CannaBuff Issue 07

AGES

21+

I S S U E 0 7 // S P R I N G 2 0 2 1

in Cannabis Legalization

AN INTERVIEW WITH DR. LASZLO MECHTLER

Former Editor of High Times!

CannaBuff.com

Director of DENT Cannabis Clinic & Research Center

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ILLINOIS & SOCIAL EQUITY

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Publisher’s

4 PUBLISHER’S LETTER 6 ILLINOIS & SOCIAL EQUALITY IN CANNABIS Using Illinois as an example, can New York can be a model for social equity in cannabis on the East Coast?

7 CANNABIS & COMPLICATIONS FROM COVID-19 8 MEET STEVEN HAGER We talk with cannabis activist legend and former High Times Magazine editor Steven Hager about the current state of marijuana in the U.S. and much more.

11 LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 12 MARVIN LEE POSTER 14 FLWR CITY CUP

2020 did not hold back a group of WNY cannabis advocates, educators and entrepreneurs from launching a cannabis event platform that is already making a big impact in the NYS cannabis community & beyond.

16 INTERVIEW WITH DR. LASZLO MECHTLER

We chat about cannabis with Dr. Mechtler, Professor of Neurology and Oncology at UB and Medical Director of the DENT Neurologic Institute.

18 WNY CANNABIS BUSINESS DIRECTORY 20 CANNABLOTTER 21 COOKING WITH CANNABIS

S

letter

pring has always been a period of renewal.

What is old and grey turns vibrant, new, and

colorful. As we usher in the Spring season in WNY, we’re witnessing the rebirth and renewal of New York’s stance on cannabis. If you haven’t heard the news, cannabis is now legal for adults over the age of 21 and will soon be sold through State-licensed channels, similar to how alcohol is sold. Consumers will no longer have to purchase products via illicit means and can look forward to safer, regulated products. While this is certainly exciting news, it will be a while until we see licenses issued and cannabis products for adult-use available for sale. The MRTA was very progressive, and I’m hopeful it will help provide a much needed shot in the arm for the State’s economy. We can now look forward to job creation, new businesses, investment, and reinvestment as a result of legalization.

In our largest issue yet, we examine what the passing of MRTA means for the time being. We also take a look at what happened in Illinois’ roll out of adult-use cannabis. Our interviews in this issue feature a star-studded cast: Steven Hager, the former Editor of High Times and Dr. Laszlo Mechtler, the Director of DENT Cannabis Clinic & Research Center.

THE TEAM

Publisher: Geoffrey Brown Creative Director: Justin DeLuca Distribution & Advertising: Pavel Belov Graphic Design: Alex Monterville

ADVISORY BOARD

Maria Janda, PharmD Jake Schecter, RN Terrance Bellnier, RPh, MPA Phil Sneider, PhD Michael Monzillo, MS DISCLAIMER: The information and documents herein (the content) are intended for personal, noncommercial, general informational purposes, do not constitute medical advice, and are not a substitute for the advice of a medical provider or other licensed professional. CannaBuff makes no warranty, express or implied, concerning the accuracy, completeness, reliability, timeliness, correctness, suitability, merchantability, or fitness for any particular purpose of the content, and in no event shall CannaBuff or its employees be liable for damages resulting from reading or use of the content.

References to specific commercial products, or services by tradename, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, do not constitute or imply an endorsement or recommendation by CannaBuff.

As CannaBuff grows, we aim to stay true to our founding purpose. To serve as an unbiased and credible resource for this rapidly evolving industry. We will continue to bring you important information on the health effects of cannabis, social & regulatory issues, sustainability, and news on cannabis & ancillary businesses in WNY. We’ll also be featuring some content on local art & culture.

We’re excited for what the future holds for WNY and the rest of the state. We hope you enjoy this issue of CannaBuff magazine as you join us in celebrating this proud moment in the history of our great state.

CONTACT

PHONE: (716) 218-0624 EMAIL: Geoff@CannaBuff.com WEBSITE: CannaBuff.com

TWITTER: @CannaBuffNY FACEBOOK: @CannaBuffNY INSTAGRAM: @CannaBuffMag

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Illinois & Social Equity in CannabiS

BY GEOFF BROWN

A

key principle of

by the white and politically

electing to redo the entire

what was once a criminalized

Illinois’ efforts to

well-connected. Not a single

process to give another chance

industry that operated (and

legalize recre-

minority-owned business was

to minority applicants.

continues to operate) right

ational cannabis

awarded a license. This was

was to use the opportunity to

attributed to a clause in the

help correct harms caused by

application scoring process

the war on drugs. One of the

that awarded social equity

ways the state sought to do

“points” to applicants that

this was by giving those from

promised to hire minorities.

disadvantaged communities

Heavy criticisms about the

preference for dispensary

scoring process followed.

licenses. Illinois promised to

Some of the minority

award 75 dispensary licenses

applicants invested upwards

last summer, but when all

of $80,000 in consulting fees

was said and done the state

related to their applications

only chose 21 firms, the

and have filed lawsuits against

majority of which were owned

the state. Now, the state is

“Our state is a leader, putting forward the most equity-centric cannabis legalization in the nation.”

Governor of Illinois JB Pritzker There is big business in cannabis sales. Sales in Illinois alone are expected to surpass $1 billion annually.

The dispensaries in Illinois that are currently allowed to sell cannabis for adult-use (recre-

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK

ational cannabis) are those that possessed medical cannabis licenses. The licensing process for medical cannabis in the state had extremely high financial barriers to entry and the licenses were awarded years prior to Illinois’ effort to legalize adult-use. So not only are applicants losing the investments they spent on consulting fees related to their applications, but they are also losing (potentially) millions of dollars in opportunity costs.

Now that New York has passed legislation permitting the adult-use of cannabis (the MRTA), all eyes are on

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the state and its new office of Cannabis Management to see if New York can get it right regarding social equity. Surely, black and minority entrepreneurs deserve an opportunity to make a livelihood off of

in their own communities.

