May 2022 - Alaska Leaf

THE ENLIGHTENED VOICE

F RE E / L E A F M AGA Z I N E S . COM

# 7 3 | M AY 2 0 2 2

INDEPENDENT CANNABIS JOURNALISM SINCE 2010

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THE TRAVEL ISSUE

#73

[

MAY 2022

issue

6

GOOD TITRATIONS

MAY 2022

24 FEATURE

RAIL GOOD TIME

50

CANNTHROPOLOGY PAKALOLO IN THE PACIFIC

NATE WILLIAMS

36

WORLD OF CANNABIS MUSEUM

16 COMPANY PROFILE

ALASKA TRAVEL

top 10 cannabis destinations

DAVEY BERREY

LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

high hikes 22 09 10 12 14 16 18 22 24 28 32 36 38 42 44 46 50 52

EDITOR’S NOTE NATIONAL NEWS HEMP INDUSTRY BUDTENDER Q&A GOOD TITRATIONS SHOP REVIEW HIGH HIKES RAIL GOOD TIME STRAIN OF THE MONTH TRAVEL DO’S & DON’TS TOP 10 DESTINATIONS CANNABIS IN CATALONIA EDIBLE OF THE MONTH CONCENTRATE OF THE MONTH TANNINS AND TERPENES CANNTHROPOLOGY STONEY BALONEY

ALLTRAILS.COM/ALICE KLOPSTAD

the emerald triangle, northern california

E S TA B L I S H E D 2 0 1 0

T H E E N L I G H T E N E D VO I C E

N O RT H W E S T LE A F / O R EG O N L EA F / AL AS KA L E A F / M A RY L AN D L E A F / CAL I F O R N I A L EA F / N O RT H E AS T LE A F

A B O U T T H E C OV E R Prolific illustrator Joshua Boulet has contributed to more than a dozen covers for Leaf Nation over the last 10 years, and is known as much for his distinctive pen and inkwork as he is the use of parody throughout his striking pieces.

For this month’s special Travel Issue, we tasked Boulet with capturing an imaginative and playful scene envisioning what it might be like for a plane full of eager and happy stoners and patients alike to mingle together.

Fasten your seat belts and prepare for departure, because this bird is cruising across the high skies of Cannabis, USA.

ART by JOSHUA BOULET @JOSHUABOULET

WES ABNEY C E O & F O U N D E R wes@leafmagazines.com

CONTRIBUTORS

MIKE RICKER OPERATING PARTNER + AD SALES ricker@leafmagazines.com TOM BOWERS C H I E F O P E R AT I N G O F F I C E R tom@leafmagazines.com DANIEL BERMAN C R E AT I V E D I R E C T O R daniel@leafmagazines.com O'HARA SHIPE C O N T E N T D I R E C T O R + W E B ohara@leafmagazines.com MEGHAN RIDLEY C O PY E D I T O R meghan@leafmagazines.com

OSCAR AVELLANEDA-CRUZ, PHOTOS BOBBY BLACK, DESIGN + FEATURES JOSHUA BOULET, ILLUSTRATION TOM BOWERS, FEATURES EARLY, PRODUCTION STEVE ELLIOTT, NATIONAL NEWS DAN LANKFORD, SALES KELLY PINNELL, FEATURES JEFF PORTERFIELD DESIGN MIKE RICKER, FEATURES ZACK RUSKIN, FEATURES MEGHAN RIDLEY, EDITING O’HARA SHIPE, FEATURES JAMIE VICTOR, DESIGN JERRY WHITING, FEATURES

CONNECT WITH ALASKA LEAF Exclusive Cannabis Journalism @NWLEAF

|

@AKLEAFMAG

@NWLEAF

ISSUU.COM/NWLEAF FREE ONLINE ARCHIVE

EDITOR'S NOTE PHOTO by OSCAR AVELLANEDA-CRUZ @OKIAVE

Thanks for picking up the Travel Issue of the Leaf!

IMAGINE stepping onto a plane as a flight attendant asks for your preference of dabs, to which you reply – “solventless” – as the captain’s voice comes over the speakers: “As we prepare to hit 420,000 feet mentally, please remember that only Cannabis smoking is allowed on this plane. And the crew takes the first hit when we land!”

While this might seem like fantasy (and certainly the idea of me flying a plane while baked is just that), the spirit of the fictional Leaf airline is nothing like the terrible Spirit Airlines. If I have one piece of travel advice that’s not in our Do’s and Don’ts column, it’s don’t fly Spirit!

But someday we should have the opportunity to dab on a plane and I don’t think it’s wishful thinking. Especially considering that we can drink and take pharmaceuticals on a plane, Cannabis seems the far safer way to travel.

Alas, our new high-end transport is in concept form only, but that shouldn’t keep you from exploring a new destination this summer!

9

OUR NEW HIGH-END TRANSPORT IS IN CONCEPT FORM ONLY, BUT THAT SHOULDN’T KEEP YOU FROM EXPLORING A NEW DESTINATION THIS SUMMER!

After two-plus years of virtual reality travel and grifters trying to sell us vacation homes in the metaverse, the time is now to book a flight or rent an RV and go explore a new part of the country or world.

Travel opens eyes and changes paradigms – and it’s fun! It’s easy to watch mainstream cable news and think that the world is full of different people, but in reality we’re more the same than different, especially when we come together over a joint or bowl.

So fire up your favorite energetic strain and start looking for somewhere fun to go, in your backyard or around the world!

Life is too short to sit behind a screen and miss a summer of fun, so get out and make a memory this year – just don’t get too baked to forget it!

-Wes Abney MAY 2022

leafmagazines.com

We are creators of targeted, independent Cannabis journalism.

Please email us to discuss advertising in the next issue of Alaska Leaf Magazine. We do not sell stories or coverage. We can offer design services and guidance on promoting your company’s medicinal, recreational, commercial or industrial Cannabis business, product or event within our magazine and on our website, LeafMagazines.com. Email ricker@leafmagazines.com to start advertising with Alaska Leaf!

Editor’s Note

national news

east coast

politics

N

T

ew Jersey will allow police to buy and use marijuana once it’s officially and legally for sale. Acting NJ Attorney General Matthew Platkin issued a memo, telling police chiefs they “may not take any adverse action against any officers because they do or do not use Cannabis off duty.” That was codified in the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization Act. Cops are treated just like any other customers under the legalization laws passed last year. Officers still may not possess or use Cannabis while on the clock, or performing any work while under the influence.

he U.S. House of Representatives passed a bipartisan marijuana scientific research bill on April 4, removing barriers to research on Cannabis, allowing scientists to access herb from dispensaries of legal states. The Medical Marijuana Research Act passed the House on an overwhelming 343-75 vote. All of the ”No” votes came from Republicans, reports The Hill. Democratic Rep. Earl Blumenauer of Oregon introduced the bill in October 2021. It is co-sponsored by 11 Representatives, both Democrats and Republicans.

Both the House and Senate passed earlier versions of the bill in 2020. The Senate also approved a separate marijuana research bill last month.

global

the feds

SPANISH POLICE DESTROY EUROPE’S LARGEST CANNABIS FARM

DOJ GIVES BACK A MILLION BUCKS IN SEIZED CASH

T

he U.S. Department of Justice on April 13 agreed to return all cash seized from an armored car company used by legal Cannabis dispensaries during several traffic stops in California last year. The company, Empyreal, had filed a federal lawsuit in response. The seizures occurred during a May traffic stop. In that incident, Kansas officers stopped an Empyreal Logistics car. Conversations between state and federal law enforcement agencies stemming from the stop resulted in a series of events in which Kansas and California officers stole – we mean “seized” – more than $1.2 million. The company soon filed its federal lawsuit detailing how a deputy in Dickinson County stopped one of their vehicles transporting cash from licensed Cannabis dispensaries to banks and credit unions and “seized” more than $165,000 on Interstate 70. Empyreal said the cops issued no traffic citations to their drivers during any of the five stops mentioned in its complaint, but the company said it was forced to stop transporting cash through Kansas because of the seizures.

S 10

HOUSE CLEARS WAY FOR CANNABIS RESEARCH

NJ WILL ALLOW OFF-DUTY COPS TO USE MARIJUANA

panish police destroyed 415,000 hemp plants worth up to 100 million euros ($108 million), dismantling Europe’s largest Cannabis farm. According to the Spanish Guardia Civil, the farm covered 1,025 acres. About 50,000 kg of Cannabis plants were drying in a warehouse for processing into cannabidiol (CBD).

