Sensi Magazine - Southern Colorado (August 2018)

S OU THER S O U TNH ECOLOR R N C OADO LORADO

W NNOORRMMAALL TTHHEE NNEEW

8.2018 8.2018

the Best Ways to make the Most of It

SUMMER is almost over HEALTH ARE

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4 AUGUST 2018 Southern Colorado

sensimag.com AUGUST 2018 5

6 AUGUST 2018 Southern Colorado

ISSUE 8 // VOLUME 2 // 8.2018

FEATURES 24 Trippy Healing

Psychedelics might be the new medical marijuana.

SP EC IAL R EP OR T

38 The Entourage Effect

Is it the THC, the CBD, or a combination of the two that makes us feel better?

every issue 09 Editor’s Note 10 The Buzz 16 CrossRoads

HEALTHY CHOICES

20 TasteBuds

AUGUST CORN LUST

30 AroundTown

ON THE CALENDAR

50 HereWeGo

A STATE AFFAIR

Sensi magazine is published monthly

by Sensi Media Group LLC. © 2018 SENSI MEDIA GROUP LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

20

DOG DAYS OF SUMMER Make the most of it.

GET CORNY Colorado’s crops are in season.

sensimag.com AUGUST 2018 7

sensi magazine ISSUE 8 VOLUME 2 8.2018

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8 AUGUST 2018 Southern Colorado

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DO YOU. BE WELL.

editor’s

NOTE

One evening in June, I returned to my apartment

after a last-minute retreat to the mountains. In my bag was a bundle of sage that had been growing wild on the property where I had been staying on the Western Slope. The woman who owned the land told me that sage had been used in spiritual rituals as a way to cleanse negative energies from people and places, suggest-

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An East Coast cynic who spent her formative years going to

ing power of cannabis. So I decided to look at the spiritual cleansing ritual the same way we encourage Sensi readers to think about using cannabis for health and wellness: it can’t hurt you, it might help you, and there’s no harm in trying.

So I went for it. I needed to do something—my apartment had digressed from a place I adored to a place I had to escape, an empty spot filled with sadness stemming from the loss of two pets in just two months. I lit a bundle of sage, waved a feather at the smoke rising from a heat-proof abalone shell while repeating a chant demanding negative energies get the fuck out—my personalized smudging prayer. It took all night, but by dawn, I felt it: the bad had been banished, the space had been renewed.

Did negative energy actually exit through the open windows,

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matter? It worked. For me, it worked.

Which brings me to the underlying message of this year’s health and wellness issue: do you, be well, don’t judge. This applies to spiritual practices, exercise routines, wellness pursuits: if you find something that works for you, do it up, do it often, do it well (as long as it doesn’t harm anyone else, of course). Just don’t get all preachy about it or insist that other people’s pursuits are lacking in anyway.

Your meditation practice is my synchronized stationary biking routine. You do you, I’ll do me, and we’ll all be better because of it.

Be well.

Stephanie Wilson E D I TO R I N C H I E F SENSI MAGAZINE

sensimag.com AUGUST 2018 9

THE NEW NORMAL

sensi

buzz

Great Balls of Fire The Perseid Meteor Shower peaks on August 13.

Every August, the Perseid Meteor Shower puts on quite a celestial show, a seemingly choreographed dance of giant fire balls moving across the sky. This year, the peak of the Perseid takes place August 13, but if you keep an eye on the sky any night from late July through August 20, you’ll likely see some of the “shooting stars,” which are actually just particles of debris left behind by comets and asteroids. Space trash on fire, if you will.

At the peak, there will be about 80 meteors visible each hour—more than one a minute. And while that’s not nearly as many as there were in 2016’s “outburst” year, which topped 200 per hour, this year the peak happens near the new moon so there’s no giant glowing orb in the sky dimming the shine of the giant balls of space trash on fire in the sky.

Head’s up. And consider heading up, too, as in up a mountain where there’s less light pollution and less atmosphere, which means a way better view.

–Stephanie Wilson

Think About It

OK, so the other day, I was swinging in the hammock, staring at a terribly beautiful sky and thinking about my love-hate relationship with the end of summer when I had an epiphany. As background, a small crowd of my neighbors had been passing a joint around in random order when I came out. When it was handed to me, there’s a definite possibility I hit it while listening to my least-favorite neighbor tell a story involving a passive-aggressive note, plastic, glasses, and the building’s zero-tolerance policy about bottles by the pool.

Typically weird and terribly funny stuff that reminds me I’m awfully lucky to live here.

I got into the outdoor swing thinking about nothing and that’s when it hit me: THC is the stuff in cannabis that makes you high, right? It’s called psychoactive. But the stereotypical stoner is neither psycho nor active. A stoner, by definition, is chill and couch-locked according to the old trope. Which means that “psychoactive THC” is an oxymoron. Boom!

That’s all. Good story, right? Right. –SW

10 AUGUST 2018 Southern Colorado

Watch this: Snatchers

You know you love Dale & Tucker Vs. Evil (if you haven’t seen it,

watch it stat). Now, there is a twisted series on par that makes aliens fun again—yep, for real. Snatchers is a digital horror-comedy series about to launch its second season. This summer is the perfect time for you to catch up on Season 1, which will have you laughing from the start. The beautifully shot and well-written story centers on two ex-besties (Sara and Hayley) who find themselves in a rather unusual predicament after Sara has sex for the first time and wakes up the next day eight months pregnant…with an alien baby. Now it’s up to the teenage duo to face the extraterrestrial threat and save the world.

The critically acclaimed series premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival and was picked up by Verizon, which ordered two more seasons earlier this year.

With over-the-top scenes, odd and oddly entertaining characters, high school angst, and kickass gore, this series is one to watch. The short episodes average about five to seven minutes each, so you can breeze through the first season in no time, preparing for the release of Season 2 later this summer.

–Dawn Garcia Stream episodes and catch up on the latest news on stage13.com.

sensimag.com AUGUST 2018 11

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[Warning: sarcasm follows.] Do you meditate? If not, you should. It makes you mindful, and mindfulness makes you a good person. It makes you super self-aware of other people’s well-being and how that’s connected to yourself. Mindfulness is easy, just download one of the bazillion mindfulness apps out there, and then sit still and meditate. And then practice yoga. There are apps for that, too, and they’ll guide you to your center so you can find youself while you’re balancing upside down. Life is all about balance. And perspective. And bettering yourself. Open your mind and heart, focus on nothing all the while becoming totally aware of your self.

That awareness? That’s the universe telling you that you matter. Because you meditate.

[Warning: Science about how mindfulness doesn’t make you a better person follows.] New research coming out of the UK in June revealed that meditation and yoga practices can worsen one’s ego, according to a study published in the Psychological Science journal. Rather than overcoming selfishness, modern mindfulness practices promote self-improvement—and improving one’s self is not a bad thing. It does, however, lead some self-centered people to higher levels of self-absorption.

Researchers found that people have a higher opinion of themselves after practicing yoga and meditating—a direct contradiction to the common belief that the Buddhist-based mindfulness practices decrease selfishness and increase pro-social behaviors. Turns out it makes people more self-absorbed. A different study, published in Scientific Reports, examined the effects of meditation on people’s prosociality—voluntary behavior intended to benefit another individual or society as a whole. The conclusion?

Contrary to popular belief that meditation leads to prosocial changes, the moral value and life-changing results of mindful practice is limited. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have potential to make you a better person.

Just don’t let it go to your head.

