Sensi Magazine - Southern Colorado (May 2017)

SOCO’S POWER PLAYERS F E A T U R I N G

The Stanley Brothers

SOUTHERN COLORADO / T H E N E W N O R M A L / 05.2017

S P EC I A L R E P O R T

Can Cannabis Help Seniors?

ANSWER: YES, IT CAN

Colorado’s Weird AN UNCANNY T R AV E L G U I D E

PLUS ARTISTS UNLEASHED + C O LT Y N T U R N E R SPEAKS OUT + WEEDING OUT FA K E N E W S

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contents.

ISSUE 1 // VOLUME 1 // 05.2017

FEATURE S 10 Fake News

In the Internet Age, fake news brews like a plague. Keep your mind healthy, and check out Sensi’s most trusted news sources.

20 Seniors: The Age of Cannabis SP E C I A L R E P O R T

Find out why more seniors than ever are trying cannabis—and sticking with it.

26 Coltyn Turner Speaks Out

With one 30-second video, a local teen changed the conversation around Crohn’s disease.

32 SoCo’s Power Players

SoCo’s been at the forefront of our state’s cannabis industry and the movement. Do you know who’s who in our local scene?

EVERY ISSUE 5 Editor’s Note 6 SensiBuzz 16 AroundTown

AR TISTS UNLEASHED

48 CO I QA

M E R A L CO O P E R O N

T H E

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C OV E R

Stanley Brothers Photographer: Kim Sidwell, Cannabis Camera Location: Cluster Studios 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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42 What a Long, Strange Trip PHOTO BY KIM SIDWELL, CANNABIS CAMERA

Follow our guide to some of southern Colorado’s most uncanny destinations.

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EDITOR

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EDITOR

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head.

ISSUE 1 VOLUME 1 05.2017

A DV I SORY B OA R D 1906 New Highs // CHOCOLATES CannaRep // COURIER

editor’s

note SAY HELLO TO THE NEW NORMAL Back in 2009, I signed up for the world’s only medical marijuana course at

Craft // RECREATIONAL CONCENTRATES

the University of Colorado in Colorado Springs. At the time, I thought pot

Dabble Extracts // MEDICAL CONCENTRATES

only treated things like glaucoma or nausea. Our professor, Dr. Bob Mela-

DC Investigations // SECURITY Faragosi Farms // RECREATIONAL DISPENSARY Greenhouse Payment Solutions // PAYMENT PROCESSING

GRND Staffing Solutions // RECRUITMENT

mede, showed us it could do a lot more.

Instead of textbooks, Dr. Bob assigned us peer-reviewed studies containing the most cutting-edge information on cannabis as a medicine. These weren’t mere anecdotes. These were carefully controlled experiments from prestigious institutions like Harvard, Berkeley, and the University of Tel Aviv.

That research suggests cannabis could treat a whole host of maladies—

Lux Leaf // EDUCATION

cancer, immune disorders, chronic pain, neurodegeneration, and so on. Many

Herbal Healing // COMPLIANCE

of these ailments, like Crohn’s disease, don’t respond well to conventional

King’s Cannabiz // MEDICAL DISPENSARY Maceau Law // LEGAL

medicines. As you’ll find in our feature on Coltyn Turner, cannabis can offer a safe, seemingly miraculous alternative for some patients.

Yet, cannabis is more than just medicine. It’s also economics. Legal

Monte Fiore Farms // RECREATIONAL CULTIVATION

cannabis brought record-breaking tax revenues to Manitou Springs. Pueblo’s

The Mota Pot // HOME EDIBLE MAKER

market pulled the city out of recession and is putting its residents through

Show Me Kindness // CAREGIVER

college. And little Trinidad, at our southmost border, went from ghost town to

Stained Glass // MEDICAL CULTIVATION

boomtown overnight.

Studio A64 // CANNABIS CLUB Taste Budz // CONFECTIONS

M E DI A PA RT N E RS National Cannabis Industry Association Women Grow

Which leaves us with Colorado Springs, Colorado’s second-largest city. In 2013, the Springs banned recreational cannabis sales, and the city’s been left behind as Denver and Pueblo pluck from overflowing coffers. But with the new city council, elected last April, we may finally see the Springs get a piece of the legal green.

Or maybe not. Only time will tell.

So, in your hands sits the first issue of Sensi Magazine for southern Colorado. The magazine’s been running strong in the Denver/Boulder area for the past year, and now it’s our turn. As you thumb through the pages, you’ll notice Sensi looks different from other cannabis magazines. People of all shapes, colors, and creeds enjoy cannabis, and our magazine reflects that.

In fact, seniors are now the fastest growing group of cannabis consumers, and in this issue, senior editor Leland Rucker investigates why they’re turning to this plant after decades of stigma.

At Sensi, we see cannabis as part of our culture—a big part, and one that

PHOTO BY KIM SIDWELL, CANNABIS CAMERA

ain’t goin’ away. This is what the New Normal looks like, and it’s here to stay.

Randy Robinson M A N A G I N G E D I TO R

SENSI SOUTHERN COLORADO

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THE NEW NORMAL

Ask Leland

Our curious cannabis expert, LEL AND RUCKER answers your questions.

Q:

JUNE 3, 17, AND 24

Opinions vary.

It’s a whodunnit. On a speeding train. In one of the nation’s most captivating canyons. And you get to do it all while chowing down on a rich, gourmet dinner.

Red Herring Productions presents the Murder Mystery Interactive Dinner and Train Ride. Like all murder mystery dinners, this one involves the typical setup: while everyone’s dining, characters arrive to establish a story, then one of them gets wacked. It’s up to you and the other dinner guests to figure out who committed the crime, except this one takes place as you zip through the Royal Gorge. At any given moment, you can catch fascinating sights of the roaring-white Arkansas River and its deep-cutting gully—just on the other side of the window. Y’know, in case you can’t figure out whodunnit.

Some herbalists,

M O R E I N F O : royalgorgeroute.com

A lot of my friends have been using

cannabis topical lotions and medications for pain relief. Will they show up positive for THC in a workplace drug test?

A:

Murder Mystery Dinner — with a View to Die For

arguing that the

lotions have only a minute amount of THC, say that applying it to your skin won’t result in a positive drug test. Others argue that even though it’s such a low dose of THC in topicals, it could enter your bloodstream in other ways. For instance, you could have on your finger and put that digit into your mouth.

Transdermal patches, which are designed to deliver a concentrated dose of medication through the skin, are a different story. Every-

Get Your Fishin’ Boots On! On June 7, the North Slope Recreation Area opens for the 2017 season. This area includes the North and South Catamount Lakes, as well as the gorgeous Crystal Reservoir, right at the base of the ominous Pikes Peak.

Come to hike. Come to fish. Or come just to escape the heat of the city.

M O R E I N F O : coloradosprings.gov/NorthSlope

body agrees that these kinds of products, since they enter the bloodstream, could show If you’re an occasional user and don’t inhale marijuana from a vaporizer or water pipe, you’re probably not going to show up positive if you use a salve or lotion occasionally. But all in all, if you really want that job, you might want to stay away from any marijuana products, including topical medications, for as long as you can before the test. The safest answer is that you should almost always assume you might test positive for any cannabis product you use.

And if it’s any consolation, remember companies that try to exclude candidates simply because of marijuana use are spending lots of money eliminating many of the “best and brightest” they are seeking.

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High-Hanging Fruit June’s Full Moon, on June 9, is known as the Full Strawberry Moon to American farmers. Not because it’ll look red or anything, but because the Algonquin tribes knew its arrival marked the best time to pick ripe, juicy strawberries. According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, the week of the Strawberry Moon is also a great time to catch fish, and hen owners should set their eggs around this time as well.

In Europe, June’s Full Moon is known as a Rose Moon. Some Europeans still call it the Honey Moon, based on pagan marriage traditions of drinking honey liquor during weddings in June.

ASK LELAND PHOTO BY KIM SIDWELL, CANNABIS CAMERA

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Race to the Clouds

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buzz

THE NEW NORMAL

JUNE 25

Sleep in Tipis JUNE 16–SEPTEMBER 25

For four days and three nights, you can live as America’s indigenous people did before industrialization

near the historic Santa Fe Trail. To keep it authentic, travelers must do without the comforts of the modern

and the Northwest Coastal Tribes. (In other words, there’s a lot of buffalo meat involved.) Start the day by

brought us things like air conditioning and Instagram.

