34 minute read
Get Psyched
GET PSYCHED GET PSYCHED GET PSYCHED Olivia Mannix and her team at Felicity Pharma are disrupting the psychedelics market, bringing female-focused healing to those who have been su ering in silence. TEXT BONNIE PIPKIN PHOTOGRAPHY KIM SIDWELL, CANNABISCAMERA.COM
Since the advent of hormonal contraception in 1960, there has been little to no innovation in women’s health. And that isn’t just in reproductive matters; because early medicine didn’t recognize the impact of sex on health, women were historically underrepresented—if not outright excluded—in clinical trials for nearly every modern over-thecounter medication.
This patriarchal disinterest in women’s health has serious implications. Generations of women have endured monthly pain, discomfort, depression, anxiety, infertility, and long-term post-partum health issues, in shame and silence. In its study published in the journal Contemporary Clinical Trials, the Brigham and Women’s Hospital concluded that due to “potential sex-based diff erences in treatment responses and toxicities, adequate inclusion of females in clinical trials remains critical.” Now, more than ever, we need to study women. We need be heard.
And yet, we continue not to be heard. It seems like every woman has a story of a doctor who outright dismissed her health concerns, choosing to write a prescription instead of really listening. Why isn’t there more of a conversation?
Enter Olivia Mannix: woman, entrepreneur, innovator, risk-taker, and advocate of plant medicines and research. She founded Felicity Pharma, the leading women’s health biotech company, to lead a distinctly female charge into a climate that has long neglected them.
“Biotech is very male dominated, and so is psychedelics,” says Mannix. “I have to always show up and work my tail off in a very competitive space.”
Felicity Pharma is taking on female mood disorders and sexual dysfunction with an integrated approach. “I am a healer and I want to help people,” Mannix says. “Psychedelics have a lot of potential. We are changing things and making female-specifi c drugs.”
She and her team are hard at work on solutions with natural psychedelics, and these explorations are breaking boundaries for what we’ve come to expect for women and their treatment plans.
A DIFFERENT DEPRESSION
It is well known that women are disproportionately aff ected by mood disorders, with two to three times more diagnoses than men. It is less well known that there is one mood disorder that only affects women—one so intense that it leads 30% of its suff erers to attempt suicide.
That disorder is known as Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, or PMDD. A severe form of PMS, PMDD aff ects one in 20 women of reproductive age. With an estimated fi ve million suff erers in the United States, it’s likely that you know someone who has it. That someone might even be you.
This was the case for one woman, whom we’ll call MJ. MJ has always had intense PMS. But whatever physiological symptoms she had
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RECREATIONAL CANNABIS HUDSON NORTH ATTLEBORO WWW.NATIVESUNCANNABIS.COM
PLEASE CONSUME RESPONSIBLY. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product.This product may cause impairment and may be habit forming.This product has not been analyzed or approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). There is limited information on the side effects of using this product, and there may be associated health risks. Marijuana use during pregnancy and breast-feeding may pose potential harms. It is against the law to drive or operate machinery when under the influence of this product. KEEP THIS PRODUCT AWAY FROM CHILDREN. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination, and judgment. The impairment effects of Edibles may be delayed by two hours or more. In case of accidental ingestion, contact poison control hotline 1-800-222-1222 or 9-1-1. This product may be illegal outside of MA.
were vastly overshadowed by the emotional symptoms: MJ would, in her words, “reach the brink every month.” She felt nothing but hopelessness and despair until the moment her period began. Then, the feeling would completely disappear.
MJ recalls people trying to sympathize with her by sharing their own accounts of cramps and mood swings, and she would nod along. But she knew what she was feeling, and it was not “crabby.” Something more was happening.
Despite its evident links to hormone fl uctuation, PMDD is treated as any other mood disorder, typically with antidepressants. MJ’s gynecologist prescribed Prozac, but it didn’t help. She tried to explain her symptoms to her psychiatrist, that she just knew it was tied to her period. But he could see no other treatment than antidepressants—since those weren’t working, he basically told her she would just have to white-knuckle through it, month after month, until menopause.
To MJ, this advice was nothing less than a death sentence.
MASK OFF
Modern medicine is obsessed with symptom management. Rather than working to end illness, medications are designed to mask illness by treating only the symptoms. Keeping the mask intact means staying on that medication for the rest of your life.
