Dec. 2020 - Maryland Leaf

THE ENLIGHTENED VOICE

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

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INDEPENDENT CANNABIS JOURNALISM SINCE 2010

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As greenhouse expansion continues, the safety of SunMed’s team and patients remains our first priority.

SETTING THE STANDARD FOR CLEAN, NATURAL AND SUSTAINABLE MEDICAL CANNABIS CULTIVATION.

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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.

dec. 2020

ISSUE 24

7 EDITOR NOTE 10 NATIONAL NEWS 12 CANNABIS LAW 16 BUDTENDER Q&A 18 PATIENT PROFILE 20 SHOP REVIEW WAAVE 24 STRAIN OF THE MONTH 28 THE CULTURE ISSUE 29 ICONS 30 MUSIC 31 ART 32 GLASS 34 SPORTS 35 FOOD 36 CELEBS 38 GIFTS 40 RECIPES 41 CONCENTRATES 42 CANNTHROPOLOGY 44 DYSCO’S CORNER 46 STONEY BALONEY ISSUU.COM/NWLEAF

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16 BUDTENDER Q&A

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20 SHOP REVIEW WAAVE | GREENBELT, MD Illuminati over Syzygy Jetcycler

maryland leaf chats with the team behind toro glass to learn about how their iconic designs & technology have revolutionized the cannabis glass art machine.

COURTESY

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MANYA CARALLE | STAR BUDS BALTIMORE

38 GANJA GIFT GUIDE INTERVIEW by MAX EARLY @LIFTED_STARDUST/LEAF NATION | PHOTO by JEFF DIMARCO @IAMJEFFD I MARCO

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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

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 For The Culture Issue, we wanted to highlight the myriad ways that Cannabis can be used and enjoyed by people from all walks of life.

This vibrant cutaway scene was created by Baltimore-based illustrator Devin Watson.

“My artwork is very inspired by the psychedelic pioneers of the ‘60s and ‘70s, particularly the work of Push Pin Studios, Family Dog, and the Grateful Dead posters of Stanley Mouse,” says Watson, who has worked in the field since 2007. “I love pieces that make people pause to explore the illustration and uncover all its little secrets.”

ILLUSTRATION

by DEVIN WATSON @eyeballfortress

FOUNDER

CONTRIBUTORS

WES ABNEY | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

BOBBY BLACK, FEATURES JOSHUA BOULET, ILLUSTRATION TOM BOWERS, FEATURES HEATHER DAGLER, FEATURES JEFF DIMARCO, PHOTOS EARLY, PRODUCTION MAX EARLY, FEATURES STEVE ELLIOTT, NATIONAL NEWS MIKE GIANAKOS, NATIONAL NEWS TAYLOR MARTIN, FEATURES ELISE MCDONOUGH, FEATURES MATTHEW NEWTON, FEATURES BAXSEN PAINE, FEATURES JEFF PORTERFIELD, DESIGN LUKAS PREVIN, FEATURES MIKE RICKER, FEATURES MEGHAN RIDLEY, EDITING PACER STACKTRAIN, FEATURES DEVIN WATSON, ILLUSTRATION NATE WILLIAMS, FEATURES BRUCE & LAURIE WOLF, RECIPES ALEX WORKMAN, PHOTOS

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CREATIVE DIRECTOR DANIEL BERMAN | VISUALS & DESIGN

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STATE DIRECTOR WYATT EARLY | AD SALES

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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, leafnationmd.com. Email nate@californialeaf.com for more info on supporting and advertising with MD Leaf!

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WES

ABNEY

Editor’s Note What does Cannabis culture mean as we head into 2021?

As a high school honors student in 2004, I made fun of stoners without mercy.

They were stinky, grungy and certainly not in advanced classes! The messaging about Cannabis from my parents (who are still teachers today), the media and movies like “Dude Where’s My Car” made smoking pot akin to killing brain cells – which was not something I wanted to do yet. But by freshman year in college, our Creative Director Daniel Berman and I had our Journalism advisor ask, “Wes, do you always do your homework when you’re high?”

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My journey with Cannabis culture went from the DARE mindset, to embracing it as a fun party drug, to being arrested for possession – before ultimately realizing the medicinal values that led me to start Northwest Leaf in 2010. This massive change happened for me over a period of an influential year, and I feel like much of America is on a similar journey to what I went WE HAVE through as a teenager.

A THRIVING COMMUNITY, America is confused about Cannabis. We have the stereotyping of COMPLETE stoners in the media alongside the massive coverage of the mediciWITH nal and ‘safer-than-alcohol’ recreational benefits, all mixed in with a CULTURE Bible Belt mentality and DARE’s ongoing stigmas, and now even have AND VALUES Oregon decriminalizing all drugs entirely. Simply put, most Americans couldn’t define Cannabis culture, let alone imagine that we have a thriving community, complete with culture and values that lead many of our venerated pastimes like sports, music, arts and celebrity culture. More on that with Ricker’s “Death of Celebrity Culture” piece – a great read with good reasons as to why Cannabis doesn’t need a Kardashian to share the marquee with.

The point is, we know that we have an amazing culture, but the rest of the country is still in the dark. And we have to break out of the past and embrace the future – blending patients with stoners, grunge with rasta, wooks with suits and everyone in between. Because Cannabis touches all walks of life, can help everyone as a medicine or recreational substance, and is going to change the world and how we view it. This I know beyond a doubt, the same way I did when my mom asked if I wanted to live my life behind bars for choosing to smoke pot. My answer? It shouldn’t have ever been illegal … and a few months later the Leaf was born.

Thank you for reading and being a part of our community and culture – let’s remember to let it shine! After all, it feels good to be high and smile, so make sure to spread the cheer this holiday season. Our world will thank you for it.

-Wes Abney

NATIONAL NEWS

E L E CT I O N 2020 with Prop 205 but the initiative failed, receiving only 48.7 percent of the vote.

This year, Arizona succeeded in legalizing Cannabis for adults 21 and older when an incredible 60 percent of voters approved Prop 207.

The new law takes effect once the election results are made official on November 30, 2020 and allows possession of up to an ounce of marijuana, “of which five grams can be concentrate.”

The measure also permits home cultivation of up to six plants or up to 12 plants in homes with two or more adults, and allows for expungement of past Cannabis crimes.

Under the law, Arizona’s Department of Health Services is responsible for establishing the rules for retail sales and issuing licenses. Adult-use sales could begin as early as the spring of 2021. >> M O N TA N A << Fifty-seven percent of voters in Montana approved Initiative 190, which legalizes the possession, cultivation and sale of Cannabis. Beginning January 1, 2021 adults 21 and older can possess up to an ounce of flower or eight grams of concentrate. Home cultivation of up to four plants will also be permitted.

Montana’s new marijuana law tasks the Department of Revenue with establishing the state’s retail program. Yet while possession will be legal this coming January, Montanans will have to wait a bit for the debut of adult-use sales. The Department of Revenue will start accepting applications for dispensaries and providers by January 2022.

When retail sales begin, the state will impose a 20 percent tax on pot products.

AMERICA VOTES YES FOR CANNABIS!

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L

ast month, a divided country waited four days to learn who won the presidency, as Election Day turned into election week.

On Saturday, November 7 the race was called and Joe Biden declared the winner. But by then it was clear that the biggest winner of the 2020 election was unquestionably Cannabis, which enjoyed a clean sweep at the ballots.

The country appears uncharacteristically united when it comes to marijuana, as voters in four states decisively approved measures to legalize, tax and regulate pot. Those four states – Arizona, Montana, New Jersey and South Dakota(!) – join the 11 states that already legalized Cannabis, bringing the total number of legal pot states in the country to 15 (along with the District of Columbia).

While recreational legalization stole the headlines on Election Day, medical marijuana also deserves a mention as voters in Mississippi and South Dakota legalized Cannabis for medicinal use (it was a big day for pot policy in South Dakota, as residents approved both adult-use and medicinal marijuana measures). Medical Cannabis is now legal in 35 states and Washington, D.C. No two state’s pot laws are the same.

So let’s take a closer look at what was passed on Election Day and see what residents of the latest legal states have to look forward to.

>> N E W J E R S E Y << New Jersey voters were given the opportunity to do what state lawmakers had been unable to accomplish when the question of Cannabis legalization was placed on the

dec. 2020

ballot. Leading up to the election, polling indicated that legal marijuana had strong support in the Garden State and campaign finance records showed that pot proponents outraised opponents 130:1.

So it was no surprise that voters easily passed the constitutional amendment legalizing recreational Cannabis. Still, the 2-to-1 margin is impressive, as the measure passed with 67 percent of the vote.

It’s near impossible to get 67 percent of people to agree on anything.

Now that adult-use Cannabis has been approved, lawmakers in New Jersey must create (and, importantly, agree on) the corresponding legislation. Just about all aspects of the program, like the number of cultivation and retail licenses that will be allowed, the rules for regulating and testing marijuana and even possession limits, have to be decided.

So while Cannabis will officially become legal for adults 21 and older on January 1, 2021, the state is likely about a year away from beginning retail sales as it works through the process of crafting the program.

Recreational Cannabis will be subject to New Jersey’s sales tax (6.625 percent) and local governments can decide to add additional taxes on sales in their jurisdictions.

