July 2021 - Maryland Leaf

THE ENLIGHTENED VOICE

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

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INDEPENDENT CANNABIS JOURNALISM SINCE 2010

STILL GROWING. NOW REFINING. Introducing SunMed Labs.

Look for our sun-grown medical cannabis products at your favorite dispensary this year.

GROWN BY THE SUN. EXTRACTED BY SUNMED. SUNMEDGROWERS.COM Medical cannabis is for use only by a qualifying patient. There may be health risks associated with the consumption of cannabis or cannabis products. There may be additional health risks associated with the consumption of cannabis or cannabis products for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

THE concentrates ISSUE

patient of the month

MONICA JONES

feature

leafmagazines.com

44 GRADUATING CANNABIS UNIVERSITY LEAF UPDATE ON THE UMD PROGRAM

48 Exploring Hash History Did you know that hash has been used for literally centuries across cultures?

Leaf Nation’s Bobby Black dives into the amazing history of the world’s first Cannabis extraction tech, revealing the secret of how hash became beloved.

////////// story by bobby black

JUl. 2021

feature

WORLD OF CANNABIS MUSEUM

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JACOB WINDELL, GREEN GOODS

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SHOP REVIEW CURALEAF MONTGOMERY VILLAGE

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND

18 BUDTENDER OF THE MONTH

WYATT EARLY

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Maryland Leaf knows that Cannabis concentrates are a growing part of the medical Cannabis community, and this month’s special issue will help shed a light on the variety of products out there on the market and what sets them apart from the rest.

Jones serves as Executive Director of the Children of Fallen Soldiers Relief Fund.

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EDITOR’S NOTE N AT I O N A L N E W S CANNABIS LAW BUDTENDER Q&A PAT I E N T P R O F I L E SHOP REVIEW STRAIN OF THE MONTH XTRACTOR DEPOT THE HASH ARTIST C O N C E N T R AT E S 1 0 1 LIVE RESIN D I S T I L L AT E CO2 OIL S O LV E N T L E S S CANNABINOIDS UMD PROGRAM CANNTHROPOLOGY STONEY BALONEY

SIERRA RUTH

DANIEL BERMAN

How her family utilizes medical Cannabis

WYATT EARLY

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JULY 2021

issue

Tried Squeeze yet?

Select’s new product in Maryland is one of a kind!

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You must be at least 18 years old to view the content. Medical cannabis is for use by certified patients only. Consumption of medical cannabis may impair your ability to drive a car or operate machinery. Please use extreme caution. There may be health risks associated with cannabis use, especially during pregnancy or breast-feeding.

Accidental consumption of cannabis by children or animals may result in severe adverse reactions. Keep cannabis out of the reach of children and animals.

SQUEEZE THE DAY

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 L E A F / O R EG O N L E A F / A L AS KA L E A F / M A RY L A N D L E A F / CA L I F O R N I A L E A F / N O RT H E AS T L E A F

A B O U T T H E C OV E R This month’s cover art came to life through the vision of Eric Simpson of Simpson Solventless LLC, who molded the center shape out of full-melt bubble hash, and the other shapes and letters out of solventless THC-A crystalline. You could dab the cover.

The creative photo was styled with the help of photographer and Content Director Tom Bowers, our hash expert Eric, Sales Director Nate Williams, and Creative Director Daniel Berman Zooming in from Leaf HQ in Seattle, to fully realize this aspirational image that spoke to the continued innovation of the California Cannabis industry.

PHOTO by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS ART by ERIC SIMPSON @SIMPSONSOLVENTLESS

FOUNDER

CONTRIBUTORS

WES ABNEY | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

BOBBY BLACK, FEATURES JOSHUA BOULET, ILLUSTRATION TOM BOWERS, FEATURES AMANDA DAY, FEATURES EARLY, PRODUCTION MAX EARLY, FEATURES STEVE ELLIOTT, NATIONAL NEWS TAYLOR MARTIN, FEATURES BAXSEN PAINE, FEATURES JEFF PORTERFIELD, DESIGN MIKE RICKER, FEATURES MEGHAN RIDLEY, EDITING MIKE ROTHMAN, LAW COLUMN SIERRA RUTH, PHOTOS ERIC SIMPSON, COVER JAMIE VICTOR, DESIGN

WES@LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

PUBLISHER EARLY

EARLY@LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

CREATIVE DIRECTOR DANIEL BERMAN | VISUALS & DESIGN

DANIEL@LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

STATE DIRECTOR WYATT EARLY | AD SALES

WYATT@LEAFMAGAZINES.COM 410-961-8779

We are creators of targeted, independent Cannabis journalism. Please email us to discuss advertising in the next issue of Maryland Leaf Magazine. We do not sell stories or coverage. We can offer design services and guidance on promoting your company’s medicinal, commercial or industrial Cannabis business, product or event within our magazine and on our website, LeafMagazines.com. Email wyatt@leafmagazines.com for info on supporting and advertising with MD Leaf!

CONNECT WITH MARYLAND LEAF Exclusive Cannabis Journalism @MDLEAF

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WES

ABNEY

Editor’s Note Thanks for picking up The Concentrates Issue of the Leaf!

OUR CONCENTRATES ISSUE is my favorite of the year for one simple reason: I love dabs! My first dab was around 2011 – in the century old boiler room below the now closed Northern Cross Collective Gardens – and I remember feeling the oil touch the red hot nail as the vapor burst into my lungs with the force of a thousand bong hits. The world closed in around me and I felt the reverberation of raw THC as it pulsed through my blood and into my mind, sending me away for the next few hours, humming with a high that was unlike anything else.

Over the last decade of publishing and working in Cannabis, I have personally seen the concentrate world evolve from homemade Rick Simpson Oil and open-blasted butane hash oil, to highly medicinal mono-cannabinoid extracts and vaporizable concentrates of all kinds, to being the precursor to a new world of edibles, topicals, capsules and more. For our Concentrates Issue we sought out the best examples of the different types of extractions, to share how they affect the body and the science behind the scenes.

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FOR OUR CONCENTRATES ISSUE WE SOUGHT OUT THE BEST EXAMPLES OF THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF EXTRACTIONS.

Concentrating Cannabis means exactly what it sounds like: taking a full plant and using a process or solvent to extract the purest essence of it.

This makes it incredibly important to only consume high quality, pesticide tested concentrates.

Quality concentrates have the ability to impart healing value that Cannabis flower alone cannot replicate, delivering a pure flavor and experience that captures the taste and effect of fresh Cannabis in a perfect dab. Look closely and you’ll see that concentrates cover every aspect of Cannabis – every product beyond flower – from medical to recreational uses and benefits.

Our comprehensive Concentrates Issue covers the different extraction methods, terminology, ways to consume and much more. So take a dab, flip through this beautiful and informational issue, and learn something new that you can share with someone in need of Cannabis – as both a plant and a medicine. And as always, thanks for reading and sharing the Leaf!

-Wes Abney JUL. 2021

Your all-in-one spot Find cannabis savings at local retailers

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national news

legalization

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MIDWEST

NEW BILL WOULD REVOLUTIONIZE FED DRUG POLICY

L

ast month marked the the 50th anniversary – on June 17 – of when President Richard Nixon declared the “war on drugs.”

Representatives Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ) and Cori Bush (D-MO) observed the occasion by unveiling the Drug Policy Reform Act (DPRA).

The bill would end criminal penalties for drug possession at the federal level. It would shift the regulatory authority from the Attorney General to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). Additionally, the DPRA would expunge records and provide for resentencing, and reinvest in alternative health-centered approaches.

The bill also eliminates THE BILL ALSO many of the lifelong ELIMINATES MANY consequences associated with OF THE LIFELONG CONSEQUENCES drug arrests and convictions.

ASSOCIATED WITH These include the denial of DRUG ARRESTS AND employment, public benefits, CONVICTIONS. immigration status, drivers’ licenses and voting rights.

The DPRA also incentivizes state and local governments to adopt decriminalization policies.

Last week, DPRA – in partnership with the ACLU – released a national drug policy poll that found 66% of American voters support removing criminal penalties for drugs and replacing them with health-centered approaches.

AMAZON WILL STOP POT DRUG TESTING FOR JOB APPLICANTS

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east coast

MEDICAL CANNABIS PATIENTS IN MINNESOTA SEEK GUN RIGHTS

VIRGINIA’S CANNABIS LEGALIZATION LAW KICKS IN JULY 1

S

S

taunch conservatives and advocates of legal marijuana have formed an unlikely alliance in Minnesota to pressure the Legislature to allow medical Cannabis patients to own guns, reports KIMT 3.

The more than 35,000 patients in Minnesota’s program can’t own guns as the law now stands because the federal government classifies marijuana as a Schedule I controlled substance, on par with heroin.

Gun-rights supporters and pro-legalization groups are lobbying for Minnesota to petition for an exemption.

If they succeed, the Star Tribune reports, Minnesota would be the first of 36 states that allow medical marijuana in some form, to appeal directly to the federal government on behalf of enrollees.

THE SOUTH

LOUISIANA GOVERNOR SIGNS DECRIM BILL

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mazon will no longer test most job applicants for Cannabis use in the latest sign of America’s changing attitudes toward weed. Amazon, the second-largest private employer in the U.S., also says it now backs legalizing marijuana nationwide.

“In the past, like many employers, we’ve disqualified people from working at Amazon if they tested positive for marijuana use,” the company said in a blog post in June.

