January 2016

M A G A Z I N E

GET YOUR WINTER WONDERLAND with the Indoor Garden Gift Guide p.31

The Emerald Cup Sonoma County Fairgrounds Hosts 21,000 p.14

CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE One Grower’s Experience with this Summer’s Wildfire p.20

WOOD OF WISCONSIN Activist Tammy Wood, and Wood Pipes Smoke Shoppe p.48

DENTS IN MEXICO’S PROHIBITION Steps Towards Legalization in Mexico are Progressing Through its Supreme Court p.64 FREE

EMERALD MEDIA GROUP

417 2nd St. #201, Eureka, CA 95501 TheEmeraldMagazine.com Phone (707) 840-5508 | Info@TheEmeraldMagazine.com

PUBLISHER CHRISTINA DEGIOVANNI

WELCOME HIT THE GROUND RUNNING

COPY EDITOR MOLLY CATE COVER SHOT FULL SPECTRUM PHOTOGRAPHY GRAPHIC DESIGNER JESSICA ALBEE CONTRIBUTORS STEPHEN CARTER | MOLLY CATE | M. HANSEN ELI HARRINGTON | EMILY HOBELMANN | SHARON LETTS

Thank you for picking up the January issue of the Emerald.

PAM LONG | LAYLAH NOELLE | SHERAE O’SHAUGHNESSY JAMES PRIEST | KERRY REYNOLDS | MATTHEW OWEN | V. VOSS

In the publishing world, there is no down time; the only choice you have is to hit the ground running. Once one issue is out the door, another is to follow; a revolving-door business since Gutenberg’s time.

PHOTOGRAPHY CROP-STOCK.COM | FULL SPECTRUM PHOTOGRAPHY

In the world of canna-businesses, every day, every month, and every year is a monumental step in the fight towards legalization. 2016 is the year cannabis makes it big. When California legalizes, others will follow. Those in the industry who dare to be visible now will become natural role models for others who follow. This is the year for innovation, expectations and regulations. All those in the green race will have to hit the ground running and maintain high speeds throughout the tumultuous times that lie ahead.

T. AARON CARTER | KERRY REYNOLDS | EMILY HOBELMANN

Here’s to you all!

WESTERN WEB | STEVE JACKSON

MARKETING GROUP MARKETING MANAGER | T. AARON CARTER PRINT PRODUCTION

May 2016 bring you many rewards and satisfactions!

Cheers, Christina DeGiovanni, Publisher

MEDIA DIVISIONS APPAREL EMERALD APPAREL PHOTOGRAPHY CROP-STOCK.COM MARKETING CANNABIZ CONSULTING PUBLISHING EMERALD MAGAZINE VIDEO PRODUCTION EMERALD EMPIRE LEARN MORE EMERALDMEDIACORP.COM

TABLE OF CONTENTS

08 | GORDOUGH’S PUBLIC HOUSE Restaurant Icon for the Lone Star State.

JANUARY 2016 18 | THE HIGH LIFE Sex Columnist Sherae O’Shaughnessy tells us How to Get Warm this Winter.

31 | WINTER INDOOR GIFT GUIDE Find Everything you Need this Winter for your Indoor Garden.

12 | STONEY SAUCE

40 | POT TALK

Chef Nugs serves up his speciality of cannabis infused condiments.

With Emily Hobelmann: Cherry Pie Organic indoor cannabis.

42 | WEED OUT THE PAIN 64 | DENTS IN MEXICO’S PROHIBITION Steps towards legalization in Mexico are progressing through its Supreme Court.

Weedy Oil is hitting the market with its Organic CBD-rich Salves, Lip Balms, and Soaps.

52 | OVER THE HILL WE GO Vermont’s Green Mountain State of Mind.

58 | STATUS QUO GROW

14 | The Emerald Cup

California Cities and County’s Scramble to Create Cannabis Regulations.

Sonoma County Fairgrounds played host to over 21,000 guests this past December.

69 | FLOWER MOUND REPUBLICAN CLUB Texas ‘Marijuana Meltdown’ Panel Focuses On Children, Disease and Low IQ.

60 | BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE Banking with Cannabis in Colorado.

20 | CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE

48 | WOOD OF WISCONSIN

One growers experience with the summer fires of 2015.

The story of cannabis activist Tammy Wood and her journey turning Wood Pipes Smoke Shoppe into Wood Pots Smoke Shoppe.

7 | Emerald | January 2016

GOURDOUGH’S Public House DANK DOUGHNUT DELIGHT

E V E R Y T H I N G’ S B igger IN TEXAS

3

steps to DANK DOUGHNUTS step 01

Ingredients

by

L ayla h

noelle

G

ourdough’s Public House in Austin, Texas, a restaurant icon for the Lone Star State, makes people the desserts of their dreams. With more than a baker’s dozen doughnut selections, Gourdough’s will have you rolling out of the parking lot more blissed out than you were rolling the joint coming in.

While cannabis is not directly infused into the doughnuts (yet), the folks at Gourdough’s make sure to bake the dank in every bite.

Gourdough’s three locations in downtown Austin (including a food truck) combine iconic southern comfort cooking with their infamous doughnut delights, from savory to sweet.

The “Dirty South” is made of hand-battered chicken-fried steak, potato pancake, creamy white gravy sauce and cranberry habanero jam. The “Drunken Hunk” is a combination of bacon-wrapped meatloaf, potato

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon white sugar 1 1/4 cups milk 1 egg 3 tablespoons canna-butter

step 02

Combine Mix flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together in a bowl.

Indent the center of the dough and pour in the milk, egg and melted cannabis butter. Stir.

step 03

Deep Fry Fill a large frying pan or deep fryer with two cups of vegetable oil. Add cannabis butter to the oil if desired. Ball up pieces of dough and begin frying.

Then add toppings.

8 | TheEmeraldMagazine.com

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AGAIN IN 2016!

Happy New Year!

The Entire Staff Would Like To Sincerely Thank You For Making 2015 a Great Success AS PART OF OUR CONTINUING EFFORTS TO GIVE BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY, WE WERE ABLE TO DONATE TO THESE LOCAL GROUPS ALONG WITH MANY OTHERS IN 2015

LOLETA UNION SCHOOL ~ KHUM~ HUMBOLDT AREA FOUNDATION ~ LAFAYETTE ELEMENTARY ~ EUREKA HIGH SCHOOL ~ EUREKA PARK AND REC. CALIFORNIA ~ WATERFOWL ASSOCIATION ~ MAKING HEADWAY ~ MATOLE VALLEY COMMUNITY CENTER ~ MAD RIVER MONTESSORI ~ CHILDRENS COTTAGE ~ EEL RIVER RECOVERY PROJECT ~ MATTOLE STEWARDS ~ TIMBER HERITAGE SOCIETY ~ EPIC ~ EUREKA ROTARY

OUR CHANGE FOR CHANGE PROGRAM ALSO HELPED RAISE SIGNIFICANT DONATIONS FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCAL GROUPS

BEE FRIENDLY/ HUMBOLDT COUNTY BEE KEEPERS ASSOCIATION ~ SHOES FOR KIDS ~ HUMBOLDT TRAILS COUNCIL ~SEQUOIA PARK ZOO ~ FRIENDS OF THE DUNES ~ JEFFERSON PROJECT ~ JEFFERSON COMMUNITY CENTER ~ TOYS FOR TOTS ~ REDWOOD COAST MONTESSORI

WE ARE A LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED FAMILY BUSINESS

1450 Broadway, Eureka, CA 95501 Mon-Sat 7am- 9pm; Sun 8am- 8pm Tuesdays, Seniors 60 & over: 10% OFF! & Saturdays, Student ID: 10% OFF! www.eurekanaturalfoods.com 707-442-6325

pancake, fried egg, house-made candied jalapenos with a side of tangy, hard-cider sauce or bourbon BBQ sauce. The “Ron Burgundy” sets the new standard of classy burgers with its Angus beef, bacon, fried egg, two slices of American cheese, cilantro, guacamole, sliced tomato and mayonnaise.

Gourdough’s sweet side is where their notoriety comes from. The “Southern Belle” is a doughnut infused with house-made pecan pie filling, cream cheese icing, and pecans on top. The “Black Betty” is one of the more popular items with its housemade blackberry filling, cream cheese icing, cake mix, cinnamon sugar, and locally harvested honey butter. The “Ring O’Fire” has chipotle-infused brownie batter, chocolate icing, brownie bites, salted butter caramel sauce, and cayenne candied pecans.

Every entree is served with a side of diabetes (just kidding!). All meals at the pub house are delicately thought-out and prepared to perfection.

Their friendly staff are happy to offer suggestions to satisfy your palate. Should you find yourself in Austin, the Heart of Texas, drop into any one of Gourdough’s three locations. Find your own dank doughnut inspirations by viewing their menu online at Gourdoughs.com.

GOURDOUGH’S BIG BALLER Angus beef, house pimento cheese blend, cilantro, red onion and sliced tomato.

GOURDOUGHS PUBLIC HOUSE - 2700 S. Lamar Blvd. Austin, TX 78753 - 1503 S 1st Street, Austin, TX 78704 - 209 W. 5th Street, Austin, TX 78701

30 wines by the glass Live Music Fun Menu Join us 4-6pm for Happy Hour

11th & H Downtown Arcata 707.825.0390 Menu & more info at CrushArcata.com

Upscale & local farm-to-fork dining

835 J Street Downtown Arcata 707.822.9474 Menu & more at HarvestArcata.com 11 | Emerald | January 2016

CHEF NUGS

STONEYSAUCE

Renew your 215 from ANY doctor or clinic for less

don’t panic, it’s canna-organic

Stoney Sauce

With the stir of his spoon, Nugs began creating a line of cannabis-infused condiments.

“As of right now we have 13 different flavors,” Nugs explained as he listed off ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, olive oil, truffle oil, sriracha sauce and much more. All THC condiments are made from organic extract concentrates. “There’s no butane hash oil or anything like that in the sauces.” Nugs gets everything tested through SC Labs and distributes his sauce in several Southern California dispensaries. “We’re also on the hill,”

weed for warriors Project

Chef Nugs is the director of Weed for Warriors, an organization for veterans that utilizes cannabis to help with PTSD, war injuries, physical pain and life after war.

Weed for Warriors is also a support group for veterans and their family members. They hold regular meetings, provide therapy, sponsor free cannabis and emulate feelings of brother- and sisterhood beyond the field.

Learn more about the Weed for Warriors Project at wfwproject.org

Los angeles, CALIFORNIA V. VOSS | T. AARON CARTER

W

hen Chef Nugs started Stoney Sauce five months ago he never imagined his flavors would hit the roof. “I was a fine dining chef in Hollywood for seven years,” Nugs said. “I was in the military for a while before that and with that comes body pain. I started cooking with cannabis for my own pain relief and was taking the condiments with me wherever I’d go.”

That’s when Stoney Sauce was born. “My friend Rob is my partner. He knew how to get the bottles and labels going.”

2

Natural Wellness Center

all renewals starting at

$80

WALK-INS WELCOME WED & SAT 11-5pm

lowest price Evaluations in HumCo Nugs chuckled, “you can go to a few farms up North and you’ll find us in people’s pantries.” When asked if there was an expiration date on his products Nugs responded by listing the organic preservatives in his sauces, such as oil or chilli powder which “last a long time naturally.”

When asked what the future holds for Stoney Sauce, Nugs said he’s working on Sensei Sauce, a new line of CBD condiments that he plans to distribute nationally. Currently the average retail price for Stoney Sauce is $20 for small bottles, $30 for medium size squeeze bottles, and $40-$50 for large glass jars. Follow the Chef yourself on Instagram at Chef_Nugs and get inspired by his recipes!

