Note from Sharon: This series was my sneaky way of putting a patient profile into a seeming fluff piece for a magazine known for stoner journalism. It worked.

Gisele Fetterman, Second Lady of Pennsylvania

Stash as Altar. In homage to the female plant and the healing she offers

The Second Lady of Pennsylvania was recently spotlighted in the national news, not for her stash, but for the color of her skin.

“Right out the gate, I have three strikes against me,” she shared from her home in Braddock, Pennsylvania. “I’m an immigrant, a woman, and a cannabis patient. But on that day, the woman only saw my skin, with the knowledge I was foreign born.”

Being the wife of John Fetterman, Lt. Governor of the state, Fetterman is typically accompanied by a security detail when out in public. But, on this day, she’d made a quick trip to a local market to pick up some yellow kiwis that were on sale, when a woman approached her in line, then followed her to her car yelling expletives, telling her she didn’t belong here, ending with the “N” word.

Originally from Brazil, Gisele Fetterman’s family immigrated to the U.S. due to ongoing violence when she was just eight years old. For the first 15 years they were in America they were undocumented, with their mother telling her and her siblings to “be invisible” each morning as they left for school. The little girl lived in fear of a knock at the door that might send the family back to Brazil. To say the market incident was triggering, as they say, is an understatement.

To add another layer, she just recently opened up publicly about her cannabis use, after a state legislator made a derogatory comment regarding cannabis users, in lieu of a pending Bill on legalizing cannabis in the state.

During an interview last year with PennLive.com, Fetterman said, “Politics is difficult and complicated, but it also can change lives.” That's kind of how she feels about cannabis.

“There’s so much stigma and misinformation surrounding this plant. I’m regularly referred to as the ‘Pothead’ Second Lady,” she explained. “It’s the language, judgements and prejudice that keeps so many from seeking proper help for real illness—and that’s a real shame.” 

Food as Medicine

She always knew that food was medicine. She’d learned it as a child from her mother, who was a nutritionist and hospital administrator in their home country.

“I was open to cannabis because my mother helped us to understand that nature is better,” she shared. “As a teenager I experimented with smoking cannabis, but it became my pain medication later in life.”

A horse riding accident as a child and then a series of car accidents caused her to suffer chronic pain most of her life, with every memory including pain.

“In every photograph, I’m in pain,” she added. “But I didn't like the prescription medications they gave me. As I became older and worked in community service, and was involved with the distribution of Narcan. I’ve seen first hand the suffering that opioids and other addictive drugs have caused our community, and I never wanted to go there.”

Alternative practices became second nature as she purchased a Dharma Yoga Wheel and inversion table, working with chiropractors, acupuncturists and more, stating, “All these things help, but they aren’t sustainable on a daily basis.

Her initial use of cannabis was by smoking or vaporizing flower or concentrates, using a PAX, but recently she added ingesting CBD products from a variety of companies, with great success.

CBD or cannabidiol, is just one beneficial compound of hundreds from the cannabis plant, with little to no psychoactive effects. Rules dictate it measure in below 0.3 percent THC, but many products have no THC at all. The benefits of CBD include anti-inflammatory properties, with analgesic effects, commonly used for pain. The bonus is it’s also an immune system builder, has anti-infection properties, and is used to calm anxiety and aid in treating depression.

Fetterman said she takes her CBD tinctures daily, keeping the pain at bay. She uses topical lotions as needed in hot spots. Smoking, as needed, done in conjunction with ingesting compliments each other, often referred to as an entourage effect. Smoking also lifts endorphins immediately. 

Honoring the Plant

As reported in the Smithsonian in June of this year, two altars discovered in the 1960s in Israel had substances tested this past year, with cannabis said to be burned there approximately 2,500 years ago. Archaeologists date the altars to Judas, one of Jesus’ 12 disciples. Albeit, the one who betrayed him, but I digress.

With Frankincense and Myrrh in the mix, and what we now know of plant-based remedies, researchers speculate all were medicinal, opening up a Medusa-sized can of worms regarding the spiritual and medicinal use of cannabis in Biblical times. Not just incense for the baby Jesus. Very wise men.

Cannabis historian and Canadian author, Chris Bennet, penned Cannabis and the Soma Solution, with extensive research on the plant in the Bible and Biblical times, citing a direct quote from the Old Testament in its foreword:

God said, “Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air; and to everything that creepeth upon the earth,, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat:” and it was so. And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

 The Tree of Life is also mentioned in Revelations 22:1-2, “... healing the lands of the nations.

Bennet doesn’t stop with the Bible, though, and explores every nomadic tribe seemingly familiar with the plant that heals. When it's found on an altar, rather than immediately think they were inhaling the smoke to get high, it's easier to imagine they were praising the plant, as we do today, for its many healing benefits.

In homage to Gisele Fetterman’s Latin American upbringing and in gratitude to the plant that relieves her pain, Fetterman added her remedies to an altar she created with her children in celebration of Día de Muertos. 

Known in America as Day of the Dead, it’s a yearly celebration from Latin America honoring and remembering those who have passed before us, with gifts and mementos to help lead them home on this day. According to tradition, children are honored first, on the eve of Halloween, with adult items added to the altar for the day. This year it’s celebrated on Sunday, November 1.

“It wasn’t until I came to America, with its rich cultural heritage from so many different kinds of people and ways to worship, that I was able to experience Día de Muertos,” she said. “I learned from watching them build altars, honoring their loved ones. It would be an inspiration to anyone, in that way. Happy to include this female plant that’s given me so much relief, alongside my loved ones.”

Stash as Altar

It’s traditional for flowers to decorate the altars, enticing the spirit of loved ones to come home for the day. Fetterman chose flowers from her garden and her stash, next to classic skull candles to be lit on All Hallows Eve. The doll is from a famous Brazilian cartoon she grew up watching.

A photo of her husband, John Fetterman, the Lt. Governor of Pennsylvania, with their three children, sits next to photos of loved ones who have passed. The large photo of a woman is her mother, Esther. The smaller photos of her Uncle Telmo who she just recently lost to COVID-19, her brother Del, and her grandmother, Teresinha. 

Flowers of a different nature also adorn Fetterman’s altar as stash, with products from a variety of makers around the country, all chosen to aid in her pain and give her clarity and calm.

Sheweed, a woman-owned cannabis company located in Southern California, also curates monthly boxes, delivered. Its online store offers its own products of flower and concentrates. 

Sheweed’s Lucid, a CBD tincture with additional terpenes added in for effect is included. Terpenes are the compounds within the plant that give flavor and fragrance, but they also have beneficial properties of their own. 

Lucid’s proprietary blend include additional terpenes, such as limonene for mood elevation (flavor also found in citrus); Pinene, to help focus and memory (scent also found in pine); Humulene, an appetite suppressant (earthy flavor also found in hops - which are related to the cannabis family of plants).

Other cannabinoids included in the mix are CBG, CBDV, and THCV (non-psychoactive) at potent levels, ensuring full potential in its healing profile - something many CBD companies are moving toward today. 

Magic Soothing Balm, lemon infused MCT oil and vanilla Super Drops are all full-spectrum CBD products from the Honest Hemp Company located in the U.K., with distribution in the U.S. Great Britain has legalized the use of CBD.

Mother’s Hemp is another woman owned CBD company located in North Carolina. Founded by Rachel Grano, after she helped herself with CBD for fibromyalgia. Both her Plain Jane tincture and Mystical Muscle Salve are made from full-spectrum hemp grown in North Carolina.

Her salve includes the same plant-based compounds given to the Baby Jesus by those Wise Men, Frankincense and Myrrh; with other plants with analgesic effects, such as comfrey, calendula, arnica, juniper berry, and meadowsweet. As if that wasn’t enough in the little jar, essential oils are also added of lavender, marjoram, peppermint, eucalyptus, ginger rosemary and clove.

Lastly, from Elixicure of California, is its roll-on CBD topical lotion and Pain Relief with CBD in a pump bottle. Elixicure was founded by two brothers, Eyal and Yaniv Kotler, after watching their mother suffer from chronic pain, given a seemingly endless amount of prescription medications. 

Also interesting to note, according to its website, Elixicure’s products are handcrafted at its FDA-registered facility (yes, you read that right, the Federal Drug Administration), under the FDA’s Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). Its products are also certified by the Banned Substance Control Group (BSCG), responsible for certifying the ingredients of dietary supplements.

The pen and pod hold cartridges of flower concentrates for smoking, a Sativa (cultivar unknown) from Rise; and the other from Terrapin of Dark Blue Dream, also Sativa.

“On the altar sits things and people who make my life better everyday,” she concluded. “They make my quality of life what it is, and I’m so grateful to all of them - for my family’s unconditional love, the support they give and the lessons we learn from each other everyday. Cannabis is included because it’s allowed me to fully enjoy them, the moments, and the gifts this life has for us.”

Follow Gisele Fetterman on Twitter, @giselefetterman and Instagram, @gfett 

Brother and Sister, Marie Montmarquet & Allen Hackett

Founders, MD Numbers, Inc.

Cannabis entrepreneurs in arms, growing and educating, equitably

“Envisioning a future that is abundantly equitable,” that’s how brother and sister, Marie Montmarquet and Allen Hackett, founders of MD Numbers, Inc. see their roles in the cannabis industry. 

“It’s important to us to pay it forward with each success,” Hackett shared. “We do this by providing goods and services, as well as an education platform for legacy operators and burgeoning equity entrepreneurs, developing successful and sustainable, legal cannabis companies - which, in turn, will ultimately give back to their own communities. And that’s what being equitable equates to.”

Understanding the plant’s controversial beginnings, Hackett said, while witnessing its growth and acceptance, has given them an even greater appreciation of the industry.

Between them, they have 30 years of loving and living with cannabis in the legacy market, under Prop. 215, California’s Medical Cannabis industry; then transitioning into a regulated marketplace under Prop. 64.

Growing Equitably

The siblings always wanted to take their passion for the plant and make it their life’s work. With MD Numbers, Inc. they’ve reached their goals and then some, establishing a fully vertically integrated cannabis company that includes farming, distribution, retail customers and equity community.

Located in the Bay Area where they grew up, the fingers of MD Numbers are far reaching, with MD Farms, Marie’s Deliverables, and Legacy Coterie - providing a range of goods and services to the California market.

According to its website, the farm was founded in 2016, by “two very particular and meticulous cannabis connoisseurs, and encompasses a 50,000 square feet greenhouse cultivation facility.

The farm also acts as an educational facility, working with Success Centers in San Francisco, providing cultivation workshops, where its Equity for Industry program attendees can learn what it takes to operate such a facility.

“Training at the farm was developed to ensure marginalized community members have opportunities to enter the emerging legitimate cannabis industry, Hackett said.

Assistance in the program doesn’t end at the farm, with support for employers and job seekers, and assistance in meeting the mandates set forth by San Francisco’s cannabis legislation, witj the program quickly becoming a model for other cities and jurisdictions throughout the state.

Marie’s Deliverables, named after Montmarque, is a five-star service, serving the Bay Area of California, surrounding Oakland to San Francisco.

The service includes access to consultations with specialists in CBD, as part of its wellness and outreach arm, Legacy Coterie - a full service cannabis consulting, distribution and sales service with a focus on equity in the cannabis space.

Monmarque said she joined forces with industry experts, Jess Nelsen and Claire Lussier, in creating Legacy Coterie, helping with everything from legacy start-ups looking to transition into the legal market, to multi-licensees scaling operations, menu creation and management, accounting analysis, marketing strategies, quality control, and sales projections, to name just a few services offered.

It’s equity brands include Gift of Doja, a lifestyle brand inspired by fellow cannabis advocate and entrepreneur, Nina Parks. 

“Doja, meaning cannabis, is a colloquial name for the plant and conveys the beauty and expansiveness of the experience,” Monmarquet explained. “Doja has the potential to bring you closer to others or to yourself, while providing the potential to provide you with the space and breathing room to gain perspective.”

The Gift of Doja, she said, is Nina Park’s  ode to cannabis culture, with all its products curated with love.

High Purpose is another platform with the intent of selling, not just quality cannabis, but to educate on the benefits of the plant while they do it.

“High Purpose’s motto is, ‘Get high with a purpose,’ using a large portion of proceeds to provide food, clothing, and other basic needs to those in need within the same communities it serves,” Montmarque added.

No Sibling Rivalry in this Stash

Both Hackett and Montmarquet agree, cannabis takes the edge of a stressful day and helps them both sleep better at the end of the day. And, more importantly, depending on their individual workloads, both are productive partakers.

“I like to smoke in the morning to begin my day,” Hackett said. “Cannabi helps me focus on the day's tasks. Smoking Indicas help me decompress at the end of a long day or after a workout. I also imbibe socially with friends, and keep an assortment of flowers and edibles in my stash to share.”

As far as creativity goes, Hackett said he enjoys hybrid cultivars with a 50/50 Sativa to Indica ratio. What may be a surprise to most is, this combination also helps him prioritise his busy days, be it building out new multimillion dollar facilities or managing day-to-day tasks.

“Sativa hybrids help me focus, and allow me to really dial in on the things I’m trying to accomplish at that moment in time,” he added. “With so many different businesses to manage, it’s easy to get off-track and not be able to really pay close attention to important details. So, when I’m able to smoke in the morning before I get muu day started, that helps me keep my thoughts in order and helps to keep my mind from wandering off or wasting time on things that aren't as important.”

For Montmarquet, the use of cannabis is meditative and purposeful.

“Cannabis has a very balanced intent,” she explained. “Engaging in the process of smoking from start to finish allows my mind to focus on the present. Cannabis will naturally elevate my mood. In stressful situations, it brings me serenity and allows me to process information in a more methodical fashion.”

As far as choosing her cultivars, Montmarquet takes a different approach, one that is fast taking hold in the realm of terpenes and cannabinoids.

“I’m a connoisseur of different cultivars that produce the highest quality flower and flavor profiles,” she said. “I’m not necessarily searching for a low percentage strain, but I’m looking at the complete finished product, which includes freshness, well proportioned nugs, trichome visibility, color and aroma - these elements are imperative when choosing a strain.”

Motmarquet said she will typically ingest an edible at night to induce sleep. She also loves ingesting a CBD edible for workout recovery.

Their shared stash is full of products they distribute and enjoy themselves, including its equity brands.

A Swiss Army-type knife by Nuggy is always a useful tool. Premium all natural cigar leaf wraps by All In, a Cookies lighter, Vipes fine rice rolling papers, PAX Era vaporizer, and a Marie’s deliverables ashtray all share space with myriad cultivars and ingestibles.

Flower includes Slurracrashers by Floracal; Velvet Punch from equity company, Gift of Doja; Guava x Biscotti by Connected; and Kryptochronic by Alien Labs.

Concentrates include: one gram of Franken Berry Power hash by Nasha; Blue River x Grandiflora via Flan Rosin Gelato N’ Cream; and a PAX Pod of Cannatonic 1:4 CBD dominant by Jetty Extracts.

Ingestibles enjoyed are Nanomolecular Galactic Grape gummies in Indica, in a  100 milligram bag at 10 milligrams a dose, by Kahna Nano; Royal Mint Extra Fresh Spray sublingual in 1000 milligram by Breez; and Stimulate THCv Enriched Tablinguals, at 14 milligrams THC, 16 milligrams THCv, and 14 milligrams CBG, by Leve Blends.

Bottom line for this dynamic duo is their combined desire to ensure the plant continues to be used in the right way, for the right reasons.

“I want the industry to produce cannabis with ethical and sustainable standards,” she surmised. “Focusing on community reinvestment, small business participation, legacy operators, and those that have been negatively impacted by our racist penal system.”

She also believes that cannabis is ultimately a representation of health. Recently deemed essential during the current pandemic, driving the point home.

“I’ve witnessed the negative impacts from over-corporatizing this plant,” she concluded. “Cannabis is not affordable to the average patient who needs it, due to overtaxation and regulation. My hope for the future of the industry is that regulations become more reasonable for small businesses and reprioritize the need for affordable cannabis access for the community at large.”

Hackett believes that changing people’s perceptions of the plant is a start.

“The goal is to continue to develop research and to continue to find new ways that this plant can help us,” he said. “There is still so much unknown about cannabis, and if we remove the stigma and open up all our available resources, then the results will speak for themselves. Only then will we be able to move in a positive direction with the plant.”

For more information on MD Numbers, Inc. and associated brands visit, https://www.mdnumbersinc.com/ 

Ally Einbinder & Abby Weems of Potty Mouth

Creative Collaborations and a Double Stash

Ally Einbinder and Abby Weems have been playing music together since founding the band, Potty Mouth in 2011. Einbinder had just graduated from Smith College, a Seven Sisters college in Northampton, Massachusetts. Weems grew up in nearby Amherst, and literally learned to play guitar during rehearsals. 

They had been touring with Potty Mouth for nearly ten years, professionally for the last eight, when the two planned to tour the UK with artists and members of other bands. Then COVID lockdown hit in early 2020, forcing them to meet and greet virtually, as they waited to tour.

The result of their virtual hangouts is a collaboration for soon-to-be-released album, Sunday Someday. During their time in lockdown, members helped produce, mix, and master two songs from each artist, compiling them in a 10-song, five-way-split release album.

The album is comprised of singles from the alternative punk band Nervus from the UK; indie folk-punk songwriter KOJI of Pennsylvania; singer-songwriter Solstice Rey of Pennsylvania; the multi-media artist Full On Mone’t, also of Pennsylvania; and Einbinder and Weems from Potty Mouth, now living in Los Angeles.

The album is purposeful, with proceeds going toward top surgery and aftercare for a member of the group’s transition, while at the same time hoping to raise awareness about the systemic oppression of Queer and Trans People of Color (QTPOC).

Some proceeds will also go towards the LGBT Center of Central Pennsylvania, in Harrisburg, for its Common Roads after-school program, and the building of a calming room with acoustics for kids with sensory needs.

“We would like to acknowledge the history of community organizing, subsequent social movements, and how creative communities can go about the work of building community and mutual aid,” KOJI explained. “In order to manifest liberated futures, we feel they must first be imagined. This group has provided space for their collective imagination—and this album is a result of that vision.”

Weems added that it was exciting to work with other musicians they felt a connection to and understood by.

“This release is an opportunity for all of us to use our collective passions, skills, and resources to support each other as artists and as people with our own personal needs,” she said.

KOJI said that even though they were separated geographically, the group was able to inhabit themselves more fully than in other musical spaces they’ve experienced.

“This is not a record of and for the music industry,” KOJI added. “This record is a celebration of living in a community, and of a project that asks, what kind of world is possible when everyone’s needs are met?”

Ally’s Journey: Radical Acceptance

Einbinder graduated Smith College with degrees in Gender Studies and Sociology, with her energy put toward music, specifically with Potty Mouth as bassist.

She first tried smoking cannabis when she was 19 years old with some friends. “I don’t think I inhaled correctly that first time, she laughed. “The second time I smoked I was a little older, studying abroad in Amsterdam. That opened up a whole new world for me.”

Though her studies always played priority, there’s no denying a stay in Amsterdam, known for its cannabis cafes, made an impression.

By the time she was in her mid-20s, she said, cannabis had become a medicinal habit, treating her anxiety.

“My anxiety had really ramped up in a way that I was engaged in a lot of obsessive compulsive behavior and ruminating thought cycles,” she explained. “I was never diagnosed with OCD, but my behavior was controlling, and it was dibilitating. Just as one example, I would be late for work because I felt I had to wash every single dish in the sink before leaving the house. Smoking cannabis really helped me get those behaviors under control.”

As a bonus, Einbinder said cannabis has helped her turn down the metaphorical volume knob in her brain, helping her to feel more present, grounded, and less judgemental of herself.

“I had my Astrological chart done and it said I’d never be satisfied with a conventional career,” she concluded. “As a Gemini, I’ll never be satisfied, always curious, and my attention span is scattered. Cannabis helps me achieve the idea of radical acceptance, accepting myself as I am.”

Radical Acceptance is a philosophy coined by Tara Brach, from her book of the same name. It’s described as a distress tolerance skill designed to keep pain from turning into suffering. Not approval, but rather being accepting of yourself, within the mind, body, and spirit.

Ally’s Stash

On Einbender’s tray are Madame Munchie Macarons in hot cocoa and marshmallow flavor. Madame Munchie is a woman and LGBTQ owned company, based in Los Angeles, specializing in infused French-inspired macarons.

“They are so delicious, so pretty, and each one is a whopping 40 miligrams of activated THC,” she said. “I love the high I get from edibles, because for me, it’s the perfect balance of a cerebral lift and a bodily high.”

Another favorite LA-based edible is Buddy’s Chocolate Haus THC Bar, with white chocolate and chunks of freeze-dried strawberries in 10 milligram squares.

“It tastes like cereal and milk!” she exclaimed. “I like medicting with a chocolate bar because most are already divided into little squares—and that’s ideal when I really want to microdose or track my dosing.”

Non-infused cookies are also included on her tray, because, hey, a girl needs her munchies.

“These Surprisingly Baked Cookies aren’t weed cookies, but they’ll still fuck you up over how good they are,” she laughed. “Deliciously indulgent for my munchie-induced sweet tooth, because each one has a little surprise in the middle—The Phatty has an M&M inside.”

Last year, Potty Mouth’s touring guitarist and friend, Nikki Martinez, made her a custom rolling tray and ashtray.

“The rolling tray has pictures of both my cats, with the phrase, ‘you are a baby,’ which is what Nikki and I started saying to my cats when we gawk at them for being so cute. The neon orange ashtray has rainbow sprinkles on the sides. Her work is beautiful—check her out on Instagram: @darlingnikkiisgrind.

Einbinder said her jar of Papa & Barkley Releaf Balm, in a 1:3 CBD to THC ratio, is mandatory for that time of the month.

“The balm is my go-to for pain relief from menstrual cramps—I rub it directly on my belly,” she said. “It also has my favorite essential oils of lavender, eucalyptus, tea tree, and peppermint, so it’s aromatherapy and pain relief all in one ointment!”

Lastly, her vape pen has a special hack.

“I love using a vape pen for many reasons, but the only drawback is how often I drop it, lose it, or forget it’s in my pocket and end up breaking the cartridge!” she said. “Recently, I learned a cool hack—you can use a standard-size squishy pencil grip to put over the vape cartridge to prevent it from breaking. You are welcome!”

Abby’s Journey: Poetic Partaking

Weems is both lead singer and guitarist for Potty Mouth. She learned to play guitar upon joining the band in 2011, and has been a touring musician ever since.

Raised in Amherst, Massachusetts, her first experience smoking weed was when she was a freshman in high school, when she and friends partook across the street from famed poet Emily Dickson’s historic home.

“I smoked out of a bong behind a convenience store across the street from Emily’s house, then we walked around town,” she said. “I was just a social smoker until recently, when COVID hit and we were in lockdown. Now I’m a newbie stoner, and I’ll smoke a few bowls a day, and depending on the day, I’ll nibble on some edibles too. I love getting lifted and writing music or working on illustrations.”

Weems said she thinks it’s easier to ingest a 10 milligram edible and titrate up to a therapeutic dose, as needed, than take a chance on a homemade edible that could be too strong out the gate, and/or inconsistent in dosing.

“I used to just eat an edible and hope for the best, now I understand how important measured dosing can be,” she added. “Gummies are great for this reason.”

Abby’s Stash 

Weems also enjoys Buddy’s Chocolate Haus THC Bars, especially with bandmates during movie nights, because it reminds her of getting chocolate at the movies.

“The gummies are pretty generic, in 50 milligram doses, so I usually eat half a ring before I go on a walk or to the park,” she said. “Ally suggested I check out California Cannabis while we were on the hunt for locally based products and companies to support, so I’m still getting into the different strains.”

The Cherry pipe was made by Burning Love, and was a birthday gift from her friend and bandmate, Victoria Mandanas.

“The double bowl function cracks me up,” she laughed. “Sometimes you just need a super extra bowl to add a little fun to the vibes. The fish pipe was left behind by Nate, an old roommate, and is now one of my prized possessions. I painted it in watercolors the other day—while I was lifted!”

Getting into the Zone

“At first I thought of smoking weed as a nice escape from reality,” Einbinder surmised. “But now I feel like being high actually makes me more present and comfortable in myself.”

Weems agreed, “Initially, I was nervous I wouldn’t be as productive on cannabis, but it actually helps me get into my zone. Soon, two hours have passed, and I’ve found I’ve effortlessly created something beautiful!”

Patrick Kilcoyne

Host and Creator of Zen Cannabonsai

Patrick Kilcoyne is owner of Different & Creative, a cannabis-focused marketing company specializing in social media and content marketing. He also manages the day-to-day operations of Design Wellness, an online CBD marketplace. 

As if that doesn’t keep him busy enough, during California’s 2019 COVID lockdown, he launched a website and began producing a YouTube show titled, Zen Cannabonsai, wherein he teaches others his passion of how to grow and maintain cannabis bonsai plants.

Bonsai is the Japanese horticultural art of miniaturizing ornamental trees or shrubs in containers, stunting growth by pruning branches and trimming roots. Using this method, plants can be kept small for years, but in the case of cannabis, the plant is trained into the desired shape until it flowers.

Kilcoyne said he’s loved and practiced bonsai since a child, but combining it with cannabis - another passion, has been not only enjoyable, but healing in ways he didn’t expect.

“I incorporate some basic Zen practices that have helped me navigate this troubling year, and also help me deal with other challenging times in my life,” he shared. “While I try to align my life with the teachings of Buddha and His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, the use of the word zen in my work describes the state of calm attentiveness in which one’s actions are guided by intuition rather than by conscious effort.”

In many of his videos he talks about trusting the process and moving forward, no matter what obstacles may be in the way. This, he finds, is fundamental to Cannabonsai, as well as in life. As in gardening, in general, when a plant dies, you learn. When it thrives, you learn. Mirroring life’s experiences.

A ruptured spleen, one nug, and an armed gaurd.

Kilcoyne grew up on the East Coast in Western Massachusetts, stating it was a more progressive region of the conservative state, with cannabis use tolerated, for the most part, referring to Happy Valley, where he lived as a “hippie outpost.”

“A few older kids on my crew team in high school would branch off during our team runs through the cornfields, around our boat house and come back all high and giggly,” he explained. “I was confused at first, but asked them a million questions, and one of them finally hooked me up with a few nugs that my buddy and I rolled into a few crappy joints. That was my first experience.”

An admittedly “stressed out kid,” Kilcoyne said he wouldn’t recommend teenagers partake, but said that cannabis did help him deal with the confusing world around him.

“As I got older and more into snowboarding and skateboarding, I started using cannabis for physical recovery and injuries, as well as for recreation,” he added.

Going off to college in squarely conservative New Hampshire was a different story.

“My first year of college I was chased on foot by State Police multiple times for smoking, then I was arrested for a .003 gram flake of flower. The police followed me home from a hydro store nearly every trip.”

It was while in college that he had a snowboarding accident, nearly ripping his spleen in half. Luckly, he said, he had some dank flower on hand from his personal grow.

