EVERCANNABIS, September, 2018 by Cowles Publishing

SEPTEMBER 2018

www.evercannabis.com

EVERCANNABIS Â®

EVERCANNABIS is a supplement to The Spokesman−Review • Friday, September 7, 2018

EVERCANNABIS

ISSUE 8

VOLUME 3

EVERCANNABIS® is a supplement to The Spokesman-Review

Proud member of

SHOP TALK www.evercannabis.com Free Digital Archives Online evercannabis@spokesman.com 509.459.5095

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Kathleen Coleman DIRECTOR OF SALES Dan Fritts MANAGING EDITOR Joe Butler CREATIVE DIRECTOR Anne Potter GRAPHIC DESIGNER Trish Merryman SALES LEAD Wes Ward

LOCAL CONTRIBUTORS Linda Ball Tracy Damon

Chatting about new areawide cannabis shops

SKIP THE LINE

More shops adding online ordering

18 16

SILICON VALLEY STYLE Industry attracting more tech talent

CBD OIL

getting personal

Murals .............................................. 4 Strain of the Month .......................... 7 Taking the high road ......................... 8

Lizzi Moss

Upcoming Events ............................ 11

Theresa Tanner

Cannabis News ............................... 20 Cooking with Cannabis ................... 23

THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW www.spokesman.com news@spokesman.com 509.459.5400

Marijuana and marijuana-infused products are legal for Washington residents 21 years and older. It has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming. It can impair concentration, coordination and judgment. There may be health risks associated with consumption.

EVERCANNABIS is a supplement to The Spokesman−Review • Friday, September 7, 2018

Reaching Creative Heights Local retailers, artists celebrate Spokane with custom murals By THERESA TANNER EVERCANNABIS Correspondent

Cannabis on North Division Street had plagued owner Sam Calvert since the shop opened in 2014.

One of the positive side effects of cannabis cited by advocates is heightened creativity. Firm data on its effectiveness is limited, but artists and innovators like Carl Sagan, Bob Marley and Steve Jobs all were convinced that this wonder herb was able to enhance their thought processes.

“We had a tough time ﬁguring out what to do with that big white wall,” said Calvert.

So it’s only fitting that Spokane-area cannabis retailers find creative ways to reflect the city within their store walls. Actually, upon their walls.

The resulting mural, called “The Perplexing Wall” because of its difficult origins, includes a multicolored, floor-to-ceiling tree with four panels that feature famous figures in pop culture enjoying cannabis in Spokane.

A large blank wall at the far end of Green Star

In 2015, Calvert hired local artist Nate O’Neil to paint a mural with the direction of “iconic ﬁgures doing modern things.”

One panel includes Marilyn Monroe playing hacky sack while Cheech and Chong make plans to visit Green Star Cannabis. Another depicts one of Spokane’s most famous former residents, Bing Crosby, lounging near the Spokane River with his trademark pipe – now branded with the Green Star Cannabis logo. Customers don’t always notice the mural right away, since they’re usually ﬁrst greeted by a budtender who answers questions about product and invites them to browse the store’s cases. But as they approach the mural, it deﬁnitely garners attention. “Customers, especially out-of-town visitors, will take

Two Spokane-area cannabis retailers feature colorful murals, including Green Star Cannabis, left and right, painted by Nate O’Neil, and Spokane Green Leaf, center, created by Daniel Lopez. Photos by Theresa Tanner/Evercannabis

EVERCANNABIS is a supplement to The Spokesman−Review • Friday, September 7, 2018

a picture with their budtender in front of the mural with their purchase,” Calvert said. “I’ve had as many as 15 or 16 people in one photo.” VIP visitors are also impressed with the artwork, as many state senators and congressmen have visited Green Star Cannabis to learn more about Washington’s growing cannabis industry. “They don’t expect to see this kind of custom art in here,” Calvert said. In North Spokane, Spokane Green Leaf unveiled its own mural in March 2018. Owners Todd Bennatt and Kirk Haggerty commissioned local artist Daniel Lopez to create the 10 foot by 16 foot mural on a wall near the entrance to the store on North Country Homes Boulevard. “We wanted to find a way to support a local artist, as well as have a representation of Spokane in our store,” said Bennatt in an email. Lopez, a California native who adapted his experience as a graffiti artist to more conventional art styles while still using spray paint, created the mural over several nights after hours at the cannabis retailer. The stylized version of the downtown Spokane skyline features landmarks like the Monroe Street Bridge, Riverfront Park Clocktower and Pavilion and Steam Plant smokestacks. In a Spokane Green Leaf blog post about the mural, Lopez said, “I love every chance I get to create art that highlights Spokane and encourages people to visit our wonderful city.” “Daniel is an incredibly talented up and coming graffiti artist in Spokane and has a lot of his work displayed on buildings around town. We feel fortunate to have partnered up with Daniel for this project,” said Bennatt in the same blog post. Haggerty agreed, stating, “The addition of local art in our store is important to us as we believe the use of cannabis heightens people’s creativity. Showcasing a great piece of art in our shop just highlights the possibilities!” A time-lapse video of Lopez’s work on the mural can be seen on the Spokane Green Leaf website (spokanegreenleaf.com).

EDITOR’S

Words of Wisdom What the people want vs. what they need When I was a senior in high school, a longtime U.S. senator once spoke to our class about the challenges of leadership. One of his analogies portrayed citizens as customers at a restaurant where the government prepares and provides the food. He described himself as part of the wait staff, interacting with guests and the kitchen staff to make sure everyone gets what they need. So far so good – kind of creative, and maybe even a little humble in his approach to service. But then he said, “If you asked for 7-Up and all they had was Sprite, I’d probably give you Sprite and a good explanation of why.” Voters fired him a few months later, and he was replaced by someone who likely would have said, “Sorry, the people really want 7-Up, and Sprite just won’t do, so let’s see what we can do to find 7-Up, no matter the cost.” Either position, of course, raises larger questions about the role of government – should we settle for what we are told we need vs. what we want? Would we still want that 7-Up if we knew it would cost us significantly more? Should we trust and accept that the people we vote for know more than us about the best beverages? Should we simply figure out how to make our own drinks at home? I’ve been thinking of this analogy lately in context with the conflicts some states are having with citizens demanding access to cannabis through the citizen initiative process.

