Aug. 2020 — Oregon Leaf

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# 7 4 | A U G . 2020

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Re Up Farms We are a Tier 1 OLCC Licensed Cannabis Producer in the heart of Salem, OR. We specialize in limited batch soil grown craft cannabis and strive to bring the highest quality cannabis products to the Oregon cannabis market.

Re Up Farms is a small team of hard working cannabis professionals.

We strive for excellence in what we do everyday, every harvest. Consistency is key in our approach to becoming a leader in the cannabis market. Our facility houses exclusive genetics hand selected from clone and seed stock from around the world. Our passionate team of master growers ensure only the highest quality product every harvest. Each plant in our facility, is cared for hands-on by our cultivation team daily throughout the entire grow cycle. Organic feeding is one of our many specialties. We believe the look, feel and taste of the finished flowers will speak in volume.

We are passionately devoted to growing and providing the highest quality cannabis in the state. We have hand selected our strains and have pheno hunted for years for our current housed genetic base. We are always hunting for what the market is looking for and wants next. Re Up Farms will continue to expand our genetic library this year to ensure we have a great blend of “Classic” , “Exotic” and “Exclusive” cannabis strains for the ever expanding market.

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AUG. 2020 8

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FEATURES 11 EDITOR NOTE 12 NATIONAL NEWS 14 LOCAL NEWS 16 DO THE RIGHT THING 20 HIGHLY LIKELY 22 STONER OWNER 24 BUDTENDER Q&A 28 OREGON’S OWN 30 EDEN CRAFT CANNABIS 34 STRAIN OF THE MONTH 38 SEXISM IN CANNABIS 40 LAST PRISONER PROJECT 42 HOOD INCUBATOR 44 BALL FAMILY FARMS 48 FRAGILE WARRIOR 50 TRANSCENDENCE 52 BIPOC/LGBTQ COMPANIES 56 COOKING WITH CANNABIS 58 EDIBLE REVIEW 60 CONCENTRATE REVIEW 62 TOPICAL REVIEW 64 TANNINS & TERPENES 66 STONEY BALONEY ISSUU.COM/NWLEAF

aug. 2020

THE EQUALITY ISSUE

the equality issue

profile

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10

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leaf nation chats with BALL FAMILY FARMS CO-FOUNDER CHRIS BALL TO LEARN HOW THEIR CANNABIS BUSINESS BECAME A FAMILY BUSINESS.

aug. 2020

STORY by NATE WILLIAMS @NATEW415 | PHOTO by BALL FAMILY FARMS

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

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

A B O U T T H E C OV E R

“I would consider myself an artistic activist, striving to uplift Black women and people of color who are underrepresented in illustration. So, when Leaf Nation reached out to design the cover for their Equality Issue, I could not have been more excited. I see Cannabis legalization as a racial justice issue. That is why in the illustration you see the people disproportionately affected by the War on Drugs - weighing more on the scales of justice than the profits from Cannabis legalization. In order to right the wrongs of the past, we have to create a more equitable and diverse future in the legal Cannabis industry.”

ILLUSTRATION by OCTAVIA THORNS for Leaf Nation | @PrettyInInkPress

CONTRIBUTORS

PUBLISHER

Tom Bowers, Features

WES ABNEY | founder & editor-in-chief wes@nwleaf.com 206-235-6721

Amanda Day, Features Steve Elliott, National News Will Ferguson, Reviews Nathan Howard, Photography Mike Ricker, Features Meghan Ridley, Editing Pacer Stacktrain, Features Octavia Thorns, Illustration Nate Williams, Features Bruce & Laurie Wolf, Recipes Barron Wolfe, Features Alex Workman, Features

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Daniel bermaN | photography & design daniel@bermanphotos.com

STATE DIRECTOR max early | content production max@orleaf.com | 303-746-9067

ADVERTISING Max early | makani nelson max@orleaf.com makani@orleaf.com 303-746-9067 | 808-754-4182

Exclusive Cannabis Journalism NORTHWEST LEAF / OREGON LEAF / ALASKA LEAF / MARYLAND LEAF / CALIFORNIA LEAF

CONNECT WITH THE LEAF @OREGONLEAF

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ABNEY

Editor’s Note Thanks for picking up the first ever Equality Issue of the Leaf!

We began planning this issue last December, when the idea emerged to shift our Women’s Issue to something broader reaching. I know that none 11 of our staff could’ve imagined the monumental changes and challenges that 2020 would deliver, and I feel blessed to be able to offer the Leaf as a platform for social justice.

When I began publishing the Leaf in 2010, activism was the IT IS THE fuel that pushed each issue out. Cannabis patients and consumers DUTY OF THE were marginalized, persecuted and viewed as second class citizens.

CANNABIS INDUSTRY TO I saw the injustice of families broken and lives lost in prison for CONTINUE TO possession of a plant, faced criminal charges for Cannabis myself, STAND UP AND and realized that I had to raise my voice to make change.

LEAD THE FIGHT Over the years our fight expanded to include prisoner rights and TO MAKE THIS awareness, the preservation of patient rights, the freedom of our CHANGE A plant under recreational laws, as well as more advanced agendas REALITY! like the inclusion of women in the industry.

Today I stand to say that the injustices of the war on drugs - and ongoing systemic racism within America’s criminal justice system and political establishments - are the most important issues in modern history.

And within that fight for equality, the Cannabis industry plays a predominant role. For over 100 years drug laws have been used to target Black and Latinx people. Today this continues while slowly shifting power towards already wealthy and mainly white males of the pot industry, doing nothing to address the injustices of the past or present. This was never acceptable. Change is coming.

The injustices of the war on drugs must end, and it is the duty of the Cannabis industry to continue to stand up and lead the fight to make this change a reality! We are the victims turned stakeholders, who now have the opportunity to drive the change with our tax dollars, jobs and voices.

And while I cannot speak for the entire industry, I know that I speak for my entire staff and family when I say that the Leaf is committed to helping lead this change. We will raise our voice monthly with our Equity Column, holding accountable the broken system as we hope and pray for our country to wake up to a day when we are all equal - free to share our plant, ideas and lives.

This is my hope. And I know that with the support of our readers, advertisers and industry, we will make this future a reality.

Thank you for sharing our inspiration and please share with whom you have the opportunity.

-Wes Abney AUG. 2020

oregonlEAF.COM

We do not sell stories or coverage. We are happy to offer design services and guidance on promoting your company’s recreational, commercial or industrial Cannabis product or upcoming event. We are targeted and independent Cannabis journalism. Email or call to discuss advertising.

WES

national news

Pawt patrol

“Like all other patients in Rhode Island, people who use medical marijuana deserve to have access to safe medication, and they deserve to have accurate information about that medication.”

-Rhode Island State Health Director Nicole Alexander-Scott, on licensing the state’s first medical Cannabis testing lab, Green Peaks Analytical, to sample and test Cannabis products for pesticides, metals or solvents.

LEGALIZATION

east coast

CANNABIS SALES PREDICTED TO SURPASS $15 BILLION

BY END OF 2020

MARYLAND CANNABIS COMPANY INVESTS $6 MILLION TO EXPAND OUTDOOR FACILITY

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DEPUTY & K-9 FIND 78 LBS OF WEED DURING TEXAS TRAFFIC STOP The Chambers County Sheriff’s Department seized about 78 pounds of marijuana during a traffic stop in Baytown, Texas, reports 12 News. After being pulled over for failing to drive in one lane, a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado traveling eastbound on I-10 was approached by Deputy Ethan Kahla. He began talking with the driver, Donald Barrows, 27, of Tacoma, Wash. Barrows appeared “extremely nervous,” according to the report. Deputy Kahla asked to search the vehicle, and after Barrows did not give consent for the search, Harvey the K-9 officer was called in. Harvey alerted on the vehicle, which qualifies as probable cause for a search. The search revealed 78 vacuum sealed, clear bags of Cannabis weighing one pound each, according to the report. The weed was in four suitcases inside the vehicle, according to Deputy Kahla.

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recreational marijuana dispensary locations are operated in Michigan by the chain Oz Cannabis, the latest in Ypsilanti, that city’s first.

aug. 2020

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U.S. states and the District of Columbia have moved to either legalize or decriminalize Cannabis, a shocking plurality.

arijuana sales continued to rise during the global pandemic, according to several data agencies and states, reports the Chicago Tribune. States including Florida and Arizona have set new monthly sales records for Cannabis sales in the past few months. Colorado saw a record $192 million in marijuana sales in May, and Oregon crossed the $100 million mark for the first time since 2015. Projects from the Marijuana Business Facebook expect Cannabis sales to pass $15 billion by the end of this year.

That represents a 40 percent rise in the legal marijuana market between this year and last. Should the projections be borne out, that will mean weed produces more annual revenue than the NBA, toothpaste and hard seltzer, combined.

Maryland Cannabis cultivation company Culta is tripling the size of its outdoor cultivation facility this year. The expansion will increase Culta’s capacity at their Cambridge, Md. location from one acre to three, according to the company. Culta produces Cannabis flower and extracts, and bills itself as the East Coast’s first outdoor cultivator. According to company officials, with the success of the first harvest in 2019, Culta invested more in technology and expansion.

the south

DISABLED VETERAN FACING FIVE YEARS IN PRISON IN ALABAMA FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA

S

ean Worsley, a disabled Iraq War veteran with a traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), is facing five years in prison for possession of medical marijuana after being busted in tiny Gordo, Ala. Worsley got his medical Cannabis authorization back in Arizona, where voters legalized medical Cannabis in 2011.

Worsley had relied on Cannabis for years to calm his nightmares and soothe his back THE LEGAL FIGHT WHICH ENSUED HAS pain, reports The Washington Post. So, after his music caught the attention of a local PLUNGED WORSLEY police officer, he consented to a search after the cop claimed he smelled weed in INTO HOMELESSNESS, Worsley’s car. But Alabama doesn’t cut any slack for medical marijuana authorizations. COST HIM THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN COURT The legal fight which ensued has plunged Worsley into homelessness, cost him FINES, AND RECENTLY thousands of dollars in court fines, and recently got him a five-year prison sentence.

GOT HIM A FIVE-YEAR “I feel like I’m being thrown away by a country I went and served for,” Worsley wrote in PRISON SENTENCE. a letter from the Pickens County Jail to criminal justice organization Alabama Appleseed.

Marijuana isn’t allowed for any purpose, medicinal or recreational, in Alabama.

1,000

marijuana dispensaries are now operating in Canada, less than two years after the country legalized recreational Cannabis.

$500k $800k $52m in legal fees may be required to be reimbursed to former CFO James Parker by MedMen, the LA-based pot shop chain.

was the total amount three Massachusetts medical marijuana dispensaries were fined for various infractions last month.

in revenue was brought in by legal marijuana sales in Illinois during the first half of 2020, the governor’s office announced.

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

TAKE A

GRATEFUL BREAK See if you can find all fifteen words!

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OREGON

ALL EYES ON PORTLAND For 45 days, the standoff between local police and protesters around the nation carried with it a laser-focused message: End systemic racism and police brutality, by any means necessary. People all over the nation and much of the world mourned, held up signs and raised their fists in protest of the killing of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and countless others at the hands of taxpayer-funded public servants.

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Oregon CARES Fund passes

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lack families and Black-owned small businesses fought for and won a modicum of relief last month, as the Oregon CARES Fund for Black Relief and Resiliency successfully lobbied for targeted financial relief for the citizens it represents. The Fund, which passed a special session of Oregon’s Emergency Board on July 14, seeks to allocate $62 million - out of $200 million earmarked for Oregon relief under the CARES Act Coronavirus Relief Fund - directly to help Black families and businesses hit the hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to their website, the funds will be dispersed via grants issued by two organizations: The Contingent and Black United Fund of Oregon.

For more information, visit The Oregon CARES Fund theoregoncaresfund.org, The Contingent (thecontingent.org) and Black United Fund of Oregon (bufor.org).

aug. 2020

Now, almost two months since that first fateful night in late May, the nation turns its eyes to Portland - as the city begrudgingly becomes the locus for the growing clash between militant federal troops, and activists for whom the fight has grown into a battle for the very concept of American democracy.

The initial reports came to us in snippets, on social media livestreams from protesters on the ground, many of whom are also vocal figures in the Cannabis industry: Unidentified, armed and armored militants in rented minivans were abducting citizens in Portland.

According to the videos and eyewitness accounts, no explanation or warnings were given to those being arrested. No Miranda Rights were read (according to at least one account, Miranda Rights were read eventually, after being held without explanation).

Like something out of a lazily made movie, the agents would simply roll up, throw a body in the back of a minivan and peel off down the street.

