HQ March 2024 – #286 – Cali_Kulture by HQInternational

March 2024

Magazine

MARCH 2024 | ISSUE 286 PUBLISHED BY HEADQUEST INTERNATIONAL LLC

HQ Magazine As the industry’s leading publication for over two decades, we want to remind you all that we are more than just another magazine; WE are the nexus of commerce for the counterculture marketplace; headshops, smoke shops, vape shops, adult novelties, and dispensaries. Both publisher and platform, HQ exists to facilitate the continued evolution of a once-marginalized industry now on the cusp of legitimization. As a publisher, we are your advocate and your advisor, your continual stream of all information that matters to you; from product knowledge, to business insights, to how it all fits into the panorama of the bigger world. As a platform, we are your connection. We are the bullhorn, the billboard, and the bridge; the perfect bullseye of your target market. And as this industry continues to come into its own and navigate the coming seismic shifts in the landscape, we’ll be the light to guide its steps.

Editor-in-Chief Sandy Caputo Account Executives Monica Frésquez monica@headquest.com C: (505) 489-3285 Marc Toretzky sales@headquest.com C: (213) 304-3751 Creative Director

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Kim Airs editorial@headquest.com Philip Scott Torry editorial@headquest.com HEADQUEST INTERNATIONAL LLC. assumes no responsibility for contents herein. Opinions expressed in articles are strictly those of the writer. Published monthly by Headquest International LLC., 6300 Riverside Plaza LN. NW., Suite 100, Albuquerque, NM 87120. Send address change requests (please include information from the shipping label) to the address above, call 505-275-6049, or email subscriptions@headquest.com. Printed in Canada on recycled paper with vegetable-based inks. BEWARE! HQ has no affiliates or outside sales team. Any business or person contacting you and acting as an HQ Representative or claiming affiliation with HQ Publications is unlawfully misrepresenting himself or herself. Please contact sandy@headquest.com if you are approached by any such entity.

TRUE STRAINS

NEXT GENERATION CANNABIS March 2024

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CONTENTS

108

16 Smoke Signals

74 HeadSpace

Sound out the big words to enjoy Into the Weeds on the fun, light reading for two. Industry’s Stickiest Subjects.

See You Later, Alligator? 74 The Florida state legislature is at 24 Nurse Heather dispenses your

Women in Cannabis

‘meducation.’ You’re welcome.

Durity Distro

You Don’t Know Jack

Design and sales specialist, Seth Schaap gets down and Durity. Let’s ﬁx that; SevenSense Intl.’s Jack Privett gets real about what it takes to build something from nothing.

it again with their Delta-banning shenanigans. The Heroic Dose: The mustread exclusive with Laurie Brooks, subject of the breakout documentary. The Glasshole: Are pipe sales dropping? We crack the case.

A Kangaroo and a bong made a baby, plus a bunch of other ‘gottasee’ems’...

HQ After Hours

All the reasons why you should cozy up with Johnny Law.

EdQuest

Puﬀ, puﬀ, class in session! machine

Key 108 AForMinor some cannabinoids it’s more about aptitude than altitude.

Magazine March 2024

120 Quest 4 the Best

Our mini-mag within a mag that’s all about the fun side of adulting.

Data Bitch 98 Ain’t Part deux: Becoming the

64 Puff & Pleasure 66 Vendor Profile

Vibratex: Slinging the O.G. of tickle toys.

68 Feature

A Stimulated Market: Inclusion really seems to turn us on.

70 PleasureQuest

Gadgets and play things to really hit the spot(s).

March 2024

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Smoke Signals

FOR YOUR ‘DOG WALKER’ A Section You Can Read in the Time it Takes to Burn a Shorty

The FDA is Finally Making Sense (Sort of)

The agency that regulates what we eat and how we medicate is beginning to come around on cannabis scheduling - but not enough. In a move that would be seen as unprecedented in any era but the present, the FDA recently found that marijuana isn’t as risky as once though—and might even have some medical benefits. Following President Biden’s push for a review, they’re suggesting that the Feds move it from Schedule I to III. For most activists, this isn’t far enough. Nonetheless the findings represents a massive departure from the near century-long demonization of cannabis, as well as a promising future for the industry. This about-face comes from a detailed 252page report by the Health Department, recognizing that marijuana isn’t just about getting high; it can actually help with certain health issues, and isn’t as addictive as harder drugs. Read the legal mumbo jumbo yourself. Here’s the opening paragraph of the letter to the DEA Pursuant to the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), 21 U.S.C. 811(b) and(c), I, the Assistant Secretary for Health, am recommending that marijuana, referring to botanical cannabis (Cannabis sativaL.) that is within the definition “marihuana” or “marijuana” in the CSA, be controlled in Schedule III of the CSA. Unforutunately, this re-scheduling would not bring the statesanctioned medical and recreational markets into federal compliance, meaning many of the hurdles to legitimizing the cannabis industry would remain. Read More:

Trade Show Roundup

Pack your bags, pack a bowl, hit the road (order of events, TBD) ASD Market Week Las Vegas

LVCC March 10-13, 2024

AltPro Houston, TX

George R. Brown Convention Center June 20-22, 2024

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CHAMPS Trade Shows Atlatic City, NJ ACCC May 7-9, 2024

MJBizCon Las Vegas, NV

LVCC December 3 - December 6, 2024

Puff, Play & Pooches Unleashing the Fun With Puff Palz

By Soﬁa Noillif

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DeSantis Defends Marijuana Patients’ Rights (For Real!)

How do you get Ron DeSantis on the right side of the marijuana conversation? Just bring up guns. In January 2024, the Florida Governor and former GOP presidential candidate expressed his belief that there should be no incompatibility between the use of medical marijuana and the right to bear arms.

“I don’t think that that’s constitutional, to be honest with you,” he said. “I think if you’re using a legal product, I don’t see how that can nullify a constitutional right.” DeSantis highlighted this position during a discussion about cannabis patients’ Second Amendment rights, where he emphasized that the abridgment of these rights should only occur in cases of criminal felony conviction or adjudication for mental illness. Read More:

Genius Said What? The Illegality of cannabis is outrageous, an impediment to full utilization of a drug which helps produce the serenity and insight, sensitivity and fellowship so desperately needed in this increasingly mad and dangerous world. -Carl Sagan

act: Fifty percent of Americans share their home with a member of the domesticated canine species. Also a fact: A much smaller, but surprising number of Americans share their home with a member of the undomesticated canine species. True story; there are numerous documented instances where individuals have brought home animals they thought were dogs, only to discover they were actually wild species like coyotes, foxes, or even wolves. No judgement—okay, maybe a little—but it might be time to get those eyeballs checked, or perhaps put the bong down for a sec. You do you, though. But I digress. Here’s yet another fact that will help us get back to the point at hand: Throwing a birthday party for the family dog is becoming a big deal, so much so, that the American Kennel Club offers expert advice on the subject. Yep, no joke. Soon enough, your fur-ever friend will be receiving invitations to attend Bark-B-Qs and Woof-fests, and you won’t be ready. Don’t be the lame pup parent bringing shame to your furry friend; do your dog-damn homework, already. Fear not, Jonathan Braveman, AKA, the legendary Jonny B of NoGoo and Digger fame, saw it coming and he’s got your back. Phew. Thanks, Jonny. Now, close your eyes, load a bowl, and imagine what would happen if Snoop Dogg and Scooby-Doo started a business together. Sorry, reverse order—load the bowl first. Now, can you see it? Because Jonny B did, and thus, Puff Palz was born. Okay, it didn’t really happen like that. No dogs were involved at the beginning, but some turtles were. It wasn’t exactly “Turtles all the Way Down,” or anything, but turtles were present, a joint was passed, and Puff! The Palz were born. What exactly is Puff Palz? (Did I say that correctly? What are Puff Palz?? Branding syntax is hard.) It’s the coolest, most lit, fire (Am I doing this right? I don’t know; I’m not Gen Z, no cap) brand of gifts you can offer your pupper.

Continued on Page 18

March 2024

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Smoke Signals

DEA Bumps Up Research Quotas

The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has significantly increased the research quotas for various substances, including delta-9 THC, psilocybin, and DMT. This increase is in response to a growing interest in the medical and scientific research of these substances.

VA Goes Down the Rabbit Hole?

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is moving forward with funding research into the benefits of psychedelics for treating veterans with PTSD and depression. This decision marks the first time since the 1960s that the VA will fund such research, recognizing the potential of MDMA and psilocybinassisted psychotherapy as treatments for veterans.

State Attorneys General Weigh In

A coalition of 12 state attorneys general has urged the DEA to reschedule marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III. This call emphasizes the public health and safety benefits of such a move, highlighting the potential for regulated marijuana markets to offer safer products than those available on the illicit market, and the financial benefits from tax revenue generated by regulated cannabis sales.