The prohibition of cannabis led to a highly complex and prevalent cannabis trade (not unlike alcohol prohibition) that has had a lot of negative consequences. The criminalized cannabis industry contributes to the prison industrial complex. It leads to unnecessary harassment by police and other law enforcement. It leads to imprisonment, absenteeism, violence, death, and a cycle that perpetuates itself. When this industry is legitimized and legalized the benefits are many. It increases public safety, not only because regulated products are safer for consumers, but because the communities become safer and the illicit market for cannabis becomes less lucrative. Prohibition of drugs (not just cannabis) is what makes them expensive and why selling them is lucrative in the first place.

I truly hope New York can be a model for social equity in cannabis on the East Coast, and that Buffalo can be a model within the State for how the social equity aspect of the program gets operationalized.

We will see what happens in the coming months. Many of us will be watching closely, hoping our State can capitalize where Illinois fell short.

Cannabis & Complications from COVID-19

BY SHERRY VEROSTKO-SLAZAK, ANP-BC AND MARLENE ROGERS, FNP-BC

ven before recreational marijuana was legalized in New York State, the use of marijuana as a medical treatment has been recognized as an effective option amongst the alternative, holistic, and integrative health community.

With growing credibility among traditional healthcare, studies about marijuana’s role in fighting disease are on the rise. Naturally, interest has turned to COVID-19.

Even a year later, there is still so much to learn about COVID-19, its symptoms, residual effects, treatments, variants, and more.

E

As mentioned in the previous issue of CannaBuff, reports from the University of Lethbridge found that a number of different Cannabis Sativa extracts downregulated the expression of the SARS-CoV-2 host cell receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2). Researchers say these findings provide a foundation for further analyses of the effects cannabinoids may have on the pathogenesis of COVID-19 and other viral diseases where the ACE-2 receptor is involved.

“If these results are further confirmed, high-CBD cannabis extracts may be used to develop preventive strategies directed at lowering ACE-2 expression in high-risk gateway tissues.”

An additional study, conducted in the United States, showed that CBD and other cannabis-derived compounds inhibited infection with SARS-CoV-2 in human lung cells. Marsha Rosner, the study’s author, stated, ““This study highlights CBD, and its active metabolite, 7-OH-CBD, as potential preventative agents and therapeutic treatments for SARS-CoV-2 when in the early stages of infection.” Other researchers from Michigan State University are interested in how cannabi-

noids might modify the immune response to reduce long-term lung inflammation triggered by the coronavirus.

Where Marijuana has Been Shown to be Effective: Mental Health

Healthline reports that nearly 20 percent of COVID-19 patients develop a mental health issue — like depression, anxiety, or dementia — within 3 months of diagnosis.

Mental health issues are not only confined to those who’ve suffered from the virus, many people are distressed due to losing their jobs and access to healthcare, all while being cut off from direct contact with larger support networks such as friends and family. It is a perfect storm that can exacerbate mental health issues.

In some cases, the emotional distress caused by the pandemic qualifies as trauma, more specifically PTSD—a qualifying condition recognized in New York State for treatment with medical marijuana. We have been treating patients suffering from PTSD with medical cannabis for years. We believe, like other treatments, medical cannabis is just one part of the treatment plan—a plan that includes scheduled follow-up, ongoing evaluation, and education. PTSD and depression are not the same, but as with PTSD, treatment of depression yields better results when cannabis is just one element of a comprehensive treatment plan.

the body. When people ingest or inhale THC, it stimulates the brain’s cannabinoid receptors, which in turn, activates the brain’s reward system and reduces pain levels. Advanced Integrative Care was launched, in part, because of our founder’s close experience with medical cannabis as a treatment solution for chronic pain resulting from an automobile accident.

Using Marijuana as Part of One’s Treatment Plan We have no quarrel with one using marijuana for recreational pleasure. But when it comes to its application as medicine, we advise against a person consulting Dr. Google, experimenting, or asking a friend who has used it under a medical practitioner’s care. There are

several moving parts to consider including: consumption methods, dosage, personal attributes, and strains.

The fabulous news is that one need not go in alone. One is free to work with an experienced practitioner who can use their expertise to guide you through the treatment path, combining marijuana, monitoring, follow-up, and education to help you find symptom relief. Why experiment with trial and error when you don’t have to?

Whether we like it or not, marijuana is still a drug—albeit a drug with many positive attributes. We are excited about marijuana’s rising legitimacy and the research, new opportunities and applications it may hold.

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Steven Hager q&A

STEVEN HAGER HAS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT

of Pot Culture for decades. As the former editor of High Times Magazine, author of a number of books, musician, filmmaker and all around counterculture and cannabis rights activist, he has played an invaluable role in marijuana’s rise to the forefront. Our creative director, Justin DeLuca, was lucky enough to score an interview with this singular figure. Hager’s conversation is illuminating, his words creating an amazing diversity of facts, theories and punchlines in a way that gently prods at your sensibilities.

Justin DeLuca: With legalization on the horizon, is marijuana at risk to become the next cool thing ruined by corporations pandering to rich white people?

I’m thinking of examples like burning man, here.

Steven Hager: With legalization comes the responsibility to treat the plant with respect.

And protect the kids. It’s a fact that an early obsession with cannabis holds back many teenagers from achieving their maximum. And yet, there is no harm in experimentation. The teens that experience cannabis often excel to great heights. I don’t think alcohol, tobacco or cannabis should be advertised.

The important thing is for young

8

CannaBuff.com SPRING 2021

people to understand in order to reap the magic, they must respect the plant and not abuse it. There are times when it’s appropriate and times when it’s not.

JD: Weed being illegal made it part of the counterculture.

Now that it’s becoming legal and people smoke it with their parents is weed still “cool”?

JD: You’ve spent your career trying to get weed legalized and now that it’s legalized in a number of states, what’s next for you?

SH: Most families aren’t super comfortable getting high together. Maybe that will change.

SH: Well, I just finished two months encouraging people to get involved with investing in stonks and crypto. I’m about to release an album of my songs titled Green Easter by the Seeds of Doubt. I have a half dozen documentaries I could be working on.

JD: It seems like people used to smoke weed, in part, as a way to rebel against the status quo.

How does that change when weed is socially acceptable?