“However, given where state laws are moving across the U.S., we’ve changed course.”

Marijuana users and advocates are cheering the news, but it may also bring relief to Amazon’s hiring managers: The company operates – and is rapidly expanding into – places where marijuana is legal.

Amazon’s home state of Washington was among the first in the country to legalize marijuana for recreational use, back in 2012. The company is now building an East Coast headquarters in Virginia, where weed will become legal on July 1. It has also been expanding in New York, which legalized marijuana at the end of March.

overnor John Bel Edwards of Louisiana has signed into law House Bill 652, taking away the possibility of jail time for possession of small amounts of marijuana. It’s the latest shift away from Louisiana’s historically harsh stance on the herb. Edwards is a conservativeleaning Democrat who often moves in lockstep with the state’s sheriffs, and has long opposed legalizing marijuana. Gov. Edwards hailed it as a criminal justice reform effort. The decrim bill kept gaining strength in the two month legislative session that ended last week. Some viewed it as a make-good, after a GOP-sponsored bill to legalize Cannabis narrowly failed in the state House. The push indicated a growing willingness by the conservative Louisiana Legislature to look at loosening the state’s punitive laws surrounding marijuana.

tarting July 1, people in Virginia can smoke marijuana in the privacy of their home, but it will still be illegal to do that in a public space. It is also still banned on school property and in vehicles.

Adults who are 21 and older will be allowed to have up to an ounce of Cannabis legally. That is about the weight of a pencil.

Anyone caught with more than an ounce could face up to a $25 charge. Users will also be allowed to grow up to four plants per home. Virginia is not an open marijuana market, so people will need to be careful.

When the law goes into effect, it will still be illegal to buy and sell marijuana until January 1, 2024, at which point retail sales are expected to begin.

FLORIDA’S SUPREME COURT BLOCKS INITIATIVE FOR THIRD TIME

F

or the third time in three months, the Florida Supreme Court dashed the hopes of Floridians who want to see expanded access to Cannabis.

In a 5-2 ruling on June 17, the state’s highest court found a ballot initiative to legalize marijuana to be misleading. The initiative, titled “Regulate Marijuana in a THE STATE’S HIGHEST Manner Similar to Alcohol to Establish COURT FOUND A BALLOT INITIATIVE TO Age, Licensing, and LEGALIZE MARIJUANA Other Restrictions,” TO BE MISLEADING. would have also allowed Floridians to grow Cannabis at home. Had it reached the ballot, the initiative would have needed the approval of 60% of voters to become a part of the state Constitution.

Attorney General Ashley Moody asked the court to weigh in on the ballot language in September 2019. It took the court the better part of two years to issue its ruling.

5.5m $23m $338m

JUl. 2021

patients in the USA now have authorized, legal access to medical Cannabis.

in additional funding was obtained in June by Seattlebased Cannabis startup Leafly.

in medical Cannabis has been sold in just over two years in Arkansas.

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Must be 18 years or older to view content. Medical cannabis is for certified patient use only. Consumption of medical cannabis may impair your ability to drive a car or operate machinery. Please use extreme caution. There may be health risk associated with cannabis use, especially during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Accidental consumption of cannabis by children or animals may result in severe adverse reactions. Keep cannabis out of the reach of children and animals.

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the concentrates issue

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NEAR YOU Medical cannabis use is for MMCC certified patients only.

Cannabis LAW

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vent-based extraction, chemical solvents are used to separate resin glands containing the psychoactive compound THC from the Cannabis flower. In non-solvent extractions, water, temperature and pressure are the predominant factors for separating compounds.

Dabbing is the most popular way to consume Cannabis concentrates. Often referred to as “doing a dab” or “taking a dab hit,” this method of ingestion refers to the vaporization and consumption of a Cannabis concentrate. On average, a concentrate consumer might ingest a few inhalations between 60-80% THC, compared to smoking Cannabis flower which averages 10-25% THC. Not surprisingly, the increased potency makes dabbing more economical for most users, as less product needs to be consumed to reach optimal or desired effects. The effects of a dab usually come on stronger and quicker than smoking flower. Because of this, dabbing is often recommended for experienced or frequent smokers, due to the high potency of the product.

The difference in flavor between concentrates and flower is also pretty dramatic. Cannabis extracts not only concentrate cannabinoids in the finished product (such as THC, CBD, CBN, etc.), but also increase the amount of flavorful and beneficial terpenes (such as limonene, pinene and myrcene). Concentrate vaporization permits a Cannabis consumer to more clearly smell the parts of the plant that contribute to taste, such as the aroma from the terpenes, which usually evaporate at very low temperatures. These highly volatile gases can easily become overwhelmed when combustible plant matter is burned (which occurs while smoking flower).

Concentrates in Maryland can be consumed by medical Cannabis patients without civil or criminal penalty – within their 30-day recommended supply. But they still cannot be consumed in public or by non-medical patients without criminal penalty. Possession in Maryland of a concentrate in any amount, even below the civil penalty 10 gram limit, would constitute the misdemeanor criminal charge of possession of THC, which carries a penalty of up to one year in jail and up to a $5,000 fine.

It is not surprising that some states have tried to ban concentrates, or at least reduce the maximum percentage of THC that can be sold in any concentrate or infused product.

States such as Washington, Arizona, and even Colorado have brought bills before the legislature to cap overall THC percentages in concentrates.

While these state actions have alarmed Cannabis activists, they also demonstrate the need for more health studies before we decide that concentrates are as low-risk as traditional flower.

Illustration by Adobe/Wirat

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To Dab Or Not To Dab …

That Is The Question The resulting finished products are challenging the IF traditional notions IT HAS BEEN more than 10 years since you’ve tried Cannabis, a trip to a modernday dispensary might leave you a bit confused. Of course, you would recognize the green, leafy buds of the Cannabis plant, now referred to by budtenders as “flower.”

But stashed beneath the glass and bright lights, you will also find a wide assortment of new products termed “concentrates.” These concentrates represent the fastest growing sector of Cannabis products, and come in a wide variety of forms, textures and viscosities, such as honey oil, Rick Simpson oil, diamonds, sauce, wax, budder, shatters, sugars and live resin (to name just a few). Each of these Cannabis-derived extracts contains refined and concentrated amounts of delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), as well as other cannabinoids and terpenes also in concentrated amounts. The resulting finished products are challenging the traditional notions of what Cannabis is and how it should be regulated.

Maryland law defines a medical Cannabis concentrate as “a product derived from medical Cannabis that is kief, hashish, bubble hash, oil, wax, or other product, produced by extracting cannabinoids from the plant through the use of solvents; carbon dioxide; or heat, screens, presses or steam distillation.” According to new rules recently published by the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission, an edible Cannabis product in Maryland cannot contain a concentrate or an infused product.

There are two main methods by which Cannabis concentrates are created: solvent-based and non-solvent-based extraction. The most popular solvents used today are butane, carbon dioxide, propane and alcohol. In sol-

of what Cannabis is and how it should be regulated.

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.

JUl. 2021

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

THE SCIENCE OF CANNABIS EVOLVED At Evolab, we use nothing but cannabis in our products, which means developing a wholly unique process to extract and purify cannabis terpenes, terpenoids, and flavonoids into what we call CDCA, or Cannabis-Derived Cutting Agent. With nothing in between you and the plant, you can rest comfortably enjoying Evolab’s entire line of products.

Since its founding in 2011, Evolab has pushed the limits of cannabis science, pioneering advanced technologies that deliver only the purest experiences. evolab.com

Medical cannabis use is for certified patients only.

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INTERVIEW

MARYLAND LEAF BUDTENDER OF THE MONTH

JACOB WINDELL “A BUDTENDER HAS TO REALLY KNOW ABOUT THE SCIENCE BEHIND CANNABINOIDS AND TERPENES.”

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WHEN DID YOU START BLOWING GLASS? About three years ago. I used to collect a lot of glass from artists around the area and even around the world. I became really interested in the pendants and the artistic aspect of glassblowing. One of my friends who works at Shockers (a local glass studio), blew glass at Wizard Missile’s studio in Baltimore. She introduced me to Wizard Missile, and he was nice enough to rent me some studio space in a large communal area with around eight other glassblowers.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE STYLE OF GLASSBLOWING TO EXECUTE? I started out with pendants and had a strong focus on implosions, where I was trying to perfect the flower implosions and flower clusters, as I called them. I like pushing myself to new heights, so recently I have been trying to make more functional rigs and cleaning up my skills to make the pieces more perfect. It’s tough to pick one certain thing, because I like to get in the studio and work on my skills in different areas to keep pushing the envelope.

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WHAT MAKES A GOOD BUDTENDER? A budtender who listens and cares about the patients’ wants AND needs. You also need to have a good energy to you, and be able to understand what a patient is looking for by fully hearing them out. I like to start out novice users on the lower end of the THC spectrum and let them comfortably work themselves up to more THC-rich products.

On the other hand, you need to be able to explain terpenes and cannabinoids to people that are interested in learning more.

J

acob Windell is a Carroll County native who has found himself in the medical Cannabis industry in Frederick, Maryland. Green Goods is where he got his start, but as a glassblower he was never far from the Cannabis scene.

He combines first hand knowledge with things he has learned since entering the industry, giving patients an experience that leaves them with a positive outlook on Cannabis and their medicating journey.

