Category: Interviews

5 Questions Articles Interviews Skunk Magazine

FIVE GRATIFYING QUESTIONS WITH MARIANNE CURSETJEE, MBA, CEO AND COFOUNDER OF ALIBI CANNABIS

Post author By Warren_Bobrow
Post date April 26, 2022

BYWARREN BOBROW 04/20/2022

Here was my pitch. I included it here because the framework for this intriguing piece is in the pitch, a beautifully written one, I must add. Thank you, my friend, for sending this my way, appreciated deeply.

Hi Warren – Alibi Cannabis is about to announce its first line of premium pre-rolls curated for Oregon’s discerning cannabis consumer.

Made with 100% handcrafted flower, Alibi’s new Mariposa pre-rolls celebrate empowered, fierce females with the sexy NFT, Mariposa Takes Flight, on the packaging. (She is on their homepage!)

Alibi Cannabis is a woman-owned craft cannabis farm founded in 2017 by Marianne Cursetjee.

With an MBA and a high-powered tech career, Marianne did not expect to become a cannabis entrepreneur. Then she got cancer. Her career changed when a cannabis product eliminated the need for over ten drugs to combat side effects from chemo prescriptions. Marianne bought property in Oregon, started a cannabis farm, and became a cannabis expert. Alibi has earned recognition for growing some of the best flower in Oregon.

Can I interest you in speaking with Marianne about Alibi, the new pre-rolls, and her journey?

*YES*

Photo courtesy of Marianne Cursetjee

Warren Bobrow: Please tell me about your inspiration for the brand? Where did the name come from? Is this your first cannabis venture?

Marianne Cursetjee, MBA, CEO and Cofounder of Alibi Cannabis: At Alibi, we imagine a beautiful place where you can be the best version of you. The joy that comes from cannabis enhances our relationships, our bodies, and our spirits. The word “Alibi” is simple, but the idea can be whatever you dream. We hope people take a moment, enjoy the smoke, and look for the beauty around them.

We bought the land for our cannabis farm when I was just finishing up treatment for breast cancer. I had a vision of building a fabulous weed farm. Now, here we are seven years later, thriving in a tough market and looking forward to continued growth. The business has grown from an idea to a commercial-scale craft farm with a compelling story and beautiful imagery.

WB: Who is your mentor? When did you discover cannabis? How old were you? What are your six and twelve-month goals?

MC: I was raised in a very conservative Christian environment, so cannabis was not part of the culture. I was 45 years old when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Going through chemotherapy and radiation, managing side effects is a whole cascade of pharmaceuticals. A friend gave me some cannabis and said that it might help with nausea and pain. It was amazing! I was able to eliminate a whole host of pharmaceuticals and replace them with just cannabis. My dad is currently battling brain cancer, and I’m giving him cannabis to help with that. He tells me his head is all whirly, and some nice 1:1 chocolates make him feel better. Love that the industry is now better able to support those in medical need and also those who just love how cannabis makes them feel.

Our goals for the business are continued growth, more unique cultivars, and delivering amazing quality cannabis products. Having grown in Oregon since 2017, we’ve learned that Oregonians are weed connoisseurs constantly looking for new and unique products and flavors.

Our signature branding, “Mariposa Takes Flight,” is based

Photo courtesy of Marianne Cursetjee

on an NFT we purchased. Figuring out how to utilize blockchain, NFT’s and the metaverse in cannabis is an exciting new frontier.

We just launched Mariposa pre-rolls to celebrate empowered, edgy females with the sexy NFT on the packaging. Made with 100% handcrafted indoor flower, the pre-rolls have received rave reviews. We are in discussions to launch this brand into other states and plan to introduce a line of gummies soon in Oregon. I’m pleased that we have found some fabulous companies to collaborate with. Also, this year, we are launching a merch shop featuring Mariposa. Look for amazing merchandise over the coming few months at Alibi.shop

WB: What kind of obstacles do you face? How do you anticipate removing these obstacles?

MC: We face the challenges common to all cannabis companies, such as restrictions on marketing and advertising, limited tax deductions, and the high cost of regulatory compliance. The challenges specific to us are a flourishing unregulated market and an oversupply of product in the regulated market. It has been said that if you can survive Oregon, you can survive anywhere!

We are known for our top-shelf handcrafted flower. We will continue with new genetics and improved quality while also looking at more products and new states. There are so many opportunities available across the US; finding the right partners is key to long-term success.

WB: What is your favorite food to savor when you have smoked Alibi minis? Do you have a favorite restaurant? What is the name? Where? Indoor or outdoor-grown cannabis? Why?

MC: Portland is such a food haven! So many good things to eat! If I’m trolling for munchies at home, I love Bordeaux Cherry Balsamic vinegar on vanilla ice cream. Sweet and sour, oh my! Seriously, it’s totally the bomb! Our Lava Cake cultivar is really a heavy munchie strain, so stock up before you toke. For restaurants, I love Thai and Indian, but my favorite restaurant in Portland is a Lebanese restaurant called Nicholas. Their baba ghanoush, cauliflower, caramelized onions, yum! Spicy food really goes well with our GMO Glue cultivar — it’s a totally old-school hitter with garlic notes.

