Sensi Colorado Spring 2024

SOLDIERING ON

How cannabis fights PTSD

C O LO R A D O SPRING 2024

SCIENCE AND PSYCHEDELICS What we know—and don’t

CANNABIS AND DIET Feeding body and soul

REDEFINING WELLNESS

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sensimediagroup @sensimagazine @sensimag

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FEATURES

22

Take a Little Trip With Me

38

Time Travel Edibles

Not since the 1960s have hallucinogens been so popular and widely discussed.

Rewind Labs looks to the future with a retro vibe.

DEPARTMENTS

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

to keep you in the loop TRAVELING WITH CANNABIS Know the

regulations to avoid legal problems.

IN BLOOM UFC’s Marlon “Chito” Vera enters the infused beverages ring with Maison Bloom A MILESTONE IN CANNABIS CONSUMPTION LOUNGES

First-ever regulated cannabis cocktail lounge opens in Las Vegas UNDERCOVER OKLAHOMA

New law introduces secret shoppers in the medicinal cannabis industry FRESH TAKE New laws and regulations for Colorado cannabis

WELCOME BACK TO MICHIGAN Apotheculture

Club announces spring event in Detroit

A NEW CHAPTER

Packwoods enters Massachusetts market

16 THE LIFE Contributing to your

health and happiness A SOLDIER’S STORY Major Jim McClendon leads the charge for change.

28 THE SCENE Hot happenings and hip hangouts around town

SOLDIERING ON

How cannabis fights PTSD

C O LO R A D O

SCIENCE AND PSYCHEDELICS What we know—and don’t

CANNABIS AND DIET Feeding body and soul

REDEFINING WELLNESS

SPRING 2024

ON THE COVER

Blast from the past: Rewind Labs moves ahead by looking back.

PHOTO COURTESY OF REWIND LABS

LET FOOD BE THY MEDICINE Good bacteria

in your gut put you on the path to greater health.

50 THE END

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EXPLORE EMBODI

EXECUTIVE

Ron Kolb Founder ron@sensimag.com Jade Kolb COO jade@sensimag.com Carolyn Scott Communications Director carol@sensimag.com Chelsea Moynihan VP of Sales chelsea@sensimag.com PUBLISHING

Tyler Tarr Market Director, Colorado Jamie Cooper Market Director, Michigan Richard Guerra Market Director, Massachusetts Jake Boynton Market Director, Massachusetts Ron Kolb Interim Market Director, Oklahoma EDITORIAL

Matthew Solan Executive Editor Matthew.Solan@sensimag.com Mike DiPaola Copy Editor Mike.Dipaola@sensimag.com Claire Barber National Contributor Jen Bernstein National Contributor Debbie Hall National Contributor Elizabeth McWilliams National Contributor Eugenia Merkoulov National Contributor Gretchen Van-Monette 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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S

FOUNDER’S NOTE

Magazine published by Sensi Media Group LLC.

© 2024 Sensi Media Group. All rights reserved.

Sensi Magazine was

founded to mainstream

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.

the cannabis conversation and reduce cannabis stigma. Our hope was to produce something aesthetically beautiful, but with lifestyle and educational content that any soccer mom or grandad could learn from and identify with. Being the first to do something comes with challenges, but after nine years (and COVID) we are on an evolutionary path upward!

Now we have expanded our mission to embrace and elevate the conversation around psychedelics and plant-based medicine in the context of all things wellness.

Bringing ancient wisdom to a modern audience is not an easy task, but we have an incredible team working to make it happen. At our disposal is a deep wealth of knowledge along with powerful stories of lived experience – incidentally supported by science. People are hurting but solutions are abundant, and we intend to spread the word through both our print magazine and our ever-expanding digital platforms.

Sensimag.com is perpetually evolving to match our mission. While we have finite space in the print magazine, we have a limitless canvas in the digital world. So, we are excited to produce our quarterly magazine in multiple states in America, and to give our readers even more content on our website, no matter where they live.

We are sincerely excited to provide Sensi readers with tools they can use for mental, relational, and physical healing and betterment. Whether you read for yourself or someone you love, we are honored to come along with you on your wellness journey.

Bringing ancient wisdom to a modern audience is not an easy task, but we have an incredible team working to make it happen.

