JULY 2021
EVERCANNABIS.COM
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 7
WOMEN-OWNED CANNABIS BRAND COMES TO WASHINGTON
KHEMIA WANTS TO PRESERVE HISTORY
PHOTOS COURTESY KHEMIA
By Kate A. Miner
EVERCANNABIS CORRESPONDENT
Khemia Manufacturing is an environmentally-conscious cannabis brand founded and led by women. In March, Khemia announced that its craft cannabis products will now be available in Washington. Khemia is the industry’s only women-owned, social equity-focused Management Services Organization. Founded in 2018 and based in Sacramento, Khemia is on a mission to revive cannabis artistry and preserve cannabis history. It was founded by three women – Kimberly Cargile, Manndie Tingler, and Mindy Galloway. They were all strong cannabis activists working primarily with growers. When Proposition 64 legalized personal use and cultivation of marijuana in California, they were concerned legacy growers might not survive the new industry specifications. The women joined together to form Khemia. The company continues to maintain its core values by partnering with small-batch, social equity qualified growers who practice regenerative farming techniques to promote a healthier ecosystem and combat climate change. Additionally, the company has a strong female focus. Its products are created and packaged with women in mind. Strains are given floral names like Sapphire Tsu, Luna Harvest, and Celestial. It creates organic infused drinks such as Chakra Chia and Cosmic Cocoa, plus signature rose petal pre-rolls. The company also plans to expand with a larger drink line and skin care products. “Among the hundreds of brands and products currently available in the cannabis market, very few are made for and marketed to women,” said Mindy Galloway, CEO. “We’re thrilled to bring Khemia’s core values to the people of Washington and expand our cannabis community for women. We believe the women of Washington are ready for a
strong women-empowered cannabis brand that understands them.” Khemia has partnered with Soulshine Cannabis, a socially conscious indoor grow based in Renton, to cultivate premium flower for Khemia’s branded products. Soulshine produces the high-quality cannabis strains using sustainable growing practices, such as recycling organic soil to community farming programs and water and electricity conservation. “Soulshine is proud to support the launch of Khemia in Washington,” explained Blair Krause, Soulshine’s director of marketing. “As we continue to align with partners that put our environment and community first, Soulshine’s pursuit of sustainable growing practices and packaging is in perfect harmony with the values Khemia upholds. We are excited to help spread our unifying message and create more opportunities for women in the i502 cannabis market.” Khemia’s branded flower, pre-rolls and beverages can be found at about 20 dispensaries across the state, with further expansion planned in the next year. “At Khemia we are dedicated to supporting farmers and product formulators whose bravery, perseverance, and dedication helped turn cannabis outlaws into cannabis business owners,” the company owners shared. “These determined citizens paved the way for patient access to plant medicine and created products to treat ailments from arthritis to cancer, and now we are the fastest-growing industry since the industrial revolution. “Partnering with some of Washington’s best cannabis cultivators and manufacturers, Khemia aims to empower women to be proud about incorporating cannabis into their daily wellness routine.” To learn more, visit www.khemiamfg. com.
ABOVE: Khemia – a women-owned, equity-focused cannabis brand – is now available in Washington. The management team includes, from left, Kimberly Cargile, chief compliance officer; Manndie Tingler, chief revenue officer; and Mindy Galloway, CEO.
T2 • Friday • July 2, 2021
Special Section
EVERCANNABIS
Longtime advocate looks ahead Jeremy Moberg never has lost his passion for plant By Taryn Eastwood
EVERCANNABIS CORRESPONDENT
COURTESY PHOTO
Jeremy Moberg has become an advocate for cannabis throughout Washington, especially sun-grown varieties.
@EvercannaNews on social media and at evercannabis.com Evercannabis@spokesman.com 509-459-5095
Jeremy Moberg is a warrior for the sun and for quality outdoor cannabis. Advocating for sustainable cannabis for over 25 years, Moberg owns Cannasol Farms in Riverside and is the founder of the Washington Sungrowers Industry Association. Moberg began his cannabis journey when he was 17 and living on his own in Spokane. This relocation was due to a dispute in Moses Lake, Moberg’s hometown, after his high school reprimanded him for practicing civil disobedience. It was at the beginning of the Gulf War, which Moberg marched against. He said his public protest led to hate mail, threats, and being publicly accosted for taking a stand. “I basically got ran out of town for protesting and being a high school student activist, and I was living on my own, getting $200 a month and having to survive,” Moberg said. “So I did the natural thing and started to grow cannabis.” At the time, he was living across the street from a legendary underground cannabis grower. He started to learn and grow in his closet with a single light and one plant. He had the privilege to receive one of the most famous land strains in Spokane in the early ’90s known as “The Musk.” Local and national anti-drug paranoia was high in the 1990s and early 2000s, which led to arrests of growers and sellers of cannabis as well as glassware makers. “Some of the greatest glass artists went down in that raid and at this time I was actually working in a glass shop, but we remained lucky that day,”
Moberg recalled. So Moberg continued to grow what he likes to call guerilla-style, and moved up in the deep woods of Okanogan County. He recalled preparing his clones for the long, nerve-wracking drive north for outdoor planting, not only worrying about arrest but possible cross-pollination with other outdoor plants. In 2006, Moberg was living off-grid in Okanogan County in a Volkswagen bus and a little hut under a pine tree with tarps for light deprivation, growing what he called the “best cannabis ever.” Moberg continued studying at Evergreen College for a degree in biology and fisheries, a topic which included training in habitat monitoring, sampling and statistics. In 2012, when Washington voters approved Initiative 502, he celebrated. But when he read the new rules from the Liquor and Cannabis Board, he noticed that sungrown production was excluded. He decided he needed to take a stand.
