Oregon Leaf — Dec. 2019

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THE CULTURE ISSUE Artwork by Birdcap makes an impression at The Pacific Circle in Bend, Oregon. The private, members-only lounge and gallery features incredible custom murals, stunning high-end glass pieces and a safe, communal vibe full of friendly faces.

14 national news 16 local news 18 spreading good 20 highly likely 24 patient profile

dec. 2019

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the culture issue oregonlEAF.COM

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dec. 2019

ARTWORK by JOSHUA BOULET @JOSHUABOULET

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

WES

ABNEY

Editor’s Note ON THE COVERs THE CULTURE ISSUE

For years, Northwest artist Joshua Boulet has wielded his considerable talents to create iconic holiday illustrations for Northwest Leaf, Oregon Leaf and Alaska Leaf’s December issue covers. See more of his work at JoshuaBoulet.com joshua boulet for leaf nation

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 Simone Fischer Profiles Matthew Meyers Opinion

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

STATE DIRECTOR

Meghan Ridley Editing

max early | Production max@orleaf.com | 303-746-9067

Chris Ryan Photography

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I AM A STONER. I want to start this by making that statement as a father, business owner, creative professional and overall happy person. I was a stoner as a college athlete, when I worked my first newspaper job, and when I had my first daughter. Cannabis helped her mother through the birth, and to celebrate our new life.

But that wasn’t something I could always say with pride. I remember being arrested for pot, being called a drug user by the criminal justice system, and having to fight for freedom over a few grams of flower.

I’ve had church members tell me that they pray for my THERE ARE family to escape the clutches of sin for using a plant that AMAZING I believe is a gift from God. I’ve seen cancer patients called fakes and stoners when testifying before legislature PEOPLE WHO for the right to treat their condition with a plant.

GROW, SELL AND Over the last 10 years of publishing Leaf magazines, USE CANNABIS the narrative of Cannabis has evolved from the shadows to the mainstream as the healing and recreational EVERY DAY, FROM benefits are becoming undeniably accepted. But even as CELEBRITIES TO Cannabis generates billions in taxes, provides jobs and TEACHERS TO heals our people, the stigma of using it still exists. And that has got to change.

POLITICIANS. Cannabis culture has come a long way since Cheech WE NEED TO and Chong and Pineapple Express, though those cultural BRING THE icons paved the way. Today, being a stoner is almost like being the wrong ethnicity or orientation in a culture. It’s CULTURE OUT OF okay to be you, just don’t show it or acknowledge it. But THE SHADOWS why should we have to hide our culture, our identity, and AND BE PROUD TO our medicine of choice?

The simple answer is that we shouldn’t. Cannabis has PROCLAIM THAT long influenced culture, while developing its own lingo, WE TOO ARE attitude and vibe that touches many sub cultures and STONERS. genres. I’m here to proclaim loud and proud that it’s high time we celebrate our own culture!

There are amazing people who grow, sell and use Cannabis every day, from celebrities to teachers to politicians. We need to bring the culture out of the shadows and be proud to proclaim that we too are stoners. Nobody should be afraid to share or use a healing plant, or have to hide their identity that is rightfully shaped by the plant we all know and love. That’s why we celebrate with our Culture Issue, to protect and share what is perhaps our greatest asset.

The love for a plant that connects us through healing and recreation, art and music, and is fast becoming a mainstream influence on the entire world. That is why I’m proud to claim my title as stoner, and seek to share the truth about the most misjudged plant in history.

Thank you for reading, sharing in our culture, and not being afraid to stand up for your right to be accepted.

-Wes Abney

dec. 2019

11

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Thanks for picking up The Culture Issue of The Leaf!

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national news

WEST COAST

WASHINGTON STATE PUTS NEW BAN ON VAPING CHEMICAL

legalization

BIDEN STANDS ALONE AGAINST CANNABIS LEGALIZATION AMID DEMOCRATIC FIELD

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Joe Biden differs from his 2020 Democratic presidential rivals in at least one important respect: he doesn’t back the legalization of Cannabis. Biden in November claimed that the scientific community doesn’t know enough about whether weed is a “gateway drug” to harder stuff.

“The truth of the matter is, there’s not nearly been enough evidence that has been acquired as to whether or not it is a gateway drug,” the former VP claimed at a campaign event in Las Vegas. “It’s a debate, and I want a lot more before I legalize it nationally.”

The scientific debate on the gateway theory, of course, was over years ago. The mainstream source, TIME Magazine, even declared it scientifically dead almost 15 years ago.

Biden does at least grant that marijuana shouldn’t be a crime. “Anyone who has ever been convicted of using marijuana and put in jail, they should immediately be released,” he said. “Their record should immediately be expunged.”

Among the top tier of Democratic presidential candidates, only Biden has declined to endorse federal legalization. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders have explicitly outlined plans to legalize Cannabis, with Sanders making it one of the central issues of his campaign.

West Coast

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WASHINGTON STATE TEMPORARILY BANS FLAVORED VAPE PRODUCTS Washingtonians are now in the second month of a statewide ban on flavored vape products.

The Washington State Board of Health approved a 120-day emergency ban during its regular meeting, despite vocal opposition from a raucous audience which chanted “shame,” reports the Seattle Times.

More than 350 people packed the meeting, with about 60 testifying during the public comment session. As ban opponents watched the vote, the ballroom at the SeaTac Marriott filled with the smell of vapor.

The emergency ban leads into the 2020 legislative session, where the issue is all but guaranteed to arise. A law passed during last year’s legislative session, to raise the age to buy tobacco and vaping products to 21, goes into effect in January.

dec. 2019

A new regulation started November 20 in Washington state, expanding its ban on certain vaping products, reports KUOW. Health officials have had trouble pinning down exactly what it is about vape cartridges that’s caused hundreds of cases of severe lung disease across the nation.

But the Centers for Disease Control in November found that vitamin E acetate was present in all 29 patients they reviewed.

Products containing that compound are now banned in Washington state.

“This new data shows that the vitamin E acetate is actually at the site of the injury deep in the lungs,” said Dr. Kathy Lofy, Health Officer for the state. “This does not prove that vitamin E acetate is causing lung injury, but it did strengthen the association.”

The ban that’s already in place on flavored e-cigarettes and vape carts will remain, she said. Both bans last 120 days.

An industry group, the Vapor Technology Association, has sued over the flavor ban, but hasn’t opposed the vitamin E acetate regulations.

ILLEGAL WEED SALES OUTPACE LEGAL POT IN CALIFORNIA California’s legal Cannabis industry is undergoing several growing pains.

Almost two years after recreational weed became legal for adults in the Golden State, the black market still dwarfs legal sales.

Owner Phil Blurton at All About Wellness in Sacramento says that means an uneven playing field.

“Our city license now is $20,000 a year,” Blurton said.

“The state license is $96,000. Then we pay 8.75 percent sales tax to the state.”

Blurton said he also pays an additional four percent Cannabis tax to the city, on top of an additional 15 percent to the state, “which is making the cost of our product so expensive, the black market is booming now.”

He’s not kidding. California’s illegal Cannabis market brought in $8.7 billion in sales this year - more than double the legal market, according to industry experts BDS Analytics.

BDS found that there is just one legal Cannabis retailer for every 35,137 adults in California.

That compares quite poorly with Colorado, which has one dispensary for every 4,240 adults, and with Oregon, which has one pot shop for every 5,567 adults.

MIDWEST

EIGHT MORE ILLINOIS SHOPS APPROVED TO SELL RECREATIONAL WEED Illinois in November awarded eight more Cannabis dispensaries licenses to sell recreational weed in the state starting January 1, 2020, reports the Chicago Tribune.

That brings the total number of stores licensed around the state to 22, including four in Chicago, approved to start selling marijuana to adults. Two of those licenses, however, are for stores in Naperville and Arlington Heights, which have banned recreational sales. Under Illinois law, municipalities have the Dispensaries won’t be allowed along Chicago’s Magnificent Mile, the Loop or large chunks right to ban sales. o f t h e R i v e r N o r t h a l o n g t h e l a k e f r o n t.

Illinois has 55 medical marijuana dispensaries. All were able to apply for licenses to sell recreational Cannabis from those locations.

They can also apply to open a second shop, but the state hasn’t yet started to award those secondsite licenses.

Dispensaries won’t be allowed along Chicago’s Magnificent Mile, the Loop or large chunks of the River North along the lakefront. Chicago’s recreational Cannabis rules created seven zones for marijuana sales, with no more than seven dispensaries allowed in each zone.

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

local news

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consumer safety

VAPE BAN SUSPENDED AS BUSIN ESSES SUE On November 14, the Oregon Court of Appeals granted a stay on Gov. Kate Brown’s temporary vape flavoring ban. The move is the result of a lawsuit brought forth

by Herban Industries LLC, Oregon’s distributor of Winberry Farms.

RUMORS OF HEMP FARMER SUICIDES SPARK A FUNDRAISER IN SOLIDARITY

oregonlEAF.COM

A rough hemp harvest season took a devastating turn when, in early October, word began to spread through Jackson County of several farmer suicides. The Jackson County Sheriff’s office stated in a November 8 interview with Stateline, a publication of Pew Charitable Trusts, that it was not aware of any cases involving hemp producers, but claims from community members and country-wide reports of a rising suicide rate among farmers leaves room for concern.

Sophia Blanton is the director of Hemp University, an integral branch of the publicly-traded group Hemp, Inc. The company provides a variety of services in several states and recently set up in Medford to empower “hemp farmers and entrepreneurs with knowledge, processing infrastructure, and support.”

Blanton’s concerns were confirmed when other Hemp University members alleged that four Oregon farmers had taken their lives because of “despair at losing crops tied to life savings.”

The wave of new farmers were left unprepared for weather, pests, overcrowding, and pressure from investors exposed to failure.

Blanton had been working closely on organizing the annual New Leaf Symposium and Golden Grow Awards, a collaborative event and competition that highlights the best of Oregon industrial hemp.

Organizers have moved the event to January 26 to “give farmers time to breathe.”

The event was planned as a gala for December 7, but as Blanton explained, “When the reality of the season hit, I really took that to heart. Throwing a big party was no longer the right thing to do.”

dec. 2019

Proceeds this year will be going to a hemp fund aimed at rebuilding the wreckage of the tough season.

According to Blanton, the public will have a say in where the event partners (Southern Oregon Hemp Co-Op) distribute the collected funds. With the money, they intend to target three specific areas of need: support gifts for families who've lost a loved one, equipment and resources for cooperative use, and support for the lobbyist, Courtney Moran, working in Salem and Washington for the survival and health of our industry.

Golden Grow Awards entry prices have been discounted to encourage participants, and Blanton says that, after cost, every ticket purchased will go to the cause.

Sign-up for the competition is available at TheHempUniversity.com and tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite.

Individual donations are being accepted at GoFundMe.com/f/farm-aid-for-the-hemp-community

According to an interview by The Oregonian, Winberry’s flavored cartridges make up “more than 80%” of Herban Industries’ revenue. The court saw fit to block the temporary ban under the premise that the company would “suffer irreparable harm.”

This decision isn’t the first setback to the governor’s executive order. On October 17, just two days after the ban took effect, courts ruled in favor of a group of affected nicotine-based businesses. A copy of one of the lawsuits (obtained by Willamette Week) revealed that petitioners shifted attention, reminding the courts that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “principally attribute [the illnesses] to THC-based vaping products,” as stated in the organization’s original public release.

On November 8, a new CDC bulletin highlighted information verifying vitamin E acetate in 29 patient samples collected across 10 states. According to the CDC, “THC was identified in 82% of the samples and nicotine was identified in 62% of the samples.”

Their findings suggested that many of these cases were linked to “informal” sources like friends, family, and black market dealers. Licensed retail locations are once again permitted to sell flavored vape products, but the market’s future is still uncertain. It’s likely that the Oregon legislature will be looking into permanent rulings next session.

Licensed retail locations are once again permitted to sell flavored vape products, but the market’s future is still uncertain.

STORIES by AMANDA DAY @TERPODACTYL_MEDIA | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

OPINION

18

This article is dedicated to all the individuals known and unknown who have played a role in cultivating & preserving genetics, or evolving the cu lture o f this amazing plant, al lowing us to reach this historic tipping point that we’re at now.

BE CONSCIOUS OFTHE CULTURE YOU CREATE

oregonlEAF.COM

As

we honor and learn from the past,

we must also take responsibility for the fact that we are constantly weaving more threads into the future of Cannabis culture’s tapestry. Please take some time to think about how you can ensure you’re doing what’s in your power to weave a positive thread for future generations to examine, hold onto, and learn from as we have from the cultural pioneers before us. We can never assume that all the work is finished.

