Sensi Magazine Oklahoma - Fall 2023 Publication

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE Cannabis favs for X-mas

LEGENDS OF HASH

Choosing America’s best hash

WEED WORKERS UNITE

OKLAHOMA FALL 2023

SCHOOL IS IN SESSION

Sundae School is changing the world of cannabis and fashion.

Unions are on the rise

Oklahoma’s Premier Cannabis Championship and Arts Festival Dec. 8&9 at The Exchange Center at Expo Square - Tulsa

Get your tickets today! cowboycup.com

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OKLAHOMA SENSI MAGAZINE FALL 2023

sensimediagroup @sensimagazine @sensimag

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FEATURES

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Gift Guide

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Sundae School is Now in Session

Sensi’s top picks for stocking stuffers and under-the-tree gifts for the cannabis lover in your life.

Combining fashion and cannabis, Sundae School is changing how the world sees and enjoys weed.

DEPARTMENTS

13 EDITOR’S NOTE 18 THE LIFE Contributing to your health and happiness 14 THE BUZZ THE LIVING LEGENDS OF News, tips, and tidbits to keep you in the loop PSYCHEDELICS on next year’s ballot MASTERCARD declines cannabis COLORADO SENATOR

reintroduces legalization bill OKLAHOMA’S ECONOMIC OUTLOOK ranked among

the nation’s best

OVERSUPPLY OF MEDICINAL CANNABIS

affects operators

HASH At the annual get-together of the Legends of Hashish, luminaries decide who has the best hash in America.

36 THE SCENE Hot happenings and hip hangouts around town WEED WORKERS OF THE WORLD UNITE As the

cannabis industry grows, the labor that sustains it continues to organize.

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE Cannabis favs for X-mas

LEGENDS OF HASH

Choosing America’s best hash

WEED WORKERS UNITE Unions are on the rise

OKLAHOMA FALL 2023

SCHOOL IS IN SESSION

Sundae School is changing the world of cannabis and fashion.

ON THE COVER

Sundae School has come full circle in combining cannabis and fashion.

PHOTO BY DONGWOO KANG

50 THE END

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EXECUTIVE

Ron Kolb Founder ron@sensimag.com Jade Kolb COO jade@sensimag.com Jona Patterson Creative Director jona@sensimag.com Carolyn Scott Communications Director carol@sensimag.com PUBLISHING

Tyler Tarr Market Director, Colorado Jamie Cooper Market Director, Michigan Richard Guerra Market Director, Massachusetts Jake Boynton Market Director, Massachusetts EDITORIAL

Matthew Solan Executive Editor Matthew.Solan@sensimag.com Mike DiPaola Copy Editor Mike.Dipaola@sensimag.com Claire Barber Colorado Editor Allison Farley Michigan Editor Andrew Ward Massachusetts Editor Tyler Curtis National Contributor Debbie Hall National Contributor Matt Jackson National Contributor Elizabeth McWilliams National Contributor DESIGN

Jamie Ezra Mark Creative Director jamie@emagency.com Rheya Tanner Art Director Wendy Mak Designer Josh Clark Designer Andrew Ontko Designer PRODUCTION

Neil Willis Production Director & Client Support Specialist

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T

FOUNDER’S NOTE

Magazine published monthly

by Sensi Media Group LLC.

© 2023 Sensi Media Group. All rights reserved.

This is my favorite time of year! The holiday

FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

FAC E B O O K Like Sensi Media Group to infuse your newsfeed with more of our great cannabis lifestyle content.

TWITTER Follow @sensimag for need-to-know news and views from Sensi headquarters.

I N S TAG R A M Pretty things, pretty places, pretty awesome people: find it all on @sensimagazine

season—Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas—brings family and close friends together for moments of connection and celebration.

We have some exciting events lined up as we end 2023. The Sensi community will soon be hosting our last Sensi Night event of the year, bringing together thousands of owners and consumers from all our markets. We’re also excited about attending the annual MJBizCon at the Las Vegas Convention Center from November 28 to December 1, where we’ll be hosting our 4th annual gathering of CEOs and decision-makers. (Go to mjbizconference.com for more information and use the code 23SENSI10 when purchasing tickets.)

To kick off the conference week, we’re teaming up with our friends at Hearst Media Group on the first night. We will have limited tickets available, and drops begin the first week of November. (You can find tickets through our social media channels and the Sensi e-newsletters.)

Speaking of great gatherings, in this issue, you’ll read about our experience at last year’s Legends of Hash in California as we prepare to return for this year’s event in Los Angeles. It’s definitely one of our favorite occasions. Finally, are you looking for some great cannabis-themed holiday gifts? Check out our Annual Gift Guide showcasing some of our favorite ideas and much more.

We look forward to connecting with you in 2024 and wish you and your loved ones a Happy Holiday Season!

The Sensi community will soon be hosting our last Sensi Night event of the year, bringing together thousands of owners and consumers from all our markets.

Yours truly,

Ron Kolb

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Psychedelics on Next Year’s Ballot Massachusetts activists have submitted two initiatives to legalize certain psychedelics and establish licensed facilities for supervised services. The initiatives would remove criminal penalties for low-level possession of five entheogenic plants and fungi while creating a licensing system for psychedelic service centers. One of the initiatives would allow adults 21 and older to cultivate their psychedelics. The campaign is backed by New Approach PAC, which has 14

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supported similar reform efforts in other states. Massachusetts has seen a local psychedelics movement, with six cities across the state already decriminalizing natural plants and fungi. The initiatives also aim to address the mental health crisis in Massachusetts by providing alternative therapies. The measures will go before voters on the state’s 2024 ballot if the approximately 74,500 valid signatures from registered voters are collected.

