MJ Lifestyle Issue IV | In Her Power

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InHer Power WITH DOCTORS KNOX

THE MOTHERHOOD ISSUE

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womankind

How do we get our favorite CBD and plant wellness products into the hands of our favorite women?

Introducing MJ Lifestyle’s Plant Wellness Subscription Box.

G o v e r n m e n t Wa r n i n g : p r o d u c t s f e a t u r e d i n t h i s p u b l i c a t i o n m a y c o n t a i n c a n n a b i s , a s c h e d u l e 1 c o n t r o l l e d s u b s t a n c e . of reach of children and animals.

Keep out

Cannabis products may only be possessed or consumed by persons 21 years of age or older

unless the person is a qualified patient. The intoxicating effects of cannabis products may be delayed up to 2 hours. Cannabis use while pregnant or breastfeeding may be harmful. Consumption of cannabis products impairs your ability to drive and operate m a c h i n e r y. P l e a s e u s e e x t r e m e c a u t i o n .

When trying cannabis products, MJ Lifestyle recommends going low and slow—start with a micro-dose (2mg—5mg) and take your t i m e , w a i t a t l e a s t 2 h o u r s b e f o r e a d d i n g t o y o u r d o s a g e . C a n n a b i s a f f e c t s a l l b o d y t y p e s d i f f e r e n t l y, i t m a y t a k e s e v e r a l t r i e s t o determine the right dosage for you.

MJLIFESTYLE.COM

ISSUE 04 / MOTHERHOOD

04 The History of Hemp: An Excerpt from Blair Lauren Brown’s New CBD Book

36 Co-Founder of Cosmic View Nicole Skibola Moves On From Her Endometriosis

84 The Power of Bhang: Centuries of The Highest Traditional Offerings

97 Black Owed Beauty: Celebrating Five Black Woman Owned Beauty Brands

08 The Art of Slow Living with Moon Mother Hemp Founder Jessica Bates

41 Cannabinoids: Our Birthright and Mother’s Breastmilk

92 Change Makers: San Francisco’s Success Centers Brings In Cannabis Programs

110 Tarot Astrology by OG Queen Regina Leigh presented by TONIC CBD

13 Culinary Author and Entrepreneur Stephanie Hua Shares Her Infused Peach and Ginger Ale Float 16 Q&A with Home Cultivation Queen Penny Barthel and Homemade Infused Fresh Strawberry Gummies 20 Take Five with April Cole Worley, Founder of CBD Bodycare Line Mender 22 Highly Inspired with Yvonne Perez Emerson, Maker and Founder of the Make & Mary 24 What to Expect When Visiting a Dispensary 28 Spark the Convo—Fellow Cannamoms Share Tips on How to Be Open With Your Family 30 Senior Ed: Interview With Cannabis Educator Tali Eisenberg 34 A Dedication to Medical Advocate and CBD Reform Icon Charlotte Figi

42 Transcripts from How to Do the Pot: Is Weed Cool When You Are Pregnant?

ON THE COVER The Family of Endocannabinologists Doctors Rachel, Janice, and Jessica Knox Share Their Feminine Power.

44 Cannabis & Parenthood: Four Mindful Ways to Prepare Yourself for CPS 47 Mama to Mama: Allison Ray Benavides Shares Her Personal Journey With Pediatric Cannabis 50 Survivor Mandy McGaugh is Liberated With Experiential Wisdom 58 How Two Entrepreneurs Found an Unconventional Way Around Tolerating the Change 62 Mama Sue Taylor: A Matriarch On A Mission 69 How Cannabis Helped Celia Behar’s Sister Have a Beautiful Death.

72 On The Cover: The Family of Endocannabinologists Doctors Janice, Rachel, and Jessica Knox Share Their Feminine Power

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MJ Lifestyle rose from a community of women eager to share our knowledge, triumphs, and lessons learned. Our fine art print magazine is inspired and built on the blood, sweat & tears of many women before us. For centuries women have fought to raise their voices without judgment or shame. We believe in the strength of the feminine uprising change by empowering women to become founders and leaders. We are so proud to elevate the cannabis space with a tribe of endless inspirational women navigating their way through an abundant & holistic lifestyle.

We are overwhelmed with gratitude for the collaboration of community, creativity, and support that has brought us here, thank you for your love and devotion.

WOMEN OF MJ LIFEST YLE Founder, Chief Creative JENNIFER SKOG @jenniferskog / Editor APRIL COLE WORLEY @o.april.o / Partnerships & Creative Development, Journalist BETSY KABAKER @betsykabaker / Online Content Manager KELLY GRENINGER / Intuitive Divination Practitioner REGINA LEIGH @og_queen / Writer ALLISON RAY BENAVIDES, LCSW / Writer ALEXA JESSE @alexajesse / Brand Relations, Partnerships GINNY LEUNG @ginnymleung / Brand Relations, Partnerships JESSICA CURE @curedesignstyle / Brand Relations STEPHANIE GASCON @justfinethanks /

MJ LIFEST YLE PARTNERS MENDER @mender.shop / TONIC @tonic_cbd / Moon Mother Hemp @moonmotherhemp / Caasi @caasiproducts / Amnesia Media @amnesiamedia / Verte Essentials @verteessentials / Poplar @poplar / Mae mae.delivery / LEVEL @level.blends / Gift of Doja @giftofdoja / TAYLOR & tess @taylorandtess / Care By Design @carebydesign / Atlas Edibles @atlasedibles /

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Allison Ray Benavides, LCSW / Betsy Kabaker @betsykabaker / Kaisha-Dyan McMillan @ahsiak / Yogi Maharaj @bulabhang / Maya Elisabeth @omedibles / Blair Lauren Brown @blairlaurenbrown / Nicole Skibola @acosmicview / Keira Fae Sumimoto @keirafae / Mandy McGaugh @heart_to_hand / Marlo Regalado @sweetestmar / Stephanie Hua @getmellows

CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS Tia Reagan @tiareagancreative / Nichole Montanez @nicholeaudrey / Julia Corbett @corbettjulia / Heather Roma @thewestsidecollective / Penny Barthel @pennybarthel / Jessica Cure @curedesignstyle

MJ LIFEST YLE AFFILIATES Ärder Botanical / Allume / High Society Collection / Honey Pot Products / Bel Kazan / Leef Organics / Juna / Potli / Amy Kuschel / Mama Sue Wellness / Hello Again / Peak Extracts / La Republica / Ona Life / Sava / Kitchen Toke / Kiskanu / Kyrious.co / Mother Indica / The Make & Mary / AEON Bontanika / Quim / Cannabis & Parenthood / Sous Weed / Stone Road Farms / TSO Sonoma / The Westside Collective / Tokeativity / Mellows / How to Do the Pot / Undefined Beauty / iNTITLED / Homebody / Cosmic View / Equilibria / Om Edibles / Verte Essentials / Success Centers / Zoe Wilder / Rogue Paq / Frigg / The Congo Club

Meticulously Printed by

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FOUNDER’S LETTER Jennifer Skog /skōg/

Twenty-something years ago I was waitressing at three jobs, going to college and getting my first taste of adult life. My grandmother was sick and in the hospital. We had an extraordinary bond.

She was always someone I felt eternally close to; with Taurus birthdays just five days apart, it was like we were the same person. For whatever reason—maybe she asked—I confided in her that one day that I smoked marijuana and preferred it to alcohol. She didn’t scold me or make me feel ashamed. Instead, she said, “I tried it once or twice.” Stunned and a bit impressed, I asked when and where and why. She told me that my uncle was dating a woman that sold it, and when they came over for dinner she joined in because she didn’t want them to think she was a square.

Not long after that day, I moved out of my parent’s house, and she moved in. My bedroom was emptied and replaced with a hospital bed and my beloved grandmother. She was dying. I remember visiting one night and watching her and my mom fighting over morphine. She wanted it and my mom would beg and plead with her because she became a different person when on it. My mom would just sob and sob, and if grandma didn’t get what she wanted, she would pull her oxygen away from her face.

I can’t imagine the pain my mom was suffering, watching her mom deteriorate right before her eyes. I can’t imagine the pain, because 20 years later I still feel pain. I know I’m not alone; so many other families have had to endure the trauma of losing someone dear, what a horrible way to end a beautiful life.

All I can think about is what cannabis might have done for her. No, she would not have been cured, but an edible or tincture could have elevated her mood, increased her appetite, and reduced her pain. We could have been painting our nails and watching movies together instead of simultaneously wishing for a miracle and praying to end the suffering.

A woman I know tried giving CBD to her mother with Alzheimer’s. She quickly noticed a change in her mother, not getting as scared or anxious when she got confused or forgot where she was. Then she gave her a micro-dosed gummy with THC to try, an hour later, her mom said, “I think I feel happy!”

It’s sharing experiences like this that allow us to imagine the possibilities. No one looks forward to the day roles reverse, and we become the caretakers for our parents. What if we could make all of these cycles of life good ones? Why can’t there be such a thing as a beautiful death?

We’ve been constructing this issue since the conception of MJ Lifestyle. The voices included resonate with just about every aspect of my life—all my fears, wonderment, and goals. For two years, I suffered miscarriages, and I never knew the amplitudes my strength could reach until the first time I had to advocate for my child. Mama bear came out without me even knowing it. But we don’t need to bear a child or even be a mother to have that power. We as women have an incredible amount of strength inherently built-in, but what will it take for us to finally step into our power? This issue celebrates women who have pushed forward and paved their way. I hope it will inspire you and ignite your power.

xx,

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THE HISTORY OF HEMP An Excerpt from Blair Lauren Brown’s New Book CBD: Self-Care Secrets to Hemp-Derived Wellness

Though many people used cannabis-derived products every single day, the US imposed a tax on hemp cultivation in 1937 in the Marihuana Tax Act. This tax was imposed on anyone who sold or cultivated the cannabis plant, making it increasingly cost-prohibitive to be involved in the business.

What changed government policy and, eventually, people’s minds about cannabis? In 1930, President Herbert Hoover appointed Harry J. Anslinger as the first director of the recently created Federal Bureau of Narcotics (now the Drug Enforcement Agency, or DEA). Formed in 1930 under the Department of the Treasury, the Federal Bureau of Narcotics was put in place to fight opium and heroin trafficking. Holding office for thirty years, Anslinger was one of the predominant figures in the stigmatization of cannabis. Under the guise of controlling addiction, he helped create an anti-cannabis campaign that also promoted racist and anti-immigrant views and shaped the language used to discuss cannabis.

“Under the

Enter the term marijuana—the Latino-Spanish word for cannabis. Prior to the 1900s, cannabis was used to refer to the plant in news reports and medical journals, and smoking cannabis recreationally was a pastime reserved for the mainly white, social elite during parties and in other celebratory settings. The Mexican Revolution, which began in 1910, sent a wave of immigrants across the US–Mexico border, and they introduced the word marijuana to Americans. Anticannabis politicians as well as major media outlets began to popularize the usage of marijuana and negatively associate the drug with Mexican immigrants. Ultimately, by guise of controlling not using the word cannabis to refer to the plant, anti-cannabis factions could create a stigma around the plant that didn’t exist before.

addiction, [Harry J. Anslinger of the newly formed DEA] helped

Many newspapers published articles using the newly discovered word marijuana, describing how cannabis use led to violence and addiction, and portraying it as a drug of choice for many marginalized groups, from Mexican immigrants to African Americans that also promoted racist and antito sex workers. The New York Times ran a headline in February 1925 that read “Kills immigrant views and shaped the Six in a Hospital. Mexican Crazed by Marihuana, Runs Amuck with Butcher Knife.”

The Seattle Daily ran a sensational headline from March 16, 1913: “Evil Mexican language used to discuss cannabis.”

Plants That Drive You Insane.” The article goes on to explain, “The revolution in Mexico has brought with it not only the ravages of war, but also the degradation of the social conditions of soldiers and prisoners. One of the latest forms of dissipation on the ranks of federals and rebels alike is the habit of smoking marihuana, a deadly native plant to Mexico.” In 1936, the propaganda film Reefer Madness was released. It depicted fictionalized caricatures of drug dealers luring children to the dark side of “reefer” smoking culture, perpetuating every stereotype of cannabis portrayed in the press. Originally produced and paid for by a church group called Tell Your Children, it soon stigmatized cannabis use and became a weapon in Anslinger’s campaign to create more-uniform drug enforcement policies across the United States.

create an anti-cannabis campaign

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Anslinger proclaimed before Congress while presenting the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937, “Marijuana is the most violence-causing drug in the history of mankind. . . Most marijuana smokers

As the media spread stereotypes and tabloid-style headlines about the are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos, and “marijuana menace,” policymakers and appointed officials shared similar racist sentiments that supported the sensationalized media reports. entertainers. Their satanic music, jazz Anslinger proclaimed before Congress while presenting the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937, “Marijuana is the most violence-causing drug in the and swing, result from marijuana usage.” history of mankind. . . Most marijuana smokers are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos, and entertainers. Their satanic music, jazz and swing, result from marijuana usage.” He later wrote, “Reefer makes darkies think they’re as good as white men. . . The primary reason to outlaw marijuana is its effect on the degenerate races.”

The Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 laid the groundwork for the prohibition of cannabis in the US on a federal level by effectively halting its cultivation, even as a 1938 issue of Popular Mechanics hailed hemp as the “new billiondollar crop” due to the introduction of new production and harvesting equipment. Just as the plant was starting to be recognized for its great value to the nation, it was also being cut down because of its unsavory reputation.

It is possible that the rise of hemp may have posed a threat to chemical and agricultural industries, so some corporations may have had interests in controlling or stifling hemp production. For example, DuPont, the largest chemical manufacturer in the US, had patented synthetic fiber production in 1938, creating an alternative to hemp textiles, which had made up 80% of all apparel until the 1920s. Hearst, the largest publishing company in the US at the time, maintained significant holdings in cotton and lumber, hemp’s competitors in paper production.

The public perception of cannabis had effectively been altered and it was now seen as a dangerous, addictive drug.

This influenced policies and laws on the state, federal, and even international level. By the 1930s, many states in the US had banned cannabis, some doing so by classifying cannabis alongside already regulated narcotics. Beginning in 1961, a total of 155 countries signed the first international treaty prohibiting the production and supply of cannabis along with other hard drugs, like cocaine and heroin, with some exceptions for cannabis used for medicinal purposes.

In 1970, under US President Richard Nixon, Congress passed the Controlled Substances Act, creating a standardized classification system that categorized drugs based on their potential for abuse. These classifications are referred to as “schedules” with Schedule I being the most addictive and dangerous and Schedule V being the least. Cannabis was labeled a Schedule I drug, along with cocaine, heroin, and morphine. After the passage of the Controlled Substances Act, it officially no longer recognized industrial hemp and medicinal “marijuana” as two separate varieties of the cannabis plant.

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The next year, President Richard Nixon began his all-out “war on drugs.” Despite unanimous recommendations by a drug enforcement commission in 1972, Nixon refused to decriminalize possession of cannabis for personal use. With the creation of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in 1973, the US government had a streamlined process for generating and enforcing policies related to drug laws, and funding for drug-fighting campaigns increased. Thousands were imprisoned for nonviolent drug offenses, and many drug enforcement efforts disproportionately affected people of color in the following decades.

In the 1980s, President Ronald Regan continued to take a harsh stance on drug enforcement. With the implementation of new mandatory minimum sentencing laws for the use and possession of several drugs, including cannabis, incarceration rates soared further. Meanwhile, First Lady Nancy Reagan began her “Just Say No” campaign to teach children about the dangers of drugs. In 1984, despite the lack of substantial or clinical evidence, cannabis was presented as a “gateway” drug that led to the eventual abuse of narcotics.

Since the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate CBD products, do not purchase CBD oil that is not third-party lab tested and can share a Certificate of Analysis (COA) for the exact product you are purchasing.

While the U.S. waits for the FDA to standardize regulations for hemp CBD, the state of New York takes initiative by setting standards and a

The drug enforcement policies of the 1970s and beyond have been seen as a response to the anti-establishment sentiments and rising political dissent in the 1960s. John Ehrlichman, a domestic policy chief during the Nixon administration, later described the war on drugs as a campaign motivated by these factors. He said, “You want to know what this was really all about? The Nixon campaign in 1968, and the Nixon White House after that, had two enemies: the antiwar left and Black people. . . We knew we couldn’t make it illegal to be either against the war or Black, but by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and Blacks with heroin, and then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities. We could arrest their leaders, raid their homes, break up their meetings, and vilify them night after night on the evening news. Did we know we were lying about the drugs? Of course we did.” The policies that came out of the war on drugs left a destructive legacy, harming many communities, hampering research on medical cannabis, and severely restricting access to a plant that has been used for centuries.

regulatory framework for the hemp industry.

The new law signed in December 2019 will require the hemp industry to test and label their products

as Dietary Supplements to

protect consumers.

For a list of MJ Lifestyle Approved CBD Brands visit mjlifestyle.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Blair Lauren Brown, co-founder of Poplar, offers a captivating introduction to CBD—what it is, how it can improve your health, and how to use it for personal wellness.

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The Highest Standard in Wellness So much has changed to get us to where we are today. Here we find ourselves in an oversaturated, noisy and almost too competitive wellness marketplace, overrun and unfortunately dominated by companies with deep pockets. The lack of transparency, and even worse, the dissemination of misleading and incorrect information is doing the industry as a whole a disservice.

So for the sake of simplicity, accessibility, and (for f*cks sake) accountability, here’s our solution The Poplar Promise. This is the new set of standards that we are holding ourselves to here at Poplar. We’re asking our brands to show up as well and align with us in these areas: Clean, Green + Natural | Aligning around terminology, definitions, and use of ingredients that are good for us and the planet.

Active | Setting the standard with strict identification of active ingredients and product potency.

Proven | Mandating anecdotal testing, and where appropriate, 3rd party certification.

Ethical | Championing ethical human and environmental capital.

Tested | Depending on best-in-class finished products certifying bodies.

Quality | Appealing to all senses. It should feel, smell, taste and look good.

Sustainable | Reducing environmental impact. The packaging of a product should be minimal, and recyclable at the least.

Equitable | Taking action to build a more equitable world. We love our planet and the people on it. Diversity and inclusion are imperative.

But it’s not just about us. We all need to ban together for change. We have the opportunity and the responsibility to do better within this industry. Are you in? Learn more about our promise, and take a self-assessment at be-poplar.com.

xx

Beryl & Blair +

Beryl Solomon & Blair Lauren Brown | Poplar Co-founders

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The Art of

SLOW LIVING HERBALIST, MOTHER, & CEO JESSIC A BATES, MOON MOTHER HEMP COMPANY

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Living mindfully means consciously making choices.

Every move we make throughout the day is a choice and an opportunity to show up for yourself, your family, and the planet. Living mindfully means harnessing as many of those moments as possible to live in integrity. This includes every purchase we make and the environmental repercussions behind them. It includes the foods we choose to eat and feed our families. It also includes the way we show up energetically in our work and our interactions. Every step we make has a ripple effect and continues to have an effect far beyond our immediate interactions.

Finding your slow...

We have eliminated busy. As a family, we have prioritized free play and time together over scheduled activities. Although it is easy to get swept up into all of the requests and invitations and sometimes expectation of our community we have made it a family priority to have plenty of time to connect to each other and the earth. Some of the activities we can not live without are time with my sisterhood community and ballet for the girls.

Their one scheduled activity outside of school is Monday ballet class. For me connecting with other women is an absolute necessity for sanity.

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A typical day...

A typical day in our household begins with breakfast together. On a weekday the girls will get ready for school and Ed or I will drive them to the magical land of Waldorf Education which is the epitome of connectedness. Ed and I will then go to work at jobs that we love either at the office, the production facility, or the farm. One of us will pick the girls up at either 12:30 or 3:00 and spend the rest of the day with them at home. Ed and I both do part of our “workday” at night after the kids are asleep so we can be with the kids more during the day.

We make most of our meals at home together and try to include the girls in meal preparation.

The lost art of cooking is something we are trying to instill in them and they love playing a role in the creation of the food they eat. We are very grateful for the opportunity to work for ourselves and the privilege of flexibility that comes with it. Our week is filled with rhythm and looks mostly the same from week to week which is really supportive to our entire family and our nervous systems.

The weekends, however, is when we really thrive! We begin our days with breakfast together and then Ed and I have coffee either on the couch or on the back porch while the kids play. We try to spend as much time as possible in nature and just playing together.

Right now we are planting our seeds starts and preparing our garden for a great bountiful summer. We are going on tons of bike rides. We are also dreaming of summer and fall camping trips. We don’t have a ton of activities but the magic mostly occurs in the in-between.

Sustainable Brands to fall in love with Moon Mother Hemp The Hemp Temple Omi Woods Studio Ora Gaia Conceptions Two Days Off Lem Lem Amy Kuschel Selva Negra Sweet Skin Hemp Touche Textile Dyper Sample Haus The Wylde

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Why is it so challenging for mother’s to slow down?

It is so hard for mothers to slow down for multiple reasons. First of all, we are our families’ and communities’ caregivers and it is a natural as well as a conditioned response for us to put the needs of everyone before our self-care. Mothers are still expected to perform the physical and emotional labor of taking care of our families making it practically impossible for us to slow down. It may take multiple generations for this to shift energetically.

Another reason it is so hard for mothers to slow down is that our current society has us so isolated that we are doing all of the work that would have traditionally been a community effort. Many of us are living in single generation households instead of having the support of our extended families at hand. This has stretched the American mother way beyond our capacities and has our nervous systems taxed.

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Advice for women feeling overwhlemed with busyness Begin to say, “No.” Last year I made a practice of saying “no” to everything that wasn’t bringing me joy or money or for the greater good of my family.

This was an extremely important practice for me as it really began to reveal the source of much of my overwhelm.

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I was doing way too much. Too much for too many people. As caregivers, we often want to take care of our whole community and give everything we can but we really do a disservice to ourselves, our families, and our communities when we DO to the point of burnout and overwhelm. When you cultivate a practice of saying “no” you begin to truly see your “yes!” Without all of the extra activities in the way after a while, I was able to pinpoint for myself what was a wholehearted “yes” and really put my focus there.

RECIPE A L A

Edibles: Peach & Ginger Ale Float Take your mocktail game to the next level with this cool and refreshing sorbet float. The sorbet is particularly good in summertime when nectar-sweet, ripe peaches are at the ready. A zing of lime juice perks these up, and fragrant basil adds a subtle floral herbaceousness. If you’re lucky enough to find purple basil (sometimes called opal basil), snag it—those deep purple leaves make a spectacular garnish. GlutenFree, Dairy-Free

One 10-ounce | 280 gram bag frozen peaches or 2 medium peaches, pitted, diced, and frozen Juice of 2 or 3 limes, depending on how juicy they are ½ teaspoon | 2 gram Canna Tincture 1 bunch purple basil or regular basil 32 fluid ounces | 960 milliliters ginger ale Fresh ripe peach slices for garnishing

In a food processor or blender, combine the frozen peaches and 1 Tablespoon lime juice. Blend until the mixture is the consistency of sorbet.

Set out 4 glasses. Place 1/8 teaspoon [½ gram] canna tincture, 1 teaspoon lime juice, and 4 basil leaves into each glass. Using a muddler or the end of a wooden spoon, press down lightly on the leaves until they are fragrant. Fill each glass with ginger ale and stir. Using an ice cream scoop, top each glass with 2 scoops of peach sorbet. Garnish with basil leaves and peach slices. Cheers!

MJ Loves

Edibles Small Bites for the Modern Kitchen $20

Hemp CBD Beverage Drops by Caasi $90

Learn to make your own tinctures and everything else you need to know to bring herb into your kitchen.

Clean, pure, and high quality CBD drops are water soluble and intended to be mixed with liquid. THC-free

Visit yayedibles.com to get yours.

Visit Caasi.co to try!

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StephanieHua MAMA, CULINARY AUTHOR & ENTREPRENEUR

FOUNDER & CEO OF MELLOWS CULINARY AUTHOR EDIBLES COOKBOOK

C AN YOU SHARE YOUR C ANNABIS JOURNEY WITH US? My cannabis journey is rooted in my culinary journey. I'm Chinese—the love language of our culture and my family has always been food. My grandfather was a chef and worked in the food industry in New York City. Growing up, my mother had a homemade dinner on the table every night, on time. I think the greatest expression of love and nurturing is to feed people.

There is a little bit of magic in being able to create something from scratch.

I moved to San Francisco with dreams of becoming a food writer and ended up enrolling in culinary school. Around the same time I was finishing my training, my husband was starting his cannabis software company, Meadow, which meant we were visiting a lot of dispensaries and trying a lot of different products.

Being in California, the golden land of legal weed was really eye-opening. The level of sophistication, science, and nuance in cannabis consumption that existed here was unlike anything I had ever seen.

I grew up in the suburbs of New Jersey, and to be honest, cannabis wasn't very accessible. I guess I also wasn't really looking too hard. I was a pretty good rule follower. I was 16 when I had my first experience smoking weed—I tried a couple of puffs but didn't feel anything. Then senior year, I over consumed and it was pretty traumatizing. It wasn’t until I went to college that the stoner stigma started to chip away and I saw that people could smoke weed and be very smart at the same time. After college, I met Hua, and that's when the stoner stigma really shattered. Here was this charming, funny, intelligent guy who loved cannabis, and was super functional— and very fun—high. When we moved to San Francisco, great food and great cannabis quickly became a central theme in our lives. It was only a matter of time before that evolved to include cannabis-infused food!