The effort of moving things forward is, in fact, neverending - just like all of the societal evolutions we’re witnessing in the complex modern world. I believe we’re here on earth as sentient humans to learn, share and progress the ideas and systems around us.

There are countless opportunities to weave a positive thread in this ever-changing landscape of legal Cannabis trade - from taking a few extra moments to double check your Metrc entries, to taking the time to tell a tray of clones how much you love them.

Even if you don’t work in the industry, you can take the time to ask a question, listen and understand the answer, or just help a friend wash their bong you’re always seeing dirty.

We are all looking for ways to contribute, especially as the stress of the modern capitalistic frenzy of the holiday season sets in.

It’s important to remember that the best contributions are more often than not actions or words, not physical gifts or items.

In a world where we have more access to items and gadgets than ever, what we are quickly losing access to is kindness, love and charity. Things that we all possess the ability to bring into the world, if we make the time and effort to do so.

We can sit back and wait until a massive, miracle-sized solution is needed or we can proactively take advantage of every opportunity, large or small, so that we continue to evolve the future in a direction we want to see manifest. We all have the power of personal choice, so I challenge everyone reading to

pay attention as you go about your day.

If you take the time to look and listen, you’ll find an endless amount of ways to contribute to and improve this complex world around you.

Try taking a few extra moments to hold the door open for someone else, or buying a friend or stranger a meal who can’t afford their own.

We can all make a difference if we choose to.

I know we’re facing complex issues, but they still all have solutions. However, if we give up or surrender our personal decisions to make the world around us better, we lose control of creating a brighter future, and instead have to rely on others to hopefully make that happen.

Make the choice to be one of the individuals whose actions and ideas push things forward, and helps others along the way! After all, our future depends on it.

Matthew Meyers is a longtime Oregon Leaf contributor and Cannabis activist, working as a writer and budtender, hailing from Hood River.

“ There are countless opportu nities to weave a positive thread in this ever-changing landscape of legal Cannabis trade from taking a few extra moments to double check Metrc entries, to taking the time to tell a tray of clones how much you love them .”

DEC. 2019

STORY by MATTHEW MEYERS @EARLMCDABSITY | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

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STEPHENJAYGOULD SCIENTIFIC AUTHOR, PALEONTOLOGIST & CANNABIS ADVOCATE

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IT’S A FUNNY THING HOW WRITING A COLUMN LIKE THIS CAN TRULY DEMONSTRATE HOW CANNABIS CROSSES ALL OF OUR IMPOSED RACIAL, CULTURAL, AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC BOUNDARIES AS HUMANS. CASE-IN-POINT, OUR SUBJECT FOR THIS MONTH. UNLESS YOU’RE A SCIENCE BUFF, YOU PROBABLY HAVEN’T HEARD THE NAME STEPHEN JAY GOULD - BUT HE WAS A RATHER FAMOUS PALEONTOLOGIST, EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGIST, AND HISTORIAN OF SCIENCE. In fact, Gould is regarded as one of the most widely read scientific authors of his generation.

He spent most of his career teaching at Harvard, and the Library of Congress called him a living legend in his field.

His crowning achievement was a sort of revolutionary theory regarding evolutionary biology.

Called the theory of punctuated equilibrium, Gould hypothesized that most biological evolution is punctuated by long periods of stagnation or stability, and that real changes in evolution,

dec. 2019

“Marijuana worked like a charm. The sheer bliss of not experiencing nausea - and then not having to fear it for all the days intervening between treatments - was the greatest when they happen, occur in swift periods. boost I received in all my years of treatment, This theory changed the way we look at and surely had a most important effect upon evolution, since it was normally thought to my eventual cure.” be a sort of long, drawn-out, almost unnoAs he recovered, Gould paid it forward by ticeable phenomenon. becoming an advocate for medical CannaObviously, this is a bis until his death in high-minded scientific 2002. He frequently “IT IS BEYOND MY concept, but Gould untestified on behalf of COMPREHENSION THAT derstood the importance medical Cannabis of interpreting science to prosecutions in the ANY HUMANE PERSON the general public. He United States and WOULD WITHHOLD SUCH wrote some 300 essays Canada, saying, “It in the popular magazine is beyond my comA BENEFICIAL SUBSTANCE Natural History on a prehension that any FROM PEOPLE IN SUCH wide range of subjects, humane person would campaigned against crewithhold such a benGREAT NEED, SIMPLY ationism, and was even eficial substance from BECAUSE OTHERS USE IT featured once on the people in such great Simpsons as a character.

FOR DIFFERENT PURPOSES,” need, simply because In 1982, Gould was others use it for differ—STEPHEN JAY GOULD. diagnosed with a form ent purposes.” of mesothelioma cancer.

In our age of the In order to cope with the greater acceptance radiation treatments, he started smoking of Cannabis, it can be easy to forget just Cannabis after researching the herb’s effect how demonized this herb was just a few on those suffering from the side effects of short years ago. For this progress, we have chemotherapy. Of his experience, he said, pioneers like Stephen Jay Gould to thank!

PHOTO BY ULF ANDERSEN/ GETTY IMAGES

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Gould on a 1991 visit to Paris to lecture, gracing the cover of Newsweek in 1982, and making a cameo on The Simpsons episode “Lisa The Skeptic,” in 1997.

STORY by PACER STACKTRAIN

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PROFILE

After suffering a stroke in 2016,

Cannabis photographer and writer Amanda Day has become a fierce advocate for stroke awareness and using Cannabis as a sustainable treatment option. Amanda was just 25-yearsold when she experienced a stroke. Although rare, she continues to teach people about the warning signs that can mean the difference between life and death. And while Cannabis has helped her cope with the physical ails and build a healthy lifestyle free of opioids, Amanda says she remains critical of Oregon’s questionable oversight and testing standards and that finding reliable products can be a challenge.

WHEN DID YOU START USING CANNABIS? I’ve used Cannabis medicinally for all of my adult life to battle menstrual cramps, spinal issues, old sports injuries, and insomnia. I still use Cannabis for a wide range of issues, but these days it has taken on a very important part in maintaining my quality of life. I suffered a stroke in 2016 and it really became a necessary part of my healthcare routine.

oregonlEAF.COM

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HOW HAS YOU R STROKE IMPACTED YOUR OVERALL HEALTH AND HOW HAS CANNABIS PLAYED A ROLE IN YOU R RECOVERY? With a medical history that complicates the use of many (even basic) pharmaceuticals, I’m often left with little to combat the chronic migraines, nerve pain, insomnia, depression, anxiety, and other complications. I had my stroke when I was on a backpacking trip with friends. At the time, I was under the impression that I was suffering from a horrible migraine, so I didn’t seek medical help until a couple of weeks after the incident. When the stroke happened, I took to consuming Cannabis at a rapid rate to ease the pain in my head and calm my nerves. Long story short, I was able to pack a 65-liter bag over seven uphill miles less than 24 hours after the event. It was not an easy task, but I absolutely attribute my success to heavy Cannabis consumption.

It helped me maintain a calm connection with my body and definitely eased the extreme pain and swelling sensation in my brain.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH OUR READERS. WHAT CANNABIS STRAINS OR CANNABINOIDS/ TERPENES P ROVIDE THE BEST RELIEF IN YOUR EXPERIENCE? The strains and cannabinoid ratios that I pick depend entirely on the type of migraine I’m experiencing, and what symptoms are flaring up the most. I generally consume high THC content during an actual attack though. I like a true Sour Diesel (although it’s hard to find here) and Tangie crosses, even though I generally dislike the profile for head pain. I’m a huge fan of the ChemDawg lineage and you can usually catch me smoking on anything funky Medical professionals are often leery about or gassy. I’ve had good luck with 1:1 ratios when condoning a legitimate consumingCannabis in edible,assublingual or treatment topical form, but option.

But find afterproducts consistent talks with her personally that work consistently harder doctor, to comeRaina by. was open about her choices and successfully advocated for treatment options outside traditional western medicine.

apR. 2019 dec.

DAY, AN OREGON LEAF CONTRIBUTOR, SAYS “I ABSOLUTELY ATTRIBUTE MY SUCCESS TO HEAVY CANNABIS CONSUMPTION. IT HELPED ME MAINTAIN A CALM CONNECTION WITH MY BODY AND DEFINITELY EASED THE EXTREME PAIN AND SWELLING SENSATION IN MY BRAIN.”

AMANDA DAY

WHAT FORMS OF CANNABIS DO YOU P REFER TO USE? CAN YOU GIVE OU R READERS SOME INSIGHT INTO YOUR CANNABIS REGIMEN? As much as I love fine flower and a good bong rip, I prefer dabbing for several reasons. Smoke can be incredibly irritating during a migraine. A dab offers the same immediate relief without the smoke, and the bonus of temperature control. I’m also very picky about what I consume. My biggest issue with many of the edibles/tinctures on the market is a lack of transparency when it comes to starting material. I always begin my purchasing process with producers and processors I know and trust - transparency and quality are a must.

ARE THERE ANY CHALLENGES TO USING CANNABIS AS A TREATMENT OPTION? There certainly are, with the biggest being the lack

of scientific studies. I’m familiar with findings that connect cannabinoids to neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties, however, the scale and number of studies are limited. The cause of my stroke was never identified, so any treatment would technically involve a little guesswork, but the lack of research makes it difficult to pinpoint which compounds are actually affecting each symptom. Product safety is also a challenge.

Oregon might have some of the strictest testing standards in the nation, but they fall short for folks with compromised health in my opinion. I think a distinction between medical and recreational Cannabis will need to be standardized if we want to see real results.

Follow Amanda | @Terpodactyl_Media

INTERVIEW by SIMONE FISCHER @SIMONEFISCHERR | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

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‘TIS THE SEASON TO VISIT CURALEAF PORTLAND! Oregon’s cannabis market has transitioned from medical to adult-use—and Curaleaf is no stranger to the shift. No matter the reason you use cannabis, Curaleaf is focused on creating a dispensary experience where new customers feel comfortable and safe.

The Portland store is impressive. It’s inviting, it’s clean, and it’s got a feel-good-vibe from the moment you walk inside. The employees are excited not just to help, but to educate. There’s this unmistakable energy. We call it Cannabis with Confidence.

In addition to a broad and unique range of premium Oregonian cannabis products, Curaleaf ooers an abundant supply of holiday spirit—available at no extra charge.

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budtender

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 T H E P AC E R S TAC K T R A I N @ G M A I L . C O M

Jordan Hunter OREGON LEAF BUDTENDER OF THE MONTH P H R E S H CAN NAB I S / 2 74 3 1 9 T H AV E , F O R E S T G ROV E , OR / ( 5 0 3 ) 4 3 0 - 1 5 7 5 / @ P H R E S H _ CA N NAB I S

HOW DI D YOU F I R ST E X P E R I E N C E CAN NAB I S ?

My first experience with Cannabis was with my older brother. I have to give him a lot of credit for exposing me to the culture. I can still remember the high I had to this day. It was intense as hell, but everything from food to music to conversations felt ten times better.

H OW LO NG HAV E YOU B E E N A B U D TE N DE R ?

WHAT ’ S YOU R FAVO R I TE PART AB OU T T H E J O B ?

I’ve been a budtender for threeand-a-half years now. Hands down my favorite part is the community of Forest Grove.

About two years ago I was involved in a situation where I had to de-escalate an altercation between a female coworker and an intoxicated man roaming the streets. He was disrespecting her in front of me and I did my best to remove him from the property.

He then called me the N-word and struck me with his steel toe boot in the mouth, as my back was turned towards him. During recovery I seriously considered giving up budtending, but the support and love I received from the community and staff members inspired me to not give up.

Building that bond is my favorite part about being a budtender.

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“THE SUPPORT AND LOVE I RECEIVED FROM THE COMMUNITY AND STAFF MEMBERS INSPIRED ME TO NOT GIVE UP. BUILDING THAT BOND IS MY FAVORITE PART ABOUT BEING A BUDTENDER.”

FAVO R I TE M E T HOD F O R CO N SU M I NG CAN NAB I S ?

My favorite thing is breaking down my weed and rolling joints, blunts, twax joints, and twax blunts. I gotta keep my tuck skills on point!

