Green Eugene | Winter 2023

NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

industry employees and even with our appointed legislators. Above all else, we wish to inspire and, while doing so, represent an ever-evolving narrative about what cannabis actually means to its consumers. While flipping through these pages, may we honor all of the individuals who are still fighting for their freedom from incarceration while the undue massive profits continue to rise in the industry.

In this multifaceted edition, we look at racial disparity in cannabis arrests in the era of Gov. Kate Brown sealing 45,000 nonviolent cannabis conviction records. In parallel, we spoke to the nonprofit Last Prisoner’s Project to highlight how their work aids the unjust consequences of the U.S. drug reform. Green Eugene’s first-ever book preview compares the historical resource extraction by white settlers in how the trickle-down effects of the Gold Rush are now seen in the Green Rush. While chewing on these hefty topics, you may also start craving cookies baked by Eugene’s newest Black-owned Cookie Plug, which caters to the graffiti artist and hip-hop-loving demographic. Additionally, in our online exclusive story, we follow consumers who crossover to Kratom to look at the controversies of the market’s influence on a traditional medicine.

Dear readers,

The pages you are holding are the result of months of hard work and love. Your support is what inspires us to bring our community the most vital and timely cannabis journalism. While the subject of legality is something we regularly cover and discuss, this compendium covers only a fraction of the reality. It would be unfair to ourselves and the community we serve to ignore the injustices called out in this issue such as Indigenous displacement, corporate greed and racially disproportionate incarceration. The conversations here are meant to come to life beyond the printed page; we want to hear your voice in the discussion, in your social circles, with cannabis

STAFF

Editor

Kayl Wohl

Managing Copy Editor

Megan McEntee

Cover Photo

Gustavo Del Real Figueroa

Lead Designers

Dani DeGraw

Miles Imai

I want to personally thank you, the reader, and everyone who contributed to the success of this edition– notably, the backup editors who stepped in during a time when COVID-19 is still prevalent. May you all see yourselves between the lines and amongst all of our pages.

Forever with love,

Kayl Wohl Editor

Designers and Illustrators

Julia Faria

Amalia Garzon

Palmer Krais

Abigail Raike

Writers

Dominic Adams

Jorney Baldwin-Chee

Sydney Johnson

Lauren Leone

Hannarose McGuinness

Elijah Newman

Armando Ramirez

Keaton Roberts

Photographers

Gustavo Del Real Figueroa

Riley Valle

Kayl Wohl

Student Sales Manager

Amy Menendez

Account Executives

Josh Delapena

Max Goldenberg

Keaton Roberts

Riley Valle

Thank you for reading Green Eugene. Please note that our publication and site spotlights content about substances that are illegal under federal and state laws in certain places. We do not promote, advocate or condone illicit drug use. All content produced by Green Eugene is for educational and entertainment purposes only for readers 21+.

BUDTENDER SPOTLIGHT Hai-lea Eads

Hai-lea Eads

Written by Hannarose McGuinness, Designed by julia faria, Photo by Gustavo Del Real Figueroa

ai-lea Eads got a job budtending after moving to Oregon from Colorado in 2021. After spending some time working at Whole Foods, she felt called to put her customer service skills to the test in the cannabis industry. two years into her own Oregon Trail adventure, she can found behind the counter at TJ’s, where she’s eager to customers connect with the right products for them.

Hai-lea Eads got a job budtending after moving to Oregon from Colorado in 2021. After spending some time working at Whole Foods, she felt called to put her customer service skills to the test in the cannabis industry. Now, two years into her own Oregon Trail adventure, she can be found behind the counter at TJ’s on Willamette.

What drew you into budtending?

WHAT DREW YOU INTO BUDTENDING?

customer service, and I love face-to-face interactions. I the joke that human interaction is my drug of choice because love talking to people and getting different perspectives. That with my love of cannabis, my own recreational use and using self-medicate in different ways, I just knew it was somewhere wanted to be. It didn’t become a reality for me until I moved Oregon almost two years ago. I feel like getting your foot into the cannabis industry is more accessible out here than it is in Colorado.

I love customer service, and I love face-to-face interactions. I make the joke that human interaction is my drug of choice because I just love talking to people and getting different perspectives. That paired with my love of cannabis, my own recreational use and using it to self-medicate in different ways, I just knew it was somewhere that I wanted to be. It didn’t become a reality for me until I moved to Oregon almost two years ago. I feel like getting your foot into the cannabis industry is more accessible out here than it is in Colorado. How do you work to make cannabis more accessible and less intimidating?

do you work to make cannabis more accessible and less intimidating?

want to assume what someone is looking for or push them in wrong direction. I love to start with ‘what are you looking for?’ that sparks something else that might work better or work alongside, then we can go from there. As far as accessibility goes, oftentimes ask ‘what’s your budget?’ I try to make it very nonthreatening in as many ways as possible. I’ll give them the spectrum them pick where they want to fall.

Is there anything about the way people approach you, as a budtender, or the industry that could be done better? People come in with kind of this attitude like recreational use is still Top Secret but in kind of a joking manner. I’ve had experiences with people poking fun at the industry, as if it shouldn’t be taken seriously, and it’s all this big facade… It’s really hard to have educational conversations when people come in and treat it without respect – like they just turned 18 and they’re in a sex shop. It’s like, guys, it’s 2023, and your grandma smokes pot – get over yourselves.

there anything about the way people approach you, as a budtender, or the industry could be done better?

come in with kind of this attitude like recreational use is Top Secret but in kind of a joking manner. I’ve had experiences people poking fun at the industry, as if it shouldn’t be taken seriously, and it’s all this big facade… It’s really hard to have educational conversations when people come in and treat it without respect like they just turned 18 and they’re in a sex shop. It’s like, it’s 2023, and your grandma smokes pot – get over yourselves.

