Sensi Nevada January 2022

HIGH ON HUES

Fashion paints the town

DIET WEED

Does THCV live up to the hype?

#TRENDING

The future of cannabis is now

FACES OF CANNABIS

A photo essay from Chris Vicari

The direct route to the unexpected

Explore the limits of AVENUE. Our small batch, handcrafted flower is cultivated to deliver a powerful and unexpected experience. Like your favorite city street, AVENUE can always show you something new.

NOW AVAILABLE IN NEVADA

24 Moving Forward

The cannabis industry is toppling every capitalist metric for success but it’s going to have to deal with tough issues like consumer safety, social justice, and an abhorrent carbon footprint.

30 Down to Work

Photographer Chris Vicari captures the personalities of California’s cannabis farmers and leaders.

36 Lean Green

Is THCV really the energy-boosting, appetite-suppressing “diet weed” anecdotal claims purport it to be?

DEPARTMENTS

11 EDITOR’S NOTE

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

THE POT HOUSEPLANT Meet the company on a mission to change the way the world looks at weed.

IMPERMANENT INK Try made-to-fade tattoos.

COVER STORY New York magazine’s new podcast is hot.

THE HIGH FIVE A fistful of curated stuff you need now.

16 THE LIFE

Contributing to your health and happiness

HIGH FASHION Can bright colors and bold patterns really elevate your mood? Welcome to the brave new world of dopamine dressing.

FOREST BATHING It’s time to connect to the trees.

43 LOCAL

Regional editor Debbie Hall outlines the best whos, wheres, and whens to catch up on this January.

50 THE END

Go all-in on self-care by creating an emotional escape room.

ON THE COVER Robyn GriggsLawrence reports on the focus on inclusivity and climate that the cannabis industry needs for the future. See page 24.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVINCI

ADVISORY BOARD

NATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD

NCRMA Risk Management

COLORADO

Agricor Laboratories Testing Lab

Aspen Cannabis Insurance Insurance Services

Canyon Cultivation Microdosing

Cartology Corporation

Cartridge Filling Equipment + Hardware

Colorado Cannabis Company THC Coffee

Concentrate Supply Co.

Recreational Concentrates

Emerald Construction Construction

Green Edge Trimmers Trimmers

Higher Grade Boutique Cannabis

Hybrid Payroll Staffing & HR Benefits

Jupiter Research Inhalation Hardware

Lab Society Extraction Expert + Lab Supplies

marQaha Sublinguals + Beverages

Monte Fiore Farms Recreational Cultivation

Northern Standard History of Cannabis

PotGuide Cannabis Culture

Source CO Wholesale Consulting

Terrapin Care Station Recreational Dispensary

Toast Mindful Consumption

Uleva Hemp Products

Wana Brands Edibles

Witlon Inc. Payroll Processing

MICHIGAN

Arono Law (Craig Arono )

Licensing Law Firm

Cannabis Counsel Cannabis Law Firm

Etz Chaim Attestations

Grapp Lerash Accounting/CPA Services

Great Lakes Natural Remedies

Lakeshore: Provisioning Center

Kush Design Studio

Cannabis Facility Design & Build

MRB Solutions Human Resources

Northern Specialty Health

Upper Peninsula: Provisioning Center

Pure West Compassion Club

Caregiver Connection & Network

Rair Medical Flower

Solutions by Dr. Dave

West Michigan: Hemp CBD

Helping Friendly Hemp Company

Hemp Topicals

NEVADA

Eden Water Technologies

Water System Technologies

Green Leaf Money Canna Business Finanacing

GreenHouse Payment Solutions

Payment Processing

Ideal Business Partners

Corporate Law & Finance

Jupiter Research Inhalatation Hardware

Matrix NV Premium Live Resin

Red Rock Fertility Fertility Doctor

Rokin Vapes Vape Technology

This Stu Is Good For You CBD Bath and Body

MASSACHUSETTS

Corners Packaging Packaging

Green Goddess Supply

Personal Homegrown Biochamber

The Holistic Center

Medical Marijuana Evaluations

Revolutionary Clinics Medical Dispensary

Royal Gold Soil

Tess Woods Public Relations Public Relations

Vantage Builders Construction

CALIFORNIA

365 Recreational Cannabis

Dispensary: Recreational, Santa Rosa

Accucanna LLC Desert Hot Springs: Dispensary

EventHI Events

Flourish Software Distribution Management

Green Unicorn Farms CBD Hemp Flower

Helmand Valley Growers Company

Medical Infrastructure Specialist

HUB International Insurance

Humboldt Grow Tech Smart Ag Tech

Hybrid Payroll / Ms. Mary Sta ng

Staffing & HR Benefits

Ikänik Farms Cannabis Distribution

Red Door Remedies

Dispensary: Cloverdale

Red Rock Fertility Fertility Doctor

Southern Humboldt Royal Cannabis Company

Mixed Light Farming

Sonoma Patient Group Dispensary: Santa Rosa

Strictly Topical Inc./Sweet ReLeaf

Pain Relief Topicals

Uleva Hemp Products

Vaper Tip Vape Supply & Consulting

Wana Brands Edible Gummies

Witlon Payroll

EDITORIAL

Stephanie Wilson Co-Founder + Editor in Chief stephanie.wilson@sensimag.com

Doug Schnitzspahn Executive Editor

Tracy Ross Managing Editor, Michigan

Emilie-Noelle Provost Managing Editor, Massachusetts

Debbie Hall Managing Editor, Spark

Jenny Willden Managing Editor, California

Will Brendza Managing Editor, Colorado

Robyn Griggs Lawrence Editor at Large

Radha Marcum Copy Editor

Bevin Wallace Copy Editor

DESIGN

Jamie Ezra Mark Creative Director  jamie@emagency.com

Rheya Tanner Art Director

Wendy Mak Designer

Josh Clark Designer

Miguel Martinez Designer

BRAND DEVELOPMENT

Richard Guerra Director of Global Reach

Neil Willis Production Director

MEDIA PARTNERS

Marijuana Business Daily Minority Cannabis Business Association National Cannabis Industry Association Students for Sensible Drug Policy

