HERBAGE MAGAZINE JUNE/JULY 2022 ISSUE 44

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June-July 2022 Edition Remembering Why Time To WeReflect are so

By Moed ART

Time To Focus HAPPY Time To Get Happy!

June-July 2022

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Father’s Day

By James Bridges

I peaked over the top of the couch to see if I could catch what was happening outside. Something was going on that made my sister, mom, and the voices going on in this 8-year-old boy’s little head.

I watched as my family’s belongings were taken away. They were stripped away in my mind. I noticed my mother in a frantic state. My sister was a couple years younger and she had no idea. I myself knew of financial difficulties, even at that young age. It just wasn’t avoidable. I wanted to do something so badly to make it all stop. I couldn’t control what was happening in my head. My stomach started to roll. Then I looked over at something that made me feel as if I could make it through anything.

I watched as my dad reacted and witnessed what he had built up for his family over the last few years be repossessed. The look on his face was one of experience in these matters. I knew after watching what he had done in the past that he would overcome what was just set in front of him. I knew and I learned from his calmness in that situation. I could barely breathe, yet he smoked his cigarette as if it were a normal mid-morning break.

Funny thing is that what I learned the most from my dad was that you do not attempt to avoid failures.

You navigate through them. Much like the path that I have chosen for myself over the past several years.

Even though it seems much like accepting a challenge it’s really not. The hardest part is actually getting yourself to follow through on the “not attempting to avoid failure” part.

Recently I lost more in finances than my dad earned in almost one full year. The gravity of the situation is nearly incomprehensible to someone that comes from what I come from, which is nothing, financially.

I have spent my entire life trying to avoid having to peek over that couch again. The loss has affected me greatly. The thought of my son experiencing a replica of that moment haunts me. However, I soon remember the kind of man my dad was. I remember how awesome it was to witness what he had done.

That’s when I started idolizing him. I needed a father figure in my life that knew how to stand up for his loved ones, and he was it.

My son is almost 8-years-old now. I tend to see myself in his eyes. I know I shouldn’t, but sometimes it’s involuntary. I assume that he is thinking the same way that I was thinking at that age. I realize that I am totally wrong in that notion and it can actually be dangerous to his own psyche if I were to explore that realm further. So, I watch and learn.

I am able to witness the simplicity of life through him.

I can have a near devastating hiccup in my normal I learned a lot over that time of our life. I knew that daily routine and he somehow seems to know exactmoney was fragile and it really meant nothing when ly what to say to help. I’m very careful to not become it came to family and love. The support of one anoth- dependent on the words and emotions of my son, but er in those times was the most important part of my it’s hard. As a parent you have to know… childhood that I can ever imagine. The humor that was involved would make any down-and-out punk When my son was born I could hardly handle the take a pause to laugh. Saturday Night Live had noth- positive energy that was flowing. I was able to see ing on our skits. We were a tight family. people that I had not seen in such a long time. It was as if my son’s birth was a reunion of sorts. It was Sometimes my dad seemed to be in the background great. after those “crash” days. In other words, he worked his ass off to get what we needed for a family of five Soon after I was back to hiding my emotions and and only one income that recently busted. He would calming the voices through alcohol and pills. I couldn’t work nights and sometimes weeks at a time trying to help but think of the day when he would see me fail. get it all back. He taught me that no matter what hap- My friends and I would have drunken talks at night pens, there is a way to dig out, and to always stand about our fathers. It was ridiculously self-serving. It by your family and loved ones. That is what matters was the kind of talk you would think a bunch of sapmost. py drunks would slur about so they could outdo one another.

My dad was simple and straight to the point. Still is.

That’s one thing I admire him for.

The one thing that one of my friends did ask that stuck out to me was, “Do you remember the day Now that I am a dad I have been able to look back you discovered your dad was not superman?” I did at my childhood with a much finer tooth comb than I remember. It was the father I call dad today. It was normally would have. I have been able to pull from the asshole that beat my mother and did many bad those winning moments that my dad had with us at things before my real superman dad came to save that age. I have been able to imagine the failures and us. how to attempt to avoid them.

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I reconnected with my child in the teenage years. It went well, but ended not so well in a father’s eye. We didn’t speak for years after that. However, as I stated before, the moment that my son was born reunited many of us. It also brought my other child home for a short while.

At that time I was heavily drinking and taking whatever I could put inside of my system to alter it. I was even hiding it. My own ex-wife had no clue of the amount of alcohol I drank to stay functional. I wasn’t a violent drunk. It was as if that became who I was over time. I was literally drinking for breakfast and then topping it off at night with some sleeping pills and alcohol for the buzz.

Finally it got to me. The drink. I had to stop or I was going to no longer be of this realm for much longer.

The one true thing that keeps me sober is the love that I have for people that I care about. The most important person in my world is my son. He has given me wings in order to step away from the poison and fly high alongside him a little bit longer in life.

I also attribute my health and sanity to cannabis. I have never thought of myself as a cannabis dad. I still don’t. I think of myself as a dad. I consume cannabis so that I can keep the quality of life that my son deserves to see his father have. That’s what cannabis does for me as a father. However the magic comes from my children.

Many do not know this about me unless you know me well. I have another child that I am also very proud of. Jessi was born in 1993. I was a child myself. I had no education, clue, money, experience, or even a highschool diploma when Jessi’s mother was pregnant. What I did have was a beautiful child that I loved dearly and had ZERO clue as to what the hell a young couple with nothing was going to do. So I did exactly what I learned how to do in these situations. I navigated through it. I started working.

I worked a lot and was gone a lot. Jessi was born and we did like any other young and struggling couple that mistakenly thought they knew everything. I had rented a house that just so happened to have an address that was very close to the university in Ada, Ok. Irony? Poetic? Or just another slap in the face by the universe?

I worked many different jobs over the short time we were together. From painters helper in an auto body shop to heat & air installation. I was a jack of many trades. Not all mind you…

I soon found myself in a courtroom. I was being asked to give permission to allow my child to leave the state lines without me. I reluctantly gave in.

Though, I knew her mother meant to do well.

Years passed and lives evolved as you can imagine.

Jessi was staying over at my family’s house for a bit while in town trying to find a reason to move back. I was pushing it of course. I wanted nothing more than to have all of my kids and wife in one area. It was like a fairy tale in my head that everyone in the world

seemed to keep saying was impossible, yet I knew it wasn’t. I knew deep down inside that I could change it. I could make my family whole again. If I could simply hold it together and make everyone happy things would change for the better.

