Issuu

product reviews:

What â€™s new:

our favorite ways to eat, drink, vape and . spray away the pain pg 7

Flavor is driving the cannabis product market. pg 3

product flowchart:

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HONEYCOMB

by Daniel barnes

Cannabis wonderland

T X R E ACT O H B

choose from, everything from teas and juices to punch mixes and Keurig-style coffee pods. Patients on a more restricted diet enjoy inhalation options beyond the usual flowers — vapes for people who need something cleaner, waxes and other concentrates (i.e., dabs) for people who need something stronger.

C O N SI ST EN T LY T EST S A T BELO W D ET EC T I BLE LI MI T S F O R A LL SO LVEN T S MA D E WI T H LO VE

FIND US AT: COL L ECTIVE EFFOR TS FL OR IN W EL L NESS SAS AL P INE AL TER NATIVE SOUTH SAC CAR E CENTER

“People are trying to be innovative, and make that one thing that’s completely different.” Angela Kadara, Medizen

“Dabbing definitely seems to be leading the trend,” Pritchard says. “Resin [a concentrate made with extracts from fresh flowers] is real popular. That’s the next big thing coming.” Meanwhile, sublingual sprays and tinctures exist for patients who want general relief, while cannabis lotions and salves and transdermal patches target localized pain and specific symptoms. “People are trying to be innovative, and make that one thing that’s completely different,” says Kadara. “We have a lot of pride and integrity in our product — the end result isn’t sales, it’s the patient.”

Editor: Michelle Carl

Writer: Daniel Barnes

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Photography: Anne Stokes

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Production Coordinator: Skyler Smith

Director of Et Cetera: Will Niespodzinski

Ad Consultants: Lee Roberts, Kelsi White, Matt Kjar

Ad design: Kyle Shine

D O ZEN S O F F LA VO RS

A F AR M V I H

In the brave new world of medical cannabis, the sheer variety of options on the dispensary shelf is staggering. While the traditional method of smoking flowers still dominates the market, the medicine can also be eaten, chewed, drunk, sprayed under the tongue or applied to the skin. “There are different options for different levels of medicating,” says Brian Pritchard of Alpine Alternative. “If you’re just truly looking for something for ankle pain, and the lotion works for you, then that may be all you need.” Edibles have become popular with older patients and people sensitive to smoke, and it’s a lot easier to manage dosages with food than with flowers. At the same time, gummy candies like the ones made by Sacramento-based Medizen attract the millennials. Right now, most of the edible products on the market are sweet, but that is changing. “Gummies aren’t going to be around forever,” says Angela Kadara of Medizen. “There are a lot of people who would like to medicate with edibles, but they don’t want a brownie or cookie, so they don’t try it. We see ourselves moving back into a more savory market.” Indeed, popcorn, pizza, pretzels and peanuts now come infused with cannabis, finally uniting marijuana and “the munchies.” People who would prefer to drink rather than eat their medicine also have a lot to

From flavored waxes to truly delicious cookies, manufacturers are crafting a cornucopia of products that cater to patients’ palates

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where to begin? P R o d u C t

Looking for an alternative to smoke?

yeS ye S

g u I d e

Are you on a restricted diet?

START

Looking to treat localized pain/skin condition or more general symptoms?

yeS ye S

yeS

High potency or super-high potency?

You’ve got your doctor’s rec — great! Let’s figure out the best product for you.

Are you cool with inhalation?

geneRAl geneRA l p in pA

Do you have digestive issues?

Supe upeR R HigH

locAlized lized p in pA

loTionS/ SAlveS Specifically addresses skin issues and local pain; no marijuana “high”

edibleS yeS ye

Hig igH

w xeS/ wA concenTRATeS beveRAgeS Instant relief; super-high potency; devices are more difficult to use

v peS vA

Lasts longer than smoking/vaping, but takes longer to kick in

TincTuReS/ SublinguAl SpRAy RA S RAy No damage to lungs; not as fast-acting or as potent as smoking/vaping

Similar to edibles, but faster-acting and better for patients with digestive issues

floweRS

You’ve got meds! Cleaner and more discreet than flowers; medium potency

Fast-acting; high potency; can be harsh on lungs

Once you’ve found your product, read labels carefully. As you know, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration has not approved cannabis to treat any illness, so make sure to consult your physician. Marijuana may cause drowsiness and can impair your ability to drive, so please medicate responsibly!