Located in the rural northern region of Navarre, Spain, the farm spreads across 11 fields. The hemp fields alone had a combined area of 166 acres. CBD sales and consumption are legal across Spain and most of Europe, but Spanish law still prohibits the cultivation of Cannabis plants for anything other than industrial uses like textiles and seeds, according to the Spanish Agriculture Ministry. Growing hemp for conversion into CBD or other derivatives, oddly enough, remains a crime. the south

healthcare

KENTUCKY GOVERNOR LOOKS AT EXECUTIVE ACTION ON MMJ

1 OUT OF 5 MEDICARE RECIPIENTS USE MEDICAL MARIJUANA

LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

K

O

entucky Governor Andy Beshear is a longtime supporter of medical Cannabis. And now the Democrat is going the extra mile: he’s dedicated to providing ailing Kentuckians access to medicinal weed and his comments April 8 showed his frustration, as the latest IF A BILL LEGALIZING medical marijuana bill is currently MMJ FAILS TO PASS, stalled in the Kentucky Senate. When BESHEAR SAYS HE’S READY TO CONSIDER asked if he could potentially issue TAKING ACTION HIMSELF. an Executive Order making medical marijuana accessible if the bill dies, the governor told reporters, “It’s something we will look at. Its time has certainly come.”

18

states and D.C. have legalized the adult use of Cannabis.

MAY 2022

44%

of college students reported using marijuana in 2020 – a record number.

ne in five Medicare recipients use medical marijuana and two-thirds say it should be covered by Medicare.

Thirty-seven states and D.C. have legalized medicinal Cannabis, but Medicare, the federal health insurance program for older Americans, does not cover it. Possession of weed remains illegal under federal law. Pollsters conducted the survey of 1,250 Medicare recipients in April 2022 and found: one in five use medical marijuana; 23% have used it in the past; and 21% said they currently use weed to treat one or more medical conditions. Two-thirds of patients – 66% – “strongly agree” or “agree” medicinal Cannabis should be covered.

52

marijuana cultivation licenses – the first in the state – have been awarded to hemp farmers in New York.

61%

of Wisconsinites favor adult-use legalization of Cannabis.

$93k

worth of marijuana was found on a group of Guatemalans – including a 4-year-old boy – entering the U.S.

4/21 saw the first legalized adult-use marijuana sales in New Jersey.

STORIES by STEVE ELLIOTT, AUTHOR OF THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF MARIJUANA

EXPERT OPINION

HEMP INDUSTRY

Jerry Whiting

dried and/or pressed and can even be grown in a mold to shape the final product.

Whatever you make with it is compostable.

It can replace the plastic packaging used to fit irregular shaped objects into boxes or make eco-friendly containers for cremains or coffins, small pots for seedlings, ice chests to replace those horrible foam ones, and the trays at coffeehouses to hold multiple cups of coffee.

HEMP FOR GARDENS AND FARMS ALIKE

12

ATTENTION H PHOTO BY ADOBE

LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

ENTREPRENEURS!

emp is a valuable crop, but too few people are making money in the industry. The first step is to stop chasing CBD … it’s a crowded market with falling prices. And while there’s a lot to love about hempcrete, for it to really take off, we need to update building codes, train architects and contractors, and grow enough hemp to support the industry. However, there are a number of untapped opportunities to build a new hemp company. You can start by ignoring the flower and focusing on the stems instead. Hemp stems have two parts: the bast on the outside and the hurd (or shiv) on the inside.

MAY 2022

Some farmers will grow huge amounts of hemp and only hemp. Monocropping isn’t good for the health of the soil and once pests discover big fields, they can wreak havoc.

Wise farmers will add hemp to their crop rotation. Small farms can sell chipped hemp in bulk to attract customers. The more preprocessing done on the farm, the higher the market price.

Peat moss is used as a mulch and in potting soils, but it’s a finite resource. Peat bogs are being stripped for this market and the result is disrupting local ecosystems.

Hemp fiber can replace peat moss and before you say anything, redwood mulch is no better. It takes years to break down and depletes the nitrogen in your soil while it does.

People are curious about hemp biochar.

A quick Google and YouTube search will fill you in about the wonders of biochar, but keep this in mind: Hemp can be used instead of wood. A savvy entrepreneur will charge their hemp biochar by adding fertilizer and inoculants that deliver nutrients slowly over a period of time.

All of these ideas can be done by someone creative WISE FARMERS enough to put the pieces WILL ADD HEMP TO together. Reach out to your THEIR CROP ROTATION. local hemp farmers and ask to play with some of their “biowaste” – the parts of the plants they’re More and more people are enjoying plantnot interested in. based foods. Mushrooms are front and center, including oyster mushrooms which come in a Pick a project or two, read up on what wide range of colors and shapes. They’re easy to others have done, and play. DIY nights and grow, at home or at commercial scale, and they weekends, work-at-home in your basement/ digest cellulose. Guess what? Hemp hurd is full garage/shed type of play. And don’t be of cellulose and oyster mushrooms can be grown discouraged. on hemp hurd.

The oyster mushrooms you eat are the fruiting Keep at it. Invest in your dreams. part of the plant. The mycelium below the surface The hemp products you make will make can be put to good use. Chipped and shredded the world a better place for all of us. hurd can be inoculated with oyster mushroom What better mission statement and spawn. The mycelium grows in the hurd and publicity can an entrepreneur have? binds it together. This matted material can be “HEMP MEET MUSHROOMS, MUSHROOMS MEET HEMP. NOW YOU TWO RUN ALONG AND PLAY TOGETHER.”

EXCLUSIVE COLUMN by JERRY WHITING for LEAF NATION // LeBlancCNE.com/podcast

interview

ALASKA LEAF BUDTENDER OF THE MONTH

ARCHIE VANWINKLE HOW DID YOU FIRST ENTER THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY? WHAT IS THE CANNABIS SCENE LIKE OUT THERE IN SITKA? I want to say that there isn't like a huge scene out here. A lot of the scene is just going out into the woods and smoking with a few friends. Sometimes you go out walking in the woods and smell something burning, and you run up on people smoking.

THAT'S ONE WAY TO MAKE NEW FRIENDS! Have attitudes towards Cannabis changed since legalization? I'd say within the last five or six years since it's been legal, there's definitely more of a community developing around the Cannabis shops in town. You see a lot of customer loyalty when it comes to the shops.

OBVIOUSLY, AKO IS KNOWN FOR ITS HIGH-QUALITY CONCENTRATES. ARE MOST OF THE CUSTOMERS COMING INTO THE DISPENSARY LOOKING FOR CONCENTRATES? You know, it's really interesting because I find that a lot of the time people just want to stick with flower. Or they want to ‘numbers chase,’ thinking higher THC is going to equal a better high. But I love trying to flip people and get them using concentrates. Educating people about the benefits of smoking concentrates – and what each terpene profile can do – is one of my favorite parts of the job.

LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

14

AKO FARMS LLC

1210 BEARDSLEE WY, SITKA, AK AKOFARMS.COM @AKOFARMSLLC_AK 9AM-9PM MON-SAT | 11AM-7PM SUNDAY

A

“EDUCATING PEOPLE ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF SMOKING CONCENTRATES – AND WHAT EACH TERPENE PROFILE CAN DO – IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE PARTS OF THE JOB.”

RCHIE VANWINKLE grew up in the kitchen of his dad's Italian restaurant in Sitka. When he got older, he turned in pots and pans for rain boots and fishing line as a commercial fisherman. After five years on the water he decided to shift careers again – and now you can find him behind the counter at AKO Farms LLC's dispensary.

may 2022

WHAT WOULD YOU TELL A CUSTOMER WHO IS LOOKING TO TRY CONCENTRATES, BUT IS A LITTLE HESITANT TO TAKE THE PLUNGE? It starts with understanding where they are coming from. I like to find out why they aren't currently smoking concentrates.

A lot of times, it's because they had a bad experience back when the concentrate market stuff was still kind of coming to fruition in Alaska. Once I know their history, I can help them find a smoking method, terpene profile, and product type that best suits the high they are hoping to achieve.

WHAT IS IT ABOUT CONCENTRATES THAT YOU LOVE SO MUCH? In my opinion, I think they're a little more healthy for you than flower.

You're not getting all those carcinogens from burning plant material in your lungs. The high is also so much more intense, and it's more portable than flower. You can just put a cart in your pocket and toke all day.

WHAT IS YOUR GO-TO CONCENTRATE RIGHT NOW? Golden Goat! Everyone really loves our Tangie, but it hits me so heavy in the head that I can only smoke a little bit before I have to just sit down. Like, it puts me overboard. But Golden Goat is amazing. It's just the perfect mix of chill and energized.

STORY by ALASKA LEAF STAFF @AKLEAFMAG | PHOTO COURTESY AKO FARMS LLC

SUNDAYS 15% Off Cartridges TUESDAYS Two for Tuesdays Two Grams of Concentrates for $90 (Exclusions Apply)

WEDNESDAYS $40 1/8ths on All Strains THURSDAYS 1/2gm Pre-Rolls for $5 + All CBD & Merchandise 25% off FRIDAYS Buy 3 Edibles, Get a 4th for a Penny SATURDAYS 10% Off All Silver Plate Concentrates

Now Open at TWO

Anchorage Locations!

