Sensi Magazine - Detroit (January 2020)

I DETROIT J A N 2020

OK, BOOMER

The viral phrase that’s dividing generations

YAM-AZING

The Detroit mainstay built on sweet potato treats

Cassandra Jones-McBryde and her team at Planned Parenthood fight for Detroit’s marginalized communities

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DETROIT SENSI MAGAZINE JANUARY 2020

sensimediagroup @sensimagazine @sensimag

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F E AT U R E S

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The New Warrior

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The B-Word

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Meet Planned Parenthood Detroitʼs newest coordinator.

Is “OK, boomer” a slur, a sign of generational conflict, or just a meme-able mic drop?

SPECIAL REPORT

Arrested Development

These six ridiculous cannabis restrictions are still in effect around the country.

D E PA R T M E N T S

11 EDITOR’S NOTE 12 THE BUZZ News, tips, and tidbits

to keep you in the loop PAMPER YOUR PETS at this urban pet shop.

WING IT Game-day grilling with—coffee grounds?

KOM-BREW-CHA Mother mushroom beer blends BACK TO BLUES Char Glover returns to Detroit.

44 THE SCENE Hot happenings and hip

hangouts around town CALENDAR From pub crawls to fashion shows, now’s the time to hit 2020 running.

50 THE END

The difference between resolutions and goals— and why goals are better

ON THE COVER Casandra Jones-McBryde and the new warriors of Planned Parenthood Detroit.

PHOTO BY DARRALYNN HUTSON PHOTO EDITS BY JOSH CLARK

40 THE LIFE Contributing to your

health and happiness TREAT POTATO An iconic Detroit bakery starts with family and ends with sweet potatoes.

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Magazine published monthly

by Sensi Media Group LLC. © 2020 Sensi Media Group. All rights reserved.

EXECUTIVE Ron Kolb CEO ron@sensimag.com

Tae Darnell Co-Founder, VP of Business Development tae@sensimag.com Alex Martinez Co-Chief Operations Officer alex@sensimag.com

Mike Mansbridge Co-Chief Operations Officer mike@sensimag.com EDITORIAL

Stephanie Wilson Co-Founder, Editor in Chief stephanie@sensimag.com Doug Schnitzspahn Executive Editor doug.schnitzspahn@sensimag.com Darralynn Hutson Managing Editor darralynn.hutson@sensimag.com Leland Rucker Senior Editor

Robyn Griggs Lawrence Editor at Large robyn.lawrence@sensimag.com Helen Olsson Copy Chief

Lindsey Bartlett Contributing Writer DESIGN

Jamie Ezra Mark Creative Director jamie@emagency.com Rheya Tanner Art Director em@sensimag.com Wendy Mak, Kiara Lopez, Josh Clark, Jason Jones Designers PUBLISHING Jamie Cooper Publisher jamie.cooper@sensimag.com Eric Bulls Associate Publisher eric.bulls@sensimag.com Kyle Miller Associate Publisher kyle.miller@sensimag.com Leah Stephens Associate Publisher leah.stephens@sensimag.com Constance Taylor Associate Publisher constance.taylor@sensimag.com B U S I N E S S /A D M I N

When you live to see a new decade,

especially a decade of rapid change like the 2010s, I’ve noticed that two things happen. First, there is always an incredible surge of creativity and second, the underdogs reign supreme.

Here at Sensi, we are witnessing the rise of the rebel. Detroiters who play by their own rules and flourish in chaos.

This issue is dedicated to those people who call themselves creative rebels. We have created a bolder and braver issue that celebrates them and gives them the voice to discuss their passions and their challenges. I am incredibly proud of what the Sensi team has created and curated on the pages of this issue.

From our interview with body-positive advocate Cassandra Jones-McBryde to lawmakers who work feverishly to uphold state cannabis laws for us all. We shine the spotlight on inspiring business owners and community organizers who we believe are carving their own paths in life while inspiring us to do the same.

As I write this letter, my inbox is busting with other rebels who are just as excited about sharing their stories as we are to publish them in this newly reinvented magazine. This issue had its hiccups, from putting together an impromptu photo shoot with our cover girl to positioning the many events on the pages of the calendar. There’s so much to explore and engage with!

The relentless days and hours were spent perfecting layouts, verifying quotes, and fine-tuning stories.

So, now that it’s in your hands, we want to know how you like it. Do the stories resonate with you? What can we do better?

We’d love to hear your feedback. Send me an email and introduce yourself.

This issue is dedicated to all those people who call themselves creative rebels. We celebrate them and give them the voice to discuss their passions and challenges

Happy New Year,

Kristan Toth Head of People kristan.toth@sensimag.com Amber Orvik Administrative Director amber.orvik@sensimag.com Andre Velez Marketing Director andre.velez@sensimag.com Neil Willis Production Manager neil.willis@sensimag.com Hector Irizarry Distribution distribution@sensimag.com M E D I A PA R T N E R S Marijuana Business Daily Minority Cannabis Business Association National Cannabis Industry Association Students for Sensible Drug Policy

Darralynn Hutson darralynn.hutson@sensimag.com JANUARY 2020

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CONTRIBUTORS

Darralynn Hutson, Doug Schnitzspahn

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Essentially, 3 Dogs 1 Cat is a gift shop for dogs, cats, and the people who adore them. Since 2012, the women-owned business has been located in Detroit’s Eastern Market, inspiring its customers to love on their pets.

