Sensi Magazine - Denver/Boulder (June 2017)

DE N V E R // B OULDER

THE NEW NORMAL

06.2017

summer

ESCAPES WHERE TO GO NOW

grow

on

4

GENIUS TIPS FOR THE BEST CONTAINER GARDEN EVER

RICARDO

BACA makes his move

THE GRASSLANDS ARE ALWAYS GREENER

Caving vs. Spelunking Glamping, Airstream Style

THC

IS INHIBITING OUR DREAMS S P EC IA L R E P O R T

contents.

ISSUE 6 // VOLUME 2 // 06.2017

FEATURES 42 48 56

Oh,

Canada!

Ricardo Baca: The Voice of Reason

16

A cannabis journalist moves to the other side.

S P ECI A L R E P O R T

Cannabis & Dreams

Is THC inhibiting our dreams?

Airstream Dreams

One writer’s ode to the sleek, silver wonder that has captured the hearts of generations of wanderlusters.

EVERY ISSUE

30

9 Editor’s Note 10 Sensi Buzz 16 NewsFeed CANADIAN LEGALIZATION

22 AroundTown THE SPORT OF CAVING

30 TravelWell ELEVATED ESCAPES

36 EdibleCritic CONTAINER GARDENS

82 SensiScene MOTHER’S HIGH TEA

84 CO I QA

ASHLEY RILEY

56

AIRSTREAM ADVENTURES with Robyn Griggs Lawrence

Sensi Magazine is published monthly in Denver, CO, by Sensi Media Group LLC. © 2017 SENSI MEDIA GROUP LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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mast sensi magazine

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head.

editor’s

NOTE

ISSUE 6 VOLUME 2 06.2017

great E SCAPE

A DV I SORY B OA R D

THE

1906 New Highs // CHOCOL ATE 5700 Consulting // CONSULTING Cannabis Clean // CLEANING CannaRabbit // COURIER Cheeky Monkey Inc. // CANNABIS CLUBS Cohen Medical Centers // MEDICAL CENTERS Concentrate Supply Co. //

THE FIRST TIME I WENT TO A DISPENSARY AFTER MOVING TO DENVER FROM MIAMI IN THE SPRING OF 2015, I KNEW EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED : THERE WAS THIS STRAIN OUT THERE CALLED “GREEN DREAM,” AND ACCORDING TO THE LEAFLY APP ON MY MOM’S IPAD ( LONG STORY THERE ), IT OFFERED ALL THE EFFECTS

RECREATIONAL CONCENTRATES

Contact High Communications // PUBLIC RELATIONS Denver Custom Packaging // PACKAGING Durango Cannabis Co. // INDOOR CULTIVATION EndoCanna // MEDICAL CONCENTRATES Firefly // LUXURY VAPORIZERS Folsom Family Dental // DENTIST GreenHouse Payment Solutions //

I WAS SEEKING —CREATIVE, HAPPY, EUPHORIC, RELAXED, ENERGETIC, RELIEF OF STRESS AND DEPRESSION—AND ITS BIGGEST NEGATIVE WAS LISTED AS DRY MOUTH, NOT THE PARANOIA THAT HAUNTED MY COLLEGE-ERA SMOKING SESSIONS.

I was also drawn to the name: Green Dream. Because what is an elevating experience if not an escape into a dream-like state of mind?

I found a dispensary near my new home in Five Points that carried it

PAYMENT PROCESSING

and went off to see the wizard otherwise known as a budtender.

Grofax 5 // HEMP Jett Cannabis // CO2 EXTRACTION Lab Society // EXTRACTION EXPERTS/L AB SUPPLIES Loopr // LUXURY MOBILE CONSUMPTION LucidMood // TERPENES Mary Jane’s Medicinals // TOPICALS marQaha // SUBLINGUALS/SPRAYS Mountain High Suckers // CBD EDIBLES Nature’s Root // HEMP COSMETICS Neos // BHO VAPE PENS Purple Monkey // TEAS Rx CBD // CBD & PET TREATS Source Colorado // WHOLESALE CONSULTING Steepfuze // CBD COFFEE Terrapin Care Station // RECREATIONAL DISPENSARY The Clinic: The Bank Genetics // GENETICS TinctureBelle // TOPICALS Wana Brands // EDIBLES Witlon // PAYROLL PROCESSING

National Cannabis Industry Association Students for Sensible Drug Policy Women Grow

is consistently a top seller for a variety of reasons, and I’m willing to wager one of those is its nomenclature: it’s intriguing, it’s compelling.

We all want to escape sometimes.

Which brings me to the theme of this issue: Escapes and Activities.

Our special report this month focusses on THC’s impact on a person’s ability to dream, to be free of the clutches of waking reality.

In a more literal sense, this issue also features articles on hot cannabis travel destinations, Airstream dreams come true, and a dream announcement from our editorial team: Ricardo Baca of The Cannabist fame, who is one of the foremost names in cannabis journalism today, will be joining Sensi as a columnist starting next month. You can read all about his transition from his role at the Denver Post to his new entrepreneurial venture Grasslands in this month’s feature profile. I’m beyond thrilled to welcome him to our merry little team.

Until next month,

keep smiling.

© KIM SIDWELL

M E D I A PA RT N E RS

If you’re familiar with strains, you already know that Green Dream

Stephanie Wilson EDITOR IN CHIEF @ STEPHWILLL

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THE NE W N O R M A L

NOW

read

sensi

buzz

THIS!

C A N N A B I S I S M A K I N G H E A DL IN E S I N A L L SOR TS O F OUTLE TS THESE DAYS. HERE ARE SOME OF OUR RECENT FAVOR I T E S F O R YOUR R E A D I N G PL E A S U R E .

Elle: How the Legalization of Marijuana Affects Your Skin,

JANUARY 2017

Marie Claire: High-End Chefs Are Taking Weed Way Beyond Edibles,

MAY 2017

Haute Design Speaking of cannabis coverage in mainstream outlets, Denver’s Diego Pellicer dispensary got a hat tip from the international design authority Architectural Digest, which listed the local storefront among “7 of the Best Designed Marijuana Shops Across America.” And it just takes one trip into the Alameda Avenue location to understand why. The design and decor of the luxe spot, which opened in February, cost roughly $1 million to complete, with DEC Architects

Esquire: Marijuana’s Biggest Enemy Is Not

and O’Connell General Contractors both lending their exper-

Jeff Sessions—It’s Big Pharma,

tise to the project. The upscale space is billed as a “connois-

MARCH 2017

New York Magazine: CBD Oil Actually Helped With My Anxiety

APRIL 21, 2017

New Yorker : The Martha Stewart of Marijuana Edibles,

APRIL 24, 2017

Bloomberg: This Bud’s For You: Weed Goes Mainstream,

APRIL 2017 –STEPHANIE WILSON

seurs’ paradise,” resembling a high-end jewelry store more than a typical headshop of yore. It’s decked out with glassfronted dark oak cabinetry in which oversized goblets of fluffy green flower are flanked by vases holding ornate white feathers. Chandeliers hang from a ceiling embellished with fleur-de-lis-esque carvings. Towering green foliage of the nonmedicinal variety are scattered throughout the space. It’s an opulent example of high design one can expect more dispensaries to follow in the future.

–SW

GETAWAY with NO EXCUSES

As summer begins, you have all sorts of plans to head out and enjoy the wonders of Colorado’s natural landscape, to go camping and fishing and hiking and biking to your heart’s content. To make s’mores under the stars. To summit 14ers as the sun rises. To slip and slide down the sandy slopes at Great Sand Dunes. But then reality sets in and—as reality tends to do—gets in the way. Because “even the best laid plans,” right? Wrong. If you’ve got excuses keeping you from getting out there, the web has the answers.

Need somewhere to camp? Try Hipcamp, a website described as “the Airbnb of camping.” Need to rent gear? Try Outdoors Geek and borrow tents and all the other backpacking equipment you’ll need for a few days off the grid. Need a guide? Try Hinterlands, an iOS app that connects its users with a curated list of the best local professional explorers. Need a pet sitter? Try Rover, the new incarnation of the Dog Vacay app and website that connects you with insured, trusted people to watch your furry family members. Need someone to watch your kids, too? Then you can look to sitter.me, a site that’s a modern incarnation of the ever-popular Baby-Sitters Club concept. The summer is here, and Colorado can be your oyster. Get out there.

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–SW

sensi

buzz

POT { on Planes } I WA S WATC H I N G T H E F I R S T E P I S O D E O F T H E S E CO N D SEASON OF VICELAND’S WEEDIQUET TE SERIES, WHICH INCLUDED A STORY ABOUT A NORTH CAROLINA WOMAN WHO CAME TO COLORADO TO OBTAIN CANNABIS OIL FOR HERSELF AND FIVE OTHER MOTHERS OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM.

Medical cannabis is (kind of) legal there but impossible to obtain. She put six bottles of

ask

oil in her checked baggage and headed home, successfully, as it turns out.

With millions of tourists perhaps leaving the state with a couple of buds as well as

LELAND

mothers looking for medicine for their children, there are legitimate questions about whether you’ll be busted if you take marijuana on an airplane and head out of state.

Tourists are allowed to purchase an ounce of Colorado kind but might find there’s some left over at the end of their vacation. What do you do?

The first thing to know is that the Transportation Security Agency, the federal

organization that oversees the aviation industry and airport safety and who checks your luggage, is in a tough spot. It doesn’t screen for drugs and has no legal jurisdiction even if it finds bud in your bag.

“TSA security officers do not search for marijuana or other drugs. In the event a substance that appears to be marijuana is observed during security screening, TSA will refer the matter to a law enforcement officer,” it says on the TSA website.

