Expo Pot-ential
The Cannabis and Hemp Expo comes to Calgary, and the role of retail in Canada’s cannabis market
Where’s Waldo? The map, the myths, and the legend of 420 Localize It
Four20 Premium Market gives us their top picks for gadgets
Also rolled inside:
Magic-Magic Cookie Bars, Finding Clarity in High River, and The Buddy System
March / April 2019 $4.99 keanelarsen.com
Editor’s Note
S
pring is trying to eke its way out of a brutally cold winter, and what better way to celebrate the coming of all that green with…well, green!
We’ve got treasure maps, sugar rushes, local swag, and the royal treatment all in this issue of Juniper Cannabis & Culture. The March / April edition of Juniper is full of offerings of gear from our friends at Four20 Premium Market, including the Dewbie, which helps to keep your stash from drying up. You can check them out in this issue’s Fresh Crop on page 40. The Cannabis and Hemp Expo rolled into the BMO Centre at the Stampede Grounds on March 8, 9, 10, and we were there to talk with vendors from Alberta about the importance of retail in the newly legal cannabis market. Coverage of the expo starts on page 42. Our road trip to High River (heh) brought us Clarity – literally. As the only dispensary in the southern Alberta town, Clarity has a unique perspective on the legal market, and
spoke candidly with us about how they fit in with their community in such a conservative province. You, our readers, are a curious lot, and this issue we’re pleased to give you the royal treatment. Calgary’s Queen of Bud held court, and we were fortunate enough to bring forth our inquiries and have them answered by their top budtenders. And, finally, this issue wouldn’t be complete without acknowledging April 20, or, 420 Day. Pack a bowl, or roll a blunt, or do whatever it is that you do, and get ready for a history lesson that started with an inside joke, and turned into the bestknown colloquial term for cannabis consumers across the globe. Until next time, Keane
Going back to our roots to celebrate the budding cannabis industry in the the Rocky Mountains Publisher: Keane Straub
Photo Editor: Keane Straub Art Director: Keane Straub Graphics: Keane Straub Layout & Design: Keane Straub
News Editor: Keane Straub Copy Editor: Keane Straub
Contact: juniper cannabis&culture mag 1301-16 Avenue NW Calgary, Alta. T2M 0L4
Ad Manager: Keane Straub Ad Sales: Keane Straub Marketing: Keane Straub
Fact Checker: Keane Straub Social Media & Online Content Manager: Keane Straub kyrstyn.straub@edu.sait.ca keanelarsen.com @juniperyyc
Contents
March / April 2019
Always Available 6 Letters to the Ed: This issue’s gathering of insightful, inquisitive, and sometimes just straight up weird letters from our readers 23 Buddy System: We give you the royal treatment and ask a budtender with Queen of Bud in Calgary your cannabis inquries
42
36 Trail Blazers: Join us in High River for high quality Clarity, the town’s only dispensary 40 Fresh Crop: Four20 Premium Market brings locally-made gear to the spotlight 60 Easy Bake: We abracadabra a retro classic to bring you double the magic
17 420
36 Freshly Harvested 17 Where’s Waldo We look at the true origins of 420 – and no, it has nothing to do with Jerry Garcia’s birthday, and everything to do with a treasure map
58 Welcome to Flavour Country The science of terpenes, and how they play a role in both medicinal and recreational cannabis consumption
42 Expo Pot-ential Join us as we explore the Cannabis and Hemp Expo in Calgary and discover how retail plays an important role in the legal market
On the cover: a parade of impervious pachyderm pipes up for grabs at the Cannabis and Hemp Expo in Calgary on March 9
Fresh Crop
Localize It
Words and photos by Keane Straub alking into a cannabis dispensary can be intimidating, whether you’re a newbie to marijuana, or it’s old hat. Today’s cannabis enthusiasts have a lot more choices not only for what they consume, but also when it comes time to consume, prep, and store bud. Juniper Cannabis & Culture met with Mike Tanner, a sales specialist at Four20 Premium Market in Calgary, to get the lowdown on his favourite items in store, and we were pleased as Purple Punch to discover that a few are made right here in Wild Rose Country.
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Mike Tanner, a store specialist at Calgary’s Four20 Premium Market, has been in the industry since legalization in Oct., 2018
1. The Dewbie by The Devil’s Lettuce Shop (Calgary, Alta.)
2. Herbalaire H3 and Elite Vaporizers by Herbalaire (Bragg Creek, Alta.)
This little charm does the trick when it comes to rehydrating your stash if it may have gotten a little dried out – which is prone to happen in this province! Handcrafted in Calgary, including being fired in a kiln older than any member on Juniper’s staff, the Dewbie (right) is a highly porous stone that just needs a dip in water, and a clean, airtight space in which to chill with and rejuvenate your desiccated dank.