“The snowboarding accident was severe and nearly took me out,” he said. “I found myself challenged in using addictive pharmaceuticals for pain management, as I’d already lost several childhood friends to addiction. Ultimately, I rejected the narcotics recommended by my doctor and opted to treat myself with my own homegrown flower and concentrates I’d made myself.”

Kilcoyne added that nearly all his friends who passed away had started on pharmaceuticals after sports injuries, and he was determined not to go that route.

“The craziest part of the story was when the paramedics asked me if I’d consumed any drugs or alcohol that day,” he said. “I explained that I’d smoked weed earlier, but that I didn’t do drugs or drink. They found the nug of flower I brought to the mountain for the day and called the cops.”

While he was being read his last rites in the hospital, the police showed up and posted an armed guard at his door.

“That moment was pretty profound to me and I never got over the absurdity of it all,” he continued. “I was a good kid that was dying because of a sports accident, and the fact that I had weed on me made the state pay a grown man to guard my door so I didn’t escape like 007!”

From Corporate Tedium to Cannabis

In 2017, Kilcoyne woke up one day and realized he was unhappy living in Massachusetts, working at an IT management job. He set his sights on moving to California and admittedly joining the green rush. 

“Luckily, I was able to relocate to San Diego in Southern California and maintain my IT role,” he said. “Working east coast hours, I was able to shut down at 3 p.m., and then fire up my editing computer to create cannabis content.”

The 80 hour, double-work weeks paid off, and soon Kilcoyne was able to quit his day job and go into cannabis marketing and content full-time.

“Around this time I met my business partner, Jay Frentsos, one of the original Urban Leaf employees in San Diego, and we dove head first into making fun and educational cannabis content,” he said. “I was also able to do a little IT work for dispensaries, but ultimately decided to focus on marketing and growing my own network in the space.”

With company, Different & Creative, he works with cannabis companies across the country, with projects ranging from retail payment systems, business development, brand development, and product testing, to name a few niches.

His day-to-day duties with CBD company, Design Wellness, keeps him busy managing operations, but content is a passion, as he feels it’s the best way to educate and change the perception of what a cannabis patient or partaker looks like.

“These days I'm more focused than ever on content production, with my work centering on lifestyle content that blends authentic cannabis use with narrative marketing,” he continued. “I’m all about de-stigmatizing cannabis use across the board and connecting folks with brands that reflect and respect their relationship with this limitless plant.”

Bonsai as Stash

Kilcoyne said he has a profound respect and appreciation for Eastern Bonsai practices, and attempts to bring as many techniques as he can into his Cannabonsai creations.

“My Cannabonsai work shares many similarities with traditional bonsai,” he explained. “The pots used, wiring techniques, movement, and stylization of the sculpture are all from Eastern and Western Bonsai, however, there are stark differences—like the speed of growth, lifecycle duration.”

Cannabis is a perennial plant, meaning it can live beyond it’s blooming season in many cases. That said, cannabis is not an evergreen shrub or tree that could be kept small and alive for decades, as with traditional bonsai.

“This is why I use the term Cannabonsai, to differentiate between the two, with respect,” he said. “I also think it leaves more room for interpretation and freedom of expression. Some may want a beautiful auto-flowering plant, growing roots over a rock on their windowsill, others may want a photoperiod mother plant to make clones with.”

Kilcoyne said he likes celebrating a fusion of tradition and change, while others may push the limits with unconventional containers, like shoes or force knots or spiral patterns into the branches.

As for his stash, he keeps much of it in a smell proof bag by Stashlogics, a high-end line of bags and containers designed specifically for cannabis use.

His papers are by Raw. The jar to hold flower—currently Auto Blue Gorilla—is made by Wonderbrett, and is recycled. Rohto V eye drops, a Clipper lighter, and trimmers made by Diamond Cut Co 6.5, aka: Japanese Steel Scissors. 

Another jar with homegrown flower from a friend all has a place in his stash.

Edibles are Cresco Melon Gummies in a 1:1 THC:CBD ratio. Design Wellness CBD oil measures in at 1000 milligrams. Blueberry Skunk Live Resin Cart is by Moxie. He also enjoys Cream of the Crop, Duct Tape flower.

But the crowning centerpieces to his stash will always be the Cannabonsai.

“All my bonsai are grown in living soil, using closed-loop agriculture when possible,” he said. “When a plant reaches its end of life, it’s recycled back into my soil rehab bin, which is amended with earthworm castings from my compost bins. Some materials, like perlite, oyster shells, seaweed, and other organic amendments are added, as needed, but nothing is thrown away.”

The Cannabonsai pictured is an Advanced Seeds Auto Somango autoflower, grown in the Broom style through a driftwood tree stump.

“The broom style refers to the shape of the trunk and upper portion of the tree,” he explained. “Most trees in municipal parks adhere to this style, expressed by a straight trunk leading up to a manicured and symmetrical top.”

Kilcoyne said he loves the idea of wabi-sabi, the art of balancing perfection with natural imperfection. This, he said, is what he practices, walking the line between what is old and traditional to what’s new—Eastern Bonsai to his Cannabonsai. 

“This plant lived its 85-day lifecycle in living soil,” he explained. “The composition included Irish Moss and other assorted groundcovers, in an attempt to emulate nature. I grew it indoors under a 1000 watt LED light and fed it various compost teas throughout development.”

Kilcoyne said this particular Cannabonsai yielded just over half an ounce of flower, but the yield isn’t as important as the process to get there.

“They are all experiments,” he added. “In this case, growing cannabis through the remnants of a traditional tree—you can dive right into the symbolism there, but from a technical standpoint, I liked the challenge of seeing if I could grow the cannabis plant through the small hole drilled into the stump.”

The moss used is not traditional Kyoto Moss, typically used in Bonsai, but Irish Moss.

“Being a proud Irish-American, I still love incorporating Irish Moss into my work,” he said. “As a lifelong naturalist, I feel a deep connection to nature and responsibility for my place in it. When I backpack I practice Leave No Trace, and I extend those principles to all aspects of my life, including growing cannabis, and working with the Cannabonsai. This year, with the COVID lockdown, bringing the outdoors inside was even more important.”

Follow Patrick Kilcoyne on Instagram @patrickilcoyne 

For more information on Different & Creative visit, https://differentandcreative.com/ 

Subscribe to his YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7GLenFgqiXAnuRlrMqXRqw 

Visit his website, www.zencannabonsai.com 

Rapper Ricky Hil

His purposeful stash is both muse and medic

Pairing food and wine with weed is becoming commonplace, but pairing cultivars to making music is something Rapper Ricky Hil has fine-tuned. His newly-launched album, Same Shit, Different Day, was recorded partaking on a variety of favorite cultivars from his stash that he says both inspire and heal.

“I tend to lean Indica heavy, no Sativa hybrids, because the Indica helps me calm down and focus on the music,” he shared from his home in Los Angeles. “I don’t write anything down before I go into the recording studio. I’ll have an idea in my head, then smoke a specific strain first, then just let it happen.”

But the son of American fashion designer, Tommy Hilfiger, didn’t get to this place of calmness and creativity without a struggle. Aside from the stigma of being the son of a high profile person (shortening his last name to go for some semblance of independence), he also had to beat the stigma of being a cannabis partaker, and an eventual persecuted patient.

As a young teen, Hil identified with being Straight Edge. He never did drugs—didn’t want to—and never drank alcohol. But he said he became restless easily, and mischievous out of boredom. 

Later diagnosed with ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), in 1997 he was prescribed Ritalin, then Concerta, for acting out. By the time he was 13, he was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder.

The Straight Edge movement began after the hardcore punk band, Minor Threat’s, 1981 song of the same name. It gained speed within the Evangelical Christian base, with kids pledging not to do drugs or alcohol in youth groups across the country during the 1990s in America. Today the movement includes advocacy for vegetarianism, animal rights, and the environment; it’s still associated with punk and hardcore music.

Fragrance, the Pied Piper of Pot

He was told he shouldn’t smoke cannabis, but the plant was all around him, causing much confusion in his young mind. Was it good or bad when adults around him partook? How could it be bad when he loved the smell of it so much?

“I used to pretend I was rolling up a joint with my school note paper and act like I was smoking it,” he laughed. “When I was 15, I finally tried it when a friend offered, but I didn’t do enough to get high. I was a good kid. The first time I actually got high my cheeks hurt from smiling, and I thought to myself, I’ll never be bored again.”

Eventually, he said he ditched both the Ritalin and the Concerta, with only cannabis to level out his moods and help him focus. Needless to say, his creativity went through the proverbial roof.

Loving the smell of cannabis isn’t just a fondness for the fragrance. Noted in a paper published by the U.S. National Institute of Medicine (PubMed), “The influence of fragrances on the psychophysiological activities of humans has been known for a long time.” With no less than 300 active olfactory receptor genes, devoted to detecting thousands of fragrances. 

The paper goes on to state that beneficial herbs have a distinct fragrance that draws us to them for a reason, because our biological systems need the healing compounds to function properly.

According to ScienceDirect.com, humans have a symbiotic relationship to plants. A paper published in the Harvard Gazette (Feb. 2020) further explains that the limbic system processes fragrance in the brain in relation to emotion and memory.

Hil was drawn to cannabis at a young age by the fragrance, but he continued to partake because it worked for him on a spiritual, emotional, and physical level.

Weed + Assumptions = Persecution, Booze, and Pills

Like many dealing with the symptoms of bipolar disorder, Hil self-medicated with cannabis, albeit unknowingly, to calm his racing thoughts and unpredictable moods, ward off the dark days, and help him focus. 

Search for any positive effects of cannabis for emotional disorders and you’ll find psychiatric publications and institutions citing studies warning of psychosis and worse. Dig deeper into the studies and you’ll find limited plant compounds used (some administering a  high THC formulation only), one-person observations, and all with the implication that cannabis triggers or causes psychosis and neurosis. 

The common question asked is, what came first, the partaking or the disorder? Was the disorder already there and too much, or a non-therapeutic dose of, THC triggered a negative outcome?

Too much THC can definitely trigger anxiety, panic attacks, and paranoia. Finding your personal therapeutic dose is key. The majority of cannabis patients this writer has interviewed have had success—as Hil has—in treating the many highs and lows of the most common mental and emotional disorders, including depression, as cannabis lifts endorphins as quickly as a morning jog.

In 2010, at 19 years old, Hil was living in California and had been using cannabis purposefully and medicinally as a legal cannabis patient. The plant had also become muse for his music, and as stated, part of his recording process. One night, while leaving a recording studio on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, he was detained and then arrested for possessing three ounces of weed.

He had his medical cannabis card with him, but because the ounces were separated by cultivars in three different bags, it was assumed he was a dealer with the intent to sell. 

With a federal mandatory five-year sentence for cannabis offences in the balance, assuming anything seems a bit radical. But I digress. For the record, Hil emphatically states that he never had the need to deal, he was just fortunate enough to have three ounces of three types of flower to medicate with.

Call it white privilege or not, Hil’s court date landed him in a Utah rehab facility for two months, in lieu of prison time. While in rehab Hil said he learned about alcohol and pills from his peers. Cannabis is considered habitual, but non-addictive, so the irony was not lost on him.

“When rehab ended they put me on probation for one year, with a pee-test three times a week,” he explained. “That’s when I began self-medicating with alcohol and pills—when I had never drank alcohol or done drugs before. I’d wake up in the morning and have a beer to calm down, and I wasn’t even 21 yet—but, I couldn’t use a plant that never hurt anyone. It made no sense at all.”

We could have lost the young artist, as he quelled his racing thoughts and mood swings with booze and calming benzodiazepines and opioids, including Xanax, OxyContin, and Fentanyl. 

“I started taking Ecstasy in an attempt to feel better without the weed, but coming down is awful, so I started taking the pills to compensate,” he said, of the common dilemma.

This dark period played out in public, as he was written up in tabloids for getting thrown out of a recording studio for peeing in a cup.

Hil defended the phase, stating, “It was a dark time without weed. I picked up a lot of bad habits in rehab. Besides the drinking and the pills, I started smoking cigarettes.”

When probation ended, Hil immediately began medicating with cannabis and left the alcohol and booze behind. The tobacco remained, but only in the occasional spliff, mixed with weed.

Divine Energy

For Hil, his use of cannabis adds to his creative process, but it’s also a spiritual practice—with a mantra quelling his negative alter ego.

“Sometimes when people, or the voice in my head, tells me I’m doing wrong—it’s not paranoia, it’s everyday life frustrations—then a clear voice comes through,” he waxed poetic. “It’s a divine energy to connect through the plant, telling me I’m enough and everything is going to be ok. Or I’ll be called to create. It’s all good.”

Aside from the physiological lift he gets from the plant, his music is dark, full of the perils of modern-day youth—like drugs, sex, and violence. But, for Hil, it’s all release and therapy, not just for him, but for his audience. 

“My music is dark for a reason,” the baby-faced, well-spoken young man explained. “I believe I’ve got to get that stuff out. It’s not just dark, though, it’s me being vulnerable. That’s what weed does for you. I realized that when I reach further down and bare my soul in that way—with all the darkness, it helps other people, too. Then I know I’m doing the right work, and I feel lighter after getting it all out.”

A Green Stash

During our Zoom interview, Hil had a fatty rolled and ready, drawing on it as we chatted. Nearby was a tall glass of green drink, with a nod to his healthy lifestyle.

Hil rattled off the novela of goodness in the drink, “It has greens, apples, celery, cucumber, kale, dandelion, and parsley.” 

While recording, Hil said he prefers tasty cultivars, like Sunset Sherbet and Gelato. 

Sherbert is a direct descendant of Girl Scout Cookies, bred by Mr. Sherbinski. Ancestors include the classic and enduring OG Kush—another favorite of Hil’s—Cherry Pie and Durban Poison, a sativa cultivar hailing from the South African port city of Durban. 

Sherbert is said to give a boost of cerebral energy—perfect for creating and making music.

Another favorite in his stash is Russian Assassin. Aside from the daunting name, this one to one Sativa/Indica cultivar has a noticeable piney aroma, from the terpene pinene. 

According to terpene research-writer, Curt Robbins, as noted in the Cannabis Aficionado.com, pinene has the highly recognizable aroma of a pine forest. Found in basil, orange peel, and rosemary, pinene is especially good for mental focus and improving energy levels. 

“I like mixing up the strains,” he said. “One time I only smoked OG Kush—way too much, for one month straight, and ended up sitting most of the day, with my mind racing.”

Kush cultivars are typically Indica leaning, causing couch-lock, hence his sedative experience, and why switching up cultivars for effect is never a bad idea.

“Wedding Cake is another favorite,” he continued. “Two years ago a friend’s mother plant died. It was consistently good for years, and it was a real loss when she went out. I recorded several of the tracks on my new album with that strain.”

Wedding Cake is a high THC cultivar created by crossing Cherry Pie with Girl Scout Cookies. Not unlike his other favorite, Sherbert, it gives a relaxing and euphoric effect, said to calm the body and mind. Those with a low THC tolerance would need to titrate up to this heady high, that’s often a go-to for pain patients for this reason.

Pairing tracks to specific cultivars is part of his creative process, but it’s also part of his stash.

“The plant is the backbone to my music,” he said, taking another drag off his magnificently large joint. “The time before bed is a thinking time—it’s in my hand, I watch it burn, it’s meditative—that’s all part of the magic. There’s no music without the plant, for me. It’s part of my process—it’s my personal prescription to make the music and stay level.”

Find Ricky Hil’s music on Soundcloud, Genius, Spotify

Follow him on Twitter @RickyHil IG @rickyhil 

PubMed paper on fragrance, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5198031/

Harvard Gazette, What the nose knows, https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2020/02/how-scent-emotion-and-memory-are-intertwined-and-exploited/

Lloyd Kanchan, aka: Rapoleon Dynamite, Diorama Artist

The little adventures of a grand stash

In Lloyd Kanchan’s tiny twisted world of weed a Ninja Turtle crashes on a couch, as Master Splinter pinches his stash. In another diorama painter Bob Ross adds Kanchan’s version of “happy trees” to a painting. Toy figurines of celebrities are paired with film, cartoon, and animated characters, seshing, conspiring, and recreating to medicate together.

“I’d seen toy photography before and was always a huge fan of a show called Robot Chicken on Adult Swim,” he shared. “The show used Claymation, but it planted the seed of recreating favorite scenes from TV and film in a funny way. When I added cannabis everything came together perfectly.”

Kanchan grew up in South Central Los Angeles, but now makes his home in San Bernadino, referred to as the Inland Empire of Southern California, with plans on relocating to the high desert.

South Central is infamous for what are now referred to as the LA Riots of 1992, after a jury acquitted four white police officers of beating black truck driver, Rodney King.

Kanchan said he was just five years old at the time, but remembers seeing the city on fire, hearing police sirens everywhere, and witnessing pure chaos.

“Growing up in a rough city makes or breaks you,” he shared. “As a kid, you don't really pay attention to the negative stuff going on around you. Yes, there were daily murders, a constant police presence, gang activity, drug use, and homelessness everywhere. I also had strict parents that kept me focused on sports and my school work.”

Playing with toys and video games was an escape from the harsh reality of his daily life. But, he also sites sports for playing a huge role in his life – namely, basketball and football.

“You never saw me without a ball in my hand,” he said. “With all the trauma, I wouldn’t change growing up in Los Angeles for anything,” he added. “The people, the culture – everything in that city made me the person I am today and I’m proud of it. The fact that I am street smart and well educated makes me a double-threat, in my mind.”

Cannabis, the working man’s meds

In 2005 he injured his back while playing middle line-backer in college football at the University of Oregon. The injury preempted a herniated disk, with Kanchan dropping out after his first year, stating, “I didn’t want to keep putting my body in jeopardy.”

He was initially prescribed Vicodin, but said he felt numb and unable to focus.

“I always felt like crap on the pharmaceuticals,” he said. “My pain was still there and my productivity was low.”

Today, he smokes flower, dabs, and uses a vaporizer to medicate for the pain.

“I could take an over-the-counter medication for pain relief, but I don’t like what they can do to your liver in the long run,” he said. “And, I’m not too big on CBD only, because I don’t get the adequate pain relief I need without the THC. The long lasting effects of dabs make concentrates my go-to way to medicate.”

Cannabis, he said, helps him get through the workday pain-free and feeling comfortable, as his day job as laborer in a retail warehouse involves heavy lifting. But, company policy dictates random testing for drug screening, and Kanchan said he’s putting his job at risk every day, as THC stays in the system long after the high is gone.

“It’s worth it for me to continue to medicate with cannabis, because it works,” he said. “I have more focus on the job than when I was using pharmaceutical pain killers.”

With cannabis, he said, there are literally no side effects or feelings of dependency – and that’s what he loves about it.

 “I take pride in always being one of the hardest workers at my job. My production numbers are solid and I’m medicated while doing it,” he surmised. “I’m living proof that cannabis doesn’t make you lazy or slow you down in the workforce. It really depends on the person and their work ethic.”

Diorama as Stash

His stash is interchangeable as his dioramas. Filled with some of his favorite products of flower and dabs – all enjoyed with intrigue and humor in every situation he creates.

“I medicate and recreate with action figures because it adds a humor to my life,” he said. “Typically, I medicate with flower using a bong when I work on the dioramas, because the high isn’t as intense as with the concentrates. When I medicate before I start shooting the ideas start flowing and I get lost in my zone.”

As a social media influencer, many of the dioramas feature products he loves, by companies he admires.

One diorama sees Jim Carey as Ace Ventura enjoying two large buds of Banana OG from Good Ole Boys Farms of California; another has the Pet Detective seshing with Will Ferrell, as Buddy from Elf.

Iconic stoners, Cheech & Chong are seen together and alone in several scenes. One shows them being handed dabs from Maniac Meds of California, by an intimidating dabtender, Kratos, from PlayStation’s God of War. Another shows Chong holding a dab, hanging with a disappointed Carey, captioned, “you call that a dab, Mr. Chong?”

A favorite stop-animation, is also his first, featuring Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story hanging with stoner teddy bear, Ted, from the favorite stoner movie; featuring Seth MacFarland as Ted, with Mark Wahlberg playing Ted’s sidekick, John Bennett.

The dioramas themselves, or the backgrounds of each scene, are made by friends. The miniature glass pieces are made by idab Glass of Orange County, California. The celebrity figures are purchased at retail shops, collectible shows, and online markets.

Medicate to Elevate

Kanchan said much of the creativity and play in preparation to build the dioramas is done ahead of time in his imagination.

“I can be at work, listening to music, or watching TV, and have an idea for a scene come into my head,” he explained. “Then I’ll be in the photo tent for a few hours creating different scenes and working on getting the perfect shot. The whole process is a stress-reliever from the rat race – work, bills, family, relationships, and friends. Just trying to find happiness can seem so overwhelming at times.”

The Ninja Turtle diorama shows a funny, yet underbelly side of weed; with Master Splinter taking liberties of a sleeping turtle’s stash. It’s a relatable real life scene, that’s no doubt been played out in housemate situations as long as the herb’s been sitting on a coffee table unattended.

“The Ninja’s are easy characters to use, as they are always seen as funny, stoner-type personalities,” he said. “Their favorite saying is cowabunga, so I titled this diorama, cowa-bong-a.”

The Bob Ross diorama adds a certain normalcy for partaking, depicting PBS’s favorite TV painter, immortalizing the plant as truly one of his self-proclaimed “happy trees” on canvas.

“Years ago I came across Bob Ross’s videos on YouTube, and always admired his chill and relaxed personality,” he said. “I loved how he always talked about painting happy trees, so putting this shot together was really fun. With both our art combined, it’s easily one of my favorites.”

His Instagram posts have been shared by celebrities he portrays, including Cypress Hill, Dizzy Wright, and Jay & Silent Bob.

“I only tag the celebrities I know use cannabis,” he added. “The ones I do tag seem to love being featured. It’s flattering when people consider me an Influencer. At first I didn’t like the title, because some Influencers were half-naked models and people doing crazy bong hits. Now, I take pride in it because I didn’t have to do those things to get attention.”

Aside from the adulation for his innovative work, Kanchan said at the end of the day, his stash is all about play and the plant.

“I never realized this was art until people started telling me they loved my work,” he surmised. “Then I realized anything created is art, no matter what it is. All I can say is, I’m humbled by the love and appreciate the positive responses received. It keeps me motivated and pushes me to continue creating. And I’m really happy to have cannabis in the mix – in my work and in my play.”

Follow Lloyd Kanchan on Instagram @Rapoleon_Dynamite

For more information on iDab Glass visit, www.ibabglass.com

Casey Ly

Chief Revenue Officer, Bloom

Casey Ly worked ten years helping start-ups achieve their goals before becoming Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) in charge of business development, sales, and branding for Bloom; a California company specializing in smoking oils and pre-rolls.

Ly earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology from the University of California at Los Angeles, graduating in 2011.

“I never really expected to pursue a career in anthropology after college,” he shared. “I was very fortunate to study the subject, though, because it taught me way to look at the world objectively.”

During college he worked at then start-up, Opportunity Green, a facilitator of sustainable business conferences, giving him his first experience in sponsorships and corporate sales.

“My career in sales began before I managed sales people,” he explained. “I understand things by doing, so I find it difficult to instruct people in tasks I haven’t done myself. Starting as a cold-caller was a great way to understanding the importance of consistency – which is a cornerstone of management.”

Business is Blooming

After leaving extraction company, Capna Intellecutal, as CRO, Ly served as the Enterprise Account Director at MaxCDN, a support and web performance resource center, where he developed an outbound sales strategy, landing the company’s largest customer, while managing a significant share of revenue.

“Friends approached me to start-up Bloom in 2014,” Ly said. “They showed me the first edition of the Bloom vape pen and asked if I could help sell it. I put together a basic go-to market plan and started working on it as a side project, while I was still working at Capna.”

When Capna was sold in 2016, Ly said he then began building the Bloom brand full-time, with the friends becoming partners.

Expanding into markets in other states proved challenging, as Ly said each market is its own microcosm of ordinances and cultural differences, and brand recognition doesn’t always translate as expected.

“You have to work hard to find the right recipe to enter into other markets – and you have to travel non-stop” he laughed. “We launched Washington State in 2017, New Mexico in 2018, and Nevada in 2019. I found myself doing anything to get the launches off the ground – whether it was delivering orders or securing partnerships. My focus was and is on adapting sales and marketing tactics developed in California to the new markets.”

A Brand Maker’s Stash

The standout in Ly’s stash isn’t necessarily the excellent flower or even the sleek Bloom vape, but a fine Versace porcelain ashtray gifted to him from a friend.

The Italian design house founded by Gianni Versace in 1978, first began designing homewares in 1992. Though Ly’s Lion ashtray is now considered highly collectible, as it’s no longer available for purchase, the ashtray once sold for approximately $600.

“The ashtray definitely makes my stash somewhat more sophisticated,” he shared. “But, the most sentimental item in my stash is my Crush grinder. I’ve had this same grinder for eight years now, and it’s an essential part of my rolling routine.”

Grinding is important, as it creates an even burn when smoking. It’s also cost effective and healthier, as the middle of the flower is not wasted, and additional carbon isn’t consumed getting to the center of the bud.

The red box is a Bloom Gift Box, and Ly said it holds everything he needs.

“I usually smoke Northern Emerald’s flower,” he said. “They are pretty reputable cultivators in the industry and have been around since the medical days. I’m always traveling, so I vape a lot. The Dart is a very sleek battery, so I usually have one in my stash box, my car, my desk, and my gym bag – to cover my bases in case I forget or misplace it.”

Ly uses eye drops for discretion while medicating by Rohto – the only drops that don’t burn his eyes.

Avoiding products that aren’t natural, Ly said he uses unbleached hemp rolling papers from Raw, stating, they taste better and always burn evenly.

 The headphones are purposeful, as Ly said music sounds better with cannabis.

“Right now I’m listening to a pretty nice Boiler Room set by Jamie XX,” he said. “I listen to a pretty good mix of genres, but I gravitate towards hip hop because that’s what I grew up listening to. The last five artists I’ve listened to before this set are Playboy Carti, 03 Greedo, Washed Out, Sir, and Main Source.”

When he’s traveling he likes to keep a Medtainer on hand, because it’s both a grinder and hold bud – less for him to forget when it’s time to roll.

“I used to add hash to my flower, but now that it’s not as easy to find, I use The Dablicator,” he added. “I almost always have a Bloom Drop on hand because I can pretty much use it in any form I smoke.”

The Dablicator is a fillable dabbing accessory able to handle wax or dabs. Said to be the most efficient and cleanest way to burn a concentrate. It also has the fun option of being able to decorate and label your pen.

“I recreate by smoking joints or vaping,” he said. “I like to roll joints because I find the process therapeutic, and it’s less harsh on my throat. Vaping is my go-to since I’m always on the road for work and don’t always have time to roll joints.”

Ly recreates at different times throughout the day, tending to hit on a sativa for focus and stamina before he hits the gym. He also medicates by smoking or vaping for clarity and productivity at work.