DIA officials always state that marijuana is illegal at the airport and prohibited to bring on board an aircraft. Last year about 55 million people passed through Denver International Airport. How many were arrested for possession of marijuana? None.

That’s right. The 30 people who were stopped complied by giving up their weed to the TSA rather than face a civil citation. A DIA official told 9News earlier this year that he thinks that means that people understand that it’s against the law and are complying with it.

That’s possible, I suppose, but people being people, I’m not sure I agree with that assessment. The TSA is responsible for keeping airplanes and airports safe. Given the situation, is it more likely that a couple of buds of Durban Poison aren’t making it more dangerous to fly and that arresting tourists with a little weed isn’t good publicity?

Last summer I brought back a single joint of Kenyan marijuana from Nairobi through Amsterdam after a vacation, and though my checked luggage, including the toiletry bag and paper sack where it was stashed, had been searched and opened, the joint was still there.

Probably not my most brilliant move, I admit, but it taught me something important: Airport security today, even in more restrictive environments like Europe, is all about keeping dangerous weapons and/or bombs off airplanes. Little buds of Blue Dream don’t make the skies any more dangerous.

Taking cannabis on an airplane is illegal, period, so we don’t suggest you break the law. But we’ll leave it to you. Be prudent. If you have doubts, don’t even try it. But since the TSA isn’t concerned about cannabis or using its security to search for it, common sense dictates you won’t get busted for a bud.

–L EL AND RUCKER

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KIM SIDWELL © CANNABIS CAMERA

Leland Rucker

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{newsfeed}

by L EL AND RUCK ER

OH, C ANADA! Next summer, America’s neighbor to the north will become only the second country in the world to legalize recreational cannabis use by adults.

Sometime in the near future, perhaps as soon as next year, adults throughout Canada will be able to legally grow, purchase, and consume cannabis for recreational use. In April 2017, the Liberal Party of Canada, led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, outlined a plan to legalize adult recreational use of cannabis, with a target date of sometime around July 1, 2018—the Canada Day holiday—for recreational sales to begin. When that happens, Canada will become only the second country, after Uruguay, to completely legalize marijuana and the first G7 country to do so.

The hope is that the move will curtail some of the problems the US is familiar with: People are being incarcerated for minor drug offenses. Black-market pot is governed by drug cartels. Young people have easier access to it than they would if it were tightly regulated like alcohol or tobacco.

During a Facebook live interview with VICE Canada in April, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that though he’s not a cannabis user, he realizes that the current approach isn’t working and is hurting Canadian citizens. One thing Canadian politicians have learned from meeting with lawmakers from American states that have legalized cannabis is that government needs to be more involved. “Colorado is looking at it more from a commercial mindset and already thinking about profits and revenue,” Trudeau said, “but we’re approaching it completely from a public-health viewpoint.”

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Under Canada’s proposed new plan, adults will be able to possess 30 grams of cannabis, or just more than an ounce. Each household will be allowed to grow four plants. The federal government will regulate the production of cannabis, issuing licenses to growers, but provinces will be in charge of distribution and retail sales.

Although the government will no doubt price and tax cannabis, there is nothing in the plan yet about how that will happen or what the prices might be. There will be no edible sales for now, he says, but edibles will be dealt with in the future when the country “gets it right,” according to Trudeau.

The minimum age for adult purchase will be 18, although each province has the opportunity to set its own age limits. The plan will severely limit and enforce all advertising and targeting to children. Penalties for illegal sales and distribution or for selling to a minor are substantial—up to 14 years in prison. If you’re caught driving while impaired—police are testing a screening device that detects THC in the saliva of suspected drivers—you could face up to 10 years in prison.

The plan follows the recommendations of a task force convened after the 2015 elections and still faces parliamentary approval. Trudeau’s Liberal Party controls the House of Commons, and the even-more-liberal New Democratic Party is backing the plan, too, while conservatives who ran against legalization are in the minority.

Larry Heinzlmeir, a marketing VP at Invictus MD, a cannabis company in Vancouver that recently became an official Licensed Producer, says that security and

Under Canada’s proposed new plan, adults will be able to possess 30 grams of cannabis, or just more than an ounce. Each household will be allowed to grow four plants. quality control are major components of the legislation. “Part of the process is to ensure that this new undertaking will get us away from the black market,” he says. “There is a need for a secure process to ensure quality with no contaminants.

It’s restrictive but very secure.”

International cannabis policy is still governed by the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, which, in 1961, added cannabis to the list of drugs that were to be eliminated from the earth. Canada is one of 185 countries to sign the international drug protocols that prohibit the legalization of marijuana.

That hasn’t happened so far, and at least 15 countries have already eased laws for medical use of cannabis, while others are seriously considering decriminalization or outright legalization. Italy, for example, has decriminalized cannabis and made it legal for medical or religious purposes. In Spain, certain communities and cities allow cannabis clubs and tolerate single or small-scale grows. Jamaica has made possession a 18

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civil citation and fine instead of a crime. The Mexican Supreme Court, in a 4–1 vote, has declared that marijuana prohibition “violates the right to free development of one’s personality.”

So the chances of punishment from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime or any other signatory country complaining that

Canada already has a medical marijuana program, with most Canadian patients ordering and receive their medical marijuana through the mail.

Canada is breaking treaties aren’t very high. The US, which uses the excuse that since cannabis is still illegal on a federal level, it is in compliance with the international treaties, would be perhaps the most hypocritical to complain unless Canadian pot were to be smuggled south, which is unlikely since there’s plenty of cannabis down here, even in states where it’s illegal.

Canada could also follow the example of Bolivia, which got around the treaties a few years ago when it decided to allow coca leaf chewing. It withdrew from the 1961 treaty and rejoined with a “reservation” allowing the use of coca leaves within its own borders. The move could have been blocked by one-third of the parties to the treaty, but only 15 of the 185 signatories joined in opposition.

Canada already has a medical marijuana program, with most Canadian patients ordering and receiving their medical marijuana through the mail. Despite dispensary storefronts being illegal, many operate relatively freely and openly due to local law enforcement tolerance in certain provinces. For now, all medical regulations will remain in effect and will be reviewed as legalization proceeds.

Heinzlmeir says there is some legitimate confusion right now about the many nuances in how the law will actually work, but that all parties and stakeholders are being encouraged to join in the conversation. “Those are questions we are waiting for answers to,” he says. “In the meantime, the provinces are being engaged to work through this.”

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{ aroundtown }

by R ANDY R O B IN S ON

C AVING OUT An Introductory Guide to the Sport of Caving

Plumbing deep into a cave may be one of humanity’s oldest endeavors—predating agriculture by thousands of years.

Cave exploration may have even predated Homo sapiens since our protohuman ancestors likely “caved” as well. Since the dawn of time, caves have provided shelter from the wild elements, and the rocky walls of their inner domains served as archives for paintings, carvings, and other primitive methods of storytelling. In modern times, caving evolved from mere survival into an environmentally conscious sport. When it comes to the world underground, the lure of exploration is still there.

And in Colorado, there’s a whole lot to explore. There are around 2,000 caves of all shapes and sizes obscured beneath the state’s Rocky Mountain range. In Garfield County, west of the Continental Divide, the longest Colorado cave stretches for just over 11 miles. In the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in southwestern Custer County, Spanish Cave holds rank as the deepest, its floor dangling 741 feet below its mouth. At an elevation of just over 12,000 feet, it’s also one of the highest-elevation caves in the country. At Rifle Falls State Park, dark limestone caves are tucked in the cliffs under the falls not too far from the campground. Etched into the crags of the Boulder Flatirons, Mallory Cave is a known roosting spot for big-eared bats. The list goes on.

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want

caving? to start

First, go to a grotto.

Colorado Grotto meets the first Thursday of every month at the Perry & Terry Collision Center in Denver. COLORADOGROT TO.COM

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No two caves are the same. Some are composed of vast open chambers with intricate, prehistoric wonders. Others, like many of the ones in Colorado, require a lot of belly-dragging, body-bending, and other physical contortions to navigate. Others still contain subterranean rivers, lakes, and waterfalls, prompting some underground explorers to take up diving as well.

“Caving is a lot like a grown-up’s jungle gym, to go out and play, to scurry around,” says Jon Schow, chair of Colorado Grotto, a club for the state’s dedicated cavers. “It’s amazingly beautiful, and there’s a fun, challenging aspect to it.” An IT specialist by trade, Schow’s got nine years of caving experience under his belt, and he’s a cave rescue instructor, too.

“Caving pushes you in different ways,” he says. “There can be spots where there’s a lot of exposure, where you’re standing on an edge, and you can see if you misstep, you

“ C AV ING IS A LOT LIKE A GROWN - UP’S J U NGL E GY M ... IT’S AMAZINGLY - BEAUTIFUL, AND THERE’S A

F UN, C H A L L ENG ING ASPECT TO IT.”

— J ON S C H O W // C H A I R O F C O L O R A D O G R OT TO —

could fall some distance. There could also be the opposite sort of challenge, where things get really small and really tight, and the challenge becomes: how small of a space are you comfortable pushing your body through?”

If your answer to that question is “Not a very small one at all, thank you,” that’s OK. On top of a bluff in Glenwood Springs, a little under three hours west of Denver off I-70, the stalactite- and stalagmite-studded Glenwood Caverns hosts tours of its underground world marked by massive, wide-open rooms lined with stunning rock formations. Cave tours are also offered at Cave of the Winds Mountain Park in Manitou Springs, where visitors can shimmy, climb, and crawl through

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narrow passages lit only by flashlight while exploring upwards of two miles of limestone caverns.

