Hydrolife Magazine April/May 2017 (USA Edition)

grow. heal. live. enjoy. 

APR/MAY 2017 // USA 

Mary Jean Dunsdon 

WATERMELON 

Baking a fool of herself since 1993

inside 

12 our crew / 14 from the publisher / 16 own it / 18 ask kyle / 46 ask a nurse / 94 consultant's corner / 98 the chill list 

grow. 

20 The Basics of Light 

Deprivation Cultivation 

26 Why Humans Use Lumens 

and Plants Use PAR 

32 Good Stress, Bad Stress 

40 Testing for Pesticides 

heal. 

48 River City Phoenix 

52 Cut and Dried 

56 Can Cannabis Treat Epilepsy? 

60 Training with Cannabis 

62 Medicating with Cannabis 

in the Golden Years 

8 


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live. 

72 Jeff Sessions: Should the Cannabis 

Industry be Worried? 

78 Pepper and Less Than Jake 

80 A History of Cannabis Part II 

enjoy. 

90 Five Effective Methods 

for Stashing Your Stash 

96 Baking a Fool of Myself: 

Cover Girl Aspirations 

myhydrolife.com grow. heal. live. enjoy. 9

our crew 

Billy Bishop 

Chris Bond 

Isaac Cedillo 

Jessica Ferneyhough 

Josh Gerovac 

Kent Gruetzmacher 

Cory Hughes 

Kyle Kushman 

Gibson Lannister 

Sharon Letts 

Lee G. Lyzit 

Mary Otte 

Monica Mansfield 

Lacey Macri 

Jodi McDonald 

Alan Ray 

Watermelon 

April/May 2017 

volume 6 - number 5 

Published by 

Hydrolife Magazine 

3773 Howard Hughes Parkway 

South Tower, Suite 500 

Las Vegas, Nevada 89169 

Inquiries to 

editor@myhydrolife.com 

No part of this magazine 

may be reproduced 

without permission from 

the publisher. The views 

expressed by columnists are 

personal opinions and do not 

necessarily reflect those of 

Hydrolife or the editor. 

Printed in Canada 

Distribution 

P.A.I.N. Distribution | 310.488.1911 

magazinedistribution.org 

12 


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from the publisher 

To know where you’re going, you 

have to know where you’ve been. 

The same adage rings true for the modern 

cannabis industry, which is why this issue of 

Hydrolife takes a look back at the roots of marijuana 

and how the plant has travelled through history 

(“History of Cannabis Part II”, page 80), as well as 

how the industry may be affected by recent political 

appointments (“Should the Cannabis Industry be 

Worried?”, page 72). 

A century ago, marijuana was widely accepted 

because of its ability to ease or cure a variety of 

ailments. After being unjustly tied to immigration 

and health woes in the US for decades, the plant 

became vilified in society. It is only now, with the 

help of modern science, emerging as a potential 

game changer in the health world due to its 

medicinal benefits. 

Of course, old habits die hard. Just as it appeared 

the air was clearing over the acceptance of 

cannabis, newly appointed Attorney General Jeff 

Sessions has made it clear cannabis will not be 

tolerated by the Trump administration—Obama 

considered marijuana enforcement a low priority— 

and that it is still illegal under federal law. Unless 

congress changes its position, says Sessions, it is his 

responsibility to uphold the law. 

It’s not just the Trump administration. A United 

Nations panel responsible for enforcing anti-drug 

treaties just gave Canada and the US a strong warning 

on legalizing marijuana. Under conventions 

signed in 1961, 1971, and 1988, countries are prohibited 

from legalizing cannabis. The UN’s International 

Narcotics Control Board is working hard to prevent 

cannabis legalization in all countries. 

For the marijuana industry to not only survive, but 

thrive, in the future, it will need to have a virtually 

perfect record moving forward. Every dispensary, 

festival, licensed producer, and individual user that 

does not follow regulations to a T will only give 

anti-marijuana campaigners a reason to tighten the 

noose. If medicinal marijuana wants to be a first line 

option, it is going to have to earn it. 

Marijuana’s past has been a rocky one to be sure. 

We should expect no less for its future. 

14 grow. heal. live. enjoy. 

myhydrolife.com

ROW. HEAL. LIVE. ENJOY.

own it 

2 

4 

1 

own it 

3 

1. With QBracelet, combine 

fashion with innovative 

technology and look good 

doing it. With QBracelet, 

charging your iPhone has 

never been easier; simply 

pull the bracelet open at the 

clasp and plug the lightning 

connector into the device. 

It will update you when the 

device is charged to 25, 

50, 75, and 100 per cent. 

Weighing just 80 grams, 

the QBracelet is made of 

ultra-thin 316 stainless steel 

and is compatible with 

models beginning at 

iPhone5 and later. 

—qdesigns.co 

2. Remember trading baseball 

cards as a kid? Now that 

you’re a grown-up, you and 

your friends can carry on 

the fun with Canna Cards’ 

Collectible Trading 

Cards. Each pack includes 

seven cards which showcase 

vivid descriptions and full 

color photos of your favorite 

cannabis strains from Bubba 

Kush to SinMint Cookies. 

Also includes up-to-date 

information on the strain’s 

associated products, 

history, processes, farming 

and growing techniques, 

flowering times, definitions, 

phenotypes, aromas, flavors, 

and potential medical uses. 

—canna-cards.com 

3. ClubM’s MBox has 

changed the game with 

an exclusive channel that 

allows consumers to try out 

the ever-changing variety 

of the very best cannabisinfused 

products in the 

privacy of their own homes. 

This online membership 

program provides cannabis 

and related products in a 

way that is safe, secure, and 

confidential. Customers can 

get a monthly shipment of 

curated premium cannabis 

concentrates, vapes, 

edibles, and flowers 

delivered to their door 

via this premiere service. 

—joinclubm.com 

4. Drift Sublingual is a fastacting 

sublingual spray that 

provides the ease of a vape 

pen without the smoke. Spray 

it under your tongue, hold 

it there for 30 seconds, and 

shortly after, enjoy a smooth, 

subtle body high. Every spray 

contains exactly 1.6 milligrams 

of THC, and each bottle 

contains 100 mg of THC 

from the best sourced 

cannabis, infused into an 

organic, cold-extracted 

peppermint oil. Using a 

proprietary delivery system 

called Gravitine, the full range 

of cannabinoids is delivered 

directly into the bloodstream. 

—mirthprovisions.com 

16 


myhydrolife.com

5 6 

7 

8 

5. True Dope of Canada was 

started with one purpose: 

to legitimize marijuana use 

and end social stigmas 

surrounding it by providing 

the nation with highquality 

and stylish cannabis 

accessories. The Truedope 

Leaf T-Shirt, with its floral 

design discreetly intertwined 

with cannabis leaves, allows 

even the most sophisticated 

smokers to show their own 

support while remaining 

fashion-forward. The 100 per 

cent cotton shirt is designed 

in Canada, but comes in 

European sizes (in other 

words, it runs small). 

—truedope.com 

6. Resin-coated water pipes not 

only look gross, they also 

underperform. To keep your 

pieces sparkling and your 

experience clean, try using 

RezBlock by 420 Science. 

Just a few drops added with 

each water change will help 

prevent resin from building 

up. (Of course, the more 

frequently you use it, the 

better it works.) Made of fruit 

extracts, vegetable glycerin, 

purified water, and citric acid, 

RezBlock won’t affect taste. 

—420science.com 

7. Named for its clever design 

and sophistication, the IQ 

vaporizer from DaVinci is 

both unique and portable. 

Its sleek exterior comes in 

four colors and features a 

ceramic air path, Smart Path 

technology and bluetooth 

app integration. The DaVinci 

IQ is made for a range of 

users from vaping newbies 

to on-the-go users and 

connoisseurs. Includes 

a USB charging cable, 

alcohol wipes, chimney 

brush, keychain tool, 10 mm 

adapter, and a carry can. 

—davincivaporizer.com 

8. Now is your chance to cast 

off the synthetics and go fully 

natural for your next camping 

experience. The Yukon 

Hemp Sleeping Bag 

from Rawganique is made 

from 100 per cent organic 

hemp canvas on the exterior 

and a sweater-weight hemp 

knit blanket on the inside. 

Both parts are grown, woven, 

knitted and sewn in-house 

at the Rawganique Atelier 

in Europe—a process the 

company proudly describes as 

environmentally sustainable 

and “sweatshop-free”. 

—rawganique.co 


ask kyle 

Q 

a 

Well, Carole, isn’t this 

the crux of the whole 

shebang? More sugar! 

The basis of my whole 

career is trying to help 

the personal grower 

make the most of their 

efforts. Stronger flowers and higher 

yields make your cannabis more valuable. 

If it’s more potent, you can smoke 

less to achieve the desired effect. If you 

grow more, then you can smoke more. 

There are many angles of attack; I 

could write a book of yield enhancement 

techniques! For now, though, I’ll suggest 

a few that can be easily applied while 

having substantial effects. 

First off, plants need to be healthy 

to achieve their genetic potential. 

Keeping plants healthy and 

photosynthesizing through the entire 

production phase of flowering is 

the only way to maximize potency. 

Remember, you are what you eat and 

so are your plants. So, be patient when 

learning how much to water and feed. 

Hi Kyle, 

I’ve been growing for a couple of years, and I’m disappointed with the potency of my 

plants’ essential oils. I use marijuana for pain relief and would really like to boost my buds' 

cannabinoid levels. Any advice you could provide on improving my plants? 

Thanks, 

Carole 

Next, stress training is a technique 

like that used by bonsai masters. 

Manipulating branches, whether 

by carefully bending, twisting, and 

snapping the inner hurd (core) of 

branches, is a technique known as 

supercropping. You can also use garden 

tape or twine to tie down branches and 

expose lower, inner nodes to more light. 

Also, use a bloom booster during 

peak flowering, which usually 

occurs in weeks four to six 

(possibly week seven for sativas). 

This can be achieved by elevating 

levels of phosphorous and 

potassium by 10-15 per cent. 

You can also preserve your root 

mass by not under- or overwatering. 

Roots are sensitive; too dry and 

they die, too wet and they suffocate. 

Learn to effectively cycle your plants 

through complete wet to dry cycles 

during the veg stage. As the plants 

get larger, they need more water 

present to hold up its vegetation and 

keep a larger root system moist. 

Kyle Kushman is an internationally renowned marijuana 

cultivator whose collaborations have earned 13 Medical Cannabis 

Cup awards, including three US Cannabis Cups for Best Flowers. As 

the creator of Vegamatrix, the only line of vegan and organic nutrients 

designed for growing cannabis, Kyle continues to make advances for 

people who want to cultivate the purest, cleanest medicine possible. 

Also, keeping the lights close to the 

plants is a great way to increase photosynthesis, 

growth rates, and minimize 

internodal spacing. However, having the 

ability to back off the lights while the 

buds are ripening is essential. This can 

be done either by raising lights to double 

the distance during production, lowering 

the wattage, or both. 

Finally, mimic the natural world by 

using halide for vegging and sodium 

for flowering. Plants that wake up from 

their first full dark cycle to the intense 

light spectrum change will experience a 

pronounced difference in time until bud 

set. Less time stretching means a shorter 

intermodal spacing, which directly 

relates to larger colas. 

Good luck! 

Kyle 

DO YOU HAVE 

A QUESTION 

FOR KYLE? 

Email editor@myhydrolife.com 

to get an answer. 

18 


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BACK BLACK: 

IN 

The Basics of Light Deprivation Cultivation 

by Kent Gruetzmacher 

Tricking your herbs, vegetables, or flowers into 

thinking harvest time is approaching through light 

deprivation can result in more frequent highquality 

yields. While becoming popular, light 

deprivation greenhouses take some dialing 

in. Kent Gruetzmacher sheds some light on 

the basics of blackout gardening. 


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grow 

The popularity of light deprivation 

cultivation has been on the rise over 

the past few years. There are several 

reasons why, but key factors include 

higher-quality yields and off-season 

harvest times, allowing growers who 

utilize this method to supply the market 

with a particular product when others 

can’t. In light deprivation growing, horticulturalists 

use sunlight to fuel their 

gardens while simultaneously employing 

environmental controls not seen 

in traditional outdoor grow scenarios. 

This blend of cultivation styles allows 

light deprivation gardeners to combine 

their knowledge of indoor and outdoor 

growing to produce exceptional crops. 

Furthermore, light deprivation requires 

less electricity and allows for harvests 

during better weather. 

Plant Photoperiods 

The most definitive characteristic of 

light-deprivation cultivation is the artificial 

simulation of equal 12-hour light/ 

dark photoperiods. Using light deprivation, 

cultivators seek to mimic the photoperiods 

of the late summer and early 

fall, which trigger plants to produce 

flowers. This idea of artificially induced 

flower periods represents a merging of 

outdoor and indoor growing methods. 

While indoor growers have timers that 

simulate night and day in a growroom, 

light deprivation growers must devise 

other means to black out the sunlight 

during the 12-hour dark period. It should 

be noted, however, that artificial light 

deprivation methods are only necessary 

in evening and morning in most areas. 

Exposing your plants to sunsets, moon 

rises, and the fresh air of summer nights 

will generally improve their quality. 

With that said, light deprivation enthusiasts 

must devise blackout systems 

that cover the entire canopy and exterior 

of their gardens to block all sunlight in 

the simulation of nighttime conditions. 