For cannabis, I like the consistency and freshness of indoor flower. I’m a little bit spoiled since we grow such amazing weed at our farm. I like knowing that what I’m smoking is fresh and clean. When you buy your bud at dispensaries, look at the harvest date. I’m surprised how much old stuff is on the shelf. Look for something harvested within the last 2 or 3 months. Older than that, and it just isn’t quite as nice. Get to know the farms and their growing practices and ethics.

Photos courtesy of Marianne Cursetjee

WB: What is your passion?

MC: So many things! I love training Krav Maga. I started training when I was going through chemotherapy. It’s great physical exercise, and the “never give up” mentality is huge. Feeling and being strong physically is wonderful. Of course, Covid took a toll on my training, but I’m back in the gym now and kicking ass! I also love scuba diving. Diving is an activity my daughter and I do together. We just got back from diving in Mexico. The world under the sea is so amazing! We have seen strange creatures in the water, but my favorite is the mantis shrimp. It’s a bizarre creature with some freaky traits. You can read more about this underwater nightmare at https://theoatmeal.com/comics/mantis_shrimp.

What brings me real joy is knowing that my efforts at work and in the community are improving lives. Alibi is founded on the philosophy of doing the right thing. We treat our customers, vendors, and employees right.

The last couple of years have been really rough, and it’s important to find the little things that can change the day from gloomy to bright. This is the essence of Alibi’s Mariposa line — find the beauty, take a moment, appreciate life. What’s your Alibi?

WB: I love your flowers, as they are smiles in every pull. The GMO Glue is true to the name with aromatics of freshly raked loam, orange oil, dried morel mushrooms, and shavings of bitter chocolate. The high comes into view, right in front of my forehead, offering pain relief and optimism; a talkative conversation ensues into deeply relaxing metaphors for sleep and renewal. Lucky is the person who will enjoy such evocative experiences. Oregon offers that in their wines and their cannabis. The taste of the place, the terroir- it sets Oregon into a realm of conscious cannabis.

https://www.skunkmagazine.com/five-gratifying-questions-with-marianne-cursetjee-mba-ceo-and-cofounder-of-alibi-cannabis/?v=f24485ae434a

Tags ALIBI CANNABIS, Cannabis, Cannabis Cocktails, MARIANNE CURSETJEE, skunk magazine, warren bobrow

5 Questions Articles Interviews Skunk Magazine

Veritas Cannabis, Elevating Sustainable Practices in Cannabis

Post author By Warren_Bobrow
Post date November 9, 2021

Veritas Fine Cannabis in Colorado has kept itself ahead of the rest of the industry with quality products, innovative branding, and promotions.

No, the company is breaking away from the rest of the pack by appointing environmental health and safety manager, Elizabeth Lee, to spearhead their sustainability efforts. Along with her degree in environmental studies, Ms. Lee was recognized as the woman for the job after internal meetings revealed her deep interest in sustainable practices.

DENVER—Oct. 26, 2021 —Veritas Fine Cannabis, Colorado’s original craft cannabis, today announced the company’s new position of Environmental Health and Safety Manager, promoting packaging lead Elizabeth Lee into the key role. The position will oversee company initiatives to advance sustainability, including energy conservation and packaging, two notorious problem areas for the global cannabis industry.

“Veritas has championed sustainability since inception and we are very eager to leverage this new role and Elizabeth’s background to elevate this commitment to new proportions,” said Mike Leibowitz, CEO of Veritas Fine Cannabis. “We started ‘Veritas Talks’ last summer, where employees have a platform to spark conversations about how we can progress as a company. Through this, Elizabeth shared several ideas we implemented and immediately felt an impact, so much so that it flourished into this new position.”

“Sustainability is something I’ve always found passion in, along with working in cannabis,” said Elizabeth Lee, Environmental Health & Safety Manager at Veritas Fine Cannabis. “Having the opportunity to help Veritas be at the forefront of sustainability in the cannabis industry is a dream for me.”

Ms. Lee holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from American University and is approaching the final year of her master’s degree in the Environmental Health & Safety program at the University of Denver. In addition to spearheading sustainability initiatives, Elizabeth will oversee Veritas’ environmental health and safety program.

About Veritas Fine Cannabis

Quality, consistency, honesty, and preserving the unique terpene profile of each strain—these are the guiding principles that set Veritas Fine Cannabis apart as one of America’s first premium cannabis wholesalers. Named after the Roman goddess of truth, Veritas is more than a cultivator; it is a curator of the cannabis experience. From first cuts through harvest and packaging, the Veritas team does everything by hand to optimize the full expression of a strain’s terpenes that yield singular effects. The company continually adds to its library of hundreds of proprietary genetics and catalogs each cultivar by terpene profile so consumers can find the perfect Veritas product to fit their individual needs. With buzzworthy strain drops each month, Veritas leads the market in connoisseur cannabis. For more information, visit veritascannabis.com.

I had the opportunity to dig a little bit deeper into Veritas Fine Cannabis and it made me appreciate their website even more. This is a brand that resonates with nerds like me!

Cheers! WB

Warren Bobrow: Please tell me about yourself? Why Cannabis? What brought you to the plant?

