Hydrolife Magazine | February March 2017

grow. heal. live. enjoy.

R O SS’ G OLD

FEB/MAR 2017 // USA

HOW RO S S R EBAGLIATI ’S GO LD MEDAL CH AN GED T H E CANNABIS LANDSCAPE FO REVER

inside

12 our crew / 14 from the publisher / 16 own it / 18 ask kyle / 46 ask a nurse / 80 consultant's corner / 94 the chill list

grow.

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20

Translating Your Personal Cannabis Growing into Resume Format

26

Jacked Up Cannabis

28

Go Organic or Go Home

34

Lock Up the Biosecurity of Your Grow Op

36

Real Science, Real Relief

38

Mastering CO2

grow. heal. live. enjoy.

heal.

48

Dispensary Etiquette

52

Cut and Dried

56

The Best Strains for Aches and Pains

60

Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome

64

7 Tips Toward Improving Sleep

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live.

66

Baking a Fool of Myself

70

Ross' Gold Feature

82

Keeping the Cannabis Industry Safe

84

A History of Cannabis Part I

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enjoy.

88

Comprehending Your Cannabis Test Results

90

The Herbal Chef

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Let Them Eat Cannabis Cake

grow. heal. live. enjoy.

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our crew

Dan Banks Chris Bond Michael Caffrey August Dunning Jessica Ferneyhough Kent Gruetzmacher Cory Hughes Kyle Kushman Gibson Lannister Lee G. Lyzit Lacey Macri Jodi McDonald Jessica Skelton Watermelon

Published by

February/March 2017 volume 6 - number 4

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Hydrolife Magazine 3773 Howard Hughes Parkway South Tower, Suite 500 Las Vegas, Nevada 89169

Inquiries to

editor@myhydrolife.com

No part of this magazine may be reproduced without permission from the publisher. The views expressed by columnists are personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect those of Hydrolife or the editor.

Printed in the USA Distribution P.A.I.N. Distribution | 310.488.1911 magazinedistribution.org

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from the publisher

I

t is amazing how an event from almost 20 years ago can remain fresh in the mind. It certainly doesn’t seem that long ago that Canadian Ross Rebagliati rocketed down Nagano’s Olympic giant slalom snowboard course, ripping through the finish line to claim the first-ever Olympic men’s snowboarding gold medal despite starting the final run in eighth position. We all know what happened after that. The image that I remember most wasn’t the fresh-faced, blond, blueeyed 26-year old carving a beautiful turn around a gate, or Rebagliati’s giant smile on the top tier of the Olympic podium. It was a photo of rattled-looking Rebagliati emerging from a rental car, surrounded by police, International Olympic Committee members, and a crush of global media after testing positive for THC. The gold medal earned him some attention, but not nearly as much attention as having it taken away for testing positive for THC, or, more significantly, having it returned by the IOC because THC wasn’t on the list of banned substances (of course, the IOC moved swiftly to amend its doping laws to include marijuana, though they have since been relaxed). The drama earned Rebagliati international recognition, but it was also a key pivot in how society viewed marijuana. If an Olympic golden boy could be affirmed, couldn’t everybody? Since then, Rebagliati has become a cultural phenomenon and advocate of marijuana use, and it is no coincidence that since that foggy day on Mount Yakebitai near Nagano, how we perceive the use of marijuana in society has changed for the better.

Hydrolife recently caught up with Rebagliati (on page 68) to talk about Nagano, his thoughts on marijuana, and the launch of Ross’ Gold.

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own it

3 2

1 4

own it 1. Even the most hapless

gardener can successfully harvest their own plants with Grobo, a compact, lowmaintenance, and easy-touse hydro growing system.

Simply add your favorite seeds or cuttings, tell the app what you planted, and let the machine do its thing.

Each kit comes complete with a carbon filter, one coco pod, and all the nutrients you’ll need to grow one plant to its maximum potential.

Just top up the nutrients and water, and clean the filter, when the app tells you.

– grobo.io

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2. The Genius Pipe is

sleek, simple, and discreet— but what makes it so, well, genius? The 2,000 little dimples lining the inside of the anodized aluminum device. When you inhale through the pipe, these dimples create thousands of tiny vortices that cool the smoke to room temperature and catch a lot of impurities before it enters your lungs. This leads to a more pleasant, tasty, and guaranteed cough-free experience.

– geniuspipe.com

3. Need to restore some

some balance in your life?

Evoxe Labs’ Balance CBD self-contained vape pen is loaded with 99.6 per cent pure hemp-derived CBD isolate and hemp stalk extracts to act as a natural pain reliever, antiinflammatory, sleep aid, and relaxant. Also, frankincense, ylang ylang, geranium, and tangerine essential oils give this non-psychoactive device a flavorful boost, as well as refresh and cleanse the body, awaken the senses, and lift mood.

4. Need a new project to

get you through the last part of winter? Why not learn how to knit or crochet with one of Loopy Mango’s DIY Kits? Each kit comes with needles, cotton or merino wool yarn, and easy-to-follow instructions. There’s patterns for cardigans, sweaters, vests, coats, summer tops, shawls, scarves, blankets, throws, pet rugs, or beanies for the whole family.

– loopymango.com

– evoxelabs.com

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5. While cannabis and

creativity go hand-inhand, forgetfulness sometimes likes to thirdwheel—especially if you overindulge. You know how it goes: you come up with an amazing idea only to completely forget it a few minutes later.

Thankfully, you’ll never have that issue again if you keep the pocket-sized, 32-page Brilliant Ideas

I had While Stoned Notebook handy. Just

remember to use it.

– coolmaterial.com

6. Legal sparkling tonics

aren’t your normal sodas. The ready-to-drink concoctions are made of simple, allnatural ingredients: just water, fruit, agave, and cannabis extract. Choose from Pomegranate Power Tonic for an uplifting sativa high, Lemon Ginger Dream Tonic for a super-chill indica high, Rainier Cherry Joy Tonic for a blissed-out hybrid high, and Cranberry Peace Tonic for a well-rounded TCH/CBD combo high. Each bottle contains two full servings, so it’s perfect for sharing or spreading out over two days.

– mirthprovisions.com

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7. Streamline your cannabis

experience with the Nuggy, a ten-in-one gadget designed specifically for smokers. It has everything you need for rolling, grinding, packing, scooping, shredding, dabbing, vaping, scraping, and poking: a knife, roach clip, tamper, mini-spoon, glass-safe bowl scraper, bottle opener, pick/poker, and scissors. There’s even a LED flashlight and flathead screwdriver because, hey, you never know when you’ll need them. As an added safety bonus, all the stainless-steel tools in this slick everyday carry item are spring-locked.

8. The secret to success for

Skunk Guard’s Smellproof Bags lies in their patented, top-of-the line activated carbon technology and silver antibacterial lining. The activated carbon absorbs molecules in its proximity, much like how a sponge absorbs water on contact. This not only neutralizes odors but also traps harmful chemicals and gases in its pores.

– skunkbags.com

– nugtools.com

grow. heal. live. enjoy.

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ask kyle

Q

a

I’ve always thought using an 18/6 (18 hours on, six hours off) light schedule while plants were in veg stage was the way to go, but recently I’ve been hearing a 6/2 (six hours on, two hours off) schedule is better because pot plants only flower when exposed to long periods of darkness. Is this true? Are there benefits or drawbacks to changing my light schedule?

I

abandoned using the traditional 18/6 schedule long ago due to the following facts: First, you can veg a plant under 24 hours of light, growing more biomass in less time and getting you to the point of flowering quicker. However, after a few weeks, this benefit lessens due to plants needing a break.

When the plants are photosynthesizing, all the movements of water, nutrients, and pressure go upward. At night, the motor—so to speak—is turned off.

This allows for the pressure to reverse, root exudates to be fully discharged, and plants to rest.

Secondly, most of today’s strains are so hybridized that they sometimes begin flowering under an 18/6 photoperiod.

They require less darkness to begin to flower. So, I adopted a 20/4 (20 hours on, 4 hours off) vegging schedule after two to three weeks of continuous light. I find this to be the best combination between nature and production.

As with almost any subject regarding cannabis cultivation, there are many different schools of thought when suggesting photoperiods. Are you most concerned with maximum production and yield? Is finding the most efficient input of energy in return for yield what you’re after? Does closely mimicking nature make your heart sing? All the above are valid intentions and widely practiced throughout the home and commercial agricultural communities.

I tend to fall into the category of those trying to closely imitate nature whenever possible. The second lighting schedule you suggested above reminds me of a cloudy day. The lights or sun come out for six hours, then go behind the clouds for two hours. I don’t see any gain by denying your plants full sunny days. I’m sure my vegetable garden grows bigger when there are more sunny days.

However, there are noticeable gains to be made regarding light intensity during flowering. That’s the science behind the new lights coming onto the market that sequence short periods of lower wattage,

Kyle Kushman is an internationally renowned marijuana cultivator whose collaborations have earned 13 Medical Cannabis Cup awards, including three US Cannabis Cups for Best Flowers. As the creator of Vegamatrix, the only line of vegan and organic nutrients designed for growing cannabis, Kyle continues to make advances for people who want to cultivate the purest, cleanest medicine possible.

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thus mimicking cloudier days and giving plants a chance to recover from direct, intense light.

Outdoors, in addition to clouds, the sun moves across the sky, lighting different parts of the plant. Indoors, the most intense projection of your light hits the exact same spot for the entire lit portion of the photoperiod. This is one reason why it is extremely important to have lots of circulation, most importantly across the space between your lights and plant canopy. Plants should gently sway from an intermittent breeze.

Late season sun is far less intense.

Having the same light intensity on your buds at the end of the growing cycle, as in the beginning, is less than optimal. I always leave room for raising the lights to double their distance from the plant, or have the ability to lower the wattage on digital lamps just in case I don’t have the vertical space, near the end. Growers may want to consider 10-K finishing lamps, which give off higher UV levels, mimicking the late fall sun.

Do you have a question for Kyle?

Email editor@myhydrolife.com to get an answer. myhydrolife.com

grow

EXPERIENCED GROWERS NEED ONLY APPLY: Translating Your THE ERA OF THE MODERN PROFESSIONAL GROWER HAS ARRIVED

In decades past, the prospect of including your home growing experience on a resume was a fantasy, afterthought, or simple impossibility. However, times are a-changing.

Here’s a guide on how to interpret your personal cannabis cultivations and previous work experience into language you can use to land a job.

COMPETENCY-BASED HIRING AND RECRUITING

by Kent Gruetzmacher

Personal Cannabis Growing into Resume Format

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Instead of remaining a secretive enterprise, cannabis cultivation is rapidly transforming into a legitimate and respected profession.

Knowledgeable, disciplined, and versatile cannabis growers are highly pursued assets in the contemporary business world. Of course, cultivators ready to make the transition into hydroponic and cannabis industries require a solid resume to gain these employment opportunities.

When crafting a resume for a legitimate cannabis business, applicants can use the competency-based model of hiring and recruiting to generate an informative and up-to-date document.

Instead of focusing on previous employment, this model highlights skills and knowledge obtained through practical experience—even if that experience was underground cannabis growing. For example, a familiarity with regulating climactic fluctuations in a greenhouse environment would be considered an occupational competency.

This model also allows applicants to highlight behaviors that would contribute to success in the workplace.

HOME GROWING IN RESUME FORMAT Constructing an informative resume for the hydroponic and cannabis industry is a different process than building a traditional resume. After all, this is a novel job market and most candidates do not have formal, commercial, cannabis growing work experience. As a result, hiring companies are most attracted to candidates who explain their cultivation talents effectively.

Cannabis growers should be as specific as possible in their resumes to highlight applicable skill sets for any given position.

This is because, according to the competency-based model, potential employers are most interested in specific previous actions that are applicable to future occupations and endeavors. For example, an experienced greenhouse cultivator interested in acquiring a head grower position in a commercial greenhouse setting should show that he or she has competent, in-depth knowledge concerning pest control.

To elaborate, that he or she knows pest control in a cannabis garden involves both the foresight to avoid potential problems in the operation with sanitation, as well as the ability to effectively solve issues as they arise with effective spraying.

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grow Capabilities’ section should be at the top of an artisanal, homebased cannabis grower’s resume instead of a traditional inverse employment history.

Individual skill sets should then be described under subheadings like the following: Artisanal Greenhouse Management presents the various gardening competencies involved with atmospheric and operational control in a greenhouse.

These skills should be further explained with descriptions like, “Developed expertise with industrial fans, inline fans, atmospheric controllers, cooling walls, heating devices, and dehumidifiers”.

Cannabis Cultivation exhibits a cannabis grower’s specific familiarities with the actual cultivation process.

The phrase “Gained intimate understanding of a variety of cannabis genetics and phenotypes, including NY Diesel, Gorilla Glue #4, Tahoe Kush, Blue Dream, Chem Dog, and Cherry Pie” depicts this competency nicely.

cannabis

resume e

xample

Time Management and Planning illuminates the organizational competencies and foresight necessary for a bountiful cannabis harvest.

For example, use descriptions like “Mastered the time schedule for the successful greenhouse flowering of cannabis year-round using blackout tarps and supplemental lighting”.

To effectively express how specific actions are used to solve problems in the workplace, descriptions of abilities on a resume should always begin with verbs. To illustrate, see the cannabis resume example above.

Here, phrases like “Advanced a deep appreciation for sterilization in a greenhouse environment” and “Eradicated or avoided harmful pests, mildews, and molds with organic sprays” help market a grower’s pest management competency.

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IMPORTANT SECTIONS TO INCLUDE

There are three sections that should be included on all cannabis cultivators’ resumes. (The following examples are again drawn from the above cannabis resume example)

SKILLS AND CAPABILITIES The competency-based model markets a candidate’s cannabis cultivation knowledge as his or her primary asset. That’s why the ‘Skills and

EDUCATION/TRAINING The job market in the cannabis industry is competitive, so college degrees of any form will help candidates stand out in a prospect pool. Again, growers should look to their skill sets to decide what elements of their education are applicable in obtaining a specific position. For example, the phrase “Practiced using Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and MS Office” shows that a candidate is fluent in modern computer technology, an asset necessary in almost any professional capacity today.