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us e co d e alchem y 2 0

Vape ReViews

O.penVAPE pen Ease of Use ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Value: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Discretion ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Potency ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ For all of my experience smoking medical cannabis, I possess very little experience with vape products. This is mostly due to my stonerLuddite aversion towards complicated smoking machinery (if a tool has too many detachable parts, it’s a sure bet I’ll lose them), and it’s one of the reasons why I found the O.penVAPE pen such a delight. As the medical marijuana industry continues to grow, vape pens have continued to shrink, and the O.penVAPE is one of the smallest. It’s literally the size of a dime-store Bic, and doesn’t require any buttonpushing or complex assembly. Just charge the pen through the screw-in USB port, then screw a cartridge of cannabisinfused oil into the pen and start puffing. More experienced vapers may be able to recommend better products, but I can’t believe there’s anything more simple and discreet than the O.penVAPE. (Daniel Barnes)

“Grow for Vets” Gorilla Glue cartridge

Dime Vapes Disposable Pen

Eureka Vapor vape oils

Alchemy by Dark Heart

Ease of Use ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Value ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Discretion ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Potency ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

No matter how small they get, vape pens generally require some sort of external charge, usually coming through a screw-on battery that fits into a USB port. However, the last few years have seen the introduction of charge-free disposable pens like the Dime Piece from Dime Vapes ($10). The Dime Piece is a masterpiece of discretion and simple elegance, all black with a diamondtextured tip on one end and a twist-off plastic mouthpiece on the other. In order to smoke, you twist off the mouthpiece and fill the piece with liquids, concentrates or even ground-up medical marijuana, then re-attach the mouthpiece and start puffing away. The Dime Piece is the ultimate in low-maintenance and convenience, and with its small size and smoke-anywhere capabilities, it makes for an ideal travel buddy. (D.B.)

I generally pride myself on possessing a finely tuned palate, but as someone who has mostly smoked flowers, I don’t have a lot of success distinguishing different flavors in vape oils. Whether it’s a Sky Walker Indica or a Headband Sativa, they all have that same sort of airy, slightly metallic, faintly dank flavor. The difference is in the desired effects. Eureka Vapor sent us samples of four different vape oil strains, and true to form, I could barely pull out individual tasting notes — maybe a little more melon in the Train Wreck Hybrid, maybe a touch of pine in the Sky Walker Indica. However, the indica strains put me right to bed, while the sativa strains kept me up making lists on Letterboxd. (D.B.)

A line of flavored vape cartridges inspired by “aromatherapy, herbalism and the culinary arts,” Alchemy by Dark Heart mixes CO2 cannabis oil and botanical extracts in four different flavors, each designed for a specific “therapeutic” effect. All four of the blends weigh in at 30 percent THC, and all come encased in lovely, fauxhigh-end packaging that makes them look more like expensive soaps or artisan chocolates than vape cartridges (each retails for $35 and is supposed to offer over 200 hits). I sampled all four blends, and I really enjoyed the vanilla and rose-flavored Explore, as well as the “chai” infusion of Inspire, with its notes of sweet orange and cinnamon. The peppermint and black pepper Awaken is an interesting novelty, but I can’t see myself ever getting desperate enough to take the remaining 199 hits of the lavender-heavy Relax. (D.B.)

Grow for Vets, a nonprofit organization that “calls attention to the million-plus veterans living with PTSD,” recently kicked off their national Save a Million Vets Tour. As part of the kickoff, Absolute Xtracts introduced a “Grow for Vets” line of vape cartridges, with $2 from every cartridge sold going to the nonprofit. I sampled a 58.6 percent THC cartridge of Gorilla Glue ($32 retail), a hybrid strain that took first place at the Los Angeles Cannabis Cup in 2014. The Absolute Xtracts vape pen didn’t hold a charge as well as others, but the Gorilla Glue was potent and relatively flavorful for an oil cartridge. Absolute Xtracts sources their cannabis from local and sustainably grown plants, making this a good product for a good cause. (D.B.)