Candidates on Drugs Former U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley, still a GOP presidential candidate at press time, stated that she would align with scientists on the federal rescheduling of marijuana, acknowledging that it doesn’t belong in the same class as heroin. Author and spiritual advisor Marianne Williamson criticized Congressional lawmakers for their alleged drug use and condemned the delayed reform of marijuana legislation. GOP Presidential Candidate Vivek Ramaswamy , expressed his desire for the Veterans Affairs department to provide medical marijuana and psychedelics to veterans instead of fentanyl. 18

Magazine March 2024

Safety Meeting (Cont.) More than just another brand of dog toys, the Puff Palz offerings are a ‘toke’ of your affection! “I think the MAGIC is the fact that seeing your dog with a bong or joint in its mouth is hilarious,” Jonny offers with his classic glassyeyed grin. I think we can all agree on dog magic. If someone doesn’t laugh at the sight of a French bulldog drooling on a pre-roll like a French baguette – run, it’s probably a Dementor or Voldemort himself. Like dogs, Puff Palzs are all about the fun. “I wanted to create some very durable dog toys with a 420 theme that would bring smiles to everyone who sees them,” Jonny B interjects. Mission accomplished, plus a little extra. He cut no corners. “My main concern was making them as durable as possible using 100% Natural Rubber,” he adds, “and I teamed up with a toy factory that makes some of the most popular dog toy brands out there.” With safety in mind, puppy love in his heart, and business savvy in his arsenal, Jonny B realized what no one else did: Stoners are the greatest dog lovers. It all makes sense, if you consider the two groups’ shared passion for the couch. The bottom line, according to Jonny, is “Puff Palz is a great, affordable upsell line for a significant percentage of Smoke Shop and Vape Shop customers. It’s a ‘good vibe’ product that really brings out the smiles.” Cruising on his past product development feats like the Digger One Hitter and the pioneering NoGoo silicone line, Jonny B is taking over the world with Puff Palz, ensuring all the furry friends who know the answer to “WHO’S A GOOD BOY (or girl)???” get what they deserve. His success speaks for itself, with an amazing response at home and abroad, including in Thailand, as well as Europe—where Puff Palz won Best New Product of 2023 at Portugal’s Cannaduro festival. This isn’t even Jonny B’s happy ending. The serial entrepreneur shared with us a glimpse of his upcoming venture, hinting at “the most over-engineered and coolest Weed Storage Jar EVER!!!!!!!” We can’t wait to see what this pup-and-fun-loving genius has in store for us. Ruff, Puff, PASS!

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Women in Cannabis

Armed with degrees in both psychology and nursing, “Nurse Heather” Manus has spent nearly two decades at the forefront of the medical cannabis movement, doing more to legitimize plant medicine than nearly anyone else in the space.

Magazine March 2024

SOMEBODY’S

HERO By Matt Weeks

Code Green: Nurse Heather Dispenses More Than Compassion Since the dawn of legalized medical cannabis in America, Heather Manus has been fighting to expand access, improve products, and further education. Along the way, she’s worked with state governments (and sued them), earned degrees and manufacturing licenses, and founded a nationwide organization that has garnered the respect of some of the country’s most notable medical outfits. But she’s not done yet.

s access to cannabis increases, “Nurse Heather” wants medical education to grow alongside it. She envisions a future in which every patient who could benefit from cannabis medicine can learn about it from a trusted medical professional. She hopes that one day every dispensary will employ a licensed cannabis nurse. And she’s fighting to ensure that green medicine can take its rightful place among mainstream treatment options. When historians look back on this time, they will add her name to the list of path-breaking patient advocates. But until that day arrives, she’s spending her days in San Diego at the helm of the Cannabis Nurses Network, helping to raise awareness, build community, and research new therapies. Continued on Page 28

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Women in Cannabis

From Trauma to Triumph Manus came to both nursing and cannabisbased medicine through a personal tragedy. In 2000, she was assaulted and nearly killed. The incident left her with visible scars and suffering from the nightmare of PTSD. But if the attack was brutal, the treatment wasn’t much better.

“I followed doctor’s orders for five years and took all of their psychiatric medications, which made me a zombie,” she said. “I couldn’t function as a human or a mother. It was awful. I tried to kill myself several times. I remember looking up one of the medications I was on, and they clearly stated that there was a potential for suicidality as an adverse effect. In that moment, I realized these doctors were making me sick.” In a last-ditch effort to save herself, Manus threw her prescriptions away and started an all-natural treatment regimen. She spent time in nature, ate a clean diet, and washed it down with herbal tea. As she transitioned out of her pharmaceutical haze and into the world of the living, a friend suggested she supplement her efforts with a different remedy. “When I was off of those pharmaceuticals, I started utilizing cannabis secretly. I had to keep that a secret because it was not legal at that time, but I had an herbalist friend that told me that I could benefit from just relaxing a little bit,” she said. “I had no idea the actual deep scientific impact that it was having on my endocannabinoid system, but I knew that it helped me feel better.” The plant worked wonders. Her spirits came roaring back, and her PTSD subsided. Overjoyed, Manus dedicated her life to healing. She went back to school and graduated with honors, earning a degree in psychology and another in nursing. And it wasn’t long before Nurse Heather found her life again changed by cannabis.

A Nurse Fights the Power As a home healthcare nurse, Manus was accustomed to bonding with her patients. Her generous spirit and positive demeanor helped create bridges of trust. As they fought sickness, many confided they used cannabis to manage their conditions. In return, Nurse Heather searched for ways to help them.

When I was off of those pharmaceuticals, I started utilizing cannabis secretly . . . I had no idea the actual deep scientific impact that it was having on my endocannabinoid system, but I knew that it helped Continued on Page 32 me feel better 28

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Women in Cannabis

I said ‘I’ve got patients who are on oxygen. They’re not going to be smoking. What are we doing for smokeless alternatives?’ And the director of the program said to me, ‘Heather, honestly, we haven’t thought that far. We’re going to need you to figure that out.’ And so I did.

Nurse Heather testiﬁes in St. Thomas, USVI, in support of the Medical Cannabis Patient Care Act in 2016

“New Mexico had just passed its medical cannabis in 2007, so I started helping the patients who I knew used cannabis to get into the program,” she said. “This was the old days, so I would keep photocopies of the application form with me, and I would tell my patients they would be able to get cannabis legally and probably get betterquality cannabis, too, by signing up.”

But that’s not what happened. Although the state had passed a measure to legalize medicinal cannabis, it was a full two years before it issued a single license. Residents could sign up for the program but had nowhere to buy, which left Manus’s patients relying on street deals to find relief. Determined to make a deeper impact, Manus got more involved. She joined a dispensary as a medical consultant but felt stymied by the slow pace of change. After obtaining the first license in New Mexico, her dispensary began sales. But even that didn’t solve everything. New Mexico only allowed dispensaries to sell a few kinds of cannabis products, all of which required smoking. That wouldn’t cut it for some of Manus’s patients, so she took a meeting with the director of the state’s Medical Cannabis Program and put the issue to them bluntly.

Magazine March 2024

“I said ‘I’ve got patients who are on oxygen. They’re not going to be smoking. What are we doing for smokeless alternatives?’ And the director of the program said to me, ‘Heather, honestly, we haven’t thought that far. We’re going to need you to figure that out.’ And so I did.” With that, Manus became the first licensed manufacturer in the state to create smokeless cannabis products like gummies and oils. A short time later, she had another spat with another state government. This time, she took on Arizona’s list of qualifying conditions for medical cannabis. The state didn’t recognize PTSD treatment as a legitimate use of green medicine. Manus disagreed—and took them to the court. After a legal battle, the court sided with Manus and forced Arizona to amend its law. The ruling caused sweeping changes across the country. In rapid succession, three more states—Hawaii, Washington state, and Nevada— altered their laws to recognize medical cannabis as an effective treatment for PTSD.

Physician, Heal Thyself Having effected change in five states, Manus realized she could be more effective as an educator and organizer than as a nurse. Thus was the Cannabis Nurses Network born.

