High Up Volume One

Page 4 www.HighUpColorado.com High Up V1Q1
Table of Contents
Riding the cannabis merry-go-round Page 6
The ambivalent stance of Federal, state and local law
enforcement in regard to medical and recreational pot
Marijuana and tourism Page 9
Vacationers are flocking to ‘the promised land’
for a chance to toke legally
Origins of the term 420 Page 10
No, it’s not a police code for ‘marijuana’
Faragosi Farms Page 11
Helping a community in need
Highland Health Page 12
Superb customer service and product knowledge
Medical marijuana for pets Page 15
It can help their problems, too
THCU - A Higher Calling Page 16
Providing the best for recreational and medical needs
From Buds to buds Page 18
M+M Distributing applies expertise to a new industry
Weed’s wicked past... Page 19
It used to be good for you, then it wasn’t, now it is again
Good for what ails you Page 20
Bud Hut in Walsenburg
Getting started in the business Page 22
Tri Canna shares their personal story
Underground Station is rockin’ Page 24
Different and incredible
Freedom Road Page 25
Where all good, patriotic Americans go for their kush
High Up is a publication of Animas Del Oeste, LLC. Copyright 2017.
To contact High Up, please write office.wordljournal@gmail.com, or call 719-738-1415.

High Up V1Q1 www.HighUpColorado.com Page 5
Frequently Asked Questions...
For those new to the legal use of marijuana.
First and foremost, the basic rules of legalized
recreational marijuana drug use are:
• Adults over 21 with proper I.D. may only possess or
purchase one ounce of marijuana at a time.
• Smoking, vaporizing, or consuming cannabis in public
places is absolutely forbidden.
• Driving under the influence of marijuana is illegal.
Q: How much can I buy?
A: With the enactment of new regulations in June of
2016, Colorado residents and non-residents alike, now
have the same purchasing rights at Recreational Dispensaries,
which is essentially one ounce of any type of
product, or a combined amount that equals one ounce,
per visit. They are as follows:
Bud/Flower: You may purchase one full oz (28 grams)
of cannabis flower, aka buds, nugs, weed, or...
Edibles: You may purchase 28,000 milligrams (28
grams) THC worth of edibles and infused drinks. Yes,
that's right. It basically translates to, for example, 28
100mg pot brownies, or, say, 2,800 ten milligram taffies.
Or...
Concentrates: You may purchase up to 28 grams of
shatter, wax, live resin, bubble hash and vape oil/cartridges.
To give you an example, you can purchase ½ oz of
weed, 7,000 mg worth of edibles and 7 grams of concentrate.
Or any combination of the three types of products,
not to exceed a total of 28 grams. Make sense? If
not, don't worry - your budtender will help keep you
within your purchasing limits.
Q: Can I smoke/consume weed in the car if I’m not
the driver?
A: No. People in the passenger area of a vehicle cannot
use or consume marijuana, and the no open container
law applies to them as well. While we’re at it, you also
cannot smoke marijuana in a taxi or on public transportation.
Q: What kind of ID can I use?
A: All visitors must provide ID, whether you're 21 or
121, every time you visit. Acceptable forms of ID: US
citizens must have a valid state-issued drivers license,
or a US Passport, or Native American or Military ID
with all supporting documents. Non-US citizens must
provide a valid passport from your home country.
Outlets do not accept temporary licenses or anything
that is not an official and fully complete form of identification.
Your ID must also have a photo, and any modifications
to your ID or questions about authenticity
will result in you not being able to enter the shop.
Sorry, it's the law. No exceptions.
Q: Do I have to register or provide any personal information
to shop at your store?
A: No. Retail marijuana sales are just like walking into
a liquor store and buying a 6-pack. No information is
requested or recorded, other than showing your ID.
Q: Can I sell the weed I bought legally?
A: No. You may, however, gift someone over 21 up to
one ounce of marijuana—as long as there’s no exchange
of money involved.
Q: Can I take my purchases out of state?
A: No. Firstly, recreational marijuana is still illegal
under Federal law with the exception of Alaska, Washington
and Oregon. If you were to try and take product
home with you, even if you are a medical patient in
your home state, it's a big risk and probably a felony in
your home state. Enjoy and keep it here in Colorado.
Q: Where can I smoke?
A: Just like with alcohol, you can't smoke in public.
You'll need to find a private home or cannabis-friendly
lodging establishment in order to toke up.
You may be able to smoke in a hotel room that allows
smoking, but you should check with your hotel first to
inquire as to what their smoking policies are when it
comes to marijuana. You may be able to smoke at an
event that allows smoking, but check with the event
manager as to where you can smoke before lighting up.
Basically, you need to keep it to yourself. Yes, it's
legal, but, yes, you can still get busted.
Q: Can I make multiple purchases on the same day?
A: Yes. The only cap on how much you can buy is the
legal possession limit: No one who is not a medicalmarijuana
patient can possess more than an ounce of
marijuana at a time. But that’s up to the customer to
abide by. There’s nothing in the state’s rules for recreational
marijuana stores that requires them to track customer
purchases.