Elizabeth Lee: I am originally from Minnesota and lived there my whole life until I went to college. I took the big leap and moved out East to attend college at American University in Washington D.C. I have a Bachelor of Arts in environmental studies and a minor in sustainability. After graduating, I decided to move to Colorado without even visiting, and it was the best decision for me. I knew with my degree I could find a job I’m passionate about and decided to look into the cannabis industry. I saw that growing the plant was energy and water-intensive and required copious amounts of packaging. With no federal regulation and influence, I felt the cannabis industry had the opportunity to be at the forefront of environmental sustainability. And once I started working in a cultivation and packaging facility, I saw the hazards workers are exposed to, and it made me think a lot about the health and safety side of cannabis. In June of 2020, I decided to pursue my Masters at Denver University in Environmental Health and Safety. I am set to graduate in June 2022.

Warren Bobrow: Indoor or outdoor grown? Why? Organics? Biodynamics? Favorite strain? Grown by whom?

Elizabeth Lee: As a home grower, I prefer to grow outside. Why not take advantage of the Colorado sun! My favorite Veritas strain is Tropicana Cookies. I love the pungent citrus smell and taste that comes from it.

Warren Bobrow: What are your six and twelve-month goals?

Elizabeth Lee: A sixth-month goal of mine is to execute a company-wide safety policy. We want to implement new employee safety training and quarterly training thereafter to ensure every employee feels safe and confident doing their job. OSHA has not set standards specified to cannabis yet, but there will be a time when that happens, and Veritas wants to be at the forefront.

As a twelve-month goal, we want to reduce our reliance on new packaging and find a solution to sanitize and reuse our cannabis jars. Package waste is a serious issue, and we need to divert waste from landfills. Since we already use glass jars, the opportunity to sanitize and reuse them would divert many of these jars from even making it as far as the recycling bin.

Warren Bobrow: Favorite food when stoned? Favorite food memory from childhood? Do you cook? Who taught you?

Elizabeth Lee: I would say my favorite foods to eat when stoned are desserts. I really love watching “The Great British Baking Show” and have now taken a liking to gourmet desserts. Tarts, mousses, cakes. The show gives me a lot of inspiration to expand my baking skills, as well! I also really enjoy cooking. My great-grandma Kate used to cook and bake such amazing things when I was younger—so good that we had a recipe book created before she passed away. I still cook her recipes to this day. Some of my favorites are tater tot hotdish and her famous waffle cookies. I also love finding food accounts on Instagram and making their recipes.

Warren Bobrow: What is your passion?

Elizabeth Lee: I am passionate about living a life that considers the health of people and our planet. I’ve always enjoyed making changes that better my life and the overall environment. I think we forget that we all have an opportunity to ignite change and one person can have a great influence on others.

Pilgrim Soul: Opening The Third Eye/Five Questions With Shawn Gold

Post author By Warren_Bobrow
Post date October 19, 2021

Shawn Gold

Being a creative person, I’m naturally interested in the work of other creatives. When I was introduced to the originative world of Pilgrim Soul, I felt a certain kinship. After all, I had in my past life worked with high-level individuals within a creative part of a private bank for nearly twenty years. This capability of furthering the thought process stimulated my need in later years to become a six-time published author. The intellect needed to write books is in many ways similar to starting a corporation or leading someone else’s company. You face many challenges in publishing as you do in the corporate world. Politics and silos abound, watch your step and tread lightly? Usually or not a chance… But the world has changed since I did my part to further myself in the corporate world. It would have been nice to have been able to support the efforts of someone like Shawn Gold, the Founder, and CEO of Pilgrim Soul. He’s a really intriguing man, with ideas that mimic my own ethos. I’m fortunate to have been able to interview his efforts for Skunk Magazine. I hope you find inspiration in his broad-reaching ethos for organic change. It’s not too far-fetched nor solely California Centric. There are global implications for his metrics and challenges. I hope you click through to learn more about his efforts.

Photo: Pilgrim Soul

Thank you, WB.

Warren Bobrow: Please tell me about yourself? Why did you start working in cannabis? Do you prefer indoor or outdoor-grown cannabis, and why?

Shawn Gold: My career has consisted of CMO roles at tech-driven start-ups and imagining business models that did not exist. From social networking at MySpace, blogging with Engadget, social storytelling with Wattpad, and working with brands like Fabletic and SavageXFenty, it’s always been about thriving in the ambiguity of a new idea. Throughout my career, I have used cannabis to generate ideas, empathize with my customers, see things symphonically and make non-linear connections. So, when the legal cannabis industry started to emerge, I decided I wanted to help people benefit from my experience with cannabis.

Photo: Pilgrim Soul

As far as indoor or outdoor, I am a huge fan of consuming things as nature intended while being kind to the planet, so my default would be sun-grown California cannabis. You can make a delicious and potent product under natural conditions; I don’t necessarily need to have super high potency indoor cannabis to have a great experience. That said, if you have some amazing indoor cannabis, I’d love to see it and learn more about it.

You could say the creative interactions that I experienced through Pilgrim Soul opened my third eye. Thank you. WB

WB: Please tell me about Pilgrim Soul? What makes this brand different? Do you have a favorite [vape pen]?

SG: Pilgrim Soul’s mission is to help people unlock their innate creativity to help them gain a competitive edge in life and work. We do this with exclusive cannabis blends, creative curriculum, community-driven creativity programs, and expert content via PilgrimSoul.com.

It is best to think of Pilgrim Soul as a creativity company, where cannabis is just one of the products. The brand is designed to allow any creativity-enhancing product – we may even accommodate psilocybin when that becomes legal.

