Sensi Magazine - Metro Maryland (April 2020)

Premie re Issue

I M E T R O M A RY L A N D 4/20 I S S U E

WEEDED BLISS

Start your marriage on a high note

CBN FOR ZZZ

The little-known compound that helps you sleep

DOWN TO A SCIENCE Josh Crossney’s vision for the future of a green industry

MA RY L A ND ROOTS. C OL ORA DO E X P E RIE NC E .

New patients receive 10% off total purchase and seniors also receive 10% off total purchase EVERY DAY! *Discounts can stack to a total discount of 20% off!

Veteran patients get a discount of 22% off their purchase!

2001 CHAPMAN AVENUE, ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND 20852 INFO@PEAKERELEAF.COM | WWW.PEAKERELEAF.COM FOLLOW US ONLINE ON FACEBOOK & TWITTER @PEAKERELEAF AND ON INSTAGRAM @PEAKESTAGRAM Medical cannabis products can only be used by a qualifying patient in the state of Maryland. Consumption of medical cannabis may impair your ability to drive a car or operate machinery. Please use extreme caution. Additionally, there may be health risks associated with cannabis use, especially during pregnancy or breast-feeding. Accidental consumption of cannabis by children or animals may result in severe adverse reactions. Keep cannabis out of the reach of children and animals. All content intended to be viewed by medical cannabis patients 18 years of age or older.

CANNABIS DISPENSARIES

Why Curaleaf?

• MD’S LOWEST PRICES • AN AMAZING SELECTION • A FIRST-VISIT DISCOUNT • A KIND, CARING STAFF • PERSONALIZED EDUCATION

EXPERIENCE CANNABIS WITH CONFIDENCE. LOCATIONS Curaleaf Reisterstown 11722 Reisterstown Rd. Reisterstown MD 21136

Curaleaf Gaithersburg 811 Russell Ave Gaithersburg MD 20879

Curaleaf Takoma 6309 New Hampshire Ave Takoma Park MD 20912

Curaleaf Airpark 8355 Snouffer School Rd Gaithersburg MD 20879

Must be 18 years or older to view content. Medical cannabis is for qualifying patient use only.

METRO MARYLAND SENSI MAGAZINE APRIL 2020

sensimediagroup @sensimagazine @sensimag

F E AT U R E S

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36 36

Down to a Science

The man behind the event thatʼs shaking the East and West Coast cannabis worlds

Weeded Bliss

Cannabis destination weddings are the perfect marriage of love and leaf.

D E PA R T M E N T S

9 EDITOR’S NOTE 10 THE BUZZ News, tips, and tidbits

20 THE LIFE Contributing to your

health and happiness CBN FOR ZZZ Products that help you sleep HEALTH The unique approach of the Nava Center HOROSCOPE What the stars hold for you

to keep you in the loop SMALL WORLD NASA remasters the farthest photo of Earth.

JET-SET JAMAICA Follow live coverage of the Tmrw.Tday festival.

THE SCENE GROWERS’ GARB An Hot happenings and hip apparel line made just for hangouts around town cannabis professionals CHERRY BLOSSOMS Where to see them without ACCESS FOR VETS The team fighting for veterans’ fighting the DC crowds rights to cannabis HIGH TEA Tea Pad pop ups revamping the industry.

VITAL VOICES The global nonprofit empowering CALENDAR Spring into women everywhere action with Maryland’s top can’t-miss events.

SENSIBILITIES Our editor in chief’s hottest hits of the month

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BASKIN THE GOODNESS

CBD for athletes VOX POPULI Your voice is heard in our magazine!

ON THE COVER Josh Crossney, founder of the Cannabis Science Conference, is raising the national standard for medical cannabis.

PHOTO BY MARYLAND PHOTOGRAPHY, INC.

50 THE END

To celebrate its 30th anniversary, Flying Dog Brewery has unveiled a new limited-edition sour.

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A DV I S O R Y B OA R D

Charm City Medicus Responsible Healing

Melting Point Extracts Extraction Expert

Columbia Care Educational Dispensary

Pain Arthritis Relief Center Natural Pain Relief

Comfort Keepers Coordinated In-Home Care

Peake Releaf Marylandʼs Medical Dispensary

Curaleaf Veterans Cannabis Project Dr. Z Green Therapy Total Wellness Addiction Medicine Embrace CBD Wellness Center CBD Education & Quality Control Georgetown Hemp CBD Quality Assurance Expert

Remedy Columbia Cannabis Culture

FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Shulman Rogers Cannabis Law Starbuds Community Wellness WOW Wellness Health and Wellness

FACE BOOK Like Sensi Media Group for the parties, topics, and happenings we’re obsessed with right now.

Green Matters, LLC Supply Chain Green Point Wellness Cannabis Wellness Greenhouse Payment Solutions Payment Processing Grow West Integrated Cannabis Company Kannavis Cannabinoid Experts Matthew L Mintz, MD, LLC Physician

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T W I T TER Follow @sensimag to stay up-to-date on the latest news from Sensi cities.

I NSTAG RAM @sensimagazine is home to exclusive photos and content.

Magazine published monthly

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

EXECUTIVE Ron Kolb Founder, CEO ron@sensimag.com Mike Mansbridge President mike@sensimag.com

W

Alex Martinez Chief Operating Officer alex@sensimag.com EDITORIAL

Stephanie Wilson Co-Founder, Editor in Chief stephanie@sensimag.com Doug Schnitzspahn Executive Editor doug.schnitzspahn@sensimag.com Aaron Bible Interim Managing Editor aaron.bible@sensimag.com Leland Rucker Senior Editor leland.rucker@sensimag.com

Robyn Griggs Lawrence Editor at Large robyn.lawrence@sensimag.com

Helen Olsson Copy Chief Melissa Howsam Senior Copy Editor Meryl Howsam, Bevin Wallace Copy Editors

Katrina Brinkerhoff, Lindsey Gaff, Lucie Hanes, Elizabeth Sheldon, Mona Van Joseph Contributing Writers DESIGN Jamie Ezra Mark Creative Director jamie@emagency.com Rheya Tanner Art Director

Wendy Mak, Kiara Lopez, Josh Clark, Jason Jones Designers PUBLISHING Elizabeth Sheldon Publisher elizabeth.sheldon@sensimag.com Samantha Cunningham Associate Publisher samantha.cunningham@sensimag.com Gwen Ross Associate Publisher gwen.ross@sensimag.com B U S I N E S S /A D M I N 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

EDITOR’S NOTE

With a massive

collective heart and an open mind, Maryland’s new post-Prohibition lifestyle magazine, Sensi, is here to explore with you what this magazine can mean to the community. Sensi is a place for your stories to be heard, and we welcome your feedback.

We want to see Sensi on the coffee table in your business, at home, in the coffee shop, and at the spa, and we want to speak to the authentic, progressive, thinking adults of this special mid-Atlantic region. Sensi is a safe and inclusive place to celebrate all aspects of living our best life with a community mind and giving spirit.

How did we get here? Maryland has birthed a new industry that will change our state forever. There are cheerleaders and naysayers to be sure. And it is Sensi’s mission to facilitate and normalize the conversation about what is predicted to be the largest industry contributing to Maryland’s economy in coming years.

As many of you know, building Sensi for Metro Maryland has been a journey. It is only with the support of the community that you are holding the first magazine in your hands today. Maryland is a diverse and mighty state. It is our hope that through sharing stories of healing and growth in our community, while also funding desperately needed social programs, we will all learn something from one another and discover the best way to navigate this new business landscape.

