Sensi Magazine - Denver/Boulder (July 2018)

OULDER DDE E NNVVEERR///BBO ULDER

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7.2018 7.2018

Have Pooch, Will Roam

PUPPY playgrounds cool summer FUN WHAT TO DO IN JULY

plus

Canna(da) : Northern Updates Smokin’ Trends

Escape to the Western Slope

float ON RAF TING

COLORADO’S WATERWAYS

sensimag.com JULY 2018 3

US based Wholesaler

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ISSUE 7 // VOLUME 3 // 7.2018

FEATURES 84

S P E C I A L RE P O RT

LOCAL FLAVOR Some Like It Hot

46

O Canna(da)

Is our neighbor to the north poised to pass the United States as the leading cannabis nation?

92 Cool Summer Fun

There’s so much happening around Denver and Boulder, there’s no way we’re hiding in the air conditioning.

102 Go Ask Alice

A Super Troopers hater’s guide to stoner movies.

COLORADO IN JULY The Best of What’s Around

every issue

50

FUREVER FRIENDS Take Your Pup On Summer Adventures

13 Editor’s Note 18 The Buzz 28 NewsFeed

58 LifeStyle

40 CrossRoads

74 HighProfile

CBD IS IT RIGHT NOW

THE FUTURE IS NOW

46 TasteBuds

DISCOMFORT FOOD

RAFTING SEASON

64 TravelWell NORTH FORK GETAWAY

TRACY FERRELL

126 HereWeGo

BE THE GOAT

50 AroundTown

LET THE DOGS OUT

Sensi Magazine is published monthly by Sensi Media Group LLC. © 2018 SENSI MEDIA GROUP LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

sensimag.com JULY 2018 11

sensi magazine ISSUE 7 VOLUME 3 7.2018

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Call to schedule your first experience

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720.778.6929 • TheAdjustatorium.com 1727 15th Street, Suite 100B, Boulder, CO 80302 12 JULY 2018 Denver // Boulder

Marijuana Business Daily Minority Cannabis Business Association National Cannabis Indusstry Association Students for Sensible Drug Policy

editor’s

W EL COME TO T H E

NOTE

HOT ISSUE I’ll be your host, and I’m pretty pumped about that. I had passed the Denver/

Boulder edition on to a managing editor in February so I could focus on Sensi’s expansion into new markets across the US—seven, to be exact—and it’s been a whirlwind getting there. It was freeing to get away from my desk, to travel, to see the excitement as the message of the new normal resonated with readers across the country.

But full disclosure: I missed making a magazine myself. I missed surrounding myself with notebooks and stacks of the monthly rags I subscribe to seeking inspiration on the pages during overnight brainstorming sessions. I missed deep diving into the internet seeking photo sources that fit our startup editorial budgets, I missed the process of putting together the lineup and writing assignment letters and all the other things that go along with it. I missed making magazines with a message.

And my message for this “What’s Hot” issue is simple: follow your passions. There’s nothing hotter than you being you. So when the managing editor of Denver/Boulder stepped down, I leapt at the chance to restructure the editorial department so I could take back over the day-to-day details of our flagship publication.

I hope my passion translates onto these pages—and all the coming ones, too. For this issue, we put together a lineup of features about how to take advantage of the incredible range of things Colorado living has to offer, from rafting trips to pet-friendly hikes to the best events and happenings to put on your calendar this month. Then there’s also my travel essay written from the floor of a campsite I found myself in the week I was meant to be writing something else. It’s deeply personal, more personal than anything I have published before. But it felt right, so I went with it.

One more message for you then: go with the flow. You just may end up right where you want to be.

Stephanie Wilson ED I TOR I N CHI EF SENSI MAGAZINE

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ADVISORY BOARD

Cultivate Professionalism : alent T F & y M dustr n I s i ab vices r Cann e S iting Recru

Mac & Fulton Talent Partners is the most knowledgeable and attentive recruiting agency in cannabis, hydroponics, and horticulture.

www.mandfconsultants.com 14 JULY 2018 Denver // Boulder

1906 New Highs // CHOCOLATE The Adjustatorium // CHIROPRACTIC Agricor Laboratories // TESTING LAB Azara // COMPLIANCE Bulldog Protective Solutions // SECURITY Cannabis Clean // CLEANING CannaRabbit // COURIER The Clinic // SEED BANK Cohen Medical Centers // MEDICAL CENTERS Colorado Cannabis Company // THC COFFEE Concentrate Supply Co. // RECREATIONAL CONCENTRATES CWC Soil LLC // SOIL Denver Custom Packaging // PACKAGING EndoCanna // MEDICAL CONCENTRATES Escape/Evolutionz // THE CLEAR™ Evolve Formulas // TRANSDERMAL Franklin Bioscience // PILLS AND TABLETS Greenhouse Payment Solutions // PAYMENT PROCESSING GreenLink Financial // BANKING Hybrid Payroll // STAFFING AND HR BENEFITS L’Eagle Services // SUSTAINABILITY Lab Society // EXTRACTION EXPERT AND LAB SUPPLIES Lowspark Incorporated // DISTRIBUTION Mac & Folton Talent Partners // RECRUITING marQaha // SUBLINGUALS AND BEVERAGES Mary Jane’s Medicinals // TOPICALS MedPharm // LIFESTYLE VAPE Monte Fiore Farms // RECREATIONAL CULTIVATION Mountain High Suckers // CBD EDIBLES Mustache Dabs // ROSIN PRESS Nature’s Root // HEMP COSMETICS Next Frontier Biosciences // BIOSCIENCES Purple Monkey // TEAS Pyramid // DISTILLATES Revered Inc. // INHALERS RiNo Supply Company // CANNABIS CULTURE Rogue Recovery // AUTISM RxCBD // CBD PET TREATS Safe Haven Solutions // ARMORED GLASS Sharp Solutions Courier & Consulting // TRANSPORTATION Source Colorado // WHOLESALE CONSULTING SteepFuze // CBD COFFEE Steve’s Goods // CBG PRODUCTS Success Nutrients // NUTRIENTS Terrapin Care Station // RECREATIONAL DISPENSARY Toast // MINDFUL CONSUMPTION Wana Brands // EDIBLES WillPower // SPORTS NUTRITION Wilton Inc. // PAYROLL PROCESSING

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sensi

buzz

THE NEW NORMAL

Summer

Reading List

Summer afternoons are meant for hammock swinging and book reading. When you’re ready for your next read, no need to head to the library, the book store, or the Kindle department on amazon.com. Just open up Libby and gain instant access to thousands of ebooks and audio books available at the local library. All you need is a library card, and you can borrow digital brain-boosting materials for free, no matter where you happen to be. Once you download, you can read in the Libby app or send to your Kindle—your choice—and dive in.

Place a digital hold on titles currently checked out, and you’ll get an alert when it’s your turn. The book will be added to your library and you’ll get notified that it’s ready for you to read. Here’s the best part, though: the Too Hot to Hold section.

This is where the books you want to read NOW are available for instant download. Some of the titles available to download and start reading instantly include*, in no particular order:

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins Today Will Be Different by Maria Semple Everything I Never Told You by Celest Ng The Vacationers by Emma Straub A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel Wild by Cheryl Strayed The Circle by Dave Eggers The Nix by Nathan Hill 1984 by George Orwell It by Stephen King Between the World and Me

by Ta-Nehisi Coates The Girls by Emma Cline Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn Moonglow by Michael Chabon Swing Time by Zadie Smith Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

by Jonathan Safran Foer A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan And so on.

—Stephanie Wilson *Confession: I chose these titles because I’ve read these books after buying them on Amazon to read on my Kindle. Price: Hundreds of dollars. Borrowing them instead: Free. Choose more wisely than me.

SENSI RECOMMENDS

Our editors offer up some suggestions for titles and tales to get lost in this season.

Sticky Fingers: The Life and Times of Jann Wenner and Rolling Stone Magazine

by Joe Hagan “Back in the days when I read Rolling Stone religiously every fortnight, I was ready to go out and get sweaty at a concert. After finishing this sordid look at Wenner and his life and times, I just want to take a long shower.”

Leland Rucker, Senior Editor

How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence

by Michael Pollan “I can’t think of anyone else who could introduce mainstream America to the possibilities of psychedelics with such perfection. Think Botany of Desire on Psilocybin.”

Robyn Griggs Lawrence, Contributing Editor

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Pretty Mess

by Erika Jayne, Real Housewives of Beverly Hills “One does not have to be a fan of Bravo’s Real Housewives franchises to appreciate this memoir exploring the world of show business when a beautiful woman attempts to succeed in the cut-throat industry.”

Debbie Hall,

Las Vegas Managing Editor

Where’d You Go Bernadette

by Maria Semple Bernadette is a witty tale about a mother who disappears from her upper middle class life, told through diary entries, letters, and other literary mechanisms sprinkled with laugh-out-loud observations about the absurdity of life. It’s the perfect read for the summer: light but not pure trash, won’t wreak havoc on your brain or make you feel bad for your soul.

­Stephanie Wilson Editor in Chief

LELAND’S SENSIBILITIES

What’s on the mind of Sensi’s senior editor this month?

CANNABIS IS PAYING ITS WAY The Moody’s credit agency recently finished a survey of states with legal marijuana and came to the conclusion that cannabis taxes, while giving states money for regulation, doesn’t give them much more. And I’ve heard several speakers claim recently that legalization has failed because proponents claimed pot taxes would solve all the state’s financial ills, and it hasn’t lived up to that.

Let’s be clear. Nobody in the Amendment 64 campaign ever promised legalizing cannabis for adult use would solve Colorado’s financial woes. Nor would anybody with any common sense. In 2017, the state received a total of $250 million in cannabis revenue from three main sources: a 15 percent excise tax, a special sales tax on retail marijuana that went from 10 percent to 15 percent last year, and a 2.9 percent sales tax on medical marijuana. Perhaps, because we talk in billions these days, that doesn’t sound like much.

It is only two percent of Colorado’s annual budget, but it’s nothing to sneeze at. Perhaps the critics are not aware that, besides providing $40 million every year for school construction projects, it takes care of the $13 million Marijuana Enforcement Division budget, and another $40 million for education programs like the state’s Good to Know cannabis awareness campaign, and the Healthy Kids Colorado initiative. About $3 million goes to law enforcement to find better ways to determine driving impairment, and $6 million went to local jurisdictions to help combat lingering black-market sales.

Counties and cities get a percentage of state taxes, which has helped fund scholarships for students in Pueblo and allowed the town of Edgewater near Denver to repair its streets and sidewalks.

The illegal cannabis market in the US is estimated to be almost $40 billion. Taxing all that pot won’t solve our problems, but it certainly couldn’t hurt, either.

sensimag.com JULY 2018 19

THE NEW NORMAL

sensi

buzz

What’s Sizzling: Colorado’s Economy

Last month, WalletHub released its report on “2018’s Best & Worst State Economies,” a study that looked at how each state is contributing to the economic growth of the country at large. Basically, it sought to answer the question: which states are pulling the most weight? The evaluations looked at economic activity, economic health, and innovation potential, using data on a range of factors, from GDP growth and startup activity to median household income and number of tech jobs.

Colorado came in fifth overall, after Washington, Utah, Massachusetts, and California. Some key indicators of the Centennial State’s economic strength: Highest GDP growth (No. 2), Most Startup Activity (No. 4), Lowest Unemployment Rate (Tied for No. 1), and Highest Median Household Income (No. 5). Colorado ranked very poorly among Fewest Exports Per Capita, coming in at No. 49.

Note that cannabis is legal for adult use in all but one of those states in the top —SW 5. Coincidence? Maybe. But I highly doubt it.

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Editor’s Choice:

BookBar This independent in the Tennyson Art District is a book store + wine bar combo that’s a gathering place as much as it is a genius respite from the heat. Settle down in one of the reading nooks throughout the multiroom space or stake a claim on the patio and get lost in a summer read during the evening. The menu of locally sourced, house-made finger foods are designed to be easily consumed when you’ve got a book in hand. There are literary events happening all month long, from book clubs and writing workshops for teens to author readings and discussions. While you’re in the neighborhood, check out some of the other local shops then stop by the latest outpost of High Point Creamery for a treat to cool you down. Order a scoop or two of the raspberry basil—trust me on this one.

 Â? Â? Â? Â?  Â?  Â

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BookBar / 4280 Tennyson St. / bookbardenver.com

Check it Out At the library, you can rent so much more than just books. Here’s a quick hit list of some of the other items your Denver Public Library card gains you access to: • Chromebooks • State Parks Pass • Museum and Cultural Passes • GoPro Camera • Power Check Monitor • Video Projector • Wireless Hotspot Did You Know? Boulder Library’s Seed to Table program is a combo of events and resources from the library and community partners with a focus on sustainable living. At the Seed Library, you can pick up seed packets for growing flowers and edible plants at home.

ltivation post-harvest cu Specializing in and sanitizing. facility cleaning p a no cost, us today to setu l ai em or ll ca Please site quote. no obligation on

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sensi

buzz

THE NEW NORMAL

AIR - C O N D ITIO N E D HO T SPO T:

Milk Market

The all-local, all-wonderful mix of takeaway and dine-in restaurants and bars run by Colorado chef Frank Bonanno, the 16-venue Denver Milk Market (DENVERMILKMARKET.COM) is the cornerstone of the historic Dairy Block. From wine and seafood to slices and bao buns, there’s something to make your tastebuds sing on one of the many menus here, and you’ll get to

eat it in a lively setting. The event schedule was still filling out for the summer as of press time, but in the first few weeks the venue was open, it hosted happenings like Puppy Yoga—and do you really need to hear more than that? Puppies, period.