Photo: Pilgrim Soul

As far as our cannabis products go, we worked with the scientists at AbstraxLabs to create live resin blends of the top creative strains for different types of creative thinking – Creative Focus, Creative Reflection, Creative Imagination, and Creative Awareness. We analyze hundreds of cannabis strains that index high for creativity and other states of mind, according to survey data. After identifying each strain’s cannabinoid and terpene profiles, we built a matrix of strains that are then blended and mapped back to specific types of creative impact. This ongoing research is supported by focus groups and feedback from iconic creative leaders across varied industries.

WB: What are your six and twelve-month goals [for Pilgrim Soul]?

SG: Pilgrim Soul is looking to be the category leader in cannabis for creativity. We launched our cannabis line in July, and it is already a best-selling live resin oil blend in MedMen, Sweet Flower, The High Note, and The Cannabist.

Photo: Pilgrim Soul

Additionally, we are expanding our creative curriculum in the form of our Creative Thinking Journals meant to be used while you are high. These journals are filled with fun and shareable, creative challenges meant to spark the imagination and help people rethink the way they see the world. In November, we will debut a new journal in partnership with a well-known comedian.

The success metrics for all these efforts, other than money, are helping people enhance their lives with creative thinking – to help them uncover new possibilities and ideas.

WB: What is your favorite food when smoking cannabis? Do you have a food memory from childhood that involves cannabis?

SG: That is an interesting question because I don’t have a lot of cannabis-specific experiences. I use cannabis as a way to enhance experiences in general. I find smoking and going to a restaurant can make the food better because I’m more focused and present. I become more conscious of the flavors, the textures, the ritual, and the people I am dining with.

WB: What is your passion?

Photo: Pilgrim Soul

Humor and laughter. I love people (well, most people), and my favorite thing is to laugh and riff on ideas with friends and new

acquaintances. I find laughter to be the shortest distance between two people. When two people are laughing at the same thing, they are basically saying, ‘I share your perspective, your values, and I certainly share what you think is amusing.’ Cannabis is an aid in this process. It helps with divergent out-of-the-box thinking by getting the neurons in the frontal lobe firing in a more uninhibited way. It also represses the area of the brain called the dorsolateral cortex, which is about judgment. I guess you could say I use cannabis to make everything slightly more interesting.

https://www.skunkmagazine.com/pilgrim-soul-opening-the-third-eye-five-questions-with-shawn-gold/

Tags Opening The Third Eye, Pilgrim Soul, Shawn Gold

Interviews Reviews Skunk Magazine

Intentional Horticulture with John Bayes and Mike Abramson Dig Deep

Post author By Warren_Bobrow
Post date October 14, 2021

Warren Bobrow: Please tell me who you are. What you’re working on right now?

John Bayes/Mike Abramson: We are the Dharma Police. However, on an average day, we are known as John Bayes of Green Bodhi and Mike Abramson Of Brothers Grimm Seeds. We are working on bringing awareness and intention back to the industry. Intentional Horticulture, coined by John, is a way of life cultivating Dharma from within to apply to the plant, but more importantly, to apply to every aspect of what you do. Another one of our focuses is bringing back the Brotherhood/Sisterhood atmosphere to the culture. Pre 2005, there wasn’t the amount of hate and shade thrown towards any cultivator or breeder. We have decided to team up on a number of projects and invite those with true Dharma into what we are doing. With our current obsession with social media, there have been plenty of keyboard warrior trolls harassing people for literally anything and everything. We are here to stick up for those being bullied.

Photo: Gorilla Boost

WB: As far as philanthropy goes, what are your six and twelve-month plans? What are you working on right now?

JB/MA: This is our favorite thing outside of our families that we prioritize heavily. Currently, we have two main philanthropic endeavors, the first being the #WaterForLife. This is a purely intentional project, no 501c3, no tax-deductible letters. India has some of the worst living conditions with a lack of access to clean water. Most villages are drinking and bathing in the same water animals frequently relieve themselves in. Bodhgaya, which is in the state of Bihar, is the holiest of cities for Buddhists and where the Buddha attained His enlightenment. This area is one of the poorest regions in India, “3rd world” would be a compliment here. So, John decided to work with two friends over there and challenged them to come up with an idea that could help the locals and feed their families. In short, when telling Mike about it, he had to be in. We are currently at monies raised for over 50 wells, with an average of 3-5 a week being donated and the 29th being installed soon. For $700, a village gets access to clean water, thousands of lives are changed instantly.

Another big project we are working on is raising funds for “His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Library and Learning Center,” which will be located at Namgyal Monastery in Ithaca, NY. This is the only seat of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in the western world, and currently His only seat outside of India. John has been a student of Namgyal monastery for 10years now and has been appointed as the “Outreach Coordinator” for the project. We both hold the highest regard and reverence for His Holiness and His compassionate commitment towards all beings of the world. Beyond just raising funds, we have ventured into a collaborative philanthropic breeding project where all proceeds will go to the center. We are currently working on a 3-way breeder collaboration, Brothers Grimm, Green Bodhi, and Bodhi Seeds. This will officially drop at the Harvest Cup in Worcester in November.

WB: Favorite cannabis strain right now? Developed by whom? What is it, sativa? Indica? Who developed the genetics?