>> S O U T H D A K O TA << Voters in South Dakota passed a constitutional amendment to legalize Cannabis for adults. The amendment allows possession of up to an ounce of Cannabis and establishes retail sales.

The state’s Department of Revenue will be responsible for issuing licenses for the retail program. Once sales are implemented, the new law imposes a 15 percent tax on marijuana products. The law also allows local governments to ban Cannabis sales in their jurisdictions.

Those who live in an area without a licensed retail shop are permitted to grow up to three plants at home, or as many as six plants in a single household.

South Dakota’s recreational Cannabis amendment passed with 54.2 percent of the vote – easily the lowest percentage of the four states that approved adult-use pot laws.

Only an election boasting such resounding victories for marijuana-law reform could trivialize the fact that recreational Cannabis got over 54 percent of the vote in South Dakota.

CANNABIS WAS THE BIG WINNER OF THE 2020 ELECTION.

>> A R I Z O N A << Support for marijuana policy reform was on the rise over the last decade in Arizona, culminating in a resounding victory for recreational Cannabis this November.

In 2010, voters narrowly approved the use of medical marijuana, passing Prop 203 with just over 50 percent of the vote. In 2016, Arizona had its first chance to tax and regulate recreational Cannabis

STORY by MIKE GIANAKOS/LEAF NATION

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Inhaling Now

2020 Elections Reinforce New Cannabis Reality 12

SOME POLITICAL CHANGES OCCUR LIKE A FLASH OF LIGHTNING – SUCH AS WHEN THE BERLIN WALL CAME DOWN IN 1989, MARKING THE FALL OF THE IRON CURTAIN IN EASTERN EUROPE AND THE END OF COMMUNISM. For other political and social

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movements, however, change takes place more slowly, advancing and receding with the changing times. The acceptance of Cannabis falls squarely into the second category. But in one of the most divisive elections in United States history, that ended just last month, the only conclusion the United States can reliably draw from the vote is that Cannabis finally won big at the ballot box.

In 2007 and 2008, then-Senator Obama bemoaned America’s high incarceration rate, warned that the racially disproportionate impact of drug prohibition undermines legal equality, advocated a “public health” approach to drugs emphasizing treatment and training instead of prison, repeatedly indicated that he would take a more tolerant position regarding medical marijuana than George W. Bush, and criticized the Bush administration for twisting science to support policy. Unfortunately, Obama never delivered on his promises of Cannabis reform.

The Obama Justice Department did make some progress – issuing legal guidelines such as the Ogden Memo and the Cole Memo – delimiting the use of federal law enforcement resources against Cannabis providers operating pursuant to state law. Nevertheless, arrest rates remained high, federal raids continued, and the drug war raged unabated. President Obama’s most conspicuous failures featured more-frequent

raids by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), IRS audits and threats of prosecution against not only dispensaries, but anyone who dealt with them.

Which brings us to the results of the most recent election: A solid majority of the American public now agrees that responsible Cannabis users should not be treated like criminals. Eight out of 10 Americans support the medical use of Cannabis, and nearly three out of four Americans support a fine-only (no jail) for adult-use Cannabis consumers. Over 60% of Americans now favor legalizing Cannabis, according to the most recent Gallup poll – the highest percentage support ever reported in a nationwide scientific poll.

Specifically, voters approved the legalization of medical Cannabis access in two states: Mississippi and South Dakota. Voters in Arizona, Montana, New Jersey and South Dakota legalized the adult use of Cannabis. The measures in Arizona, Montana and South Dakota each permit adults to possess and cultivate Cannabis for personal use, and establish a regulated retail market.

All of the Cannabis measures on the ballot this year won with relatively strong support – by five percentage points or more. The states of Montana, Mississippi and South Dakota illustrate the broad support Cannabis access

measures enjoy across the country, regardless of party affiliation. Those states handed big wins to both President Donald Trump and to Cannabis access supporters. In total, 15 states have now either enacted or have voted to enact adult-use legalization laws, while 36 states have either enacted or have voted to enact medical Cannabis access laws.

Not surprisingly, the issue of federal legalization and/or decriminalization of Cannabis has finally bubbled to the surface where it can no longer be ignored. United States House of Representatives Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) previously announced this summer that the chamber would vote on the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act in September. But in October, that plan was postponed following pushback from certain centrist Democrats who worried about the optics of advancing Cannabis reform before passing another coronavirus relief package.

Several of those members were voted out during an election in which voters in states such as Montana and South Dakota approved Cannabis legalization ballot measures. Hoyer confirmed on Monday that marijuana legalization is still on the table before the presidential transition and will get a vote in December.

Will Cannabis access finally get a vote at the federal level? Only time will tell. But one thing is for certain – Cannabis has won the culture wars and currently, it is the only thing we can all agree upon.

A solid majority of the American public now agrees that responsible Cannabis users should not be treated like criminals.

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.

dec. 2020

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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

Manya Caralle

MARYLAND LEAF BUDTENDER OF THE MONTH WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO WORK IN THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY? For me, it was because

I was working in retail for a long time.

I really wanted a break from it – I was getting worn out and reaching the end of my time there. I asked myself: What should I do next? I have always liked teaching people things and helping them, so I figured being a budtender was the best way to get into the industry and learn about it.

December 2020 will mark one year as a budtender, and I am enjoying it a lot more than retail. I definitely wasn’t making the change in people’s lives then, as I am now.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE WAY TO SPEND A DAY OFF?

I do a lot of art outside of work – my background is actually in art and I went to MICA. I do a ton of illustrations, self portraits, costuming and makeup in my spare time. Not just for Halloween, but I attend conventions as well – I dress up for everything. After art school I took a little break from painting and other things; I was a little burnt out and that gave me time to focus on costuming and makeup. I mostly make wigs and makeup and my partner will do the sewing, so we kind of have a little group.

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IF YOU WERE GIVEN A THOUSAND ACRES OF LAND, WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH IT? I think it would be

really nice to have a community of tiny homes with all my friends living with me. We would build it together – with a garden, spaces for indoor and outdoor art projects, and center it around the community. It would mostly be a massive art studio!

“I AM ENJOYING BUDTENDING A LOT MORE THAN RETAIL. I DEFINITELY WASN’T MAKING THE CHANGE IN PEOPLE’S LIVES THEN, AS I AM NOW.

IF YOU COULD LIVE ANYWHERE BESIDES THE US, WHERE WOULD IT BE AND WHY? I always had a lot of

fun up in Canada. Whenever I went up there for business in the past I had so much fun – Vancouver is beautiful, it’s almost like the New York of Canada. I know they have Cannabis legalization there, so I would likely work in the Cannabis industry there too.

MANYA CARALLE’S goal is to make a patients’ day better than it was when they walked in the door.

Whether it’s something small like giving them a piece of information on how to save money, or something big like turning them onto a product they have never heard about, Manya has your back.

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dec. 2020

WHAT MAKES YOU FEEL AT PEACE? Besides the obvious things

like Cannabis, I will use white noise for relaxation. This sounds like the opposite of what you’d expect, but when I have anxiety, what really helps me is watching horror movies or true crime documentaries. It gives your anxiety some place to go and offers a healthy release of adrenaline.

STORY & PHOTO by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT/MARYLAND LEAF

PATIENT OF THE MONTH

TORSHIE CINEAS cannabis for a better life

Torshie Cineas dreamed of serving others ever since she was a little girl.

At the age of 11, Torshie, a native of Washington D.C., was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disorder called Primary Sclerosis Cholangitis – a serious disease that lessens the functionality of the liver over time.

A childhood spent struggling with poor health laid the groundwork for a desire to give back.

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fter graduating from Winston Churchill High School, the benefits of cannabinoids, THC, terpenes, and everything I needed to know in Torshie enrolled as a nursing student at Marymount order to help my body.”

University in Virginia. It was here that her liver’s By summer, her medical background and newfound passion for the industry productivity declined during her sophomore year and landed Torshie a job with Potomac Holistics, where she’s spent the last two-plus she was placed on a transplant list, where she waited years rising from a dispensary agent to operations manager. She also found a for two semesters. In May of 2015, Torshie received a steady regimen that works best to treat her pain, alternating between flower and match donor and underwent a successful surgery. concentrates, with a preference for Culta and/or Curio products.

“Talk about great timing,” the 27-year-old recalled.

“I’m a flower girl,” she said with a smile.

“It allowed me to use summer break to recuperate and start my Personal experiences have led Torshie to act with a patient-first mindset, senior year on time.” benefitting all those who frequent Potomac Holistics.

She completed her studies the following spring, but the surgery left “When I meet a patient that has a lot of medical ailments, I’m able to her immunocompromised. Entering the field of nursing came with understand them and empathize with them,” said Torshie, who is of Haitian considerable risks to her health. and Ghanaian descent. “I’ve been able to find a “I felt that it wasn’t the best idea to medium where I can apply my personal knowledge and “WHEN I MEET A work in an environment where I could experiences, while helping others at the same time.” easily be exposed to various viruses and Torshie recently enrolled at the University of Maryland, PATIENT THAT HAS infections,” she said. joining the second group of students to attend the Master Coupled with a career letdown, Torshie of Science in Medical Cannabis Science and Therapeutics A LOT OF MEDICAL was still struggling with the side effects program – the nation’s first graduate program dedicated of opioid pain medication, constantly to the study of medical Cannabis.

