Feb. 2020 — Maryland Leaf

# 1 4 | F E B . 2020

THE ENLIGHTENED VOICE

THE

INDOOR ISSUE

F R E E / L E A F N AT I O N M D . C O M

Mai Tai by gLeaf in Frederick.

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FEATURES 7 editor note 8 national news 10 indoor opinion 13 highly likely 14 cannabis museum 16 budtender q&a 18 patient profile 20 charm city medicus 24 strain of the month 28 GLEAF | GARDEN PROFILE 34 INDOOR GEAR GUIDE 36 concentrate REVIEW 38 VALENTINE’S DAY recipes 40 HAVE YOU TRIED HEMP? 42 DYSCO’S CORNER 44 REFLECTION TIME 46 stoney baloney ISSUU.COM/NWLEAF FEB. 2020

28 gLeaf CEO Philip Goldberg walks past Mai Tai in one

of the company’s gardens.

PHOTO by ERIC KAYNE @PHOTOKAYNE

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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

ABOUT THE COVER

This close-up of Mai Tai by the Frederick-based growers, gLeaf, jumped out at our team as a beautiful example of the Cannabis being grown at this facility. Maryland freelance photographer Eric Kayne captured the striking image in his first assignment for the magazine | gLeaf.com

Cover photo by Eric Kayne for Maryland Leaf @PhotoKayne

CONTRIBUTORS

FOUNDER & EDITOR

Tom Bowers, writing

WES ABNEY Wes@nwleaf.com 206-235-6721

Alaina Dorsey, writing Ally Dull, writing

PUBLISHER

Wyatt Early, features

EARLY Early@LeafNationMD.com

Steve Elliott, writing Ariana Foote, writing Eric Kayne, photos Taylor Martin, writing Matthew Newton, writing Jeff Porterfield, design Mike Ricker, writing Mike Rothman, writing Pacer Stacktrain, writing Laurie Wolf, writing Bruce Wolf, photography

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Daniel bermaN | photography & design daniel@bermanphotos.com AD SALES / PRODUCER/PROCESSOR/RETAILERS

wyatt early Wyatt@LeafNationMD.com 410-961-8779 We do not sell stories or coverage.

We are happy to offer design services and guidance on promoting your company’s recreational, commercial or industrial Cannabis product or upcoming event. We are targeted and independent Cannabis journalism.

Email or call to discuss advertising.

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ABNEY

Editor’s Note Thanks for picking up The Indoor Issue of Maryland Leaf!

INDOOR CANNABIS CULTIVATION began in the dark ages of Cannabis prohibition as a tool to avoid detection, effectively hiding a plant inside garages, closets and warehouses from prying eyes. As far as plants go, Cannabis is a happy girl with the right indoor environment, and over the last 30 years the technology and techniques for growing inside have expanded and caught up to the 21st century. Today’s indoor gardens are as much a work of science as they are agriculture, creating controlled environments perfectly suited to the plants cultivated within.

For years I’ve heard Cannabis activists argue that one day all weed would be grown outdoors, or at least in greenhouses.

Admittedly, that argument is built on logic. If weed isn’t illegal, why grow it indoors at all?

As the Leaf has expanded, we’ve dedicated an issue each year to the outdoor harvest and the efforts of full sun-grown farmers, while leaving indoor gardens as something we featured occasionally as unique gardens popped up. So when we sat down to plan the 2020 editorial calendar, the idea for an Indoor Issue was again renewed. What makes it special? Is indoor Cannabis something we want to support?

VISIT ISSUU. COM/NWLEAF TO SEE OUR TOURS OF INDOOR CANNABIS GARDENS IN WASHINGTON, OREGON AND ALASKA!

Through exploring the modern realities of indoor growing - from Fairbanks, Alaska where temperatures can swing from negative 30 to 30 degrees fahrenheit in a single day, to the controlled environments of Oregon’s organic gardens - it is clear that indoor Cannabis is evolving and defining the craft Cannabis movement. I believe that we will always have indoor Cannabis on a business scale, and while it won’t touch the miles of greenhouses sure to dominate the future of our beloved agricultural commodity, we will always see incredible craft Cannabis being produced indoors.

Our issues this month look through gardens in Washington, Oregon and Alaska, so check out the other Leaf’s online content for coverage outside of your state! We explore how farms are adapting to the unique challenges of growing indoors, creating a high-end product in markets that are flooded with mid-grade flower, and how they are using the controlled environments and inputs to grow some of the best examples of strains in the world.

As an art, a science, a craft and a passion, indoor Cannabis is something that can be done sustainably and with truly spectacular results. Craft comes in all forms, big and small, and I encourage you to ask your favorite budtender for a craft indoor Cannabis recommendation, and to try the farms we feature this month! You won’t be disappointed.

-Wes Abney

FEB. 2020

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NATIONAL NEWS

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Newly recreational Cannabis state Illinois has the second highest Cannabis taxes (Washington is #1).

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WA State lawmakers introduced HB2546 to limit Cannabis concentrates to max 10% THC potency, all but killing the recreational concentrates market.

40 1,800 $145k $3.2m

More than 40 U.S. states may have legal Cannabis in some form by 2020’s end, including Mississippi and South Dakota.

The raid of an illegal grow in San Jacinto, California last month yielded 1,800 plants and 50 pounds of dried Cannabis, after the power utility reported suspicious power readings.

A Southern California marijuana money courier was robbed of $145,000 in cash when thieves broke into his work truck parked at an area gas station and took two satchels full of money.

health

THE WA STATE SENATORS WHO WANT A STUDY OF STINKY CANNABIS

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W

ashington State senators Judy Warnick of Moses Lake, Lynda Wilson of the southeastern area of the state, and Tim Sheldon of the sprawling 35th District, are seeking to create a task force on pot odor.

Under Senate Bill 6089, the task force would bring together decisionmakers from the Liquor and Cannabis Board, Department of Ecology, Department of Health, the State Department of Agriculture, the state association of counties, the state association of cities, and those in the “recreational marijuana community.”

The proposed task force would be charged with studying ways to “mitigate, mask, conceal, or otherwise address marijuana odors and emissions, and the potentially harmful impact of marijuana odors and emissions on people who live, work or are located in close proximity to a marijuana production or processing facility.”

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The task force would report its findings

by December 31, 2020.

WASHINGTON STATE REMOVES ONLINE MAP OF CANNABIS GROWERS & PROCESSORS AFTER RASH OF BURGLARIES

T

he map provided detailed

information on exactly where Cannabis growers and processors were located. Some business owners felt that those addresses publicly posted on the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) website made it just too easy to find and target them, according to LCB spokeswoman Julie Graham. The agency said it removed the map as a precautionary measure. The information is still available via public record requests.

FEB. 2020

east coast

MEDICAL MARIJUANA BROUGHT MORE THAN $10 MILLION IN TAXES TO MARYLAND IN 2019

NORTHWEST

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The first day of legal recreational Cannabis sales in Illinois resulted in 77,000 transactions and $3.2 million in sales for the state’s 37 pot shops, which were legalized by legislative measure in 2019.

HOW CANNABIS LEGALIZATION IS REDUCING BINGE DRINKING FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS

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recent study by Oregon State University researchers found that at colleges and universities in states with legal recreational weed, students are reporting fewer instances of binge drinking (five or more drinks in one sitting in the past two weeks).

ore than $10 million in tax revenue for Maryland was produced by medical Cannabis sales in fiscal year 2019, exceeding the amount of money the industry brought to state coffers in the previous two fiscal years combined, according to data from the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission.

Medical Cannabis brought about $3.5 million to Maryland in fiscal year 2018, and about $4.2 million in fiscal year 2017.

The study, published in the journal Addiction, analyzed data from seven states and 135 colleges where Cannabis was legal by 2018.

The latest numbers, covering the period ending on June 30, 2019, show total estimated revenue for medical marijuana for that fiscal year as $10,371,437, according to the Maryland Reporter.

Data from 41 states and 454 colleges where recreational weed was not legal was also analyzed. “After legalization, students ages 21 and older showed a greater drop in binge drinking than their peers in states where marijuana was not legal,” according to the study.

Maryland has licensed 87 medical Cannabis shops, mostly in population centers such as the city and county of Baltimore, along with Howard County and Montgomery County.

border crossings

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IDAHOANS BUY A LOT OF OREGON WEED daho residents love Oregon Cannabis, according to a new analysis.

In the report, released in January by the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis, Oregon Cannabis sales per adult along the Idaho border are 420 percent (no joke) higher than the statewide average.

Baker County was Oregon’s leader on a per capita basis. With a population of 16,820, sales totaled more than $30.1 million in 2019, working out to $1,794 per resident.

But those sales were overwhelmingly to Idahoans, primarily Boise residents flocking to the tiny town of Huntington, 30 miles from the state line.

Just across the state line, small town Huntington, OR, has become a destination for Cannabis-consuming Idaho residents.

