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ABOUT THE COVER

Canadian artist Liam Wesley Goodman spent 89 hours working with Terpodactyl Media photo references across a 19-by-24inch illustration. This impressive spread was created with 18 colored pencils and an obsessive commitment to realism. Prismacolor wax-based pencils built the foundation; Faber-Castell Polychromos oilbased pencils pulled out every last detail. Goodman told Leaf Magazines his goal was to “capture each element with the same level of attention to detail as the artistry found within concentrate-making culture.”

To learn more about his process, check out our Studio Sessions feature by Matt Jackson on pages 78-79.

ILLUSTRATION BY LIAM WESLEY GOODMAN @LIAMWESLEYGOODMAN

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DAVID DOWNS, FEATURES

LIAM WESLEY GOODMAN, ILLUSTRATION

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KATHERINE WOLF, FEATURES

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Editor’s Note

Thanks for picking up The Concentrate Issue of the Leaf!

The greatest country in the world turns 250 this month, so we celebrate with a juicy dab that sends fireworks of THC to dazzle the brain. America is the only truly free nation on this planet, and I’m thankful to live in incredible times of physical, mental and spiritual freedom that are unprecedented in human history.

We live in the safest period of human history, in the only system of governance where freedom of speech, religion and constitutional rights are sacrosanct and enshrined in law. These are noble and pure causes that our ancestors sacrificed for

America fought a War of Independence and a Civil War for rights and freedom for all. But the only wars I saw as a young man were for oil and power. These conflicts did not inspire me to join the fight until I was dragged into the last remaining fight, one worthy of struggle, and perhaps the most unjust conflict of all: the war on drugs.

When I first started smoking, the smell alone could lead to a jail cell. Possession of a plant was a prison sentence. Today, we float into a Cannabis retailer and choose our favorite flavor of resin or rosin in a ready-to-go pen form, tasting the best earthy Lemon Kush or the bluest raspberry cotton candy the flavor scientists can concoct. This is proof of freedom, of evolution, of change. This is what makes America the greatest country on Earth.

AMERICA MUST ADHERE TO THE TRUE MEANING OF THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS AND FINISH THE SHIFT FROM A WAR ON PERSONAL LIBERTY TO A CELEBRATION OF FREEDOM.

Not because it’s perfect, but that we strive to be. Our Founding Fathers understood the mission, enshrined our Bill of Rights and established a document to create a constitutional republic. Through representative lawmakers, our country has the ability to adapt to changing times and the will of the people. There is no better modern example of this evolution than the freedom to hit a Dr. Dabber Switch² loaded with rosin from a legal Cannabis farm.

Despite this progress, the war on drugs isn’t over. Our country, world and species are imperfect. God gave us free will, and we exercise it, for good and bad. But in these times of uncertainty, there is hope! As the Bible says, “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”

America must adhere to the true meaning of the pursuit of happiness and finish the shift from a war on personal liberty to a celebration of freedom. Freedom to speak, pray, gather and consume the plants and medicines that were designed for our mental and spiritual evolution. The final fight is for self-control, the last right to be established in this grand experiment. That’s a fight worth fighting. And our country — which is trying to be better, to adapt and to lead the world into freedom — is worth celebrating. Happy 250th birthday, America!

MOTHERSHIP MELTDOWN

2026 brought Mothership Meltdown back to Bellingham, Washington, for its third annual celebration of all things Cannabis culture. The location? None other than Mothership Glass headquarters, the birthplace of some of the most refined and sought-after glass art in the entire world. Hosted by Heady Happenings and Mothership, the prestigious event was part Cannabis competition, part art show and part community gathering focused on bringing people together.

THE MELTDOWN took place across two separate days, June 5-6. The first day was reserved for makers, sponsors and VIP ticket holders. Serving as a warm-up for the main event, the day included tours of the headquarters, a glassblowing demonstration by Mothership Glass and Apache Flameworks, a tie-dye class with Trapis Designs and an exclusive Maker’s Dinner, catered by Teresa Wiggins, owner of Silvana Meats. The dinner was a highlight of the day, allowing attendees the opportunity to break bread and connect over a buffet-style spread of delightful dishes. Many friendships were kindled over dabs and delicacies on the first night.

Then came June 6. The big day. La pièce de résistance. With the enigmatic doors to Mothership opened to ticket holders, attendees from all over the world poured in to be a part of the historic event. The layout incorporated a number of vendor booths with various activities to enjoy, open areas with tables to sesh at and access to some of the finest functional glass in the world.

Many of the event’s sponsors showcased popular products and innovative new technologies for guests. Lowtemp

Industries facilitated demos of their newest wash vessels and rosin presses for processing hash, while Disorderly Conduction partnered with professional carpenter and Cannabis craftsman Treezus Heist to showcase their collaborative, wood-based products. Part of their display incorporated a handcrafted tabletop apparatus complete with five separate cobra coils to heat up five individual bangers simultaneously. Growfare operated a dab experience on both days, where guests could sample their award-winning rosin and test some unbelievable glass from their collection. Pieces from prolific artists like Mothership, Darby Holm, Elbo Glass and Avatar Glass were seen being put through their paces. California-based producer Washed hosted a challenge to see who could get their rosin to go the highest on a special Black Market Glass banger made to function similarly to a carnival game. N.W.O. also sponsored a half-gram dab competition where partici-

1st

Place

Rosin

pants could win an event-exclusive Mothership Glass marble with a graphic that reads: “I smoked a half gram dab and all I got was this lousy marble.”

The award ceremony served as a capstone for the event, with attendees huddling close inside the Mothership warehouse, excitedly awaiting the results. Brief speeches with acknowledgements of gratitude were delivered by Scott Deppe, founder of Mothership, Kyle LeGrow, owner of Heady Happenings and one of the featured artist judges for the competition: musician Trinidad James. James supplied thoughtful and poignant words, recognizing the craft that every processor puts into their jars, and how hashmaking is an art in and of itself.

“We found that the Borda Count could be a fair way for judges to be able to judge by giving weight to each score,” LeGrow explained.

“We also give a full gram sample to every judge; that way, when they’re judging, they’re truly able to revisit that jar five to 10 times. Everything is packaged in the same Pop-Vac jars, and then (judges) get two weeks with their kits as well, so they’re not expected to smoke 50 entries in one sitting. We find that it just produces a bit better result than some of the traditional cup styles.”

entry was Ruby Weapon, a cross of Honey Banana Tallymon and Starburst F2 by Masonic Seeds.

The melt entry was Wildberry Fumes, a cross of Brisker OG and Wildberry Cake from Square One Genetics. Check out the sidebar at right for a more detailed rundown of the winners, including a list of “Artist Favorite” awards given by each guest artist to their favored entries.

Mothership Meltdown is a special event. The Cannabis community resonates as the central heartbeat beneath the competition, hash and luxury glassware. The way connoisseurs, makers and artists come together to share experiences and make memories here is more than just exciting; it’s enlivening.

Before getting into the actual competition results, it’s important to highlight the system used to crown the winners at Mothership Meltdown. Heady Happenings competitions utilize a Borda Count voting system where each judge scores entries based on multiple categories like smell and taste. The scores are tallied and organized into an interval scale, in this case, one through 50, with one being their favorite entry and 50 being their least favorite entry. All of those scores are added up to determine the winner. The lower the number, the better the score.

The judges for the competition included a number of reputable Cannabis industry professionals and producers like Dr. Darby, Alice Reis and Hidden Forest Farms. Featured artists like Gz1, Darby Holm and Trapis Designs also supported the process as guest evaluators.

Looking over a judge’s kit from Mothership Meltdown, it’s clear just how fierce the competition was. It was honestly hard to find a “bad” jar in the entire bracket, with producers entering some of the best rosin and melt from across the world. Polychrome Grass, an Alaska-based producer, swept both categories, taking home two firstplace victories. Polychrome’s rosin

Heady Happenings started hosting secret seshes with a goal of creating safe spaces for connoisseurs to enjoy the finest functional glass, extracts and food with one another. What began as an underground venture promoting interpersonal connection has grown to become a central pillar of the community, and Mothership Meltdown is a perfect example of the depth, relevance and importance these events hold.

Our hearts and our lungs are fuller after attending this beautiful gathering.

MELT

1. POLYCHROME, WILD BERRY FUMES

2. MUSH MELTS, IRISH STOUT F2

3. THE REAL CANNABIS CHRIS, GUAPA EMPANADA DE PIÑA 22

ROSIN

1. POLYCHROME, RUBY WEAPON

2. REAL EVE, SATSUMA SHERB X LYCHEE

3. HANG LOOSE HASH, Z

ARTIST PICKS

GZ1

THREE BLIND TRICHS, JELLYFISH

DARBY HOLM

ROSIN: POLYCHROME, RUBY WEAPON

MELT: MUSH MELTS, IRISH STOUT F2

KARMA GLASS

THREE BLIND TRICHS, JELLYFISH TRAPIS DESIGNS

ROSIN: SUPERLATIVE SOLVENTLESS

MELT: MUSH MELTS, IRISH STOUT F2

TRINIDAD JAMES SQUISHA T ROSIN

Many of the event's sponsors showcased popular products and innovative new technologies for guests.

PRC

BOTHELL

GOOD GUYS

At the end of 2024, Santa granted the city of Bothell an early present with the grand opening of Premier Recreational Cannabis in Bothell because the community deserved great weed done the PRC way, which means a solid selection and great service. You may remember the owners from the medical days when they started in the market as 221 RX in Conway — now PRC Conway — as the first medical and then the first recreational licenses in Skagit County. And as they continue to expand their footprint with new stores, you may see the PRC logo regaled with five-star reviews across the board.

CONSISTENCY IS KING

Nestled in a strip mall on the north side of Bothel, there’s a feel of fun and friendliness that this staff is known for, with goodies and tasty treats packed into one exceptional showroom. They are profoundly knowledgeable, so come ready to ask all the questions. PRC is a legacy brand with one of the most tenured staffs in this great state, with employees totaling at least a couple of dozen years of experience in just this one location. It’s a boutique vibe with all kinds of cool stuff to check out, like the vintage marijuana bags and framed apothecary art gracing the walls.

