Heaven can be found in a chocolate bar. Many people experience transcendental bliss through eating chocolate and I have experienced such bliss eating an Incredibles Boulder Bar.
Boulder Bars are delicious, consistent and properly dosed. Available at various dispensaries throughout Colorado, the bars contain cannabis infused milk chocolate with toffee and almond pieces.
Each Boulder Bar contains 100 mg of activated THC. The bar is considered one serving size, so the consumer has to do the math to know the approximate dosage for smaller portions. With the bar scored in 12 squares, three chocolate squares provide 25 mg.
Note: It’s best to start off slowly if you aren’t familiar with the effects of edibles. Based on experience, I rarely eat an entire edible at one sitting unless it is late at night. I prefer to consume 25-50mg at a time.
Sometimes I eat small amounts of medicated chocolate periodically through the day, a very portable and private way to medicate. I carry it along with me and have a piece or two every few hours for a functional level of consistent pain relief. Before a recent photo shoot, I ate two Strawberry Crunch squares to calm my nerves. The infused chocolate helped me relax. The effects were long lasting too. Being discreet is one advantage to edibles, because smelling like marijuana smoke may not be advantageous in certain situations.
Another night on the town, I was at a show at the Ogden Theater. I ate half a Boulder Bar and put the rest into a pocket in my jeans. At the concert, I most enjoyed the feeling of wellbeing I got after eating the bar. I felt free to enjoy the music and performance onstage and experienced such a feeling of peace – I loved it.
Unfortunately, I forgot about the rest of the bar in my pocket until after the show. When I opened the bag, it was a melted mess. No need to fret, the chocolate was easy to recover. I placed the bar and wrapper in the fridge and after chilling for a few minutes, I peeled apart the package seams, and the chocolate was solid again. The dosing squares were lost but the chocolate was fine.
The Boulder Bar is just one of many infused chocolate Incredibles creations made by Medically Correct. Incredibles come in different dosages of THC and flavors. The dosage per bar ranges from 100 mg to 300mg of activated THC from hash oil. The different flavors of most bars are based in white chocolate or milk chocolate and additional flavors. I like the use of organic fruit in the bars.
Sealed in a silver Mylar bag, each bag has a colorful and professional front label and an information dense back label. The back label on each bar has a production lot number, bar code, expiration date, list of ingredients, nutrition facts, company information, website and social media contacts. Also listed is a disclosure of hash extractions and legal product disclaimer.
Incredibles’ Peanut Budda Buddha Bar is a 200 mg bar with white chocolate, peanut butter, and pretzels. The Monkey Bar has organic bananas and walnuts and coconut in milk chocolate and 100 mg THC. The singular dark chocolate bar is the Fire Berry with 300 mg THC, raspberries and habanero peppers. White chocolate Incredibles bars, like the Strawberry Crunch Bar with flax crispies and organic strawberries, are good bars, effectively dosed and taste good overall.
There is some room for Incredibles to raise the bar on infused chocolates. Bigger chunks of ingredients would make a more artisan chocolate bar. Both the Monkey Bar and the Peanut Budda Buddha Bar would be even more delicious with larger chunks to better distinguish the flavors. The Peanut Budda Buddha is a great tasting bar, but the pretzels chunks were very homogenous. Adding larger chunks would alter the dosage per piece, but it would add to a more enjoyable chocolate eating experience.
Aside from my opinion on the size of flavor chunks, Incredibles infused chocolate bars are simply amazing. I thoroughly enjoy eating them and feeling grateful and happy.
]]>My best styling happened at the VIP Party. CiCi Dunn with Hemp Hoodlamb mandated edgy styling on the runway. I took the directive and put together this special look for the VIP Party. Special thanks to model and industry executive, AC Braddock for doing what I told her to do, it turned out epic!
Photos courtesy Tawnee Lynne Cowan Photography
Hemp Hoodlamb Pea Coat on the runway at VIP Party
Hemp Hoodlamb Pea Coat and House of Hoodlab Favela t-shirt.
Model’s own tights and boots.
Hemp Hoodlamb leaving a lasting impression on the runway.
You may have heard about the speakers, the massive smoke outs and other highlights of 2013′s Seattle Hempfests, but did you know there were daily fashion shows in the Hemposium Tent?
I co-produced the show, Fashion with a Passion for Freedom, with Hemposium Manager Pam Haley, featuring garments from established hemp clothing companies across the country and exciting pieces made by fresh design students at Seattle-based NY Fashion Academy.
Local fashion design students utilized bolts of hemp fabrics to create savvy garments for this first legal hemp fashion show in post I-502 Washington State. All participating clothing companies were founded in the 1990s and the well-constructed garments on the runway reflected the accrued experience in workmanship and clothing design.
The companies featured at the fashion show this year were excellent examples of eco-friendly organizations dedicated to environmental preservation with style.
Earth Creations,based in Bessemer, Alabama, creates casual and fashionable seasonal styles in hemp and organic cotton jersey. Dyed with locally-sourced natural clays, these garments are designed for mixing and matching for a variety of up-to-date looks.