SENATOR PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

MASTERCARD DECLINES CANNABIS Mastercard has instructed financial institutions to stop allowing marijuana transactions on its debit cards. This move deals a blow to the cannabis industry, which is already on the fringes of the financial system in the United States. Despite several states legalizing the medicinal and recreational uses of marijuana, it remains illegal at the federal level. As a result, most banks in the country do not service cannabis companies. Mastercard’s spokesperson stated that the purchases of cannabis are not allowed on their systems due to the federal government considering cannabis sales illegal. Industry executives expressed disappointment with the decision, seeing it as another obstacle for the state-legal cannabis industry and its consumers.

The cannabis industry has advocated for reforms like the SAFE Banking Act to make banking services easier. However, Senator John Cornyn of Texas recently expressed skepticism about the prospects of passing such legislation.

BY THE NUMBERS Seven American cities made a recent list of global cities that consume the most cannabis annually, based on metric tons, including the No. 1 spot:

62.3 METRIC TONS 1. New York City

35 Colorado Senator

3. Los Angeles

24.9 Reintroduces 4. Chicago

18.5 6. Houston

11.4 12. Phoenix

10.6 15. Philadelphia

6.8 20. Denver

SOURCE: CFAH’s 2023 Cannabis Price Index

Legalization Bill

In other news regarding cannabis and federal legality, Senator and former Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper recently reintroduced the PREPARE Act. This bill aims to lay the groundwork for federal regulation of cannabis in the United States. The PREPARE Act proposes the establishment of a federal commission, inspired by Colorado’s regulatory commission, that would advise the government on the proper safeguards for federal cannabis legalization. The commission’s responsibilities would include advising on a federal regulatory framework based on state cannabis regulations, considering potential regulations similar to those for alcohol. It would also address the disproportionate impact of cannabis prohibition on minority, low-income, and veteran communities. The PREPARE Act has received broad support from various stakeholders, including advocacy groups and industry associations.

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THE BUZZ

Oklahoma’s Economic Outlook Ranked Among the Nation’s Best

After the roller-coaster ride of the past years, the 2023 edition of “Rich States, Poor States,” released by the American Legislative Exchange Council, ranks Oklahoma fifth best in the nation in economic outlook.

Part of its growth is due to domestic migration in the past 25 years, which is inspiring news for Oklahoma’s cannabis industry. With the influx of new residents, a new vitality is part of the state’s landscape. According to the National Association of Realtors, only nine other states rank higher for relocation.

Oversupply of Medicinal Cannabis Affects Operators While Oklahoma’s economy continues to boom, one area of concern is the supply of medicinal cannabis. According to a recent study conducted by Cannabis Public Policy Consulting, “regulated medical cannabis supply in Oklahoma outpaces demand by at least 32 times and could serve all cannabis consumers (patients and non-patients) 4.5 times over.”

Several factors have created the situation, including no cap on the number of plants grown per site, the number of grow facilities, and the number of cultivation licenses, with a licensing fee of $2,500 being the only financial requirement. The surplus is causing prices to drop in a highly saturated market and an illicit market to serve the demand for recreational cannabis. Industry leaders suggest that one possible solution is to legalize adult-use cannabis.

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The Living Legends of Hash

cized part, Legends did not launch with the intent to identify America’s best hash. The idea was born during a session of getting stoned. It was 2002 in Amsterdam, and the elusive legendary breeder and hash maker At the annual get-together of the Legends of Hashish, Skunkman Sam suggestluminaries decide who has the best hash in America. ed he and co-founding partner Marcus “BubbleTEXT TYLER CURTIS PHOTOS WILLIAM NAGY man” Richardson throw a dinner at a friend’s Lebanese restaurant during ment will often depend the city’s iconic High makers in the game,” When you make an inon factors like flavor Times Cannabis Cup. says Jess. credible pie or grow a preferences, differing The restaurant known as Winning a competicrazy pumpkin, you head taste buds and palettes, The Artist had held space tion like Legends does to the county fair to and connections with in years past for folks like much more than stroke claim your prize. When certain profiles that may Richardson and Sam to it comes to making hash, one’s ego. It’s a useful influence judgment. puff to their hearts’ deplatform to promote a you head to the event Even different textures sire out of German-made brand and a great way known as Legends of Roor bongs while enjoyHashish, but there are no to show consumers that can extract different ing incredible cuisine. open signups or tryouts. your work is truly of the responses from differSince not everyone ent people, whether best quality.

Rather, your invitation it’s based on the hash’s who attended the Cup Since premier hash is held within the power ability to be handled or was a hash nerd, the makers have attended and possession of the the amount of terpenes team decided to create event organizers, and in- Legends for years, atvisually present in the 50 tickets and hand-sestead of the whole coun- tendees often compete top layer. lect folks to gather in against the best, which ty rolling through, your puts many connoisseurs’ Inviting makers to The Artist’s private room spectators are mostly for the evening. Due to eyes on the results. All of judge their peers in a other top-tier makers the high profile and senthis builds hype and pub- proper setting with acand a select few lucky sitive nature of those in licity, which is one of the cess to the right tools is spectators. the only way to find what attendance (many were driving forces between Sometimes, that instands out and “wins.” wanted as hash smugsuccessful hash brands vite leads to a win, as Legends give their judgglers), Legends did not in the traditional and in the case of Icehouse allow cameras or phones. adult-use markets. With es everything they need Jess of California’s Ice for a true assessment: a Despite being a celeHouse Melts, who, after more folks than ever torch and butane, isopro- bration, the event soon producing solventless taking second place in became a full-blown 2021, won his first blue hash, standing out is the pyl alcohol for cleaning, path toward success. a temperature gauge, and friendly competition. ribbon last year for the 30 grams of sample hash. The Artist would host best full melt.

Best in show at least 10 Legends “It’s an honor to be over the next 15 years, Back in the days invited to compete with Trying to find the best further advancing the some of the most rehash can be subjective.

While the competition competitive culture and may be the most publispected and top hash A connoisseur’s assessFA L L 2023

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H A S H WI TH CL A SS

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THE LIFE

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overall demand for higher quality solventless hashish. Since its inception, the event has been hosted in four countries: The Netherlands, Spain, Canada, and now the United States.