12 | TheEmeraldMagazine.com

New Patients Only

$90

Special discount for Seniors, SSI, Veterans $ Students and Medi-Cal 707-407-0527 508 I street, Eureka (across from HC court House) 13 | Emerald | January 2016

“ I’m really impressed by what everyone has done to brand themselves, to step up and really make us look like we should

Runneth Over Mean Gene won first place in this year’s flower and breeder competition with Cherry Limeade. Born and raised in Northern Mendocino, Mean Gene says his lifelong fascination with cannabis started at age ten when he read The Emperor Wears No Clothes and grew his first plant.

Sonoma county | Kerry reynolds

Twenty-one thousand cannabis lovers poured into the Sonoma County Fairgrounds to get their taste of The Emerald Cup this year.

Some say the sheer size has changed the event’s character. But for me, The Emerald Cup will always be a family reunion and coming-out party for a long-hidden tribe of freethinking, earth-loving self-reliant outlaw farmers. As survivors of raids, rip-offs, early rains, and other hazards of farming a quasi-illicit yet supremely beneficial plant, the core participants share a common bond. Besides, it is the largest marketing event ever created to promote the superiority of cannabis grown organically and in the sun.

The 215-area, which required a doctor’s medical cannabis recommendation to enter, allowed visitors to sample cannabis-infused sweets from 30 vendors in “Edible Alley” before going under the tall roof of the fairground’s Cow Palace where another 100 cannabis businesses lined five wide aisles. The organic emphasis of the 14 | TheEmeraldMagazine.com

event shone through with the dozens of pioneering and second-generation earth mammas standing behind counters of buds, tinctures, and salves, fielding questions and requests from the bustling crowd. At one booth, I was thrilled to see the smiling face of a vibrant herbalist elder who has sold her food at farmers markets for decades, but was selling cannabis publicly for the first time. You won’t find many of these women at other cannabis trade shows. Yet for one weekend each December, the Sonoma County Fairgrounds morphs into the Emerald Triangle itself.

A large array of organic food booths lined the path back to the halls, hosting a full schedule of workshops, and educational and political panels featuring leading cannabis researchers, activists, and cultivation-wonks. The volume of information offered at nonprofit booths dotting the fairgrounds made it challenging to break away to the panels. Fortunately, several panels can already be viewed on The

Emerald Cup YouTube channel, and more are added weekly.

Rolling Stone dubbed the event last year as “the Academy Awards of the cannabis industry,” and the award ceremony on Sunday afternoon was once again an Emerald Triangle version of the glitz and dazzle of Hollywood’s big night.

Event founder Tim Blake kicked it off, noting the huge growth of the event and that some booths were $25,000 affairs, comparable to what’s seen at high-tech trade show.

“I’m really impressed by what everyone has done to brand themselves, to step up and really make us look like we should,” Blake said.

He then gave a measured response to the tense debate the night before over the California legalization initiatives. The debate revealed strong divisions, reminiscent of the 2010 failure of Prop. 19, and made legalization approval in California this November look more challenging. When Blake noted during that debate that he was likely going to endorse the Adult Use of Marijuana Act (AUMA), one activist began yelling and was escorted out of the room.

“It got a little heated there. I don’t blame people. We’ve been picked on long enough.

We want to be proud and we want to be free,” Blake said on the award ceremony stage, but still maintained that AUMA, backed by high tech billionaire Sean Parker, is “in all likelihood going to pass.”

Acknowledging AUMA’s imperfection, Blake pointed out a concession made to small farmers. “They were going to have unlimited size grows and they’ve brought it down to limit it for at least five years to one acre farms.” He also mentioned an alternative concept he supported in principle.

“If we had 50,000 farmers that put up $400 a piece, and we put twenty million dol15 | Emerald | January 2016

EMERALD cup cont’d

“

If we had 50,000 farmers that put up $400 a piece, and we put twenty million dollars up, we could write what we want… but are we willing to do that?

lars up, we could write what we want…but are we willing to do that?” Blake asked. “I would say if we could get someone to really lead this thing that we should do that, but is there time? I don’t think so.”

Blake then presented the lifetime achievement awards of matching custom glass pipes to Chris Conrad and Mike Norris, life partners who’ve devoted over twenty-five years to writing, educating, collaborating, and speaking up for greater freedom for the cannabis community. They gave rousing speeches about the battles still ahead on the road to legalization. Before leaving the stage Chris Conrad implored, “Join me in passing the Adult Use Act or another initiative, and once its passed we’re not done. We have a lot of work because it leaves penalties in place, and we’re going to have to go to the legislature and get that all fixed. Going in by myself is not going to work, we’re going to have to stand side by side and fight for this together.”

Once Mikki and Chris exited the stage, the flower judges marched in, attired in matching green doctoral gowns and regalia.

They surprised Tim with a painting depicting him receiving a cannabis plant from Jesus descending from a UFO. Anyone who’s been to Area 101 has seen the homage to aliens, and Tim describes UFO encounters in his new memoir, Cannabis Crusader. Winners were announced and many proudly took their moment on stage, some shedding joyful tears.

Nikki and Swami are the dynamic life partners who anchor the flower judging and announce the best flower contest winners each year. Swami likes to throw in little sermons about respect for the earth and how adult use should be called inspirational rather than recreational, while Nikki playfully grabs the microphone back to announce the awards.

As they gave the final top flower and breeder award to Mean Gene from Northern Mendocino for his Cherry Limeade, Swami offered one final message that pointed once again to the uncertain quest for a 2016 legalization initiative. Swami cried out to the crowd, “Register to vote!”

CANNA-BIZ PRODUCTS AT THE CUP

ZEN CARE COLLECTIVE

Zen Care is a Northern California collective that focuses on providing patients with tested, clean green certified cannabis flowers.

THE SPRAY & THE OIL The Spray & The Oil is a Mendocino County company that provides patients with topical pain relief.

17 | Emerald | January 2016

Vinum, et al

If you’re reading this then Mazel Tov on surviving the holiday season! Unfortunately it’s still arctic outside.

The indoor season has commenced in more ways than one so I thought I might throw you a bone and give you a few creative ideas for keeping warm inside when, baby, it’s cold outside. This month let’s avoid getting pneumonia and keep it caliente. Make it your mission to try at least three of these things.



Four words: Build. A. Blanket.

Fort. Strip the beds, pull down the drapes and make a fabric mansion.

The next step is super simple. Just fuck in it. That’s all. Get sweaty.

Maybe take a short siesta and then bump each other again. Shazam.

If making a mess of your place sounds taxing, try turning your bathroom into a sauna. And since El Nino stormed into the party don’t fret about the drought too much. Turn that shower on, steam up your pee room and then smear up shower doors and mirrors like you’re trying to recreate that scene from Titanic where Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet lost their virginity. The best part here is how the next time you’re rinsing off there will in all probability be residual evidence. A ghost smear, if you will. You’ll remember, smile and then wanna do it again. I’m here to help.

H I G H L I FE S E X PE R T GET WARM THIS WINTER

This next may be a bit of a stretch for some but I would totally do it. Play the ‘Hot Tub Time Machine’ drinking game. If you aren’t familiar with this cinematic masterpiece it’s time to acclimate. The rules are loose (like my morals, haaaaaay) but I’ll give you a few bullet points. Drink whenever a ‘Karate Kid’ film is referenced, drink for the duration of the chainsaw throwing scene (Crispin Glover was here recently, so pay homage.), drink whenever anyone vomits, drink whenever an eighties song is played (you’re gonna be so hamskied), drink whenever one of the characters is depicted as their younger selves, or when anyone says anything about the “Great White Buffalo.” Then, when you’re nice and toasty, start humping. Moving on.

Netflix and Chill! Super simple stuff. Or... (and this is just a gentle suggestion) Imax and Climax. Get loud and stay warm. Actually that sounds incredible. I know what I’m doing tonight.

sex

s h erae

Happy hour! When there is inclement weather it’s happy hour everywhere.

Do not debate me! Experi-







F irst t h ing ’ s

FORGET THE

BRING OUT THE

first

Build a Fort

18 | TheEmeraldMagazine.com

THE HIGH LIFE

DROUGHT

Turn the Shower on

colu m nist

O ’ s h aug h nessy

 IMAX & CLIMAX

B O OZE

Drinking Games

Make it a Movie Night

Off Season Wine Tasting

Turn that shower on, steam the room up and then smear up shower doors and mirrors like you’re trying to recreate that scene from Titanic

ment with exotic cocktails.

Tie one on and get loose.

Assuming you’re in good company, use those lowered inhibitions to get weird. I’m talking pomegranate martinis and Kama Sutra. There are sub-zero temperatures out there so get tangled up in them sheets.

A naked video game marathon sounds amazing and as I’m typing this I can’t believe I’ve never had one. For shame! Tell me Mario Kart and Mexican hot chocolate in the buff doesn’t sound dope? Say that out loud right now and try not to feel stupid. You can’t. It’s a universal impossibility. In fact this is the suggestion that I am super suggesting.

Strip down to your business socks, grab a mug and smack talk each other until the dialogue gets nasty. *This may only apply to people who truly appreciate the majesty of a Nintendo 64.

At this point, let’s assume you are snowed in. Or don’t have a job or maybe called in sick. So you’re home- based for the day and are running low on activities. Put your pajamas on.

I’m talking the two-piece, flannels your Mawmaw got you at Costco. Put them on.

And pull your parts out of the alloted slot. We’re calling this the “Pajama Screw.”

I don’t care if it’s midday.

You’ve got nowhere to be and no one to answer to because you already told your boss you’ve got some madeup disease and feigned a cough. Pull your junk out and grind. Whomever you choose to copulate with is fantastic providing it is completely consensual. You’re burning calories, burning daylight and setting your loins on fire. Hot, hot heat.

I’ve provided you with many creative outlets this month. I expect little down time. Godspeed.

Empty tasting rooms, impromptu tours and case-purchase deals are just some of the perks of a getaway to wine country in January. Have you ever tasted a Sauvignon Blanc that’s still in tank? Most stainless-steel SB gets bottled toward the end of January. It’s a treat to have the winemaker hand you a pour right from the spigot. Most larger and more formal wineries won’t offer such warm and fuzzy encounters but the smaller guys do. It’s more about timing than anything else.

The other reason to make an offseason journey is the cost of accommodation. The price of a comfy bed and a hot shower drops dramatically this time of year. Get online and book a room in northern Sonoma or Anderson Valley in Mendocino. Or, how about a weekend stay in Jacksonville and Applegate Valley? Each of these wine destinations is only a few hours away from HumCo depending on your starting point.

Here are some tips to get the most out of your wine trip. Please learn to spit. Seriously, if you visit 5 wineries in a day and you drink every drop you will face plant at dinner and be immobile (and boring) the following morning. It’s perfectly acceptable to move the bar spittoon closer to you and spit directly into it. It’s what the professionals do. You will absorb plenty of alcohol through your mouth tissues and still enjoy a buzz. Don’t brush your teeth or chew gum or mints at least two hours before tasting. Additional wine tasting etiquette: Don’t wear perfume, cologne, hairspray or strongly scented body lotions. Also, have an open palate. Try everything that is offered. You’re spitting remember, so you will have elevated stamina.

Tip your server if the experience was above and beyond.

I’ll conclude with recommending a handful of small wineries. Russian River – Arista, Jigar, Joseph Jewell, Joseph Swan, Paul Matthew. Dry Creek – Amphora, Kokomo, Mounts, Unti.

Alexander Valley - Hawkes, Robert Young, Stryker. Anderson Valley – Foresight, Handley, Toulouse. Applegate Valley – Caprice, Quady North, South Stage Cellars. *Pam Long is a Master of Wine student and wine educator. She presents seminars through HSU’s College of eLearning & Extended Education and OLLI programs. ipamlong@gmail.com.