Moving forward
His first step was to form the Okanogan Cannabis Association. Today, it’s grown into the Washington Sungrowers Industry Association and is considered the state’s largest non-profit cannabis association, representing over 100 producer/ processors. “I wrote to some of my legislators, basically saying look at us [Seattle] known for being environmentally conscious but not allowing sustainable sungrown cannabis,” he said. “This is not right.” He bought some suits, created a PowerPoint and headed to Olympia during the 2013 See MOBERG, 4
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Evercannabis, The Spokesman-Review and the Cowles Company don’t promote or endorse the use of cannabis products. We acknowledge that marijuana products remain illegal under federal laws. If adults age 21 or older choose to purchase or use them, we encourage them to consume sensibly and at their own risk in legal jurisdictions, in accordance with state and local laws. Some cannabis products have intoxicating effects and may be habit-forming. Consumption of marijuana also may be associated with health risks and impaired concentration, coordination, and judgment. Keep away from children. To learn more, visit the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board at www.liq.wa.gov. Evercannabis magazine is a monthly supplement of The Spokesman-Review. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent of the publisher.
Special Section
July 2, 2021 • Friday • T3
EVERCANNABIS
Study looks at workplace exposure Uses, non-users invited to join University of Washington research To learn more
By Theresa Tanner
EVERCANNABIS WRITER
The University of Washington’s Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, or DEOHS, is seeking cannabis users and non-users who do not work in the cannabis industry to participate in a research study to explore potential health risks, including respiratory symptoms and cannabis allergy, associated with cannabis use. A previous study explored exposure and health data of 20 workers at two indoor cannabis farms. The results found that about 70% of workers reported work-related respiratory
Seattle-area cannabis users and non-users interested in participating in this study can email cvd1trap@uw.edu to learn more.
symptoms; of those workers, 45% had mildly impaired lung function and 30% had allergic sensitivity to cannabis, based on their response to skin prick testing. But because many of the workers were also users of cannabis, it was not possible to determine if the health effects were a result of workplace exposure or personal use. The results of the new study will be com-
pared to the original study results to determine what measures may be necessary to help employers control and reduce worker exposure. Part of UW’s School of Public Health, DEOHS trains students to conduct research and examine the relationship between exposures and health, explained DEOHS professor Christopher Simpson, in a phone interview; Simpson is also the assistant chair for Research and Faculty Engagement and the director of the cannabis exposure study. “We’re typically looking at hazardous chemicals, in both the See STUDY, 4
GETTY IMAGES
The University of Washington’s Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences helps create safer workplace conditions, including for the state’s growing cannabis industry.
STRAIN REVIEW
Lemon Time By Rick Misterly
EVERCANNABIS CORRESPONDENT
PHOTOS COURTESY YOGASTEY
Anna Wyatt created Yogastey, a brand of CBD products.
Yogastey focuses on consistent CBD By Dan Webster
EVERCANNABIS CORRESPONDENT
One of the traditional facets of modern business is the so-called middleman. You know, the entity that stands between the producer of a product and those who seek to purchase said product. Anna Wyatt thinks she has a better idea. “We really want to get straight to the people,” Wyatt said. And, she adds, experience has taught her that Spokane-area consumers are supportive of that attitude as well. “They’d really rather go to a local business and buy local than go to Amazon or Walmart,” she said.