“Smoking before I head to the gym helps me get focused and in the zone to power through my workout,” he shared. “Sometimes I’ll sesh at the end of the day to unwind after work – or I’ll smoke socially with friends, it all depends.

Problem solving is everything whether you are expanding a line and promoting a brand, and Ly said cannabis is plays a large role.

“I like to smoke when I can’t figure out a problem, as it helps me gather my thoughts and carefully create a solution - and that’s the epitome of what’s in my stash - many solutions, mentally and physically.”

For more information on Bloom visit, https://thebloombrand.com/

Kelin Henry, Founder of Nashira Los Angeles

Cannabis-inspired jewelry and home décor

Kelin Henry hails from Los Angeles, graduating high school in 1995. Her first experience with cannabis was when she was just 15 years old. 

“One of my friend’s older brothers smoked recreationally, so I smoked with him for the first time,” she shared. “It made me feel paranoid and I didn’t really like it. But, my cousin—who was a father figure for me and lived with my mom and [me] growing up—was a big advocate of what he called ‘the sacred plant.’ He spent a lot of time educating me about the plant and its medicinal benefits.”

Her cousin passed away in 2018 and Henry was able to gift him cannabis oil to ease his pain.

“He was so grateful, as it truly was the only thing that helped manage his pain,” she said. “I just recently began taking it myself every night to help with sleep and anxiety.”

She also became an entrepreneur in the cannabis industry after divorce left her a single mom with four small children to raise in 2018 after befriending a man with a pre-roll company.

“I started going to cannabis events with him and loved the energy of it all,” she said. “I had purchased a pair of gold hoop earrings with cannabis leaves on them online and wore them to an event in the Hollywood Hills. That was January of 2019, and I received so many compliments that it was definitely an ah-ha moment.”

The next day she contacted the seller to work out a wholesale deal.

“I knew that becoming an entrepreneur at the age of 41 would present challenges,” she said. “I had been out of the workforce at that point for 14 years. But, having a flexible schedule so I could be home for my kids was important to me.

On February 14 in 2019, on Valentine’s Day, Nashira was up and running with a line of cannabis embellished jewelry, in bracelets, earrings, necklaces, and charms. 

Adding a home goods line was inevitable, considering she had earned a degree in Interior Design in 2003 from California State University at Northridge, with a gig at an interior design firm right out of college. Her continuing on that path was put on hold when she began having children. 

“It had been so long since I had a chance to flex my interior design muscle, but design will always be my number one passion,” she shared. “I was getting so tired of all the same fabrics and prints on the market—they all started looking the same to me—usually a green, solid leaf on a black background. In my mind, that’s just not a good representation of this sacred plant.”

Her new homeline has been months in the making, with Nashira just launching its line of candles under the name, Walk in the Woods.

“The name is a play on words with a nod to winter trees,” she said. “Our tagline is, ‘elevate your tablescape.’ Our line of linens will have custom cloth napkins, tablecloths, custom throws and accent pillows - all with cannabis leaf designs, and all with a depth of design for the plant, highlighting its beauty.”

Becoming a Patient

Playing with leaf designs aside, the feeling of being paranoid after smoking cannabis never improved for Henry. By June of 2011, a friend turned her on to a little tub of lotion.

“We were on a road trip to Rancho Mirage out in the California Desert, and I was having really bad shoulder and neck pain,” she shared. “A friend handed me a jar of CBD topical lotion, and after applying it the pain was relieved in about 15 minutes. That was my first time using CBD only and I was sold.

Fast forward to November of 2018, and she began ingesting a full spectrum CBD oil to quell anxiety and the occasional panic attack. 

“I noticed a difference immediately,” she said. “The bonus was, I didn’t consume alcohol for 16 days straight after taking the CBD oil regularly. It helped tremendously. So much so that I have not taken one single Ativan since.”

Many cannabis patients and partakers alike have admitted to replacing alcohol with cannabis, saying that alcohol took the edge off, but the negative effects on body, mind and relationships suffered. 

Henry added that she had taken Ativan for seven years, but drank alcohol on top of the pills, as they did not seem to work for her. Interesting to note that both were successfully replaced by ingesting CBD oil, with no psychoactive response and no paranoia.

THC, the psychoactive compound in cannabis achieved after heating or smoking, is often said to spike anxiety in patients and users prone to the disorder. When trying high amounts of THC available in concentrates and flower for the first time, it’s important to follow the “start low, go slow” rule when dosing. Titrating up to an acceptable amount of THC for your particular tolerance is key.

Stash by Design 

Since coming into the cannabis space, attending more events, and seshing with various modes, Henry has found her tolerance with THC and has made peace with it. 

“I now have a good understanding of ratios of THC to CBD, and can control my anxiety levels for medicating or recreating,” she said. “My stash has definitely grown over the years and I’m actually pretty proud of it, where in the past I would have hidden it. I know that confidence comes with education of the whole process of medicating and recreating with cannabis.”

This is good news to the designer, who named her company Nashira, meaning, “The bearer of good news,” inspired by stars in the celestial sky. 

“Technically, I have two stashes-in-one, with my ‘medicate-to-recreate’ tray, and then there’s my bathroom stash - which is always ready for a private break, either in the tub or just for quiet time for mom,” she laughed. “Both stashes are constantly evolving, but my medicating/recreating tray always holds cannabis oil, CBD oil, my bong and flower, and my pre-rolls.”

Her stash and the photos that ensue show her talent for design, as well as good taste. In the jewelry photo, a favorite necklace spells out “Sativa.” The bud jar in the photo of jewelry is by Fashionably High.

Her “medicating to recreate” tray is a signature orange, round tray by Hermes, the historic French design house. Though you can find knock offs of the tray online for just under $200, an original of the now discontinued tray could set you back by approximately $300.

Henry enjoys prerolls by Neptune Sticks, sharing space with a Rove vape pen; this one with a Punch cartridge, purchased at Foothill Wellness in Tujunga, California.

A syringe of Get Zen 1:1 Rick Simpson Oil is on-hand for nighttime dosing, ensuring REMs and a sound night’s sleep. (This oil is otherwise known as RSO, or simply cannabis oil, which is an alcohol reduction and very strong.)

Sativa Raspberry Gummies by Wyld, also purchased at Foothill Wellness, are on-hand for a small dose, as needed.

“My first time dosing with CBD was with Go Terpy CBD oil,” she said. “I keep a bottle of 1000 mg. full spectrum on my tray at all times, because it’s reliable and it still works for me to quell my anxiety.”

Her bathroom stash includes CBD topicals of Hydration Cream, Facial Mist, and Rosehip Facial Oil Therapy all from Hemp+ of California.

Another pack of Wyld’s cannabis-infused Marionberry Gummies, Indica Enhanced, is kept in the bathroom, because you never know when you need to pop a gummy. It too was purchased at Foothill Wellness.

She’s placed jewelry from her Nashira Los Angeles brand on all her trays for the photos, but the gold Toker Poker lighter-holder on her medicating/recreating tray is a limited edition in metallic coated gold. The hand-painted cannabis leaf pouch on her bathroom tray was made by Andrea Johnson. 

The poppy orange, porcelain Snake Valet Tray is from the Jonathan Adler collection. Adler added cannabis accessories to his high profile brand of ceramics in 2019. The Snake Valet Tray is available for $68, sold in fine retailers and online at JonathanAdler.com

“I smoke as needed to de-stress, but I also love smoking socially with my friends” she concluded. “I swear, my best girlfriends and I have come up with some of the most creative ideas when we are consuming cannabis during these sessions! This plant and what it has brought to my life is truly a gift—not just from the healing aspects, but in the way it gave me a career. A career that allows me to spend time with my kids and delve into the world of design I love so much.”

Cullen Raichart, CEO GreenBroz, Inc.

A simple stash for an automated mind

The man who has invented some of the most high-tech automated harvesting equipment in the industry enjoys smoking his CBD flower with a surprisingly simple tool.

“One of my favorite implements is a corn cob pipe,” he shared from his home in Las Vegas, Nevada. “But, I’m also a fan of a good old-fashion joint.”

Raichart founded GreenBroz, Inc. in 2012, with his automated trimming machine. Today, he’s launched the first automated chain for the cannabis industry. But his journey did not come without struggle, and as a young adult, Raichart said he was making some bad life decisions and getting into trouble. So, like many young people lacking direction, he enlisted in the military.

Tool Control & Process Management

From 1988 to 1993 Raichart said he traveled the world aboard an aircraft carrier for the U.S. Navy, with a Top Secret Clearance; working in avionics, radio, and radar communications, stating, “I enjoyed the demanding work environment and the fast-paced problem solving required to do the job.”

His time on the carrier was mostly spent on the flight deck; a physically demanding job that required mental alertness at all times.

“The most important thing I learned was tool control and process management,” he shared. “Tool control in that environment is a matter of life and death as is proper adherence to process.”

To clarify, tool control involves keeping track of inventory for safety and to save money. It’s a real issue and asset across the board for the military and the corporate world, alike.

According to NASA, the main objective of tool control is to reduce or eliminate accidents, loss of life, and damage to equipment – caused by the improper accountability of tools.

Process management, as referenced in Business Management.com, involves defining a process, establishing responsibilities, evaluating process performance, and identifying opportunities for improvement.

The Navy straightened the young man out, and with these two skill sets under his proverbial belt, he landed a job as Chief Engineer at Hewlett Packard. He was charged with running a complex computer systems project that entailed managing global email installations for multi-national companies.

Automating an Industry

Raichart said he started growing cannabis at home in 1999, and has been involved in the cannabis industry in one way or another now for many years, stating, “It was gratifying, to say the least, in going from a closet grow to heading up a multi-million dollar, international company.”

Tinkering comes easily to the inquisitive and natural born inventor, who has a history of creating gadgets and figuring things out.

“I love solving puzzles,” he said. “I invented temporary decals for vehicles. For example, flames you could put on your bike or car as long as you want, then peel off – car-wash-ready. I also invented a foam sword that made a loud intimidating noise when you swung it, but didn’t hurt when you hit someone with it. Another especially fun project was a menu board that uses laser and fiber optics to light it up.”

Raichart’s expertise in solving puzzles paid off when he founded GreenBroz, Inc., starting his foray into automation.

Its trimming machines are able to trim poundage of flower in record time, with its Model M dry trimming eight to 12 pounds in one hour, with several other machines trimming at varying amounts. Its Sorter sorts more than a pound a minute, with up to seven user-defined sorting sizes. The 420 Alchemist Extractor has a capacity of 2.5 cubic feet, yielding 15 to 25 percent by weight solventless extraction, with other machines equally impressive in output and efficiency.

Raichart said this new venture into an automated chain will help the industry step-up and compete in the world market.

“No one has created an end-to-end automated harvesting system to date,” he said. “We are really the first company nearing completion of this system. We’ve been working on giving the cannabis and hemp industries the equivalent of what’s available to the traditional agriculture market. It will solve a lot of problems for cannabis and hemp businesses in the U.S. and abroad.”

Streamlining refers to making automated harvesting systems the most efficient they can be to save time and money. Raichart said this also ensures the highest quality finished products.

“The automated chain is also really important in order to prevent waste,” he added

The machines are connected with conveyors, able to collect data along the automated chain. Raichart feels this will allow the cannabis industry to make real world decisions based on real and accurate information – something that’s been lacking thus far in the manual production lines.

Hemp will be used to demo the new automated chain at the company’s Las Vegas location toward the end of the year.

CBD & Corn Cob Pipes

More than a year ago, a motorcycle accident shattered his leg, raising his awareness of Cannabidiol, or CBD.

“In the X-Ray my bone looked like shards of glass had spread through my leg – it was really bad,” he said. “I ended up with a rejection rash from the plate they put in my knee. Nothing worked for the pain until I started on a strict regimen of high-CBD. It was a lifesaver, but also turned out to be a life changing experience.”

Raichart has never used pharmaceuticals. Even after the motorcycle accident he said he only used Tylenol post-surgery.

“I still use topicals regularly to manage residual pain from the injuries,” he said. “I believe the topicals are the main reason I’m doing as well as I am now.”

Picky about the quality of products he partakes, Raichart said he enjoys Hemp City CBD flower, sourced locally in Las Vegas.

On the tray is M Botanicals CBD/THC Balm, a handcrafted home brew CBD topical balm, and one of his daily go-tos.

The custom Dank Grinder was given to him from friends in the UK.

The Bee Line Hemp Wax is for smoking out of the corn cob pipe. He also enjoys Blues Brothers’ Dogwalker pre-rolls, from Jim Belushi’s farm. And Flow Kana Minis pre-rolls are a go-to for quality.

“I enjoy working in this industry so much, because people are really creative and driven,” he said. “There’s a sense that we are all pioneering this new sphere together.”

John Vanderslice, Indie Rocker & Music Producer 

The melodic musings of a musical stash 

John Vanderslice came into his own as an indie singer/songwriter in the 1990s. He turned indie record producer and recording engineer, founding Tiny Telephone—an analog recording studio located in the Bay area—in 1997.

On his own he’s released 12 albums over the years, working in studio with indie bands such as Frog Eyes, Samantha Crain, The Mountain Goats, and Grandaddy, and had previously worked with Sophie Hunger, Bombadi, Strand of Oaks, and Spoon.

Vanderslice grew up in rural Florida, but the family moved to Maryland in 1978 when he was 11 years old.

In seventh grade, at the tender age of 13, he partook of the herb when an older friend offered. 

“He was in eighth grade, but I remember thinking he was 100 years older than me,” he laughed. “I was an anti-authoritarian stoner-kid who loved the Kinks and David Bowie.” 

Cannabis, he said, was central to him learning to play the guitar. 

“The plant changed what I listened to and deepened my understanding of what music could do – as well as how incredible it could make you feel,” he shared. “I was simply more perceptive, and my senses were heightened while stoned. Once I started smoking, it was always about playing or listening to music, weed was and is,” he emphasized, “always connected.” 

He graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree in economics and a minor in history, when California called in 1990. Vanderslice waited tables while taking classes at the University of Berkeley, with his sights on being an English teacher. But after five years as a member of the indie band MK Ultra, music called him away from academics. 

Music & Muse 

Tiny Telephone recording studio was established with Vanderslice working full-time as a producer beginning in 2014, and the Oakland studio opening in 2015. Bands who have recorded with Tiny Telephone include Death Cab for Cutie, Sleater-Kinney, Okkervil River, Deerhoof, and Spoon—all bands that would shape the sound of indie rock heading into the 2000s. 

But, Vanderslice had written and recorded albums of his own, touring with his band MK Ultra, then solo for many years until focusing on producing.  

His own music reflected much of what was going on in the world when he wrote it, with politics heavy on his mind. 

“In 2000 I penned a song, ‘Bill Gates Must Die,’ for my Mass Suicide Occult Figurines album,” he said. “We concocted a hoax in which Microsoft supposedly threatened legal action over the song. The CD couldn’t be manufactured because the artwork resembled a Windows installation disc.” 

Controversy aside, his 2005 album titled Pixel Revolt referenced the September 11, 2001 attacks and the Iraq War, earning him an 8.3 rating on Pitchfork, cited as an excellent album for its meticulous arrangements. 

In 2007 he said he was so beaten down by politics he titled his latest work Emerald City, referencing the Green Zone in Baghdad and the Wizard of Oz.  

“I was so depleted as a person I had to write myself out of it,” he explained. 

By 2009 his voice lent itself to a softer side of life with Romanian Names, with a focus on personal reflection, romance and our human relationship to nature. Many other albums would follow until the fateful crash and subsequent exit from performing.

Fader called Vanderslice “a mammoth figure in the indie rock scene,” and a “folk troubadour raised on the hyphy movement and art-pop.” Stereogum referred to him as the “erudite and inventive singer-songwriter-producer... doesn’t get enough respect as one of the architects of 21st Century indie rock.”

As reported to The New Yorker, a near-death experience in 2014 while on a solo tour promoting his album, Dagger Beach, prompted him to quit touring and making records. He ended up putting all his energies and focus into helping others perfect and record their own music. 

“The van we were traveling in nearly flipped on Interstate 80 in Ohio,” he shared. “Surviving was life-altering and caused me to immediately realize I did not want to die in a van on the road. I wasn’t heartbroken about it—it was like, I knew I had a good run.”  

After many years of staying put and producing for others, today, he’s back on the road with his own music, launching album, Eeeeeeeep, on August 21; with single, Song for Leopold, to be released on August 5. 

He continues to run Tiny Telephone, relocating from Los Angeles to be closer to his San Francisco studio; while opening a third recording studio, Grandma’s Couch, back in LA. 

Midnite Stash 

“My stash is very tweaked and modulated,” he explained. “I’ve tried so many different types of edibles and sublingual sprays to find the ones that really work for me—especially when I’m dealing with insomnia.” 

Due to a musician’s grueling schedule, calming down and getting to sleep after a gig is a real conundrum. But Vanderslice said he’s been dealing with the sleep disorder since he was 12 years old. 

“I’ve become a pro at ignoring it, but cannabis at night definitely helps,” he explained. “Other than my sleep issues, I feel very healthy—and I know the plant has something to do with that.” 

Vanderslice said he loves going to dispensaries, remembering a time when all his weed was sourced from the illicit market. 

“I grew up when you could actually do jail time for this shit, so it still feels slightly taboo,” he added. 

His current stash includes the cultivar Grape Ape, grown on some land a friend has in Sonoma County in Northern California. 

“It’s biodynamic and delicious!” he shared. “He’s a great grower and has been providing weed for Tiny Telephone for a while now. His cultivars are studio favorites and enhance the music and the recording experience.” 

Other flowers in his stash include Chocolate Hashberry, Purple Diesel, Berry White, Pacific Stone 12 percent Lemon Diesel, and Old Pal—a 10 percent THC blend. 

Vanderslice loves edibles and will ingest five to seven milligrams of an activated THC product at a time to get to sleep at night. 

“Or, I’ll take a mix of two point five milligrams of THC in an edible, and 10 milligrams of CBD, a few hours before bed,” he said. “I think the 4:1 ratio of THC to CBD is perfect. There’s something unique about CBD when it has some THC to work with.” 

He also uses Care by Design’s 8:1 and 4:1 sublingual spray, and Social CBD Tincture (previously called Select). 

A self-proclaimed casual partaker, Vanderslice said he’s a cheap date and prefers the low THC cultivars.  

“Two hits and I’m done,” he laughed. “I love getting high, but I do it only at night when I’m finished with work. Then, I love disconnecting from the world and listening to the rough mixes of music I’m writing or working on for other musicians.” 

Aside from using the plant as muse for his work, medicating with cannabis also provides him with unbelievable clarity.

“I find it amazing how all the different methods of dosing and individual potency of cultivars feels so different to me at different times,” he added. “Weed transports me to somewhere completely different from where I am in my head and encourages me to focus on the present. I love turning off my phone and entering into a new, more personal space.” 

For more information on Tiny Telephone recording studios visit, www.tinytelephone.com

Max Montrose: Founder of the Trichome Institute; Denver, Colorado

When you become the stash, and the stash becomes you

You might say, Max Montrose has a nose for weed. That his lineage, handed down from beneath his very DNA, in cahoots with spirits of cannabis past, placed him in Denver, Colorado, then waited as the state and the man literally grew into their own.

“The cannabis industry and I grew up together,” Montrose said from his home in Denver, Colorado. “I first started using cannabis from the Black Market in High School – there was no industry; it was about as mature as I was. While I was in college, the industry medicalized, decriminalized, then we went into legalization and everything became more professional – all of this, literally in my own back yard – and I participated as much as I observed.”

Montrose was a protesting, sign-carrying activist for the plant starting in high school. Beginning in 2007, once in college, he said his only focus was on cannabis.

“College, for me, was a funny situation,” he continued. “I’m a liberal, Jewish, pot-head; and went to a very Catholic, Jesuit university in the state of Colorado – Regis University. At Regis, they make you take two classes on every subject – math, science, history. The only thing I studied in any subject, and the focus of most all of my papers, was cannabis.”

Naturalist’s Bachelor’s in Cannabis

Montrose earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology, while working across the street from the university at a dispensary, with his sites firmly set on a career in cannabis. But not just any career. In his case, he let his nose lead him.

“I’ve been asked many times if I’m on the Autistic Spectrum,” he shared. “I’ve also been asked more than once if I’m a Super Taster – specifically in terms of identifying good weed by scent. I went to very expensive, special schools because of my learning differences – which are severe dyslexia, ADD, psychomotor agitation – basically, the inability to turn your brain off. I was highly tested.”

According to Skills You Need.com, Human behavior specialist, Scott Black, went one step further with Harvard Professor, Howard Gardener’s research on learning styles, creating a measured way to determine a person’s overall learning style. Of the categories defined are: Intra & Inter-personal, Logical or Mathematical, Visual or Spatial, Kinesthetic, Musical or Rhythmic, Linguistic, and Montrose’s learning style, the Naturalist.

“Turns out I’m one of the rarest learning types,” he explained. “I’m a naturalistic learner; I learn best by relating to nature. At a very young age I took talking and relating to plants one step further, and it led me right to one of my favorite plants, cannabis.”

As co-founder of the Trichome Institute, Montrose and team focus, not on cultivar types or whether a plant is Indica or Sativa, but on interpening, as stated on its website, “The art and science of the Cannabis Sommelier: evaluating flower for total equality control, psychotropic effects, and a variety type designation.”

The institute offers an intensive in-house course on Interpening, a comprehensive book and an interpening tool kit.

“I’m most interested in changing my own alchemy – the process of taking something in some form and alchemically changing your mind – your mood, attitude - your world view; changing your perception of reality. You can’t say you are the same person when you are under the influence – not just THC, but any mind-expanding plant from the natural world.”

Montrose said the cannabis plant was the first plant that spoke to him at a young age, with its fragrance – which is where the medicinal and psychotropic compounds lie; its tastes, and its ability to change one’s alchemy, allowing him to focus on his purpose in life.

A Living, Breathing Stash

Montrose is a walking, talking testament to his love of, and scientific interest in, plants that change alchemy in humans, with dozens of his beloved entheogen type specimens tattooed on his body.

“I’m Max from Where the Wild Things Are,” he laughed. “Every tattoo on my body is a drug, or an entheogen – coffee, Ayahausca, beer… and I love reptiles, amphibians. One of my first pets was an Emu. When I was a teenager, after alchemizing with cannabis, I could put myself on that little boat in my mind, leave my parents and my home behind, and sail off to a different world – and I did, often.”

His backyard greenhouse mirrors the plants on his legs with “sacred plants” everywhere, collected from his travels.

“I make my own beer with hops I grow,” he said. “Hops are a cousin to cannabis. One I’m growing now I found while rock climbing in a canyon, hanging over a cliff – I said, ‘gee, isn’t that a wild, indigenous hop?’ I pulled the rhizome from a crevasse, stuck it in my pack and it’s now growing in my backyard, doing nicely.”

The Indiana Jones of Where the Wild Things Are, meets The Science Guy, has laid his stash out on his patio for an impromptu photo op. Not concerned with the simplicity of the display.

“My stash is pretty humble,” he said of the spread. “I added the fresh leaves to represent the NLM and BLM type plants I grow. You can’t call them Sativa or Indica, none of that is real. They are ‘Narrow Leaf Marijuana,’ and ‘Broad Leaf Marijuana’ plants. I don’t believe in strains, I believe in interpening.”

Interpening, Montrose said, is the only way to break down the myriad compounds that make up the full spectrum of a said plant. Is it full of fragrant phyto-compounds? Is it heavy on certain terpenes, you can both smell, yet feel with separate cranial nerves? This is what really determine effect – not just the level of THC, which most lab tests focus on.

Montrose’s stash – his flower and the tools he uses – put the focus on the lure of the flavor, the seductiveness of scent.

The jar he uses to hold flower for smoking is made by Miron Glass, protecting against harmful effects of light, increasing shelf life, and prolonging potency. Miron has been around since 1995, making its first delivery of violet glass to Spirulina International, for storing the fragile spirulina algae.

“This jar is high-end technology that preserves the herbal material better than anything else, including humidors and two-way humidity packs,” he said. “We sell them on the Trichome Institute website, and is included in the Interpening Tool Kit.

The flower in the jar was grown by Montrose, and the oil in the pen was made from flower he grew; preferring a distillate to hash oil for effect, due to his “higher tolerance.”

Grav Labs is his go-to for glass, with the company sponsoring his top certified Interpening Team for judging, via a full set of glass at each competition they work. A proud moment came when the CEO hand-delivered the now infamous Menorah bong to him the first night of Hanukah.

“My jewelers Loupe is custom, with my name engraved,” he said. “It has two lights, including UV. Both are also part of the Interpening Tool Kit. A grinder is a must, the lighters are in-house; and I use a Debowler and pokes to open my glass. I only use Raw papers! I love everything about the company and have been a huge advocate for years.”

The answer to the question, what’s in Max Montrose’s stash, is not an easy one to answer. His stash is the world’s natural grow room; with his bounty wherever his trusty nose will lead him.

“If there was a recipe created for who I am and this life I’m leading, the chef couldn’t have whipped up a more perfect combination,” he surmised. “For a guy who can smell and taste ten times greater than the average human, I’m grateful my super powers put me squarely in the right place at the right time. I was put here on this planet to do this work. My stash is my life.

For more information on the Trichome Institute visit, www.trichomeinstitute.com

Follow Max & Trichome on Instagram @max.montrose & @trichome.institute

Jane West

CEO of Jane West, Inc.

Jane West came into the cannabis space in 2014, via her past company, Edible Events & Co., offering up a 420-friendly space with gourmet appetizers and fine wine in a high end gallery in Denver’s art district. She lost her lucrative mainstream day job after she sported a vape pen on national television, in an attempt to educate the masses on the normalcy of cannabis use.

Her name became her brand overnight after the incident, forcing her into the cannabis space full-time. Shortly thereafter she partnered with Jazmin Hupp, and together they gave women in the cannabis industry a place and a voice, founding Women Grow, in the male-dominated industry.

Not officially a cannabis patient, West refers to her cannabis use as a “healthy habit.”

‘I don’t have a list of symptoms I medicate for, but I also don’t feel the term ‘recreational user’ fits me either,” she explained. “That language downplays the wide ranging ripple effect of benefits the plant brings to my life.”

West feels her cannabis use promotes wellness, prevents against illness, and gives her a general overall feeling of well-being to her often hectic life of wife, mother, and CEO of her lifestyle brand, Jane West, Inc.

“I typically take just one or two hits at a time to help me focus if I have a big day ahead of me,” she shared. “I’ll take a puff of a mellow indica or an uplifting sativa – depending on the mood I’m looking for. If I have a big project in front of me that requires more focus, I’ll definitely use a sativa to uplift and clear my head. If I’m doing morning yoga, it will always be an indica.”

West gave up alcohol for cannabis a few years ago, sharing, “When the kids go to bed, mommy no longer has a glass of wine. I’ll be hitting on an indica for bedtime, and sleep better now smoking from glass than when I was tipping the wine glass,” she laughed.