This month we traveled to the hamlet of Forest Grove, located about 30 minutes west of Portland. Phresh Cannabis stocks many of the excellent brands that permeate the Oregon recreational Cannabis market, and offers many competitive discounts on said items. What stood out to us, however, was the shop’s attention to customer service and even more notably - Jordan Hunter, our Budtender of the Month.

dec. 2019

WHAT AR E S O M E O F YOU R FAVO R I TE ST RAI N S , E F F EC TS AN D TE R P E N E P RO F I LE S ? A couple of

my favorite strains would be OG Kush, Platinum GSC, and Blue City Diesel. My favorite terpene profiles are myrcene and limonene. Strains that provide

pain relief and bring a smooth, uplifting effect - I am all for it.

H OW D O YOU F I N D T H E R IG H T ST RAI N S F O R A CUSTO M E R ? When helping

a customer, I like to tap in and listen to what they want.

I am always down to give recommendations when asked.

Sharing my experiences with the customer is important - it may help for decision making. We are still at a point where some people are nervous to try this or that product. And there aren’t many places for us to consume publicly so that we can share these experiences. It’s on me to provide as much information to them by trying out the products.

D O YOU P U T M UC H FAI T H I N T H C O R C B D P E RC E N TAG E S TO CO N V E Y A ST RAI N ’ S E F F EC TS ? I feel like each

person is different, so the effects may not feel the same for me as it would the next person. But I am not trying to disrespect the growers that put their sweat and tears into producing fire Cannabis. Because I have had some low percentages hit just like a high percentage.

WHAT SETS YOU R SHOP APART FROM THE REST?

We pride ourselves on helping our community to the best of our ability, while keeping it down to earth and fun — an atmosphere where individuals can come in and not feel rushed or panicked because they feel their knowledge on Cannabis isn’t all that.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOU R HOBBIES/INTERESTS OUTSIDE THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY? Playing basketball,

listening to music, and meditating.

INTERVIEW by PACER STACKTRAIN | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

Lobbying Advocacy Regulatory Help Policy Updates Wholesale Reports Monthly Meetings Access to Banking

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

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THE CULTURE ISSUE

We built Cannabis culture on a foundation of glass. Since day one, a well-crafted piece has stood as more than a mere implement - it was a conversation piece, a point of pride, a signal that you’re not a tourist. Glass helped create the “head” community. It was the most underground thing you could buy legally, even if you had to lie and say it’s for tobacco.

Fading are the days when head shops had to post signs that said, “If it rhymes with ‘song,’ we don’t sell it.” Bongs, spoons, sidecars, steamrollers, dab rigs - they’re now ubiquitous.

It’s easy to take for granted, but it wasn’t always like this. All this beautiful glass had to come from somewhere. And that somewhere is Bob Snodgrass’ studio.

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oregonlEAF.COM

Bob SNODGRASS From Eugene, the pioneering glass art legend chats with Oregon Leaf about his esteemed career, The Grateful Dead, and what’s next.

STORY by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

dec. 2019

“I believed pot was something that was good for you from the get-go.

This is mental health food. This is something that makes you better.”

LONG TOPHAT SIDEBOWL, MR. HAPPY, AND DEADHEADS

BORO FUMED #20 CRUCIBLE DIPPED SKULL

R

everently referred to as the “Godfather of Glass,” Bob Snodgrass developed new techniques for lampworking and glassblowing and invented pipe styles that now seem commonplace. He’s credited with the “sidecar” pipe (“I was tired of setting my pipe down on the bed and having it roll over,” he says), and perhaps most notably, with developing a coloring process called “fuming,” which involves the melting of precious metals between layers of glass. The effect is a pipe that looks transparently translucent at first, but develops rich color patterns as it is used.

“I started trying to improve my glass work by using a little bit of color, and that’s how I discovered fuming,” Snodgrass said over the phone the morning after a late night spent at the premier of “Pipetown, USA” - a new documentary featuring him.

“Putting down silver vapor on a piece of glass, I put down a dot and melted that flat, so I could put another piece of glass on top of that without trapping air. A dot on top of a dot was the beginning of what is now.”

The method opened up a world of design possibilities. “I like to draw pictures in the glass,” he said. “As I stack up layers, I like to make a decorated can on a pipe.

It’s not about the shape of a pipe as much as it’s about the art that goes into it.”

Like so many people in the evolving Cannabis community, Snodgrass applied ingenuity to existing products and invented something greater.

But unlike a lot of people in the industry, who protect such breakthroughs behind teams of intellectual property lawyers, Snodgrass shared his discovery.

“I had a flashback back to algebra class when our algebra teacher used man’s learning as a way to explain the bell curve,” he said. “Our teacher said that during man’s lifetime, we’d reach the time when the bell curve was going straight up. I asked, ‘What do you mean?’ And he said, ‘An end to the time of secrets.’ So when I thought of keeping my discovery a secret, I had a flashback to that, and decided to share it with everyone.”

He and the culture at large have come a long way from the early days, when he learned the art of lampworking from his friend Chuck. Like most in the then-nascent Cannabis world, Snodgrass said he had to find the friendly spots.

“I met Chuck in early ‘71, and he had been selling to local record stores,” he said. “Head shops were a thing, but they weren’t a niche that was easy to find.

You had to go look in the phone book for boutiques and record stores. We would travel to different cities and find places that were selling tie-dyes and pipes, and whatever else was considered hippie gear.”

“When I traveled around the country, I’d blow glass in my workshop that was in a bus,” he said. “We started traveling away from home and doing small events back in the end of the 70s. And by the early 80s, I’d do carnivals, I’d do little festivals, arts and craft shows, and I’d even do flea markets. We did that for about a decade before I went to my first Grateful Dead show. I’d have a handful of pipes on a table in the corner, and I’d have marbles with a sign that said, ‘No two alike. Genuine replacement parts for those who’ve lost a few.’”

Touring with the Dead, Snodgrass would set up shop in the parking lot and show off his skills. Back then, there was always an element of danger to being part of the culture.

“We used to be so paranoid,” he said. “You’d think it was the weed that was making us paranoid, but it was the laws around it that were making us paranoid.”

That was when his reputation really started picking up steam, and the culture was never the same.

The entire Cannabis community, especially the lampworkers, owe Snodgrass a debt of gratitude for sharing his discovery. His influence can be found everywhere - especially in his family.

Snodgrass and his wife Marie live on their land in Eugene, where they share two houses and three workshops with their daughter Ginny, her husband Jonathan, Ginny’s son Ryder, and Ginny’s dog and cat. Both Ginny and Jonathan blow glass, as do the majority of Snodgrass’ other children and grandchildren.

“My 5-year-old grandson, Ryder, he’s even made a marble,” he said. “My oldest son blows glass, his son blows glass. My oldest daughter’s two sons both blow glass. One of them, that’s how he makes his living. So I’ve got my whole family involved … They all at one point had an income coming in through glass.”

Snodgrass sees his own contribution as being part of a larger movement, and sees the legalization and normalization of Cannabis culture as largely positive.

“I’m just so impressed that there are so many strains, and so many effects that help people,” he said. “There’s just so much research that was hushed up. And the fact that the research is now happening and people can release the information … I believed pot was something that was good for you from the get-go. This is mental health food. This is something that makes you better.”

The key to the future, he says, is for those who truly care about Cannabis culture to preserve the positive nature of what he and other pioneers have built.

“We’re always going to make some kind of change,” he said.

“Whether it’s a progressive one, that’s our question. I’m always hoping we’re going to make things better.”

Snodgrass.net

SNEAK PEAK | New for 2020 Introducing Bachelor Party from Exotic Genetix.

This elusive and potent hybrid is a cross of Wedding Cake and Mint Chocolate Chip.

With a familiar cakey flavor and undenianble potency, our Bachelor Party is the perfect strain to celebrate any special occasion. A powerful flavor with looks to match, Bachelor Party is quickly becoming a personal favorite at Re Up. Visit our website and check our store locator to find a store near you carrying our first limited drop of Bachelor Party.

Visit www.ReUpFarms/locator To Find A Store Near You.

shop review

61406 S. HIGHWAY 97 BEND, OR | 541-317-1814 | 8AM-10PM DAILY | SUBSTANCEMARKET.COM @SUBSTANCE.MARKET

SUBSTANCE MARKET SOUTH CULTIVARS

5/5 The menu is drool-worthy and stocked with

over 30 varieties of premium indoor and greenhouse grown Cannabis from top producers like Geek Farms, Fox Hollow Flora and Focus North. This new Substance Market location doesn’t leave much to be desired flower-wise, as there’s a little something for everyone here, not to mention the dozens of pre-roll and blunt options they carry for those on the move.

EDIBLES

5/5 Affordable THC capsules, medical grade

products, hard candies, cookies, fruit punch and more can all be found at this freshly opened Substance location. We saw top brands like Wyld and Grön, and locally produced options like Lunchbox Alchemy, Magic Number and Ruby.

With dozens of product options and edible options starting at just $3, and 50mg available out the door for $6 in the form of a Tasty’s chocolate chip cookie, Substance Market South is a great option for those who prefer to medicate without smoke or vapor.

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CONCENTRATES 4/5 The concentrates selection at Substance South is well-rounded and, between cartridge and dab options, is rather substantial. We saw live resin from Dirty Arm Farm, solventless ice wax from Eminence, whole plant extract from Siskiyou Sungrown, CO2 carts from Peak Extracts, and more lining the brightly lit display cases. There were more than 60 options ranging between $12.50 and $46 a gram.

ENVIRONMENT

oregonlEAF.COM

4/5 Substance Market South is the third location

in the Substance family, freshly built out earlier this year right on Hwy 97 in Bend’s Old Farm District.

There is a sizeable parking lot directly in front of the dispensary, making access a breeze. The staff here is friendly and eager to share their knowledge with customers, and the floor space is clean and open, making shopping here an easy and enjoyable experience.

Couple these aspects with lower-than-average pricing and a wide range of product options, and you’ve got the recipe for a high quality Cannabis retailer.

OVERALL 18/20 An OG in the Oregon dispensary scene,

owner Jeremy Kwit originally opened Substance Market as Bloom Well back in 2013, when Cannabis was still only medically legal in the state.

Under Kwit’s guidance, Substance has not only stood the test of time in Bend’s relatively small market, they’ve thrived and are one of the area’s top retailers. It’s easy to see why Bend area residents love Substance Market, frankly we do too.

DEC. 2019

SEAN WHITE. KRISTA GLOVER. MONIQUE ALCANTAR. DEACON SINANIAN. OWNER JEREMY KWIT AND KYLE JACKSON.

NW Kind x Virgin Cannabis

CAKE CRASHER BHO NIGHTMARE COOKIES GROWN

BY HIGH NOON CULTIVATION

TASTE 2/5 EFFECT 4/5 PKGNG 5/5 VALUE 5/5 TOTAL 16/20

BEND’S NW Kind and Virgin Cannabis came together to craft this clean and effective shatter, available out the door from Substance Market for only $20. On top of being a great value, the oil is ultra-clean and appears to have been made with the newest tech in hydrocarbon extraction, CRC filtering. The flavor is a bit light, indicating the starting material may not have been grown to full maturity. But the end product is effective regardless, and the price is pretty hard to beat for a quality gram of oil! $20/g, 75.22% THC 4.59% Terpenes NWKind.com @NW.Kind @VirginLeaf

PLATINUM CAKE

Smith Rock Cannabis Company

PLATINUM CAKE, bred locally in Washington state by In House Genetics, is a cross between the wildly popular Wedding Cake and their staple parent, Platinum. Offering a sweet and earthy profile, this example was grown indoors in Bend by Smith Rock Cannabis Company. The buds were dense, compact nuggets coated in a thick blanket of trichomes.

My joint revealed a minimally expansive smoke, yielding a heady and euphoric high that came on strong and fast. $12/g, 25% THC | @SmithRockCannabisCo

AROMA 3/5 DENSITY 3/5 CURE 3/5 LOOKS 4/5 FLAVOR 3/5 EFFECTS 4/5 TOTAL 20/30

THE MENU IS DROOL-WORTHY AND STOCKED WITH OVER 30 VARIETIES OF PREMIUM INDOOR AND GREENHOUSE GROWN CANNABIS.

REVIEWED by NATE WILLIAMS @NATEW415 | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

CASSETTE CLASSICS ROCK N ROLL oregon sun grown

ALWAYS 100% FLOWER! MIXTAPE MIXTAPE

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shop review

2521 NW 9TH ST, CORVALLIS, OR | (541) 230-1096 | 10AM-9PM DAILY

GREEN ROOM HQ Located directly off 99W in Corvallis, Green Room Headquarters is a convenient pit stop for anyone passing through town or visiting friends at school.

With an extremely friendly staff and one of the largest selections we’ve come across to date, this dispensary is a must stop whenever you’re in the area.