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WHAT LED YOU TO PURSUE A C AREER IN C ANNABIS? WHAT WERE SOME OF YOUR BIGGEST HURDLES GE T TING MELLOWS TO MARKE T? I really wanted to create an edible that reflected the same level of artistry and attention to flavor that I had experienced in the SF food world. Why couldn't edibles be therapeutic and beautiful and utterly delicious at the same time? I also felt like there was a real need for a more gently dosed edible that was approachable for light-weights like myself. One of the biggest challenges when we first launched Mellows was convincing dispensaries that people would want an edible as low as five milligrams of THC. At the time, we were still in the medical market, and the norm was around 20 milligrams per serving.

HOW IS C ANNABIS INVOLVED IN YOUR DAILY LIFE? HAVE YOU ALWAYS BEEN OPEN ABOUT YOUR CONSUMP TION & ADVOC AC Y? Cannabis helps me manage stress. As a mother, a wife, a business owner, an entrepreneur in a crazy industry during a crazy time, there's a lot to juggle. There is an infinite number of things to worry about or take care of and a very finite number of hours in the day. I am grateful to have cannabis in my toolkit for times when I need to just step away, slow down, or be present.

I've been open about my consumption and advocacy for a long time. A major guiding mission of Mellows is to destigmatize and normalize the use of cannabis and elevate the cannabis experience. It is my hope that the work I do changes people’s perception of what a cannabis user looks like.

WHAT DOES 'OWN YOUR POWER' MEAN TO YOU? WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR WOMEN WHO HAVEN'T YE T FOUND THEIR POWER? WHAT INFLUENCES HAVE HELPED YOU ALONG THE WAY? Believing in the greatness you can accomplish can be scary because that means going for it, no holds barred and risking failure. Nothing is for certain, but you won't know if you can fly unless you jump. That said, I, for one, would not jump unless I've put in the work. I would complete lots of test flights, map out my trajectory, and make sure my wings are strong before stepping out on that ledge. With practice comes confidence, and with confidence you will find your power.

WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE QUOTE OR MANTR A? HAZEL SEEMS TO GE T HER INFEC TIOUS SMILE AND ZEST FOR ADVENTURE FROM HER MAMA, HOW HAS MOTHERHOOD CHANGED YOUR CONSUMP TION RITUALS? Aw, thank you! She is definitely a fiery, free spirit! I'm excited to see what trails she blazes. In our house, we're vigilant about keeping cannabis goods out of reach in a safe place, but we don't hide our consumption. She has seen cannabis since birth.

Now that Hazel is getting older I anticipate her becoming more curious about Mommy and Daddy's medicine. I’m excited about the opportunity to educate her from a young age about what cannabis is: plant medicine that is to be respected.

"You're doing great." It's easy to dismiss your accomplishments, or not slow down to recognize them. I know I am my own harshest judge. It's important to remember to affirm your efforts and celebrate the wins! You're doing great.

WHAT DOES STEPHANIE HUA HAVE COMING NEXT? I love creating new treats to delight our customers! Look out this Fall for a new, higher potency product for our fans who are looking to Mellow Out more. Visit getmellows.com for more!

FORTUNATELY, C ALIFORNIA DEEMED C ANNABIS AS 'ESSENTIAL,' HOW HAS THIS PANDEMIC AFFEC TED BUSINESS? Yes, Cannabis is SO ESSENTIAL! There has been an up-tick in edible sales since the pandemic started. I think part of the reason is people are trying to save their lungs by not smoking or vaping during this time. Also, people are stuck indoors and may not be able to smoke inside, so they reach for the edibles instead. People are experimenting more right now, and as a lowdose product, we’ve seen a lot more interest in Mellows. This is the best time to try something new if there ever was any!

From a business perspective, we've been okay. Cannabis businesses have been stress-tested a lot over the past couple of years so I guess that makes us well equipped to handle crazy, unforeseen circumstances! So, you're telling me we have to change up protocols, adapt, and pivot on a dime? Sure we can do that. I'm proud to say that the resiliency our industry has honed is showing itself yet again in the face of a global pandemic.

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Q

with Home Cultivation Queen Penny Barthel

By Kaisha-Dyan McMillan

Kaisha-Dyan McMillan chats with her friend, collaborator, and fellow weed nerd Penny Barthel about how exploring cannabis through home cultivation has changed her life.

PENNY BARTHEL AND I MET ON THE DANCE FLOOR.

The seeds of friendship were initially planted when I first started going to Hipline (myhipline.com), an Oakland-based dance and fitness studio for self-identified women, in 2013. For years this lady and I shimmied and popped in classes together regularly, and our rapport came even more into focus anytime we teamed up to volunteer at studio events. Penny knew I was a writer in the industry, and one day two years ago she wondered if we could talk cannabis over coffee.

Over the course of a spirited 90-minute visit at Philz in Berkeley, we bonded over how our experiences growing up in the era of Just Say No shaped our views about cannabis. Now that we were two women navigating different phases of middle age, cannabis was finally making sense to us for different reasons: while I was the ever-curious euphoria-chaser who loved exploring products, Penny was the green-thumbed scientist by trade (she has a degree in Nutrition and Food Science from UC Berkeley) who really wanted to try her hand at cultivation. Within months of our conversation, she would go on to receive a cannabis horticulture certification from Oaksterdam University.

Equally passionate about food, Penny has been sharing her non-cannabis cooking adventures for years through her blog RecipeMuse.com. To address ailments like sleeplessness and pain, she began experimenting with making her own cannabis tinctures, gummies, and salves, and quickly found herself becoming a source of information for friends trying to understand weed in the new era of adult-use legalization. A partnership started forming and in 2019, I along with Penny and our third founder Deirdre Green launched Let’s Sesh (wonderingaboutweed.com), a business offering hands-on cannabis educational workshops to help empower adults to explore cannabis for their own wellness needs. Fully committing to the obsession, Penny has channeled her passion for home cannabis cultivation and kitchen crafting into her first book, The Cannabis Gardener, which arrives Spring 2021 from Ten Speed Press.

I wanted to know more about the journey Penny took from abstainer to certified cannabis horticulturist, DIY kitchen crafter, and educator, so I sent her a few questions by email. The following interview has been edited for clarity.

ISSUE 04

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GROWING UP, WHAT WERE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT CANNABIS?

I am a child of the 70s, raised by law abiding Midwestern parents transplanted to suburban California. I knew about cannabis, but it was something that was not a part of my family’s reality. In Junior High school a new, exotic group of students came into my emerging teen awareness. They were the burnouts, the stoners, the potheads. I rubbed shoulders with them on rare occasion but didn’t do much experimenting with cannabis as a teen, even though there was a strong social drinking culture where I went to high school. But, I gotta say it was intriguing to me. I wasn’t scared of it, but it just wasn’t worth the risks at the time.

I remember going to a showing of Led Zeppelin’s “The Song Remains the Same” and there was a lot of weed being smoked there, and I liked how it smelled. A lot.

WHAT WAS THE TURNING POINT FOR YOU?

Fast forward to 2015. Legalization for recreational use of cannabis was impending in California, and I wanted to know how to vote on this issue. I value being an informed citizen, and take time to read up on candidates and propositions before voting in each election. I have for many years hosted a lively gathering in my home before each election that I call “The Political Party”. We come armed with our ballots, have drinks and snacks, then get down to business by reading through each of the propositions and measures and getting enough perspective on each to mark our ballots. I remember a particularly lively discussion in this group about Prop 64—the measure to legalize cannabis for non-medical users in California. I can only say that a profound perspective change began for me out of this discussion. I did equal parts research, talking with friends and family in the know, and soul searching on this topic. My son was in music school at the time, and shared with me some of his experiences with cannabis—which made me wince at first. I spoke with my brother-in-law about CBD and his role running a company that makes high quality CBD products in Colorado.

He has a PhD in biochemistry, and I appreciated his sharing some of the scientific studies that had recently shown cannabis to be so helpful to the body. In short, I listened, I learned and I repented. That’s a hard thing for many adults to do—I admitted that I was wrong, and agreed to move in a new direction about this plant. And I’m so very glad that I did!! I am still learning about this plant, and how it’s been cruelly mis-characterized by the US, and has been a tool for racist propaganda. It’s amazingly helpful therapeutic qualities have also, until very recently, been ignored by the mainstream medical world. I thought this was nonsense! So, with profound gratitude to those who’ve fought for decades to legalize and destigmatize this gift of nature, I turned my whole attention to cannabis.

A COMPONENT OF THE LET’S SESH MISSION AND THE FOCAL POINT OF YOUR UPCOMING BOOK IS TO EMPOWER PEOPLE TO GROW THEIR OWN WEED AND USE THE PL ANT TO MAKE THEIR OWN MEDICINE. WHY IS THIS SO IMPORTANT?

YOU FELL IN LOVE WITH CANNABIS THROUGH CULTIVATION. WHAT IS IT ABOUT GROWING THIS PARTICUL AR PL ANT THAT INSPIRES YOU?

I’ve been gardening forever. As a very young child, I gravitated to the natural world, and had a special affinity to plants. I remember a particular double red impatiens that my grandmother grew, and the tall bearded iris that grew in our yard when I was in preschool. I remembered carving paths in a wheat field where the plants were as tall as my shoulder. Cannabis, though, is the most interesting plant of all. First of all, it is actually easy to grow. Like, they don’t call it weed because it’s super fussy and only expert horticulturists can get it to grow. Au contraire! It’s almost embarrassingly easy to grow. And it smells amazing. Each cultivar is unique, and offers a particular bouquet of fragrance.

Cannabis is deep green, and has beautiful maple shaped leaves, which I like to throw in smoothies or use in floral arrangements.

And the topper? I get to harvest and use the powerfully helpful resinous flowers to make me feel better, and help manage and improve my health. This plant is such fun to grow that even if you didn’t want to consume it (but why wouldn’t you, though?) it’s an exciting plant to grow in the garden for its beauty alone.

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I studied Nutrition and Food Science at UC Berkeley, and added a few courses to this major to fulfill all my premed requirements.

As I entered my undergraduate studies, I knew that I loved the biological sciences, and had always had a true appreciation for food, and was interested in the emerging field of preventative medicine. I also had a natural affinity for explanation, love to hang out with people, and have a drive to create. I had a number of experiences working in a hospital and learning from a number of MDs in my workplace, then interning in an Internal Medicine’s office. I was disillusioned by what I saw there, in that it wasn’t what I felt called to. There was something about what they were doing—and they were doing very good things, mind you—that I didn’t feel a significant connection to. As I look back on that time in my very early 20s, I have a new perspective on what didn’t connect with me. I think it had to do with the orientation that our medical institutions have on disease and treatment. They are primed to and largely compensated for treatment of problems, yet I was interested in the prevention of problems, and the improvement of our health in everyday, practical, sustainable, common sense ways. Stuff like nutritious foods, exercise, getting immunizations, wearing seat belts—the stuff that you can’t put in a pill or charge for. And then cannabis entered my consciousness and BOOM! Here comes cannabis: a real helper, gently supporting the immune system, easing pain and inflammation, keeping us a little more cheerful and able to withstand the suffering of this world. And the best part is that—at least in some states—it is available to us by just growing a plant! You can grow a meaningful amount of bud on one healthy plant in about six months. You literally go from seed to medicine in six months. It’s our simple, day to day habits that have a profound impact on our health, and cannabis is a part of these habits. The scientific community is quantifying what folks using cannabis for the past several thousand years have known— that it is a genuine helper for people. I predict that in the next several years we will see the medical profession embracing this herb as a helpful preventative and treatment agent for a number of common conditions of the human condition, ranging from mental health issues (mild depression, anxiety), pain and inflammation, gut issues, tremor disorders, and more. I believe that every person on this planet should have access to this plant, just like we should all have access to healthful food, clean air, fresh water, and safety in our homes and societies. I realize that there is a lot of injustice in this world, and we have a lot of work to do to make this a better place for everyone. And one tiny way I can impact the conversation is to let people know how to grow cannabis in their gardens, and bring it into their lives for their health and happiness.

MJLIFESTYLE.COM

WHAT DO YOUR ADULT CHILDREN THINK ABOUT ALL OF THIS?

My children have been lovingly patient with me on my cannabis journey! My husband John and I have two amazing children —Calvin, 27 and Lucy, 25. They are both weed enthusiasts, and have helped me learn about their experiences. It was tough for them at first, as I was pretty much a hard-ass parent when they were teens. All parents strive to do the best for our children and it’s just not easy, especially when societal norms are rapidly changing and are often in tension both generationally and in different circles. I want to be clear that I advocate for adult use of cannabis on a routine basis. And by adult I really mean 21 and up—though to be safe, neurologists agree that the adult brain isn’t fully formed until the age of about 25. I am also in full support of parents and doctors treating children with cannabis for a number of conditions, and think that it’s not a hard and fast rule to avoid all cannabis until adulthood! What my children have helped me see is that cannabis is ubiquitously available in their circles. And the weed product selection is quite different from when I was young—concentrates, resins, hash, sauce, vaping—all readily available now. It’s really tricky for parents, even those who grew up smoking joints routinely and feel like they know what’s going on. Granted, my children were raised in the Bay Area and went to college in liberal NYC and Boston and studied music and fine art, respectively. So perhaps they were in rarefied cannabis literate circles compared to other parts of the nation and world. But no matter where you live, parents need to be informed about cannabis. This may be especially so because of the illicit cannabis market and what our teens are potentially exposed to therein. Even since legalization in California the majority of cannabis is obtained in the illicit market, and there are unknown health risks associated with some of the products available. We all benefit from learning the truth about cannabis, even if we don’t partake of the gentle herb. If nothing else, I’m convinced that we will be better citizens and vote more wisely by learning about this plant.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JENNIFER SKOG

ISSUE 04

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Penny’s Cannabis Infused Fresh Strawberry Gummies Makes about 50 gummies

I use home crafted alcohol tincture in these recipes. The potency and cannabinoid profile of the tincture determines the potency and effect of the gummies. Two gummies contain one dropper of tincture (⅛ teaspoon). I love making these gummies in the shape of little strawberries.

⅓ cup strawberry puree (about 7 hulled fresh strawberries, puréed until smooth) 4 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon tincture* 4 teaspoon unflavored gelatin OR 1.5 teaspoon agar powder (vegan) 1 teaspoon fresh squeezed lime juice GEL ATIN GUMMIES

Mix all ingredients in a 2-cup Pyrex glass container.

Allow mixture to rest at room temp for 3 minutes to hydrate the gelatin.

Heat in microwave for 45 seconds on high. Mixture should be liquid and smooth with no remaining gelatin bits. If needed, heat the mixture for an additional 10 - 15 seconds.

Stir and pour into silicone mold.

Cool in fridge until gummies are firm, then umold and store airtight in the fridge or freezer.

AGAR GUMMIES (VEGAN)

Mix all ingredients in a very small sauce pan.

Heat on medium-high, stirring continuously.

Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 seconds. Mixture should be thick like jam.

Spread into silicone mold.

Cool in fridge until gummies are firm (about 1 hour), then unmold and store airtight in the fridge or freezer.

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MJLIFESTYLE.COM

HOW IS CANNABIS INVOLVED IN YOUR DAILY LIFE TODAY?

TAKE FIVE WITH

April Cole Worley

Now, I make my own edibles from scratch and microdose whenever I need a head-change. I am a high-energ y person and sometimes that translates to anxiety so along with therapy, edibles are part of keeping my head clear. I used to use cannabis and psilocybin mushrooms to really go far out and see what that was all about...but at 43 I have not felt the need for that kind of quest in some time now.

WHAT LED YOU TO PURSUE A CAREER IN CANNABIS AND WHAT CRITICAL STEPS HAVE YOU TAKEN TO GET MENDER WHERE IT IS TODAY?

I studied political science in grad school and while there I was always attracted to the role counter culture and other small cultural enclaves play in shaping policy and societal change.

The real movers operate at the fringes, and I love that. I used my degree to build a career in marketing—starting in the cult wine movement (Down with snobbery! Up with wine for the people!) and worked in many different market sectors ranging from tech to organic farming, but when Prop 64 passed in California I knew it was where I wanted to be. We saw very few brands at the time elevating the image of the flower and we set out to do that.

We developed our brand first with the idea of really honoring cannabis—its magic, its healing powers, its ancient wisdom.

Then I met my partner, Vanessa, who had just sold her skincare company to her partner and we decided to work together within 15 minutes of meeting each other. It was kismet. That was in 2018 and since we have developed a wonderful product set, using other terpene-rich ingredients that 100% tap into that rich botanical profile we were looking for using cannabis.

FOUNDER OF MENDER CBD BODYCARE

WHAT WERE YOU LIKE AS A YOUNG GIRL, WHAT DID YOU DREAM OF BECOMING?

I really wanted to be a hardened reporter, with a pencil and a typewriter and a sexy scar across my cheek that resembles a lightning bolt.

DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN THREE WORDS

Fighter, lover, straight shooter CAN YOU SHARE YOUR CANNABIS STORY WITH US?

I spent my teenage years in a tiny town about an hour south of Big Sur on the coast. Rare sunny days meant ditching school to smoke weed and play Smashball at the beach with my girlfriends; parties were giant bonfires hidden from the view of cops.

Cannabis was a huge part of the culture. I smoked cannabis all through college and got great grades. I have smoked cannabis with several of my family members. My midwife even said I should smoke a joint when I was a week late with my son and feeling like I was going to be the only woman ever to be pregnant forever, so I did in the bathtub while watching the Sopranos through the open door. I remember my aunt and cousin stopped by to check in on me and I confessed, “I’m kinda stoned!” They didn’t care.

ISSUE 04

FOR THOSE WHO DON’T KNOW, CAN YOU EDUCATE US ON WHY MENDER’S PRODUCTS ARE SO UNIQUE?

We are one of the only handmade, hand-poured, 100% natural, and clean CBD daily essentials collections out there. Now that we can actually buy CBD out of state, we only use organic full spectrum. We infuse fresh herbs and spices building elegant terpene-rich products that do not just rely on CBD to be very effective. We source our ingredients locally when we can, and if not, from the US. Our products are so unique because they are what so many others claim but are not—beautiful formulations that fuse ancient wisdom with the science of botany free from ingredients that maybe the FDA approved but are banned in Europe, for example. We joke that our products are literally food for your skin.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE LOVE SO MUCH ABOUT MENDER IS YOUR MISSION OF USING THE HIGHEST QUALIT Y INGREDIENTS AND THIRD-PART Y L AB TESTING FROM THE START. HOW IMPORTANT IS TRANSPARENCY TO YOU?

In an industry where regulation has historically been close to non-existent, we followed the lead of those we saw in the THC and CBD space who were voluntarily transparent. We knew that being a newly legal-ish product would come with distrust and the only way to build trust is through demonstrated honesty.

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WE KNOW THERE ARE A LOT, BUT WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES WITH THE INDUSTRY TODAY?

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE LOOKING TO START A HEMP CBD BRAND?

Banking and credit card processing—if I went into the details of what we have experienced trying to secure safe, reliable banking and merchant processing you would think I was I lying. It has been that...surreal, I guess is how I can explain it.

Be careful. There are a lot of competing interests attempting to cash in on the Green Rush and a lot of misinformation out there surrounding cannabis. And always, always, test your CBD against the COA the manufacturer sends you with your batches. Everyone wants to make a dime–don’t forget it and act accordingly.

ANY LESSONS LEARNED ALONG THE WAY YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE?

Never give up. If you have a great product that people love because it makes their lives better, you owe it to them to keep going.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE CHANGE IN THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY?

100% legal, affordable, and safe banking and credit card processing for all cannabis businesses. Fewer women being pushed out by big tech bro money.

100% expungement of criminal cannabis charges including prisoner release for cannabis crimes that do not include serious violence charges. A complete societal reversal of the Reefer Madness that allowed racist policies to land on the books. To name a few.

Mender’s new skincare collection features fresh hemp hydrosol Toning Mist, bakuchiol + CBD Repair Serum, French clay and hemp flower Clay Mask Cleanser to name a few.

The only war that matters is the war against the imagination.

P H O T O & H A I R B Y M A RC I A B E C K ST YLING AND MAKEUP BY CORY BAUER CBD PREROLL BY TONIC

S H O P M E N D E R AT W W W. M E N D E R . S H O P

CBD Skincare

- Diane diPrima

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MJLIFESTYLE.COM

HIGHLY INSPIRED WITH

Yvonne Perez Emerson FOUNDER OF MAKE & MARY

The Cannabis Candle Soul Shine Candle $58 Natural Aromatherapy created with healing properties to calm and refresh the mind. When the candle is empty, the beautiful cut glass vessel is the perfect air tight stash jar!

SINCE 2016 MAKE & MARY HAS BEEN A PLATFORM FOR PLANT MEDICINE THROUGH THE LENS OF ART, DESIGN, AND HERITAGE CRAFT PRACTICES WITH A FOCUS ON NURTURING THE SOUL THROUGH CREATIVITY. WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START ON THIS JOURNEY? I have been in Portland’s maker idustry for over 10 years. In 2012 during the recession, I founded a design non-profit called WeMake that focused on the process of making and the spirit of community. I am a self-taught creative, eventually, that led me to teach at Portland State University in the School of Art & Design. I never held a college degree, but I knew that making and being creative was something that deeply affected me.

ISSUE 04

THE MAKE & MARY HAS CREATED SOME OF THE MOST UNIQUE AND INTENTIONAL PRODUCTS WE HAVE EVER SEEN IN HOLISTIC WELLNESS, ARE YOU THE CREATIVE GENIUS BEHIND EVERYTHING? WHAT IS YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS LIKE?

WeMake would go on to feature over 4,000 makers, host four international conferences, and raise over $185K for arts education for the underserved youth in our community. When weed became legal in Oregon for recreational consumption, I thought I would use my experience and create the same thing I was doing with WeMake, only this time I would add plant medicine. For me, making is self-care and so is my relationship with cannabis. The two felt very natural and rooted in folkways, and it turned out there was a whole community that felt the same way.

Thank you. Yes, I am. My full-time job up until this last year was as a creative director and designer specializing in branding and strateg y. Alongside that journey, I have been making herbal remedies for myself and my family for over 20 years. Every product that we have is formulated by me and made in house. They are all heavily focused on aromatic healing but also I wanted to make products that raised our vibrations, reduced inflammation, and of course moisturized! I started by making products for myself. I was concerned about aging and the effects it had on my skin, but I also suffered from low back pain. I wanted products that were whole plant, organic, and didn’t smell girly or like weed.

I have always believed in being our own healers and nurturing our souls through creative practices. Whether we are making a tincture, indulging in a sound bath, or learning to dye with plants, combining it with plant medicine opens ourselves to experiencing more freely. Sharing that with the community is even better. To add to the intention, I also wanted to be a woman in weed and create something that was inclusive and bring about change. Design and art is a perfect conduit to exploring the world of cannabis and removing the stigma around the plant. Marijuana has always been in my family and I grew up appreciating it for both it’s healing properties and the high. I wanted to share that through what I knew most—making.

When I begin formulating a new product, I first look at the problem that I am trying to solve. Most of the time that is around aging, dry skin, and reducing inflammation. I don’t start making a product until I have done the work on paper first. Then I source organic ingredients and begin making in my lab onsite. After I have a good formula I start on the design for packaging. Luckily I am a designer and I have a style guide and design system I follow.

I want our products to be simple and share my values. That’s why I use full-spectrum CBD, UV glass, and spend the extra money on sourcing organic ingredients. The bottles are beautiful but they also protect the potency and extend the shelf life.

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The Natural Wonder 50mg CBD Wand $24-28

THIS ISSUE IS ALL ABOUT WOMEN STEPPING INTO THEIR POWER, WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR WOMEN WANTING TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP? I am someone who has always taken risks. I think you have to if you want to move beyond the norm.

We have to get out of our comfort zones and push ourselves. Sometimes it’s scary, but I would say to embrace that feeling. You know it’s like being on a roller coaster when you’re going up, you know you are going to drop...get that feeling in your belly, that adrenaline pumping. But when you do drop, it’s so fun and exciting. I think as women we hold so much power but we have been trained to suppress it. I don’t know if it’s because of what is considered good manners or the notion that we shouldn’t brag about our accomplishments. But sister, why not? Being proud of yourself and stepping into the limelight is not the same as being a self-centered ass. I am always so inspired by women who have a voice and courage to slay, no matter what they are doing. I think younger women need to see that and have mentors to look up to. I have worked for myself most of my adult life, but I have also held powerful positions in the corporate world. A lot of that was because I was determined and didn’t give up on myself. Part of it was the “fake it to you make it” strateg y. Even if your voice quivers say what you feel and have good values backing you up. If you are true to your values and yourself it will come across to others. If you're trying to start a product-based business, start working (on paper first) on the essence of your brand.