EXECUTIVE

Ron Kolb Founder  ron@sensimag.com

Stephanie Graziano CEO  stephanie.graziano@sensimag.com

ADVERTISING

Toni Tardif National Sales Director

Jade Kolb Director Sales Operations and Global Recruiting

PUBLISHING

Jamie Cooper Market Director, Michigan

Richard Guerra Market Director, Massachusetts

Nancy Birnbaum Market Director, California

Nancy Reid Market Director, Florida

MEDIA SALES

CALIFORNIA

Omowunmi Lykins Media Sales Executive

COLORADO

Liana Cameris Media Sales Executive

Nancy Seidel Media Sales Executive

Tyler Tarr Media Sales Executive

FLORIDA

Kristen Gross Media Sales Executive

Anthony Mckenzie Media Sales Executive

NEVADA

Pam Hewitt Media Sales Executive

MASSACHUSETTS

Jake Boynton Media Sales Executive

MICHIGAN

Eric Lutey Media Sales Executive

Kyle Miller Media Sales Executive

Will Oostendorp Media Sales Executive

Leah Stephens Media Sales Executive

OKLAHOMA

Diana Ramos Media Sales Executive

MEDIA FACEBOOK

Like Sensi Media Group to infuse your newsfeed with more of our great cannabis lifestyle content.

Who wants a do-over of 2021? Not us! January

2021 might have been the first time that many of us felt that our resolutions, promises, and goals were not going to be a priority in the coming year. I think we are all glad to bid farewell to 2021’s chaos—the emotionally charged trials, labor shortages, soaring prices, supply-chain issues, and politics.

Instead, let’s applaud the media and streaming services for programming that helps us reexamine the past, think about the present, and look toward a better future. This season, FX and Hulu, are featuring The New York Times Presents, a series of documentaries representing the journalism and insight of The New York Times. With a staff of more than 1,550 journalists reporting from 160 countries, the outlet publishes 250 stories every day, including investigative reports, political scoops, and cultural dispatches. The subject matter is diverse and thought-provoking and demonstrates the need for print media.

TWITTER

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

The future is bright but still mixed for decriminalization and legalization of cannabis. According to CNBC, stocks for the German cannabis company SynBiotic rose after the incoming government pledged to legalize cannabis. The University of Massachusetts Amherst and WCVB recently conducted a poll in which 61 percent of the participants said legal adult-use cannabis has been positive for the state, 25 percent said it was neither positive nor negative, and only 13 percent said it was negative. On the other hand, according to Newsweek, the South Dakota High Court won’t legalize cannabis despite the 54 percent of South Dakota voters who approved the amendment in November. Republican Governor Kristi Noem initiated a legal battle that concluded in that ruling.

Though exciting, a restart can be scary, but the spirit of renewal is needed now more than ever. We thank you, our readers, for sharing in the progress we are all making together. Sensi magazine hopes to help you think, explore, and share well-being with others in 2022. Let’s embrace the new year’s potential to positively transform our lives.

INSTAGRAM

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

Yours,

Debbie Hall debbie.hall@sensimag.com

I think we are all glad to bid farewell to 2021’s chaos—the emotionally charged trials, labor shortages, soaring prices, supply-chain issues, and politics.

Plant the Seed

Meet the company on a mission to change the way the world looks at weed.

Move over monstera, there’s a new “It” houseplant creating lots of buzz in 2022: Cannabis sativa. Whether you live in a modern pad or a bohemian den, this plant will be right at home in your place. Its iconic slender fan leaves as striking on your coffee table as they are your Instagram. Even if you don’t have a green thumb, you can still add some personality to your decor with a

conversation-sparking piece from Pot Plant, an online shop that sells artificial weed plants meant to be displayed in homes and businesses.

This interior design accent with attitude is the brainchild of company founders Karina Farris, 26, and George Hernandez, 28, who created Pot Plant in hopes of shifting people’s perspective of cannabis.

You can spruce up your space with 10-inch Clone, 16-inch Teen, 22-inch Adult, and 36-inch Mother plants that are as close to the real thing as possible. All of them are eye-catching, worthy of display anywhere in your home where you want to up the ambiance with a little greenery. The Mother, especially, makes such a statement, you’ll even forget it’s fake.

The hyperreal design for the hyperreal houseplant was created from molds of Lemon Haze cannabis plants grown in the founders’ backyards. The synthetic plants may not grow like proverbial weeds, nor will they offer up fluffy nugs for you to smoke—but the plantlike objets sporting pointy fan leaves once seen as a badge of counterculture are sure to spark some conversations about cannabis. As we keep working toward universal acceptance, incorporating a pot plant into your home decor is an opportunity to contribute to the normalization of a symbol that once caused controversy.

potplant.shop

BY THE NUMBERS

5 TH PLACE

Where cannabis ranks on the list of the most valuable crops in the U.S., which is above cotton and below wheat. Legal cannabis is the single-most-valuable agricultural crop in Alaska, Colorado, Massachusetts, Nevada, and Oregon.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Agriculture data

5,022,990 LBS.

Weight of weed that is harvested every year at legal grows on the 13,042 licensed farms in adult-use states.

57 POOLS

How many Olympicsized swimming pools that happy harvest could ll. For comparison, that’d be more than 2 billion joints.

SOURCE Benzinga

Impermanent Ink

Made-to-fade tattoos disappear in just one year.

If you’ve ever considered a tattoo only to realize you’re an ever-evolving human whose tastes change and the design you think is so clever today may be so very cliché tomorrow, consider Ephemeral. The tattoo shop with outposts in Brooklyn, Los Angeles, and San Francisco (with more to come) developed a made-to-fade ink that’s used in tattoos that last one year, giving everyone the freedom to express themselves without fear of commitment.

With traditional ink, the pigment particles are too large for your body to break down, and the macrophages—the white blood cells that digest foreign particles in our bodies— just can’t get in there. Ephemeral’s pigments are smaller and wrapped in a polymer complex that degrades over time. As the medical-grade, biodegradable solution breaks down, the particles become small enough to be removed by the body and the ink disappears in 9 to 15 months. It’s a lower barrier to entry for anyone who’s been hesitant to commit to permanent ink. It’s also a great way to try out a design you’ve been considering without being stuck with it forever.

