Cannabis Talk Magazine, Spring 2023 Premiere Issue

THE BRICKS WE LAY TODAY, PAVE TOMORROW’S ROADS

Dear Readers,

On behalf of the team at Cannabis Talk 101, I’d like to take a moment to thank the canna-curious and experienced, enthusiasts and connoisseurs, alternative health and plant medicine advocates, the smokers and the tokers, and everyone that has come together throughout the years to form the Cannabis Community to which we all belong.

You, the reader, are the most important component of the machine, what makes us tick, and the energy that propels us to move forward. You are the life blood of the industry, and none of us would be here, without you. So, from the the bottom of our hearts, thank you.

To those who of you who are working diligently, dedicating your lives to cannabis research

and development, in the pursuit of knowledge, health, and wellness… Thank you. It is you that keeps us safe and well informed, breaking new ground with each study, and it is you that will lead us to a new way of healing.

Thank you to our partners, and everyone that has believed in us, and helped to propel us forward throughout the last 10 years.

We still have a long road ahead, but the bricks we lay today will pave the road for generations to come.

EDITOR AND CHIEF

JESSICA SERRANO

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

MONDO MERINO

DIGITAL MEDIA DIRECTOR

JENNIFER CARRASCO

ASSISTANT EDITOR

ERICA GODINEZ

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

RYAN BARTLETTE

NATIONAL SALES DIRECTOR

CAMERON BAXTER

SOUND ENGINEER

“GOLDIE” WILLIAMS

BOOKING COORDINATOR

SALAR HOSSEINZADEH

COMMUNITY OUTREACH DIRECTOR

ALI “MUFFINZ”

LEGAL ADVISOR AND COUNCIL

FREDDY SAYEGH

PARTNER AND HOST OF CT101

JOE GRANDE

VICE PRESIDENT OF CANNABIS TALK 101

CHRIS FRANCHINO

FOUNDER & CEO OF CANNABIS TALK 101 CHRISTOPHER WRIGHT AKA “BLUE”

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in Cannabis Talk Magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Cannabis Talk 101. We do however believe in, and encourage uncensored freedom of speech. CT101 Magazine is published quarterly. Submissions of photographs, Illustration’s, drawings, and manuscripts are considered unsolicited materials and the publisher assumes no responsibility for the said items. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written consent of the publisher is strictly prohibited. Printed in the USA. For advertising inquiries serrano@cannabistalk101.com

The information contained herein is provided for educational purposes only. The Authors, CT101 Magazine, and the Publisher Shall Not Be Liable for Any Direct, Indirect, Incidental, Special, Exemplary, or Consequential Damages However Caused and on Any Theory of Liability, whether in Contract, Strict Liability, or Tort, or claims pertaining to intellectual property, and advertisements, Arising in Any Way out of the Use of this Publication. It is the reader’s obligation to ensure that any activities engaged in are lawful. Under no circumstances shall you hold the author, CT101 Magazine, or the publisher responsible for any acts you decide to take or not take. Any decisions you make, and any subsequent consequences, are your own.

JESSICA SERRANO

EDITOR

AND CHIEF CANNABIS TALK MAGAZINE

ON THE COVERS

BRAND: KALIX

PHOTOGRAPHER:

CESAR CALDERON

LOCATION: MT SHASTA

SUBJECT: ORION TANG

GRAPHIC DESIGNER: MONDO MERINO

BRAND: MY BUD VASE

PHOTOGRAPHER:

CAMERON KNOX

VASE: VAMP

MODEL: KALIAH VON GRAVES

GRAPHIC DESIGNER: MONDO MERINO

CANNABIS TALK 101 LINK TREE

WHO THE F CK

IS DOREEN SULLIVAN

MANY KNOW HER , everyone loves her...

Doreen Sullivan, not just an Entrepreneur but an ULTRAPRENEUR, has been changing cannabis culture since she had her final “Hide the Bong Dance” in 2015.

A career creative, Doreen Sullivan is no amateur when it comes to designing products. Before making vases (ok, bongs) to consume flowers (ok, weed) she was the Founder and CEO of Post No Bills, an award-winning entertainment marketing agency whose superpower was designing and manufacturing products and promotions that created a PR buzz for clients such as Dreamworks, Disney, ESPN, and the US Olympic Committee. The Legacy of Sullivan’s career before she entered the Cannabis space is phenomenal – from her 1st project, field marketing for the original Dirty Dancing, to five Super Bowls working with ESPN, Sullivan has had

once in a lifetime projects, regularly. Now she is here at her 6th Super Bowl, this time representing her own brand, My Bud Vase™.