19 | Emerald | January 2016

SUBMITTED BY ANONYMOUS

BEHIND of CALIFORNIA’S In retrospect, I should have felt alarm. I might have suspected that nothing would ever again be quite the same. But it all began innocently enough. July 30, 2015, after a splendid day tending the weed at five thousand foot elevation in the mountains of Humboldt County, California, a light show began in the darkening shadows across the sky. Dry lightning, the sort usually accompanied by heavy rain, began crackling and thundering. As evening set in and the stars began to twinkle, the cadence of the electrical storm quickened, and the silhouette of the “Trinity Alps” against the sky was awesomely zapped and strobed in great flashes of white hot lightning. There was almost a Hollywood quality to the sky show, as though the credits for Mel Brook’s Young Frankenstein might roll across the horizon while the great cracks of

thunder melodramatically overwhelmed the darkness.

But no rain fell. My comrades in our collective were absent, taking a little summer break at the annual Reggae on the River festival in southern Humboldt. My long suffering back was barking at me. My doctor’s prescription for cannabis was the perfect medicine for the pain, and something I normally treat with edibles to dull the pain throughout the night. But with that gorgeous light show going on, I wanted to take my medicine in such a way as to best appreciate the remarkable weather conditions, so I broke out the bong and took two deep draws of some early harvest bud. Oh yeah. How could I even be aware of my aching back with such fresh medicine and such a brilliant light show? It was baad.

But no rain fell.

No rain fell. By and by, I did notice a few glowing spots on the mountain across the Trinity River valley from me. Nothing as dramatic as the lightning. Just little glows of yellow and orange. It turned out over three hundred forest fires were ignited by dry lightning in California that night. That beautiful night. Over the next few weeks those little glowing hot spots would grow and combine into the 73,000 acre Mad River Complex of forest fires. But for now, I did not register any alarm and I slept deeply. Alarm would not set in until morning when I awakened to discover small plumes of smoke rising from a half dozen locations on the mountain across the river valley from me.

The sort of plumes that rise from stoves in cabins during the winter months. But this was the last day of July and it is very uncommon to see plumes of smoke during the hot, dry summer. I was alarmed at the sight.

But more alarming was the smell. I could not see anything yet, but clearly there was something on fire above me. Every so often I would catch a whiff.

One thing I have learned out here in the mountains is that mountains are better understood from a distance. It is much easier to “read” the terrain with some perspective. The hollows and draws and rifts and ridges are much easier to appreciate at a distance.

When I am insignificantly right on top of these features, it is much more difficult to discern patterns and understand their relationships to other features.

Our State of California sanctioned “grow” occurs on a quarter section of mountain with approximately 800 feet of elevation change on the property.

Eleven “flats” had been cleared and leveled as areas to pile logs during timber harvests a few decades back. My team, a collective of patients with medical cannabis prescriptions, had erected greenhouses on one flat where the light cycle could be controlled, while “full season” plantings had been made on three of the sunniest additional flats. Rutted roads connected these flats and provided access to the outside world; up to a major forest service road, down to the river valley. Upon purchase of the property, great efforts were made to improve these roads, to fill in the wash outs and to grade over the ruts. Still and all, this is four wheel drive country!

GAS MASKS MAKE FOR A GREAT AID WHEN FIGHTING OFF SMOKE INHALATION

It finally sank in that this was a bigger deal than I had allowed.

A hugely bigger deal. And here I was, alone, my cohorts dancing in Southern Humboldt.

Although I had just watered the full sun plants the day before, and the greenhouses yesterday, I began watering again, just in case I might have to evacuate.

Despite much bad press concerning the environmental atrocities of illegal trespass grows in our national forests or on Native American reservations, even law enforcement will admit that many private grows fully comply with the rules and regulations of government agencies. Our property has building permits from the county, harvest and grading permits from the Forest Service, water diversion and usage permits from both the state Fish and Wildlife Department and Water Board. Engineers designed the septic system, the road grading. Foresters approved the timber plan, etc. The number of cannabis plants was determined by the number of members in the collective, in compliance with Humboldt County. But our mountain was on fire. HOLY SMOKE! Indeed.

It finally sank in that this was a bigger deal than I had allowed. A hugely bigger deal. And here I was, alone, my cohorts dancing in southern Humboldt. Although I had just watered the full sun plants the day before, and the greenhouses yesterday, I began watering again, just in case I might have to evacuate. I knew that at least some portion of the crop would likely survive a major fire, two of the flats being significantly away from the tree line, but I also suspected that getting back up the mountain to water our plants after the fire had passed would be problematic. I watered everything and closed the valves on the storage tanks except for the tank that flowed to the cabin. The smoke had been getting worse and worse all day. Everything was hazy. The valley below me filled with smoke. And smoke appeared to be wafting down the mountain toward me, but the winds and drafts were so tricky that it was impossible for me to ascertain where exactly above me the fires were concentrated. Hopefully, there were no fires anywhere near where the jeep was parked.

With dusk, however, the extent of my problem became evident. Up mountain, there were many “hot spots” to the left. An evacuation might be possible; the road de22 | TheEmeraldMagazine.com

scended to me from the right. Across the valley a half dozen hot spots glowed like embers, slowly spreading as the night progressed. Beneath me and to the right, a plume of white smoke against the hazy sky indicated a major fire. This was not encouraging because the logical evacuation route down the mountain would have to go right through this area. That night was long. It was all so beautiful and surreal, but the anticipation was sheer terror! I arose a couple of times to walk around the property. It seemed to me that the heat must be creating it’s own localized wind.

Dawn broke and I was indecisive. I actually convinced myself that with less breeze, the fires were not likely to burn as hot. Perhaps they would burn themselves out, or around me. I would later learn that about that time friends had made an attempt on the upper road to come and fetch me. However, a mile from our gate, the fires were too intense and my comrades turned back. Around two in the afternoon, the wind picked up, the fire

turned toward me, and with fire crackling its way down the driveway above me, suddenly a stand of Douglas fir near the cabin burst into flames. From that point on until late that night, my memory is in slow motion. I’m not even going to attempt to describe the terror of the wind carrying fireballs from 200+ foot fir trees and seemingly spitting those fireballs at me. There I was, choking on smoke, with a silly garden hose, putting out fires on the deck, the cabin roof, the tool shed. My abundant ineffectiveness was matched by my stubborn determination.

Eventually the fires must have burned the plastic piping coming down the hill from the water tanks, for my garden hose sputtered to a trickle, then stopped completely. Only then did I recognize what look had been on my two dog’s faces throughout my time playing fireman. Clearly they were wondering, “Why are we still here?”

With that realization, I put down the flaccid hose and the dogs and I walked down the mountain. Well, sometimes we ran. But

FIRE’s EFFECT on CANNABIS Smoke in the air will limit how much light gets to the cannabis plant. This will

Anonymous survey results

reduce the effectiveness of photosynthesis thereby reducing the rate of growth.

The smoke itself might also have an effect on the plant. Particulate matter from the smoke will produce layers of grime and dust that are filled with toxins and ash on the surfaces of leaves. The leaf stomachs will be clogged and the smoke absorbs a lot of light. Smoky air does have a high concentration of carbon dioxide, but it also contains a wide variety of unburned toxic hydrocarbons like sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide.

- ilovegrowingmarijuana.com

In August 2015, the Emerald Magazine posted an anonymous survey asking Emerald Triangle Growers how the wildfires have affected their crops.

The majority of survey responses indicated that those replying had been directly impacted by wildfires. One said he lost 38 long season plants with an estimated value of $15,000. Twentyfive percent believed the street value of cannabis would rise due to the loss of crops.

23 | Emerald | January 2016

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mainly we walked. Eight or nine miles. To a Red Cross comfort station. Word up. I am in complete astonishment at how all the various government and private entities knit themselves together during our California wildfires to weave a marvelous social fabric.

A gorgeous tapestry, I’d have to say. It was a beautiful thing for me to stumble down the mountain into the welcoming arms of the Red Cross. I was thankful to see fire crews and law enforcement working tirelessly to save lives, to prevent property loss, to calm the confusion. It was remarkable how quickly the fire dangers were assessed and addressed. Fire camps were established that would grow to thousands of residents each.

Community centers and other public buildings quickly transformed into canteens and supply depots. The rock quarry became a diesel fuel depot for all the fire trucks. The little Dinsmore airport became a heliport, each helicopter with its own camp of attendants. Firemen even showed up on bulldozers from Alabama! Within days, firefighters and their auxiliary personnel were on hand from 23 states. It was the most organized pandemonium I have ever witnessed. (Think of Dday movies without the machine guns.)

I am certain I am not the only grower with abiding gratitude for the benevolence and camaraderie of my fellow citizens. This Thanksgiving was the first time in my life I ever actually got down on my knees to give thanks. Yeah. That grateful. Our little medical cannabis collective also felt that same spirit of cooperation and fellowship. In good times, people can get sidetracked with petty grievances and jealousies. But given a serious peril, everyone became communistic comrades, arm in arm, striving ever upward toward a common goal. “SAVE THE WEED!” And save it we did. Three days after my hasty retreat down the mountain, a collective convoy went back up to assess the damage and water our girls. The devastation was breathtaking to see, hazardous to breathe. We had gas masks or, frankly, our task would have been impossible. Our own roads were confusing, because with acre upon roadside acre burned to a crisp, nothing quite looked the same. A few trees had fallen across our roads. We learned that chainsawing charred logs is a filthy job. For the first time ever we left the gates open,

both upper and lower, knowing that the fire crews would need access to draw water from our creek. The damage to our crop was substantial, but not devastating. Only one end of one greenhouse had melted. Only one flat was completely crisp. Other flats were just singed around the edges. Thousands of feet of water pipe had melted or burned. The cabin and trailer were gone. The aluminum rims on the jeep had actually melted into puddles. But the greenhouses that we had been pulling blackout tarps over every evening at

ed on the ribbon. Fancy! Their trucks were fancy as well, raising clouds of dust as they sped past our greenhouses. Those greenhouses had been built to facilitate the pulling of blackout tarps, but the sticky buds, five weeks into flower, would have been ruined with ash and dust had those greenhouses not been there.

As you might expect, the differences in the legal status of cannabis between the state and federal agencies soon became apparent. We were told that Cal Fire’s employees

six (in order to fool the plants into thinking it was autumn) were in full blossom. Fortunately, a large store of organic nutrients survived. Woven wire fencing for caging the plants and supporting the growing flowers survived. We mounted a water tank on a truck and from it pulled hoses through the woods to extinguish hot spots on our property. (Fallen logs and stumps could smolder for days, igniting new fires when the wind picked up.)

The creek flow was adequate despite the drought, and the state of emergency authorized firefighters to draw water from it and haul that water to other sites. We had to laugh at the Texas firefighters who had to hang ribbons of green tape from branches and bushes in order to even find the creek!

The name of the fire department was print-

had been directed to cooperate with, to work alongside growers. In one instance, Cal Fire directed the dozer group from Alabama to cut a fire line down the mountain explicitly to protect our neighbor’s grow. The instances of growers and firefighters working side by side and coordinating their efforts were numerous.

Not so the federal forest rangers. Naturally, with all the equipment being moved around, and the danger posed by the fires, there were numerous road closings. The state authorities “soft” closed their roads, so that folks who could prove they owned or lived somewhere could access their property. Not so the feds. Forest Service roads were “hard” closed, open only to rangers and firemen. If the feds caught us on one of their roads, we would get escorted back down the 25 | Emerald | January 2016

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mountain. But it was not long before we figured out their duty schedules and observed the codes written on firefighter’s windshields.

