Culture Magazine Washington September 2015 by Culture Magazine

CULTURE // September 2015

VISIT US AT

iReadCulture.com

September 2015 // CULTURE

CULTURE // September 2015

VISIT US AT

iReadCulture.com

September 2015 // CULTURE

Contents september 2015

34 RIDICULOUS AND ROLLICKING

FeatureS 42

Comedian Reggie Watts is amazing, over-the-top and cuddly! ON THE COVER: Photo by John Gilhooley

8 . Letter from the Editor

NEWS

. IMMINENT CLOSURES

Medical cannabis access points are being forced to close in Tacoma.

46 . Industry insider

Allen St. Pierre, Executive Director for NORML, has been advocating cannabis for two decades.

48 . Rasta Royalty

JuJu Royal, along with the famous Julian Marley, are reconnecting with their roots and celebrating cannabis.

12 . News Nuggets 15 . By the Numbers 18 . WA Cannabis Sales Are Down Six Percent 22 . legal corner

Departments 52 . Growing Culture 54 . Destination Unknown 55 . Profiles in Courage 56 . Recipes 58 . let’s do this 60 . shooting gallery 61 . News of the Weird

reviews

24 . Advocate highlight 28 . Cool Stuff

30 . Entertainment Reviews

WEB Exclusive! UK Legalization Petition Earns Enough Signatures to be Considered by Parliament Study Shows the Majority of Ethics Boards Rule in Favor of Lawyers Utilizing Legal Cannabis

GET YOUR CLICK HERE SEE MORE ON OUR WEBSITE

CULTURE // September 2015

www.iReadCulture.com

VISIT US AT

Look out for these icons to find out what website-only extras you’re missing out on!

iReadCulture.com

September 2015 // CULTURE

Vol 7 IssUE 3

/freeculturemag

/ireadculture

letter from the editor

Publisher Jeremy Zachary Editor-In-Chief Evan Senn associate Editor Ashley Bennett Editorial coordinator Victoria Banegas

Leading by Example

rom time to time, I forget my manners. Raised by rebellious hippies from a conservative Southern family, proper manners were introduced but not demanded. Nowadays, I try to be on my best behavior for every circumstance, but every now and again, I revert to just being me. Though as strange as I feel myself to be, very few people seem to notice the difference; but, those who do, remind me to remember my situation and the proper behavior for that situation, by leading by example—always a powerful learning tool. That subtle tool is how most people learn behavioral skills and how we politely function in appeasing other people’s expectations. Comedian Reggie Watts reminded me of this solid aspect of human behavior during our exclusive interview with him for this issue. The interviewer asked Watts if he was always in character, even in everyday life, and he responded by telling him that he doesn’t think he is in character, but he does occasionally give the audience what they are looking for, whether it’s over-the-top ridiculousness, musical comedy, absurd stories or whatever he feels they need. I think we all do that, to some degree. We tend to act however is appropriate for the environment or situation at hand. Seems logical in everyday life, and seems even better when a comedian is in tune with his audience that way. The government, however, seems

Photographers Steve Baker, Kristopher Christensen, John Gilhooley, Joel Meaders, Duncan Rolfson, Rick Thompson Art Director Steven Myrdahl Graphic Designers Tanya Delgadillo, Tommy LaFleur, Jacob Myers

to have a hard time with this behavioral tactic. Seeing so many states put up so many different cannabis legalization and access bills and petitions every month shows us what the people want. Numbers may vary from time to time, but as cannabis prohibition is entering its 78th year, and with the many stats and studies and facts that show the majority of Americans are in favor of cannabis legalization, it would seem that the federal government has poor judgment in trying to read their audience and give the American citizens what they want. Many organizations are predicting 11 more states to go fully recreational in the near future, and with the non-stop dedication and hard work by the cannabis community in states like Florida, Nevada, California, New York and many more, I think that’s an accurate prediction. As infuriating as it is, we can only hope that our federal government learns to follow the examples from our local initiatives sooner rather than later. Keep faith in the people, in the example, keep believing in the inevitable growth of this movement and we can make it a reality together. c Sincerely,

Account Executives Greg Andes,Callie Belo, Jon Bookatz, Eric Bulls, Kim Cook, Ryan Dunn, Cole Garrison, Gene Gorelik, Yolanda Imoberstag, Emily Musser, Beau Odom, Justin Olson, Jim Saunders, Chris Thatcher, Paulina Porter-Tapia, April Tygart Office Manager Iris Norsworthy Office Assistant Angelina Thompson digital media Editor Kimberly Johnson Ctv Video Editor Kristian Quintanilla Ctv Contributors Anna Logan,Chris Salazar Interns Brahim Gousse Distribution Manager Cruz Bobadilla Culture® Magazine is published every month and distributes 25,000 magazines at over 600 locations throughout Washington. No articles, illustrations, photographs, or other matter within may be reproduced without written permission. Culture® Magazine is a registered trademark. All rights reserved. 815 1st Ave | #220 Seattle | Washington | 98104 Phone 888.694.2046 | Fax 888.694.2046 www.iReadCulture.com

Evan A. Senn

Editor-In-Chief

CULTURE // September 2015

Editorial Contributors Sheryll Alexander, Marguerite Arnold, Jake Browne, Jasen T. Davis, Alex Distefano, David Downs, Natasha Guimond, Addison Herron-Wheeler, Anthony Herrold, Pamela Jayne, Heather Johnson, Joe Jatcko, David Jenison, Kevin Longrie, Emily Manke, Tyler Markwart, Meital Manzuri, Sandy Moriarty, Denise Pollicella, Paul Rogers, Joy Shannon, Lanny Swerdlow, Simon Weedn, Zara Zhi

CULTURE® Magazine is printed using post-recycled paper.

VISIT US AT

iReadCulture.com

September 2015 // CULTURE

CULTURE // September 2015

VISIT US AT

iReadCulture.com

September 2015 // CULTURE

C NEWS NUGGETS

__________________________

State Fourth access point opens in Everett

While other access points are being closed down in Tacoma, Everett’s cannabis access point industry is booming. The city welcomes its fourth access point to serve recreational cannabis to residents, out of a total of five that will be allowed to operate within city limits. The owner of the newest access point, Jessica Jordan, applied for the opening back in December 2013 and is excited to finally have the opportunity to open her business almost two years later, “Now that we’re here, I’m pinching myself,” she stated. Her dream of becoming an access point owner was almost silenced, when a church located across the street from her chosen storefront protested. Fortunately, the Everett City Council ruled that churches, synagogues, mosques or temples are not protected under city ordinance regarding proximity to an access point. Jordan reports that most of her customers are around 50 years of age.

Washington Passes New Open Container Law

A new state law, House Bill 1276, was passed to update the current open container state laws for vehicles to include cannabis. Now regulated similarly to alcohol, the law states that

CULTURE // September 2015

cannabis must be kept in the trunk of a vehicle in an unopened container, or in another area of the car that is “not normally occupied or directly accessible by” drivers or passengers. HB-1276 also gives the state the ability to suspend a driver’s license if the driver’s blood tests positive for cannabis, in an attempt to make streets safer. The law was signed by Governor Jay Inslee, and will take effect beginning September 26.

__________________________

Nation

commission would require physicians to examine the patient, review past medical records and history, as well as provide follow-up care. Currently, the pending cannabis program is expected to be adopted later this month (with patient registries established in December or January), ultimately becoming available in the first half of next year.