The panic was almost instantaneous. Who were these people? Where were they taking citizens? Was this even legal?

The answers came quickly - the mystery militants were a mix of third party mercenaries and agents from a variety of governmental THE PANIC WAS ALMOST forces (ICE, DHS and Coast Guard among them), cobbled together INSTANTANEOUS. by the Department of Homeland Security - and on DHS authority the WHO WERE THESE agents were interrogating protesters (without legal representation).

PEOPLE? WHERE And according to the ACLU, many local and national policy makers WERE THEY TAKING and a number of Constitutional scholars - NO - that is not legal.

CITIZENS? WAS THIS EVEN LEGAL? The ensuing days brought a deluge of bad news for supporters of the protests. Trump announced that the federal forces deployed in Oregon were just the start; he planned to deploy similar forces to other U.S. cities. Portland responded in classic Portland fashion.

On July 17, a woman now referred to as Naked Athena disrobed and placed herself firmly in between enforcement officers and the protest line. A couple of days later, the Wall of Moms formed a frontline defense (and a movement, #WallofMoms) to protect protesters, where they were tear gassed for their efforts. Then a Dads group joined the fight, some of them bringing leaf blowers and hockey sticks to combat tear gas clouds and slapshot gas canisters.

Then on July 22, in what some outlets are calling a brilliant bit of political theater, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler joined the protesters in a stand against the federal occupation of the city.

“I am here tonight...to stand with you,” Wheeler told the crowd, according to The Oregonian.

“If they’re launching the tear gas against you, they’re launching the tear gas against me.”

You know it’s bad when the guy ultimately responsible for 45 nights of tear gassing his own citizens, comes down to get tear gassed alongside those same citizens.

Now city and state legislators are squaring off against the federal government in a battle for control over the citizenry. Governor Kate Brown and Mayor Wheeler both have denounced the federal occupation, and the Oregon Attorney General’s office continues to seek a broad restraining order against the militant federal forces.

Despite the armed opposition, independent journalists, political activists and a large number of figures from the Cannabis community continued to livestream nightly from the frontlines of a battle waged by thousands of citizens. As recently as July 23, federal agents were accused of destroying medical stations and medical supplies, and on numerous occasions, have been caught on film attacking people clearly identified as medics and journalists.

Minutes before this issue went to print, Oregon Governor Kate Brown announced that the federal forces would begin a phased withdrawal from Portland, but shortly afterward, NBC News reported that DHS head Chad Wolf committed to keeping them where they are for the time being.

Regardless of how they treat the manufactured symptom of federal occupation, it still does nothing to help cure the disease of systemic oppression that sparked the movement.

That fight’s only just begun.

STORIES by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS | PHOTO by NATHAN HOWARD @NATHANHOWARDPHOTO

EXPERT OPINION

Do the right thing

oregonlEAF.COM

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I

want to begin this piece by first offering a nod of admiration to my colleagues at the Leaf for all the hard work they’ve put in over the years battling on the front lines of Cannabis activism. Since their inception in 2010, they have played a strong role in pushing our industry forward by way of diligent and active independent journalism. The further we move into these chaotic times of uncertainty, the more important our job as journalists becomes - especially in this industry. If no one documents a story, it’s almost like it never happened.

How serendipitous that our theme of equality had actually been scheduled for August 2020 since last year - well before the barrage of #BLM and #DefundThePolice hashtags began flooding our phone

aug. 2020

well ahead of any real legislative action.

(Knowing how corrupt Jersey is, this was no surprise.)

All in all, the event was a good time.

I even got chosen in the crowd to ask the former AG a direct question through the microphone. Here, I stood and asked if NJ planned to develop its compliance reporting system in a way that would be better and more efficient than the mess we’ve watched take place in other states, such as California. He fumbled over his words and gave me an uninformative response, alluding to the fact that he had no idea what the answer was to my question.

I nodded and smiled an unsurprised grin.

Fair Mr. AG, fair.

Luckily for me, I got to witness other speakers at the symposium, who happen to be African American and Hispanic sitting members of local and state government.

These public servants have been fighting the good fight against prejudice policies for a long time.

After listening to them speak I became exposed to the extremely harsh reality that some Cannabis legislation, like many other legislative systems, is inherently racist in its structure.

This fact is a big reason why it is taking certain states (like NJ) so long to pass legislation. Yes, we all agree with legalization, but we absolutely do not agree on what that legalization looks like.

The horror show that is taking place is one we could have all seen coming.

To keep it concise, they proposed a bill that only made it possible for wealthy and well-connected people to attain business licenses. They achieved this by making the licenses cost millions of dollars - leaving them fully out of reach to residents of any low income, inner city or urban community - who simply aren’t wealthy enough to screens. A serendipity that I consider a testament to how make that large of an investment. deeply activism is ingrained not only into the fabric of CanThey attempted to pass this bill, hoping nabis culture, but in what we do as journalists for Cannabis. no one would notice its grimy and thoughtI politely mention that to contrast the disingenuous, last less details. But many Black and Hispanic minute PR scrambles put together by so many other public individuals work in government in NJ, and facing entities in other sectors - desperately trying to make they were not about to let their communithemselves appear as an ally to marginalized communities ties get screwed without putting up a fight. when in fact we all know they’re the opposite.

The bill was stopped before being passed As a person of color, it’s an honor and a great responsiand taken back to the drawing board, to bility to be involved in this work and I’ll use this opportunity my knowledge, more than once. Ideally, to outline a particular story of importance that took place at they will come to an agreement on a more a state-sanctioned ‘Cannabis Symposium’ in New Jersey, at humanistic and reasonable approach. the tail end of 2018.

There are so many differAt this event I sat and watched ent factors to consider when the former Attorney General Barron Wolfe is a Bend-Oregon based outlining the laws of legal literally stand on stage and brag Cannabis journalist, who recently began Cannabis and how those to the crowd about how he and working with Oregon Leaf. Follow him laws will shape the local his cronies were working overtime @barron.wolfe on Instagram. industry and economy. to seize control of the market

The facts are simple: People in low income communities are arrested for Cannabis at a much higher rate than everybody else. More people from those communities are currently sitting in prison for Cannabis than people in any other community, yet generally everyone smokes the same amount of weed.

W

hen done correctly, I believe the potential for revitalizing these often impoverished, inner city minority communities is beyond what many would expect. The original failed bill proposal neglected to include many important topics, but the two examples that stood out the most to me were expungement for past Cannabis related crimes and the legal freedom for citizens to grow plants at home. Wouldn’t it be wrong to pass a bill without offering legal reconciliation to innocent Cannabis offenders?

The answer is yes.

The facts are simple: People in low income communities are arrested for Cannabis at a much higher rate than everybody else. More people from those communities are currently sitting in prison for Cannabis than people in any other community, yet generally everyone smokes the same amount of weed. Being that this has been the case for the last half a century, why now that Cannabis is going legal are those very communities being left out and not given a fair chance to improve not only their local economy, but their overall quality of life? The answer is classism, if not outright racism and the way that the drug war affects the psychology of these communities is similar to terrorism. If a commodity is popular in a certain neighborhood, there will be a market for it; whether that market is Black or white owned is to be determined by the lawmakers.

To simplify further, I believe the answer to many of our country’s problems lies in providing affordable micro-licenses to inner cities and low income urban communities around the country. Let these disenfranchised communities have an opportunity to seize control of their economic growth through Cannabis. Let them open their own businesses and give jobs to their families and friends. Good hearted Americans do not seek welfare, stimulus checks or any form of government assistance; they simply want an opportunity to build a business and be a part of something great - no handouts necessary. They already make money from Cannabis anyway, allowing them to do it legally is the right thing to do.

STORY by BARRON WOLFE @BARRON.WOLFE for OREGON LEAF

highly likely

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

A Veteran and the CEO of Simply Pure, a Colorado based dispensary

>> 20

WANDAJAMES ONE OF THE WORST WAYS THAT THE UNITED STATES HAS RESTRICTED THE CIVIL LIBERTIES OF ITS CITIZENS IS THROUGH THE FAILED AND SADISTIC OPERATION BEGUN

BY RONALD REAGAN IN THE 1980S - AND CONTINUING

oregonlEAF.COM

THROUGH TODAY - KNOWN AS THE WAR ON DRUGS.

Roughly 40 years after his official declaration in 1982, we know that the war on drugs isn’t just a war on your ability to take liberties with your body and mind, but that it is also a racist war. That’s because the war on drugs has disproportionately affected people of color since its inception. It is what has helped to create the privatized prison-industrial complex that has wrought pain and terror on our society. It is truly an evil thing, created and maintained by those in power, and it is high time that it is ended for good.

The subject of our column this month is Wanda James, the CEO of Simply Pure, a Colorado based dispensary and brand that prides itself on quality products and social justice. And James has a spectacular story.

Along with her husband, Scott Durrah, James became the first Black American to own and operate a Cannabis storefront, cultivation facility and an edible company.

James is a former lieutenant in the US Navy, who also served on President Barack Obama’s 2008 National Finance Committee. After her brother was given a 10-year sentence for Cannabis possession, she became inspired to help

After her brother was given a 10-year sentence for Cannabis possession, James became inspired to help right the wrongs of the United States’ failed drug war. aug. 2020

right the wrongs of the United States’ failed drug war. She has also worked to get jail sentences commuted for people imprisoned for similar Cannabis related crimes. She has been an ambassador for the legalization of Cannabis ever since.

She’s highly regarded in the industry when it comes to intelligently thinking about operating a business in this burgeoning marketplace. When asked by Cannabis Dispensary Magazine about whether the Cannabis industry instills the same sort of discipline and goal of serving the public interest as her time in the military and politics, James replied, “No, I don’t think that the industry instills it at all. I think that it’s really vital that you’ve got a good sense of values before you come into this industry, because this industry will rip and will tear at those and will challenge you at every turn.”

Today, Wanda James continues to fight for equity and equality in the Cannabis industry.

In June, she worked to get Colorado House Bill #1424 passed, which creates a social equity license. This allows someone who might not otherwise qualify for a business license to work with a mentor - an established business willing to be a partner and adviser - through the licensing and operational processes. The bill signing ceremony by Colorado Governor Jared Polis was held at James’ Simply Pure dispensary. At the ceremony, James said it best: “Social Equity is about righting the wrongs of the drug war and giving diversity a strong foothold in the developing industry.”

By PACER STACKTRAIN for LEAF NATION | PHOTO by WANDA JAMES

stoner owner

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SEUN ADEDEJI

ELEV8 CANNABIS

oregonlEAF.COM

HOW DID YOU BECOME ACQUAINTED WITH CANNABIS AND WHAT ROLE DID IT PLAY BEFORE THE ELEV8 BRAND WAS BORN? I grew up in Chicago and when I was living there, I was in an environment that was...not wholesome. I got arrested for marijuana possession at the age of 13. We didn’t grow up with a lot and I was a kid that was selling candy and gum in school to make some money. I turned from selling candy and gum to Cannabis. When I got arrested for possession it felt like my whole life was over. Luckily, because I was so young I did not get a felony charge - and my parents sent me to Texas to live with my auntie.

Moving to Texas gave me the reset I needed. My auntie was a very successful entrepreneur and nurse, and she just poured a lot of love into me. I’d never received so much love in my life. She never gave up on me and would tell me, “You don’t have to let your past define your future. Life is a blank page and you can write your own story.”

HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN THE RECREATIONAL MARKET WITH YOUR FIRST SHOP? I was a marketing manager for a big cellular company and was making a lot of money, but I kept going back to thinking: What’s my purpose? What are my core values? A lot of the companies that I was working for - I didn’t really agree with some of the practices that they were using. I set out to change that by creating something of my own.

Cannabis was beginning to be legalized in Washington, so I was looking at how I could put my passion, energy and ethos into it. I wanted to create a community where people could authentically be themselves.

With Cannabis, there was a true upward trajectory and this level of integrity, love, honesty and empathy. I saw that there was a lack of minority presence within the industry, so I also wanted to be the bridge to elevate more people of color to a seat at the table.

Long story short, I was driving eight hours from Washington to Eugene to try to find locations. I got rejected a bunch, but finally had someone say yes and I started the process with the state.

I started by building out walls; I didn’t have a place to stay, so I had to separate my dispensary from where I was going to be sleeping at night. It was a grind, but we made it happen.

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Seun Adedeji has been celebrated as the youngest African American man in the US to own a Cannabis dispensary. In 2017 at age 23, the Nigerian-born, Chicago-raised entrepreneur opened up his first shop in Eugene. Today, his brand boasts an Oregon dispensary, three upcoming locations in Massachusetts and plans to expand in Illinois. But Seun’s sights are set far beyond the realm of retail - he has taken his talents to the legislature and is looking to break down barriers for minorities entering the industry.