Frames, Hoop-houses, 

and Greenhouses 

No matter how sophisticated or 

simple cultivators wish to make 

their operations, all light deprivation 

crops require an exterior frame which 

supports a blackout system. There are 

three routes one can take in the creation 

of a framework: wood frames, hoophouses, 

and greenhouses. Gardeners can 

create wood frames by placing heavy 

wooden posts in cement at the ends of 

the garden. These wooden posts have 

heavy cables that support the tarp and 

allow for it to easily slide over the canopy 

of the garden. Secondly, PVC hoophouses 

can be constructed by pounding 

two-foot pieces of rebar into the ground 

at opposite ends of the garden and 

simply bending the PVC over the canopy 

and onto the rebar, forming a “hoop.” 

Finally, greenhouse kits and frames 

make excellent support over which 

to pull blackout tarps. Greenhouses 

provide growers with the ability to utilize 

more environmental controls than with 

wood frames and hoop-houses, and 

greenhouses have opaque walls as well 

as door systems, making them more 

attractive for privacy and security. 

Tarp Systems 

The sort of tarp-pulling system one 

chooses for a light deprivation operation 

will prove to be important for the 

duration of a flowering cycle. This is 

because the tarp has to be pulled over 

the entire canopy of the garden twice 

a day for an entire 55- to 70-day flower 

cycle. Therefore, light deprivation cultivators 

have to be present twice a day, 

for two months solid, to ensure this task 

is complete. In the novice operation, as 

seen with wooden frames and hoophouses, 

it’s often possible to simply pull 

the tarp over the frame by hand or with 

the help of ropes. To aid in this process, 

growers also devise pulley systems 

mounted on trees and wooden poles to 

help with getting a tarp over a large or 

tall frame system. 

Finally, greenhouse companies have 

designed a number of automated, less 

labor-intensive systems that black out 

daylight. These automated systems include 

motorized tarp pulley systems 

as well as large blinds that fold 

over on one another to create a 

completely dark environment. 

“ 

THERE ARE THREE 

ROUTES ONE 

CAN TAKE IN THE 

CREATION OF A 

FRAMEWORK: 

WOOD FRAMES, 

HOOP-HOUSES, AND 

GREENHOUSES.” 

Airflow During the 

‘Night’ Period 

Regardless of the scope of a light 

deprivation operation, all cultivators 

need to consider airflow in their 

gardens when the tarp is pulled 

over the canopy during nighttime 

simulation. This is because the tarp 

hinders all airflow from outside the 

canopy, presenting challenges with 

humidity and subsequent 

issues with mold and 

mildew. To remedy these 

concerns, growers 

must employ intake 

and outtake fans 

similar to 

those found 

in indoor 


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“ GROWERS MUST EMPLOY INTAKE AND 

OUTTAKE FANS SIMILAR TO THOSE FOUND 

IN INDOOR GROWROOMS TO ENSURE A STEADY 

EXCHANGE OF AIR WHEN THE COVERINGS ARE DRAWN.“ 

growrooms to ensure a steady exchange of air when the 

coverings are drawn. When choosing the size of inline 

fans for intakes and outtakes, gardeners should use 

similar considerations as seen with indoor growing. 

Exhaust fans should completely exchange the air in 

a light deprivation garden in five minutes or less. 

Depending on the size and the structure of a garden, 

intakes and outtakes can be mounted on the framing 

system or simply placed on the ground. However, for air to 

move efficiently, it’s essential that the ducting connected 

to these fans is long enough so that the ends are not 

covered by the tarp when it is pulled over the frame. 

Light deprivation greenhouses essentially signal plants 

that seasons are changing earlier than they actually are, so 

growers can manipulate their crops to produce more robust 

and frequent crops. Keep in mind that some plants react 

better to light deprivation methods than others, and that 

issues such as excessive 

heat or humidity, lack of 

oxygen to the roots, and pest 

infestations can be prohibitive. 

Once dialed in, however, light 

deprivation technology can be used 

to harvest early and often, particularly 

in late summer and early fall. 

Kent Gruetzmacher is a California-based writer 

and the west coast director of business development 

at Mac & Fulton Executive Search and Consulting, an 

employment recruiting firm. He is interested in utilizing 

his Master of Arts in humanities to explore the cultural and 

business facets of this emerging industry by way of his 

entrepreneurial projects. 

24 


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BY JOSH GEROVAC 

WHY HUMANS USE 

LUMENS 

AND PLANTS USE 

PAR 

Humans need light to perceive color 

and brightness while plants need 

light to support photosynthesis. Using 

the correct metrics and instruments 

to calculate PAR is essential to avoid 

adverse lighting effects on your crop. 


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grow 

Whether you are using horticulture 

lighting systems to provide supplemental 

lighting in a greenhouse or solesource 

lighting indoors, it is important 

that you know the quality and quantity 

of light that your fixtures are providing to 

your plants. There are numerous metrics 

used to measure light; however, certain 

ones were developed for applications 

related to human vision, while others 

were developed specifically for measuring 

light that influences plant growth 

and development. 

HUMANS USE LUMENS 

It goes without saying that plants 

perceive light very differently than 

humans. Where plants use light to 

drive photosynthesis and other lightmediated 

physiological responses, 

humans and many other animals use 

something called photopic vision in 

well-lit conditions to perceive color 

and brightness of light. Lumen is a 

unit of measurement based on a model 

of human eye sensitivity in well-lit 

conditions, which is why the model 

is called the photopic response curve 

(Figure 1). As it shows, the photopic 

response curve is bell-shaped and shows 

how humans are much more sensitive 

to green light than blue or red light. 

LUX and foot candle meters measure 

the intensity of light (using lumens) for 

commercial and residential lighting 

applications, with the only difference 

between the two being the unit of area 

they measure (LUX uses lumen per 

square meter and foot candle uses 

lumen per square foot). 

The fundamental problem with using 

LUX or foot candle meters when measuring 

the light intensity of horticulture lighting 

systems is the underrepresentation of blue 

(400-500 nanometers) and red (600-700 nm) 

light in the measurement. Humans may 

not be efficient at perceiving light in 

these regions, but plants are highly 

efficient at using blue and red light 

to drive photosynthesis. 

PLANTS USE PAR 

Plants primarily use wavelengths of light 

between 400-700 nm to drive photosynthesis 

(Figure 1), which is why this range is 

called photosynthetically active radiation 

(PAR). PAR is a much-used (and often 

misused) term related to horticulture lighting. 

PAR is not a measurement or metric 

like feet, inches, or kilos. Rather, it defines 

the type of light needed to support photosynthesis. 

The amount and spectral light 

quality of PAR are the important metrics 

to focus on. Quantum sensors are the 

“HUMANS MAY NOT be efficient at perceiving light in these regions, but plants 

are highly efficient at using blue and red light to drive photosynthesis.” 

PAR 

Relative Photosynthetic Efficiency (%) 

100 

80 

60 

40 

20 

0 

Lumens 

300 400 500 600 700 800 

Wavelength (nm) 

Figure 1 

Graph depicting the average photosynthetic efficiency of plants and the spectral 

range that photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and lumens are measured. 


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grow 

primary instrument used to quantify the 

light intensity of horticulture lighting 

systems. A quantum sensor measures 

the total amount of PAR landing on a 

specific location of your plant canopy 

and is measured in micromoles per 

square meter per second (µmol/m 2 /s). 

These sensors work by using an optical 

filter to create a uniform sensitivity to 

PAR light, and can be used in combination 

with a light meter to measure 

instantaneous light intensity or a data 

logger to measure cumulative light 

intensity (Figure 2). 

If you used a LUX or foot candle meter 

to measure the intensity of a horticulture 

lighting system, you would end up 

receiving different values depending on 

the spectrum of the fixture, even if the 

fixtures were providing the same PAR 

intensity to your crop. For example, if 

you took a measurement using a LUX or 

foot candle meter under a fixture using 

broad spectrum (i.e. white) light emitting 

diodes (LEDs), you would receive a much 

higher value than if you took the same 

measurement under a fixture with red 

and blue LEDs, even if both fixtures 

were providing the same amount of PAR. 

This will cause growers to miscalculate 

the actual amount of PAR they are 

delivering to their crop, which can lead 

to unfavorable growth and development. 

This is why lumens, LUX, and foot 

candles should not be used as metrics 

for horticulture lighting. 

When you are looking to optimize 

growing conditions by measuring and 

fine-tuning light intensity in a controlled 

environment, it is extremely important to 

use the correct metrics and instruments. 

The amount of PAR delivered to a 

crop has a direct correlation to the 

amount of water, CO 2, and nutrients 

a plant requires, in addition to other 

environmental factors (e.g. temperature 

and humidity) that need to be adjusted 

based on light intensity. Measuring 

lumens instead of PAR is just one 

example of using incorrect metrics for 

horticulture lighting that can have an 

adverse effect on your crop. 

Josh Gerovac is a horticulture scientist 

at Fluence Bioengineering. He has spent 

the last decade working in controlled 

environment agriculture, ranging 

from growth chambers to commercial 

greenhouses. His research and practice 

is focused on the influence of light 

intensity and spectral light quality 

from sole-source LEDs on growth, 

morphology, and nutrient content of 

edible, ornamental, and medicinal crop 

production. He has a BSc in horticulture 

production and marketing, and a MSc in 

horticulture, both from Purdue University. 

Figure 2 

Using a quantum meter to measure light intensity. 

30 


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Good Stress, Bad Stress 

by Stephen Keen 

HOW YOUR 

PLANTS WILL 

RESPOND 

The phrase “What doesn’t kill you 

makes you stronger” can also apply 

to your plants. By providing good 

stress to your crop, you can ensure it 

will be more robust and productive. 

Just don’t overdo it. Stephen Keen 

from Surna tells us how. 

32 


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grow 

In cannabis cultivation, as in life, there 

are two types of stress—good and bad. 

Good stress causes the cannabis plant 

to work harder to achieve a desirable 

goal (larger buds, anyone?); bad stress is 

counterproductive to growth and could 

ultimately kill the plant. When growing 

cannabis, it is important to maximize 

the use of good stress and minimize the 

introduction of bad stress. 

Bad Stress 

Some plant stressors are 

counterproductive to growth as they 

inhibit the plants’ ability to absorb light 

for photosynthesis, constrain appropriate 

amounts of leaf transpiration, increase 

susceptibility to pest/disease attack, 

and potentially cause the plants 

to develop genetic abnormalities 

(hermaphroditism); all of which could 

devastate an entire flower crop. 

Light 

When flowering, cannabis plants 

are very susceptible to stress from 

interruptions in the light cycle. Even 

a red indicator light on a camera can 

cause plants to become hermaphroditic. 

As such, it is crucial to maintain 

complete darkness during the entire 

lights off cycle. Because commercial 

operations require cameras in every 

room of the grow, look for cameras and 

other emergency lights that have green 

indicator lights instead of red and then 

securely cover the light with a piece 

of electrical tape. The photoperiod of 

cannabis plants is largely unaffected 

by low intensity green light, making it 

the better choice of light source for dark 

cycle work lights and indicators. Now, 

don’t mistake the previous statement as 

“Cannabis plants don’t use green light 

for photosynthesis.” They very much do. 

However, there are different chemical 

processes within the plant that are at 

play when it comes to photoperiodism. 

If work must be completed during the 

lights off cycle, only use a low power 

green LED for a light source. When no 

work is being completed in the flower 

room, the space should be completely 

dark and tested regularly to 

verify that no new light leaks 

have developed. 

Temperature 

Within the conventional indoor grow 

environment, heat is typically much more 

of a negative stressor to cannabis plants 

than cold. Cannabis plants grown indoors 

aren’t usually exposed to temperatures 

below 50°F, so seeing stresses caused by 

plants getting too cold is an uncommon 

event. However, when ambient conditions 

rise above 85°F, the plants start to alter 

their growth patterns to accommodate a 

higher rate of transpiration to keep the 

plant cool. This altered growth puts extra 

energy into growing more plant stem, 

ultimately resulting in a lanky plant 

without the desired flower mass yield 

and essential oil production. At extremely 

high temperatures, photosynthesis can 

cease entirely and maturation of the crop 

will certainly be delayed. Keeping the 

temperature and humidity of the room at 

an appropriate level throughout the day is 

crucial to maintaining an efficient grow. 

Good Stress 

There are a variety of good types of stress 

that can be introduced throughout the 

growing cycle. Exposing cannabis plants to 

good stress will result in robust plants that 

are more likely to produce more resin and 

larger buds. The best plants are the ones 

that not only survive doses of good stress, 

but actually thrive on it. To ensure you are 

growing the best plants, it is important to 

cull plants at each stage of growth. 

Air Circulation 

Using air circulation is the most common 

way of stressing plants that most people 

already incorporate in their room for other 

reasons. By using an oscillating fan to keep 

young plants moving with forced air, you 

are, in effect, constantly providing small 

stresses to the stem of the plant which help 

the stem become thick and robust more 

quickly than if forced air is not used. 

“ 

KEEPING THE TEMPERATURE & HUMIDITY 

OF THE ROOM AT AN APPROPRIATE LEVEL 

THROUGHOUT THE DAY IS CRUCIAL TO 

MAINTAINING AN EFFICIENT GROW.” 

