The Hemp Connoisseur, September 2015 - Issue #33

SEPTEMBER 2015

COUPONS INSIDE

COLORADO’S PREMIER GUIDE TO CANNABIS

Sifting Through The Soil: The Pesticide Problem *This magazine is intended for individuals over 21 years of age.

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2 September 2015

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A LETTER TO OUR READERS

“Never compromise your principles, even if it leads to difficulties in the short term.”

- Alan Casden

I have a confession to make. Okay so it is not really a confession if you have been reading my letters for any length of time. I am an idealist. For some reason the notion of an idealist has developed a somewhat negative stigma. It’s as if we shouldn’t be striving for the ideal, and instead just settle for “good enough.” This is something I see us all doing in the cannabis industry far too often. CBD only laws are where I see this occurrence the most but it doesn’t stop there.

Recently there has been a movement in Denver to allow consumption of cannabis in more than just the privacy of you home. I am, of course talking about The Denver Campaign for Limited Social Cannabis Use. Now we at THC have been criticizing Denver for not having anywhere for tourists to consume when they visit our beautiful state since legal adult-use sales have been in play. It is because of this that I support this campaign. But in the long run this is just a half measure for where we should be going on the cannabis freedom trail.

When you breakdown the Campaign for Limited Social Cannabis Use there are three things that stand out to me.

1. It provides a space for a cannabis club to exist in Denver.

2. Any business that serves alcohol may choose to allow consumption of cannabis as long as they do not violate the Colorado Clean Indoor Air Act and the consumption of cannabis happens in a setting that is not visible to the public nor accessible to anyone under the age of 21.

3. Any commerce related to the sale of cannabis on the premises is considered illegal.

Okay so let’s break down each of these three items.

First of all the cannabis club part; Finally we would have a place to congregate and consume with fellow cannabis enthusiasts. This has been too long in the making for Denver. At this time there are private clubs in various parts of the state that have been allowed to operate and yet in the largest city in Colorado, where most tourists come to first, we have not provided a safe sanctuary for our guests to enjoy the freedoms we provide. I am one hundred percent behind this!

Point two; Being a lover of freedom, I am absolutely behind this as well but with a major disclaimer. Before, my foray into the legal cannabis industry I was a bartender for over two decades. I have seen enough anecdotal evidence to recognize that when one drinks alcohol and then consumes cannabis there is a very high probability that they will get the spins and potentially sick. On top of that, one’s “beer muscles” don’t necessarily go away after consuming cannabis on an alcohol buzz. Meaning the poor decision making that coincides much more with alcohol usage than cannabis consumption will still be prevalent. Let me further paint a scenario for you. Joe Blow from Idaho comes to Denver during a cross-country road trip. He has a couple of beers at a bar and steps out onto the private patio for a cigarette. While he is there he meets a local who is enjoying a joint. While he hasn’t smoked cannabis since he was in college he decides to take a couple of tokes when his new friend offers. What could go wrong? He only had a couple of beers (at high elevation), what could a couple of tokes do to him? He then realizes that if he wants to get back on the road for an early start he better head back to the hotel and go to bed. That’s when the spins hit and he loses control of his car and drives into a pedestrian. Yes I created this scenario but it is an entirely probable one when you mix alcohol, cannabis and inexperience. For this part of the bill to be successful there needs to be a major campaign to coincide with it in which people are educated as to the effects of blending both substances.

We have already seen the opposition skewing the statistics on DUI’s to argue against legalization in the last couple of years. Do we really need to give them more ammunition?

Which leads me to the final point and this is where the half measure comes into play. I understand this part of the campaign is to keep individuals from selling their cannabis to someone privately, but why no license for a “coffee shop” type business? If we do not allow businesses to sell cannabis on site and have consumption then we aren’t really moving towards true cannabis freedom. They of course should be regulated just like a bar would be (Regulating the herb like alcohol? Where have I heard that before?). In fact don’t allow them to grow their own cannabis. Instead make them purchase wholesale product from dispensaries. Have you ever felt that there are just too many dispensaries out there to take the time to try them all? Now imagine (in my cannabis utopia) a place where Colorado’s best selection of flower, concentrates and edibles are all in one place for you to sample. How glorious would that be?

Of course I’m just an idealist looking for an ideal bill to expand our freedoms. Who has ever been successful pushing for their ideal in this country?

Publishers Christianna Brown David Kowalsky David Maddalena Editor-in-Chief David Maddalena Art Director Christianna Brown Associate Editor DJ Reetz Copy Editor Alexandra Massam Layout Designers Caroline Hayes Christianna Brown Director of Sales and Marketing Christianna Brown sales@thcmag.com Sales Managers Scott Blackburn Jason Brown Lisa Fay KC Stark Sam Ruderman Contributing Writers Hazy Cakes Rebecca Chavez Dr. Nicola Davies Caroline Hayes Erin Hiatt Benjamin Hoopes Samuel Farley Monocle Man DJ Reetz Sam Ruderman Contributing Photographers Christianna Brown Kimberly Jauss Antony Page Samuel Farley DJ Reetz Cover Art Christianna Brown Graphic Design Christianna Brown Printer Publication Printers Corp.

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The Hemp Connoisseur is published monthly by The Hemp Connoisseur, LLC. All contents are copyrighted 2015 by The Hemp Connoisseur, LLC. All rights reserved.

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David Maddalena Editor-in-Chief

6 September 2015

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In This Issue

CONTENTS September 2015

06 14 18 22 26 28 32

A Letter to Our Readers The Green Scene In The Spotlight Featured Artist Tasty Meds Featured Strains Hemp Eats

8 September 2015

36 38 42 44 46 48 50

The Clinic Charity Classic Bong-a-Thon Coverage Cannabis Branding MS and cannabis Slow Water Movement Water and Nute Tips Renew Hemp Sports Car

52 New To The Industry 54 I-70 Cannabis Corridor 56 Cannabis Apps 58 Sifting Through the Soil 62 Cannabis Like Alcohol 71 Coupons 73 Index

Dispensary Guide DENVER 66 AMA, Advanced Medical Alternatives 69 The Clinic 66 The Health Center 66 Infinite Wellness 67 LivWell 68 Northern Lights Cannabis Company 67 Preferred Organic Therapy 67 Rocky Mountain Organic Medicine 67 Walking Raven

COLORADO SPRINGS 66 Canna Caregivers 67 LivWell 67 Original Cannabis Growers

NORTHERN COLORADO 66 Infinite Wellness 67 LivWell

BOULDER 67 LivWell

PUEBLO 66 Leaf on the Mesa

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Bean Kaboom Jack the Ripper Ace of Spades Blue Mystic Cannatonic Cheese Quake Northern Lights X Chernobyl Querkle Apol Agent Orange Sour Diesel Bubble Gum Dairy Queen Dacono Kush Deep Purple Qrazy Train Northern Lights 5 Kandy Kush Grape Jack’s CleanerSheridan II Holy Grail Kush Kosher Kush ana Kush2045 Medicine Man Marley’s Collie Nebula Ripped Bubba Skywalker Kush Vort Blvd 303-274-6495 Third Dimension Space Bomb Sweet Tooth Timewreck DNA Genetics Sensi Seeds T.H. Seeds Mr. Nice TGA Subcool Northern Lights Cannabi Bean Kaboom Jack the Ripper Ace ofNLCannabis.com Spades Blue Mystic Cannatonic Cheese Quake Northern Lights X Chernobyl Querkle Apol Agent Orange Sour Diesel Bubble Gum Dairy Queen Dacono Kush Deep Purple Qrazy Train Northern Lights 5 Kandy Kush Grape ana Kush Jack’s Cleaner II Holy Grail Kush Kosher Kush Medicine Man Marley’s Collie Nebula Ripped Bubba Skywalker Kush Vort Third Dimension Space Bomb Sweet Tooth Timewreck DNA Genetics Sensi Seeds T.H. Seeds Mr. Nice TGA Subcool Northern Lights Cannab Bean Kaboom Jack the Ripper Ace of Spades Blue Mystic Cannatonic Cheese Quake Northern Lights X Chernobyl Querkle Apol Agent Orange Sour Diesel Bubble Gum Dairy Queen Dacono Kush Deep Purple Qrazy Train Northern Lights 5 Kandy Kush Grape ana Kush Jack’s Cleaner II Holy Grail Kush Kosher Kush Medicine Man Marley’s Collie Nebula Ripped Bubba Skywalker Kush Vort Third Dimension Space Bomb Sweet Tooth Timewreck DNA Genetics Sensi Seeds T.H. Seeds Mr. Nice TGA Subcool Northern Lights Cannabi Bean Kaboom Jack the Ripper Ace of Spades Blue Mystic Cannatonic Cheese Quake Northern Lights X Chernobyl Querkle Apol Agent Orange Sour Diesel Bubble Gum Dairy Queen Dacono Kush Deep Purple Qrazy Train Northern Lights 5 Kandy Kush Grape na Kush Jack’s Cleaner II Holy Grail Kush Kosher Kush Medicine Man Marley’s Collie Nebula Ripped Bubba Skywalker Kush Vor hird Dimension Space Bomb Sweet Tooth Timewreck DNA Genetics Sensi Seeds T.H. Seeds Mr. Nice TGA Subcool Northern Lights Cannab Bean Kaboom Jack the Ripper Ace of Spades Blue Mystic Cannatonic Cheese Quake Northern Lights X Chernobyl Querkle Apol Agent Orange Sour Diesel Bubble Gum Dairy Queen Dacono Kush Deep Purple Qrazy Train Northern Lights 5 Kandy Kush Grape ana Kush Jack’s Cleaner II Holy Grail Kush Kosher Kush Medicine Man Marley’s Collie Nebula Ripped Bubba Skywalker Kush Vor Third Dimension Space Bomb Sweet Tooth Timewreck DNA Genetics Sensi Seeds T.H. Seeds Mr. Nice TGA Subcool Northern Lights Cannab Bean Kaboom Jack the Ripper Ace of Spades Blue Mystic Cannatonic Cheese Quake Northern Lights X Chernobyl Querkle Apoll Agent Orange Sour Diesel Bubble Gum Dairy Queen Dacono Kush Deep Purple Qrazy Train Northern Lights 5 Kandy Kush Grape na Kush Jack’s Cleaner II Holy Grail Kush Kosher Kush Medicine Man Marley’s Collie Nebula Ripped Bubba Skywalker Kush Vort hird Dimension Space Bomb Sweet Tooth Timewreck DNA Genetics Sensi Seeds T.H. Seeds Mr. Nice TGA Subcool Northern Lights Cannabi Bean Kaboom Jack the Ripper Ace of Spades Blue Mystic Cannatonic Cheese Quake Northern Lights X Chernobyl Querkle Apollo Agent Orange Sour Diesel Bubble Gum Dairy Queen Dacono Kush Deep Purple Qrazy Train Northern Lights 5 Kandy Kush Grape A na Kush Jack’s Cleaner II Holy Grail Kush Kosher Kush Medicine Man Marley’s Collie Nebula Ripped Bubba Skywalker Kush Vorte hird Dimension Space Bomb Sweet Tooth Timewreck DNA Genetics Sensi Seeds T.H. Seeds Mr. Nice TGA Subcool Northern Lights Cannabis Bean Kaboom Jack the Ripper Ace of Spades Blue Mystic Cannatonic Cheese Quake Northern Lights X Chernobyl Querkle Apol Agent Orange Sour Diesel Bubble Gum Dairy Queen Dacono Kush Deep Purple Qrazy Train Northern Lights 5 Kandy Kush Grape ana Kush Jack’s Cleaner II Holy Grail Kush Kosher Kush Medicine Man Marley’s Collie Nebula Ripped Bubba Skywalker Kush Vort Third Dimension Space Bomb Sweet Tooth Timewreck DNA Genetics Sensi Seeds T.H. Seeds Mr. Nice TGA Subcool Northern Lights Cannab Bean Kaboom Jack the Ripper Ace of Spades Blue Mystic Cannatonic Cheese Quake Northern Lights X Chernobyl Querkle Apoll Agent Orange Sour Diesel Bubble Gum Dairy Queen Dacono Kush Deep Purple Qrazy Train Northern Lights 5 Kandy Kush Grape na Kush Jack’s Cleaner II Holy Grail Kush Kosher Kush Medicine Man Marley’s Collie Nebula Ripped Bubba Skywalker Kush Vort Check For Space Bomb Sweet www.NlCannabis.com Tooth Timewreck DNA Genetics Sensi Seeds T.H. Seeds Mr. Nice TGA Subcool Northern hird Dimension Lights Cannabi Bean Kaboom Jack the Ripper Ace of Spades Blue Mystic Cheese Quake Northern Lights X Chernobyl Querkle Apol CannatonicDiscounts!

Specials and Agent Orange Sour Diesel Bubble Gum Dairy Queen Dacono Kush Deep Purple Qrazy Train Northern Lights 5 Kandy Kush Grape ana Kush Jack’s Cleaner II Holy Grail Kush Kosher Kush Medicine Man Marley’s Collie Nebula Ripped Bubba Skywalker Kush Vort Third Dimension Space Bomb Sweet Tooth Timewreck DNA Genetics Sensi Seeds T.H. Seeds Mr. Nice TGA Subcool Northern Lights Cannab Medical Bean Kaboom Mystic CannatonicRecreational Jack the Ripper Ace of Spades Blue21+ Cheese Quake Northern Lights X Chernobyl Querkle Apoll Agent Orange Sour Diesel Bubble Gum Dairy Queen Dacono Kush Deep Purple Qrazy Train Northern Lights 5 Kandy Kush Grape 2015 II Holy Grail Kush Kosher Kush Medicine Man Marley’s Collie Nebula Ripped Bubba Skywalker Kush Vort Jack’s Cleaner na Kush10 September

Join Us on 9/16 For Our Grand Re-Opening and Tax Free Day!

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Uptown Location 1736 Downing St. Denver, CO 80218

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12 September 2015

S ’ F O A D V A O R R O I L T O E C

AWARD WINNING EDIBLES!

2012 Cannabis Business Awards People's choice award | 2012 THC Championship Strawberry Crunch 2013 THC Championship Monkey Bar | 2013 THC Championship Best Tested edible 2013 High Times Cannabis Cup Peanut Budda Buddha best edible 2013 Rooster Magazine Peach Dream best edible | 2014 Westword magazine best of Denver 2014 Munchie Cup Firecracker Bar best edible | 2015 High Times Cannabis Cup Affogato best edible 2015 Munchie Cup Best Booth | 2015 Munchie Cup Boulder Bar best edible

Featuring “eportions” for accurate dosages everytime

LOOK FOR US IN YOUR FAVORITE DISPENSARY! incrediblesColorado.com Twitter: #incrediblesMMJ | Snapchat: incrediblesMMJ | Massroots: incrediblesMMJ | Facebook: incrediblesChocolate | Instagram: incredibles_colorado

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The GREEN Scene

E V E N T S

September 12th - 13th 16th Annual Sustainable Living Fair @ Old Fort Collins Heritage Park 112 Willow Street FT. Collins, CO www.sustainablelivingassociation.org September 12th Colorado ChileFest 13050 East Peakview Avenue Englewood, Colorado coloradochilefest.com Septmeber 16th - 18th CWCB Expo @ Los Angeles Convention Center 1201 S Figueroa St Los Angeles, CA 90015 www.cwcbexpo.com/los-angeles-show Septmeber 21st - 23rd NCIA Fall Regional - Cannabis Business Summit @ The New Yorker Hotel New York, NY 10001 www.cannabisbusinesssummit.com Septmeber 26th Planting seeds!

A cannabis and hemp education and awareness event! @ The Mean Bean 4300 W Alameda Ave, Denver, CO 80219 www.facebook.com/events/385814151617148/ Septmeber 29th - 30th BIG Industry Show -B2B Event @ Miami Beach Convention Center 1901 Convention Center Drive Miami, FL www.bigindustryshow.com October 12th - 14th National Cannabis Summit @ The Sheraton Downtown Denver 1550 Court Place Denver, CO www.ncs2015.com October 17th Connecting with Grace Embrace and Create Extraordinary Relationships @ Aloft Broomfield Denver 8300 Arista Pl Broomfield, CO 80021 www.universe.com

14 September 2015

WE’RE MORE THAN A DISPENSARY. We’re scientists, inventors, farmers, friends and family. We own every step of the process that puts the finest, and most affordable marijuana on our shelves.

From our grow, where we hand cultivate and harvest, to our knowledgeable budtenders, we want you to have the best experience. We want you to LivWell.

JOIN LIVWELL REWARDS TODAY TO START ENJOYING GREAT DISCOUNTS.* LEARN MORE AT LIVWELL.COM

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2193 W Evans Ave Denver, CO 80223 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. daily 720-361-2981

3234 N Nevada Ave CO Springs, CO 80907 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. daily 719-622-6652

3000 Folsom St Boulder, CO 80304 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. daily 720-389-4920

LivWell on Larimer

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LivWell Lakewood

2863 Larimer St Denver, CO 80205 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. daily 303-484-1662

2647 8th Ave Garden City, CO 80631 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. daily 970-616-6007

1414 S Tejon St CO Springs, CO 80905 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. daily 719-634-0420

5660 W Alameda Ave Lakewood, CO 80226 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. daily 303-922-9479

LivWell on Murray 570 N Murray CO Springs, CO 80915 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. daily 719-574-8443

Follow us for specials, event promotions, and cannabis related news.

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* Rewards Program not valid in Boulder per city ordinance 6-14-8(p)(5). Medical locations for registered Colorado Medical Marijuana patients only.