After backers collected thousands of signatures and achieved a majority vote to authorize medical marijuana, some lawmakers have indicated that they don’t really want to provide this service after all. States like Oklahoma, Arkansas and Maine especially have been dragging their feet in rolling out new regulations to allow people to legally grow, sell and buy this new product. Oklahoma is facing lawsuits after its Board of Health recently added a variety of restrictions to the voterapproved law, the equivalent of someone in the kitchen putting dishwater in someone’s beverage before bringing it out. It’s “mostly” what the people asked for, but with some nasty enhancements. Our current cultural shift toward greater access for cannabis for medical or recreational purposes certainly can be confusing and even a little frightening to some leaders, especially those who campaigned and won their ofﬁces on anti-drug/pro-morality platforms. Almost a century of many people being certain that marijuana is a dangerous drug doesn’t help either. But as painful as it feels to accept the will of the “paying customers” for any issue, not just cannabis, that’s kind of part of the job description of a good server.

Joe Butler, Managing Editor

Interested in being a FREE EVERCANNABIS distribution location? Please contact 509.459.5095 or evercannabis@spokesman.com

EVERCANNABIS is a supplement to The Spokesman−Review • Friday, September 7, 2018

Skip the Line ... Order Weed Online By TRACY DAMON EVERCANNABIS Correspondent

You can pretty much order anything online these days. How about a burial urn off eBay? AAA batteries from Amazon? Groceries from the neighborhood supermarket? No more need to browse if you choose not to. As the cannabis industry grows, many shops are also offering this option.

Ordering online is easy. You just visit the website of your favorite pot shop that offers the service, browse the menu that is constantly being updated as inventory changes, and place items in your cart. Customers still need to pay in cash and show valid ID that shows that they’re at least age 21. Online customers also don’t have to wait in line with walk-in customers, at least at some shops. Roberts at The Green Nugget offers a separate checkout line for pick up and pay for those who ordered ahead of time.

Several Spokane-area retailers have recently started to offer online ordering, including The Green Nugget, Royals Cannabis on North Division, Treehouse Club in Spokane Valley and Spokane Green Leaf on Country Homes Boulevard. Other shops are moving in that direction.

Green Nugget had an online shopping option available on a separate site but recently integrated this portion into its main site to coincide with a move to its new location at 322 E. Francis Avenue.

Because marijuana is still illegal at the federal level, the shops still can’t mail or deliver your purchases to you like with other retail products, even within states where recreational and medical cannabis is legal. But this option can save you a lot of time wandering around shops and looking in cabinets by having your order made up for you when you arrive.

Stores that offer online ordering compare the service to what’s available from grocery stores. Not only does it make the process of buying weed more appealing and speedy for some customers, but also makes it easier for those who use cannabis for medical conditions, health issues or other mobility challenges.

“A lot of people feel like not wanting to come in and be confused because there are so many options,” said Megan Roberts, manager at The Green Nugget in Spokane. “We hold [their order] right up front. That way they don’t have to look around for what they need.”

“I have a girl who doesn’t see well,” said Roberts. “So she always orders online.” It also speeds up the shopping process.

EVERCANNABIS is a supplement to The Spokesman−Review • Friday, September 7, 2018

“We’ll get a text when an order comes in,” said Roberts. Whichever employee is least busy at the time is asked to gather the order and alert the customer when it’s ready, usually through text. Eventually though there will be staff devoted to just putting together online orders, she said. “We are going to have people dedicated to inventory,” she said. Orders are usually processed and ready to be picked up fairly quickly. “We aim for 10 minutes or less,” said Roberts. “But it can take longer occasionally. Saturdays are pretty crazy.”

STRAIN OF THE MONTH

Online ordering may sometimes may tied into a shop’s loyalty program, where you can get points based on orders which can be redeemed for future promotions or specials. Each shop has a different policy as to the time to ﬁll your order.

Ask for us by name

at your retailer

: O rganic C annabis TM

www.newdaycannabis.com

Warning: This product has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming. Smoking is hazardous to your health. Should not be used by pregnant women or if you are breastfeeding. For use only by adults 21 years & older. Do not operate a motor vehicle under the inﬂuence of this drug. Consuming this product can impair concentration, coordination & judgment. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. Keep out of reach of children.

PEACHES & DIESEL SWEETWATER FARMS, CHENEY

THC 21.-25% | TERPENES: MYRENCE, PINENE AND LIMONENE

Sweetwater Farm’s Peaches & Diesel strain lives up it its namesake. It has a pungent diesel-like yet peachy smell and its effects are uplifting and motivating, making it a great choice for a busy day with a long to-do list or a social event. Both parent strains, Strawberry Cough and New York City Diesel, are known for their “sativa effects” or their uplifting and happy vibes, making this strain a perfect combination of its parent strains. AROMA: This strain is a unique mix

of myrence, pinene and limonene terpenes (the natural chemicals that give fruits and vegetables their distinct smells and unique effects). These terpenes make Peaches & Diesel have a sweet but also strong diesellike smell and are responsible for its

uplifting vibes. This creates a totally unique smoke and a must-try for those who like their cannabis to give extra pep in their step. EFFECTS: I’m admittedly a sucker for any diesel strain, and think the trademark pungent smell gives a unique uplifting feel that is unmatched by other strains. This strain is rumored to have a longer lasting head high than other strains, and is known for its happy, uplifting, and sometimes even motivational vibe. The motivation admittedly depends on your mindset – any cannabis strain will not overcome your personality, but can give you an extra uplifting feeling. Smoke it before your Sunday chores to feel totally accomplished for the day or bring it along to your next social event -- everyone will ask you where you got it!

Written by Caitlyn Walsh, manager and purchasing agent at Spokane Green Leaf. Caitlyn was one of the ﬁrst budtenders in Washington State and continues to grow her cannabis knowledge along with the industry.