WHAT GOT YOU THROUGH THAT GRIND AND MOTIVATED YOU TO EXPAND THE BRAND? The biggest thing was just building a community that really believed in Elev8 - that believed in me and what I stood for. I slept in my shop for a whole year and worked from, you know, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. every single day!

It was a journey, but worth it when I saw my customers come back and say that the medicine I gave them helped with their pain, PTSD, AIDS or the plethora of different things that they had going on. Even though I was working my tail off, was tired and had days I wanted to give up, hearing those stories really kept me alive and moving. We were able to sustain. We were able to continue to give great customer service and now we have three locations in Massachusetts, and I was able to turn that (Eugene) store around.

YOU MENTIONED THE LACK OF MINORITY PRESENCE IN CANNABIS AND A DESIRE TO BRIDGE THAT GAP. HOW HAVE YOU HELPED MAKE WAY FOR OTHER POC IN THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY? When Illinois legalized, I saw it as an opportunity to take every lesson that I’d learned (from every state that we’re currently in) to my home state and see how we can really impact social equity - how we can get more minorities and people of color into the Cannabis industry. There are two main hardships when you’re looking at getting into the industry. One is real estate: Cities and states put out their own zoning restrictions and your property options start decreasing.

Boston is a perfect example. They are giving out 80 licenses in a city with 400,000 in population. In lease alone, people are paying $100,000 to $200,000 per month for property. We talk about minority inclusion, well, keep in mind this is what you’re paying in hopes of winning a license. It’s really a gamble!

You’re saying you want more minority inclusion, but how is that possible when you have these big barriers in real estate? So we lobbied to have the (Illinois) real estate rules removed. The second hardship we noticed was a lack of capital within the Cannabis industry as a whole. Traditionally, people go to the bank to get credit.

You get a small business loan and you start your business. But in the Cannabis industry (because it’s still federally illegal) they won’t even do business with us and it becomes harder for minorities to have access to capital. We lobbied for a revolving loan where a percentage of Illinois tax revenue is set aside for minority-owned businesses, so they can have an opportunity to get into this emerging market before it’s too late.

INTERVIEW by AMANDA DAY @TERPODACTYL_MEDIA for OREGON LEAF| PHOTO by ZACH JOHNSON/HBZ MEDIA

“I SAW THAT THERE WAS A LACK OF MINORITY PRESENCE WITHIN THE INDUSTRY, SO I ALSO WANTED TO BE THE BRIDGE TO ELEVATE MORE PEOPLE OF COLOR TO A SEAT AT THE TABLE.” A Stoner Owner is a Cannabis business owner who has a relationship with the plant. We want to buy and smoke Cannabis from companies that care about their products, employees and the plant. You wouldn’t buy food from a restaurant where the cooks don’t eat in the kitchen, so why buy corporate weed grown by a company only concerned with profits? Stoner Owner approval means a company cares, and we love weed grown with care. Look for the Stoner Owner stamp when purchasing fine Cannabis, and let’s retake our culture and reshape a stigma by honoring those who grow, process and sell the best Cannabis possible.

interview

W H O ’ S YOU R FAVO R I T E B U D T E N D E R ? T E L L U S W H Y ! E M A I L N O M I N AT I O N S T O M A X @ O R L E A F . C O M

Jayda Smith

OREGON LEAF BUDTENDER OF THE MONTH HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN INVOLVED IN THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY AND HOW DID IT ALL BEGIN? I’ve been involved since April of

2019. Very random. Never thought I would be in this industry, to be honest. I was in the customer service industry since I was 12, so I guess this is just one of those segues that end up working extremely favorably for you. Which I am extremely grateful and blessed for!

WE KNOW YOU ARE RELATIVELY NEW TO THE INDUSTRY, BUT WHAT HAS IT BEEN LIKE BEING AN AFRICAN AMERICAN FEMALE IN A MOSTLY WHITE MALE DOMINATED SPACE DURING A TIME OF SO MUCH TENSION IN AMERICA? Personally

speaking, being one of the few (that I know of) African American women at this time in this space, I feel at least in the Cannabis community I have been treated with the upmost respect. I have people that you would believe to be against me, being extremely apologetic and honest with how they feel about the current situation - not even the same space, just the same idea between one another. People you believe would never see the same idea as you, crying over not enough space to share one another’s idea! That right there is the beauty of Cannabis! You took a couple of generations and coupled them together in this whimsical alternate reality, which is true.

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WHO INSPIRED YOU TO MAKE IT TO THIS POINT IN YOUR LIFE AND WHY? I have too many

inspirations to list them all. Each and every person I have encountered has definitely shaped some sort of my world.

WHAT IS YOU R MESSAGE TO THE INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE? If I had a message, it

oregonlEAF.COM

would be, ‘never forget the bones and crushed dreams and freedom that we get to stand on now.’ Show remembrance always, which has mostly happened - but to never forget. A lot of people lost loved ones, brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews, for something you can now get at the store for less than $20.

“NEVER FORGET THE BONES AND CRUSHED DREAMS AND FREEDOM THAT WE GET TO STAND ON NOW.” CERTAIN BUSINESSES that we patronize as consumers hold the magic ability of transforming the buying experience from a burden to a delight. The perfect stop on your way to Smith Rock, Portland or the great beyond, Cannabend’s ability to offer such a great customer experience stems from their accommodating, friendly, knowledgeable, diverse and passionately professional staff. A key player on this female-centric power squad and one we are proud to feature is August’s Budtender of The Month, Jayda Smith!

C A N N A B E N D | 3 3 1 2 N H WY 9 7 , B E N D , O R | C A N N A B E N D . CO M | @ C A N N A B E N D _ O R |

aug. 2020

DO YOU FEEL CANNABIS PLAYS A ROLE IN BRINGING EQUALITY TO AMERICAN CULTURE? I believe a lot of the Cannabis industry has

been built on the Black culture, and the true place that it shines is that it doesn’t alienate anyone when you do partake.

You get to share and commiserate in your struggles, and the difference of buying a dime from one corner to another doesn’t change a damn thing - almost like a family.

WHAT ARE YOUR VISIONS FOR THE FUTURE OF CANNABIS? The industry is already, at least from

my point of view, making active pursuits to celebrate and acknowledge the roots and the community. I am happy to be a part of that moving into the future. Generally speaking, I consider there to be equality and inclusion in the Cannabis industry, especially compared to other industries.

M O N - S AT 8 A M - 8 P M , SU N . 1 0 AM - 7 P M

INTERVIEW by BARRON WOLFE @BARRON.WOLFE | PHOTO by CANNABEND

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 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER. KEEP OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN.

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SHOP REVIEW oregonlEAF.COM

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OREGON’S OWN OREGON’S OWN is a welcoming shop nestled in the ever-popular Multnomah Village neighborhood, with convenient access to local food and shopping that makes this dispensary the perfect place to start a leisurely stroll down SW Capitol Hwy. With informative and friendly budtenders, guests are made to feel right at home when shopping for their favorite in-house flower.

The Oregon’s Own ‘farm-to-pharmacy’ approach makes for safe, quality products that are known by every staff member from batch to batch. Next time you’re in the neighborhood, make a quick stop by Oregon’s Own - you won’t regret it!

aug. 2020

“OREGON’S OWN RIGHTFULLY PRIDES ITSELF ON ITS EXPANSIVE ‘FARM-TO-PHARMACY’ VERTICALLY INTEGRATED APPROACH.” ENVIRONMENT Located in Southwest Portland, Oregon’s Own is just a short walk from a variety of unique restaurants, shops and local boutiques in popular Multnomah Village, just off SW Capitol Highway. With a large and open front room, it’s easy to get distracted by the local Roo Glass in cleanly displayed cases. Parallel to Oregon’s Own merchandise is a giant black-and-white photo of the Steel Bridge spanning the entirety of the back wall, keeping the vibe local to Portlanders. Guests are immediately welcomed by friendly budtenders that have sectioned off space with string lights so guests can stay safely distanced apart without feeling overwhelmed. This flower dominant store features a broad array of glass jars behind neon lighting and glass shelving. All currently available strains, future in-house strains and daily specials are beautifully displayed on hand-written chalk boards located neatly around the store. With rainbow lights and upbeat budtenders, this store is sure to keep you smiling while shopping your favorite products. Snag the latest copy of Oregon Leaf while you’re there!

HISTORY & VALUES Oregon’s Own rightfully prides itself on its expansive ‘farm-to-pharmacy’ vertically integrated approach. Only 20 minutes down the road in Wilsonville, grower Keith Kisselman can bounce between the indoor farm and the dispensary for easy transport and quick quality control. General Manager Peadar Malone makes sure the shop is operating smooth and efficient, while also keeping a small team, family vibe that can be felt immediately from across the counter. Joseph Konty, in charge of marketing and community connecting, creates videos and infographics about each in-house strain so consumers can know exactly what they’re getting. With the farm so close, the company makes it a goal to have the entire team visit the indoor grow from time to time, familiarizing themselves with the overall goals and progress of the brand. Budtenders know exactly how the flower is grown, stored, cured and transported, making them knowledgeable and confidently informative to guests. The way Oregon’s Own operates like a family makes this shop feel like a second home to all who enter.

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PRODUCT SELECTION This shop mainly features their own farm’s flower, offering a large variety of strains at an amazingly affordable price point. With everything from $6 grams to $90 ounces, they offer a wonderful array of strains for consumers to choose from, featuring a diverse catalogue including Zurple Punch, Grease Monkey and Peach Cobbler - all available in flower, joints and pre-rolled blunts.

With over 15 in-house strains to choose from at any given time, and always including a few CBD options, guests won’t need to worry about finding a strain that suits them best. If customers are looking for something other than flower, Oregon’s Own offers an ample selection of concentrates, edibles, topicals and CBD products - all at an affordable price!

BUDTENDERS & SPECIALS The budtenders at Oregon’s Own are more than just budtenders, they’re Oregon’s Own family. They photograph, trim and help package the flower and products. They create the beautiful display boards with the gorgeous rainbow lettering. They know all their regulars by heart and create an extremely warm and welcoming vibe for everyone who enters. With their extensive strain knowledge, they help guests navigate the menu to best suit their specific wants and needs. Oregon’s Own has specials every day of the week to pass savings along to consumers, including: 10% off edibles on Mondays, 10% off topicals on Tuesdays, 10% off hemp and for Village residents on Wednesdays, 10% off tinctures on Thursdays, $23 or less eighths on Fridays, 10% off all concentrates on Saturdays and Pick Your Own Deal Sundays! With specials like these, anyone can pick a perfect day to save some cash.

7881 SW CAPITOL HWY, PORTLAND, OR (503) 244-1273 OREGONSOWN.COM @OREGONS_OWN M-W 11AM-7PM | TH-SAT 11AM-9PM | SUNDAY 11AM-6PM

P R O D UC T R E V I E W

P R O D UC T R E V I E W

PeachCobblerBlunt2pk

zurplepunchflower

Oregon’s Own

Oregon’s Own

Packed with flavor, these Peach Cobbler blunts are out of this world! With Oregon’s Own flower filling these herbaceous wraps, it’s hard to go wrong between the mouthwatering peach flavor and subtle vanilla notes. A balanced high that leaves consumers feeling relaxed without the couch lock, this 50/50 blend is perfect for any time of day. Oh, and did we mention that it comes with two blunts in each pack? Perfect for smoking alone or sharing with friends!

A berry heavy, fruity nose with a mellow high, Zurple Punch is perfect to enjoy when ready to wind down for the day without knocking yourself out. The Zkittles comes through nicely in flavor, while the Purple Punch complements the relaxing profile with a frosty, dense flower structure. Oregon’s Own did a remarkable job keeping this profile smooth and fruity.

A true stunner, this strain is the perfect balance between tasty and relaxing!

REVIEW & SHOP PHOTOS by ALEX WORKMAN @WORKDUBS | PRODUCT PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

SHOP REVIEW

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EDEN CRAFT CANNABIS THIS STORE embraces the Garden of Eden with its large vine-covered swing, live plants speckled throughout, wooden display cases, and euphoric products everyone can love in the heart of Portland. With inclusive values and a focus on top shelf quality, this woman-dominated company is a champion of fluidity in an otherwise masculine industry.