Earth Creations’ runway offerings included a ruffled Lucca shrug in taupe, paired with a flounced Sydney dress and flared Arabesque skirt worn as a strapless dress.
A 3-Dragonfly printed tank, ruffle Capri leggings, and Lucca shrug in aqua blue made a comfortable casual outfit.
The hooded Sadie dress with decorative front button jacket looked good as a tunic with skinny jeans or as a short dress.
Earth Creations clothing is stylish casual wear for earth lovers of all ages.
Amsterdam hemp clothing company, Hemp Hoodlamb, and its North American flagship store, Hoodlab, showed off select women’s garments from HHL’s urban eco-friendly clothing line.
HHL’s outerwear included a signature winter coat from the Sea Shepherd line, a pea coat and summer jacket.
All outerwear is solidly constructed with hemp fabrics, double stitched at stress points, and reinforced with a hemp cellulose water and wind proofing treatment.
The HHL signature winter coats are lined in luxurious Satifur, an exclusive blend of hemp, recycled PET plastic and acrylic fur.
House of Hoodlab custom screen printed hemp and organic cotton t-shirts were paired with stylish herringbone-weave miniskirts and shorts with pleated front pockets. Hemp Hoodlamb’s clothing is perfect for people who appreciate an urban clothing style.
Dress by Earth Creations, bag by Dharma Bags
Photo by Josh Rettie
Dharma Bags from Taos Hemp Company are beautiful and utilitarian travel bags for women and men. The three styles of bags are sewn in Taos, New Mexico with premium woven hemp in gorgeous solid colors.
Practical for everyday use, Dharma Bags can hold a lot of life’s necessities. The wide shoulder strap comfortably distributes the full weight of the bag’s content. However functional, it is the simple and elegant beauty of Dharma Bags that inspires their everyday use.
Conscious Clothing, a green bridal boutique based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, stunned the audience with wedding couture.
The first gown, a corseted feathered top with peacock feathers and full skirt were made from a hemp and silk floral jacquard. A simple and elegant bias cut gown shimmered in hemp silk satin with a sheer chiffon train overlay.
Conscious Clothing green wedding couture. Photo by Susan Squibb.
The “Steam Punk” gown, made of hemp silk satin had an elaborate bottom ruffle around the full skirt. A raw edged organic cotton voile ruffle runs around the neck that draped down the back to create a very becoming dress.
In addition to bridal wear, Conscious Clothing will soon be launching an evening wear collection.
The future of hemp fashion was showcased by the designing talent at NY Fashion Academy. Four designers came up with innovative cannabis lifestyle clothing utilizing hemp fabrics from EnviroTextilesand HempTraders.
Erika Ray crafted unique hand dyed and hand painted hoodies from hemp and organic cotton for cozy cool street looks that heal the planet.
Malia Peoples, constructed an oversized smoking jacket, for local musician Boris Budd, with classic natural hemp fabric and accented cuffs.
Hand-dyed and painted hoodie by Erika Ray. Photo by Josh Rettie
Kiymbah Tytania designed couture men’s and women’s trim aprons with black hemp fabric and red pocket, ruffle and tie accents.
The attractive and practical aprons have handy pockets for holding trimming scissors, cell phones and rolling papers.
A wide pocket in the front of the men’s apron catches loose trim to roll up a doobie for break time!
Marcella Kelly presented the exquisite Seattle Colorfest collection.
Marcella made a dark green hemp and cotton jersey knit dress with black hemp silk yokes, side panels, accents, and a black hemp silk charmeuse corset belt.
The belt contained handy lifestyle stash pockets. A pair of his and hers High Society smoking jackets, made for Seattle Hempfest organizers, Vivian McPeak and Kanti Selig ,were constructed out of plum Hempcel fabric with black hemp silk charmeuse collars, cuffs and pocket welts. Specialty pockets on the inside hold legal cannabis and accouterment.
The most surprising outfit in the Colorfest collection was a bright coral jersey knit t-shirt dress with hemp silk collar paired with a yellow hemp silk pleated asymmetrical skirt with a grommet waistband. This lightweight and festive garment wowed the eco-fashionistas in the crowd.
]]>“From my experience working with volunteers at Seattle Hempfest for 13 years, Susan Squibb is in the top ten workers of the hundreds we encounter every year. I highly recommend her professionalism, follow-through, responsibility, organization, ideas and charms.”
The whole letter from Ms.Haley is below. It feels great to be recognized for something I enjoy doing. Event production is exciting. I love the thrill of preparing and executing an event plan.
To Whom it May Concern,
As a coordinator of the Hemposium at Seattle Hempfest one of several projects I created was a fashion show featuring local designers using at least 75% hemp in their garments. One of the Hemposium stages emcees; Don Wirtshafter is an internationally acclaimed hemp ambassador. He introduced me to the textile importers of good repute to work on this all volunteer project.
Understanding I had created a project that needed help Don introduced me to Susan. He knew she had the experience that would be a perfect fit to help make the project successful. Through emails we coordinated our roles and responsibilities so that when we arrived in Seattle the magic took off.