34 


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grow 

Plant Training 

Plant training is the process of managing 

plant growth using various levels 

of applied stresses to manipulate the 

plant shape and size. These stressors 

alter growth by changing the plants’ 

nutrient distribution pathways, modulating 

metabolic rates, and by physically 

spreading the plant out laterally, making 

it easier to maintain an even canopy. 

There are several ways of achieving 

this end. Some may seem extreme, but 

they’re worth experimenting with if you 

haven’t already. 

Low-Stress Training (LST): Low-stress 

training is the practice of using small 

amounts of constant force to encourage 

plant branch growth in the growers’ 

chosen direction while opening up lower 

nodes to higher light intensity. Applying 

this stress throughout the vegetative 

growth phase will provide thick stem 

growth, which will produce additional 

nutrient and water delivery capabilities 

during flowering. This technique is 

very good for increasing yield per plant 

while keeping the overall plant height 

to a minimum. Screen of Green (ScrOG) 

trellising, tomato cages, and using 

bamboo stakes (sticking and spreading) 

are all great methods of applying this 

type of gentle stress. 

Super-cropping: Break your plants! 

While this may sound extreme, it will 

increase your yield if done correctly. 

Super-cropping is the method of taking 

growth that is too tall for the grower’s 

liking and bending it in the desired direction 

of growth until the stem’s inside 

structure breaks. The intent is to break 

the inside while leaving the outer 

structure free from damage. After a few 

days, you’ll notice a knuckle forming 

at the bend; this is a good thing. This 

stress increases the plant's ability to 

deliver nutrients to the top nodes on 

that branch while opening up the lower 

branches to more light. 

Topping: Topping is the most common 

plant control technique used in cannabis 

gardening. This process involves 

clipping off the very top shoot from the 

topmost plant branch(es). In doing this, 

the top node splits into two shoots. This 

can be done multiple times through 

the vegetative phase to maintain the 

desired canopy height. For some cannabis 

strains, this technique will produce 

a nice bushy structure that provides a 

higher yield potential per plant. Remember, 

this technique should be used during 

vegetative growth only and is not appropriate 

to use during flower growth. 

Lollipopping: Lollipopping is another 

way of directing plant hormones to the 

branches or nodes of interest through 

defoliation. In this technique, undergrowth 

is periodically stripped away with the 

intention of pushing robust new growth 

to the top of the branches. During 

vegetative growth, this practice will 

allow the grower to direct growth in the 

direction of their choosing by stretching 

branches into the desired position on the 

canopy. During flowering, this technique 

is used to discourage “popcorn buds”— 

small underdeveloped flowers that 

are typically not marketable for flower 

sales—by directing growth to the top 

cola on each branch. It’s recommended to 

take advantage of this technique before 

placing the plant into a flowering state 

and between two to three weeks after 

the 12/12 photoperiod has been applied, 

depending on the genetics of the plant. 

Cold Temperatures 

While it may seem like a bad idea to 

allow cannabis plants to get cold given 

their ideal growing climate, it can actually 

be beneficial to allow the room to 

cool down to between 50 and 60°F at 

night during the last two weeks of the 

flower cycle. A sequence of warm days 

(lights on) and cool nights (lights off) 

towards the end of growth mimics the 

natural growth cycle of cannabis plants. 

In fact, many cannabis genetics naturally 

flower in the colder months. Running 

colder temperatures boosts the plants’ 

metabolic system, resulting in more 

resin production and a larger range of 

aesthetically appealing flower colors. 

Purple pistils are a result of cool nights 

at the end of a flower cycle combined 

with the plants’ genetic predisposition 

for producing purple colors. 

“ 

BREAK YOUR PLANTS! WHILE THIS 

MAY SOUND EXTREME, IT WILL INCREASE 

YOUR YIELD IF DONE CORRECTLY.” 

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grow 

Simulate a Drought 

Drought stress is another method that is 

commonly used to encourage accelerated 

growth rates. If applied correctly, 

simulating a drought causes plants to 

react by increasing root growth rates 

as it prepares for supply shortages. 

At the same time, this increases the 

levels of available oxygen to the root 

zone. Advanced growers can push their 

plants’ growth much harder using this 

method. However, be careful as too much 

of this stress is definitely a bad thing. 

You don’t want to see wilting plants or 

have the plants develop an embolism 

while you’re in the middle of a flowering 

program. Become comfortable with 

this technique on the small scale prior to 

attempting to incorporate it into a large 

cannabis production process. 

“ 

IF APPLIED CORRECTLY, 

SIMULATING A DROUGHT CAUSES 

PLANTS TO REACT BY INCREASING ROOT 

GROWTH RATES.” 

Stephen Keen has been an indoor gardening hobbyist for nearly 10 years. The hot summers in Texas led him to start experimenting with 

different equipment and alternative ways to cool the garden. His personal successes with his garden led him to want to bring new ideas, 

mainly water-cooling, to the mainstream, which led to the founding of Hydro Innovations. He tries to educate as many growers as possible 

any way he can about the benefits of new ideas and how to be effective at controlling heat in indoor gardens. 

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grow 

KEYSTONE LABS: 

TESTING FOR 

PESTICIDES 

esticides might be something that you are thinking 

Pabout a lot recently. They have been in the news and 

have played an important role in cannabis product 

recalls in Canada. 

What do we know about pesticides? In general, 

pesticide use is a calculation to increase yield by 

reducing loss to pests. Pesticides are approved for 

use through a rigorous program that considers the 

health and safety of the consumer and the individual 

applying the product to a crop, as well as the 

environmental impact. Many pesticides are considered 

for use on cannabis crops, however, cannabis is not 

consumed in the same way that lettuce or tomatoes 

are. Due to the young age of the legal cannabis 

industry, we are only beginning to collect meaningful 

data about the risks and concerns of control products 

utilized during production. 

With the cannabis industry still in its 

infancy when it comes to government 

standards, allowable pesticides are 

emerging as a source of concern for 

human health. Jodi McDonald explains 

why more scrutiny is needed to protect 

cannabis users from harmful chemicals. 

by Jodi McDonald 

“ 

In general, pesticide use is a 

calculation to increase yield 

by reducing loss to pests.” 

In Canada, Health Canada has published a list of 13 

approved pesticide products for cannabis producers as of 

February 1. A look through this list reveals that there are 

a very limited number of chemical products that cannabis 

growers have at their disposal when a pest problem 

shows up. Most of the approved products are biological 

controls. Compared to the products that are available for 

growers in the US, this may seem like Canadian growers 

are at a great disadvantage. 

In Colorado, the Colorado Department of Agriculture has 

also compiled a list of approved products for pest control 

as of March 6. Compared to the list available for Canadian 

use, this list is 27 pages long, offering a wide variety of 

choices for growers. 

Biological pesticides work because the insect or organism 

in the product is a natural predator or parasite to the pest 

problem. These products are effective because once they 

have done their job and rid a crop of the unwanted pests, 

they die from starvation. Biological pesticides require an 

awareness of the health of a crop and diligent application 

of the products; this can mean frequent reapplication to 

completely eradicate a problem. 

Chemical pesticides have benefits as they act quickly 

and can reduce or completely eliminate an invading 

pest. Unfortunately for Canadian producers, these are not 

approved for use in cannabis crops. 

Recently, the pesticide myclobutanil has been in 

the news related to cannabis recalls in Canada. 

Myclobutanil is a common chemical used to eliminate 

powdery mildew on plants. It is interesting to know that 

this is acceptable for use on edible crops, but it is not 

approved for use in tobacco in the US and Canada. It is 

also not approved for use in cannabis in Canada. 

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grow 

“ 

we are only beginning to collect 

meaningful data about the risks and 

concerns of control products utilized 

during production.” 

Myclobutanil is a good example of pest control and science 

not being applied in equal measure. This pesticide works by 

blocking an enzyme in fungal cells; this impacts the way the 

fungal cell membrane is built and maintained leading to cell 

death. It is a systemic pesticide, which means that it enters the 

plant through the leaves and then spreads internally through 

the plant to provide protection to the whole plant and not just 

at the site of application. 

Since this pesticide is carried inside the plant, it cannot be 

washed off. While its levels decrease over time, the frequency 

that it has been applied to the crop will impact the final 

amount left in the plant at harvest. 

Also concerning is that the pesticide is soluble in common 

solvents used in production of cannabis oil, which means 

as the cannabis oil is being concentrated, the pesticide is 

being concentrated too. 

At temperatures above 205°C, the pesticide breaks down into 

a number of byproducts, one of which is hydrogen cyanide. 

This byproduct is dangerous because it is known to cause 

problems in most of the major systems in the body—the brain, 

the lungs, heart, and hormone control center. 

Overall, myclobutanil is a terrible choice for pest control 

in cannabis. While it is effective against powdery mildew, 

it has a high cost of use for the patients who are exposed 

to products treated with it. This is one clear example of a 

common pesticide used in one industry being adopted by 

a different industry without consideration given to the way 

the crop is processed or consumed. 

In response to the recent product recalls, Health Canada 

has committed to random testing of products for pesticides 

to provide a level of assurance to the patients in Canada. 

For personal growers, the use of pesticide products is not 

regulated by the federal government, so the bottom line is to 

be diligent, know what you are applying to your plants, and 

know what the potential impact is to you as a grower and 

you as a patient. You can’t see pesticides or the residues, 

but a good test lab will have sensitive equipment that will 

detect the presence of pesticides. 

Jodi McDonald is the president and founder of Keystone 

Labs and is a medical microbiologist, inventor, and super 

science-geek. She has 20 years’ experience in the quality 

control, regulatory, and quality assurance environment for the 

pharmaceutical industry. Jodi believes testing is essential for 

taking control of your personal health. 

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Herbal 

ASK A NURSE: TIPS FOR THE GAME 

Q 

Dear Nurse Jessica, 

My boyfriend and I have been dating for about three years. He never used 

marijuana before he met me, but now he is a regular user and really enjoys 

it. It’s something we share as a couple (we’re in our late 20s). Problem is, 

in the last few months, he has been having some erectile difficulties. 

He doesn’t want to talk about it. Could this be related to marijuana? 

Thank you, 

Sandy 

Hello Sandy, 

A 

Since cannabis has a unique reaction to everyone, it 

could be the ganja. Some men need it, some men don’t. It 

could also be his diet, hydration level, busy brain, or a 

boring sex life (no offense). 

Start by booking an appointment with your family doctor 

and naturopath. It’s never a bad idea to request some blood 

work and see how everything is going on internally. 

Erectile difficulty isn’t easy to deal with as a couple, but this too shall 

pass. Hang in there, Sandy, this may be a way to elevate your intimacy 

and discover new pleasures. 

Perhaps you two need a 72-hour detox from cannabis. Give yourselves 

a reset and see what you’re both like without it. Since you use cannabis 

together, try doing some other things for those three days. Why not do 

some couples yoga, book massages, take floats in a float 

pod, get acupuncture done together, or book a cottage 

for a weekend and spend some time outdoors? Since 

your boyfriend doesn’t want to talk about it, don’t. 

Just provide some tender love and affection with 

the right dose of newness. 

Another possibility would be to go shopping 

for some sex toys together. Adding another 

dimension to your intimacy might be just 

what he needs. Grab a cock ring, a Swedish 

penis pump, and a few different dildos 

for yourself. Don’t allow your sexual 

frustration to make him feel insecure. 

Let masturbation lead the way both as 

individuals and as a couple. 

You two have lasted for three years. Now, 

you face a time where one of your bodies 

is asking for gentleness and realignment. 

Don’t jump ship; step up and tune into your 

lover’s vibrations. With an open heart, you 

two may be surprised to see how much 

there is to still learn of one another. 

Please feel free to e-mail me once your detox 

is over, and we’ll go from there! Have fun. 

Nurse Jessica 

Jessica Ferneyhough, a registered practical nurse, brings a 

unique approach to care, empowering patients as a medicinal 

cannabis nurse and horses for healing advocate. 

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ISPENSARY PROFILE 

River City 

PHOENIX 

Being a dispensary 

in Sacramento a 

few years ago was 

difficult, but River City 

Phoenix learned from 

the challenges and 

has survived to be 

one of the city’s top 

dispensaries. Lacey 

Macri took a tour and 

discovered that along 

with great service and 

products, the people 

at RCP care about their 

community as well. 

Located in the heart of California’s 

capital of Sacramento, River City 

Phoenix (RCP) is one of the biggest and 

highest-rated dispensaries in the region. 

Serving approximately 600 customers per 

day, RCP takes its business very seriously. 

Its core values are rooted in a compassion 

for helping people live higher-quality 

lives. RCP’s success did not come easily, 

however, as there have been many 

complicated hurdles to clear along the 

way in order to continue serving patients. 

From 2009 to 2012, several of the decisionmakers 

that currently make up the courteous 

and knowledgeable staff at RCP were 

busy running Magnolia Wellness out of 

Roseville, CA. When the laws suddenly 

changed and dispensaries were forced 

to close in Roseville, they quickly shifted 

gears and joined the team over at RCP. 

In 2008, RCP itself was raided, which 

forced the dispensary to be very 

diplomatic about how it would conduct 

its business going forward. In 2012, the 

DEA suited up in front of RCP and raided 

the neighboring dispensary, which never 

reopened. The DEA then sent multiple 

letters to RCP’s landlord, threatening 

to take the building away from them. 

