SOCO’S POWER PLAYERS F E A T U R I N G
The Stanley Brothers
SOUTHERN COLORADO / T H E N E W N O R M A L / 05.2017
S P EC I A L R E P O R T
Can Cannabis Help Seniors? ANSWER: YES, IT CAN
Colorado’s Weird AN UNCANNY T R AV E L G U I D E
PLUS ARTISTS UNLEASHED + C O LT Y N T U R N E R SPEAKS OUT + WEEDING OUT FA K E N E W S
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contents. ISSUE 1 // VOLUME 1 // 05.2017
FEATURE S 10 Fake News
In the Internet Age, fake news brews like a plague. Keep your mind healthy, and check out Sensi’s most trusted news sources.
20 Seniors: The Age of Cannabis SP E C I A L R E P O R T
Find out why more seniors than ever are trying cannabis—and sticking with it.
26 Coltyn Turner Speaks Out
With one 30-second video, a local teen changed the conversation around Crohn’s disease.
32 SoCo’s Power Players
SoCo’s been at the forefront of our state’s cannabis industry and the movement. Do you know who’s who in our local scene?
EVERY ISSUE 5 Editor’s Note 6 SensiBuzz 16 AroundTown AR TISTS UNLEASHED
48 CO I QA
M E R A L CO O P E R O N
T H E
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C OV E R
Stanley Brothers Photographer: Kim Sidwell, Cannabis Camera Location: Cluster Studios Sensi Magazine is published monthly in Denver, CO, by Sensi Media Group LLC. © 2017 SENSI MEDIA GROUP LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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42 What a Long, Strange Trip PHOTO BY KIM SIDWELL, CANNABIS CAMERA
Follow our guide to some of southern Colorado’s most uncanny destinations.
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head. ISSUE 1 VOLUME 1 05.2017
A DV I SORY B OA R D 1906 New Highs // CHOCOLATES CannaRep // COURIER
editor’s
note SAY HELLO TO THE NEW NORMAL Back in 2009, I signed up for the world’s only medical marijuana course at
Craft // RECREATIONAL CONCENTRATES
the University of Colorado in Colorado Springs. At the time, I thought pot
Dabble Extracts // MEDICAL CONCENTRATES
only treated things like glaucoma or nausea. Our professor, Dr. Bob Mela-
DC Investigations // SECURITY Faragosi Farms // RECREATIONAL DISPENSARY Greenhouse Payment Solutions // PAYMENT PROCESSING
GRND Staffing Solutions // RECRUITMENT
mede, showed us it could do a lot more. Instead of textbooks, Dr. Bob assigned us peer-reviewed studies containing the most cutting-edge information on cannabis as a medicine. These weren’t mere anecdotes. These were carefully controlled experiments from prestigious institutions like Harvard, Berkeley, and the University of Tel Aviv. That research suggests cannabis could treat a whole host of maladies—
Lux Leaf // EDUCATION
cancer, immune disorders, chronic pain, neurodegeneration, and so on. Many
Herbal Healing // COMPLIANCE
of these ailments, like Crohn’s disease, don’t respond well to conventional
King’s Cannabiz // MEDICAL DISPENSARY Maceau Law // LEGAL
medicines. As you’ll find in our feature on Coltyn Turner, cannabis can offer a safe, seemingly miraculous alternative for some patients. Yet, cannabis is more than just medicine. It’s also economics. Legal
Monte Fiore Farms // RECREATIONAL CULTIVATION
cannabis brought record-breaking tax revenues to Manitou Springs. Pueblo’s
The Mota Pot // HOME EDIBLE MAKER
market pulled the city out of recession and is putting its residents through
Show Me Kindness // CAREGIVER
college. And little Trinidad, at our southmost border, went from ghost town to
Stained Glass // MEDICAL CULTIVATION
boomtown overnight.
Studio A64 // CANNABIS CLUB Taste Budz // CONFECTIONS
M E DI A PA RT N E RS National Cannabis Industry Association Women Grow
Which leaves us with Colorado Springs, Colorado’s second-largest city. In 2013, the Springs banned recreational cannabis sales, and the city’s been left behind as Denver and Pueblo pluck from overflowing coffers. But with the new city council, elected last April, we may finally see the Springs get a piece of the legal green. Or maybe not. Only time will tell. So, in your hands sits the first issue of Sensi Magazine for southern Colorado. The magazine’s been running strong in the Denver/Boulder area for the past year, and now it’s our turn. As you thumb through the pages, you’ll notice Sensi looks different from other cannabis magazines. People of all shapes, colors, and creeds enjoy cannabis, and our magazine reflects that. In fact, seniors are now the fastest growing group of cannabis consumers, and in this issue, senior editor Leland Rucker investigates why they’re turning to this plant after decades of stigma. At Sensi, we see cannabis as part of our culture—a big part, and one that
PHOTO BY KIM SIDWELL, CANNABIS CAMERA
ain’t goin’ away. This is what the New Normal looks like, and it’s here to stay.
Randy Robinson M A N A G I N G E D I TO R
SENSI SOUTHERN COLORADO
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sensi
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THE NEW NORMAL
Ask Leland
Our curious cannabis expert, LEL AND RUCKER answers your questions.
Q:
JUNE 3, 17, AND 24
Opinions vary.
It’s a whodunnit. On a speeding train. In one of the nation’s most captivating canyons. And you get to do it all while chowing down on a rich, gourmet dinner. Red Herring Productions presents the Murder Mystery Interactive Dinner and Train Ride. Like all murder mystery dinners, this one involves the typical setup: while everyone’s dining, characters arrive to establish a story, then one of them gets wacked. It’s up to you and the other dinner guests to figure out who committed the crime, except this one takes place as you zip through the Royal Gorge. At any given moment, you can catch fascinating sights of the roaring-white Arkansas River and its deep-cutting gully—just on the other side of the window. Y’know, in case you can’t figure out whodunnit.
Some herbalists,
M O R E I N F O : royalgorgeroute.com
A lot of my friends have been using
cannabis topical lotions and medications for pain relief. Will they show up positive for THC in a workplace drug test?
A:
Murder Mystery Dinner — with a View to Die For
arguing that the
lotions have only a minute amount of THC, say that applying it to your skin won’t result in a positive drug test. Others argue that even though it’s such a low dose of THC in topicals, it could enter your bloodstream in other ways. For instance, you could have on your finger and put that digit into your mouth. Transdermal patches, which are designed to deliver a concentrated dose of medication through the skin, are a different story. Every-
Get Your Fishin’ Boots On! On June 7, the North Slope Recreation Area opens for the 2017 season. This area includes the North and South Catamount Lakes, as well as the gorgeous Crystal Reservoir, right at the base of the ominous Pikes Peak. Come to hike. Come to fish. Or come just to escape the heat of the city. M O R E I N F O : coloradosprings.gov/NorthSlope
body agrees that these kinds of products, since they enter the bloodstream, could show If you’re an occasional user and don’t inhale marijuana from a vaporizer or water pipe, you’re probably not going to show up positive if you use a salve or lotion occasionally. But all in all, if you really want that job, you might want to stay away from any marijuana products, including topical medications, for as long as you can before the test. The safest answer is that you should almost always assume you might test positive for any cannabis product you use. And if it’s any consolation, remember companies that try to exclude candidates simply because of marijuana use are spending lots of money eliminating many of the “best and brightest” they are seeking.
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High-Hanging Fruit June’s Full Moon, on June 9, is known as the Full Strawberry Moon to American farmers. Not because it’ll look red or anything, but because the Algonquin tribes knew its arrival marked the best time to pick ripe, juicy strawberries. According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, the week of the Strawberry Moon is also a great time to catch fish, and hen owners should set their eggs around this time as well. In Europe, June’s Full Moon is known as a Rose Moon. Some Europeans still call it the Honey Moon, based on pagan marriage traditions of drinking honey liquor during weddings in June.
ASK LELAND PHOTO BY KIM SIDWELL, CANNABIS CAMERA
up positive on blood tests.
