COLORADO SUMMER 2022
COLORADO SENSISUMMERMAGAZINE2022 @sensimagazinesensimediagroup@sensimag 42 FEATURES 34 Setting a Higher Bar Dialed In… Gummies is the biggest trendsetter in edibles. 42 Follow the Dopamine Meow Wolf is here to help alter your state of consciousness through immersive art. DEPARTMENTS 13 PUBLISHER’S NOTE 14 THE BUZZ News, tips, and tidbits to keep you in the loop ARTECHOUSE MIAMI Global artists and creative technology take you to the future this summer. SUMMER PLAYLIST Best beach reads (for free) thanks to Libby the library app. VACATION MINDED Don’t forget to include high CBD and low THC with your out of o ce autoreply. SUMMER READING Grab your stimulated!downloadheadphones,anaudiobook,andget 22 THE LIFE Contributing to your health and happiness THE REAL DIRT Patrick King aka “Soil King” shares the wisdom he’s gained from years as a man of the earth. EMERALD IN THE ROUGH The good folks at Humboldt Social help tourists discover California’s Weed Country. 50 THE END Lady Buds elevates the stories of women in cannabis as the industry faces a drop in female executive roles. ON THE COVER Jason founderManegold,ofDialed In… Gummies, prepares the next batch of greatness. PHOTO BY ANDREW MILLER SUMMER 2022 SENSIMAG.COM 9
EXECUTIVE Ron Kolb ron@sensimag.comFounder Stephanie Graziano stephanie.graziano@sensimag.comCEO ADVERTISING Toni Tardif National Sales Director Jade Kolb Social Media / Global Recruiting PUBLISHING Jamie Cooper Market Director, Michigan Richard Guerra Market Director, Massachusetts Nancy Reid Market Director, Florida EDITORIAL Stephanie Wilson Co-Founder + Editor in Chief stephanie.wilson@sensimag.com Doug Schnitzspahn Executive Editor Tracy Ross Managing Editor, Michigan Debbie Hall Managing Editor, Spark Jenny Willden Managing Editor, California Will Brendza Managing Editor, Colorado Radha Marcum Copy Editor Bevin Wallace Copy Editor DESIGN Jamie Ezra Mark Creative Director jamie@emagency.com Rheya Tanner Art Director Wendy Mak Designer Josh Clark Designer Miguel Martinez Designer PRODUCTION Neil Willis Production Director Richard Guerra Digital Production MEDIA SALES CALIFORNIANancyBirnbaum Media Sales Exec. COLORADONancySeidel Media Sales Executive Amy Sharp Media Sales Executive Tyler Tarr Media Sales Executive AnthonyFLORIDA Mckenzie Media Sales Exec. JakeMASSACHUSETTSBoyntonMedia Sales Exec. EricMICHIGANLutey Media Sales Executive Kyle Miller Media Sales Executive Will Oostendorp Media Sales Exec. Leah Stephens Media Sales Exec. OKLAHOMALeviClarkMedia Sales Executive Samantha Grigsby Media Sales Exec. PUERTO RICO Piper Emory Media Sales Executive ADVISORYNATIONAL BOARD NCRMA Risk Management ADVISORY BOARD ColoradoCOLORADOCannabis Company THC Co ee Concentrate Supply Co. Recreational Concentrates Higher Grade Boutique Cannabis Lab Society Extraction Expert + Lab Supplies marQaha Sublinguals + Beverages Monte Fiore Farms Recreational Cultivation Source CO Wholesale Consulting Terrapin Care Station Recreational Dispensary Uleva Hemp Products Witlon Inc. Payroll Processing MICHIGAN Arono Law (Craig Arono ) Licensing Law Firm Cannabis Counsel Cannabis Law Firm Etz Chaim Attestations Grapp Lerash Accounting/CPA Services Great Lakes Natural Remedies Lakeshore: Provisioning Center Kush Design Studio Cannabis Facility Design & Build MRB Solutions Human Resources Northern Specialty Health Upper Peninsula: Provisioning Center Pure West Compassion Club Caregiver Connection & Network Rair Medical Flower Solutions by Dr. Dave West Michigan: Hemp CBD Helping Friendly Hemp Company Hemp Topicals CornersMASSACHUSETTSPackaging Packaging Green Goddess Supply Personal Homegrown Biochamber The Holistic Center Medical Marijuana Evaluations Revolutionary Clinics Medical Dispensary Royal Gold Soil Tess Woods Public Relations Public Relations Vantage Builders Construction CALIFORNIARedDoorRemedies Dispensary: Cloverdale Uleva Hemp Products Witlon Payroll SUMMER 2022 SENSIMAG.COM 11
PUBLISHER’S NOTE A
GrowInnovateListenLead Sensi will continue to be a leader in building our community and serving you at the highest level. We look forward to bringing you along on this journey. We want Sensi to be the leader as the wellmedicine,nationentireopensitsarmstocannabistheindustryandinnovationsinthescience,asasnewimportantusesfortheplant.
Magazine published monthly by Sensi Media Group LLC. © 2022 Sensi Media Group. All rights reserved. SOCIALFINDUSONMEDIA somenewsofnewsfeedGroupLikeFACEBOOKSensiMediatoinfuseyourwithmoreourgreatcannabislifestylecontent.TWITTERFollow@sensimagforneed-to-knowandviewsfromSensiheadquarters.INSTAGRAMPrettythings,prettyplaces,prettyawe-people:nditallon@sensimagazine.
At the Cannabis Business Awards June 2022 in Miami, Sensi had the honor of winning “Most Influential Media Source” and we couldn’t be prouder. Ever since we launched in 2016, we have been working both to reimagine the perception of cannabis culture and keep a finger on the pulse of trends and new directions in the industry. We want Sensi to be the leader as the entire nation opens its arms to cannabis medicine, the industry, and innovations in science, as well as new important uses for the plant.
stephanie.graziano@sensimag.com SUMMER 2022 SENSIMAG.COM 13
We are also in the midst of an exciting revival of our brand and there are many bold changes afoot here at Sensi. In these new summer print issues of our magazine in all markets, you will see a renewed focus in support of brands who represent the roots of this industry. We are celebrating people like Patrick King, who was incarcerated for his belief in cannabis, but now stands at the forefront of a renaissance. King, along with others know the potential cannabis has to heal those suffering from chronic pain to combat-induced PTSD, and we advocate for him and his vision for the healthy cultivation of the plant. This is the future. Sensi is committed to connecting you with the important voices in our community and to celebrating the value they bring to our everyday lives.