EVERCANNABIS is a supplement to The Spokesman−Review • Friday, September 7, 2018

The High Road BIG PLANS FOR By JOE BUTLER

BIG PLANTS

EVERCANNABIS Writer

In the last year, Don Grant learned more than he ever thought possible about growing cannabis – and he’s been growing it for a signiﬁcant part of his life. “I’ve already tried most of the things that a lot of people are doing now, but at the same time I’m also always trying to ﬁnd better ways to do this,” he said. As the head grower of The High Road, a family-owned indoor farm based in Deer Park, Grant focuses on growing about 17 strains which can be found in about 24 stores statewide.

While some growers focus on big buds only, Don Grant

ﬁnds ways to create bigger plants.

Grant spent several years working at an outdoor farm in Humboldt County, California. He later worked on the medical marijuana side for two years and studied horticulture and homeopathic medicine. The High Road opened about two years ago after purchasing a license from an existing farm. Grant sketched out the design for an ideal facility, and helped build it, including clearing trees. Grant also enlisted the help of family members in the venture, including his mother Martha Vandouris, sister and brother-in-law Brenette and Ed Leifer, and ﬁancée Amber Grant. Other neighbors and family friends help in the cultivation and packaging process. “We all have different skills,” Ed Leifer said. “Some of us help with growing, some with marketing, some with organization -- this helps set The High Road apart since we’ve all worked in other types of businesses so we know what skills are needed.” Ed and Brenette also own Blades, a Spokane salon that has been around for more than 40 years. They focus on customer service and want to make sure retailers

and budtenders learn everything about The High Road so they can pass their knowledge and excitement onto customers. “We’re always bringing budtenders and store people up here, so they get their heads into the growing rooms,” Ed said. “Our vendor days are great too – we bring in pizza, we make them festive, and keep working hard to build these relationships.” What really makes The High Road special, however, is the plants themselves. Don focuses on growing larger plants, not necessarily smaller plants with big buds. “Instead of 500 plants that are exactly the same size, we grow 24 that can have a good yield, and work out to be 300 pounds per light,” he said. He also provides attention to the lighting, including determining the optimal spectrum, positioning, and quantity. While some indoor farms place their LED lights nearly right on top of the plants, Grant places then higher. The High Road recently invested in ceramic metal halide lights, which better simulate different intensities of sunlight at different times of the year. The multi-spectrum lighting in each room can be adjusted by smartphone from anywhere. There are also fail-safes that power the lights down if the air conditioning or dehumidifer breaks. “We recently reduced our lights in one room from 15 to 12,” he said. “This changed the yield from 36 pounds per room to 47 pounds per room.” Grant grows the plants in dirt, using synthetic fertilizer with organic properties. Plants are also hand-fed daily. He’s also is experimenting with neem, a herb found in India, that can act as a natural defense against fungus gnats.

EVERCANNABIS is a supplement to The Spokesman−Review • Friday, September 7, 2018

“People were talking about how great neem can be, and I didn’t believe them, but then I learned more about it, and it really works,” he said “Plus I felt like our plants were bigger too because of it – it’s amazing all the little things you can learn.” Brenette Leifer said customers really like The High Road’s clear jars, which make it easy to see the dense, good looking ﬂower. The jars also include descriptions of the effects of that particular strain, something unique in the industry. “We tell people what to expect, the undertones, the terpenes,” Ed said. “It’s not just a pretty label – we focus on quality and experience.” Strains range from new hybrids to familiar favorites, including Durban Poison, Jack the Ripper, Pineapple Chunk, Blue Dream and Lemon Skunk. They also experiment with fun Star Wars-inspired names.

“Hindu Kush is one of the oldest strains out there, and is also one that people still get excited about,” Brenette said. Overall, Grant is excited about all the advances in technology available to producers, and is looking forward to more great things in the next few years. “A grower’s job is to regularly analyze everything and create solutions,” he said. “If you’re getting good results, you don’t mess with anything, or you can always be trying to make little ﬁxes to make things a little better.” He also enjoys meeting other producers, sometimes to compare notes or share strategies. “So many farms are failing because they’re undercapitalized, bad growers, or have problems with integrity,” he said. “Some are even dumping their product, so everyone’s price drops. The key for us is to keep on focusing on quality and keep our prices the same.”

Tier 2 Deer Park Available in about 24 stores @thehighroadllc on Facebook @highroad509 on Instagram

The High Road is a family-owned operation that provides high-quality cannabis products, including creatively-named pre-rolls. Some of the owners include, from left, John Graham, Brenette Leifer, Ed Leifer and Amber Grant. Not pictured, grower Don Grant. Photo by Wes Ward/Evercannabis

EVERCANNABIS is a supplement to The Spokesman−Review • Friday, September 7, 2018

AS SUMMER DRAWS TO A CLOSE AND FALL ROLLS IN stiff muscles and joints can be a thing of the past with

Upcoming Fun SEPT 8 SEPT 13

MEDICAL CONSULTANT MEET & GREET, SATORI SOUTH, SPOKANE. Patients, growers, advocates and others interested in learning more about pain relief, qualifying conditions and medical options can discuss and network. www.satorimj.com THE CANNABIS ALLIANCE, SEATTLE. Monthly meeting of growers, retailers and supporters of Washington’s cannabis industry. Live feed locations available in Spokane at The Spokesman-Review, along with Bellingham, Arlington, Tri-Cities and Olympia. www.thecannabisalliance.us

SEPT 19

SPOKANE/EASTERN WASHINGTON MARIJUANA BUSINESS NETWORKING MEET-UP, LUIGI’S RESTAURANT, SPOKANE. Meet others involved in the local cannabis industry, plus those who want to learn more. Happy hour 5:30-6:30 p.m., followed by presentation/discussion 6:30-7:30 p.m. meetup. com/Spokane-Eastern-WA-Marijuana-BusinessNetworking.