As a designer, I would have to say it’s not about your logo, it’s about everything else that tells the story of your brand. Get a good designer to work with that can help you visually tell your story. Branding is everything when you are launching a product, but your values will speak louder than words or pictures.

The Natural Wonder Wand is so great as an under-eye balm.

I can apply the wand in the morning and it lasts all day.

I really love the Earth Sister Wand for a little color because I can use it on my cheeks, lips, and eyes. It’s a great color for many skin types! Of course, I also love our Free Spirit Wand, it has a shimmer gold sparkle that looks great on my tattoos.

WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE QUOTE OR MANTRA? You have to get up to get down—James Brown I love this quote. That may be partly because I loved James Brown's spirit. He was wild, charismatic, and full of life. He definitely danced to his own drum. I love the message. I was raised in poverty and my mother always told me, no one was going to take care of me but myself. I have thought about this saying over and over again, You got to get up...you can’t teeter on the edge of something, it’s either jump off the cliff or step the fuck back. Nothing is going to happen for you if you can’t decide. We have to make decisions for ourselves, and then you get down and celebrate what you’ve done, or you learn from your mistake and move on.

WHAT'S NEW AND EXCITING YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH US? Well you know 2020 has been something. In part, I have had a lot of learning and good conversations with myself on what really matters. For me, it’s family first and making sure I am on a path that fulfills my soul. For many years I have been talking about opening up my own shop. Someplace I could do design work, share with the community, and sell things I made or curated. I have been lucky to do that for the most part in my studio these last seven years. However, I never really had a retail space, until now. I was given an incredible opportunity to lease a great space in a heavily foot-trafficked community. It is among some great makers and it’s beautiful. So for the last few months, I have been working (along with my amazing husband) to make it a reality. I am opening up the Make & Mary flagship store this summer! There’s no reason for me to wait any longer, life is too short for that. The store will showcase our product line (which is expanding ) and other BIPOC businesses. It will be a place for beauty, wellness, and lifestyle. I am very excited about this next phase, and I’m over the stomach jitters—it’s happening! It may take us a little while to grow into, but that’s ok. I am up for it and I can’t wait to open. For some this may seem like a crazy thing to do during these times, but like I said before—it’s all about taking risks and we’ve gotta get up to get down.

The Maker’s Favorites CBD Face & Body Serum $58 We splurged on the highquality oils for the base and it has 100 mg of Full-Spectrum CBD. It smells great and really hydrates my skin. I don’t go a day without it!

Cannabis Essential Oil Inhaler $22 100% Pure cannabis essential oil, organic Himalayan Pink Sea Salt, and other essential oils in two formulas: Clarity & Calm. Sometimes we just need a reminder to breathe!

Get yours at MakeandMary.com

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MJLIFESTYLE.COM

WHAT TO expect WHEN VISITING A DISPENSARY. ISSUE 04

G O I N G T O A D I SP E N S A RY F O R T H E F I R ST T I M E C A N F E E L A B I T OV E RW H E L M I N G . LU C K I LY F O R YO U, S OM E O F U S HAV E C HA RT E D T H I S T E R R I T O RY A N D W E’ R E H E R E T O H E L P YO U M A P I T O U T.

ST E E R C L E A R O F I L L E G A L D I SP E N S A R I E S Before you hop on the internet and type in “dispensary near me,” know that not all dispensaries are created equal—and unfortunately, some of them are illegal. Going to an illegal dispensary puts your freedom and safety at risk.

You don’t want to be caught purchasing illicit market products if the place gets raided and you certainly don’t want to show your ID (a requirement for dispensaries) to anyone who is not operating a legal establishment.

Legal cannabis retailers have very strict quality codes they must adhere to, however, when you buy from an illegal front, there is absolutely no guarantee that you are getting safe products for consumption because there is an entire market dedicated to imitating cannabis brands.

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R E SE A R C H & S OU L SE A R C H The Farmacy in Berkeley, California

Go to your state’s local government website for cannabis control or you can visit PotGuide.com to search for a legal retailer. If you are wondering about any other apps or platforms, unfortunately we cannot vouch for their ability to provide you with a list of legal operations.

It is also important to ponder your Why? What is your goal for your purchase? Maybe you want to get something new and delicious because you are tired of the weak weed your neighbor Martha is bringing to tea. Or maybe you want to relieve some aches and pains without getting high. How about stepping up your sexual intimacy? Have questions prepared and some concerns that you feel safe sharing on hand. We promise the person helping you at the counter has heard cannabis used for everything—so no need to be shy.

C OM E P R E PA R E D You may want to call the dispensary prior to your visit to see if they have an in-store ATM in case they only accept cash. Currently, credit cards cannot be accepted for payment but you may be able to use your debit card at an in-store ATM or cashier interface for a surcharge. Cash is still Queen at dispensaries.

Always bring your ID and any cannabis medical patient recommendations. It is important to note that, when you provide your ID, dispensaries are tracking your purchases so that they abide by the law in regards to daily customer purchase restrictions. They have to be able to show regulatory authorities each item that came into their inventory and when and where it went out. They are not sharing this information with your employer, but if for some reason the federal government wants to see records, they can. And of course, they collect your information for marketing purposes.

And, lastly, make sure to leave the kiddos at home (YASS!).

Serra in Portland, Oregon

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S TAY C H I L L & SE E K S AT I SFAC T IO N This is it. You’re walking up to the door to your first dispensary visit. You’ve got on your big sunglasses as you walk through the parking lot, checking over your shoulder. It feels illegal so your heart is racing and this is only heightened when burly security guard stares you down as you walk towards the shop. And then he grins and pleasantly opens the door for you.

It is important to note that most employees are not trained in cannabis science and are not required to have any sort of experience or certification. If your gut tells you this person isn’t going to help you correctly, ask for someone else. This is your hard-earned money, not anyone else's and you deserve to feel like you got the best service possible. Protect you, boo.

Each dispensary is a little different, but usually, you will walk into a waiting room or check-in area and show the greeter your ID. In any case, tell them you are a first-timer and get started on that list of questions—they may even give you a questionnaire to fill out to better help.

BU SI N E S S D U R I N G C OV I D “When you arrive at Velvet, you will be greeted by a friendly masked face at the podium outside. Upon entering our bright and open dispensary, a budtender will guide you to one of our socially distanced lines. Before reaching the counter, one of our associates will have sanitized the counter, credit card keypad, and conveniently located ATM at the front entrance after each transaction. Hand Sanitizer is also readily available at each point of sale.

In addition to our strict in-store COVID-19 safety procedures, our staff has embraced their “new” uniform which includes a Velvet t-shirt, mask, and gloves. We also take their temperature daily before their scheduled shift.

Velvet in Martinez, California

We look forward to serving you! We are open daily from 9am - 9pm and offer order-ahead at www.go-velvet.com, as well as limited guest in-store shopping. Just don’t forget your mask!”

— Victoria Long, Velvet ISSUE 04

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L A DY- F R I E N D LY D I SP E N S A R I E S W E L OV E 99 High Tides, Malibu The Apothecarium, San Francisco Bud & Bloom, Orange County

STA RT L OW & G O SL OW

Caliva, California The Farmacy, Santa Barbara

If this will be one of the first times you have ever used cannabis, do not be pressured into getting something with a high THC level—no matter what! We recommend starting with a microdose of 2-5mg of THC.

The Farmacy, Berkeley Harvest, San Francisco Mary & Main, Maryland The Pottery, Los Angeles Serra, California + Oregon

How do you know how much THC is in it the product you are looking at? Great question! Legal cannabis products are required to put the cannabinoid profile on the product so you will know the ratio of CBD: THC,this is the ratio of these two cannabinoids that are in the product. THC and CBD affect us all very differently. There is no specific ratio of cannabinoids that helps with a specific situation. You have an endocannabinoid system and how it responds to THC and CBD is dependent on your life stressors and your response can change from day to day. So start low and go slow.

Velvet, Contra Costa Valley

Coming soon: Aeon Botanika, West Hollywood ILLA Canna, Los Angeles Delivery Companies: Mae Delivery, N. California Marie’s Deliverables, N. California Ona Life, N.California Sava, N. California Tokr, Los Angeles

SHA R E YOU R K N OW L E D G E You made it! You have a product or two (or three you little devil, you) and you are led to the checkout line. We are so proud of you. Make sure you tell the cashier you're an official first-timer and they'll usually give you a lighter or grinder for free. If you have a patient recommendation you may even save on some taxes. YAY! Your product(s) will be packaged nicely, usually in a white bag of sorts.

ABOUT THE WRITER Marlo Paredes is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Marketing Manager for ILLA Canna, a vertically integrated cannabis company, and a badass single Momma. She has been in the cannabis space since 2017 and an advocate for many years prior—you may know her as The Elevated Dietitian. She started in the cannabis industry as a web developer, social media manager, and content creator. Marlo credits the sisterhood in cannabis for her passion and success in this field.

Now you're a pro and you can teach all of your friends.

Feels good, right? So take a deep breath and go enjoy yourself !

Marlo is an advocate for patient-focused and sciencebased cannabis education, social equity, and sustainability in the cannabis space. Her dedication to the mother hierba stems from a chronic pain condition. She is an intersectional Chicana, hermana, y tu amiga.

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Spark Convo the

ARE YOU OPEN WITH YOUR KIDS ABOUT CANNABIS? HOW DO YOU EDUCATE THEM? MJ LIFESTYLE ASKED READERS FOR TIPS ON HOW TO BE OPEN WITH YOUR FAMILY.

I am open with my children about it.

We talk about the stigmatism society has placed on it. We talk about the natural benefits of the cannabis plant. I make edibles and have clients who need drinks or special orders— those are tangible examples of why it’s not just used as a fun, cool thing to do. It’s a healing plant, it helps people not become addicted to hard pain meds. But we also talk about why it isn’t beneficial for teens to use. Their brains are still developing so too much use as an adolescent can hinder their brain growth, however some kids and teens need the healing properties. We have a cousin who suffered severe migraines for 2 years.

The medication she was prescribed did nothing and she was a healthy 16 year old. Her parents let her vape & smoke—which helped tremendously.

But it’s done in moderation.

JAZZ, NY

It is a beautiful gift that is grown, a natural medicine that we have been blessed with. I do not smoke/ vape/partake in front of or directly around my son though, that is just a personal parenting decision.

Smoking is not something I believe children need to see—there is too much of a fascination and it's the last thing they should have on their mind. There is no smoking inside period. Honesty is important, but they don't need to be involved directly. (My children at least.)

THERESE, NM MOTHER, PATIENT, ADVOCATE, GROWER, CONNOISSEUR @SUNSHINESGOLDEN_PRIVATERESERVE

@BUDDYBAKESNYC

Yes—my daughters are now 17 and 19.

They grew up with cannabis gardens their entire life. They learned to respect her like all the plants and animals in the garden. Neither are interested in regular use at this time. We have a very open dialogue and they occasionally consume for hiking/adventuring and down time at the beach.

ANONYMOUS

Very open—I believe in preparing the child for the path and cannabis will be very accessible as they become adults. I’d rather educate them myself and answer all questions honestly.

AMY, CA @AMY_OPPEDISANO

They are educated about how beneficial it can be for some people. It’s a healing plant. The different ways it can help. And it’s for adults only. Just like alcohol drinks. Its something they can experience at the right age if they choose to do so.

ANONYMOUS

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I just act like it’s a completely normal safe thing to do. I don’t bring attention to it but don’t hide it either. My prayer is that by the time they understand what mom has always done, it will be legal and safe for them to do as well.

SYDNEY, GA @PLSV_A

Working in the industry, I feel it irresponsible to not educate my children. We approach it from a medicinal standpoint primarily, and have discussed the legal aspect of their possible use. They are likely educated better than a good portion of consumers. History has been a great help, my ten year old can quote most of Jack Herer’s book .

MELISSA, CA @LAKETAHOEVIBES

Yes, I tell my three year old that it’s mama’s medicine and it’s for grownups. One of her favorite books right now is What’s Growing in Grandma’s Garden—a book about talking to your kids about cannabis.

LIAN, CA @LIULIANZI

My oldest is only 6 and I will be talking to her about it openly, but am figuring out when would be the best age and time to do so. My mother hid her cannabis use from me, lied about it, judged me for wanting to use it, and lied about it for 7 more years after I ‘caught’ her. That was such a damaging aspect of our relationship and I promised myself to do it differently with my child. I will teach her all about it, I will use educational materials as needed and explain to her the full scope of it. Responsible, honest consumption if desired or needed but to also understand not to be pressured into it. I will especially focus on the medical aspect of it and how it can help with illnesses, but will also be realistic and raw about the good and the ‘bad’ such as being judged.

KARLY, CA @KNIICO

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Senior Ed Demystifying Cannabis and Educating our Boomers + Seniors MEE T TALI EISENBERG, CERTIFIED HOLISTIC HEALTH PR AC TITIONER INTERNATIONAL SPEAKER + COMMUNIT Y C ANNABIS EDUC ATOR, FOUNDER OF GE TER DONE PRODUC TIONS, ANTI-R ACIST AC TIVIST

Many older adults are curious about how cannabis can treat their chronic pain and improve their health, but where can we get answers to our questions? How do we know what is safe?

The reality is, we still need more research and education— enter Tali Eisenberg, certified holistic practitioner, and international cannabis educator. Tali means business, facts, and science are key and she is intent on sharing her knowledge of this glorious plant medicine with an all too often overlooked generation.

WHAT WERE YOU LIKE AS A YOUNG GIRL? WHAT DID YOU DREAM OF BECOMING? Born in Israel, we moved to Queens, NYC where I spent most of my childhood; a daughter to an incredibly caring and powerful immigrant mother, who later became a PhD social worker for NYC homeless for 35 years. Who I have become are from the women in my life. My mother has remained my biggest shero, who very early-on taught me how to care about human beings— to listen more, remember most of us all want the same things in life, that we’re more similar than we are different, and there are always two sides to every story. My grandmother, Savta Lola, a survivor of the Holocaust in Poland, who immigrated to Palestine, now Israel, gave me the gift of resilience, gratitude, and the very palpable reality of how quickly life can disappear if power comes in the wrong hands. Her legacy and life-affirming smile and power to thrive after surviving a genocide guide me very much in my participation in these revolutionary times of the Black Lives Matter Movement, anti-racism justice, and equality. I am so grateful I had her close for most of my young life and now in my bones as a powerful ancestor.

We were three generations of immigrant women building a life together in a small apartment in NYC. I started as a young entrepreneur at seven years old with my first little lemonade stand business in the elevator of our Queens apartment. Since then I found myself working in between the realms of educator/ counselor/health practitioner and international entrepreneur.

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NYC gave me many of my first and foundational experiences of diversity, tolerance, fortitude, culture, vigilance, danger, independence, dynamism, and some of the best fabrics of humanity, food, and accents on the planet. It was a ride and a vibe growing up there, and I would never give it up for anything now. We were surrounded by all walks of life, art, music, people, culture, clubs, cops, and raw humanity. It shaped me deeply and helped me to be curious and able to talk with anyone anywhere.

I love the force and upfront attitude of life that it still gives me and informs my lens of the world still.

HOW IS C ANNABIS INVOLVED IN YOUR DAILY LIFE? HAVE YOU ALWAYS BEEN OPEN ABOUT YOUR CONSUMP TION & ADVOC AC Y? Cannabis has been in my life since I was 16 years old. The plant has been many things for me through 45 years of life.

From recreational, creative, and playful sessions, to medicinal help for physical illness, chronic pain, and insomnia relief, this plant has helped to bring ease, grace, and joy into my life in such a special and masterful way. I definitely had to hide it as a teenager growing up in NYC, now I teach internationally about her superpowers of healing. Our relationship has come a long way. These days, she [cannabis] helps me to relax, giggle, sleep, connect, be more in my body, and sometimes more in my mind outside of traditional structures of thought. She helps me problem solve, ideate for creative projects while also helping me to connect to something bigger than myself in a more spiritual, deeper, interconnected way. As a holistic health practitioner of 25 years and a cannabis educator, I now see and

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use her in a new way for her generous, masterful wisdom of harmonizing and healing our bodies systematically. She is one of the most intelligent and deeply benevolent plants in our kingdom.

She helps the young and old all in different ways depending on what is needed for that specific person. I find that to be mind-blowing. We have been evolving and communicating with this plant in our physiolog y for thousands of years that we know of. Now our science is finally catching up with the very ancient capabilities this plant shares with our bodies. I am deeply inspired by her and try to bring that interconnectedness of plant medicine and human physiolog y to all my classes.

WHAT LED YOU TO PURSUE A C AREER IN C ANNABIS AND WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO CREATE THE SENIOR C ANNABIS 101 OUTREACH EDUC ATION PROGR AM? Cannabis was not something I was actively pursuing as a profession. I was introduced to the Cannabis Industry under the Prop. 215 days and catapulted into the belly of the industry that I really didn’t know existed until then. Most of my decades of working with this plant were all secret underground work in farms, and trim scenes throughout Northern California.

This new marketplace of legalization was mind-blowing for me (because I grew up in NYC where it was so dangerously illegal with very harsh penalties for cannabis, especially if you were a person of color).

It was in one cannabis company that I found myself building their customer service department from the ground up, where I was asked to create a cannabis educational outreach program for the Senior population due to their ever-growing demographic in the cannabis space. Our moms, dads, grandparents, aunts, and uncles of the War on Drug eras were slowly coming back around to cannabis with the curiosity to learn more about the medical therapeutics and also as a recreational desire to move away from alcohol as they age. The science was more available now to show how gentle and helpful this plant is to support many aspects of aging and a way to give the body a break from pills that over time can cause more havoc than harmony.

This began my work on my now four years running Senior Cannabis 101 Outreach Program. I have now brought this interactive cannabis workshop to over 3,000 seniors and have shared these models of educating vulnerable populations about cannabis internationally. People are hungry for science-based information on how and why this plant works. Seniors can specifically benefit so much from this plant in their aging process, and sifting through so much of the information out there can be daunting and scary. My job as a health practitioner and educator continues to try to shepherd science-based information to those that can benefit from it, and provide a safe place to ask questions about our very long historical relationship with this plant.

C AN YOU WALK US THROUGH ONE OF YOUR SENIOR PROGR AMS? WHAT SHOULD THEY EXPEC T?

My Senior Cannabis 101 Outreach program seeks to be very interactive and a place for all to bring your curiosities and your questions, and be supported by an educated health practitioner (me), and sometimes with the most amazing nurse of 50 years, Barbara Blaser (74 years young ), whom I often co-teach with.

Nurse Barbara brings with her the reliability of a medical system many seniors trust which allows for curiosity to be in the room to help shepherd sometimes suspect information to them from all the years of racist propaganda. We are a silly and powerful team.

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Once you come into any room I teach in, you would find a display of fresh aromatic plants, herbs, fruit, and spices to teach about the medicinal powers of terpenes and plant cousins that we have grown up with that share the same properties as cannabis.

MJLIFESTYLE.COM

FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW, WHAT IS COMPASSIONATE C ARE? TELL US ABOUT YOUR NEW COMPASSIONATE C ARE C ANNABIS PROGR AM FOR DISPENSARIES.

You would see examples of cannabis products and all different methods of consumption that this plant is being produced in, a library educational material to peruse, and a 2-hour visual and interactive presentation on Cannabis A-Z We dive into the historical global road map of how cannabis moved through the ages, prohibition, the War on Drugs—which is critical to teach because it shows very clearly the how and why this plant has been left out of our modern-day apothecary, and the power of propaganda, racism and fake news in our country that prevented this plant from being used safely and effectively all the way back in the 1930s. The war on drugs really started all the way back then. Nixon and Reagan just continued the racist efforts of the time to muzzle this plant and all that associated with it, most especially Black and Brown communities.

My presentation continues into the medicinal and therapeutic uses of cannabis, how to use it, how to read a label, where to go find it? And why labs are important for clean medicine. We end with all the Q&A’s we can get in, and a list of resources to have for any future curiosity.

This presentation is there to serve as a solid starting point for someone who needs someone to tell it to them simply and straight to the point. My goal is to empower, inspire, and leave people armed with information that helps them feel empowered about their own health and wellbeing. This plant is a health care option on how to grow old easier, how to work with pain and inflammation, how to sleep better, and maybe even learn how to enhance your sex life as we age. It is not for everything or everybody, but she definitely works with many of the ails we face in a natural, gentle, and non-toxic way.

Teaching our beloved elders is truly a gift for me, and sharing these plants’ healing properties to support our human as well as our pets’ bodies thriving nature has been an honor.

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There are many cannabis brands and companies that are rooted in support and compassionate care for people. These companies know this plant, its medicinal properties and are committed to helping get this medicine to those in need are part of this new compassionate care era. Over-regulation and very misguided legalization of cannabis has made it very hard and very expensive now for many to get this plant for medicine. I help these companies legally find ways and develop programs to donate a percentage of their products to dispensary compassion programs who can then legally dispense these products to patients and customers at low to no cost.

It is a work in progress but one that is so necessary. This is how the medical cannabis movement started. During the AIDS crisis in San Francisco, there was a dire gap to help people who were in need of pain relief and care. Many were dying in a failed medical system with no support. This plant, for many, was a lifeline of relief. This very specific time led to the Compassionate Care Movement—a movement that changed the tide of how Cannabis was seen and used globally. I am working to help keep this movement going, to keep making space for people to have access to plants that heal. No one should have laws against plants that are so essential to the wellbeing of people’s lives just because we have a government who weaponizes plants to keep Black and Brown people in prison feeding our industrial prison complex and where now free rich white men profit from the same plant.

WHAT ARE YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES IN THE INDUSTRY TODAY? There are many challenges we are all facing in this industry right now. One that I can speak to specifically is the lack of resources for education to patients and customers. We have a whole state that has voted this plant into their legal markets, we have shops open for business and yet many people still do not know how to use this plant safely and effectively. Educators are not valued, supported, and are dearly underpaid. To the point that we can not make a living doing this work to help educate and shepherd safe medical information to our communities that are in need.

If we do not have educators to introduce a very powerful and medicinal plant to the public it can become a public health crisis.

Much like our school systems today, teachers and educators are the ones helping to grow the minds of our future generations and yet they are underpaid, undervalued, and not supported as one the most important jobs of our communities—what bigger of a job is there?

FAVORITE QUOTE

“Never underestimate the power of a small group of committed people to change the world. In fact, it is the only thing that ever has.” ~ Margaret Mead

It’s infuriating and deeply exhausting to keep up with such uneducated and misguided practices of this new regulatory body of Cannabis. I have had to watch so many legal, legacy companies who thrived during Prop. 215 now go bankrupt due to this failed attempt at legalization that does not honor, respect, or help to support those who have built it from the beginning, while many simultaneously suffering to rise from the racist policies of the War on Drugs.

The legacy community has paved the way for white corporate greed to take full advantage of their industrious backs, who now come in with no consciousness or respect for this plant or its’ roots. The result is a systematic destruction of small craft independent companies and their communities.

Many educators are having to leave the industry, myself included even though we have created important and useful programs that have helped our communities and especially vulnerable populations learn of health choices and be empowered through these choices. Most western medical professionals are far behind cannabis science or still willfully caught up on the War on Drugs mentality around this plant that keeps this valuable non-toxic, plant-based health information from their patients.

Patients are left on their own to sort through a milieu of information and misinformation on cannabis and health. If you make this medical plant legal and available to the marketplace I feel it is the responsibility of a regulatory agency to help provide more than adequate and safe information to the public. This is where the importance and necessity of educators are needed.

Secondly, is the egregious financial barrier to entry and the racial inequity of opportunity that has been established as cannabis comes to the marketplace is a massive challenge.

Modeling the legal cannabis marketplace off of corporate tobacco and alcohol (both toxic recreational products) practices has led to over-regulation, greedy, and unfair financial barriers for entry. It has turned this industry into a rich, whiteman, corporate profit-driven model leaving out the many different and diverse legacy communities and classes who have been working with this plant for decades to make it available for medicine to people who need it the most.

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One thing I do know is this is a new industry, this pioneering era is still very full of amazing, brilliant, and resourceful people committed to this plant and this community. It has been aweinspiring to be a part of this time. This time is full of mistakes and practices that hopefully - with time- will be refined and bettered as we as a community keep trying to grow smarter and stronger together. That is my biggest hope for this plant and this industry.

SHARE WITH MJ A LIL SOME THING YOU WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE US WITH? Support and pay your educators! Support women, Black and Brown businesses! Know the ethics of the companies you are buying from! Buy and support small, craft independent companies! They are the ones changing the world!

Learn more and get in touch with Tali at talieisenberg.com

PHOTOGR APHY BY JENNIFER SKOG

MJLIFESTYLE.COM

Charlotte Figi MEDICAL CANNABIS ADVOCATE & CBD REFORM ICON

2006 - 2020

You are here, because of her—Queen Charlotte—known as Charlie, Chuck, and Meathead by those closest to her.

You may know her as the face of the CBD movement. Her story of unimaginable suffering from a catastrophic seizure disorder, and ultimate healing through the bold decision to give a child cannabis, changed medical history forever.

