Athletes Win

JANUARY 2018

ATHLETES TREATING PTSD WITH CBD WIN! A CORNUCOPIA OF THANKSGIVING RECIPES

World Anti-Doping Agency Sees the Light and Lifts Ban on CBD Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Cannabis

HACKS FOR REVERSING YOUR HIGH PRODUCTS MAKING THE SCENE IN 2018

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january | elevatenv.com 1

from the editor

Publisher Guy Bertuzzi, guy@elevatenv.com

Editor-In-Chief Beth Schwartz, beth@elevatenv.com

Creative Director Brooke Bertuzzi, brooke@finetheagency.com

Contributing Writers: Celena Esquer, Richard S. Gubbe Media Consultant: Mark Damkroeger, mark@elevatenv.com

ELEVATION PUBLISHING LLC Chief Financial Officer Cassandra Lupo

FINE THE AGENCY Partner Kelli Maruca, kelli@finetheagency.com

Graphic Designer James Nigbur, james@finetheagency.com

Account Coordinator Kimberly Chang, kim@finetheagency.com elevate nevada magazine makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information it publishes, but cannot be held responsible for any consequences arising from errors, false data or omissions. elevate nevada assumes no responsibility for any claims or representations contained in this publication or in any advertisement. elevate nevada magazine does not encourage the illegal use of any of the products or advertisements within. Reproduction in whole or in part strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

Just as we were closing out this issue, we learned the heartbreaking news that Dana MarshallBernstein, daughter of Ed Bernstein of Las Vegas Releaf and Cari Marshall, lost her battle with Crohn’s disease. I was saddened to hear her young life had prematurely come to an end.

I met Dana when I interviewed her for the November 2015 edition of this magazine. At the time she was living in Cleveland waiting for a small bowel transplant. We talked about the many surgeries, 10+ bowel resections at the time, she had undergone since being diagnosed with the disease at three years old. More specifically we discussed how she had opted to stop using narcotics because they made her sick. She decided to give cannabis a try and see if she had more success with it during post-op and recovery periods. “I was a pretty good kid in high school, so I never really smoked pot before,” she told me. “So, when my parents came to me and said we want you to start smoking pot I was a little shocked, but it was helpful.”

A terribly clever wit, she relayed to me what it was like to smoke cannabis for the first time. “It makes for quite an interesting story. The first time I smoked pot, I was sitting right there with my parents on the couch, which was a little odd, but it made for quite an interesting father-daughter bonding experience,” Dana recalled to me with a spirited laugh.

We also chatted about using advocacy to deal with the autoimmune disorder that attacks the digestive system. Earlier in 2015 she had taken her advocacy of Crohn’s to the next level and allowed five months of her battle with the disease to be shared in the documentary “Semicolon: The Adventures of Ostomy Girl,” which you can imagine was a very brave choice based on the nature of her illness.

Dana, 28, who proved a sage beyond her years, posted a message to her Facebook page on January 1, 2016 that, although bittersweet now, is a message I am sure she would want everyone to begin 2018 with as a personal mantra.

“I've learned that giving things a chance can change your life and is worth it. I will always remember that in order to appreciate beautiful love, and compassion, and caring; that pain and heartbreak will be a part of that as well, but it is worthwhile. I've learned that I never want to stop feeling, because for me, that IS life. Existing is not how I want to spend my breaths, and I won't. I will suck in every bit of life I can, let it go thru me, experience it, and give it back to the world. The best part? I can do this anytime, anywhere, and I'm in charge of it.”

In honor of Dana and others we've lost during the past year, do your best to suck every bit of life out of 2018,

To subscribe to elevate nevada, visit elevatenv.com/subscribe/.

7120 Rafael Ridge Way, Las Vegas, NV 89119 Phone: 702.737.8464 | Email: info@elevatenv.com

SPREAD THE WORD: Dr. Nick Spirtos is conducting a study in the Las Vegas area and is looking for patients suffering from pelvic or back pain, as well as chemotherapy patients with nausea and vomiting. Please phone 702.326.0585 if you are interested in finding out more or would like to participate in his research. elevateNV

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CONTENTS

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Theresa A., Anxiety Patient

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Cooking Cannabis BELL PEPPER TACOS By chef Celena Esquer a.k.a. the Blaz’n Chef At the age of 12, Celena Esquer developed a passion for cooking. As a young girl, she enjoyed baking cookies, cakes, and many meals in her parents’ kitchen. Celena carried this passion into her adulthood. When she turned 40, Celena started experiencing some health issues and began to research what she could do to better her health. During this search, she came across multiple articles detailing the benefits of cannabis and how it helps improve your health in many ways. Pursuing her curiosity with regard to cannabis, Celena decided she wanted to help herself and others with the talent she has possessed since childhood.

Recipe development is an art that takes time and patience to perfect each meal to its fullest potential which Celena has made a standard. Self-taught in the kitchen and in the decarboxylation process, she began infusing butters, oils, and rubs. Over the years she has been able to create her own edible line using her homemade recipes and has also developed seasonings for her meals. After many years of research, Celena’s efforts are beginning to pay off in the form of her own company. As the proud CEO of her own cannabis catering company, Blaz’n Chef, Celena is sharing one of her easy and healthy recipes to kickstart your 2018.

BELL PEPPER TACOS

INSTRUCTIONS:

INGREDIENTS: 1 boneless chicken breast, diced 1 medium tomato, diced ¼ cup of yellow onion, diced ¼ cup of cilantro, chopped 1 medium jalapeño, diced 1 tsp. of paprika 1 tsp. of lemon juice

1 tsp. of garlic powder 1 tsp. of onion powder salt and pepper (to taste) 2 Tbsp. of cannabis olive oil 2 drops of lemon terps (optional) 1 bell pepper

DRESSING

ARUGULA SALAD

½ cup infused olive oil ¼ cup red wine vinegar 1 garlic clove salt and pepper (to taste) 2 Tbsp. of organic agave

1 cup of arugula 2 Tbsp. of nuts or seeds of choice

(red, green or yellow, your choice)

(sunflower and/or pumpkin seeds recommended)

2 Tbsp. of dressing

Add 2 Tbsp. of cannabis oil and one small ground up bud to your skillet and set to medium heat. Add diced chicken breast to skillet. Add onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper and sauté until chicken is cooked.