__________________________

World Chilean votes to decriminalize cannabis

Chilean lawmakers just took a vote on Health Code and Law 20,000, which replaces Law 19.366, taking Chile one step closer to allow its people to grow small amounts of cannabis for medical purposes. The vote was a whopping 68-39 in the lower house of congress, which was followed by cheer and applause. Previously in Chile, cannabis offenders who were found guilty of planting, selling or transporting cannabis in the country led to a punishable offense, with a maximum punishment of 15 years in prison. According to the bill, citizens would be allowed to grow up to six plants at home for medical use (with no more than 10 grams in their possession). Also, if passed, the law will legalize recreational cannabis as well, according to El Mostrador. Chile follows the suit of other countries, such as Uruguay and Jamaica, which also decriminalized cannabis. c

First medical cannabis clinic opens in Maryland

The Maryland State medical cannabis program isn’t expected to become operational for another year, but the state’s first clinic has opened in Annapolis. With an estimated 100 patients ready to obtain their medicine, the clinic owners believe opening up this early allows them to begin building the patient-doctor relationship in preparation for when the program officially begins, according to The Washington Post. Once active, the VISIT US AT

iReadCulture.com

September 2015 // CULTURE

CULTURE // September 2015

VISIT US AT

iReadCulture.com

by the numb3rs

67 100,000 170 11 15 100K The amount of money, in millions of dollars, that Washington state has made in cannabis excise taxes since June 2014: 67 (Source: Daily Record)

The estimated number of people who attended Seattle Hempfest in August: 100,000 (Source: My North West)

The amount of money, in millions of dollars, that Washington state has made so far this year in cannabis sales: 170 (Source: Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board)

The amount of money, in millions of dollars, that cannabis access points reported having made in sales during July: 31.4 (Source: Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board)

The amount of money, in thousands of dollars, that was raised to help overturn a “harmful” WA medical cannabis bill: 11 (Source: The Weed Blog)

The number of years that it took the state of Nevada to allow patients access to medical cannabis since they voted to legalize it: 15 (Source: The New York Times)

The number of signatures required to be gathered for Florida’s second push for cannabis legalization: 100,000 (Source: The Florida Times-Union)

The number of organizations approved to grow and dispense medical cannabis as part of the Compassionate Care Act in New York: 5 (Source: WGRZ.com)

HoodsPOT For the fifth year in a row, HoodsPOT is returning to offer a weekend of fun, food and cannabis culture. This event is much more down-toEarth compared to more business-centric cannabis events, and brings many forms of entertainment to Olympian patients. First and foremost, it’s a market of sorts, so between 10:30am and 5pm attendees can view a number of wares in the realm of crafts and gems. Food trucks will also be present, the opportunity to relax while getting a massage, and plenty of music to go around. Later in the evening between 5pm-10pm, HoodsPOT will also shift into an after party atmosphere (Saturday night only).

IF YOU GO

What: HoodsPOT. When/Where: Sat, Sept. 5-Sun, Sept. 6. Washington Farmer’s Market, 7707 Martin Way E., Olympia. Info: $5 entry, or free for patients and caregivers. Visit sonshineo. com for details.

September 2015 // CULTURE

CULTURE // September 2015

VISIT US AT

iReadCulture.com

September 2015 // CULTURE

ROUGH PATCH Is the Green Gold Rush going bust?

F by Emily Manke

For the first time since recreational cannabis has been legal in Washington state, sales are going down. With tourist season in highgear, and the state as busy as ever, declining sales in any industry is never a good sign. Especially an industry with as much to prove as cannabis in Washington state. The numbers that have some folks in Washington’s cannabis industry raising their eyebrows, have to do with the month of July. According to The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board’s revenue and tax data, recreational cannabis retailers sold $31.4 million worth of product in July. While that might not seem like cause for concern, it is due to one simple fact. That number is down from June by six percent. And in the history of legal recreational cannabis sales in Washington state, sales have always increased month-to-month. But this could just be healthy market fluctuation, especially when you look at it in the context of all of 2015’s data. Total recreational cannabis sales in Washington were approximately $300 million in 2014, as of mid-August of 2015, sales for the year are at nearly $200 million. So 2015 is looking to easily hit the $300 million mark by year-end, if not exceed it. With healthy margins like these, it’s evident that while some kinks may still need to be worked out, business is overall doing well. But it’s not just these numbers that have folks concerned about the future of Washington state’s cannabis industry. Washington state came under fire early on for its complicated and extremely heavy tax system. Growers, processors and retailers were being taxed so heavily, even with expensive prices, they weren’t making much money. In an effort to fix the tax issues that plagued our cannabis industry,

CULTURE // September 2015

Photo by David Nitszche

in early July, legislators passed a “marijuana tax reform” bill, HB-2136. The bill will stop taxing cannabis growers and processors, and instead just institute a single 37 percent excise tax on cannabis retailers. Most business people in recreational cannabis industry consider this a win. But, while Washington has been slowly fixing the issues that plague the cannabis industry in our state, the federal government has been slow to catch up. This leaves many business people unable to well, do business. Banking, health insurance and any other employee benefits have to operate around the federal government, instead of within it. “The marijuana industry is actually being treated worse than prostitution rings and gambling organizations, which is ridiculous,” Kim Houser, a business law professor at Washington State University told NBC News. Aside from difficult federal and state regulation on cannabis, there is one other thing for Washington cannabusinesses to worry about. Beginning October 1, Oregon

will begin selling recreational cannabis. The Oregon Liquor Control Commission released recommendations early on that made it clear Oregon would not suffer from the same issues that Washington did. With a much more relaxed tax and retail system, and an emphasis on keeping the prices low, recreational shop owners are reporting their prices will be closer to $5 a gram on average, in contrast to Washington’s, which is closer to $20. With such a dramatic price decrease, it’s safe to say cannabis-consuming residents in the southern half of the state will likely be tempted to cross the border into Oregon to purchase. There are many factors to pay attention to when it comes to the future of Washington cannabis. With federal and state government interference, and now competition from the south, cannabis entrepreneurs must stay vigilant. But with annual sales in the hundreds of millions of dollars, it’s safe to say Washington state recreational cannabis is here to stay. c VISIT US AT

iReadCulture.com

September 2015 // CULTURE

CULTURE // September 2015

VISIT US AT

iReadCulture.com

September 2015 // CULTURE

by Hilary Bricken

r e n r o c l a g e l The business breakdown of WA’s new access point regulation

he Seattle City Council recently passed Council Bill 118419 and Resolution 31595, setting forth the city’s official stance on medical cannabis businesses in the wake of the passage of Senate Bill 5052, the bill that overhauls Washington’s current medical cannabis system. Ultimately, MMJ businesses that have held a city business license before January 1, 2013 will be allowed to continue to operate until July 1, 2016—the city will allow those businesses to operate beyond July 1, 2016 if and only if those businesses obtain a license to operate from the Washington Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB). Those cannabis businesses that failed to obtain a city business license before January 1, 2013 will likely face automatic shutdown by the city in the months leading up to next summer. Currently, cannabis activity is the lowest priority for the Seattle Police Department. Nonetheless, with the passage of the new city laws, Seattle is adopting a three-tiered enforcement priority system to target non-compliant businesses and individuals based on the following criteria: Highest priority—Tier 1 The first enforcement priority includes “non-state-licensed marijuana establishments operating without a City of Seattle business license or a business license issued after January 1, 2013.”

CULTURE // September 2015

This priority also includes individuals who provide cannabis or cannabis products to minors, delivery services for recreational cannabis, non-licensed cannabis establishments that are under investigation by state law enforcement and cannabis establishments that target children with advertising or marketing. Second highest priority—Tier 2 The second enforcement priority tier focuses on non-state-licensed cannabis establishments operating in violation of building and construction, land use, fire or other city codes, MMJ delivery services and any individual or entity that allows cannabis consumption on its property in violation of state law. Third Highest Priority—Tier 3 This last tier focuses on non-state licensed cannabis businesses that opened after January 1, 2013, but that are at least 80 percent owned by a person or entity that received a city business license before that date. To remain in this enforcement tier, these businesses must show the city that their operations have been continuous and provide to the city valid documentation regarding the 80 percent ownership by those qualified individuals. This third tier also includes cannabis distributors that have not submitted their product for quality testing, MMJ establishments distributing cannabis within

500 feet of another MMJ establishment (whether licensed or unlicensed) and MMJ establishments out of compliance with the state’s current medical cannabis laws under RCW 69.51A. All of this means that to operate within the city of Seattle, a cannabis business must have a Title 6 license from the city and the Department of Finance and Administrative Services will oversee the issuance of those licenses. Applications for these licenses are due within 30 days after the ordinances become effective, and each application will cost around $1,000. Notably, a few distinct industry groups will be exempt from the city’s licensing requirements: Labs that conduct tests on cannabis, producers of cannabis beauty aids not meant for consumption that have a minimum amount of THC, and, as mentioned above, MMJ businesses that were issued a business license by the city and were operating before January 1, 2013 and have no outstanding judgments against them for unpaid wages or tip compensation and are current with state and local taxes. Those MMJ business that can meet the city’s new requirements will be allowed to operate until July 1, 2016 without a city license. At that point it must obtain licenses from both the LCB and the City of Seattle. These new ordinances also provide for Seattle police to confiscate all cannabis and cannabis products possessed by a cannabis business that does not have a valid city license or that does not meet any of the exemptions. Seattle police are authorized to seize all cannabis or cannabis products that do not meet all state and city requirements. Though King County has opted to crack down on unlicensed medical cannabis storefronts, Seattle is taking a somewhat softer approach. Nonetheless, if your MMJ business is in King County or within the City of Seattle, you must either comply with SB-5052 or face consequences. c VISIT US AT

iReadCulture.com

September 2015 // CULTURE

Advocate HIGHLIGHT

Jedidiah Haney Occupation: Founder and President of CAUSE-M, a cannabis advocacy group; Founding Partner and the CEO of Evergreen Industries SPC, a hemp apparel company; Advisor to non-profit organizations such as Twenty22Many, Mountain Healings Minds and the Blackdog Foundation.