Wyatt is the producer behind a CBD line produced under the Yogastey brand (yogasteycbd.com). Unlike cannabis products with the psychoactive element tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) that can only be sold at licensed Washington cannabis retailers, CBD products can be sold just about anywhere. But that widespread availability has led to unreliable or even counterfeit CBD. Wyatt was the general manager of the Sativa Sisters retail cannabis store in Clarkston in late 2017 when she began receiving complaints from customers who purchased CBD “about inconsistency in its effects.” Testing the various products, she
Appearance: The packaging gives a few hints of the quality, craft cannabis within, stating, “Slow Cured Small Batch and Packaged Fresh.” There is no transparency in the package, perhaps to prevent ultraviolet degradation, but it also can enhance the anticipation of what awaits inside. Four well-cured pale green to almost golden chunks make up this 1 gram lot. Each chunk was solid and fairly tight but not rock hard and crumbly. What constituted the actual flower and leaf was barely visible due to the absence of chlorophyll. A thick tangled mass of crystalline trichomes covered the entire spectrum from clear to slightly amber. A few fine pistils were seen protruding from the dense cluster but even these are encrusted by the psychoactive members. Owners Andrew and Jackie Cole, and the people at the analysis lab Analytical 360, were able to provide a very thorough analysis of this strain, including passing grades in microbial and mycotoxins; it was not tested for heavy metals or pesticides. Aroma: Lemon Time is packed full of relatively high percentages of terpenes. Although there is no set definition of See STRAIN, 4
says, proved revealing. “About 90 percent of the products that they were carrying at that time came back either with no CBD or not even close to what they were saying,” she said. So she had an idea: Why depend on others? “There’s obviously a market for a credible, quality CBD brand that can stand behind what its claims are,” she says. Wyatt attracted an investor, quit her job – “a big risk,” she said – and Yogastey was born. Two years ago Wyatt moved to Spokane. Yogastey is now based out of Millwood in the See YOGASTEY, 4
RICK MISTERLY/FOR EVERCANNABIS
Lemon Time
T4 • Friday • July 2, 2021
Special Section
EVERCANNABIS
STUDY
Continued from 3 environment and the workplace, as well as microbiological hazards … we’ve done a lot of work with COVID-19 this year,” Simpson said. The department is partially funded by Washington workers’ compensation fund taxes to make sure that workplaces are safe to prevent worker injury and illness. “When Washington was one of the first states to legalize adult recreational cannabis, it created
a new legal industry in the state but almost nothing known about potential hazards for workers,” Simpson said. “It’s our department’s responsibility to help workers and employers in this new industry sector understand what exposures might be hazardous.” DEOHS researchers began meeting with cannabis industry employers and workers to learn about their work processes and identify potential risks of the industry, For example, researchers identified UV radiation as a potential
risk of work at indoor grow facilities that used high intensity grow lights. They then found that workers at outdoor farms actually experienced higher amounts of UV radiation than their indoor counterparts. The results helped develop best practices for employers to reduce UV radiation exposure for workers. Simpson hopes that if the current study exploring respiratory symptoms and cannabis allergies finds that cannabis industry workers are more like to experience these health complications
as a result of their work, then they can help employers find ways to reduce and control those exposures, such as reducing employee exposure to cannabis dust. “Conversely, if we find that there is a high prevalence of cannabis allergy among users who are not exposed at work, that has implications for how one uses cannabis in a healthy way,” Simpson noted. “It would highlight the need to help us understand how people develop allergies, and what can be done reduce to sensitivity.” Simpson also hopes the results
MOBERG
STRAIN
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session. He informed the LCB that not only can one grow cannabis outside, but there is a major obligation to the environment to do so. “When this passed it was one of the greatest achievements of my life – I really felt like I was making a huge difference,” he said. He received national recognition for this effort, which encouraged him to create Cannasol, a producer/ processor that prides itself on clean, sustainable sun-grown cannabis, created with organic soils, zero pesticides, recycled nutrients, no till practice, and light deprivation. “I just want consumers to treat cannabis just like everything else: I want them to be informed and they should support companies that support their values, and that’s what I feel Cannasol is trying to do,” Moberg said. WSIA just hosted its fourth-annual Sun Cup, a competition that brings together sungrowers from across Washington to compete in more than 10 categories. Judges include retail buyers, social media influencers and cannabis connoisseurs.
YOGASTEY Continued from 3
Spokane Valley. “I kind of run the joint. I have one investor. I make, test and market. I do everything … so, I don’t know if there’s a title for that,” she said. Yogastey products are available through the company website, at the Amsterdam Coffee Club, 10525 E. Trent Ave., and until October, at two area farmers markets: Wednesdays at the Millwood Farmers Market, 3-7 p.m. in Millwood Park; and Thursdays at the South Perry Farmers Market, 3-7 p.m. It’s at those two public markets that you’ll be able to meet Wyatt in person, in her marketing guise, answering whatever questions you might want to ask. One might be,
of the study will lead to additional federal funding to expand the initial worker study by testing more cannabis workers throughout Washington and Oregon to verify findings. The study is seeking volunteers in the Seattle area who can have their lung function and allergic sensitivity tested at a UW clinic; participants will receive their results. Participants will also answer a questionnaire about any related respiratory symptoms and their employment. Study subjects do receive compensation for their participation.