Born in the USA Legends’ entry into the U.S. began with Addison DeMoura. He has been in the cannabis industry for more than 25 years, having launched Steep Hill Labs, and now works in the marketing and sales sector of cannabis.

After attending two Legends of Hashish dinners and being a huge fan of Bubbleman, DeMoura reached out to the hash mogul. Could he try a United States

edition? A friend had access to a venue in downtown Los Angeles that recalled the same ambiance from The Artist, and COVID restrictions had just been lifted.

“Hash is the elixir that makes people love peo-

ple more,” says DeMoura. “When you get good hash with good people in a good environment, it breaks down all the walls.

Legends is all about the best food, the best hash, the best people, all in the same place.”

Legends, American-style The American version of Legends has made some tweaks to the traditional format. For instance, historically the winner is chosen by the first plate to be empty. To mimic this approach, a point-ofsales system was implemented during the first U.S. event in 2021 to keep track of requested samples, but the following year scorecards were kept for better accuracy.

This year’s event is set for December 2-3.

And, for the first time, Legends will have an official outsider host: Twitch star and cannabis talk show host Adam Ill. The event, in keeping with tradition, should be legendary.

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THE LIFE

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Gift

GUIDE Sensi's top picks for stocking stuffers and under-the-tree gifts for the cannabis lover in your life.

GEAR Premium® Sidekick Water Pipe

Designed with a beaker base and a durable 7mm thick construction, these water pipes are built to withstand the test of time. Elevate your sessions with the patented lighter holster and enjoy a convenient spot to stash your lighter between uses. gearpremiumsidekick.com Use code SENSI for 20% off + FREE shipping.

HighOnLove Their products use the benefits of cannabis oil for intimacy and self-care products that really work (and are gorgeously packaged, so they’re perfect for gifting). The entire line is cruelty-free, vegan, and bottled in small batches. HighOnLove was designed for all women, whether solo or coupled up, young or old. highonlove.store

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Puffco

Windstar Glass Unique handmade jewelry from glass artist Shayla.

(Check out her pendants featuring a Monarch butterfly wing.) Clothing and other fun accessories are also available. windstarglass.bigcartel.com Save 20% with exclusive promo code SENSI20

We’ve come a long way since torches, big dab rigs, and overwhelming hits were the poster child for hash culture, which is exactly why Puffco has created a sleek, hi-tech consumption device. With the touch of a button, the device is in session. It’s modular, portable, discreet, and compatible with a suite of accessors. puffco.com/ pages/proxycollection

Focus V Their CARTA 2 boasts a larger atomizer with a 360° heating element and optimized airflow. An OLED screen displays everything you need to know in real time, and the new mobile app allows full control with seamless response times. focusv.com. $50 off Black CARTA2 with code SENSI

Culinary Cannabis These hemp spice blends are made from locally grown, hand-harvested raw cannabis. Use them for pain relief, or add them to your favorite recipes. myculinarycannabis.com HOLIDAY DEAL! Buy One Get One 50% Off

Ardent FX The Ardent FX is a decarboxylator that packs a punch. With one push of a button, you can decarb, infuse, and bake all in one, whether it’s THC, CBD, CBG, or a custom mix. Ardent also gives the option of an instant edible, so you can sprinkle the activated cannabis on anything. ardentcannabis.com Save 20% with code SENSI20

Flower Mill USA These grinds are designed to crumble your herb where it naturally wants to break apart, providing a uniform and fluffy result.

Two screens offer coarse or ultra-fine texture. flowermillusa.com Get 15% off entire order with code SENSI.

Genius Pipe Genius is a multifunctional pipe designed for flower and oil consumption, used by modern consumers worldwide for enhanced taste and a unique user experience. geniuspipe.com Use code SENSI10 to get 10% off.

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Element Apothec “CBD is a well-documented anti-inflammatory agent.

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Oaksterdam University “I’ve read about how many people have entered the country’s first cannabis college to gain the knowledge and expertise they need to advance their careers in the cannabis industry from cultivation to business to policy. If you are serious about cannabis, this is the place to go.

And, for those of us who cannot attend the college, The Budtender's Guide is the MUST HAVE for all of us who want to be truly educated about the science and history of cannabis.”

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RJ Glass

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LOCAL SELECTS

Keef Mocktail Fruit Punch

Galaxzzz Cannabis-infused sleep gummies from Kosmik Brands with a unique mixture of pomegranate and juicy sweet plum. They could assist with extreme insomnia, significantly decrease levels of chronic pain, and decrease anxiety and panic disorders.

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The perfect summer beverage is also ideal for the holidays. Bursting with the bold and delicious tastes of tropical fruits, this unique cannabis blend of Fruit Punch will be sure to “punch” back. This higherdosed product was designed for recreational users with a higher THC tolerance and those who wish to consume with more flexibility. Simply pour it over ice, mix it with your favorite non-alcoholic beverage, or just take it like a shot. keefbrands.com.

Creature Flora

Creature Flora’s next harvests are action-packed with new strains on the menu. With Garlic Icing (Frost Donkey x Secret Weapon x Dark Helmet) and Gorilla Butter (GG4 x Peanut Butter Breath) created by Fresh Coast Seed Co and Litre a Cola (GG4 x Magnum Opus) from Bungludetch Farms all the way up in Maine. creaturefloraok.com.

DM @creaturefloraok on Instagram about the Sensi Holiday Gift Guide for a special swag surprise.

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IS NOW IN SESSION Combining fashion and cannabis, Sundae School is changing how the world sees and enjoys weed.

STORY MATT JACKSON & JONA PATTERSON

W

hat if God was Korean, smoked weed every day, and created the universe? That’s the question that helped birth Sundae School, a brand that, over the last five years, has blended fashion, cannabis, and culture in a way that’s set them apart from everything else on the market.