One night I went back to a room where Jessi was staying. I wanted to talk about things. I was in a head space that I shouldn’t have been in. At that time I had started feeling dizzy every day. I fell once and hurt my head. I just chalked it up to that. I sat down on the edge of Jessi’s bed. The next thing I remember is falling over to the side of the bed and I couldn’t focus. It was strange. I had not drank any more than I normally had. However, the amount that I normally drank was preposterous.

I remember making it to my bedroom and crawling on the floor. I couldn’t get off the floor. Soon after I discovered that I had done too much damage to my body over the years and it was time to make a decision.

I could hear the voices talking as I laid in my closet for days. I noticed my son walking by and looking in the door. I could hear Jessi pleading to someone to take me to the hospital. I thought I started talking to spirits from the past. Even some from the future.

I was under a spell that only those that have experienced liver failure or something like it can fathom.

I wanted nothing more than to take back what I had done.

In my head I had not been patient enough. By that, I mean I had given up on my ultimate goal without even knowing it. I couldn’t stand the anxiety of it all. In my head I was about to die and I didn’t have enough time to make amends with what I had just realized. It was as if I was dreaming of my own burial. I was alive inside the coffin and couldn’t scream.

After that moment I never touched a drop of alcohol or opiates to cope. Cold turkey. What has opened my mind to the opportunities that I actually have now as a person is cannabis. I medicate regularly with cannabis. I smoke it for anxiety. I smoke it to get high and have fun. I smoke it because it tastes good. I smoke it because I love to party sometimes. I smoke because I want to be there for my children. I smoke because I want to be there for myself.

I am assuming this is the definition of a cannabis dad.

Who knows? But what I do know is that cannabis has helped me to become who I really am. Authentically I am a good and loving father and I recognize that my children are their own entities. I understand that each of them has a path that they will choose. I hope that they both are fulfilled greatly as they travel down those paths. I hope that I can be there for them if they ever need my loving support.

I do know something for certain. I am the most au-

thentic self that I can be at this moment and time. It is not perfect and I am so happy that it is not. I love my child Lincoln and my child Jessi with all that I can muster. I love my dad for being the superman that did what he did for us back then.

Even as failure continues to attempt to elude me from achieving my tasks, I appreciate each and everything around me as much and the best that I can.

I do have to give gratitude to cannabis. Not only did it bring me to my senses, it brought a ton of my loved ones back together in some strange way. Happy Fathers Day Ronnie. I can only hope that one day my children understand as I do you.

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Shannon Seitter worked enjuction with The Happy Festival to create this moths cover of Herbage Magazine.

Shannon began a career in art at an early age self teaching to sketch..Shannon was inspired by the junior high art teacher. Shannon watched her paint across canvas and was awestruck by her ability to bring such beauty.

Shannon began a venture into painting. While beginning small and then grew through watching and observing other artists’ use of different mediums and techniques. Shannon began to grow a personal method of art.

After Shannon’s grandmother passed away, “I buried myself in my art and began to grow and use it not to just help myself through grief but bring beauty to others who also needed it. My art has been my passion.”

Shannon has always amazed Herbage Magazine. “It is a beautiful and therapeutic way to express myself and bring additional beauty to the world. I love sharing my art with everyone and enjoy when someone connects to my art as I have. Each piece I create has a personal connection to me.”

Shannon’s hope is to bring more art to Oklahoma City and connect with more people who love the process of creation.

“I love working with other artists and bringing something new to life that didn’t exist. I find my inspiration in all things in life but from a new point of view.”

THE COVER shannonseitter73@gmail.com | Facebook @moedartokc | Instagram moedartokc

The Happy Festival originated when Brian Butler, Daniel Stone, and Jason Smith, along with support from their spouses Katie Forehand, Lani Stone, and Miranda Smith, came together to bring a festival to Oklahoma to celebrate and honor their dear friend Happy Patel.

Patel was popular among his friends, who called him Happy. He came to the US as a student in 2009 with his twin brother Akash Patel. He was a co-founder of the garment company What’s Happy Clothing. Patel also worked to promote events, and local clubs in Oklahoma City. This loss devastated Happy’s community. Happy hosted “Life In Color” paint parties as well as other Electronic Dance Music (EDM) shows.

Happy was friends with DJs such as, world renown, NGHTMRE. He actually managed a few of his own.

He even had an iconic t-shirt and hat that read Happy. To this day, people from all over the country still wear them.

His twin brother Akash started a foundation called Happy World Foundation after Happy’s death.

Happy Festival is donating $1 from every ticket transaction to this foundation.

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IN THIS ISSUE #44 OF HERBAGE MAGAZINE PUBLISHED JUNE 10, 2022

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BY KATHY LONG BARKER

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THE CHRONISSEUR

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BY ORCA OK

Keeping the Faith; a Woman’s Story of Generational Resilience and Healing through Curated Experiences & Sweet Potato Pie

By Jessi Lane, Patient Advocate who is a writer and Oklahoma cannabis industry professional since 2018. She is a Certified Cannacian III and Trichome Institute Certified Cannabis Consultant with a “full spectrum” Postpartum Wellness background.

Ebony Jones, of 8Twenty8, is a cannabis Pastry Chef paving the way for other people of color following her path. “Being one of the few known Black women in the Oklahoma cannabis industry has been very challenging, but [it is] a fight I’m willing to stay in. I’m more than ready to occupy spaces with more powerful women looking to open doors in this industry with hopes and dreams like myself,” she says.

Ebony is a Survivor, a Caregiver, and entrepreneur. An empath and spiritual Virgo, she is both lion and lamb - strong and bold yet gentle and calm in her approach and is agile and flexible in her pursuits. She is a fine example of the Divine Feminine.

Ebony is an Oklahoma cannabis industry transplant who comes to us by way of Georgia. The youngest child in birth order, she was born in Hampton, VA to a big military family. Her Mother, Toni, was a member of the US Air Force. “She taught us who God was,” Ebony relays. Her maternal Grandmother, Annie, was the only Black teacher in her school. She taught Art and Home Economics and was a Godly woman. Growing up, “she had us at revivals from eight to four in the afternoon.” It was not until high school through the age of twenty that Ebony found her personal relationship with God. Toni had fallen ill with papilledema, a condition that, according to the National Cancer Institute, causes swelling around the optic disk. This is the area where the optic nerve enters the eyeball. Toni was also diagnosed with Arnold Chiari Malformation - a condition in which brain tissue extends into the spinal canal - subsequently forcing her into early retirement from the United States Postal Service at the age of thirty-five. This was the beginning of a life-long battle. A caregiver for her mother from about the age of ten, Ebony had to withdraw from culinary school and re-enroll after her mother was realeased from hospital. Soon after she graduated with honors.