People around the country are putting more green inside their bodies, from eating healthier to looking toward more natural forms of medicine, and we’re along for the ride: delving deep into Maryland’s Cannabis Science Conference, meeting veterans using plant medicine to help with PTSD, watching others help clean up the opioid crisis, and even shedding light on the thousands of average folks out there using plants to help with sleep and anxiety.

Thanks for picking up this issue, and we hope it moves you to share it with a friend.

It is our hope that through sharing stories of healing and growth in our community, while also funding desperately needed social programs, we will all learn something from one another.

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

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“LOOK AGAIN AT THAT DOT. THAT’S HERE. THAT’S HOME. THAT’S US.” —Carl Sagan

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It’s been 30 years since NASA’s Voyager mission snapped its last photo, just before it soared into interstellar space.

NASA called it “a family portrait of the solar system,” and it showed Earth as a vague, lonely spot occupying about a 10th of a single pixel. The image would become forever entwined with Voyager imaging scientist Carl Sagan’s book Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space, published four years later, in which Sagan called Earth “a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.”

To celebrate the photo’s anniversary— and remind us again how small we really are—NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory released a new version of the pale-bluedot image remastered with color-balancing technology that didn’t exist in 1990.

Now—perhaps even more so than in 1990, when most of the world was blissfully unaware of the dangers of climate change—Sagan’s words in Pale Blue Dot ring true. “There is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world,” he wrote. “To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another, and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we’ve ever known.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF NASA JET PROPULSION LABORATORY

Small World

CONTRIBUTORS

Aaron H. Bible, Lucie Hanes, Robyn Griggs Lawrence

BY THE NUMBERS

95K

PATIENTS The number of Maryland medical cannabis patients

PHOTOS (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP) COURTESY OF: TMRW.TDAY FESTIVAL / SHEARD INDUSTRY APPARREL / DAN MCCARTHY

SPRING BREAK

Sensiʼs heading to the powdery shores of Jamaica this month for the fourthannual Tmrw.Tday Culture Fest—part wellness retreat, part music festival, all soulful connection. Well, weʼre not all going, just the founding editor of Sensi Boston, Dan McCarthy.* The skeptical New Englander is heading to Negril to embark on a transformational wellness journey during which he just may become a love activator. What exactly is that? Weʼll find out when McCarthy does, as heʼll be sharing photos, videos, and stories throughout the fest on his Instagram (@acutalproof), so we can feel like weʼre right there with him doing downward dogs in the sand.

Follow, share, comment, respond, and tag us (@sensimagazine). You could be featured in an upcoming issue.

Tmrw.Tday / April 28–May 3 / tmrwtday.com *Read McCarthy’s previous coverage of cannabis farms, sexy yogis, and time travel during Tmrw.Tday 2019 at sensimag.com

6DAYS

The number of days for medical card approval, down from 45

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

Dress for the Job You Want

Still think cannabis hasn’t made it to the mainstream?

Think again. Growers and other cannabis-industry workers now have their own industry-specific line of workwear. Inspired by other workwear brands like Dickies and Carhartt, and influenced heavily by the ruggedness and functionality of motorsports apparel, Sheard Industries is the first apparel designed specifically for the cannabis industry.

Sheard produces both grow-focused and extraction gear with different features to match the needs of each job. “The line of grow gear features water-resistant fabric that is very lightweight and breathable,” says founder and owner Griffin Sheard. “Our extraction gear caters more toward safety… and features anti-static fibers and certified fire-resistant fabric.”

Sheard offers workwear grow shirts, gaitered pants, and wash jackets, as well as casual logowear. sheardindustryapparel.com

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DISPENSARIES The number of dispensaries now open in Maryland

0

ISSUES The number problems that have been found with Marylandʼs vaping products

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Want more information? Check out our site!

www.remedycolumbia.com | info@remedycolumbia.com Medical cannabis products are to be used by qualified patients only.

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THE BUZZ

PHOTOS (FROM TOP): BY REDPIXEL, ADOBE STOCK / COURTESY OF VETERANS CANNABIS PROJECT / COURTESY OF VITAL VOICES

Standing Up for Veterans

To cope with these injuries, veterans are prescribed myriad medications, often including opiates—an approach that has left veterans battling addictions. An average of 20 veterans commit suicide from Veterans Cannabis Project remains laser- these complications daily, according to the group. Studies and veterfocused on advocating for vets. an experiences demonstrate that cannabis is a viable treatment option that circumvents the negative side effects of opiates and other According to statistics from the American Legion, 92 percent prescriptions, Distaso says. But veterans continue to be barred from of all veterans support research into medical cannabis, and 83 legal access by federal law because of its Schedule 1 status. percent of veteran households support legalizing medical cannabis.

The VCP’s stance is that veterans have obviously earned their That’s why the Veterans Cannabis Project (VCP) pulls no benefits—which must include full access to safe, legal medical punches when it comes to access to medical cannabis for veterans. cannabis. Thus, the VCP is asking that the federal government allow “We’re working to change the conversation about the life-saving VA doctors to recommend cannabis, counsel veterans on how to health treatment value of cannabis,” says Doug Distaso, executive access legal cannabis, and complete/submit the necessary paperdirector. He explains that service members are coming home with work; provide legal protections for veterans to use medical cannabis wounds both visible and invisible, and are experiencing chronic without fear that they will lose their job or benefits; and require the pain and PTSD at double the rate of the average American.

VA to research the impacts of cannabis on veterans’ health issues.

Pillars for the mission include advocating on behalf of veteran cannabis access; educating policymakers and the public about the value of cannabis to veterans; and supporting veterans across the nation with the resources necessary for understanding the value of medical cannabis, and knowing their rights and the tools they need to encourage federal policy change. “We’re helping create a community that can heal our nation’s broken approach to cannabis and provide veterans with safe, legal access,” says Distaso.

Veterans Cannabis Project / vetscp.org

SPEAK UP!

Vital Voices recognizes the power of global leadership in women.

For more than two decades, Vital Voices has partnered with more than 18,000 women leaders in 182 countries to solve the worldʼs greatest economic and social challenges.

Co-founded by former US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Vital Voices provides programs in strategic planning, business, advocacy, leadership development, and communications that build critical skills for scaling transformational change worldwide.

The international nonprofit searches the world over for women leaders who have daring vision for change in their communities and partners with them to make that vision a reality, providing them with skills training, grants, access to a network of their peers, mentorship, visibility, and recognition.

Vital Voices is self-proclaimed as a “venture catalyst,” supporting women who advance economic opportunity, increase political and public engagement, and promote human rights. Past winners of the Global Leadership Awards include Melinda Gates, Diane von Furstenberg, and Amanda Nguyen, among others. vitalvoices.org

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Our attorneys understand the world you live in, the challenges you face and the opportunities you seek.

Shulman Rogers provides sound advice and creative strategies to help achieve your personal and business goals.

ShulmanRogers.com 301-231-0924 | lawfirm@shulmanrogers.com

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THE BUZZ

BILITIES

BY STEPHANIE WILSON, EDITOR IN CHIEF

1 NOT ONLY IS IT 4/20 ALL MONTH LONG, 4/20/20 falls on a Monday. You know what that means? The likelihood of major news organizations publishing pun-filled pot headlines is up 420 percent.

2 WHILE SOME CONSIDER PUNS to be the lowest form of

humor, others think theyʼre high art. Meanwhile, others will pipe up about the need to weed out half-baked word play.

3 THE HIGH VOLUME OF STONER STEREOTYPES and

cannabis clichés popping up this month in puff pieces and serious news reports alike—even in media outlets that should know better—sends efforts made to destigmatize cannabis up in smoke.

4 SHOULD WE ALL MAKE A JOINT EFFORT to keep off the

grass jokes? Nah, thatʼd be a buzz kill—exceptionally harsh for the 70 percent of Americans living in states where sparking up can catch you a criminal record.