AILMENTS, I’M ABLE looking for a livable balance between “Everyone in the program has something they’re trying pain and anxiety. to accomplish,” she said.

TO UNDERSTAND “At that time, I didn’t know that “What I really want to research and focus my studies on Cannabis could aid my pain, anxiety, is how Cannabis affects the liver and potential benefits it THEM AND EMPATHIZE may have for transplant patients.” and all the trauma I had endured in the last 10 years,” she said.

After obtaining her master’s degree, Torshie has WITH THEM.” In December of 2017, when Potomac her eyes on becoming a clinical director of a grow or Holistics in Rockville became the first processing facility. But for now, she’s content getting Maryland dispensary to serve medical Cannabis to the public, the through the day free of pain and anxiety. nearby resident took notice.

“After my transplant, I never really thought I’d be in a situation where I’d be fine “I decided enough was enough with the prescription medications,” without constant pain medication,” she said. she said. “I spent hundreds of hours researching Cannabis effects on “I’ve found a delivery method with medicinal Cannabis that cures my ailments inflammation – something I was dealing with a lot. I quickly learned without giving me any negative effects.”

dec. 2020

STORY by BAXSEN PAINE @BAXSENPAINE for MARYLAND LEAF | PHOTO by JULIE LIEBLICH/MARKET STREET STUDIO

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SHOP REVIEW

FLOWER 5/5 Waave carried nearly 70

different strains of flower, with a proper mix of growers from all over Maryland. To keep things clean during a global pandemic, all flower is weighed out and pre-packaged in house.

WAAVE MEDICAL CANNABIS DISPENSARY

CONCENTRATES 5/5 Between cartridges, RSO

and loose concentrates, this massive menu had over 300 different options to choose from. That number can sound a little intimidating, like how would you even know what to choose? No need to fear, these budtenders have you covered with insightful recommendations to suit your ailments.

EDIBLES

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5/5 This menu is stocked up

in every section you slide into, with edibles being a prime example. They have over 50 different edibles to choose from, in a variety of flavors and forms.

From sweet and juicy candies to neatly pressed pills and capsules, you are sure to leave here with a bag of goodies.

ENVIRONMENT

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5/5 Manager Skylar Hamilton

brings a ton of experience in the Cannabis industry from his time budtending in Colorado.

As he says, “It feels great to be a person of color behind the scenes in the industry, and being able to provide opportunities while creating a diverse work environment.” Laughs could be heard throughout the dispensary through the duration of the tour.

@WAAVE.MD WEB: MDWAAVE.COM (240) 436-0600 7327 HANOVER PKWY SUITE A GREENBELT, MD 20770 MONDAY-SATURDAY 10AM-9PM SUNDAY 11AM-7PM

dec. 2020

Tucked away in an office building just outside College Park is a newcomer to Maryland, who is making a name for themselves quickly. As the only dispensary in Greenbelt, they serve locals in addition to patients from a wide range of surrounding areas. In their short six months of operation, they have developed a loyal customer base who trust and rely on their proficiency in Cannabis. Drop in for a visit the next time you pass through the Greenbelt area – this dispensary has something for every patient.

WAAVECARRIEDNEARLY70DIFFERENT STRAINSOFFLOWER,WITHAPROPERMIX OFGROWERSFROMALLOVERMARYLAND.

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PRODUCT R E VIEW

SOUR KUSH DREAM LIVE RESIN BADDER

BY CULTA

This hybrid concentrate came in a badder consistency, which was very easy to scoop onto a flat dabber and snowball into a dab.

When I opened the jar, I was hit in the face with a waft of skunky and citrusy aromas.

After a dab, I began to feel my back pain sinking away as I relaxed on the couch. The flavor was fruity with earthy undertones.

76.7% Total Cannabinoids and 11% Total Terpenes

STORY & PHOTOS by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT/MARYLAND LEAF

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STRAIN OF THE MONTH

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DISTRICTCANNABIS.US

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@DISTRICTCANNABIS.US 26 .6 % T H CA .88% L I M O N E N E .07% M Y RC E N E .2 8% L I NALO O L .2 7% P I N E N E .1 3 % CARYO P H Y L LE N E

THE SQUISH, THE AROMA AND THE COLORATION WERE JUST PERFECT â&#x20AC;&#x201C; HONESTLY, I WAS IN LOVE WITH THE CANNABIS BEFORE I EVEN SMOKED IT.

DEC. 2020

GELATO CAKE grown by

DISTRICT CANNABIS

THOUGH RELATIVELY NEW TO THE MARYLAND MEDICAL MARKETPLACE, DISTRICT CANNABIS HAS EARNED A TOP TIER REPUTATION – as well as our featured flower this month – with their impeccably cured Gelato Cake! A cross between the infamous Gelato #33 cut and Wedding Cake, this strain was always destined for greatness, but in the hands of the District Cannabis growers, has truly been elevated to one of the single best cultivars in Maryland today!

Now before I say this, I have to put out the disclaimer that I know it is nearly impossible to control the quality of each and every single eighth that comes to market, and the nugs you get vary widely between batches.

That said, the buds that I got in my over the counter Gelato Cake might just be the best nugs, visually and cure-wise, that I have had from a prepackaged eighth all year!

The nugs were huge, conical, dense, covered in trichomes, patterned with a green and purple hypnotic luster, and most importantly, perfectly cured. The squish, the aroma and the coloration were just perfect – honestly, I was in love with the Cannabis before I even smoked it. I almost didn’t want to smoke it because it was that much of a unicorn!

From a medicinal standpoint, this batch of Gelato Cake is an amazing mental health toke. At the top of the profile stands the sunshiney limonene, prepared to elicit a serotonergic effect and brighten your mood.

This is closely followed up by an almost equal dose of the heavier and more relaxing myrcene, trailed at the end with an excellent temper of linalool, pinene and caryophyllene.

This balance smooths out any anxiety and helps keep the mind calm and alert in a way that accentuates the limonene effect, and lightens the myrcene. Indeed, this is a mellow indica hybrid of the smoothest caliber.

District Cannabis has demonstrated their expert knowledge and artisanal mindset by producing this cut of Gelato Cake. I enjoyed a persistent calm throughout my experience with the product and the high was amongst the most mellow and focused I have had in quite some time.

As we continue to suffer the trauma that is 2020, this degree of chill is much appreciated and highly recommended for every type of patient demographic.

District’s Gelato Cake is the quiet center of the hurricane, bringing brief moments of tranquility to our minds as the storm rages around us. I hope everyone takes the time to appreciate this complex and powerfully useful smoke – big thanks to District Cannabis for producing high quality medicine in Maryland!

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

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the CULTURE issue

STORY by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS + MIKE RICKER @RICKERDJ

CANNABIS CULTURE. Together, those two words encapsulate an encouraging phenomenon – the idea that a plant can inform identity, binding individuals to one another. But that’s what Cannabis does. It inspires the mind and spirit of those who invite its synergistic qualities into their bodies, and by doing so, sows the seeds of lifestyle. Within the evolution of modern human history, Cannabis influence has woven into the fabric of our shared existence in a myriad of ways: The saxophonist improvising rich, sultry notes in sweaty underground jazz clubs. Rasta mystics channeling a higher level of spirituality. The Beat poet hammering out the essence of America on the keys of an Underwood typewriter.

Tie-dyed miracle seekers smiling brightly outside of a show with a finger held high.

Good parents slyly sipping on a vape pen.

Entrepreneurs evaluating a pitch to fund their startup over a pre-roll.

Grandma slathering medicated lotion on arthritic joints, savoring an infused chocolate.

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Cannabis is the touchstone, the common thread that stitches the tapestry together. It’s the flag.

So, then, how do you define Cannabis culture?

Perhaps it’s not typical of any one type of person or distinct aesthetic. Its mystery is not delineated by socioeconomic status, skin color or geographical region. We all know what it is not.

It’s what it is that stretches the barriers of our imaginations and escapes the dogma of definition.

Cannabis culture is defined by the tribe who prescribe and imbibe. It’s a community of seekers reaching for an unconventional connection that swirls in the ether outside the periphery of conformity. They are not easily fooled, are wise to propaganda and weary of carpetbagging capitalists with steely smiles.

leafnationmd.com

We are on the precipice of an overwhelming shift and the momentum is palpable. Cannabis is essential and so are the people who apply it to their lives and improve their precious time on this planet.

We are at the epicenter of a movement, blasting through the atmosphere like a rocket to the sun, staring down the inevitable collision of rainbow supernova proportions into a massive collective spiritual awakening. All around this plant.

It’s a community of seekers reaching for an unconventional connection that swirls in the ether outside the periphery of conformity.

DEC. 2020

We all inherently understand where we are and what we are, but Cannabis allows us to better understand and express who we are. It helps all of us seekers on our quest for deeper meaning and stronger connection.

In this issue, the Leaf staff have humbly extracted the indispensable intricacies of Cannabis culture into a sticky concentrate for your consumption. Please enjoy.

ART

FOOD MUSIC GLASS ICONS SPORTS SOCIAL

CELEBS GIFTS ART BY IRINA

HUNTER S. THOMPSON “I have always loved marijuana. It has been a source of joy and comfort to me for many years. And I still think of it as a basic staple of life, along with beer and ice and grapefruits – and millions of Americans agree with me.”