SEPT 30 OCT 10-11 OCT 25-26

THE DOPE SHOW, SPOKANE COMEDY CLUB. Enjoy laughs and cannabis-themed humor performed by national comedians. www.spokanecomedyclub.com THE RAD EXPO, PORTLAND. Retailers/dispensary owners and others in the industry from across the Northwest can come together to learn about new products and services. www.theradexpo.com THE CANNABIS CONVENTION AND COMEDY FESTIVAL, TACOMA. Recreational cannabis processors, retailers and other professionals are invited to learn, network and laugh with top comics. Includes panels, entertainment and vendors. lemonhaze.com

Planning a cannabis-themed event for the public? Send details to Evercannabis@spokesman.com.

HERBAL WARRIOR ON YOUR SIDE

124 E RIVERSIDE AVE IONE, WA 509-442-3420

NEW HOURS

MONDAY- SATURDAY 10 - 7 • SUNDAY 11-5

DAILY SEPTEMBER SPECIALS

Product has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the inﬂuence of this drug. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. For use only by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of the reach of children.

EVERCANNABIS is a supplement to The Spokesman Review • Friday, September 7, 2018

By JOE BUTLER EVERCANNABIS Writer

Airway Heights grower

In some ways, Blue Roots Cannabis acts like a small-scale grower but in a big space. The Airway Heights-based producer known for high-quality flower, extracts, and tasty edibles has never been interested in filling cavernous rooms with giant plants, a common high-yield business model in this competitive industry. “We prefer several small rooms with small batches of plants,” said Jerome Conlon, a new member of the Blue Roots team who focuses on branding for the Tier 3 indoor grower. “This provides us with better control, and the ability to sequester easily if we ever need to.” Conlon said thinking smaller, almost like a craft producer, also has allowed the company to experiment with different boutique strains to find what will best appeal to customers. “We’ll gladly sacrifice weight/quantity for a great terpene and cannabinoid profile,” he said. (Terpenes refer to the naturally-occurring compounds in cannabis that contribute to each strain’s unique aroma, flavor and effects. Terpenes are found in all plants, from flowers to bananas to oranges.) That drive to find the best quality and flavor also pays off in the kitchen, where Chef Stephanie Lamb is always experimenting with new ways to infuse cannabis into food products. Her results can be enjoyed by fans of fine food, as well as people who may not want to or can’t smoke cannabis due to health conditions. The Blue Roots kitchen produces six types of Cake Bites, small-sized infused sweet treats that deliver

excited about e

a quality taste with a nice cannabis kick. It also creates five flavors of tinctures, where you put a couple of liquid drops on your tongue to get quick effects. This summer, Blue Roots released Cannachips, which are available in four flavors: Bar-B Que, Sour Cream & Onion, Nacho Cheese and Ranch flavors. Each serving delivers 10 mg of THC, and they’re designed to be a snack rather than a full meal. Lamb said the chips can be fun alternatives to all the chocolates and other sugary edibles out there. “I’m not a huge sweet food person myself, and other people have also told me they wouldn’t mind something more savory on the market,” she said. All the edibles are assembled by hand, which is part of the Blue Roots philosophy of using as little automation as possible. This approach allows the staff to focus on quality and consistency, from hand-rolling pre-roll joints to filling each candy mold one at a time. “This way there’s eyes on everything we do,” Conlon said. “Each plant is inspected daily, and we even hand-water. This is important since some of these plants can change their sex overnight.” (Plant gender is crucial to growers: male plants produce seed pods and females produce the more profitable buds, but stressful growing conditions can sometimes cause them to change.) Blue Roots opened its doors in 2014. Co-owner Eben von Ranson designed the two-story building that includes multi-spectrum light fixtures, which

Airway Heights | Employees: 45 | Strains: TrainWreck, THC Bomb, Supermax OG

www

EVERCANNABIS is a supplement to The Spokesman Review • Friday, September 7, 2018

Creating cannabis edibles can be tricky, said Stephanie Lamb, chef of Blue Roots Cannabis. While consumers generally like the effects, not everyone likes the actual marijuana taste. So it’s important to either ﬁnd ways to mask it or complement it. She enjoys experimenting with different scents and tastes so people can better enjoy their edible experience. She’s tried mint, citrus, chocolate, and even the four tangy ﬂavors found in the new Cannachips.

edibles, extracts simulate different types of sunlight throughout the day and different times of the year. This produces more consistent, healthy plants with a higher percentage of THC, the molecular compound in cannabis that provides the mental and physical “high.” “We strive to create conditions that rival nature’s best days,” he said. He and the staff always look for exceptional strains, especially something that produces a nice body high. “We try to stay away from the strains that everyone is using around here,” von Ranson said. One of the constants, however, is its signature strain Supermax OG. “This is a very potent indica strain, maybe 22-29 percent THC,” he said. “It helps slow down the rat wheel.” Besides ﬂower and edible products, Blue Roots creates concentrates like shatter and two types of distillate cartridges using its own cannabis-derived native terpenes or natural terpenes extracted from fruit. Blue Roots products are available in 70 stores statewide, and the staff continues to build relationships with customers and retailers.

w.bluerootscannabis.com

“The R&D part is my favorite,” said Lamb. “I may try things one way and then have an ‘ah ha!’ moment and figure out how to do it better.” Getting the proper amount of THC and CBD is also a challenge – you want people to enjoy what they’re eating but not become too couch-locked to appreciate the more intricate flavor combinations. Lamb encourages the State of Washington to improve regulations around edibles. Since edibles only represent about 10 percent of industry sales, more emphasis is placed on plant/growing rules. She would like to see edible processors be able to create larger servings and higher THC or CBD items. Longtime users with higher tolerances or medical patients may need higher amounts of cannabis, and shouldn’t have to regularly purchase and eat several small portions in one setting to find relief. “When I started, 10 mg worked fine for me,” she said. “But some people really need a lot more to start feeling the effects.” Another limitation is that all edible products intended for retail stores must be shelf-stable, since they potentially could sit in a shop’s backroom or shelves for weeks, which rules out anything perishable. “I’d love to offer infused ice cream someday,” Lamb said.