For fear of being sent to jail, being 

heavily fined, or even losing the building 

completely, the landlord proposed that, 

in order to be worth the risk, he was 

increasing RCP’s rent from $5,000 to 

$35,000 per month, with only a month-tomonth 

commitment to lean on. 

by Lacey Macri 

Fortunately for RCP, the City of Sacramento 

maintained very good rapport 

with the company, as it produced a lot of 

tax revenue through the business. The 

City of Sacramento is very compliant 

with the state’s laws in general, drafting 

ordinances consistent with that of 

the state’s. Although California recently 

legalized recreational marijuana, there 

is still a lot to be drafted and will most 

likely not be complete until 2019. RCP 

intends to remain in compliance with all 

laws that are thrown its way while continuing 

to improve and grow it business. 

When asked what makes their medicine 

superior to others, RCP said every 

strain that comes through the door goes 

through an extensive testing phase, 

where its examines the terpene content, 

potency, and whether or not there are 

pesticides present. It strictly adheres 

to a zero-tolerance policy for residual 

pesticide content on any medicine that 

is admitted into the dispensary. RCP is 

also keen on bringing in flowers that 

have aesthetic beauty and fragrance, as 

it all contributes to the patient’s overall 

experience of medicating. 

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Mark Pelter, owner of RCP, is very actively involved in the 

research and testing aspect of cannabis, and he shared 

some very interesting points with us during our visit. One 

point that is particularly relevant was a study he’d observed 

examining the effects of cannabidiol (CBD) on cancer cells. 

After synthesizing CBD in a lab, researchers gathered rats 

with brain cancer and injected the synthesized CBD into 

their tumors. In the control group of rats, the tumors metastasized 

to other areas of their bodies; however, in the 

group that received treatment, their tumors died within two 

months. Pelter describes CBD cannabis as “heaven in a 

tablet, that feels like a warm, positive glow of well-being.” 

He said he firmly believes in not only the relief that CBD 

provides its patients, but its healing power as well. 

When the team members at RCP aren’t busy serving their 

patients, they participate in several outreach programs to 

give back to the community. One of the community benefit 

programs they lead is the Full Belly Backpack program 

through the Mercy HIV/ AIDS Housing Alliance program. 

Full Belly Backpack provides backpacks full of nutritious 

meals that are delivered to underprivileged and potentially 

malnourished kids on the weekends when they are 

away from federally funded school programs. Additionally, 

they hold after-school and summer school programs at the 

Hagginwood Community Center, where they provide fun 

snacks and entertainment to young students in an effort to 

keep them on the right track by offering healthy, positive 

outlets to engage in during their spare time. Patients of RCP 

can also take advantage of some free in-house services 

including acupuncture and chiropractic services for those 

suffering from chronic pain and other conditions. The team 

at RCP reports being very grateful for having opportunities 

to conduct and participate in programs like this, as it is the 

most fulfilling part of the job. 

Next up for RCP includes registering as cultivators; 

it originally had cultivation on site, but that was shut 

down. As operations in California continue to smooth 

out over the next few years, RCP hopes to expand in the 

recreational cannabis market into other states including 

Alaska, Oregon, and Washington. 

River City Phoenix can be found at 1508 El Camino Ave. Its 

friendly and knowledgeable staff is waiting to serve you. 

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CUT AND DRIED: 

A MONTHLY LOOK AT DIFFERENT MMJ STRAINS 

BY BILLY BISHOP 

There has always been something singularly difficult about trying to convey 

the taste and aroma of a powerful Kush. It’s all about that “Kushiness” or, 

more specifically, that “Kush smell” that is so 

difficult to define: Citrus, gasoline, pine 

needles, chlorophyll. A unique scent and 

taste that is all of these and yet none. 

starkiller 

Sometimes a Kush leans towards the 

piney… more often towards the fuelly… 

and hopefully towards the lemony or 

citrusy. Some describe it as jet fuel, but 

I don’t really know what jet fuel smells 

like. The often-used term ‘diesel’ is 

quite appropriate for Kush strains but 

really doesn’t do the aroma justice. No 

verbal description does. 

Origins 

This descriptive challenge continues 

with Starkiller, the latest and greatest 

70/30 Indica/Sativa hybrid from Broken 

Coast Cannabis. This award-winning 

strain is a cross between Skywalker 

OG and Rare Dankness #2. 

Physical Description 

Visually, it is a deep, dark green 

with delicate, wispy, orange hairs 

and a predilection for robust, large, 

solid colas covered in a fine velvet of 

shimmering, sparkling trichomes. The 

color and appearance of Starkiller 

is unusually dark and lush. The 

trichomes create levels of light that 

make the colas seem to have a texture 

and depth like folds of dark velvet. 

Taste and aroma 

Starkiller offers a rich and heady aroma 

focused strongly on ambrosial, deepforest 

chlorophyll notes, mixed with 

more subtle tones of pine nuts, menthol, 

and oiled leather. All swirling around 

a strong, lemony center. A very lemony 

center. When smoked, it produces 

highly aromatic flavors reminiscent 

of forest undergrowth and fresh 

green vegetables, with undertones of 

caramelized sugar and gasoline fumes 

at the back of the throat. 

Award Winner 

Starkiller is already a well-known 

contender (it was winner of Best Hybrid 

Flower at the 2016 Colorado Cannabis 

Cup), but Broken Coast has shown its 

chops by developing this strain into a 

seriously top-notch finished product. I 

know I say this every time, but this is my 

favorite strain ever. 

Topping out the THC at 23.2 per cent, 

this is also the one of the strongest 

strains I’ve tested and it shows. This 

was one of the fastest-hitting and 

powerful highs I have experienced. 

Although highly physically reactive, it 

provided gentle cerebral stimulation, 

so it had an easy, even-keeled feel 

throughout the entire experience. 

Medical Suitability 

This is an outstanding option for pain 

management. It is strong, sedative, 

and helpful for inducing sleep. The 

immediately noticeable muscle-relaxant 

properties will appeal particularly to 

patients with muscular or joint injuries, 

sciatica, back and neck pain, and 

spasmodic digestive tract conditions. 

A patient with Crohn’s or colitis will 

not only appreciate alleviation from 

spasmodic episodes but enjoy a mild 

appetite enhancement and a boost to 

taste and scent experience. A strong, 

effective medicine both physically 

and mentally, Starkiller is also a great 

choice for managing your anxiety under 

challenging circumstances. The CBD 

levels are around one per cent. 

A success story 

Selected from more than 120 seed options, 

this phenotype is Broken Coast’s 

latest attempt to one-up its already 

impressive stock of quality, high-potency 

options. As a growing option, Broken 

Coast tells me that this phenotype produces 

large, dense buds with high yields 

for this type of hybrid. Shorter and stockier 

than her true OG sisters, Starkiller is 

an ideal size and structure for efficient 

and successful indoor growing. 

I get the feeling that the Broken Coast 

crew is quite proud of this one. They 

should be. 

Billy Bishop is a long time cannabis 

patient and suffers from extended postconcussion 

syndrome. This is a complex 

disorder in which various symptoms 

including headaches, nausea, dizziness, 

and depression can last for weeks, 

months, or years after the initial head 

injury that caused the concussion. 

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heal 

Can 

Cannabis 

Treat 

Epilepsy? 

by Monica Mansfield | More research is needed, 

but early indications suggest cannabis can help 

reduce epileptic seizures in people. Monica Mansfield 

explores some case studies and the potential role 

cannabis can play in treating epilepsy. 

By now, many people have heard of 

Charlotte Figi, the little girl from 

Colorado who used medical cannabis 

oil to dramatically reduce the number of 

seizures she suffered. Her story was made 

famous on CNN, and it popularized a 

strain of cannabis called Charlotte’s Web. 

Charlotte’s Web is unique because it is 

very low in delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol 

(THC) and high in cannabidiol (CBD). Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol 

is the psychoactive 

compound in cannabis that gives 

the user the “high” feeling. Cannabidiol is 

another compound found in cannabis that 

has gained recognition for its medicinal 

benefits without the psychoactive effects. 

Although Charlotte has spread awareness 

for the medicinal use of cannabis 

to treat epilepsy, there are many others 

with similar stories. Austin Roberts is 

a 12-year-old boy who was having 200 

seizures per month. When he started 

using cannabis, his seizures decreased 

dramatically, and his mood, appetite, 

and energy levels improved. 

Tim Shellman is 29 years old and his 

seizures began when he was 15. He 

started smoking cannabis shortly after 

developing the condition and quickly 

realized that smoking controlled his 

seizures. At 17, he was seizure-free for 

eight months while he had consistent 

access to cannabis. Unfortunately, 

medical cannabis is not legal in his 

state and he has difficulty finding 

someone who can supply his medicine. 

“Shellman has used nine different seizure 

medications in a variety of combinations, but his 

body is resistant to them. Cannabis is the 

only thing that controls or stops his seizures.” 

When he is unable to secure a supply, 

the seizures return. Shellman has used 

nine different seizure medications in a 

variety of combinations, but his body is 

resistant to them. Cannabis is the only 

thing that controls or stops his seizures. 

Until the last few years, studies on 

cannabis were hard to come by due to 

federal law. Now that more than half of 

the United States has legalized medical 

cannabis, and a handful of states have 

legalized it recreationally, there have 

been more studies on the medicinal effects 

of this powerful herb. 

Dr. Orrin Devinsky, who specializes in 

epilepsy and neurology, is the director of 

NYU Langone’s Comprehensive Epilepsy 

Center. The center not only treats 

patients with the most cutting-edge 

treatments, but they are also leaders 

in epilepsy research. Dr. Devinsky sees 

medical cannabis as a promising treatment 

for epilepsy. “We don’t today know 

exactly how CBD exerts its biological 

effects, which include, in animal models, 

very potent anticonvulsant or anti-seizure 

effects in numerous species and in 

numerous different models of epilepsy,” 

he says. “And interestingly, in none of the 

animal models that have been looked at 

to date has CBD been actively causing 

seizures, and in the majority of them, it is 

quite effective as an anti-seizure agent. 

“By contrast, THC…is also an important 

and potential anti-epileptic drug based 

on our animal experience because in 

most animal studies, THC also exerts 

anti-seizure properties. However, in 

about 10 per cent of the animal models, 

THC can actually lead to more seizure 

activity or more seizure severity. So, it is 

something to keep in mind that THC and 

CBD are really quite different, both in 

how they act in the brain and, potentially, 

how they affect different types of epilepsies. 

We still don’t have really good 

clinical scientific data from humans, but 

we have quite good data in animals.” 

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Many studies point to the benefits 

of cannabis, and particularly CBD, in 

treating seizures. In 1978, nine patients 

were randomized to receive either 200 mg 

per day of pure CBD or a placebo for three 

months (Mechoulam and Carlini 1978). Two 

of the four patients receiving CBD became 

seizure-free, while there was no change in 

the five placebo recipients. 

In 1981, 15 adult patients were enrolled in 

a double-blind, placebo-controlled study to 

examine the effect of CBD for 18 weeks (Carlini 

and Cunha 1981). These patients exhibited partial 

seizures with secondary generalization. Of the eight 

patients who received CBD, four became seizure-free, 

one “improved markedly,” one “improved somewhat,” one 

showed no improvement, and one withdrew from the study. 

A retrospective case review of 75 pediatric epilepsy patients 

was performed by researchers at Children’s Hospital Colorado. 

Each patient used a form of cannabis extract containing CBD. 

Researchers found that 57 per cent had some seizure reduction, 

while 33 per cent had a reduction of 50 per cent or more. 

“THC and CBD are really quite 

different, both in how they act in 

the brain and, potentially, how they 

affect different types of epilepsies.” 

In March 2017, Mexican researchers used a pure CBD oil to 

successfully reduce seizures in patients with Lennox-Gastaut 

Syndrome, a rare form of epilepsy. Of the study’s 38 patients, 

86 per cent reported a 50 per cent reduction in motor seizures, 

55 per cent had a 75 per cent decrease in overall seizures, and 

13 per cent experienced complete seizure remission after four 

months of treatment. Nobody reported negative side effects. 

There are many types of epilepsy and many different strains 

of cannabis with varying amounts of THC and CBD, so it may 

take time to find the correct strain and dosage for each individual 

situation. While most doctors recommend trying pharmaceuticals 

first, many see cannabis as beneficial to patients 

who are drug resistant and recommend they find a strain high 

in CBD and low in THC for best results. 

Charlotte’s Web and Haleigh’s Hope are two well-known, 

high-CBD strains developed in Colorado. A British company, 

GW Pharmaceuticals, has created Epidiolex, which contains 

almost pure CBD, and they are expected to file a new drug 

application with the FDA in the first half of 2017. 

CBD is generally taken in the form of tinctures, capsules, oils, 

and patches. The Mayo Clinic recommends taking 200-300 mg 

of CBD by mouth daily for up to 18 weeks. Some patients find 

success with a combination of pharmaceuticals and cannabis. 

It is important to work closely with your doctor to create a treatment 

plan suited specifically to your needs. 

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After owning an indoor garden store for 5 1/2 years, Monica Mansfield 

sold the business and started a seven-acre homestead with her 

husband, Owen. Monica is passionate about gardening, sustainable 

living, and holistic health. She writes about these topics and her 

homestead adventures on her blog thenaturelifeproject.com. 

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heal 

Training 

with 

Cannabis 

by Isaac Cedillo 

Forget couch-lock. There’s a growing body of evidence that cannabis 

can be a productive part of an active, even athletic, lifestyle. 