One disturbing trend in the cannabis industry, however, is a falloff in the number of women and people of color who serve in executive positions. We are proud to be heading in the opposite direction. There is a plurality of women in our top-level positions, and we see women as thought leaders in the business and drivers in dismissing tired old stereotypes about cannabis—and we intend to lead the way in bringing more women and people of color into important roles in the industry. We must prove that this industry can set an example that all should follow.
And it turns out you don’t need to go running to experience runner’s high. Running, swimming, weightlifting, and cycling are all shown to deliver a boost in endocannabinoids. What matters most is the level of intensity. Push yourself hard enough, and your body rewards you by flooding your system with cannabis-like molecules of bliss.
Research from Wayne State University School of Medicine summarizes nearly two decades of work on the topic and confirms that it’s not endorphins but rather endocannabinoids that are the star of the show. “We found that exercise consistently boosted endocannabinoid levels across studies,” says Hilary A. Marusak, a neuroscientist at the university. “The effects were most consistent for a chemical messenger known as anandamide—the so-called ‘bliss’ molecule, which was named, in part, for its positive effects on mood.”
Runner’s High
UNSPLASHVIAGREENATLASBYPHOTO
With exercise, your body produces its own cannabis-like molecules of bliss. So, by now you’re probably familiar with cannabinoids—they’re the compounds in the cannabis plant that are responsible for its effects. THC is the one responsible for the psychoactive “high.” CBD is the one with all sorts of medicinal benefits. And those are just two of more than 128 phytocannabinoids (“phyto” meaning “produced by a plant”) in marijuana. But did you know that our body produces its own cannabinoids as well? Called endocannabinoids (“endo” meaning “of the body”), these tiny molecules of lipids circulate in the brain and body, working on receptors to cause a variety of effects, maintaining balance in the brain and body in a process called homeostasis. If you’ve ever experienced the elusive buzzy, euphoric I-can-do-anything feeling at the end of hard exercise known as the runner’s high, you have your endocannabinoids—not your endorphins—to thank.
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cannabiswhichconsumeAmericanscannabisinsomeformaccordingtoMRI-Simmons’ndingsfromitsNationalCannabisStudy,capturesthefullspectrumofuseacrosstheUS.
CONTRIBUTORS
Libby is the free library app that makes borrowing a book (digital or audio) way easier than baking a pie. A library card and a few taps of your ngers are all you need to access your local institution’s digital catalog. Here are some suggestions from our recent Libby history.
$33 BILLION The accordingrevenueexpectedfromsalesofmarijuanabytheendof2022,toanewstudybyMJBiz
TEAMLABBYPHOTOSLEFT
Hall, Stephanie
Our Country Friends by Gary Shteyngart
An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green
You have until August 31 to check out “Renewal 2121,” an Artechouse original production created in collaboration with artists from around the globe—including visual designer Yuya Takeda, scenery from Design Foundry, and music by Mario Hammer and the Lonely Robot. Together, the artists utilize the power of creative technology to transport experiential-art-goers to an imagined future 100 years from now where they traverse through a cyberpunk cityscape, an interactive market, a busy data center, and a taiko drum experience to nd nature blooming in the most unexpected places.
Art + Tech + House = Artechouse, which calls itself “the nation’s rst innovative art space for art and technology.” The art incubator is supporting and working with experiential, tech-driven art, merging art, science, and technology to stimulate the senses.
An author locks down with friends, lovers, and rivals and lives to write ction about it.
A literal lol modern metaphor involving a giant snake eating the ultra-wealthy denizens of Palm Beach.
Debbie Wilson
BY NUMBERSTHE $4.6 BILLION Sales of CBD products in the US in 2020. By 2026, this market is expected to grow to 16 billion dollars in value.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas Tears were running down our faces just 10 minutes into this YA novel about a teenage girl grappling with the very adult topics of racism, police brutality, and privilege
The Incendiaries by R.O. Kwon What would you do if your college girlfriend joined a cult and blew up your life?
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The power of a post: An out-of-this-world tale involving aliens, social media, and collective consciousness wrapped up in a witty narrative that had us laughing out loud while walking the dog.
26 PERCENT of
Squeeze Me by Carl Hiassen
Artechouse Miami
The Friend by Sigrid Nunez
Reminder: Dogs are the best.
Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam If you booked an Airbnb in the middle of nowhere this summer, you may want to skip this book. It’ll hit a bit too close to home, and you didn’t travel all that way to be feeling unsettled all week after you’ve nished it in one day because it’s too good to hit pause.
SUMMERPLAYLIST
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VACATION-MINDED How to put your brain on “away.”
STOCKADOBEVIATIERNEYUNSPLASH;VIAEMSLEYKALENBYLEFTFROMPHOTOS
—David McCullough, author, narrator, popular historian, and lecturer
An ode to the audiobook All the good intentions in the world don’t make it easier to nd the time to get lost in the books on your summer reading list. So let someone read to you; they’ll do it with more in ection than the voice in your head will, anyway. And, no, it’s not “cheating.” In a study published in the Journal of Neuroscience, brain scans show that listening to a book stimulates the same cognitive and emotional areas of the brain as reading does. So, you can leave your guilt next to the stack of hardcovers on your nightstand, grab your headphones, and get lost in a good read while you go about your day. Climb the mountain so you can see the world, not so the world can see you.”
Summer Reading
Fact is, you can’t relax on command, even when you want to. Given the ironclad grip stress and digital demands have on you 24/7, your brain’s wheels are still spinning long after you’ve turned on your “out-of-o ce” auto reply. That’s because stress activates the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), your ight-or- ght nervous response, and we can get hooked on the adrenaline that fuels it. While it’s helpful when you’re juggling meetings and to-do lists and all the things that make up your everyday life, it also makes it di cult to relax, even when you’re lying on a beach towel on the rst day of your long-overdue getaway this summer. Science says cannabis may help with that. A 2018 study published in the Journal of A ective Disorders suggests smoking cannabis can signi cantly reduce short-term levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. It may also contribute to worse overall feelings of depression over time, so, you know, everything in moderation. If you’re feeling blue, one pu of something high in CBD and low in THC is optimal for reducing symptoms of depression. For anxiety, the researchers found that two pu s of any type of cannabis will do you good. And if you’re so stressed, you can hear the knots in your back grinding against each other when you roll your shoulders (same, dude, same), pack yourself a big ol’ bowl of Harlequin, Sour Tsunami, or Cannatonic and go to town. Study participants reported the largest reductions in stress after taking 10 pu s or more of a CBD-dominant strain. But before you do, take a moment to try to relax so the bliss-inducing cannabinoids aren’t doing all the heavy lifting. Take some big, deep breaths, pull your shoulders out of your ears, let your muscles relax. The antidote to your SNS is your PNS, your parasympathetic nervous system, which, fueled by the release of beta-endorphins, can create a relaxation response in the body and mind. You can help it along by acting relaxed, even if you don’t feel it quite yet. Lead with your body, and your mind will follow—to someplace more mellow. Enjoy your stay.