BROWNIE MARY “I’m not a criminal.

I did nothing wrong. I was helping my kids. We desperately need medical marijuana in this country.”

B-REAL “Like Louis Armstrong played the trumpet, I’ll hit that bong and break you off somethin’ soon.”

DAVE CHAPPELLE “I don’t do drugs, though.

Just weed.”

ZACK GALIFIANAKIS “I don’t know what my assistant would do besides get me pot.”

JOE ROGAN “If you lock someone up for smoking a plant that makes them happy, you’re the fucking criminal.”

DOUG BENSON “A message to parents who think legalizing weed will make their kids want to try it: They will anyway.”

WHOOPI GOLDBERG “The vape pen has changed my life. No, I’m not exaggerating.

In fact, her name is Sippy.

Yes, she’s a she. And yes, I named her Sippy because I take tiny, little sips – sassy sips, even – from her. And with each sip comes relief – from pressure, pain, stress, discomfort.”

SNOOP DOGG “Can we get a muthafuckin’ moment of silence for this small chronic break?”

BILL MURRAY “I find it quite ironic that the most dangerous thing about weed is getting caught with it.”

CARLOS SANTANA “Legalize marijuana and take all that money and invest it in teachers and in education. You will see a transformation in America.”

MARTHA STEWART “Of course I know how to roll a joint.”

SARAH SILVERMAN “I’d have to be honest: I have contempt for pretty much every drug other than pot.

I find drunk people gross. Most people with more than one drink in them aren’t giggly, goofy and happy the way people are with a puff of pot smoke in them.

At a party, I have so much fun stoned, flitting about -– but once I sniff that first wave of drunkenness on someone, I’m out of there.”

icons ICONS 25 CANNABIS CULTURE

29 SETH ROGEN “Yes, I have a medical marijuana prescription, personally. I went in, and they said, ‘What do you need it for?’ And I said, ‘I have a very specific ailment – it’s called, I ain’t got no weed on me right now.’”

IN THEIR OWN WORDS

CARL SAGAN “The illegality of Cannabis is outrageous, an impediment to full utilization of a drug which helps produce the serenity and insight, sensitivity and fellowship so desperately needed in this increasingly mad and dangerous world.”

MORGAN FREEMAN “I have fibromyalgia pain ... and the only thing that offers any relief is marijuana.”

JACK KEROUAC “I smoked more grass than anyone you ever knew in your life.”

LOUIS ARMSTRONG “We always looked at pot as a sort of medicine, a cheap drunk and with much better thoughts than one that’s full of liquor.”

LIL WAYNE “I love weed so much I tried to marry Juana.”

BOB MARLEY “I feel so high, I even touch the sky / Above the falling rain ... I got to have kaya now.”

JIMI HENDRIX “Please pass me the peace weed, and take some heed.

Throw away all that mixed up speed.”

TOMMY CHONG “You can smoke marijuana, you can eat it, you can wear it, it’s a perfect plant!”

WILLIE NELSON “The biggest killer on the planet is stress, and I still think the best medicine is and always has been Cannabis.”

SHAGGY (SCOOBY DOO) “Like wow, my favorite!

A double triple decker sardine and marshmallow fudge sandwich.”

WILLIAM S. BURROUGHS “Unquestionably, this drug is very useful to the artist, activating trains of association that would otherwise be inaccessible, and I owe many of the scenes in Naked Lunch directly to the use of Cannabis.”

CREATIVE COMMONS IMAGES/LEAF NATION STAFF

the culture issue

STORY by LUKAS PREVIN @DEBTCRISISDC

leafnationmd.com

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MUSIC

From Then ‘Til Now: Music and Marijuana

As long as music has existed, so has the relationship between its creators and their preference of muse-inspiring consumption.

We can start way back with Louis Armstrong – one of Jazz’s most influential artists, Armstrong was a household name for his genius on the trumpet spanning five decades from the 1920s to 1960s. He also used those huge lungs to inhale Cannabis between blowing out notes.

Arrested outside the Los Angeles Cotton Club in 1930 for smoking a joint – reportedly laughing the night in jail away – Armstrong had no clue “what a wonderful world” was yet to come for Cannabis.

As Armstrong’s last notes trilled into the ether, Jamaica was about to introduce the world to another Cannabis legend - Bob Marley. A true icon in the culture of Cannabis, Marley smoked partly due to his deep religious Rastafarian beliefs. ‘Ganja’ is a Rastafarian word taken from the Sanskrit language for marijuana, and on the song “Ganja Gun,” the lyrics lay out his deep love and respect for the medicine. Marley’s likeness continues to grace grinders, bongs, pipes and the Marley Natural brand, with his timeless music ringing throughout every storefront.

Another artist you’re likely to hear banging from your dispensary’s speakers is the mighty Black Sabbath. Formed in 1968, Black Sabbath are pioneers of metal and stoner rock. Infamous for both their sound and reputation, Sabbath cemented fear in the hearts of parents around the world when they released their third studio album “Master of Reality” with the ode to Cannabis “Sweet Leaf,” starting with a rhythmic loop of Ozzy and guitarist Tony Iommi coughing from a joint, continued by a Cannabis love letter in musical form.

Then there’s Willie Nelson, a man who truly adores our beloved plant and has written numerous classics on the topic. Nelson’s blend of authentic country sound and an outlaw’s attitude earned him worldwide fame.

He smuggled his sound across the borders of genre, and continues to light up a style of music that usually doesn’t see much cultural crossover. Willie cashed the cigarettes and booze in 1978, when four fights with pneumonia - and a self-awareness of not being a kind drunk - turned Cannabis into his one true love. These days, his Willie’s Reserve brand of Cannabis is available across the country.

dec. 2020

We can see that Cannabis has shifted from underground whispers and innuendo to mainstream acceptability in the arts.

Next we pass the pipe to Snoop Dogg – perhaps the only man to claim to have smoked 81 blunts in a day and be believed. An artist, advocate and entrepreneur, Snoop helped pave the way for other celebrities to come forth with their own Cannabis use.

From his albums, to his Snoop Dogg Pounds glass line, to the Cannabis company Leafs by Snoop,this titan of toking shows no signs of slowing down.

Much thanks to Snoop, we find the evolution of open lyricism about Cannabis in the music of Wiz Khalifa. Hailing from North Dakota, Wiz has been burning through charts and Cannabis. Releasing records with infused titles like “Kush and Orange Juice” and “Rolling Papers,” Wiz squashes the stigma of lighting up. Another entrepreneur in both industries, Wiz has launched Khalifa Kush and his own rolling paper collab with RAW. Over the years, Cannabis representation in the arts has shifted from underground whispers and

innuendo to mainstream acceptability. A modern-day example of this crossover is Margo Price. Born in Illinois and based in Nashville, Price is currently one of country’s biggest rising stars. Grammy nominated in 2019, Margo came out as a Cannabis user stating that “some musicians want to sell clothes on the Home Shopping Network, but I want to sell weed.” Price would do just that with her All American Made line supported by Willie’s Reserve. Price’s alignment with Nelson not only brought extra attention to her music, but also bolstered her counterculture image as a pioneer in the Cannabis field.

With each generation of artists, the public’s embrace of Cannabis progresses like the notes in a scale. Today, we have the legends of yesterday collaborating on music and Cannabusiness with the next class of hitmakers.

There’s no telling what the green muse will inspire in the generations to come.

ART BY OLEGGANKO

STORY by MAX EARLY @LIFTED_STARDUST

@MILEHIGHGALLERY | MILEHIGHGALLERY.BIGCARTEL.COM

Brain Heart displays by Emilio Garcia with chairs by Takashi Murakami

Mark Whalen’s “Ok Okay” vinyls

High Art

Drew Degen | Q Q& &A Mile High Gallery

From vinyl toys to canvas paintings, high-end glass art to recycled tables crafted out of skateboards, Mile High Gallery has it all. We were lucky enough to pick owner Drew Degen’s brain a bit for our December Culture Issue, gaining insight into the underground art scene world and how Cannabis has influenced these rebellious pioneers. With art curators like himself, we hope that both street art and Cannabis will become more widely appreciated and accepted. Visit Mile High Gallery’s Instagram page, where Drew steadily adds art on the daily.

WHAT PARALLELS DO YOU SEE IN CANNABIS AND THE UNDERGROUND STREET ART CULTURE? Both Cannabis

and street art are still illegal in most places worldwide, but are still a positive part of the daily lives of millions of people. Growing up, both of these subjects were frowned upon, but the overall public opinion on both of these subjects over the past two decades has changed dramatically in a positive direction. Colorado played a big part in doing this because it was one of the first states to legalize recreational back in 2012 – and we also have one of the largest underground art scenes currently. Only two years before legalization, the first Crush Walls event occurred.

Crush Walls is a counterculture graffiti-based event which takes place annually in Denver.

Crush Walls focuses on creative expression and has hosted iconic artists like Shepard Fairey, Cryptik, Hoxxoh, Elmac and many more.