Fine: also live music brunch, wine tastings, and classes in partnership with the Denver Botanic Gardens.

BOTTOM FEEDER FILL

Nothing tastes more like summer than a lobster roll. Just because we’re 2,000 miles from the Maine coastline doesn’t mean we can’t relish every bite from the New England delicacy. Here are three ways to get your East Coast fix in the Mile High.

Denver Lobster Shop

Each roll is made with fresh Maine lobster, flown in daily. Available only for delivery, and only through Uber Eats. They run for $25 a pop—not cheap but your tastebuds are worth it. The menu features three options: classic, hot, and buttered, and the Mile High, made with fresh Maine lobster, avocado, spicy chipotle aoili, bacon, bibb lettuce, and tomato. Seems a little sacrilegious but you do you.

denverlobstershop.com

Maine Shack

Ironically replacing the LoHi restaurant known as Über Eats, this spot is a brickand-mortar seafood joint brought to us by the folks from Bar Dough and Señor Bear and other local entrepreneurs.

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Along with the rolls, the menu is going to feature whole bellied fried clams, and hot and cold roast beef sandwiches. Its opening date is still “later this summer” as of press date. Keep an eye on the Facebook page for opening info.

FB.com/maineshack

Rock N Lobster Roll

This food truck, focused on “bringing an East Coast tradition to Denver and surrounding areas,” is a traveling hot spot for delicious crustaceans. Along with the rolls, you can order Lobster Cheese Fries, Lobster Tacos, Lobster Mac N Cheese, and Lobster Nachos, made with lobster queso, summer corn salsa, cilantro, lime, and cotija cheese. Peep their schedule to find the truck’s whereabouts. rocknlobsterroll.net

NOTABLE + QUOTABLE

“Deep summer is where laziness finds respectability.”

—Sam Keen, American author, professor, philosopher

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{newsfeed}

by L E L A N D R U C K E R

28 JULY 2018 Denver // Boulder

CBD, or cannabidiol, the non-psychoactive chemical found in cannabis that we tend to associate with the plant’s health benefits, is the hottest craze in wellness circles. It’s being pushed as cannabis that doesn’t get you high. TV newscasters and newspaper and magazine ads and articles are telling us that Americans are using it to deal with pain, anxiety, and sleep issues, even that it’s helping people get off opioids. O, the Oprah Magazine recently spotlighted CBD gumdrops by Lord Jones as a “dreamy find to help you get a good night’s sleep,” and MSN dubbed it “a buzzy trend in the wellness world.” That’s the type of hype we hear all the time, but with cannabidiol, it’s more than just hype. This is an industry ready to explode.

Just ask Gwyneth Paltrow. Her lifestyle brand Goop—you know, the one that convinced women to put jade eggs in their yonis for wellness’ sake, same one that put reiki (a “healing therapy” using “energy sweeping” for “emotional realignment,” says Goop) on the treatment menus at alternative wellness practices everywhere—even featured CBD products in the gift bags at the “In Goop Health” conference in June. This led Quartzy, the lifestyle arm of The Atlantic’s news outlet Quartz, to declare “Cannabis Has Officially Arrived in the Realm of Luxury Wellness.”

Locally grown luxury wellness? Even more high-end. And here in Colorado, we can lead the way. The state now regulates hemp, from which CBD is extracted, the same as any other agricultural product. CBD lotions, ointments, tinctures, lozenges, and pills are being carried in supermarkets and health-food outlets, and you can expect more to appear as federal restrictions drop, research steps up, and we find out more about the potential of this fascinating chemical compound.

In the meantime, we rounded up some local CBD products that you can incorporate into your wellness pursuits. Each of these Colorado companies shares one thing: a desire to create quality products using hemp-based products.

sensimag.com JULY 2018 29

So Sweet Honey is among the most popular sweeteners in the world, and hemp one of the most versatile plants. Colorado Hemp Honey raises its own bees, who make pure, raw honey, which is then carefully infused with organic, locally sourced, full-spectrum Colorado hemp oil. The resulting hemp honey can then be added to anything you use the sticky substance for, perfect for mixing into your chamomile tea or a smoothie, as a special ingredient in your favorite barbecue recipe, or just licking off the spoon.

And don’t forget your companion animals, either. As they get older, they experience arthritis and inflammation just like we do. Drizzle some of the company’s new Thera-Bee Crazy Bee Gone, with a vegetarian bacon flavor, and just the right dosage for your pup.

Colorado Hemp Honey is available in many stores around the state, including Lucky’s Market, Nederland Feed & Supply in Nederland, and the Market at Larimer Square in downtown Denver, or online at COLORADOHEMPHONEY.COM .

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Colorado Hemp Honey raises its own bees, who make pure, raw honey, which is then carefully infused with organic, locally sourced, full-spectrum Colorado hemp oil.

Who knows what’s what?

WHO, that’s who.

The World Health Organization, an organization that directs and coordinates international health within the United Nations, released a preliminary report earlier this year that said naturally occurring CBD is safe, well tolerated in humans and animals, not associated with any side effects, and it has medicinal potential.

Some highlights from the report for the skeptics in the back:

“In humans, CBD exhibits no effects indicative of any abuse or dependence potential…CBD is generally well tolerated with a good safety profile…There is preliminary evidence that CBD may be a useful treatment for a number of medical conditions. To date, there is no evidence of recreational use of CBD or any public health-related problems associated with the use of pure CBD.” — World Health Organization

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It’s Uncanny!

Uncanny Wellness offers a line of capsules and water-soluble CBD powder that can be mixed into everything from coffee to guacamole, and drinks that blend CBD powder that are like an “herbal Gatorade,” according to founder and CEP Alex Corren. We caught up with him to find out more.

SENSI: What is UnCanny Wellness?

ALEX CORREN: We’re on a mission to empower people to live happier, healthier lives

by creating innovative and accessible hemp-derived CBD products. All our products are formulated around a highly bioavailable, water-soluble, full-spectrum CBD powder, which is far more versatile than traditional oil-based extracts.

SENSI: What are water-soluble products?

AC:

Hemp extracts are naturally oil-soluble, which is totally fine for tinctures,

creams, vapes—basically anything oil-based. Our CBD is converted into a water-soluble powder, which is more versatile than oil-based extracts and greatly increases oral absorption. A big part of what we do is based on the belief that CBD should be used in synergy with other powerful herbs and extracts as part of a holistic approach to health.

SENSI: What is the advantage of water-soluble products?

AC: In the stomach, CBD oil has major bioavailability issues because of something

called the First Pass Effect, which reduces absorption rates to anywhere from

Making Headlines

If you’ve got CBD on the brain, it’s because it’s what everyone’s talking about all over the place constantly, and always in glowing terms.

“Beauty’s New High: CBD Oil”

—New York Times, January 2018

“No, CBD Oil Won’t Get You Stoned—But it Could Make Travel Less Stressful” —Condé Nast Traveler, April 2018

32 JULY 2018 Denver // Boulder

“CBD is Cannabis That Won’t Get You High. So Why Are So Many People Using It?” —Washington Post, May 2018

10–50 percent, based on the carrier oil and an individual’s metabolism. Our unique formulation allows for CBD to be mixed into water, coffee, tea, smoothies, juices, baked or frozen goods, and more, all while giving you maximum absorption. If you want to swallow your CBD, water-soluble is the way to go.

Clearly Works One of the most promising uses for CBD is pain relief. There are a host of transdermal lotions, salves, lozenges and pills, but Myaderm has come up with an application method that works quickly and efficiently for active people. Oral applications have to travel through the digestive system before reaching the pain area, but Myaderm’s transdermal cream goes beyond the surface, getting at the root of the pain. You apply CBD directly to the inflamed area for quick relief from

Organically Cultivated Sustainably Grown Clean Cannabis Best Overall Dispensary in Colorado Leafly (2017)

Best Dispensary Cultivation Denver Westword (2018)

Excellence In Innovation: Cultivation Award National Cannabis Industry Association (2018)

380 Quivas Street, Denver (303)-825-0497 • www.LeagleDenver.com

muscle pain and soreness.

“Why Athletes are Ditching Ibuprofen for CBD” —Outside magazine, April 2018

“How CBD Became the Unexpected Star of Legalized Pot” —Rolling Stone, May 2018

“CBD Coffee Is the Wellness World’s New Favorite Drink” —Bon Appétit, May 2018

“The Best CBD Products for Soothing Your Body and Mind” —GQ, April 2018 sensimag.com JULY 2018 33

[Note from our editor in chief: Myaderm is magic. Here’s my go-to anecdote that I tell everyone, because I can’t

found in more aggressive treatment options for acne-riddled skin. The initial results are in and reviews are strong.

stop raving about this stuff: I carry my stress in my upper

You can order Myaderm at a kiosk across from Tesla at

back, and when I’m sitting at my desk making magazines

the Park Meadows Mall in Lone Tree, or order online at

for extended periods of time, you can typically hear the

MYADERM.COM. Use code SENSI for 10 percent off your purchase.

knots in my back grinding when I roll my shoulders. I’ve tried all kinds of topicals—THC, CBD, 1:1—and nothing did the trick until Myaderm. But it’s not just stopping the pain from the knots; with Myaderm, there are no knots.

I’ve sent bottles to Sensi’s creative director, who was getting steroid shots for her tennis elbow, and she said she watched the color return to her fingertips the first time she used it. Another colleague said it worked on an issue even steroid shots from his doctor couldn’t relieve. Seriously: try it. It works.]

Myaderm also makes products for your companion animals, although getting the transdermal cream onto a fur baby’s skin isn’t always the most convenient delivery method. The company also just released a CBD Blemish Control that’s an all-natural alternative to the harsh chemicals

34 JULY 2018 Denver // Boulder

You apply CBD directly to the inflamed area for quick relief from muscle pain and soreness.

sensimag.com JULY 2018 35

Please fill out our CBD survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3YDYFTJ

LIFE IS MORE BEAUTIFUL WHEN YOU MEET THE RIGHT HAIRDRESSER Nice to meet you,

my name is

Celia. @hairbycelia_z stylist + makeup artist celia@theparlour.net 303.444.3747 THEPARLOUR.NET 36 JULY 2018 Denver // Boulder

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Our mission is to create equal access and economic empowerment for cannabis businesses, their patients, and the communities most affected by the war on drugs.

DEVELOPING A nationwide network of cannabis business owners within a variety of disciplines, including ancillary businesses ADVOCATING For creation and fair enforcement of sensible, equitable policies ACCELERATING Increased cannabis industry growth by ensuring patient and consumer access to the most people SERVING As a voice for the minority population with programs that foster opportunity, education, and equality

Visit us at MinorityCannabis.org to join the movement today!

memberships@minoritycannabis.org @MinCannBusAssoc

38 JULY 2018 Denver // Boulder

@MinorityCannabis

@MCIA.org

sensimag.com JULY 2018 39

{crossroads}

by R I C A R D O B A C A

THE

IS NOW Trends we’d like to see more of in legal cannabis.

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So much this.

San Francisco Chronicle when my friend (and fellow canna-

Like any Gen Xer co-opting Millenialspeak, I’m certainly

bis journalist) David Downs pointed me in the direction of a

guilty of employing this modern linguistic device when

retail marijuana shop called Barbary Coast.

sharing something I wholeheartedly agree with on social

“Once you walk in, you’re inside the shop, of course,” he

media. In another era we might have said Exactly or I totally

said. “But keep going back, and let me know what you think.”

agree, but ultimately the meaning is the same: YAAAAS.

I headed over on my own, bought some of Kiva’s infused

So while there are countless heady conversations and de-

chocolate-covered coffee beans and walked to the back of the

bates to be had about the present and future of legal, regu-

dispensary, where a friendly gentlemen checked me into an ad-

lated cannabis—and other substances that should not be

joined lounge connected to the shop. The space was elegant and

deemed illegal—it’s summertime, and I’d like to celebrate

lush, and the leather booths were filled with lone professionals

some of the big wins we’re starting to see, some of the

on laptops, double-dates canoodling, and work meetings get-

trends born out of legalization that are beginning to develop,

ting shit done—not unlike the scene at Philz Coffee down the

some of the news stories that occasionally come across our

road—only these customers were hitting vapes, rigs, and joints.

feeds that inspire an RT with an exclamation, So much this!

