Sensi California December 2021

CANNABUTTER DO IT? Elevate your dessert game

CALIFORNIA DECEMBER 2021

WOKE, NOT WASTED All the buzz around buzz-free alcohol

VIBES OF VEGAS

Recapping MJBiz Con in photos

HO HO…OH NO!

Last-minute gift guide

CALIFORNIA SENSI MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2021

sensimediagroup @sensimagazine @sensimag

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FEATURES

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40

Thriving in Vegas

Sensi took the Strip by storm during MJBizCon. Here’s a roundup of everything that went down and photos from everything you might have missed.

Woke Not Wasted

They say they’re not alcoholics, and they’re certainly not anonymous.

What is sober curious—and can sobriety really be fluid?

DEPARTMENTS

13 EDITOR’S NOTE 18 THE LIFE Contributing to your health and happiness 14 THE BUZZ PIE IN THE SKY This News, tips, and tidbits to keep you in the loop HIGH FLIERS Aviation Cannabis brings fresh, sustainably packaged cannabis growers to market.

FLOWER POWER The 133rd Rose Parade brightens up Pasadena.

ILLUMINATED VISION

Light-art installations shine throughout San Francisco.

PARTY TIME Get down at the first-ever Emerald Cup Harvest Ball SENSIBLE BUDS Union Electric focuses on quality cannabis at a reasonable cost.

infused pie crust recipe will elevate your dessert game.

CONTAINING THE TROPICS

Easy-breezy houseplants add an instant island vibe.

48 THE SCENE Hot happenings and hip

ON THE COVER

Sobriety is a powerful drug.

See page 40.

PHOTOS VIA ADOBE STOCK

hangouts around town

SENSI’S LAST-MINUTE GIFT GUIDE Gifts so good

they’ll think you spent a year planning them.

52 THE END Dan Scannell’s art showcases the beauty of Northern California.

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ADVISORY BOARD

NATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD NCRMA Risk Management COLORADO Agricor Laboratories Testing Lab Aspen Cannabis Insurance Insurance Services Canyon Cultivation Microdosing Cartology Corporation Cartridge Filling Equipment + Hardware Colorado Cannabis Company THC Coffee Concentrate Supply Co. Recreational Concentrates Emerald Construction Construction Green Edge Trimmers Trimmers Higher Grade Boutique Cannabis Hybrid Payroll Staffing & HR Benefits Jupiter Research Inhalation Hardware Lab Society Extraction Expert + Lab Supplies marQaha Sublinguals + Beverages Monte Fiore Farms Recreational Cultivation Northern Standard History of Cannabis PotGuide Cannabis Culture Source CO Wholesale Consulting Terrapin Care Station Recreational Dispensary Toast Mindful Consumption Uleva Hemp Products Wana Brands Edibles Witlon Inc. Payroll Processing

MICHIGAN Aronoff Law (Craig Aronoff) Licensing Law Firm Cannabis Counsel Cannabis Law Firm Etz Chaim Attestations Grapp Lerash Accounting/CPA Services Great Lakes Natural Remedies Lakeshore: Provisioning Center Kush Design Studio Cannabis Facility Design & Build MRB Solutions Human Resources Northern Specialty Health Upper Peninsula: Provisioning Center Oh, Hello Branding Promotional Marketing Perry & Drummy Inc. Commercial Insurance Pure West Compassion Club Caregiver Connection & Network Rair Medical Flower Solutions by Dr. Dave West Michigan: Hemp CBD Helping Friendly Hemp Company Hemp Topicals NEVADA Eden Water Technologies Water System Technologies Green Leaf Money Canna Business Finanacing GreenHouse Payment Solutions Payment Processing Ideal Business Partners Corporate Law & Finance Jupiter Research Inhalatation Hardware Matrix NV Premium Live Resin Red Rock Fertility Fertility Doctor Rokin Vapes Vape Technology This Stuff Is Good For You CBD Bath and Body

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA 365 Recreational Cannabis Dispensary: Recreational, Santa Rosa Green Unicorn Farms CBD Hemp Flower Humboldt Grow Tech Smart Ag Tech Red Door Remedies Dispensary: Cloverdale Southern Humboldt Royal Cannabis Company Mixed Light Farming Sonoma Patient Group Dispensary: Santa Rosa Strictly Topical Inc./Sweet ReLeaf Pain Relief Topicals Uleva Hemp Products Vaper Tip Vape Supply & Consulting Wana Brands Edible Gummies SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Accucanna LLC Desert Hot Springs: Dispensary EventHI Events Flourish Software Distribution Management Helmand Valley Growers Company Medical Infrastructure Specialist HUB International Insurance Hybrid Payroll / Ms. Mary Staffing Staffing & HR Benefits Ikänik Farms Cannabis Distribution Red Rock Fertility Fertility Doctor Wana Brands Edible Gummies Witlon Payroll

NEW ENGLAND Corners Packaging Packaging Green Goddess Supply Personal Homegrown Biochamber The Holistic Center Medical Marijuana Evaluations Revolutionary Clinics Medical Dispensary Royal Gold Soil Tess Woods Public Relations Public Relations Vantage Builders Construction

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Gift the perfect hit this holiday season.

Ispire’s on everyone’s wishlist this year and we’ve got you covered. Shop holiday bundles of our most coveted products with huge savings for you and your loved ones to gift (or keep). daab™ by the fire, or use your Wand to bring a little magic to your holidays.