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

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

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Traveling With Cannabis With legalized medicinal cannabis in 38 states and legal recreational cannabis in 24 states, it is still important to know and understand the law about transporting cannabis to a destination in a different state.

The Federal Aviation Administration is responsible for regu10

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lating flights, and it is essential to note that specific cannabis and cannabis-infused products, including some cannabidiol (CBD) oil, are illegal under federal law. However, products that contain no more than 0.3% THC on a dry-weight basis (which is federally defined as hemp) or

those that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved can be transported on a plane according to TSA regulations. It is also important to check state laws regarding using or possessing cannabis products in public places or driving across state lines with them.

PHOTO BY LOUIS MAGNOTTI

Know the regulations to avoid legal problems.

IN BLOOM PHOTOS ( FROM LEFT) COURTESY OF MAISON BLOOM; SMOKE AND MIRRORS

UFC’s Marlon “Chito” Vera enters the infused beverages ring with Maison Bloom Marlon “Chito” Vera, Ultimate Fighting Champion bantamweight fighter and entrepreneur, has joined San Francisco-based Maison Bloom as owner-partner.

Maison Bloom, which emerged during the 2020 lockdown, offers a variety of all-natural hemp-based THC flower-powered seltzers, including Vera’s favorite: Strawberry Provençal + Lemongrass.

Vera’s new role will include the title of Head of Health + Wellness. Vera’s addition is part of the brand’s continuing national expansion efforts, which include full-scale direct-to-consumer e-commerce and broader distribution across upscale convenience stores, epicurean bodegas, and an increasing network of award-winning on-premises hospitality partners.

For more information, visit livemaisonbloom.com.

BY THE NUMBERS

25 STATES

A Milestone In Cannabis Consumption Lounges First-ever regulated cannabis cocktail lounge opens in Las Vegas

that have legalized adult-use cannabis.

39 STATES that have legalized medicinal cannabis

53% U.S. residents who live in a state with adult-use cannabis

75% U.S. residents who live in a state with legalized medicinal or recreational cannabis

70% U.S. adults who favor legalizing cannabis.

SOURCE: Carnevale Associates LLC; Gallup

In 2024, 24 states had legalized recreational cannabis, creating a demand for consumption lounges. As Sensi reported in 2023, Nevada showed movement toward becoming one of the first states to offer smokeand-chill spaces.

Smoke and Mirrors, located in the Thrive Cannabis Marketplace near the Las Vegas Strip, is the first lounge in Nevada to be approved by the Nevada Cannabis Compliance Board. It opened to the public on February 23 at 4:20 p.m., with Clark County Commissioner Tick Segerblom making its first sale.

The lounge offers a unique social atmosphere and a wide range of premium, expertly crafted mocktails infused with various cannabis strains.

Tourists can visit Nevada and purchase cannabis—but it is illegal to consume in a hotel room, parking garage, car, or really anywhere else except a private residence. But with the opening of the consumption lounge, residents and visitors now have a place to imbibe. www.smokeandmirrorslv.com.

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THE BUZZ

Undercover Oklahoma

PHOTOS ( FROM TOP) BY JON TYSON; HELENA HURTZ

New law introduces secret shoppers in the medicinal cannabis industry The legalization of cannabis has brought about many positive changes, one of which is quality control. To that end, the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority will be sending secret shoppers into at least 50 dispensaries annually to buy cannabis products and test them in labs. This new law (HB3971) was enacted on Jan. 2, 2024.

State representative Josh West, who sponsored the bill, said it aimed to keep Oklahomans safer by ensuring that cannabis products sold in dispensaries meet specific quality standards. West also said that he has heard business owners express their concerns about competing with those who sell on the black market, and the law is a step towards ensuring everyone is held to the same standards.

FRESH TAKE

New laws and regulations for Colorado cannabis

Colorado, one of the first states to legalize adult-use cannabis, has introduced a new regulation for cannabis products. All packages of cannabis products must include a "use by" date label that indicates the freshness and quality of the product.

Most use-by dates on retail packaging will have a duration of nine months, unless a grower or manufacturer can show a later date is justified. This is not an expiration date per se, but an indication of optimal product freshness.

Also, the Marijuana Enforcement Division will have more authority to seize and destroy regulated cannabis products considered to be a health and safety risk. Another new regulation allows hospitality businesses to sell more cannabis products per transaction.