So while there is still much work to be done, here are a few 420-friendly trends I’m jazzed about.

(LEGAL) SOCIAL CANNABIS USE Adult-use cannabis became the law of the land in Colorado in December 2012, when Gov. John Hickenlooper signed

It was beautiful, especially given the public consumption struggle we’ve witnessed in Colorado. But it was also painfully normal—boring, even. It felt like an elevated coffee shop or bar environment. The place wasn’t hot-boxed, but the scent of weed was certainly present. It was normalized, and as beautiful as it was, it was also frustrating knowing how much legislators and prohibitionists are fighting this kind of progress back in my home state.

Amendment 64 into the state’s constitution. Yet here we are nearly six years later, and it’s still illegal to consume marijuana almost anywhere in the state.

POST-LEGALIZATION SOCIAL EQUITY PROGRAMS

It’s just embarrassing, and even an enlightened attempt to

These kinds of headlines give me my favorite kind of

create the world’s first permitted cannabis consumption spac-

goosebumps: “San Francisco to Dismiss Thousands of

es—Denver County’s voter-approved Initiative 300—has yet

Marijuana Convictions,” National Public Radio; “Top New

to make a real impact in widening legal spaces for social use.

York Lawmaker: Expunge Convictions if Cannabis Goes Le-

So imagine Coloradans’ chagrin when they read about can-

gal,” The Associated Press; “In These States, Past Marijuana

nabis consumption lounges opening up in Northern California

Crimes Can Go Away,” HuffPost; “Details on Plan to Expunge

(San Francisco) and Southern California (West Hollywood) less

Some Vermont Pot Convictions,” CBS affiliate WCAX.

than six months after the state’s Proposition 64 was imple-

Think about it: Those four recent headlines from trusted,

mented. And as a lifelong Denverite, allow me to say to my

mainstream news organizations just took us coast-to-

friends and readers in Cali: We’re not hating, we’re just jealous.

coast-to-coast-to-coast, referencing local initiatives across

I was in the Bay Area earlier this year speaking at a Na-

the US that will expunge cannabis convictions from people’s

tional Association of Hispanic Journalists gathering at the

records now that marijuana is legal where they live. sensimag.com JULY 2018 41

This is right. This is just. This is fair. This is the future, and

based middle path ended up laying the groundwork for

thank goodness these nonviolent marijuana offenders will

much of the cannabis journalism you read today. (If you’re

no longer have to deal with the significant repercussions of

curious about those early days, check out the documenta-

having a weed citation or arrest on their criminal record.

ry Rolling Papers, which is still streaming on Netflix.)

Of course, not enough states are pushing these kinds of

And so it makes me proud to see mainstream media or-

laws, and some progressive programs appear to be falling

ganizations report responsibly on cannabis, especially

short. (Funding For Social Equity Piece of Retail Marijuana

since most of them were still repeating the garbage gate-

is Slow in Coming—Worcester (Mass.) Telegram) But still,

way-drug narrative after Washingtonians and Coloradans

California and Vermont are on the right side of history, and

became the first to legalize it in 2012.

other states will soon follow suit.

SANE, FACT-BASED REPORTING IN THE MEDIA I’m a pretty average guy when it comes down to it, but if

Enter André Picard, the health columnist at the Globe and Mail, the most widely read newspaper in Canada with roots dating back nearly 175 years. Here’s what Picard columnized on late-May 2018, as Canada prepared its federal implementation of legal, regulated recreational weed:

I have a legacy, it will likely involve the impact my col-

“As Canada prepares to go live with pot sales in a few

leagues and I had on the way cannabis is discussed and

months, what can we learn from four years of practical,

reported on in the mainstream media.

hands-on experience in the western United States?

I started The Cannabist from inside the Denver Post’s

“The first takeaway is that all the fretting about the im-

newsroom in 2013, and while we refused to repeat the

pact on children and teens is largely unwarranted. Before

many lies of prohibition, we also ignored the blind activism

legalization, 17 percent of Grade 10 students in Washington

of publications like High Times—and that modern, fact-

State said they had smoked pot in the previous month. Four

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42 JULY 2018 Denver // Boulder

THIS IS JUST. THIS IS RIGHT. THIS IS FAIR.

THIS IS THE FUTURE.

years of legal doobies later, 17 percent of Grade 10 students say they have smoked pot in the previous month.�

While some journalists and columnists still spread fear-

As the headline of his column hints: The kids will be alright.

And so long as journalists report on what is known, instead of what they were told as children, so will they, I hope.

based narratives with no basis in the legal market, Picard looked to the most experienced municipalities in legal cannabis and told his readers about what they have experienced, based entirely on government (state and federal) data.

RICARDO BACA is a veteran journalist, thought leader and founder of The Cannabist.

His content agency Grasslands works primarily with businesses and individuals in the cannabis and hemp industries on thought leadership, publicity, and marketing projects via thoughtful, personalized content campaigns.

sensimag.com JULY 2018 43

COLORADO'S LEADING ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY BRAND ZERO CARBON FOOTPRINT

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SPECIALIZING IN HIGH CBG AND RARE CANNABINOID O R G A N I C F L O W E R A N D C O N C E N T R AT E S W W W. P O T Z E R O . C O 44 JULY 2018 Denver // Boulder

sensimag.com JULY 2018 45

{tastebuds}

by J O H N L E H N D O R F F

DISCOMFORT FOOD Appreciating some other edibles that can elevate your consciousness

46 JULY 2018 Denver // Boulder

I’m not into pain as a way of life or dining. I gave up judging salsa and green chile contests a while ago because they were all about heat, not flavor. However, I regularly feel the need for heat to shake the cobwebs off the taste buds.

Capsaicin is good stuff. It fights inflammation and assists weight loss by pumping up the metabolism. It paradoxically cools you down on hot summer days by making it sweat. You become a walking swamp cooler. Serious research is underway on its more unknown effects on various diseases. My theory is that the incendiary spice scares the bacteria and viruses to death.

As with various cannabis products, spicy foods from After I take that

across the globe produce very different effects. The “hot”

first hit, I think to my-

experience of green peppercorns is different from the one

self: “This is nice. I can

provided by Southern Indian vindaloo or fresh wasabi.

handle this. I’ll have another

In Colorado, we’re lucky to have an indigenous hot food

small one.” I have another. About

culture built around green chilies. Smoky chile-roasting

that time the intensity starts to build, my

stands are a signature part of Colorado life in late summer

vision blurs a bit, and I wonder if, once again,

into fall. Over time, I’ve found a repertoire of hot foods that

I’ve overdone it. Then the rocket rush hits my lateral

fit various moods. Some are iconic dishes served at local

orbitofrontal cortex and obliterates whatever train of

eateries. Others are condiments created in the state or

thought I had been riding.

cooking ingredients that pump up the BTUs. Some of them

As the high tide subsides, I catch my breath as sweat droplets form rivulets on my forehead while I sputter, “Wow.” My common

really should come with a release to sign absolving the eatery from being sued for any oral or emotional damage.

sense says, Basta! No mas! But my body says, More, please.

This intense drug experience did not result from dabbing live resin or taking a hit of a kief-dusted, distillate-dampened, sativa-packed joint. It was a few spoonfuls of green shrimp curry at US Thai in Edgewater that I foolishly ordered “Thai hot.”

US Thai Cafe: Green Curry with Shrimp 5228 25th Ave. / Edgewater

Only a fool orders anything “Thai hot” at this legendary destination. The cooks at US Thai take particular pride in dis-

This is my brain on capsaicin, an uncontrolled substance

suading diners from ever making that mistake again. More

that prompts my body to release a flood of pain-blocking

importantly, when it’s too hot, you can’t taste the sacred

endorphins. Hence, that buzzed feeling. Frankly, hot food

balance of sweet, spicy, sour, and bitter and the Thai basil

can be a little addicting, and over time it can take more to

leaves, bamboo shoots, coconut milk, and vegetables in this

have the same impact.

great dish. sensimag.com JULY 2018 47

Bawarchi Biryanis: Avakaya Goat Biryani

Taste of Thailand: Flu Shot Soup

390 S. McCaslin Blvd. / Louisville / bawarchilouisville.com Also has Centennial and Fort Collins locations

2120 Broadway / Denver / tasteofthailand.net

With a taste unlike any other incendiary dish on this list, this item from Bawarchi Biryanis is a mind-altering substance with incredible layers of funky flavor. The secret ingredient is potent spicy-salty mango pickles. All that basmati does nothing to cool things down. Also highly heated: Chicken vindaloo.

I’ve killed many a real or imagined illness with a big, steaming bowl of Taste of Thailand’s Flu Shot Soup. Invigoration results from a chile-infused chicken broth with fresh garlic, ginger, celery, carrots, greens, herbs, and fried garlic.

I’m also a fan of the extra spicy yum salad with salmon.

Yong Gung: ‘Dynamite’ Jjambong 2040 S. Havana St. / Aurora

Savory Spice Shops: Ghost Pepper Powder

The classic Korean dish is an always-spicy seafood noo-

Aurora, Boulder, Denver, Fort Collins, Littleton / savoryspiceshop.com

dle soup with various ingredients. Aurora’s highly authentic

Call them Dorset Naga, Raja Chilli, or Tezpur, the ghost

Yong Gung takes it up several notches regarding flavor and

pepper is one scary vegetable. The powdered version from

fire with its “dynamite” jjamppong loaded with noodles, oc-

Colorado’s Savory Spice Shops must be used judiciously. At

topus, crab, squid, shrimp, and mussels.

one million Scoville Units, it is five-time hotter than habaneros. The company offers this cheery note: “Use extreme caution when working with these chilies! Wear protective gloves and a breathing mask.” For less danger, try the roasted green chile powder.

El Taco de Mexico: Chile Verde 714 N. Santa Fe Dr. / Denver / eltacodemexicodenver.com

At Home: Karami Japanese Salsa karamisalsa.com

Pueblo green chilies replace the seaweed in this traditional Japanese condiment bottled in Boulder. Karami— which translates as “beautiful heat”—is an umami-rich, salty, sweet, and tart relish, dip, and recipe ingredient with just enough heat to make it addictive.

Dark and mysterious, the green chile at El Taco de Mexico is more soup than the gravy offered at other taquerias. The broth is thick with pureed roasted chilies and fall-apart pork chunks. I think of it as the IMAX version of green chile heat.

Work & Class: Peppers Five Ways 2500 Larimer St. / Denver / workandclassdenver.com

Hot satisfaction is waiting at chef Dana Rodriguez’s

Grab a bowl on the first Friday night of the month when San-

RiNo attraction in a dish that melds a rainbow of chile

ta Fe’s galleries are buzzing. Note: this place is cash only, and

notes with grilled shishitos, bacon-wrapped jalapeños,

there’s no beer on the menu. Don’t let that deter you.

pickled peppers, Fresno peppers, and hot pepper jam.

If you need more, add an extra jalapeño or Fresno.

At Home: Green Belly Hot Sauce greenbellyfoods.com

This Boulder-bottled hot sauce is inspired by a Guatema-

Masalaa: Mirch Ka Salan 3140 South Parker Rd. / Aurora / masalaausa.com

lan home recipe and unlike any other hot sauce around.

Masalaa spotlights the incredible vegetarian fare of

Green Belly is made with organic cilantro, garlic, and apple

southern India. I love the dosas, idly, vada, and uthappam

cider vinegar powered by pureed habanero. The secret in-

but they all taste better with doses of this gluten-free Hy-

gredient is extra virgin olive oil that gives it a smooth appeal.

derabadi dish: whole green chiles cooked in a zesty peanut,

Red Belly Hot Sauce is hot, smoky and creamy with roasted

coconut, and sesame sauce. Wash it down with mango las-

tomatoes, garlic and Guatemalan cobanero peppers.

si or spiced buttermilk.

48 JULY 2018 Denver // Boulder

At Home: Organic Hot Pickled Peppers farmhandorganics.com

Bottled by Westminster-based Farmhand Organics (formerly known as MM Local), these pickled peppers are sneaky hot and cathartic. Made only with Colorado-grown anaheim, jalapeño, poblano, and heirloom chile varieties—plus vinegar, garlic, sea salt, and spices—each year’s batch of pickled peppers has a unique flavor and heat level. Also fiery : Organic Spicy Napa Kimchi.

J O H N L E H N D O R F F is a retired chile and salsa judge (but an active pie judge). He writes the Nibbles column for the Boulder Weekly.

Colorado’s Hottest Food Festival

September 21–23 / Pueblo / festival.pueblochamber.org

Up to 100,000 attendees fully indulge their heat-seeking tendencies at Pueblo’s annual Chile & Frijoles Festival where bushels of Mosco, Mirasol, Big Jim, and dozens of other chile varieties labelled from “Mild” to “Extra Hot” get roasted. You can pick up enough to freeze and keep you warm for a year. Booths sell an array of hot dishes including the festival’s signature griddled quesadilla: tortillas filled with white cheese and a whole, peeled roasted green chile.

sensimag.com JULY 2018 49

{aroundtown}

by L E L A N D R U C K E R

50 JULY 2018 Denver // Boulder

P

CH PLACES

Have fun outside with your favorite pup.