“Our decision to open in the Eastern Market was so simple; we love our city,” says owners Rita Nel12 D E T RO I T

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son, Trisha Stander, and Tammy Eugenio. “What makes us different from an average pet store is that we offer quality-conscious, top-rated products…but also distinctive pet-themed gifts for the people who love them.” Filled with Detroit-branded dog collars and comfy, faux-fur-lined cat beds, 3 Dogs 1 Cat offers original products to help people find special gifts to give to their beloved furry friends, and their human too. shop.3dogs1cat.com

WAGGIN’ WELLNESS

Pet wellness began gaining traction last year, and has become a fullblown industry. In 2018, sales of pet foods with probiotics grew by 139 percent, while foods with more than one source of protein saw a 64 percent increase. The greatest growth in the pet market is in the personal care and beauty categories.

SOURCE: Nielsen, “Trends in Pet Care Mirror Those of Pet Owners,” 2018

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THE BUZZ

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Question: How do you take care of yourself?

LAMEEK FELA

DRAKE PHIFER

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Fashion Blogger, Ferndale

I take care of myself every day by eating right, exercising, and meditating. It’s a conscious decision I make for myself, and it acts as my own personal motivation.

DJ and Event Planner, Detroit

I try to read the labels of things I am putting into my body, stay hydrated, cook my own food, see a professional therapist, and find something to laugh about every day.

Small Business Owner, Detroit

As a cancer survivor, I take great care in doing what I love. I do yoga, meditate, and preserve the land where I live. I show my family all the love I can muster for being by my side during my illness.

Math Teacher and Plus Model, Birmingham

I started loving myself and showing others that it’s OK to love themselves.

I write blogs on self-care and its importance.

It’s not something that comes to us by chance; we have to work at it.

GM Lead Engineer, Oak Park

Because of my position, my workdays are long and stressful. It’s important that I stay connected to my family, because it means I’m connected to me. That’s my small part of caring for myself.

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THE BUZZ

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One day, they’ll write about us. You’ll see.”

—Viola Liuzzo, activist

SENSIBILITIES

Char Remixes the Runway Detroit native and former cast member of Lifetimeʼs Project Runway Season 13, Char Glover returned to her hometown to kick off her “RocknRemix Experience” pop-up fashion tour at Blu Jean Blues, located at 412 South Washington Avenue in Royal Oak. The fashion tour of funky dresses, accessories, and runway-worthy shoes reflects her rebellious attitude toward fashion.

Her motto, “I see things differently,” and her passion for uniqueness are showcased in her current collection of Tea Cup party dresses, Cosbee Doby sweaters, and Feliz Bellz wide-legged slacks. In her 2014 Project Runway debut, Glover become a fan favorite for her Detroit pride, unique style, and determination to compete against 18 other designers, ultimately making it as a top-four finalist.

WHAT MATTERS THIS MONTH BY STEPHANIE WILSON

1 GOALS ARE THE NEW RESOLUTIONS. And since we’re in a new decade, let’s set loftier targets, hit them, surpass them. Where do you want to be in 2025?

2030? Start manifesting the life you want. In the shorter term, however… ______ 2 MANIFEST THE OUTFITS YOU WANT by signing up for Nuuly clothing rental

from Free People’s parent co. For just $88/mo., you get six temporary additions to your wardrobe—perfect excuse to try out new trends.

______ 3 BE EXTRA EXTRA. I resolved to be just that at the start of last year. Met that

goal and have a photo of the statement jacket I borrowed from Nuuly as proof.

See @stephwilll if you’re curious just how extra “extra extra” is.

______ 4 SEE ALSO: posts about my apartment/urban jungle. ______ 5 PUTTING IT OUT THERE NOW. I’m setting my first intention for 2020: I will get my place featured on Apartment Therapy as a home tour this year. Boom.

______ 6 WANNA BE MY GOAL BUDDY? DM or post a comment—we’ll start a club.

One with books and discussions involved. Community and knowledge will result.

We’ll call it…The Book Club. Let’s do this.

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PLANNED PARENTHOOD DETROIT’S NEW ORGANIZING PROGRAM COORDINATOR, CASSANDRA JONESMcBRYDE, SPEAKS FOR COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN MARGINALIZED FOR FAR TOO LONG. TEXT DARRALYNN HUTSON

PHOTOS BY DARRALYNN HUTSON

I

n 2019, women’s reproductive rights were under attack. Georgia, Ohio, and Alabama passed laws drastically restricting access to safe, legal abortion—or even banning it outright. Once again, women’s rights were pushed to the front of the political conversation. Family planning and health organizations like Planned Parenthood and its supporters felt under attack and obliged to react in a positive, proactive

way. So, Detroit’s chapter of Planned Parenthood made a controversial new hire, targeting African American women, who make up more than 80 percent of metropolitan Detroit. At the front of this fight and new wave of advocates stands Cassandra Jones-McBryde, a veteran body-positive leader who has a long-standing commitment to the empowerment of women and girls.

“Quite frankly everything is pressing to our

young women! Kalamazoo has the highest infant mortality rate for Black children in the state. Human trafficking is on the rise. Some precincts report that intimate partner violence calls are 85 percent of the calls they receive.

Forty percent of HIV cases reported in Michigan are from those who live in Detroit. The need for LGBTQ+ health care and outreach is tremendous and maternal health in and out of the prison system

should be a priority,” McBryde says. “All of these issues are pressing and urgent to me because they all affect a woman’s reproductive health.”