Led by Indigenous Roots, this program invites people from all walks of life to experience the Sangre de Cristo Mountains’ wilderness

world: no electricity, no running water, no nearby stores. The menu includes locally sourced, organic, gluten-free foods based on recipes from the Buffalo Nation, the Red Lake Nation,

greeting the sun, listen to oral histories reenacted through storytelling traditions, and learn the customs of the first Americans.

MORE INFO: indigenousroots.education

ManifestMastery JUNE 24 - SEPT 17

Ever seen a real life Warhol? Or one of Rembrandt’s hand-etched sketches?

How about a genuine pop-art piece by Roy Lichtenstein? Starting this month, the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center will host the Everyday Extraordinary exhibit, with priceless selections from some of Western art’s legendary masters.

Characteristic works by Claude Monet, Keith Haring, and Berthe Morisot will be on display, too.

M O R E I N F O : csfineartscenter.org

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It’s that time of year, when race cars get revved up for the annual Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.

This year will mark the 101st race, drawing top-notch drivers from all over the world to commandeer roughly 100 beefy muscle cars and dozens of motorcycles. Racers will start at the base of the mountain, then power their way over 12 miles uphill, cutting over 150 sharp, death-defying turns until they finally reach the pinnacle of Pikes Peak. It may be too late to register as a racer, but spectators can still nab tickets to catch the practice races on June 20, 21, 22, and 23. You can also get tickets to reserve camp sites along the raceway.

M O R E I N F O :ppihc.com

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{newsfeed}

by RANDY R O B IN S ON

In the fake news era, where can you find the facts?

Sensi editors weigh in on the sources and sites they trust for cannabis news.

SOLID SOURCES election cycle when social

V ICE // Although VICE.COM,

Dictionary declared the term

media feeds became

the original site in the Vice

“post-truth” to be the word

deluged with bogus news

Media empire, caters to an

of the year. “Post-truth”

articles ranging from Hillary

edgy hipster crowd, the

refers to a style of politics

Clinton being a baby-eating

media company spent the

based entirely on rhetoric and

satanist to Vice President

last few years branching out

not at all on facts (sound

Mike Pence supporting

to more grown-up endeavors.

familiar?), though it’s since

electroshock therapy for

Content from Vice’s online

been extended to the realm

gays. (In case it needs to be

subsidiaries such as Vice

of “fake news” and “alterna-

said, neither claim is true.)

News, Motherboard, and

Unfortunately, this fake

Broadly sit on the cutting

In November 2016, Oxford

tive facts”, too.

What is this fake news,

news phenomenon extends

edge of reporting, with plenty

you ask? We used to think of

to the cannabis community.

of fact-checking and solid

fake news when scrolling

Every week, a new

sourcing.

through parody sites like

weed-centered blog pops up.

In the digital realms

The Onion, but the recent

While some of these sites are

where video is now king,

reality is anyone anywhere

totally legit, an alarming

Vice has trained its investi-

with even an inkling of web

number of them are not.

gative lens on the cannabis

design know-how can

What follows is a list of

create a site that looks

Sensi’s favorite websites for

“newsy.” These fake news

cannabis news and investiga-

sites are helmed by

tive reporting. We’ve selected

amateurs with little to no

these not only because of

training in journalism, and

their tried-and-true journalis-

they basically just craft

tic integrity but also because

clickbait stories to generate

these outlets have names

website traffic and cash.

that may seem not-so-legiti-

This fake news can prolifer-

mate at first glance. Trust us:

ate insanely fast, as we

these are legit.

learned during this last

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These fake news sites are helmed by amateurs with little to no training in journalism, and they basically just craft clickbait stories to generate website traffic—and cash.

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SITES TO AVOID

world for its Emmy-winning

that cannabis can treat

NATURAL NEWS This site is notorious for new-age

eponymous HBO series. On

some disorder or alleviate

quackery. Very few of its posts contain credible sources, and its content appears more geared to selling untested “natural” health supplements than to providing solid, reliable news. Beware any claims that cannabis can instantly cure everything from cancer to world poverty.

the new Viceland television

WORLD NEWS DAILY REPORT World News Daily

industries. For a more

Report can be confusing, if only because it weaves real news stories in with the fake ones. This site has published a number of faux articles related to cannabis, including pieces with fearmongering headlines such as “Monsanto Creates First Genetically Modified Strain of Marijuana” and “Colorado: Pot Smoking Festival Turns into Orgy.”

WORLD TRUTH Pegging itself as an “alternative news” site, WORLDTRUTH.TV spews a whole lot of nonsense with poorly formatted center text. A recent article there claimed hemp—the non-psychoactive version of cannabis—is “renewable,” which it is not. No crop is truly renewable, sorry.

NATIONAL REPORT National Report isn’t a fake news site, it’s a parody site, much like The Onion. And some of the articles are hilarious. Unfortunately, not everyone is in on the joke just yet, so when posts with titles like “Marijuana Kills! Fatal Strain Claims First Victim” are published, some gullible folks share them as if the satire was real.

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network, launched last year, the Weediquette docuseries focuses entirely on cannabis patients and the marijuana intimate, personal understanding of how cannabis affects people’s lives, check out Weediquette’s web series at VICELAND.COM.

LEAF SCIENCE // It seems like every other day, there’s a new study claiming

some disease. Given that most journalists aren’t trained in science, it’s easy for writers to mistranslate these groundbreaking discoveries when relaying dense information to a mass audience.

LEAFSCIENCE.COM

is

devoted to the science of technology and medicine surrounding cannabis. The writers excel at breaking down complex concepts into easy-to-digest pieces

increased e n e r gy

Uplifting & Euphoric

e l e va t e d alertness

Heightened Creativity

SATIVA

We’ve got the whole spectrum covered

INDICA

z

z

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Sleep Aid

deep relaxation

Pain Relief

appetite stimulant

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Leland Says

When I first began writing about cannabis legalization in 2013, I had little knowledge about the subject, and I began

reading voraciously—newspapers, books, histories, blogs—

and talking with anyone who would listen to my questions as I tried to get a handle on what was happening here in Colorado.

I’m naturally suspicious of ideologues and/or reporters

without getting bogged down in nerdy jargon or Latin names. Best of all, the site typically links directly to the peer-reviewed study it’s discussing—very helpful if you are trained in reading scientific literature.

SM E L L THE T RU T H [ SF GAT E ] //

who leave out the untidier aspects of their arguments in

Smell the Truth (BLOG.SFGATE.COM/SMELLTHETRUTH) is a

favor of advocacy, no matter which side they’re on. I’m

news blog attached to SF Gate, the online wing of the

always watching for writers/reporters whose knowledge

San Francisco Chronicle newspaper, which was founded

surpasses mine and who question things I hold true, and the

ones who can admit when their arguments are weak and are willing to explain why. Early on, I ran into the work of Jacob Sullum, a reporter whose interest in the subject was as curious as mine but whose understanding was much

way back in 1865. Ironically enough, the Chronicle is owned by the Hearst Corporation, a media group with a tense relationship with cannabis: the corporation’s founder Randolph Hearst spent much of the 1930s

deeper. I continue to find that curiosity and knowledge in

attacking cannabis during the infamous Reefer

his work, which appears in Reason and Forbes magazines.

Madness period. Today, Smell the Truth is one of the

His essays help challenge my basic beliefs and remind me

most up-to-date news sources for pot developments,

that there are two sides to every story.

Dozens of online sites post cannabis news. Most keep up

with the latest headlines, but I’m seeking more than that, and several online publications and blogs stand out. Among the best are The Cannabist ( THECANNABIST.CO), the Denver Post ’s online

especially if you’re looking for short-yet-informative posts. It’s pretty much manned entirely by writer Oscar Pascual, but he includes plenty of links to other credible sources—and only credible sources.

cannabis news outlet, and Leafly (LEAFLY.COM), which used to offer mostly strain reviews but has beefed up its news coverage

THE CANNABIST // A division of the Denver

in the last year. Both offer solid reporting and editorial comment

Post, the Cannabist is held to the same journalistic

as well as reviews of cannabis products. Given that The Cannabist’s parent is a holding company trying to sell the newspaper, it’s almost miraculous that it even exists. High Times, a publication I once bought for the huge, perfect nugs depicted on its cover, has improved its news coverage significantly in the last few years.