Don’t sleep on Eden Craft Cannabis - it’s making serious moves!

aug. 2020

ENVIRONMENT Right in the heart of East Portland you’ll find Eden Craft Cannabis, a shop so stunning it could be mistaken for a boutique garden store. The bright, open floorplan sets the mood with large windows and live plants galore. Designed by the owner herself, the shop features a large, functional wooden swing covered in vines for guests to enjoy at their leisure. Behind the swing, guests can find a wide variety of Cannabis products craftily organized inside the matching wood and glass display cases. Large glass jars filled with top shelf flower line the back shelves, accompanied by various pre-roll products for guests to check out. The overall ambiance of the store is refreshingly clean in an oversaturated city, leaving guests relaxed as soon as they enter the store.

And if it couldn’t get any more delightful, the owner tie dyed store t-shirts herself that can be found along the back wall next to the ATM - so don’t forget to scoop one on your way out!

HISTORY & VALUES Though the original dispensary started in 2016, owner Sophia Bagi rebranded and reopened this SE 12th Ave shop as recently as May of this year. Originally from Colorado, Sophia moved to the Portland area and has been involved in the Cannabis scene for almost five years. Sophia takes a hands-on approach and tries to work with women-owned companies as much as possible, like Ladies of Paradise and Fire & Jane, as well as other locally owned brands.

The overarching theme of inclusion and quality can be felt vibrantly throughout the store.

INCLUSION AND QUALITY CAN BE FELT VIBRANTLY THROUGHOUT THE STORE.

PRODUCT SELECTION Eden Craft Cannabis carries everything from top shelf flower to THC-infused hot sauce, with a little bit of something for every guest to explore in between.

Wykanush Ventures, their in-house farm based in Gresham, boasts powerful strains like Lemon Meringue, Future, Sour Lamb and even CBD-heavy Critical Mass, among many others. Alongside Wykanush stand other notable farms including Tao Gardens, Archive, Panda Farms, Midori and Kerby Kush Farms just to name a few! If guests are looking for something to dab, they can expect a wide array of extracts including Sterling Gold, Dr. Jolly’s and Viola, as well as a healthy supply of solventless products like hard to find Archive Portland and Highland Provisions hash rosin and gummies. Eden Craft Cannabis also carries a variety of THC and CBD edibles and topicals for consumers with specific wants and needs. This dispensary carries nothing but high quality products at a fair price, leaving a little bit of something for anyone to enjoy.

P R O D UC T R E V I E W

P R O D UC T R E V I E W

PURPLE PUNCH Wykanush Ventures @wykanush_cannabis

Lemon Peel Hash Rosin Gummies Archive Portland @archive.portland

This flower truly stands out in a sea of Purple Punch on the market! These are some frosty, dense nugs that smell like light berries and OG. Impressive with its insanely smooth smoke, Wykanush both grew and properly cured this GDP and Larry OG cross to perfection. It leaves a balanced high that isn’t too heavy behind the eyes, while still stimulating the senses.

These little gummies pack a stony punch!

Strain specific and made with hash rosin, they are the perfect end of day treat for the experienced connoisseur, bringing a heavy high felt right behind the eyes. With a variety of juicy flavors and a noticeable effect, it’s easy to eat more than just one in a single sitting so consumers beware! They’re dangerously delicious in the best way possible.

BUDTENDERS & SPECIALS Cheery, bright and welcoming budtenders are not in short supply at Eden Craft Cannabis! Informative and on top of the current strain list, budtenders at this shop are quick to tell you their favorite flower and why they support those specific farms, based on what guests are searching for. They’ve sampled almost all of the available products on the shelf and are more than happy to answer any question a guest may throw their way. They really seal the mood with their sociable nature, expansive product knowledge and friendly attitudes.

Though the store doesn’t offer any daily deals, they offer a 10% off loyalty program that any customer can sign up for to save extra money.

128 SE 12TH AVENUE PORTLAND, OR (503) 477-9998 @EDENCRAFTCANNABIS EDENCRAFTCANNABIS.COM OPEN 12-8PM DAILY

REVIEW & SHOP PHOTOS by ALEX WORKMAN @WORKDUBS | PRODUCT PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

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Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug.

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DO NOT OPERATE A VEHICLE OR MACHINERY UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THIS DRUG. FOR USE ONLY BY ADULTS TWENTY-ONE YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER. KEEP OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN.

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Now available in softgel capsules!

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Rolen Stone is located in the rich soils of the Applegate Valley, tucked away in the Southwest corner of Oregon. We are dedicated to organic growing practices, using living soil, and nutrients locally sourced from the Oregon Coast, and we carefully select the best phenotypes for flavor and potency.

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CU LT I VAT I NG C ANNAB I S S I NC E 2 01 6 ROLENSTONE.COM • @ROLENSTONEFARMS • @ROLENSTONEEXTRACTS

STRAIN OF THE MONTH

DuctTape GROWN by MAGIC HOUR CANNABIS

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REVIEW by MAX EARLY @LIFTED_STARDUST PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

Aug. 2020

Move over and make room for our show-stopping Strain of the Month: Duct Tape by Magic Hour Cannabis!

MY EYES WERE MET WITH LIME GREEN BUDS, ALL OF WHICH WERE CAKED IN TRICHOMES.

This gaseous cultivar is a cross of two staple strains, GG #4 and Do-Si-Dos, creating an innovative and breathtaking terpene profile.

Working exclusively with Archive Seed Bank, Magic Hour Cannabis sources all of their genetics from Archive, bringing industry choice picks including White Tahoe Cookies and Memory Loss, all the while using natural practices and without the use of any pesticides whatsoever.

Be prepared to reek up your entire room when cracking open a jar of this earthy and fuel-like strain. Duct Tape is one of those cultivars you would have had to try very hard to hide from your parents back in the day, as only a few nugs permeated my nose - not to mention my entire vicinity. Upon further examination, my eyes were met with lime green buds, all of which were caked in trichomes. The nug structure certainly possesses characteristics from both parent strains, as the flower has an undeniable Chem and OG look to it.

As this strain is quite sticky, we would recommend the use of a grinder. While smoking a healthy sized joint, my mouth got stained with a pungent, robust, petrol-like taste.

The amount of crossover there was from the original scent to the point of combustion was also highly impressive.

I should note that this cultivar should come with a warning label, as the effects were beyond potent, sedative, and helped take a load of weight off of my shoulders in a much needed way. After about 15 minutes, I felt a full body high - making this strain ideal for those looking for substantial head to toe effects.

Along with growing incredible herb, Magic Hour Cannabis is one of the only Black and Latina owned and operated grows in the United States. This powerhouse of a couple, Will Perry and Adriana Ruiz Carlile, work tirelessly with the help of a few trimmers to offer exceptionally high quality, indoor soil-grown Cannabis, at the same time as making it a mission to empower other women and POC to get involved with the industry!

Also to be known, Magic Hour Cannabis gives a ton of attention to their flushing and curing process, monitoring moisture content extremely closely. Overall, this provides a product that offers a very smooth and clean smoke that leaves your lungs feeling so fresh and so clean.

Keep a close eye for new strains releasing from their sustainable LED grown garden, including: Double Do-Si-Dos (Do-Si-Dos x DoSi-Dos), LA Kush Cake (Kush Mints x Wedding Cake), and Sherbadough (Sunset Sherbet x Do-Si-Dos)!

MAGICHOURCANNABIS.COM @MAGICHOURCANNABIS 21.4% THC | 2.7% TERPENES

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dr. jolly’s summer merchandise now available online jollybend.com/store

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jollybend.com • 415 SE 3rd St, Bend, OR 97702 • @dr.jollys.bend • 541-508-2708 Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of Marijuana. For use only by adults twenty-one years of age and older. . Keep out reach of children.

wholesale inquires: jollyswholesale@gmail.com

Introducing Select Elite Live Oil.

Now available at Curaleaf Portland

5103 NE Fremont St, Portland, Oregon 97213

Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. For use only by adults twenty-one years of age and older. Keep out reach of children.

The ease of oil, the feeling of

THE EQUALITY ISSUE

“ W O M E N S H O U L D B E P R I M A R I LY RESPECTED FOR THEIR KNOWLEDGE O N C U LT I VAT I O N , G E N E T I C S , R E TA I L M A N A G E M E N T A N D BUSINESS INVESTMENTS - NOT JUST HOW PRETTY THEY LOOK S M O K I N G W E E D O N I N S TA G R A M .”

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Where Do Women Fit in the Cannabis Industry?

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WE’VE ALL READ THE ARTICLES AND LISTENED TO PODCASTS ABOUT THE UPHILL BATTLES WOMEN FACE IN THE CANNABIS ARENA, RANGING EVERYWHERE FROM INVESTMENTS AND OWNERSHIP TO SEXUAL HARASSMENT.

I could give you data from a 2020 UCLA study about how women working in dispensaries report significantly greater levels of sexual harassment and unwanted sexual attention than men. Or we could talk about how multiple studies confirm a correlation between traditional masculine gender norms and increased Cannabis use.

However, none of the data or anecdotes will change the minds of some. Many people think they understand sexism in Cannabis as just that - regular sexism - without diving into the history behind it.

To really get an understanding of how the Cannabis industry got to this point, we need to go back to the illicit black market days, before legalization. With the trap came the risks, especially for women. Women were typically kept away from positions of ownership or authority since most of the underground game was tough and masculine, both as a culture and as a means of actual physical security. Because of this, women involved in the illicit Cannabis markets were either drug mules

AUG. 2020

or, more commonly, intimately involved with someone along the supply chain.

Now that the industry has shifted into the light, a lot of the same key players remain on top - breeders, cultivators, suppliers, you name it. A lot of those staple figures are heterosexual men that spent a long time in the same market honing their craft and waiting for legalization. An inherent problem with that, however, is that a lot of the same attitudes and ideas shifted to the legal market at the same time. And why wouldn’t they if they worked so well underground? The reason a variety of these issues remain the same is because the culture never changed from the underground to the legal market.

At the same time, white collar investment companies and large overseas firms began to sink their teeth into the Cannabis space. There’s no need to dive into sexism and discrimination in corporate companies because it’s already well researched and discussed, but the need to highlight its presence in Cannabis is important.

Between the two ultra-masculine powerhouses of the illicit and corporate worlds, women have been historically held back from real engagement and involvement. Now that we’ve taken a look at how men have

influenced Cannabis, it’s time to shift toward the other end of the spectrum: the perpetuation of sexist stereotypes by other women.

There’s been a push over the years to make space for women by showcasing stereotypical traits - like vibrant pink colors, manicures, jewelry and other traditional behaviors.

When looking at ‘normal’ events that aren’t geared to any gender (which is debatable), Cannabis is the focus with top-shelf flower, high quality hash, heady glass and equipment dominating discussions. At women-forward events, there seems to be a focus on femininity and aesthetics more than the Cannabis, or the real ways in which women are involved with it.

CBD products are heavily marketed toward women at these events, like eye creams and moisturizers, in lieu of cannagars or specialty blunts that are featured at several other non-gendered events. Commonly, women are marketed to by companies and other women by using femininity to sell products instead of actual quality.

Being feminine is not inherently bad and does a lot of meaningful good by proving that anyone can be ‘girly’ and consume Cannabis. Women should be primarily respected for their knowledge on cultivation, genetics, retail management and business investments - not just how pretty they look smoking weed on Instagram.

Between the underground market players becoming legitimate, the corporate world wedging itself at the top of major chain networks, and companies playing off traditional gender norms, women are fighting obstacles at multiple angles. Old school players from the black market need to realize their roles in perpetuating harmful stereotypes of sexualizing women or by keeping the top positions a ‘boys club’ only.

Corporate Cannabis needs to understand that women are more than just pretty faces to greet customers to boost sales, and deserve the same pay as their male coworkers for the same work.

Women need to understand that women also love quality products and not just stereotypically traditional services and events - we’re more than eye creams and jewelry. Sexism will never be completely eradicated from the field, but the best we can do is try to understand it and learn from it, progressing toward a better future in Cannabis.

STORY by ALEX WORKMAN @WORKDUBS for LEAF NATION | ART by @ANGELINA_BAMBINA_DSGN

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Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the innuence of this drug. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. For use only by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of reach of children.

THE EQUALITY ISSUE

LAST PRISONER PROJECT

The Last Prisoner Project won’t stop until every Cannabis ‘criminal’ is free.

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THE LAST PRISONER. The phrase carries its own gravitational pull.

The weight, the importance, the finality of the word ‘last’ - a terminal statement that means ‘beyond this point, there will be no more.’ Here in the world’s most profusely incarcerated nation - where prison is a multi-billion-dollar, profitable industry that people actually buy stock in - the idea of a ‘last’ prisoner seems unattainable. But that’s exactly what Last Prisoner Project strives to achieve. Thousands upon thousands of nonviolent Cannabis offenders languish in cell block purgatory for committing acts now deemed not only legal, but necessary in many states - and the LPP refuses to rest until the last of those prisoners walks free.