Heading down on a guided tour is night and day compared to descending into the dark, gaping maw of a mysterious underground lair. The former is a hobby known as “spelunking,” the latter is called “caving.” The terms are not interchangeable, regardless of what the dictionary tells you.

Schow breaks it down: “Cavers would consider ‘spelunker’ an insult,” he says. “It refers to somebody who’s gone into a cave but didn’t do any preparation work. They don’t have a helmet. They didn’t bring the right lights. They don’t know where they’re going. Or they didn’t bring any food.”

The difference between caving and spelunking is sort of like the difference between camping and backpacking, or between taking a cycling class and doing a century ride.

Sure, at the core, you are either sleeping outside or pushing pedals on a type of bike, but one requires a ton of training, proper equipment, and a whole lotta know-how while the other is a nifty pastime. Which is cool, if that’s what you’re looking for. What I discovered while researching this article is that Colorado’s true cavers are looking for so much more.

FOLLOW THE GROT TOS Preserving a cave’s natural state is something hardcore cavers take seriously. When I first started contacting cavers for this story, I couldn’t get a hold of anyone. No one would respond to my emails. My voicemails spoke to empty space.

Website contact forms went nowhere. I thought I was just experiencing a spell of bad luck. Then, I finally got a hold of Schow through the Grotto Club.

During our talk, Schow filled me in on a little-known facet of caving culture: Because cavers prioritize cave preservation over adventure or curiosity, they may view some outsiders with suspicion, especially when one of those outsiders writes for a magazine. Cavers, whether they’re geological scientists or hobbyists, understand caves as ecosystems.

They see caves as living organisms. Many of the characteristic formations found in visually stunning caves can take thousands, if not millions, of years to form. One light brush with a boot, even one plume of breath from human lungs, can destroy the formation—forever.

Schow says this could explain why no one—but him—

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C AVERS SEE C AVES AS L I V I N G O R G A N I S M S. ONE LIGHT BRUSH WITH A BOOT, EVEN O N E P LU M E OF B R E AT H FROM H U M A N L U N G S , CAN DESTROY THE FORMATION F O R E V E R .

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responded to my calls. They’d rather keep mum than jeopardize the living cave networks.

Cavers are also vigilant against vandalism. Less respectful visitors may tag the cave’s walls with spray paint. Because many underground ecosystems are incredibly fragile, cleaning off the paint would do more harm than just leaving the graffiti in place. There are also issues with wanton

IF SOMEONE IS INTEREST E D IN GIVING THE SPORT A TRY, GET IN VO LV E D IN THE CAVING COMMUNIT Y. partiers leaving behind trash, bottles, campfires, and other forms of human detritus that can spoil a cave’s integrity.

“Sometimes, when we’re heading to a cave, backpackers or other random people may ask to tag along with us,” Schow says. “Since we don’t know these people, we may veer off course and take these strangers to what’s called a ‘sacrificial cave.’ These caves already have graffiti or garbage, so it’s no loss if they mess things up.”

Caving communities are tight-knit groups of people with deep bonds of trust between one another—which is why grottos and caving clubs like his exist. Schow says no beginner should go caving on their own, especially the first time around. Amateurs need to be shown the ropes, literally, to protect both the caves and themselves.

If someone is interested in giving the sport a try, he says that the first thing they should do is get involved in the caving community.“Have people take you caving, so you can understand what’s involved, but also so you can get an idea of how to go caving, how to take care of the cave environment, and what sort of gear to bring,” he says. “They can also help you find a cave to visit.”

Schow acknowledges every individual has her or his own limits. That’s part of the excitement: seeing how far you can go, and knowing precisely when you’ll stop. “If someone’s interested in going,” he concludes, “visit a grotto. Meet the people. Get to know them, and go on a caving trip.”

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{ travelwell }

by STEPHANIE W IL SON

ELEVATED ESCAPES To paraphrase and revise Mark Twain, travel and cannabis are known to be fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.

It didn’t take long for Colorado to dethrone Amsterdam as

bers can go to consume. But to be a member, you have to be

the king of the hill when it comes to cannabis tourism. Which

a citizen or long-term resident, so it’s not as easy to get your

makes sense on a number of levels: Amsterdam had been

hands on elevating product in Uruguay as it is in Colorado.

the Mecca for weed-seeking tourists from around the globe

But Uruguayans are a generous set, and you won’t have too

for the past half century. Smoking a spliff in one of the tol-

hard a time finding a local to share the spoils of their legal

erant coffeeshops in the Dutch capital was a rite of passage

home grow with you.

for more than a generation of travelers, ultimately transitioning from cool to cliché, as so many things are wont to do.

Start your visit in the metropolitan capital, Montevideo.

There, the MUSEO DEL CANNABIS is a showcase of the

As cannabis is decriminalized or legalized in some form in

country’s strong democratic roots and a celebration of its

countries around the globe, the options for elevating travel

status as a vanguard of human rights and freedoms. The

experiences grow exponentially. Put these international hot­

museum, which opened in 2016, also promotes the vision

spots on your itinerary of must-see places before they are

that cannabis is an economic driver that will allow Uruguay

discovered by the masses.

to develop new industries.

That’s something worth celebrating. And in Uruguay, the

Montevideo // URUGUAY //

30

toniest place to raise a glass to newfound freedoms is

Sure, in 2014, Uruguay became the first country to fully

PUNTA DEL ESTE , 80 miles east of the capital. The upscale

legalize the cultivation, distribution, and consumption of can-

resort town on the Atlantic coast calls to a jet-set crowd of

nabis. But don’t just go because cannabis is legal, go to im-

global travelers, and you can rub elbows with them at CASA-

merse yourself in a culture so progressive it inspired the

PUEBLO, the “living-sculpture” of a hotel that’s been called a

government to reject the prevailing school of thought held

manmade wonder of South America. The undulating prop-

by every other country in the world—every other country in

erty, crafted by artist Carlos Páez Vilaró, hugs a cliff-fringed

the world —when it did so.

coastline dotted with powdery golden beaches. Its terraces

Starting as soon as July, select Uruguayan pharmacies

are where you want to be as the sun starts to set on a day

will begin selling cannabis for adult use—the last step in a

spent hopping the sands of L A BARRA and shopping the

three-year process for legalizing consumption. In the mean-

stalls that brim with handmade jewelry and hand-woven

time, there are legal cannabis clubs where registered mem-

wool shawls in HIPPIE MARKET.

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{6}

{1}

© RAW PIXEL

© KSENIYA RAGOZINA

{ 5}

the

escapes CLOCK WISE FROM TOP RIGHT :

{ 1 } Casapueblo, located near Punta del Este, Uruguay { 2 } Interior detail of the Sagrada Família Cathedral, Barcelona

{ 3 } Sagrada Família

Cathedral, Barcelona

{ 4 } The Gothic Quarter, Barcelona { 5 } La Rambla, Barcelona { 6 } Traditional Apsara Dancers, Cambodia

{ 2}

© FERRANTRAITE

© NIKADA

© TOMAS SEREDA

{4 }

{3}

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Barcelona // SPAIN // Media outlets the world over are eager to declare Spain as the new go-to hot spot for travelers looking to soar. According to some decades-old Spanish laws regarding cannabis, people are allowed to grow and consume cannabis in private. Those same laws also have provisions that allow people to join together with others to form non-profit, member-only cannabis clubs. And recent estimates put the number of cannabis clubs in the country around 800, up from just 40 in 2010 according to some reports. In the Catalan region, where Barcelona is the capital, some 400 cannabis clubs have sprung up in recent years.

But these discrete private smokers clubs aren’t marked with that recognizable green cross symbol that’s on the dispensary storefronts in Colorado. It takes some sleuthing to find them and a membership fee to gain entry to them.

But once you do get in, you’ll be able to consume as much of the local cannabis as you want inside the club.

Just don’t spend too much time there. In even the most unaltered state of mind, Barcelona is like walking through a dream. From the fabled modernista architecture to the twisting alleys of the GOTHIC QUARTER , from the carnival-like promenade of LA RAMBLA to the fantasy excesses of Gaudí’s SAGRADA FAMÍLIA, the sun-drenched seaside city plays with

your senses, all but demanding a visceral response. At the city’s myriad museums, Barcelona’s enchanting influence is visible in works by artists like Salvador Dalí, Pablo Picasso, and Joan Miró.

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// CAMBODIA // Cambodia, a tropical Asian nation located near Vietnam, is home to the Khmer people, one of the world’s first empires.

Cambodia boasts a long, rich history of cannabis use, too.

Marijuana is largely decriminalized around the country, so it’s not too difficult to find “happy smoke” if you’re willing to ask.

One thing Cambodia features that most places don’t— and this includes evergreen Colorado—are “happy restaurants.” These restaurants, mainly located in Sihanoukville, Siem Reap, and Phnom Penh, cook up THC-infused edible dishes composed of local cuisines. “Happy stir fry,” “happy pizza,” “happy noodles”—they’re all over the place. You can even order cannabis as a garnish for your meal.

After your THC-laden meal kicks in, check out Cambodia’s sites. The crème-de-la-crème of Cambodia’s world famous APSARA DANCERS can be found at special public events by

the Royal Ballet. These dances include skilled contortionists in ornate golden garbs, with trippy movements guaranteed to stun even the most jaded Western minds. If you can’t catch the Royal Ballet, the NATIONAL MUSEUM OF CAMBODIA in Phnom Penh and notable temples hold Apsara performances as well.

Cambodia also contains no shortage of awe-inspiring Buddhist and Hindu temples. These intricate, complex structures are some of the oldest religious buildings in the world, and they draw hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.