Thinking about this edition’s theme, I rarely see brands partnering with the Last Prisoner Project anymore – it’s very scarce, and that’s one of the few organizations I can think of off the top of my head that is actively trying to do something to make a positive difference involved with the cannabis industry. I don’t see a lot of advocacy for things like that – for people who are or were incarcerated. I think about all the biomaterial that we’re wasting every year – all these millions of pounds of cannabis that we’re harvesting across the U.S. that we aren’t allowed to use certain parts of it because, technically, the stalk that the flower grows on is still considered usable cannabis.

Thinking about this edition’s theme, I rarely see brands partnering the Last Prisoner Project anymore – it’s very scarce, and that’s the few organizations I can think of off the top of my head actively trying to do something to make a positive difference involved with the cannabis industry. I don’t see a lot of advocacy for like that – for people who are or were incarcerated. think about all the biomaterial that we’re wasting every year –these millions of pounds of cannabis that we’re harvesting across U.S. that we aren’t allowed to use certain parts of it because, technically, the stalk that the flower grows on is still considered cannabis. So it has to be trashed. I do see things like making packaging out of recycled materials happening, but why aren’t people talking about repurposing these materials? It’s super awesome that the industry is always evolving, but it’s also like, why not focusing more on the things that really matter? There of waste in the cannabis industry and a lot of ways that we do better when it comes to us being more eco-friendly and conscious.

So it has to be trashed. I do see things like making packaging out of recycled materials happening, but why aren’t more people talking about repurposing these materials? It’s super awesome that the industry is always evolving, but it’s also like, why are we not focusing more on the things that really matter? There is a lot of waste in the cannabis industry and a lot of ways that we could do better when it comes to us being more eco-friendly and conscious.

Are there ways we can be more conscious of the history of cannabis-related incarceration as participants in the industry?

how can folks get involved in being informed and vocal about this?

I never want to assume what someone is looking for or push them in the wrong direction. I love to start with ‘what are you looking for?’ and if that sparks something else that might work better or work alongside, then we can go from there. As far as accessibility goes, I oftentimes ask ‘what’s your budget?’ I try to make it very non-threatening in as many ways as possible. I’ll give them the spectrum and let them pick where they want to fall.

It’s actually really easy because Last Prisoner Project is a nonprofit, so if you reach out to them, they’ll give you the resources that you want. They have a budtender program that I signed up to be a part of so they send me monthly newsletters about what’s going on. That way, I can educate my customers and I can educate my co-workers and get the conversation flowing. It’s as simple as requesting a donation box to put in your lobby or near your register. Even if no one wants to donate, we can get people talking and make them a part of the conversation and have them understand that there are still a lot of people who aren’t benefiting from the cannabis industr y – people who are actually getting hurt by it because they’re sitting in cells while all these people are profiting off of it.

Are there ways we can be more conscious of the history of cannabis-related incarceration as participants in the industry?

It’s actually really easy because Last Prisoner Project is a nonprofit, so if you reach out to them, they’ll give you the resources that you want. They have a budtender program that I signed up to be a part of so they send me monthly newsletters about what’s going on. That way, I can educate my customers and I can educate my co-workers and get the conversation flowing. It’s as simple as requesting a donation box to put in your lobby or near your register. Even if no one wants to donate, we can get people talking and make them a part of the conversation and have them understand that there are still a lot of people who aren’t benefiting from the cannabis industry – people who are actually getting hurt by it because they’re sitting in cells while all these people are profiting off of it.

It is really unfair and there are foundations and advocacy programs that want to help and are talking about it, they just need more people to be involved and care. They’re not asking for anything – it’s just as simple as caring enough to get involved, reach out and be part of the conversation at the end of the day.

Anything else you want to share?

It is really unfair and there are foundations and advocacy programs that want to help and are talking about it, they just need more people to be involved and care. They’re not asking for anything – it’s just as simple as caring enough to get involved, reach out and be part of the conversation at the end of the day.

I love budtending; I think it’s so fun. I’m excited to see how it changes over the years and maybe how my roles will differ. Also, just to tell people not to be scared. For the most part, budtenders are just people. They want to help, and if customers have the right approach, it makes it so much easier for us to be able to get you what you need. So be nice to your budtenders and treat the industry and the people in it with the respect they deserve.

...and tip your budtenders!

BIG CANNABIS TAKEOVER

Opinion: Locally-Owned Cannabis Businesses Struggle to Stay Afloat as Cannabis Conglomerates Dominate the Market

Written by Armando Ramirez, Illustrated by Dani DeGraw

With the introduction of larger retailers with more capital and resources to the cannabis industry and overproduction being at an alltime high, smaller locally-owned cannabis businesses are struggling to stay afloat.

The cannabis industry saw a sudden boom during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the price of a pound of cannabis reaching around $1,400, according to Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC) statistics. Today, a pound of cannabis is worth about $600 – less than half of the value it was worth two years ago.

The abnormal amount of cannabis consumed in 2020 created a false state of demand for the cannabis industry. As a result, many smaller, locally-owned cannabis companies are now struggling to maintain the same amount of sales they had during the height of the pandemic.

According to OLCC statistics, 55.5 million pounds of cannabis were harvested in October 2021, compared to about 4 million pounds of cannabis harvested in October 2020. However, despite the increase in production, statewide cannabis sales in 2021 reached $93,780,372, which is over five million dollars less

than in 2020. Sales continue to drop significantly, with statewide sales reaching $79,384,055 as of October 2022, over fourteen million dollars less than in 2021.

With overproduction being a problem for most retailers in the cannabis industry, larger cannabis companies, which have the ability to produce products at exponentially large numbers, have been able to manipulate the market. However, many of the smaller-locally owned cannabis businesses, which cannot produce products at the same rate as larger companies, are struggling to stay afloat.