Available for a limited time while quantities last.

Get yours today at www.getispire.com/shop.

@getispire

EDITORIAL

Stephanie Wilson Co-Founder + Editor in Chief stephanie.wilson@sensimag.com Doug Schnitzspahn Executive Editor Tracy Ross Managing Editor, Michigan Emilie-Noelle Provost Managing Editor, New England Debbie Hall Managing Editor, Spark Jenny Willden Managing Editor, California Will Brendza Managing Editor, Colorado Robyn Griggs Lawrence Editor at Large Radha Marcum Copy Editor Bevin Wallace Copy Editor

EXECUTIVE

Ron Kolb Founder ron@sensimag.com Stephanie Graziano CEO stephanie.graziano@sensimag.com ADVERTISING

Toni Tardif National Sales Director Jade Kolb Director Sales Operations and Global Recruiting PUBLISHING

Jamie Cooper Market Director, Michigan Richard Guerra Market Director, New England

DESIGN

Nancy Birnbaum Market Director, NorCal

Jamie Ezra Mark Creative Director jamie@emagency.com Rheya Tanner Art Director Wendy Mak Designer Josh Clark Designer

Diana Ramos Market Director, Oklahoma

BRAND DEVELOPMENT

Richard Guerra Director of Global Reach Amanda Patrizi Director of Marketing Neil Willis Production Director MEDIA PARTNERS

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

Nancy Reid Market Director, Florida MEDIA SALES

COLORADO Liana Cameris Media Sales Executive Amanda Patrizi Media Sales Executive Tyler Tarr Media Sales Executive FLORIDA Anthony Mckenzie Media Sales Executive NEVADA Pam Hewitt Media Sales Executive NEW ENGLAND Jake Boynton Media Sales Executive MICHIGAN Eric Lutey Media Sales Executive Kyle Miller Media Sales Executive Leah Stephens Media Sales Executive

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Eva Littman, MD, F.A.C.O.G.

Amity Hererra, PA-C

Voted “Top Doc” in Fertility Trained at Duke & Stanford Universities

15 Years in Reproductive Endocrinology Trained at UCSD & Western Universities

redrockfertility.com • 702.262.0079 • 9120 W Russell Rd, Ste 200, Las Vegas, NV 89148

A

EDITOR’S NOTE

Magazine published monthly

by Sensi Media Group LLC.

© 2021 Sensi Media Group. All rights reserved.

After nearly two years

of Covid-19 restrctions in

FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

FAC E B O O K Like Sensi Media Group to infuse your newsfeed with more of our great cannabis lifestyle content.

California, it’s beginning to look a lot like a regular Christmas season in the Golden State. Holiday lights are lit, ice-skating rinks are open, Santa is back at local malls, and skiers are piling on chairlifts to ski our legendary ski resorts.

Whether you’re decking the halls in snowy Lake Tahoe or sunny San Diego, bring the December issue of Sensi California along to stay updated on happening events, hip California cannabis companies, and features on cannabis pie crusts and incredible houseplants to add an island vibe.

As we head into 2021, we’d love to hear from you, dear readers, about what you’re looking for from Sensi in 2022. Whether you have the scoop on a California cannabis pioneer or are seeking the perfect cannabis recipe for your next gathering, email me at jenny.willden@sensimag.com with your ideas.

Happy holidays,

Jenny Willden @jennywillden

Holiday lights are lit, ice-skating rinks are open, Santa is back at local malls, and skiers are piling on chairlifts to ski our legendary ski resorts.

TWITTER Follow @sensimag for need-to-know news and views from Sensi headquarters.

I N S TAG R A M Pretty things, pretty places, pretty awesome people: find it all on @sensimagazine

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High-Flying Cannabis Aviation Cannabis brings fresh, sustainably packaged cannabis flowers to market.

Airfield—California’s largest single-site dispensary—just announced the launch of its new flower company, Aviation Cannabis. This elevated cannabis product is hand-processed and uses new techniques that deoxygenate the flower in packaging so it won’t age in the can. The company produces indoor-grown whole-bud flowers, pre-rolls, infused flower products, housemade concentrates, and cured resin vape cartridges all in sustainable, recyclable packaging.

Airfield launched Aviation to elevate its brand with higher-quality, fresher cannabis flowers and single-source sustainably packaged products. Its unique process keeps the flowers perfectly preserved in tins for up to two years, and its reclaimed plastic is the most recyclable cannabis packaging on the planet. This includes pre-roll packs and single-cone tubes made from reclaimed plastic and a recycling partnership that diverts cannabis packaging waste before it reaches the trash stream. This focus on quality and sustainability should make it a top pick for cannabis gifting this holiday season.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF AVIATION CANNABIS

Price varies / airfieldsupplyco.com/aviation-cannabis

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CONTRIBUTOR

Jenny Willden

Ring in the New Year with Roses

PHOTOS (FROM LEFT) COURTESY OF TOURNAMENT OF ROSES; ILLUMINATE SAN FRANCISCO

The iconic Tournament of Roses returns to Pasadena in December.

You’ve likely seen the Rose Parade on television, but there’s nothing like experiencing this iconic New Year’s celebration in Pasadena on January 1. This year marks the 133rd Rose Parade, where each and every float and carriage is bedecked in fantastic floral displays and natural materials.