Must-sees include A NG K OR WAT for pure grandiosity, A NGKOR T H OM if you’d like to stroll through an ancient

city, and BAYON the “happy temple,” decorated with thousands of statues featuring smiling faces.

© MOLLOY KEITH

Buddha faces at Bayon Temple, Cambodia

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{ ediblecritic }

by JOHN LEHNDORFF

LATE BLOOMERS Plenty of summer remains to grow your own bliss-producing patio potager.

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JOHN LEHNDORFF farms cherry tomatoes, mirasol chilies, and diverse herbs on his tiny back patio in Lafayette. He hosts Radio Nibbles at 8:25 a.m.

Thursday on KGNU (88.5 FM, 1390 AM, KGNU.ORG ).

Don’t think of yourself as too late (again), but rather too

growth, both personal and vegetal.

smart, like a fox. You watched as your neighbors filled beds

If you have a patio, porch, or any other appropriate out-

and containers with fresh plants in the warmth of March only

door space, you have enough room for a few containers,

to sympathize in May as they surveyed (and dug up) their

hanging pots, and window boxes producing organic orega-

sad, hail-ridden garden.

no, arugula, beefsteak tomatoes, and jalapeños. (Yes, you

You knew better. Maybe you remembered the old Colorado truism: Don’t put plants (and especially tomatoes) out-

will get rid of the junk that’s stored on the patio. That’s precious real estate.)

side until Mother’s Day, past the dreaded “last average frost

The first question is: Where does your garden grow? If the

date.” Heck, spring lilacs are still blooming in the mountain

patio or porch faces directly west, it probably has a ten-

towns. In June, it is finally hot enough to grow heat-craving

dency to get scorching. Your tomatoes, peppers, zukes, and

tomatoes and peppers.

cukes will love that, but your delicate greens and herbs might

Most urban dwellers along Colorado’s Front Range have tiny backyards, if they have one at all. Many of us inhabit the

not. The solution is to install lightweight sun-screening for part of the area and leave full sun on the rest.

rapidly multiplying units of apartments, condos, townhouses,

If your patio gets the morning sun, you’ll need to locate

and limited maintenance homes. You can still grow a practi-

your pepper and tomato plants where they can get the max-

cal potager—French for a kitchen garden—packed with

imum amount of direct sun every day.

ready-to-eat greens, herbs, and veggies, with flowers for aesthetics and aroma. One apartment advantage: No random rabbits gnawing at the crop.

HOW TO GROW THEM : TUBS, DIRT, WATER

Whether you plot a detailed container schematic or plan

Herbs, greens, and vegetables can be grown in individual

on simply plopping a few choice plants in a pot, the rewards

pots or larger containers made from terra-cotta clay, glazed

are multiple. You’ll eat better because you can snip herbs

pottery, or wood boxes. The truth is that you can use any

and greens for a salad and they’ll grow back. In the fall, many

random clean container or bucket, including yogurt cups.

of these plants can simply be moved inside, and they will

The soil you choose makes a much bigger difference. Use

keep producing into winter.

organic potting soil because, after all, you are going to eat what you grow in it. Mix about one-quarter organic com-

FIRST :

post into the total amount of soil to help feed the vegeta-

DO YOU HAVE ROOM FOR A POTAGER

bles and allow you to use less fertilizer. Keep adding com-

Already you can hear the objections from folks who have

post to tomatoes and peppers as the season progresses.

never gardened or who killed innocent domestic greenery

Overwatering is the consistent mistake gardeners make.

earlier in their lives. They say they don’t have enough room

Watering every day is too much. Push your finger an inch into

to grow. They must open their minds to the possibility of

the soil to find out if it really is dry. When you do water, go all in.

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Stop by your favorite Trill location for great deals on edibles!

Water until moisture starts seeping out the bottom of the pot.

Also, different plants like more or less moisture. Rosemary and sage need to be dryer, where mint likes it wetter

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W HAT TO GROW : LET TUCE BEGIN You won’t be able to grow corn or iceberg lettuce, but most other vegetables, including onions, can flourish in contain-

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ers. If you haven’t done a lot of gardening, the recommended goof-proof vegetables include beans (bush or vine), zucchini, small crispy pickling cucumbers, and radishes. There is even a compact eggplant variety named Patio. At this point in the

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summer, it’s best to start these (and tomatoes and peppers) with healthy organic plants from a nursery.

Tomatoes can range from varieties like the Abe Lincoln 38

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RECIPES:

COOKING FROM YOUR PATIO FARM

Honest Herb Butter >> 1 CUP ( TIGHTLY PACKED) MIXED FRESH

HERBS ( NO STEMS) >> 1 LARGE PEELED, TRIMMED GARLIC CLOVE >> ½ CUP (1 STICK ) UNSALTED BUTTER,

ROOM TEMPERATURE >> ¼ TEASPOON FINELY GRATED LEMON OR LIME ZEST >> 2 TEASPOONS FRESH LEMON OR LIME JUICE >> KOSHER SALT, FRESHLY GROUND PEPPER TO TASTE

Herbs can include flat-leaf parsley, chives, marjoram, and tarragon. Pulse herbs and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped or finely mince them with a knife. Add butter, lemon zest, and lemon juice and process until smooth; season with salt and pepper. Keep refrigerated but bring it up to room temperature before using. Butter can be made a few days ahead. Makes about ½ cup. Melt on grilled oysters, grilled steaks, and corn on the cob (or hunks of baguette). { OPTIONAL } Replace fresh garlic with six large roasted garlic cloves and add chopped Roquefort or bleu cheese.

Potager Vinaigrette Dressing or Marinade >> 1 FINELY CHOPPED GREEN ONION

(OR CHOPPED FRESH CHIVES) >> 1 TABLESPOON WHOLE GRAIN PREPARED MUSTARD >> 1 TABLESPOON FRESH LEMON JUICE >> 1 TABLESPOON CIDER OR WHITE WINE VINEGAR >> ½ TEASPOON FINELY CHOPPED FRESH BASIL >> ½ TEASPOON FINELY CHOPPED THYME >> ½ TEASPOON SEA SALT >> FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER, TO TASTE >> 1 CUP EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

Whisk together green onion (or chives), mustard, lemon juice, vinegar, herbs, salt, and pepper. Gradually whisk in oil and adjust seasonings. (Hint: It’s hard to add too much basil.) Use on salad or as a marinade for chicken or seafood before grilling. Store covered in refrigerator. { OPTIONAL } Add a little sugar or honey to balance the acidity of the dressing.

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(grown since 1925) to more recent imports like the San Marzano, the tomato used most to make authentic Italian pizza sauce. You may be stunned by the range of chilies available to home gardeners, including painful Ghost or Kung Pao varieties with astronomically high Scoville heat units.

Some crops can still be started from seeds in June, including herbs, lettuces, and leafy greens like chard and kale. Get climate-appropriate seeds from local Colorado garden seed companies such as Lake Valley (LAKEVALLEYSEED.COM), Bounty Beyond Belief ( BBBSEED.COM ), and Broomfield’s Botanical Interests ( BOTANICALINTERESTS.COM ). Botanical Interests makes it especially easy, with a lettuce seed mix called Chef’s Medley as well as organic vegetable and flower seeds embedded in paper that simply need to be covered with dirt and watered.

Don’t space out: Be aware as you plant your containers and leave enough room for plants such as tomatoes, which may eventually become as large as shrubbery.

What you want to enhance your day-to-day cooking is an array of herb plants you can snip, including chives, dill, oregano, mint, cilantro, broad leaf parsley, thyme, and tarragon. In fact, don’t be afraid to significantly pinch back and harvest herb plants. They will almost always regrow unless you let them flower. Everybody loves basil, but you will need an armada of basil plants if you want to think about making pesto.

Consider also growing Thai basil for your summer stir-fries.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION: GET TING BACK TO THE GARDEN If you watch serious gardeners, it often looks like they are meandering and circling plants or they sit and stare at them. In a garden, attention is as important as fertilizer. A garden makes your city-slicker abode less urban and artificial and more a chill place to become one with your favorite herb, whether sativa or indica, on warm summer nights.

In the end, there remains something terrifically powerful about watching as a seedling pushes its way through damp compost to the sky.

Some final green thumb advice: Plant some catnip or cat grass for Mr. Whiskers and some flowers for the precious pollinators. Grow a few gigantic sunflowers with blossoms as big as your head. Sunflowers are easy to grow, they love Colorado’s solar abundance, and they will make you smile.

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A CANNABIS JOURNALIST moves to the other side.

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Voice of Reason

by LEL AND RUCKER photography by DANIELLE WEBS TER

Ricardo Baca HAS HAD MORE TH A N HIS SHARE OF DREAM JOBS. THE DENVER NATIVE STARTED OUT OF COLLEGE AS A TELEVISION C R I T I C AT T H E C O R P U S C H R I S T I C A L L E R - T I ME S BEFORE B E I N G H I R E D I N 20 02 AS THE “UNDERGROUND MUSIC” CRITIC AT THE DENVER POST AND WAS L ATER NAMED ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR AT HIS HOME TOWN NEWSPAPER. IN 2013, HE WAS TAPPED TO CREATE AND HEAD THE CANNABIST, AN ONL INE OFFSHO OT O F THE POST DEDICATED S O L E LY TO C OV E R I N G M A R I J UA N A , W H IC H H A D BECOME LEGAL IN THE STATE A YEAR E ARLIER. He became the world’s first cannabis editor at a major newspaper—a landmark moment in the legalization movement and one that caught the attention of media outlets around the globe. “A weed editor? At a major newspaper?