Susan made contacts with four companies negotiating sponsorships for their garments to be displayed in the fashion show. The companies sent the perfect number of outfits and accessories to fill in with the local designers. One company, Hemp HoodLamb has a local following that was ecstatic to see the warm furry coats arrive to Seattle. Another company, Conscious Creations makes beautiful hemp/charmeuse silk wedding, steam punk gowns that fit our lucky model like a second glamorous hempy skin.
Susan took the fashion show director role and managed the stage hands, models and designers fluidly with charms. Together we developed the Emcee’s descriptions of the garments, flow of designers and their models. Keeping all those people organized and having extreme fun takes a very special person. She orchestrated a fun fashion show for all involved. I encourage viewing of the photos to see the beauty of the weekend captured.
From my experience working with volunteers at Seattle Hempfest for 13 years, Susan Squibb is in the top ten workers of the hundreds we encounter every year. I highly recommend her professionalism, follow-through, responsibility, organization, ideas and charms.
Sincerely,
Pam Haley
Seattle Hempfest
Hemposium Coordinator, Speakers Crew,
Hemp Couture Fashion Show Producer
]]>This version includes a Best of Vendors coverage with unpublished event photos.I Lo
Seattle Hempfest is the largest cannabis event in the world. This year’s Hempfest was the first since the passage of I-502, Washington’s marijuana legalization law, and a quarter of a million people came to celebrate. During the third weekend of August, with hot and sunny weather, Hempfest occupied a mile and a half of Myrtle Edwards Park in downtown Seattle. Within the safety of Hempfest, people smoked, vaporized and consumed cannabis in public. Occasional cooling sea breezes wafted along the beautiful waterfront, joining the hovering cloud of freshly smoked marijuana. With a hundred bands and a hundred speakers entertaining and informing from six stages, and four hundred booths of vendors and nonprofits to visit, there was plenty to see and do at Seattle Hempfest this year.
Sit on the grass and smoke some grass.
The grass in Myrtle Edwards Park is a comfortable spot for a smoking sesh with friends. Hempfest’s crowd was reveling in public pot smoking as people with 4, 6 and 12 foot bongs sat toking up with a little help from their friends. Others were walking around flashing their newly purchased pieces. Stony and relatively subdued, the crowd enjoyed the surreal and liberating experience of not having to publicly hide their appreciation of cannabis.
Marijuana tshirt at Hempfest.
The waves of people walking were decked out in fancy and casual hemp and pot leaf fashions. Wearing a pot leaf or cannabis message T shirts, or pot leaf accessories, is practically ubiquitous in this scene (my personal favorite T shirt message was “This veteran is medicated for your protection.”) Other cannabis enthusiasts were decked out in bright necklaces, hats, sunglasses, scarves, socks, everything in their wardrobe adorned with pot leaves. Occasionally, someone was dressed in formal wear or fantasy fairy and animal costumes. Topless women sported pot leaf pasties and young families walked through the festival site with strollers.
Everlast jams onstage at Seattle Hempfest.
Boris and the Waterboarders protest with vicious humor at the Hemposium stage.
Samba music from Seeley Stage.
Listen to Music.
Area bands and musicians made up most of the musical entertainment at Seattle Hempfest. Bands played short sets and the genres were ever changing, going from reggae, to salsa, rock, punk, country rock, hip hop and electronica. Bellingham rockers Boris and the Waterboarders played songs of political protest and personal despair to the amused delight of the carefree crowd. Friday’s main stage afternoon acts were the Seattle Hempfest favorites, The Toyes, originators of song “Smoke Two Joints” and reggae groove house band, The Herbivores. Hempfest’s main stage featured nationally known acts Everlast and DJ Muggs of Cypress Hill. Hiphop rock fusion artist Everlast played to a crowd of “the most stoners I’ve ever seen in one place”. The mellow crowd pumped their fists and sang along with notable songs, I Get By”, “What Its Like” and a record scratching version of Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues”.
Soft serve hemp ice cream served at Munchie Market
Corn on the cob dipped in hemp butter for Hempfest
Get the munchies and eat hemp food.
There were plenty of food options to satisfy the munchies of everyone at Hempfest. Make it hempy by sprinkling on a tablespoon of Hemp Hearts, or order hemp protein powder added to a fresh fruit smoothie. Food booths offered typical festival food hotdogs, bratwurst, burritos, and French fries and meals with a hemp twist with hemp burgers, corn on the cob dipped in hemp butter or hemp coffee.
For dessert, fresh mini donuts, or scoops of Ben & Jerry’s and Baskin Robbins were tasty dessert options. Make it hempy with a waffle cone of soft serve hemp ice cream from Munchie Market.
Another snack option was provided by the Seattle Police Foundation. Seattle Police were giving away snack bags of Nacho Cheese Doritos with an attached informational sticker at Hempfest. The stickers humorously explained the new regulations under I-502 with funny reminders of “Don’t give, sell or shotgun weed to anyone under 21” and encouraged the crowd to enjoy Hempfest and “listen to Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon at a reasonable volume”. Warning, The chips are as delicious as they appear!