Southside

9900 Old Seward Hwy

&

Eastside

317 Muldoon Rd

company profile

GOOD TITRATIONS extract processor, retail shop and consumption lounge

LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

16

ACCORDING TO THE KNOT, as many as 17 percent of people meet their future partners in college. However, how many can say they've built a Cannabis empire with friends from their college MBA program? Likely, not many. But that's precisely what Shaun Tacke, Brandon Emmett and Frank Berardi did.

industry," says Tacke. "From the very beginning, we knuckled down hard on the political side of Cannabis."

Spending so much time working on getting the industry going didn't leave a lot of time for Tacke, Emmett and Berardi to focus on putting their business plan into action.

"Our original business plan included a cultivation with an attached retail," recalls Tacke. "But as we were getting investments, we were experiment"We met while me and Frank were in college, ing with different kinds of Cannabis consumption." getting our MBAs at UAF. He pitched an idea of In their first iteration, the trio used a closed-cirdoing a weed business for a business plan projcuit butane extraction system they purchased onect. The class and professor really loved that line. With buckets of ice to keep the butane cold, we were thinking outside the box, and it got me they started playing with creating concentrates. thinking. After I started running the numbers in "We figured out that it's actually a lot easier, not my head, I understood how cool of an idea it to mention faster, to produce concentrates than it was," says Tacke. is to grow plants. For us, the faster A self-proclaimed "nerdy cash conversion cycle just made accountant," Tacke got to work sense. So, Good Titrations started crunching numbers while Berardi out as a manufacturing company," came up with the big ideas. says Tacke.

However, at the time, legalizaWhile their manufacturing busition had yet to hit Alaska, so the ness was booming, they still had first iteration of Good Titrations hopes of realizing their original was actually the Coalition for business plan.

Responsible Cannabis Legisla"I remember going to Amstertion. The precursor to the Alaska dam and visiting shops there, and The lounge has Marijuana Industry Association, you could see the plants growing,” been a major the Coalition worked to pass says Tacke. “I always thought that success and Ballot Measure 2, bringing legal was so cool. There's something Good Titrations recreational Cannabis to Alaska. really exciting about seeing the is continuing "After getting the Measure weed you're going to smoke, grow. to make it into passed, we began working with So, I never gave up on the idea of a community legislators to make sure that having a grow too." gathering place the developing laws were going Now, the manufacturing for stoners. to be safe and effective for the company responsible for bringing

MAY 2022

Skywalker OG, Lemon Wood and Green Crack concentrates to the Alaska market is producing some of its own flower.

"For now, it's just a little show grow. In time, we might expand to a bigger space," explains Tacke.

For the moment, Good Titrations is putting its focus on the continued development of its on-site consumption lounge, which opened last year.

"There's a whole lot of planning that goes into a project like a consumption lounge. One of the big things we had to figure out was the ventilation system,” says Tacke. “The lounge required us to install a completely separate ventilation system, so when we turn up the fans, you can have a packed room of people smoking joints and still not get a contact high. That was a big thing for AMCO – we had to make sure people could work in the lounge without being exposed to smoke all day," says Tacke.

The lounge has been a major success and Good Titrations is continuing to make it into a community gathering place for stoners.

"We have people from all backgrounds that come in. We even have a Tuesday night chess club called Bishops and Buds. There's also a group that comes in to play Magic. It's turning into a really cool space for people to come chill and enjoy the plant," says Tacke.

In addition to small groups, Good Titrations' lounge has also hosted album release parties and comedians. Their recent 4/20 party was an epic night of tokes, finger foods and friends. All in all, Good Titrations is poised to become a mecca of the Alaskan Cannabis industry and is a mustsee for every visitor and GOODTITRATIONS.COM @GOODTITRATIONS resident.

STORY by O’HARA SHIPE @SHIPESHOTS/ALASKA LEAF | PHOTOS by DAVEY BERREY @DAVID.BERRY.PHOTOGRAPHY

shop review

MILE HIGH ALASKA ENVIRONMENT & VIBE With an electric green exterior, Mile High is a Cannabis beacon you can see from several blocks away. Inside, the dispensary is more muted but no less filled with personality. The first thing you’ll likely notice upon walking into this quaint dispensary is the eclectic music playing over the loudspeakers. From Hanson to the Goo Goo Dolls, you’re likely to leave humming a throwback tune. You may also leave with a brand new piece of art tucked under your arm. From Alaskana paintings to abstract watercolors, there’s no shortage of fun things to peruse.

PRODUCTS 18

Mile High stocks a nice variety of edibles from MoMo’s, Fire Eater, GOOD and Lady Gray. You can also snag carts from Midnight Sun, Arctic Bakery, Refine and Top Hat. But the real star of Mile High is the deli flower from their in-house grow: House OP. Featuring massive buds like Lilac Diesel and 10th Planet, House OP’s bud is some of the best around town. If you’re in need of some new glassware, rolling trays or papers, they have a wide selection of accessories to make your smoke sesh memorable.

BUDTENDERS According to owner Mark Oppegaard, Mile High operates on one principle: The customer is always right. With that in mind, the dispensary’s budtenders are friendly, knowledgeable and love talking to customers. They even keep a clipboard to take notes on requested products to ensure they are meeting every customer’s needs.

LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

QUICK HIT As the closest dispensary to the Anchorage Airport, Mile High Alaska caters to the tourist market with killer deals and an instant rewards program.

But these deals aren’t just for visitors – every Mile High customer who buys two Cannabis products can get a pre-roll for a penny, and that’s on top of some already great daily deals!

MAY 2022

Mile High budtender Tracy Atkins (L) and store manager Kim Woods, show off their favorite flowers.

THE FIRST THING YOU’LL LIKELY NOTICE UPON WALKING INTO THIS QUAINT DISPENSARY IS THE ECLECTIC MUSIC PLAYING OVER THE LOUDSPEAKERS. MILE HIGH ALASKA

910 W INTERNATIONAL RD, SUITE B 10AM-MIDNIGHT DAILY @MILEHIGHAK420 (907) 222-0420

Plenty of products just steps from Anchorage Airport.

Take home flower and some new art pieces.

Local glass art for sale.

Owner Mike "OP" Oppegaard

A bright exterior marks the entrance.

REVIEW by ALASKA LEAF STAFF @AKLEAFMAG | PHOTOS by O'HARA SHIPE @SHIPESHOTS

We have CBDs!

Frontier CBD * Hemp Bomb * Honey Root * Alaskan Healing Center

224 N Yenlo St, Wasilla, AK | 907-373-2839 | M-F 8a-10p, Sat 10a-10p, Sun 11a-7p

THE TRAVEL ISSUE

Exploring Edibles and Altitudes

22

high hikes

LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

One of the best things about living in the Last Frontier is the access we Alaskans have to endless hiking opportunities. Whether you’re looking for a simple day hike to stretch your legs or strapping on a backpack for a multi-day adventure, you might find the hardest part of the trip is just deciding on where to go.

FORTUNATELY, the choice was easy for me on one bright sunny day. It’s what passes for spring around these parts – and while most of the trails are still locked in ice and snow – I know Rainbow Trail, located on the Turnagain Arm, will be snowfree this time of year. The trail enjoys the benefits of wide-open southern exposure due to the inlet, and a lower altitude than many of the trails located near Anchorage. It’s always one of the first to clear off in the spring.

Knowing I had a designated driver and hiking partner, I decided to indulge in another of my favorite activities: edibles. I started with 50mg of Kreative Konfections Mango Heavenly Chews.

Although I can be a bit of a lightweight when it comes to smoking or dabbing, over the years I’ve found that it takes something like 50mg for me to feel anything from an edible.

I enjoy taking edibles before any hike due to the pain relief they provide me. The Heavenly’s have the added bonus of an equal dose of CBD and THC, which only helps my aging joints. But let’s be honest, I enjoy the other aspects of edibles as much as the pain relief I get.

We loaded up the vehicle with our daypacks and began the short drive south out of Anchorage. The tide was out and the mudflats were dry.

MAY 2022

A brisk breeze lifted ancient glacier sand and spun it around in loose dust devils. The edibles had just started to kick in as I watched the sand dance across the flats and disappear into the small waves that topped the low tidewater – something I wouldn’t have noticed if I was driving. And something I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed watching as much if I hadn’t consumed the edibles.

Arriving at one of the access points, we immediately felt the warmth of the sun when we got out of the vehicle. A fresh wind brought the scents of saltwater and earth that had just woken up from an extended slumber. As they say: Spring was in the air.

We hit the muddy trailhead and worked our way up to the trail proper in a short amount of time. It felt good to be stretching my legs without snow-

STORY by KELLY PINNELL for ALASKA LEAF | PHOTOS by ALLTRAILS.COM/NINA WEAVER, KELSEA KOCAN & ALICE KLOPSTAD

Rainbow Trail on the turnagain arm

shoes or skis attached. It felt liberating to know that another glorious summer in Alaska was just around the corner. My mind drifted between the snippets of conversation my hiking partner and I were sharing, and marveling at the snow-capped mountains across the inlet.