A new pot shop opened in Malheur County, right on the state line, and with $20.1 million in 2019 sales, Malheur appears poised to surpass Baker County in 2020.

The “border effect,” which happens when two neighboring jurisdictions set different rules for the same product, often results in residents traveling to take advantage of relaxed restrictions. That’s particularly true of so-called “vice” products like marijuana, according to the analysis.

The same analysis also shows stronger sales for Washington state Cannabis stores along its border with Idaho, than along its borders with either Oregon or Canada, reports the Idaho Statesman.

By STEVE ELLIOTT, AUTHOR OF THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF MARIJUANA

n tio

edical Can M l a r nab u g u is C a n I o s ’ mp d n et a l i y r a M

LOOK FOR ENTRY AND EVENT DETAILS IN THE MARCH 2020 EDITION OF MD LEAF Mother’s Federal Hill Grille | Sunday June 14th | 3:00-9:00 PM TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM MISSIONTIX MARCH 1ST

Cannabis LAW

“ Why hasn’t home cultivation of Cannabis been permitted or encouraged by states more widely? ”

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Defending Indoor Cultivation For more than 10,000 years, humans have cultivated the Cannabis plant for its wide-ranging benefits.

Whether for medicinal uses or fiber for building materials, the Cannabis plant has proven to be a hearty plant with a complex chemical makeup that can vary tremendously in physical size, chemistry and appearance. Furthermore, these physical and chemical signatures of a plant’s genetics can be expressed by a knowledgeable cultivator through the various conditions under which the Cannabis is grown. This is the essence of the indoor cultivation revolution.

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early all of the Cannabis consumed in the medical dispensaries, especially the flower, are grown indoors under artificial lights. This is mainly because the Cannabis grown indoors from cultivars has “bag appeal,” with the right combination of appearance and smell that resonates with consumers. But the majority of the Cannabis grown in this country is grown outdoors due to the prohibitive costs of indoor cultivation. This is especially true when certain organic chemicals are being stripped out of the biomass to be used in another products, such as concentrates, edibles or tinctures. In such cases, growers are concerned with obtaining the greatest amount of Cannabis at the least expensive price, to create the desired product potency.

But cost isn’t the only reason why the cultivation of Cannabis has come indoors.

Cannabis, as an agricultural commodity, has unique attributes that distinguish it from alcohol and tobacco. It’s relatively easy to grow and does not require industrial processing. Cannabis can be produced anywhere by just about anyone.

It is grown throughout the country, in backyards, closets, attics, basements and warehouses.

In fact, growing Cannabis indoors has never been easier. The technology and equipment needed to grow Cannabis is legal and widely available, and the information about how to grow is equally so.

Which brings us to the elephant in the room.

Why hasn’t home cultivation of Cannabis been permitted or encouraged by states more widely?

Thirty-three states and the District of Columbia have adopted some form of medical Cannabis legislation. Eleven states have outright legalized the use of Cannabis by adults over 21 years of age. But only 16 states and the District of Columbia permit some form of home cultivation, even for medical patients.

Maryland specifically does not permit home cultivation, even for medical patients. Why is the simple act of planting a Cannabis plant - a plant that grows virtually anywhere - so controversial?

Most agricultural crops throughout the world are grown solely outdoors (e.g., grapes, grain, etc.). In fact, it wasn’t so long ago that Cannabis was exclusively grown outside as well.

That changed, in part, because of the war on drugs launched in the 1980s and the need for illicit growers to avoid detection by surveillance helicopters and police. Indoor Cannabis cultivation took root in the United States during the 1980s when the Reagan administration committed money and resources to federal Cannabis raids.

Frequent law enforcement raids that targeted outdoor gardens inadvertently helped to jumpstart a cottage industry of innovative products for growing marijuana indoors, including nutrients, soil amendments, special lights, and various equipment to control temperature and moisture.

Cannabis, a versatile botanical that can thrive under a 24-hour light cycle, adapted well to the new indoor environment. But don’t take my word for it.

The Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) own data from 2018 confirms it.

According to the DEA’s Domestic Cannabis Eradication/Suppression Statistical Report from 2018, the agency and its law enforcement partners confiscated an estimated 2.82 million marijuana plants nationwide - a 17% decline from the agency’s totals and a 66% decline since 2016.

On the other hand, while the total number of Cannabis plants seized by the DEA fell in 2018, the seizures of indoor Cannabis plants nearly doubled - rising from 304,000 plants in 2017 to just under 600,000 in 2018.

Regardless, it is clear that indoor cultivation offers benefits to consumers that cannot be obtained from an outdoor grow — benefits which are crucial for anyone seeking to use Cannabis as a medicine: -The ability to cultivate year-round free from weather and adverse conditions (e.g., cold, bugs, rot, etc.), -Control over growing conditions (e.g., light, soil, nutrients, CO2, etc.)

-Product standardization, uniformity & bag appeal.

And while indoor growing may continue to be more expensive, current trends seem to indicate that it will continue to have a significant impact on the world’s cultivation of the Cannabis plant.

Since 2008, Mike Rothman has counseled clients regarding Cannabis laws and regulations as the founder and principal of the Medical Cannabis Law Group and the Law Office of Mike Rothman in Rockville, Maryland. Mr. Rothman has testified on Cannabis laws and regulations before the Maryland House of Delegates, taught classes, and lobbied the federal government on behalf of patients and businesses. Mr. Rothman’s Law Office focuses on criminal defense, including use of the medical Cannabis defense.

FEB. 2020

COLUMN by MIKE ROTHMAN, ATTORNEY & PRINCIPAL | MEDICAL CANNABIS LAW GROUP | PHOTO by @BERMANPHOTOS

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NORMANMAILER THE PULITZER P RIZEWINNING W RITER WAS OUTSPOKEN ON A LOT OF THINGS...

INCLUDING CANNABIS.

Jan. 31, 1923 – Nov.10, 2007

on his appreciation of music. “I’d been listening to jazz for years, but it had never meant all that much to me. Now, with the powers pot offered, simple things became complex; complex things clarified themselves,” he said.

It seemed that this started Mailer’s course of being an outspoken Cannabis consumer in mid-century America - a place where it certainly was less accepted than it is today. Here, Mailer would sometimes utilize his sharp writing to describe the benefits of Cannabis to the masses: “One’s condition on marijuana is always existential. One can feel the importance of each moment and how it is changing. One feels one’s being, one becomes aware of the enormous apparatus of nothingness - the hum of a hi-fi set, the emptiness of a pointless interruption, one becomes aware of the war between each of us, how the nothingness in each of us seeks to attack the being of others, how our being in turn is attacked by the nothingness in others.”

He also spoke of the effect that Cannabis had on his writing, saying “I began to write for the sound of what I was writing, but also noted that I’d have brilliant insights on pot, but could hardly remember any of them later.” He also noted that he preferred to edit, rather than write, while consuming.

Later in life, he offered a critique of modern-day Cannabis consumers, comparing them to religious fundamentalists.

“There’s too much dead-ass in the thinking of pot smokers now,” he said.

Whatever one may think in terms of these opinions, one thing is for sure – Norman Mailer opened up our world to the idea of Cannabis as a benefit to artistic invention at a time when that opinion wasn’t very popular. For this and many other reasons, we can regard him as a true pioneer for greater Cannabis acceptance in our world.

highly likely

H i g h l y L i ke l y h i g h l i g h t s Ca n n a b i s p i o n e e rs w h o p a ve d t h e wa y t o g re a t e r h e r b a l a c c e p ta n ce .

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“ONE’S CONDITION ON MARIJUANA IS ALWAYS EXISTENTIAL.” A FAMED JOURNALIST, NOVELIST AND ESSAYIST, Norman Mailer was perhaps one of the first ‘celebrity writers’ of the 20th century.

By PACER STACKTRAIN for LEAF NATION

be adopted by many writers – most notably

by Hunter S. Thompson.

Mailer’s life was lived large.

He spent his time with celebrities in the worlds of art and politics, even running for Mayor of New York City in 1969, but the campaign was unsuccessful.

As one can imagine, an author of this esteem who covered this subject matter had a distinct connection to what was called the ‘counter culture’ of the 1960s and 70s.

This was certainly true in Mailer’s case, as he was an ardent fan of art and music - especially jazz. In the mid 1950s Mailer discovered Cannabis, and noted its effect

feb. 2020

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irst published in 1948, Mailer’s novel, “The Naked and the Dead,” based on his experiences as a soldier serving in World War II, quickly started him on the course of fame. But from there, he went on to publish several other novels – eventually becoming renowned as an essayist for many a publication. The accolades he acquired were many throughout his life.