“They’re making batches of things that are ten times the size of things we’re making, so naturally they’re able to drive the price down on those,” said Derek Panter, sales manager at Eugenebased cannabis extract company Willamette Valley Alchemy (WVA). “They’re manufacturing 30 or 40 thousand cartridges a month, and we’re manufacturing five to eight thousand a month.”

However, mass production of cannabis and cannabis-related products can often lead to a lower quality product, resulting in larger businesses selling their products at lower prices. With inflation rates in the United States being the highest they have been in over 40 years, according to NPR, many cannabis

- Dan isaacson

consumers are opting to purchase cheaper products from the larger retailers within the industry. In turn, this affects sales for smaller local cannabis businesses, which often have higher quality products that tend to be less budget-friendly compared to the products offered by larger businesses operating within the industry.

“As the economy has been going down, demand has been going down. Now, companies that produce the high-quality stuff aren’t seeing the same demand because the consumers have gone back to purchasing more of the budget-friendly products,” Panter said.

As a result of larger retailers selling their products at lower prices, the overall market value of cannabis has been driven down. Many of the larger businesses have upwards of a thousand employees and an abundance of money nearly endless resources allowing them to thrive despite the market value of cannabis dropping significantly over the past few years. Smaller locally-owned businesses such as WVA, which has a total of 23 employees, do not have these kinds of resources.

“The only people who survive are people who have the means to be able to affect the market. The lowly one single-license farmer, who’s just trying to grow 300 plants to put his kid through college or make a profit for his business has absolutely no chance,” said Dan Isaacson, partner of Oregon-based cannabis company One Gro.

Many business owners within the industry believe that the issues caused by overproduction are linked to a lack of state regulation.

Despite Oregon no longer issuing any cannabis-related licenses applied for after Jan. 1, 2022, there are currently over 2,000 cannabis-related licenses in the state, with over 200 licenses in Lane County alone.

“The biggest problem for Oregon is they just had such a low barrier to entry,” said Isaacson. “Everybody with $5,000 and a dream could start a weed business.”

As a result of having such a low barrier to entry, many larger cannabis businesses, from both in and out of state, began operating in Oregon. Subsequently, massive amounts of cannabis have been produced by larger companies growing in Oregon, in addition to the cannabis already produced by the local growers that have been established prior to the introduction of “cannabis conglomerates.”

In addition, some cannabis business owners believe that the state of Oregon should discuss having a production limit.

“It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense for the industry to produce three million pounds of product if they can only consume one-third of it,” Isaacson said. As of October 2022, the state produced over 4 million pounds of cannabis with half or less that will actually be consumed.

With an overabundance of cannabis on the market, most consumers will likely choose to purchase cheaper options, normally produced by larger cannabis companies. Subsequently, the larger cannabis businesses receive a majority of the profit, while the smaller locally-owned cannabis businesses receive a fraction of that profit.

Although the smaller companies tend to offer their products at higher prices compared to the cannabis conglomerates, it is perhaps the high quality of locally-produced products that have been keeping these smaller businesses afloat.

Both Dan Isaacson and Derek Panter attribute the survival of their businesses to the quality of the products that they offer. “We’ve just stayed true to our quality and true craft cannabis. We work with good local growers, and we’re very picky about who we work with. We don’t just run anyone’s flower, and we don’t just work with anyone,” Panter said. “People have come to expect that level of quality and consistency with us, and that’s definitely what’s helped us maintain and sustain.”

Despite cannabis prices dropping due to overproduction and the market being manipulated by larger businesses within the industry, many locally-owned cannabis businesses, such as Panter and Isaacson’s businesses, have remained true to the craft and quality of the products they distribute. While many cannabis consumers may choose the cheaper products produced by the larger businesses in the industry, there are still those who opt for the higher quality products produced by locally-owned businesses even though prices may be higher.

Although the state of Oregon has ceased issuing new cannabisrelated licenses, overproduction continues to be a problem as the larger companies, which are the biggest producers, continue to manipulate the market. However, smaller locallyowned cannabis businesses, such as One Gro and WVA, will continue to produce high-quality cannabis products that allow them to combat the conglomerates currently dominating the market.

“Everybody with $5,000 and a dream could start a weed business.”

RedBarn Dispensary Sponsored

Content

Written by Keaton Roberts and Sydney Johnson, Photos by Riley Valle

The moment you step into any of the five Redbarn Dispensaries, you’ll understand why they’re an Oregon favorite. A far cry from the dark and cramped smoke shops we’ve all frequented in the Eugene area, Redbarn’s aesthetic is bright, airy and tasteful. The reclaimed wood accents and spotless glass tell you everything you need to know about the attention to detail that goes into each Redbarn location.

You’ll feel like a kid in a candy shop, considering the herbs are displayed behind the glass like literal confections. Digital displays show the available strains, similar to a quality craft brewery. The centerpiece is a dazzling, handmade mason jar light fixture hanging in the center of the store. Included in this work of art are dozens of mason jars of all different sizes with light bulbs attached to create a stunning piece of functional art.

Todd Theiss, Redbarn’s owner, made all these design choices himself. He saw the colorful statement piece as the perfect embellishment to distinguish these Redbarn locations. Todd states that attention to the smallest aesthetic choices is an important part of their brand. This higher class– but still totally approachable–chain hopes to evolve the industry and destigmatize cannabis use. They offer an airy alternative to the stereotypical college-student demographic dispensary, making it a good choice even for cannabis skeptics.

Redbarn has a huge variety of high-quality products you will rarely find in other dispensaries. The store is expansive and has every product you could want– and even products you didn’t know you needed.