Add lemon juice. Add 2 drops of lemon terps (optional).

Add tomato, onion, jalapeño, and cilantro, sauté until all vegetables are cooked.

Wash and cut bell peppers into four taco shells, be sure to dry them.

For dressing, add canna oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, oregano, and organic agave to a blender. Blend till garlic is fully blended. Evenly stuff chicken mix into the bell pepper slices (yields four tacos).

In a separate bowl, add arugula, pumpkin seeds and/ or sunflower seeds and 2 Tbsp. of infused dressing, toss, and plate it with your tacos. Be sure to garnish your plate with lemon or lime and a slice of avocado. Enjoy!

Please remember when cooking with medicinal cannabis you are cooking with a medicine and the medicine amount and portions of the food ingested should always be taken into consideration.

Always start out with small portions or doses and wait 30 minutes to an hour before eating any additional portions of food that has been medicated.

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HOT POT

NEW PRODUCTS MAKING THE SCENE IN 2018

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WEB THERAPY

ROLL MODEL

PATCHWORK

Charlotte’s Web by the Stanley Brothers singlehandedly made hemp CBD a household name among seizure sufferers. Now the Brothers have expanded its application and are infusing that same healing elixir into a new line of topicals that includes creams and balms. If Charlotte’s Web can stop a seizure, just imagine what it can do for you skin. And, it’s just not your skin they are looking out for, they have also developed a line for dogs, CW Paws. cwhemp.com

Utilizing the purest, organically derived essential oils and active ingredients, hemp-based Elixicure comes in a handy roll-on that aids in temporarily relieving minor aches and pains associated with sore muscles and joints, strains, bruises, sprains, aches, and arthritis. Active ingredients include Hemp Extract 100mg, Menthol USP topical analgesic, salicylic acids, and Willow Bark extract topical analgesic. elixicure.com

Overcoming the challenges of topicals wearing off and tinctures not getting to the heart of the matter, Palmetto Harmony has released a line of transdermal full spectrum patches. Palmetto Harmony’s 30mg hemp cannabinoid extract patches have been designed with a time released delivery method without any harmful chemicals that lasts up to 12 hours. palmettoharmony.com

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California production house Papa & Barkley has added a THCa tincture to its Releaf product line. That’s a welcome development for those who want the benefit of cannabis for pain relief purposes without the high. Papa & Barkley’s 1:1 THCa:CBD tincture was created to give users the same healing properties as products made with THC, but with little or no psycho-activity. THCa helps with acute aches and pains, while CBD provides strong relief for inflammation and overall well-being. papaandbarkley.com

Dosing has always posed a challenge for cannabis users. INDOse has invented a vaporizer solution that allows users to accurately meter their dosage.

INDOse’s vape pen measures the exact amount of cannabis vapor being inhaled in real time with a built-in LED display that accurately indicates the milligrams of THC being inhaled. An audible beep serves to notify the user when desired dosage has been reached. indose.com

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HACKS FOR REVERSING YOUR HIGH

P

MARKETPLACE OFFERS ARRAY OF PRODUCTS TO REDUCE PSYCHOACTIVITY

By Richard S. Gubbe

Perhaps you enjoyed too much New Year Eve’s cheer and ate 19 times the milligrams needed for a good edible buzz and now you are in a bad way. Maybe you decided to try a new product and just didn’t dose yourself correctly. Or you had too many dabs and the boss calls and wants you at work. Perhaps you dropped a piece of an edible on the floor and your six-pound Chihuahua ate it.

What to do?

There are three ways to go here, other than panic further: 1) just go with it and let it pass; 2) take a CBD (cannabidiol) concoction to kill the buzz; or 3) take a chill pill made without CBD that claims to also kill a buzz quickly.

THE CBD CRAZE

There are numerous products popping up that claim relief just by using CBD, which has long been accepted as an effective means to reduce psychoactive effects. CBD is now recommended for pets, and in small doses could help that six-pound Chihuahua quit wobbling. While mainstream cannabis strains all have high amounts of THC, the amount of CBD in them is miniscule, thus hard to extract. Hemp plants are the opposite, with CBD being the

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dominant ingredient and THC found only in small, still illegal, amounts.

Extraction of CBD can be costly and challenging to deliver by vaping. In states such as Kentucky, CBD must be extracted inside its borders. Under Kentucky law you can’t take hemp out of the state in its whole form so, in turn, the product that leaves contains no THC. There are strains of cannabis that are CBD-dominant, but again, there is a small amount of THC that makes the strain illegal in many locales.

Word to the wise, just make sure any CBD offerings you purchase have been lab tested and are what they say they are.

UNDOING THE HIGH There are two types of products sprouting up across the country that boast a quick, natural way to clarity after too much THC. Some use CBD, commonly known to counteract a THC high in a mellow way, while others tout the restoration of clarity of the mind with non-cannabis plant substances.

CBD can make you drowsy when the high fades, but one product claims to make you clear headed. UNDOO, a soft gel capsule, claims to be effective in “emergency” situations and is

intended to ease the side effects of cannabis overconsumption when you eat the whole cookie instead of the recommended half.

“We consider it a cannabis safety net,” says CEO and founder Jimmy Carberry of UNDOO, which he debuted just over six months ago and now sells in 15 states.

Carberry disclosed to elevate that he has four patents pending on the product that uses ingredients commonly found in numerous plants. “I’m sure I’m going to get them,” Carberry said of his patents, including one for the reduction of cannabis effects.

“We want to help them not be afraid of using the (cannabis) medicine,” he said of developing UNDOO which has made its way to Nevada dispensaries.

The proprietary formula includes olive oil, olivetol, vitamin E and other non-disclosed herbal ingredients. UNDOO’s effectiveness works on the premise of these ingredients covering the cannabinoid receptors in the body to stop the high.

“I knew there had to be a biochemical switch,” Carberry said.

“I followed the chemical trail. I made it a true ‘nutraceutical’ so the FDA has no hold on it.”

Unlike CBD, extraction of his ingredients is plentiful.