See marching bands and equestrian units march along with the floats before college football teams battle it out in the Rose Bowl. Schedule your visit earlier to catch Equestfest, a showcase of the Rose Parade’s equestrian units, on December 29 at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center.

Tournament of Roses / tournamentofroses.com

California, where the spring comes in the fall and the fall comes in the summer and the summer comes in the winter and the winter never comes at all.”

—Inez Haynes Irwin, author

BY THE NUMBERS

2530 MILLION The approximate number of real Christmas trees sold in the U.S. each year. Unlike fake trees made in China, these renewable resources are easily recyclable.

SOURCE: realchristmastrees.org

998

EVENTS SPOTLIGHT

LIGHT UP THE NIGHT Illuminate San Francisco light-art installations shine throughout the city.

San Francisco’s blocks are brightened this holiday season from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day with the Illuminate SF Festival of Light. The display includes 40 eco-friendly light-art installations spread throughout 17 neighborhoods. Don’t miss favorite installations like Love Over Rules in SoMa, The Seed in the Castro, and Entwined in Golden Gate Park.

Shop, sip, and dine in adjacent San Francisco neighborhoods, where holiday activities and fun await.

Illuminate San Francisco / illuminatesf.com

DOLLARS PARTY WITH Average amount Americans spent on gifts and holiday items in 2020 SOURCE: nrf.com

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Number of ski areas in California SOURCE: skiresort.info

THE CANNABIS COMMUNITY Mark your calendars for the firstever Emerald Cup Harvest Ball.

Join the cannabis community at this gathering in Santa Rosa to celebrate the journey to the 18th Emerald Cup Awards. The Harvest Ball takes place at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds December 11–12 and is a new celebration that begins the journey to the 18th annual Emerald Cup Awards, which will be held in spring 2022.

Expect a grassroots vibe paired with educational panel discussions, a huge marketplace, live music, health-conscious food, and exciting in-person gatherings that have been on hold for far too long. Enjoy fresh fall-harvested cannabis and next-generation products at indoor and outdoor consumption lounges.

California Emerald Cup / theemeraldcup.com

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THE BUZZ

BILITIES

BY STEPHANIE WILSON, EDITOR IN CHIEF

1 CANNABIS is America’s fifth most valuable crop, earning more for farmers than cotton or rice, according to a new report from Leafly Holdings, Inc.

2 A NEW STUDY FROM HEADSET, a Seattle-based cannabis research firm, found that Gen Z is the fastest-growing segment of the cannabis-buying public, with a sales surge of 127 percent in 2020.

3 MASSACHUSETTS RECREATIONAL SALES have surpassed $2 billion in less than three years since the first legal sale there.

4 ONE IN FOUR ADULTS in the US. currently smokes cannabis— or at least has tried it in the last 12 months, according to a study by yougov.org.

Union Electric focuses on quality cannabis at a reasonable cost.

“SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO KIND OF DIE INSIDE IN ORDER TO RISE FROM YOUR OWN ASHES AND BELIEVE IN YOURSELF AND LOVE YOURSELF TO BECOME A NEW PERSON.”

Looking for quality cannabis that won’t break the bank? Consider Union Electic. The brand sources cannabis flowers from top California cultivators and sells them at a reasonable rate with same-day delivery or pickup available in California. The company keeps it simple by focusing sales on whole flower cannabis in tantalizing flavors like Papaya Punch and Modified Mint, but also sells pouches of ready-to-roll cannabis with papers in resealable pouches for easy enjoyment.

Beyond reasonably priced cannabis products, Union Electric is unique for letting average Americans become cannabis investors this fall. The campaign closed in November but received crowdfunding donations from over 623 investors, to the tune of $292,000.

By joining the Union, these regular people can build equity in the company—something typically impossible for anyone but elite, wealthy investors. Offering stock through this Regulation Crowdfunding campaign helped encompass what Union Electric stands for, collective power; and the investment helps to bring more affordable cannabis to the people of the Golden State.

—Gerard Way, author

Price varies / republic.co/union-electric

5 SIXTY-FOUR PERCENT OF CANNABIS CONSUMERS believe that if more people embraced the herb, the world would be “a better place.” So says that same yougov.org study.

6 POINT IS, people like pot. And I like alliterations. That’s all.

PHOTO COURTESY OF UNION ELECTRIC

Fairly Priced Flowers

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This infused pie crust recipe will elevate your dessert game.

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PHOTO BY BRENT HOFACKER VIA ADOBE STOCK

Pie in the Sky

According to the experts at San Diego’s March and Ash cannabis dispensary, cannabis is an extremely versatile plant, and one easy way to unlock its powerful effects is baking with cannabutter. Butter that has been infused with cannabis flower, also called “cannabutter,” is a simple do-it-yourself way to prepare edibles at home. Cannabutter has many uses in cooking, including cookies, sandwiches, desserts, and pasta.

Read on for a recipe to make your own cannabutter, which can then be incorporated into a pie crust recipe for the holidays … or really any time that’s appropriate for pie, which is the same as saying any time at all.

Cannabutter

Makes about 16 servings / Recipe from March and Ash / marchandash.com

INGREDIENTS

10 grams flower

1 cup unsalted butter

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 245°F. Place 10 grams of flower on a parchment-lined oven tray. Bake for 40 minutes. Rake the flower after 15 minutes to ensure even heating.