HIGH NOTE

If you’re looking for a great cause to be a part of, come holiday season, this is the station for donating apparel through their Clothes for Kids Coat Drive, which helps keep little ones warm. To add to the excitement, they love raising the fun meter for children with a December toy drive, too. You can also be a part of the action at their PRC Edmonds location, another hub for donations. And hey, if you ever find yourself at Evergreen Speedway during the racing season, look for the PRCBD-sponsored race car!

JULIAN HYSENI

This summer, when he’s not budtending at Ocean Greens, you’ll find Albanian native Julian Hyseni basking in the fresh mountain air of the Pacific Northwest while hiking. He is into the local Seattle funk and alternative rock music scenes and loves hanging out with family and friends.

WHAT IS THE CANNABIS CULTURE LIKE IN YOUR HOME COUNTRY?

That’s a tough one because Albania was a communist country until the fall of the Soviet Union, so it was one of the most isolated countries in the ’90s. The stigma is still very real with our parents, but I remember my grandmother giving us Cannabis tea to help children sleep. But in the last two or three decades, the youth that are now grown up understand it better. It’s changing from communist propaganda and becoming more accepted.

ARE YOU THE ONLY ALBANIAN BUDTENDER IN WASHINGTON STATE?

No, there are a few others. In fact, we’ve had several here at Ocean Greens.

HOW IMPORTANT IS BUDTENDING TO YOU?

I have pride in what I do. I’m not just interested in selling the plant because I have people who come in for all kinds of ailments like stress, anxiety and insomnia. It’s not just about the recreational world; I want to have an impact in the medical realm as well.

WHAT IS YOUR END GOAL? DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING BURNING INSIDE OF YOU?

What I like about this plant is it slows life down, allows you to embrace the moment. Whether you’re sitting down with friends or your brother, you just light a joint and feel social. Cannabis makes the world less frenetic.

FAVORITE PLACE IN THE WORLD FOR YOU?

If we’re talking about where to be in the summer, it is definitely the Pacific Northwest. I’ve traveled all over the world — Europe, Asia, Latin America. I lived in Italy for 10 years before I moved here in 2009. This place is the best. @JULIAN_OG1

“THE HUMAN CONNECTION TO THE PLANT GOES DEEPER THAN JUST BEING AWARE OF ITS CURRENT STATE OF HEALTH; IT IS ABOUT THE SYMBIOSIS OF TWO ENERGY FORMS SHARING A SPACE.”

Honeydew owner Nicholas Hoag is a longtime purveyor of the plant. Not only does this matter for the grow on the baselevel, but it also means he’s been chasing the best phenos for decades. As soon as we set foot in Honeydew, this was obvious. The team isn’t big, but it’s curated. Each team member knows their tasks and performs them with ease.

Cleanliness is paramount at this facility. No step was missed on our entry to the garden; this place is almost hypoallergenic. Over the years of growing, Hoag said that “the things you can prevent are the easiest to deal with,” and that starts with a garden that isn’t affected by outside forces. All tasks are also done by hand here whenever possible.

“The human connection to the plant goes deeper than just being aware of its current state of health; it is about the symbiosis of two energy forms sharing a space,” Hoag said. This grow is watered and trimmed by hand and uses a manual packaging system focused on quality. This ensures that anything you purchase and consume from Honeydew is what those working there would smoke themselves. There are no corners cut; only “A grade” buds are used in their products. This team focuses on flowers; they are not splitting their energy trying to produce Cannabis that needs to spit out concentrate numbers, they are producing the best buds and prerolls they can. This is accomplished by isolating strains, mostly locally, that produce the highest-quality experiences. The menu is definitely sativa leaning; these are some of the most highly sought-after and difficult strains to maintain consistency with.

Our team got to try some samples off-site after the tour, and wow! Trich Beast had a crazy aesthetic with a rewarding, smooth, floral flavor that gave a nice little punch to the palate and a seriously lasting high that just may still be powering this narrative. Green Otterpop came through crispy with a great finish that left our jaws juicy. You’ll also find classics delivered among their lineup.

The True Grapefruit, Green Crack and The Bear OG bring memories flooding back; the existence of these lineages is a testament to time and determination.

You will seldom find a garden with the tenacity to continue providing patients with levels of quality that sustain the mental and physical homeostasis we all seek from this amazing plant. As you might have assumed, this is a Department of Health-approved farm, so medical patients also benefit from a serious tax reduction at the register. The Leaf prides itself on providing our readers with solid, unbiased reporting on the best Cannabis products in the state. Hoag and the team at Honeydew are no different; they truly want to provide people with the best flower they can grow. “Worth a try” doesn’t even start to describe this line. Go ask for Honeydew at your favorite local dispensary.

Health Purpose

Pleasure

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

The All-In-One eRig. No atomizer. Completely customizable heat modes.

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A ‘Shall not be infringed’

In a landmark Supreme Court ruling, the nation's highest court decided that the use of Cannabis fails as a reason to disarm citizens, ending a de facto ban on the right to bear arms for millions of Americans. Since 1968, the federal government has had the authority to deny any user of illegal drugs their constitutional right to bear arms. This includes Cannabis, even in states where it was legalized, which has led to many otherwise lawful citizens facing federal firearms charges for otherwise legal behavior.

2022 SUPREME COURT DECISION set a historical precedent for the court to consider when reviewing gun laws, applying a test reviewing modern gun laws to the intention of the Constitution. Using this test, and comparing the use of Cannabis to that of habitual drinkers, the court found no historical argument for disarming and denying the rights of peaceful users of Cannabis.

The “unanimous 9-0 decision makes it clear that the government cannot make it (a) crime for people to own a gun, which the Supreme Court has held is a fundamental constitutional right, simply because they use marijuana,” Cecillia Wang, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union, said. Wang represented Ali Hemani, the Cannabis user indicted on federal gun charges for possessing a legally purchased gun and Cannabis.

The writers of the Constitution’s understanding of the nature of power came from Britain, where centuries of oppression, warrantless searches and unchecked authority by the Crown led to the first uttering of “don’t tread on me.” In knowing the true nature of tyranny, the tools to fight oppression were enshrined in the first two amendments of the document that binds the constitutional republic that is the USA.

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

The Second Amendment guarantees the First, by ensuring the people have the right to self-determination via the right to bear arms. This essential right is the only means for a population to protect against tyranny from within, threats from afar and to secure their own home and property.

Law-abiding citizens had to choose between using Cannabis and carrying a firearm or risk federal charges for possessing both, regardless of legality in the state.

The First Amendment of the Constitution, protecting freedom of speech and religion, secures the voice of the people against censure or overreach, with a free press guaranteed in America since the Revolution. It’s also the reason the Leaf was able to begin publishing the truth about Cannabis as medicine in 2010, when Cannabis was illegal federally and in every state in the country.

America is the only country in the world to guarantee these rights explicitly. It is no surprise that we are the only country truly free to speak, to protest and to publish our own opinions.

In the U.K. — where firearms are largely banned, social media posts can lead to arrests and air conditioning requires a hard-toget permit — more people die annually in Europe from heat than from guns in the United States.

“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

These First and Second Amendment rights are at the heart of what it means to be American. There was no exception, no asterisk, no question of the intention of the words “shall not be infringed.”

For millions of Americans since 1968, this has not been the case.

Law-abiding citizens had to choose between using Cannabis and carrying a firearm or risk federal charges for possessing both, regardless of legality in the state. With the Supreme Court’s ruling, we return to the historical intention of the Constitution, that only those whose behavior is dangerous to others should be disarmed. With federal and state background checks in place, mandatory waiting periods and red flag laws, there is a significant safety net to prevent those who should not own firearms from purchasing them. With this unanimous ruling, Cannabis users are no longer on that list.

THREE WAYS CANNABIS IS STILL

01 GROWING A PLANT AT O

Washington recreational users cannot grow a single plant, legally, for their own consumption or use.

02 USE IN PUBLIC SPACES

Consuming cannabis in any public place is a civil infraction carrying a fine of up to $100. 03

WAYS TO GET INVOLVED

The Cannabis Alliance is powered by people who care — advocates, consumers, industry professionals, and community members who believe in fair, forward-thinking cannabis policy.

Volunteer Join our committees, help at events, and shape the future of cannabis policy.

Donate Your contribution fuels our advocacy, education, and legislative efforts.

Become a Member

Join a network of cannabis advocates & allies.

Spread the Word

FIRE FOLLOWER

Award-winning journalist/author and former Leafly Senior Editor David Downs’ monthly genetics intelligence dispatch.

EXPLORING COMPOUND GENETICS’ BLACK AMBER

THE WORLD’S CHASERS OF HOT ZAZA HAVE A NEW LINE FROM THE TOP BREEDER, COMPOUND GENETICS, TO SINK THEIR TEETH INTO THIS SUMMER: BLACK AMBER.

NAMED AFTER a dark, sweet Japanese plum, the set of eight crosses is debuting on the European event circuit as well as in domestic and international seed banks. Compound is enamored of this Full Moon Genetics-bred cross of GMO and OZ Kush Bx2 due to the size, the loudness, the look and the washability. So the breeder reversed their favorite phenotype of it, made pollen and bred it to their stable of Compound classics and current hits. Now, the seeds are out as feminized three-packs targeting the newly legal German market, and Compound is hunting through them for keepers that it will then license worldwide.

Black Amber itself takes the gassy, limey, candy, green bud of OZ Kush and straight-up bulks it out, adds more color and gives some funk from the notorious GMO Cookies. GMO is not technically a genetically modified organism, but it still has this divisive reputation for being rank, wrong and oh-so-funky. It’s for flavor chasers bored by more conventional fare. Oddly enough, the GMO terpene dives under the Black Amber crosses, lurking beneath the surface, adding volume and body without the stank.

“I thought GMO was going to punch everything in the face,” said Ruby Wagner, Compound Genetics’ head of marketing, when she dropped off a box of samples of all the crosses in flower form. “It didn’t. I don’t think there was anything (GMOlike). I was shocked. It just added a little back-end funk, body and weight.”

Full Moon Farms had originally dubbed the cross High Fructose Corn Syrup. Compound Genetics renamed it Black Amber and tied Egyptian art themes from artist Brian Steely, a heady, high-end concert-poster designer from Atlanta, into the packaging.

Orange Moon #2 smelled and tasted like a fruit punch Capri Sun.