“Olivetol clears the receptors off of THC,” Carberry said.

“The easiest way to access it is to extract it from lichens.”

Carberry said that best results are achieved after taking the soft gels with at least 12 ounces of water. The amount of time

will vary, depending upon the individual, the type and amount of cannabis consumed along with the ingestion method. Edibles take longer to counteract.

Carberry conducted a demonstration at the most recent Las Vegas Medical Marijuana Association luncheon. He gave a dose to a small group after he took them out and got them sufficiently high. The entire group reported satisfactory results.

UNDOO gets braggadocios by stating in its promotional

january | elevatenv.com 11

materials that the product produces “a sense of clarity yet (you) still feel the benefits of THC. You will be left clear headed but calm, cool and comfortable. …It does not eliminate the feeling of well-being often experienced with THC. …UNDOO soft gel eases the intensity, and shortens the duration of the effects, bringing swift relief typically within 5 to 20 minutes. However, with strong edibles and concentrates it could take up to an hour for significant clarity.”

UNDOO also claims to be effective the “morning after to relieve that foggy feeling.” That’s a lot to feel from a dose, especially the part about still feeling the benefits of THC while achieving clarity. The company notes the product does not work on booze and is not intended as a mask or cleanse for drug tests.

WHAT ELSE YA GOT? The delivery method of CBD can vary from vape pens to drinks to capsules. Made from hemp, the following two products also claim to peel back the haze.

CannaSafety has created a drink called CannaRelief that contains 20mg of hemp oil. The product is “a synergistic blend of high-quality ingredients that have been scientifically shown to counteract the negative effects of THC and, for about the price of a gram of cannabis, users and patients can ensure a safer and

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more comfortable experience,” says Dr. Erika Henry, CannaSafety chief research scientist and creator of the product.

The CannaSafety product also has a patent-pending formula that the company says is “scientifically shown to quickly and effectively relieve the anxiety and sickness associated with consuming too much cannabis.”

The reported counteracting time is 10 to 25 minutes.

CannaRelief products also contain ginger for nausea, citicoline for brain energy, vitamins B and C, and a variety of anti-anxiety herbs.

Select CBD makes disposable vape pens that use CBD along with lemon, grapefruit, cinnamon, lavender and spearmint flavors in three different pens. The choices are Revive, Relax and Focus with the first two being more suited to eliminate being too high… …if you believe there is such a state.

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Photography by Hector Leyva, Sugar Mill Studios

DISPENSARY SPOTLIGHT Medizin medizinlv.com 4850 W. Sunset Road, #130, Las Vegas, NV 89118 702.206.1313

GUIDING MISSION | As one of Las Vegas’ premiere dispensaries and cultivations, Medizin exists to provide compassionate, dignified, and affordable access to medical cannabis for approved Nevada patients in safe, clean, state-of-the-art facilities. Its dedicated staff has not only been trained to be highly knowledgeable about each product, but also which product(s) would be best suited to each patient’s unique needs.

TOP SELLING STRAIN(S) | Chloe, Million Dollar Baby, Mango Kush TOP SELLING CONCENTRATE(S) | Mary Chino and Million Dollar Baby live resin TOP SELLING EDIBLE(S) | Dixie Chocolate Bars, Cannabella Peach Rings TOPICAL(S) | Synergy Relief Balm RANGE OF PRODUCTS | Medizin offers some of the largest varieties of products in the state, including, but not limited to, flower, concentrates, tinctures, topicals, edibles, and paraphernalia. Medizin is currently expanding into infused products and edibles and will soon be unveiling a new line of premium in-house products.

SOURCE OF MEDICINE | In addition to utilizing an extensive list of vendors, Medizin has its own cultivation and production facility creating international awardwinning products exclusive to them. The brand’s Chloe strain was recognized at the IC MAG 420 Cup (Amsterdam) International with multiple awards including: 2nd place Sativa (flower) in 2017, 1st place Sativa (flower) and 2nd place Sativa (hash) in 2015, and 3rd place Sativa (flower) in 2014.

UNIQUE ATTRIBUTE | Medizin offers daily deals to make their exclusive strains and products available so as to allow patients to try brand-new products as well as have affordable access to products they love.

CUSTOMER SERVICE PHILOSOPHY | Medizin prides itself in having an extremely knowledgeable staff to guide medical patients to the best products based on their specific needs.

PATIENT EDUCATION | Medizin is very hands-on with regard to its patients. In many cases their team members have spent over an hour working with patients to not only educate, but also to understand their symptoms and how to best address using cannabis. Also, the dispensary has two consultation rooms available, providing secluded care for those who prefer privacy.

STAFF EDUCATION | Medizin has a strict and demanding training period for its staff focused on product knowledge and guided patient care. Additionally, vendors also educate staff on their products and how to better communicate benefits to patients.

CHARITABLE ENDEAVORS | Medizin primarily supports educational programs and related events including the McCaw School of Mines, Beatty High School, and UNLV School of Medicine.

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ATHLETES SCORE! World Anti-Doping Agency removes cannabidiol (CBD) from banned substances list starting January 1

by Beth Schwartz

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I

n 2013, CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta alerted the world to cannabidiol (CBD) and its anti-seizure effects for epilepsy patients in his documentary “Weed.” In 2018 the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is about to make CBD into a household name. Starting January 1, WADA is removing CBD from its banned substances list, allowing athletes to use the cannabis compound which offers relief from inflammation, pain, anxiety, psychosis, seizures, and spasms without risk of league suspension or loss of sponsors.

With all the curative benefits it would seem common sense to remove CBD from WADA’s prohibited substances list. Although professional athletes will tell you the pressure was on, WADA says it happened as a result of intense study and research.

“It’s really a great recovery drug for athletic endeavors and it may have significant neural protection capabilities for contact sports and so I think it’s just a smart move that just shows somebody is actually practicing medicine.”

Michael Backes, author of “Cannabis Pharmacy,” sees WADA’s policy change as somewhat of a no-brainer. “It’s not performance enhancing, it’s performance enabling,” he offers of CBD with a small chuckle. “It’s really a great recovery drug for athletic endeavors and it may have significant neural protection capabilities for contact sports and so I think it’s just a smart move that just shows somebody is actually practicing medicine.”