The rule was—and not that long ago— that you couldn’t take your dog, unless it was a service animal, anywhere with you.

Today that’s changing, and quickly. People want to take their companions with them.

Dogs share space on the patios of breweries, restaurants, and coffee shops. Businesses are more open to employees who want their dogs to accompany them at work. We’re seeing a fundamental shift in our attitude towards our canine friends.

More and more, it’s becoming a dog’s world.

I can remember—not that long ago, either—when dogs weren’t allowed in hotels. Today, for an extra ten bucks a night, your dog can join you. Most hotels even

sensimag.com JULY 2018 51

have special facilities and dog runs for your animal’s plea-

used to fast-moving things like bicycles, or has she ever

sure. Here in Colorado, we like taking our dogs with us

seen a horse? Some dogs don’t like running into other ca-

when we hit the great outdoors.

nines, let alone horses, on trails.

So what should you consider before you take your dog into the mountains for a hike? First, think about your bud-

START SIMPLE. A good place to find out how your dog re-

dy. Does your animal interact well with other animals? Is he

acts to various stimuli is by visiting a dog park. Almost every

HIKING TIPS

Allison Hartlage, manager of animal training and behavior at the Boulder County Humane Society, sent this list of the most important things to consider before heading into the high country with your canine friends:

• Check trail restrictions or permissions and choose appropriately.

• Always bring extra water reserves.

• Bring more poo bags than you think you need, and always pack out your waste.

• Avoid afternoon storms in the high country. Hike in the mornings and check the weather.

• If your dog is reactive to fast moving things (bikes or horses), avoid mixed-use trails where you may encounter them.

• Follow leash laws and respect fellow trail users.

• Consider placing a bell on your dog’s collar to alert wildlife to your dog’s presence, especially if you are in an off-leash area.

• Watch for rattlesnakes!

• Prepare for your adventures by enrolling yourself and your canine hiking partner in a force-free recall (come when called) clinic or class.

• Bring lots of high-value food: Convincing your dog to come to you 52 JULY 2018 Denver // Boulder

instead of chasing a squirrel (or

• Be considerate of everyone enjoying

anything new, fun, and exciting) is

Colorado’s great trails and wildlife in

hard. Have tasty bribes.

many of the areas we explore.

• Ease animals in. We train for physical activity; they should, too.

• If you’re going to have your animals wear equipment (like a pack), make sure they are comfortable wearing these and have had some practice.

• Always make sure your dog is wearing identification, and consider including the location you’re staying in case you get separated.

• Talk to your veterinarian about any preventative vaccinations and medications from which your pet may benefit—like leptospirosis, heartworm medication, and flea and tick preventatives.

• Know where the closest veterinarian is and bring along a compact doggy First Aid Kit (local vet hospital numbers, antibiotic ointment, saline eye flush, tweezers, Benadryl).

• Consider your pet’s coloration—she may need sunscreen or Doggles (pet sunglasses).

municipality has at least one. (And don’t forget the human element involved. A lot of folks gather to let their dogs roam the parks and spend quality time with other dog-lovers.)

DO YOUR DUE DILIGENCE. If you’re a festival goer or you visit the local farmer’s market, remember to find out whether or not they allow animals—many still don’t. If not, don’t forget, especially during the summer months, that dogs are susceptible to heat stroke. There are laws against locking animals in cars during the warmer months.

HIT THE TRAILS. The ultimate trail in our state is the Colorado Trail, which stretches from outside Denver almost 500 miles to Durango and passes through some of the state’s most spectacular backcountry scenery. Except for a section of Waterton Canyon (to protect bighorn sheep habitat), dogs are allowed on the trail. Watch for signage, since some sections allow animals to run free, while others require a leash.

ALIVE! You

WHERE TO GO? Fortunately, there are plenty of places on the Internet to help you find the right places to take your pooch in Colorado. Start with these:

• bringfido.com • rover.com • coloradodirectory.com/dogs No matter where you and your doggies go, plan ahead, have fun, and enjoy summer outdoors.

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Each national and state park in Colorado has its own rules. In Colorado National Monument, near Grand Junction, dogs are allowed in campgrounds but not on trails.

They are allowed on the sandbanks of Great Sand Dunes Park, but not in the backcountry. Hovenweep National Monument allows dogs on all trails, but the more popular Mesa Verde National Park allows no dogs on trails, around buildings, or near ruins. Dogs are allowed to enter all state parks except Mueller State Park, Navajo State Park, and Roxborough State Park.

Your dog must be leashed, but one of the premier destinations is the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. There’s a nice doggie run at Rock Ledge Ridge and baggie stations along the entire trail system.

No matter your intent or destination, it’s best to plan ahead to make your outdoor trip a success.

There’s nothing better than exploring our incredible state with your pooch by your side.

54 JULY 2018 Denver // Boulder

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{lifestyle}

by L E L A N D R U C K E R

Create your own rafting adventure on the Colorado Rivers.

58 JULY 2018 Denver // Boulder

Chances are, when the subject of rafting comes up, the

Type “rafting Colorado” into a search engine, and you’ll

first image that comes to mind is huge white waves crash-

literally find dozens of outfitters and trips. In the past, there

ing over the bow of a small craft in a narrow, rocky canyon

weren’t a lot of choices, but today there are many ways to

while eight or 10 people hold on for their lives.

personalize your experience.

There’s plenty of that on Colorado rivers, but that’s not

“In Colorado, there are a lot of boutique outfitters,” Nein-

necessarily what the rafting experience is all about. As

as says. “It’s more of a lifestyle choice, and there are some

much as I enjoy bouncing around in heavy rapids (and get-

really excellent outfitters out there.”

ting thrown into the water every now and then), it’s just as

With so many choices, Neinas says the best thing you

cool to drift down a quiet river taking in the state’s moun-

can do is to start by doing a little homework, and then get

tains, valleys, rock formations, and wildlife you won’t see

on the phone with a few outfitters. Most importantly, he

anywhere else—all in the company of complete strangers

adds, is to dial in an adventure that matches what you’re

who become much less so in the course of a few hours

seeking. “The best thing you can do is ask good questions

spent floating and negotiating rapids together.

and get good answers to your questions,” Neinas explains.

“Adrenaline-seeking individuals are about one-third of our

“Be upfront about what you’re looking for and who’s ac-

guests,” says Andy Neinas, owner of Cañon City-based Echo

companying you. When are you coming? Who’s the oldest per-

Canyon Rafting Expeditions, which provides all kinds of rafting

son? The youngest? It’s kinda like beer,” he adds. “I have every-

opportunities for novices and river rats alike. “The other two

thing in my tap room from Pabst Blue Ribbon to Left Hand Milk

thirds are families, groups, team-building, and corporate events.”

Stout. It’s the same with rafting. Make sure you get the right

Whether in search of a white-knuckle outing or a relax-

experience. The guests are in charge, and they have the power.”

ing float, all rafters are looking for a quality, authentic ex-

Rivers are rated, or classed, according to their difficulty.

perience, Neinas says. “It’s not virtual reality, not a video

Class 1 rivers generally have wide channels and few, if any,

game, not a canned experience in an air-conditioned envi-

rapids or obstacles. Classes 2, 3, and 4 include quieter

ronment. Mother Nature is in charge. There is also the

stretches between the rapids, while Classes 5 and 6 fea-

chance to see real wildlife. There are as many answers as

ture steep chutes, lengthy drops and rougher routes meant

there are individuals.”

for the experienced, highly skilled rafter.

“And there’s something else, perhaps more intangible, that transcends the experience itself,” adds Jesse Burns, who came to Colorado to raft and has spent 10 years as a guide.

Spending a few hours getting wet together while navigating a scenic river passage is just a wonderful way to bond with other human beings. “Commercial rafting is a great social experiment where you meet random strangers who trust you to give them the trip of their lives,” Burns says. “For many, it’s the highlight of their trips.”

sensimag.com JULY 2018 59

No two rivers are the same, and the flow rate can vary

use rocks to create your own private hot spring around you.

wildly depending on the time of year, which means every

As for the Royal Gorge, a 10-mile stretch near Cañon City

run is unique. Snowmelt begins in the spring, which means

that includes famous rapids like Sunshine Falls, the Sledge-

that July will probably have lower flows than you might have

hammer, and the Narrows, Burns doesn’t hold back. “The

gotten last month. While that might not be good news for

most fun you can have in a raft for a single day is the Royal

true whitewater junkies, it’s probably the best time of year

Gorge,” he says. “It’s so dramatic: thousand-foot cliffs, warm

for newbies to get their feet wet.

The most popular rafting areas in Colorado are the Royal Gorge and Browns Canyon, both

and ‘desert-y’. It’s truly the best experience.”

“THE MOST FUN

on the Arkansas River, which hosts about half

YOU CAN HAVE

of all rafting in the state. “The reason is that

IN A RAFT FOR A

it’s all things to all people: the thrill ride, the intermediate not-looking-for-a-hair-onfire experience, and the Family Flow for those aged three to five,” Neinas says.

Browns Canyon between Buena Vista and Salida was just given well-deserved national

SINGLE DAY IS THE ROYAL GORGE.” —Jesse Burns

However, the big daddy of state rivers is the Colorado, which runs from high in the Rockies near Grand Lake before dropping down on its journey into Utah. The most challenging run in the state, according to Burns, is Gore Canyon near Kremmling. “It’s the most scared you can get in a day,” he laughs. “Pretty amazing rapids. You will have to be experienced and able to self-rescue to even try it. It’s an out-of-boat experience.”

monument status in 2015. Browns is especially beautiful in

Both Neinas and Burns admit their favorite river trip is in

the fall, when the huge groves of aspen that rim the canyon

the southwestern part of the state: the Dolores River, north

lose their chlorophyll and turn bright shades of yellow and gold.

of Mesa Verde National Monument near Durango. The Do-

Buena Vista and Salida have lots of lodging and restau-

lores runs through classic Southwest landscapes un-

rant choices. Salida’s historic old town encompasses several

changed for centuries, snaking through sublime sandstone

blocks of local businesses and shops. If you have an extra

cliffs and alpine terrain, with ancient Pueblo ruins evident all

day, there’s always the Mt. Princeton Hot Springs, nestled in

along the route.

the mountains west of Buena Vista, where you can book

But there is a catch: the Dolores season is often short,

massages, rest in private pools, or even sit in the river and

depending on the overflow water captured in the McFee

60 JULY 2018 Denver // Boulder

A Quick Guide COLORADO HAS A LOT OF RIVERS TO ENJOY RAFTING ADVENTURES. HERE ARE A FEW OF THE BEST. The Dolores River in the southwest part of the state is perhaps The Arkansas River includes the most remote rafting advenBrowns Canyon National Monu- ture, with desert scenery, Native ment and the Royal Gorge, the American art, and the solitude of two most popular rafting areas in being away from civilization. the state.

The Gunnison River includes the The Colorado River offers every Gorge National Conservation Area, kind of rafting trip, with Gore near Montrose, with challenging Canyon the most gnarly adven- trips through sandstone canyons. ture in the state and only for the experienced.

The Yampa and Green Rivers in northwest Colorado wind through The Cache La Poudre River has its remote, deep canyons and past own thrills and chills before drop- Native American art, fossils, and ping onto the plains near Ft. Col- unbelievable natural scenery in Dilins. It’s the state’s only National nosaur National Monument, one Wild and Scenic River. of Colorado’s most secluded areas. sensimag.com JULY 2018 61

Reservoir. Sometimes the season only lasts a few days. “The Dolores is one of the most incredible trips, but it doesn’t run very often, and there’s not much whitewater,” says Neinas. “But it’s an amazing place. When it runs, they come out of the woodwork.”

There are a plethora of half-day and one-day trips available, some with lots of whitewater, some with equal parts whitewater and calm, and others designed more for quiet family float excursions. If you really get the bug, the way to immerse yourself in the river experience is by taking a multiday excursion that includes camping along the shore in the evenings.

“The thing that solidified my passion was overnight trips with friends,” says Burns, who has done three-week trips through the Grand Canyon and one epic fact-finding trip on the Marañón River tributary of the Amazon in South America.

“Like with marijuana, it’s a feeling of personal freedom,” he says. “There is this sovereignty to the experience. It’s hard to feel that in other places.”

As far as tips for newbies, Burns has three quick basics: Wear sunscreen, don’t wear cotton, and tip your guide.

Neinas cautions that starting modestly and working from there is the clearest path to having a great experience. “Make sure your first experience with a Colorado outfitter is a good one, and then just go from there. Try different rivers, different whitewater. There is just so much to offer.”

