Sensi Magazine Colorado - Spring 2023

FANS OF THE LEAF

Ode to the cannabis icon

WEED 101

Back to canna-basics

THE NEW NORMAL An abnormal history

THE EXTRA MILE

How a small business made a big impact on the industry.

FEATURES

28 The New American Dream

From humble roots as a one-shop Denver dispensary, Mile High Dispensary and High Country Cones are reinventing a product category.

36 Not a Fan of the Leaf?

The fan leaf, once a symbol of counterculture, is now seen by some as a tired cliche. But, like it or not, it’s ours.

DEPARTMENTS

11 EDITOR’S NOTE

12 THE BUZZ News, tips, and tidbits to keep you in the loop

FIZZY LIFT Maison Bloom’s elevated seltzer

CHEAP DATES The 10 best cities for a ordable dates

BALANCE ON THE STRIP How Las Vegas navigates legalization

BETTER TERPS Better Aromatherapy harnesses the power of terpenes

JUST SAY YES Ode to the Cannabis Medical Council’s new pro-canna campaign.

IT’S LIT The joint candle is a new birthday wish come true.

WEEDED BLISS A new wedding line from House of Pu

18 THE LIFE

Contributing to your health and happiness

WEED 101 New to the high life? This is your crash course on all things cannabis.

EDBLES COMPLEX Stories of rst-time edibles users full of fun, fear, and lessons learned.

40 THE SCENE

Hot happenings and hip hangouts around town

420 REVIEWS Sensi’s executive editor weighs in on her favorite products in 2023.

BUILDING DESTINY Resurrecting Denver’s oldest hotel as a new consumption lounge

50 THE END

THE EXTRA MILE ON THE COVER

Meet the small-town makers with big dreams for the industry.

PHOTO BY BLOOM MEDIA

EXECUTIVE

Ron Kolb Founder ron@sensimag.com

Jamie Cooper President jamie.cooper@sensimag.com

Jade Kolb jade@sensimag.com

PUBLISHING

Jamie Cooper Market Director, Michigan

Richard Guerra Market Director, Massachusetts

Jake Boynton Market Director, Massachusetts

Keeley Thornhill Market Director, Oklahoma

EDITORIAL

Jen Bernstein Executive Editor Jen.Bernstein@sensimag.com

Mike DiPaola Copy Editor Mike.Dipaola@sensimag.com

Aaron Bible Contributor, Colorado

Will Brendza Contributor, Colorado

Elana Frankel National Contributor

Debbie Hall National Contributor

Meredith Freed Contributor, Massachusetts

Elizabeth McWilliams Contributor, Michigan

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

MEDIA SALES

COLORADO

Tyler Tarr Media Sales Executive

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Whether you’re busy celebrating our favorite stoner holiday at home, out with your buds, or working (we see you cultivators, budtenders, and business owners), we are all so grateful to be working in the cannabis industry alongside and serving you!

In fact, it wasn’t too long ago that there wasn’t even a cannabis industry to write about. We found news and information through word of mouth, on Grateful Dead tours or worse … in the police blotter.

H Happy 420 to all our Sensi Family and Friends.

So, every year when 420 comes around, I can’t help but be amazed at how far we’ve come and still, how much further we have to go with cannabis legalization. I’ve been entrenched in the cannabis industry (which is itself a phrase I never thought imaginable) since 2011, when I first joined High Times as their number two in charge of herding professional potheads to produce the monthly magazine. Oh, and there’s also that part of the job where I was flown all over the country judging the best weed in the world.

TWITTER

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

During that time we were hosting Medical Cannabis Cups and weed-related industry events were our thing: no one else was hosting cannabusinesses (a word I first used to describe the new boom of businesses dealing in soon-to-be legal weed) at large event expos. We were watching the cannabis space evolve right before our eyes and in real time. It was mind-blowing as we made the jump from medical competitions serving patients to the recreational scene and adult-use. Standing on top of a table for a better view, and breathing in that sweet skunky smell in the air, it was absolutely thrilling watching upwards of 35,000 attendees light up at 4:20 pm on 4/20 at the first-ever Legal Cannabis Cup in Denver back in 2013. It still gives me head-totoe chills and a huge sense of accomplishment. As a kid on career development day, I never dreamt that there’d be a career responsible for weed Disneyland!

INSTAGRAM

Pretty things, pretty places, pretty awesome people: nd it all on @sensimagazine

As luck would have it, my journey advocating for cannabis and mainstreaming marijuana media continues to evolve and grow with Sensi Media Group and this 420 issue. These pages, which are chock full of cannabis lifestyle content that we’ve carefully curated for you, embrace a little something for everyone. Whether you’re a cannabis noob or aficionado, we’re so excited to continue to grow our Sensi family and community with you in it.

Hugs, nugs, and happy 420!

Jen Bernstein @nycjamgal

Every year when 420 comes around, I can’t help but be amazed at how far we’ve come and still, how much further we have to go with cannabis legalization.

Elevated RTDs

Maison Bloom introduces Elevated Seltzers for bubbly choices

Trendsetter Maison Bloom has launched its signature Elevated Seltzers, offering strain-specific, whole plant, and single-barrel beverage choices.

Ready-to-drink beverages (RTDs) are predicted to grow by double digit percentages in several choices, according to CSP Daily News. Headset Data reported in “Cannabis Beverages: Examining category performance & trends” that the “market share of beverages has increased over 40 percent in the US and Canada since the beginning of 2021.”

Maison Bloom embraces the culinary world’s farm-to-table aesthetic with sun-grown craft cannabis blended with single-origin strains from the Sun+Earth and OCal-certified sustainable ecosystem of Sonoma Hills Farm.

Its Elevated Seltzers are crafted with 100 percent all-natural botanical extracts and sparkling water offered in three flavors, with a limited-edition flavor that rotates seasonally. Choices include Strawberry Provençal + Lemongrass, Watermelon + Pink Peppercorn, Pêche + Wild Honeysuckle, and current seasonal Stone Fruit + French Vanilla, all available in 11-ounce glass bottles in various 4-pack configurations.

For more information on Maison Bloom Elevated Seltzers, visit lovemaisonbloom.com and follow @LoveMaisonBloom on socials.

BUDGET CONSCIOUS

Do you live in one of the best cities for inexpensive dating?

Dating, to nd love or your person of the moment, continues throughout time. However, with costs of fuel, food, beverages, and clothing skyrocketing, dating can become very expensive. Still, some cities are more a ordable than others to go out to dinner (including wine) and then to a show or movie.

According to a survey by SmartAsset, dating is most a ordable in these 10 cities. The Sooner State features two a ordable cities, Oklahoma City and Tulsa, each costing about $50 per couple for a night out. Nearby Texas makes the list with two cities, Corpus Christi and El Paso, for an average cost of $55 per couple. Arizona can also brag about its inclusion on the list with two cities—Chandler and Mesa—featuring dinner and a show date for $57 per couple. Mobile, Alabama; Wichita, Kansas; Knoxville, Tennessee; and Spring eld, Missouri, round out the list.