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Race to the Clouds
sensi
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THE NEW NORMAL
JUNE 25
Sleep in Tipis JUNE 16–SEPTEMBER 25
For four days and three nights, you can live as America’s indigenous people did before industrialization
near the historic Santa Fe Trail. To keep it authentic, travelers must do without the comforts of the modern
and the Northwest Coastal Tribes. (In other words, there’s a lot of buffalo meat involved.) Start the day by
brought us things like air conditioning and Instagram. Led by Indigenous Roots, this program invites people from all walks of life to experience the Sangre de Cristo Mountains’ wilderness
world: no electricity, no running water, no nearby stores. The menu includes locally sourced, organic, gluten-free foods based on recipes from the Buffalo Nation, the Red Lake Nation,
greeting the sun, listen to oral histories reenacted through storytelling traditions, and learn the customs of the first Americans. MORE INFO: indigenousroots.education
ManifestMastery JUNE 24 - SEPT 17
Ever seen a real life Warhol? Or one of Rembrandt’s hand-etched sketches? How about a genuine pop-art piece by Roy Lichtenstein? Starting this month, the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center will host the Everyday Extraordinary exhibit, with priceless selections from some of Western art’s legendary masters. Characteristic works by Claude Monet, Keith Haring, and Berthe Morisot will be on display, too. M O R E I N F O : csfineartscenter.org
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It’s that time of year, when race cars get revved up for the annual Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. This year will mark the 101st race, drawing top-notch drivers from all over the world to commandeer roughly 100 beefy muscle cars and dozens of motorcycles. Racers will start at the base of the mountain, then power their way over 12 miles uphill, cutting over 150 sharp, death-defying turns until they finally reach the pinnacle of Pikes Peak. It may be too late to register as a racer, but spectators can still nab tickets to catch the practice races on June 20, 21, 22, and 23. You can also get tickets to reserve camp sites along the raceway. M O R E I N F O :ppihc.com
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{newsfeed} by RANDY R O B IN S ON
In the fake news era, where can you find the facts? Sensi editors weigh in on the sources and sites they trust for cannabis news.
SOLID SOURCES election cycle when social
V ICE // Although VICE.COM,
Dictionary declared the term
media feeds became
the original site in the Vice
“post-truth” to be the word
deluged with bogus news
Media empire, caters to an
of the year. “Post-truth”
articles ranging from Hillary
edgy hipster crowd, the
refers to a style of politics
Clinton being a baby-eating
media company spent the
based entirely on rhetoric and
satanist to Vice President
last few years branching out
not at all on facts (sound
Mike Pence supporting
to more grown-up endeavors.
familiar?), though it’s since
electroshock therapy for
Content from Vice’s online
been extended to the realm
gays. (In case it needs to be
subsidiaries such as Vice
of “fake news” and “alterna-
said, neither claim is true.)
News, Motherboard, and
Unfortunately, this fake
Broadly sit on the cutting
In November 2016, Oxford
tive facts”, too. What is this fake news,
news phenomenon extends
edge of reporting, with plenty
you ask? We used to think of
to the cannabis community.
of fact-checking and solid
fake news when scrolling
Every week, a new
sourcing.
through parody sites like
weed-centered blog pops up.
In the digital realms
The Onion, but the recent
While some of these sites are
where video is now king,
reality is anyone anywhere
totally legit, an alarming
Vice has trained its investi-
with even an inkling of web
number of them are not.
gative lens on the cannabis
design know-how can
What follows is a list of
create a site that looks
Sensi’s favorite websites for
“newsy.” These fake news
cannabis news and investiga-
sites are helmed by
tive reporting. We’ve selected
amateurs with little to no
these not only because of
training in journalism, and
their tried-and-true journalis-
they basically just craft
tic integrity but also because
clickbait stories to generate
these outlets have names
website traffic and cash.
that may seem not-so-legiti-
This fake news can prolifer-
mate at first glance. Trust us:
ate insanely fast, as we
these are legit.
learned during this last
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These fake news sites are helmed by amateurs with little to no training in journalism, and they basically just craft clickbait stories to generate website traffic—and cash.
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SITES TO AVOID
world for its Emmy-winning
that cannabis can treat
NATURAL NEWS This site is notorious for new-age
eponymous HBO series. On
some disorder or alleviate
quackery. Very few of its posts contain credible sources, and its content appears more geared to selling untested “natural” health supplements than to providing solid, reliable news. Beware any claims that cannabis can instantly cure everything from cancer to world poverty.
the new Viceland television
WORLD NEWS DAILY REPORT World News Daily
industries. For a more
Report can be confusing, if only because it weaves real news stories in with the fake ones. This site has published a number of faux articles related to cannabis, including pieces with fearmongering headlines such as “Monsanto Creates First Genetically Modified Strain of Marijuana” and “Colorado: Pot Smoking Festival Turns into Orgy.”
WORLD TRUTH Pegging itself as an “alternative news” site, WORLDTRUTH.TV spews a whole lot of nonsense with poorly formatted center text. A recent article there claimed hemp—the non-psychoactive version of cannabis—is “renewable,” which it is not. No crop is truly renewable, sorry.
NATIONAL REPORT National Report isn’t a fake news site, it’s a parody site, much like The Onion. And some of the articles are hilarious. Unfortunately, not everyone is in on the joke just yet, so when posts with titles like “Marijuana Kills! Fatal Strain Claims First Victim” are published, some gullible folks share them as if the satire was real.
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network, launched last year, the Weediquette docuseries focuses entirely on cannabis patients and the marijuana intimate, personal understanding of how cannabis affects people’s lives, check out Weediquette’s web series at VICELAND.COM.
LEAF SCIENCE // It seems like every other day, there’s a new study claiming
some disease. Given that most journalists aren’t trained in science, it’s easy for writers to mistranslate these groundbreaking discoveries when relaying dense information to a mass audience. LEAFSCIENCE.COM
is
devoted to the science of technology and medicine surrounding cannabis. The writers excel at breaking down complex concepts into easy-to-digest pieces
increased e n e r gy
Uplifting & Euphoric
e l e va t e d alertness
Heightened Creativity
SATIVA
We’ve got the whole spectrum covered
INDICA
z
z
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Sleep Aid
deep relaxation
Pain Relief
appetite stimulant
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Leland Says
When I first began writing about cannabis legalization in 2013, I had little knowledge about the subject, and I began
reading voraciously—newspapers, books, histories, blogs—
and talking with anyone who would listen to my questions as I tried to get a handle on what was happening here in Colorado.
I’m naturally suspicious of ideologues and/or reporters
without getting bogged down in nerdy jargon or Latin names. Best of all, the site typically links directly to the peer-reviewed study it’s discussing—very helpful if you are trained in reading scientific literature.
SM E L L THE T RU T H [ SF GAT E ] //
who leave out the untidier aspects of their arguments in
Smell the Truth (BLOG.SFGATE.COM/SMELLTHETRUTH) is a
favor of advocacy, no matter which side they’re on. I’m
news blog attached to SF Gate, the online wing of the
always watching for writers/reporters whose knowledge
San Francisco Chronicle newspaper, which was founded
surpasses mine and who question things I hold true, and the
ones who can admit when their arguments are weak and are willing to explain why. Early on, I ran into the work of Jacob Sullum, a reporter whose interest in the subject was as curious as mine but whose understanding was much
way back in 1865. Ironically enough, the Chronicle is owned by the Hearst Corporation, a media group with a tense relationship with cannabis: the corporation’s founder Randolph Hearst spent much of the 1930s
deeper. I continue to find that curiosity and knowledge in
attacking cannabis during the infamous Reefer
his work, which appears in Reason and Forbes magazines.
Madness period. Today, Smell the Truth is one of the
His essays help challenge my basic beliefs and remind me
most up-to-date news sources for pot developments,
that there are two sides to every story.