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Riding the cannabis
merry-go-round
The ambivalent stance of federal, state, and local law
enforcement in regard to medical and recreational pot

High Up V1Q1 www.HighUpColorado.com Page 7
by Pat Tillman
It has been roughly six months since the
Trump administration issued warnings in regard
to legal cannabis and, very early on, U.S. Attorney
General Jeff Sessions declared that local authorities
in states that allow any access to
marijuana can follow federal statues when it
comes to dealing with marijuana enforcement.
This statement poses problems for state and
local law enforcement as to how to proceed. If
local district attorneys were to follow that advice,
they could close local recreational marijuana
shops and seize assets, effectively shutting down
the industry. Although highly unlikely, that is a
possibility, now that recreational and even medical
marijuana are in the crosshairs of the Trump
administration.
The future of marijuana is, right now, all just
speculation. Marijuana across the country, and
especially in Colorado, is under the microscope,
and state and local authorities are trying to deal
with the matter delicately. Federal pressure is
clearly affecting recreational marijuana. John
Kelly, Homeland Security Secretary said, in an interview
recently, his agency, along with ICE and
the TSA will "take action" against marijuana. In
response, H.R. 975, referred to as the Respect
State Marijuana Laws Act was introduced by
Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif. Its purpose is to protect
people from being prosecuted under the controlled
substance act as long as they are following
their state’s laws regarding marijuana. It has
been co-sponsored by 14 members of the House,
including two Colorado congressmen, Republican
Mike Coffman and Democrat Jared Polis.
Gov. Hickenlooper has assured Coloradans that
if the federal administration targets recreational
marijuana, he will convert every recreational
business permit to medical.
On March 31, the Colorado House passed
HB 17-1220, a bill to re-illegalize co-op growing,
which had been legal since Colorado medical

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marijuana's inception in 2000, effectively eliminating
caregiving status and reducing total medical plant
count per household to 12. Intended to prevent black
market activity, it is seen by some as an assault on medical
freedom. They argue if a cancer patient were to
need 12 plants a month to make a highly concentrated
cannabis oil to manage pain, appetite, or sleep issues,
that patient wouldn’t have enough medicine to last
through a three-month harvest cycle. They would be
forced to buy their medicine from a dispensary which
costs much more than growing their own supply. The
17,000 medical patients in the state would be dependent
upon the dispensary system for their medicine,
forcing them to contribute revenue to the state, rather
than contributing to their personal health.
Taking the lead from the state legislature, local law
enforcement has made some interesting choices. On
March 3, 2017, the Trinidad Police Department took a
firm stance on the issue of a local industry night, where
vendors and participants consumed marijuana. For the
larger part of the year, these industry nights, a community
gathering strictly for people who use cannabis,
were treated by the police as a non-issue. The gatherings
were informative, safe, and absent of illicit sales or
criminality under current statutes.
A cease and desist letter was sent to the businesses
which host these events. Two excerpts from that letter
are important to note: “It has come to our attention recently
that you have been hosting at your place of business
either a marijuana consumption/smoking club or
an ’industry night’ i.e. a social gathering where marijuana
is purportedly given away to people after a cover
charge is being paid ostensibly to gain entrance.”
The letter goes on to outline the consequences going
forward. “It is, therefore our intent to criminally prosecute
the people who hold, organize, or preside over
such events. The charge will be sale or distribution of
marijuana without a license, or conspiracy to commit
in contravention of C.R.S section 18 -18-406. Also, subsection
5.5 (a) of that statue makes it a criminal offense
to transfer marijuana or marijuana concentrates at no
cost to a person if the transfer is in any way related to
remuneration for any other service or product.” After
treating the events as a non-issue, the change in attitude
of the Trinidad Police Department is a mystery.
Going forward from here, things seem pretty
cloudy. There is, however, a silver lining to this cloud.
The past three years of tax revenue in Colorado, created
thanks to Proposition 64, are as follows: 2014 saw
$76,152,466; 2015 grossed $135,100,467; and, in 2016,
$154.4 million in revenue was created, statistics that are
undeniable. If those numbers are a measure of the success
of the industry and the support of the general population,
legal marijuana and its large tax contribution
should be here to stay.

High Up V1Q1 www.HighUpColorado.com Page 9
Marijuana and tourism
Statistics show Colorado a user’s mecca, but mostly for thrifty young visitors
by Joe Tarabino
TRINIDAD — At almost the same time that the Colorado
Tourism Office was releasing the results of a
year-long study of the impact of the pot industry on
tourism, The New York Times was reporting on the
value of weed on Denver’s appeal to younger newcomers.
According to the Times, the beer (65 microbreweries
in the trendy lower downtown Denver
area), the trains (RTD’s light rail FasTracks program),
the mountains, and, yes, the legal weed— contribute
to a sense of identity for this city that millennials find
appealing. The proximity to outdoor recreation, a progressive
mind-set and its walkability were all cited as
factors in US News & World Report ranking the city
number one in 2016 Best Places to Live.
The CTO reported that marijuana dispensary visitation
has increased slightly over the past year; only
11% of visitors age 25+ reported visiting a dispensary.
Traveler ages 25-34 were the most likely age group
(33%) to report marijuana positively influenced their
decision to visit, while those 55 and older (22%) were
most likely to say they were negatively influenced.
Across the board, about 36% of visitors said the availability
of marijuana had absolutely no influence on
their decision to visit the state.
Just 23% of visitors (a figure skewed toward 21
to 34-year-olds who travel in smaller numbers and
spend less per person on their travels), said the
presence of legalized marijuana influenced their decision
in a positive way, stated The Denver Business
Journal.
Overall, tourism numbers for 2015 were up 8.6%
over the previous year. The state attracted 77.7 million
visitors who spent $19.1 billion, setting new records in
both categories. Sixty-four% of travelers said legalized
marijuana had no influence, either positively or negatively,
on their decision to visit Colorado.