In 2018 West added a wellness line, formulated by Can-Tek Labs, based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The line is comprised of daytime and nighttime full-spectrum CBD capsules, with a mix of other beneficial plants, including moringa for daytime use, helping to combat fatigue. Moringa is another superfood, like cannabis, fighting infection, reducing inflammation, while strengthening the immune system.

She also has a line of CBD coffee, adding, “I used to drink coffee all day long, until I became shaky from nerves. Now, I have a cup of CBD coffee and it mellows my morning and day like nothing else. It was definitely a game-changer for this chronic coffee partaker.”

While her own stash includes pieces from her high-end line of smoking glass designed by Grav Labs. She also has favorites from other brands – some sentimental.

“My tray is from the Container Store and is large enough to fit everything I need,” she shared. “The porcelain dish with the red lips is by artist, Jonathan Adler. Lauren Rudick – one of the most amazing cannabis lawyers I know – gifted it to me. The borosilicate glass Taster piece holds the perfect amount of flower for a solo session.”

Johnathan Adler is a renowned designer of fine household accessories, recently instated at Barney’s of New York’s new cannabis shop, The High End, in Beverley Hills; with pieces also found at Cannabis Now’s shop at the Beverly Center in Los Angeles.

The Taster piece is from the Jane West, Inc. line of glass smoking accessories. Borosilicate glass, more commonly known under the brand, Pyrex, is made with silica and boron trioxide, known for its strength and resistance to shock and heat changes.

West uses the cigar cutter for pre-rolled, one gram joints. She uses them to cut off the charred end before lighting up multiple times, stating, “Cutting the end off makes the rest of the joint far more enjoyable and better tasting.”

“I acquired the heavy metal Clipper brand lighter on a recent trip to Barcelona,” she said. “While it’s slightly annoying, in that it requires re-filling with lighter fluid, I love the flame it gets and the feel of it in my hand.”

Her go-to for topicals has been Mary Jane’s Medicinals of Telluride, Colorado, but she’s always trying out new products.

“Right now I’m into Cannabliss by KymB,” she shared. “I put the eye cream on my smoke session tray and gently massage it into my eye area and temples. This has become one of my session rituals. I’m actually more likely to apply it daily using this habit from my tray than I would using it at night before bed – I always forget! If it’s on the tray, it gets used.”

Her own line may include a launch of cannabis infused teas soon, but until then she’s enjoying a blend by her own brand’s CBD coffee maker, Steepfuze.

“I bought this fun little silicone tea holder at Herbal Equipment in Altoona, Pennsyvania,” she continued. “It’s a fabulous female owned headshop – I love seeing more of these shops pop up. Herbal Equipment was one of the fist boutique shops to carry our entire line. The tea holder really brightens up every cup of tea.”

Her grinder is made by Grav Labs, the designer of her glass line. West expounds on the necessity of grinding bud before smoking, releasing all of the essential oils or terpenes and flavors from the flower, for what she calls a “premium smoking experience.”

Though West has been in the space for some years now, with many product launches, she never tires of bringing something new to the table.

“The amount of flower lost if you don’t grind the bud all the way down is not cost effective,” she said. “My new flower packs have just hit the market and I’m so excited about them for this reason. Each pack contains the perfect bowl size amount of pure bud perfectly ground and ready for use. It’s changed my life to have these little sealed, air-tight containers in my stash or purse. I love how fresh the material stays from the moment it leaves our hands.”

West’s stash is a perfect reflection of her own products and pieces, combined with those she admires; but one thing is constant, her love of the plant and her desire to raise the ritual for everyone in the space.

“We’ve come a long way from hiding out in alley ways, smoking flower from a plastic baggie,” she laughed. “I’m proud to be a little part of a higher calling for design and beauty in the space. If I can upgrade just one item in anyone’s stash, it’s a plus. I came out in a big way on national television – it changed everything for me, but I’m happy to be a part of the movement to bring cannabis to the next level – normalized in a beautiful and sophisticated way.”

For more information on brands mentioned in this story visit,

Jane West Inc. www.janewest.com

Can-Tek Labs https://purecannaceutical.com/

SteepFuze https://steepfuze.com/

CannaBliss https://cannablissorganic.com/

Grav Labs https://grav.com/

Mary Jane’s Medicinals https://marysmedicinals.com/

Johnathan Adler https://www.jonathanadler.com/

Charles McElroy, Founder of Goldleaf

Intelligent journaling and educational literature on cannabis

Is there a Patient Journal in your stash? Perhaps a Recreational Tasting Journal – something to keep track of the many wonderful cultivars and products you sample? How about a record to help you keep track of your daily cannabis protocols? Or, how about a Grow Planner for tracking the phases of your grow cycle; or a Cooking Journal, created specifically as a “Culinary Companion” for your kitchen apothecary?

What if all these record-keeping journals and more were available in high-end, beautifully detailed, compact publications that fit into your satchel?

Charles McElroy was thinking the same thing, as he created the intelligently penned Goldleaf line of journals, reference cards, recipe cards, and a plethora of scientific reference material for the modern-day cannabis farmer, patient, and partaker.

From its website: “…Goldleaf is a science-forward printing company for cannabis growers, patients, and enthusiasts… empowering people by helping them better understand their interactions with the plant…”

“I wanted to make something that people who are passionate about cannabis could further engage with,” McElroy explained. “The cloak of the black market wouldn’t allow growers to write down their process, now they can.”

From Ignorance, to Realization, to Action

McElroy hails from Ohio, attending Ohio University in Athens, graduating with a dual major of Business and IT in 2004.

“I began using cannabis in college,” he shared. “I had a couple of health conditions since I was 15 – autoimmune disorders, chronic pain. The first time I tried cannabis it wasn’t pleasant, but it wasn’t too bad, as I tried it again the next day. I was always a little anxious about how it would affect me, because I was uneducated. Then I learned about the social injustice of cannabis prohibition – the oppression, discrimination, how people are treated as criminals for using this plant.”

Cannabis was McElroy’s gateway to learning. He said the plant not only taught him about the injustice of prohibition and the lack of education thereafter, it taught him what his own body needs, and how to be more proactive about his health.

“Cannabis changed the way I handle my symptoms. I micro-dose now – that’s where I found my secret sauce,” he laughed.

Stints in audio engineering for both the Library of Congress in Austin, Texas; and in a studio with recording artists, taught him about audio fatigue.

“Your work will go downhill if you ignore the signs,” he said. “Cannabis reset my mind and ears – it helped me work better and smarter.”

After working in Texas and Colorado, McElroy made his way back to Ohio, and helped start up a company called Noble, with a line of organic and sustainable jeans, Bespoke.

“I worked in every aspect of the supply chain, distribution, and product design, but it wasn’t my passion,” he said. “We sold the company to a group in Australia, and I started Goldleaf in Cincinnati in 2016.”

The Noble team helped with the initial designs and photography, while its legal team got him on the right path.

Dispelling Myths

“We wanted Goldleaf materials to be beautiful, but we also needed all the information to be accurate,” he said. “It took one year for the Patient Journal to be developed because we had to vet experts in the space. The first four doctors we used wouldn’t let us use their names, but that was alright – we wanted their minds and expertise.”

Learning how to navigate providing educational materials on cannabis in a formerly covert environment had its pratfalls, as misinformation is rampant in the industry.

“It used to be a common belief that Myrcene, one of the terpenes found in cannabis, enhances THC uptake – like when you eat a mango,” he explained. “But, we found that’s really not what’s going on. We could not find one single peer reviewed paper on this theory. We had to update the language in our Patient Journal and everything else that referenced terpenes.”

Goldleaf makes it simple for the average reader, but they also stay close to the scientific vernacular.

“For people who are into the culture of cannabis, the scientific aspect is often new to them,” he said. “We aim to be the encyclopedia of cannabis and offer proven scientific facts only, but you won’t find any recommendations on dosing – we leave that up to the medical professionals in the space.”

Like cannabis use, the journals and educational materials Goldleaf publishes, are used around the world – even in non-legal countries.

“We have customers on every continent except Antarctica,” he laughed. “We even shipped to one small country we had never heard of – Seychelles, a tiny island off the coast of Africa/Madagascar. There are 95 thousand people on this island, but they found us and are using the journals.”

Journaling the Stash

Prominently displayed with McElroy’s stash is his own Patient Journal by Goldleaf.

“I always keep notes when I’m medicating – or traveling and trying new cultivars,” he explained. “I like to use colored pencils to give myself a little more flexibility with details and notes – plus it keeps it fun and exciting.”

His rolling tray is made by Cannador, and although he generally vapes, he enjoys smoking blends when burning flower, adding mullen and spearmint to the mix. His favorite cultivars are Jack Herer, Orange CBD, and Chemdawg.

“My personal choice for a vaporizer is the Arizer Solo 2 Vape,” he added. “It has a long battery life, is built like a tank, and has an all glass path. It’s great for my regimen of micro-dosing, since I can easily monitor the amount used. I also enjoy the granular temperature control – allowing lower heat for tasting more of the terpenes, and ensuring the dose is mild when it needs to be.”

He uses a Canndescent Stylus vape pen, as it has a clip and can attach to his journal; a course herb grinder, keeping material from slipping through smoking implements; dark glass flower jars, keeping his herb fresh and potent; and an MJ Arsenal glass bubbler, for sharing.

“I also take 1000 milligrams of CBD oil in the morning, made by Rosebud,” he said. “It helps with some of my joint and lower back spasms. This, mixed with some yoga in the mornings, keeps me going and keeps the tightness and throbbing at bay.”

The future looks green

In the works are art prints, likened to vintage travel posters, with cities depicted with their relation to cannabis – picture Ohio with a focus on hemp. The first phase of posters will include Ohio, Northern California, Southern California, Oregon, and Colorado; set to launch winter of 2019.

“They will be stylized conversation pieces, helping people talk about issues related to cannabis and sustainability,” he said. “We’ve been working with some famous artists, and are really excited about their launch. They are absolutely beautiful – a priority in everything we publish.”

Goldleaf is also collaborating with a veterinarian to create Pet Journals, helping pet owners keep track of products and protocols with confidence.

“Humans aren’t the only species on the planet who needs cannabis,” he surmised. “The reason I was so nervous when I tried cannabis for the first time was simply due to a lack of education. We at Goldleaf are trying to change that – in a beautiful and intelligent way.”

For more information on Goldleaf visit, www.shopgoldleaf.com

Other products mentioned:

Arizer Solo 2 Vape, www.arizer.com

Canndescent Stylus, www.canndescent.com

Cannador Rolling Tray, www.cannador.com

Rosebud CBD, www.rosebudcbd.com

Arsenal Glass Blunt Bubbler, www.mjarsenal.com

The Mommy Jane, aka: Jessica Gonzalez

Replacing alcohol and SSRIs with Cannabis, becoming a better wife and mom

As a young mother, Jessica Gonzalez left behind 13 years of an alcohol and Vicodin-induced haze, using cannabis to create a healthier lifestyle for herself and her family. She lost 100 pounds in the process, and instinctively knew that cannabis helped her be a better wife, mother, and human being.

Inspired to reach out and help other moms who may be struggling with their medicating choices, the Southern California cannabis patient recreated herself as The Mommy Jane on Instagram. Within one year’s time her following of young mothers has elevated to well over 15,000 and growing.

As a Social Media Influencer, Jessica educates on the ever evolving products and brands that work for her anxiety, mood swings, overall health issues, and prevention against illness.

Her daily Live Chats include other mothers in the space across the country, some with their own companies, with many eager to share their own experiences. Some shout out from legal states on what they know, while others carefully come into the space from illegal states, desperate for help themselves, or help for an ailing child, friend, or family member.

 “Being a young mom, living in a conservative neighborhood in Southern California, I understand what other moms may be going through,” she explained. “The positive physical changes I went through after giving up the booze and pills wasn’t just in my head – in my heart I knew this was the right choice. Convincing others was a different story.”

“Education is Destigmatization.” – The Mommy Jane

No stranger to cannabis growing up, Jessica hails from Marin County, across the bay from San Francisco, with farming cannabis common within her family, friends and neighbors.

“All my relatives had medical cards since the 90s,” she shared. “Looking back, I wish my parents would have had them, too, as alcoholism runs on both sides of my family. There were anger issues induced by alcohol. My father was in an accident when I was in my teens, rendering him partially disabled. I hated the pills they put him on – mainly OxyContin and SSRIs – they brought out the worst in him. Then, I became a hypocrite on them myself.”

When she met her husband, Jason, he encouraged her to get off the pills and the pot.

“When I stopped everything he wondered why I was so much nicer when we first dated!” she laughed. “Then a friend introduced me to vaping cannabis and that changed everything. She took me to my first cannabis event, Cannabis 101, put on by Ozzie Ozkay-Villa, founder of Oov Lifestyle Magazine. For the first time I was in a room filled with like-minded women – opening my receptors to how this plant can truly heal more than anyone could imagine. After that I knew I had to spread the gospel and began researching every single day to further my knowledge and help others.”

Though her husband wasn’t on board initially, he saw the positive changes in his wife immediately. Mindful of her young children, she chooses not to medicate around them, but they too have come to understand what the plant means to the quality of their lives, post alcohol and pills.

“If I’m having a rough day and my emotions are all over the map, my oldest will say, ‘you need to medicate,’” she shared. “Occasionally, adults will ask her what her mommy does for a living, and she proudly responds, ‘she works in medicine,’ because that’s what she understands cannabis to be, mommy’s medicine.”

A Purposeful Stash

As a Social Media Influencer and Brand Ambassador, Jessica has reviewed many products, sharing her own experiences openly on Social Media. The work gives her a stash to envy, with some high-end tools in the mix. But, promoting brands isn’t something she does in the spirit of pay-to-play. She’s a serious advocate and patient, sharing products and protocols for the greater good. If she’s not pleased with a product, she won’t promote them.

“I start my morning off right away 1,500 milligrams of Procanna’s Hemp Spectrum, Wholemensural Plant Extract,” she detailed. “I enjoy this brand because of the nutty hemp flavor, the earthy green color of the tincture. I’m also painfully aware of the need for full spectrum, in high doses, because I suffer from real ailments.”

Today, the word hemp is a hot topic, as it’s interchangeable with cannabis, leading to much confusion. Symantecs come into play, with high tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) cultivars hybridized for a higher concentration of Cannabidiol (CBD), and lower concentrations of THC, now referred to as hemp. Not to be mistaken for Industrial Hemp, often made into isolates with lower CBD percentages (two percent, compared to upwards of 14 percent). The words Full Spectrum are key in identifying hemp, high THC cannabis, and its cousin grown for industrial and supplemental use.

Jessica micro-doses throughout the day with CBD tincture of varying brands; keeping anxiety at bay. If she’s having a difficult day she’ll micro-dose with Mary’s Medicinals CBD Transdermal Gel Pen on her wrists.

“If I’m fatigued, to keep up with the kids and put pep in my step, I’ll add one, 10 milligram dose of Drinkable Therapy’s Cannabis Coffee into my own coffee,” she said. “If I have menstrual or post-workout pain, I roll-on Tonic’s Chronic to help take the pain away. That, paired with Henry’s Northern Lights, and I’m good to go!”

If her other protocols aren’t enough, Jessica said she’ll double-down, adding a Chill Chocolates medible to the mix, “Chill’s dark chocolates are my favorite – for flavor and dosage.”

Her favorite vaping machine for flower is the Rose Gold by Ghost Vapes, as its low heat is designed to bring out the flavor of the terpenes. It’s also convenient, with refillable containers, likened to Krug coffee pods.

“The Ghost Vape’s on-demand convection heating is like no other vape on the market, and believe me, I’ve tried many,” she said. “I love the convenience of the pods, as I can go from concentrate to flower in a few simple steps, and still have the discretion of a vape. The Ghost is definitely the future in vaping, as savvy cannabis patients customize their medicating. It’s also gorgeous!”

A favorite for flavor in the Ghost is Bloom Farm’s Three King’s, a trifecta of three classics, Headband, OG Kush, and Sour Diesel. For daily elevation, her favorite cultivars are Sundae Driver by High Caliber Organics, and Brotherly Love’s Gelato.

“Sundae Driver has endless flavor with long-lasting effects, but it’s not so heavy that I can’t get shit done,” she emphasized. “Gelato pre-rolls take me to the moon! If I want a pre-roll for daytime use, then I go-to Aloha Humboldt’s Private Reserve Collection.”

To say cannabis has positively changed Jessica’s life would be an understatement, as she sums up, “This plant got me off drugs, keeps me healthy and sane – and made me a better mom and wife. It also gave me a wide circle of friends and canna-sisters from across the country. Bottom line, I’m not alone in this and neither are you – and that’s about all we can hope for right? Connection, a sense of belonging, wellness for ourselves and our families. That’s what’s in my Stash.”

Philip Andrews

Founder & CEO of Tree Trunk

Philip Andrews’ love of woodworking is a family tradition, passed down through generations from his grandfather, Gerry Oorthuis, who migrated by boat to Canada from the Netherlands with his wife and daughter in 1956.

“My grandfather was introduced to fine woodworking from his brother, Henk - a renowned violin and harp maker,” he shared. “When my grandfather immigrated to Canada he opened a woodworking shop of his own – where I learned. He built furniture and custom cabinetry until he passed away at the age of 80.”

Today, Andrews is still working in the same shop his grandfather built, with a new shingle and focus as Tree Trunk, with Gerry’s son, Uncle Tom, beside him. His uncle, he said, is the true master woodworker and link between the generations.

Growing up in Canada with a Dutch mother, Andrews said cannabis was never portrayed in a negative light.

“My mother smoked cannabis in the 1960s and 70s, and still occasionally smokes at 73,” he shared. “On the day Canada legalized she went with a friend to attend the large public celebration, and smoked a joint at midnight in the crowd.”

Andrews’ first experience with cannabis was in high school, when he smoked with some friends.

“It was in the middle of the afternoon – we smoked in a car, then went and laid around in the park, laughing,” he continued. “Cannabis use, for me, is both medical and recreational, depending on the situation. I suffer from migraines and use cannabis for pain relief, as well as a creativity enhancer during my design process.”

A Childhood of Pain

As a child Andrews remembers being in intense pain, crying, and throwing-up from migraines.

According to Healthline.com migraines are a neurological condition causing multiple symptoms, characterized by intense, debilitating headaches. Symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, difficulty speaking, numbness or tingling, and sensitivity to light and sound.

A paper published in the National Institute of Health’s website in April of 2017 states, “currently there is not enough evidence from clinical trials, there are sufficient anecdotal and preliminary results, as well as plausible neurobiological mechanisms, to warrant properly designed clinical trials.”

A quick search on You Tube brought up several testimonies of success in using cannabis for migraines, with Dr. Shivang Joshi of the Dent Neurologic Institute giving a presentation on both help with migraines and cluster headaches, another debilitating neurologically-based disorder.

Dosing is a key issue in any cannabis protocol, and Dr. Joshi discusses decreasing pharmaceuticals, specifically opiate dependency, while increasing cannabis tincture dosing slowly, with realistic expectations. He states that it can take up to two weeks of consistent use to notice positive effects with CBD alone; but that whole plant, with the psychoactive compound of THC, can alleviate pain immediately. Transitioning from pharmaceuticals, he says, is a slower process due to withdrawal symptoms from the pharmaceuticals.

“I micro-dose using a vape pen to keep the migraines at bay,” Andrews explained. “If it’s real bad, I’ll only take an over-the-counter remedy with cannabis. I don’t like pills or prescription drugs.”

“My grandfather was introduced to fine woodworking from his brother, Henk - a renowned violin and harp maker,” he shared. “When my grandfather immigrated to Canada he opened a woodworking shop of his own – where I learned. He built furniture and custom cabinetry until he passed away at the age of 80.”

Today, Andrews is still working in the same shop his grandfather built, with a new shingle and focus as Tree Trunk, with Gerry’s son, Uncle Tom, beside him. His uncle, he said, is the true master woodworker and link between the generations.

Trees, Trunks & Trays

His own stash box comes from his woodworking shop, under the Tree Trunk brand, which includes rolling trays, storage trunks, and other accessories in the works.

“The To-Go tray is always part of my stash because it’s small and portable,” he explained. “I use all of our trays, but enjoy the little one for on the go.”

His line of trays and trunks that lock are available at Higher Standards in New York’s famed Chelsea Market; and is also in collaborations with MedMen, with pieces available at locations throughout California.

“I like using the flower vape from Pax, because you can really taste the cannabis and its flavor profile,” he said. “Pax also makes the best cartridge on the market, in my opinion – the ERA – which is a pen and pod system, makes consumption and micro-dosing very easy. When I want to enjoy concentrates, I turn to my Puffco Pro 2. I’m not a big concentrate person, but the pen is amazing.”

The ashtray is a classic from the Lowell Herb Co., gifted to him from the company after commissioning Tree Trunk to make a custom storage trunk for their products.

The lighter featured on his tray is from MedMen, in homage to its collaboration; the other lighter is Tree Trunk swag. The grinder was purchased in The Bull Dog coffee shop on a trip to Amsterdam a few years back, and is a sentimental personal favorite.

“Some people collect refrigerator magnets or coffee mugs on vacations, I brought home a grinder,” he laughed. “I love the coffee shops in Amsterdam and The Bull Dog is a favorite due to its history.”

The glass spoon pipe is made by Illadelph, a high-end glass company established in 2002, found in shops throughout the U.S.

“Using a pipe is one of my preferred methods of smoking cannabis, and Illadelph makes one of the nicest spoons, in my opinion,” he added. “I feel the same way about papers, and RAW is another go-to. For fancy joints I use Shine 24K. I also love Elevate’s Colfax Dugout, and have been a huge fan of theirs since its inception.”

Shine papers are made out of 24 karat gold, and are the Champagne glass of the cannabis industry; the go-to for special celebrations. According to its website, the gold burns slowly and better, leaving gold in the ashes. But, they warn (with a smile), you can’t take the ashes to the pawn shop for cash.

Lastly, the flower of the day on his tray depends on where his work takes him. While in California, his favorite cultivar comes from Cru Cannabis, a craft flower from Santa Cruz, California. It’s stored in UV airtight jars for storing flower, referred to as Tree Trunk Flower Pots.

“I’m lucky enough to be able to partake many types of cultivars from many regions, due to my travel for work. I smoke for pleasure, but I also smoke for pain – so, great flower is important to me,” he surmised. “That’s really what this is all about – the plant. Excellent flower makes any stash look good. It’s synergistic and tribal.”

For more information on products listed:

Tree Trunk www.treetrunk.com

Pax vaporizers www.pax.com

Lowell Smokes www.lowellsmokes.com

RAW www.rawthentic.com

Illadelph Glass www.illadelphglass.com

Shine 24 k gold papers www.shinerollingpapers.com

Elevate www.elevateaccessories.com

PuffCo www.puffco.com

Cru Cannabis www.crucannabis.com

MedMen www.medmen.com

Higher Standards www.higherstandards.com

Warren Bobrow

An Alchemist’s Stash

Cannabis Alchemist and author of many spirited books, including Cannabis Cocktails, Mocktails & Tonics, and Apothecary Cocktails, Warren Bobrow, hails from New Jersey, where he still makes his home.

His grandfather wore many high profile hats, including maker of Aqua Velvet and Geritol – with Bobrow leaning toward cannabis, which eventually led him away from the family circle.

Diagnosed with glaucoma, Bobrow turned his teenage love for the herb into remedy in the conservative state of New Jersey that just recently came on board for cannabis as medicine.

According to Webmd.com, Glaucoma is progressive condition, passed down through generations, caused by an intrinsic deterioration of the optic nerve, leading to high-fluid pressure on the front part of the eye. The increased pressure is called intraocular, damaging to the optic nerve that transmits images to the brain. While there is no cure and no warning signs early on, it’s only detected via a routine exam for glaucoma. If not managed properly it can lead to permanent blindness.

A paper published in the National Institute of Medicine’s site states that glaucoma patients who smoke cannabis have decreased intraocular pressure (IOP). This is due to the discovery of ocular cannabinoid receptors, prompting more studies on treating glaucoma with cannabis.

These findings make Bobrow’s smoking habit serious, keeping the pressure down and his spirits lifted, as he openly admits, he really likes the feeling of being high.

Interestingly enough, Bobrow doesn’t really consider himself a full-fledged patient, stating that he uses the herb mostly to de-stress. That said, distressing can also be done by taking a pharmaceutical, such as Valium – making chilling just for fun a highly debated subject.

His finely made leather stash is the brain child of New York wardrobe stylist, Jessica Cadmus, via her company, Rogue Paq. Cadmus is a Goldman Sachs alumna, also known as the Wardrobe Whisperer, as she’s also a guest stylist for brands such as Hugo Boss, Reiss, and Alexis Bittar.

When Cadmus noted cannabis being put inside old pencil cases and plastic baggies, she jumped into action, designing attractive soft tooled leather pouches, purposefully for the mindful partaker.

“I enjoy a plethora of flavors and effects during the day,” Warren shares. “I’m fortunate to enjoy a plethora of flavors and effects during the day, and my Rogue Paq stash is scent-suppressant and elegantly visual. I’m always proud to whip it out in social situations.”

Inside Bobrow’s Rogue Paq holds a Stonedware pocket pipe, makers of high fashion and high quality pipes created in Portland, Oregon.

Bobrow penned a piece about Stonedware’s pipes for Forbes stating they are created by Ariel Zimman of GeoPipe. He praised the artist’s work stating, “The GeoPipe is that good because the person who created it is filled with abundant love and oozing with unending creativity.”

Also in his stash are a Lobo and a Xiaolin Cannagar, both equally high-end and hand rolled, with the skill taking up to a year to master, as each leaf must be carefully rolled over the next.

Fashioned after a high-end, hand-rolled fine cigar, cannagars, which can cost several hundred dollars each, go a step further and are often rolled in the leaf from the premium flower inside. They are also typically infused with hash, concentrated oils, and last up to a week or longer, depending on the partaking and how many partakers are involved.

The flower in his stash was purchased from a local New Jersey shop, Harmony Dispensary – self-proclaimed leading botanists using “advanced robotic controlled environment.”

A stash comes in many forms, and while his Rogue Paq sits in one pocket, in the other you’ll find a small flask filled with his latest cannabis-infused creation.

Recently featured on Viceland, the brew currently nestled in his breast pocket was featured on the popular show, via a roasted blood orange masterpiece, inspired from a classic whiskey punch.

The Viceland Punch for two

2 oz. Cannabis (THC/CBD) decried and infused into Bourbon of your choice

8 oz. Oven Caramelized Blood Orange Juice- peel- remove the bitter white pith- and split the blood oranges. Scatter some Demerara Sugar over the tops, dot with Angostura Bitters, and roast for an hour at 300 degrees, cool and juice- you’ll need a couple pounds of oranges! 

2 oz. Fruitations Craft Soda and Cocktail Syrup- Tangerine Flavor (just three ingredients!)