You can see Compound ranging far and wide for strain names, because “everything is taken,” said Wagner. They’re often inspired by places, food or music. Black Amber on Gastro Pop #5 yielded the first sellout of the line: Gastro Funk. The cross to Compound’s hit Pink Certz is dubbed Nakamarra. The Apples and Bananas with Black Amber cross is called Shake Back and is sweet and fruity with a lot of potential keepers. The Pinana cross is dubbed Solazo. The Private Banana cross is called Tostones. Two standouts for me include Jahrassic and Orange Moon. Wagner shouted out the longtime San Francisco-based breeder and brand JAHnetics for the Jahmagic and Black Amber cross JAHrassic. I’m guessing the name

refers to how beastly these nugs are amid the era of runty strains. The winner of the bunch might be the Ice Cream Man #5 and Black Amber cross called Orange Moon, which name-checks singer, weed goddess and doula, Ms. Erykah Badu.

Orange Moon #2 smelled and tasted like a fruit punch Capri Sun with an orange Creamsicle finish.

“It’s wild,” Wagner said to the Leaf. “I don’t know why you’d be getting that off of Ice Cream Man and GMO.”

Meanwhile, Orange Moon #44 has a distinctive Jack terpene, aka terpinolene, which also comes out of nowhere, given the parentage.

Orange Moon #2 was also oddly racy and enervating like a sativa. Yet Orange Moon #44’s sativa smell hits much more hybrid and mellow than Orange Moon #2.

There are so many genes interacting here, you just kind of throw your hands up, set aside the bro logic and accept what your senses tell you.

With just five people, Compound Genetics casts a huge shadow as it chases “flavors by design” and “herb that checks all the boxes,” said Wagner. There should be some washers in here for hash heads, given the GMO, you’ll have to pop some packs and see.

The team has about 30 Black Amber phenotypes across eight strains that they have narrowed down to about nine keepers for potential licensing. They also held back Madvilliany, a Black Amber and Mad Rabbid cross that name checks MF Doom. Look for that strain to come out and sell out fast this summer.

Subscribe to their excellent email newsletter to stay abreast of their work, and drool over their gorgeous bud photos shot by California artist Ginja.Club.

Also, don’t miss Compound’s return of their hit Grape Gas cross, Mellowz, which came back in seed form June 12 at Mary Jane Berlin, along with its new crosses.

BLACK AMBER SEEDS

PHOTO BY DAVID DOWNS

COMPOUND GENETICS

ORANGE MOON COURTESY PHOTO

AFTERNOON DELIGHT

SHARING IS CARING WHEN IT COMES TO CANNABIS

annabis has always made more sense outdoors — it’s a plant. So it holds that the lifestyle around its consumption would flow that way, too: on patios, around fire pits, in backyards, where people settle into lawn chairs and accidentally stay until dark and sometimes fall asleep. It belongs to long conversations, warm evenings and the particular luxury of having nowhere else to be.

THAT WAS what I kept thinking about at Rose Buds, a recent first-time gathering hosted by Bri of Blazin With Bri and Erica of Alternative Standard in San Diego. They plan to make it an ongoing series. On a hot Sunday afternoon, a few dozen women spent several hours arranging flowers, rolling herb-infused joints, sharing flower from Moon Made Farms and doing something the Cannabis industry talks about constantly but the Man doesn’t always make easy: simply spending time together over a toke.

The setup was thoughtful without feeling overproduced. Erica’s floral company, Florera Era, led a bouquet workshop. Geli Taase — better known online as @geli.fication and as the founder of Antisocial CannaMom Club — hosted an intentional bong-hit station. There was brunch, flower, conversation and plenty of opportunities to wander from one activity to the next without feeling like you were missing something important. The whole shebang was sponsored by dispensary owner, author and Cannabis activist J.M. Balbuena.

My favorite part was that nobody seemed particularly interested in optimizing their afternoon. I’ve been to enough Cannabis events to recognize the usual rhythm. Conferences, networking mixers, launch parties, educational panels, trade shows. There is always another event somewhere on the calendar. Most of them are useful. Many are genuinely enjoyable. But they often carry the low-level hum of productivity. People are making connections, building businesses, introducing products and chasing opportunities. Even when everyone is having a good time, there is usually an underlying purpose, and it can feel stale after a time.

What we don’t have are many places where people can casually gather around Cannabis without a transaction attached.

Public consumption remains heavily restricted. Lounges are still relatively rare. Even in legal states, Cannabis is often something people purchase publicly and, I think, mostly consume privately. Access, as we know, isn’t exactly all there most places you go, even in California, the socalled home of Cannabis culture.

As a result, genuinely social Cannabis experiences still feel uncommon, and the irony is that Cannabis itself pushes people in the opposite direction: A joint passed around a circle changes the pace of a conversation almost immediately.

Stories get longer, tangents become the point. People stop worrying so much about what comes next. The ritual encourages lingering, which may be one of the reasons the plant has remained socially relevant for so long.

Watching people move through Rose Buds, I kept noticing how quickly strangers became familiar. Conversations expanded and contracted throughout the afternoon.

People drifted between flower arranging, rolling joints, sitting in the shade and talking. Some attendees arrived with friends; others came alone.

Not everyone worked in the industry, and those who did had plenty of other things to talk about: parenthood, fashion, politics, our childhoods.

The Cannabis industry talks constantly about community. Sometimes I wonder if we mistake proximity to the industry for community itself; I don’t think they’re automatically the same thing.

Community isn’t a panel discussion or networking opportunity, though, sure, it can be part of it. It’s not just a carefully curated marketing activation. Most of the time, it’s much less impressive than that. It’s people spending enough time together for familiarity to emerge.

“Not everyone worked in the industry, and those who did had plenty of other things to talk about ...”

It was at Rose Buds that I realized: The Cannabis industry has plenty of events, but what it lacks are social spaces. That’s a strange reality for a culture built around sharing joints.

We have dispensaries, brands, increasingly sophisticated products, celebrity partnerships, investor decks, educational seminars and every imaginable consumption format.

Rose Buds wasn’t memorable because of the flowers or the bong station, though both were lovely. It was memorable because it felt ordinary.

A group of people sitting outside, smoking weed, arranging flowers, talking for hours and lingering longer than they intended should not feel unusual in 2026 — but it actually still does. And I suspect it’s that way for many tokers across the nation, especially in less-legal states. That says as much about the state of Cannabis culture as any conference ever could.

STORY by JACKIE BRYANT

HEADY DAYS OFTHE SESH

Reminiscing about the Cannabis concentrate scene in the late 2010s

Back in my early days of smoking weed, I used to go to the Oaksterdam University student lounge to attend the movie nights. I was never a student at the world’s first Cannabis college, but I was a Cannabis enthusiast, and I loved the idea of being able to go to a lounge space and smoke with other people. It was there in the lounge, somewhere around 2013, when I saw my first dab rig. A person at the lounge showed me how to use it, and I immediately loved how high I got smoking Cannabis concentrates as opposed to flowers. Before the lounge closed, I bought my first dab rig for myself, a tiny pink beaker, which I coupled with a titanium nail and a butane torch that I acquired through my work as an editor at Cannabis Now magazine. The 2010s were the heyday for Cannabis concentrates. New extraction methods made butane hash oil more plentiful, and the dabbing culture began to rise. I used to call BHO “pizza box slabs” because I’d often see it drying in pizza boxes. During this time, other methods of Cannabis extraction also became popular. These were the days when I began to see ice water hash heated, pressed in parchment and smoked off the cleanest quartz nails.

My friend Allie Butler — the force behind the Hepburns brand, which made hash-infused joints — used to haul a giant industrial

press along with her to demos at dispensaries and press out fresh rosin from flowers that she squished. I loved how the culture that came up around Cannabis concentrates also meant new words. We’d laugh about not “chazzing” the nail, otherwise known as making sure there was no residue left on ultra-clean quartz bangers. People would bring bottles of isopropyl alcohol and Q-tips along with them to gatherings that we’d just call “the sesh.”

SESH AND SETTING

At first, I was dabbing exclusively from titanium nails heated with a butane torch. Later, I moved up to a tabletop e-rig that my work colleagues and I would plug in and attempt to take sneaky dabs off of in the Cannabis Now office. That first e-rig I tried had a ceramic nail that you would attach to your own glass piece.

Back in the 2010s, dabbing culture in the San Francisco Bay Area got so popular that concentrate enthusiasts would meet up all the time to sesh together. The sesh culture led to some strange places to get high. We dabbed in a pet store that was closed for the night. We dabbed in a Jewish synagogue, where one of our smoking circle buddies was the son of the rabbi. We dabbed in a gym. We dabbed at a biker bar. One time, I drove more than an hour away to dab at a roadhouse in the middle of nowhere.

Almost every week, we dabbed at parties hosted by Stoney Steve (also known as Little Stevie on

“Weed Wars”). At these parties, you’d sample all the concentrates first before buying them for prices that were much cheaper than the ones you’d find at dispensaries. At the end of the night, Stoney Steve would buy stacks of Little Caesars pizza for all of us who were stoned out of our minds.

Dabbing was huge at the 2014 High Times Cannabis Cup in Denver. I sampled a lot of dabs at that event and also went to a few private smoking clubs. One was inside the Grassroots hat store. Another was way the hell out of town near the highway. I loved the adventure of finding new places to get high.

E-RIGS DOMINATE THE SCENE

As dabbing culture continued to evolve, the e-rigs that came as all-in-one devices, complete with glass elements, started to dominate the scene. This meant no more butane torches to heat the nail. And while this method of dabbing did eventually take over because of the convenience of these e-rigs, some people still swear by the taste and high of concentrates heated by a butane torch.

BACK TO THE BEGINNING

I lived through the days of THCA diamonds. I watched live resin and live rosin come into being. I have all the dab accessories I could ever need. These days, the butter drawer in my fridge is filled with concentrates, and I still smoke them occasionally, but my heady days of dabbing have passed. When California made Cannabis legal for adult use, it killed the sesh scene.

At first, the underground Cannabis markets still existed due to the high taxes in the legal scene, but somewhere along the line, and I can’t mark just where, my Cannabis community stopped gathering together like we used to. In the years after COVID-19, nothing is the same. I will smoke with other people on occasion, but it’s nowhere near the levels that I did when I was less in tune with the potential health risks of sharing a dab rig.

Inthe yearsafter COVID-19, nothingis thesame.