5 NEW RULE: If it makes you giggle, go with it.

“The most important thing to do in your life is to not interfere with somebody else’s life.”

—Frank Zappa, musician, famous Marylander

Get Baskin the Game Baskin boasts CBD for athletes.

In the sea of CBD options, Baskinʼs CBD product, according to the company, delivers 18 percent more CBD to the human body than does its competitiors, and its all-natural, long-lasting, breathable formulation is ideal for active adults.

“Our crop comes from various states.

Regardless of legally grown resources, the CBD used is broad spectrum and derived from hemp,” says Maikel van de Mortel of Lighthouse Strategies (the parent company of Baskin). “Each batch that we create is accompanied by a COA [certificate of analysis], which is key, as this allows consumers to see exactly what they buy and where it comes from. We use a special QR code to make our COAs accessible to the consumer.”

Baskinʼs selling points include superior binding technology that keeps the cream bonded to the skin through washing, rubbing, or sweating; controlled release of the CBD over a prolonged period; a formulation free of alcohol, parabens, waxes, or other solvents; and a patented formula that lets an athleteʼs skin breathe and retain its natural moisture.

With its market saturation and all the rhetoric around CBDʼs actual effectiveness for sports recovery, few brands have patented CBD personal-care items the way Baskin has.

Baskinʼs sport recovery cream harnesses 300 mg of CBD to create the most targeted and effective solution, without slowing you down or taking you out of the game.

Baskin sport recovery cream / 300 mg CBD / $50 / baskinessentials.com

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16 M ET RO M A RY LA N D

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™

CBD

THE BUZZ

VOX POPULI

Question: What’s the Best Thing About Maryland in the Spring?

JENNIFER CULPEPPER

NICOLE MITCHELL,

EDWARD WEIDENFELD

DEVONA AUSTIN

GINANNE ITALIANO

___________________

___________________

___________________

___________________

___________________

Founder and Principal, Brand Joint, Annapolis

Hands down, my favorite thing about spring in Maryland are the cherry blossoms—especially if you avoid the crowds around the Tidal Basin and walk through some of the suburban Maryland neighborhoods, where the streets are lined with [them].

Nurse Practitioner and CEO, Halo Wellness Clinic, Rockville

The one thing I love about spring in Maryland is the anticipation of the weather. We literally go through spring three times. This is my time for self-reflection, renewal, and revival.

Founder and CEO, District Cannabis, Washington, DC

Walking the C&O Towpath with my wife.

We chaired the C&O Commission for 27 years, so it’s a special place for us.

Atlantic Test Labs, Frederick

My favorite thing about Maryland in the spring is the berry-picking. I love picking fresh wild raspberries behind my house!

President, Greater Bethesda Chamber

Sensi magazine being printed! And watching the sunrise and the birds out on the Chesapeake Bay.

Cannabis Product U.S. Retail Sales by Market, 2019 (billion dollars) Pet Products <1% Cosmetics & Toiletries 12% Food & Beverages 12%

Cannabis Product Retail Sales, 2019 ($14.4 Billion) Health Products 18%

Smokable & Vaporizable Products 64%

“THE MEASURE OF A COUNTRY’S GREATNESS IS ITS ABILITY TO RETAIN COMPASSION IN A TIME OF CRISIS.” —Thurgood Marshall, Supreme Court judge, famous Marylander

From: Cannabis and CBD: U.S. Retail Market Trends and Opportunities / Source: The Freedonia Group Created for: Meredith Cowie, marketresearch.com. IP Address: 209.190.232.50

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CBN for Zzz TEXT STEPHANIE WILSON

Sleep is a vital sign of health and well-being, and I’m an insomniac— have been for as long as I’ve been an adult. I’m also a magazine junkie, so every month I read 20 M ET RO M A RYLA N D

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another article about the importance of restful shut-eye and tips to help me achieve it. And I’ve tried them all, to no avail.

I bought blackout curtains, a white noise

machine, and an eye mask. Never much of a coffee drinker, I cut out any remaining caffeine (and became less aggro, but that’s a different story for another issue). I

avoided electronics for an hour before getting into bed; I did nightly wind-down bedtime rituals; I only got into bed when it was time to sleep; I left my devices

PHOTO BY NATA NYTIAGA, SHUTTERSTOCK

Don’t sleep on this lesser-known cannabinoid that may help you sleep.

in the other room. I even got my dog a heated bed that she preferred over sleeping with me. I tried all these things, but sleep still evaded me.

A brief period of reprieve followed my move to Colorado, as I began experimenting with cannabis as a sleep aid. If I smoked a little before bed, I’d fall asleep only to wake up an hour or so later when the effects had worn off. I tried edibles, which helped me fall asleep and stay asleep for hours. After a few nights in a row of some solid sleep, I remember waking up feeling rested and thinking I had found my miracle cure. But then my tolerance started building, and 5 mg wasn’t doing the trick. Then 10 mg, 20 mg, 30 mg, and next thing I’d be lying in the dark, high and paranoid all night long. Even if I got some decent sleep, I was waking up foggy.

For so many people, cannabis works as an invaluable sleep aid with little to no side effects. That wasn’t the case with me.

Enter CBD. A few years ago, CBD was nowhere; now it’s everywhere. Almost literally. Walk into a convenience store, and boom! CBD gummies by the register. CBD water in the refrigerator. Wander into Sephora, and CBD

serums, body lotions, and moisturizers await. Drive down Denver’s I-25 and you’ll see stores dedicated to the cannabinoid. Check my inbox, and you’ll be overwhelmed by a thousand unread emails from PR agencies and agents announcing the launch of a new CBD brand or the release of a first-of-itskind cannabidiol product.

And those are only from the last six months.

It comes in all forms: topical pain creams and tinctures, water, and wine. There’s infused water for pets, infused cereals for breakfast, suppository lubes for sex, and infused Flaming Hot Cheeto knockoffs for afternoon snacks.

When it seems we’ve reached the CBD mania apex, someone somewhere thinks there’s another buck to be made off the craze, and CBD toothpicks, hair pomades, candles, workout gear, bedsheets, and pillows hit the already flooded marketplace. Ridiculous, ubiquitous.

Since you’re reading Sensi, I’m going to assume I’m not telling you anything new. So far. But have you heard about CBN? Cannabinol, or CBN, is one of more than a hundred cannabinoids that have been identified in the cannabis plant.

My anecdotal evidence is in: CBN helps me fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake up rested time and again. I’m feeling better than I have basically ever. A whole month with full nights of sleep feels like a miracle.

THC and CBD are the two that garner all the attention, and they are the most dominant. A lesser cannabinoid, CBN was actually the first one scientists discovered in the 1940s. It occurs in cannabis in much smaller doses until the plant ages and oxidizes, which causes THC to convert to CBN. And it’s about to get its turn in the spotlight.

Since the FDA classified cannabis as a Schedule I drug in the same category as heroin during the 1970s, researchers have been prevented from studying the plant’s medicinal potential. While that’s changing, there’s a lot of catching up to do, so double-blind, controlled studies and clinical trials have yet to be completed. But anecdotal evidence is in, and CBN is being touted as an all-natural cure for insomnia by cannabis experts and outlets. So, when I saw emails with CBN in the subject line hit my inbox, I didn’t leave them unread. Instead I reached out and asked to try the product being pitched so I could offer my own anecdotal accounts of CBN as a cure for insomnia.

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THE LIFE

aromatic notes of cedarwood, black pepper, and California pine, the Sleep formula is proven to help calm the mind and encourage deep, restorative sleep.

All Mineral products are organically grown on a small farm in Colorado that averages a limited run of only four harvests a year.