The mind’s connection with the body 

is strong, and improving one often 

involves improvement of the other. 

So, it’s no surprise that those who 

seek to improve their body could also 

benefit from cannabis, an aid that 

people have long used for mindfulness 

and overall well-being. In recent 

years, more and more evidence is 

challenging the negative “lazy stoner” 

stereotype by showing that this plant 

can indeed be used as a tool by those 

pushing their physical limits. 

CANNABIS AND THE RUNNER’S HIGH 

We’ve all heard of the runner’s high. It’s 

a feeling can be described as euphoric, 

anxiolytic (anti-anxiety), sedative, and 

analgesic (pain relieving) all at once. It’s 

also similar to the high one can get from 

ingesting cannabis. 

The runner’s high is only achieved 

after prolonged physical exertion, and 

its effects can help an athlete deal 

with the discomfort one endures when 

physically pushing themselves. For 

decades, it was believed the main 

biomechanism of a runner’s high was 

the release of endorphins. However, 

a 2015 study (Fuss et al.) found this to 

be only half of the phenomenon. The 

research, which was performed on 

mice, found that “running increases 

plasma levels in ß-endorphin (Opiod) 

and anandamide (endocannabinoid/ 

eCB) in mice and men.” In other words, 

it affects the endocannabinoid system. 

This group of receptors is found within 

the central and peripheral nervous 

system. Described as “the body’s own 

cannabinoid system,” its main function 

is to maintain homeostasis within 

the human body. The results of the 

study found that the endocannabinoid 

receptors CB1 and CB2, which are the 

system’s main receptors, are crucial for 

a runner’s high in mice. 

So, with this information brought about 

from this study, it can be concluded that 

the feelings of euphoria from a runner’s 

high can be simulated by ingesting cannabis 

before physical activity. Cannabis 

essentially puts your mind and body into 

this state before your body can produce it 

naturally. The ability to force the effects 

of a runner’s high can be a tremendous 

advantage for those wanting to push 

themselves in their training regimen. 

The use of cannabis as a focusing 

agent and anxiety reducer can also 

help athletes better perform under 

pressure during competition. A 

2011 study by Huestis et al. titled 

“Cannabis in Sport” also shows 

that cannabis plays a role in 

the extinction of fear memories, 

such as traumatic events and 

injuries athletes may have 

endured, during training and 

competition. This reduction in 

fear can be what an athlete 

needs to push themselves 

to the next level. 

PERFORMANCE 

The question of 

whether cannabis 

can be considered 

a performance 

enhancer is still 

up for debate, 

and it has been 

widely discussed 

at every level 

of sports 

competition. Still, 

there’s no doubt 

that the old belief 

that cannabis only 

breeds lazy stoners 

is slowly being reversed. There’s an 

increasing number of athletes coming 

forward with their personal experiences 

in utilizing cannabis during training. 

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If you are considering using edibles during your routine 

workout, be sure to plan accordingly: drink plenty of water, 

know your tolerance, and only ingest what youʼre capable of.” 

“So, how much of an edge in training can 

cannabis give you? That depends on the 

user’s perspective and intended goals. 

Olympic snowboarding gold medalist 

Ross Rebagliati and MMA fighter Nick 

Diaz both claim that cannabis doesn’t 

make them faster or stronger, but allows 

them to train harder and for longer 

periods of time. “The motivation that you 

need to go and pound out the workout 

and go and do the 100-km bike ride— 

cannabis really got me out on a regular 

basis,” Rebagliati said in an interview 

with Hydrolife. During a live 2016 postfight 

press conference where he famously 

vaped CBD oil, Diaz's brother Nate, also 

an MMA fighter, said that CBD “helps 

with healing process and inflammation 

and stuff like that. So, you wanna get 

these for before and after the fights, training. 

It’ll make your life a better place.” 

RECOVERY 

Intense workouts can take its toll on 

both the body and mind. Pain, stiffness, 

and muscle fatigue are all common 

post-training symptoms, and much 

research has been done on delayed 

onset muscle soreness (DOMS). 

While these symptoms can decrease 

motivation and even cause a workout to 

do more harm than good, the 2015 Sports 

Medicine study “Cannabis and Exercise 

Science” by Gillman et al. shows 

there is a growing body of evidence 

that cannabis—specifically, CBD-rich 

strains—can be used to help counter 

DOMS. The anti-inflammatory and 

analgesic properties of cannabis can 

aid in the recovery of intense workouts. 

APPLICATION 

Many athletes prefer edibles such as 

brownies, chews, and cannabis-infused 

energy bars during their workouts. 

Edibles are discrete and the delayed 

high they offer will kick in when it’s 

needed most during intense workouts. 

Also, the heavy high provided is great 

for focused-based activities. If you 

are considering using edibles during 

your routine workout, be sure to plan 

accordingly: drink plenty of water, know 

your tolerance, and only ingest what 

you're capable of. 

Balms and salves are a great way to aid 

in muscle soreness and recovery. They 

can be applied pre- or post-workout. 

Massaged thoroughly into the desired 

location, these topical medicines can 

effectively reach deep muscle tissue, 

nerves, and epidermis. THC-rich strains 

will help with pain and soreness, while 

CBD-specific strains can help with inflammation 

and long-term recovery. Also, 

topical treatments will not reach your 

bloodstream, which can be a plus for 

those that do not want the cannabis high. 

Whether cannabis can give athletes 

an edge is up for debate, but there 

is no denying it has recovery and 

healing benefits everyone can use. 

Sure, cannabis doesn’t make you 

bigger, faster, or stronger, but its 

effects are felt indirectly, the same way 

good nutrition and overall well-being 

will influence the body. It’s just up to 

the athletes and weekend warriors to 

decide for themselves if their training 

can benefit from cannabis. 

Isaac Cedillo works as the marketing 

manager at Current Culture H2O in 

Fresno, California. He holds his bachelor’s 

degree from CSU Fresno and is currently 

pursuing his MBA in marketing. As an 

avid photographer, Isaac loves to travel 

the country chronicling his adventures 

through his camera. 


heal 

Is Grandma Self-medicating Again? 

Relax, it’s Just a Plant: 

Medicating with Cannabis 

in the Golden Years. 

Story and photos by Sharon Letts 

An unlikely sector of the population is playing a larger 

role than anticipated in the fight to end cannabis 

prohibition. Sharon Letts tells us how senior citizens 

have come out of the closet in legal and illegal states 

to sign up for medical cannabis cards, demand good 

medicine via cannabis for aches and pains, and more. 

Twenty-one years after California 

became the first state allowing 

cannabis as medicine, 27 others 

have followed suit. Eight states now 

offer legal recreational weed, with 

13 introducing decriminalization 

legislation. The common belief is 

seniors from the Boomer Generation, 

already familiar with using the plant 

recreationally, are most prominent 

members of the patient pool. But 

in the more conservative state of 

Florida, one senior is proving that 

theory wrong, and becoming an 

unlikely victor leading the fight to 

end prohibition in the process. 

Should Grandma Partake in Pot? 

Robert Platshorn served 30 years in 

federal prison for selling cannabis 

via a fleet of tuna fishing boats 

along Florida’s shores during the 

1970s and ’80s. Released back into 

the general population in 2008 at 

the age of 64, Platshorn began a 

campaign to educate the elder 

population, creating The Silver Tour, 

a non-profit organization aimed 

at enlightening and educating the 

grey-haired sect on good medicine 

across the country by using the less 

expensive platforms of social media, 

emails, radio, local television spots, 

and billboards. 

One of his most successful 

campaigns—a video featuring two 

elderly ladies partaking for the first 

time—went viral on social media, 

changing public perceptions and 

inspiring knock-off clips of other 

seniors, even retired law enforcement 

officers, smoking weed for the first time. 

During one Silver Tour event, more 

than 400 senior citizens made their way 

to the steps of Tallahassee’s city hall in 

peaceful protest, to share their personal 

use of cannabis as medicine publicly. 

There were no arrests made. 

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Platshorn knows his demographic; he 

knows the elderly still read newspapers, 

watch local TV, and listen to the radio. 

During Florida’s first attempt to legalize 

cannabis as medicine in the state, 

voters failed to pass legalization by a 

two per cent margin. After Platshorn’s 

campaign, by April 2015, the Sun 

Sentinel reported upwards of 84 per 

cent of registered voters approving of 

cannabis as medicine in the Sunshine 

State. By November 2016, Florida voted 

to accept the plant, allowing physicians 

to prescribe, and dispensaries to provide 

safe access to its seniors and the 

ailing in the state. 

“When we started The Silver Tour five 

years ago, seniors in Florida would 

not even discuss the medical use of 

cannabis,” Platshorn says. “I’m happy 

to say, things have changed. Seniors are 

an easy sell, but no one was using the 

media to inform them. Using TV, radio, 

live shows, and billboards changed 

minds quickly.” 

Healing in California 

Since voting in Proposition 215 in 

1996, which allowed Californians the 

right to medicate with cannabis, the 

Golden State now lists 12.6 per cent of 

its senior population as card-carrying 

Laguna Woods Cannabis Club meeting 

medical cannabis patients, according 

to Americans for Safe Access, a 

national organization helping move 

weed transactions from the alley to 

legal storefronts. 

The US Center for Disease Control 

(CDC) reports aches and pains a common 

malady among the aging population, 

with 47.5 million or 21.8 per cent of seniors 

reporting some kind of disability— 

with arthritis or rheumatism topping the 

ailment list, and cancer now seen 

as part of old age. 

Laguna Woods Village began as Leisure 

World, an upscale, gated retirement 

village in conservative Orange County 

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Primrose Engaged Living in Santa Rosa, CA, allows its residents to medicate with cannabis. 

just south of Los Angeles. Today, it’s an 

incorporated city hosting more than 

18,000 residents, with more than 500 cannabis 

patients, comprising The Laguna 

Woods Medical Cannabis Club. 

The group is “a non-profit for the 

purpose of educating, supporting, 

and informing Laguna Woods 

Village residents about the uses and 

issues for medical cannabis and to 

provide a forum where new patients, 

their families, and other interested 

residents can discuss their illnesses 

and the benefits of medical cannabis 

treatment in a safe environment,” 

says its mission statement. 

Members learn about the medicinal 

benefits of the plant via workshops, 

lectures, and the sharing of what are 

commonly referred to as “anecdotal 

stories” via word of mouth. 

On the evening of its monthly meeting, 

more than 150 club members, residents, 

and newbies fill up one of the larger 

meeting rooms within the community. 

Tables are set up with literature of the 

medical efficacy of the plant, books 

to read, and medicating implements 

donated for the evening raffle. 

The meeting is called to order by club 

executive director and founder, Lonnie 

Painter, a Laguna Beach transplant, 

artist, retired carpenter, therapist, and 

past owner of the popular Café Zoolu 

in the upscale beach town on the coast. 

He’s worn many hats in his lifetime, 

but currently he’s helping to change the 

way seniors think about the plant. 

“Our membership is growing,” Painter 

says of the residents quickly filling up 

the large hall. “We need to find a bigger 

meeting room,” he adds with a laugh. 

Within the largely conservative 

populace of Orange County, some 

residents were reluctant to comment 

on the record. However, one member in 

her 80s says that once she started using 

cannabis, the first pills to go from her 

medicine cabinet were painkillers and 

sleeping pills. When asked what else 

she was learning, she says, “I’m going 

to try that strong oil. I heard it will put 

my diabetes into remission.” 

Eat Five Leaves and 

Call Me in the Morning 

Sixty-seven-year-old Susan Williams 

(name has been changed by her 

request) is a retired public relations 

professional from Northern California. 

Gardening is her passion, as well as 

her husband’s, with the couple growing 

and canning up to 90 per cent of their 

own food each year. 

As with many active seniors, Williams 

says that after decades of toiling in the 

garden, she is suffering from the effects 

of osteoarthritis—mainly in her hands 

and the back of her hip. 

“It was actually a grower friend 

who suggested I try cannabis. I then 

checked with my doctor and he said it 

wouldn’t hurt me,” she says. 

Williams chooses to medicate by 

eating raw leaves, harvesting them 

herself for optimal effect, namely 

to treat inflammation that leads to 

swelling and subsequent pain. 

“I was given a Sour Diesel plant and 

started eating the midsized leaves 

just off the bush,” Williams explains. 

“I would eat up to 10 leaves a day, and 

felt a noticeable difference in about a 

week, and continued eating the leaves 

until it was time to harvest the plant.” 

She also made an alcohol-based 

tincture using the trim—or leaves 

and small stems—taking three 

droppers-full at a time, but did not 

feel it was as effective as consuming 

the fresh, green leaves. 

“I have told many of my friends 

about ingesting raw cannabis, and 

recommend that if they want to do 

this, they should get a California 

215 license so they don’t get in 

trouble,” Williams says. 

The stigma of cannabis, she added, 

is what holds most people back from 

experiencing the medicinal benefits of 

the plant. Availability is also an issue, 

as patients who juice are often networking 

for leaves from several sources, then 

freezing overages for later use. 

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heal 

“ DURING ONE Silver 

Tour event, more than 

400 senior citizens 

made their way to the 

steps of Tallahassee’s 

city hall in peaceful 

protest, to share their 

personal use of cannabis 

as medicine publicly.” 