Since its founding in 2015, the organization has achieved immense success. With thousands of members nationwide, the network advocates for cannabis nursing by educating healthcare providers, recognizing excellence in cannabis nursing, and advocating for cannabis nursing within the community. It achieved an important victory in September, when the American Nursing Association announced it now formally recognizes cannabis nursing as a specialty. “What I see for the future is more of an integration of cannabis and cannabinoid therapeutics within the healthcare setting,” Manus said. “I believe that cannabis as a nursing specialty is really going to help drive that further. We’re already seeing some shifts where nursing associations are asking the speakers’ bureau members from our network to come and teach and educate them about cannabis.” With her eyes firmly trained toward the future, Nurse Heather’s journey has, amazingly, come full circle. “Ironically, after 2020, many nurses wound up with PTSD after doing what they call their ‘tours of COVID duty.’ And it just so happens that I have quite a bit of experience with PTSD, so I’ve been doing a lot of work in helping to support and empower nurses to heal themselves through their post-traumatic stress,” she said. “The healthcare system itself has really jacked up our nurses and they’re hurting. A lot of them are coming to cannabis for treatment. Once they realize what it can do, now they feel very motivated to help other people and they want to do some kind of work in cannabis because it feels really good to do something where patients actually feel better afterward.” Armed with degrees in both psychology and nursing, “Nurse Heather” Manus has spent nearly two decades at the forefront of the medical cannabis movement, doing more to legitimize plant medicine than nearly anyone else in the space.

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Heads of Industry

Kratom, Kava & Vapes: What’s the Special Sauce for Standing Out? By Matt Weeks

Durity Distribution’s Seth Schaap shares the key to connecting with customers in a world of distractions: DETAILS. DETAILS. DETAILS. 40

Magazine March 2024

You only have a quick glance to make an impression . . . A lot of thought goes into the look, but it’s not necessarily things the common eye would take in or even notice. It’s more of a subtle thing.

eth Schaap works in pictures.

The multi-hyphenate design and sales specialist at Durity Distribution spends his days focused on the eye of the beholder. The company’s portfolio boasts an array of specialized in-house brands, such as Mit Therapy and Alternative Tonics, which have captured the market with their innovative kratom and kava blends. Schaap’s role in the process is to make the products pique the right interests. As the creative architect behind the company’s branding and promotional strategies, he designs and markets not just the packaging, but the complete aesthetic sense of the company’s wares. “Technically, I’m the head of graphic design and advertising & marketing. I make all of our ads, our product packaging, marketing or sales,”

Although he’s only been with the Boise, Idaho-based company for just under two years, Schaap has been a fan of the industry for ages. “It was a little bit eye-opening to see it from the inside,” he said. “It was an industry I always liked to partake in. I’ve always been into the smoke realm, so it wasn’t too far of a jump to do this. It’s definitely been cool to see all the ins and outs and how it all works. It’s been really fun. I’ve taken the challenge head-on and I just try to learn as much as I can, which I feel has been beneficial for both parties.”

Down and Durity Every week presents a new challenge, Schaap said. His day-to-day work involves translating the company’s narrative into compelling marketing campaigns and product designs, making sure that each package, advertisement, and marketing campaign accurately represents itself to consumers through the subtle language of images.

March 2024

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Heads of Industry

“For Mit Therapy, I used bright colors and try to incorporate botanicals or plants,” he said. “I’m always trying to find new, fun ways to incorporate new plants from around the region where we’re getting a particular strain or something like that. I like going the extra mile and doing some research to make sure the art lines up with the product, so to speak.” Mit Therapy is the company’s flagship line of kratom products. They range from liquid shots to pills to edibles, all containing highquality kratom and all manufactured on site in Idaho. Mit Therapy sets itself apart from competitors by the caliber of its kratom mix and the sheer variety of products it boasts. Through a special process called “extract enhancement,” the brand provides a kratom product that’s a middle ground between traditional kratom offerings and the extra-powerful kratom extracts that advanced users gravitate toward. And behind every new shot, capsules, and gummy, there’s work that Schaap does to best situate it for success. Schaap’s ability to harness creativity and translate it into tangible results is clear in the company’s distinctive branding strategies. There’s no confusing the vibrant hues and botanical imagery of Mit Therapy with the sleek, nononsense designs of Mit 45, another Durity brand. These choices reflect Schaap’s understanding of market dynamics and consumer preferences. His deep attention to

Magazine March 2024

largest kratom manufacturing states there is,” Schaap said. “People around here say it’s the kratom capital of the U.S.” That doesn’t mean Durity grows their own kratom trees, however. As a native species of Southeast Asia, the plant only reaches its full potential in the

branding and design isn’t just about looks. He’s trying to create an identity that resonates with consumers and distinguishes his company’s products. “You only have a quick glance to make an impression. I want to have it just stand out enough for a customer to notice it,” he said. “A lot of thought goes into the look, but it’s not necessarily things the common eye would take in or even notice. It’s more of a subtle thing.”

The Gem State and Beyond Having served as a graphic designer for companies located in Colorado and Arizona, it feels somewhat ironic that Schaap’s first job in the counter-culture sector started in the red-blooded heart of Idaho. But the Gem State has quietly built a powerful industry out of kratom. “I definitely wasn’t expecting this, but Idaho is actually one of the

subtropical soil of places like Indonesia. The colder climes of Idaho don’t make for an ideal environment. Instead, Durity imports the raw material from the other side of the world, then tests and manufactures it into products, and sells them across the country. “Our main distribution center is here in Boise. That’s where we all ship from. But we also have our four other locations where we handle manufacturing and things. They’re all in Idaho, but they’re not all in Boise,” Schaap said.

State regulations prevent Durity from peddling some of its biggest sellers in six states—Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin—but the sheer amount of diversification the company enjoys means it can still maintain a presence in those areas. “With all that we have at the distribution center, we’re able to supply like a smoke shop’s full line up. We have glass, we have disposable vapes, we have male enhancement, and kava, and everything in between,” he said. “So even if we’re not allowed to sell Kratom to some states, we still have products that we can offer. Right now, we’re pretty much all 50 states doing business.”

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The Green Room

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By Eva Berlin Sylvestre

BOOT STRAP JACK(?)

SevenSense Intl.’s Founder & CEO Demonstrates How to Make Something Out of Nothing Picture a flea market in The Deep South. The bustle of weekend shopping is dying down. Folks slip into their cars, exhausted from ambling down row upon row of knickknacks and curios, haggling and inspecting and haggling some more. Smalltown business types, even more exhausted, pack up their stations, tallying the past few days’ successes and losses.

smoke shop called Seven Sense is as still as a statue. The metal gate around owner Jack Privett’s wares is shuttered, and the merchandise is perched, pretty as a picture, ready for the following weekend’s shoppers. In an instant, Seven Sense’s corner of the bazaar goes from beloved purveyors of smoke accessories to victims of smash-and-grab bullshittery.

It’s the beginning of spring, and though the last vestiges of winter have moved out, a final chill hitches a ride in the glow of a setting sun. In short order, the emptied market gives way to wildlife: lightning bugs flare, junebugs rumble, and treefrogs trill under swaying magnolias. It’s idyllic. Charming. Warm.

“Our store was ransacked,” Jack tells HeadQuest, his gravel-laden voice apropos to his vendibles. “A bunch of inventory was stolen — lots of water pipes and soft glass.” Some of what wasn’t stolen was simply shattered in a chaotic mess about his feet. “All in all, maybe a grand or so in merchandise [was lost],” he says.

Then there’s the prowler.

The thing about being good guys, though, is that you don’t stay down for long before the locals rally.

It’s the dead of night, Memorial Day weekend, and the South Carolina

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The Green Room

“A few hours later, a customer comes in and says, ‘I know who did it, and that’s not cool,’” Jack says. “The customer said, ‘Here’s this dude’s address, his name, number, everything — do with it what you will.’” Jack promised to keep the interaction anonymous. “I’m not going to put you in the middle,” he told the guy, adding: “Here’s some store credit.”

Using his connections with local police who would occasionally stop by to check in on Seven Sense (and to buy some nicotine disposables themselves) Jack took up earlier offers for help, should he ever need it. He rang a deputy sheriff — “I knew him by his first name, and had his phone number, I could call him at home in an emergency” — and told

him about the shattered and stolen products. Further, he had intel on the suspect. The deputy wasted no time: “He said, ‘Can you get one of your friends to meet up with this guy? We can set something up.’” And that’s exactly what happened. Jack arranged for a friend to meet up with the guy “for a good deal on some pipes.”

“ I T WA S H I L A R I O U S . YOU SEE A SQUAD CAR WITH THE LIGHTS ON, SOMEONE GETTING ARRESTED, THEN AN OFFICER HELPING TWO GUYS C A R R Y B O N G S AC R O S S THE STREET AND HANDING THEM TO SOME OTHER GUYS. IT L O O K E D B AC K W A R D S .”

Armed with a time and a place, the officer showed up to the drop and “just sat there on the corner and watched him,” Jack tells us. “He watched my friend go to the trunk and look at my stuff and say, ‘Oh yeah, no thanks — not interested.’” When the thief pulled away, the deputy hit the gas and visually scanned the car for a legitimate reason to pull it over. As fate would have it, the burglar had a taillight out. Once detained, he gave the officer permission to search the vehicle. Trunk opened, there was the Seven Sense loot, complete with Seven Sense stickers that tied it back to the open-air market.