They also offer the best bang for your buck, with daily deals stretching from Monday through Sunday. These deals include 20% off on your birthday and 10% off for veterans every day. Redbarn also produces its own quality products in the town of Myrtle Creek located deep in the Umpqua Valley. One of their feature farms is called “Redbarn Gardens”. This farm is known for producing top tier strains such as Blueberry Muffin and Vanilla OG. Redbarn also works with farms across the state such as Kaprikorn, Trichome Farms, and Meraki Gardens. In the store, you will find all of your favorites. From edible brands such as Gron Edibles, Smokiez and Drops to cartridges such as Echo Electuary, Higher Cultures and Oregrown. You will find everything you need all in one place on top of Redbarn’s original homegrown flower. Redbarn is dedicated to searching the entire state for the highest quality and most sought after products. It is hard to deny Red Barn’s mission to grow the most premium, authentically pure and locally grown product in the state.

Most of the products you see come from Myrtle Creek, roughly 20 miles south of Roseburg. Myrtle Creek has acted as the headquarters for Red Barn – housing the original location and two licensed grow facilities.

If you want to go to a classy and impeccably designed dispensary in Oregon, pay Redbarn a visit. You will immediately see how their attention to detail and commitment to quality sets it apart from the rest. Through helping their community, providing a comfortable atmosphere for their consumers and distributing premium products, Redbarn is the go-to dispensary for all of your cannabis needs.

New Plug iN Town

We all love to indulge and succumb to our screaming cravings… undoubtedly when we’re high. Say hello to Cookie Plug, home to colorful cookies and diverse flavors. Your faded, sweet tooth cravings will be met at 23 E 11th Ave. in downtown Eugene.

The Eugene franchise, having only been opened for about two months now, targets all ages and demographics who live and breathe hip-hop. Cookie Plug sets itself apart from other cookie shops due to how it draws inspiration from East LA, according to store manager Tiffany Douglas. It also set itself apart through the friendly, laid back staff.

“Being the store manager, I love everyone who works here,” Douglas said.

“Everyone brings a different dynamic to the crew.”

Douglas has been in corporate jobs for most of her life, and Cookie Plug provided her a fun, mellow workplace that contrasted her prior experience. Eugene store owner, Bernard Morris, also found solace in this unique franchise. Morris is a self-described hip-hop fanatic, and immediately fell in love with Cookie Plug at first bite.

“The coolest thing about it, being an African American, is that this brand is speaking to what I grew up on,” Morris said. “I love the fact that they are taking things that I grew up with, and making it cool for me.”

The hip-hop influence rings true in their decor. Cookie Plug Eugene found a way to merge campus culture with hip-hop, making it appealing for everyone – university affiliated or not. Besides the druginspired easter eggs embedded in the food and drinks, Cookie Plug has also covered their walls with vivid street art. The small, intimate location showcases vibrant graffiti and Biggie lyrics – on top of the famous cookies.

One wall shows Puddles, the UO mascot, in a bucket hat with an iced-out chain, mean-mugging over a background of splotched paint. Swing your head to the side, and find the phrase “It Was All A Dream” graffiti’d on the wall and boxes of bussin’ cookies.

Written by Megan McEntee and Elijah Newman

Photos by Riley Valle

“Use our selfie wall,” Morris said. “Abuse it.”

Available for pickup, delivery or in-store shopping, Cookie Plug offers a creative and delicious variety of cookies. You can choose between s’mores, chocolate chip walnut, purple velvet, fruity cereal, cookies & cream, strawberry cheesecake and more. If you’re looking for something diet-inclusive, they also offer four flavors of keto cookies.

It might seem daunting to try and choose just two of those flavors, which is why they offer the famous plug poppers. Cleverly on brand, Cookie Plug serves the plug popper order in two stash jars, with the air-tight seal and everything. The order comes with all 12 cookie flavors in bite-sized portions, equating to a few regular-sized cookies for only 10 bucks. You can even get your cookies iced up with a creamy glaze sandwiched between two poppers.

They sell their cookie dough in bricks. You can buy a kilo of their dough – exactly 1,000 grams – packaged in what you would think is, at first, cocaine. You can even find purple lemonade, meant to represent purple drank, in containers near the cash register.

If you’re looking for a chill spot to enjoy some colorful cookies and conversation, Cookie Plug is here to plug your munchies and feed your vibe. It may seem like it’s all a dream – but Cookie Plug leaves the dreamin’ to Biggie.

“I think we’re putting out a really good product. I really do,” Morris said. 23

“We want to bring this to people who may be missing some representation. Come on in.”

SUN-THURS: 12PM-10PM

FRI-SAT: 12PM-11PM

Written by Kayl Wohl

Illustrated by Dani DeGraw

Settler Cannabis: a Book Preview with Dr. Kaitlin Reed

“I never had any intention of writing about cannabis,” Dr. Kaitlin Reed, assistant professor of Native American Studies at Cal Poly Humboldt, said. “I can’t wait to not be the weed person.”

For Reed, it’s as if there was no choice in writing about cannabis. As a Yurok and Hupa tribal member witnessing environmental violations in ancestral territories and throughout U.S. history, Reed saw the urgency and concern over landscape devastation paired with the current lack of critical analysis. Modern cannabis cultivation and the market it drives are built on the same foundation of exploitation of Indigenous people by white colonizers as seen with other natural resource industries such as gold, timber and fish.

Reed’s upcoming novel, “Settler Cannabis: From Gold Rush to Green Rush in Indigenous Northern California,” is one of the first to contextualize cannabis’ industrialized production as violence against Indigenous lands, bodies and water, particularly in California and Yurok homeland. Rather than a simple exposé of the industry, the novel critiques the ongoing resource rushing since the time of invasion. Although many tribes have different relationships with cannabis cultivation, Reed’s narrowing to Yurok reflects the broader Indigenous environmental justice issue as part of the historical pattern.