Toni’s multiple surgeries and required

aftercare unfortunately resulted in readily available narcotics in the home. Without Toni’s knowledge, Ebony became a young person with access to unmonitored prescription medication and heavy burdens to carry. She was also living with the ghost of personal trauma. Ebony is now an advocate for therapy. “If I hadn’t gotten in therapy, I wouldn’t be here,” she declares. After a choice decision left a sibling stranded when she numbingly put him out of the car during an argument, she quit the pills.

She tells us, “We are survivors of the pill pandemic.”

As a young person Ebony aspired to open a medicinal cannabis café for kids. “Since tenth grade my business plan has always included weed.” She returned to culinary school and upon completion went on to obtain her Associates of Occupational in Patisserie and Baking from Le Cordon Bleu while she established herself as a Baker and Pastry Supervisor in the highly competitive and innovative Atlanta food service industry. The delicate measure and alchemy of baking is in her bones so naturally our meticulous, calculated Virgo excelled in her craft - including a position as the Baking Supervisor with Carlo’s Bakeshop as featured on the reality tv show Cake Boss. She recalls, “[The] first day we had a line out the door starting at 3am, and we didn’t open until 6!” She reflects on her position with Primrose Schools - an institution that provides high-quality early education and care - in the highest regard, “I loved those kids.” Ebony’s interest in holistic wellness was unwavering and she would also obtain her Certificate of Completion in Cannabis Education through the Cannabis Training University of Colorado Springs, Colorado.

She saw what was happening in Oklahoma and wanted a piece of that sweet potato pie she would later bake for herself. Ebony began submitting resumes everywhere and received a bite when RD Hendrickson - the owner of Arizona-based Sublime reached out to let her know if she were ever in Oklahoma, he would like to interview her. “You don’t know these people,” her family said, “turn your [phone] locations on,” she recounts through a giggle.

She w a s

not going to miss this opportunity, regardless of the risk. Ebony’s personality is as golden as her resume and Hendrickson wanted her to join the team, so with the support of her grandpa, she left everyone and everything she knew to pursue her dreams. “To others it may appear as if it came easy but take some time to converse with me [and] you’ll learn it has taken trials, tribulations, tears, and plenty of therapy sessions.” It was the first time she had ever left home, and within a week of her big move Ebony’s sweet Grandpa suffered a stroke. Then suddenly her employer lost their location, forcing them to temporarily close during the relocation period.

Instead of retreating home Ebony stuck it out through her tribulations and found a cannabis industry position with Euphora dispensary until Sublime’s new building was secured.

“Oklahoma is a sacred land,” she tells us, “So much has happened here. You can feel the blood in this land.” Ebony’s euphemism is not lost on us. “This industry is messy,” she goes on to say, “the divide out here is crazy.” She is speaking to the boundary that is being “one of the few in the room,” she tells us. “In all honesty it has been worth it, though in the beginning it was a huge culture shock, and I didn’t think I would survive Oklahoma.” She asks herself how she is going to change the conversation. “I love being in a place in my career where I can professionally correct others for being culturally inappropriate or placing me in an uncomfortable position and we can still operate in a healthy environment after the teaching moment.”

Ebony speaks openly and earnestly on her social media platforms. “I’m down for teaching. I’m still learning myself,” she says. She believes herself to be a “Virgo that has no filter at all.” However, she tells us she “understands the ef-

fe u th in le “ r a w

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fects of speaking before thinking and evaluating the power of your words and how they may affect another person.” Within her healing process Ebony has also learned that to achieve growth she must “take accountability for my wrongs, correct those wrongs, and put in the work to actively become a better person for this world.”

free oatmeal cream pies - but she is not just in the business of baking dessert, her true business is loving people. Ebony doesn’t want you to stereotype her- she’s not just about pies. She is interested in curating experiences, and tells us, “Whether that’s with me, you tasting my pies, or hosting an event.”

The life of an entrepreneur is not for the weak, and keeping your faith is ten times the work, she’s found. “Choosing to uproot what I knew as comfortable to relocate to Oklahoma has shown me the power and resilience that has been instilled in me by my mother.” Ebony now represents and manufactures products for Country Cannabis, who acquired Sublime. “They are a diverse company,” she says and asks, “what does country look like to you?”

She tells us she is incredibly grateful but “technically I’m still out here by myself.”

While she feels immensely supported by her employer Ebony’s real hustle is her passion project, 8Twenty8, LLC. Romans 8:28 reads, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Taking leaps of faith and believing in the purpose of the company is what keeps 8Twenty8 going, Ebony believes. 8Twenty8’s craft-baked goods and custom orders have satisfied the palettes of Oklahomans with every dietary restriction and preference known - try those gluten

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Things have been taking off for 8Twenty8. Ebony has received lots of exposure recently as 8Twenty8 has been featured in recent Studio 30 events and Sherweed Forrest’s Throwdown Bazaar. She is called upon for private catering and custom orders by the biggest names in the Oklahoma cannabis industry and while ever grateful, Ebony is always looking to the future. With an entrepreneur’s heart she declares, “I’m not accepting this middle class shit anymore,” she goes on to say, “America has taught us to work to live.” She wonders, how can I not think about making money while I make money? “I think it’s disgusting how much I want to give back to people,” relays our brave empath. Ebony dreams of an 8Twenty8 small-batch kitchen to order, that would accept custom orders for a patient’s individualized needs or commercial grow orders for retail sales. She also wants to create opportunities through events designed to be a retreat - a vacation.

8Twenty8 in association with Universe with Jaz Present Puff and Plant in the Park Sunday, June 12th, from 6-8pm. Located at Veterans/Centennial Park, attendees can expect an evening filled with release and manifesting. Paint’n’Plant intention kits provided with the purchase of admission. Event features Sound Bowl by The Reiki Mama, massages by Beyond Skin Deep and Oracle readings by Soar. Smokable organic herbal blend provided by Universe with Jaz. Light snacks served by 8Twenty8.

8TWENTY8 .

llc

Freedom

tary. The Army post was a place I frequented as a kid and every school attended, I had classmates with parents actively serving. The routines, the discipline, the dedication to community, state, and country were all apparent. Even the younger and wilder mustangs of the enlisted were respected for their commitment to “God and country”. The moving families from home to home, post to post, base to base, state to state, state

By Chet Tucker to foreign country, etc. is a difficult life to lead and one that often leads to families without their As I write this piece over the Memorial Day mother or father. Whether it be their assignment weekend, it’s only appropriate to take a thought orders to another country, or to sea, divorce or provoking stroll into our military freedoms and death ... military life isn’t for the faint of heart. lack thereof. We all have a relative or friend that has served or is currently serving in one of the So, why would such dedication to everyone else branches of the United States Armed Forces. result in such a shameful “reward” of fighting For that reason, it should always hit close to VA hospitals, lack of care, and restricted holishome as we equally fight for the freedoms of our tic and natural remedies? In my adult years I’ve veterans. Why are their freedoms more restrict- grown to understand the dedication to fight for ed than our own and why would our own gov- our common law and constitutional rights for ernment withhold or impede access to a plant speech, autonomy, and the right to bear arms. based medicine like cannabis?