While most companies will tell you why you should buy their products, Sundae School has become one of the most exciting companies in apparel and weed by having much to say about more than just what they’re smoking or wearing. Instead, it’s a movement with both a clothing and a cannabis line, each contributing to the cause of normalizing cannabis and fostering creativity.

The fashion side of the brand, often described as “smokewear,” creates vibrant, comfy clothing designed for recreational use in any situation. From built-in preroll pockets to patterns dedicated to their favorite cities, each

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piece is a thought-out journey that flies off their website when the product drops. The cannabis side, sometimes called Sundae Flowers, was developed to create the kinds of flavors and products not seen on the shelves elsewhere.

For the team of Dae Lim and Jennifer Tran, who created the brand and operate as the heads of marketing and business development, this is an extension of themselves— their chance to explore both culture and community.

“We feel like this brand resonates with people who enjoy

PHOTOS BY DONGWOO KANG, JINWOO PARK, IAN SHIVER & BENSON RONG, JIHOON PARK, DAE LIM

SUNDAE SCHOOL

“WE FEEL LIKE THIS BRAND RESONATES WITH PEOPLE WHO ENJOY CANNABIS BUT FEEL LIKE IT ISN’T ALWAYS MARKETED WITH THEM IN MIND OR STILL HAVE PRESSURE TO KEEP IT IN THE SHADOWS.” —Jennifer Tran, cofounder

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cannabis but either feel like it isn’t always marketed with them in mind or still have pressure to keep it in the shadows,” says Tran.

They’ve already seen a wildly successful launch of their Mochi Gummies and infused pre-rolls on the California recreation market, and are looking to expand into more products next year.

WHAT’S IN A NAME? Sundae School is a play on Lim’s first name and his time attending religious youth ministries in his childhood (an experience both he and Tran share). He first conceived of the brand on a Sunday afternoon in 2017. On that day, Lim was in his childhood bedroom in Korea, hitting a vape pen, when his mother suddenly started knocking on the door. He described how, through her voice and the intensifying knocking, his mind began to wander. Tran thought about how he wished she

could just smoke weed and chill— but also how his mother created his life and made her like a god.

That’s when the question hit that would inspire the Sundae School concept: What if God was Korean, smoked weed every day, and started this world?

It’s been the guiding design aesthetic driving the company ever since, as they gather a community of people who imagine “a green, hazy universe where God in her highest inhales and exhales to create the world.”

Tran and Lim admit that finding this community inside a dispensary came with some growing pains, but now the message is spreading so fast that they’ve had to hire a new marketing director.

FASHION TO CANNABIS After launching in 2017, Sundae

School received recognition from fashion voices like Hypebeast, Vogue, a New York Fashion Week solo show, and an account with Barney’s Department Store. But it wasn’t until 2018 that, together with Bay Area native Tran, Lim decided to take on Sundae School as a full-time movement with FA L L 2023

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both a fashion and a cannabis products line.

Tran and Lim met for dinner in Oakland one night, talking about how they wished they could see certain products in the market they felt were missing. Tran, who’s operated as a consultant for a list of prominent names in the cannabis space, had all the experience and connections to bring this part of the global message to reality.

This is how they joined together to make these products themselves.

Sundae School’s mochi gummies are a direct result of that dream to share the flavors and textures of their culture. Lim describes how the three original flavors came from their shared Korean heritage.

“We started out by brainstorming our collective memories,” says Lim. “Tran and I used to go to Sunday school, and after, we would always grab bubble tea.

Also, Tran’s memories of eating lychee and dragonfruit with her grandmother, and my memories of going to Jeju island to pick yuzu fruit.”

Sundae School was the first brand to bring most of these flavors to the edibles scene. Through this flagship product and numerous fashion pop-ups, they discovered a community springing up around the name. Since then, they’ve expanded to even more mochi options, like Fuzzy Peach, and are ready to launch a series of vapes with the same flavors.

worldwide to source the fabrics for each run. They want the edibles and pre-rolls they release to feel less like a standard product on the shelf and more like a themed and designed collection that aligns with the company’s mission. “No tin of pre-rolls or new sweatshirts is created without a specific pairing and intent behind it,” says Tran. This also means they release their cannabis products on a fashion-like schedule every few months, instead of maintaining a supply for shops to re-order.

Tran explains, “The creative process doesn’t change even though the medium does. Whether we’re making a hoodie or a gummy, we still want that same design process where we’re going out there and having fun with sourcing manufacturers.”

It’s a process that has served them well but one they admit is unorthodox for pot’s evolving retail industry. Lim says that sometimes they’d run out of a product, and vendors would be upset that they wouldn’t have a restock planned for months. But for Sundae School, spreading a message of global cannabis acceptance has many fronts, and the retail cannabis business is just one of them.

SUNDAE SCHOOL’S MOCHI GUMMIES ARE A DIRECT RESULT OF THAT DREAM TO SHARE THE FLAVORS AND TEXTURES OF THEIR CULTURE.

Read more about Sundae School at sensimag.com/sundaeschool

UNORTHODOX APPROACH With each run they work with a network of farmers in Humboldt County, California, to source the cannabis, and with businesses FA L L 2023

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Weed Workers of the World Unite As the cannabis industry grows, the labor that sustains it continues to organize.

TEXT MIKE DIPAOLA PHOTOS COURTESY TEAMSTERS

Workers at three RISE cannabis dispensaries in the Chicago suburbs of Joliet and Niles, Illinois, made history in April this year when they went on strike the day before 4/20, the industry’s high holy day. The work stoppage marked “the first time three cannabis dispensaries under the same company umbrella have gone on strike at the same time,” according to Teamsters Local 777.

Workers here had voted overwhelmingly to join Local 777 in 2022.