Holistic medicine, on the other hand, aims to reach the root of pain and disorder. This is the approach Felicity Pharma prefers, and it sees psychedelic medicine derived from psilocybin as the best way to get there.
THE MANY MULTITUDES MULTITUDES MULTITUDES
OF MANNIX
Olivia Mannix entered the cannabis space in 2013 with her company Cannabrand, a full-service marketing agency and the rst ancillary cannabis brand. Long before the industry weas widely accepted, Cannabrand helped cannabis companies brand and position themselves. In 2019, Cannabrand created a subsidiary, Psilocybrand, to o er similar services the emerging psychedelics space.
As her company grew, so did her in uence. Mannix began speaking at cannabis and psychedelics trade shows and conferences, where her ambitions only grew. She was already a destigmatization pioneer in an otherwise male-dominated industry. But for Mannix, branding and marketing was the tip of the iceberg; what she wanted now was to directly contribute to the development of the naturally derived medicines she spent the better part of a decade advocating for.
And it was when she was introduced to Geraldine “Gigi” Kuo, MD, a medical expert specializing in pain management and traumatic brain injury—with a particular interest in psychedelic pharma—that those plans would be set in motion.
Mannix and Kuo immediately clicked. “We are both go-getters and high energy and experts in our elds. It was an energetic t!” says Mannix.
Both saw the need for solutions in women’s healthcare; both were con dent that psychedelics could help; and both realized their skill sets happened to complement each other perfectly. From there, Mannix and Kuo decided to go into business together, a dedicion that would soon begin to transform modern medicine.
PRESENTS
MUSIC & CANNABIS GO HAND-IN-HAND
STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT ACT
www.sanctuarymed.com
PLEASE CONSUME RESPONSIBLY. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination, and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not analyzed or approved this product. There is limited information on the side effects of using this product, and there may be associated health risks. Marijuana use during pregnancy and breastfeeding may pose potential harm. It is against the law to drive or operate machinery when under the influence of this product. KEEP THIS PRODUCT AWAY FROM CHILDREN. There may be health risks associated with the consumption of this product. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination, and judgment. The impairment affects of Edibles may be delayed by two hours or more. In case of accidental ingestion, contact the poison control hotline at 1-800-222-1222 or 9-1-1. This product may be illegal outside of MA.
Psilocybin is a serotonergic psychedelic that works in harmony with your biochemistry. It causes your neurons become malleable, giving you the ability to alter the fundamental beliefs and traumas that are otherwise immutable aspects of your identity. The idea is that, rather than concealing your illness, psychedelics reveal your true self for examination and change.
It is the single most eff ective method for getting to the true roots of mental disorder, and Mannix believes it will do more than heal—it will bring out the best in you. “It can make you realize how beautiful life really is and how lucky you are to be alive,” she says.
MJ fi nally discovered this for herself after doing her own research. She found other people with similar stories, many of whom reported that these alternative treatments were what actually worked. So, without the guidance of a doctor (hers had already given up) MJ sought these more natural treatments. She even tried microdosing, though she didn’t always get the levels right.
MJ, now 45 years old, says she didn’t think she would live this long.
CONTINUING THE CONVERSATION
We know more about PMDD now than when MJ was fi rst diagnosed. But we are still missing the conversation about its most viable treatment. What if her doctor had told her about this breakthrough psychedelic treatment and had her sign up for a clinical trial? How many months of suff ering would she have been spared if she knew she had more options?
Despite working against our natural systems and being unreliable in their eff ectiveness, antidepressants remain incredibly profi table, with the global antidepressant market set to earn $21.28 billion by 2025.
Felicity Pharma knows it must disrupt the antidepressant market to shift toward a more natural and benefi cial solution for those in need. Step one of this shift is licensing its natural extract of psilocybin, which is currently in Phase IIa clinical trials. The fi rst trial will be a single “megadose,” 25mg, which will take the patient on a six- to eighthour journey guided by at least two people—a therapist or psychiatrist will be one of them. Following these larger doses, Mannix and her team would like to make a smaller maintenance amount (a microdose) to extend and deepen the impact of the megadose.