Next time you’re looking for love, if you live near one of these cities, make it a date.

BY THE NUMBERS

420 HIGHWAY

King’s Highway 420, commonly referred to as Highway 420, connects the Queen Elizabeth Way with downtown Niagara Falls in Ontario, Canada.

3

SPECIES

There are three species of cannabis, sativa, indica and ruderalis.

200

Slang Words for cannabis, including dope, kush, grass, and weed.

483 CHEMICALS

found in cannabis, which includes approximately 65 cannabinoids.

Pioneering Model

Consumption lounges follow Nevada’s lead

In Southern Nevada, Clark County Commissioners voted in December 2022 to allow consumption lounges to be operated within the county, which includes the Las Vegas Strip. In February, the Las Vegas City Council approved cannabis consumption lounges within city limits. However, there are strict regulations, including that each lounge must be 1,000 feet apart from the next closest lounge unless one obtains a special waiver from the city or county.

While the rest of the country watches, Southern Nevada is unique for several reasons. There is the city of Las Vegas and unincorporated Clark County, with two di erent locally governing entities. Also, the casinos located downtown and on the Strip are regulated by the federal government, so they cannot participate in consumption lounges on their properties. However, dispensaries such as Planet 13, located within walking distance of the Strip, are planning to open lounges. The cities of North Las Vegas, Henderson, and Boulder City have not yet voted on the lounges. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, about three-fourths of the state’s population resides in Southern Nevada.

The city of Las Vegas attempted to pave the way for consumption lounges in 2019 with the opening of the Vegas Tasting Room. Housed in NuWu Cannabis Marketplace is owned and operated by the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe on tribal land just two blocks north of downtown Las Vegas. Then the pandemic happened and the lounge was forced to close, although there are plans to reopen later this year.

PHOTOS (FROM TOP) BY AMAURY MICHAUX; COURTESY OF PLANET 13

Terpene Wellness

While everyone is just talking about cannabis terpenes, the common class of chemical compounds found in the plant’s essential oils, the Colorado company Better Aromatherapy is focusing on terps’ therapeutic and medicinal uses with a new set of nasal inhalers. Defend (sweet jackfruit to boost the immune system). Chill (fruity layered with sweet pine and kush for relaxation). Think (an earthy scent of pine, wild strawberries and tones of kush and musk for alertness and retention).

The best news: The inhalers are being tested and studied in cooperation with Texas A&M University, so that you can rely on science and not just anecdotal evidence. The future looks like terpenes may be the next best thing in cooperation with cannabinoids.

Hooked on the Cannabis Media Council's I'm High Right Now campaign

First of its kind cannabis-advertising trade council launches a playful campaign to highlight elders getting elevated and enjoying life. The CMC aims to destigmatize and normalize consumption through multistate consumer campaigns.

Top 5 reasons to share the buzz with elders:

1. To unlearn misinformation about the plant and understand the bene ts.

2. To enjoy the pleasures of pickleball, golf, gardening, and sex … without aches and pains.

3. To normalize adult consumption (like we did with wearing elastic-waist pants to the family dinner).

4. Because legalizing for personal use is, well, personal.

5. How much more fun would tea or tee time be with the grandparents if everyone was high?!

“This campaign, and future campaigns from the Cannabis Media Council, will not only combat outdated prohibitionist propaganda, but serve as a necessary element of the industry. We need to show publications and media outlets that the cannabis industry is serious and mature, has resources and will purchase ads. That will encourage more publishers, previously apprehensive to support cannabis, to run our ads and marketing messages. This campaign is the rst step to achieving that goal.”

—Laura Fogelman, vice president of communications and public a airs of PAX, Cannabis Media Council Visionary Donor

THE JOINT CANDLE

Wedding Updates

The tradition of birthday candles dates back to ancient Greece when a round cake was baked in honor of Artemis, the goddess of the moon; candles were added to symbolize the moon's glow; and the smoke was believed to carry prayers up to the moon. Over the centuries, this sweet mythical ritual has lost its charm. Today, we plop down a few mass-produced, brightly striped waxy candles (that might include a trick candle with a little magnesium), sing, and blow.

Let’s get back to the essence of celebration with a candle that may even carry that wish up to Artemis herself. How? A joint candle, a smokable cake topper. A Birthjay. Fill an empty pre-rolled cone with ower; twist; top with a candle-wick widget; attach a cake stake to the bottom of the cone; and then place on top of a cake, or really any dessert of your choice. Make a wish. Blow. Light up again and watch as your wish oats up to the moon.

PS: For a little extra 24-karat magic, there is also the Golden Birthjay.

The age-old tradition of tossing the bouquet just got a little more interesting (and updated). Instead of running for the hills when the bride turns her back to predict who will be next in line to marry, watch men AND women gather together to grab the arrangement for a future sesh.

Kristina Lopez Adduci, founder and CEO of House of Pu , believes that the magic of the plant can elevate the overall bridal experience—just like all of your owers, menu, decor, music, and party gifts. Adduci has put together House of Pu ’s Ultimate Wedding Planning Guide (thedrawingroom.blog/how-to-plan-the-best-weedwedding/) including helpful tips.

• Before you say High Do, take time to research state laws, and plan for guests who do and don’t partake.

• Cannabis is more elevating than alcohol and more a ordable than bubbles or doves.

• Select cultivars to suit your wedding day vibe.

• Infuse specialty treats at just the right levels and make sure to label everything correctly and in large print (all ages and stages will be attending the big day).

• Parting gifts? Everyone loves an accoutrement or accessory to take home.

Want to get into cannabis (or get back into it after a long hiatus) but don’t know where to start? Then start here.

ORIGINAL TEXT RANDY ROBINSON

Your fi rst visit to a dispensary can be overwhelming. There are tens of thousands of exotically (and humorously) named strains, a smorgasbord of name-brand edibles, and an endless assortment of hashes and tinctures and vapes and lotions and gummies and, and, and—you get the picture.

Maybe you’re brand-new to this whole “cannabis” thing. Maybe your last encounter with the plant was last millennium. Maybe you just want a refresher, or an easy resource to introduce to others. Well, consider this your crash course in all things cannabis.

What is cannabis? Is it the same as marijuana?

Cannabis sativa is the proper name for the once-demonized plant with many benefits. “Marijuana”, The Mexican-colloquialism-turned-legal-term, is Cannabis sativa with over .3 percent THC—the stuff that gets you high. Cannabis sativa with less than .3 percent THC is considered “hemp.”

Industrial hemp was federally legalized in 2018 Farm Bill (aka the Agriculture Improvement Act). Marijuana legalization is decided on a state-by-state basis, and can range from full legalization to decriminalization, meaning possession of certain amounts is no longer a crime.

As of 2023, there are only four states—Idaho, Kansas, South Carolina and Wyoming—where cannabis remains completely criminalized. Try to avoid having weed there, if you can help it.

How does cannabis work as a medicine?

It sure does; ask the millions of Americans who say it relieved their pain, inflammation, chronic conditions, and mental or neurological disorders, when nothing else could.