GREEN GOODS 1080 W PATRICK ST SUITE 13, FREDERICK, MD VISITGREENGOODS.COM (240) 772-9520

JUl. 2021

IF YOU COULD ONLY SMOKE ONE PRODUCT UNTIL THE END OF TIME, WHAT WOULD IT BE? Unfortunately the Maryland market doesn’t carry it, but if we could get hash rosin consistently, that is what I would smoke every day. I tried Evermore hash rosin a while back, but it seems like I only had one dab of it before it disappeared. The price point is a little higher than some other extracts, but the quality speaks for itself.

WHAT ABOUT BEING A BUDTENDER WOULD SURPRISE SOMEONE WHO ISN’T IN THE INDUSTRY? Probably that it isn’t really just knowing what’s ‘fire’ or ‘gas.’

You have to be a little bit more intuitive to the medical side of it, and I think a misconception of people outside the industry is that it’s more recreational than it looks like. A budtender has to really know about the science behind cannabinoids and terpenes, and not only have a general understanding of quality Cannabis.

INTERVIEW & PHOTOS by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT/MARYLAND LEAF S E N D N O M I N AT I O N S F O R B U D T E N D E R O F T H E M O N T H T O W YAT T @ L E A F M A G A Z I N E S .C O M

RSO

SHATTER

BUDDER

Roll One Concentrates, now available at all Harvest of Maryland locations For the good times seeker, Roll One offers a wide variety of good quality classics without any of the pretentious cannabis hype. Our concentrates use ethanol extraction technology for pure, potent cannabinoids and terpenes.

Extracted from all-natural Maryland flower and available in Indica, Sativa and Hybrid varieties, you’ll find good quality at everyday value. Because consuming shouldn’t be a complicated affair.

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Medical cannabis use is for certified patients only.

PATIENTs OF THE MONTH

CANNABIS FOR PAIN MANAGEMENT

thejoneses ONCE SHE RECEIVED HER MEDICAL CARD, MONICA’S RESEARCH TURNED INTO PERSONAL TRIALS. HER THOROUGHNESS AND PROFESSIONALISM LED TO ACQUIRING A JOB AT A LOCAL DISPENSARY, SERVING AS A PATIENT CARE SPECIALIST FOR ALTPHARM IN SUITLAND.

“people didn’t understand how important it was to me, or the message I was trying to get across.”

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“I was a friendly patient with them since they had opened,” she said. “I had applied online and because I was so knowledgeable, they asked me if I wanted a job.”

After budtending for 14 months, Monica was offered an entrylevel position at a Maryland grow facility. She has since worked her way up to become the assistant general manager. But Monica’s hard work and enthusiasm towards the plant has served her more than just in a professional manner – she has taken the knowledge she acquired and bettered the lives of many, including her household.

“I can’t advocate enough for it!” she smiled.

Her daughter Kiera, 25-years-old, struggles with digestive issues, while her 22-year-old son Keith Jr. fights the same battles with anxiety that many college students around the globe do. The addition of medical Cannabis has improved their daily lives.

Even the family’s 14-year-old Yorkshire Terrier, Diego, takes daily doses of CBD. However, 56-year-old Keith Sr., the patriarch of the family, has been reluctant to participate. He’s happy to see his wife of 26 years not carrying around the burden of pain. However, Keith Sr. has proudly served the United States Postal Service (USPS) for the past 32 years. His daily aches could benefit from the medical creations of the industry, but regulatory guidelines for the USPS disallow the use of Cannabis by its employees.

“We helped him apply as a patient, but he stopped short of the final approval,” Monica said. “He’s hesitant to complete the whole process because he’s loyal to his job. I want to address that – I want to put that out there. Why would we be able to use it as medication, but he’s not able to?”

Monica estimates at least seven other family members have signed up through the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission, and another 15 close friends. She recently began discussions with her parents about using CBD. “It’s a one-stop shop for me,” she said. “I really am a true believer of taking care of myself and my family. We have the best conversations about medical Cannabis – the health benefits, physically and mentally. I couldn’t be happier with a medication.”

To anyone struggling with the stigma of society, Monica insists they lay down the judgement, and make the best lives for their family.

“I think initially when I started advocating with family and friends, people didn’t understand how important it was to me, or the message I was trying to get across,” she said. “They kind of felt like, ‘Oh, she’s just getting high.’ But medicating is so much better than getting high. It gives you so much power and knowledge, you can pick and choose how you want to feel. There’s levels to it.”

“It’s a way of life for me,” she continued. “We keep it classy.

We have a nice home. We’re a nice family – the perfect American family. Oh, and we use medical Cannabis.”

Everyone is trying to keep up with the Joneses.

And that’s because Monica, the matriarch of the Jones household, has found herself on a personal mission to enhance the quality in the lives of her loved ones, by way of medical Cannabis. Monica, 53, is a native of Prince George County in Maryland. She has long served as the executive director of the Children of Fallen Soldiers Relief Fund, a nonprofit organization started by her sister in 2003. In the past decade, her health deteriorated as severe joint pain and muscle aches left her tossing and turning at night, and in pain throughout the day. Her doctors diagnosed her with seronegative rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis. “I didn’t know what those were about,” she recalled. “But I was looking for an alternative method to treat the pain and they recommended me for medical Cannabis. I began to research so much about it.”

JUl. 2021

STORY by BAXSEN PAINE @BAXSENPAINE for MARYLAND LEAF | PHOTOS by SIERRA RUTH @SRUTHPHOTOGRAPHY

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SHOP REVIEW

CURALEAF SETTING & VIBE This dispensary resides in the old location of a Capital One Bank, which gives it a high class vibe. The white pillars out front make it feel almost presidential, and the inside matches with leather chairs and glass countertops throughout the store. Feeling comfortable when purchasing your medicine is critical for a positive experience, and Curaleaf has that on lock.

MONTGOMERY VILLAGE

YOUR OPTIONS ARE FAR FROM LIMITED HERE, WITH SELECTIONS FROM SOME OF MARYLAND’S FAVORITE GROWERS.

FLOWER

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Does anyone else love when they get to a dispensary and see they have a TON of flower on the menu? Your options are far from limited here, with selections from some of Maryland’s favorite growers. Some of these options include 7g drams of flower, which is really nice when you’re looking to stock up and save a little coin. Bud is also stored in see-through containers on the sales floor, allowing you to actually see your Cannabis before purchasing!

CONCENTRATES Come one come all, from connoisseurs to patients who have never tried concentrates. For the connoisseurs, there is enough live resin on this menu to keep you happy for months. For those new to the dabbing world, there are vape cartridges to get you started, RSO to ease your pain, and anything else when you’re ready to take a dive into the deep end.

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EDIBLES From mints to RSO capsules, there is a type of edible for every type of patient here. Whether you’re looking for a smaller dose, discrete edible, or something that will put you to sleep and ease your pain, they have you covered. One thing that stood out to me was the different variations of tinctures, from 1:1 all the way to 18:1 ratios, allowing patients to find what works best for their medical needs.

QUICK HIT Curaleaf closed down their Airpark location and moved over to Montgomery Village in Gaithersburg – and if you’re looking for a premium dispensary experience – this is the place to be. Everything about visiting this location gave me the feeling of being in a top-tier shop, from the knowledgeable staff to the contemporary design. Be sure to keep an eye out for the deals this dispensary posts in addition to their daily specials – there are prices on products you won’t want to miss.

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CURALEAF

MONTGOMERY VILLAGE

10011 STEDWICK RD, GAITHERSBURG, MD CURALEAF.COM | @CURALEAF.USA MON.-SAT. 9AM-8PM, SUN. 10AM-6PM

PRODUCT R E VIEW

LEMON HASH DIESEL LIVE RESIN BY SELECT

LIVE RESIN CARTRIDGES are full of terpenes and have proven very beneficial to my personal medication journey.

83.83% Total This strain and specific batch have a high Cannabinoids concentration of myrcene, with over 3% 11.96% Total pinene to temper it out. After a few puffs of Terpenes this lemony goodness, I was relaxed and in a creative headspace. SELECTCANNABIS.COM @SELECT.BETTER

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STORY & PHOTOS by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT/MARYLAND LEAF

A woman-owned and well-trusted medical Cannabis dispensary promoting the health and wellness of the Baltimore area for over two years.

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STRAIN OF THE MONTH leafmagazines.com

26

grown by

GARCIA

HAND PICKED “NOTES OF MOSS, LAVENDER AND HIBISCUS ABOUND WITH EACH INHALE.”

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THIS MONTH’S FEATURED FLOWER IS PARTICULARLY EXCITING BECAUSE WE ARE WELCOMING A NEW CANNABIS BRAND TO OUR HUMBLE STATE: THE ILLUSTRIOUS GARCIA HAND PICKED LINE,

BY HOLISTIC INDUSTRIES. WE COULDN’T HELP OURSELVES WHEN IT CAME TO THEIR HIFI – A CULTIVAR BOASTING OVER 2% TERPS AND AN IMPRESSIVE 26% THCA.

HIFI

A cross between WiFi OG #43 and High Octane #9, two notoriously potent cultivars, consumers can expect a fuel soaked experience with a heavy hit.

The HiFi doesn’t require too much explanation as its profile, effects and flavor all seem to be pretty straight forward. In short, I will describe this flower simply as gas – gassy aroma, gassy flavor, high potency petrol. The diesel notes are underscored by earthy and floral tones that are well preserved in their beautifully decorated glass jars. With its dominant terpene profile consisting of myrcene, limonene, linalool and caryophyllene, this HiFi brings your standard indica hybrid effect that is at once calming and sedating, while not being a couch locker. An absolutely excellent toke for the chronically ill, or for those of us that prefer our highs a little on the heavier side.