To understand the problem, we need to understand the people impacted. The Yurok tribe is located in northwestern California spanning from the mouth of the Klamath River and 40 miles up. According to Reed, the concentration of cannabis grown in northern California is an outcome of prohibition and not the ecosystem’s ability to sustain large quantities of cultivars. There’s a lack of ecological decision-making in this landscape of biologically sensitive watersheds that’s “fundamentally unsustainable.”

As a response, the Yurok Tribe reached out to California Gov. Jerry Brown for assistance and formed Operation Yurok as a collaborative initiative between tribal, federal and state law enforcement, including California National Guard Counterdrug Unit, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Fish and Wildlife, Water Quality Control Board and others.

During the five years of operation since its inception in 2013, Operation Yurok eradicated approximately 70,000 cannabis plants from 43 sites growing illegally by non-tribal members on tribal land. These wayward weeds were “responsible for robbing millions of gallons of cold water from several tributaries that feed the Klamath River,” leaving 300-plus families on the

east side of the reservation without basic needs met, according to the tribe’s press release.

“Operation Yurok tribally spearheaded cannabis eradication because trespass cultivation was literally sucking entire streams and tributaries dry,” Reed said.

Trespass grow sites revealed evidence of environmentally devastating land misuse. During Reed’s internship with the then-called Yurok Tribe Environmental Program, she witnessed catastrophic impacts on her tribe’s land: The Klamath River was suffering from excessive dangerous chemical fertilizers and trash dumping that contributed to the decline of fish populations such as salmon, a sacred specie and key food source for the tribe. The Yurok Fisheries Program found adult Chinook salmon to be infected with Ichthyophthirius multifiliis (Ich) – the same disease prevalent in the 2002 largest fish kill of American history.

The 1970s Salmon Wars were fundamental to Reed’s thinking about the series of violence on Indigenous lands, bodies and water throughout American history that led to her novel’s thesis. The Department of the Interior issued a moratorium on fishing because “settler fishing industries had essentially decimated salmon populations,” Reed said. Tribal fishermen “were brutally attacked and imprisoned by Fish and Wildlife law enforcement.” This moment of militarized presence isn’t a one-off; this horrific case study depicts the systemic genocide and ecocide that is just as prevalent in all extractive industries, like gold and timber rushing, as it is now seen in the green rush.

Reed described grow sites being spaced out to avoid being caught by federal law enforcement. Rather than having one large site, growers dispersed them into smaller blocks linked by trails. When wildlife follows these trails, they wander into cultivation sites where they are shot or poached.

“We also see a lot of intentional poisoning of wildlife to remove crop interference,” Reed said. “Rodenticides, also known as rat poisons, don’t actually kill the animal: It stops the production of vitamin K so their blood can’t clot. They essentially bleed internally, slowly, causing bioaccumulation through the food chain”.

One of the big issues for trespass cultivation is that these sites were never intended for long-term use, so they weren’t building latrines and outhouses, Reed described.

“There was one site with over one hundred gallon buckets filled with human feces… The levels of E. coli in our water system were insane. Why does it fall to the Tribe to literally clean up settler shit? What makes the state of California think it’s equipped for the green rush when they still haven’t cleaned up after themselves from the gold rush?” Reed said.

In Reed’s alternative envisioning, the deindustrialized world of cannabis lacks an industry altogether because “there really isn’t a need for an industry.” She correlates cannabis with any other individually consumed crop, such as vegetables, that aren’t codified and surveilled. With federal and state-regulated approaches, overproduction is inescapable in capitalism. But before we can decontextualize cannabis from colonialism, we must first return land.

“The goal is to lure in unsuspecting cannabis enthusiasts and force them to learn about settler colonialism and histories of genocide and resource extraction in California, and why that’s not part of ancient history, but still very much shapes the present,” Reed said. “It isn’t designed to be an exposé of the cannabis industry. Many of the critiques I’m leveraging against cannabis cultivation are also applicable to commercial fishing, fire suppression policies, mineral extraction, fracking and pipelines. The list goes on: Cannabis just happens to be the thing that is in my ancestral territory and threatening my rivers right now at this moment.”

Situating cannabis in a broader environmental context is vital in the era of another California resource rush. With wealth accumulation disproportionately benefitting some while at the cost of others, the novel traces patterns of historical exploitation to propose an alternative reality that drifts away from the commodification of nature. Releasing in May 2023 by the University of Washington Press, the book is crafted to be accessible to a broad and diverse readership so anyone from community members to students in Native American studies to sociology can interpret it without the need for an academic jargon translator.

“For me,” Reed said, “this book is Indian country’s foray into contemporary cannabis discourse.” Cover courtesy of the Univeristy of Washington Press, Releases May 23, 2023.

FLY HIGH WITH KITES

KITES: BY NIMBLE

WRITTEN BY LAUREN LEONE DESIGNED BY JULIA FARIA

While discussing the importance of this edition’s theme, I was determined to find a brand that believed in the cause as much as we did.

I knew the moment I spoke to Joy Hudson, the owner of Nimble, that I had found the perfect cannabis company for this critical issue. Nimble, founded in 2020 by Joy and Marissa Rodriguez, is a one-of-a-kind brand.

Working in the cannabis industry since 2016 for a Southern Oregon farm, Joy was inspired to start Nimble. “We knew the landscape, we knew the players and we knew we could see it right,” Joy said. “We also knew the injustice of what happened with the failed War on Drugs.”

To combat the ongoing injustices of the War on Drugs, Joy shared that Nimble is a second-chance employer, which means that they hire people who have been formerly incarcerated. In addition, Joy sits on the council of Oregon Second Chance Tour, which works towards educating and engaging other businesses about their cause.