SH: People did it because it made them feel good. Back in the sixties we didn’t care what the straights were doing. We were too busy creating a new zeitgeist.

JD: What was it like the first time you got high?

SH: Illinois ditchweed. Don’t think I got high. Maybe I did.

Weed got supercharged after I took a few LSD trips. After that, weed was never quite the same.

JD: Why were/are you so passionate about cannabis legalization?

SH: When I came to High Times I wasn’t a stoner. In fact, I don’t think I ever bought cannabis.

But then I never turned it down either. I knew cannabis was wholesome compared with alcohol and tobacco and couldn’t understand why all the propaganda against it.

When I looked into it deeply,

I discovered cannabis was at the root of most of our major religions, a fact that had been disappeared. I also realized the plant could replace most petrochemical products and provide bio fuels. I thought it was just a matter of getting the truth out to as many people as possible.

JD: What do you think about the state of the cannabis industry in the United States?

Do you feel a sense of accomplishment like you contributed to the acceptance of this plant across the country?

SH: Cannabis industry is a big turnoff to me. It’s all about greed.

JD: Can you tell us about your octopus theory/conspiracy?

SH: I have spent a lifetime trying to lift the curtain on the real deep state and concluded old money has always conspired in secret to rig the games. The biggest game has always been fomenting war for profit. Wars don’t happen by chance, but usually have been well planned in advance. They are ignited typically by false flag events.

The sinking of the Maine was a perfect example.

JD: What was it like covering and writing about the hip hop movement so early on? What do you think of hip hop nowadays?

Anyone in particular you prefer or like to listen to?

SH: Since I’m working on an album I mostly listen to my own compositions at the

moment. The last song that tripped me out was Despacito.

I heard it when it was still just on Spanish stations and had not crossed over yet. I told my kids this song is going to blow up bigly. And it did. I

“

back to the original hippie spirit.

Coke and heroin were ruining too many lives. I was on the threshold of something really big and was running numerous events that were gaining steam and planning to mount a case to

Robinhood cut buys and GME crashed the first time, I bailed out. When I told my son, and he said, “Dad, buy the dip.” You can’t imagine how happy I was to hear him say that. I exited GME yesterday. My average

The important thing is for young people to understand in order to reap the magic, they must respect the plant and not abuse it.

listen mostly to Underground Garage on Sirius. Also like Santana’s Oye Como Va. I was deep into early hip hop while it was happening, before money changed everything. I stay in touch with Coke La Rock, Busy Bee and Grandmaster Caz. My book was heavily influenced by Bambaataa, which I now regret, because I missed out on giving credit to Benji and the Ghetto Brothers. They set the stage for the culture to emerge and Bam never mentioned him to me. So I got the origins a bit twisted.

JD: When you started at High times you made the decision to focus exclusively on cannabis and leave other “harder” drugs out of the publication. Why was that? What happened to High times by the way?

SH: I understood High Times had lost their way promoting cocaine and other white powders and needed to get

the Supreme Court for religious rights for cannabis users and end the war. It was a masterful plan well on its way to success, when I got kneecapped and disappeared. Without my vision, High Times quickly became a ghost of its former self. No more politics or culture, just mindless pot promotion. The company is a joke today.

buy-in was around $55, and my sell was $240. I made a lot of bananas. I wish we’d had fractional shares and free trading when I was growing up.

Take advantage.

JD: You mention stonks and cryptocurrencies. What do you think of what’s happened with GameStop (stonk)? What are your thoughts about the Robinhood fiasco?

SH: Quite the contrary, I don’t do any promo or advertising and only do interviews via email. My last cameo was appearing in Fab Five Freddy’s cannabis doc, Grass is Greener.

SH: Gamestonk was the best thing to happen during the pandemic and it brought me closer to my son as we both invested in GME independently of each other. When my kid turned 18 a few years ago, I told him to get a bank account and sign up with Robinhood and start investing. When

JD: This will appear in the 420 edition. Do you have a good 420 story you can share?

JD: You made an appearance in the show “Weeds” can we expect any other cameos from you in the future?

SH: When I discovered the true history of the code, I published an essay titled “Stoner Smart or Stoner Stupid.” It will be re-released with my album. It’s my best 420 story and you can find it online.

Steven Hager is releasing an album of cannabis spirituals titled Green Easter with his band, The Seeds of Doubt, on the eve of 4/20. It’s a collection of songs written over the last three decades, many of which are based on traditional folk songs. As he put it, “Real spirituality moves through music and creativity, not through gold, armies or real estate holdings.”

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LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

by Patrick J. Hines, Matthew Parker, and Fallon Martin

The MRTA Is Here!

After decades of advocacy, and failed attempts over the past two years, adult-use cannabis in New York is a reality. On March 31, 2021, Governor Cuomo signed the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (the “MRTA”) championed by Assembly Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes and Senator Liz Krueger. With that, New York became the latest state to legalize recreational cannabis use. The MRTA looks a lot more progressive than Cuomo’s proposal that had been the front runner until recent weeks. Let’s look at some of the key provisions.

Effective immediately, adults can possess up to three ounces of cannabis, or 24 grams of concentrate. Higher weights start with non-criminal violations, and escalate to felony charges. Local governments and a new state agency may eventually create regulations to control smoking cannabis in public. But for now, smoking cannabis is allowed in public wherever smoking tobacco is permitted, but not in schools, workplaces, or inside a car.

Driving while under the influence of cannabis remains both illegal, and a terrible idea.

Also effective immediately, criminal records of individuals convicted on cannabis-related charges that are no longer criminal will be expunged. And in a major win for criminal justice reform advocates, police can no longer use the odor of cannabis to justify searches.

One of the biggest points of opposition in the late stages of negotiations was impaired driving. Under the MRTA, the State Department of Health is tasked with overseeing a study of technologies for detecting cannabis-impaired driving. After the study, the Department will approve and certify the use of a test.

While possession of small amounts of cannabis is legal immediately, retail dispensaries will not open for more than a year from now. During that time,

OF HODGSON RUSS LLP

is its social and economic equity plan. The law seeks to “promote diversity in commerce, ownership and employment, and opportunities for social and economic equity in the adult-use cannabis industry.”