THE NEW VISION The 2020 version of Planned Parenthood might look a bit different than the Planned Parenthood of the past. Because it was founded on the idea that women should have the information and care they need to live strong, healthy JANUARY 2020

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lives, Planned Parenthood remains a trusted health care provider, educator, and advocate for millions of women and men. In addition, the organization has become a strong voice for the LGBTQ+ and immigrant communities, offering support systems for disenfranchised members of society in response to their needs.

In 2018, McBryde began to see the results of the organization’s work firsthand. After becoming a fellow with the Economic Justice Alliance of Michigan, she began volunteering with Planned Parenthood and joined the National Speakers Bureau for them shortly after touring the country speaking in support of reproductive justice for Black people of size.

“I am very fortunate to be part of the second class of national storytellers.

It is through the support and culture that I found the courage to tell my own story in a way that protected myself and encouraged others. I learned the importance of healing in the midst of advocacy,” McBryde says. “As a volunteer, I have seen the scores of people who have benefited from the services provided by Planned Parenthood. I can’t help but stand with an organization that has been so integral in healthy outcomes for me and my family.”

McBryde has long been a powerful voice for marginalized individuals. As the founder of the International Fuller Woman Network, a body-positive organization that connects women to resources, she produced the International Fuller Woman Expo for the past 10 years. That passion and hands-on experience positioned McBryde to take on the position of Detroit program coordinator at Planned Parenthood.

“I believe that organizing needs to be culturally specific,” she says. “In most social justice movements, those who suffer the most consequences simply for being who they are or who they love are rarely the loudest voices. I am charged with centering Black people in the fight toward reproductive access and sexual education, making sure to connect to elected officials so that they center the most marginalized in our community. I am in service to the Black community as a whole: women, teens, trans people, anyone who needs care, I want to help.”

THE NEW ROLE McBryde hit the ground running in her new position. “My first 90 days have been filled with coalition building and strengthening partner-

“I AM CHARGED WITH CENTERING BLACK PEOPLE IN THE FIGHT TOWARD REPRODUCTIVE ACCESS AND SEXUAL EDUCATION, MAKING SURE TO CONNECT TO ELECTED OFFICIALS SO THAT THEY CENTER THE MOST MARGINALIZED IN OUR COMMUNITY.” —Cassandra Jones-McBryde

ships in the community,” she says. “I’m conducting listening tours that include meeting with leaders in the community to help inform my work with intention and purpose.”

Studies have shown that a lifetime of systemic discrimination takes a significant toll on the health of Black people. A long history of anti-Black racism, inequities in economic, educational, and health resources, and the targeting of Black communities by law enforcement and the criminal justice system have created health disparities that threaten the well-being of many Black people. These inequities can be worse for those who also face the added barriers of sexism, xenophobia, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, and classism.

“One of the many reasons I left my job of 15 years was to come to a place where I can bring all of me into the work. I am marginalized in every aspect of my existence, and I fight for justice for all of who I am, which includes my Blackness, fatness, and my womanhood,” says McBryde.

“I feel very lucky to work alongside Cassy,” says Emily Clancy, program manager for Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan. “Not just because she has such a JANUARY 2020

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MAKING A DIFFERENCE BY DOING THINGS DIFFERENTLY.

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breadth of experience. Everything from her work in the body positive movement to her local leadership in Detroit is what makes me treasure our relationship even more.

Cassy and I are able to communicate with each other on such a support level. It truly feels transformative, the way we are able to grow the organization and ourselves through this work.”

McBryde’s life experience and fierce dedication to speaking up for those who have been left out of mainstream conversations means that she is already making a difference.

“Planned Parenthood has encouraged me to advocate for people like me in the work that I do,” she says. “Some birth control methods are less effective the more you weigh. Some doctors attribute every ailment to obesity rather than to the reasons why you seek care in the first place. As a Black woman, I am less believed in medical settings. The current fight for reproductive health that includes access to abortion threatens everything that I have worked hard to fight against. Unfortunately, the fight for bodily autonomy continues to remain a familiar fight for my people, who have been fighting since being enslaved. I don’t have the right to not fight

“ONE OF THE MANY REASONS I LEFT MY JOB OF 15 YEARS WAS TO COME TO A PLACE WHERE I CAN BRING ALL OF ME INTO THE WORK. I AM

MARGINALIZED IN EVERY ASPECT OF MY EXISTENCE, AND I FIGHT FOR JUSTICE FOR ALL OF WHO I AM, WHICH INCLUDES MY BLACKNESS, FATNESS, AND MY WOMANHOOD.”

for my total liberation.”

That dedication to the fight is getting attention.

McBryde was named 2013 ebony.com Plus Fashion Power Player and was a recipient of the 2014 Heineken Taste Maker Award for Community Excellence, as well as a 2016 Spirit of Detroit award, and, most recently, she was named the 2019 Corp Magazine Diversity in Business Leader. McBryde has dedicated her life to helping women overcome adversity, improve their self-image, and build a community of positive support and love.

“The year 2020 is really important for us to effect policy that will improve our lives. We are in real threat of losing the right to say what we can do with our own bodies, as crazy as that sounds. I plan to

help build a program that is sustainable and impactful,” McBryde says.