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resume is the beginning of a relationship with an “Aemployer, and maintaining honesty and integrity with this

document will lay the cornerstone of a successful career.”

PROFESSIONAL HISTORY If a person’s professional history has nothing to do with the cannabis industry, he or she can still utilize the competency-based model to isolate transferable skills. This process often requires some creativity, but it can be rewarding.

For example, if an applicant worked as a line cook in a restaurant, they could exhibit his or her transferable aptitudes with phrases like “Perfected multi-tasking abilities” or “Expanded a sense of urgency in the workplace through highpressure work scenarios”.

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Candidates should also include any artisanal/home-based cannabis growing work on a resume. For example, a proper description of this professional experience would be “Medicinal Cannabis Cultivator: Entrepreneurial/NonProfit (2011-Current)” and a tasteful description of this experience

would be “Produced exceptional organic cannabis for medical dispensaries in California”.

One final tip: don’t exaggerate. A resume is the beginning of a relationship with an employer and maintaining honesty and integrity with this document will lay the cornerstone of a successful career.

Kent Gruetzmacher is a California-based freelance writer and the west coast director of business development at Mac & Fulton Executive Search and Consulting, an employment recruiting firm dedicated to the indoor gardening and hydroponic industries. He is interested in utilizing his Master of Arts in humanities to explore the many cultural and business facets of this emerging industry by way of his entrepreneurial projects.

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BY LEE G. LYZIT

JACKING UP YOUR PLANTS’ POTENCY CAN INCREASE THEIR MEDICINAL PROPERTIES AND MARKETABILITY. WHILE GENETICS PLAY A PART IN THE ABILITY TO RAMP UP CANNABINOID LEVELS, THERE ARE A FEW OTHER WAYS TO ENHANCE TRICHOME PRODUCTION.

C

annabis growers are always on the lookout for products or techniques that will enhance the potency of their crop. After all, the potency of cured cannabis affects both the product’s effectiveness as a medicine and its marketability.

When discussing potency, we are actually talking about the levels of cannabinoids found in a finished product. The two most sought-after cannabinoids by cannabis growers are delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). These cannabinoids are found throughout the cannabis plant but are most concentrated in the essential oils found in and on the trichomes. Trichomes are the small, glandular, almost mushroom-like structures found on the leaves and flowers of the cannabis plant.

The easiest way to get a potent cannabis crop is to choose plant varieties that naturally create an abundance of trichomes, a genetic trait that can give the flowers or leaves a whitish color.

Breeders can also use these plants and other varieties that naturally produce more THC and/or CBD to create potent hybrids. However, aside from picking the right genetic profile, there are a couple of ways growers can enhance the essential oil production and, in turn, ramp up the THC and/or CBD production of their cannabis plants.

ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT

To understand why ultraviolet (UV) light enhances the production of trichomes, you must first understand the main purpose of trichomes. Contrary to popular myth, the cannabis plant does not create trichomes, or THC, specifically for human consumption. Truth is that trichomes serve as a form of protection for the cannabis plant. In particular, they protect the plant from insects, molds, and UV light.

Like just about everything else on the planet, cannabis plants are damaged by too much UV light.

That’s why a cannabis plant will create more trichomes to protect itself if there is an increase in harmful UV-B rays. As such, supplementing this light using UV-B fluorescents (commonly sold at pet stores for reptiles) in a flowering room can help boost trichome production. This trick is particularly useful to growers who exclusively use high pressure sodium (HPS) bulbs for flowering as that technology doesn’t produce much UV-B light. However, it is important to remember that the supplementary UV-B light is just that: a supplement. You don’t need a lot of it and too much can be counterproductive.

One to two watts of UV-B light per square foot of garden space is efficient. Also, note that other commonly used lighting technologies, such as metal halide, already contain a good amount of UV-B light and do not need additional supplementation.

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NUTRIENT ADDITIVES

Another way cannabis growers can enhance their plants’ trichome production is with nutrient additives. Terpenoid enhancers trigger the plant’s natural defense system and cause the plant to create more essential oils. As there are many of these on the market, the best way to figure out which product works best for your plant variety is to experiment and test the results.

Another additive used by cannabis growers to enhance trichome production is silica (potassium silicate). Plants that receive silica have a stronger resistance to pathogens, and it is believed that silica boosts the physical hardiness and resilience of the cannabis flowers and trichomes.

This makes the finished product more potent and less susceptible (even after harvest) to damage that could diminish its overall quality. In other words, some growers believe that cannabis flowers harvested from plants supplied with silica have a longer shelf life.

More and more, growers are striving for bountiful crops of high-quality buds as opposed to high quantities of mediocre cannabis—which is good news for both the medical and recreational cannabis industries. By using terpenoid enhancement products and/or supplementing UV-B light during the flowering stage of growth, cannabis growers can boost the trichome production of their plants and maximize the potency of their particular cannabis strain.

Using potassium silicate can also offer their plants a unique defense against pathogens and the possibility of higher potency for a longer period of time. It can take some trial and error to determine the exact products and techniques that will ramp up a strain’s trichome production, but it is worth the effort. After all, experimentation is how we discovered these tricks to boost cannabis potency in the first place; just imagine what practices we could develop if we keep trying.

Lee G. Lyzit has been involved in the medical cannabis industry for nearly 15 years. His passion for natural healing drives him to learn as much as he can about the cannabis plant. Lee breeds his own strains of cannabis to create concentrated glycerine and coconut oil extracts. Aside from cannabis education and consumption, Lee enjoys playing music, gardening, hiking, and cross-country skiing.

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C NI

G R O A

OR

GO

by Cory Hughes

E?

GO

ORGANIC HUGHES 3

M HO

Organic certification has never been more popular, and it has moved beyond just food and drink to other products we ingest or put on our bodies. But is it better? And as a cannabis cultivator, what are the benefits to going the organic route? Cory Hughes lays out what needs to be considered and weighed when it comes to this method of growing.

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W

ith more and more people interested in growing cannabis at home, the question arises: Is organic better? There is no easy answer as there are no one-size-fitsall solutions to growing quality cannabis.

Many times, your purpose will determine if organic is the best solution for you.

There are many misconceptions about organic cannabis production. Some think that organic is automatically better, and that isn’t always the case. The questions to ask before undertaking an organic cultivation regimen are, “Why am I interested in organic production? Do I want the best quality?

The best flavor? Do I just want to pump out as much a possible? Am I concerned about pesticides?” Understanding the benefits of organic cannabis cultivation will help you answer these questions and determine if it is the right production method for you.

Fertilizers and Pesticides In food production, organic holds a very different meaning than in cannabis cultivation. In agriculture, "certified organic" not only indicates the seed was not genetically modified but was raised using an organic method of cultivation.

Products throughout the grocery store say they are “organically produced,” however, only infers that the process of growing the seeds was organic.

Genetically modified cannabis seeds haven’t made their way onto the market yet, so when you talk about organic cannabis, you are only talking about the cultivation method— specifically about the types of fertilizer and pesticides used. What differentiates organic fertilizers from non-organic? Non-organic fertilizers are typically made from combining raw elemental salts whereas organic fertilizers are made from plant and animal waste.

With the large number of commercial cultivation facilities popping up and vast quantities of marijuana being pumped out, many are asking how the big facilities are doing it. Due to the sheer volume of required nutrients, it is by far more costeffective to use elemental salts, as large scale production with organic nutrients cuts into profits big time. Just because that’s how they do it, doesn’t mean you should. Organic cultivation techniques are much more suited to home grows and boutique-type strains than for mass production.

Pesticides are another area that usually confuses people when it comes to organic cultivation. Organic doesn’t mean you can’t use pesticides. There are a range of organic pesticides that are non-toxic and leave no residues behind that affect smell or taste.

Organic pesticides are generally safe and have a very short re-entry time. The “interval of entry” refers to the amount of time needed after an application before humans can re-enter the area safely. Nonorganic pesticides can have a re-entry interval of days, if not weeks, compared to organic pesticides, which have a relatively short re-entry time of hours. Organic pesticides can also be applied up to the day of harvest in most cases, whereas with non-organics, your pre-harvest interval can be weeks or months. The reality is, organic pesticides are effective and all but gone from the plant by the time of consumption.

The biggest question to ask is, “Why is organic better?” The single biggest reason is increased nutrient bio-availability. Organic nutrients are closer to the forms of nutrients plants would be exposed to in the wild and are more readily absorbed by the plant, which by definition, results in higher bio-availability.

“

Non-organic fertilizers are

typically made from combining raw elemental salts whereas organic fertilizers are made from plant and animal waste.”

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Bio-availability is the measure of nutrients that can be absorbed by the plant. When dealing with nutrient salts, the electrical conductivity has to be pumped up to much higher levels to make up for the lack of bioavailability. When using nutrient salts, on average, you are only getting around 25 per cent nutrient bioavailability. With organic cultivation, your bio-availability doubles.

The reason for that is when a plant is growing in natural surroundings, the raw elements and animal matter that breakdown to provide sustenance are transformed by beneficial fungi and microbes in the soil. Nutrient salts are not friendly to this environment and will result in soil that contains no beneficial microbes or fungi. Organic cultivation fosters the growth of these microbes and beneficial fungi, which, in turn, metabolize the raw elements into a form more easily absorbed by the plant. People will try to supplement non-organic grows with microbes, however, the pH of the nutrient salts is typically enough to kill them, leaving you with no added benefit.

To maximize nutrient bio-availability, veganic cultivation is an option. As growers search for the most natural methods of growing cannabis, veganic cultivation has become the talk of the town.Veganic cultivation redefines simplicity and, as you could have guessed, involves no animal products. This isn’t necessarily a statement about animals per se, it’s about maximizing nutrient uptake through fostering an environment in which beneficial fungi and microbes are free to thrive.

Veganic cultivation revolves around the use of compost and compost teas to enrich the soil. Grass cuttings, vegetables, cannabis leaves, and any other greens will break down over time, which allows a compost heap to form a black sludge at the bottom. As it decomposes, the compost becomes home to a world of insects, larvae, and fungi. One big shovel of compost placed into a five-gallon bucket of water, then strained, creates one of the single best nutrient and microbe cocktails on the planet. Advocates of veganic cultivation claim that the nutrient bio-availability is as close to 100 per cent as it can get. Thanks to beneficial microbes and fungi, this massive increase in nutrient uptake results in greener fan leaves, fuller buds, and a flavor free of residues left behind by animal waste in typical organic cultivation.

So is organic better? The short answer is yes. Understanding your need, however, is paramount.

Nutrient salts are cheaper and they work. However, they are not nearly as effective as organic supplementation. The increase in nutrient uptake alone makes organic cultivation worth exploring. If you are looking to produce commercial quantities of cannabis, organic will be pricey and harder to implement: however, for a home grower, organic is by far the way to go.

“

One big shovel of

compost placed into a five-gallon bucket of water then strained, creates one of the single best nutrient and microbe cocktails on the planet.”

Cory Hughes is a former police officer turned full-time commercial grower in Denver, Colorado.

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grow

Lock Up the

BIOSECURITY of your

GROW OP

By Michael Caffrey | The importance

of physically securing your facility is established knowledge among growers, but failing to secure your high-grade crop against an infestation of pests or contaminants can be financially devastating as well. Surna’s Michael Caffrey looks at biosecurity and how to take preventative

“Prevention is easier

Routine checks also ensure the measures in place are working to prevent contamination within the facility.

Prevention is easier and cheaper than dealing with a contamination. A bleach wipe-down of all surfaces costs less than six cents per wipe, whereas a crop failure or recall can cost tens of thousands of dollars and potentially create irreparable damage to your brand.

Once a contaminant such as powdery mildew gets into a facility, it can be nearly impossible to remove.

Once biosecurity standard operating procedures have been established in a facility, routine checks both ensure they are working and are actually being followed. A large part of biosecurity comes down to relying on employees to follow proper procedure, and routine checks ensure they will do so.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

and cheaper than

During your routine biosecurity checks, it is important to know what to look for.

Here are the top things that are typically seen, but be sure to incorporate your own factors into this list:

contamination.”

Are employees following standard operating procedures?

dealing with a

measures against these issues.

Are equipment and tools being cleaned before use on a new plant?

he biological security of a cultivation facility is just as important as the physical security.

The physical security includes measures such as locks, cameras, fences, and lighting, and is often, at least in part, required by law.

Biosecurity includes measures such as air sanitation, dehumidification, and cleaning procedures, and is often not directly required, though it can become an indirect requirement due to product testing and purity requirements.

While less familiar than physical security, biosecurity is no less important, especially when growing for a medical market. Creating and maintaining a clean cultivation

Is humidity at the correct levels?

Are there any spikes throughout the day?

T

environment results in reduced pesticide and fungicide needs, a reduced risk of crop failure due to contamination, and increased chances of passing any required lab tests.

Implementing an effective biosecurity system within in a cultivation facility comes down to being thorough and regularly assessing the effectiveness of both the procedures and equipment used in the quest for a biologically secure facility.

Routine assessments should be performed often—at least once a week but daily if possible—to catch any problems before they become critical.

Is water draining properly? Are there any standing pools of water?

Are there any visible signs of pests or pathogens?

Is the air quality at proper levels?

Routine checks will help establish a baseline for biosecurity and allow holes in the current system to be revealed before a bigger problem occurs. If at any point your biosecurity is found to be lacking, call an expert to perform an analysis and help create a safer environment for your plants.

Michael Caffrey serves as a biological engineer for Surna Inc., whose mission is to provide efficient, reliable, and intelligent climate control solutions designed exclusively for cannabis cultivation. With a degree in molecular cell and development biology from University of Colorado, Michael understands what makes plants tick. His past research experience includes studying microbiology and plant genetics.

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REAL SCIENCE, REAL RELIEF When it comes to cannabis, there can be too much of a good thing. That’s why CannaSafety has developed a fast-acting, patent-pending antidote for the nausea, anxiety, and paranoia that can come with consuming too much marijuana.