The silver-haired Williams’s hands 

are slightly crooked and worn from 

years of work in the garden, but they 

no longer ache with pain. 

“If you asked me a year ago if I 

would have tried this remedy, I would 

have laughed at you,” Williams 

muses. “Now, I’m telling my friends.” 

Good Medicine vs. Bad Drug 

One fact that opens up a big can 

of weed worms in treating senior 

ailments is that the US government holds 

a patent on cannabinoids (CBD), one of 

the medicinal compounds of the plant. 

The patent, in effect since 1993, directly 

contradicts the government’s stance that 

cannabis is not medicine—along with its 

refusal to remove the plant from the Drug 

Enforcement Agency’s (DEA) Schedule 1, 

where it currently sits alongside heroin. 

Within the patent is a list of benefits, 

stating that cannabinoids have antioxidant 

properties, useful in the treatment 

and “prophylaxis of a wide variety of 

oxidation-associated diseases, such as 

ischemic, age-related, inflammatory, and 

autoimmune diseases.” 

The patent goes on to state the plant’s 

application as a neuroprotectant, with 

the ability to limit neurological damage 

following stroke and trauma, or in 

the treatment of neurodegenerative 

diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, 

Parkinson’s, and HIV dementia. 

Engaged Living 

Primrose Engaged Living is a private 

nursing home located just north of San 

Francisco in Santa Rosa, it specializes in 

dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s. 

Patients retain their own physicians, 

and if they and their families are open to 

cannabis use, it’s allowed. 

The home is not unlike a five-star hotel, 

with gated grounds and gardens allowing 

its residents freedom to be outside— 

an option not found in many homes 

where those with dementia live. 

Dan O’Brien, RN, oversees the care 

of the home’s patients, including a 

handful of residents whose families 

and doctors are on board in treating 

their symptoms via the ingestion of 

cannabis-infused treats. 

Dementia, as defined in the National 

Library of Medicine’s site, has a 

varying group of symptoms, whereas 

Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s are 

diagnosed diseases. None of the 

maladies are curable; all present with 

a slow deterioration of motor skills and 

bodily functions, including language 

difficulty, agitation, inappropriate 

behavior, deteriorating spatial skills, 

poor judgment, and diminished 

capacity to problem solve, maintain 

attention, plan, or organize. 

“Dementia patients don’t really like to 

take pills,” O’Brien explains. “It’s easier 

for them to eat a piece of candy.” 

On the evening of my visit, I observed 

a patient finish up her dinner before 

being given one square of chocolate 

dosed with 15 milligrams of THCactivated 

cannabis. 

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grow. heal. live. enjoy. 69

heal 

“ MANY SENIOR citizen 

patients returning to 

cannabis as medicine had 

used it recreationally years 

prior, then left it behind in 

their college days.” 

Alzheimer patients comprise two-thirds 

of the home’s population, but O’Brien 

added that cannabis is given as a last 

resort, replacing or given in addition to 

other mind-altering prescription meds 

intended to calm agitated patients. 

In this particular patient’s case, the 

cannabis works with great success, and 

O’Brien reports that the patients dosed 

with cannabis remain alert, are less 

agitated, and are able to sleep through 

the night. Other symptoms reported to be 

quelled are the tremors associated with 

Parkinson’s and anxiety disorders. 

The process of getting cannabis to its 

patients can be challenging, for not 

only does the family have to be willing 

to use this treatment, the patient’s 

doctor needs to be on board. This is 

something cannabis patients should 

think about when drawing up a care 

plan while they are still able to do so. 

Stigma vs. Truth 

Many senior citizen patients returning 

to cannabis as medicine had used 

it recreationally years prior, then left 

it behind in their college days, says 

registered nurse Lanny Swerdlow. 

“Of all the reasons for stopping, not 

one was for negative reasons against 

the herb,” Swerdlow says. “All of 

them stopped due to the stigma that 

came with it when a job or kids came 

into play, or they just didn’t think they 

should use it any longer.” 

The American Nurses Association 

published a statement in 2008, 

supporting patients’ “safe access to 

therapeutic marijuana.” At the top of 

the letter, which originated from the 

Congress on Nursing Practice and 

Economics, it states that “‘Marijuana’ 

(cannabis) has been used medicinally 

for centuries. It has been shown to 

be effective in treating a wide range of 

symptoms in a variety of conditions.” 

Caregiving with cannabis began in 

the early 1980s with hospice workers 

helping AIDS patients. Studies on pain 

management using cannabis were 

done at that time at the University 

of California in San Francisco. 

Findings included upwards of 80 

per cent reduction in pain by merely 

smoking the flower, in addition to 

using prescription pain meds. Other 

anecdotal stories demonstrate that 

using a stronger oil or tincture does 

away with the need to supplement with 

prescription meds altogether. 

As legalization allows more access, 

seniors are the fastest growing 

demographic utilizing cannabis as 

medicine in the US today, leading many 

to reconsider the question, “Should 

Grandma smoke pot?” 

Sharon Letts began her life’s work as a 

gardener in southern California, and now 

calls Humboldt County home. She’s a 

writer and photographer. When she isn’t 

writing about gardening, she is outside 

working in her own garden. 

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live 

BY CORY HUGHES 

JEFF SESSIONS: 

SHOULD THE 

CANNABIS 

INDUSTRY BE 

WORRIED? 

Even though President Donald Trump 

has said he will leave marijuana 

legalization up to individual states, 

cannabis industry insiders took note 

when Jeff Sessions was appointed 

US Attorney General. Just when it 

seemed the business of marijuana 

was poised for growth, new concerns 

stemming from the Department of 

Justice have arisen. Cory Hughes 

takes a look at how the new 

administration may affect the future 

of cannabis in the US. 

72 grow. heal. live. enjoy. myhydrolife.com


live 

Cannabis consumers and producers expressed 

some concern when Jeff Sessions, an anti-cannabis 

politician, was tapped to be the next United States 

Attorney General in February. Sessions has made no 

secret his disdain for marijuana and his perception 

of those who choose to consume it. With President 

Donald Trump making statements about ramping up 

the war on drugs to combat crime, many marijuana 

users and producers were left wondering if that war 

would end up on their doorstep. Many marijuana 

consumers and business owners are uncertain of what 

is to come, but is their fear warranted? 

If you are not familiar with Jeff Sessions, he is a former 

senator from the conservative state of Alabama who 

now holds the fate of the American justice system in his 

hands. Sessions has always been a controversial figure. 

He has been in staunch opposition to voting rights, he has 

voted against the rights of women, has come out against 

the LGBT movement, and has stated “Good people don’t 

smoke marijuana.” In an age of progressive ideas, the 

election of Donald Trump and his appointment of Jeff 

Sessions to the highest law enforcement position 

in the land seem to be out of sync with the 

general direction modern Western 

society has been heading. 

“ IF YOU ARE not familiar with Jeff 

Sessions, he is a former senator from 

the conservative state of Alabama who 

now holds the fate of the American 

justice system in his hands.“ 

A hint of what can be 

expected came on Feb. 23 at 

a White House press briefing when 

press secretary Sean Spicer said, “I do believe 

you’ll see greater enforcement of (recreational 

marijuana). Because, again, there’s a big difference 

between the medical use, which Congress has, through 

an appropriations rider in 2014, made very clear what 

their intent was in terms of how the Department of Justice 

would handle that issue. That’s very different than the 

recreational use, which is something that I think the 

Department of Justice will be further looking into.” 

As far as cannabis goes, Sessions has made it clear what 

he believes. Based upon the statements he had made up 

until the time he was confirmed as Attorney General, cannabis 

consumers have every right to be concerned. There 

has been much speculation and back and forth as to what 

will actually happen, though Spicer’s Feb. 23 comments 

now provide some insight as to what can be expected. 

Despite this, there are a few things that have happened 

recently that may give cannabis consumers and business 

owners a bit of hope that everything will be okay. 

For a time, we have looked to the Drug Enforcement 

Administration (DEA) as a weather vane to see where 

the winds of change are blowing with respect to 

cannabis. The previous administration did little to 

advocate for cannabis businesses in legal states, nor 

did it stop its assault on many grows and dispensaries 

until Congress stepped in and halted federal action 

against operations that were abiding by state law. 

With cannabis, you never really know who your ally 

is, but the DEA has proven that it is willing to present 

alternative facts to keep the war on drugs alive. 

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live 

The DEA has been able to exist as long as it has through 

prohibition and the jailing of criminals involved in the 

trafficking of prohibited substances. Fundamentally, if it 

doesn’t bust people for drugs, it doesn’t get paid. The reality 

is that cannabis has never posed a threat to society—the 

Shafer Commission from the early 1970s confirmed this— 

yet the DEA has waged war against cannabis, passing up 

numerous opportunities to set the record straight and remove 

it from drug scheduling entirely. Instead, it chose to double 

down and continue to spread propaganda against cannabis 

in hopes of keeping its lights on. 

Can the DEA continue to go after cannabis companies 

despite Congress’s intervention and the supportive voice 

of the people? Absolutely. The biggest thing the cannabis 

community has to fear is that Sessions will ignore the 

issue of cannabis to the public while giving the DEA the 

green light to enforce federal law. During his confirmation 

hearings, Sessions was directly asked about cannabis, 

but he deflected the question. He chose instead to say that 

he would just have to use “good judgment” when it came 

to marijuana law. His past statements alone were enough 

to have even the most casual of marijuana consumer 

concerned. The outlook, however, may not 

be as bleak as it appears. 

“ THERE IS NO denying that legal 

cannabis has had a positive impact on 

the communities that embraced it.“ 

There have been a few signs that legal—recreational 

or medicinal— marijuana will not go down as a failed 

experiment and be shut down by Trump’s administration. 

The vast amount of money that has been generated by 

legal cannabis has gone on to create tens of thousands of 

jobs, has put school books in the hands of children, and has 

put roofs over the heads of those less fortunate through state 

funding. There is no denying that legal cannabis has had a 

positive impact on the communities that embraced it. Also, the 

sky hasn’t fallen in legalized communities. 

The first possibility that cannabis is safe under Sessions is the 

creation of a counsel of prosecutors from cannabis legal states 

to advise the president on marijuana. District Attorneys and 

other lawyers from places like Oregon, Colorado, and Washington 

State have been selected to offer their experience and 

advice to help inform President Trump 

on the current state of cannabis. 

The biggest indicator 

so far that marijuana may 

be safe for now comes from various 

reports in mid-February stating the overwhelming 

amount of issues the new administration faces, so 

cannabis may not be too high on the list. The reports come 

from a meeting between Sessions and Sacramento, California, 

Sheriff Scott Jones. Jones asked Sessions about what he 

intended to do with legal cannabis and Sessions’s response 

didn’t do much to warrant an immediate threat. According 

to Jones in a press report, “Regarding the prioritization of 

federal resources to combat marijuana, (Sessions) didn’t see 

the federal government getting involved in marijuana use or 

low-level state, what are traditionally state and local crimes, 

but, I don’t think he ruled out the possibility of the federal 

government getting involved in larger-scale operations.” 

With Spicer’s comments at the Feb. 23 press briefing, 

however, it appears recreational cannabis and large-scale 

commercial grow operations may be higher on Session’s 

to-do list than originally anticipated. With the unpredictable 

nature of Trump and his administration so far, only time will 

tell if Sessions will turn out to be the staunch prohibitionist 

many suspect him to be. 

Cory Hughes is a former police officer turned full-time 

commercial grower in Denver, Colorado. 


myhydrolife.com

feature live 

+ 

by Mary Otte 

Photos by Kevin Schumacher 

MUCH MORE THAN BAKED 

Cannabis is about more than just cultivation and medication: it has a culture all its 

own. For this issue of Hydrolife, Mary Otte decided to go backstage with stoner 

bands Pepper and Less Than Jake to look at how cannabis informs their art. 

Hydrolife sat down with Yesod 

Williams of Pepper before their 

show to talk about process; Pepper’s 

very own custom strain, Hawaiian 

Pepper; and superbly stoned musical 

philosophy. “Growing up in Hawaii,” 

says Williams, “[cannabis] is just part 

of the culture and part of the whole 

makeup of the fabric.” It was for this 

reason that Williams actually ended up 

living in Hawaii. His parents realized 

it was a great place to grow weed and 

with plenty of friends on the mainland 

to ship it back to, the location made 

financial sense. The culture of cannabis 

had a profound affect on Ohana, their 

latest album, he adds. 

“It’s always been a complete, integral 

part of our band, and for me personally, 

it’s one of those things where I wake up 

in the morning and my mind is racing 

a million miles an hour. Once I smoke, 

it kind of locks everything into place, 

like, okay, let’s do this now. It’s similar 

to surfing,” he says with a smile. “In 

the morning, I surf and go on with my 

day. It’s just part of who I am. Cannabis 

influences the record because it 

influences everything we do. It kind 

of slows things down so you can 

better look at it.” 

The name Ohana is for the fans, which 

he describes as their lifeline. A band 

for nearly 20 years, Williams feels like 

they’ve now finally come full circle. “I’m 

saying ‘full circle’ because when we first 

started Pepper we just jammed and had 

fun,” says Williams. “We came to the 

other side and we approached the record 

[with] an aspect of, let’s get in the studio, 

with the only end goal of ‘Let’s just play, 

let’s just go in and jam.’” 

No one’s going to say otherwise. For 

one thing, they’re doing it right, and 

for another, they’re happy to be their 

own managers with their own label. 