–SW

Dog Days, Defined plural noun (via Merriam-Webster)

1: the period between early July and early September when the hot sultry weather of summer usually occurs in the northern hemisphere 2: a period of stagnation or inactivity Related news: On September 15, at what’s literally the same moment this year’s dog days are over, Florence + the Machine take the stage at Grandoozy, the new three-day music festival by the creators of Bonaroo and Outside Lands happening just north of here in Denver. If they don’t open with their 2009 hit single “Dog Days Are Over” and note the literal meaning of the lyrics at that precise moment, it will be literally the biggest missed opportunity ever. Literally. –SW

sensimag.com AUGUST 2018 13

14 AUGUST 2018 Southern Colorado

Tune in to The Daily Dose Talk Radio Show A Trusted Voice of the Cannabis Industry Every Saturday morning 8-10am, J and Paul bring you the latest news and info on the cannabis industry locally and globally.

Tune in to hear from industry leaders and take advantage of The Daily Dose deals on our webpage.

Broadcast live on 1040AM, 95.7FM, Blazin' 98.5FM and Cruisin' Oldies 101.3FM. So‌tune in to the only cannabis talk show on the radio in Southern Colorado to get the 411 on the 420!

For more info or to listen live, visit our website‌ www.TheDailyDoseTalkShow.com sensimag.com AUGUST 2018 15

{crossroads}

by R I C A R D O B A C A

Multiple major studies agree: legal cannabis laws make for lower opioid use rates. So why aren’t we combating the opioid epidemic with weed?

16 AUGUST 2018 Southern Colorado

There it is again: Another high-level study telling the world there is a legitimate geographic connection between legal marijuana laws and lower opioid use rates.

And before anyone questions the validity of this July 2018 study, know that it was conducted by researchers from the University of California San Diego and the Weill Cornell Medical College, the latter of which is the medical school at Ivy League institution Cornell University.

Ivy League’s pretty legit. And so is the University of Georgia, where researchers recently found that there are “substantial reductions in opiate use” in states that have implemented medical marijuana laws—findings they reported in JAMA Internal Medicine, a medical journal that is published by the Journal of the American Medical Association, which is also pretty legit.

There are even more studies pointing to the same conclusion—including studies authored by researchers from the University of Kentucky College of Public Health, Emory University, and other respected academic institutions.

GATEWAY TO GOOD But how many encouraging studies published in the world’s most respected peer-reviewed medical journals do there need to be before the US federal government starts seriously discussing cannabis as a viable and effective alternative to the opioids that are ravaging everyday Americans daily?

That cannabis is in fact an effective exit drug from the more dangerous-and-deadly opioids that are killing more than 115 Americans every day (according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse) shouldn’t surprise anybody who has been paying attention.

The National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine told us in 2017 there is “conclusive or substantial evidence” that cannabis is effective at treating pain. A few years earlier a systematic review and meta-analysis published in the esteemed Journal of the American Medical Association (remember them?) told us there was “moderate-quality evidence to support the use of cannabinoids for the treatment of chronic pain.” sensimag.com AUGUST 2018 17

“If you call something an emergency,” he said, “urgent action should immediately follow.”

You’d think, right? And yet all we’ve seen is inaction, which is unfortunately what we’ve come to expect from Trump and his administration of inept yes-men.

But just think about the common sense here, and how So the positioning of cannabis as an effective treatment for pain goes beyond your Uncle Al’s vouching for it.

And yet President Donald Trump, who has called the

we’re completely ignoring a life-saving solution amid a tragic epidemic that is killing 3,500 Americans every month.

opioid epidemic “the worst drug crisis in American history,”

Americans are in tremendous pain—and not just of the

stopped short of declaring a national emergency, as his

divisive, existential variety often associated with the man

opioid commission had recommended—instead opting to

residing at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. More than 10 percent of

call it a public health emergency.

Americans experience a lot of pain, and more than 55 per-

Dr. Andrew Kolodny, co-director of the Opioid Policy Re-

cent reported some type of pain in the three months leading

search Collaborative at Brandeis University, told USA To-

up to a recent survey funded by the National Institutes of

day that Trump was right in calling the epidemic an emer-

Health’s National Center for Complementary and Integra-

gency—but Kolodny found the president’s lack of action

tive Health (NCCIH) and published in The Journal of Pain.

surprising.

While severely addictive and deadly opioids are com-

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monly prescribed for this pain, top-level research tells us that cannabis—a non-deadly, less-addictive substance— can effectively treat many of these types of pain. And yet do you see the federal government mentioning marijuana as a potential alternative to this tragic state we’re in, a.k.a. “the worst drug crisis in American history”? Nope.

At least some states are starting to catch on. In mid-July,“New York State Health Commissioner Howard Zucker filed

Kudos to New York, and more importantly, bravo to

emergency regulations adding any condition for which an opi-

Zucker! If prescribing physicians in the Empire State adapt

oid could be prescribed as a qualifying condition for medical

to these emergency regulations, his common-sense mo-

marijuana,” reported Leafly, a leading cannabis news site.

tion will save untold lives.

As Zucker’s office wrote: “Effective immediately, regis-

And meanwhile the federal government twiddles its

tered practitioners may certify patients to use medical

thumbs as more than 100 families from San Diego to Ban-

marijuana as a replacement for opioids, provided that the

gor say goodbye forever to their loved ones with each

precise underlying condition for which an opioid would

passing sunset.

otherwise be prescribed is stated on the patient’s certification. This allows patients with severe pain that doesn’t meet the definition of chronic pain to use medical marijuana as a replacement for opioids.”

RICARDO BACA is a veteran journalist, thought leader, and founder of The Cannabist.

His content agency Grasslands works primarily with businesses and individuals in the cannabis and hemp industries on thought leadership, publicity, and marketing projects via thoughtful, personalized content campaigns.

sensimag.com AUGUST 2018 19

{tastebuds}

by J O H N L E H N D O R F F

T t.

S U L m e r fe a s m u s N e t R e a c he s m a ke a l a O C T S U A U Golorado corn, melon, and p Sweet C

20 AUGUST 2018 Southern Colorado

August is the juiciest month. The long, hot, sweaty sea-

That’s how you get the state’s ask-by-name signature

son culminates in an embarrassment of sweet vegetables

crops: Olathe sweet corn, Rocky Ford melons, San Luis

and fruits ripe for the picking in a 31-day span.

Valley potatoes, Palisade peaches, and Pueblo chilies.

When I was a kid, I spent as much of the month in a bathing suit as I could. On the way home from the pool or lake or

Well, those and another high-value Colorado agricultural product: cannabis.

ocean, the family would stop at the farm stand to get peach-

All-Colorado meals are no sweat in August after a stop

es and cream corn, all the sweeter for having been picked

at a farmer’s market or farm stand for the critical element:

that day. Mom would pull back the silk on each ear—at least

enough ears for us to gorge. Olathe sweet corn is great, but

three per person—checking to make sure they weren’t bug-

excellent corn is grown all over the state, including on Mun-

gy. We’d pick up giant misshapen tomatoes still warm from

son Farm northeast of Boulder.

the field and grab crisp pickling cucumbers and green beans.

During the short local corn season, I shop around to taste

At home, I often ended up performing the ritual husking

as many different varieties—all-yellow, all-white, and bi-

of the ears and trimming of the green beans. I found it

color. Some are sugary, some corn-ier, some creamier than

strangely satisfying even back then. Dinner was ecstatically

the others. I grill, steam, or microwave ears, just enough to

al fresco in the evening as the mosquitos descended while

warm them up.

we sat around an old picnic table on the wraparound porch.