No cannabinoid acting independently will express the benefit experienced when consuming the whole plant, so Mineral utilizes the hemp plant in its entirety— stalks, stems, and buds— maximizing the omega fatty acids and vitamins in their extraction process. To keep the product consistent, the brand identified formula-specific seeds from Oregon that produce plants with characteristics incumbent to accomplish the targeted benefits of the MINERAL products.

Sleep Tincture After sourcing the How they describe it: seeds from Oregon, For anxiety-induced Mineral supplies them insomnia. Because you to Waayb Organics in deserve to feel good.

Longmont, Colorado, Formulated for those and Waayb leads the suffering from night time anxiety and inflam- cultivation of the plants on an outdoor, seasonmation, Sleep is a blend of calming cannabinoids al, organic grow. After and terpenes associated harvest, processing, and CO₂ extraction, the with sedation to induce a deep, restorative sleep. products go through testing for cannabinoid High in CBD and sequence, terpenes, pesnaturally occurring ticides, and quality.

CBN, coupled with soft

PHOTOS (FROM LEFT): COURTESY OF MINERAL / COURTESY OF PRISMATIC PLANTS

al evidence is in: CBN helps me fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake up rested time and again. I’ve incorporated the cannabinoid into my daily routine, and I’m feeling better than I have basically ever. It’s amazing what a little sleep can do.

A whole month with full nights of sleep feels like a miracle.

Don’t just believe me; try it yourself. Like every drug, CBN affects everybody differently.

These two both worked for me.

Editor’s note: With that much quality control, it’s no wonder GQ included Mineral on its “Best Stuff of 2019” list and that Neiman Marcus picked up the line for its stores.

full-flower extraction from organically grown Colorado hemp for a complete cannabinoid profile. Other beneficial ingredients include reishi mushrooms, oatstraw, and ashwagandha for positive mood and $160 for 60 servings mineralhealth.co support of the nervous and immune systems; Prismatic Plants Good skullcap for stress and Night Tincture muscle-tension relief; How they describe it: and valerian root (a.k.a Formulated with CBN nature’s Valium), Caland calming adaptogens, ifornia poppy, and lavthis nighttime formula ender for anxiety and promotes deep sleep and insomnia relief. These boosts immunity during pure, effective, safe inthe body’s overnight re- gredients are formulated pair mode. Its long-term to provide immediate effects include a return relief and continually to a natural circadian enhance health through rhythm, enhanced imlong-term use. munity, improved repro- $70 for a month’s supply ductive health, and more prismaticplants.com energy during the day.

The tincture is made with an adaptogenic blend of CBD, CBN, medicinal mushrooms, and organic herbs. The CBD, for overall health and stress relief, and CBN for insomnia relief, result from gentle

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NEXT MONTH: THE TRUTH ABOUT CBD SKINCARE Read all our CBD coverage on our newly designed website, sensimag.com.

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THE LIFE H E A LT H

Washington-area based Nava Health and Vitality Center takes an integrative approach to wellness, blending Eastern and Western medicinal practices to address vitality, aging, weight-management, pain relief, and sports performance. With locations in Columbia, and Bethesda, as well as Fairfax, Virgina, its holistic method to health care builds custom well24 M ET RO M A RYLA N D

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ness plans to help clients meet their health goals.

When you walk inside Nava Health and Vitality Center, you are welcomed by a comforting atmosphere. Whether it’s for a hormone treatment for aging, a quick and effective hangover cure, or help burning excess fat, a visit to Nava is like seeking support from a medical doctor on a trip that’s as comfortable going to the spa.

A Comprehensive Approach to Health The Nava Method was developed by integrative wellness medical doctors and is designed to help address ailments like fatigue, weight gain, anxiety, low libido, insomnia, and more. This total wellness approach is based on the Nava 5, which takes items like hormone balance and sleep into account so you can live every day focused and energized.

People visit Nava to achieve a range of goals, according to Nava Product Manager Zach Dancel, but most come for the bioidentical hormone therapy, which helps people balance their hormones.

On your first visit, you will meet a Nava integrative practitioner to discuss your medical history and lifestyle goals. “We don’t just focus on one aspect of health; we practice preventative medicine and

PHOTO BY SONJA BIRKELBACH, ADOBE STOCK

Looking to improve your general health and wellness, or have an ailment that you would like to address? Take a trip to the Nava Center. TEXT KATRINA BRINKERHOFF

THE LIFE

GO THERE

PHOTOS (FROM TOP): DMYTRO FLISAK, ADOBE STOCK / VIKTORIIANOVOKHATSKA, ADOBE STOCK

Nava Health and Vitality Center Locations in Columbia, Annapolis, and Bethesda, as well as Fairfax, Virginia navacenter.com

integration,” says Dancel. “We look at how your sleep patterns, nutrition intake, and stress levels all work together.”

If you don’t live close to a Nava Center, you can talk with your Nava integrative practitioner via an online video chat, which Dancel equates to FaceTiming your doctor—an ideal option for busy and/ or nonproximal patients.

At the end of your first visit, you may elect to take a blood test (and if you participate in a virtual visit, you can accomplish this at a local blood lab), in which Nava tests for 600 biochemical markers (three times as many as your primary care doctor) so as to help identify hormone levels and information markers to reveal the root cause of any symptoms and conditions you may be experiencing. These tests can quickly identify things like advanced sex hormones, which can lead to signs of aging and age-related diseases; imbalances and deficiencies; signs of inflammation; food sensitivities; and advanced thyroid levels impacting your weight, energy levels, and cognitive function.

On your second visit, you will work with your practitioner to build a comprehensive wellness plan based on the initial consult and diagnostics. “We take a different approach to aging. You

H E A LT H

don’t need to accept aging as normal. We don’t think your hormone levels should decline,” says Dancel. “Instead, you can maintain your optional hormone levels through hormone treatment. Some people say brain fog is part of getting older, but we believe everyone should aim for constant optimization of their health.”

This Custom Vitality Plan will include a series of recommendations based on imbalances and deficiencies in your body while addressing the root cause of your symptoms through intergration of certain services, therapies, and nutraceuticals.

The Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Boosts Oxygen Levels Hyperbaric oxygen chamber treatments were developed by the US military in the 1930s to treat decompression sickness experienced by deep-sea scuba divers. Ever heard of “the bends” (a.k.a. when a diver ascends too fast)?

In addition to treating the bends, this high-oxygen environment offers a variety of health benefits, like promoting wound healing and injury repair.

The treatment works by increasing the air pressure to two or three times higher than normal atmospheric pressure so your lungs can gather more ox-

ygen. This high-pressure environment effectively increases the amount of oxygen delivered to your body tissues through your red blood cells.

Once inside the chamber, you will experience higher than normal air pressure and may feel a sense of fullness in your ears, similar to the feeling you experience on an airplane, which is completely normal. For relief, Dancel recommends wiggling your jaw, taking a few swallows, or yawning several times.

Many people choose to read a book, listen to music, or just take a nap while they are receiving this therapy. After you complete your hyperbaric oxygen chamber treatment, you can immediately resume normal activities—feeling refreshed.

IV Treatments: A Quick Visit to Get Back on Your Feet Nava Health and Vitality Center is also there for

you when you need to energize. If you want a fast recovery from a workout, or are looking to feel better after a long night out, Nava provides IV therapy services to get you back on your feet.

These services, which typically take 25 to 50 minutes, range from Peak Performance (to recover from a strenuous workout) to Immunity (for fighting infection). The most popular request is for the Rapid Recovery IV, the famous hangover cure providing a much-needed boost of energy.