I noticed things I would normally miss later in the year as my hikes become more intense and the focus shifts to keeping my footing on the steep mountain trails that I love to explore.

I saw the first leaves of a skunk cabbage lifting themselves out of the rich black soil, the buds on the trees beginning to pop open, and the mountain grasses beginning to show I enjoy their green again. taking I heard the sounds of fresh snowmelt trickling its way toward the nearby ocean, edibles the songs of unseen birds, and the breeze before any playing with the dried leaves of last fall.

It is an annual experience that always hike due feels new each time I witness it, but this to the pain time was enhanced by the edibles. But that’s not quite accurate … the experience relief they wasn’t enhanced, but rather my attention to it was heightened. provide me.

I find that to be true anytime I am out in the wilds and enjoying the benefits of Cannabis.

There is something about that magical plant that allows me to see deeper into the world around us and gain a greater appreciation for it. It’s there that I go to find that connection to something bigger than myself.

I think we all desire that connection in some way or another, and sometimes it is hard to find without a guide. Enter, Cannabis – the gentle hand that guides us down those hidden paths we couldn’t find without her.

THE TRAVEL ISSUE

all aboard for a great weedkend 24

rail good time

LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

A roundtrip on the rails from Anchorage to Fairbanks brings the munchies and mountains together for the perfect weed-soaked getaway.

WITH COVID-RELATED travel restrictions slowly lifting, many of us are stoked to finally board a plane and get out of dodge. It’s hard to compete with white sandy beaches and palm trees, but a Cannabis-fueled staycation, especially in the summer, is a close second. Of course, we at the Leaf do not condone driving under the influence, so we envisioned a weekend getaway where you’ll never find yourself behind the wheel. Enter a roundtrip weekend rail tour from Anchorage to Fairbanks.

Imagine this: Your weekend starts early on a Friday morning with a stop at Denali Dispensaries.

One of the only shops open at 8 a.m., Denali stocks many of the major edible brands such as GOOD, Dosed, Kreative Konfections, Lady Gray and Baked Alaska.

let your eyes glaze out the glass-dome roof

MAY 2022

Since this is a vacation, you can totally get away with chocolate for breakfast and we’d recommend picking up something sweet. Plus, weed disguised as cookies is the perfect way to discreetly and respectfully consume at family-friendly locales.

Once you’re fully stocked, you only have to traverse a few city blocks to get to the historic Anchorage Depot for your 9:15 a.m. train departure. Your train will be operated by Princess Lodges and since they cater to tourists, you can rest assured that you’ll be riding in luxury. On the RAT Tour, you’ll ride in glass-dome railcars from Anchorage to Talkeetna. As the effects of your edibles kick in, let yourself get wrapped up in the excitement of your fellow passengers as they experience Alaska for the first time. There is definitely something to be said about the pride one feels when outsiders fall in love with the place you call home. If you forgot to pack snacks for the inevitable munchies, don’t worry – Princess PRINCESSLODGES.COM Lodges offers meals ALASKARAILROAD.COM for purchase.

After a breathtaking three-hour ride, you’ll find yourself on the outskirts of Talkeetna. A quick taxi ride or relaxing walk will bring you into town.

With a few hours to kill before checking into a B&B for the night, we’d recommend getting some grub at the Talkeetna Roadhouse before moving on to explore the township. Just make sure you don’t miss your chance to pick up a loaf of bread from the Talkeetna Spinach Bread food truck. The gooey, cheesy, garlicky bread is easily one of the best Alaskan stoner foods.

With your belly full, your next stop should be The High Expedition. This log cabin-themed dispensary is full of historical climbing displays, perfect for the curious stoner. While there, be sure to dig through The High Expedition’s extensive merch. From snapbacks to hoodies, this is some cool Cannabis swag.

Now that you’re settled in for the night, you might want to pick up some local flower or pre-rolls for a nightcap. Just be sure to respect the rules at your B&B and don’t toke inside, or around families with kids.

The High Expedition, a log cabin-themed dispensary

Once you’re properly buzzed, head over to Mountain High Pizza Pie for some live music and a large pie.

If you’re feeling adventurous, snag the pizza by the same name – which reportedly has “everything but the mosquitoes.”

The next day, after what we hope was an indica-induced sleep, you’ll board the train again. Departing STOP FOR A BITE FROM THE TALKEETNA ROADHOUSE at 11:20 a.m., the Denali Star route will take you on a nineAs the hour journey over and around picturesque effects of mountains. Once you arrive in Fairbanks, make your way to Good Titrations to take your edibles advantage of Alaska’s only consumption kick in, let lounge. Not sure what deli flower to try? yourself Give Denali Gold’s White Widow a shot. get wrapped A classic hybrid, White Widow mixes a relaxing buzz with an invigorating and up in the energetic high that comes in waves. excitement When you’ve smoked all your flower, of your catch an Uber over to The Marlin for live fellow music and beers. If you’re lucky, you might even catch an Avery Wolves show that will passengers have you dancing on the tables. as they Just don’t get too faded. Your train back experience to Anchorage leaves at 8:20 a.m. on Alaska for Sunday morning.

The 12-hour journey back to Anchorage the first is the perfect time to finish off any retime. maining edibles. As the high washes over you, take some time to vibe out and relax before another work week.

RAT rail tickets and tour packages can be purchased at princesslodges.com. Return rail tickets via the Denali Star route are available for purchase at alaskarailroad.com.

STORY by ALASKA LEAF STAFF @AKLEAFMAG | COURTESY PHOTOS

Ask Your Budtender for that

Award-Winning Cannabis Wonder Woman

Black Rose

2020 Great Alaskan Cannabis Bowl WINNER!

ShnozBerry

Best Sativa Best Terps

SweetMatanuskaGreen@Gmail.com | SweetMatanuskaGreen.com Marijuana has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming and addictive. Marijuana impairs concentration, coordination, and judgement. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under its influence.

There are health risks associated with consumption of marijuana. For use only by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of the reach of children. Marijuana should not be used by women who are pregnant or breast feeding.

STRAIN OF THE MONTH

28

LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

GROWN BY

ROCKHARDNUGZ "COATED IN ENOUGH TRICHOMES TO MAKE THEM SPARKLE IN THE SUNLIGHT."

PINK SUGAR may 2022

W

hen RockHardNugz cultivator Josie Gustafson’s newest strain, PinkSugarCookies, was tested inhouse, she was worried about low numbers. But then she smoked her first harvested bud and she knew she had a winner. After trying it for ourselves, we’d have to agree.

First off, this is a beautiful strain to behold. The purple-tinged buds are smothered in long red hairs and coated in enough trichomes to make them sparkle in the sunlight. Immaculately cured, they broke apart perfectly and left a sticky residue on our fingers that only made our anticipation grow, while licking our fingers was reminiscent of licking the batter out of the bowl after making a batch of cookies.

Yes, we were stoked to toke.

A mix of citrus and floral nuances were pleasing to the palate upon the initial inhale, and by exhalation, the already wonderful flavor picked up just a hint of spice that felt like a favor we didn’t expect. It was the icing on the cookie so to speak.

PinkSugarCookies tested at a somewhat modest 17.95% THC, which allows the terps to take centerstage. And the numbers don’t lie: Limonene at 7.23mg/g, b-Caryophyllene at 4.58mg/g, and a total terp profile of 25.2 mg/g or 2.52%. All those terps combined sent a wash of feel good vibes from head to toe. As the high developed, it lulled us into a heady euphoria. Even after several hours, the high hadn’t fully subsided – making it very easy to reset it with a fresh bowl. As expected, the second bowl also hit hard without any discernible loss of potency.

As you may have guessed, this hybrid is best saved for days when you have nothing else to do but chill. Otherwise, you might end up like us and spend 30 minutes trying to decide the best way to fold a t-shirt (instead of actually doing the laundry).

COOKIES

17.95% THC 21.27% TOTAL CANNABINOIDS 2.52% TOTAL TERPENES

@ROCKHARDNUGZAK

REVIEW by ALASKA LEAF STAFF | PHOTO by O'HARA SHIPE @SHIPESHOTS

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THE TRAVEL ISSUE

32

travel do’s & don’ts

leafmagazines.com

leaf nation’s wes abney offers a word to the wise on weed travel

While many of us are longing for a super stoney vacation this year, nobody wants to end up on an episode of Locked Up Abroad, or find themselves having to return to some ill-fated destination in Anywhere, USA for a court date. The following recommendations for traveling with or without Cannabis are purely anecdotal and not meant as legal advice. Always remember to be safe and follow the rules wherever you may travel.

MAY 2022

Don’t Spark in National Parks

While there’s not much better than getting high in the great outdoors, think twice before you spark up in a park run by state or federal government. National parks are federal property regardless of the state they’re located in, so state Cannabis laws don’t apply there. You can get serious fines and real time for being caught with weed in a national park. The penalties in a state park can vary – unless you’re in California, where smoking in state parks and on beaches is permitted.

security stumbles

Know Before You Go

Familiarizing yourself with the laws of your destination is an absolute must. Depending on where you are going, Cannabis can be completely legal, somewhat legal or entirely illegal – especially if you are traveling internationally. And the places that do offer legal weed in some form, often have confusing laws and policies surrounding the purchase and consumption. Always do your research before packing anything that could potentially lead to trouble. If in doubt … throw it out.