Continued from 3
Cannasol, the producer/ processor owned by Jeremy Moberg, is located in the Okanagan Valley. COURTESY PHOTO
The WSIA has also created the Craft Cup competition, a live streamed online event presenting awards for best flower, edibles, concentrates, infused pre-roll and topicals. Winners receive detailed feedback, a trophy and digital assets plus social media coverage. Moberg remains an active and positive force for the cannabis industry and still works with the LCB and other state committees. He and other WSIA members continue to push for legislative changes that can allow certain smaller producers to sell cannabis directly to consumers, similar to wineries.
“I hope to empower farmers, and stop being a part of the supply chain that makes everyone else money and not them. We need to preserve the tight-knit family farms and not big production chains,” Moberg said. Beyond public policy, he also looks ahead to the future of his farm. He’d love to build an RV park and a pond, maybe tiny houses and van lifers, a community kitchen, and an on-site cannabis store with the best of Cannasol products. It would be a place to smoke with friends where open consumption is allowed, where people can come and feel comfortable.
what are your most popular products? Wyatt cites three: • CBD Drops: “Our biggest seller,” she said. Launched this February, the drops come in three strengths: 100 milligrams, 500 milligrams and 1,500 milligrams. Wyatt says the tincture is “really unique. Your pets can take it, too.” • CBD Salve: Made from a blend of olive oil, beeswax, vitamin E oil, grapefruit seed oil, essential oil and CBD, the 250-milligram salve is, Wyatt says, for anyone “who has a general ache or pain. You just apply when needed.” • Bath Bombs: Made from a variety of sources, including citric acid and coconut oil, these are easy to use: “Drop bath bomb into a warm bath. Soak and relax.” As with most cannabis products, including CBDs, research on effects
has been slow to develop. “CBDs are most notably known for inflammation and pain,” Wyatt said. “But the more that CBDs are on the market, it’s allowed more research. And there are tons of claims about what CBD can help you with.” Wyatt, 32, has been a consumer herself, she says, “for a large chunk of my life.” And that makes her committed to sharing what she knows with others – and, she adds, doing so up close and personal. “Our intent is to solidify the Yogastey brand and to be able to stand behind what we make and honor everything that’s on that label,” she says. “That’s what the customer wants. They want to know that if they have an issue that we’re going to stand behind it.” In other words, no middleman need apply.
what constitutes “Craft Cannabis,” I believe the terpenes are the most important factor in how any particular strain affects the user. If you use for medical reasons or are new to this miraculous plant, knowing your terpenes and how they can influence the experience are important factors. It’s easy to say, “it’s all going to get you high,” but terpene content gives a hint of what to expect. As the name implies, there should be a strong aroma of lemon. There are citrusy notes but more complexity than just lemon zest or juice. Limonene, linalool and myrcene are all contributors along with floral smells that dilute the limonene (it sometimes can be astringent and tingle the nose). Caryophyllene, the second highest terpene, adds a fresh rosemary or balsam fir. All are high notes on the olfactory scale contributing to the uplifting sensation of this strain. Effects: For a split second after it is lit and you’re off in further directions, you recognize a bright sweetness in the flavor of the smoke. This
contrasts with previous strains that have a distinctly dry, woody, tobacco flavor. If I called that flavor ‘brown,’ I would refer to Lemon Time as ‘multicolored with a mixed fruity taste.’ Once ignited the tangled mass of trichomes combusts into a pure blue flame that hovers above the bowl. When inhaled the smoke seemed mild until it hit the lungs and expanded. That can force a cough so take it easy on that first toke. You will feel it quickly but don’t stop. The mind detaches but the eyes follow into clear and intense visuals. Staying in focus it is still easy to find your gaze marveling at the simplest of things. There is relaxation in the body and the uplifting spirit and clarity makes for an enjoyable high. Even though the thoughts are clear I found it difficult to hold on to any particular one so best stay away from activities that require precision. After about an hour, the experience moderates into a very positive high that should carry on for a few more hours. Although Lemon Time provides plenty of energy the overall feeling lends itself more to socializing rather than work-related tasks.
Lemon Time
Grown by: Kindness Cannabis, Colville Purchased at: Herbal E Scents, Colville Hybrid: Tahiti Lime X Lemon Peel Harvest date: Dec. 7, 2020 Sampled: March 21, 2021 THC: 24.4% CBD: 0.00% Dominant Terpenes: Limonene, Caryophyllene,
Linalool, Myrcene