THE REAL THING

If you want to give your green thumb a go-to grow pot in your pad, the Everything-But-theSeeds kit from A Pot for Pot can help get you all set up. Marijuana seeds can be purchased from select dispensaries in recreationally legal states. apotforpot.com

IF I MAKE MUSIC AND PEOPLE HATE IT, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER. I’LL DIE SOMEDAY, AND ONE DAY, THEY WILL TOO.”

—Billie Eilish

Listen up!

Sensi recommends Cover Story, a new podcast from New York magazine. The investigative series uncovers the secrets and exposes the darkest corners of the psychedelic revolution through a twisted, deeply personal tale at the intersection of mind, body, and control. New episodes drop on Tuesdays throughout January.

HIGH 5

Elevate your consumption ritual to an art.

Pure Beauty x Jochen Holz Bongs, starting at $875

The London-based master glass artist Jochen Holz, known for his vibrant, organically shaped functional artworks, created 10 one-of-a-kind, abstract bong sculptures for art-forward California cannabis brand Pure Beauty. The collection was unveiled at Nonaka-Hill Gallery in Los Angeles last fall during an exhibit that also highlighted Pure Beauty’s latest artist collaboration: the packaging of the new 5 Pack joints featuring the work of five artists, including Hassan Rahim. purebeautydrugstore.co

Henelle Venice Beach Kimono, $130

This silky piece doubles as a smoking jacket with a motif of magic mushrooms and love hearts inspired by the 1970s golden era of Venice Beach. henelle.shop

Serena Confalonieri Nebula Collection Bongs, 600,00€

With sinuous curves and ethereal shapes inspired by the lightness of smoke spirals and colors in evanescent, transparent hues that recall 1970s psychedelia, the trio of bongs Italian artist Serena Confalonieri debuted at Design Milan last fall epitomize the concept of “high design.” Now available for pre-order and expected to ship in early 2022, each piece in the collection—Nebula Alpha, Nebula Beta, and Nebula Gamma—is made of borosilicate glass hand-blown by skilled Italian artisans. If money is no object, add all three objets d’art to your bong cart. serenaconfalonieri.com/portfolio/nebula/

Embroidery Art by HealTHCareEmbroidery, from $60

Handmade artworks that don’t fall into the trap of stoner clichés, bud-inspired embroidery like this piece by embroiderer Kaitlin Earl, a.k.a. @HealTHCareEmbroidery, are rising in popularity as more artisans take on “craftivism”—the seamless blending of crafting and activism. Get your own embroidery pattern on Etsy or purchase handcrafted products with embroidered flourishes like this one, inspired by the Juddah’s breath strain. etsy.com/shop/HealTHCareEmbroidery

Lovepot Little Bud Vase, $75

This buzzy brand only offers delivery of its bouquets of seasonal fresh flowers mixed with smokable hemp flower in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, but don’t fret if you’re outside of the delivery area. The company’s brand’s all-women team blends together dried flower bouquets with smokable CBD hemp that can be dried to enjoy later as a tea, herbal smoke blend, or for an aromatherapy herbal bath. soplovepot.com

LEFT PHOTO BY TANYA LAYKO VIA UNSPLASH

“As soon as I realized you could be funny as a job, that was the job I wanted.”

—Comedian and Cannabis Entrepreneur Seth Rogan

High on Color

Dressing loud is the new dressing down. Can bright colors and bold patterns really elevate your mood? Welcome to the brave new world of dopamine dressing.

TEXT STEPHANIE WILSON

COVID-19 lockdown sent us into our sweats. We sat in monochrome cotton surrounded by neutral-colored walls for so long our brains actually lost the ability to accurately track the passage of time. We became starved for stimulation. We spent 18 months in our khaki-colored apartments, and when we came out, we collectively decided it was time to banish the beige.

It’s no wonder we came out craving color— bright, bold, eye-catching color in rich, satu-

rated shades of magenta, sage green, and eclectic blue. We wanted to wrap ourselves in it, to cover our bodies from head to toe in vibrant shades.

Color is a mood, and we can’t get enough of it right now. Vibrant hues and bold shades are the antidote to the dark days of winter, and our lives are more saturated with color than ever this year. The post-lockdown world is looking a little more bright and a lot more vibrant. This is the feel-good trend we need right now. From rain-

bow dresses to electric blue suits, the hottest 2022 fashion trends are setting a bold mood— and we’re getting high on color.

Brain Chemistry

That high, in fact, comes from dopamine, the brain chemical that influences your mood, emotions, and motivation. Your brain releases dopamine into your body when it’s anticipating a reward, which is what motivates you to do the thing that delivers the reward. Color is

closely associated with emotions—we use it to describe our moods. We say we’re “feeling blue” when we’re sad, “seeing red” when angry, “tickled pink” when fi lled with glee. But does your mood dictate your color choices or do your color choices dictate your mood? The science is out on that.

What’s not up for debate is that as humans, we give objects (including clothes) symbolic meaning. So our brains start associating that t-shirt we were wearing

PHOTO BY TINE BEK FOR STINE GOYA SS22, COPENHAGEN FASHION WEEK

when we had the best night ever with positive memories, and then anticipate making more of them whenever we wear it. It’s that anticipation of reward that triggers the release of dopamine into our systems, ultimately driving us to do it all again.

We wore it, we liked it, so we wore it again. Then we had to up our dose. Now, head-to-toe monochrome magenta is the norm—and we’re never going back to neutrals.

Dopamine Dressing

So what exactly is dopamine dressing? It’s where self-care meets style, where fashion intersects with mindfulness. It’s the big trend right now, and it’s showing no signs of slowing down. It’s also simple to follow.