“THERE IS THIS SOVEREIGNTY TO THE EXPERIENCE. IT’S HARD TO FEEL THAT IN OTHER PLACES.” —Jesse Burns

62 JULY 2018 Denver // Boulder

sensimag.com JULY 2018 63

{travelwell}

by S T E P H A N I E W I L S O N

64 JULY 2018 Denver // Boulder

A confession: this article on these pages—and the next

photo-heavy piece I had planned for this issue was going to

few as well—were supposed to be on the Wildflower Festival

include a mix of personal anecdotes and tips from my trips to

in Crested Butte, which happens every July. I went last year,

Crested Butte the last two summers, supplemented by

and it lived up to the very high expectations I had after read-

quotes and details from representatives of the festival, pos-

ing about it the previous our. Crested Butte is one charming

sibly a sidebar on a new restaurant or gallery to check out if

mountain town flanked by stunning Colorado scenery: rolling

you’re in town this year. It was going to be an interesting arti-

fields turning into rolling hills backed by mountain ranges that

cle that I hoped would inspire you, dear reader, to want to go

dominate the view in every direction. Midsummer, that al-

to Crested Butte this month—no need to go to the festival

ready stunning scene turns into a blanket of wildflowers. I

itself, just go for a hike. The flowers are everywhere. Nature at

had captioned my Instagram post of shots of the festival with

its best, I wanted to tell you.

something like: “Today we hiked right on into a postcard.” The

But then Bean died and I got lost. So here I am.

sensimag.com JULY 2018 65

Where is that exactly? Away. I had to get away from Denver,

main byway traversing Delta County on the Western Slope.

from my apartment where I work from home, where my little

I’m smack in the middle of the North Fork Creative District,

Bean kept me company every day, all four pounds of her chihua-

comprised of the small towns of Paonia, Hotchkiss, and

hua body on my lap content to snooze and snuggle while I

Crawford. This is Colorado wine country, a region abundant

worked. Bean was my buddy. We loved each other so much her

with organic farms and orchards set at the picturesque base

little heart couldn’t take it and it stopped suddenly one night

of Mt. Lamborn, an 11,402-foot peak in the West Elk Moun-

while we chilled on the couch. I couldn’t save her, and losing her

tain range. To get here, I took the Glenwood Springs exit off

broke me. I didn’t know what to do, I just knew I couldn’t do it in

I-70, drove through Carbondale and over McClure Pass, part

the empty space where Bean wasn’t. So I decided to run away to

of the 205-mile West Elk Loop Scenic Byway that affords

the woods and pitch a tent. And then I realized while I did have a

humbling views of some of Colorado’s magnificent scenery,

tent, that was all I had and I needed more to survive. So in a haze,

should your drive take place during daylight hours. The sun-

I went to HIPCAMP.COM and booked a tipi somewhere about four

set coincided with my exit from I-70, so I didn’t know what

and a half hours away in a part of the state I hadn’t yet been. A

stunning landscape surrounded me until dawn on day one,

clean slate. I threw some things in my car, plugged the address

which arrived in Hotchkiss only six or so hours after I did.

into Google Maps, and I got on I-70 and headed west.

The owner of the North Fork Tipi Haven met me in the

That was four days ago. While I chose this place seem-

field upon arrival and showed me to my tipi—one of four

ingly at random—I didn’t even know precisely where I was

on the property spread out along Love Gulch at the base of

heading, just that it was west of Aspen—it has come to

Sunshine Mesa. When I asked if anyone was staying in any

feel like it is where I am supposed to be.

of the other units that night, I learned I was the first guest

So where is that, specifically? It’s on a foam mattress

to book the property at random, so I was one of the first to

from Ikea on the floor of a tipi erected in an open field off the

ever stay in SUN. The blank slate I was seeking. After a

66 JULY 2018 Denver // Boulder

I WAS FREE, I WAS GRIEVING, AND I WAS ALONE.

quick lesson on how to use the composting toilet, he bid me goodnight and I was alone. I was under a blanket of stars on a moonless night. It was silent save for the soft babble of a brook running through the property and the occasional car passing in the distance. I was free, I was grieving, and I was alone. I took my blanket out to the middle of the field, laid on my back, stared at the stars, losing track of how many I saw sweeping across the massive sky, and I wept until the first hint of dawn masked the Milky Way. I began exploring. Next to my 16-foot Sun Tipi were two identical structures and one 20-foot Hawk Tipi, all facing east in a large open field with expansive views of Mt. Lamborn and Mt. Gunnison. A flock of wild turkeys meandered toward the mesa on the opposite side of the clearing. A red-tail hawk swooped overhead. The scent of sage wafted through the air from the wild bushes dotting the slope at the end of the clearing. It’s peaceful, beautiful. Yet I feel like I am supposed to be somewhere, like the very purpose of my being here—to find the stillness and space I need to grieve a life I loved—wasn’t right. I felt like I should be doing something. So I wandered all around and took photos from every angle. I brushed my teeth

sensimag.com JULY 2018 67

using the water from a bottle. I put a yoga class on my iPad

When I get back to camp that afternoon, I learn that the field

and moved through a sequence of sun salutations. And then I

by where I parked the night before is being tilled to become a

got in my car and drove aimlessly, seeking sustenance and

working hemp farm. That the owners bought the property and

purpose. I found both in Paonia.

moved there after Karen fell in love with the area the second

The small community, population 1,580, is about 10 minutes

she came over McClure Pass and saw it. That they had been

from the camp. It’s a place time forgot, but the modern creatives

living in Denver until just last fall, when they moved out here

found anyway. In the cafes, shops, and galleries in the 1950s-era

and bought the 22-acre property, where they are planning on

buildings lining the main street, the artistic types mingle with

opening an artist residency and short-term housing rentals.

wise old men literally conversing about the weather. I walk into

That they have plans to add yurts and a meditation circle to the

Paonia Bread Works, a hippie haven for the gluten-phobia-free

camp as well. That they’re growing their own pot plant for the

types. A popup donut shop has a line a dozen people deep, and

4:20 happy hours they hope to host for future guests who are

the woman running it knows not only the name of every cus-

interested. That they almost bought a cherry farm instead of

tomer but also their go-to order. Blueberry lemon. Lavender

this place, but it all worked out this way for a reason.

honey. Coconut brown butter. Dark chocolate ganache. I opt in-

The North Fork region is full of agricultural destinations. One

stead for a bagel, and in a stroke of luck have cash on me. The

could fill a weekend touring cherry farms, vineyards, and other

shop doesn’t accept cards, only cash or check. (Yes, check.)

organic farms dotting the region. There’s also state and national

There’s no ATM on property, and the “cash only” sign is hand-

parks nearby, and the Orvis Hot Springs are just 1.5 hours south.

written and hidden behind general counter clutter. The woman

There’s so much to do. I want to see it all. But there’s a calmness

running the counter tells the customer after me that she could

to the property that’s soothing. I am able to settle and breathe,

just pay for her coffee the next time she comes in, no worries,

and I go back to the tipi to write and breathe and cry and grieve.

and then she introduces herself. I’ve stumbled into a commu-

It’s too soon to begin to heal, but in this escape, I found the

nity, and I want to immerse in the magic. I settle on the couch

stillness I sought—the silence that told me I would begin to

and strike up a conversation with the woman opposite me.

heal one day. But first, I am here to feel it, to move through it.

Two hours later, I’m following her advice and heading to-

And this feels like the right place to do it. There’s beauty all

ward the trailhead for Three Lake Trail. According to the All-

around me. There’s kindness and community. There’s growth

Trails app, it’s 1.5 hours away. According to her, it’s worth it.

and life and hope. There’s a magic here, and it’s where I need

And as my Fiat begins the climb through Gunnison National

to be. I’m going to stay another night. It just feels right.

Forest, I know she’s sent me on the right path. I come around the corner and encounter a flock of sheep grazing a field of yellow wildflowers while the mountains provide the picture-perfect backdrop. I continue up to the trail and hike near timberline, crossing meadows and skirting Lost Lake. I am alone for almost the duration and my soul is soothed.

68 JULY 2018 Denver // Boulder

I WOULD BEGIN TO HEAL ONE DAY. BUT FIRST, I AM HERE TO FEEL IT.

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{highprofile}

by L E L A N D R U C K E R

74 JULY 2018 Denver // Boulder

C

U

ON THE OTHER SIDE Colorado University instructor Tracy Ferrell shares her perspective on Colorado’s New Pioneers.

Imagine, for a moment, having a child diagnosed with epilepsy, feeling helpless because there seems to be no cure, and turning on a television documentary that includes video footage of a seizure being calmed in real time with cannabis oil, a substance that is illegal in your state. You’ve never been a marijuana enthusiast, but you’ve exhausted all other possibilities for your kid. What do you do?

A lot of Americans who saw Weeds, a 2013 CNN special hosted by Dr. Sanjay Gupta that included that video, sold their homes and personal possessions or cashed in their pensions, pulled up stakes and headed for Colorado in search of a miracle. It wasn’t only families with children.

Veterans and adults with debilitating illnesses, chronic pain, and even cancer came, too. They were featured in news segments, dubbed “marijuana refugees,” many of them arriving here without knowing whether they would find housing, or jobs, or even the mysterious oil for which they were searching. And they became part of a great experiment that’s still going on today. sensimag.com JULY 2018 75

Like many Americans, Colorado University instructor Tracy Ferrell was moved while listening to these peoples’ stories, enough so that she began researching a book project she’s shopping to publishers. She wound up interviewing doctors, legal and policy experts, and more than 50 families, about half of which told her they came here after seeing the CNN special.

THERE IS A HUGE MEDICAL POTE ADVANTAGE OF, ESPECIALLY ITS

“These people really are refugees in the sense that they’re just giving up everything and moving to a strange place,” she explains during a recent interview. “They’re desperate because their kids have been basically given a death warrant, and they had gone through every option.”

The gold rush has become the green rush. The covered wagons have been replaced by Nissan sedans and Toyota minivans, but these people are today’s pioneers, Ferrell says, as much as those who came here seeking gold and wealth in the 1860s. This medical experiment is the opposite of the way medicine traditionally works. This time it’s the parents and patients doing the research, not the medical establishment. “It’s really backwards of the way it should be happening,” she says. “When I talked to them, pediatricians said they are all of a sudden seeing kids with rare disorders, and they don’t know anything about them.”

The range of stories was overwhelming: Children who went from near vegetative states to walking and talking; kids in wheelchairs suddenly able to walk; veterans incapacitated by anxiety returning to normal life; adults with chronic pain, depression, or fatigue who were finally able to control their ailments. Though not everyone found success with cannabis therapy, no one she talked with had a negative experience. “While each story seemed almost too good to be true, taken as a whole, they could not be ignored,” she 76 JULY 2018 Denver // Boulder

says. “The anecdotes show that there is a huge medical potential that we are not taking advantage of, especially its neuro-protective qualities.”

Ferrell grew up in Virginia outside of Washington, DC, and says she became involved in activist causes at an early age. She graduated from The College of William and Mary in 1992 with majors in English and women’s studies but un-

NTIAL THAT WE ARE NOT TAKING NEURO-PROTECTIVE QUALITIES.

sure what she wanted to do. “I’ve just always been really interested in social justice and human rights and politics, but there wasn’t one specific thing,” she says. “When I went to college I got involved in Amnesty International, women’s rights, and environmental justice.”

She got her graduate degree at the Comparative Literature Program at University of Colorado in Boulder, and after a couple of years in Montana, she began teaching writing and literature classes at Boston’s Waltham College in 2002. “So this is right after 9-11,” she explains. “They started airing these ads with a guy buying a bag of weed from another guy in the subway, and it says ‘if you’re buying weed, you’re supporting terrorism.’ And I remember seeing that ad and thinking that is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever seen.”

That revelation led her to try a class on drug policy in the US. “This was before the big push of marijuana legalization or anything, but everybody wanted to talk about drug policy,” she says. She got a job in the CU writing program in 2004, she brought the drug policy class with her, expanding its parameters as she went along. “The more I researched it, I realized it was that one issue that was kind of connecting a lot of these other issues I had been dealing with—human rights, prison populations, racial inequalities. All these things were connected by the issue of drug policy.” sensimag.com JULY 2018 77

Since a specific strain called Charlotte’s Web, created and produced by the Stanley Brothers in Colorado Springs to treat Dravet syndrome, a childhood epilepsy disease, was featured on CNN, many of the families, especially from Midwestern states with no legal cannabis options, began settling there.

“People want to be close to the hospitals in Denver, but it’s expensive to live in Denver. So a lot of people were moving to Colorado Springs because it was a little bit cheaper and also they could get Charlotte’s Web down there.”

Another positive is that organizations like the Florence-based American Medical Refugees, whose Facebook page has more than 2500 members, are helping people re78 JULY 2018 Denver // Boulder

A LOT OF THESE OTHER ISSUES I HAD BEEN DEALING WITH— HUMAN RIGHTS, PRISON POPULATIONS, RACIAL INEQUALITIES…WERE CONNECTED BY THE ISSUE OF DRUG POLICY.

adjust and find the resources they need once they get here.

“Once a certain number of families started to come and set up, particularly in the Colorado Springs area, they found a supportive community,” she says.