Vaporizers are fast becoming one of the more popular ways people consume cannabis, and for good reason. Instead of heat coming into direct contact with the cannabis, a vaporizer uses convection heat to produce a reaction. The resulting vapour is easier on the lungs and the palette. Rather than just moving hot air through the chamber, the chamber itself heats up, too, and vaporizes the THC and CBD more efficiently. Both the Herbalaire H3 and the Elite (pictured next page) can be used in multiple ways such as the whip, the bag, and the straw (not pictured). Designed and crafted in Bragg Creek, Alta., each vaporizer comes with a 3-year manufacturer’s warranty. herbalaire.com
thedevilslettuceshop.com
Barely bigger than a toonie, the Dewbie can be reused almost infinitely.
Mike says: “You only keep it in [with the dried-out cannabis] for a short amount of time – five to ten minutes per gram. It’s a much more convenient way to revitalize your weed.”
Mike says: “I’ve been vaping for probably ten years, and I have never come across, until now with the Herbalaire, a vaporizer you can put in a bong down-stem, and actually use it on the bong, to filter the vapour and cool the vapour, and enhance the actual experience.” The Herbalaire H3 with whip attachment (left) features a dial temperature setting. The Herbalaire Elite (with the bag atachment, right) has a digitized temperature setting and readout, and six colours to choose for display.
We love the purple. And the graphite. And the champagne. But when it claims to be the last grinder we’ll ever buy, do we need all the colours? Yes. Yes, we do.
3. SLX Herb Grinder by SLX (United States) The name sounds like it moves – ssslix! If you’ve ever struggled with grinders in the past, be they sticky, squeaky, or a hassle to clean, suffer no more. The SLX Herb Grinder (right) is coated in ceramic which has been bonded to the aluminum body at the molecular level, making this
beauty one smooth operator, and easy on the eyes. Guaranteed to never stick or need cleaning, and boasting a three-tiered system – the flower buster, the flower catcher, and the kief catcher – this grinder is great for breaking up a large amount of flower and then using as a holding chamber. The SLX comes in two sizes: the 2” pocket size, and the 2.5” large size. sean-raphael.squarespace.com
Mike says: “As long as you don’t lose it, they’re pretty much designed to be the last grinder you’ll ever buy.”
Expo Po
One of several glass artists blazes it during a glass-blowing demonstration at the Cannabis and Hemp expo in Calgary
ot-ential Words and Photos by Keane Straub
T
he annual Cannabis and Hemp Expo rolled into Calgary’s BMO Centre over the March 8 weekend, but unlike prior shows this year’s offerings had the luxury of legalization. There were no actual cannabis products available for purchase, but there were plenty of growers, distributors, and dispensaries present, as well as glittering displays of paraphernalia, and new gadgets designed to improve the cannabis connoisseur’s lifestyle.
The weekend was also packed with panel discussions, ranging from the upcoming legalization of edibles, how to correctly use CBD and THC in cooking, and an overview of the current cannabis market in Canada. Nick Pateras, the vice president of growth and international strategy at Lift & Co, a Canadian cannabis media and technology platform, took the stage just before 1 p.m. on Saturday, and shared his thoughts on the passing of the legalization bill, which he said was the number one story in the Canadian cannabis market in 2018. Bringing attention to activists and advocates who dedicated decades, and sometimes their lives to fight for the legalization of cannabis, Pateras extended his gratitude, and his hopes that soon enough legalization will be worldwide. “We are the flag bearers, and others will follow by [Canada’s] example.” Pateras then dove into the importance of a successful retail network in the cannabis market. While many other provinces are slow to issue licenses for dispensaries, and therefore rely on online sales, Alberta has cornered the retail market. The province boasts 75 dispensaries, with 25 in Calgary alone. Pateras went on to say that Quebec only has 12, while Ontario still has none.
Nick Pateras of Lift & Co addresses the audience at the BMO Centre in Calgary on March 9.
were excited about being able to provide a positive learning experience to both their fellow industry employees, and the members of the public in attendance. Curtis Cherniwchan, owner of Creative Wood Co. in Edmonton said, “I think that for anybody who really
“Retail plays the most important educational touchpoint in the consumer journey.” -Nick Pateras, Lift&Co.
“Retail plays the most important educational touchpoint in the consumer journey.” By having a solid retail environment, customers have the opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue with knowledgeable staff. Information about both product and legalities is consistent and available to everyone, regardless of whether they have been purchasing illegally in the past; or, who are new to cannabis, or haven’t purchased in a long time. oving through the expo, it was easy to see that vendors
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wants to learn, this is the place to come.” Cherniwchan, who also designs and carves several of the products available for purchase at Creative Wood Co., said that there was an abundance of information for people who aren’t just “average smoker[s].” Rather, it’s geared toward individuals who are seeking to understand how to best grow their own cannabis, or to gain knowledge about how cannabis can help them with their daily lives.