While I am undoubtedly curious to see what continues to come out of Garcia Hand Picked as they make their home in Maryland, I am completely enamored with this HiFi cultivar. The gassiness rounds out into an earthy and florally flavor that is very complementary. Notes of moss, lavender and hibiscus abound with each inhale, but it’s pure petrol on the exhale.

The nugs contain every shade of green there is and are TESTING interwoven with vivid THCa 26.58 orange calyxes and a Total terps 2.06 .52 myrcene small smattering of purple .37 limonene dollops. Additionally, .19 linalool they get bonus points for .18 caryophyllene the extra large nugs. The eighth I got, as well as the ones I observed around me, were all one or two nug jars – meaning that their flower was packing on some weight before harvest! This is a very good indication for new genetics being put into a new system, and leads me to believe that Garcia Hand Picked will be churning out lots of fire in the coming months.

REVIEW by TAYLOR MARTIN for MARYLAND LEAF | PHOTO by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT | GARCIAHANDPICKED.COM

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the concentrates issue

“Having an honest approach to our business and helping our customers is our key to success.”

Founder & CEO Andrew Yoon

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XTRACTOR

DEPOT JUl. 2021

DURING THE GOLD RUSH, as so many intrepid fortune seekers journeyed west to find the gold in them thar hills, their trailblazing softened the soil for entirely new sectors of the economy to sprout. Ancillary businesses popped up to support the endeavor and countless fortunes were made, not on striking gold, but on selling the equipment to furnish the seekers.

It was such a novel and lucrative approach to capitalizing on the Gold Rush hype, it birthed a nickname for the segment of industry that exists to sell equipment to those seeking their fortune in a new, hype-driven sector – “selling the picks and shovels.”

Fast forward to 2021, and California is once again the hub for another get-rich-or-bust movement: the Green Rush.

And companies like Xtractor Depot are aiding the cause by selling the picks and shovels.

Are clients looking to build their own brands? Are they looking to get into toll processing, creating customized bulk product to sell to those who want to build their own brands? These are the types of top-level questions Xtractor Depot looks to help clients answer before drilling down into their capital investment, market research and other aspects of their business plans. With all-in buildouts getting up into the seven-figure range, and equipment-only orders ranging from $200-$500k, it’s crucial to ensure that customers are ready to swim once they jump in.

“That will be the key information that we need on our end to provide the right type of equipment,” Yoon said.

Xtractor Depot isn’t simply trying to sell each client whatever they can pile on. Their goal is for their customers to succeed, so they can keep CLOCKWISE FROM TOP-LEFT: Luis Martinez, a scientific glass blower, works on a glass distillation head in the glass blowing workshop; the relationships going. Yoon Stacie Smith, Assembly Lead, works on top manifold parts in the warehouse; The Xtractor Depot core values hang on the wall; invests in building his industry Various extraction equipment rests in the Xtractor Depot showroom. knowledge in order to pass it on to his clients.

“The people in this EARLY STAGES OF GROWTH tars, including locations industry will tell you Xtraction Depot Founder and CEO Andrew Yoon in San Bernardino what you need to do knew he wanted to work in a Cannabis-related busiand Montebello. He to succeed,” he said. ness at a fairly early age – his mission started when he focuses on equip“You just have to enwas at university in St. Louis. ment engineering gage with them and “In college, I had an import business, selling conand supply, and has be knee-deep in it to tainers for oil and torches, and stuff like that,” Yoon an in-house glass be successful.” said over a call in June. “It was called Butter Blocks. … fabrication division.

“Having an honest That kind of brought me out to California, meeting a Yoon also maintains a approach to our bunch of people in the industry.” licensed toll-processing business and helping Once he got to Cali, he saw a need for more extraction facility in the our customers is our processors to handle the immense amount of cannabiregulation-heavy juriskey to success,” he noid-laden biomass coming out of the state’s rediction of Long Beach said. “… They don’t nowned cultivation sector. Yoon immediately expanded to keep the extraction (always) struggle with beyond packaging and implements and went to work side of his business manufacturing the building out an extraction facility. moving. product. It’s more so It was then, during the buildout phase, that he saw “That has helped the distribution and the true opportunity in front of him. us develop a better understanding of what the most sales of all this product. Do we have a “During that equipment search, I realized that stringent jurisdictions are going to require, and create market for all that product we’re going to nobody was doing this professionally, and the person a robust process,” Yoon said. “So, when the customer make?” that I bought my system from was doing it out of his is setting up their lab, it isn’t going to be a confusion of The way Yoon sees it, selling the picks garage,” he said. “... The system was missing all kinds red tape.” and shovels is the perfect way to help the of parts, and it was a nightmare experience.” greater industry succeed, while building his Naturally, the savvy entrepreneur saw the opportunity SETTING UP FOR SUCCESS own success at the same time. Just like the to fill that niche.

Yoon understands that the best path to future stability, Gold Rush, it’s a hard path to success and for the industry and for his company, is to help enfor every gold strike, there’s someone who STRONG GROWTH PATTERNS sure that his clients celebrate recurrent successes and struck out.

Yoon founded Xtractor Depot in 2016 and began healthy growth. Rather than simply selling equipment, “A lot of people come into the market building out the equipment supply chain in order to Yoon’s team consults with extractors on their business with money and no knowledge at all,” help would-be extractors avoid the negative experience plans, their scaling models, and their visions for the Yoon said. “We’re trying to educate our he had when setting up his own lab. future. clients, so that they can stay afloat.”

“It was a segue from being an extractor to being an “Helping the clients develop a clear vision for their extractor provider, providing the equipment,” he said. business is one of the key objectives of the business,” Now he operates significantly sized brick and morYoon said.

XTRACTORDEPOT.COM

STORY by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS | PHOTOS by JUSTIN L. STEWART @JUSTNLSTEWART

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the concentrates issue

THE HASH ARTIST

Passion, practice and study led him down a path that started with the basic hair straightener tech, scaling up to a tee-shirt press, all the way to his current tool of choice – the Long’s Peak Pure Pressure rosin press.

SIMPSON SOLVENTLESS MAKING GREAT HASH is an art. Making art from great hash even more so. That’s exactly what Eric Simpson of Simpson Solventless, LLC, does in his lab in Northern California.

You may have seen Eric dropping some niche rosin pressing knowledge on YouTube with Pure Pressure, or you may have seen his Instagram @simpsonsolventless, where he has helped to re-popularize hash art with his incredible solventless formulations and artistic molding.

A NORTHERN CALIFORNIA NATIVE, Eric is a self-

taught solventless guy that has been working in and around Cannabis since he was 16, helping to pioneer some of the earliest evolutions in the Cannabis industry. If not for the open blasters and tee-shirt pressers of decades past, we would likely not have the cache of extraction knowledge we do today – and Eric is one of those early adopters who got into the industry and developed a passion during a wave of Cannabis innovation.

Like many of us, he started his love affair with Cannabis as a grower in small, intimate set-ups.

However, after a little experimentation, Eric quickly jumped into the newly developing world of extracts – which at the time consisted mainly of open blasting BHO and pressing flower with a hair straightener. Passion, practice and study led him down a path that started with the basic hair straightener tech, scaling up to a tee-shirt press, all the way to his current tool of choice – the Long’s Peak Pure Pressure rosin press, where he is now

pushing the envelope for quality solventless.

Today, Eric has turned his knowledge into a consulting business where he helps farmers and companies produce the highest quality products possible, using state-of-the-art solventless techniques. This ranges from helping to pick out the best cultivars for production, all the way to producing and formulating novel products for the market.

Always generous with his knowledge, he has also earned a reputation as a high quality, dedicated educator in the space.

His other benchmark – stamping, sculpting and molding hash – is not a new practice. Indeed, most of the hash producing world has traditionally stamped their hash product with a family seal or brand image, and this practice is still maintained to this day. Eric is helping to bring this tradition into the American solventless space by taking it to a whole new level — not only by branding his products with signature shapes, but creating straight up pieces of art to delight Instagram followers and

ERIC SIMPSON

hash connoisseurs alike. He also plays with temperatures and various types of solventless products to create new consistencies and exquisite product pairings that are as aesthetically pleasing as they are robust and flavorful.

Working with everything from full melt hashes to solventless crystalline isolates to cold cured rosins, Eric utilizes all the tools in his arsenal to concoct tantalizing creations like two-toned THC-a crystalline donuts, and mushroom and skull shaped full melt sculptures I can only describe as Willy Wonka chic.

Strictly utilizing the finest cultivars from the finest growers, Eric is quick to shout out his cultivators because he deeply adheres to the mantra of “fire in, fire out” for hash/oil production.