“What a career high it is for me to be back at the Super Bowl with my own Super BOWL!” Doreen laughs at the irony and the journey she passionately creates. “Actually, the real reason I’m here is to work closley with our industry to evolve cannabis culture forward by supporting the rights of NFL athletes with their choice to medicate and heal as they see fit. We are here on a mission to end cannabis probition and we’re going to do it in the most beautiful of ways.”

Sullivan is no stranger to prohibition as she built her bong biz in a prohibition state. How fortunate for the busy businesswoman and single mother of two, constantly concealing her consumption, that her final “hide the bong dance” resulted

in her placing her bong amongst her flower vases in her home. It was there she noticed the similar shapes and wondered why she had been smoking out of something so ugly and so phallic; Voila, My Bud Vase™ was born. With Doreen Sullivan’s incredible product development background, she invested in herself, put her agency on hold and obsessed over her discovery; a new way to consume cannabis. Now 3.5 million dollars worth of vase sales later, every piece is developed with intention and given a personality and story. My Bud Vase™ makes Smoking Cannabis Beautiful from the Signature Collection to the Vintage and Artisan Vases each My Bud Vase™ is elegantly crafted to bring art, expression and discretion to your cannabis lifestyle.

What started as a fun passion project curating vintage vases and turning them into bongs has now turned into a global (and

quite popular) business earning her International Attention and Awards such as Top Bong of Canada and Art Basel Showcases, National Press from Forbes, Newsweek and Viceland not to mention the celebrities that enjoy the artistry of My Bud Vase™ (Flava Flav, Snoop Dogg, Martha Stewart, Miley Cyrus, The Chain Smokers, Jim Belushi, Amber Rose, Margo Price, Andy Frasco to name a few).

Doreen Sullivan; creative genius, marketing guru, master product developer, cannabis activist, not just the CEO and Founder of 1 company, but 3 (maybe 4... she just can’t stop!) She’s Creativity in Motion and fun to watch Bloom BIG. To follow along her journey and find the perfect vase for your space, go to @mybudvase and @ doreen_sullivan_on Instagram, Facebook or www. mybudvase.com.

AUTHOR: Erin Reilley

COVER PHOTO: Cameron Knox Photography www.cameronknox.com

INSIDE SPREAD PHOTO: StephanieGregg Lambton-Carr www.gregglcphoto.com

www.mybudvase.com

The global cannabis culture continues to grow in the billions, but the products that support women, who are over half of the industries’ consumers, do not. Many cannabis accessories and products that perform well for men are intimidating and distasteful for ladies and new consumers.

While brands are eager to target the growing dollars of the female consumer, there are limited products being designed for women, by women, who actually consume cannabis. This is expecially true in the luxury and home goods catagories.

cannabistalkmagazine.com // pg. 17

cannabistalkmagazine.com // pg. 17

mermaid @verobeachmermaid

tocacabana @mybudvase

coyote @nihar.photography

TEAM UP TO ELIMINATE CANNABIS TESTING IN THE NFL - IT’S TIME TO PUT PLAYERS OVER PROFITS

AUTHOR: JESSICA SERRANO

DEREK DURONSLET, COO OF REVENANT

A Leader, And A Fighter. Destination: Journey “It Doesn’t Matter Where You Come From, What Matters Is Where You’re Going.”

ClubCorp: a 60 year old company and leader in the private club world who was seeking guidance to build infrastructure. “The biggest success was how they navigated through covid. 2020 was tracking towards a record sales year. Then the pandemic hit. We went from having more than $100 million on the books to wondering how we were going to survive, and feed our employees. I had a year to do nothing but invest in people, and it changed me. I was a leader turned protector. We shifted from sales to retention. We had to contact everyone that had plans at ClubCorp, knowing we could lose millions of dollars. We took an approach of empathy and humanity, and in taking that approach, retained more customers than we could have ever anticipated, and came out of 2021, beating 2019’s record sales numbers.”