T
his was the second year that Calgary’s Golden Acre Home and Gardenwas present at the Expo, with a set up located on prime real estate – right at the main entrance of the exhibit hall, and boasting a full display of fertilizers, nutrients, and indoor growing options. Speaking post-show, Colin Hayles, buyer and head of the indoor growing department at Golden Acre, said an event like the Cannabis and Hemp Expo showcases the potential for a thriving cannabis culture in Calgary, with opportunities for individual enthusiasts and businesses alike. “It was a true joy to see that community come together, and everybody helping everybody.” Hayles said the interest in indoor growing is represented by people from diverse backgrounds, each with a different knowledge base. Some people are green to indoor growing, while others have been doing it for over a decade. And, there are several different focuses when it comes to indoor growing. People visiting the Golden Acre booth discussed growing cannabis
Oxygen torches burn at more than 2500F as artists focus on molding glass into various pipes and bongs.
“I’ve definitely learned a lot from hands on [interactions] and discussions with my customers.” -Colin Hayles, Golden Acre Home and Garden
Above: One of the many indoor growing setups on display at the Golden Acre booth at the Cannabis and Hemp Expo on March 9
The 7Pipe Twisty Glass Blunt is both functional and fashionable
for medicinal purposes, recreational use, and even turning it into soap. Successful growers want to share the triumphs, and the failures, so other growers don’t make the same mistakes, and Hayles loves to see these interactions. There’s a significant amount of that exchange in the retail environment as well, more than any other department at Golden Acre. “I’ve definitely learned a lot from hands on [interactions] and discussions with my customers.”
F
or those enthusiasts who would rather leave the growing to others, there were plenty of new innovations in paraphernalia to browse and get lit about. If you’re an environmentally conscious smoker, you like a clean smoking experience, or you’re all thumbs when it comes to rolling, the 7 Pipe Twisty Glass Blunt is the way to go. Just pack the weed into the glass tube, twist the screw in, pop the cap off, and you’re ready to light it and enjoy what Twisty boasts as a “thirty per cent cooler hit.” Unlike regular blunts, which are rolled in tobacco leaves, or paper-rolled joints, the only thing burning in a Twisty Blunt is the
Wolf Grinders’ Scorpion pipe is tiny yet tough, made of aircraft-grade aluminum
marijuana. A few aisles over we found Wolf Grinders, an Edmonton company designing products for cannabis using adventurers. Here, we were introduced to the Scorpion, part-pipe, part-Transformer. This little guy is no bigger than a jar of lip balm, and is made of durable aircraft-grade aluminum. The swivel cover and folding stem are secured with magnets, making it easy to open and close, and tuck away discreetly. While silicone pipes and bongs were a plenty, and a great alternative for those who tend to drop things, all that glitters is glass, and it’s still the go-to for most cannabis enthusiasts.
With a plethora of pipes and a bounty of bongs, there was no lack of sparkle and shine in the BMO centre over the weekend; and live glass-blowing demonstrations drew a steady audience every hour. Glass artists from retailers such as The Brain Candy, Jazzcat Glass, and DabChamps, rotated in and out of the space provided, using small torch set-ups to heat the glass and shape it into dabbers and bowls. Those not actively creating mingled through the crowd and explained the process to onlookers, and were eager to share their craft.
EasyBake
Ju
en
Test KItc r e h nip
As always: if you’re going to ingest edibles, start small and wait it out. It’s a good idea to have a sober friend in the mix, too, just in case things get a little too real.
Approved
‘Magic’ Magic Cookie Bars
Words and photos by Keane Straub When we were tasked to make something for a friend’s birthday and make it that much more magical, this recipe from a staffer’s childhood appeared from the depths of space and time - minus the double dose of magic, of course. But given the fact that it calls for melted butter as part of the crust, it seemed like a no-brainer. We whipped up some cannabutter, threw in some sweet stuff we had on hand, waved our magic wand, muttered some ancient incantations and presto! The only thing missing was the cape, and flashy stage presence. Magic Cookie Bars were developed by Eagle Brand condensed milk in the 1960’s. They come together in about 8 minutes (plus baking time), and are made with things that you can keep in the pantry until you’re ready to use them. And ‘Magic’ Magic Cookie bars a great alternative to a magic brownie, but still sweet and chewy. Just swap out the butter for cannabutter made from your favourite recipe. * We’ve added peanuts, pecans, chocolate butterscotch chips, dried cranberries and white chocolate chips…the combinations are endless. Change it up, and let us know how they worked out!
INGREDIENTS:
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips*
½ cup (canna) butter, melted
1 cup shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 325 1.Prepare a 9 x 13 glass baking dish with cooking spray, or grease with butter. 2. In a bowl, combine cannabutter and graham cracker crumbs with a fork. Transfer to prepared pan and spread evenly, pressing down with the fork. 3.Pour condensed milk in an even layer over graham cracker base. 4.Sprinkle chocolate chips and coconut on top, and gently press into the condensed milk. 5.Bake for 25 minutes, or until light golden brown on top. 6.Cool, slice, share, and lift off!
THC It’s time to change perspectives.
Surround yourself with the extraordinary.
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