“Second chance employment is really hard because postprison integration is horrific. For people that have been incarcerated, it’s like we completely handicap them and then expect them to go out and thrive,” said Joy, speaking on the struggles that previously incarcerated individuals face finding jobs after release.

Nimble offers employees full health benefits, stock options, lunches and a green transportation program that covers the cost for employees who take public transit.

“Being a second chance employer and also being on the council gives us access to help try to change postprison introduction, especially for us in the cannabis space,” Joy said. “We have to do a lot of extra work to get them that handler’s card so that they can be in the space they deserve to be.”

Nimble’s flagship brand, Kites, was created in partnership with Nuproject with the intention of giving back to the Black and Brown communities that have been disproportionately harmed by the War on Drugs. Kites is a box of prerolls with a colorful kite as the icon, which symbolizes the communication system in prison.

“They call it kites,” Joy said, “because it’s when inmates flick notes from cell to cell with string on it.”

On every box of Kites is a small QR code that leads to the Kites’ landing page where consumers can see how many donations have been made on behalf of Kites. Every box sold donates fifty cents to Nuproject. Kites made incredible progress with over 769,210 joints sold, which translates to $38,460 in donations.

“Transparency is really important to us because I think there’s a lot of performative work in the equity space. So we built that fifty cents per pack into the cost of goods while creating the product so it’s built into the framework of our company,” Joy said.

It’s abundantly clear that this was a cause that Joy and Marissa care deeply about. It’s refreshing to learn about a company that is passionate about impacting the lives of its own employees first and then the community outside.

Next time you’re looking to buy a box of prerolls, I highly recommend picking up a box of Kites for a great high with an even better cause!

Designed by Palmer Krais

The last prisoNers of caNnabis iNcarceraTion

Written by Sydney Johnson, Designed by Palmer Krais

The United States has the second-largest inmate population in the world. With 1.7 million incarcerated individuals, over 20% of the world’s inmate population is found in the U.S. An estimated 40,000 of these inmates are behind bars for cannabis related charges.

In this edition of Green Eugene, we acknowledge the privilege that we have in Oregon to consume and discuss cannabis with freedom that is still evolving. Elsewhere in the country, non-violent offenders lose precious years of life in prison. Once released, they continue to suffer the consequences of the stigma placed upon ex-convicts.

As more cannabis reform laws are enacted, the question of these individuals’ freedom remains. We hope to bring attention to these lives and add to the voices who stand against ongoing injustice.

We live now in an era with the most relatively progressive drug laws since the Controlled Substances Act was passed in 1970. The CSA was responsible for the scheduling system to regulate substances — a system that has been subject to little change and much debate since its passing.

Times are changiNg. how can we Be a parT of thaT change?

Navigating the legality of cannabis shows a divided country. While cannabis has not been federally decriminalized or rescheduled, laws vary dramatically on a state-by-state basis. Medical use of cannabis is legal in 37 states, while recreational use has climbed to 21. In ten more states, possession is not a criminal offense. This leaves 13 states where possession and consumption are still illegal and can result in felony charges. Laws in Arizona and Texas are the harshest with Texas contributing 12% of the country’s total cannabis arrests.

Last year, President Joe Biden announced a full pardon at the federal level for simple marijuana possession. While this pardon impacted around 6,500 people, it did not have the power to free those incarcerated at a state level.

The Last Prisoner Project (LPP) is a nonprofit organization that is determined to be a part of the cannabis revolution. Their platform works to provide aid for the individual while also hoping to herald major reform in the legal system. Steve D’Angelo, author of The Cannabis Manifesto, founded the organization in 2019 as a platform to advocate for the victims of cannabis incarceration.

The program makes efforts to humanize cannabis prisoners. On their website, you can find lists of the people they have helped and their stories. Their letter-writing program puts you in direct contact with inmates who would otherwise be all but cut off from the general public. Around 18,000 letters have been distributed by LPP as of 2023.

The program makes efforts to humanize cannabis prisoners. On their website, you can find lists of the people they have helped and their stories. Their letter-writing program puts you in direct contact with inmates who would otherwise be all but cut off from the general public. Around 18,000 letters have been distributed by LPP as of 2023.

LPP works to benefit prisoners in several ways with a focus on release and re-entry support. They also champion policy changes to address the social and economic barriers that prisoners encounter after release to help them rebuild their lives. Two laws and 13 bills have been passed thanks to their program, with ceaseless efforts moving forward.

“We were a part of passing AB 1706 in California last year which ensured that the state delivered on its promise to automatically clear the records of the thousands of individuals who are eligible there,” said legislative strategist Frank Stiefel. “If a law is going to legalize adult-use cannabis, we want to ensure that it includes language for the creation of state-initiated record clearance and re-sentencing processes as well.”

In the last four years, $2 million of LPP’s grant money has been distributed to around 300 constituents of its legal program. This funding provides re-entry support for former prisoners as they reconnect with society and seek employment. Their grants can help with housing costs, support dependents, provide educational and professional development and cover court fees. As the namesake implies, they hope to keep working until the last cannabis prisoner is freed. Over 90 people have been released from prison with the help of LPP’s legal program. At this time, around 200 inmates are continuing to benefit.

“People have this assumption that because the state has legalized the use of cannabis every individual has been released from incarceration, and that no one is under supervision by the criminal justice system. Unfortunately, that is not the case,” Stiefel said. “It takes a lot of work, and it’s work that we’re glad to do.”

To write a letter to a prisoner, find a full guide at thelastprisonerproject.com/letter-writing.