Some of these accolades included winning major awards, most notably the Pulitzer Prize in 1968 and 1980. In 1955, he helped to cofound the famed Village Voice weekly newspaper. There, he helped to invent a new form in journalism called creative nonfiction, which applies the narrative style of the novel to real events. This style would

Feature

HISTORY IN THE MAKING

A NEW CANNABIS CULTURE MUSEUM

WHEN I FIRST BEGAN MY CAREER IN CANNABIS AT HIGH TIMES IN 1994, THERE WAS NO SUCH THING AS MEDICAL MARIJUANA, A SO-CALLED LEGAL STATE, AND CERTAINLY NO CANNABIS INDUSTRY—ONLY A BLACK MARKET AND AN UNDERGROUND MARIJUANA MOVEMENT. BACK THEN, IF YOU SMOKED POT YOU WERE A CRIMINAL. AND IF YOU GREW, SOLD OR EVEN ADVOCATED FOR IT, YOU WERE AN ACTIVIST AND AN OUTLAW.

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The only place in the world to buy and smoke weed legally was in Amsterdam. During my two decades at the magazine, I got to travel to Amsterdam nearly every November for the Cannabis Cup, where I was fortunate enough to meet, learn about, and even hang out with many of the great pot pioneers and counterculture heroes. I didn’t realize at the time I was living through Cannabis history in the making.

So, it’s ironically fitting that now, four years after leaving High Times, I find myself back in Amsterdam in November, photographing and cataloguing classic issues of my old magazine and memorabilia of those pioneers for a new Cannabis museum that I’m helping to build.

Talk about coming full circle.

It all started this past July when I began seeing these interesting little Facebook posts by ganjapreneur Jair Velleman, showing off various reefer-related antiques he’d been acquiring, and claiming that he planned to use this growing collection to start a Cannabis museum.

“I’ve been a collector all my life,” he admits. “And after selling my company, I had a little bit of time and money on my hands, so I started finding and purchasing a lot of beautiful Cannabis artifacts. Then I started looking at the different Cannabis museums out there and thought that I could do it better.”

Marijuana museums had been suddenly popping onto my radar in a big way. I’d just visited Sensi Seeds’ Hash, Marihuana and Hemp Museum in Barcelona a few months earlier, and there was a building buzz around the upcoming opening of Weedmaps’ Museum of Weed in Los Angeles. At that time, I happened to be looking for a new professional project to tackle and was intrigued by the prospect of Jair’s idea. I realized that if he planned to display his artifacts in a museum, he’d need someone to write about them and their significance to visitors, by

FEB. 2020

putting them into historical context. I sent him a message, and he expressed interest in possibly hiring me as a freelance writer or consultant when the time came. I thanked him and went about my week - that is, until a few days later, when he called back with an exciting and unexpected offer.

“I’ve been thinking about it, and actually I need help with more than just writing about the items,” he confessed. “I can’t build a museum all by myself - I need someone to help me with the whole project. And when I thought about it, I realized that you’re actually the perfect person for that job.” A few weeks later, I was on a plane to Amsterdam for a five-day job interview, at the end of which I’d found a kindred spirit in Jair and been officially named the new Executive Director of the World of Cannabis museum project.

In the two months that followed, I set to work researching museums, test driving software and ordering equipment. Then at the end of October, I returned here to Amsterdam to begin the first phase of our epic endeavor: the lovingly laborious process of cataloguing the nearly 500 rare and obscure posters, books, collectibles, and antiques in Jair’s vault. Each and every item must be dated, classified, coded, tagged, measured, photographed, and input into our museum database.

Once the collection has been fully archived, we can begin phase two of the project: sorting through it all to decide which items we want to include in the final exhibits. As for the location, we’re still unsure where the museum may end up opening. Jair’s original vision was for the museum to be mobile and pop-up in select cities across the U.S. and Europe, but that could easily change if we find a perfect permanent home for it. Regardless of where the museum ends up, however, its mission will remain the

same: to celebrate the history of modern Cannabis culture by collecting and preserving some of its most significant artwork and artifacts, and displaying them to the public in as engaging and educational way possible.

Now you may be thinking: If there are already several Cannabis museums out there, why start another one? Well, because ours will be different than the existing museums in several ways. Our vision is to focus on modern Cannabis culture, primarily in the Western world, from the early days of prohibition and reefer madness, to its modern day mainstream influence and everything in between.

From the legendary growers and breeders who propagated all of the popular strains we smoke today, to the brave smugglers who helped distribute them across the globe. From the earliest activists who first fought for legalization, to the smoking celebrities who have come to embrace it.

From the birth of the counterculture in the 1960s and the excesses of the 70s, to the Drug War hysteria of the 80s, the advent of medical marijuana in the 90s, and the march toward mainstream acceptance in the new millennium.

Ultimately, the driving concept behind World of Cannabis is an all-encompassing educational endeavor that will eventually span all media. As we embark upon this unprecedented journey, we’ll be documenting the entire process as we go through a video series, a podcast, and a syndicated column by yours truly that highlights various objects in the collection, explaining their origins and significance

within the greater context of Cannabis history. Since anthropology is defined as the study of human history and culture, I’ve coined a new term to describe this pursuit that Jair and I are now engaged in CannthropologyTM - the study of Cannabis history and culture (and the name of my upcoming column and podcast).

In today’s new legalized landscape, when marijuana media is shifting its focus from OGs to CEOs, it’s more important than ever for us to memorialize the counterculture icons and outlaws whose audacity and activism created the thriving Cannabis community we’ve all grown to love. For aspiring “cannthropologists” such as Jair and myself, World of Cannabis is a true passion project - one that we hope will provide a valuable resource and lasting legacy of education and enjoyment for generations to come. By preserving and honoring our history, we become a part of it. We invite you to join us on this fascinating exploration into the origins and evolution of our culture.

Bobby Black is the executive director of the World of Cannabis Museum project. He’s also a former senior editor, columnist, and 21-year veteran of High Times magazine, host of Blazin’ With Bobby Black on Cannabis Radio, and cofounder of Higher Way Travel.

If you have an item or story of historical significance that you think is worthy of inclusion in the museum, let us know at worldofcannabismuseum@gmail.com.

Look for Bobby’s new column Cannthropology coming soon!

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STORY & PHOTOS by BOBBY BLACK for LEAF NATION

interview

G OT A FAVO R I TE B U D TE N DE R ? TE L L US WH Y ! WYAT T @ LEA F NAT IO N M D . CO M

From web design in Denmark to film school in Estonia, Senghor Hill has no shortage of cross-cultural experience on his resumé. These days, however, you’ll find him weaving his aforementioned skillsets into one of the great cultural movements of our time - Cannabis.

“IT HELPS ME WAKING UP IN THE MORNING KNOWING THAT I AM DOING THINGS TO HELP PEOPLE.”

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WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT WORKING AT CURIO WELLNESS? For me, it’s the people. We all

Senghor Hill maryland leaf budtender of the month

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HOW DID YOU GET YOUR START WITH CANNABIS?

I got my start thanks to Curio Wellness. I came back from Louisiana and was looking for jobs in different industries. I actually had a friend who was working in the Cannabis industry in Maryland, and that is what sparked me to do the same. After doing a little research, I noticed that Curio had a really great team in place. I thought to myself, why not give it a shot? It has really worked out in my favor ever since. I have a long history in television and film, as well as customer service. I really wanted to bring both of those aspects into this program, and was strongly motivated by films and documentaries as well.

HOW DID YOU LEARN ABOUT CANNABIS? We had a three week intensive course in the dispensary before the doors ever opened. We got to sit down with people from the cultivation facility and general managers with knowledge of holistic medicine, and learn extensively about products and terpenes. We took another class on dry herb vaporizers, which I hadn’t the slightest clue

feb. 2020

about until starting these courses. We did role playing before opening, where people from our team would come in with a specific “issue” we could help them with. We never push people in a specific direction, but we do suggest products that could be beneficial to their outcome based off experience.

HOW DO YOU FIND THE RIGHT ITEMS FOR PATIENTS?

I try to get an idea of what they are really trying to help themselves with, in addition to their knowledge and experience with Cannabis - if they have any at all. Some people don’t have any Cannabis experience, and you have to treat them a little differently from someone using Cannabis for 30+ years. I try to take a very medical orientation, but you also need to be able to cater to people that take a more relaxed approach to Cannabis as well. Also, if you’re not a smoker, I am not going to push smoking flower on you. I like to start beginners off with products that are lower in THC and higher in CBD, allowing them to adjust or comfortably settle into their medicine.

come from different walks of life and it’s really cool we can all be brought together by Cannabis. Another thing is hearing the different testimonials of the people who come here, because if we can help them accomplish their health goals through Cannabis, we have done something right. It helps me waking up in the morning knowing that I am doing things to help people.

A patient mentioned the other day that the elixir I recommended gave them “the best sleep” they had in years.

FAVORITE WAYS TO USE CANNABIS? BEST STRAINS?

I mostly just love flower, however, I do get down with vapes and things like that. I was smoking blunts for a long time, but I moved on when living in other countries where they were not as available. Pre-rolls are also very solid for a quick and easy way to medicate. My go-to strains are Animal Cookies and Cookies and Cream by Curio. I am excited to see what Culta has coming for us from Cookies California. There is also no bad time of day for me to smoke Wedding Cake - a big go-to strain of mine.