The best hash maker in the world cannot produce a quality product from poor flower, and every quality resin worker knows this. When asked if he had a favorite grower, Eric humbly replied, “I can’t even shout out just one because they are all so quality, it’s just too many. I am really grateful for the growers I get to work with.” This excellent relationship with his cultivators and his self-made learning journey, combined with his commitment to education and passion for self expression, make Eric Simpson a name worth knowing anywhere in the Cannabis world – and synonymous with the forefront of the solventless industry. @SIMPSONSOLVENTLESS

STORY by TAYLOR MARTIN @MDCANNAISINSIDER | PHOTOS by SIMPSON SOLVENTLESS | PORTRAIT by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS

the concentrates issue

CONCENTRATES 101 DATING BACK TO THE LATE 11TH CENTURY, the original usage of Cannabis concentrates was for oral ingestion purposes, but since then, a lot has changed. Over the years, extract artists have continued setting the bar higher and higher by constantly pushing themselves to produce innovative ways to experience hash in different forms. These days, you can commonly find forms of extracts incorporated into topicals, pre-rolls, and of course, edibles. But the main question is: What defines something as an extract or a concentrate? These terms refer to a broad spectrum of products that contain higher levels of cannabinoids than are encountered in the Cannabis plant.

They can be as solid as a rock like diamonds, or a liquid like honey – with some extracts getting their name from their appearance or consistency, such as badder, honeycomb and shatter. Below, you will find a guide to help you maneuver around the wide world of all things hash-related.

SOLVENTLESS

SOLVENTLESS CONSISTENCIES

BUBBLE HASH

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Utilizing water and ice, extract artists take their starting material, either cured plant matter or fresh frozen flowers, and carefully wash with a paddle in large buckets of ice water. This liquid is poured through a set of micron filters, meticulously separating the trichome heads. The extraction artist carefully removes the trichome heads from the filters to avoid breaking or damaging them. From there, the end product is either put into a freeze drier or air-dried to perfection.

SIX-STAR BUBBLE HASH Six-star bubble hash is the raw and unadulterated microns of trichome heads that provide the highest quality smoking experience. Six-star will usually be the higher microns, such as 73-120u, and looks like beach sand.

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HASH ROSIN After the bubble hash has been freeze or air-dried, the product is placed in another micron filter specifically micronized to produce hash rosin. Using a high-pressure heat press, a micronized screen is used to refine the hash with pressure to secrete what is known as fresh press rosin.

FRESH PRESS

BADDER

ROSIN JAM

Fresh Press rosin is pure and unmixed, coming straight off of the rosin press into your jar, without any additional steps added. This product often looks very clear and transparent.

Badder has a texture that usually imitates cake batter, soft and palatable.

Cold cure and heat cure techniques are applied to achieve this type of consistency.

Rosin jam is a saucy combination of both THCa diamonds and terpenes. By utilizing a combination of heat and pressure, extract artists have further developed a new way to smoke solventless.

FULL PLANT EXTRACT/RSO (RICK SIMPSON OIL) With the purpose to produce more minor cannabinoids such as CBG and CBN, full plant extracts were originally created by the pioneer Rick Simpson. This process was done by simply soaking Cannabis for long periods in hexane or ethanol.

Once this process is completed, the hexane or ethanol is removed with heat or evaporation, leaving a full spectrum product containing many more cannabinoids than traditional concentrates. Innovators have since created a new version of FECO, utilizing advanced CO2 extraction equipment.

STORY by MAX EARLY @LIFTED_STARDUST/LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

HYDROCARBON BHO/PHO

Using the hydrocarbon known as butane, BHO or butane hash oil, was one of the first products to hit the common hash market.

Propane is also used in this process, either in a mixture with butane or on its own. Working with highly evolved closed-loop extraction systems, the extract artist takes either cured or fresh frozen starting material and places it inside large steel columns for processing purposes. The gas is run through the material multiple times, extracting the terpenes, along with the plants’ fats and lipids. Once processed, this raw material is dewed to remove the undesirable components. From there, the product is dumped out in liquid form and then placed inside of a vacuum oven to purge and remove all solvents.

CO2

CO2 extraction uses highly sophisticated machinery that pulls high levels of terpenes amongst a broad spectrum of cannabinoids.

Under controlled circumstances, supercritical CO2 dissolves substances into fractions that can be separated and removed. The end product is ideal for cartridges, edibles and dabbing purposes.

DISTILLATE

Cannabis distillate is created by using a combination of extraction processes. All distillate starts as final processed terpenes and THC. Different extract artists have their unique approaches, but most utilize a sequence of steam, pressure and heat, further refining the extract by removing any last impurities. This process is usually repeated until the final product is a light golden color. Ordinarily, distillate ends up making its way into edible products and cartridges.

HYDROCARBON CONSISTENCIES SHATTER

DIAMONDS

Shatter takes after its name, as this consistency of BHO is often very fragile and will break easily at the touch.

Its appearance is clear and almost looks like glass.

Often dazzling and dancing with gleaming clarity and sometimes accompanied with colorful terpenes, THCa diamonds are as hard as a rock or, in this case, a diamond.

BADDER

HONEYCOMB

BHO Badder is a homogenized product combining cannabinoids and terpenes, that provides a very simplistic smoking experience. Similar to rosin badder, BHO badder appears soft and provides an effortless smoking experience.

Usually using cured material, honeycomb and crumble BHO look exactly how they sound. Both are whipped and can appear very soft, but disintegrate effortlessly when touched.

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While supplies last. Discounts cannot be combined with other offers.

For use only by qualifying medical cannabis patients. Flash deals not applicable for Second Chance Sunday

the concentrates issue

LIVE RESIN As patients begin to venture deeper into the world of Cannabis, they are almost guaranteed to try dabbable concentrates.

Many connoisseurs enjoy dabbing due to the high level of flavor and effect. The fruity or gassy names of the strains shine through with these products, and terpene information can be used to target specific ailments.

TINSEL TOWN MINTS LIVE RESIN CAKE BADDER

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By Evermore 87.66% Total Cannabinoids 8.874% Terpenes

The nose on this jar smelled like crushing fresh pine needles, accompanied by a dough-like sweetness. The exhale can be described as a natural minty flavor with notes of citrus. I felt energized after a couple of dabs, making it more of a daytime use product for me. @EVERMOREBRANDS

SNOW MONSTER LIVE DIAMONDS

COUGH OG LIVE RESIN BATTER

By Strane 82.87% Total Cannabinoids 4.74% Terpenes

By MPX 85.77% Total Cannabinoids 13.539% Terpenes

PEANUT BUTTER PINWHEEL LIVE RESIN CAKE BADDER

Lifesavers candy terps hit me in the face when I took the lid off this mouthwatering batch of diamonds. On the exhale I tasted a blast of limonene in the form of a strong citrusy flavor. I felt a very balanced high after taking a dab – perfect for a long day ahead of me. @THISISSTRANE

This batter is loaded with a solid blend of cannabinoids and terpenes that could be used at any time of day. Popping open the jar revealed that classic fruity live resin smell that takes me back to the first time I dabbed quality live resin. On the exhale are notes of jet-fuel-like spiciness, accompanied by a smooth fruit flavor. @MPX_US

As soon as the lid came off, this jar was exploding with gassy, cake-like aromas that could be smelled from across the room.

The fresh smells I experienced were also very noticeable on the exhale. This strain helped me with daily anxiety and elevating my mood to a higher level. @EVERMOREBRANDS

By Evermore 85.36% Total Cannabinoids 9.69% Terpenes

LEMON SKUNK LIVE SAUCE PATAPEAKE SHORTBREAD LIVE RESIN CAKE BADDER

By Evermore 88.79% Total Cannabinoids 7.918% Terpenes

This pungent batch of live resin blasted through in its sweet and floral smells and flavors. A perfect badder consistency, I had no trouble getting any sized dab to stay on the dabber. I found it could be best described as a balanced hybrid, giving me relief from back pain while increasing my energy level. @EVERMOREBRANDS

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GRAPE PEARLS LIVE CRUMBLE

By Cresco Labs 92.87% Total Cannabinoids 6.82% Terpenes

Like a fresh batch of grapes coated in ground black pepper, this concentrate was exotic and spicy at the same time. Strong notes of sweet fruit came through strong on the exhale. Following a couple dabs, I was ready to curl up with a blanket and watch movies for the entire day. @CRESCOCANNABIS

ROSETTA STONE LIVE RESIN BADDER

By Cresco Labs 72.33% Total Cannabinoids 20.27% Terpenes

Jack Herer is crossed with P75 to bring us a fruity cross reminiscent of a fresh fruit smoothie. I was excited to see this batch was over 7% terpinolene, which gave me confidence in this extract’s ability to lessen my anxiety. After a couple dabs, I was able to calmly accomplish my daily activities with little to no worries. @CULTAIG

This batch clocked in at just over 8% terpinolene alone, which produced a rollercoaster of sweet, citrusy and fruity flavors. Opening the jar revealed scents reminiscent of fruit salad, and after taking my first dab, I felt a wave of calmness come over my body and mind – providing me the clarity I needed to pay attention to important tasks I had at hand. @CRESCOCANNABIS

By Culta 76.51% Total Cannabinoids 11.80% Terpenes

LOST CAUSE LIVE RESIN SAUCE POD

GELATO CAKE BATTER

LIQUID LIVE RESIN CARTRIDGES

BLUNIVERSE LIVE RESIN BATTER

92 COOKIES & DREAM #104 HTFSE CARTRIDGE

Lost Cause is a cross between Amnesia Haze and Dosidos. After a few puffs, I felt a strong focus take hold and creativity ran free throughout my brain. PAX pods are great, from the pod itself to the device used to consume it. I was able to set my temperature easily, and change it based on the strain for maximum terpene inhalation. @THISISSTRANE

Gelato Cake from District Cannabis smells like if you spilled gasoline in a bakery. The doughy and cakey terpenes come through strong in this extract, from its nose to its exhale. I felt a significant amount of calmness when dabbing this strain and used it often before bed. @DISTRICTCANNABIS.US

These cartridges from Cresco are among some of the terpiest on the market, delivering a consistently flavorful and potent rip. The bright citrusy flavor of these pens give off a taste like gasoline mixed with freshly squeezed orange juice. I felt a strong sense of calmness and relaxation when smoking the strains Mandarin Cookies and Greatest Hits. @CRESCOCANNABIS

Like a fine wine, opening this jar was like smelling fresh grapes being smashed in a winery. Complex fruity notes dominated the nose.