Dr. Kent Crowley is not so sure research had anything to do with it. “They are getting so much pressure from athletes saying, ‘Why are you loading me up with all these fucking drugs?’,” he says, noting that’s the wording he hears from the pro athletes he helps to manage with regards to their healthcare.

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WADA, WADA, WADA

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At the start of each year WADA begins its annual review in January and releases its prohibited list of banned substances in September. “Annually, the Prohibited List review involves a very extensive stakeholder consultation process over the course of nine months,” said Director General Olivier Niggli in his official statement on September 29, 2017. “In reviewing the List, experts examine such sources as: scientific and medical research; trends; and, intelligence gathered from law enforcement and pharmaceutical companies in order to stay ahead of those that endeavor to cheat the system.”

According to a WADA spokesperson, the list is harmonized across all sports and a substance may be considered for inclusion if it meets two of the following three criteria: it has the potential to enhance sport performance; it represents a health risk to the athletes; and it violates the spirit of sport.

In developing the list each year, WADA noted “that the List is not static but evolves based on new scientific evidence; therefore, WADA maintains dialogue with athletes, administrators, scientific experts and other stakeholders and closely follows the literature in this area to obtain new evidence and information as it becomes available.”

Jeff Novitzky, Ultimate Fighting Championship’s (UFC) Vice President of Athlete Health and Performance, was not surprised that WADA changed their policy on CBD “because they are reasonable, they have scientists that look at these issues and they have to realize that CBD doesn’t fit under any of these guidelines that we have. The only reason you would be prohibiting CBD would because of a moral issue and I think they realized they aren’t trying to be the moral police here. They are looking at performance enhancing benefits and health and safety issues.”

Formerly a U.S. federal agent for two decades, Novitzky joined the UFC two years ago to oversee its drug testing program. He sees WADA’s move as a positive development as most UFC athletes are already using CBD. “Right now, as it stands, we advise most of our athletes if they do use CBD, to discontinue using it during fight week to make sure there is none in their system during an incompetition test. But beginning January 1, 2018 there won’t be a need for that, they won’t have to worry about that at all,” says Novitzky, who notes the most common question he gets from UFC athletes has to do with the use of CBD and cannabis.

That’s probably because WADA hasn’t completely banned THC, cannabis’ psychoactive compound. “A few years ago, WADA, through studies and their scientists,

UFC fighter Nate Diaz smokes a CBD vape pen during a post-fight press conference on August 20, 2016.

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determined someone who has low levels of THC in their system is neither getting a performance enhancing benefit nor is there really a health and safety aspect unless those levels get really high,” explains Novitzky.

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UNDER PRESSURE Many attribute WADA’s change in CBD policy to pressure from athletes. The most prominent being UFC fighter Nate Diaz who vaped from a CBD pen during a post-fight press conference on August 20, 2016.

“My speculation is that probably most of the pressure did come from athletes who were starting to make these very overt associations with cannabis use.

Like that boxer who smoked his CBD pen with kind of reckless abandon,” explains professional cyclist Teal Stetson-Lee, who is an athlete ambassador for Kynd Cannabis Company. “And I would throw myself into the mix, too, by just making the statement that I believe in this (CBD) and I am going to partner with a cannabis company even though it's technically illegal in my sport.

I will play by your rules, but I am not going to stand by on the sidelines. I think there are more athletes who are starting to do that.”

Stetson-Lee thinks Diaz’s actions helped kick off some of the dialogue, but she is interested in how it translated so rapidly into policy change. “I was surprised that it happened to quickly because there has been such pushback from governing authorities for the most part when it comes to cannabis as a substance for athletes to make use of. I think I was anticipating there would be some deeper, longer conversations that would have to happen before there was some receptivity,” says StetsonLee, 31, who uses CBD topicals and tinctures. “The thing about CBD is that it’s relatively easy for people to get behind once you start talking about the benefits of it and

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UFC fighter Gina Mazany uses CBD to help her with anxiety and sleep. Photo credit: www.ohbucksean.com

how it effects your body and, most importantly, that it doesn’t have any psychoactive effects to it. It’s the psychoactive part, the THC piece, that seems to have people all freaked out. That seems to be what makes everyone the most nervous and everyone has their panties in a bunch about.”

UFC fighter Gina Mazany, 29, has a theory of her own as to why WADA lifted the CBD ban. “I feel like it’s a conspiracy theory. There are so many ways that CBD can benefit everyone in one way or another, but if people are using a product that they aren’t going to make money off of then they are not going to allow it, or make it seem like an evil thing,” says Mazany, who uses a 1:1 ratio CBD/THC vape pen that helps her with anxiety and sleep.

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“I think it got lifted because the beneficial information about CBD began to surface especially in the MMA world.

Because of what we put our bodies through, it’s not normal and it’s ideally not healthy. So why can’t we have this extra something to help us recover and stay healthy and keep the brain damage in line. I am not surprised, I am actually surprised it hasn’t been sooner.”

Former NFL player Kyle Turley, 42, was surprised WADA didn’t go further. “With so many athletes advocating for cannabis period, not just CBD, the FDA/DEA are just falling in line with what the government is saying. The DEA has even said on their Twitter account and websites that CBD is not like marijuana.”

Turley continues, “Everybody’s tune is changing. I was just in DC a couple of weeks ago doing some lobbying and all these guys are saying: ‘I’ll tell you what I am for.

I am for the Charlotte’s Web thing and the whole CBD deal.’ So, okay, you are for guys who like to take pictures of themselves in skinny jeans in Colorado. Well this is about marijuana and this is about this plant and that is the base level, tip of the iceberg to what is capable in this plant, period. It doesn’t surprise me, it’s par for the course as to what I have seen thanks to the advocacy of so many great Americans over these years.”

Former NFL player Kyle Turley doesn’t anticipate the NFL changing its stance on allowing players to use cannabis in any form until the federal government makes it legal.

IS THE NFL OUT IN THE COLD? “Of everything I am seeing and hearing anecdotally there seems to be great advantages to professional athletes in sports like ours. I could foresee it for football players, too, who are constantly getting nicks and dings on their body, having swelling and in pain, being able to benefit from it,” notes UFC’s Novitzky.