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bouldermushroom.com
Step Up Your Yard Game
Gourmet Fungi
TANGY THC Cheeba Chews has been making high potency cannabis candies for over a decade—and the Colorado company has dialed in its secret sauce dialed. The new fruit ta y line is dangerously delicious. These ta y bites are packed with explosive tangy avor, made with natural ingredients. It’s almost ba ing that Cheeba Chew didn’t just go into the candy business. Infused with 10 mgs of high grade cannabis oil, every single bite-sized chew will get you feeling good and high. cheebachews.com
The magic of mushrooms is alive and well in Boulder, Colorado. The strains of blue oyster, pink oysters, turkey tail and others growing out of Boulder Mushroom are grown with love and care—and sought after by Boulder’s chefs and restaurants. But you can order these gourmet fungi for yourself too. They’re fresh, they’re healthy, and they’re so full of flavor you’ll have a hard time going back to store-bought mushrooms once you’ve tried these.
You’ve played cornhole before. You’ve played darts before. But you’ve never played both games wrapped up into a single, ball tossing, tower game extravaganza. Perfect for beaches, pools, backyard parties or BBQ’s in the park, Tower Ball is an addictive game that only gets more fun with more people. Each round, players must toss a ball through a hole—which seems simple enough. However, with every passing round the holes get smaller and the stakes get higher. calibergames.com
RIDE HIGH-WATERHIGH-COUNTRYTHE
Made in Steamboat Springs, Hala Stand-up Paddleboards are designed to tear up high-country high-water. Hala has been leading the charge for in atable SUPs since founder Peter Hall quit his job as a schoolteacher and dove headlong into the business of paddleboarding in 2011. Since day one, his focus has been on Colorado’s rivers, and Hala’s SUPs deliver performance, durability, innovation, and quality. Some of the brand’s in atable boards, like the super stable Straight Up ($1,199), are made for chilled out days cruising around lakes or reservoirs, while others are speci cally crafted for racing down whitewater rapids, such as the 8-foot, 6-inch Hala Atcha 86 ($1,299). No matter what your skill level or your intended use, Hala has a board for you.
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ALL ABOUT THAT LIFE PAX DOES NOT PRODUCE, MANUFACTURE OR DISTRIBUTE CANNABIS. NOT FOR SALE TO MINORS. © 2021 PAX Labs, Inc. All Rights Reserved. PAX, X, ERA, ERA LIFE and ERA PRO are all trademarks of PAX Labs, Inc. US and International Patents Pending. Complete list of Patents and Trademarks: www.pax.com/intellectual-property-list
Power of Water
Voda solventless cannabis features concentrates extracted from premium strains with the broadest cannabinoid profiles.
V oda Concentrates, based in Colorado, harnesses the power of water, the essential source of life, for its premium products. Inspired by and extracted with water, solventless cannabis concentrates are created from premium strains with the broadest cannabinoid profiles.
The first form—hard, stable chunks of THC-A with high potency—is combined with a very fluid oil, high in the plant’s natural live terpene profile, achieving the perfect balance. Tri-Pod is not the average pod or cartridge but a disposable device that encompasses innovation. The pod is not straight rosin; Voda instead uses solventless terpene oil, which preserves the terpene’s taste. Its device technology increases the fluidity of the oil, which lets it yield a larger and more potent draw, making it more affordable for the market.
Voda Concentrates
PROMOTIONAL FEATURE VODA CONCENTRATES
Voda Concentrate is a minority-owned brand by Nate Wilson, who has been in the cannabis industry since 2013, helping to launch a series of quality brands. He also operates a manufacture facility in Colorado where it produces multiple products. All products are available in dispensaries throughout Colorado and California.
Concentrates
Their highest-potency solventless product, THC-A, consistently tests at 95–99 percent total cannabinoids. Clients that use concentrates for uses other than recreational purposes or with a high tolerance will appreciate the potency.
Rosin, using hand-picked strains, combines heat and pressure to produce a solventless hash oil. Every strain is hand-picked to ensure it’s as fresh as possible for the perfect result. Rosin has many forms, and each strain reacts naturally, and the variety of strains makes every experience different.
Ice Sauce allows consumers to enjoy high cannabinoids and full terpenes together in a complete bond.
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Voda Concentrates focuses on extracting quality fresh-frozen marijuana buds to produce pure resin-heavy hash, which leads to very potent and terpene-rich rosin. Its team consists of a dedicated and passionate group of individuals offering years of combined experience in Colorado’s cannabis landscape. They are driven to provide a premium product that perfectly exemplifies all of the desired qualities found in fresh cannabis plants.
vodaconcentrates.com@vodaconcentrates
The Real Dirt
The king of soil spreads seeds of wisdom when it comes to cannabis, real organic agriculture, and listening to the child within. TEXT DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN
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Patrick King has been in the business since the beginning. Like so many who are now at the center of the industry, he was once incarcerated for his involvement in cannabis. Like so many others, he has shucked off those negative stereotypes to become a leader, not just in this industry, but in a larger movement toward health and wellness, and away from traditional business and agricultural structures. More than cannabis itself, King has always been fascinated by and in tune to that which grows cannabis—good soil. An instrumental voice in California’s legalization movement and coveted speaker in the industry and beyond, King is the founder of The Soil King, a marketing,remediation,ing,distribution,turalincludinglegalservicesbusinessCalifornia-basedthatprovidesdowntheentirecannabissupplychainsoils,agricul-products,genetics,manufactur-transportation,retail,cultivation,packagingand
There’s no segregation in agriculture. As long as you cultivate soil and you’re growing a living soil, you’re producing all the enzymes, fungal bacteria, and you’re feeding your soul. I’m not always right.