Seattle Hempfest attendees excited to get bags of Nacho Cheese Doritos from Seattle Police Department
The sticker attached to the Nacho Cheese Dorito given out by Seattle Police Department during Hempfest
Hemp fashion show
The daily fashion show was a Hemposium highlight. I co-produced Fashion with a Passion for Freedom featuring garments from established hemp clothing companies across the country and exciting pieces made by fresh design students at the Seattle based NY Fashion Academy., featuring stylish, well designed clothes from experienced hemp clothing companies. Hemp Hoodlamb, Earth Creations, Taos Hemp Company and Conscious Clothing shared the runway with innovative cannabis lifestyle garments created from four Seattle based NY Fashion Academy clothing designers. Premium hemp fabrics were shaped into trim aprons and high society smoking jackets with inside pockets for carrying a now legal stash. Other innovative outfits, like hand painted hoodies and boldly colored and delicate hemp silk garments are redefining hemp in eco-fashion.
The bustling marketplace at Seattle Hempfest featured 400 vendors selling the gear and equipment required to consume, grow and live a cannabis life. These are the best hemp and cannabis lifestyle clothing options currently available.
HempMania, a fair trade and eco-friendly company since 1997, makes durable hemp bags and wallets for men and women. The wide variety of back packs, purses, market totes, wallets and accessory bags are available in pleasing earth tone colors and black.
Hemp bags for all at Hemp Mania!
Seedless Clothing was set up with a bright green booth and stacks of street art savvy t-shirts, shoes, hats, hoodies, jackets, belts, jeans and stickers. Seedless, a California based cannabis lifestyle clothing company, with its sprouting leaf logo is worn by the cool kids.
Love Seedless design zippered jacket by Seedless Clothing Company
I love Pot Lifestyle Clothing makes bold signature “I love pot” screen-printed T shirts and other fresh designs. They also carry green teddy bears with hidden stash pockets.
Popular teddy bears from I Love Pot Lifestyle
Urb Age Designs, is owned by Urb Thrasher, hard rocking DJ on 420Radio.org. Urb Age Designs has a variety of Rasta inspired screen-printed T shirts, barware, a Frisbee and disc golf line, and other lifestyle products to show off your love of the herb.
Urbage Design, an activist run business.
Kill Your Culture has clever pop culture brandalism images on soft fabric t-shirts, hats, bong pads, pipe coasters, ipad cases, and stickers. The irreverent images are stony and dabbed out version of characters we know and love like Darth Vader, Captain Crunch, Urkle, Frankenstein, and Keebler Elves.
Pop culture brandalism from Kill Your Culture
Good Life Roots is a Los Angeles based artist collective. Artists create original screen-printed T shirts and decoupage art on wallets, flasks and purses. The Good Life Roots crew then heads out on its summer vending tour going to a medley of festivals and markets throughout the season.
Good Life Roots, an artist collective with a seasonal vending calendar across the country
Seattle Hempfest merchandise booth In addition to being a general store, event merchandise sales is a fundraiser for Seattle Hempfest to cover the event production costs. This year’s event image, to celebrate I-502, was Uncle Sam passing a blazing joint. This iconic image is available on cotton or hemp shirts, posters and magnets.
The Hemp History Roadshow for college campuses had its informational hemp tutorial, open for education, showing the many applications for hemp in foods, building materials, fashion, body care, home goods and sporting goods. Visitors could see hemp in raw fiber materials, plastic composites, hemp food, and hemp clothing. A small store of T shirt and hats and educational DVDs was on display in the hemp hut.
The Hemp Hut housed the Hemp History Roadshow display outside the Hemposium
Cannabis Culture
Seattle Hempfest had some notable cannabis culture on display. The cross country adventures of the painted psychedelic Further (original spelling “FURTHUR,”) bus driven by Neal Cassady, captained by Ken Kesey and boarded by psychedelic pioneers the Merry Pranksters was parked near Hempfest’s main stage. This hand painted magic bus is part of the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame.
Furthur, at night Seattle Hempfest.
A fleet of Fishy Foods/ Label GMO foods/ art cars from Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps
Other art cars onsite was the Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps sponsored fleet of cars topped with giant fishy GMO frankenfoods. These fishy food cars came from WashingtonDC to Seattle for Hempfest to raise coast to coast awareness for labeling GMO foods and to educate voters on an upcoming GMO ballot issue in Washington.
Speakers, encourage, engage and inform the crowds in between band setups.
Here’s a list of the notable hemp speakers at this year’s Hempfest:
Hemp educator David Piller of Hemp History Roadshow
Authors Chris Conrad (Hemp: Lifeline of the Future), and Todd Dalloto (The Hemp Cookbook: From Seed to Shining Seed)
Hemp legislative advocates Steve Levine Director of Hemp Industries Association and Vote Hemp and Paul Stanford, Director of the Campaign for the Restoration and Regulation of Hemp.
Business owners David Bronner of Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps and Adam Eidenger of Capitol Hemp.
Crowd favorites included legendary growers Jorge Cervantes and Ed Rosenthal and cannabis comedian Ngaio Bealum.