Throughout my time smoking concentrates, I always enjoyed the traditional form of hashish. My main mentor in the weed game, esteemed Cannabis cultivation author Ed Rosenthal, once gifted me a hash hammer, which remains one of my prized possessions. Smoking traditional hash doesn’t require fancy equipment.

You can just put it on top of a bowl of flower in a pipe or sprinkle it into a joint. It’s been fun to watch hash holes become a product in the legal Cannabis market, but people have been rolling up hash “snakes” into joints for a long time.

Hash is always going to have its place as the beginning of Cannabis concentrate culture, and I’m sure we’ll continue to see the scene around dabbing evolve even further. For me, though, I will never be as high as regularly as I was back in the late 2010s. The sesh scene was a time that I miss because it brought me together with so many different people. The only real thing we had in common was that we liked to get really, really high. And, fueled by the encouragement of my weedy community, I got the highest back then. Here’s to stoney nostalgia — maybe I’ll pick up the torch again tonight.

Ellen Holland is a San Francisco Bay Area-based freelance writer, the former editor of High Times and the author of multiple books, including "Weed: Smoke It, Eat It, Grow It, Love It" (2024).

ADOBE STOCK

Page Burner

This month’s reading sesh setup: a fresh jar of hash, a summer afternoon rainstorm and a couch you’re not planning to leave anytime soon. Load a glob on that dab tool and dive into the Leaf's lineup of page-turning thrillers.

middle

of the night by Riley Sager @riley.sager

Two boys fall asleep camping in the backyard of their idyllic suburban neighborhood, but only one wakes up in the tent. This story spans a 30-year search for a missing best friend with an ending you truly won’t see coming.

my husband's wife by Alice Feeney @alicewriterland

A woman goes out for a run. But when she returns home, her key doesn’t quite fit the front door, and her husband doesn’t recognize her. Nothing is as it seems at Spyglass, a mysterious mansion built into the cliffside of Hope Falls.

listen for the lie by Amy Tintera @amytintera

Lucy hasn’t seen the small Texas town she grew up in after being the prime suspect in her best friend’s murder — an unsolved crime she’s never remembered committing. Years later, she’s forced to return and confront her past when a hot new podcast reopens the case.

the

lake escape by Jamie Day @jamiedaybooks

Three best friends, two missing women and one annual Vermont lake trip that quickly turns dark when a new girlfriend disappears after an argument at the same shoreline.

the

compound by Aisling Rawle

Twenty beautiful contestants wake up in a remote desert compound, competing on a live-streamed reality show for communal necessities and luxury rewards. While alliances soon form, only one can win the ultimate fame and fortune.

CULTIVATED BY SVIN GARDEN

Amaretto Amaretto

Sour Sour

This strain really gets the juices flowing in more ways than one. On your palate, the immediate onset is sweet, fruity and floral goodness followed by an enjoyable sour, citrusy finish. Amaretto Sour by Svin Garden is definitely one to share with friends or write home about.

AMARETTO SOUR was created by combining genetics from a Zkittlez and Animal Mints cross with a Biscotti and Sherb BX cross, and these behemoth parent strains all come through with their strengths. From consistent terpenes and high-trichome content to dense structure and highs that consistently inspire the user to get out there with a positive attitude: This is what some may call a perfect mix — or crescendo — of hybrid Cannabis. The popularity speaks for itself. Commercially selling out days after it’s made available, you might have to seek this strain out, but it’s well worth it and fresh. As always, we recommend starting by asking your favorite local budtender if they carry Svin Garden.

This hardworking team from north Snohomish County functions like a well-oiled machine (pun intended). They have built the farm from the ground up with hard work and dedication that shows through in the amazing Cannabis products they produce. Svin doesn’t sacrifice its values or cut corners anywhere in the operation. You can tell the focus is 100% on quality, not quantity. If it’s not something the team would personally ingest, they wouldn’t put a Svin Garden label on it. Focusing on numbers does not equate to focusing on growing the highest-quality marijuana, and that mantra speaks for itself here on this farm.

This flower was hands-down amazing. The thick nugs had bag appeal with the light green color completely frosted with crystals, the dark orange hairs and the divine scent that made our skin tingle. It had a clean, pungent taste that shows a plant is grown in a time-tested, true coconut-coir mixture.

Svin has various products that don’t just meet, but exceed our expectations. Prerolls are made from nothing but the best nugs. The hand-packed and curated jars of high-quality flowers and concentrates manage to retain the amazing flavors of these plants and provide an exceptionally clean high. These reasons, among others, are why we chose Svin Garden’s Amaretto Sour as our Strain of the Month!

When it comes to concentrates, there are so many factors for consumers to consider. Brands, strains, physical consistencies, extraction methodologies and terpene compositions. The list is practically exhaustive. Knowledge is power, but the amount of information one needs to make an informed decision in the modern-day Cannabis industry can be overwhelming.

SIEVING UP THE TRUTH

FOR HASH, and hash rosin specifically, there’s a metric that seems to be getting more attention and creating more confusion among prospective dabbers. In 2026, it’s fairly uncommon to pick up a jar and not see some variation of numbers and words like “90u”, “70u-119u” or “full spectrum” printed on the label. This number, or range of numbers, indicates the size of trichome heads, or resin granules, in micrometers that were extracted to create the product contained within.

WASH, SIFT, SEPARATE

Before we both literally and figuratively get into the weeds here, it may be helpful to review the process by which most modern-day hashish is made. Hashish can be broken down into two categories: dry sift and ice water hash.

Ice water hash, also known as bubble hash, is made by agitating flower in a container of ice-cold water to separate the resin-containing trichomes from the rest of the plant material. Instead of sieving the product with metal screens, as in dry-sift hashish processing, layered microfine mesh bags with variously sized holes are used to collect the resin into distinct strata.

A MATTER OF MICRONS

Regardless of which extraction process is utilized, these microns dictate the gauge, or diameter, of resin particles that are collected during the wash process.

While dimensions and settings can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, sizes typically range from the smallest hole, 25 microns (μm), to 40 or 45μm, 70 or 73μm, 90μm, 120μm, 160μm, 190μm and upward of 220 or 224μm (the largest hole).

This raises the question: What is the ideal micron size or range for the best consumer experience? And through what metrics are we measuring quality itself?

THE SWEET SPOT

“Usually 70u to 159u is the common thing, and the prime stuff is from 90u to 159u,” Camden, of Pua Extractions and processor for Nelson and Company,

The Great Micron Debate

explained. “But for some strains, it can be anywhere between 70u and 224u. Some plants hold onto their plant material so well that the 160u comes out really clean and flavorful.”

“We sell 70u to 159u on the market,” Jonah Miller of Whale Oil Extracts said. “I will sometimes enter (a portion of) the 90u in competitions because it’s usually a bit lighter, sometimes a little bit wetter. … But for me personally, I like 120u.”

Yet, some marketing in both recreational and traditional spaces seems to assert (through pricing, if nothing else) that resin collected via the 90μm bag represents the “best” or highest quality possible, with products made from material found in other ranges representing a less ideal, or less “premium” version.

“I fear equating micron ranges or a specific isolated micron to quality may be doing the customer a disservice,” said Stefan Howansky, Oregon Leaf’s Budtender of the Month at AmeriCanna RX. “The 45 to 73 of one plant can be vastly different than another. … I’ve seen grams in the 90u to 149u range that look green.”

NUMBERED NUANCES

It may seem like these numbers serve as an easy reference point for shoppers to judge products, but in reality, micron size might not be a foolproof way to discern hash quality.

“For full melt, certain strains do produce the best melt at 90 microns, but you can also land on any micron, whether it’s the 40, 25, the 70, the 90, 120 or 160u,” Anthony O’Bannon of Roots Rosin and hash maker for Brave Hearts and Lower Left Organics said. “I’ve done side-by-side comparisons of the same strain 73u to 159u and 90u in rosin. The 90u is good, don’t get me wrong, but you’re losing out on some of the profile from the whole fresh frozen plant.”

While it seems that 90μm can be a sweet spot for many cultivars, it isn’t always the case. Some selections, like Chem D, Death Coast and GMO, produce bigger heads on average.

SIZE BY DESIGN

Cannabis breeder Shwale of Farmhouse Studio has spent years researching trichome adaptations and intentionally crossing strains to produce genetics with colossal, multigland trichomes.

“The multi-gland trichomes correlate with larger glands and a kind of adaptation to make them even bigger,” Shwale explained. “There's something going on with the genetics that the plant is going, ‘Hey, I should wall off and separate it to where, if (the resin gland) bursts, it’s not as big of a deal.’ … Whenever you measure the multigland trichome itself, it will usually be about 220u or something altogether.”

Larger glands mean more resin, which, in turn, correlates to higher yields during wash. Despite the bulky trichomes intrinsic to Shwale’s genetics, the quality of the resin being processed can still be considered “premium” outside of the isolated 90u.

EVERYTHING ELSE ENTIRELY

Even when the resin distribution is ideal in any individual cultivar being processed, there are still so many variables between growing and hash making that can impact the quality of the end result: the grow medium, use of nutrients, cleanliness of the grow environment or lab, day harvested in the growth cycle, how the flower was handled, fresh-frozen timing, number or length of washes, heck, even the shape of the paddle or machine used during processing!

These factors significantly impact the product's flavor clarity, medicinal value and overall cleanliness. Of all those important factors, not one is consistently or reliably reflected in the information on the average jar.

So, here’s the scoop — there isn’t really a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to the microns used in hash production. While some cultivars will have a resin distribution that leads to the highest-quality output falling mostly in the 90μm isolated range, other strains might wash at a higher yield and produce a better end product in other

Whatis the ideal micron size orrangeforthe best consumer experience?

ranges. Additionally, separating microns may protect cleanliness or melt quality in some cases, but it could also be removing some nuance from the expression, including important flavor or medicinal features that dabbers are actively looking for.

EXPLORE, EXPERIMENT, EVOLVE

We know that, in most cases, producers aren’t trying to deceive shoppers. They’re just trying to keep up with a constantly evolving industry. But on a systematic level, it’s still crucial for consumers to explore, experiment and learn about their own preferences when it comes to Cannabis.