HOW DO YOU FIND THAT CANNABIS INFLUENCES ARTISTS TO PUSH THEIR BOUNDARIES AND THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX? Cannabis

has incentivized creativity in humans and artists for thousands of years. From cave art to the emergence of graffiti as a counterculture art form in the 1960s, it’s common to find Cannabis as a collaborating partner. It’s scientifically proven that Cannabis can make you more creative – it increases cerebral blood flow to the brain’s frontal lobe – which is directly linked to creativity.

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“Nebula Panther” by Adam G and Buck @sweaterkingpin @buckglass

Cannabis companies using art directly on their products and packaging to look more attractive and to pertain to the common Cannabis user, who most likely appreciates art too. This is a direct correlation between artists and the Cannabis community. I’ve been noticing that more muralists are getting hired to paint public spaces, including the walls on the exterior and interior of Cannabis dispensaries and headshops.

HOW ARE ARTISTS INFLUENCING THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY? Cannabis and art go hand

in hand. Some of the most notable artists in the world have shaped their careers off using Cannabis, whether it’s musical artists from Willie Nelson and Bob Marley portraying their lyrics about how Cannabis helps them, to painters like Alex Grey directly depicting the plant. Not only does Cannabis influence artists, but artists also influence the Cannabis community greatly. I often see

Hebru Brantley Flyboy and Lil Mama vinyls with a mask made by Dan Schaub

(Left to right:) WJC (@wjcglass) x Rose Roads (@roseroadskojima) Heartifact, WJC x Adam G Heartifact; Quave (@quaveglass) x Buck(@buckglass) Fish Klein PHOTOS BY ALEX WORKMAN @WORKDUBS

the CULTURE issue Jumbo Jetcycler with jumbo Jet Perc

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Custom Jetcycler with Jet Perc

leafnationmd.com

Q & A | J P To ro & W e nd y

The To ro Tea m

DEC. 2020

TORO GLASS For glass aficionados, Toro has been a name that has been familiar for years, and that is certainly not changing anytime soon. Toro Glass was one of the first brands to truly make a name for themselves, becoming an internationally renowned company and innovating the way we all consume Cannabis. From Y2K on, collectors have been flocking to their local headshops for their shot at JP Toro’s bongs and dab rigs – and Toro’s latest creation, the Terp Slurper, has become one of the most sought after glass-related items this year. Here we find what gets JP’s gears turning and what it takes to keep a machine like Toro Glass finely tuned and running clean.

Through many different trials and errors, and R&D with a couple o f m y c l o s e b o y s , t h e Te r p S l u r p e r w a s c re at e d . I t l i t e ra l l y t o o k almost three years for people to catch on, but today there is a super craze for the Slurpers and their function.

Terp Slurper

Illuminati over Syzygy Jetcycler

WENDY, CAN YOU PLEASE GIVE US AN IDEA AS TO WHAT IT TAKES TO KEEP A COMPANY LIKE TORO HIGHLY FUNCTIONING FOR THE PAST 15+ YEARS?

Marbles

It wasn’t until 2015 that I started to fuck with quartz, but I immediately became obsessed.

A lot of hard work, customer service, great employees and adaptability!

We are a family-run business of 12 employees. Everyone who works here we hired through word of mouth and through a friend of a friend. There are a couple of married couples, along with some of their close relatives and family friends. We are so blessed to have the crew we have. Our families and children all grew up with each other, and we often even celebrate holidays together. Our bonds and respect for one another run deep. Luckily too, JP designed Toro as a ‘classic.’ As the industry ebbs and flows from flowers to hash, from titanium to domes to quartz, we are adaptable and luckily JP is always at the forefront.

JP, WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO CREATE? For function, the

desire to make the ultimate hitting piece. For art,

are industry standards and the building block behind so many pieces. Back at the beginning of this industry, there were tubes and hand and water pipes. When I first made ‘micro’ and ‘macro’ pieces, people were not sure what to think of these smaller styles of glass ‘rigs’ – and then when titanium was introduced onto them with glass domes in late 2006-2007, it was a serious issue and most stores thought I was nuts! They were scared to sell any sort of dabbing accessories – but time went on, people adapted to the change, and it all became industry standard. Mad props to Quave for bringing the quartz banger to the scene and increasing the dabbing experience by allowing for larger surface areas and cleaner dabbing all around.

It wasn’t until 2015 that I started to fuck with quartz, but I immediately became obsessed. In 2017, I remembered Bubble Man did some sort of burping terps for flavor, which got me thinking about how I could create a piece of quartz that caused terps to percolate. I closed my eyes and imagined percolation holes, and the hash bubbling and popping and creating flavor. It reminded me of slurping fine wine.

Through many different trials and errors, and R&D with a couple of my close boys, the Terp Slurper was created. It literally took almost three years for people to catch on, but today there is a super craze for the Slurpers and their function.

Other innovations, such as the TempTech in 2018, which allowed people to dial in their dabbing temperatures, also helped the movement by not making it seem so intimidating to dial the Slurper’s temperature in.

CAN YOU GIVE US SOME INSIGHT ON YOUR RIGOROUS PROCESS OF MILLIE WORK? My new favorite art form at the to keep trying to make a masterpiece that makes me happy. I am always trying to outdo myself. Definitely, I am my own worst critic and never satisfied, which keeps me going on and staying behind the torch every day – even after blowing glass for 22 years.

WHERE DO YOUR INNOVATIVE IDEAS COME FROM WHEN DESIGNING NEW PRODUCTS? Living life … it’s random.

I can be driving down the road and see a tractortrailer with a certain color pattern on the side of the truck, which I may then incorporate into my next piece. I spent a lot of my younger years in downtown Philadelphia, where a crew of us designed and worked on comic books. I found that it allowed me to stretch my imagination because it is not the real world and anything is possible/ doable. This world/realm taught me that there are no boundaries, even when it comes to glass.

At first, when I started to create, people wondered what I was doing. Now today, a lot of the designs

moment is Millie work. I did a bunch years ago, but then got so busy with Toro and life, that I had to put some of my own passions on the backburner.

But pulling from my Philly years and animation experience, I have been creating a lot of original images and characters and incorporating them into my art in multiforms, from glass millefiore to fashion, to producing music.

There is a story behind it all, but as with everything I have done thus far, it may take a minute for it all to make sense and come together.

Hopefully, in this lifetime I am able to accomplish it, but ultimately, I am having a blast doing me for a change! It is hard to shake the ‘production’ stigma of Toro, but exciting to get to introduce myself in a different light that most people have not seen yet. Most importantly, experimenting, creating and designing for this newer body of work is what keeps me sane during these crazy times!

TOROGLASSGALLERY.COM | @TORO_GLASS | @JPTOROLIFESTYLE

INTERVIEW by MAX EARLY @LIFTED_STARDUST/LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by JEFF DIMARCO @IAMJEFFDIMARCO

the culture issue

STORY by MIKE GIANAKOS

leafnationmd.com

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SPORTS Athletes are the new rock stars. Players from the four major American sports (well, three of them anyway) increasingly become major celebrities with massive social media followings, recognizable brands and, whether you realize it or not, a great deal of cultural influence.

Cannabis has long played a role in sports.

Pitcher “Spaceman” Bill Lee was a loud and proud pothead in the ‘70s and old school NBA centers Robert Parish and Bill Walton were certainly known to partake. But as it’s become increasingly socially acceptable to consume, athletes have played a major role in bringing marijuana into the mainstream.

Likewise, the culture around Cannabis in professional sports is finally beginning to change as pot policies are relaxed. Of course, this shift coincides with changes in the legal landscape.

There are 123 teams across the four major American sports (football, basketball, baseball and hockey) and 101 of them play in a state that has legalized recreational and/or medical marijuana (that’s over 80 percent).

Still, for a long time, the NFL was content to keep its pot policy in the dark ages, subjecting players to random tests and punishing them with suspensions.

Ricky Williams is probably the best-known example of an athlete embracing Cannabis –– and paying the price. The former running back used marijuana to cope with social anxiety disorder and to recover from workouts. But after failing a drug test, Williams found it difficult to navigate the NFL’s draconian pot policy. Testing became more frequent, so frequent that Williams says he was drug tested at least 500 times during his football career. He was also suspended for an entire season. Williams opted to retire rather than be governed by the league’s pot rules.

He got away from the NFL, traveled to India, studied Ayurveda and grew as a person before returning to football.

Williams ultimately had to toe the line in the NFL, but he never let the league’s ridiculous take on Cannabis change him. In fact, it’s pretty clear he changed the culture of the NFL, as players view marijuana in a different light thanks to Ricky.

Now, it’s commonplace for players to use Cannabis to recover from the wear and tear of the sport. Estimates indicate that anywhere between 50 and 89 percent of the league partakes.

In fact, many players advocate for using marijuana in place of harmful opioids when dealing with

dec. 2020

pain. Ricky definitely has something Previously, players were randomly tested As it’s become to do with that. He was a pioneer. four times over the season and positive increasingly socially pot tests were met with escalating punishUnfortunately, as the saying goes, pioneers usually end up with arrows in ments, including suspensions. Under the acceptable to their backs. new rules, players are screened for PEDs consume, athletes After years of forcing pot prohibibut not recreational drugs. tion on players, the NFL has at last Additionally, the NHL and more recently have played a major changed course: The new collective MLB don’t ban Cannabis and treat its use role in bringing bargaining agreement does away with as a health issue. MLB also did away with marijuana into the suspensions for pot use, limits the testsuspensions for minor leaguers who test ing window to the first two weeks of positive. mainstream. training camp and significantly raises Competitors in extreme sports and the threshold for a positive test. e-sports have largely embraced Cannabis.