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In the Spotlight Products ProductsWe WeLove Love

420 Tool Box Reviewed by Monocle Man 420 Toolbox is the ultimate secure storage stash spot that all cannabis connoisseurs need to have for their collection. You can have your favorite travel dab rig secure in the foam lining with your complete head stash ready for the tough travels of the road. The 420 Toolbox is made of an odor and waterproof material to keep those loud mouth strains dry and quiet in their containers. From first glance it looks like a normal toolbox, and you can easily peel off the 420 Toolbox branded stickers for more discreet use. There are three trays that you can fill to the brim with all your concentrates, flower, glass and accessories. The customizable pluck and pull foam make it easy to get a custom fitting for what ever you need protected. There are four plastic dividers that you can use for your set up.

420 Toolbox provides you with a combination lock that you can set on either side of the latches to open the toolbox. It’s the little things like that that really make the 420 Toolbox a special product. Whether you are camping, going on a road trip, or even looking for a more secure place to keep your cannabis. You will not find a better made product, and at $158.00 this is an investment in your cannabis collection that will pay for itself. Check out 420 Toolbox’s website for more information and to purchase your very own today. www.420toolbox.com

KISS Lip Balm

by Dr. D Reviewed by Monocle Man This hemp lip balm really delivers on moisture. It is made with so many all natural ingredients: beeswax, coconut oil, organic hemp oil, almond oil, apricot oil, avocado oil, sunflower oil, vitamin E, shea butter, jojoba oil, and rose hip seed oil. It feels very smooth and silky on your lips and you can feel it penetrate beyond the top layer of your skin to really moisturize deep down. Contact Mammoth Mountain Hemp to get some for yourself, mmthmnthmp@yahoo.com.

18 September 2015

Chloris by Cloud Pen Reviewed by Hazy Cakes Our friends at Cloud Pen hooked the THC staff up with a variety of their new vape pens this past year. Included in that lovely box of vape toys was the Chloris vape pen. As a dry herb lover, I was excited to test out a vape pen meant for my beloved flower product.

To be honest, I don’t have anything bad to say about this vaporizer from Cloud Pen. There are so many cool features and it works like a champ.

This is described as an “aromatherapy vaporizer” which has an LED display allowing the user to digitally control the temperature, which vapes from 350°- 450°F. This temperature range allows for a true vape, anything hotter would actually combust the cannabis, not allowing for a true vape. The flavor that it emits is familiar and reminds me of my first hit off a volcano. A bit popcorn-ish yet fruity and skunky. Trust me, you can get quite the hit with this thing too. The pen itself has a clean, sleek feel and isn’t too bulky for a guy’s pocket or girl’s purse. The acrylic mouthpiece allows for a nice, smooth hit and comes with a rubber cover that you can use when vaping with others to avoid a germ fest.

Other cool features include a memory function, which means that after the first time you use your Chloris it remembers the last temperature setting and automatically goes back to that. There is a safety feature that powers the pen down after five minutes of inactivity, which this also saves the battery. To avoid getting turned on in said pocket or purse, the pen is only turned on when the power button is tapped twice consecutively. To top it all off, Cloud Pen sends a nice little kit with the pen, which includes (in addition to the Chloris Baking Vaporizer Pen): micro USB retractable wire, AC adapter, scooping tool, cleaning brush tool, three mouth guards and user manual.

I would recommend this to anyone looking for a new vape pen for dry herb. Cloud Pen is a solid company and the Chloris proves that they are cutting edge in vape pen technology. www.cloudpenz.com

My Weigh Hemp Digital Scale Reviewed by Monocle Man One night I was doing some stoned online glass window shopping and came across this gem. The 500ZH from My Weigh. My Weigh was the first company to purchase this eco friendly material and distribute the coolest scale you can own. The company prices the 500ZH at $25.95, and is sold at near cost. They do it for the love and to promote natural composite plastic to the world. This scale reads in gram, ounce, troy ounce, and penny weight. It runs on two AAA batteries, which are included. Like the name implies there is a 500 gram capacity for this scale. You will get plenty of compliments on how nice this scale looks. Support My Weigh and buy the 500ZH made with hemp composite plastic. www.myweigh.com

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Pre-rolled Smoking Papers by Blanks Reviewed by Monocle Man These unique pre-rolled papers come in boxes of ten ready to be filled up with your favorite strain. They are great for the novice joint roller such as myself because they are so easy to use. You simply grind up your herb, pull the filter out to your desired length, then scoop up the previously ground up herb. You have to tap it on the filter end to pack it down, then you twist the tip and you are ready to go. Literally the best looking joint I have ever rolled. Sold at www.blanksprerolled.com.

Vapor Nutz Reviewed by Monocle Man Little foam rubber hexagon rings could save your vape pen from a devastating fall among other things. Vapor Nutz were made to be a bumper for your vaping apparatus. They come in small packs with four sizes included, meant to fit on most vape pen models. These little rings serve as a barrier of protection and the hexagon shape keeps your pen from rolling around when you set it down. It also elevates the tip of the pen when resting on its side, preventing any leakage or seepage. Vapor Nuts are an inexpensive insurance policy for your vapes, no more broken pens or spilled hash. To buy: www.vapornutz.com.

20 September 2015

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FEATURED ARTIST

by Caroline Hayes

Monreaux Monroe Having a father rich in carpentry skills, Ruthie Monroe learned how to use power tools at a young age, developing a deep love and respect for the trade. This helped shaped her passion for furniture as an adult, and as a result Ruthie creates beautiful, psychedelic, imaginative and playful functional tables, rugs and coasters under the name Monreaux Monroe. Based out of Austin, Texas near Lake Travis where she grew up, Ruthie earned an education through the California College of the Arts.

Her Honeycomb Tables may appear to be similar but are in fact custom made, making each and every one of them 100 percent unique compared to the next.

This woman’s art is so original we were very excited to educate our readers about her.

THC: It says on your website that you use recycled and found materials to create your pieces, can you tell me a bit about that?

RM: When I lived in Oakland, there was so much junk that people had thrown away and just left on the side of the road. I frequently would pick up furniture that was dumped and reupholster it or paint and coat it in resin. I would really like to get back into making one-off pieces with recycled furniture, but lately I have been so busy making honeycomb tables that I haven’t been doing as much of that, but I still try to use recycled materials whenever I can. For my coasters that I make, I use scrap pieces of wood and scrap paper, which is laser cut into the honeycomb pattern, which is then spray painted and coated in resin. Also, the ecofelt rugs are made from a material that is made from recycled plastic bottles. I love using this material because it is naturally stain-resistant and can be washed and dried. I would really like to look into what other kinds of fabrics can be made out of recycled plastics.

THC: Can you tell me a bit about the creation process of making the Honeycomb Tables?

RM: Creating the honeycomb tables is definitely the most complicated thing I have set out to make. It took me three years of trial and error to understand what materials to use and where to use them. The tops

22 September 2015

are made with three pieces of laser-cut plywood, spray paint, and two different kinds of resin. I use a clear epoxy resin to fill in the honeycomb holes, and a self-leveling coating compound for the final coating on the top. If there are bees, I paint bees in the top before I put the last coat of resin on the table. The legs are made of a castable urethane plastic, which is meant for creating machine parts. It looks like glass, but is strong enough to run a car over without having them break. It’s actually an amazing material! It took me a very long time to get the legs just right, and I’m still working on a more efficient casting process, but the current system is working for now. I cast the urethane plastic into silicone molds that I have made, and put the molds inside a giant pressure pot which cures the material under 60 pounds of pressure so that there are no bubbles or imperfections in the drips. I cast the legs with a metal pin inside of them, which then screws into the bottom of the tabletop.

Once the drips have cured, I then dip them in a lacquer, which makes them extra shiny. The whole process of making a table takes about a week because of cure times.

THC: How are the eco-felt rugs made?

RM: The process for the rugs is really simple, but extremely time consuming. Basically I just cut every piece out by hand, and then glue them with an industrial silicone to a felt backing. Before I start, I usually will have a general idea of how the colors should go, but every one turns out a little different because the process isn’t an exact science, and that’s what I love about it. That’s also what I love about the coasters and the Honeycomb Tables, even though there are similar color patterns, they’re all painted with spray paint and they all look slightly different. I couldn’t make them identical if I tried.

THC: Visit her website www.monreaux-monroe.myshopify.com to check out more of her works or email her at uniquelymonroe@gmail.com to start the process of ordering a custom Honeycomb Table or eco-felt rug from her.

On the right: Ruthie with a couch that she made (recycled), and a set of a large blue 17”, medium purple 15”, and small green 15” tables.

“I’m particularly interested in using functional objects because it is more accessible, everyone already understands on some basic level how to interact with these objects that one might see in an average home. But each object has a psychedelic twist, reminding us that the everyday doesn’t have to be average.” Ruthie Monroe thcmag.com 23

Finishing touches and signing the bottoms of tables in studio

Honeycomb Tables, different sizes Eco-felt rug 6’

Eco-felt rug 4’

Table tops before assembly

24 September 2015

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Tasty Meds

Reviews of Colorado’s finest medicated products Agent of Death Shatter by Standing Akimbo reviewed by Monocle Man The awesome staff over at Standing Akimbo had quite the treat for us on our last visit. They had just got in some shatter processed from their material by Extracts Inc. If you haven’t had Standing Akimbo’s flower before you are truly missing out.

This run of Agent of Death looked truly stunning. The shatter was completely translucent with a light amber color. After I exhaled my dab the silent assassin known as Agent of Death quickly made my eyes heavy. A few dabs later I was couch locked and zoned out. Not long after I was soon rendered immobile and slowly melted away into my seat. I had to make it to my bed for a much needed dab nap. After a few hours the silent ninja had left me still in a haze.

On the second round with the Agent of Death I stuck to one dab. Its punch wasn’t as strong but I still felt heavy indica effects. It was a challenge to focus and stay on task with this concentrate. Unless you have a high tolerance this run of shatter will be a sedative experience. The Agent of Death shatter is the ultimate nightcap dab because you will be relaxed and sleep like a baby. Stop in and check out their amazing strains, and tell them to bring back the Pecanna Bar and Brownies!! www.standingakimbobakery.com

WeHi 300mg Harlequin Bar by West Highland Chocolate Co. reviewed by DJ Reetz If you’ve tasted dosed chocolate before, you already know what to expect here.

It’s nothing special, and tastes exactly like you would imagine. But you’re not looking for taste with this diminutive bar, you’re looking for concentration.

At 300 mg it’s good for the high-tolerance edible consumer, but without an easy way to portion dosage, distinguishing a small dose is tough. It’s small, discreet, mercifully easy to swallow, and clearly intended to be taken as a whole as there is no way to reseal the Mylar pouch that stirs memories of a collectible card pack.

I took a single bite, doing my best to approximate the proper dosage for myself. About an hour later I was feeling the light euphoric effects, feeling stimulated and on point. After another hour the full effects had taken hold.

The high was vivid and humorous. I found myself giggling late into the night, as the effects stretched for hours.

I wouldn’t recommend these strain-specific bars for beginners, but seasoned edible eaters will find a discreet way to pack in the dosage. Just don’t eat their Harlequin bar before bed like I did. www.we-hi.com

Flo Sativa Gel 25mg reviewed by Monocle Man When the publisher told me I would be reviewing an edible gel I was intrigued to say the least. Focused Labs Oil is the manufacturer of this unique product. This raspberry flavored sativa CO₂ infused gel was going to be a first for me. The white pouch came in the standard child-proof opaque medicine bottle. The instructions are to massage the gel towards the bottom of the pouch. I actually mixed it around for about a minute to make sure everything was blended nicely. FLO recommends washing it down with a glass of water but it wasn’t really needed. The gel had a creamy pudding like consistency, and the Raspberry flavor was a delicious delight. There was no overwhelming cannabis taste, just a hint in the finish.

It didn’t take long for the initial effects to kick in. At about the thirty-minute mark I felt a warm wave crash over my body and a tingly head high. There was noticeably more motivation and a pep in my step after a full hour of ingesting the Sativa gel. This product is perfect to pop in your mouth before a workout or any activity. Next time I am on the golf course I will make sure to have a couple stashed in my bag. Make sure to check out Focused Labs Oil’s social media to see where you can go with the Flo. www.focused-labs.com

26 September 2015

thcmag.com 27

MOB BOSS

Sativa Dominant Hybrid-Chemdawg x Tang Tang Master Grower: Scott Manley Grow Medium: Hydroponic Grow Cycle Duration: Clone to Veg 8wks - Flower 8wks Curation Time: 3.5wks Hand Trimmed

Medical Applications: • Anxiety • Muscle Pain • Migraines

Recreational Effect: • Strong • Uplifting • Cerebral

Dispensary Notes: Mob Boss has ridiculous trichome production and is a head-knocking, top 10% strongest strain @ 23.7% THC & 1.2% Delta 9 These nugs are huge! This has a fresh piney scent with a hint of fruity undertones, which translates nicely to a mild pine taste. Our reviewers found the high to be focused and alert, leaving us able to hone in on the tasks at hand with laser like precision. With strong analgesic properties, this batch is great for aches and pains too.

MEDICAL & RECREATIONAL

icw8.com

CHEM 4 X ALIEN OG #1 70/30 Sativa Dominant Hybrid

Master Grower: LivWell Staff Grow Medium: Coconut coir Grow Cycle Duration: 55 Day Flowering Cycle Curation Time: 3 Weeks Medical Applications*: • stress relief • pain relief • depression • appetite stimulation

Recreational Effect: • happy • euphoric • uplifted • creative

Dispensary Notes: 25.79% THCa, consistent quality The terps are strong with this one. With a dense cheesy, citrus scent, this will awaken your senses. The taste was earthy, with a heavy, relaxing high. It gently encouraged our reviewers to chill out on the couch for an extended period of time before carrying us of to sleep like a soothing lullaby. *LivWell makes no claims regarding the health and medical benefits of cannabis

28 September 2015

livwellco.com

MEDICAL & RECREATIONAL

JACK FLASH

55/45 Indica/Sativa - Jack Herer x Super Skunk Master Grower: The Clinic Staff Grow Medium: Rockwool & Coco Grow Cycle Duration: 45 Days Veg & 56 Days Flower, 101 Days Total Medical Applications: • Vasodilation • Glaucoma

Dispensary Notes: 2014 THC Championship Adult Use Connoisseur’s Choice Hybrid

This bud has a fruity scent reminiscent of Fruity Pebbles cereal and a light, smooth flavor when smoked. The effects left our reviewers alert, focused and at times a giggly mess. A nice balance of indica and sativa traits, this batch of Jack Flash created an uplifting body high that didn’t sap motivation. This would be great for blowing off steam on a leisurely afternoon, but it might be just a little cloudy for the workday.

thecliniccolorado.com

MEDICAL & RECREATIONAL

RECREATIONAL ONLY thcmag.com 29

30 September 2015

SLOW DOWN. BREATHE. INHALE. THERE IS TIME FOR BEAUTY. THERE IS TIME FOR REFLECTION. BREATHE. INHALE. THIS IS INDICA.

A single charge for a singular experience. The enhanced battery on the Indica vaporizer now provides up to 90 minutes ™

of continuous use when fully charged. Giving you ample time to breathe, inhale, and slow down. · indicavapor.com ©2015 Indica, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Patent pending.

thcmag.com 31

Hemp Eats

Pizza Dough

From our friends at Mountain High Pharms Makes two pizzas Ingredients: 1 package dry yeast 3 Tablespoons honey ½ cups hot water 4-5 cups sifted flour of choice 3 Tablespoons hemp oil 1 ½ cup hot water 2 Tablespoons hemp flakes (optional)

you with your hands until smooth, about 5 – 10 minutes.

Directions: Preheat oven to 475°F.

Punch down, cut in half, and use right away, or wrap in a loose airtight bag and refrigerate for up to a week, or freeze and allow to thaw 1 hour before serving.

Stir together the honey and hot water in a large bowl.

Stir in yeast and set aside in a warm place for 20 minutes until frothy looking on top.

Sift in the flour. Add the oil, salt, hemp flakes and water.

Stir until it starts to form a ball, work with your clean hands to incorporate most of the flour.

Pour out onto a dry, lightly floured surface. Knead but mostly roll the dough side to side pushing it away from

Roasted Veggie Pizza Ingredients: See recipe for pizza dough above, however, a premade fresh or frozen will work 2 cups sliced cremini mushrooms 1 cup zucchini, thinly sliced 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 medium red bell pepper, sliced 1/2 medium red onion, sliced 3 Tablespoons olive oil 1 Tablespoons hemp oil 1 cup tomato sauce, canned or jarred 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning 1/3 cup part-skim ricotta cheese 2 Tablespoons small fresh basil leaves, chopped Directions: Preheat oven to 500°F.

32 September 2015

Combine mushrooms, zucchini, black pepper, bell pepper and onion in a large bowl. Drizzle with 3 Tablespoons of olive oil. Toss to coat well. Arrange them on a rimmed baking dish, bake for 20 minutes and then remove from oven. Lower oven heat to 475°F. Drizzle 1 Tablespoon of the hemp oil on your pre-baked hemp pizza dough. Spread sauce evenly over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border for the crust. Sprinkle 1/2 cup mozzarella over sauce; top with roasted vegetables.

Sprinkle 1 cup mozzarella, crushed red pepper and Italian seasoning over vegetable mixture. Add dollops of ricotta. Bake at 475° for 1011 minutes or until crust is golden. Sprinkle with freshly chopped basil. Optional: drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

Dust out the remaining flour from the bowl and discard. Pour a little oil in the bowl and roll the dough ball around well to coat it. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise, about 20 minutes.