JB: Purple Hindu Kush. I got the cut from @MrBobHemphill, a legendary strain collector and legacy breeder, the other half to the genetics company “Crickets and Cicada Seeds.”

MA: The Dumpster Diver a Cali Super Skunk x Hazmat OG bred by Covert Genetics. Which is a sativa leaning hybrid.

WB: Favorite food when on the road spreading the word?

JB/MA: Noodles. Spending a lot of time on the road and at the monastery, we have discovered that any composed noodle dish is the fuel we need. Ramen, Pho, Pad Thai, it’s literally a whole meal. Spice is a requirement; the hotter, the better.

WB: What is your passion?

JB/MA: Our families, friends, living a life of intention and compassion. We also love to “Send It” with everything we do, from surfing to hitting the mountains in the winter.

Tags Brothers Grimm Seeds, Dharma Police, Dig Deep, Green Bodhi, Intentional Horticulture, John Bayes, Mike Abramson

Interviews Reviews Skunk Magazine

Ian Hackett, Napa Valley Fumé CMO Gets Gnarly Into Five Questions

Post author By Warren_Bobrow
Post date October 12, 2021

Fumé

I was just out at the Hall of Flowers held yearly at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa, California. While there, I had a chance to taste the fine flowers offered by fumé, and without even being patient and getting some at the show, I bought some from a dispensary. I knew that there would be no shortage of fine flowers available to me, but if I wanted to capture any tasting notes, I was forced by necessity to do them early in my day’s work. Such is the life of a cannabis-tasting notes aficionado. At least it’s not like doing a rum tasting. The hangovers from the sugar were insurmountable sometimes. Cannabis offers no such experience, especially not cannabis, from companies such as fumé. They offer such an elevated show. It’s refreshing to smoke their offerings early in my tasting routine, which this year was no disappointment.

Please enjoy the following interview with Ian Hackett, Napa Valley Fumé CMO, and Head of Compliance. Did I say that their herbs are deliciously different?

They are.

Warren Bobrow: Please tell me about the new brand.

Ian Hackett: We created our new brand, fumé (pronounced foo-may), in an effort to showcase what we believe to be some of California’s best cannabis strains. We developed this premium line with the educated cannabis consumer in mind; those who seek out unique strains with complex terpene profiles and are grown by farmers who honor the plant and go the extra mile to grow responsibly in order to protect the planet. The fumé consumer understands that terpenes are key players in their experience, and they have a passion for sustainability and giving back to the cannabis community, two key components of our brand. We evaluated dozens of strains–held blind sensory panels for aroma, taste, and experience–and met with the growers in person to hand-pick the strains. To complete the experience, we coupled them with premium smoking accessories that allow people to experience the true flavor of these terpene-rich cultivars. We wanted to push the envelope in terms of cannabis packaging. I have an issue with the number of single-use plastics that, due to regulations, we can’t really avoid. So, I worked with an amazing packaging supplier, and my designer and I came up with a stunning, child-resistant certified, plastic-free solution for our king cones, pre-roll packs, and flower.

WB: Why cannabis?

IH: I want to help people. It’s simply part of who I am. I believe that the cannabis plant–with all of its healing properties–can help people fix themselves. The positive results have been demonstrated time and time again. From the medical perspective and how critical cannabis was in helping those suffering from HIV/AIDS and cancer starting in the 80s to how it’s used today to treat PTSD for our Veterans, and it is helping so many people who suffer from anxiety and depression with real results. We should try and heal ourselves, not mask or medicate with opioids that have been overprescribed and subsequently abused for many decades. That said, I also see the massive opportunity that the cannabis industry brings to the economy. I was lucky enough to be part of the e-commerce boom, and to me–aside from space–the cannabis industry is the next frontier.

WB: Indoor or outdoor grown? Why?

IH: I believe that outdoor is the ideal growing style for cannabis. It’s the most natural and cost-effective method. I just love the idea of the cannabis plants basking under the California sun and swaying under our big blue skies. That said, I am a big fan and love a good greenhouse grow. You can take advantage of the sun’s energy, maintain a hospitable environment when mother nature is having a bad day, and you can have multiple harvests per year. We have one sun-grown strain in the fumé lineup called Dank Fruit, and it recently took third place in High Times’ NorCal Cannabis Cup in the sun-grown category. It’s a cross between Purple Papaya Punch x Blue Dream. I dubbed it an introvert’s paradise, and it’s my current go-to weekday strain because it delivers such a well-balanced high, and it smokes super smooth. The other two strains in the fumé line are absolute stunners. Our Double Chem OG (Light Dep) is a heavy-hitter and delivers that body buzz before taking you into a calm, relaxed state. And, our Cherry AK (Mixed Light) has an incredible nose—I get goosebumps whenever I smell it. It’s sweet and piney, and it packs a burst of energy right out of the gate; it’s a cerebral banger, and you’ll want to move around.

WB: Favorite let’s get stoned food, where?

IH: Gimme the salt all day. Pretzels, pizza (duh), and olives. This is why I really love an overflowing Mezze platter when I smoke with friends. I like the freshness of a Mezze platter and how savory the items are—the olives, feta, eggplant, tzatziki, and the warm flatbreads just hit the spot for me. With a loaded Mezze platter, there is something for everyone so we can just settle in, listen to music, talk, and graze and blaze.

WB: What is your passion?