It aims to give 50% of all cannabis business licenses to social equity applicants.

A social equity applicant is a minority or woman-owned business, a disabled veteran, a financially-distressed farmer, or a person from a “community In a major about-face from disproportionately impacted by previous bills, the MRTA allows the enforcement of cannabis adults to grow cannabis at prohibition.” Priority will be COVID-19 and cannabis home. Individuals over 21 years given to applicants who have a old can grow up to six plants cannabis-related conviction, or a at a time, only three of which close relative with a cannabis-remay be mature at any given lated conviction. time. Households with two or more adults will be limited to 12 How much can you expect plants. Certified patients under to pay when retail sales get the medical cannabis program, started? The state tax rate is 9%, or their caregivers, can also grow and the local tax is 4%—so you at home. But don’t start planting can expect a hefty markup at the in your backyard just yet. Medical register. In addition, distributors patients need to wait six months, will also collect and remit taxes and everyone else will have to based on the potency of the THC wait until 18 months after the first retail sales get started. the new Office of Cannabis Management (“OCM”), a new subdivision of the State Liquor Authority that will oversee all cannabinoids in New York, will issue a wide array of regulations.

Local municipalities will have the option to prohibit retail dispensaries in their jurisdictions, as long as they pass a local law by the end of the year. If passed, the prohibition can be overturned by a local referendum.

Other consumer-friendly provisions in the MRTA include authorization for cannabis delivery licenses, and on-site consumption licenses. The latter establishments are likely to look something like a cigar bar, but specific to cannabis.

Despite the uncertainty and delay, New York is now set to quickly become one of the largest state-legal cannabis markets in the nation—meaning new businesses and thousands of new jobs for cultivation, processing, distribution, and sales. Like previous bills, the MRTA prohibits complete vertical integration in a manner similar to the alcohol industry.

Generally speaking, you can hold cultivation, processing, and/ or distribution licenses, or you can have a retail dispensary license, but not both. There are exceptions, such as a microbusiness license (like a microbrewery for cannabis), and existing providers of medical cannabis who are already vertically integrated will be allowed to obtain retail dispensary licenses.

Another important and progressive aspect of the MRTA

content of any given product. For example, cannabis flower will be taxed at 0.5 cents per milligram of THC, cannabis concentrate will be taxed at 0.8 cents per milligram, and edibles will be taxed at 3.0 cents per milligram.

That cost will inevitably be passed on to the consumer.

The adult-use market is expected to eventually generate $350 million in yearly tax revenue, and billions of dollars in annual sales. Tax revenue from sales will first cover the costs associated with administering the program.

Then, 40% of the tax revenue will go to public schools, 40% will go to a “community reinvestment fund,” and 20% will fund drug treatment and public education programs.

While retail sales of recreational cannabis won’t happen tomorrow, or even this year, New York is on its way. When the time comes, remember to enjoy responsibly, protect yourself, and protect your community.

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BY ZACH SARKIS

2020 was an unprecedented year for us all, but that did not hold back a group of WNY cannabis advocates, educators and entrepreneurs from launching a cannabis event platform that is already making a big impact in the NYS cannabis community & beyond.

Rochester-based FLWR CITY Collective & Roc NORML partnered with Buffalo’s premier Hemp dispensary Sativa Remedy to host the 2020 FLWR CITY Harvest Cup - a statewide hemp flower competition, raising awareness about the importance of hemp flower for both NYS farmers and consumers. The event also helped raise funds for community reinvestment.

T

he 2020 Harvest Cup featured over 50 flower submissions from 25 farms across the state, ranging from Buffalo to Long Island. Each farm sent 56 grams (2 oz) of CBD / CBG dominant hemp to compete (chemotype 3 & chemotype 4 for all

you scientists out there). In total, over 3,000 grams of hemp flower was submitted for the competition.

To ensure a fair contest, submissions were de-identified, so that judges were blinded as to what samples they were rating. At intake, all flower submissions were stripped of their identity (name, coa, etc.) and assigned a random number. Once a sample received its new tag, the intake grading process began.

From more than 50 initial submissions the “Top 20” were chosen and this was not an easy task. The Top 20 submissions were then broken down into one thousand 1-gram samples and shipped to over 50 judges across the state!

The People’s Choice THERE WERE TWO CATEGORIES OF COMPETITION: THE PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD & THE HARVEST CUP CHAMPION.

JUDGES Reggie Keith: Canna-House

Emily Kyle: Emily Kyle Nutrition

Mary Krueger: ROC NORML

Maria Perry: Miss Perry Farms

Mary Pryor: Tonic CBD & Cannaclusive

John Fraizer: Sativa Remedy

Erik Carbone: Bardo Labs & Tricolla

Jim Castetter: Empire Standard /

Farms

Castetter Cannabis Group

Penelope Hamilton: WNY NORML & The

Jonah Kasper: Elohi

Cannabis Community Sarah Stenuf: Veterans Ananda & Ananda Farms

Of the 50 judges, 40 folks from the pubic registered to grade the flowers and decide who the People’s Choice would be!

The Harvest Cup Champions were Determined by 12 industry judges, all cannabis industry experts from across the state: 14

CannaBuff.com SPRING 2021

The judges were sent kits composed of twenty, 1-gram samples, a dry herb vaporizer from our event sponsor DynaVap, a torch, papers, grinders & more.

The kit also came with the standard “notice to law enforcement” & a grading sheet equipped with a QR code linked to the online grading system.

Submissions were graded on Five primary attributes: smell, cure, taste, feel and resin of the flower, downplaying the “value” of COA’s for this competition – because it’s all about the terps anyway, right?

The Harvest Cup Finals The Harvest Cup Finals were hosted by Zach Sarkis of FLWR CITY & NY HempLab & Nhi Kha of Sativa Remedy. The event was live-streamed, with over 300 attendees engaging with the event across zoom and social media.

The event also involved numerous donations and giveaways.

The final ceremony began by identifying the farms and varietals responsible for the Top 20 submissions. Then came the “Top 10” reveals which included high definition photos of the flower, cannabinoid content, as well as farm name & location. This was the first time any of the judges learned the names of the samples they had tried.