Using your hands, stretch the dough out onto a large stone or pizza pan. Roll up the edges, creating a crust, while leaving a large space for toppings. Poke all over with a fork. Place in preheated oven and par-bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and top with favorite sauces and toppings. See recipe below for an idea.

REC FT. COLLINS ONLY

MEDICAL PRICES STARTING AT:

REC PRICES STARTING AT:

EIGHTHS

EIGHTHS

$20/$22 $139/$149 $25 OUNCES

CONCENTRATES CONCENTR

$30 $200 $35 OUNCES

CONCENTRATES CONCENTR

2

WE TAKE CREDIT CARDS!

thcmag.com 33

Cannabis News

by DJ Reetz

Denver Voters Consumption

to

Decide

on

Public

Voters in Denver will soon get to decide if consuming cannabis should be allowed in designated public places. The Campaign for Limited Social Use submitted over 10,000 signatures to the Denver city clerk, more than doubling the 4,726 needed to include the measure on the November 2015 ballot. The measure would allow establishments such as bars to permit cannabis combustion in areas already designated for smoking, while allowing other forms of consumption indoors, in compliance with existing smoking regulations. The measure would also allow cannabis clubs, giving the city the ability to issue permits and regulate hours.

The initiative is big news for cannabis consumers living in or visiting the city, as officials have previously taken all available measures to ensure that those purchasing legal cannabis have no place to consume it, outside of private residences.

Dispensaries Open in Las Vegas and Reno Medical marijuana dispensaries are now servicing Nevada’s two most notable cities. August saw the opening of dispensaries in both Las Vegas and Reno, the first of their kind in each city following the opening of the state’s first dispensary in the city of Sparks on July 31. Euphoria Wellness in the Las Vegas area and Sierra Wellness Connection Reno are now serving medical patients in their respective cities.

Though medical marijuana has been legal in Nevada since 2001, it wasn’t until 2013 that voters approved dispensaries. Prior to the opening of dispensaries this year, medical patients had been relying on home growing, caregivers, and legally dubious delivery services. Nevada is one of a handful of medical marijuana states that allows for reciprocity, meaning that out-ofstate visitors with a recognized medical marijuana card should theoretically be able to purchase from the newly opened dispensaries.

Troubled Ohio Legalization Measure Seeks Voter Approval After much controversy, backers of a measure to legalize marijuana for medical and recreational uses in Ohio have collected 305,591 signatures, earning a spot on the November ballot, provided the signatures are validated and the language of the measure is approved. The measure, proposed by the group Responsible Ohio, has been divisive amongst the pro-cannabis crowd, as it limits growing of commercial marijuana to ten licensed producers, seemingly creating a monopoly. The measure would allow residents 21 and over to possess up to an ounce of marijuana and grow up to four plants at home, which many see as a victory for cannabis reform, despite the limitation on commercial competition. State lawmakers have proposed an anti-monopoly measure seemingly aimed at annulling Responsible Ohio’s initiative.

scientific journal PLOS One is providing a clearer understanding of the genetic variations of cannabis. The study examined the genotype of 81 marijuana samples and 43 hemp samples, looking at the differences in the DNA of the plants.

Researchers concluded that the labeling of cannabis as indica, sativa, or ruderalis was often inaccurate. The study also showed a large degree of genetic variation between hemp and marijuana plants, despite the fact that hemp is of the Cannabis sativa species, likely due to generations of breeding for different purposes.

“Cannabis breeders and growers often indicate the percentage of sativa or indica in a cannabis strain, but they are not very accurate,” said University of British Columbia botanist and study co-author Jonathan Page, according to phys.org.

Oregon Puts a Hold on Issuing Hemp Licenses The Oregon Department of Agriculture has temporarily stopped issuing licenses to grow industrial hemp in the state, citing regulatory complications.

The state moved to allow the cultivation of hemp in 2009, but last year saw the state’s first crop. Among the reasons for the halt was the changing duration of the licenses, which were initially issued for three years but have been reduced to one. ‘Farmers growing the crop for the purpose of CBD extraction’ was also cited as a reason for suspending the program.

Regulators are hopeful that any issues can be resolved in time for next year’s crop, and are currently seeking clarity from the legislators.

“We just didn’t feel it was prudent to continue issuing new, three-year licenses when so much might change,” said Lindsay Eng, who oversees Oregon’s hemp program, according to oregonlive.com.

Alcohol Distributors Backing Legalization In Nevada Nevada seems poised to be the next state to legalize cannabis. With a proposal aimed at legalization to appear on the state’s 2016 ballot and recently minted medical dispensaries, Nevada has earned the number two spot on a recent list of states likely to legalize in 2016 compiled by 24/7 Wall Street, no surprise for a state that is known for legalized gambling and prostitution.

But support is coming from a seemingly unlikely source, alcohol distributors. According to the Las Vegas Sun, Nevada liquor distributors have given a combined $87,500 to support the state’s cannabis legalization measure. While on the surface this would seem contrary to the industry’s interest, the move actually makes sense, as the measure proposed for the 2016 ballot would give liquor distributors the exclusive right to distribute adult-use cannabis for the first 18 months of sales.

New York Times Editorial Board Calls Out Scientists Conduct Ground-Breaking Genetic Obama on Cannabis Research on Cannabis A recent study carried out by researchers in Canada and published in the

34 September 2015

In an August editorial, The New York Times called on President Obama and Congress to push forward reform of failing cannabis laws. The editorial

Across the Globe chastised what it called “absurd” cannabis laws, the languishing of the CARERS Act in the Senate and called for the de-scheduling of cannabis.

“Direct democracy can sometimes produce good results. But it would be far better for Congress and the President to repeal failed laws and enact sensible drug policies,” concluded the editorial.

Most Lactation Professionals Breastfeeding by Cannabis Users

Encourage

In a short video published on the National Institute on Drug Abuse’s website, researcher Cecilia Bergeria of the University of Vermont shared findings from her recent study titled “Surveying Lactation Professionals Regarding Breastfeeding and Marijuana Use.” According to Bergeria, 80 percent of lactation professionals surveyed recommended that mothers continue to breast feed infants even if they were using cannabis, while only 15 percent discouraged it.

“There’s a large discrepancy between what professional organizations are recommending and what lactation professionals are recommending on a day-to-day basis. So it kind of highlights the need for research and evidence to more clearly guide clinical practice in this area,” said Bergeria in the video.

Inspections of Tennessee Hemp Farms Begin Last month, the Tennessee Department of Agriculture began inspections of the state’s 53 hemp farms. Inspections have been slow after a delay in the delivery of seeds, according to NBC affiliate WBIR, but inspectors are now taking GPS coordinates to help differentiate legal crops from potentially illegal cannabis grows and taking measurements to ensure that the hemp crops are measuring below the standard 0.3 percent THC content.

“We want it close to harvest time... because that’s when the plant is at its maximum maturity and we can get the best sense of what its makeup is,” said Corinne Gould, Director of Communications for the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, according to WBIR.

DEA Chief Admits Heroin More Dangerous Than Cannabis Drug Enforcement Administration head Chuck Rosenberg told reporters last month that “heroin is clearly more dangerous than marijuana,” according to the Huffington Post. The statement clarifies an earlier comment form Rosenberg, who had previously stated that cannabis was “probably not” as dangerous as the highly addictive drug that killed over 8,000 people in 2013, according to data from the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

While the acknowledgment seems to be common sense, Rosenberg’s predecessor, Michelle Leonhart, refused to recognize that cannabis was safer than heroin. However, Rosenberg maintains the DEA stance that cannabis is “harmful and dangerous,” even if not as much so as heroin.

Top Cop in UK Says Cannabis Isn’t a Primary Concern The Chair of the National Police Chiefs Council in the United Kingdom seems to be letting slip that British police won’t be going after low-level cannabis offenses such as small-scale grows. The comments follow sentiments from other top law enforcement officials in the country that similarly indicate a shift in priorities. Chair Sara Thornton stated that complaints about residential grows would likely be recorded but not investigated, and that those caught consuming cannabis or growing it for personal use would likely be let off with a warning rather than an arrest.

The shifting priorities seems to indicate a sort of decriminalization on the part of law enforcement, though no such action has been enacted by lawmakers. Thornton cited a declining budget as reason for the shift, with police choosing to focus on organized crime, cyber crime, terrorism, and sexual offenses.

“It has never been a top priority to go looking for cannabis in people’s houses. It is, however, against the law. If somebody was caught they would be dealt with at the very lower end of the scale. What we are most concerned about is organized crime, those growing cannabis on an industrial scale,” said Thornton, according to the Daily Mail.

Study Finds Teen Marijuana Use Not Connected to Health, Mental Issues Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and Rutgers University concluded that chronic marijuana use amongst teenage boys did not lead to issues such as depression, psychotic symptoms, lung cancer or asthma later in life. The study, published in Psychology of Addictive Behavior and reported on by Science Daily, followed 408 males from adolescence into their mid-30s, tracking their marijuana use while controlling for other factors such as tobacco use, the use of other illicit drugs, and access to health care.

The results of the study were unexpected, even to its authors. “What we found was a little surprising… There were no differences in any of the mental or physical health outcomes that we measured, regardless of the amount or frequency of marijuana used during adolescence,” said lead researcher Jordan Bechtold, according to Science Daily.

Ronda Rousey Eats Hemp Renowned female mixed martial artist “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey reportedly eats hemp seeds as part of her training diet. In an interview with ESPNW, and later noted by marijuanapolitics.com, the undefeated fighter stated that her breakfast consisted of two teaspoons of oat bran, two teaspoons of chia seeds and two teaspoons of hemp seeds while she prepares for fights.

Rousey recently defended her UFC Women’s Bantamweight title against the undefeated Bethe Correia with a 34 second knockout. Just what role the inclusion of protein-rich hemp seeds high in essential fatty acids in her diet played in the victory is unknown.

thcmag.com 35

The 6th Annual Clinic

by Samuel Farley

On Saturday Aug. 15, The Clinic, one of Colorado’s premier medical and recreational cannabis dispensaries, held its sixth annual charity golf tournament.

The Charity Classic returned to the City Park Golf Course, with all of the proceeds going to help raise money for new research projects for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. The event was a huge success and has grown in size every year since its inception. This year’s tournament brought hundreds of golfers and sponsors, including WeedMaps, LiveGreen Cannabis, Heady Glass, Dr. J’s, EdiPure, and other notable companies within the industry. The event was a shining example of the Colorado cannabis industry coming together to help raise money and support charity while creating a fun event in the process. The Clinic has done a fantastic job of increasing the event’s popularity and charitable donations over the past few years. This year’s event brought in approximately $85,000, with all of the donations going straight to the local chapter of the MS Society.

Multiple sclerosis is a disease of the central nervous system that has yet to be fully understood, but over the last few decades a great deal of new MS research has been conducted, and advancements have been made in various treatment and therapy methods. Currently, no cure exists, and people who suffer from MS often experience varying symptoms that involve muscle and nerve issues, and problems with the spinal cord. The more research dollars

36 September 2015

that get put towards finding more effective treatments, the better chance researchers have at eventually finding a cure, which is why events like The Clinic Charity Classic are so important for the future treatment of the disease.

The Clinic’s GM, Ryan Cook, was incredibly passionate and relayed that dedication for the cause to everyone who participated in the event. During a short interview with Ryan, his spirit and excitement for the opportunity to make a difference working with the MS Society was clear. He was proud to mention, “At this point The Clinic has raised a little over $200,000 in the six years we have been working with the organization, going from the $4,000 in year one of the event, to the roughly $80,000 that was raised at last year’s event.” For Ryan and everyone at The Clinic, one of the most exciting aspects of working with the MS Society and its Colorado chapter is the fact that the money being donated is actually going directly to help individuals in Colorado. The money being donated will be used for ramps, vehicle modifications, and other services that many people cannot afford, with other funds going toward new research projects. Programs like these make all the difference in allowing a superior quality of life for patients who are already stressed financially.

During the interview, Ryan mentioned it was “great to work with local families.” Ryan relayed a personal anecdote explaining the

reason he and many of the employees at The Clinic were so passionate about trying to help people who are suffering from MS. The story involved a local man who had been unable to move his legs for 18 months and wanted to try cannabis as an alternative form of medicine. Throughout various conversations at The Clinic, the man shared his story about how the use of cannabis before one of his physical therapy sessions actually allowed him to move his legs for the first time in almost two years.

At this year’s event, a different sponsor and activity was present on every hole, which made the event a blast for all of the golfers who participated. Some of the games and events at the various holes included a water balloon launcher, games of cornhole, and a giant game of Jenga. All of the games were accepting donations for a chance to participate, and all proceeds went directly to the MS Society. The Charity Classic was formatted differently this year than in years past, incorporating more participation by utilizing a single shotgun start. The new format allowed for an incredibly relaxed environment and for more people and businesses to come together for a day of celebrating and raising money for charity.

Overall, the event was a huge success and served as an example of the cannabis industry working with the community, creating an event that raised nearly $100,000 that will go to directly to helping individuals in Colorado with multiple sclerosis.

Charity Golf Classic

thcmag.com 37

The 32 Annual Bong-a-Thon nd

Getting there was half the battle

by DJ Reetz

After a beleaguered struggle to find a suitable location, this year’s 32nd Annual Bong-aThon found a home in the foothills outside of Blackhawk. The cannabis celebration drew over 1,000 people to watch the eponymous competition, listen to live music and comedy performances, and spend a weekend camping and generally basking in the cannabiscentered revelry. As in years past, the event was a bounty of dabs, bowls, blunts and monster joints, with complimentary beer and good vibes for those in attendance. Attendees competed for the title of best campsite, and the friendly atmosphere that has always been synonymous with Bong-a-Thon was present as always.

The event even featured a Bong-a-Thon documentary narrated by local radio personality and event emcee Uncle Nasty, which chronicled the 40-year history of the clandestine mountain smoke out, harkening back to a time when it truly was an underground and illegal event and competitors and attendants weren’t as eager to have their pictures taken.

In previous years the event had been held on a spacious private ranch in South Park, where the open plain had allowed for a sprawling, open setup of campsites radiating out form the main stage and vendor booths. This year’s location, which was announced only days prior to the event, saw campers cramming into the limited number of open areas amongst the steeper forested hills that make up Uncle Charlie’s Ranch. And while the rough roads and variable topography made for what event organizer Chris Jetter calls the “ultimate Bong-a-Thon location,” the change in venue and the battle fought by organizers couldn’t help but be felt in the decidedly more subversive nature of this year’s Bong-a-Thon.

Trouble started in May, when officials in Park County changed the regulations and fee amount for the noise permit sought by organizers, and not so subtly told organizers to look elsewhere.

“They flat out told me don’t bother, and it wouldn’t happen,” recalls Jetter of his inquiry to the Park County Planning Department.

Even though the event remains private, open only to those with invitations, and

38 September 2015

has been held on this particular section of private land for the past five years, the county threatened to have law enforcement officers guarding the county road leading to the site, turning away campers. The reasoning for this decision remains unclear, as prior years’ events had gone on without incident, and it left Jetter confused and seeking a new location. Multiple requests made by THC for comments from Park County officials were ignored.

A new location was found in southwestern Colorado, a small town with a population of only two people known as Stoner. There, Mayor and half of all residents Frank McDonald, who has aspirations to turn the town into a stoner-friendly vacation destination, offered the town as an option for Bong-a-Thon. However, Montezuma County officials weren’t as keen on having the cannabis celebration in their jurisdiction as Stoner’s eccentric mayor.

“The only thing that I asked Montezuma County for was a permit for amplified sound,” says Jetter. But after being ignored for nearly a month, he was informed that his application was incomplete at a meeting with county commissioners. Jetter claims he made no such mistake, “I crossed my t’s and dotted my i’s,” he says.

Jetter attributes this to the realization by officials that the event, registered as the Colorado Invitational, was actually known more widely as Bong-a-Thon. With the date approaching and the permit seemingly stuck in bureaucratic limbo, being tossed to Colorado Department of Transportation and the Colorado State Patrol for disapproval, Jetter charged ahead, confident that holding a private cannabis event on private property was protected under the state’s Amendment 64.

“I said, you know what, I don’t need a permit, we’ll just prepare for harassment,” says Jetter.

When a local paper in Cortez quoted this sentiment from him, officials took further action, issuing an injunction against the planned event and effectively killing the hopes for hosting Bong-a-Thon in the town with the perfect name for it. Jetter claims the Montezuma County Sherriff drove seven

hours to Jetter’s registered address in Aurora to serve the injunction. The Cortez Journal would allege that the injunction was the result of complaints from nearby residents, but John Baxter, the attorney for Montezuma County who filed the injunction, has declined to clarify the specific reasoning, telling the Denver Post, “I don’t have a comment on it.”

Stoner Mayor McDonald went so far as to plan his wedding for the weekend, hopeful that it would give the event more protection, but the long drive from the front range and vehement resistance from Montezuma County officials ultimately led Jetter to search elsewhere, including a less-than-ideal location outside of Pueblo.

Luckily, through a fortunate set of associations Jetter was contacted by Uncle Charlie, the owner of a 75-acre ranch of his namesake located north of Blackhawk and surrounded on all sides by national forest. Keeping the location a secret until just prior to the event, Jetter was able to finally find a home for the event, only drawing brief attention from authorities on the second night when law enforcement officials incorrectly interpreted a map and claimed that campers were outside of Uncle Charlie’s property, though they were soon corrected and sent on their way.

The struggle with officials permeated this year’s Bong-a-Thon, and Jetter would frequently remind those in attendance to vote and make their voices heard in support for the sensible treatment of cannabis. However, despite the more subversive and politically minded flavor of the event, the revelry continued as it has in prior years, competitors performed feats of super-human smoking, and plenty of amazing glass was raffled off.