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The origins of the term 420
by Bill Knowles
COLORADO — The myths surrounding the term ‘420’, as
a term associated with the use of marijuana, are many,
while the actual origin of the term is more mundane. So
while we are waiting for a U.S. Congress to officially declare
April 20 (4/20) as a National Pot Smoking Day holiday, here
is a glance back at the history of the term.
In Colorado, many of the dispensaries, and even doctors
who certify the need for a medical card, advertise their
services as 420 friendly or ‘420 available here. 420 is shorthand
for growing, purchasing, or consuming marijuana,
and finds its origins in the early 1970s in Marin County, California,
among high school students at San Rafael High
School. Marin County was also the stronghold of the Grateful
Dead.
A group of students calling themselves “the Waldos”,
because they liked to hang out in front of a wall, would pass
each other in the halls, exchanging knowing glances and
muttering “420 Louis”, in reference to a statue of Louis Pasteur
near a wall on the campus of the high school.
According to an article in the San Francisco Chronicle
in 2000, one of the students said, “It was just a joke, but it
came to mean all kinds of things, like, ‘Do you have any?’
or ‘Do I look stoned’?” The use of 420 was a code word for
their activities and when such activities would take place.
According to a report in the LA Weekly in 2013, “…the
group met in front of the statue of 19th-century French scientist
Louis Pasteur, as well as other spots on school
grounds, to get high at 4:20 pm. It's said that the pack of
t e e n s
would sometimes roam the campus,
searching for a rumored marijuana
patch.”
The term "420" was widely
in use by the end of the
1970s. Deadheads spread
it outward like a metastasizing
virus from their
San Rafael ground
zero. Within
a
The Grateful Dead?
Nope, but it
sounds good...
decade,
p o t
s m o k e r s
were using
it across the
country and
around the
world.
That’s the
origins of the term 420. However many of the myths on
the origins of the term are a lot more fun to consider, including
these:
One myth says the term commemorates the death of
Bob Marley. Not so. Bob Marley died May 11, 1981 and
4/20 isn’t his birthday. Nor is it the date that Jimi Hendrix,
Janis Joplin, or Jim Morrison died.
Then it’s connected with the Grateful Dead in someway.
Yes, kind of. The Deadheads spread the wake-andbake
message of 420 around the country. However, the
Grateful Dead did not always stay in Room 420 in hotels
on the road.
How about it being Adolf Hitler’s birthday? Well, yes.
Hitler was born on April 20, 1889. But 420 hardly commemorates
the birthday of a genocidal murderer. April
20 is also the anniversary date of another horrible buzz
kill, the Columbine High School massacre of 1999. Fortunately,
that is definitely not 420's origin, as references to
420 dates back to the 1970s.
So, is it a reference to the number of natural chemical
compounds found in marijuana? No. There are reportedly
315 chemicals in cannabis.
And a hopeful myth has a 420 bill moving through
Congress that legalizes marijuana. That’s interesting but
wrong. In 2003, California Senate Bill 420 (SB 420), also
known as the Medical Marijuana Program Act, established
guidelines for Proposition 215, such as how many plants
and how much processed cannabis a medical marijuana
patient is allowed to have. Oddly, the specific legislator,
clerk, or aide who apparently numbered the bill in a nod
to the 420 tradition has never been identified.
Then there’s the one that says 420 is a police radio
code for marijuana. Not so. However, 420 is the radio
code for homicide in both the Las Vegas Police Department
and the fictional show CSI.
So then maybe 420 refers to the section of the California
penal code relating to marijuana. Wrong again. But
the myth buster, Snopes.com, says section 420 of the California
penal code refers to obstructing entry on public
land.
Since Bob Dylan sang about everyone wanting to get
stoned, maybe he’s responsible for the terms mass
usage. He did write a song titled “Rainy Day Woman #12
and 35”, in which Dylan repeatedly chants, “Everybody
must get stoned!” And even when the numbers 12 and 35
are multiplied, giving 420 as the answer, the idea is still
wrong but very creative.
Various members of the Waldos have surfaced over
the years, showing letters with postmarks from the 1970s
that refer to "420" to authenticate their claims. Wikipedia
and Snopes.com have also confirmed this origin story.
Portions of this report first
appeared in the LA Weekly in 2013.