This year’s Seattle Hempfest was a liberating and fun experience, but beyond that, it was educational. For one magical weekend Seattle’s Myrtle Edwards park was alight with music, food, vendors, speakers, and endless opportunities to learn and appreciate the cannabis plant.
Seattle Hempfest 2013
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http://dailydoobie.com/hempfest-seattle/
In its 22nd year, Seattle Hempfest is the largest cannabis event in the world, with a quarter million happy and blissed out people attending the protestival, one part festival and one part protest. Seattle Hempfest, which is free and open to the public. It is one of the most inspiring experiences a cannabis activist and enthusiast can experience. It’s a mile and a half long celebration of cannabis culture and a festival where people can safely consume marijuana publicly and enjoy a beautiful day in the park, with entertainment, a vibrant marketplace, food and food for thought.
The recent passage of Washington’s marijuana legalization law, I-502, had voters and cannabis enthusiasts ready for a public celebratory toke at Seattle Hempfest this year. Although it is still illegal to publicly smoke marijuana in Washington, within the safety of Seattle Hempfest, people smoked, vaporized and consumed cannabis. With great enthusiasm, people took hits from four and six foot bongs, and socialized with circles of friends or friendly strangers while passing around enormous joints. The overall effect was a peaceful and happy crowd. Seattle Hempfest is an event where people can safely consume marijuana publicly without fear of arrest and prosecution. As trivializing as this act may be perceived, public marijuana smoking is a form of protest.
The nonviolent protest is the heart of Seattle Hempfest. The roots of Seattle Hempfest began in 1991 as the Washington Hemp Expo. Five hundred people turned out to the event organized by the Seattle Peace Heathens Community Action Group. The Seattle Peace Heathens were a voluntary group of alternative cultural advocates who produced and promoted peace and social justice community projects. The Washington Hemp Expo touched a nerve in the community and the event grew exponentially every year.
By 1994, the growth of the event, now called Seattle Hempfest, was raising the attention and concern of local government and law enforcement, which had been turning a blind eye to the unpatrolled event. With the help of the ACLU, Seattle Hempfest was identified as a legitimate political rally, and not a “pot party” as detractors wanted to categorize it. Seattle Hempfest had a counter- cultural flamboyance, but was professionally savvy in negotiations with local agencies.
Seattle Hempfest has expanded from a one day event to three days. The crowd attendance has grown from 15,000 people to 250,000 people. All of this growth would not be possible without the planning and consistent effort of dedicated volunteers who have met the increasing logistical demands and more complex permit requirements with the city government. Over the weekend of Seattle Hempfest, the number of volunteers swells to over a thousand as all event activities are coordinated to keep everything running smooth and safe 24 hours a day.
Volunteer Powered Seattle Hempfest.
“There is no nation like donation”
This year, Seattle Police Department received praise and chuckles for handing out Nacho Cheese Doritos to people attending Hempfest. Affixed to the snack bags were informational and joke riddled stickers advising the festivalgoers some of the new marijuana regulations with I-502. Among the text was “This sticker is not a lawyer and cannot provide you with legal advice.” And “The contents of this package are as delicious as they appear”.
One key part of visualizing the annual political protest message of Seattle Hempfest is the event poster. Past images evoke and depict messages of peace, hemp agriculture, and awareness of nonviolent prisoners, public education, and idyllic scenes of future possibility. Poster images have captured the fundamental messages of political protest at Seattle Hempfest. This year’s poster uses a popular image for the federal government: the iconic Uncle Sam is passing a lighted joint in front of a glowing Emerald City. “I want YOU at the Seattle Hempfest” is what the headline reads.
Marijuana legalization has not been the only political destination for Seattle Hempfest. Previous years, a single protest message was crafted and presented to bring attention to different issues related to marijuana prohibition. To demonstrate marijuana reform has made a significant progressive step but has not reached its destination three protest messages were emphasized this year.
The first Seattle Hempfest protest platform is “eliminate marijuana from the Federal Schedule.” As you may know, the Federal Schedule is the federal drug policy that lists marijuana as a controlled substance and having no current medical use in treatment. Schedule 1 substances are legally defined as highly addictive and have the most restrictive laws regarding use, possession and distribution. Seattle Hempfest recommends going beyond moving marijuana from its current schedule status, and moving it completely out of the Federal Schedule. The reasoning for this is the two most widely consumed drugs, recreational alcohol and tobacco are both exempt from Federal Scheduling. Marijuana with its relative history of safety should also be exempt.
The second protest platform is “harm reduction.” Harm reduction measures usually includes efforts to change the impact in society of mass incarceration for nonviolent drug offenders and related injustices. Seattle Hempfest is shifting harm reduction to a personal level with a series of health pamphlets called, Cannabis Gut Checks. These pamphlets share information on recent scientific studies relating to topics of health and safety of cannabis use and depression, driving, health, lungs, memory, mental health, pregnancy and teens. The pamphlets candidly discuss the risks of cannabis use and provide the reader with additional resources for information.