Magazine March 2024

“The officer called me and said, ‘I got your stuff, all you have to do is identify it,’” Jack says. He headed down and once on the scene, “It was hilarious. You see a squad car with the lights on, someone getting arrested, then an officer helping two guys carry bongs across the street and handing them to some other guys. It looked backwards.” After all was said and done, Jack ended up getting all of his stuff back. “It’s pretty awesome, actually,” Jack laughs. “Anytime we’ve ever

had a problem that we’ve posted on Facebook … something comes up stolen or some issue like that … somebody will tell on them, because we’re seen as cool. It’s like, ‘Don’t do that to them, those are good people.’” Even though he’s been through some tough times these past few years, one thing no one’s gonna do is get Jack Privett rattled. For someone who was lamenting how down Black Friday sales were, his voice came through the phone that afternoon with the laid-back panache of a man who’s been through it all. There’s a reason for that.

Continued on Page 56

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The Green Room

Working as a courier and corporate account manager for Kinkos — “Before FedEx bought them, which is why I quit” — he wanted more out of life than taking orders as a corporate 9-to-5er. Taking orders has never been his bag: Jack left school in the 10th grade over petty rules and pointless tasks. “I always did well on tests,” he says, “but would never do homework or anything I didn’t agree with.” Jack flunked P.E. when he refused to change clothes in front of people or go outside when it was hot. He didn’t pay attention in Driver’s Ed because “I already had my license! I was driving and working way before I was 16.” The annoyance in his voice comes through as he recounts being told to pull his pants up over and over, but he eschews it with a laugh. “Yeah, 10th grade was it for me

Magazine March 2024

— I had better things to do.” With the grit of a young man who’d just given himself a sink or swim imperative, Jack bought himself $120’s worth of incense and began moving product at the flea market. The proceeds were investing from one strategic buy to the next, painstakingly building Seven Sense from the ground up. “I’ve never had any credit,” he says. “No credit card or any financial assistance of any kind. Apart from

that, I’ve never not worked a day outside emergency or vacation, ever since.” Asked how he came upon his business savvy, he says: “I just did it. I started at the flea market and went from there. I got a regular old business license to start and went piece by piece.” From that $120 and onward, Jack “never spent another penny of my own money.” It’s that very fortitude that keeps his voice steady even though the words are grim. At the outset of our call, he was lamenting what he feels was a marketing rip-off that recently took him for five figures. To scale the business, Jack hired a company that supposedly specializes in cannabis retail to build him a decent website. His return? An online presence that advertised products he didn’t even carry. “It seemed like they were using a lot of AI stuff,” he says. “It was like they weren’t even proofreading or looking at what they were doing, just hitting [publish].” He doesn’t want Continued on Page 58

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The Green Room

I always did well on tests . . . but would never do homework or anything I didn’t agree with . . . 10th grade was it for me — I had better things to do. 58

Magazine March 2024

to name them, but lumps that hit in with another financial gut-punch: the pandemic. “Since COVID, things have just been harder, at least with all the traditional methods,” he says. “We’ve never had a Black Friday that didn’t outdo the previous year, and we’re located on a really busy thoroughfare.” He says that traffic usually backs up on the highway outside his shop, but that didn’t happen this year. “It’s been rough.” One thing has remained steady, however, and that’s his regulars. “We have a base here, so lots of folks in the military will stop in,” he says. It’s hard to believe, so he clarifies with

an audible smile: “They don’t smoke but their wives do!” He says military personnel are also into nerd culture, and will drop by for DVDs, shirts, and other items of interest. A gander at the Google reviews shows album after album of a spacious, colorful store that would titillate any pop-culture enthusiast and/or smoke devotee. See for yourself, and peep Seven Sense’s website. It’s changed since our December interview and it looks pretty good. (Way to get after it, Jack. As usual.) “We cordially invite you to explore our exceptional range of original branded merchandise, meticulously curated through an

extensive search process that took us across the seven seas and beyond,” a welcome message reads. That appears to be no exaggeration: The inventory is thousands strong and advertises anything from smell-proof bags to kratom capsules, horror collectibles, natural soaps, and, of course, all the smoke accessories you can sic a cool deputy on. If you can’t find what you’re after, you can give him a ring and ask him anything. Except, of course, to pull up his pants.

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March 2024

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After Hours

ARE SEX TOYS ALLOWED?

ASK JOHNNY LAW. A Very Special Edition of ‘Legal Eagle’

Since you have HQ in your hot little hands right now, you’re most likely in the counter-culture biz, the adult biz, or mooching this issue from your stoner buddy. Any way you access my words works for me and now, it’ll work for you.

By Kim Airs

a place, do buildout, etc.; you know, all the things you pour money into before you even jiggle the key in the door.

on it, and was open for twelve, very successful, years.

My point is, if you have any doubt about selling adult products in your What I did was go straight to the store, make a personal contact with top; not to the person answering the someone at the top to get proper phone, not to the mayor, not anyone confirmation—and get it in writing. One of the comments I often hear is in between. I wanted to find out if That way, they can’t pull a fast one “It would be illegal if I sold adult sex selling sex toys was legal so I directly and sic the law on you after you start toys in my head shop/ bringing in adult playtime dispensary!” But is it inventory. Who knows? really? Have you, as Now that your shop has . . . if you have any doubt about selling a retailer, really dug become even more full adult products in your store, make a into answering this service for good, grownup personal contact with someone at the top question? Let’s look times, they might even buy to get proper confirmation—and get it in at the details. something from you.

writing.

The advice here probably isn’t too dissimilar from what you’ve received before regarding your current wares. Both cannabis and head shop businesses are highly regulated, whether you’re selling a bong, a CBD product, or full-blown recreational cannabis. Figuring out the laws of your state, county or municipality is essential to the survival of your business, as is finding out who is enforcing the laws where your dispensary or store is located. Adult toys are no different. When I opened my sex toy store in Brookline, Massachusetts, in 1993 (that was before the modern internet was born, folks!), I wanted to find out if it was legal to sell sex toys in the town before I spent the money to rent

called the town counsel – the lawyer for the town – who could answer my question since basically, it was a law question. At the time, I gently told him what I planned to sell (back then, tastefully selling sex toys was virtually unheard of, especially in Puritanical New England), and mentioned the magic words “vibrators” and “dildos.” He didn’t even pause and responded with a “Let me look into it and get back to you tomorrow.” Which he did, advising me that there was no law as to what one could sell or not sell in the town of Brookline. “Good luck,” he added. “Get a lawyer to make sure you get it done right!” I followed that last piece of advice like my life depended

Neither the author of this column, nor the publication have any aﬃliation with Bill Cosby or the production staﬀ of “Fat Albert.” Seriously. None.

Magazine March 2024

Again, as I’ve written before, start small and slow with what pleasure products you bring in. Some people might be a little intimidated with eight-inch, realistic dildos; unless you’re planning to go deep with adult, it’s probably best to leave those to your local sex toy store. Nice little bullet stoner vibes from Maia toys (including the incredibly sexy Vaporator), the Stoner line of toys from Global Novelties, or even the damn cute, whimsical toys from Like A Kitten, would fit perfectly to let your customers know you have more to offer than just an array stoner products. Crack open the door to pleasure – just make sure it’s legal where you are and get buzzing!