When and how did you become an advocate for cannabis? I have been an active member of the cannabis movement since 2004 when I became a medical caretaker in Oregon. After spending many years in medical cultivation I moved to Eastern Washington to pursue an agricultural career in the booming organic sector. After the passage of I-502 I was interested in transmuting my agricultural business development experience into the nascent cannabis industry. When seeking out avenues for licensed cannabis production I was introduced to a group of cannabis farmers in Yakima County. This group of farmers wanted to exercise their licenses to grow cannabis, however the local political atmosphere were pushing bans on licensed cannabis production, processing and retailing. To confront these bans we started a non-profit trade association named CAUSE-M and whipped out the bag of advocacy tools and went to work on our local politics. Carrying this message into the longest and most grueling legislative sessions on Washington State history.

CULTURE // September 2015

How has cannabis benefited your life? I have led a very active and somewhat abusive lifestyle for my body. I grew up skating and surfing only to take up snowboarding for the last 12 years. Though I loved all of these “extreme” sports they have all taken their toll on my physical being, specifically my knees. Sometimes pain can be so bad and that impacts my quality of life. I have found that cannabis can help with mood and other symptoms from my injuries; however, nothing helps as much as topicals and internal CBD rich capsules for the pain. A combination of cannabis-based therapies helps me maintain a very active lifestyle. What’s your greatest achievement for the cannabis cause? I am a cannabis advocate and most of the day I keep my head down and keep plowing forward.

So, when I stop and reflect I would have to say that working with the different channels of government to introduce the ideas that our culture have developed behind closed doors is my greatest achievement. My favorite moment in this last year is when I was recently on a tour with the WSDA, USDA and various other agencies viewing agricultural farms in Washington state. There was a cannabis farm scheduled on this tour and I was asked to give a presentation on the state of the cannabis industry for this group. It was my honor to represent the cottage industry to this group of federal and state agents. I was able to impart my knowledge of how the industry is developing and expose some of the greater barriers to this group. Being known as a reliable source of information for agencies and politicians is something I am very proud of. I know that the grassroots efforts that we are applying today will have systemic impacts for years to come. If you could change one thing about the way cannabis is viewed and/or treated right now, what would it be? I would like the rights to this plant to be fully realized. I should have the right to produce cannabis for non-commercial purposes. I grew too many tomato plants one year and there was an overabundance for my household. So every time a friend came over to say hi they left with a little bag of cherry and grape tomatoes along with a smile. I never charged these friends for Mother Nature’s bounty and I think we should look at cannabis the same way. c VISIT US AT

iReadCulture.com

September 2015 // CULTURE

CULTURE // September 2015

VISIT US AT

iReadCulture.com

September 2015 // CULTURE

cool stuff Cali Crusher

Priding itself on being a designer grinder, Cali Crusher is the newest top selling grinder on the market. Made from medical grade Aerospace aluminum with indestructible radial cut blades, its 4-way quick-lock feature is bar none, eliminating cross-threading incidents and jammed situations. The screen is even removable and upgradeable with the use of a small hex key. Cali Crusher has taken every problematic feature of the classic grinder and redesigned it for overall improvement.

Atmos RX Jump

PRICE: $89.95 MORE INFORMATION: www.Calicrusher.com

PRICE: $59.95 MORE INFORMATION: www.atmosrx.com

A powerful herb vaporizer, the AtmosRx Jump is super durable and a lightweight, durable and compact vaporizer. Its 1200mAh battery helps the Jump be one of the most consistent herb vaporizers we’ve tried in a while, and its hard anodized heating chamber makes sure that the vapor is rich and smooth. This little guy is simple and easy to use too! A great addition to any vaporconnoisseur’s collection.

PRICE: $49.99 MORE INFORMATION: www.o2vapes.com

GET YOUR CLICK HERE

www.iReadCulture.com

Bevel PRICE: $49 MORE INFORMATION: www.matterandform.net

CULTURE // September 2015

The first accessory of its kind, Bevel turns your ordinary smartphone or tablet into an amazing 3D camera. Bevel is the world’s first attachment capable of capturing real 3D photographs on any smartphone or tablet. Other 3D attachments create the illusion of 3D by enhancing the depth of an image, but fail to capture a file that you can actually use. You can even use Bevel for 3D printing! Bevel uses an eye-safe laser light, and the existing camera on your Android or IOS device, to capture photographs in a whole new dimension.

o2Vape Slim Pack

Now, you don’t have to worry about your pen dying out, or getting dirty, or being too bulky to carry with you everywhere you want to go . . . the o2Vape Pen is a buttonless pen with a sleek style and versatility. Its atomizer is transparent, and doesn’t give any burning taste, leakage or wait time to heat up. With open sourcing, you can use your favorite oils in this pen, or get some of o2Vape’s products. Weighing less than 3 ounces, you’ll never know it’s in your purse or pocket until you need it.

VISIT US AT

iReadCulture.com

September 2015 // CULTURE

entertainment

Release Date: September 11 Available on: Wii U

Super Mario Maker Dev. Nintendo Pub. Nintendo

Sure, the Wii U isn’t known for its graphics—but it has a viable collection of amazing games that play on your nostalgia. As a part of the franchise’s 30th anniversary, Nintendo is releasing its very own level creator called Super Mario Maker, where players can turn the same old Super Mario Brothers levels that they know by heart into difficult, and at times, almost impossible to complete levels. Choose from a variety of old and new game and course styles, add items and obstacles to your heart’s content, and share your levels with friends!

Weirdo Shrine La Luz Hardly Art

The ladies of Seattle’s La Luz survived a horrific van accident in late 2013 that put a halt to their tour with Of Montreal and destroyed much of their gear, but the quartet recovered, hit the ground running in 2014 and hasn’t stopped since. The band’s warm, dreamy melodies on Weirdo Shrine wash over listeners like summer time ocean water, and the overall sound of the album is so thick and lush, it almost seems to leave contrails in the air as beautiful guitar, keyboard lines and vocal harmonies wiz past. (Simon Weedn)

Medical Cannabis Complete Edition - From Marijuana to Synthetic Cannabinoids Michka Mama Editions

“Samuel F.B. Morse’s Gallery of the Louvre”

International expert on plantbased medicine, Michka has joined forces with a plethora of other experts in the cannabis realm— Prof. Raphael Mechoulam, Prof. Manuel Guzman, Jorge Cervantes, Robert Clarke and many more, to create a well-rounded book about the worldwide legalization and medical movement for cannabis therapies. The book includes the most frequently asked questions about cannabis, conditions it could help, the respective differences between THC, CBD and CBN, and the natural history of the plant as well. It covers the latest legislation all around the world, the available pharmaceutical medications derived from cannabis or from synthetic cannabinoids. This is very illustrative, insightful and complete educational text about medical cannabis. (Alex Bradley)

Oliver Stoned Lighthouse Home Entertainment Dir. Tom Morris

Oliver Stoned follows a few harrowing days in the life of the titular character, Oliver (Seth Cassell), as his tendency to get as high as humanly possible during his every waking moment undermines his job at his dad’s auto-detailing shop, losing track of a valuable vintage car that he’s responsible for. Joined by a rag-tag ensemble of ridiculous friends, including a whole host of up-and-coming actors and one over-the-top villain, Oliver Stoned breaks out of the usual stoner comedy cycle, and actually takes viewers on a trip through wild days and personal evolution. (Simon Weedn)

CULTURE // September 2015

You may know artist Samuel F.B. Morse for his creation of the world famous Morse code, but there’s more to his career than long and short dashes. During his life in the late 18th and early 19th century, Morse was a prolific painter, and the Gallery of the Louvre is his masterwork. The piece will be displayed in a special, theatrical setting, similar to a display that Morse would have curated for himself in 1833. Gallery is a compilation painting of many of the Louvre’s most famous works, set in a specific order by Morse according to his own tastes. The sub-paintings in Gallery range from portraits to historic paintings and religious subjects. Sadly, when Morse painted this piece, the American public didn’t have an understanding of Old Master paintings (and showed a lack of interest), he eventually abandoned the art for his work on Morse code electromagnetic technology, as well as dabbling in photography.