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C

annaRelief, CannaSafety’s flagship product, started as a personal project.

The company’s founder, a former Microsoft employee who uses medicinal marijuana to treat fibromyalgia, needed something to combat what he calls “the red zone”: the nauseating, anxiety-ridden state that stems from the accidental overconsumption of THC. “You don’t have to suffer, call 911, and go to the emergency room, where they can do nothing except give you a bed to ride it out in and hand you a $3,000 bill,” says CEO William Brouillet, who helped start CannaSafety after trying CannaRelief.

“I tried it and wow,” Brouillet says.

“I said, ‘This is a great product; there is a great business here’.”

Each bottle of CannaRelief contains 20 milligrams of CO 2 -extracted cannabidiol (CBD), which has been found to counteract the negative effects of THC. It also contains a semi-secret blend of vitamins, herbs, and additional anti-anxiety ingredients like citicoline and alpha-pinene. Most consumers keep CannaRelief on hand in case they accidently consume too much cannabis.

It can also be given to pets and children who confuse THC-infused edibles with a regular treat. Brouillet says the all-natural concoction reduces THC-induced nausea, anxiety, and paranoia in as little as five to 15 minutes, even if someone is “vomiting sick”. It also has no known side effects.

“People get excited when they try it; they can’t believe how well it works,” he says.

“People can now place aside their worries about using cannabis.”

Some clients also use CannaRelief to manage the effects of medicinal marijuana by ingesting it before they use cannabis.

Brouillet distinctly recalls receiving a phone call from a woman who bought the product for her bed-ridden husband to use along with Rick Simpson Oil. She had ordered it online as a last resort when he wanted to stop taking the oil, which he uses as cancer treatment, because of the major negative side effects. Three days after trying CannaRelief, he was out of bed and feeling like his old self.

“They were even going to go away for the weekend; she thanked me for giving her their lives back,” says Brouillet, who remembers that call as his best day on the job. “She was so happy; she called me an angel.”

It’s customer testimonials like this that keep the CannaSafety team going. “I can’t explain the feeling; you get to be responsible for changing a person’s life for the better,” says Brouillet. “Money is not the driving force; sure, we make money, but we care.”

“We work with people to make sure they can get our products, whether they can afford it or not,” he adds. “CannaSafety products are affordable to most, but that word is ambiguous if you have nothing. We are a company dedicated to helping people and will let our actions in the industry speak for themselves.”

Ironically, though, the main struggle CannaSafety still faces is public education and making people aware that there is a product that allows for the safe consumption of cannabis. The issue is slowly improving as more states pass pro-marijuana laws, more people become curious about cannabis, and the media catches wind of CannaRelief; however, the company still mostly relies on the overwhelmingly positive word-ofmouth recommendations from its clients and supportive members of the cannabis industry.

“Word of mouth in the industry is key …

People try it, talk about it, and our phone rings,” Brouillet says. “Like I said, when you have a product that works, it sells itself.”

CannaSafety is also trying to bring CannaRelief onto the shelves of major retailers. Until negotiations are complete, however, it will continue to sell via Amazon and major distributors in Europe, Canada, and the US. CannaSaftey also recently partnered with Blackline Land Management Group to manage the emerging Australasian markets.

Building and maintaining a strong team has also helped bring the company success.

CannaSafety now employs seven people, all of whom truly believe in the company’s product and its effect on clients’ lives. “All companies say such things as a standard operating statement, but I tell you, it’s true; they care,” says Brouillet. “When we talk and have our company meetings to discuss products sales and marketing, it is always about how well the product is working for people, how can we get the word out faster … customer stories on how much they love our products. The enthusiasm they bring every day is over the top.”

Recently, the team focused its energy on expanding CannaSafety’s line. First, CannaRelief AM, which is designed to quickly remove the foggy, my-head-is-in-the-clouds feeling some people have the morning after cannabis use, will debut in the first quarter of 2017. A second new product, CannaRelief Extra Strength, will hit the market in the second quarter of 2017.

“I have put up everything I own because I believe in this company and the people I work with every day,” he adds. “From the very start, it has been truly amazing, and gets more amazing every day.”

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Mastering

CO2

BY DAN BANKS

THE BENEFITS OF CO2 enrichment on cannabis growth and productivity are widely recognized, but growers often debate how to best apply this technique. Daniel Banks sheds some light on the phenomenon of CO2 fertilization by investigating what aspects of cannabis plants, and their environment, can influence its effectiveness.

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here are several variations on how plants like cannabis fix carbon.

The most common of these is termed C3 photosynthesis. Cannabis, and all other crops that benefit from CO2 fertilization, use this pathway. Structurally, think of the inside of a cannabis plant's leaves as composed of tiny reaction sites stacked on top of one another, with empty space and plumbing in between. These sites harness light and turn raw materials into energyrich building blocks to fuel plant growth. The building blocks generated by these reaction sites are simple sugars, and CO2 is a key ingredient.

CO2 molecules present within the leaf need to be channeled to provide a constant supply of fuel for photosynthesis.

The answer to this need is the enzyme RuBisCO, which binds to CO2 molecules and transfers them to the photosynthetic machinery. Under ambient CO2 concentrations (about 400 ppm) and otherwise favorable conditions, the activity of RuBisCO is the limiting factor on photosynthetic productivity. This means that when temperature or light intensity rises above the cannabis plant's tolerance level, RuBisCO is unable to keep up with the CO2 demands of the reaction

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sites and the excess energy becomes stressful. By adding additional CO2 to the equation, we boost the activity of RuBisCO. It encounters CO2 molecules more often and can transfer them more efficiently, allowing the plant to extend productivity beyond normal limits.

AIR CIRCULATION AND CO2 UPTAKE As RuBisCO uses up CO2 inside the leaf, more is drawn in through diffusion— the natural movement of molecules from higher to lower concentrations.

To enter the leaf, additional CO2 must pass through tiny pores called stomata.

Since this is a passive process, only CO2 contained in the air that immediately surrounds the leaf, (known as the boundary layer) is available. Poor air circulation leads to stagnant boundary layers that are rapidly depleted of CO2.

This concept is critical to maximizing CO2 enrichment. Without fans actively mixing and replenishing the air in contact with your plants, they will run low on CO2, no matter how much is available in the surrounding room.

In addition to facilitating the passage of CO2, stomata also regulate water

“WITHOUT FANS ACTIVELY mixing and replenishing the air in contact with your plants, they will run low on CO2, no matter how much is available in the surrounding room.”

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grow loss through transpiration. Leaves close stomata to reduce water loss, but doing so reduces CO2 uptake. It's a dry world out there, and C3 plants constantly regulate stomatal openings to balance CO2 uptake against water loss. Due to the large moisture gradient between leaves and the surrounding air, taking in CO2 is costly in terms of water.

Dr. Suman Chandra, lead author in several federally sanctioned studies on cannabis physiology, found that when CO2 concentrations are raised well above ambient, cannabis responds by partially closing its stomata. Without the need for CO2 driving them to open, the stomata naturally close to conserve water. This is important for several reasons. It means that cannabis water use, per unit area, may decrease with CO2 fertilization. It also makes air mixing even more important, since partially closed stomata will slow CO2 uptake.

Finally, this can lead to higher leaf temperatures by restricting transpiration.

TEMPERATURE AND LIGHT INTENSITY CO2 fertilization allows cannabis to thrive at higher temperatures and utilize higher light intensities, but these two factors need to be considered

together. Light comes with more heat, especially in HID illuminated environments. Both parameters shift the photosynthetic machinery into higher gear and CO2 enrichment allows it to run faster and cleaner. However, even with CO2, pushing too hard with light and/or temperature can send your plants into stressful conditions.

The general recommendation for maximizing CO2 fertilization in greenhouse crops is to raise the growth temperature by five to 10 degrees Fahrenheit above the ideal temperature in the absence of CO2 enrichment. For cannabis, this means that the ideal bloom temperature is shifted into the mid to high 80s. It is important to note that ambient grow temperature does not usually represent the temperature that the plant canopy is experiencing. A room temperature in the low 80s will translate to canopy temperatures closer to the ideal for growth with CO2 enhancement. Some strains may enjoy an even higher temperature, but I don't recommend running your space above 83oF unless you know your strains will respond favorably and you have tight control of other environmental parameters. Be cautious when pushing the temperature envelope, the difference between ideal and harmful can be a few degrees.

IDEAL CO2 LEVELS

One of the most hotly debated aspects of CO2 fertilization in cannabis cultivation is the proper concentration of CO2. The only cannabis-specific research done is this area is presented in Dr. Chandra's publications. He found that raising CO2 concentration to 700 ppm resulted in an instantaneous increase in photosynthetic productivity of 38-48 per cent, depending on strain.

Unfortunately, his work doesn't discuss the effects of CO2 fertilization at concentrations higher than 750 ppm.

As CO2 concentrations are increased well above ambient, the law of diminishing returns applies to the benefits. This means that the degree to which additional CO2 increases productivity drops as ppms increase, ultimately reaching the point at which plant stress occurs. As with most things, too much CO2 can have negative effects, leading to lower yields and leaf death at extremely high levels.

The concentration at which CO2 becomes detrimental to plant health varies widely between species. Tomatoes, for example, have an upper threshold of about 2,000 ppm, while chrysanthemums experience stress at concentrations greater than 1,200 ppm. In the absence of research to clarify the issue,

“CO2 FERTILIZATION ALLOWS cannabis to thrive at higher temperatures and utilize higher light intensities, but these two factors need to be considered together.�

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grow my view is that our favorite plant likely falls on the higher side of the continuum, as cannabis is a highly productive annual capable of explosive growth.

Another consideration is that, over time, many C3 plants fail to maintain the productivity gains that they initially experience with CO2 fertilization.

Understanding this goes back to RuBisCO activity.

Scientists studying the phenomena have found RuBisCO levels in many plant species lowers over time in response to elevated CO2. This occurs because the environmental cues that drive RuBisCO production are suppressed under enhanced CO2 conditions. The degree to which acclimation to enhanced CO2 occurs is species-specific, and few studies have evaluated this response at CO2 levels higher than 700-800 ppm.

In cannabis, it may be more effective to gradually increase CO2 concentrations over the crop cycle, as opposed to raising them to the highest level immediately.

As cannabis legalization continues to progress and the markets in legal states mature, the physiology of cannabis will hopefully be studied to the same degree

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as other crops. With these efforts will come a better understanding of how to best use CO2 fertilization in cannabis cultivation. Until that time, my advice is to enhance bloom in the 1,200-1,600 ppm range, with 1,400 ppm as a good rule of thumb. If you are running CO2 in the vegetative phase, I don't recommend exceeding 800 ppm. This level provides your vegetative plants with a good boost and ensures that they see a significant benefit as they move into higher CO2 in flower. If able, I also recommend experimenting with different levels of CO2 fertilization and with gradually increasing CO2 concentrations across the bloom cycle.

Daniel Banks is a consultant and passionate cannabis enthusiast based in Denver, Colorado. He completed a bachelor's degree in Horticultural Science and a minor in Entomology at Colorado State University in 2012. His company, Next Generation IPM LLC, provides Integrated Pest Management focused consulting to licensed cannabis cultivators.

“AS WITH MOST things, too much CO2 can have negative effects, leading to lower yields and leaf death at extremely high levels.�

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Herbal

ASK A NURSE: TIPS FOR THE GAME

Q

Dear Nurse Jessica, I’m a 35-year-old woman in good health. I haven’t really used cannabis all that much, but with so many dispensaries popping up all around me, I admit I’m tempted to see what all the fuss is about. It’s possible I’ve been missing out my whole life! What’s my best approach here? Walk in and fake an illness, be upfront, have someone “boot” for me? How much information will a dispensary want from me, how honest do I have to be, and what do they do with the information?

A

Well, hello there, 35-year-old woman in good health. Of course you’re curious; who isn’t?

Especially these days with a plethora of cannabis-friendly establishments to choose from.

Stress less about lost time with this divine plant and embrace her with your arms wide open.

I would never recommend someone fake an illness. Lying is toxic and it’s a waste of precious time. Always be up front.

Just walk in and tell them that you’re a novice. If a dispensary can’t help, try another one, or try a local hydro shop, cannabis clinic, or vape lounge. The truth is more people than you know have been incorporating this plant into their lives for years. My experience is that folks in the cannabis industry want to help.

We like new people; it gives professionals an opportunity to pass on some of the knowledge it’s taken us years to acquire.

The more relevant the information they have from you, the better. This is often used to implement precision towards products that would be best suited for you. All establishments have their own client tracking systems, so just feel it out.

Since you’re in the recreational zone, it’s different all over. I’m writing to you from Canada, so our laws are currently rooted in the ACMPR (Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations). I strongly advise you become well-acquainted with marijuana laws where you live.

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If I want something, I go out and get it. Don’t have someone “boot” for you. You can “boot” for yourself by putting them on your feet and walking into a cannabis establishment to ask a few questions. The marijuana vibe has called you, so have some fun with this and start hunting. You may end up wanting to work in the industry and consume very little cannabis, or even none at all.

Enjoy your introduction to cannabis like the cosmic explosion of a divine lover. Take your time with it and allow yourself to test this plant with a clear self. To truly feel the effects of different intake methods and specific strains, it’s important to do it without alcohol or cigarettes.

Ganja has white light angel wings, in my opinion, so why not enjoy her true? The other two have ulterior motives. Get a journal, start recording. Be present to what comes up for you and allow this plant to be your guide.

Infused creams and Epsom salts for baths are two of my favorite intake methods.

These intakes deal with pain from arthritis, inflammation, muscle tension, menstrual cramps, stress, anxiety, spasms, insomnia, and just plain healthy people getting healthier. Use an infused topical with essential oils on your temples, chest, feet, or neck to stay balanced in Babylon. The absorption through your skin is processed through your liver differently than combustion or edibles, so the effects are not comparable.

These are the safest cannabis infused starters, in my opinion.