It’s similarly paramount for brands to present information in a way that is clear to prospective customers. At the end of the day, we want to make sure we don’t fall into the complacency of propping up any one variable as an end-all, be-all way to quantify quality because that strategy hasn’t gone particularly well in the past (we’re looking at you, THC percentages).

Hype has its place in marketing, but if we want Cannabis to remain an accessible alternative to pharmaceuticals, it’s essential to empower consumers to be more knowledgeable in the way that they access the plant medicine, especially when it comes to concentrates. After all, with great hash comes great responsibility.

REVIEWS

Oleum Extracts Runtz Cured Resin All-In-One

Thick and creamy with bright, sour notes of Z terps and an iced-lemon, gas-earth finish, this Runtz-cured resin is smooth and delicious. It slowed my mind and relaxed my body as a heavy, stoned euphoria took hold. oleumlabs.com @oleumlabs_

Homies Cannabis Co. Papaya Magnetic All-In-One

Friends hang together, and when it comes to their magnetic vapes, they stick together, too! With beautiful packaging and the ability to combine two vapes into one super hit, this doubled-up disposable delivers a tropical rush of gassy papaya that ignites the senses in stoney euphoria. It’s built to share and make new homies. homescannabisco.com @homiescannabisco

Loot Bar Berry Pie Liquid Diamondz All-In-One

Dive in and secure the loot with each puff of delicious iced berries and frosted gassy pie that oozes from this sleek disposable. It slaps the senses with high-potency liquid diamonds that have effects ideal for a gaming sesh. lootbarvapes.com | @lootbarvape

Constellation Cannabis

Cali Swiss Rosin All-In-One

Throw some cheese on the psyche for lunch and get baked on the go with the Cali Swiss, a cross of UK Cheese and Purple Punch that feels like a toasted Quiznos advertisement: melty! The first inhales are full of ripe berries, gassy-lemon funk and a creamy, pinehaze finish that’s freshly baked — every hit. constellationcannabis.com @constellationcan

The Farmers Market Berry Blast All-In-One

Blow clouds of bright berries that burst with a potent pop, covering the senses in fresh raspberry and blueberry essences that are discreet, delicious and packed into a high-tech disposable that’s ready for public seshing. thefarmersmarketwa.com | @thefarmersmarketwa

REVIEWS

Bodhi Hawaiian Rain

Live Resin

Liquid Diamonds All-In-One

Sleek, purple and embossed with diamonds: this high-tech disposable is dripping with terps from Hawaiian Rain, a cross of London Pound Cake and Kush Mints bred with Jealousy. The first tokes are clean and bright, with minty kush and a cakey, earthy, fuel-filled exhale that brightens the senses and delivers creative energy perfect for tackling daytime projects. bodhibrands.com @bodhi.high.extracts

Clouds Oil Tanker

Live Resin All-In-One

Bred by Surfr Seeds, this cross of Motorbreath #15 and Trophy Wife rips in live resin, delivering sour gas and sugared lemons that rev up the creative energy with each smooth, cloudy exhale. optimumextracts.com | @optimum_extracts_us

Heylo Sex Panther All-In-One

Straight from “Anchorman” lore, Sex Panther shines with 11% total terpenes and 8.1% CBC inside a full-spectrum carbon dioxide extract. A hit sends waves of smooth, warm and earthy notes that blend piney-kush, lemon, vanilla and gas, with a sweet citrus exhale that’s great for giggles and silly movies. heylocannabis.com @heylocannabis

Rove Magic Melon

Melted Diamonds

Live Resin Pod

Pop in a Magic Melon pod, take a pull and float away into dreamy fields of bright, fresh-squeezed citrus and melons that melt into THC diamonds for a smooth and mellow buzz. rovebrand.com @rovebrand.us

New Standard

Lemon Punch Rosin All-In-One

Luscious lemons crash into earthy, piney, gassy funk with flavor that will wake up a Sasquatch and smack the senses. The ripe-berry exhale is euphoric, exhilarating and perfectly stoney. newstandard710.com @newstandard710

REVIEWS

Skörd Broke Da Mouth Resin

Throw down on island vibes with this ripper of a resin, whose name in pidgin describes incredibly delicious treats. Bred by Sin City Seeds, this heady cross of Sin Soda and Key Lime Pie smacks the palate, overloading senses with ripe, in-your-face notes of fermented red berries, sour-lime fuel and a funky, cake-frosting finish that’s everything everywhere all at once. Dabs deliver the promise, breaking the mind into a puddle of deliciousness. iskord.com | @skord_wa

Mwah Peach Perfection Disposable

Fresh and ready to change the game, the Mwah all-in-one is the hottest new vibe to hit the pen market. Packaged and designed like high-end lip gloss, this hit is for our fashion divas and stoner baddies who want flavor, looks and effects all in one glossy toke. Full of fresh peaches and an uplifting, euphoric buzz, Mwah Peach Perfection is the lip gloss you will want to apply again and again. gimmemwah.com @gimmemwah

Royal Tree Gardens

Ice Cream Cake x Kush Mints Terp Sauce

All-In-One

It’s dabs-for-dessert time, and we love the full-flavor experience of these terp-sauce carts, which deliver thick, cakey clouds that exhale with a sharp minty, gassy and kush-filled tang that brightens the palate and dulls the senses with a sedating, floating buzz set to Netflix and vibe. royaltreegardens.com @royaltree.gardens

West Coast Gold Gum Gum Fruit Cartridge

First it’s sweet, and then it’s sour, with a sativa zing that recharges our stoner tanks for sunny daze. This Gum Gum Fruit is fun to say and even better to rip, as it delivers floaty and heady hits of bubble gum-Kush funk with each satisfying toke. westcoastgoldwa.com @amerikan.wcg

Dabstract Strange Lemons Live Resin All-In-One

Stroll through fields of fermented Kushy lemons that shine through a dark, rubber marker, fuel shimmer that brings complexity and sour notes to this stoney live resin that’s ready to get uncomfortably high in public. dabstract.com | @dabstract.official

REVIEWS

Oleum Extracts

Super Boof Live Resin

Swim into waves of warm, fizzy oranges that dance in a rush of earthy and funky Sprite sips, smacking frontal lobes with heady gas. This Super Boof sends the mind racing with each inhale, surging with creative stoner energy that’s ready for sunny daze. oleumlabs.com @oleumlabs_

Bodhi God’s Gift Terp Batter Live Resin

Relax and unwind with this golden terp batter that oozes with warming notes of lavender gas, vanilla cookies and a piney, cakey, Kush finish that’s ready for beach and chill vibes. Citrus notes brighten with low-temperature dabs, sending waves of floaty serenity to the mind and body with each inhale. bodhibrands.com | @bodhi.high.extracts

Lifted Cannabis Blue Lobster Resin

Cured resin rips from the see-through signature disposable by Lifted, sending waves of creamy berries and fuel-like citrus and banana sap that wash over the senses, coating the palate in candied gas as the mind floats away, one puff at a time. liftedcannabisco.com | @lifted502

Agro Couture

Tropical Punch

Diamonds and Sauce

Diamonds are forever, but they’re best served saucy with delicious liquid terps oozing with tropical notes of ripe guava, lemongrass, vanilla and fuel to round out a complex and delicious flavor profile. Melting the diamonds sends a huge rush of THC to the brain, turning the mind into a puddle that’s ready for a sunny day beach nap. agrocouture.com @agrocouture

Cloud 9 Farms

Rainbow Kush Resin Cartridge

Taste the rainbow with each juicy cloud of Rainbow Kush resin, which covers the palate in fruity glue and sour, gassy, rubber, Kush notes that are sweet, sour and super powerful, relaxing the mind and body into a happy, couch locked puddle. @cloud9farmsi502

This product has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming Cannabis can impair concentration, coordination, and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product For use only by adults 21 and older Keep out of the reach of children

REVIEWS

Slab Mechanix Garlic Cookies Live Resin

Smacking the palate with a flavor only a stoner could love, this gorgeous gold en live resin reeks of mothballs, sour garlic, rubbery cookies and sharp fuel that ignites the senses before dulling them in a heavy stoney bliss that’s ready for milk and cookies. slabmechanix.com | @slabmechanix

Dabstract Wedding Sunset Icing Live Resin

We love sunsets at 9 p.m. paired with the sultry, complex notes of the Wedding Sunset. Golden icing glistens with terps and thick, warming notes of iced cookies, lemon-cherry gas and a tropical sunset Sherb finish that’s mouthwatering, delivering stoney relaxation that’s ready for after-dark adventures. dabstract.com @dabstract.official

West Coast Gold

GMO Badder

This is really raw, funky, turn-your-nose-up-to-11 badder. It’s akin to Grandpa’s mouth odor meets garlic, mushroom and onion, plus a lot of gas and glue, all oozing from a gorgeous golden badder. Low-temperature dabs deliver smooth, gluey clouds that fog the mind and relax the body for afternoon dab naps. westcoastgoldwa.com @amerikan.wcg

Cloud 9 Farms Cap Junky Live Resin

Sour, loud and funky, this Cap Junky is ready to blast the mind off into a melted puddle of interdimensional stoniness. Raw lemons melt into jet fuel, with a candied Skunk finish that captivates senses in preparation for summer adventures. @cloud9farmsi502

Canna Organix

Do-Si-Dos Live Rosin

This new old-school cut of Girl Scout Cookies and Face Off OG is all gas, no brakes, and it shines from the living soil at Canna Organix. Bright, gassy and extra OG straight from the jar, the first hits deliver a smackdown of Cookies and fuel that put our day in race mode. cannaorganix.com @cannaorganixwa

Kelso (360) 636-0420

Longview (360) 703-3229

Cathlamet (360) 849-4504

Ilwaco (360) 261-7200

REVIEWS

Lazy Bee Gardens

GM-O-Nuts Live Rosin

Live from the living-soil greenhouses of eastern Washington comes gorgeous, single-source rosin that’s ready to smack the senses with a funk so stanky it makes the stoners go nuts. Sour-Z funk melts into fermented garlic and mothballed honey vanilla that’s as delicious as it is overwhelming, washing away anxiety and stress with a heady, chillaxed high that’s ready for a bowl of cereal. lazybeegardens.com @lazybeegardens

New Standard Lava Cake Solventless Jam

If life imitates art, this jam reminds us of dessert in the best way, delivering thick, frosted gas that’s ready to ice our minds like a freshly baked cake. The first inhales are creamy, terpy and full of rich, gassy cookie flavor that wraps the mind and body in a classic stoned-with-munchies high. newstandard710.com | @newstandard710