IF YOU GO

What: “Samuel F.B. Morse’s Gallery of the Louvre” exhibit. When/Where: On view through Jan. 10. Seattle Art Museum, 1300 1st Ave., Seattle. Info: Visit www. seattleartmuseum.org for details.

VISIT US AT

iReadCulture.com

September 2015 // CULTURE

CULTURE////September September2015 2015 34 34CULTURE

VISIT US AT

iReadCulture.com

Reggie Watts ambles into our interview wearing a t-shirt announcing “Good Morning” and the disarming, wideeyed wonder of an otherworldly being just fallen to earth. A fiercely intelligent yet uncommonly warm man, Watts is a ludicrously talented musician, versatile vocalist and famously 420-friendly surrealist comedian—often simultaneously. Over the past quarter-century Watts has sung, played, rambled, rapped and beat-boxed his way to becoming a one-man genre of eccentric, often disinformation-based comedy punctuated with multilayered musical compositions created live on stage using a digital looper. Between tunes, his restless, easilydistracted wordplay and absurdist life view—exploring everything from the intuitive interface of Mexican mapping systems to the Happy Mondays in ever-changing accents and languages—is equal parts psychedelic, stimulating and flat-out funny. Born in Germany to a French mother and an AfricanAmerican airman father, Watts spent his infancy in Europe before the family settled in Great Falls, Montana. A veteran of Seattle’s music scene, most notably as frontman for

soulful rock/hip-hop collision Maktub, he moved to New York’s Lower East Side and shifted his creative emphasis to comedy (albeit often musical comedy) in 2004. His intrinsic cuddliness enhanced by a heroically explosive ‘fro and beard, Watts makes eye contact easily and palpably relishes the stimulation of meeting strangers. His career ark has been slow and steady yet not without significant landmarks. Following two Comedy Central specials (2010’s Why Shit So Crazy? and 2012’s A Live in Central Park) and appearances on the likes of Conan, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel Live, the admirably-uncompromising comic earned a co-starring spot on IFC’s Comedy Bang! Bang! series, a role he recently relinquished to become bandleader and announcer for The Late Late Show with James Corden. With his hard-earned, YouTube-ubiquitous hipness now percolating the mainstream, the eternally-curious comic is currently staying in Los Angeles (where the Late Late Show is recorded) while frequently returning to New York to visit his girlfriend. We caught up with him somewhere between the two to chat.

Photos by John Gilhooley

35 35

September September2015 2015////CULTURE CULTURE

You’re known as a “dis-informationist.” Does that mean that everything you say during this interview could be untruths? It could be. Although I would say, with interviews, I tend to probably go towards 98 percent truth. And even my untruths are kind of highlighted and have quotes around them.

way, the analogy of a starship is just to recognize the fact that we’re alive and the fact that we’re able to do what we do is amazing—and that’s a thing that I never want to lose sight of.

Your stage show has been billed as 100 percent improvised? Is that literally the case? Oh definitely, yeah. I mean, I could try to have a structure, but I would most likely forget about it. It’s easier for me to not have anything in my mind and go on stage. Obviously, I’ve been doing it enough times that I that I have, like, six different ways that I could start—I could start loud or I can start soft, or I can mess with the microphone or I can go straight to the keyboard. There’s these types of things . . . but, the content itself is improvised.

New York Magazine described your performances as “comedy for the Internet Era.” What influence has the internet had on your work and how different might your performances be without it? When I think about how performed when I was in high school, in the ‘80s, pre-internet . . . during that time I was very influenced by Monty Python. Monty Python had the ability of turning on a dime realities and contextualizing things instantaneously—or doing a slow cross-fade from one idea to the other, so it’s very psychedelic. So, I was inspired by that and when I would do my comedy I would improvise. Whatever came into my head, I would do—I wouldn’t be afraid that it didn’t make sense. Fast forward to the internet age, [my performances] actually came into resonance with the internet, because the internet allows you to follow your whims and things suddenly changes or it glitches-out . . . So, what I do on stage is very similar to how you would navigate the internet, just based off of your curiosity and the availability of choices. So, I think that I just kind of lined up when that happened.

A few years ago you said that you like to pretend you’re living in a starship. Has that starship landed yet—or is it likely to anytime soon? We’re on a planet, in space, so we are all on a spaceship. So, in a

In your everyday life, do you switch between accents and languages? Oftentimes I do, yeah. It’s a bad habit and people sometimes think it’s annoying.

So is your stage persona a character or is it you? Or are you always in character? Are you in character right now? I don’t think it is [a character]. I mean, I think people think it’s a character because it’s ridiculous. I definitely go into a mode where I’m like “how ridiculous can I be?,” but I never really think of it as a character.

CULTURE // September 2015

VISIT US AT

iReadCulture.com

September 2015 // CULTURE

CULTURE // September 2015

VISIT US AT

iReadCulture.com

September 2015 // CULTURE

Your style of comedy is far from traditional, yet your career is flourishing. Do you feel that you’re having to earn acceptance not just of yourself but also of a whole new genre? That was a fear I had when I first moved to New York and I made a conscious decision to focus on comedy instead of doing music . . . I wasn’t sure how they were going to receive me the first time I went up [on stage, but] they just loved it! They saw that I was a silly human doing really dumb shit and people were like “we know where you’re coming from.” Even though what I’m doing is different than what they do, we all share that, like, “this is the maximum dumbest thing you could be doing on stage right now.” So, I found my “family” very quickly and I would worry at times that I was leaning on music as a crutch too much, but I never worried about what I was doing verbally on stage. You’re now the bandleader and announcer for The Late Late Show with James Corden. What are the joys and challenges of that role, compared to those of your solo live performances? It’s kind of funny . . . I show up [at The Late Late Show] and always I’m aware of the fact that I’m like “Where am I right now? How did I get this gig?” And then I’m like “Live from blah, blah, blah,” and “Give it up for . . . !” So, all these instincts kick in where I have the awareness of the fact that what I’m doing this is ridiculous and I kind of play into that and try to make it different, try to make it fun. Your first EP was called Pot Cookies and you’ve talked on stage about using “the doobage application” every day. What role does cannabis play in your life and creativity? It plays a pretty major role in that, for me, THC and creativity has a lot to do about shifting my perspective and also kind of reducing the obsessiveness that I tend to have about, like, efficiency or problems. It puts me in a zone that’s more momentous and so, in that case I’m allowed to kind of relax and see things from a little bit more of a childish perspective or pure curiosity. I mean, it would happen without cannabis, for sure, but the nature of how much stuff is coming at me constantly, it really does help to kind of throw me off and kind of destabilize me so I can actually really feel something as much as possible.