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March 2024

Magazine

After Hours

GOOD VIBRATIONS

Vibratex’s Magic Wand: Icon of the Sexual Revolution By Darin Burt Picking up Good Vibrations Vibratex’s Magic Wand: Icon of the Sexual Revolution “Good vibes.” It’s not just a saying; it’s the philosophy embraced by Vibratex, the exclusive North American importer of the legendary Magic Wand for the past 15 years. The iconic handheld massager, which debuted in 1968, is a bona fide cultural phenomenon. Cosmopolitan Magazine famously dubbed it the “little black dress” (see sidebar) of massagers, and Time Magazine included it in its prestigious list of the top ten “Most Influential Gadgets of All Time.” This beloved device has consistently delivered on its promise of quality and satisfaction, earning it a special place in the hearts (and nightstand drawers) of many. The Magic Wand is a legacy brand. It has gracefully navigated the ebbs and flows of the sexual revolution, securing its spot as a hallmark of quality, innovation, and trust. Its cultural impact was notably boosted by its starring role on “Sex and the City,” marking a significant leap in brand awareness and opening up broader discussions around female pleasure and sexuality. With its emergence in the mainstream, it’s common now to see someone using a Magic Wand as a microphone in a viral video, or sharing their Magic Wand fan art. Put simply, it’s a cultural icon. For consumers across generations, the Magic Wand is practically the 66

Magazine March 2024

default choice, offering empowerment with sophisticated subtlety, along with undisputed quality. Vibratex recognizes that Magic Wand is a “safe” choice for many, not only because it works so well, but also because of the unassuming, discreet design. They’ve stayed true to the original design of the products, and have partnered with and provided support to educators and content creators who are helping to combat the stigma and shame that still exists around sexuality—reinforcing Vibratex and Magic Wand’s legendary status and unequaled brand loyalty among their user base. The packaging of the Magic Wand hints at its capabilities, labeling it the original personal “massager.” Savvy users are well aware that its popularity largely stems from its use in more intimate settings. This nuanced

approach has contributed to making the Magic Wand a well-known fixture in numerous households, even among those whose worldview leans more toward—shall we say—the puritanical. Vibratex’s lineup is diverse, with each version of the Magic Wand crafted to suit a variety of tastes. The buzz of the moment is the Micro Wand, particularly popular with the Gen Z crowd. This pint-sized powerhouse mirrors the might of its full-sized counterpart, wrapped up in an adorable, travel-friendly package; a modern take on an industry classic. A modern classic, even? Signs point to yes. Vibratex’s commitment to supporting independent retailers is evident in their close partnerships with distributors, ensuring that sales are backed by a strong arsenal of assets

Why the “Little Black Dress” Comparison? The “little black dress” is an icon of fashion with significant cultural impact. Its significance lies in its versatility, timeless appeal, and the way it embodies a sense of sophistication and simplicity. It has been viewed as a symbol of a woman’s independence and liberation, as well as a sort of rite of passage for young women entering adulthood and has become a staple due to its ability to be dressed up or down for any occasion. The dress represents a sort of blank canvas that can reflect the wearer’s personal style, and it can be adapted to fit changing fashion trends while maintaining its classic status. and materials.

Vibratex is passionately steering the Magic Wand brand into the future with a deep respect for its past and an eye on the industry’s growth. They

so, they’re shining a light on how pleasure and As the future unfolds, Vibratex sex toys, especially the continues to be a family-owned Magic Wand, can positively affect company, based in one’s health, self-esteem, Napa, California, with and sex life. Vibratex This beloved device has consistently sleep, the original founder’s embraces this role with delivered on its promise of quality and enthusiasm and a sense of daughter and her satisfaction, earning it a special place in responsibility, knowing that husband having taken the hearts (and nightstand drawers) of their work not only uplifts over the reins. With many. their science, research their brand but also supports and engineering the broader sexual wellness backgrounds, they community, including remain committed to the company’s find themselves in a unique position experts, manufacturers, and retailers. goals of excellence in product quality to push the conversation about sexual and consumer satisfaction. health and wellness further. By doing

After Hours

By Darin Burt

A STIMULATED MARKET T

Sexual Wellness: A Peek at the Future

he once whispered-about adult toys are now a part of the mainstream wellness conversation, and this poses a significant opportunity for you as a retailer. The global market for sex toys, valued at $32.7 billion in 2022, is growing fast. It’s expected to keep growing at about 8.5% each year until 2030. This isn’t just about numbers. It’s about a shift in how people view their personal wellness and pleasure. So, what’s driving this market expansion? Several factors are converging to make it happen. More people are embracing their sexuality while diverse lifestyles, including those within the LGBTQ+ community are increasingly accepted and celebrated. Technological advancements also play a role – think about how app-controlled toys have transformed the industry. Despite the categorization often used to skirt puritanical regulations, these products aren’t simply novelties; they are part of a larger trend aimed at enriching personal experiences through innovative means. Products that were once considered taboo are now recognized for their contribution to wellbeing and satisfaction. By offering these items you become actively involved in a conversation surrounding health and pleasure that

Magazine March 2024

is becoming more open and widely accepted. Here’s another aspect to consider: The COVID 19 pandemic made it clear that when people are confined to their homes they are eager to find ways to enhance their lives. Government initiatives also play a role in promoting wellbeing. For example, in June 2020 the New York health department introduced the “Door 2 Door” service, which allows home delivery of condoms, lubricants and HIV tests. These initiatives not only encourage safe sex practices, but also help normalize conversations about sexual health. When we focus on the U.S. market specifically, it becomes apparent that sex toys, condoms and personal lubricants dominate this market segment. This can be attributed to shifting mindsets and an increasing number of individuals celebrating their sexuality. What’s more, women ranging from 21 to 70 years old are increasingly embracing the pleasure derived from adult toys. However, products are no longer intended for just men and women. Nowadays, there is an increasing emphasis on inclusivity, including catering to the gender fluid community. This means that there is

a variety of products that can attract a broader range of customers to your store. It’s important to maintain an accommodating approach that demonstrates your store’s understanding of and respect for the world we live in today.

arah Tomchesson, Director of Marketing at Vibratex, Inc. expects sexuality continuing to be integrated into mainstream discussions about health and wellness. “As awareness builds, we think more brands will take up the tenets that we have embodied from the start – high quality production, accessible design, and body-safe materials. Technological advancements will continue to improve sex toy functionality. The ways that toys can be customized and personalized to individual user’s needs and desires will continue to adapt and improve.” She goes on to add that sex toys are going to become more available to households across the world. “I’d love to see a time when owning a sex toy is the norm, rather than something to whisper about to close friends.”

WHAT BRAND LEADERS FORESEE Joreail Armstrong, Business Development Manager at Honey Play Box, projects a future for the sexual wellness product category that is heavily influenced by technological innovation and changing consumer attitudes. Armstrong emphasizes the importance of advanced features in products, like the Ollie 2, which boasts built-in pressure sensitivity and forthcoming voice compatibility. This focus on technological sophistication and versatility is reflective of a growing consumer demand for multifaceted and efficient wellness solutions. Beyond tech, Armstrong envisions an industry that is more inclusive and educational, aligning with broader societal trends towards wellness and embracing diversity in sexual wellness needs.

Sarah Tomchesson Director of Marketing Vibratex

●●●

Regarding the retail landscape, Armstrong anticipates a significant shift toward making sexual wellness products more mainstream and accessible. He foresees retailers adopting educational marketing strategies and communitybuilding efforts to cater to a more diverse and informed customer base. This approach is expected to broaden the market reach and appeal of these products. Armstrong also highlights the potential expansion in both direct-toconsumer and business-to-business models, emphasizing the need for high-quality, innovative products at accessible price points. For retailers, adapting to these evolving trends, embracing technological advancements, and fostering a more inclusive and educational environment will be key to meeting the changing needs and preferences of consumers in the sexual wellness space.

Joreail Armstrong Business Development Manager Honey Play Box

●●●

After Hours

Sizzling Sellers that Put the “F” in Functional

OLY APP-Enabled Wearable Clit & G Spot Vibrator The OLY is an arguable revolution in sexual wellness that seamlessly blends innovation, functionality, and affordability. Designed to cater to the desires of modern adults seeking personal pleasure, the OLY offers next level intimacy satisfaction. Constructed from premium body-safe silicone, its pressure-sensitive design is finely tuned to respond to your body’s natural rhythms for a personalized and exhilarating experience. Enhanced by a discreet and whisper-quiet motor, the device’s customizable vibrations give you the control, delivering an enhanced and deeper level of personal intimacy. The hallmark of OLY’s innovation is its cutting-edge technology, which includes compatibility with the OLY app. This dynamic companion unlocks myriad possibilities, elevating your pleasure with features like long-distance control, pressure sensing, calorie calculation, and even music synchronization. But that’s not all – OLY’s standout feature allows you to monitor ovulation, track body temperature, and receive personalized insights, empowering your sexual health decisions. Rechargeable and designed for lasting satisfaction, OLY represents an affordable investment in sexual fulfillment, where pleasure meets empowerment. Available from Honey Play Box.

Magazine March 2024

Stormi Wand Massager with Charging Case The pleasure forecast is Stormi, with a 99% chance of climax. The Stromi from Honey Play Box is a sensational wand-style vibrator that will whisk you away in an electrifying odyssey of passion and blissful delight. Its key differentiator; the unique heating feature that creates a gentle and inviting radiance that intensifies your pleasure in ways you never imagined. With nine distinct vibration levels, the Stormi grants you the power to start with a soft, gentle breeze and escalate to a powerful and rapturous tempest of sensations. Its versatility ensures that it caters to your every whim and desire, allowing you to explore the depths of your passion. But the Stormi isn’t just about intensity; it’s also about convenience. This extraordinary pleasure companion comes with a discreet charging case, ensuring that your pleasure is always within reach, ready to ignite the storm of sensation you crave at a moment’s notice. Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, the Stormi boasts an ergonomic design that elegantly contours to your body’s curves, enhancing both comfort and connection. It features groundbreaking touch-sensitive technology that responds to your every movement, creating an intimate connection that’s as unique as a snowflake in a blizzard.