Dopamine dressing is choosing to wear the things that bring you joy—choosing something because it’s fun, not just because it’s practical. It’s not going to your closet and be-

ing happy with clothes that are clean and fit, but mindfully selecting items that jive with your vibe. It’s about wrapping your body in hues that make you happy and accessorizing with sparkly or feathery abandon. It’s about elevating your style and defi ning your aesthetic by choosing pieces in the fabrics, cuts, colors, and prints that send a surge of confidence through your system raising your vibe so high you’ll be giving off Lil Nas X energy.

It’s about wrapping your body in hues that make you happy and accessorizing with sparkly or feathery abandon.

(LEFT TO RIGHT) PHOTOS COURTESY HENRIK VIBSKOV SS22/COPENHAGEN FASHION WEEK; RICHARD MALONE X MULBERRY SS22/ IMAX; BROGGER SS22/COPENHAGEN FASHION WEEK; OTTOLINGER SS22/IMAX; BLUMARINE SS22/IMAX

The Art of Forest Bathing

In these days of social distance and world-wide anxiety, one of the best things we can do for ourselves is connect to the trees.

DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN

In Japan the term shinrefers to the act of getting out and simply walking in the woods and breathing in—both metaphorically and actually— the healing aromas of the trees. The term roughly translates as “forest bathing,” or, more romantically, as taking in the essence of the forest, walking quietly, aware. Shinrin-yoku is not just some poetic Japanese ideal either (indeed, it was coined as a Japanese Forest Agency marketing term in the early 1980s)—it’s based on the healing properties of protective odors, called phytoncides, exuded  by the trees. It’s taken so seriously that the Japanese consider forest bathing an important way to combat the stress of our insidiously busy work world— in fact, a piece in Mother Earth News reported that

Japanese researchers have proven that walks in the woods can actually lower cortisol, thus stress levels. I certainly don’t do enough forest bathing anymore. It seems odd that I live right down the street from a trail that wanders into stands of ponderosa pine and sandstone covered in lichen, a place where bears and mountain lions and songbirds make their homes. But I’m not up there forest bathing, soaking it in. When I do head into those woods, it’s to go for a trail run or walk the dog while checking work emails on my phone. It’s to power through, even if I do fi nd a few mindful moments. That was not always the case. When I was still in my 20s, I spent six seasons in Montana’s Beaverhead-Deerlodge

National

PHOTO BY MICHAEL KRAHN VIA UNSPLASH

Forest, building trails and fighting fires. It was, quite simply, the best job I have ever had in my life. Each day, we hiked, hauled big tools, worked the earth, went back to camp, cooked good food, drank clear water, read, slept under the stars… and often engaged in forest bathing.

After swinging a pulaski all day long, I would be pretty sated physically. I didn’t feel like I needed to go for a trail run or mountain bike ride or get in a damn workout. I would bathe in the forest, taking slow, silent walks into the secret places off the trail around our camp.

Things happened. Subtle things. Sometimes powerful things. Walking solo at twilight on the long, bare backbone of Shedhorn Ridge above stands of Douglas fir, I watched three hawks ride thermals up from the open air to circle

above my head. On the way down, in the near dark, I heard elk running through the trees. Another time in the Gravelley Range, I watched as two coyotes harassed a doe in thick sagebrush. Walking later in almost the same spot, I suddenly came upon her fawn— small, pure, curled up in the high grass and shaking with fear. Other times I would just take in the, I don’t know, sense? Energy? Vibe? of these untouched parts of the Madison Range.

On days off, I would get out and hit it hard— fish, climb, bike, hike to spring ski couloirs. Even in the midst of these quiet walks, I would sometimes push it—climb some small unnamed peak, break into a run— but it all stemmed from a desire to start walking and see where the forest took me. That mindset is

what seems all too easy to lose when the woods are just our playground.

The Swiss writer Herman Hesse said: “When we are stricken and cannot bear our lives any longer, then a tree has something to say to us: Be still! Be still! Look at me! Life is not easy, life is not difficult. Those are childish thoughts. Let God speak within you, and your thoughts will grow silent.”

I’m older now. And I feel that deep sadness— even more so with the pandemic continuing to rage, megafires consuming my town, and our sense of civil society upended. I worry that I have not lived exactly the way I wanted to live, that I am facing down nothingness. Sometimes fishing helps take it away—the rhythm and mindfulness of casting, watching the fly on the water, the drift.

But sometimes, even that seems like another moment when I’m missing something important. It’s at these times when I lift up my rod and take a step back from the steam. I indulge in a little shinrin-yoku. I listen to how the breeze makes the slightest song in the aspen leaves. I get the hint of heat bringing off a scent of root beer from the ponderosas. I take a moment to contemplate the branches far above and the way the light plays in them. I appreciate trees that have grown roots in rock or still stand even when they have been undercut by the stream. Then I’ll get back up. I check my fly and line. I head back down to the stream and cast and sometimes catch and feel the joy of being once more. A little bathing in the forest is all we need to get back on track.

PHOTO BY DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN

THE FUTURE’S SO B R IG H T

The cannabis industry is toppling every capitalist metric for success—even without banking and tax deductions—but the shades need to come off if it’s going to deal with tough issues like consumer safety, social justice, and an abhorrent carbon footprint.

TEXT ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE

Ten years ago, DaVinci CEO

Cort Smith saw cannabis legalization on the horizon and envisioned a nation of home growers, obsessing over genetics and nutrients. He went to his first High Times Cannabis Cup expecting to see farmers in flannel shirts showing off salad bowls overflow-

ing with their finest flowers. Instead, he found extraction artists loading rigs with oils and waxes—21st-century weed—and he realized the market was never going to be about growing.

Personally, Smith still prefers flower to concentrates, but he ingests his herb using one of DaVin-

ci’s precision-temperature vaporizers made from zirconia and medical-grade parts, an apparatus so aspirational Gizmodo says it could be made by Apple. DaVinci, with roughly $12 million in sales, was acquired by global cannabis accessories platform Greenlane Holdings for $20 million late last year.