Harvest Cup Award Winners Harvest Cup Champ: Abacus Grown by Heart Stone Organic Farm

People’s Choice Champ: Amy’s CBD Grown by Premium CBD Spot

A gassy, purple bud produced on a Certified Organic Farm in the

A blonde, gassy, cheesy AND fruity varietal that made the People go

Finger Lakes, using the regenerative production practices of Korean

wild! Grown in Batavia NY on a research farm exploring the viability

Natural Farming.

of biochar for hemp production. Very cool stuff.

Harvest Cup Runner-Up: BaOx Grown by NY Hemp Services

People’s Choice Runner-Up: Suver Haze Grown by Twin Arch Farm

An impeccable bud, light green, resinous and a very smooth draw.

A musky, resinous and beautiful flower. This Suver Haze popped like

This bud is TOP SHELF and comes straight out of the heart of the

no other, and trust us we have seen our fair share. Consistent across

Hudson Valley.

the board, it’s no surprise how this plant competed!

Everyone was blown away by the quality of NYS hemp (cannabis) flowers. It’s also cool to note that EIGHT of the Top Ten submissions were grown under the sun, roots in the soil. In fact, four of the Top Ten submissions were grown with regenerative practices. This should make us all proud.

As a prize, each winner had one lb of their flower purchased. This flower is now being sold at Sativa Remedy.

Proceeds from these sales are being used to raise funds for the 2021 Cup!

Filling the Cups of Others The 2020 Harvest Cup raised $6,000 for community reinvestment, distributed between three community-based organizations empowering vulnerable community members throughout Buffalo & Rochester NY. Learn more about this year’s community organizations partners; Roc food Relief, Flower City Noire Collective & Mass Ave Project.

Now it is time to fill the cup again. Join FLWR CITY in meeting their 2021 community fund-raising goal of $20,000, as they “Fill the Cup” through events, profit sharing & donations. Stay Tuned at @flwr.city / @ flwr.city.cup / @sativaremedy / @rocnorml It is clear that NYS can and will continue to grow world class cannabis.

Let’s continue to celebrate the plant, tell the stories of NYS cultivators and raise funds to rebuild our communities.

SPRING 2021 CannaBuff.com

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q&A Dr. Laszlo Mechtler

AS THE MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF THE DENT NEUROLOGIC INSTITUTE

Dr. Laszlo Mechtler’s credentials in the world of medical cannabis run deep. Serving over 15,000 patients, DENT has become one of the leading medical cannabis research & treatment facilities in the country. Dr. Mechtler was kind enough to sit down with Cannabuff’s own Geoff Brown for a discussion about medical cannabis. While his path into medical cannabis was indirect, his insights and knowledge on the topic have helped put DENT on the forefront of this budding industry with enormous potential.

Geoff Brown: What do you think about how hemp-derived cannabidiol products are regulated in NYS? Laszlo Mechtler: As a whole, NYS has done a better job than most states and even the federal government when it comes to regulating cannabis products (hemp-based CBD and marijuana). If you look at the rules and regulations NYS has put together, they tend to be well thought-out and focused on consumer protection. Now are they perfect? No, not by any means, but they offer guidance to an industry that is largely self-regulating.

GB: What can you share with us about the research you’re involved with regarding CBD and/or medical cannabis at the DENT institute?

LM: Since the NYS medical cannabis program came online in 2016, we have built one of (if not) the largest physician directed medical cannabis

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CannaBuff.com SPRING 2021

clinics in the country with more than 15,000 patients. The sheer size of our clinic affords us the ability to study many different disease states and conditions. Our studies have included Migraine (the second most debilitating disease globally), Neuropathy, Trigeminal Neuralgia, Glioblastoma, Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis, Anxiety, Depression, Cannabis use in those over 75, Treatment outcomes between different races, as well as several others which are ongoing. The overarching theme for each one of these studies has been when used appropriately under the guidance of a qualified medical professional not only is cannabis therapy efficacious, but many times allows one to reduce their consumption and/or transition off of standard pharmaceuticals (many of which come with a host of negative side effects). I would also be remiss if I did not mention we have engaged with a

number of research collaborations with very large companies in the space to research their products and further legitimize the plant as a medical treatment.

GB: What’s your take on vaping cannabinoid products? Is it safe? Or do we need to know more before we can determine that?

LM: Let me first say, as an oncologist and the Chief of Neuro-Oncology at one of the country’s top cancer hospitals, it is difficult for me to endorse the smoking and/ or vaping of any product. Over my 30-year career I have counseled patients on how to stop smoking tobacco due to the well documented and studied health risks. That being said, due to the federal status of cannabis, we have not been able to sufficiently study smoked or vaped cannabis products. As such, we do not have enough data (short or long-term) with necessary scientific

rigor to state whether or not use of smoked or vaped cannabis products are safe. This is something that has been highlighted by two recent events: the vaping epidemic (this was ultimately tied to tainted products which in part stems from poor regulation at the federal level), and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic which is a respiratory illness which we know is more likely to affect those that smoke.

Therefore, if one smokes or vapes cannabis products, my recommendation has been to change to other 3rd party tested products such as tincture or capsules.

Now, will I recommend vaped cannabis products to a certain subset of my patient population?

Yes, due to the pharmacokinetics of this modality, given its rapid onset vaped products can work well for those that need an abortive for immediate symptom relief

A

lasting (2-3hours). Though other modalities are preferred for prophylactic (preventative) treatment as they come with longer half-lives (6-8 hours). However, no matter what cannabis product is used, it must be 3rd party tested and come from a reputable source. In closing, we need more research before we can determine if vaping of cannabis is safe. Which should not come as a surprise, as we need more research to unlock the full potential of this plant in general.

GB: A lot of patients are turning to CBD and medical cannabis in hopes that they’ll use these products to transition off of their prescription meds. Is this a safe expectation for the public to hold? Or do you think the dialogue around CBD and medical cannabis should change to be more conservative regarding possible medical benefits?

LM: On a daily basis patients come to the DENT seeking to transition off their prescription medications mostly due to negative side effects.