In fact the human body has an entire system dedicated to synthesizing cannabis-like compounds.

Our endocannabinoid system (ECS) is like climate control; a network of receptors detect and correct imbalances in automatic processes. Normally, the ECS can only be activated by a specific type of neurotransmitter called an endocannabinoid. But there is one other type of molecule it reacts to. Cannabinoids, compounds like THC and CBD which can only be found in cannabis, are just the right shape to bind with ECS receptors and activate or alter its regulatory functions.

There’s a lot we still don’t know about the ECS (thanks, prohibition). But it may be the secret to the cannabis’s success as a breakthrough medicine.

What is a cannabinoid, anyway? Cannabinoids are the “active ingredients” of cannabis—any com-

pound that can interact with our bodies. There are at least 100 cannabinoids, but there are two that stand out from the rest. THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), is the oft-maligned cannabinoid that delivers the trademark high. Its more well-mannered partner, CBD (cannabidiol), has no psychoactive effects, instead carrying many of the healing benefits.

So if Cannabis is sativa, then what is indica? Indica and sativa are two general “types” of cannabis. Indica plants grow short and bushy, while sativas grow long and thin. Indica plants usually makes a smoker feel relaxed, sluggish, and sedated. Sativas tend to provide energy, focus, and an uplifting euphoria. However, those descriptions aren’t terribly clear cut. Sativas and

indicas can be cross-bred to produce hybrids, and most commercially available cannabis is some kind of hybrid, so this distinction is really only helpful if you’re getting into the weeds with weed.

What’s the whole “420” thing about?

“420” is a sacred number within the cannabis community. It’s often used as a code word, but it also represents special times to get elevated. Some consumers ritualistically smoke at 4:20 pm every day, and April 20 is officially the unofficial cannabis holiday, when consumers may congregate to light up with friends and peers. As for where it comes from, well, no one knows. Some people claim to know, but they don’t. It’s OK, though. We can have some mystery in our lives.

How does a dispensary compare to a retail store? Both sell cannabis and cannabis products; the difference is in those products’ use. Dispensaries tend to carry cannabis tailored for medical use, while retail stores exclusively sell recreational-use products, which is why they can also be called “rec” stores. (Not to be confused with a Head Shop, which sells paraphenalia such as bongs, pipes, grinders and dab rigs, but not the cannabis itself.)

What does it feel like to get high?

It depends on a lot of factors—the dosage, the strain, the method of consumption, and the individual. That said, the average “high” has a few common effects—euphoria, relaxation, hunger, creativity, and a giggly, happy mood. It lasts a few hours, and the feeling changes over time as your blood concentration of THC increases, peaks, and then fades. The best way to understand the feeling is to experience it yourself.

Can cannabis hurt you if you take too much?

In a medical sense, no; no one has ever died or been injured from “getting too high.” But overconsumption does cause some common side effects in-

cluding increased heart rate, anxiety, paranoia and confusion. In other words, it’s a very unpleasant feeling if you’re not prepared for it—enough to scare some people out of ever trying cannabis again.

How do I avoid getting too high?

Our rule of thumb is start low and go slow. Work your way up to higher dosages. Consider inviting a trusted, experienced friend to partake with you and be there to help you if you need it.

If you do get too high, just remember to breathe. You’ll be OK in a few hours. You could also try some common cures to curb the high, such as black pepper, whole milk (for edibles) or a hot shower.

What’s the difference between “buds,” “flowers,” and “nugs”? Absolutely nothing. They all refer to the same thing: the smokeable part of the plant. While most people are familiar with the iconic cannabis leaf, the part with the highest concentration of cannabinoids is the flowering part of the plant, hence the names.

What are strains?

Anyone 21 or over can shop in a retail store, but only registered medical marijuana patients, who may be any age, can buy from a dispensary. Dispensaries offer more potent products at a lower cost, because of its use as a medical-grade product.

Also known as genotypes or cultivars, a strain is a certain breed of cannabis—the same way a chihuahua is a breed of dog. Remember your high school days when you learned about the Punnett square, named after that guy who cross-bred a bunch of pea plants to see how genes get passed down? Cannabis strains are made in pretty much

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the same way, in a process called pheno hunting. A special type of grower called a breeder crosspollenates plants with different traits to create the best possible combination of those traits.

What’s with all the weird names?

It may not look like it, but strain names do usually describe some aspect of the product. Some are named for their smell (Grape Ape or Blue Cheese) or their taste like (Ice Cream Cake), characteristics defined by an entirely different set of cannabis compounds called terpenes (or terps). Others are named for their concentrations of THC and CBD to deliver specific types of “high.”

While crazy names have stuck around as holdover from and homage to classic stoner culture, they can also be a barrier of entry for the new buyer—what information is someone who’s never tried cannabis before going to glean from “Original Glue”? Luckily, most dispensaries employ knowledgable budtenders who are there to help new consumers navigate the nonsense and recommend the ideal product for their experience level.

Got a question we haven’t answered here? All you have to do is ask.

Don’t want to smoke? You’re in luck! Smoking is just one consumption method. Here are just a few popular examples of the many other ways to get cannabis into your brain and body.

VAPES. A vape heats up your buds to boil the cannabinoids and terpenes get boiled o into a vapor that you inhale. Since the bud isn’t combusted, you aren’t inhaling black ash. Some vapes feature temperature control allowing you to customize your experience. THC vaporizes at 314.6°F (157°C), while CBD vaporizes around 320°F (160°C).

EDIBLES. Eat your pot or drink it too! Edibles are, as they sound, edible products infused with cannabis extracts. And there are some delicious options out there—brownies, of course, but also gummies, chocolates, cookies, granolas, colas, co ees, anything you can think of. A standard serving is 10 mg THC, and the long-lasting e ects can take up to two hours to hit.

SUBLINGUALS. A subgenre of edibles, sublinguals are administered under the tongue, bypassing the digestive system. The resulting e ects are pretty fast-acting, and mild enough to not impair judgment or hinder performance. They tend to be used medicinally, with selections like lozenges, tablets, tinctures and sprays. If you’re new to cannabis, or are in an area/industry where it’s still taboo, you’ll love this discreet, convenient consumption method.

TOPICALS. If you want to enjoy the pain relieving bene ts without the mood-altering e ects, try topicals. These lotions, ointments, creams, and oils don’t usually contain any THC at all; CBD does all the heavy lifting here. But if THC is present, it’s only to strengthen the analgesic e ect, as it can’t reach the bloodstream through the skin. The only exception is the transdermal patch, which has chemicals that can penetrate the skin barrier.

EXTRACTS. It’s everything we love about cannabis, without the cannabis. Think of it as juicing: Pressing and rolling owers yields a yellowish, waxy substance called hash—basically raw cannabinoid goop, and it’s as potent as it sounds. Also called hashish or concentrate, hash can take on di erent textures like budder, wax, shatter, or honey oils, depending on the extraction method. Chemists are constantly developing stronger, purer extracts, which is why we don’t recommend them for rst-timers. You’re practically asking to overdo it.