Those of us with children in similar situations watched her with awe and hope. Her family generously shared her journey and life on Facebook and our community had been able to enjoy watching her thrive. But for those of you who didn’t follow her, let me tell you—she had a rad life, full of love and adventure. She was strong, silly, and wild. She had an active social life and enjoyed having her nails painted, eating french fries, laughing with her siblings, and rock climbing on the back of her indomitable mother.

She was a regular girl with an extraordinary story, ironically, that was never really about cannabis. Part of Charlotte’s legacy is community building, reflected in the high potency CBD oil named after her, Charlotte’s Web. Across the world, she brought ignored and isolated families out of the dark to be seen, accepted, and treated in a new light. She created connections based on understanding, healing, and support for those of us alone on the fringe.

By being her darling self, she confronted cultural fears of otherness and difference, inspiring instead a beautiful center of inclusion, friendship, empathy, and dignity.

On April 7, 2020, the night of the largest full moon of the year, 13-year-old Charlotte Figi passed away from a seizure resulting in respiratory failure and cardiac arrest.

Knowing what this young woman had already survived, having watched her grow stronger every day, her death remains inconceivable. It hurts. Her loss sits hard and heavy in hearts that are reminded of words like fear, vulnerability, precious, and impermanence. Words like love, sacred, gratitude, and honor also well up.

We are all connected here because of you Charlotte and carry your legacy. We love and thank you for everything.

DEDICATION WRITTEN BY ALLISON RAY BENAVIDES, LCSW OIL PAINTNG ON CANVAS (CENTER IMAGE) BY NICHOLE MONTANEZ

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this new life.

MY ENDOMETRIOSIS STORY

BY NICOLE SKIBOLA CO-FOUNDER OF COSMIC VIEW

I

am sixteen years old and I am experiencing one of my earliest memories of pain. I am driving in a red Volkswagen bug over the Golden Gate bridge to school in San Francisco. My best friend Lauren is sitting next to me and I am doubled over, barely able to keep my hands on the steering wheel. I feel the dampness seeping through a jumbo Tampax, and Lauren has one hand on the wheel as I writhe in agony, knots of pain shooting down the tops of my thighs from my belly.

This marks the beginning of the lost days that accompany every menstrual cycle. By the time I get to college, I lose two days of my life each month, unable to do anything but lie in bed all day in darkness. The stream of Advil is gradually replaced with Vicodin and the steady supply of tampons and destroyed underwear eat up chunks of my waitressing pay.

During this time, doctors tell me that I probably don’t have endometriosis, dismissing any of my suggestions as a young woman in the early 2000s. It doesn’t matter if your mom has it, they tell me, and besides, we can’t actually diagnose it without surgery. They prescribe birth control pills and opioids and it is only my mother’s research at UC Berkeley on diet and plant medicine that begins to bring some amount of normalcy into my cycles, albeit with a tremendous amount of effort. Following the regimen that she created to treat her own endometriosis, I drink copious amounts of green and raspberry tea, make my own seaweed capsules, eliminate alcohol, sugar, and caffeine around the time of my cycle and always, always have many tampons on me at all times. My nickname with my friends becomes ‘the tampon factory.’

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It is with little surprise by my early 30s that something more ominous begins to develop. The monthly bleeding becomes longer and more intense. I am unable to have intercourse without bleeding and the bleeding becomes punctuated with blood clots. One night at its worst, after hours in the emergency room where I have multiple pelvic exams, I am outside of the hospital at 3am, trying to get into a cab. A blood clot the size of a grapefruit slides out of me onto the pavement. It is terrifying and I am crying, and my boyfriend is too afraid to leave me alone. I know that something is very wrong.

A doctor at Mt. Sinai Medical Center on the Upper West Side of Manhattan declares that I have a fibroid that has grown so deeply into my uterus that it is causing nearly incessant bleeding to the point that I almost need a blood transfusion. After several consultations, I decide to proceed with a laparoscopic myomectomy, a procedure which involves making tiny incisions in the belly, cutting the fibroid into small pieces, and removing it piece by piece through the small incisions.

The procedure is incredibly painful and the recovery is slow and debilitating. When the surgeon is operating, he confirms that there are endometrial lesions all over my pelvis. It’s my first tinge of anger, the first time that I realize how invalidated my pain and suffering had been for so long as a woman.

I learn at my postoperative visit that I do not, in fact, have a fibroid, but that I have a rare endometrial cancer. Months after my treatment, my mother informs me that there are multiple lawsuits around the same myomectomy procedures, where malignant tumors are mistaken for benign fibroids.

Like me, the women who are the plaintiffs in these lawsuits had tumors shredded inside of their bodies, dramatically increasing the risk of metastasis and relapse. Like me, their treatment is the removal of all reproductive organs—uterus and ovaries. I am 32 years old.

A young adult with a cancer diagnosis—a reproductive cancer diagnosis at that—I am lost in a medical system between childhood and middle and older age patients. I cycle in and out of the Weil Cornell reproductive health clinic, risking my health to undergo egg retrieval before my organs are gone. My belly is bloated and raw, but that is nothing compared to the grief that eclipses my daily life. I remember little from this period of time, which I now understand is a common experience in trauma survivors. Within weeks my partner would leave me, and the well of depression would grow so vast that it would take me years to crawl out of. It’s strange when your entire life has been dictated by menstrual pain and bleeding— vacations planned, dates canceled, events ruined, clothing destroyed—and then, one day it’s gone. My period had been a source of difficulty and shame for my entire adult life but its sudden absence is devastating.

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There is a massive rearranging in my life after cancer. I stop working as a business consultant, I take up art, I write and publish a book called Wakeful Night about cancer-related grief. I begin smoking weed regularly. It begins recreationally as a way to eliminate alcohol but it becomes a tool to explore trauma, a tunnel I can step into and draw and or lay on my bed and delicately extract memories from my brain of my life before my diagnosis—first dates, latenight taxi rides over the Brooklyn Bridge, the smell of my grandmother’s house in Croatia, the evening light of a bike ride, the taste of coffee in Brazil. I learn to use these portals between past and present as a means of making sense of my path and for accepting a new future.

My mother has the idea to begin Cosmic View in 2016. After months of balking at the thought, a friend talks me into giving it a go and we begin as a collective in 2017. As a former lawyer and business consultant, this direction is so out there— so unconventional that it terrifies me.

There is no going back to climbing up the corporate ladder once I plunge off the boat.

Almost immediately people begin to share their stories with us. Of back pain and migraines and Parkinson’s and arthritis and insomnia and the many ways in which cannabis has touched nearly everyone in our lives. As we begin to share our own stories of endometriosis and cancer, we begin to hear the stories of women who have managed the symptoms of their own endometriosis with cannabis tinctures, suppositories, and their own potions for years. They write us emails and send us DMs, and then they continue to share their stories and the stories of their friends and moms and sisters who have benefited from cannabis and Cosmic View.

The following years are difficult as a small company. Each year we think, this is our year. And needless to say, 2020 is not yet, our year. As I write this article, we are in the midst of COVID-19 and one of the largest social upheavals of a generation with the murder of George Floyd. There is a massive rearranging of the world happening around us and I am again reminded of the challenges of the unknown. I have conversations with industry friends who are going out of business, barely surviving, tired but still fighting and we hang on too.

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In 2019, we began developing a product for women’s health. It’s something that we have always wanted to do but the market never seems to be ready for it. By ‘it,’ I am referring to a meaningful discussion about the ways in which cannabis helps women beyond lubes and beauty products.

Product development stops and starts and stops again when COVID descends. How can we sell such a niche product right now ? My mom asks. We go back and forth and then she says, fuck it.

Let’s give it what we’ve got. Now called Inner Balance (made in collaboration with Moon Made Farms), this product is our story. It’s a story of pain and loss, but also an homage to taking control of our health as women.

It’s not beyond me that I am writing for the Motherhood issue of MJ Lifestyle when I, in fact, will never be a biological mother.

What I hope to share with my own story is that our pain as women is real. We deserve more research, better care, and compassion from the medical institutions and doctors who roll their eyes at our “hysteria.” In my case, many (though certainly not all) doctors under-acknowledged the emotional and spiritual trauma associated with reproductive illness. Cosmic View has been a healing and a reckoning for me in this new life. It has brought me together with the fellow outsiders, the desperate seekers, and the plant whisperers. As we make our first batch of Inner Balance, gently infusing the herbs that we grew in our garden, mixing with Tina Gordon’s incredible regenerative flower rosin and blending in our local heirloom olive oil, we will continue as we always have, blessing each batch for the women who need it. It’s our own little piece of the world that we can control right now.

Learn more at cosmicview.com

MJ Loves

Cosmic View Viva La V! 100% organic, doctor-formulated, CBD-infused vaginal moisturizing cream is formulated to replenish, rejuvenate, protect, and repair intimate skin. Viva la V’s the perfect addition to a self-care regimen to promote healthy vaginal flora and moisture.

PHOTOGR APHY BY JENNIFER SKOG

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Summer 2020 mender.shop • hello@mender.shop • @mender.shop ISSUE 04

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annabinoids: Our Birthright

By Maya Elisabeth, Owner & Founder of Om Edibles To say that Cannabis is one’s birthright may be truer than people think. We are quite literally born to receive cannabis through our bodies, inside and out.

We do this through endocannabinoid receptors, part of the larger endocannabinoid receptor system (ECS) that governs nearly all our vital human functions— our mood, memory, appetite, digestion, sleep, and reproduction. 1 We have these receptors in our brain, mouth, digestive tract, nervous system, immune system, connective tissue, bones, and skin. We even have them on our hearts 2 and face. Each receptor is considered to be similar to a lock while each phytocannabinoid is a key—‘endo’ meaning inside and ‘phyto’ meaning plant. 3

And the first endocannabinoid we ever consume is from our mother’s milk.

When a baby is born, ideally, she or he is given to the mother for skin on skin contact and immediately held to the breast for sustenance. The first thing to touch baby’s mouth is an endocannabinoid which is contained in the mother’s colostrum. 4 Colostrum is an extremely nutrient-dense liquid that comes from the mother’s mammary glands before milk starts flowing and invokes vital human functions like suckling now that the newly born baby has transitioned from water (womb space) to air. 5 The endocannabinoids are received through the baby’s receptors in the throat, mouth and on and under the tongue signaling to the baby to start nursing— essentially giving the baby the “munchies.”

How can something unsafe or dangerous be the very first thing to touch a newborn’s mouth by nature’s design? If we were not intended to receive cannabinoids why would we have receptors for them all over our bodies, including our mouths where all wellness begins? How can something we produce in our own bodies be deemed dangerous or not part of our divine birthright?

I am not endorsing cannabis use while pregnant or breastfeeding, though I do have my own opinions based on research and experience. I am however clarifying that cannabinoids and breast milk are not strangers to each other and more research must be done to uncover cannabis’ medicine and magic.

Recognizing that prohibitions are powerful and fear makes people frozen to act on their own accord is a huge step in accessing our divine birthrights. I urge you, do research, think for yourself, and don’t be blinded by others profiteering from your illness, imbalances, and dis-ease. One of the greatest tragedies in this world is humans not realizing that health is our birthright and that every plant that comes from this Earth ought to be ours to explore and research feely in the effort to heal ourselves. Perhaps we will find that cannabinoids are the future for pregnant women and new mothers.

Moore, Melissa. “How the Endocannabinoid System was Discovered.” Labroots.com (April 2018) Fulmer, Makenzie L. and Douglas P. Thewke. “The Endocannabinoid System and Heart Disease: The Role of Cannabinoid Receptor Type 2.” Cardiovasc Hematol Disord Drug Targets. 2018; 18(1): 34–51 Grove, Jelena. “The ECS at a glance: The CB1 and CB2 receptors.” Farmapdx.com (January 2019) 4 “Cannabis in breast milk and the endocannabinoid system.” cannabiscure.info/cannabis-breast-milk/ 5 “Colostrum.” en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colostrum 1 2 3

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Transcripts from : How to Do the Pot

IS WEED cool WHEN YOU ARE PREGNANT? How to Do the Pot podcast is every woman’s cannabis handbook. We examine the myths around cannabis, share research, and give women all the tools they need to understand where cannabis fits into our lives and culture today.

The Pregnancy Episode answers the question we get twice more than any other.

Host April Pride talks with Dr. Melanie Bone, a board-certified OB/GYN with 30 years of personal experience in women’s health care, about what we know and what we don’t, about cannabis, pregnancy, and nursing. Dr. Bone started a medical cannabis practice in 2016, treating women, men, and children and has a unique background as a cancer survivor, a mother of five children, a public speaker, and a women’s healthcare advocate.

How to Do the Pot shares three considerations for moms:

studies

ISSUE 04

MODEL HEATHER ROMA , THE WEST SIDE COLLEC TIVE

“In the United States, the only studies we have are our observational data done from asking pregnant women what they do and don’t do during pregnancy. I’ve had women who were cannabis users during pregnancy who said, ‘Well, they’ll put me in jail. They’ll take my baby away from me.’ And so most women who use cannabis will lie, and they will never give you an honest answer because they’re fearful of the repercussions. So a lot of cannabis use in pregnancy is secretive, and that precludes us from getting good data to really determine what, if any, real effect there is on the mother, the developing fetus and beyond.”

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HOW TO DO THE POT PODC AS T IS EVERY WOMAN’S C ANN ABIS HANDBOOK. HOS T AND LONG-TIME C ANN ABIS EDUC ATOR APRIL PRIDE AND ELLEN LEE SC ANLON EXAMINE THE MY THS AROUND C ANN ABIS, SHARE REAL RESEARCH, AND GIVE WOMEN ALL THE TOOL S THEY NEED TO UNDERS TAND WHERE C ANN ABIS FIT S INTO OUR LIVES AND CULTURE TODAY.

nursing “About 10% of what you take in as cannabinoids will cross the breast milk on average is what’s proposed. So they say well if I only do t h i s much and then I breastfeed I’m minimizing the exposure but it’s a difficult situation to face as a young mother because you’re dealing with the exhaustion of trying to care for a newborn and the stresses of a newborn and at the same time trying to manage your own mood disorder. It’s very difficult.”

THE PREGN ANCY EPISODE ANSWERS THE WHISPERED QUES TION WE GET 2X MORE THAN ANY OTHER. SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODC AS T AT DOTHEPOT.COM

products “We don’t have better data about CBD, or CBD paired with a low amount of THC though anecdotally I see patients actually do better with lower THC products.

[When it comes to buying products] basically get the best quality stuff you can. Just remember the products at dispensaries are regulated, which means you’re getting tested goods and you’ll get what you think you’re paying for. You’re much better off getting your CBD from a dispensary than from your local green market.”

Editor’s note: Currently, hemp CBD products can only be legally sold at dispensaries in Colorado, Illinois, Arizona, Connecticut, Main, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Washington, not California. To ensure purity and potency of your hemp CBD products, check the manufacturer’s website for testing results (COAs) or contact them directly.

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good to know!

ACCORDING TO A 2019 KAISER PERMANENTE RESEARCH S TUDY, PREGN ANT WOMEN IN IT S C ALIFORNIA NET WORK ARE CONSUMING C ANN ABIS AT INCREASING RATES. WEED INCREASES YOUR TOLERANCE TO ANES THESIA AND REQUIRES A HIGHER DOSE. IF YOU LIVE IN A LEGAL S TATE AND FEEL YOU WON’T BE PUNISHED FOR DIVULGING YOUR C ANN ABIS USE WITH THE ANES THESIOLOGIS T, THIS INFORMATION WILL HELP THE MEDIC AL TEAM BES T TREAT YOU WHEN GOING INTO CHILDBIR TH.

MJLIFESTYLE.COM

Cannabis &Parenthood MAMA AND FOUNDER KEIRA FAE SUMIMOTO SHARES HER STORY GROWING UP IN THE SYSTEM AND EDUCATES PARENTS ON THE L ATEST CANNABIS RESEARCH DISCOVERIES AND HOW TO PREPARE FOR THE VISIT THAT CROSSES EVERY CANNAMAMA’S MIND—AN INTERACTION WITH CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES.

Growing up in poverty with a single mother who tirelessly worked three jobs despite being terribly ill gave Keira Fae a first-hand look at what it is like to be a child growing up in the system. When Keira was just nine years old, her beloved mother passed away. She died the morning after doctors refused to treat her because she didn’t have health insurance.

“She whispered her last words, ‘I love you,’ in my ear as we both laid in our shared bed. I woke up the next morning and found her dead.”

Keira found herself in a dangerously abusive environment after moving to her father and stepmother’s house. Every day for four years she lived in fear of being beaten, mutilated, starved, attacked so, at thirteen, she ran away and lived under a bridge while still attending school. After three months Child Protective Services (CPS) picked her up and Keira found herself in another situation of neglect. After blackmailing her foster parents, she was able to escape and move overseas.

While living in a park in Japan, Keira was scouted by a modeling agency. Eight years later, Keira moved to California as a 23-year-old woman and started a new journey.

“I first began Cannabis and Parenthood immediately after my very first OB appointment. I was disappointed with the lack of information and knowledge health care providers had if any on the subject. I made it my mission to provide parents with resources and a sense of community because not only do healthcare providers lack the knowledge most also lack the ability to separate personal bias within their professional field. Judgment is not something we should have to experience with our healthcare providers. This is what I seek to change.”

Learn more at CannabisandParenthood.com and say hello on Instagram @KeiraFae and @CannabisAndParenthood

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ASK QUESTIONS

Cannabis Smoking Vessels

My Budvase (pictured) Summerland Elevate Jane Stonedware

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on testing THC positive. Women of Color are ten times more likely to be tested without consent and their child(ren) removed for several days before being able to reunite. Imagine the trauma of not being able to bond, comfort, or nurse your newborn child. CPS and ACS use cannabis as a proxy for poor parenting.

cannabis exposure and the notion that cannabis during

pregnancy may harm fetal development. Yet parents

face separation from their children and other forms

of punishment. These courses of action are brutal,

inhumane, and without a doubt target People of Color.

newborn from the mother right after delivery based

It is not uncommon to have CPS or ACS to remove a

There is no evidence to support the belief that prenatal

more so in states that are not yet legal.

and traumatize these families across the country and

often

removing a newborn child.

mj loves are occasionally accompanied by the authorities when

in general. Start the conversation, break the stigma!

Cannabis is clearly being used as a weapon to separate

you what protocol is and how they view/approach the topic Administration for Child Services (ACS) and at which

information on Cannabis but they will be able to share with

because they choose to medicate with cannabis.

process the better. Caseworkers will most likely not have any reason. If positive, this will lead to a report to CPS /

Always ask questions! The more engaged you are in the

Brown parents are in danger of losing their children

as such. Set the example and medicate consciously.

the extent to which countless low-income Black and

being prepared. Cannabis is a medicine and should be treated are

and out of the reach of children. This is not just about always

to drug tests without consent or valid medical

This is very important. Keep all cannabis products locked up

women

STASH PROPERLY

Black

Brown

4 and

3 Relax and breathe. Your awareness and responses are critical.

white mothers. What has largely gone unaddressed, is

2 REMAIN CALM & COLLECTED

Black Mothers are judged unfit at a higher rate than

1 Four Mindful Ways to Prepare Yourself for Child Protective Services

Be confident, and precise with your replies. Engage yourself

by being present, aware, and calm. This will help expedite

the process.

BE HONEST & OPEN

Caseworkers don’t just assess home life, child-care, food,

signs of neglect, substance abuse, etc. They also look for

how you carry yourself in their presence. Be honest and

open. Your behavior will say more than thank you ever will.

Share your concerns and ask questions. The more present

you are in the situation, the easier it will be.

MJLIFESTYLE.COM

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Mama TO Mama THE ROAD TO PEDIATRIC CANNABIS

INTERVIEW WITH ALLISON R AY BENAVIDES, LCSW PHOTOGR APHY BY JENNIFER SKOG

MOTHER, SOCIAL WORKER, CANNABIS ADVOCATE, ALLISON RAY BENAVIDES IS ONE OF OUR MOST BELOVED WRITERS. FOR MJ LIFEST YLE’S L AST ISSUE, ALLISON INTERVIEWED MOTHER MARIA SELVA, WHO’S SIX YEAR OLD EPILEPTIC DAUGHTER WAS TAKEN FROM HER BY CALIFORNIA’S CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES. THIS MEDICAL KIDNAPPING STORY UNCOVERS EVERY PARENT’S WORST NIGHTMARE WHEN CHOOSING CBD TO MEDICATE THEIR ILL CHILD. ALLISON HAS DEDICATED THE L AST FIVE YEARS OF HER LIFE TO EMPOWERING FAMILIES WITH RESOURCES AND PARENT-TOPARENT SUPPORT WITH A PEDIATRIC CANNABIS MEDICAL PL AN.

IN 2013 YOUR SON WAS DIAGNOSED WITH DOOSE SYNDROME, A CATASTROPHIC FORM OF INTRACTABLE EPILEPSY. WHAT WERE THE BEGINNING STAGES LIKE? HOW DID YOU FIRST GET CONNECTED WITH CANNABIS PL ANT MEDICINE?

The beginning of the diagnosis of any childhood disease is dark, and it creates a pain that is specifically isolating. Healing this deep loneliness actually became an unexpected outcome of stepping into the cannabis world for treatment. In order to find what my son needed, I knew I had to learn from other families.

Facebook has always been a primary source of pediatric cannabis education and networking so I started there, searching for families like Jason and Jayden, Paige and Charlotte, and Heather and Zaki who I’d seen in the news. Anyone in any group who said they were from San Diego got a direct message from me.

I wanted to meet and talk to everybody to find quality products and education. To my surprise in doing so, I met the most beautifully diverse children and incredibly wise women. I found some of my most precious friends. I found the ones who “get it” and we formed a support group to figure it out together.

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WHAT ARE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES FOR A FAMILY WHEN STARTING OUT WITH CANNABIS TREATMENT FOR THEIR CHILD?

One of the biggest challenges I’ve observed for parents is empowerment. Cannabis really requires them to take charge of their kid’s treatment plan in a new way. I think we are used to our doctor’s driving the plan of care, but cannabis isn’t in their domain. Treatment then becomes parent-driven. It can be scary to trust ourselves with that much responsibility. It is hard at first, but incredibly empowering once parents know their child’s unique relationship with the plant and how it helps them.

IN 2018, THE FDA APPROVED THE PHARMACEUTICAL CBD MEDICATION EPIDIOLEX. CAN YOU SHARE THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF THE FDA’S LONGAWAITED RESULT?

Yes! It’s finally here! The highs are that it can work and insurance often covers it. The low is that it’s only available to qualified diagnoses, doesn’t work for everyone, and is expensive when not covered. Parents on Facebook often complain about side effects (i.e. drowsiness, diarrhea, and irritability) and getting their chains yanked by the process (sadly that is par for the course with all aspects of special needs parenting ).

I think another low is that it decreases western medicine’s motivation to learn more about the “artisanal” products we are using and how we do it. They have their one product, which is great to finally have, but the cannabis industry has so many more options to offer. Parents still need help navigating this terrain.

HOW IS CANNABIS INVOLVED IN YOUR DAILY LIFE? HAVE YOU ALWAYS BEEN OPEN ABOUT YOUR CONSUMPTION & ADVOCACY?

Cannabis advocacy became important for me only when it became about sick babies. Our family jumped into the pediatric cannabis game early on because it hit the news right after our 3-year-old son was diagnosed. Learning the local resources available to us and how to use it was the most desperate scavenger hunt of my life. So we use cannabis every day at our house to keep him seizure-free. After my son’s remarkable response, I became an advocate to share what I knew. I wanted to make it easier for other mamas. I came out and shared my own use in the book I wrote “Eve’s Return,” to illustrate how my own direct experience with cannabis influenced my decision to use it with my son. I didn’t need science to confirm it’s safety, I already knew because I trusted myself.

WERE YOU INVOLVED IN SOCIAL WORK BEFORE YOUR SON’S DIAGNOSIS? HAS YOUR WORK GIVEN YOU A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW TO NAVIGATE MEDICATING YOUR CHILD WITH CANNABIS?

All the systems that a special needs parent has to navigate are a confusing nightmare. So leaning into my competence as a social worker has absolutely been helpful, but it hasn’t made it painless. I have to get in line at Health and Human Services just like everyone else.

I think being a mom helped the most—we don’t ever take that hat off and we never give up.

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EPIDIOLEX IS THE ONLY FDA APPROVED CBD MEDICATION AND ISN’T EFFECTIVE FOR ALL FORMS OF EPILEPSY. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A PATIENT’S NEEDS REQUIRE WHOLE PL ANT MEDICINE (INCLUDING SOME THC) WHILE AT SCHOOL? Yeah who even knows! Do they go without? Wait till they get home? We’ve dodged this issue by dosing before and after school since one dose can get my son through 8 hours. But more often than not, kids who use it as a PRN are out of luck. Only nine states allow cannabis to be dosed on campus, and even then it’s clunky. California’s “Jojo’s Law” allows schools to decide if they want to let parents come onsite to dose their child. It’s an area that still needs a lot of advocacy but it’s encouraging that states are trying to work with us.

WHAT ARE YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES WITH THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY RIGHT NOW? WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN?

My personal challenge with the industry is the loss of the sacred.