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Founded in 2019 by legendary Cannabis activist Steve DeAngelo, LPP seeks not mere clemency and commutation, but the eradication of all non-violent Cannabis convictions past, present and future.

It’s a battle that’s been fought in the street and on protest frontlines for decades, and now that Cannabis is available for legal curbside pickup in large swaths of the nation, the LPP hopes to bring another level of organization to the movement - employing political intervention and advocacy, celebrity awareness campaigns and industry-driven financial firepower in the fight.

C A S U A LT I E S I N A N U N J U S T W A R

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ccording to a comprehensive incarceration study conducted by the ACLU in 2010 (and updated in 2018), Cannabis offenses account for more than half of all drug arrests in the United States. And those arrests disproportionately impact disadvantaged communities.

Last Prisoner Project actively advocates for dozens of prisoners currently behind

“AS THE SAYING GOES: WHEN THE DISPENSARY LOOKS LIKE AN APPLE STORE, IT’S TIME TO RELEASE A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM PRISON.”

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nlisting the help of influential figures such as Snoop Dogg, GZA and Chelsea Handler, LPP raises public awareness of cases like Thompson’s, mobilizing the citizenry to apply pressure to policy makers to change unjust laws and fight for clemency for current prisoners.

The organization itself continues to add starpower to its ranks, with advocates such as Melissa Etheridge, Stephen and Damian Marley, and Oregon’s own celebrity Cannabis business owner Jim Belushi currently sitting on its board.

And it’s working. For instance, Bailey said the LPP has engaged with more than 130,000 concerned citizens via FreeMichaelThompson.com in a drive to pressure Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer to award Thopmson with clemency.

They haven’t won the fight yet, but with increased awareness, Bailey feels optimistic about their chances.

TEAMING UP AGAINST INJUSTICE

bars for possession and distribution of Cannabis, providing legal and financial assistance and amplifying individual stories in order to shine a spotlight on the injustice of incarcerating nonviolent Cannabis consumers.

Delving into the stories listed on the LPP website, certain common threads weave through the narratives. All are charged either with possession or nonviolent distribution-related activities. Many are racial minorities or are from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. And all of them are currently serving or have served excessive sentences.

One of the highest profile Cannabis POWs on LPP’s list is Michael Thompson: A Flint, Michigan resident 25 years into a 40-to-60-year sentence stemming from a 1996 bust in which he sold Cannabis to an informant. The case was exacerbated by prior nonviolent offenses and the fact that after his arrest, two guns were found when executing a warrant to search the then 45-year-old’s home. (Thompson

asserted that one gun was an antique family heirloom and the other belonged to Thompson’s wife). At this point, Thompson will be well into his 80s when he can qualify for parole.

I F YO U ’ R E N OT A N G RY, YO U’R E N OT PAY I N G AT T E N T I O N

The way LPP Managing Director Mary Bailey sees it, everyone who benefits from Cannabis should be infuriated by the imprisonment of Thompson and other nonviolent offenders.

“Anyone who has been incarcerated for Cannabis is a victim of unjust laws,” Bailey said.

“They are the pioneers of this industry and they are the experts in the field. Cannabis has been deemed essential in the midst of a global crisis, and it’s an absolute travesty that there are so many people incarcerated.”

As the saying goes: When the dispensary looks like an Apple store, it’s time to release a lot of people from prison. It’s only fitting that dispensaries themselves get involved in the fight.

“This past year, we’ve really been looking at Cannabis policy reform in our country,” said Emily Carideo, Marketing Manager for Golden Leaf Holdings, a company that operates businesses in multiple states including the Chalice Farms chain of dispensaries in Oregon. ”Once we saw (Last Prisoner Project’s) mission, it really resonated with us.”

Chalice and Golden Leaf Holdings recently committed to donating monthly to the LPP, and to using their retail and social platforms to help amplify the organization’s message.

“Once you hear those stories directly, it’s pretty difficult to not realize that you need to do something,” Carideo said.

Many other regional and national Cannabis and industry adjacent brands have committed to raising money and awareness for the cause, including Oregon’s East Fork Farms, Buddies, PuffCo, Dr. Bronner’s, PAX, Wana and more.

The full list of companies is available by visiting LastPrisonerProject.org.

The way Bailey sees it, the more awareness, amplification and financial firepower LPP brings to the fight, the better chance the organization has of achieving justice for those still unjustly held for nonviolent Cannabis offenses.

It’s a long way to ‘last’ - but the Cannabis community can get there together, one act of clemency at a time. L ASTPRISONERPROJE C T . O R G

STORY by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS for LEAF NATION | PHOTO by IANA ALTER

THE EQUALITY ISSUE

HOOD INCUBATOR

Co-founders Lanese Martin & Ebele Ifedigbo discuss what’s next for the Black-led, Bay Area-born organization committed to reversing the harmful impacts of America’s drug war.

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WE COULD USE A LOT MORE PLACES LIKE HOOD INCUBATOR IN THE WORLD. aug. 2020

Founded by Lanese Martin and Ebele Ifedigbo in 2016, Hood Incubator is an organization with the stated goal of “ending the drug war and reversing its harmful impacts on Black communities.” Initially, Martin and Ifedigbo focused on their local community in Oakland with a business accelerator, assisting hopeful Cannabis entrepreneurs with the resources, training and mentorship required to land a permit with the city.

“There was this wave of Cannabis legalization happening, first in Colorado and then in these other Pacific Northwestern states,” said Ifedigbo of their motivation to partner with Martin on Hood Incubator. “We were seeing a trend of the industry being whitewashed.

Knowing that California is a leader in this industry - and seeing that some of the factors that we needed to do this work were already in place there - we decided to launch here, in Oakland, and pick up the work from there.”

However, as time has gone on, it has become apparent to Hood Incubator’s founders that focusing too intently on Cannabis justice is akin, in Martin’s words, “to putting on a Band-Aid, but a bunch of blood keeps flowing out.” In this case, blood is taking the form of housing instability, voter disenfranchisement, and the large scale refusal of public institutions and private businesses to fund Black-led endeavors.

“That’s when we realized that we needed to start organizing people to make sure they understood these systemic issues,” Martin explained by phone to California Leaf. “We also want them to know that they have the skillset to dismantle them, both in their local communities as well as nationally. That’s what led us to the current work we’re doing.”

That new work has largely taken the form of organizing and networking. Martin is currently working to add a handful of national Hood Incubator affiliates across the country. With soft verbal agreements currently in place with existing organizations in cities like Chicago, Los Angeles and Buffalo, NY, Martin is hoping her organization can assist with eliminating redundant policy conversations by bringing people with past experience together.

“New York City shouldn’t be talking about legislation that Oakland or Los Angeles has already tried and learned doesn’t work,” Martin explained. “You can learn from something that Chicago did or something that St. Louis did, so The game speaks to what Hood Incubator’s founders feel is the we really need to make sure that we start having next chapter in the battle: shining a spotlight on the intertwined these conversations together, especially at the histories of past federal drug policy and the demands for justice local level.” now emanating from streets across the country.

Even as Hood Incubator looks to expand its “Our organizing tenet is to meet folks where they’re at and footprint, it still continues to offer the services that to provide that direct service,” Martin said. “Then you can start first cemented the organization as a vital asset to building the base for the larger issue and that’s what we’re the community. That includes doing. What we have now is a group the aforementioned “Cannabis of people who don’t know how a

BY CONNECTING THE DOTS Accelerator” program, which bill becomes a law outside of that consists of eight sessions held BETWEEN POLICY, POT AND cartoon that we got to watch in over four weeks. In a three elementary school - if they showed it THE POWER OF THE VOTE, series intensive course, parto you.”

HOOD INCUBATOR HOPES ticipants learn about power By connecting the dots between (both generally and as it relates TO HELP LOCAL COMMUNITIES policy, pot and the power of the vote, specifically to the Cannabis inHood Incubator hopes to help local HARNESS THEIR dustry), as well as technical skills communities harness their collective COLLECTIVE STRENGTH. and campaign development. strength. Part of that work involves While those offerings cater reframing and reinvigorating the to individuals ready to make a conversation around the idea that the fight doesn’t end with a full professional commitment to Cannabis, Hood Cannabis permit. Martin points to grassroots campaigns like Ban Incubator also features more laid back, drop-in the Box and Defund the Police as examples of the broader coacurriculum as well. litions that she wants to see Cannabis activists align themselves One example is their “Higher Learning” series: with - if true change is the desired outcome. a monthly gathering to discuss an item of news “We want to tell people that you have the power to dismantle or work of art related to the intersection of Black the impact of the drug war,” Martin said. “It’s less about ‘you’re life and the war on drugs. Martin also previews making money while my cousin’s still in jail.’ It’s about giving an upcoming ‘virtual edutainment experience’ in people the opportunity to get the full, political education of what the form of an online trivia game that will provide went down and what their role is in keeping the status quo. More players both with fun Cannabis facts, as well as importantly, we want them to understand what their role can be in foundational information on the drug war and its dismantling the status quo, so that we can get to the shared vision lasting impacts. of justice that we want.” LEARN MORE AT HOODINCUBATOR.ORG

STORY by ZACK RUSKIN @ZACKRUSKIN for LEAF NATION| PHOTOS by RACHEL BUJALSKI @RACHELBUJALSKI

THE EQUALITY ISSUE

Q&A | CEO CHRIS BALL From hustling ounces, sitting in prison facing 10 years of federal time, to legal Cannabis business ownership in the most competitive market in the country - Chris Ball’s love affair with the plant spans decades.

ball family farms

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THE EARLY YEARS

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Chris Ball grew up with a pretty normal childhood in South Central Los Angeles, in the quiet suburb of Rowland Heights. At the young age of only eight-years-old, Ball had his first exposure to Cannabis - even though he wasn’t aware of what it was at the time. He began to notice that his father would retire to the couch after dinner, grab a rolling tray and twist up and enjoy a funny smelling cigarette, while his mother would relax with a glass of wine.

He would smell the same funny smelling cigarettes and watch his uncles, cousins and even grandmother enjoy them at family functions.

As he got older, he came to understand what the substance was, but was left perplexed by the seemingly opposite paradigms that were being presented to him.

On one hand, the Reagan administration was pushing the “Just Say No” campaign, spreading the message that drugs, including Cannabis, were bad for you and to reject experimenting with any and all substances.

On the other hand, his real world experience showed him that was not the case at all.

The Ball Family would always score their herb from Chris’ cousin Earl and eventually, Ball connected the dots and the foundations of his enthusiasm for Cannabis business began to take shape. His cousin Earl always had the newest sneakers, the freshest fits and a nice car - and Ball realized this was a result of him selling weed. He got his first ounce from his cousin at 16 and got to work learning how to sell Cannabis.

AUG. 2020

STORY by NATE WILLIAMS @NATEW415 | PHOTOS by BALL FAMILY FARMS

MICHAEL, CHRIS AND CHARLES BALL

Dabbling in the weed game was fun and mildly lucrative for him, but Ball had big dreams and his innate athleticism drove him to pursue a professional football career. He used the profits from selling weed to fund his basic needs and schooling at Mt. San Antonio Community College, where he was able to earn a full ride scholarship to UC Berkeley to play football.

A GROWING PASSION FOR THE PLANT

Once at UC Berkeley, he stopped hustling weed on the side as it was no longer a necessity.

The scholarship provided the support he needed to focus on going pro and Ball’s sights were set on the NFL. After he graduated, he was recruited to join training camp with the 49ers but was cut before making the final roster.

Instead, he caught the attention of some CFL scouts and wound up landing a contract to play professionally in Canada. It was there that Ball would be bitten by the cultivation bug.

“Before then, I was just a middle man, you know? I just got weed and then I sold it and made a couple extra bucks,” he recalls.

Chris’ best friend on the team’s girlfriend had a brother who was a grower in Vancouver, and the three made several visits to go and gawk at his garden. Once Ball discovered the per pound cultivation cost, he knew instantly there were amazing margins to work with if he could buy in Canada

and sell in Los Angeles.

It turns out being from Los Angeles and working for the Canadian Football League would provide the perfect cover for Ball to transport product from Vancouver to Southern California without raising any red flags. Establishing this route in 2003 or 2004, he gained popularity in the LA scene quickly because he could undercut the rest of the market’s prices - thanks to the enhanced margins he was working with.

For over five years, Ball ran Canadian packs down the West Coast to LA. Here he was building a name for himself in the scene, as well as a substantial network, all while gaining boots-on-the-ground experience and learning invaluable lessons. What began as a means to simply provide for himself and support his passion for football had ultimately altered his life path in a major way, becoming his new passion.