High Up V1Q1 www.HighUpColorado.com Page 11
TRINIDAD — Faragosi Farms was
created for one reason: to help a community
in need. While searching for
the perfect town, we stumbled across
Trinidad, Colorado and instantly saw
the potential for greatness. As we
walked Trinidad’s streets we saw the
beautiful historic architecture and
spoke with its kindhearted and neighborly
residents and soon discovered
that this town is unique.
As a company, we at Faragosi
Farms are grateful that this city has
welcomed our family and we are dedicated
to uplifting and giving back to
the community. We strive daily to lead
the industry in benevolence, sustainability,
and ever-evolving high standards,
and encourage others within the industry to join
us. After working with multiple organizations within
the community, we’ve come up with a few simple ways
you can help us improve our community:
1. Volunteer or donate to the local soup kitchen
Fishers Peak Soup Kitchen serves lunch Monday –
Friday from 11am-12:15pm on Church Street. Feel free
to volunteer, donate, or ask what you can do to contribute.
We also offer discounts off your purchase when
you bring in any canned goods or winter gear for donation.
2. Foster a future service dog
Disco’s Dogs, Inc. is an organization that rescues
dogs from shelters, trains them as service dogs, and
matches them with autistic children in need of a best
friend. This organization prides itself on using only rescue
animals, foster homes, and positive training methods
for the greater good of humans and animals in
need. To learn more visit www.discosdogs.com/foster
3. Shop at your local dispensary
We believe that in order for Trinidad to fully benefit
from the presence of legalized marijuana, we need to
give more than just tax revenue. It is crucial that we
work to help make Trinidad a destination and not just
a pit-stop. Therefore, we have dedicated 33% of all of
our profits every month to support local charities, community
events, and small businesses. By working
within the community, we aim to be as philanthropic
as possible for every citizen in Trinidad.
We are proud to announce that, as a company,
we’ve been able to donate over $100,000, to date, directly
back into the community. We would like to thank
all of the organizations that have worked with us up to
this point, for we wouldn’t be able to accomplish this
feat without their dedication to the people of Trinidad.
We would also like to thank our customers and everybody
who has graciously welcomed us into the community.
Together, we can truly make a difference. We
look forward to the future success and prosperity for
our great town.
To learn more about the specific organizations we
support, visit our website at www.faragosifarms.com/
community. Also, if you know of any great local nonprofits
or organizations that could use some help, feel
free to contact us at info@faragosifarms.com, give us a
call at 719-846-2310, or stop in at 118 Santa Fe Trail.

Page 12 www.HighUpColorado.com High Up V1Q1
Highland Health
TRINIDAD — Locally owned and operated, Highland
Health takes prides in superb customer service and
product knowledge in a discreet recreational marijuana
dipsensary honoring the medicinal side of the traditional
plant medicine.
Offering a variety of products from Indica, Sativa
and hybrid bud, along with concentrates, edibles, beverages,
pre-rolls, creams, patches, and lotions, they also
carry a variety of accessories such as pipes, bubblers,
dab rigs, bongs, lighters, and grinders. All of their
cannabis is fresh and never pre-packaged; they weigh
and package all cannabis at the time of sale. Their prices
are fair and reflect their commitment to serving the diverse
needs of their guests with the highest quality
products, the finest customer service, and the fairest
prices in Trinidad.
Concentrated cannabis oil comes in many forms,
the most popular being “wax” and “shatter”, two
highly potent and highly sought after varieties of hash,
designated by texture. Wax is a yellow-amber product
which has the consistency of wax or butter, while shatter
looks like glass and can literally shatter and break.
Another concentrate comes in the form of a prefilled
cartridge containing liquid cannabis oil, used to
“vape”. The majority of concentrates at Highland
Health are provided by Infinite Infusions Another concentrate
Highland Health offers is Sugar Sap, translucent,
resembles tree sap and has one of the highest
terpine profiles. Sugar Sap is extracted with ethanol and
is considered very smooth. Highland Health also offer
pre-filled, 1,000 mg cartridges of liquid cannabis, extracted
using coconut oil.
Infinite Infusions is a Colorado based cannabis extraction
and infusion company passionate about producing
premier, quality extracts. Their oils are never
whipped but are vacuumed purged which preserves
the terpine profile.
Products in Highland Health’s therapeutic section
are designed to effectively relieve pain and discomfort
in a more traditional way. The transdermal patches,
salves and lotions deliver THC and cannabinoids
through the skin for rapid, localized pain relief. These
products are best for arthritic pain, neuropathic pain,
cancer, and many other debilitating illnesses.
Highland Health features the use of organic and
wildcrafted herbs and essential oils from their native
regions of the world with no artificial ingredients,
fillers, parabens or known toxins. Apothecanna products
are artfully crafted in small batches right here in
Colorado.
Continued on page 14

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“Smell that aroma!”
Best of all, according to reviewers, “The customer
service is unparalleled! The staff is extremely knowledgeable
and always willing to help. I frequent here because
the quality of product is consistent and amazing.”
“Fair prices, high integrity and great customer service.
Love the products.”
Highland Health is easy to find, located at 1505
Santa Fe Trail Drive in Trinidad, Take Exit 13A from
Northbound I-25 or Exit 13B from Southbound I-25.
From Main St. turn right on to Santa Fe Trail, and go
one mile up the hill. Highland Health is located on the
right. Highland Health offers discounts to Medical Card
holders. Stop by to try the place where the locals shop,
and make sure you sign the wall before you leave!