The party continues, and though Jetter has frequently found himself a lightning rod for opposition to cannabis reform in Colorado, he doesn’t plan on backing down. Hopefully, Bong-a-Thon will retain its locals-only, activist leanings for years to come, which Jetter seems confident of.

“Just because we won the battle and legalized cannabis doesn’t mean we one the war,” he says.

thcmag.com 39

R E G I ST R AT I O N STA RTS N OW

BRING YOUR A-GAME 40 September 2015

thcmag.com 41

Creating Your Cannabis Brand Are you alienating fifty percent of the market?

by Erin Hiatt

When you do a Google image search under “people using marijuana,” “stoner,” or “people using weed,” the imagery is very discouraging. There is image after image of droopy and bloodshot-eyed young men wearing tie-dye and playing hacky sack, and beautiful young women wearing tight white t-shirts that say “tits and weed.” “Who comes up with this stuff?” you might be asking yourself, but perhaps the better question is, “who’s in charge of this?”

What’s in a product message? As it turns out, a lot. Take Coca-Cola, for example, the number-one most recognizable brand in the world. No matter where you go on this planet, you know that inside that iconic red can with the white swoop and the curlicue writing that there is coca-cola inside.

When Coca-Cola debuted in 1886, their slogan was, “drink Coca-Cola and

font. Branding is not only about attractive packaging but also about your unique relationship to Coca-Cola. Successful and consistent branding and messaging (remember New Coke, anyone?) will not only make your regulars happy, but will hopefully attract new customers, and regulars plus new consumers equals more money.

Dan Riffle is the Director of Federal Policy for The Marijuana Policy Project, an organization that lobbies to see marijuana regulated like alcohol. During his presentation on legalizing marijuana at the Cannabis World Congress and Business Expo in New York City, he flipped through a PowerPoint presentation showing some easily-found pictures portraying all the worst characteristics of cannabis messaging, and it wasn’t pretty. Imagine nubile, large-breasted women with only cannabis leaves covering their lady parts, their mouths sexually agape as they exhale from a fat joint, and a package that could be mistaken for a cigarette box but with cannabis leaves on the front, invoking thoughts of the vilified “big tobacco.” Riffle sighs, “Guys, you’re making my job really hard. I can’t help you unless you help me.”

John Williams wrote for Entrepreneur.com that “Simply put, your brand is your promise to your customer. It tells them what they can expect from your products and services, and it differentiates your offering from your competitors. Your brand is derived from who you are, who you want to be and who people perceive you to be.”

enjoy it,” and there was a cracker-jack of a surprise inside —actual cocaine.

Not a lot, but still, coke, hence the name Coca-Cola. Today, Coca-Cola has evolved with consumer demand, the times, and the laws of the land.

It has been cocaine-free for decades and wants you to “open happiness” instead. You may even find a can with your name on it in their famous

42 September 2015

Patrick Hayden is the President of the Brightfield Group, a cannabis market research firm with solid numbers on who is purchasing cannabis in the legal markets. He says that “In Colorado, young men ages 21-34 that are considered ‘heavy users,’ meaning they use several times a week, are driving the market, making 52 percent of purchases. In California, it is 51 Photo credit to SergZSV.ZP / Shutterstock.com

percent. As for branding, you need to know who the customer, client, or patient is.” Right now, the market is targeted to young men because they’re the ones doing most of the buying. Marketplace.org wrote that “Younger men are an ‘all-important’ marketing target for key consumer categories and brands. Government consumer spending data show that young men spend more than young women overall, and also in key categories for marketers. For booze and eating out, they even spend more than older men, who have significantly more disposable income.”

When you run a business, one of the especially salient points is to run in the black, so it does make some sense for cannabis branding to be associated with sex because young men like sexy imagery. Sex sells. Sex is, well, sexy. But this kind of advertising has a strong tendency to repel and alienate women, who, by the way, also purchase cannabis. Ayesha MathewsWadhwa wrote for Forbes that “There is this monster myth: marketing to women will alienate men. This misconception is entrenched in the modern marketing world but is especially strong in ads for liquor and cars. Slick, dark shots open on a woman gazing seductively at the camera while Jason Bourne-esque music swells. However, breaking the mold is scary and gender stereotypes and assumptions are everywhere. Just take an NFL game: the marketers think they know the men who are watching — and it is still mostly men — and what their deep-down desires are: tank-like trucks, arctic-cold beer, smoldering chicks, and the occasional pizza.”

Paying all this attention to young men may not be the best way for the cannabis industry to move forward. Women, especially in families, are the ones who make spending decisions, and once a woman enters the life of a young man, his spending patterns change. Patty Edwards at US Bank Wealth Management told Marketplace.com that, “Unlike the typical female consumer, he’s more likely to spend what he wants, without thinking too much about what he needs. So if you’re Bud, or Jeep, or Nike, you want to get him hooked on your brand.”

The cannabis industry is a tree with many branches: edibles, concentrates, CBD, hemp oil, vaporizers; the list goes on and on. And with those legions of branches comes many potential consumers, and as we know, the people making decisions about household spending are women. Taylor West, Deputy Director of the National Cannabis Industry Association says that, “You’re seeing more diverse populations getting involved so you’re seeing a recognition that marketing has to take into account the full spectrum of potential consumers rather than some focus on a single sector.”

Now that the cannabis market has come out of the black market shadows, is maturing, and can pay more thoughtful attention to their messaging, developing branding that includes women can do nothing but help the bottom line of businesses. West continues, “It doesn’t make sense to engage in marketing that alienates 50 percent of the population, and I think we’re starting to see increased understanding of that, and that is in part being driven by women being in the industry, and in part by women being consumers in the industry. This is both a business issue and a policy issue. It is important to the industry from a policy and progression position that we

are putting our best face forward.

It’s just good business.”

Kevin Sabet, head of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, is the most outspoken and visible marijuana legalization foe, and SAM’s website calls loud attention to ill-conceived and irresponsible messaging from the cannabis industry. Compiled on their site is a very daunting collection of pictures that would make any legislator very angry: cannabis suckers that look like one a tyke would get after being good at the doctor’s office, “pot” tarts, Twixed, and Buddhafingers, to name just a few, all with packaging that could easily be mistaken for real Pop Tarts, Twix bars, or Butterfingers. There have been deaths linked to the over-consumption of edibles, in particular by children who had access to them in their homes.

Brian Vicente, who helped lead Colorado’s legalization campaign, told the Huffington Post that, “It really is time for regulators, and the industry, to look at how do we move forward more responsibly with edible products.”

West muses, “Will the industry be viewed as responsible, ethical, and forward-looking or reckless and unconcerned with public safety and its own image?” So how should the industry move forward with branding and messaging? Olivia Mannix and Jennifer DeFalco are the co-founders of a Denver-based cannabis branding firm called Cannabrand and they have a simple formula to help businesses devise a successful, forward-moving and unique-to-your-product branding strategy: Education: provide information to customers, especially new users; inform and educate the public; use your brand as a platform; make your brand a resource.

Responsible messaging: never promote recklessness, use by minors, over-consumption, or driving under the influence.

How to market your product: maintain clear and consistent messaging; avoid false claims, know your target audience, know your state’s regulations and stick to them; and be conscious about communicating your message to the press.

Pew Research reports that 49 percent of Americans have tried marijuana, and with the legal market growing every election cycle, opportunities for entrepreneurs, and messaging, abound. West says that, “As an industry we are in a vulnerable position in terms of public policy and opinion, and we have to show that we are an industry that cares about doing things in the right way. We have to do what we can to really promote best practices not only from a business and economics perspective, but also in a broader community focus so that we are building an industry that does take into account the need to be responsible and build strong businesses that will last, rather than trying to jump on a wave or bubble while it’s there.”

The current industry stands on the shoulders of giants who battled for recognition and built the foundation that the fledgling legal market is expanding today. But the stigma of the “stoner” stereotype remains, and many people still believe it to be true. When you search the word “stoner” on Tumblr, you’ll see a lot of partially-naked young women with cannabisleaf tattoos, thick bongs placed between their legs just-so, Snoop Dogg holding a fat blunt, or old hippies, like Willie Nelson or Tommy Chong.

Young men and old hippies are not the only ones buying marijuana, and the black market is no longer the only show in town. What the industry is not successfully showing to more mainstream consumers and policy makers are the families fighting for medicine for their sick loved ones, those using cannabis topicals as a beauty product, the influx of professionals in all aspects of the industry, or the seemingly endless uses for hemp. And yes, let’s use marijuana to have a good time, but let’s change the first image that comes up in a Google search.

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Multiple Sclerosis and Cannabis

by Dr Nicola Davies

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease of the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord), whereby the nervous system progressively deteriorates over time. Each nerve in the brain and spinal cord is covered by a protective protein layer called myelin, which allows fast conduction of signals throughout the body. In MS, an abnormal immune response to the central nervous system (CNS) causes damage to the myelin sheath. As a result, many areas in the brain and spinal cord become damaged and hardened (sclerosis), disrupting the flow of information within and between the brain and body. It is unclear what causes the immune system to go awry, but it is thought that a combination of genetic and environmental factors are involved.

Cannabis and its derivatives are complex polypharmaceuticals consisting of the major cannabinoids, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), and several minor cannabinoids, terpenoids, flavonoids, and other compounds.

MS is often a debilitating disease causing a wide range of symptoms, including inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, muscular weakness, loss of motor coordination, and problems with balance and vision. Almost 50 percent of people with MS experience pain caused by either the damage to the nerve fibers (neuropathic pain), or excess pressure on muscle and joints due to muscle spasms or muscle stiffness.

In 2007, a research group from Italy led by Dr. Centonze published a study in Brain showing that one of the endocannabinoids, anandamide (AEA), was increased six-fold in the cerebrospinal fluid of MS patients. An increase was also seen in the circulating population of lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell. Researchers found that this increase was due to an increase in an enzyme that synthesizes AEA, along with a reduction in an enzyme that degrades AEA. The researchers concluded that during the immune-mediated attack of the CNS, the endocannabinoid system is activated as a protective mechanism to reduce both neurodegenerative and inflammatory damage through different mechanisms. This study was the first to demonstrate the involvement of the endocannabinoid system in MS in humans.

There are four types of MS:

1) Relapsing remitting MS: alternates between flare-ups (relapse) and periods of mild or no symptoms (remission).

Disease-modifying drugs, though not suitable for everyone, may reduce the number of relapses and possibly even slow the progression of MS. 2) Secondary progressive MS: develops after about 15 years of relapsing remitting MS.. Symptoms gradually worsen over time. There may still be flare-ups, but there is no complete recovery. Disease-modifying drugs can reduce the severity of relapses.

3) Primary progressive MS: characterized by gradually worsening symptoms with no remission periods. This is the least common type and is not treatable.

4) Benign MS: involves a small number of relapses followed by complete recovery. A diagnosis of benign MS can only be made if the patient is symptom-free for more than 20 years.

Since some symptoms may not be sufficiently relieved by available treatments, new and better treatments are required.

Anecdotally, some people with MS have found that smoking cannabis helps relieve their symptoms, including pain, spasticity, depression, fatigue and incontinence. This has encouraged the research community to determine whether these supposedly helpful effects of smoking cannabis are real and, if so, to try and understand the underlying mechanisms and identify any harmful side-effects.

The Effect of Cannabinoids on Pain and Spasticity

44 September 2015

Our bodies naturally produce similar chemicals called endocannabinoids. These substances, along with the receptors that they bind to and the associated enzymes, form the endocannabinoid system. Some evidence suggests that MS involves a problem with regulation of the endocannabinoid system.

A 2001 study led by Dr. Di Marzo from Italy, published in FASEB Journal, showed that spasticity could be inhibited by endocannabinoid injections in mouse models of MS. Later, in 2008, researchers from UC San Diego Health Sciences reported that in a placebo-controlled, randomized trial, smoking cannabis significantly reduced objective measures of pain intensity and spasticity in MS patients as compared to a placebo. This research was published in the Journal of the Canadian Medical Association in 2012.

A 2011 study by Dr. Novotna and colleagues from the Sativex spasticity group, published in the European Journal of Neurology, showed that Nabiximols, a cannabinoid oral spray, significantly improved spasticity in some MS patients as compared to placebo controls.

The Effect of Cannabinoids on Progression of MS

Some studies suggest that cannabinoids can halt the progression of MS in addition to providing relief from symptoms.

In a 2003 issue of Brain, Dr. Pryce and colleagues from the UK reported that in animal models of MS, administration of a synthetic

cannabinoid provided significant protection to the nervous system against injury or degeneration. Similar results were obtained and published by de Lago and colleagues from Spain in Neuropharmacology in 2012. Results showed that in the mouse model of MS this synthetic cannabinoid could reduce neurological disability and progression of disease.

However, a large randomized double-blind placebo controlled clinical trial in the UK evaluating the efficacy of THC in slowing MS progression, published in February 2015 in Health Technology Assessment, failed to demonstrate a significant treatment effect.

Additionally, there were unwanted side effects. The researchers did mention that the patients in this trial were more disabled than those in previous studies, and deteriorated less than expected, which might have impaired their ability to detect the treatment effects. They suggested that future research should aim to use more information to predict clinical deterioration, in order to inform new studies and modify treatments to minimize side-effects.

tests, including those evaluating information processing speed, working memory, and executive functions.

....researchers from UC San Diego Health Sciences reported that in a placebo-controlled, randomized trial, smoking cannabis significantly reduced objective measures of pain intensity and spasticity in MS patients as compared to a placebo

The Effects of Cannabinoids on Cognition in MS

A study published in Neurology by Dr. Feinstein and colleagues from Canada in 2011 confirmed for the first time that cannabis use can worsen cognitive problems in MS. The researchers compared cognitive function in MS patients who regularly smoked or ingested cannabis and MS patients who didn’t use the drug. They found that the group using cannabis performed significantly worse on cognitive function

A 2014 study published by Dr. Feinstein and colleagues in Neurology explored the association between cognitive problems and brain activity in MS patients that used cannabis compared with those that didn’t. Brain activity was measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while they performed tests for memory, information processing speed and attention. They found that MS patients who used cannabis performed worse on some tests and had associated abnormal patterns of brain activity when they were doing these tests.

What Does the Research Point To?

The research on cannabinoids and their effect on MS is still in its infancy. Interesting effects of cannabis and its components have been observed to both help and worsen different MS symptoms. After encouraging results in studies of mice, large controlled clinical trials are underway, but there remains a gap in our understanding of the complex manner in which cannabinoids affect cellular functions. In addition, cannabis can cause a range of side effects, including weakness, nausea, mood changes, dizziness, fatigue, suicidal thoughts, and hallucinations. Self-medication with cannabis is therefore not recommended. Nabiximols is already available outside of the U.S. as a prescription medication, but its potential benefits should be weighed carefully against the side effects before considering its use.

Myelinated nerve in multiple sclerosis showing action of anitbodies to myelin basic protein and macrophage action

Anatomy of a typical human neuron

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Slow Water Movement Conserving H2O to cut costs at the grow

by Benjamin Hoopes

The public eye is beginning to focus on the excessive water use in agriculture. This should encourage new technology, which is already changing how we use our most precious resource to support our plants. There is a new movement, similar to slow food, known as “slow water”.

Slow water begins with well-aerated soil. Aeration allows beneficial microbes to breathe and create structure in the soil. It enables roots to stretch deeper into the ground and give off nutrients for the microbes, creating a symbiotic environment that requires less water. In highly compacted, anaerobic soil, surface watering only penetrates the top one to two inches of the soil. The water evaporates more quickly, and it drowns microbes by flooding ground. Consequently, roots sit atop the soil and require lots of fertilizer to survive.

Salt in that fertilizer is another microbe-killer due to the way it leaches water from the soil. But new technology is allowing us to water plants in smarter, more efficient, and more natural ways.

Aqua Camel’s self-watering pot

46 September 2015

Interestingly, some of this new watering technology stems from Ronald Reagan’s days as governor of California and Richard Nixon’s term as President. Regan’s 1967-1975 terms overlapped Nixon’s 1969 -1974 White House tenure. Together, Reagan and Nixon implemented some hardcore policies for fighting the war on drugs in California.

Helicopters from the Drug Enforcement Agency flew over the mountains of California, searching for illegal grow operations. One DEA strategy was to use helicopters to follow the miles of irrigation line infrastructure that growers had created. To combat this, an ingenious young entrepreneur in the cannabis industry found a way to do away with irrigation lines. Steve Troy boldly started one of the world’s first cannabis-focused grow stores in Humboldt county in 1972. One of the first products he carried was a drip irrigation system known as the Blumat. Instead of running miles of irrigation tubing, it allowed a grower to irrigate

using 55-gallon drums that could be hidden under trees.

The Blumat sits in the soil, attached to the end of a drip line connected to the barrel. As water leaves the soil, either through use by plants or evaporation, downward pressure is created. The pressure pulls open a valve on the device and allows water to flow through the drip line connected to it. The water relieves the downward pressure, allowing the soil to rise and close the Blumat valve. According to Steve, most people only use a fraction of their expensive, high tech potting mixes. The Blumat produces a “slow drip”, which allows the roots to utilize more of the soil. Rather than flooding the top layer of the soil, the slow speed of the drip system allows water to penetrate more deeply into the soil without washing away plant nutrients.

While slow drip waters plants from above, another way to get roots to stretch downward in the soil is to water from below.