IH: I am honestly just in love with the cannabis community. I have never felt so protective, engaged with, and proud of a group of people. I want to help people find healing with the plant and bring joy to others through recreational use. So, to combine my passion for helping and healing through the plant with my professional desire to build things, I have found an industry and community that gets the best parts of me. I have used cannabis since high school recreationally and medically after my first panic attack about eight years ago. But, being able to work with the plant, develop products and brands, and collaborate with some amazing growers, marketers, retailer buyers, and my awesome team makes me very thankful for the opportunity I have been given to work in this industry.

*Unique, high-quality cannabis, grown responsibly

fumé strains are uncommon as they are small-batch cannabis with complex cannabinoid and terpene profiles that deliver a full-spectrum experience. The strains are visually appealing, have vibrant colors, and produce enticing aromas when squeezed. Each large bud was cured to perfection and hand-trimmed with care.

The flower is sourced based on the sustainability of the grower’s cultivation practices. The brand showcases the growers, many of whom are heritage growers who have honed their craft of growing small-batch cannabis sustainably and responsibly. That means no run-off from their grow, no chemicals or toxic chemicals are used, and they don’t import water.

*Elevated packaging and smoking accessories

fumé strains are offered in three formats–Flower (3.5g), King Cone (1g), and Pre-Roll Pack (3.5g). The flower is beautifully packaged in a premium UV-resistant, air-tight flower jar that preserves the flower five times longer than any other jar on the market. The King Cone and Pre-Roll Pack include custom cherry wood smoke tips created by a small wood accessory maker in the US and an organic beeswax hemp wicks to remove the taste of sulfur from a matchstick or butane from a lighter, allowing to taste the flower in its truest form. fumé packaging is totally sustainable, 100% recyclable, and child-resistant certified–to open the King Cone and Pre-Roll Packs, you simply insert a credit card to expose the snug-fit tray where each cone joint is housed in a glass tube with a cork for freshness.

*Giving back to the cannabis community

In 2020, Napa Valley Fumé partnered with Last Prisoner Project to free people who are currently incarcerated for a drug that is no longer illegal. The company continues to be an active partner with continued support in its ongoing efforts with recurring monthly donations. Napa Valley Fumé is proud to be long-standing supporters of Last Prisoner Project.

fumé is now available throughout California on Eaze.com, Sweet Flower in Los Angeles, and select High Times dispensaries.

To learn more, visit www.enjoyfume.com or Instagram www.instagram.com/enjoyfume/.

About Napa Valley Fumé

Napa Valley Fumé is a vertically integrated cannabis company based in Napa, CA. The company’s mission–Planting Trees for Future Generations–comes from its vision to plant seeds to grow a brighter future for cannabis by bringing the most innovative products and experiences to market. Its first brand–LAKE GRADE–entered the market in July 2019, and its proprietary strains quickly became one of the most popular sun-grown cannabis on the market. In August 2021, Napa Valley Fumé launched its flagship brand–fumé–for those who seek an elevated cannabis experience.

To learn more, visit www.fumebrands.com.

WARREN BOBROW

Warren Bobrow has been a dishwasher, the owner of the first company to make fresh pasta in South Carolina , a television engineer and he even worked at Danceteria in NYC, then a trained chef which led to a twenty year career in private banking. A cannabis, wine and travel aficionado, Warren is a former rum judge and craft spirits national brand ambassador. He works full time in the cannabis business as an alchemist/journalist. Cocktailwhisperer.com Drinkklaus.com Instagram: warrenbobrow http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren_Bobrow

Five Crisp Questions With Bryan Buckley, President and CEO HVGC

Post author By Warren_Bobrow
Post date October 12, 2021

Bryan Buckley, President and CEO HVGC

I’ve met Bryan Buckley a couple of times now for this article and another magazine a couple of years ago. I was struck by his forthright character, passion for the plant, and his deep reverence for his service in the military, not a small task as I’ve learned. He’s got a handshake that speaks volumes, even before he speaks. I felt very happy to have him doing what he obviously loves, and he needs to bond with his brothers in arms through his passion and compassion.

Warren Bobrow: Where are you from? Where do you live now?

Photo: HVGC

Brian Buckley: I was born and raised in a town north of the Philadelphia area called Doylestown, Pennsylvania. Once I joined the Marine Corps, I spent time in Quantico, Virginia, and Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. In 2011, I received orders to Camp Pendleton, California. I moved to an area called Carlsbad, California, and have been living here ever since.

Warren Bobrow: What do you do? Please tell me about your company and what makes you different.

Brian Buckley: Once I finished up my service in the Marine Corps, I worked for an Ed Tech firm, focusing on Higher Education. In 2016, I founded the Battle Brothers Foundation, a 501C3 Nonprofit organization that supports our veterans. It was around the same time that I discovered the medicinal benefits of cannabis. I wanted to move the dial with our nation’s legislators and began the process of being able to obtain an Institutional Review Board (IRB). Helmand Valley Growers Company (HVGC) was established to help achieve this goal. I have the honor of being the President and CEO of this adult/medical cannabis organization located in California. What separates us from other brands is that 100% of our profits go to fund veteran medical cannabis research. This research will include NiaMedic Healthcare and Research Services out of Israel and the University of California at Irvine Health. The first study is scheduled to take place in the fall/winter of 2021.

