Loud Thoughts Zine: Growing Pains

Dear Reader,

I dedicated Loud Thoughts “Zine” to the interested skeptic, weed lovers and patients like myself. We are courageous in sparking loud conversations about relevant topics within the world of cannabis. Articles in Loud Thoughts are not designed to be an all-encompassing “cann-ual.” Instead, we aim to inform and plant seeds of curiosity during a historic era of cannabis reform. As global prohibition ends, we will break barriers through human narrative and document an untold history of modern-day cannabis.

At our core, Our mission is to disrupt cannabis-infused storytelling, rooting narratives in authenticity and providing newcomews with a sense of understanding…or a healthy giggle.

©2023 Jack Porcari

All words and media property of author unless otherwise noted Layout and design by Paolo Blanchi

Loud Thoughts Origin Story: Who is Lief Landracer?

My fictional story about a real-life stigma.

Jack

It all began when I was 10 years old, inside an amber-lit gymnasium. In fourth grade, I gave a five minute speech about my thoughts on D.A.R.E., remaining drug-free and helpful tips for the future. The speech was a big deal to me—I wanted to do the right thing since I was very young and quite frankly had my heart set on winning at the time. I rehearsed in front of my dad, adjusted accordingly

and went on to win the essay contest. Just eight years later, I spearheaded my city’s cannabis reform efforts at WNY NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws).

My name is Jack Porcari and I’m here today because I came back from a very dark place. Lief Landracer is the person I became after overcoming personal hurt and adopting a

Porcari

fresh mindset. I decided to represent this change with a pen name because the new personal paradigm helped me understand the fluidity of my own attitudes. If you could look up Lief Landracer in a dictionary, unification would probably be the top synonym.

Choosing Lief obviously is adventurous; it symbolizes exploration, uncertainty and the long distances we are traveling to understand one of nature’s sweetest shrubs. The respelling of “Leif” represents a history we need to rewrite to integrate the plant. Lief literally means “loved” or “heir,” relating to the love of cannabis and our destiny to reclaim the throne of inner mastery—knowing ourselves, others and respecting the world around us (that

includes respecting the plant and how we use it responsibly).

The last name, Landracer, is simple; it is adapted from the word “landrace,” meaning a pure-bred cannabis cultivar originating in Asia, Africa and eventually, the world: these genetics are extremely difficult to find and produce distinct effects in each region (my favorite is Durban Poison). Landracer reminds us we are all incredibly unique and step on the same soil. As far as cannabis is concerned, every experience is cultivated by a unique person and came about because of a unique plant. Despite different regions, altitudes and horticultural practices around the world, weed found a way to grow bountifully.

Jack Porcari

This “living lens” I’ve learned to see through has given me strength to shed the internalized stigma of my life. As a result, Lief Landracer has become my antidote to self-loathing, canna-shame and a lack of purpose. I am no longer humiliated to call myself epileptic. I refuse to accept the belief that consuming cannabis is harmful to society. And crucially, the plant has inspired a personal fascination of crossing boundaries and building bridges everywhere. I’ve seen firsthand the transformation that is possible when you are in tune with your own frequencies.

The plant gave me the space to mentally be myself, slow down and realize life’s tough pushes, little pains and seeminglyimpossible goals are the lifeblood of a happy existence. I never could imagine telling this story after the tsunami of depression I endured on the anti-epileptic drugs of my teenage years. And I get it, doy—plant does not equal perfect. But the first time I felt high, it felt like I was being held by something bigger than myself. Not a person, not a plant, not a religious experience or anything like that… just a present sense of safety. At that point in time, I realized it had been four years since I felt that way—before I was diagnosed. And although the stigma around reefer has started to erode, prohibition’s roots of racism, disinformation and division are deeply entangled in the stemming cultures.

Because of this fact and my own journey, I am inspired to help others see past

complicated crossroads—in any area of my life. Lief’s passion birthed a desire to share his intimate canna-musings online as The Canna-Professor. The Instagram page is dedicated to spreading everyday stories and revealing the love and beauty of Right Now through cannabis. As Lief Landracer, aka professor, I’ll be unyielding in unifying through storytelling. So join me, as I share the Loud Thoughts of my life.