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K -4 7 CHERRY A

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EdiblEs REviEws

Bhang Cherry Milk Chocolate Bar

Jane’s Brew Gourmet Hot Chocolate

Edipure Peach Banana Rings

Co2 Made candies

Holy Grail Energy Chews

Ease of Use ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Value ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Discretion ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Potency ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

A 180 mg, foil-wrapped candy segmented into four sections, the Bhang Cherry Milk Chocolate Bar is made from 52 percent South American cocoa butter, as well as real cherries, sugar, milk and vanilla. The package advises newbies to “eat only 1/2 of one segment and wait a minimum of one hour before consuming another segment.” It balances rich and velvety chocolate with the brightness and texture of the cherries, and while I generally don’t go for chocolate unless it’s concealing butterscotch or caramel, this thing is legitimately delicious. It certainly didn’t take a full hour to kick in, as I started feeling warm and fuzzy after 30 minutes. Cannabis patients and chocolate connoisseurs rejoice! (Daniel Barnes)

If you’re more interested in drinking your medical marijuana than eating it, Jane’s Brew has you covered. Jane’s Brew Gourmet Hot Chocolate is a powdered beverage mix similar to Swiss Miss, only with 80 mg of medical cannabis. The packet claims that the product is “best when mixed with hot or warm milk,” but I avoid milk whenever possible, so I mixed it with water instead. After dissolving, the liquid turns a muddy purple-brown, and while it smells and tastes like normal hot chocolate, the cannabis adds a caramel kick to the aftertaste. It’s just as “rich and velvety” as the package promises, not too sweet with a smooth texture. After about an hour, I was dead tired and ready for a nap; it’s the perfect wintry nightcap for a chronic insomniac. (D.B.)

I’ve sampled gummy candy products from a few different companies, and consistency is definitely an issue, with overly waxy textures and soapy flavors the most commonly recurring problem. The Edipure Peach Banana Rings, on the other hand, are legitimately delicious, offering store-brand level texture and flavor in each individually infused piece. If anything, the high quality of the product makes it potentially dangerous for candy fiends. Each ring packs 25 mg of THC, so beginners and lightweights may want to start by nibbling half a ring. It probably “helps” that the Peach Banana Rings are made from corn syrup, gelatin and all sorts of terribly unhealthy goodness. I would sneak these into a movie even if they weren’t infused with THC. (D.B.)

Priced at an extremely reasonable $4 a pop, the medical cannabis hard candies from Co2 Made seem positioned as the dispensary version of a checkout line impulse purchase. Each candy packs in 30 mg of THC, a pretty heaping “single serving” of medicine, and an excellent bargain for the price. The Co2 Made candies come in three different flavors, although two of them (Cherry Berry Blast and Pink Lemonade) are similar in taste and appearance. Sugar and corn syrup are the first two ingredients in both candies, though, so obviously they’re both good, offering a flavor and texture similar to the exterior shell of a Blow Pop, only with an extra shot of dankness. The real revelation of the Co2 Made candy line is the Fire Drop. The taste-bud-tingling flavor and heat level are absolutely perfect. (D.B.)

Among the many wellness products offered by Holy Grail are a line of flavored, hemp oil-infused Energy Chews. Each individually wrapped Energy Chew provides 100 mg of caffeine (roughly the same amount as a cup of coffee) with a 1 mg chaser of CBD, promising chewers “3 hours of sustained energy.” The Energy Chews also offer 100 percent daily values of vitamins B6 and B12, as well as 50 percent daily values of vitamins B1, B3 and B5. I sampled the “Holy Hawaii” variety (priced at $6.99 for a tin with two chews). It didn’t taste great, but compared to most energy products and chewable medicines, it was surprisingly palatable, sort of like a menthol Starburst, and there was no lingering aftertaste. The Energy Chew dissolved in my mouth within a couple of minutes, getting smaller with each chew like a Zicam, and I felt my eyes start to focus almost instantly. (D.B.)