2 oz. Plain Seltzer

Dash of Cardamom Bitters

Dash of Chocolate Mole’ Bitters

Prep:

Add the juice and the Fruitations to a Boston Shaker filled 3/4 with ice

Cap and shake hard

Add to two old fashioned glasses with ice that doesn’t smell like garlic

Splash seltzer over the top

Dot with cardamom bitters

Dot with Chocolate mole’ bitters

Serve.

Bobrow waxes poetic about the first time he smoked cannabis, knowing full well the herb has brought him to a place of wellness, wonder, and a newfound acceptance by his peers.

“My family used to spend time in Bermuda every summer,” he shared. “We stayed at a place with pink cottages and cerulean blue waters with massive parrot fish that splashed up against pink beaches. I made friends easily with the bartenders, who made me Pina Coladas and fruit punches – minus the rum. One summer a bartender sold me outdoor grown island weed. It may or may not have gotten me high, but what it did for me was make me a cool kid, when I was really a nerd. I’m thinking it still does that for me today, but in a more high profile way,” he laughed.

For more information on the items mentioned, visit the following sites:

Roguepaq: https://www.roguepaq.com/pages/about-us

Wardrobe Whisperer, Jessica Cadmus: https://www.wardrobewhisperer.com/

Stonedware: http://stonedwarecompany.com/our-story

Harmony Dispensary:  https://www.harmonydispensary.org/

Lobo Cannagar: http://lobocannagar.com/

iaolin Cannagars: https://madeinxiaolin.com/rolled-proper.html

Christina Forbrich, Founder & CEO of Canncierge Consulting

An educated, finely honed, purposeful stash.

Christina Forbrich found her niche in the cannabis space, after being helped herself with the plant as a teenager, then diving deep into the science of the plant in college, and coming full-circle back to cannabis as remedy as an adult for myriad symptom relief.

Her company The Canncierge consulting company is a play on words from a hotel’s concierge - someone who assists with whatever a guest needs, and if they don’t know something, they find out. Not a far stretch from Forbrich’s business of customizing, what she calls, a “canna-plan” for each client.

“My work is personalized cannabis education, enabling folks to make informed consumption decisions,” she shared from her home in San Diego. “Each consultation begins with an interview,” she continued. “Then I synthesize their information to create a plan for integrating cannabis into their lifestyle.”

Clients are educated on plant compounds and applications, while providing references to legitimate research and resources aligned with their needs, with a focus on women and seniors.

“I have some male clients and have worked with entire families,” she added. “I don’t make too much of a differentiation between the medicinal aspects of the plant and recreational use. The main goal is to not have them overmedicate, get discouraged, and give-up for lack of information.”

Self-Medicating at 15

The forty year-old mother, wife, and entrepreneur grew up in Southern California. Her first time self-medicating with cannabis was at 15, which is a surprisingly common admission for most adult patients who struggle with symptoms from the Autistic Spectrum. This includes anxiety, depression, ADD or ADHD – attention deficit disorders, and PTSD from any number of life traumas.

“My first experience was out of curiosity,” she explained. “Very quickly – within a few months – I found cannabis to be an effective remedy for crippling social anxiety, stemming from a chaotic home life. As a bonus, it also treated excruciating menstrual cramps that left me physically and emotionally ill.”

Diagnosed as a young adult with Anxiety Disorder, with episodes of depression, Forbrich found that cannabis was a practical remedy for relief; including treating hip and back pain from years of injuries from playing soccer as goalkeeper, then irritated from childbirth.

In 1996 Forbrich turned 18 and was able to vote for California’s Proposition 215, making the state the first in the country to legalize cannabis as remedy.  At the same time, she was introduced to Dennis Peron, founder of the Cannabis Buyers Club in San Francisco – one of the first cooperative care programs in the country.

“When all my friends were drinking copiously, I was more interested in the herb,” she said. “I substituted the herb for Advil and it worked. I saved stems and made tinctures before it was a thing. In college I studied Sociology and Economics and became, what I call, a ‘citizen scientist” of the plant – informally studying, not only the botanic and biologic characteristics of cannabis, but experimenting for my own benefits and knowledge.”

In college, Forbrich said she would study high, take tests high, and then compare the results when not medicated. She said she always killed it on the exams when using cannabis, as it gave her focus.

Forbrich laughs at the memory of excursions to the library, with most of the literature she found on cannabis on microfiche only, pre-internet.

Since California legalized for recreation in 2017, Forbrich said establishing her company in the same year was a given.

“Since college I’ve been the resident weed coach for my family and friends, which is the reason I began my consulting company – it was inevitable,” she surmised. “I literally professionalized my passion, and I’m beyond grateful to be in the space in this way.”

A Canncierge’s Purposeful Stash

Forbrich’s stash is kept in a handmade bag by Lisamarie Gonzales of CannaCoutured Stashbag, hand stamped with a cannabis leaf. The container holding flower is made by Canlock, and she says the jar is designed to express air out, keeping the bud fresh.

Spirit of The Herbs CBD Salve, made by Holly Hoops of Denver, is a go-to for skin issues, including her child’s eczema. She also uses it for aches and pains, plantar fasciitis, back pain, and more.

Her vape cartridge is made by Select Oil, and is filled with White Rhino, which she says is a consistent formulation, but she also gravitates towards small batch mixes from Out Co.

Sublingual Strips are made by Craft 1861, and are infused with CBD.

“I love the strips for freshening both my breath and my mood!” she laughed. “They come in a couple different dosages, so it makes it easy to personalize. They taste nice, work well and are discreet. My friend Eric Lujan is the maker – he’s a dogged advocate for cannabis reform, as well.”

Her go-to for menstrual cramps are cannabis vaginal suppositories, with a heating pad.

“I get extremely weepy and sensitive before my period, with the Human Society ads reducing me to bawling pretty quickly,” she shared. “Physically, on the day of my period, I feel nauseated, so this is when I’ll go for everything in my stash, and practice, what I’ve termed as, ‘Layer my Lifting,” combining products in a strategic way.”

She’ll use a 1:1 THC/CBD tincture, and dab a high THC concentrate to medicate for a longer duration of time. If it’s a workday, she’ll only do the 1:1. Using cannabis is proactive, and knowing what works via trials with successes and fails is the way most patients find their dose for what ails them.

“These are conditions I used to pop a pill to relieve without blinking,” she added. “I find that the combination of different modalities is essential to my cannabis consumption, and that thoughtful application of cannabis addresses my symptoms in a much more natural – and enjoyable – fashion.”

That said, after trial and error, Forbrich admits to keeping one pharmaceutical in her protocol.

“Cannabis replaced pain killers and has allowed me to reduce my dose of Zoloft substantially,” she shared. “I’ve been on more of it, on less of it, and completely off of it; and my doctor and I have found that my anxiety is very balanced on a dose of 100 milligrams – it works with my brain chemistry – along with the cannabis protocols.”

Forbrich said that the introduction to Cannabidiol into her regiment allowed her to skip every other day of taking the Zoloft, in effect, reducing her dose by 50 percent.

“I also use the plant to enhance my workouts, to focus, for socializing, and for creative work,” she added.

The tincture in the green bottle is homemade with MCT oil, made in a Magical Butter Machine with high quality trim and bud from Forbrich’s all-time favorite cultivar, Lemon Larry OG.

Another favorite found in many of the best stashes, is a pack of Raw papers and crutches, by Josh Kesselman, who is also one of the industry’s favorite characters. Raw papers are Vegan, made from minimally processed organic hemp fibers, with no dyes, chemicals or whiteners.

As quoted in Inc. magazine, Kesselman says, “Everyone wants to smoke the best… It’s like how people don’t want to eat Wonder Bread anymore – they want to eat all-natural, ancient grains.”

Lastly, the little pink pin is a nod to her sisters in green, representing the Pink Haze Society; a cannabis club for intergenerational women in San Diego.

“I still see cannabis legalization slowly moving toward every state,” she surmised. “The people want it. There are more and more people eschewing alcohol and drugs every day. I see the industry-side becoming less equitable with a serious diversity problem, not relating to the people. There’s been a lot of pain and set-backs, but I also see women, people of color, seniors and Veterans at the forefront of leadership – and this gives me hope for the future.”

For more information or to book an appointment with The Canncierge visit, https://www.thecanncierge.com

Instagram & Twitter: @thecanncierge

Nathaniel Pennington, Humboldt Seed Company

From Seed to Stash

Nathaniel Pennington hails from Philadelphia, City of Brotherly Love. He left at 18 on a road trip with a girl, and ended up in the cannabis capitol of the world, Humboldt County.

Pennington first smoked weed at the age of 12, but doesn’t remember the experience or the material. At 14, he clearly remembers going to the movies with a grunge-rocker-type girl, Michelle, smoking a joint behind the theater.

“I was a skater and grunge-hippie kind of kid,” he shared. “That joint we smoked behind the theater was the first time I got stoned. Cannabis had this wonderfully mellow, and somehow hilarious effect, and made the movie extra awesome. The one thing I remember most was thinking all the crazy warnings drilled into me in the D.A.R.E. program; and Nancy Reagan’s ‘Just Say No’ campaign, were absolutely overinflated claims.”

The experience made him question the claims made about the other drugs included in the D.A.R.E. program, further stating, “It’s a good thing I didn’t go right out and try heroin, thinking it must be fine too.”

Humboldt Bound

In 1995, at the age of 18, Pennington set out to travel around the country with his girlfriend at the time, who then left him in Prescott, Arizona for a famous female folk singer, who shall remain unnamed.

“I wandered around the west for about a month, heartbroken, then ended up nursing myself back to health with the best weed in the world, in my new home of Humboldt,” he shared, happily. “It must have been destiny, because it didn’t take long to brush off heartbreak in such a beautiful place, at such an exciting time for cannabis.”

One year later, in 1996, California would become the first state in the country allowing cannabis as medicine. In 1997, he grew his first crop, and one year after that he was breeding to insure seeds for the next crop.

“Clones were just becoming commonplace in Humboldt, and I quickly learned how to utilize that propagation technique,” he shared. “My love for breeding, combined with the healthy plants I was getting from seed, immediately made me a full-blown breeder.”

Twenty-five years have passed since he settled in the cannabis capitol of the world, insisting he didn’t stay in the county for the weed, but for the beauty of nature.

“The first few years in Humboldt I lived in an intentional community up in the hills, where we grew vegetables biodynamically – a method I still use today,” he explained. “At Humboldt Seed Co. we use biodynamic principals in our breeding areas and trial fields.”

Conservationist & Cannabis Farmer

Inspiration to farm cannabis came via a mentor, Peter Brucker, a guitarist who taught Pennington to play, but he also brought him into the world of river conservation. A shining star of the combined work done by many was the undamming of the Klamath River, gaining protections for Humboldt salmon.

“One grant I wrote funded several masters students to do genomics research, that I hypothesized would protect local salmon,” he said. “The work ended up getting published in several prestigious scientific journals, proving my hypothesis, and leading to Humboldt salmon being added to the Endangered Species list.”

Over the years Pennington said he became known as a fisheries biologist by association, sans a degree – an honorary title he holds with pride.

“Peter taught me to be a steward of the land, but he also opened my eyes to the irrelevance of the lazy stoner stigma, as he was one of the most productive people I know,” he said. “He founded several non-profit environmental groups, including restoring the rivers for the salmon run, which is historic here in Humboldt. He’s responsible for writing grants for millions of dollars in environmental work in the county.”

Brucker gave Pennington his first cannabis seeds, inspiring him to farm. This eventually led to him establishing the Humboldt Seed Company in 2001, 20 years ago now.

The company was established under California’s Compassionate Care Program, under Prop. 215, to provide plants to patients and caregivers.

Founding partners include a group of biologists, and they are known as a cannabis genetics resource; breeding and improving genetics, offering up seeds, clones and rooted cuttings.

Currently, its production and distribution of seeds includes California, Oregon, Oklahoma, Maine, South Africa, Spain; with a start-ups in Arizona, Michigan, Washington State, and Massachusetts.

In 2019, the company embarked on what Pennington describes as a “vast and unprecedented effort to hunt through tens of thousands of cannabis plants for distinctly new cultivars.”

“Due to prohibition, the species has not benefitted from the application of coordinated, large-scale, traditional plant breeding practices,” he explained. “We’ve teamed up with farmers across California, providing tens of thousands of seeds, from new distinct population crosses, created last year in 40 isolated pollination breeding chambers – another first – that will intentionally produce diverse progeny.”

From Seed to Stash

Of the farms involved in the phenotype program is Aloha Farms, and Pennington said its pre-rolls and flower are a favorite. He also favors Honeydew Creek, a family farm in the county; and gives a shout out to Humboldt Edge Farm of Willow Creek – a region often left out of the conversation, but a source of amazing flower along the Trinity River, an hour east from the coast.

Pennington said he barely missed a day of partaking of the plant since he was 14 years-old, sneaking a joint behind that movie theater in Philadelphia. At 40, he’s not a 24/7 stoner, but he’s not quitting anytime soon.

“To be honest, I didn’t begin smoking weed for any particular medical reasons – it was purely for social enjoyment or escape – to explore altered states,” he said. “I’ve pretty much moved through every mode of consumption at some point, but I’ve always enjoyed the simplicity of a joint.”

His simple stash is held on a bamboo tray, decorated with a vintage French bicycle ad, with a grinder from Eel River Organics. The Eel River winds through Southern Humboldt, said to be the birthplace of Humboldt weed.

Aloha Humboldt pre-rolls share space with Humboldt Edge Farm kief-infused Super Stubbies; both of Willow Creek. Live resin of Blueberry Muffin is from Humboldt Farms; and Earl Hill from Fire Mountain Farms in Kneeland, another Humboldt farming region about an hour from the coast. From Honeydew Creek, another region east of the County seat of Eureka, are pre-rolls from The Honeydew Creek Original Family, from THC of Humboldt, a flower company.

Humboldt Apothecary is a woman owned company, with a line of tinctures. Shown here is Deep Sleep THC tincture, manufactured in the town of Arcata in Northern Humboldt – otherwise known as “60s by the Sea.”

Lastly, in homage to terpenes, oranges are shown with a pineapple, as cannabis shares the same terpenes as other fruits and vegetables. Oranges and pineapples have the terp, d-limonene, found in cultivars like Jack Herer and Pineapple Express. It’s an uplifting terp, raising endorphins, said to combat depression.

“A strong tincture can help me get a good night’s sleep, or help get me to a tropical paradise, with what would have been a long and claustrophobic flight,” he surmised. “It’s a mood adjuster, and in my opinion, the nature of the effects of cannabis make it more often medicine, than not. I’m grateful my cross-country road-trip all those years ago brought me straight to Humboldt County, to the plant, and this life I love.”

For more information on the Humboldt Seed Co. visit, www.humboldtseedcompany.com

Sophie Ryan, inspiration for CannaKids, Los Angeles

Treating cancer with cannabis since infancy

At just eight and a half months old, Sophie Ryan was diagnosed with a low-grade, Optic Pathway Glioma brain tumor, after shaking was noticed in her left eye, and an MRI was performed.

After Sophie’s parents, Josh and Tracy Ryan, created a Facebook page, “Prayers for Sophie,” a friend introduced them to actress Ricki Lake and producer Abby Epstein, who were working on a documentary on cannabis oil killing cancer cells in pediatric patients.

The documentary, Weed the People (Netflix 2018), followed caregivers, cannabis patients and families using cannabis oil for cancer. The crew followed Sophie for six years, with the nine-month-old taking her first drop of cannabis oil on camera.

“After 13 months of chemo, along with high doses of cannabis oil, Sophie’s brain tumor was about 85 to 90 percent gone,” Tracy explained. “We had been told the very large cyst that had formed would not be remedied with the chemo, but it too was 90 percent gone.”

The couple were told that she would probably lose 100 percent of the sight in both eyes. But, because of the shrinkage witnessed, much of her vision was spared.

By 2019, six years after her treatments began, her situation had stabilized enough to stop all chemo, with her medical team at Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles advising she keep on a cannabis oil protocol.

Got Trials?

Sophie has been deemed a medical miracle more times than Tracy and Josh can count through this long ordeal, but it’s important to note that just four percent of cancer research funds in the U.S. go towards pediatric cancers; with just four new drugs added in the last 40 years.

According to the American Childhood Cancer Organization (ACCO), approximately one in 285 children in the U.S. will be diagnosed with cancer. Globally, there are more than 300,000 children diagnosed with cancer each year; with a child diagnosed every three minutes.

In April of 2018, Sophie required a second brain tumor surgery, and Tracy knew this might be her last chance at getting Sophie her own clinical trial.

Tissue was retrieved upon surgery, and put into humanized mice – or mice that pump human blood, have an immune system nearly identical to humans, and have the same blood brain barrier.

Sophie is now part of ongoing NK Cell (natural killer cell) research, led by Dr. Anahid Jewett, a member of numerous cancer and tumor research groups. Jewett is a tenured professor at one of the top universities in Southern California, but due to CannaKids’ selling cannabis oil, the university has withheld its name from the trial.

Jewett’s research shows that failure of the NK Cell system that leads up to a cancer diagnosis is the number one defense mechanism against the disease; and has everything to do with a properly working immune system. Sophie’s brain lacked the NK Cells needed to fight the tumor.

Early results showed that Sophie’s immune system functioned five times better than that of any health adult Dr. Jewett had studied in 30 years.

“Sophie should have had an immature immune system,” Tracy explained. “She had a brain tumor, which meant her NK Cells should be malfunctioning - and she had been on chemo for more than 5 years solid. None of this made sense to Dr. Jewett, especially as to why Sophie could be so healthy but yet still have a tumor.”

When Dr. Jewett realized the main medication Sophie has been on is cannabis, she knew she was on to something big. Final trial results will be published soon, with 17 other CannaKids patient included.

CannaKids

“When Sophie was helped, Josh and I knew we had to help other kids,” Tracy shared. “The amount of side effects these kids must go through, including opiate withdrawals, after traditional therapies, like chemotherapy or radiation, is staggering.  We don’t want any other kids to go through that needlessly, and cannabis oil treats the pain and the cancer – along with other negative symptoms from the chemo.”

CannaKids was launched in March of 2014 in Los Angeles. Patients can call and make an appointing for a consultation with a knowledgeable Nurse Practitioner or Registered Nurse, and purchase from its own line of cannabis oil products in varying strengths and doses.

“We began with a focus on children, but the need for cannabis oil use with traditional protocols is great, so we opened it up to all ages, with adults now being helped just as much,” Tracy added.

This year the brand launched CKSoul, an updated line of products, replacing the CannaKids product line. Tracy designed the label herself, choosing the name to include the CannaKids initials, along with the crux of the matter, the soul of the plant, the soul of the patients, and the subsequent healing that follows – with tag line, “From seed to soul.”

The new line is nearly identical to the old line of products, with the bonus of additional beneficial terpenes in the mix. For instance, it’s Boost CBD has added B-Caryophyllene, Linalol, and Myrcene added for their combined calming effects.

A Child’s Stash

Sophie’s stash is the stash of a child, and includes her baby dolls she sleeps with each night; and a collection of purses and stuffed animals that she’s been known to give away to other children at hospital.

“Sophie sleeps each night with all her ‘babies,’ Tracy explained. “They go with her to the couch in the living room each morning, then back again at night to bed. There’s something deep going on with the babies, and after all her young soul has been through, we support whatever she needs – if it’s 20 babies moved from room to room, so be it!”

According to Psychology today, longtime educator and child development specialist, Colleen Goddard, pens that “transitional objects,” a phrase coined in 1951 by D.W. Winnicott, are a “designation for any material to which an infant attributes a special value and by means of which the child is able to make the necessary shift from the earliest oral relationship with mother to genuine object relationships.”

Transitional objects are self-chosen, like a blanket or a Teddy bear or doll, and are considered soothing companions. They also lay out the map for the child’s eventual interactions with humans.

There’s a part of this story regarding the babies we can’t fully convey here, but Sophie nurturing her babies, as she’s been nurtured, shows an empathetic side to this young child that is birthed from the pain of illness and recovery – with love.

Her cannabis protocol is a simple one, consisting of two types of CannaKids cannabis oil: Spectrum THCa Tincture, original flavor; and CBD Tincture, grape flavor.

The compound THCa is the actual beneficial compound within the cannabis plant that has the ability to transform once heated into psychoactive THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol. CannaKids’ Spectrum is a full-spectrum, whole plant tincture, without the THC activated.

Its CBD, or Cannabidiol, is one compound from the plant with myriad benefits, including maintaining homeostasis in the body, or a place where cancer and illness can not thrive.

Its THC products are both non-activated and activated, depending on the patient’s needs.

All products are sourced from whole flower from the cannabis plant – or cannabis that’s been hybridized to have higher CBD counts and lower THC counts, with all the beneficial compounds intact. Important to note, that all material and products are tested four times during the production process.

Beyond Remedy

Recently added to Sophie’s stash were sessions of another kind altogether.

“Sophie had lost almost all of her vision, but it’s now slowly starting to come back, after working with Bobbi Vogel,” Tracy shared. “After just two and a half sessions Sophie is identifying objects and colors she hasn’t been able to see in over a year. She can even read large print alphabet letters off flash-cards, and read text on her computer!”

The Ryan’s met renowned medical intuitive, Bobbi Vogel, while on Montel Williams’ Let’s Be Blunt podcast. Vogel, who is known as an intuitive energy healer, has worked with Williams’ family for years and has been featured on his shows many times.

As detailed in Alternatives for Healing.com, “energy healing is a form of healing that manipulates, restores or balances the flow of energy in the body. The energy is channeled through the practitioner to the client, helping remove energy deficiencies and blockages, which then activates the body’s own natural ability to heal itself.”

According to Vogel’s website, everything begins with faith, and for Vogel to do energy work, it takes faith in, what she refers to as her “spirit guides.”

“My guides help me to help others,” she shared. “With Sophie, my guides helped the family to see just how the cannabis plant was helping her. In my visions, I see the plant moving to the areas of the body where it knows it’s needed. This may sound like so much magic, but I believe I was brought to this place to see beyond the medicinal practices, and help integrate spirit medicine with traditional protocols.”

Cannabis and plant-based remedies have been put in the “alternative” category, but for centuries prior, plants and spiritual practices went together like peas and carrots.

“Sophie is thriving!” Tracy shared. “She’s back in her school, is taking music lessons at the School of Rock, and has gained a ton of weight. Josh and I have no words for the happiness we feel watching Sophie live the life of a normal child.”

For more information on CannaKids visit, https://cannakids.org

Jen Noska, Proof Wellness, California

Cannabis patient turned cannabis sales rep, with an enviable stash

Jen Noska’s enviable stash. With help from Instagram Influencer, Jessica Gonzalez, aka: The Mommy Jane, Jen was the winner of a Stash contest, with the prize being inclusion into the series.

Jen Noska’s before and after photo showing the changes in her appearance after replacing pharmaceuticals with cannabis is stunning. As within many patient’s backstories, once a patient is helped with the plant, they often follow a higher calling to help others. For Noska, her transformation included becoming a sales rep for the very company that produced the remedy that helped her, Proof Extracts, of Sonoma County, California.

Noska’s laundry list of ailments includes, Fibromyalgia, chronic migraines, Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension, Narcolepsy without Cataplexy, sleep paralysis, seizures, myoclonus, sleep apnea, and more, all helped by switching to cannabis.

“A small dispensary opened up in my tiny town of Tracy, California, called Kiona’s Farmacy, and the beautiful doctor running it, Dr. Lakisha Jenkins, took the time to sit with me and talk about my ailments,” she shared. “She educated me on my endocannabinoid system – the biological system that accepts and distributes the beneficial compounds found in plants. She also gave me my first tincture, with specific cultivars to smoke. Although it all worked for the pain, I was riddled with anxiety from the potency of the THC.”

For many patients initially trying cannabis for illness, the single-most challenging effect from cannabis is the highly activated tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, that enacts a psychoactive response.

Historically, the plant did not begin with high levels of THC. We, as humans, hybridized the compound to new heights for recreation. And, while cannabis doesn’t negatively affect the cardio system, per se, it does affect the central nervous system, with triggering anxiety a negative symptom. This is why a patient must build up tolerance to THC in order to find their correct dose, if THC is needed in whole, or in part, to treat the ailment.

Noska’s assumed negative symptoms from too much THC included, cold feet, shakes/jitters, racing heart, and spins; with anxiety at an all-time high if she was faced with the everyday task of answering the door or telephone.

“When I learned about CBD and began adding it to my regimen, I noticed less anxiety right away,” she continued. “With an additional dose of CBD, I could tolerate the amount of THC I needed to treat my ailments.”

CBD or Cannabidiol, is the non-psychoactive compound found in the cannabis plant – identified as Hemp - with little to no psychoactive properties and many healing compounds, treating a wide range of symptoms from many ailments. It’s the most popular and widely accepted compound, legal in all 50 states in the U.S., and allowed to be shipped across state lines.

Through her research she found Proof Extracts online through Empire Health & Wellness in Modesto, California. She initially used Proof’s 20:1 and a 1:1 CBD/THC tincture and capsules. These varying ratios are common in the CBD/THC market, allowing patients to find their dose.

“The brain-fog I’d been dealing with from Fibromyalgia eased-up, my intracranial pressure backed off, and my chronic migraines lifted,” she added. “Then I started to eat better to see just how far I could take this getting healthier thing, before I decided to drop the pharmaceuticals altogether and just use cannabis for my medicine. I don’t advise anyone to do what I did – which was go cold-turkey. It was hardcore.”

The list of pharmaceuticals she gave up included, Narcos, Vicodin, Fentanyl, Codeine, Gabapentin, Effexor, Ritalin, Ambien, Acetazolamide, and Soma.

According to Healthline.com, side-effects from quitting pharmaceuticals without titrating the dose down depend on the substance; with death the worst-case scenario, and a higher percentage of patients exhibiting a strong urge to use the substance again.

Transitioning off of pharmaceuticals is a process that requires titrating down on dosing gradually, while upping your cannabis intake. Working with a cannabis caregiver or consulting firm is key in making the transition. It also helps to have your doctor on-board – if they are educated enough on cannabis, and/or willing to assist (How to Talk to Your Doctor about Cannabis)

The last pharmaceutical to come off her list was Zoloft, as she said her doctor wasn’t convinced she could do with it.

“A follow-up visit included an offer to bump my dose up again, so I finally said, no more,” she explained. “I stocked up on my Proof products and cannabis flowers – including topical products, and never looked back.

Answering the Call

When Noska’s health improved she knew she had to share the good news with others, so she began sharing on social media platforms. She said she was initially afraid to be judged by her family, friends, and church groups she belonged to, but was pleasantly surprised at the acceptance received.

“I was really taken with all the curiosity everyone had around my usage and healing – so, I knew I had an audience and I’ve never stopped talking about the plant and the products that helped me,” she said. “I was on a mission, and Proof took notice and reached out to meet me as their number one fan.”