WaterPulse capillary mats, known as Grower Mats, sit beneath soft pots or pots with holes in Parrot's Flower Power soil sensor the bottom. Water passes through the mats and into to the soil through a process known as capillary action, similar to the way water spreads when spilled on a napkin. The mat can be fully automated by hooking it up to an irrigation line. It can also be placed beneath a 5-gallon bucket with a needle hole in the bottom. As the plant uses water from the mat, the supply is replenished with water pulled from the bucket. Gavin Ward of AmeriCann Management has used the mats

since 2011 for cannabis and has seen firsthand how they can help growers cut down on nutrient use. “Right now people are dumping on nutrients because tons are dumping out. They’ll go as high as 1200-1500 parts per million, way more than necessary.”

Cannabis is not the only realm in which people are saving with capillary mats. Walmart recently decided to use 7.3 million square feet of WaterPulse mats to irrigate their 3,700 garden centers nationwide. They report on their blog, “Some of our old systems used 20,000-30,000 gallons of water a day, which is about the same amount as the average backyard swimming pool. But now we’re going through less than 400 gallons per day.”

Capillary action is also being incorporated directly into pots. The Aqua Camel Pot has a reservoir built into the pot. As water is used in photosynthesis, transpiration, or evaporation, water is pulled through the pot and the plant can essentially water itself. The Aqua Camel can hold up to 90 days of water according to the company, permitting people with irregular schedules to care for their plants. “Life circumstances change,” says Aaron Heimes of Aqua Camel. The change can be fast “with kids, emergencies, work schedules picking up, and travel. With most traditional methods [of watering], you can’t really just leave.”

Heimes began growing cannabis about 10 years ago to pay rent without having to find a roommate. He went on to found a hydroponics store in Arizona and created the 2012 High Times product of the year, Tiresias Mist, a spray used to make feminized cannabis seeds. He’s now helping to introduce the Aqua Camel pot into the cannabis market, “It’s a long time coming type of thing.”

In addition to slow drip and bottom up systems, there’s remote watering. A French company called Parrot has released a product known as Flower Power, which uses a battery-powered sensor embedded in the soil. It senses sunlight, air temperature, soil moisture, and soil electrical conductivity, all reported to growers through a smart phone app. The app has a database for specific flowers, including the cannabis-specific strains Blue Rhino, Bubba Kush, Northern Lights, Jack Herer, G-13, Lowryder, and White Widow.

Parrot has also released a video preview of a new version of the product that will be available in 2015, known as Flower Power H20, which incorporates automated watering. They’re also releasing a smart pot, similar to Aqua Camel, but monitored, and controlled with sensors.

With current and future droughts looming, the cannabis industry is doing its part to produce water-saving and soil-enhancing irrigation technologies.

A WaterPulse capillary mat beneath a soft pot

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WATER AND BASIC NUTE OVERVIEW

by Bubba Kush

Welcome back again, I’m glad you are still going forward. In this issue I want to talk about water and give you some basic knowledge on nutrients to get you going on your new project. This will give you enough knowledge of the essentials you need to get your grow going. Let’s start with some facts about water.

Water is a most interesting and unusual molecule. It is almost unlike any molecule on earth. Water possesses amazing physical properties that are not found in any other molecular structure. Have you ever thought about how strange ice is? Ice floats in its own liquid unlike any other molecule.

Ice is the only solid substance that is less dense than its liquid form. In other words, every other solid will sink in its own liquid. If it were not for this physical and chemical freak of nature, fish would die when the lakes freeze, which would be detrimental to all life. It is quite feasible to assume that if ice did not float, there might not be life on Earth as we know it. I always found that really interesting and thought I’d share it with you guys.

Water is often described as hard or soft water. Water with high levels of calcium and magnesium is considered hard while water with low levels is considered soft. Typically well water is very hard and you will need to adjust your nutrients, but the best solution is a reverse osmosis filter system. Nutrient companies often make a hard water version of their product but I will always go back to reverse osmosis. Since you are going to filter your water, right??... we don’t need to get too deep into hard and soft water. Do not ever use a water softener system. The safe bet whether you have hard or soft water is reverse osmosis. It is the only way you know you are starting with as close to zero parts per million of dissolved minerals and salts as possible.

Reverse osmosis will clean your water of chloramines, which I found unique only to Denver so far. Everywhere else I have grown the water has chlorine in it but it naturally dissipates out of the water in a relatively short amount of time when exposed to light. The chlorine that is added in Colorado water does not dissipate. Chlorine is essential for many metabolic functions but it can also poison your plants in large amounts. Again, it is always better to start with a blank slate. Use reverse osmosis water!!!

I could talk about water chemistry all day because it is fascinating stuff, but I will try not to get too deep and bore you. It is important to know some of the basics of chemistry to be a good grower, and pH is one of those concepts that would benefit you to understand. PH stands for the potential of the hydrogen ion or the concentration of hydrogen ions in an aqueous solution.

In layman’s terms, it measures the acidity of your solution. The more hydrogen ions floating around in a solution, the more acidic the solution will become. The pH scale goes from 1-14. Anything under 7 is considered

48 September 2015

an acid and anything between 7-14 is considered a base. If you add acid to a solution it will bring the pH down and if you add base the reverse is true. That is why you will find bottles of acid and base labeled “up” and “down” in the grow stores. The formula for determining pH measurements is calculated on a logarithmic scale. This means the difference between measurements exponentially increases or decreases. For example, a pH measurement of 7.5 is ten times more basic than a measurement of 6.5.

The pH of your nutrient solution is critical for the plants ability to take up nutrient. When the pH is not in an acceptable range, the plant will not be able to uptake nutrients and your plant will suffer and eventually die. The pH range that is acceptable to your plants changes a little between growing in dirt versus growing in rock wool.

Everyone has their sweet spot they like to keep their pH. A grower achieves this by growing the same strain over and over and really learning what that strain likes. Which is why I would not suggest doing multiple strains under one light because it is hard to ever dial one strain in. In general, plants in dirt like a pH range of 6.5-7.0 and hydroponic plants like it from 5.8-6.5. Most growers typically raise and lower the pH of the nutrient solution according to the growth stage and life cycle of the plant. Young plants in vegetative state use lots of nitrogen that is more readily acceptable at the higher end of the range of pH. Flowering plants like lower pH because phosphorous is more readily acceptable at a lower pH. For rooms with many strains, I would typically keep the pH around 6.2-6.3 in a hydroponic system for plants in vegetative state then slowly bring the pH down through out the flower stage to allow the plant to take up more phosphorous. Flowering plants use a lot of phosphorus for bud formation. I usually bring the pH down no lower than 5.8 -5.9. At this level, phosphorous and potassium become more available and more readily accepted by the plant.

I want to discuss some of the main nutrients that plants require and use the most.

The three main nutrients that are usually listed with big numbers on the fertilizer bags you are used to seeing at the hardware store are nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), and potassium (K). Quick note: those numbers that are on the bag like 2-8-6 that stand for the amounts of NPK are not really the percentages of usable nutrient. The way they come up with the numbers is actually kind of confusing and very inconsistent between companies and the source of the nutrient. It is always a good idea to ask the grow store guy what you are actually buying if you are unfamiliar with the product.

Nitrogen is vital to plant growth and photosynthesis. It aids in the production of proteins, enzymes, hormones and most importantly

chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is the power plant of the plant and is responsible for photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the process by which a plant converts light energy into chemically usable energy by the plant. Plants use large amounts of nitrogen while in vegetative growth phase and continually need it throughout their life cycle. The plant will slowly decrease the amount of nitrogen used in flower phase as the upward growth slows. Even though plants thrive on nitrogen, like everything else, you can overdose your plants, which is how it sounds…no bueno. Your leaves will get super dark green and almost look plastic like the fake plants at bad hotels. The fix is the same with most overdosing of any nutrient… FLUSH. Flushing is much more timely in a dirt model. Start by flushing with straight pH balanced RO water and flush your medium. Then go to low balanced nutrient concentration.

This means cut back on all your nutes and additives to a lower ppm or EC. Deficiencies in general, I think, are a little harder to guess. There are many deficiencies that will show similar signs of plant destruction. Nitrogen deficiencies show the opposite to that of toxification. The leaves fade to yellow while still trying to stay green around the midribs and veins, and it will freak you out. Nitrogen deficiencies are an easy fix if you catch it early, like everything. Simply pump up the nitrogen in your nutrient solution. When I follow the formulas given by the nute companies, I typically add a little more nitrogen than the formula calls for during flower to avoid early fading of plants that still crave a little more nitrogen than other strains. But you will start with only one strain, right?? Get one right first and then the others come more easily …mostly. After we found the Kush in ‘92, that was what most of my crew and I exclusively grew for years, until I had to do multiple strains at once for commercial demands. Obviously, I did grow other strains like the Bubba, Bubba Kush, Cat Piss, Hash Plant, and a few others that I always had in the room. But in the beginning I dialed one strain first.

That strain was the Florida Skunk #1, and I have not seen the same cut since.

We had the OG Kush dialed after all these years of passion for the strain and getting it perfect. I digress, but it is important to get one right first and then start experimenting with other strains.

Phosphorous is the next biggie for the plant. Not only is the plant heavily dependent on phosphorous during flower and bud production, it uses a lot of phosphorous while rooting, germination, and cloning. When I soak my cubes before I make cuttings for clones, I always use a light bloom solution because the need for phosphorous while cloning. There are a lot of products on the shelf that overdose your plants with phosphorous to produce larger buds. I will tell you a story about one of these products in the next issue. Be very careful while experimenting with these additives. Always use less than the directions call for when mixing your solution. Some of the first signs that you have a phosphorous deficiency are purplish petioles and veins on your leaves. The leaves will also develop dark patches and eventually kind of crimple up. Not a pretty sight. The fix for a phosphorous deficiency

is to check your formula for the stage of flower you are in. Make sure your nutrients aren’t old and you keep them well stirred. If you find that your formula does not call for enough phosphorous, increase the bloom or phosphorous in your solution. Make sure your pH tester is properly working and the pH of your solution is 5.8-5.9. Phosphorous toxicities are typically hard to catch until it is too late and your buds are discolored and hard as rocks. If you are doing a strain with a long flower time and you do mange to catch it, follow the same practice of flushing with balanced water and then start watering with a light balanced nutrient solution.

Plants use potassium continuously throughout their life. Potassium serves as a catalyst for many enzymes to function. A catalyst is an agent that assists in chemical reactions to occur. It also is essential to chlorophyll production and photosynthesis. Potassium is also necessary for stomatal activity that regulates the water vapor loss and exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Potassium also aids in the nutrient transport and protein synthesis. Signs of deficiencies are yellowing at the edges of the leave and rusty like spots appearing, accompanied by discoloring of the petioles and veins. The best fix for a potassium deficiency is to again analyze your formula. Go back to a well-balanced solution for a few days and see if things look like they are turning around. If there are no signs of recovery, boost the potassium in your solution in small increments. If you don’t see an improvement you might have something else. There are many problems that are difficult to call because a lot of the symptoms look similar.

I always suggest having a reference book that details plant problems.

I will stop here for now and in the next issue we will finish talking about nutrients and talk a little about additives that assist your base nutrients to really get the most out of a crop.

I am having a hard time thinking of a good story about nutrients and I’ve told you about my floodings. All I can think of leaving you with is: don’t mix nutrients while someone is talking to you. You will forget what you are doing and either add something twice or not at all. And also, don’t mix your nutrients when you get home from a long night of drinking. Someone I know just had an absolutely horrible crop after mixing a tank of nutrient up drunk one night, and the crop never recovered. He doesn’t know what he did. Funny but not so funny…sorry bra! Have a great month and see you next time!

BUBBA KUSH BRAND BURNING SINCE 1997

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Racing into the future of hemp

Hemp cars are nothing new, depending on whom you ask. The idea is widely attributed to Henry Ford, who in 1941 built a car with hemp paneling.

Unfortunately the next 70 years were not kind to American hemp, and Ford’s revolutionary idea became a historical oddity, remembered only by hemp enthusiasts.

But that may be changing, and Renew Sports Cars is looking to reintroduce the idea originally attributed to Henry Ford.

“He was the inspiration, because he had built that car with a body made out of hemp plants, and I thought, man, I’ve got to do the same thing. This could start something important,” says Bruce Dietzen, the project designer and founder of Renew.

Dietzen’s love of classic sports cars led him to research environmentally friendly options after he retired to the Florida Keys, and this pursuit led him to find Henry Ford’s demonstration. It was a natural fit, although Dietzen says he didn’t have much exposure to the many applications of hemp, the environmentally friendly side of it drew him in.

by DJ Reetz

started Renew with the hopes of producing a car that would actually remove carbon from the atmosphere, as hemp naturally does when it grows.

“It actually sounds kind of weird, but we wouldn’t have the world crisis that we have right now if we would of listened to Henry Ford in 1941,” he says. “If everybody was driving around cars that were made out of plants and burning fuel that was made out of plants, we wouldn’t have the global warming situation right now. And of course, the plant they would have chosen most often would have been hemp.”

Dietzen secured a supply of hemp from Hemp Traders in California and taught himself how to manufacture car bodies using sheets of hemp fiber and resin. With just a handful of people on staff at Renew, including a manufacturing apprentice, Dietzen managed to create a hemp body that he attached to the frame of a Mazda Miata, creating the prototype and the car that he currently drives.

“Basically I spent every penny I had to finish the car,” he says.

“It’s something that just got more and more important to me after I moved to the Florida keys. We live in a place that’s probably one of the more vulnerable areas in the world in terms of sea level rise,” he says.

Reactions to the car have been largely positive, and the confusion about the differences between hemp and marijuana has garnered its share of gawkers.

“I can’t tell you how many people say, ‘Wow, could you smoke it?’” says Dietzen. Still, most people are thrilled by the idea of the cars sustainability.

Finding that electric cars didn’t have as small of a carbon footprint as he would of liked when manufacturing is taken into consideration, Dietzen

“Tons of people love the car. We’ve basically just taken it to the local shows and that sort of thing and people just love the design, and when I tell them

50 September 2015

Dietzen secured a supply of hemp from Hemp Traders in California and taught himself how to manufacture car bodies using sheets of hemp fiber and resin. it’s made out of hemp, if they’re already aware, if they’re ecologically minded, then they go bonkers,” he says.

Dietzen hopes to build on this momentum. Renew may soon appear on “The Marijuana Show”, the shark-tank like reality competition focused on

connecting cannabis entrepreneurs with investors. Here Dietzen says he hopes to secure funding for his venture.

As it currently stands, those who wish to purchase a hemp car will have to follow a similar process to Dietzen, purchasing a ’90 to ’97 Miata, which will be outfitted with a brand new hemp body. Once the company has solidified its manufacturing process however, Dietzen says he hopes to have the entire car frame made from hemp, relying only on traditional mechanical components. Renew also offers higher horsepower models and options that run on biofuel, he says he hopes will be standard for all of Renew’s cars in the future. The modifications can get fairly pricey, but the base cars can be found fairly cheaply.

“Our biggest challenge is that most people don’t have $42,000 in their pocket,” says Dietzen. However, once Renew has cranked out more vehicles, financing may be available from companies that specialize in smallproduction vehicle manufacturing. But first Renew will have to prove the value of their product, he says. “Right now they’re saying, ‘You’ve only got the one car, call us when you sell 20.’”

Dietzen’s dream of rivaling Tesla seems like it’s quite a ways off at this point, but he hopes to bring his company into the public market if he can secure his initial funding push. The need for environmentally sustainable transportation is going to grow, and Dietzen hopes that sometime in the near future government subsidies for oil companies will end and companies such as his will flourish.

“That’s something that’s going to happen because it has to happen,” he says.

If you’re interested in learning more about Renew’s hemp sports car, check out their website www.renewsportscars.com

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A GLIMPSE INTO THE NEXT STAGES OF THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY How Igadi is raising the bar for a sustainable dispensary model

by Benjamin Hoopes

Kemsley Wilton is not your average 24-year-old. His attorney calls him “the bridge”. “I’m not the best in any one subject. I’m not the best chemist, the best biologist, or the best businessman, but I can translate everything that happens from one department to another and I can make sense of their world,” he says.

When I walked into the lobby of Igadi for the first time, I was greeted by friendly green plants looking back at me through an observation window.

Wilton explained, “The facility is designed this way to teach people about the inner workings of what’s happening behind closed doors in the marijuana industry.”

Over the last two years, Wilton has built out his dream cannabis production facility and company, known as Igadi, on an 11-acre plot near Winter Park, Colorado. He likens the cannabis industry to the alcohol industry, and he’s built out Igadi like a modern brewery, complete with a “brewery tour”.

Wilton’s strategy so far has been to piggyback off of what has been successful in traditional industries and apply it to cannabis. “One of the biggest things I’ve tried to do in the last two years is really shut up and listen as much as anything else.”

There are placards on the wall, soon to be replaced with TV screens, explaining each stage of plant growth and the equipment being used. We headed into the retail area, where one can purchase Igadi products while looking through an observation window into their commercial kitchen.

Igadi currently features their products alongside other brands, but plan soon to sell only products created in house. “When you see Igadi in a store in Denver or wherever it may be in the coming years, you can trust how we manufacture it because we were willing to show you.”

Wilton studied neurobiology at the University of Alabama before moving to northern California to partner with his brother on a hydroponics store. “I moved out there to work with people who have been doing it for generations. Their grandpa’s grandpa’s grandpa taught them how to grow and it’s moved down the line. I met people growing 18-foot-tall trees on 30 acres and harvesting it into a couple thousand pounds at a time,” he says.

Igadi’s long-term vision is based around becoming a wholesaler of products rather than a retailer. “At some point, it’s going to be like the liquor industry and there’s going to be a stratification between who can wholesale and who can retail. And when that time comes, I’d rather be the Anheuser Busch than the 7/11, if you will.”