But in spite of the benefits and lifting the ban this month, Turley is not so sure his NFL brethren will have the chance to use CBD anytime soon. “They (NFL) will fall in line with the federal government. They won’t follow WADA. The NFL is its own deal and it runs as the government runs,

as their track record has spoken to. I think that when the government finally comes out and says that CBD is okay then I think the NFL will come out officially for it,” says Turley, who launched a cannabis neuroprotectant line called Neuro Armour last fall.

Turley is correct in his assertion. The NFL does not plan to follow WADA’s CBD recommendation. According to a NFL spokesperson, “The NFL and NFL Players Association have comprehensive programs and policies addressing both PEDs as well as illegal drugs and substances of abuse.

In that respect, we rely on independent medical advisors who regularly review the most current research and scientific data, and there is more to learn about cannabinoid compounds as they may relate to their potential treatment of acute and chronic pain. This is an area of research we are looking to develop further, along with the NFLPA, to determine whether those substances could be used as an effective and safe pain-management tool for players.

Currently, however, our advisors have not recommended making a change or revisiting our collectivelybargained policy and approach related to marijuana and cannabinoids.”

Dr. Crowley, who invented the Trokie, a medicinal cannabis lozenge, isn’t sure why the NFL hasn’t seen

january | elevatenv.com 21

the light. “The NFL is taking great hits at realizing this sport may disappear in 10 or 15 years and that’s a multi-billion-dollar industry,” says Dr. Crowley, who lays most of the fault at the feet of the federal government. “I wish that these wealthy athletes would all put together a class action suit against the freakin’ federal government that, in essence, says: You are not only preventing my ability to protect myself against a sport that has demonstrated clear damage to my health, but you are preventing me from accessing an adaptogenetic herb that was used for 70 years and one of the top three prescriptions that were issued in the United States from 1850 to the 1930s. It’s recognized as a pharmaceutical in over 26 countries around the world.

Why are you preventing us from access to something that has a broad therapeutic index, minimal toxicity, if at all, to help me protect myself from trauma in my profession?”

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CBD offers many valuable benefits for athletes including faster muscle recovery post-workout, aid in relieving pre-competition anxiety, help with sleep, and it acts as a neuroprotectant. But its biggest potential benefit will be in helping athletes heal from their injuries and get back in competition more quickly.

Stetson-Lee cites topicals as the most effective for her post-recovery training as a professional mountain biker and cyclocross racer. She started using Kynd Cannabis Company’s CBD tincture and salve post-workout to “recover and heal quicker, stay fresher, and help my body relax more so I sleep better, which is huge.”

UFC fighter Mazany uses CBD for anxiety citing its main benefit as “knowing I am dealing with medical issues without using a chemically processed substitute.

I don’t have to take a Xanax or I have depression and I don’t have to take Prozac. I used to take Prozac and it made me numb to everything. To each their own, and whatever people want to take that’s their prerogative, but I noticed once I started using CBD it helped a lot with that. I still get anxiety thinking about my fights, and it helps me to sleep and calm down.”

As for injuries, both Stetson-Lee and Mazany believe not being able to use CBD was a missed opportunity. Stetson-Lee didn’t know about CBD when she had one of her most serious crashes in 2012 which resulted in a mangled face and severe concussion. “It would have been amazing to have those products at that time. All the studies being done right now as far as CBD and brain trauma is pretty astounding. That would be my first go-to and my first recommendation

for anybody who has any kind of head trauma,” explains Stetson-Lee. Mazany also wishes she could have used CBD during her most recent fight to help with an injury she sustained in practice. “Before my last fight, I broke my foot five weeks out. It was a good opportunity for me and a good fight for me, so I didn’t want to miss it. One of the things I really wanted to include in my healing was CBD. I was doing everything from drinking bone broth to laser treatment.

One of the options was putting a CBD ointment on it and it’s sad I wasn’t able to use that. Everything went fine, I won my fight and I was happy but it’s something that’s not performance enhancing, it’s just beneficial for athletes in prolonging our careers,” Mazany points out.

There’s also benefits for athletes after their careers have ended. “CBD has played an important role in allowing me to personally manage pain, cope with CTE-like symptoms, improve my overall health and eliminate the need for prescription opioids that nearly cost me my life due to long-term use side effects,” explains Turley, who played five seasons for the New Orleans Saints, a year with the St. Louis Rams and for two years with the Kansas City Chiefs before retiring in 2007.

THE CONVERSATION IS FAR FROM OVER Yet, all the athletes in this story will tell you the cannabis conversation is far from over. Research has shown CBD is most effective in an entourage effect which would include THC, the psychoactive compound in cannabis. “It still is a little complicated because the most effective CBD products are paired with THC and that’s really important to consider,” imparts Stetson-Lee. “Pure CBD generally doesn’t have the same effectiveness because the THC, and I am by no means a chemist, is fat soluble. It penetrates better and is the catalyst for allowing CBD to then penetrate the body’s cannabinoid receptors. So, in that respect it’s still going to be tricky. Just because CBD is no longer on the banned substance list that doesn’t necessarily open the floodgates for full cannabis use.

Only 100 percent CBD products can be used and that that’s not necessarily the whole solution. If THC is still something people are squeamish about, then the conversation is far from over.”

Turley thinks that’s why the NFL has been mum on the subject. “Personally, I think more football players are calling for full legalization, full implementation of this plant because CBD is the tip of the iceberg and in football you are dealing with everyday accounts of serious injury and the need to get back on the field to compete fast.

“Athletes in this discussion on the football side are pressing more for total legalization, more than the other sports who are just saying give us CBD. Football athletes are saying we need more than that. CBD is a tremendous benefit but with

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THC included it's supercharged and you need that in dealing with sports like football,” says Turley.

Total legalization for athletes may not be as far away as Turley thinks. “I know Nevada (Nevada Athletic Commission) had talked last January about considering not just taking CBD off the prohibited list, but also taking THC and marijuana off as well,” says Novitzky. “I initially had some concerns about the health and safety issues.