This approach makes them self-labeled 

“super fans,” as they also have the 

opportunity to sign their favorite bands. 

All of this comes back to cannabis. 

“I make amazing friendships through 

weed,” says Williams, “Being onstage, 

I’m blessed to be there, in the whole 

ecosystem. If you have your own 

world, it’s good. It’s all about who you 

surround yourself with. You usually 

become an average of the people you 

surround yourself with; or a common 

denominator or whatnot.” 

As Pepper took the stage at New 

York City’s PlayStation Theater in late 

February 2017, it marked the beginning 

of a banging good night of dancing and 

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singing along with the ultimate trifecta of stoner bands. 

All three bands were high-energy, crowd-engaging 

bundles of energetic sounds, each of their own styling, 

yet completely in sync. 

The Bunny Gang started the night off with hyperbolic 

trombone player, Keith Larson, tearing up the stage. 

Frontman Nathan Maxwell, who also plays bass for 

Flogging Molly, drew the crowd in with the ease 

of a veteran performer. Despite somewhat heavy 

security, the joints were already floating across the 

crowd during their opening numbers. 

Less Than Jake was up next, and by the time 

they got on stage, there was no more room on the 

dance floor, which made for fabulously polite 

mosh pits and safe, supportive crowd surfing. 

They even brought a few lucky fans onstage to 

dance. Balloons were bounced over the crowd’s 

heads. Less Than Jake had such a connection 

with their fans that it was clear they like to 

have fun and have been playing together 

for a long time. They left the stage in two 

grand bursts of confetti, before coming back 

onstage for three more encore songs. 

Three piece, high-energy, indie surf rock, 

ska-pop band Pepper (which transcends all 

those pigeonholes) closed out the night in 

style. Their opening song crescendoed in 

under red lights and a haze of stage fog 

blended beautifully with clouds of herb. 

Halfway through their set, they brought 

out Less Than Jake for a few songs and 

it was absolutely symbiotic. These 

elevated bands were in the groove, 

as was the super-pumped crowd. 

I " make amazing 

frendships throuh weed... 

It's all about who you 

surround yourself with." 

Want some more marijuana kumbaya? 

Pepper has a strain made especially 

for the band called Hawaiian Pepper. 

Created by Jahnetics, it is a pure 

sativa with hints of pepper and a 

smooth, fruity finish. Pepper searched 

a long time with their friends from 

Weedmaps before finally choosing 

Jahnetics. You can find out more about 

the strain at jahnetics.com, the band 

at pepperlive.com, Less Than Jake at 

lessthanjake.com, and The Bunny Gang 

at thebunnygang.com. 

Mary Otte has been writing for cannabis 

publications for 12 years, specializing in 

celebrity and musician interviews, movie 

and album reviews, and developing news 

stories. More recently, she has focused 

on technical cultivation and lighting 

articles. She also contributes to the 

New York Post as a book reviewer. 


live 

A 

HISTORY 

by Chris Bond 

OF 

CANNABIS 

PART II 

In the 20th century in the US, marijuana was unjustly linked to immigration and economic 

policy, and later vilified by some presidential administrations. In Part II of his brief history of 

cannabis, Chris Bond provides reasons on why the noose on marijuana may be loosening. 

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live 

As we learned in Part 1, under President Richard Nixon in 

1970, marijuana was classified as a Schedule 1 drug in 

the newly passed Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and 

Control Act. It continues with that classification today. 

Prior to this, however, a Nixon-appointed presidential 

commission had recommended marijuana use not be a 

criminal offense. This recommendation was made by the 

Shafer Commission, whose members were appointed by 

Nixon himself and were, for the most part, strongly opposed 

to marijuana. After launching dozens of reports and polls, 

and taking thousands of pages of testimony, members of the 

commission came to a different conclusion than they had set 

out to find. Instead of condemning marijuana, they hinted 

that legalization was a more appropriate step, though Shafer 

himself did not support this. The Shafer Commission’s final 

report concluded marijuana did not cause crime or aggression 

or act as what is now called a “gateway drug.” It also 

recommended the decriminalization of marijuana possession. 

Nixon, whose personal views remained 

strongly anti-marijuana, overruled the 

commission’s findings and announced 

“all-out war” on marijuana. While 

President Jimmy Carter took a 

softer stance on pot, the Reagan 

administration reinforced Nixon’s hard 

line by ramping up the war on drugs. 

Just 20 years later, in 1992, Bill 

Clinton became the first American 

president to admit to having tried 

(but not inhaled) marijuana. Then, 

in 1996, California became the first 

state in the nation to legalize the 

use of medicinal marijuana. 

”AFTER launching dozens of reports 

and polls, and taking thousands of 

pages of testimony, members of 

the commission came to a different 

conclusion than they had 

set out to find.“ 

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The march towards the acceptance of cannabis in 

North America has gone on into the 21st century, but 

what has fueled this? Why do the majority of citizens 

support the use of cannabis when only an estimated six 

per cent of individuals use it? More Americans agree on the 

legalization, or at least the decriminalization of cannabis, than 

they do on who should be the American president. Its acceptance 

crosses party lines and generational ones. 

Of course, entire anthologies could be written on dozens of different 

reasons why cannabis is becoming less stigmatized. It seems to be the 

confluence of several factors ranging from a changing notion of the role of 

government, the age of the citizenry, and the financial state we have found 

ourselves in over the past couple of decades. Whatever the combination is, it seems 

to have caused a perfect storm of change that continues to sweep through the nation. 

Whether or not it is reflected in the outcome of elections or in party membership 

rolls, North America has taken more of a libertarian approach to the way it does 

business. As industry and manufacturing left many parts of the United States and 

Canada at the end of the 20th century, the vacuum left in its wake was financially 


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”AS industry and manufacturing left 

many parts of the United States and 

Canada at the end of the 20 th century, 

the vacuum left in its wake was 

financially devastating 

to the economy.“ 

devastating to the economy. In an effort to raise revenues, 

a more “Las Vegas” approach was taken by many regions. 

Municipalities and states realized that there was money to 

be made by allowing people their vices legally (this was usually 

first led by the acceptance of casino gambling). Hardline 

moralists in politics could not argue that vice was good for 

the state’s (or province’s) bottom line. In business, sales absolve 

all your sins. One could argue that this helped to pave 

the way towards legalization of cannabis in many states. 

The rise of the internet can also be attributed to the 

acceptance of marijuana use. An untold number of 

websites sell the gambit of seed, extracts, and all manner 

of paraphernalia, legal or otherwise. Knowing it would be 

highly unlikely, or at least cost-prohibitive, to combat the 

panoply of online vendors, many states decided it would 

be better to join them if they can’t beat them; in some cases, 

maybe even beat them by joining them. 

An additional, but by no means final, reason that marijuana 

usage is enjoying new or renewed acceptance is the age of 

the populace. Many of the hardline, anti-marijuana voters 

belong to the venerated Greatest Generation. These heroes 

were raised in a time when we were the “good guys,“ and it 

stands to reason that they believed their government when 

it told them that marijuana was as bad as or worse than 

other narcotics. This generation is dying out. Their children, 

the Baby Boomers, came of age in an era where it was the 

norm to at least try marijuana. Boomers comprise a large 

proportion of our senior citizens. They tend to have a more 

realistic outlook on marijuana use, and they vote. 

This propensity to install less hardline administrations, 

on average, has led to more research funding for cannabis 

trials. The outcomes often not only underline the Shafer 

Commission’s original findings that marijuana results in 

much less harm than Nixon believed, but that it also has 

medicinal values that benefit society while increasing 

revenue for governments. 

The Current State of Cannabis Usage 

in the United States and Canada 

All Canadian provinces currently allow for medicinal 

usage of cannabis, as do 28 US states and the District of 

Columbia. Each of these states has a range of different 

medical conditions for which cannabis may be used 

and differing procedures regarding the manner it is 

prescribed, where it is legal to dispense, etc. Eight states 

and the District of Columbia also have laws allowing 

for recreational cannabis use (see pg. 86). In the next few 

months, the Canadian government is expected to announce 

federal legalization of recreational marijuana. The federal 

government of the United States still classifies cannabis 

as a controlled substance, but in 2014, Congress passed a 

law that prohibits federal agents from conducting raids on 

growers of medicinal marijuana in states where it is legal. 


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live 

States allowing recreational use of cannabis 

Thanks to ballot initiatives in the 2016 US federal election, 

eight states and the District of Columbia now allow for some 

level of recreational use of cannabis. Many of the restrictions 

are similar from state to state, but there are a few differences. 

In Alaska, it is legal to possess up to one ounce of marijuana 

and up to six plants. In California, a person may possess up to 

one ounce of flower, eight grams of concentrates, and up to six 

plants. The transfer (not sale) of up to one ounce of marijuana 

is legal in Colorado, along with up to one ounce of usable 

product; six plants are allowable there, but only three can be 

mature at any given time. Maine allows for possession of up 

to 2.5 ounces of marijuana and up to 12 plants (no more than 

six can be mature, though). Maine’s pending law also allows 

for the state to claim a 10 per cent tax on sales of non-medical 

cannabis. Massachusetts allows for personal possession up 

to one ounce of flower or five grams of concentrates, and up 

to 10 ounces of flower in one’s home. It also allows the state to 

collect a 3.75 per cent tax on non-medicinal cannabis transactions. 

In Nevada, it is legal to possess up to six plants, one 

ounce of flower, and 3.5 grams of concentrates. Fifteen per cent 

is the government’s taxation rate in Nevada. Oregon allows 

for the possession of up to four plants and possession of up to 

eight ounces of product. Washington State residents can have 

up to one ounce of flower, 16 ounces of solid concentrates, and 

72 ounces of liquid infused products. 

The tide is certainly turning. More states are considering 

laws to allow for medicinal cannabis and the US federal 

government has indicated that the enforcement of laws 

related to marijuana are not the best use of the country’s 

time and resources. It is inevitable that more states will 

allow for its use in the years to come. 

Chris Bond is the manager of the McKay Farm and Research 

Station at Unity College in Maine. His research interests are with 

sustainable agriculture, biological pest control, as well as alternative 

growing methods. He is a certified permaculture designer 

and certified nursery technician in Ohio and a certified nursery 

professional in New York, where he got his start in growing. 

start your free digital 

subscription today. 

Reach your growing goals with educational articles, the 

latest products and technologies, how-tos, tips and tricks, 

and more from our team of indoor growing experts. 

Maximum Yield is the 

#1 growing resource on the planet. 

maximumyield.com 

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FIVE EFFECTIVE 

METHODS FOR 

Stashing 

YOUR 

Stash 

by Alan Ray | With more 

people subscribing to the use 

of medical marijuana, keeping it 

safe and fresh within the home 

is becoming more important. 

Look no further than Alan Ray’s 

suggestions to stylishly and 

effectively stash your stuff. 

Medical marijuana can be a powerful 

tool in the fight against many 

physical and mental disorders, and, 

as with any tool, it should be stored in 

its proper place. With MMJ, the reasons 

for designating its own safe space are 

many and obvious. Aside from convenience 

and ready access, there is the 

safety factor. Emergency room visits for 

acute marijuana intoxication in children 

less than nine years old is on the rise in 

states that have legalized marijuana, but 

this can be easily avoided with a little 

thoughtful effort. Proper storage is paramount 

to keeping MMJ safely out of the 

reach of children, pets, and prying eyes. 

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Below is a list of five cool and 

stealthy ways of keeping your stash 

safely hidden while significantly 

reducing or virtually eliminating 

marijuana’s herbal essence. 

Odor-Proof Bags 

Today’s MMJ carries a far richer 

bouquet than ever before. It doesn’t take 

a bloodhound to detect that fragrance. 

Also, if odor is leaking out of your 

bag, then air is also seeping in and 

accelerating the drying process. You 

don’t want either one of these issues. 

To address them, several companies 

now manufacture bags designed 

expressly to control or even eliminate 

the smell of marijuana much better 

than traditional baggies ever could. 

prevents children, guests, and friends from 

gaining access to its contents. Moreover, 

unless a thief flat out steals your minivault, 

your stash will be safe even if the 

safe is discovered in a burglary. 

Aside from traditional safes that you 

have to physically hide, there are also 

diversion safes available to protect 

your valuables. These are cleverly 

designed to look like everyday 

items to fool almost any burglar 

or person of disreputable 

character. From working 

wall clock safes to fake 

electrical wall outlets that 

contain a fold-out tray, 

there are several 

excellent ways 

to conceal your 

favorite goodies. 

Today’s MMJ carries a far richer bouquet 

than ever before. It doesn’t take a 

bloodhound to detect that fragrance.” 

Many bags are made of extra thick 

polyethylene and offer the customer 

a variety of options. In addition to 

containing the fragrance of their 

contents, they are relatively inexpensive 

and reusable. Many scent-proof bags 

come in a range of handy sizes as 

well. Some thoughtful brands are even 

available with a double-squeeze childresistant 

(not childproof) lock. 

Name Brand Look-alike Containers 

These stash holders emulate practically 

every famous brand, from Coca Cola to 

STP and a hundred in between. Fake 

and hollow bottles, cans, and more are 

an effective way to hide your treasure 

in a product virtually identical to the 

real thing. The beauty of these stealthy 

storage containers is they can be hidden 

in plain sight with little chance 

of detection. Many products are even 

properly weighted for greater realism. 