The Drug Policy Alliance (DRUGPOLICY.ORG) is an advocate

former editor in chief Ricardo Baca, the first-ever marijuana editor at a major news organization, the Cannabist launched the last week of 2013 at the dawn of the post-prohibition world. It is fairly balanced in terms of coverage, and its reporters don’t shy from

organization, but its news stories are more in-depth than

industry scandals or news that cannabis use may carry

most. The MPP blog (MPP.ORG) comes from the Marijuana

some dangers. Last fall, it surpassed the iconic High

Policy Project, another organization that is heavily involved in the legalization movement. It keeps me up-to-date on national strategies. I also check in with the Marijuana Business Daily (MJBIZDAILY.COM) and the NORML blog (BLOG. NORML.ORG) for updates on cannabis issues.

One final pet peeve: I detest almost all stories that try to

Times in terms of web traffic, making the Cannabist the most visited cannabis-themed site in the world.

//

, which is Hebrew for “cannabis,”

is a veritable gold mine of breaking news in the

use reports, research, and/or data to prove some insignificant

marijuana world. That’s because Israel was, and

point, especially about cannabis usage. Much of this is just

still is, the world leader in medical cannabis research.

clickbait or wishful thinking (“More teens are using pot this year than last year” or “Major crime down in states with legal pot”). People can and do use data to “prove” anything they want. Statistics aren’t facts. They are numbers interpreted by people. They don’t prove anything. Treat them as such.

–LELAND RUCKER

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standards as its hard-news parent. The brainchild of its

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The only downside to this site is that it’s written entirely in Hebrew. Sorry, gentiles, but you’ll probably have to rely on Google Translate’s less-than-desirable language algorithms to (barely) navigate this treasure trove of a blog.

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{ aroundtown }

by R ANDY R O B IN S ON

ARTISTS UNLEASHED It’s not an art show. It’s not an art exhibit.

It’s not a convention, or even an expo.

Call it a gathering of expressive minds.

What? When? Where?

Artists Unleashed premieres June 17, 10am to 4pm, at World Golf & Sand Creek GC (6865 Galley Road). This gathering will be held outdoors on the ground’s expansive green that—for some reason or another— features a 60-foot pirate ship.

Artists Unleashed is an experimental event founded

by EW Baker II and Justin Cibart, two Colorado Springs artists who’ve done their fair share of hustling at artistic conventions. Over the years, Baker and Cibart noticed something: although artists strove to display their best work at these events, these works always mirrored that convention’s theme. For instance, artists comic conventions, but these superheroes were invented by someone else, not the vendor artists.

Artists Unleashed seeks to change that. At this event, artists may only showcase their own worlds:

I N

AT T E N DA N C E

Rockwell Masks facebook.com/RockwellMasks

William Wallace Rockwell

“You can do so much with leather. You can sculpt it, you can carve it, you can paint on it.

You can do all these different things with it,” he says.

their original characters, their original environments,

specializes in leather masks.

their original stories. Deadpool, Jon Snow, and Harley

Some of these oddities, like

been at work, Artists Un-

Quinn need not apply.

his elongated plague masks,

leashed strikes him as

are splendidly grotesque. Yet

completely fresh for Colorado

explains Cibart. “If you draw comics, and you don’t want to

his other masks appear

Springs. “I’ve never seen

draw Batman, here’s a place to finally sell your character.”

embellished, almost surreal,

something quite like this.”

“We want to give artists a venue they can control,”

Artists Unleashed isn’t limiting itself to just comic or anime fanfare, either. The artists joining this one-day

Through all the years he’s

like something out of Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut.

collective come from a variety of disciplines and crafts. At least 30 sculptors, painters, jewelers, potters, and graphic designers—all with their own unique styles, methods, materials, media, and content—will join the fold.

(ABOVE) WILLIAM ROCKWELL’S LEATHER MASKS COMBINE FORM, FUNCTION, AND FANTASY. (BELOW) WILLIAM WALLACE ROCKWELL (BOTTOM) ROCKWELL ALSO MAKES METAL SCULPTURES WITH SCRAP AND TOOLBOX PIECES.

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MASK: MODEL KALEESI MARIE / PHOTO JONNY EDWARD. ROCKWELL: EMILIO CHACON. SCULPTURE: DUSTIN MILLER

will sell their renditions of popular superheroes at

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I N

AT T E N DA N C E

EvaLine Jewelry facebook.com/EvaLineJewelry

Evelina Stoyanova, a

characters like Dr. Temper-

jeweler, has gifted some of

ance Brennan, rather than the

her work to the stylists at The

other way around.

Artisan Group in Los Angeles.

“I took classes just out of

Her rings, earrings, and

Boulder, just stringing beads,

pendants have appeared in hit

and it escalated,” she recalls. “I

TV shows such as Bones, The

started teaching myself. I

Vampire Diaries, The Originals,

have a little bit of creativity in

and Law and Order: SVU. Her

me, but it came out with

contributions have directly

jewelry a lot more.”

EVELINA STOYANOVA OF EVALINE JEWELRY CREATIONS INCLUDE SPIRAL AND WRAPPED RINGS AND SWAROVSKI SCARAB GEM EARRINGS

shaped the look of iconic

I N

AT T E N DA N C E

Blueswade Cartoons facebook.com/BlueswadeCartoons

Although Artists Un-

Cartoons combines graphic

BRYAN WADE OF BLUESWADE

leashed provides a platform

art with traditional cartoon-

ICONOGRAPHY WITH A PUNNY SLANT

for purely original works,

ing techniques, making

one featured artist heavily

satire of the satirical and

draws his inspirations from

parody from parody.

others, but he fuses them in

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“I enjoy a good pun more

a unique, humorous way.

than I probably should,” he

Bryan Wade of Blueswade

says with a chuckle.

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SPEC IAL R EPOR T

Seniors in Colorado are finding cannabis can help them deal with pain relief, sleeplessness, anxiety, and a lot of other maladies, too. And today, to reap the benefits, they don’t have to smoke it if they don’t want to.

by LEL AND R UC K E R

THE AGE OF CANNABIS

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Bonnie Rush

I S R E T I R E D F R O M T H E R E A L E S TAT E

BUSINESS AND LIVES IN LOUISVILLE, COLORADO. SHE USED MARIJUA-

Teri Robnett founded and runs the Cannabis Patients Alliance, which works to

N A W H E N S H E WA S YO U N G B U T STOPPED BEFORE HER DAUGHTER WAS

protect the rights of patients

BORN. TEN YEARS AGO SHE WAS AT A PARTY W H E R E A J O I N T WA S PA S S E D

who use cannabis. “I get

A R O U N D . S H E T O O K A C O U P L E O F P U F F S . “ I WA S A M A Z E D AT H O W W E L L I S L E P T,” S H E S AYS .

L AT E R , S H E B E G A N U S I N G C A N N A B I S TO D E A L W I T H T H E S I D E E FFECTS OF PREDNISONE PRESCRIBED FOR AN AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE. “ T H AT ’ S W H E N I S TA R T E D U S I N G IT QUITE A BIT.” SHE SAYS CANNABIS

a lot of inquiries from seniors, and more from their children,” she says. “‘My mom has arthritis or has been diagnosed with whatever. What do I do?’ We try

ALSO HAS HELPED EASE SYMPTOMS OF ARTHRITIS A N D C O L I T I S . “N O W

and point them in the right

I ’ M G R O W I N G I T,” S H E A D D S . “ I T ’ S SO M U C H F U N .”

direction and give them access to research to help make their decision.”

Martha Montemayor is

Besides the medicinal

still considered outside the

manufacturedby US phar-

effects, Rush feels that

medical establishment, it

maceutical companies

cannabis helps her deal

can help them deal with cer-

until the government taxed

with the general indignities

tain age-related problems:

cannabis and hemp out of

of advancing age. “It’s a god-

chronic pain, anxiety, stress,

business in the 1930s. Medi-

send for relaxation and pain

insomnia, nausea, muscle

cal marijuana was approved

relief,” she says. “And you’re

tension, arthritis, loss of

by Colorado voters in 2001,

treating your entire self.”

appetite, glaucoma, and

and a regulatory system was

memory and brain function.

ratified in 2010. Cannabis is

est-growing segment of the

And they’re finding many

not for everybody, but there

cannabis market. There are

more ways to get cannabis

are plenty of organizations

more than 1.5 million people

in their system—vaporizers,

and information available to

aged 50 or older in Colorado,

edibles, tinctures, tonics,

help you make an informed

about half of those over age

balms, salves, lotions,

decision.