Once you rock these, I highly recommend you find what I call a “yoni plug” (aka vaginal suppository). The ones I get have cannabis infused coco butter, vitamin E oil, frankincense, clary sage, and lavender. These are the best things I have ever incorporated into my day. If you enjoy multiples, this will get you out of your head and back into your body like nothing else. Great for cramps and a perfect way to start the day before coffee.

Have some fun with this, you 35-year-old healthy goddess.

This is a great opportunity for you to redefine your personal bliss with cannabis.

Nurse Jessica Jessica Ferneyhough, a registered practical nurse, brings a unique approach to care, empowering patients as a medicinal cannabis nurse and horses for healing advocate.

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Dispensary Etiquette

by Kent Gruetzmacher

For many cannabis users and patients, the notion of walking into a storefront and legally purchasing marijuana products is still quite intimidating. If that’s how you feel, Hydrolife’s Kent Gruetzmacher has a few tips on how to make your first trip to the dispensary smooth as cannabutter.

Security Guards

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hile many US states have legalized cannabis in one form or other, the negative stigma surrounding its use remains deeply embedded in the American consciousness. As a result, the thought of going to a dispensary for the first time can make even a veteran cannabis enthusiast a bit uncomfortable. To help quell these uneasy feelings, here is a little advice on what one can expect— and how one should behave— during that initial visit.

Know the Local Laws

Perhaps the most effective way to ensure a smooth visit to a dispensary is to research local laws before making a visit. As cannabis legislation is in a constant flux, taking a few minutes of investigative reading will get one up to speed on state and county laws concerning medical and recreational use.

Once educated on local policy, cannabis consumers can feel prepared and confident on how to safely fulfill their cannabis needs at a local dispensary.

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Novice shoppers are often intimidated by the presence of armed guards in the parking lots and entrances of dispensaries. After all, it is easy to mistake these guards for police officers. Don’t fear, though; armed guards at cannabis dispensaries work for private security firms that are subcontracted by the businesses. These guards are simply on site to keep the premises secure and customers safe. They’ll often want to look through a patron’s backpack or a purse to ensure there are no weapons inside. So, to ensure a smooth entrance to the dispensary, cannabis patrons should not have anything threatening or embarrassing in their baggage.

Check-In and Sharing Personal Information

Every time cannabis users visit a dispensary, they must wait in a check-in area located outside of the shopping space.

This area exists so dispensary employees can ensure the clients have the proper paperwork before entering and accessing any product. Furthermore, the waiting area ensures that the purchasing space doesn’t become overcrowded, allowing budtenders to give customers their full attention.

Doing the proper research on state and county laws mentioned above will pay off when it comes time to check-in.

If living in a medical state, patients will at least need to provide a state-issued ID and a doctor’s recommendation to enter the premises. The dispensary receptionist will need to verify your doctor’s recommendation with your provider via the Internet or telephone. On a similar note, don’t be intimidated by the prospect of sharing your personal information with a dispensary. This data is protected by law.

Other Patients and Consumers

At this point in time, remember that just because people can legally access cannabis at dispensaries does not mean that its use is condoned in their professional and personal lives. Therefore, small talk between patrons in dispensaries is acceptable, but anonymity should be respected. That way there’s less of a chance that a person’s life could be negatively impacted by gossip or hearsay concerning his or her responsible cannabis consumption.

Know Your Product

When shopping for cannabis products, utilize the staff’s knowledge. A wellinformed budtender should be able to inform customers about the specific effects of each strain, as well as recommend products based on clients’ needs and tolerance levels. This care and attention is particularly important when it comes to edibles and concentrates as a little bit often goes a long way with these potent THC products. Still, the final decision is placed on the consumer.

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heal That’s why it’s a good idea for patrons to do some cannabis research ahead of time, have an idea of the effect they’re seeking, and take note of how cannabis affected them in the past. The more information someone has before purchasing product, the better.

Parking Lots and Exits

At the conclusion of a dispensary shopping experience, patrons should aim for a quick departure from both the building and the parking lot. Again, this practice is in the best interest of customer safety; depending on the locale of the dispensary, crowds in cannabis dispensary parking lots can easily attract unsavory attention.

Also, remember that a dispensary can lose its licence if cannabis consumption or sharing occurs on its property.

Clients must never consume cannabis products in the parking lot or within a

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vehicle on the premises. Furthermore, they must not share cannabis with any friends or family that were in the car.

There are many legalities surrounding this type of “distribution”.

Finally, cannabis patrons must respect the parking areas and properties of other businesses near the dispensary. The taboos surrounding cannabis culture already present the industry with enough challenges; irresponsible actions like vagrancy, loitering, and illegal parking just make things more difficult for everyone as they give the public a negative view of cannabis consumers.

“Prepare yourself with knowledge and follow some basic etiquette, and everyone will feel the positive benefits.”

Visiting a dispensary for the first time can be nerve-wracking, but it doesn’t have to be a negative experience. Prepare yourself with knowledge and follow some basic etiquette, and everyone will feel the positive benefits.

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CUT AND DRIED: A MONTHLY LOOK AT DIFFERENT MMJ STRAINS

BY LACEY MACRI

Earthy and fruity, Hashberry is a high-quality, indicadominant strain. From its origins to appearance, medical use, effects, and cultivation habits, Lacey Macri reviews this award-winning cannabis for Hydrolife.

Hashberry Origin and Genetics

Originally from a territory in India called Kashmir, Hashberry got its name from the region’s reputation for producing high-quality hashish products. Like many other popular strains, Hashberry has undergone several variations in its lineage along the way. Some of the best Hashberry you will find in California is spawned from a cross between two powerful indica strains—Kryptonite and Kashmir Kush—and she certainly lives up to her parents’ expectations.

The uniquely high THC content of its parent strain Kryptonite has remained one of the most notable features of the Hashberry plant. This quality helps to produce a non-drowsy body sensation that is very relaxing. Hashberry has won awards over the years and consistently delivers across a span of different parameters.

Physical Description

The poster child for high-quality cannabis, Hashberry is known for its super dense, perfectly formed buds. On a scale from one to 10, with one representing the lightest-colored cannabis you’ve ever seen and 10 being the darkest, the cured flowers of a Hashberry plant are around a seven. This color is primarily made up of two different shades of green and

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dark, rust-colored stoma. The aroma of these buds is equally as stellar, with pungent whiffs of spicy, earthy, and fruity berries rampant.

Medical Uses

Medicating with Hashberry has been reported to relieve migraine headaches, body pains, and insomnia. Surprisingly, however, if you are well-rested, it is also suitable to be used during the day without inhibiting your ability to interact with others or be productive. In other words, although it is recomm ended for sleep disorders, it is not your typical couch-lock nighttime-only medicine. The effects set in quickly and the user starts to feel an intense body high. While partaking, you will feel uplifted, both physically and mentally, in the most comfortable of ways. It’s kind of like a magic carpet ride.

Growing Patterns

For an indica-dominant strain, Hashberry can be a moderately heavy yielder, assuming all environmental conditions are optimized. Its indica roots are manifested in its stature, as it typically grows to be more squat and stout, with dark green foliage and wider fan leaves at the base, narrowing toward the tip.

Hashberry is a good strain to grow indoors as it is unlikely to stretch much taller than most standard grow tents. It is important to space them generously, though, to allow for their maximum reach potential. This strain feeds relatively heavy and may require additional supplements such as cal-mag to accommodate its unique nutritional demands.

Flowering Hashberry follows typical indica traits, averaging right around a 60-day flowering period. As the buds approach the final ripening phase, they really start to dense up and harden pretty consistently from the top cola all the way down the chutes to the center zone of the plant. Purple hues will be more apparent when grown indoors, as temperatures are more easily controlled compared to an outdoor growing environment.

This strain is very manageable to grow, even for beginners.

Lacey Macri works as head of sales at CleanGrow, focusing her time on business development within the company.

She received a bachelor’s degree in communications and psychology from the University of California, Davis, where she worked at the California Aggie student newspaper on campus.

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SEEK OUT THE BEST STRAINS FOR

Aches and Pains

BY CO

HU

R

Y

GH

ES

MORE AND MORE, CANNABIS IS ACCEPTED AS A MEDICINAL ALTERNATIVE

to more conventional, yet controversial, treatments.

Cannabis legalization has opened doors for millions of patients who seek to move away from pharmaceutical treatments for pain to embrace more natural alternatives with less side effects.

With specific cannabis strains that work best to treat specific ailments, Cory Hughes explores which strains have been found to alleviate pain in particular.

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annabis is effective for pain management due to the balance of THC, CBD, and a slew of other cannabinoids contained within it. It is these varying ratios of cannabinoids, to some degree, that define the strain and determine many of its individual qualities. Typically, high-CBD strains are associated with painrelieving properties, although this is not always the case. Understanding the ratios of THC to CBD and the other cannabinoids will help you pick the strain that's right for you. Here is my list of the best medical cannabis strains for pain management.

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CHARLOTTE'S WEB

This strain made headlines when the battle for the right to use cannabis as medicine first entered the public consciousness. Having virtually no THC and high amounts of CBD, Charlotte's Web is the perfect strain for those who want soothing relief without the buzz.

Having no psychoactive effect, it has even been used to treat the symptoms of epilepsy in children, including a girl named Charlotte, for whom the strain is named. It is a safe and effective choice for pain management that won't induce the intoxicating effects generally associated with cannabis use. Charlotte's Web has earned its place among the best strains for not only pain relief, but stress, depression, and myriad other ailments.

HARLEQUIN

An uplifting and euphoric strain that is often hailed for its medical properties, Harlequin has relatively low THC, high CBD, and makes for a smooth and focused high with incredible pain relief.

Its flavor can be described as earthy with a touch of spice. Harlequin is one of those strains that throws a wrench into what we think we know about

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indicas versus sativas. A 75/25 sativadominant, Harlequin delivers the buzz you'd expect from its Colombian Gold and Thai lineage but has an unusually high amount of CBD for a sativa.

There are a handful of sativas known to rival their indica counterparts for their medicinal properties and Harlequin is one of them. It gives the perfect combination of head and body high that will let your mind wander while your aches and pains wash away.

PURPLE OG KUSH

Ever smoked purple weed? I mean really purple? Purple OG Kush isn't just a fancy name; it's the real deal. A heavy indica with high THC and moderate amounts of CBD, Purple OG Kush is a favorite among those who enjoy solid pain relief packed in a heavily floral and enticing cannabis experience. Often called Twisted Purple OG, you can tell it's a kush strain from the first hit. Earthy and subtle fruit flavors make smoking Purple OG Kush one of the most transcendental cannabis experiences you can have. Purple OG Kush is a relatively low yielder, which makes it more of a boutique strain, if it's grown right.

The color is a deep purple, making it unmistakable in your garden and in your bowl. Few strains live up to the experience of smoking Purple OG Kush, not just for pain relief but for the incredible flavors and essence.

WHITE WIDOW

White Widow is one of the more famous strains in the world of cannabis and pain relief. The white in White Widow refers to the thick coating of crystals you are likely to see encasing its pale green buds. As a 60/40 hybrid, White Widow seems to have inherited the best traits of both worlds. With relatively low CBD but high levels of THC, the buzz is focused if not slightly dissociative.

“

Typically, high CBD strains are associated with pain-relieving properties, although this is not always the case.�

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heal It's this dissociative effect that disconnects you from your pain. When smoked, the buzz will start in your head but will soon radiate downward and out through your arms and legs, leaving every inch of you tingling. The buzz is uplifting and thought-provoking; so much so, you won't even remember what aches and pains were troubling you.

AFGHAN KUSH

It is believed that some of the earliest strains of cannabis were found deep in the mountains of Afghanistan. There, the first landrace Afghani indicas were cultivated. Generations of breeding have resulted in a powerful yet sedating strain we have all come to know as Afghan Kush. Afghan Kush has a distinctly earthy yet floral flavor; a true oasis in the desert. It is often turned to for pain relief, particularly migraine headaches, as well as to help with loss of appetite. As a resin-heavy plant, it is often a first choice for hash production.

The buzz is mostly concentrated in the head, however, many have reported a numbing sensation to the body, which

is great for easing the discomfort associated with nausea or muscle cramps.

If you are growing Afghan Kush you can expect heavy yields of large, hash-green nuggets. Great for relaxing and taking the edge off at the end of the day, Afghan Kush makes the perfect nightcap.

CANNATONIC

Cannatonic was bred specifically to be high CBD and low THC to treat a wide variety of pain-related ailments and other conditions like depression and anxiety. First bred in Spain, it quickly caught the attention of the medicinal cannabis community where it is now embraced as one of the best strains for pain. The high is laid-back and relaxed, to say the least. You won't get sucked into the couch, but you won't be out running any marathons, either. Cannatonic tastes mildly sweet with a slight bit of citrus.

The flavor is not overwhelming, but it fits the calming atmosphere that is sure to set in. Cannatonic has been associated with reducing inflammation in muscles and joints, which makes it a great choice for that post-workout cool-down.

“

It is believed that some of the earliest strains of cannabis were found deep in the mountains of Afghanistan..�

GIRL SCOUT COOKIES

Did you buy your Girl Scout Cookies this season?

Fortunately for us, this kind of Girl Scout Cookie is available all year long. GSC, as it is commonly called, is another boutique strain that produces small clusters of tightly packed buds covered in trichomes. Another hybrid, GSC has a unique quality. It is high in CBG, or cannabigerol, which has a profound impact on your experience. Many times, patients seeking pain relief are put off by the intoxicating effects of marijuana. CBG helps balance the way cannabinoids interact with your body, making for a more well-balanced experience, reducing the chances of anxiety rearing its ugly head. GSC's balance of cannabinoids makes for a truly unique buzz. As an indicadominant hybrid, the effects are as soothing as the taste is sweet.

NORTHERN LIGHTS

Northern Lights is probably the best-known strain on the list. It is a pure indica whose genetics are a mix of Afghani and Thai landrace strains. No one is quite sure where it originated, however, as rumor has it it came out of the Pacific Northwest just outside of Seattle.