Within a year’s time, Noska was brought on board as a sales consultant for Proof Extracts as a Cannabis Sales Consultant. April, 2020, marked her one year anniversary with the company.

“My territory covers Modesto, Sacramento, and surrounding areas throughout California’s Central Valley,” she said. “I spend two to three hours one to two times a week in each of my locations, educating customers on Proof products and helping them find their ratios. I always share my own story of healing, how I use the products, and how they work for me. I love seeing them return and hearing how excited they are to tell me how it’s working for them.”

Proof’s CEO, Matthew Ingram, is equally pleased to have Noska on board – as a patient and a representative of the company.

“Our entire team began seeing Jen’s posts on social media,” Ingram shared. “She was, and is, an authentic and passionate voice, and drew our attention immediately. She allows each of us to see our own health struggles and victories reflected in what she shares every day – and these messages from patients are precious, because they are the reason we do what we do.”

An Enviable Stash

Due to her travels and the amount of dispensaries and clubs she visits on her rounds, her stash is quite large.

“Working with more than 20 dispensaries and I’m around a large variety of products, so my stash is immense,” she laughed. “I micro-dose, so everything lasts a long time. It’s also important for me to see what’s out there. And even though Proof is my daily go-to, I do love trying new products and cultivars.”

Noska’s day begins by applying Proof face serum to manage Rosacea flare-ups and dry skin. She also applies Proof’s body serum on her neck to help with pain from old injuries. She then doses with Proof 20:1 tincture or takes a capsule of same to ease into her daily routine.

“Waking and baking is my special time to check out and enjoy some creativity and conversations via social media, or to get out of the house and enjoy being outdoors,” she said. “When I’m off the clock I enjoy smoking a wide variety of indica flower cultivars and hybrids. I’m actually more of a partaker than a patient when it comes to smoking, because anxiety and paranoid can kick-in easily for me when I’m around others. That said, I do like using flower as a way to relieve pain. I’ve found smoking also heightens my focus, feel and taste.”

In the evening, Noska adds a splash of Proof CBD-THC tincture to a cup of chamomile tea before bed.

“If I have a flare-up infection, or a bad pain day, I add some Proof FSO for some deep healing,” she said. “It’s commonly called RSO, but Proof labels it as FSO, or full spectrum oil. I use only small amounts at a time, so I don’t kick up my tolerance too fast. I’ve also used it topically for skin tags, with great success.”

RSO is an honorary acronym for Rick Simpson Oil. Simpson is a Canadian who found an old alcohol reduction recipe from the 1970s online nearly 20 years ago. After healing himself, he began sharing the recipe around the world. The reduction creates a strong essential oil that, depending on the plant material used, tests upwards of 80 to 90 percent activated THC, with a “full spectrum” of whole plant compounds.

“It’s surreal for me to be doing this work with this plant, healed by this plant; and remembering the first time I was handed a joint at just 12 years-old and I didn’t even know how to inhale!”  Noska pondered. “Or remembering the first time my friends and I bought weed in Oakland, California, near where we grew up in San Lorenzo. We’d drive down a certain street and they’d ride-up on bikes, run out of doorways, and jump over fences – slapping bags of weed on the window for us to buy. Looking at my extensive stash today, and the beautiful packaging – all legal and tested – it’s a whole other world.”

TROG

The art of the stash

Prolific Australian psychedelic artist, TROG and his work have become synonymous with weed culture. You may have spotted him at any number of cannabis events around the world, working in real time on one of his paintings. Word has it if you collect psychedelic art, TROG’s work is a must-have, with Vice Magazine showering him with accolades, stating he is “The dopest illustrator and choof aficionado Australia has ever produced.”

His work has been shown and followed around the world, with pieces in music videos in collaboration with numerous musicians and celebrities, including Cheech & Chong, Snoop Dogg, and the Kottonmouth Kings, to name a few.

“The first pieces of art I created for Tommy Chong were two posters for my good friend Charlie from the Monroe Street Fair and the Hashbash Festival in Ann Arbor, Michigan,” he said. “They were used as official signing posters for Tommy, and I’ve created many more posters for him since, and it’s been an honor.”

TROG’s notoriety earned him his own cultivar, aptly named TROG; first planted in 2015 by Mountain High Organics Farm of Oregon.

His brightly colored, wild cartoon-like creations have been immortalized with his Smelly Clothing Co. line, launched in 2014. But, his coloring books are stoner favorites, with him stating, “Weed and coloring just go together!”

Coloring books include The Cooked Book, and The Killer Weed Coloring Book: For Marijuana Lovers – all made with durable covers you can roll a joint on. This year he launched The Dab Coloring Book and Let’s Draw, which allows fans to interact with TROG’s work.

“Books are such an important thing to me, as they remain when everything else is going online and then disappears,” he shared. “The world needs books as it documents history. That’s what I was thinking with The Cooked Book – I wanted to document a period of my art into a book that fans could hold, touch, and look at, then pass on.”

Drawn to the Plant

“The first time I ever smoked weed was the summer of 1989 or 90,” he shared. “I was around 12 at the time. My best friend Shem, and his brother – who was a few years older than us – got some weed and asked if we wanted to come smoke some. We used a little metal pipe and metal cone pieces.”

His parents weren’t big on him smoking weed, but he instinctively knew he wasn’t hurting anyone.

“I’m an artist and weed is so fucking good for art!” he said. “Sure, I can draw the same stuff without weed, but just being stoned and drawing lets you do some stuff that ends up being real special.”

A year later, at 13 years-old, and he and his friends had advanced to heating up knives on the old elements. Fast forward to the mid-90s and he’s sitting on a couch in a shared house, smoking weed while attending art school.

“My artists of influence were Rick Griffin, Robert Crumb, Stanly Mouse, Gilbert Shelton, Ed Roth,” he rattled off iconic artists of pop culture. “I dreamed that one day I’d be doing what they did, but for the cannabis world.”

Dreams do come true, with one exception.

“I’ve done event posters for years around the world for many events. I included a High Times poster in my stash, because I’ve been chasing them forever,” he lamented. “I’ve drawn two event posters for them in my career and neither were released, but I’m still hopeful.”

Artful Stash

“OK, so obviously drawing is my thing,” he laughed. “I draw and draw and draw. My stash is also my art, and everything in my life is art related – not boring art, I’m talking proper art – counter culture art, I’m talking about that old-school, stoned-out cartoon art.”

His personal stash is shown spread out on a drafting board, melding art with weed and weed with art, as it should be.  The posters for Tommy Chong share space assorted work and coloring books, with his tools of the trade, assorted graphic art pens.

“There are always pens everywhere,” he said. “I only use one brand – Snowman art pens – and collect pencils from hotel rooms. I always ask room service for extra pencils. It amuses me and I never have to buy pencils!”

His kief box with his own art on the lid, was made by favorite stash maker, Pacific Northwest woodworker Myron Connery of Mr. Kief Box. Beside it is his own TROG glass dry pollen press, because, as he says, “You can’t have a kief box without a proper press!”

“Myron is a good friend, and this box will hold my weed for the rest of my life,” he said. “Myron makes these handmade with love and respect. I’ve got Girl Scout Cookies in the box in the photo, which was taken in the states – my home country of Australia is still lagging on legalizing.”

Featured in his stash are pieces from his line of TROG glass and accessories, his signature smoking accessories brand. They include what he calls his traveler, a silicone bong; and a couple of torches.

Not of his design is his treasured Slug dab rig by Slugworth of California; aka Morgan Virag, aka Loki. The glass bong is from Chris Jetter, from the Bong-A-Thon, a vintage weed competition that’s 36 years running in Colorado.

“The Bong-A-Thon is the oldest and coolest 420 contest around, and I love having one of its bongs in my stash,” he added. “The grinder is a TROG, and it’s a beast at shredding flower. The tasty strawberry flavored hemp wraps are made by Juicy.”

TROG is admittedly immersed in his work and his world of wonder, putting into art what we might be feeling while high, and creating spaces for our high minds to wonder.

“I’m not the biggest stoner by any means,” he surmised. “I only smoke when I feel like smoking – but cannabis will be in my life until the day I die, and my art will live on in the life of cannabis when I’m gone.”

For more information on TROG visit his Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/artofTROG/

Follow him on Instagram, @artoftrog

For more information on TROG Glass visit, www.trogglass.com

Sue & Lee, 420 Old Fat Lesbians

Two phat lesbians share their stash, while opening hearts & minds

State of Maine medical cannabis patients, Sue and Lee, took to Instagram as #420oldfatlesbians, with the sub-heading of “The Likes of Dykes,” just eight months ago. Profiled shortly thereafter in High Times, with 70,000 followers garnered in just one month, nearly a year later, they humbly host more than 100,000 devoted followers, to date.

With hashtags like #gaymarijuana, #thingstodowhenyouarehigh, and #207stoners, denoting their current locale, the two share their outings around town, shopping, eating, and just basically goofing off for the camera above and below the sheets. Their antics prove you don’t have to be young, thin (well endowed) and straight to have a good time as a Social Media Influencer, while high.

Sue and Lee both grew up in Chicago and traveled in the same circles, frequented the same bars – with both working in the same suburb at one point in time. But they didn’t actually meet until 20 years after they both relocated, individually, to Florida in the mid-80s.

“We met online at Plenty of Fish in 2007, and realized we were 90 miles away from each other in Florida,” they said. “We moved to Maine together because we were tired of the heat after 30 years, and missed the seasons. We’ve been married four and a half years now, and are happy to be together in the third trimester of life.”

With their newfound notoriety, the two enjoy visiting dispensaries and meeting followers in real time.

“We like to check into dispensaries, visit farms, and showcase products in our Instagram Story and Feed; while destigmatizing weed use for older people – fat people, all walks of life,” they said. “We have a fairly even ratio of all segments of our name following us – 420 peeps, old, fat and lesbians. Some people envelope two or three parts of our name.”

An Old, Gay, Phat Stash

Since they are relatively new to New England, making the rounds to dispensaries and farms is also a part of settling in, meeting neighbors and getting to know the cannabis community at large in their tiny state.

After suffering a heart attack in March of this year, Lee’s doctor said to stay clear of burning flower, advising the use of a vaporizer instead, stick with medibles; and to stay away from Sativa, as it can raise the heart rate.

Sue had been an end-of-life caregiver in Florida, prior to the state being legal for medicine or recreation. In Maine, Sue began making medibles for both of them, as years of caregiving causes chronic back pain. Yes, caregivers need caring, too.

“The edibles were more effective than the opioids for pain,” Sue explained. “Lee also had neck surgery, where they placed a mesh cage in her neck years ago at C4 through C7. There’s muscle deterioration around it, and several areas of arthritis. Cannabis, used in smaller doses throughout the day has really helped control the pain and muscle spasms.”

They consume every day, low dosing throughout the day via 10 milligram doses. They also supplement with CBD candies, and smoke and vape, as needed, for physical ailments and sleep.

Their stash is ever changing, depending on what they’ve picked up around town. Cherry Pie is currently being enjoyed from Southern Maine farmer, Curated Cannabis, met on the same day they were introduced to Calico Cannabis – the flower in the blue bag.

“The State of Maine allows us to legally grow nine plants per person if you are a medical card holder,” they said. “It’s our second year growing and we love it! This year we grew multiple cultivars, such as, Berry Girl, Purple Trainwreck, Pineapple Fields, Tangelope, Juiceman, White Widow Hybrid, and Orange marmalade.”

Within their stash are papers du jour, of Top; not a favorite, just what’s in current use. The vape pen by Ooze Life is special, with them sharing that the battery is super-efficient, and the pen has three temperature settings.

They also like smoking from glass in a pinch, though no burning flower for Lee. Glass purchased from The Honest Headshop, from Brothers With Glass; all in a hemp backpack by Pure Hemp.

Favorite remedy makers include Linda’s Botanical Baskets, offering CBD-filled gift baskets for the savvy patient; with CBD Sugar-Free Sour Apple candies at five milligram per drop.

Colorful suckers and assorted candies from the Ganja Candy Factory, out of Portland, Maine are a go-to; along with a 10 milligram Lemon Pound Cake Bite by TGC Seeds; and assorted medicated candies, concentrates, bubble hash and a little resin. Flower is sometimes sourced from local shop, Hive Medicinal, in Chelsea, Maine.

Taking the Stage for Inclusion

Breaking stigmas is something cannabis patients and partakers strive for, and education is everything. What better way for a pair of older, overweight, lesbians to make a difference with humor – putting themselves out there, taking it for the team, so to speak.

With humor and intelligence – well, more humor than not, these two are making a huge difference, not only for those who medicate and recreate responsibly with cannabis, but also in the way LGBTQ are accepted into the once homophobic and male-dominated cannabis community.

“The rise in our social media attention took us by surprise,” they shared. “We receive several messages a day from people letting us know we’ve helped them – either through humor or just being who we are and being out there. We are filled with gratitude and humility.”

The two also knew right away that they wanted to interact with their followers in a very personal way, stating, they do not understand the point of having an account if one doesn’t take the time to communicate when someone is kind enough to follow and comment.

“We’re grateful we can contribute in some small way to destigmatize weed use for older people, fat people – all walks of life,” they concluded. “Everyone has been respectful, kind and thankful for our representation. We’ve made many new friends here in Maine in the cannabis community, nationally and internationally, as well. We’ve been accepted with open arms and hearts.”

Note from the author: The vernacular used in this piece denoting Sue and Lee are their preferred pronouns.  – Sharon Letts

Follow them on Instagram, @420oldfatlesbians

Follow their Maine favorites on Instagram, @calicocannabis, @rpedacter4321 @analscuba @curatedcannabiscompany, @lindasbotanicalbaskets @hivemedicinal2009, @smoke.trap @oozelife @brotherswithglass @gcfactory207

Creagan Dow, Creator of the Poke-a-Bowl

A working actor from Hollywood creates the perfect ash receptacle

Creagan Dow was born in Florida to Canadian parents, and holds a dual Canadian/American citizenship.  Family nights were movie nights, and Dow became enamored by film. He began taking acting classes and eventually landed an agent to represent him.

“My first commercial audition was for Frito-Lay’s Munchies Kids Mix,” he shared. “It was exciting for me and my parents, who were and always have been supportive of my work. My dad said if I booked the commercial we’d move to Hollywood. I thought he was joking, but I booked it, and shortly after that we ended up moving to Studio City in Los Angeles.”

Soon he was fortunate enough to book the reoccurring role of Jeremiah Trottman on the popular television series, Zoey 101, on Nickelodeon. The show filmed for three years, allowing the family to permanently relocate to California.

As a working actor in Hollywood, Dow has garnered a number of credits, including roles in A-List productions, such as, The Big Bang Theory, Castle, and Rizzoli & Isles. His more recent efforts include a part in Geico’s Horror Movie commercial that’s currently gone viral.

His Poke-a-Bowl, on the other hand, has been cast in such high profile television series as the short-lived Disjointed on Netflix; and Getting High with Doug.

Weed on Set

His first experience with cannabis came at the age of 16, when he smoked weed from a pipe on a back patio in the family home.

“I ate some stale potato chips – which tasted awesome!” he laughed. “I remember the cannabis looking and smelling great – even better than what you’d see today. I watched the movie Prime Evil with my parents afterwards, and it was great.”

Ironically, it was the entertainment industry that led Dow to add cannabis to his lifestyle. While working on the set of a Christian film, no less, he was offered cannabis to smoke by a co-star.

“He told me he used cannabis to relax after a big day on set, which can be a long and often boring 15 hour day,” he explained. “Not a lot to do on set, and many people smoke cigarettes – and weed. I had never really thought of cannabis in that way – as something to use to unwind. I always thought it was more of a social thing, a party experience.”

Dow said he began trying different cultivars to see which ones would work best for him.

“I found some would help uplift me, while others would help me unwind,” he said. “After a lot of trial and error I found the ones that best suit me, and now I include them in my lifestyle regularly.”

One Team, One Dream

As he continued to smoke, he realized a problem to be solved - how to remove ash and resin from a pipe without making a big, sticky mess.

“It’s a dirty process. It smells, and everything gets all over the place,” he said. “My girlfriend at the time hated ruining her nails and other utensils while attempting to clean the bowl or pipe after smoking. No matter how you clean a bowl, you always seem to have resin on your fingers – or in nails, as was my girlfriend’s case.”

Making his girlfriend happy became a priority, and Dow said he got busy designing his Poke-a-Bowl ash receptacle.

“The cleaning spike makes it easy – you don’t have to touch the bowl at all,” he continued. “The spike is thin enough to clean the bowl, not clog it, as some thicker pokers can push down ash into the pipe. It also has a lid so you don’t have to see or smell the contents.”

Getting it manufactured was another story altogether, as this actor had no experience in bringing a product to market. He soon brought a team together that could see the product through to reality.

“I’m an actor and have never been involved with developing a product or manufacturing, so I realized when I came up with Poke-a-Bowl I had to surround myself with individuals that had experience in all the areas I did not,” he explained. “The first thing I did was find an intellectual property attorney, and they advised me on what to do to help protect my idea and subsequent product.”

Dow also partnered with a manufacturing company to assist with materials needed to develop a prototype – a long process getting to the products he has today.

“I’ve got a team assembled now to assist with all the many facts of running a business – customer service, marketing, sales, and packaging,” he said. “I would not be able to pull this off without them. One team, one dream.”

A Clean Stash

Photos (l to r) Castle set, Creagan Dow, Hannah Montana set (2)

“Some people have a glass of wine at the end of the day to calm down after a long workday, or a nightcap to relax before bedtime,” he said. “I use cannabis. Working on set can be long and sometimes grueling, and running my business is a 24/7 thing, so, a nice bowl of Canndescent’s Calm when I’m done can be a perfect fit. For me, it does exactly as the name suggests.”

Canndescent is one of the leading flower brands in California, specializing in hand trimmed proprietary genetics. The company is a seed to shelf processor, with five signature products for varying effects, Calm, Cruise, Create, Connect, and Charge.

His Poke-a-Bowl sits prominently in his stash. A Bic lighter is also in the mix with a hemp wick. Attached to the bottom of the lighter is an Ashmasher, another one of those items I use every day to pack my bowls. In the middle of the photo is 1/8 of Canndescent’s Cruise.

“I’ve got a Louis Vuitton bong because I love the design house,” he shared. “Behind that, I have a Pac ‘n Sho by Poke-a-Bowl that I use to hold my bowl when I pack it. It’s also really cool if you have expensive glass bowls that you just want to show off.”

He’s also got a Canndescent pre-roll, Calm.

“I recently shared a Calm pre-roll with one of my co-founders during a smoke sesh,” he said. “This led to an evening of watching Nicholas Cage’s latest film, Kill Chain. A testament to Canndescent, we would not have made it through the entire film had it not been for that great cannabis – sorry, Nick.”

Dow uses an electric grinder for ease, and says it’s a beast.

“You can drop a big nug in there and it will just tear it all to shreds without having to get my fingers sticky. It also creates a nice collection of kief, which is always an added bonus.”

He uses the Poke-a-Bowl box ashtray when he’s on the go. The Dome is used at home.

“The crazy thing about the Poke-a-Bowl is that I use it after every bowl smoked,” he surmised. “There’s not a bowl I smoke that I don’t poke! The Poke-a-Bowl is what the corkscrew is to a wine drinker – every stash needs one!”

Jessica Cadmus, Founder & Creator of Rogue Paq

Raise Your Ritual

Photos (l to r) Pipe Paq, Rolling Paq, Vape Paq, Pag rolled (Rogue Paq comes in leather or vegan option, monogramed)

Jessica Cadmus grew up in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The third of ten children, she learned a solid work ethic early, cleaning the office building her father managed at the tender age of seven, alongside two older brothers who were eight and 10.

“My father is a beautiful human being,” she shared. “With a family of 12, he knew we’d have to learn to make our own way. We were hustlers and we didn’t want a paper route. By the time I was 14 I was working clearing tables at a fine dining restaurant across the street from our house. In college I worked two jobs.”

It was during college that Cadmus began to smoke cannabis on a regular basis, out of necessity.

“Smoking was a survival tool,” she explained. “I tended bar until two in the morning, then had a job at a bagel shop at six, then classes and studying most of the day. Smoking cannabis helped me calm down so I could sleep – that was my main goal, to get some rest so I could get up and do it all over again.”

After college Cadmus worked in New York City, and lived in Brooklyn for 20 years. After marrying and starting a family, she came back to Eastern Pennsylvania to raise her kids with her husband in a stone farmhouse built in 1799. She now commutes to the city where she’s a Wardrobe Stylist for Manhattan’s elite.

“I have a triple major in communications, political science, and English writing, but ended up in finance,” she shared. “After ten years at Goldman Sachs, I’m now styling for partners there, a few managing directors at Morgan Stanley, a number of hedge funds, and actors and models in Los Angeles.”

Becoming a stylist was an evolutionary process that actually began in Catholic school, and having to wear mandatory uniforms daily. Cadmus said she went crazy in college, able to wear whatever she liked.

“I’d shop at second hand stores and dismantle clothes and put them back together again in a new way,” she laughed. “That’s where I began to cull my sense of style.”

She’s referred to as the Wardrobe Whisper, and for 12 years she’s been invited into the homes and closets of some of New York’s finest.

“Aesthetics are important to me and my clients are sophisticated, but while going through their closets I’d see their stashes in old pencil cases, Tupperware, and shoe boxes,” she explained. “I just couldn’t let them go around town partaking with others with these rudimentary cases.”

It was during this time that her creation of the Rogue Paq began.

“What they put into their stash was important in designing the Rogue Paq,” she continued. “What’s in your stash is the same question I’d ask my clients in order to help them organize, transport and store their smoking accoutrements, if you will – in style, with discretion.”

The cases are made with soft, hand-tooled leather, and roll up in the fashion of a classic smoking pouch with scent suppressant compartments. Monograms are a popular option.

Cadmus’ own stash is comprised of three separate Rogue Paqs, one for her pipe, one for a vaporizer, and another for joints.

“I’ve spent an inordinate amount of time curating my stashes!” she exclaimed. “It’s not only imperative that I have a chic vessel to contain my flower and tools, it’s also important to me that they be beautiful and utilitarian. It’s akin to mixing a lovely cocktail and then drinking it from hand-cut crystal. The beauty of it helps be to be mindful, to savor and appreciate the moment.”

Each case holds a black California Crusher grinder and flower in an ultra-violet glass jar – her favorite cultivars being, Silver Lotus by Cannifornia, Grape Kush by 3C Farms, and Stardawg OG by Serra. The smoking pouch also includes a high-end Vianel lighter with a snow leopard pattern trimmed in gold.

Her pipe stash includes a large 22 karat gold Geo pipe in white, with two one hitters made by Stonedware of California.

Her vape stash holds a gold Pax with room for a charger base and chord. Gold swallow bird scissors are for cutting up flower, with a small brush and vial of alcohol for cleaning.

Joints are Cadmus’ favorite way to smoke and her papers are high-end, made by Devambez, used with glass tips.

“Rogue Paq’s motto is ‘Raise your Ritual,’ and for me, the idea of ritual is personal and important,” she mused. “When I smoke clearly designates the time of day when I can pause, slow myself down, and reflect. Elevating the ritual from that of mindless talk to a fully realized experience. Each time I roll a joint it’s purposeful, because every element is intentional, as I set the stage in a beloved spot, taking my time, and using only tools and products I love.”

Those familiar with using medical hemostats for holding a roach will appreciate Cadmus’ gold hemostats for tamping and roach smoking. This tool is included in her upcoming line of high-end accessories set to launch June of 2019.

Cadmus shared she doesn’t partake every day and doesn’t consider herself a full-fledged cannabis patient, but when she does, it’s purposeful.

“Being a mother of two young children, a wife, and a working woman, I’m running at top speed every day,” she said. “My priority is spending as much time as I can with my family, but when I can take a break, cannabis helps me to unwind. It’s like a little vacation, or going to a spa. Thankfully, I’m healthy and don’t take any pharmaceuticals – never have. Cannabis may be the reason why, I really don’t know. I do know that it has enriched my life, and now my work.”

Alex Todd, Saucey Farms & Extracts

From Bling to Bud

Known for creating high-end jewelry for celebrities JAY-Z, Rihanna, and Kevin Hart, celebrity jeweler, Alex Todd, crossed over to the cannabis space after founding Saucey Farms and Extracts in California.

Quality is everything to Todd, who hails from Brooklyn, but makes his home in the suburbs of New Jersey suburbs. He recently partnered with rapper Jim Jones to create an exclusive line under the brand, CAPO, culled from Jones’ nickname, under the Saucey label.

Jones, who hails from boroughs of Harlem in New York City, said he was in the right place at the right time for the partnership. Known in his own right for merchandising clothing for skaters, Jones has now immersed himself into the cannabis brand full-time.

“I smoke the best, so it only made sense that I partner with the best,” Jones said via a Press Release, looking to change the game of cannabis culture altogether, with a focus on everything from remedy to feeding the muse.

The two have been partaking of cannabis for more than 20 years, respectively, so putting their passion into practice was a natural transition.

Todd’s stint in designing over-the-top jewelry showcased his own talent in sales and marketing, with a focus on quality.

“I’ve always considered myself to be a cannabis connoisseur and an advocate for the plant’s healing power,” Todd shared. “Saucey was a passion project, and we are committed to continue to bring the best products to market under both brands.”

All About the Cannabinoids

The company has utilized Cannabis Chromatography in identifying isolates and extracts as the most beneficial compounds from the plant. Rather than focus on the THC count, its 11 cultivars, via smoking oil in cartridges, will put the emphasis on CBD, CBN, and CBG, making a more medicinal blend, also enhancing the recreational experience.

With 113 medical cannabinoids in cannabis that we know of to date, CBD or cannabinol, is the most popular. Known for a laundry list of healing properties, it now has stiff competition with CBN and CBG as standouts in the world of cannabinoids.

According to compliance expert and cannabis compound writer, Curt Robbins, CBG is the new shining star, siting “massive medical possibilities,” via Cannabis Aficionado.com.

“The acidic precursor to CBG, CBGA is considered to be the mother of all cannabinoids, due to the fact that the plant transforms this special molecule into all other cannabinoids.”

Robbins sites a 2015 study from the journal of Neurotherapeutics, demonstrating CBG’s neuroprotective powers, based on its ability to protect neurons in mice with Hungton’s disease, stating, “This special chemical may also help fight cancer and has been shown to act as an antibacterial agent. CBG may also inhibit muscle contractions and treat bladder dysfunction disorders, as well as depression.

CBN, Robbins explains via Steep Hill Labs in California, is “synergistic with both CBD and THC for inducement of sleeping. When mixed in the correct ratios, CBN becomes an effective sleep aid of five to six hours duration.”

In addition, CBN promotes pain relief, bone cell growth, is an anti-bacterial, an anti-inflammatory, anti-convulsive, and stimulates appetitie.