The RISE dispensaries are subsidiaries of Green Thumb Industries (GTI), one of the world’s largest cannabis companies, with annual revenue topping $1 billion. The workers 36

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wanted a slice of that and demanded better wages, retirement contributions, and, not least of all, that the company bargain with them in good faith. (GTI did not respond to emails for comment.)

Nearly two weeks into the strike, GTI dangled a 50 percent wage increase for workers who crossed the picket line.

That offer triggered the union to demand that the wage increases be made permanent and for all workers, not just the strikebreakers.

“This is just the beginning,” Jim Glimco, Local 777 president, said in a statement. “These brave men and women just undertook the longest strike in the history of

the cannabis industry because they’re not afraid of taking a stand.

We’re showing the whole industry that if you don’t play by the rules, we will pull your card.”

Across the nation The 4/20 holiday also saw union action in Phoenix, where budtenders, cultivation workers, union organizers, and elected officials gathered in midtown to call for better working conditions. Some Arizona dispensaries, including national brands Zen

Leaf and Curaleaf, have formed unions and are now beginning contract negotiations.

It is mystifying why some Big Cannabis firms would be dismissive of their workers, because anyone who has walked into a dispensary or visited a legal grow operation will see all kinds

of people—budtenders, trimmers, growers— committed to their craft.

“They really care about the work they do, they really care about cannabis,” says Teamsters spokesperson Matt McQuaid. “And because of that, they want to stay in this industry as long as possible. They want

this to be a job they can start at age 21 and can retire in their 60s. That’s what people want out of this craft, and that’s the union’s goal and behind our efforts to organize.”

The opportunity for work continues to grow as more legal cannabis markets become available. Currently 21 FA L L 2023

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THE SCENE

states plus the District of Columbia allow recreational sales of marijuana. An additional dozen states—as well as Guam, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the US Virgin Islands— have also passed medical marijuana laws.

Cannabis workers and unions first came together in 2010, when the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) union partnered with workers in California. The UFCW was the first major union to support the cannabis industry actively, and it became a driving force for labor organizing in the field. The union also represents Canadian workers in retail stores, grow operations, bakeries, and dispensaries across Ontario.

Since legalization first began in the United States (in 1996 for medical marijuana in Cali38

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fornia and in 2014 for recreational weed in Colorado), there’s been the concern that capitalism will do to the industry what it always does: big players will overwhelm small operators. More than 25 years in, it appears to be headed in that direction.

“They really care about the work they do, they really care about cannabis.

And because The rise of capitalism of that, they Today there are close want to stay in to 500,000 cannabis workers in the country. this industry as Marijuana is still technically illegal at the federal long as possible. level, but workers in the They want this legal states still have the right to organize, to be a job they although their ability to can start at do so is dictated by the states where they work. age 21 and can Nevada, for example, retire in their is a right-to-work state, so making membership 60s.” in a union (or payment of union dues) a condition of employment is prohibited.

Labor peace agreement (LPA) laws have

—Matt McQuaid, Teamsters spokesperson

assisted union organizers somewhat. These laws vary by state, but in general, they require cannabis companies to stay clear of union organizing if they wish to do business in that state. In turn, the unions agree not to interrupt the means of production with strikes or boycotts.

California and New York require businesses to enter into an LPA with labor to receive licensing.

Illinois doesn’t quite require them, though they are encouraged. Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Oregon are all considering their own LPA laws. (Oklahoma is among the 28 rightto-work states, which means it is relatively difficult to organize a union here. The Sooner State scores a lowly 45th among all states on Oxfam America’s “Best and Worst States to Work in America 2022,”

THE SCENE

which considers wages, worker protections, and the right to organize in its rankings.)

In some cases, when employers stifle attempts to organize, the workers receive little help from the federal watchdog, the National Labor Review Board (NLRB).

In 2021, Pennsylvania cannabis grower AgriKind fired two workers for attempting to unionize, but the NLRB allowed it because the workers—who harvested and trimmed the cultivated product–were considered agriculture workers. (Only 14 states—Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin—allow collective bargaining for agriculture workers.)

UFCW also represents workers at a RISE dispensary in Henderson, Nevada but unlike the RISE dispensaries in suburban Chicago, management has not yet recognized the new union. On the contrary, the owners appear to do everything they can to quash attempts to organize. In 2022, about 60 cannabis workers overwhelmingly voted to form their union, and in

November, they hooked up with UFCW Local 711, which said at the time that “the workers, who are employed as budtenders and inventory specialists, joined our union family because they were concerned about workplace safety issues.” But the employers have, so far, turned a deaf ear to the concerns.

“Upper management was telling store management to basically tell us that we can’t talk about the union, which is illegal,” says a budtender involved in the organizing who asked to remain anonymous.

“They were telling us that if we get a union, it’s going to cost us hundreds of dollars in dues, and typical scare tactics like ‘the union doesn’t really care about you.’

“Prior to being acquired by GTI we were more of a mom-and-pop kind of shop,” the budtender continues. “Once we got acquired by GTI we saw the changes—no raises, no reviews, and I would say the safety went kind of down as well. And we were seeing Starbucks and Amazon forming unions, so we thought, why can’t we do it too?”

now, it’s a slow, steady march toward better pay and benefits. In September 2023, the RISE dispensary workers in Chicagoland finally ratified their first collective bargaining agreement with GTI. The workers won an 18 percent wage increase, guaranteed tips and discounts, improved safety standards, and protection against unjust termination. Their two-week strike in April paid off, literally.

Meanwhile, Teamsters Local 777 also negotiated agreements with Zen Leaf dispensaries in Chicago and Schaumburg, Illinois. Verano, Zen Leaf’s parent company, is the third multi-state

operator with which Local 777 has successfully bargained. In August 2023, the workers overwhelmingly voted to ratify their new collective bargaining agreement.

“This contract is monumental—not just for our dispensaries, but for the entire industry,” enthused Lombard dispensary worker Lailane Dela Cruz. “It just goes to show that we really do have a voice loud enough to help create proper work conditions.