There are two cannabis hospitality businesses in Denver and a few more elsewhere in the state, but this industry is expected to grow.

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THE BUZZ

PHOTOS ( FROM LEFT) BY LOUIS HANSEL; COURTESY OF PACKWOODS

A New Chapter Welcome Back to Michigan

Apotheculture Club announces spring event in Detroit

Apotheculture Club will return to Detroit for the fifth time on May 17, collaborating with Uplifted Cannabis Co. for a signature cannabis-infused dining and music experience.

The event begins with mingling at the club’s private residence at 5 p.m., followed by a multi-course dinner. After dinner, transportation is provided to the Detroit Opera for a performance of “The Cunning Little Vixen,” after which everyone returns to the residence.

Packwoods enters Massachusetts market

Los Angeles-born Packwoods, a renowned brand specializing in premium cannabis products, is expanding its national presence and entering the Massachusetts market. Soon-to-be available products include its 3-pack of ultra-premium, hand-rolled cigarillos, hand-rolled blunts, and hand-crafted vacuum-infused live rosin in premium ice water hash-coated flower.

Check out their other offerings at www.packwoods.com.

Check out Apotheculture Club on Instagram: @apothecultureclub.

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A Soldier’s Story Major Jim McClendon leads the charge for change.

“I needed a deeper understanding of what I was going through, so I could actually figure out how to live with it. PTSD is something you have forever. I was trying to save my life at the end of the day.”

—Major Jim McClendon

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TEXT GRETCHEN A. VAN-MONETTE PHOTOS COURTESY OF MAJOR PAPERS

Major Jim McClendon didn’t have an easy return to civilian life after serving his country. The depression, anxiety, and pain made getting up every day a challenge.

The former Marine from Philadelphia did manage to readjust his life—confronting his post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and all the trials and tribulations that came with it, including homelessness—and began in a new direction.

He credits cannabis for his transformation and successes and promotes the plant’s benefits to all who will listen.

Sadly, his story isn’t unique among returning soldiers, but it needs to be told repeatedly until fundamental changes are enacted.

Soldier On With four years of proud service as a Marine, including a tour in Iraq from 2008 to 2009, McClendon came home with issues he was painfully aware of but had no idea how to deal with.

His PTSD eventually cost him a management career, friends, and a home. His mental and physical health deteriorated. If he slept more than two hours, he considered it a good night.

After years of self-medicating with alcohol and street weed, he went to the Veterans Administration (VA) in 2014 for an evaluation, where he was officially diagnosed with PTSD. He tried various ways to cope with the illness but decided the help he needed wasn’t coming

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THE LIFE

from the VA. “They were just going to put me on drugs that I didn’t want to be on,” he says. “I already knew from seeing other veterans and hearing the horror stories of the VA that I didn’t want to go the pharmaceutical route.

“I needed a deeper understanding of what I was going through, so I could actually figure out how to live with it,” McClendon adds. “PTSD is something you have forever. I was trying to save my life at the end of the day.”

A chance encounter with a friend and former soldier led to a life-sav-

ing lightbulb moment when he rediscovered marijuana, and his life took a decided upturn.

“When I started researching marijuana, the facts were right there,” says McClendon.

“No one has ever died of a marijuana overdose, ever.” From his personal experience, he knew that statistic didn’t apply to alcohol or pharmaceuticals.

Once McClendon understood the mental health benefits of cannabis, he began smoking weed; eventually, he even tried psychedelic therapy.

Acid wasn’t his “twist,” but mushrooms gave him some reprieve. Yet it has been marijuana that consistently provides daily relief from physical pain and mental stresses.

“I usually smoke blunts, but since getting older, I’ve been resorting more to concentrates and joints,” he says. McClendon uses different strains for multiple problems, but indica is a favorite because it relaxes him.

“I’m not tense or afraid of someone kicking down the door. Without marijuana, I wouldn’t be here,” he says.

Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome McClendon literally puts his money where his mouth is. After his reincarnation, McClendon decided to get into the cannabis coalition and launched a line of hemp-rolling papers called Major Papers. The papers are sold at some shops across the Philadelphia area.