There are no hard statistics on how many people have made the difficult journey westward, but Ferrell says the migration seems to have slowed somewhat, and as medical programs in other states continue to adapt and change, some families have been able to move back to their home states. But, she adds, there are still too many people left with too few choices. “It’s just crazy that we have a system that forces people to do that.” sensimag.com JULY 2018 79

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, Oh Canna(da) Is our neighbor to the north poised to surpass us as the leading cannabis nation?

by LEL AND RUCKER

84 JULY 2018 Denver // Boulder

,

It’s happening. OUR NORTHERN NEIGHBOR HAS PASSED LEGISLATION THAT WILL ALLOW CANNABIS TO BE PURCHASED LEGALLY BY ADULTS. WHEN THAT DAY ARRIVES, PROBABLY IN OCTOBER, CANADA WILL BECOME THE FIRST G-7 COUNTRY IN THE WORLD TO DO SO. WITH LESS THAN A TENTH OF THE POPULATION OF THE UNITED STATES, CANADA IS LEVERAGING ITSELF TO

become a major player

IN THE INTERNATIONAL CANNABIS LANDSCAPE.

Nine American states and the District of Columbia have legalized, or at least decriminalized, cannabis possession and use, and 29 have some kind of medical program. But the big difference here is that Canada is attacking legalization at a national level, says Dan Nelson, who watches financial trends as CEO of Wikileaf, a popular Canadian online guide to cannabis news, information, and prices. “This removes the vast amount of ambiguity around the market which you see practically everywhere in the States as they roll things out, with each state setting its own rules and framework.”

Since they are free to export product to any country with which Canada does business, Canadian companies are signing deals to export their cannabis and beat America to the global market. Germany, for instance, which legalized medical marijuana in March last year but has faced serious shortages of product ever since, has partnered with two large Canadian growers to supply its patients.

One of Canada’s largest medical producers, Aurora Cannabis, agreed in May to buy MedReleaf, the third-largest cannabis producer, pushing Aurora’s marketing value to more than $7 billion, with the ability to grow pot on more than a million acres of farmland. That valuation is slightly larger than Canopy Growth, Canada’s second-largest producer, which has filed to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange, making it the first pot stock to do so.

PreveCeutical Medical Inc., a Vancouver-based health company working on preventative medicines using plant-based products, has partnered with an Australian company to provide cannabis for its medical cannabis research. CEO Stephen Van Deventer says he would like to work with American companies, but it’s still too risky. “Even though a state might be legitimate, federal laws are illegal, and until federal law changes, there’s no point in taking those risks.”

American businesses, facing regulatory hurdles and limitations on outside investment, are now looking to be listed on the Canadian stock markets. Investors, perhaps hoping to latch on to what might become the Amazon or Google of cannabis, are buying stocks at a healthy pace. Even Canadian beer companies, fearful of the effects of cannabis legalization on their business, are investing in cannabis companies to hedge their bets.

Nelson adds that the situation offers Canada a unique opportunity to become a major player in a multibillion-dollar industry, something few Casensimag.com JULY 2018 85

nadians could have dreamed even a few years ago. “In the

ized lettering with little use of color and have no “brand ele-

past, Canada has tended to play little brother to the US on

ments,” celebrity endorsements, or testimonials.

most major industries,” he says. “But we’re already seeing a

The bill allows any adult to purchase cannabis and possess

lot of this kind of leadership in Canada begin to take shape.”

up to 30 grams (slightly more than an ounce) in public. People

“It’s such an interesting time,” says Sarah Bain of Nesta, a

will be able to choose from flower and cannabis oil products,

private equity firm that works with Canadian cannabis com-

but there will be no edibles for the time being. Most distribu-

panies. “Historically, when there are major industries, Canada

tion will be under the jurisdiction of the individual provinces’

is rarely at the front,” she says. “Mining is one. But we’re usu-

liquor boards. Unlike US states, which impose hefty excise

ally the cousins of the United States and Europe. Now we’re

and sales taxes, Canada plans to keep the rates even lower

being invited to invest and talk to other countries.”

than it does on alcohol. The bill imposes strict national penal-

Marijuana legalization was a cornerstone of the 2015 cam-

ties for driving under the influence and purchasing for minors.

paign of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his Liberal Party.

Beyond that, as provinces begin to release their own rules,

Polling over the years indicated that Canadians have favored

there seems to be as much variance as in US states. Alberta and

legalization, but Trudeau was the first politician to tap into

Quebec, for instance, will allow sales to 18 year olds, but the rest

that support, endorsing legalizing personal use of cannabis

have set 19 as the age limit. Quebec and Manitoba banned home

for adults throughout his campaign. He made good on his

grows, but the other provinces will allow a four-plant-per-person

promise by introducing Bill C-45, titled simply “Cannabis

limit. Only the Northwest Territories has said no to online sales.

Act,” into Parliament on April 13, 2017.

British Columbia, which includes Vancouver, will license

The reasoning behind the Cannabis Act is outlined suc-

sales through government-run liquor stores and private re-

cinctly in its own straightforward language. “The objectives

tailers. Vancouver already has an existing “gray market,”

of the act are to prevent young persons from accessing can-

with about a hundred “medical clinics” around the city with

nabis, to protect public health and public safety by estab-

loose rules where adults can get good weed at low prices with

lishing strict product safety and product quality require-

no questions asked. “It’s essentially like having a bootleg bar

ments and to deter criminal activity by imposing serious

without a peephole to get in during Prohibition,” says Leslie

criminal penalties for those operating outside the legal

Bocskor, an American investor who recently returned from

framework. The act is also intended to reduce the burden on

that city. It’s not uncommon to encounter people smoking

the criminal justice system in relation to cannabis.”

joints while walking the streets. Residents there fear that

The Cannabis Act was passed by the House of Commons in the spring, and despite opposition from some Na-

these shops will be closed and replaced by higher-priced legal cannabis outlets.

tive American groups and still-reluctant lawmakers call-

In Newfoundland, grow facility Tweed will be able to sell di-

ing for a delay, the Senate passed the bill in June. The way

rectly from its location in Smith Falls, Ontario. Loblaws, one of

it’s set up, the government will supply all cannabis

the country’s largest supermarket chains, will be allowed to sell

through licensed growers, and leave sales, distribution

recreational cannabis over the counter at 10 of its locations in

and personal-use regulations to the 10 individual provinc-

Newfoundland and Labrador. Some provinces will allow tobac-

es and three territories, which are similar to our states.

co and coffee shops to apply for retail licenses; others won’t.

The country got a head start by allowing medical canna-

Legalization is going to look a lot different than it does here.

bis nationwide beginning in 2001. The medical system today

Derek Riedle distinctly remembers the time when his think-

is robust, with more than 200,000 current patients, all who

ing began to evolve about the possibilities for the Canadian

get their medicine by mail through the National Post. “As a

cannabis market. It was Nov. 8, 2016. “That night, as the New

Canadian patient, I can sit in Toronto, buy from a cultivator

York Times electoral college meter started to tip toward the red

in Vancouver, pick online what I want and have it mailed to

states and Donald Trump, we started getting calls from Ameri-

my house,” says Canadian George Naumovski, who now

can investors who were beginning to get nervous,” he explains.

lives in and operates two dispensaries in Illinois. “Going

“Jeff Sessions hadn’t been chosen but was already being touted

across state lines is not an issue.”

as attorney general. That alone started causing panic.”

To establish product safety and restrict access to children,

Riedle, who runs Civilized, a website and company with an

the government has imposed stern limits on advertising and

emphasis on adults who use cannabis as part of their life-

branding—strict enough that a Bloomberg headline sniffed

style, said he, like many Canadians, was envious when Amer-

that it will “take the fun out of legal weed.” That’s not much of

ican states began legalizing in 2012. “It was fascinating that

an exaggeration. Every product label has to display health

there were states that were to the left of Canada, and that

warnings much like those on cigarette packs, follow standard-

didn’t sit right with us. And then it completely flipped,” he

86 JULY 2018 Denver // Boulder

“Historically, when there are major industries, Canada is rarely at the front… Now we’re being invited to invest and talk to other countries.”

—SARAH BAIN, NESTA

says. “We all anticipated a Clinton presidency, and chaos ensued after Trump and Sessions took power. They absolutely squandered what good will the United States had.”

Nobody will argue, at least for the near future, that Canada, and Toronto’s Bay Street (its equivalent to Wall Street), will become the center of the international cannabis financial markets. The earliest the United States is likely to even consider legalizing cannabis nationwide is after the 2020 presidential election, which gives Canada even more time to grow its presence. “Because of our treatment of cannabis at the federal level and our market not opening up, I bet you we’ve given that up,” says Bob Hoban, a Denver lawyer whose firm works with cannabis companies worldwide. “The center of the cannabis financial world is now Toronto and always will be.”

But there are caveats. The Canadian markets are flooded with cash, but now all those well-funded companies have to ramp up and perform on a global scale, some of them for the first time. “The guys up there have raised a lot of capital, and they have huge facilities, with millions of square feet to grow,” says Naumovski. “Now they have to execute, to grow and process quality product. There are a lot of factors.”

Bocskor, who lives in Las Vegas, has been watching Canada’s growth carefully. He admits there’s still plenty of money to be made. “The market is chugging, and the regulatory

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framework functioning,” he says. “Growth is positive.

The overall experience is excellent.”

But he sees ambiguity in Canada’s rollout, too. For instance, how the government is handling—or not handling—the Vancouver “gray market” gives him pause. “That tells me that

nia market is just getting started, and it could eclipse Cana-

there’s a problem there,” he says. “It’s not bad that it’s unregu-

da and other legal US states as it matures.

lated. But it shows a cognitive dissonance between the mes-

When federal legalization happens here and the US mar-

sage coming from the government and what’s happening on

kets open up, the balance of power could shift as quickly and

the ground in Vancouver. It’s a disconnect, and people are

dramatically as it has in the last couple of years. “It’s a great

paying attention to it.”

win for Canada, in terms of this point in time,” Bocskor says.

And there’s California to consider. Canada has about two

“I really hope they can meet all their goals and deadlines. But

million less people than California, a state which allows

it’s a heavier lift than they thought it was going to be. What I

outside investment and is seeing more interest, even from

want to make sure that people understand is that soon

Canadian companies, since it legalized Jan. 1. The Califor-

enough, the US market will be the only game in town.”

88 JULY 2018 Denver // Boulder

sensimag.com JULY 2018 89

92 JULY 2018 Denver // Boulder

SUMMER

FUN If you’re new to the area, or are here for the winter playground that is the Rocky Mountain Range, there’s an almost overwhelming number of activities happening this month. Forget the notion that summer isn’t peak season in Colorado.

by STEPHANIE WILSON

sensimag.com JULY 2018 93

IT’S SUMMER—EVERYTHING IS HOT. BUT IN A MORE FIGURATIVE SENSE, THERE’S SO MUCH HAPPENING AROUND DENVER AND BOULDER, WHAT’S HOT?

THERE’S NO WAY WE’RE SPENDING THE SUMMER HIDING IN THE AIR CONDITIONING. We could fill this whole magazine with calendar listings about what’s happening around the state this month.

Instead, we’ve curated a selection of happenings, some based on personal experience, others based on research, all worthy additions to your summer itineraries.

The days are longer, there’s a magic in the air, there’s a sense of nostalgia and adventure that pervades the spirit of the season. Don’t spend it stuck in a blur of the day to day, don’t get lost in your routine and look up in September realizing you missed it. Take advantage of the extended sunlight hours, the cool Colorado nights, and recharge yourself with some compelling explorations of the state’s offerings.

A note about this list: some of these are events, some are destinations, all are worthy of your attention.

Shameless Plug: Sensi Day

July 14, 2–7 p.m. / Amen Packaging Building 4201 Brighton Blvd.