High Up V1Q1 www.HighUpColorado.com Page 15
by Joy Gipson
Aging pets share a lot of the same health issues as humans, and there's a growing medical marijuana industry
that is helping owners alleviate pain, seizures, and many other ailment in their pets. A variety of edibles,
oils, and tinctures can give older, weak, injured, and sick pets welcome relief from pain and other
ailments.
Large doses of marijuana products containing THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) are toxic to pets, but the
cannabis plant contains many compounds like Cannabidiol, known as CBD, that are non-psychoative, that
is, do not get you high. CBD has been studied and used for treatment of pain relief and seizures in both humans
and pets. Reports have shown that cats and dogs respond very rapidly to CBD medication. A woman
from Fort Bragg, North Carolina told the Treatibles® manufacturer that she had an appointment to put her
dog down due to how sick and weak he was. The day before his appointment, she gave him some Treatibles®
CBD Chewy's and he got up and started walking around and acting normal.
The American Veterinary Medical Association hasn't taken an official
stance on the subject and are currently not allowed to prescribe cannabis
products to their patients. Tina Wismer, medical director of the ASPCA
Animal Poison Control Center stated, "These products show potential,
but there's not a lot of research at this point. No one is even sure what
the correct therapeutic dosage is." Wismer added, "Dogs that ingest
large amounts of THC sometimes need to be put on fluids and have
their heart rate monitored."
Cannabis products with THC are not suitable for pets, but commercial
treats with very low or no THC could be of help for ailing
pets in pain. Wismer said she hadn't heard of any problems with
Treatibles® and Canna Companions® products. She has fielded a
number of calls at the ASPCA poison control about accidental pet
exposures to pot in general with sometimes scary results.
Canna Companions, a pot-for-pets proprietor based in Sultan,
WA, has a testimonial posted on their website stating, "It seems as
though your product is the best-kept secret in the animal world
for pain management and anxiety issues. I ordered it for my cat,
Robbie, for anxiety and inflamed bladder issues and it works!
Robbie has had issues for the past year or so, and now they are
gone."
CBD treats and oils have helped with a wide variety of
issues in pets such as anxiety, appetite, arthritis, dementia,
noise and weather anxiety, old age, pain, seizures, skin irritation,
tumors, ulcers and bladder problems. Go to
treatibles.com and cannacompanionusa.com for more
information about how CBD medicinal products may
help your pet.

Friendly,
knowledgeable staff
will walk you through
the purchase

High Up V1Q1 www.HighUpColorado.com Page 17
A Higher Calling...
Superb quality, grown and packaged on-site
Trinidad's Higher Calling U, 1000 Independence
Road, in Trinidad, was established to follow a
“higher calling”, namely, to provide the best
products, customer service, and retail environment for
recreational customers and medical patients and the
best products and advice to customers in need of the
healing and palliative benefits of Cannabis.
Conveniently located next to the Big R Shopping
Center and I-25 within an imposing (previously constructed)
chain-link fence, THCU’s large warehouse is
the site of a state-of-the-art grow facility. Within temperature
and light controlled rooms, neat rows of plants
grow in custom potting soil under the watchful eye of
THCU’s expert growers. Each room contains plants of
a specific age and variety, ensuring the purest, most true
strains of the several varieties chosen for optimal THC
(Tetrahydrocannabinol, known for producing psychoactive
effects) or CBD (cannabidiol, known for pain relieving
and otherwise medicinal effects) production. A
proprietary light system emits the perfect wavelengths
to produce healthy plants and optimal production. In
among the large dentate leaves, the smallest workers at
the grow do their job. Praying Mantises wander through
the leaves, devouring bugs. Their testing facility has declared
their flower the cleanest of any tested in their two
years of being in business. They are also one of a select
few medical centers that test medical flower for contaminants
or pesticides, (which is not required), because
they think it should be.
Next door, in the trimming room, a crew of hairnetted
workers sit around a table separating the precious
buds from the less desirable, but still valuable,
leaves and stems. Nothing is wasted, and nothing goes
unaccounted for. Leaves and stems go to the extraction
process, sold to other processors who create the various
extractive products like edibles, salves, and concentrates
sold in this and other shops around the state.
Even the dust that falls to the floor must be mixed with
soil before going to the dumpster. Every ounce of the
grow is accounted for, from the planting of the cuttings
to the final product on the shelves.
All product sold on-site is packaged in the packaging
room, whether buds, shatter (hard and clear extraction),
wax (soft, but solid extraction), or oil. Product is
pre-packed, not pulled from large jars that have been
opened several times a day and possibly contaminated
by other customers who might touch or breathe on it.
Up front in the sales area, you’ll find an amazing selection
of concentrates, salves, edibles, and buds, as well
as shirts and other accessories, and helpful and knowledgeable
staff. As one of their recent reviewers said,
“Love this store. We are older folks with medical issues
and...unfamiliar with many new products...The lady
who works in medical products...took the time to explain
and answered many questions. Recommendations
were specific and tailor-made for our special
needs. Will return for all our needs.”
To learn more, stop by THCU at 1000 Independence
Road, call 719-846-0420, or go to www.trinidadshighercallingu.com.