Never Buy Illegally (Especially Overseas) While this might seem like obvious advice, there’s almost nothing worse than being out of weed on a vacay … and it can lead you to do irrational things. What is worse, though?

Getting robbed or busted for buying weed illegally. Chances are the guy offering you a “drug” hookup is just as shady as the street vendor selling “authentic” Rolex watches and “licensed” Gucci gear. Avoid the trouble (and the best case mids scenario) and wait to bake until you get home.

Going through TSA is painful, but it’s worth being smart so you can get your buzz on when you land.

My first time going through airport security with a couple vape pens in my backpack was gut wrenching, complete with sweaty palms and an irrational fear that I would be going to prison for a small amount of weed. This was 2013 and while weed was legal in Seattle and my destination of Denver, I had no clue what would happen if I brought my stash with me.

Years later I heard a quote attributed to a senior TSA official, which I share in paraphrased and off-the-record format: If we stopped every bag with a personal amount of drugs in them, the planes would never take off.

When it comes to a more official statement, TSA policy says: “TSA’s screening procedures are focused on security and are designed to detect potential threats to aviation and passengers.

Accordingly, TSA security officers do not search for marijuana or other illegal drugs, but if any illegal substance is discovered during security screening, TSA will refer the matter to a law enforcement officer.”

Generally, checked luggage and carry-ons are only screened at your point of departure – so if weed is legal where you fly out from, you shouldn’t have a problem getting your bag where you land.

This is not the case for international flights, so don’t risk it. We recommend putting anything sensitive in your checked bag and to only take what you plan to consume.

And don’t forget: Never smoke or vape on a plane (there is one Leaf team member I’m thinking fondly of as I write this). Also remember that eating edibles before a flight might seem like a good idea, but it can be just as bad as taking a hit of LSD if that 100mg nano-emulsified beverage hits a little harder than expected.

don’t drive high

My advice regarding weed and cars is simple: Never drive high and don’t smoke while driving. As a general rule whenever I rent a car on vacation, I always get the walk-away (full coverage) insurance.

I won’t risk driving in a new place without it, and I certainly wouldn’t add weed to the already stressful mix. So if you plan to party, take a rideshare and be aware of your surroundings. Driving in a new city statistically increases your odds of an accident, so don’t make it worse by being impaired.

My first time going through airport security with a couple vape pens in my backpack was gut wrenching, complete with sweaty palms and an irrational fear that I would be going to prison for a small amount of weed.

Stoners & Scooters Don’t Always Mix

While this writer once had an epic group scootering experience while on a lemon-tech dose of psilocybin in Denver (great street graffiti, highly recommended), it’s important to remember that anything with wheels can lead to a DUI. This is more of a concern for happy hour drinkers bar-hopping on scooters, but be careful if you rent something – especially if it has an electric motor and you don’t know your way around town.

STORY by WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX/LEAF NATION | PHOTO by ADOBE STOCK | ICONS by THE NOUN PROJECT

@greenjar_ak

4901 E. Blue Lupine Dr. Ste. E Wasilla, AK 99654 907-631-3800 Open 7 days a week 9am-9pm MARIJUANA HAS INTOXICATING EFFECTS AND MAY BE HABIT FORMING. MARIJUANA IMPAIRS CONCENTRATION, COORDINATION, AND JUDGEMENT. DO NOT OPERATE A VEHICLE OR MACHINERY UNDER ITS INFLUENCE. FOR USE BY ADULTS TWENTY-ONE AND OLDER. KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN. THERE ARE HEALTH RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE CONSUMPTION OF MARIJUANA. MARIJUANA SHOULD NOT BE USED BY WOMEN WHO ARE PREGNANT OR BREASTFEEDING. #10008

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Cooper Landing Wildman’s 1130 E-mail: stage.line@yahoo.com One of the top 10 most scenic www.stagelineinhomer.com highways.

THE TRAVEL ISSUE

top

10

cannabis destinations

From smoke lounges and spa treatments to bus tours and bud and breakfasts – there is no shortage of ways to satisfy your weedy wanderlust.

boston

As the birthplace of the American Revolution, Boston is known as the Cradle of Liberty – a promise they lived up to for pot smokers when Massachusetts legalized Cannabis for adult use in 2016. There are now nearly 180 dispensaries across the state, at least 20 of which are located in the greater Boston area. Beantown is home to the original Chemdog strain and the Boston Freedom Rally – the annual “protestival” held at Boston Common park each September, thanks to the activists at MassCann NORML. When visiting the Common, stop by the bench on “Mount Malta” dedicated to the late, great Cannabis activist Michael Malta – aka the “King of Pot” (KOP) – and pay tribute with a joint. After blazing in the Common, you can grab a quick beer across the street at the famous Cheers bar (from the TV show), then head out on the Freedom Trail – a 2.5-mile walking tour (marked on the road by a line of red paint) that leads to 16 of Highest Attractions Freedom Trail, Sam Adams Brewery, Boston Common, Boston’s most important Revolutionary Boston Freedom Rally (September), Faneuil Hall War sites.

AMSTERDAM

The original Cannabis tourism destination. Long considered the Cannabis capital of Europe, Amsterdam was the seat of Cannabis activism and cultivation for decades. Though not legal, Cannabis has been “tolerated” in the Netherlands since the early 1980s. In addition to the 160-or-so Cannabis coffeeshops, the Dam offers visitors many outstanding museums, a rocking nightlife and of course, the infamous Red Light sex district. Unfortunately, though, the government there has been clamping down in recent years – closing nearly half of the city’s Cannabis coffeeshops and threatening to ban tourists from them by next year. So if you’ve ever dreamed of going, now’s the time.

leafmagazines.com

Highest Attractions Van Gogh Museum, Rijksmuseum, The Bulldog, Greenhouse Coffeeshops (Cookies Lounge), Barneys Farm & Uptown, Sensi Hemp Museum, Smokeboat Canal Tour, Amsterdam Light Festival (Dec).

barcelona

Similar to Amsterdam, Barcelona has 200 quasi-legal lounges/clubs where one can buy and consume Cannabis – the difference being that, to enter, you need to be a member (and technically, a resident). But like most other prohibition laws, there are always gray areas to exploit. Aside from the Cannabis clubs, Barcelona also offers delicious tapas, decadent hot chocolate, spectacular cathedrals and architecture (most notably by Anton Gaudi), hip graffiti and skater culture, museums, nightlife and more. Barcelona is also home to Spannabis, the world’s largest Cannabis convention each March.

Highest Attractions Sagrada Familia Cathedral, Parc Guell, Sensi Hemp Museum, Bulldog Barcelona, Picasso Museum, The 4 Cats Café, Spannabis, Hop On-Hop Off bus tour.

MAY 2022

denver

They don’t call it the Mile High City for nothing! After becoming the first major city in America to legalize Cannabis for adult use in 2012, Denver saw a mass migration of Cannabis lovers. With over 200 dispensaries, multiple Cannabis bus tours and consumption lounges, a smorgasbord of gourmet restaurants and craft breweries, killer street art and a number of 420-friendly hotels (some of which even offer complimentary vaporizers in their rooms) – not to mention the glorious Rocky Mountains, Red Rocks Amphitheater, world-class mountain sports, hot springs, and sister stoner city Boulder all just an hour or so drive away – Denver remains a popular getaway destination for tokers.

Highest Attractions Meow Wolf, Red Rocks Amphitheater, Illuzion glass gallery, International Church of Cannabis, Patterson Inn (420 Hotel), 4/20 Rally - Civic Center Park

the emerald triangle

Comprised of three counties in Northern California (Mendocino, Humboldt and Trinity), the “Emerald Triangle” has been considered the Cannabis cultivation capital of America (if not the world) for half a century now – ever since the hippies of Haight Ashbury moved up there to live amidst nature and escape the eyes of the law. But thanks to legalization, decades of suspicious and seclusionary attitudes towards outsiders have given way to an embrace of history and hospitality. Today, the region is exploding with new venues, shops, spas and tours designed to educate the public about Cannabis culture. Sample some of the legacy strains, then explore wineries, the majestic Redwoods and rugged coastline.

NATE WILLIAMS

36

Highest Attractions

The Lost Coast, Avenue of the Giants.