I think anytime we go big commercially the sacred suffers. For so many of us, cannabis isn’t about recreating or self-care, it’s about comforting and saving a life. Cannabis has a hopeful, gentle, healing spirit that is all her own, and it’s always felt important to me to remain reverent and connected to her energ y.

On a less intimate note, I remain sad that quality education and parent support remains underdeveloped. We now have a gazillion products in states like California, but questions remain related to how to best use which product and for what.

I don’t think we need to feel like we have to defer to what science can/can’t tell us. I think parents could fill this gap. You actually don’t need to be a doctor use cannabis.

DESCRIBE YOUR SON IN THREE WORDS. WHAT HAS CANNABIS PL ANT MEDICINE CONTINUED TO DO FOR HIM?

He’s my stormy sky, both dark, and light. He’s deep, authentic, and the sweetest. While I keep hoping it will calm the behavioral storminess, it does appear to be continuing to keep his seizures controlled.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE QUOTE OR MANTRA?

“Celebrate the temporary.”

YOU JUST PUBLISHED EVE’S RETURN A BEAUTIFUL STORY WRITTEN BY YOU AND ILLUSTRATED BY YOUR SON’S FATHER ABOUT OUR BELOVED PL ANT. WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON NOW?

YOUR SON HAS BEEN SEIZURE-FREE FOR SIX YEARS! WHAT AN INCREDIBLE FETE! HOW IS HE DOING? DOES HE HAVE TO BE ON ANY OTHER MEDICATIONS?

Given how marginalized our special needs children and families are, it remains important to me to honor them and mark their place in history. We have changed modern medicine forever.

Thank you for asking! He’s doing unexpectedly well. In fact, he is doing so good that he no longer needs a pharmaceutical, and is on CBD only. Since in 2013 he was one of the first kids in California to have access to Charlotte’s Web high CBD, he kinda gets to be an anecdotal longitudinal case study. Through Robby, we’ve learned that a kid can safely take it for 6 years and remain seizure-free without developing any side effects.

So I wrote Eve’s Return to both share our story with our son in a way he would understand and document the pioneering and sacred role our families played in legalization—before we get written out of history. Thank you for the compliment, I am very proud of our collaboration!

ANSWER THE MOST COMMON QUESTION YOU GET ASKED.

With the same intention, this past summer we also hosted a Face of Cannabis photo exhibit featuring Nichole Montanez’s intimate portraits of our children. It was a beautiful opportunity to all be together and marvel at how far it’s all come.

While I do have book idea’s percolating, right now I’m working on nothing. The past seven years haven’t been easy! But actually that’s not true, I’m working on me. I’m resting.

“How’s your son doing ?” Everyone’s been rooting for us.

WE KNOW NOW THAT EVERYONE TOLERATES CANNABIS DIFFERENTLY, IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WEIGHT OR SIZE, OUR ECS SYSTEMS ARE INDIVIDUAL, WHICH MAKES DOSING CHALLENGING. WILL DOSING YOUR SON BE CONSTANTLY CHANGED DEPENDING ON TOLERANCE AND NEEDS? IS THIS SOMETHING PARENTS SHOULD EXPECT?

Eve’s Return Available on blurb

Yep. We’ve made some changes along the way (i.e. increased mg’s and changed dosing schedule). Parents should expect that their kid’s treatment plan will need to be adjusted at some point.

Common times to change dosing might be if: medications are changed, there is a drug interaction, new symptoms emerge, old symptoms have been gone for a while, the current product stops working or is no longer available their school schedule changes, and the list can go on.

These decisions and changes can be scary! It helps to have friends who “get it” during times like these.

WHERE CAN PARENTS GO TO GET SUPPORT AND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PEDIATRIC CANNABIS?

The Realm of Caring in Colorado Springs has been at the forefront of supporting families since day one. Their website and call center are one of the first places to start for resources and support.

But more so, I think the best thing a parent can do is find another family in their community who is also using pediatric cannabis.

Pick their brain and let them pick yours. Share local resources and what is/isn’t working for your kid. Meet their kid and family face-to-face — become their friend.

How to use this medicine is primarily passed on from parent to parent. Since everyone’s relationship with cannabis is their own and responses can vary so much, families are being amazingly creative. I think it is critical that we all share what we know with each other.

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Liberated Experiential with

Wisdom

BY HOLISTIC HEALTH PR AC TITIONER MANDY MCGAUGH PHOTOGR APHY BY JULIA CORBE T T

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Part I Cannabis has long been an important healing ally for me. As a somatic bodyworker, folk herbalist, home gardener, and plant-loving person, my relationship with this plant spans over twenty years. Throughout this time, my engagement with cannabis has varied greatly.

Once I became a mother, I found myself burdened by the societal stigma associated with cannabis use in the form of painful judgments from near and dear family members that didn’t understand or respect my choices around responsible consumption. I was fearful of the ever-looming risk that openly using a controlled substance, no matter the personal benefits, could endanger my children’s safety if Child Protective Services were to ever be called. Frustrated and discouraged by a lack of financial backing for conclusive research on the cascade of cannabis’ healing benefits (research which later would support what my body had been intuitively perceiving for years), I slowly began working with other medicinal herbs.

I would safely cultivate and prepare plants at home without fear of persecution, saving MJ for the occasional spliff at an adults-only party or vacation getaway. Thankfully, during the ten years that I was busily tending to the growth of my family, cannabis was becoming increasingly accessible through state legalization and immense advances in medicine administration and scientific data. Thus, when my life came to a screeching halt, faced with a debilitating diagnosis, I turned to cannabis without hesitation.

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Part II I had been earnestly awaiting September of 2018 for some time. In the wake of an entire decade spent gestating, breastfeeding, and attachment parenting my children, this particular fall season was ushering in a new era of my life; the first time that both of my young daughters would be in full-time school. A season to refocus on my own autonomous needs.

A season to further grow my soul-led, self-owned business. A season to reflect upon the woman I had become after moving through the transformative threshold of motherhood.

To kick off this time of personal inquiry I took inventory. By doing so, I could fluidly transition into the self-care and personal development endeavors I was eagerly anticipating, unencumbered by the weight of guilt that ignored responsibilities can carry. The neverending list of things you should be doing to maintain a balanced life but never actually get to because you’re overwhelmed with keeping little humans alive: the stacks of unopened mail, the decluttering of wasteful junk, the oil change, the teeth cleaning, the physical check-up.

As a part of my health check-in, I requested that my primary care physician include orders for a mammogram. Even though I was three years younger than the standard protocol age for diagnostic breast imaging, I had been tracking some minor changes in the tenderness and density of my breast tissue during my regular practice of herbal body oiling and selfmassage. I, along with my treating physician, figured these sensations were linked to shifting hormones and remnants of scar tissue from bouts of mastitis while nursing my daughters years prior. However, why not be on the safe side and make the best use of my time by being thorough? Following that instinct would inevitably save my life.

At the age of 37, I was diagnosed with stage IV metastatic breast cancer. This aggressive and fast-moving cancer had advanced throughout my right breast, my lymphatic system, and the bones of my spine. I received the nightmarish phone call delivering this identityshattering news while my daughters, ages five and eight at the time, were playing in the next room. All at once, I was startled and overcome by the shrill sound of a forceful internal alarm, quickly followed by a deafening silence. This paradoxically piercing yet muffled tone, echoing its incessant ring through every cell of my body-mind, rattled me to the core triggering a subconscious freeze response.

Sadly, parenting doesn’t stop for a devastating healing crisis. And so, in the moments following that phone call, I used the tools that my twenty years of somatic training had developed. I scanned my surroundings, returned my awareness back into my physical body, calmed my breathing, and slowly gathered the pieces of my shattered self into some remnant of a human being before hitting the ground running in the direction of a full recovery.

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Still photos by Loren Robertson Production.

Captured from a film of Mandy’s family assisting her in a Hair Release Ceremony, following her metastatic breast cancer diagnosis.

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“I REFUSED TO IGNORE MY OWN EXPERIENTIAL WISDOM ANY LONGER AND WAS EXCITED TO LEARN THAT THERE WAS AN INCREASING BODY OF EVIDENCE SUGGESTING THAT CANNABINOIDS COULD ACTUALLY PREVENT THE PROLIFERATION OF CANCER CELLS.” —Mandy McGaugh

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Part III Enter full-spectrum CBD. My experience with medicinal plants over the years had already shaped me into a proponent of whole plant medicine. Now, all of the accessible resources I could find on cannabis for cancer-care corroborated this¹, speaking to the importance of high potency CBD plant strains within whole plant medicine. Enabling each of the important cannabinoid constituents to synergistically work together for optimal benefit, as opposed to isolating one helpful attribute. Friends, colleagues, and fellow self-healers acting as my critical care team of first-responders began recommending or personally preparing various mediums of full-spectrum oils, edibles, teas, and topicals for my immediate use. Sensing the societal norm and widespread acceptance of cannabis use during cancer treatment, the thick veil of fear that had once settled into my psyche around openly using medicinal marijuana was now lifting. Who would judge me when I was facing the real possibility of imminent death? Quite frankly, I didn’t give a damn if my choices were disapproved of—one of the gifts that a life-threatening illness may bestow. I refused to ignore my own experiential wisdom any longer and was excited to learn that there was an increasing body of evidence suggesting that cannabinoids could actually prevent the proliferation of cancer cells.

In those first several weeks of intense information gathering, I became keenly aware of the need to support my parasympathetic nervous system. This support could provide a palpable sense of calm within my body via the endocannabinoid system, the division of the central nervous system that maintains balance and homeostasis within our organs, so that I could productively heal and restore vitality while at rest. The steadfast endurance needed to both organize and understand our present-day healthcare system, while simultaneously curating a personal life-saving protocol was enough to threaten an ultimate nervous system collapse. However, that didn’t happen to me.

Instead, with the help of cannabis and an assortment of several therapeutic modalities, I was in complete control of my autonomic regulation. I was able to work in unison with my body, responding to its needs with discernment in real-time, maintaining a sense of neutrality towards my circumstances and devotion to my body’s highest good. Each day, I would gradually increase both my internal and topical doses of full-spectrum CBD oil, so that I could face the long days of research, budgeting, and doctors’ appointments with confidence, curiosity, and clarity. At night I would religiously drink a cup of tea, brewed with mugwort and dried indica flower, to peacefully ensure a full night’s rest, melting into the imaginal realms of creative visualization and dreamtime. ¹Sledzinski, Pawel, Joanna Zeyland, Ryszard Slomski, and Agnieszka Nowak. “The Current State and Future Perspectives of Cannabinoids in Cancer Biology.” The US National Library of Medicine, National Institute of Health (2018) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5852356/ (accessed October 14, 2019).

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Part IV Cannabis supported my healing in many supremely multifaceted ways, but what I found most tangible (and fascinating ) was how deeply embodied this plant enabled me to remain.

Liberating me from the stress and terror of it all, cannabis invited me to be fully present in my body at a time where it would have been far easier—and frankly, understandable— to check out. Cannabis softened the sharp edges, reminding me that my body had not actually betrayed me through this trauma and that, rather, my body was a safe place to be.

I was able to thoughtfully approach each day with a strong sense of agency, modeling body sovereignty and empowered self-actualization for my daughters. This relaxed state of being created an ideal environment for restorative healing to take place and was also conducive to forming fun, playful moments with my children in a time where meaningful memory making was of vital importance. Together we connected as a family, making art and dancing through the hallways of our home. We co-created multiple spiritual ceremonies to ritualize Mama’s healing with storytelling, prayer, and enacted myth in ways they could relate to and participate in.

Today I am astonishingly disease-free and cannabis continues to be a mainstay in my healthcare protocol that blends conventional Western allopathic treatment with herbalism, Traditional Chinese Medicine, hypnotherapy, nutrition, and medicinal mushrooms. In service to cannabis, my clients, my community, and our future generations, I am now deepening my studies of the endocannabinoid system and the vast array of scientifically proven benefits of cannabis as medicine to further destigmatize the use of this invaluable plant.

We should not have to bypass fears of imprisonment or face life-threatening illnesses to feel comfortable exploring the ways in which informed cannabis consumption can benefit our lives, our health, and our parenting.

P H OTO BY E R I N L E I G H

Mandy McGaugh is a Holistic Health Practitioner, specializing in somatic bodywork and therapeutic touch while living and mothering in San Diego County. Through massage therapy, guided facilitation, writing, and health advocacy Mandy teaches us to trust in the innate wisdom of our bodies.

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You may learn more about Mandy at hearttohand.love or on Instagram at @heart_to_hand. Visit www.heart-to-hand-school.thinkific.com for a somatic journey through the zodiac with in-depth writings, video instruction, guided meditations, breathwork and movement for each astrological sign & season.

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Change HOW TWO FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS FOUND AN UNCONVENTIONAL WAY AROUND TOLER ATING

The

We were suffering with our menopause symptoms in silence... until we found cannabis.

Carrie Mapes and Patty Pappas are longtime friends and co-founders of Hello Again, a line of cannabis-infused menopause care products that relieve symptoms at the source. They were both suffering through their menopause symptoms in silence - until they decided there had to be a better way. Leaning on their tribe, they found that their experiences were similar—at least similarly awful. They decided to join forces, becoming fierce advocates for helping women and upending social stigmas associated with menopause and cannabis. Here are their stories:

Carrie’s experience I’ve always considered myself a sharp person that was quick on my feet. After all, I’d spent much of my adult life as an educator and found every opportunity to be involved in my kids’ lives while they were growing up.

Despite being fully on top of everything in my household and community, nothing could have prepared me for what menopause had in store for me. I braced myself for the usual suspects—hot flashes, mood swings, and sleep problems as I crept closer to 50. But I was completely blindsided by the memory problems and brain fog that came with my hormone fluctuations.

I had recently taken a family member to a memory clinic to address cognitive challenges and, after a string of jarring memory lapses, decided to make an appointment for myself. My growing tendency to forget names, struggle with finding the specific word to best express myself and grapple with short-term memory tasks left me frustrated about my own capabilities. I was also disheartened that my family’s response to the majority of my questions was, “I already told you that.” I didn’t tell anyone about my appointment and played out all the different ways I would break the news to my family that I probably had early-onset Alzheimer’s on the drive over.

Luckily, I didn’t come out of that appointment with the diagnosis I was expecting but was surprised to learn that my memory problems were attributed to my menopause. My OB-GYN prescribed hormone therapy, and the symptoms subsided quickly. However, I knew quickly that the hormone treatment wasn’t a sustainable option. The transdermal estrogen patch often slipped off while exercising, and I learned about friends who had taken hormones for years developing dark masses on their mammograms. I had to wonder—with millions of women in this country experiencing such an agonizing physical life transition, was this really the only viable treatment doctors could offer?

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Patty’s experience As it turns out, there isn’t a ‘typical’ experience for menopause. In my case, my age and symptoms had confounded my doctors about what was going on inside of me. When I was only in my 40s, I had to put towels under my body to sleep because I would sweat through the sheets almost every night and had difficulty falling asleep. During the day, I would have at least five or six hot flashes and be convinced that one of my kids had turned on the car seat heaters while I was driving. Just like Carrie, my brain fog was no joke. I started forgetting key tasks, like picking up my own mother from lunch.

When I approached my OB-GYN about my debilitating symptoms, she ran tests and told me that I wasn’t even menopausal and couldn’t start treatment yet. My relief finally came from an integrative doctor that I went to in desperation because I truly felt like I was going crazy. When he got my blood work back, he remarked, “Wow, your hormone levels are so low I can’t even read them!” I was going through perimenopause, something overlooked by the media and the medical community that can often mimic the symptoms of fullblown menopause in many women.

I had to endure these symptoms for six more years until I finally lost my period and was officially deemed menopausal by doctors. A lot of women experiencing these physical changes are close to becoming empty nesters or may have more time to take care of themselves during this trying time, but I was still in the thick of it raising three teenage daughters. In hindsight, I wish I had access to more holistic options to manage and alleviate my symptoms instead of gutting it out. Doctors and friends truly don’t understand how hard it can be to stay functional in the throes of perimenopause.

MJ Loves Cannabis Products for Women Hello Again suppositories will help you focus your day, brighten your mood, boost your energ y, regulate hot flashes, and support uninterrupted sleep while addressing vaginal dryness. Get relief in your body without a high in your head.

Find Hello Again at helloagainproducts.com

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Carrie’s aha moment Patty and I became interested in the medical applications of cannabis when California legalized recreational use and made it accessible to everyone in the state. In my free time when the kids were at school, I would visit dispensaries and learn about people using cannabis to treat their aches and pains, help them fall asleep and manage their anxiety. Although I was never a big pot smoker in high school or college—back then, it was more of a “boy’s drug,” I started experimenting with a variety of products, from edibles to vapes to patches and creams, to find relief from my various symptoms.

Of course, in the beginning, I didn’t tell my doctors about my new supplementary treatments. There have been few advances in menopause treatment in the past decades and although I trusted my doctors to prioritize my overall health, I knew that they had limited information about holistic remedies. I was surprised to learn that most medical schools and residency programs don’t prepare future physicians adequately on the subject of menopause. A recent survey revealed that only 20% of OB-GYN residency programs provided any kind of menopause training, and most of the courses were elective. As a result, almost three out of four women who talk to their doctors about menopause symptoms do not receive helpful information or treatment. As someone quite in-tune with my own body, I could tell I needed something more natural and sustainable to complement my hormone treatments.

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Patty’s advice on cannabis femme-care Unfortunately, because women aren’t informed about menopause and medical professionals aren’t equipped to provide holistic treatments, most women, including my friends and family, have self-medicated with Xanax, Ambien, or alcohol to deal with symptoms like sleep issues and anxiety. Hormone replacement therapy and off-label uses for high blood pressure medication and antidepressants comprise most of the medically prescribed options. These are risky treatments for some women and not viable options for women with certain cancer histories or blood clots. For decades, women have had only two choices for their unwanted symptoms, to medicate or to tolerate, and have been looking for something in between.

Supplementing conventional menopause treatments with cannabis made me feel like my old self again. I could finally sleep through the night, experienced less anxiety and had more energ y and clarity to get through the day. Although Carrie and I were thrilled with the benefits of cannabis in our own lives, we realized that there weren’t any specific products on the market targeted at menopause relief. We decided to take matters into our own hands and started developing a product with leading cannabis doctors in California to address the physical and mental challenges that we, and millions of women, have dealt with in this stage of life.

This project eventually became Hello Again, a natural cannabis suppository that helps relieve the myriad of symptoms that come with every stage of menopause.

In order to give women access to emotional and physical support during menopause, we applaud the various platforms, in and out of the cannabis space, that are directed at informing and connecting women in their 40s and 50s. It seems women are having a collective awakening and deciding that the roadmap for this chapter of life is to be written by modern women, not dictated by cultural traditions. Today’s women going through menopause are in very different phases of their lives than their mothers and grandmothers were at the same age. Women in menopause are often still raising children, working outside of the home in one or multiple positions and perhaps newly single and dating. The two choices to either pharmaceutically medicate or merely tolerate unwanted symptoms isn’t meeting our needs anymore. Our hope is that more women can increase their understanding and awareness of symptoms and supplementary treatments by openly engaging with their female peers. Menopause can truly be an exciting time when women can thrive and pursue new aspirations.

The sky’s the limit once we feel like ourselves again.

Products to help get through “the change”:  Hello Again, Sleep is designed to bring back an old friend: a good night's sleep. We want you to stay cool, go to sleep, stay asleep and—when things go bump in the night—get back to sleep. When a girl gets a good night's sleep, there's nothing she can't do.  Hello Again, Everyday was formulated to lift mental fog, brighten mood, increase energ y, regulate body temperature and soothe vaginal dryness to provide what every woman in this phase of life wants: to feel like herself again.  We’ve been drinking Kikoko Sympa-Tea for quite some time. The low THC is just right for a nice exhale without feeling impaired.  We just found Steam face oil at a beautiful new dispensary, Serra. We slather it on in the middle of the workday for a quick refresher; we love the clean, bright smell.  Mama Sue Relief oil does wonders for post-workout recovery.

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Mama Sue Taylor: A Matriarch on a Mission INTERVIEWED & WRIT TEN BY ALEXA JESSE

Modern Healthcare and Seniors The golden years are not always the brightest when living in modern times. In the distant past, older generations were revered with the utmost respect and honor; nowadays technolog y, chronic illness, and the pace of mainstream consumer culture contribute to senior citizens being cast aside as irrelevant.

Sue Taylor, who turned 73 this July, expressed that many seniors, including herself, feel targeted by the COVID-19 virus. The isolation and separation they experience are even more intense than usual, and the alienation is overwhelming. Shopping separately, living in fear of human contact, and not being able to visit loved ones who typically spark joy and purpose all exacerbate feelings of loneliness and depression.

Taylor co-founded cannabis dispensary Farmacy Berkeley as well as Mama Sue, a CBD wellness company designed specifically for pain relief and empowerment in seniors. Cannabis is one of many therapies that can relieve pain, but unfortunately, most doctors do not know enough about cannabis to accept its healing abilities or to confidently encourage its usage. The same goes for other alternative and holistic medicinal therapies such as acupuncture, meditation, and superfood supplements. Sue explains that many seniors she meets are taking 15-20 drugs per day, and most of those pills are treating the side effects of the others.

“The pharmaceutical approach to managing symptoms is not working. We need to address a whole person instead of individual symptoms. Pharmaceuticals have their place but they were made for temporary use, not to manage long-term health. The War on Drugs targeted the current generation of seniors. Doctors reinforce this belief by prescribing drugs and stigmatizing alternatives. Elders think doctors are gods. I use my doctor as a tool. I tell her what I need, what my body needs, and she listens. She takes notes on me, that’s the truth.

I was diagnosed with bulging disc four and five in my back and I didn’t want to take pharmaceutical pills. I take very good care of myself. I ride my bike six/seven miles at least five days a week, I do yoga, I meditate, I love to dance; cannabis has helped me. I use Mama Sue Relief daily because I couldn’t ride that bike and I couldn’t go to boot camp if I didn’t have something to help with my back pain.”

Sue was an integral part of the creation of her product line, Mama Sue Wellness, which was supported and funded by the Glass House Group. The products were designed to help address the issues Sue herself struggles with. Their team of marketers, scientists, and researchers interviewed Sue, had her test product iterations, and listened to her needs and the needs of her clients to create a line tailored to seniors. The Mama Sue line focuses on the pain, sleep, and anxiety that many experience with aging, but Sue’s purpose is bigger than her physical products. Throughout our conversation, she repeatedly stressed the importance of young people and older people working together to reframe our society.

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“I’m not just about cannabis. I believe in the older generation. The 2018 census revealed that in 10-15 years people 65+ will be the largest demographic for the first time in the country. We need them to be healthy. I believe that we are missing the boat here, in this country, with having our seniors not being a part of our community, a part of our family. They are not to be shut away in convalescent homes. They should be active members of society. Of course, people who are physically sick need that medical care, but there are a lot of people in homes in their 50s and the numbers keep dropping lower.

If we want to build solid families and strong communities, governments, and a unified world, it takes the wisdom of elders combined with the energ y and resourcefulness of young people. Combined we’re a powerful bunch. Unfortunately, most seniors live in chronic pain and are unable to give their gifts back to society because they can barely function. Our job in the cannabis industry is to show them alternative ways to eliminate that pain. Cannabis is an alternative to traditional pharmaceutical drugs. Cannabis doesn’t throw your system off. You can be productive, happy, thinking individuals again.

I’m the perfect person to share this message about elders living healthy, about elders that are vibrant, elders that are thinking contributors of the community, of the world, of our homes. I’m the perfect example.”

Breaking Stigmas Sue and many from her generation have been fed propaganda their entire lives. The fear culture surrounding cannabis successfully deterred individuals from believing other treatments existed. With no other options to compete or even supplement mainstream healthcare, our older loved ones are slowly and painfully reaching the end of their years.

“I ride my bike six/seven miles at least five days a week, I do yoga, I meditate, I love to dance; cannabis has helped me. I use Mama Sue Relief daily because I couldn’t ride that bike and I couldn’t go to boot camp if I didn’t have something to help with my back pain.”

— Mama Sue Taylor

Photography by Shaik Ridzwan

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Sue is extremely passionate about changing the negative stigmas associated with cannabis as well as old age. She has experienced the anti-aging powers of alternative and plant medicine herself, and her journey began with cannabis.

“I was afraid of cannabis. I didn’t grow up with it. I was afraid of it.

It took about five years for me to really see the benefits and to get comfortable with saying, ‘hello my name is Sue Taylor and I work with seniors and medical cannabis.’ That took a long time. I used to filter out who I told that information to. I didn’t tell everyone because I didn’t want to be judged. As an African American woman, I’m judged all the time, especially back then, and I just couldn’t take another ridicule.

I’m kind of reminded of this discrimination with the pandemic we are in. My advice? Relatives tell me this and that about the dangers for old people which leads to spiraling and worry. Then I need to recalibrate: What do I believe? What do I know ? Source energ y (Universe, God) works for my highest good. I am divinely guided at all times, I just need to tap back into it, trust, and call forth what I want.”

“I can make a difference.

Working in the cannabis industry has made me a better person. I’m happier than I’ve ever been, happier with Sue. I’m grateful I’m still a productive Mother, Grandmother, and person in the community.”