I see this contract as just the beginning. Others will see this as a stepping stone in helping to create a new standard throughout the cannabis business.”

Moving ahead Where does this leave cannabis workers? For FA L L 2023

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BUSINESS SP TLIGHTS

FRESH OFF THE PRESS P R O C E S S O R & G R OW

@FRESHOFFTHEPRESS_OKC /

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hen a dream becomes reality! Growing up medical cannabis has always been apart of our lives. We have seen the medical benefits first hand and understand that clean quality medical cannabis is essential to heal the mind body and soul.

Tell us a little about your business.

We are Fresh Off The Press and OG Brothers.

@OGBROS_OKC

We started our company in late 2021. We offer Flower, Live Rosin, Solventless Edibles, Live Rosin Disposables, Massage Oil and our #1 selling Preroll the Blonde Bomber, which comes in your choice of non infused and infused with live rosin.

We are a single source company so we control everything from start to finish. As connoisseurs ourselves, patients can rest assured that we’re

bringing you clean quality medicine.

became bringing patients some of the very best medical cannabis and medical cannabis products.

How would you describe your workplace culture?

We are a small family ran business of six.

We’re a family, we work as a team and bring good vibes to work daily. We love what we do, so no day feels like a work day!

What are three things you want people to know about you?

What was your mission at the start of We want people to know and trust the your company? purity of our products.

Our purpose for We are focused and starting the company loyal. We might be was to help our mom, a small team but we who was anorexic always bring the fire! and couldn’t eat. We wanted to know exDescribe your ideal actly what was in the customer. products and how they Our perfect customer were made so that is anyone looking we could be confident to get some type of that she was getting relief, especially pain the cleanest medicine relief.According to one of our patients, possible. Our mission

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Larah, “The Live Rosin kills my body pain fast, helping with my migraines by easing the pressure.

The flower calms my nervous system and allows me to relax otherwise impossible.

You guys have created products that made my quality of life go up tremendously.”

How does your business give back to the community?

We are working with dispensaries to give chronic pain patients their medicine no matter their budget.

No one should be without medicine. We also sponsor the local archery team.

What are you looking forward to in the next year?

We are looking forwards to connecting with our patients more, and showing them what our products can do for them.

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C U LT I VAT I O N

CREATURE FLORA

@CREATUREFLORAOK / CONTACTHIGH@CREATUREFLORA.COM CREATUREFLORAOK.COM

us online. Feel free to contact us on socials or shoot us an email.

How many employees do you have?

There are 11 individuals intently involved in making Creature Flora thrive, and we’re so thankful for each of them!

mentality shows others our hearts and minds are open, and allows our fellow community members to open their hearts and minds to us.

Does your business give back to your y name is the stress of a busy day, our profits and ease of community?

Miranda as critical as treating execution?” As cannaIn 2023, we donated Cummings childhood cancer, or bis consumers ourtime and resources and I am the CIO & as vital as a military selves, we felt that this Why do you feel your to community events business is important Co-Founder of Creature veteran finally getting a question does not get and provided promoto the community?

Flora. Since I was 17, full night’s sleep. asked nearly as often as Our business is import- tional products to our cannabis has been a it should by the leaders ant to the community partners to pass along What is your part of my life, recof this industry. So this because of our “friendly to patients. In 2024, company mission? reationally. In 2017, I question is still a driving farmer” approach to we hope to team up We launched our first moved to Denver, and force to this day. with other Oklahoma batch of flower in our fellow cultivators began to understand Oklahoma in October and community leaders. businesses to provide Tell us about your how medically impact- 2022 with the goal of cold weather kits for If you have a positive products and where ful cannabis is. people can find them. attitude and impact on houseless individuals in providing exceptional With my background relief through humanWe provide delicious OKC and Tulsa. We inour community, then in experiential marketterpene- and cannabitend to join the efforts centric cultivation. we want to work with ing, public relations, For us, human-centric noid-rich flower. We you to create even more to provide aid to those and community policy, I means that every choice have also partnered previously or currently positive experiences. knew I wanted to apply we make is ultimately with Lady Jays to proWe don’t believe there incarcerated for nonvimy skill set to an indus- pushed through a filter vide full flower pre-roll is one right way to olent cannabis crimes. try that was providing so of one simple question: packs. Currently, you cultivate cannabis, and And, we are planning can find our flower in much good to so many we don’t think we have to work alongside our “Is this choice placing learned everything there retail partners to launch people, whether it was our fellow humans at a 50+ dispensary locahigher priority level than tions. You can also find is to know. Having that a Veterans program. as simple as relieving

M

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BUSINESS SP TLIGHTS M A N U FAC T U R E R

KOSMIK BRANDS

@KOSMIKBRANDS / KOSMIKBRANDS.COM

K

osmik Brands was established by a group of entrepreneurs from Edmond, Oklahoma. Although our company initially launched in 2019, we did not place products on dispensary shelves until our recipe was perfected in 2020.

Each product we create is approached with innovation and a commitment to maintaining the highest standards of quality. Our mission statement is: “We provide experiences that are truly out-of this-world.”

Tell us about your products and where people can find them.

Kosmik Brands is an industry leader with an assortment of products for medical patients and customers. These products include regular Blasters, Specialty Blasters, Sour Blasters, Supernovas, Black Holes, The Abyss, the Live Resin Black Hole Vape, and our newest edible line called Galaxzzz.

Customers can find our products at licensed dispensaries and storefronts in Oklahoma, Missouri, Montana, and Massachusetts.

What made you choose to start a company in this industry?

We were intrigued by the remarkable effects of cannabis, and saw the chance to contribute to the development of a growing industry and make a positive social impact at the same time. Our ultimate long-term vision is to become an industry leader advancing both national and local movements for global legalization.

community among our dedicated Kosmonauts.

How does your business give back?

As an ever-evolving Why do you feel your business is important company, we are dedicated to giving back. to the community?