The exhale reminded me of the smell of fresh honeysuckles at the beginning of the summer.

I found this most useful at night for getting into a deep state of relaxation. @MPX_US

Smoking sauce on the go is a step closer to a full-on dab out of a rig, and that appears to be Culta’s goal with these pens. Packed with flavor, each hit was as tasty as the last, bursting with sweet peppery flavor.

After a few rips, my joints loosened up and I felt comfortable to move around and exercise. @CULTAIG

By Strane 89.16% Total Cannabinoids 6.18% Terpenes

By District Cannabis 76.51% Total Cannabinoids 11.80% Terpenes

By Cresco Labs 92.55% Total Cannabinoids 7.47% Terpenes

By MPX 83.85% Total Cannabinoids 11.767% Terpenes

By Culta 79.48% Total Cannabinoids 10.28% Terpenes

MOTORBREATH DIAMONDS

GRAPE LIME RICKY LIVE BUDDER

CHEM 91 X ALIEN DAWG DIAMONDS

DESERT INN AQUA TECH SAUCE

Unscrewing the lid from this jar released the classic diesel fuel terpenes I have come to expect from this strain. Coated with terps, these diamonds were strong in terms of effect and tasty on the exhale. After one dab, I felt euphoric and in a creative headspace. @VERANOBRANDS

Opening this jar unleashed a citrus tsunami on my nose, with notes of lemon, lime, orange and grapefruit filling the room. A smooth blend of woody and floral notes accompaned the exhale. One dab of this had me feeling motivated and ready to crush a busy day, and after hours of work I still had not needed to remedicate. @CRESCOCANNABIS

MPX is serving up straight-up diamonds, with a light coating of HTFSE soaking them with delicious terpenes. This helped me most with pain relief on unusually difficult days with my lower back. After one dab I found myself sinking into my office chair, with a largely reduced level of pain. @MPX_US

The color of this concentrate was as white as Vaseline, with the consistency of classic live resin sauce.

The nose and exhale both reminded me of the taste of Good and Plenty licorice candy, with sharp and strong notes of sweetness. After dabbing, I felt relief from the strong anxiety I was experiencing. @GLEAFMD

By Verano 96.12% Total Cannabinoids 3.37% Terpenes

By Cresco Labs 87.86% Total Cannabinoids 10.70% Terpenes

By MPX 96.80% Total Cannabinoids 2.603% Terpenes

By gLeaf 83.21% Total Cannabinoids 10.727% Terpenes

REVIEWS & PHOTOS by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT/MARYLAND LEAF

the concentrates issue

DISTILLATE Distillate is distilled Cannabis, usually in oil form, that has been stripped of waxes, lipids, chlorophyll and other compounds in order to concentrate a single cannabinoid, usually THC or CBD. Distillate can be made from various types of concentrates, but is most often refined with ethanol.

DISTILLATE DART PODS

By Evermore 87% Total Cannabinoids 7% Terpenes

Evermore is constantly working on new strains to release in many forms, including their dart pods.

After trying out the Tropicanna Shortcake and Key West OG, I couldn’t stop smoking the Tropicanna. The flavor reminded me of freshly squeezed orange juice and after a few hits, I felt a heightened sense of awareness and energy. @EVERMOREBRANDS

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LIEUTENANT DAN OG (WIFI X STRAWBERRY LEMONADE) DISTILLATE CARTRIDGE

By Rythm 85.27% Total Cannabinoids 8.550% Terpenes

Spicy and peppery terpenes are accompanied by a sweet citrusy flavor from the 2.1% limonene. I found this product most useful for days when I was dealing with high stress and anxiety. Two puffs in and I had a strong boost of clearheaded energy, with a significant drop in my stress levels. @RYTHM_OFFICIAL

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DISTILLATE CARTRIDGES

By Verano 80-85% Total Cannabinoids 4-9% Terpenes

Distillate cartridges from Verano come in both their Essence and Reserve product lines. The Essence was loaded with almost 10% terpenes, while the Reserve came in at just over 4% terpenes.

The Pineapple Diesel smelled and tasted like a piece of candy, and the Wedding Cake was more on the gassy end of the spectrum. I was constantly switching between the two, to balance their flavor and effectiveness. @VERANOBRANDS

CAKE N’ CHEM CARTRIDGE

PINK PALMER AND GRANDADDY FORBIDDEN PUNCH CARTRIDGES

Just like the flower, these Cake n’ Chem cartridges are super gassy and doughy in their flavor. After taking a few hits I felt giggly and hungry, almost like the first time I ever got high. I used this before bed to get into the right mind frame for a restful night’s sleep. @THISISSTRANE

The flavor of this cartridge reminded me of Crystal Light pink lemonade, bursting with citrusy and floral notes. I felt a jolt of energy after a few rips, but kept puffing because of the positive vibes and refreshing terps. Airpro cartridge battery combos vibrate when you are inhaling, indicating the pen is working and you aren’t wasting your breath. The Grandaddy Forbidden Punch flavor reminded me of Smarties or any sweet candy filling my mouth. I noticed this strain alleviated my anxiety and loosened up the stress I was carrying around from a long day.@AIROBRANDS

By Strane 86.13% Total Cannabinoids 7.369% Terpenes

By Airopro 86.13% Total Cannabinoids 7.369% Terpenes

CO2

Maryland’s C02 products are far and few, with specialized options coming form a couple of companies. Some of the benefits of C02 supercritical extraction include stronger retention of smells and colors, products maintaining a longer shelf life, and the fact that C02 is said to be the least harmful solvent used for extraction.

Y3K VAPES

By Curio Wellness | 57-66% Total Cannabinoids | 11-13% Terpenes

CITRUS SAP TERPENE ENRICHED DISTILLATE CARTRIDGE

By Culta | 83.48% Total Cannabinoids | 8.69% Terpenes If you’ve smoked Citrus Sap in any form in the past, you know how powerful the citrus flavor and aroma can be. This cartridge tasted like biting into a tangerine that you just picked fresh off a tree. I felt a strong amount of clean energy after taking just one hit. @CULTAIG

I was lucky enough to try out the three variations from Y3K including Power Up, Reboot and Shut Down. I used them during their respective times of day and felt a strong boost when needed, and a strong sense of relaxation when needed. The Reboot really helped me get into the right state of mind during long days where I needed a creative push. @CURIO_WELLNESS

MK ULTRA VAPE PEN

By Curio Wellness 78% Total Cannabinoids 6.72% Terpenes

PAX PRIDE POD “HY21”

By Rythm | 72.31% Total Cannabinoids | 8.74% Terpenes Grape Stomper, Afternoon Delight and Cookie Face come together in this PAX pod for an incredibly delectable flavor experience. If you’ve ever tried the wonder that is Tangie, the citrus notes of this pod are very similar, reminiscent of fresh squeezed orange juice. I found this most useful for days when I was on the go, keeping me medicated and alert. @RYTHM_OFFICIAL

This vape pen from Curio Wellness is another example of quality product with a cGMP stamp of approval (certified good manufacturing practice).

The flavor of this pen can be described as peppery and fruity at the same time. After a few puffs I felt a relaxing full body sedation come over me, putting me in the right headspace to relax for the evening. @CURIO_WELLNESS

GRAPE COOKIES X BLUEBERRY TERP SAP DROPPER

By Rythm 89.2% Total Cannabinoids 9.36% Terpenes

Terp Sap is truly a fun product to mess around with, from lining joints with it to straight up dripping some on your tongue. I like to pack a bong rip, top it off with kief, and then finish it with a drop of terp sap. After one small hit, I felt noticeably better and more medicated than smoking flower alone. @RYTHM_OFFICIAL

REVIEWS & PHOTOS by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT/MARYLAND LEAF

39

the concentrates issue

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SOLVENTLESS Solventless extraction methods are as old as the tradition of Cannabis consumption itself. The first form of Cannabis concentrate, charas, was hash that was removed from one’s hands after harvesting the plant. Today’s techniques are far more sophisticated, but still utilize very basic principles to create flavorful and potent Cannabis extracts.

The two most popular styles of solventless concentrates are the old school bubble hash, which is primarily used as a bowl topper, and hash rosin, which has skyrocketed in popularity over the last year.

By Nature’s Heritage 79.27% Total Cannabinoids 10.05% Terpenes

I was very happy to see some hash rosin making its way back onto the Maryland medical market. Opening the jar unleashed a nice, wet-looking golden rosin, with a strong blend of piney, citrusy and fuel-like terpenes.