We took precautions accordingly and managed to get a convoy in and out twice a week to work our grow. Our American gas masks were cumbersome. It was hard to see the buds over the cheek mounted canisters. We were all grateful at the arrival of a special order of Polish Cold War gas masks with the canister extended on a hose and clipped to our belts.

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Those communists may have lost the Cold War, but they sure knew their gas masks!

By Labor Day the fires were pretty much under control and the air was fit to breathe.

Some of our group moved back on site in a tent. The buds on plants that had been half burned were huge! (We suspect the unspoiled roots were pumping all that water and nutrients into only half a plant, making for some bodacious buds!) The greenhouses were bursting with harvest. That month of un-

JANUARY 23

RD

- Return home only when authorities say it is safe.

- Check and re-check for smoke, sparks or hidden embers throughout the house, including the roof and the attic.

- Use caution. Hazards may still exist.

Evacuate immediately if you smell smoke.

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FIRE SAFETY STEPS - ready.gov 1. If You See A Wildfire Call 911 - Don’t assume someone else did

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breathable foul air had not fouled the plants.

They loved it! And the diffused light in the smoky haze? The buds seemed to fill out a little softer and less dense. They appeared to grow more like indoor bud does. I’m not going to try and explain here why plants enjoy air that is more concentrated with carbon dioxide. Ask Dr. Science if you are so inclined.

But I will say that it is with good reason that some folks with indoor grows supplement the air with carbon dioxide. And here we were,

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After math of california’s wild fires

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27 | Emerald | January 2016

Reminisce of the fires

blessed with bud grown in air that had been naturally supplemented. Will wonders never cease?

On September 13, seven weeks after the lightning strikes, our particular fire was declared “contained.” Our roads were open. The fire camps were de-camped. The fire trucks went home to 23 states, the dozers too. And the helicopters. All gone. Life on the mountain began to feel “normal” again. But it’s a new normal. For one thing, we all know our neighbors now. Gone are the days when we shyly averted our eyes and pretended not to see each other. Now we know each other, we appreciate each other, and we are poised to cooperate with each other. For another thing, all those firemen from all those red states, coming out here to the wicked blue state of California, working side by side with growers to save the weed? Those firemen went home having learned we growers are not the evil monsters they had been led to believe we were. They found us to be family oriented, highly educated, seriously motivated, hard working tillers of the soil with necks reddened by the sun. We’ve shown political rednecks how to be actual rednecks. We’ve broken bread with anti-cannabis zealots. We’ve shared our beer and many laughs together. We’ve saved the weed together. Firefighters returned to 23 states with more objective views about cannabis cultivation. Surely that has got to count for something as our nation moves closer and closer to the decriminalization of marijuana. What was left of the crop is now harvested, trimmed, cured, and in the medicine bag.

And for all that trouble and all that terror and all that grief and all of life’s tribulations, what is the final verdict? Well folks, I don’t know about your weed, but my weed is fire. Best I’ve ever grown. All that trouble and adversity made for some seriously awesome bud. You can even open the container, squeeze a bud, and catch the slightest whiff of the mountain on fire. Just the slightest hint of a whiff.

Call it “Pre-smoked Smoke” if you’d like. Out here on the mountain we call it “California Wildfire.”

Try asking your local weed dispenser for some “Wildfire.” If you are so lucky as to score some, your aches and pains and whatever ails you will be much improved. You’ll see.

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Winter Indoor Gift Guide

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33 | Emerald | January 2016

MYLAR REFLECTOR

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APOLLO 9 DIGITAL TIMER Run up to two devices with exacting accuracy. $17.95 at most local growing stores.

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36 | TheEmeraldMagazine.com

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Royal Moby "Indoor growers can count on a harvestable yield of 75 grams per Royal Moby plant.

This strain takes up a lot of room and needs a lot of nourishment, but the payoff is a high THC content product that provides an incredible high."

OG KUSH Indica dominant and the plants remain short, with a yield of about 50 or 60 grams each.

SOUR DIESEL Best if you let it go the full 10 weeks. It is recommended to pinch & bend the tops because of the stretch, this will also improve yields. Great for the beginner or the experienced grower because it is not too nutrient sensitive and can be worked to perfection!

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38 | TheEmeraldMagazine.com

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POTTALK

CHERRYPIE

POT tALK

WITH EMILY HOBELMANN

Cherry Pie bud

Grown indoors in individual pots with organic soil.

As you might expect, I seek out people committed to growing superior organic cannabis when acquiring samples for Pot Talk. Humboldt County-based cannabis farmer Jonathan Gilbert is one such person. I got the chance to interview him back in September after he took the grand prize at the 2nd Annual Golden Tarp Award, Humboldt County’s own light deprivation cannabis competition.

Gilbert is this talented, intelligent grower affiliated with Emerald Family Farms. He’s a totally amicable guy that’s into what he does. It’s not about profits or popularity with him, at least that’s my take. He’s all about increasing the quality of his cannabis through efficient, informed and adaptive technique.

I sought out Gilbert-grown cannabis for this edition because I know he’s got a lot of indoor growing experience.

TheEmeraldMagazine.com

Gilbert-Grown

Cannabis

impressive indoor

And he was kind enough to share some of his small batch Cherry Pie indoor with me on the spot.

Thanks JG! According to the cannabis information resource website Leafly.com, Cherry Pie is a cross of quintessential parent strains Granddaddy Purple and Durban Poison. It’s got a healthy internet trail -- a bevy sites offer unique Cherry Pie reviews. Gilbert grew Cherry Pie at the request of a Bay Area dispensary owner who keeps the strain in his “stable.”

He wanted to see what Gilbert could do with it. He did well...

The dense and chunky nugs of Cherry Pie have a midnight kind of vibe, an army to olive green color with a dark purple, almost black tinge. Tiny bright orange hairs contrast beautifully with the rich backdrop. If you break open a nug and look closely, you can see that the purple is not just a tinge to the nug. The small sugar leaves interspersed throughout

the nug have extraordinarily detailed purple veins.

Also, the stems are remarkably thin with respect to the size of the nugs which are shaped like little fir cones, rotund at one end, tapering to a point at the other. They are the length of my thumb. And the buds are stable, not delicate or crumbly. Squeeze a nug and it’s sticky but not hard to break apart -- perfect moisture content with snap.

Both the smell and flavor are complex -- musky, citrusy, sweet but more sour. With respect to the smell in particular, I think it hits this borderline bitter lemon-andleather high note. The lemon is tart and punchy, but the leather is comforting and nostalgic. And I found that the smell is different at different points in the nug. It’s a real expedition.

That citrus is a prominent factor in the flavor too, but it’s got a honey layer too it as well. It’s smooth and sophisticated, and I get hits of cardamom, coffee and fennel. Like Cherry Pie, it is absolutely delicious. But I think it tastes more like a dark spirit, such as brandy.

The high is a mellow and creative. It wasn’t intense, and I appreciate that. I did get the munchies and cotton mouth, but my heart didn’t race and my stomach didn’t drop. I smoked a bunch of it and was able to stay up past 9 p.m. -- not wired or tired. That complex smell, appearance and flavor translates into a balanced and even keeled high.

Gilbert grew this Cherry Pie indoors in individual pots with organic soil. Each pot was given specialized attention, hand watered. Soil is of central importance to plant health, and Gilbert’s take on cannabis farming is cutting edge in this regard.

Gilbert versed on the chemistry and biology of soil science, and he is quick to talk in terms of beneficial bacteria, nematodes, mycorrhizal fungi, enzymes, polypeptide chains, chelation, interactions at the molecular level...

“

Both the smell and flavor are complex -- musky, citrusy, sweet but more sour

The Plants Were

short & stocky They were prone to growing herm clusters toward the bottom

It’s like he’s not afraid to help other cannabis folks start to think in these terms.

Like his linguistics, his soil is not bland or watered-down; he utilizes solid and liquid amendments with the fundamental consideration that soil is a complex ecosystem in itself, and keeping the soil healthy will enable him to optimize plant health. As for lighting, he used light rail technology with two 1000 watt fixtures. He says he saved an enormous amount of energy with this configuration, and the yield was the same quality as he normally produces.

The plants were short and stocky, and he says they were

prone to growing herm clusters toward the bottom. So he brought the plants up, manicured them from the bottom upward which eliminated the herm cluster issue. Perfectly formed flowers remained. The color of the plants was a dark military green color till around week five when they transitioned into a dark purple. He cured it conscientiously, avoided drying it quickly and aggressively.

And his conscientiousness comes through. This Cherry Pie is handsome, guilt-free organic indoor with explosive flavors and a therapeutic effect.

41 | Emerald | January 2016

ean Hodge is getting used to the slower pace of Humboldt County, his new home since September.

He moved here to start his business, Weedy Oil, which makes organic CBD-rich salves, lip balms, and soaps—products he was inspired to create after experiencing firsthand the healing effects of cannabis.

Hodge credits high-CBD (cannabidiol) and CBN (cannabinol) strains, and his own forays into homemade salves and topicals, with helping him heal after a near-fatal car accident.

Hodge was living in Huntington Beach with his wife and three daughters when, on November 21, 2014, his car was hit head-on by a pickup truck.

The truck that hit him was barely damaged; the 17-year-old driving the truck, and the passenger, walked away unhurt.

“It was a life-changing experience,” Hodge said of the accident, which destroyed his car, severed a tendon in his right arm, injured his feet, hips and shoulders, and left him with a severe concussion.

He was extracted from the wreck by the Jaws of Life, and for months could not remember anything in a three-day span surrounding the event.

His injuries, his ex-wife Catherine Hodge said, “changed everything for him.”

He was prescribed opiates for the pain. He decided to try medical cannabis, in addition to the prescribed medications, for his pain and post-trau-

S

W eed out t h e pain B y M . Hanson

matic stress, and found they had a positive effect.

He eventually transitioned to using only cannabis for pain relief—and even used edibles to manage his withdrawal symptoms from the opiates.

C B D p roject. org

43 | Emerald | January 2016

WEED out the PAIN

He was skeptical at first, not really believing cannabis would help. He said its effectiveness surprised him. Hodge began making his own balms and salves, and took online classes to learn more.

“He’s been able to get off all of the harsh psychoactive drugs that traditional medicine offers,” Catherine Hodge said. The opiates caused “profound change in his personality, for the worse,” she added, but now that he is off of them and using cannabis products, “he’s doing significantly better.”

“Five months ago, I could barely walk,” Hodges said. “Now, I’m running up to three to five miles a day.” Hodge also does yoga 3-4 days a week. He uses his salve before working out, and says that it has helped reduce scarring on his arm, where his tendon was severed. Although he still has mild and subtle aftereffects from his concussion, he said he is learning to be more aware.

“When they talk about (the effects of) concussions, now I know what they mean,” he said. “I had severe PTSD, which the marijuana helped with as well.”

A growing body of research is demonstrating the neuroprotective and antiinflammatory properties of cannabis, and

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high-CBD strains in particular. Research has shown cannabinoids to improve recovery time after brain injury, including stress-related trauma such as PTSD. Hodge grows CBD-rich strain Trident, and others, and uses organic carrier oils and essential oils in his lab-tested salves and balms. “I’m a firm believer in this stuff. It’s amazing,” he said.

For more information about Weedy Oil, email weedyoil420@gmail.com For more information on the emerging science of cannabiniol and healing, visit www.projectcbd.org For the latest in scientific research, visit International Cannabinoid Research Society at icrs.co

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WHILE THE CANCER WAS DISAPPEARING, MY BODY WAS HEALING FROM THE INSIDEOUT

Calming The Crazy Some patients have real issues with the psychoactive properties of THC, but I’ll say this, it is the only thing that helps with my mental challenges, and the effects lessen with time.