60. The US Census Bureau

sprays, and ointments—that

estimates that 21 percent of

don’t involve smoking or

Coalition, Cannabis Patients

Colorado’s population will

“getting high.”

Alliance, NORML, and Amer-

Rush is part of the fast-

be over age 60 in 15 years.

But is it for you? Or for

The Cannabis Consumers

icans for Safe Access can

Many Colorado seniors are

your mother or father or

aid you in getting a medical

already aware of cannabis.

other close family member?

card and finding the right

As of January 1 of this year,

If you are a senior in Colo-

doctor and dispensaries

94,577 Coloradans have

rado, there’s never been a

where you can purchase

medical marijuana cards.

better time to find out about

the cannabis strains and

More than 35,000 of them

whether or not cannabis

products you need. “These

are over 50.

might help you or someone

organizations are nonprof-

in your family.

its that incorporate public

There’s no real magic here. Baby boomers in Colo-

Cannabis has been used

education into their mission

rado are retiring, and others

for centuries in many

and advocacy work,” says

are moving here to retire. A

cultures as a remedy for

Larisa Bolivar, executive

growing number are learn-

various ailments. It was

director of the Cannabis

ing that, while cannabis is

even an ingredient in drugs

Consumers Coalition.

a clinical nutritionist and founder of Healthy Choices Unlimited, a medical cannabis evaluation clinic with five locations in the state.

She says seniors who use cannabis have a positive experience about 70 percent of the time, but there’s often still a negativity attached to the plant. “Years of prohibition and social messages perpetuating myths make many seniors ashamed to use cannabis,” Montemayor explains. “Because of this, many only consider cannabis when conventional medicine has failed them.

Clinics like this are frequently the doctor of last resort, helping people who have exhausted all other options.”

Robin Hackett has been compiling years of data on more than 800 patients she has worked with at Botanicare, a plant nutrient company. “Some are terrified of cannabis, or their family

M AY 2017

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21

is scared for them,” Hackett

addiction is a serious

says. “I counsel the whole

problem in the US, and

family so they know what

people are finding that can-

mom or dad will be going

nabis can help reduce pain

through.”

without the side effects of

Hackett has designed

many pharmaceuticals.

cannabis medications for

Former NFL players are now

dozens of diseases. Her

talking openly about how

process is to educate and

cannabis helped them end

explain what to expect

addictions to painkillers,

when a person uses canna-

and Sen. Elizabeth Warren

bis. “We want to make sure

last year asked the Centers

that people make educated

for Disease Control to con-

decisions. We track them

sider using cannabis to help

for seven or eight days,” she

wean people from opioids.

says. “Everyone responds

Cannabis is made up of

differently, and it takes a

dozens of cannabinoids,

couple of weeks to see if

the two best-known being

you’re responding correct-

cannabidiol (CBD), which

ly and to understand how

is usually associated with

your body is processing

its medical properties, and

cannabis.”

delta-9-tetrahydrocannab-

The largest majority

inol (THC), which produces

“

IT TAKES AT LEAST AN HOUR FOR AN EDIBLE TO START TO SHOW ITS EFFECTS, SO STARTING AT LOW DOSES SUCH AS 5 OR 10 MILLIGRAMS AND WAITING AN HOUR OR TWO BEFORE CONSUMING MORE IS THE SAFEST WAY TO GAUGE THE IMPACT OF THC AND OTHER CANNABINOIDS.

Seth Yakatan is CEO of Kalytera Therapeutics, a company developing synthetic CBD drugs that treat osteoporosis but don’t get the patients high. “As it relates to seniors, most drugs on the market today that inhibit bone loss tend to be extremely toxic,” Yakatan says. “Our drug not only limits loss but promotes growth of new bone with no limiting toxicity.”

Kalytera’s products are still several years away from release.

Many medical doctors, including mine, won’t prescribe cannabis, and seniors can run up against equally unsympathetic family members. Monte-

of seniors use cannabis

the marijuana “high.” As re-

for pain relief. Currently,

strictions on research ease,

mayor says the two most

the medical community

more products will become

from patients and families

prescribes pharmaceutical

available that include little

is that marijuana is a “gate-

drugs for pain relief. Opioid

or no THC.

way drug” or a “dangerous

common things she hears

narcotic.”

Neither are true. The gateway theory has been

GET STARTED Want to learn more about how seniors are benefiting from cannabis? These organizations and websites include a lot of good information to get you started.

Cannabis Patients Alliance cannabispatientsalliance.org Americans for Safe Access safeaccessnow.org/colorado_advocacy The Silver Tour thesilvertour.org

with us for awhile, even though there is no credible evidence to indicate that cannabis leads its users to try other, stronger drugs.

Still, politicians trot this one out as a reason to keep it illegal. The only “evidence” is that some people who use drugs like cocaine or heroin used cannabis earlier. They also generally have used tobacco or alcohol—or all three.

And if there were a big problem with this, we would know it. Montemay-

22

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23

or says her teenage son asked how many Coloradans are on the Medical Marijuana Registry. When she told him, he asked why Colorado wasn’t overrun with heroin addicts. “It seems obvious to a 13-yearold that the gateway theory is a myth,” she says, “but

THE BEST WAY I WOULD DESCRIBE THE EFFECT OF THE MARIJUANA AND THE HASHISH IS THAT IT WOULD MAKE ME RELAXED AND CREATIVE.”

hour for an edible to start to

The most important

show its effects, so starting

thing, of course, is to stay

at low doses such as 5 or 10

informed. Check in with

milligrams and waiting an

one of the nonprofits. Spend

hour or two before consum-

some time with a search

ing more is the safest way

engine and the internet.

to gauge the impact of THC

You might be surprised

and other cannabinoids.”

what you find.

As for insurance not

No one has ever died

covering medical mari-

from marijuana. Don’t

juana, look for responsible

believe me? Read the

caregivers who grow mar-

literature—pro and con. Be

ijuana for other patients,

skeptical of everything.

which can help manage

Make up your own mind.

either. Pharmacologically,

costs. “There are also some

And you might find what

it is not associated with the

dispensaries that have

millions of satisfied users

opium derivatives in many

sliding scales or indigent

already know: The “getting

pain medications. You can’t

programs,” Bolivar says.

high” part might not be so

smoke too much cannabis

“Finding them is a chal-

bad, either.

or overdose on it, since it’s

lenge, but local advocacy

not toxic. There is no phys-

groups can also help navi-

describe the effect of the

ical addiction, though some

gate that as well.”

marijuana and the hashish

older adults sometimes still worry.”

And it’s not a dangerous narcotic that hooks users,

—STEVE JOBS

“The best way I would

individuals could develop a

Basically, if you’re curi-

psychological dependence,

ous and over 60, you really

relaxed and creative,” Steve

such as we do with coffee,

have little to lose by trying

Jobs once told Pentagon in-

sugar, or chocolate.

cannabis. Just as with most

terviewers. That certainly

medications, if it does noth-

doesn’t mean it will do the

ing for you, no loss.

same for everyone, but then

Bolivar warns that seniors, or anyone, should

is that it would make me

make sure the cannabis

again, it doesn’t take much

they are consuming has

to find out.

been tested for pesticides,

“It’s fun to have a laugh-

fungicides, and particu-

ing spell every now and

lates, especially mold and

then,” Barbara Rush says.

powdery mildew. “For those

“And it’s really nice to be

with compromised immune

totally relaxed, isn’t it?”

systems, powdery mildew and mold can be dangerous,” she says, “as can certain synthetic chemicals found in some pesticides and fungicides that are potential neurotoxins.”

And for those new to cannabis, medical or recreational, the rule of thumb is start low and go slow, especially for edibles, Bolivar says. “It takes at least an

24

“

www.sensimag.com

M AY 2017

LELAND RUCKER is the Senior Editor of Sensi Magazine.

"...ennani s acty  ha hati pota  lot  dies cig un."

- Dr. Pac & Dr. Kun Nata Init of HelH

It's time to rethink how you medicate! w.kisan.