CULTURE // September 2015

So you welcome that destabilization? Definitely. I tend to prefer edibles more than smoking. Lately I’ve had some “unknown” edibles—that I’m not sure what the quantity is, so, I’ve gotten way, way, way, way out into space. [But] if that does happen, I’m just going to look at it as a challenge—to, like, try to keep my thoughts together. It’s almost like wearing a weighted backpack and running up stairs . . . It’s like added resistance to my training regimen—mental training regimen. How do you time your cannabis ingestion relative to your performance? I’d say it’s about 60/40—60 percent I’ll have some form of THC and 40 percent I’ll go on [stage] without it. I don’t notice a difference too much in the beginning. Generally, what I do if I’m going to plan on having an edible, I will eat it just before I go out on stage or I’ll eat it when I get on stage, in front of everybody. So when I do that, it comes on slowly, as we all know, and that kind of affects the performance towards the back end and that’s kind of interesting to me. Because sometimes I’ll be on stage and . . . it’s nice to be confused and a little bit worried about how I’m going to come up with something, because that weirdly causes me to focus and generate different possibilities than I would sometimes if I weren’t on it. Do audiences find Reggie Watts funnier if they’re high? Is this “stoner humor”? I mean, for sure. But, in so far as Monty Python was stoner humor . . . [although] a lot of those guys weren’t really big stoners— they just loved sully, psychedelic stuff. They were probably more fans of Salvador Dali— and Dali wasn’t a drug guy either. My goal, no matter what I’m doing, I think of it as I want to create experiences that are amazing when you’re high, but also make you feel like you’re high if you’re not high. I’m trying to get to a place where it really makes you feel like you’re somewhere else or you’re inside your own mind kind of on your own journey . . . I want everybody to feel some kind of a high. c

VISIT US AT

iReadCulture.com

September 2015 // CULTURE

THE UNFORTUNATE

TRUTH

Tacoma to Close a Majority of Its Medical access points by Emily Manke On July 24, 2014, SB-5052 went into effect. The bill, which claimed it was “establishing the cannabis patient protection act,” did the opposite of that in the eyes of many cannabis patients, growers and medical retailers. The law stripped collective cannabis gardeners of most of their rights, and made patientto-patient delivery and exchange a felony. But that’s not all. This law also gutted the rights of

CULTURE // September 2015

medical access points, and even doctors. It appears this quietly passed Senate Bill, already impacts the medical cannabis community in our state. In what many see a direct response to the bill’s passage, on August 14, 2015, the city of Tacoma sent out a letter to medical cannabis access points across the city. Upon receipt, these business owners were less than pleased with the news

this letter contained. Around 60 unlicensed shops were sent the letter, which was essentially a calendar of shut-downs for medical cannabis access points. The letter stated, that all medical cannabis access points that are not already licensed by the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) will need to shut down by October 1. However, some shops will be allowed to remain

in business until January 2016, if they’re able to comply with a list of three guidelines. The three guidelines are: The business was started prior to January 1, 2013, or the license applicant was employed by a collective garden before January 1, 2013, and can prove it with a pay stub, the business has obtained a state license, and the business must be up-to-date with payment on all of its taxes. >> VISIT US AT

iReadCulture.com

September 2015 // CULTURE

“We don’t need 60 stores selling marijuana in Tacoma.”

In order to make it to the next round of shut downs, in March of 2016, the business must have applied for a cannabis retailer license from the WSLCB prior to July 1, 2014. Any businesses who still don’t have their license from the WSLCB by July 1, 2016, will be shut down. City Attorney Elizabeth Pauli, already has a pretty good idea of which shops are meeting these guidelines. She knows about 19 shops have applied for a state business license and

CULTURE // September 2015

paid taxes, and 10 businesses have been running since prior to 2013. While many in the medical cannabis community are up in arms about the letter, the city stands by their decision. “We don’t need 60 stores selling marijuana in Tacoma,” Mayor Marilyn Strickland told the Tacoma News Tribune. “At a minimum, 48 of these stores do need to close down permanently.” Another factor Strickland is taking into consideration when it comes to deciding

which shops get to stay open, is which of them have a unionized workforce. At a few shops throughout the city, The United Food and Commercial Workers Union has organized a union. Since cannabis isn’t regulated by the Federal Government, federal worker protection agencies, such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, don’t help keep cannabis workers safe. And this can create a legitimacy issue for some people.

Strickland posits, that if the city of Tacoma gave preference to shops who worked with UFCW, “That would help ease people’s minds about legitimacy.” While some of these recommendations are sound, and appear to have solid reasoning behind them, pretty much everyone in the Washington cannabis industry is skeptical at this point. The city of Tacoma has been criticized for years for not giving any real instructions to medical access points on how to operate legally. Laws constantly changed and no one, not even lawyers, seemed to have any real grasp on the correct and legal way to operate a medical cannabis access point. So, to come out now with all of this strict regulation, seems unfair at best. Hopefully patients in Tacoma will still be able to have safe, affordable access to the medicine they need. c

VISIT US AT

iReadCulture.com

September 2015 // CULTURE

“If they actually had arrested me over this past couple of years, all I would have done would be a louder asshole.”

In January 2014 in the high plains of Denver, Allen St. Pierre walked into a store and legally bought recreational cannabis. Thousands of others did likewise in Colorado, as cannabis enthusiasts celebrated the first such legal sales in the U.S. in modern history. But St. Pierre had more reasons than many to be euphoric: His more than two decades working with National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML). When he came on the job as Communications Director, the first Bush was President and St. Pierre’s was a lonely voice on a fringe issue most politicians wouldn’t touch. But at that moment in 2014, two states (Washington voters had also approved legalization) had told the rest of the country it was time to by R. Scott Rappold legalize, tax and regulate cannabis. “That was an incredibly historic moment to hold in my hands the fruition of my life’s work and the work of thousands,” recalled St. Pierre, NORML’s Executive Director, 18 months later. “I was happy to be alive. If you’d asked me in 1995 if I would live long enough to see marijuana legalized, I’m not sure I could have given an answer that would be anything other than pessimistic.” These are indeed heady times for one of cannabis reform’s top advocates. Voters in Oregon, Alaska and Washington D.C. have since approved legalization, and St. Pierre sees the 2016 election as potentially the movement’s biggest success yet. But if the wrong candidate wins the Presidency, it could all be swept away with the stroke of a pen. St. Pierre talked with CULTURE from his Washington D.C. office about how the legalization movement got this far, where it goes from here and why he never travels with cannabis. >>

Allen St. Pierre and NORML

CULTURE // September 2015

VISIT US AT

iReadCulture.com

From Nixon to Reagan

NORML was founded in 1970 by R. Keith Stroup. The establishment was fighting back against the drug excesses of the ‘60s and President Nixon would soon declare drug use “public enemy number one.” Appeals by NORML to treat cannabis differently than cocaine and other drugs fell on deaf ears. Then came President Jimmy Carter, a Democrat, with some revolutionary ideas about cannabis. He urged Congress to legalize possession of up to an ounce. But scandal occured–Carter’s drug czar resigned after being outed for allegedly doing coke at a party–and Carter’s flagging popularity killed any momentum. Then came Ronald Reagan, who urged a generation of kids to “just say no.” St. Pierre got involved with NORML as a volunteer and concerned cannabis advocate. “In the 1970s and ‘80s, there was virtually no other voice that was arguing to the contrary regarding all these things, civil forfeiture, the DARE program, Partnership for a Drug-Free America, mandatory minimum sentencing. In all those things NORML was at the vanguard,” he said.

Hope and disappointment

As 1993 dawned and the first Baby Boomer president Bill Clinton, the first president to admit to having tried cannabis, was sworn in, St. Pierre felt hope for a softer stance on cannabis. Democrats in Congress, hammered by Republicans as soft on crime and drugs, refused to touch the issue, as did Clinton. Clinton also broke a campaign promise and refused to reinstate the Compassionate IND program, which provided a handful of sick people government joints. St. Pierre felt betrayed, by the president and the “overly repentant liberals and baby

boomers” who “chose to largely remain in their smoky closets.” He hasn’t quite gotten over it. “They were just lying, hypocritical and pandering politicians, which doesn’t make them much different from other politicians,” he said of Clinton and Gore. “If you look at a picture of me and ask why my hair is so grey, it’s because of people like Clinton.” His was a lonely job, pandering an idea mainstream politicians wouldn’t touch, one of only a few people in Washington lobbying Congress for cannabis reform. When George W. Bush became president in 2001, St. Pierre saw it was time to hunker down. “After that election was decided by the (Supreme) Court and it wound up in Mr. Bush’s hands, we surely saw that as a four to eight year slog, knowing that whoever was the President, it was hard to imagine George Bush was ever going to flip on the issue of marijuana. And he didn’t,” he said. But, he said, “In America there are a number of different ways you can affect political change.”