Sharon letts

YOUR RIGHT to a better life

Lets Work T og e t h e r 46 | TheEmeraldMagazine.com

As of 2016, 23 states, Washington D.C. and the island of Guam have legalized medical cannabis. Cannabis can be used to treat Glaucoma, everse the effects of tobacco, helps control epileptic seizures, stop the spread of cancer, decreases anxiety, slows the progression of Alzheimer’s, eases the pain of multiple sclerosis, helps types of muscle spasms, helps with the recovery of Hepatitis C, irritable bowel syndrome, arthritis discomfort and weight gain.

Three years ago this stoner turned a corner and became a full-fledged cannabis patient. But it wasn’t an easy transition. My world and body seemingly fell apart in the middle of a failed relationship wrought with infidelity and deceit; with a shoebox full of prescription meds intended to help failing me, as one pill confused the other and mania set in. At my lowest point I downed the bottle of Valium intended to calm my nerves.

Luckily, I had intervention.

Prior to my suicide attempt I only smoked the herb. When the little bottle of Valium was gone I had only pot. Lucky for me, cannabis smoked immediately elevates endorphins. It helped keep tears at bay, but wasn’t enough. I still suffered, with little emotional strength left. And on top of everything else, I just didn’t feel good, physically – a combination of thyroid disease and menopause - causing my emotional issues to escalate.

Around this same time, a spider-web-like mass was found in my right breast appearing to be lobular carcinoma; a mass, not a tumor, affecting up to 15 percent of women in the U.S. I immediately began eating, and then blending, raw leaves in a smoothie to combat the cancer.

I also began taking Rick Simpson Oil, or RSO, an extremely strong, concentrated oil used in the treatment of cancers and other serious illness. And then an amazing thing happened my tummy began feeling better.

You Are What You Eat In the book, “Eat, Pray, Love” author Elizabeth Gilbert shared that while having trouble meditating in an Ashram in India, the first question her guru asked was how her digestion was. It’s why the painfully shy and chronically depressed cartoonist Charles Schultz gave his alter-ego Charlie Brown tummy pains – when our tummy hurts, we hurt.

When my tummy felt better, everything else followed. My metabolism sped up; I lost weight; the constant bloating was gone; I was able to go to the bathroom daily – something I hadn’t been able to do in years; the fatigue and the big, black cloud hovering overhead lifted.

While the cancer was disappearing, my body was healing from the inside-out, as my endocannabinoid system accepted the cannabinoids of the plant, working together to right the wrongs of decades and the lineage of toxins making me sick. It also cleansed my organs after 13 years of ineffective and ultimately damaging synthetic prescription meds.

With my physician’s blessing I did away with more than eight pharmaceuticals - including hormone replacements - and all the negative side effects disappeared along with the myriad symptoms of both the thyroid disease and menopause.

RIGHT Elizabeth Gilbert’s 2006 novel, Eat, Pray, Love.

Cannabis Cornucopia Most of my many and varied cannabis delivery methods I make myself at home.

In the morning I make a smoothie with fruit and leaf. This is a full body treatment, warding off illness and preventing serious disease, such as my cancer, reoccurring.

During the day I smoke for depression, my immediate go-to when I’m feeling low. It raises endorphins immediately, gets into the bloodstream quickly, lifts me up and stops the crying jags. If the carbon causes bronchial issues I use a vaporizer – it also replaces steroid inhalers for asthma patients, and helps during a cold - but that’s another story.

In the evening I might enjoy a tonic in a cocktail - an infused alcohol, such as rum or gin. This is brilliant as the anti-inflammatory and anti-infection properties of the plant keep headaches and hangovers at bay. And alcohol breaks down the medicine in the plant without heat, so there are no psychoactive properties, as THC is activated with heat.

At bedtime I ingest RSO, a strong tincture, medible, and/or have medicated honey in my tea, as menopause is a sleep disruptor. This also works as another preventative against cancers, infection, inflammation and pain, and a bevy of both common and serious ailments.

Some patients have real issues with the psychoactive properties of THC, but I’ll say this, it is the only thing that helps with my mental challenges, and the effects lessen with time. One’s tolerance builds in the same way Valium or any opiate does, but with no damaging side effects, only healing within.

My thyroid is kaput for life, the cancer may rear its ugly head again, and they say I may have another ten years of menopause ahead of me. But I am blessed with the knowledge that with this plant I feel good today, and the only potion simmering in this witch’s cauldron is cannabis.

cannabis flower

47 | Emerald | January 2016

A ti m e will co m e w h en WE decide t hat it ' s over

Those who fight to end the prohibition of cannabis are as diverse as the individuals who consume cannabis for recreational or medicinal purposes. Among the many wellknown activists such as Snoop Dogg, Willie Nelson, Jack Herer, Cheryl Shuman, and Sanjay Gupta, there are thousands of other citizens who also speak out and fight to reform cannabis laws. One of those activists is Tammy Wood, a resident of Madison, Wisconsin. This is her story.

Living in a Prohibition World Some activists are born into cannabis culture due to their parent’s lifestyle, while others never encountered it in their lives. Many though, like Tammy, partook in their younger years. In high school, Tammy was your stereotypical stoner teenager who “skipped every class except literature.” When she got older and became a mother, as well as a career woman, cannabis faded from her life. It left her not because she no longer enjoyed or benefitted from it, but because many states had draconian cannabis laws that could have caused her to lose her job or children. Tam-

my’s journey back to the cannabis scene was one full of hardships and magnificent twists.

Hard Times Call for Big Change The story of how Tammy Wood became an active advocate is one of her favorites to tell. According to Tammy, “It is truly a great version of the American Dream and a testament to the sustainability of the cannabis industry.” After becoming a mother, Tammy began to work from home. Her husband, Brian, was a car salesman. Tammy helped supplement the family income by holding regular yard sales. Following the economic disasters of 2008, many families felt the crash full force; Tammy’s family being one of them. Automotive sales declined consistently for many months, putting a major strain on the family.

Tammy and Brian looked for other income opportunities. Tammy had given thought to becoming a vendor at carnivals.

Initially Tammy believed this adventure would be fun-filled, but it was much more difficult than expected. Vending at carnivals is very weather dependent, and it requires a

S E T YO U R S TAG E BE PROUD

49 | Emerald | January 2016

Wood pipe Smoke Shoppe

Magic is believing in yourself. w h en you succeed, we succeed. and S O D O E S

WO O D O F W IS CO N SI N by

J A M E S

everyt h ing else .

how big a market there was for smoking accessories, the idea of a Smoke Shoppe surfaced. In 2010, Wood Pipes Smoke Shoppe and Speakeasy opened its doors on Main Street in Kendall, Wisconsin.

The store thrived for 5 years despite a failing economy. Eventually, Wood relocated the store to the slightly bigger town of Reedsburg, Wisconsin, where it still remains a mom and pop shop today.

The Start of Activism After opening Wood Pipes Smoke Shoppe Tammy began to see just how disconnected her customers were from cannabis culture and the truth about the plant. Her tipping point was how many customers didn’t know cannabis and marijuana were the same plant.

She knew she had to educate the public. She was familiar with the “common stoner folklore,” such as the Constitution being written on hemp and that cannabis is more useful than for “just getting high.” To be a voice for cannabis, Tammy knew that she had to arm herself with factual and engaging educational information.

In her search for information to share with the world, she encountered a renowned voice for cannabis, Russ Bellville, who was NORML National Outreach Coordinator at the time, and is well known for his online radio show. Tammy became a frequent voice on the other end of the call-in line. Russ was able to direct Tammy to several Wisconsin chapters of NORML. Russ urged Tammy to read The Emperor Wears No Clothes by the renowned cannabis activist Jack Herer. The information in this book was enough for Tammy to say, “This has to stop, the war against this plant must end and I will not stop fighting until it is abolished.”

P R I E S T

Owning a cannabis shop in a non-cannabis friendly state: The story of cannabis activist Tammy Wood and her journey turning Wood Pipes Smoke Shoppe into Wood Pots Smoke Shoppe.

lot of physical work. Their glow in the dark merchandise was much harder to sell in the light of day than they had anticipated.

This was when things began to change for Tammy and her family. She and her husband knew that the potential for something great was there, they just needed the right merchandise. Noticing metal and glass smoking accessories familiar from their youth, such as bongs, bubblers and hookahs, on a whim Tammy and Brian purchased a few hundred dollars worth of merchandise in hopes of boosting profits.

And... “IT WORKED!” Within two hours of opening their carnival booth they sold out! Realizing just how big a market there was for smoking accessories, the idea of a Smoke Shoppe surfaced. In 2010, Wood Pipes Smoke Shoppe and Speakeasy opened its doors on Main Street in Kendall, Wisconsin.

The store thrived for 5 years despite a failing economy. Eventually, Wood relocated the store to the slightly bigger town of Reedsburg, Wisconsin, where it still remains a mom and pop shop today.

Within two hours of opening their carnival booth they sold out! Realizing just TAMMY WOOD

Cannabis Activist & Wood Pots Smoke Shoppe Owner

Glass Acessories

W O O D Pi p e S M O K E S H O PP E

Inside Look

JACK HERER

The Emperor Wears No Clothes

The Passion That Fuels the Fire Tammy says, “I live in a state where darker-shaded humans live a second class life, where darker-shaded children are arrested at a rate that is higher than any other in our nation, where darker-shaded men are more than twice as likely to have a felony conviction.” She also lives in a state with the 3rd worst roads in the nation yet “tax dollars are flushed away to continue enforcing laws that were pushed through by a bigot who stood within the halls of one of the greatest democracies on earth and convinced our legislators adults had no business deciding what to consume, because he feared the way ‘Negroes would look at white women twice’ and that they would have the audacity ‘to step in white men’s shadows’. Those are the words of Harry Anslinger, first commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics. Harry is responsible for the Marijuana Tax act of 1937 that ultimately led to the prohibition of cannabis.

W O O D

SMOKE IN ST YLE

DRAGON HOOKA

CLASSY GLASSY

A WIDE

RANGE OF GLASS WATER PIPES

SCENT FROM ABOVE

A VARIETY OF INCENSE STICKS

52 | TheEmeraldMagazine.com

O F

W I S C O N S I N

C O N T I N U E D

Tammy also lives in a state which once was one of the top producers of hemp in the country, where, instead, over 5,000 family farms have closed their barn doors for good. She lives in a state that arrests an estimated 19,000 individuals each year for this plant, while serious crimes like rape are downplayed. Last but not least, she lives in a state where thousands of individuals suffer horrendous medical ailments because they cannot legally access a plant.

Prohibition has directly affected Tammy too.

She wanted to host an educational cannabis fair, a comfortable place where individuals could ask questions and share knowledge. She clearly stated that the event was for educational purposes and lined up a great roster to bring professional and credible conversation and engagement to the event, including an author, leading members of 3 different NORML chapters, representatives from LEAP (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition), Ed Thompson, a local mayor, a Senate candidate and the first ever recipient of the Ben Masel Defenders of Liberty Award. And the courageous and dedicated Jacki Rickert who traversed 160 miles across Wisconsin roadways in her wheelchair, bringing attention the ridiculous draconian laws Wisconsin has regarding cannabis.

Despite all her careful preparation, Tammy states that “the reefer madness instilled by decades of prohibition incited such outcry from the village government that they set every hoop in sight on fire just to watch me jump through them.” Despite her uncanny ability to remain calm, enough was enough when “elected officials said out loud and on public record they feared the attendees at the educational cannabis fair I was planning to host may be inclined ‘to drop trow and shit in the park’ if I didn’t provide two additional porta-potties to the existing 8 flush toilets already available caused me to break. Their sheer stupidity and lack of decorum sent me over the edge.”