HITTING THE FAN

Then, suddenly everything came to a screeching halt in 2010 when Ball was arrested and indicted on federal racketeering charges. The move came shortly after Ball began working with a new business partner who, as it turns out, was being watched by the feds. In the long run, Ball would find out that this business partner was working for El Chapo. Yes, that El Chapo. About six months after meeting this new business partner, the author-

ities swooped in and arrested Ball, charging him and 13 others with violating the RICO act. Chris was looking at up to 10 years of prison time.

Fortunately, Ball was able to afford a good attorney who was able to get him an accurate idea of what they had against him.

With it being his first offense and the minimal amount of evidence they had against him personally in the case, Ball and his lawyer worked a plea bargain for 30 months for admitting to his part in the illegal trafficking activity.

His lawyer also worked to get him bail and won an appeal to keep Ball from having to serve his 30 month sentence until the trial was over.

The other defendants would fight their cases and trials, lasting about four years before coming to a close. During this time, Ball lived life on the upand-up and kept his nose clean, working corporate retail jobs and paying his taxes.

As the case wrapped up and it was time for Ball to face sentencing for his 30 month bid, his lawyer came to bat for him yet again and argued that the main target of the investigation and indictment was handed a five year sentence. Whereas Ball, a first time offender, was handed nearly three years and for the last four years had been a gainfully employed, tax paying and law abiding citizen.

The judge gave Ball ‘time served’ and in 2014 he walked out of the courtroom a free man. >> Continues pg. 46

THE EQUALITY ISSUE

ball family farms >> Continued from pg. 45

BACK ON THE HORSE

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There is no doubt that Ball has a deep passion production. By 2017, Ball had gotten wind of for the plant. Within a matter of weeks of narrowLos Angeles’ equity program and realized he ly avoiding a multi-year prison sentence stemqualified. ming from his involvement “pushing the pack,” In January of 2018, California legalized he was filling a 14 light grow room with plants Cannabis and by December of that same and flipping on the lights to take his first shot at year, Ball received an Adult-Use production growing Cannabis himself. license from the state.

Shortly after the trial was finished, Ball went to collect on an owed debt from a former business GROWING PAINS OF A NASCENT INDUSTRY associate. He ended up accepting the grow in Despite Ball’s good fortune to learn of Los place of the money that was owed to him and it Angeles’ equity program early on and obtain was off to the races. Granted, it wasn’t without licensure in the first year of California’s recredealing with growing’s steep learning curve that ational legality, he had no qualms vocalizing he was able to produce anything of value with his disappointment with the way the system the grow. “I burnt up currently functions. “I plants for a good two won’t lie to you,” he says WITHIN A MATTER OF WEEKS years not knowing what when asked about how OF NARROWLY AVOIDING I was doing,” he exthe program helped him plained. “But the more with the process. “They A MULTI-YEAR PRISON you grow, the more you granted me the license SENTENCE STEMMING FROM learn, the more people and then that was it. It you ask for help. And would be the equivalent HIS INVOLVEMENT “PUSHING you meet people - I met of you getting a football THE PACK,” CHRIS BALL WAS a couple cool cats that scholarship and then FILLING A 14 LIGHT GROW were willing to come in they don’t pay for your and split some equity housing, they give you ROOM WITH PLANTS AND with me and teach me no money for books, FLIPPING ON THE LIGHTS the ropes.” they give you no money TO TAKE HIS FIRST SHOT AT In the same year his for food, they give you trial was finished - and no tutors - they just say GROWING CANNABIS HIMSELF. despite crystal clear you can come to the warnings by the judge school.” that any Cannabis related conviction would have From Ball’s perspective, the system may Ball going straight to jail - he had new partners lower the barrier of entry for applicants to and was taking steps towards vertically integratenter the industry, but it does nothing to ing his business with his new cultivation facility. support newly licensed operators who are From 2015 to 2016, he refined his cultivation forced to overcome a nightmarishly steep skills and really learned the ins and outs of learning curve to stay in business. Had Ball not had years of experience in growing and a substantial network from his prior distribution efforts - learning the tough lessons that come along with being successful in the illicit Cannabis market during that time - he would BALLFAMILYFARMS.COM | @BALLFAMILYFARMS have never made it into the legal market with

AUG. 2020

a legitimate, licensed and state recognized business.

“There needs to be some money, and some help and some consulting behind the scholarship of the license,” says Ball.

Despite an incredibly thorough 75+ page report analyzing potential barriers that may prevent social equity applicants from equitable access to the legal Cannabis industry - along with opportunities to overcome these barriers commissioned by Los Angeles before California legalized in 2018 and having received over $7.8 million in funding since October of 2019 - complicated issues remain. Here, Ball’s real world experience and the overall lack of diversity in the space indicate the need for further investment into the development of the structure of the industry’s equity programs not just in Los Angeles, but across California.

STORY by NATE WILLIAMS @NATEW415 | PHOTOS by BALL FAMILY FARMS

OUR PRODUCTS ARE PROUDLY CARRIED

BY THESE FINE MERCHANTS

AND OUR FLAGSHIP LOCATIONS 7817 NE HALSEY ST - PORTLAND 14800 SE POWELL BLVD - PORTLAND 2164 W 7TH AVE - EUGENE

Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of marijuana. For use only by adults 21 and older. Keep out reach of children.

THE EQUALITY ISSUE

THEON WITH HIS PARENTS, JESSI AND JAMES.

48

fragile warrior Meet Theon Preston, a pediatric patient from Oregon battling Osteogenesis Imperfecta Type 1, better known as Brittle Bone Disease. Coupled with ADHD and Sensory Processing Disorder, Theon is a fragile yet ferocious warrior. Watch out world - with the help of the Cannabis plant alongside a loving and supportive family - Theon lives his best life playing with his cat and dog, admiring crystals, and enjoying movies like Star Wars and Transformers.

HOW DOES YOUR MEDICINE MAKE YOU FEEL?

Theon: It makes me feel better, better all over.

It makes my pain go away and my brain focus, so my body does what I want it to do. I don’t like when my body does not listen.

WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE TRANSFORMER AND WHY?

Theon: Bumblebee is my favorite Transformer, but I would like an Optimus Prime toy. I like Bumblebee the best because he talks using the radio and music, and I love music.

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WHEN DID YOU FIRST START INTRODUCING CANNABIS INTO THEON’S LIFE? WHAT ARE SOME OF THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT YOU’VE ENCOUNTERED SINCE?

Theon’s Mother Jessi: I first started introducing Cannabis into Theon’s life two years ago, after he broke both his arms and had to have a rod placed in each arm while they were healing. The doctors gave him painkillers that made him feel very aggravated and incoherent. If he was to take the painkillers at the rate he was, for every break he sustained, his liver would be damaged before puberty. I did not want to risk him having long term health problems for temporary pain relief. Cannabis helped his pain while making his mind clearer, not incoherent.

Cannabis does not damage his liver and actually has side effects that are beneficial for him, such as inducing his appetite.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHER PARENTS WHO ARE CONSIDERING GIVING THEIR CHILDREN CANNABIS FOR MEDICAL REASONS?

Jessi: I would suggest parents do research into what has worked for other children with the same diagnosis as their child. When you hear success stories it takes the fear away. I would also suggest starting off with a small dose and try different strains until you find one, or a combination of strains and doses, that work for your child specifically. Everyone has a unique endocannabinoid system, and thus needs a different dose and strain to help them. Theon takes different strains at different times of the day, and different doses depending on the level of pain he is in. For example, he needs a larger dose after a break than he does on a daily basis to deal with his daily pain. In the daytime he uses a strain high in the terpene limonene to help his appetite and motor coordination.

At night he uses a strain high in the terpene myrcene to help ease his muscle spasms and inflammation, while also helping him to relax into sleep.

“IT MAKES MY PAIN GO AWAY AND MY BRAIN FOCUS, SO MY BODY DOES WHAT I WANT IT TO DO.”

AUG. 2020

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE THE WORLD TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THEON AND OSTEOGENESIS IMPERFECTA TYPE 1 + SENSORY PROCESSING DISORDER?

Jessi: Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI aka Brittle Bone Disease) is a genetic disorder that is caused by a mutation in the gene that affects bone formation and strength. Though it is most commonly associated with the skeletal system, it does affect other body tissue as well. OI is a lifelong condition, meaning there is no cure for it and very limited treatment is available.

Some notable traits in children with OI are short stature, bone deformity and pain, low bone density, loose joints and ligament laxity. Theon deals with all those traits. He has a rare combination of OI, ADHD and Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), which puts him at higher risk for injury. His brain is telling him to seek sensory stimulus, while his body is too fragile to handle the stimulus.

My job as his mom is to keep him safe, at the same time keeping his mind occupied with body safe activities. As he says, his medicine helps him feel better all over and really changed his quality of life. Since he has been on Cannabis, he has not had any breaks because it helps him focus and make safer decisions. Because of Cannabis he is a happy boy with what I hope will be a bright future.

FACEBOOK.COM/THEONSMEDICALNEEDS

STORY by MAX EARLY @LIFTED_STARDUST for LEAF NATION| PHOTO by AMANDA DAY @TERPODACTYL_MEDIA

THE EQUALITY ISSUE

Transcend TELL ME ABOUT YOUR TRANSITION. Well, I’ve been on hormone replacement therapy for fourand-a-half years. I feel like it was missing from my body. My brain needed it, my body needed it. I was constantly hearing things like ‘you’re weird’ and ‘guys don’t do that.’ That’s what I’ve heard a lot, but I wasn’t a guy, although they thought I was. I tried to believe I was a guy because I was told I was, and I lived as one but I believed there was a Santa Claus, too, until I learned that he doesn’t exist.

WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ON EQUALITY IN THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY? I don’t know a single

50

owner that is LGBTQIA. I have heard a statistic that 30% of Cannabis users are LGBT, but I don’t know of any owners. People love to stereotype, stoners included, but I try to prove that wrong. Yes, I can!

EFFIE LOU WARREN

IS THIS THE RIGHT COMMUNITY FOR YOU RIGHT NOW? Well, it’s the only place I want

STICKY BUDZ REGIONAL SALES MANAGER

to be. And to be honest, I don’t think there is another industry that would accept me this well for who I am. I’m proud of MLM, the parent company for Sticky Budz. When I took many interviews before them, I always thought I was going to get a call back, but it never came.

It was Tiffany Louie who gave me my shot. If it were not for her, I would not be in this business and now I’ve been a part of the organization for over two years - enjoying a lot of success.

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DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU’VE BEEN JUDGED AT ALL BY THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY? I know there

are a certain amount of shops I shouldn’t go to. They won’t welcome me to have lunch with them, they won’t allow me to do a vendor day with them. And I have to keep my mouth shut so I don’t lose those accounts. Yet, I still have to win these shops over. I’m gonna get in your shop, Dude! You know why? Because I’m gonna have product you need. And you know what I’m gonna do when that happens?

I’m gonna walk my flamingo ass in there so perched up and you’re not going to be able to say anything, because I’m making you money.

I’m fucking gangster! Otherwise, I know who my people are and I’m really proud of the shops who aren’t run by bigots.

@EFFIE_MLM

“I KNOW WHO MY PEOPLE ARE AND I’M REALLY PROUD OF THE SHOPS WHO AREN’T RUN BY BIGOTS.”

RIGHT ON. THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING FOR YOU, EFFIE. Actually, I’m not just gangster,

but I’m gay and I’m proud - I’m a trans woman who deserves to exist just like any woman or man.

AUG. 2020

INTERVIEW by MIKE RICKER | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

ndence

D

IFFERENTIATION IS EVERYWHERE. No two organisms, due to the laws of physics, are truly identical. And obviously, when it comes to people, we are not above those laws.

One can liken the varying differences of personality and appearance to a sky filled with clouds - from the naked eye they all appear white and similar, but to watch their existence unfold over time, one will see that they change form and directive in accordance with the elements from which they were borne.

But as society cannot directly control or change the course of a cloud, there is an overwhelming agenda to control people by manipulating parameters that go against our innate instinct to flow and evolve in congruence with nature.

From the time we are birthed, the lessons begin to shape us into what optimally benefits the greater collective by providing a system that keeps it simple: boys wear blue and girls wear pink, ad infinitum.

And as this pounding of information into impressionable minds is effective for most, for many who don’t fit into that narrow ideological picture-perfect frame, living their truth becomes paramount to their mental wellness, and ultimately their survival.