March 2024

Magazine

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HeadSpace

By Samantha Carillo

IS FLORIDA BANNING DELTA-8?

New Proposed Bill Casts a Shadow for Hemp Farmers in the Sunshine State

t was less than a year ago that Florida’s hemp advocates successfully defended the state’s burgeoning industry against stringent legislative measures that sought to impose harsh restrictions. However, the hardwon triumph for hemp enthusiasts may prove temporary, as SB 1698 now looms as a potential setback. This proposed legislation, presently on its trajectory through Florida’s legislative process, threatens to reintroduce the very restrictions once fervently opposed, potentially destabilizing the state’s thriving hemp sector. That law would have a drastic economic impact on small business in a state that’s already reeling from the COVID pandemic, urban deterioration and loss of industry. That’s according to Matt Schwarmann, of the Florida

chapter of the American Healthy Alternatives Association (AHAA), who spoke with us about what this bill means for hemp and cannabis consumers not only in Florida, but across the nation. At least two other states, Ohio and Tennessee, also have similar bills restricting hemp cannabinoid products like Delta-8 on this year’s legislative docket. Schwarmann says that S.B. 1698, which would redefine legal hemp in Florida, “essentially turns every single cannabinoid, with the exception of CBD, into . . . Delta-9 THC in terms of regulatory practices. Then what it really does is it puts a milligram cap that makes all the [legally producible hempderived] products ineffective.” The main effect of the bill would be to ban the hemp-derived products that don’t meet the new overly restrictive requirements. For instance, the bill states that there would be a two-milligram

limit per dose for those products that contain any cannabinoid. Schwarmann notes, “A two milligram cap eliminates 99 percent of the hemp products on the market. There are no hemp products on the market in Florida with a one milligram dose of THC. That doesn’t exist. It’s not an effective dose. It’s like saying, ‘okay, ibuprofen, you can be legal, but your serving is capped at one milligram when the standard dose of ibuprofen is 200 milligrams.’” Such restrictions would be highly problematic, says Schwarmann, although not everyone agrees. There are some in the countercultural space that have argued that hemp-derived THC is a niche market that exploits an unintended loophole created by the Farm Bill and is thus a passing fad distracting us from the cause of full cannabis legalization. Schwarmann, however, doesn’t see it that way. “Hemp represents small business,” he says, drawing Continued on Page 76

Magazine March 2024

March 2024

Magazine

HeadSpace

a distinction from the excessively commercialized marijuana markets. “For example, there is not one major hemp company in the United States worth a billion dollars publicly traded with any significant volume. There are companies that have gone public, but they don’t have any significant volume. [The hemp market] hasn’t been corporatized. Hemp is the definition of what America was built on: small businesses…Hemp is something that is ubiquitous and it’s accessible to everyone.”

beyond. Schwarmann details the negative outcome that mom-and-pop shops would have to endure should S.B. 1698 become law, telling HQ, “You have people opening up little shops that are growing. Suddenly, Susie Homemaker and Dave have a hemp shop together and now that shop is doing well enough that they can hire two more people and they can rent another building. [Hemp cannabinoid enterprises] are examples of small businesses growing…Why would we ever want to attack that industry?”

“Hemp offers mom-and-pops the ability to access the industry, specifically in the state of Florida,” Schwarmann explains. “In other states, like Oklahoma, it only costs $1500 to get a [cannabis producers] license. If your argument was, ‘Hey, man, in Oklahoma, it’s 1500 bucks to get a license; let’s all just get together and promote cannabis,’ I would probably be willing to listen to that. But every state’s not like that, and until every state is like that, hemp is the defense for small business against giant corporations.”

The political imperative to stop the passage Schwarmann says that of bills like S.B. 1698 solutions to solidifying Hemp is the definition of what hinges not just on the hemp’s place in an already America was built on: small crowded American availability of hempbusinesses…Hemp is something derived CBD or THC cannabis marketplace that is ubiquitous and it’s accessible products but also on the shouldn’t involve to everyone. -Matt Schwarmann, AHAA industry’s vital economic restrictions that hurt the component. Limiting little guy, concluding, the availability of hemp “Look through [all the products will cost the state of Florida Besides the negative effects the new data]. No one’s ever overdosed. No heavily in terms of lost jobs, failed law would have on small businesses one’s ever died. This is bringing startups and tax revenue. In Florida and workers, there is also the problem billions of dollars to my state. alone, Schwarmann says that would of enforcement. Schwarmann argues This is giving jobs. This is helping. translate to the loss of around “a that lack of both enforcement and That is what these grassroots hundred thousand middle-class jobs. regulatory oversight is already a efforts are about. So, call your local There are no corporate billionaire problem within the hemp-derived representative. Donate to your jobs because that doesn’t exist in the product industries. Passing this association. Join them. Support them. hemp industry.” law would just c o m p l i c a t e Work with people . . . understand that we have to educate some people. matters. All of this is bad Some politicians, frankly, may have news for small O v e r a l l , no experience. They may never have businesses in t h e s e heard of Delta-8. It doesn’t help if the state of restrictive their only experience ever is hearing Florida bills in their fellow senator saying, ‘oh, this a n d F l o r i d a , is bad. We’ve got to protect the kids.’ Ohio and These politicians might not even Tennessee know the truth.” represent bad business and worse g o v e r n a n c e . Schwarmann and the FHAA are leading the charge to ﬁght this initiative at the Florida Such laws state capital in Tallahassee. You can help with would stifle a donation using the QR code below. In the small business event that this issue is settled by press time, your donation will go to prepping our allies in and lead to a Florida for future battles. loss of jobs, benefiting no one but “Big Marijuana.”

Magazine March 2024

March 2024

Magazine

HeadSpace

The ﬁlm DOSED: The Trip of a Lifetime follows Laurie Brooks as she discovers the transformative power of plant medicine. Oﬀscreen, Laurie shares the deeper discovery: her authentic self. By David Pogge

he sits upright on a non-descript couch, in a nondescript suburban living room. She could be anywhere—and in a sense, she’s been everywhere. The look in her eyes is unmistakably familiar to anyone who’s shared in the experience. It’s the aftermath of a spiritual purging, a tsunami of catharsis wrapped up in revelation. It’s a sensation of such complete and total surrender that you could mistake it for a sort of cheerful nihilism if everything wasn’t pulsating with so much meaning. You could call it a look of resignation, but not of defeat. “Death is as easy as crossing the street,” she’ll later tell me, describing what she’s learned in this moment. Her therapist and his assistant sit in armchairs across from her. Glenn, her husband of more than 30 years, is on the couch beside her, his eyes adoringly locked on hers as he hangs on her every word. “I don’t even know where to start,” she begins, her voice choked with relief. “I’m done. I’m done with the crying. There’s nothing to be sad about anymore.” As if on cue, a tear leaks out of her left eye and slides down her cheek, still flushed crimson by the force of the emotional release. Somehow, that single tear is more proof of her words than a contradiction. If there’s a climax to be had in the film, DOSED: The Trip of a Lifetime, this is it, though there’s no spoiler within the recounting. If anything, the spoiler is this: Five and a half years after she was diagnosed with colon cancer and told she had less than a year to live, Laurie Brooks is still here—and she’s more alive than ever.

Magazine March 2024

LIVING PROOF (Emphasis on Living)

HeadSpace

I still have cancer—I still have a tumor, actually. His name is Frank. Frank is a bad boyfriend who just won’t leave. I’ve told him to sit down and shut up and he has.

The film, which premiered in 2022 and features an all-star cast of plant medicine luminaries that includes Paul Stamets, Gabor Mate and Dennis McKenna, documents Laurie’s journey as she grapples with her own mortality in the face of a harrowing diagnosis and improbable recovery. A native resident of British Columbia, our protagonist was able to take advantage of Canada’s Special Access Program, which allows terminal patients access to psilocybin therapy on a case-bycase basis. As if to strike the perfect 82

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chord, the film also documents her adoption of a cannabis oil regimen to supplement her treatment. The results speak for themselves and have made Laurie, a mother of four and wife of a former evangelical pastor, an unexpected hero of the plant medicine movement. But for Laurie, as much as the movie has opened doors and created opportunities by which she can make a lasting difference on her terms, it represents what is already behind her. It’s the prologue; the real journey begins now.