Dozens of online sites post cannabis news. Most keep up
with the latest headlines, but I’m seeking more than that, and several online publications and blogs stand out. Among the best are The Cannabist ( THECANNABIST.CO), the Denver Post ’s online
especially if you’re looking for short-yet-informative posts. It’s pretty much manned entirely by writer Oscar Pascual, but he includes plenty of links to other credible sources—and only credible sources.
cannabis news outlet, and Leafly (LEAFLY.COM), which used to offer mostly strain reviews but has beefed up its news coverage
THE CANNABIST // A division of the Denver
in the last year. Both offer solid reporting and editorial comment
Post, the Cannabist is held to the same journalistic
as well as reviews of cannabis products. Given that The Cannabist’s parent is a holding company trying to sell the newspaper, it’s almost miraculous that it even exists. High Times, a publication I once bought for the huge, perfect nugs depicted on its cover, has improved its news coverage significantly in the last few years. The Drug Policy Alliance (DRUGPOLICY.ORG) is an advocate
former editor in chief Ricardo Baca, the first-ever marijuana editor at a major news organization, the Cannabist launched the last week of 2013 at the dawn of the post-prohibition world. It is fairly balanced in terms of coverage, and its reporters don’t shy from
organization, but its news stories are more in-depth than
industry scandals or news that cannabis use may carry
most. The MPP blog (MPP.ORG) comes from the Marijuana
some dangers. Last fall, it surpassed the iconic High
Policy Project, another organization that is heavily involved in the legalization movement. It keeps me up-to-date on national strategies. I also check in with the Marijuana Business Daily (MJBIZDAILY.COM) and the NORML blog (BLOG. NORML.ORG) for updates on cannabis issues.
One final pet peeve: I detest almost all stories that try to
Times in terms of web traffic, making the Cannabist the most visited cannabis-themed site in the world.
//
, which is Hebrew for “cannabis,”
is a veritable gold mine of breaking news in the
use reports, research, and/or data to prove some insignificant
marijuana world. That’s because Israel was, and
point, especially about cannabis usage. Much of this is just
still is, the world leader in medical cannabis research.
clickbait or wishful thinking (“More teens are using pot this year than last year” or “Major crime down in states with legal pot”). People can and do use data to “prove” anything they want. Statistics aren’t facts. They are numbers interpreted by people. They don’t prove anything. Treat them as such. –LELAND RUCKER
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standards as its hard-news parent. The brainchild of its
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The only downside to this site is that it’s written entirely in Hebrew. Sorry, gentiles, but you’ll probably have to rely on Google Translate’s less-than-desirable language algorithms to (barely) navigate this treasure trove of a blog.
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{ aroundtown }
by R ANDY R O B IN S ON
ARTISTS UNLEASHED It’s not an art show. It’s not an art exhibit. It’s not a convention, or even an expo. Call it a gathering of expressive minds.
What? When? Where? Artists Unleashed premieres June 17, 10am to 4pm, at World Golf & Sand Creek GC (6865 Galley Road). This gathering will be held outdoors on the ground’s expansive green that—for some reason or another— features a 60-foot pirate ship.
Artists Unleashed is an experimental event founded by EW Baker II and Justin Cibart, two Colorado Springs artists who’ve done their fair share of hustling at artistic conventions. Over the years, Baker and Cibart noticed something: although artists strove to display their best work at these events, these works always mirrored that convention’s theme. For instance, artists comic conventions, but these superheroes were invented by someone else, not the vendor artists. Artists Unleashed seeks to change that. At this event, artists may only showcase their own worlds:
I N
AT T E N DA N C E
Rockwell Masks facebook.com/RockwellMasks
William Wallace Rockwell
“You can do so much with leather. You can sculpt it, you can carve it, you can paint on it. You can do all these different things with it,” he says.
their original characters, their original environments,
specializes in leather masks.
their original stories. Deadpool, Jon Snow, and Harley
Some of these oddities, like
been at work, Artists Un-
Quinn need not apply.
his elongated plague masks,
leashed strikes him as
are splendidly grotesque. Yet
completely fresh for Colorado
explains Cibart. “If you draw comics, and you don’t want to
his other masks appear
Springs. “I’ve never seen
draw Batman, here’s a place to finally sell your character.”
embellished, almost surreal,
something quite like this.”
“We want to give artists a venue they can control,”
Artists Unleashed isn’t limiting itself to just comic or anime fanfare, either. The artists joining this one-day
Through all the years he’s
like something out of Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut.
collective come from a variety of disciplines and crafts. At least 30 sculptors, painters, jewelers, potters, and graphic designers—all with their own unique styles, methods, materials, media, and content—will join the fold.
(ABOVE) WILLIAM ROCKWELL’S LEATHER MASKS COMBINE FORM, FUNCTION, AND FANTASY. (BELOW) WILLIAM WALLACE ROCKWELL (BOTTOM) ROCKWELL ALSO MAKES METAL SCULPTURES WITH SCRAP AND TOOLBOX PIECES.
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MASK: MODEL KALEESI MARIE / PHOTO JONNY EDWARD. ROCKWELL: EMILIO CHACON. SCULPTURE: DUSTIN MILLER
will sell their renditions of popular superheroes at
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I N
AT T E N DA N C E
EvaLine Jewelry facebook.com/EvaLineJewelry
Evelina Stoyanova, a
characters like Dr. Temper-
jeweler, has gifted some of
ance Brennan, rather than the
her work to the stylists at The
other way around.
Artisan Group in Los Angeles.
“I took classes just out of
Her rings, earrings, and
Boulder, just stringing beads,
pendants have appeared in hit
and it escalated,” she recalls. “I
TV shows such as Bones, The
started teaching myself. I
Vampire Diaries, The Originals,
have a little bit of creativity in
and Law and Order: SVU. Her
me, but it came out with
contributions have directly
jewelry a lot more.”
EVELINA STOYANOVA OF EVALINE JEWELRY CREATIONS INCLUDE SPIRAL AND WRAPPED RINGS AND SWAROVSKI SCARAB GEM EARRINGS
shaped the look of iconic
I N
AT T E N DA N C E
Blueswade Cartoons facebook.com/BlueswadeCartoons
Although Artists Un-
Cartoons combines graphic
BRYAN WADE OF BLUESWADE
leashed provides a platform
art with traditional cartoon-
ICONOGRAPHY WITH A PUNNY SLANT
for purely original works,
ing techniques, making
one featured artist heavily
satire of the satirical and
draws his inspirations from
parody from parody.
others, but he fuses them in
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“I enjoy a good pun more
a unique, humorous way.
than I probably should,” he
Bryan Wade of Blueswade
says with a chuckle.
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SPEC IAL R EPOR T
Seniors in Colorado are finding cannabis can help them deal with pain relief, sleeplessness, anxiety, and a lot of other maladies, too. And today, to reap the benefits, they don’t have to smoke it if they don’t want to. by LEL AND R UC K E R
THE AGE OF CANNABIS
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Bonnie Rush
I S R E T I R E D F R O M T H E R E A L E S TAT E
BUSINESS AND LIVES IN LOUISVILLE, COLORADO. SHE USED MARIJUA-
Teri Robnett founded and runs the Cannabis Patients Alliance, which works to
N A W H E N S H E WA S YO U N G B U T STOPPED BEFORE HER DAUGHTER WAS
protect the rights of patients
BORN. TEN YEARS AGO SHE WAS AT A PARTY W H E R E A J O I N T WA S PA S S E D
who use cannabis. “I get
A R O U N D . S H E T O O K A C O U P L E O F P U F F S . “ I WA S A M A Z E D AT H O W W E L L I S L E P T,” S H E S AYS . L AT E R , S H E B E G A N U S I N G C A N N A B I S TO D E A L W I T H T H E S I D E E FFECTS OF PREDNISONE PRESCRIBED FOR AN AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE. “ T H AT ’ S W H E N I S TA R T E D U S I N G IT QUITE A BIT.” SHE SAYS CANNABIS
a lot of inquiries from seniors, and more from their children,” she says. “‘My mom has arthritis or has been diagnosed with whatever. What do I do?’ We try
ALSO HAS HELPED EASE SYMPTOMS OF ARTHRITIS A N D C O L I T I S . “N O W
and point them in the right
I ’ M G R O W I N G I T,” S H E A D D S . “ I T ’ S SO M U C H F U N .”
direction and give them access to research to help make their decision.” Martha Montemayor is
Besides the medicinal
still considered outside the
manufacturedby US phar-
effects, Rush feels that
medical establishment, it
maceutical companies
cannabis helps her deal
can help them deal with cer-
until the government taxed
with the general indignities
tain age-related problems:
cannabis and hemp out of
of advancing age. “It’s a god-
chronic pain, anxiety, stress,
business in the 1930s. Medi-
send for relaxation and pain
insomnia, nausea, muscle
cal marijuana was approved
relief,” she says. “And you’re
tension, arthritis, loss of
by Colorado voters in 2001,
treating your entire self.”
appetite, glaucoma, and
and a regulatory system was
memory and brain function.
ratified in 2010. Cannabis is
est-growing segment of the
And they’re finding many
not for everybody, but there
cannabis market. There are
more ways to get cannabis
are plenty of organizations
more than 1.5 million people
in their system—vaporizers,
and information available to
aged 50 or older in Colorado,
edibles, tinctures, tonics,
help you make an informed
about half of those over age
balms, salves, lotions,
decision.