The exhale had the distinctly clean taste that good hash rosin is known for, with the terps coming through just as strong as they smelled.@NATURESHERITAGECANNABISCO

BUBBLEGUM SKUNK BUBBLE HASH

BUBBLEGUM DIESEL KIEF

By Nature’s Heritage 59.91% Total Cannabinoids 1.54% Terpenes

CLEAN PRESSED HASH

By Nature’s Heritage 34.6% Total Cannabinoids 1.73% Terpenes

For classic hash, the options in Maryland are few and far. Vireo is one of the only companies producing this product, and I was lucky enough to try Hurlock hash, Gelat. OG hash, and Gorilla Cookies hash. My favorite was the Gelat. OG, which was over 5% terpenes. Topping off a few bong packs with this hash put me in an extremely mellow mood – and relieved my back pain. @1937CANNABIS

Kief can be a great first step for people looking to move closer to extracts from smoking flower. This gram was presented in a nice puck, and I stuck my dabber in and dug into this blend of sandy goodness. The smell and flavor were woody, earthy and piney.

When I’m looking for a nice little pick-me-up that is a little stronger than flower, I reach for the kief. @NATURESHERITAGECANNABISCO

This hash was great for topping bowls, sprinkling into joints, and enjoying full hash rips. The flavor is like an elevated flower smoking experience, getting some of the best parts of the plant in a puff. The smell can be described as a peppery mix with lemon and diesel fuel notes. My anxiety was nowhere to be found when smoking on this bubble. @NATURESHERITAGECANNABISCO

By 1937 | 34.6% Total Cannabinoids | 1.73% Terpenes

FECO stands for Full Extract Cannabis Oil. One of the greatest benefits of medicating with FECO is receiving the full spectrum of cannabinoids from the Cannabis plant.

While other extracts may leave out the wide range of cannabinoids, the medical benefits for some are unparalleled with these whole plant products.

FECO leafmagazines.com

LEMON OG KUSH LIVE ROSIN

G WAGON RSO By Verano

DARK CHOCOLATE DISCOS

For the most painful of nights, I turn to RSO for relief. I like to empty about half of a turmeric capsule and fill it up with about .1 grams of RSO. About one hour after ingesting the capsule, I felt my pain start to melt away as I melted into the couch. I also noticed a strong uptick in my appetite in the following hours. @VERANOBRANDS

Discos from Evermore have been a long-standing favorite of Maryland’s patient community. I was very excited to see them bringing back the chocolate Discos for both their flavor and potency. I only needed one piece to feel significant effects and found them most useful before bed for pain relief and a restful night’s sleep. @EVERMORE_BRANDS

76.10% Total Cann. | 2.717% Terps

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By Evermore | 10mg THC per piece

MANGO MOUNTAIN CBD RSO

By gLeaf 64.30% CBD 1.95% Terpenes

When dealing with serious anxiety, CBD RSO seems to be one of the only things that can make it go away. During an extremely anxious day I consumed .2 grams of this oil, and within two hours was feeling like I could finally take a breath of fresh air. Kudos to gLeaf for bringing such an important product to market. @GLEAFMD

HIGH POTENCY RSO

By Nature’s Heritage 79.8% Total Cannabinoids 1.36% Terpenes

One of my first and favorite companies to purchase RSO from is Nature’s Heritage. The thickness of Nature’s Heritage RSO stands out above some other companies, which is a good sign when purchasing this product. After taking about a tenth of a gram, I felt little to no pain and was in a perfect state to fall asleep easily. @ NATURESHERITAGECANNABISCO

REVIEWS & PHOTOS by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT/MARYLAND LEAF

VAPE IT THISISSTRANE.COM @THISISSTRANE

PAX DOES NOT PRODUCE, MANUFACTURE OR DISTRIBUTE CANNABIS © 2021 PAX Labs, Inc. All Rights Reserved. PAX, X, ERA, and ERA PRO are all trademarks of PAX Labs, Inc. US and International Patents Pending. Complete list of Patents and Trademarks: www.pax.com/intellectual-property-list Must be at least 18 years old to view this content.

Medical cannabis is for certified patients only.

the concentrates issue LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

42

ALT. CANNABINOIDS WHEN IT COMES TO CANNABINOIDS, it’s safe to say that most consumers recognize the plant’s two most common: THC and CBD. But as the industry develops, so does our access to a growing array of options.

Getting to know how each compound influences the endocannabinoid system can help you choose the most appropriate product for your needs. We won’t overwhelm you with all 100+ cannabinoids, but here you’ll find a few less common compounds that are starting to catch consumer attention.

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THCA

THCV

THC-O-ACETATE

Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid is the precursor to THC. It is primarily found in live or raw Cannabis and is mostly converted during the drying and smoking processes. This compound is technically non-psychoactive, but has displayed similar anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties to THC.

Tetrahydrocannabivarin is another naturally formed compound that varies in amount across cultivars.

While much less abundant than THC, this cannabinoid has been shown to act as an anticonvulsant, neuroprotectant and appetite suppressor.

Tetrahydrocannabivarin acetate requires lab intervention to produce.

This synthesized prodrug is converted from THC or THCa with the help of a few additional chemicals and is said to be up to 300% more potent than THC.

CANNABINOL

CANNABIGEROL

CANNABICHROMENE

Cannabinol (CBN) is a product of THCa/THC oxidation.

It has a relatively weak effect on the central nervous system but is widely reported by consumers to cause sedation.

Research suggests that this cannabinoid may even offer immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory properties.

Cannabigerol (CBG) is non-psychotropic and primarily found in high CBD varieties. This promising molecule has shown scientific potential in reducing cancer cell growth, easing inflammatory bowel diseases, and treating intraocular issues like glaucoma.

Cannabichromene (CBC) is one of the most abundant non-psychotropic compounds in Cannabis. Like many other cannabinoids that influence the CB2 receptor, CBC has a strong anti-inflammatory effect. It also possesses the ability to augment effects when co-administered with THC.

STORY by AMANDA DAY @TERPODACTYL_MEDIA for LEAF NATION

Be Safe. Be Well.

Have Your Cannabis Delivered.

Order online at

gLeaf.com

or call

1-800-208-WEED (9333)

Order Online and Pick Up In-Store at Either gLeaf Location 808 Hungerford Drive Rockville, MD 20850

4606 Wedgewood Blvd.

Frederick, MD 21703

(301) 917-3665

(301) 662-2222

M O N D AY– S AT U R D AY 9 a m – 9 p m

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Medical cannabis use is for certified Maryland patients only. Must be 18 or older.

feature update

44

Higher Education

The University of Maryland School of Pharmacy graduated the first class from its historic Master of Science in Medical Cannabis Science and Therapeutics program.

T

he University of Maryland School of Pharmacy (UMSOP) triumphed over a torrent of tribulations in its trial run to graduate 132 students from the nation’s first-ever Master of Science in Medical Cannabis Science and Therapeutics program.

leafmagazines.com

“With all of the stresses in the world, the fact that 132 were able to persist and complete this degree is really incredible,” said Program Director Dr. Leah Sera. “We’re just so proud.”

The 30-credit master’s program which featured seven required courses and three electives, was taken on by representatives of 30 states and a variety of international countries. There were also many Maryland locals, such as Baltimore County couple Tecoya and Karriem Farrakhan.

The pair entered the program holding doctor of

Read our original profile on the UMD program in the Jan. 2021 Future Issue of Maryland Leaf: issuu.com/nwleaf/docs/marylandleafjan2021

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pharmacy and master of business administration degrees. While they haven’t decided just how to put their newfound wisdom to use, they will more than likely use it in an entrepreneurial way – a notion Dr. Sera finds consistent in the inaugural class.

“The majority of our students are looking for new career paths,” said Sera, who began designing the curricula in 2017 with the intent to provide education in basic science, as well as clinical uses of the drug, public health considerations, and federal and state laws and policies.

A semester-closing survey found that 70 percent of students were desirous of making an impact by way of business, while others were looking to make their mark in research and clinical application.

“We even have some that are continuing their education and continuing their PhDs,” Dr. Sera added.

The two-year online program began in 2019 with an in-person symposium at the Universities at Shady Grove in Rockville, Maryland. Future events of its kind were canceled as the pandemic reshaped the intended communal landscape, turning all interaction towards Zoom and Facebook.

The university recently enacted a policy requiring all faculty and students to be vaccinated, and therefore expects to hold program-wide gatherings with the next class, which consists of 250 students.

Natalie D. Eddington, a long-time professor and dean at the school, was quick to credit the National Academy of Medicine Society, which developed a report in 2017 suggesting the use of medical

Cannabis could be helpful for a variety of health conditions.

“Because of the name they carry, the work they represent and the quality of their research, [that report] was a game changer,” said Eddington, who began teaching at UMSOP in 2003.

“There’s a better “With all of the stresses understanding around in the world, the fact that the country of the 132 were able to persist clinical care usage of and complete this degree [medical Cannabis].”

A dean for 13 years, is really incredible,” said Program Director Eddington opened up Dr. Leah Sera. the Zoom-held graduation applauding the students for their hard work and dedication, referring to them as “trailblazers.”

“I always get excited when we have our ceremonies,” she said. “And with the medical Cannabis students, just listening to their journeys and what their goals are, I know we have done the right thing, and I hope that it will have a positive impact on the industry.”

“We had to go through some significant hoops to make this program happen. But to know that it may help the health of millions of Americans, it was all worth it.”

STORY by BAXSEN PAINE @BAXSENPAINE for MARYLAND LEAF | PHOTOS by UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND

cannthropology

WORLD OF Cannabis PRESENTS

HASHistory 48

When it comes to the history of hashish, the facts are as fascinating as the folklore.