Weed Like Some Clarity: New York’s New Industry

Regulatory architecture demands fairness and confuses operators.

by Jack Porcari

sk anyone. Legal weed just feels different in The Empire State. The move represents a shift in the trends of previous legalized markets–for consumers and business owners alike. Fundamentally, New York built six pillars for legalization: equitable application process, maximize consumer choice, prioritize small businesses, center social and economic equity, protect public health and safety and minimize impact on the environment. Governments and entrepreneurs are trying to establish certainty in an industry with no rulebooks. As regulators break stigmas, there is one job to do: ensure the plant is delivered to the people in a smart and safe way. Legal weed has been available for almost two months in the state while regulations and testing requirements are still being finalized. The growing pains of a slow rollout (or roll-up) are frustrating to some, but the promise of certainty, innovation, cultural freedom and equity remain. Loud Thoughts spoke with experts to gain some clarity on how it’s growing here in New York.

Jack Porcari

Timeline

• Medical cannabis was legalized in 2014 and took effect in 2016 through the Compassionate Care Act. The state went on to decriminalize possession in 2019.

• The Marihuana Regulation and Taxation Act was signed into law by Governor Andrew Cuomo on March 31, 2021. The law centers future cannabusiness around justice for those harmed by the “War on Drugs.”

• In October of 2021, most employers became canna-friendly.

• The long-awaited adult-use regulations were approved by the Cannabis Control Board on November 21, 2022 and published in the NYS Register on December 14, 2022.

• Public comment period for the adultuse regulations ended February 13, 2023. The Office of Cannabis Management expects to review over 10,000 public comments from applicants, licensees, consumers, patients and everyday people alike.

• In Binghamton and New York City, a total of four dispensaries have opened, including a nonprofit and father-son team.

Context and Legislative Highlights

• 400,000 cannabis convictions were automatically expunged.

• Dispensaries are required to post education material about consumption and public health on their website and at time of sale. Consumption is allowed on premises.

• New York’s promise

and financial

is realized

for Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary (CAURD) licensees.

• Where you can smoke a cigarette, you can smoke a joint.

• There is a proposed 13% cannabis sales tax.

• Licenses include retail dispensary, cultivator, nursery, processor, distributor, cooperative, and microbusiness.

• You must be 18+ to work in a cannabusiness and you must be 21+ to purchase tested products.

• Forty percent of tax revenue will go toward community reinvestment grants, while another 40% will go to education and 20% of cannabis tax funds drug treatment and education.

• The NYS Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) hosted over 15 Equity Roundtables and monthly legacy meetings.

• In social consumption lounges, secret entrances are prohibited.

• Licenses are valid for 2 years; owners must remain in good standing to renew.

As buds cure and flowers are placed on shelves, cannabis laboratories are ramping up to lower lead times and meet the demand of a growing market. New York State will use data management software BioTrack™ for all recordkeeping, certificates of analysis (COAs) and quality assurance. “It’s so confusing for people that are in the industry, let alone people outside of the industry,” said Bill Nichols,

of equity

through facilities

equity

Technical Director of Cannabis at BioTrax Testing Laboratory. “Right now you’re getting changes every other week and it’s hard to keep up with for the farmer that’s not reading this stuff every day—it’s hard for me to keep up with and it’s literally my job.”

The official track and trace system “doesn’t exist” yet is currently being built out by the state, according to Nichols. BioTrax Testing Laboratories aims to use their 20+ year history in food and water for hemp and adult-use testing, too. Nichols says the DEA-certified lab “tracks everything down to the gram,” noting cannabis samples are filed away in a secure numbering system.

While testing is in its infancy, labs have encountered problems like requiring

cultivators deliver samples in-person, not by mail. To ameliorate the issue, labs retain samples for about 60 days. Located in Cheektowaga, BioTrax also dealt with a blizzard that left nine feet of snow in its wake. “During the blizzard, we lost three days of power in the lab—anything we were incubating is worthless,” Nichols said. “The back door blew in but luckily we’re on the second floor,” he said.

Amid the ramp-up period, software company Forian sold their cannabis subsidiary, Bio-Tech Medical Software, Inc. for $30 million cash, transferring Cannalytics® and BioTrack™ to cannabis tech company Alleaves’ offerings. Due to the plant’s many Routes of Administration (ROAs), new tests are always being devised, meaning niche and precise examinations are expected to become a $3 billion industry by 2030.