Pushin G’s Boof Rosin

Boof has done it all; from becoming a bad word to growing into a coveted strain. From the terp-loving homies at Pushin G’s, jellied sorbet teases from the Boof jar, with syrupy-sweet notes of candied lemons and orange peels frosted with fizzy gas. Perfectly gentle yet loud at the same time, the first hits reveal creamy Dreamiscle flavor with an energetic, thoughtful and creative buzz. loscoolerboyz.com @pushin_g’s710

Kush Family Originals Honey Banana Ghost Rosin

From the OGs who created the Ghost strain comes a hauntingly beautiful Honey Banana cross that shines like a bowling ball of terps ready to get wrecked. The first notes are creamy-candied bananas, honeyed Z terps and a breathy, ghosted-gassy finish that’s screamworthy. Low-temp dabs blow smooth clouds like an old-school horror flick, rich with thick Honey Banana-gas that’s a siton-the-couch-and-gigglewhile-drooling high. @kushfamilyogs

Parks & Recreation

Acadia Blueberry Live Resin

Emerge from June-gloom hibernation and light up your summer with these “blue bearies” that are ready to deliver happy munchies worthy of a long winter nap. Golden live resin is shaped into a gummy bear mold, shimmering with terps and releasing the scent of creamy berries and vanilla-citrus haze. This one sends us hunting for snacks after big, smooth hits. parksandrec.com @parksandrec502

REVIEWS

Method Dark Rainbow Live Rosin

Dark, fermented and funky, these rainbows ooze with bright, candied berries and citrus tossed in a gluey-sour fuel that’s ready to rain terps on our happy heads. The first low-temp inhale enhances the funky raw fruit with creamy gas that coats the mind in a happy, floating euphoria we consider a good daze, rain or shine. curationsco.com | @method_502

Heavenly Buds

Tally Mon Live Rosin

Relax into summertime vibes with the tropical-gas rush that brings notes of the parent strains that make up this classic: Papaya, Banana OG and Do-Si-Dos. Low-temp dabs bring out the banana fuel and papaya funk, relaxing the system with an uplifting, giggly and chillaxed buzz that’s great for the beach. heavenlybuds.com @heavenlybuds

Royal Tree Gardens Honey Mimosa Hash Rosin

Golden honey drips over kushy flower petals and warm orange peels with a hazy tropical-fuel finish that smells sweet but hits hard. It smacked my frontal lobes with each syrupy inhale, melting me into a happy puddle of euphoria. royaltreegardens.com @royaltree.gardens

Dungeness Dank

Milk Offendo Hash Rosin

Explore the depths of the Pacific Northwest’s deep-sea brand with a creamy, sour, gassy-garlic nose that calls all the funk-loving dab crabs to this melting pot of terps. Low-temp dabs reveal smooth, funky exhales that deliver a swirl of heavy indica effects that rock the mind like a ship in a storm. dungenessdank.com @dungenessdank

Constellation Cannabis Guayaba Live Rosin

It’s hard to pronounce, but so easy to dab. We love this heady cross of Carambola and Rockers that entices and teases senses with notes of fermented guava, rubbery rose petals and creamy lemon curd, with a kiss of fuel that had us drooling while loading a fat dab. Low-temp inhales are indulgently smooth, tropical and syrupy-sweet, sending waves of stoney bliss over the mind and body with each terpy toke. constellationcannabis.com | @constellationcan

REVIEWS

Lifted Cannabis

Blue Lobster OG Live Badder

Lobster and butter go hand in hand, but we prefer lobster badder to get our minds and body ready for edible adventures. This golden badder reeks of raw, sour gas and earthy Cookies frosting. There is also a definitively Blue Marker, citrus finish that dazzles the senses. Low-temperature inhales melt the mind into a stoned euphoria that’s baddered, buddered and ready for dinner. liftedcannabisco.com @lifted502

Heavenly Buds

Super Boof Rosin

Indulge in complex notes of earthy cherries, fresh-squeezed citrus and gas that oozes from this golden rosin, promising fields of euphoric stoney oranges as the dab heats up. The hit sent notes of honey and fizzy fuel straight to the brain for super-stoner energy with each hit. heavenlybuds.com | @heavenlybuds

Lazy Bee Gardens

Miracle Alien Cookies Live Rosin

A classic cross of Alien Cookies, Colombian and Starfighter, this rosin is light gold and glistening with terps, fuelled by notes of sour cookies, hashy earthyness and a bright, hazy finish that represents the best of all three parent strains. Low-temp dabs ignite a gassy, grassy, sugar-rush that slows time, enhances senses and relaxes joints for impromptu daband-dance seshes. lazybeegardens.com @lazybeegardens

Magic Gardens

Twinkiez #4 Hash Rosin

Like Woody Harrelson’s character in “Zombieland,” we can’t get enough Twinkies, except ours are in a delicious rosin form. Perfectly light golden and glittering with terps, this single-source rosin oozes with fermented, rubbery cookies frosted with sour citrus and rose petals and a smack of ammonia-fuel. It ignites the senses before wrecking them with heavy, mind-melting effects that had us ready to eat the one snack guaranteed to survive the apocalypse. @magicgardensofhash

Buyers Club

In March, a bevy of the best retailers and vendors in Washington gathered for the first-annual Northwest Leaf Buyers Club.

THE LEAF’S OWN SPEED-DATING EVENT FOR CANNABIS brought together the carefully curated collection of elite operators for one purpose: To generate new collaborative business opportunities for all involved.

The exclusive, invite-only daytime portion of the event was packed with scheduled meetings between matched-up vendors and retail buyers, offering each the chance to explore the potential benefits of working together.

Then, as the whistle blew to mark the end of business, the gates opened to the broader community for an evening of music, games, snacks and celebratory networking.

We at the Leaf loved bringing the community together for this event, and look forward to sharing repeat successes as we continue uniting the best of the best for the Buyers Club each fall and spring. Hopefully we’ll see you at the next one in September 2026!

Best of Buyers Club

Slab Mechanix Garlic Cookies Nug-run Sugar

This smooth hitter comes straight out of Tacoma. The garlic flavor is unmistakable on the palate, but not overpowering. The smoothness associated with Cookies crosses is very present, making this hybrid a soothing inhalation experience. The high took effect in stages: first, it was warm and uplifting; then, about 15 to 20 minutes later, the effect grew exponentially into higher vibrations. This created a really nice, relaxing stone that continued on for about 45 minutes. Then, we hit it again just to make sure, and the effects and tastes were consistent. slabmechanix.com @slabmechanix | Review by Rex Hilsinger @borophoto

Panacea Blue Zushi Rosin Stix

This is another great product from the minds over at Panacea Cannabis Company. The flavor is unmistakable. An immediate sweetness, followed by the essence of dark berries, greets you. This is then complemented by a subtle smokiness that most infused joints can not claim. We found the burn to be easy on the throat and extremely even. This generally indicates that the ideal ratio of concentrates was added, perfectly punching up the high to another level. @panacea_farms_ | Review by Rex Hilsinger @borophoto

Method Maui Lobster (Maui Skunk Dog x Blue Lobster)

Our initial impression of Maui Lobster was very clear: This is some strong flower! The flavor profile comes on really clean. Hints of mint, lemon and berries are paired with a woody finish and mouthwatering exhale. We would also qualify this one as creamy. It didn’t leave us wanting for a dab, and, honestly, we forgot to keep smoking more bong hits after the first round. curationsco.com @method_502 | Review by Rex Hilsinger @borophoto

Stoner Brothers Lemon Cherry Gelato

Flower from this farm always hits hard right off the bat, and this is no exception. The pungent likeness to Cookies, which is part of this strain’s lineage, runs through your taste buds like a freight train. Then the cerebral high seems to just keep coming as you start to notice some floral hints in the juicy aftertaste. This one is a flavor experience you will be coming back for. stnrbros.com @stnrbros | Review by Rex Hilsinger @borophoto

MZ. A Tree Flip Flowers

This flower’s front flavor is like running through the woods, with its essence of pine, sweetness like honey and smooth, clean burn. The effects are strong, and the buzz holds its strength for a good deal of time. We really liked the scent of snapping one of these dark, frosty nugs; it was kind of like a cross between a grandma’s attic and her delicious pie. @ladymz_a | Review by Rex Hilsinger @borophoto

Best of Buyers Club

Yeti Scat Trails Swamp Donkey Traditional Hash

Traditional hash is making a huge comeback, and it’s due to brands like Yeti Scat Trails helping lead the way for consumers to find good old-fashioned strains. Swamp Donkey’s scent is very earthy, but it has a taste reminiscent of plums. The ash burns very clean, and the higher we got, the more we wanted. This is definitely a must-try for any old-school head, or if you are new to traditional hash, this is a quality starting point. yetiscattrails.com @yetiscattrails

Los Cooler Boyz Sour Diesel Preroll

The Los Cooler Boyz preroll is a serious up-and-coming legend. This joint features a glass tip with the crutch still in place, keeping everything where it’s supposed to be. No runners here — this one burns very evenly. Strain-wise, Sour Diesel is a sure bet and stands the test of time. Diesel fuel flavors hit you right away, and your aches and pains seem to disappear immediately. You may notice that this one will get you up off the couch with a smile. It’s great for hiking and taking in the beauty of the outdoors. @loscoolerboyz | Review by Rex Hilsinger @borophoto

(White Truffle x Trop Cherry)

Beautifully frosted light-green buds shine with trichomes in a mix of purples and red hairs, giving this flower lovely jar appeal. This cross oozes with ripe red cherries, dank truffles and citrus gas that shines as smooth as it hits, with bright-cherry fuel that melts the mind, slows time and prepares the body for couch-locked shenanigans. vikingcannabis.com @viking.cannabis | Review by Wes Abney @beardedlorax

Saints Joints Artist Series Five-Pack

Since day one, Saints Joints has led the art-in-packaging movement with its Artist Series boxes that are truly collectible. They feature amazing custom imagery made by real humans, and inside, there is more creative fuel. The five-strain run of GMO, OG Kush, Candy Gas, MAC and Grape Gas we tried was perfect for throwing in a trail backpack or beach bag. saintsjoints.com @saintsjointsart | Review by Wes Abney @beardedlorax