WHAT ARE YOUR HOBB1IES OUTSIDE OF CANNABIS?

Film and TV, which I incorporate in my conversations with patients frequently. It creates a kind of common ground if you can relate on television and movie references. I also love to travel - I was in film school in Estonia for a year and studied cross-cultural web design in Denmark for six months. Teachers would give you the necessary resources and throw you out to the wolves to create projects. I am the guy if someone wants to travel - there is a good chance I am going to say yes.

STORY by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT/MARYLAND LEAF | PHOTO by CURIO WELLNESS

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PATIENT OF THE MONTH leafnationmd.com

18

“I WASN’T GIVING MY BODY THE RIGHT TERPENES. BUT THEN AGAIN, I DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT THAT STUFF WHEN I WAS YOUNGER.” -PATIENT TAYLOR CIGANEK, WHO USES CANNABIS FOR BPD.

feb. 2020

Parkville’s Taylor Ciganek has a lot to celebrate these days.

The 24-year-old social science major is wrapping up her senior year at Towson University, not to mention enjoying her role as the Social Media Specialist at Blair Wellness Center in Baltimore. “I love my job,” said Ciganek, who also reviews Cannabis products on the Maryland market on her Instagram, @Maryland_MMCC_ Chronicles, providing advice to over 3,000 followers.

“I really enjoy helping people and interacting with patients through social media,” Ciganek said.

Happiness was always the destination of choice, but the arduous journey she has traveled has made Ciganek more appreciative of life, as she struggled with her mental health throughout her teens and into her 20s.

“Prior to having the correct medication, I wasn’t really getting anywhere,” said Ciganek, who was diagnosed with bi-polar disorder (BPD) nearly two years ago. “I had been in school, but I didn’t have a clear path, and was really just living life day-to-day.”

Ciganek began smoking Cannabis at the age of 16 to combat what she perceived to be anxiety and bouts of depression. Oftentimes the products she purchased provided the opposite effect, eventually curtailing her use.

“I wasn’t using the right medicine,” the Loch Raven High graduate said, citing an increase in anxiety.

“I wasn’t giving my body the right terpenes. But then again, I didn’t know about that stuff when I was younger.”

“And,” she laughed, “It’s not as though your local dealer is giving you a printout of a certificate of analysis.”

After receiving a diagnosis of BPD, Ciganek says her doctors placed her on medication that works. However, the seven years of trial-anderror treatment taken to reach a diagnosis left her wanting additional treatment options. So she began conducting her own research.

Ciganek’s studies eventually led to a familiar herbal alternative Cannabis - and she applied shortly thereafter to the MMCC for a medical card in 2018.

Three weeks later, she was enjoying her first MMCC produced flower Birthday Cake from Grassroots, by way of a water pipe.

“Great taste,” Ciganek smiled, recollecting the experience. “That was the first time I sat down and did the lineage research for a strain.”

Now, the Towson student “take notes on everything,” making sure she knows what terpenes are going into her body. She also became an official member of the Cannabis industry, getting her feet wet at Nature’s Medicine as a budtender before arriving at Blair Wellness Center this past November.

“Taylor is incredibly knowledgeable,” said Melissa Beatty, the team’s Clinical Director. “We work together a lot, so we chat about everything.

Whether it’s new processors or new products, Taylor is always on top of what’s coming out and what’s new in the Maryland Cannabis industry.”

Ciganek is quick to note that Cannabis isn’t the lone savior for BPD, cautioning others who suffer from the diagnosis to seek the care of medical professionals. She’s hopeful that one day that’s all she needs, but notes that the quality of medical research needs to improve first.

Ciganek has dreams of one day using her education to help push legislation for better medical research. In the meantime, she is working to continue to advance within the industry, informing patients so that they may avoid the same pitfalls she did.

“Seven years,” said Ciganek as she fought back tears. “I had to find a way to properly grieve over a period of time in my life that I can’t get back. That has been very hard to do. But finding medical Cannabis finding myself in this industry that has offered me a home - has really changed my life. And I’m so grateful to be in a place in life where I’m actually happy every day.”

TAYLOR POSTS REVIEWS AND ENGAGES IN A DIALOGUE WITH PATIENTS ABOUT HER EXPERIENCES @MARYLAND_MMCC_CHRONICLES

STORY by ADAM ELLIS for MARYLAND LEAF | PHOTO by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT

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SHOP REVIEW

It’s like shopping at a dank department store.

FLOWER 5/5 You literally can’t beat

these prices. Aside from the famous Shake N’ Bake Sunday, there are so many affordable strains on top of great deals that it’ll make your head spin!

EDIBLES

5/5 Top tier treats! From

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Charm City

leafnationmd.com

MEDICUS In need of medicine? Stop by and see the healers of Baltimore at Charm City Medicus after a trip around the shopping district of Dundalk. Located directly across from Eastpoint Mall, this charming setup is a place you can’t miss.

This shop is easy to access from all points on the map, and their gracious parking and sleek design further beckons you to check it out. After being greeted by security - who will buzz you in and validate your license - you’ll be led down a beautifully designed hallway containing a rich, historic timeline of how far Cannabis has come, into a spacious and wheelchair accessible waiting room. Here you’ll meet with the receptionist, who’ll check you in and provide you with your limits.

There’s plenty to see and explore in this maze-like dispensary. It’s easy to immerse yourself in the plant through the gigantic mural designed by the same architects as the M&T Bank Sta-

FEB. 2020

dium painted on the wall, as well as all the swag you can buy, from books to magazines and more. Basically, it’s like shopping at a dank department store.

Entering the showroom was even more lush, with huge cases filled with stunning handpicked glass pieces from Colorado, tons of space for privacy, digital menus, and every product you can imagine displayed in pretty fixtures. They also have ATMs available on-hand for cash, and if you’re a local patient who can’t make it in, you have the option to place an order for delivery through Weedmaps as well.

Charm City has grown to be such a safe haven, largely due to President Brian Hill’s dedication to shifting the stigma around Cannabis in order to create a welcoming environment for all walks of life to explore. By consistently educating patients on the know-hows of Cannabis, speaking

DISPENSARY ROOM with community associations about its effects, and connecting with law enforcement such as LEAP (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition) on its regulations, Charm City has been able to provide an extra level of quality and safety to their patients.

Here, they’ve bravely transformed an abandoned building into a pillar of healing in the community.

In addition to their fully trained staff that are also patients providing consultations, we can look forward to seeing a pharmacist on site for transitioning patients as well. No matter if you’re just getting introduced to Cannabis or you’re fully acquainted, this is a place you’ll definitely want to visit for education.

For those of you who haven’t had a chance to experience the ever-so-popular Shake N’ Bake Sundays, you’re seriously missing out. It showcases the diversity of different grower’s strains through seven grams of shake, at a price you wouldn’t believe. And just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, you can learn how to transform said shake into your favorite tasty treats at one of their cooking classes!

Along with a host of other spectacular deals during the week, a safe environment, and a friendly staff guiding you into this holistic lifestyle, here you’ll get all your favorite products at a discount you can count on.

Liberty RSO capsules down to 50mg Betty’s Eddies, here you’ll get everything your mouth is watering for. Need a treat that isn’t on the market?

Visit their cooking class and learn how to make your own.

CONCENTRATES 5/5 All your favorite

dabbable products are here waiting for you to take them home! If you’re a newbie, don’t worry - Jesus will assist you with all the information and tools you need to practice at his dabbing class.

ENVIRONMENT 5/5 The wide open

floorplan, dope artwork, light and fulfilling colors, and welcoming aura made me feel safe, heard and cared for.

OVERALL 20/20 The community

work this dispensary is doing to change the way Cannabis is viewed is a sweet addition to the affordability, location and safety they provide. It doesn’t get much better than this.

717 NORTH POINT BLVD, BALTIMORE, MD 21224 CHARMCITYMEDICUS.COM 443-530-6474 MON-SUN 8AM–10PM

PRODUCTS

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21

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STRAIN OF THE MONTH

24

grown by

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EVERMORE CANNABIS “I LOVE THE COMBINATION OF FRUIT AND FLORAL THAT OFFERS A DELICATE BALANCE OF TWO DISTINCTIVE SCENT PROFILES.”

22.5% THC 1.19% CBG .77% CBC .12% CBN .7 MYRCENE .3 PINENE .2 OCIMENE .17 LIMONENE .12 CARYOPHYLLENE

FEB. 2020

AIRBORNE

AIRBORNE SKUNK IS A WONDERFUL CULTIVAR BRED FROM THE HIGHLY STABLE AND RIGOROUS SKUNK #1 AND THE AROMATIC AND FLAVORFUL AIRBORNE G13. THE SKUNK #1 GENETICS HAVE LONG BEEN A BREEDING STANDARD IN THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY, AS THE CULTIVAR IS RENOWNED FOR ITS VIGOR AND VIABILITY.