After yet another stressful call from the village clerk demanding another special board meeting to discuss her plans, a customer noted that

she looked stressed and offered her a cigarette. And so, she again picked up the deadly addiction of cigarette smoking four years after she had quit. The last thing she wanted was a horrible, disgusting cigarette and she stated the following, “What I really wanted was a nice sativa strain that would give me the energy to deal with the never-ending bullshit prohibition kept shoveling my way. But that less addictive, far safer alternative is against Wisconsin state law. The cigarette being held out in front of me was legal. It was legal and it really did calm my nerves that day. Yet here I am, five years later fighting an addiction

that will very likely kill me, all because we are presently governed by misguided laws that were based on outright lies and racism. I am here to change that!”

Activist Advice to Others Tammy says, “The easiest way to be an advocate is to stop voting for people who will lock citizens in a cage for using a plant. It’s noncommittal and it doesn’t require you coming out of the closet.” Contacting your representatives is also an effective way to make change.

The more individuals they hear from, the more likely they are to evaluate the situation from different perspectives. Being involved with

national organizations such as NORML or the Marijuana Policy Project is a great way to be active in the efforts for legalization. The hardest part of it all, Tammy says, is owning a business such as the Wood Pipes in a state where cannabis is still highly illegal. The ultimate goal of Tammy and Brian Wood is to turn Wood Pipes Smoke Shoppe into the Wood Pots Smoke Shoppe when legalization happens. Tammy wants to be able to offer medical patients the advice they need to find the right strains for their ailments.

She dreams of being able to help customers purchase the right flowers, concentrates, edibles or smoking acces-

“What I really wanted was a nice sativa strain that would give me the energy to deal with the never-ending bullshit prohibition kept shoveling my way... “

READ THE F U L L S T O R Y AT

TheeEmeraldMagazine.com

sories for their medical needs.

Tammy states “Additionally, when our customers come in after a long week at work and want to unwind for the weekend we want to send them out the door with the best dank Wisconsin farmers can grow. We want to be able to offer the freedom to choose; we can’t do that right now and that is the hardest part of my business.”

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53 | Emerald | January 2016

ELEVATETHESTATE

VERMONTIJUANA

Hill We Go Eli Harrington

CANNABIS LEGALIZATION IN VERMONT

dear emerald,

”S “B

)S

Vermont is into being #1...

But reforming cannabis laws via the legislature is a more complicated process

Vermont has Drug Problems...

And it’s both helping and hurting the legalization discussion

54 | TheEmeraldMagazine.com

With multiple cannabis reform bills hitting the legislature in January, a native Vermonter shares the law of the land...

There is Medical...

But the program is very conservative

RB

ernie

ernard

(below

three things to know about cannabis legalization in vt

from the top

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TO NA

Thank You for your inquiry

anders

(ABOVE) VERMONT STATE FLAG

Thanks to a certain Senator/Larry David impersonator--who is the best presidential candidate for federal cannabis reform and needs your support, not corporate money, damnit--a lot more people are talking about Vermont these days. So if you think about our Green Mountain State and picture your aunt and her partner who sell organic goat cheese, you’re probably: A - surprised we didn’t actually legalize recreational marijuana already, and B - understanding that our legalization discussion is uniquely Vermont-y and features the words ‘artisanal’, ‘local’, and ‘craft’ in almost every sentence...so here are three quick hits to pass around about the state of our state: There is mecial, but the program is tiny and the laws are conservative.

It was a tough battle to get medical passed in 2004 and it took some big concessions and determined collaboration with law enforcement to help boost the grassroots efforts of patients and the lobby-

ing of the MPP. Current VT medical outlines: qualifying conditions are VERY strict and mostly for , prescribing physicians must have at least a six-month relationship with a patient applying, and there are currently only four dispensaries legally allowed to serve the 2000+ registered patients and caregivers in the state. It’s all overseen by the Department of Public Safety and has been very successful in preventing meds from reaching the illicit market, but with VERY small possession limits (2 mature; 7 immature; 2oz smokeable bud), many patients still access the parallel market of high quality homegrown from friends in the hills.

Those dispensary laws also mean that the only legally legitimate local industry knowledge and legal cover (to do testing, store genetics, do extraction, and make edibles) is monopolized by these four dispensaries, which are protected by a law that currently caps the number at four.

As you may know, thanks to a 2011 law I signed, we now have four medical marijuana dispensaries operating in the state. The 2011 law also expanded the list of people who may certify the medical condition of a patient to include physician’s assistants and advanced practice registered nurses. In 2013, I signed a law that replaces criminal penalties for adults in possession of small amounts of marijuana with civil sanctions, similar to a traffic fine. By reforming marijuana penalties, we allow our law enforcement to devote more resources and time to the fight against highly addictive opiate and prescription drugs that are tearing apart families and communities.

I am aware of efforts nationwide to legalize marijuana. I am watching closely the effects of legalization laws in Washington and Colorado and was pleased to learn of the decision by the federal Justice Department not to interfere with the implementation of these laws. Furthermore, in order to better understand the complexity that surrounds the issues of marijuana legislation, my administration, at the Legislature’s request, commissioned a study on the issue, which was completed

by the RAND Corporation. This study has provided Vermont with extensive information about the effects of marijuana legalization in all areas of society, from public health and safety to potential revenue that could be raised by the State. I support moves to investigate legalizing marijuana in Vermont, however it is imperative that the process be rooted in rigorous and preparation before deciding whether to act. The RAND report was a major part of this preparation, and I look forward to working with the legislature as we continue to evaluate marijuana policy in Vermont.

Please don’t hesitate to contact my office again if we can be of further assistance.

Sincerely, Peter Shumlin, Governor 802-828-3333

governor.vermont.gov

In every scenario proposed and discussed, the dispensaries would have the inside track on a recreational license (but would need to form a separate for-profit entity before their rubber stamp), so they’re not particularly motivated to help the various business lobbyists open up recreational and see their patients go elsewhere. The different proreform factions are more or less playing nicely, but it’s too small a state not to collaborate, especially when the national prohibitionists (SAM-VT) are unified and organized enough to write the same op-ed every other week.

We’re into being #1, but reforming cannabis laws via the legislature is a more complicated process.

If you know anyone from VT, you’ve probably heard, but we’re pretty proud of our small state and its list of firsts. First state to prohibit slavery, provide a state university and public education, legalize same sex marriage without a court order...you get the idea.

55 | Emerald | January 2016

VERMONTIJUANA

So it’s appealing to our pride to be the first state to do this via our citizen legislature, but it’s a very complicated political process. Because our state government doesn’t allow for ballot initiatives, it’s MUCH more complicated than a single (or even multiple) yes/no proposition that’s already been hammered out by the various factions. Senator David Zuckerman--an organic farmer, longtime advocate for updating cannabis laws, and current candidate for Lt. Governor--proposed legislation last year (S.95) and a draft bill from the State Senate Government Operations Committee is due out in the next week.

Our outgoing governor, Peter Shumlin, is also a strong supporter and likely hopes to leave his post as the first ganja governor of the East Coast. Since the political stars are aligned now, there’s a good chance that we’ll havesomething in place in 2016, but what the final product looks like will be a product of A LOT of hammers negotiating details. The best solution is probably the creation of a cannabis control board that can more nimbly regulate and update medical and recreational VT cannabis.

ELEVATETHESTATE

We’ve got a way bigger drug problem, and it’s both helping and hurting the discussion.

When Rolling Stone ran the story about Vermont being “The New Face of Heroin” in April 2014--along with an iconic picture of a Rockwell-ian lumberjack shooting up--it changed the public dialogue and now we’ve got a full-fledged. Heroin addiction is increasing everywhere but in our small, tight-knit (read: affluent, blindingly-white) communities, we think it’s markedly different here.

This means the false narrative of “heroin is awful, drugs are bad, weed is a drug, we need less not more drugs” is heard nonstop and does impact some of the more skittish voters. Thankfully, we’ve got some serious leaders up the hill at the University of Vermont Medical School who just announced the first medical cannabis course in the country. And when talking about cannabis as a gateway, the aforementioned Governor Shumlin responded to the Huffington Post in August by saying, “I would ask a simple question: If marijuana is a gateway drug to heroin, what are the FDA-approved opiates that we hand out like candy?

So that’s the state of the Green Mountain State when it comes to legalization as of early December 2015, and while much has been done, the fun has just begun...stay tuned and help us Vermonters Elevate the State!

57 | Emerald | January 2016

OPINION

MATTHEW OWEN | Full spectrum photography

HUMBOLDT

S

Q

G

Elizabeth Warren Senator of Massachusetts “We must ensure that our public policy regarding medical marijuana is guided by the best science available, and in the absence of that science we must ensure that we are taking swift and deliberate steps to facilitate the research that provides for it.” www.marijuana.com

Amanda Reiman

Manager of Marijuana Law and Policy “The war on drugs is way more about the punishments handed down to vulnerable communities than about access to drugs.” www.telesurtv.net

Hillary Clinton

Presidential Candidate “I do support the use of medical marijuana; and I think even there we need to do a lot more research so that we know exactly how we’re going to help people for whom medical marijuana provides relief.” www.msnbc.com 58 | TheEmeraldMagazine.com

“In many ways we’re forced to go through the process in a backwards fashion” - Humboldt county supervisor, VIRGINIA BASS The California state legislature stirred things up recently when they passed four cannabis bills, consequently signed into law by our governor. This sent local jurisdictions (county and city) planning commissions on a fast track to complete local cannabis laws by the March 1, 2016 deadline for permits, inspections, zoning for indoor and outdoor grows, allowed plant count, water use plans, TINs (tax identification numbers), dispensaries sales, otherwise “the state would be the sole licensing authority for medical marijuana cultivation applicants in that city, county, or city and county” (there’s that “medical” word again).

In other words, if each city and county did not write their own cannabis rules and regulations the State of California would be the only source of cannabis law (other than the feds, of course). Keep in mind that without the stick, there is no carrot. Does anyone really think the State of California was going to pay for thousands of law enforcement officers and inspectors throughout the Emerald Triangle to regulate and enforce the cannabis industry?

The state has come out and said, whoops, what deadline? The March 1, 2016 was “an inadvertent drafting error.” What this means to the cannabis industry is the usual no enforcement nor guidelines from the state. The only thing that would cause local law enforcement to do their job is still complaint driven, such as your ex-girlfriend, neighbor, Google Earth, prop plane flyovers, drones, etc. making a complaint against a grower.

Instead of getting statewide, fully integrated rules and regulations for our cannabis industry, we’ve had a few Sacramento egos step forward, each trying to take credit with their bill, none of which had any teeth.

Considering cannabis is a multi-billion dollar industry, the largest unregulated industry in California, one might think our elected leaders would want to tame the Wild Wild West and most important, get a piece of the tax dollars.

For now, we have status quo again. Grow all the dope you want, wherever you want.

Grow on federal lands. Grow on your neighbor’s land. Steal water from our rivers and streams. Use whatever pesticides you deem necessary. Poison any endangered species with your chemicals. If you need to shoot your neighbor or potential buyer of your product, just bury them deep in the hills.

Clear cut any trees in the way of your farm.