So, why do we continue fighting within our own country and government to allow access for Growing up in Lawton-Ft. Sill, Oklahoma I quick- basic plant medicines such as cannabis? “We ly learned the service and dedication of our mili- the people ‘’ is an even bigger army of citizens that are made up of all races, ages, genders, and backgrounds (civilian and non) and if we could just continue banding together, we can overcome the lack of freedom that is truly here in America today.

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What gives us or the government the right to vote over the freedom of choice for another man or woman? What gives you or me the right to shame others for their choices of bearing arms, their life partner, or their desire to medicate with mother nature directly? Is it the move to reduce or eliminate the controlling mechanisms of a government that approves deadly pharmaceuticals regularly that has us in this predicament? At what point have we given enough to our country to have no true freedom in return? “Freedom Flower” is the flower power; the demand for freedom to choose what we like as long as we are not harming others. Sadly, alcohol, pharmaceuticals, and other “medicinal” injections are all both more convenient and lethal than cannabis could ever be. So, let’s all respect each others’ choices and do even more ... fight together for our born liberties. A tip of the cap and salute to our brothers and sisters of the armed services. We are grateful for your sacrifices and we’re fighting daily to ensure you have the freedoms we all deserve.

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The origin behind this comes from a time when Antonio smoked a homegrown strain while on a trip to Colorado.

“It was one of the best experiences. That strain was specifically for being social, out listening to music. It just amplified what I was doing or living The Chavira family had never spent any serious in the moment. At that point I was like, I want to time in Oklahoma. Their closest interaction was relive that,” Antonio said. “And I want to be able just driving through it to get to another state. to put that toward help get products that are like that to other people.”

Even at that time, the thought of making Oklahoma a permanent home was not on their radar. The Chavira’s wanted to not only produce canComing from a metropolitan like Phoenix (Az.), nabis that could create those special types of exthey couldn’t picture themselves ever wanting to periences, but also different strains for different settle down in the Sooner state. areas of a person’s life. Everything from cleaning the backyard to eating dinner could be enhanced.

But just a few years later, Antonio Chavira and wife Daviana Chavira, and Antonio’s brother, Fa- “You might not be feeling 100 percent and kind of bian found themselves in Southwest Oklahoma introverted. And you really want to, you know, go and opened the doors to i35 Labs, a cannabis out and go do something, this will give you that company that grows, processes and dispenses mindset,” Antonio said. “Or just come home from cold cure products. a party to relax. It’s very important to know how your body is going to react to the environment Since i35 Labs ((235 Rustic Rd Ardmore) arrived that you’re in because you don’t want the oppoon the scene in 2020, the Chavira’s have watched site to happen. And really just have a not very their company grow and spread throughout the comfortable experience.” state. However, the trio will be the first to admit that it wasn’t easy at the start. Being a group coming from outside of the state into a market that was still figuring out the cannabis industry themselves.

By Michael Kinney

“We were struggling to find those partnerships. At first, it was very difficult,” Fabian said. “But eventually, as time progressed, we found quality grow partners, quality processing partners, quality dispensary partners. It just takes time and letting things play out when you first meet a company that wants to work with you. A lot of people say they want to do so many things, but it’s the actions after seeing somebody’s character and so forth. And we only want to work with like-minded companies that want to make a change, a positive impact in the world with the amazing cannabis product.”

But once I-35 got settled and was able to show they have a quality product, the partnerships began to trickle in. They include Hank 710 diamonds, Beans Bubble Bash, Erb Farms, Lost Roots Hash, Smith Valley Processing, Mojo Photo by Ryan Wheeler farms, Green Girls Grow and several other companies throughout the state.

Besides making sure their product is safe and healthy, they also want it to be an experience.

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According to the Chavira’s, they didn’t open i35 Labs to rake in the profits. Their main goal has always been to produce quality cannabis that can make a difference in society, which is something they say isn’t the main goal of most cannabis companies.

“I think it comes from us being a smaller company and we’re not profit-driven,” Fabian said. “Yet, we have to make profits to continue to do what we want to do, but overall we want to help. There are so many people that we’ve seen, like our mom, she, you know, has used cannabis, and ever since she started using it and it has helped so much. She wouldn’t want to, you know, do a family event because she was hurting so bad. There are so many people that deal with those things and they’re always in pain or always dealing with something, but they don’t experience the true life, what life actually has to offer and they’re not living.

Success will follow, but helping is most important.”

Knowing that there are people out in the world suffering from a variety of physical ailments is what drivesI35 Labs to make a quality product.

“Cannabis is a plant that can help anybody in this world. we believe, as long as they’re dosed correctly and they consume it correctly. Educate to medicate,” Antonio said. “If we can get educated and they can get medicated correctly, then it can help everybody we believe, or just try to get the right effects for the environment that they’re in.”

Despite only being on the scene a short while, the owners and I35 Labs have big plans for the company.

“Essentially where we see ourselves in 10 years is we’re trying to get better and better within Oklahoma,” Fabian said. “Do as much as we can here, continue to do what we can here, but also take it to other states because we see the opportunity in other states. Provide quality products, provide quality medicine. Cannabis will eventually be legal nationally.

We want to continue to provide those quality products so the masses can actually experience what quality cannabis is.”

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STRAIN OF THE MONTH

By James Bridges I am standing inside of a room and I have a metal suit on. On each side of me there are magnetized walls. That’s what it feels like when I’m anxious, and it impairs me. I have a feeling of displacement and cannot begin to start doing anything that has any kind of forward motion for myself or my business until that displacement is met with some sort of normalcy. I tend to cling onto the ground when this happens.

When I say ground I mean more of a “grounded” feeling. I need to connect with something familiar.

I need to have some sort of alignment before I begin.

Today I made the right choice. I chose Baby’s Breath. This wonderful moment of alignment within myself was cultivated for our pleasure by none other than Great Spirits. Thankfully I was able to locate some, easily, at a local dispensary, Namah Cannabis, in Shawnee.

The high THC level of 28.4% and the terpine high of 2.4% helped tremendously. What really set it off for me in the beginning was the earthy flavors. I could instantly place myself in a realm of content and creativity.

I loved the aromas. I could smell a rose coming from one side. I was now relaxed.