7.4.27

22 E. Bij St. Sut 4, Colo Spig, CO 80 M AY 2017

www.sensimag.com

25

COLTYN TURNER

SPEAKS OUT When traditional medications couldn’t heal his Crohn’s disease, and actually made it worse, Coltyn Turner and his family went searching for an alternative. They found it here in Colorado. Now they’re telling his story in an effort to help others in similar situations.

by ROB F E E M A N

26

www.sensimag.com

M AY 2017

IN OCTOBER 2014, A COLORADO SPRINGS TEENAGER NAMED

Coltyn

MADE A SHORT VIDEO

AND POSTED IT ONLINE. SO FAR, THE VIDEO HAS BEEN VIEWED OVER 200,000 TIMES AND DRAWN THE ATTENTION OF PATIENTS, PARENTS, AND FAMILIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND INTERNATIONALLY. T HE R E A S O N ? I N J US T 36 S E C O N D S , U S I N G O N LY 30 W O R D S , C O LT Y N S U M S U P H I S LONG BAT TLE WITH CROHN’S DISEASE, A D E B I L I TAT I N G IN F L A M M AT I O N OF THE INTEST I N E S A N D D I G E S T I V E T R A C T, A N D V I S U A L LY S H O W S H O W C A N N A B I S O I L — R AT H E R T H A N Y E A R S O F T R A D I T I O N A L M E D I C A L T R E AT M E N T S A N D M E D I C AT I O N S — R E D U C E D T H E I N F L A M M AT I O N I N H I S G I T R A C T, P U T H I M B A C K O N H I S F E E T, A N D H E L P S H I M M A N AG E T H E SY M P T O M S O F T H E D I S E A S E O N A DA I LY B A S I S .

“Medical cannabis has

side effects. He even devel-

throughout.” Faced with

oped lupus.

more appointments, more

that cannabis may have

Coltyn said recently while

done just that for Coltyn.

speaking at a medical mari-

When he was 11 years old, he

One of the drugs made his

more surgery, the family de-

juana patients event in Den-

nearly drowned in a lake at

lymph nodes swell and

cided to head in a different

ver. “It’s given me more ener-

a Boy Scout camp near the

caused him pain. But when

direction.

gy, it’s helped me gain weight,

family’s home in southern

he went in for surgery to

my Crohn’s pain is gone, and

Illinois. Coltyn says, “The

have a node removed, the

only three options: Anoth-

I’ve been in remission for

bacteria in the water kicked

surgeon mistakenly took out

er pharmaceutical, which

almost two years now.”

my Crohn’s into full speed.”

his salivary gland. “I have

would give me a 66 percent

dry mouth all the time now,”

chance of developing lym-

Coltyn says.

phoma. Surgery, to remove

Coltyn has become a

“At first, we thought he had

And then it got worse.

medications, and possibly

Coltyn explains, “We had

spokesperson of sorts for

appendicitis. He had major

the benefits of using medi-

pain,” says Wendy Turner,

cal cannabis for Crohn’s dis-

Coltyn’s mom. Unable to get

had taken its toll, as had

third option was alternative

ease. He’s spoken before the

an accurate diagnosis, the

the many medications.

medicine.”

Colorado legislature, had his

family decided to take Coltyn

He stopped gymnastics,

photo taken with the gover-

to the Mayo Clinic in Roch-

stopped riding his bike with

es were reluctant to pro-

nor, been showcased on the

ester, Minn. That’s where

his brother and their friends.

vide the family with more

new Viceland network, and

they discovered it was most

He spent most of his time

information, but one of the

told his story at numerous

likely Crohn’s disease. “That’s

lying on the sofa. At one

nurses finally said, “Go see

events around the region.

when the true journey began,”

point he was even confined

what’s going on in Colorado.”

Wendy says. “We knew what

to a wheelchair. “I was on

we were up against.”

my death bed,” Coltyn says.

father, Tom, “was the green

“I was ready to write my will,

light we needed. Coltyn

It’s a story he’s happy to share, because he believes in the benefits of cannabis KIM SIDWELL © CANNABIS CAMERA

The evidence is strong

helped me in many ways,”

After the diagnosis came

By this time, the disease

part of my colon. And the

At first, doctors and nurs-

“That,” says Coltyn’s

and wants to get the word

“pharmaceutical after phar-

because of all the pharma-

and I packed our bags, and

out. “Cannabis probably will

maceutical,” says Coltyn. A

ceuticals I was on.”

on March 4, 2014, four days

not work for everybody,”

long list of medications was

he says, “but people should

prescribed in an effort to

underwent a colonoscopy.

have a choice. People should

improve his health. Howev-

“He was in full flare mode,”

be able to have the right to

er, none of them helped, and

Wendy remembers. “He had

into a few roadblocks. “As

take it, to save their life.”

some came with debilitating

inflammation and ulcers

for the dispensaries in Col-

In February 2014, Coltyn

after Coltyn’s 14th birthday, we just drove out here.”

Right off the bat, they ran

M AY 2017

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27

ADVICE FOR PARENTS

orado Springs, you couldn’t

that THC helps the CBD

Here are a few tips for parents with children experiencing situations similar to Coltyn’s:

walk into them unless you

work more effectively to

had your medical card. So

heal the body. Coltyn takes

I drove up to Denver with

the oil four times a day, in

Coltyn, and we found the

a capsule form, which he

highest-CBD/lowest-THC

simply swallows.

READ THE LABELS AND WARNINGS “I wish that parents would do this,” says Wendy Turner.

ratio cannabis you can find

“I wish parents would take out that little bitty piece of

in a rec shop.”

paper in the box that the medicine comes from, and

oil isn’t a cure for Crohn’s.

read it. This paper we got for Humira was two-feet long.

the part of the cannabis

“Granted, cannabis is doing

It’s the smallest print you could possibly read, and it was

plant with medicinal and

a fantastic job of keeping

all about how you can get T-cell lymphoma, and you

healing properties, while

him in remission, but that’s

can get serious infections, and you can get tuberculo-

THC provided the typical

what it’s doing—keeping

sis. This is a medication that is supposed to be fixing

psychoactive high, which

him in remission. If he

Coltyn’s Crohn’s disease, and it could give him a disease

he wanted to keep as low

stops the cannabis, he goes

that is going to kill him. I’d read these things and I would

as possible for Coltyn, in

right back into a flare.”

think, ‘Why am I reading it? I don’t want to know.’ But I

part because of his age. In

needed to know.”

addition, Tom didn’t want

is taking full advantage

his son to have to smoke

of his newfound health.

cannabis. His best option,

After a recent snowfall, he

Current research indicates that for CBD to be truly effective

he thought, was to infuse

shoveled the driveway for

in healing the body, a little THC is required. “It opens up

it into edible brownies that

the first time in his life,

the receptors,”Wendy explains. “I didn’t know that back

they baked.

noting he was too small and

DON’T BE AFRAID OF THC

then—we didn’t know anything back then. We Googled. If you do a Google search, you’re going to find something.”

EXPECT SOME TRIAL AND ERROR

Tom started with very

For now, though, Coltyn

tired to help out before. He’s

low doses of cannabis,

gotten into snowball fights

and although he is not a

with his dad (“That’s when

cannabis user, he tested the

I knew I had my son back,”

When trying to find the right balance of CBD and THC

brownies on himself before

Tom recalls). He’s gone to

in an oil, trial and error is the best way to proceed initial-

giving them to his son.