His move to Colorado came out of attraction to the regulation. “If you want to build a national and hopefully international corporation, this is the place with legislation you can build that off of. You can grow something in a guy’s garage in California and have someone purchase it and sell it as medicine.

That’s just not right. It’s not sustainable.”

The project of designing Igadi’s Tabernash, Colorado facility began in May of 2014, when Wilton first toured the building. That August he purchased the building with his investor group for $1.35 million. They tacked on another $2 million or so in renovations, and opened for business in May of 2015. “It’s been a whirlwind of 18 months.”

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Igadi has brought in innovative systems to become a leader in wholesaling, including water and air recycling. Grow rooms have spigots on the walls that connect them to a central watering room. All nutrients are mixed in the central watering room and sent through pipes to the grow rooms. The facility is designed this way to reduce the risk of spills in hallways or grow rooms that can produce mold that would be harmful to plants. Water is circulated through the grow tables where the plants sit and is then pumped back into the watering room and recycled.

Water is also recycled out of the air. “We collect about 1,000 gallons of water a month from our HVAC system.” The system, designed by a Denver mechanical engineer, won an award in HVAC design from DataAir, the company that installed the equipment. Igadi beat out the World Trade

Igadi US Highway 40 Tabernash, CO 80478

Center in New York and the tallest building in Mexico for the award. The system is a closed loop and recirculates all “smelly” air, meaning that no one outside the facility will ever smell anything, which is part of their licensing conditions.

“All nerds at heart” is Wilton’s description of himself and his staff. “I have a mechanical engineer doing extraction, a chemist running a chemistry lab, an attorney doing what an attorney does, and a CPA with big 4 experience doing accounting. It’s all about letting people do what they’re gifted to do.”

Igadi hopes to add validity to the process of producing cannabis products.

“Most people look at this industry as a bunch of stoners having fun. Really, I’m an academic at heart. Most of the people here are academics. What’s going on in that lab is really high-level biology and chemistry. With the tour, we want to explain this to people.”

Igadi has brought in innovative systems to become a leader in wholesaling, including water and air recycling. Grow rooms have spigots on the walls that connect them to a central watering room.

All nutrients are mixed in the central watering room and sent through pipes to the grow rooms. ensure the system they implement works so the authorities are happy before expanding. The success of a program will depend not only on the approval of the Jamaican government, but import countries as well. “We need to make sure other countries trust what we’re doing so that they’re willing to put their name on the line to bring in our products for medical research or whatever the case may be.”

Wilton is planning a second facility in Las Vegas and is positioning the firm to eventually become an international market player. “We’re looking at the international market very closely, if you can be early on that race, you’re going to do very well. We have a long way to get there, but the point was to build a brand that can be accepted and can be trusted.”

Many believe that Jamaica could be the first country to legalize the export of cannabis. Igadi has a business license in Jamaica and their attorney is on a board advising the government on how it can develop an international export market. “Uruguay, Argentina, Czechoslovakia, Canada, the UK, and about six more countries have an import license, but are yet to establish an export country of origin.”

Igadi plans to work with the Jamaican government and take small steps to

According to Wilton, if Igadi expands to Jamaica, it hopes to do so responsibly and sustainably. “We hope to create a real change in standard of living for people in Jamaica,” he says. Part of replicating a sustainable model will be looking at the successes of what’s been done in Colorado.

“Look at east Denver in the past three years, you had blocks and blocks of dilapidated warehouses suddenly turn into multi-million dollar warehouses that are creating jobs. Workers are using the restaurants in the area, living in the area, and suddenly you have a true economic stimulus, on top of the tax benefit.”

Gaining a piece of the export market would ensure the relevancy and staying power for Igadi. “Around 25 companies or families control 85 percent or more of international trade of spirits market. That evolved out of the end of the prohibition of alcohol. I believe it’s going to be more like 50 companies who come out as the primary market holders out of the end of the prohibition of marijuana. We hope to be a part of that conversation. A big part of that conversation is building the roadway to export internationally.” Rather than becoming the biggest “liquor store” in Colorado, Igadi is pioneering the industry with its sights set on becoming one of the biggest brands in the world.

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Western Slope’s I-70 corridor becomes

‘The Cannabis Corridor’

by Ron Bain

From Palisade to Eagle, towns all along the I-70 corridor such as Parachute, Silt and De Beque are reversing bans on recreational cannabis and allowing dispensaries to pop up like spring flowers.

Two towns along the corridor - Palisade and Rifle - remain medical only, but from De Beque to Eagle it’s one long string of towns that permit recreational stores to be established. Parachute and Silt are the two most recent towns to reverse their bans, largely for reasons of economic development.

Strangely enough, it was only last year that the town council in Parachute tried to enact restrictive regulations on the home growth of cannabis for personal use, a right guaranteed by the Colorado Constitution.

How things change.

Let’s take an imaginary drive on I-70, starting, say, at the Utah/ Colorado state line and tour the recreational dispensaries eastward all along “The Cannabis Corridor.”

You don’t have to look hard to find the first one, Kush Gardens in De Beque. They’re on a highway frontage road with a huge, 50-foottall green cross sign accompanied by a yellow smiley face.

“We are the first recreational marijuana dispensary” on I-70, said owner Dawn Palmer.

On a recent visit to Kush Gardens, we found ourselves in a jam-packed waiting room with several other people of all adult ages with the multiperson staff hustling and bustling to keep the wait from being too long. The atmosphere was jovial and friendly, and people kept offering to let another person go in ahead of them. People were chatting and in the process of making friends… just when it was their time to shop in the dispensary.

Kush Gardens sells bud, edibles, pre-rolled joints, Mahatma wax and shatter, T-shirts, pipes and more.

As we continue our journey, we’re going to blaze past Parachute at 75 m.p.h. because the Parachute Town Council only voted on June 19 to reverse its ban, and no dispensaries have opened yet although several applications have been made. We’ll also pass medical-only Rifle and pull into Silt, where there are two recreational dispensaries: High Q and Green Cross.

High Q opened in November, 2014 and owner Renee Grossman described

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business as “excellent.”

“We’ve been growing every month. We’re expanding and I’ve been hiring more help,” Grossman said. “It’s great.”

High Q is a little harder to find than Kush Gardens: Take exit 97 off of I-70 into Silt, proceed north on 9th Street, go three-quarters of the way around the roundabout, then turn right and proceed 15 blocks to 730 Main Street.

High Q employs four people and will be bringing on two more soon. They offer multiple products from multiple lines, including edibles.

“All of our flower is organically grown and pesticide free,” Grossman said.

Dan Meskin, the owner of Green Cross said, “It is fun to see out-of-town customers because it is usually their first visit to Silt. It has been refreshing to work with such a progressive local government in a rural Western town.”

Moving on to Glenwood Springs, where there are multiple recreational dispensaries and one medical dispensary, we choose to exit in West Glenwood Springs and take Hwy. 6 to Deveraux, where we turn right and follow this industrial access road several miles to Green Dragon, owned

by Ron Radtke, who also has a recreational facility in Glenwood Springs. A recently purchased eighth was $60 plus taxes and the quality was acceptable but not really impressive.

Next we visit Green Natural Solutions, which is tucked away underneath the east side of the Glenwood Springs bridge at 719 Grand Ave. They will sometimes lock their doors during business hours, but don’t dismayed… just knock.

We also visit Green Medicine Wellness at 1030 Grand Ave. and Greenwerkz in south Glenwood Springs in a small shopping center near the local WalMart. By this time, we are fully stocked with bud, edibles, wax and shatter.

As we conclude our journey in the Avon/Eagle area, we find only two dispensaries and the one in Avon is medical only. For the entire Vail region, Sweetleaf Pioneer in Eagle is the only recreational dispensary.

The Cannabis Corridor ends at Vail, which recently renewed its ban on medical and recreational dispensaries.

Where there’s smoke, there’s FIRE

200

BhangChocolate.com Facebook.com/BhangColorado Colorado@Bhangchocolate.com

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Cannabis Apps THC takes a spin with three of the top canna-apps It’s only natural that people try to connect with those who share their interests. For many marijuana users, however, it can sometimes be difficult to talk about cannabis use without feeling stigmatized. It’s certainly not something one brings up often with people who could potentially become friends, and this sometimes leads to a make or break situation within a relationship.

Fortunately, as marijuana becomes more widespread and normalized, there are options popping up for people who want to connect with other pot users. One of the biggest ways to meet other like-minded people is through the myriad apps that have hit the market since legalization. I installed a few of these apps to give you an idea of how they work and what each one offers.

MassRoots Undoubtedly the largest of all marijuana-related apps, MassRoots also functions as a regular website. Users are able to use the same login for both, and connect to others in a way that is a bit of a cross between twitter and Facebook. Users follow the profiles of others and of various companies that they may be interested in.

Pros: MassRoots wins in terms of sheer size.

It’s been around a lot longer than many of the other apps, which has given it the opportunity to build a strong user base while adapting to the demands of the market. The app is easy to use and fairly self-explanatory. I was able to find my favorite dispensaries easily, though I did have a little trouble finding people that I already know in my day-to-day life.

Cons: MassRoots is really great for businesses, and you’ll feel that right away. I started getting followers despite not building up much of a profile, and most of these new “fans” seemed to be sort of spammy. I found it difficult to find my friends, as I had to know their usernames in order to search for them.

Overall: There is a lot of great information on this app. Given more time to play around, it seems like something that could serve as a useful tool for those looking to connect with others within the cannabis community. Plus, it’s a great way to keep up on what your favorite dispensaries have to offer.

Duby A unique cross between reddit and instagram, Duby relies on usergenerated content to connect people.

Users upload pictures, which are then voted on by others who have the ability to “pass the duby” or “put it out”. The more your picture is passed along, the more influence you gain within the community.

Pros: Duby is so easy to use, and the simple

56 September 2015

by Rebecca Chavez

premise makes it a great time-killer if you’re stuck in line for a while. You don’t have to add any pictures to vote on the pictures of others, though it will help you build your influence if you do have pictures.

Cons: You’re really only seeing the pictures that other people post without getting a good idea of who they are when they aren’t presenting such a public image. I found it strange that my influence was going up despite the fact that I didn’t share any pictures.

Overall: I like the app, I just don’t love it. It’s a lot of fun if you’re into seeing pictures of other people using cannabis, but there isn’t a lot of substance behind it for those looking to connect with others on a different level.

High There High There assures users that “you have more friends than you think” and strives to connect cannabis users with others in their area. It works kind of like Tinder, giving users the ability to swipe left or right on profiles of other users. Every time you log on the app asks if you want to go out, stay in, or chat and then you’re shown profiles of people around you looking for the same.

Pros: I like that this app feels specialized on some levels. It asks how you consume cannabis and what your energy level is like when you use so that you find other people who share your experience. High There isn’t just a dating app, and it’s cool that you can meet people to just be friends with if you want to. You’re presented profiles for people of all genders, which makes it a really safe space for everyone to operate within and puts the emphasis on creating friendships based on interests.

Cons: High There doesn’t want to be known as just a dating app, but the format does kind of remind users of a certain other dating app. However, unlike Tinder, High There tells you every time someone “swipes right”. After three hours of having this app installed, I shut off the sound notifications because it got to be too much. It’s a good thing I did because I didn’t check my phone overnight and woke up to 28 new notifications, all from men. I guess women on the app aren’t trying to make friends, or maybe they actually read my profile, which explained that I was just poking around for the sake of an article. Either way, it seemed really aggressive for a first time user who may just want to connect with other women around the area who want to smoke up.

Overall: High There demanded my attention, which is great when you want people to interact with your app. It really was an app that I would love to use, but I don’t think that I can handle the amount of notifications that it threw my way in such a limited amount of time. Maybe allowing people to filter whether they’re looking for a date or just for friends would be a great way to keep the alerts to a minimum while they learn the ropes and become more comfortable with the app.

thcmag.com 57

Sifting Through the Soil

Digging into the pesticide issue 58 September 2015

by DJ Reetz

esticide usage in marijuana cultivation has become an increasingly hot issue in recent months. After thousands of plants were seized by health officials at several Denver area grows earlier in the year, a media storm arose around the issue, decrying the potential dangers of pesticide-contaminated cannabis.

Stories that drew attention to the regulative miasma surrounding pesticide guidelines alarmed consumers and non-consumers alike, often making it seem as though every puff, dab or edible could be potentially harmful.

P

But as many news sources scrambled to ring the alarm on a lack of federal guidance, often over looked were the attempts being made locally to protect consumers.

“This really started about two years ago when we first started meeting with EPA knowing that recreational use was going to be approved in the state,” says John Scott, Pesticide Program Manager for the Colorado Department of Agriculture. Due to cannabis’ federally illegal status there is no safety standard coming from the Environmental Protection Agency, the agency that sets pesticide guidelines for other agricultural products, but the Colorado Department of Agriculture is currently working on a Special Local Needs pesticide registration, also known as a 24 (c) designation. The process allows the EPA to approve or deny pesticide use for specific crops in situations that are only applicable locally, in this case the legal cannabis market in Colorado.

“In the last six months we’ve been working with the EPA to get a better understanding of what’s that information that needs to be submitted, but at this point we have not had the industry submit a formal 24(c) registration request,” says Scott.

The varied ways that cannabis is consumed also creates unique challenges for regulators. Products range from smokable flowers and extracts, to topicals and edibles, and most commercially sold pesticides are recommended for a single-use crop. This means that a pesticide approved for use on a smokable product such as tobacco might not be safe when applied to the skin or eaten, and the Department of Agriculture is left making some degree of assumption about the overlap.

“Certainly that’s been in the discussions throughout this process, especially as we look at moving forward in the 24(c) process,” says Scott. “That’s absolutely a consideration that we’re looking at.” It’s a fundamental part of the recent debacle, in which growers were found to have pesticides in their grow approved for edible but not for smokable crops.

Of particular concern is the risk of pesticides in concentrates. A study carried out in Oregon by the Cannabis Safety Institute in June of this year showed that 29 percent of cannabis flowers tested and 55 percent of concentrates tested showed a detectable amount of pesticide residue, and that the amount of pesticide in concentrates could be ten times higher than that in flower. These numbers are especially concerning to medical patients, who may be looking to concentrates as a way of condensing cannabis’ beneficial properties, and Scott says that’s part of the state’s consideration.

Of particular concern is the risk of pesticides in concentrates. A study carried out ... showed that 29 percent of cannabis flowers tested and 55 percent of concentrates tested showed a detectable amount of pesticide residue, and that the amount of pesticide in concentrates could be ten times higher than that in flower.

Currently, the Colorado Department of Agriculture has a list of pesticides that it believes are safe to use on cannabis, though without designation from the EPA the department lacks the legal authority to enforce such a list, meaning that it serves more as a guideline for producers. However, according to Scott the Department of Agriculture has been working closely with members of the cannabis industry to address the need for safe and effective pesticides. At this point the process revolves around the labels on the pesticides themselves, checking that the chemicals have not been designated for only a single type of application or crop, that they are safe for food consumption, and that they are tolerance exempt, meaning that they have been deemed safe in any amount.

“That was really the initial framework that we started with in our initial discussions with EPA, and essentially what our criteria is currently based on,” says Scott. This means that for the time being, guidelines are built around labels, not on actual data about their use in cannabis cultivation.

In order to get a product included in the 24(c) designation, manufacturers would have to present a case that their product is safe across the myriad applications of cannabis. The state would then assess the presented data and decide whether or not to include that particular product as part of its application to the EPA. “The manufacturer and the industry actually bring forward that request to the state. They provide data that shows that that product can be used safely, they provide what the use directions are that the state then approves, and then we would submit that to EPA to have that special local need registration approved. Once EPA have that information they review that and they have 90 days to either deny the registration or to allow that use,” says Scott. However, just where this data will come from and what it would look like remains to be seen, and as of this writing no SLN request had been submitted.

“We’re definitely aware of the different extraction processes. And that’s been a concern of ours all along that we’ve communicated, that as those oils are extracted the concern is that as the cannabinoids are concentrated that the pesticide residues on those plants are also extracted and concentrated,” says Scott. “That is one of our big concerns. Ultimately knowing that these products are being extracted for medicinal uses, for people that may be immuno-compromised, for children for seizures — especially for children — that if there are pesticide residues that are being extracted that’s certainly a concern for us.”

Even with regulators and industry members working together, the process is slow, and Scott is unsure when a SLN designation could come from the EPA. “That’s really still an unknown,” says Scott. “Ultimately as we’re working through this we’re seeing that there’s going to be data that the industry is going to likely need to generate,” says Scott. Without a clear idea of how these products are being used, and at what stage of plant growth pesticides are being applied, regulations must be crafted around estimates. Different growing methods can also have an effect on pesticide content, and all of these factors have to be considered by the EPA. Greenhouse growing poses even further complications, as some pesticide are not approved for indoor use, and the safety of workers applying the pesticide must also be taken into consideration.

“That’s the biggest hurdle, the risk assessments for marijuana just have not been conducted at this point,” says Scott.

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What about the consumers?

As is so often the case in the developing cannabis industry, regulators are often struggling to catch up with the needs of consumers. Of the states to legalize cannabis, only Oregon has included pesticide testing as a requirement form the inception of the adult-use market. Current regulations in Colorado don’t mandate testing for pesticide contamination. Growers are required to track all additives that plants are treated with and provide a log of application to inspectors, but with a limited number of inspectors, these logs can go unseen. Thus far, Scott says the Department of Agriculture has been more reactive than proactive about unsafe pesticide practices, though he says there has been an influx of complaints as the industry has grown.