Mannix has stood against the odds since the day she launched Cannabrand. As a woman who had to fi ght to be taken seriously, this push to deliver psychedelic medicine is not just business. This is personal.
Psylocybin is not the fi rst powerful plant. Mannix knows it won’t be the last, and understands that by not fi ghting for better medicine and better information, women like MJ will continue to suff er needlessly.
Felicity Pharma is breaking down the barriers of women’s health. We will be heard.
MANNIX HAS STOOD AGAINST THE ODDS SINCE THE DAY SHE LAUNCHED CANNABRAND. AS A WOMAN WHO HAD TO FIGHT TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY, THIS IS NOT JUST BUSINESS.
THIS IS PERSONAL.
WORTH A TRIAL
There are clinical trials happening right now to further develop and re ne this medicine, and they are speci cally seeking women and those with uteruses to participate. Similar trials have gotten extensive positive feedback from PMDD patients. Learn more at clinicaltrials.gov
Get Your Glow Back
A guide to winter skin care + cannabinoids.
TEXT ELANA FRANKEL
It’s that time: cold-weather, drops in temperature, precipitation, and wind. Brrr. Indoor heater? Dehydrating. Strengthen your skin’s barriers before the big freeze; boost your daily care routine; and break out of the seasonal cycle for skin that is healthy and hydrated.
“The skin is one of the largest organs of the body,” says Dr. Junella Chin, an integrative medical cannabis physician. “It protects us against environmental damages and is a highly active structure in itself.” Our skin has its own endocannabinoid (EC) and immune systems. “So, as temperatures drop and the air gets frigid and dry (and your skin follows suit), the skin’s delicate homeostasis, from cell growth to moisture production and immune protection, can get out of balance, leading to irritating conditions.”
CANNABINOID 101
“Cannabinoids standout in skincare products because of their anti-infl ammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant properties,” says Brittany Carbone, founder at TONIC. “While many cannabinoids share these benefi ts, understanding the diff erence between cannabinoids like CBD, CBG, THC, and CBC help ensure you are providing your skin with targeted support where you need it most.”
CBD: CALM
A natural anti-infl ammatory, CBD addresses infl ammatory skin conditions, reducing redness and irritation, and calming down stressed-out skin. CBD also restores and strengthens the skin barrier, which is key
to locking in moisture, preventing damage, and smoothing out texture and tone. “CBD is gentle enough for even the most sensitive skin,” says Dr. Chin, “and can off er relief by reducing the symptoms of rosacea and eczema.”
CBG: DEEP
This mother of all cannabinoids can increase the process of lipogenesis, effectively increasing skin’s natural moisture levels and addressing dryness by spurring lipid (oil) production in the pores. Another eff ect: “During the winter months,” says Laurel (Lo) Friesen the founder, CEO and Chief Extractor of Heylo, “cannabis can help support the endocannabinoid system as daylight gets shorter. Cannabinoids like CBG, especially in combination with THC and CBD, can boost energy levels and help alleviate the winter blues.” Happy inside, happy outside.
CBC: SLOW
Brittany Carbone explains that this minor cannabinoid has been shown to slow down lipogenesis, making it a great solution for oily skin. CBC is also a powerful antibacterial that is eff ective in fi ghting acne-causing bacteria and preventing breakouts.
PRODUCT GUIDE
Green Bee Botanicals Many skincare products fi ght winter dryness, “but only cannabis skincare works hand-in-glove with your endocannabinoid system,” says Green Bee Botanicals founder Bridget May. “In winter months when your skin gets extra dry, chapped, red or itchy, supplement the endocannabinoid system with cannabis serums, oils, eye creams, lip balms, and lotions. Cannabis skin care — especially when made with full-spectrum extracts to include as much of the plant as possible, including both CBD and THC — rebalances your skin naturally, and the relief is fast and eff ective.”
If you’re looking for an anti-infl ammatory powerhouse, try Green Bee Botanical’s full-spectrum cannabis Renewing Serum. With 1:1 CBD to THC, this fast-acting moisturizer includes jojoba oil, which mimics our own skin oil to quickly absorb and soothe all skin types, but especially dry ones. A true winter win.