“Rolling papers were a market I knew didn’t have much liability, and it was easier to get into,” he says. “Also, I won’t invest in something unless I personally would use it.

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THE LIFE

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These extremely durable and long-lasting rolling papers provide one of the smoothest smokes you’ll experience with rolling papers.”

McClendon says he donates a portion of the rolling paper proceeds to veterans in need and organizes drives to collect donated goods.

Since he was once homeless, McClendon tends to return to where he remembers most of the veterans staying. “I’ll also get word through sources on situations outside the ones I am already aware of. I’ll take the donated goods straight to the homeless veteran.

“I haven’t teamed up with many programs because I understand not all the money allocated for veterans will go to them,” he adds. “This

isn’t a shot at any veterans’ organizations, but most of the proceeds for these charities go to expenses outside of actual veterans.”

“I’m not tense or afraid of someone kicking down the door. Without marijuana, I wouldn’t be here.”

—Major Jim McClendon

Marching Forward McClendon’s own experience has made him a vocal advocate of marijuana and how it can help veterans. While pleased with the trajectory the inevitable decriminalization and eventual legalization of marijuana is on, he’s not happy with how long it has taken to get to this point.

“It’s about damn time, even though it’s three years too late,” he says.

“Too many veterans have died by suicide that could have found help through cannabis. If you spend time in combat, you must smoke some weed.”

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TAKE A

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LITTLE TRIP

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WITH ME

Not since the 1960s have hallucinogens been so popular and widely discussed. With medical breakthroughs and new research, it’s clear that we are in a psychedelic renaissance.

TEXT JEN BERNSTEIN

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T

here are a ton of hot topics swirling around the cannabis industry, and lately, everyone I know is discussing psychedelics.

Currently, there seems to be a whole new world of psychoactive drugs coming to the forefront and breaching the mainstream.

Psychedelics, in a broad stroke, are a subclass of hallucinogenic drugs that seek to alter “normal” mental states of being. Users often describe states of euphoria, a distorted sense of time and place, visual and auditory changes, and an altered state of consciousness.

These “trips” often lead to mystical experiences and a deeper connection to our interior and external worlds.

However, there is still much misinformation (and questions) surrounding psychedelics. Science has begun to explore the depth of how psychedelics affect the psyche and initial findings suggest the drugs can be used not just for enhanced mental experiences but as an effective tool to treat and manage various mental and emotional conditions.

Good candidates for psychedelics are those who have tried traditional treatments for health conditions with little or no success, such as depression, anxiety, post-tramautic stress disorder (PTSD), addiction, eating disorders, and chronic pain.

But as with every type of drug, psychedelics are not a cure-all, nor do they work for everyone.

Some people are not good candidates for psychedelic exploration, such as anyone with a history of psychosis or schizophrenia, pregnant or breastfeeding women,

and individuals with serious heart or other medical conditions. Also, taking certain medications can have an adverse effect when combined with psychedelics.

So, what does science have to say about psychedelics? Here are four commonly used psychedelics that have received the most attention, how they work, and what they may help treat.

KETAMINE Ketamine is currently the only psychedelic the FDA has approved to treat mental health issues such as treatment-resistant depression and anxiety disorders. Patients report a feeling of detachment from their body and surroundings and a heightened sense of awareness of their thoughts and emotions. Research

has found a rapid and significant reduction in depression and symptoms of anxiety, and effects may last for weeks or months after treatment. Ketamine has been shown to be non-habit-forming when used in a medical setting, although, as with most things, there is potential for abuse.

MDMA (ECSTASY) MDMA is used in talk therapy and can help patients process traumatic memories and develop new coping mechanisms. Patients report strong feelings of love, empathy, and a deeper connection with others. Some report increased energy, sensations of euphoria, and a reduction of inhibitions. MDMA is often used to treat PTSD, social anxiety disorder (SAD), and autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

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TRIPPING TIPS

Want to take a trip, but not sure how to begin?

Here are three tips.

Set and Setting Where and when you take drugs should be carefully considered and thought out and not unnecessarily rushed. “Set” refers to one’s own mindset.

“Setting” refers to the location.

Where will you be most comfortable? Some people prefer to be outside exploring nature, while others prefer to relax at home. If you’re the latter, dim the lights, turn on some gentle tunes, and create a relaxing, comfortable space. And, don’t forget that your current headspace will likely impact the results of your trip. Being prepared, relaxed, and ready to go will definitely help your mind on your psychedelic journey.