These days, I don’t need my ears butter-poached—just

There would be meat, sometimes steak cooked over

a little sea salt and a fresh grind of black pepper does the

charcoal, or roasted chicken. Mom liked her corn boiled—

trick. That said, I have a tough time resisting eating elote—a

frankly, it was overcooked—but it didn’t matter after we

Mexican-style grilled corn—when I encounter it. I’ll even

rolled ears atop a 1-pound block of salted butter. Often

add fresh kernels cut from the cob to chopped salads.

there was Austrian sweet-and-sour cucumber salad or a green salad crowned with tomato wedges. We’d finish up with hunks of crimson watermelon crammed with seeds that we’d spit over the railing.

Rocky Ford Sorbet and Fried Red Tomatoes Rocky Ford is not a variety of melon. It’s a chunk of land

After such a meal, the kids would need to be hosed off.

in the Arkansas Valley near Rocky Ford well-suited to grow-

Which may explain why I was still usually wearing my

ing dozens of melon varieties. When they are ripe, these

bathing suit.

honeydews, cantaloupes, watermelons, and muskmelon

It’s been awhile since I needed to be hosed off at the end of a watermelon-capped meal, and the world today can

are so sweet, juicy, and aromatic they are known to make a grown man sigh. Especially the muskmelon.

sometimes seem like a different place than it was back then.

The melons don’t need a lot of fancy toppings to bring

Some things, however, never change. In August, we want our

out the flavor depths. Just top with salty cheese or slices of

food origins to be as close to our homes as possible.

salumi or dip in Greek yogurt. Or you could try to make my

Even if we’re indifferent to the origins of our food during the rest of the year, this month, we care. We just say no to

sorbet/granita frozen melon delight. The recipe isn’t precise, because I am not a precise cook.

the dehusked ears of corn wrapped in plastic sold at the big

Purée ripe melon with a little sugar or honey, some

grocery stores. We want the ears from here, picked just

fresh lime juice, and a little salt in a blender. Taste it, then

down the way there mere hours ago, because its flavors

tweak the flavor to your liking. Freeze the mix in ice cube

reflect what the French call terroir—the essence of the

trays. To serve it, I chill the blender’s glass container in the

ground in which it was grown. It tastes like home.

freezer then purée the frozen melon mixture, pour into

To Serve Colorado Colorado’s unique growing conditions create su-

glasses, garnish with mint leaf, perhaps add a splash of Stem Cider’s Hibiscus Session apple cider. Raise the glass and cheers.

per-sweet produce with a summer cycle of hot, sunny

When the melons are ripe and the prices cheap, I’ll buy in

days and cold, dry nights teasing out every sugary nuance.

bulk and purée a mess of them, stockpiling freezer bags of sensimag.com AUGUST 2018 21

Providing quality

cannabis and

concentrates

here in Pueblo, CO

cubes. August is also the month I ask farmers for any ugly, slightly beat-up overripe tomato “seconds” to turn into future sauce.

Likewise, a sun-warmed garden tomato—whether San Marzano, Cherokee Purple, Green Grape, or Brandywine—needs nothing more than sea salt but that doesn’t mean I don’t wallow in caprese salads (tomato, fresh mozzarella, and basil), tomato sandwiches, and at least once a season, fried red tomatoes. The secret is finding just the right heirloom tomatoes—ripe but still firm—and cut 1- to 2-inch slices from the middle. It’s the filet mignon of the fruit. I dry the slices, dip them in egg and then in cornbread mix, and fry until crisp in oil, butter, or bacon fat. It’s a fine side dish or a base for a veggie benedict.

When Spuds Meet Peppers Potatoes aren’t nearly as sexy as peaches or muskmelon, but the San Luis Valley and the Greeley area grow dozens of varieties of first-class Russet, yellow (like Yukon Gold), red potatoes (like Colorado Rose), and various purple and blue spuds.

I love the multicolored, creamy-textured fingerlings that are so easy to cook.

Whether I am grilling, roasting, or pan-frying them, I microwave them first to speed the process. I grill them along with whole Colorado green chilies like Pueblo’s Mosca variety. The potato and peeled roasted peppers can be served smashed or turned into warm potato salad with a mustardy vinaigrette or roasted garlic aioli.

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Spice up your late-summer barbecues with this recipe for Elote, the Mexican take on grilled corn on the cob packed with refreshing flavors that put our basic butter to shame.

INGREDIENTS 4 ears sweet corn, shucked 4 tablespoons plain greek yogurt 4 tablespoons light mayonnaise ¼ cup grated cotija or parmesan cheese ground red chile powder or chili powder mix, to taste

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22 AUGUST 2018 Southern Colorado

¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped 1 lime, cut into wedges DIRECTIONS // Grill sweet corn, rotating occasionally until cooked through with grill marks. Mix yogurt and mayonnaise, spread evenly over grilled corn. Sprinkle cheese and chile powder evenly over each ear, then sprinkle on cilantro. Squeeze a lime wedge over the whole thing and chomp away.

There is also no single type of Palisade peach grown on Colorado’s Western Slope, but rather a succession of varieties with ripening dates from July into September. Just as with distinct sativa and indica strains, Colorado peaches come in many mutations from the early Redhaven—an explosion of juice in the mouth (and on the shirt) to the nearly round, fuzzless Glowhaven in mid-August that is ideal for freezing and pies.

This month, you see Palisade peach stands across the state, but some devotees trek to Palisade and environs to find obscure varieties that never make it to the Front Range.

Do you want to make guests gush at your all-Colorado-ingredients dinner?

Serve Peach pocket pies. Peel and dice a bunch of ripe peaches then drain off some of the juice. Toss them with sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and nutmeg. Make a standard pie crust or roll out the supermarket variety. Using a glass or other container cut out large dough circles. Spoon on some peaches, leaving room to brush the edge with an egg-milk wash. Fold over and brush with egg-milk wash and sprinkle with sugar. Cut one vent in the top. Bake for about 30 minutes in a 325-degree oven or until golden brown, and serve with locally churned vanilla gelato.

For now, banish thoughts of the buttoned-up autumn approaching and eat another peach. Preserve the flavors of August while you can, and you can bring a bite of summer out of the freezer or pantry to brighten a dark-tooearly winter evening.

JOHN LEHNDORFF hosts Radio Nibbles on KGNU. Catch the podcasts at BIT.LY/RADIONIBBLES.

Colorado Crop Celebrations Calendar Parties from Olathe to Pueblo celebrate the season’s ripe bounties.