Scores of these deceptive receptacles 

are available online. 

A Small Safe 

An excellent way to protect your MMJ is 

to simply keep it locked up in a small 

safe with either a key or combination 

known only to you. A locked safe 

A Prescription Bottle 

with a Combination Cap 

As with most prescriptions, MMJ can be 

stored in a prescription bottle—but not 

your typical drug store version. Those 

bottles generally come with a childproof 

cap that practically any child can 

open with a little time and minimal 

effort. The effectiveness of those socalled 

safety caps is minimal at best. 

Instead, there are prescription bottles 

available that offer added protection 

from busy little (or big) hands. By creating 

your own four-digit combination 

to secure the cap, you decrease the 

likelihood of someone intentionally or 

inadvertently opening the bottle. 

Humidors 

Effective methods for maintaining 

moisture content and shelf life 

are key factors in preserving the 

potency of your herb. Marijuanadedicated 

humidors are a popular 

and efficacious way to keep your 

MMJ fresh and strong for a long 

period. A tobacco humidor, while 

great for keeping pipe and rolling 

tobacco fresh, is not recommended for 

marijuana storage. Cigar and tobacco 

humidors are generally made of cedar 

wood and anyone familiar with cedar 

knows it emanates a woody smell that 

potentially can transfer to the tobacco. 

In addition, where optimum relative 

humidity levels for tobacco range from 

70 to 72 per cent, marijuana stores best 

in a lower humidity environment of 55 to 

72 per cent. There are humidors on the 

market constructed explicitly to protect 

and preserve your favorite herb. 

And, just because we can, here’s a 

sixth way to stash your cannabis: If 

you are in a household where such 

safety isn’t a concern, airtight glass 

jars kept in a dark place will suffice 

very nicely for storage purposes. 

Alan Ray has written five books and is 

a New York Times bestselling author. 

Additionally, he is a multi-award winning 

songwriter with awards from BMI and 

ASCAP. Alan lives in Tennessee with his wife 

and two dogs: a South African Boerboel 

and a Pomeranian/Wolverine mix. 

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consultant's corner 

MAKING IT 

LEGAL IN 

MASSACHUSETTS 

by Medicine Man Technologies 

Massachusetts’s Question 4 on the November 8, 2016, 

ballot squeaked by with 56 per cent approval, though 

it remains one of the most important states in the 

northeast to allow recreational marijuana. 

Medicine Man breaks down what comes next. 

Massachusetts became one of the first states on the east 

coast of the US to legalize, tax, and regulate recreational 

marijuana for adults. The November 2016 initiative won 

with just 56 per cent of the vote, and as of December 2016, 

marijuana is legal in Massachusetts and adults can use, 

possess, and grow cannabis for recreational use. 

Like similar ballot measures, it will take time for 

infrastructure and policies to be developed before the first 

legal sales take place. At this point, applying to become a 

retailer through the state will start in October 2017 and could 

take up to 90 days to receive a response with existing medical 

dispensaries given priority. As a result, it is estimated that 

the first legal recreational marijuana sale will take place no 

earlier than January 2018. News reports from the east coast 

indicate that Massachusetts has a tendency to get bogged 

down in bureaucracy, so it will be interesting to see how 

things unfold in the coming months. 

However, now that recreational marijuana is legal in 

Massachusetts, it’s time to take a look at what you need to 

know about the new law. 

Who can buy recreational marijuana and what can you have? 

Adults who are 21 years of age and older will be able to 

purchase and possess up to one ounce of marijuana, though 

not more than five grams in the form of a concentrate. You will 

be able to buy marijuana to smoke, as well as edibles, oils, 

and ointment products. 

Where can you smoke or use marijuana? 

At home or in another private location. It will be illegal to smoke 

marijuana in public spaces or anywhere tobacco smoking is 

banned. Language in the law does point to the possibility that 

cannabis cafés, where on-site use will be legal, may be opened 

eventually. Employers and landlords will also have the right to 

ban smoking or use in their buildings. 

What about growing recreational cannabis? 

Do you need a growroom? 

The law allows anyone over the age of 21 to grow up to 

six marijuana plants. For households with more than one 

adult, there’s a 12-plant maximum. You will need to use a 

growroom that is not visible to the public and locked or 

secured. No outdoor gardens! 

Where will you be able to buy recreational marijuana? 

Dispensaries will be legal in every city. However, 

existing medical dispensaries that want to expand 

will be given the first chance to enter the retail market. 

So, you’ll see the majority of dispensaries open in 2018 

unless a community holds a referendum to ban them 

completely or even limit the number of cannabis retailers 

that are allowed to open. 

Retail marijuana businesses will not be allowed within 

500 feet of a school, daycare, or other child-related facility. 

Individual cities will again be able to impose further 

restrictions and boundaries. 

Is recreational marijuana going to be expensive? 

It really depends on the market, with no set prices outlined 

in the new law. The biggest difference, in comparison 

to other retail goods, is taxes. You’ll pay an excise 

tax of 3.75 per cent on top of the state’s 6.25 per cent sales 

tax. Cities and towns can add up to another two per cent 

in taxes, for a grand total of 12 per cent in taxes. Medical 

sales would remain untaxed. 

Where will all that recreational marijuana tax money go? 

The Yes on Question 4 website states, “Taxing marijuana 

sales will create $100 million in new tax revenue for vital 

essential services in our communities. We can use the 

money to strengthen our schools — smaller classes, more 

books, and newer technology for our children. We can also 

spend the money on opiate abuse prevention programs, 

drug awareness campaigns, or law enforcement.” 

Because recreational marijuana is legal in 

Massachusetts, a Cannabis Control Commission 

will be put in place and funded by the excise tax, 

licensing fees, and fines collected for regulation 

violations. This three-member group will 

be managed by the treasurer’s office, which 

currently oversees alcohol for the state. The 

commission will issue licenses and establish 

any rules not written into the new law, including 

guidelines for packaging and advertising. 

The election was a big step forward for sensible 

marijuana legalization nationwide and the entire 

team at Medicine Man Technologies is excited 

that marijuana will be legal in Massachusetts. 

Looking to enter the marijuana market in Massachusetts? 

Medicine Man Technologies is here to 

guide you. Visit medicinemantechnologies.com 

for more information. 

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by Watermelon 

A FOOL OF MYSELF 

A Cannabis Culinary Column 

Shaken by her arrest—and acquittal—Watermelon left her life on Wreck Beach 

behind and sought another way to subvert the status quo. Armed with nothing but 

naivete and persistence, she soon found herself to be the world’s first marijuana 

pin-up and cover girl, and, later, legit professional. Can politics be far behind? 

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“Dripping water hollows out stone, not through force but through persistence.” 

—Ovid 

When I was a young woman of 20, my big dream was to get 

on the cover of a cannabis magazine. The one I had my eye on 

was the No. 1 publication promoting civil disobedience and 

protesting marijuana prohibition at that time. 

While other girls dreamed of a big white wedding, I was 

dreaming of being a cover girl for the cannabis magazine I felt 

was doing its best to subvert the status quo. 

I spent a short time in Queens, New York, practicing stand-up 

comedy in my early 20s. One day, I strolled into the magazine’s 

office in downtown New York and introduced myself. I told 

them I wanted to be on the cover, bringing with me a naive 

enthusiasm that was hard to quell. 

They were definitively entertained, but in the end I was told 

they were a “legit weed” magazine, not a “foxy chick” magazine. 

Everybody there was pretty jovial about everything, so we 

went up on the rooftop and smoked a big joint. Then I was given 

the ubiquitous swag and some friendly handshakes as I was 

ushered out the door. Going straight home, I wrote them an 

impassioned letter about my quest in more detail. No response. 

Two years later, Vancouver writer Shawn Conner pitched 

a story to the magazine about my cannabis comedy shows 

and they bought it. When it came time to discuss the 

photo, I told Shawn I wanted to shoot for the cover (naive 

enthusiasm still unscathed). 

We got lucky because the photo the magazine was scheduled 

to publish got pulled at the last minute. Desperate now for a 

new cover shot, they said if we could get them a great photo 

by yesterday, “it would be considered.” That was all the 

encouragement I needed. 

I called up my friend Anne, who grew beautiful indoor buds, 

and we concocted a plan together. I would drive the photographer 

and writer to a big parking lot in Richmond, BC. It is there 

she would pick us up in her van and blindfold the crew with old 

suit ties. We drove them directly into Anne’s garage and closed 

the automatic door. They were then led down a hall into a welldisguised 

growroom where we removed the blindfolds. 

This was 2000 and a big growroom could still get you quite a 

few prison years, not to mention the threat of armed robbery. 

I walked into the bathroom, put on some makeup, and 

changed into my Marijuana Monroe costume. This began my 

long illustrious career as the world’s first pot pin-up model. 

Meanwhile, the photographer struggled with lighting. It is 

notoriously difficult to light a growroom as it is steaming with 

lights. Too many lights. Too many hot lights. 

Twenty minutes later, I walked out of that bathroom…and 

became the new cover girl for the nation’s biggest marijuana 

magazine. Hallelujah! 

To date, I have done as many characters as I could dream up: 

Cleopotra, Little Miss Puffet, Jungle Mary Jane, Mary Jane Mansfield, 

Crops and Robbers, Mae West Coast … you get the idea. 

What I learned then, and what I still believe today, is it is 

important to have unconventional aspirations when you are 

young and naive because then you dream big and bold, beyond 

your abilities. As we age, we tend to get more pragmatic with 

our quests. Such a shame really. 

These pin-ups have been published in almost every cannabis 

magazine around the world. They have been printed in calendars, 

posters, and bong advertisements. 

Since then I have forged ahead with other seemingly 

impossible feats. I am about to open my second licorice 

and hula-hoop business; I’ve learned to be a decent tango 

dancer; I’m a retired watermelon vendor; I have produced 

countless cannabis cooking shows; I run a marijuana bakery; 

became a chocolatier; a writer; and next I want to become 

the mayor of Vancouver, BC. 

Not right away though. I have a 10-year campaign set in 

motion. By then, I will no longer be considered a “druggie.” I 

will be considered a “forward thinker.” Vote Watermelon for 

Mayor 2024. That is what it says on the buttons. Collect all 10. 

To see Watermelon in action, check her out on YouTube. 

Baked: Cooking with Mary Jean is a special show that features 

one special ingredient: cannabis! Follow Watermelon, a.k.a. 

Mary Jean Dunsdon, on Twitter @weeddiva to never miss an 

episode, or sign up for updates at potent.media. 

Gluten Free 

Peanut Budder Cookies 

1 C peanut butter 

1 C brown sugar 

1 egg 

1 tsp baking soda 

15 g shake flour 

• Pre-heat oven to 350°F 

• Place all ingredients in a big bowl and mix thoroughly 

• Spoon out heaping tablespoon-size balls onto 

a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper 

• Flatten balls slightly with fork 

• Sprinkle each ball lightly with rock salt (optional) 

• Bake for 12-15 minutes 

• Cool on racks and serve with milk 

• Don’t kiss anybody with a peanut allergy 


y Gibson Lannister 

LADY IN MIND 

BEGONIA 

From Winnipeg, Canada, 

straight to the depths of 

your soul, enters Begonia. 

Begonia is Alexa Dirks and 

Lady In Mind is her debut solo 

album. Her voice is powerful, 

poignant, dark, beautiful, and 

intoxicating. If you ever get an 

opportunity to see this soulful 

pop beauty live, do not miss it! 

5 

THE BEST OF 

OBAMA GOLD WAX 

CANDYBLASTA 

European electronic pop 

group Candyblasta are as 

chilled out as it gets. Their 

latest EP The Best Of Obama 

Gold Wax does nothing but 

make me smile. No politics, 

just music, beautifully 

rendered, gentle, and pure. 

4 

HOT OR MOOD 

OAK HOUSE 

Oak House is a band to 

behold, as sturdy as their 

name. Their album Hot or 

Mood is a beautiful blend 

of samples from the alt rock 

kingdom. It is progressive 

rock, with peeks and valleys 

of hard and soft, fast and slow. 

4.5 

Gibson Lannister has 

been a musician for 

more than 15 years and 

continues to expand his 

knowledge of theory 

and technique. 

SUNBELT EMPTINESS 

POLLEN RX 

Sunbelt Emptiness is the 

debut album from Pollen Rx. 

This band is a hard one to nail 

down…alt rock, post-grunge, 

noisy surf pop? I just call them 

good. And the battle between 

vocalists Maud and Ben adds 

another layer to the sevenlayer 

music dip. It’s addictive! 

4 

ART AMBIDEXTROUS 

PROPAGANDA 

& ODD THOMAS 

LA’s own Propaganda & 

Odd Thomas have put forth 

something provocative in 

Art Ambidextrous. It’s poetic, 

prophetic, passionate, and 

humble, with a high level of 

energy. Propaganda’s lyrics 

are drenched in truth, a rarity 

in our increasingly hyperbolic 

world. Hip hop at its finest. 

4 

REMEMBER US TO LIFE 

REGINA SPEKTOR 

Regina Spektor has done it 

again! Just when you think it 

can’t get any better, she drops 

her latest album, Remember 

Us To Life. She has this 

inane ability to bring to life 

characters and narratives, and 

tell a story that every person 

can relate to, all while pushing 

the envelope artistically. 

5 

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