But D.A.R.E. said marijuana was bad!” Jokes ensued, as did media appearances and interviews—perhaps the most notable (if not quotable) of which came during an appearance on Comedy Central’s Colbert Show. The host quips that Baca’s new job as a pot editor was just a gateway job to a meth editor. You may have seen that clip in the opening minutes of Rolling Papers, a 2016 documentary about the first year of The Cannabist.

Three and half years later, at the end of 2016, Baca announced he was leaving The Cannabist for a then-undisclosed venture. Turns out it isn’t as a meth editor. It’s as an entrepreneur. Baca is leading up a new venture called GrassJ UN E 2017

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lands, a creative agency for cannabis. The consulting

bis wants to be treated like any other industry, Baca

firm “works with cannabis and hemp businesses to get

notes, so it needs to start acting like it, which means

their message heard, seen, and understood— by cus-

having fundamentals like a coherent web presence or

tomers, influencers, and media professionals,” as the

a professional sizzle reel to introduce you to potential

website describes. Baca and his team of writers, pho-

investors and customers. “I can bring a prominent and

tographers, and other seasoned media professionals

relevant aesthetic to the space and help businesses

craft messages that target the mission of various out-

get their things in order,” he explains.

lets, and work hand-in-hand with journalists to convey

Grasslands is already working with clients in Col-

stories that might otherwise be missed. Some of their

orado, California, and Canada, which recently an-

specialties include content writing, graphic design, vid-

nounced its intent to legalize cannabis for adults.

eo and photography projects, marketing campaigns, and

Baca and his team of ex-journalists, having spent

other such endeavors. Baca created Grasslands with a

years on the receiving end of marketing and public-

very specific purpose in mind: to help cannabis busi-

ity campaigns, have an edge when it comes to craft-

nesses and professionals reach out of the countercul-

ing their messages. They’re fluent in flackery.

ture into the mainstream.

“Cannabis companies are really mastering the busi-

Baca and I discussed his experience at The Canna-

ness side, and I want to help them present that busi-

bist and his new venture on a spring afternoon at his

ness side in a better and more professional way. I know

Lincoln Park home. At least part of the impetus for

what it takes to get the attention of other journalists,

Grasslands came from his own experience at The Can-

and so I’m hoping to help them move forward.”

nabist. As an editor, he constantly saw cannabis busi-

He admits that there are many who wondered why

ness websites with grammatical errors and confusing,

he would leave The Cannabist at a time when read-

unfortunate design. The industry needed a makeover.

ership has now surpassed popular, online sites like

“Now we’re seeing the birth of the first major can-

High Times and Marijuana.com. “I think that a lot of

nabis brands. We’re seeing 300,000-plus square-feet

the people who have been following me since I’ve

spaces,” he says. “How does the mom-and-pop shop

been writing about cannabis are like, ‘wait a minute,

compete when you can grow in 300,000 square feet

you just got here,’ you know, ‘things are just taking

and undercut prices on every level?”

off,’” he says. “But at the same time, I wasn’t at the

With better marketing, that’s how.

Post for only the three years I was at The Cannabist.

What it means is that cannabis companies today,

Twelve years is a very long time to be working for any

especially smaller ones, need to present themselves to

institution, and the time came that it was just a good

regulators, customers, and competitors with more than

opportunity to leave.”

just their game faces on. “That’s what we hope to offer,

Running The Cannabist from its local inception to a

to help people with writing and editing, graphic design

national go-to-cannabis site was, he says, an amazing

and photography as well as video work,” he says.

experience. Baca saw The Cannabist as a chance to

Now in the fourth year of recreational sales and

work at an institution that has a history of covering

still burdened by federal and state regulations, canna-

marijuana negatively but recognized the need to adapt.

We’re seeing the birth of the first major cannabis brands. “ We’re seeing 300,000-plus square-feet spaces,” he says. “How does the mom-and-pop shop compete when you can grow in 300,000 square feet and undercut prices on every level?

”

WITH BETTER MARKETING, 44

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THAT’S HOW.

“ This was suddenly the new beer,” he explains. “Recreational marijuana flipped the script and changed everything about the way we cover this substance.

It meant hiring pot critics and gear critics and going into that full extreme but also reporting the news, with investigating reporting and the business side.

Once we saw that our visions ultimately aligned, it was a natural decision to run with it, and I was really thrilled at the opportunity.”

Having the backing of a major media outlet carried its own baggage, especially since the Post had editorialized against Amendment 64, but the paper’s depth and access to local, national, and international talent really beefed up its cover-

THE LEGALIZATION CYCLE :

(according to Ricardo Baca)

Legalization —> Normalization —> Commercialization age. “We benefited from having access to the Post and its many award-winning excellent journalists, and it was great for us to get a little bit of distance from it for our credibility.”

The San Francisco Chronicle has announced plans for a marijuana-specific site, but otherwise, there’s not a lot of cannabis journalism going on in the newspaper space, especially business coverage. “Let’s hold them accountable when they mess up and celebrate their successes because they are operating, in many cases, successfully under the burden of tremendous regulations and expense,” he says. “If you’re succeeding, you deserve a pat on the back, and we loved writing those stories as well.”

Beyond Grasslands, Baca is keeping his hand in journalism, lending his expertise to mainstream magazines such as Esquire as well as niche glossies like the California-based Cannabis Now. { EDITOR ’S NOTE : BACA IS ALSO JOINING TEAM SENSI AS A MONTHLY COLUMNIST STARTING IN JULY. LOOK FOR HIS NEW COLUMN ON THE CROSSROADS OF CANNABIS AND CULTURE IN THE NEXT ISSUE. } Most notably, in April, he announced a new weekly column for The Daily Beast titled “Joint Venture” and focused on the evolution of the newly legal cannabis industry—and the people driving it. A weekly cannabis column in a national media outlet like the Daily Beast is a pretty big deal, a landmark moment in the normalization of a plant that’s still completely illegal in 21 states. Those states are at the beginning of what he has described as the legalization cycle: Legalization —> Normalization —> Commercialization. His columns, articles, and commentary are part of the Normalization Phase; Grasslands is Phase 3.

And look for him to be writing about more than just bud. “One element of journalism I’d like to learn about and get more involved in is writing about psilocybin mushrooms and the movement to study those and potentially legalize them for medicinal and pharmaceutical use.” He says he’s experienced the power and impact of these substances, both creatively and medicinally. “I’m confident that some of the current legitimate research being done in the field will open up our minds even further to how these drugs could benefit humanity— on a micro and macro level.”

And so you’ll be hearing more from him about this in the coming months. “I truly believe it’s the next frontier as we continue to develop more humane and less harmful drug policies.”

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c r azy dream

scapes

by LEL AND RUCKER

Is THC inhibiting our DREAMS? I WAS AT HOME IN BED, SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS, WHEN

I began singing

“ T HE TAT TOO E D L A DY,” A N OL D NOV E LT Y S ONG F R O M M Y C H I L D HOOD. I W O U L D N ’ T S TO P, E V E N W H E N B E G G E D, A ND F I N A L LY T HE Y A L L S TA R T E D T RY I NG TO S TR A N G L E ME . T H AT ’S WHEN I AWOKE, SWEATING AND UNEASY, KICKING MY LEGS AND SENDING MY COVERS IN ALL DIRECTIONS. IT WASN’T UNTIL I SET TLED DOWN THAT I REALIZED IT HAD JUST BEEN A DREAM. IT WASN’T THE FIRST TIME. OV ER MANY YEARS, WHENEVER I STOP USING C ANNABIS FOR MORE THAN A WEEK, THE CRA ZY DREAMS RETURN. I’VE PARTIED WITH FAMOUS PEOPLE, TRAVELED TO DISTANT L ANDSCAPES, BEEN SUFFOC ATED BY MY FRIENDS, AND TRA NSCENDED TIME A ND PL ACE, ALL W ITHIN MY OWN HE AD AND BED. IT’S AL MOS T A S MUCH FUN A S, WELL, GET TING ELEVATED. But I’ve always wondered why this happens. Why

of cannabis users who have experienced the same kinds

are dreams more intense when I stop using cannabis,

of vivid dreams when they stop. I decided to try and find

or do they just seem to be that way? Does cannabis in-

out more about it.

hibit dreaming, or do you just remember your dreams

That’s not as easy as it may seem. All cannabis re-

better when you’re unelevated? And is any of this nec-

search is limited because of the usual reasons: The pro-

essarily good or bad for you?

cess to get the permits required by the federal govern-

I’m hardly the only one. Type “marijuana and dreams”

ment to study cannabis is challenging to say the least,

into any search engine, and you’ll find many examples

and scientists whose studies are approved have to use

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only government-produced marijuana grown at the Uni-

brain activity. We are less likely to remember dreams we

versity of Mississippi. That marijuana has been shown to

have in the deep-sleep stage, when we’re generally harder

be little more than old ditch weed, nothing like the legal

to wake, than we are ones we have while in REM.

cannabis people are growing and using across the US. Be-

Early studies on the effect of cannabis on dreams mea-

yond that, it’s also challenging to know what affect cannabis

sured brain waves and eye movement and suggested that

use has on dreams because we don’t know very much about

cannabis use somehow inhibits the REM portion of sleep,

sleep cycles and what part dreams play in our lives and

which in turn suppresses dreams. Discontinuing cannabis

well-being.

use lets your body catch up, so to speak, with what many call an “REM rebound.” While your body catches up on

the importance of (TANGERINE ) dreams Sleep scientists generally characterize slumber as occurring in three basic phases, or stages: light sleep, deep sleep, and REM sleep. We spend our snoozing hours moving through these phases, with an average cycle lasting about 90 to 110 minutes, although it’s different for everybody. Each cycle apparently fulfills some kind of physiological or neurological function, although beyond their restorative roles, we don’t really know what those functions are. Some believe that dreams have meaning for our waking lives; others try to learn to explore and control them.