E SKUNK

Breeders build new lines off the stability provided by the Skunk #1, and when combined with the Airborne G13, you get a vigorous producing plant that captures its unique aroma profile.

Its relatively low terpene concentration captures the subtle blend of tropical citrus, mellow sage and lavender scents that truly make this strain a rare olfactory delight. In spite of the Skunk #1’s reputation for a specific kind of funky smell, no hint of the traditional skunk scent reached this line - a testament to the quality of breeding being done with this variety. I love the combination of fruit and floral that offers a delicate balance of two distinctive scent profiles, harmonizing smoothly with each deep inhalation.

With 22.5% THCa, this cultivar is slightly above average for potency, or so it would seem at first glance. Moving down the profile we can see a 1.19% CBGa and a whopping .77% CBCa, which in fact makes this a far above average chemovar!

What is relatively new, definitely rare, and only just starting to be understood is cannabichromene (CBC). There is so much new research coming out on this molecule.

What I find particularly interesting about CBC is that it has a very low affinity for CB1 receptors, leading researchers to believe it’s non-impairing, unlike its sister THC. Rather, it binds to our TRPV1 and TRPA1 receptors - long understood to be instrumental in our natural pain relieving processes. These receptors trigger the release of our natural endocannabinoid, anandamide - often referred to as the bliss molecule.

Evermore’s Airborne Skunk has the highest concentration of CBCa I have seen yet on the Maryland market, and I highly encourage everyone to try a puff and see how this cannabinoid synergizes with you.

A big thanks to Evermore Cannabis Company for providing rare and high quality Cannabis profiles to the medical marketplace!

REVIEW by TAYLOR MARTIN @MDCANNAINSIDER | PHOTO by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT/MARYLAND LEAF

EVERMORECOMPANY.COM

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4609 Willow Lane, Chevy Chase, MD col-care.com | 301.637.0870 Please visit our website for store hours Do you live in Washington DC? Visit our affiliate location, Capital City Care, in Washington DC at 1115 U St NW.

Savings cannot be combined with Medicare, Medicaid, SSDI, SSI, senior, and everyday discounts. Must have a valid MMCC ID card (or a valid government-issued photo ID and your MMCC ID number) to purchase medical cannabis. Medical products are for use by qualified patients only.

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Join Ricker and The Bearded Lorax for insightful discussions with Cannabis industry influencers.

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21+ Marijuana products may be purchased or possessed only by persons 21 or older. This product has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination, and judgement. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. For use only by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of reach of children.

GARDEN OF THE MONTH

Inside gLeaf

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28

As the calendar year rolled over into 2020, we got a chance to check out gLeaf’s medical Cannabis grow over in Frederick.

apR. 2020 FEB. 2019

gLeaf

is responsible for many of Maryland’s highest testing and most flavorful Cannabis cultivars, so I was really excited to tour the rooms where these premium plants are grown. Crowd favorites like Mai Tai, LA Chocolate, Stardawg, and Grease Monkey have long been delighting the palates of Maryland connoisseurs and patients alike - but I was particularly excited to see one of our first strain of the month features, Mai Tai Cookies, in its full-flowering grandeur.

But before we could get to the flowering room (truly the highlight of any Cannabis tour) we had to find the building first. Like many grows, gLeaf is tucked away in the back of an industrial lot with nondescript outer walls and a security fence that blends in perfectly with the local community.

Often people have a certain expectation of what a grow should look like, but they almost always look just like any other industrial space one might encounter in more mainstream industries.

But after crossing through the security gates, our nostrils were flooded with the familiar bouquet of Cannabis scents and there was no question that this building was in fact where we were supposed to be.

We were greeted and escorted around the facility by CEO Philip Goldberg and National Director of Business Development Eric Berman, who were more than gracious and helpful in guiding us around all the work, sweat and dedication that went into starting gLeaf Medical Cannabis.

Originating in Maryland, gLeaf has expanded to Pennsylvania and Ohio, and even secured a position in the very niche and infantile Cannabis market of Virginia! This is a massive undertaking. We often see established medical companies moving into Maryland, so to see a Maryland born company hustle hard enough to expand to multiple states is really encouraging for Maryland patients and our culture. >

>> Continues pg. 30 Left: 215 employees oversee the facility and plant upkeep is a busy job.

Right: gLeaf CEO Philip Goldberg walks past mature gSpot and Mai Tai.

STORY by TAYLOR MARTIN @MDCANNAINSIDER | PHOTOS by ERIC KAYNE @PHOTOKAYNE for MARYLAND LEAF

29

GARDEN OF THE MONTH

gLeaf >> Continued from pg. 29

leafnationmd.com

30

S

tarting with their 215 employees company wide (many of which are patients themselves), gLeaf demonstrates their commitment to improving the lives of the patient by offering internal growth opportunities and amazing benefits. All employees receive 100% health care benefits and have the opportunity to expand with the company as it grows, as they primarily promote from within. They even have a company beach house that employees are allowed access to, which definitely makes it sound like a very fun place to work! But as someone who has worked in entry level grow positions, the big thing that I feel gLeaf has done for their employees that translates directly to us - the patients - and also distinguishes them from other Maryland grows is their utilization of a wide range of advanced, Cannabis specific equipment that really makes everyone’s lives easier.

Like many grows, they have a state-of-the-art monitoring system that monitors a whole host of conditions for individual rooms, and is able to relay directly to growers’ cell phones to update employees 24/7 in real time. gLeaf definitely has a top notch monitoring system, but such

apR. 2020 FEB. 2019

technology is rapidly becoming an industry standard. However, in addition to having some of the highest quality industry technology on the market, they also made purchases into other pieces of equipment that are not necessarily required to start up a grow, but definitely will make the lives of your employees easier and the price of your end product more affordable.

In essence, gLeaf went above and beyond the industry average and bought things like an atomizing humidifier, bucking machines, an industrial filling machine, labeling machines, and a bud sorting machine that ultimately allows them to maintain some of the cheapest price points on the market while producing some of the highest quality product available to patients.

Without nerding out too much on the details, a machine like an atomizing humidifier is a machine that controls a room’s humidity by controlling the moisture content of the air.

Often a room’s ambient humidity will drop too low and need to be adjusted, so a humidifier will pump moisture back into the air until it reaches optimal conditions for Cannabis.

An atomizing humidifier essentially breaks down the moisture particles into the smallest sizes technologically possible, which means it can evaporate off the plants as quickly as possible.

Table after table had robust plant lines absolutely oozing with the quintessential aromas of their heaviest hitters on the market.

This might seem like a minor detail, but by making the investment into this machine, gLeaf is dramatically reducing their chances of having mold or mildew on their plants, and thus showing that they will make the investment into little details that protect the patients.

Automatic fillers, labeling, and sorting machines make the workflow run much more efficiently and thus eliminate a lot of the headaches and mundane labor that needs to be done in any grow.

As consumers, we really like the idea of hand trimmed, hand grown plants, and yes, many aspects of the Cannabis growth process are improved by a human touch. But as humans, we don’t want to think about someone sitting at a table for hours and hours putting stickers on jars, or sorting pounds and pounds of Cannabis into bigger and smaller nugs by hand.

But, gLeaf bought the right kind of tools for their employees to maintain product quality, and move efficiently and effortlessly from start to finish without requiring the type of soul-sucking hard labor that hurts our hearts. By reducing the amount of time it takes to do some of the more tedious tasks, gLeaf has opened up more room for employees to focus on growing the plants themselves, as opposed to being just a cog in an assembly line.

The thoughtfulness and care that went into their facility design, and the extra expenses they incurred, were extremely strategic and on behalf of their patients/employees, not their profits. The end result of this design has led them to have some of the highest quality flowers with some of the cheapest price points on the market!

Indeed, at their home dispensary you can find gLeaf products cheaper than anywhere in the state, renewing their commitment to the ‘patients before profits’ mantra echoed by our community. This stands in stark contrast to some companies that have their personally branded flower as the most expensive flower in their home dispensaries! If you can believe it.

But I digress. The layout of gLeaf’s grow was pretty traditional in that they utilize your standard design of mother-clone-veg-flower room, but with some notably more advanced or specific technology than one might expect. The employees working at their various stations also seemed notably more energetic and positive than average, and having suffered through many hours of tedious tasks myself, I can attribute that energy to being provided the right tools for the job. Every room we entered, whether it was a veg room, drying room or packaging room, had energetic employees smiling, working autonomously and efficiently!

Having this kind of positive energy in an industry like Cannabis directly translates to the quality of your end product. You simply cannot produce quality Cannabis with unhappy or unenthusiastic employees. gLeaf has consistently produced some of the highest potency Cannabis and some of the most vibrant terpene profiles - as a direct result of their company culture and technological investments. Nowhere was this more evident than their flowering room, where all of the cultivars were vigorously growing side by side.