Baby’s Breath cannabis strain comes from a cross between Freedom Baby and Grateful Breath strains. Knowing what I know now, if I were interested in getting a grip on myself and slowing down for a minute or two, I would look for this strain grown by:

GREAT SPIRITS BABY’S BREATH THC 28.4% TERP 2.4%

GREAT SPIRITS ALSO FOUND AT: Checotah Cannabis 312 N Broadway St Checotah, OK 74426

LikeWise 6808 N May Ave Oklahoma City OK 73116

LivWell Meds 2815 W University Blvd Durant OK 74701

LikeWise 412 S Broadway Edmond OK 73034

Greenhub Cannabis 612 S Garnett Rd C Broken Arrow OK 74012

LikeWise 115 S Main St Stillwater OK 74074

Strain Station 4117 Southwest Blvd C Tulsa OK 74107

American Cannabis 200 S Midwest Blvd Midwest City OK 73110

Fight Club 1100 N Porter Ave Norman, OK 73071 Modern Sierra 2910 E Waterloo Rd Edmond, OK 73034 Re-Up Dispensary 6322 S Peoria Ave Tulsa, OK 74136 Re-Up Dispensary 916 S Madison Blvd Bartlesville, OK 74006

Main Street Meds 310 W Main St Jenks OK 74037

American Cannabis 6600 S Western Ave Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73139

Re-Up Dispensary 3440 E Houston St ave Broken Arrow, OK 74014

Dankery 8125 E 51st St Tulsa OK 74145

American Cannabis 1300 N Main st Newcastle, Oklahoma 73065

Re-Up Dispensary 916 S Madison Blvd Bartlesville, OK 74006

American Cannabis 3933 N Macarthur Blvd Warr Acres, Oklahoma 73122

Happy Root 420 811 W Britton Rd Oklahoma City, OK 73114

Med Pharm 24683 OK-51 Broken Arrow OK 74014 Cam Cannabis 205 W Kenosha St Broken Arrow OK 74012 Great Barrier Reefer 3820 N Rockwell Ave Suite C Bethany OK 73008 Happa Wellness 10908 N Western Ave Oklahoma City OK 73114 Cure 7105 N May Ave Oklahoma City OK 73116 Grade A 2130 NW 40th St Oklahoma City OK 73112 Cannabis Refinery 180 W 15th St Suite 100 Edmund OK 73013 LikeWise 1609 N Blackwelder Ave Oklahoma City OK 73106

American Cannabis 1913 S Telephone Rd Moore, OK 73160

Happy Root 420 315 S Willow St Suite A Pauls Valley, OK 73075

Kissing cloud 4133 N Lincoln Blvd Oklahoma City OK 73105

Mango Cannabis 16309 N Santa Fe Ave Edmond, OK 73013

Paseo Cannabis Collective 607 NW 28th St Oklahoma City OK 73103

Mango Cannabis 7141 S Mingo Road Tulsa, OK 74133

3 Leafs Dispensary 2464 N Yale Ave Tulsa, OK 74115 Flight 420 1223 E Cherokee Ave #3 Sallisaw, OK 74955 Roland Natural Health 309 East W Ray Fine Blvd Roland, OK 74954 House of Bud 6914 E Admiral Pl Tulsa, OK 74115

Mango Cannabis 127 West Main Street Norman, OK 73069 Mango Cannabis 1201 NW Sheridan Rd Lawton, OK 73505 Mango Cannabis 6201 NW Expressway Oklahoma City, OK 73132 Mango Cannabis 3301 N. May Ave Oklahoma City, OK 73112

21 23

Mowdy Farms

By James Bridges

“We’ve all been in this together. I remember Temple Kush put us on the map. Now look at us. We are rocking and rolling and we can’t stop right now. I keep telling Joe, ‘you got to have a gig and stick with it, try like hell to be the best at it, and you will do very well in this industry.’ That’s what we do.” Brian Ganster, owner of Mowdy Farms was rested and ready for his second time to be featured in Herbage Magazine.

Brian speaks of a Temple Kush strain that was available in a local dispensary about 3-years-ago. I had the amazing opportunity to try and hoard quite a bit of that flower before I finally decided to track down the grower and interview him. Ahh, the temple kush…

It’s time to catch up. It’s time to check in with our friends and see how they are compared to back then. Spoiler alert… I wasn’t disappointed.

As I walked through the front entrance, I noticed a complete and total makeover of sorts. The last time Herbage and Mowdy Farms connected like this, Mowdy operations were located in a different location entirely. They now had, what looked and smelled and acted like, a brand new spot to grow some of the best medicine in the cannabis market.

Speaking of the cannabis market…

The Oklahoma cannabis market seems to be shifting in a way that may be pleasing to some and not so much to others. This was more of where my interest was at the moment.

I travel a lot. I visit many areas of the state and talk to many people within the industry. There’s growing concern among many smaller “mom & pops” of whether or not they can sustain. It’s so important for all pro-cannabis communities to come together, as one, to make the best decision for the greater good.

L E T S G E T M O W D Y

25

Cheetoz. Chita pissX Runtz.

Savage Genetics

Cheetoz.

Chita pissX Runtz. by Savage Genetics

Tacocat London Pound Cake X Wedding Cake by Cannarado Seeds

Georgia Pie Galatti X Kush Mintz by RAW Genetics

Pack Talk White Runtz X Hyphy. by Savage Genetics

Much of what I am hearing is actually optimistic.

This is when I talk to those that aren’t necessarily trying to “get out while they can”. I talk to those that understand that there is an entire ecosystem at hand to maintain sustainability. A solid product, work well within the community, marketing at a balanced level, and continuing to grow a standard for your brand. The cultivators, dispensaries, and other derivative companies that seem to not be less concerned about the future are the ones that practice all of those parts of the equation. If, indeed, there is too much supply, then there must be a way to create a higher demand. In other words, bring your A-game.

It’s time.

“The loss of quality is the worst thing that could possibly happen to us,” Brian confirmed. “If we ain’t trying to put out some of the best product we’re going to lose our f****** facing this crap just like everyone else.”

Brian is one of the more intelligent people that I have met in my life. He not only understands and is top notch at cultivating, he understands business. He understands the simplicity of business and uses it to succeed.

“So when ‘Walmart’ comes in here and just starts making packs, we’ve still got to stand out. We got to have a customer base. We push out good medicine for Oklahoma. No question. We can push out proper medicine to the rest of the country, if they’d let us…

However, I know that I want to advertise with Herbage or something that is for everything we stand for.

That’s where the money needs to be. Right here in a state where we can sell f****** weed. We still have to be talking to the same people that we know.

We have to continue to let people know that we’re kicking it out there. Then it’s up to me to get our prices balanced and competitive. We look at Zenoa, or Cookies, and some of these big boys that are coming from all over the country. We’ve gotta stay competitive, you know?”