A Tribal Stash

Todd said he first partook of the herb as a young man, but said it wasn’t a great experience, and he didn’t get high. He assumed it may have been skunk weed – a hemp derivative that used to be found on the side of the road, post prohibition. But it turned out to be dried oregano.

“When I was 20, I was dealing with getting older, had stresses with stomach issues – just your average everyday grind of life. That’s when I realized it was very important to medicate – to use the plant as medicine.”

Todd believes that cannabis is not just for remedy, though, it’s also social – a double-duty plant for the people, you might say.

“I medicate and recreate when I’m at home or out with friends,” he added. It’s tribal – the tribal circle happens when friends are over and we medicate together. It’s good for my friends, it creates jobs, and it helps people physically and mentally. I don’t see anything but good from this plant for the planet.”

Under the Saucey brand, eight cultivars have been launched: Of the Indica-Dominant Hybrids are, Saucey Cake, Mendo Breath, Lime Sorbet, Mochi, Cookie Dough, Purple Punch, Triple F’n OG; with Sativa-dominant, Waermelon ZkittleZ in the mix; with pre-rolls in select cultivars.

The farm promotes organically grown, slow-cured and premium grade flower, grown by a team culled from master cultivators and experts in cannabinoid research.

A favorite go-to in Todd’s Stash is a $20 pre-roll, also in select cultivars, Mendo Breath, Mimosa, and Purple punch. Jones brings his CAPO Blunt to the table at $25 a pop, with Triple F’n OG, as an inaugural product under the Saucey Extracts umbrella.

Todd reaches for sativa dominant Saucey Mac 1 flower first thing in the morning to start his day.

“The Mac 1 physically energizes me for my day,” he shared. “It helps me be mentally productive, as well as more socially engaged. It also helps with my digestive system, and calms any stress nausea right out the gate.”

His Saucey pre-rolls keep him lifted, warding off the blues on dark days. Though he doesn’t deal with depression, everyday stressors are quelled, and his appetite is stimulated – as stress can cause a lack of appetite.

“Shit at work can be stressful and cannabis takes the edge off,” he concluded. “Ask my wife, Daniella – happy wife, happy life.”

For a former bling-maker, his stash box is surprisingly low-key, housed in a Runtz Bluntz box, his rolling tray by Raw, complete with Saucey swag via a lighter, papers, grinder, battery, and an odor-proof case as doob-toob.

Todd’s favorite papers are Big Bambu, and said he’s used them since he was a kid. A nod to past life of bling are $100 dollar bill papers thrown in for fun.

The flower du jour on his tray is one of his favorites, Banana OG, an indica-dominant cross between OG Kush and Banana.

The cartridge is Blue IcEE, with a fast and intense head-focused effect, resembling a brain-freeze – a favorite of Todd’s for stress, anxiety, and to help control stress nausea.

Lastly, a CAPO blunt from Jones’ exclusive line. The specialty blunt is created with a tea-leaf mixture, is infused with full-spectrum cannabis oil. Whether you are ailin’ or chillin’ this blunt is said to please.

“Sometime I do edibles or vape if we can’t do flower,” he said. “The most important thing is to know where the products are coming from – are they tested and clean, can you trust the maker. Lab testing is important so your health isn’t jeopardized. That’s really what this is all about. Keeping it clean, keeping it healthy, keeping it real.”

Megh McCalla, Miniature Artist

Creating the world’s tiniest stash

Kansas City resident and miniature artist, Megh McCalla, loves to make tiny stashes that fit into the palm of her hand. Little dab rigs, with little dabs; bags of tiny flower, with all the accessories sitting on a petite remedy tray.

And although McCalla is not a cannabis patient, she would partake if she could, if only to inspire her art. But, her home state of Missouri’s qualifying conditions won’t allow it. She can’t medicate or feed the muse unless the state votes to make cannabis legal for recreation.

The politically conservative state voted in favor of allowing the use of medical cannabis in the summer of 2019, but patients wishing to medicate with the herb will have to be at death’s door or suffer from a chronic condition to access it.

State’s qualifying conditions have long since been a bone of contention for serious cannabis patients and recreational users alike. While chilling at the end of the day might require a Valium, a glass of wine, or a sleeping pill, those Missourians wishing to use the alternative method of cannabis to replace pharmaceuticals – or even damaging alcohol for recreation are out of luck.

Stash as Advocacy

No matter that she can’t partake of the plant legally, McCalla feels her work can open barriers, and start the conversations about medicating and recreating with cannabis.

“The idea of having access to medical cannabis in my state is a wonderful thing,” she shared. “I didn’t intend my work to be educational, but they are definitely a step in that direction. I feel that it’s extremely important for people who don’t use cannabis to understand, not only the physical healing aspect of the plant, but also the emotional healing it can give. If I could use the plant legally as a muse to inspire my art work, I would.”

Without touching the plant, McCalla said she is a small part of the cannabis industry. Her miniatures can be found on Etsy, as well as to private buyers for custom stashes and accessories via Instagram, where she also shares her work and process.

“I’m just one small example of how this plant can help a little known artist put food in her belly, while bringing a community of people together,” she explained. “I can purchase CBD flower at local head shops now, which is a huge step in the right direction.”

Teeny-Tiny Stash

McCalla began her career in miniatures by making jewelry out of resin and floating charms for resin shakers, but growing up with artisan parents didn’t hurt.

“I became obsessed with the details, and what started out as craft, became art,” she shared. “Soon, I was inspired to make cannabis accessories. I get my inspiration from my craftsmen parents, and making remnant art toys. I’m also inspired by Japanese epoxy resin techniques, but I use all types of mediums in my work, including epoxy resin casting and 3D building, wood carving, origami, polymer clay sculpting and painting.”

Within the stashes pictured in the palm of her hand sits an entire world of medicating and recreating, complete with brand name products miniaturized to perfection.

The dab tray is comprised of a mini Raw tray, with a full dab rig and butane torch, testing meter, a tiny dab in wax paper, and silicone dab case with logo from This Thing Rips.

 The smoking stash is also on a tiny Raw tray, and has flower in a classic Zip-Lock baggie, a full glass pipe, Raw cones, Bakewoods pre-roll papers, a tiny Bic lighter, two seemingly hand-rolled fatties, and a pre-roll in a Raw box.

“I love creating these miniatures depicting the tools of medicating,” she surmised. “I believe representation yields normalization – which is why I create them. I’d like my followers to start talking about the positive benefits from this plant. I think my art can start the conversation, as well as strengthen their relationship to art.”

Julia Jacobson, Aster Farms, California

A farmer’s stash

Julia Jacobson has suffered migraines for years, with one lasting as long as eight days. By 2016, she had a migraine to top all migraines lasting six months, with vomiting and dehydration that landed her in the hospital on three separate occasions.

“I’ll never forget the day it began – September 22,” she shared. “It messed with my vision – I saw spots and auras. At times I couldn’t see at all,” she shared. “I was prescribed antidepressants and high blood pressure medications. Some of the meds they gave me had me dropping things, bumping into furniture.”

Prescribed myriad medications, including Lidocaine shots and steroids, Jacobson said Imitrex was so intense, with equally bad side effects, that the prescription is limited to two pills in a 24 hour period, with two doses in a two week period. She tried migraine glasses, and had visits to an acupuncturist and chiropractor, to no avail.

“I just had a big mess of side effects and nothing worked,” she added. “My husband are I were thinking of having kids, and you can’t be on some of these medications while pregnant.”

Jacobson began using Prana transdermal roll-on 3-1; and Mary’s Medicinals CBD/THC patches. She also found a certain cultivar to be more helpful than others.

“White Buffalo is high in CBG, which they’ve discovered is a vascular dilator for blood vessels in the brain – it protects neurons,” she explained. “I also use Protab, a high CBG tablet made by Level.”

Los Angeles writer and cannabis compliance expert, Curt Robbins, pens for Cannabis Aficionado that CBG is the “mother of all cannabinoids,” working on certain physiological systems, specifically in reducing inflammation in the body.

CBG is also effective in repairing neurological damage, per a study titled “Neuroprotective Properties of Cannabigerol in Huntington’s Disease,” published in the journal, Neurotherapeutics.

From Bloomies to Bud

Jacobson was born in Chicago and attended college on the east coast, majoring in Comparative Literature. She moved to New York as a young woman and spent four years as a buyer for Bloomingdale’s department store.

Today she’s traded Bloomies for bud, making her home in her husband Sam’s hometown of Oakland, California.

Her husband’s lineage in cannabis dates back to his grandparents, who moved to Mendocino County 50 years ago to grow cannabis. His parents grew up in the once covert industry, working as trimmers while Sam slept in a crib nearby.

Mendocino is part of the infamous Emerald Triangle, including Humboldt and Trinity, where some of the finest cannabis in the world has been hybridized, perfected, and grown for as many years.

Aster Farms sits on 80 acres in Lake County, just south of Humboldt. Not technically part of the Emerald Triangle, Lake County is the step-child of the trinity, but is still a viable source of cannabis in California.

“We named the farm after the aster flower, for its 23,000 species, as cannabis is just as prolific,” she shared. “We use fish tea, high in nutrients, that we make ourselves. Our cultivars are sourced from our neighbors in Mendocino.”

Currently, the couple grow three core cultivars, Maui OG, Durban Poison, and Sour Maui, with all organic inputs, grown in the sun.

“All of our cultivars are old school – what you smoked in the 70s,” she added. “The farm will launch tincture production later this year, promising approximately 8,000 bottles, with additional terpenes added. Chamomile to calm, limonene to stimulate, and pinene, an anti-inflammatory compound.”

But the farm’s Maui OG is a favorite stand-out.

“It’s a beautiful, classic purple,” she said. “It gives energy, creativity – very uplifting. I’m really digging this high – it’s super balanced and joyful. It’s our best cultivar, by far.”

Farmer’s Stash

Julia’s stash is a simple one, with a worn wooden cigar box gifted to her from a fellow farmer. Inside are jars of Aster Farms Deep Sour Kush, and Maui OG; with an Aster Farms Day to Night Pre-Roll pack.

The grinder is made by SharpStone, with a Lue brass spoon nearby in a small brass dish holding ground Aster Farms Strawberry Banana flower.

To treat her chronic migraines, she uses White Buffalo flower, high in CBG, Level CBD Tabllinguals, used prophylactically; and Level CBG Protab, used at first signs of a migraine aura.

She also uses Prana P1 THC Transdermal Aromatherapy Roll-on, used for migraine attacks on pain area, if stemming from her temples, forehead, ocular areas or neck.

An after work wind-down includes a sunset cultivar to take the edge off.

“I’m a purist when it comes to flower, and prefer to consume full spectrum flower with a PAX 2 vape,” she explained. “I enjoy our own Deep Sour Kush for those moments.”

Lastly, her travel kit, via a leather pouch made by her brother-in-law, contains PAX 2 cleaning supplies, including a pipe cleaner and a low-tech paper clip, the Lue brass spoon, RAW papers, a Bic lighter, ice water hash of Strawberry Banana in an infused pre-roll, and a tube of pre-ground Maui OG.

“I’ve found that the cultivars high in the compound CBG helps the most, while Durban Poison can trigger a migraine – so I avoid it,” she surmised. “White Buffalo with really high THC helps because it knocks me out and I’m able to fall asleep – and that resets the migraine.”

When the patient becomes a farmer, and the farm becomes her life, her stash takes on new meaning, concluding, “Cannabis has given me a safe alternative to take back my life!”

Salad Brain Productions

Multi-media group taps into the plant to fuel creativity

Photos (l to r) Dak stash, Party Bear stash, Bongstruction, Earthworm drawing

Salad Brain is the love child of a group of creative besties who met when they were young, now living in different cities in California, coming together to produce enlightening and lively clips; including art, videos music, and live-streaming a variety of entertaining media – all inspired and fueled by cannabis.

The group consists of musician, Joe Wachter, aka: Party Bear; barista and hotel front desk agent, Russell Brown, aka: Haybale; server at the OC’s historic White House Restaurant, Chad Litten, aka: Dak; artist, freelance video producer/editor, Ryan Massey, aka: Earthworm; and sometime member, Jake Massey (Ryan’s brother), aka: Jonboi.

They became best friends where they grew up in Yorba Linda, a suburb of Orange County in California.

“We all met during middle and high school – 15 years ago now. We were all in drumline and band,” Litten explained. “Many of us have moved away, but we come back together every other month, usually to film and produce content.”

As a group, Litten shared they always sought out ways to express themselves through various forms of art. Salad Brain has shown itself to be the perfect foil, with a strong presence on Instagram.

“We were in bands together, hosted variety shows at our high school, and made short films in our backyards on the weekends,” Litten said. “With Salad Brain, we’ve finally found our niche. With this production company, we’ve found great ways to showcase and utilize our individual talents to make people laugh – which is something we’ve always tried to achieve in any medium. We love to make people laugh!”

Massey attended film school at Northern Arizona University, graduating in 2015, with a BA in screenwriting and producing. He’s a self-taught artist and creator of the vibrant graphics that dominate Salad Brain’s work and merchandise. His inspirations include, Real Monsters and Pokemon.

“I’m self-taught as an artist,” he explained. “My influences are cartoons that I loved when I was young, like Aaahh! Some of my favorite artists are Sean Aaberg, Skinner, and the late, great Keith Haring. It’s great to have the freedom to make our content independently, without being beholden to anyone else’s vision or requirements.”

The years of friendship between them, Ryan said, is rare, and inspires a natural collaboration, complimenting each other’s talents.

“No one is precious about their ‘creative territory,’ we all get to share input and ideas freely,” Ryan added.

Russell Brown is thankful to be included, and said working with his best friends is an opportunity he’s grateful for.

“Having this outlet for my creativity, gives me a purpose – it gets me out of bed in the morning,” he shared. “We are on a schedule and collaborate honestly – It’s incredibly fulfilling.”

Joe Wachter, who is the teams audio engineer, adds, “There’s a comfort and a safety within the group from being friends for so long that gives us the confidence to take risks and try really weird things together!”

Bongstruction 101 is a thing

Litten, aka: Dak, is the face of Salad Brain and star of two series they produce for The Weed Tube; Bongstruction 101. He also produces, edits, and creates the bongs for the Bongstruction show. You could say that his bongs are a huge part of his personal stash, and the stash of his cohorts.

“Over the years I’ve created a lot of wild bongs,” he said. “The Double Gravity Gatorade Bong Helmet is quite a mouthful. It was one of the most difficult to make because there’s a lot more mechanics behind it than you’d expect – but, I was committed to make it work, and it performed beautifully.”

The Plunger bong, Litten said, is one of the “grossest” looking bongs he’s ever made.

“There’s just something so wrong about it, but it packs quite the punch” he continued. “One of my all-time favorites is the Lightsaber Bong. It combines smoking with one of my other favorite past times. I’d like to make another one of these with a really nice quality lightsaber, but that’s going to have to wait until we have a bigger budget!”

The Book Bong came from a fascination with carved-out books with secret compartments.

“I thought, what if you could use that secret compartment for a bong?” he explained. “It seemed simple enough – with the word ‘simple’ being the operative word. It was quite the undertaking. Then I created the Snow Globe Bong, which is absolutely the prettiest bong I have ever made. It’s also the only bong my mother has ever wanted to keep herself!”

Lastly, the Bong of Destiny has been the most fan-boy bong of Litten’s Bongstruction career.

“Tenacious D has been a big inspiration in my life and in the lives of my colleagues that I create Bongstuction and other content with, so I wanted to honor them. It’s made out of a real Springbook horn, which had a nasty smell that took a lot of work to get out. This bong is just a tribute to the greatest band in the world!”

Other bongs not pictured include a mini-guitar bong, and a flower pot bong – which Litten said functions perfectly as a usable flower pot when it’s not being used to partake.

Salad Brain Stashes

When Litten was in high school he started smoking cannabis recreationally, but around the same time he presented with migraines.

“The positive side effect of smoking weed was that it seemed to help the migraines!” he shared. “Even though I’ve never seen medicinal purposes as the underlying reason to smoke, I can’t deny that it has huge benefits for me at times when I’m feeling stressed or depressed. Mostly, I like to use cannabis for creative purposes. When I medicate to get high, I find that I no longer worry about other people’s judgements, and I can put aside my own insecurities in order to freely and happily create.”

His cultivars include a CBD called Lifter, he also partakes of Alien OG crumble; and Watermelon Zkittlez – an as of late favorite sativa.

Ryan Massey’s stash isn’t plentiful, but he said his Boundless CF dry herb vaporizer gets the job done.

“I use the temperature controls depending on my mood and what I have planned,” he said. “Whether I’m lounging, drawing, or need to get stuff done, I usually stick with pre-ground flower, and my preferable brand is Old Pal. Each of their bags of weed comes with rolling papers, so when I’m looking for an extra boost of creativity, I make myself some tea, smoke a joint, turn on some CZARFACE, and ride the wave.”

Massey said he smokes weed medicinally, as an alternative to sleep aids and anxiety medications, both of which he’s relied on in the past and would prefer not to take again.

Wachter, aka: Party Bear, said his stash is a “mess of cannabis products and sound equipment.”

“If you can look past the plethora of electronics and percussion instruments, at the center of it all you’ll find my RAW Triple Flip bamboo rolling tray keeping my entire desk organized,” he said. “My other smoking essentials are my Moose Labs MouthPeace, and Kali Kutz grinder. I like to keep my glass simple, and my bong of choice is a little eight inch beaker-bottom by Diamond Glass – that absolutely chugs. My favorite dab rig is a simple, yet gorgeous piece by a local company called White Diamond.”

He prefers sativa dominant hybrid cultivar, but occasionally picks-up a straight sativa if they are too good-looking to pass-up.

“It’s rare that I’ll go with an indica, as I feel the hybrids have always been a perfect balance for me,” he added. “The sativa cultivars tend to keep me more alert and motivated. I also enjoy and regularly consume CBD products by a local company called The Pure Cure.”

Being an avid rock climber, Wachter said he uses CBD balms topically to ease physical pain. He also uses CBD tinctures to ease anxiety, depressive thoughts, and stay positive.

Just Add Weed

Its Mission Statement includes the groups’ passion, for Salad Brain to become “… a top creator of cannabis and cannabis adjacent content on the internet.”

They would also like to create unique and recognizable brand aesthetics on merchandise such as clothing, prints and cannabis accessories.

Russell Brown, aka: Haybale, is slated to host Sotally Tobers, alongside Dak, as they plan their upcoming pandemic line-up, in the face of COVID-19 lock downs continuing throughout the country.

For the Sotally Tobers show, Brown will read fables and short stories wile medicated. Think, Drunk History on weed.

While the world legalizes the most illicit and beloved plant on the planet, Salad Brain Productions just celebrated its one year anniversary of looking at the culture of cannabis with art, humor, and a healthy dose of weed for inspiration.

“It’s been one of year of this crazy experiment, so far,” Massey concluded. “We are thankful to have found a way to, not only be creative individually and together, but to have grown closer to each other in the process. Whether or not we find success or not, everyone can rest easy knowing that we are having a lot of fun - and smoking weed, like old high school friends do.”

Follow them on Instagram, @saladbrainproductions

For more information on Salad Brain Productions visit its website, https://saladbrainproductions.com/

Find them on YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQoczS3lSOfdtqVD5Yxfy5w

Cal Marshall, CEO Burger Media

A Storyteller’s Stash

Cal Marshall, aka: Calcaliente hails from Orange County in Southern California. He now makes his home in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he’s been focused on branding, social media exposure, and storytelling within the cannabis industry.

But, his road to weed had a few bumps, initially, when at 15 he made the unwise decision to burn an eighth of flower before high school, inducing a full-blown panic attack.

“Yeah, I was one of those kids,” he laughed. “Ended up in the emergency room. I had literal tunnel vision, everything was distorted. My heart rate went through the roof and I thought people could hear my thoughts. The whole school found out – super embarrassing!”

A series of studies recently shared in an article by Thomas Edward for High Times, details some negative effects from the psychoactive ingredient, tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. The amount of the compound used in each study or trial is typically in question, as many lean too strong, administering just the THC, leaving other beneficial compounds behind.

That said, the most concerning negative effects from cannabis can be consuming too high a dose of THC for your alchemy; meaning, you consumed too much of the compound before your body/mind could became used to it, suffering enhanced negative effects, rather than the euphoria that comes with a micro-dose – whether smoked or ingested.

With no fault to the weed, at 16 he found himself homeless, and by the time he was 19, in 2009, he enlisted in the Coast Guard.

“I love my country and I wanted to help people,” he shared. “The Coast Guard’s primary mission is saving lives, and that aligned with my values. I’d been working multiple jobs, trying to survive life on the streets. Being able to have a steady paycheck in the force – being able to have health insurance, and establish a credit card – instead of just surviving day to day, was one of the single best experiences in my life.”

Slomocup into Hip-Hop

Honorably discharged in 2013, Calcaliente said he immediately took his acquired professionalism with his newfound ability to save money and built his first brand targeted to the Hip-Hop community; with a product called the Slomocup.

The Slomocup was designed for sipping Lean, a prescription-strength cough syrup containing codeine and Promethazine – an antihistamine. The cocktail is mixed with soda pop, like Sprite, often with a few Jolly Rogers thrown in for flavoring. This recreational drink was first made popular in the 1960s by Blues musicians – specifically in Houston, Texas, where they’d mix Robitussin and beer.

It’s drank out of a double Styrofoam cup, with ice below to keep it cold. Calcaliente’s cup mimics the concept in a permanent, non-disposable, surgical-grade, environmentally-friendly cup.

“Celebs from Lil Wayne and Rick Ross, to Future, embraced Slomocup, helping it get widespread media coverage,” he shared. “That success inspired me to create my own branding Agency, Burger Media. I’m all about helping companies stay ahead of the content and social media trends, so they can be connected and culturally relevant.”

His company, Burger Media, found its niche in aesthetic medicine, with Calcaliente’s first client, Christopher Khorsandi, a plastic surgeon he made infamous as Docvegas (Instagram @docvegas).

“I noticed how plastic surgeons had little to no online presence, so I set about creating custom content strategies to help them modernize,” he explained. “I created viral social and video content that turned Doc Vegas into a plastic surgery rock star. I knew I had something viable after I grew his Instagram following from 30,000 to 180,000.”

Music, Culture & Cannabis Education

What he did for Docvegas he’s now doing for companies in the cannabis industry.

“Marketing in the cannabis industry has been juvenile, with cartoonish branding that seems to appeal to children,” he said. “Or, they go in the extreme opposite direction and have an Instagram page full of half-naked women holding a cannabis product. Both of these miss an opportunity to reach the demographics of cannabis users across ages, races and backgrounds.”

Using scantily clad women is a cheap and lazy way to market cannabis, and he feels it’s a trend that will become obsolete as the market continues to legitimize.

“In reality, the consumers of these products are so diverse and wide-ranging, that this sort of messaging can alienate potential customers – especially women, who still hold the buying power in any market,” he added. “It’s also really confusing. Like, are you a soft-porn company or are you selling cannabis?”

Making that distinction is key in building a serious cannabis brand, and Calcaliente said he understands and connects organically with cannabis entrepreneurs in identifying their needs.

“With my experience in the hip-hop community, combined with my success in building brand identities, I know how to marry music, culture and education,” he explained. “My plan is to elevate – no pun intended – the industry and help portray it in a more refined light.”

Building a brand’s story through visuals is his next endeavor, and Calcaliente is working on creating a series of mini-documentaries for his clients in order to tell the stories of the cannabis community – the driving force behind the industry.

“I’m telling a brand’s story in a way that helps consumers feel like they are part of the company’s experience in the space, developing a relationship that can ultimately lead to more revenue,” he said. “But, I don’t want my filmmaking to focus entirely on the sellers. I’m depicting how people from all walks of life use cannabis for various reasons – from veterans with PTSD, to soccer moms who have switched from wine to weed, and former opioid users who have successfully transitioned to cannabis.”

The first episode in his developing docuseries, Nights Out, takes place in Drai’s nightclub, a venue staging popular acts in Hip-Hop today. The star of the first episode is Wiz Khalifa, a rapper whose brand is built on being a cannabis connoisseur.

“Most brands have a ‘video guy,’ which in reality is just a guy with a cheap, handheld camera making montage videos with a bunch of effects and some music” he said. “My team is culled from professionals in the media industry. Our writers have written for major publications and our cinematographers have shot major films.”

Brand Makers Stash

Calcaliente’s Puffy stash box was made by friend, Billy Dare, head of operations in Nevada. Puffy is a cannabis delivery service based in California and Nevada, known as the “Amazon of Weed.”

“My stash usually consists of a mix of different concentrates and edibles – with my favorite go-to, the Puffy pen,” he said. “I have a VVS pen filled with King Louis XIII, and a Puffy pen filled with Passion. The pens make it easy to dose, and they are discreet.”

Puffy is a favorite brand, and Calcaliente stocks up on its Strawberry Gummies and Watermelon Strips. He also enjoys LOL Edibles, Doob Cube, and Sour Belts. LOL is known for its high THC edibles.

“I really like the Hapy Cannabis infused Krispies and its infused syrup shots,” he said. “Sweet Greens is a THC power mix. It’s easy to stir into drinks or smoothies. I also like VVS Diamonds, cannabis infused gummies shaped like diamonds. I prefer the gummies to smoking flower, because I can always know what dose I’m getting and there are no surprises!”

When he does smoke, he said he prefers concentrates to flower, as he feels it gives him a more euphoric vibe, with the intensity dissipating quickly with smaller doses.

“I’m not a heavy smoker, so I like the fact that I feel I can control the dose a lot easier with the oils and concentrates, rather than guessing with the flower,” he said. “When I do smoke, it’s usually at the end of the day. It makes me feel more human, especially after a long day of negotiating contracts – I can really turn into a robot.”

He also said using cannabis also helps him appreciate art, music, and movies.

“I also feel a lot more generous and patient when dealing with people when I’m medicated,” he surmised. “It helps me be more human and creative. Cannabis also helps me to relax at the end of the day.”

Calcaliente concluded that in today’s landscape, marketing has impact when it doesn’t feel so business-like and transactional.

“My gift is seeing opportunity in unconventional or underdeveloped industries,” he concluded. “Authentic visual storytelling is the successful way to do that.”

For more information on Burger Media visit, https://burgermedia.co/

Follow Calcaliente on Instagram @calcaliente

Watch his docuseries on YouTube channel, Burger Media

Levitation Room

SoCal band’s stash on the road

Traveling with your stash can be challenging. When your stash is your muse, as well as remedy, networking from town to town becomes a given. Thankfully, cannabis is the world’s most beloved and commonly used beneficial plant on the planet, and even in illegal states, there are little stashes to be found everywhere.

Levitation Room has lived its young life on the road. Cannabis partakers from high school, the plant is part of who they are, infused into the lyrics of love song, Cosmic Flower, from its debut album, Ethos.

Cosmic Flower, tell me why

Your faded love keeps me satisfied

Floating around on a constant cloud

But I’m never coming down

Penned by, Julian Porte, for the band that seems to be channeling an exquisitely orchestrated 60s psychedelic rock sound.