• Sweet Corn / Aug. 4 / Endless ears of buttered corn and country music are on tap at the Olathe Sweet Corn Festival. OLATHESWEETCORNFEST.COM • Peaches / Aug. 17–18 / Peach pie, peach cobbler, peach ice cream and peach cocktails are served at the Palisade Peach Festival. PALISADEPEACHFEST.COM • Melon / Aug. 18 / Watermelon Day at the Rocky Ford Fairgrounds features, literally, tons of free watermelon. ARKVALLEYFAIR.COM • Tomatoes / Aug. 25 / Sample dozens of varieties of Lycopersicon esculentum grown by local gardeners and share tomato-growing expertise at the Taste of Tomato in Boulder. HARLEQUINSGARDENS.COM. • Potatoes / Sept. 8 / The San Luis Valley Potato Festival in Monte Vista features fresh baked potatoes and a mashed potato dunk tank. PAGOSACHAMBER.COM • Green Chilies / Sept. 21–23 / Chile-roasting perfume and fiery roasted green chile quesadillas await at Pueblo’s Chile & Frijoles Festival. PUEBLOCHAMBER.ORG sensimag.com AUGUST 2018 23

Trippy

Healing Psychedelics are the new medical marijuana.

by R O BY N G R I G G S L AW R E N CE

24 AUGUST 2018 Southern Colorado

I keep a photo of myself FROM THE REALLY BAD YEAR, WHEN I LEFT THE JOB I THOUGHT DEFINED ME AND BROKE UP WITH THE MAN I’D PLANNED TO MARRY. I’M WEARING A SLEEVELESS DRESS NO ADULT WHO WEIGHS 93 POUNDS SHOULD BE WEARING, WITH MY UNDERNOURISHED LIMBS AND OVERSIZED HEAD. I MAKE MYSELF LOOK AT THE PHOTO ONCE IN A WHILE

I don’t want to forget. MY LIFE ONCE FELT SO BLEAK THAT I DIDN’T WANT TO BE HERE. I COULDN’T KILL MYSELF BECAUSE I LOVE MY CHILDREN, BUT I thought about it BECAUSE

ALL THE TIME. I STARVED MYSELF AND TOLD PEOPLE MY NEW RETIREMENT PLAN WAS TO DIE YOUNG. Right around that time, private ayahuasca ceremo-

Spirit grants so I could travel to the Nihue Rao healing

nies were becoming a thing from Laurel Canyon to Park

center outside of Iquitos and experience traditional

Slope, so I went to one in a multimillion-dollar house in

ayahuasca ceremonies with shamans where Mama Aya

the Boulder foothills with a Jewish shaman who played

lives. I spent four hellish nights in the rainforest, wres-

new age music on a boom box. I had read everything I

tling with anger and despair about my father dying be-

could get my hands on about this ancient medicine

fore I was born—deep, pre-language demons I thought

made from sacred Amazonian plants—not all that much

I’d dealt with in the Landmark Forum, with God knows

at the time, and a lot of it pretty terrifying—and I waited

how many therapists.

with more than a little trepidation for the big bang that

My journeys were desolate and brutal, total annihila-

would fix me. When the mood wasn’t right and nothing

tion of the universe and terrifying solo rocket launches

happened, I was disappointed and then bored, listening

into empty orbits. I felt my father’s heart attack, and his

to the guy next to me groan and sob and watching the

crushing angst about who would take care of me was the

guy across from me paint pictures in the air with his

sword that finally cut through the dark energy I’d been

hands. I snuck into the garage to vape.

born with. I forgave him for dying and myself for thinking

I took that experience as another sign of what a hope-

he didn’t care enough to stick around and meet me. I told

less, crusty loser I had become. Not even drinking this

him he could let go, I would take care of myself now. Free

legendary brew could bring back my appetite for food,

for the first time in my life, I spent the last night juggling

for life. I figured this ayahuasca thing was just more

exclamation points, tossing them up to pop pink balloons

bullshit, a hallucinogenic Landmark Forum for entitled

that rained down sparkles of love on everyone around me.

people who have exhausted their therapists’ patience.

The pink glow lasted. I went home and started re-

I was wrong, of course, as Cosmic Sister founder Zoe

building my skeletal self and reinventing my career—as

Helene, a seasoned journeyer who drinks ayahuasca

a cannabis cookbook author and chef, no less. I met a

only in Peru, where it’s legal and revered, would prove.

nice guy who feeds me when I’m in work mode. I never

Helene awarded me one of the first Cosmic Sister Plant

considered suicide again. sensimag.com AUGUST 2018 25

Coffee, Tea, or Ayahuasca?

dependence, and terminal-cancer anxiety, while MDMA,

Psychedelics are the new medical marijuana, offering a world of therapeutic possibilities for so many things that ail us, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), debilitating grief, opiate addiction, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)—and Americans are more interested in them than they’ve been since the 1960s. In a recent YouGov survey, 53 percent of Americans said they support medical research into psychedelic medicines, and 63 percent said they would be open to having medical treatment with psilocybin, ketamine, or MDMA if the substances were proven safe.

In December 2016, the Journal of Psychoparmacology dedicated its entire issue to psychedelics. Michael Pollen’s recent book about psychedelic therapy, How to Change Your Mind, which he said took him to “places I’ve never been—indeed, places I didn’t know existed,” was an immediate bestseller.

Last year in the widely acclaimed book A Really Good Day, Ayelet Waldman wrote that microdosing, or taking about onetenth of a normal dose of LSD on a regular basis, helped her deal with severe mood swings. Silicon Valley executives microdose LSD for a gentle blast of focus and creativity.

Psilocybin from “magic mushrooms” is emerging as a treatment for smoking cessation, alcoholism and cocaine

KNOW YOUR

psychedelics Ayahuasca A combinatory brew made in the Amazon from the ayahuasca vine and the chacruna leaf containing the psychoactive substance DMT / Effects: Helps journeyers come to terms with deep-seated trauma / Potential

Treatment for: PTSD, chronic depression, eating disorders, suicidal thoughts

Ibogaine A psychoactive compound in the bark and roots of taberanthi, a small African bush tree / Effects: Activist Dana Beal described a waking sleep during which “your entire life and all those spooky archetypes you see distantly in your dreams are projected on the back of your eyelids” / Potential

aka Ecstasy or Molly, is showing great promise for treating PTSD and autistic adults with social anxiety because it lets them relive and safely reprocess traumatic experiences that normally leave them overwhelmed. MDMA, which emerged in the late 1970s as a tool for psychotherapists and made its way into the hands of ravers and yuppies, was “the drug that LSD was supposed to be, coming 20 years too late to change the world,” Newsweek wrote in 1985, the year the DEA made it a Schedule I substance.

Recently, the FDA gave MDMA breakthrough therapy status based on its effectiveness in PTSD studies, and it could be approved for legal therapeutic use by 2021.

As for ayahuasca, scores of medical journal articles are now exploring how journeying changes the very brain chemistry to beat back the anxiety and depression.

Every weekend across North America, thousands of seekers gather for not-so-underground ceremonies like the one that didn’t work for me. For $11,000, San Francisco-area startup professionals can travel to the Amazon with Entrepreneurs Awakening for the real deal—but they don’t have to go to all that effort. In San Francisco, self-help guru Tim Ferriss told the New Yorker in 2016, drinking ayahuasca is “like having a cup of coffee.”

sometimes near-death experiences / Potential Treatment for: Depression, suicidal thoughts

LSD Synthetic psychedelic made from lysergic acid in the fungus that grows on rye /

Psilocybin Entheogenic (meaning “to generate god

colors (synesthesia), deep interconnected-

within”) found in more than 75 mushroom

ness / Potential Treatment for: PTSD,

species / Effects: Disturbs normal nerve cell

alcoholism, anxiety, depression

interaction and serotonin functioning,

MDMA Also known as Ecstasy, Molly. Enactogen developed by German scientists during World War I with molecular and pharmaceutical properties similar to amphetamine and mescaline / Effects: Soaks the brain with neurotransmitters serotonin, oxytocin, and dopamine and the hormone prolactin to invoke what psychologist Ralph Metzner described as “a natural state of innocence, before guilt, shame, and unworthiness arose” /

Ketamine

Peyote

Induces deep relaxation, out-of-body and

26 AUGUST 2018 Southern Colorado

able to foresee and to predict things” / Potential Treatment for: Alcoholism and addiction

perception, ability to “see” sounds and “hear”