In so many ways, Smith’s story is that of the cannabis industry. With millions in capital flooding in, multi-billion-dollar companies being built from mergers and acquisitions, and global sales predicted to reach $46 billion by 2025, the industry has come a long way since voters in Colorado and Washington legalized adult use in 2012. It’s beating every metric of capitalist success, even without access to basic banking services or the ability to deduct business expenses (and not a lot of hope either will happen any time soon).

made deals while drinking craft beer and smoking rare cigars.

Vince Ning, founder of California-based wholesale-cannabis platform Nabis, was struck by the tremendous difference in professionalism he saw at this year’s conference. “There’s a lot more sustainability in the industry—maybe not necessarily from an environmental perspective, but businesses are more sustainable,” he said during the show’s last hour. “In 2018, it felt kind of like the cryptocurrency space, like there was funny

rage. Ning—whose company distributes more than 125 brands in California, giving him a good view of the overall market—said every one of the still-obscure cannabinoids could be a billion-dollar category in itself, but only if genetics were developed to support them.

Cheeba Chews, the Colorado company that put edibles on the map with its 175mg deca-dose taffies in the 2010s, was at the show to introduce a wellness line containing microdoses of THC along with CBN, CBD, CBG, and

BRIGHT LEADERS FOR A BRIGHT FUTURE

In late October, 20,000 or so industry insiders returned to Las Vegas for the annual MJBizCon convention (after taking 2020 off because of COVID-19) to talk about where the industry stands and where it’s headed. Top of mind were the brand-new New York market, predicted to be worth $1 billion, and speculation about when unregulated Oklahoma might crash and burn.

Mike Tyson and Lil’ Kim paraded through, with entourages, to announce the latest in a string of celebrity cannabis brands. One of the week’s most coveted invitations was a golf tournament at a prestigious course in Boulder City, where C-suite executives

money floating around. But we’ve seen a lot of those players who had unscalable market tactics fall by the wayside. COVID-19 created a pressure cooker, and what’s sifted to the top, I think, is really healthy.”

Redefining the Industry

MJBiz was a showcase of products and services that reflect morphing consumer demands and increasingly sophisticated ways of manipulating the plant, unbundling and spotlighting its various parts, and more beneficially or powerfully delivering its effects.

Minor cannabinoids such as CBC, CBG, THCV, and CBN, which are being marketed as sleep aids and energy boosters, were all the

THCV—products Chief Marketing Officer Eric Leslie considers a breakthrough for consumers who want more than just psychoactive effects. “I’ve been here from the beginning. I have a decade of experience,” he said. “That gut instinct we had about edibles being a rocket ship at the beginning–we’re right back there again. We have an opportunity to redefine the standards of our industry so that it’s not THC only and introduce a wider demographic of people to cannabis.”

Edibles themselves were a hot topic at the show, as sales are driven to new heights by a pandemic forcing the need for more discretion and non-combustible consumption options. “The sales trend

From left: Cort Smith, CEO of DaVinci; Vince Ning, founder of Nabis; Eric Leslie, Chief Marketing Officer of Cheeba Chews

MUSHROOM MADNESS

Perhaps the biggest buzz at MJBiz, as it has been at every cannabis event from coast to coast over the past year, was not about the cannabis plant at all. It was about the meteoric rise of psychedelics, or what many are calling the “next cannabis.”

Allay Consulting CEO Kim Stuck, who helped write Colorado’s adultuse regulations in 2014, is among the flood of pioneers moving over to psychedelics. Now living in Portland, Oregon, she’s on a work group helping the state write the rules for Oregon’s newly legalized therapeutic psychedelic market, and she believes the future is psilocybin. “It’s going to be a market,” she said during MJBiz. “It’s not yet, but licenses will start being given out in December 2023.”

Crafting Colorado’s cannabis rules was a thankless task that Stuck said involved “lots of tears and lots of yelling,” but she’s hopeful this time will be different. At the very least, she said, “I hope we don’t take as many bricks in the head.”

is absolutely clear in any market you’re in, without exception: edibles, edibles, edibles,” said Alex Levine, CEO of Green Dragon, which owns dispensaries in Colorado, California, and Florida. “Every year they become more popular. Absolutely, every year, we see more people shifting to edibles.”

During a quick chat outside Azuca’s booth showcasing a cannabinoid-encapsulation process that makes edibles’ effects more rapid and predictable, CEO Kim Rael said she believes edibles will grow

terpene-testing results—all part of the company’s strategy to become known for consistency and quality while educating consumers. Father-andson team Rich and Rick Batenburg of Cliintel Capital Management Group (CCMG) were there to position their vape brand, The Clear, as the Coca-Cola of cannabis.

Though CCMG’s holdings include two grows in Denver (along with companies involved in every-

faster than the overall industry in the next few years because “new adapters will not want to smoke or vape.” She believes fast-acting technology will transform edibles much like broadband transformed the internet. “Why would anybody suffer through slow, unpredictable dial-up once that quality was available?” she asked.

Branding What?

Trade shows are, more than anything, branding opportunities. MJBiz was no exception. The executive team from premium Colorado grower Veritas was showing off new color-classified packaging matching moods with terpene profiles and offering QR codes to

thing from cultivation to manufacturing), Chief Investment Officer Rich Batenburg doesn’t see cultivation as the future. “That will get commoditized, 100 percent, as will the distribution channels of dispensaries,” he said. “The power is going to shift to brands. And the more mature the market, the more powerful those brands will become. It will become a lot more like alcohol. You don’t pick a liquor store because you love the store. You pick it because you love the brands they have.”

Perhaps, said Ning, but he hasn’t seen brand loyalty emerge as a big factor yet. While consumers are developing some affinity for branded manufactured prod-

BRIGHT LEADERS FOR A BRIGHT FUTURE

From left: Alex Levine, CEO of Green Dragon; Kim Rael Sanchez, CEO of Azuca LEFT TO RIGHT: COURTESY GREEN DRAGON, COURTESY AZUCA

about strains than branding when buying flower—which still dominates the market. “If people are looking up flower, they look up strains. If they’re looking up vapes, they look at brands,” he said.

Falling Behind

Amid the positioning and projecting, there were also dispiriting signs the industry is picking up some of mainstream corporate culture’s worst habits. Leadership is becoming less diverse, and lead-

cent (below the national average of 30 percent) in 2021.