Madrones Hotel, Papa and Barkley Social, Fern Canyon,

HIGHER WAY TRAVEL

HIGHERWAYTRAVEL.COM @HIGHERWAYTRAVEL

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For those on the more adventurous side who don’t mind the cold, we present our wildcard entry on the list: Fairbanks, Alaska. The Golden Heart City is home to 17 Cannabis dispensaries – including Good Titrations, which also features a cultivation facility and the state’s only legal on-site consumption lounge. After you snag yourself some of the region’s famous Alaskan/Matanuska Thunderfuck to puff on, enjoy some of the city’s craft breweries, local delicacies (such as fresh salmon, reindeer and yak), and cool attractions like Pioneer Park, Wedgewood Wildlife Sanctuary and the Ice Art Park. And after freezing your buds off all day, warm up in the local hot springs and gaze up at the awe-inspiring Aurora Borealis. Staring at the Northern Lights while smoking some Northern Lights … what could be cooler than that?

ADOBE STOCK

FAIRBANKS

Highest Attractions Good Titrations, Aurora Ice Museum, Ice Art Park, Chena Hot Springs Resort, Castner Glacier Ice Cave, Fairbanks Ice Museum, World Ice Art Championships (Feb-Mar)

negril, jamaica

For half a century now, visitors from around the world have flocked to the Caribbean paradise of Jamaica to enjoy the pristine beaches, reggae music and (of course) the ganja. The island has been inextricably connected with Cannabis since the mid-20th century, when the rise of the Rastafarian faith and their sacramental use of the herb helped fuel the reggae revolution. Thankfully, after decades of prohibition, Jamaica finally legalized Cannabis in 2015. Negril remains one of the island’s top tourist hotspots – renowned for its pristine, resort-lined Seven-Mile Beach, raucous nightclubs and local flavor. Here, you can dine on fresh grilled Highest Caribbean lobster or jerk chicken, rent a jet ski or a glass-bottom boat, or just lay around in the Attractions sun smoking spliffs and drinking dirty bananas all Rick’s Café, Bob Marley Museum, Coral Cove Wellness Resort, day. In the nearby town of Little Bay, where things Zimbali Retreats are a bit quieter, you’ll find Coral Cove Wellness – Jamaica’s premiere Cannabis resort, complete with its own private reef, on-site dispensary and ganja-filled greenhouses, as well as a full array of spa services. Not far from there in Orange Hill is Blue Hole Mineral Spring, home of Wabba’s Weed Adventure, where you can tour the fields of award-winning ganja.

LAS VEGAS

In addition to gambling and prostitution, Las Vegas also legalized weed for adult use in 2017. Since then, a slew of dispensaries have popped up in Sin City, most of which are located far from The Strip. But much like its extravagant casinos and clubs, the pot shops in Vegas tend to be over the top. Case in point, the city’s two most famous spots: billing itself as the world’s largest dispensary, Planet 13 is a 112,000-square-foot interactive superstore that’s open 24/7 and will soon be the new home of the Cannabition Cannabis Museum. And then there’s NUWU – the 16,000-square-foot dispensary located on tribal land just two blocks from Fremont Street that features a 24-hour drive-thru window and the state’s only legal Cannabis consumption lounge (The Vegas Tasting Room) located inside.

Meow Wolf at Area 15, Jammin’ on Vegas,

Aside from being the entertainment capital of the world, LA is also one of our nation’s stoniest cities – particularly West Hollywood, which aspires to become America’s answer to Amsterdam. Over the past five years, the city has passed ordinances authorizing licenses for on-site consumption, making it one of the only places in SoCal to allow Cannabis smoking in lounges and restaurants. The most famous example of these is the Original Cannabis Café (formerly Lowell Café), where patrons can order Cannabis (and various smoking apparatus) from a menu along with their food and drinks – and enjoy it right at their table during their meal. There are also an array of stoner sightseeing and grow facility tours available, or you can just wing it: stroll down the Hollywood Walk of Fame or the Venice Beach boardwalk, peruse the vintage stores along Melrose, or spend a night on the legendary Sunset Strip.

Highest Attractions

Walk of Fame, Original Cannabis Café, Comedy Store, Nostalgia,

Gusto Green, Rainbow Bar and Grill, Whiskey a Gogo, Cookies Melrose, Alternative Herbal Health Services (AHHS)

vancouver

ADOBE STOCK

Los angeles

With nicknames like “Vansterdam” and “The Big Smoke,” it’s no wonder that Vancouver, B.C. has been Canada’s Cannabis capital for decades (long before weed was actually legalized in 2018). The city hosts the world’s longest-running 4/20 event, the Vancouver Smoke Out, every April. It’s also home to Canada’s most notorious activist/seed merchant Marc Emery – founder of Cannabis Culture magazine and the city’s oldest headshop/vapor lounge, Cannabis Culture HQ (formerly known as Hemp BC). “The Couve” also features several other consumption lounges (such as the iconic New Amsterdam Café), guided Cannabis tours and crawls, as well as numerous compassion clubs and dispensaries (including the city’s first legal marijuana dispensary, Evergreen Cannabis), where one can acquire some of the area’s famous BC Bud. Then, get high and go out hiking, snowboarding, mushroom hunting or whale watching, eh?

ADOBE STOCK

Highest Attractions

Jerome Baker’s Dream Factory, NuWu Cannabis Marketplace, Planet 13, Stratosphere.

Highest Attractions

Cannabis Culture HQ, New Amsterdam Café,

Studio 710, Museum Of Anthropology, Vancouver Aquarium, Capilano Suspension Bridge

STORY & PHOTOS by APRIL & BOBBY BLACK/HIGHER WAY TRAVEL @HIGHERWAYTRAVEL for LEAF NATION

THE TRAVEL ISSUE

Dank Destination

cannabis in catalonia

38

ThispastMarch Iwas in Barcelona,

leafmagazines.com

LA SAGRADA FAMILIA AND THE SURROUNDING BARCELONA AREA

sitting with European street artist Soklak and puffing on a joint apparently filled with Runtz from somewhere in California … if the label is to be believed.

“You look like the Daniel Craig of weed right now,” I blurted out, which is just the kind of icebreaker that could either kill the conversation or take it to the next level. Thankfully, we were all pretty stoned – so we had a good laugh and talked about Soklak’s vision for the future of Cannabis hospitality in Europe.

Soklak is the art director for CRTFD in Europe. CRTFD is a California-born plant medicine-centric lifestyle brand that does everything from providing artists with regularly paying work, to operating Cannabis social clubs and producing high-quality streetwear.

The brand’s Barcelona location is in the city’s old Gothic Quarter, which is a labyrinthine neighborhood with dark, twisting streets. Roman ruins, bars and nightclubs, Modernist architecture and medieval landmarks are the aesthetic markers of the quarter, making it a popular destination for tourists due to its history and proximity to the port, though many tried-and-true locals live here, too. During high season, large cruise ships dock in Barcelona (considered the

MAY 2022

Mediterranean hub for the world’s cruising industry) and in their limited hours on shore, many of the boats’ inhabitants end up exploring the Gothic Quarter’s narrow avenues.

The streets were uncharacteristically empty on the drizzly Sunday morning I walked through the city and across La Rambla to CRTFD from the stylish and affordable Hotel Brummell in Poble Sec where I was staying.

It’s a route I’ve walked many times before. I actually used to live in Barcelona – I got married, did a lot of restaurant, wine and travel writing, and spent a lot of time partying and hanging out in the capital city of Catalan culture.

The city’s Cannabis culture wasn’t new to me, either. I have been a member of Circulo, which is just around the corner from CRTFD, for around five years.

As far as weed culture in Spain is concerned, Barcelona is definitely the country’s epicenter. In fact, I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to say that, thanks to a crackdown on weed tourism in Amsterdam, Barcelona has emerged from Covid as the clear titan of European Cannabis.

The distinction is based on the city’s evolving and growing cultivation and hash cultures (still illegal and therefore underground), along with its positively buzzing private social club culture that operates in

CRTFD’S SOKLAK AND THEIR CLUB.

top barcelona bud bars Like the skate culture vibe displayed at CRTFD, each club in Barcelona has a unique flavor to it. Here are some of the best.

PHOTOS BY TOM BOWERS @CANNABOMBTOM

THERE’S HQ, which ended up being designated the home base for others in town visiting from the United States for the Spannabis conference, as I was. Located in the central L’Eixample neighborhood, HQ featured some of the best locally grown and “imported” weed the city had to offer, as well as a crew of customers dedicated to the evolving California-style hash culture currently taking Barcelona by storm.

COOKIES BARCELONA is no different from Cookies outposts all over the globe, which is exactly what makes it special – especially for enthusiasts who aren’t able to visit California or anywhere else in the United States. This club, which is a favorite of young men in particular, is right up the street from Antoni Gaudi’s famed Sagrada Familia cathedral, making it the perfect stop to toke before taking in the truly psychedelic-looking wonders from one of Spain’s most famed architects. The club is also one of the only places in town to feature Fidel’s famed hash hole joints, which are sold exclusively at Cookies locations.

FIDEL AND JOSH SCHMIDT OF NATURA AT THE HASH HOLES AND DONUTS PARTY AT COOKIES BARCELONA DURING SPANNABIS.