This month, we’re taking the celebration of the cannabis community out of the dark and into the sun with our first-ever daytime event. More than 130 of the region’s top brands and companies will be on site to mix and mingle with the crowd of the merely curious to the dedicated dabbers. There’s a whole lot of surprises in store, and like all Sensi Nights, Sensi Day is free. Head to our Facebook for info on how to RSVP. FB.COM/SENSIMEDIAGROUP

94 JULY 2018 Denver // Boulder

PHOTO COURTESY OF EATDENVER.COM/THE-BIG-EAT

CULINARY CALENDAR SPOTLIGHT The Big Eat Denver

July 12 / The Galleria at Denver Performing Arts Center Under the canopy of the Galleria at the Denver Performing Arts Complex, enjoy bites and sips from 65 of Denver’s top independent restaurants. A sampling of the participants: Ace Eat Serve, Snooze, FNG, Root Down, Rosenberg’s Bagels, Briar Common, Brider Rotisserie, and other such establishments on all the local hot lists. Tickets are $65. EATDENVER.COM/THE-BIG-EAT

Slow Food Denver July 13–15 / Larimer Square

Back for its second year, this free festival is a celebration of the slow food movement that’s centered on flavor, culture, and exploration. It takes over Larimer Square in downtown Denver with a collection of free experiences and ticketed workshops, talks, and tastings honoring the mission of the Slow Food Nations organization, founded to “prevent the disappearance of local food cultures and traditions, counteract the rise of fast life, and combat people’s dwindling interest in the food they eat, where it comes from, and how our food choices affect the world around us.” The weekend schedule also includes dinners, demos, summits, and more. SLOWFOODNATIONS.ORG

Eat Up at These CO Food Fests

Breckenridge Summer Beer Festival / July 7 Colorado Brewers Rendezvous / Salida / July 14 Mile High Wine Fest / Stapleton / July 14 Keystone Wine & Jazz Festival / July 14–15 Castle Rock WineFest / Castlerock / July 21 Springs Beer Fest / Colorado Springs / July 21 Crested Butte Wine & Food Fest / July 25–29 Denver Summer Brew Fest / Mile High Station / July 27–28 Breckenridge Food & Wine / July 28 sensimag.com JULY 2018 95

FIRE PHOTO OPS: COLORFUL COLORADO COME TO LIFE Crested Butte Wildflower Festival July 6–15 / Crested Butte

sky. Get to the launch grounds early to watch the balloons inflate, then watch them take off and float over the Yampa Valley. Then head to the Art in the Park, where arts, crafts, and performances can fill your day. At dusk, you’ll want to be back at the mountain area to witness the balloon glow light up on Mt. Werner. Walk among the tethered balloons or take photos from restaurant patios or hotel balconies at the base of the mountain.

“Today we hiked right into a postcard.” That was the caption for my Instrgram post last summer after a hike in Crested Butte during a weekend that coincided with the festival. The official lineup has over 200 events offered, from guided hikes and walks to art workshops and garden tours. But rest assured you are free to take in nature’s bounty on any of the trails, where a symphony of wildflowers awaits for your photo-happy pleasure.

PHOTO BY NOAH WETZEL

Hot Air Balloon Rodeo + Art in the Park July 14–15 / Steamboat Springs

In Steamboat Springs this month, the 44th Annual Art in the Park coincides with the 37th Annual Hot Air Balloon Rodeo, offering artistry and color on canvases and in the

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MEET THE MAKERS

but still retaining its highbrow appeal. Horseshoe’s mission

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exceptional handmade and vintage vendors, providing local

bors, celebrate the summer, discover treasures made all

artists, designers, handmakers, collectors, and entrepre-

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neurs a unique showcase for their goods. Thus giving you a

markets invite you to gather, groove, and get some cool stuff.

place to discover what the Horseshoe calls “Lucky Finds.”

is based on an unwavering dedication to bringing together

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LoHi Bazaar BBQ

Colorado Black Arts Festival

July 6–8 / 32nd Avenue between Zuni + Tejon

Billed as the largest outdoor shopping experience to hit Den-

July 13–15 / Denver City Park

ver this summer, this festival is a collaboration between the

The theme of the 32nd annual celebration of African arts

masterminds behind some of the Mile High’s top events:

and culture in Colorado is “The Art of Knowing. Free and

LoHi Music Fest, The Big Wonderful, Denver Bazaar, Top

open to the public, the weekend-long event is a showcase of

Taco, and Chicken Fight Fest. This free, weekend-long block

music, dance, vendors, art, and food. Peruse Visual Arts Row

party combines live music, six local grill masters serving

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Shop, eat, and drink your way through the RiNo market-

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place, where hundreds of vendors proffer craft wares that

This market earned itself the “Denver’s Best Flea Market”

come with background stories. Billed as “a new-age sales

accolade in Westword for four years straight, losing top hon-

and marketing platform for emerging brands,” Denver Flea

ors last year in the Reader’s Choice category to Denver Flea

is a celebration of the artisans movement. Highlight: Friday

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evening’s Talking Heads and Tacos party, complete with a

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circus performers, and more frolicking folks. Food truck

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Denver Underground Music Showcase July 27–29 / Various Venues, South Broadway

July 21 / 25th Avenue between Elliot + Federal Blvd.

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Music Festival

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small, local vintage, art, and crafts businesses in combina-

venues. More than 200 bands featured, including

tion with live music and a farmers market to Jeff Park, an

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under-the-radar neighborhood bordered by LoHi, Federal

exciting acts. Secret popups and surprise shows.

Boulevard, Mile High Stadium, and I-25. JPFLEAMARKET.COM

Pearl Street Arts Fest

RockyGrass

July 27–29 / Planet Bluegrass Ranch, Lyons

July 21–22 / Pearl Street, Boulder

Bragging Rights: The internationally known “Picker’s

The 40th annual celebration of visual art in downtown

Festival” is the center of the bluegrass universe every July

Boulder is a showcase of a variety of art, from whimsical

Notable Features: Located under a red rock cliffs on

and modern sculptures to traditional watercolors, oils,

the wooded banks of the St. Vrain River. Contests,

ceramics, upcycled goods, jewelry, photography, and

workshops, and special performances in the 300-seat

more. The result: a beautiful outdoor gallery nestled in

Wildflower Pavilion. Beach toys, inner tubes, and all

the heart of Boulder, with pieces ranging from $35 (think:

sorts of fun on the beach. Jam circles in the woods and

jewelry) to more than $10,000 (large sculptures and

along the river. Instrument contests. Sound of music

paintings). BOULDERDOWNTOWN.COM/ARTS-FEST

echoing off the canyon walls.

Evergreen Summerfest July 21–22 / Buchanan Park, Evergreen

Twenty-five minutes from downtown Denver, this community gathering is the 39th annual festival of art, crafts, music, and beer. It features more than 120 artists from across the country, with loads of handmade treasures in a variety of mepaintings, and more. On Saturday, the Palatte of Brews is a tasting event of Colorado microbeweries, with unlimited tastings for just $25 in advance, $30 at the door. The $5 admission fee to the festival isn’t included. EVERGREENARTS.ORG

SOUNDS LIKE SUMMER

Get lost in the music and find yourself in the beats. Colorado is brimming with notable acts big and small.

Global Dance Festival July 20–21 / Mile High Stadium

Bragging Rights: Colorado’s Largest Summer Music Festival

Notable Features: Carnival rides with names like Sky Fire, Freak Out, Supershot, Vertigo, and Genesis. Silent

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Go Ask Alice

A Super Troopers Hater’s Guide to Stoner Movies.

by ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE

102 JULY 2018 Denver // Boulder

"You shouldn' t be allowed to write about stoner movies," SAID MY FRIEND AND FORMER ROOMMATE AFTER I TRIED—AND FAILED—TO WATCH SUPER TROOPERS WITH HIM, WHICH ISN’T EVEN FAIR. I NEVER JUDGED HIM FOR THINKING BULLETPROOF PENIS CUPS, CHEEKY SHENANIGANS, AND BEAR BUGGERS WERE FUNNY. (OR MAYBE I DID, A LITTLE.) And he’s probably right. I haven’t liked stoner movies since I went with a date to see Cheech and Chong’s Nice Dreams in high school, which went about as well as Super Troopers did with my roomie. I mean, I laughed with everyone else when we played Cheech and Chong’s “Sister Mary Elephant” record back in junior high (we could recite all the lines, even), but all I could think about during Nice Dreams was how much I hated being harassed by guys like those two.

My date thought the film was hilarious. The last thing he was interested in was my feminist take on it—and, after that, me.

He was cute. I might hold a little grudge against the genre.

I’m a nerd. A snob. Too critical for my own good. Never able to let loose and have fun. Friends, boyfriends, husbands, and my kids told me this every time I refused to watch another version of a maniacal journey involving super-stoned guys who won’t grow up, but whom we’re supposed to find lovable, sometimes involving a nudgey hot girl who disapproves of their copious weed smoking, and always riding on jokes involving dicks and scatological functions along with a few good chase scenes (preferably involving cops).

Those flicks aren’t my jam. I can’t let my brain rot through Dazed &

Confused when it could be getting lost in Carl Sagan’s fascinating original docu-series Cosmos or Akira Kurosawa’s mesmerizing magical realism film Dreams, or watching my all-time favorite movie, The

Graduate, which I do every year, religiously.

OK. I could lighten up.

But I can’t be the only person who loves to get high and watch a film that expands my mind, even frivolously, and represents cannabis with dignity, without Seth Rogan or references to God’s vagina.

sensimag.com JULY 2018 103

Raising the Whole Standard of a Nation

from having sexual relations with white people in mov-

In 1930, the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors

ies, have gotten even less screen time, and respect, than

of America laid down the Hays Code, censoring every-

cannabis has in cinematic history.)

thing from sex to profanity to drug and alcohol use in

As these things tend to go, real self-enforcement didn’t

movies because “entertainment and art are important in-

kick in until public pressure forced the industry’s hand.

fluences in the life of a nation.”

In 1934, Shirley Temple, “America’s sweetheart,” replaced

The code was enacted out of duress, after Hollywood

Mae West, “the sweetheart of Sigma Chi,” as Hollywood’s

scandals on and off screen drew the ire of religious and

box-office darling. For the next couple of decades, direc-

temperance groups with names like Legion of Decency.

tors and producers insinuated and teased, but, for the

Censorship had become a cumbersome states’ rights is-

most part, followed the rules.

sue, with some states banning D.W. Griffith’s Birth of a

Nation for its obscene racism and others declaring Mar-

Married couples slept in separate beds. Adulterous women were punished. Movie stars didn’t do drugs.

garet Sanger’s Birth Control an offense to public decency.

To avoid federal oversight, which appeared imminent,

1968: The Year of the Stoner Film

the MPPDA drafted a Jesuit priest and an industry jour-

Fifty years ago this year, the Hays Code was officially

nalist to write a set of moralizing self-regulations, based

rescinded and replaced with the MPAA film rating sys-

on Catholic theology, to help the industry represent “cor-

tem (G for general audiences, M for mature content, R for

rect standards of life.”

restricted, and X for sexually explicit). Movies got fun

“Correct entertainment raises the whole standard of a

again—really, really fun. X-rated Midnight Cowboy won

nation,” the code stated. “Wrong entertainment lowers

the Oscar for Best Picture in 1969 … and then there was

the whole living conditions and moral ideals of a race.”

1970’s Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (I blush).

(Which race the code was referring to is clear in the

Enforcement of the Hays Code had been unraveling

all-whiteness of my own favorite films. People of color,

throughout the 1960s, but Mrs. Robinson was still pretty

shut out of Hollywood and prohibited by the Hays Code

edgy when I was 3 years old in 1967, watching The Graduate

This Nerd’s Top 5 Stoner Movies (post-1968) Annie Hall (1977)

Diane Keaton was the first leading lady I ever saw smoke weed. It still didn’t make Woody Allen tolerable, but my love for her made me love this film.

9 to 5 (1980) Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Dolly Parton smoking weed in the “Just Say No” ‘80s is just too good, and their #metoo message was decades before its time.

The Breakfast Club (1985) I made my kids watch this at way too early an age. It’s still painfully relevant. Can’t we all smoke weed and get along?

104 JULY 2018 Denver // Boulder

Almost Famous (2000) This movie came out when my kids were in preschool.

I wanted to be spliff-smoking Penny Lane so bad that I ran out and bought a version of that coat. I still feel like a badass when I wear it.

Rolling Papers (2015)

What self-respecting nerd doesn’t include a documentary? This one covers the birth of an industry in a fun, lighthearted way.

on the drive-in screen from the back seat of the station

sense of the weird places consciousness reached that

wagon while my parents drank martinis in front. (Don’t

year. (Not that I’ve done this or anything, kids.)

judge. I think all of that might have been legal back then.)

Without the girdle of the Hays Code, celluloid psyche-

Mad Men, on Edibles, with Sitar

delia exploded. Cannabis, and a lot of other drugs, landed

Because I wrote a cannabis cookbook and am just fin-

firmly in the American cinemascape as both muse and

ishing up writing a history of cannabis food (once a

new-age plot hook. The stoner movie was born.

nerd, always a nerd), my favorite 1968 stoner movie is I

There was The Beatles’ fantastical animated Yellow

Love You, Alice B. Toklas, the film that put the pot

Submarine, which Beat writer Ken Kesey said “looks bet-

brownie on the map. It was the first major motion pic-

ter stoned, but that’s true of all movies,” and 2001: A Space

ture to make cannabis an integral part of the plot—the

Odyssey, the sci-fi classic that spawned conspiracy the-

first stoner movie.

ories about Stanley Kubrick faking the moon landing and

I Love You, Alice B. Toklas, with its breezy, sitar-laden

the first movie to be marketed directly to a new and

soundtrack and campy hippie jokes, was considered

quickly expanding stoner class.

something of a lightweight in the year of Yellow Subma-

Both movies were celebrated with special 50th-anni-

rine and Head, but I like it. It has exchanges like this one

versary releases in theaters across the country this year,

(and I know my deep nerd is showing):

but they were hardly alone in emancipating drugs and

Nancy: Beautiful. Is that Ginsberg?

consciousness on the big screen during that banner year

Guru: No, Tennyson.

between the Summer of Love and Woodstock, and the films played to appreciative audiences.