In the end, McBryde also realizes that the best way to help others is ultimately to help yourself, and she hopes to model that type of self-reliance for those she hopes to empower. “Self-care has to also be at the center while we do the work. As an advocate, self-care is the last thing I think about when I am trying to advocate for others. It is sometimes the last thing that mothers think of when trying to care for their families. I look forward to moving in solidarity with organizations that are doing impactful work around these issues and to help connect our services where needed.”

One thing is certain, with McBryde at the helm, change is sure to happen.

—Cassandra Jones-McBryde

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Is “OK, BOOMER” a slur, a sign of increasing generational conflict, or just a meme-able mic drop?

TEXT ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE

C

aitlin Fisher, an Ohio writer who describes herself as “queer as hell, autistic, prone to sudden outbursts of encouragement” and a lover of avocados, cats, plants, and soy chai lattes, released a new book this year, The Gaslighting of the Millennial Generation, based on a blog post by the same name that caught Twitter’s fancy and went viral in 2016. “The millennial generation has been tasked with fixing the broken system we inherited and chastised for not doing it right or daring to suggest improvements,” she wrote in the original post. “If you think we’re doing a bad job, ask yourself how it got this way in the first place.”

For Fisher, “OK, boomer”—the catch phrase that has surfaced as a way to dismiss stubborn, intolerant older folks—is nothing new. “We live in a meme culture, and this is a viral punchline,” she says. “It’s the new ‘whatever,’ a mic drop of, ‘I’m not dealing with this anymore.’”

Most boomers were blissfully unaware of the phrase “OK, boomer” until this fall, when a 25-year-old member of the New Zealand Parliament let it fly during a speech about climate change and the New York Times ran a “Style” section piece on it. Nearly every mainstream media outlet followed suit. Establishment boomers, publicly butt-hurt, declared intergenerational war, culminating in 60-year-old radio host Bob Lonsberry calling the phrase “the n-word of ageism” in a tweet he later deleted. Reaction was swift, fierce, JANUARY 2020

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TALKING ’BOUT MY GENERATION Pundits break US generations into generally accepted categories, though thereʼs hardly universal agreement about when one ends and the next begins. Age can be a powerful predictor of attitudes and behaviors because it denotes where someone was in their lifecycle during specific time periods and historical events. “Boomers” born after 1960 were toddlers during Woodstock and Vietnam and are more likely to identify with The Breakfast Club, not The Big Chill. And the lines between millennials and Gen Z are as fluid as its members. They share a lot of characteristics and have quite a bit in common with their great-grandparentsʼ generation as well.

GREATEST GENERATION: 1901–1925 Conservative, security-oriented, grew up in Depression and came of age during WWII SILENT GENERATION: 1925–1945 Thrifty, moral, conformist, patriotic, came of age as America became a superpower BABY BOOMERS: 1946–1964 Indulged, self-centered, iconoclastic, goal-centric, competitive, came of age during post-WWII boom

GENERATION X: 1965–1980 Freedom-loving, family-oriented, multicultural, jaded, grew up as latch key kids after Watergate and Vietnam MILLENNIALS (A.K.A. GEN Y): 1981–1996 Technological, independent, image-driven, open-minded, ethnically diverse, grew up during peaceful times but lost innocence to 9/11, Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, and the Great Recession GENERATION Z: 1997–2012 Traditional, family- and security-oriented, image-driven, open-minded, collaborative, most diverse (52% non-Hispanic whites), grew up with global terrorism, school shootings, smartphones, and social media

and often hilarious. “You can’t say that, #boomer is our word,” @JazzHendrix tweeted. “But you can say booma.”

Though new to the mainstream media, #OKBoomer has been around awhile. Its first recorded use is in 2015 on 4chan, and it made its way to Reddit by 2017, according to Know Your Meme. In 2018, it erupted in a flurry of tweets responding to politicians criticizing millennials and their successors, Gen Zs, and it’s now a Twitter and Reddit standby.

On the subReddit r/BoomerTears, 17,400 members post “any sour or garbage logic from boomers explaining why they’re special or complaining.” #BoomerAdvice, blasting out-oftouch words of wisdom from you know who, trends pretty regularly on Twitter. And of course, there’s a viral TikTok of a white-haired boomer ranting while a teenager scribbles “OK, Boomer” (flanked with hearts) on his notebook as well as an “OK, booomer” song that has spawned 4,000 TikToks.

Hoodies, t-shirts, phone cases, and stickers emblazoned with the phrase are available on Redbubble and Spreadshirt.

This is not your father’s generation gap; memes

like “OK, boomer” spread exponentially faster in 4G. “We can talk to people across the world, and we have the power to create whole new movements and share information really fast,” Fisher says. “Teenagers are no longer rolling their eyes at the dinner table. Now, teenagers are joining the revolution.”

WHAT IS THIS REVOLUTION? Millennials—along with their predecessors, Gen X, and successors, BEFORE IT WAS OK Gen Z—are angry. And The term baby boomer was first used in a 1963 whether they deserve it Salt Lake City Tribune or not, boomers are takarticle about the spike ing the blame for social of births that occurred and historical factors that during the decade following World War II. haven’t been kind to the generations that followed them. Boomers got college degrees “for the price of a McChicken,” according to one Redditor, while millennials are strapped with record student loan debt. The climate crisis and the rising tide of nationalism, inequality, and economic uncertainty all happened under the boomers’ watch. They elected Donald Trump.