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“Regulationandtestingincannabishassetthebarsohighthattherestofagriculturehasyettomeetit.…Theplanetneedscannabisbecausecannabishassetthebarsohigh.Cannabisisnotjustmedicinaltousashumans;it’smedicinaltotheplanet.
You hear people say all the time that cannabis is not addictive. Everything is addictive. I know lots of people who have to have it every morning, every day, no matter what.
A lot of times what I did yesterday or the day before is different from what I know now. That’s evolving. That’s being humble and understanding that we’re not perfect. We’re just striving to do good things. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. I’m just happy for the journey. I don’t look down the road.
I always talk about this 12-year-old boy who’s inside of me. He’s been the only one in my life who told me I can; I will. He’s proud of me. I check in with him all the time and he reminds me that we’ve come a long way. We did this together and he’s never quit on me and I never quit on him. Your biofilm, the good enzymes your gut holds— it’s all the same enzymes the soil generates. When I’m digging in the forest on the big island, Hawaii, and I come across this certain smell and it feels so rich and so pure, I take a pinch of it and I put it in my cheek like it’s tobacco. I’m feeding my whole body and my soul with that. That’s my hospital; that’s the pharmacy; that’s everything you really need to keep yourself healthy. People think I’m crazy— but, as soon as I get that certain scent and I feel it, it goes right in my cheek.
LEARN MORE Soil King / soilking.com Instagram @thesoilking more. He took the time to share a lifetime of wisdom with Sensi. I was born for a purpose. That purpose is being a steward of the planet and building a platform to help educate about the planet. I’ve never grown a plant, but I have grown healthy soil that produced a plant. People always laughed at me. I have a garden center and I quit carrying all bottle nutrients. And people laughed and told me I was stupid. They said that’s the stuff that sells. I just said that’s not my future; that’s not the future of this world. Today, I have a complete team, an army of likeminded stewards of the environment right alongside me who are teaching me as I’m teaching them. If I went to a vineyard, took a leaf sample, and tested it for nants—heavycontami-metals, herbicides, pesticides—they would pop significantly. You could never apply any of that on a cannabis farm because regulation and testing in cannabis has set the bar so high that the rest of agriculture has yet to meet it. Now, everybody says that’s bad, but as a guy who has knowledge of this stuff, I love the bar being set that high. The planet needs cannabis because cannabis has set the bar so high. Cannabis is not just medicinal to us as humans; it’s medicinal to the planet. We have this world of commercial agriculture destroying the planet quickly with unhealthy poison. These commercial guys were just growing, growing, growing. Then all of a sudden, there’s this little circle in the middle—us—and now we’re growing. Now, I see all these massive companies—even totheytalkingganics.andwhatingScotts—areMonsanto,allnowturn-backwardstowardwewerescreamingcomingoutwithor-Now,they’reallthelanguagethattolduswewerecrazyevendiscussbackthen.
A JOINT you can eat by signing up for our mailing list ENTER TO WIN $100 GIFT CARDS QuickGummies | QuickSticks | QuickDissolves EDIBLES THAT FEEL LIKE SMOKING 24 COLORADO SUMMER 2022
The company’s Blueberry Twax recently won third place in the THC Classic Awards in the Caviar joint category. The Clear Twax Blueberry also won second place in the 2022 THC Championship for the Infused Pre-Roll category.
The Twax distillate-infused prerolled joint was developed for the experienced cannabis consumer. First, full flower is ground to the perfect consistency for the perfect burn. Then, Clear’s proprietary infusion process pumps up the potency for the perfect punch every time. Finally, it provides the potency consumers desire with smoothness and burnability. Each pre-roll contains dye-free, unbleached papers, 1.25g of premium bud, and 200mg of AAA-grade flavorless distillate. Twax products come in several all-natural flavors, including Grapevine, Lemon Haze, Orange Cream, Banana Cream, and Blueberry.
Flavor Explosion
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Twax minis are the perfect small flavorful enhancements. These infused mini pre-rolls pack a punch and are rolled with dye-free papers for a smooth burn. Each joint contains .35g of full flower paired with AAA-grade distillate and plant-derived terpenes.
PROMOTI ONAL FEATURE CLEAR CANNABIS INC.
CCI licenses intellectual property related to The Clear™ and other industry-leading cannabis brands. Services provided by CCI include hardware, packaging, training, standard operating procedures, quality control methodology, agency sales, marketing, merchandising, product R&D, and leasing services.
Clear Cannabis Inc. Cannabis Products clearcannabisinc.com
Clear Cannabis Inc. launches Twax by The Clear™, a new infused pre-roll for the Colorado market. F lavor explosions of blueberry, lemon haze, and banana cream will now delight the consumers of cannabis in Colorado. Clear Cannabis Inc. recently introduced Twax by The Clear™—new infused pre-rolls that are available in single 1.25g and seven-minis options.
There are seven minis per tin with 2.45g of premium infused flower. Choose from four flavors for Twax Mini Infused Pre-rolls, including Blueberry, Banana Cream, Grapevine, and Lemon Haze.
Enter EmeraldtheTriangle Humboldt County is to weed what Napa is to wine, and the good people at Humboldt Social are here to elevate your California cannacation. TEXT STEPHANIE WILSON VILLAGOMEZLEONBYPHOTO THE LIFE TRAVEL 26 COLORADO SUMMER 2022
VILLAGOMEZLEONRICHARDS,MADELINEHYLAND,DREWLEFT:TOPFROMCLOCKWISEPHOTOS
Wanna canna getaway?
This region known as the Emerald Triangle— Trinity, Mendocino, and Humboldt counties—is to high-grade cannabis what the Napa Valley is to wine: a tentpole of the Northern California economy. By some estimates, this marijuana trifecta produced between 40 and 60 percent of all the pot consumed in America before legalization began to spread state by state.
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Head to forcar,orflcheap.ten,intheandtotimefavoriteicsofindustry,thenia)other(especiallysparselyHumboldtCalifornia’sCounty.ThispopulatedregioncomparedtopartsofCalifor-istheepicenterofAmericancannabisthebirthplacethecultureandgenet-behindsomeofyourstrains.It’shighyoupaidavisit.Notthatit’ssupereasygetthere.AmericanUnitedbothflyintosmallregionalairportArcata,butnotveryof-sotheticketsaren’tYou’rebetteroffyingintoSanFranciscoSacramento,rentingaandhittingtheroadasix-hourdriveupthe
coast along Highway 101. It’s a long drive, but you’ll see once you get there that it’s totally worth it.