60. The US Census Bureau
sprays, and ointments—that
estimates that 21 percent of
don’t involve smoking or
Coalition, Cannabis Patients
Colorado’s population will
“getting high.”
Alliance, NORML, and Amer-
Rush is part of the fast-
be over age 60 in 15 years.
But is it for you? Or for
The Cannabis Consumers
icans for Safe Access can
Many Colorado seniors are
your mother or father or
aid you in getting a medical
already aware of cannabis.
other close family member?
card and finding the right
As of January 1 of this year,
If you are a senior in Colo-
doctor and dispensaries
94,577 Coloradans have
rado, there’s never been a
where you can purchase
medical marijuana cards.
better time to find out about
the cannabis strains and
More than 35,000 of them
whether or not cannabis
products you need. “These
are over 50.
might help you or someone
organizations are nonprof-
in your family.
its that incorporate public
There’s no real magic here. Baby boomers in Colo-
Cannabis has been used
education into their mission
rado are retiring, and others
for centuries in many
and advocacy work,” says
are moving here to retire. A
cultures as a remedy for
Larisa Bolivar, executive
growing number are learn-
various ailments. It was
director of the Cannabis
ing that, while cannabis is
even an ingredient in drugs
Consumers Coalition.
a clinical nutritionist and founder of Healthy Choices Unlimited, a medical cannabis evaluation clinic with five locations in the state. She says seniors who use cannabis have a positive experience about 70 percent of the time, but there’s often still a negativity attached to the plant. “Years of prohibition and social messages perpetuating myths make many seniors ashamed to use cannabis,” Montemayor explains. “Because of this, many only consider cannabis when conventional medicine has failed them. Clinics like this are frequently the doctor of last resort, helping people who have exhausted all other options.” Robin Hackett has been compiling years of data on more than 800 patients she has worked with at Botanicare, a plant nutrient company. “Some are terrified of cannabis, or their family
M AY 2017
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21
is scared for them,” Hackett
addiction is a serious
says. “I counsel the whole
problem in the US, and
family so they know what
people are finding that can-
mom or dad will be going
nabis can help reduce pain
through.”
without the side effects of
Hackett has designed
many pharmaceuticals.
cannabis medications for
Former NFL players are now
dozens of diseases. Her
talking openly about how
process is to educate and
cannabis helped them end
explain what to expect
addictions to painkillers,
when a person uses canna-
and Sen. Elizabeth Warren
bis. “We want to make sure
last year asked the Centers
that people make educated
for Disease Control to con-
decisions. We track them
sider using cannabis to help
for seven or eight days,” she
wean people from opioids.
says. “Everyone responds
Cannabis is made up of
differently, and it takes a
dozens of cannabinoids,
couple of weeks to see if
the two best-known being
you’re responding correct-
cannabidiol (CBD), which
ly and to understand how
is usually associated with
your body is processing
its medical properties, and
cannabis.”
delta-9-tetrahydrocannab-
The largest majority
inol (THC), which produces
“
IT TAKES AT LEAST AN HOUR FOR AN EDIBLE TO START TO SHOW ITS EFFECTS, SO STARTING AT LOW DOSES SUCH AS 5 OR 10 MILLIGRAMS AND WAITING AN HOUR OR TWO BEFORE CONSUMING MORE IS THE SAFEST WAY TO GAUGE THE IMPACT OF THC AND OTHER CANNABINOIDS.
Seth Yakatan is CEO of Kalytera Therapeutics, a company developing synthetic CBD drugs that treat osteoporosis but don’t get the patients high. “As it relates to seniors, most drugs on the market today that inhibit bone loss tend to be extremely toxic,” Yakatan says. “Our drug not only limits loss but promotes growth of new bone with no limiting toxicity.” Kalytera’s products are still several years away from release. Many medical doctors, including mine, won’t prescribe cannabis, and seniors can run up against equally unsympathetic family members. Monte-
of seniors use cannabis
the marijuana “high.” As re-
for pain relief. Currently,
strictions on research ease,
mayor says the two most
the medical community
more products will become
from patients and families
prescribes pharmaceutical
available that include little
is that marijuana is a “gate-
drugs for pain relief. Opioid
or no THC.
way drug” or a “dangerous
common things she hears
narcotic.” Neither are true. The gateway theory has been
GET STARTED Want to learn more about how seniors are benefiting from cannabis? These organizations and websites include a lot of good information to get you started. Cannabis Patients Alliance cannabispatientsalliance.org Americans for Safe Access safeaccessnow.org/colorado_advocacy The Silver Tour thesilvertour.org
with us for awhile, even though there is no credible evidence to indicate that cannabis leads its users to try other, stronger drugs. Still, politicians trot this one out as a reason to keep it illegal. The only “evidence” is that some people who use drugs like cocaine or heroin used cannabis earlier. They also generally have used tobacco or alcohol—or all three. And if there were a big problem with this, we would know it. Montemay-
22
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23
or says her teenage son asked how many Coloradans are on the Medical Marijuana Registry. When she told him, he asked why Colorado wasn’t overrun with heroin addicts. “It seems obvious to a 13-yearold that the gateway theory is a myth,” she says, “but
THE BEST WAY I WOULD DESCRIBE THE EFFECT OF THE MARIJUANA AND THE HASHISH IS THAT IT WOULD MAKE ME RELAXED AND CREATIVE.”
hour for an edible to start to
The most important
show its effects, so starting
thing, of course, is to stay
at low doses such as 5 or 10
informed. Check in with
milligrams and waiting an
one of the nonprofits. Spend
hour or two before consum-
some time with a search
ing more is the safest way
engine and the internet.
to gauge the impact of THC
You might be surprised
and other cannabinoids.”
what you find.
As for insurance not
No one has ever died
covering medical mari-
from marijuana. Don’t
juana, look for responsible
believe me? Read the
caregivers who grow mar-
literature—pro and con. Be
ijuana for other patients,
skeptical of everything.
which can help manage
Make up your own mind.
either. Pharmacologically,
costs. “There are also some
And you might find what
it is not associated with the
dispensaries that have
millions of satisfied users
opium derivatives in many
sliding scales or indigent
already know: The “getting
pain medications. You can’t
programs,” Bolivar says.
high” part might not be so
smoke too much cannabis
“Finding them is a chal-
bad, either.
or overdose on it, since it’s
lenge, but local advocacy
not toxic. There is no phys-
groups can also help navi-
describe the effect of the
ical addiction, though some
gate that as well.”
marijuana and the hashish
older adults sometimes still worry.” And it’s not a dangerous narcotic that hooks users,
—STEVE JOBS
“The best way I would
individuals could develop a
Basically, if you’re curi-
psychological dependence,
ous and over 60, you really
relaxed and creative,” Steve
such as we do with coffee,
have little to lose by trying
Jobs once told Pentagon in-
sugar, or chocolate.
cannabis. Just as with most
terviewers. That certainly
medications, if it does noth-
doesn’t mean it will do the
ing for you, no loss.
same for everyone, but then
Bolivar warns that seniors, or anyone, should
is that it would make me
make sure the cannabis
again, it doesn’t take much
they are consuming has
to find out.
been tested for pesticides,
“It’s fun to have a laugh-
fungicides, and particu-
ing spell every now and
lates, especially mold and
then,” Barbara Rush says.
powdery mildew. “For those
“And it’s really nice to be
with compromised immune
totally relaxed, isn’t it?”
systems, powdery mildew and mold can be dangerous,” she says, “as can certain synthetic chemicals found in some pesticides and fungicides that are potential neurotoxins.” And for those new to cannabis, medical or recreational, the rule of thumb is start low and go slow, especially for edibles, Bolivar says. “It takes at least an
24
“
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M AY 2017
LELAND RUCKER is the Senior Editor of Sensi Magazine.
"...ennani s acty ha hati pota lot dies cig un." - Dr. Pac & Dr. Kun Nata Init of HelH
It's time to rethink how you medicate! w.kisan.