The third protest platform is “voter power.” To harness the right in our representative democracy, Seattle Hempfest encourages voter registration. The Hempfest Voter Registration team members walk the festival with clipboards and knowledgably answer questions and help register Washington state voters. They assist voters with changes of address, register newly eligible voters who are turning eighteen, and field questions regarding the eligibility of convicted felons, who have recently been restored the right to vote in Washington.
Voter Registration at Seattle Hempfest
Political protest happens all day from the stages, the shouts of call and response engage the crowd as HEMP is repeatedly spelled out with a “give me an H, give me an E” In between band sets, notable luminaries from Washington, Oregon, California and Vancouver give encouraging, engaging and informative speeches.
Speakers include Seattle and Washington elected officials, activists, legislative advocates, lawyers, doctors, patients, writers, growers, and directors of national drug reform organizations. A longtime Seattle Hempfest favorite is Elvy Musikka, a medical marijuana patient, who since 1988 has received 300 joints a month from the Federal IND program.
Seattle Hempfest is an amazing and inspiring event for cannabis activists and enthusiasts. It is a focused cannabis reform rally, a gigantic celebration of culture and music, and a weekend where people are free to consume marijuana safely in public and enjoy a beautiful day on a waterfront park with a lot of smiling people. Seattle Hempfest is the largest cannabis event in the world and at its heart is the belief nonviolent protest can create positive change. You’ve got to see it to believe it.
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http://issuu.com/thcmag/docs/august_issue_2013_web
Ask Lady Cannabis
Dear Lady Cannabis, How do I join a smoking circle? Shy Smoker
Dear Shy Smoker, Simply say “Excuse me, I have some herb I’d like to share, may I join this circle?” Context is important. Usually cannabis smokers are relaxed and friendly, unless they are being paranoid for security reasons. So, assess the situation. Are you in a public place or a private gathering? Is everyone over 18? Do you know anyone in the group or are they all strangers? Do you feel relatively safe and comfortable? If yes, approach someone in the circle, start a conversation and ask to join the fun. Have some cannabis to share, or offer something to the group that might be appreciated like cold drinks, snacks, and pleasant conversation.
Dear Lady Cannabis, How do I tell the mother at my preschool with the brain tumor that cannabis can cure her? Caring Mother
Dear Caring Mother, The topic demands more discretion than the usual chit chat you’ve encountered when picking up or dropping off your child. Create some time to speak with her more privately, go for coffee or drop off a nourishing dish at her home. Prepare your thoughts for a brief conversation, and give her a resource for further information.
The You Tube video, “Evidence That Cannabis Is An Extremely Nutritional Vegetable,” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxJmFSmOrqo) is a great 13 minute summary of medical research and the legal status of marijuana.
Temper your desire to be helpful with respect for her medical privacy and your own privacy. This is a conversation because you care about a community member, not because you need to proselytize and convert someone to be a marijuana patient. In your conversation, tell the mother you care about her and her family. You are sharing some information about a promising treatment option that could be helpful during this difficult time. Give her a printout of a recent overseas medical study that discusses the promise of plant compounds in medical marijuana for effective treatment of cancer. Mention the evidence of cancer patients, in the US, experiencing pain relief and appetite stimulation from medical marijuana. Mention the variety of ingestion methods, other than smoking, that are now available. Reiterate you are sharing this information to be helpful because you care. Do not promise a complete cure from the medical use of marijuana or bash other cancer treatment options she may be considering. Tell her you respect her privacy and understand this is a challenging time for her family. Give her a reassurance unless she initiates the topic, you will hold the conversation in confidence and, depending on your comfort level, ask her to do the same for you within your shared preschool community.
Dear Lady Cannabis, When you meet someone you like, how do you broach the subject of cannabis use? Dating Toker
Dear Dating Toker, In the dating scene, it is important to look for partner compatibility and for you, this includes cannabis use. One way to indirectly discuss use is to initiate the conversation as a topic of current political or medical research trends. Usually people eagerly share their opinions and additionally indicate their experience, comfort, and knowledge. Sometimes people are tightlipped, quiet, and unwilling to engage out of fear, or a greater need for privacy. From this conversation, you should be able to get a good idea of where they stand on the general subject and if you share similar habits and preferences.
If you are planning a date and want to include cannabis use, directly suggest enjoying cannabis as an addition to the main activity of the date. Have a safe setting in mind, allow time to enjoy and be age appropriate. You don’t want to act like a kid, hurriedly packing a bowl, in the alleyway outside the theatre, unless this is the agreed plan and is comfortable and fun for both of you.
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http://issuu.com/thcmag/docs/october2013_1
Dear Lady Cannabis, I am a CO resident and my red card is expiring towards the end of the year. Is there any benefit to renewing my red card, or should I just buy from the new marijuana retail stores starting at the beginning of next year? Medical Muggles
Dear Medical Muggles, The adage “it is better to be safe than sorry” are words of wisdom for your situation. If you receive health benefits from cannabis, don’t be in a rush to leave the medical registry. The rules and regulations for recreational centers are being discussed and decided right now. The specific differences between the two markets will be seen after January 1.