Build any roads without worrying about soil diverted into streams. Forget about permits when you build your McMansion. Don’t worry about proper disposal of your butane canisters. Most important, never, ever pay any taxes from your business venture because the state just gave you a free pass for at least another year. Remember, it’s all about you and your profits. Forget about your community.

need to know There will be eight types of commercial cannabis licenses: Cultivator, Nursery, Manufacturer, Distributor, Retailer, Transporter, Tester, and Researcher. You’ll need to be a 21+ adult with two years’ residency in California and no violent or fraudulent felonies in your past. Marijuana crimes older than three years will not count against you. Cultivator licenses will be in tiered categories by size, with a special “craft” tier for farms below one-half acre in size. Existing medical marijuana industries will be granted provisional licenses and given precedence in acquiring the new commercial licenses[§26028].

marijuanapolitics.com

by

M O L LY

era. It was federal tax regs that finally took the mobster down. Ever since then, the SAR has been the best and often only way to bust really bad guys. The same rule caught some hapless growers though. Others, grown wiser, took to spraying their cash with air freshener or tumbling it in a dryer with fabric conditioner sheets, the nearest thing to literally laundering their money. Oh, the irony!

C A T E

B E T W EEN A R O CK A N D A HA R D PL ACE The Rock is the Federal scheduling of cannabis as a dangerous drug.

ABOVE

The Hard Place is cannabis banking.

C annabis bud in bloo m full s p ectru m p h otogra p h y

-

“But wait,” say those of you savvy about national news. Didn’t President Obama direct the feds to back off on persecuting, oops, prosecuting in legal states? Yes, indeed, and that has perversely increased the rock and the hard place squeeze. The Cole Memorandum, written in the summer of 2013, named for Assistant Attorney General James Cole, instructs federal law enforcement to focus on specific areas of concern; keeping cannabis away from kids, from crossing into non-legal states and out of the hands of criminals and international drug cartels, rather than going after legit cannabis businesses. And in early 2014 the U.S. Treasury Department gave banks in legal states the go-ahead to open accounts for

m ountains of colorado

T w h ile t h ere is no law forbid ding citizens fro m carrying a certain a m ount of cas h , banks are required to re p ort transactions over $10 , 0 0 0 .

he biggest state’s rights battle since slavery is going on in America right now, and it’s still all about freedom.

Four states have legalized and 23 states plus Guam have adopted medical cannabis laws. None of those places have accessible banking services for these legal operations. Imagine leaving work with your weekly or monthly wages in a bundle of cash in your pocket. Imagine needing to pay $100,000 per quarter to your state in employee payroll taxes, or rent or utility bills for your business, all in cash. Imagine the desperation as you try to find some safe way to store tens of thousands of dollars, document your sales, buy supplies, and pay your workers.

Colorado legalized cannabis first and they have gone first in the struggle over banking services too.

A Huffington Post online piece from May 7, 2014 announced that the state had just approved a network

60 | TheEmeraldMagazine.com

of banking cooperatives to provide basic financial services such as secure vaults and checking accounts.

But these cooperatives could not be insured, since bank and credit union insurance is handled at the federal level, through the FDIC for banks and the NCUA for credit unions. The push for coops fizzled in just a few days. The Huff Post quoted Colorado’s Marijuana Industry Group director Michael Elliott as saying they knew it would not fly; it was meant to “move the conversation forward.”

With the big boom in cannabis sales post-legalization, cannapreneurs were scrambling to find someplace safe to store all that money.

Some filled closets at home, some rented storage lockers, and some even bought exhausted gold mines.

Cannapreneurs paid their taxes with boxes or even buckets of cash. The

state arranged curb service, complete with armed guards, for cannapreneurs showing up in Denver to pay their state taxes, as required by law. Security companies like Blue Line Protection Group stepped into the breach to provide vaults, armored cars and former police and military personnel as staff. No checking accounts though.

Cannapreneurs walk a banking tightrope. They need safe money storage for oodles of cash and a way to document their financial activities for the state. But, if their money has that distinctive scent or if they are locally known as involved in the trade, the bank or credit union is required to file a SAR (Suspicious Activity Report) with the feds. The SAR is meant to target money-laundering operations that obscure illegal activities and dates from the Al Capone

CO L O R A D O C A N N A B I S FAC T S Inside the Green Industry

1

1. From January 1, 2014 - April 30, 2014 Colorado made $ 69,527,760 in recreational cannabis sales

2

2. Taxes earned on cannabis beat Colorado’s alcohol tax by nearly 38 million dollars.

3. Colorado’s retail tax is 10% while tax on 3 Cannabis is 15%

61 | Emerald | January 2016

HH AA RR DD

cannabis businesses. So, in theory, we were underway toward a saner system. In practice, banks and credit unions found themselves in the squeeze too.

Those recent federal banking changes hide a nasty truth. Now, every legal cannabusiness opening an account automatically triggers the filing of a SAR. Last December, a USA Today online headline shouted, “Feds stockpile reports that could incriminate pot stores.” The US Department of Justice has amassed hundreds of SARs that they can use to shut down Colorado’s legal cannabis trade in about 24 hours. Growers and producers could be put away just like Al Capone. Bank tellers could get prison sentences. Banks could lose their FDIC protection.

Financial institutions are thoroughly spooked. Customers speak of having their accounts closed within weeks of opening them. Some cannapreneurs have been accepted and then rejected by up to eight banks. Medical cannabis producers serving cancer patients and kids with epilepsy have had their accounts closed. Even a lawyer, Rachel Gillette, who is suing the IRS on behalf of a grower, was refused an account by several banks.

It’s a topsy-turvy time in the winter wonderland of Colorado. But, the feisty folks of cannabis culture are far from giving up and continue to challenge federal intimidation. And the challenge has spread beyond Colorado’s borders, with mixed results. The country’s first cannabis credit union was granted a state charter in Colorado on November 19, 2014, though it has yet to open its doors.

Fourth Corner Credit Union is set to offer checking and savings accounts and electronic transfers. Until they receive a master account number from the Federal Re-

serve, though, they cannot access the national electronic banking system. And, the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) has been slow to offer them insurance coverage.

Both of these actions have always been slamdunks for financial institutions before, once the state charter has been granted. Not this time. In a July 31, 2015 press release, Fourth Corner CU announced they had been denied by both entities; they are suing both.

The American Indian cannabis advisory group, CannaNative is ready to help tribal governments use their casino-running savvy to operate financial services for the cannabis industry. In a Bloomberg Business online article, San Diego area Native and Harvard Business School graduate Anthony Rivera (Acjachemen Nation) speaks of casinos as “little banks” that are quite used to lots of bureaucratic regulations and that take in large ‘deposits’ through gaming. Though tribes have sovereignty on

Oregon’s MBank, which had been quietly working with Oregon and Washington State cannabusinesses, splashily announced last January that they would accept accounts from Colorado, according to the Denver Post. This move made them way too visible and jeopardized MBank’s existing coverage of West Coast cannabusinesses. The Denver Business Journal reported on April 11 that MBank had given all of its cannabusiness customers 60 days notice that their accounts will be closed.

Though tribes have sovereignty on their own lands, a bullying federal presence is not uncommon.

their own lands, a bullying federal presence is not uncommon. It remains to be seen how this clash between the federal government and America’s First Peoples works out. With some luck, it could be the battle of the Little Big Horn all over again (remember who won that one?), finally opening a way for cannapreneurs to safely stash their cash..

It’s a topsy-turvy time in the winter wonderland of Colorado

ant h ony rivera

Acjachemen Nation

63 | Emerald | January 2016

Pro - Pot Court R uling Leads to

DENTS IN MEXICO’S

Cannabis Possession and Cultivation Permits for Four Mexicans K E R R Y

R E Y N O L D S

Dramatic transformation in cannabis policy is a safe prediction for 2016 not only for the U.S., but for our neighbors to the North and South as well. Canada’s newly-elected Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sent a mandate letter to his Attorney General in November that directs her to “create a federal-provincial-territorial process that will lead to the legalization and regulation of marijuana.” In contrast, Mexico’s President Enrique Pena Nieto strongly opposes legalizing cannabis. Nonetheless, first steps towards legalization in Mexico are progressing through its Supreme Court.

Last month the first permits were issued by the Mexican government to allow four of its citizens to legally grow and possess cannabis for personal use. The permits were mandated by a historic decision on November 4th by a chamber of the Supreme Court. By a 4-1 vote, the judges determined that the prohibition of cannabis consumption and prohibition of cultivation for personal use are violations of the right to “free development of the personality” as defined in article 19 of the Mexican constitution.

“

steps towards legalization in Mexico are progressing through its Supreme Court

The ruling only applies to the four actual plaintiffs who appealed the rejection of their petition to form a cannabis club. The petition was filed by the Mexican Association for Responsible Self-Consumption and Tolerance (SMART); and rejected by the by the Federal Commission for the Prevention of Health Risks (COFEPRIS). An English translation of the historic ruling can be found on leafly.com.

“It was fabulous because it really took off on the level that transcends most of the normal litigation and arguments,” said Pier 5 Law’s legendary attorney Tony Serra on Cannabis Consciousness News Episode #41. “The 88-page opinion is predicated on principles of human rights and state recognition of individual’s autonomy to engage in recreational activities that do not harm others,” he said.

“It’s rather amazing news,” remarked High Times journalist Bill Weinberg on Cannabis Consciousness News Episode #40. Weinberg, a specialist in the Mexican Drug War, explained that the court ruling is “…not as dramatic a development as it would be in the United States. Mexico has traditionally had a weak judiciary.

State Government Palace

Seen from the Zocalo in the historic Guadalajara downtown center, Jalisco, Mexico

Under the constitution in Mexico, the Supreme Court has got to rule on the question multiple times before it is actually stricken from the books.”

Four more similar decisions by Supreme Court chambers would make the ruling apply across the country, as per Mexican law. Indeed, that was the path that recently legalized same-sex marriage throughout Mexico when a fifth favorable ruling was made this past June. Weinberg is optimistic that the Mexican Congress could legalize it even before the Supreme Court does. He’s heard reports that a legalization bill is in the works, but not yet introduced in Congress, thanks to strong pressure from ex-Mexican President Vicente Fox and other advocates.

Tony Serra disagreed, pointing out that legalization is still very politically unpopular in Mexico. “Recent polls show only two percent will admit to using marijuana,…77 percent of Mexico’s population oppose legalizing marijuana and only 20 percent support it….No real chance of the legislature down there doing anything to decriminalize.”

“But here’s the huge positives,” Serra continued. “The spin, the media spin, is self-fulfilling!

The media is saying in essence, ‘oh boy, the Supreme Court down there ruled that its legal to use marijuana at a personal level’. Well they didn’t, but if everyone thinks that, that is the direction that the law will evolve because the populace will accept it and some will demand it.”

A growing number of Mexicans are disillusioned with the “Drug War” policies that have led to over 80,000 deaths over the past decade, said Weinberg. “People driven by desperation consider political solutions that were completely taboo before. Finally, the idealogical armor of the Drug War has got some serious dents in it. Uruguay led the way, but Uruguay is a very small country and traditionally a very peaceful country,” Weinberg said. “Mexico is a big country; one of the political leaders of South America; and it has really suffered a terrible, terrible cost from the whole prohibitionist model. If Mexico actually legalizes in the years or even months to come, that would be very significant for the entire hemisphere and the entire world.” *Kerry Reynolds is the producer of Cannabis Consciousness News, a weekly radio show providing national and global cannabis news and perspectives.

Her show airs every Thursday at 5:30pm PST on KMUD-FM, and can also be found on canconnews.com.

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republican club Texas ‘Marijuana Meltdown’ Panel Focuses On Children, Disease and Low IQ

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A panel event entitled “Marijuana: The Meltdown of our Country” was hosted in November of 2015 which focused on combating the consumption of cannabis by children.

Hosted by the Flower Mound Area Republican Club, organizers aimed to “provide an educational experience for youth to prevent them from going down the road of marijuana usage,” and to “assemble a panel of experts from the community to reach the youth to present factual evidence that marijuana is a gateway drug that starts them down the road towards other drug usage.”