Table after table had robust plant lines absolutely oozing with the quintessential aromas of their heaviest hitters on the market.

Normally a flowering room kind of blends all the smells together into one massive Cannabis scent, but one thing I noticed about these flowering rooms was the fact that different places in the room smelled like different Cannabis strains.

As I walked up and down the room, I would distinctly be able to pick out a Stardawg scent from a Grease Monkey scent to a gSpot scent.

It seemed that the superior air quality conditions that they meticulously invested in made the air so clean that individual scent profiles were able to remain intact, as opposed to washed out and blended. If nothing else, it allowed me to experience the nuances of the different cultivars with way more acuity than I typically am able to, and left me walking away with a strong sense of purity for each and every cultivar I passed.

And the Mai Tai Cookie flowers were every bit as beautiful and seductive as the smoke itself. Naturally, I lingered just a bit longer around the bed of one of my favorite cultivars and spent some extra time examining its health. I was not disappointed! The bud structure of this cultivar is truly beautiful, as it seems to almost create a spiral like cola that is reminiscent of a rose shape. All of their cultivars were growing vigorously with thick colas and perfect bottom trims, with the notable extra step of wrapping every individual rock wool brick with a pest net.

When your facility churns out over 500lbs of Cannabis per month, taking the time to individually secure each and every plant with a pest net is no easy task, but no doubt the time they created for themselves in their workflow affords Mai Tai them the opportunity to put the extra time into protecting the plant health itself.

All in all, I was very pleased with the gLeaf grow, not just because I love so many of their products - but because having seen their respect and dedication to their employees and their patients, I feel very ethical about consuming their products. As the age of modern Cannabis starts to take shape, there is a whole world of unethical practices being done in our industry and it is starting to become difficult to navigate the ominous waters of market manipulation, false advertising, workplace scandals and price gouging. As you journey through the Cannabis ocean, never fear, as there is a beacon of light guiding the way to quality products and ethical industry practices. And that beacon is gLeaf Medical Cannabis!

STORY by TAYLOR MARTIN @MDCANNAINSIDER | PHOTOS by ERIC KAYNE @PHOTOKAYNE for MARYLAND LEAF | GLEAF.COM @GLEAFMD

THE INDOOR ISSUE

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2020 GearGuide I N DI S P E NSAB LE I N D O O R CULT IVAT IO N G EAR

SOME SAY there’s nothing new in Cannabis cultivation. Plenty of farms claim to have unlocked the secret - and while many will even go so far as to protect their methodologies as proprietary intellectual property - in an agricultural segment that predates the dawn of Christianity by at least a millennium, there are very few new tricks. That is, unless we’re talking about indoor. Emerging from the high-pressure, sodium-lit recesses of forced guerilla growing, formerly illicit indoor Cannabis cultivators now get to benefit from advancements in controlled, closed-loop agribusiness that other commercial crops have been enjoying for years. We saw it at MJ Bizcon in Las Vegas in December - dozens if not hundreds of companies promoting bespoke cultivation equipment and products designed or retrofitted to suit the indoor Cannabis grower. For this year’s indoor issue, we spoke with some indoor cultivators and asked them what companies and products get them excited. Here’s a roundup of some of the groups and products garnering the loudest buzz from the indoor hivemind.

RHYTHM CULTIVATION

leafnationmd.com

RhythmCSS.com

The first time I saw a Rhythm system was in 2017, and it looked like something out of the future. The company’s custom fertigation and cultivation management systems designed and built specifically for the Cannabis industry - not only dial and automate some of the most important processes in a grow-op, but they look cool as hell while doing it. We’ve been watching this company for a while. And yes, we think they’re going to continue to do big things as the indoor industry continues to grow.

apR. 2020 FEB. 2019

GRASSROOTS FABRIC POTS GrassrootsFabricPots.com

Picking the right home for your mothers and daughters plays an important role in any garden, especially when growing in soil.

Many of the soil growers we talk to swear by their Grassroots fabric pots and beds. The company’s fabric pots and beds allow for aeration and are built to last, leading to healthy root growth and minimized waste.

TRYM SOFTWARE Trym.io Finding the right blend of software is kind of like finding the right blend of NOT ONLY CAN nutrient inputs - it’s difficult, and when things don’t work together, it can be YOU DELEGATE disastrous. Fairly new on the scene, Trym has created harvest management TO EMPLOYEES software that integrates with Metrc compliance software, as well as various THROUGH THE cultivation management applications.

PLATFORM, Jon Hudnall, Director of Operations for Doghouse Cannabis, was an early BUT YOU CAN adopter of the software for his facilities in Oregon, Washington and soon to MONITOR HOW be Michigan. Needless to say, he swears by them.

LONG IT’S “I really like the Trym software - they’re doing something a little bit different than most of the technology companies that are trying to get into the Cannabis TAKING FOR EACH TASK. space,” Hudnall said. “They’re doing task management and batch management stuff. Not only can you delegate to employees through the platform, but you can monitor how long it’s taking for each task. When they started, they were trying to do more environmental monitoring and controls, but by listening to growers, they discovered that we’re really concerned about labor.”

“We were an early adopter of the software, and it’s been awesome to watch them grow and keep improving their software. They’ve been listening to their customers and implementing those changes.”

LUXX LIGHTING LuxxLighting.com When it comes to lighting, the California-based Luxx Lighting comes up a lot in conversation with cultivators. That’s because the company was founded for and by growers. “(That) puts them in a unique position to develop the most innovative fixtures on the market,” says Nick Ciufo, owner of Tao Gardens in Eugene, Ore., who also uses Grassroots Fabric Pots.

Luxx produces classically reliable, high-output grow lights, and is known for their high-pressure sodium and ceramic metal halide lights.

Ciufo’s Tao Gardens will be a testing ground for Luxx’s new 1000-watt double-ended ceramic metal halide light, which will be coming to market this year.

FLUENCE BIOENGINEERING F luence.Science For growers who’ve moved on from the traditional high pressure sodium and ceramic metal halide lighting to the world of LED, Fluence Bioengineering continues to be one of the most talked about suppliers. The company promises increased terpene and cannabinoid production, along with decreased energy expenditures - plus it introduces the potential for efficient vertical cultivation.

Vertical cultivation plays a huge role in the future of indoor agriculture, as it allows for the ability to stack rows of plants atop one another, maximizing the efficient use of a grow’s footprint.

Once regulations aren’t governed by plant count and canopy size, companies like Fluence will allow cultivators to stack ‘em high.

THE COMPANY PROMISES INCREASED TERPENE AND CANNABINOID PRODUCTION, ALONG WITH DECREASED ENERGY EXPENDITURES - PLUS IT INTRODUCES THE POTENTIAL FOR EFFICIENT VERTICAL CULTIVATION.

BUILDASOIL BuildaSoil.com

When it comes to creating custom soils and amendments, few companies come up in conversation as often as Colorado’s BuildASoil.

By using organic inputs to create living soil blends - as well as soil amendments to fit a number of cultivation scenarios - this company provides sustenance and a significant part of the ecosystem for a number of the soil-grown flowers you’ll find on the shelf.

STORY by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS

concentrate OF THE MONTH

M EL T ING POI NTE XTRACTS.CO M | @MPX_US

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CHERNOBYL DIAMONDS & TERPSAUCE

leafnationmd.com

MELTING POINT E X T R AC T S THE POWER OF THIS EXTRACT is of course fueled by the colossal 96% THCa concentration. But the mystery comes into play with the terp sauce profile, where I noticed about a 50% THCa concentration - with almost 5% CBGa and 1.5% CBN. I had never tried a cannabinoid profile that has a CBGa and CBN temper, so I recognized this as a personal opportunity to explore how my biochemistry reacts to a new and mysterious cannabinoid profile.

The 14.95% terpene concentration was enticing and promised a very flavorful dab. The dominant terpene of the Chernobyl profile is terpinolene (5.76%), which is my personal favorite and offered a familiar space for me to conduct my experiment in. The profile’s temper is very balanced, with a close to even ratio between limonene, myrcene, caryophyllene and pinene.

I scooped up a large crystal dripping in golden sauce, dropped it into my banger and inhaled deeply as the full melt danced and vaporized into the rig.

MPX is bringing the fire once again with their 96.37% THCa Chernobyl diamonds, steeped in their own succulent Chernobyl terp sauce! While some will make the argument that mixing and matching diamonds and sauce combinations between cultivars is fun, I am a firm believer that leaving the diamonds in their original sauce is the best way to experience your favorite crystalized goodgood. There is something about having a diamond cure in its original terp sauce that elevates the experience, highlighting the subtleties of the high in powerful and mysterious ways.

I was instantly and substantially medicated with pain relief that felt like a full-body melting of my joint inflammation. I wasn’t cloudy or drowsy, fully able to maintain my focus and energy.

The high was absolutely gorgeous, full of the specific kind of energy that only terpinolene dominant profiles can provide. What did surprise me was the fact that my symptom relief was dramatically increased.