We can dream during any of the sleep stages, but we dream

REM sleep, the reasoning goes, it’s also catching up on dreams, which makes them more vivid and memorable.

As I began to look deeper, I noticed that most of this preliminary research is from 40 to 50 years ago. Often cited is a 1975 study that, for instance, noted changes in rapid eye movements and shorter REM periods of sleep in longtime cannabis users. But that study tested only seven people, hardly enough to produce enough data to draw any serious conclusions.

And there’s another thing. Many people, including some scientists, suggest that cannabis users don’t dream, and— at least in my case—I know that isn’t true. Just last week, I wound up in a room with Attorney General Jeff Sessions,

more and are most likely to remember dreams we have while in the REM stage, the one characterized by rapid eye movement, a slight rise in respiration rate, and increased

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SLEEP SCIENTISTS GENERALLY CHARACTERIZE SLUMBER AS OCCURRING IN THREE BASIC PHASES, OR STAGES: LIGHT SLEEP, DEEP SLEEP, AND REM SLEEP. WE SPEND OUR SNOOZING HOURS MOVING THROUGH THESE PHASES, WITH AN AVERAGE CYCLE LASTING ABOUT 90 TO 110 MINUTES, ALTHOUGH IT’S DIFFERENT FOR EVERYBODY.

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but just before I could start peppering him with questions about his quaint stance on cannabis, I woke up.

sweet (BLUE ) dreams Dr. Timothy Roehrs is director of research at the Henry Ford Sleep Disorders and Research Center in Detroit and a professor at the Wayne State School of Medicine. He spoke about the frustration of trying to mount sleep studies using cannabis and corroborated that most studies on cannabis and sleep date back to the 1970s and 1980s. Only limited research has been done in the 21st century.

“We’ve been wanting to administer THC in the sleep lab and haven’t been able to do that,” he says. “To properly study it, you need to give a measured dose of THC to a participant over a prospective number of days. Right now, it’s terribly difficult to get measured doses of THC. We’re left with anecdotal information, and you never know for sure what dose was being used and being taken on a given set of nights.”

While he hasn’t been able to properly study the effects of cannabis on sleep, Roehrs has conducted many studies on the effects of alcohol on sleep, which confirm the REM rebound effect that causes people to “catch up” on dreams.

During REM sleep, he says, one is more likely to wake and report having dreams. In those early sleep studies on cannabis and dreams, the marijuana seemed to suppress REM sleep much like alcohol does.

Roehrs isn’t so sure it’s that easy. “What that means is that you have increased amounts of REM sleep also fragmented with brief and rapid awakenings. If I take you and

DISCONTINUING CANNABIS USE LETS YOUR BODY CATCH UP, SO TO SPE AK, WITH WHAT MANY CALL AN “REM REBOUND.” WHILE YOUR BODY CATCHES UP ON REM SLEEP, THE REASONING GOES, IT’S ALSO CATCHING UP ON DREAMS, WHICH MAKES THEM MORE VIVID AND MEMORABLE. 52

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put you in the sleep lab, and I awaken you out of REM sleep by shaking you vigorously, that rapid arousal from sleep gives you a sense of being present in the dream,” he says.

“Those are the vivid images that are likely what is happening with discontinuing marijuana.”

Roehrs cautions that he isn’t suggesting that this is anything more than speculation on his or anyone else’s part. We really don’t know what significance REM dreaming or suppression might have on our well-being. Still, this makes more sense to me than the theory that cannabis use stops people from dreaming.

For instance, he says, common antidepressant drugs used by many Americans suppress REM sleep while they normalize mood. “And, unlike marijuana, these antidepressants continue to suppress REM sleep, and you get this REM insomnia-like experience,” he explains. “When people who were taking antidepressants stop, they can have REM rebound. Not only do we not know if it might be bad for you, if you have mild depression, dreaming might improve your mood. But we don’t know these things.”

If you’re one of those who doesn’t like the crazy dreams, this isn’t much solace. But since I kind of enjoy them, until we find out more about the subject, I’m satisfied. Meanwhile, I’m still trying to get back into that dream with Jeff Sessions.

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BEANS I saw my first AIRSTREAM, rolling down Old Highway 218 in Iowa, when I was seven years old. I’d never seen anything so strange and FULL OF POSSIBILITY. I wanted that SHINY BEAN with all my heart.

by ROBYN GRIGGS L AWRENCE photography by LEE STONEHOUSE

I never stopped wanting her. FOR DECADES, I TOLD E VERYONE WHO WOULD LISTEN THAT SOMEDAY I WOULD HAVE AN

AIRSTREAM. LIFE AND RESPONSIBILITIES GOT IN THE WAY, AS THEY DO, AND MY LUST WENT UNREQUITED UNTIL THIS YEAR. MY YOUNGEST WENT TO COLLEGE, I SOLD MY HOME IN BOULDER, AND I MOVED UP FOURMILE CANYON TO AN IDEAL SET TING FOR A SILVER COACH. MY HASHTAG DREAM CAME TRUE. A 27-FOOT FLYING CLOUD GLEAMS IN A CLEARING OF PINE TREES BEHIND THE HOUSE, AS SPECTACUL AR TO ME NOW AS WHEN I WAS SEVEN. Her sleek, iconic design hasn’t changed, but now I’m old enough to understand that her beauty is beyond skin deep. Perfectly engineered and built like an airplane from riveted aluminum panels, she’s a fortress against wind—an issue in Colorado—and noise. Her aerodynamic design and low center of gravity make hauling easier. Inside, I have every convenience and a glorious amount of storage space.

She’ll likely outlive me. Airstream estimates that 60 to 70 percent of all the coaches it has made since 1935 are still on the road.

Airstreams have been everywhere since Wally Byam invented them and spawned a cult-

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TOM HANKS, Sean Penn, Johnny Depp and SHERY L CROW, own Airstreams.

I CAN’T BELIE V E I OW N ONE, TOO.

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like on-the-road following, the Wally Byam Caravan

part of my life, from childhood friends to colleagues

Club, in the mid-nineteenth century. President John

in the cannabis industry, liked and commented that

F. Kennedy used one as an office when he visited the

they were happy for me and wanted Airstreams, too.

White Sands missile site. Vice President Joe Biden rode

I can feel pretty badass about this dream coming

inside an Airstream in the cargo plane that carried

true, even though all I did to make it happen was sell

him on frequent visits to Iraq. Astronauts Neil Arm-

my real estate in Boulder—which isn’t even smart

strong, Mike Collins, and Ed Aldrin were quarantined

in this rapidly elevating market. I don’t care, though.

in an Airstream after they landed on the moon in 1969,

After decades of being a homeowner and dealing

and today shuttle astronauts ride to their launches

with foundation cracks, leaky roofs, and crumbling

in one.

plumbing, I own a home that I don’t have to beg hus-

Tom Hanks, Sean Penn, Johnny Depp and Sheryl

bands or handymen to help me maintain—because

Crow own Airstreams. I can’t believe I own one, too.

you try to find a handyman in Boulder who sticks

ALL MY FRIENDS HAVE AIRSTREAM DREAMS

around when the sun’s shining, the snow’s flying, or the rivers are running.

For now, my Airstream is more house than coach

When I posted on Facebook that I finally bought

because I have to learn how to haul her—and I’m not

my Airstream after all these years, I was worried that

badass when it comes to driving. In high school, my

it would seem like I was bragging. (I always worry

driving caused the kids in the backseat of our driv-

about that when I post anything on Facebook, be-

er’s ed car to literally yell out for help from Jesus. (It

cause usually … well … that’s what I’m doing.) That

was Iowa.) I’ve gotten a lot better, but I need a little

post and photo of me in front of my shiny new coach

help to carry off the Great Big Airstream Dream, the

with a shit-eating grin on my face got a lot more at-

one where we drive down to Baja and hang out for a

tention than anything else I post. People from every

couple months or tour around the country visiting

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WANT TO

STAY IN AN

AIRSTREAM ?

When you’re in Colorado, I’d love to have you stay in mine: BIT.LY/ROBYNSAIRSTREAM

Wherever you’re traveling, you can find Airstreams for nightly rental by doing an easy search on AIRBNB.COM and GLAMPING.COM. (Filtering out 420-friendly ones is more tedious.)

You’ll find great Airstream and VW van situations from Oregon to Florida at GLAMPINGHUB.COM: BIT.LY/SENSIGLAMPING At The Shady Dell in Bisbee, Arizona, you can stay in Airstreams that have been decked out with vintage, period-appropriate decor—right down to the vinyl albums for the phonograph. THESHADYDELL.COM Kate Pierson of the B-52s offers six vintage Airstreams restored by artists at Kate’s Lazy Desert in California’s Mojave High Desert near Joshua Tree National Park: BIT.LY/SENSILAZYMEADOW I haven’t stayed at The Vintages Trailer Resort in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, but I’d love to spend a night or two in an old midcentury classic like the Spartan or Globestar: THE-VINTAGES.COM I also want to have organic coffee and pastries in the courtyard between two luxury Airstreams at the Metro Hotel and Café in California Wine Country: METROLODGING.COM

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friends. Taking corners and backing up with 5,000 pounds behind me scares me as much as my getting behind the wheel terrified my high school mates.