Even to boomers, it’s pretty clear this hippie-cum-capitalist generation kicked a lot of cans down the road while they were chasing profits and partying like it was 1999 (well into the 21st century). “How many world leaders for how many JANUARY 2020

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decades have seen and known what is coming but have decided that it is more politically expedient to keep it behind closed doors? My generation and the generations after me do not have that luxury,” Chlöe Swarbrick told the New Zealand Parliament in her climate speech just before she dropped the OK bomb.

Even more maddening, boomers won’t acknowledge that younger generations are being forced to operate in a completely different economy, without the equity and safeguards boomers had and with huge fear about the future. “The world is just different,” says 30-yearold Lindsey Turnbull, who owns an empowerment company for teen and tween girls, MissHeard Media. “We need the adults to acknowledge that and not brush kids’ very real worries off as hormones.”

These millennials are quick to point out that not every boomer is a “boomer” (thank God!).

And furthermore, anyone who is intolerant to new ideas and unwilling to unlearn their biases can be “OK, boomered.”

It’s more about attitude than ageism.

“I know how exhausting it can be to debate with people, especially online, who are really adamant

about not seeing another point of view,” says Turnbull. “‘OK, boomer’ just says you’re not wasting all that time and emotional energy trying to come up with a well-thought-out response when the person on the other side doesn’t listen.”

hoarded all the wealth and polluted the planet in the process; they haven’t had to witness—or deal with the ramifications of—old age and precarity for millions of working people in that generational cohort,” he writes in the Guardian. “Instead they get to revel without self-reflection in oedipal TRENDING ON angst about their elders— WHITE TWITTER many of whom were kind One of the biggest issues many people see with this enough to pass them their ill-gotten privileges.” meme-inspired revoluFisher doesn’t distion is that its guerrillas agree. “It’s important to tend to be of a type—upacknowledge that ‘OK, per-middle-class white youth—and they’re com- boomer’ is about priviplaining about issues like leged older people, baby boomers in Congress who lack of economic opporkeep voting to give themtunity and silencing that people of color have been selves pay raises but don’t dealing with for centuries. want poor older people to have affordable health Black Twitter sees #Okcare,” she says. “While Boomer as nothing more than disrespect for elders. we’re fighting against the “White Brogressives never ‘royal boomer’ we can’t cared about income ineq- ignore the needs of older uity when it was just black people in our communities. Ageism is really serior brown folks on the ous. There’s elder abuse, wrong end of it,” @Wonderbitch82 posted. and medical debt is bankBhaskar Sunkara, found- rupting older Americans. er of Jacobin magazine and We can’t point to all older author of The Socialist Mani- people and say they are the problem the way they festo: The Case for Radical Politics in an Era of Extreme point to our generation and say we are the probInequality, believes white lem. We have to open up upper middle-class youth the conversation.” who find themselves shut The conversation opens out of the housing market up for Turnbull, who lives and exploited by the gig economy should aim their angst at investment bankers, not boomers. “These young people are surrounded by baby boomers who’ve

in Washington, DC, when she mingles with people of all ages during political marches and protests.

But in many places in the US, opportunities for cross-generational conversation are becoming rare as children are shunted into age-based sports and activities while the elderly are sent to care facilities, says Timiko Tanka, an associate professor of sociology at James Madison University. “As is said in an African proverb, ‘It takes a village to raise a child,’” she says. “But today, many children are growing up without such a community.”

Tanka says intergenerational care centers, which are starting to crop up across the country, have been proven to be useful in reducing age-based prejudice and stereotyping. In her Social Gerontology course, students spend at least 20 hours interacting and becoming comfortable with elderly people—so comfortable that by the end of the semester, they’re playing cards together. Schools, care facilities, and municipal governments need to create more opportunities for people to share different perspectives, she says. “‘OK, boomer’ is a warning that we need to find a bridge, not a wall, and have meaningful conversation,” says Tanka.

Generationalism: the systematic appeal to the concept of generation in narrating the social and political as a way of explaining political and social shifts.

SOURCE: Baby Boomers and Generational Conflict by Jenny Bristow (2015)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Robyn Griggs Lawrence is the author of the bestselling Cannabis Kitchen Cookbook and the recently released Pot in Pans: A History of Eating Cannabis.

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SPECIAL REPORT

ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT While legalization is on a roll, these six ridiculous cannabis laws and regulations made it onto the books across the country.

TEXT LINDSEY BARTLETT

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C

annabis prohibition is falling like an old empire across the United States. Yet not all new laws and regulations surrounding cannabis are winners. There are many laws in legal marijuana markets, both medical and adult-use, that are not based on data but are in fact quite arbitrary. At best, these regulations are off-base. At worst, they are curtailing access for medical patients who desperately need to access their medication. Laws have forced patients, adult consumers, and cannabis companies alike to jump through unnecessary hoops in order to get weed. But why?

Lawmakers have predisposed notions of what would happen if weed became legal. Unfortunately, many of the laws you see today were written by people coming from the perspective of a deeply ingrained “Reefer Madness” culture. Those in charge fear repercussions that are simply not backed by the data. When laws are developed through that lens, they are not likely to make a lot of sense.

It will take time to iron out these regulations, but someday they will be history. Fingers crossed. Here are six ridiculous, arbitrary, and damaging cannabis laws across the country.