Page 18 www.HighUpColorado.com High Up V1Q1
From Buds to buds:
Micheliza’s M&M Distributing applies expertise to a new industry
M&M Distributing’s budtenders, Justin Long, Kalynn
Ottwell, and Jude Anaya and trimmers Teresa Burris-
James and Paula Quintana.
by Mary Jo Tesitor
TRINIDAD — For a business to survive and grow over
time, it has to change to meet the desires of its customers.
M&M Distributing in Trinidad is an example
of a business that has moved, adapted, and thrived over
the years because of the tenacity of one family.
In 1940, Talico and Mary Micheliza opened Tal’s
(Main Street) Liquor Store in Trinidad. With the entrance
of the United States into war, Tal enlisted in the
U.S. Marines. He served his country until being discharged
in 1945, whereupon he and Mary ventured into
the bar business, opening the old El Capitan Bar. He
also took a job with Baratono Brothers at their Pabst
Blue Ribbon warehouse which he later took over and,
with John Marta, established M&M Distributing Co.
One thing led to another, and Budweiser was added to
their long list of products. Originally located in the
path of the I-25 project, it was later moved to the present
location on 422 North Commercial Street. Marta
moved on to other ventures, but Talico and Mary and
their three children, John, Gerri, and Judy, maintained
the distributorship for over 60 years, providing Buds to
Las Animas and 13 other southern Colorado counties,
including the San Luis and Arkansas Valleys.
In 2000, a consolidation effort by Budweiser left the
Michelizas without a distributorship and with a large
downtown warehouse. Fourteen years later, John
Micheliza and Geraldine Micheliza DeAngelis addressed
Trinidad’s city council requesting licensing for
a new kind of bud. With marijuana newly legal, they
realized their already secure facility would be perfect
for the industry, and their business acumen in the regulated
liquor industry would serve them well in the
even more regulated cannabis industry. They sought
permits for a medical marijuana center and a medical
marijuana optional premise cultivation operation.
As the first applicant for cannabis business in
Trinidad, M&M explored this new industry with a city
which fielded questions from incredulous citizens and
sometimes devised policy on the fly. Today, with 17 full
time employees and eight to ten part time trimmers,
they are a substantial contributor to the economy of
Trinidad, and other dispensaries in the city have them
to thank for pioneering a new industry.
M&M Distributing is the grower and distributor of
more than 40 strains of medical and recreational
cannabis, grown completely organically and certified
to have 0% microbials and 0% contaminants. They
market their own line of high quality concentrates,
“Trinidab”, created from fresh trim from their unique
high quality, high potency strains. Their aficionadograde
concentrates are strain-specific to ensure consistent
experience and results and their certified Aurum
Lab test results validate the potency and quality of
every gram of product.
As the highest quality marijuana dispensary in
Trinidad, M&M is proud to be a part of the Trinidad
business community again. Through their success, they
hope to not only provide tax revenue funds to the city
but also to explore ways to give back to the community
organizations that are in need of help. Their charitable
M&M Foundation is one of the most important components
of the M&M organization, allowing them to
give back to the community, support neglected and
abused children, animal rights causes, our military
(both active and veterans) and many other important
life-changing organizations.
M&M Distributing is a family run business, and
they treat their employees and customers like family.
Their typical customer is over 50, looking for relief from
pain or a way of reducing other medications or CBD
drops to treat seizures. They also get a fair share of
folks who are nostalgic about the old Buds sold in the
past and amazed to see a new bud sold.

High Up V1Q1 www.HighUpColorado.com Page 19
by Eric Mullens
Medicinal preparations of cannabis became available
in American pharmacies in the 1850s following
an introduction to its use in Western medicine by
William O'Shaughnessy a decade earlier in 1839.
Marijuana was listed in the United States Pharmacopeia
from 1850 until 1942 and was prescribed for
various conditions including labor pains, nausea, and
rheumatism. Its use as an intoxicant was also commonplace
from the 1850s to the 1930s.
A US Department of Agriculture bulletin in 1905
lists twenty-nine states with laws mentioning
cannabis. Eight are listed with "sale of poisons" laws
that specifically mention cannabis: North Carolina,
Ohio, Wisconsin, Louisiana, Vermont, Maine, Montana,
and the District of Columbia. Among those that
required a prescription for sale were Wisconsin and
Louisiana. Several "sale of poison" laws did not specify
restricted drugs, including in Indiana, Rhode Island,
Hawaii, Nebraska, Kentucky, Mississippi, and
New York. Many states that did not call cannabis a
"poison" nonetheless required it be labeled.
In the West, the first state to include cannabis as a
poison was California. The Poison Act was passed in
1907 and amended in 1909 and 1911, and in 1913 an
amendatory act (Stats. 1913, Ch. 342) was made to make
possession of "extracts, tinctures, or other narcotic preparations
of hemp, or loco-weed, their preparations and
compounds" a misdemeanor.
There's no evidence that the
law was ever used or intended
to restrict pharmaceutical
cannabis; instead it was a
legislative mistake, and in
1915 another revision
placed cannabis under the
same restriction as other
poisons.
Other states followed
with marijuana laws including:
Wyoming (1915);
Texas (1919); Iowa (1923);
Nevada (1923); Oregon
(1923); Washington (1923); Arkansas (1923); and Nebraska
(1927).
It was in the 1920's that marijuana’s recreational use
began to catch on. Some historians say its emergence
was brought about by Prohibition.
Periodicals of the day say its recreational use was
restricted to jazz musicians and people in show business.
"Reefer songs" became the rage of the jazz world.
Marijuana clubs, called tea pads, sprang up in many
major cities. These marijuana establishments were tolerated
by the authorities because marijuana was not illegal
and patrons showed no evidence of making a
nuisance of themselves or disturbing the community.
At the time, marijuana was not considered a social
threat.
A campaign conducted in the 1930s by the U.S. Federal
Bureau of Narcotics (now the Bureau of Narcotics
and Dangerous Drugs) sought to portray marijuana as
a powerful, addicting substance that would lead
users into narcotics addiction.