I’ve never driven anything larger than a Toyota 4Run-

I decorated inside, taking tips from Matthew Mc-

ner. I’m shopping—out of my comfort zone—for a truck

Conaughey, whose Airstream was featured in Archi-

big enough to haul my coach. Then I can hire Tim, a

tectural Digest. (Sure, I’ll keep dropping names. It’s a

patient man who used to train truck drivers, to teach

Facebook habit.) Sheepskins and rugs from Marisol

me to how to do it. Tim backed all 27 gleaming feet of

Imports, my sweetheart’s business in Boulder, warm

my baby down the hill and nestled into her clearing in

up durable but plastic upholstery and make it really,

the pines, and he assured me I can learn how to do that,

really hard to get up and shuffle down the hall to bed

too. He teaches people how to haul trailers for a living,

after a cup of bedtime chai and a movie.

so I was probably being paranoid when I thought he looked a little doubtful as he said that.

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ME AND MATTHE W McCONAUGHEY, CHILLING IN OUR AIRSTREAMS

I do, because waking up in that bed tucked into the front of the egg is my favorite. The first thing I see is

It might be a while before I drive to Baja, and that’s

rich green pines against bold blue sky through my

disappointing but okay. I have a solid, cozy retreat

round, generous bedroom window. (I haven’t seen

parked in a sunny spot in the pines behind the house,

snow since I got her, but I imagine that view will be

with my own test kitchen for developing cannabis food

spectacular.) The bedroom is cozy and efficient, with

recipes, fantastic storage, two TVs (that I know how

nightstands on both sides, maneuverable space, and

to use), a snug bedroom, and an office looking out and

lots of storage. I could lie there all morning, smelling

over the pines at the panorama of Arkansas Moun-

the mountain breeze through the window and med-

tain beyond. I have an ideal place to work, meditate,

itating (okay, dozing), but I’d rather have coffee and

sleep, and enjoy cocktails or cannabis.

check email on the front porch.

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I make coffee in the kitchen, which is compact but has more storage than the house I live in. (I can alphabetize my spices and make popcorn in the microwave, a guilty pleasure that tucks into a drawer.) When I chop fruit, vegetables, and cannabis at the counter, I look out over the pines sloping toward the gulch and listen to the water gurgle—when the symphony of birds doesn’t drown it out. (The Steller’s Jays can be obnoxiously loud, but they’re stunning to watch.)

A lot of nights, though, my Airstream is lonely. She could use a little attention from fans and curiosity seekers who appreciate her sleek comfort. I think she feels slightly neglected, and I feel bad about that. So this month I made her available on AIRBNB.COM (420 friendly), BUDANDBREAKFAST.COM, and GL AMPING.COM. It feels like a nice exchange. Until I can safely take my Airstream out to meet the world, the world can come to her. I think she’ll attract great people. She’s a very social bean.

ROBYN GRIGGS L AWRENCE is the author of Cannabis Kitchen Cookbook.

“ SILVERY AS STARLIGHT, BULBOUS AS A PORPOISE NOSE, THE AIRSTREAM WAS AN ELONGATED PEA, A BEAN, A SAUSAGE SKIN INFL ATED WITH MERCURY, A LAND BLIMP, A LEMON (IN SHAPE, NOT PERFORMANCE), THE FOOTBALL OF THE TITANS.” Tom Robbins //Skinny Legs and All 64

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C O H E N M E DIC A L C E N T E R S

P R O MOT ION A L F E AT URE

The Doctor is In MEDICAL M ARIJUANA ON YOUR MIND? COHE N MEDICAL CENT ERS WILL SEE YOU NOW. Even though more than half of all US states now

The Cohen Medical staff can answer any of your

allow some form of medical cannabis, many doc-

questions about the process, including those involv-

tors, for various reasons, won’t recommend it, which

ing plant counts and finding the right medicine and

leaves people interested in cannabis as a health

dosages. They provide all the forms necessary for

care option few choices, even where it’s legal.

compliance and will guide patients on how to use

Enter Cohen Medical Centers in Denver, now in its eighth year, providing its patients with compas-

the new online system to apply, which can have you licensed and medicating within a week.

sionate care in a positive and professional envi-

Cohen Medical Centers is a family-run business,

ronment. Working closely with the Colorado De-

and their attention to patient care reflects that.

partment of Health and Environment Marijuana

Ultimately, it’s all about effective medicine and

Division, Cohen offers up-to-date information so

giving those in need options,” Robert Cohen says.

patients learn how the system works and can bet-

“So many patients do not have access to quality

ter understand what is involved with using can-

medical care, and we are here to help.”

nabis as medicine.

“The reason we exist is that most doctors are not open to the cannabis conversation,” says Robert Cohen, who along with his wife Noel and father Dr. Richard S. Cohen, founded Cohen Medical Centers, with clinics in Denver and Las Vegas. Dr. Cohen began with the intent of practicing medicine while helping people better understand the ins and outs of treating with cannabis: Finding the proper dosage and negotiating the many methods of delivery available including edibles, topicals, tinctures, vaporizers, patches and oils. “My dad’s from the old school,” Cohen says. “He is pretty thorough, not today’s typical six-minute medical consult.”

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In Colorado, to obtain a medical license, a face-

Office visits are $90 and include the standard

to-face evaluation with a doctor is required, and

evaluation and educational materials. The annual

you must have one of the following qualifying con-

state fee for a medical license is $15 a year. Call

ditions approved by the state: cancer, glaucoma,

303.892.6436 for an appointment or email your

HIV/AIDS, cachexia, persistent muscle spasms, sei-

request to INFO @ COHENMEDICALCENTERS.COM. For

zures, severe nausea, or severe pain. Licenses must

additional information, please visit their website at

be renewed every year.

COHENMEDICALCENTERS.COM .

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GROFAX 5

P R O MOT ION A L F E AT URE

Gro Baby, Gro GR OFA X 5, A LOCAL GARDEN CENTER IN FEDERAL HEIGHTS, HAS JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO K E EP YOUR PL A NTS LUSH AND THRIVING. Whether it’s a personal home grow, a medical grow,

“That experience is the guiding principal behind what

or a commercial grow, you need equipment. Your grow

we do here at Grofax 5,” says Rachel. “We will do our best

gear can make or break a successful harvest. If you’re

to help you be successful. We will advise you across the

new to the garden, or even if you’re a seasoned grow-

whole spectrum of growing, from hydroponics to soil,

er, it’s good to have experts on hand who understand

and from indoor to outdoor. We will connect you to the

the feeds, the lights, the fans, and the overall mechan-

right products for your operation.”

ics necessary to keep your grow running strong.

Consider Grofax 5 Hydroponic Supply Center in Federal Heights your one-stop shop.

cessful. Some offerings include a Grofax Membership

Along with grow equipment, Grofax 5 has trim ma-

Program, the Will-Call Program, and free local delivery.

chines available for purchase and rental, plus a whole

The Membership Program guarantees a set discount

lineup of lab equipment, vacuum ovens, closed loops,

with every purchase. No more haggling prices. Get the

rotary evaporators, and scientific lab glass.

discount you want. The Will Call Program allows grow-

“We will walk you through the growing process,” says

ers to order online from home for pick up at the near-

Rachel Anderson, the owner of Grofax 5. “We’ll guide

est Grofax location the following day. And customers

you from beginning to end.”

of Grofax 5 in Federal Heights also get to enjoy free

Before Rachel got into the garden-supply business, she was a medical caregiver for patients—so she knows, from personal experience, exactly what it takes to get from a cannabis seed or clone to the finished product.

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local delivery straight to their doorstep.

Save time, save effort, and save green: if your plants want it, Grofax has it.

S P E C I A L A D V I S O R Y B OA R D S E C T I O N AS THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY GROWS, SO DO T H E N U M B E R OF NICHE EXPER TS WITHIN IT. FROM TOP-TIER DISPENSARIES

Using Cannabis to Alleviate Sports Concussions

AND EXTRACTION BRANDS TO

by Londell D. Jackson, M.Ed., Simply Pure

O F I N S I D E R I N FO ABOUT THE

R E P E T I T I V E C L O S E D H E A D I N J U R Y C A N O C C U R I N A W I D E R A N G E O F C O N TA C T SPORTS, INCLUDING FOOTBALL , BOXING, RUGBY, L ACROSSE , SKIING, WRESTLING, AND SOCCER. IN THESE SPORTS ARENAS, IT IS NOT UNHEARD OF FOR PL AYERS TO EXPERIENCE HUNDREDS OF CONCUSSIVE HITS DURING A SINGLE SPORTS SEASON. B E T W E E N 1.6 TO 3. 8 M I L L I O N S P O R T S - R E L AT E D C O N C U S S I O N S A R E O C C U R R I N G ANNUALLY IN THE UNITED STATES.

While most sports-related head injuries are minor and are recoverable within a few days or weeks, there is an increasing number of individuals who develop long-lasting and often progressing symptoms. For these athletes, repetitive concussion or mild brain injury develops into chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE ).

CTE was first introduced into the medical community in the late 1920s and was typically referred to as “punch drunk” or “dementia pugilistica” since the condition was most commonly recognized among professional boxers. These symptoms are brought on by the degeneration of nerve cells (neurons) in the brain, specifically within the hippocampus. General symptoms of CTE are varied, and they develop and worsen over time. Psychotic symptoms characterize the first stage of CTE. Social instability, erratic behavior, and the initial symptoms of Parkinson’s disease define the second. During the final stage, patients suffer from general cognitive dysfunction, which progresses to dementia. The severity of CTE onset is positively correlated with the length of time engaged in the sport and the number of traumatic head injuries.