Pot is also prevalent in the NBA. Despite estiYet as e-sports have grown to rival some traditional mates that as much as 85 percent of the league sports in viewership and ad dollars, drug testing is consumes Cannabis, the Association had banned becoming more commonplace. Still, Cannabis and pot since 1983. Change finally came this summer gaming are undeniably linked and testing in these when the NBA and the players union agreed on a leagues is certainly on the liberal side. But if you new drug policy prior to resuming play in Orlando prefer to watch stoned gaming, remember, some following the coronavirus outbreak. e-sports leagues make marijuana mandatory.

ART BY EMILY

STORY by ELISE MCDONOUGH @CANNABISEDIBLES420

cuisine CUISINE High Hospitality is the Culture We Deserve By far, the most common way to introduce an American to a new culture is through food.

Sharing food forms an instant connection, a long-standing way to bridge the divide between strangers. Coming together around a table to enjoy a meal initiates people into the etiquette, rituals and customs of different cultures, forming the basis of much human socialization in societies around the globe.

H O W H A S C A N N A B I S I N F L U E N C E D F O O D C U LT U R E ?

Whether you’re eating THC or smoking it alongside meals, it’s important to know that for most of human history, Cannabis was food.

There were no arbitrary laws separating it from any other useful plant, and its effects were wellknown among ancient cultures.

Simmered with milk and spices, Cannabis infuses bhang lassi, an Indian beverage that dates back to 2000 B.C.E. Mixed with melted butter, sugar, spices, ground nuts and dates, Cannabis imbues mahjoun with potent psychedelic effects, and this recipe for the first-ever edible originated in the Middle East in the 11th century.

These days, you might find people hot-boxing their car in restaurant parking lots, firing up their appetites before they eat.

According to research conducted by Giovanni Marsicano of the University of Bordeaux, it’s been scientifically proven that “THC – the primary psychoactive ingredient in marijuana – fits into special receptors in the brain’s olfactory bulb, allowing users to smell and taste food far more acutely while high.”

Cannabis is one of the few plants on Earth proven to enhance appetite, which has medical applications for patients suffering from AIDS wasting syndrome, anorexia, or the side effects of chemotherapy. For the rest of us, weed elevates even a humble meal into a taste sensation.

Eating while high can help you notice more nuance in the taste and textures, conferring a newfound appreciation for even the simplest things, like sourdough toast slathered with butter.

H O W H A S F O O D C U LT U R E I M PAC T E D C A N N A B I S ?

Chefs have long had an affinity for weed, as discussed by Anthony Bourdain in the 2010 New York Times article “Marijuana Fuels a New Kitchen Culture,” with the memorable quote “Everybody smokes dope after work … People

35

uating various wines, “cannaphiles” rave about you would never imagine.” bud structure, trichome coverage, terpene profiles Outspoken Cannabis aficionados like Eddie and cannabinoid percentages, devising systems for Huang bridged the gap, bringing an appreciation pairing specific Cannabis cultivars with food and for how being high led to creative ideas for new wine. dishes at his acclaimed NYC bun shop Baohaus.

Someday, in a post-COVID world when the hosWhen I interviewed Huang for High Times in 2013, pitality industry revives, we’ll see the full flowering he said, “I do discover a lot of flavor combinations of the Cannabis culinary movement: a full-service, when I’m high that I normally wouldn’t.” infused fine dining experience.

Nothing epitomized this paradigm shift more Previously only available through than the VICE series “Bong Appétit,” underground supper clubs, the full inwhich transformed Cannabis cookery Cannabis is one of the tegration of Cannabis into a regulated methods from a mindset of scarcity few plants on Earth dining experience will be an evolving to abundance, revolutionizing how process, as evidenced by the OG CanCannabis is perceived as an ingrediproven to enhance nabis Cafe project in LA. ent. Introducing chefs to the plant and appetite, which has A fully-realized Cannabis restauteaching them how to integrate it into signature dishes, “Bong Appétit,” let the medical applications rant scene is the ultimate goal that all chefs continue to work world know that those inspired stoners for patients suffering weed-loving towards – where you can indulge in a were going way beyond brownies. from AIDS wasting joint on an outdoor patio before being Today, as the Cannabis culinary movement evolves, we see a level of syndrome, anorexia, seated, or pair vapes with each course before finishing off the meal with a connoisseurship comparable to wine. or the side effects of Cannabis-infused dessert. It’s a future Just as oenophiles have developed a worth looking forward to. lexicon of their own devoted to evalchemotherapy.

ART BY IANA ALTER

the culture issue

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leafnationmd.com

ROCK AND ROLL IS DEAD. You can blame American Idol for that, but let’s not get into it.

Let’s do get into, however, why it doesn’t matter to Cannabis people whether you’re playing a stage or staging a play — if you are a stoner, you’re cool. And the fact that someone notorious draws eyes for their talent, or lack of, is neat, but kind of ends there. Because what you do for work does not validate you as a viable influencer in the Cannabis community.

There is no validation required to be a part of it.

You either get weed, or you don’t.

Since the Green Rush that began around five years ago, many companies have learned the chilly truth that having celebrity status in Cannabis can get you recognition, but it does not guarantee credibility. And in any known movement that values credence over crap, credibility is paramount.

Cannabis lovers have learned the inherent differences between deception and authenticity because they very simply can tell good from bad. A con from a sucker. Fire from mids.

People don’t like to be suckered and Cannabis people have been suckered for a hundred years. Whether it’s the fear mongering propaganda of Henry Anslinger, the failed war

dec. 2020

on drugs begun with the Nixon administration, or simply buying a bag of black-market brick weed, everyone has gotten burned at least once. And just because a new celebrity brand has insert retired professional athlete’s name here repping it, that don’t mean it ain’t bullshit junk CBD powder irrigated by some of the world’s gnarliest tertiary treated sewer water in China.

We do not give a shit who is promoting it, just make sure it works. Because the list goes on with the Willie Nelsons, Tommy Chongs, Jay Zs, Martha Stewarts, Seth Rogens, Mike Tysons, Jimmy Buffetts, etc. who have slutted themselves for a ticket on the passing bandwagon without first getting high on their own supply.

And just because people know your name does not make you any more of an authority on quality Cannabis than Aaron Rodgers on car insurance, or Post Malone on prescription glasses.

Anyway, Rock and Roll is dead (name one significant band in the last 20 years) because no one cares who is playing the guitar, they just want to hear the music.

Mercury is stuck in retrograde, and Kim Kardashian is off the air. And now she’s stuck in retrograde, too.

That’s show biz, Honey.

Here’s the deal. The celebrity is the flower. Get used to it. It is not the trendy artist with the most fuck you money and teardrop face tattoos. The celebrity is Blue Dream, Wedding Cake and Green Crack. Because people and their influence are only as important as you make them to be, while the plant will always endure. Its nature is pure and its identity true.

Cannabis prospers. No earthquake, famine, pandemic, or government will ever stop a weed from growing. It will journey through all periods, and for as long as people inhabit the earth, it will make itself available. It is the food of the gods, the essence to our senses.

So, here at the end of the most reality checking year of our lives, celebrity fatigue is real. But it is possible that our stargazing tendencies could again get the better of us.

Because if Kanye manages to pull off a Hail Mary in 2024, Kim Kardashian will indeed be your first lady. You scoff, but stranger things have happened.

After all, there is still that swearing in bit in January that has yet to take place.

Because people and their influence are only as important as you make them to be, while the plant will always endure.

ILLUSTRATION BY JEFF PORTERFIELD

the culture issue

Ganja Gift Guide

You wouldn’t try to put a round peg in a square hole, right? So why would you try cleaning your banger with a rounded cotton swab? Proswabs has come through with the solution to keep your banger clean and chazz-free use after use! These swabs have a pointed tip on one end, allowing you to reach the hard to clean spots in your nail — particularly the area where the wall meets the base. Available in bulk size (300 swabs) tubs and coming soon in travel packs (30 swabs), Proswabs are ready to keep your gear as fresh as possible, both at home and when out and about. $5.99/300pk, ProSwabs.com

Proswabs

Puffco Peak Pro Blazer GT8000 Big Shot Torch

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For the analog dabbers of the world, heating up is a part of the ritual and there is no more ubiquitously used tool to accomplish that job than the Blazer Big Shot GT8000 Torch. Offering a powerful flame, the Big Shot heats up even thick bottomed nails quickly and with ease. The sleek frame is ergonomic and makes the torch easy to handle, while the base allows the torch to stand upright when not in use. The Big Shot is a must-have item for any concentrate enthusiast not using an electronic dab rig. $79.99, BlazerProducts.com

Gifts GIFTS

Puffco’s revolutionary Peak made a lightning fast ascent to become the industry’s gold standard of electronic concentrate vaporizers since its release in January 2018. With a sleek design that’s on-the-go friendly (it fits flawlessly into your car’s cupholder, though we certainly don’t suggest you use it while driving) and an intuitive torch-free function, it’s no wonder the Peak has become the go-to tool for many dabbing enthusiasts worldwide. The new Peak Pro addresses the atomizer issue that plagued the original models, adds bluetooth integration for smart phone connectivity and control, and now has wireless charging capabilities — improving upon an already stellar platform. $399, Puffco.com

FOR CANNABIS LOVERS

leafnationmd.com

Kasher Every lighter needs a Kasher and every ganja smoker needs a lighter.