You would not want someone walking into the Octagon high on marijuana. But the argument I got on the other side from them was you wouldn’t want someone walking into the Octagon drunk but we aren’t testing for traces of alcohol in their system. We could see that happening before too long,” he says of a full legalization for athletes.

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Even though lifting the ban on CBD is progress and by all accounts will be beneficial to athletes, it’s still a situation with many caveats. “Anecdotally, I can’t argue with all of the benefits of CBD being available to athletes but because of the lack of any legitimate trials and because of the legal status of CBD right now I tend to stay away from making any recommendations,” offers Novitzky. “But on a personal level, notwithstanding the lack of clinical trials, at least anecdotally, my feelings are it’s a lot helluva better alternative than using synthetically made drugs.”

Stetson-Lee also finds plenty to be optimistic about. “It will definitely create some interest in that direction because the sport’s governing body is now opening that door. People will be able to talk about it and feel like it’s a little less taboo,” she says of CBD. “Athletes will be passing products back and forth amongst their peers and recommending different CBD products that they are using for muscle relaxation or reducing pain and it won’t be quite so hush-hush. So that is a positive and I definitely have to celebrate that.”

Turley is more cynical on the subject and still sees full legal utilization for NFL athletes as far off. “It is about this plant and making it free and this is the opportunity.

Unfortunately, it has to come at the image of capitalism and that’s all that our government understands. As this industry grows and they see the projected $700-billion industry rise over the next five years that’s when things will actually change,” he surmises.

Dr. Crowley is also less celebratory than Novitzky and Stetson-Lee, boiling it down to the practical application of science. “I think it’s criminal that our government continues to ignore the National Academy of Sciences report on unequivocal evidence supporting its use on at least three different conditions, medically, which already discount the claim that schedule 1 status indicates that there is no medically recognized value. Someone is going to have to come to clean here at some point.”

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ELEVATE YOUR STATE

Medical cannabis updates from across the United States

MARYLAND: On October 1, SB 949, which makes it easier for people who have been convicted of marijuana possession to clear their records in Maryland, went into effect. The bill became law in May without Governor Larry Hogan’s signature. Prior to the bill’s passage, anyone convicted of cannabis possession was required to wait 10 years before applying for expungement, despite Maryland decriminalizing possession of up to 10 grams of marijuana in 2014. Now, the waiting period has been reduced from 10 years after conviction to four years.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: DC Councilmember David Grosso (I) has introduced a bill, B22-0446, that would allow anyone 21 and over to access a dispensary if they provide a signed affidavit that they are using marijuana for medical purposes and are aware of state and federal marijuana laws. It is being co-sponsored by Robert White (D, at large), Brianne Nadeau (D, Ward 1), and Vincent Gray (D, Ward 7). This bill would allow many more people to access the regulated dispensary system who are currently forced to shop in the grey market if they are unable to cultivate their own cannabis.

GEORGIA: In October the Atlanta City Council voted unanimously to stop jailing people for possession of an ounce or less of marijuana and Atlanta’s Mayor Kasim Reed signed the ordinance into law. Once the measure is in effect, a person caught with one ounce or less of marijuana in the city would face a maximum fine of just $75 and no jail time under city law. Unfortunately, state law would not change, so it is possible that local law enforcement could still arrest under the harsher state penalties. This is also the case on college and university campuses, which may or may not change policy.

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NEW HAMPSHIRE: As HB 640 officially took effect in September, the “Live Free or Die” state became the 22nd state — and the final New England state — to decriminalize marijuana possession. New Hampshire’s bill decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana reduces the penalty for possession of up to three-quarters of an ounce of marijuana from a criminal misdemeanor — currently punishable by up to one year in prison and a fine of up to $2,000 — to a civil violation punishable by a $100 fine for a first or second offense and a $300 fine for a third offense within three years of the first offense. A fourth offense within three years of the first offense may be charged as a class B misdemeanor, but there would be no arrest or possibility of jail time.

Medical Cannabis is Legal Medical Cannabis is Illegal DELAWARE: In September, Governor John Carney signed the Bravery Bill, Senate Bill 24, into law, which allows PTSD patients to receive a medical marijuana recommendation from any properly licensed physician. Previously, patients suffering from PTSD could only get a medical marijuana recommendation from a licensed psychiatrist.

Bill supporters said with Delaware’s psychiatrist shortage, the new reform could serve as a game changer for those suffering with the disorder.

According to the Delaware Senate, as many as one in five veterans suffer from PTSD, and there is no cure for the disorder. In addition to veteran suicide rates, veteran accidental overdose rates are more than double the national average. At least 70 percent of homeless vets report substance abuse, most of which began with alcohol or pharmaceuticals. Senate Bill 24 provides those suffering from PTSD with a safer, less addictive option.

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DISPENSARY MAP A Guide to Cannabis in Southern Nevada