- Derek Duronlet

Born in SoCal, Derek spent his days in high school, like many, dreaming of becoming a professional athlete. Disenchanted with the college recruitment process, he went on to the military at only 18 and became a firefighter in the United States Air Force. Derek was stationed in England and traveling through Europe, growing up far from home, and trying to define himself in a system built to follow command. Quickly realizing that the only way to separate himself from the rest was to outwork them, he earned an Associates Degree in Fire Science, which quickly propelled his military career, ranking ‘Senior Airman Below The Zone.’

But despite his accomplishments, entering back into the civilian world as a firefighter wouldn’t be as easy as one might think.

Realizing there was still a long road ahead, Derek made the decision to re-educate himself as a civilian, and went back to school to study business, and learn about human behavior.

Derek proceeded to educate himself and climb up the corporate ladder. Breaking all-time sales records working in companies like McDonalds, American Golf, and Lucky Strike, Derek gained recognition helping these businesses and individuals thrive. “Serve the people, and they will seek you out. You become the reason people come back.” -

Derek D.

It was in 2018 when he learned the most valuable lessons thus far, when his mentor from American Golf asked him to interview with

Derek felt fulfilled professionally, but the time he was able to spend with his family was limited, and in 2022, to better nurture his personal life decided to start a consulting company.

A LESSON FROM THE PROS…

Revenant soon came into the picture, when Derek had the opportunity to sit down with NFL legends Jim McMahon and Kyle Turley. He listened to their stories about using cannabis to heal mental and physical pain acquired during their football careers. He learned about the repercussions that NFL players had to pay in the form of fines, suspensions, and fallen reputations for self medicating with a harmless plant, all while being prescribed dangerous opiates and amphetamines. But one of the most surprising lessons was about a group of individuals tokened ‘The Pre-93ers’: former NFL athletes that played before 1993 who were left with no pension, retirement fund or medical assistance.

“Being from a black minority family, it’s always been in me to fight for people’s rights, but after a 30 year career, that fight in me felt rejuvenated. I don’t want to hear another story about death by opiate addiction, when there are organic and natural alternatives. I have one goal now: Break down the stigmas around cannabis, and do everything in my power to make a change, and I won’t quit until the NFL stops testing.” - Derek Duronlet

REVENANT, “TAKE YOUR LIFE BACK”

Founded by NFL legends Jim McMahon, Kyle Turley and Eben Britton, Revenant was established to provide premium quality cannabis with compassion and convenience, to address illnesses and injuries.

Bonded in brotherhood by their love for the game, the common thread that binds them now is undoubtedly their pursuit of the legalization of cannabis within the NFL.

“Our mission is to provide an alternative, natural way of healing without using industrialized pharmaceuticals.”

Like so many other NFL athletes, Kyle Turley and Jim McMahon su er from CTE: chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a brain condition attributed to repeated blows to the head, which slowly gets worse over time, eventually leading to dementia.

When asked for the best piece of anecdotal evidence he has for the e ectiveness of cannabis, after all the injuries and side e ects and diagnosis over the years, Kyle Turley replied simply, “I’m still here.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF: REVENANT / GRIDIRON GREATS

A PLAYERS PERSPECTIVE: BETWEEN THE HASH MARKS- KYLE TURLEY

“There’s nothing like the cannabis industry. It’s a truly inclusive thing that brings everybody together in health and wealth. If the media would only allow us to show what we’re really doing, it would change everything.” -

Kyle Turley

Kyle Turley is a former American football o ensive tackle who played nine seasons in the NFL for the New Orleans Saints, the St. Louis Rams and the Kansas City Chiefs before announcing his retirement in 2007. He moved to California in 2014 to seek treatment after su ering from a plethora of neurological and orthopedic issues, as a result of constant impact to the head and body, as well as side e ects from the harmful medications prescribed by NFL physicians. That is, the same physicians that prohibit the use of cannabis amongst NFL players.

WHEN ASKED IF HE THINKS THE NFL IS RECEIVING KICKBACKS FROM THE PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES TO KEEP THEIR PLAYERS MEDICATED, KYLE’S RESPONSE WAS CHILLING...

“100%, there’s no doubt. They’ve been on the forefront of pharmaceuticals basic testing labs. We’re professional athletes. What better way to see how a new medication works? I was on medications they took o the shelves worldwide due to side e ects.”

- Kyle Turley

A quick google search a rmed Kyle’s suspicions, dating back to at least 2003, when the NFL signed a $6 million agreement with Bayer HealthCare and GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals.