Best of Buyers Club

Lazy Bee Powderhound

Grown in the sun with love, the Powderhound stuns in its all-glass container, which shows the entire bud structure with gorgeous lime-green bud and frosty trichomes. Popping the jar open releases a rush of summertime terpenes, with the Jack Herer shining through a hazy citrus-honey aroma that sends visions of sunshine to the mind. Smooth and sweet, this dazed sativa sent us into happy mode, ready for wildflowers, hikes and sunshine. lazybeegardens.com

111 Ranch Guava Nectar Tier 1 Rosin

Escape to the tropics with an energetic rush of bright, floral guava and a creamy, funky, fuel-filled kick that crashes into the frontal lobes, melting the mind into a euphoric puddle of happiness that’s ready for the beach. 111ranch.com @111ranch | Review by Wes Abney @beardedlorax

Seattle Marijuana Company Blackberry Pie Shatter J’s

Shatter your boring day with bright notes of freshly baked blackberries and creamy pie that satisfy like the most delicious stoney dessert, filling the mind with visions of bakeries and a happy chillaxed buzz. seattlemarijuanaco.com @seattlemarijuanaco | Review by Wes Abney @beardedlorax

Dungeness Dank Permanent Marker Hash Rosin

For the permanent record: We love this Marker cut that shines in rosin form. It is golden and oozing with sharp gas-rub ber-ink notes tempered by vanilla-lemon-fuel that’s droolworthy. Low-temp dabs of it slap the brain with a funky dunk that slows time into stoner motion. dungenessdank.com @dungenessdank | Review by Wes Abney @beardedlorax

Rove Granddaddy Purp Melted Diamonds Pods

Rove where you want to, but don’t forget the Melted Diamonds! Sleek and embossed, these pod pens let you swap strains fast. They hit with huge clouds of juicy berries and gassy purps that are great for an adventure. rovebrand.com @rovebrand.us | Review by Wes Abney @beardedlorax

Bodhi PURE, terpene-rich, ﬂavorful, and uplifting vape moments every

Best of Buyers Club

Lifted Cannabis Co. Electric Peanut Butter Cookies Cured Resin All-In-Ones

We love this see-through vape, along with its golden, cured resin. It has visible internal electronics and a branded light-up screen that reminds us of a happy face, which is what we had after ripping the always-stoney Lifted oil. We took in thick clouds of sharp, earthy, fuel-filled gas that were creamy and full of raw cookies that smacked into the frontal lobes, leaving a satisfying, euphoric, puddled brain. liftedcannabisco.com @lifted502

Review by Wes Abney @beardedlorax

Clarity Farms Loconut Oil 500mg THC per bottle

Sunshine is here, and it’s time to go loco with this heavily infused coconut oil from Clarity Farms. This topical has 500mg of THC per bottle, packing a huge potency into a small amount of oil. Ideal for muscle rubs, tanning or adding to any infused recipe, Loconut Oil can power a party this summer. clarityfarms.net @clarityfarmswa

Review by Wes Abney @beardedlorax

Kelly’s Sweet Hash Edibles Dubai Chocolate Mini Waffle Cones 10mg THC

Mini Waffle Cones from Kelly’s kitchen are an indulgent edible hit, with amazing options like Cookie Butter, Salted Caramel and a trendy new flavor that hits as hard as the Burj Khalifa is tall — it’s 2,717 feet high!

The Dubai Chocolate cones have a green frosting drizzle over chocolate, which provides a satisfying crunch that releases a gooey pistachio-paste interior with a kiss of hash flavor, reminding the mind that this delicious treat is infused with love. kellyssweethashedibles.com @kellyssweethash | Review by Wes Abney @beardedlorax

Swifts Dubai Truffles: 10mg THC, 30mg CBD and 10mg CBN

Double down on Dubai chocolate with these indulgent truffles from Swifts that feel like a vacation for the palate and the mind. Infused with rosin and packing a heady punch of THC, CBD and CBN, these treats hit hard, which is dangerous since they’re so delicious. Each chocolate cube snaps open to reveal a creamy, crunchy pistachio filling with a hint of rosin, melting away on the palate and into the brain. wa.swiftsedibles.com @swifts.edibles.wa

Review by Wes Abney @beardedlorax

Blaze the Path toLuxury

Warning - this may be habit forming. Unlawful outside washington state. It’s illegal to operate a motor vehicle while under the influence of cannabis. Smoking is hazardous to your health.

Best of Buyers Club

Sky High Gardens Sundae Ecstasy

Cultivated in downtown Seattle since 2013, Sky High Gardens has focused on crafting fire cuts of Cannabis like the Sundae Ecstasy, a cross of Sundae Driver and Trop Cherry that’s frosted like a Christmas tree. Ripe with dark cherries, creamy diesel and earthy, funky, tropical fruit, this strain ignites senses with smooth tokes that are ready for chillaxing, Sundae style. skyhighgardens.net | @skyhighgardensseattle | Review by Wes Abney @beardedlorax

Bacon’s Buds Pomelo Punch

Skip the traditional cocktail hour and go straight to stoned with this living-soil fire from Bacon’s Buds. The Pomelo Punch is a cross of Orange Mintz and Papaya, which shines from the jar with fizzy, minty and fruit-punch notes that melt into citrus, papaya and gas for a complex and mouthwatering flavor profile. First tokes are smooth and sweet, sending a relaxing wave of happy hour vibes to the mind and body. baconsbuds.com | @baconsbuds

Photo by Rex Hilsinger @borophoto

Method White Zerbert

Growing award-winning Cannabis in Spokane, Method has earned a reputation for top-shelf flower and unique cuts like the White Zerbert, a cross of Blue Sherbert and Zkittles. Dark purple and covered in frosty trichomes and red hairs, this chunky flower reeks of brilliant blue sherbet and berries with a funky gas that promises a happy, giggly buzz to come. First tokes are syrupy and leave the palate smacking with Z terps as a couch-locked Netflix-and-eat high takes hold. curationsco.com | @method_502 | Review by Wes Abney @beardedlorax

Doghouse Gas Face

Going into the Doghouse isn’t a bad thing; it’s the grow producing fire top-shelf cuts with craft, old-school methodology. Gas Face is beautiful and chunky, with thick foxtail buds that are purpled and completely covered in trichomes. Opening the jar releases a rush of overwhelming sour gas and funky garlic-citrus-marker scent that crinkles the nose in the best way possible. Superbly smooth, the smoke grips the lungs and delivers a huge smackdown of indica effects that build from the chest out, wrapping the body in a warm, stoney hug. @doghouse_washington

Review by Wes Abney @beardedlorax

DISPENSARY

“I'm also constantly inspired by the women, queer artists and other minority artists in our community. Working in a male-dominated industry isn't always easy, and seeing us carve out space and succeed is hot, and I love seeing it.”

In 2007, Danielle

Wieboldt started her glass journey when she was 20. In her words:

“The glass industry helped raise me.”

LOOKING BACK, I feel lucky to have entered the industry when it was still fairly underground,” Wieboldt said.

What’s she cooking with, you might ask? She prefers her GGT Delta Elite for its deep penetrating flame and her Smith hand torch that has a custom Blast Shield tip on it.

When the Leaf asked Wieboldt who currently inspires her in the glass world, she said, “Honestly, I'm really inspired by the next generation of glass artists right now. They have access to platforms and opportunities that didn't exist when I started. It helps push the craft forward and motivates me to keep evolving while staying on top of trends and not get stuck doing the same old things. Basically, reminding me to just have fun.”

Wieboldt added, “I'm also constantly inspired by the women, queer artists and other minority artists in our community. Working in a male-dominated industry isn't always easy, and seeing us carve out space and succeed is hot, and I love seeing it.”

While she dedicates a lot of time to the craft, when she’s not in the studio, you can find this true Pacific Northwest native outside.

Some of her favorite pastimes include fishing for salmon, hunting mushrooms, rockhounding and sitting around strumming a guitar while singing a ditty. There are also four extremely fortunate cats that she spoils in between rounds of Fortnite at home. Wieboldt also tries to make time to attend festivals and concerts to dance.

“There's something so healing about really good music,” she stated.

These days, you can find Wieboldt in eastern Washington, the Tri-Cities area to be exact. With the high temperatures there, she switches her schedule to nights for the summer to beat the heat.

A project she is very dedicated to and working hard to progress is opening a women-run art studio that gives artists access to equipment and space they might not otherwise be able to afford. Her positive energy and determination precede her everywhere she goes.

The Leaf encourages you to get online and check out Wieboldt’s upcoming projects and very diverse portfolio via her website, Instagram and Linktree.

If you want to meet the artist and see some of her latest works in person, you can find her at upcoming events, including DFO July 2426 in Portland, Oregon, and Puffcon Oct. 3-4 in Los Angeles.

THE FOCUS FREQUENCY

FOUR CONSCIOUS BIOHACKS TO ELEVATE YOUR MIND

In a world engineered to harvest our attention, concentration has become a sacred act of rebellion. Every notification, advertisement and doomscroll is competing for one of your most precious resources: focus. Neuroscientists have identified a network in the brain known as the reticular activating system, or RAS, which helps regulate wakefulness, attention and conscious awareness. I think of it as the gatekeeper between the spirit and the endless stream of information flowing through your senses. What you repeatedly focus on becomes what your brain learns to prioritize.

THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE describes the RAS as one of the primary systems involved in arousal, attention and consciousness. So, how do we create an environment both internally and externally that supports the RAS for optimal performance?

For the last decade, I’ve been fascinated by what I call the art of concentration. Through meditation, conscious biohacking, intentional habit-building and reconnecting with Mother Earth, I have discovered a handful of practices that support my RAS while consistently elevating my focus, creativity and productivity.

So if you haven’t sparked up yet, this is your cue to puff, puff, pass and journey with me through my 2026 concentration-elevation discoveries.

MEDITATION AS A LIFESTYLE

If there is one ritual that has transformed my ability to focus more than any other, it is meditation. Not meditation as an occasional stress-relief tool, but meditation as a way of life.

My path led me to Anapana and Vipassana meditation, ancient practices rooted in observing the breath and bodily sensations with unwavering attention. Each time the mind wanders and we gently guide it home, we strengthen the mental muscle of concentration. Long before neuroscience could measure brain activity, Indigenous wisdom keepers, yogis and meditators understood a profound truth: Where attention goes, energy flows. Modern science is beginning to echo the same message.