RENO

PECOS RD

JONES BLVD

SE

O .R

WY

PK

D BLV PARADISE RD

AS VEG LAS Y RACETRACK RD

PKW AD E ME

MARYLAND PKWY

WES

L RD

IND LAK

29b

6TH ST

COMMERCE ST MAIN ST 3RD ST

VE

TER

NA

RANCHO DR

AVE

ND

RIA UST

HLA

LAUGHLIN

GIBSON RD

PECOS RD

16b

HIG

STEPHANIE ST

DECATUR BLVD

NELLIS BLVD

215

GE SUNRSIDPKWY HEIGHT

ST HENDERSON MUNICIPAL AIRPORT

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RD

WARM SPRINGS RD

PKWY

MARYLAND PKWY

CACTUS AVE

VD

WY

Y

SET

12b

18 AVE

BL

RH

15

HIG SO HL UTH AN ER DS N PK W

SUN

31b

DESERT INN RD

SAM BOYD STADIUM

HENDERSON WIGWAM PKWY 16a

OD

8b

WINDMILL LN

PEBBLE RD

WO

33

515

4c

DE

SILVERADO RANCH BLVD

LLY

KAREN AVE

UL

N

AMO

E DI

BLU

D RD

HO

RUSSELL RD

SUNSET COUNTY PARK

SAHARA AVE

E TWAIN

GREEN VALLEY

15

MCCARRAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

23a

OAKEY BLVD

8a 13 24 ST. LOUIS AVE

GREEN DISTRICT

FLAMINGO RD SANDHILL RD

VEG

22

LAS VEGAS TROPICANA AVE

14

25

DESERT INN RD

30b

1

4a

BO

WINDMILL LN

LAMB BLVD

PECOS RD

STR AS B

18

17

SAHARA AVE

11

SUNSET RD

7

5a

10

4c

215

WARM SPRINGS RD

NELLIS BLVD

N 5TH 24

EASTERN AVE

8c 29a

RUSSELL RD

SUNSET RD

32

D

LOS EE R

MAI

15

LAS

JONES BLVD

RAINBOW BLVD

BUFFALO DR

34

23a

9 28

TROPICANA AVE

13

8a

THE

17

4b

FLAMINGO RD

15

CHARLESTON BLVD

IP

1

4a

3 20

SAHARA AVE

N ST

32b 5b 3 20

BERMUDA RD

DURANGO DR

FT APACHE RD

TOWN CENTER DR

HUALAPAI WAY

SAHARA AVE DESERT INN RD

PAHRUMP

OWENS AVE

BONANZA RD

27

31a

2

OAKEY BLVD

5b

32b

CHARLESTON BLVD

WASHINGTON AVE

LVD

ALTA DR

TH OR DN V L B NELLIS AS AIR FORCE VEG LAS BASE

LAKE MEAD BLVD

19

MARYLAND PKWY

95

CHARLESTON BLVD

30a

5c

WASHINGTON AVE

215

160

23b CAMINO AL NORTE / MLK

WY

26

SIMMONS ST

VEGAS DR

PK

159

DECATUR BLVD

RAINBOW BLVD

BUFFALO DR

CAREY AVE BLVD

LAS VEGAS BLVD SOUTH

LIN

NORTH LAS VEGAS AIRPORT

21

CRAIG RD

32a

DECATUR BLVD

ER

15

NORTH LAS VEGAS

DR

MM

MESQUITE

CENTENNIAL PKWY

WASHBURN RD

HO NC

LAKE ME AD

ANN RD

RA

CHEYENNE AVE

12a

JONES BLVD

DURANGO DR

GRAND CANYON DR

LONE MOUNTAIN RD

ALEXANDER RD

SU

6

215

95

HORIZON RIDGE PKWY

HORIZON DR

515

BOULDER CITY

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1. Acres Cannabis acrescannabis.com 2320 Western Ave Las Vegas, NV 89102 702.399.4200

8b. Essence Cannabis Dispensary essencevegas.com 4300 E Sunset Rd Ste #A3 Henderson, NV 89014 702.978.7687

17. Nevada Wellness Center nvwellnessctr.com 3200 S Valley View Blvd Las Vegas, NV 89102 702.470.2077

28. The Apothecary Shoppe theapothecaryshoppe.com 4240 W Flamingo Rd Ste #100 Las Vegas, NV 89103 702.740.4372

2. Apothecarium apothecariumlv.com 7885 W Sahara Ave Las Vegas, NV 89117 702.778.7987

8c. Essence Cannabis Dispensary essencevegas.com 5765 W Tropicana Ave Las Vegas, NV 89103 702.500.1714

18. NuLeaf www.nuleafnv.com 430 E Twain Ave Las Vegas, NV 89169 702.297.5323

29a. The Dispensary thedispensarynv.com 5347 S Decatur Blvd Ste #100 Las Vegas, NV 89118 702.476.0420

3. Blackjack Collective blackjackcollective.com 1860 Western Ave Las Vegas, NV 89102 702.545.0026

9. Exhale Nevada www.exhalenevada.com 4310 W Flamingo Rd Las Vegas, NV 89103 702.447.1250

19. NuWu Cannabis Marketplace Nuwucannabis.com 1235 Paiute Circle Las Vegas, NV 89106 702.844.2707

29b. The Dispensary thedispensarynv.com 50 N Gibson Rd Ste #170 Henderson, NV 89104 702.476.0420

4a. Blüm LetsBlum.com 1921 Western Ave Las Vegas, NV 89102 702.718.Blum

10. Inyo Fine Cannabis Dispensary inyolasvegas.com 2520 S Maryland Pkwy Ste #2 Las Vegas, NV 89109 702.707.8888

20. Oasis Medical Cannabis oasismedicalcannabis.com 1800 S Industrial Rd Ste #180 Las Vegas, NV 89102 702.420.2405

30a. The Grove TheGroveNV.com 1541 E Basin Ave Pahrump, NV 89048 775.556.0100

4b. Blüm LetsBlum.com 3650 S Decatur Blvd Las Vegas, NV 89103 702.627.Blum

11. Jardin jardincannabis.com 2900 E Desert Inn Rd Ste #102 Las Vegas, NV 89121 702.331.6511

21. Panacea Quality Cannabis lvpanacea.com 4235 Arctic Spring Ave Las Vegas, NV 89115 702.405.8597

30b. The Grove TheGroveNV.com 4647 Swenson St Las Vegas, NV 89119 702.463.5777

4c. Blüm LetsBlum.com 1130 E Desert Inn Rd Las Vegas, NV 89109 702.536.Blum

12a. Jenny’s Dispensary Jennysdispensary.com 5530 N Decatur Blvd North Las Vegas, NV 89030 702.718.0420

22. Pisos Dispensary pisoslv.com 4110 S Maryland Pkwy Ste #1 Las Vegas, NV 89119 702.367.9333

31a. The Source thesourcenv.com 2550 S Rainbow Blvd Ste #8 Las Vegas, NV 89146 702.708.2000

5a. CANOPI canopi.com 6540 Blue Diamond Rd Las Vegas, NV 89139 702.420.7338

12b. Jenny’s Dispensary Jennysdispensary.com 10420 S Eastern Ave Henderson, NV 89052 702.718.0420

23a. Reef Dispensaries reefdispensaries.com 3400 Western Ave Las Vegas, NV 89109 702.475.6520

31b. The Source thesourcenv.com 9480 S Eastern Ave Ste #185 Henderson, NV 89123 702.708.2222