Northern Lights is a heavily euphoric strain that draws the user into a trance-like state. It has a moderate amount of CBD and with THC levels approaching 18 per cent, the buzz is evenly split between your mind and body. Some strains are energetic and will keep you up at night. Northern Lights has a sweet, piney flavor that will ease you into bed and carry you into a deep slumber. This is the perfect strain for unwinding and leaving the pains and troubles of the day behind you.

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by August Dunning

Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome:

It Might be Time for a Detox Several states have reported seeing chronic marijuana users walking into emergency rooms with abdominal pain and intense vomiting, though medical professionals are mystified as to why. August Dunning examines the factors contributing to this phenomenon and what can be done about it.

L

et’s be honest, unless you are growing your own weed, there is a high risk that toxic chemicals have contaminated your medical or recreational marijuana. High demand, little oversight, toxic fungicides, and greed have created a situation that immediately needs to be addressed.

Several states have seen chronic marijuana users coming into emergency rooms complaining of abdominal pain and cyclic vomiting, a condition that has been labeled as cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS). Hyperemesis means “prolonged vomiting”, while syndrome means “a condition characterized by a set of associated symptoms.” One study in Colorado reported that emergency room diagnoses for CHS have doubled since 2009, when the government allowed medical marijuana.

Doctors have a theory that CHS occurs due to regular, long-term use of marijuana.

But is it? The clue may be in the vomiting.

“Vomiting is a natural reflex that often occurs as a form of protection,” says Dr. Joe Mercola in an article on his website. “In the event you consume something that is contaminated or poisonous, vomiting is your body’s way of getting rid of it.”

When we compare the doctors’ theories about chronic cannabis users and what vomiting indicates, it sounds like CHS is the body’s attempt to try and rid itself of something contaminated or poisonous. So, are cannabinoids in the marijuana (which are noted for being non-toxic) the problem, or is it something else tagging along for the ride?

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heal

“The most likely cause is that people using marijuana frequently and in high doses have changes in the receptors in their body, and those receptors become dysregulated in some way, and it starts causing pain,” says Dr. Kennon Heard, co-author of the study and a physician at the University of Colorado Hospital. In other words, doctors have no idea why this is occurring. The condition is treated with hot showers and baths, but most medical professionals also suggest reducing or eliminating the intake of marijuana.

However, I disagree with this theory.

Missing from these scenarios is a trend that has seen a dramatic increase in liver disease in the human population. Broken agricultural methods have led to a decrease in calcium and sulfur in the food supply. With this, comes a subsequent inability to conjugate toxins in the phase one and phase two detox pathways. The liver is designed to bind toxins to compounds, to neutralize them for elimination in the bowel. It can only do this if it has the necessary ingredients to perform this function. Over the years, calcium—one of the most important parts of the phase one detox functionality—has been drastically reduced in the world’s vegetable supply, and along with the advent of processed food, it has been almost eliminated from the modern human diet. This depletion of calcium coincides with an increase in liver disease.

With this insight in mind, CHS may be exacerbated by both the condition of an increased toxic load in commercially grown cannabis, with all its pesticide residue, and toxins in the food supply as well. Unable to be removed by a non-functioning liver, toxins overload the body and lead to vomiting. There are two problems occurring here. The first is that the liver is unable to detox due to mineral malnutrition, creating the inability of the liver to perform glucuronidation. Glucuronidation is the body’s major phase two detoxification pathway in which hormones, foreign substances, and toxic chemicals— especially pesticides—are made harmless and eliminated. Many of these chemicals are potential carcinogens.

The second problem is that some gut bacteria produce an enzyme called

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ß-glucuronidase that destroys the bond of toxins conjugated out of a functioning liver while in the bowel, which allows the toxin to be re-absorbed through the intestinal wall back into the blood stream. This means that even if the liver was working, ß-glucuronidase prevents toxins from being eliminated. In a non-functioning liver, some toxins never get eliminated, which leads to toxic overload, which leads to vomiting. My theory is that it’s not the cannabis itself that causes a person to vomit; it’s the toxic chemicals used to grow weed, the chronic toxicity of the modern world, and the depleted nutritional content of our food supply.

In the late 1990s, Dr. Walazek, a Polish doctor working on cancer treatments with calcium salts, found that a derivative of broccoli and apples can suppress the enzyme ß-glucuronidase: calcium d-glucarate. This is a critical part of a larger solution to CHS. The first step is to get the liver working again, which requires calcium and sulfur to get toxins in a molecularly bonded, neutralized form for elimination.

Growing plants with gypsum or added minerals, such as a multi-mineral complex from ocean water raises the calcium and sulfur levels in the food. Eating this high-sulfur and high-calcium food is then the fastest and easiest way to get the liver detox pathways working.

Organically grown yellow onions (the ones that make you tear when you cut them) provide sulfur, and kale and spinach can provide calcium. The second step is to use the calcium d-glucarate to suppress the enzyme so you can start getting rid of stored toxins. The suggested solution by the doctors show that they do not know these parts of the puzzle.

They say to reduce or eliminate marijuana. This may not be possible if you are using cannabis for medical reasons, but it will tend to reduce some levels of toxic accumulation. Experts also suggest taking hot baths, which may cause an increase in blood flow and elimination of toxins by the kidneys to bypass the liver to reduce toxic levels.

CHS is an important condition to resolve. While I can’t prescribe anything specific, I have never

“

In the event you

consume something that is contaminated or poisonous, vomiting is your body’s way of getting rid of it.”

personally experienced this problem, even with years of chronic cannabis use, because I go on a course of calcium d-glucarate once a year—60 capsules of 200 milligrams each evening at bedtime and in the morning for 30 days. Calcium d-glucarate is proven to get rid of pesticides, aromatic hydrocarbons, heavy metals, and agricultural chemicals. It also reduces reactive oxygen species because it prevents gut bacteria from producing the bond-cutting enzyme, allowing toxins sent out of the liver the leave the body. Calcium d-glucarate breaks down to glucaric acid.

Apples are one of the best sources of glucaric acid. Here’s another way to look at it—an apple a day keeps the oncologist away.

August Dunning is the CEO of Eco Organics and is a physicist, chemist and inventor. He is the former systems ops designer for the International Space Station and a former regional manager of liquid, solid, and electric propulsion systems for Pratt and Whitney space propulsion, Edwards AFB, NAWC, and JPL.

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heal A lack of sleep can negatively affect your mental and physical health. Making a few easy adjustments to your activity prior to turning out the lights can go a long way in helping you wake up feeling refreshed and ready to tackle anything the day throws at you. Lacey Macri has some tips to help you get to dreamland.

I

f you’re one of the hundreds of thousands of Americans struggling to get sufficient sleep, you may be just a few steps away from hitting the hay a little harder. Every day, we are inundated with chores, tasks, obligations, and struggles on the physical, mental, and emotional level. At the end of the day, unwinding can be yet another chore in and of itself!

Getting adequate sleep is important for a number of reasons, including stabilizing mood, heart health, mental health, energy level, immunity, and both physical and cognitive performance. Recent studies even suggest that a lack of sleep may increase your likelihood of gaining unhealthy weight. From time to time, we may be forced to pull all-nighters to keep up with life’s insatiable demands, however, habitually getting seven to nine hours of sleep per night will best prepare us to tackle these demands optimally while maintaining good overall health.

READ MORE

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By Lacey

Macri

Tips d Towar ng i v o r p Im Sleep

If you’re reading this article, you’re already on your way toward improved sleep. Picking up a book or magazine before bed is a great way to relieve your mind of all the residual thoughts leftover from the day that are interfering with your ability to rest peacefully. That, combined with the slight boost in concentration and eye muscle movements required to read, pretty much seals the deal on coaxing you to sleep. Let it go for now; there will be more time for problem-solving tomorrow.

AVOID ALCOHOL

Despite alcohol’s ability to knock you out flat for extended periods of time, the quality of alcoholinduced sleep is far from rejuvenating. Studies show that alcohol consumption interferes with a person’s ability to engage in REM sleep. REM, or rapid eye movement sleep, typically begins within 90 minutes of officially falling asleep. During this stage, the muscles are totally relaxed, and the brain and body participate in a regenerative stage that contributes to a more productive following day. People who lack REM sleep may struggle with concentration, memory loss, grogginess, and learning. If you do partake, do it earlier in the day so your body has a chance to digest the alcohol before lying down to sleep.

MMJ

For those of you who like to calm your nerves with a nightcap, it may be a good idea to consider other options. Medicalgrade cannabis can have very positive effects on the ability to fall asleep, stay asleep, and quality

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of sleep. Currently, there is mixed research on the effects of cannabis on sleep, some suggesting that cannabis, like alcohol, may interfere with REM sleep, others suggesting just the opposite. However, qualified medical marijuana patients consistently report waking up feeling refreshed after a fullnight’s rest while using cannabis as a natural sleep aid. The same reports are unavailable for alcohol users, most likely due to a little thing we’ve all come to fear called hangovers.

When using medical marijuana as a sleep aid, be careful not to overdo it or consume sativa-dominant strains, as doing so may increase heart rate and alertness, furthering your inability to sleep.

EXERCISE EARLY

If you spend most of your day relatively immobile, odds are your body isn’t going to feel the need to sleep quite as early as your mind might. Desk jobs are notorious for causing this discrepancy between body and mind. It’s important to regain that equilibrium for the sake of your sleeping habits. Unfortunately, busy schedules don’t exactly make time for a trip to the gym before or after work, so if you are bound to a desk all day long, get outside and go for a walk on one of your breaks. If you do feel like going the extra mile, so to speak, make sure to get your exercise in at least an hour before going to bed so you aren’t overly energized when it comes time to rest.

STAY CLEAN AND COMFORTABLE

Maintaining good hygiene and comfortable surroundings helps create a more suitable environment for sound sleep.

Throughout the day we encounter bacteria, viruses, allergens, dust, molds, and more, which can all contribute to sneezing, coughing, itching, congestion, labored breathing, and a general feeling of discomfort. Keeping your garments, linens, and overall environment free of contaminants will help prevent additional distractions that keep you from a better night’s sleep. Wearing breathable clothing and keeping the room temperature cool will also help lull you into deep sleep, as your body temperature naturally decreases during this process. Even better, save some time for a hot shower before sleep to cleanse your body as well as help relax your muscles.

This is why reading a book is generally preferred over watching a show within the last hour or two before bed, so we can attempt to prime ourselves for sleep rather than activity. Listening to upbeat music is also not recommended, as it may inspire an adrenaline rush to the bloodstream.

On that same note, playing high intensity video games or watching a thriller right before bed might cause your body to tense up, delaying your ability to relax and sleep even more.

MEDITATION

For some, meditation may bring to mind a calling of the spirits and singing Kumbaya. And for some, this may work, but for the sake of this article, having a full-fledged seance is not necessary to improving sleep. Basically, the point here is to decompress and allow yourself to let go of all the frets you’ve encountered over the course of the day, bringing both your mind and body into a tranquil state. Ancient breathing exercises have long been favored by yoga enthusiasts as a means of achieving deep relaxation and meditation. Voice coaches also teach their students these techniques to improve lung capacity. While there are hundreds of different strategies, one of the most simple and effective methods is the 16-16-16.

While lying flat (preferably on a yoga mat or something similar), relax your shoulders and waist, allowing all of your weight to sink down into the earth. Inhale fully within a 16 second count, hold for 16 seconds, and then distribute a full exhale within another 16 seconds. After repeating this cycle three or more times, you will begin to feel fully relaxed and refreshed. Preceding these breathing exercises with some stretching will also lend itself toward a deeper sense of relaxation upon completion.

ABANDON TECHNOLOGY

Recent studies have pointed to a possibility that the high intensity light emitted by technology such as smartphones, televisions, tablets, and computers may in fact delay a person’s ability to fall asleep or become tired.

Some researchers believe this happens as an involuntary reaction to bright light that imitates the sun. They believe that this artificial light emission may signal our brains to prepare for being awake, since sunlight is typically associated with hours spent awake.

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aterm

elon

Photo by Tom Davidson

W by

A FOOL OF MYSELF A Cannabis Culinary Column Famous for selling watermelon slices and pot cookies on Wreck Beach, marijuana pin-up girl and advocate Watermelon is also a chef and business owner with a popular cannabis cooking show on YouTube. This month, she shares one of the gluten- and dairy-free recipes that has helped her pursue healthier habits.

For many years now, I have been attempting to quit one thing for a year, to see what happens. It’s an excellent dietary exercise as well as one in self-control. At the end of the year, I take it back up again. To date I have quit coffee, dairy, corn/products, white flour, overeating, and alcohol.

The key is to pick one thing. Make your goal achievable, and don’t beat yourself up about the other things. For instance, the year I quit coffee, I did not quit caffeine. Totally achievable. Focus on what you are quitting and not what else you should quit.

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The only thing I wasn’t successful quitting for a whole year was swearing. I even tried two years in a row. No luck. Swears just come out of your body. Things coming out of you are harder to control than things going into you.

This year I planned to quit gluten. Very fashionable, don’t you agree? I have always avoided shoddy, white, baked goods and focused more on whole grains, but now I will attempt an all-out assault against gluten entering my body for 2017.

Everybody who eats kale and avocados knows that quinoa is the queen of gluten free. Quinoa is versatile and a great source of protein. We make an amazing quinoa, amaranth, and cashew milk waffle at my store (the Commercial Drive Licorice Parlour). They sell as fast as we make them.

Let’s ring in a new year and get ready for spring with medicated chocolate quinoa cupcakes. I use coconut oil in place of butter and cashew milk in place of dairy milk. Gluten- and dairy-free. Oh yeah!

To see Watermelon in action, check her out on YouTube. Baked: Cooking with Mary Jean is a special show that features one special ingredient: cannabis! Follow Watermelon, a.k.a. Mary Jean Dunsdon, on Twitter @weeddiva to never miss an episode, or sign up for updates at potent.media.

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Pre-heat oven to 350°. Place into the food processor or blender: • 1/3 C cashew milk (sprouted cashews and water blended) • 2 C cooked quinoa* • 4 eggs Mix thoroughly then carefully add the cooled coconut oil and cannabis mixture. Mix thorough again.