NO RESTROOMS ALLOWED In West Hollywood, a lot of attention has been given to the country’s first open cannabis consumption lounge licensee. The Original Cannabis Cafe (previously known as Lowell Farms) has one bizarre quirk in its regulations forced by zoning. The restroom, formerly a part of the building located within the walls of the restaurant, had to be built out with a separate entrance.

The café owners told Sensi they were asked to disconnect the bathroom from the main building space.

This forces customers to exit the front door and walk around the exterior of the building to use the restroom. Before opening its doors in October 2019, the restaurant scrambled to comply with this seemingly arbitrary building requirement.

As far as zoning is concerned, cannabis consumption needs to happen in a closed space. It is all very confusing. But the first cannabis consumption licenses to get off the ground will undoubtedly have some kinks.

LIMITED LINEUP Yes, there is a medical marijuana program in New York.

No, it is not making a dent in the demand in the unlicensed market. This can be attributed to the state’s strict regulations, which make it so the only available products are items that aren’t as popular with medical patients.

Products in New York are limited to edible cannabis concentrate oil, capsules, or topicals. You can’t smoke it. Keep in mind, the allowable cannabis concentrate oil is not the same as the popular oils you’d dab with or put in a vape pen. You also can’t buy edibles that are already made with cannabis. Just capsules. New York consumers and patients do not have the option of regular ol’ flower.

This tight restriction on the products available for sale has deterred many cannabis patients, store owners, and cultivators from participating. While its medical program was enacted in 2014 by the Compassionate Care Act, the state has fewer than 30 medical dispensaries five years later.

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ENVIRONMENTALLY UNFRIENDLY All the largest markets have one unfortunate regulation in common: You cannot recycle or reuse any cannabis packaging. In Oregon, plastic childproof containers are required, but once the container is used to store cannabis, it is not allowed to be recycled, meaning all this plastic packaging ends up in landfills. The Bureau of Cannabis Control in California and Washington State laws make recycling products difficult.

Colorado does not have any language in place for the recycling of cannabis containers.

It will become a Goliath issue if these laws are not amended to make practical recycling a part of the cannabis industry. Companies want to recycle, and they want a safe and effective way to reuse the old vape cartridges that are brought back into the store. Bad news is, because of these strict state regulations, they can’t. One solution companies are finding is to begin with recycled and reclaimed plastic, like products made by Sana. An innovative company called TerraCycle offers another solution in melting down and cleaning cannabis packaging waste. But like all other industries grappling with the plastic problem, the most impactful changes will be made top-down, not at the consumer level.

NOT FIT TO PRINT Marketing regulations for the cannabis industry are a patchwork of chaos. There remain a limited number of ways that companies can advertise, and those laws vary state-by-state. Facebook and Instagram have gone out of their way to shadow ban cannabis companies, sometimes deleting the accounts of licensed, legal businesses. Google AdWords doesn’t play nicely with cannabis companies either, offering payment ad options to very few exceptions. In Colorado, you can’t advertise on billboards, on mobile, in banners, or in handout leaflets. California allows cannabis companies to advertise on billboards, but there is currently a lawsuit attempting to ban that method.

As a result of this mess, the industry has gotten creative with advertising. This very magazine is one avenue that exists without restriction, paving the way for marketing in the cannabis world.

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CASH OR… CASH States that legalize cannabis want cannabis tax money. But they don’t allow companies to have a safe way to pay their bills, pay their employees, and to store revenue. Until the SAFE Banking Act makes its way through the Senate and eventually to the desk of President Trump, there is a massive regulatory issue.

Dispensaries across the country are forced to operate as cash-only businesses—in a cash-only billion-dollar industry.

Stripe, Square, and other payment apps are cracking down not only on cannabis businesses, including CBD businesses, but on ancillary companies as well.

Hopefully a solution will be found in the SAFE Banking Act. Cannabis businesses need to be able to lean on legitimate financial institutions.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lindsey Bartlett has been writing about cannabis since 2012. An advocate and 10-year medical cannabis patient, her work has been featured in Yahoo Finance, Benzinga, and The Cannabist.

MANDATORY MONOPOLY Some cannabis regulations go so far as to defy capitalism at its core. In Vermont’s medical cannabis program, for example, a registered patient must choose one—and only one—dispensary to buy from.

Patients can change their designated dispensary, but only once every 30 days, and only for a $50 fee. The cost is an access issue for many medical patients.

Another peculiar move for Vermont: while any 21plus adult can legally grow two mature and four immature plants for personal use outside in the sunshine (fenced yard, screened from public view), medical cannabis patients must grow indoors if they want to take advantage of the higher plant count available to them (seven immature).

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GO THERE

Sweet Potato Sensations 17337 Lahser Rd., Detroit sweetpotatosensations.com

Baked with Love

Elevating the sweet potato and expanding its menu beyond a simple bakery, Sweet Potato Sensations has become a Detroit staple.

TEXT DARRALYNN HUTSON

Espy Thomas, part of a family of bakers behind Sweet Potato Sensations.

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The city of Detroit is undergoing a metamorphosis as the new faces of business ownership are outwardly leading the city’s revival. Yet there are those family-owned multigenerational establishments that have kept Detroit alive through

the lean years when the media called Detroit a wasteland.

The iconic Detroit eatery Sweet Potato Sensations is at its busiest during the holiday season, churning out its tasteful delights to customers who only expect

the best from its tables.

Second-generation owner Espy Thomas, 38, has been involved in her family business since she was six years old, labeling cookie bags in her family’s kitchen.