CULTIVARS 4/5

Green Room has a broad selection of the industry’s most sought after farms. Each cultivar is contained in a plastic box then neatly presented on a white plate, aside from a card displaying price point and THC/CBD percentage. Their user-friendly, color-coded system creates an effortless shopping experience, with red for sativa, blue for hybrid, and purple for indica. During my visit, I feasted my eyes upon Fox Hollow’s Watermelon Zkittlez, OG Chem from NW Artisan, and White Tahoe Cookies by Mother Magnolia, to name a few. Additionally, Green Room offers a boatload of pre-rolls from fantastic gardens such as TJ’s, Ripped City Gardens, and TKO. With grams starting at $6 and making their way up to $14, there is sure to be an option for all.

EDIBLES

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5/5

If edibles are your preference, make your way over to Green Room right away! I was provided with an iPad containing their extensive edibles menu, including a subcategory for each product type: gummies, hard candies, chocolate, drinks, snacks, RSO and tinctures. Behind the counter, the walls are lined with Gron’s Pearls, Smokiez’ Gummies, Dirty Arm’s Adabinol, and Elbe’s Cake Balls. With over 230+ available options, Green Room Headquarters is a more than ideal place to find an edible, whether it’s sweet, savory, medicinally beneficial - or any combination you desire.

THE EXTERIOR MURAL WAS CREATED BY @BADDERINK

CONCENTRATES 3/5

Parallel to their flower display, each gram of concentrate is properly placed in a clear plastic box on white plates.

White Label Extracts, NW Kind, Funk, and Sterling Gold all occupied shelf space at Green Room Headquarters. Their cartridge menu was quite expansive, with Viola’s Rebel Cookies priced at $25/0.5g and Happy Cabbage’s Forum Cookies clocking in at $55/0.5g. Although there were a few solventless options, that is one thing I would have liked to see more of.

ENVIRONMENT

oregonlEAF.COM

5/5

Upon our entrance, we were greeted by their helpful staff that was quick to answer any questions we may have had. In the lobby, you can find a large assortment of CBD products alongside more or less every smoking accessory you could imagine. Volcanoes, local glass, portable dab rigs, papers, bongs, vapes, you name it - Green Room has it. With an ATM available on location, no need to hit the bank before making your way over here. And with flat-screen TVs and iPads displaying their wide-ranging menus, shopping here is made a breeze and you are left with an insane amount of possibilities.

OVERALL 17/20

After having the experience that I did, their team made it very clear to me that they are dedicated to their roots, and still continue to support the same farms and brands from the medicinal days. Green Room will be sure to tickle all of your fancies, whether you are an experienced connoisseur or a first-time user.

DEC. 2019

“IN THE LOBBY, YOU CAN FIND A LARGE ASSORTMENT OF CBD PRODUCTS ALONGSIDE MORE OR LESS EVERY SMOKING ACCESSORY YOU COULD IMAGINE.”

Fox Hollow Flora

GUMDROPHAZE BASED JUST SOUTH OF EUGENE, Fox Hollow Flora offers a wide variety of indoor cultivated Cannabis, including Gumdrop Haze. With a July harvest date, the buds are still quite sticky, yet AROMA 5/5 DENSITY 4/5 break apart easily. After grinding up approximately 1.5 grams, my nose CURE 4/5 was filled with permeating sweet and LOOKS 4/5 sour aromas. I twisted up a healthy FLAVOR 4/5 EFFECTS 4/5 sized joint, and experienced the tastes TOTAL 25/30 of pine, lemon, citrus and sage. About 5-10 minutes later, I felt a rather cerebral effect, quickly followed by a rush of euphoria and energy. I would suggest this cultivar for a nice wake and bake, or before hitting the gym! $12.50/g, 27.9% THC FoxHollowFlora.com @FoxHollowFlora

BUDTENDER JULIAN CASTRO HELPS A CUSTOMER

Left Coast Farms

MIRACLEALIENCOOKIES

BUDTENDER CORTNEY PERRIEN BEHIND THE DAB COUNTER

OWNER DANIEL LAREAU

CAPULATOR’S MAC, a cross of Alien Cookies and Columbian x Starfighter, has been one of the most hyped strains this year, without a doubt. It took me awhile to see what the buzz was all AROMA 4/5 DENSITY 4/5 about, with other strains providing stronger and overall louder terpene CURE 4/5 profiles. Fast forward a few months, LOOKS 3/5 MAC is now one of my daily go-to FLAVOR 3/5 EFFECTS 5/5 cultivars for multiple reasons. This TOTAL 23/30 strain offers an uplifting yet light effect that allows me to stay balanced and focused all day. The flavor that this strain emits is quite unmatched and in a league of its own. Left Coast Farm’s version of Miracle Alien Cookies leaned more on the Columbian side of phenotypes, offering a hazy aroma accompanied by a hint of berries and cream from the Starfighter. While smoking a one gram joint, I was able to breeze through my writing assignments. I would recommend this strain to anyone looking for a nice daytime buzz. $12.50/g, 23.3% THC LeftCoastFarms.com @Left_Coast_Farms

REVIEWED by MAX EARLY @LIFTED_STARDUST | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

www.exoticblendzpdx.com For use only by adults 21 and older. Keep out of reach of children. Do not drive a motor vehicle while under the influence of marijuana.

WHEN IT COMES TO SUSTAINABILITY, THINK OUTSIDE THE BOTTLE.

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DEC. 2019

GMO COOKIES

STRAIN OF THE MONTH

DITCH THE CLASSIC OFFERING THIS HOLIDAY SEASON AND LEAVE SANTA A REAL HOLIDAY TREAT, THE OH-SO ELEGANT GMO COOKIES FROM PANDA FARMS.

T

HERE’S ONLY ONE type of frost we’re excited about this winter, and it’s covering this spectacularly beautiful flower like a blizzard of THC hit the garden right before harvest.

Underneath the thick layer of trichomes is an eye-melting blend of greens and purples, coming together into buds that are worthy of the term ornamental. The flowers are cured perfectly and deliver a light dusting of trichomes when snapped open, releasing a rich aroma of sour cookies and intense earthy-fuel, followed up by bright acidic coffee notes in the background that blend together for a complex and intoxicating flavor profile.

First tokes deliver a lightly sweet smoke, punctuated by heavy Cookies notes that slip easily into the lungs, exiting with a sour A WONDROUSLY funk that stays with HAPPY STONINESS the palate long after SETTLES IN FOR THE NEXT the sesh is over.

FEW HOURS. Effects land like a weight above the forehead, pressing down into the body and reaching extremities with a powerful, relaxing high. Thoughts slow down within minutes, breathing becomes deeper and longer, and a wondrously happy stoniness settles in for the next few hours.

GMO Cookies is also known as Garlic Cookies, bred by Mamiko Seeds when they crossed Chemdawg and Girl Scout Cookies. The unique flavor and beautiful looks have made GMO Cookies a huge hit in 2019, which is why we chose her as our Culture Issue strain of the month.

Grown with love in a Portland-based, micro-tier garden, Panda Farms has been cultivating medical and recreational Cannabis since 2009.

Their passion and focus of most their canopy on the GMO Cookies has resulted in a consistent connoisseur grade flower that will have you coughing “Ho Ho Ho” this season.

REVIEW by WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

PANDAFARMSPDX.COM @PANDAFARMS

the culture ISSUE

Bend’s private glass and art retail shop for collectors and enthusiasts

THE PACIFIC CIRCLE Welcome to The Pacific Circle, a safe space for like-minded beings to retreat free of judgment.

I think we can all agree that Cannabis events and clubs can be a little overwhelming at times, leaving you with an overall lack of connection to others. We have all been to social outings, only to find ourselves with the same group

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we originally came with in the first place.

CO-OWNERS CASEY MCALARNEY, LEFT, AND ALAN STAHL, WITH ARTWORK BY THEYDRIFT.

dec. 2019

THE CREW here truly goes a step above and beyond, making sure every guest that walks through the door feels welcome and comfortable throughout their entire visit.

While getting settled in, I quickly began to pick up on the deep intellectual conversations being had all around us - as Backwoods smoke filled the room.

Co-owners Casey McAlarney and Alan Stahl made it very clear to me what their purpose was with this place: to provide a melting pot for harmonious souls to intertwine, all the while learning a lot about yourself and the others around you.

"It’s an incubator, there are lots of potential opportunities to network and form beneficial relationships for individuals here," said Stahl.

Last summer, Casey and Alan flew Italian street artist Pixel Pancho out to Bend to paint their gallery, simply because they love his art. Fast forward a year and a half, Stahl is now in Miami working with Pixel in preparation for his display in Art Basel - one of the largest premier modern and contemporary art shows in the world.

"Personal relationships and future business ventures came after," said McAlarney. Throughout the countless amount of performances, demos, and glass shows that have taken place here at The Pacific Circle, the team has been able to connect with some of their favorite musicians and artists on personal levels.

Each corner you turn reveals another astonishing piece of artwork, whether it's a wall piece from Beyond Grasp, or one of Certo's latest functional creations! Artists including Joe P, Roysco, Annealed Innovations, Lyons, Bluegrass, Taco Dabs, and Sleek have all held live glass blowing demos over the past year.

Musicians such as The Expendables, Slightly Stoopid, Hirie, Pepper, Sophistaphunk, and most recently Consider the Source, have all performed at The Pacific Circle as well!

No matter what medium of art you are interested in, you are sure to find something that will catch your attention every time you stop by!

WICKED GLASS’ KRAKEN

MEET FRIENDS, SESH, GET INSPIRED

What inspired you to create The Pacific Circle? Our friendship was

born out of our mutual love for music, art, glass, and extracts. We had an idea of an establishment that catered to individuals who share the same level of commitment to the plant and everything that revolves around it. A place for those of us who have built our lives around Cannabis.

What is your mission with this space? Our current structure is retail. We have

made some changes that will offer two types of unique and exclusive shopping experiences.

Part of the space will offer a variety of art supplies like spray paint and canvases, to a carefully curated selection of lifestyle accessories and apparel brands that incorporate our cultural beliefs, ethical values, love and respect for everything that encompasses our underground culture.

The second part of the space is designated for high-end and limited edition art pieces created by different artists. This area holds items such as

ARTWORK BY BEYOND GRASP, TALKSICKMIND AND WOES

PART-GALLERY, PART HANGOUT SPACE

We are here because we want functional glass art, print art, WE ALSO AIM TO HELP to represent and share the side custom apparel and more.

BRING THE AWARENESS of our culture that most people Access to this section is limited AND INTEREST OF THE don’t even realize exists. We to our members and visits are GENERAL PUBLIC CLOSER are here to bring people in the made by appointment only.

TO WHAT WE HAVE ALL Cannabis community togethWe value our members er, and for the world to see and they are our priority! We WORKED SO HARD FOR what this lifestyle means and want them to have access to AND BUILT OUR LIVES the power it carries to change purchase products that are not AROUND - CANNABIS AND people's lives. available anywhere else, along ART IN ALL OF ITS FORMS. These positive influences are with first access to limited constantly evolving your mind productions. and making you want to be better.

By using this structure, we hope to provide a We represent a world free of the stigmas from space for the ultimate connoisseur to access the society, where we want to inspire people to find latest and most sought after brands. the creativity and the uniqueness we all carry We also aim to help bring the awareness and within ourselves. We are here to support our interest of the general public closer to what we growing community by connecting, networking, have all worked so hard for and built our lives and helping find solutions! around - Cannabis and art in all of its forms.

Ultimately, it’s that community support that will make a difference and have a lasting impact on What role does The Pacific Circle play in our current culture? all of us. @ThePacificCircle

STORY by MAX EARLY @LIFTED_STARDUST | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

the culture ISSUE

Pull up a seat and learn how this space is creating community, one puff at a time...

oregonlEAF.COM

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NORTHWEST CANNABIS CLUB No matter how far Cannabis culture fights its way into the mainstream, one huge battle remains to be won: Social consumption.

The Cannabis industry and the culture it supports will never reach its full potential until consumers have a place to gather and consume in a social setting.

Few people know that better than Mike Keysor, founder and owner of one of the only legal consumption lounges in the United States - Portland’s own Northwest Cannabis Club.

“Cannabis has more basis in social activity than other drugs,” Keysor said.

“Pot’s different. It’s always had a social aspect that’s been denied by bureaucrats.”

Keysor founded the NWCC as a safe space for members to consume in 2016 after the post-legalization shuttering of his medical-focused NW Cannabis Market in Seattle. For a $20 fee, consumers can purchase a membership and gain entry to the club.

The way he sees it, Cannabis should at least be on the same playing field as alcohol when it comes to the public’s choices of where to consume. And his club is a step in the right direction.