7.4.27
22 E. Bij St. Sut 4, Colo Spig, CO 80 M AY 2017
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25
COLTYN TURNER
SPEAKS OUT When traditional medications couldn’t heal his Crohn’s disease, and actually made it worse, Coltyn Turner and his family went searching for an alternative. They found it here in Colorado. Now they’re telling his story in an effort to help others in similar situations. by ROB F E E M A N
26
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M AY 2017
IN OCTOBER 2014, A COLORADO SPRINGS TEENAGER NAMED
Coltyn
MADE A SHORT VIDEO
AND POSTED IT ONLINE. SO FAR, THE VIDEO HAS BEEN VIEWED OVER 200,000 TIMES AND DRAWN THE ATTENTION OF PATIENTS, PARENTS, AND FAMILIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND INTERNATIONALLY. T HE R E A S O N ? I N J US T 36 S E C O N D S , U S I N G O N LY 30 W O R D S , C O LT Y N S U M S U P H I S LONG BAT TLE WITH CROHN’S DISEASE, A D E B I L I TAT I N G IN F L A M M AT I O N OF THE INTEST I N E S A N D D I G E S T I V E T R A C T, A N D V I S U A L LY S H O W S H O W C A N N A B I S O I L — R AT H E R T H A N Y E A R S O F T R A D I T I O N A L M E D I C A L T R E AT M E N T S A N D M E D I C AT I O N S — R E D U C E D T H E I N F L A M M AT I O N I N H I S G I T R A C T, P U T H I M B A C K O N H I S F E E T, A N D H E L P S H I M M A N AG E T H E SY M P T O M S O F T H E D I S E A S E O N A DA I LY B A S I S .
“Medical cannabis has
side effects. He even devel-
throughout.” Faced with
oped lupus.
more appointments, more
that cannabis may have
Coltyn said recently while
done just that for Coltyn.
speaking at a medical mari-
When he was 11 years old, he
One of the drugs made his
more surgery, the family de-
juana patients event in Den-
nearly drowned in a lake at
lymph nodes swell and
cided to head in a different
ver. “It’s given me more ener-
a Boy Scout camp near the
caused him pain. But when
direction.
gy, it’s helped me gain weight,
family’s home in southern
he went in for surgery to
my Crohn’s pain is gone, and
Illinois. Coltyn says, “The
have a node removed, the
only three options: Anoth-
I’ve been in remission for
bacteria in the water kicked
surgeon mistakenly took out
er pharmaceutical, which
almost two years now.”
my Crohn’s into full speed.”
his salivary gland. “I have
would give me a 66 percent
dry mouth all the time now,”
chance of developing lym-
Coltyn says.
phoma. Surgery, to remove
Coltyn has become a
“At first, we thought he had
And then it got worse.
medications, and possibly
Coltyn explains, “We had
spokesperson of sorts for
appendicitis. He had major
the benefits of using medi-
pain,” says Wendy Turner,
cal cannabis for Crohn’s dis-
Coltyn’s mom. Unable to get
had taken its toll, as had
third option was alternative
ease. He’s spoken before the
an accurate diagnosis, the
the many medications.
medicine.”
Colorado legislature, had his
family decided to take Coltyn
He stopped gymnastics,
photo taken with the gover-
to the Mayo Clinic in Roch-
stopped riding his bike with
es were reluctant to pro-
nor, been showcased on the
ester, Minn. That’s where
his brother and their friends.
vide the family with more
new Viceland network, and
they discovered it was most
He spent most of his time
information, but one of the
told his story at numerous
likely Crohn’s disease. “That’s
lying on the sofa. At one
nurses finally said, “Go see
events around the region.
when the true journey began,”
point he was even confined
what’s going on in Colorado.”
Wendy says. “We knew what
to a wheelchair. “I was on
we were up against.”
my death bed,” Coltyn says.
father, Tom, “was the green
“I was ready to write my will,
light we needed. Coltyn
It’s a story he’s happy to share, because he believes in the benefits of cannabis KIM SIDWELL © CANNABIS CAMERA
The evidence is strong
helped me in many ways,”
After the diagnosis came
By this time, the disease
part of my colon. And the
At first, doctors and nurs-
“That,” says Coltyn’s
and wants to get the word
“pharmaceutical after phar-
because of all the pharma-
and I packed our bags, and
out. “Cannabis probably will
maceutical,” says Coltyn. A
ceuticals I was on.”
on March 4, 2014, four days
not work for everybody,”
long list of medications was
he says, “but people should
prescribed in an effort to
underwent a colonoscopy.
have a choice. People should
improve his health. Howev-
“He was in full flare mode,”
be able to have the right to
er, none of them helped, and
Wendy remembers. “He had
into a few roadblocks. “As
take it, to save their life.”
some came with debilitating
inflammation and ulcers
for the dispensaries in Col-
In February 2014, Coltyn
after Coltyn’s 14th birthday, we just drove out here.” Right off the bat, they ran
M AY 2017
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27
ADVICE FOR PARENTS
orado Springs, you couldn’t
that THC helps the CBD
Here are a few tips for parents with children experiencing situations similar to Coltyn’s:
walk into them unless you
work more effectively to
had your medical card. So
heal the body. Coltyn takes
I drove up to Denver with
the oil four times a day, in
Coltyn, and we found the
a capsule form, which he
highest-CBD/lowest-THC
simply swallows.
READ THE LABELS AND WARNINGS “I wish that parents would do this,” says Wendy Turner.
ratio cannabis you can find
“I wish parents would take out that little bitty piece of
in a rec shop.”
paper in the box that the medicine comes from, and
oil isn’t a cure for Crohn’s.
read it. This paper we got for Humira was two-feet long.
the part of the cannabis
“Granted, cannabis is doing
It’s the smallest print you could possibly read, and it was
plant with medicinal and
a fantastic job of keeping
all about how you can get T-cell lymphoma, and you
healing properties, while
him in remission, but that’s
can get serious infections, and you can get tuberculo-
THC provided the typical
what it’s doing—keeping
sis. This is a medication that is supposed to be fixing
psychoactive high, which
him in remission. If he
Coltyn’s Crohn’s disease, and it could give him a disease
he wanted to keep as low
stops the cannabis, he goes
that is going to kill him. I’d read these things and I would
as possible for Coltyn, in
right back into a flare.”
think, ‘Why am I reading it? I don’t want to know.’ But I
part because of his age. In
needed to know.”
addition, Tom didn’t want
is taking full advantage
his son to have to smoke
of his newfound health.
cannabis. His best option,
After a recent snowfall, he
Current research indicates that for CBD to be truly effective
he thought, was to infuse
shoveled the driveway for
in healing the body, a little THC is required. “It opens up
it into edible brownies that
the first time in his life,
the receptors,”Wendy explains. “I didn’t know that back
they baked.
noting he was too small and
DON’T BE AFRAID OF THC
then—we didn’t know anything back then. We Googled. If you do a Google search, you’re going to find something.”
EXPECT SOME TRIAL AND ERROR
Tom started with very
For now, though, Coltyn
tired to help out before. He’s
low doses of cannabis,
gotten into snowball fights
and although he is not a
with his dad (“That’s when
cannabis user, he tested the
I knew I had my son back,”
When trying to find the right balance of CBD and THC
brownies on himself before
Tom recalls). He’s gone to
in an oil, trial and error is the best way to proceed initial-
giving them to his son.