STEP 3

Put into a medium bowl:

Chocolate Quinoa Cupcakes Makes 12 servings

STEP 1

Start with: • 3/4 C coconut oil • 12 g shake flour I like to put this in a crock pot on medium/low and walk away for an hour, maybe two, but you can simply put in a sauce pan on low heat for 25 minutes. Longer cooking, without burning, equals stronger cupcakes. Let cool.

• 1.5 C white sugar • 1 C cocoa powder • 1/2 tsp baking soda • 1.5 tsp baking powder • 1/2 tsp salt Add to wet ingredients in blender and mix thoroughly.

STEP 4

Place in pre-heated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. There are two ways to test that they are done: Lightly press your finger into the top of a cupcake—if it springs back ,up it’s cooked; if the impression stays, it is not cooked. Poke a toothpick directly down the center of a cupcake. If it comes out clean, they are cooked; if there is wet dough stuck to it, then they are not cooked. Once cooked, let cool; then decorate your cupcake any way you like. *quinoa cooks a lot like rice, 1 cup grain to 2 cups water

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At the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympic Games, Canadian snowboarder Ross Rebagliati became the first ever to win a gold medal in men’s snowboarding. He was then disqualified for having THC in his bloodstream, a decision that was soon overturned because marijuana was not banned by the International Olympic Committee. Nineteen years later, the events remain clear in his mind. Rebagliati spoke with Hydrolife to discuss the events that changed his life, how they changed society’s views of marijuana, and how it all remains relevant today.

HYDROLIFE: Looking back at your win, then your

disqualification, then having your medal returned, does it still amaze you how all of that went down?

ROSS: (Laughing) Yes, it was incredible. First of all, it was a huge shock that it happened in the first place. It took me forever to recover from having my dreams slip between my fingers like that right at the end of my career. We prepared for it for four years and as snowboarders, we had never prepared for anything for four years before because all of our races were every year, so that was a departure from what we were used to. So, yeah, it made it extra dramatic but, at the same time, very revealing about, you know, the support I got from Canadians and from people around the world. Not only for the athletic performance but for my cannabis views and in spite of my cannabis use. So, I think a lot of people really have a hard time wrapping their head around the whole thing, but in general, you know, the majority decided at that time 20 years ago that, ‘Ah, we’ll just forget about the weed thing for now, it was a killer race,’ you know?

HL: Yeah.

ROSS’GOLD

HOW AN OLYMPIC SCANDAL CHANGED CANNABIS PERCEPTIONS

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R: But, that was definitely a tricky situation at the time. Even afterwards, dealing with different pressures that I wasn’t used to, like being recognized outside of the snowboard world and just extra attention on me and pressure to succeed and to be successful and just things that you think about in your 20s that aren’t quite, you know, 100 per cent. As I get older now and I look back on it, I see how I was putting too much emphasis on some things that I thought were important at the time, but now when I look back on it in retrospect, it’s all easy, right?

HL: Do you ever wonder how things might have turned out if the events in Nagano didn’t happen?

R: Yeah, from time to time I run a couple scenarios of that.

I don’t really dwell too much on shoulda, coulda, woulda scenarios. But yeah, I didn’t get the average amount of attention and my 15 minutes of fame has lasted for a lot longer. There are a lot of things to be thankful for and I think that the support that I got from Canada, and in general, is basically the foundation of when I was sort of reborn then and had to kind of relearn my life. Having that support was the foundation of me being able to move forward.

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HL: Do you feel smoking pot gave you a competitive

advantage in your racing days?

R: I do, but I wasn’t using it during competition or anything like that. A lot of these events were international. For one, it was kind of hard to find at the time; you had to know a few people or whatever. In the off-season when I was training, that was the beginning of me learning about how I could use cannabis to improve my performance during the winter. While I was doing my dry land training during the summer, for me, it was about my motivation at first.

Like when I first started competing on the World Cup Tour in ’91, it was just pure adrenaline. I couldn’t believe I was on the tour, you know? When I first got accepted into it, I couldn’t believe we were going to live in Austria and I was going to do the tour that all my idols that I followed in all the snowboard mags in those days [did]. I was going to do the same thing; I was going to be competing against them. So, for the first couple of years, it was all good and fine, and then after a while, it turned into, ‘Holy crap, I’m never home.’ It’s hard to keep the motivation up when you have to work out two and a half hours a day at the gym, five days a week.

So, over time, I found that if I smoked some cannabis in the morning before I would go to the gym, I would feel so much more enthusiastic about it. Yeah, the motivation that you need to go and pound out the workout and go and do the 100-km bike ride—cannabis really got me out on a regular basis. By the time the winter came, I really had a good foundation of training and cardio and power under my belt. So, that’s how I first started using, and, of course, it was introduced to me through other people, older people, that were on my team who came from a different era, when snowboarding was more edgy. But these guys were smoking dope on the trip! I couldn’t believe it! That was astounding to me, that they would smoke dope on the chair and then rip a cord, and it just never even occurred to me to ever do that. I tried it a couple times during training and it totally put me through a different level of feeling my equipment working underneath me and how my feet were positioned on the board and whether or not my board was running fast. Before it was more like, ‘Ahh! Get to the finish line; I’m just going to power through the whole thing,’ and my equipment just kind of followed me. But after I started using cannabis and riding, it gave me much more interest in where I wanted my gear to be, how I wanted my boots set up. All kinds of different things like how sharp my

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edges were or if they were too sharp or not sharp enough. So, that kind of gave me more insight to set up my equipment in a different way; I was more comfortable. So, basically that’s how it started and that was early on in the ‘90s. I never did compete and use cannabis the same time.

HL: Do you feel that for you or many athletes today—like NFL players, ultra marathoners, even current medalists—pot is a performance enhancer?

R: Like I said, it has a lot to do with your training. If you smoke a joint, you’re not going to necessarily sprint 100 meters faster.

I don’t think it would slow you down from your normal speed.

But I think what it does is when you’re doing your training, [it helps] the motivation that you get to do your training in the first place. Here’s the thing: you end up being stronger, faster, and higher, maybe. But, that’s basically where you get the performance enhancement from: being healthy on that regular day-to-day basis, having the motivation to go to the gym and do your workouts. I would do a bike ride that was 150-km long and I would stop every two hours basically to smoke a joint. At first, it [the ride] was kinda nice, like ‘Oh, beautiful.’ But after 100 km or 120 km, it’s like, ‘What am I even doing out here? This is ridiculous!’

And then, you smoke a joint and you’re like, ‘This is kinda fun actually,’ and you get back on your bike and keep going. So, you know the exercise that you get from your workout, due to the motivation that you’re getting from using cannabis, at the end of the day is performance enhancing.

HL: How do you feel the public perception around using pot has changed, from the time you won your medal to today?

R: It’s changed a lot. I think it’s going to change a little bit more, but I think that everybody is starting to realize that the science is backing up the industry; it’s backing up the cannabis plant. I felt like it was my responsibility after Japan to not turn my back on it, but to make people realize that it wasn’t a mistake that I was using cannabis before the Olympics. It was a mistake that I tested positive for it because I didn’t know I was failing my drug test before I went there; as it turned out, I had tested positive three times for cannabis before I went and I didn’t know. They didn’t tell me about it, so I could have made sure I wasn’t going to test positive for it. It’s kind of weird—they wouldn’t tell you, but then they took your medal away after you get there. Anyways, perception has changed a lot. At the time, people were really, I don’t want to say brainwashed, but the propaganda that was put out there in the ’80s especially about the dangers of cannabis and that it was a gateway drug. That was the beginning of a new idea about it.

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“I FOUND THAT if I smoked some

cannabis in the morning before I would go to the gym, I would feel so much more enthusiastic about it.”

HL: You haven’t exactly faded from the limelight. You have multi-million dollar real estate developments, you participate in several charities, you’re working through licensing with a medical marijuana company. How do you stay so focused on so many things?

R: I am pretty busy, compared to some people. I think that I’m just accustomed to it. [I] focused on my racing and all that it entails, and throughout the ’90s, I was flipping real estate in Whistler and that basically paid my way to the World Cup Tour and to the Olympics. I had some European sponsors, but I was on a shoestring budget. I've been paying a mortgage since I was 19. I’m used to having these pressures on me and at first, they’re like these huge pressures, then the feeling just becomes normal; the new normal. Having kids helped me focus a lot. I’ve worked in the construction industry for roughly 10 years in Whistler, building houses there. That gave me a different perspective on life and what a dollar is worth and that sort of thing.

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And so I always kind of felt I had more to do and I was waiting and waiting for cannabis to sort of catch up to where I was or where British Columbia was so that I could launch Ross’ Gold and have it be successful and looked up to instead of, ‘Oh, now look what he’s doing!’, you know? I feel like when we finally came out four or five years ago with the company that it was still ahead of the curve, it was still an edgy idea. But now after five years of growing the company, our store is about to open. Not only that, but the federal government is finally being proactive about legalization, so now it’s the perfect storm. But it took me a lot of years to get here, for everyone to catch up and in the meantime, I sort of had to make do. You know, I did walk on to job sites in Whistler looking for work. I did go through a period where I was basically broke and had to kind of build up from zero. I went through some unfortunate relationships that not only emotionally but financially drained me. And so, I think it’s just life. Going through life and realizing that the bad feelings do go away and that the sun does shine. There’s been some tough years, but it’s made me realize that you just keep doing what you want to do and what you love. And just never give up about it and you can accomplish it. I did it once already!

HL: You started [cannabis company] Ross’ Gold in 2013.

What opportunities do you see in Canada for treating people with medical marijuana?

R: The number one reason why I want to do this is so that we can help as many people as possible. I know through my own experiences that it helps me get out of a lot of, you know, not depressions, but depressants, disappointments.

And how I had different expectations of what it would mean to go to the Olympics, I had different goals. Life is never how you think it’s going to be and I think that from my experience using it and being able to be positive throughout everything, I think that is something that people struggle with on a regular basis. Like normal day-to-day life; like give me

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a break already, you know?! And I think that cannabis is a healthy alternative to alcohol. For a lot of those same reasons, you can easily categorize things in your head like what your priorities are. They come flying at you at 100 miles an hour and you know what you need to do. Where as with alcohol, you’re like, ‘Well, I’m drunk now, I can’t do anything.’

And then you wake up in the morning, you feel like crap, you don’t sleep, and you don’t eat right, and that just leads to more and more unhealthy things.

HL: Even on a pharmaceutical level, you know? Everyone is always so quick to go to the doctor and get pharmaceuticals.

R: Absolutely, and being able to tell people like, ‘Look, it’s not only healthy to use cannabis, but its family-oriented.’ You can have a family and use cannabis. The idea might be shocking to people that you would use cannabis and raise a family but, I’m telling you, you totally can do it and it helps tremendously in a million ways. But you know, if you’re having a couple of beers on the patio, okay, fine, whatever. But you know, you can’t treat yourself with beer when you’re stressed out because your kids are driving you nuts. But you can go and have a little quick puff somewhere and, you know, deal with the situation and be totally capable and be yourself. Also, the specific aliments that are out there in regards to medical cannabis like cancer treatments, arthritis, and epilepsy. There is new research on brain trauma that I think is especially promising, with regenerating certain damage with brain cells from a concussion and the plasma that protects itself around your brain from a future concussion. I think it’s just amazing stuff. For all this science to be done and to prove these things is beyond, I think, anyone’s expectations.

“I FELT LIKE it was my responsibility after Japan to not turn my back on it, but to make people realize that it wasn’t a mistake that I was using cannabis before the Olympics.”

HL: How many joints do you smoke a day?

R: Uh, I would say… (laughing). Let me count. I probably have one in the morning before I go to work and I probably have, like, three to four, maybe up to five joints at work throughout the day and at the end of the day, it depends if my neighbor comes over. But, it could be anywhere from three to 20 joints a day, depending on what I have to do in the day.

HL: So, it’s more recreational for you. It’s not medicinal.

R: I’d say there is no such thing as recreational pot smoking.

It helps you whether you want it to or not and for me, it gets me through my day in a really positive way.

HL: You sell a $24,000 gold plated water pipe. Obviously, you are kind of confident that pot isn’t just for your stereotypical stoner anymore.

R: You’re right. Yeah, it’s gotta fit into the Maserati somewhere.

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feature HL: So, you’re pretty confident that there’s no such thing as the stereotypical stoner?

R: There is a stereotype of a stoner, but weed smoking comes from all walks of society­—from the billionaires right on down to the guy begging for money on the side of the street.

HL: What other projects besides Ross’ Gold do you have

going on?

R: We have a bunch of stuff going on with the store and the products that we are licensing out. So, we are in in touch with the 420 Games to be involved. I’m not allowed down to the US, I haven’t been since Nagano, basically. So, we are waiting for them to come here, like Kelowna or Vancouver. That’s on the back burner. We’ve got TV shows. Trying to figure out how to do a show; there might be a movie that is being produced right now by some producers that you would be familiar with.

I don’t know if I can say very much about it right now. We have a bunch of cool stuff coming out. I’m just trying to get ready for ski season right now, cross country skiing and downhill skiing. I went back to downhill skiing. I used to ski race, right?

I kind of got addicted to it all over again. Taking it one step at a time. We got the store, it’s the number one thing; it’s about to open and there has been some delays with construction and stuff, so it’s driving everyone nuts.

HL: That’s ok. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Everything in moderation and time, right?

R: I tell the guys, ‘Don’t worry, it’s only going to open one time and then it’s always going to be open after that.’ We’re planning for 99 more stores across Canada, so a lot on the go!

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consultant's corner

Finally, Florida:

During last year’s American election, access to medical marijuana expanded into Florida with the passing of Amendment 2. The team at Medicine Man Technologies explains what this means for people living in the state.

D

uring the recent election cycle, Florida residents voted to expand medical marijuana access in their state, with more than 71 per cent of voters in favor of Amendment 2, even though the initiative only needed a 60 per cent “yes” vote to pass.

In 2014, a similar amendment failed when it received just 58 per cent of the vote. While the state’s legislature authorized non-smoked medical marijuana later that year, there were a few issues.