EVERCANNABIS is a supplement to The Spokesman−Review • Friday, September 7, 2018

EVERCANNABIS@SPOKESMAN.COM

SHOP TALK Is your shop opening, closing, moving, expanding, adding new people, performing community projects or doing other cool things that will interest our readers? Send us a note and a picture at EVERCANNABIS@ spokesman.com

NEW SHOP IN DAVENPORT

DRIVE-THRU SERVICE OPENS

CLARK COUNTY SHOP TO CLOSE

Natural Green Cannabis recently opened its doors. The location at 51 Morgan Street is in the former Davenport Lanes and Café. General manager/purchaser James Myers said customers will find a good selection of products for all interests and budgets. “We definitely have the largest selection in Lincoln County,” he said. “We have budget-friendly items, some exotic high-end items that are hard to find locally, and a lot of CBD products.” Some specialty brands that can be found include Exotikz and Gold Leaf Gardens, known for cigarsized pre-rolls. Shoppers can also find concentrates, edibles, drinkables, glassware and other items. This is the fifth cannabis store Myers has opened throughout the state – including the Satori location on Spokane’s South Hill. For more info call (509) 725-0941 or visit @naturalgreencannabis on Instagram.

AUBURN – Visitors to Joint Rivers can now purchase their cannabis products without leaving their cars. The new shop, just across the street from the Muckleshoot Casino, allows people to pre-order online or by phone, drive to the window, show ID, pay, receive their order, and drive away. The state’s ﬁrst drive-thru service for cannabis retail sales is designed to be convenient and also great for customers who may prefer their privacy, said General Manager Audria Jaggers. “Some cannabis consumers don’t share with everybody that they are shopping, so this offers a whole other level of discretion,” she said. “They can literally make their order online, come to the drivethru without anybody ever knowing they were on the premises.” Jaggers said being on tribal land provides Joint Rivers different legal options than some other Washington retailers. “The tribe actually applied for this through a compact with the Governor,” she said. During the shop’s soft opening in June, shop staff, growers and vendor partners gave out stickers, noninfused candy, apparel and other goodies.

VANCOUVER – Clark County plans to shut down a retailer operating in an area where cannabis operations are prohibited. John Larson, owner of Sticky’s Pot Shop in the community of Hazel Dell, has been fighting a county ban on shops in unincorporated areas for four years. The Washington Court of Appeals previously affirmed that Initiative 502 permitted local communities to create bans, even if state licenses were granted. Washington’s Supreme Court recently declined to hear Larson’s case. Clark County Civil Deputy Prosecutor Bill Richardson said the county was waiting for this legal guidance before proceeding with the shut-down. Larson has begun a close-out sale, and is handing out fliers urging people to vote in November. At least three county council positions are up for grabs, so there’s a possibility of a ban removal if new leaders have different philosophies. “We have exhausted all possible appeals,” Larson wrote. “While we are disappointed and disagree with the court’s decision not to hear our case, we will comply with the court order and are working with the county to close the store in an orderly manner.” He also could face fines for doing business illegally.

Source: Evercannabis

Source: KOMO

Source: The Columbian

EVERCANNABIS is a supplement to The Spokesman−Review • Friday, September 7, 2018

Taking the mysteries out of CBD SPOKANE VALLEY SHOP HAS PERSONAL REASONS TO HELP PEOPLE WITH HEMP By LINDA BALL EVERCANNABIS Correspondent

In the brave new world of legal cannabis, something called CBD is receiving more attention. But at the same time, CBD can create confusion among newer consumers and even some lawmakers who aren’t sure whether to treat it differently than other forms of the marijuana plant. CDB is short for cannabidiol, one of the naturally occurring, non-psychoactive molecular compounds found in the cannabis plant. There are more than 100 cannabinoids in the plant, including THC, short for tetrahydrocannabinol, which causes the more recognizable mental and physical “high” that many users enjoy. Many of today’s plant strains have been bred or evolved to offer high percentages of THC. But plants and products are also available with higher amounts of CBD, which is considered to provide pain relief without the other effects. Tom Polyniak, one of the owners of Bluegrass Hemp Oil in Spokane Valley, said CBDs have been found to be useful for a variety of physical ailments, as well as overall health. The shop sells a variety of products made from non-industrial hemp, which legally can’t contain any more than .3 percent THC. The staff also has personal reasons for wanting to help the community – CBDs have already helped their family. In 2009, Tom’s brother Bill and sister-in-law Adrian were looking for ways to help their 3-year son Colten, who began experiencing debilitating seizures. He was eventually diagnosed with idiopathic generalized epilepsy, and was prescribed a number of pharmaceuticals. Polyniak said the ﬁrst drug, Keppra, didn’t stop the seizures, but completely changed Colten’s personality and caused cognitive delays and organ failure. The family, who lives in Kentucky, was told by their doctor to “prepare a room for him long-term and you will bury him someday.” This prompted them to get a new doctor who prescribed a different medicine that reduced seizures but still altered his personality. The Polyniaks continued to pursue other options, including cannabis. In 2013, the Kentucky Legislature passed a bill to allow hemp growing. The federal Farm Bill of 2014 also allowed hemp to be legally cultivated in states that had already legalized it. When that law took effect, the Polyniaks began cultivating and producing highquality CBD oil from American hemp on a farm. The product wasn’t just for Colten, but anyone who could beneﬁt from CBD oil.