Brian kept looking over at his head grower, Joe Faught. Joe is an old school grower. He’s learned some tricks or two on the west coast of our great country. Joe simply smiled and agreed. He was very good at that. However, when it was his turn…

“There’s so much going on in the market. People are talking about taxes here, overhead there, hell, even China is getting involved in the conversation somehow! Really, to me it comes down to holding onto that quality and price. There are so many growers around that are dropping their prices through the floor just to get out or pay some bills. In my opinion, this kills the economy of our industry.” Joe sat back and folded his arms gently.

Brian took the reins, “What I love is that when people go into a dispensary and see our flower they know it’s ours. I want it the same as any of the big boys. If they see Mowdy weed in a dispensary, then I want them to trust that it is good quality weed.

We’ve got to be those guys in order to even stay alive.

Then we need to stay legal.

To stay compliant with all of the changes and watch the prices of flower drop is very difficult now. The ticket is a huge ticket. But it’s all going to level out at some point. It will level itself out. We just hold onto our quality with a low overhead and continue a marketing strategy that works best for us. Meanwhile, there will be those that go away. Those that can’t stay compliant. Hell, make enough laws and they will push people out of here.”

I couldn’t wait to get my lungs full of some good Mowdy smoke. It’s definitely a “usual” for me at dispensaries that carry them. If you are a dispensary that does not, you may want to consider something of this high caliber.

My relationship over the years with the gang at Mowdy has never failed. Brian has always been a man of his word to me. Someone who, in my opinion, is making a difference for those out there that need his and his team’s experience and ethics when growing the medicine that keeps them so well. The Temple Kush has been long gone. Maybe they will try it again and I’ll go out to the farm and get lost.

Who knows? But I do know that every strain that I have tried that is cultivated by Mowdy Farms, thus far, has been some of the highest quality cannabis that I myself have had the pleasure of experiencing.

Dispensary Locations: 372 Bryan Drive Ste 112, Durant OK, 74701 700 S Air Depot Blvd Ste D, Midwest City, OK 73110 2412 E Highway 37, Tuttle, OK 73089 10401 S Pennsylvania Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73159 121 S Main St, Stillwater, OK 74074

barkerenterprises420@gmail.com

405-501-1774

LOVE

WHERE YOU WORK AND LIVE

Jordan Turner 918-740-7178 JORDAN.TURNER@KW.COM

DeA nn R ohr 918-693-1538 DEANN_ROHR@KW.COM

27

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Chronissuer Reviewed by Hopper Written by Pamela Jayne

If you would have told me 30-years-ago, 20-years-ago, 10-years-ago…hell even 5-years-ago, that I’d be setting up a cannabis grow operation with intentions of it to be tracked by law enforcement, I would have bet money that would never happen…but here we are. Fresh out of METRC deadline hell with all plants tagged and everything in full compliance.

Like a homie of mine said, “Hell didn’t freeze over, but Hopper went legal, so that’s pretty much the same thing.” I know a lot of you were putting in long hours to make the deadline too, and we're probably thinking pretty much the same thing.

I know I took a little trip down memory lane while I was tagging plants, thinking about how far we’ve come. I’ve got nothing but love and respect for the black market because it’s where I’m from. There would be no white market if it weren’t for the risks taken and innovations made by the black market. Sorry about the tangent, l just get super passionate about that subject.

Anyway, when James with Herbage Magazine handed me the goody bag of reviews and I saw that this month is all about concentrates. I was beyond stoked to fire up the Puffco and change gears for awhile. The fact that it’s technically considered “work” reminded me what a gift it is to be a part of this industry and community. #1 Chem Dahlia Budder by Double Down Dabs This buttered up beauty has a beautifully creamy, opaque sheen to it, and it has a really interesting nose. The first words that come to mind are “poopy funk” if you know what I mean. There’s definitely a hint of citrusy limonene in there, too. The texture is perfect. It’s like scooping up a dab of buttercream frosting. I can already tell this is going to be epic as I sit here not so patiently waiting for the Puffco to heat up. Wow! It was worth the wait, for sure. The flavor is super clean and crisp, full bodied and well balanced. It’s not sweet citrusy, it’s more acidic citrusy…but that’s a good thing. It’s a heavy hitter that expanded the lungs nicely but didn’t choke me out. The hit is just as clean as the flavor, and provides instant head to toe relief of physical and mental stress. It frees the mind of whatever has been occupying it, and lifts the spirits. Nothing will be able to weigh you down after a dab of this. Not even METRC, haha. #2 Kush Mints Wax (Doc Ferguson and Rams Head collaboration) This Kush Mints wax is a nice buttery blonde color and has a crumble like consistency that is very easy to work with, which is nice. Aromatically it’s like a mash up of Pinesol and a freshly picked mint leaf. It’s also kind of gassy and I get a little bit of a garlic smell, too. It hits super smooth and tastes out of this world.

Its flavor profile is gassy lemon pine with undertones of garlic pepper. I love the Kush Mints flower, so of course I’m really digging this wax. Doc Ferguson and Rams Head really knocked it out of the park with this collab. Just one big hit of this really sat me back in my chair and had me thinking about life and what a beautiful trip it is. It’s a nice little cerebral vacation that won’t

knock you out physically but does help with muscle tension and the aches and pains that come with a hard days work. #3 Mimosa Diamonds

by Double Down Dabs Chunky and pale blonde with some golden highlights, the Mimosa diamonds is a beautiful champagne color. The bright white in it really highlights its golden hues. It’s a really good looking, top shelf concentrate. The nose on it is mostly on the limonene/pinene tip, and also has a slight eucalyptus aroma. It also kind of smells like Tiger Balm. You know that old school stuff for muscle aches?

I haven’t thought about that stuff in years, but that’s what this sort of reminds me of. The hit is mouthwatering. I mean it literally made my mouth water and gave me a nice punch to the lungs with substantial expansion that got me coughing pretty hard and gave me an instant head change followed by shoulder dropping relaxation and cerebral euphoria. This one is a homerun for concentrate lovers. #4 Sugar Diamonds (Double Down Dabs and Rams Head collaboration) I’m already excited to try this one because the last Double Down Dabs and Rams Head collab was amazing! They’re both crushing it hard. Hats off to you guys for setting the industry standard. This platinum blonde colored Sugar Diamonds is a visual stunner, and the nose has a slight hint of a gas/fuel like terpene profile. I can’t wait to get this in my lungs and see how it feels. Here we go…It hits you right in the sinuses and gives you a little terp sneeze.