Potential Treatment for: Couples therapy, PTSD

and used during the Vietnam War / Effects:

top, or button, “causes those devouring it to be

Effects: Produces visuals, intensified sensory

Treatment for: Alcoholism and addiction

A disassociative anesthetic discovered in 1961

synthesized / Effects: Seventeenth-century ethnobotanists reported that eating the plant’s

Vision-inducing woolly cactus used by indigenous people containing mescaline, a psychedelic phenethylamine that can also be

creating heightened sensory experiences, perceptual distortions, hallucinations, and synesthesia (melding of senses) / Potential

Treatment for: Depression, end-of-life anxiety, trauma, addiction, couples therapy

LSD, Past Lives, and Outer Space Psychedelics affect the brain by binding to the same receptors as the feel-good neurotransmitter serotonin and facilitating communication between disparate regions that normally don’t talk to each other. Kenneth Tupper, director of implementation and partnerships at the British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, told NBC News that under carefully controlled conditions, psychedelics “can create experiences of wonder and awe and a connection to a ‘divine realm’ that leads to significant behavioral changes.”

At a recent international conference on the science of psychedelics in London, psychiatrist Ben Sessa explained that psychedelic therapy “offers an opportunity to dig down and get to the heart of the problems that drive long-term mental illness in a much more effective way than our current model,

That anti-authority effect is, of course, the reason psychedelics—which encouraged an entire generation to drop out and make love when the government desperately needed them to join up and make war—are illegal. In the 1950s, LSD was sold under the name Delvsid and used in conjunction with psychotherapy to treat anxiety and obsessive neuroses. A good number of researchers and therapists were studying the effects of drugs like LSD, which Canadian psychiatrist Humphrey Osmond called “psychedelics” from the Greek word for “mind manifesting.” Hollywood stars including Esther Williams and Cary Grant were outspoken about its effectiveness, Anais Nin wrote about experimenting with it, Alcoholics Anonymous founder Bill Wilson tried it as a means to sobriety, and the CIA slipped it to unsuspecting victims to see how they would respond.

which is take daily medications to mask systems.”

At the Johns Hopkins University’s Psilocybin Research Project, studies found that people had a more “open” personality, greater appreciation for new experiences, and enhanced

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A Threat to Police States Timothy Leary, the ex-Harvard professor who told people to “turn on, tune in, and drop out,” probably did more than anyone else to antagonize the government into making psychedelics illegal. President Richard Nixon called Leary “the most dangerous man in America” for his proselytizing about LSD. Leary told Playboy in 1966 that it was “the most powerful aphrodisiac ever discovered by man,” kicking up those age-old fears about young people’s virtue and predicted it would “enable each person to realize that he is not a game-playing robot put on this planet to be given a Social Security number and to be spun on the assembly line of school, college, career, insurance, funeral, goodbye. … Instead of relying on canned, static, dead knowledge passed on from other symbol producers, he will be using his span of 80 or so years on this planet to live out every possibility of the human, prehuman, and even subhuman adventure.”

Or, as Hunter S. Thompson would explain in Playboy eight years later, “If acid helps people see through conditioned hallucinations, then acid’s a threat to such police states as now exist in America and in Russia.”

All too much for the U.S. government. In 1968, a year after the Summer of Love, LSD possession was banned.

28 AUGUST 2018 Southern Colorado

Two years later, nearly every psychedelic known, including LSD, psilocybin, mescaline, peyote, and cannabis, was declared a Schedule 1 drug with no medical value. The message–drugs are bad–would be impossible to ignore for the next several decades.

That message is antiquated. As we wrestle with so many seemingly intractable issues—opioid abuse, mental illness, mass shootings and violence, PTSD, and skyrocketing suicide rates—we can no longer afford to ignore tools that psychiatrist Stanislav Grof wrote, in the foreword to Albert Hoffman’s 2005 book, LSD: My Problem Child, “make it possible to study undercurrents that govern our experiences and behaviors to a depth that is not by any other method and tool available in modern mainstream psychiatry.”

Perhaps Amanda Fielding, founder of the think tank Beckley Foundation, summed it up best in a recent

Wired interview. “There are these incredible compounds that synergize amazingly well with the human body and can be used to have incredibly positive results,” Fielding said. “And what do we do? We criminalize it. I mean, they are more carefully controlled than nuclear weapons. It is mad.”

sensimag.com AUGUST 2018 29

{aroundtown}

by S T E P H A N I E W I L S O N

ON THE C ALENDAR Put these happenings on your radar and make the most of the dog days of summer.

30 AUGUST 2018 Southern Colorado

We could fill this whole magazine with calendar listings about what’s happening around the state before the season draws to a close. Instead, we’ve curated a selection of happenings, some based on personal experience, others based on research, all worthy additions to your summer itineraries.

The days are longer, there’s a magic in the air, there’s a sense of nostalgia and adventure that pervades the spirit of the season. Don’t spend it stuck in a blur of the day-to-day, don’t get lost in your routine and look up in September realizing you missed it. Take advantage of the extended sunlight hours, the cool Colorado nights, and recharge yourself with some compelling explorations of the state’s offerings.

ANNUAL EVENTS AUG. 4

11th Annual Vino & Notes Memorial Park / Woodland Park / VINOANDNOTES.COM

The wine, food, and jazz festival is the same weekend as the Mountain Arts Fest and the Critterfest, making Woodland Park the spot you want to be in the first weekend in August. The host winery is Aspen Peak Cellars, with a lineup of participating Colorado vineyards including the Winery at Pikes Peak, Garfield Estates Winery, and others. It all kicks off on Friday, Aug 3, with the Vino & Notes Wine Maker’s Dinner at Shining Mountain Golf Course. Chef Brad Gonzales walks guests through each course, discusing the details of his pairing choices. The five-couse pairing dinner ticket runs for $83.33, and includes a pass for the festival the following day. Totally worth it.

AUG. 19–20

Pikes Peak Marathon Barr Trail / Manitou Springs / PIKESPEAKMARATHON.ORG

It’s arguably the most elevating marathon in the world.

Runners have the opportunity to race 13 miles up Barr Trail to reach the summit of Pikes Peak—America’s Mountain. With the first race in 1956, the Pikes Peak Marathon is the third longest-running marathon in the United States. For those simply wanting to congratulate the race finishers, you can drive up part of Pikes Peak Highway and free shuttles will take you to the summit. The Pikes Peak Marathon Expo is where you can find sponsor and vendor displays and apparel sales the day before the race.

AUG. 25

Colorado Springs International Dragon Boat Festival Memorial Park / Colorado Springs / GWNDRAGONBOAT.COM

Chinese culture, sport, food, entertainment, and natural wonders come together at this year’s Colorado Springs International Dragon Boat Festival. It’s happening at Prospect Lake in Memorial Park, in the heart of Pikes Peak region, for a full day of dragon boat races. The world’s fastest-growing water sport is just another reason to get outside and enjoy the local sights and attractions.

The festival offers a unique racing experience with a beautiful scenic backdrop. Featuring the quintessential MLDB festival areas, such as Health and Wellness Village, Athletes’ Village, and Food Truck Bazaar, this event will give participants, new and experienced, a dragon boat experience with a Western flair. Spend a fun-filled, summer day at Prospect Lake alongside paddlers, outdoor enthusiasts, and families. A celebration of ancient sport and nature awaits.