Credit Where Credit is Due

Opinion: Kate brown’s Pardon

Written by Dominic Adams

Designed by Dani DeGraw

In Green Eugene’s last edition, we published an article bemoaning the lack of substantive action taken by President Joe Biden in his highly publicized pardoning of individuals convicted of cannabis possession at the federal level. His declaration was ultimately a disappointment because it resulted in not a single individual actually leaving prison, only expunging the records of about 6,500, according to Assistant White House Press Secretary Kevin Munoz. This is because the federal government has not charged simple possession of cannabis since 2021, and the crime carries a maximum sentence of 1 year in prison and a maximum of 3 years for repeat convictions, according to the United States Sentencing Commission. The commission further reports that as of January 2022 there were no people in federal prison for simple possession of cannabis despite the fact that Biden’s pardon was announced in October 2022. In addition to his pardon, Biden called on the nation’s governors to take the same action and announced that the scheduling of cannabis as a Schedule I substance would be under review.

Notably, former Ore. Gov. Kate Brown enacted a pardon of her own on Nov. 21, 2022 that pardoned 47,144 individuals convicted of possessing an ounce or less of cannabis. This act greatly eclipses Biden’s presidential pardon in terms of scope and scale.

This is certainly a cause for some celebration, especially considering that other states such as Colorado, Nevada, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Washington have all enacted some form of pardoning system for low-level cannabis crimes since Biden’s call to action.

Since 2018, state governments have pardoned or expunged the records of approximately 1.7 million people for low-level cannabis crimes. A path exists to attain a pardon or otherwise have a conviction of this nature expunged in 24 of our 50 states, according to the Nation Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML). These states have made a significant impact on the number of people imprisoned wrongfully for cannabis, but the ultimate irony is that as of February 2023, cannabis has yet to be rescheduled. Shockingly, the application to receive a federal pardon under Biden’s proclamation is still not available, according to the Department of Justice.

We here at Green Eugene hope to see this rectified in the coming months, but until it is, the only plaudits deserved are those directed toward the state and local officials who responded to Biden’s call to action and enacted substantive change in the lives of those harmed by our nation’s War on Drugs.

Oregonians should never face housing insecurity, employment barriers and educational obstacles as a result of doing something that is now completely legal and has been for years. My pardon will remove these hardships.

” 19

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Oregon’s Racial Disparity in Cannabis Arrests

Written by Jorney Baldwin-Chee Designed by Abigail Raike

In 2023 it was reported that approximately 86.2% of Oregon’s state population is white, according to the Oregon Census Bureau. When considering the racial disparity in cannabis arrests in Oregon specifically, how does racism play a factor with such a small percentage of the people in the state identifying as BIPOC?

Although Oregon was one of the first states in the nation to decriminalize cannabis for both medical and recreational use, there were still individuals incarcerated for their connections to cannabis. When considering this issue, a defined impact on specific racial communities plays a significant role in Oregon’s cannabis-related arrests.

In Oregon’s American Civil Liberties Union report, even with the legalization of the recreational use of cannabis back in 2014, Black individuals are 1.8 times more likely to get arrested for cannabis possession than white individuals. Although the arrest rate has gone down since the legalization went into effect in 2015, there is still a clear difference in the number of arrests based on race.

Oregon’s progression with cannabis laws is some of the best in the nation based on the substance alone, but flaws still occur when it comes to equal treatment amongst all people.

In a recent interview, Brian Nam-Sonenstin, writer for the Marijuana Moment, had a conversation with Oregon’s former Gov. Kate Brown about the connections to cannabis arrests and the racial justice disparities. Brown goes into depth on the issues of cannabis arrests and the unfair treatment that low-income and BIPOC face daily, comparable to the non-BIPOC population incarcerated for the same crimes.

Before Brown’s time in office was up in January 2023,

she pardoned 45,000 people for simple cannabis possession offenses and forgave more than $14 million in fines and fees. Although this is a step in the right direction for those convicted of simple cannabis possession, it is only the first step in protecting the lives of BIPOC community members formerly convicted of a cannabis related crime.

Cannabis convictions have made it difficult for individuals to obtain jobs, education and housing. Thinking about the stigmatization of BIPOC, cannabis convictions on records impact the chances for adequate work and housing options, which is already a common struggle for people within these communities.

Decriminalizing low-level drug offenses will help accommodate BIPOC communities and the racial stigma often pushed upon them. Rehabilitation programs that help individuals get onto their feet after these convictions are one of the few ways to help BIPOC communities to find the justice they deserve.

On a state level, without proper support and efficient community, freeing individuals into a world where they are alone is only going to bring more hardships onto these individuals. Making sure that accurate services and outreach programs are available to all people is a measure that needs to be upheld, especially in a state lacking large, diverse communities.

“there is still a clear difference in the number of arrests based on race.”

How To Navigate Safe Cannabis Intake with Substance Abuse Prevention and Education

Written by: Jorney Baldwin-Chee

Designed by: Miles Imai

The normalization of substance abuse and misuse on college campuses is often overlooked because of the stigma surrounding being a college student: Class. Work. Party. Repeat.

We spoke with the University of Oregon’s Substance Abuse Prevention and Education team (SAPE) to better understand how to handle substance misuse when college campuses are typically known for their party culture.

What is SAPE?

SAPE’s mission is “focused on harm-reduction, evidence-based strategies to target substance abuse, misuse and abuse among UO students,” according to SAPE co-student director Liseli Lastra.

Lastra has been on SAPE’s team for two years, starting as a peer educator, and has recently been promoted to co-student director. Within her position, she aims to implement the strategies in SAPE’s mission statement while reducing stigma within the campus community on alcohol and other drugs.

“My team and I strive to engage the campus community in challenging conversations,” Lastra said. “This is accomplished through providing accessible resources, screening tools and a wide range of training and workshops.”