Page 20 www.HighUpColorado.com High Up V1Q1
Bud Hut
Good for what ails you.
Who comes to the Bud Hut? People looking for:
• Pain relief without the high.
• Anxiety relief.
• Treatment of depression.
• A restful night of sleep.
• Even alleviation of diabetes!
Cannabis really is “good for what ails you!”
We offer a 20% DISCOUNT for Veterans and Medical
Marijuana Patients. Present your valid Medical Marijuana
from any State or Veterans card to the receptionist
to receive your special pricing.
WhAT SETS ThE BuD huT APART FROM OThER DISPENSARIES?
Personalized customer service. We’re not a pot supermarket.
We’re small, and that’s good. We have time to
answer your questions, recommend treatment options,
explain products, and give you the customer service we
believe you deserve.
Our staff has been hand picked to provide you an
exceptional shopping experience in a friendly, comfortable
atmosphere.
Are you new to the world of cannabis and have
questions? Don’t be shy; our staff has over 120 years of
knowledge-based experience. If we don’t know, we
will find the answer or point you in the right direction.
We’ve been part of the Huerfano County community
for over 25 years, and care about our neighbors
who struggle with pain, anxiety, and sleep disorders.
We can help you to live the life you so much desire.
Having both medical and recreational users on staff,
we have a unique perspective on the needs of our customers.
Our one-on-one customer care and product
knowledgew make us the Premier Recreational Dispensary
in southern Colorado.
Located just off I-25 at exit 52, our friendly little hut
is conveniently located for travelers from the north,
near fuel and restaurant stops.
Just around the corner, visit urban Smoken, your
source for fine smoking accessories:
• Glass.
• T-Shirts.
• Vaporizors.
• Colorado Souveniers.
• Candles and Incense.
As well as our line of Herbal Detox and other health
care products.
The Bud Hut and Urban Smoken
973 uS highwayy85-87, Walsenburg, CO 81089
719-738-BuDS (2837)
www.budhutinc.com

Page 22 www.HighUpColorado.com High Up V1Q1
Geing started in the Cannabis biz
Hi folks,
It was the dawn of 2009, the new year’s noise makers had already been hauled off by the
trash man, the glier had long been swept up, and I was still finding tiny torn pieces of confei
lingering on in my living room. The Rocky Mountain News closed after a 150 year print run.
The balloon boy hoax was in the air.
That year, I was running a restaurant with my family down in Springfield, Colorado. It was
called Chubby’s, and out front we had a huge statue of the Simpsons towering over the building.
If you’ve ever been in the restaurant industry, I don’t have to tell you how burnt hands, sore
feet, and long hours can take a toll on you. I felt like Joe Pesshi after watching a Woody Allen
marathon- frustrated. So I knew it was time for a change. Thats when my journey began in the
marijuana industry.
Things were a lot different back then, there were no huge fancy stand-alone buildings with
flashy signs. Things had just taken off. The zoning laws were very strict, and finding a building
in the right spot was a challenge. A lot of shops were very low key and hard to find; it still had
a black market feel to it back then.
There weren’t any huge grows to buy wholesale from, or many edible companies that were
readily available, yet. So I had to resort to craigslist to find legal growers to buy product from.
At that time, the regulations were still in the works, so many of the grows I bought from
were black market “master growers” pulling pounds out of residential houses in Denver. We
were even making our own edibles in our old commercial kitchen, God only knows how strong
they were. It was all by the book, but it was like a book wrien by Louis L’amour; Wild West.
There was a certain degree of danger in having to resort to craigslist to aquire product. But
not succombing to such fear, I pushed on with a leap of faith and trusted that the universe
would connect me with right people.
After finding the right grower, we opened up inside a big office building, next to an adult
day care and an indoor swimming school for kids. It was an old clinic office in Colorado Springs,
so it was well set up for a medical shop. That’s were we first planted our roots.
We were originally called F.L.O.O.B.I.E.S., an acronym for “fulfilling life on our best indicas,
edibles and sativas”. It was the kind of name Dr. Suess would name a shop. I’ve always been a
sucker for Horton Hears A Who.
After about six months of being in
business, we had a small celebration
with drinks. My brother Chris, always a
prankster, got a wild hair to call MTV. He
left them a message pitching a show
about the shop. It originally was just a
gag, but two weeks later, MTV called back
and wanted us to film a preview of the
show!
‘Till next time,
—Brandon
Tri-Canna
411 N. Commercial St in Trinidad
Next time: ”Growing“ into a corporation

