303) 993-5812 hamburgermarys.com/denver

O

4958 E. Colfax Ave. Denver (303) 320-9337

475 Santa Fe Dr. Denver (720) 627-5905 THU: Skivvy Stripdown SAT: Beer Bust 3 - 7 p.m.

SUN: Beer Bust 3 - 7 p.m.

500 Santa Fe Dr. Denver (303) 893-6112

T

R&R LOUNGE

YORK ST.

GLADYS: THE NOSY NEIGHBOR

PRIDE & SWAGGER 450 E.17th Ave. #110 Denver (720) 476-6360

BROADWAY

4501 E. Virginia Ave. Glendale (303) 388-8889 Facebook - Elpotrero.180

CONTEMPORARY ART SPEAKEASY

P

CLUB Q

3430 N. Academy Blvd.

Colo. Springs (719) 570-1429 clubqonline.com

MILLERS & ROSSI

U

CHARLIE'S® NIGHTCLUB

900 E. Colfax Ave. Denver (303) 839-8890 charliesdenver.com MON - SAT: Happy Hour 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

FRI: Neon Fridays SUN: $7 Beer Bust 4-8 p.m.

MILLERS & ROSSI

Contemporary Art Speakeasy 3542 Walnut St, Denver 720-257-5342 Mention OUT FRONT for $2 off all specialty cocktails

DOWNING ST.

BLUSH & BLU

1526 E. Colfax Ave. Denver (303) 484-8548 blushbludenver.com

OUTBACK CLASSIFIEDS ENVISIONED BY BOBERTO

ONE HOUR FREE

Playmates and soul mates

REAL CHAT WITH REAL MEN Denver:

1-303-433-6789 18+ MegaMates.com

5 4 \\ A P R I L 1 7 , 2 0 1 9

1-303-563-4828 MORE NUMBERS:1-800-777-8000 GUYSPYVOICE.COM

DO YOU WANT TO SMOKE THE BEST?

HIGH LEVEL HEALTH BLUE SKUNK WAX

COLORADO’S MOST AWARDED CANNABIS

54 AWARDS

& COUNTING

HighLevelHealth.com Denver Locations

970 Lincoln St. 2028 E. Colfax Ave. 10th St. & Lincoln St. Race St. & Colfax Ave (303)-839-9333 (303)-355-9333 1620 Market St. 16th St. & Market St. (303)-953-0884

Mountain Location 1221 County Rd 308 In The I-70 Corridor Dumont, CO (720)-242-8692