— Mama Sue Taylor

Sue lives on her own and cooks all her meals, including a green smoothie packed with nutrients at the start of each day. She is proud to live without any pharmaceutical medications and finds healing in natural modalities such as healthy eating, exercise, intention setting, meditation, acupuncture, energ y work, and cannabis. However, cannabis consumption is not one dimensional and has done more for her than ease physical pain. Sue believes this work is her purpose and in doing it she feels satisfied and aligned.

“I can make a difference. Working in the cannabis industry has made me a better person. I’m happier than I’ve ever been, happier with Sue. I’m grateful I’m still a productive Mother, Grandmother, and person in the community. Oaksterdam sent me to DC where I talked to Congress and Senate representatives about de-scheduling cannabis for elders and Veterans. I go, I’m scared but I go. Fear can’t stop you, you keep on going. And I’m here, I know that’s why I came onto this earth, to help seniors.”

The Rise of a Strong Black Woman Sue Taylor embodies motherly power and grace in both work and life. She was always a bit of an outlier, but she carved a different path for herself as she entered senior citizenship. Sue was born in Louisiana where she spent early childhood with her parents and 11 siblings. The seventh out of 12 with only three sisters, Sue always radiated a nurturing energ y within her family. Sue recalls the house always full of people, her loving mother welcomed in children with open arms when they had nowhere else to go. Her family was very poor but they didn’t know it because there was so much love.

“We were born in Louisiana, part of the French / Creole Louisiana Purchase. My Dad only spoke French with a Creole dialect. We were very poor, my mom cleaned houses. I would go with her and they would make us go to the back door.

There was lots of racial prejudice and segregation. The water faucets said white only; if it was a white-only bathroom we couldn’t use it. One day we woke up and there was a KKK cross burned on our yard. My eight brothers had to be very mindful. My oldest brother got arrested for reckless eyeballing—he whistled at a white woman—and they incarcerated him for 30 days, and that was the determinant factor. My mother decided to move the day my brother got arrested. My Mom told my Dad, ‘We’re gonna move to California because I want a better life for my children, they will kill my sons.’ We came by car, bus, and train across the country. My mother moved 12 children. I was 11. And we got out, but we have not made enough progress. My mother’s perseverance is instilled in me.”

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The family settled in the flatlands of San Mateo, California, near some of Sue’s relatives. One would think it would have been a relief for a Black family to arrive in California, a more liberal environment, after decades of second class citizenship in the south, but unfortunately there were still racist undertones that existed nationwide, and still do to this day.

“I was in high school in the ’60s and one of the teachers asked, ‘Where are you from?’ I will never forget. He went down each row. When he got to me, he skipped over me. I was prepared to share my story and he skipped over me.”

At her same high school in San Mateo, the best football players were predominantly African American. During the years of Martin Luther King Jr., the athletes felt empowered to band together in protest. They wouldn’t play football until their Black women were represented as nominees for homecoming queen. The school listened, and for the first time in history, two Black girls got to ride around in the parade with the white girls. One of those girls was Sue. Sue encountered a similar experience when she attended San Mateo City College.

“I was approached by the Black Student Union who said, ‘We want to run you for queen. This is what we’re going to do.’

The African, Black, and other Student Unions are going to promote one person of color and it’s going to be Sue Simon.

That’s how I won! I was the first Black queen. We had to do those kinds of things to be represented.”

Sue had always felt called to teach and eventually became a Catholic School Principal in Oakland, but it took time for her to feel confident enough to pursue a degree.

“There was verbal prejudice. My guidance counselor told me not to go to college, he said, ‘You’ll never make it. You’re pretty, marry some rich man, he’ll take care of you.’ I waited three years before I went to college after high school because the counselor told me I’d never make it. He was my guidance counselor! I believed him. Soon after, I had just graduated from high school and was applying for a job. I walked over because they were hiring. I applied, and there was a young guy who said, ‘Oh you just missed him.’ Missed the boss. I came back six times and they told me that every time. It was a game to him, he was playing with me.”

A few years later Sue got involved working as a teacher’s aide in a summer program run by two white women. Both women realized that Sue had a gift, she was incredible with the kids. They told her that she was talented and she needed to go to college and get a teaching degree.

Sue really never thought she would make it, but the two women encouraged her, and with their help, she got straight As. After decades of teaching in Oakland and building a family of her own, she retired to Atlanta and no one, including her, would have ever imagined her becoming a cannabis activist.

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Deconstructing Lies About 10 years ago Sue was brought back to California when her son Jamaal, who was studying at Oaksterdam University, told her he wanted to open a cannabis dispensary. She was alarmed so she came back to see what he was up to, with hopes to straighten him out.

“I thought he was in trouble and addicted to drugs. I equated cannabis to hard drugs like heroin and cocaine. Being raised in the South where Black people lived in fear, I wanted to protect my son as he entered into the cannabis industry.”

Sue followed Jamal to California not realizing it marked the beginning of a new chapter of her life.

Sue Taylor: Medicine Woman This new venture was outside of Sue’s comfort zone but she trusted her child and decided to stay to help and protect him. At first, the Taylor family kept the cannabis business a secret. As an African American couple with young children, Sue’s son Jamaal and his wife Kiki wanted to protect their family. One day at school, their seven-year-old child told his teacher that Dad, Mom, and Nana work in the cannabis industry; that they give medicine and heal people that are sick. It was a lovely surprise when the teacher replied excitedly that she was going to go visit the shop, however, it wasn’t always an easy road to acceptance. Sue’s family and friends were in disbelief over her shocking career change and questioned her lifestyle choices—entering into the cannabis industry, especially with her son, threw everyone for a loop. It took time for them to see cannabis as the medicine that it is.

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“It’s more than cannabis. I meditate Early on Sue herself doubted her decision to join Jamaal’s endeavor. She decided to attend a meeting of the Santa Clara Commission on Aging. Of the 30-40 people in the room, she was the only Black person. Her fear set in. She had been a reputable citizen and a teacher all of her life, and here she was about to speak to an official committee about cannabis. Sue was scared and felt out of place. She watched the door and contemplated leaving until her higher self nudged her to stay.

“You said you were going to make the world a better place. There’s no way you can leave [this world] and go to the other side without bringing this light and eliminating this stigma.”

She remembered her purpose and knew she must follow this path to make a difference. She passionately spoke to the group about the benefits of cannabis for senior citizens. They were inspired, and the following month they asked her to give a formal presentation.

daily and eat right most of the time. I exercise my body, and when I do all of those things my day goes well. I can call forth the power and energy I need and am at the top of my game You have to be an open vessel to let the source energy flow! That’s when the best Sue shows up. It’s about body, mind, and spirit, the total human being, the total person you came here to be—not just [about] popping a pill.”

Sue naturally stepped into the role of cannabis guru, healer, and mentor.

Harborside dispensary founder and fellow activist Steven D’Angelo brought Sue on board to engage the senior community. Through organized tours of the facility, seniors were able to see what a dispensary looked and felt like.

Their preconceived notions were shattered, and she saw their fears melt into comfort.

— Mama Sue Taylor

Sue was moved by the healing she witnessed when her clients began using medicinal cannabis to heal from cancer and other debilitating illnesses. In order to continue empowering the older generation, Sue got certified to teach medical cannabis programs to nurses and administrators working in senior care facilities and quickly became a trusted face of medical cannabis.

“I’m the messenger. At Farmacy Berkeley, my dispensary, I teach educational classes. One is called Conversations with Sue, anyone can show up, and more young people keep showing up. I don’t push people, I just educate without trying to convince people of anything. When I go to senior facilities, I say, if what you’re doing works, stick with it. But if you find yourself on 15 pills and it’s not working, you might want to try something different—and don’t rule out cannabis. I show them products, not just my own, I show them all the choices they may have, including flowers. Some will get it, some won’t, but we at least have to try for those who are seeking out other ways to live.

This pandemic has been helpful in people reevaluating who they are, where they want to go, how they want their life to be. The seniors listen because I care and they can relate to me. People won’t listen to you, but they will listen to someone their own age, well educated, someone who looks like their doctor. Little by little, the more we do those things, we will empower elders. And I’m here, I know that’s why I came onto this earth. I didn’t choose this path, it chose me. I never would have chosen it. The Universe used one of my children, because I’m a good Mom, chose one of my children to pull me in. He got my attention. I said I’d be gone for two weeks, I had two suitcases, I was gone for ten years before I ever went back to Atlanta.”

Those ten years were spent building a brand, learning about the industry, and working with various investors. After a bit of trial and error, Sue and Jamaal are excited to announce that they’ve found a partner in the Glass House Group who have helped bring their vision to life. The goals of Farmacy Berkeley and Mama Sue Wellness are to give back to the community and make this medicine and information accessible for all. Mama Sue strives to provide the best quality medicine in low dose formulas so seniors can experience the benefits without the psychoactive effects. Sue herself only consumes 2.5mg of CBD once daily before bed to help her sleep.

“People used to give this medicine away to the community but now they just see dollar signs. This is when the quality of medicine decreases.”

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Sue’s mission has continued to evolve. She advocates for true holistic wellness, especially for elders. Her teachings focus on nutrition, exercise, mental health, spirituality, and meditation.

“It’s more than cannabis. I meditate daily and eat right most of the time. I exercise my body, and when I do all of those things my day goes well.

I can call forth the power and energ y I need and am at the top of my game. You have to be an open vessel to let the source energ y flow! That’s when the best Sue shows up. It’s about body, mind, and spirit, the total human being, the total person you came here to be—not just [about] popping a pill.”

It took the Taylors ten years to get their legal retail permit and when they finally opened the doors to Farmacy Berkeley in February 2020, Shelter in Place was implemented one month later. To make matters worse, in June 2020 the shop was looted during riots and endured over $100,000 in damages. Most people would have been devastated by this news, that their small business was physically destroyed after years of sweat and tears, but Sue was truly grateful no one was hurt.

“I made it very clear I’m not mad at the rioters or the people who are looting. I don’t agree with it but I understand.”

Sue is a magnetic, spiritual leader who calls on her higher self every time, and finds that she feels best when she’s living in alignment.

She is so proud of herself and her journey, but she wasn’t always this confident and self-loving ; she accredits learning to love herself and her body to her work in the cannabis industry.

“I love the person I’ve become in doing this work, I love my life. When you love what you do you don’t ever have to work a day in your life. I do believe that all of this is not in vain. This is part of God’s plan, all of it. We’re going to be alright. We chose to come. We knew we could make a difference. It’s going to be alright, it’s gonna be alright.”

Bay Area locals can visit Farmacy Berkeley to find Mama Sue Wellness products, which are also sold at Bud and Bloom in Santa Ana, Pottery LA, and Farmacy Santa Barbara. For more information visit mamasuewellness.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Alexa Jesse is a certified health coach, cannabis educator, musician and activist living in Sacramento, California. Alexa has built an independent consulting business creating content for various cannabis brands to destigmatize the plant and educate new and existing patients about the benefits of cannabis. Passionate about sustainability, plant-based living and social justice, Alexa strives to support clients, brands, and small businesses that reflect those values. Visit alexajesse.com and say hello on Instagram @alexajesse

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Beautiful Death A

W R I T T E N & P H O T O G R A P H E D B Y J E N N I F E R S KO G

In Loving Memory of Julie Elizabeth Behar

Just months after Celia Behar’s younger sister Julie delivered her fourth child at 40 years old, she was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. The disease had metastasized to her liver and gone unnoticed because of her pregnancy. Celia’s best friend and beautiful sister was dying.

Celia invited me to Julie’s home in Portland, Oregon that she shared with her partner Daniel, children Isabelle, Ariana, Eli, and 14-month old son, Adam to photograph and interview her. As a lifelong professional photographer, I have had the honor of photographing extraordinary moments—weddings, live births, and even a pregnancy of a child who would never get to experience this world—but never have I been trusted with something so sacred. Entering the home felt heavy; you could feel the love, but also pain, fear, and so much anger.

Basket of drugs “I was the good one, I didn’t smoke weed or like to get high like my sister,” Julie says.

Now cannabis is the only medicine that actually gives her relief, no longer needing one or two other pharmaceuticals to treat harsh side-effects.

“She is on a basket of pharmaceuticals, I’m not kidding,” Celia says of her sister.

“She jokes about it, she carries out this basket that has a gazillion and one fucking medications: methadone, an antidepressant, a steroid, Ritalin, something to help her rash from chemo, something to help her poop, then something to help her stop from pooping. I’m sure it’s all great for her liver.”

Celia is angry and rightfully so. In just under 90 days, her sister had started a new job, birthed a beautiful baby boy, and was diagnosed with ‘pre-existing’ stage 4 cancer.

Had Celia not come rushing to her sister’s defense and advocated for her to receive Medicaid, she would have been denied chemotherapy and treatment.

Getting Julie and her children on Medicaid was Celia’s first challenge, but certainly not the last. Doctors encouraged Julie to enroll in a federal medical trial—she would have a pump surgically implanted to help shrink the tumor. The procedure involved a 10-hour surgery and Julie had to sign a contract agreeing to not use cannabis as the doctors claimed it would be “toxic to her liver.”

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A Holistic Way to Peace After the pump was unsuccessful and subsequently removed, Celia became more diligent with Julie’s cannabis treatment. Julie began taking 300mg of CBD—100mg three times a day, 75mg of THCA twice a day, and 150mg of THC at night. Celia’s friends Jill at SDK Snacks, Tracy from CannaKids, and the people at Moto Perpetuo Farm dropped off medicated cookies, oils, and a vape pen to keep Julie comfortable.

Cannabis helped Julie’s appetite, calmed her mind, and relieved a lot of her pain.

In the final hours Celia, Julie and Daniel laid in bed together watching Xanadu, Julie, and Celia’s favorite movie growing up. Celia reached over and took Julie’s hand and squeezed it, crying. “You know I love you,” she said. As Julie became non-verbal, each of her kids had their own time to say their goodbyes. A social worker was there to help with tough questions and emotions.

At 3am, Julie squeezed her sister’s hand really tight, and Celia woke Daniel. “I think she’s going,” she told him. Daniel leaned in real close and Julie let out her last breath.

“A friend of mine sent the the book Marrow by Elizabeth Lesser, which really prepped me for her death. It made me really look to like find the beauty; as painful as it

It was a beautiful death.

is, to remember how lucky am I that I was there the day that she was born and I’m there the day that she died.”

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Life After Celia immersed herself in planning Julie’s funeral and soon was suffering panic attacks and debilitating anxiety as the questions rushed through her mind. How am I going to do right by my sister? How am I going to handle all this by myself ? How do I live without my sister who’s been by my side since I was three years old?”

Celia turned to her old friend cannabis to bring her back to herself. She planned the funeral, raised money for her sister’s children, got a tattoo with Julie’s ashes in the ink, and continued to celebrate her sister’s life with a disco-themed skate party on her one year anniversary of leaving this earth.

Today, Celia strongly supports the need for legalizing cannabis and educating the medical industry on the human body’s endocannabinoid system to promote health and wellness. What would have happened had Celia not fought for Medicaid or not smuggled cannabis oil across state borders? Julie’s final days would have been spent in agony, and far too many people today are suffering without the aid of cannabis—a medicine that is scientifically proven to provide significant therapeutic potential in relieving the symptoms of cancer and chemotherapy.

Looking back, while Celia wishes she had fought more for cannabis consumption during Julie’s medical trial (especially after nurses secretly told her that they don’t test for THC or CBD) she was able to give her sister a beautiful passing.

About Celia Behar Celia co-hosts the wildly popular podcast Never Thought I’d Say This with her friend Jodie Sweetin known for her role as Stephanie Tanner in the ABC comedy series Full House. She also started Mellow Out Mama, a CBD business tailored for moms with her friend Jill from SDK Snacks and is part of the popular Lil’ Mama’s online movement where all things mama are discussed without any sugar coating. Celia recently raised $6,000 for a family whose young mother had stage 4 cancer seeking cannabis therapies and hopes to eventually start a foundation that provides services and funds for kids that have lost their parents to cancer called Julie’s Kids.

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Knox Drs.

Stepping Into Her Power INTERVIEW BY BE TSY KABAKER PHOTOGR APHY & ST YLING BY TIA REAGAN

MEE T THE KNOX DOCS: THE EVER -BRILLIANT AND EVER BOLD TEAM OF DOC TORS THAT ARE SHAT TERING THE GR ASS CEILING IN STRIDE WITH THEIR WORK. THE ACCOL ADES ARE ENDLESS FOR THIS FAMILY OF PHYSICIANS. THE MATRIARCH, DR. JANICE M VAUGHN-KNOX, MD, MBA, EXEMPLIFIED EARLY ON FOR HER DAUGHTERS WHAT IT MEANS TO BE OPEN TO NEW POSSIBILITIES, EVEN IF THOSE POSSIBILITIES WENT AGAINST THE NORM OR THE CONVENTIONAL. IT IS THAT VISIONARY FORESIGHT THAT BROUGHT TO LIFE THE AMERIC AN C ANNABINOID CLINICS AND THE ADVENT AC ADEMY, BOTH FOUNDED BY THE KNOX FAMILY AND DEDIC ATED TO THE PURSUIT OF PERFEC TING C ANNABINOID MEDICINE AND TREATMENT. DAUGHTERS DR. JESSIC A AND DR. R ACHEL ARE PASSIONATELY INVOLVED IN BOTH ENDEAVORS AS CO-FOUNDERS AND ARE ALSO AC TIVE IN C ANNABIS POLIC Y REFORM ENSURING THE TIDES ARE TURNING IN FAVOR OF THOSE OPPRESSED BY R ACIST L AW ENFORCEMENT PR AC TICES. THE KNOX WOMEN ARE ABSOLUTE ROCK STARS WHO HOLD BOTH MBA DEGREES AND DOC TOR ATES, GIVING THEM AN INNOVATIVE AND REFRESHING PERSPEC TIVE OF THE BUSINESS OF MEDICINE. IT WAS MY PLEASURE AND PRIVILEGE TO SIT DOWN WITH THESE L ADIES (OVER ZOOM, OF COURSE) AND HEAR WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY ABOUT THE STATUS OF C ANNABINOID MEDICINE, OUR CURRENT FL AWED HEALTH PAR ADIGM, AND HOW WE C AN EMPOWER OTHERS TO SELF AC TUALIZE GIVEN OUR CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES.

WHAT WAS THE MOMENT YOU DECIDED TO MAKE STUDYING C ANNABIS AND THE ENDOC ANNABINOID SYSTEM YOUR WORK AFTER A LONG C AREER IN ANESTHESIOLOGY? Dr. Janice—I spent 30 plus years as a board-certified anesthesiologist.

During all that time, particularly toward the end of that anesthesia career, I felt like I really wasn’t doing what I was called to do. It just seemed like there was something else I needed to be doing. I would actually vocalize that and say, “I’m not doing what I am supposed to be doing.” I would get the response, “You’re putting people to sleep so they’re not hurting for their surgery, which is a great thing.” However, I knew that something was missing, and it wasn’t until I retired from anesthesia and was asked to work in one of the cannabis card clinics that I really thought, “Oh my goodness, this is something different.” The patients coming in were mostly new patients and looking for guidance and direction when I didn’t understand why they were looking for cannabis at all. They were sometimes spending their last dollars to get their medical cannabis card.

I really had to take a deep dive to figure out what cannabis was all about and why this plant was so important to these people of all ages and all walks of life. When I saw the medicinal benefits of cannabis at the clinic, I thought, “If it’s this important to people, why in the world was it kicked off the American pharmacopeia?” So I dove into the science and physiolog y and found all of this research, and I was totally blown away.

I was blown away that there was real science that explained why these people wanted cannabis and why it worked for them. It also explained why our conventional medicine did or did not work. This explanation and the physiolog y was so mind-blowing that I could not learn enough.

The more I read, the more excited I got. That was the tipping point for me that got me so involved.

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HOW C AN OTHER PEOPLE HEAR WHAT IS C ALLING THEM AND THEN AC TUALLY GO FOR IT? Dr. Janice—I always start with people understanding who they are and what they believe in. What are your beliefs and what talent did God give you that you need to follow ? My advice to people is number one; look within yourself. What do you feel?

What are your talents? What’s the spirituality about your stuff that’s going to drive you and pay attention to that because that’s going to direct you every time in the right direction. It’s only when we move away from that and do what society or others expect us to do that we lose ourselves. We lose who we are. We lose those talents. We lose that creativity and imagination. I am so for people understanding who they are first, what drives you, what you’re passionate about, and let’s build around that. Let’s see where that takes you.

THE ADVENT AC ADEMY, WHICH YOUR FAMILY FOUNDED, OFFERS THE FIRST AND ONLY INTER AC TIVE EDUC ATION PROGR AM IN C ANNABIS, C ANNABINOID MEDICINE, AND ENDOC ANNABINOLOGY DEVELOPED BY C ANNABIS CLINICIANS. TELL US ABOUT YOUR WORK THERE.

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE OF C ANNABINOID THER APY LOOK LIKE POST FEDER AL LEGALIZATION? AND WHY DO YOU THINK MEDIC AL C ANNABIS HAS BEEN KEP T A SECRE T FOR SO LONG? Dr. Janice—The future will depend on continuing research and how well we understand the physiolog y and the pharmacolog y, not only of cannabis but anything that has cannabis properties, which we call cannabimimetic. The quality of medicines, the kinds of medicine, and the delivery mechanisms are going to depend on how well we understand that physiolog y and pharmacolog y. It’s going to change the way we do medicine and it’s going to change the way we do healthcare. It’s changing the way we think about wellness. I encourage people to think about wellness versus illness and getting back to being healthy. Let’s start with wellness first and keep people well so they don’t need whatever it is that they need when they’re sick. Research is essential and we have to support that research.

“What we should be talking about is equity, period, across the board. I don’t want to be a ‘social equity licensee.’ I don’t want to be ‘included.’ I don’t want you to

Dr. Jess—We start with the endocannabinoid system and in learning the endocannabinoid system, you understand that it’s all connected—body, mind, and spirit are all one. And once you know about the endocannabinoid system, it is only logical that cannabis is a medicine.

‘diversify.’ That puts me in a role of being subject to other people and their needs and what they think is fair and equitable. I want equality. ” — Dr. Janice Knox

Dr. Janice—Spirit is a big part of it, and it’s one of the things that has been left out of society. I’m not talking about religion or what God they believe in, but that spiritual connection to the world, to the earth, to whoever or whatever created who we are, that’s huge.

Clinicians and healthcare providers of all types are trainable to understand the whole picture and not just the brain or the heart or the liver, which is so fragmented. It’s no wonder why we’re so scattered. Everything is fragmented; nothing is together. I remember the harmony that the ECS [endocannabinoid system] tells us about: that balancing. Advent Academy should be screaming about how all these things need to be kept together.

In medical school, everything is divided. The brain is not in the picture, usually. Understanding cannabis in the physiolog y, puts it all together for us, bringing the brain in, bringing the spirituality back. If people cannot connect to themselves and do not realize we’re spiritual beings, we will still see chaos in human lives.

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Cannabis, as a medicine, has been kept a secret for so long. We need to look at the history of cannabis from being widely used to being banned and demonized. In this country in the thirties, cannabis was kicked off the American pharmacopeia. We had the Marijuana Tax Act that made it impossible for us physicians and pharmacists and growers to grow or use our prescribed cannabis. It had absolutely nothing to do with science. It had all to do with the greed of politicians, industrialists, and the ideologues who wanted to control this plant. It’s still that way today.

Dr. Jess—If I can speak briefly on my fear regarding federal legalization—it’s that federal legalization finally allows big pharma or big corporations to come in and have their way with the cannabis industry. We know from history, we’ve seen what the pharma model is, it’s these monomolecular synthetic patentable chemicals that we can use as medicine that we can bill insurance for, that we can train medical students to eventually prescribe. The system has the potential to undermine the whole natural plant that we, as active clinicians, know works better for patients than does an isolate, whether it’s a synthetic or natural isolate. Federal legalization is coming. It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when.

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I feel like we’re in a race to educate not only healthcare professionals but also the broader public to the benefit and promise of the whole natural plant medicine. What’s really interesting about cannabis, I think, is that legalization has always been patient-driven. We, as clinicians are catching up with our patients who have been using, asking about, and applying cannabis, whether we know anything about it or not, and we’re trying to catch up with them. It’s the patients that really pushed this forward. I think if we’re going to protect the whole natural plant for continued use even after federal legalization happens, it’s going to require that the masses understand why having access to the whole plant medicine is so important, why it’s so much more beneficial and helpful for our physiolog y.

I find it unlikely that a hospital or a clinic is going to administer a whole plant medicine to patients just because they don’t really know what to do with it. But I think the wellness space is the whole plant’s place, and we need to flip the entire paradigm of health care or wellness care. Right now, as individuals and patients and consumers, we’ve been conditioned to rely on drugs, to rely on clinicians, to make us healthy or make us well. We need to flip that. We need to start with lifestyle first. Cannabis is not a drug of last resort. It should be our drug of first resort.

Our first medicine should be nutrition. We start with nutrition, then maybe we add cannabis or other botanicals, but we really need to start from the natural end of the spectrum first and only as needed, or as conditions progress despite our natural intervention. Shifting the paradigm in that way requires that we as a populace are educated and believe in our natural tools and our natural instincts and abilities to heal.