“It’s the next phase of what’s going on in the Cannabis world,” Keysor said. “We can’t have this many consumers and not

1195 SE Powell Blvd, Portland 12p-12a M-Sat. | 12p-9p Sun. NWCannabisMarket.com (503) 206-4594

dec. 2019

develop ways to satisfy their needs.”

One of the ways in which communities are repressed is through the deprivation of their ability to gather and share ideas. It’s this prohibition of socialization that continues to stifle the growth of Cannabis culture, forcing its social elements into gray areas and into the underground. But Keysor is working to change that.

“What I want is everyone to have good access, fair opportunity, and support,” he said. “A lot of people get weary of fighting the bureaucracy, and the bureaucrats count on that weariness to achieve their goals.”

Keysor and his dedicated staff - some of which have been with him since the market days in Seattle - continue to find ways to offer value and support to club members. The biggest benefit, aside from a safe, comfortable place to consume among friends, is the venue he provides for companies to hold events and connect with customers on a personal level. Keysor looks at his club as a free marketplace of ideas for the Cannabis community.

“The whole point of the club is to have folks that have been looking for a more normalized, more upscale experience with Cannabis, rather than just to find someone with cheap pot, or whatever. My goal is to make things comfortable for an ethical way of doing things.”

Sales of anything aside the NWCC’s memberfrom non-alcoholic bevership keeps growing. ages and snacks are proKeysor said they’re hibited on site, but Cannow up to 23,000 paid nabis consumption and members, with roughly sharing are encouraged.

25% of those from out In the beginning, it was of state. difficult for the club and the Now that Keysor has OLCC to get along. But developed a sustainthat’s all changed. able model, he plans to “We’ve managed to replicate it. He hopes attain a status where the Founder Michael Keysor to start in Salem, and OLCC recognizes us as a then Bend, in 2020. place of high stature,” he said.

He’s also considering expansion “They know that I don’t indulge in into a larger venue in Portland corrupt or illegal activities, and I proas his lease nears the end of its vide a safe space. We won’t just blindly term. With regulations loosening in do things and become a problem for other areas, such as Las Vegas and them. That makes the club a great California, he also hopes to spread success. After they’ve had the chance his dream beyond the boundaries to understand how we run, and how of Oregon. things work for us, a lot of them have “I’m sure there are bureaucrats even become fans of our club.” that think we’re going to fail,” The club continues to offer an array he said. “We’re not going to fail. of ways to consume, including dab We’re going to keep going until the rigs, bongs and high-end vaporizers, quintessential idea of a club exists. and being regularly updated and And then we’ll replicate it.” remodeled as finances and time allow.

In the meantime, Keysor asks for Here, it’s more than a passion project the help of the Cannabis communifor Keysor - it’s a mission and a labor ty to keep it alive. of love.

“If you’re part of the Cannabis “We pay the bills, and in some ways community, if you’re a current it’s remarkable we can hold it together member - come support our the way we do,” he said. events,” he said. “If you’re not a “Some of it has to do with the sacrimember, come down and join us. fice of myself, and my employees. My Now is the time for consumers to mission is to move the state away from get involved and to help bring new adverse regulation.” locations to new areas and help Though it’s not easy to keep going, build the Cannabis world.”

STORY by TOM BOWERS @PROPAGATECONSULTANTS | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

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THE BLISS STOP How did you go about starting The Bliss Stop? I've always had some sort of clothing, gem, and craft business since my early twenties. I’m a seamstress, designer, art seeker, and treasure hunter! My business has evolved over the years with support and inspiration from family, friends, community, and customers! I started vending at music and art festivals, and local concerts in 2009. With friends at first, and then working to my booth. I always dreamed of a headquarters and desired a storefront. I’ve been inspired by other vendors, designers, and importers to open a shop. Living just outside Grants Pass, I wanted to set up shop in my community.

What inspired you to create this space?

I love colors, fabrics, textures, and gems! I feel fortunate to explore different cultures and countries, and I want to share that with the community. I design custom, comfortable, one-of-a-kind clothing, and feel the desire in southern Oregon for more underground fashion - more choices, the desire to support local artists, fair trade, and small business. I wanted to create an inviting, open, gypsy space for artists, yogis, fashionistas, and the conscious consumer!

The Grants Pass clothing & jewelry shop specializes in unique wearable designs, many by owner Sarah Sparkles

How do you feel The Bliss Stop contributes to the Cannabis culture in southern Oregon?

I see and feel the need and want for more unique options - people wanting to get back to the source, and practice conscious consumerism. There is an influx of new businesses, new restaurants, Cannabis shops, tattoo parlors, and breweries in southern Oregon and the Grants Pass area. The Bliss Stop contributes energy to the evolving community. We bring a vibrant feeling, supporting our local art community, and also representing art and culture from other regions of the globe fairly and properly.

We strive to inspire people with their spending choice, offering unique handmade items, metaphysical and energetic gifts, a beautiful collection of gems and minerals, and one-of-a-kind clothing. We are setting an example on the importance of fair, local, direct trade, and how where you spend your money is part of your voice!

755 SW 6th St, Grants Pass 11a-6pm Tuesday-Saturday BlissStop.etsy.com (541) 507-1930

“We are setting an example on the importance of fair, local, direct trade, and how where you spend your money is part of your voice!”

In what way do you feel the Cannabis culture has influenced The Bliss Stop? The Cannabis culture is ever-growing and changing in southern Oregon.

Culture represents change, movement, and progression.

These are all attributes that The Bliss Stop also coincides with. There is a change happening in Oregon - a wave of new people, business, and energy.

The momentum of a new generation, moving in with new ideas and new vibration. I look forward to the future of hemp and Cannabis, when hemp is grown as a super crop, used for fabric, rope, textiles, clothing, shoes, food, paper, bioplastics, insulation, and biofuel!

Endless possibilities.

The future of The Bliss Stop is greatly influenced by the people and supporters of the Cannabis movement.

We seek change, we seek new options, growth for our people, communities, state and country! We must dare to be different and strive to succeed!

Opening the doors on July 1, 2016, Sarah Sparkles set out on her mission to share her findings from around the world with the local southern Oregon community. Since 2011, Sarah has been visiting Indonesia, where she personally creates her own clothing and works with a team of 15-20 tailors, designing her own unique compositions. While she travels there she sources local artist communities, finding some of the most incomparable artwork, jewelry, and accessories to bring back to her shop. All while practicing fair trade.

INTERVIEW by MAX EARLY @LIFTED_STARDUST | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

Coffee Sho

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THE DOLPHINS

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THE BULLDOG

op Culture The Leaf goes to Amsterdam STORY by MIKE RICKER @RICKERDJ | PHOTOS by EARLY/LEAF NATION

Continues next page >>

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The first thing they tell you when you get to Amsterdam is to watch out for the silent killers. Because where cars have little authority in a city bound by canals, bikes dominate the passageways and there’s no engine noise to forewarn you when stepping into the crosshairs of a bustling society.

A

couple times of casually meandering into the designated travel lanes, only to be narrowly whiffed by an upright cyclist or two, and you realize that when you step foot into this brick dominion, hearing is a vital sense to keeping you out of the impact zone and safely in the fun zone.

It is this that attracts most of the 20 million visitors to this rare air annually. And that air is scented with the perfume of the Red Light District and the incense of Cannabis wafting over the bent streets and raised bridges.

Prostitution is more legal than weed here, and far more regulated. In fact, much to many people’s surprise, Cannabis is not legal at all, only tolerated. Meaning you can still be arrested and prosecuted.

Some will say that it was the counter culture rebellion, led by the hippies in the 1960s, that got the Cannabis conversation of tolerance started - when it appeared that the propaganda of the first half of the century began to show a figurative crack in the leaking dike of Cannabis misinformation. And like the lore of the Dutch boy who saved his country by putting his finger into the

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hole, it could be argued that a guy named Henk de Vries - and his risky endeavor of selling marijuana over the counter - had the same effect, unknowingly creating an epicenter of Cannabis tourism in this unlikely city.

But why not Amsterdam? It would make sense that a smaller country with less conflicting politics would be the ripe place for the ruling governance to look the other way for the benefit of leading its population into a new realm of global attention, not to mention benefit from the taxation of a growing number of visitors.

However, since the early days of 1975 when de Vries opted to call his weed dealing hub a coffee shop, rather than the standard tea shop, the city has made very few changes to keep pace with the international legal Cannabis movement. And this befuddles those in the Amsterdam Cannabis industry.

In fact, many would tell you it has gone backwards in some ways, as the number of shops has dwindled from its peak of over 300, to the current number of around 170. And legalization is no closer than six years away, as the government has elected to undertake an experimental trial.

You see, currently under Dutch law, although it is legal to sell Cannabis over the counter in licensed coffee

Henk de Vries founded The Bulldog, Amsterdam’s first Cannabis coffeeshop, way back in 1975.

Canal Life

Prix D’Ami

Taking a seat at Prix D’Ami, a three-story Cannabis coffeeshop in the heart of Amsterdam. shops, it is illegal to produce and supply the drug. Which makes getting the product grown and delivered a tenuous problem.

Any one coffeeshop is allowed a maximum of 500 grams of any form of Cannabis on the premises (concentrates are still illegal in Holland), which leads to a quagmire, because in a busy establishment like the Bulldog Café, the bins have to constantly be refilled.

How do they do it? Illegally, through a system of black market growers and runners who make the pick-ups and deliveries.

As for the “weed trials” starting in 2021, cafés in 10 cities will get a legal supply of “quality” Cannabis as part of a four-year experiment.

In this experiment, Cannabis will

be cultivated by growers who are approved by the government, and the coffee shops in these cities will be obliged to participate, unallowed to procure their flower from illegal growers.

The culture, however, is as thriving as ever. One visit to the three-story Prix D’Ami - with a countenance of 450 people at any given time - will tell you everything you need to know about Cannabis’ popularity. Seeing enthusiasts basking in the hazy glow of modern lighting and vintage furniture proves to any bystander that by the look of relaxed comfort on the patron’s faces,

they are fully confident of facing no reprimand for their pleasures. And it is this languid body language that tells the story of how when Cannabis is enjoyed in the comforts of a non-threatening, communal situation, everyone benefits. The government makes money that people are happy to spend. Crime goes down, health improves, and the world becomes a better place.

And what you’ll find in these holy places of Cannabis immunity is a plethora of delicious treats like homebaked cakes and muffins, tropical smoothies and crafted milkshakes.

The parched tongue will revel in a tall glass of fresh squeezed orange, or pear juice. Also, the décor is carefully curated to attract the fancy of those in an altered state of friendliness with smooth liquid, soft electronic music, afro jazz, or dancehall reggae.

Meanwhile, the craft of rolling joints or vaporizing flower from attractive pieces designed specifically for this eagerly accepted art, is employed through the many available devices strewn about the rooms.

Here, it’s easy to see that the future of Cannabis is in good hands, as

Seeing enthusiasts basking in the hazy glow of modern lighting and vintage furniture proves to any bystander that by the look of relaxed comfort on the patron’s faces, they are fully confident of facing no reprimand for their pleasures.

Edibles at The Dolphins millennials make up the majority of those who frequent these establishments - therefore ensconcing the fact that the demand is growing and hugely viable.

And although the vibe is conscious and consistent from shop to shop, aesthetics vary.

Pop over to the Green House and you’ll see pictures on the wall of celebrities like George Clooney and Mike Tyson who’ve partaken in the local fare.

At a shop called The Dolphins, you’ll find a scheme that imitates a world through the perspective of the respective finned mammal.

There’s a finely crafted coral reef that persists throughout the place along the walls and bar, designed by an imaginative Australian artist who has been adding to his creation over the years with each brief residency.

These shops are proud of the heritage and unique signature they leave, and this shines through the veil of dangers they’ve faced over the years and, as it appears at present, will continue to face for at least six more. But then, nothing seems to be a safe endeavor in the city of Amsterdam - especially crossing the street on foot.

STORY by MIKE RICKER @RICKERDJ | PHOTOS by EARLY/LEAF NATION

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GRASSROOTS CALIFORNIA Max Urquhart is Chief Operating Officer of Grassroots California, a Denver-based company that has been producing counterculture apparel since 2009, with roots in Venice Beach. What began as a documentary project and pop-up hat sales on the boardwalk, has evolved into a powerhouse apparel design company producing at least one new design daily for their limited run model. We hopped on a phone call with Urquhart to hear about the history of Grassroots, how Cannabis culture has shaped their past, and how the company is defining it into the future.