Here, we have two members of the Cannabis community who celebrate their individuality through the daily display of who they are at the very core - for us to recognize and embrace as we struggle to find the answers to our own existence.

Their mettle is an example of how we can all improve this rare miracle called the human experience, as we grasp for clarity with the intention of living the best, most authentic life possible.

I found that it helps with PTSD and the pain of growing older. I got on board with that and started looking at the history of prohibition and became intrigued as a reporter to fight back against the false propaganda surrounding the plant. And I used to be a gourmet beer snob, so I quit drinking beer and translated that energy towards becoming a gourmet Cannabis smoker.

WAS IT HARD FOR YOU TO COME OUT AS TRANS? I came out to my dad after the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando in 2016, because I was really torn up about that - my dad is gay. And then I came out as trans to the public in 2018. I think I have an advantage over some gay men because I grew up straight without the torment of being a gay person, because I was a girl who liked boys. So, the torment was from being a guy in a girl’s body. Being gay is new because I’ve always been trans. But the world is now defining me as gay by sexual preferences. I’m not too into labels anyway.

ZANE VORENBERG HIGH 5 CANNABIS BUDTENDER & CANNABIS JOURNALIST

SPEAKING OF LABELS, DO YOU SEE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HOW THEY ARE ATTACHED BETWEEN STANDARD SOCIETY AND THE CANNABIS SOCIETY? Yes, to a certain degree. I think the Cannabis

@EXPLODINGEGG AS A CANNABIS JOURNALIST, WHAT HAVE YOU COVERED?

Over the years I’ve written about Cannabis legalization in various states.

I covered medical legalization in New Mexico, covered legalization for the Columbian here in Vancouver, and then jetted out on my own as a freelancer.

SO, I ASSUME YOU KNEW YOU WERE GAY AT A YOUNG AGE, BUT AT WHAT AGE DID CANNABIS COME INTO YOUR LIFE AND CHANGE EVERYTHING ELSE?

Well, the term ‘gay’ is sort of strange for me as a trans guy because I was straight (laughs). I mean, I knew I was trans when I was four or five, but there were no words for it really. So I was kind of making it up as I went along - the ‘being me’ experience, I guess. I smoked in high school, blowing off steam, but then I gave it up for 30 years. Then, when legalization started, a friend of mine took an eighth of Master Kush and dumped it on my kitchen counter and said, “If you’re going to be writing about this, you’re going to have to know what you’re talking about.” So, I got a pipe, smoked some and thought to myself, ‘Wow, this is pretty nice.’

“I THINK THE CANNABIS WORLD AND THE JOURNALISM WORLD ARE MORE OPENMINDED TO PEOPLE WHO ARE DIFFERENT OR QUIRKY.”

world and the journalism world are more open-minded to people who are different or quirky. This world has been really welcoming for me as I transition. High 5 is a very diverse workplace. There’s another gay guy on the staff, there are Black and brown staffers, bisexual folks, and many of the crew speak multiple languages - including sign language, which helps a lot with our equally diverse customer base. It’s a very nice fit for me, with a lot of open-minded people.

COULD YOU SEE YOURSELF IN ANY OTHER INDUSTRY THAT WOULD BE AS ACCEPTING FOR WHO YOU ARE? Not really. It’s nice to be treated

with respect because nobody in this industry really cares about your differences. And I’m open about being trans. I like being open about being trans, because people will make up their own preconceived notions about things they have no experience with, so it gives me the opportunity to be a positive example for people who don’t know anyone who is trans. I’d like to change people’s misconception that a trans person is supposed to be weird or different. We are a normal part of human society that has always existed.

INTERVIEW by MIKE RICKER | PHOTO by FLETCHER WOLD @FWOLD_PHOTOGRAPHY

THE EQUALITY ISSUE

Guide BUSINESSES American Cannabinoid Clinics Black-owned Health and OMMP Clinic 205 SE Spokane St #315 Portland, OR TheACClinics.com @theknoxdocs Budding Culture Black-owned Portland Dispensary 6802 NE Broadway, Portland, OR BuddingCulturePDX.com

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Club Sky High Black-owned Portland Dispensary and Cultivator 8957 N Lombard St Portland, OR ClubSkyHigh.net @clubskyhigh_pdx Elev8 Cannabis Black-owned Eugene Dispensary 1409 Oak St Eugene, OR Elev8Cannabis.com @elev8cannabis Exodus Wellness Center Black-owned Dispensary & Social Club 16211 SE Powell Blvd, Portland, OR ExodusWellnessCenter.com @exoduswellnesscenter

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Green Muse Black-owned Portland Dispensary 5515 NE 16TH Ave, Portland, OR GoGreenMuse.com @gogreenmuse High 5 Cannabis Black-owned Eugene Dispensary 86531 College View Road Eugene, OR CannabisHigh5.com @cannabishigh5 Kush Cart Latinx-owned Portland Delivery Service KushCartPDX.com @kushcart.pdx MindRite Latinx-owned Portland Dispensary 1780 NW Marshall St, Portland MindRitePDX.com@mindritepdx_

AUG. 2020

BIPOC & LGBTQ

Company Roundup

La Mota Latinx-owned Oregon Dispensaries *Various locations* LaMota.com @lamotalife Natural Wonders Indigenous-owned Portland Dispensary 3831 SE Main St, Portland www.NaturalWondersPDX.com @naturalwondersoregon PDX Green Box Black and LGBTQ-owned Portland Delivery Service PDXGreenBox.com @greenbox_or PotMates Black-owned Portland Delivery Service PotMatesPDX.com @potmates.pdx ReLeaf Health Black-owned Portland Dispensary 3213 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Portland, OR ReLeafHealth.green @releafhealthcannabis The People’s Dispensary Black, Latinx, and LGBTQ-owned Portland Dispensary 6714 NE Sandy Blvd Portland, OR www.MYTPD.com @mytpd.pdx Trees Dispensary Black and Latinx-owned Portland Dispensary 1234 NE 102nd Ave, Portland TreesMarijuana.com @treesportland

Conscientious Cannabis shopping is a great way to diversify our industry. If you’re one of the many Oregonians looking to put your money where your mouth is, check out this directory of BIPOC and LGBTQ-owned businesses.

BRANDS Barbari Black and LGBTQ-owned Portland Hemp Personal Products Producer BarbariShop.com @barbari.shop Empower Body Care LGBTQ-owned Portland Topical Producer EmpowerHemp.com @empower_bodycare Extractioneering East-Asian owned extract company based in Ashland.

Extractioneering.com @extractioneering Foundation Holistic Indigenous-owned Grand Ronde Cannabis Producer @foundation_holisitc_2.0 Grasse Asian-owned Estacada Cannabis Producer TheGrasse.com @grasseco Green Bodhi Asian-owned Cannabis Producer in Portland GreenBodhi.org @greenbodhi Kaya Cosmeceuticals Asian-owned Portland Hemp Personal Products Producer KayaCosmeceuticals.com @kayacosmeceuticals Levels Beverage Company Black-owned Portland Hemp Beverage Producer @levelsbevco

Make and Mary Latinx-owned Portland Hemp Personal Products Producer MakeAndMary.com @themakeandmary Nutty Bee Black-owned Portland Hemp Personal Products Producer TeePDX.com/Nutty-Bee @nuttybeepdx Oracle Infused Black and LGBTQ-owned Portland Hemp Personal Products Producer OracleInfused.com @oracleinfusedwellness Pangaea Extracts Latinx-owned La Pine Extract Producer PangaeaCannabis.com @pangaeaorganics Peak Extracts LGBTQ-owned Portland Extract and Edible Producer PeakExtracts.com @peakextracts Savage Gardens Asian-owned Portland Cannabis Producer @savagegardens Sour Bhotz Latinx-owned Portland Edible Producer GreenStateOfMind.com @greenstateofmindinc The Botanical Joint Latinx-owned Portland Hemp Product Producer TheBotanicalJoint.com @thebotanicaljoints

LOWD Black-owned Portland Cannabis Producer @thelowd

Viola Black-owned Portland Cannabis Producer ViolaBrands.com @viola_oregon

Magic Hour Cannabis Black and Latinx-owned Portland Cannabis Producer MagicHourCannabis.com @magichourcannabis

45th Parallel Farms Indigenous-owned Dallas Cannabis Producer @45th_parallel_farms

Is there a Cannabis business that you’d like to see added to the directory?

Email terpodactyl@gmail.com so that they may be included in future editions.

For a national directory and additional, online-based businesses check out Cannaclusive and AlmostConsultings’ “InclusiveBase”: cannaclusive.com/inclusivebase.

STORY by AMANDA DAY @TERPODACTYL_MEDIA for OREGON LEAF

www.exoticblendzpdx.com Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. For use only by adults twenty-one years of age and older. Keep out of the reach of children.

In a medium bowl, combine the sliced banana with the lemon juice and canna-oil. Freeze in a plastic bag. In a small pan, warm the oil. Stir in the cocoa

cooking with Cannabis

and agave or honey and mix till smooth. Add the vanilla and set aside. Place the frozen bananas in the bowl of a food processor. Puree until smooth.

Immediately scoop into serving bowls or place in the freezer in a freezer safe bowl. To serve, place a scoop of ice cream in serving bowls, drizzle with the chocolate sauce and sprinkle with the chopped coconuts. Serves 4.

MANGO SORBET In the bowl of a food processor, combine all the ingredients. Process until smooth. Pour the mixture into a bowl. Cover and chill for 2 hours. Pour the mixture into the freezer can of an ice-cream freezer and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions. Spoon sorbet into glasses immediately and serve or keep in the freezer in a freezer safe bowl or container. Serves 4.

2 medium ripe mangoes, about 2 cups, cubed 1 cup fresh pineapple, in chunks 3 tablespoons pineapple juice 4 teaspoons canna-oil 1 tablespoon lime juice 2 tablespoons agave

MAGICAL BANANA SUNDAE

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3 medium bananas, peeled and sliced 1 tablespoon lemon juice 4 teaspoons canna-oil 2 tablespoons canola oil 2 tablespoons cocoa powder 1 teaspoon agave nectar or honey ½ teaspoon vanilla 4 tablespoons walnuts, chopped

In a blender combine the yogurt, oil and blueberries. Place 1/3 of the blueberry/yogurt mixture in a bowl and keep in the fridge. Divide the angel food cake among the 4 bowls. Pour 2/3 of the blueberry mixture over the cake. Freeze. Remove from the freezer and top with the sliced strawberries. Top with the remaining blueberry/yogurt mixture.

Freeze again until firm. At serving time allow the dessert to sit at room temperature for about 5-10 minutes. Serves 4.

oregonlEAF.COM

ANGELBERRY FROZEN TRIFLE

REFRESH & RELAX aug. 2020

12 ounces nonfat vanilla yogurt 4 teaspoons canna-butter or oil 1 ½ cups blueberries 1 cup angel food cake, torn in small pieces 1 cup strawberries, thinly sliced

Isn’t this just nuts? Honestly, I am in a constant state of shock, and more than ever, Cannabis is my friend. And for a little extra support, I am adding some CBD oil to my morning coffee and nighttime warm milk. It’s delicious - just warm the milk, add CBD oil, a teaspoon of honey, some vanilla and cinnamon. If you want to make some CBD oil, follow the recipe for THC infusions - you won’t get high, but you will feel better. And who doesn’t want to feel better? These icy treats will refresh! And if you make a bunch, they will be ready in your freezer at a moments notice. Think of all the possibilities in the fruit department. The superb CBD is from East Fork Cultivars and the strain Life Coach is from Noble Farms, where they grow some serious herb.

Last week I made a blueberry almond pie with their Blueberry Kush. It made me a tiny bit happy that we didn’t really have to share the pie. #sixfeetapart #Dontfeartheedible RECIPES by LAURIE WOLF | PHOTOS by BRUCE WOLF

SUMMER

IS HEATING UP!

STOP IN AND CHECK OUT ORGANICALLY GROWN HOUSE FLOWER AND RECEIVE 15% OFF ANY ONE ITEM. OFFER EXPIRES 9/1/2020 EXCLUSIONS APPLY.

Moonbeam Budz Salem's premier cannabis shop

DO NOT OPERATE A VEHICLE OR MACHINERY UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THIS DRUG. FOR USE ONLY BY ADULTS TWENTY-ONE YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER. KEEP OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN.

2390 Fairgrounds Road NE Salem, OREGON (503) 990-7358 MOONBEAMBUDZ.COM

EDIBLE OF THE MONTH

TAO GARDENS MARS LOVE TRIANGLE

LEMON ZEST CANNABIS FLOWER ROSIN GUMMIES Tao Gardens is a Eugene operation touted for its holistic, no-till growing methods and potent, flavorful flowers. Recently, the company coupled with Corvallis candy producer Green Valley Chocolates to offer Oregon’s first single strain, flower rosin gummies.