For many patients cannabis products present a viable option to reduce one’s consumption of traditional pharmaceutical interventions. While we do routinely assist patient’s transition off medications such as opioids, each case is unique and needs to be treated as such. Cannabis is not a panacea and for some individuals is not a viable option. While in some cases we see upwards of 50% of a patient population completely discontinuing their standard prescription medication, it is much more reasonable for one to anticipate being able to reduce their consumption of medications (oftentimes by significant amounts) which in many cases addresses the associated side effects. However, it is vitally important that one talk to a qualified member of their care

team before making any treatment decision.

GB: What has been your experience at the DENT with patients using CBD and/or medical cannabis to try and transition off of prescription drugs like benzodiazepine and opioid medications?

LM: In my clinical experience, cannabinoid products have helped many patients dissatisfied with their current treatment regimen. My team and I have assisted countless patients to successfully reduce their consumption of conventional pharmaceuticals, and in many cases completely discontinued these prescriptions entirely. When we conduct our research studies this is something that we watch closely, for example, in our chronic migraine population 56% of opioid users reported dose reductions of which almost half were able to discontinue opioids entirely. In a different study, we evaluated the ability of those suffering from comorbid anxiety and depression to reduce consumption of benzodiazepines and/or SSRIs. We found that 35% of those using Benzodiazepines were able to decrease consumption of which 55% discontinued consumption entirely. With regard to SSRIs 16% of patients reported being able to decrease their consumption of which 75% discontinued this medication entirely. That being said, this is only a small sampling of the conventional pharmaceuticals our patients have been able to reduce intake of or transition off of. Once again if a patient is dissatisfied with their current treatment regimen and would like to explore cannabis therapy, I would recommend that they consult a knowledgeable member of their care team before making any treatment decisions.

GB: Do you have any concerns about the legalization of cannabis for adult-use?

Laszlo Mechtler

MD, FAAN, FEAN, FASN, FAHS Medical Director, DENT Neurologic Institute Chief, Neuro-Oncology Roswell Park Cancer Institute Medical Director, Jushi

LM: As a physician I have a number of concerns with the adult-use legislation that was recently passed.

First, medical providers and medical societies have been largely excluded from talks surrounding medical and adult-use legislation. In my opinion this is a mistake. If we truly want to legitimize this plant as a medicine, medical providers and medical societies need to have a seat at the table. Second, I am concerned that the legislation will negatively impact the medical program. In its current form the medical program is cost prohibitive to many patients (40% of my patients report the program is cost prohibitive) which may cause them to self-medicate via the adult-use program which will most likely be less expensive. I also am concerned about home-grow as cannabis plants are hyperaccumulators meaning that they absorb toxins from the soil such as heavy metal, insecticide, etc.

Now if you allow people to grow plants at home and the plant is not being tested, you could potentially have consumers ingesting things such as lead which presents as a substantial health risk. Lastly, the health ramifications of smoking cannabis are largely unknown, yet we are going to allow that. Just to add context to this, several studies have been conducted evaluating the differences between smoke cannabis and traditional cigarettes, and it was found on average cannabis produces 4 times the amount of tar. That being said many parts of the legislation are open to modification and I am hopeful that the proper provisions will be put in place to protect Cannabis consumers in NYS. GB: What first sparked your interest in cannabis-based medicines?

When New York first rolled out the program, I had no intention of certifying patients for cannabis as everything I was taught to that point indicated cannabis had no place in a medical practice.

Though being the largest neurological institute in the country and 10 out of the 11 qualifying criteria being purely neurologic, we were receiving more than 500 calls per day. After a week my team and I knew we had to do something so we opened the clinic and I read everything I could regarding the use of cannabis in medicine. While initially skeptical I began to see this plant change the lives of patients I had been treating for years. I’m talking patients that were on high dose opioids for poorly controlled pain, those that were in wheelchairs because it was too painful to walk back to the clinic in a walker and then a cane. Each time these patients would hug me and say you changed my life, but in reality it was this plant. It is seeing this transition in my patients time and time again that has changed me from a skeptic to an advocate, and drives me to legitimize this plant as a medicine.

GB: What does the future look like for you in regards to DENT cannabis?

LM: In my opinion the future looks very bright for the DENT Cannabis Clinic and Research Center which continues to grow on a daily basis.

While we are yet to see how the adult-use legislation will affect our medical cannabis clinic given the amount of research that is needed to unlock the true potential of this plant I am confident we will be part of many exciting advancements in the years to come.

LM: This surprises a lot of people, but I got into cannabis by duress.

Dr. Laszlo Mechtler is Professor of Neurology and Oncology at the State University of New York at Buffalo. He is UCNS certified in Neuroimaging, Neuro-Oncology and Headache Medicine. Dr. Mechtler is the Medical Director of the DENT Neurologic Institute. His training includes institutions such as MD Anderson and the State University of New York at Buffalo. He is a past president of the American Society of Neuroimaging (ASN) and the Hungarian Medical Association of America (HMAA). He was the guest editor of the 2009, 2014 and 2020 editions of Neurology Clinics on ‘Neuroimaging”. He served on the Executive Committee for BrainPAC through the American Academy of Neurology (AAN). He also serves as the Medical Director of Jushi, Inc. Dr. Mechtler has published some of the first major retrospective research trials on Medical Marijuana in Headaches and other neurologic disorders. Dr. Mechtler lectures both nationally and internationally and is recognized as a leader in the fields of Neuroimaging, Headache Medicine, Neuro-Oncology, and Medical Cannabis. He is the Director of the DENT Cannabis Clinic, which has more than 15,000+ patients certified through the NYS MMJ program and continues to grow each day. Dr. Mechtler is also the Founder/Medical Director for the MIND Institute in Budapest Hungary which opened in Fall 2020.