“This time of year, we literally bring holiday

goodness to the tables of hundreds of families, not only in Detroit but all across the US,” says Espy.

“My sister and I work to stay true to our authentic selves while putting our spin on the business so we can have the same love and dedication that [our parents] have had for over 30 years.”

After all, Sweet Potato Sensations is a story of love. The genesis for the bakery stemmed from a compromise struck between two newlyweds, Jeff rey and Cassandra Thomas. For their first Thanksgiving together, back in the ’70s, Jeffery pleaded for the menu to include candied yams, just like his mom used to make. Cassandra, who did not like candied yams, created a recipe for sweet potato cookies to satisfy her new husband’s sweet tooth.

The cookies were a big hit. In 1987, they started selling the cookies at yard sales, and the name for the now-famous cookies,

“My sister and I work to stay true to our authentic selves while putting our spin on the business so we can have the same love and dedication our parents have had for over 30 years.”

Sweet Potato Sensations, came to Jeffrey in the middle of the night. Six years later, they opened the first storefront next to the famous Rosedale Theater. “It all started from my love for sweet potatoes and my wife’s love for me,” says Jeffery, 61.

More than 30 years later, Sweet Potato Sensations is run every day by the Thomases and their two daughters, Espy and Jennifer, who feed Detroiters scrump-

tious pies, cakes, and those hallmark sweet potato cookies. “We are pumpkin’s cousin with an attitude,” says Espy.

The menu has expanded to soups, chicken and waffles, sandwiches, and salmon croquettes. “If you put love into it, you get love back,” Espy believes. “We sell tradition and memories. So, when people come in, they are our supporters. Our customers feel like they are part of our business.”

Family Business: Sweet Potato Sensations has been crafting scrumptious treats for more than three decades.

—Espy Thomas, co-owner, Sweet Potato Sensations

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Super Schuss: The US Cross Country Skiing Championships speed through Michigan this month.

’Tis the season to pub crawl in an adult-size purple unicorn onesie—or maybe just celebrate the 35th anniversary of Purple Rain.

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Jan. 2–7 Michigan Tech Trails, Houghton michigantechhuskies.com

Best of Detroit Walking Tour

TEXT DARRALYNN HUTSON

Jan. 4, 2 p.m.

Roasting Plant, Detroit bit.ly/2rotj6K

When the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit wrapped up its annual run last year, it was the last January show, ever. Beginning in 2020, NAIAS will be held in June, which has left the month wide open for other events. Even though the average temperature in Detroit can hover around 32 degrees, we have compiled the perfect list of happenings to keep you in the festive spirit.

From walking tours to blues and music festivals, Detroit doesn’t sleep just because it gets a little cold outside.

On this tour, you’ll see the Woodward Corridor’s major developments and unique shops, restaurants, and recently renovated residential options.

You’ll also see some of Detroit’s

JA N UA RY 2020

great historical spots and its world-renowned architecture.

Illusions Drag Queen Show, Detroit Jan. 4, 7 p.m.

Detroit illusionsthedragqueenshow.com

The Runway of Hopes and Dreams Jan. 10, 7–11 p.m.

Pistons Performance Center, Detroit wishuponateen.org

Wish Upon a Teen and Motor City Movement sponsors their second

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On the Calendar

2020 US Cross Country Skiing Championship

LEFT: CROSS COUNTRY SKIING BELOW: EMPTY BOWLS DETROIT RIGHT: RUNWAY OF HOPES & DREAMS

annual gala. In recognition of Pediatric Cancer Awareness, this amazing event showcases Detroit athletes, TV personalities, and local celebrities walking the runway with courageous patients from Children’s Hospital of Michigan.

The Prince Experience: Purple Rain Jan. 10 The Fillmore Detroit thefillmoredetroit.com

Bell Biv DeVoe Jan. 15 Sound Board, MotorCity Casino Hotel, Detroit soundboarddetroit.com

Boozin’ in Your The Detroit Onesie Bar Crawl Boat Show Jan. 18, 3–10 p.m.

Greektown, Detroit barcrawllive.com

Jan. 18–26 TCF Center, Detroit detroitboatshow.net

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Empty Bowls Detroit Bowl Painting Workshop Jan. 19 First Presbyterian Church, Royal Oak emptybowlsdetroit.com

In support of Cass Community Social Services, Empty Bowls Detroit creatively raises funds and awareness for hunger.

Ashanti Jan. 19 Sound Board, MotorCity Casino Hotel, Detroit soundboarddetroit.com

Monique Jan. 23 Sound Board, MotorCity Casino Hotel, Detroit soundboarddetroit.com

Snoop Dogg: I Wanna Thank Me Tour Jan. 26–27 The Fillmore Detroit thefillmoredetroit.com

18th Annual Ferndale Blues & Chaka Khan Jan. 26 Music Festival Jan. 24–Feb. 1 Various locations, Ferndale ferndalebluesfestival.org

This annual event highlights local artists, musicians, and businesses.

All proceeds go to Ferndale Youth Assistance—a nonprofit that provides Ferndale students and schools with counseling, scholarships for summer camps, skill-building workshops, and college.

Sound Board, MotorCity Casino Hotel, Detroit soundboarddetroit.com

Whole Foods Plant Based Living for Weight Loss, Chronic Disease Prevention Jan. 22, 6 p.m.