“Women and minorities are not counted in this industry, not financed in this industry, and are not moving forward in this industry,” Simply Pure CEO Wanda James, the nation’s first Black woman to own a dispensary, said during the most-talked-about session at MJBiz. James said seasoned Black entrepreneurs with licenses to operate cannabis businesses struggle to get funding. “Our businesses are not validated in the same way as a

its like Realm of Caring are crunching reams of data that’s never been available before to prove the plant’s efficacy, develop guidelines and protocols for use, and encourage insurance companies to compensate medical marijuana patients. Development Officer Adam Young said Realm of Caring has created a seal of approval that entails visits to farms and extraction and shipping facilities as well as product testing. So far, only five companies have been certified.

These are challenges, to be sure.

BRIGHT LEADERS FOR A BRIGHT FUTURE

ing companies are leaving crucial issues like consumer safety, social justice, and carbon emissions for nonprofits to handle.

Regulatory efforts to support ownership among the communities most harmed by the drug war haven’t made any difference and sometimes do more harm than good. Less than 2 percent of cannabis business owners are Black, compared with 13 percent of the U.S. population, according to Leafly’s 2021 Jobs Report. Minority executives made up 28 percent of all cannabis leaders in 2019 and dropped to 13 percent (about the national average) in 2021, while women accounted for 37 percent of leaders in 2019 but only 22 per-

25-year-old white guy in California that has no business experience or licenses,” she said.

This failure to live up to inclusionary ideals is, at least, a conversation. How growing weed is cooking the planet is not, despite study after study showing indoor cultivation taking up a bigger and bigger piece of the carbon-emissions pie. Growing an ounce of indoor emits about the same amount of carbon as burning a tank of gas, one of those studies by Colorado State engineers found. “This industry is developing and expanding very quickly without consideration for the environment,” the study’s senior author told Gizmodo.

As for consumer safety, nonprof-

But as Smith was quick to point out during a chat in the MJBizCon press room (about a month before his company’s acquisition was announced), mainstreaming has plenty of upside, too.

“Ten years ago, we were crazy stoners, trying to carve a life out of the back alleys of semi-legality. Now there’s a lot more awareness, and I think that’s great,” he said. “I’m a fan. I believe cannabis provokes good conversation, friendships, and solution language to problems. The more popular this tool gets, the more problems get solved.”

From left: Richard Batenburg II and Richard Batenburg III, cofounders of Cliintel Capital Management Group; Wanda James, CEO of Simply Pure

of

THE FACES CANNABIS

Through his lens, Chris Vicari captured the personalities of California’s cannabis farmers and leaders as the industry was shucking o old stereotypes about the plant and the people who grow it for a living.

TEXT DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN PHOTOS CHRIS VICARI

When photographer Chris Vicari fist began shooting portraits of personalities in the cannabis space, he had to build trust with his subjects. After all, cannabis had just become legal in California, where he was working for Green Flower Media, which was on a mission to help the nascent industry present itself as a professional business, and growers were skeptical. “A lot of them would tell me to just shoot their shoulders,” he says.

“It wasn’t working.”

But Vicari, who had previously worked on creating the images for a video game of the Deadliest Catch, wanted real connection to capture images of business people and industry pioneers who had been treated with scorn as cannabis tired to shake off the stigma of stoner culture

Steve Deangleo

Kevin Jodrey

and illegality. So he focused on what mattered most to the people he was photographing: their work in the field and passion for the plant.

“I wanted to make sure that there was a connection to the land with everybody I shot and completely ignored any kind of stigma or preconceived ideas about cannabis growers,” he says. “I just wanted to show them as salt-of-theearth people who are out there working hard. I wanted them to look smart. I wanted them to look badass. I wanted them to look respectable.”

The success of that approach shows in Vicari’s up-close-and-personal images of personalities including farmer Swami Chaitanya and industry leader Steve Deangelo, who had devoted themselves to cannabis when it was still heavily stigmatized. Vicari’s portraits reveal the human, hard-working side of an industry just beginning to gain mainstream acceptance.

Sunshine Johnston

Derek Gilman

“Towards the end, people started trusting me,” he says. “We were really embedded with this group of people who were the leaders of of their industry. And I got an all-access pass to their lives.”

This gallery highlights Vicari’s work for Green Flower and captures the vibe of an industry in the process of gaining respect.

Steve Deangelo (left) and Chris Vicari

Nikki Lastreto

Wendy Korn

Swami Chaitanya

Is THCV really the energyboosting, appetitesuppressing “diet weed” anecdotal claims purport it to be? Sensi’s munchie-prone editor-in-chief investigates

TEXT STEPHANIE WILSON

diet weed has

xercise more. Eat healthier. Lose weight. If you’re among the one in four Americans who make New Year’s resolutions, there’s around a 50 percent chance the changes you hope to undertake involve your diet. We are what we eat, after all, and despite the best intentions, we don’t always make the best choices for our bodies. Forty-two percent of Americans reported adding unwanted pounds to their frames since the start of the pandemic, with an average gain of 29 pounds. Depending on one’s height, that could be the difference between a BMI that’s considered healthy and one that’s categorized as obese.

It should be harder to make that leap. Not that I know just how many pounds I gained; I barely even registered it was happening because I didn’t have any zippers on pants to serve as a physical deterrent to another helping of comfort food. I do know there’s no bliss in my ignorance—it doesn’t magically save me from feeling the consequences on my physical and mental health. The hard abs I dutifully planked and twisted and biked into existence back when the only Corona I knew came served with a lime are now soft and buried beneath layers that crept onto my inactive, super-prone-to-munchies, body.

Because, just like some 25 million other Americans, I consumed my fair share of cannabis during the pandemic—only I got to call it work. I was conducting personal research, discovering that the THC threshold at which edible-induced munchies become stronger than my willpower to not indulge them

is around 9mg. Now, if only there was a miracle molecule on the market that could make losing weight as easy as eating pies of the pizza variety on the couch while in a cannabinoid-induced state of bliss...