While quantitative studies may cite an athlete’s usage of cannabis as a substitute for tobacco during recreation, recent research indicates there may be additional benefits to cannabinoid consumption, particularly related to recovery. Studies have highlighted the positive benefits of cannabinoids like delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-9-THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), which help to reduce seizure, pain, nausea, and tumor development.

New research has highlighted the neurogenic properties of cannabinoids specifically in the hippocampus of the brain.

Studies suggest consumption of these cannabinoids may promote hippocampal neurogenesis—the regeneration of neurons in the part of the brain thought to be the center of emotion, memory, and the autonomic nervous system—particularly when targeting the CB2 receptors of the endocannabinoid system. The CB2 receptor is critical in the regulation of neural inflammation and neurogenesis without the psychoactive side effect.

The development of new therapies and treatments for existing ailments is an ongoing practice. However, as cannabis prohibition comes to an end, researchers will be free to explore how cannabinoids can help protect and perhaps reverse several neurodegenerative conditions. If this is the case, and while not a cure, cannabinoids may be found to reduce or reverse symptoms of CTE in athletes of all ages.

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EDIBLE MAKERS AND MARKETING SPECIALISTS, THESE CO M PA N I E S ARE INCREDIBLE SOURCES TRENDS AND ISSUES DRIVING THIS THRIVING M AR K E T PLACE FO RWA R D. TH E S E N S I ADVI SO RY BOARD IS COMPRISED OF LEADERS F R O M A VARIETY OF FIELDS WITHIN THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY. EACH ISSUE, ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS SHARE SOME OF THEIR KNOWLEDGE WITH OUR READERS IN THIS DEDICATED S E C T I O N .

THIS MONTH, WE HEAR FRO M EXPERTS AT Simply Pure AND Wana Brands.

For a full list of our Advisory Board Members, turn to the masthead on page 9.

S P E C I A L A D V I S O R Y B OA R D S E C T I O N

First-Timer’s Guide to Edibles

by Wana Brands A S C A N N A B I S L E G A L I Z AT I O N P U S H E S F O R WA R D, T H E S T I G M A T H AT H A S S U R R O U N D E D T H E P L A N T F O R D E C A D E S C O N T I N U E S T O E R O D E . T H E A D U LT-U S E M A R K E T I S O P E N I N G U P T O P E O P L E W H O H AV E N E V E R T R I E D C A N N A B I S BEFORE AS WELL AS THOSE WHO HAVEN’T TRIED IT IN DECADES. WHETHER MOTIVATED BY REPORTS OF THE THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS, THE LIFEST YLE, OR BY SIMPLE CURIOSIT Y, NEW CANNABIS CONSUMERS ARE EMERGING IN LEGALIZED MARKETS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND DISCOVERING A WHOLE WORLD OF ELEVATING CHOICES THAT INCLUDES THC-INFUSED EDIBLE PRODUCTS. EVEN SEASONED USERS WITH EXPERIENCE SMOKING OR VAPING FLOWER OR BUD MAY BE NEW TO THE THC-INFUSED EDIBLES CONSUMPTION ME THOD, WHICH CAN PROVIDE A DIFFERENT TYPE OF ELEVATING EXPERIENCE. WHETHER YOU ARE NEW TO EDIBLES YOURSELF OR YOU HAVE A PARENT OR FAMILY MEMBER THAT’S A FIRST TIMER, IT’S GOOD TO BE PREPARED. HERE ARE SOME IMPORTANT TIPS TO HELP YOU HAVE THE MOST POSITIVE EXPERIENCE WHEN TESTING THE EDIBLE WATERS.

CONSIDER A MICRODOSE. Taking very small, measured amounts of THC (about 2.5 mg, or 1/4 of the standard 10 mg serving size) can provide the benefits of cannabis without the drawbacks sometimes associated with being too lifted, such as paranoia, anxiety, or lethargy (a.k.a. “couch lock”). Microdosing is a great option for novice users easing into edibles and for people who don’t know their tolerance level yet. Gummies, mints, and other infused products offer a variety of options for dosing with incredible precision, helping you to identify your minimum effective dose.

before you consume more, as it can take a few hours for the full effects to set in. This kind of conscious, measured experimentation will help you discover how your body reacts to different kinds of cannabis strains and consumption methods.

Bottom line is this: Cannabis newcomers should exert caution when experimenting in this new post-Prohibition world. Be mindful that different body types and experience levels require different doses of THC, and that edibles,

YOUR BUDTENDER IS A GREAT RESOURCE. If you’re new to cannabis, walking into a dispensary filled with shelves of unfamiliar products can be a bit overwhelming. Your budtender is there to help. Consider the expert behind the counter your personal guide to all things cannabis.

Ask questions, ask for recommendations. Your budtender can help you discover a product that’s right for you based on your experience, tolerance level, and desired effects.

“START LOW, GO SLOW” AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS. Regardless of how you chose to consume your cannabis, it’s important to know that each person’s THC sensitivities are as different as their tolerance levels. Additionally, a strain that you find uplifting may put your friend right to sleep—it all depends on body chemistry. To avoid the uncomfortable feeling that comes from consuming too much, start low and go slow—especially when it comes to edibles. Start with a low dose, and wait at least two hours

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flower, and concentrates impact each consumer differently. With all the options on the market today, there is sure to be a consumption method that will fit every person’s needs. To find the one that’s right for you, do the research and utilize the available resources—including knowledgeable budtenders—to fully understand potency and intended effects of consuming cannabis.

© PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHLOE SOMMERS

THIS IS NOT YOUR MOTHER’S HIGH TEA

SCENE

This was not your typical high tea. The signature social event of the year for Denver’s cannabis community, Mother’s High Tea, took place on a sunny Friday afternoon in May. The modern celebration of women, mothers, and advocates is the longest-running women’s cannabis event in the US. It’s organized by Susan Squibb, aka the Cannabis Maven. Fun women. Fancy hats. Fine china. Finger foods. This is not your stereotypical weed event. This is The New Normal.

Susan Squibb, the Cannabis Maven behind Mother’s High Tea, with some of the wonderful women in attendance at this year’s event.

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What: Mother’s High Tea Where: McNichols Building When: May 12, 2017

THE CONNECTOR The young and ambitious

Ashley Riley is making her mark and bringing people together. In

January, she launched CannabizCalendar, a weekly email newsletter that helps fill your schedule with cannabis industry events. It compiles a comprehensive list of conferences, trade shows, and gatherings will help keep you current in this expanding industry. We caught up with Ashley to find out more about the woman behind the messages hitting inboxes around the country every Monday. Head to CANNABIZCALENDAR.COM to sign up for yours.

Name // Ashley Riley Age // 25 Occupation // Founder of CANNABIZCALENDAR.COM Originally from // Massachusetts Coloradan since // 2014 Neighborhood // Boulder Motto // “Just keep swimming.”

Hero // Kathleen Hanna CURRENTLY Reading // Let My People Go Surfing by Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia Binging // Cannabiz Calendar Loving // Prince’s song catalog, now on Spotify If you didn’t live in Colorado, you’d … // be somewhere else LOCAL FAVORITES Neighborhood // Boulder!

Coffee Shop // Laughing Goat Restaurant // La Choza (taco truck) Dispensary // The Honey Cellar Edible // Binské { CONTINUED ON PAGE 90}

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© DANIELLE WEBSTER

by STEPHANIE WILSON // by DANIELLE WEBSTER

LOCAL FAVORITES { CONTINUED FROM PAGE 84}

Salon /Spa // The Dragon Tree Spa Hiking Trail // Sanitas Skiing // Eldora! You can ski a half-day and still make it to the office after lunch.

Go -To Place to Take Guests // The dispensary and the mountains Your Happy Place // My Hammock EL E VAT E D TOPICS Q // Who first introduced you to cannabis?

How old were you?

A // I was introduced to cannabis through the music scene in Georgia. There’s something about James Brown and bluegrass—grass is never too far away. I really thought it was bad for you and avoided it until I was 21. After a few tries, I realized how much it helped with my anxiety. I’ve been a daily user ever since.

Q // Did your parents find out?

A // I think the dreadlocks gave me away …

Q // Whatcha call it? Cannabis, marijuana, pot, weed, devil’s lettuce …

A // Cannabis, although I definitely did call it weed before I learned about the propaganda and prejudices behind it.

Q // What’s your favorite way to elevate?

A // I consume cannabis in all sorts of ways.

Dabs, bong hits, chocolate bars are all awesome but my favorite is my homemade salve.

Q // How’s it make you feel?

A // Relaxed, rested and healthy! Cannabis is also great to get those creative thoughts flowing too.

Q // What did you buy the first time you visited a dispensary?

A // “Girls like Sativa better” was the advice given to me from my first budtender. I walked out of there with some Pineapple Express, which I have since learned only exists because of the movie. I also prefer indicas.

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Q // Munchie style: are you more of a savory or a sweet snacker?

A // Popcorn.

Q // What’s your favorite thing to do after using cannabis?

A // I love getting outside, playing music, or coming up with ideas for my business.

Q // Pretend you’re high. (If you are high, carry on!)

What’s on your playlist?

A // Beyoncé or Fleetwood Mac’s live album The Dance. On repeat.

Q // Can you roll a joint?

A // Absolutely. I once hid my pipes from myself for a week to figure it out. When rolling is your only option you learn quick!

Q // Got any advice for anyone new to cannabis?

A // Asking a budtender “What’s the best strain?” is similar to asking a cashier at a grocery store “What’s the best food you have?” There isn’t really a straight answer. Go slow, be open to new things, and know that your tolerance and preferences will change over time.