You can feel it all through the nose, eyes, and forehead. It offers a focused, cerebral euphoria. It’s great if you want to get into a creative project or just zone out to some tunes. This one is all about the head. You’ll almost immediately feel your eyelids get heavy and your mind start to drift off…It really gave me the munchies too, and I don’t get the munchies very often. A Dr. Pepper freeze from Braums sounds amazing right now. Huge thanks to Doc Ferguson for bringing some bangers this month. I really enjoyed them and I actually really needed the time out from dealing with all the METRC bullshit.

Before we wrap it up I want to thank everyone for coming out to the King Klick and Blaze Ya Dead Homie show at the Brickhouse. I had such a great time celebrating the launch of RX3 and R3M3DY GARD3NS with all of you and look forward to many more awesome events in the future.

31

Oklahoma Voter Rights Keep in the know.

Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote until the full term of their original sentence ends, including any parole and/or probation. from the time of judgment and sentencing until the full sentence has expired. Once eligble, the person must re-register to have voting rights completely restored.

If You Have Served Your Time You Can Register To Vote.

31

One Tiny Drop

By James Bridges

Meanwhile my director sat in his office going over numbers. He was no longer considered a leader by some. I witnessed as some used him like a ladder to gain approval from the cost-cutters.

The “ninjas” wanted to have a round table discussion with the group. For some reason they felt it would be just fine to leave my director, the head honcho, out.

I felt uneasy as I watched people that had worked in the industry, a fraction of the time that my director had, talk badly about his work ethic. My jaw simply would not shut. They acted as if the flow of the ofMany around him could tell that this had affected him fice was more important than humanity. It was like greatly. I would often have talks alone with him and watching an angry mob throw rotten vegetables at became quite comfortable talking freely about our the heroic knight after he fell. personal life. I knew that he was not in the right frame of mind. I could feel a sense of non-enthusiasm com- I thought of all the time he had put into his career. In ing from him. I started noticing him working up a 12 the past he told me stories of projects that he spearhour day sweat like the old days in areas of the build- headed. He spoke of tasks that I would have killed to ing that he may had once even managed. He was be involved in. I respected this person as a human searching for something, as if he were searching for and a master of his craft. a purpose.

As I witnessed the rumblings of a coo, I worried that One day I overheard someone talk poorly of my di- what had been said would never be forgotten. I worrector’s performance over the past couple of weeks. ried that the group could never really trust one anI was very curious as to why my colleagues would other again. I worried so much about everyone else. stoop so low as to start rumors. I shrugged it off. I I wondered if my director would ever catch wind of respected the man they chose to speak poorly of. I what was said in that room. I felt a deep sense of knew of his long career and dedication to his people shame for the group and sadness for the man. and his family. I could not show respect to anything A few days later my director announced his retirethat would shed a dark light on him. ment. Another chapter in the books for him. I can’t A few days passed by and we received a visit from say whether or not that discussion had anything to the “big wigs” in the company. Otherwise known as do with the announcement. However, I do know that cost cutters. Corporate ninjas coming in to cut the fat. he could have never made a better decision.

I noticed many of my colleagues collecting around the group of ninjas. They were offering them lunch. I wonder sometimes how 5 minutes of rumors could They were throwing out fun “after-hours” ideas for make 35 years of dedication and experience turn into a tainted bucket of water. the group. You know….buddy, buddy…

I was at a breaking point on a couple of projects that were nearly finished. My director, at the time, had been going through a ton of personal issues.

His loved one had recently passed. This had been someone that he loved dearly. Someone that passed entirely too soon.

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Perspectives

Taking a look at Neurodivergence and Cannabis

By Kathy Barker Have you ever missed a stair in the dark? It’s like your heart stood up too fast, whilst being in the process of a dizzying white out blindness, before pulling on your lungs for support.

SO. naturally, your chest tightens and you start sweating because OBVIOUSLY something is wrong. Welcome to anxiety. There are many ways to placate this beast. However, there are equally as many ways to Piss it off. Fun fact to start us off. Cannabis can do both!

Let’s take a look at both perspectives shall we?

In the right corner we have William Terrell weighing in at : Extremely Anxious.

I asked him how our beloved cannabis helped to quell the nonstop barrage of brain chatter?

“It’s as if I live my life with an old TV in the corner, with static blaring all the time. The static distracts my thoughts, slows them down, But THC turns that TV off for a couple of hours. It’s as if I’m a different person. I’m not fighting to exist in my own mind. I can think and feel and experience things so much more clearly.”

It was surreal the way he was describing it, because I too could relate with the static. For me however, It wasn’t my own static, but the static from other people’s minds. Hints my aversion to crowds. I continued my curiosity with the question of who was he when the TV was on as opposed to off?

“I’m nothing when it’s on, the motivation to exist isn’t really there. The complexity of Life hits me too hard. Life feels too stimulating, especially social interaction. When it’s off I can be me. I find myself mirroring others less when I’m smoking. I allow myself to be me rather than what others want me to be.”

I think we can all agree that’s pretty intense.

William shared that it was a long road before he actually smoked regularly, but when he did make the decision, it was because he noticed the plant’s healing gift of “quieting the noise.”

For him, his most noticeable setback was lethargy. But the benefits out-way the cost considerably. Furthermore, between Vaping, smoking, and eating THC, it was never concluded that any of the methods were “bad” per say.

Simply, different.

Now in our left corner Sits Jaszi the Bunny Butler weighing in at : So anxious, she has the capability of transforming into a mute.

That’s no exaggeration either. With the wonderful privilege of being able to call her heart warmingly important for four years now, I can confirm she usually stumbles over sentences and giggles until she just stops trying to use words all together.

But honestly it’s not quite so cut and dry. I asked Jasmine for her perspective on anxiety and how it manifests for her, there was a simple reply.

On a common day to day? : “Sweaty hot feet, or rabbit paws if you prefer. I feel like I’m gonna pass out, I start seeing in tunnel vision. I can feel my heart’s just not having it at that moment. I get palpitations.”

She went on to mention that those symptoms become more severe when she’s in social situations or figures of authority are speaking to her.

Now when she smokes weed it’s a completely different ball game. When I first met Jasmine, she was always down to puff, in fact she could nearly out-toke her best friend, my husband Johnny. (Being a dialysis patient, he medicates quite a bit) “It put me in a mellow state of mind and I could do anything I wanted to, socially, without caring and now I can’t function in public. I can’t even leave my bed.”

I wondered when it had all started for her. How early? The answer was a resounding ‘VERY’.

“Just before I turned eleven, three weeks before in fact,” she answered. By a lot of standards, that’s fairly young. But when life immediately gives you lemons…you make lemonade.

Alas, Medicating with Mary Jane wasn’t fated to last. She took a two year break and it turned into a breakup.