TERPS ARMY, near La Rambla, is a more bare-bones Cannabis enthusiast experience from the famed Amsterdam club by the same name. Lorenzo, the owner, is the OG who invented the hash hole joints and who eventually taught Fidel what he knows. Terps Army is where the hardcore stoners convene, especially those who are particularly into hash. Expect lots of European tourists.

a precarious legal gray area, but results in a comes from California, as well as from cultisemi-permanent scene nonetheless. vations across Europe and probably beyond.

It’s exactly that rich Barcelona subculture It’s a striking change from even just a few that CRTFD has tapped into, so it’s no suryears ago, when it was significantly harder prise the club appears to be flourishing. Even for someone from the United States to find on a dreary weekend morning, the couches passable weed – even in the clubs functionare filling up, coffee cups are being poured ing mostly as safe spaces for those wishing and joints are being lit. to toke up in peace with other like-minded The club is at once stylish individuals. The weed’s and comfortable, but not quality was important, Barcelona snobbish – exactly what the of course, but secondhas emerged cosmopolitan city is about. ary. While the quality of from Covid Plus, Soklak and the rest of Cannabis found in Baras the clear CRTFD’s team is pretty damn celona still has a ways to titan of near certain that Cannabis go, there were genuinely European and art in all its various decent buds to be had forms go hand-in-hand. at every club I walked Cannabis.

“We want to reflect and into. This never used to represent subculture around be the case. the globe,” Soklak told In many ways, what’s me, mentioning that street and skate art are happening at CRTFD and other clubs around cornerstones of the brand’s image. He is prithe city is indicative of Barcelona’s Cannabis marily based in Paris, but spends a lot of time world coming into legitimacy. working in CRTFD’s Amsterdam and BarceStreet art and skate culture have been lona clubs – the latter of which is decked out strong for a long time in Catalonia, the in spray-painted murals by the artist featuring separatist-friendly region of Spain of which his signature script.

Barcelona is the capital.

The dedication to creativity shows up These subcultures dovetail with a robust, throughout the club: The Cannabis jars are politically-left presence in Barcelona, which is made using a special printer and unique particularly exemplified in the city’s squatter graffiti tags, while the clothing features art and anarchist scenes. They have always fed by different kinds of graffiti artists. The weed into one another – with street art, skate cul-

ture, Cannabis use and the squatter lifestyle becoming TINYURL.COM/BCNLEAF @CRTFD.BCN markers of an alternative, more off-the-grid style of living. So, it’s fascinating to see them becoming sought-out spaces, with more public access and a wider mix of people. These things were always cool, but up until recently, you had to be a certain type of person to access it.

I used to live in Barcelona and very much consider it one of my homes, yes … but that’s not how I ended up in that club. I have Cannabis to thank for that.

To me, it’s just one more example of how Cannabis culture fosters community among those who choose to indulge. Just as Soklak and his crew at CRTFD identified, there’s a thread running through all of these subcultures, even though they each have their own thing going on. Once again, Cannabis is the thread tying everything together – even (and especially) in Barcelona right now.

CRTFD BARCELONA

STORY by JACKIE BRYANT @JACQBRY for LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by JACKIE BRYANT & CRTFD

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CANAMO CONFECTIONS

HAWAIIAN PUNCH GUMMIES ACCORDING TO Paris is Burning, "It is a known fact that a woman do carry an evening bag at dinnertime." And a lot of times, that handbag is stuffed so full there's nowhere to put your weed. Thankfully, the geniuses at Canamo Confections Alaska have run their normal-sized THC gummies through Wonka Vision to create a more petite version perfect for discreet travel and consumption.

Although the Polly Pocket-sized gummies come in a variety of options, we honed in on the Hawaiian Punch flavor. Surprisingly, these brightly colored little morsels were packed with weedy goodness from the first bite to the, uh, well, first bite. In truth, we didn't pick up on much else in terms of flavor, but in a market saturated with sugary confections, it was nice to dig into something that tasted like weed.

The texture of the gummies is also worth noting. The soft, pillowy texture nearly melts in your mouth – but still has a tiny bit of chew to it as well. While they did soften and partially melt when carried in a pocket, they managed to hold their shape nicely. With the warmer summer months upon us, that's a major plus!

In terms of the high, these 5mg treats were perfect for micro-dosing throughout the day. The particular strain in our pack, Key Lime Pie, left us with a nice, mellow body high.

We upped our dosage to 20mg at night and found ourselves with a pleasant cerebral buzz. It wasn't enough to lull us to sleep, but it did come with an unexpected burst of creative energy that fueled several hours of drawing stick figures.

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"The soft, pillowy texture nearly melts in your mouth."

CANAMO.COM @DAYOFTHEDABS_AK 5MG THC/GUMMY 50MG THC/PACKAGE

MAY 2022

REVIEW by ALASKA LEAF STAFF | PHOTO by O'HARA SHIPE @SHIPESHOTS

CONCENTRATE OF THE MONTH

GOOD CANNABIS

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GG #4 VAPE CART A distinct diesel exhale mixing with the peppery tang of the inhale … simply divine.

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MAY 2022

GOOD's GG #4 cart is so solid we would suggest that the owners of the company consider changing their name from GOOD to GREAT. With its 85.3% THC and 3.37% terpenes, this light, amber-colored cart will have you going B-A-N-A-NA-S from the first draw.

Being big fans of concentrates, we were pumped when we saw the large mouthpiece on the GG #4 cart. Its size allowed for an easy draw that felt less constrained than the typical pin-hole tapered mouthpieces one usually finds on carts. We're talking about a deep, full-bodied hit that left our tongues tingling from the spicy hints provided by the ample dose of the terpene, caryophyllene. Upon the exhale, we noted a distinct diesel flavor mixing with the peppery tang of the inhale. The combination was simply divine.

The high came on slowly and started with the sensation of the day's problems slowly losing their grip on our minds.

We could almost feel our worries oozing out of our skulls as we settled in to see where the high would take us. As the minutes passed, we felt the body high begin to creep in and gently compete with the head high – playfully fighting back and forth as to which effect was going to relax us more. Too sedated to care, as far as we could tell it was a tie between the two.

With our worries chased away by the 800-pound gorilla stuffed into a 500-milligram cart, we were free to let our thoughts and conversation flow unimpeded. If oranges are orange, why are limes not called greens? If you smoke weed on a boat, does that make it seaweed? And if you clean a vacuum, do you become the vacuum cleaner?

Hey, don't judge us. We never said they were deep thoughts or conversations.

REVIEW by ALASKA LEAF STAFF @AKLEAFMAG | PHOTO by O'HARA SHIPE @SHIPESHOTS

TANNINS & TERPENES

ALASKABUDS X MOOSE'S TOOTH

WHITE PIZZA & MTF

It’s quiz time. What do you get when you pair two of Alaska’s iconic staples – a slice of Moose’s Tooth pizza and MTF? A truly epic Alaskan experience.

MTF has been used by outsiders as a generic term for the potent strains grown in Alaska since the ‘70s.

However, this offering from ALASKAbuds is anything but generic.

With golden-hued and fat-bodied nugs that taper to a point and beg to be broken off and smoked, we found they busted apart easily into chunks that fit perfectly in the bowl. Crumbling the flower released a deep, earthy, sage-like fragrance that filled our nostrils with a dank aroma. The scent carried through the intake, revealing a shadowy herbal bouquet coupled with a hint of cinnamon. The exhale opened the flavors even further and we could really taste the rich herbal overtones, backed by a more distinct cinnamon taste.

The initial hits of this 20.89% sativa produced a mild euphoria that continued to develop as the minutes passed. The final effect was a very pleasant and energizing body high accompanied by a low-key energy boost. We weren’t bouncing off the MTF: 20.89% THC walls, but we weren’t stuck on the couch either. MTF gave us a feeling that we could choose to get chores done or concentrate on a good book.

The high lasted well past the first hour and deep into our second and third slices of Moose’s Tooth ‘White’ pizza. The pizza’s Mediterranean toppings (sun-dried tomatoes/artichoke hearts/feta cheese) and delicious white sauce balanced the earthy flavors of the flower perfectly. The combined aromas floating around the room were to die for.

For any of you planning on hosting 21+ guests this summer, this is the combo you want to serve up. Heck, even if you’re a lifelong Alaskan, there’s no better way to remind yourself of why you choose to live here. Enjoy!

"The combined aromas floating around the room were to die for."

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MAY 2022

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A la s k a C a n n a b is E x ch a n g e

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WORLD OF Cannabis PRESENTS

Pakalolo in the Pacific

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With its mineral-rich volcanic soil, tropical temperatures and abundant rainfall, the Pacific paradise of Hawaii has the ideal conditions to grow some of the most stellar weed in the world, including iconic strains like Puna Budder, Kauai Electric and of course, the legendary Maui Wowie.

But exactly how and when cannabis first arrived on the isolated islands remains one of history’s little mysteries.