Detroit Main Library, Detroit

This holistic health group meets on the fourth Thursday of every month to discuss plant-based wellness.

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P R O M O T I O N A L F E AT U R E 710 SECURITY

Crime Stoppers Sophisticated crimes will continue, but a comprehensive and proactive security plan is the best line of defense for cannabis businesses.

T

here was a time in the industry when not enough attention was being paid to the issue of security. The fact that the industry was up and running in Colorado, for example, was enough reason to celebrate and create a new cannabis business that would be part of a great new multibillion-dollar industry.

That rainbow-and-unicorn moment changed. Rapidly.

“The year 2015 hit and Colorado went recreational, and the word got out on the street,” says David Beckett, founder and CEO of Denver-based 710 Security. “That summer we had a really big crime spree here in Denver.

We woke up every day to crimes happening.”

He says that crimes ran the gamut.

“We saw the smash and grabs, crimes where kids learned how to get into

the cash register. There were more sophisticated crimes where guys were breaking through ceilings,” says Beckett. “We saw a guard get shot and killed. We’ve seen all of that in this space.”

Beckett began working as an ADT installer ten years ago, which led to installing systems in newly legalized cannabis operations in Colorado until ADT had to bail due to the federal conflicts.

That opened up a niche for Beckett.

At first, he worked as a contractor installing other security systems for cannabis companies. Then in 2014, he opened Security Grade Protective Services. “I developed the total accountability program, building an operations center in my house, blanketing areas with video surveillance instead of actually having guards out in the field,”

he says. “We were actually able to prevent crimes from happening.”

He sold that company to Helix TCS in 2017, and opened 710 Security. The company is licensed to work in Ohio, Michigan, and Colorado, and is hoping to do business soon in Illinois and Florida.

710 has six employees working nationwide at major build-out facilities, using an RV and travel trailer so that they can travel onsite to take care of customers personally. They provide security plans, armed guards, guard patrols, security surveillance systems, and more.

“There are some security companies providing security to Family Dollar or Starbucks, but they don’t know the regulations for this industry and where those regulations might be going,” Beckett says. “So, you want to future-proof your security system and make it user functional, so when the time comes, it can be admissible in a court of law.”

710 Security Security Company 710securityltd.com JANUARY 2020

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TEN FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF THE COMMON CITIZEN

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Ignorance, stigma, and judgement imprison the mind and hold back the pursuit of truth and liberty for all, and those shackles need to be broken.

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Storefront Selling With a surge in the CBD market, a husband-wife cannabis business team steps into the world of retail store CBD sales.

I

n 2017, Rod Glupker and his wife got into the cannabis business, first as online consultants about the cannabis business—Cape Cod Cannabis Consulting in Provincetown, Massachusetts—discussing licensing, permits, equipment, and financing.

Then this August, they moved to Fremont, Michigan, and opened a storefront to sell CBD products. “This whole CBD thing has blown up,” he says. “We are not so much doing consultancy now since we started our storefront, and it’s done very well.”

With the vaping emergency looming over the CBD industry, Glupker has been keeping an eye on what is going on with CBD rules and regulations, watching the USDA process, and waiting for the day when the FDA gets on board. “What we do here is check all the third-party lab tests for

trying to do more advertising for that demographic that continues to grow. A lot of them are open to at least looking at it.”

Glupker often does seminars in and around town for seniors and others, where he speaks and teaches.

“We let them know that there is a difference between gas store and video store CBD,” he says. “Most products come in with a QR code on it that relates to the lab test. So, I make sure you know what you are getting.

We are completely open with everybody, and we talk to them in layman’s terms about lab tests,” Glupker says.

The company also has a small shipping department, and he and his wife stay busy every day “about 24-7 nonstop.” They’re looking at hiring additional help soon.

Glupker wants to continue growing his current location but has also had offers to open other locations. “That’s down the road,” he says. “But just within this one store, we’ve done well.”

products we sell and make sure it’s all good,” Glupker says. “We get product in here daily from other companies, and if they don’t have third-party lab tests, we won’t even look at carrying their stuff.”

They currently sell 20 to 30 different brands of CBD products, including products such as tinctures, oil concentrates, pet supplements, CBD capsules, and softgels. “We tried to cultivate our own hemp and had a good time doing it, but it was very time consuming,” he says. “We have a lot of hemp farms in the area around us and are getting product from them.”

The company has been shipping product to everywhere in the US. Its 1,000-milligram tincture is its best seller, he says, with topicals as second Cape Cod Cannabis Consulting best. “We are seeing a lot of seniors cccc420.com coming in here,” he says. “We are

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THE END

Goals, Not Resolutions Decide which frame of mind will make 2020 attainable.

Stats suggest that no one is really focused on setting resolutions at the beginning of the year anymore. Those who do, rarely follow through, lapsing around the 30-day mark.

Don’t become another sad

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statistic; set goals instead of resolutions. The word goal just seems so much more attainable.

Goals are much more specific and the more specific, the easier they are to reach. A resolution

is a firm decision to start something or stop something but it doesn’t really lay out how. Goals set forth the path by which you plan, prepare, and take action. While this can all sound (and feel)

overwhelming by February, the great part about setting goals is that you can do so on a daily basis—hourly, even, when you get good at it. You can set as many goals as you can possibly attain.

PHOTO BY ALVARO MENDOZA VIA UNSPLASH

TEXT DARRALYNN HUTSON