Page 24 www.HighUpColorado.com High Up V1Q1
a dirt mixture we developed ourselves. In the end our
own dirt formula far exceeded the “super soil” formula.
As far as HDO versus LED, we ultimately went 100%
LED. Our experiment showed us that the LED plants
didn’t stretch nearly as much as the HDO plants. There
was a shorter distance between nodes, and the trichome
production was much more dense. Basically these gals
were FULL of “crystals”. Blew our minds. LED it was!
When Amendment 64 passed in Colorado, it
seemed everyone wanted to get into the industry.
Dreams of instant wealth were enticing. However, few
realized that this industry takes enormous dedication
and financial backing. As a group of entrepreneurs and
business owners in southern Colorado, we thought this
over and decided to take our time and build a successful
business with the best possible practices.
We decided quality flower is where success begins
for a dispensary. We started our business by establishing
a grow operation that would provide the
highest quality flower available. Genetics is the key
to growing amazing flower. After exploring the Colorado
market, we noticed most dispensaries were carrying
flower and strains that were all very similar. We
wanted something different and incredible. After researching
the best possible genetics available we were
led to Northern California.
After many meetings and “sampling”, we chose a
line of strains and genetics that were not found in Colorado.
We acquired over 100 unique seeds and moved
forward. Some strains you’ll recognize like our 29%
Blue dream. (Yes, I said 29%! What the ****!) Look for
it in upcoming Cannabis Cups, plus other strains you
may not have heard of. Variety is the spice of life!
Next came our research into the best grow operation
procedures. We were trying to decide whether to
use High Density Output (HDO) lights or pure LED.
HDO has been the standard for decades and LED’s are
relatively new to the grow arena. We set up an experiment
to test them both. We also decided to test our dirt
(soil) formula as well. Taking clones from the same
mother, we set up two rooms. One was HDO and the
other LED. We also divided both rooms up using the
standard ‘super soil” that was popular at the time and
With our operation practices in place we were ready
to build our grow facility. Based in the heart of Pueblo,
CO we went to work and Herbal Gardens was
born. Although we went with pure LED lights, we also
cut openings into the roof of the facility with retractable
doors that open and allow natural light into the rooms.
Adding in a little mother nature never hurts and these
are her babies after all. Cleanliness, functionality and
compliance were at the forefront of the design. After
months of hard work, we were ready to grow.
Ever since our first harvest, we have been producing
the best flower possible. We are proud to present
our products to you for your enjoyment and believe
you will be impressed. Some of our strains are currently
“Top Shelf” strains in select dispensaries.
Visit us at 439 North Commercial Steet in Trinidad,
or give us a call at 719-422-8365. Or go to
www.undergrounddispensary.com

High Up V1Q1 www.HighUpColorado.com Page 25
Welcome to Freedom Road
America’s Destination Dispensary. Our passion for all
things cannabis can be seen and felt in every one of
our locations.
The Dispensary People Travel For…
At Freedom Road we are committed to providing the
best possible product and customer service in the industry.
One of our top priorities is the continuing education
of both our staff and our clientele. Whether
you are seeking the medicinal benefits of cannabis or
simply want to experience the finest marijuana on the
market, our staff will help you make the right purchase
to suit your needs.
Freedom Road is America’s Destination Dispensary
because of our awesome staff, multiple convenient
locations, highest quality products, and
dedication to ensuring all our customers are educated
and making informed purchases that meet their
needs.
Open Daily at Both Locations in Trinidad.
514 West Main Street 719-422-8181
2600 Freedom Road 719-967-7001
We carry a huge selection of
products, including:
• Transdermal Pens
• Capsules
• Lotions and Balms
• Transdermal Patches
• Compounds and Salves
• Oils
• Marijuana Tinctures
• Drops
• Oral Sprays
How much can I legally buy
per day?
Adults may purchase up to 28
grams of flower, or its equivalent,
per transaction. An eighth (3.5
grams) of flower is equivalent to 1
gram of concentrates
OR 100mg of edibles
Who can purchase at
the dispensary?
All adults, age 21 and
up, with a non-expired
form of ID.
What are acceptable
ID types?
• State-issued Driver’s
License from any State
• Military ID
• Indian Tribe Enrollment
ID
• Passport
• Passport Card
(International guests may ONLY
provide a passport for identification,
including our friends from
Canada)
** All IDs must be current, non-expired
**
What are the restrictions on
where I can smoke?
You are permitted to smoke in any
private residence and on private
property where ownership allows
smoking. It is illegal to smoke on
public property, including in State
and National parks.
Do you ship?
No.
Do I have to provide any
personal info?
Just your ID to verify your age. We
will not record or make any copies
of your information.
What can I take out of state?
Nothing. Products containing even
trace amounts of marijuana are not
allowed to be taken across state
lines. No exceptions.
What strains do you carry?
Glad you asked. Our menu is updated
daily, and on multiple platforms
– for your convenience! Check
out our products page or Weedmaps
listing for more information.