By the transitive laws of nature, this means every stoner needs a Kasher.

And for good reason — these helpful little tools are great to help clean out finished bowls, pack down weed in your joint or blunt, and can even function as a skewer for your doobie when it gets down to the finger-stinger stage. As an added benefit, Kashers go a long way in helping keep lighters in their rightful owners’ pockets by adding a unique look and helping differentiate yours from everyone else’s. $7.99, MyKasher.com

dec. 2020

OCB Organic King Size Slim Hemp Papers + Tips When it comes to rolling papers, there are really only a few factors you need to take into consideration — the thickness of the paper, the stickiness of the glue and the flavor. OCB Organic Hemp Rolling Papers deliver on all of these important aspects and provide a highly enjoyable smoking experience each and every time. After years of smoking through every paper on the market, OCB’s Organic Hemp line wins out as the thinnest, easiest to use and best tasting papers available from your local head shop. $4.99/32pk book, RollOCB.com

Pax 3

Not everyone wants to smoke their Cannabis flower — some want a cleaner, more lungfriendly option and want to vaporize it. For these folks, we recommend the newest rendition of Pax Labs classic dry herb vaporizer: the Pax 3. Their new version offers a fleet of new colors, bluetooth connectivity for phone or computer-based temperature control, and upgraded battery life to make it the longest lasting unit on the market.

Add in intuitive function, versatility in its ability to be used for both concentrates and flower plus a sleek design, and the result is an exceptional piece of hardware any Cannabis enthusiast would be thrilled to receive. $249.99, Pax.com

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cooking with cannabis

Home for the

HIGHLIDAYS R EC I P E S b y LAU RI E WO L F PHOTOS b y B RUC E WO L F

Shortbread Rounds Makes 14 cookies

1. In the bowl of a mixer beat the butters and sugar until creamy.

Slowly add the flour and salt and mix until just combined. Roll into a log about seven inches in length and chill for at least one hour.

room temperature 2 tablespoons canna-butter, room temperature ½ cup confectioner’s sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2. Heat oven to 340.

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

3. Place the sprinkles on a plate.

Roll the log in the sprinkles and cut into ½ inch slices. Bake for 12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

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8 tablespoons unsalted butter,

¼ teaspoon salt Sprinkles

Spiced Pecans Makes 4 cups

1. Heat oven to 300. Line a sheet pan

4 tablespoons dark brown sugar

with parchment paper.

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

2. In a medium bowl, combine the sugar and spices and the infused oil.

In another bowl, combine the pecans with the egg white, which helps the

2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon cayenne ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg 2 tablespoons canna-butter or oil

spice adhere to the pecans.

3. Combine all the ingredients and spread on the sheet pan.

4 cups pecan halves 1 beaten egg white

S’more Style Chocolate Dipped Marshmallows

leafnationmd.com

Makes 16 marshmallows

1. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

1 cup dark chocolate chips 2 tablespoons infused oil or butter

2. Place the chips and infusion 16 marshmallows in a small bowl, and microwave 3 graham crackers, crushed on medium for one minute. Stir.

Continue to heat at 10-second intervals. Smooth.

3. Dip the marshmallows in the melted chocolate and cover about half.

Dip in the crushed graham crackers and place on the paper to set.

While many of us will not be doing much socializing this holiday season, we still want to share the love. And the Cannabis! Gifts of food are always welcome. Label correctly, and don’t leave the infused shortbread cookies out for Santa. He doesn’t indulge, though apparently the Mrs. loves infused hot chocolate. FYI, Blitzen is a stoner.

dec. 2020

For a few friends, I am offering the gifts in a piece of pottery or mug so that they will have a constant reminder of my love for them. Only the CBD-infused treats will leave Oregon, and you can follow the same recipe for canna-butter with CBD flower. Expect a feeling of wellness without the head high. Keep doses low, spirits high, and be sure to love one another.

#We a rA M ask #Dont FearT heEdi ble #EatYourCannabi s #CallYourPa rents # Ha p p y Holid a y s # WeWillSurvive

EVERMORECANNABISCO.COM | @EVERMOREBRANDS

concentrate OF THE MONTH

EVERMORE CANNABIS COMPANY

41

GLOBE TROTTERZ Coming in with a tremendous 20% terpene profile, the Globe Trotterz live resin cake badder from Evermore Cannabis Company was a standout in our search for this month’s featured concentrate. The complexity of the profile is distinctly subtle, but ultimately produces a top quality effect that falls perfectly in the sativa-hybrid range.

Evermore goes the extra mile with transparency and ease of access to product data via the QR code on their labels – making it simple to do a deep dive on your terpene ratios and fully dial-in your desired experience.

Given that Cannabis produces over 200 terpenes and labels typically only include the top nine of the profile, having access to the entire COA is a wonderful opportunity to nerd out on the nuances.

In this case my quest was for a true, blended sativa-hybrid effect that would do the heavy lifting of my pain, but still prop up my mood and focus for the day.

The Globe Trotterz label read 6% myrcene with 5% limonene, tempered with ample amounts of pinene, caryophyllene and linalool (my own personal mental health cocktail), which absolutely grabbed my attention. But because Evermore gave such easy access via their QR code, I was able to see the tail end of the massive 20% profile – where small bits of fenchol, terpineol, terpinolene and camphene rounded out this stellar product.

A truly balanced sativa-hybrid.

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

leafnationmd.com

LIVE RESIN CAKE BADDER

Camphene is in the pinene family of terpenes, and tends to amplify the focusing effects of pinene in a more refined sense – a lovely addition to this Globe Trotterz live resin cake badder. The aroma of the blend created an image of alpine forest berries, leaving me with the tantalizing challenge of teasing out the fermented fruits and light woody gasses encompassed in this profile. A big thanks to Evermore Cannabis Company for 20% TOTAL TERPS making my 6.1% MYRCENE patient research 5% LIMONENE as easy as 2.1% OCIMENE possible, and 2% CARYOPHYLLENE for producing 1.2% LINALOOL such a fragrant, 1.3% PINENE delicious and .5% FENCHOL .4% TERPINEOL highly effective .18% CAMPHENE sativa-hybrid .16% TERPINOLENE extract!

cannthropology

WORLD OF CANNABIS PRESENTS

Throughout modern history, countless artists and musicians have used marijuana to help enhance their creativity … but far fewer have actually featured it as their subject matter. Many of those who did helped forge new genres of “degenerate” art—like jazz, comic books and concert posters—that

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would eventually establish them as counterculture icons.

One such artist is Pat Ryan.

CANNABIS AMERICANA

Celebrating the weed-infused work of underground art icon Pat Ryan

leafnationmd.com

EARLY LIFE

Raised in suburban Long Island, Paul Ryan heard his artistic calling early— beginning to paint and draw cartoons by the age of eight. A born rebel, Ryan became enamored with Mad magazine, whose irreverent satire was “exposing the shortcomings of the Leave it to Beaver generation of Americans becoming homogenized.” He spent his teenage years in the jazz clubs and coffeehouses of Greenwich Village—getting into Dylan, Kerouac and Ginsberg. Then in 1962, Ryan moved out to Hermosa Beach, where he discovered the SoCal surfer scene, weed and psychedelics. After working as an art director for an ad agency across the street from the Whiskey a Go-Go and taking lots of acid, he soon grew disillusioned by the phony LA scene and wanted out.

BEST BUDS

In 1971, Ryan moved up to Marin County, where he opened a tiny studio and jumped headfirst into the area’s art scene. Within months he met a kindred soul who would become his best friend and partner for the next decade—comic artist Dave Sheridan.

Ryan moved into Sheridan’s studio, and the two formed a company called C.O.D. (Consistently Over Drawn!) Grafix and began cranking out content.

Sheridan created the comic character Dealer McDope and collaborated with Gilbert Shelton and Paul Mavrides on the cult classic The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers; Ryan produced a series of Native American-themed paintings and a comic about hitchhiking called Hit the Road (1972), which Sheridan helped him get published.

In 1974, the doobious duo relocated into a large building in San Rafael that served as a collective studio space for local artists, including rock poster

dec. 2020

greats Alton Kelley, Stanley ‘Mouse’ Miller and Victor Moscoso. Officially named the Concrete Foundation of Fine Arts, the collective was better known by its nutty nickname: the Peanut Gallery. To raise money for rent each month, the Peanut Gallery threw huge parties dubbed the “Black Death Parties”—named after the Black Death beer Sheridan brewed.

THE CANNABIS HOMEGROWERS ASSOCIATION

During these salad days at the Gallery, the two partners came up with the idea for a series of marijuana brand label parodies they called the California Homegrowers Association.

“We’d sit around smoking joints and coming up with fictitious brand names,” Ryan recalls. “We made a whole list of them … that’s what became the California Homegrowers Association.”