Tom Polyniak, owner of Bluegrass Hemp Oil, hopes to HGXFDWH VKRSSHUV DERXW WKH EHQHÀWV RI &%' RLO IURP hemp. Photo by Linda Ball/Evercannabis

EVERCANNABIS is a supplement to The Spokesman−Review • Friday, September 7, 2018

The family harvests cannabis flower, extracts the cannabinoid content and packages the oil for shipment to individuals and retailers around the country, including the Spokane area. Today, Colten, who turned 13 in July, has been taking CBD oil since 2014. He doesn’t take any other medications and is four years seizure-free, living a normal life, doing great in school, his mom said. “We knew this could be a business,” Adrian Polyniak said. “We wanted to create the highest quality product we could for our son and for other kids.” She said their hemp oil has been reported to help kids on the autism spectrum and people with anxiety. Some customers with Type II diabetes said the CBD products help regulate their blood sugar levels. “One patient stopped using 10 pharmaceuticals and is using one CBD product. He had high blood pressure, diabetes and heart conditions,” she said. Tom Polyniak was a good choice to locate, open and operate the Spokane Valley location, Adrian said. “He’s seen the effect CBD has had on his nephew,” she said. Bluegrass Hemp Oil uses a proprietary blend that incorporates three varieties of the hemp plant. Products include Genesis Blend of CBD oil, Genesis capsules, and popular bath soaks, which contain CBD, essential oils and Epsom salts. The company also sells hemp soap, and CBD-infused Body Budder that is said to help with sore backs and arthritis. “This never would have happened if my nephew hadn’t had the seizures,” Tom said. The Polyniaks are not the only ones exploring CDBs and their possible benefits in treating health conditions. Dr. Stuart Titus is CEO and president of Medical Marijuana, Inc., the first publicly traded cannabis company in the U.S. He holds a fellowship with the American Academy of Pain Management and clinical association with the American Association of Integrative Medicine. He treated over 40,000 patients for pain or injury rehabilitation. Working with Peak Health Center, a 501c(3) in California, and ImmunAg LLP, a private corporation in India, the company has developed a noncannabis CDB from the plant family known as humulus. The plant is more commonly known as hops, a vital ingredient in beer.

“Humulus Kriya has a high concentration of CDB with no THC content,” Titus said. “This will change the dialogue with countries that are very anti-cannabis.” Humulus Kriya originated in and is grown in northeast India along the historic “Silk Road.” Titus’s interest came from working with athletes who wanted to use CDBs for pain relief rather than pharmaceuticals. Because CBDs relax the central nervous system, they also have helped reduce seizures in some people. His company creates a speciﬁc extract from Humulus Kriya that is rich in beta caryophyllene, alpha humulene and cannabidiol. It’s trademarked as ImmunAg and has been approved and licensed by the Food and Safety Standards Authority of India as a food ingredient.

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EVERCANNABIS is a supplement to The Spokesman−Review • Friday, September 7, 2018

THE U.S. CANNABIS MARKET IS EXPECTED TO GROW TO $75 BILLION BY 2030 FROM $10 BILLION.

~ Troy Dayton, chief executive of cannabis investment and market research ﬁrm Arcview.

They worked at Apple, Amazon and Lyft Now they’re working to get you stoned Workers at Eaze, a marijuana delivery service based in San Francisco, gather for a "design sprint," a workplace tactic that comes from Silicon Valley. Jeffrey Erikcson leads the discussion. (David Butow/Times/TNS)

By TRACEY LIEN Los Angeles Times (TNS)

For much of her career, Natasha Pecor followed a path well-worn by tech workers. She built her reputation with her ﬁrst employer in the industry, earning the title head of platform at Yelp. Then she jumped to Amazon, where she worked as a product manager.

Two years ago she made the leap from Amazon to Eaze, becoming vice president of product, which operates an online cannabis marketplace.

Recently she parlayed that experience into a leadership role at a smaller start-up, but one that wasn’t necessarily a tech company.

For decades, those looking to change the world arrived in Silicon Valley seeking the latest frontier: social media companies, gadget makers, delivery and transportation apps, e-commerce platforms. But as the emerging markets of yesterday become today’s stalwarts, a growing number of technology workers are migrating to an even newer sector — so new that it isn’t legal at the federal level.

Pecor was living in Seattle when Washington voters legalized the recreational use of marijuana. “I saw this huge shift,” she said. “I never thought it would happen in my lifetime, and I knew I just wouldn’t forgive myself if I wasn’t part of it.”

Pecor now works alongside more than 100 designers, marketers, engineers and lawyers who left companies such as Microsoft, Lyft, Square and Postmates to help shape the future of the cannabis industry.

Other cannabis and cannabis-adjacent start-ups are also seeing an inﬂux of tech talent. PAX Labs, a maker of sleek cannabis vaporizers, is run by the former COO of Electronic Arts and smart home company August Home Inc. Its workforce includes designers, branding experts, operations and policy specialists, and hardware makers from Apple, Nintendo, GoPro and Groupon. Design agencies and consultants that once exclusively worked for technology clients are increasingly working with cannabis companies. Conditions are ripe for this kind of migration, according to analysts and investors, who believe several factors make pot attractive. The ﬁrst is money: cannabis start-up wages are comparable to small to medium-sized tech shops. But as cannabis sales soar with more states legalizing

EVERCANNABIS is a supplement to The Spokesman−Review • Friday, September 7, 2018

recreational use, there could be a potential windfall for those who get in early. The U.S. cannabis market is expected to grow to $75 billion by 2030 from $10 billion, said Troy Dayton, chief executive of cannabis investment and market research firm Arcview. “It’s like green fields,” said Joel Milton, co-founder of Baker Technologies, a start-up that provides software to cannabis dispensaries. He describes cannabis as a “leap frog” industry — meaning it has bypassed the steps other industries have followed. This is appealing to many technology workers who see an opportunity to help define a sector that has spent much of its existence underground. The third is the compelling story of cannabis: a controversial but increasingly accepted drug that has the same classification from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration as heroin, ecstasy and LSD, yet is widely used for medicinal purposes and for fun.

I know quite a few people who use it for medical purposes,” said Jesse Silver, vice president of product at PAX Labs, who previously worked at healthcare start-up Omada Health and, before that, design firm IDEO. What drew him to PAX, Silver said, was the opportunity to change the story around cannabis and to show that responsible use was possible. The surge in technology workers venturing into the cannabis industry has benefited the market. Drawing from their experience at consumer hardware, software and delivery companies, tech workers have launched platforms making it easier for customers to find and buy products, helped dispensaries manage their inventory and clientele, and dispelled some of the stigma. The polish they’ve brought to the industry has led to cannabis vaporizers that look more like discreet smartphones and online marketplaces whose designs resemble Netflix. Even the offices of start-ups resemble Silicon Valley firms, with open office plans, natural light, exposed brick walls and kitchens well-stocked with La Croix.