PSYCHEDELIC RESOURCE HOTLINE

Pack a Snack Pack Wherever you decide to partake, make sure you have some supplies at the ready.

Cosmic exploration into the inner depths of your mind may look and feel different to you than it does to a friend. Some may want to eat, while others have no interest in food. Water and herbal teas are good to have on hand, and if you’re taking ecstasy, gum or candy can help with any clenchedjaw sensations.

Partner Up Do you have a friend or family member who has tripped before? If so, having an experienced sober companion can be helpful and make you feel safe. It can also help to alleviate any anxiety that you might feel should a mind-bending question arise.

Common outcomes of MDMA treatment include reduced symptoms related to PTSD and trauma-related memories, improved social functioning in SAD patients, and favorable communication in ASD patients.

PSILOCYBIN (MUSHROOMS) Patients who ingest mushrooms often report experiences of profound spiritual and emotional connections. Psilocybin can produce hallucinations that can influence your thinking, but which can also be challenging and transformative in positive ways. Common benefits include a reduction in depression symptoms, with some people experiencing full remis-

sion. Psilocybin is also used as a coping mechanism for cancer patients and to reduce anxiety and fear in end-of-life patients.

Do you have questions about psychedelics? The Psychedelic Info Line is the world’s first-of-itskind research call center devoted to reducing harm and improving outcomes by offering you the most up-todate information on psychedelics. While they cannot offer medical advice or promote psychedelic use, they have a wide breadth of peer-reviewed studies in their extensive library taken from thousands of participants worldwide.

Call 1-888-210-3553 (Monday to Thursday, 8 am to 5 pm MST); email support@unlimitedsciences. org or visit www. unlimitedsciences.org/ psychedelic-info-line.

LYSERGIC ACID DIETHYLAMIDE (LSD) The most visually stimulating of psychedelics, LSD creates powerful hallucinations that alter your state of consciousness. It can produce a euphoric trip that leaves patients feeling more creative and connected with their own spirituality and with the world around them. LSD is used to reduce alcohol cravings for people who suffer from alcohol use disorder, and to relieve pain caused by cluster headaches.

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Let Food Be Thy Medicine Good bacteria in your gut can put you on the path to greater health.

Here’s how food—and cannabis—can lead the way.

TEXT EUGENIA MERKOULOV AND CAROLYN SCOTT

The Greek physician Hippocrates, commonly called the father of modern medicine, famously said, “Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food.”

More than 2,000 years later, science confi rms this ancient insight.

The food that Earth produces offers vitamins and minerals the body needs to function and ward off illnesses, protein to help build muscle, and carbohydrates to give us energy.

Drinking plenty of water helps it all work.

But the key to how food supports our health lies deep in our gut.

What lies within The human gut has microbes (bacteria, fungi, etc.) that reside within the entire gastrointestinal (GI) tract and play a crucial role in the body’s optimal physiological functioning. When in

probiotics and prebiotics. Though similar, they have distinct functions.

Interestingly enough, cannabis and mushrooms both have roles to play in our gut biome.

Probiotics are foods that contain live microorganisms and work to repopulate the gut microbiome directly. Probiotics include kimchi, pickles, tempeh, yogurt, and beverages like kombucha and kefir. Prebiotics are the provisions for our tiny but mighty army, containing certain types of fibers that help support the population of beneficial bacteria in the gut.

Prebiotics are found in all edible mushrooms and certain foods from the plant kingdom, such as leafy greens, bananas, apples, cabbage, oats, flax seeds, and—you guessed it—cannabis.

Know your biotics Before highlighting You may have heard two new buzzwords recently: the prebiotic benefits of balance and strong in numbers, this microscopic army assists in major functions such as metabolizing your vitamins, breaking down carbohydrates, training the immune system to respond to the environment, and bolstering neurological performance.