A systematic review of studies examining long-term Vipassana practitioners cites potential changes in brain regions associated with attention, emotional regulation and sensory awareness. Additional research suggests mindfulness-based practices can improve attentional control and cognitive performance.

My own understanding deepened during a 12-day silent Vipassana retreat. Somewhere between the stillness, isolation and consistent, steady breathing, I discovered that concentration is not something we force. It is something we uncover when we stop feeding distractions.

The daily ritual of Vipassana meditation is something that I highly recommend to every living OG who is interested in self-mastery. For readers who would like to explore this path, donation-based retreats are offered worldwide through dhamma.org.

“Methylene blue has recently captured the attention of biohacking researchers studying brain energy metabolism and cognitive performance.”

METHYLENE BLUE — A FASCINATING DISCOVERY

One of the most unexpected yet fascinating allies in my concentration journey has been methylene blue, a believed cognitive biohacking tool with a simple liquid tincture delivery.

In hopes of discovering solutions for mi abuelita’s current dementia battle, I was deep into research centered around holistic lifestyle solutions. It was in this research that I first discovered methylene blue. Soon after, I sourced a tincture for daily use. I immediately noticed an increase in mental clarity, stamina and adrenal recovery after long writing sessions.

Originally developed in the 1800s and still used today to treat a rare blood disorder, methylene blue has recently captured the attention of biohacking researchers studying brain energy metabolism and cognitive performance.

The science is still emerging, but a 26-person study published in the journal Radiology found that low-dose methylene blue measurably increased activity in brain regions associated with short-term memory and memory retrieval.

While the findings are intriguing, caution is essential. Methylene blue is a powerful compound, not a casual supplement. Harvard Health Publishing warns that it can interact with antidepressants and other medications, and may cause serious adverse effects when used improperly. Dosage matters. Anyone considering methylene blue should thoroughly research contraindications and consult a qualified healthcare professional before use.

The result was worthy of celebration. Focus stopped feeling like something I had to chase. It became the natural by-product of a more intentional life. If concentration is your goal, OGs, consider this book required reading.

TEMPERATURE REGULATION THERAPY AND THE WISDOM OF MOTHER EARTH

My first introduction to deliberate cold exposure didn’t come from a wellness podcast, self-care influencer or biohacker. It came from mi mamá.

Years ago, I spent countless hours working at a computer screen. By midafternoon, brain fog would roll in like the greenroom at a Slightly Stoopid concert, and my energy would crash.

For me, this discovery served as a reminder that focus is not always about pushing harder. Sometimes it is about supporting the biological systems that create clarity in the first place.

ATOMIC HABITS AND THE STRUCTURE OF FOCUS

Few books have upgraded my daily reality more than ”Atomic Habits” by James Clear. Its central teaching is beautifully simple: Extraordinary results are often created through tiny actions repeated consistently over time.

One line hit me like a strong Durban Poison dab, bright and awakening, “You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”

That insight transformed the way I approach concentration. I began creating environments that naturally support focus — fewer digital distractions, dedicated creative spaces, scheduled writing blocks. Small rituals that tell my powerful brain it’s time to lock in.

My mother offered simple Indigenous advice: step outside, take off your shoes and place your bare feet on our Earth Mother. The first time I tried it was a cold winter afternoon, and I felt an immediate shift. My senses sharpened. My breathing deepened. My mind awakened. Today, science may be beginning to explain why. Research from Stanford indicates that exposure to cold or outdoor environments may increase norepinephrine, a neurotransmitter associated with attention, alertness and focus. Additional studies examining cold-water immersion have reported participant improvements in mood, positivity and stress resilience. Of all the natural biohacking practices I’ve encountered, cold exposure remains one of the fastest ways to interrupt mental fog and awaken the senses.

In a culture that profits from distraction, choosing where we place our attention may be one of the most radical acts of self-love available to us. Whether through meditation, conscious biohacking, building better habits or placing our bare feet on our Earth Mother, each of these rituals invites us back into relationship with ourselves. So spark up, breathe deep, touch the soil beneath your feet and remember, OGs, concentration is not just a productivity tool. It is a pathway to presence, creative potentiality and living in harmony with the sacred rhythm of life.

LIAMWESLEY GOODMAN

They say it takes 10,000 hours to achieve mastery at something — if that’s true, then by the end of summer, Liam Wesley Goodman will be a master at drawing Cannabis. Born and raised in Ontario, Canada, Goodman is a mainly self-taught artist who has set out to conquer the world of Cannabis realism.

HIS COLORED-PENCIL WORKS display insane levels of detail and are often mistaken for actual photos. He told Leaf Magazines he’s always been fascinated by art.

“Growing up, I was terrible at everything. Last place in track-and-field, I couldn't play an instrument and I was terrible at school, but my parents couldn’t get me away from the drawing table,” Goodman said.

As he went through school, Goodman had two separate teachers who offered the same piece of life-changing advice, a phrase that Goodman would form into the mantra that rules his art to this day: Draw what you see.

The first teacher showed Goodman how to take the phrase literally, to examine and take in each item that makes up the scene, setting him off down the path towards a career in realism. Later, another taught him that drawing what you see meant harnessing the ability to view a subject in many ways. Something difficult, like the crook of a thumb or the head of a trichome, can be a single image, a series of dots, a pattern of lines or shifting shades of color — it's all in how you choose

Deciding to draw Cannabis was another gift from the universe. Almost a decade ago, Goodman won a talent contest and was offered a show at Toronto’s Vapor Central lounge. The one catch: He needed some Cannabis art. This was the moment that set him on this current path. Goodman Googled “Cannabis realism” and couldn’t find anyone specializing in the field. Here, he saw his chance to stand out as an artist and carve out his own space within both the Cannabis and art communities.

Since then, he’s gone from drawing flowers to trichomes, then concentrates; each time discovering something new about different kinds of people and plants.

Having recreated nearly every form of concentrates, we had to ask our cover artist what the most difficult or time-consuming thing to draw is. Goodman answered without skipping a beat, “(THC) Diamonds. I often have a no diamonds rule.” This is because his technique is to capture a piece one square inch at a time, letting his brain drift so it can take in the natural pattern of things. Goodman said there’s no way to intuit a diamond’s pattern as it takes in the light around it; there are no patterns or shapes for the brain to latch onto, something he described as organic chaos.

Working as an artist full-time, Goodman told us he feels like he needs to be constantly stimulated to keep working, something he’s used Cannabis for since he was 13. During the COVID-19 lockdown, he decided to try his first tolerance break, going from a gram or more of rosin a day to consuming a massive amount once every five to six weeks.

“I was constantly chasing terps for that flavor and experience. I needed to take a beat to find the things in my life that also gave me that flow state. Plus, my thoughts are way more random now that I’m not smoking every day,” he shared.

The soundtrack to that new flow state is still a mix of classical music, audiobooks and soundscapes, along with early-2000s pop hits to push that nostalgia button. A self-identified nerd, Goodman said fantasy epics like “The Lord of the Rings” and “Harry Potter,” like classical works of music, mirror his style in their length and complexity, which helps him channel that energy into his own work. Generating that feeling of being energized and creative gets him locked in on the hours it takes to complete a piece.

For Goodman, the hours aren’t a reflection of pricing his work, but a way to log all the pencil lead, sweat and tears into a form that anyone can interpret — and a way to show himself just how far he’s willing to go to master this craft and then push its boundaries.

“I was constantly chasing terps for that flavor and experience. I needed to take a beat to find the things in my life that also gave me that flow state ..."

NorthwestLeaf_Jul2026

the concentrates issue

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ABOUT THE COVER

CONTRIBUTORS

Editor’s Note

Thanks for picking up The Concentrate Issue of the Leaf!

MOTHERSHIP MELTDOWN

SPONSORS

PRC

GOOD GUYS

CONSISTENCY IS KING

HIGH NOTE

JULIAN HYSENI

Health Purpose

Pleasure

A ‘Shall not be infringed’

THREE WAYS CANNABIS IS STILL

01 GROWING A PLANT AT O

02 USE IN PUBLIC SPACES

WAYS TO GET INVOLVED

FIRE FOLLOWER

EXPLORING COMPOUND GENETICS’ BLACK AMBER

AFTERNOON DELIGHT

SHARING IS CARING WHEN IT COMES TO CANNABIS

HEADY DAYS OFTHE SESH

Reminiscing about the Cannabis concentrate scene in the late 2010s

E-RIGS DOMINATE THE SCENE

BACK TO THE BEGINNING

Page Burner

middle

the

the

Sour Sour

SIEVING UP THE TRUTH

WASH, SIFT, SEPARATE

A MATTER OF MICRONS

THE SWEET SPOT

NUMBERED NUANCES

SIZE BY DESIGN

EVERYTHING ELSE ENTIRELY

EXPLORE, EXPERIMENT, EVOLVE

REVIEWS

REVIEWS

REVIEWS

REVIEWS

REVIEWS

REVIEWS

New Standard Lava Cake Solventless Jam

REVIEWS

REVIEWS

Buyers Club

Best of Buyers Club

Slab Mechanix Garlic Cookies Nug-run Sugar

Panacea Blue Zushi Rosin Stix

Method Maui Lobster (Maui Skunk Dog x Blue Lobster)

Stoner Brothers Lemon Cherry Gelato

MZ. A Tree Flip Flowers

Best of Buyers Club

Yeti Scat Trails Swamp Donkey Traditional Hash

Los Cooler Boyz Sour Diesel Preroll

(White Truffle x Trop Cherry)

Saints Joints Artist Series Five-Pack

Best of Buyers Club

Lazy Bee Powderhound

111 Ranch Guava Nectar Tier 1 Rosin

Seattle Marijuana Company Blackberry Pie Shatter J’s

Dungeness Dank Permanent Marker Hash Rosin

Best of Buyers Club

Swifts Dubai Truffles: 10mg THC, 30mg CBD and 10mg CBN

Blaze the Path toLuxury

Best of Buyers Club

Sky High Gardens Sundae Ecstasy

Bacon’s Buds Pomelo Punch

Method White Zerbert

Doghouse Gas Face

DISPENSARY

THE FOCUS FREQUENCY