Yes, the headspace of the high was familiar to me suggesting that this cannabinoid profile doesn’t influence my headspace in a general sense - but rather it extended the amount of pain relief long after I came down from the high. This is an amazing thing to learn because it suggests that perhaps similar cannabinoid profiles can give me extended relief beyond my high, which will definitely be a new tool in the proverbial toolbelt.

Overall, the MPX line of diamonds never fails to offer their highest potency in their original sauces - for the most elevated diamond dabbing experience on the market.

DIAMONDS

96.37% thca 1.2% terpenes .6% terpinolene .4% ocimene

TERP SAUCE

49.67% thca 4.7% cbga 1.5% cbn 14.95% total terps 5.76% terpinolene 1.64% limonene 1.33% myrcene 1.03% caryophyll. .8% a pinene .6% b pinene .5% ocimene .325 humulene

“I WAS INSTANTLY AND SUBSTANTIALLY MEDICATED WITH PAIN RELIEF THAT FELT LIKE A FULL-BODY MELTING OF MY JOINT INFLAMMATION.” feb. 2020

REVIEW by TAYLOR MARTIN @MDCANNAINSIDER | PHOTO by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT

RECIPES

IN LOVE WITH MARY JANE

38

THIS MONTH we infuse and celebrate with dark chocolate, tater tots and chili.

And there’s a red rose for Valentine’s Day. February is a good food month.

Make it a good love month too.

We need it. #Dontfeartheedible

DANK DRINKING CHOCOLATE for two

leafnationmd.com

1 ½ CUPS HALF AND HALF 2 TEASPOONS CANNA-BUTTER 7 OUNCES DARK CHOCOLATE 1 TABLESPOON SUGAR 2 TEASPOONS CORNSTARCH PINCH OF SALT ½ CUP GRAHAM CRACKER CRUMBS ½ CUP MINI MARSHMALLOWS INSTRUCTIONS 1. Heat the half and half on low in a small saucepan.

2. Add the canna-butter and the sugar, stir well, heat but don’t boil.

3. Add the chocolate and stir well.

4. Add the cornstarch and salt, whisk for 3-4 minutes.

5. Divide between two cups and top with crumbs and marshmallows.

CANNABIS-INFUSED CHILI SERVES 6

2 TABLESPOONS CANNA-BUTTER OR OIL 1 LB GROUND BEEF OR CHICKEN/TURKEY 1 SMALL WHITE ONION, CHOPPED 2 15OZ CANS DICED TOMATOES 1 CAN BEANS, DRAINED, KIDNEY OR BLACK 3 TABLESPOONS CHILI POWDER 1 TEASPOON GROUND CUMIN 1 TEASPOON GROUND SMOKED PAPRIKA CHIPS, AVOCADO, RED ONION

feb. 2020

INSTRUCTIONS 1. In a large saucepot heat the butter or oil.

Add the meat or chicken and sauté until just cooked, 10-12 minutes. If there is a lot of liquid, carefully pour it out.

2. Add the onion and cook for 7-9 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the beans, along with all the spices.

3. Simmer gently, stirring every 10 min. for 35-40 minutes.

4. Divide between the bowls and top with crushed chips, avocado and red onion.

TATER TOTS TO LEAVE YOUR LOVER

INSTRUCTIONS

SERVES 3

1. Heat oven according to directions on the package. In a small bowl, combine the sour cream and the butter. Chill briefly.

½ CUP SOUR CREAM 1 TBS MELTED CANNA-BUTTER, COOLED 2 CUPS TOTS, HOT AND CRISP 3 SCALLIONS, TRIMMED AND CHOPPED 3 STRIPS BACON, COOKED & CHOPPED

2. Place 3 bowls on your work surface. As soon as the tots are ready, place them in the bowls and top with scallion, bacon and the infused sour cream. Dig in.

RECIPES by LAURIE WOLF | PHOTOS by BRUCE WOLF

expert OPINION

40

BY JERRY WHITING L e B l a n c C N E . c o m / N WL e a f

THE HEMP INDUSTRY

Eat Hemp!

leafnationmd.com

T HE VAST M AJ O R I T Y O F US AG R E E T HAT H E M P I S AN E X C E L LE N T F O OD , B UT LE T ’ S B E HO N E ST - HOW M UC H HE M P D O YOU EAT O N A R EGULAR BAS I S ? SU R E YOU O R DE R YOU R C HAI WI T H HE M P M I L K WH E N EV E R YOU CAN , O R B UY S O M E H E M P G RAN O LA EV E RY N OW AN D AGAI N . B U T I S HE M P I N YOU R S HO P P I NG CART EV E RY W E E K ?

Today, American hemp farmers grow hemp for CBD extraction and not hemp to be eaten. That’s a problem. If no one eats hemp, farmers won’t grow it. But if farmers don’t grow hemp as a food crop, hemp foods won’t be on your grocery store shelves. It’s a classic catch-22. So the best way to get more hemp food in the market is to buy it and demand more.

All of this starts in your very own kitchen. Dehulled hemp seeds and hemp seed oil are easy to find in many grocery stores. Hemp seed oil is pressed from hemp seeds and doesn’t contain CBD, or any cannabinoid for that matter. It does, however, have the perfect balance of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.

Hemp seeds are full of protein and fiber, as well as being rich in antioxidants.

Both are healthy ingredients no matter what you’re cooking.

If you’re going to eat, you sometimes have to cook. Working hemp seed oil and dehulled hemp seeds into your daily diet is like any other new habit - you have to do it on a regular basis until you don’t think about it anymore, because it’s your new norm.

How to Have a Hemp-Rich Diet

Ease your way into eating hemp by adding hemp seeds on top of that takeout or leftover Thai food. Pad Thai already has crushed peanuts. Pasta? Drizzle hemp seed oil, especially if it’s pesto we’re talking about. Start slowly by adding just a little hemp oil or seeds to dishes. Think of them as seasonings or accents.

HEMP SEED OIL SALAD DRESSING S A L A D D R E S S I N G - YOU C A N B U Y I T O R M A K E I T. A B A BY S T E P I S AD DI N G H E M P S E E D OI L TO A L L T H E SA L AD D R E S S I N G B O T T L E S L U R K I N G I N YOU R R E F R I G E R ATO R . YOU ’ L L E N J OY YOU R S A L A D S E V E N M O R E K N OW I N G W H AT ’ S O N T H E M .

It’s worth mentioning that making your own salad dressing is easier than it sounds. Start with a simple vinaigrette using three parts oil to one part vinegar. Ease your way into it by using half hemp seed oil and half olive, grape seed, walnut, avocado, or other interesting oil. The vinegar you use doesn’t have to be boring. Try rice wine, sherry, balsamic, or apple cider vinegar. Add sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and fresh herbs to taste. Shake, pour, enjoy!

HEMP PESTO I F YOU L I K E P E S TO A N D H E M P YOU ’ R E I N L UC K . P E S TO I S U N I Q U E B E C AU S E YOU C A N M A K E I T W I T H B O T H H E M P S E E D O I L A N D H E M P S E E D S . A L L YOU N E E D TO D O I S M I X A N D B L E N D T H E I N G R E D I E N T S TO G E T H E R .

2 cups fresh basil leaves (no stems) Try using all hemp oil, ½ 1/4 cup hemp seed oil spinach ½ basil, adding 1/4 cup olive oil pistachios as well as hemp seeds, and a dash of grated 2 tablespoons hemp seeds 2 large garlic cloves lime peel. Skip the basil 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese and use parsley instead, sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste swapping romano or aged asiago for the parmesan cheese, throwing in a few fresh mint leaves or whatever strikes your fancy. Make a lot and freeze half.

If you’re reading this, it’s because you support hemp. And if you do, consider this your formal invitation to eat your words. Hemp activists around the world need to eat hemp. Cook it for yourself, serve it to your family and friends, share recipes with your neighbors. Hemp food will only become mainstream when we eat it. The hemp revolution begins in our kitchens.

feb. 2020

PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

DYSCO’S CORNER

musings from a parent & Cannabis consumer

How to be appreciative

leafnationmd.com

42

THE WINTER HOLIDAYS were tough on me this year, and I’ve been trying to find my way through the winter blues on top of many personal emotional upheavals. To put it in perspective, look at your life, and think about the most emotionally turbulent and upsetting time you’ve lived through.

That’s what I’ve been living through in my life.

It sucks. It’s scary. It’s lonely.

It’s even worse in the winter.

Everybody can relate to that, right?

So, in an effort to shoo away those winter blues and break up my personal pity party, I went back to the basics. Have you heard about these people who practice being grateful throughout the day? They say that simply by ‘practicing gratitude’ throughout the day, they have become happier people. It makes sense to me from a hippie-dippy spread positive energy perspective, but does it really work?

feb. 2020

Sitting on my couch feeling sad and alone one day in December, I decided to find out.