Designer George De’ath, who runs design agency Born & Bred, believes the tech influence has been a boon for the cannabis industry because it’s helping transform a complex, difficult-to-understand product into something simple and elegant that fits into people’s lives. “The tech industry used to have a similar stigma,” De’ath said. Until companies such as Apple, Google and Amazon came along, tech was largely viewed as the realm of geeks. While venture capital firms and hedge funds remain skittish about the sector, they seem less wary of investing in products that look familiar, Dayton said. Eaze, which aspires to be something of an Amazon for pot, has raised more than $50 million from tech investors. PAX Labs, whose cannabis vaporizers resemble Apple gadgets, has raised more than $100 million. Baker Technologies, which is essentially a Salesforce for dispensaries, made it into 500 Startups’ prestigious accelerator program in 2015.

“I have been a cannabis user for some time and

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EVERCANNABIS is a supplement to The Spokesman−Review • Friday, September 7, 2018

CANNABIS NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

COLLEGE OFFERS CANNABIS GRAD CERTIFICATE

INDUSTRY LOOKING AHEAD TO SLEEP AIDS, DRINKS

PHILADELPHIA – Jefferson University

ONTARIO – Cannabis trend watchers

now offers the country’s first graduate certificates in cannabis topics. The Lambert Center for the Study of Medicinal Cannabis and Hemp provides certificates in Cannabis Medicine and Cannabinoid Pharmacology. In 2019, they will offer Cannabinoid Chemistry and Toxicology. “With the ever-evolving legislative and regulatory environment, accumulating data and diverse political commentary about medical marijuana, there exists a vast knowledge gap,” said Charles Pollack, MD, director of the Jefferson Institute of Emerging Health Professions. Each certificate program includes four three-credit courses that provide an overview of current cannabis topics such as history, medical pathology and the social/political landscape. Any student can apply, but the courses are intended for students already pursuing health- and sciencerelated careers. “Our goal is to help expand the knowledge base of scientists and clinicians—physicians of every specialty, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and pharmacists—and these new programs will help advance the knowledge and treatment around medicinal cannabis,” Pollack said. The programs were created to provide credible and accurate information about health benefits and risks of cannabis in appropriate clinical settings.

predict that future success in the U.S. and Canada will be related to cannabis as a product vs. cannabis as a commodity. Bruce Linton, CEO of Canopy Growth, a large-scale Canadian grower that’s publicly traded in the U.S. and Canada, expects that there will actually be a glut of marijuana plants in a few years, so his company is looking instead at products that have cannabis in them, such as beverages and sleep aids. “If I’m still selling primarily an ingredient, I’ve completely dropped the ball – you want to transform it,” he said on a CNBC program in July. Already, beverage companies are looking for partnerships or ways to develop their own infused products. Lagunitas Brewing, owned by Heineken, is creating CBD sparkling water that will be sold in California, and Molson Coors has been discussing cooperative ventures with two Canadian cannabis growers. Constellation Brands, which owns Corona, has invested in Canopy, which may result in future products, including zero-calorie ﬂavored waters. On the health side, the FDA has approved a cannabis product to treat epilepsy, which could be the beginning of more recognized approaches to pain management and relaxation.

Source: Jefferson Today

Source: CNBC

MAINE LAWMAKERS OVERRIDE POT LAW VETO

OKLAHOMA WRESTLING WITH LEGALITY OF RULES OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma

AUGUSTA – The Maine Legislature

overrode a veto by Gov. Paul LePage of a bill that would allow doctors to recommend medical marijuana for any reason. The Maine Senate voted 25-8 and the House voted 119-23 in mid-July to block the governor’s effort. Now that the bill is law, it will create six more retail licenses statewide, give local communities the ability to develop their own regulations and allow private caregivers to provide marijuana to patients. It also eliminates “qualifying conditions” that patients have to demonstrate before marijuana could be prescribed, such as cancer, seizures or HIV. State Sen. Erick Brakey, co-chair of the Health and Human Services Committee, said the new law will improve patient access. “I’ve personally seen so many people whose lives have been changed for the better through access to this medicine,” he said. “This program provides more choice and freedom for patients, more ﬂexibility for legal businesses and more overall integrity for the program with more local control.” Maine voters approved initiatives to legalize medical marijuana in 1999 and recreational marijuana in 2016, but no sales have been taken place. LePage and some ofﬁcials have been slow to develop and approve the regulations and structure for the new system. In May the Legislature overrode another veto. LePage made an effort to kill the bill that would have created the structure for the state’s recreational marijuana sales. Source: Portland Press Herald

Attorney General Mike Hunter said the state’s Board of Health overstepped its authority when it issued several emergency rules regarding cannabis sales. The nine-member board, which included pharmacists, physicians and hospital employees, created a variety of rules in July following approval of a medical marijuana initiative by 57 percent of voters. Although the board’s counsel also recommended against the rules, Gov. Mary Fallin signed them. The rules include a prohibition on the sale of smokable products, a requirement that every dispensary have a licensed pharmacist on site and controls on the amount of THC in all products. Hunter’s decision said most of these restrictions weren’t included in the successful citizen’s initiative so the board didn’t have the legal authority to add to them, even under emergency circumstances. Only another initiative or legislative action can make them legal. “I have no doubt that the board in good faith sought to regulate marijuana in a manner it believed would best promote the health and safety of Oklahomans,” Hunter wrote. “However, in so doing, the board made policy judgments not authorized by statute.” He suggested that the board reconvene and consider other rules.