C AN YOU SPEAK TO THE IDEA OF HEALTH EQUIT Y? Dr. Rachel—When somebody comes into our clinic with a diagnosis, whether it’s high blood pressure or diabetes or cancer, they’re not just a diagnosis. We’re not just treating that specific disease. They’re coming to us as the sum total of their lifetime experience and exposure. From a functional endocannabinologist’s perspective, we have to take account of their entire lifestyle. What they’re eating, who they’re around, how they’re thinking, what they’re wearing, where they’re breathing, the state of their home environment; these are all factors. Do they have access to green spaces where they can kick off their shoes and ground themselves? What access to resources do they have if any? Are we sending them back into a food desert after just counseling them on choosing natural whole foods?

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Health is the sum of four major determinants: social, economic, environmental, and human determinants. When we talk about health equity, we’re talking about the intentionality of ensuring that there’s balance in an individual’s life across each of those four buckets, and that might mean we have to invest more into one bucket than the other. Still, the goal is to make sure that these buckets—or pillars of health equity as we call them— are balanced for every individual in an equitable way. That is health equity. This is why I’m being very intentional about differentiating health from medicine.

Healthcare does not happen in the medical system. Medical care does. We have to stop using healthcare and medical care synonymously. Medical care is what happens when you come to a clinic or a hospital and we provide you with medical care.

Healthcare happens in the rest of your day to day life. Because of this, as people having a shared experience, we need to be

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having conversations with one another teaching one another how to live healthier lifestyles. We also ought to be holding all systems of society accountable for facilitating—and not detracting from—health. Medical professionals can not do it alone. Patients don’t spend the majority of their time with us. We all spend the majority of time with ourselves, with our families, with our friends, and in spaces outside of the medical system. It’s in these settings where education and change absolutely has to happen.

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Ironically these settings are where most of the education on cannabis today happens. It’s mostly spread person to person, friend to friend.

There’s been this reversal of roles, and it has moved the needle pretty far.

Had it been left up to medical doctors to legalize cannabis, it wouldn’t have happened. We can be honest about that. So in a similar fashion, we all have to be just as vocal, educating one another about health equity and the ways we can create pathways to achieving it.

HOW C AN WE LEVER AGE C ANNABIS TO CREATE HEALTH EQUIT Y FOR COMMUNITIES IMPAC TED BY THE WAR ON DRUGS? Dr. Rachel—The war on drugs has been very destructive to communities of color, a disruption to entire ecosystems. The goal is to leverage cannabis to create health equity for these communities. Black and Brown communities have been disinvested in for so long that we have to be very intentional about investing in them. We now have to invest in them at the same rate we’re investing in everybody else, and we can do that by implementing equity-centric cannabis policy reform, and by creating jobs, and by using cannabis tax revenue to flood communities with vital resources. It’s about ensuring access to cannabis as medicine for all people. Leveraging cannabis for health equity is what we call Cannabis Health Equity, and we’ll all benefit from that. There shouldn’t be any pushback to that. When we work for the benefit of our most vulnerable communities, we serve all communities. With one simple tool— cannabis—we can do just that.

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DR.R ACHEL, C AN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE C ANNABIS POLIC Y INITIATIVES YOU ARE WORKING ON WITH THE MINORIT Y C ANNABIS BUSINESS ASSOCIATION? At the end of the day, we’re operating at a time where transparency is everything. It is not enough to just give philanthropically and be quiet about it. Right now, we need to hold everybody accountable. We need to know what you’re doing, how you’re doing it, how you’re measuring it. This is a big lift. We have to change a whole lot of minds. We have to change a whole lot of behaviors. If we’re not demonstrating change and being transparent about it and actually measuring the impact of that change, we’re not gonna get very far.

There are so many things that can distract us from the bigger picture and we can’t afford it this time around. The cannabis industry is young enough for us to get it right.

We have the opportunity right now for a do-over. Not every state has legalized. The States that have legalized, some of them are talking about restructuring.

Washington and Colorado have gone on record saying they need to start over because what they’ve created isn’t working.

Dr. Rachel—The Minority Cannabis Business Association is the first business league for people of color in cannabis. It is a network of Black, Brown, and other people-of-color-owned enterprises, but the bulk of MCBA’s work is policy reform. What we’re working on this summer is a reprisal of our model bill that we created three years ago. At the time that it was constructed three years ago, we didn’t address medicine or research. This time around, we’re including it and we’re also redefining equity because we really do need some consensus on what that means.

“We have the data and the statistics that demonstrate that this is still

happening even in legal states. For these police bureaus and law enforcement agencies to continue to receive funds from the economy of a plant that is still being criminalized, for which we’re still arresting people of color, it’s insane. It is wholly unethical. It is cruel. I don’t know how many more negative words I need to apply to that

The state model bill that MCBA is constructing is meant to be applied to all states. Certainly, all states have the opportunity to adapt it to their individual needs and should. In lieu of federal legalization, it is time for these legal states to operate similarly to one another. That’s what equity is all about. A patient in Massachusetts, for example, should not be treated differently than a patient in Oregon. There needs to be some standardization.

What operators in cannabis statement to help people understand can do is support good that it’s hypocritical, ruthless, and legislation. We need our My experience with MCBA trade associations and our and just being of color in perverse. It needs to stop, period.” companies to band together this industry has shaped and support the right kind of how I proceed and how I — Dr. Rachel Knox policies that put equity front advise within the cannabis and center. That’s why we industry. Our family, along have to get rid of the restrictive models of “social equity” that with some other really exceptional people, have founded a new we’re seeing today, because they are by and large afterthoughts. organization called the Cannabis Health Equity Movement and When it comes to creating policies and enforcing regulations, the CHEM Coalition. The name CHEM, short for ‘chemistry,’ social equity programs are add ons; like affirmative action, they is also an homage to our scientific leaders like Dr. Raphael are band aid solutions to a systemic problem. Equity is not an Mechoulam who identified CBD, THC, and CBG, who have add-on. It has to be core to the mission of legalization, or else really catapulted us to where we are today. We believe that it’s not going to happen. So if you don’t have money, or feel like cannabis should be used to achieve health equity, but also we’re you’re struggling to find ways to help, you do have a voice and honoring the fact that the science and the chemistry of cannabis you can support good legislation. You can show up at Capitol has brought us to where we are today.

Hill and testify in front of Congress in favor of bills that put equity and medical research of cannabis front and center.

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There are also plenty of people of color who have products that need shelf space. You can increase the percentage of shelf space that you’re dedicating to operators of color. Maybe you’re big enough that you can bring in some interns of color, some young people to learn the craft, and pay them for it. They can learn a thing or two and self-actualize within that context. They might want to become a retail operator or maybe through that exposure, they want to become a cultivator or not even a plant-touching business owner at all. The whole idea is that we have to increase visibility and opportunity in this industry for people of color.

That’s just the start.

We hold ourselves accountable for a lot of other standards in business. Whether we’re trying to hit this quota, or we have to give this amount of money or whatever it is, put your mark in the sand and deliver on it. The time is now to be holding each other accountable.

Dr. Janice—The language needs to change: ‘diversity’ and ‘inclusion.’ Diversity and inclusion are terms that I absolutely cringe at. I’m beginning to cringe at the term ‘social equity,’ as well. They’re becoming band-aids where “we’ve done our part and I’m very vocal about my belief that everybody who stands to now let us get back to business as usual.” We, as people of color, make a profit off of this plant directly or indirectly has to first need to not accept those terms, either. What we should be talking tithe to health equity. I’m about is equity, period, across unapologetic about that. the board. I don’t want to be a Much like you might tithe ‘social equity licensee.’ I don’t to the church, that’s 10% want to be ‘included.’ I don’t right off the top that goes want you to ‘diversify.’ That puts back into health equity. It is a me in a role of being subject to commitment. other people and their needs and what they think is fair and “What’s really interesting about equitable. I want equality. I want It’s not just about the state cannabis, I think, is that legalization to travel the pathway that has and cities doing the right no potholes, just like they do. things with cannabis tax has always been patient-driven. We, Those terms just haven’t served revenue. It’s about each people of color well. operator in the cannabis as clinicians are catching up with industry understanding our patients who have been using, that they have a debt to pay.

Dr. Rachel—Those terms have These aren’t handouts. This asking about, and applying cannabis, been misused. Diversity just plant was weaponized and speaks to the degree of variety— disrupted communities, whether we know anything about like gender or racial differences making it harder for people among a group of people—that’s it or not, and we’re trying to catch from those communities to present in any given situation or do anything, not just get a up with them. It’s the patients that place. Inclusion means that all job in the cannabis industry. the people within that variety Until that is rectified, this really pushed this forward.” are included in the conversation. money is de facto blood Those words are important and — Dr. Jess Knox money. That sounds extreme, they’re necessary, but they don’t but that’s literally what it is. mean equity. They don’t ensure We all have a part to play, that at the end of the day, all who including operators of color. make up any variety of people Just because you’re of color and who have been participating doesn’t give you a pass. You in the conversation get paid the have to be a participant now same or are treated the same. You and use that money and those actually have to address all three, profits to serve and achieve equity for all people too. but it’s not going to be impactful unless you ensure that equity is occurring as well.

Dr. Jess—It’s a matter of putting your money where your mouth is. It’s not enough to post a black box on social media. It’s not Capital isn’t always economic. It’s not always financial. There enough to repost one of Dr. Rachel’s awesome Instagram posts. are other ways that organizations can work towards an equity If you’re going to recognize that this stuff matters, and you want cause. You have a voice, you have a platform, you have marketing to show people that you believe it matters, put your money where dollars, right? How are you wielding your other assets in the name your mouth is. of achieving equity? My call to action is yes, act, but make sure it’s impactful and measurable and measure it because if you don’t hold yourself accountable, somebody else will.

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DR.R ACHEL, C AN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE C ANNABIS POLIC Y INITIATIVES YOU ARE WORKING ON WITH THE MINORIT Y C ANNABIS BUSINESS ASSOCIATION? At the end of the day, we’re operating at a time where transparency is everything. It is not enough to just give philanthropically and be quiet about it. Right now, we need to hold everybody accountable. We need to know what you’re doing, how you’re doing it, how you’re measuring it. This is a big lift. We have to change a whole lot of minds. We have to change a whole lot of behaviors. If we’re not demonstrating change and being transparent about it and actually measuring the impact of that change, we’re not gonna get very far.

There are so many things that can distract us from the bigger picture and we can’t afford it this time around. The cannabis industry is young enough for us to get it right.

We have the opportunity right now for a do-over. Not every state has legalized. The States that have legalized, some of them are talking about restructuring.

Washington and Colorado have gone on record saying they need to start over because what they’ve created isn’t working.

Dr. Rachel—The Minority Cannabis Business Association is the first business league for people of color in cannabis. It is a network of Black, Brown, and other people-of-color-owned enterprises, but the bulk of MCBA’s work is policy reform. What we’re working on this summer is a reprisal of our model bill that we created three years ago. At the time that it was constructed three years ago, we didn’t address medicine or research. This time around, we’re including it and we’re also redefining equity because we really do need some consensus on what that means.

“We have the data and the statistics that demonstrate that this is still

happening even in legal states. For these police bureaus and law enforcement agencies to continue to receive funds from the economy of a plant that is still being criminalized, for which we’re still arresting people of color, it’s insane. It is wholly unethical. It is cruel. I don’t know how many more negative words I need to apply to that

The state model bill that MCBA is constructing is meant to be applied to all states. Certainly, all states have the opportunity to adapt it to their individual needs and should. In lieu of federal legalization, it is time for these legal states to operate similarly to one another. That’s what equity is all about. A patient in Massachusetts, for example, should not be treated differently than a patient in Oregon. There needs to be some standardization.

What operators in cannabis statement to help people understand can do is support good that it’s hypocritical, ruthless, and legislation. We need our My experience with MCBA trade associations and our and just being of color in perverse. It needs to stop, period.” companies to band together this industry has shaped and support the right kind of how I proceed and how I — Dr. Rachel Knox policies that put equity front advise within the cannabis and center. That’s why we industry. Our family, along have to get rid of the restrictive models of “social equity” that with some other really exceptional people, have founded a new we’re seeing today, because they are by and large afterthoughts. organization called the Cannabis Health Equity Movement and When it comes to creating policies and enforcing regulations, the CHEM Coalition. The name CHEM, short for ‘chemistry,’ social equity programs are add ons; like affirmative action, they is also an homage to our scientific leaders like Dr. Raphael are band aid solutions to a systemic problem. It’s not an add on. Mechoulam who identified CBD, THC, and CBG, who have It has to be core to the mission of legalization, or else it’s not really catapulted us to where we are today. We believe that going to happen. So if you don’t have money, or feel like you’re cannabis should be used to achieve health equity, but also we’re struggling to find ways to help, you do have a voice and you can honoring the fact that the science and the chemistry of cannabis support good legislation. You can show up at Capitol Hill and has brought us to where we are today. testify in front of Congress in favor of bills that put equity and medical research of cannabis front and center.

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HOW DO WE EMPOWER OTHER WOMEN TO CL AIM THEIR SEAT AT THE TABLE? Dr. Jess—Especially as women, we are taught to be apologetic or to be small or to be quiet and we cannot afford to do that any longer. We see where that has gotten us (and our world) and it’s not where we want to be. So we can’t be apologetic. We look at our male counterparts and they’re certainly not apologetic.

Sometimes I look at the gall of men, and I need to have that same gall because they are shameless about using their unfair advantage. We need to be shameless about using whatever our unfair advantages are and we don’t have time or room or space to be apologetic about it.

Dr. Rachel—We need to strategically partner with one another and support each other, period. We’re not competing with one another, we’re collaborating with one another and we need to all bring something different to the table. We all have our enterprises that we’re beholden to, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t share assets, resources, minds, or energ y with one another such that we were all benefiting from it. I call that the ‘Entourage Benefit’ now, instead of ‘Mutual Benefit.’ Our collaborative efforts will create something that is bigger than the sum of its parts. That’s what we’re doing, and we have to believe it and commit to it.

We have so many assets that are underused and underappreciated that we’re sometimes too timid to step into our power for whatever reason, but we are powerful. We’re powerful beyond belief. People wouldn’t work so hard to suppress wouldn’t if they didn’t find them a threat in some form or fashion. The oppression of women and the oppression of people of color have been intentional and it’s been effective to date because we haven’t recognized that it’s our collective power that’s most threatening.

We need to figure that out and use our voices, our talents, our skill sets, our knowledge, our intuition, and our intelligence to take control of our lives and our destinies, and the fruits of our labor so that they’re benefiting us.

Women especially understand that taking care of ourselves is taking care of other people. We’re not being selfish when we give ourselves time for ourselves. We take ‘me time’ so that we can fill up, and we need to be full so that we can pour back out again.

I don’t think anybody understands that more intuitively and intellectually than women do. That is our power. It’s time for us to direct the ship. We can only do that after we all come together and decide that we’re going to do so.

AC Clinics offers evaluations for medical cannabis cards and authorizations to patients in California, Oregon, and Washington States. Learn more at DoctorsKnox.com and @theknoxdocs, @racheldocknox, and @jessdocknox on Instagram.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Betsy Kabaker is an entrepreneur who has served the cannabis industry since 2015 focusing on marketing and branding for California’s most sought after brands and retailers. She has the pleasure of being MJ Lifestyle’s Features Editor, helping develop content strategy and finding ingenious women to include in our pages. She is a tastemaker and culture shifter and does not take the privilege of working with the powerful cannabis plant lightly. In 2019 she lobbied for cannabis policy reform with organizations like NORML in Washington DC and hopes to inspire others to take action. Reach out to her directly at betsykabaker@gmail.com or on the gram @betsykabaker.

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SHIVA, ASTONISHED

BY THE POWER OF CANNABIS, SHARED IT WITH HUMANS AS HIS PERSONAL GIFT TO MANKIND.

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The Power of Bhang Centuries of the Highest Traditional Offerings C ANNABIS EQUIT Y ADVOC ATE & COMMUNIT Y BUILDER WRITTEN BY YOGNANDANI “ YOGI” MAHARAJ PHOTOGRAPHY BY JENNIFER SKOG

In India, Maha Shivratri is celebrated as the night honoring the eternal love Goddess Parvati shared with her husband, Lord Shiva. It’s the world’s largest anniversary party. Bhang, a cannabis concentrate made by grinding the female flowers into a paste, is one of the highest traditional offerings to the iconic lovers. Bhang dates back thousands of years to the ancient legend of Samudra Manthan, Churning of the Milky Ocean. During the churning, ratnas, gifts, sprung from the cosmic ocean, the final being an elixir of immortality, amrita, which spilled and gave us cannabis. After the last ratna was delivered, the vile halahala poison remained, so Lord Shiva sacrificed his welfare and consumed it to save the universe. To his delight, Shiva’s wife Parvati was not going down without a fight.

She quickly thought of a plan to save him before the poison spread.

Utilizing the knowledge of Ayurveda, she prepared a remedy made of cannabis that would keep the halahala from toxifying the rest of his body. Parvati held the poison in her husband’s throat and fed him the bhang, saving him from the venom. Shiva, astonished by the power of ganja, presented it to humans as his personal gift to mankind.

One hundred years after the death of Mir Jafar, Nawab of Bengal, Britain gained control of India’s military and pressured over 2 million Indians to sign their lives into consensual slave labour and relocated them to islands far from their homeland. My family and I are Fijian descendants of those Indians. Until 1917, Indians were expelled by the British to Fiji, Jamaica, Mauritius, South Africa, Ceylon, Trinidad, Guayana, Uganda and Kenya to work crop fields to sustain Britain’s thriving economy built off the enslavement of Africans. As a result, ganja was introduced to Jamaica and would later be popularized by the Rastafarian movement, but Britain’s perfectly timed release of the Indian Hemp Drug Commission Report of 1893 left Fiji dry.

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“THE TEMPLE OVERFLOWED WITH DEVOTEES SEEKING A DROP OF THE GODS’ NECTAR. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THEIR LIFE GENERATIONS OF FIJIAN INDIANS WERE HONORING A 3,000-YEAROLD TRADITION THAT WAS STOLEN FROM THEM.” —Yogi Maharaj

While my ancestors arrived on a ship in Fiji, Britain ran the greatest in-depth study of cannabis the world would ever see. A 3,698-page study surveyed over 1,200 Indians from different castes, religions, and demographics to compare and contrast cannabis use amongst various populations. Till this day, this is the oldest known record of scientific research done on the cannabis plant. The research was broken down into three major categories: mental, physical and moral effects. The rich history of cannabis in India was reflected in the indigenous people’s knowledge of climate control, early hydroponic systems, and agricultural patterns of the plant. The first seven volumes were released in 1893. The 8th and final volume was added as a ‘survey study’ in 1895 and served as the last weapon in the systematic destabilization of the Indian people.

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Fijian Indians, like my ancestors, and many Indians who were uprooted to British colonies were the first to propagandize since they were far from home and grouped with Indians who didn’t share the same language, devout practices, or social class. Before indentured servitude, cannabis allowed Indians to see past these social barriers and coexist. The bhang plant helped us manage PTSD from traumas of separation, rape, and violence—all a result of colonialism. Dehumanizing India’s worship of cannabis on accounts of ‘laziness, insanity, and psychosis’, while destroying families and relocating millions left Indo-Fijians dismissing the sacred ritual of bhang as primitive.

Prior to Britain’s release of the Indian Hemp Drug Commission Report, Hindu women were worshipped as devis, goddesses. We were honored as magical, mystical beings because our wisdom lies within our intuitive compassion. Like Parvati in the Samudra Manthan, women are revered throughout history as healers and medicine makers of the world. For this reason, the preparation of bhang was (and still is) commonly reserved for women. When Britain dismissed the worship of bhang as barbaric, women were dethroned from their honor of upholding wellness and prosperity in their families. During the same time, Indian men were economically forced into indentured servitude across the globe leaving their wives and families for what they mistook as a short journey. Women’s husbands, children, and bodies were taken against her will, but nothing was able to rob women of their shakti, divine energ y. Today bhang culture in India is still alive thanks to the fierce women who fought back and held onto tradition in the name of Goddess Parvati. Her legacy lives on in India’s Parvati Valley as one of the world’s largest cannabis attractions—physical proof that nature succumbs to no man.

For Maha Shivratri 2020, my mom and I made bhang tandai to honor women and Parvati’s sacrifice. Bhang tandai is a rich, nutty milkshake laced with chai spices and cannabis paste commonly made to celebrate Holi, Shivratri, and other Hindu holidays. After 10 years of advocating for cannabis at home, I was pleasantly surprised when my mom suggested we bring it as the mahaprasad, the highest offering, to celebrate the marriage of Shiva and Parvati. Before she could change her mind, I pulled out the age-old sill laudha, stone tablet, and rolling pin, and pulled up The Grass Agency’s bhang recipe on my phone. My mom watched me as I ground the buds against the cool grey stone. Contrary to the Bollywood experience, we were quiet during the entire process. My heart was heavy and the repetitive motion invoked a strange sense of rebellion within me.

With each motion, I could feel the staggering weight of my people begin to liberate itself.

When I presented the bhang tandai at our mandir, the atmosphere was filled with curiosity and excitement. With the exception of a few, all of the adults partook in the ritual of mahaprasad. Our elders accepted bhang with the highest blessings. Grandmothers were the happiest, holding my hand with twinkling eyes and picking my brain about what spices were used and how I’d made the delicious drink. The hardest question to answer was where to buy the ganja from. (How do you say ‘dispensary’ in Hindi?)

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I spent the evening hand-delivering microdoses of the elixir, answering questions while sharing India and Hinduism’s rich history of cannabis. For most bhang was a Bollywood myth, so as word got out, the temple overflowed with devotees seeking a drop of the Gods’ nectar. For the first time in their life, generations of Fijian Indians were honoring a 3,000-year-old tradition that was stolen from them. All around us our ancestors rejoiced. Hundreds of us were in their presence, wrapped in their timeless blessings. That night, we deified centuries of oppression, but it was clear that the fight had only just begun.

For more Desi cannabis history and etymolog y visit bit.ly/luvkush-glossary

LEN GH AS, N EC KL ACE & BA NG LES

BY RON & R A NJITA CHA ND OF RR BOU TI QU E, BIT.LY/RRBOUTIQUE EARRI N GS BY YOG I MA HA R A J COMING SOON TO @LU VKU S H.CO ON INSTAG R A M BI T.LY/LUV K USH-SHOP

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“ALL AROUND US, OUR ANCESTORS, REJOICED. HUNDREDS OF US WERE IN THEIR PRESENCE, WRAPPED IN THEIR BLESSINGS.” —Yogi Maharaj

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How to Make Bhang Paste

Derived from the Urdu and Hindi word meaning ‘hemp’, the word bhang is used to describe the full spectrum, edible paste made from the cannabis plant. Our bhang paste recipe is adapted from The Grass Agency. After many years of making bhang paste, I found their recipe to be the strongest and closest to the original method. The whole cannabis plant is decarboxylated (activated through heat), steeped in butter or oil, and blended into a ‘pulp’ or paste. This paste is commonly used to make bhang tandai (literally translating to weed milkshake) which is served as mahaprasad for Shiva and Parvati. This is a two step recipe that requires the bhang paste to be made first or in advance. The bhang paste is a delicious concentrate to infuse into your favorite desserts and smoothies, adding the mildly psychoactive kick you need to connect with your inner divine. For recipes to use with your bhang paste, visit bit.ly/luvkush-bhang

10 grams cannabis buds 1 tablespoon ghee or high-fat oil (coconut, avocado) 2 tablespoons sugar

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

2-3 tablespoons water

Yogi Maharaj is the founder of LUV KUSH CO a wellness and lifestyle community reshaping the face of cannabis in Desi society with consciously cultivated education, resources, and experiences.

Preheat your oven to 225°F. 1.

2.

3.

Transitioning in the cannabis space from legacy to

Grind the buds with a grinder or a mortar pestle. Try to omit any seeds, sticks, and stems. This flower will be blended into a paste, so you’ll want the highest quality stuff to ensure a flavorful paste.

Bake the cannabis at 220°F for 10 minutes, mixing the bud in the pan every 5 minutes.

Transfer the bud into a pot, add the rest of the ingredients to the pan and mix well. Return to the stove for 9 minutes, mixing well every 3 minutes. Add more water 1 teaspoon at a time if needed to prevent the buds from burning.

grew up with was being rebranded to fit a newer, Eurocentric audience. Meanwhile, she was met with resistance from the Desi community for her own cannabis philosophy and career within the industry.

It was still highly taboo. Yogi’s desire to reclaim her heritage led to the path of radical self-realization as she learned about her ancestors’ journey from India to Fiji, the rich history of cannabis in South Asia, and their influence on cannabis throughout the entire world. She established LUV KUSH CO to share her findings, burn the stigma, and reclaim Desi culture in a newly emerging industry.

4.

Remove from the oven and cool.

5.

Blend the mixture into a thick paste. This recipe yields a little over ¼ cup of bhang paste that can be kept fresh in the fridge for three months or frozen for up to a year.