The law only gave patients access to low-THC (0.8 per cent or less) cannabis with a greater concentration of CBD, and it was limited to patients with cancer and epilepsy, chronic seizures, or spasms.

With Amendment 2, the law expanded medical marijuana access to patients in Florida with a physician’s certification if they suffer from glaucoma, HIV/ AIDS, post-traumatic stress disorder, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Crohn’s disease, and multiple sclerosis, as well as Parkinson’s disease, cancer, and epilepsy. Licensed physicians can now also recommend cannabis for patients suffering from ailments similar to the ones officially listed. Physician certification can be issued to a qualified minor patient with written consent from their legal guardian or parent.

Finally, for terminally ill patients, a new addition to the 2014 law allowing for the use of full-strength medical marijuana will remain in place. However, accommodations for medical marijuana use will not extend to any correctional institution or detention facility.

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The Passing of Amendment 2

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Amendment 2 also laid out a few other regulations for the state’s new expanded access to medical marijuana. First, all forms of marijuana, including flower, concentrates, edibles, and tinctures are allowed.

However, it’s still illegal to operate any vehicle, aircraft, train, or boat while under the influence. Marijuana smoking is also not permitted in public areas, schools, or places of employment. In addition, recreational marijuana and growing marijuana at home remains illegal.

“While there are some kinks, Amendment 2 will give an estimated 500,000 or more patients access to medical cannabis.”

The state’s Department of Health will oversee the regulation of marijuana cultivation and treatment centers, including registration matters and standards for security, record keeping, testing, labeling, inspection, and safety. The Department will also be responsible for qualifying, registering, and issuing ID cards to patients and their caregivers, who can buy marijuana on the behalf of a patient.

While the new medical marijuana law officially came into effect on January 3, there will be a bit of delay for patients seeking to gain access while all the details are worked out.

The Department of Health’s deadline to decide and implement its regulations isn’t until June 2017. The required patient ID cards are to be issued no later than September 3. If the Department doesn’t begin issuing ID cards by this point, the amendment’s text states that “a valid physician certification will serve as a patient identification card in order to allow a person to become a ‘qualifying patient’ until the Department begins issuing identification cards.”

While there are some kinks, Amendment 2 will give an estimated 500,000 or more patients access to medical cannabis.

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Keeping the Cannabis Industry Safe 3SI Security Systems is the world leader in asset protection systems. The company seeks to create a safer world by protecting and recovering stolen cash and high-value assets and apprehending criminals. With 45 years’ experience and protecting more than 250,000 locations worldwide, 3SI’s innovative solutions combat crime and protect thousands of institutions and organizations in the financial, retail, courier/cash in transit, and law enforcement markets.

3SI Security Systems Malvern, Pennsylvania 1-800-523-1430 3sisecurity.com 45 years in business "Innovation that Protects"

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W

e’ve all seen the action movie where the bad guys rob a bank and make a daring escape. Just when they think they are home free, they open their money bags and … poof!

Their hands, faces, clothing, and all the bills they just risked their lives for are instantly dyed an unmistakable red.

Soon after, the police close in and it is game over for the crooks.

For the 270 people who work in offices around the world for 3SI Security Systems, watching bad guys get caught isn’t just in the movies—it’s their job.

“The best part of working at 3SI is receiving our Robbery Report emails,” says Lisa Moughan, 3SI’s global marketing communication manager.

“What that means is that every time a 3SI tracking device is deployed by one of our customers in a robbery, we receive an email update telling us about the crime, the pursuit, the capture, and the recovery. It is so rewarding coming to work every day knowing that we are helping to make the world a safer place by catching criminals.”

3SI, founded 45 years ago in Pennsylvania, started out by supplying its trademarked SecurityPac dye pack products to financial institutions. From there, the company expanded to include GPS tracking and now serves retail markets and law enforcement agencies in addition to banks and credit unions.

With the rise of legal cannabis-based businesses in the US and around the world, especially for retailers and commercial growers, 3SI’s products are the perfect fit to help protect what is still a largely cash-based industry.

“We are spending a lot of time talking to people in the industry to better understand their security challenges and to understand the business processes they follow,” says Moughan. “It has been interesting to learn that they have many of the same concerns that our other retail customers have. One differentiator, though, is that this is a cash-based business. While the model for a lot of retailers is to use less cash and more card transactions, the cannabis industry is still limited in those capabilities, so they still use a lot of cash. Storing and moving large amounts of cash makes them an attractive target for criminals.”

Moughan adds that 3SI continues to keep a dialogue open with retailers and growers to learn how to best prevent robberies.

“We’ve learned that there are a lot of times when the product is vulnerable to robbery and we’ve been excited to learn that we have existing products that are perfect to protect product in these circumstances,” she says.

With direct distribution throughout North America and Europe, and indirectly in 40 other countries, 3SI is considered the global leader in providing innovative solutions, professional service, and customer satisfaction.

With a long list of employees who have chosen to stay for 20-plus years, the company has an internal saying of ‘3SI – ONE team,’ one that Moughan says the team takes to heart.

“We take pride in knowing that our devices helped capture a criminal, especially ones that have been implicated in numerous other crimes,” says Moughan.

“Taking serial and sometimes violent offenders off the street makes all of the hard work very worthwhile and we are looking forward to partnering with cannabis customers to find solutions to help them with security concerns.”

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A HISTORY OF

by Chris Bond

CANNABIS PART 1

Just a few generations ago, cannabis was widely used as medicine in North America to treat numerous ailments. By the early 1930s, a tax on cannabis made its use prohibitive, after which it became outright vilified. Now, of course, it’s making a comeback. In Part I of a two-part series, Hydrolife’s Chris Bond explains cannabis’s wild ride through history.

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T

hough cannabis has been used for millennia for medicinal and recreational uses, it was not widely used

by European settlers in North America, however, until the early to mid-19th century. In 1839, Dr. W.B. O’Shaughnessy published a paper on the successful treatments of arthritis and various muscle spasms through cannabis therapies. For another hundred years, the North American medical community experimented with various concoctions and tinctures of cannabis for treating numerous physical and psychological maladies without opposition. By the middle of the 20th century though, marijuana became vilified and outlawed. Today, we are seeing a resurgence of the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes and a greater level of acceptance by the public and some local, state, and provincial governments for its recreational use.

which was also mixed in and associated with marijuana. Stoked by the unrest of the Great Depression, governmentsponsored research fanned the flames of resentment and sought to link marijuana with violence and crime. By the early 1930s, 29 states had outlawed its use.

A national propaganda campaign was launched, and by 1937, US Congress passed the Marihuana Tax Act, which essentially brought an end to its legitimate usage in the medicinal world and restricted its possession. In that same year, the American Medical Association, in its annual report, suggested there was still no evidence that cannabis was an addictive substance and for that reason should still be prescribed to patients.

Medicinal Use of Cannabis in the 19th and 20th Centuries

Prior to the advent of giant pharmaceutical companies and the development of the syringe, cannabis was widely prescribed to sufferers of myriad symptoms. It gained such quick acceptance after O’Shaughnessy’s report that by 1860, the Ohio State Medical Society listed it in its annual report as the remedy of choice for stomach pains, childbirth psychosis, coughs, and gonorrhea. Noting its lack of side effects, many medical professionals preferred to prescribe cannabis, as opioid usage was not only associated with interference of gastrointestinal functions but also had a high rate of toxicity. The medical literature of the day is rife with praise for cannabis due to users showing no appreciable physical dependence to it and because higher doses were not needed over time for the same pain-relieving effects.

A drawback to medicinal cannabis, discovered at the same time, is its insolubility. Opiates can be easily converted to an injectable form, allowing a sufferer to achieve quick reprieve; cannabis takes considerably longer for its properties to take their full effect on the patient. With the advent of the hypodermic syringe and mass production of pills by the end of the 19th century, cannabis fell out of favor as the pain killer, sleep inducer, and relaxant of choice.

With the influx of Mexican immigrants into the US in the early 1900s, a more recreational approach towards cannabis was introduced and with it, the use of the term marihuana or marijuana. Anti-drug campaigners were quick to seize upon the fear and prejudice around immigration,

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live As significant as the report was, it fell onto deaf ears. Just four years later, all cannabis products were removed from the listing of the National Formulary and Pharmacopoeia.

Recreational Use of Cannabis and its Subsequent Illegal Status The recreational use of cannabis was hardly unknown in 19th-century America. It was, however, widely used in Mexico. Its casual use (in smokeable form) is not attributed in the United States until about 1910 in New Orleans.

From there, it had no problem spreading rapidly throughout the rest of the country. Its use was mostly employed by the poor and those of Mexican descent. This made it easy to target the drug and marginalize its users. By the time the Marihuana Tax Act was passed, the well-known anti-cannabis propaganda film Reefer Madness had debuted. Federal and state governments began a campaign of misinformation on the use of cannabis.

“

UNDER PRESIDENT NIXON’S administration in 1970, US Congress passed the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act.” Reports of marijuana users going mad and engaging in murderous rampages abounded. Schools began to include antimarijuana rhetoric in curriculums across the country. The stance of most authorities was to keep America’s youth ill-informed of the facts surrounding cannabis use and exaggerate the effects of consuming it. Amidst this concern around the severe danger that marijuana represented to the safety of America’s children, the laws on possession continued to tighten. By the 1950s, harsher federal sentences were beginning to be imposed upon individuals convicted of possessing marijuana.

The 1960s ushered in a whole new era of marijuana users and those who sought to keep its use criminal. Many college students and other young adults rediscovered the benefits of smoking marijuana. Many could not reconcile their own first-hand experience with cannabis against the propaganda and stern antimarijuana messages they had received growing up. This, combined with their government engaging in an unpopular war, as well as numerous other socioeconomic reasons, led to a historic level of friction between the nation’s young adults and their elders. The government responded by increasing police presence

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and enforcement of existing drug laws.

Arrests for possession of marijuana increased by a factor of 10 between 1965 and 1970. This division began to tear at the country’s cultural fabric.

Under a banner of restoring law and order, and during a time of great national unrest, Richard Nixon campaigned and was easily elected to the White House in November of 1968. Under President Nixon’s administration in 1970, US Congress passed the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act. This act led to the classification of marijuana as a Schedule I substance, meaning the government recognized no legitimate use for its production, sale, possession, or use. This put marijuana on par with substances such as cocaine and heroin. Law enforcement was to draw no distinction among their pursuit and subsequent prosecution of users of marijuana and all other narcotics.

This was not the last strike against marijuana use. Despite interest from President Jimmy Carter to decriminalize the casual use of marijuana in the late ‘70s, its vilification continued into the 1980s. The Reagan administration took a hard stance against drugs, including marijuana. Initiatives such as the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) and First Lady Nancy Reagan’s Just Say No programs flooded the airwaves and became commonplace in America’s schools. Under Reagan, penalties continued to stiffen for drug-related offences. The advent of controversial “three strikes” laws and mandatory sentencing regimes meant that anyone convicted of nonviolent offences like marijuana possession could be sentenced to life without parole.

This era marked the deepest opposition to marijuana as America’s war on drugs raged. Then, slowly, attitudes began to change.

In Part II, we take a look at the renewed interest in cannabis as a viable solution to many medical issues, as well as the states that approved the recreational use of cannabis, or decriminalized its use.

Chris Bond is the manager of the McKay Farm and Research Station at Unity College in Maine. His research interests are with sustainable agriculture, biological pest control, as well as alternative growing methods. He is a certified permaculture designer and certified nursery technician in Ohio and a certified nursery professional in New York, where he got his start in growing.

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COMPREHENDING YOUR CANNABIS TEST RESULTS

BY JODI MCDONALD No matter the reason you tested your cannabis plants, the lab results are useless if you don’t know how to read the report.

Jodi McDonald gives us the lowdown on cannabinoid potency reports and how to get the most out of them.

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P

eople who send cannabis products to the lab for testing typically fall into one of three categories. The first type of tester wants clinical confirmation of the cannabinoids their expertise tells them should be in the product. The second type of tester is usually someone who likes to experiment with the growing conditions and wants to see how their changes affected the potency of the product. The final group of testers are worried about dosage safety. They may have a product of questionable provenance or simply do not have enough information on their cannabis to make decisions about appropriate dosage.

While the lab results will provide answers to all the above inquiries, what most people don’t know is that there are hidden gems of information in the graphs and charts of a test report that give added insight about their product.

Let’s take a closer look at a sample cannabinoid potency report (Fig. 1). The first thing you see at the top of the report is the identification information about the testing method. Immediately below that, you will notice a picture (Fig. 2).

This is a chromatogram from a highperformance liquid chromatography (HPLC) instrument and it is essentially a fingerprint of the product. This graph is particularly useful for ongoing testing;

one can simply compare the graphs to see if the peaks and valleys change—and thus, the product itself changes—over time.

Below the HPLC chromatograph are two charts that highlight the cannabinoid potencies of your product. The first chart identifies cannabinoid concentrations (Fig. 3). As you can see, the delta-9tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) level is 24.64 per cent (the product sample analyzed in this example is a cannabinoid extract, so the concentrations are much higher than what would occur in dried flowers). The graph also shows the concentrations many other important cannabinoids, such as cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabigerol (CBG).

The carboxylated, or acid, forms of these cannabinoids are also listed (for a more detailed explanation of these compounds, read “Trust the Facts, Not Gut Feelings” in the Dec/Jan 2017 issue of Hydrolife).

As you can see in this example, the levels of tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA)— the carboxylated form of THC—is at 56.26 per cent. This result tells us that the tested extract has not been decarboxylated very efficiently; ideally, the THC level should be higher than that of the THCA. In fact, if any carboxylated cannabinoid concentration is higher than that of its corresponding the decarboxylated form, we know that the decarboxylation process is not as efficient as it could be.