Source: Newsok.com

EVERCANNABIS is a supplement to The Spokesman−Review • Friday, September 7, 2018

Infographic courtesy of Gettyimages.com

EVERCANNABIS is a supplement to The Spokesman−Review • Friday, September 7, 2018

CANNABIS NEWS FROM AROUND THE STATE

TACOMA SHOP RECEIVES EMERGENCY SUSPENSION

UNION GAP HAS HIGH NUMBERS OF SHOPS UNION GAP – This suburb of Yakima

TACOMA – The Washington Liquor

and Cannabis Board issued its first emergency license suspension for a cannabis retailer. The LCB said a premise check at Refined Cannabinoids in July revealed “numerous and substantial violations, including full rooms of untagged plants, clones and finished product.” Under state law, all legally-grown cannabis products intended for sale are required to have traceability information attached to them. This information is needed for tax purposes, possible recalls and enforcement of diversion, which is when products end up where they’re not supposed to, such as black market sales or other states. LCB officials said officers searching the location found 2,569 plants, 1,216 clones, 375.8 pounds of frozen flower, 3,423 marijuana cigarettes and 97.5 pounds of bulk flower, all without required traceability tags or other identifying information. This product was seized, and the plants, flower, and trimmings were expected to be destroyed. The LCB said any stable, non-perishable items will be held pending a permanent decision about the license’s status. The license is suspended for 180 days. While emergency liquor license suspensions occasionally take place for significant violations, this is the first suspension of its kind for the legal cannabis marketplace.

Source: Tacome Tribune

may have the largest amount of shops in the state, per capita. The city, population 6,140, currently has four cannabis retailers. Although surrounding locations are licensed to have more stores, few have opened due to various local bans and restrictions, including several citywide bans and a recent countywide ban on retailers and growers in unincorporated areas. Yakima County is licensed for a total of 14 licenses, but few have been claimed. The City of Yakima, population 93,000, could have up to ﬁve stores but only has one. It also had a ban on new shops that was removed in 2016. Sunnyside, Selah and Grandview were also allocated one license apiece but they haven’t been claimed. The county also has six at-large state licenses which, if local bans weren’t in place, could theoretically go anywhere. When recreational sales were approved in 2014, Union Gap was the only city in Yakima County that welcomed this industry, so four of the six at-large licenses were located there. Brian Smith, from the Washington Liquor and Cannabis Board, said the situation is unique. “We told the cities and Yakima County that this is the way it would play out,” he said.

Source: Yakima Herald-Republic

FREE MEDICAL TRAINING TACOMA– Lemonhaze is offering licensed medical marijuana consultants the ability to renew their Washington state certification at an industry convention later this fall. The first-ever Lemonhaze Convention and Comedy Festival will provide six hours of continuing education training for medical consultants at no charge. Licenseholders are required to earn at least 10 hours annually to be eligible to renew their licenses. The convention is Oct. 25-26 at the Tacoma Dome. It is expected to attract at least 5,000 members of the Washington recreational and medical marijuana industry, including retailers, producers/ processors, activists and affiliated businesses. A variety of medical marijuana courses will be taught at the convention by the Academy of Cannabis Sciences, which is aligned with the Cannabis Institute at Seattle Central College. Courses will cover areas such as pain management, current scientific research and qualifying conditions. The event will also include a variety of seminars on different aspects of the cannabis industry, including edibles, marketing, testing and banking/finances. It will also include performances by comedians Doug Benson, Donnell Rawlings, Judah Friedlander and Jessimae Peluso. To learn more and register, visit lemonhaze.com, email brian@ lemonhaze.com or call (206) 305-8796. Source: Evercannabis

COLUMBIA COUNTY OKS BAN ON NEW GROWERS, SHOPS DAYTON – Columbia County

commissioners recently approved a moratorium on future cannabis producing, processing and retail operations. The area only has one retailer, 365 Recreational Cannabis, which opened in February and won’t be affected by the decision. It also won’t affect a planned indoor growing facility that recently received approval for a conditional use permit. The commissioners said the reason for the moratorium was “deficiencies in the current county code” about cannabis, including safety concerns and a perceived lack of appropriate moderation. Commissioners concluded the code requires a complete renovation in order to focus better on sustainable development. Under the moratorium issued in mid-July, no new cannabis businesses will be approved until January 2019. The county also needs to hold a public hearing about this topic within 60 days. Columbia County previously approved an emergency moratorium in 2013 on all new production and retail operations, but this was removed after a year. The new grower, Cobalt Cannabis, originally proposed an outdoor farm, but modified the plan to an indoor operation after community concerns were expressed about smell and possible contamination of nearby agricultural fields. A previous retailer received a permit to open in 2017 but never did so. Source: Walla-Walla Union Bulletin

EVERCANNABIS is a supplement to The Spokesman−Review • Friday, September 7, 2018

Wake & Bake

Crepes By LIZZI MOSS EVERCANNABIS Correspondent

These thin delicious pastries made their way from France to our breakfast tables. They’re so good and so much fun but a little tricky to make! You can make then sweet or savory based on what you choose for ﬁllings and toppings, so they can be a nice alternative to plain ol’ pancakes. The special “adultonly” ingredient uses infused coconut oil – you can get it at several stores in indica or sativa varieties. I’m partial to Green Baker’s indica for this recipe, which I found at Green Star Cannabis in Spokane.

Crepes:

Sweet cream filling:

1 ½ cup milk 5 eggs 3 tablespoons butter 1 ½ cup all-purpose ﬂour ½ teaspoon salt

1 8-oz package cream cheese

In a mixing bowl beat eggs then mix in milk, butter, ﬂour and salt. Cook crepes like you would pancakes on a medium-heat griddle. (If you haven’t cooked crepes before, they’re supposed to be super thin, and do not ﬂuff up as they heat like pancakes.)

½ teaspoon vanilla ¾ cup sifted powdered sugar 1 8-ounce bottle of infused coconut oil

Whip cream cheese in mixer, then add remaining ingredients. Add 8 ounces of coconut oil, which will make the crepe batch 80 mg in total potency. Mix well until smooth. Place spoonfuls of ﬁlling onto crepe and roll it up. Add favorite toppings, which can be syrup, peanut butter, honey, berries, chocolate sauce or jam. The sky’s the limit!

EVERCANNABIS is a supplement to The Spokesman−Review • Friday, September 7, 2018

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