AUG. 4–5

Mountain Arts Festival Ute Pass Cultural Center, Woodland Park / WOODL ANDPARKCHAMBER.COM

Find a variety of high quality and unique artwork from artists from all across the nation. Booths will feature jewelry designers, woodcarvers, photographers, painters, potters, and much more. There will be plenty of delicious food vendors to satisfy your taste buds while browsing the beautiful art pieces. With the picturesque backdrop of Pikes Peak, the Mountain Arts Festival in Woodland Park is a beautiful piece of art itself. sensimag.com AUGUST 2018 31

AUG. 25

Trinidaddio Blues Fest 2018

SUMMER FAIRS

Trinidad / TRINIDADDIOBLUESFEST.COM

A late-summer tradition across this great nation, state

Headlined by 2018 Grammy nominee Robert Randolph &

and local fairs are a celebration of community—and

The Family Band, this year’s Trinidaddio Blues Fest hosts a

there’s a bunch of them happening this month all along

world-class lineup: Kenny Neal (2017 Grammy nominee for

the Front Range. The big one is in Pueblo—see p. 50 for

Best Contemporary Blues Album), The Dave Specter Band,

more info. Here are some of the other top ones to put on

2018 BMA nominee Vanessa Collier, and other crowd-pleas-

your radar this month.

ing bands. The gates open at 11 a.m., and the music kicks off at noon on Saturday. Friday night, the PreFest Party is a chance to show appreciation for sponsors and volunteers while enjoying the showcase of the talent on the lineup the following day. It’s also a chance to enjoy the display of ArtO-Cade cars. Best part: the pre-party is free. Get there.

32 AUGUST 2018 Southern Colorado

AUG. 1–5

Adams County Fair Brighton / ADAMSCOUNT YFAIR.COM

The first official Adams County Fair was held in October 1904, but the fair and rodeo predate the formation of the county. The fair dates back to 1888, when monthly Market Days were held at the fairgrounds on the south edge of Brighton, which is the present-day site of the City of Brighton Government Center at 450 South 4th Ave. On the lineup are all the typical fair activities, plus educational zones and tours. Such as the Xeric Garden Tours, which is a showcase of Xeriscaping, a word coined by the Denver Water Department, Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado, and Colorado State University. It denotes dry landscaping, a principal of gardening with less water but no less beauty. The fair also features a free kid’s zone presented by Water World featuring a mobile ropes course, zip line, the Kodiak Ranch Petting Zoo and Pony Rides, laser tag, Mutton Bustin’, magic shows, and more.

sensimag.com AUGUST 2018 33

AUG. 10–12

Jeffco Fair & Festival Jeffco Fairgrounds, Golden / CELEBRATEJEFFCO.COM

Lasting for 3 days, it’s Jeffco’s biggest celebration of the summer. The purpose of the event is supporting and showcasing 4-H, youth programs, equine, livestock, and agricultural elements across the diverse communities of Jefferson County. The mission is to create an event that educates, entertains, and invites community involvement and support while celebrating Jefferson County’s past, present, and future through a financially responsible model. The first annual Jeffco Fair & Festival was held in 2016 at the Jeffco Fairgrounds where event attendees were treated to a dash of fun, interactive, engaging, and traditional experiences with a focus on locality to ensure there was something for everyone. This celebration has been designed and created thru community focus groups, surveys, and many volunteers and committee members who live, work, and play in Jeffco.

The lineup is marked by events such as 4-H Fashion Revue, Demonstration, and Performing Arts Judging, and

a whole bunch of animal-related showcases—steers, rabbits, poultry, llamas & alpacas, goats, and more—oh my! There’s also an art gallery, artisan village, carnival rides, petting farm, and other fair-ly awesome activities.

Including pony rides, live music, stunt dog shows, and the Salutations and Libations yoga class on Sunday.

AUG. 3–12

Boulder County Fair Longmont / BOULDERCOUNT YFAIR.ORG

The Boulder County Fair is the oldest fair in Colorado, celebrating its 148th year. The fair is a nonprofit that rents the grounds and facilities from Boulder County which in turn is the main sponsor, supporting the 4-H and open events during the fair. It’s a free fair, with no parking or admission fees, so feel free to keep on returning to take in the musical entertainment and participate in the free activities and browsing the items on offer by the vendors. There are also some ticketed events on the schedule: CPRA Rodeo, NSPA Truck & Tractor Pull, Demolition Derby, BMX Moto Throw Down, and more.

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38 AUGUST 2018 Southern Colorado

SP ECIAL R EP OR T

Is it the CBD, the THC, or the combination of those and other chemicals in cannabis that make us feel better?

by L E L A N D R U CK E R DR. MARY VAN IS A NUTRITIONIST AND PHARMACIST WHO OWNS THRIVEX, A MEDICAL SERVICE IN FT. LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA. SHE SPECIALIZES IN

custom intravenous injection therapies,

AND SHE BELIEVES THAT NUTRITION IS THE KEY TO HEALTH. “NO ONE CAN HEAL YOU,” SHE SAYS. “I CAN JUST MAKE YOU STRONGER,

and then your body takes over.”

As a pharmacist, she began studying how cannabis

(the oils that give different strains of cannabis their

compounds seem to work in conjunction with one an-

distinctive fragrances) work in concert better than

other, and eventually began to use cannabis as part of

when they are isolated from one another. “The ques-

her treatment regime. “The reason I got involved is

tion is,” Van asks, “is the whole plant more beneficial

because cannabis is a balancer of the body, a homeo-

than an isolate? Or do isolates work together with

static regulator,” she says. “As a pharmacist, I ap-

each other?”

proach it scientifically. Holistic medicine has a bad

This whole-plant concept seems to rub against the

rap—you know, rainbows and unicorns. I approach it

way drugs and medications are created today, usually

as hard science.”

by isolating and testing compounds then developing

Dr. Van’s studies have led her to subscribe to what

and patenting drugs from those compounds. And with

is commonly known as the “entourage effect,” the

a scarcity of clinical trials in the United States for

concept that chemical substances in cannabis, espe-

anything cannabis-related, many scientists are open-

cially cannabinoids (like THC and CBD) and terpenes

ly skeptical of most entourage-effect claims. sensimag.com AUGUST 2018 39

“The lay public has really taken on the notion of the entourage effect, but there’s not a lot of data,” Margaret

vate CB-1 receptors found in the brain and CB-2 receptors found throughout the rest of the body.

Haney, a neurobiologist and cannabis researcher at

Brian Reid is chief science officer of ebbu, a cannabis

Columbia University, told Scientific American last

technology research company. Like many of his col-

year. “The cannabis field can say anything—and it

leagues, he comes from a pharmaceutical background,

does. I’m not against marijuana. I want to study it

and he says that they apply the same basic principles in

carefully. We know it can affect pain and appetite, but

their research. But the company looks to see how differ-

the large majority of what’s being said is driven by an-

ent formulations of cannabinoids and terpenes work to

ecdotal marketing. These guys are really trying to

create moods. “Where we differ, instead of looking for a

make money.”

single compound for a target, we work with what Mother Nature gives us,” he says, “but we emphasize poly-

Wait, What’s a Cannabinoid?

pharmaceutical effects, which is what things do to

Most plants contain chemical compounds that are

these targets.”

used for everything from defense against animals and

He says pharmaceutical companies generally isolate

other organisms to aiding photosynthesis. Those are

a component or look for something specific to target.

called “cannabinoids.” Cannabis has more of them

“CBD alone hits many different targets in different ways.

than most other plants, some of which seem to deliver

That’s one thing pharmaceutical companies sometimes

opposing effects in users. And some of which you’ve

dial out,” he explains. “Some say the entourage effect is

definitely heard of before, even if you’ve never heard

many compounds doing one thing. But in some cases,

the term “cannabinoid” in your life. THC is a cannabi-

it’s one compound doing many things.”

noid more formally known as delta-9 tetrahydrocan-

Reid says that ebbu researchers use chromatography,

nabinol, and it’s the one responsible for the plant’s

a process that separates cannabinoids and terpenes into

telltale psychoactive effects. CBD, or cannabidiol, is

a kind of soup that allows them to test how different

another, and it’s the “it” ingredient

combinations affect receptors. “There

causing a stir in health, wellness, and

are a handful of cannabinoids and ter-

even beauty and skincare circles thanks to its medicinal properties and healing qualities.