Scout camp again, and par-
ly. “Everyone’s body is different,” says Coltyn, “and the
When he thought he had
ticipated in a memorable
plant affects their body differently. So it’s hard to figure
the right dosage, he gave
starlit trek up Blue Moun-
out what exactly would work for you. It’s a lot of trial
Coltyn a half-portion right
tain one morning to catch
and error. If you take a large dose of THC and you get
before bed. “He didn’t feel
the sunrise. He spends
knocked out, then you might want to lower the THC a
anything,” Tom says. “Next
time with his older brother,
little. But if you need that much, then there’s really not
morning, I gave him an-
Skyler, an Eagle Scout and
much you can do about it. So I just say trial and error is
other one. And by the next
musician, and his younger
so far the only way we can do it.”
morning, I noticed he had a
sister, Ryleigh, an accom-
little energy, and he was in
plished ballerina. He plays
a little bit better mood.”
chess. He tells jokes. And
DO RESEARCH AND ASK QUESTIONS “All we do is research,” says Wendy of her family. “I
28
Tom knew that CBD was
Wendy is quick to point out, however, that cannabis
For Coltyn, that was the
he’s been very opinionat-
feel like I’m on the Internet all the time, and talking to
turning point. As he con-
ed about the journey he
people, and talking to patients, and saying, ‘Okay, this
tinued to eat the brownies,
and his family have taken
worked for this patient, this worked for this patient.
the pain and inflammation
through the medical com-
What are the similarities? Why is it working? How many
began to recede. His energy
munity, and their search
milligrams are they taking? Where did they find that?’
started to return, and his
for an alternative medical
We try to compile all that information, so we know what
disposition improved. After
treatment.
is best for Crohn’s patients, because we have a lot of
some trial and error, they
questions about it.”
decided on an oil with a
this plant is just made to
1:1 ratio of CBD/THC, since
get you high, and it’s bad
current research indicates
for you,” he says about
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M AY 2017
“A lot of people think
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29
cannabis. “But it has so
has lived up to expectations
many uses, and it can do so
and proved highly efficient
many things. It should be
in cases of inflammatory
available to everybody, and
bowel diseases.”
everyone should have the choice to use it.”
In Coltyn’s case, however, no further testing is neces-
Although medical
sary. He believes he’s found
research on the benefits
the medicine he needs to
of cannabis for Crohn’s
keep him functional and
disease is still limited,
living life. And he’s willing
“A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK THIS PLANT IS JUST MADE TO GET YOU HIGH, AND IT’S BAD FOR YOU. BUT IT HAS SO MANY USES, AND IT CAN DO SO MANY THINGS. IT SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO EVERYBODY, AND EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE THE CHOICE TO USE IT. ”
there are some promising
to speak out about it, and
initial reports. A 2011 trial
tell his story to all who will
conducted by the Depart-
listen.
ment of Gastroenterology
Over the years, this
and Hepatology at Tel Aviv
endeavor has taken him
University in Israel was
to speaking engagements
the first study to show
across the country, all the
that, while remission of
way to the nation’s capi-
inflammation was not
tal. Last April, Coltyn met
fully achieved with the use
with 21 congresspeople in
of cannabis, it did pro-
Washington, DC, to speak
vide “significant clinical,
with them about the CAR-
steroid-free benefits for pa-
ER’s Act. If the CARER’s
tients with Crohn’s disease,
Act passes, it will legalize
without side effects.”
medical cannabis nation-
Another study, from the
wide.
Medical University of Graz in Austria, said “the medicinal plant Cannabis sativa
30
www.sensimag.com
M AY 2017
ROB FEEMAN is the Editor of Sensi Magazine.
moreinfo Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America www.ccfa.org
Coltyn’s Video
www.sensimag.com/coltyn
M AY 2017
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31
32
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M AY 2017
THE STANLEY BROTHERS’ PHOTOS BY KIM SIDWELL, CANNABIS CAMERA. ALL OTHER PHOTOS BY DANIELLE WEBSTER.
SOCO’S
POWER
PLAYERS by RA N DY R O B I N S O N
Over the last few years, Colorado became synonymous with legal cannabis.
Although our new industry—and the home grows it permitted—remain hotly controversial topics, we’ve shown we can do it. It’s been over three years since the first legal retail sales went live, and we now possess hard data showing that the sky isn’t falling, crime isn’t spiking, and best of all, we’re no longer wasting resources arresting, prosecuting, or incarcerating nonviolent people for simply smoking some cannabis.
But this thing didn’t just happen in a vacuum. Southern Colorado’s trailblazers played, and continue to play, instrumental roles in expanding the
the region, the state, and
people from around the
let our readers know who’s
beyond. Colorado stands as
country and around the
who right now, though this
one of the healthiest and
world relocate here in
is in no way a complete or
most robust economies in
droves—and these newcom-
comprehensive list. Every-
the nation, having created
ers vote in city, county, and
one from the casual con-
thousands of jobs while
statewide elections.
sumer to the most die-hard
As this community
activist has had a hand in
reach of medical
raking in hundreds of millions in tax revenues
continues to grow at an
this, but here are some of
and recreational
each year. Our political
ever-increasing rate, it can
the key figures behind
cannabis across
landscape is changing, too,
be tricky to keep track of
southern Colorado’s
as open-minded, tolerant
the names and faces behind
movement.
southern Colorado’s cannabis scene. We’d like to
M AY 2017
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33
1
THE STANLEY BROTHERS CW Hemp
The seven Stanley
medical cannabis plant
experienced just two to
Disappointment.” Over the
brothers made waves
called “Charlotte’s Web.”
three a month.
years, the Stanleys pro-
worldwide in 2014 when
They named the strain after
their Colorado Springs-
Charlotte Figi, a child
because of cannabidiol, or
for tens of thousands of
based foundation, the Realm
patient diagnosed with
CBD. CBD possesses medici-
patients, many of whom
of Caring, was featured in the
Dravet Syndrome, a debili-
nal properties but doesn’t
relocated to Colorado
CNN documentary Weed. In
tating disorder that triggers
get anyone high. Charlotte’s
Springs specifically to
that documentary, they
frequent, life-threatening
Web also lacks THC, the
access this strain. And they
introduced a global, main-
seizures. Before Charlotte
chemical that gets people
did this while scraping by
stream audience to a
came to Colorado, she could
elevated, hence the strain’s
on what little they had
suffer 300 grand mal
original name, “Hippie’s
while making practically
seizures in a week. After cannabis treatment, she
34
www.sensimag.com
M AY 2017
Charlotte’s Web works
duced Charlotte’s Web oil
zero profit.
Today, the Stanleys have PHOTO BY KIM SIDWELL, CANNABIS CAMERA
million enterprise that
brothers are devout Chris-
you believe God made us,
mostly moved on from
distributes Charlotte’s Web
tians. Yet they see no
and God made this plant. If
Realm of Caring. Some of
products for patients of all
conflict between their faith
you believe in evolution,
them travel the world, from
ages—and for household
and cannabis. “It doesn’t
then this plant evolved
Uruguay to Ireland, to teach
pets, too. Proceeds from
matter what you believe,”
alongside us. Either way, if
others about medical
every CW Hemp purchase
relates Joel Stanley, the
this plant can help us and
cannabis. Others refocused
goes toward funding Realm
eldest of the seven siblings.
heal us, we should use it.”
attention on their new
of Caring.
“If you believe in God, then
company, CW Hemp, a $30
Raised in Colorado Springs, it’s no surprise the Stanley
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3
JASON WARF Southern Colorado Cannabis Council
executive director of the
It was the thought of my
Southern Colorado Canna-
advocacy hurting my
bis Council, one of the
personal relationships.”
state’s first advocacy
travels around the state,
decade, he’s fought for
openly meeting with
patients and the industry,
senators, representatives,
even when the two groups
and even the governor to
seemed at odds with one
ensure patients and
another.
businesses are treated fairly
“When I first started
2
Colorado Springs City Council
She doesn’t consume cannabis, but she could be considered
a highly influential ally in Colorado Springs. Before she went into politics, Jill Gaebler served as an Air
Force officer for seven years. She also cofounded the Colorado Springs Charter Academy, a public school located in District 5. In 2013, Gaebler won her first seat on the Colorado Springs
City Council. This happened during a period of frantic transition, as Colorado scrambled to implement Amendment 64, the law that legalized recreational cannabis. Although the city government hasn’t exactly been cordial to pot shops and cannabis clubs, Gaebler fought to preserve the industry while supporting sensible regulations to protect residents. “Colorado Springs, as a whole, voted in support of Amendment 64,” she explains. “By allowing recreational sales, we reduce the momentum of the black market. If we don’t allow it, we can’t put any regulations around it. If we do, we can regulate it however it best benefits our community.”