Currently, he says, there are 13 open investigations of misconduct being carried out by the department, though he would not comment on specifics.

It can be hard to assess the actual dangers to consumers posed by harmful pesticides. The Colorado Marijuana Enforcement Division mandates that growers list all chemicals applied or added to their plants on product labels, but this includes nutrients as well, leaving consumers with the difficult task of sifting through a list of additives to check them against the Department of Agriculture’s list of approved pesticides. Additionally, organic pesticides, which can still pose a potential harm, aren’t required too be included on the label.

“This is a consumer confidence issue,” says Larisa Bolivar, Executive Director of the Cannabis Consumers Coalition.

“What I’ve been recommending is to ask the budtender how the cannabis is grown,” says Bolivar. “That doesn’t mean that the budtender will know, though.”

Developing trust between consumers and vendors is key, says Bolivar, and an informed consumer should be able to trust what their budtender is telling them. When smoking cannabis, consumers should be aware if the smoke has a strange taste and the flower does not burn cleanly, with other products, such as edibles and tinctures, contamination can be harder to spot. It’s especially a problem, says Bolivar, because pesticide poisoning can mimic the symptoms of over consumption of cannabis, such as dizziness and nausea. Ultimately, the best and most surefire protection may be just to grow your own.

Paradoxically, the legalization of cannabis seems to be manifesting in some negative ways when it comes to pesticide use, with large commercial grows being some of the most likely offenders. In these massive grows pest and mold problems can quickly get out of hand, causing tens of thousands of dollars in damage quickly. The size of these grows also means that visual inspection of all plants is nearly impossible, leaving growers who are looking to meet their bottom line with limited options, encouraging the use of pesticides. “”If you’re growing so much marijuana that you need poisonous chemicals to control pests, maybe you’re growing too much,” says Bolivar Dr. Donald Land, Chief Scientific Consultant for Steep Hill Labs in California assessed the risk in an email: “Cannabis crops are often extremely valuable. With wholesale prices often greatly in excess of $1,000 per pound, a mature outdoor plant could produce in excess of five pounds after harvest, meaning individual plants are worth many thousands of dollars each. When infestations of insects, molds or other pests take hold, they can spread like wild fire and devastate hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of potential product. Faced with this prospect, it is not hard to understand why some resort to imprudent, often dangerous application of toxic chemicals to prevent the loss. The extreme high potential value of cannabis and the lack of regulation and oversight of production

60 September 2015

make this industry much more susceptible to bad actors applying toxic pesticides in unsafe practices that could reach the consumer. The fact that many consumers choose to inhale smoke or heated vapors directly into the lungs and, from there into the bloodstream, exacerbates the dangers of the presence of toxins. For a consumer who regularly purchased cannabis once per week, the currently observed rates of contamination would imply that about once per year or so, that consumer’s purchase would be contaminated with pesticides.”

Steep Hill is one of several licensed testing labs in Colorado, but is only conducting testing for pesticides in California currently. In California, a largely unregulated medical marijuana market has thrived for years, allowing private growers sell to dispensaries and providing little in the way of quality assurance for consumers. However, Land says the decision to test in a state where it is voluntary amounts to an attempt by Steep Hill to get ahead of impending regulations and prepare for such testing in the other states in which the company operates.

On advice for the average consumer hoping to avoid consuming potentially hazardous toxins, Land writes: “Unfortunately, pesticides are generally used and are toxic in such small amounts that their presence can only be reliably detected using expensive analytical instrumentation with rigorous testing technique. Growers know whether they have used pesticides or not, how much and when.

For other foods, FDA and EPA inspections and random testing with the threat of loss of license is the incentive for compliance. Also, EPA approval of some effective pest control methods means farmers have alternatives for treatment. Unfortunately, none of that infrastructure so far exists for cannabis. Consumers should make sure they purchase their cannabis from within the established, regulated system in their jurisdiction and make sure that their lawmakers know the importance of testing and regulation of pesticides and other toxins or microbiological contamination.”

It’s not terribly reassuring, and it echoes the advice of Bolivar that consumers arm themselves with knowledge and have a trusting relationship with their dispensary of choice.

“Certainly watch the labeling of the products to ensure there are no [pesticides] listed that haven’t been approved for use. The message that we’ve continued to put out to the industry is that they have an obligation to use the products that have been identified as not being a violation of the label to use,” advises Scott. ”Ultimately we feel that that’s an obligation of the grower to be responsible,” Unfortunately, some in the cannabis industry can’t or won’t see the issue and the potential harms it causes. Some will argue that consuming pesticidelaced cannabis has never been an issue; even with widespread usage there has never been a clearly demonstrable problem.

“It’s the most ridiculous argument I’ve ever heard,” says Bolivar. “This is our opportunity to become an exemplary industry.”

What Bolivar doesn’t want to see is cannabis being treated like tobacco, with regulations set with profit-motivated businesses in mind rather than consumer safety. With no clear analogy for pesticide guidelines, such consumer safety measures will have to be developed alongside the industry itself.

Fortunately, at least in legal markets, the issue is being raised, and steps are being taken to protect consumers. While it’s hard to know which businesses are behaving responsibly, at a minimum consumers can rest assured there are at least some guidelines for producers to do so.

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Pot-litically Incorrect

Let’s Treat Cannabis Like Alcohol Or am I just being ridiculous?

by DJ Reetz

I recently had an idea that I’d like to share with the readers of this magazine.

It’s a little controversial, but I think given the demographic of people picking up this publication that there might be a few who would be in favor of it.

What if we decided to treat cannabis like alcohol?

It seems outlandish, but given that cannabis is objectively less harmful, whether it be from the standpoint of addictiveness, or the physiological and social symptoms that accompany use, it seems like this rather earthshattering idea might benefit our community as a whole.

I know what you’re thinking: “That’s too radical! People would never even consider something like that. There are just too many indoctrinated morons who lack the critical thinking skills necessary to analyze the glaring harms of continued cannabis prohibition and weigh those against the obvious benefits of regulating and taxing it in a manner similar to alcohol.”

Well as it turns out, it’s not too radical for the voting citizenry of Colorado, and as we approach the third anniversary of the passage of Amendment 64 (the one that was supposed to regulate marijuana like alcohol), it seems appropriate to reflect on just how far away from this idea we currently are. I’ve made a list like this in the past, and I included things like the use of childproof containers, the absurdly low threshold for determining impairment while driving, purchase and carry limits, and even a couple of things that are outside the scope of our local legislators, such as the ridiculousness of cannabis’ place as a Schedule I controlled substance. But for this list I’m going to focus just on the things that are fully under the control of our local and state representatives — the guys whose election is usually a matter of just a few thousand votes— and stay away from things like access to banking, which would require federal action.

Allowing Kids Into the Store You may have noticed that when you go into an adult-use dispensary, no one under 21 is allowed to accompany you. This may be an admirable attempt to keep cannabis out of the hands of underage kids, but imagine if the same standard was applied to alcohol sales. The working mom, who

62 September 2015

just picked her kid up from daycare grabbing a bottle of wine from this liquor store on her way home so she can unwind over dinner, would be forced to leave her child in the car or standing outside with the alcoholic panhandlers. While I don’t advocate allowing teenagers into dispensaries, it seems like allowing a parent with a child into the dispensary wouldn’t be too damaging to the development of said child. Regulators seem to think that seeing cannabis products and paraphernalia would be harmful to the fragile psyche of a child, and no responsible parent would ever want that.

Besides, if you have a kid and are consuming cannabis, the state should probably get involved anyway.

Inventory Tracking You know how alcohol kills tens of thousands of people every year?

Wouldn’t it be great if we could track this harmful substance from its source to its end consumer? Well, fortunately we have a model we can replicate with cannabis: RFID tags that are attached to plants and product shipments.

But these tags do more than just arbitrarily increase the already- high cost of doing business in an industry that isn’t even on a level playing field to begin with, —thanks to a lack of tax deductions and access to banking— it also gives regulators the false sense that they have stopped diversion of cannabis from Colorado to other states.

Public Events and Consumption Last time I wrote a list like this, I included a mention of the lack of places where people can buy and consume cannabis, which seems like it might be something that is allowed with alcohol. Since then, nearly every cannabiscentric event has been shut down, threatened, or in some way scrutinized by authorities. In that same period of time there have been too many alcohol-centric events to count. Alcohol consumption is tolerated and even celebrated by officials who won’t even let a group of cannabis smokers get together for a clandestine smoke session. It would be nice if legal cannabis events could get the same leeway as the events that several-dozen times a year engender fights, car accidents, and rampant public urination.

Termination of Employment This is another rerun from my last list, but with the codification of this in

the Coats v. Dish Network case, it seem apropos to mention again. Drink yourself into an early grave, while petrifying your liver and conducting some kind of Darwinian experiment to see which of your brain cells can survive the longest, and you’re still eligible for employee of the month… provided it doesn’t overlap with your work schedule. But use a little bit of legal cannabis to help treat a chronic and debilitating medical condition, and you’d better start looking for a new employer that’s more tolerant of drug-addicted criminal scum. It’s not enough that private companies have shitty, anachronistic, ignorant beliefs about cannabis, when the highest court in the state decides that activities explicitly made legal in the state constitution don’t qualify as such, it demonstrates an endemic idiocy that needs to be addressed.

Hours of Operation Preventing substance abuse by limiting the hours of operation of businesses that sell addictive substances seems like a good idea. But when the only substance you do this for is cannabis, that’s pretty damn hypocritical. With liquor stores that are open until midnight, bars that serve right up until 2 a.m. and plans to extend last call in Denver, one must wonder just whom regulators think they’re protecting by limiting the hours dispensaries can operate. While not all municipal governments are guilty of concocting these regulations around some poorly conceived notion of substance abuse prevention, the idea that purchasing cannabis after 7 p.m. facilitates addiction is so laughable that I can’t even string together a sarcastic comment that’s more hyperbolically ridiculous. This is not to mention that cigarettes, which are known to be more addictive and kill millions of people every year, are sold 24 hours a day at the local convenience store precisely because they’re so addictive. Way to go Denver, you’re missing out on tax dollars every time somebody has to drive to Edgewater or Aurora to buy an eighth at 8:30.

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1569 S Colorado Blvd, Denver, CO 80222 (303) 867-4768 preferredorganictherapy.com

one. It’s a tough proposition because cannabis businesses aren’t allowed to advertise in the same manner as alcohol companies, which is to say fucking everywhere. Can you even imagine what watching a football game would be like without a constant bombardment of advertising for alcoholic piss-water that will just barely get the job done and is sold on the basis of how cold you keep your fridge? We’re constantly inundated with ads that tell just how fun it is to drink excessive amounts of shitty booze responsibly, but advertising a safer and more responsible form of relaxation is apparently promoting drug addition.

Political Affiliation Remember when America almost elected George W. Bush to be President because he seemed like he was stupid enough that having a beer with him would be enjoyable for the average voter? Or maybe you’ve seen the popular image of Obama holding a beer. Maybe you just remember that the governor of Colorado was the founder of a successful brewpub. Voters are a-ok with their elected leaders tipping back a cold, frosty one. Hell, we probably wouldn’t even consider electing somebody who didn’t drink; I mean, who wants to vote for some kind of puritanical weirdo? But when it comes to cannabis, politicians are never willing to admit that it’s something they enjoy. Maybe this is because getting stoned creates an empathy within the individual that kills that sociopathic urge to manipulate people into giving over control of their lives. Or maybe politicians are just so caught up in the taboo that they think admitting to using cannabis will alienate voters, which it still might. Some of these guys must be active users, and any candidate that is thoughtful and honest enough to admit they use cannabis will likely get my vote.

Thus ends yet another list of ways that cannabis isn’t being treated like alcohol. Maybe someday we’ll get our shit together and put an end to this absurd hypocrisy. Or maybe I’ll have another list like this ready to go in a year’s time. Who knows, maybe instead we’ll apply some of these harsh standards to the drug that’s actually harmful. But that seems a little ridiculous.

4620 Peoria St, Denver, CO 80239 (303) 307-4645 goldenmedsdenver.com

Preferred Organic Treatment

Golden Meds

TOP SHELF

VOLUME PRICING

50%off BLUE LABEL FLOWER

*Limit one per customer

ALL TOP SHELF

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DISPENSARY GUIDE

by DJ Reetz

DENVER 66 AMA, Advanced Medical Alternatives 69 The Clinic 66 The Health Center 66 Infinite Wellness 67 LivWell 68 Northern Lights Cannabis Company 67 Preferred Organic Therapy 67 Rocky Mountain Organic Medicine 67 Walking Raven

PUEBLO

COLORADO SPRINGS 66 Canna Caregivers 67 LivWell 67 Original Cannabis Growers

NORTHERN COLORADO 66 Infinite Wellness 67 LivWell

BOULDER 67 LivWell

66 Leaf on the Mesa

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Advanced Medical Alternatives 1269 Elati St. Denver CO. 80204 www.AMAdispensary.com 303.993.4547

AMA has been serving the medical marijuana industry since 2009 and offering recreational sales since February 2014. We pride ourselves on offering organically grown quality cannabis, concentrates, edibles and many other infused products.

Our knowledgeable staff will ensure an AMAzing experience on each visit.

Awards: • 1st place 710 Cup (Best sativa 2013) • 3rd place HighTimes Cup (2014) • 1st place 710 Cup (Best Sativa 2014) • 1st place 710 Cup (Best Indica 2014) • 1st Place 710 Cup (Best Taste 2014) • 1st place Secret Cup (Best wax 2014) *Early bird & 4:20 specials daily 8am-9:30am and 4:20pm - 5:30pm (Sunday 10am- 11:30am)

Canna Caregivers

Canna Caregivers - West The Canna Center www.facebook.com/CannaCaregiversTheCannacenter The CC Group consists of three leading medical dispensaries in Colorado Springs. Their knowledgable and friendly staff will make you feel right at home.

Visit one of their three locations: 3220 N Academy Blvd #4 Colorado Springs, CO 80917 1914 W. Uintah St. Colorado Springs, CO 2306 N Powers Blvd Colorado Springs, CO 80915

Infinite Wellness Center 2 Locations www.infinitewellness8.com

We believe in the infinite possibility of total wellness and in the infinite modalities to achieving this wellness within and without.

We offer our patients a dignified environment with friendly compassionate staff here to facilitate the needs of our patients. It is one of our goals to help dispel the negative press, thoughts and attitudes toward utilizing marijuana as a multi-beneficial medicine. We have set a standard to provide quality medical marijuana and edibles in a wonderful variety while upholding the laws set forth by both state and local governments. We plan to participate in fund raisers and charity events to engage in the needs of our community. It is our intention to bring light and awareness to a fresh view of well being and peace.

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The Health Center 2 Locations www.thchealth.com

The Health Center is a top notch cannabis dispensary with two convenient locations in the heart of Denver.

Boasting upwards of 70 varieties of award winning strains at any given time, the individuals who comprise the THC team pride ourselves on offering the best variety, potency and effectiveness of any cannabis in the region. Not only is The Health Center focused on cultivating the finest quality medicine, but also employing the finest quality staff. Each time you visit, you will be greeted with knowledgeable, friendly associates who take pride in working with you to find the best available options to meet your medical needs.

Leaf on the Mesa

1917 Santa Fe Drive.

Pueblo, Co 81006 www.leafonthemesa.com We at Leaf on The Mesa are a group of dedicated Cannabis professionals with over 15 years of collective experience in the Cannabis industry. We are a Medical and Recreational Dispensary where we aim to provide the best possible care for our patients and customers. We know there are many options for your Cannabis needs. We strive to provide the highest quality products, competitive prices, a knowledgeable staff, and a warm friendly environment.

LivWell

9 Locations www.livwellco.com Colorado’s Price Leader since 2009 LivWell dispensaries are your one-stop cannabis shop, offering a wide range of high quality concentrates, edibles, premium flower strains, glass and cannabis accessories.

Our mission is to provide outstanding cannabis to our customers at the most competitive price, with excellent service.

We offer Colorado Cannabis at 9 front range locations; in Denver, Lakewood, Boulder, Garden City, and Colorado Springs.

Please note: medical patients visiting our Broadway and Larimer locations must be aged 21+. All other medical locations are 18+. .

Original Cannabis Growers 2625 E St Vrain St Colorado Springs, CO 80909 www.OCGhome.com

Simply the best cannabis for less.

We’re the first and oldest Center in our Platte Ave. neighborhood in Colorado Springs.

Call for mature guidance for your personal needs from growers with over 15 years experience.

We offer Happy Hour 4p.m. to 6p.m. Every day.

Our friendly staff will be happy to assist you with all your medical cannabis needs.

ORGANIC THERAPY ESTD 2009

Preferred Organic

1569 South Colorado Boulevard Denver, CO 80222 www.preferredorganictherapy.com

Rocky Mountain Organic Medicine 511 Orchard Street Golden, CO 80401 www.rockymountainorganicmedicine.com

Preferred Organic Therapy & Wellness is a medical marijuana center that empowers quality-minded patients with a revolutionary approach for treating the mind and the body.

RMOM offers an extremely professional atmosphere, knowledgable staff and always top quality, organically grown medical cannabis. If you are ready for a better dispensary experience, come visit our facility at the base of the Rockies in Golden.

Together, the staff ensures that their patients are the most well-informed in the state of Colorado.

They do this by combining patient-driven strain testing that breaks down the distinct properties of each strain, as well as its unique effects, with visual educational aids and enhanced strain titles. Their second-to-none selection of additional treatment products are made even more valuable given that they are combined with the ability to browse detailed information at a leisurely pace.

Come see why Preferred Organic Therapy & Wellness patients are raving about them.