Tonic Renewal Oil includes CBD, CBC, and hemp seed oil, along with rose hip, meadow foam seed, tamanu, and black seed. These ingredients work synergistically with cannabinoids by providing a diverse, balanced fatty-acid profi le.
Body Butter features CBD and CBG (along with a combination of shea, cocoa and mango butters. “I like to use TONIC’s Outer Space Body Butter after I apply lotion on chilly mornings,” says Kassia Graham, a cannabis consultant. “The rich yet light formula is super moisturizing and leaves a lovely glow.”
Heylo Dry skin can be exacerbated by an infl ammatory response to dryness and the cold. Topical products, like Heylotion Body Budder, are used to moisturize or combat dry skin and prevent further infl ammation. CBGeezus is an excellent strain to support energy and happiness during the winter months. CBGeezus, a 3:1 CBG:THC ratio product, off ers these benefi ts without intoxication.
AGES AND STAGES Risa Morimoto, founder of Modern Aging, focuses on products for winter and aging. “As we get older,” she says, “dry and drier skin is something to combat. CBD topicals like Commons salve or Planetarie’s topical salve (I love the pink grapefruit scent) help cracking and drier skin.”
Puff-Puff-Pass the Popcorn
Top hits for your next marijuana meh-movie marathon. TEXT MIKE DIPAOLA
There are three categories of movies that pair nicely with marijuana. The fi rst is the stoner fi lm where weed plays a central role in the narrative arc, a genre pioneered by Cheech & Chong with Up In Smoke and followed by their later spaced-out offerings. Other exemplars of the genre include Dazed and Confused, Pineapple Express, and Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle.
The second category is the visually or aurally arresting movie. 2001: A Space Odyssey set the standard in this genre. Since then the rise of the superhero fi lm has exploded on screen with epic feasts for the eyes and ears. Any stop within the Marvel Cinematic or DC Extended Universes will do.
The third category, and the focus for today, is the “meh” movie—not great, not terrible, but can be delightfully enhanced by herbal elevation. Here a few “meh” movie recommendations to get the ball and the blunts rolling.
Hollow Man (2000)
Consider the oeuvre of director Paul Verhoeven. (Robocop and Starship Troopers, don’t count, since they are in fact great movies with or without a cheeba boost.)
But Hollow Man is not so great. Critic A.O. Scott wrote that the story “can’t even muster the intelligence to be pretentious or the bravado to be amusingly bad.” Ouch.
But with a little weed, the fi lm is quite engrossing, if a bit gross. There is some decent CGI (considering it was made more than two decades ago), an engaging narrative, and you get to watch Kevin Bacon’s skeletal and circulatory systems appear and disappear before your eyes.
One might appreciate these virtues without getting high, but why chance it? Try Cerebro Haze if you can fi nd it, as there won’t be very much cerebral activity on screen.
Metropolis (1927)
Cinephiles will disagree with the inclusion of this Fritz Lang classic in the not-so-great category because it is (now) considered one of the most infl uential fi lms ever made. But not everybody thought so at the time. H. G. Wells described it as “silly,” the Encyclopedia of Science Fiction said it was “trite” and “ludicrously simplistic,” and almost everybody agreed it was too long at 153 minutes.
It’s got robots, fl ying cars, class warfare, gorgeous Art Deco sets, and all manner of old-timey sci-fi gadgetry. Whatever, it is lit. And it is well-lit for the elevated viewer. Pair with Pink Boost Goddess, because why not?
La Belle et la Bête (1946)
Not a fan of black-andwhite moviemaking? Well expand your horizons, because we’re off ering another one for consideration. Jean Cocteau’s “Beauty and the Beast” (as it translates from French) features costumes and sets that are artistic creations, inspired by the likes of Pierre Cardin for the former and Gustave Doré and Johannes Vermeer for the latter. Even the Beast looks pretty damn good.
“Love can make an ugly man beautiful,” according to the voice-over narration, and a little weed will make this lovely fi lm sumptuous. The strain: American Beauty.
Viva Las Vegas (1964)
Of the 30-plus movies Elvis Presley starred in between 1956 and 1969, some regard Viva Las Vegas as his best. It did rack up his highest box-offi ce receipts. But “good for an Elvis Presley movie” is a pretty low bar, and as cinema goes it’s still mostly meh.