Scout camp again, and par-

ly. “Everyone’s body is different,” says Coltyn, “and the

When he thought he had

ticipated in a memorable

plant affects their body differently. So it’s hard to figure

the right dosage, he gave

starlit trek up Blue Moun-

out what exactly would work for you. It’s a lot of trial

Coltyn a half-portion right

tain one morning to catch

and error. If you take a large dose of THC and you get

before bed. “He didn’t feel

the sunrise. He spends

knocked out, then you might want to lower the THC a

anything,” Tom says. “Next

time with his older brother,

little. But if you need that much, then there’s really not

morning, I gave him an-

Skyler, an Eagle Scout and

much you can do about it. So I just say trial and error is

other one. And by the next

musician, and his younger

so far the only way we can do it.”

morning, I noticed he had a

sister, Ryleigh, an accom-

little energy, and he was in

plished ballerina. He plays

a little bit better mood.”

chess. He tells jokes. And

DO RESEARCH AND ASK QUESTIONS “All we do is research,” says Wendy of her family. “I

28

Tom knew that CBD was

Wendy is quick to point out, however, that cannabis

For Coltyn, that was the

he’s been very opinionat-

feel like I’m on the Internet all the time, and talking to

turning point. As he con-

ed about the journey he

people, and talking to patients, and saying, ‘Okay, this

tinued to eat the brownies,

and his family have taken

worked for this patient, this worked for this patient.

the pain and inflammation

through the medical com-

What are the similarities? Why is it working? How many

began to recede. His energy

munity, and their search

milligrams are they taking? Where did they find that?’

started to return, and his

for an alternative medical

We try to compile all that information, so we know what

disposition improved. After

treatment.

is best for Crohn’s patients, because we have a lot of

some trial and error, they

questions about it.”

decided on an oil with a

this plant is just made to

1:1 ratio of CBD/THC, since

get you high, and it’s bad

current research indicates

for you,” he says about

www.sensimag.com

M AY 2017

“A lot of people think

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29

cannabis. “But it has so

has lived up to expectations

many uses, and it can do so

and proved highly efficient

many things. It should be

in cases of inflammatory

available to everybody, and

bowel diseases.”

everyone should have the choice to use it.”

In Coltyn’s case, however, no further testing is neces-

Although medical

sary. He believes he’s found

research on the benefits

the medicine he needs to

of cannabis for Crohn’s

keep him functional and

disease is still limited,

living life. And he’s willing

“A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK THIS PLANT IS JUST MADE TO GET YOU HIGH, AND IT’S BAD FOR YOU. BUT IT HAS SO MANY USES, AND IT CAN DO SO MANY THINGS. IT SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO EVERYBODY, AND EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE THE CHOICE TO USE IT. ”

there are some promising

to speak out about it, and

initial reports. A 2011 trial

tell his story to all who will

conducted by the Depart-

listen.

ment of Gastroenterology

Over the years, this

and Hepatology at Tel Aviv

endeavor has taken him

University in Israel was

to speaking engagements

the first study to show

across the country, all the

that, while remission of

way to the nation’s capi-

inflammation was not

tal. Last April, Coltyn met

fully achieved with the use

with 21 congresspeople in

of cannabis, it did pro-

Washington, DC, to speak

vide “significant clinical,

with them about the CAR-

steroid-free benefits for pa-

ER’s Act. If the CARER’s

tients with Crohn’s disease,

Act passes, it will legalize

without side effects.”

medical cannabis nation-

Another study, from the

wide.

Medical University of Graz in Austria, said “the medicinal plant Cannabis sativa

30

www.sensimag.com

M AY 2017

ROB FEEMAN is the Editor of Sensi Magazine.

moreinfo Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America www.ccfa.org

Coltyn’s Video

www.sensimag.com/coltyn

M AY 2017

www.sensimag.com

31

32

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M AY 2017

THE STANLEY BROTHERS’ PHOTOS BY KIM SIDWELL, CANNABIS CAMERA. ALL OTHER PHOTOS BY DANIELLE WEBSTER.

SOCO’S

POWER

PLAYERS

by RA N DY R O B I N S O N

Over the last few years, Colorado became synonymous with legal cannabis.

Although our new industry—and the home grows it permitted—remain hotly controversial topics, we’ve shown we can do it. It’s been over three years since the first legal retail sales went live, and we now possess hard data showing that the sky isn’t falling, crime isn’t spiking, and best of all, we’re no longer wasting resources arresting, prosecuting, or incarcerating nonviolent people for simply smoking some cannabis.

But this thing didn’t just happen in a vacuum.

Southern Colorado’s trailblazers played, and continue to play, instrumental roles in expanding the

the region, the state, and

people from around the

let our readers know who’s

beyond. Colorado stands as

country and around the

who right now, though this

one of the healthiest and

world relocate here in

is in no way a complete or

most robust economies in

droves—and these newcom-

comprehensive list. Every-

the nation, having created

ers vote in city, county, and

one from the casual con-

thousands of jobs while

statewide elections.

sumer to the most die-hard

As this community

activist has had a hand in

reach of medical

raking in hundreds of millions in tax revenues

continues to grow at an

this, but here are some of

and recreational

each year. Our political

ever-increasing rate, it can

the key figures behind

cannabis across

landscape is changing, too,

be tricky to keep track of

southern Colorado’s

as open-minded, tolerant

the names and faces behind

movement.

southern Colorado’s cannabis scene. We’d like to

M AY 2017

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33

1

THE STANLEY BROTHERS CW Hemp

The seven Stanley

medical cannabis plant

experienced just two to

Disappointment.” Over the

brothers made waves

called “Charlotte’s Web.”

three a month.

years, the Stanleys pro-

worldwide in 2014 when

They named the strain after

their Colorado Springs-

Charlotte Figi, a child

because of cannabidiol, or

for tens of thousands of

based foundation, the Realm

patient diagnosed with

CBD. CBD possesses medici-

patients, many of whom

of Caring, was featured in the

Dravet Syndrome, a debili-

nal properties but doesn’t

relocated to Colorado

CNN documentary Weed. In

tating disorder that triggers

get anyone high. Charlotte’s

Springs specifically to

that documentary, they

frequent, life-threatening

Web also lacks THC, the

access this strain. And they

introduced a global, main-

seizures. Before Charlotte

chemical that gets people

did this while scraping by

stream audience to a

came to Colorado, she could

elevated, hence the strain’s

on what little they had

suffer 300 grand mal

original name, “Hippie’s

while making practically

seizures in a week. After cannabis treatment, she

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Charlotte’s Web works

duced Charlotte’s Web oil

zero profit.

Today, the Stanleys have PHOTO BY KIM SIDWELL, CANNABIS CAMERA

million enterprise that

brothers are devout Chris-

you believe God made us,

mostly moved on from

distributes Charlotte’s Web

tians. Yet they see no

and God made this plant. If

Realm of Caring. Some of

products for patients of all

conflict between their faith

you believe in evolution,

them travel the world, from

ages—and for household

and cannabis. “It doesn’t

then this plant evolved

Uruguay to Ireland, to teach

pets, too. Proceeds from

matter what you believe,”

alongside us. Either way, if

others about medical

every CW Hemp purchase

relates Joel Stanley, the

this plant can help us and

cannabis. Others refocused

goes toward funding Realm

eldest of the seven siblings.

heal us, we should use it.”

attention on their new

of Caring.

“If you believe in God, then

company, CW Hemp, a $30

Raised in Colorado Springs, it’s no surprise the Stanley

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35

3

JASON WARF Southern Colorado Cannabis Council

executive director of the

It was the thought of my

Southern Colorado Canna-

advocacy hurting my

bis Council, one of the

personal relationships.”

state’s first advocacy

travels around the state,

decade, he’s fought for

openly meeting with

patients and the industry,

senators, representatives,

even when the two groups

and even the governor to

seemed at odds with one

ensure patients and

another.

businesses are treated fairly

“When I first started

2

Colorado Springs City Council

She doesn’t consume cannabis, but she could be considered

a highly influential ally in Colorado Springs.

Before she went into politics, Jill Gaebler served as an Air

Force officer for seven years. She also cofounded the Colorado Springs Charter Academy, a public school located in District 5.

In 2013, Gaebler won her first seat on the Colorado Springs

City Council. This happened during a period of frantic transition, as Colorado scrambled to implement Amendment 64, the law that legalized recreational cannabis. Although the city government hasn’t exactly been cordial to pot shops and cannabis clubs, Gaebler fought to preserve the industry while supporting sensible regulations to protect residents.

“Colorado Springs, as a whole, voted in support of Amendment 64,” she explains. “By allowing recreational sales, we reduce the momentum of the black market. If we don’t allow it, we can’t put any regulations around it. If we do, we can regulate it however it best benefits our community.”

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Today, he constantly

organizations. For over a

fighting for cannabis rights,

JILL GAEBLER

being vocal all those years.

under the laws.

“In the age of informa-

the biggest obstacle was

tion,” he says, “cannabis

‘coming out’ as an advo-

prohibition didn’t stand a

cate,” Warf says. “I spent

chance. With the availabili-

most of my life in corporate

ty of information, studies,

America, and most of my

and open communication

family is extremely conser-

worldwide, the dominoes

vative. It wasn’t the threat

are falling very quickly.”

of arrest that kept me from

PHOTOS BY DANIELLE WEBSTER

Jason Warf is the

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37

4 IE SH I A J IRON Leaf on the Mesa

Last year, Pueblo’s entire

marijuana industry quiv-

ered on the chopping block.