In the film, Peter Sellers plays Harold Fine, a dissatisfied L.A. lawyer who leaves his shrewish secretary-fian-

If you’ve ever eaten a mega-dose of cannabis-infused

cée (because why else did women become secretaries?)

chocolate mousse, which is kind of like eating acid, and

Joyce for dreamy flower girl Nancy after eating “groovy”

watched The Monkees’ Head or Walt Disney’s Alice in

brownies, which Nancy says were made from a recipe in

Wonderland, both released in 1968, you get a pretty good

Toklas’s “freaky” cookbook.

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(They weren’t, and the recipe for improperly named “Haschich Fudge” that made Toklas’s 1954 cookbook famous was actually for majoun, a Moroccan confection made from dates, figs, nuts, and cannabis that Toklas’s friend, Beat artist and writer Brion Gysin, had learned to make while living as an expat in Morocco. But I’m talking over the movie.)

Harold shares the brownies with his parents, who laugh hysterically as his fiancé rips off his clothes and begs him to take her in a scene reminiscent of Reefer Madness.

(You’ve seen that one, right?)

The brownie trip changes Harold’s life. He leaves Joyce at the altar, grows his hair long (seemingly overnight), lives for a while with Nancy in his car, then moves back home and gets annoyed about her friends and free love, gets back together with Joyce, and leaves her at the altar again. The movie ends with Harold running out of the synagogue, yelling that there’s got to be something beautiful out there.

I’m a sucker for movies that end with people running from the altar, I get it. But I Love You, Alice B. Toklas made me think, about what the world was like 50 years ago and what it’s like today. About whether or not there really is something beautiful out there, and what it might be.

That, to me, is what a great stoner flick is all about.

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One product line resulted from a fan who just loved what Tribble and Garrison were doing. Nationally known, Denver-based comedian Josh Blue (the first comedian in the US to have a cannabis product line) found that Mountain High Suckers helped relieve the symptoms of cerebral palsy, a condition he talks about in his onstage act. “We were thrilled and got to meet It all started in Chad Tribble’s Englewood kitchen.

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bis, is available only at recreational dispensaries.

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On that day they became Mountain High Suckers.

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“In the first few years, the thing that kept us going

and a customer asked, “What’s in them?” She was so

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to see if they could duplicate the dosage. At that point,

years until they started using the medical suckers for

few people knew anything about CBD.

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Spectrum Labs. They said, ‘Come in, we need to talk,’

Mile High Suckers are available at more than 400

and they informed us about the extraordinary amount of

recreational and medical dispensaries across Colorado.

CBD in our suckers. We asked, ‘What’s CBD?’” Tribble says.

Coming soon from Mountain High Suckers: Sour Suckers

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and a sugar-free, intensely flavored sublingual oral spray

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Honeystraw 1.0/2.0

Honeystraw Micro

Ceramic Twisty Blunt

$20 Digital Enail with purchase of any Bong or Rig!

W

G-9 Vape

O

W

$75

!

Any Character Bowl

$7

Silicone Bong Silicone Banger Hanger Barrel Rig

Bamboo Rolling Tray (MUST HAVE!)

$25

$25

(with 2mm banger)

2 for $30

$25/35 digital enail setup

(includes nail, tool, drop down, dab mat, digital enail)

Y CRAZL! DEA

Predator Gas Mask

Phat Sacks Hemp Case

(any size with purchase of any pipe)

WAX Globe Pen

$45 Quick Fix

$70

$15

$5 Heady Supply Pelican Case

$25-70

2 for $20

Electric Portable Dab Straw

$60 Jet Perc Setup

(includes Torch, nail, carb cap, dab tool, rig, and 1 can of butane)

$60

*Sales items excluded from additional sales

@bombheadshop

Tony Dabtana Torches

Comes with a free can of butane

$150

Herbva 3 in 1 Vaporizer

$80

/thebombheadshop

$20 - 30 Herova Dry Herb Vape

$80 The Unbreakable Steam Roller

$20 sensimag.com JULY 2018 119

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

LOVE' S OVEN

Care Counts DELICIOUS PASTRY ART THAT HEALS EMERGES FROM LOVE’S OVEN. If you look on the label of Love’s Oven buttery classic

Using a proprietary method, THC and CBD are extracted

caramels (both chewy and hard), you won’t see ingredi-

from cannabis and hemp. “That means there is an effec-

ents that sound like they’re from a science experiment.

tive dose of heat-activated cannabutter in each bite,” she

You’ll see just Colorado beet sugar, sweetened con-

says. “We go through a validating process on high-quality

densed milk, cannabutter, honey, and vanilla extract.

source material and test for pesticides and potency.”

“These are all-natural ingredients you can find in your

While the majority of the offerings fall in the sweets

own house. There’s nothing you can’t pronounce,” says

category, Love’s Oven also bakes a savory treat: Cheddar

Hope Frahm, executive chef for Denver-based Love’s

Crackers made with the namesake cheese, cannabut-

Oven brand of edibles.

ter, milk, fresh rosemary, garlic and other spices. Be-

A classically trained pastry chef who has worked for

cause the blend is so crave-inducing, micro-dose Ched-

famed chefs Thomas Keller and Wolfgang Puck, Frahm

dar Crackers containing only 0.5 milligrams THC in each

has a laser focus on quality. “I try to bring some of the

cracker are also available. They are ideal for munching

meticulousness they taught me to the cannabis edi-

and as a topping for salads and soups.

bles industry,” she says. She worries about things like

The summer seasonal treat this year is Choose Love Cook-

humidity and air pressure and how they impact the

ies. “It’s a tie-dyed sugar cookie,” she says. “A percentage of

doughs being crafted by a crew that includes many

the proceeds go to LGBTQ community organizations.”

other trained pastry chefs.

Love’s Oven started small in 2009 as one of the first companies in Colorado to create edibles. It is a small, family-owned business run by CEO Peggy Moore, her sons Joshua and Walter Nettles, and her sister Teresa Walz. The company’s original mission was to improve the quality of life for patients with pain and other chronic ailments.

Love’s Oven has steadily grown and now produces more than 20 medical and recreational edible products, ranging from Baklava Cookie Bar Bites to Red Velvet Cookies with white chocolate chips, available at 300-plus recreational and medical dispensaries across the state. One of the most popular offerings is the moist Turtle Brownies, with chocolate chips, pecans, and scratch-made caramel sauce. “We make over 24,000 pieces of those every month,” Frahm says.

On the medical side, Magic Bars meld gooey chocolate and butterscotch with organic coconut and walnuts with a graham cracker base. High CBD, low-THC Chocolate Chip Cookies and Fudge Brownies are also available.

The products are all made with Love’s Oven cannabutter.

120 JULY 2018 Denver // Boulder

For more information:

CHOOSETHELOVE.COM

sensimag.com JULY 2018 121

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

THE DABS LABS

Small Batches, Big Flavors FRESH OUTTA THE GATE AND GROWING RAPIDLY, THE DABS LABS CONCENTRATES ON GREAT TASTE.

For a small, brand-new company located in a rural

DabsLabs line of concentrates is known for consis-

area of Colorado, DabsLabs has already gained a con-

tent potency and incredible flavor. Goldman credits

siderable reputation in the state’s cannabis industry.

the work of the company’s well-known lab manager,

“DabsLabs started as a mom-and-pop business after

Chem James. “He has a tremendous amount of expe-

we went to a medical cannabis conference,” says Dab-

rience in the Colorado cannabis industry, especially on

sLabs CEO Barbara Goldman, who launched the com-

the medical side,” Goldman says. Using a proprietary

pany with her husband Steve in Log Lane Village near

extraction process, James focuses on preserving the

Fort Morgan in 2016.

plant’s terpenes and cannabinoids. He oversees every

They were impressed with the discoveries being made about the plant, and the benefits cannabis can

small batch DabsLabs processes to assure the concentrates meet the brand’s established standards.

bring to medical patients. “From the beginning, we fo-

As a result, DabsLabs is growing fast. “We are starting

cused on producing only the highest-quality products

a facility buildout that will quadruple our production

and offering the best customer service,” she says. “With

capacity soon,” Goldman says. “It will allow James to

quality concentrates comes great taste.”

create even more innovative products. We are looking

The lab is devoted to capturing all the terpenes to give

forward to the R & D he will be doing in the new lab.”

each product an appealing flavor. DabsLabs crafts small

DabsLabs’ rural location has been an inspiration, too.

batches of live resin, shatter, wax, budder, sugar, and True

“Log Lane Village is a cannabis-friendly town of under

Spectrum—“diamonds in sauce”—drawn from various top-

a thousand people. They use the money from the can-

notch single strains. For example, DabsLabs True Spec-

nabis businesses to build a better community for chil-

trum single-strain products available at Colorado dispen-

dren. We’re proud to be located there,” she says.

saries include Chem 91, Head Cheese, and Silver Kush.

DabsLabs concentrates are currently available at more than 20 dispensaries in the state, including multiple locations of Starbuds, Lightshade and Doc’s Apothecary. The company also processes cannabis for medical and recreational dispensaries into live resin, shatter, wax, budder, or sugar using the same quality control assurance.

For more information:

THEDABSLABS.COM

122 JULY 2018 Denver // Boulder

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ADVISORY BOARD

As the cannabis industry grows, so do the number of professional experts within it. These people are incredible sources of niche, insider info about the trends and issues driving this thriving marketplace forward. The Sensi Advisory Board is comprised of a select group of cannabis industry leaders in a variety of fields, from compliance and education to concentrates and cultivation. Each issue, they are invited to share some of their specialized insight and perspective in this dedicated section.

This month, we hear from Advisory Board members in the sustainability category.

FOR A FULL LIST OF ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS, TURN TO THE MASTHEAD ON PAGE 7.

The truth is, one small act can lead to a big stride in the right direction.

PLASTIC PROBLEM

by AMY ANDRLE, CO-OWNER, L’EAGLE SERVICES The planet has a plastic problem, and the cannabis industry is no exception.

dispensaries with an eye towards environmentalism offer incentives to encourage customers to recycle emptied

Cannabis consumers are becoming increasingly con-

drams. Innovative packaging manufacturers are finding

scious of their impact on the environment and are ever

ways to create regenerative packaging solutions, includ-

more frequently influenced by the desire to act in sus-

ing hemp and corn-based materials.

tainable ways. People sometimes think that reducing

Sustainability-conscious dispensaries are also providing

their waste or limiting their carbon footprint will not

environmental alternatives to meet the preferences of the

affect the more considerable environmental challenges

discerning consumer. For instance, some may offer a dis-

facing our planet. The truth is, one small act can lead to a

count for bringing back exit bags to utilize for future pur-

big stride in the right direction, and many small actions

chases. If you’re unsure of what offers and eco-friendly op-

added together can have a significant effect. It’s import-

tions are available to you, talk to the sales associates in your

ant to stress that members of the cannabis community

preferred dispensary and seek their advice. If they aren’t

can take small steps to help reduce their environmental

able to point you to solutions, let them know these kinds of

impact with their purchasing decisions.

options are something their customers are seeking.

Plastic makes up the bulk of cannabis packaging, and

There’s a lot of work to do, and we are all in this togeth-

customers are often unsure of how to dispose of it sustain-

er. Everyone can play a part in improving the sustainabil-

ably. Most people are not aware that the container used to

ity of our growing community and change can start with

store their sticky buds can be recycled. Forward-thinking

simple shifts in purchasing habits.

124 JULY 2018 Denver // Boulder

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{HereWeGo}

by S T E P H A N I E W I L S O N

126 JULY 2018 Denver // Boulder

Downward Goat

Be part of the a World Record attempt at the Denver County Fair.

This year, the Denver County Fair Goat Yoga session will make the historic attempt to set the Guiness World Record for the largest goat yoga session in the world. Bring your mat and your flexible spirit and get down with the kids. The goats will be loose, wandering through the crowd and if you’re lucky, they’ll stop to play, jump on your back, or get up in your face all but demanding you stop stretching and snuggle. A quick search of the Guinness World Record site shows that there is no current record holder for a goat yoga class of any size, so this is all but in the bag. There is, however, a record for the largest dog yoga class: 270 participants. Other related records, in no particular order: Largest litter of goats: 6. Farthest distance skateboarding by a goat: 118 feet. Largest yoga lesson: 55,506 people. Largest gathering of people wearing false mustaches: 6,471—and that was at Mile High Stadium. Most consecutive handsprings by a male: 57—and that was at Boulder’s Folsom Field. Impressive.

As for this attempt, it’s taking place on the final morning of the three-day event with other “fair-ly weird” events on the schedule: Alpaca Obstacle Course + Costume Contest. The Mullet 5K Run. Unicorn Cup Roller Derby. Miss Denver County Drag Queen Pageant. And other such things.

Sunday, July 15 / 10:30 a.m. / National Western Complex / DENVERCOUNTYFAIR.ORG

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