Taking it to the states

With little hope of federal reform, NORML began focusing on states. St. Pierre estimates he gave some 1,400 media interviews in 1996 in support of California’s medical cannabis ballot proposition, which passed. Clearly, sick people seeking alternative medication was something voters would support. In the days before the Internet and social media, NORML, with its nationwide network of local chapters, victims of prohibition and sympathetic attorneys, was the ideal conduit for funding and coordination. NORML and its volunteers were the grassroots base of the movement and St. Pierre was its public face. Then came Barack Obama. Elected President in 2008, he slowly began deescalating the war on cannabis, and eventually

his administration announced it wouldn’t interfere with state-approved cannabis dispensaries. It could be argued voters in Colorado might not have approved full legalization in 2012 were there not already medical cannabis dispensaries in many towns and neighborhoods. St. Pierre likes to hope Obama will issue executive order changing cannabis’ federal Schedule 1 status, which would remove many barriers to cannabis research. But he still believes the 2016 election will be the most pivotal yet for the reform movement, with legalization likely on the ballot in California, Nevada, Arizona, Massachusetts and Maine, if not others. Perhaps more importantly, the new President will be elected. Some Republican candidates have vowed to reverse legalization, while Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton has expressed lukewarm support. It would take little more than a stroke of a pen by the likes of Republican Presidential candidate Chris Christie to sweep back legalization. Said St. Pierre, “The next presidential election is going to be the most important in determining whether or not Obama’s legacy of taking the foot off the gas of prohibition on the federal level is going to continue.”

A dual mission

If St. Pierre’s optimism is tempered by concern, it’s because he has seen his hopes dashed so many times. At 50 years old, St. Pierre is no longer the main public face of cannabis reform. Newer organizations with staffs that dwarf NORML’s seven full-time employees have emerged. Where once St. Pierre was a lone voice on Capitol Hill, he estimates there are at any given time two dozen lobbyists working on some aspect of cannabis. Still, NORML will continue its other mission of helping connect people who have been arrested with its networks of chapters and lawyers. It also provides assistance to cannabis businesses facing legal problems. Because for St. Pierre, avoiding arrest is the motivation behind his decades of cannabis activism. He publicly states his love of cannabis, which has led to him being detained and searched. Police even came to his D.C. house after he told a radio host he only partakes in cannabis in the privacy of his own home. “It’s that stakeholdership. It’s that fear of being arrested that is my motivating factor. I don’t want to be arrested. I want to change the laws,” he said. Not that it would deter him. Said St. Pierre, “If they actually had arrested me over this past couple of years, all I would have done would have done would be a louder asshole.” c

September 2015 // CULTURE

Organic and Rootical JuJu Royal and Julian Marley are back in action and giving the international cannabis and music scenes something to praise by Addison Herron-Wheeler It’s completely natural in any line of work to think about the shoes you have to fill–your parents, the people who made a certain type of music, art or literature over past generations. When you are Julian Marley, leader of the band JuJu Royal and Bob Marley’s son, those shoes are especially big, but Marley’s not worried in the least. “Right now I’m a big man; mature,” Marley responds in answer to my query about his father. “We walk in our own steps, I wear size 11, and so I have to walk my size 11 shoes. Can’t fit no smaller or no larger shoes.” Truly, Marley has been doing big things lately. Between work with his band JuJu Royal and his cannabis product line of the same name, he is making connections, playing music and smoking herb left and right. >>

CULTURE // September 2015

“[Herb] is a very important thing in our life, sacramental. It has been a Rasta sacrament from creation.” VISIT US AT

iReadCulture.com

September 2015 // CULTURE

“We use herb to pray, to meditate, and herb is a thing that helps open a channel which brings inspiration . . .”

CULTURE // September 2015

Marley describes JuJu Royal’s music as, “Organic and rootical, you know. Music of life, music for people.” The band currently has some big things in the works. “We are planning on some shows, currently working on the new album, and I have a new single out called ‘Lemme Go’ and a new video also, all about the freedom of the herb in Jamaica. So at the moment we are just working on the finishing the new album, and hopefully we will go on tour pretty soon.” As far as working herb into his creative process, Marley can’t say enough good things. “With every strum of the guitar, my friend,” Marley laughs when asked about how cannabis is involved in his creation. “Yes, I mean herb is always there whether we acknowledge it or not; the herb is always there. We have songs like ‘Boom Draw,’ which is about the boom draw, song called ‘Lemme Go;’ that song is a celebration that now in Jamaica we can have two ounces of herb and you won’t get in any trouble with the cops. We strongly have herb in our theme every time.”

He also firmly believes in the use of cannabis in all walks of life, in addition to helping with creative flow. “Well, herb is so natural; in Rasta we use herb for so many different things,” he states. “First thing is that we use herb to pray, to meditate and herb is a thing that helps open a channel which brings inspiration because there is so much inspiration that floats all over, as well as there is negative inspiration too . . . For me, the herb helps to channel so you get a more straighter road to that inspiration that you want to focus on versus let me go to work and come back at five; I don’t have no time for myself and can’t sit down to even meditate for the day to see what I will do tomorrow. So, herb gives you that minute that you can do that. It is very important thing in our life, sacramental. It has been a Rasta sacrament from creation.” Catch JuJu Royal out on the road soon, and look out for new music being released, and new cannabis products bearing the JuJu Royal name. c

VISIT US AT

jujuroyal.com iReadCulture.com

September 2015 // CULTURE

by Ed Rosenthal

growing culture

Experimenting

with Far-Red

n late June, I placed four 730nm (far-red) lamps over several plants to see whether I could induce early flowering by turning them on at dusk. The controls were exposed to natural light during the day, but not the far-red lamps at dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s end. It is now early August. The experimental plants have been under the influence of the far-red lamps for more than five weeks. The results were unexpected. The far-red light did not speed up flowering time. I still think the theory is valid, but I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think that these lamps delivered enough intensity to trigger the phytochrome reaction I was looking for. However, without realizing it, I had set up another experiment. I had placed a 300-watt induction fluorescent in the middle of the experimental area so that some of the plants received five hours of extra illumination during lighted, but shaded parts of the day. None of these plants received the far-red light treatment. There was also a third group of plants that could be considered a control. They were on the other side of the fluorescents, opposite the far-red light treatment and received neither far-red nor extra light. The result was that the flowers on the plants receiving the supplemental fluorescent light were more developed by seven to 10 days at the end of five weeks

than either of the ones receiving the farred light or no supplemental lighting. The control, which received no supplemental lighting and the far-red light treated plants, both showed the same slower flower development. This indicates that less intense light slows flower development and ripening. This is in addition to reducing yield and quality. Details: The plants continue to grow well in their bucket wick system. A 3/8 inch braided nylon rope is used as the wick to draw water to the bottom of the container. Then the water is wicked up through the planting mix as the roots remove it. About a week later, July 1, the nutrient mix was changed from vegetative to flowering formula and the EC is kept at 550-600 ppm with the pH at about 6. During the summer months the trays need additional water and nutrients about twice a week. Since the phytochrome far-red light experiment is completed with negative results, I am removing the lights from the room. I plan to install more lights which will go on during the day, during the time the plants are in shade. I anticipate that this will increase yield and speed growth and ripening. I will leave control plants without supplemental lighting to see the difference. c

TIP OF THE MONTH FROM ASK EDÂŽ

erhaps when your plants were placed outside the sun was shining on them all the time. With the angle of the sun, they may now be in shade some or most of the time. If the plants are in moveable containers they can and should be placed in sunny spots.

If the plants are in the ground or in containers too big to move, you can use a high pressure sodium or metal halide lamp to provide supplemental light during the day. They are especially effective in spurring growth when ambient light intensity is low or moderate.

Copyright by Ed Rosenthal. All rights are reserved. First North American Magazine rights only are assigned to culture Magazine. No other reproduction of this material is permitted without the specific written permission of the author/copyright holder.

CULTURE // September 2015

1 Far-red lights are hanging on the right side. Fluorescent is in the middle. Plants without light supplementation are on the left.