Photo: HVGC

Warren Bobrow: What was your inspiration? When did you discover the plant? What strains do you seek?

Brian Buckley: My inspiration has been veterans. I never could understand why we do not do everything in our power to ensure that they live a life of peace and the American dream that they fought so hard to defend. I discovered the plant in the 2016 timeframe. I was just having a terrible time trying to sleep and relax. It was Andy Miears who told me about the positive impact that the plant was having on his life. Once I tried it, I knew it was something special. No pill could have the positive impact that cannabis had on me. That is what inspired us to go forward with an Institutional Review Board-approved study. We wanted to prove the medicinal benefit of cannabis through data-driven results. I love hearing feedback from veterans in terms of what strains have worked best for them to help reduce their ailments. At Helmand Valley Growers Company, we want to produce what works best for our veterans to help combat the symptoms of post-traumatic stress.

Warren Bobrow: Favorite childhood food memory? Current food passion?

Brian Buckley: My favorite childhood food memory would have to be watching high school football under the Friday night lights. For food? I love popcorn to a fault. I will take down a whole large bucket at the movies. When I make a bag of popcorn in the microwave, it is for me and me alone. Combined, I love watching football games while eating a bag of popcorn. Even when I go home, and I drive by the stadium on a game night, I can still smell that popcorn. My current food passion is cooking steak and chicken or whatever on a grill. Just find it to be relaxing. If you do it right, the food is incredible.

Warren Bobrow: What is your passion?

Brian Buckley: My passion is my family and the mission of proving the medicinal benefits of medical cannabis. I always try to keep a good work/life balance. Work hard all day, come home to the family, and spend quality time with the family. At night, prior to calling it a night, I think, “What have I done for a veteran today.” It is what drives me to keep going.

Five Intriguing Questions With Canndescent’s VP of Cultivation, Jeff Homolya

Post author By Warren_Bobrow
Post date October 9, 2021

Canndescent

I’ve been a massive fan of Canndescent for several years now. Their rise to excellence creates a plateau for intellectual thought, and I’m positive that their flowers inspire others as they do for me. There is nothing that I know of that fills my mind as completely as Canndescent cannabis in regard to creativity. Sure, I have my favorite cannabis strains in every state, but that isn’t the whole story. Canndescent is consistently inspiring in my book. If only I could get Canndescent in New Jersey. Well, that’s another story for another day. I’m lucky to have been afforded the ability to taste excellence.

Of course, tasting excellence comes with a cost—the potency. Canndescent is not for the beginner cannabis aficionado. I am treading lightly here. Sure, you can afford it, but less is more in this respect. Canndescent.

Warren Bobrow: Please tell me about the Art of Flower. What are you trying to achieve?

Photo: Canndescent

Jeff Homolya: “The Art of Flower” means that we see cannabis cultivation as an art form. We produce each cultivar with its own individual needs in mind—ensuring it reaches its greatest potential and that we maintain genetic purity. The meticulous care we put into each strain helps us produce amazing flower and allows us to capture what makes cannabis so special. Our goal is to produce the cleanest, highest-quality flower possible so our consumers can experience everything cannabis has to offer.

WB: How do you decide what strains to choose? Indoor or outdoor grown? Why?

JH: Through pheno-hunting, our team of experts selects strains from vetted nurseries. Each cultivar is test-grown in small batches to ensure it meets our rigorous potency, yield, and terpene standards.

Since Canndescent is an effects-based cannabis brand, we use the flower’s terpene profile, cannabinoids, and the results of inhouse sensory tests to place a strain into one of our five effect categories—CALM, CRUISE, CREATE, CONNECT, and CHARGE. Our goal is to simplify the selection process for consumers looking for a specific experience.

All Canndescent flower is grown in one of our four state-of-the-art indoor cultivation facilities in Desert Hot Springs, California. Growing indoors gives us more control, allowing us to curate the environment by stage and strain.

WB: What are your six- and twelve-month goals?

Photo: Canndescent

JH: In terms of short-term goals, we are always looking for ways to improve the quality of our flower. At our R&D center, we are also working to produce proprietary genetics.

Our long-term goal is to expand our product offerings in the market. Sustainability is also very important to us. We were one of the first companies to create a solar-powered cultivation center. We want to continue expanding on our conservation efforts and find ways to reduce our carbon footprint and energy consumption even more.

WB: What is your favorite cannabis strain right now? Why?

JH: CRUISE 239 is a new favorite of mine. The plant itself has an excellent structure, and the flower has great coloring and a rich chocolatey sweet aroma and flavor. Also, this hybrid is high in the terpene limonene, promoting mental euphoria and relaxing the body without causing couch lock.

WB: What is your passion?

Photo: Canndescent

JH: Cannabis cultivation is my passion, and it’s an honor and privilege to work so closely with mother nature every day. The reward is knowing that my efforts positively impact the lives of people who turn to cannabis. It doesn’t get much better than working with this incredible plant and helping people.