“At the end of the day, unless you’re constantly monitoring your health, you’ll never know your potential to live a healthier life. There are always areas for improvement,” says Dancel. “Even if you’re healthy, we can help to prevent chronic diseases. Ultimately, everyone wants to live a long healthy life—you can always live a healthier lifestyle.”

COOLSCULPTING FREEZES FAT CoolSculpting, a copyrighted treatment that targets and kills fat cells in the body, is another popular service. This fat-reduction treatment eliminates fat safely and effectively by freezing cells—without the need for surgery or downtime.

It is the only FDA-cleared procedure to use controlled cooling to safely target and eliminate dietand exercise-resistant fat.

You can take advantage of CoolSculpting to go down a pant size or just trim up problem areas, explains Dancel.

A hyperbaric oxygen chamber

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THE LIFE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mona Van Joseph has been an intuitive since 2002. She is an author, columnist, and host of Psychic View Radio. She created dicewisdom.com, which also has a smartphone app. mona.vegas

HOROSCOPE

APRIL HOROSCOPE What do the stars hold for you?

TEXT MONA VAN JOSEPH

MAR. 21–APR. 19

ARIES

heck down; the big stuff happened last month, and now it’s time to create a foundation of routine and ritual.

It’s time to control the stressors in your life. Fire needs oxygen, and more of those deep breaths will serve you well this month. JUNE 22–JULY 23 Avoid people who are trying to make their emerYou will be rewarded this gencies and bad planning month on a karmic level. your responsibility.

Watch for the doors that are flying wide open for APR. 20–MAY 20 you… and step through them. Be in your magnetic Look for the signs that energy to accept blessings you are being guided this you are about to receive. month. Look for pennies and feathers in your path. JULY 24–AUG. 23 New experiences will result in new friendships, Allow the flow of the the kind that endures highest good to casthrough many lives. cade through you this month. Maintain a calm MAY 21–JUNE 21 and peaceful “everything is totally perfect the way Do not attempt to solve it is” energy. A new roall the world’s problems mance, job, or an idea this month. Slow the will present itself.

CANCER

ILLUSTRATION BY NATALYA KRECHETOVA, ADOBE STOCK

TAURUS

LEO

GEMINI

AUG. 24–SEPT. 22

VIRGO

Allow people and events to reveal themselves to you this month. It is not your responsibility to “fix” things; instead, be the person who tells the other person that he or she knows what to do.

SEPT. 23–OCT. 22

LIBRA

Concentrate on the love of what you do for work this month. Honing a skill to a master level may be on the agenda… and then doing a project even better because of your high standards.

OCT. 23–NOV. 22

SCORPIO

Control your tendency to react this month.

The more in control you are of your emotions, the

ARIES, IT’S TIME TO CONTROL THE STRESSORS IN YOUR LIFE. FIRE NEEDS OXYGEN, AND MORE OF THOSE DEEP BREATHS WILL SERVE YOU WELL THIS MONTH.

more you get done. Look at things objectively, not subjectively.

plan is in action right now.

Everything is lining up.

JAN. 21–FEB. 19

AQUARIUS

NOV. 23–DEC. 20

SAGITTARIUS

You have more feathers in your quiver than you show. Typically you are not a showoff; however, this would be the month to let people know of the other skills you possess.

It’s time to step back and enjoy what you’ve created. Enjoy your life for a change and give the worry about the future a vacation. Spend time with people who make you laugh.

FEB. 20–MAR. 20

PISCES

DEC. 21–JAN. 20

CAPRICORN

New friends and potenYou have a way of getting tial partnerships will preswhat you want. And April is ent themselves. Do what all about saying aloud what you love, and then see the you want. There’s a clear people around you doing signal that your five-year the same thing.

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30 M ET RO M A RYLA N D

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DOWN TO A

around contanimanation and potency in medical cannabis, he says.

Some states do not even have basic testing programs in place yet.

EVEN WASTE WATER IS TESTED FOR QUALITY CONTROL In his day to day, Crossney works with field experts, all approaching quality control from different directions. For example, with cultivators, or those growing cannabis, the classic examples of potential error are mold, pesticides, or other contaminants. Depending on the potency of what’s been prescribed to a patient, Meet the man behind the Maryland event that’s an error such as the smallest particle of mold can be devastating, says shaking the East and West Coast cannabis worlds.

Crossney. There’s room for human TEXT LINDSEY GAFF error across all sides of the industry, from growing to processing in the final stages. “Plain and simple, our goal is to create clean, tested medialtimore-native Josh He also experienced mild PTSD, cine,” says Crossney.

Crossney, founder and similar to the way war veterans “We believe cannabis should be CEO of the Cannabis are shocked after combat. With a consistent, tier one healing opScience Conference, had a bit of digging, he found “traffic tion for those that choose it,” he always suffered from accidents have become the leading continues. “Good grief, even waste low-grade anxiety. In his earlicause of PTSD since the Vietnam water is tested for quality control. er days, Crossney took a slew War,” per the American Family Everything that humans touch or of prescription drugs that made Physician’s “Post-Traumatic Stress use goes through an intense vetting him feel hazy and dull. This was Reactions Following Motor Vehicle process, so why would that not be a gut-shaking blow, particularly Accidents.” Crossney vowed that the case for medical cannabis?” for someone who prided himself the dulling effects of traditional After launching jCanna, Crosson being a people-person. Crossprescription drugs would not be ney went on to found the Cannaney wanted a medicine to softthe answer. bis Science Conference (CSC) in en the anxiety without softening In 2014, Crossney went on to 2016, now in its fourth year, with a him—the same struggle for lots found jCanna, a nonprofit uniting fall show in Portland, Oregon, and a of Americans. And, so, Crossney’s industry leaders around medispring show in Baltimore. The conlong-term relationship with medi- cal cannabis to improve analytiference has brought in a whopping cal cannabis began. cal testing standards and advance 9,500 total attendees thus far, with Fast-forward a few years, and awareness. Since founding jCanna, another 2,000 headed for Baltimore Crossney experienced an unforCrossney has become known as an in April. This is the conference’s tunate catalyst, a car crash that industry leader, pushing the consecond year on the East Coast. propelled him to join the medical versation forward around quality “We started the conference on cannabis industry full time. In the control—or in other words, a con- the West Coast because, at that crash, he suffered severe injuries sistent result. On the whole, the time, the public was more recepto his upper back and scapula. industry lacks unified standards tive, and there was movement on

SCIENCE

PHOTO BY MARYLAND PHOTOGRAPHY, INC

B

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c

w

is

en

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the recreational side that could garner interest on the medical side, says Crossney.

The CSC has gained a wide following of experts and novices alike, with the Portland show in 2019 bringing in 3,000 attendees and over 200 vendors. The show features four learning “tracks,” all centered around advancing knowledge.

The first track, Analytical Science, focuses on research and processing. The Medical track is geared toward doctors, nurses, and patients. Cultivation is focused on consistency in the growing process, and the fourth track, Hemp and CBD, is new this year.

Each track gives someone the ability to create a custom schedule based on what they hope to get out of the event. For example, if you’re on the Cultivation track, you might hit up a wide range of events, from Pest Management Challenges to How LED Lighting Affects Leaf Temperature to Advanced Genetics. And those are just the events that are easy to pronounce. For Cultivation, you could also go the extra mile and explore Agrobacterium- and Nanoparticle-Mediated Gene Editing or Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture. Simple, right?

HAWKING TALENT FROM NASA The experts behind each learning track have no lack of street cred.

For example, to create the Cultivation track, CSC collaborated with Drs. Jacklyn Green and Roger Kern, who were formerly part of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where they studied growing agriculture on Mars. No big deal.