All it will take for the notoriously tightlipped community that housed the largest concentration of black-market grows for the last half-century to rightfully claim its title as the world’s most sacred holy land is a little more hospitality. It’s All Happening The dramatic cultural shift in conversation away from illegal grows to mainstream marketing campaigns declaring Humboldt to be America’s cannabis heartland is already underway, with local tourism boards launching nationwide campaigns spreading the good word far and wide. Closer to home, a host of fresh cannabis-centric properties and activities cater to a higher class of traveler. We’re not talking about 420-friendly Airbnbs or
While lumber mills and salmon canneries used to fuel the local economy, today, cannabis is the mainstay, largely on the cultivation side of things. But as interest in cannabis tourism continues to rise worldwide, Humboldt County is poised to step out of the traditional market and into the spotlight to claim the title of marijuana mecca. CNBC estimates that cannabis accounts for two-thirds of the local economy, with about 20 percent of the local population making a living in cultivation across a network of small cities, farms, and tiny agriculture-centric villages.
Humboldt Bay Social Club brings visitors together under a shared appreciation of the good things in life.
CANNABIS *Mention this ad and receive $100 off your activation fee! 720-740-3076 www.adilas.biz P O S / E R P S O F T W A R E FREE DEMO! Stop wasting money on separateplatforms.software Track and GROW your finances and operations by using an software!all-inclusive Cultivation Production Dispensary 28 COLORADO SUMMER 2022
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Humboldt Social Is Here Enter Humboldt Social. This boutique hospitality company friendly to cannabis “creates unique lodging, dining and event spaces that welcome visitors as family. We are boutique lodging with two very different locations: Scotia, nestled in the redwoods, and Humboldt Bay Social Club, on the beach. We also curate authentic, integrated travel experiences that reflect the richness of our region. We are passionate about introducing our guests to Humboldt’s most unique resources—our redwoods, beaches, cannabis farms, and creative community.”
smoking tours catering to heavy-lidded stoners, but rather nuanced establishments that match the sensibilities of discretionary thecannabisheartlandpilgrimagetravelerslyknowtopoor-qualityclichéchaincializedaswithjustnia’sverywhotravelers—travelersaren’tgonnatakethelongtriptoCalifor-remoteNorthCoasttogethighonabusblackenedwindowsitrollsfromcommer-indoorgrowtodispensarysellingmerchtogowithpre-rollsconsumerswhodon’tanybetterandreal-don’tcareeither.Cannabis-seekingwhomaketheuptotheofAmericandososeekingprofound.Theycome
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to get a taste of the local culture, to get a glimpse behind the redwood curtain, and to hear crazy firsthand stories about what’s it’s been like to have a hand in shaping modern cannabis culture from the very people responsible for creating the genetics of some of the world’s top strains. The people who heard the government’s demand to just say no and replied no way. The people who risked their lives and their freedom to bring us access of what they refer to simply as the plant. The travelers who come to Humboldt for the cannabis come seeking more than the surface-level experience. They come to get immersed in the details.
The people behind Humboldt Social are all about the details. Their aesthetic is inspired by the history and beauty of the North Coast, with an emphasis on reclaimed materials, vintage furnishings, and lots of natural light. The resulting spaces are welcoming low-key retreats that invite travelers and locals alike to enjoy an elevated way of life. Founded by husbandand-wife duo Jon and Amy O’Connor, this new hospitality group—which now consists of boutique hotels, waterfront cabins, and the Social Nature cannabis brand—is in the business of normalization. At any of the venues in Comfort and cannabis go hand-in-hand at Scotia Lodge.
1st Place Distilate Vape. ROOSTER SHOWDOWN710 @ ambervapes.co 30 COLORADO SUMMER 2022
While you’ve no doubt seen the proliferation of CBD massages on spa menus, THC had yet to make an appearance at any American day spa until HS partnered with Nicole Fryer, co-founder of Social Spas. “I’m the first day spa in the country to be able to have THC activation,” Nicole tells Sensi. She had been interested in creating THC massages for a while, but after speaking with a woman at the department of health, she realized that the state was adamant about topicals being a type of consumption. She couldn’t offer the service unless she had a social-consumption license, which at the time seemed out of reach. Then Humboldt Social approached. “They were like, ‘we’re gonna do this spa thing,’” she says. “And I was like, ‘cool. Let’s do it.’” And so they did. And they’re the first to have done it. Which is almost as amazing as a THC massage. Seriously, you gotta get one. When is the best time to go? Now. You should go right now. Think about it: You’ll be taking a trip to explore America’s cannabis heartland at a pivotal time in our nation’s history, as marijuana prohibition comes to a stuttering end. While you’re there, be among the very first to have a THC-activated massage. You can tour cannabis farms where legendary strains came to be and meet the legacy cultivators and former outlaws who helped shape the culture of cannabis in America. Stay at a cannabis-friendly hotel where you can inhale nature’s bounty out in the open surrounded by stunning scenery and other pioneering travelers like andYouHumboldtthem:don’tyourself—althoughexpecttoomanyofyoudon’tcometoforthecrowds.cometohangoutrelax. humboldt-social.com
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VILLAGOMEZLEONBYPHOTOS
HS’s portfolio, consuming cannabis is as normal as drinking wine. This is how it should be. After all, at wineries in Napa, people don’t think twice about raising toasts until their lips are purple. The O’Connors wanted to afford cannabis consumers the same sense of freedom to indulge in the region’s bounties in whatever ways they like. Spark a joint while soaking in a clawfoot tub in the open-air bathhouse at Oyster Beach and watch the storm roll in over the water. Enjoy the food-truck-inspired fare at Jetty restaurant, tucked inside the clubhouse at HS’s boutique hotel property, Social Club. Light up with your friends while sitting around a firepit at Papa & Barkley Social’s smoking lounge in Eureka. If that revs up your appetite, satiate yourself and raise a glass of high seltzer at Pig & Leaf, the on-site food truck. Hit your vape pen in the designated smoking area at the cannabis-friendly Scotia Lodge before deep-diving into a redwood forest bath on the Avenue of Giants. Or don’t—you do whatever makes you most comfortable.Whichofcourse means booking a THC-activated massage at the Papa & Barley Social Day Spa.
Papa and Barkley’s Social spa melds THC and TLC.