“The last time I smoked weed I took a hit and I was fine. Then I took another hit and it instantly hit me. My head got hot, my body started to shake, I couldn’t form words, I was dizzy and couldn’t move. It lasted for about three hours.

It felt like I was trippin’ on acid.

Everything was moving, colors were bright and everything was nauseating” I couldn’t close my eyes without feeling like I was falling.”

That in itself is a pretty persuasive reason to stop, or at least take a few steps back. But what was the real kicker?

“There was a time in my life when I was going to the hospital almost every day.

I told the doctors I had cyclic vomiting syndrome, (CVS) and they asked me if I smoked weed. I told them yes, and then they told me that I had Cannabis hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) and that I needed to stop smoking. I went in two weeks later for my heart monitor and it turned out weed was slowing my heart rate down when I slept and spiking it during the day, giving me more palpitations. That was the last time I went to the hospital and I stopped smoking after that.

I haven’t had a CVS attack since then” Well what about CBD? Does that do any good for you?

“Cbd helps in gummy form, but only in gummy form.”

What do the other forms do for you?

“Nothing really, they just give me a hand to mouth smoke fixation” Got any advice for all the readers out there?

“Go into it with a good mindset, be in a good place with friends.”

“Keep some water nearby and something too munch. If you can relate to any of my experiences, consult your physician, is all I gotta say.”

Thank you for reading everyone!

Jasmine

39

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It’s The

Little Things In Life

By Charles “Uncle Chuck” Duncan

The term “everyday things” refers to something which happens or is used every day. We tend to make those items not important and make big things like vacation trips and anniversaries our “big ticket” items. Photo-opts and scrapbook fodder. Posed grins and smiles to complete the experience. Ironically, we spend the majority of our waking hours earning money to try and recreate those “memories”.

I believe real life is just the opposite. The culmination of all the mundane little things we do is what makes a life. When people toast others at weddings or remember their loved ones at funerals, they speak and remember the things we do or did most. They say things like, “they always had a smile” or “they loved” this activity or that sport. They remember the big ticket items for a story to share but what you are to them really is contained in the little things you did most of the time for them and with them. Your amazing hugs.

Your dad jokes. Your ability to make the most amazing lasagne. Your weakness for anything Star Wars related. Those memories come from attending the many wonderful shows that are you. The real you.

Even the not so flattering ones. From laugh snorting to rolling the ugliest doobie. We all have some negative qualities. Those of us with anxiety and depression, tend to magnify those latter qualities, to the detriment of the former.

Everyone knows that alcohol helps tear down those barriers and can turn an introvert to an extrovert faster than a new Ryan Rynolds appearance. But unlike Ryan Reynolds, alcohol comes with tons of baggage all its own when used too often.

Cannabis has proven on so many fronts that it is the best natural medication for certain anxiety and depression symptoms. The only thing standing in the way between the patient and the plant are politicians.

Politicians who are either pandering to a lobby and/ or just ignorant when it comes to the science behind cannabis. As an advocate, that’s on me. I need to do a better job at advocating and educating the public. But we need your help. We need more and more Those “everyday things” are not so easy to do when non-advocate, regular, non-industry tied members of you have anxiety or depression. The majority of your the public to stand up and question your representime is spent alone and away in your own world. You tatives. Ask them why they are making it hard, or in think, no one can hurt you or be hurt if you just stay in some cases impossible, for those among us who sufyour own world and come out for the big ticket items. fer from anxiety and depression to obtain a plant and But that’s not life. Life again, is full of many small start experiencing their “everyday things”. moments.

Lincoln - by Stefanie Quillen

Comparison of State Questions

818, 819 & 820 TYPE OF LAW

SQ 818 Constitutional measure - Amendable by the legislature as specified and allowed by 818.

SQ 819 Constitutional measure - Amendable by the legislature as specified and allowed by 819.

SQ 820 Statutory measure - Amendable or erasable by the legislature, like SQ788 .

NOTE: Constitutional measures overrule statutory measures. If both SQ 819 and SQ 820 pass, the law of SQ 819 will override SQ 820 where there is a conflict in language.

THE PROPOSAL

SQ 818 Medical Marijuana - (SQ 788 is a statutory measure) SQ 819 Recreational Marijuana ages 21 and over SQ 820 Recreational Marijuana ages 21 and over ENACTMENT TIMELINE

SQ 818 Phases in over the course of a year. patient rights begin the day of passage. Industry benefits, financial transparency, and audit of the program and OMMA becoming the Oklahoma State Cannabis Commission happens over the course of a year.

SQ 819 Phases in over the course of a year. Individual rights begin on the day of passage. Industry benefits, and phase out of the 7% excise tax on MMJ happen over the course of a year.

SQ 820 To be determined. Becomes law 90 days from passage. From that date, OMMA is given 90 days to issue rules and begin accepting commercial license applications. As a statutory measure, the legislature has total authority to modify the enactment timeline.

PRODUCT SALES

SQ 818 Medical marijuana only. Allows license reciprocity with other State’s MMJ card holders. Allows all legal US residents to obtain an Oklahoma patient license.

SQ 819 Recreational sales begin 60 days from passage. Medical and recreational sales are separated at time of payment by either a medical license for the medical tax rate or a state/federal ID for the recreational tax rate.

SQ 820 To be determined. As written, OMMA would be required to begin accepting applications for recreational licenses.No limit placed on time OMMA has to issue licenses. Sales would begin once a license is issued.

LICENSE REQUIREMENT

SQ 818 $2500 license fee and no limit on licenses as written in SQ 788 SQ 819 Single license system, no additional license cost. All MMJ current commercial license holders are automatically licensed for recreational sales. Future licenses are one for both MMJ and recreational products. No limit on licenses as written in SQ 788.

SQ 820 Dual license system, $2500 license fee for recreational commercial licenses, in addition to current cost for MMJ license. Allows for up to $2500 application fee in addition to license fee. For the first 2 years from enactment, MMJ licenses that have been in effect for more than one year may apply for a recreational license. No limit on licenses as written in SQ 788.

PRODUCT TAX

SQ 818 Retains the 7% excise tax on MMJ as written in SQ 788 SQ 819 Creates 15% state excise tax on recreational sales. This 15% tax rate could be lowered but not raised by the legislature. Creates 3% wholesale tax on future export sales. Eliminates 7% excise tax on MMJ. SQ 820 to be determined. Creates 15% state excise tax on recreational sales. This 15% rate can be raised or lowered by the legislature. Retains the 7% excise tax on MMJ as written in SQ 788 REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS

SQ 818 Works with existing regulations, modifies requirements for product testing and tracking SQ 819 Works with existing regulations. Tracks future regulation to those of the MMJ program SQ 820 Requires OMMA to produce and maintain a separate set of regulations for recreational and medical marijuana.