Some of the iconic phony brands they created included Harvest Moon, Sticky Fingers, High Society and Space City—each of which was President Reagan illustrated with a humorous charm launched his notorious inspired by the well-known Califor“Just Say No” anti-drug nia agricultural labels of the day.

They planned to use the images campaign, leading to to market a line of merchandise to the closing of stoners all over America via head head shops across shops and ads they placed in High the country and Times magazine. Unfortunately, kneecapping their however, the products hit the market dream before it had a in 1982 just as President Reagan chance to take off. launched his notorious “Just Say No”

anti-drug campaign, leading to the closing of head shops across the country and kneecapping their dream before it had a chance to take off.

ARTISTA GANG

In 1979, the Peanut Gallery was evicted and reconstituted under a new name: the Artista Gang. Throughout the 1980s, “Gang” members designed album covers and concert posters for several classic rock performers, including Journey, Santana and the Grateful Dead, as well as Steve Miller’s Greatest Hits, for which Ryan did the lettering.

It was also during this time that Ryan created his famous “Indoor Bud” painting, which now resides in our World of Cannabis collection; prominently featured against a red background, it’s a dense, dark nug that sparkles with crystals—an effect he achieved by coating it with clear acrylic paint and then sprinkling glitter on it.

That nug image ended up gracing the cover of the Fall/ Winter 1985 issue of Sinsemilla Tips magazine. But that wasn’t the only reefer rag Ryan was featured in during this period: In 1983, High Times ran an article on the Homegrowers Association in their March issue and featured the t-shirts in their December gift guide, and the following year ran a few of Dr. McDope comics drawn by Ryan.

Like the Peanut Gallery, Artista Gang were notorious for their wild parties. One particular rager in 1983—held at a clubhouse in an upscale San Anselmo neighborhood called Sleepy Hollow— featured the group’s first-ever cannabis judging contest. Strain samples were brought from all over California, and according to Ryan, the winner was a clear standout.

“The winner was a guy from Santa Cruz named Dave Watson, a.k.a. Sam the Skunkman,” Ryan recalls. “He had something so sticky and outrageous, nobody had seen anything like it before.

He won hands-down.”

The Artista’s parties and cannabis contests continued to grow, as did their roster—eventually numbering over 700 members. Sadly though, Dave Sheridan would never get to see what Artista would evolve into; diagnosed with lymphatic cancer on March 3, 1982, he died suddenly of a brain hemorrhage less than a month later—just a week shy of his daughter’s birth. He was only 38-years-old.

HIGH IN HUMBOLDT

In 1992, Ryan moved from Marin County up to a log cabin in the Emerald Triangle, where he spent several years living pioneer-style and cranking out over 50 event posters, as well as a series of t-shirts featuring new characters and brands he created, such as Seaweed, Redeye and Hightops. Then in 1999, he moved back down to Sonoma County, where— with some assistance from his pals in Humboldt—he started growing his own “really wicked bud” for the first time in his garage. An avowed sativa man, Ryan grew mostly Orange Crush, but admits his current favorite strain is Blue Dream.

RECENT RESURGENCE

This past decade has been one of Ryan’s most prolific yet.

In 2011, Last Gasp Publishing released a 40-year anthology of his work entitled Sinsemilla Sinsations, as well as a set of greeting cards called “High Again” based on his Humboldt designs. In the past few years, Ryan has returned to his roots with a series of weed-themed comic books called Tales of the

In 1974, the doobious duo relocated to a large building in San Rafael that served as a collective studio space for local artists, including rock poster greats Alton Kelley, Stanley ‘Mouse’ Miller and Victor Moscoso.

World Famous Drive Thru Bud (Golden Frog Press), based on the various characters he’s created over the years (including Humboldt Honey, Super Skunk and Budzilla), accompanied by a line of branded stoner swag which they sell online and at cannabis and comic events up and down the West Coast—bringing the merchandising dream he once shared with Sheridan full circle.

Most recently, he’s created a series of paintings based on popular strain names similar to the “Purple Haze” painting we have in our collection, including “Ice Cream Cake,” “Blueberry Kush,” and “White Widow.”

Sadly, in recent months, Ryan’s health has been in steep decline due to stage four liver cancer. His family has started a gofundme and is planning an art auction to help raise money for his medical costs. If you’d like to help please visit worldofcannabis.museum/ post/pat-ryan-fundraiser.

For more on Pat Ryan, listen to Episode #4 of our podcast at worldofcannabis.museum/ podcast

-Bobby Black, Pat Ryan, Vince Dugar of Golden Frog Press.

-Blueberry Kush and SuperSkunk art by Pat Ryan.

Published originally on worldofcannabis.museum and reprinted with permission.

STORY by BOBBY BLACK @CANNTHROPOLOGY for LEAF NATION | ART COURTESY WORLD OF CANNABIS MUSEUM @WORLDOFCANNABIS.MUSEUM

DYSCO’S CORNER

MUSINGS FROM A PARENT & CANNABIS CONSUMER

DearLeafers, Hello? Anyone there? Is it safe to come out yet? Are people trying to get along and work together for our country yet?

I sure hope so. It’s December for crying out loud!

leafnationmd.com

44

I swear, I’m not getting paid for this, AS I’M WRITING THIS, the post-election but I’m more than happy to spread the world is still going a bit crazy. Our democword because it really is that awesome. It’s racy is being challenged on both sides, stylish and modern looking and doesn’t and I think we are probably moving into a make a mess. My mother mistook it for a future in which “The Trump News Netfancy pencil sharpener on the desk. My work” is going to be a real thing. The red best friend thought it was a pepper grinder. wave. The blue wave. Thank God for that Nobody looks at it and says, “That’s for legalization green wave! It is my personal weed!” – meaning that it’s also discreet. opinion that the possibility of “The Trump I can’t stress enough this product’s style News Network” clearly justifies the need and discretion, because, like many of you, for a larger green wave – like a green I can be a tad bit forgetful. I can’t always tsunami – in 2022. count on myself to remember to put things But, as for where we are right now? away in the desk or cabinet. I like the fact Well, frankly, I’m exhausted. How ‘bout that it doesn’t advertise its you? I need a break purpose. I also like the fact from thinking about it all. that it dumps the perfectly Hell, I need a break from ground Cannabis directly into thinking in general. That a prepared cone with filter – generally means I’ll be with no mess. buying more indica strains No mess is extremely for awhile … until my important. I am not a college brain stops hurting. student – I’m a middle-aged It also means I’ll be mother who’s tired of dusting taking an actual break for and sweeping and cleaning a while to reboot. Like our up Cannabis flakes every time nation, I need some time I roll a joint or use a manual to be quiet and focus on My mother mistook it for grinder. This is a ‘press the healing. a fancy pencil sharpener button and presto’ machine I hope to be writing to on the desk. that not only saves me time, you again in 2021, but but doesn’t require me to clean up after before I go, I want to leave you with my it. That goes a long way with me – all you favorite product of the year, just in case have to do is twist the paper at the end of you are still shopping for gifts. At about the cone before you light it. It is also the $100, it is sure to be at the top of many best grinder I have ever used. If I’m not holiday wish lists. loading a cone, I simply grind it into a It’s called the Otto Automatic Grinder canister. Trust me on this: You want it. and Joint Rolling Machine. I’m sure there I’m going to leave you with that for now. are other similar machines out there, but I It’s been a tough year for all of us, so now can only speak to the awesomeness of this is the time to find your own quiet and love one. It automatically grinds the herb (also the ones around you, both near and far. great in the kitchen!) and fills the pre-roll I’ll talk to you soon. cone in seconds.

dec. 2020

“I need a break from thinking about it all.

Hell, I need a break from thinking in general.”

-Dysco SUBMITTED

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CAN WE PLEASE END CHRISTMAS? isten, I’m not trying to be a jerk here. I used to love Xmas just as much as any kid. Catching a glimpse of Santa nibbling on a cookie or hearing the patter of hooves on top of the apartment complex made sleeping unbearable. It’s just that I’m not sure I can bear grandma getting run over by a reindeer for the umpteenth time before even having a chance to banish my yard witch back to the shed and evaluate the leftover bowl of miniature Snickers and candy corn.

Out with the devil and in with the lord.

Because the problem with Christmas isn’t Christmas day — it’s the fact that we’re hyped for two months on the front end and then stuck with a stiff tab on the back end. Which equates to one sixth of your life forced into a whimsical play where everyone dresses like they’re from Norway in the 1600s.

And I know what you enthusiasts are thinking: I can simply choose to not take part. Which is about as easy as choosing to not take part in death and taxes.

“But it’s for the kids,” you say. Fair enough, but do you really want them learning that the plastic packaged gifts — which magically appear under the tree that was cut down to end up in the dumpster — came from a stranger with an addiction to spiked eggnog? Why not teach them real values, like patience leads to prosperity? And that violence in Walmart on black Friday is not how adults should behave.

I get it, there’s nothing wrong with spreading good cheer, but can we at least ease up on the carpet bombing of commercials for stuff we don’t need? Like shiny new cars with ridiculously large bows and another collared shirt with a snowman tie? And can we do it every leap year just to freshen things up? It’s becoming Groundhog Year.

By the way, you do realize that mom infuses Santa’s Christmas cookies, right? That’s because she secretly feels his pain.

L

46

leafnationmd.com

by Mike Ricker

DEC. 2020

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