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Today, he constantly
organizations. For over a
fighting for cannabis rights,
JILL GAEBLER
being vocal all those years.
under the laws. “In the age of informa-
the biggest obstacle was
tion,” he says, “cannabis
‘coming out’ as an advo-
prohibition didn’t stand a
cate,” Warf says. “I spent
chance. With the availabili-
most of my life in corporate
ty of information, studies,
America, and most of my
and open communication
family is extremely conser-
worldwide, the dominoes
vative. It wasn’t the threat
are falling very quickly.”
of arrest that kept me from
PHOTOS BY DANIELLE WEBSTER
Jason Warf is the
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4 IE SH I A J IRON Leaf on the Mesa
Last year, Pueblo’s entire
marijuana industry quiv-
ered on the chopping block. Ballot Initiatives 200 and 300 threatened to shut
down all cannabis operations within city and
county limits. Ieshia Jiron, a general manager at Leaf
on the Mesa, utilized media savvy to publicly oppose 200 and 300. Ultimately, voters shot down the initiatives, saving 1,300 jobs, hundreds of millions of dollars in investments, and Pueblo’s future. Protecting the industry secured her job, but it secured her family’s access to medicine, too. Her husband, a Marine Corps veteran, relies on medical cannabis. “He decided he was going to cut the opiates and strictly use cannabis,” she recalls. “Within a few months, I could see the changes in him. He wasn’t complaining about an upset stomach, he lost some got back his ambition. He now assists veterans filing for VA benefits. His lifestyle totally changed in a positive way, all due to cannabis.”
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PHOTOS BY DANIELLE WEBSTER
weight, and most of all, he
5
DAN C O RS ENT I N O
DC Security
Dan Corsentino is a graduate from the National FBI Academy and the Harvard Executive Management Pro-
gram. On top of that, he was elected to four terms as sheriff of Pueblo County. He served as a police chief in Fountain, Colorado, too. He now owns DC Security, a security firm that coordinates with Pueblo’s cannabis operations,
keeping employees safe and ensuring pot products stay out of the wrong hands. “I took an oath of office to enforce the laws,” recalls Corsentino. “When cannabis was illegal, I did enforce those laws. But in my heart, I knew it was a losing battle. It outdistanced any kind of enforcement action that could take place. I was also concerned that I saw people going to jail just for smoking weed. That was unreasonable. I thought the best remedy would be to legalize marijuana
6
and control it. Then tax it to filter that money back into the communities. And that’s pretty much what happened.”
AMB UR ROSE RACE K Studio A64
Studio A64 stakes the claim as Colorado’s first licensed
smoking club. This classy joint, located near downtown Colorado Springs, provides cannabis lovers a safe place to share ideas, information, and some quality buds. For nearly two years, Ambur Rose Racek has owned and managed the club. Clubs like Studio A64, says Racek, are needed to educate
people on how to use cannabis. Many patients come to her seeking advice on cannabis treatments, because they don’t know where else to turn. “When this state legalized recreational, no one created a
framework for informing people,” she explains. “We’ve taken on that responsibility. People need to be educated before they try it, especially with edibles.” Racek notes tourists can severely underestimate the potency of Colorado’s novel pot products. Retail stores can’t allow consumption, but cannabis clubs can guide newbies through first-time experiences, reducing the chances of a “too much, too fast” mistake from ever happening.
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7 CL IFTON B LACK Black & Graham
Clifton Black never intended to
become a cannabis attorney. He
started off in debt collection, then
moved to criminal defense. He took on his first pot case in 2009. As he
accepted more cannabis clients, he adapted to the city and state’s
fluctuating regulations, where new, often complicated rules popped up every few months.
Last March, Black was asked to
join the city’s Marijuana Working Group, a task force dedicated to
designing ordinances for Colorado Springs’s cannabis. For him, the
fight for cannabis is like a swinging pendulum, as prohibitionists push back against recent progress, and
advocates push forward just a little going to be legalized and decrimi-
nalized in more and more states,” he says. “It’ll be regulated much like alcohol, and I think we’re eventually going to have cannabis clubs both here and nationally.”
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PHOTO BY DANIELLE WEBSTER
harder. “Over time, cannabis is
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ROYA L GORGE // C AÑON CIT Y, CO: Walking across the Royal Gorge Bridge is exciting enough. But thrill-seekers can ride zip-lines, gondolas, and even swing over the 1,200-foot-deep canyon.
Colorado is one of America’s premier tourist destinations. But who knew it could be so … weird?
What a long, strange trip by RANDY ROBINSON
WHEN MOST PEOPLE THINK OF
Colorado,
THEY IMAGINE PINE
F O R E S T S , S N O W C A P P E D M O U N TA I N S, A ND DEER. DESERTS, ALLIGATORS, AND ALIENS DEFINITELY DON’T TO P T H AT L I S T, B U T T H AT ’S B E C A U S E C O LO R A D A N S K E E P OUR BEST-KEPT SECRETS CLOSE TO OUR HEARTS. IF YOU’RE L O O K I N G TO E X P E R I E N C E T H E O D D E R S I D E O F W H AT O U R S TAT E H AS TO O F F E R, F O L LO W T H I S G U I D E. CHICKEN SINCL AIR // HOOPER, CO: You know you’re in Hooper when you spot the giant avian statues at the local Sinclair gas station.
42
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The Skyward Beacon UFO WATCHTOWER
For UFO enthusiasts, the
To date, Messoline claims
San Luis Valley is a place of
there’s been over a hundred
mesh that acts as an
legend. The first document-
sightings at the Watchtower
observation deck. For kids
ed cattle mutilation (well, a
ever since its founding in
with a wavering interest in
horse, actually) took place
2000. The most recent
flying saucers, there’s a
here in the 1950s. Ever since
sighting, she says, hap-
playground onsite to keep
that macabre discovery,
pened at the end of March.
them occupied. Even if no
locals and travelers swear
During half the year, the
nestled beneath a metallic
little green men appear
they’ve seen anomalous
UFO Watchtower is relative-
during your visit, the
lights flying through the
ly empty outside of “ The
stargazing experience alone
skies here. That gave local
Garden,” an area where
is worth the trip: the sky
Judith Messoline an idea:
travelers leave mementos
near Hooper isn’t dimmed
create a camping area for
as offerings to extra-dimen-
by big-city lights, so
the UFO chasers who
sional entities. Feel free to
satellites, shooting stars,
annually gathered in
leave an item, but it’s
and even the Milky Way are
Hooper, CO, in search of
über-bad juju to take
clearly visible at the UFO
otherworldly visitors.
something from the area.
Watchtower.
Next to The Garden sits the watchtower proper, a dome-shaped gift shop
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43
Feel free to leave an item, but it’s über-bad juju to take something from the area. UFO WATCHTOWER // HOOPER, CO: The garden contains mementos of all types. As one would expect in Colorado, past visitors have left a number of empty cannabis bottles for our extra-dimensional friends.
PHOTO © RANDY ROBINSON
H O W E V E R, I F YO U L E F T T H I S L I O N E L R I C H I E G R E AT E S T H I T S C A S S E T T E TA P E , P L E A S E C O M E B A C K A ND C O L L E C T I T, A S A P.
surprised to know that
to own an alligator in most
tortoises, giant snakes,
open. Campers can show up
The Watchtower is always
alligators are one of the few
places, but some folks learn
lizards, frogs, emus, and a
any time, 24/7, without
creatures that can be frozen,
that the hard way.
parrot. Oh yeah, there's
reservations. In the event
thawed, and brought back to
Although the park is most
some friendly humans
you don’t happen to meet
life. They do fairly well in
famous for its legion of
there, too, who will guide
any reptilians from Alpha
the Colorado snow, thank
alligators, it also hosts
Draconis, you can hang out
you very much.
with some earthling reptiles just down the road.
Founded in 1977 as a humble tilapia farm, the Reptile Park has since
The Exotic Animal Sanctuary
evolved into a self-sustain-
REPTILE PARK
exotic pets and exotic
C O L O R A D O G ATO R S What in tarnation are gators doing way out here in Colorado? Aren’t they a Florida thing? You might be
44
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ing animal sanctuary. The park accepts abandoned pets forfeited to law enforcement—in case you didn’t know, it’s illegal
G ATORS REPTILE PARK // MOSCA, CO: Outside of wrestling, the gators at the Reptile Park live pretty chillaxed lives.
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M AY 2017
45
The sand reflects the moonlight like a billion tiny mirrors, casting an eerie silver glow over everyone and everything in the area. GREAT SAND DUNES NATIONAL PARK // MOSCA, CO: If the sand gets too hot for your feet, you can always stroll through the creek at the base of the dunes.
who dabble in extreme
families who wish to stay
sports. If wrasslin’ a reptile
overnight, and respectful
strikes you as a little too
campers can spend a night
close-and-personal, you can
out in the dunes. If you do
buy some cheap feed to toss
plan to check out the dunes
at the super-lizards instead.
at night, aim for a night with a full moon. The sand reflects the moonlight like
A Desert Among the Trees
a billion tiny mirrors,
NATIONAL PARK
thing in the area.