‘’The NFL is our ideal partner’’ said Nancy K. Bryan, a Vice President of Marketing for Bayer

‘’We’ll be able to reach 120 million fans each week.’’

- The New York Times

‘’They lend instant credibility to the product,’’ said Michael Kelley, managing director for the New York o ce of Relay Sports and Event Marketing

‘’I don’t think their primary goal is getting men to go to the doctor. It’s about selling their product.’’

- New York Times

“Opioid use is out of control in the NFL.”

According to a Washington University study, 52% of players consumed prescribed opioids during their careers in 2011.

- bucsreport.com

KYLE TURLEY GOES ON THE OFFENSE PRESENTING MEDICAL EVIDENCE IN SUPPORT OF CANNABIS USE TO THE NFL COMMISSION

In 2020, the NFL made a public announcement that there would be a meeting held to discuss the use of cannabis amongst players. Kyle boldly took the opportunity, and applied to address the group in an e ort to change their stance on testing their athletes. Kyle presented the medical benefits of cannabis alongside some of the biggest names in the industry, not only to NFL, but to the Head of Neurology for the US Military, Head of Emergency Medicine, Head of Neurology at Vanderbilt University in TN, and the Head of Neuro Psychology.

It was a massive success, or so it seemed, when the NFL put out a press release later that evening. Sporting News reported “A lot will change with the NFL’s new collective bargaining agreement, including a new drug policy in which players will no longer be suspended for positive marijuana tests.”

SPONSOR DOLLARS PROVE TO BE MORE VALUABLE THAN PLAYERS

As the NFL season kicked o in 2021, Pfizer’s marketing strategy to promote COVID-19 vaccine, Comirnaty, went the extra yard. Data found by iSpot’s analysis that since Aug. 22, 2021, ads for Comirnaty aired 749 times on national linear TV, while nearly 30% of Comirnaty TV ad impressions appeared during NFL games, and over 63% of national TV ad spend was allocated toward the NFL in 2021 alone, according to FiercePharma.com.

WHILE PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES CONTINUE TO SPONSOR THE NFL, CANNABIS COMPANIES HAVE BEEN AVIDLY REJECTED...

In Fact, the NFL turned down 2 major o ers from cannabis companies to buy the naming rights of the Denver Broncos Stadium, while accepting a lesser o er in 2019.

Under the NFL’s current guidelines, teams are banned from pursuing business deals with medical marijuana or CBD companies, whether in the form of sponsorship agreements or advertisements.

“A change to the NFL’s policy on marijuanarelated deals is not being contemplated”

- NFL Spokesman Brian McCarthy told FOX Business.

NEW REGULATIONS IN THE 2022 NFL SEASON

Staying true to their word, the NFL will no longer suspend players for testing positive for marijuana, and the league has developed new regulations, raising the threshold for THC from 35 ng/ml to 150 ng/ml.

However, players will still be tested, and if found to have over 150 ng/ml, will be fined up to 3 games pay. A hefty fee for consuming a medicinal plant found in nature, all while continuing to prescribe dangerous medications, owned by NFL sponsors.

JIM MCMAHON, EVIDENCE THROUGH EXPERIENCE; A PERSONAL JOURNEY OF HEALING WITH CANNABIS

“We are not here to fight, we are here to work with, educate and support the NFL, on how cannabis and CBD products can be utilized for the wellbeing of players in the league. It’s important to have an understanding that the people we love so dearly, loved the game, and we want to help them in their pursuit of well being.”

- Jim McMahon

Jim McMahon is an American former football star quarterback, 2X Super Bowl Champion, 2X All American, who played in the NFL for 15 seasons, most notably for the Chicago Bears, and retired in 1996.

Now involved with the Gridiron Greats, Jim is a cannabis supporter and advocate.

Jim Moved to Arizona in 2010 when cannabis became medically legal, obtained his medical license, and was able to get o the harmful painkillers he had grown to be dependent on for decades. Over the years, Jim met with Dr. Uma Dhanabalan, a Harvard graduate with 40-years of experience who understands the human healing process with Integrative Cannabinology, Functional Endocannabinology and Cannabinoid Medicine, and was able to explain the endocannabinoid system, and help Jim fully understand the benefits of cannabis. www.Totalhealthcarethc.com

Jim explains, “This cannabis plant has so many healing properties to it, it’s not a drug, it’s a medicinal herb. The NFL has known for a while how powerful this is. We’ve been lied to for over 100 years, and the government has a patent on it.”