Tao’s edible debut features a strain that they’ve become well known for in flower form. Mars Love Triangle is a cross between Triangle Kush, Mars OG and Snow Lotus.

The effects are uplifting and euphoric when inhaled, but how does the strain treat tokers when ingested?

This picky patient pounded a pack for the sake of science...

The edible endeavor brought a tantalizing, tart lemon flavor that lingered pleasantly after each piece. These soft, smooth, circular gummies are easy to get down in one 50mg dose, and are only subtly sweet. You’ll find a gentle rosin flavor, but it doesn’t linger like some extract-infused candies. The luscious, lemon puree provides plenty of flavor to cleanse the palate.

Heavy eyelids were the first to make an appearance in the effects category, but there was an unexpected second wave shortly after battling back some sleepiness. Heaving through a heavy-eyed haze, this consumer found the euphoric and energizing effects that Mars Love Triangle has been known for.

Hours into the experience, the gummies still provided a mental clarity and calmness that doesn’t often accompany edibles.

Tao Gardens’ single strain, single batch, real fruit gummies are gluten free and vegan friendly. Fastidious folks will find these gummies gloriously easy to eat, especially if they’re looking for something a little less sweet.

oregonlEAF.COM

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10MG THC / 2-SERVING GUMMY

@TAOGARDENS

aug. 2020

Hours into the experience, the gummies still provided a mental clarity and calmness that doesn’t often accompany edibles.

REVIEW by AMANDA DAY @TERPODACTYL_MEDIA for OREGON LEAF | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

CONCENTRATE OF THE MONTH

PINEAPPLE JAGER LIQUID DIAMOND LIVE RESIN PAX ERA POD

BY BUDDIES & EAST FORK CULTIVARS Buddies and East Fork Cultivars

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have partnered together to create this near 2:1 CBD:THC liquid diamond live resin PAX Era pod, which also donates $1 per sale to the Last Prisoner Project. Created by East Fork Cultivars, Pineapple Jager is a powerful high CBD cross between Pineapple-Tsu (Sour Tsunami x

With notes of sweet citrus and sharp fuel, this alleviating strain is perfect to consume any time of day or night, with its light high and heavy relaxation. The PAX Era makes for a discreet and inconspicuous method of consumption, so users don’t have to worry about when or where they’re medicating.

East Fork Cultivars is widely known for its sustainable farming practices, environmental ethics and superior CBD genetic work. Their focus on educating the community while providing truly medicating products, sets them well above many local and out-of-state competitors.

With values like these, it’s easy to see why they’ve partnered with Buddies’ patentpending extraction method, furthering their goals of giving back to the community.

These companies also have another strain, Cherry Wine, that donates $1 per sale to LPP, so consumers have options when it comes to this CBD heavy live resin. If you’re unsure which strain is part of the initiative, look for the black PAX Era boxes with the LPP sticker in the right corner.

Together, Buddies and East Fork Cultivars are putting their money into action by creating this partnership in an effort to make a real difference and raise awareness by donating a significant portion of their sales to a cause the entire community can stand behind.

If you aren’t familiar yet, the Last Prisoner Project aims to free people who are still in prison for Cannabis ‘crimes’ - while the rest of us can purchase taxed Cannabis in highend boutiques.

The LPP is a nonprofit organization dedicated to bridging the gap between Cannabis criminalization and legalization, by saving citizens caught in the crossfire.

Buddies and East Fork Cultivars picked the perfect cause to highlight in the community, making it easy for consumers to medicate while making an impact.

Pineapple) and Jager, providing quick relief with each

oregonlEAF.COM

small puff.

With notes of sweet citrus and sharp fuel, this alleviating strain is perfect to consume any time of day or night.

BUDDIESBRAND.COM | EASTFORKCULTIVARS.COM

aug. 2020

| 24.1% THC

|

43.3% CBD

| 12.1% TERPENES

REVIEW by ALEX WORKMAN @WORKDUBS | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

TOPICAL OF THE MONTH

PACKAGING & APPEARANCE

Easily mistakable for an upscale skincare brand, this minimalist design showcases gold, pink and black lettering, elegantly formatted against a matte white paper case. The Cannabis balm comes in a conveniently sized 1.8oz matching metallic gold tin that can fit in anything from a small purse to a back pocket. The Leif Goods Physic Field Balm really shines on the shelves with its alluring charm and luxurious packaging.

425MG THC | 128MG CBD | @LEIFGOODS

Its light but pungent smell attracts the nose with a crisp lavender aroma.

AROMA

An intricate blend of fresh lavender and bergamot, this citrusy floral combination feels like walking through a large herb garden filled with pervasive wildflowers. Its light but pungent smell attracts the nose with a crisp lavender aroma, accompanied by subtle notes of oranges and Meyer lemon, with spicy herbal undertones.

APPLICATION

The metallic container effortlessly twists open so any user, even those with joint pain, can access the product without having to struggle with complicated packaging. This light and creamy consistency easily glides straight from the container right onto your fingers, making this potent balm accessible in any kind of situation. With main ingredients like olive oil, coconut oil, tucuma butter and arnica oil, a small amount quickly absorbs into and moisturizes skin without feeling greasy or overbearing on your fingers - making it easy to reapply without all the mess! Hydrating and weightless, this potent balm has the perfect amount of moisture and absorption.

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EFFECTS

Though little in size, this tiny tin is not to be underestimated! With a whopping 425mg THC and 128mg CBD, a little bit goes a long way when managing soreness, discomfort or any other physical situation that may require relief management. Since Physic uses Siskiyou Sungrown full extract Cannabis oil in all their products, this balm utilizes and amplifies all aspects the Cannabis plant has to offer - instead of just THC and CBD - like terpenes, fatty acids, proteins, vitamins and so much more.

This potent topical also uses a combination of plant-based oils and vitamin E, which naturally leaves skin feeling conditioned and rejuvenated.

Once liberally applied, it only takes 15 minutes to notice the relaxing effects.

oregonlEAF.COM

VALUE

PHYSIC FIELD BALM LEIF GOODS

aug. 2020

Depending on where you shop, the price for the Field Balm varies from $65 to $78 (tax included). Quick acting and immensely relieving, this product is well worth the price. If you can’t afford to splurge or want to dip your toes in the water first, Physic offers smaller lip balm sized containers with similar THC:CBD ratios for $13 to $16 out the door.

OVERALL

This woman-owned/primarily operated company has been creating high quality products with delicately lush branding since early 2017. Elegant displays, freshly complex yet relaxing aromas, and potent full spectrum Cannabis oil can be found with any Physic product. With attention to detail sourcing choice materials, consumers can confidently choose Physic Field Balm as an effective product at a fair price. Did we mention it’s vegan, too?

REVIEW by ALEX WORKMAN @WORKDUBS | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

Hemp revolutionized the textile industry 10,000 years ago when the Chinese used it for paper and clothing. Delta Alternatives is excited to bring you the next revolutionary leap forward in hemp derived cannabinoids: Delta-8

Wholesale • Retail • Toll

Questions@DeltaAlternatives.US

THE ART OF PAIRING CANNABIS

tanninS &terpenes

Our pairing for August exceeded expectations, featuring Oregon’s first ever pre-ground flower by vertically integrated Th3 Farms and a refreshingly healthy CBD Tonic - hand crafted between the mountains of Oregon by the minority owned and family operated, local company known as Rotate.

TANNINS | ROTATE CBD

BLACKBERRY APPLE TONIC

I chose to start my Saturday morning by cracking open this juicy CBD Tonic first thing when I woke up. I’ve been really into ice cold carbonated beverages lately, so I was extra stoked to pull this out of my fridge. Fresh pressed Oregon blackberry juice is listed as one of the only ingredients - enough said. They also added some fresh pressed apple juice to balance the bitter tart of the berry.

Like many CBD edibles and beverages, there is actually not even the faintest taste of Cannabis to be found.

A purely refreshing bubbly drink, it was a joy to start my day on a balanced and healthy note.

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TERPENES | Th3 FARMS

GEMSTONE COLLECTION DIAMOND PRE-GROUND FLOWER

oregonlEAF.COM

I followed this by eagerly sparking up a rice paper joint of the Th3 Farms’ Gemstone Collection’s Diamond strain. This is one of the most thoughtful and innovative approaches I have seen yet to offering flower.

Pre-ground to perfection and the flower itself got me smacked. Its nose is pungent and very earthy, with a hint of sour. Definitely a good choice for nighttime activities, as this strain had me quite couch-locked.

Not only is the flower potent, already ground up and comes with a mini spoon designed with versatility in mind, but you can tell right away the material is freshly ground delicious nugs - not trim or shake.

This idea evolves the whole logistics of flower smoking - especially when you live an on-the-go, outdoors lifestyle like so many of us do in Oregon.

As much as I love joints, sometimes I have been prevented from smoking them because of pure lack of convenience. Th3 is changing this, and opening doors to new possibilities.

ROTATE CBD BLACKBERRYAPPLE TONIC Th3 FARMS GEMSTONE COLLECTION DIAMOND PRE-GROUND FLOWER *Oregon Leaf Warning* Anytime you combine two substances of any kind, you have to be extra vigilant of the effects. We strongly recommend conducting pairings in a safe and private space, in small quantities with friends. Always use a designated driver or have a plan to get home safely.

aug. 2020

THE PAIRING

Whether you are going adventuring or stocking up on supplies for an emergency kit, do not forget to add this awesome product.

In closing, I’d like to say I am happy about the decision to choose a nonalcoholic beverage for this review, aligning with the intention of the Equality Issue to promote positivity and healing within the community.

TERPENES Th3Farms.com @Th3Farms

REVIEW by BARRON WOLFE @BARRON.WOLFE | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

HIGH QUALITY. CERTIFIED. SINGLE SOURCE.

EXPERIENCE THE DIFFERENCE.

theverdantleaf BE KIND TO EARTH AND KIND TO YOURSELF. IT’S TIME TO CHOOSE CERTIFIED KIND! CERTIFIED KIND IS OREGON’S PREMIERE 3RD PARTY CERTIFICATION PROGRAM FOR ORGANICALLY GROWN AND PROCESSED CANNABIS. PRODUCTS THAT CARRY THE CERTIFIED KIND SEAL, LIKE VERDANT LEAF’S SOLVENTLESS ROSIN CARTRIDGES, DO NOT CONTAIN ANY ADDITIVES OF ANY KIND. THIS IS CANNABIS MADE THE NATURAL WAY. LEARN MORE AT CERTIFIED-KIND.COM

kindcertified

emember that television show from the old days called The Dating Game? Before a live studio audience, they would hide an eligible bachelor or bachelorette behind a screen to ask questions to three contestants of potential relationship material. The purpose was to explore compatibility, with the ultimate reward of romance. The questions were saucy, the young and delightful participants were terribly good looking and everyone had a little fun.

Tila Tequila wasn’t even born yet. You do remember her, right? OK, good, we’re communicating.

By today’s standards, this concept seems unoriginal, while 50 years ago the innovative format was blushingly audacious. Free love was still lingering from the revolutionary ‘60s, so it worked.

And the truth is that public dating forums had been kept very discreet by their users up until about 10 years ago when, if someone was brazen enough to create an account on Match.com, chances are they were not public about it for fear of being labeled as desperate.

And we all know that desperation is an extremely effective sex repellant.

So, there was a careful tightrope that the steely dreamer had to balance to maintain a positive reputation, yet still appear appealing. And to announce to the world that you met your partner on the internet would be like saying you met in Vegas.

“It’ll never last,” said their mothers.

Now however, swiping is the preferred form of exploring compatibility, which is great.

On some levels.

Anyway, back to The Dating Game. Not much has changed, really.

The person you are corresponding with is behind a screen and what you get is a television version of them.

Sigh. I think I’m gonna do a dab now.

R

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oregonlEAF.COM

by Mike Ricker

aUG. 2020

F O L L OW @ R I C K E R D J | G E T T H E AU D I O V E R S I O N & EV E RY E P I S O D E AT S TO N EY- B A L O N EY. C O M

The difference is in the smoke!

Our strains have been lovingly developed by devoted professionals.

With all-natural nutrients and crystal clear water, we provide top-shelf flower at an affordable price.

We also process our flower into Quantum Alchemy concentrates, extracts, vape cartridges, and other products loved

by Oregonians!

QuantumOregon.com

Photo by: @ConsciouslyCaptured Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of marijuana. For use only by adults 21 or older. Keep out of the reach of children.