There are several benefits to renewing your state issued medical marijuana card. One benefit is continued access to edibles and flower strains you have come to rely on in your favorite dispensaries.
Knowing the product costs and tax rates for your medical cannabis purchases is another benefit to maintaining your medical card. In recreational centers, the product prices might be higher to capitalize on the newly legal market. Also, the tax rate for recreational cannabis has yet to be determined which is a big point of contention, among supporters of Amendment 64. The upcoming ballot issue AA sets the excise and tax rates for cannabis and includes a 15% excise tax and a 10% special sales tax plus local taxes.
With these important factors to be determined, the best choice is to visit your doctor and get your annual recommendation. Be content knowing you have the right to medical marijuana and have good access to it. This is a hard won right for patients.
Dear Lady Cannabis, If you are traveling, and both places are legal pot states, what can or what should you bring with you? Traveling Toker
Dear Traveling Toker, Although Colorado and Washington are the only two legal pot states at this time, packing cannabis safely for travel is an important skill to have for any responsible adult living within the twenty medical cannabis states. Careful packing practices will ensure successful traveling.
In terms of what to bring with you, for any length of travel trip, pack only a sensible amount of cannabis for personal use. Pack clean paraphernalia and place separate from the cannabis.
If you are traveling by airplane, rest assured the federal Transportation Security Agency, has bigger concerns for airport safety than the cannabis they find in the carry-on luggage of travelers. The agents are screening for bombs, not buds. If you are a medical patient in state that allows medical marijuana, place your issued card or relevant documentation with your cannabis. Keep your travel supply of cannabis simple, clean and contained. You and your supply of cannabis for personal use should have no problems on your flight.
When driving, one doesn’t have the same packing restrictions for vehicle travel as airline travel. The general rules still apply, pack a personal amount of cannabis and store clean paraphernalia in a separate place. Keep cannabis stowed away, ideally in the trunk of the vehicle. Careful packing eliminates the plant aroma.
Responsible use means not driving and smoking cannabis. This is not appropriate and can lead to expensive legal problems, among other serious predicaments, if stopped by a police officer or state trooper and cited for intoxicated driving. Be sensible, have your cannabis items packed. This prevents police from finding a reason or probable cause to further delay your travel plans. Be responsible, unpack and partake when you no longer need to drive for the day. Enjoy your upcoming trip.
Dear Lady Cannabis, What do I do when an acquaintance smokes around me and I don’t like the smell? Super Lungs
Dear Super Lungs, Second hand smoke is a sensitive subject. Fortunately, cannabis smoke is not as toxic or dangerous as second hand tobacco smoke. Any kind of smoke can be an uncomfortable irritant. Anti-smoking tobacco laws and ordinances have been shaping and refining public spaces where cigarette smoking is acceptable since 1995. Additional public service announcements have refined our awareness to tobacco smoking in private spaces.
What is the best practice for cannabis smoke? This depends on the environment. Ultimately, cannabis smoking needs to happen in spaces where it’s permissible to smoke.
If you are bothered by cannabis smoke, you need to talk to your acquaintance and find a reasonable solution that works for both of you. Ask yourself what are the circumstances around the smoking? What aspect of the smoking is bothering you? What is the frequency, does this happen every time you see this person or on occasion? If the cannabis smoking is a social activity, your acquaintance is socializing in a way you don’t prefer. Suggest some nonsmoking cannabis alternatives, like a table top vaporizer, something that maintains the social aspect of the circle but won’t irritate your air space. If you don’t want to be involved with the smoke circle at all, schedule a different activity to do with your friend at a different time of the day.
The smoking may not be happening at your friend’s home, but in your home, instead. Maybe your acquaintance is a roommate who is disturbing you with smoking in your shared living space. Whatever the situation, create time to have a conversation. Discuss the specific problem and find solutions that will be comfortable and mindful for the both of you. Remember to express appreciation with aspects of your acquaintance you enjoy and the parts of your relationship that are working well to balance out the conversation.
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Dear Lady Cannabis, Which is more effective glycerin tincture or alcohol-based tincture? I have heard that alcohol is better but it burns the underside of my tongue and is far less pleasant. Thank you ever so, Lady D
Dear Lady D, Thank you for your question. I agree the burn of alcohol tinctures can be very unpleasant. I suggest diluting the dropper of tincture in two or three ounces of water or tea.
Alcohol tinctures are more effective than glycerin ones, up to ten times more effective. Alcohol makes stronger medicinal cannabis tinctures because it is better at breaking down the cannabinoids in the plant material than glycerin. Glycerin tincture is primarily an alcohol free option for patients sensitive to alcohol. Denver based certified herbalist, Ms. Pendleton, suggests exploring different manufacturers or batches of alcohol tinctures because production methods vary and the taste of a different alcohol tincture might be better than the unpleasant one you’ve experienced. Even though glycerin tincture is less potent, it is more palatable and that might be the better choice for you.