Scientists have identified more than 100 other compounds in the cannabis plant, with more still being discovered—THCA, CBDA, CBN, CBG, CBC, CBL, CBE, and CBT among them.

In 1988, scientists also discovered that the human body has an endocannabinoid system, which works to help keep the body in balance, including basic functions like controlling appetite, sleep, cognition and anxiety. The body produces its own cannabinoids (called endocannabinoids) that are similar to those produced by cannabis; both acti-

40 AUGUST 2018 Southern Colorado

“Some say the entourage effect is many compounds doing one thing. But in some cases, it’s one compound doing many things.”

—Brian Reid, ebbu

penes that modulate THC and can increase or decrease its potency.” One example, he says, are serotonin receptors, which help modulate moods and feelings. “We can mimic a profile at serotonin receptors, for instance, that works like antidepressant drugs.”

Van used myrcene, a terpene with a citrusy smell that’s also found in mangoes and other fruits, as another example. Myrcene has been found to increase the amount of THC the body carries to the brain. Finding the right combination or ratio of myrcene and THC could help people sleep or deal with pain.

“This is actually hard science,” she says.

“These mechanisms are very old.”

Dr. Daniela Vergara, an evolutionary biologist research-

ticity. Marinol, aka dronabinol, uses synthetic delta-9

ing cannabis genomics at the University of Colorado, is the

THC for treatment of nausea and as an appetite stimu-

director of the Agricultural Genomics Foundation, a non-

lant in cancer patients. And GW Pharmaceuticals is in

profit whose goal is to make cannabis science available to

clinical trials for FDA approval of Epidiolex, a treatment

everyone. She says that originally their studies led research-

for certain epilepsy conditions.

ers to believe that cannabinoids like THC and CBD were pro-

Sativex, which was brought to market in 2010 and

duced by one gene in different forms. “Now we know that

combines THC and CBD, has a pretty good history of suc-

they are different genes in very close proximity,” she says.

cess. Marinol, which uses synthetic THC, has a more

In fact, they are so close that they seem to originally

checkered history. “Many patients have found the side

come from the same ancestor genes, and that’s what

effects unpleasant,” Reid says. “There are a lot of data

makes the entourage effect argument so compelling.

that people don’t like Marinol. I don’t know how hard

“There is no evidence to support this,” she says, “but

that evidence is, but it is documented in patients. It ap-

what I think is going on is that many molecules are pro-

pears that whole-plant extracts provide more benefits.”

duced by the same gene. The entourage effect is all of

Vergara says it’s not unusual for plants to produce com-

these compounds working together to make you feel

pounds, but not as many as cannabis. “We do know that

some way. All of these work in synchronicity because

CBD appears to counteract the effects of THC,” she says.

they all come from the same ancestors.”

“We know it does that, which suggests that when you’re

Though the federal government’s official stance on cannabis is that it’s a substance “with no currently accepted medical use,” it has allowed drugs developed by

taking pure THC, it’s not as effective.”

Ten Millennia of Cannabis Cures

pharmaceutical companies that use chemicals from

Humans have been experimenting with marijuana as

the cannabis plant or synthesized versions. Sativex, an

medicine for a long time now, some say at least 10,000

oral spray that contains both THC and CBD, is sold by

years. And it has been used over the centuries to ease

UK-based GW Pharmaceuticals to treat pain and spas-

symptoms for many of the same things it’s been recom-

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sensimag.com AUGUST 2018 41

mended for today. In ancient Greece, it was used for ear-

been presenting their findings at conventions and are

aches and inflammation. A 1621 English clergyman sug-

beginning the process of peer review for their research.

gested cannabis as a treatment for depression. After it

All this talk of the entourage effect as a cannabis phe-

was brought to France from Egypt, it was acclaimed for

nomenon forgets to mention that it’s not a quality unique

headache and pain relief and as a sleep aid. And despite

to cannabis; it’s somewhat unique to all plants. “What’s

the attitude of some scientists who say there is no evi-

the best part of an apple?” Van asks rhetorically. “The

dence to support the entourage effect, research contin-

skin? The meat? We don’t know. The skin is full of nutri-

ues to indicate otherwise.

ents. The meat is full of sugar and fiber. Even the seeds

“I think the problem is that some physicians aren’t looking at the hard science of cannabis,” Van says.

“They’re not paying attention to the pharmacokinetics, which is how the drug affects you, and pharmacodynamics, which is how your body affects the drug.”

She also points out that there is a lot of research if you just look for it. Recent studies in Israel led by Dr. Ari Aran found dramatic improvements using cannabis for some autistic children, and Lehigh Hospital in Pennsylvania is doing its own trial on autistic children. A study published a few months ago offers encouraging signs for Epidiolex. More than 170 people with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, a rare type of spasticity, were given Epidiolex or a placebo. The Epidiolex subjects experienced a reduction rate of 41 percent while the placebo only worked 14 percent of the time. Reid says that ebbu scientists have

42 AUGUST 2018 Southern Colorado

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PROMOTIONAL FE ATURE

AGRICOR

Testing Over and Above Requirements AGRICOR CONTINUES TO FIND BETTER WAYS TO TEST CANNABIS PRODUCTS.

The services provided by Denver-based Agricor Lab-

He started Agricor in January 2014 with a manage-

oratories have their roots in the pharmaceutical indus-

ment and lab staff from the Good Manufacturing Prac-

try—a perfect background for testing cannabis, and a

tices (GMP) regulated pharmaceutical industry.

natural extension of what Mike Branvold, president of Agricor, has been doing most of his life.

Branvold worked in the pharmaceutical industry for 13 years before starting a business to validate equip-

The criteria for the testing services that Agricor does—potency, homogeneity, terpene profile, residual solvent analysis, microbial contamination, pesticide screening—is generally regulated by the state.

ment and processes in laboratory, manufacturing, and

But Agricor goes further than other labs to secure its

production spaces in the pharmaceutical sector. He

legitimacy, in that the company works within the guide-

grew that business to 27 people before it was acquired

lines of GMP and Good Laboratory Practices. Last year, the

in 2012 by a publicly traded validation business. “After

lab was granted ISO/IEC 17025 endorsement by the

that, I started kicking the tires of the marijuana busi-

American Association for Laboratory Accreditation, a

ness to see if that would be a space for us,” he says.

highly prized certification for cannabis testing labs.