Today, the medical industry agrees: cannabis changes lives for

“THE INDUSTRY WAS LACKING IN OPPORTUNITIES AROUND ADVANCED THOUGHT. THERE ARE GENERAL BUSINESS TRADE SHOWS, BUT YOU CAN’T TELL A WORLD-RENOWNED RESEARCHER THAT THEIR WORK ONLY BELONGS IN THE BUSINESS WORLD.” —Josh Crossney, Founder, Cannabis Science Conference

the better. Even so, this is just the start of untapped potential. Before CSC, there was no place for the world’s most renowned scientists and practitioners to convene.

“The industry was lacking in opportunities around advanced thought,” says Crossney. There are general business trade shows, but you can’t tell a world-renowned researcher that their work only belongs in the business world.

Our goal with CSC is to create a platform for knowledge and to advance the science of cannabis.”

The upcoming Baltimore conference will feature a wide range of speakers, from Dr. Bonni Goldstein (medical director of Canna-Centers) to Stormy Simon (CEO of High Times and former president of overstock.com) to Dr. Dustin Sulak (founder of Integr8 Health, which treats more than 18,000 patients around the nation with medical cannabis).

The need to create a platform for knowledge reaches much deeper than researchers and practitioners.

Many new and existing patients are struggling to grasp concepts in this relatively new field. For example, each cannabis strain is different, and the ratio of cannabinoids will AP RI L 2020

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vary based on which condition is being treated. This ratio can lead to widely varying effects.

Another knowledge gap comes from dispensaries, which are the direct link between medical practitioners and patients. In most cases, dispensaries employ entry-level “bud agents” (those selling medical cannabis) that don’t get much training. Each state has different regulations on how dispensaries function in the context of the community, making consistency in training difficult to achieve. “It’s important to us that everyone in the industry, particularly agents and patients, understand the why behind the what.

We’re committed to filling these knowledge gaps,” says Crossney.

SHAPING THE FUTURE OF HEALING Ultimately, Crossney’s goal for the CSC and its community is to bridge the gap between cannabis science and traditional science, expanding the conversation and raising the tide for healing—and not just in the United States.

In 2019, the CSC was recognized by the Global Health & Pharma Medical Marijuana Awards

“IT’S IMPORTANT TO US THAT EVERYONE IN THE INDUSTRY, PARTICULARLY AGENTS AND PATIENTS, UNDERSTAND THE WHY BEHIND THE WHAT. WE’RE COMMITTED TO FILLING THESE KNOWLEDGE GAPS.” —Josh Crossney

as the Best Annual Cannabis Science Event. The Baltimore show in 2019 brought in attendees from over 20 countries, and that number is expected to grow this year.

Crossney is confident that the event will explode on both the East and West coasts, as scientists, practitioners, and patients alike increase the demand for medical cannabis. Crossney reflects, “Even five years ago, people were not as receptive to cannabis as a safe, effective healing solution. We’re proud to have opened minds and played a small part in connecting expert leaders from all facets of this industry.”

Crossney and his team are creating a hopeful future in the US and around the globe that recognizes cannabis as a consistent, tested, and reputable healing solution for common illnesses, right on par with what people in the West currently consider traditional medicine.

AP RI L 2020

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lindsey Gaff spends her time wrangling her 60-pound pup in the mountains of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Sheʼs a marketing copywriter who believes the Oxford comma can change the world.

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Weeded Brides and grooms are traveling from all over the country to express their shared love for cannabis with their friends and family in the hottest new destination wedding: legal states.

*When they wed, Heather took Bryanʼs last name, but the couple asked us not to publish it. Bryan is the CEO of an international company, and the couple lives in Texas, where cannabis remains illegal and its stigma is still very real. A so-called “compassionate use” act allows people suffering from epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinsonʼs, and ALS to access cannabis oil with less than 0.5% THC—two-tenths of a percentage more THC than is allowed in hemp, which is federally legal.

36 M ET RO M A RYLA N D

H

eather and Bryan* were married on a sky-blue day on the expansive porch of a log mansion high above Breckenridge, Colorado, with the freshly white-capped Rockies as their backdrop.

Friends and family—from Texas, Mississippi, New Mexico—gathered around as they exchanged vows, then everyone went inside to toast the bride and groom with THC- and CBD-infused sparkling lavender lemonade.

This is the new normal in Colorado and other legal states, and I APRIL 2020

have the privilege of helping couples like Heather and Bryan toast their nuptials with the bubbly of their choice. My company, Cannabis Kitchen Events (CK Events), works with clients to create meals gently infused with cannabis based on experience and tolerance. For all the guests at Heather and Bryan’s wedding (except for a woman from Austin), tolerance was low, calling for 2.5 milligrams of THC or CBD in each of the four courses, for a grand total of 10 milligrams.

This wedding meal was the first time Heather, Bryan, and

their guests experienced cannabis cuisine as a meal, and I felt that responsibility deeply. We had this one shot to show Heather and Bryan’s guests how delightful a thoughtfully and carefully dosed cannabis-infused meal can be.

The day before the wedding, I met Heather at one of several cannabis stores on the edge of Breckenridge and helped her pick out flower and concentrates for her wedding meal. (CK Events never provides THC or CBD to anyone.)

Heather and Bryan had been experimenting with edibles since

PHOTO BY BANTERSNAPS, UNSPLASH

TEXT ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE

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they’d arrived in Colorado several days earlier, and they already knew that 10 milligrams of THC— the recommended serving for one person—was just right. Heather bought Stillwater’s Ripple, a water-soluble CBD and THC powder, and earthy Lilac Diesel flower.

After the toast, Heather, Bryan, and their guests took their seats at a long table, and our servers gave each person a notecard to indicate whether or not they wanted to ingest THC. Nearly everyone did. Diners could choose croutes brushed with 2.5 milligrams of Lilac Diesel– infused extra-virgin olive oil in their french onion soup and blistered cherry tomatoes with 2.5 milligrams of infused oil to accompany the panseared trout. By dessert, about half the table went for coulis infused with Ripple THC while the other half went for CBD on top of buttermilk panna cotta with fresh berries.

Chef Sean Cosby and I have systems in place to make sure these

orders never get mixed up. Giving a guest THC when they are expecting CBD isn’t like giving them French dressing instead of Italian. Proper serving is imperative when it comes to cannabis-infused food. No one wants to accidentally dose Grandma.

From a Trend into a Tradition At the wedding dinner, there was a sense of history being made—and dining on the right side of it. This scenario wouldn’t have happened just five years ago. Minds across America hadn’t been opened to the healing and helping benefits of cannabis—unlike today, when two-thirds of Americans say they want it legalized. Weedings, incorporating weed and weddings, are becoming more and more popular.

“It’s changed from a trend into a tradition,” says Bec Koop, who founded Denver’s Irie Weddings & Events in 2015 and is considered the queen of cannabis weddings. Irie was one of the first, if

not the first, of what is now many services that will walk brides and grooms through options for cannabis-friendly weddings, varying from ice bongs to boutonnieres and bouquets made with smokable flowers (watch them disappear). Koop says business is growing exponentially.

“In the beginning, it was like, ‘Oh my gosh, what are my parents or my aunt going to think?’”

Koop says. “Now, even when our clients have conservative guests, they don’t care about them. They say, ‘It’s my day, not theirs; it is part of my celebration, and I’m going to do it.’ That’s the biggest change we’ve seen.”

Philip Wolf believes that in 10 years, cannabis will be as important to weddings as alcohol is today (pretty important, given its $2,500 average tab for wedding booze, according to The Knot)—and he should know. Wolf co-founded the Cannabis Wedding Expo with

KEEP CALM AND MARRY ON

PHOTO BY ANDRII KOBRYN, SHUTTERSTOCK

A study by wedding registry Zola found that 71 percent of people find planning a wedding more stressful than other major life events like finding a new job.