I immediately felt energized by the prospect of feeling better simply by practicing gratitude, but then I started to think about how to actually do it. What does it mean to practice gratitude?

I’m sure it’s not as easy as saying “thank you” at the grocery checkout. Isn’t gratitude a feeling? How do I practice a feeling?

I googled it.

Leafers, let me tell you how surprised I was to discover that this is, apparently, a much hotter topic than I realized. There are tons of books out there on everything from the science of gratitude to DIY manuals, but I was feeling way too depressed to actually pick up a book and read it. Fortunately, Google anticipated this. There was a cheat sheet at the top of the search page which listed three easy ways to practice gratitude.

I realize that many of you are probably incredulous that I had to google directions on how to practice gratitude, but I am not one to mess around. I knew how to feel gratitude, but I wanted to feel happier ASAP. While my father still says that I think I know everything, it’s a total front left over from my teenage years.

Actually, between you and me, I don’t know most things.

What if I practiced gratitude wrong? What if I spent weeks waiting for the positive feedback and nothing happened?

What if I got more depressed because I couldn’t even practice gratitude correctly? No, this was definitely not the time to wing it. I needed to get happy - STAT. I knew I needed help. I knew I needed guidance. And I found Google to be very helpful.

I quickly learned that practicing gratitude is much easier than practicing yoga, meditation or restraint. I particularly like it because it doesn’t require exercise or keeping my mouth shut.

According to the experts, there are endless creative ways to practice gratitude, but here are the basic steps... * Notice and identify the things in your life that you appreciate. * Pay attention and think about why you appreciate those things. * Express that appreciation to yourself or someone else.

So, I think we can all agree that’s much less of a commitment than yoga - which I know I’m just supposed to LOVE, but I guess I’m just not that enlightened because I just get really BORED. Steps one through three seemed pretty doable, so I started practicing gratitude every day.

Steps one and two were easy to incorporate, especially at mealtime. And since I firmly believe that the quality of results equal the quality of efforts, I decided to really commit to step three: Express that appreciation to yourself or someone else.

Expressing appreciation to yourself doesn’t seem like it requires much effort - not for me, anyway. Neither does saying words of appreciation to the people around me. The only way I was going to honestly put effort into expressing gratitude was by the age-old tradition of writing thank you notes.

As a debutante during my freshman year in college, I spent months writing thank you notes for gifts like flower arrangements and little silver picture frames. I know that it takes effort to write a thank you note, and they are rarely received anymore.

Can you remember the last time someone thanked you for anything with a handwritten thank you note? How many people go through life never receiving a handwritten thank you note? How would you feel if one showed up on your windshield after a bad day at work?

Now, don’t think for a second that I am suggesting we all start writing daily thank you notes. However, I believe in the sage words of Lennon/McCartney...

“In the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.’’

I needed my happy meter to climb quickly. The combination of life, holiday blues, and the winter doldrums had hijacked my attitude and emotions for long enough, so I tried to put a particular focus on writing short thank you notes to people who had made a positive difference in my life that day. I thought about the impact such a note would have on me, and I wanted to spread the feeling I know I’d feel if someone took the time to write me such a note.

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And Leafers, I’m surprised to say: That hippie-dippy bullshit really works.

Life is actually improving - or maybe I simply feel like it’s improving because I’m happier, but who cares? I was sad.

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believe that taking the time to write a note - to actually write it and deliver it - improves both parties’ quality of life. Whether the recipient lives down the hall or across the ocean, whether she is a stranger who made your coffee perfectly or your husband who finally got it right, these little things populate our days with bright spots and make them more livable.

People deserve to know that the effort they made for you made a difference in your life. Tell them.

I realize that many people are intimidated by the prospect of writing a personal thank you note. It doesn’t have to be fancy, I promise. It just has to be written. So, that being said, I’m here to write a thank you note that is long overdue…

Helping Maryland Dream in Green

Dear Grassroots,

Thank you so much for changing the packaging of your pre-rolls. I love the new Take Five box. It is stylish and so easy to open. I intuitively knew how to open it just by looking at it.

I didn’t even need to consult Google. My mother can open it without using knitting needles or a hammer.

I travel every week, and I rely predominantly on pre-rolls to deliver my medicine when I am not at home.

Since you rolled out your new package design, I haven’t looked any further than your Take 5 pre-rolls. The quality of your flower is excellent, and at the current pricing, your five pack of pre-rolls is the best bang for my buck.

Thank you for making it easier for me to enjoy my day. I appreciate that you listened to your customers and made a change.

I’m a loyal customer as a result. Please keep up the good work!

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on the road

44

Reflecting on the Journey THE INDOOR ISSUE

STORY by JONAH TACOMA @DABSTARS2.0 for LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by JESS LARUE @JESSICALARUE_420

T

he scenery blurred by as we made our way down Hwy 16 towards the Canna Organix farm in Sequim, Washington.

My story for The Leaf was overdue and I’d convinced Jessica to drive so I could write on the two hour journey north.

As long as I could remember I had wanted to be a writer. As a kid we would take long road trips from Colorado to California to see my dad’s

FEB. 2020

extended family, and I would consume my time creating elaborate works of fiction in the back of his fiberglass topped Chevy traveler van.

I grinned at the similarities decades later as I pecked away at my Note 9 from the passenger seat. I had written a tech column for the local college when I was younger and had even made the cover with a piece titled “Marijuana. Crime or American Pastime?” in 2007.

Perhaps it was fitting that I now found myself chronicling tales from the inner workings of the Cannabis scene. From California to Iceland we followed the trail, exploring the cathedrals of Rome, getting lost on the canals of Amsterdam which we now knew like the backs of our hands.

Or at least liked to think we did.

The last few years on the Cannabis circuit had been one beautiful blur. Jamaica, Spain, Holland

THE LAST FEW YEARS ON THE CANNABIS CIRCUIT HAD BEEN ONE BEAUTIFUL BLUR. JAMAICA, SPAIN, HOLLAND AND A HALF DOZEN STATES IN THE U.S. ALL VYING FOR THE CANNABIS SPOTLIGHT WITH NEW EVENTS POPPING UP EVERY MONTH. and a half dozen states in the U.S. - all vying for the Cannabis spotlight with new events popping up every month.

I looked up as we passed over a large floating bridge, the grey winter water capping slightly in the brisk breeze. We were headed as far north as you could go and still remain in the States. A thin strip of water a few miles wide was all that separated the United States from Canada.

You didn’t need a microscope to see I was getting older, the miles showing in the gray hairs that dotted my groomed beard. At heart I was still the fresh-faced kid who had stood on trash cans, rallying troops to the cause at a time when the cause still mattered.

From my view in the trenches, legalization had seemed to lead to pacification for the many who saw the battle as over, and were now ready to quietly hand the reins over to corporate Cannabis.

These times would inevitably be harkened back to as the glory days of Cannabis. Not unlike the glory days of alcohol prohibition, big change was in the wind and not all of it was good.

Cannabis was a commodity. But for many, Cannabis was a community and both were in flux. I paused to roll up, depositing the ground up tobacco into an old coffee cup.

The robotic voice of the GPS chimed in announcing our arrival, but I knew we still had a long road ahead of us...

leafnationmd.com

46

by Mike Ricker One Night Stand With A Carnie The whole thing was a Whirlwind. Literally. That was the name of the fabulous traveling amusement ride she so deftly operated.

Sometimes the energies of the heavens are in complete synchronicity and a bolt of lightning can change your trajectory. There was an actual graphic of a bolt of lightning on the side of the structure, you see, and it was the bad-assedness of this bolt that I commented on before she picked the ticket from my fingers, spit into her cup and flashed that crooked smile.

“Wanna party?” she said slyly.

“Don’t ask twice,” I responded.

And into the gorgeous August night we went - first dashing to the shooting gallery to claim the stuffed minion that was my marksman’s prize to behold and gift to the new apple of my eye. Aboard the Ferris Wheel we shared a blunt, hovering over the shrieks and bells that further beckoned the unbridled impulses. The fun kept coming at the Giant Zipper, where the twists and spins made us drunk with the lust of maniacal whimsy.

In the wee hours of the crisp morning, the shocks of Third Wheel squeaked back and forth like a rocking chair on a creaky front porch.

Feb.2020

And then off she went into the sunrise, down that lonesome dusty road to the next Walmart parking lot several miles from some random Main Street. She would impress a new crowd in a forgotten town, where the tumbleweeds saunter in the footsteps of Tom Joad.

The lonely romantic life isn’t for everyone, I thought. And I may never forget her precious companion, Muffy, wearing her torn, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles t-shirt, bravely battling that pesky case of mange.

I think of Travolta in the movie Grease as the summer sun fades south, my curious eyes gleaning for some explanation on the peaks and valleys of life’s roller coaster.

“Wonder what…she’s doin’ now…”

Get the audio version and every episode at Stoney-Baloney.com

@RickerDJ

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