Edibles Complex

Edibles users tell tales—hilarious, healing, and horrifying—of their rst time.

ORIGINAL TEXT JOHN LEHNDORFF

There’s something about edibles that sparks wild experiences, even in veteran, longtime cannabis smokers who are not unacquainted with the effects of THC.

“On the whole, edibles are a very different beast from smoking bud or a vape pen. It’s THC, but it’s a different quality of high. Because of the way it is absorbed, it affects people very differently,” says Dr. Bill Costas, a Denver-based clinical psychologist who has worked in the metro area for more than 30 years. His experience with edibles took place in the early years of legalization. “It was both a body and a head high, and I was really messed up on both levels to the point of feeling very uncomfortable. I couldn’t manage to stand up and go outside. I couldn’t do it 30 or 45 minutes later. You are along for the ride, and it’s a much longer ride than you expect,” he shares.

Part of the problem is what Costas calls the “hysteria” surrounding edibles (and cannabis in general), including a lot of alarmist headlines that prime novice users of edibles to be anxious.

Sensi asked readers to share their memories, and they responded with tales that are horrifying, healing, and hilarious. Because of sensitive employment situations or simple embarrassment, the writers are not identified. The stories are all real … or, at least as real as remembered.

“So, I took 20 mg more to get in the groove.” A reader who had stopped smoking years earlier decided to give edibles a try when she had a chance to see Furthur, a reformation of the Grateful Dead (sans Jerry Garcia).

“I bought a 100 mg edible. Everyone I talked to said try 10 mg at first and see how you feel. Well, I took it at the beginning of

the show and by the end of the first set, I felt almost nothing. So, I took 20 mg more to get in the groove for the second set. Move the clock forward about 30 minutes, I could barely stand up. By “China Doll,” I thought someone had slipped me a dose of LSD 25. With about four songs to go, I asked my husband if we could go home. He looked at me like I asked him to commit murder. I couldn’t stand up without help, and I almost dragged my husband into the bathroom to help me. The end result? No one was injured or hospitalized and a lesson was learned.”

“The cops came, the paramedics came” A reader related a story about a friend who visited Colorado soon after legalization: “She hadn’t smoked in four decades but picked up some chocolate. We split like 10 mg, she freaked out and thought she was having a heart attack, and called 911. The cops came, the paramedics came. I had the giggles while the officer explained to her that she was going to be fine, and that she wasn’t the first person this happened to. In fact, she wasn’t even the first person that week. The officer noted that the worst case he had seen was a

woman who ate some edibles and was picked up running down the side of the road ‘butt naked.’”

“The only thing that got my brain to shut off” Edibles came to the rescue in the case of a Denver mother. “I got pregnant after fertility treatments. It ended up being ectopic, I nearly died and had emergency surgery. Afterwards, I had a lot of grief and anxiety that I couldn’t calm down. I spent about eight months trying everything to sleep. I finally decided to try a small amount of edible gummies. It worked immediately, and it was the only thing that got my brain to shut off so I could sleep. I rarely use them now, only once in a while in very small doses. It takes a while to metabolize, so it allows me to fall asleep as well as stay asleep. I have been very grateful for this medicinal aspect of it.”

“How edibles education happens”

“A friend said, ‘Hey, do you want some chocolate?’ and a big discussion about dosage ensued. My potophile friend said, ‘Eat the whole thing, I always do.’ My occasional-user friend said, ‘Nah, she better start off slow.’ So I had a nibble of the most

delicious mint chocolate and felt great. It was fun, like “having-a-second-glass-of-wine” fun. Fast forward a month and I found my nibbled-on chocolate sample and an extra piece. I ate one and it tasted so good I munched down the next. What could it hurt? That’s how I discovered the difference between a fun dose and a ‘now I can only crawl from my bed to the bathroom’ dose. Live and learn.”

Overcoming Overconsumption

When you’ve overdone the edibles, time really is the best medicine for its unpleasant effects. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t do anything to alleviate the anxiety.

“First, you have to remind yourself that you are along for the ride however long it lasts. If

you are focusing your attention on time, you will spiral down the rabbit hole,” says Costas. “Next, remember that you can’t overdose on THC. It has never happened. Nobody has ever died simply from a high dose of THC.”

Costas’ number-one strategy for dealing with an edibles episode? The power of positive thinking. “Detour your thinking from fear, anxiety, paranoia. Any time your thoughts go to a negative place, intentionally redirect them. It sounds too simple, but turn the experience into having a good time,” he says.

“Think of something fun—the music, something you’re looking at or tasting. Get lost in a pleasant dreamy moment instead of, ‘When will this end?’ I know that if I can direct my thoughts, I can affect

my emotional state. It changes my awareness, my breathing, and my brain chemistry. It means that I do have control. I may not be able to become less stoned, but I can make myself less anxious.”

To have a better experience, consider some practical precautions before you swallow the THC-infused goodies. Choose your set, setting, and company carefully: Where you will you be when the full effect of the edibles happens? Who will be with you? What sort of sensory environment will you be in? Make sure you have scheduled enough time, given the slow onset and lingering effects of edibles.

Be sure to eat edibles before the big meal, not after, or the effects will linger much longer.

“For me, I’m not going to have an edibles experience at Denny’s with strangers. I might go into the mountains. It’s good to have the right music. If you watch TV, you may not want to turn on Criminal Minds,” Costas suggests. Edibles taste much better than they used to. There are advances in microdosing, rapid absorption and targeted cannabinoids for specific therapeutic effects. Better dose control, packaging, and instructions make it more likely that the first time is a good time for edibles novices. However, in the end they are still edibles and subject to the variables that make eating different from smoking and vaping. It will still be up to each users’ self-awareness and learning over time.

GOING THE EXTRA MILE

TEXT AARON H. BIBLE

From planting humble roots as a one-shop Denver dispensary to reinventing a product category, Mile High Dispensary and High Country Cones are on a mission to change the industry.

One of Colorado’s first, and largest, dispensaries is making big moves. Mile High Dispensary might just be a one-shop dispensary in the Denver suburbs to some, but to those in the know, it’s one of the oldest—and best stocked—boutique dispensaries in the Mile High City.

While some might describe the location as low key, their passion for the product is far from it. In fact, it’s a mile high. The exterior of the unassuming Lakewood medical and recreational dispensary is nondescript, but venture inside and you’re in for one of the kindest experiences in the country. Now, the leadership team of Virginie d’Andrimont, John Costigan, and Colby Bolger are on a mission to give back to the city, the state, and the people who have allowed them to break the mold as one of Colorado’s most successful cannabusinesses, by and for Coloradans. For now.

As one of the top 10 highest-grossing shops in the Centennial State, even while prioritizing people over profits in an industry that has been facing increasingly slim margins, Mile High Dispensary is still growing—pun intended. As anyone who’s visited Denver and accessed WeedMaps knows, MHD is known primarily for two things, by design: a personalized, high-quality experience and consistently high-quality products to match.