“Everybody wants to know about cancer,” she tells me. “And for me . . . I don’t want to think about that anymore. I still have cancer—I still have a tumor, actually. His name is Frank. Frank is a bad boyfriend who just won’t leave. I’ve told him to sit down and shut up and he has. So, I don’t know; I’m just kind of past that now. But we go to screenings for the movie and that’s all people want to know about is the cannabis regimen, or . . . my cancer, and it’s like, you guys are missing the point. The way I got through cancer was by finding myself again—and mushrooms definitely helped me do that.” The first thing I notice about her as we open the conversation is the electricity of her presence that’s tangible even over a Zoom call. There’s an unforced joy in her voice, an effervescence that seems to punctuate her thoughts, Continued on Page 84

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HeadSpace

CANCER IS SO BLASÉ.

which never seem to lack, nor fail to illuminate a deeper truth. She speaks with clarity and authority, but also with casual ease—and surprising candor. “Cannabis has helped me in so many ways,” she continues, “and not just the anti-cancer properties, but also laughing . . . I learned to laugh at cancer and my tumor because of when I was high— when I was stoned at night,” she lets out an unforced giggle before continuing. “I entertained myself by thinking of other ways to die that were more entertaining than cancer. My favorite right now is getting hit by a piece of space junk falling from the sky . . . Cancer is so blasé.”

That authenticity means making the choices that are best for her, despite the expectations of some of the members of her newfound audience. There is a general assumption that the choice between conventional and plant medicine is a binary one, but Laurie doesn’t see the world in ones and zeroes. It was psilocybin therapy—not DMT. “I haven’t gone off my chemo meds,” she posits with a shrug, “and that’s what people don’t get. I’m not into all this green juice in Mexico or whatever . . . I still work with the doctors—I still have an oncologist that I talk to all the time. I go in for scans and do my chemo regimen, and I’m not going to let that go. These,” she adds, referring to mushrooms and cannabis, “are add-ins. I still believe in science.”

growth exercise in its own rite, but the challenge isn’t in finding the words. She has no shortage of thoughts to put to paper. It’s once again about authenticity, which from our conversation, appears to be an enduring theme in her journey. “It’s almost like labor pains,” she offers, and then with the volume knob ticked up a notch for emphasis, adds, “This is hard. Like, how much am I going to put out there? I actually hired a writing coach who’s helping me with that. She’s telling me, ‘You need to be honest. People will see when you’re pulling back and not being authentic.’”

As if the blog, book, and the Her laughter is contagious, and speaking engagements aren’t I find myself joining her, despite enough to keep her busy, she the bleakness of the and Glenn are also in subject matter. But the planning phases that’s the thing: For of a retreat center for Cannabis has helped me in so many her, there is nothing patients with trauma ways. And not just the anti-cancer bleak about it. She’s or terminal diagnoses, properties, but also laughing . . . I already faced death; which will share a entertained myself by thinking of she’s made her peace moniker with the blog. other ways to die that were more with it, and she’s still entertaining than cancer. My favorite Laurie describes the here to tell the tale. I vision with beautiful right now is getting hit by a piece of point this out to her simplicity: “Come to space junk falling from the sky. and ask her if it makes Laurie’s place and just her feel immortal. breathe. Put your hands She smiles and gives me an She’s now keeping a blog, dubbed in the dirt and get connected to affirming nod. “I feel like I might “Laurie’s Place,” in which she the earth again. Take a few days to have superpowers.” documents her continuing journey, figure things out and get your feet as well as the truths she uncovers back under you again. No agenda, Her cancer now in remission, along the way. The initial posts no religious teaching… Just come. Laurie is moving forward—heart were spent recounting the story We’ll tell you our story and be with in the moment, eyes on the future. of her cancer battle, but the topic you in yours.” This isn’t a pipe With the knowledge and acceptance plays little more than a bookend dream. A close friend who owns a of the fact that her prognosis could to the experiences she’s had on small tree farm has already offered change at any time, she’s purposed the other side of that battle, now their property and proposed a to live deliberately, embracing giving way to discussions of her partnership; phase one should her most authentic self without ongoing personal evolution, with begin before summer. If you’re apology. a heavy focus on re-examining the wondering, psychedelic therapy hasn’t been ruled out, but given “I feel so much more myself now,” faith of her upbringing. Spoiler the remaining legal ambiguities, she confirms, her effusive smile alert: Her insights are too big to it’s not at the forefront of their beaming through the monitor, fit within the four walls of the priorities either. At least, they’re “I’m confident in who I am and not Church. The next milestone is not planning to administer any afraid to show it; I’m just being a book, which she plans to have treatments. more authentic and letting people ready by spring—possibly by the see who I am. The feeling of being time this issue reaches mailboxes. Glenn, who for most of the The book, like the blog before it, seen and heard is amazing.” has revealed itself to be another conversation has been a friendly,

Magazine March 2024

Continued on Page 86

“...I MIGHT HAVE SUPER POWERS.”

HeadSpace

A glimpse: the future site of Laurie’s Place, a retreat center for those with trauma and terminal illnesses

but blurry mass in the background, now scoots forward to elaborate on their plans. “We’re not trying to be a psilocybin facility that needs to have all the medical stuff around it,” he qualifies. “What we want to be is a facility that people who have medical exemptions can come and use. We want to be available to them.” The emphasis here is that they intend to follow the rules, whether they agree with those rules or not. And ultimately, where Canada ends up on this topic is yet to be seen.

Whenever we speak at one of these film events and people ask us questions, I always tell them that the best way to do this is through a counselor. If you just want to get stoned, whatever. But if you’re looking for actual help, you need to do it with assistance.”

The interest in psychedelics as therapy has grown exponentially among medical professionals on both sides of the northern border, but neither Laurie nor Glenn seems confident in predicting how or when such treatments will be made widely available.

Laurie recounts a conversation with one such official and the frustration in her voice is palpable.

Laurie drops her answer with blunt exasperation. “I honestly don’t know,” she responds when asked. “I mean, it needs to be legalized because it’s not addictive.” She later comes back with a wry smile and tells me, “I think we should start with our politicians. You can’t be a leader of this country until you’ve done mushrooms. Problem is, if you’re already a shitty person, you might just be a shittier person afterwards.” “To me,” Glenn adds, “the only way to make it viable for everyone is to get it into our healthcare system. They’re working on that very hard up here.

Watch the movie:

Watch the trailer:

Magazine March 2024

Read Laurie’s blog:

Despite the successes of the limited programs that have been authorized thus far, the Canadian authorities still seem to be dragging their feet—and some are missing the point entirely.

“I talked to a bureaucrat in Ottawa at Health Canada about psilocybin and they told me, ‘Well MAID (Medical Assistance in Dying) is available.’ I’m like, ‘I don’t want to die. That’s the whole point.’ I told him, ‘You’ve given us assistance in dying, which is good. For those who want that, we shouldn’t have to suffer.” She pauses and takes a breath. Her next words strike at the very heart of the matter and punctuate the discussion with flawless precision. “But what about medical assistance in living?” Preach, Laurie.

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Magazine March 2024

The Green Room

THROUGH A GLASS DARKLY Glass sales have taken a severe hit over the past year. Veteral glass blower, Scott Torry of Murky Waters Studio tackles the delicate question of why

Making Sense of the Pipe Market By Philip Scott Torry ● Edited & Co-written by David Pogge

rom small sheds and garages to schoolies and warehouses, the art of the glass pipe has evolved and made its way through the decades with major crests and troughs along the way. Prohibition against cannabis wasn’t limited to the plant; glass went right alongside it as paraphernalia was also illegal to possess, a fact that still stains the records of more veteran artists than I could count. Granted, compared to the herb itself, pipe prohibition came with an impressively elastic loophole, but that loophole could snap shut without warning at any moment—and it often did. Our world has changed. The same laws governing so-called “paraphernalia” are still on the books, but the previous decade’s tsunami of legalization has rendered them nearly unenforceable. As a result, we now

have a generation of incoming artists who have no firsthand experience of the criminalization of their art. The concept floats around, but it’s like the dry counties of the Bible Belt; more or less a myth until we accidentally drive through one. It was the so-called “degenerates,” though—the ones who were willing to engage in a criminalized act of creation— who took the artform from the jam lot blankets to museums and galleries, transforming the creation from “just a pipe” to a work of transcendence. They went so far as to turn the heads of longtime artists from outside the culture, who for years, dismissed pipe art altogether, attaching “if it wasn’t for that bowl’’ to any positive words they could offer. It should be noted that many of these naysaying Continued on Page 92

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March 2024

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veteran flame workers would eventually go on to make pipe art of their own, justifying the aboutface by re-labeling their work “interpretations of a pipe.” Now, having ventured from the shadows, heady glass pipes have made such a mark on culture that they’ve added words to our lexicon—terms that continually evolve with color pallets, techniques and execution. Many of us who have observed or have been a part of the ride from the beginning remain nostalgic for those early days when the artform carried risk—and rightfully so. In any space, risk works as a sieve to filter out the opportunists and hacks. Add to that, the uncertainty that the artform would ever escape the shadow of prohibition. Marginalization often fosters cohesiveness, a trait easily lost when the exterior pressures shift. Despite 92