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Additional flavors set to launch this summer include Guava, as well as a mixed pack of Peach and Mango. The most popular dosage is a 50mg piece, with a total of 1,000mg per bag—although this is a medical-only dosage, recreational consumers will feel the same quick, potent effects provided by the 10mg NanoBites found at your localDosddispensary.NanoBites have the consistency and chewiness of the grocery store brands you’ve grown to love … but with a THC twist. NanoBites are currently available at licensed dispensaries in California, Colorado, Oklahoma, and Missouri.
—Kyle Williams, vice president of brand development for Dosd Edibles. Dosd NanoBites Edibles DOSDedibles.com
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These gummies use nanoparticles (science!) to provide more THC bang for your buck as well as consistently faster absorption. Consumers continue to be focused on finding the healthiest pathway possible for their cannabis, and the edible market has exploded in popularity, with demand higher than ever before. Dosd NanoBites, created in 2017 by the Colorado-based award-winning team at Concentrate Supply Co. and Nomad Extracts, has developed a chewy, traditional-style gummy with absorption beginning the instant one is popped into a mouth or chewed. These delicious, brightly colored NanoBites contain water-soluble cannabinoid nanoparticles (yes, it is a mouthful). These delightful treats bypass the traditional manner that other edibles follow—that is, metabolizing fat-soluble cannabinoids through the liver. The water-soluble cannabinoids in NanoBites begin absorption into the system with the first chew with a full onset within 30 minutes or less. The increased bioavailability also means the body absorbs and utilizes more cannabinoids compared to fat-soluble edibles. No more significant delay in effects— one of the most popular complaints has been the uneven or inconsistent effects offered by different edible products currently available in dispensaries. They come in a wide range of flavors at hundreds of retail and medical locations throughout the state. Current flavors include Mixed Fruit, Watermelon, Blue Raspberry, Piña Colada, Raspberry 1:1, and Black Cherry 1:1.
A Colorado company is setting edible trends, pushing industry innovation and collaboration to heights previously unknown. TEXT WILL BRENDZA 34 COLORADO SUMMER 2022
MILLERANDREWBYPHOTO J ason Manegold started with just $5,000, a freeze dryer, and a dream. He wanted to create a Colorado cannabis company that would take edibles to a new level—a company that would act as an intersection for industry collaboration and innovation and a place for him to pursue his passion for high-quality extracts and infusions. Manegold wanted to set a new industry precedent for solventless rosin extract edibles. So, he did. He started Dialed In… Gummies in 2020, and now his rosin-infused gummies are everywhere in Colorado. Dialed In was the first company to commercialize ice-water-extracted rosin-infused edible products, Manegold says. And It’s become one of the premiere edible companies in the state. “I just had an idea and was able to convince some of our producers in the state to share their flower or material with me, and I’d wash it for them,” Manegold says. The producer would send him the raw material—the flower—he’d “wash” that into bubble hash, press it into rosin, and infuse Dialed In’s gummies using a French sous vide cooking method. Then the packaging on the end product would include both the name of the flower producer and of Dialed In… Gummies. “That really kind of caught fire quickly,” he says That was just two years ago. Today Dialed In is in almost 350 cannabis stores in Colorado; the company has collaborated with over 70 cultivators and rosin makers, turning out more than 730 batches of the most potent, premium cannabis gummies you’ll find in any store, anywhere in Colorado. That’s thanks in large part to its secret sauce: that ice-water-extracted rosin. No one else was doing that to make edibles when Dialed In hit the Colorado cannabis scene.
Ice-water extraction wasn’t popularized until several thousand years later, though, in the 1990s.
According to cannabis lore, the infamous hash maker Mila Jansen (otherwise known as “the Hash Queen”) came up with the bright idea of using pollinator bags to strain her ice-water bubble hash and then press it into rosin. Of course, back then it was a felony to possess—let alone produce—any form of hash or cannabis product. So, the technique, while far safer than other extraction methods, remained relatively obscure and underground until recently. But with the commercialization of cannabis and the rise of companies like Dialed In... Gummies, it’s making a dramatic re-entrance that’s shaking up the industry.
Now, some of the biggest edible companies in the state are following Dialed In’s lead. Much larger companies like Wana and Cheeba Chews are jumping on board the rosin-infused edible train. Bubble hash is the product of ice-water extraction and is undoubtedly the cleanest form of oil extraction. less, which consumers should never confuse with solextractions. Solvent-free extractions counterintuitively use a
“When we started, we were the only [business] doing this, and we took off relatively quickly and became popular relatively quickly,” Manegold says. You can find bubble hash and rosin in almost every cannabis dispensary in the state. But you couldn’t find any edibles that had been infused with rosin, produced out of collaboration from within the industry, between businesses. At least, not until Dialed In came along.
“We feel like we completely changed the cannabis industry in the state of Colorado,” Manegold says. “We’re the first edible company to change the tables and make a rosin-infused edible that the [regular users] could jump on board with and really enjoy.”
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Ice-water rosin extracts, like those Dialed In uses to infuse its gummies, are cutting edge. They illustrate just how far cannabis extracts have come since their earliest days. Hash dates back to ancient India, over 3,000 years ago, and is still popular in modern day India, where it’s locally referred to as charas (it’s popular among sadhu holy men and foreign backpackers alike). That form of old-school resin is made from live cannabis bud that harvesters roll between their palms until it balls up into sticky nuggets of smokable hash.
36 COLORADO SUMMER 2022
“From my experience, if you eat 10 milligrams of Dialed In, it would be like eating 20 milligrams of the competitors,” he says.
The resulting residue is scraped away and needs to then be decarboxylated and converted from THCA into THC—activating the psychoactive compound, Manegold explains. That step requires the application of heat, but with a caveat.
hydrocarbon solvent to extract cannabis oil from the cannabis flower. Butane, propane, ethanol, and carbon dioxide have historically been popular for this process. Those volatile gasses are used to dissolve the plant matter with pressure and heat and wring out all of the juicy terpenes and cannabinoids it contains. However, if volatile gasses aren’t handled properly, it can result in extract laboratory explosions or tainted hash product. Resins (with an E) are produced by solvent-free extraction methods (which use solvents). Rosins (with an O) are produced by solventless ice-water extraction. The latter is an organic process and, according to Manegold, it produces a more potent extract.
Ice-water extractions are simple in design but require a lot of work. The raw flower, provided by cultivators in collaboration with Dialed In, is placed in ice-water baths with a series of mesh filters. The trichome heads become brittle as they get cold and eventually snap away from the plant material, collecting on the mesh filters as they’re pulled from the water.