Ballot Initiatives 200 and 300 threatened to shut

down all cannabis operations within city and

county limits. Ieshia Jiron, a general manager at Leaf

on the Mesa, utilized media savvy to publicly oppose 200 and 300. Ultimately, voters shot down the initiatives, saving 1,300 jobs, hundreds of millions of dollars in investments, and Pueblo’s future.

Protecting the industry secured her job, but it secured her family’s access to medicine, too. Her husband, a Marine Corps veteran, relies on medical cannabis. “He decided he was going to cut the opiates and strictly use cannabis,” she recalls. “Within a few months, I could see the changes in him. He wasn’t complaining about an upset stomach, he lost some got back his ambition. He now assists veterans filing for VA benefits. His lifestyle totally changed in a positive way, all due to cannabis.”

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PHOTOS BY DANIELLE WEBSTER

weight, and most of all, he

5

DAN C O RS ENT I N O

DC Security

Dan Corsentino is a graduate from the National FBI Academy and the Harvard Executive Management Pro-

gram. On top of that, he was elected to four terms as sheriff of Pueblo County. He served as a police chief in Fountain, Colorado, too. He now owns DC Security, a security firm that coordinates with Pueblo’s cannabis operations,

keeping employees safe and ensuring pot products stay out of the wrong hands.

“I took an oath of office to enforce the laws,” recalls Corsentino. “When cannabis was illegal, I did enforce those laws. But in my heart, I knew it was a losing battle. It outdistanced any kind of enforcement action that could take place. I was also concerned that I saw people going to jail just for smoking weed. That was unreasonable. I thought the best remedy would be to legalize marijuana

6

and control it. Then tax it to filter that money back into the communities. And that’s pretty much what happened.”

AMB UR ROSE RACE K Studio A64

Studio A64 stakes the claim as Colorado’s first licensed

smoking club. This classy joint, located near downtown Colorado Springs, provides cannabis lovers a safe place to share ideas, information, and some quality buds. For nearly two years, Ambur Rose Racek has owned and managed the club.

Clubs like Studio A64, says Racek, are needed to educate

people on how to use cannabis. Many patients come to her seeking advice on cannabis treatments, because they don’t know where else to turn.

“When this state legalized recreational, no one created a

framework for informing people,” she explains. “We’ve taken on that responsibility. People need to be educated before they try it, especially with edibles.”

Racek notes tourists can severely underestimate the potency of Colorado’s novel pot products. Retail stores can’t allow consumption, but cannabis clubs can guide newbies through first-time experiences, reducing the chances of a “too much, too fast” mistake from ever happening.

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7 CL IFTON B LACK Black & Graham

Clifton Black never intended to

become a cannabis attorney. He

started off in debt collection, then

moved to criminal defense. He took on his first pot case in 2009. As he

accepted more cannabis clients, he adapted to the city and state’s

fluctuating regulations, where new, often complicated rules popped up every few months.

Last March, Black was asked to

join the city’s Marijuana Working Group, a task force dedicated to

designing ordinances for Colorado Springs’s cannabis. For him, the

fight for cannabis is like a swinging pendulum, as prohibitionists push back against recent progress, and

advocates push forward just a little going to be legalized and decrimi-

nalized in more and more states,” he says. “It’ll be regulated much like alcohol, and I think we’re eventually going to have cannabis clubs both here and nationally.”

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PHOTO BY DANIELLE WEBSTER

harder. “Over time, cannabis is

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ROYA L GORGE // C AÑON CIT Y, CO: Walking across the Royal Gorge Bridge is exciting enough. But thrill-seekers can ride zip-lines, gondolas, and even swing over the 1,200-foot-deep canyon.

Colorado is one of America’s premier tourist destinations.

But who knew it could be so … weird?

What a long, strange trip

by RANDY ROBINSON

WHEN MOST PEOPLE THINK OF

Colorado,

THEY IMAGINE PINE

F O R E S T S , S N O W C A P P E D M O U N TA I N S, A ND DEER. DESERTS, ALLIGATORS, AND ALIENS DEFINITELY DON’T TO P T H AT L I S T, B U T T H AT ’S B E C A U S E C O LO R A D A N S K E E P OUR BEST-KEPT SECRETS CLOSE TO OUR HEARTS. IF YOU’RE L O O K I N G TO E X P E R I E N C E T H E O D D E R S I D E O F W H AT O U R S TAT E H AS TO O F F E R, F O L LO W T H I S G U I D E. CHICKEN SINCL AIR // HOOPER, CO: You know you’re in Hooper when you spot the giant avian statues at the local Sinclair gas station.

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The Skyward Beacon UFO WATCHTOWER

For UFO enthusiasts, the

To date, Messoline claims

San Luis Valley is a place of

there’s been over a hundred

mesh that acts as an

legend. The first document-

sightings at the Watchtower

observation deck. For kids

ed cattle mutilation (well, a

ever since its founding in

with a wavering interest in

horse, actually) took place

2000. The most recent

flying saucers, there’s a

here in the 1950s. Ever since

sighting, she says, hap-

playground onsite to keep

that macabre discovery,

pened at the end of March.

them occupied. Even if no

locals and travelers swear

During half the year, the

nestled beneath a metallic

little green men appear

they’ve seen anomalous

UFO Watchtower is relative-

during your visit, the

lights flying through the

ly empty outside of “ The

stargazing experience alone

skies here. That gave local

Garden,” an area where

is worth the trip: the sky

Judith Messoline an idea:

travelers leave mementos

near Hooper isn’t dimmed

create a camping area for

as offerings to extra-dimen-

by big-city lights, so

the UFO chasers who

sional entities. Feel free to

satellites, shooting stars,

annually gathered in

leave an item, but it’s

and even the Milky Way are

Hooper, CO, in search of

über-bad juju to take

clearly visible at the UFO

otherworldly visitors.

something from the area.

Watchtower.

Next to The Garden sits the watchtower proper, a dome-shaped gift shop

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43

Feel free to leave an item, but it’s über-bad juju to take something from the area.

UFO WATCHTOWER // HOOPER, CO: The garden contains mementos of all types. As one would expect in Colorado, past visitors have left a number of empty cannabis bottles for our extra-dimensional friends.

PHOTO © RANDY ROBINSON

H O W E V E R, I F YO U L E F T T H I S L I O N E L R I C H I E G R E AT E S T H I T S C A S S E T T E TA P E , P L E A S E C O M E B A C K A ND C O L L E C T I T, A S A P.

surprised to know that

to own an alligator in most

tortoises, giant snakes,

open. Campers can show up

The Watchtower is always

alligators are one of the few

places, but some folks learn

lizards, frogs, emus, and a

any time, 24/7, without

creatures that can be frozen,

that the hard way.

parrot. Oh yeah, there's

reservations. In the event

thawed, and brought back to

Although the park is most

some friendly humans

you don’t happen to meet

life. They do fairly well in

famous for its legion of

there, too, who will guide

any reptilians from Alpha

the Colorado snow, thank

alligators, it also hosts

Draconis, you can hang out

you very much.

with some earthling reptiles just down the road.

Founded in 1977 as a humble tilapia farm, the Reptile Park has since

The Exotic Animal Sanctuary

evolved into a self-sustain-

REPTILE PARK

exotic pets and exotic

C O L O R A D O G ATO R S What in tarnation are gators doing way out here in Colorado? Aren’t they a Florida thing? You might be

44

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ing animal sanctuary. The park accepts abandoned pets forfeited to law enforcement—in case you didn’t know, it’s illegal

G ATORS REPTILE PARK // MOSCA, CO: Outside of wrestling, the gators at the Reptile Park live pretty chillaxed lives.

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M AY 2017

45

The sand reflects the moonlight like a billion tiny mirrors, casting an eerie silver glow over everyone and everything in the area.

GREAT SAND DUNES NATIONAL PARK // MOSCA, CO: If the sand gets too hot for your feet, you can always stroll through the creek at the base of the dunes.

who dabble in extreme

families who wish to stay

sports. If wrasslin’ a reptile

overnight, and respectful

strikes you as a little too

campers can spend a night

close-and-personal, you can

out in the dunes. If you do

buy some cheap feed to toss

plan to check out the dunes

at the super-lizards instead.

at night, aim for a night with a full moon. The sand reflects the moonlight like

A Desert Among the Trees

a billion tiny mirrors,

NATIONAL PARK

thing in the area.