Misconceptions around Substance Misuse and Addiction

Society can often frame substance misuse and addiction in a way that is not always accurate. Lastra explains this stigmatization as the “brown-bag alcoholic,” meaning that for a problem to be prevalent, a person needs to have a visible “severe life impairment” to have a substance disorder.

According to Lastra, the importance of this conversation is knowing that anyone can have a substance disorder/misuse problem. There is no one way that a person needs to look to need help.

“As with anything, substance abuse lies on a spectrum,” Lastra said. “If drugs and alcohol are impacting someone’s life in a consistently negative way, that warrants some kind of response.”

Having Nuanced Conversations about Cannabis Intake

Conversations about substance misuse can be intimidating, especially with someone you care for. If you are worried about a friend’s substance intake, you need to be in the right mind space, have enough time to talk about it and have accurate resources to follow up with afterward.

Rushing through these types of conversations can make an already uncomfortable conversation more uncomfortable. Lastra explained that peace, privacy and safety are three steps an individual would want to use to show compassion while navigating these sometimes awkward conversations.

“It is best to initiate a conversation when you or other people may have the appropriate time, are in a space that feels comfortable and are in a good mood,” Lastra said. “Additionally, ensuring your friend that the conversation you are having with them is completely confidential and fully non-judgemental will allow them to see you are coming from a place of care.”

Lastra emphasizes the importance of listening calmly without high emotions, using non-judgmental language, and having on-hand resources if the individual needs or wants to seek professional help.

Navigating Safe Relationships with Substances

When asking Lastra what a safe relationship with cannabis or other substances looks like, she spoke about how the expectations of consuming substances can often be relatively high on a college campus.

Although Lastra acknowledges that safe and healthy relationships look different for all people, she broke down how to navigate a relationship with substances by digging deeper into three terms: dependence, tolerance and impact.

Dependence: Do you need the substance to perform daily tasks or begin your routine?

Tolerance: Do you notice you need to use more to feel the substance’s effects?

Impact: Are you seeing your usage impact your life (i.g., missing obligations due to guilt of using, effects of hangovers, strains within your relationships, and blacking out)?

Navigating through these questions effectively identifies where you or a loved one is in their relationship with substances.

UO/SAPE Resources

If you or a loved one is struggling with substance misuse, here are some on-campus resources that provide confidential support:

Counseling Services After Hours Support + Crisis Line: 541-3463227

Duck Nest: 541-346-0570

University Health Services: 541-346-2770

Office of the Dean of Students: 541-346-3216

The Cannabis Use Diagnostic Inventory Test (CUDIT): https://dos. uoregon.edu/cudit-screener

Jack Herer Jack Herer

aka The Hemperor

Written by Keaton Roberts

Designed by Abigail Raike

Valle

If you’re an avid user of cannabis, or even an amateur, you have probably seen the large glimmering jar of Jack Herer on shelves of dispensaries. This sativa-based strain usually evokes uplifting feelings of happiness and creativity. However, did you know that the strain gets its name from one of the biggest cannabis activists in history? Or that he fought for the decriminalization of cannabis? Pull up a chair, roll that joint and read about the history of a cannabis pioneer who paved the way for our cannabis products today.

Jack Herer, dubbed the “Emperor of Hemp,” was born in 1939 out of Buffalo, New York. He wrote his non-fiction book, “The Emperor Wears No Clothes,” outlining advice from his friend “Captain” Ed Adair about the many positive uses of the cannabis plant. Herer also served as the director of the Help End Marijuana Prohibition organization, or HEMP, which fought to decriminalize cannabis and advertise the health benefits of the plant.

Born into a conservative family, he used to be against the consumption of cannabis. However, after getting high for the first time in 1969, everything changed. Herer opened a head shop in Los Angeles and spent most of his time traveling around the country to lead “pro-pot rallies,” advocating for the legalization of cannabis. Herer once said that “Hemp is by far the Earth’s premier, most renewable natural resource.” In his writings and political rallies, he dictated how cannabis could exponentially grow the American economy. He believed that the legalization of hemp could provide health benefits for consumers, and quite literally save the planet.

Herer committed his life to his activism, and that is one of the main reasons you get to enjoy that half-smoked joint of Premium Jack. In 1972, Herer fueled up for a four-decade-long battle as he took to the streets to spread awareness. In his time he organized protests, rallies and speeches where he would preach the health benefits of hemp and cannabis. In 1983, he found himself in federal prison for two weeks after refusing to pay a fine for standing in a parking lot and encouraging people to register to vote. In prison, he outlined and eventually wrote his celebrated manuscript, “The Emperor Wears No Clothes.” This book educated readers on the potential for hemp as a renewable source of energy, nutrients and medicine.

The book was Herer’s claim to fame, but fame was not his end goal. He continued to organize protests and speak at pro-cannabis rallies. On Sept. 13, 2009, he spoke at Portland’s Hempstalk Festival and collapsed backstage as the result of a heart attack. He ultimately passed away in Eugene, Ore. on Apr. 15, 2010 – due to complications from the heart attack at Hempstalk.

As a commemoration for his life’s work, Sensi Seeds, a Dutch cannabis seed bank company, created the strain “Jack Herer.” The strain was produced as a dominant sativa strain by combining Haze, Northern Lights #5 and Shiva Skunk. It’s a rich strain that leaves users feeling energetic, uplifted and creative while providing a dual sense of relaxation and buzz for the mind. The strain was made to resemble Herer’s personality. His courageous, creative and chill nature is reflected in the strain’s famously energizing high. Herer’s passion for the plant changed the way we consume and utilize hemp.

Next time you feel that electric, uplifting and creative buzz from Jack Herer, think about the persistence of the man behind the strain, and his commitment to making our world a greener place.

Flower Photos by Riley

Photo of Jack Herer by Carolmooredc, licensed under

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