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Fighting for freedom is Join the revolution at norml.org

PHOTO BY BY IVASH STUDIO, SHUTTERSTOCK

Koop in 2016. From its humble beginnings in a Denver art gallery, the Expo—offering everything from CBD products to calm wedding jitters to budtending services to floral displays—has become an international phenomenon, with shows this year in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Denver, Boston, and Toronto.

In a sign of how mainstream cannabis weddings are becoming, The Knot, the first digital wedding-planning brand, was at the Expo in San Francisco in February.

Imaginal, a marketing firm that counts Willie’s Reserve and Flow Kana among its clients, was the presenting sponsor at that show for its New Moon Saloon, a popup lounge with a customizable bar featuring boutique sun-grown cannabis. Growers from Huckleberry Hill Farms and Moon Made Farms were also on the show floor to answer questions about cannabis and regenerative agriculture.

Laughter, Tears, Appreciation A wedding where guests are ingesting cannabis is a lovely thing to behold. Instead of getting loud and aggressive, as many do after drinking too much champagne, guests become relaxed and engaged. As the peaceful effects of just the right dose of THC or CBD settle in, they share laughter, joyful tears, and moments of appreciation for one other.

We keep a close watch from the kitchen, and we’re prepared should anyone consume too much. It’s never happened, and it won’t, but it’s always reassuring to hear that guests are enjoying all aspects of the meal—the food, the effects, the set and setting.

After the last spoonful of pan-

Irie ADVICE Bec Koop, founder of Irie Weddings & Events and the Cannabis Wedding Expo, shares tips based on years of making weeding dreams come true.

• Make sure the venue is cannabis-friendly and open to consumption before you do anything else. Not all (in fact, surprisingly few) venues are open to the idea, no matter what state law says.

• Do not hire any vendor that doesnʼt have insurance.

• Smoke-free edibles, drinks, and vaporizers donʼt smell and are less likely to offend other guests.

• Smoking a lot of weed isnʼt a qualification for properly serving it to others, and

na cotta had been scraped from the goblets, everyone around the table looked full, peaceful, and happy. I was feeling pretty good about things as the guests got up, some to change into comfortable clothes before joining everyone in the game and theater space downstairs, when Heather came into the kitchen, barefoot after hours spent in sparkling silver stilettos. “I am

your dreadhead cousin shouldnʼt budtend. Would you ask your drunk uncle to tend the bar? Hire a certified professional and let your cousin enjoy the party.

• Let guests know cannabis will be part of your wedding. If it makes them angry, itʼs better to find out before the big day.

• If you know some guests are opposed to cannabis, have a place for imbibing thatʼs away from the rest of the festivities and not in everyoneʼs face.

perfectly high,” she said. (Phew.)

As we were packing up, a gentleman from Santa Fe who had been very curious about the meal told us how much he had enjoyed it. “This was my first cannabis-infused dinner,” he said. “But it won’t be my last.”

Mission accomplished. We’ll get this plant legalized, one wedding at a time.

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Peaking around the end of the first week of April, here’s an inside look at one of the region’s greatest natural treasures.

TEXT AARON H. BIBLE AND ELIZABETH SHELDON

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PHOTO BY IRIS PRODUCTIONS, ADOBE STOCK

Backyard Blooms

What’s the coolest and most beautiful thing about getting out in April? Cherry blossoms.

And contrary to what most of the country thinks, you don’t have to go to the Tidal Basin to see the cherry blossoms.

In 1912, Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo gifted 3,000 cherry blossom trees to Washington,

PHOTOS (FROM TOP): LE DO, ADOBE STOCK / COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL

DC, as a symbol of friendship, and those magical trees surrounding the Tidal Basin, national sculptures, and monuments around the Capitol forever changed the landscape. In 1915, the US reciprocated the blessing by sending dogwood saplings to Japan.

If you’re new to the region, cherry blossoms are the most magical trees. Unique to our area with mystical, majestic pink puffs unlike any other flower, they draw flora enthusiasts from around the world each year.

Walking through the cherry blossoms is like entering a fairy tale— one that only lasts two weeks a year.

Here are a few of the best places to see the cherry blossoms in Maryland: Brookside Gardens 1800 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton montgomeryparks.org

Based on European designs originally planned by landscape architect Hans Hanses, but utilizing plants that thrive in Maryland’s temperate climate, the Brookside Gardens have grown tremendously. In addition to being a great spot for cherry blossom views, the venue also hosts several events throughout the year,

including a live butterfly and caterpillar event.

Kenwood Neighborhood

Green Park

Proximal to DC, this suburban neighborhood is known for its cherry blossom-lined streets creating a flower canopy over roads and homes to beautiful effect. Word on the street is, for the best view, head to Kennedy Drive and Dorset and Kenwood avenues.

151 Bickerstaff Way, Gaithersburg visitmontgomery.com

With many family- (and Fido!) friendly activities on-site (think both kids and pup play area, bball and tennis courts, and more), Green Park is a great go-to for cherry blossom views.

Kennedy Dr., and Dorset and Kenwood Aves., Bethesda

servatory and Botanic Gardens, disc golf courses, a public pool (prepping for multimillion-dollar reno), tennis courts and more since opening in 1860.

Quiet Waters Park

600 Quiet Waters Park Rd., Annapolis aacounty.org

The 340-acre Quiet Waters Park is open year-round. It is a favored Annapolis Baltimore Museum Druid Hill Park spot with a children’s of Art 900 Druid Park Lake Dr., Baltimore playground, hiking 10 Art Museum Dr., Baltimore bcrp.baltimorecity.gov trails, and a lot of artbma.org A 745-acre urban oasis green space. The park With an abundance situated in the heart of is home to a beautiful of beautiful cherry Baltimore, Druid Hill collection of cherry blossoms on its grounds, Park has been home to blossom trees, with a the museum is an ideal such draws as the Mary- magnificent display runspot for a day of nature land Zoo, the Howard ning along the shores of and art.

Peters Rawlings ConHarness Creek.

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WORTH THE WAIT If you donʼt mind the crowds, the Cherry Blossom Festival, taking place through April 12, is certainly one-of-a-kind. Keep an eye on nationalcherryblossom festival.org/bloom-watch to find out exactly when peak bloom begins.

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sustainability in Maryland via exchange of ideas and innovation, but it quickly grew in scope to serve emerging markets nationally and globally.

Tea Pad pop-ups are changing the face of cannabis.

Roth says she is driven by her commitment to TEXT AARON H. BIBLE health and wellness, with a vision for strategic opportunity combining social justice with economic opportunity, and she’s created CBMD as an ecosystem supporting clinical education and industry best practices for Maryland’s medical cannabis industry that were carried over from her learnings in traditional health care—knowing, after self-medicating for decades, something better exists.

Launched in February 2019, with its first event If you’ve never heard the of prohibition campaigns for a cannabis industry in May of last year, the term before, Tea Pad is had devastating impacts networking group and goal of Tea Pad is to hold a networking group for on already nonprivisocial enterprise,” says monthly gatherings in the cannabis industry. In leged groups on a stage, founder Jacquie Cohen regional cities across that way, it harkens back building on disenfranRoth, who had a vision in the eastern seaboard. to the thick history of chisement for decades to 2017 to create a unique Last month, Tea Pad the jazz scene and 1920s come. Tea Pads became ecosystem supporting celebrated Women’s and ‘30s speakeasies in known as convivial, Maryland’s nascent med- History Month with the US. In those days, speakeasy-style spaces ical cannabis industry, groundbreaking female the government—led by where people of all racial coming to the table with entrepreneur Hope Harry J Anslinger, the and ethnic backgrounds more than 25 years of Wiseman, who, at age 25, first commissioner of could come together experience in health care opened Marry & Main the US Department of free from the violence of and public policy. Tea Pad in Maryland, becomthe Treasury’s Federal prohibition. is just one part of that. ing the youngest black Bureau of Narcotics, ran “To honor the rich Roth is also the female medical cannabis an aggressive campaign history of these commufounder of CannabizMD dispensary owner in the of marijuana prohibition. nities and to help remove (CBMD), whose mission US. Throughout 2020, And, although Tea Pads barriers to entry to a is to educate, build, and Tea Pad will be hosting were not just for people dynamic industry ripe engage the ecosystem events around the region: of color during these with opportunity, I borthat serves the cannabis in Baltimore, DC, Philatime periods, the effects rowed the name Tea Pad industry’s growth and delphia, and Denver.