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and

sales drop, bottom line.

when a customer base narrows,

for glass has narrowed–and

has been that the customer base

this, but the overall sentiment

It’s hard to pin a direct cause to

The Green Room

misgivings, we’ve celebrated every victory for legalization that has appeared on our newsfeeds, first with medical, then recreational, and have looked forward to the inevitable day when the federal ban will be repealed altogether. What we lose in a cohesive community, we’ll gain in new opportunities and wider horizons. Or, so we thought. For the past month, I’ve been speaking with glass blowers and distributors around the country, tallying up their individual accounts in hopes of getting a glimpse of the big picture of where we are and where we’re going. One thing is overwhelmingly clear: Something happened in 2023. It was subtle, but it was massive and in my opinion, its reverberations will have even more of a lasting effect than that of the pandemic. We all felt it, but individually it was hard to pinpoint. Most distributors agreed shops were

being more cautious than they had been in previous years. They weren’t shying away from high end pieces altogether, but they were being more selective in the styles they brought and less likely to buy in the quantities to which we’ve become accustomed. It’s hard to pin a direct cause to this, but the overall sentiment has been that the customer base for glass has narrowed–and when a customer base narrows, sales drop, bottom line. How could that happen? On its surface, it makes no sense. Legalization should be blowing the market for accessories wide open, yet here we are. Is the hesitation from the market itself or from the people in the market? Meaning, are we looking at an issue of macroeconomics or consumer choice? The pandemic was an issue of macroeconomics. Business came to a stand still and unemployment Continued on Page 94

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The Green Room

went through the roof as we placed ourselves in a sort of artificial recession.

Meanwhile, as already addressed, state-by-state legalization is now truly hitting its full stride, and within that, there has been an unexpected shift in preference of consumption methods. Since cannabis has lost its status as a forbidden fruit, it appears

“sacred vessel” is being passed around. We’re more than likely laying in bed, streaming Netflix and puffing on a cart purchased at the local dispensary while sliding into the DMs of our buds. It’s a different world–and (it can be argued) not exactly one conducive to the sale of glass.

But that’s not the case today. Granted, we’re still feeling the reverberations from the pandemic. In 2020, the music stopped, so to speak. Festivals, events, gatherings, concerts– even the local sesh–they That’s a bitter pill to Since cannabis has lost its status as were all put on hold. It swallow. I should know– a forbidden fruit, it appears that its can’t be overlooked that this is my livelihood, and it consumption is now far more about this has made permanent supports my family. efficiency than community. changes to the landscape. There is no short answer to However, the economy is this multifaceted dilemma. now running hot and we that its consumption is now far more We need to think rationally and still face a problem of slumping sales. about efficiency than community. strategically to ensure not only our So again: Why? Glass pipes, especially the high-end, individual survival, but that of the have a communal—some would even We won’t be able to answer this collective as well. say sacramental—nature to them. question definitively, but we can They’re best enjoyed in groups, The good news is there is hope. Pipe at least put a sizable dent in the where beauty of the art is shared art isn’t going away; it just might mystery. Let’s start by looking at and enjoyed as much as the herb slim down for the time being. We’ll the pandemic one more time and in the bowl–and traditionally, the get into that more in that in the next consider what those lasting effects communal aspect was as much about installment, as well as take a look at actually were. A lot could be explored that enjoyment as it was about the strategies for weathering the shifts in here, but the overarching pattern of sharing in something forbidden. the market. Stay tuned; we’re getting interest is our collective capacity for socialization dropped. And while it Now, let’s bring back the effects into the weeds with this. did tick back up as we emerged from of the pandemic. No longer being our caves, I think it’s safe to say the social creatures we once were, Editor’s Note: The idea for this article partially that we never fully recovered. Why we’re now even less likely to engage arose from a discussion about “Marijuana Isn’t Cool Anymore,” the op-ed by Bruce Reith published in our does that matter? I’ll get to that in a in those group sessions where the August issue. Admittedly, we may have borrowed some minute. of his thoughts in the arguments set forth here. Can you blame us? They were really good thoughts.

TT O C S IP Y L I R H R P O T

ith es . W rac o b on n di r t ea Stu e em uil s o y s , h s b lk 7 r 1 e s es wa gs at es in y W kin usin ong r l r b k ui is b ys s) ur as M of q g h njo l g o . e n ST e t ch ui e lic (P enc tou urs k, h tho y i r rr er nd le p o Ca To exp it a hi m w ids, t r ot g pi e w ro k Sc win s s tur de f s. 5 u l p i b ili blo lio cu As da Ph ass bel ter es. at gl s re un alu nd f hi e co y v h a th mil eac fa e b th

Magazine March 2024

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EdQuest

IN WE TRUST VOLUME 2: THINKING LIKE THE MACHINES

By Soﬁa Noillif

It’s 2024 and the guesswork is over. Data is king.

elcome to the second installment of our ongoing series with data analytics, the key to business success in the post-modern world. In our previous article, we explored how data analytics have revolutionized small businesses, empowering us to ditch the guesswork of the past in exchange for concrete facts and educated analysis. We then went over the four types of data analytics—descriptive, diagnostic, predictive, and prescriptive—to navigate the present and future of commerce with precision. With the help of Dr. Gabrielle Pogge, a data analyst with a PhD in social psychology, we discovered that data analytics are new cornerstones for understanding market trends and customer behaviors, thereby propelling small businesses forward.

Magazine March 2024

Where do I even start? “But I’m not a statistician, and I don’t have the resources to pay one. This can’t work for me.” Calm down, chief. Have a toke; there’s hope for you yet. Most of us skipped as many math classes as our creativity allowed. We’d probably rather pull out a molar than try to write a line of code to analyze data. So, we asked Dr. Pogge, besides using the force, what can small business owners realistically do to leverage the power of data? “Two things you can do—today—and with little to no cost, are to begin cultivating a data-driven culture within your small business, and to think carefully about whether your current business processes support data-driven decision making. If you want to be able to access and have confidence in the data that will be most useful for converting insights into actions, you need to intentionally design your business processes to support data quality. Data are only as useful as they are reliable—and making decisions based on unreliable data can ultimately harm your business.” Continued on Page 100

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EdQuest

Grow a Data-Driven Culture Here are 5 simple things you can start doing right now to embed analytics into your business core (yep; don’t skip leg day, but it’s really all about the core):

Identify specific, achievable goals for using data analytics. This might include improving product stock management, optimizing marketing strategies, or enhancing customer experiences. Clear objectives help to focus data collection and analysis efforts. Not sure what your primary objective should be? Identify your biggest problem and go from there. That’s the whole point.

Invest in training for your team. Understanding the basics of data analytics and its relevance to their roles can encourage staff to actively participate in data-driven initiatives. This could involve workshops, online courses, or hiring a consultant to provide initial training.

Utilize data analytics tools that are accessible and understandable. For small and medium businesses, it’s important to choose software that doesn’t require advanced technical skills. Tools like Google Analytics, Tableau, Excel or Microsoft Power BI can be good starting points.

Identify which data points are most relevant to your business objectives and how to get them. This might include sales data, customer feedback, website traffic, or social media engagement. Use your objectives as a guide to avoid getting overwhelmed by irrelevant data. Keep it lean.

Promote a culture where experimentation is encouraged. Use data to make informed hypotheses about operations or marketing, test these hypotheses, and analyze the results. This approach helps in understanding what works and what doesn’t.

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EdQuest

Designing Business Processes That Safeguard Data Quality Now that you have the right strategy, it is time to rewire that mindset and start thinking like a black belt data ninja to protect that precious data:

Establish and enforce clear guidelines for data entry. This includes standardizing formats for dates, monetary values, and customer information. Having everyone follow the same format reduces errors and inconsistencies.

Implement automated systems for data collection to minimize human error. For example, use Point of Sale (POS) systems that directly integrate sales data into your inventory and accounting software.

Create a system where employees can easily report any data inaccuracies they encounter. Quick correction of errors prevents them from affecting downstream processes.

Choose software tools that are known for data accuracy and are compliant with industry regulations. Make sure these tools are regularly updated and maintained.

Ensure that there are backup systems in place to prevent data loss. Regular backups and redundancy measures protect against data loss due to hardware failures, cyber-attacks, or other unforeseen events, or simply you forgetting to plug your laptop or save that spreadsheet… I mean, we didn’t tell you data nerds don’t partake on occasion.

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More to come next month. Stay tuned!

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