However, various disorders may develop when the gut microbiota army numbers get low or severely skewed. Most of these, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, anxiety, and allergies, are relatively common in modern times. The average modern diet, chemicals, toxins in our food and environment, and long rounds of prescribed antibiotics can all impede the strength of our gut bacteria.

these powerful plants and fantastic fungi, let’s mention another emerging corner of clinical research: the endocannabinoid system. This system was only discovered in humans in 1988. In short, your body is filled with receptors designed explicitly for cannabinoids—the molecules that are so abundant in cannabis (some of which are intoxicating, some of which are not). Though cannabinoids can be found in tiny doses in some other plant foods, they are most abundant in cannabis.

New research also exists on the endocannabinoid system’s role in digestive health and its connection with the gut microbiome. This exciting new focus will undoubtedly lead to groundbreaking developments, especially in the area of immune function.

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THE SCENE

In the meantime, we can be sure that cannabis consumption supports GI tract wellness and helps maintain a healthy gut microbiome.

Good versus bad The big picture tells us that tailoring your diet is vital to maintaining gut health. However, we must eliminate the bad before including the good stuff.

Unfortunately, the typical American diet consists of foods full of synthetic preservatives, saturated fats, and sugars, all of which feed the harmful microbes in the gut. Synthetic preserva-

tives and saturated fats are found in packaged and fried foods. Sugar, however, isn’t just found in your favorite dessert or your late-night cheat snack. Processed sugars are often added to sauces, salad dressings, and even cured lunch meat.

Anything made with processed flour, like slices of white bread or a bowl of pasta, breaks down into large doses of sugar so quickly that it not only stresses the gut but also exceeds the bloodstream’s capacity to hold the sugar molecules. While eliminating these three primary gut stressors might not be

possible, minimizing their presence is a necessary first step.

Now, onto the good stuff.

Adding prebiotics and probiotics to your diet doesn’t have to be challenging. In fact, it can be quite fun, especially if you boast an adventurous palate. As mentioned earlier, various delicious foods and beverages from multiple cuisines contain live probiotics.

The most obvious are fermented foods, like sauerkraut, kimchi, and pickles. Health food stores often stock probiotic foods in their refrigerated section. Yo-

gurt is a popular source of probiotics—look for the words “live cultures” on the label and avoid flavored yogurt, which contains high amounts of sugar.

And if you have a picky palate, probiotic supplements are available at your local grocery store.

(Make sure to check with your doctor before taking any over-thecounter supplements.)

Prebiotic foods are likely already part of your diet, and simply increasing your intake of fruits, vegetables, and grains can improve gut health.

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all edible mushrooms are a vibrant source of prebiotics. Consider exploring beyond the baby bellas and white buttons to include medicinal mushrooms, such as reishi, chaga, cordyceps, or lion’s mane in your culinary creations. Equally

beneficial, whether eaten cooked or raw, these have been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to promote total body healing and longevity for thousands of years and have just recently entered mainstream holistic wellness practices.

The cannabis-gut connection Archeology and biology have revealed that cannabis has been a dietary and medicinal staple for a millennium. Now, science is discovering the benefits. One exciting discovery is that there

are endocannabinoid receptors in the gut. So not only does eating cannabis increase prebiotics in your gut, but probiotics and prebiotics help to bolster your body’s endogenous cannabinoid system.

How should cannabis be consumed for improved gut health? While enjoying meals cooked with cannabis delivers psychoactive effects along with digestive support, let’s not forget that raw cannabis is the new superfood on the block with its incredible nutrient density and notable levels of protein, fiber, and antioxidants.

While you might not find yourself sitting down with a bowl of nugs as your salad course, medicinal cannabis experts are highlighting that cannabis leaves pack the same micronutrients as the buds. The leaves can join your favorite raw fruits and veggies in a highly nutritional and prebiotic-rich smoothie, be added to a salad, used as a garnish, or dehydrated and ground into a tasty superfood powder that can accent almost anything.

The possibilities are endless, and while science uncovers new pathways to health in the labs, we can discover new routes to wellness in our kitchens.

GET COOKING WITH CANNABIS Check out this cannabis-infused Bomb Butter recipe on page 50.

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LOCAL I COLORADO

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porate restraint and, in order to unleash their creativity, he started with simple measures: nicknames. To that end, his team now includes The Pixel Punisher (aka Christopher, graphic design), Doc Op (aka Nick, head of operations), and The Mix Master (aka Tom, top chemist and developer). As they like to say, it’s as if “Doc Brown, Willy Wonka, and the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air came together to start a side hustle.”