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FIG.2

FIG.3

FIG.4

FIG.1 In the final section of the report, there is a chart to show the potency totals of each cannabinoid family (Fig. 4). These values represent typical concentrations if an efficient decarboxylation process is used. While the carboxylated and decarboxylated cannabinoids are grouped together for this section, the family totals are not calculated with straightforward addition. Labs first use a conversion factor, which is specific to each cannabinoid to account for the weight of the carboxyl group, to calculate a new total percentage for the acid form. These conversion factors are listed in small print below the totals chart (Fig. 5). In this example, a conversion factor of 0.877 is used for the THC family group.

Here’s how one would use that factor in calculating the total potency for that cannabinoid family:

THC: 24.64 PER CENT THC-A: 56.26 PER CENT X 0.877 = 49.34 PER CENT TOTAL: THC (24.64) + THC-A (49.34) = 73.98 per cent myhydrolife.com

Quantitation: A conversion factor of 0.877 is used for adjustment of the molar mass of THC-A and CBD-A; a conversion factor of 0.878 is used for CBG-A; both after decarboxylation. These conversion factors were not applied to other cannabinoids.

FIG.5

BQL = Below Quantitation Limit, for information purposes only.

THC: CBD RATIO: 19.8 : 1 ACTIVATED TOTAL: 36.08 Activated Total: Cannabinoids that have been activated through decarboxylation (curing/storage of flowers, or heating/cooking of edibles and concentrates). �9-THC + CBN + CBD + CBG + CBC

Near the bottom of the report are two key numbers (Fig. 5). One is the activated total, and the other is the THC to CDB ratio. The activated total, which is calculated with a straightforward 1+2+3 = 6 formula, represents the sum of all the decarboxylated cannabinoids that were measured. The THC to CBD ratio is included here as a quick reference for individuals who are targeting a specific ratio for its therapeutic benefits.

While a single test can provide anyone with a wealth of information, testing over time can be particularly useful to cannabis producers. Each change made in the growroom or to the postharvest process can have an impact on cannabinoid potency, and ongoing

tests can provide producers with a richer understanding of how their processes affect their product. Growers quickly begin to recognize the unique fingerprint of their products, and thus know at a glance when things are working perfectly or when production requires some attention.

Jodi McDonald is the president and founder of Keystone Labs and is a medical microbiologist, inventor, and super science-geek. She has 20 years of experience in the quality control, regulatory, and quality assurance environment for the pharmaceutical industry. Jodi believes testing is essential for taking control of your personal health.

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Herbal Chef The

COOKING WITH CANNABIS From his home base in Los Angeles, California, The Herbal Chef, a.k.a. Chris Savegh, does it all. As The Herbal Chef, Chris offers a gourmet edible line of condiments and baked goods, ships frozen THC/CBD entrees intended for specific ailments, provides meals for corporate and public catering events, and even hosts private, fine-dining experiences. Here’s how The Herbal Chef came to be, and how he’s pushing hard to become a household name.

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WHEN DID YOU FIRST REALIZE YOU WANTED TO BE A CHEF? When I was away from home and realized what a necessity it was to eat well. I get a rush when people experience my food. To see someone thoroughly enjoying what you have made is intoxicating.

HOW DID YOUR SPECIALTY—INFUSED DISHES—COME ABOUT? It was a brainchild of mine for a long while. When I had the opportunity to cook for a friend’s anniversary, things really took off from there. I had always practiced with making infused dishes, and I knew a ton of info about cannabis, so it was a really easy transition until I started to understand how THC and CBD reacted to heat in cooking.

WHO IS YOUR AVERAGE DINNER PARTY CUSTOMER? I get quite the interesting mix of clients who attend my dinners. I’ve had everyone from business executives at large Fortune 500 companies to the most hardcore cannabis users you can imagine. It’s just as fun for me to produce and observe these experiences as it is for the guests to enjoy them.

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WHAT IS THE SECRET TO GETTING THE DOSAGE JUST RIGHT SO EVERYONE HAS FUN? It really comes down to getting to know your clientele. I send out a questionnaire to my guests to fill out before the dinner so I can individually dose everyone without guessing or making someone uncomfortable. I believe if we are to take this mainstream, as an industry, we have to take dosing seriously. For first-timers, I dose out about 10 mg between a 10-course tasting menu, which means guests will feel the effects ever so slightly over the course of the dinner (roughly two hours) rather than a traditional edible where it comes in all at once. Anybody can get the guests stoned out of their mind, but this is more about the finesse, getting a guest just high enough to experience the beauty of the whole experience. I am literally changing my guest’s brain chemistry as they are eating, changing their whole perception of the meal as time passes. To me, that is beautiful.

“If my company plays any

role in helping people achieve a happier, healthier life, then that is all I could ask for.”

WHAT IS YOUR ULTIMATE GOAL WITH THE FROZEN DISHES? The ultimate goal there is to be able to distribute my medicated frozen meals to those who truly need them around the world. They take out the stress out of planning for a lot of people who are have specific ailments so they can focus on healing themselves mentally and physically. If my company plays any role in helping people achieve a happier, healthier life, then that is all I could ask for.

TELL US ABOUT THE TV SHOWS YOU’RE WORKING ON. We are filming two TV shows with The Herbal Chef at the center of things. Pot Pie, which was released on Apple TV through my amazing content partners PROHBTD, is a fun cooking show with different celebrity guests. There is also Braized & Confused, which is an Anthony Bourdain meets Bear Grylls meets Chef's Table type of show where I’ll travel around the globe foraging for the freshest ingredients while covering the social stigma of cannabis in every area we explore.

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“The legalization of

cannabis is just the beginning of a much broader consciousness shift to a more aware society.”

YOU WERE RECENTLY FEATURED ON SNOOP DOGG’S WEBSITE, MERRYJANE.COM. WHAT WAS THAT LIKE? That was incredibly dope! They made me feel right at home. It was fun to be myself and not have to speak as The Herbal Chef. I could relax and smoke a joint and not have to worry. This was especially cool for me because as a leader in the industry you have to kind of put on a persona so you are marketable to mainstream society.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB? You mean besides the cannabis? The people!

Building an industry from scratch is truly exhilarating. We have the chance to change the way business is done on a large scale.

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INDICA OR SATIVA? Sativa is usually my favorite, but it depends on what I am doing. If I am coming up with new concepts for a menu, I’ll definitely smoke a sativa. If I am trying to relax and unwind, I enjoy a good indica.

HOW DO YOU UNWIND ON DAYS OFF? Life is all about a balance for me, so it is important to have some downtime for all the craziness my career entails. I enjoy being active: hiking, foraging, gardening, playing sports, general frolicking, going to festivals, and being on the beach. I also enjoy my down time where I am able to read, study, play video games, listen to music, and watch movies.

WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF AS A CANNABIS ACTIVIST? I really consider myself more than just a cannabis activist. Cannabis and food are my vessels to connect to the world, and I believe the cannabis industry can really have much more of an impact than what people are led to believe. For example, the hemp plant can be used in so many different ways it essentially creates a new mini economy. From that mini economy, we have the choice to think sustainably, organically, and mindfully from the very beginning. The legalization of cannabis is just the beginning of a much broader consciousness shift to a more aware society. The overall mission of The Herbal Chef is to make a positive impact on the world before I leave it. Period.

This is not just about smoking some weed; this is about our planet as a whole.

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The cannabis edibles market is in a state of revolution. It’s expanding throughout the country as more states decriminalize/ legalize marijuana use, but there isn’t a set of universal, federal regulations to guide it. So, instead of venturing into this tumultuous territory blind, here’s an insight as to where the market stands now, and what we could see in the future.

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A

s more states legalize (or decriminalize) the use of marijuana, the variety and sheer number of edible cannabis options increases, too. This is relatively new territory, however, and there is little regulation or oversight in the production of edible products containing cannabis. None of these products are eligible for FDA approval since the federal government still considers marijuana a controlled substance. This means that manufacturers and consumers of edible cannabis products must cover this murky, untrodden ground with some degree of caution.

Edible marijuana products are used by different people for different reasons. In some cases, they are produced for the casual user to consume recreationally. In other cases, these products are produced solely for medicinal purposes by patients seeking pain remediation. Since there is no smoke, medicinal edibles are especially useful for individuals with respiratory issues. They also allow patients to access their medication in places where a smokable form would not be permitted either by policy or by law. Moreover, edible forms of cannabis deliver a more consistent medical effect than smokable forms. This can mean that dosing throughout the day is not required for many sufferers.

Whether medicinal or recreational, cannabis must be infused into fats or alcohols for the delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to be released and easily used by the consumer of edible marijuana. Most often, this is done by adding it to butters or oils. These are then used to create any number of edible products, including candies, gummies, lozenges, chocolate bars, baked goods, and beverages. Many manufacturers also add flavors such as lemon, chocolate, mint, cinnamon, or butterscotch to make their offering more enjoyable.

As for the type of cannabis used, manufacturers draw on different strains for different desired outcomes. Often, sativas are used in products intended to aid in pain relief, and indicas are often used in products intended to help fight insomnia.

Marijuana strains can be employed separately or in concert; there are numerous combinations used by different manufacturers for myriad intended results.

In the US, edible products containing cannabis can currently be legally—by state laws, not federal—purchased in Colorado, the state of Washington, Alaska, and Oregon. Those products must only be sold, though, within the state that they were manufactured in.

If a manufacturer of cannabis edibles was to cross state lines, they would be in violation of the federal Interstate Commerce Act and thus potentially subject to prosecution and penalty.

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As more states begin to allow the production, sale, possession, etc. of these types of products, it will likely lead to more edible cannabis items in the marketplace, as well as additional legislation and oversight by health officials to enforce them.”

Those four states were joined by California, Maine, Massachusetts, and Nevada on Nov. 8, 2016. As more states begin to allow the production, sale, possession, etc. of these types of products, it will likely lead to more edible cannabis items in the marketplace, as well as additional legislation and oversight by health officials to enforce them. While some may question the need for government to be involved in personal choice issues, few would argue that it is a legitimate role of government to protect children and minors from making uninformed decisions.

In all states allowing the purchase of products containing THC for medicinal use or otherwise, it is unlawful for persons under the age of 21 to do so.

However, only the states of Washington and Colorado have laws relating to the marketing of edible cannabis products towards minors. In these two states, manufacturers may not target their advertising towards young people (think along the lines of Joe Camel), and any product containing cannabis needs to be packaged in child-resistant containers.

Some manufacturers have already faced penalties for packaging their products to appear like popular noncannabis products (the Hershey Corporation recently won a lawsuit against such a manufacturer that packaged their THC-containing chocolate bar to appear like the quintessential, eponymous candy bar). Trademark issues aside, this poses a risk to children— and adults—with the over-consumption of edible cannabis products. A single serving of cannabis chocolate may be the same size and contain the same calories as a single serving of non-cannabis chocolate, but that does not mean it necessarily contains a single “serving” of THC. It’s easy to eat too much,

which can lead to over-intoxication.

This is especially relevant because THC is more extensively metabolized when ingested orally. In other words, users absorb a much larger amount of THC when they eat cannabis than if they smoked the same amount.

Of course, at this early stage, there is no official standard when it comes to THC serving size. The state of Colorado determined 10 milligrams of THC should be considered a serving, regardless of the amount of non-cannabinoid ingredients in an edible product. A 2004 journal article, however, cites 16.3 milligrams as the maximum amount of THC per serving for medicinal cannabis. Back in 1997, a study proposed that the maximum dosage of THC when used to treat pain and nausea symptoms is five milligrams per square meter of body surface area.

The same study suggested that patients needing appetite stimulation should consume 2.5 milligrams twice daily.

Regardless of where one stands on the issue of edible marijuana products, there are sure to be more: more products, more opportunities, more studies, and probably many more lawsuits and prosecutions before the market eradicates these variables and decides on a set of regulations to rule the postprohibition era of marijuana.

Chris Bond is the horticulturist at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, and host of the Keeping It Green radio program. His primary role is coordinating the university’s Farm Food Program, but Chris also teaches classes about growing food. His research interests are sustainable agriculture and alternative growing methods.

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G ROW W IT H U S .

Grow. Heal. Live. Enjoy.

MODERN

GROWING

E XPERIENCE T H E FUTURE OF G R O WING S A N J OSE , C A

June 3-4, 2017 San Jose McEnery Convention Center

DETROIT, MI

Sep 30-Oct 1, 2017 Cobo Center

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# g ro w x 2 0 1 7

JULES LARSON PARALLELS

Jules Larson is a Los Angles-based indie singer/ songwriter. Her self-released EP, Parallels, is powerful pop flecked with rock, folk, and R&B. A solid EP all around, Parallels offers us a glimpse of what Jules Larson is capable of. I am anxiously waiting for more.

by Gibson Lannister

4.5

SAM ROBERTS BAND TERRAFORM

Gibson Lannister has been a musician for more than 15 years and continues to expand his knowledge of theory and technique.

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Terraform is the sixth fulllength album by legendary Canadian indie rocker Sam Roberts. His music is deeply personal and distinctly his own. Each time I listen to Terraform, I discover something new that just makes me love it even more.

I’m going to put it on again and see what I can find.

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NATHANIEL RATELIFF & THE NIGHT SWEATS A LITTLE SOMETHING MORE FROM

Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats return with A Little Something More From, a perfect follow-up to their celebrated debut. It’s just more of that wonderful, swig your whiskey, spin your partner, foot stomping, good time music. Don’t expect to stay seated for this one!

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SHARON JONES & THE DAP KINGS MISS SHARON JONES

Sharon Jones recently passed away after a prolonged battle with cancer. I was lucky enough to meet her once after a show. She signed my record, gave me a hug and a kiss, and sent me on my way. I’ll never forget the energy she brought to her live performances.

Miss Sharon Jones tells her story the way she would have wanted it told.

NO NETS BRIGHT LIGHT

Brooklyn-based band No Nets is proving that less is more with its newest release, Bright Light. The strippeddown, post-grunge rock transports you back in time when you and your friends bared your souls, jamming late into the night in damp, smoke-filled garages.

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TOR MILLER AMERICAN ENGLISH

Indie pop singer Tor Miller is a man in love with New York City. His debut album, American English, is a pianodriven tribute to this love. For a young man, Tor Miller has the power and depth of an artist that has resided in our hearts for years.

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