WHAT INSPIRED CREATING GRASSROOTS CALIFORNIA?

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The inspiration for Grassroots was from founder Ryan “Ruga” Connoly, who had moved to California from Colorado when California’s medical Cannabis scene was blowing up and MMJ was spreading across the country. If you visited California back then, they were the first with the big weed culture where it was acceptable, and what Ryan was really doing was creating a documentary film about the grassroots movement in California.

HOW DID A DOCUMENTARY PROJECT BECOME A CLOTHING COMPANY?

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Ryan always had this idea that he would make merchandise for the movie too, so he had a design mocked up of our original California green hat. That was the first Grassroots hat that was ever made. Unfortunately while filming, a stranger attacked them and ruined their camera equipment, so Ryan decided to try and earn back the money he had purchased hats with and got a permit to sell on the Venice boardwalk. The hats sold out in two weeks and he realized that selling clothing might be a better idea.

WHAT WERE THE NEXT STEPS FOR BUILDING THE COMPANY, AND BARRIERS TO GETTING STARTED? One of the initial things that drew us in was rejection. We went to New Era and they said “Sorry, we won’t make hats with marijuana leaves on them.” Right there we saw a huge opportunity because the weed culture was about to take off. Now it’s a completely

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different game with companies like Huff or Cookies that are doing a lot of weed merchandise, but back then we were super early in that game, and lucky that in 08/09 Facebook and Instagram weren’t pay to play. So we were able to use social media to not only grow the brand, but also not pay for ads. So we spent our resources traveling the country to every concert and event to show people Grassroots.

TELL US ABOUT THE COMPANY’S ROOTS IN CANNABIS CULTURE, AND HOW THAT VISION DEVELOPED. First and foremost, myself and Ryan have always smoked weed. For our entire lives. From when we were in high school through college it has played a major role in our lives.

From being one of the first people to open a smoking club in Denver, which did unfortunately get shut down, to throwing weed events and loving the plant. The main thing with us is that we really felt that we were part of the weed culture because that’s what we like.

So we tried to bring the music culture and hip-hop culture, plus a bunch of other scenes, and bring all those cultures into one: Cannabis. So when we would throw events we would have our friends with Nightmare Snowboards or Dab Logic come set up booths, and we’ve done a lot to combine those elements into our brand.

The company designs and creates environmentally-friendly hats you won’t find anywhere else.

WHAT ROLE HAS ART PLAYED IN THE SUCCESS OF GRASSROOTS?

Art is a lot like music, in that it can show the culture of weed in a real-time, general way. Art has always shaped culture, from back in the biblical days to the 60s, and especially today. With us we want to make more than quality merchandise, but we also want to show respect and love for the artists who create the styles and fashions. We are big supporters of artists from glass to music to visual, and we find ways to grow together by combining our fan bases and showing that these are our people.

WHEN IT COMES TO MERCHANDISE, YOU GUYS ARE NONSTOP! HOW DO YOU KEEP DESIGNS MOVING, AND WHY DO YOU ONLY PRODUCE LIMITED RUNS? We started out as a limited edition company, partly because when you do a full run of something it can take months for production, so once it sells out, you can’t reprint and wait to restock.

Clockwise from left 1/ Grassroots California Chief Operating Officer Max Urquhart, left, with Owner Ryan Connolly.

2/ Sales representative Gianni Betoni fills a wholesale order 3/ A flat bill hat designed by GC. 4/ Sales manager Chase Brasher, and sales representative Gianni Betoni look over product manager Christian Ameling’s shoulder to see a new design last month.

5/ Fourth year designer Curt Holzer works on a pin

But mainly it was a desire to be unique and know that when you buy a hat it’s not one that every kid on the block has. It’s crazy - just three years ago we hit 365 designs in a year, and now we are over that number with clothing and hats in the 7,000 piece design range. We are also able to work with companies to have lower minimums and can produce designs as limited as 100 units, with our hat runs bumped up to 420 units because it’s a convenient number.

We are at a total of 16 employees, with three in-house designers and our art director. We also have a group of independent designers we use to keep up with projects and demand for fresh flavor. We also have a warehouse team and two flagship stores, one in Denver and one in Chicago. When we aren’t working festivals or events, our sales team also pitches in at the warehouse.

HOW IS CANNABIS CULTURE SHIFTING NATIONALLY, AND WHAT TRENDS DO YOU SEE HEADING OUR WAY? It’s a huge shift,

where it’s so acceptable now. It’s not just Cheech and Chong or the movies, it’s almost corporate.

And it’s becoming so much more mainstream that we are starting to see the big mesh of skateboard and streetwear intertwining with the weed scene now. So weed culture is becoming a streetwear influencer culture.

DO YOU THINK IT’S GOOD THAT WEED IS GOING MAINSTREAM?

It seems like every day there is another celebrity with a weed or CBD company, so it really has shifted, but there is still that diehard weed fan base. Those are the people who know dispensaries and strains, and for those people, Grassroots will always be there. But what’s also great is that

a lot more people are starting to come into the weed scene, and we are able to help those people with merch or events and develop the culture further.

We have major production companies asking us how to throw weed events now. So we are seeing the major shift we need, from the hush-hush to mainstream.

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR THE FUTURE OF GRASSROOTS CALIFORNIA?

The goal is to be more influential and to be a bigger name in the streetwear scene. We are waiting for the day we can open another smoker’s club and have a retail environment as part of that. We are ready for weed to be a lot more free than it is here or now, but we are going to wait and be there when it is. This would be our lives whether we had a business or not, so we’ll see what happens. Us being there originally and not changing who we are is in our roots, and I’m hoping in the end, it will pay off for all of us.

GrassrootsCalifornia.com

INTERVIEW by WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX | PHOTOS by DANIEL BRENNER @DANIELJBRENNER

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HOLLYWOODHIGHS The high-end interior is cozy and also elegant

LEAF NATION’S DANIELLE HALLE EXPLORES LOWELL FARMS

T H E C O U N T R Y’ S F I R S T RECREATIONAL CANNABIS CAFÉ

P oregonlEAF.COM

Server Koi is ready with all the flower recommendations

ulling up to the valet in the West Hollywood parking lot, I half expected to see smoke billowing from the roof of Lowell Farms’ Cannabis Café. We were greeted by young, attractive staff members at every corner as we made our way through the entrance and bar area, where we were led to a lush green patio radiating with the excitement of smoking Cannabis in public. While my friends settled in at our table and began pouring over the 22-day old menus, I pulled aside my friend Koi, who had just clocked in as a flower server for the day.

I had to know, was this place completely full of tourists, or was it mostly Cannabis consumers who knew how to handle themselves? Koi said that, at the moment, it was about 50/50 split, but lots of people who were passing through town and looking for something to do came in to check it out. “I even see some of my old patients from Greenhouse Herbal Center on Hollywood Boulevard,” Koi remarks, telling us that the other half of guests she has seen so far are connoisseurs who have been following the brand for years.

Even a few of the more eclectic guests Koi has served have come from the entertainment industry, but I couldn’t pry any

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celebrities’ names out of her. Girl knows how to keep things on the DL. Koi and I met while she was working at one of my local Cannabis shops, Leaf and Lion in Long Beach, so I knew she’d have amazing recommendations on Cannabis, but I wanted to test her server knowledge as well. She also has a background in hospitality, which is incredibly important and an asset to those looking to get into any type of guest-facing Cannabis job, such as at a retail location or a consumption lounge. “I always recommend the pulled pork, that’s my favorite,” she proclaims - although the vegan nachos are a widely popular item as well.

Naturally, prerolls are at the top of the list for popular Cannabis menu items, and for first-time smokers, Koi suggests trying the Caliva preroll packs which tested at only 8% THC, to ease into the experience.

For those newbies who want to dip their toes into the world of edibles, Koi pointed out the Social Tonic as an excellent option. Containing only 2mg of THC and 4mg of CBD per tonic, Koi notes, “You’re not getting the psychoactive feeling, just a relaxed body high. So, you can enjoy with your friends.”

One of the biggest differences between Lowell Farms Cannabis Café and other

restaurants, as observed both by myself and described to me by Koi, is the fact that you have two different servers coming to the table to take separate orders for food and Cannabis. “It’s different because you have a lot more hands-on customer service in that aspect. When was the last time you went to a restaurant and saw ashtrays on the table?

Besides the Cannabis, there’s not too many things that make this restaurant different than any others.”

Okay, hold up. Two servers coming to my table? I’ve worked in restaurants before. If there are two servers coming to the table, who gets the tip? Do Cannabis consumers tip well, does anyone tip in weed, and do I pay cash for weed and card for food?! I had so many questions.

Koi explained that the tipping practice in the café hasn’t exactly been standardized.

“I don’t think people understand that we don’t pool tips. So, whatever the flower server gets, that’s theirs to keep. And whatever you leave on the table at the end is going to be for the [food] server. It’s new, so people don’t realize they can tip us too.”

Aside from the confusion on how to tip multiple servers, Koi is excited for the opportunity to be a part of history in the making.

She says it’s the best part about working for Lowell Café.

Stoner grub elevated for Cannasseurs

59 Take a seat, hang out and relax awhile

A lot of her coworkers, including herself, comthe Cannabis menu prices to be slightly inmute for at least an hour from all over Southern accessible, especially when you include the California to be a part of history. $30/person fee that you’ll be charged if you “West Hollywood traffic is murder anyway, but decide to bring your own greens to smoke. other than that, I love it here.”

There were, luckily, plenty of amazing Now I bet you’re wondering what it was like brands to choose from, so bringing your as a guest to experience the history that is Lowell own isn’t really necessary when the menu Cannabis Café. My first thoughts upon writing this is packed with high-quality products such review were that I knew I had to state the facts. as 710 Labs, Space Coyote, Stone Road This may be the first licensed Cannabis café in Farms, Maven, and more. We wanted to be the U.S., but we can’t talk about making history fancy and rent the gravity bong, but it was without going back in history. just slightly out of our millennial budget.

Cannabis cafés in Amsterdam have We stuck with our Sour Diesel been around for years, but, only in Ameighth and were brought compli“We wanted sterdam. That’s fair. But, what about the mentary rolling papers and tips, to be fancy Northwest Cannabis Club in Oregon? plus a grinder to borrow.

Maybe Lowell’s isn’t the ‘first’ Cannabis For a swanky Cannabis café in and rent the café, but they’re technically the first West Hollywood - an incredible gravity bong, legal one. You don’t have to be a memnovelty experience - the price but it was just is completely justified. Because ber to attend, and there are licensed products from other legal producers slightly out of honestly, where else are you available for purchase. The menu and going to be able to have both our millennial atmosphere is completely cultivated to Cannabis and food delivered to budget.” give you an unforgettable experience your table and enjoy them toand peek into the future of public Cangether without getting in trouble, nabis consumption. or offending the people at the table next to Speaking of the menu, I was initially a bit disyou? Chef Andrea Drummer’s creations are appointed to find the Lowell Farms Sour Diesel I genius, with the vegan nachos starring as originally ordered was out of stock, and instead I the epitome of LA stoner munchies, which was presented with a replacement Sour Diesel by a has been proven by the orders in the first different brand. For the average consumer, I found month that the café has been open.

I honestly cannot speak highly enough about the visual experience of both the inside and outside areas of the café.

I encourage you to go and see this piece of history for yourself, because no matter what, you’ll leave knowing you just experienced something that people across the country are dreaming of one day being able to do. Those of us in legal states are so incredibly lucky to witness the change firsthand and take part in the molding of our industry and community.

Although the atmosphere is incredibly relaxed and laid-back, you must realize that visiting the Lowell Café is a luxury treat, one where everyone can feel like they’re having a special experience. I sincerely hope it becomes more accessible for the average Cannabis consumer and patient. For now, I’ll be visiting only if my out-of-town relatives want a truly unique experience and an inside look at California Cannabis culture. LowellCafe.com

STORY & PHOTOS by DANIELLE HALLE @SWEET.DEEZY for LEAF NATION

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1920s

1930s

1940s

It all started with jazz - the first type of “popular music” which coincided with recorded, and thus mass-produced music. In the mid-20s, clarinetist Sydney Bechet wrote a song called “Viper Mad” - a hit that had a long shelf life.

The lyrics sing the praises of Cannabis, but one line “wrap your lips around this stick of tea, blow this gage and get high with me” reads like a sort of proto-hip-hop anthem if you substitute some of the words for modern slang around Cannabis.