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legal markets, Yogi found much of the culture she

Keep in touch with Yogi and all the latest at LUV KUSH CO by

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following @bulabhang and @luvkush.co on Instagram!

For more information, inquiries/bookings visit bit.ly/luvkushco or email luvkush.co@gmail.com

How to Make Bhang Thandai

2 cups whole milk (for a vegan version, try a plant-based milk with a high fat content—such as coconut milk.) ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon sugar 1-3 tablespoons of bhang paste (depending on your preferred potency)

Photo by Yogi—These vessels have been in her family for over 100 years!

¼ cup raw almond 1 tablespoon raw cashew 1 tablespoon poppy seed ¼ teaspoon clove powder ¼ teaspoon cardamom, ground 1 teaspoon ginger, fresh or powdered 1 star anise pod ½ teaspoon black pepper

1.

Blend the almonds, cashews, and poppyseed into a course ‘flour’.

2.

Toast the nut mixture under medium-low heat until everything is evenly golden. Add the remaining spices and toast for about 2 minutes, or until the spices are warm and fragrant.

3.

Keeping the flame at medium-low heat, add the milk, sugar and bhang paste and whisk or stir ingredients together until everything is dissolved and heated through. (A good sign is when the milk becomes frothy and creamy on top.)

4.

Turn off the stove and remove from heat.

5.

Allow the mixture to cool to room temp, then refrigerate. Thandai literally translates to ‘cool’, and is intended to be drunk ice cold like a milkshake… although truth be told, we couldn’t wait that long and dove right in!

Keep your leftover bhang paste in the freezer to make sweet danky treats! For more recipes and ideas on what to make with your bhang paste, visit bit.ly/luvkush-bhang

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Change Makers

success centers cannabis employment program Meet Liz Jackson-Simpson & Angela White

PHOTOGR APHY BY JENNIFER SKOG

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SHARE A LITTLE ABOUT THE CANNABIS EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM YOU ARE LEADING AT SUCCESS CENTERS

CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT SUCCESS CENTER’S EQUIT Y FOR INDUSTRY WORKSHOPS? IS IT FREE TO ATTEND?

The Equity for Industry program is one of the few programs in our city that assists the equity community with jobs in the industry. It brings employers, business owners, and equity applicants together with an opportunity to share information in an intimate and safe learning environment. It helps business owners stay compliant with the First Source Hiring Ordinance in San Francisco and with the Office of Cannabis regulations. We provide monthly trips to MD Farms for a cultivation workshop where our clients can learn what it takes to operate a facility.

Through our partnership with Oaksterdam University, folks who otherwise would not be able to afford it are able to receive a scholarship at one of the most renowned cannabis universities in existence.

The Equity for Industry Workshops are presented by industry professionals covering the various facets of the business. Angela curates speakers to address elements of the industry that are nuanced and different than in other sectors. For example, Cash Only Businesses, Creating an Equity Footprint, Marketing Do’s and Don’ts, Learn the Lingo. All programs and services are free of charge. Again, anyone is welcome to attend. There are no wrong doors at Success Centers. However, to work in the industry you must be 21 years old.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE GREATEST ACHIEVEMENTS YOU HAVE BEEN ABLE TO EXPERIENCE WITH SUCCESS CENTERS THUS FAR?

Success Centers’ programs and services are steeped in equity: our construction program trainees are 1/3 women, we are training more black and brown folks for the tech space, and the cannabis program is our response to the War on Drugs. We listen to our constituents and develop programs that not only support their needs but enable them to earn a living wage and afford to live in the city they were raised in. As a result of the publicity Zoe Wilder and her associates have assisted us with, we get calls from across the country from businesses and municipalities that want to join our quest and ensure marginalized folks are able to have equitable opportunities in this industry. We are trailblazers building a new industry. I never thought I would have this opportunity in my lifetime. We want to do this correctly this time.

WHO CAN APPLY FOR AIDE FROM SUCCESS CENTERS? ARE THERE DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS FOR CANNABIS EMPLOYMENT?

There are no wrong doors at Success Centers. Anyone interested and willing to participate in the Equity for Industry workshops or other training components can qualify for the opportunities Ms. Angela has developed with our community partners and businesses. Our focus, however, are equity applicants and job seekers as there is a First Source Hiring Ordinance in San Francisco.

WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES CANNABIS EMPLOYEES ARE FACED WITH TODAY?

The cannabis industry is new and very much in flux. Regulations change every day and we are making things up as we go. It’s the wild, wild, West.

WAYS MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC CAN GET INVOLVED AND CONTRIBUTE TO SUCCESS CENTERS

Donate: Success Centers uses its reserves to sustain this program and has had over 1200 interested equity job seekers and equity applicants come through our doors in the past two years.

Hire an Equity Job Seeker: Provide a job opportunity for someone who has been wronged directly or vicariously by the War on Drugs.

Incubate: Take an equity applicant under your wing and help to seed and mentor their business. Success Centers conducts an entrepreneurship training program to assist equity applicants in learning how to put together business canvases and galvanize their ideas.

Volunteer: Lend your time and talents. Lead a workshop, provide tours, mentor an equity job seeker or equity applicant, assist Angela with developing curriculum, recruit at a community event, sit on our Board of Directors, sit on our affinity group, and advocate for the industry.

Invest: Provide seed funding for budding equity business owners.

IS THERE ANY THING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH MJ LIFEST YLE’S READERS?

Liz: We are humbled and grateful for this opportunity to share our work in support of the Equity Community.

Angela: I am so proud to be in this space and want to continue creating new and innovative ways to educate our community.

Pay rates are low and livable wages are needed in the Bay Area as the cost of living and housing here is expensive.

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Liz Jackson-Simpson CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, SUCCESS CENTERS SF

WHAT WERE YOU LIKE AS A YOUNG GIRL? WHAT DID YOU DREAM OF BECOMING?

As an only child, I had a very independent spirit. I was very curious and questioned everything. My dad wanted a boychild, so I learned all the things he would have taught his son (construction, sports, dominoes) and my mom was very entrepreneurial and quite the renaissance woman herself (made all of my own clothes, she was a musician, she cooked, cleaned, and was an avid reader and an excellent student, etc.). They both had side gigs (hustles) that helped to make ends meet or allow us to go on vacations. They were also revolutionary trailblazers living on Haight/Ashbury in the late ‘50s, ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s with the beatniks, panthers, bohemians and flower children (Purple haze all in my brain) at a time when there was a focus on civil rights, as well as protests against the war and other social ills. This is all of who I am—never settling ; always curious and questioning the status quo.

WHAT DID YOU DREAM OF BECOMING?

I always want to run things: a doctor, sheriff, or entrepreneur.

WHAT LED YOU TO PURSUE A DIRECTION IN CANNABIS?

DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN THREE WORDS.

Innovative, Compassion, Change Agent

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE QUOTE OR MANTRA?

Never take ‘No’ for an answer. No means not right now.

TELL US ABOUT SUCCESS CENTERS, AND HOW DID YOU GET YOUR START WITH THEM?

I have been involved with Success Centers for over 32 years and have served in every capacity over the years: line staff, manager, teacher, volunteer, funder, Board Chair, and now CEO. My sons (particularly the oldest who was born two months before I took the job) tell me that if they ever have to do community service, I would sign it off because they are paid in full for life! I love Success Centers’ mission and vision for the community and have witnessed firsthand, souls saved, and lives changed.

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While in college in 1983, I wrote my thesis paper on the legalization of cannabis. Fast forward to more recently, we conducted a sticky wall activity with our young people, and they indicated that they wanted jobs other than the entry-level opportunities we were getting them into. They wanted jobs and internships in construction, tech, hospitality, music production, and cannabis and to meet professionals that looked like them as mentors, instructors, and supervisors. People thought I was crazy to get them talking more about cannabis, but they wanted more than to just smoke. In fact, they knew this was turning into a new industry. Who better to pioneer this new and budding industry than individuals who have been harmed by the War on Drugs? Then, I convinced the board and we responded to a grant application from the Office of Economic and Workforce Development that requested ideas on new industry training.

We proposed the cannabis industry. I ranked the highest, but they refused to fund us. I know we were ahead of our time, and the city was not ready for us. This did not stop us. We used our reserves to launch the program. The city relies on our program, services, placements, and our ability to prepare equity applicants to support businesses and to assist the Office of Cannabis for compliance as they endeavor to build this industry.

“Never take ‘No’ for an answer.

No means not right now.”

—Liz Jackson-Simpson

WHAT WERE YOU LIKE AS A YOUNG GIRL? WHAT DID YOU DREAM OF BECOMING?

As a young girl, I was really into sports. I had brothers around my age so we would spend our time racing each other, building gocarts, playing baseball, basketball, and other outside activities. I was one of the first girls to play Little League in Palo Alto on a team called Romic Chemicals. I also played with dolls and would be very helpful to my mother with chores around the house. My mother was always fair with dispensing duties as I had to mow the lawn and do yard work, clean, wash dishes, and cook, as did my brothers. I also enjoyed watching things grow, I would help my step-dad when planting and working in our garden.

WHAT DID YOU DREAM OF BECOMING? I wanted to be a singer and/or dancer because I derived joy out of making other people happy, and a teacher because I enjoyed sharing good information.

DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN THREE WORDS.

Humble, Giving, Nurturing

TELL US ABOUT SUCCESS CENTERS, AND HOW DID YOU GET YOUR START WITH THEM?

Angela white EQUIT Y FOR INDUSTRY PROGRAM MANAGER

Liz and I met through our children— my daughter told Liz about my cannabis dispensary experience and introduced us because Liz wanted to launch a cannabis program. Liz and I spoke over the phone for about six months before she called me out of the blue one day and told me she needed me to start working at the Career Center. I gave a two-day notice to my employer and went to work at the center.

WHAT LED YOU TO PURSUE A DIRECTION IN CANNABIS?

Cannabis has always been around me growing up. Our garden was always 420 friendly. Also, during the time I worked at the dispensary, I met people from all walks of life who were using cannabis to enhance their life. Some patients with cancer, seizures, migraines—you name it—would come in and share their positive results from using the plant.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE QUOTE OR MANTRA?

EMPOWERMENT THROUGH EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT, AND ART. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SUCCESS CENTERS VISIT WWW.SUCCESSCENTERS.ORG

Today is the first day of the rest of your life and it ain’t over til it’s over.

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BEAUTY MJ Lifestyle teamed up with The Westside Collective and Cure Designs to celebrate five Black Women-owned beauty brands in Joshua Tree to raise awareness for three charities putting Black lives first. @ColorOfChange

TAYLOR & tess

@NationalBailout

Undefined Beauty

@ShineText

Frigg iNTITLED Homebody

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“I grew up around a lot of white people.

Ashleigh Rebecca

In elementary school, I vividly remember being told that I was one of the ‘good ones’ — not like the ‘bad ones’

Model, Creative

I was meant to understand; I was different.”

—Ashleigh Rebecca

There are many who find their differences as impairments or handicaps; there are several who choose to hide behind that which is accepted by all, rather than highlighting their love for that which is accepted by few. For Ashleigh Rebecca, there are no bounds. She transforms the unacceptable into the loved, the unusual into the praised, and the unforeseen into the cherished. She does what most of us are incapable of doing—articulating her true emotions of self-identity and art through a distinctive, inimitable, matchless, and truly rare form of creativity.

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WARDROBE BEL KAZAN WYETH HATS

SHOP T&T AT TAYLORANDTESS.COM

"I knew the purpose and mission behind our brand before I knew what our product offerings were going to be: inclusivity, plantfocused, sustainability, and the normalization of cannabis + hemp use. We focused on representation and human connection, and everything flowed organically from there.

We have connected with so many beautiful humans + brands on our journey, and we will continue to lengthen our table and include as much diversity as we possibly can. As we find ourselves in the middle of a pandemic and revolution, I know which communities are hit the hardest: BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and immigrants. Our hope at T+t is that you will educate + inform yourself about the pressing issues, not shy away from them because it's uncomfortable: that's privilege. We can't have unity, freedom, and justice for all until we self-audit, start the discourse often, and support the groups that our current administration would rather erase." —Tess Melody Taylor, TAYLOR & tess

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Samiere

Musician, Model, and Author Music saved my life. I grew up utilizing music as a means to cope. I connect deeper to my emotions when creating melodies. I find strength in each drum pattern and synth.

I find greater insight about myself and my truth in my song lyrics. Being a queer woman of color in the music industry has been very challenging. I’ve had setbacks in my career, not because of my talent, but because of the color of my skin and my sexual orientation.

One specific incident that sticks out to me was in 2015 after signing to a major label.

The A&R who was assigned to me told me not to dream too big because I was black and the music industry didn’t invest in black artists, especially not queer ones. That the industry has a blueprint for each artist they sign, and because I didn’t fit any, it would be extremely difficult for me. I winded up leaving that label as soon as my contract ended. I didn’t need that energy.

Being queer in a dominant hetero industry that glorifies money and sex, made it difficult to sell myself. “There’s no one like you. We don’t know what to do with you.”

I felt I should have been looked at as an asset because I felt like I’ve always seen the world from both the masculine and feminine perspective.

Despite the setbacks, I chose to focus on the positive, constantly finding new ways to make sure people notice how great I am.

How I have chosen to respond is how I believe I’ve been able to remain resilient despite the opinions and behaviors of others towards me.

I am in the works of finalizing a book I wrote called Don’t Give Up . This book was written to raise awareness and to help serve the special needs of sexually abused children and their families. As a survivor, I believe visibility is key. I want others to see that they can be great despite their experiences.

VISIT SAMIERE.COM #DONTGIVEUP

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Dorian Morris

Founder, Undefined Beauty

“I don’t have all the answers and it’s frustrating living in a system that has been set up against you. But it does fuel my passion and purpose to change the rules of the game with Undefined’s focus on Conscious Capitalism across every piece of the business model and supply chain. Business empowers business. I created Undefined to change the narrative, democratize beauty, destigmatize, and normalize plantbased wellness while also infusing social impact in the process. It’s about re-framing and rejecting what beauty and wellness have historically stood for; there’s not just one way to be, live, love, consume, appreciate, vibrate. It’s about celebrating the beauty of choice.

I personally hate rules and being told what to do and Undefined embodies this mindset as rules are meant to be broken, especially when the rules were set up by a patriarchal system that did not (and still does not) want diverse and underrepresented community to thrive. It’s about taking our power back.

Not conforming.

Embracing individuality, quirkiness, duality, fluidity, and uniqueness. Not putting limits on yourself and moreover, recognizing you are not alone and you are more than enough. Beauty starts in your head, not in the mirror, and Undefined is about reinforcing and celebrating this new and important approach to beauty and wellness. As a black, queer, female founder, leading with this purpose is part of my brand DNA and it shows up in how I personally lead—focused on radical transparency—and it also shows up in how I communicate, inspire and educate my community aka my Undefined Crew.”

—Dorian Morris, Undefined Beauty

SHOP UNDEFINED BEAUTY AT UN-DEFINEDBEAUTY.COM

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Undefined is Clean, Conscious, Inclusive Plant Magic. It’s about normalizing and destigmatizing beautiful adaptogens like cannabis, in a space where diversity is blatantly missing. Specifically, the cannabis industry was built off the backs of the Black and Brown community, who were terrorized through the war on drugs and are now excluded from the conversation. Undefined is challenging that—changing the narrative—breaking the rules—and taking it one step further by infusing purpose to drive sustainable impact. It’s time we take our power back and #LiveUndefined.

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“Cannabis is a tool for my anxiety and generational trauma and I want to normalize that for others” - Kimberly Dillon, FRIGG

Specifically, People of Color are more likely than white adults to report significant stressors in their life as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, namely getting coronavirus—71% vs.

59% respectively, basic needs—61% vs. 47%, and

SHOP FRIGG BEAUTY PRODUCTS AT GETFRIGG.COM

access to medical care services 59% vs. 46%.

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Kimberly Dillon Founder, Frigg Plant & Prosper

“Burnout, Mental Health, Therapy are all topics that are still super taboo in the Black community, despite it being in the community with the greatest needs. Can a beauty brand raise awareness around mental health? We like to think so and we are trying by talking about the impact of stress on the hair and the skin as a starting point.�

- Kimberly Dillon, FRIGG

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Kiara Tenae

Owner, iNTITLED “Intentional Self-Care is not a Luxury it’s a Law! iNTITLED was born to support uplifting and transformative practices with a focus on women & womb healing. Having discovered I had fibroids & then moving through loss of child due to miscarriage I dove hands first into African womb healing/massage as a form of aftercare. Learning/ experiencing in my own body the healing properties of yellow Shea butter, I then made it my mission to transmute the negative energy into something positive to support other women.

You are iNTITLED to LUXURY. You are iNTITLED to SHINE. You are iNTITLED to INTROSPECTION. You are iNTITLED to HEAL.” —Kiara Tenae, iNTITLED

VISIT @_INTITLED ON INSTAGRAM

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45% of Women report symptoms of PTSD 30% of Women reported miscarriage affecting their professional life 40% of Women reported that the loss affected their relationship with friends and family 55% of Women who miscarry experience depressive symptoms shortly following the incident 40% of Women experience anxiety immediately following miscarriage and up to 15% reach the clinical threshold for a major depressive disorder in the months following the loss.

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Fo c u s e d o n h av i n g a m i n i m a l e n v i ro n m e n t a l i m p a c t by c a re f u lly s e le c t i n g m at e r i a l s , c re at i n g a m i n i m a l a m o u n t o f w a st e , a n d t h o u g h t f u lly d o n at i n g o r u p - c yc l i n g fa b r i c s c ra p s . O r i g i n a l p r i n t s e t h i c a lly m a d e i n B a l i . V i s i t t h e B e l K a z a n B o u t i q u e i n L A o r v i s i t b e l ka z a n . c o m

ABOUT BEL KAZAN

These symptoms can exist for one to three years after loss.

MJLIFESTYLE.COM

“Homebody was birthed out of a need. In January 2019, I was in a traumatic car accident that left my body broken and my spirits at an all time low. My traditional doctor prescribed me a plethora of pharmaceutical pills and heavy synthetic medication which ultimately made matters worst for me physically, mentally and emotionally so I sought out a holistic physician. It was here that I was introduced to cbd, cannabis and herbal remedies and I began the journey of my being my owner healer through plant medicine.

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I began formulating herbal remedies as bath ritual treatments and soaking in them every day. As I started to notice improvements in my overall wellbeing I was curious as to why and how I could feel better than ever before, so I researched and studied cannabis, the endocannabiniod system, color therapy and the power of plants as medicine. After 60 days of soaking in my own “solution” I knew I had to share these elixirs with the world. A few months later Homebody was born—a modern wellness brand intended for you to experience the power of whole body.

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Each of our bathing experiences are intentionally designed with a purpose and need in mind.

Whether you’re dealing with anxiety, stress, pain, moods, or unhealthy sleeping patterns, we’ve created a system of products as an ally to help you thrive, rebalance and feel more at home in your body.” ­—Rebecca Grammer-Ybarra Founder & CEO of Homebody

“With all of the attention on black-owned businesses I feel it’s about time. And I really wish I would’ve seen this outpouring of support when my three bakeries were closing two years ago —but I’m grateful it is here now and I can still participate.

I am open to learn about the plans and strategies of the retail partners who want to partner with Homebody. We are now in the position to ask important questions and vet these partners by starting the hard conversations around social injustice, systemic racism, and what part are they playing right now to make the change and how they are going to move going to empower BIPOC within their establishments, communities and the world.” ­— Rebecca Grammer-Ybarra Founder & CEO of Homebody

SHOP HOMEBODY AT HOMEBODYWORLD.COM

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ted by TONIC n e s e CBD Pr

Tarot Astrology

CBD

+ botanical blends designed

with

your v

ibe in

mind

FROM THE STRE TCH TAROT DECK BY JOSEPH & SUSAN STRE TCH

BY INTUITIVE DIVINATION PR AC TITIONER REGINA LEIGH

Full Moon in Pisces Card: The Moon SEP TEMBER 2

Keywords: Intuition, spirituality, dreams, nostalgia, prophecies, daydreaming , psychic, emotional sensitivity, sharpening of senses, end of the lunar zodiac cycle

The Full Moon in Pisces encourages us to pay attention to our intuition. We feel as if we are in a fantasy world as confusing yet transformative energies set in. Heavy emotions bubble to the surface to help guide us deeper into the spiritual realms.

Under this luminary, we will begin to instinctively recognize the seasonal shift in the air as the lunar Full Moon charges in the final sign of the zodiac. As the collective closes out a very emotional cycle, it is here in the Pisces Full Moon we can release heavy emotions and have a sigh of relief.

SEP TEMBER 5

Mercury enters Libra Card: Justice Keywords: Fairness, truth, cause, and effect, law, karma, decisions, responsibility, balance, equilibrium

Venus enters Leo Card: The Queen of Wands

SEP TEMBER 6 Mercury in Libra encourages us to bridge the gap and merge people and new ideas. Mercury stationing in an air sign is refreshing as we begin to see the bigger picture and feel a desire to initiate new solutions and resolution within our home and communities. We are encouraged to actively assert our ideas into the world and create accessibility to all who may benefit. Thinking out loud brings new ideas and practicing listening can benefit you in unexpected ways. Communication and practicality is highlighted and we begin to focus more on preparing for the Future.

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Keywords: Confidence, courage, social butterfly, independent, determination, self-respect, dynamic, flirtatious, charismatic

Venus moves into Leo to heat things up in our love lives, setting the stage for flirtations, flings, and romance. Attention seeking Leo basks in the energ y of Venus as this combination encourages us to let our guards down in love and move into our confidence and enjoy the fierceness of our passions. Our confidence is heightened and we feel more daring to approach new love opportunities or to take our partnerships to the next level. We feel excited for love and desire more attention than normal because we know we’re worth it.

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SEP TEMBER 9

Mars Retrograde in Aries Card: The Devil

Keywords: Shadow-self, restriction, addiction, aggression, releasing limiting beliefs, exploring dark thoughts, bondage, greed, letting loose and enjoying the pleasures of life

Mars retrograde in Aries brings an array of tense elements.

Impulsion, aggression, competition, assertiveness, and breaking through boundaries and limits are highlighted here. Mars being the planet of war marks his territory as he double backs into Aries for one last fight. Survival instincts kick in and we look for unconventional ways to overcome harsh realities. Mars can be aggressive in nature and cause forceful division. Choose your battles wisely now, during this transit it is best to disconnect, lay low, and stay grounded.

SEP TEMBER 12

Jupiter goes direct in Capricorn Card: Ace of Pentacles Keywords: Excitement, new resources, opportunities, abundance, prosperity, security, stability, manifestation, material achievement

Jupiter goes direct in Capricorn bringing significant relief.

Jupiter expands our experiences and understanding and we are needing to see tangible results in order to feel motivated to invest more of our time and energ y. Jupiter in Capricorn does not take risks especially in regards to money or opportunities.

Here we see more value in direction, clear goals, strong plans, and material results. Jupiter in Capricorn attracts good fortune and luck and helps bring integrity, discipline, commitment, and positivity back into the collective.

SEP TEMBER 17

New Moon in Virgo Card: 8 of Pentacles Keywords: Apprenticeship, repetitive tasks, mastery, skill, development, commitment, expertise, talents, stability

The New Moon in Virgo encourages you to commit to yourself. The New Moon in Virgo brings new beginnings, introspection, organization, idealism, and healing. Were encouraged to pay attention to details and to practice patience. We are able to set the tone for what’s next and set our intentions with a clear direction and a clear heart as we fully align more into the life we truly desire.

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SEP TEMBER 22

Sun enters Libra Card: Ace of Swords

t T NI AbornumoreO C CB D a Lea

Keywords: Justice, authority, clarity, clear thinking , conquest, emotions, success, effort, victory, strength in spite of adversity

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The Sun in Libra allows us to create harmony and balance.

The equal balance of sunlight in Libra also talks about equality, fairness and validation. We are now able to assess people and situations with a trained ear and eye. The Sun brings clarity and intellect and sharpens our ability to spot fakery and dishonest intentions. The Sun in Libra honors truth and grace and meeting others halfway. We feel a sense of bravery and knowingness with the protection of the Sun in Libra, here we are free and liberated to allow ourselves to live in our own right of our divine soul truth.

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SEP TEMBER 29

Saturn turns direct in Capricorn Card: The Wheel of Fortune

Keywords: Chance, optimism, karma, fate, destiny, good fortune & luck, unexpected change, elevation, irony, adaptation, change of fortune, new beginnings, protection

Saturn the lord of Karma turns direct in Capricorn after 5 long months of learning and relearning challenging karmic lessons. We feel wiser and more experienced and ready for what’s next. During this time we are encouraged to be more responsible, respectful, present, and to fully commit to our chosen path. It’s been a long journey and we feel ourselves growing stronger, more healed, and moving into a space of peace and acceptance. With the influence of Capricorn, restrictions begin to lift as Saturn moves out of Capricorn and after a 5-year long transit. As the old cycle comes to a close, we are able to rebuild our foundations upon the beginning of a new cycle and a new beginning.

INTUITIVE DIVINATION PR AC TITIONER REGINA LEIGH @OG_QUEEN

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