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CENTRAL VALLEY

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Diablos Devils Lettuce Vacaville, CA 415.519.5948 Nugucci Sacramento Area, CA 916.595.0298

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Misc. Reviews Co2 Made waxes Ease of Use ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Value ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Discretion ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Potency ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ The term “wax” encompasses a variety of consistencies — everything from glass-like “shatter” to earwax-like goo to the more crumbly “budder” — but they’re all extremely concentrated, highly potent forms of cannabis. I sampled two Co2 Made versions, both of the “earwax” variety, that had the highest THC levels of any of Co2’s strains (score!). Pineapple

Thai weighed in at 72.5 percent THC, and Hollands Hope followed close behind at 69.7 percent. Each one retails for around $35 at local dispensaries. Waxes aren’t known for their pleasant flavors, but I thought they both tasted pretty good, and their potency only took two minutes to hit me like an 18-wheeler. (Daniel Barnes)

Holy Grail Hemp Salve Ease of Use ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Value ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Discretion ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Potency ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ A non-psychoactive cannabinoid found in marijuana, CBD (or cannabidiol) offers medical cannabis users all the benefits of the drug without any of the head change side effects of THC. Those qualities make CBD a natural for use in skin care products, such as the Holy Grail Hemp Salve. In addition to the soothing anti-inflammatory benefits of CBD, the high levels of omega-3s, omega-6s and vitamin E in hemp oil means that the Hemp Salve is able to treat a wide variety of

exterior ailments, everything from dry skin and eczema to sunburns and psoriasis. My arid skin could certainly use some moisturizing, so I tested the Holy Grail Hemp Salve on my dry hands and chapped feet. The salve is a mossy green color, with a strong odor of peppermint and eucalyptus and a consistency that’s more waxy than oily. A small jar retails for $50, so use it strategically. (D.B.)

Care By Design 18:1 CBD spray Ease of Use ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Value ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Discretion ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Potency ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Care By Design specializes in CBD products, and I tried the company’s 18:1 “CBD-Rich Sublingual Spray.” The only ingredients are organic cannabis oil and coconut oil, and the only instructions are to shake well and spray a couple times under your tongue. CBD is supposed to be effective against inflammatory disorders, so let’s see how it works on my sore shoulder. A test run with the recommended two

sprays produced little effect (full disclosure: I’m a human giant), so I doubled down and squeezed two more sprays. The taste isn’t great but it’s not disgusting either, just leaf and lemon with an oily finish, and a swig of soda erases any lingering unpleasantness. My muscles felt drowsy after 15 minutes, while my head remained relatively sharp, producing a mind-body separation similar to jet lag. (D.B.)

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TO BECOME A

cannabis producT pro by Daniel barnes

Edibles, potables, vapes, waxes, oils, tinctures, salves, sublingual sprays and more. There is such a wide variety of medical cannabis products available that it can be dizzying. That’s why we asked a couple of local experts to help us assemble this list of tips for patients.

Know the laws, especially in regard to traveling in and out of California.

Be inquisitive

Florin Wellness Center budtender Luis Otiniano advises asking lots of questions. “Your budtenders know,” Otiniano says. “They want you to have the medicine you need, not what you think you need.”

2 Micro-dose As the Beastie Boys said, “Slow and low, that is the tempo.” Otiniano recommends starting at 5 mg and increasing the dose by 5 mg at a time until your level is found.

3 Know your Body

Differences in body weight and metabolism affect how the medicine works, and different products and strains target different ailments.

experiMent

“It’s a whole new world out there,” Otiniano says. “There are topicals, inhalers, stuff you’ve never heard of before.”

quality Matters

It’s a saturated market, so don’t settle for a mediocre product. “Ask budtenders about the most consistent products,” Power says.

treat ediBles liKe food

If not properly stored, cannabis edibles spoil just like any other edible.

and syMptoMs

Knowledge is King

window-shop

“Come up with a price-per-mg average,” says Power. “Get a good idea of who’s charging what for what amount of THC.”

10 don’t Be laMe

read the laBels

“You want to look for the milligrams of THC,” says Blake Power of Korova Edibles. “Make sure that’s printed clearly on the package.”

“Enjoy your medicine, it is fun — but it’s also medicine,” Otiniano says. “Some people see [the industry] as a nuisance, and we don’t want to be that nuisance.”

co2 made cannabis

concentrates all made with pesticide free plants

10 Tips

Available at: Metro Health, A Therapeutic Alternative, Two Rivers, Green Solutions, Zen Garden Wellness, Abatin, Serenity Farms

WANT TO TRY US OUT? Ask your favorite dispensary to carry our product!

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