Dear Lady Cannabis, I’m a Denver local and attend shows at Red Rocks Amphitheatre every summer for the past 20 years. I appreciate how relatively relaxed security has been in regards to pot smoking in the venue. Pot smoking has been tolerated. This summer, as I sit at my reserved seat before a show, smoking a doobie, I was asked by security to take it out to the smoking section with the cigarette smokers. I’ve known other concertgoers have this same experience. What is going on? Didn’t we legalize it? Show Stoner
Dear Show Stoner, Red Rocks is an enjoyable concert venue, isn’t it? I have been to the Colorado Symphony concerts this summer and each performance was memorable and delightful. It does seem ironic to pass cannabis legalization in Colorado and now cannabis smokers are being asked to smoke outside the seating area at Red Rocks.
Security largely turns a blind eye to cannabis smoking because ticketholders who are high ultimately make their jobs easier with a laid back and more manageable crowd. This is in contrast to the rowdy and inappropriate behavior regularly exhibited by the “one too many” alcohol drinkers at the show. Cannabis is such a popular recreational choice at Red Rocks; it is simply not possible to stop everyone from smoking cannabis.
In your situation, timing might be the issue. If there is a performance happening onstage, generally, security won’t hassle you. If you are lighting up soon after the doors open and the security staff is standing around in broad daylight looking for something to do, you’ll probably be asked to move to the smoking section. As our society is shifting to cannabis being a legally recognized recreational drug, the guidelines of acceptable use will change. Smoking cannabis is still smoking and over the years, cigarette smoking has been relegated to the periphery and contained in smoking sections. We will have to see if public cannabis smoking receives the same treatment. At your next concert at Red Rocks, as you enjoy the view from your seats before the show, you might use a portable vaporizer that won’t interfere with your neighbor’s air space or perhaps you can enjoy a classic pot brownie.
Dear Lady Cannabis, I was hanging out in a smoking circle. I borrowed a lighter to spark a bowl. I passed the lighter with the bowl and my friend said the lighter is supposed to be returned to him, the owner, immediately. Did I commit a faux pas? Lighter Larry
Dear Lighter Larry, Oh dear, your friend is sour from one too many of his lighters being accidently pocketed by a stony someone in the smoking circle. No you didn’t commit a faux pas. Since you are smoking out of a bowl, the lighter is passed with the bowl for each person to spark the bowl. If you are smoking a joint, it makes sense to promptly return the lighter to your friend. Losing lighters is a common nuisance, so look out for yourself and others and keep matches or a lighter on hand. You’ll be prepared and your friend will be more comfortable.
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10) Denver Kush Club passed out custom screenprinted Bic Lighters. Nice, DKC! Most dispensaries usually give away cheap lighters that don’t reliably work, but y’know, you can’t really complain about free schwag, right? It’s nice Denver Kush Club puts their name on a quality lighter that people will want to keep.
9) I liked Big Buddha Seeds giant Buddhist Temple in the recreational area of the Cup. Their free schwag bags said “Peace and Love” and added a calming element to the jam packed walkways. Gate gate paragate parasamgate bodhi svaha.
8) Medicine Man for the Willy Wonka themed promotion. I am childhood fan of the original Roald Dahl story, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the 1971 film adaptation of this mad, reclusive genius candy maker, Willie Wonka. I love the 2005 Johnny Depp film version too. Although, the use of Willie Wonka, to promote marijuana products is not new, Medicine Man did a solid job incorporating the elements together into a memorable promotion. Orange skinned, green wigged and white costumed Oompa Loompas were walking around the Cup passing out golden tickets. Golden tickets were also part of print and online advertisements. Willy Wonka was a tall, well costumed man, who walked around the event site smiling maniacally and offering free puffs of vaporized marijuana from a colorful plastic squeeze bottle. Who can do this? The Medicine Man. The Medicine Man can. ( all together now) “The candy man can cause he mixes it with love and makes the world taste good. And the world tastes good cause the candy man thinks it should!”
7) Essential Extracts budtender, Ms. Gabby. Essential Extracts shared a booth with Pink House. Essential Extracts take the high road and make water based hash from methods learned from Amsterdam hash legend, Mila Jansen. Gabby had great style. She had a great combination of street savvy fashion style and professional smarts.
6) The Dixie Elixir and Edibles booth. My years of vending had me recognize the Dixie booth had one of the best locations of the whole Cup.The Dixie booth was nicely situated inside along one of the main traffic arteries of the event. Dixie presented a very professional and sophisticated product line that advances the concept of cannabis wellness and medicine to larger audiences in Colorado and around the country.
5) The couches and street art made chilling in the alley way between buildings a more sophisticated experience.
4) Wonder Woman tank tops from Green Man Cannabis. A jay smoking Wonder Woman strolls across the front of pastel yellow tank tops. 
3) Hanging at the SAFER / NCIA booth with the Amendment 64 crew at 4:20 on 4/20!
2) The Free Massage chair at Riverrock.
1) The Incredibles milk chocolate and peanut butter fountains with fresh fruit skewers. I’m glad each dip was a modest 5mg dose because I wouldn’t and couldn’t stop dipping the assorted bananas, strawberries, pretzels,and cake squares into the most magnificent hash chocolate and peanut butter hash fondue fountains I could ever dream of.