SPRING 2021 CannaBuff.com

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WNY Cannabis Business Directory MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES The Botanist

192 Seneca St, Buffalo, NY 14204 (716) 322-4411

MedMen

6850 Main St., Buffalo, NY 14221 (716) 954-8276

Verilife

25 N Pointe Pkwy #30, Amherst, NY 14228 (716) 210-9496

Columbia Care

200 W Ridge Rd, Rochester, NY 14615 (585) 678-8390

FP Wellness

1150 University Ave Bldg 5 Suite 7, Rochester, NY 1460 (585) 242-0203

HEMP-CBD RETAILERS Bison Botanics

1100 Military Rd Unit 1, Buffalo, NY 14217 (716) 259-9001

Buffalo Botanicals

712 Main St, East Aurora, NY 14052 (716) 930-4073

Sativa Remedy

19 Main St, Tonawanda, NY 14150 (716) 260-1324

HEAD SHOPS & GLASS RETAILERS

3191 Delaware Ave, Kenmore, NY 14217 716) 768-2020

Your CBD Store Depew

5319 Transit Rd, Depew, NY 14043 (716) 393-3400

Your CBD Store Hamburg

3911 N Buffalo St, Orchard Park, NY 14127 (716) 662-1795

Happy Shack Oils & More

6989 Transit Rd, East Amherst, NY 14051 (716) 428-3340

The Kokoro Way Tonawanda

1856 Colvin Blvd, Tonawanda, NY 14150 (716) 930-4073

The Kokoro Way Clarence

10255 Main St #2, Clarence, NY 14031 (716) 930-4073

The Kokoro Way at Walden Galleria 1 Galleria Drive TH150A, Cheektowaga, NY 14225 (716) 930-4073 CannaBuff.com SPRING 2021

Art of Glass Smoke Shop on Delaware

3497 Delaware Ave, Buffalo, NY 14217 (716) 712-5347

Art of Glass Smoke Shop on the Boulevard

4154 McKinley Pkwy Suite 800, Blasdell, NY 14219 (716) 649-1940

3154 Niagara Falls Blvd, Buffalo, NY 14228 (716) 712-5347

Your CBD Store Williamsville

88 Lisbon Ave, Buffalo, NY 14214 (716) 464-3851

8070 Transit Rd, Williamsville, NY 14221 (716) 458-0075

Your CBD Store Irondequoit

Your CBD Store East Rochester

Flowered Wellness

Sherry Verostko-Slazak, ANP-BC of Advanced Integrative Care

Your CBD Store Kenmore

67 Elmwood Ave, Buffalo, NY 14201 (866) 667-2113

Buffalo Hemp Supply

100 College Pkwy, Buffalo, NY 1422 (716) 626-0093

2234 Seneca St, Buffalo, NY 14210 (716) 331-3322

8207 Main Street, Suite 7-8, Williamsville, NY 14221 (716)-277-0267

Derby, NY 14047, US (716)-200-7459

Buffalo Sport & Spine

Nerfis Elminowski, DNP-BC of Adult Health DNP PC

Vitality CBD

1971 East Ridge Road, Irondequoit, NY 14622 (585) 978-7441

19 Allen St, Buffalo, NY 14222 (716) 401-9634

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The Kokoro Way East Aurora

CANNABIS & RELATED BUSINESSES LOCATED IN WESTERN NEW YORK

129 W Commercial St, East Rochester, NY 14445 (585) 485-0105

NIRA Physician Formulated CBD (located in Dent Tower)

3980 Sheridan Drive First Floor, East Wing, Amherst, NY 14226 (716) 466-6363

One Hemp Holistics

Buff City Smoke Shop

California Dreamin’ Smoke Shop 7806 Transit Rd, Buffalo, NY 14221 716) 276-8714

Cloud 9 Smokes & Vapors on Elmwood

476 Elmwood Ave, Buffalo, NY 14222 (716) 881-1100

Cloud 9 Smokes & Vapors on the Boulevard

1594 Niagara Falls Blvd, Tonawanda, NY 14150 (716) 831-8273

Cloud 9 Smokes & Vapors on Hertel 1567 Hertel Ave, Buffalo, NY 14216 (716) 836-1111

2023 Military Rd, Niagara Falls, NY 14304 (716) 362-9499

Decades Psychedelic Daze

MEDICAL MARIJUANA PRACTITIONERS

Decades Too

For a full list of practitioners that consent to being listed publicly please visit the NYS Department of Health’s MMJ program website.

Jarod Masci, MD of Landmark Health Systems 387 Franklin St, Buffalo, NY 14202 (716) 462-0284

2895 Seneca St, Buffalo, NY 14224 (716) 677-0311

6053 Transit Rd, Depew, NY 14043 (716) 681-4420

Decades III

2855 Sheridan Dr, Tonawanda, NY 14150 (716) 322-5631

Decades Hamburg

4514 Camp Rd, Hamburg, NY 14075 (716) 202-1953

Glass Roots

12 Center St, Batavia, NY 14020 (585) 345-7420

Golden Pipe Smoke Shop Cheektowaga

3770 Harlem Rd, Cheektowaga, NY 14215 (716) 833-7473

Golden Pipe Smoke Shop Lackawanna

2540 Hamburg Turnpike Unit #3, Lackawanna, NY 14218 (716) 824-7473

Headspace Glass & Gifts Buffalo 67 Elmwood Ave, Buffalo, NY 14201 (716) 844-8907

Headspace Glass & Gifts Tonawanda 920 Niagara Falls Blvd, Buffalo, NY 14223 (716) 837-0201

Headspace Glass & Gifts East Amherst

5989 Transit Rd, East Amherst, NY 14051 (716) 428-5730

Headspace Glass & Gifts Orchard Park

4170 Southwestern Blvd., Orchard Park, NY 14127 (716)-648-1111

Local Smoke Shop

Tasty Clouds Vape & Smoke Shop 3173 Main St, Buffalo, NY 14214 (716) 602-3387

Terrapin Station

1172 Hertel Ave, Buffalo, NY 14216 (716) 874-6677

Village One Stop Smoke Shop

11 Commercial St, Angola, NY 14006 (716) 549-0393

VIP Smoke Shop

3400 Main St, Buffalo, NY 14214 (716) 398-5605

HEMP RESEARCH PARTNERS (FARMERS & PROCESSORS) Anchor Farms 716-572-2718

PRODUCT TESTING Biotrax Testing Laboratories

3580 Harlem Rd #2, Buffalo, NY 14215 (716) 651-0146

HYDROPONICS STORES Buffalo Roots Hydroponics & Organics 3231 Main St, Buffalo, NY 14214 (716) 240-9075