Hashish Smokers (1887) GAETANO PREVIATI

ISLAMIC ORIGINS

leafmagazines.com

It’s believed that the word hashish derives from the Arabic root word hasis, meaning dried grass or herb. The first historical records of hashish date back to the “Golden Age of Islam” in ancient Persia – sometime between the writing of the Koran in 632 and 900 CE. Unlike alcohol, which was forbidden by the Koran as a khmar (intoxicant), Cannabis was originally considered a medicine and therefore not prohibited.

The earliest written reference to hashish appears to be in “The Book of Poisons” – a toxicology/astrology treatise by Iraqi alchemist Ibn Wahshiyya published in the 10th century. In it, Wahshiyya refers to a toxic concoction containing Cannabis extract and other aromatic herbs, which he claimed was lethal when inhaled. Another, more famous text from that period in which hashish is mentioned is the fabled “1001 Arabian Nights,” which even includes a story entitled “The Tale of the Hashish Eater.”

Sufi monks viewed hashish as a sacrament.

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THE SUFI The earliest group to embrace hashish were the Sufis – a mystical branch of Islam that arose during the 8th century. Once called “the hippies of the Arab world,” Sufi monks believed that hashish assisted in elevating consciousness to achieve communion with Allah.

For them, eating hashish was, according to one Muslim critic, “an act of worship.”

One Sufi legend even claimed that it was one of the sect’s founders, Shayk Haydar, who

first discovered hashish. According to the story, after 10 years of reclusivity in his mountaintop monastery, Haydar ventured into the desert, where he discovered a “sparkling” plant and ate it. He returned to the monastery in a euphoric state, shared the plant’s magical properties with his fellow monks, then swore them to secrecy about it. While there’s no evidence that Haydar actually made or used hashish, the Sufis did eventually embrace it as a sacrament.

THE HASHASHIN Though Cannabis resin was referenced centuries earlier, the word “hashish” wasn’t reportedly seen in print until 1123 – in an Egyptian pamphlet accusing a group called the Nazari of being “hashish-eaters” (a derogatory term used to denote undesirables). Another mystical branch of Islam founded in 1090, the Nazari were based in a mountaintop fortress in northern Iran called Alamut Castle and ruled over by their founder, Hassan-i Sabbah – a.k.a.

“The Old Man of the Mountain.”

Sabbah created an elite squadron of warrior-spies called the Fidai, who he sent out on covert espionage and murder missions. The Fidai were allegedly so devoted to him that they’d Hassan-i Sabbah (above), and The Fidai at Alamut.

sacrifice their lives at his command. Sabbah allegedly brainwashed his fanatics by feeding them copious amounts of hashish – a practice that supposedly earned them their notorious nickname: Hashashin (Arabic for “hashish users”), from which we derive the modern word “assassin.” In fact, no evidence exists that they ever used hash; nevertheless, the legend stuck – thanks in part to the writings of Marco Polo.

Though Genghis Khan’s armies killed off the Hashashin in 1256, they didn’t kill hashish’s appeal; on the contrary, many Arab historians credit the Mongols’ invasions – and the resulting Sufi refugees – for spreading hashish throughout Iraq, Syria, and Egypt during the 13th century.

INTO EGYPT The first record of hashish in Egypt comes from a Spanish-born Muslim botanist named Ibn al-Baytar, who in 1227 observed Egyptian Sufis swallowing charas balls in Cairo.

There was a park there called the Gardens of Kafur where Sufis and other poor stoners congregated, grew Cannabis and made hashish – that is, until 1266, when King al-Zahir Babar outlawed hashish, destroyed the gardens, and threatened anyone caught with it with prison and “de-teething.” Eventually, concerns over moral decline led Sunni authorities to declare hashish illegal under Islamic law, essentially condemning the Sufi as heretics. Regardless, hashish use continued to expand; it wasn’t until four centuries later, however, that it would make its mark on Europe.

ENTRÉE FRANCE In 1798, French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Egypt. Since alcohol was banned in the Muslim country, his soldiers had no access to wine and instead adopted hashish as their intoxicant of choice. Hashish smoking among the troops became such a problem that in October 1800, General Jacques-François Menou banned Cannabis across Egypt. But when the French troops were driven out by Anglo-Ottoman forces in 1801, they brought the hash back home with them.

By that time, most French citizens had heard of hashish, thanks to Antoine Galland’s translation of “The 1001 Arabian Nights” published a century earlier. The stories sparked a romantic fascination with hashish in France’s collective imagination.

Over the next two centuries, that love affair only grew – fueling a creative explosion that culminated in the formation Grand meeting room at Les of the infamous Club Club des Hashischins. des Hashischins.

Founded in 1844, Les Club des Hashischins was a private social club in Paris where the literary, artistic, and intellectual elite of the day would gather to get high. Dressed in Arabic attire, they’d hold séances and drink coffee laced with a green paste called dawamesk made with butter, nuts, spices, and of course, hashish.

FROM PRESCRIPTION TO PROHIBITION During the 19th century, medical research and experimentation with Cannabis flourished across Europe. Studies were written, compounds were extracted, and a number of hashish-derived remedies were formulated. But most medical professionals, still operating under old misconceptions that it

The counterculture movement of the 1960s introduced hashish to the New World. induced violence and insanity, avoided studying hashish. This kind of misinformation helped bring an end to the burgeoning medical marijuana field and usher in the new age of global prohibition instituted in the 20th century.

While most associate America as the architect of pot prohibition, it was actually Egypt that originally led the charge for its international embargo. Both Egypt and the US attempted (unsuccessfully) to add hashish to the list of prohibited drugs outlined in the League of Nations’ International Opium Conventions of 1912 and 1925. Nevertheless, by the late 1920s, nearly 60 countries had outlawed hashish.

THE HIPPIE TRAIL The counterculture movement of the 1960s introduced hashish to Eden Hash Center—a popular the New World. Starting in the late ‘50s, thousands of beatniks and stop on The Hippie Trail. hippies embarked on pilgrimages to the great hashish capitals of WORLD OF CANNABIS MUSEUM the East in search of primo smoke – rechristening the old Silk Road as “The Hippie Trail.”

Some, like Travis Ashbrook of the Brotherhood of Eternal Love, smuggled tons of hash back to the US to power the psychedelic revolution. Others brought the art of hash making into new areas, like Morocco; though Cannabis had been grown in the region for centuries, until then it had only been smoked with tobacco. In the decades that followed, however, Morocco’s Rif Valley would become the world’s largest producer of hashish.

Just as the Hippie Trail was subsiding, Amsterdam – which had recently undergone its own social revolution – became the new hub for hashish.

Hash from all over the world was smuggled in and sold at the city’s hundreds of Cannabis coffeeshops. It was amidst this happening hash scene that another former Hippie Trail traveler by the name of Mila Jansen invented a revolutionary new resin collection method that used ice water rather than hand-scraping or dry sieving – creating the first ever “bubble hash” (aka ice hash, full-melt) and earning her the honorific “Hash Queen.”

Hashish assortment lithograph (1970).

HASHISH TODAY Though still widely popular in WORLD OF CANNABIS MUSEUM Europe, demand for hashish in the US has declined dramatically over the past few decades – due largely to the rise of the more potent hydrocarbon concentrates (dabs). In fact, you’d be hard-pressed (pun intended) to find any traditional hash for sale in US dispensaries, with one notable exception: the old-school hashish made by Frenchy Cannoli. Like those old Hippie Trail pilgrims, Frenchy spent his youth traveling to many of the world’s great hash centers and mastering the classic techniques, which he now teaches to a new generation with his “Lost Art of the Hashishin” workshop series. Thanks to the passion of master hashishin like him, hashish’s history will undoubtedly live on for centuries more.

Demand for hashish in the US has declined dramatically over the past few decades.

For more on the history of hash, listen to Episode #13 of our podcast at worldofcannabis.museum/cannthropology.

Story and photos originally published on worldofcannabis.museum and reprinted with permission.

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

MORAL DILEMMAS

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50

LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

by Mike Ricker

here she was, standing over a fresh dog poop, looking down upon a thin strip of sidewalk grass along a quiet suburban road holding her only bag, bulging and tied off. The Rhodesian Ridgeback at the end of the leash, quite unfortunately, just unleashed an unexpected second helping.

To leave or not to leave – that is the question that I ask of Steve. Maybe she has a favorite uncle named Steve, I don’t know.

It rhymed. Is there anyone in America who doesn’t know someone named Steve?

It doesn’t matter.

Regardless, she is faced with a conundrum.

You find a small stash on the bathroom floor. You scan the room, concluding that six of them are potential contenders. The nugs are juicy. Do you announce to the patrons of Patron that one of them has potentially lost their imperative sack, or do you hightail it out of the parking lot and fill your coughers? You scan the motley crew for bloodshot eyes while the dank scent effervesces through the pants pocket to the nostrils like a trail from Pepe Le Pew’s tail.

It is as if the universe itself is checking your pulse to determine if the moral compass is deserving of her positive karma, and worthy of continuing to inhabit her fruitful loins of perfect symmetry.

Every one of us, at least once in our lives, has been apprised to this test.

You clutch the bag and address this reckoning by announcing to the entire venue that someone has lost their weed and you are ready to bestow it to the rightful owner. A man comes to you and admits that he, indeed, had dropped the bag and hadn’t noticed until that moment, upon realizing that his pocket is empty. He takes the Cannabis gratefully. He offers to smoke a bowl with you outside, to which you politely accept. You have made a new friend.

His name is Steve.

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