G RE A T S A N D D U N E S Just a few miles from the UFO Watchtower and the Reptile Park looms one of America’s most anomalous natural formations: the Great Sand Dunes.

From a distance, the dunes look like a massive sand hill dropped at the base of the Rocky Mountains. If you dare to trek to the top of the dunes, you’ll find yourself immersed in a scene that looks more like Persia than it does Pueblo.

How did a desert end up in the middle of Colorado’s evergreen mountains?

According to geologists,

you, educate you, and even

For the starstruck, drop

ancient lakes in the area

take your photo while you

by the Reptile Park just to

evaporated nearly half a

pose with a baby gator.

see Morris. Chances are

million years ago. The sand

you’ve never heard of him,

never washed away. A

own enclosed ecosystem.

but you’ve likely seen him

cyclical flow of air and water

Waste from the tilapia fish

in films such as Happy

sweeps the sand from the

pools gets pumped through

Gilmore, Interview with a

base of the Sangre de Cristo

the sanctuary’s water pipes,

Vampire, Eraser, Blues

Mountains while opposing

feeding the park’s plants and

Brothers 2000, and Dr.

wind currents lift the sands

microorganisms. Some of

Doolittle 2 . He’s happily

back atop the dunes.

these reptiles even coexist

retired after a 25-year career,

alongside one another,

though he’s currently not

today attracts campers,

especially the turtles and

available to sign autographs.

hikers, and sandboarders

The Reptile Park acts as its

gators who can be caught

46

The Reptile Park also

The Great Sand Dunes

(yes, that’s a real thing) from

napping in the same scaly

offers gator wrestling

all over the world. There’s

cuddle puddle during the day.

classes for those of you

multiple camp sites for

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casting an eerie silver glow over everyone and everySummers at the dunes can get fairly hot during the day. Luckily, there’s a shallow run-off creek that flows along the base of the dunes. If the heat gets unbearable, feel free to literally roll off the hills and splash into some fresh, cold mountain water.

The Bridge to Nowhere R O YA L G O R G E B R I D G E

In 1929, Texan businessman Lon P. Piper ordered the construction of a bridge over Colorado’s Royal Gorge, a valley cut nearly 1,000-feet deep by the Arkansas River. Piper intended the bridge to become an amusement park, so for much of its existence it literally led to nowhere but “the other side.” Today, there’s a museum, restaurant, and gift shop on the other end of the bridge. During non-business hours, the bridge is known as Fremont County Road 3A, and it connects Route 50 to itself. Until 2001, the Royal Gorge Bridge was the

highest bridge in the world.

the gorge to the other

a castle out in the Rocky

Today, it still holds the

throughout the day.

Mountains?

record for the world’s

For a truly memorable

Almost four decades later,

Beyond the church are winding spiral staircases that lead up either of the

experience, helicopter tours

and Bishop’s Castle is still

castle’s towers. For travel-

will dive in and around the

under construction. Howev-

ers who don’t fear heights

across the bridge’s 1,300

bridge. If you’re lucky, you

er, it’s open to the public

(the Royal Gorge is on the

wooden planks. These

may catch park-approved

during daylight hours, so

itinerary, after all), climb all

planks contain narrow

bungee jumpers attempting

long as you’re willing to sign

the way up to the top of the

gaps, so if you’re a bit of a

to break world records as

a safety waiver before

towers for a captivating

shoe-gazer, you will see the

they leap into the gorge’s

plumbing the castle’s

view of San Isabel and the

bottom of the gorge

gaping maw.

hidden recesses.

castle itself. There’s also a

highest suspension bridge.

Visitors can brave a trek

A stone arch leads to the

beneath your feet. If you

main road that accesses the

seek adventure, there’s no shortage here: rafting, climbing, hiking, and camping are available at the Royal Gorge. If you’re thirsting for a real rush, consider taking the zip line over the gorge, or hop into the Skycoaster swing. If you’d prefer a more mellow outing, a gondola shuttles passengers from one side of

The King of the Hill BISHOP’S CASTLE

In the 1970s, Coloradan Jim Bishop bought a plot of land in San Isabel National Forest. While constructing a brick building to house his water tank, a neighbor jokingly asked if Bishop was building a castle. One idea led to another, and Bishop got to thinking— what if he did actually build

castle. Along the way,

catwalk that stretches over the church’s rooftop.

On your way out, please

visitors discover Bishop’s

be mindful that Bishop’s

colorful political rants,

Castle operates on dona-

written on wooden plaques

tions. A locked donation box

scattered around the site.

can be found at the bottom

There’s multiple entrances

level. There’s also a raven

into the castle, but one of the

that lives in the area and

more popular waypoints is

stashes its treasures in a

the steep stairway that

nearby dollhouse. The

leads to the front of the

raven also accepts dona-

church. The church boasts

tions in the form of shiny

a cathedral-style architec-

trinkets. And if you’d like to

ture, complete with a vaulted

stick around after your

ceiling, stained glass

visit to the castle, there’s

windows, and a metallic

ample camping available

dragon’s head fitted at the

for miles around San Isabel

top. During the warmer

National Forest.

months, the church can be reserved for events such as weddings and holiday services.

BISHOP’S CASTLE // SAN ISABEL NATIONAL FOREST: Known to youngsters as “Colorado’s Hogwarts,” the castle is open yearround, and it’s always free. Donations, however, are greatly appreciated.

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SUPER COOPER

by RANDY ROBINSON

Meral Cooper raised a ruckus back in

nation’s harsh anti-drug

engineering, with the goal

method to clean soil.

laws.

of bringing lasting envi-

However, true to the

ronmental sustainability

revolutionary spirit, she

2013 when Colorado

She eventually met with

Springs City Council

city officials to discuss the

to Colorado—and the

hasn’t given up her

banned retail marijua-

retail ban, wherein she

world. In April, she deliv-

grassroots activism just

na. At that time, she was a

decided a raw, in-your-

ered a presentation at the

yet. She continues to

student at the University

face approach doesn’t

Institute of Cannabis

organize rallies to raise

of Colorado, and served as

always work. Currently a

Research, southern Colora-

awareness against climate

president of Students for

graduate student at

do’s first state-funded

change—except nowadays

Sensible Drug Policy, a

CSU-Pueblo, she’s moved

cannabis research pro-

she prefers to engage

student-led activist group

away from protesting and

gram, regarding hemp

others to educate rather

working to reform the

now devotes her studies to

planting as a natural

than agitate.

LOCAL FAVES Name // Meral Sarper Cooper

Coffeeshop // Poor Richard’s

Age // 26

Restaurant // Seeds Community Cafe

Occupation // Medical Engineer, Permaculture Consultant, Community Organizer

Dispensary // Native Roots

Originally from // Pueblo, CO

Strain/Concentrate // Blue Dream, of course

Motto // “ We shall overcome.”

Salon/Spa // Pure Spa and Wellness in Pueblo West, Colorado

Hero // Gandhi Currently Reading // Unacknowledged by Dr. Steven Greer

Edible // Incredibles Monkey Bar

Boutique/Shopping Destination // Manitou Springs Hiking Trail // Barr Trail Park // Palmer Park

PHOTO BY DANIELLE WEBSTER

Ski Resort/Mountain // Monarch Mountain Go-To Spot to Take Out-of-Towners // Garden of the Gods Your Happy Place // Home with my husband and puppies {CONTINUED ON PAGE 50}

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49

{CONTINUED FROM PAGE 49}

ELEVATED TOPICS Q // Whatcha call it?

Cannabis, marijuana, pot, weed…

A // Definitely “cannabis.”

You know, the actual scientific term.

Q //What was the first Colorado Springs or Pueblo dispensary you visited? What did you buy?

A // LivWell. I think I got an eighth and some edibles.

Q // What’s your favorite way to elevate? Eat it, smoke it, vape it, dab it, or just rub some pot on it (aka a topical)?

A // Vape it. Eat it.

Q //How’s it make you feel?

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

A // Make art, and listen to music and dance.

PHOTO BY DANIELLE WEBSTER

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

A // Take it slow, and don’t overuse it.

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