Jack Porcari

It is no doubt uncertainty is at an all-time-high, but the pure adoration of the plant keeps entrepreneurs grounded daily. Brittany Carbone, founder of cannabis wellness brand TONIC put it best: “There’s nothing like actually growing weed— right?” She was among the first licensed growers to experience the legal hemp blossom in Upstate

New York. “Whether it’s, you know, a small home-grow or it’s a field of plants, we’ve been growing since 2018 and it just doesn’t get old,” she said.

Innovative farmers like Carbone have been able to stay on the cutting edge, but it has come with challenges as industry regulations are rapidly drafted and approved. Before cannabis products can be sold, it must be shipped to a lab in dispensary-ready packaging, for quality testing. While watering her plants is truly watering her soul, Carbone is worried about New York’s delayed rollout. “A lot of

people did not have their packaging quite ready because there were no responses to the first round of public comments [for packaging and labeling] at this point,” Carbone said. “People were like, ‘I don’t know what retailers are open, so I’m not going to take this risk right now.’”

A legal motion is also stalling retail dispensaries in Western New York, Central New York, Finger Lakes, Mid-Hudson and Brooklyn areas, hurting farmers’ ability to budget their crop and assess demand.

Aleece Burgio, general counsel for Western New York-based sustainable greenhouse consulting firm MJI Solutions, says the case has big implications for the future of cannabis in the state. “OCM (Office of Cannabis Management) is going to have a really big fight against this [case]… it affects every CAURD license, not the five areas.” An applicant with a Michiganbased cannabis crime accused the program of prioritizing New York businesses, violating the “Dormant Commerce Clause.” Variscite says the company will face “irreparable harm” if it does not have a chance to participate in the first round of dispensaries. If OCM loses, it will force them to rethink licensing requirements.

Natural supply-chain challenges have also presented themselves, making cultivators rethink their operations within the state.

“These guys [AUCCs] are failing tests,” Burgio said. “Outdoor [growing] is very difficult to control; I don’t think they ever anticipated how difficult it is to grow

courtesy of Brittany Carbone

in New York climate.” Fortunately for cultivators, the MRTA forbids vertical integration, creating a network of likeminded entrepreneurs.“The conditional supply chain is made up of people who are small, medium sized businesses,” Carbone says. “We’re all kind of trying to rely on each other and support each other because we understand that we’re not the competition.”

New York State did not underestimate the occasion of equity—multi state operators(MSOs) and large medical cannabusinesses were not given a spot in the first round of licenses as they did in the majority of other states. Despite OCM’s efforts, DASNY’s $200 equity fund still needs capital, finding real estate for new licensees remains complicated and a typo in the law made certain criminal records difficult to wipe. On top of this,

cannabis is going through a unity epidemic as entrepreneurs grapple with racial inequality within the industry. But where there is darkness, there is light—especially in cannabis: “Good relationships are being formed between CAURD awardees and the processors and cultivators,” Carbone said. “Seeing some of these applicants now— they all have such incredible stories and everybody’s really rooting for each other.”

The Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) did not reply to emails in time for publication.

Damian Fagon did not respond to messages seeking an interview.

Jack Porcari

aves of legalization have caused a cultural eruption of cannabis enthusiasm in America and beyond. In the Constitution State, adult-use sales began January 10, 2023. Two brothers, Kevin and K’Ronn Cranford are changing the way people look at cannabis through their highking club and lifestyle brand, Cannacticut. The seed was planted when Kevin wanted to “learn

‘We bring trees to the woods’

Connecticut smokers combine fitness and friendship

Lifestyle brand breaks buds, stigmas and showcases east coast cannabis culture.

by Lief Landracer

courtesy of Cannacticut

about an issue and put my all into it” during grad school. He did just that with Maryland NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) for over four years, organized large-scale events for the first National Cannabis Festival in 2016 and became a founding board member of the Minority Cannabis Business Association.

The idea for Cannacticut came about as he

was talking on the phone with some of his hometown smoking buddies. “It just kind of hit me like a smoking idea to drop the two first vowels of Connecticut out and add A’s and it’ll be Cannacticut,” Kevin Cranford said. “I’m a flag nerd myself, so looking at the flag I’m like ‘we can replace those grapes with cannabis plants,’ and we just went from there.”