But don’t let the nicknames fool you into thinking that Rewind Labs lacks expertise. On the contrary, each of the principal players comes with the credentials to Rewind Labs is an experiential ed- make their particular brand not ibles company entering the market only fun, but effective. Wonka of in Colorado. When we say experiWeed leads that charge. ential, we truly mean that Rewind A molecular scientist who spehas an outside-the-box experience cializes in medical devices and in mind, or perhaps behind the nanotechnology, Wonka of Weed box, since Rewind casts its line not first became passionate about edforward in time but backward to ibles after working with people the 1980s and 1990s. suffering from Parkinson’s. He had Their team of players live in far- developed certain technologies flung corners of the country (Wis- that were extraordinarily effective in moving chemicals across consin, Florida, and Colorado), cell membranes to ease symptoms so they function virtually much quickly. One patient wrote to him of the time, meeting somewhere in the digital cosmos. Despite the to say, “We’ve been trying your product, and I can play cards with distance, they share a camarademy dad again. He’s interested in rie and sense of fun that is truly books, and he talks to my mom, unique. In fact, their electric enand we have my dad back.” ergy nearly popped through the Feedback like this inspired phone lines during their recent Wonka of Weed to help more peointerview with Sensi, underscorple, but he didn’t want to stop at ing a zing that defines not only their org chart but also their core just healing. He also wanted to infuse his products —with fun— by tenets. Their founder, known in the virtual halls of Rewind Labs as introducing an edible that would Wonka of Weed, has a simple mis- transport the consumer back in sive: if it isn’t fun, it’s not Rewind. time to the ’80s and ’90s, when many of us were kids.

Determined to break free from Meanwhile, The Pixel Punisher the ordinary, Wonka of Weed has been researching the science wanted a team unbridled by corS P R I N G 2024

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QUIZ

HOW RETRO & RAD ARE YOU? As a kid, your parents thought they’d get rich by investing in: 1. Crypto 2. Real estate 3. Beanie Babies 4. War bonds Your childhood popular, eccentric, blonde pop star was: 1. Taylor Swift 2. Lady Gaga 3. Madonna 4. Marilyn Monroe Your classic handheld gaming platform was: 1. Your phone 2. PSP 3. Game Boy 4. Paddle with a ball & string Finish this sentence from your youth: “Stop! ______________” 1. “... and put on a mask!”

2. (rap) “… collaborate and listen!”

3. (sing) “… in the naaaame of love!”

Favorite MTV show: 1. What’s MTV? 2. “16 and Pregnant” 3. “The Real World” 4. What shows? MTV is only music!

behind nostalgia and how it impacts our frame of mind. “Nostalgia,” he says, “is a complex emotion that’s actually healing.” The word itself joins the two Greek words nostos and algos, meaning “to return home” and “pain.”

Together, it connotes a bittersweet longing for a time past.

“But here’s the weird science,” he continues. “You’d think that ruminating on the past would make you depressed. But it does the opposite.” Scientifically proven to increase serotonin while decreasing cortisol, nostalgia fights anxiety and stress while making us happier and more relaxed. “It makes us feel a better sense of self because it reminds us of who we really are … just big kids. Big kids with really hard jobs, complicated relationships, and high taxes. But when we’re brought back—by a sight, by a taste, by a smell, by a song—it reintroduces us to our truest selves.”

Back in the 1980s and 1990s, many of us kids were busy breakdancing or rollerblading, strutting around in our favorite jean jacket with a boombox hoisted on one shoulder, or feeding coins into the Mario Bros console at the local arcade. For the team at

The first music you ever owned was: 1. No one owns music, dummy.

2. An MP3 3. 4” and rectangular 4. 12” and round Add up your points and see your score on the next page!

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MAD LIBS

THE FUNKY SECRET LAB You suddenly find yourself in the neon-lit REWIND LABS with a group of

scientists. They seem to be obsessed with

(adjective)

using

and Weird Science to create amazing

(plural noun)

edibles! The cannabis snacks they’re just any ordinary

. “Holy

(noun)

aren’t

(-ing verb) (noun)

!