“Some people will throw hash into the oven, but they usually do Dialed In wanted to capture that good stu . So, they got creative and developed their own technology that allows them to decarb cannabis, in what is essentially a closed jar.
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at t o uch e s y our l i p s s hou l d ta s te t h i s b e a u ti fu l Do y ou r lips d re a m i n c o l o r ? I n t ro d uci n g Co2lo r s: hig h p o t en c y frui t- a v o re d c ann a bi s oil, formula t e d u s i n g p u re c ann a bi s and all - n a tu ra l fruit t erpe n e s fo r a p o t e n t exper i e n c e th a t ’s b i g on t a s t e. E nj o y Apri co t, Blueb e rr y, G rape D reams, S t ra wb e rr y Le mona de , S t ra w nana, an d S w e e t M e l o n . L i v e vib ra n tl y a n d n d y ou r fa v or i t e a v o r. co2 lors .com
in g
E ve r t h t h
y
“From
it uncovered in an open vessel,” Manegold says. He equates that method to heating up a glass of vodka and burning off all the alcohol. “Cannabis is the same way,” he says. “THC evaporates at a certain temperature, and terpenes do, and every single cannabinoid does, so you’re just evaporating all the good stuff into the environment.”
MILLERANDREWBYPHOTO SUMMER 2022 SENSIMAG.COM 39
ifexperience,myyoueat10milligramsofDialedIn,itwouldbelikeeating20milligramsofthecompetitors.”
Dialed In wanted to capture that good stuff. So, they got creative and developed their own technology that allows them to decarb cannabis, in what is essentially a closed jar. It wasn’t easy, Manegold says. Figuring out how to keep the jars from detonating and making an oily mess was a challenge—but they pulled it off. And now when the folks at Dialed In decarb their hash, it retains far more of its cannabinoid and terpene content. Following decarboxylation, Dialed In infuses the rosin into gummies with their sous vide cooking technique. It’s the final step in the process, and it’s one that has set Dialed In apart from its competition since the very beginning. “Our method is completely different from anyone else’s in the country at this point,” Manegold says. From start to finish—from sourcing the raw product through collaboration, to washing that, extracting the hash, pressing it into rosin, and infusing into their gummies—every single step has been uniquely tweaked and fine-tuned at Dialed In. Dialed In took a leap and established a trend—and Manegold accomplished the goal he’d set out to achieve. But where does the industry go from here? Companies are now making ice-water-extracted bubble hash, pressed into rosin and infused into gummies with French cooking techniques; others are using advanced scalable living-soil techniques and closed-loop agricultural systems to grow cannabis as well as nature can—even better than nature can; and grow operations have reached industrial scales that operate like machinery, cranking out tens of thousands of pounds of cannabis flower every month like clockwork—all within a decade of recreational cannabis being legalized in Colorado. And the bars keep getting set higher, raised by people like Manegold, elevated by companies like Dialed In… Gummies. There’s no doubt that trend will continue. But how? Only time, science and innovation will tell. Stay tuned.
—Jason Manegold
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My mind is blown. I’m on the ground floor of a threestory space that’s both biological and cosmic, larger than life, ethereal— and somehow swampy, too. Everything is alive. The walls breathe color and sound. It’s an ineffable phantasmagorical landscape that seems to exist outside time and space. Not only are there sculptures all around, the room itself is a sculpture, floor to ceiling, visceral and vast. It feels like a sentient being. I’m also on mushrooms. COLORADO
WOLFMEOWCOURTESYPHOTOS FOLLOW THE DOPAMINE
Meow Wolf is here to help alter your state of consciousness through immersive art TEXT STEPHANIE WILSON
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SUMMER 2022
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ALTERED STATE TRIPTYCH
This is not some alien abduction. This is opening day at Meow Wolf’s new Convergence Station in Denver. More than an art show, it’s an emotional odyssey delivered through lights, sound, and visuals, summoning deep wells of emotion, vibrant hallucinatory patterns, and an every-day-is-a-trip vibe in a building awash with technicolor and joy. You’re meant to get a little lost in it all. I did. I separated from my friends within minutes (only kinda-sorta on purpose). They were here to solve the mystery of the exhibition’s narrative, which has something to do with four alien worlds joined together during a cosmic event. The bigger mystery to me was how the artists all collaborated to make these universes come alive.
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“People often ask, ‘Should I go on mushrooms? Should I go on weed?’ But it’s already mind-blowing on its own,” says artist Andi Todoro. “You don’t really need to be on anything to feel like you might be on something when you’re in there.”
All I need to know is that I’m in Numina, one of four multidimensional universes inside the 90,000-square-foot Convergence Station in downtown Denver, close to Mile High Stadium, and, yes, I’m safe. The creative operator keeps reminding me. As he circles me, I spin in place with my head tilted back, jaw slightly dropped, eyebrows raised, eyes wide, trying to process the enormity and complexity of this sentient universe the Meow Wolf artists somehow created—in the middle of a pandemic.
I’m a balloon floating in the sky. I’m spinning in space. And my face must show it, because while I whirl in place with my eyes upward trying to make sense of this complex, maximalist jungle, a costumed character known here as a “creative operator” arrives playing a guitar. He begins to circumnavigate me, singing something. I don’t catch the lyrics at first, but as he gets closer his message is clear: “You are Indeed,safe.”Iam.
Now where was I? Oh, right. In the midst of an immersive art world at Meow Wolf, traversing
AWE.EXPERIENCECATALYSTCANOFNARYEXTRAORDI-VIEWINGWORKSARTBEATO SUMMER 2022 SENSIMAG.COM 45
three routes to altered states of consciousness (ASC) at once: on drugs, immersed in art, and in awe. Oh my. While “on drugs” has such a negative connotation, psychedelic drugs are shedding that rep. We’re in a psychedelic renaissance, a time when people are increasingly turning to them not for recreation, but for healing. More and more studies are confirming what hippies and creative types have been saying for decades: psychedelic drugs have a way of shaking us out of our ordinary concerns and pointing our attention toward something higher, perhaps even greater versions of ourselves and others.