Cannacticut creates space for community in all aspects of the business, with merchandise consisting of artisan collaborations with local woodsmen, seamstresses and graphic artists. Products including scarfs, smoking jackets, lighters, rolling trays and more. Kevin and K’Ronn Cranford hope their brand can serve as a platform to positively shift attitudes around the plant. “They’ve integrated cigarettes to where you’re feeling a little, you know, pick me up or something, you go outside, you smoke a cigarette. It’s very socially acceptable,” said co-founder K’Ronn Cranford. “We now see a green light for us to have a green light to do the same activities working with local bars, country clubs, fields, as well as state parks, to try to find ourselves green spaces where we can say that it’s cannabis-friendly.”

Since legalization, they have primarily focused on creating safe consumption spaces and a newfound sense of pride. “Me and my friends were like ‘We have to start a Connecticut lifestyle brand about weed—just have to do that,’ because Connecticut has no state pride. When you grow weed you have pride, right? Like you courtesy of Cannacticut

just have pride in your plant,” said founder Kevin Cranford. “If you’re prideful about something, people will buy the product I feel, especially if you’re in Connecticut; there’s no word for it like New Yorker or Connecticut-er—you just have to be from Connecticut.”

Legacy and legal sponsors alike provide members with cannabis for bi-weekly “highkes” across the state. “People will come out for free weed, don’t get me wrong,” said Kevin Cranford. “They don’t necessarily need weed—they need the community we didn’t have under prohibition,” he said.

Highking organizers at Cannacticut work with members to spread awareness about every trail they blaze. Stoners from all corners of Connecticut trek to the trails, some traveling from the opposite sides of the state for a fun-filled morning. The typical highke starts at 10 a.m. where members usually roll some joints before “hitting” the woods. The woods can hit back sometimes, as K’Ronn Cranford describes: “This gentleman walked up to us and said ‘you guys definitely put the high in hiking.’”

A while back, the group of highkers happened to stumble upon a troop of over 70 retirees on the trail. “I guess he broke away from the group of ladies that he was with and asked us if we had anything that could help him elevate his thinking… we gave this 70-year-old man a joint and courtesy of Cannacticut

watched him walk out through the woods happiest he’s ever been!”

Cannacticut thought of Holi-Daze Parties, a community-funded Coffee Club and even a 10-hour scavenger hunt called the Crankee Yankee Nutmeg Rally. Lastly, monthly munchie bunches gain input from smokers’ word of cotton-mouth for elevated meals. “We know a lot of cool places to go eat—we’re by ourselves going high—why not bring a whole bunch of us together and then have power in numbers?” said Kevin Crandford.

A History of Highdeas & The Future of Connecticut

“High ideas, man–I f–ing have them.”

Before founding Cannacticut, Cranford wanted to end his advocacy career at

courtesy of Cannacticut

Maryland NORML “with a bang.” After smoking a joint outside his cottage, he realized: “what is a joint but a torch?” Soon after, the 2016 Unity Cypher was born: “I got a group of activists from Maine to Miami to pass a three foot [joint-shaped] torch down the coast to each other,” he said. “I knew enough people and the people I didn’t know I could find because I know somebody in the state next town and they know the advocates in the next state and can put me in touch and that’s what I did.”

The torch lit up 16 destinations, beginning its humble journey in Maine, where it arrived by mail and was set ablaze over a speech from ten smokers. Advocates then rolled it down the east coast, touching highlights like the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on Drugs (UNGASS), New Hampshire Hempfest

and a plane ride from Georgia to Florida. Cranford also worked with cannabis activist and gubernatorial candidate New Jersey Weed Man while he was in prison to organize a Unity Cypher pop-up event in the Garden State.

K’Ronn and Kevin Cranford envision a future where the cannabis plant is seamlessly integrated into social life without any judgment. As their merchandise and events operations expand, the group of brothers and friends remain focused on igniting their passion and showing the country what wholesome cannabis consumption looks

like. “While these events are fun and active, we also have a level of transparency so people can come ask us questions; people can experience firsthand that hanging out with a bunch of cannabis enthusiasts is actually quite normal,” said co-founder K’Ronn Cranford. “In which case, we can start breaking down those barriers so we can start building an inclusive community: And our goal is to do that personally in the East and then spreading throughout the country.” *

courtesy of Cannacticut