It’s tough to find anyone as passionate and optimisitc about the business as this unlikely trio. When it comes to enthusiasm for people, for the state of Colorado, for industry innovation, and for quality products, MHD is different. While many may have found a personal passion (and a cash cow) in the cannabis in-

dustry, given the growth in nationwide legalization, expanding product categories, and increased retail availability across every part of the biz, Virginie and her legacy are unique, not just to Colorado, but globally.

IN THE BEGINNING

It’s actually an age-old lesson in doing things right: build it and they will come. Put people and passion over profits and you will be profitable. But the execution and follow through is everything, and that’s where Virginie has excelled. In the face of rising costs of doing business and increasing regulatory pressure, the opportunities for growth and success in cannabis are still out there. And MHD along with their new product line, High Country Cones, are all in. Integrity of the product is the name of the game. That, and as Virginie likes to say, good vibes. It’s important to her, and to others.

MHD was one of the first Denver dispensaries to be open and licensed, first for medical and then quickly for recreational sales. And they’ve been a leader in compliance and have remained open ever since.

They’ve stayed focused on providing an exceptional product selection for the Colorado consumer—espe-

cially important to this crew of family and business partners who are all Colorado natives. (Technically, Virginie moved to Evergreen when she was two years old, but John and Colby were both born and bred in Colorful Colorado, with no intentions of going anywhere anytime soon.)

Virginie’s father Ben was a Belgian immigrant, a well-known author, innovator, thinker, and doer. He was a brilliant businessman who ran day to day operations until about 2018, and was a major proponent of MHD opening and operating its own grow facility. Sadly, Ben passed away from cancer in 2018.

“Ben was such an inspiration to all of us,” says John Costigan, co-founder and president of operations of High Country Cones. “We remain focused on our consumers getting what they are paying for,” says John. “This is all about time and energy and love, not just

ALL GRAPHICS BY ELIZABETH SANDERS, ALL PHOTOS BY BLOOM MEDIA

focused on the product but on the packaging and the branding.”

As the dispensary took off to become ultra successful, at first partnering with another larger grow operation, Virginie knew she didn’t want to be in a position of relying on anyone else to provide her with the constant flow of high quality product she needed to keep going. Her father’s genius, tenacity, and connections – which she inherited – ultimately paid off when they were able to buy into a plot of land in Colorado’s high country.

GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY DESERVE

“Our integrity is for Colorado’s sake,” says Virginie. “I knew to survive I would need my own grow to be fully integrated,” says Virginie. “We are the brand of the future. We want the state of Colorado and all of its vendors to know that we’re here for them, with a better product for a better price.

“One of the main focuses of our program up here is to bring the best quality product to the table at the best price. And we’ve really focused on one major part of the industry that we wanted to go after, which was our kief cones. We spent a lot of time and energy simplifying that process to a point where we can bring a lot of this to the state of Colorado,” says John.

“And,” he says, “every one of them will pretty much tell you the same thing … that we’re one of the top selling products on their shelf. We outsell their flower, we outsell a lot of their concentrates unit for unit, and that’s because of the amount of time and energy and love that we put into making that product.” And for them, that includes not just the bud

itself but the packaging, the branding, all of those things are really geared toward just bringing a pleasant, positive, consistent, and wonderful product to Coloradoans.

“We’re a product for the people, because we came from the people,” adds Colby, an Englewood, Colorado, native and CEO of High Country Cones and general manager of MHD. Colby started as a trimmer at MHD a decade ago and is now a co-owner of HCC. “It was very important for me to make sure that it was for the people and that it was the quality that we cared about. That what we were giving people was clean, and that we’re not these big millionaires coming in, just trying to make a bunch of money.”

Colby was a high-school dropout who was given this opportunity when his mother passed away.

“That’s why for me personally it’s so important that we have integrity, that our product is clean, that it’s above and beyond, and that we really truly care. As somebody who was one of the consumers and one of the people that started from the very bottom, it’s incredibly important for myself and I know for our company that we follow that dynamic,” he explains. Colby came to MHD around 2011.

John started down his path in cannabis and with MHD in 2008 as a trimmer and budtender, but his strengths were in sales, business development, marketing, and now, growing.

FILLING A HOLE IN THE MARKET

Colby and the team quickly came to realize a massive opportunity in the marketplace. “American’s like convenience … DoorDash, Grubhub … all these things that are right at your

“BEN WAS SUCH AN INSPIRATION TO ALL OF US. WE REMAIN FOCUSED ON OUR CONSUMERS GETTING WHAT THEY ARE PAYING FOR. THIS IS ALL ABOUT TIME AND ENERGY AND LOVE.”

— John Costigan, Cofounder, President of Operations, High Country Cones

fingertips, people are gonna want something convenient,” he explains. “In 2018 there were really no good cones out there; there were trim cones, house cones from shake out of pound bags, not a highly sought after product. We saw an opportunity to find an untapped market within the market, and went full tilt toward it.”

When they first started people thought they were crazy, stuffing full pounds of award-winning weed into a blender. “We put full big giant beautiful buds in our cones because we knew it was going to make such a massive difference,” says Colby—the man John describes as a “brilliant, shining light.” Now, they are selling 30,000 units a month to more than 70 vendors in every part of Colorado, and in many stores they are the top-selling units on the shelf.

When it comes to packaging, HCC probably spends more than anyone else in the industry. HCC joints are perfectly hand rolled every time. They are all strain-specific like a single-barrel bourbon: they’re not mixing in kief from other plants. The cones are never undersized or improperly rolled, they are hand knocked, hand cut, even the labels are placed by hand, in what some are calling a wonderful addition to the industry.

HCC cones are kief-infused to increase the potency and flavor, and to keep it strain-specific. To make the magic their small team will blend the bud, mix in the kief, and knead it together like cake batter. Hand rolling with love is the name of the game. They give a damn, and the care they take is evident when you crack open the package; even the stickers on the packaging are collected as works of art. They’ve grown from being in six stores to 70 within a year and half, much of this due to John’s cold call-

ing and driving to reach every dispensary in the state, delivering free samples, and ultimately delivering every order themselves.

GROW YOUR OWN

When Virginie and her father came into an opportunity in Fairplay, Colorado, 10,000 feet in elevation and 120 miles from home, they knew it was the right move despite the obvious obstacles ahead.

With a few starts and stops, when John and Colby took over the grow in the existing 5,000-square-foot warehouse, things immediately began to take off. While the distance and the weather of the new location had its drawbacks, it also had its benefits. Elevation promotes higher

trichrome development, something they recognized right away. They are able to take advantage of the cold crisp air, reducing their electricity costs in cooling. And of course the fresh Rocky Mountain stream water, which is now being recycled in a closed loop system.

It took a hell of a lot of ambition and heart to pull this thing together. They took the grow over, doing all of the hands-on plant work for more than six months, took on a few enthusiastic workers, and eventually John and Colby returned to what they do best—sales and running a quickly growing company. But taking over the grow and having their hands on each plant got them closer to their roots, not just a per-

fect analogy for the original MHD business, but in line with their entire way of doing business.