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CHEERS TO CHANGE Not to be confused with a nonprofit, Tea Pad is a social enterprise—a revenue-generating businesses focused on making social change. Proceeds from events support The Tea Pad Scholarship for Minority Entrepreneurship, which is distributed twice a year to undergraduate students.

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Empty Calendar Hanging out at home in April.

These are the pages where an event calendar typically runs. But we’re in uncharted waters here as the magazine goes to print in the third week of March—you remember, the week that things got very real, very fast.

Group gatherings: out.

Social distancing: in.

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We don’t know what’s going to happen in the next few weeks. But we do know you’ll be spending more time at home than usual. It’s not a vacation, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it. Here are two suggestions to help you stay busy while staying away from other people.

Puff, Pass & Paint The cannabis-centric take on a wine and draw class, Puff, Pass & Paint is taking its arts and crafts classes online so everyone can follow along—and they’re streaming them for free. Knowing that all households don’t keep a

craft room stocked with blank canvases, a set of acrylics, and brushes of all sizes, the instructors are presenting artwork examples made using household items almost everyone has access to.

For the first online class, which aired on Facebook Live and can still be

PHOTO BY LOLOSTOCK, ADOBE STOCK

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(BOTTOM) PHOTO BY PROSTOCK-STUDIO, ADOBE STOCK (TOP) PHOTO BY AFRICA STUDIO, ADOBE STOCK

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found at fb.com/puffpasspaint, the only materials used were a piece of paper, a pen, and a tea bag or coffee grounds to make the mixed media artwork that the instructor led participants through. Cannabis, as always with Puff Pass & Paint classes, is optional but encouraged, unless it’s not legal wherever you are doing your creating.

Follow the lead of PPP founder Heidi Keyes: she had a wine glass in hand while filming an intro to the live courses while on vacation in Guatemala.

Cannabis isn’t legal in the country, so red wine got her creative juices flowing. The underlying message: use what you have access to and create something new.

Apartment Therapy’s January Cure Yes, we know it’s not January. But did you follow the lifestyle site’s month-long plan to reset your home for the year ahead? Us neither, but now that we’ve got some time to dedicate to the closet-clearing, drawer organizing, floor-scrubbing, donation-pile building activities outlined in the handy calendar—complete with rest days, don’t worry—we’re definitely thinking we’ll maybe tackle it. We say we will every year, but life gets in the way and the junk drawer remains full of the stuff that defines its name.

But with the CDC advocating for four to eight weeks of isolation

to halt the spread of the virus, life won’t be getting in the way this month. There’s no excuse not to clean house and then humble brag about your progress on your Insta Story. Tag us @ sensimagazine; we want to see. We’ve got time on our hands too.

Find the January Cure and all sorts of other cleaning tips and decor inspiration at apartmenttherapy.com.

Spend some time browsing the site, and you might be inspired to tackle a bigger redecorating project, limited only by what you have available and your imagination. We like to call that “playing Tetris with your decor.” Have fun, and love where you live.

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having cannabis businesses. It’s all nice and dandy that things are getting discussed in Washington and all. But the banks still need direction.”

He thinks that medical cannabis will be legalized in all 50 states before banks make any real decisions.

“The general business community is pushing their elected representatives, telling them that this is coming and asking them, ‘Do you want to regulate this or not?’”

GreenHouse has now opened two new banking solutions for the industry, both designed to avoid the mistakes Mills sees with other banking solutions. It makes it easy for the customer to use, it’s inexpensive for merchants to operate, and it won’t be shut down.

“Those are our parameters,” he says.

One is styled after a Google Pay app, where a user will be able to pay either online or use a credit card at dispensaries. “Both use bank accounts, but we won’t charge for the bank account, unlike some other “People banks,” he says. “So we will see how want to it goes. People want to pay with their pay with cards or their phones. People don’t their cards carry around cash anymore.”

The new products have been a or their long time coming, Mills says, but he phones. believes in staying prudent. “People People come and go in the payment and banking side of this business, and we don’t carry have been here almost 11 years now,” around he lack of banking in the the Senate, so the banking issue is a he says. “We are here for the long cannabis industry is as long way from resolution. cash difficult for a cannabis Chris Mills, CEO of GreenHouse Pay- term and not just to make money. We anymore.” try to stay cutting edge and have solubusiness owner to deal ment Solutions, says that the conun—Chris Mills, CEO of tions that no one else has. Honesty, with as it is easy for everyone to drum continues to confound bankers GreenHouse Payment understand: Businesses need banks. and bank-service providers, especially integrity, and service are at the heart Solutions Nobody wants to tote around garbage with so many CBD companies looking of GreenHouse Payment Solutions.” bags of cash. for guidance now. “The FDIC has not Last fall, Congress passed the put in place any kind of information Secure and Fair Enforcement Banking to the regulators,” he says. “The big Act of 2019 (SAFE), which would give banks that look at it and who have the GreenHouse Payment Solutions cannabusinesses access to banking. formula about percentage of assets Cannabis Business Finance But the bill faces an uncertain future in and bank money on hand can facilitate greenhousepaymentsolutions.com

Getting to the Heart of a Tough Issue

GreenHouse Payment Solutions offers banking aid for cannabis businesses.

T

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THE END

HAVE A SIP

Vicious Hook Fruit Punch Sour @ Flying Dog Brewery 4607 Wedgewood Blvd., Frederick flyingdog.com

Hunter S. Thompson’s neighbor, landlord and friend back in Aspen, Colorado, where the Flying Dog Maryland’s largest brew pub is turning 30 in 2020.

Brewpub was originally founded, the first brewery to open in the TEXT AARON H. BIBLE iconic mountain town in more than 100 years. Old HST was said to put One of the most celebrated microals, along with 30 to 40 limited rea word in with his buddy Steadman, breweries in the world is turning 30 leases over the course of each year. who illustrated many of Thompthis year, and, to celebrate, Flying And while the beers are famous— son’s books: “Ralph, please. I beg Dog is introducing its first-ever ma- and deservedly so—having been you. Please do a quick beer label— jor sour release, the Vicious Hook brewed continuously since 1990, or maybe two for George.” And so Fruit Punch Sour (pictured) and the labels are perhaps even more it has been for the last 30 years. welcoming patrons into its newly so. Every major release since the Join the brewery on the patio this renovated tasting room in Frederick. brand’s inception has featured orig- spring for the release of Vicious Hook Over the last three decades, the inal artwork from illustrator Ralph (the name references the beer’s sweet folks at Flying Dog Brewery have Steadman, embodying the renegade start, finishing with a jolt of sourness produced more than 1,000 different and unique attitude of Flying Dog. that hits like a heavyweight), whose brews. They pride themselves on As legend has it, Flying Dog boxing-themed label art is a historical eight core brews, with four season- founder George Stranahan was masterpiece by Steadman.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF FLYING DOG BREWERY

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