2 Plant tops with far-red or fluorescent supplementation.

3 Close-up of top receiving far-red supplementation. Flowering has not been affected.

4 Close-up of bud under fluorescent supplementation. Flower development has accelerated.

5 The fluorescent is on during shady time. It lights up plants in front of it, not off to the side.

VISIT US AT

iReadCulture.com

September 2015 // CULTURE

destination unkown

ALASKA

by Sheryll Alexander

Recreational and Real

The Amazing Beauty of Alaska IF YOU GO:

Fun-Filled Facts 1 The Matanuska-Susitna

Valley has the highest concentration of cannabis growers in the state and is home to the famous Matanuska Thunderfuck (this general strain term actually denotes any premium cannabis conceived the former government experiment station at Matanuska-Susitna Valley). 2 Anchorage’s Alaska Museum of

Science and Nature explores the state’s natural history through hands-on displays including dinosaur fossils, ice age mammals and prehistoric humans.

3 Weather in Alaska can change

suddenly, especially in winter, so most travelers don’t start flying up until midApril when this state gets about 16 straight hours of sunlight, which gives visitors tons of time to take in all the stunning scenery.

CULTURE // September 2015

SEE MORE ON OUR WEBSITE

As the land of the untamed, Alaska has protected cannabis users since Ravin v. State of Alaska in 1975 declared personal in-home consumption (four ounces or less) and growing (24 plants maximum) perfectly legal, according to the state’s constitution, no less. Alaska became one of the first medical cannabis states in 1998 and, in 2014, Alaskans went to the polls and approved a ballot measure to legalize the possession and sale of any cannabis albeit with strict provisions as with alcohol. Unfortunately, cannabis still has a stigma in Alaska even as the state has been a surprising supporter of medicating naturally. Some locals and vacationers have reported hotels and car rental companies will charge extra if a room or vehicle is returned with that unmistakable skunky stench. And don’t think you can just light up in public; Alaska’s rugged cops are more than happy to write you a $100 ticket for toking outdoors.

Time to Go: Summer, early fall and late spring. Weather: Sunny, cool and rainy. Budget: $$$$$

ow a recreational cannabis state (if you are 21+), Alaska makes for a spectacular place to medicate on a nature-filled vacation. However, unless you are staying with a buddy who grows his or her own, then first plan to fly into Anchorage for stocking up at the one-and-only legal cannabis shop in the state, the world-renowned Alaska Cannabis Club. The club’s rather infamous president, former TV anchorwoman Charlo Greene (who announced her cannabis presidency and then said “F*ck It, I quit!” live on air right before walking off the set), says her solitary, yet booming business “acts as a safe access point for patients.” Alaskans, however, aren’t worried. They know Alaska’s Supreme Court made personal consumption legal in the ‘70s, then medical in the late ‘90s and, finally, a recreational state in 2014. Most cannabis-friendly tourists use Anchorage as a central point for all far-flung Alaska destinations. Anchorage also has authentic Alaskan grub such as reindeer sausage and fresh crabs at local hangouts, Mooses Tooth and Snow City Café. In winter, head to Alyeska Sky Resort for the state’s premiere ski and snowboarding facilities. Those who love to completely relax, however, rent a car (or hop on a short flight) to Chena Hot Springs in Alaska’s state capital, Fairbanks. While soaking in tubs of hot healing mineral waters, guests can experience the otherworldly and colorful aurora borealis. Alaska is truly a dreamy destination for those who can’t wait to medicate under starry skies and amongst pine-tree scented forests. c

VISIT US AT

iReadCulture.com

Adam Corlett profile in courage

Age: 19 Condition/ Illness: Generalized Epilepsy

Using medical cannabis since: 2010

Are you an MMJ patient with a compelling story to tell? If so, we want to hear from you. Email your name, contact information and details about your experiences with medical cannabis to courage@ireadculture.com.

Why did you start using cannabis? I started using cannabis when I was 15 years old to help with my anxiety, as I had been having what I thought were panic attacks for two years. When I was 19, I had a convulsive seizure that changed my life forever. I quickly learned that I have refractory (uncontrollable) epilepsy, which means that no traditional pharmaceutical medications work to treat my seizures. After doing some research, I found that CBD and THC had been shown to help others who suffered from my same diagnosis. I began taking a hash oil concentrate by mouth every day, and while it tasted pretty awful, my seizures went from two to eight seizures a day down to one seizure a month. To fix the taste, I infused the hash oil I was currently taking into a hard candy. I am now two-and-a-half months seizure-free. At three months seizurefree, I get my driver’s license back, and my freedom. Did you try other methods or treatments before cannabis? I first tried Keppra which resulted in bad side effects. I switched to Lamotragine, which gave me just as many side effects. The neurologist then switched me to

Depakote which still did not help to control my epilepsy—and another drug called Vimpat. What’s the most important issue or problem facing medical cannabis patients? The most important issue I see facing medical cannabis patients is the stigma around it. I know children with epilepsy who have been bullied and left out at school because the other kids found out that they use CBD. Some of my best friends stopped being my friends just because of my cannabis use as they couldn’t understand that I actually needed it and didn’t use it just for fun. It’s hard to make friends in a world of judgmental people. What do you say to folks who are skeptical about cannabis as medicine? I try to educate people who are skeptical about cannabis as medicine, because it truly is a remarkable medicine; I truly believe that it has the ability to help everyone in the world. Whenever possible, I refer people to NORML as a resource to teach them about cannabis› medicinal properties and its beneficial uses. c

September 2015 // CULTURE

ARRIVING IN AUTUMN

recipes by Aunt Sandy

Menu: BAKED SALMON

BUCKWHEAT SALAD with MUSHROOMS and PARSLEY OIL WHITE SANGRIA FARMHOUSE BLACKBERRY AND APPLE PIE

The summer heat is winding down, the kids are back in school, the country is celebrating American labor—this is the time of year when there’s a definitive scent in the air that signals the arrival of fall in its calm and cool glory. Turn that oven back on after its three-month summertime hiatus, and make some light, flavorful meals, all enhanced with the essence of cannabis. It’s time to get fancy with fish, to bust out the fresh D.I.Y. sangria and indulge in the rich but irresistibly delicious taste of a homemade berry pie!

BAKED SALMON

BUCKWHEAT SALAD with MUSHROOMS and PARSLEY OIL 2 cups lightly packed parsley leaves 1/3 cup, plus 2 tablespoons, extra virgin cannabis-infused olive oil t 1 1/2 cups buckwheat groats or Kasha 1/2 pound each shiitake and oyster mushrooms, stemmed, large caps quartered

Freshly ground pepper 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 garlic glove, minced 1 tablespoon soy sauce 2 large scallions, thinly sliced 1 medium fennel bulb, diced

Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Prepare a bowl of ice water. Blanch the 1 cup of parsley leaves in boiling water for 20 seconds. With a slotted spoon, transfer the parsley to the ice water. Drain parsley and pat thoroughly dry. In a blender, puree the blanched parsley with 1/3 cup of the extra virgin infused olive oil. Transfer to a bowl and season with salt. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. In a large skillet, toast the buckwheat groats over moderately high heat, shaking the pan often, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Let cool slightly, then transfer to the boiling water and simmer over low heat stirring often, until just tender but still holding its shape, about 5 minutes. Drain the buckwheat, spread it out on a large rimmed baking sheet and let cool to room temperature. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of infused olive oil in the large skillet. Add the shiitake and oyster mushrooms and season generously with salt and pepper. Cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms have released their liquid, about 5 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are golden brown, about 5 minutes longer. In a small bowl, mix all but 1 tablespoon of the infused parsley oil with the balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, garlic and soy sauce. In a large bowl toss the cooked buckwheat groats with sliced scallions, diced fennel and the 1 cup of chopped parsley with the dressing. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a platter. Top the salad with the sautéed mushrooms and drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of infused parsley oil. Legal Disclaimer Publishers of this publication are not making any representations with respect to the safety or legality of the use of medical marijuana. The recipes listed here are for general entertainment purposes only, and are intended for use only where medical marijuana is not a violation of state law. Edibles can vary in potency while a consumers’ weight, metabolism and eating habits may affect effectiveness and safety. Ingredient management is important when cooking with cannabis for proper dosage. Please consume responsibly and check with your doctor before consumption to make sure that it is safe to do so.

CULTURE // September 2015

4 6-ounce salmon filets 1/4 cup cannabis infused olive oil t 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves

8 lemon slices 1/4 cup lemon juice 1/2 cup marsala wine or white wine 4 teaspoon capers 4 pieces aluminum foil

Brush the tops and bottoms of salmon filets with wine infused olive oil and season with salt, pepper and rosemary. Place each filet of seasoned salmon onto a piece of foil large enough to fold over and seal. Top each piece of salmon with 2 lemon slices, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 tablespoon wine and 1 teaspoon capers. Wrap up salmon tightly in aluminum foil. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes until tender.