Vintage Sound

Porte and longtime friend, Gabriel Fernandez, grew up as punk bands in Los Angeles. They were eventually inspired by the sounds of the 60s and beyond, with Porte sharing that’s when they learned to actually play their instruments well.

“When we started looking into what inspired punk rockers, that puts you into music from the 60s – and that leads you to folk and blues, and jazz,” he explained from a rest stop somewhere in Arizona. “All this music was influenced by weed. The first time Gabriel and I smoked and listened to Reggae – Tuff Gong, Marley - it was a revelation.”

Porte said their music is a combination of everything they’ve ever been inspired by, with all the pieces coming together for their very unique, yet vintage sound.

The title of their first album, Ethos, was chosen purposefully, after finding the Greeks used the word to describe the power of music to influence the emotions, behaviors, and morals.

They’ve toured for three years with Ethos, and just released their sophomore effort, Headspace, on October 4, as of this writing. Headspace is an equally groovy compilation, with a trippy video to its Polydactyl Cat album opener, detailing a day in the life of a man-sized hip cat on a bad trip.

Touted as an East LA psychedelic rock band from its label, Burger Records, all four members grew up in Los Angeles, with Gabriel Fernandez the band’s founder on guitar/vocals (31); Julian Porte, also guitar/vocals (33); Jonathan Martin, on drums (29); and (another) John Martin on bass/vocals (31).

Porte and Fernandez met when they were 15 and 17 years old, respectively, shortly after Porte ran away from home as a rebellious, angst-filled punk-rocker.

“My father is a conservative Christian,” Porte shared. “I ran away because of all the rules he had for me, but we are good today. My mom is my best friend – shout out to my mom! She smokes every now and then – it helps her sleep and calms her emotions, because she’s going through menopause. My dad is great – we’ve found a middle ground. I’m grateful.”

They’ve toured solidly throughout the states, with three European and UK tours under their belts to date. And everywhere they’ve been, they’ve been able to medicate and recreate, thanks to social media and a loyal fan base.

“We don’t carry if we are in an illegal state,” Julian advised. “We are respectful of the rules, but when we post we are coming to a certain town on one of our social media platforms, fans will show up offering their appreciation. They aren’t just are fans, they are our tribe.”

Stash on the Road

The band stopped on the road and took photos of what a typical stash looks like, albeit, with one stand-out, an apple.

From an article in the OC Weekly, a weekly paper in Southern California, Porte admits, “I know people get tired of hearing it, because it’s so typical, but the Beattles are my greatest influence.”

“Anything from Abbey Road to Rubber Soul, that’s where our heads are at,” Porte added.

Hence the apple, but the plot thickens, as Porte expounds on the additional significance, “We also like to smoke out of apples – and you can eat it when you are finished. It’s good for you.”

With a nod to how difficult it is to eat healthy on the road, it’s also a tip on being paraphernalia-free while crossing state lines from legal to non-legal states, and so on. Hence the pre-rolls and papers for joints on the go.

Always aware of the plant’s medicinal properties, Porte shares, “For me, I love cannabis because it relieves a lot of stress – on the road, in life. After I eat I sometimes have stomach pains, but when I smoke the pain is gone in less than five minutes, and my stomach feels fine.”

It’s apropos to have Porte’s guitar in the stash, as well as guitar picks in their stash box, as he says smoking weed has gone hand-in-hand with learning to play the guitar well.

“It’s helpful in the creative process,” he explained. “Time flies by, as I can practice for hours – it’s enjoyable, not a chore. Even though we’ve played our songs hundreds of times, weed can make everything new again. It’s definitely a muse.”

Drummer, Jon Martin, adds, “I like to get really high and put on a record really loud, and play it from start to finish! You can hear every detail, every chord – especially with a vinyl.”

Favorite papers are the classic orange Zig-Zag, or Randy’s, the paper with the built-in wire-turned roach clip from the 70s.

To be honest, Porte said the boys in the band aren’t picky about what flower they medicate or recreate with. But, while in California, the band’s go-to is a cultivar called Old Pal, ground and ready to roll.

“Sometimes weed these days can be a bit strong and can end up giving us anxiety, or make us feel overwhelmingly introspective,” he surmised. “Old Pal’s hybrid is our favorite, because it’s a really mellow high. It’s nice to catch a chill buzz and still be able to socialize and engage in normal, routine activity, without the world melting around you – while you’re stuck in the prison of your own mind.”

Stuck in a prison of your own mind – while the world melts around you. Sounds like a stash gone terribly wrong. Could be a righteous riff from this hip band’s next album. In the meantime, this writer will roll-up another one, with headphones firmly on and the volume turned up high – getting into my own Headspace, in my own Levitation Room. Thanks, guys.

For more information on Levitation Room visit, www.levitationroom.com

To order Headspace visit, https://smarturl.it/levitationroom

For more information on Old Pal visit, www.oldpal.com

Leslie La Duke Banionis

Apothecary & Co-Founder, Stella Maris

Washington State cannabis advocate Leslie La Duke Banionis is a modern-day Apothecary, making remedies for herself, while teaching others.

Apothecary was the method of healing, globally, for thousands of years, using plant-based remedies, gradually replaced by the late 1930s, with synthetic, patented pharmaceuticals.

As is common with productive partakers in the cannabis space, Banionis wears many hats, with her favorites being a mother to three, chicken-chaser to thirteen, dog mother to two German Shepards, and the favorite human to a cat named Tiger.

When Washington State voted to legalize cannabis via adult use, its medical program was thrown under the bus, so to speak, with caregivers pushed out of the proverbial driver’s seat as legal remedy makers for many in their community.

The caregiver cooperative model was often begun with friends, family and neighbors as an affordable healthcare option; with its patient base growing as people heal. This model ran smoothly for decades under the compassionate care program that began in California, then practiced in many medically legal states. The program is now fading as recreational weed makes its home in pricey dispensaries – pushing many patients back into an unregulated market.

Those who practice Apothecary, like Banionis, have continued to make remedies, sharing recipes on social media; now forced to teach, rather than care for patients. If they have the wherewithal and funds, caregivers are now creating their own brands or working for larger, licensed companies.

Under the shingle Stella Maris, Banionis, with her business partner, producer and processor Matthew Wonson, bypassed the pricey cannabis market altogether, looking beyond cannabinoids. Using other beneficial terpenes, they created High Seas Beard Balm, with compounds such as Beta-caryophyllene (BCP), said to be as potent as CBD, binding with CB2 receptors of the endocannabinoid system (ecs) in the same way as cannabinoids do.

And though Banionis says she ingests her own homemade medibles more often than smoking, her stash box is an impressive mix of flower, hash, concentrates, tools, and functionality; housed in an impressive multi-tiered maple box, tooled by Washington State wood worker and owner of Mr. Keifbox Wood Working, Myron Connery.

Known for his beautifully appointed boxes, each has a built-in kief separator with flower compartment, allowing the kief to land on a glass-bottom “boat,” with the top tier stowing smoking implements and remedies.

The flower shown in Banionis’ Mr. Kief Box is Eki Bird, a phenotype, grown by Afghani genetic specialist, Michael Anderson of Vashon Seed on Vashon Island, Washington.

“Eki Bird is my childhood nickname,” Banionis mused. “The cultivar comes from Early Bird chemovar. Michael relocated to Colorado for a breeding and research development project, but the seeds are available from James Bean.

Banionis waxes poetic on the methods of which her flower is grown and harvested, musing, “it’s Humboldt hung, bucked and shucked; but not Mendocino trimmed – according to my traditional cannabis preference,” giving full credit to Matthew Wonson via Golden Beaver Farm, Test Kitchen, and LAH, LLC.”

Banionis’ layered stash of accessories and remedies reads like a handmade weed history of the Pacific Northwest, with hash and tools made with skills honed in the region for decades. One wonders if much of the handcrafting and Apothecary will go back to black – like so much folklore from the once illicit family farm.

On the top tier of her stash box (clockwise from top left), is an antique checkerboard case from Stephen Damgaard, in memory of the longtime Seattle Hempfest advocate who passed away in 2018 – now missed greatly by many.

Among her plethora of enviable concentrates is a King Cake chemovar chief coins, grown and pressed by Matthew Wonson; King Cake chemovar steam distilled cannabis derived terpenes from Matthew Wonson; Temple Ball hashish from Azad Gazurian; bubble hash made from Nepali landrace, grown and processed by Marc Sandhaus.

The tiny red and white polka-dot amanita-designed dab tools are gifted by Sarah Jett Rasor, made by Arch DJ of Sensible Concepts. The deer antler handled hashish knife was made by Banionis’ father, Ken La Duke; and a steel hashish knife made by the blacksmith Scro.

Lastly, Banionis’ local advocacy is represented via her Vashon Island Marijuana Enthusiasts Alliance pin, produced by Shango Los of VIMEA; and a modern day scrolled case from the Vashon Island pharmacy.

Old Apothecaries never stop healing themselves and others, in real time or via the folklore that continues long after they are gone. Banionis is a treasure in that regard, with her stash box a treasure trove of healing; and stories behind each item from legacies that will continue to be shared long after the failed War on Drugs is gone.

For more information on Stella Maris, LLC, visit www.stellamarisllc.us

For more information on High Seas Beard Balm, visit www.highseasbeardbalm.com

For more information on Early Bird chemovar, visit www.jbcseeds.com

Jack Daniels

California Cannabis patient, uber cultivar reviewer, and editor of Beard Bros. Pharms.

Southern California cannabis patient, cultivar reviewer, and editor, Jack Daniels, has an admission with a certain item in his stash box.

“I probably wrote one hundred cannabis reviews before I started grinding my buds – and now, I don’t know how I ever did it!” he laughed. “Everything goes through the grinder now.”

Daniels grinder is a stainless steel number that grinds with precision, made by Comptom Grinders, from Compton, California – made in the U.S.A.

The necessity of grinding flower is two-fold. Firstly, it releases the terepens or the essential oil of the flower for better flavor, without the charred flower being repeatedly torched.

The flavor or scent of the cannabis flower is where the beneficial compounds of the plant are. Beneficial herbs have scents because we have noses – it’s a symbiotic relationship, because we need them for our health and wellbeing.

Grinding is also more cost effective, insuring no morsel of goodness is wasted.

“In the center of the tray is my daily driver glass pipe from San Diego local glass company, Opinicus9,” he shared. “Though I will dab occasionally, and eat an edible once in a while – bongs are rare, joints are for friends, but my pipe is my trusty sidearm in all situations.”

Opinicus9 is a glass pipe manufacturer in San Diego, in Southern California, specializing in fine, one-of-a-kind glass dab rigs, pipes, and beautiful hand-blown jewelry, with pieces also available on its Etsy site.

On the top right of his stash is his nug jar, currently full of Beard Glue, and Yeti OG.

Repurposing containers for weed is nothing new, and though there are many fancy containers now on the market, Daniels trim jar is a re-purposed Garbage Pail Kids™ candy container shaped like a trash can with lid.

“All my stems, leaves and anything else that gets stripped prior to the grind goes into the little trash can,” he explained. “When it is full I give it to my dad and he makes his own remedies from it.”

His dad, who is also a California cannabis patient, boils the remains of Daniels flower and stems to make a poultice for topical use. A poultice, as defined by Google Dictionary, is “a soft, moist mass of material, typically plant… applied to the body to relieve soreness.

According to Herbal History.com, a poultice is an ancient remedy wherein plant material is soaked in alcohol and applied topically for pain, inflammation and infection. A poultice could also be used on the chest or back for lung conditions.

In Latin America, grandmothers still soak cannabis and other beneficial plants in a 96 percent alcohol for topical use. Important to note, these methods are as old as the hills, but modern medicine via synthetic formulations have bumped grandma’s remedies to the curb.

Daniels first partook of the herb in 1996, right after basketball season ended in his senior year in high school, and never looked back.

“I loved weed immediately and have smoked virtually every day of my life since,” he shared. “A favorite pastime is fishing, and my box is often stashed inside my tackle box.”

Diagnosed in 2010 with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, his cannabis use became serious, as Daniels was told he had a six inch by six inch tumor, two inches wide, lodged between his heart and lung.

“I dubbed it the malignant pork chop,” he reminisced. “It was during this time I decided to take a closer look at those seedy ads in the back of The Reader. I went out and got my medical marijuana recommendation, and bought $280 worth of the best weed I had ever seen from a dispensary. Safe to say, the cultivar, Master Kush and P91, or Poway Class of ’91, got me through most of my treatments.”

At the time, concentrates to ingest to treat cancer and symptoms weren’t in his radar, and he smoked to control symptoms with success. This led him down a new career path, writing weed reviews for several publications, including Weedmaps, where Daniels was listed as a top ten reviewer.

“Using cannabis during my traditional cancer treatments was a supplement, not a cure,” he added. “Smoking cannabis allowed me to eat on a regular schedule, sleep in a regular schedule, and it made my attitude bright enough to play with my kids.”

Cannabis gave Daniels enough motivation to get to work each day in a construction job – even though he said his mind and body were running on empty. Like many in the cannabis space, the experience changed his life and career forever, and he now spends his days writing about cannabis – with his stash box nearby.

“I like being a freelancer, writing full-time from home – with no boss, no editor, and no fucks left to give,” he laughed, knowingly.

Beverly Soucy

Owner, Western Mountain Moss & Apothecary, Maine

In 2012, at the age of 52, Beverly Soucy had scheduled her first mammogram ever, then presented with a persistent pneumonia, having to cancel and reschedule the procedure twice.

“My instincts told me something was wrong, but I was thinking I was in for a heart attack or something – I never dreamed it would be breast cancer,” she shared. “When I finally did the mammogram, I was on my way out, and the doctor chased me down the hallway, asking me to humor him and return the next day for a biopsy.”

The humorless biopsy quickly turned into 12 separate needle explorations into her breasts, found to be riddled with cancer masses and a diagnosis of Lobular carcinoma. This type of cancer is found in the lobules, the milk-producing glands, and is said to be the second most common form of breast cancer, affecting 10 percent of women in the U.S.

“Getting that diagnosis changes you,” she shared. “Everything stands still. I felt as though I went through the double-mastectomy, numerous painful procedures and treatments, then reconstruction surgery, all in a daze. It felt as though my brain was pushing everything I went through to another place, to protect me – or I would have just crumbled under the weight of it all.”

Soucy said she came home from the mastectomies with a bag full of prescription meds, Oxycontin, Oxycodone, Percocet, and more. The first time she took the Oxycontin, she said she “went mental.”

“I think many people just sink into the pharmaceuticals to push back on the reality of what they are going through,” she pondered. “All the pills take your spirit away, until you are just wallowing in a pharma-induced haze.”

Soucy shared that her saving grace was when a dear friend, who had just gone through prostate cancer, arrived at her door with a bag of brownies, cookies, and olive oil – all infused with cannabis.

“I had smoked cannabis since high school, but the last time I had a brownie in my teens it was not a good experience. It was an old-school brownie – full of stems and seeds,” she laughed. “I thought I was going to die! And I surely never thought I’d ever eat one again, that’s for sure.”

Her friend had dropped the bag of medibles by while she was sleeping, with a request she call him for instructions.

“Well, of course I ate an entire cookie before he arrived!” she laughed. “So, he brought a book to read, sitting by my side to keep an eye on me. But, it wasn’t a bad trip – maybe because I needed it to heal. I had a lovely euphoric feeling, and the pain was completely gone. But more importantly, the plant spoke to my mental capacity, it cleared my mind from the pharma, and allowed me to focus on the situation at hand, not escape.”

Each morning, Soucy said she’d take one dropper of the olive oil, and would be pain-free, with no need for the pills, lasting five to six hours, until she took another dropper-full. The recovery period after the mastectomy that was estimated to take six months, took a mere five weeks, with Soucy back to work in record time, ready for the reconstructive surgery – with her surgeon amazed.

Soucy’s day job is restaurant management, but her experience compelled her to work at the hospital. After having an informal meeting with staff about the importance of ingesting healthy fare to promote healing, she was hired to work in the kitchen.

“The worst thing about the hospital stay was the food – how in the world are you supposed to heal when you are fed empty, salty foods?” she exclaimed.

Make food thy medicine, and medicine thy food – Socrates

“This experience changed me forever, and I began making my own remedies with plants – just as my ancestors had,” she shared. “It was as if their spirits were within me, pushing me in this direction, as I began foraging medicinal plants in the woods by my home. Plants I’d always judged as weeds - dandelions, mallow, birch bark, and plantain.”

Her lineage includes apothecaries from her father’s side of the family who migrated from Ireland, landing in Western Maine, where she makes her home today.

Both sides of her family lived off the land, with her mother’s side working as potters, weavers, cooks, and caregivers outside the home; and her Grandmother on her father’s side selling remedies in a shop.

“My grandmother’s sister sold herbs, remedies and read tea leaves for customers. They could whip up formulations for colds, fevers, and broken hearts,” she laughed. “If you were dumped by a boyfriend, you went to Grammies and she’d make a ‘potion’ of honey, tea, homemade blackberry brandy, and horehound. They weren’t witches - they made healing tonics.”

Sentimental Stash

“Everything in my stash means something to me,” she shared. “I’ve always felt I’m an old soul, born in the wrong time. The 1940s speak to me, and it shows in my stash. My grammy gave me pink dishes, jewelry, and seashells from her travels.”

The cigarette box, now repurposed for joints, is another gift from grammy. The vape pens are from Kandypen; and the flower is Maine Blue Cheese, grown last summer in her own garden,  testing at 21 percent THC.

“The pearls were a birthday gift from my dear friend, Brent and his husband, Peter,” she explained. “The pipe is a gift from Afghanistan, brought back from my cousin Stephanie, who just returned from two tours. The stones are from a beach in Southern Maine, found during a particularly tough day – my first day back to the beach after the cancer treatments ended.”

A cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment is never easy, and Soucy said losing both breasts changed her forever in many ways.

“On the way back from one of my many reconstructive surgeries, I passed a sign on the side of the road, ‘Be of Good Courage.’ I never knew I was brave,” she surmised, “but that sign stayed with me. I’ve always been independent and lived alone, never had kids – bought my first Harley just out of high school, ran businesses, played guitar. I knew I had guts and a big mouth, but I never knew I could stand on my own two feet, alone – until my cancer experience. When my friend brought over the medibles and oil, I had no idea what would happen to me next – mentally and physically. I learned that it’s alright to ask for help, and to accept the changes that follow.”

Katy Reddy, Designer and Creator of Prettyhigh

Katy Reddy shares her vintage-inspired, high-design smoking accessories

Accessory designer, Katy Reddy, spent several years in the healthcare industry working in Pediatric Hospice as a Child Life Specialist.

“When I was young I wanted to be a Candy Striper—a teenage volunteer, who delivered candy and flowers to patients in the hospital,” she shared. “That desire to be of service turned into a career working with children in hospice—which really means I played with children in the hospital to teach them about their diagnosis and help them cope with the illness. It was an honor to do the work.”

From there she went on to be a Dream Designer for the Make-a-Wish Foundation, working with other child specialists.

Though the job was fulfilling, soon she found herself working as a stay-at-home mom for about five or six years, caring for her kids. 

“I love being a mom, loved being home with them—but something was missing,” she said. “I had the need to create—and to be of service again.”

It was synchronicity, she said, that propelled her down the path of creating Prettyhigh, an online shop filled with repurposed vintage and antique smoking accessories, alongside her own creations, with a vintage feel.

“Since starting Prettyhigh I’ve learned two things my soul needs, to be of service to others, and this experience has fulfilled both,” she said. “It’s also been the most beautiful experience—literally and figuratively. Cannabis brings me back to a place of peace and connection to spirit, which, in turn, externalizes into the accessories I create.”

Don’t Mess With Texas

Katy Reddy said she first partook of the plant in high school, where she grew up in Missouri in 1999. Missouri has just recently accepted the plant as medicine.

“In high school I only tried cannabis twice,” she said. “I was really into sports and worked part-time. It wasn’t until college that I realized it was so much more than something to do for recreation.”

Reddy is now based in Fort Worth, Texas. While Texas is still not legal for recreational or medicinal use, a recent survey done by InformedTexas.org, states that 60 percent of Texans currently approve of medical cannabis. 

Pretty & High: The Katy Reddy Stash

Reddy’s dosing includes microdosing, with everything in her life in moderation. One cup of coffee in the morning, one glass of wine in the evening, and one hit of flower to medicate at a time.

“The way some people would enjoy the process of a perfectly brewed cup of tea, I delight in the process of consuming flower,” she added. “Breaking down the bud, the texture, the way it feels, its earthy fragrance. I can appreciate the way it gifts us a perspective shift—gifting beauty from the inside out.”

It’s the process that draws Katy Reddy into cannabis and creating. Everything in her life is done with intention, whether it’s medicating, recreating, or expanding her line of artful accessories.

“I consider myself a patient of life and medicate to navigate the physical world, while staying grounded to spirit,” she explained. “Smoking cannabis involves the re-centering of myself. It’s a time when I’m free of the noise, allowing me time to bring the chaos into focus. I recreate, so I can create, so I can feel at peace.”

Reddy’s stash is an eclectic mix of old and new, nestled in a repurposed vintage gold leather briefcase.

The stash includes her own creations from the Prettyhigh cache, including her own rolling papers, hand-written with “prettyhighdeas” on each packet.

All in polished brass, with Reddy adding, “My style leans to the glamorous age of the 1930s and 40s, with a street edge vibe.”

Pieces she’s designed include a brass rolling machine, a brass rolling tray; and a brass bangle charmed with a keyring, whistle and vintage cigarette holder. Also included is a golden one-hit-wonder in medical-grade titanium, with a compact black lucite dugout, aptly named, Doug. Just behind Doug is a rhinestone encrusted holder for the dugout.

A cut-glass pipe she designed is ready for gifting in a Prettyhigh black and gold vintage case, alongside a vintage cut glass ashtray.

“When I serve scotch or a fine wine it’s served using cut crystal, so I thought, why shouldn’t the flower be consumed with just as much elegance?” she said. 

The entire affair could come directly from an antique murder mystery… opera glasses, a vintage leather coin purse, and ebony and gold dice. Is this a stash or a collection of clues?

A nod to musician and songstress Sheila E comes in a pair of what Katy Reddy calls, smoking gloves, with a nod to the glamorous life. 

Prettyhigh is the externalization of Reddy’s spirit, a dreamworld of manifested accessories, made to prettily elevate the conversation, and destigmatize the art of partaking.

“Each piece tells a story of synchronicity through connection to others, and that’s spiritual. That’s part of the whole experience of enjoying the plant,” she concluded. “Moments reminding me that nothing is by chance and that I’m right where I’m meant to be. Creation is my recreation.”

Matt Taylor, Co-founder Eminent Consulting

A multi-faceted consulting company with a passion for educating

Portland, Oregon resident, Matt Taylor, came to the table at Eminent Consulting with a lineage of leadership experience, from management at many levels to finance. His mission is to employ authenticity to reframe how professionalism applies to the once illicit and often eccentric cannabis industry.

After spending seven years working in the banking and music industries, he worked for Oregon retailer, Farma, in various management roles. He then accepted a multi-faceted role in business development and sales with High Noon Cultivation, a craft cannabis producer, eventually focusing on its branding, then cultivation and production. 

With co-founder Emma Chasen, the two created a wide-ranging consulting firm in the cannabis space. They also created Eminent’s online cannabis education program, titled Fundamentals of Cannabis Science.

Taylor understands the medicinal aspects of the plant, personally. But he also gets the science, and believes that cannabis can be an important guide in realizing self-growth.

“The plant aids in compassion and empathy,” he explained. “Cannabis reduces stress within our modern world, while lessening disease in our bodies. It also increases focus and expands creativity.”

An Intentional Stash

Taylor shared that most of his consuming of cannabis is done purposefully, whether he’s in the recreation category or using it as remedy.

“Usually, I’ll smoke right after I’ve set up my equipment and switched on whatever music equipment I’m about to dive into,” he shared. “Or, when I’ve opened up the session I’m currently working on in Adobe Premiere to edit videos of my business partner, Emma Chasen, dropping dank cannabis knowledge—as she does so well.”

The key, he said, is setting everything up prior to partaking, as fidgeting with cable fails while elevated can be frustrating, “draining the creative flow,” he adds.

“I know that other creatives reading this right now can relate,” he laughed. “Having the right dose and choice of weed really activates me. It dilates my creative channels and allows me to really immerse and focus. Shout out to High Noon’s Dosi Mints and Shave Ice for calibrating my fellow collaborators so perfectly, every single time!”

His stash is intermixed with his toys and tools of choice, an AKAI MPC Live, Focusrite Scarlett 8i6 - portable recording interface; monitors, Fender Strat, Vox AC30 amp, pedal board, and coils of cables.

Taylor said while he embraces the creative flow of partaking, he also intentionally medicates nearly every morning for stomach stress. 

“Sometimes I’ll experience discomfort in my gut—the chosen cabin where my anxieties and stresses hitch their ride,” he continued. “For just about my entire life, I’ve noticed this dull discomfort in my stomach—most prominently when I wake up in the morning. If my schedule isn’t too demanding, I’ll take two modestly sized hits of flower in the morning to alleviate the sensation and stimulate my appetite. It still wows me how effective a little bit of cannabis is for combatting this ailment.”

The stash at hand is an away stash, as at the time of this interview he wasn’t in his home state of Oregon, but working for a client in Oklahoma. 

“Fortunately for me, our clients grow the best organic, indoor flower in Oklahoma, which currently makes up my head stash—making me feel closer to home.” he said. “Living in Oregon, with access to some of the best weed in the world, I’m pretty spoiled.”

Among what he says are “tons” of hemp wick are rolling papers du jour are, Resonant Cultivation’s Glazed Apricot Gelato and Black Cherry Punch flower, alongside a Journey 3 steel pipe, a PAX 2 vaporizer, and a classic Grav Labs, industrial strength, beaker bong.

The novelty lighter, clearly marked, PLEASE RETURN TO ABDULLAH SAEED, was acquired the last time he and Abdullah seshed together in Portland, Oregon. Taylor notes the lighter is out of gas, but he keeps it in his active stash as a keepsake.

He also enjoys the plant when it’s time to chill at night, waxing poetic about its many illuminating moments.

“I enjoy partaking after dinner with my love, hanging with the animals—weed is perfect for all the goofin’ and canoodlin’ moments—whimsically dragging the highlighter streak across the act of loving, and getting lost in the jazz of conversation, illuminating the moments of divine nourishment,” he espoused.

On solo nights he may put on a recorded lecture of a philosopher, or watch a good documentary of the artist of the moment; pacing around his bungalow, while nibbling on dark chocolate.

“This imbibing may follow a chapter of necessary, but often excessive, reflection of time before calling it a night,” he concluded.

For more information on Eminent Consulting visit, https://www.eminentconsultingfirm.com/ 

To enroll in its online cannabis workshop series visit, https://eminent.teachable.com/p/fundamentals-of-cannabis-science