G RE A T S A N D D U N E S Just a few miles from the UFO Watchtower and the Reptile Park looms one of America’s most anomalous natural formations: the Great Sand Dunes. From a distance, the dunes look like a massive sand hill dropped at the base of the Rocky Mountains. If you dare to trek to the top of the dunes, you’ll find yourself immersed in a scene that looks more like Persia than it does Pueblo. How did a desert end up in the middle of Colorado’s evergreen mountains? According to geologists,
you, educate you, and even
For the starstruck, drop
ancient lakes in the area
take your photo while you
by the Reptile Park just to
evaporated nearly half a
pose with a baby gator.
see Morris. Chances are
million years ago. The sand
you’ve never heard of him,
never washed away. A
own enclosed ecosystem.
but you’ve likely seen him
cyclical flow of air and water
Waste from the tilapia fish
in films such as Happy
sweeps the sand from the
pools gets pumped through
Gilmore, Interview with a
base of the Sangre de Cristo
the sanctuary’s water pipes,
Vampire, Eraser, Blues
Mountains while opposing
feeding the park’s plants and
Brothers 2000, and Dr.
wind currents lift the sands
microorganisms. Some of
Doolittle 2 . He’s happily
back atop the dunes.
these reptiles even coexist
retired after a 25-year career,
alongside one another,
though he’s currently not
today attracts campers,
especially the turtles and
available to sign autographs.
hikers, and sandboarders
The Reptile Park acts as its
gators who can be caught
46
The Reptile Park also
The Great Sand Dunes
(yes, that’s a real thing) from
napping in the same scaly
offers gator wrestling
all over the world. There’s
cuddle puddle during the day.
classes for those of you
multiple camp sites for
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casting an eerie silver glow over everyone and everySummers at the dunes can get fairly hot during the day. Luckily, there’s a shallow run-off creek that flows along the base of the dunes. If the heat gets unbearable, feel free to literally roll off the hills and splash into some fresh, cold mountain water.
The Bridge to Nowhere R O YA L G O R G E B R I D G E
In 1929, Texan businessman Lon P. Piper ordered the construction of a bridge over Colorado’s Royal Gorge, a valley cut nearly 1,000-feet deep by the Arkansas River. Piper intended the bridge to become an amusement park, so for much of its existence it literally led to nowhere but “the other side.” Today, there’s a museum, restaurant, and gift shop on the other end of the bridge. During non-business hours, the bridge is known as Fremont County Road 3A, and it connects Route 50 to itself. Until 2001, the Royal Gorge Bridge was the
highest bridge in the world.
the gorge to the other
a castle out in the Rocky
Today, it still holds the
throughout the day.
Mountains?
record for the world’s
For a truly memorable
Almost four decades later,
Beyond the church are winding spiral staircases that lead up either of the
experience, helicopter tours
and Bishop’s Castle is still
castle’s towers. For travel-
will dive in and around the
under construction. Howev-
ers who don’t fear heights
across the bridge’s 1,300
bridge. If you’re lucky, you
er, it’s open to the public
(the Royal Gorge is on the
wooden planks. These
may catch park-approved
during daylight hours, so
itinerary, after all), climb all
planks contain narrow
bungee jumpers attempting
long as you’re willing to sign
the way up to the top of the
gaps, so if you’re a bit of a
to break world records as
a safety waiver before
towers for a captivating
shoe-gazer, you will see the
they leap into the gorge’s
plumbing the castle’s
view of San Isabel and the
bottom of the gorge
gaping maw.
hidden recesses.
castle itself. There’s also a
highest suspension bridge. Visitors can brave a trek
A stone arch leads to the
beneath your feet. If you
main road that accesses the
seek adventure, there’s no shortage here: rafting, climbing, hiking, and camping are available at the Royal Gorge. If you’re thirsting for a real rush, consider taking the zip line over the gorge, or hop into the Skycoaster swing. If you’d prefer a more mellow outing, a gondola shuttles passengers from one side of
The King of the Hill BISHOP’S CASTLE
In the 1970s, Coloradan Jim Bishop bought a plot of land in San Isabel National Forest. While constructing a brick building to house his water tank, a neighbor jokingly asked if Bishop was building a castle. One idea led to another, and Bishop got to thinking— what if he did actually build
castle. Along the way,
catwalk that stretches over the church’s rooftop. On your way out, please
visitors discover Bishop’s
be mindful that Bishop’s
colorful political rants,
Castle operates on dona-
written on wooden plaques
tions. A locked donation box
scattered around the site.
can be found at the bottom
There’s multiple entrances
level. There’s also a raven
into the castle, but one of the
that lives in the area and
more popular waypoints is
stashes its treasures in a
the steep stairway that
nearby dollhouse. The
leads to the front of the
raven also accepts dona-
church. The church boasts
tions in the form of shiny
a cathedral-style architec-
trinkets. And if you’d like to
ture, complete with a vaulted
stick around after your
ceiling, stained glass
visit to the castle, there’s
windows, and a metallic
ample camping available
dragon’s head fitted at the
for miles around San Isabel
top. During the warmer
National Forest.
months, the church can be reserved for events such as weddings and holiday services.
BISHOP’S CASTLE // SAN ISABEL NATIONAL FOREST: Known to youngsters as “Colorado’s Hogwarts,” the castle is open yearround, and it’s always free. Donations, however, are greatly appreciated.
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SUPER COOPER
by RANDY ROBINSON
Meral Cooper raised a ruckus back in
nation’s harsh anti-drug
engineering, with the goal
method to clean soil.
laws.
of bringing lasting envi-
However, true to the
ronmental sustainability
revolutionary spirit, she
2013 when Colorado
She eventually met with
Springs City Council
city officials to discuss the
to Colorado—and the
hasn’t given up her
banned retail marijua-
retail ban, wherein she
world. In April, she deliv-
grassroots activism just
na. At that time, she was a
decided a raw, in-your-
ered a presentation at the
yet. She continues to
student at the University
face approach doesn’t
Institute of Cannabis
organize rallies to raise
of Colorado, and served as
always work. Currently a
Research, southern Colora-
awareness against climate
president of Students for
graduate student at
do’s first state-funded
change—except nowadays
Sensible Drug Policy, a
CSU-Pueblo, she’s moved
cannabis research pro-
she prefers to engage
student-led activist group
away from protesting and
gram, regarding hemp
others to educate rather
working to reform the
now devotes her studies to
planting as a natural
than agitate.
LOCAL FAVES Name // Meral Sarper Cooper
Coffeeshop // Poor Richard’s
Age // 26
Restaurant // Seeds Community Cafe
Occupation // Medical Engineer, Permaculture Consultant, Community Organizer
Dispensary // Native Roots
Originally from // Pueblo, CO
Strain/Concentrate // Blue Dream, of course
Motto // “ We shall overcome.”
Salon/Spa // Pure Spa and Wellness in Pueblo West, Colorado
Hero // Gandhi Currently Reading // Unacknowledged by Dr. Steven Greer
Edible // Incredibles Monkey Bar
Boutique/Shopping Destination // Manitou Springs Hiking Trail // Barr Trail Park // Palmer Park
PHOTO BY DANIELLE WEBSTER
Ski Resort/Mountain // Monarch Mountain Go-To Spot to Take Out-of-Towners // Garden of the Gods Your Happy Place // Home with my husband and puppies {CONTINUED ON PAGE 50}
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{CONTINUED FROM PAGE 49}
ELEVATED TOPICS Q // Whatcha call it? Cannabis, marijuana, pot, weed… A // Definitely “cannabis.” You know, the actual scientific term. Q //What was the first Colorado Springs or Pueblo dispensary you visited? What did you buy? A // LivWell. I think I got an eighth and some edibles. Q // What’s your favorite way to elevate? Eat it, smoke it, vape it, dab it, or just rub some pot on it (aka a topical)? A // Vape it. Eat it. Q //How’s it make you feel? A: Relaxed Q // What’s your favorite thing to do after using cannabis? A // Make art, and listen to music and dance.
PHOTO BY DANIELLE WEBSTER
Q // Got any advice for anyone new to cannabis? A // Take it slow, and don’t overuse it.
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