Lo and behold, the naturally occurring chemical compounds that make up the cannabis plant are a complex network of miracles that we are only now beginning to discover. And one of those rare, little-understood molecular compounds just may be the key to solving the obesity epidemic. Or it could just be all hype. Either way, it’s going to make a lot of headlines.

diet VVeed

We’re calling it now: the hottest health and wellness trend of 2022 is going to make the CBD craze of 2018 look like a mere blip on the cultural radar ... once marketers are able to properly solve its impending identity crisis.

If forced to pin the blame for cannabis being federally illegal in this county on just one thing, it would be on tetrahydrocannabinol, aka THC. It’s the part of the plant that gets you high—a fact that’s been earning the major cannabinoid notoriety since its discovery by scientists in Israel in 1964. And since the passing of the 2018 Farm Bill, THC is now solely responsible for the ongoing federal prohibition of cannabis plant*, but we don’t hold that against it. THC just wants us to be happy, it stimulates cells in our brains to dump some dopamine into our systems, and it feels euphoric. We’ll love it eternally for that.

It is a bit of a spotlight hog, though. Reminds me of a friend who always uses the joint like a

microphone. (It’s me. I am that friend.) THC only recently passed its proverbial joint to its older cousin cannabinoid cannabiderol, or CBD. CBD politely declined taking a hit because psychoactive effects just aren’t its thing, but it did step into the spotlight.

And right on cue, enter the unicorn cannabinoid with a catchy nickname: tetrahydrocannabivarin, or THCV. Aka Diet Weed. Aka a rare and elusive minor cannabinoid claimed to deliver energy-boosting, appetite-suppressing, focus-stimulating effects with no psychoactive buzz and abundant therapeutic potential. On the surface, one might assume that cannabis would only exacerbate the obesity epidemic as increased appetite is a well-known side effect of THC. But THCV is the antithesis of THC, the opposite of whatever the proverbial lazy stoner is smoking. THCV is not psychoactive (except in very high doses), and it’s also been shown to blunt the well-known effects of THC like paranoia and impaired shortterm memory. And while science on THCV is still in its infancy and a lot more research is needed to fully understand the scope of the cannabinoid’s effects on the human body, several studies—most on rodents, some on humans— have identified a variety of potential therapeutic uses for it.

THCV is an analgesic and anti-inflammatory; it’s neuroprotective, which means it protects the nervous system. It soothes nausea and vomiting. It helps with bone health and bone formation; it’s sleep-promoting, anti-epileptic, and anxiety-easing. It’s a major antipsychotic. It’s anti-diabetic

and it’s anti-cholesterol. And it helps with appetite suppression. Its therapeutic effects and health benefits may be even stronger than CBD’s.

the two major cannabinoids in the sativa

other). THCV is a minor cannabinoid, and most strains contain only trace, undetectable amounts. Despite almost limitless market potential and ever-increasing consumer interest, THCV remains elusive. It’s most abundant in African landrace sativas like the popular Durban Poison strain, which can offer THCV content in the 0.2% and 1.8% range— still not enough to produce viable quantities. Other strains like Doug’s Vrain, Pineapple Purps, and Willie Nelson are higher in THCV but harder to grow—and good luck finding them outside of California. The limited supply of the rare cannabinoid has kept its price high and its availability low, but recent advances in bioscience and biosynthesis are making it easier to produce than ever before.

Front Range Biosciences debuted a new strain that cracks the code on making THCV accessible, affordable, and appealing to cannabis growers and consumers for the first time. With more than 8% THCV, the Dayslayer strain is paving the way for more consumer products, medical research, and therapeutics.

make it easier to pro-

Chews introduced its THCVplans of launching in Oklahoma early this year. A few days before they hit dispensary shelves, I had

about how to control the munchies, rarely consume more than 10 mg at a time because I’ll catch a buzz from just 5 mg. But THCV is supposed to

and the THC outweighed the THCV for me. I then gave some samples to

THCV is the antithesis of THC, the opposite of whatever the proverbial lazy stoner is smoking.

eVerybody is di erent. A better product for me may be Wana Optimals Fit from Wana Brands. Each gummy contains only a trace amount of THC— just .1mg of the cannabinoid per gummie, less than is found in many federally legal hemp plants. Designed to be taken daily at any time as a part of a conventional wellness routine, the nonintoxicating gummies were developed in conjunction with cannabinoid-science leader ECS Brands using its proprietary Varin oil. ECS brands is behind the recently completed National Institute of Health-supported 90-day human clinical trial of TCHV in which 100 out of 100 study participants lost weight without exercise or changing daily caloric output values.

With results like that, we should be prepared for a deluge of THCV-powered products flooding the shelves and headlines saturating our newsfeeds as production of THCV ramps up across the country. The “It” cannabinoid is going to make waves in the nutraceutical, health and beauty, and health food sectors, and we’re going to see less scrupulous companies making all sorts of health claims that are going to be too good to be true. It’s important to remind ourselves that when something sounds too good to be true, it almost always is. Right now, it’s all just speculation. Validating these claims requires research to gather scientific evidence and clinical trials to validate it, and that all takes time. THCV may only be as speedy as a cup of coffee, not

an amphetamine-salt-packed Adderall dose that one nickname suggests. It could be nothing on some days but way too much on others, and that could depend on what other terpenes and cannabinoids are in play. We just don’t know. But that won’t stop the coming onslaught of claims.

It will be hard to not get caught up in the coming hype—and OMG, there’s gonna be a lot of hype coming—but try to remind yourself that the science hasn’t caught up with the consumer interest and rising demand yet, and it won’t for a while. When the data is in and analyzed, we’ll find out what’s hype and what’s just hope. All we know for sure right now is that THCV is poised to be a huge disruptor, and it’s coming soon to a dispensary shelf near you.

Green Unicorn

Effortless, Effective, and Affordable CBD

Green Unicorn Farms has come a long way since it first launched onto the CBD scene as a premium CBD flower brand. With a newly expanded product line and larger variety of therapeutic ingredients, Green Unicorn Farms wants to empower you by helping you find exactly the right plant medicine for your needs.