Hearing this, many people may be in disbelief, or think it to be a conspiracy theory, but he is in fact absolutely correct. Patent No. 6,630,507 was granted in 2003 to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, covering the potential use of cannabinoids to protect the brain from physical damage or degeneration caused by certain diseases, such as Cirrhosis or Alzheimer’s disease.

“Cannabinoids are found to have particular application as neuroprotectants, for example in limiting neurological damage following ischemic insults, such as stroke and trauma, or in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, HIV and Dementia.”

- patents.google.com

After sustaining multiple concussions and serious injuries including a broken neck, folded sternum, severe brain, shoulder and neck damage, Jim retired in 1996. cannabistalkmagazine.com

“(Upon Retirement) You could stay on insurance for another year or two and then you were done. After that I couldn’t get insurance and if I did, my premium was through the roof. I had to wait 10 years just to have shoulder surgery. I had 12-14 surgeries during the NFL, and 6 since. I believe cannabis helped me with my rehabilitation.

” - Jim McMahon

“Mike Ditka was my old coach, and got me involved in the Gridiron Greats. For all things said about him, he has a huge heart.”

- Jim McMahon

Mike Ditka, who’s credits to the game of football are as long as his career itself, is an American former football player, Hall of Famer, 3x Superbowl Champion, 2× NFL Coach of the Year, and television commentator. Now, Mike Ditka is giving back to the athletes that served as the foundation on which the sport survives, through the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund. www.gridirongreats.org

The Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund (GGAF) was founded to serve those in need, who played for the NFL, risking body and mind for the love of the game, but were discarded in many ways upon injury or retirement.

What many don’t realize is that if a player is not on the active roster by game 1 of year 4, due to injury, the NFL does nothing to help with the cost of surgeries, medical bills, medication, or even pension. And what’s even more shocking, is that the average NFL career is only 3 ½ years; meaning the average professional football athlete, many of which have sustained permanent neuro and physical injuries equivalent to numerous car crashes, and are unable to work, and left to plead for government disability assistance. Moreover, many players are often denied their disability benefits. And ‘Pre-93’ers, regardless of the length of their career, were given no retirement benefits, pension, or medical assistance at all.

“The worst injuries are the ones you really don’t see, that come in the form of a concussion, or getting your bell rung or getting knocked out, but they come back to haunt them 10 or 15 years later when they really have severe (neurological) problems.”

- Mike Ditka

WE, AS SPECTATORS, SEE PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES AS UNTOUCHABLE LARGER THAN LIFE FIGURES. WE SEE THEIR NAMES IN LIGHTS, AND ON THE BACKS OF JERSEYS AND MERCHANDISE, LIVING WHAT MANY CONSIDER THE ULTIMATE DREAM. BUT FOR MANY, THAT DREAM IS ALL BUT AN ILLUSION.

Please take a moment to sign our petition to ask the Commissioner of the National Football League, Roger Goodell, to stop testing for cannabis, to help end the opiate epidemic amongst some of our national treasures, the Gridiron Greats.

But it doesn’t stop there, as discussed previously, the NFL has been sponsored by Big Pharma for decades, and denied players the opportunity to substitute addictive opiates and other harmful medications with safe, natural alternatives, such as cannabis.

“Mike Ditka was the first to support me in my fight for cannabis over 10 years ago, leading to the events we are now able to host at the Super Bowl and he supports Jim (McMahon) and I as if we were his sons”

- Kyle Turley

“My man, Kyle Turley, toughest guy I’ve ever known” - Mike Ditka

“It took great fans to build the empire that is American Football, and it will take great fans to help us overcome the epidemic that is facing our Greats right now. Thank you for your support.” - Mike Ditka

SCAN TO DONATE

“A lot of people have turned their backs on these players because they feel like they don’t owe them anything, and the Gridiron Greats treat them as if they were our own family.” - Mike Ditka

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Sharing a passion for educating, advocating and defending members of the cannabis community, they discuss the benefits of cannabis as well as the laws engulfing it, while breaking the stoner stereotype. Together, they have embarked on a mission to spread the truth about cannabis while guiding and connecting industry professionals along the way.

The quality content and entertainment that Cannabis Talk 101 brings, makes for an extremely personable, entertaining and educational show for everyone to enjoy.

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