Kosmik Brands creates We recently launched a campaign with Hero opportunities across Oklahoma, contributing Grown where a portion of proceeds are donated to economic growth, employment rates, and to their mission. Kosmik tax revenue at local and Brands is proud to be a top sponsor of the local state levels. This revorganization WingsOK enue can be allocated toward public services and an exclusive partner with 40 Tons. such as education, In addition to our healthcare, infrastrucexisting initiatives, ture development, we understand the and social programs. challenges associated Regulatory input is anHow many employees do you have? other way our company with medical In 2023, we are proud to impacts the community. treatments, operations, and life essentials. We have grown to 23 corpo- By providing input actively raise funds rate and 15 Oklahoma based on our experimanufacturing staff. ence and expertise, we to provide access Our goal is to create a contribute to establish- to healthcare and positive atmosphere ing regulations that pri- resources for those that fosters collabooritize consumer safety struggling to create a brighter future. ration and a sense of and industry growth.

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E-COMMERCE

WEEDMAPS

@WEEDMAPS / WEEDMAPS.COM

W

eedmaps allows consumers to easily search for the best weed deals near them, check out consumer reviews on products, discover new brands and products, and order for delivery and pick up through participating retailers. Consumers can download the app in IOS and Android, or at weedmaps.com.

We can also be found on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @weedmaps On the Businessto-Business side, Weedmaps also offers compliant technology solutions to cannabis business and brands through Weedmaps for Business, our suite of omnichannel advertising, marketing, operations and e-commerce tools, which can be found at weedmaps.com/ business.

Weedmaps’ mission is driven by our passion for the plant, with a goal of championing the truth about cannabis and standing with all who believe in open, safe and legal access to cannabis.

Weedmaps was founded in 2008 by

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two California Prop 215 medical marijuana patients who weren’t having any luck finding reliable, local information about cannabis products, or dispensaries. Weedmaps launched as an online directory, similar to Yelp, with an easily accessible directory of medical dispensaries to guide fellow medical cannabis patients in their own research. As U.S. state medical programs began expanding, and the onset of adult-use cannabis moved forward both in the U.S. and Canada, Weedmaps expanded to support emerging markets, eventually growing into the two-sided marketplace we provide today.

And now, Weedmaps employs approximately 500 people across the U.S. and Canada, with our headquarters in Irvine, CA. We believe that our business is valuable to the cannabis community because trustworthy information on cannabis is still tough to find, and the continued stigma of the plant also brings misinformation, especially in newer adult-use markets. At

Weedmaps, we see ourselves not just as a place to buy weed through our clients, but a place for consumers to get educated about cannabis products before they even step foot in a dispensary.

Our Weedmaps News and Learn content also provides detailed, expert information on the latest consumption methods, as well as a host of how-to’s to support cannabis users regardless of if they’re beginners or expertlevel consumers.

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BUSINESS SP TLIGHTS We are an ambitious group of people who embrace challenges, test boundaries, and live life to the fullest.

EDIBLES

WYLD

How does your business give back?

Wyld supports and uplifts community @WYLDCANNA organizations that align WYLDCANNA.COM / WYLDCBD.COM with our Four Pillars of GOODTIDECANNABIS.COM Commitment to work towards healthier communities and a greener e are We love what we do and planet: Wyld, the we work hard to bring 1. Combating the Failed largest you the best cannabis War on Drugs edibles on the market. cannabis edibles 2. Environmental Susproducer in the country. tainability How many employees We are an ambitious do you have? group of people who We have between 500 embrace challenges, and 1000 employees. test boundaries, and Tell us about your live life to the fullest. products and where We’re always up for an people can find them. adventure and ready We offer 100mg and to see how far we can 1000mg edibles in 12 push ourselves – and different flavors in Oklathe limits. homa. We are located Wyld started back in in 300 dispensaries 2016 in Bend, Oregon. across the state, as well as 11 other states We launched in Oklaand Canada. homa in August 2022.

W

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3. Health & Wellness 4. Social & Racial Justice

Why do you feel your business is important to the community?

We feel a strong commitment to preserving the land we so proudly call home, as well as working to create a more equitable legal cannabis industry.

It’s essential that we

participate in service projects, community enhancement, and work to influence cannabis regulations as a team to ensure a robust, sustainable environment and an equitable legal cannabis industry for future generations. We work with Friends of Trees, BIPOCANN, NuProject, Equality Federation, and many more.

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this day Kara still battles cancer in both her lungs and in her spine. She is now on a clinical trial at @BKCULTIVATION1 / @BK.BUDSDISPO OU Stephenson Cancer and undergoes treatment every other week.

While she was underyears old. Brandon, Kara, going radiation therapy B&K Cultivation was and her devoted family founded summer on her colon, she was searched for the best of 2021 by Brandon introduced to cannabis to cancer centers across and Kara Kenny. Our help her sleep & for pain the nation. Kara’s original management. Kara and products can be found in numerous dispensa- treatments and surgeries Brandon worked with an were performed at Meries across Oklahoma.

RSO coach and were able morial Sloan Kettering We specialize in small to start a dosing plan to batch flower production Cancer Center in NYC. keep Kara comfortable After numerous rounds of and enjoying life again. focusing on quality chemo, radiation therapy, The RSO changed her instead of quantity. and surgery to remove Our “Why” is very life. She was sleeping, unique. Cofounder, Kara her rectum & sigmoid and managing pain more colon, she was hit again efficiently. They became was diagnosed with with more unwelcome stage 3c colorectal passionate about this news – the cancer had cancer in 2018 at the plant and started doing spread to both lungs. To nonstop research. Kara young age of only 28

had already been running a popular blog called “Chemo with Kara” that helped cancer patients in her situation and brought awareness of colorectal cancer in hopes young adults would listen to their bodies and not ignore the early warning signs. Through her blog and in person, people could physically see the difference in Kara after a few months on RSO. She went from being an extremely sick stage 4 cancer patient to attending events where if you did not know she had cancer, you would have never guessed.