INTRO TO THE ISLANDS The first recorded reference to Cannabis in the Hawaiian Islands was published in the Honolulu newspaper Ka Nonanona in 1842, where it was referred to as “pakalolo.” Though probably meant as a derogatory term at the time, pakalolo – which roughly translates to “numbing tobacco” or “crazy weed” by some accounts – remains the name Hawaiians use for the herb to this day.

There’s no doubt that Cannabis had been in Hawaii long before 1842, but how it first arrived there is unclear. Issue of Ko Nonanona newspaper, 1842.

Some claim the original Polynesian settlers (who had previously migrated from Asia) brought it with them when they first sailed to the islands as early as the fourth or fifth century, but there doesn’t seem to be any proof of that. Others claim that Cannabis may have been brought there by the Mexican cowboys (known as vaqueros or paniolos) who came to Hawaii to work on King Kamehameha’s cattle ranches starting around 1793, or by

MAY 2022

Britain’s Royal botanist, Sir Joseph Banks.

sailors on whaling ships around 1820. While either of those groups may have brought Cannabis with them, there’s no evidence that they were actually the first. Rather, the most plausible explanation, according to my research, is that Cannabis was introduced to Hawaii by the first European explorers who visited the archipelago in the late 18th century – thanks to a hemp-loving horticulturalist named Joseph Banks.

SIR JOSEPH BANKS Sir Joseph Banks was the head botanist for the British Empire and an adviser to King George III. He also happened to be a well-established

Cannabis enthusiast who encouraged the monarchy to grow hemp for practical and strategic purposes (essential to use for sails and ropes for the Navy’s ships and to make parchment for writing letters and documents) and urged the King to underwrite voyages of discovery to new regions of the globe, so that he could collect and study samples of any new flora and fauna they discovered.

In 1766, the 23-year-old Banks was elected to the Royal Society and embarked on his first sea voyage, which took him to Newfoundland and Labrador. Then two years later in 1768, he was appointed to a scientific expedition to the South Pacific aboard the Royal Naval ship HMS Endeavor, commanded by 39-year-old Captain James Cook. Later dubbed “the man who mapped the world,” Cook had been commissioned by the British Admiralty to sail to the Pacific Ocean to record the transit of Venus across the Sun – an astrological phenomenon that, if correctly observed and recorded, could help determine the distance of the Earth from the Sun. On both of these voyages, Banks brought with him an array of various seeds with which to trade (at that time, seeds could be used as a sort of universal currency), and this extensive seed bank undoubtedly included several varieties of Cannabis.

Main photo: A View of Karakakooa, in Owyhee — color print of HMS Resolution’s arrival in Hawaii by John Webber (1784).

Banks continued to evangelize for Cannabis for the remainder of his life, and his interest in the plant was in no way limited to its industrial uses.

During his three-year Above: A period map journey aboard the Endeavor, of the Hawaiian (aka Banks visited Brazil, Tahiti, Sandwich) Islands.

New Zealand and the eastern shores of Australia, where he Banks may not have collected over 30,000 plant been on board that specimens and named over expedition to Hawaii, 1,400 new species. In fact, but his seeds almost Australia’s Botany Bay is so Engraving Engraving of of the the HMS HMS Endeavor Endeavor off off the the coast coast of of certainly were. He named because of “the great eastern eastern Australia Australia by

by Julian Julian Ashton Ashton (1770).

(1770). was still the Crown’s quantity of plants Mr. Banks horticultural advisor … found in this place.” and was known to require that a wide variety of When Banks returned home to London in 1771, he beseeds be brought along on all voyages – includcame an instant celebrity in the scientific community. ing Cannabis, which the Brits would’ve wanted to plant on the islands so they’d have hemp THE SANDWICH ISLANDS crops waiting for them upon their next visit.

Banks had planned to accompany Cook on a second voyage to the Pacific in 1778, but was denied permission BOTANY BAY to sail by the Admiralty after a fierce disagreement about Though Banks never the lodgings, provisions and equipment he required for returned to the Pacific, the journey. It was on that expedition aboard the HMS he continued to advise Resolution that Cook would “discover” the Hawaiian the Crown regardIslands (which he named the Sandwich Islands, after his ing policy there for friend John Montagu, the Earl of Sandwich). decades to come. It In 1779, the Resolution made landfall at Kealakekua was allegedly Banks Bay on the Big Island, where the Brits first made contact who convinced the with the Natives. Upon their arrival, Cook was perceived British Government as a divine emissary of the Polynesian god Lono, whose to colonize Australia festival the Hawaiians happened to be celebrating when and turn Botany Bay the ship arrived. Because of this, Cook’s initial interacinto a penal colony – tions with the inhabitants were overwhelmingly positive – later earning him the so much so that he and his crew remained on the island, Old botanical illustration honorific “the Father trading and interacting with the Hawaiians peacefully for of cannabis plant. of Australia.” nearly a month. Unfortunately, Cook later ran afoul of In 1788, Banks reportedly gifted a bag of the Natives after attempting to kidnap their king, Kalahemp seeds to the First Fleet before they set out ni’opu’u, in a dispute over a stolen cutter boat and was to find the penal colony. A letter he received stabbed to death along with several of his men. from the East India Company in 1801 provides evidence that his bags of hemp seeds were still The Death of Captain James Cook, by the Indians of being handed out in the Australian colonies 13 O.Why.ee, one of the Sandwich-Islands - an engraving years later. Throughout that time, Banks continby George Carter. ued to exercise his influence over the colony’s governors to expand hemp production there.

In fact, many scholars believe that the growing of hemp was the primary purpose of the New South Wales settlement and that shipping the convicts there was merely a cover to deceive Britain’s rivals.

CANNABIS CODA In closing, it should be noted that Banks continued to evangelize for Cannabis for the remainder of his life and that his interest in the plant was in no way limited to its industrial uses. In addition to the sativa variety commonly used for hemp fiber, he apparently acquired some of the more exotic indica varietals from British sailors Portrait of the multifarious Mr. who’d traveled to Banks by Benjamin West (1773).

India and came to enjoy their medicinal and recreational benefits. It was eventually revealed through his personal letters that Banks even received shipments of hashish from a British consul in Tangiers named James Matra. And in 1803, he provided some of it to his friend, the Romantic poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge, along with a note saying that its effects included “almost frantic exhilaration” – making Mr. Banks, on top of everything else, England’s first de facto hash smuggler and weed dealer.

STO RY b y B O B BY B LAC K @ CAN N T H RO PO LO G Y for LEA F NAT IO N

ALL IMAGES IN PUBLIC DOMAIN

A painting of Joseph Banks (second from left), Captain James Cook (center), the Earl of Sandwich (right) and other nobleman by John Hamilton Mortimer (1771).

THOSE WHO CAME AFTER Even if, for whatever reason, Banks’ Cannabis seeds didn’t make it onto the islands during Captain Cook’s visit, they could just as easily have been brought by one of the other European explorers who began trading with the Hawaiians in the years that followed. The two next most likely candidates would be Frenchman Jean François de Galaup, comte de Lapérouse (or simply Lapérouse), who became the first European to set foot on the island of Maui in 1786, and British Naval Captain George Vancouver, who visited both Australia and the Hawaiian Islands in 1792.

Top: the French Regardless of the exact year explorer Lapérouse. it arrived or by whose hand, it Above: Captain seems clear that Joseph Banks was most likely the true progenitor George Vancouver. of pakalolo in the Pacific. In fact, it’s even rumored that the fruit of one of Banks’ seeds later evolved into one of Hawaii’s most famous landrace strains, Hawaiian Duckfoot.

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WHO DOESN’T LOVE TACOS? I mean, this juggernaut of Mexican culture easily rivals the hamburger when competing for “most delectable” item in the food pyramid. And whether you like your fillings grilled, deep fried or sauteed, all it takes is herding the ingredients into a tortilla and wrapping that baby up to convert your hand into a flavor shovel of extreme awesomeness!

Think about it: Tuesday would be Bluesday if not for the amazing taco. And not just because the two are alphabetically compatible, but because tacos are so damn cheerful, they turn an ordinary meal into a downright fiesta. And with the deliciousness well in hand, all you need is a bottle of to-kill-ya to quickly transform a mundane weekday into a Satur-type-day.

So vamanos on those happy hour margaritas amigo, because we’re going to need some tang to punctuate the party.

Tacos aren’t just yummy for the tummy – they give the meal personality. It’s the rare food item that can relocate your dinner table to a barstool smack dab in the middle of a pinata-filled cantina. Suddenly you’re stoned on some pressed brick weed surrounded by a handful of gleeful hombres with frilly tuxedos and giant sombreros strumming guitars, squeezing accordions and singing like angels, and you’ll swear you’ve been transported somewhere south of the border.

Every country has their own version of a taco, right? Poland has the pierogi, Italy has the pizza, and Israel has the falafel. And the United States has the taco pizza.

But back to the food pyramid. I wonder if that originated in Tenochtitlan – that’s where they used to conduct human sacrifices. Those were some evil bastards.

But then, they didn’t have Cinco de Drinko.

MAY 2022

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