Earlier in the month the organization created a Facebook event page which drew the attention of cannabis law reform activists, who questioned the accuracy of the information which would be provided. This ultimately led to the page being taken down by organizers, who stated that those people were intent on disrupting their meeting.

Some activists say that the page was taken down in an attempt to lead people to believe the event had been canceled. The day of the panel there was a large police presence, and some activists were turned away at the door.

The club cited overcapacity as the reason, though there were empty chairs.

A small handful of activists did make it inside after purchasing tickets for food at the venue, and Texas Cannabis Report has obtained audio from the event. However, no pictures or video were taken due to restrictions by event staff.

C A R T E R

The four panelists included Denton County Sheriff William Travis, Flower Mound Police Chief Andy Kancel, County Court at Law No. 1 Juvenile Court Judge Kimberly McCary, and Winning the Fight founder Kathy O’Keefe.

Travis, who has been the leading voice in Texas against cannabis law reform, stated that he wanted to preach a little bit to the crowd, and stress the point that “we’re not all about putting people in jail, we’re about solutions and reaching out to our youth.”

Texas averages about 78,000 arrests per year for cannabis possession.

He began by incorrectly stating cannabis is addictive, something other panelists would stress as well, adding that 9 percent of

the people who consume the non-toxic plant become addicted to it. He also claimed that it causes anxiety, depression, anger, aggression, undermines student learning, and causes a reduction in IQ. Drawing comparisons between cannabis and alcohol, Travis, along with the other panelists stated that cannabis was far easier to obtain. He also attempted to draw a comparison between alcohol content and THC content, saying that cannabis is more dangerous these days because of the increased THC content while alcohol content in beer has remained low. It has been found though that cannabis tested in the 60s and 70s was lumped in with hemp, which has an extremely low THC content, and it is believed that

Texas bluebonnet field

69 | Emerald | January 2016

while potency has risen, the averages are skewed and the increase has not been as much as many have been led to believe.

Travis encouraged parents to be on the lookout for signs that their children are consuming cannabis, and noted that consuming cannabis extracts in vapor pens has become popular.

“Marijuana is the number one drug being fought against in this country, and it is overwhelming law enforcement” he stated. He added that cannabis is very dangerous and will lead to kids doing other things, saying that 85 percent of the people coming into to Denton County jail started their career with cannabis.

Kancel began by stating that there are drugs everywhere, and that arrests for drugs have been consistent over the years in Flower Mound. He says that over 50 percent of arrests have been related to cannabis, while 20 percent are related to prescription medication.

He stressed the importance of community programs to help reach out to children to keep them safe and drug free, also adding that children and parents need to know that it’s ok to ask what’s going on in children’s lives. “Be upfront with children that it’s ok to look through their stuff and rooms.”

Drug testing kids was stressed by all of the panelists, and the Flower Mound Area Republican Club spent $500 to provide attendees with drug tests to administer to their children based on the notion that drug testing them automatically gives them an out when people offer them drugs.

Judge McCary was the most outspoken during the panel, saying multiple times that it was a night for telling the truth.

“I can count on one hand the number of bad children I’ve seen during my 22 years as Judge,” she stated. Some of the reasons she sees kids coming into her court for cannabis include untreated mental illness, depression, anxiety, and trauma. She says that these kids cope with all of this by self-medicating with cannabis.

McCary compares this to adults coping with life by going out for a drink after work, however since it is easier for children to obtain cannabis, that’s what they use for coping.

“Using marijuana for a short amount of time is really fun, but it will go downhill quickly,” she stated, hammering on her point that she has seen many children who started out with cannabis and ended up doing other drugs, often because the cannabis they get is laced.

Cannabis law reformers have consistently argued however that this is a symptom of prohibition, and that legalizing the plant for adult consumption will reduce access to children and put drug dealers out of business.

A member of the audience later questioned if prohibition leads to the problems currently being experienced, but the replies ranged from “people just want to make money” to McCary stating that loosening the law does not fix the problem, and it does not help the kids address their problems.

McCary says that sometimes kids find their parents’ stash and take it, and other times they are peer pressured into consuming it. She states that consumption causes kids to be stupid and lazy, fail at school and work, and not want to participate in extracurricular activities. She also says it causes kids to steal in order to pay for cannabis, and sometimes even sell their bodies.

At one point during the panel she said that cannabis scares her so much because it doesn’t scare other people, adding that cannabis causes people to become sick and contract diseases, though she did not cite sources nor are there any that substantiate those claims.

“No matter what you’ve heard, what you’ve seen, or what studies you’ve read, marijuana is a gateway,” McCary claimed.

O’Keefe rounded out the panel by telling the story of her son who died at 18 due to a heroin overdose.

A mixture of heroin, alcohol, cannabis, and Xanax were found in her son’s system when he died.

She says he began self-medicating with cannabis at 14 for ADD, but O’Keefe and her husband did not think that pot was that big a deal. She says that she realizes now she should have set boundaries and been firm with them, including drug testing her son. O’Keefe also stated that a lack of education on their part led them to be where they are now.

One resident of Denton who was in attendance felt the event was biased and lacked sound information. Caroline Turner, a member of the cannabis activist community, says that the atmosphere was very tense.

“There was an officer that had eyes locked on me the entire time.

There was a particular board member that was constantly glancing at what was clearly myself specifically.”

She also questioned the drug test kits that were handed out, saying “I think that’s a ridiculous idea. It’s the parents’ responsibility to establish a relationship that welcomes honesty.

And plus, why is the Flower Mound Area Republican Club funding going towards drug tests for members’ children?”

Turner gave her overall impression of the event, stating “according to organizers, this event was to talk about cannabis as a gateway drug. Considering that the gateway theory has been disproven and is a logical fallacy, added to the outright incorrect information cited, the true reason for this event seemed to be fear. I think this reflects part of the bigger strategy of the traditional Republican party in general. The only way an anti-government party

Recent polling shows that 58 percent of Americans support legalizing cannabis, and 86 percent of Americans are in support of using cannabis for medical purposes.

can maintain control is to scare people into demanding government intervention, which totally defies what you would expect the party standard to be. I was not surprised at all by the rhetoric of the speakers, but thankfully, their numbers are waning as we move forward in society.”

Recent polling shows that 58 percent of Americans support legalizing cannabis, and 86 percent of Americans are in support of using cannabis for medical purposes.

A survey by Texas Lyceum shows that 75 percent of Texans want to reduce the penalty for cannabis possession. As for legalization, about 46 percent are supportive while 48 percent are opposed.

71 | Emerald | January 2016

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NATIONAL CANNABIS Events JANUARY 2016

THE MOST LISTINGS & SALES IN HUMBOLDT COUNTY The Experience, Knowledge & Professionalism to Make Your Dreams Come True

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502 Business Connect

The Errl Cup

End Prohibition Demonstration

Olympia, WA

Tempe, AZ

Phoenix, AZ

9:30 AM | Start the New Years off right by connecting with like-minded individuals in the industry.

10 AM | The Errl Cup is Arizona’s first cannabis competition. Free admission with valid ID and medical card.

8 AM | Come join the movement in ending cannabis and hemp prohibition.

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Swedish Cultural Center

Cannabis Wedding Expo

Tri-State Quarterly Caucus

Seattle, WA

Denver, CO

New York, NY

12 PM | The Coalition for Cannabis Standards & Ethics is a Washington State Non-Profit whose focus is based around obtaining safe medicine.

10 AM | The first cannabis wedding will be an great opportunity for couples and canna-businesses to learn how to incorporate cannabis into their special day.

6:30 PM | The National Cannabis Industry Association is hosting their Quarterly Cannabis Caucus in the Vanderbilt Suites.

Kyla Tripodi Broker/Owner #01930997

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Huge investment opportunity! ±20 Acres of north-facing, heavily wooded land with spectacular views of the ocean as well as Stone Lagoon. There is power to the property. All that it needs is an opened building site and plans for your dream home! Call us today for your own private showing.

Charlie Tripodi Realtor®/Owner #01332697

707.834.3241

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Cannabis Career Fair

High Times Cannabis Cup

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11 AM | With the industry booming, many cannabis companies are looking to hire good help.

11 AM | High Times Magazine presents their So-Cal Medical Cannabis Cup at the NOS Event Center.

10 AM | Come build cannabis relations with growers, the public, manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers.

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SMITH RIVER – $159,000

Property is made up of two separate parcels, ±20 acres each. With building sites, flats, ocean views, a well and existing cabin all this affordable parcel is missing is you!

REDUCED HAWKINS BAR – $325,000

This ±29 acre property features an open meadow three acre flat with a gated driveway, PG&E lines to the property and beautiful river views.

BERRY SUMMIT – $3,200,000 NEW LISTING 12 legal parcels totaling ±2,240 DINSMORE – $750,000 acres only 30 minutes from Arcata! Property has convenient deeded access off of HWY 299 and Titlow Hill Road, scenic Redwood Valley views, and some parcels offer PG&E power. Water sources include creeks and natural spring fed ponds. Parcels have a variety of timber including Maple, Tan Oak, Cedar, Fir, Alder, Pine and Madrone. Several investment opportunities available. Qualified Buyers, please call us to discuss.

RUTH – $60,000

±5.5 Beautiful acres conveniently located next to the Ruth Store and Bar, just 10 minutes from Ruth Lake! Property features community water, PG&E at the street, and a developed camping site. Mostly wooded with a small meadow and creek as one of the boundaries.

SMITH RIVER – $475,000

This beautiful ±75 acre “banana belt” property features a small barn, a 1680 square foot two bedroom home complete with a bonus atrium, power, multiple building sites, community water and stunning views of the Smith River Valley. Property is comprised of 4 separate legal parcels.

HYDESVILLE – $459,000

Spacious 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom home situated on ±2.46 acres, secluded and private with your own forest and creek just steps from the house. Several out buildings with excellent sun exposure perfect for gardening!

Two legal parcels totaling ±85 acres, just 30 minutes from the Dinsmore store! This property boasts open meadows, timber, year-round springs, a massive pond, and gorgeous views of Burr Valley. Also included is a completed 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom house as well as a large detached shop and additional barn!

Both parcels have 2 points of entry and are great for hunting, grazing, and cattle. Owner may carry with $300,000 down.

FORTUNA – $479,000 Stunning Colonial style 4 bed 3 bath Victorian Estate with guesthouse, that boasts quality craftsmanship of old, combined with tasteful updates of comfort and convenience. Must see to appreciate this stellar classic Estate!

TITLOW HILL – $99,000

This is a unique ±3 acre property with gorgeous views, open meadows, timber, available power, and an impressive swimming hole, all a short distance from Willow Creek!

Contact us for a showing today.

KNEELAND – $289,000 ±80 acres located near the intersection of Greenwood Heights and Kneeland Road, only 25 minutes from Eureka. This lush end of the road parcel boasts harvestable Redwood timber, year round creek, and beautiful Humboldt County views.

This unique parcel is ready for your personal development, call today to schedule your private tour. Seller is truly motivated, submit all offers! Owner may carry.

FEATURED Jessica Ricker

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±18 Acres with amazing mountain views, this property is a must see!

Features include a well, 2 water storage tanks, septic, electric, and a 2 story barn with sleeping loft.

Lower section has creek frontage, one side of the property borders a swimming hole, and upper level has a cleared home site that is ready for your dream home!

Farmhouse style cabin situated on ±10 acres conveniently located close to the quaint town of Ferndale.

Abundant water, outbuildings, gravel pit and mixed timber.

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HAYFORK – $350,000

FERNDALE – $289,000

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NEW LISTING ORICK – $275,000

HYAMPOM – $599,000 ±615 Acre parcel overlooking the Hyampom Valley off of Route 1. Properties feature roads, terraced topography, year round water and amazing views of the Trinity Alps.

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