Coarsely grind baked bud into a slow cooker set to low (under 200°F). Add the unsalted butter, stirring the mixture every 15 minutes. Cook for 3 hours on low.

Allow to cool for a few minutes, and strain into jar or container using cheesecloth and a funnel. Refrigerate until ready to use in recipe.

Potency The exact potency of made-at-home cannabutter will depend on many factors. No two batches will be exactly the same. You may want to test your final product by spreading ¼ teaspoon on some toast and wait two to three hours to see how that batch affects you. Use that as a dosage barometer and increase or decrease the amount used in each recipe as desired.

Cannabutter Pie Crust Makes 1 pie crust

INGREDIENTS

2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 2⁄3 cup cannabutter (see

recipe above) 5–7 tablespoons cold water 1 egg white

PHOTOS (FROM TOP) BY ALONA, 2GREENEYES VIA ADOBE STOCK

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine flour and cannabutter into a mixing bowl. Use a knife to cut the cannabutter into the flour.

Add salt and water, mixing until a dough forms. If not using immediately, wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to 24 hours.

If ready to make your pie, roll out dough on a flat surface, between two pieces of lightly floured parchment paper.

Shape into a 9-inch pie pan, leaving a half inch of dough overhanging. Pinch overhang around edge of the pan and brush the dough with the egg white. Let chill in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Fill your pie with your favorite filling: pumpkin, apple, pecan, or even a refreshing fruit blend—baker’s choice.

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THE LIFE GARDEN

Containing the Tropics PHOTO BY NEW AFRICA, ADOBE STOCK

Baby it’s cold outside, but these easy-breezy houseplants can add an instant island vibe to your home no matter what’s happening out there. TEXT DIANE BLACKFORD

Your dreams for a Caribbean getaway this year get dashed by a pandemic that closed the country’s borders, too?

While it’s not quite the same as frolicking on sugary soft beaches flanked by palm trees and lapped by shimmering turquoise waters, I’ve done my best to turn my apartment into a tropical oasis with

palm trees and verdant foliage growing out of every available space. You can do the same, and I highly encourage it. Plants provide oxygen, clean the air, and are shown to elevate levels of happiness. Not to mention if you get enough of them growing, you’ll raise the humidity in your place—something everyone needs. Trust me,

your hair, skin, sinuses, too can grow some palm and more will thank you trees a mile high. for adding more moisture Everyone can be a to the air. tropical gardener, and My apartment’s large thanks to the housesouthern-facing windows plant-crazed millennials deserve a lot of credit for demanding more—and helping to transform an more exotic—greenery empty apartment into to grow in their homes, a lush landscape, no it’s easier than ever to doubt. But even if your cultivate a true island place rarely sees any divibe indoors—even in rect sunlight at all, you the coldest of climates.

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Legal Cannabis Packaging is wrecking our planet.

What are we going to do about it?

SEE YOU AT THE EMERALD CUP. Next Level Terps & Crystals Organic Cup Winning Sun Grown Flower

RUNTZ

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LUCY LAVENDER

WEDDING MINTZ

THE LIFE GARDEN

PHOTOS VIA ADOBE STOCK

(Fun fact: the fifth-coldest temp this country has ever recorded was in Maybell, Colorado, when it dipped to -61°F on February 1, 1985. As I write this, it’s 14 degrees outside and the temps are falling into the single digits tomorrow, making Denver one of the coldest places in the country right now.)

“It may be a little tricky at times, but adding that special warmth and color to your home definitely can be done,” confirms Andrea Haywood, a certified master gardener from South Florida.

While Jack Frost is not a friend to most greenery native to climates where temperatures hover above 75°F, we’ve rounded up some of the easiest tropical plants that you can

grow indoors all year long. You can find these varieties and others like them at your local garden center, where the staff can

help you pick out the right its uncanny resemblance type for your home’s light to the feathered creature and offer tips to help you with the same name. care for the tropical trans- The unusual shape of its plant. So take your green flowers makes the plant thumbs out of your gloves a superb conversation and get growing on your starter that adds a welown tropical paradise. come burst of color to any household where it Bird of Paradise (above) blooms, which doesn’t happen without a TON This colorful plant species got its moniker from of natural sunlight. But even without the namesake flower, the large plant adds a ton of tropical flair to any room, thanks to its glossy leaves fanning out.

Bromeliad (left) There are over 3,000 species within this standout family of tropical plants. Most have bold leaves that are often colorful, but many bromeliads’ most distinguishing characteristic is an exotic flower spike. Given the long-lasting blooms D EC E M B E R 2021

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Bring Your Printing Home

OP

O DE L L PR I N T I N G sonoma county | 707.585.2718 | odellprinting.com

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THE LIFE GARDEN

Dracaena Marginata (below) Often called the dragon tree, the spiky houseplant is native to Africa.

The tricolor cultivar, also known as the rainbow plant, adds an instant island vibe to any household with its pink, cream, and yellow stripes on narrow, green leaves.

Hibiscus (left) Huge, dramatic blooms up to eight inches in and ornamental foliage, among the easiest to grow, diameter add terrific you may assume these and you can find varietsplashes of color (albeare high-maintenance ies in all shapes and sizes it short-lived) to this houseplants, but you’d be with different preferences shrub. It needs plenty of mistaken. They tend to be for light and heat. water and well-drained

soil to survive, and it needs lots of sunlight to bloom, which it can do from late spring through fall in the right conditions. You can find versions with flowers in a dizzying array of colors, making it easy to match your home’s color palette. If you don’t have bright, direct sunlight, don’t let that stop you from adding this stunner to your collection. Keep it indoors during the winter then move it to the balcony or porch when it warms up outside to enjoy its seasonal blooms.

PHOTOS VIA ADOBE STOCK

EDITOR’S CHOICE: PONYTAIL PALM The cascading curls flowing from the top of this plant just make it seem like all sorts of bubbly fun. It’s technically a succulent, not a palm tree, but we won’t tell if you don’t. A native of the dry desert states of eastern Mexico, it does well in low humidity, and its bulbous base stores water like a camel’s hump, making it a good choice for people who tend to neglect their plants.

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P R O M OT I O N A L F E AT U R E N AT I O N A L C A N N A B I S R I S K M A N AG E M E N T A S S O C I AT I O N

Risk Management What you don’t know can hurt you.

E

very business owner knows about risk; it is a constant presence in their lives. The specter of risk drives critical business decisions, from funding and hiring to liability coverage.

Nowhere is this more evident than in the fast-changing and continually evolving cannabis industry. Cannabis is one of the most highly scrutinized industries in the country, so operators owe it to themselves to ensure that they have properly protected their investment. That’s where the National Cannabis Risk Management Association (NCRMA) comes in.

As the nation’s only dedicated risk management association focused solely on cannabis, NCRMA brings a level of expertise to its members that enables long-term sustainability and success. It provides the education, support, and ex-

pertise necessary to mitigate potential threats and help cannabis industry professionals keep their businesses safe, compliant, and thriving.

NCRMA lives its mission statement: making our members better through education, support, and expertise.

“Our level of expertise spans from seed to the consumer with a team of consultants bringing a combined 75 years of experience in property and liability, risk, cannabis operations, occupational safety, compliance, and agriculture,” says NCRMA Chief Risk Management Officer Alex Hearding.

“This culmination of experience and expertise allows us to offer one-ofa-kind tools and cannabis-specific solutions designed to improve overall business results, optimize daily operational efficiencies, decrease unnecessary expenses, and increase

the bottom line.” Through the use of the NCRMA’s proprietary cloudbased platform, CRP2 (Cannabis Risk Prevention Platform), its consultants are equipped to quickly identify potential threats through a scorecard and detailed report. These results allow the NCRMA to address risks in a holistic manner and create customized solutions that minimize the potential for business interruptions.

Recognizing the explosive growth in the cannabis industry, NCRMA has regional offices and vetted service partners across the country, which work directly with NCRMA members to provide knowledge, proficiency, and “A common support—and much more.

NCRMA’s Chronic Risk podcast cannabis offers detailed insights from cannabis industry industry leaders. Through its innovamyth is that tive association-owned captive model, by having NCRMA has a network of Appointed Brokers who offer insurance products insurance, you are and coverages. Then, there is NCRM Academy—an online learning platform properly that provides members access to over managing 30 different courses on all aspects your risks, of cannabis operations. All of this when in combined ensures that your business reality, is prepared and your risks addressed. insurance “A common cannabis industry myth is that by having insurance, you is only a are properly managing your risks. small part In reality, insurance is only a small of the risk part of the risk management framemanagement work,” says NCRMA Chairman Rocco framework.”

Petrilli. “Having a firm grasp over risk management is vital to the success of —NCRMA Chairman any business.”

Rocco Petrilli

National Cannabis Risk Management Association The nation’s only cannabis risk management association ncrma.net D EC E M B E R 2021

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NOT DOWN AND OUT BUT

THRIV IN LAS VEGAS T

he Las Vegas cannabis vibe was off the charts during the week-long 10th annual MJBizCon, the largest cannabis trade show in the industry. Sensi had a prominent presence during the convention, including hosting one of the hottest parties, Sensi’s Sunset Soirée at The Strat. Guests enjoyed the Las Vegas sunset 108 floors above the Strip with unlimited cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, thrill rides, and an all-around

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excellent networking experience.

The next evening, the sold-out Zodiac Party rocked the entire night as partygoers celebrated.

Down the street, Sapphire Las Vegas, the world’s largest gentlemen’s club and adult entertainment complex, hosted an evening filled with unforgettable 4-20–inspired décor and entertainment with an open bar. Platinum recording artist and rap sensation Mike Jones, infamous for anthems like “Still Tippin” and “Back Then,” performed as

guests reveled in cannabis couture.

During the day, Daymond John—co-star of ABC’s Shark Tank and founder/CEO of Fubu— amped up attendees as the keynote speaker of MJBiz, while over 1,000 cannabis industry suppliers made deals on the expo floor. MJ Unpacked brought together passionate cannabis retailers, THC CPG brands, and accredited investors.

It was quite the week for all who attended! Sensi Media Group looks forward to 2022.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF STAFF OF SENSI MAGAZINE

TEXT DEBBIE HALL

VING D EC E M B E R 2021

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF STAFF OF SENSI MAGAZINE

MJ BIZ, MJ UNPACKED WHERE: LAS VEGAS CONVENTION CENTER WHEN: OCT. 19-22, 2021

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF STAFF OF SENSI MAGAZINE

MJ BIZ, MJ UNPACKED WHERE: LAS VEGAS CONVENTION CENTER WHEN: OCT. 19-22, 2021

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SANTA ROSA / CALIFORNIA

CANNABIS CO-MANUFACTURING PERMISSION TO COME ABOARD!

When their service ends, ours begins.

S W O R D S -T O - P LO W S H A R E S . O R G

WE CAN PRODUCE:

EDIBLES • HARD CANDY • GUMMIES CHOCOLATE • FLOWER PACKING TOPICALS • TINCTURES BEAUTY PRODUCTS • BEVERAGES RENT OUR EVENT SPACE!

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF STAFF OF SENSI MAGAZINE

SENSI’S SUNSET SOIRÉE AT THE STRAT, AFTERPARTY AT MEOW WOLF, ZODIAC PARTY WHERE: THE STRAT, THE SPACE ON INDUSTRY, SAPPHIRE LAS VEGAS, AREA15, MANDALAY BAY RESORT AND CASINO WHEN: OCT. 19-22, 2021

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF STAFF OF SENSI MAGAZINE; PHOTO OF MIKE JONES BY CHUCK SICUSO/SAPPHIRE LAS VEGAS

SENSI’S SUNSET SOIRÉE AT THE STRAT, AFTERPARTY AT MEOW WOLF, ZODIAC PARTY WHERE: THE STRAT, THE SPACE ON INDUSTRY, SAPPHIRE LAS VEGAS, AREA15, MANDALAY BAY RESORT AND CASINO WHEN: OCT. 19-22, 2021

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P R O M OT I O N A L F E AT U R E S O H U M R O YA L

A Rich Legacy Love, Loyalty, and Excellence in Cannabis

S

outhern Humboldt Royal Cannabis Company (SoHum Royal) is an example of ecological stewardship. A family farm, it’s nestled in the foothills 2,500 feet above the majestic Mattole River Valley in Honeydew, California.

Because it is also a home, deep commitment to stewardship of the land and environmental resources is more than an obligation for the brand; it’s a way of life. Its head cultivator takes a craftsman’s approach to nurturing the growing medium and all of the life within it.

A proud second-generation Humboldt farmer, Sean Stamm is Southern Humboldt Royal’s founder and head cultivator. Stamm has carefully built an expert cultivation team with an emphasis on paying attention to the details. He is joined in his mission by his mother, Pamela Lane, who taught him to grow his first cannabis plant 24 years ago.

She spent years developing and optimizing holistic formulas that blend the medicinal cannabis oils with the finest ingredients including proprietary blends of essential oils, shea butter, emu oil, and full-spectrum cannabis oil to create a line of premium topical products that includes bath bombs, healing salve, lip balm, and massage oil.

In addition to breeding the most potent and terpene-rich strains, Stamm has developed a powerful Rick Simpson–style oil formula for treating chronic conditions like Alzheimer’s and cancer. Southern Humboldt Royal Cannabis reflects the rich legacy of Humboldt cannabis cultivation. With a focus on quality and health, Stamm has grown a brand that represents the unique values and lifestyles found in California’s Emerald Triangle.

SoHum Royal produces pristine cannabis in Humboldt’s unparalleled soils—the world’s finest quality— while minimizing risks to employees and breathing life into the community through participation in the volunteer fire department and active leadership in the local cannabis community. One of SoHum’s core beliefs is that cannabis users are entitled to products that are free of pesticides, micro-contaminants, and other adulterations. The company rigorously follows estabSoHum Royal lished practices to ensure that all of its Premier Cannabis Brand products meet these high standards. sohumroyal.com D EC E M B E R 2021

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WOKE, NOT WASTED They say they’re not alcoholics, and they’re certainly not anonymous. What is sober curious—and can sobriety really be fluid?

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drink badly, and I have a lot of fun doing it (when I remember). That’s a lethal combination, and when you throw in my unfortunate discovery of White Claw—I can drink as many as I want and never feel full!—I flamed out with alcohol last winter.

On February 1, just as everyone else was celebrating the end of Dry January and just ahead of the Summer of the Claw, I swore off the seltzer. I figured I’d give myself one month (note: the year’s shortest) to reset. It wasn’t an easy 28 days, but when March 1 rolled around, I felt better than I’d felt in years. The chronic inflammation I had attributed to everything from gluten sensitivity to genetics was

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clearing. I saw the light, and there was no going back.

I thought sobriety would be lonely, that every Saturday night would be Netflix. I forgot the Brett Kavanaugh generation isn’t in charge of culture anymore (thank God).

Millennials and Gen Xers aren’t interested in swilling beer until they black out like we did in the ’80s. Sober is sexy—or, as hipsobriety.com says, “sobriety is the new black.”

On Instagram, there are influencers such as @stylishlysober, @thesoberglow, and the darker @fucking_sober and hashtags like #soberliving, #soberAF, and #sobercurious. Millie Gooch, who posts as @sobergirlsociety,

encourages her nearly 60,000 followers with inspirational messages like “Mocks not cocks” and “Sobriety: a surefire way to improve your wellbeing and your Uber rating.”

Just like that, I’m a cool kid— with a huge range of new options on Saturday night (and beyond).

I’m exploring elixirs made with raw cacao, maca, and horny goat weed at Tonic Herban Lounge just a few blocks from my home in downtown Boulder (I can walk home after imbibing, and it amuses me that I don’t need to). I can do yoga and shake it before dawn at a Daybreaker dance party (daybreaker.com) in Denver, one of 27 cities where the alcohol-free early-morning rave pops up and invites people

PHOTOS VIA ADOBE STOCK

TEXT ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE

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to “sweat, dance, and connect with ourselves in community.”

I’m surely not alone in this realization that life is better without booze. Worldwide, alcohol consumption fell by 1.6 percent last year. Led by young people, heavy-hitting countries like Russia, Canada, Japan, and the UK are seeing drinking rates as well as tolerance toward intoxication decline. An international survey found that about a third of people wanted to reduce their alcohol intake because of everything from sexual regret and embarrassment to physical health. A 2018 survey found that nearly 40 percent of global consumers want to drink less for health reasons.

In the U.S., CNBC reports, 52 percent of adults are trying to lower their alcohol intake, and

APPS FOR THAT Loosid: Digital platform for sober dating, destinations, and meetups Sober Grid: “The world’s most popular mobile sober community” Twenty-Four Hours a Day: Inspiration through daily meditations

underage drinking has steadily declined in the last 10 years. But only 21 percent of U.S. adults in a CivicScience poll said they had any interest in drinking less or not at all, and most of those were 21- to 34-year-old, vegan-leaning flexitarians who practice yoga and consume cannabis daily.

Women, especially those in their 30s and 40s, are drinking more than ever.

Booze still rules for most Americans, and “increased stress and demoralization” is actually pushing more women, minorities, and poor people to the bot-

tle, according to a study published in JAMA Psychiatry. The national Institute for Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reports that 17 million adults in the U.S. are alcohol dependent, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says one in six binge drink—defined as drinking four or more drinks over two hours or until blood alcohol reaches 0.08—nearly once a week. For this White Claw guzzler, that definition is, well, sobering. I called that happy hour.

Giving up alcohol isn’t a hashtag for a lot of people. It’s not D EC E M B E R 2021

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SPIRITS FOR NEXT-GEN PARTIERS The joke goes that nonalcoholic drinks are like listening to porn on the radio, but times have changed. They’re the CBD of the alcohol world. Nonalcohol (NA) beverages are a bright spot in a declining alcohol market, and their sales are expected to grow 32 percent in 2022, according to a Bon Appetit report. Today’s creative, health-inducing craft beverages are a lot more than just alcohol-free.

BEER Athletic IPA: Robust alcohol-free craft brew Heineken OO: The OG’s first NA brew O’Doul’s: Anheuser-Busch’s classic has new limited-edition meantfor-Instagram cans by local artists in New York, Chicago, and LA.

WINE Napa Hills: Blend of fruit-flavored water and VitaRes (antioxidant blend with resveratrol, red grape skin, and red wine extract) with as many antioxidants as red wine O.Vine: Grape-infused wine water with “the health benefits of the real thing”

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SPIRITS Curious Elixirs: Individually bottled alcohol-free craft cocktails High Rhode by Kin: “Euphorics” made from nootropics and adaptogens, including 5-HTP, rhodiola, and caffeine Ritual Whiskey: “As a veggie burger is to beef, or almond milk is to dairy, Ritual is an alternative to traditional whiskey.”

Seedlip Spice 94: Gin-like blend of Jamaican allspice berry, cardamom, and citrus peel Stryyk: “Zero-proof spirits,” including Not Vodka, Not Rum, and Not Gin Three Spirit: “Social elixir” made from yerba mate, lion’s mane, damiana, and cacao

even a choice. As Sean Paul Mahoney writes on The Fix, a website about addiction and recovery, “I didn’t get sober to be cool. I just got sober to stop dying.”

A LITTLE BIT ADDICTED? “Sober curious” became a thing after HarperCollins released Ruby Warrington’s Sober Curious: The Blissful Sleep, Greater Focus, Limitless Presence, and Deep Connection Awaiting Us All on the Other Side of Alcohol in 2018.

Warrington also has a podcast, runs Club Söda NYC (featuring sober events like Kundalini Disco), and stages events. Her take is that a lot of Americans might not have a “problem” with alcohol but see it as getting in the way of their healthy lifestyles.

“We eat well. We exercise. We meditate,” the press release for Sober Curious states. “So, why do we…still drink?”

Warrington wants to know why the only people who don’t drink are the ones who can’t and asks, “What if I am just…a little bit addicted?”

Call me old school, but a little bit addicted sounds a lot like a little bit pregnant. I worry that people who shouldn’t will take the advice of John Costa, who writes on twentytwowords.com that being sober curious is like being bi-curious—you don’t always hook up with people of the same sex, and you don’t have to cut out drinking forever. “Be sober half the time,” he writes, “and sauced the other half.” He’s joking, but those are dangerous words for me. That’s the life I was living: sober by day + tanked by night = balance.

SOBERING STUDIES

ALCOHOL ACCOUNTS FOR NEARLY 1 IN 10 DEATHS OF PEOPLE AGED 15 TO 49 AND IS THE LEADING RISK FACTOR FOR DISEASE AND PREMATURE DEATH. Source: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

BINGE DRINKING RATES IN STATES WHERE CANNABIS IS LEGAL FELL TO 9 PERCENT BELOW THE NATIONAL AVERAGE AND 11 PERCENT BELOW NONLEGAL STATES IN 2016.

Source: Cowen & Co.

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Like all disorders (and pretty much everything in our culture), alcohol use runs on a spectrum.

I was at the end that spent hours upon hours researching whether drinking while on this antibiotic would really make me projectile vomit and scoffed at friends as they struggled through Dry January, Dry July, Sober September, and Sober October. I wasn’t interested in giving up drinking for any reason or any amount of time— until I had to give it up for life.

Warrington, who sees reducing alcohol intake as another step in the wellness revolution, is at the other end of the spectrum—and she is aware of the difference between recovering from alcohol addiction and feeling better during yoga. I hope all of her followers are, too, because the last thing most drinkers need is a loophole.

I want to believe the trend Warrington is leading toward spirits-free activities and thoughtfulness about alcohol’s

role in our culture—where every ritual, celebration, loss, entertainment, and even sporting event is cause for a drink—is not a trend but a movement. That we’ll look back at “mommyjuice” like we shake our heads at “mother’s little helper” pills from the ’60s and ’70s. The infrastructure to support sobriety is being built, and public opinion is turning. After centuries of going hard, America is getting woke, not wasted.

Cheers to that.

A B O U T T H E AU T H O R

Robyn Griggs Lawrence is the author of the bestselling Cannabis Kitchen Cookbook and Pot in Pans: A History of Eating Cannabis.

SOBERING STUDIES

A BRITISH STUDY OF DRY JANUARY ABSTAINERS FOUND THAT 82 PERCENT FELT A SENSE OF ACHIEVEMENT, 62 PERCENT SLEPT BETTER, AND 49 PERCENT LOST SOME WEIGHT.

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The Last-Minute Gift Guide Gifts so good they’ll think you spent a year planning them.

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Bearbrick Aroma Ornament, $110 2. Hannah Candle in His and Hannah, $85 each 3. Wary Meyers Hippie Hollow Candle, $36

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF NORDSTROM

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Is the thought of holiday panic shopping for the people in your life who deserve a lil token (tokin’) of appreciation from you this year getting you down? Don’t fret my pet. A recent study found that a moderate amount of procrastination can actually enhance creativity, providing the procrastinator extra time to generate novel ideas. So you weren’t waiting until the last minute—you’ve been waiting for inspiration to strike. And here it is.

If you missed Sensi’s 2021 Holiday Gift Guide last month (or if you missed the window to order the items on it for arrival before, like, Martin Luther King Jr. Day), you’re still golden in our book. If it wasn’t for the last minute, nothing would ever get done. Or so we’ve heard. So we’ve packed our Last-Minute Gift Guide with all the thoughtful goodies you can give (or hope to receive).

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PHOTOS: 4 BY EMMA ANZELONE; 7 COURTESY OF JACOB MAY

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4. Kanha Nano Sugar Plum gummies, $18 5. Pet Releaf Edibites CBD Soft Chews, $28 Use the code PAWLIDAYSPR30 for 30% off site-wide and free shipping.

6. Koan Cannabis Cordials, $30/3 7. Sanctuary Dab Tabs, $40 8. Glass Distractions Cobalt Cup Set, $340 9. Unity Hemp Beverage Six Pack, $42

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THE SCENE

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10. Simon Miller Scrambler Chelsea Boot, $540 11. Higher Standards x Revelry Companion bag, $55 12. The Skateroom x Andy Warhol Campbell’s Soup Colored Skateboard Deck, $220

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13. Ashish Sequin Flared Drawstring Trouser, $2,059 14. RopaNa Wellness Beanie, $24 15. Nike Blazer Mid ’77, $100

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PHOTOS 10, 12, 13, 15 COURTESY OF NORDSTROM

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THE SCENE

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16. LuxeRolls Luxe Rose Heart Cannon, $25 17. Invincibowl + Invincipole, $30, $45 18. Suprette Missing Clipper Lighter, $10 19. Purejuana Cannabis-Infused Soluble Powder, 10-shot box starting at $19

20. GanjaGold Blue Pocket Tarantula, $42 21. F. Miller x JAM Earth Burners, $98 22. LuxePak StashPak, $20 23. Stone Road Roll-Your-Own Pouch, $50

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THE END

California’s colorful wine country is showcased and celebrated in this painting by award-winning Sonoma County artist, Dan Scannell. He is the former Visual Director of I. Magnin in San Francisco and was an instructor at the de Young Museum Art School, but shifted in recent years to focus on his art.

Scannell first channeled his creative energy into designing paper goods and fabric, but today paints inspiring landscapes, street scenes, homes, and natural scenery with oil and soft pastel paints. The inspiration for this painting, and many of Scannell’s showcases the beauty works, is Northern California and its surrounding of Northern California. cities, scenery, and landmarks. See his art in person at his studio and gallery at 312 South A Street, Santa TEXT JENNY WILLDEN Rosa, or online at danscannell.com

Sonoma Sunset Dan Scannell’s art

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PHOTO COURTESY OF DAN SCANNELL

“Wine Country Daydream”

by Dan Scannell

N OW O P E N IN SANT A ROS A !

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