Branvold wants to keep a seat at the table for discussing the evolution of lab-services professionals in the cannabis industry and help guide regulators as the industry matures. The current state system is not the answer, he says. “Testing labs have struggled from day one to the present in generating accurate and repeatable test results,” he says. “Following the minimum state-mandated requirements to become a testing laboratory is simply not enough. The state has decided to skip what was already in place in the FDA-regulated space, and invent their own wheel. Until they get over that and reach into what the FDA has determined is necessary to generate confident data, it’s going to continue to be this cobbled system.”

In the meantime, Agricor will continue building on its current suite of tests, keeping an eye on what’s to come.

“I think the next thing that we will see are probably tests required for mycotoxins,” Branvold says. “And I would say

Through all of 2013, he did his due diligence. “I interviewed as many folks as I could get my hands on,

heavy metals are somewhere down the line as well. Those are probably the two that are on the radar at this point.”

asking them about the business—about what their pain points were with regard to lab testing,” he says.

“So that year became my investigational year.”

44 AUGUST 2018 Southern Colorado

For more info, visit

AGRICORLABS.COM

sensimag.com AUGUST 2018 45

PROMOTIONAL FE ATURE

LUX LEAF

Education-First Approach Helps Build Customer Base A BETTER PATIENT EXPERIENCE BEGINS BY UNDERSTANDING THE PATIENT.

When Ron DiGiacomo, president of the medical dis-

is a whole other side to this industry that they are not

pensary Lux Leaf in Colorado Springs, was looking to

understanding,” DiGiacomo says. “Not enough people in

open a medical cannabis facility in this tough town for

this industry are doing that.”

cannabis businesses, he wanted to make it more of a learning experience.

“When we opened the business in July 2016, we want-

He recently fielded a call from the local YMCA about presenting to senior citizens on the benefits of medical cannabis because they were asking for it.

ed to have it be a patient-centric facility where we could

At their other dispensary in Illinois, patients came in

help people with the medical cannabis card application

and had no clue that cannabis could be used medicinal-

process and take them by the hand through every step of

ly. They wanted it for quality of life. “So we hired a regis-

getting their card and getting them into a cannabis ther-

tered nurse who was an advocate, and started doing our

apy program,” he says. “We are creating and growing our

education there,” he says.

patient base of baby boomers and soccer moms.”

DiGiacomo says that Lux Leaf is looking to develop its

He works with 12 other employees, including a master

own software program that would standardize patient

cultivator and a patient-care services director, in a

care by taking the consultations into an AI-type environ-

6,000-square-foot facility, where 4,000 square feet is grow

ment that would actually suggest to the patient what

space, with the dispensary and ancillary offices account-

products would be best for them.

ing for the rest. The company uses its own plants for pro-

He told the story of a patient who came in for a con-

cessing its Rick Simpson oil and concentrates. Lux Leaf

sult. She was taking 13 prescriptions. “We worked

sells topicals, tinctures, and a full range of indica, sativa,

with her and got her down to four prescrip-

and hybrid flower, concentrates, and edibles.

tions,” DiGiacomo says. “She tells us that

Lux Leaf has a dispensary in Illinois and is looking to

she got her life back because of our

open another facility in Michigan. There is also an applica-

help. That is why we open our doors

tion ready to go in Florida, according to DiGiacomo.

every day.”

Lux Leaf’s unique business model focuses on educating the consumer. “We have seen a shift where people are starting to take control of their personal wellness, realizing that Western medicines are not always the answer and are sometimes even more detrimental,” he says. “We are seeing more of that, and that is where we are shifting our marketing focus.”

He says that they are doing free, quarterly presentations at a downtown establishment called the Warehouse that often includes city officials. “Those officials should see that there 46 AUGUST 2018 Southern Colorado

For more info, visit

LUXLEAF.COM

Fu nk !

We Have That

(719) 465-2407 • www.kingscanna.biz 2132 E Bijou St Suite # 114 • Colorado Springs, CO 80909 sensimag.com AUGUST 2018 47

PROMOTIONAL FE ATURE

PYRAMID

Keeping it Real on the Vape Landscape IT’S TIME FOR CLEANER, TASTIER VAPING AS MORE SEEK THE CANNABIS OIL EXPERIENCE.

There is an evolving group of cannabis consumers

vorful and delicious. It will be a more targeted product.”

out there, and they want not only discretion in their

One of the flavors they will be selling in the Burst line

consumption, but a solidly performing vape pen with

is wintergreen. They are also looking at adding water-

a verifiable clean product.

melon or strawberry flavors, appealing to the consum-

Jake Berry and his Pyramid Pens co-owner, Coley

er who wants the effect but not the taste of cannabis.

Walsh, saw the customer base shifting in late 2013,

“This product has been my baby for a long time, and no

while working as budtenders at a Colorado dispensary.

one believed in it,” Berry says. “I finally got everyone on

“We saw the writing on the wall,” he says. “People like

board, but it is going to be difficult to manufacture.”

soccer moms were coming in and wanted something

Pyramid recently signed on to be one of the oil sup-

new, something more discrete. This was not the usual

pliers to Pax Era pods, a low-profile vape manufacturer

cannabis crowd.”

based in San Francisco. “We signed that deal and are

Berry and Walsh started Pyramid in mid-2015 (the

anticipating a minimum of 20 to 30 percent growth in

name came from a 2012 Frank Ocean song, “Pyra-

our business,” Berry says. “That is pretty huge. We are

mids”), with Berry making sales by going door-to-door.

actually hiring this week in anticipation of that.”

Their first product was the Pyramid Gold vape pen, with a CO2-extracted strain-specific oil. The company

now has four additional products: Pyramid Prism; Pyr-

amid Silver—an extraction made with natural coconut oil; a syringe-like reload for adding their oils into any vape pen; and a 150-milligram disposable pen.

“All of our products are pure cannabis, not a cannabis profile like some other vapes do by buying the terpenes from a third party and mixing them up,” Berry says.

Pyramid is rolling out three new products this year, working with a staff of 11 in a 7,000-square-foot packed facility that’s “bursting at the seams” and includes a grow area, a CO2 super-critical extractor and packaging facility. Pyramid products are available in

90 dispensaries in Colorado, with up to 60 more by the end of 2018.

One of the new product lines is Burst, a flavored THC oil concentrate line. “I want consumers to think of it like going to the candy aisle in a store,” Berry says. “You are going to have flavors like [the ones] you get from Skittles or Starburst. We want the consumer to think of it as fla48 AUGUST 2018 Southern Colorado

For more info, visit

PYRAMIDPENS.COM

sensimag.com AUGUST 2018 49

{HereWe HereWeGo}

by S T E P H A N I E W I L S O N

State Fair. New fun, new food, new attractions: some freshness sprinkled throughout the fairgrounds. But people don’t go back to the fair in Pueblo every year to see what’s new. They go because some things never change.

A State Affair

The Colorado State Fair is back this month in Pueblo.

Before Colorado was Colorado, the fair was the fair. It started in 1869, drawing about 2,000 people to Pueblo that first year. It was still going when Colorado became a state six years later, and the 146 years since, it’s only been cancelled once: 1917, during WWI. The annual celebration of Colorado agriculture has evolved into an Americana juggernaut complete with headlining concerts, carnival rides, rodeo action, food competitions, artwork, craft showcases, cultural celebrations, and more fair staples—like fried dough. Who doesn’t want more of that?

August 24–September 3 / Pueblo / COLORADOSTATEFAIR.COM

50 AUGUST 2018 Southern Colorado

PHOTO BY DENISE CHAMBERS MILES / COURTESY OF VISIT COLORADO

Every year, there’s a whole lot of new at the Colorado

DabbleExtracts.com

719.390.7269