Meet John, the owner of Rocky Mountain Organic Medicine. The road that lead him to start RMOM was an unfortunate one. In February of 2009 John’s wife was diagnosed with colon cancer. She went through surgery followed by eight months of aggressive chemotherapy and radiation. As an alternative to the anti-nausea medication, she used cannabis to ease her discomfort. When John visited many of the dispensaries open at the time, he didn’t find one that he would feel comfortable sending his wife to by herself. They were all seedy in some form or another, and he knew there had to be a better way. In September 2009 he opened RMOM and brought a new level of professionalism to this industry.

Walking Raven

2001 S. Broadway Denver, CO www.mmjmenu.com/walkingraven NOW OPEN TO THE PUBLIC 21+, NO MEDICAL CARD REQUIRED. Walking Raven Retail and Medical Marijuana Center is one of the first dispensaries in Denver. Our mission is to provide high quality products and care at an affordable price. All prices are out the door and we have different tier levels of bud quality. We also offer a range of edibles, concentrates, and novelty items.

We take pride in our organic and meticulous cultivation process; we do not cut any corners and give our cultivators access to the best nutrients and equipment for their hand trimmed buds. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff is trained to assist you in finding a specific products for your desires. Walking Raven MMC is home to the Hong Kong Diesel, our top selling hybrid. Never settle, only shop PREMIUM QUALITY!

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E D G E W A T E R

www.NLCannabis.com January 1 2014, at 8 AM the first legal cannabis sale took place here at Northern Lights Cannabis Co, one of only 24 retail stores to open that day for recreational sales!

The history made that day continues to resonate with every legal cannabis transaction, including yours. Shop with us and make history!

2045 Sheridan Blvd.

Suite B Edgewater, CO 80214 303-274-6495 9:00am-9:00pm Daily

Our staff is friendly and our knowledgeable budtenders will guide you to the perfect product. No pre-packaged here. Your purchase comes from the jar you sampled.

Our shop has provided the finest Medical Cannabis since March 2010. Today we provide that same quality Medical and Recreational Cannabis to adults 21 and over from around the world.

Coco grown, our frosty genetics are provided by TGA Sub Cool Seeds, DNA Genetics, Paradise Seeds and other reputable producers.

Stop by and discover “Where Your Buds Are”!

o G0 G0 Outside!

Outside!

Happy Mother’s Day! o

68 September 2015 September May 20152015 2015 August 686868 July 2015

www.thecliniccolorado.com The Clinic is an award winning marijuana center with five Denver metro locations.

The Clinic is Denver’s premier medical marijuana center having won over 20 awards for both it’s high quality cannabis, concentrates and charitable contributions! The Clinic’s staff is extremely knowledgeable and friendly while the atmosphere at their locations reflect the immense amount of care that they provide to their patients as well as their medicine.

The Clinic is also a long time supporter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, as it’s a cause that directly affects their patients, friends and family. As such, The Clinic has raised more than $100,000 for the Colorado-Wyoming Chapter of the National MS Society since they first opened their doors in 2009.

The Clinic has remained at the forefront of the medical marijuana movement by raising the standard for medical marijuana centers everywhere, not only through their patient driven mission but through their dedication to the community! Make sure to stop by The Clinic and see why their mantra holds true: Our Patients Live Better.

Strains

Kosher Kush 2012 High Times Cannabis Cup (Denver) Patient’s Choice Winner Stardawg Guava 2012 High Times Medical Cannabis Cup (Denver) 1st Place Best Sativa Grape God Bud 2010 CO Caregiver’s Cup Triple Crown-winner and 2nd place 2011 Aspen Cannabis Crown, this is the hottest indica in town.

Raskal OG One of the most visually appealing and potent OG kushes around with a distinct diesel fuel aroma.

2012 High Times Medical Cannabis Cup (Denver) 3rd Place Best Hybrid Ghost OG THC Champions Cup 3rd Place Overall Hybrid & Patients’ Choice Hybrid. 2013

High Times US Cannabis Cup 3rd place best hybrid winner Fall ‘97 This indica-dominant strain is a sweet tasting cross between OG Kush and Purple Urkle.

Skywalker OG This clone only pheno of OG Kush has quickly become a patient and staff favorite.

Super Lemon Haze Winner of the 2008 and 2009 Sativa High Times Cannabis Cup Tangie 2013 High Times US Cannabis Cup 1st place best sativa winner Pre ‘98 Bubba Kush 2011 High Times Denver Medical Cannabis Cup highest CBD strain winner

Cherry Pie GDP and F1 Durban cross that won 3rd Place Medical Sativa at the 2014 US Cannabis Cup Durban Poison A classic landrace sativa from Africa that is mouth watering and known for it’s soaring cerebral effects.

Phishhead Kush This strong indica was named 2nd best strain of 2014 by famed cannabis connoisseur William Breathes.

Jack Flash A classic strain that was recently awarded Connoisseurs’ Choice Adult Use Hybrid at the 2014 THC Championship.

Edibles

The Clinic Colorado 3888 East Mexico Ave., Ste. 110 Denver, CO 80210 303-758-9114 The Clinic Highlands 3460 West 32nd Avenue Denver, CO 80211 303-997-7130 The Clinic on Wadsworth 3600 South Wadsworth Blvd.

Lakewood, CO 80235 303-484-8853 The Clinic on Colfax 4625 East Colfax Avenue Denver, CO 80220 303-333-3644 The Clinic On Jewell 12018 W Jewell Ave Lakewood, CO 80228 303-997-9171

D E N V E R

9:00am - 7:00pm Daily

Concentrates

Budder, Shatter, & Live Resin The Clinic carries the full line of concentrates, including Live Resin Batter, produced by our award winning marijuana infused products division, The Lab.

Awards

2014 High Times Cannabis Cup 1st Place US Cup Concentrate - 303 OG Nugrun Live Resin Budder 3rd Place Medical Sativa - Cherry Pie 2013 High Times Cannabis Cup 1st Place Sativa - Tangie 3rd Place Sativa - Stardawg Guava 3rd Place Hybrid - Ghost OG 2012 High Times Medical Cannabis Cup 1st Place Best Sativa - Stardawg Guava 1st Place Patient’s Choice - Kosher Kush 2nd Place Best Concentrate - Strawberry Cough Nectar 3rd Place Best Hybrid - Raskal OG Pre ‘98 Bubba Kush High Times Cannabis Cup: Highest CBD Strain Grape God Bud Spring 2010 Colorado Caregiver’s Cup Winner: Patient’s Choice, Best Aroma, Most Photogenic 2011 Aspen Cannabis Crown, 2nd Place Overall 2013 The 710 Cup 2nd Place Best Sativa Shatter - Tangie 1st Place Best Sativa Shatter Terps Tangie

The Hemp Connoisseur Championship 2012

2nd Place Indica and Connoisseur’s Choice Kosher Kush 1st Place Sativa and Patient’s Choice - Stardawg Guava 3rd Place Hybrid and Patient’s Choice - Ghost OG 1st Place Concentrate and Connoisseur’s Choice - Earth OG Nectar

The Hemp Connoisseur Championship 2013 1st Place Indica, Connoisseur’s Choice and Best Tested - Kosher Kush Patient’s Choice Hybrid - Grunk 2nd Place Shatter and Patient’s Choice- Tangie The Hemp Connoisseur Championship 2014

1st Place - Concentrate - BHO Extracts - Live Resin Badder Kosher Kush Connoiseur’s Choice - Concentrate - BHO Extracts - Live Resin Badder Bubba Kush People’s Choice - Adult-Use Sativa - Cherry Pie Connoisseur’s Choice - Adult-Use Hybrid - Jack Flash

2015 High Times US Cannabis Cup 2nd Place Peoples Choice Concentrate - Kosher Kush Live Resin Batter 3rd Place Peoples Choice Flower - Bubba Kush

Sweet Grass Kitchen, Julie's Natural Edibles, Mountain High Suckers, The Growing Kitchen, Incredibles, Dixie Elixirs, Keef Cola and Cheeba Chews.

Seeds 58 February 2014

The Clinic offers the full line of cannabis seeds from The Bank Cannabis Genetics (formerly Reserva Privada Colorado), including the recently released Phishhead Kush series.

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DIRECTORY DISPENSERIES: BOULDER

LivWell Boulder Medical Only 3000 Folsom St Boulder, CO 80304 720-389-4920 livwell.com

COLORADO SPRINGS Canna Caregivers Medical Only 3220 No. Academy Blvd., Ste #4 Colorado Springs, CO 719-597-6685 Canna Caregivers - West Medical Only 1914 W. Uintah St Colorado Springs, CO 80904 (719) 637-0420 The Canna Center Medical Only 2306 N. Powers Blvd., #100 Colorado Springs, CO 719-597-9333 Healing Canna 3692 E Bijou Street Colorado Springs, CO 80909 719-637-7645 www.healingcanna.com LivWell on Murray Medical Only 570 N Murray CO Springs, CO 80915 719-574-8443 livwell.com LivWell on Nevada Medical Only 3234 N Nevada Ave CO Springs, CO 80907 719-622-6652 livwell.com LivWell on Tejon Medical Only 1414 S Tejon St CO Springs, CO 80905 719-634-0420 livwell.com The Organic Seed Medical Only 2304 E Platte Colorado Springs, CO. 80909 719-465-1845 coloradospringsmmj.com Original Cannabis Growers Medical Only 2625 E Saint Vrain St Ste A Colorado Springs, CO 80909 路 719-475-9333 www.ocghome.com

DENVER - CENTRAL Advanced Medical Alternatives Medical & Adult Use 21+ 1269 Elati Street Denver, CO 80204 303-993-4547 www.amadispensary.com The Clinic Capitol Hill Medical & Adult Use 21+ 745 E. 6th Ave. Denver, CO 80203 720-536-5229 www.thecliniccolorado.com The Health Center Medical & Adult Use 21+ 1736 Downing St. Denver, CO 80218 303-622-3787 thchealth.com LivWell on Larimer Medical & Adult Use 21+ 2863 Larimer St Denver, CO 80205 303-484-1662 livwell.com URBA @ MMD of Colorado Medical & Adult Use 21+ 2609 Walnut Street Denver, CO 80205 720-328-2227 www.mmdofcolorado.com

DENVER - EAST The Clinic on Colfax Medical Only 4625 E. Colfax Ave. Denver, CO 80220 303-333-3644 www.thecliniccolorado.com

DENVER - HIGHLANDS The Clinic Highlands Medical & Adult Use 21+ 3460 W. 32nd Ave. Denver, CO 80211 303-997-7130 www.thecliniccolorado.com The Giving Tree of Denver Medical & Adult Use 21+ 2707 W. 38th Ave. Denver, CO 80211 303-477-8888 www.tgtree.com URBA @ MMD of Colorado Medical & Adult Use 21+ 2647 W. 38th Ave. Denver, CO 80211 720-389-7911 www.mmdofcolorado.com

DENVER - SOUTH The Clinic Colorado Medical & Adult Use 21+ 3888 E. Mexico Ave Denver, CO 80210 303.758.9114 www.thecliniccolorado.com

The Health Center Medical & Adult Use 21+ 2777 S. Colorado Blvd Denver, CO 80222 303-622-3787 thchealth.com LivWell on Broadway Medical & Adult Use 21+ 432 S Broadway Denver, CO 80209 720-428-2550 livwell.com Preferred Organic Therapy Medical & Adult Use 21+ 1569 S Colorado Blvd Denver, CO 80222 303-867-4768 preferredorganictherapy.com Walking Raven Adult Use 21+ 2001 S Broadway Denver, CO 80210 (720) 327-5613 thewalkingraven.com

DENVER - WEST LivWell on Evans Medical & Adult Use 21+ 2193 W Evans Ave Denver, CO 80223 720-361-2981 livwell.com

EDGEWATER Northern Lights Cannabis Co. Medical & Adult Use 21+ 2045 Sheridan Blvd.

Edgewater, CO 80214 303-274-6495 www.nlcannabis.com

FORT COLLINS Infinite Wellness Medical & Adult Use 21+ 900 N College Ave. Ft. Collins, CO 80524 (970) 484-8380 infinitewellness8.com

GARDEN CITY LivWell Garden City Medical & Adult Use 21+ 2647 8th Ave Garden City, CO 80631 970-616-6007 livwell.com

GOLDEN Rocky Mtn. Organic Medicine Medical Only 511 Orchard Street Golden, CO 80401 720-230-9111 rockymountainorganicmedicine.com

LAKEWOOD The Clinic on Jewell Medical Only 12018 W Jewell Ave Lakewood, CO 80228 303-997-9171 www.thecliniccolorado.com The Clinic on Wadsworth Medical Only 3600 S Wadsworth Blvd.

Lakewood, CO 80235 303-484-8853 www.thecliniccolorado.com Compassionate Pain Management Medical Only 11950 West Colfax Lakewood CO, 80215 303-232-3620 compassionatepm.com Infinite Wellness Medical & Adult Use 21+ 1701 Kipling St. #104 Lakewood, CO 80215 720-458-0277 infinitewellness8.com LivWell Lakewood Medical Only 5660 W Alameda Ave Lakewood, CO 80226 303-922-9479 livwell.com

LOUISVILLE Compassionate Pain Management Medical & Adult Use 21+ 1116-7 W. Dillon Rd. Louisville CO, 80027 303-665-5596 compassionatepm.com

NORTHGLENN Botanacare Medical & Adult Use 21+ 11450 Cherokee St. Unit a7 Northglenn CO 80234 303-254-4200 www.botanacare.com

PUEBLO Leaf on the Mesa Medical & Adult Use 21+ 1917 Santa Fe Drive.

Pueblo, Co 81006 719-544-5323 www.leafonthemesa.com

OTHER: EVENTS

BIG Insustry Show bigindustryshow.com

GLASS BLOWING Glasscraft Glasscraftinc.com

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THANK YOU TO OUR ADVERTISERS

30 7 Leaf Marketing 66 AMA, Advanced Medical Alternatives 63 Best Buds 04 BIG Industry Show 55 Bhang Chocolate 21,66 Canna Caregivers 21,66 The Canna Center 21 Canna Creations 29 Cannabis Network Radio 51 CannaQual 57 Cannarunner 07,69 The Clinic 71 Cloud Chamber 07 Dr. J’s 76 Edipure 57 General Cannabis 57 General Cannabis Supply 71 Healing Canna 11,66 The Health Center 55 Healthy Choices Unlimited 40 The Hemp Connoisseur Championship 13 Incredibles 31 Indica Vape 33,66 Infinite Wellness 57 Iron Protection Group 17 Julie’s Natural Edibles 09,66 Leaf on the Mesa 64 Leafbuyer.com 15,67 LivWell 27 Mahatma 25 Mary’s Medicinals 21 Medeval Clinic 13 Medically Correct 21 Mountain High Suckers 12 National Cannabis Summit 57 Next Big Crop Consulting 10,68 Northern Lights Cannabis Co. 09,67 Original Cannabis Growers 16,67 Preferred Organic Therapy 41,67 Rocky Mountain Organic Medicine 25 Smoke Studios 03 The Trimmer Store 02,67 Walking Raven

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INDUSTRY GROUPS

Mahatma mahatmaconcentrates.com

Cannabis Business Alliance cannabisalliance.org

Medically Correct medicallycorrect.com

Cannabis Consumers Coalition cannabisconsumer.org

Mountain High Suckers mountainhighsuckers.com

Colorado NORML www.coloradonorml.org

MMJ EVALUATION

NCIA www.thecannabisindustry.org Marijuana Policy Project www.mpp.org consumeresponsibly.org

INDUSTRY SERVICES 7 Leaf Marketing 7leafmarketing.com Best Buds bestbudsapp.com Cannabase cannabase.io Cannabis Camera www.cannabiscamera.com Cannabis Network Radio www.cannetradio.com Colorado Pot Guide coloradopotguide.com General Cannabis generalcann.com iCannabis Radio www.icannabisradio.com NHA National Hemp Association http://nationalhempassociation.org/ Iron Protection Group ironprotectiongroupsecurity.com Leafbuyer Leafbuyer.com Next Big Crop Consulting nextbigcrop.com

INFUSED PRODUCTS Bhang Chocolate www.bhangchocolate.com Canna Creations 720-483-8228 Canyon Cultivation canyoncultivation.com Dixie Elixirs www.dixieelixirs.com Dr. J’s www.drjsllc.com Edipure edipure.com Incredibles incrediblescolorado.com Julie’s Natural Edibles juliesnaturaledibles.com

Amerimed 2257 S Broadway Denver, CO 720-532-4744 www.amerimed.com CannaQual 6795 E. Tennessee Ave., Ste #175 Denver, Colorado 80224 303-690-4882 www.cannaqual.com Medeval Clinic 6650 S Vine St, Ste L50 Centennial, CO 80121 720-744-2010 www.medevalclinic.com Relaxed Clarity - Broomfield 1006 Depot Hill Rd. Suite 100 Broomfield, CO 80020 970-412-5955 www.relaxedclarity.com Relaxed Clarity - CO Springs 3133 North El Paso Street Colorado Springs CO 80907 719-645-5955 www.relaxedclarity.com Relaxed Clarity - Pueblo 503 Avocado Street Pueblo, CO 81005 719-354-5445 www.relaxedclarity.com

SMOKING ACCESSORIES Indica Vape www.indica2.com PURR purrsmoking.com Scientific Inhalations sipipes.com SI Pipes sipipes.com

TOURISM Cultivating Spirits cultivatingspirits.com High Country Cannabis Tours highcountrycannabistours.com

TRIMMING SERVICES The Trimmer Store 800-429-6034 thetrimmerstore.com

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