Don’t worry, Green Unicorn still scours the country to provide you with the cleanest, most aromatic, and cannabinoid-rich hemp buds available— that’s not changing. But, alongside its high-grade CBD, CBG, and CBDV flow-

er, you’ll also find gummies, tinctures, capsules, and cream, allowing you to buy all of your favorite CBD wellness goodies in one place.

In its quest to provide the most effective products on the market, Green Unicorn is also venturing into the world of medicinal mushrooms and has created special terpene blends to enhance specific symptom relief tailored to your needs. Each unique formula pairs the powers of traditional medicine with modern science to help you feel more balanced, happy, and symptom-free.

And, with today’s busy and stressful

lifestyle, Green Unicorn’s goal is to make your CBD shopping experience as effortless as possible. Simply choose the effects you want from your CBD (relax, soothe, focus, or sleep), and then choose your preferred delivery method (gummies, tincture, flower, cream, or capsules). It’s that straightforward. By fostering close customer relations, Green Unicorn is able to listen closely and respond directly to what its customers really want and actually need. These new formulas are just one example of how the company has adapted to make its existing (and new) customers’ lives easier.

Plus, by selling products directto-customer, Green Unicorn Farms is able to keep its quality and standards high and its costs low in ways that traditional and larger brands just can’t—meaning clean, safe, reliable, and effective products that are affordable and accessible for everyone.

The Lush Life

Oklahoma City Home and Garden Show / Jan. 21-23 / OKC Fairgrounds

The Oklahoma City Home and Garden Show is for anyone who loves a cozy and green home. Landscape and plant experts will help to turn anyone’s space green with a wide variety of products and services. The Pet Plaza embraces all pets from fish to reptiles to furry friends offering pet products and services, including many Made in Oklahoma items. Sample some of the best wines from Oklahoma producers in the Wine Village. Plus, check out funky playsets for kids, entertainment by TV personalities, workshops, presentations, and seminars. oklahomacityhomeshow.com

Tech Revolution

CES / Jan. 5-8

After its virtual event last year, CES will be live in Las Vegas, showcasing tech and digital innovation on a global stage. More than 1,700 exhibiting companies, including all of the big players along with hundreds of thought leaders, will share how technology is evolving. CES hosted 182,000 attendees in 2019. This year, attendance is expected to grow, with attendees from at least 159 countries already registered. Categories include smart home, vehicle tech, space tech, food tech, and non-fungible tokens (NFTs), along with niche areas such as women’s health. ces.tech

Celebrate Anime

Setsucon 2022 / Jan. 28-30 / Blair County Convention Center

Setsucon returns to Altoona, Pennsylvania. A tradition since 2007, the event showcases anime, manga, and Japanese culture. Hit the skate park and pilot a giant robot with special guest Matt Shipman, known for his voice acting and writing. Starring in many shows in several genres, he is best known as the voice of Reki Kyan in SK8

The Infinity, Chrome in Dr. Stone, Cutthroat in Akudama Drive, and Hiro in DARLING in the FRANXX. He can also be heard in Attack On Titan, My Hero Academia, One Piece, Black Clover, and Goblin Slayer. In addition, attendees will be entertained by DJ Awesomus Prime, Heroes 4 Hire, Otaku Ongaku, and ThaGataNegrra. setsucon.com

NEVADA

PHOTOS (FROM TOP) BY FLORIAN OLIVO; AC DE LEON

PENNSYLVANIA

OKLAHOMA

PHOTO (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP) BY CRYSTALWEED CANNABIS; COURTESY OF SASY WINES; BY PRISCILLA DU PREEZ

OKLAHOMA, PENNSYLVANIA, NEVADA

and keeps us alert. If you’re suffering from seasonal affectivie disorder (SAD), consider adding a sun lamp to your space to get some vitamin D.

Happy Place

This year, go all-in on self-care by creating an emotional escape room.

TEXT STEPHANIE WILSON

Some call it a sacred space, some call it a zen den. Vernacular aside, the idea is to create a dedicated spot in your home where you can go to think all the thoughts and feel all the feels—and you need one. Setting apart an area for rituals or meditation invites you to make mental, emotional, and energetic space for for them—and serves as a visual reminder to do so. Here are some tips to help you carve out a space where you can vibe.

Find your spot. Follow your intuition to the unexpected nooks and crannies

of your home to find the right space—the closet floor, behind a chair or plant, that awkward corner in the living room, anywhere with enough room for you to tuck into with a pillow to sit on. Select a spot that makes you feel present, spiritually connected, and joyful.

Create your altar. Outfit your space with items that have purpose and meaning: photos, crystals, candles, flowers, statues or mementos, books, journals, tarot and oracle cards, or whatever you need for your self-care rit-

ual. The space is all about you, so customize it to your interests and tastes. Play with color and texture through artwork, throw rugs, meditation pillows, tapestries, and scarves.

Let there be light. Research has shown that lighting has a huge impact on our circadian rhythms, which affect our emotional and physical health. Cool blue lights interfere with the production of melatonin, interfering with sleep, whereas warm, soft yellow lights spur the production of cortisol, which helps wake us up

Accent with aromas. The scents we smell link directly to the parts of the brain that control our memories and emotions. Rose and lavender help release stress and anxiety. Sandalwood can help calm racing thoughts. Lemon and clary sage may help with depression. Avoid scented candles that list “parfum” or “natural fragrances,” which can contain phthalates and other chemicals. Add a few drops of essential oils to a plain wax one instead.

Let the music move you. Research has shown that music can alter our moods and behaviors, even impact our physical health. Put another way, music is what feelings sound like, so choose music that sounds like the feelings you want your self-care space to instill.

Go even greener. Research in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology found that interacting with houseplants can reduce stress by calming the sympathetic nervous system. Also, adding some plants to the space can help purify the air of toxic substances, according to a study in Environmental Health Perspectives.

PHOTO BY CODY BLACK VIA UNSPLASH

Green Besties: Research shows your houseplants can uplevel your mood.