The problem: the King essentially made one movie, a rather bland romantic musical, and starred in it 30-plus times. Viva doesn’t stray far from the formula: Our hero croons his way to Sin City and becomes entangled with a smoking-hot AnnMargret playing a pool manager (unconvincingly but who cares?).
It is wholesome, easygoing fun and if you haven’t seen it—or haven’t seen it under the infl uence—roll yourself a blunt fi t for the King and settle in. And the strain? There happens to be an AK-47 x Skunk #1 hybrid called Elvis. Thankyouverymuch.
HIGH-CONCEPT CINEMA We get it; sometimes you want to watch a movie that’s actually good—maybe something from one of those rst two categories we breezed over. Well, we’ve got pairings for those, too: STONER: smoke along with their heroes on the screen. They pu , you pu . We recommend any OG Kush. SPECTACLE: the energy is on the screen, so go with a relaxing indica-heavy smoke. May we suggest GG #4?
STHE SCENE HIGH SOCIETY
Sensi-sational Evening
Resinate and Green Gold Presents Sensi Night went o on October 24, 2022 at Royale Boston. It was Sensi Massachusetts’ triumphant return to the venue and to Boston since the pandemic shut down events in the community in early 2020. Attendees interacted with more than 35 licensed cannabis brands and businesses who activated throughout the venue. Co-Market Directors Richard Guerra and Jake Boynton hosted and curated the line-up of local performers including Green Monstar, Minnie Clay & Currell of Tiny Trap Concerts, Saucy Lady, and a headlining performance by Cappadonna (of Wu-Tang Clan) with The Sensi Allstars.
SENSI NIGHT
WHERE: ROYALE BOSTON WHEN: OCTOBER 24 PHOTOS: PATRICK ROGERS
—Kyle Johnson, Educator and Customer Analyst at Revolutionary Clinics
Borderline Issues
Where do you go when your home state still has dinosaur-era cannabis laws?
TEXT MIKE DIPAOLA
The good news for New Hampshirites is that they are surrounded by states with recreational cannabis regimes either already in place or coming soon. In New Hampshire weed possession is decriminalized, but only for carrying up to three-quarters of an ounce; beyond that you’re looking at possible jail time. There is medical maijuana available, but only for a limited number of “debilitating medical conditions,” and only after all conventional medications have been tried. There is a reduced penalty for possessing cannabis-infused products purchased in legal states – if they are stored in labeled, child-proof containers. Something to keep in mind before you drive south to fully legal Massachusetts.
Live Free or Die denizens who live near the Massachusetts border enjoy proximity to a thriving cannabis marketplace. As long as they’re 21 or over, they can taste the fruits of the growing and fully legal industry enjoyed by their neighbors to the south.
Cannabis companies like Silver Therapeutics invite potential customers to investigate “Recreational Cannabis Dispensaries in New Hampshire” via their website, but when you hit the “Order Online!” button you’re delivered to a page listing a handful of dispensary locations – none of them actually in New Hampshire. Keep scrolling and clicking to fi nd “Recreational Dispensaries Near New Hampshire,” and then take your pick of sites close to the border.
Nature’s Remedy has a dispensary in Tyngsborough, which not only has a cool street address – 420 Middlesex Road – but is also just a few hundred feet from the New Hampshire line. Their parent company (national cannabiz player Jushi Holdings Inc.) is a little bit coy about targeting non-state customers. While they will happily serve the out-of-staters, there is a reluctance to lean into the idea with overt marketing. However, nested in their website’s “Areas We Serve” section, the New Hampshire town of Nashua is noted, an outlier among the other 16 Massachusetts towns in the list. And the question, “Can I visit if I’m not a Massachusetts resident?” must be a frequently asked one because there it is, in the FAQ. Answer: “Yes! Out-of-state residents who are age 21+ are not precluded from purchasing Adult-Use cannabis sold in Massachusetts.” Come on down!
Wes Ritchie, the co-CEO of Tree House Craft Cannabis in Dracut is more upfront about wooing customers from north of the border. The Granite State customer base is “pretty sizable,” says Ritchie. “We do outreach. We are the closest dispensary to Route 3 on the New Hampshire line, you know, coming out of New Hampshire. So we do have billboards in the area.” Tree House woos people from everywhere though, with live music three nights a week and a very welcoming vibe, especially for LGBTQ customers. Ritchie says the intent was to avoid looking like so many other dispensaries that exude an “Apple store meets the DMV” expe-
Nature’s Remedy Exterior
PHOTO COURTESY OF TREE HOUSE CRAFT CANNABIS Tree House Craft Cannabis Interior
rience. They keep track of their customers’ state of origin on a heat map, which has documented customers “from every state in the country except New Mexico.” Not bad for a place that’s been in business less than a year.
Alternative Therapies Group, more familiarly known as ATG Cannabis, has three dispensary locations, two of them – in Amesbury and Salisbury – situated nicely near the New Hampshire border. (The third locale, in Salem, was the very fi rst Massachusetts dispensary to serve registered medical marijuana patients, on June 24th, 2015.) The Salisbury site is close enough that one can walk over from nearby
MORE INFO bewell420.com naturesremedyma.com visittreehousema.com Fullharvestmoonz.com atgma.org
BeWell of Merrimac
Seebrook, New Hampshire; if you’re driving, ATG is positioned close to two major northsouth thoroughfares – Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 1. Although conveniently located to bring in New Hampshirites, ATG is mostly low-key about it, letting customers know with a sign on the door that, while buying cannabis in Massachusetts is legal, bringing it across state lines is not, so take care of your stash.
We seriously doubt there is a Bay State dispensary closer to New Hampshire than Full Harvest Moonz in Haverhill. The women-owned and operated recreational shop is tucked up in the northeast corner of Massachusetts, and it is steps from the border. Correction, it is on the border. “The corner of our building is literally in New Hampshire,” says the budtender we talked to. For a relaxing afternoon, one might take a post-dispensary outing to the very beautiful Winnekenni Castle overlooking Kenoza Lake.
BeWell of Merrimac doesn’t yet serve out-of-state customers but they’re about to, as they begin recreational sales in the New Year. They are less than three miles from the border, with the nearest NH town, Newton, a mere ten-minute drive away.
Although a whopping 74 percent of New Hampshire voters support cannabis legalization, prohibition still reigns here, the only state in New England not on the path to full legalization for adult-use cannabis. The state’s house of representatives has passed many legalization bills in recent years, but they all go belly up when they reach the reactionary senate. There is some glimmer of light on the horizon, however. The Marijuana Policy Project, which tracks this sort of thing, believes the 2022 election could deliver a greener senate than the drab gray one currently in power. For now, New Hampshire residents will have to rely on the KINDness of its neighbors.
Full Harvest Moonz
EDIBLES
JOYIBLES
@JOYIBLESCO / JOYIBLES.COM
As one of the fi rst license holders in Colorado’s groundbreaking legal cannabis industry, Don Novak has seen fi rsthand how cannabis changes lives. For over a decade, Don and his team have developed THC products that have benefi ted both medical patients and everyday consumers across Colorado. Now they’re taking a sweet leap into Massachusetts and other new markets with Joyibles – a standout edibles brand inspired by throwback candies.
What kinds of edibles do you produce?
Joyibles is a collaborative group of cannabis pioneers and experienced candy makers who’ve joined forces to create second-to-none cannabis sweets for discerning adults.
Our signature products include Joygum (the fi rst and only THC gum in the regulated US market) and Joy Bombs Candy- Coated Fruit Chews, which have quickly become a sensation since their 2021 launch.
What was your mission when you started your business?
Our mission has remained the same since day one. We want to create better cannabis experiences. That’s why we focus on developing products that feel comfortable and familiar to use, especially if you’re new to cannabis. Edibles in particular have a bit of a reputation, because it isn’t much fun to have your day come to a screeching halt after eating only half of a potent brownie. With Joyibles we’re creating a more classic candy experience, with nom-worthy handmade edibles that are easy to share, pocket-friendly, non-melting, and perfectly dosed in bite-size pieces to suit everyone’s preferred amount of THC.
What made you choose to start a company in this industry?
My father died of cancer in the 80’s. I watched him wither down to a fraction of his former self. He would have never considered using cannabis because of the blatant negative propaganda that saturated his perspective, but it could have helped him immensely. In the last decade, we have helped hundreds of people going through similar situations maintain a quality of life that allows them to stay positive, disconnect from pain, relax, sleep, and maintain an appetite to nourish and heal.
Why do you feel your business is important to the community?
I can’t think of anything more important than giving people access to better solutions for their health and wellbeing. As we move our brands and products into new states, we want to share what we’ve learned on our journey with consumers and cannabis businesses alike. We spent the last 10 years helping normalize cannabis in Colorado and we want to spend the next 10 years making sure new operators don›t make the same mistakes we did.
Where can people nd your products?
Our Joy Bombs Candy-Coated Fruit Chews will hit Massachusetts dispensary shelves this winter.
Now Anyone Can Grow at Home
The Armoire grow system looks great and takes all the effort out of home cultivation.
or over 20 years I have
Fenjoyed cannabis but, while I have always wanted to grow my own cannabis at home, I always assumed it would be too expensive and far too complicated. I watched other people growing and the process just seemed too complex, with all the nutrient regimens, over-watering, under-watering, temperature issues, humidity, CO2, and other factors one had to control. Plus, there was a wide array of required equipment that I knew nothing about, on top of trying to fi gure out where I would hide a big, ugly tent fi lled with plants. So it was just a pipedream of mine for years.
Then one day I got a call from a long-time business associate of mine, Vincent Bitetti. We worked together in the tech industry for years. A veteran grower and botany expert, he had invented a home grow system that was more than just hardware – it was an entirely re-imagined grow process. All it required was that you watered your plants once a day, just as you would a houseplant.
“I can handle that!” I thought to myself.
Even better, it had a small 2-footsquare footprint and was designed to look like furniture to fl y under the radar, and it emitted no smell! A discreet, stealth grow box that you can stick in the corner of any room? I was sold!
We built a prototype and I gave it a whirl. I was nervous the fi rst time we set out to cultivate a crop, because I had no intention of growing low-grade bud: I wanted to grow only the best. I had standards after all. The results blew me away! It was fast and easy, and it yielded six ounces of amazing Blueberry Bliss in sixty-fi ve days. It was so clean and fresh! No pesticides, no mold, properly dried and cured. It was utterly amazing! That was four years ago, and I have never looked back.
We have taken our system to market with Green Goddess Supply and have shipped over 600 units of the Armoire so far. We’re on a mission to empower everyone to grow their own clean organic fl ower at home, and so our handson “Concierge Support Service” will be there for you every step of the way.
—Eric G. Robichaud, CEO of Green Goddess
Green Goddess Supply
Cannabis Grow Solutions greengoddesssupply.com
Trulieve’s Cultivar Collection: Power to the Flower
The Company’s in-house brand of premium cannabis is elevating the craft for connoisseurs.
hirty thousand.
TThat’s the number of seeds Trulieve’s cultivation team grew in its state-of-the-art Massachusetts facility as part of their initial hunt to determine fl agship strains in the Bay State. Of those 30,000 seeds, only a handful made it through the team’s rigorous testing process to be introduced to Massachusetts consumers as Trulieve’s premium fl ower – Cultivar Collection.
Cultivar Collection is Trulieve’s artisan brand of top-shelf cannabis featuring unique genetics, rich in potency and fl avor. Grown by Trulieve’s master growers and senior cultivators, the Cultivar Collection represents the elevation of craft cannabis.
Trulieve’s grow rooms for Cultivar are small craft-style setups designed around individual cultivars, allowing each to grow in the ideal environmental setting. All this, combined with state-of-the-art LED lighting, allows the Cultivar Collection fl ower to achieve its full genetic potential.
Sought-after strains in the Cultivar Collection include:
GMO – One of Trulieve’s fl agship strains in MA, it’s an uber-gassy hybrid that consistently tests around 30% with 2.5% terps.
Banana Bliss – First Place Winner in the fl ower category of the 2022 Fyre Cup, this indica-leaning hybrid offers sweet banana and citrus aromas.
The Goddess – One of Trulieve’s newest sativa strains testing as high as 35%, it’s quickly becoming a staple for cannabis connoisseurs.
Trulieve’s other in-house brands include:
Momenta – Trulieve’s staple cannabis line for everyday wellness and overall well-being, the product lineup includes tinctures, nano tinctures, capsules, RSO, and a topical muscle gel.