We’ve done it!” the crazed chemist shouts, with wide eyes and a smile as big as a

(noun)

. “These edibles will take people

back in time! We’ve mixed Weird Nano Science, the power of nostalgia, and funky

(plural noun)

to bring FUN back to the edibles

world!” You look down and see what he is pointing at: a table of (adjective)

you were just a young smacks you right in the

snacks you remember from back when (noun) (body part)

. A blast of nostalgia as you gaze upon

all these super dope edibles! “These new RAD ROX pop and crackle on your tongue! MUAH HA HA!” You quickly stuff a few different sweets down your (adjective)

(article of clothing)

and run off. “What a(n)

group!” you think, but you definitely can’t

wait to try more of these retro edibles and REWIND your mind!

Rewind, this time represents pure, unadulterated fun, and they are determined to infuse their candy-based products with a sensory experience that will also transport their consumers.

A tall order in an edible, but certainly well within their particular skill sets. As The Pixel Punisher succinctly says, “We’re not just sprinkling THC onto a vat of candy that we bought from Alibaba.” Between Wonka of Weed’s background in molecular science and The Pixel Punisher’s talent for color and graphics, they have their bases covered.

“We have a lot of technology in our products,” explains Wonka of Weed. “We are using established scientific principles to develop ways to effectively move medicine into the body while still having an experiential treatment of nostalgia. This is not the status quo edible.”

The first product that Rewind Labs will release is called Rad Rox—nano crystals that pop on the tongue. (Remember “Pop Rocks?”) Rad Rox will come in various super delicious flavors, including blue raspberry and watermelon. One belief Rewind holds sacred is that their edibles aren’t “tiny doses,” they’re “experiences.” As kids, who would eat a single gummy bear or take one tiny bite of a candy bar? No one. And that’s precisely the point. Rewind’s edibles will be something to enjoy, experience, and indulge in. And each new snack, to be unveiled according to a consistent schedule, will come with a new adventure and multi-sensory experience.

QUIZ RESULTS: YOUR RETRO & RAD SCORE 6-8: Go give this Sensi magazine back to your parents. And finish your homework.

9-14: Mega-millennial, Batman! Take a quick selfie with this rad score and post it. You know you wanna, you sexy thing!

15-20: Don’t worry. 40 is the new 30, and the first half of life is just practice, anyway. You rock—just with a dope mortgage.

21-23: You’re as oldschool as they get!

And by golly—just look at yourself. YOU’VE STILL GOT IT, you seasoned badass.

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THE END

Bomb Butter INGREDIENTS

8 ounces real butter (not non-dairy) 7 grams marijuana herb or 14 grams trimmings ½ cup lecithin granules EQUIPMENT

This cannabutter recipe

by Philadelphia’s “Chef Nubbs” Zach Scott is a great way to introduce cannabis into your diet.

The preparation takes a while, but it’s worth the journey.

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cheesecloth (doublelayered in a 12-by-12 inch square) fine mesh strainer 2- or 3-quart pot 5-inch tea ball or boilable nylon cooking bag 10-ounce or larger storage container (glass or plastic)

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INSTRUCTIONS

• Fill the pot with two-thirds water and bring to a boil.

• Chop or grind the cannabis very finely and seal it in a boilable bag.

• Place the ball or bag in the boiling water.

• Boil for 40 minutes, then remove.

• If your weed gets wet, pour it into a fine strainer and let dry for 30 minutes.

Discard water and rinse pot.

• Add about two inches of water to the pot and bring to a gentle boil (the point when tiny bubbles form on the surface).

• Add butter and let it melt.

• Add lecithin granules and dried weed.

• Maintain a gentle boil for eight to 10 hours (adding water as needed).

• Stir every 20 minutes for the first hour, then every two or three hours until finished.

STORAGE

• Line the strainer with the cheesecloth.

• Turn off the heat and carefully pour all the pot’s contents through the cheesecloth-lined strainer into the container.

• Let everything cool for a few minutes.

• When the cheesecloth is cool, pick it up by the corners to form a bag and squeeze out every drop of water and butter into the container.

• Cover the container and refrigerate overnight. The butter will solidify and separate from the water.

• Remove the butter and discard water.

• Pat dry the butter with an absorbent towel.

• The cannabinoids will remain potent for two to three weeks refrigerated, or two to three months frozen.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ZACH SCOTT

Use it as you would regular butter, but be careful with the amounts. Cannabutter is quite potent and a little goes a long way.

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