AWE IMMERSION Today, when we talk about psychedelics, we’re talking about a mental health movement. And after two years and colossal cultural changes—after seasons of isolation— taking mushrooms to facilitate positive changes to one’s mindset feels like a power move. It’s not a new one, nor is it the only means of accomplishing it. Contemplative practices have similar, albeit substance-free, effects. ASCs have been part of the human cognitive repertoire for at least 100,000 years, and these transcendent states can be achieved any number of ways: through psychedelics, meditation, or breathing exercises (like holotropic breath work). Other methods include ecstatic dance, ritual drumming, fasting, and selfflagellation, which deactivate the brain’s default settings. Oh, and so can Meow Wolf. But drugs offer a shortcut, promising “transcendence on demand,” as the late British neurologist Oliver Sacks noted in “Altered States,” his 2012 essay on self-experiments in chemistry published by The New Yorker—and the ability of art to transport us to other realms is outstanding.Viewingextraordinary works of art can be a catalyst to experience awe. A 2012 Stanford study found that encounters with perceptual vastness triggers a self-negating, time-dilating sense of awe. “Experiences of awe bring people into the present moment, and being in the present moment underlies awe’s capacity to adjust time perception, influence decisions, and make life feel a little more satisfying than it would otherwise,” the study’s authors concluded.
EXPERIENCE THE AWE
Coming Soon to Texas. In May, Meow Wolf announced its universe is expanding to Texas, where two new locations are in the works. Meow Wolf’s portal in Grapevine Mills, part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, is set to open next year, with another immersive spot coming to Houston’s Fifth Ward neighborhood and historic district in 2024.
Three years in the making with art from 300 creatives (including over 110 from Colorado), this four-story maximalist playground features interactive exhibits interconnected through vertical travel and secret passageways. General admission is $45 ($35 for locals); make your reservations in advance to secure your entry date and time. It’s a family-friendly attraction, so mentally prepare to mingle with all ages. Or look for tickets to the Adulti-Verse, Meow Wolf’s adults-only evenings reserved for a 21-plus crowd. meowwolf.com/visit/denver
House of Eternal Return, Santa Fe, est. 2016. A mind-bending explorable art experience housed in an old bowling alley, the 20,000-square-foot exhibit changed the very notion of what immersive art can be. It’s funky, raw, real, and really fun to explore.
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Omega Mart, Las Vegas, est. 2021. Set inside Area15, an entertainment district a few minutes o the Strip, this location is a surreal supermarket where you can discover portals leading to unexpected landscapes.
OTHER LOCATIONS
The portraits offer a lens through which we see Todaro’s experience painting them in the middle of a construction zone amid a pandemic. Think: donning the full protective gear of a construction worker every day while submitting to pee tests to ensure you’re not under the influence of any mind-altering substances, not even a beer. Constantly bombarded by a cacophony of screeching noise, endless concrete dust, suffocating fumes, and erratic temperatures making it unbearably hot or freezing took a toll. “There were so many variables, and I didn’t know how to handle them all at the same time,” she says. “I might get sick at any moment, I’m so frustrated with the lighting, I can’t seem to pull this thing out of me. I’m under so much pressure, and I don’t even know how to start… I absolutely had a mental breakdown during it.”
SO YES, I AM
Experiencing awe puts you on a readily accessible path to self-transcendent experiences, or STEs, which include mindfulness and flow as well as peak and mystical experiences. These are the sorts of things that make the judgy voice in your head calm down and you feel more absorbed in whatever it is you are doing, and awe is the easiest way to get there.
So, yes, I am on mushrooms and they are augmenting my experience of the flow here in the Convergence Station. But I don’t have to be. This place is constructed to tap into creativity—the convergence. To make you safe in the best way
“That’spossible.all that meditation or doing some kinds of drugs is getting to you: that place where you can see things newly from a different perspective, to jumpstart things you take for granted all the time.”
Todaro says the work is probably better because of it. “I just started painting, and I didn’t stop until it was done. Every ounce of how I was feeling ended up in those brush strokes. It’s like it actually flowed out of me,” she says. She was experiencing the elusive and rewarding “flow”—a kind of intense focus and clarity where you forget yourself, lose track of time, and feel like you’re part of somethingWhilebigger.inthe flow, the brain releases a highly potent cocktail
HAVEBUTEXPERIENCE…MENTINGAREANDMUSHROOMSONTHEYAUG-MYIDON’TTOBE.
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of neurochemicals like endorphins, norepinephrine, dopamine, serotonin, and anandamide, aka the “bliss molecule” cannabinoid that’s similar to THC. These pleasure-inducing, performance-enhancing molecules combine forces to amp up focus, block out noise, boost imaginative possibilities, and improve our ability to link ideas together in new ways.
BACON FLOW Denver-based multimedia artist Andi Todaro’s work appears in Meow Wolf’s original location in Santa Fe, as well as its latest outpost in Denver. Her installation, Bacon Faces, is an 1,800-squarefoot mural depicting raw portrait paintings in the distinct, distorted style of British figurative painter Francis Bacon. The macabre depictions resemble figures you’d expect to meet in a fever dream—all distorted faces appearing on the edge of dissolution. Todaro’s interpretations are made all the more ominous by her discomforting palette marked by blood/organ reds and metallic browns—inspired by the colors of raw bacon, she says, “for the Meow Wolf twist.”
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Cannabis is booming, and the industry posits itself as
“It’s greatly disappointing that the numbers of women in cannabis are declining,” says Russo. “But I hope my film shows that women have been the backbone of the cannabis industry for decades and inspires women entrepreneurs to reach for their dreams despite the challenges.” ladybudsmovie.com
of women in the industry, however. They are executives, inersoutmakercannabisandmanufacturers,cultivators,retailers,commentatorsintheworld,andfilm-ChrisJ.Russosettodocumentachiev-inallthosecareersheraward-winning
TEXT
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film Lady Buds, which is currently airing on the STARZ network and can be streamed on services including andwomenprisedAppleTV+,Amazon,andiTunes.“Iwaspleasantlysur-bythenumberofentrepreneurswomeninleadership roles in the cannabis industry,” says Russo. “But that was back in 2017, since then, things have changed quite a bit. When I envisioned the film, it was important to me to include diverse voices that spoke to different areas of cannabis history in order for the film to include the LGBTQ history of cannabis activism and highlight the barriers to entry for marginalized communities who were impacted by the War on Drugs.”
To make the film, Russo headed to Women In Cannabis networking events and farmers markets and conducted over 100 interviews with mothers, businesswomen, and elders, hoping to bring these diverse stories to a broad audience. Russo wants to create real change, too, with an impact campaign of cannabis panels and events that focus on cannabis policy running alongside screenings of the film.
RUSSOC.J.OFCOURTESYPHOTO Grass Ceiling?
The lm Lady Buds elevates the stories of women in cannabis at the same time the industry is experiencing a disturbing drop of women in executive roles. DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN
