Sensi Michigan August 2021

FULLY LEGAL?

The debate intensifies

DREAM MACHINE

Take a drug-free trip with VR

MICHIGAN AUGUST 2021

Find out what’s hot this summer with our annual list

Pictured: Mountain Smokes Hemp CBD Smokes (p. 43)

DIY CANNAB-ICE CREAM Make your own CBD treat

America’s #1 selling cannabis oil brand.

It all started with a better cartridge.

The story of Select started with a cough, which led to a thought, which led to a better cartridge.

Since day one our focus has been on product safety, and we’ve risen above because of our commitment to setting standards around pesticide, hardware and oil testing.

Find Select near you: selectcannabis.com |

select.better

Marihuana product for use only by individuals aged 21 or older. Medical Marijuana for use only by registered qualifying patients or registered primary caregivers.

HARNESS THE POWER OF SCIENCE & FLOWER

DoubleBearCo

DoubleBearConcentrates.com

MICHIGAN SENSI MAGAZINE AUGUST 2021

sensimediagroup @sensimagazine @sensimag

24

FEATURE

36

The 2021 Sensi Lit List

It’s hot outside. But we see that as an opportunity to sit back and enjoy everything that’s creating some serious heat on the Sensi wire.

Welcome to the Lit List.

We have carefully curated the stuff that sparked our interest and expanded our horizons—and we want to share. So, dig in and enjoy.

DEPARTMENTS

PHOTO COURTESY OF BRAINTAP

15 EDITOR’S NOTE 24 THE LIFE Contributing to your health and happiness 18 THE BUZZ (DREAM) MACHINE New News, tips, and tidbits to keep you in the loop REDEMPTION SONG A cannabis brand and a cultivation company have merged to change the scene in Michigan.

FULLY LEGAL Sen. Chuck Schumer works for national cannabis legislation.

PRECISION DOSING A California company launches a new dabbing tool in Michigan.

apps take you on a trip— with or without drugs.

HOROSCOPES What do the stars hold for you?

50 THE SCENE Hot happenings and hip hangouts around town DIY CANNAB-ICE CREAM

Infuse your dessert for a refreshing treat.

ON THE COVER

Mountain Smokes brought the heat to our August Lit List.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MOUNTAIN SMOKES

56 THE END Find quiet contemplation at Michigan’s Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

AU G U S T 2021

S E N S I M AG .C O M

9

Express Yourself

NOW AT In honor of Pride Month, we will donate a percentage of all proceeds to The Trevor Project to help LGBTQ youth.

Learn more about their mission at thetrevorproject.org | franklinfields.com | thebotanical.co

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 CCTV Smart Ag Tech Kushla Life Sciences Cannabis Formulation and Products 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 Superbad inc. Premium California Cannabis 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 Flourish Software Seed to Sale Green Goddess Supply Personal Homegrown Biochamber GreenHouse Payment Solutions Payment Processing The Holistic Center Medical Marijuana Evaluations Revolutionary Clinics Medical Dispensary Royal Gold Soil Tess Woods Public Relations Public Relations

AU G U S T 2021

S E N S I M AG .C O M

11

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, Nevada Jenny Willden Managing Editor, California Robyn Griggs Lawrence Editor at Large Mona Van Joseph Contributor, Horoscopes Radha Marcum Copy Editor Bevin Wallace Copy Editor DESIGN

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

EXECUTIVE

Ron Kolb Founder ron@sensimag.com Stephanie Graziano CEO stephanie.graziano@sensimag.com Lou Ferris Vice President of Global Revenue Chris Foltz Vice President of Global Reach Jade Kolb Director of Project Management ADVERTISING

Nancy Reid Director, Team Building, Sensi East PUBLISHING

Jamie Cooper Market Director, Michigan Abi Wright Market Director, Nevada Richard Guerra Market Director, New England Nancy Birnbaum Market Director, NorCal Diana Ramos Market Director, Oklahoma Rob Ball Market Director, S. California Angelique Kiss Market Director, S. California

BRAND DEVELOPMENT

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

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

MEDIA SALES

COLORADO Liana Cameris Media Sales Executive Amanda Patrizi Media Sales Executive Tyler Tarr Media Sales Executive NEVADA Pam Hewitt Media Sales Executive NEW ENGLAND Jake Boynton Media Sales Executive Peter Dunlap Media Sales Executive Bryant Mahony Media Sales Executive MICHIGAN Kyle Miller Media Sales Executive Leah Stephens Media Sales Executive

AU G U S T 2021

S E N S I M AG .C O M

13

A

EDITOR’S NOTE

Magazine published monthly

by Sensi Media Group LLC.

© 2021 Sensi Media Group. All rights reserved.

Among her hundreds

of memorable quotes, the

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.

author Annie Dillard writes “Spend the afternoon. You can’t take it with you.” I am thinking about this on the third day of August. Out the window at my house, a blanket of soft grey clouds promises one of the coolest days we’ve had this summer, and the fact that my 9-year-old daughter is at a rare sleepover means I have a morning and partial afternoon without the needs or wants of my beloved offspring. Don’t get me wrong: I love my kid more than I love myself. But I value my rare alone time in our modest house tucked in the Roosevelt National Forest of Colorado just as much.

“Spend the afternoon,” says Dillard, so today, how will I? The outside world has gotten scarier of late, with the rising spread of COVID’s Delta Variant. I don’t want to be among people, so I won’t. Extend that to returning phone calls. Double extend for planning anything beyond this moment. Especially since August means the summer will soon wind down, and here in Colorado, like Michigan, long winters always follow.

This reminds me that I should spend some of my day outside. In the woods, near the creek, or on the trails that wind from our house through the mountains. While much of the West has been burning, we’ve been exceedingly lucky. We’ve escaped the fires, so far, for the first time in years. The rain has also made the brush and ground cover stay green. Last year at this time we were afraid to go anywhere because it was so dry, hot, and windy. So I will go out, find a soft spot, and lay down. I might even stay there if it starts to rain. And while I do, certain invisible powers will flow into me.

Things the earth only gives when we steal away from all of our external demands, and spend an afternoon we can’t take, alone, attentive, listening.

Especially since August means the summer will soon wind down, and here in Colorado, like Michigan, long winters always follow.

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

Tracy Ross @writertracyross

AU G U S T 2021

S E N S I M AG .C O M

15

LET THE EXPERTS AT HYDRO GIANT HANDLE YOUR COMMERCIAL GROW OUR NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART, 26,000 SQ FOOT WAREHOUSE PROVIDES COMPLETE COMMERCIAL SERVICES FOR ALL YOUR GROWING NEEDS SOUTHGATE 19363 Eureka Rd 734-281-8888

DETROIT 21651 W 8 Mile Rd 313-387-7700

DEARBORN 14455 Ford Rd 313-216-8888

WEST BLOOMFIELD 7480 Haggerty Rd 248-661-0034

1-855-HYDROGIANT

NORTHERN SPECIALTY HEALTH SERVING THE KEWEENAW SINCE 2013 SUPPORT KEWEENAW COMPANIES

SAVE

20% OFF

for Medical Card holders on adult-use menu

Open daily 9am-8pm

northernspecialtyhealthpc Visit our website to learn more or browse our menu: www.northernspecialtyhealth.com

16

MICHIGAN

AU G U S T 202 1

Redemption Driven How will Redemption’s new partnerships with Driven Grow, Rair, and Luxury Loud impact Michigan cannabis consumers?

Ryan Basore: These partnerships will ensure the distribution of top-shelf strains to more provision18

MICHIGAN

AU G U S T 2 02 1

ing centers across the state. But beyond that, it gives consumers a greater opportunity to support independent cannabis businesses rather than the corporate multistate operators. Plus 10% of sales of Redemption-branded products

from these partners help people who have been harmed by cannabis prohibition. Those funds help pay for legal resources for people going through the expungement process and to free the state’s remaining cannabis prisoners.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NATHANIEL DARLING

In July, Redemption Cannabis announced a new partnership deal that will make the Frederic, Michigan-based cultivation and processing company, Driven Grow, a 30% owner of its brand. We caught up with Redemption owner Ryan Basore for some insights on the merger and more.

CONTRIBUTOR

PHOTOS (FROM TOP) COURTESY OF @SENSCHUMER, REDEMPTIONCANNA.COM

Tracy Ross

You, Driven Grow CEO Drew Driver, and Luxury Loud founder Marko Malinowski were all once targeted by law enforcement for your roles as Michigan caregivers. How did your experiences inform your current thinking around ownership in the cannabis industry?

RB: Caregivers are the foundation of Michigan’s cannabis industry. They risked so much to help their patients, and it’s because of their hard work that we have one of the most robust markets in the country. All Redemption partners have that perspective in common and we recognize we are standing on the shoulders of those who came before us, who have been fighting for reform for decades.

We also share the belief that there should always be a place in this industry for people with caregiver backgrounds or people who have been targeted for selling or producing what is now a legal product.

What’s your definition of “redemption?”

RB: Redemption is love, pain, defeat, and victory. Love for the cannabis plant and what it can do for people; feeling the pain from all the harm prohibition has caused; recognizing that the defeats we’ve been through have made us stronger. And the victory of now being able to do what we love and participate in a thriving legal market in Michigan.

BY THE NUMBERS

41 PERCENT Parents who consume cannabis who show significantly more feelings of “hopefulness” compared to non-parent users (20%), according to a 2019 Oasis Intelligence Tracking study.

SOURCE: oasisintelligence.com/ news/essential-now-morethan-ever

2x

Rate mothers are consuming cannabis (16%) compared non-consuming parents (8%), according to Oasis Intelligence, a consumer data group helping companies better understand how cannabis and hemp fit into people’s lives

60 PERCENT

Cannabis users who believe that it can help reduce anxiety; 40% use cannabis specifically for anxiety; and 33% use products specially formulated for their calming and anti-anxiety effects

Fully Legal

Lawmakers bring the US a step closer to federal legalization.

Chuck Schumer at the Cannabis Parade and Rally in New York City in May.

“I am the first majority leader to say it's time to end the federal prohibition on marijuana.

As majority leader, I'm going to push this issue forward and make it a priority for the Senate,” Chuck Schumer, the Senate majority leader, told Congress on July 12.

If Schumer’s draft bill, the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act, is accepted, policies would begin to unwind the decades-old war on drugs and offer more opportunity to businesses and individuals in states that have legalized cannabis to sell and consume without the risk of federal punishment.

The bill would also try to make up for years of of restrictive federal drug policies that disproportionally affect communities of color and the poor. It calls for immediately expunging nonviolent marijuana-related arrests and convictions from federal records and would earmark new tax revenue for restorative justice programs intended to lift up communities affected by “the failed federal prohibition of cannabis.”

“The suggestion that the Senate’s top leader would sponsor major decriminalization legislation would have been fantastical in the not-too-distant past,” concluded The New York Times.

AU G U S T 2021

S E N S I M AG .C O M

19

THE BUZZ

VOX POPULI

Question: What do you love most about the end of summer in Michigan?

ALEXA REDICK

SARA ENGEL

GORDIE DRAKE

HEATHER CURTIS

ALYSSA LEIGH

Development and Communications Director at Ed & Nancy Hanenburg Children’s Advocacy Center Grand Rapids

Director of Business Development at Red Arrow Farms Traverse City

Serial Entrepreneur/Procurement Specialist Delton

Artist and Cannabis Activist Curtisville

Director of Sales and Marketing at Noble Road Co. Lansing

___________________

___________________

Crimson cherries, sweet lilacs and lavender, music in the woods, the excitement of pulling fossils and colorful stones from our lakes, glittery shorelines, and the golden sunlight bouncing off ripples in the water.

OMG the bonfires, cannabis, and my tribe!

Nothing better than sharing epic stories with great people having an awesome barbecue and always some great herb.

___________________

Michiganders collectively breathe, take a beat, and relax during summer. We get up early to watch the sunrise and stay up late to watch the sunset and stargaze.

And we help local economies while visiting lakeside communities all over the state.

___________________

The smell of the forest, of wildflowers and fresh, flowing water. A breath of Michigan air is the scent of nature incarnate.

___________________

Fireflies. They make summer magical.

Just sitting in silence, watching them almost twinkle in the distance is so peaceful.

PRECISION DOSING

PHOTO COURTESY OF SOZO HEALTH

A California company launches a new dabbing tool in Michigan.

According to experts at verywellmind.com, dabbing—consuming cannabis (or hash) with highly concentrated levels of THC—can be dangerous, with one study concluding that a dab can contain up to 90-percent higher THC concentration than traditional cannabis.

On July 9, the California cannabis company Sozo Health Inc. (“Sozo”) announced the release of a development to make dabbing more precise. Normally, dabs are applied with a cannabis oil syringe, known as “darts.” The so-called “Sozo x Dablicator™ Oil Applicator,” on the other hand, uses a “direct dab dip,” to “allow for measured application of cannabis oil onto preferred consumption devices ranging from standard pipes and rolled cannabis, to rigs and heated dabbing tools.”

The result, says Sozo, is more discreet or casual—perfect for a “mature market that appreciates concentrates, as evidenced by Michigan’s 61 percent, year-over-year category growth.” The Dablicator™ is available for purchase at Sozo medical and adult-use stores, and select Michigan retailers,” says Kristi Kelly, Sozo’s chief strategy officer.

AU G U S T 2021

S E N S I M AG .C O M

21

We provide full-service accounting, advisory and income tax services to the Cannabis Industry and those ancillary to the industry.

We are here to navigate you through the complex tax and accounting issues related to Cannabis.

22

MICHIGAN

AU G U S T 2 02 1

Discover something out of this world.

NEW WANA TARTS

wanabrands.com

Welcome to the (Dream) Machine A new wave of apps will take you on a trip—with or without drugs.

TEXT ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE

could mimic an LSD trip without the LSD. Their DREAMACHINE consisted of a slotted metal cylinder surrounding a suspended lightbulb that sat on a record turntable and rotated at seventy-eight revolutions per

minute, projecting light at the frequency of alpha brain waves during wakeful relaxation.

Gysin was enthralled by his invention, absolutely certain it would become more popular than television, which was still a black-andwhite medium that aired

shows for squares like Gunsmoke and The Beverly Hillbillies. Gysin’s friend, Beat writer William Burroughs, predicted the DREAMACHINE would cause people to

PHOTO COURTESY OF BRAINTAP

In the early 1960s, just as the avant garde were starting to play with psychedelics, Beat surrealist artist Brion Gysin and Cambridge scientist Ian Sommerville created a machine that

24

MICHIGAN

AU G U S T 202 1

PHOTOS (FROM TOP) COURTESY OF JOHN KEOGH/CREATIVE COMMONS, BRAINTAP

“storm the citadels of enlightenment.”

Obviously, that never happened. We made friends with Ross and Phoebe and turned Netflix into a verb. The only citadels stormed were hardly enlightened ones, and Gysin is best remembered as the guy who slipped a hash fudge recipe into Alice

B. Toklas’s cookbook, launching it into infamy.

The DREAMACHINE became an artifact, referenced occasionally in academia and art exhibits.

Wouldn’t it be great, though? Imagine simply plugging in a machine and experiencing the blastoff you get from LSD or psilocybin without having to spend gobs of money or do anything AU G U S T 2021

S E N S I M AG .C O M

25

Michigans Premier Cannabis Security Provider Overr66YearssCannabissSecurityyExperience

SecurityyanddProtectiveeServicesshass provideddarmed,,unarmeddanddundercoverr guardsstooprovisionaries,,growssandd processinggfacilitiessforr77yearss Weeareeyourrsecurityyteammm wwwwGuardsYouucomm info@guardsyouucom

26

MICHIGAN

AU G U S T 202 1

SE MICHIGAN’S ONLY LICENSED ADULT-USE EVENT PLANNER To plan your cannabis event, please contact: tgrant@cultivatemisolutions.com

THE LIFE

happened (and keeps happening), Lumenate and BrainTap Pro use guided meditation and audio tracks synchronized with stroboscopic flashes from our phones’ flashlights to create a psychedelic experience, altering states of consciousness to provide relief for everything from anxiety to insomnia.

Psychedelic therapy is the hottest new thing in mental health treatments, predicted to grow into a $6.9 billion industry by 2027, according

to Data Bridge Market Research. But right now psychedelic therapy is only legally available in a handful of places, such as Jamaica and Oregon, and it’s prohibitively expensive for most people.

Apps like Lumenate and BrainTap aim to bring psychedelics’ healing power to the masses.

A Kaleidoscope for the Subconscious Based on two years of research into the effects of stroboscopic light, months of EEG brain scans, and on-theground interviews at Burning Man, UK-based

Lumenate is on a mission to “make impactful subconscious exploration more accessible than ever before.” Lumenate’s creative director, actress Rosamund Pike, gushes on Instagram that since she started using the Lumenate app, she has experienced “deep inner awareness through the totally incredible kaleidoscope of colours created by my subconscious.”

To use Lumenate, you choose a “mood” (from “achieving your goals” to “sleep reflection”), sit in a dark room, put on headphones, hold your phone at arm’s length and eye level with the camera light toward you, close your eyes, and breathe as the app guides you through your meditation, from intention setting to integration, accompanied by strobo-

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BRAINTAP

illegal. Think how much safer you would feel going on a trip if you knew you could switch it off should you get an emergency work call or your mother-in-law stops by.

Turns out, we have such a machine—and like so many other IRL machines rendered irrelevant by cell phones, it can now be downloaded as an app. Launched last spring, when everyone was taking a good, hard look at their mental health after what just

AU G U S T 2021

S E N S I M AG .C O M

27

NOW OPEN IN E D WA R D S B U R G & MU S KE G O N Introducing NOBO, a vertically integrated cannabis company dedicated to bringing Michigan the highest quality cannabis product available.

COMING SOON - BATTLE CREEK & BENTON HARBOR

RSO IS NOW AVAILABLE: HIGH

QUALITY,

SINGLE

SOURCE

AND

NOBOGOODS.COM

STRAIN

SPECIFIC

T H E O N LY C A N N A B I S C O M PA N Y T H AT D E D I C AT E S 1 0 % O F PR OC E E DS TO R IG H TIN G T H E WR O N G S O F PR O H I B I T I O N

28

MICHIGAN

AU G U S T 202 1

THE LIFE

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BRAINTAP

Get Appy The pandemic prompted a huge increase in downloads of mindfulness apps such as Calm and Headspace, prompting predictions they will become a $4 billion industry by the end of this century. In addition to replicating and enhancing psychedelic experiences, apps that provide trip sitting and integration support are starting to come online.

WavePaths offers adaptive music to accompany psychedelic therapy. It’s in beta, but you can sign up to be part of the testing. Wavepaths.com Trip from Field Trip Psychedelics lets you access tools that support self-exploration and consciousness expansion, including preparation, exploration, reflection, and integration. The app is based on protocols at Field Trip Health Centers, designed to help people process and integrate what they experience in their consciousness-expansion efforts. Fieldtriphealth.com PsycheDev is developing an app that will provide guided trips and tools to help users better understand them. It’s not ready yet, but the company will email you as soon as it is. PsycheDev.com/guidedtrips

scopic light sequences and intentional music.

Thrust into a pluridimensional kaleidoscope of saturated color, you lose track of your physical body. Your brain’s default mode network slows down, flattening your ego and heightening your sense of being here now. As your brain’s neurons adjust their natural rhythm in response to sound and light input, you can learn to guide your brain toward whatever state you desire. If the psychedelia gets to be too much, you can move the phone farther away

from your eyes or turn it away altogether.

Stepping into the Quantum Gap BrainTap Pro, which is based on ancient traditions like shamanistic drum circles and ritual use of psychedelic plant medicines, uses your cell phone in a similar manner for more than 1,000 guided meditations and creative visualizations led by Patrick Porter, PhD, who created the app as well as headsets that can be used to maximize the experience.

Porter’s mission in creating BrainTap is to better a billion brains.

A twenty-minute BrainTap session floods you with fresh blood, AU G U S T 2021

S E N S I M AG .C O M

29

dispensary grade Beyond Full S pectrum

thehelpingfriendlysalve.com Think this forest looks hard to navigate?

Try deciphering tax law.

In a complex and ever-changing forest, you’re best accompanied by an experienced guide who knows the area intimately. And when it comes to tax law, you’re best accompanied

by Grapp Lerash. We handle everything from consulting on growth opportunities and keeping up with fickle compliance demands, to deep-dives into your business for annual financial statement reporting.

Trust us, we know the regulatory terrain like the backs of our hands.

GrappLerash.com

30

MICHIGAN

AU G U S T 202 1

(989) 327-1400

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BRAINTAP

THE LIFE

serotonin, and other beta-endorphins that make you feel calm, focused, and alert while down-regulating the stress hormone cortisol.

There are ten-minute “digital coffee” sessions and longer sessions to induce deep sleep. BrainTap is developing gamma sessions that mimic psilocybin experiences for PTSD patients, Porter says, and the Brazilian government is paying for studies to test them.

Porter’s father overcame chronic alcohol abuse through the Silva Method, a meditation technique designed to push brainwave frequencies to states of enhanced awareness, and he taught Porter the

method when has was 12 years old. Eager to share it with the world, Porter began recording his own meditation sessions on cassette tapes and then, in the late 1980s, he wrote the programs BrainTap is based on as a means of stealthily walking second-time DUI offenders in Arizona through the Alcoholics Anonymous 12 steps.

According to Porter, BrainTap replicates the experience of ingesting psychedelic plant medi-

cines, which slow down and strip away the reality that was predefined for us by parents, preachers, teachers, and the rest of society. “We take these ancient traditions and transform them into technology,” Porter says. “As a culture, we used to do this all the time. We’d be out hunting and gathering all day, all stressed out, then we would go back to the tribal village and get out of ourselves. We have a natural propensity for this.”

Plant medicines expand the scope of the human brain, which processes only about 5 percent of the reality that exists in the world around us, Porter says.

He considers this “stepping into the quantum gap between the tick and tock of the clock.”

Going on an LSD or DMT trip offers glimpses into the whole of reality—the other 95 percent, Porter says. “And they’re just as real,” he adds. “They are real because it’s all based on our sensory-based experience. But the problem is, how do we reconcile that with what we learned from our mothers, brothers, teachers, and preachers? We have to unlearn all this bad learning.”

In addition to mimicking the effect of psychedelics, BrainTap can also amplify and extend them by stimulating mirror neurons. Studies have found that people who eat magic mushrooms while doing a BrainTap session can get psilocybin-like effects without psilocybin during their next four or five sessions. “We’re finding out that when technology and ancient traditions work together, it’s very powerful,” Porter says, “but it doesn’t have to be one or the other.”

AU G U S T 2021

S E N S I M AG .C O M

31

YOUR VERTICALLY INTEGRATED DIGITAL MARKETING PLATFORM WeedStreetNOW is the preferred digital marketing partner in the cannabis industry. Our platform offers you the full spectrum of digital marketing including but not limited to local activation, social media, digital advertising, website creation, and new format ads. With years of digital marketing expertise in the automotive industry WSN has transformed the automotive know how to the cannabis industry. Our team is dedicated to delivering you results, providing transparency, being accountable and growing with our partners.

YOUR CANNABIS LAW ATTORNEY PROVIDING TRANSPARENCY & DELIVERING RESULTS At Aronoff Law we simplify the complexity of regulations to ensure your cannabis business is protected.

Representing individuals and businesses with licensing, compliance, real estate and business formation under the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act, the Medical Marijuana Facilities Licensing Act and the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act.

OUR SPECIALTIES Cannabusiness Licensing, Compliance, Advocacy & Real Estate LEARN MORE AT CRAIGARONOFFLAW.COM

LEARN MORE AT WEEDSTREETNOW.COM

Law Offices of Craig A Aronoff, PLLC 1212 South Washington Avenue, Royal Oak, MI 48067 (248) 808-6351

Get a taste of RAIR's aeroponically-grown top shelf flower, smooth concentrates and tasty, consistently-dosed edibles.

Muskegon - 1871 Peck Street Bay City - 3772 Wilder Road FIND OUT MORE AT rairco.com We Deliver - No Delivery Fees @rairsystems

32

MICHIGAN

AU G U S T 202 1

THE LIFE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mona Van Joseph is a professionally licensed intuitive reader in Las Vegas since 2002.

Author, radio host, and columnist, she created the Dice Wisdom app and is available for phone and in-person sessions. mona.vegas

HOROSCOPE

AUGUST HOROSCOPE What do the stars hold for you?

TEXT MONA VAN JOSEPH

JULY 23-AUG. 22

LEO

ier for you to call yourself an artist. It’s your creative endeavor or the magic you present at work. Relax into your true identity.

You were born with many gifts in this lifetime, but you are only concentrating on one. It’s time to revive the joys and activities you experi- OCT. 23-NOV. 21 enced when you were young- SCORPIO er (and more optimistic).

There’s finally a reason to celebrate. It may be because AUG. 23-SEPT. 22 you have achieved a certain VIRGO goal, or that a job you wantYou are in a much better ed finally sent you an offer place than you were just a letter. Either way, enjoy the few months ago. Your intu- new level you’ve earned. ition is guiding you to recognize the people that are on NOV. 22-DEC. 21 your team, who truly care SAGITTARIUS about you.

Do not allow your emotions to make your decisions this SEPT. 23-OCT. 22 month. Treat all personal LIBRA and professional issues as You have become so talent- though you are negotiating a ed at your craft that it’s eas- business deal. Surrender and

heal, within yourself, what you cannot control.

DEC. 22-JAN. 19

CAPRICORN

There are only a few people in this world with whom you choose to spend your private time. You are happiest when your brain is engaged in learning something new, which is even more satisfying when that includes other people.

JAN. 20-FEB. 18

AQUARIUS

Slow and steady wins the race. There’s nothing more to prove; you’ve done the work, and the rewards present themselves. Now is the time to break the habit of being driven. Enjoy the success you’ve earned.

FEB. 19-MAR. 20

PISCES

LEO, IT’S TIME TO REVIVE THE JOYS AND ACTIVITIES YOU EXPERIENCED WHEN YOU WERE YOUNGER (AND MORE OPTIMISTIC).

own contentment and sense of harmony. There are some people that you can just ignore when they call.

Your angels are guiding you toward the contentment that you want. Your task is to decide what it is that you MAY 21-JUNE 20 want. Stay aware, live in the GEMINI moment, and then acknowl- The political environment edge your source of light. is working to your benefit, paving the way for your perMAR. 21-APR. 19 sonal new beginning. Align ARIES yourself with people who Concentrate and take invento- will help you be focused, ry of all the things you do well motivated, and successful. this month. There’s a project worth bringing back into fo- JUNE 21-JULY 22 cus. Something from the past CANCER has renewed purpose.

We rarely get opportunities (or the courage) to folAPR. 20-MAY 20 low our hearts. This is your TAURUS month to do exactly that It has been the hard way re- without fanfare. It’s time for cently. This month, realize you to move on and particiwhat contributes to your pate in the life you want.

AU G U S T 2021

S E N S I M AG .C O M

33

Let's be buds!

While you grow your product, we'll grow your business with custom branded cannabis products, promotional products, and more!

Hey bud, want to learn more on how to partner with us? https://ohhellobranding.com/contact

34

MICHIGAN

AU G U S T 202 1

SENSI’S 2021

36

MICHIGAN

AU G U S T 202 1

Damn, it’s hot outside.

But we see that as an opportunity to sit back and enjoy everything that’s creating some serious heat on the Sensi wire. Welcome to the Lit List.

We have carefully curated the stuff that sparked our interest and expanded our horizons—and we want to share. So, dig in and enjoy.

TEXT STEPHANIE WILSON AND TRACY ROSS

AU G U S T 2021

S E N S I M AG .C O M

37

Now available in the US for the first time, Tepozán is one of the few estate-grown tequilas that is fully cultivated, processed, and hand-bottled at the source.

Superette Bong Bucket Hat. $39

Vibes organic hemp papers are crafted for longer sessions. $2.50

38

MICHIGAN

AU G U S T 202 1

Summerland organic hemp wick is far better than inhaling the stuff that comes out when you flick your Bic. $3.33

PHOTOS (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP) COURTESY OF SCARLET FIRE, TEPOZAN, SUMMERLAND, SUPERETTE, VIBES

Dispensary design as an art form has arrived.

Scarlet Fire, a Grateful Dead-inspired shop in Toronto, is meant to “embody the psychedelic experience of attending a Dead show, elevating the consumer to an altered plane of consciousness.”

PHOTOS (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) COURTESY OF HIGHER STANDARDS, TASCHEN, SPARC; BY ELSA OLOFSSON/UNSPLASH, COURTESY OF MARLEY ONE, HER HIGHNESS, MELLO

Aerospaced by Higher Standards gold grinder. $22

Legendary tattoo artist and historian Henk Schiffmacher takes us on a personal journey through the history of tattooing from the 1730s to the 1970s in Tattoo, an oversized 13 lb tome from Taschen. $175

Mello sea-salted caramels are a delicious way to get your daily dose of moodboosting, anxietyreducing CBD.

Her Highness “Highly Orgasmic” THC Pleasure Oil is only available in California, but the CBD version is a powerful sex topical that can come to you wherever you are. $60

The new Marley One functional mushroom brand—a collab between Silo Wellness and the family of the legendary Bob Marley—intends to launch a psychedelic mushroom product line later this year. Experience it on one of Silo Wellness’s psychedelic retreats in Jamaica, or try one of the functional mushroom tinctures now. One Flow is a peppermint-flavored blend of cordyceps and ginseng designed to enhance physical endurance and mental function. $20

Cannabis industry pioneer Maggie Connors’s Besito brand—known for its stylish pre-rolls and hexagonal vaporizers—was just scooped up by Sparc, one of San Francisco’s oldest and largest vertically integrated cannabis companies.

Dad Grass Hemp CBD Flower AU G U S T 2021

S E N S I M AG .C O M

39

Blazy Susan's spinning rolling tray features a custom-ordered design. Blank trays start at $79.99.

“Rhythm is an expression of culture,” says Beatriz Milhazes. “The compositions I create lead you to places in history, music you have listened to, memories from your own experiences in life.”

Learn more about the vibrant Brazilian artist in this new monograph from Taschen. $80

40

MICHIGAN

AU G U S T 2 02 1

PHOTOS (FROM TOP) COURTESY OF BLAZY SUSAN, TASTEBUDZ, TASCHEN

Handcrafted from scratch in small batches, the strain-specific TasteBudz gummies pack all the terpenes and cannabinoids from the cannabis plant into yummy colorful nuggets of fun.

PHOTOS (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP) COURTESY OF TASCHEN, GESTALTEN, DENALI, PLANET 13 (X2)

Trace the hidden history of the tarot in the first volume from Taschen’s Library of Esoterica, a series documenting the creative ways we strive to connect to the divine. $40

When Planet 13 Orange County opened its first California outpost in July, the Los Angeles Times described it as a “pot-superstoremeets-theme-park” and it wasn't wrong. The large, immersive, and Instagram-worthy shop is outfitted with beachy elements like a digital waterfall and beach, a VW party bus that fills with fake smoke with the press of a button, and a 16-foot-tall sculptural installation of a bright red octopus in the center of the retail sales floor.

The New Beauty, takes a modern look at beauty, culture, and fashion. Edited by gestalten & Kari Molvar. $60

Bella Box, is a premium, cannabisinspired box curated by Denali of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 13 fame. $60

AU G U S T 2021

S E N S I M AG .C O M

41

Moodz are a whole mood and the period panties and swimwear stylishly change the rules.

Taschen’s Rock Covers: 750+ album covers that made rock history.

You’re welcome. $70

Out now, Netflix’s Cocaine Cowboys: The Kings of Miami docuseries follows a pair of high school dropout friends who allegedly have become two of South Florida’s biggest cocaine kingpins in this true story of a crime saga that spanned decades.

Warning: it’s addictive.

42

MICHIGAN

AU G U S T 2 02 1

Candy Relics' Honey Bear Bubbler. $160

PHOTOS (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP) COURTESY OF MOODZ, HARING GLASS, TASHCEN, HONEY RELICS, NEFLIX

K.Haring Dog Bat Catchall. $60

PHOTOS (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP): COURTESY OF MOUNTAIN SMOKES, LEVO, JUSHI HOLDINGS INC./ANDREAS NEUMANN, MYSTER

If you’re thinking that these ladies are gonna have to wash their hair again when they’re done feeding their nicotine addictions lest they absolutely reek of cigarettes, don’t let the filter tip fool you. These are Mountain Smokes Hemp CBD Smokes, and they’re designed to help cigarette smokers kick the habit while keeping the smoking ritual intact. Made with organic hemp, sage, and mullein (and without tobacco, nicotine, or THC), these smokes feature high-flow filters and come in a foiltopped pack so they look like cigarettes and drag like cigarettes but they help addicted smokers move beyond the butts.

Do cannabis-infused coconut oil or cinnamoninfused maple syrup sound yummy? Lēvo II elevates herbal infusion for oils, butters, honeys and more by fully automating the process of drying, activating, and infusing all the goodness with just the touch of a button or two. Bonus: all the component are washing machine friendly, making it as easy as eating pie when you’re stoned to keep whipping up magical concoction after custom-edible-ingredient concoction. $330 (and worth every penny)

If Tom Hanks is America’s dad, then his son Colin is basically our brother, right? Did you know our brother has a handkerchief line called Hanks Kerchiefs? Do you think our dad helped him come up with the name? It’s kinda got a dad-joke vibe but in a really good, giggleinducing way—especially now that Colin’s got an exclusive collab with cannabis company Jushi Holdings that brings the namesake line to Beyond / Hello dispensaries and online at shop.jushico.com.

New from Myster, the HAMR is a handheld cold start rig for consuming concentrated cannabis.

The all-in-one setup streamlines a formerly complicated process by combining everything you need to take a dab—glass pipe, finger banger, torch lighter, dabber, bubble cap—into one portable package that comes with a carrying case. $179

AU G U S T 2021

S E N S I M AG .C O M

43

Wide Range of CBD Products

CBDDPairsswithhaaHealthyyLifestyle wwwwohgrassyknolllcom 14077RobinsonnRdd,,GranddRapidss49506 (616))419-3364

IN THE PAST YEAR, Kush designed and/or built OVER 1 MILLION sq ft of cannabis space

kushdesignstudio.com

44

MICHIGAN

AU G U S T 2 02 1

PHOTOS (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP) COURTESY OF LUMEN, AMIE CARTER, FREDDIE MILLER, BABES + BUDS PODCAST

Lumen (leafly.com/learn/socialjustice/lumen) is a platform on cannabis website Leafly dedicated to highlighting black voices in cannabis. Featuring stories from across the US, and with a strong focus on social justice, it keeps you up-to-date on important issues, players, and developments in the cannabis space. And reminds us how our favorite “leaf” can promote positive change.

Pregnant women are often stigmatized for consuming cannabis with baby on board. But Babes + Bud podcast founder Kristina Bailo says she’s just one of a number of people trying to show that cannabis “is not only not harmful to your baby but could be beneficial.” Bailo is currently on a podcast break— tending to a new baby—but says with this pregnancy, her second, cannabis is helping with “pain and discomfort that comes from holding a nursing baby all day and night, and it helps with my anxiety and PPD. I’ve been able to be present with my 2-year-old even when I’m beyond exhausted.

It helps me to take a step back from the craziness of the day and breathe for a few seconds.” Look for her insightful interviews and more on YouTube.

We’d be remiss to exclude Freddie Lynn Miller who arguably has brought more attention to Michigan’s cannabis scene than any other single person. Miller won Jimmy Kimmel’s heart when Kimmel interviewed him as “The Michigan Stoner.” Kimmel’s ongoing interest landed Miller a product tester job at the California-based Emjay. Miller is working in Cali now, proving that the little guy can get a miracle, too.

Jayden’s Law (HB4796 and HB4797) would allow schools to store and administer Cannabis medication just like a pharmaceutical medication. The legislation was introduced on May 6 and now sits in the hands of the education committee. Join us in urging them to put these bills up for hearing.

AU G U S T 2021

S E N S I M AG .C O M

45

PHOTOS (CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT) COURTESY OF MARYJANE TOURS, KHALIFAKUSH.COM, BILLY STRINGS

On a MaryJane Tours bus, you visit a grow house and a dispensary, learn how cannabis has changed the city of Ann Arbor, and learn about cannabis’s ties to social justice. The bus is a partnership between Bus a Move owner Anthony Richmond and the folks at Farm Assist Wellness, a nursery that provides cannabis plants to people to grow at home. It’s lit for several reasons, including the swag bags and dispensary coupons riders get, the tour of some of Ann Arbor’s most elevated places, and Richmond’s focus on what’s truly important— highlighting cannabis activism.

Whiz Khalifa not only raps rhapsodically, he’s bringing his signature cannabis brand (subject to regulatory control), Khalifa Kush, to Michigan, following fellow rapper Berner, who slid into the industry on January 31, 2020 with his Cookies brand.

Michigan native son Billy Strings has put the state on the map with some of the most soulful lyrics since Michiganders Bob Seger and Della Reese. “I can’t write a song about something that I don’t know about or that I haven’t lived,” Strings says. “A lot of that comes from growing up in a small town in Michigan.” Strings won Best Bluegrass Album at the 63rd Grammy Awards for his new album “Home.” Get his new album, Renewal, out September 24 via Rounder Records.

AU G U S T 2021

S E N S I M AG .C O M

47

c

w

is

h

en

all wom g n i all o love cannab

CONNECT WITH YOURSELF AND OTHERS IN CITIES AROUND THE GLOBE

TOKEATIVITY.COM/CONNECT

GRMAG.COM

48

MICHIGAN

AU G U S T 2 02 1

Want to Learn More?

Contact Jessica Laidlaw At jlaidlaw@grmag.com or 616.401.8703

eb rat ion s.

TEX

T JE

NNY

WILL

DEN

ream eC

a n C n ab-i Y I D c

Inf u

50

MICHIGAN

AU G U S T 2 02 1

se

you r ow

n ice

cream t o create sweet san

for s e h dwic

su

el c er mm

Cannabis-Infused Ice Cream Recipe By Chef Joe Sasto / Yield: 1 1/2 Quarts / Prep Time: 10 Minutes / Inactive Time: 8-12 Hours

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CHEF JOE SASTO

INGREDIENTS

Planning a grown-up Labor Day barbecue?

Surprise your cannabis-loving guests with infused ice cream sandwiches featuring CBD/ THC flowers combined with an array of flavors.

Chef Joe Sasto create this homemade infused ice cream with Autumn Brands’ clean, pesticide-free cannabis, but you can substitute with your favorite flower if it isn’t available in your home state. While tasty, this dosed dessert can also help alleviate stress, anxiety, and sleeplessness.

•

•

•

• Once infused milk is fully 2 cups heavy cream, chilled, fold together with chilled whipped cream and any 1 can (14oz) sweetened additional flavorings or condensed milk add-ins you would like.

Decarboxylated cannabis (See examples below.) flower • Place in a parchment1 teaspoon vanilla extract lined freezer-safe dish or 2 tablespoons honey container. ½ teaspoon salt • Freeze for 8–12 hours.

Your favorite cookies • Optional: Punch into rounds (optional) and make sandwiches with your favorite cookies.

INSTRUCTIONS Gently over low heat, FLAVOR IDEAS approximately 180F, infuse Cheesecake condensed milk with Add 8 ounces softened decarboxylated cannabis cream cheese to the heavy flower for 15–30 minutes. cream and use a stand (A longer infusion yields mixer or hand mixer to more cannabis flavor and whisk to stiff peaks. potency.)

Mint Chocolate Chip Strain the flower and Add 1 teaspoon peppermint let the condensed milk extract and 1 cup chocolate cool completely in the chips. refrigerator.

Peanut Butter/ Nutella / In a large bowl, season Cookie Butter the heavy cream with Stir 1/2 cup–1 cup spread vanilla, salt, and honey. into the mixture.

Whip to stiff peaks.

Caramel Drizzle 1/2–1 cup of caramel over the almost-frozen mixture, stir to break up the ribbon a bit.

Chocolate Add ½ cup cocoa powder (sifted to prevent lumps) and/or 6 ounces melted, cooled chocolate.

Rocky Road Stir in ¾ cup chocolate syrup + 1 cup marshmallows + 1 cup toasted almonds.

Cookies & Cream Mix in 15 Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped (about 1/2 cup).

Strawberry Swirl Cook 2 cups strawberries with 4 tablespoons sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until syrupy. Chill completely before swirling into ice cream.

AU G U S T 2021

S E N S I M AG .C O M

51

Fighting for freedom is Join the revolution at norml.org

Women working in cannabis deserve better, so

WE BUILT BETTER

JoIN Us

womenempoweredincannabis.com/join

Growin g the Industr y.

Upcoming shows: Chicago, IL August 6-7 Virginia Beach, VA November 19-20 New York, NY January 7-8 Oklahoma City, OK March 31-April 1

Shop, Learn, and Network at the Nations Leading Cannabis Conference and Expo.

Tickets at CannaCon.org

P R O M OT I O N A L F E AT U R E N O R T H E R N S P E C I A LT Y H E A LT H P R O V I S I O N I N G C E N T E R

Community Values Northern Specialty Health is a cannabis shop that puts the needs of customers and employees first.

L

ocated near the top of the Upper Peninsula, the city of Houghton looks out for its own. A sense of community pervades its streets. There are numerous festivals throughout the year and neighbors here know each other. That feeling—of oneness, of belonging—is at the core of Northern Specialty Health Provisioning Center (NSH), one of Michigan’s legacy cannabis retailers.

Founded in 2013 by Ryan and Penny Milkey, the store is a direct reflection of the couple’s passion for sharing the healing powers of cannabis, something they both know quite well.

In 2007, Ryan was in a terrible ATV accident, leaving him with a broken neck

the store and staff can spend days working with the community to help them find the right products.

The Milkeys are so dedicated to their neighbors that they pay their employees a living wage and offer them deep discounts on products to ensure they fully understand them.

NSH offers daily deals and a loyalty program that gives five cents of every dollar back to the customers.

“We believe cannabis helps people, and that’s why we do what we do,” says Penny Milkey.

By offering the finest cannabis products on the market, NSH can take care of its community one day at a time.

and back along with several shattered ribs. Luckily, he was able to regain the ability to walk but was saddled with debilitating pain. That led to an addiction to the opioids prescribed, supposedly, to help him, not hurt him.

That, coupled with the fact that both he and his wife were alcoholics, put them in a bad place.

When Michigan voters approved medical marijuana in 2008, everything changed. Cannabis saved the Milkey’s lives. It allowed them to leave behind the issues that had been plaguing them.

These days, NSH focuses on educating the public about the redempNorthern Specialty Health tive properties of cannabis and all of Provisioning Center the positives it offers. By serving both Cannabis Retailer the medical and recreational markets, northernspecialtyhealth.com

AU G U S T 2021

S E N S I M AG .C O M

55

THE END

Dune Days

Late summer is the ideal time to find moments of contemplation and beauty on Michigan’s stunning lakeshore.

Michigan’s Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore has a certain magic in late summer—the air is still; the birds sing in the birch and maples or run along the sand; the clouds and sand seem to shift in a similar sleepy rhythm. This is the best time to take a hike on the 2.7-miles Pyramid Point Trail, which takes yo up to a bluff high above the lake.

56

MICHIGAN

AU G U S T 202 1

Photographer Michael Fisher captured this image there, in one of his favorite spots on the lakeshore.

“I love hiking and camping the sand dunes along Lake Michigan and look forward to visiting them every summer,” he says. “The dunes give me a sense of timelessness and tranquility. It makes me feel lucky to be from such a beautiful state.”

PHOTO BY MICHAEL FISHER

TEXT TRACY ROSS

“AND INTO THE FOREST I GO TO LOSE MY MIND AND FIND MY SOUL.” –John Muir

1983 BENZIE HWY.

3465 SHERIDAN AVE.

240 ARTHUR ST.