Sweet Talk – Trulieve’s line of tasty edibles, including craveable chocolates and gummies infused with premium quality cannabis.
Muse – Trulieve’s line of premium cannabis concentrates and cartridges.
In addition to Trulieve’s proprietary brands, customers have access to beloved partner brands such as Bhang, Blue River, O.pen, Puffco, and Firefl y, with exciting new brands launching on a regular basis. Trulieve was also the fi rst to offer clones in the Massachusetts market and will be releasing their Clones Menu for Spring/Summer 2023 in March.
Visit Trulieve dispensaries in Framingham, Northampton, or Worcester, and follow @trulieve_MA on social to stay up to date on the latest launches and events!
Trulieve
Cannabis Dispensaries trulieve.com
Time to Win the Battle of the Sexes
The i-Test allows home growers to focus on healthy plants.
f you are a home cannabis
Igrower, then you intimately understand the focus, hard work, and passion it takes to produce healthy plants with great buds. Working with a limited number of plants, the home cultivator often spends the fi rst months after planting hoping for an optimal number of female plants that will grow to mature adults. For a long time, growers have had to pull the males and hope their next batch of plants would fi ll the gap.
It is a waste of time, money, and effort that can be avoided nowadays thanks to the team at the Scientifi c Cell Company. A master distributor and solutions development partner for novel onsite analytical testing, based in central Long Island, New York, they have recently entered the cannabis industry with a simple-to-use solution. Their sixty years of experience offer home growers professional solutions that would fi t with any commercial grow operation.
Scientifi c Cell offers the i-Test from Verne Bioanalytics for home growers to solve their own personal battle-ofthe-sexes problem. An easy-to-use, high-quality plant genetic or pathogen testing kit, it is a must-have for any grower. By being able to identify the sex of any sproutling you can quickly make decisions the moment the fi rst cotyle leaf arrives, thereby avoiding weeks and weeks of wasted time. Besides helping growers identify a plant’s sex, the same technique can also allow on-site tests for Hops Latent Viroid (HpLVd).
By bringing their professionalism into the cannabis space, Scientifi c Cell Company is hoping to promote the development and health of the growing cannabis industry across the country. Their vice president, Evan Friedman, is a member of several cannabis chemistry organizations, including AOAC CASP, which sets performance requirements and offi cial methods for analytical testing labs, and the Educational Steering Committee for the Cannabis Science Conference. Friedman’s passion for the industry is helping to drive it forward.
So, if you are looking to make your home growing a little easier and achieve higher yields, reach out to Scientifi c Cell Company for the i-Test. Make sure to mention this promo code SensiXY10 to receive a discount.
Happy growing.
Scientifi c Cell Company
Cannabis Testing Equipment scientifi ccell.com
LAUGHING GRASS YOGA & WELLNESS RETREAT camplaughinggrass.com +1 (207) 747 0420 info@camplaughinggrass.com
Sun, THC, and Sand Camp Laughing Grass Jamaican Getaway TEXT JEN BERNSTEIN
Say goodbye to your winter blues and seasonal aff ective disorder, and trade up for vitamin THC at Camp Laughing Grass’s destination trip to Milbrooks Estate in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Paradise awaits! While the trip is slated for next February, 2024, in true stoner fashion we should all start saving and planning for this dream vacay now.
From the minute you arrive at Milbrooks you’ll be greeted with every weed accouterment you can imagine, from bongs to rolling papers to grinders. Laughing Grass will have everything you need at the ready, complete with a full cannabis bar featuring fi ve or more strains to choose from.
“Just like an open bar with fl ower, joints, and pre-rolls, you can select what you want and light up anywhere outside on the property,” says Trinity. “I can’t wait for our private shuttle to the beautiful beachfront where we’ve arranged for a cannabis smoking area. Just look for the Camp Laughing Grass sign of the little guy smoking weed.”
Taking weed hospitality to the next level on this vacation seems to be Laughing Grass’s mission. There’s two cannabis-infused dinners planned featuring local cuisine; poolside infused drinks and teas; excursions that include Bob Marley’s childhood home and a local greenhouse; and a turndown service that leaves a joint on your pillow. Did somebody say sweet dreams?
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