Gramps Garden

7820 Porter Rd, Niagara Falls, NY 14304 (716) 400-8698

Green Zone Hydroponics

2928 Southwestern Blvd, Orchard Park, NY 14127 (716) 677-9663

Harvest Moon Hydroponics

22nd Century Group, Inc

4204 Union Rd, Cheektowaga, NY 14225 (716) 634-8290

Buffalo Fermentation

CANNABIS EVENTS

716-270-1523

716-828-6068

Eden Agricultural Resources 716-628-5257

Farm In Peace 716-560-9584

42 Allen St, Buffalo, NY 14202 (716) 881-0537

Hempstead Kitchen

Oasis Smoke Shop

Plant Science Laboratories

716-261-8051

CannaHouse

Canna-House.com

CANNABIS EDUCATION Niagara County Community College 3111 Saunders Settlement Rd, Sanborn, NY 14132 716-614-6222

CANNABIS ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS

4212 Union Rd, Cheektowaga, NY 14225 (716) 428-3567

649 Wyoming Ave, Buffalo, NY 14215 (716) 836-9520

Prism Smoke Shop

Spoth Farms

(716) 440-1560 wnynorml@gmail.com

Steuben Foods

Office of Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes

1079 Union Rd, West Seneca, NY 14224 (716) 671-8006

716-531-1890

Shake N Daze

716-655-4000 ext 357

929 South Park Ave, Buffalo, NY 14220 (716) 257-8138

Three Cord Ranch

Shake N Daze Depew

Weiss Farms

5150 Broadway, Depew, NY 14043 (716) 257-8138

Shoot the Moon Headshop & Wholesale

2273 Saunders Settlement Rd, Sanborn, NY 14132 (716) 462-2605

716-200-7459

716-992-9619

Yager Farms

716-472-8484

HEMP MILLING KannaMill

WNY NORML

425 Michigan Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14203 716-897-9714

LEGAL SERVICES Patrick J. Hines

716-848-1679 phines@hodgsonruss.com

Aleece Burgio

716-858-3846 aburgio@barclaydamon.com

800-447-4634

Smoke World Smoke & Vape Shop

1050 Harlem Rd, Cheektowaga, NY 14227 (716) 931-5545 SPRING 2021 CannaBuff.com

19

CANNABLOTTER HOW ILLICIT CANNABIS ENTERS THE U.S. THROUGH BUFFALO NIAGARA

With cannabis legalization now underway, it will be interesting to see if the adult-use program will successfully displace the illicit market for cannabis. One interesting way to assess this is by tracking cannabis seizures at ports of entry in WNY. Lucky for us, our friends from Customs & Border Protection track this information for us and are quick to report on significant drug seizures made at various ports of entry across WNY. According to the U.S. Customs & Border Protection website, officers have already seized 3,888 lbs of cannabis this year. That’s more than the weight of the average mid-size sedan! The estimated street value of cannabis seized at ports of entry in Buffalo so far in 2021 totals ~ $7.7 million. Customs agents have been busy, making over 1,600 drug seizures since travel restrictions were put in place due to the Coronavirus last year. Here is a list of some of the noteworthy cannabis seizures made in Buffalo so far this year.

DATE & LOCATION

DATE & LOCATION

January 20th, 2021 Lewiston-Queenston Bridge

February 2nd, 2021 Lewiston-Queenston Bridge

QUANTITY

QUANTITY

936 lbs (estimated street value $1.9 million)

1,070 lbs (ESV $2.1 million)

DETAILS

DETAILS

Commercial shipment disguised as “phone accessories”

Commercial shipment disguised as “cardboard”

SHOOT THE MOON

DATE & LOCATION

DATE & LOCATION

March 12th, 2021 Peace Bridge

March 29th, 2021 Peace Bridge

2273 Saunders Settlement, Sanborn, New York 14132

QUANTITY

QUANTITY

655 lbs (ESV $1.3 million)

1,227 lbs (ESV $2.4 million)

DETAILS

DETAILS

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Commercial shipment disguised as “empty plastic bottles”

Commercial shipment disguised as “paper towels & dishwasher detergent”

JUST HOW MUCH IS 3,888 LBS OF CANNABIS? Enough to roll 1.8 million 1 gram joints. At a length of 1&1/4” would be a total length of 2.25 million inches or 35.5 miles when lined up end to end....enough to stretch from Niagara Falls to Hamburg.

A big thank you goes out to the U.S. Customs & Border Protection officers working hard to keep our borders safe.

Cooking

with Cannabis

HIGHLY FLAVORED SHRIMP & GRITS INGREDIENTS 1 Lb Shrimp, peeled and deveined w/tails attached 2 C Grits (Old Fashioned) 8 slices Bacon 4 Andouille sausages 1-2 Green onions, Chopped 1 Stick of Canna butter 2 Garlic cloves, minced 1-2 Bell peppers (green & red), Chopped 4 C Water 2 C Heavy cream 1 Lemon, Juiced 2 1/2 tsp Salt, divided 1 med onion 1-2 tsp Old Bay seasoning 1 tsp parsley flakes 1/2 tsp smoked paprika 2 Tbsp Xtra virgin Olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS STEP 1

Fry bacon until crispy, drain and set aside.

STEP 2

In same grease fry up the andouille sausage.

Save grease.

STEP 3

Bring water and 2 cups of heavy cream to a steady boil in a medium saucepan. Whisk grits, 2 teaspoons of salt and teaspoon of pepper. Reduce the heat to medium, place the cannabutter on top of grits and cover. Continue to cook for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently.

Step 4

For the shrimp: Heat oil and garlic in a large sauce pan.

Sauté’ the onion and green onion with the remaining salt & pepper over medium heat until softened.

Step 5

Add shrimp, and pour lemon juice, paprika and parsley over them. Cook thoroughly! Add heavy cream and half of bacon grease. Simmer for a few minutes.

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STEP 6

Spoon over grits. Add the Old Bay seasoning to the remaining bacon grease and drizzle over dish.

SPRING 2021 CannaBuff.com

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BUFFALO