Now, they have completed work on a brand new 10,000-square-foot state-of-the-art grow facility next door to the old building, designed from the ground up. A marijuana machine, as Jen likes to call it. It might be out in the middle of nowhere, but when it comes to safety, the remoteness actually worked in their favor.

Their passion for the product starts with the plants (“In this business, you work for the plant,” says Virginie), and for them that love and care also extends to the environment. Starting from the ground up with an eye toward sustainability allowed them to create the most energy efficient building possible, recycling heat and water with five highly engineered chambered spaces. The two-foot-thick insulated exterior walls, french drain system, temperature and humidity sensors, and dehumidifiers and condensers that feed back into a circular hydrology system that saves thousands of gallons of water per week, create a modern grow facility. They are also currently exploring more recyclable packaging options and looking into take-back programs to keep packaging out of the landfill.

PERSEVERANCE AND INTEGRITY FOR THE PEOPLE

“We believe so much in our brand and what we have built here, we know we can duplicate it, and we’re

ready to move into other parts of the industry, other states,” says John. “We’ve all taken steps when they’ve needed to be taken.”

He says they will continue to roll further into the industry (yes, pun intended), looking into adjacent product categories such as rosin cones and hemp blunts.

This rags-to-riches story may sound fantastical to some but it’s really quite simple. This company was started by a few people who came up from the bottom. “And we’re not looking for a ceiling,” says John. “This brand and what we’ve created is everything to us. We’re bringing the best product we can because we are one of those people. It’s taken a lot of faith and a lot of love. We just recognized we make a pretty good team. Enough of a team that we invested everything.”

“AS SOMEBODY WHO WAS ONE OF THE CONSUMERS AND ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT STARTED FROM THE VERY BOTTOM, IT’S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT FOR MYSELF AND I KNOW FOR OUR COMPANY THAT WE FOLLOW THAT DYNAMIC”

—Colby Bolger, CEO of High Country Cones, General Manager of Mile High Dispensary

NOT A FAN OF THE LEAF?

Iown two pieces of clothing with cannabis leaves on them: warm, fuzzy socks that were a gift from a dear friend and a three-year-old Women Grow t-shirt, vintage in this young industry and soft from many washings. I love wearing both in Colorado and California, where they spark good conversation.

When I visit my family and friends in the conservative Midwestern state where I grew up, I leave those items at home. I’m a sissy rebel—or maybe no rebel at all—because I wear them only in legal states, where the fan leaf is a ubiquitous in cannabis marketing and networking. So ubiquitous, in fact, that I’ve considered not wearing my socks or shirt to industry events because I’m slightly embarrassed about what a cliché it has become.

Maybe there are more subtle symbols for cannabis. Some say that pineapples are the new pot leaf; others wear jewelry shaped like THC and CBD molecules. Even modern bongs and pipes are crafted with aesthetics in mind, able to be displayed in the open like modern art. But in the end, whetner you love it or hate it, nothing says “I love weed” quite like the leaf.

THE LEAF’S LONG LINEAGE

If you’ve been in the cannabis industry for a minute, you can’t help but catch the yawn. We’ve all gotten used to seeing A-listers like Rihanna, Bella Hadid, and Miley Cyrus subtly (and not-subtly) working fan leaves into their looks and products. It’s been nearly a decade since Mara Hoffman dressed her New York Fashion Week models in dresses and pants

woven with green cannabis leaves.

Mara wasn’t breaking new ground; she was following in the well-worn footsteps of Gram Parson, who had suits embroidered with cannabis leaves made for him and his Flying Burritos Brothers bandmates to wear on the cover of their first album in 1968.

But even that is far from the beginning of the leaf’s history. Its earliest known depiction dates to the Neolithic era (10,000–5,000 BC), painted on a cave wall on the coast of Kyushu, Japan. Many believe the pointy leaf often shown above the head of the ancient Egyptian idol Seshat, goddess of architecture, astronomy, astrology, and mathematics, was a cannabis leaf.

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, when cannabis was a common ingredient in over-the-counter elixirs, the leaf could be spotted on medicine bottle labels—

The fan leaf, once a badge of counterculture, is now seen by some as a tired cliché. But, like it or not, we’re stuck with it—we might as well make it classy.

ORIGINAL STORY ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE

though not nearly as often as today. It went underground with the prohibition in 1937, largely forgotten until it re-emerged alongside tie-dye and peace signs in the ’60s as a countercultural icon.

Jerry Rubin, the flamboyant radical who told hippies never to trust anyone over 30, anointed the leaf when he said: “Smoking pot makes you a criminal and a revolutionary. As soon as you take your first puff, you are an enemy of society.”

In 1966, the Saturday Evening Post described college students who used marijuana as fitting into “a general pattern of rebellion against society’s values.” The very fact that marijuana was illegal, according to a 1967 Life magazine article, was part of its appeal for young people. “Seeing themselves in rebellion against the empty, materialistic striving of their parents, they turn the whole pot scene into a protest tool which they use to mock a middle-class culture they disdain,” the article stated.

We all know what happened next. Hippies became yuppies. Nancy Reagan told us to “Just Say No.” Cannabis leaves went underground again—disappearing even from rolling paper labels and dorm room posters—and it stayed down. When Adidas attempted to unearth it by replacing its corporate logo with a cannabis leaf to market hemp sports shoes in 1998, US drug czar Lee P. Brown slammed the company for attempting to “capitalize on the drug culture.”

Despite the best efforts of reefer madness reactionaries, prohibition is ending. Attitudes are changing, and the leaf has never been more popular—for better or worse.

IF YOU CAN’T BEAT ‘EM

The mainstream fashion world still thinks the fan leaf is edgy. We in the industry have seen that guyin-a-pot-leaf-suit often enough to know better. (You don’t see leggings covered in grapes or earrings shaped like grapevines at wine festivals, do you?)

But our ennui is a problem of privilege—albeit one that should be a right for all—and I do know how lucky we are that we can display cannabis leaves as a universal symbol of pride, solidarity, and advocacy without fear of persecution.

More than half of the US continues to criminalize recreational use, and there are still 13 states where even medical use is outlawed. Currently, cannabis has only been legalized in around 40 countries. Emojis have become practically part of the written language, but even in 2023, we are stuck with the “maple leaf” and “wind” emojis to express our 420-friendliness.

So let’s not pretend that cannabis has “made it” completely. We could talk all day about the irony of Baby Boomers exploiting cannabis for profit as part of the very middle class they once disdained—but let’s save that for a sesh. The fan leaf is our icon, and we’re stuck with it. Let’s try to be respectful of its defiance. Those of us who get to experience the normalization of a symbol that once sparked conflict and controversy need to keep working toward universal acceptance, even as we fold it into our marketing materials.

We’ve come far, but we’re not there yet. We will have arrived when our phones come equipped with cannabis leaf emojis.