In the early 30s Cannabis had yet to be made federally illegal, and one of the greatest jazz musicians of the time, Louis Armstrong, was a fan. He travelled with a lot of Cannabis, and was eventually busted by police in Hollywood on tour in 1931, spending nine nights in jail for possession. On the East Coast in Harlem, Fats Waller’s concerts were quite the scene, fueled by the high-grade weed of promoter and impresario Mezz Mezzrow (who’s namesake still graces the club “Mezzrow’s” in Manhattan to this day). Cannabis was federally banned by 1937.

With Cannabis federally illegal, the 40s became the era of the “reefer songs” as the prohibition of the herb led to more usage among the subcultures in society. Specifically speaking, more ‘lingo’ entered the lyrics and titles of songs. Barney Bigard’s take on the jazz standard “Sweet Georgia Brown” - which he renamed as “Sweet Marijuana Brown” showed how Cannabis was still very much in use in the jazz and blues scenes.

1950s

1960s

1970s

The United States was at its conservative zenith in the middle of the 20th century.

This decade was about as white-bread as it got when it came to artistic expression.

Even a home-run Cannabis song like Ray Charles’ “Let’s Go Get Stoned” was at the time said to be “all about gin.”

This was the decade dominated musically by the The Beatles, who went through their own transformation as they experimented with mind-altering drugs. This is the decade that gave rise to hippie culture. Songs like The Fraternity of Man’s “Don’t Bogart Me” is a typical example of a song singing the praises of Cannabis with a tinge of humorous sarcasm.

If the 1950s were the most conservative decade, then the 70s were most druggedout decade in America over the last century.

So much so, that it seemed like the U.S. was on a trajectory to legalize Cannabis. Inside the counter culture, songs like Brewer and Shipley’s “One Toke Over The Line” and Rick James’ “Mary Jane” emerged as anthems nodding to the social acceptance of Cannabis. Bob Marley’s “Kaya” and Peter Tosh’s “Legalize It” were also notable.

1980s

1990s

2000s

While the 1970s were a time where spirituality and tolerance seemed to be gaining ground in American life, it took one president, Ronald Reagan, to wash it all away. Reagan’s “War on Drugs” still continues to this day. In the 1980s, music about Cannabis became more and more scarce, and limited to underground genres and artists. At the end of the decade it was Tone Loc’s “Cheeba Cheeba” that would set the stage for what was to come in the hiphop scene.

The 1990s saw advancement after advancement in technology, from the personal computer to the widespread use of the internet at the end of the decade, but it was hip-hop and rap culture that truly cemented Cannabis as something that was becoming more socially acceptable. One could say that Dr. Dre’s “The Chronic” was the real turning point. Released in 1992, the album is a tribute to high-grade Cannabis. And like the jazz musicians of the 1920s, Dre and his partnerin-crime Snoop Dogg were more than happy to wax poetic about their favorite herb. The album is a classic, going platinum three times over in the past 30 years.

By the new millennium, the secret was out.

More people were consuming Cannabis than ever before and public acceptance was on the rise. The failing drug war was everapparent, and people could (for the first time) use a resource like the internet to find out how un-harmful Cannabis really was. Whole musical movements like the freak-folk and dance-punk scenes celebrated ties to Cannabis counter culture. And, music started to tout a connection to weed in a more explicit way, with songs like Afroman’s “Because I Got High” and Amy Winehouse’s “Addicted.”

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STORY by PACER STACKTRAIN for LEAF NATION | PHOTO by ALEKSANDAR PASARIC

2010s

And here we are. In 20% of America, Cannabis is fully legal. In 41 states, it’s at the very least decriminalized. Only nine states remain where it’s illegal. These statistics are wonderful to celebrate as we prepare to enter the 2020s. This decade has seen the tide of public opinion turn back to where we were almost a century ago before Cannabis prohibition. And in music? Now we see pop artists celebrating their love for the herb in song and in public, like Justin Timberlake’s “Pusher Lover Girl” and Rihanna’s “James Joint.”

A CENTURY CANNABIS of

in

MUSIC W

hen it comes to culture, there are many ways that humans choose to express themselves in order to develop ideas that transcend daily life.

Perhaps the most important of the devices in which we attempt to communicate this transcendence through is music. Music and Cannabis have enjoyed quite the relationship throughout the history of humankind. Sometimes this relationship has been sacred, and sometimes it has been secular. Here are some examples of how Cannabis influenced and inspired musical culture over the past century.

the culture ISSUE

Cannabis +Visual Art 62

It’s time to elevate stoner culture from the couch and into the world of visual arts. However, modern museums and galleries have the potential to intimidate those who aren’t privy to contemporary art or its history. Alas, I write to you dear reader, as a gentle guide with advice on how to orient yourself within an art space and build your visual vocabulary. Screens and devices have provided access to visual art from the comfort of our homes, but I beckon you to build a relationship to arts and culture deeper than your screens. Participate in the physical experience of art - you’re gonna love it high.

High Culture

How to View Art

new experience for viewing it. The elevated state or “high” of Cannabis allows you to be more receptive and absorb the work in a novel way.

It takes the edge off of being around people in a busy gallery and stimulates your mind - the optimal mix. Nothing complements a gallery walk like a joint in hand.

How does the color make you feel? What do the painterly gestures tell you through their application and composition? Is the paint thick and sculptural, or thin and glasslike? How does the composition speak to you on an emotional level? There is no wrong or right answer in art.

Cannabis is an ideal pairing for art because it provides a

Most writers will start with dry art history and direct you to stuffy

oregonlEAF.COM

museums, but I beg to differ. I advise you to support local living artists, instead of the dead ones. Not to say that both aren’t important, but dare to immerse yourself in the contemporary world of art. Skip the museum and peruse gallery spaces. Galleries are run by curators who have their ears to the ground when it comes to finding local talent who eventually end up in those fancy museums we previously spoke about.

Galleries put you in conversation with local, national, and sometimes global artists around the world.

Cannabis is an ideal pairing for art because it provides a new experience for viewing it. dec. 2019

When it comes to viewing art, let’s start with a painting.

At best, art reveals the artist’s subjective experience, while allowing you to have your own. I find it helpful to view art through an emotional lens because you don’t have to rationalize anything. If a particular piece strikes you, learn more about the work through an artist statement, if provided.

Abstract art and sculpture can be especially difficult for people to enter the work because it seems more difficult to relate to. Instead of trying to earnestly figure it out, again, begin with how it makes you feel. How does the size of a sculpture speak to you? What does the texture tell you about the object? Is it shiny, dull, rough, smooth or sharp? Enter the work through the evocative breakdown of the form.

Absorbing art in pieces allows you to build your visual prowess.

You don’t have to have an MFA or even be an artist to experience

the world of art. Art history serves its purpose, but don’t let it intimidate you out of the art community. All you truly need is an exempletory joint, a few good friends, and the urge to immerse yourself in visual culture.

Cannabis further elevates these moments, while alleviating the stresses that come along with public interaction. An open mind and heart doesn’t hurt either, but be okay with not understanding everything.

Not all art will speak to you, but when they do, for a moment the chasm of the universe will reveal itself. And in this moment, you will begin to know more about yourself or your perception of the world.

STORY by SIMONE FISCHER @SIMONEFISCHERR

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RECIPES

HOPEFULLY you will have a little extra time this holiday to make a couple of these infused treats. But remember that less is more, and don’t operate heavy machinery. The folks at Laurie and MaryJane wish you a happy and healthy holiday. #Indulgeresponsibly #Dontfeartheedible

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HOLIDAY

TREATS SALTY CARAMELS

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1 lb ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) canna-butter ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) butter 2 cups packed brown sugar ½ cup dark syrup / 2 cups heavy cream ¼ teaspoon salt / 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 tablespoons smoked sea salt 1. Line a 9-inch square pan with parchment paper.

2. Melt the canna-butter over low heat in a medium saucepan, with a candy thermometer. Add the brown sugar, corn syrup, one cup cream and salt. Bring to a boil and stir occasionally for 12 to 15 minutes, until temperature reaches 224 degrees.

3. Slowly add the remaining cream. Cook until it reaches 250 degrees, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle with salt.

4. Cool for a minimum of four hours.

With a sharp knife, cut into 48 pieces.

DEC. 2019

I make these every year for my friends. They love white chocolate and agree that the hint of Cannabis is a delightful addition. I rarely enjoy the flavor of Cannabis, but for some reason, this combo is fire. And they’re delicious just out of the freezer, too.

WHITE CHOCOLATE POT PATTIES Makes 32 pieces.

2 lbs white chocolate, chopped 2-3 tablespoons canna-butter ½ cup dried cherries 2/3 cup crushed peppermint candy 1. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a microwave safe bowl combine the chocolate and canna-butter and process on high for 30 seconds.

Stir and return to microwave for and additional 30 seconds. Continue until the chocolate is just melted, the melting process will continue after cooking.

3. Using a ¼ cup measure pour the chocolate onto the parchment paper. Sprinkle with the cherries.

4. Heat the remaining chocolate the same way. Drizzle the melted chocolate over the cherries and sprinkle with the crushed peppermint. Allow to sit until fully set, at least an hour.

S'MORE ON A STICK Makes 30 pieces.

2 cups dark chocolate, chopped 2-3 tablespoons canna-butter 30 marshmallows 1½ cups crushed graham crackers

Though these look a bit complicated, they are incredibly easy to make. You can use any type of chocolate, and the dipping can be changed to include chopped nuts, sprinkles, or cookie crumbs.

1. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Making your own infused caramels is quite the thing.

They’re not hard to make, though they do require a candy thermometer and your full attention. Maybe don’t be high when making your first batch. I don’t know about you, but when under the influence I am quite easily distracted.

Caramels keep for three weeks in an airtight container, stored in a cool place.

Makes 48 pieces.

2. Using a microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate and canna-butter in microwave on high for 30 seconds. Stir and return to microwave for an additional 30 seconds. Continue until the chocolate is just melted, the melting process will continue after cooking.

3. Using a fork, dip each marshmallow into the chocolate, completely covering the marshmallow.

Immediately dip one side of the covered marshmallow into the crumbs. Place on the parchment on the graham cracker covered side.

Place a skewer or popsicle stick in one side of the marshmallow. Allow the marshmallows to set completely, at least an hour.

RECIPES by LAURIE WOLF | PHOTO by BRUCE WOLF

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EDIBLE OF THE MONTH

TASTE 4/5 EFFECT 5/5 PKGNG 4/5 VALUE 5/5 TOTAL 18/20 50MG THC per caramel

carefree cara m e l s NELSON & CO. produced by

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oregonlEAF.COM

T HE Q UALI TY O F THE CANNABI S EX T RAC TS USE D I N E DI BLE S I S OF TEN OV E R LO O K E D, E S PECI AL LY WIT H T HE ABUNDANCE O F P RODUCTS AVAILABLE TO THE R EC R EAT IO NAL MAR K E T. N ELSO N & CO’S CAR E FR E E CARA M EL I S I NFUSE D WI TH SO LV EN T LE S S HAS H ROS I N, AS O P POSE D TO DI STI LLATE AN D OT HE R S O LV E NT-BASE D EX T RAC TS THAT AR E CO MMO NLY USED TO INFUSE LAR G E BATCHE S OF EDIB LES.

The caramel came packaged in a plastic wrapper inside of a mylar envelope. I ingested the entire piece, and was impressed with its potent and long-lasting effects.

After eating the caramel, I sat down to watch a few episodes of The Office. Just 30 minutes later and I was struggling to keep my eyes open.

Effects were incredibly sedative and tiring, as I fell asleep shortly after finishing the piece.

The consistency was rich, velvety and smooth, kind of like a chewable Werther’s Original. The sweetness of the caramel does an excellent job at masking the Cannabis flavor from the hash rosin, which makes it a great option for those who are sensitive to strong tasting edibles. I would recommend this edible for those looking for a potent and clean, yet sedative high - as the effects are long lasting.

N ELSONANDCO MPANYO R GANICS.CO M @N ELSO NANDCO MPANY

dec. 2019

THE SWEETNESS OF THE CARAMEL DOES AN EXCELLENT JOB AT MASKING THE CANNABIS FLAVOR FROM THE HASH ROSIN, WHICH MAKES IT A GREAT OPTION FOR THOSE WHO ARE SENSITIVE TO STRONG TASTING EDIBLES. REVIEW by WILL FERGUSON | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

sovereign fields update

concentrate OF THE MONTH

72

“EFFECTS ARE INTENSELY CEREBRAL, EUPHORIC AND ENERGETIC, AS I FELT MOTIVATED AND FOCUSED WHEN I DABBED THIS BEFORE HEADING INTO WORK IN THE MORNING.“

TASTE 4/5 EFFECT 5/5 PKGNG 5/5 VALUE 4/5 TOTAL 18/20

75%THC

9.3%TERPENES

oregonlEAF.COM

Anthology Extracts is a rather new processing company that is taking the recreational market by storm. We were fortunate enough to receive some Cherry Zprite diamonds for review this month.