Naturally, other patients wanted to know what she was doing.

Brandon and Kara became so passionate about the benefits of cannabis that they decided to start B&K Cultivation. In February 2023 they opened their own dispensary, B&K Buds Dispensary, located at 13325 N. MacAurthur Blvd, OKC. Their goal for their dispensary is to not only provide patients with some of the best medicine on the market today, but also provide a cancer program to potentially give all cancer patients the medicine they need at cost or for a penny.

Tell us a little about your business.

Kind Origin Cannabis launched November 2018. Our 24-hour dispensary is at 1013 N. Mississippi, Ada, OK, and our products are available at dispensaries across the state, including award winning flower & pre-rolls, concentrates & extracts, topicals, and edibles. We also offer pre-roll processing, custom plant propagation via tissue culture, and third party brokering as business to business services.

Plus, our new hash rosin lab is coming soon!

Our mission is to provide an alternative, natural way of treating symptoms without using industrialized pharmaceuticals. The ultimate goal is to cultivate strains and develop products that best suit patient needs.

When we opened our dispensary in January 2022, the goal was to create a space that exudes casual luxury with a neutral, inviting ambiance. We intentionally created the Gathering Space, which doubles as the waiting area and is open to the public, large enough to host small events and workshops.

We are passionate about the humanities. We host a monthly event in our Gathering Space aimed at lifting up local artists and building community.

We have hosted visual artists, musicians, chefs, comedians, authors, sculptors, poets, and educational workshops.

This labor of love has brought immense joy to our staff, patrons, and artistic partners – so much so that our founder, Camron Owens, and his wife, JoAnna, will be presented with the 2023 Outstanding Adan for the Arts at the annual Taste of Ada charity event in October 2023. Check out our website to see what else we’ve been up to.

G R OW FAC I L I T Y/ D I S P E N S A RY

B&K CULTIVATION

CANNABIS BRAND

KIND ORIGIN CANNABIS @KINDORIGIN @KINDORIGINCANNA KINDORIGINCANNABIS.COM KINDORIGINCANNABIS@GMAIL.COM

What was your mission or purpose at the start of your company?

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Does your business give back to your community?

BUSINESS SP TLIGHTS G R OW FAC I L I T Y

TEA-H-SEA CANNABIS @TEAHSEACANNABISCOMPANY / TEAHSEAPERRYM@GMAIL.COM

Tell us about your business.

We are Friendly Farms LLC operating under our brand name Tea-H-Sea Cannabis Company.

We are an indoor grow facility applying our knowledge from over eight years of cultivation experience to produce top-shelf flower to the great medical patients of Oklahoma.

We broke ground back in 2021 and opened the doors in January 2022.

What is your company mission?

Our mission is, and will always be, to grow the best cannabis for our patients while providing knowledge to help people make educated decisions on the medicine they choose for whatever

medical situation they are experiencing.

What makes your products unique?

All our genetics are pheno hunted in-house, allowing us to be the only ones with our specific genetics.

How does your business give back to your community?

We always try to give

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back to the cannabis community by sponsoring events, giving out samples and merch, offering raffles, and helping with events. We’ve done trash cleanups to help beautify the community and are always here to help anyone we can with education on growing and medicating. We also offer free trim demos for anyone interested.

Where can people find you and your products?

We’re in cities such as OKC, Tulsa, Durant, Lawton, Madill, Broken Bow, Ada, Ardmore, Ponca City, Jenks, Roff, and Chickasha, to name a few. Check out our Instagram to find out when our products enter new locations! You can also get ahold of us via email or on leaflink.

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THE END

Dale “Rick” Thompson IN MEMORIAM:

The legacy of one of Michigan’s giants of cannabis will continue to live on.

Dale “Rick” Thompson, a prominent cannabis advocate in Michigan, passed away on September 18, 2023, leaving behind a legacy of tireless activism and dedication to the cannabis industry.

The 57-year-old father of three children and a grandfather died at his home with family in Flushing, where he lived with his elderly mother. He was diagnosed with colon cancer three months prior.

“Rick” Thompson, here with Sensi’s Jamie Cooper, was a leader in cannabis advocacy for more than two decades.

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Thompson’s involvement in cannabis advocacy began in the early 2000s. Through his work, Thompson aimed to educate the public and destigmatize the use of medical marijuana. His efforts contributed to the passage of the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act in 2008, which allowed for the use of marijuana for medical purposes.

A fervent advocate for patient’s rights, Thompson tirelessly fought for the

rights of patients, ensuring their legal protections and access to safe, reliable cannabis products. He often attended Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Meetings, voicing his concerns about the regulations he felt needed to change.

The Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency even invited Thompson to join a consumer advocacy committee.

Thompson also co-hosted the “Jazz Cabbage Cafe” podcast and regularly wrote about cannabis, including as the former editor-in-chief for Michigan Medical Marijuana Magazine, launched in 2009, and the Compassion Chronicles, an online medical marijuana publication started in 2012.

When Thompson’s health began to decline, he resigned from his position on the board of the Michigan chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), which he’d held since 2014. He held his role at the Re-

demption Foundation up until his death.

Aside from his advocacy work, Thompson was also a respected journalist and expert in the field.

He regularly contributed articles to cannabis-related publications, shedding light on new research, policy developments, and industry trends. His extensive knowledge and ability to communicate complex information in an accessible manner helped solidify his reputation as a leading authority in the cannabis community.

As the cannabis industry continues to evolve and gain acceptance, Thompson’s imprint will forever remain, reminding future generations of the importance of fighting for justice, understanding, and equality.

Whether through the successful legislative battles he fought or the countless lives he touched, Rick Thompson will be remembered as a true pioneer in the fight for cannabis reform.

TOP PHOTO BY BROCK KALNASY

TEXT JAMIE COOPER