EAT YOUR GREENS

Fan leaves, once considered a waste product, have come into their own as a nutritional and medicinal powerhouse packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They have a distinctly earthy, slightly bitter taste that makes a tasteful addition to smoothies, juices, salads, pesto and tabbouleh, or as a garnish for soups or sh.

DESPITE THE BEST EFFORTS OF REEFER MADNESS REACTIONARIES, PROHIBITION IS ENDING. ATTITUDES ARE CHANGING, AND THE LEAF HAS NEVER BEEN MORE POPULAR—FOR BETTER OR WORSE.

420 Reviews

What’s grabbing my attention this 420?

This quintessential quartet exempli es the best of the best during our favorite festival season.

TEXT JEN BERNSTEIN, EXECUTIVE EDITOR

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Welcome to Cannabis Hospitality

One of the oldest and most storied buildings in Denver is about to become the country’s rst hotel and cannabis lounge - thanks to one man’s dreams.

TEXT WILL BRENDZA

Chris Chiari remembers the day he laid eyes on 420 East 11th Avenue in Denver, very clearly.

It was March 7, 2011. Denver was cold and cloudy, but as Chiari stood before the century-old mansion downtown, with spires and turrets and huge walls made from quarried Colorado-red sandstone, a bright light flashed behind his eyes. He had a vision that would come to change his life.

“The second I set eyes on it, I pointed up at this abandoned property, 420 over the door, and I said, ‘I want to turn you into a marijuana bed and breakfast,’” Chiari recalls.

And that was that. Chiari’s sights had been set, and he’s been working ever since to turn that old property, the Patterson Inn, one of the oldest buildings in Denver, into a fully operational hotel, restaurant, bar, and cannabis lounge.

And in doing so, he hopes to help tear down the stigma that still, to this day, surrounds the plant.

Canna-fest destiny

At the time in 2011, cannabis was still illegal in Colorado and it was still highly stigmatized. Starting a cannabis-based business of any kind was a fringe idea.

But Chiari saw the writing on the wall. Or, at least, he had a gut feeling that cannabis prohibition couldn’t last forever.

So he followed his gut and sure enough, the very next year Colorado voted on Amendment 20. Recreational cannabis became legal (in this state) in December of 2012, and then, the green rush was officially on.

Kind of. It took a while for politicians to flesh out how all of this legal marijuana stuff was going to work. The legal structure had to be built.

Industry regulations had to be created. And it wasn’t until January of 2014 that retail sales actually began.

And even then those dispensaries were hiding huge, dangerous amounts of cash in the back, “Breaking Bad” style.

And cannabis hospitality? Forget about it. That got shoved onto the backburner. Cannabis lounges and social consumption areas still haven’t really caught on yet in Colorado, even ten years after the fact. There are too many regulatory hoops to jump through. Too many permits to get cleared with the city. Too many legal landmines to avoid. Most businesspeople wouldn’t touch it with a 10 foot pole.

There are some spots around Denver that have figured out how to make it happen. The Coffee Joint was Denver’s first licensed cannabis lounge, and it allows patrons to

bring and consume their own cannabis while they hang out and enjoy a nice cup of joe. The Marijuana Mansion, just down the street from the Patterson Inn is another – an event space and exhibit that likewise allows BYOC consumption for tour groups or event attendees.

But it would take an absolute madman to try and establish a working hotel and cannabis lounge that also had full dining services and a bar. Such an endeavor would be a legal Gordian knot, crossing alcohol licenses with cannabis hospitality licenses and all the licenses required to run a restaurant and hotel. Not to mention all the federal weirdness that still hangs around cannabis businesses like a dark cloud.

That’s not to call Chris Chiari a madman. But he wasn’t going to let anything stand between him and his dream—his future. And he’s well on

his way to manifesting that destiny.

The final mile

Say you’re walking in downtown Denver, and someone stops you to ask where they can buy legal marijuana. You could point them down

the street, literally, to any one of Denver’s 200-plus cannabis dispensaries.

However, as Lenny Frieling, a cannabis defense lawyer with the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), points out, if you were to ask,

over a local measure to increase the fi ne for cannabis possession for an ounce – from $100 (which was the state penalty) to $1,000 and a year in jail. Frieling has been defending drug cases and working for NORML since.

The de-stigmatization of cannabis has come a long way since Frieling left the bench. He acknowledges that. But he also sees the current lack of public and social consumption areas as a vestige of the prohibition days.

“We need to have an answer to, ‘Where can I smoke legally?’ In your car, in the parking lot? In the alley, the way we used to do before concerts? Well, you know, I’d like to do better than that. I’d like to have a better answer to that question,” he says.

“Where can I smoke legal marijuana?” Well, that’s not such an easy question to answer.

“That’s a problem,” says Frieling flatly.

Frieling served as a judge in Lafayette, Colorado until 2009, when he resigned in protest

Frieling points to what Chris Chiari is doing at the Patterson Inn, as a massive step for the normalization of cannabis. It’s part of Chiari’s mission as a whole. He isn’t just opening up a niche vacation spot for canna-curious tourists. He’s trying to usher in a new era for cannabis, one where it’s as normal to consume in a social setting as alcohol.

“The normalization and the de-stigmatiza-

tion of cannabis is my passion and life’s mission right now,” Chiari says. “I’m excited about that because I just don’t think, at least at this level, it could be more legitimate ... We’re getting the world ready.”

Chiari has jumped through all the hoops, cleared all of the permits, and navigated all the legal landmines. He became the official owner of 420 East 11th Avenue in 2018. He got his provisional license to become a cannabis hospitality business a year after the state government passed

the Marijuana Hospitality Establishments bill, legalizing exactly the kind of business Chiari had envisioned back in 2011.

He says the moment when his application was approved and he received that provisional license, he just marveled at how far he’d come towards achieving his goal.

But Chiari wasn’t about to start celebrating. Even today, as he’s begun the final stage of renovating the interior of the lounge, he’s holding off on popping the champagne until the hard opening. Because, as he puts it, every

day in the hotel industry is a Monday, and every victory is an opportunity to do more work.

Still, it’s easy to tell he’s excited about how close he’s getting—even if he’s reserving the victory laps for later.

“I’ve been overjoyed at a number of benchmarks throughout this process. But the true goal is still opening that lounge,” he says. “This is as close as anyone’s gotten. But there’s still that fi nal mile. And that fi nal mile is going to take as much energy as it took to get this far.”

A first of its kind, but not the last

Once all the renovations are complete and the final legal and regulatory kinks are ironed out, the Patterson Inn will have what Chiari is calling, “the Grand Smokening” of the Patterson’s cannabis lounge. It will be a long awaited and hard-earned celebration for Chiari.

But, he says, that’s when the real work is going to begin.

“Once that celebration is over, thankfully, we don’t get hangovers from cannabis, so I’ll

be up early the next day running a hotel,” he says.

The Patterson Inn will not only continue to host guests in its historic rooms, but it will have a kitchen offering full dining services, breakfast through dinner, with fi ne dining once a week, and “Blazy Brunches” where people can bring their own cannabis and get blazy while breaking bread.