The extract was packaged in a thick glass jar and had a rather soupy consistency to it. The THCA crystals are rather large, so a pointed dabber is recommended to break them up into manageable pieces.

As soon as you open the jar, you’re hit with a pungent lemon pledge aroma. I enjoyed a few dabs out of my Colitoh glass rig and was impressed with the flavor and smoothness of each dab.

The effects are intensely cerebral, euphoric and energetic, as I felt motivated and focused when I dabbed this before heading into work in the morning.

I recommend starting with smaller dabs and working your way up to larger ones with this strain in extract form, as its incredibly potent effects could be anxiety inducing for some. @AN T HO LO G Y_O R EG O N @POSEIDO NSE LE ME NT

DEC. 2019

CHERRY ZPRITE

DIAMONDS EXTRACTED by ANTHOLOGY EXTRACTS | MATERIAL GROWN by POSEIDON’S ELEMENT

REVIEW by WILL FERGUSON | PHOTO by NATE WILLIAMS @NATEW415

TOPICAL OF THE MONTH

The hemp industry is taking the topical market by storm, but not all hemp topicals are created equal.

Straight Hemp Healing Hemp Salve is both rich in native hemp terpenes and CBD, and also contains arnica and camphor to naturally reduce swelling and irritation. The consistency of this salve makes application easy and luxurious, with an herbaceous aroma that absorbs seamlessly into the skin.

PACKAGING (4/5) I love the convenient five gram (or

travel-size) packaging that slips easily into your purse, fanny-pack or what-have-you.

It comes in a small glass jar similar to what dabs or rosin might be packaged in, with a simple, unbleached label.

AROMA (4/5) Strong, but tempered herbaceous

notes are detected upon application.

Subtle notes of ginger and myrrh come through warming the palate. It’s musky, but doesn’t overwhelm.

APPLICATION (5/5) I appreciate beeswax-based topicals

because the application is smooth and absorbs into the skin like a dream. Both almond and hemp oil are used, giving the salve a velvety feel unlike hard, untempered balms. The consistency is perfect for unfussy application.

74

EFFECTS (5/5) As we move into the winter season,

oregonlEAF.COM

this salve is perfect for chapped hands and skin. The beeswax formula coats your paws without becoming greasy. The CBD and arnica combo reduces redness and inflammation, and the salve works wonders on sore muscles. The consistency is very smooth and works excellent for CBD-infused massage. I appreciate brands that go beyond simple hemp-derived CBD, and do the research to include other terpenes that facilitate recovery.

STRAIGHT HEMPHealing Salve THE CONSISTENCY OF THIS SALVE MAKES APPLICATION EASY AND LUXURIOUS, WITH AN HERBACEOUS AROMA THAT ABSORBS SEAMLESSLY INTO THE SKIN. DEC. 2019

VALUE (5/5) Straight Hemp Salve is affordable

and packs a whopping 115mg of CBD in a five gram jar. And at just $22, it is a deal in a market where topicals can easily start at $40 and up. Not only is this product accessible and affordable, it doesn’t skimp on CBD or terpenes either.

Total 23/25 STRAIGHTHEMP.COM @STRAIGHTHEMPCBD $22, 5-GRAM JAR / 115MG CBD AND 164MG HEMP EXTRACT

Available From Lumi Wellness Shop 2929 SE Powell Blvd #1, Portland

REVIEW by SIMONE FISCHER @SIMONEFISCHERR | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

Leaf Life Podcast is an entertaining exploration of All Things Cannabis For All People. @beardedlorax

@rickerdj

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

THIS MONTH:

Show #37: Things To Do In Florida When You’re Stoned Show #38: The Controversy of Organic Show #41: Cooking With Cannabis

LEAFLIFEPODCAST.COM leaflifepodcast

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORSis

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

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For use only by adults 21 and older. Keep out of reach of children. Do not drive a motor vehicle while under the influence of marijuana. This product is not approved by the FDA to treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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For use only by adults 21 and older. Keep out of reach of children. Do not drive a motor vehicle while under the influence of marijuana. This product is not approved by the FDA to treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

cannabis & coffee

SANDINO BROTHERS COFFEE ROASTER’S MOMBACHO MEDIUM ROAST @SANDINOCOFFEE SANDINOCOFFEE.COM $13, 12oz | Portland Mercado 7238 SE Foster Rd., Portland

YERBA BUENA FARMS 2:1 (CBD:THC) DRAGON SNACKS YERBABUENA.COM @YERBA.BUENA.FARMS

4.36% THC | 11.6% CBD $35/3.5g | Available @ Farma 916 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland

78

The caffeine

stimulates your mind whiletheweed relaxes thebody,and thepair hasthepotential tobecome slightly psychedelic

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MombachoxDragonSnacks COFFEE AND CANNABIS bring out the best in each other. Nothing beats the meditative (and delicious) quality of smoking a joint over hot, freshly brewed coffee. Historically speaking, this combo was coined in the 1960s as the “hippie speedball” when alleged Cannabis users would enjoy their morning coffee with hit of weed. The hippie speedball arrived before the contemporary “wake and bake” colloquialism. Here, we revisit this cultural taboo by updating it to the taste standards of 2019 in Oregon.

Caffeine and cannabinoids are the perfect combination of chemicals. The caffeine stimulates your mind while the weed relaxes the body, and the pair has the potential to become slightly psychedelic with potent strains. As much as I love to waste an entire morning in THC excess, I believe 2:1 (CBD:THC) strains provide a broader spectrum

DEC. 2019

of benefits. As a woman who deals with endometriosis and chronic pain, the 2:1 ratio is my morning go-to. The coffee keeps me wired, while the THC and CBD combo work together to relax and soothe me into my mornings. It’s just enough to take the edge off without forfeiting my motivation and clarity.

Through hard research, I sought the best coffee and 2:1 Cannabis pairing I could find in Portland - and it didn’t disappoint. I paired Yerba Buena’s (2:1) Dragon Snacks with locally roasted, single-source Mombacho medium roast coffee from Sandino Brothers’ Coffee Roasters, located within the Portland Mercado off 72nd & Foster.

COFFEE: SANDINO COFFEE ROASTERS

Sandino Coffee is ran by two brothers, one proudly farms the coffee beans in Nica-

ragua while the other brother roasts them to perfection right here in rainy Portland.

Not only is Sandino single-source, but your money supports a locally-based, international family business. They sell ground, whole bean, and green (unroasted) coffee beans in various roasts. I frequently drink their whole bean Mombacho, a medium roast with rich caramel notes and herbaceous depth. I prefer my coffee strong in caffeine, so I tend to drink medium roasts.

You can visit Sandino’s coffee shop at the Portland Mercado off 72nd and Foster and support an Eastside treasure.

FLOWER: YERBA BUENA DRAGON SNACKS

Dragon Snacks is grown by Yerba Buena and is a cross between Cookies and Blue Dragon. The bud is fluffy yet dense, with deep purple flowers and bright orange pistils - a highly aesthetic strain. The aroma

induces a nostalgic affinity for the sweet, yet acrid notes the Cookies lineage carries. But the Blue Dragon provides soft moments of fruit and lavender florals for balance.

The 2:1 (CBD:THC) induces a mild cerebral high, with a focus on the body to release existing tension. Current culture often prioritizes THC potency, but for this review, I wanted to ease beginners or light users into the Cannabis and coffee pairing by providing a quality, but mild strain that won’t send you off the deep end.

The caffeine provides the mental stimulation, so I don’t want to overwhelm those who partake with a THC overload. Not only is the effect between Sandino’s coffee and Yerba’s Dragon Snacks symbiotic, but the flavors of the medium roast and strain profile meld perfectly.

REVIEW by SIMONE FISCHER @SIMONEFISCHERR | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

A L C H E M Y AT I T S F I N E S T . . . . C O M I N G S O O N !

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livin’ the cascade high life.

Socially Conscious Cannabis Cultivation cascadehigh.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.

dec. 2019 DEC.

82

Amsterdam

T H E C U LT U R E I S S U E E D I T I O N STORY by JONAH TACOMA @DABSTARS2.0 for LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by JESS LARUE @JESSICALARUE_420

I

adjusted my Oakleys and pulled my headphones down over my ears in preparation for the long flight from Philly to Amsterdam, a few more minutes and the half a Xanax I popped in the ticket line would be kicking in.

Home to the original Cannabis Cup, Amsterdam had been a mecca for Cannabis enthusiasts since before I was born, many traveling thousands of miles to openly partake at the coffee shops that dotted the

oregonleaf.com

Red Light District. We were here for something equally ambitious. If things went well this voyage would mark the beginning of an important endeavour, one that could change our lives forever‌ I had been angling to do proper business in Holland for almost a decade, but in spite of all the freedom in Holland, dabs were scheduled like heroin. RSO and even

“WE WERE HERE TO L AUNCH T H E A M ST E R DA M L E A F A N D IF WE WERE SUCCESSFUL, IT WOUL D BE THE FIRST BIG C A N N A B I S M AGA Z I N E TO M AKE IT OVER FROM THE S TA T E S S I N C E H I G H T I M E S H AD L AUNCHED OVER 40 YE A RS AG O . ”

tinctures were strictly prohibited across the board.

That said, you could still find some decent dabs if you knew where to look. Walk into the right coffee shop and ask for some dabable “isolator” with a wink, and you’re likely to see a small selection of budders and waxes being sold by the gram for a 100 euros plus. As the giant passenger jet lumbered down the runway I drifted off to sleep, still daydreaming of the events to come.

We were here to launch the Amsterdam Leaf and if we were successful, it would be the first big Cannabis magazine to make it over from the states since High Times had launched over 40 years ago. This was a passion project paying homage to our city of birth and I was excited to be a partner in such an undertaking.

The Dutch had always acknowledged that certain vices were always going to exist and had agreed that an ever shrinking part of town, affectionately named after the red lights glowing in the windows of the sex workers, would house them all. From mushrooms to

MDMA, anything could be found in the twisting and turning alleys of the Red Light. As long as you stayed in the boundaries and didn’t affect anyone else’s good time, it was anything goes and the tourists were lapping it up in spades.

As the capital city of Holland, Amsterdam itself was a miracle of old world engineering. Built five feet below sea level, the city had grown from a small group of houses built up along the mouth of the river Amstel. Eventually, the Amstel Dam was created to manage the water, and Amsterdam as we know it was born.

A smiling customs agent greeted me at Schiphol Airport. “Business or pleasure?” he said politely with one eyebrow raised. “Well it’s Amsterdam, so always a bit of both,” I replied, laughing in spite of myself at his good nature as he waved me in without further question. “Welcome to Holland!” he shouted as I passed through the gates.

STONEY BALONEy

86

Karate Kids

oregonlEAF.COM

I’ll tell you something, in about 10 years, you bullies better watch your asses. That’s because you do not want to mess with a dude who has been well-trained in martial arts. And these days, it’s awfully popular with the youngins who aren’t too down with team sports. Some of them are nomads, riding solo, hanging in the shadows - maybe a little anti-social. At face value, they can appear to be easy prey.

And the prima donna skilled in the practice of intimidation may want to swallow a pill of caution when the Saturday Night Fever is brewing. He has been at it since happy hour and now midnight is approaching. His blood is carbonated from the fiery liquid that’s loading the bulging trapezoids and it’s fueling his arrogance.

He’s got his swagger in power mode, feeling alive, looking to step up the excitement, ready to entertain - an easy ass-whipping guaranteed for the primed crowd.

But there are no guarantees in life, we all inevitably learn. And for some, the lesson comes hard.

Everyone loves an underdog. Some of the most memorable events in history have featured a reluctant participant pushed to the corner with no alternative but to defend what is right. He is surprisingly prepared. And if you’ve never seen a skinny, undersized dude who’s trained to box handle a bodacious, drunk asshole until he’s beet red-faced and gassed, it is truly a delight to witness. I mean, I’m all for peace and love, but sometimes you get a meathead who feels compelled to put all his gym hours to use. And he fucks with the wrong guy. What he leaves with is called an epiphany. It’s when the lion learns that he no longer rules the pride.

He just had to have that last shot.

Dipshit should’ve smoked a bowl instead.

DEC. 2019

More episodes at stoney-baloney.com

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For use only by adults 21 and older. Keep out of reach of children. Do not drive a motor vehicle while under the influence of marijuana.