5b. CANOPI canopi.com 1324 S 3rd St Las Vegas, NV 89104 702.420.2902

13. Las Vegas ReLeaf lasvegasreleaf.com 2244 Paradise Rd Las Vegas, NV 89104 702.209.2400

23b. Reef Dispensaries reefdispensaries.com 1366 W Cheyenne Ave North Las Vegas, NV 89030 702.410.8032

32a. Thrive Cannabis Markeplace thrivenevada.com 2755 W Cheyenne Ave Ste #103 North Las Vegas, NV 89032 702.776.4144

5c. CANOPI canopi.com 2113 Las Vegas Blvd North North Las Vegas, NV 89030 702.420.2113

14. Medizin medizinlv.com 4850 W Sunset Rd Ste #130 Las Vegas, NV 89118 702.206.1313

24. Sahara Wellness 420sahara.com 420 E Sahara Ave Las Vegas, NV 89104 702.478.5533

32b.Thrive Cannabis Marketplace thrivenevada.com 1112 S Commerce St. Las Vegas, NV 89102 702.776.4144

6. Deep Roots Harvest deeprootsharvest.com 195 Willis Carrier Canyon Mesquite, NV 89034 702.345.2854

15. MMJ America mmjamerica.com 4660 S Decatur Blvd Las Vegas, NV 89109 702.565.9333

25. Shango Las Vegas goshango.com 4380 Boulder Highway Las Vegas, NV 89121 702.444.4824

33. Top Notch THC topnotchthc.com 5630 Stephanie St Las Vegas, NV 89122 702.418.0420

7. Euphoria Wellness euphoriawellnessnv.com 7780 S Jones Blvd Ste #105 Las Vegas, NV 89139 702.960.7200

16a. Nevada Medical Marijuana nevadamedicalmarijuana.com 3195 St. Rose Pkwy Ste #212 Henderson, NV 89052 702.737.7777

26. ShowGrow showgrowlv.com 4850 S Fort Apache Rd Ste #100 Las Vegas, NV 89147 702.227.0511

34. Zen Leaf zenleafvegas.com 9120 W Post Rd Ste #103 Las Vegas, NV 89148 702.462.6706

8a. Essence Cannabis Dispensary essencevegas.com 2307 S Las Vegas Blvd Las Vegas, NV 89104 702.978.7591

16b. Nevada Medical Marijuana nevadamedicalmarijuana.com 1975 S Casino Dr Laughlin, NV 89029 702.737.7777

27. Silver Sage Wellness sswlv.com 4626 W Charleston Blvd Las Vegas, NV 89102 702.802.3757 Cannabiotix products are sold here

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Elevating the Conversation

T

with author Michael Backes

he second edition of author Michael Backes’ “Cannabis Pharmacy” has just landed on bookshelves. In the newly revised edition, Backes offers the most up-to-date information on delivery and dosing of cannabis, including e-cigarette designs, additional cannabis varieties, a new system for their classification as well as 21 additional ailments and conditions that can be treated with medical cannabis.

Your background is in the entertainment industry, how did you get involved with cannabis?

I had a type of migraine headache that was intractable, it’s called a hemiplegic migraine. Conventional migraine medications don’t work particularly well with it and there’s an increased risk of stroke if you use those medications.

Somebody suggested that I try cannabis. I hadn’t used it since college and I tried it and reduced the frequency of the headaches dramatically. I decided to learn more about it and I couldn’t. I would go to dispensaries and ask questions around 2004 and 2005 and nobody knew anything about it and my background had been doing a lot of research for movie projects so I just kind of dove into it. I got more and more into it and was just fascinated that there was all this research about cannabis and the endocannabinoid system with which it interacts, but it hadn’t really percolated down to the medical cannabis consumer.

Why did you write “Cannabis Pharmacy”?

I wanted a book that had all the information that I had been seeking. It was more of a collation process, but also it was an opportunity to really dig deep into the topic. It is a very, very broad subject -- you have the botanical aspects, the chemical aspects, you have the pharmacological aspects, the social aspects, there is just a lot going on with cannabis and its use. It’s not a simple subject, which is one of the reasons there wasn’t a book like mine out there when I wrote the first edition in 2014.

What was the hardest part about writing “Cannabis Pharmacy”?

Getting legitimate information about the chemistry, there’s a lot of nonsense out there. You go in the average dispensary and you ask them to describe what they carry, and they say we have indicas, sativas and hybrids, and that the indicas have more CBD in it and that’s all complete nonsense. You can’t distinguish cannabis by indica and sativa. The reality among plant taxonomists these days is that sativas refer strictly to hemp plants that only produce CBD and indicas refer to plants that produce only THC for the most part.

You have to walk into a dispensary and figure out what

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elevatenv.com | january

they have got and how it might be useful to you. That was the hardest part of the book, to actually get some testing done on these varieties and figure out what their terpene composition was and their cannabinoid composition, so people could get more consistent results.

How have you seen attitudes toward cannabis change from the first edition to this latest edition?

Oh, for sure, in just the amount of quality products that are available. The information about the products is also a little better. The quality of the products has increased dramatically over the last few years and that is completely due to more analytical testing of the crop. A lot of growers get their stuff tested now and are now better able to understand it. The quality of the laboratory testing out there varies somewhat but its improved dramatically as well over the last couple of years.

What are some emerging trends you foresee?

More consistent information about the effects that are caused by different variations of cannabis and different formulations that use cannabis. I think you are going to get more predictable effects and a wider range of effects. I think we are really starting to understand how cannabis works.

Eventually an informed consumer will be able to go into a shop and know what chemistry works best for what they are looking for and be able to get it.

What has been the most surprising cannabis discovery for you?

Biphasic dosing is the most interesting thing in cannabis right now. The idea that you can change your dose to get two different effects with the exact same chemistry. It’s going to change how I use cannabis and I think it’s going to change how other people use cannabis. I think it’s the future of this. If I want to get the munchies, I’m going to use a small dose. If I want to treat nausea, I’m going to have to use a high dose. I think that’s going to trickle down to adult-use recreational scenarios as well.

To read our entire interview with Michael Backes, visit elevatenv.com/Elevating_the_Conversation.