They also have full drink services through the adjacent 12 Spirits Tavern. Chiari explains, guests will be able to purchase regular drinks or specialty drinks that can be paired with a particular strain of cannabis. In the Patterson’s kitchen they’ll make simple syrups that can be added to any non-alcoholic beverage, each with descriptions of strains and terpenes so that guests can compliment their BYOB cannabis with food pairings.

“We are already pulling terpenes like lemongrass and thyme into simple sirups as part of our signature cocktails,” he says. “We already have descriptions that speak about what these terpenes are purported to do so that guests can find fun ways to make food [and drink] an intimate part of that cannabis experience.”

And of course, there

will be the Patterson Inn’s cannabis lounge. It’s the only part of the hotel where smoking cannabis will be allowed, making the one room like a cigar bar or hookah lounge. It’s a clever workaround for not crossing the alcohol and cannabis hospitality licenses.

“As a company, we have found a way to facilitate the coexistence and cohabitation of these confl icting licenses through sound structure and through the strict separation of where they occur as far as consumption of cannabis and sale of alcohol,” Chiari says.

The lounge will also be a very classy place to spark up. Blazy Susan, the infamous local rolling tray company has partnered with the Patterson to provide custom carved-wood paneling for the banquettes in the lounge. Using high-end computer carving equipment, Chiari says they’re going to create solid oak panels that will look more like “works of art” than table rolling trays.

When the lounge is complete, the Patterson Inn will have everything you’d want from a cannabis hotel. As Chiari says, throwing out the food or alcohol side of things to create a cannabis castle would have done no one

any good. He wanted it to be the full shebang—and the full shebang is what he’s creating.

Not to mention it will be inside one of the oldest, most historic buildings in downtown Denver. Chiari seems to love that fact, and casually boasts that it’s also the second-most haunted hotel in Colorado. Though, he says, “I don’t get caught up in the competition for fi rst.”

The only “first” he’s interested in competing for is opening his cannabis hotel, restaurant, bar and lounge first. And while the Patterson Inn certainly will be a first of its kind, it won’t be the last. Chiari has already incorporated in Nevada, with plans to expand beyond Denver when the Patterson is up, running and humming along.

“We’re going to build off of this fi rst location,”

Chiari says. “This has never been a one off in Denver. This was always meant to be a brand and something bigger.”

On the cusp

Chiari recently closed the first-ever cannabis business crowdfund campaign on Republic. He’s now onboarding with the crowdfunder StartEngine, and he’ll be the first licensed cannabis business to launch on

both platforms. StartEngine allows investors to get in on the ground floor of grassroots startup companies they want to own a piece of.

Which is how Chiari is structuring this business. “It’s not mine,” he says. For him and his 284 committed investors, “It’s now something I can say is ours.”

It’s an opportunity also, for people to help play a part in destigmatizing

one of the last vestiges of prohibition—and in helping give Denver (and eventually Nevada) a classy place where they can have a meal, enjoy a drink, and socially smoke some cannabis like it’s a normal thing.

Just like it should be.

The Patterson Inn is already open for guests who want to come and book a room in the historic building. Last

its 10th anniversary as a functioning bed and breakfast. Chiari anticipates the Grand Smokening of the lounge completed by the fall this year, when the fi nal remodeling is done.

“We are on the cusp of being the fi rst to deliver the most exciting and unique amenity in hospitality, today,” Chiari says. “I’m thrilled to be doing it.”

CHERRY

@CHERRY_COLORADO / CHERRYBRAND.COM / CHERRYSWAG.COM

Cherry aids in delivering consistent top-shelf product throughout the state of Colorado. Since 2015, we have worked hard to create an environment that people are proud to be a part of and feel fulfilled, and to create a brand that Colorado can be proud of.

Where can people nd your products?

Green Fields, Starbuds, Golden Meds, Buku Loud, Healthy Leaf, Doctors Orders, Cookies, Cherry Peak, A cut above, Maikoh to name a few.

What services or products do you o er?

Our wheelhouse is top-shelf flower (com-

mercial growers with a boutique feel), live rosin, live rosin syrup (Bosky line), pre-rolls (Kamaleon brand).

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

Cannabis industry when I started (2013) was fresh and new. We had an opportunity to pave

the way, create the blueprint for the future. The money then helped but to be out in front of something that we all felt was going to be huge in the future. Innovators, Entrepreneurs.

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

Cherry is important to the cannabis community because we lead with thinking of what the real connoisseur smoker would like to enjoy. We operate on

a very compliant level bringing the healthiest medicine to market for all to enjoy. Our knowledge in cultivation comes with many years of failing, trying, and overcoming struggles to be where we are today.

Does your business give back to your community?

We support small businesses in our community and local artists, either through hiring for work needed or sponsorship for shows.

Our knowledge in cultivation comes with many years of failing, trying and overcoming struggles to be where we are today.

420 FAVES WITH MOONALICE GUITARIST ROGER MCNAMEE

Favorite munchies: medjool dates

Favorite music to get high to: Beatles, Grateful Dead

Favorite 420 anthems: “It’s 4:20 Somewhere” and “Am I High?”

Am I High?

Bay area psychedelic pioneers of pot and merrymaking musicianship, Moonalice rolls out a fun 420 cover song in time for our fave green holiday.

TEXT JEN BERNSTEIN

downloads, it’s defi nitely worth revisiting Moonalice’s original “It’s 4:20 Somewhere,” which has been downloaded over 4.6 million times.

LESTER AND DYLAN CHAMBERS

Favorite munchie:

Lester and Dylan both love making peanut butter sandwiches with sliced fruit. Go-to fruits are bananas and blackberries.

Favorite music to get high to: psychedelic and soul

Favorite Moonalice songs: “Time, Love Peace & Happiness”, “People Get Ready” and “Yes, We Can, Can.”

Harkening sounds reminiscent of “jazz cigarette” days and reefer madness, the inimitable, psychedelic rock 10-piece band Moonalice comes barreling at our earholes this April 20 with a special green holiday cover of Asleep At the Wheel’s “Am I High?” that’s sure to tickle funny bones and incite some giggles.

“Am I High?” questions just that — is it

possible and most likely probable that it was the booze or the blow that caused the vocalist to experience “rubberized legs”? Crooning the swanky and soul-felt bridges is OG writer/ composer Ray Benson (founder of the eighttime-Grammy-winning Asleep At the Wheel).

No strangers to supporting the cannabis movement, Moonalice have been active and ad-

vocating for legalization in what feels like forever, having performed their fi rst concert at a medical marijuana benefit in 2007.

Moonalice also holds the title of being the fi rst band to livestream concerts on Facebook Live … and the fi rst band without a label to achieve one million downloads of a song from its own servers. While “Am I High?” is sure to garner a lot of

By the fi nal tokes, I mean notes of “Am I High?” you’ll be exhaling ecstatically and feeling just as lifted as the moon, Alice!

Check out the free download here: Be sure to follow Moonalice on all their heady tours n trips down the road here: moonalice.com

PHOTOS BY BOB MINKIN