WHITE SANGRIA 3 tablespoons sugar 3 shots Calvados, or green apple liquor 2 ripe peaches sliced 1 large grapefruit peeled and sectioned 1 sliced lemon

1 lime sliced 3 ripe green apples 1/2 cup cannabis-infused simple syrup t 1 bottle white wine Fresh raspberries Sparkling soda water

Combine sugar, green apple liquor, lime, lemon, peaches, grapefruit and apples in a large pitcher, cover with 1/2 cup cannabis simple syrup and 1 bottle of dry white wine. Chill sangria for several hours. To serve, spoon fruits into glass adding a few fresh raspberries in each glass, and pour wine over top of the fruit. Top off glass with a splash of soda water and serve.

VISIT US AT iReadCulture.com t Additional recipe can be found at iReadCulture.com

FARMHOUSE BLACKBERRY AND APPLE PIE 10-ounce pie crust pastry 4 cups green cooking apples peeled, cored, halved and sliced 2 cups blackberries 1 cups sugar, plus extra for sprinkling Pinch of ground cinnamon

SEE MORE ON OUR WEBSITE

2 tablespoons plain flour, with a pinch of salt 3 tablespoons canna butter t 1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons canna milk* for pie top

Heat oven to 350°. On a floured surface, roll out two thirds of the pastry and use it to line a 9-inch loose bottom fluted tart tin, leaving a slight overhang and keeping any pastry scraps. Chill the tart for 10 minutes. Prick the bottom lightly with a fork, then fill with baking paper and baking beans. Place in the oven on a baking sheet for 20 minutes, remove beans and paper then bake for 10 minutes more until light brown. Remove from the oven. Place the apples into a large bowl and microwave on high for 3 minutes. Toss in the berries, sugar, cinnamon and 2 tablespoons flour with a pinch of salt and pile it into the tart, Dollop the canna butter around the top of the berries, saving about 14 berries for garnish. Roll the remaining pastry and trimmings together into a square roughly 4 inches square. Cut out 8 strips of pastry. Weave the strips of pastry evenly over the fruit to create a woven pattern and push them into the edge of the tart. Trim the overhang off. Brush the pie top heavily with egg wash, then sprinkle with sugar. Place a berry into each gap then bake for 1 hour until golden brown and bubbling. Leave pie sit for 30 minutes until cooled. Slice and serve.

Local eateries with similar dishes Elliot’s Oyster House 1201 Alaskan Wy., Seattle (206) 623-4340 www.elliotsoysterhouse.com The Matador 721 Pacific Ave., Tacoma (253) 627-7100 www.matadorrestaurants.com/tacoma Pie Bar Ballard 2218 NW Market St., Seattle (206) 535-8489 www.piebarballard.com

September 2015 // CULTURE

event listings

LET’S

DO THIS

circuit in his youth. Although he’s been featured in a number of movies, his roots in stand-up comedy are where he shines. Key Arena, Seattle keyarena.com

featured event

Wayne Brady, Sept. 4 & 5

Let your wildest Who’s Line is it Anyway? dreams come true with a live performance of everyone’s favorite comedian—Wayne Brady. Tulalip Resort Casino, Tulalip tulalipresortcasino.com

Star Trek Comedy, Sept. 10-19

You don’t have to be a dedicated fan of the Star Trek universe, because “Where No Man Has Gone Before” is a live parody of the original series. It’s the perfect show for a nerdy night out—bring a loved one, but know that Klingon mating rituals are probably forbidden. Theatre Off Jackson, Seattle theatreoffjackson.org

Russell Peters, Sept. 12

Canadian Russell Peters has earned a ton of accomplishments during his career, including the first comedian to sell out Toronto’s Air Canada Centre, and having performed for the largest audience in Australia at a standup show. He’s even been added to Canada’s Walk of Fame! McCaw Hall, Seattle mccawhall.com

2015 Aki Matsuri Festival, Sept. 12-13

One of this region’s most noteworthy cultural celebrations, the Aki Matsuri Festival, brings attendees from far and wide to admire traditional Japanese culture. Enjoy martial art demonstrations, origami, taiko drumming and delicious cuisine. Bellevue College, Bellevue enma.org

Kevin Hart, Sept. 12

Pennsylvania native, Kevin Hart created his hilarious reputation by touring the New England comedy

CULTURE // September 2015

Pokemon: Symphonic Evolutions, Sept. 15

There’s no need to talk poorly

Foo Fighters, Sept. 12

Fans of classic rock are hard-pressed to love a celebrity musician more than David Grohl and his band, the Foo Fighters. The band is currently on a massive tour, and now’s your chance to see it live. Gorge Amphitheatre, George gorgeamphitheatre.net

about Pokemon, a video game franchise that has been successfully pouring out games since 1995. This orchestral performance of classic Pokemon songs is for both the veterans who grew up with the games, as well as families with new kids getting into it for the first time. Benaroya Hall, Seattle seattlesymphony.org

concert that excites attendees with live music, interactive multimedia art and state-of-theart sound and technology. Various venues, Seattle dbfestival.com

12th Annual Decibel Festival, Sept. 24 - Sept. 27

Life without cheese is bland and boring. Fortunately, Seattle is bringing some of that creamy, sharp and sweet cheese to tantalize your tastebuds. Seattle Design Center, Seattle washingtonartisancheese.com

Digging the EDM scene? Your itch for drum and bass may be right on time and ready for the Decibel Festival. It’s a massive annual

Washington Artisan Cheesemakers Festival, Sept. 26

VISIT US AT

iReadCulture.com

September 2015 // CULTURE

shooting gallery

Hempfest 2015 photos by Duncan Rolfson

CULTURE // September 2015

VISIT US AT

iReadCulture.com

Chuck Shepherd's

News of the

Weird LEAD STORY— Outsourcing u Among the protesters at New

York City’s Gay Pride Parade on the Sunday after the Supreme Court’s historic gay-marriage decision was a group of men outfitted in Jewish prayer garments and representing the Jewish Political Action Committee, carrying signs reading, for example, “Judaism prohibits homosexuality.” However, the men were very likely not Jewish, but in fact Mexican laborers hired for the day. A representative of the committee told The New York Times that the men were “supplemental”—necessary because the committee’s rabbis would not permit their students (who normally staff such protests) to be exposed to the sights of same-sex exuberance typical for the parade.

GOVERNMENT IN ACTION u WOOD-TV of Grand Rapids,

Michigan, seemingly uncovered an antiquity—if not a potential vulnerability—in the Grand Rapids public school system in June when it reported that the heating and cooling systems at 19 schools are controlled using a Commodore Amiga computer (released in the 1980s, about the same time as Windows 2.0), operating on an early Internet modem. It had been installed by a computer-savvy student and, according to the maintenance supervisor, still works fine. Fortunately, the supervisor said, the student still lives in the area and is available if problems arise.

Tennessee officials unveiled a new state logo (which cost only $46,000—not counting the expense of changing signs, cards, stationery, etc)., which consists of the letters “TN” in white inside a red box with a blue trim underneath. (A Watchdog.org critic suggested a contest to design a superior one, but open only to kids age 12 and under, with the prize a $50 Amazon.com gift certificate).

COMPELLING EXPLANATIONS u Adultery is illegal in

Japan—except, as a Tokyo District Court judge ruled in a “psychological distress” lawsuit filed by the jilted wife, when it is done by a company to retain a good customer. A night club hostess who had carried on with the married man proved that she did so only as “makura eigyo,” or “pillow sales tactic.” Said the judge, “As long as the intercourse is for business, it does not harm the marital relationship at all.” (The ruling, from 2014, was first publicized this year).

u Recurring Theme: Government officials who insist on such “bells and whistles” as redesigning their department’s logo are often ridiculed for wasting taxpayer money (yet design consultants continue to sell the illusion that a new logo can give a bureaucracy a refreshing rebirth). In May,

September 2015 // CULTURE

CULTURE // September 2015

VISIT US AT

iReadCulture.com

September 2015 // CULTURE