WARREN BOBROW

An Interview with Dave Daily, Founder of GRAV

Post author By Warren_Bobrow
Post date October 5, 2021

I spent some time recently at the Hall of Flowers in Santa Rosa, California, and had the extreme pleasure of trying the GRAV Glass Joints at the source. Filled with mystical varieties of cannabis, the Glass Joints charmed me immediately. Easy to smoke and prefilled, the Glass Joints are “good to go” when a grinder is impractical and a bowl impossible to maneuver given the on the move nature of life. GRAV has done what others failed to do, make a product that is easy to use and truly recyclable. The glass just goes out with your glass. Easy and simple. I love the overall design of the GRAV glassware, and they work for me. The glassware makes smoking cannabis even more fun! I was lucky to ask Dave Daily, the founder of GRAV, five questions about his company and what cannabis represents to him. Enjoy.

Warren Bobrow: Please tell me about yourself. Where are you from? When did you first smoke weed? Out of what?

Dave Daily: I’m proudly from Austin, Texas and part of the creative community keeping Austin (and the state) progressive.

Ha, honestly, that’s a hard one to pin down. My first cannabis experience was probably in my parent’s backyard on the deck, where we ran a little barbershop business for all the high school kids who wanted fades. Like everyone, I have some pretty incredible, memorable moments consuming cannabis. That’s how “the ritual of consumption” has become a key phrase said throughout the company. Coincidentally (or maybe not?), I made the first Gravitron on that deck nine years after that first time getting high. I’ll never forget testing it out with my folks, who continue to be GRAV’s (and my) biggest fans. That product was one I spent an enormous amount of time and energy bringing to life. That was a special moment back in ’04 that literally sparked something special: the beginning of GRAV.

WB: Please tell me about your company. What makes you different, therefore, better than your competitors.

DD: We don’t think about the industry in terms of competitors, GRAV recognizes creatives and artists in the glass blowing space. Our products have come to signify something special, which is how we’ve ended up with imaginative shapes, function, and features. There’s truly a product for everyone, and many of our pieces have been in production for over 15 years now. We currently sell over 300 products across all major categories of cannabis accessories, including bongs, rigs, dry pipes, vapes, grinders, and more.

WB: What are your six and twelve-month goals?

DD: Growth is huge for us at the moment, our business, and we’re currently available globally in 25 countries across six continents. From 2019 to 2020, GRAV sales grew over 30%, and we maintained an upward trajectory.

GRAV will always be rooted in Austin, and we’ve been expanding our team the past few months to keep up with projections. It’s a really cool time, and there’s great energy amongst our staff. We’ve had some incredible hires, including our VP of People and Impact, Madison Butler, and our VP of Marketing, Matt Rosenberg. We look forward to welcoming more into the GRAV family and expanding our circle.

WB: What is your favorite food to eat when stoned? Outdoor or indoor weed? From whom?

DD: I’m a burger guy, and I travel, so I can usually find a Shake Shack or In-N-Out.

Cure Company hybrids (indoor) smoked out of GRAV Glass Joints. No question.

WB’s Note on the GRAV Glass Joints: They remind me of Murano glass, that intrinsic quality- and they come pre-loaded (in California) with really amazing cannabis that got me really stoned on very little…

WB: What is your passion?

DD: This is it… I’m living it! Before GRAV, I was on a different career path, but instead of feeling excited, I wasn’t happy with my day-to-day work. I hit a point where I knew I needed to shake things up and go towards a creative path. While immersing myself within the Austin art community, I found this newfound sense of camaraderie and inspiration from my peers that was previously missing. It was this environment that birthed GRAV and this energy that we continue to keep alive in our Austin HQ today.

WARREN BOBROW

Five Intriguing Questions For Pro Cannabis Media Founder: Jimmy Young

Post author By Warren_Bobrow
Post date October 2, 2021

Jimmy Young

Boston, Massachusetts- September 2021

I met Jimmy up in Boston a couple of years ago in the media lounge during MJ BizCon. He is very well known for cannabis. There was a certain buzz in the air and the long line of well-wishers greeted him as an old friend. He is well-liked.

My college degree is from Emerson, literally right down the street. I’m a film school graduate who did go on to work in television in NYC for a short time and I knew we had much we could talk about.

Cannabis included.

Jimmy had his microphone in hand, and he was interviewing cannabis luminaries from the area and around the world. He speaks with a knowing smile and people are naturally attracted to his comfort in the journalistic interview methodology. Being in front of a camera does that for you. It’s easier to talk to people when you know not to be afraid of speaking in public. Those of us who are trained in media get over that fear immediately- our teachers would have failed otherwise! Jimmy is a class act. I’m proud to know him.

Jimmy contacted me the other day and asked me if I would be interested in catching up with his current successes. Of course, being a person long accustomed to interviewing intriguing people in the cannabis industry I said yes. And when I let him know, I wanted to write this piece for Skunk Magazine? Let’s just let his Boston-tinged voice- via his words, speak for themselves.

Warren Bobrow: Please tell me who you are? Why cannabis? Where are you located in the world?

Jimmy Young: Maybe it was the Boston Tea Party where the rebel in me was born? (I’m starting my 65^th year now, not 248 years old!)

Maybe it was the 12 championships among my favorite pro sports teams in the first 20 years of the 21^st century?

Or maybe it was legalizing medical cannabis in 2013 in Massachusetts after 4 major surgeries on my arthritic athletic body, or the fact that I find out later in life I’m allergic to hops and can’t drink beer?

No matter how I spin it, I’ve been a regular partaker in the precious herb of cannabis for 38 years of my life with ten years off from 1990-2000 (a story for another day!).

Not quite sure if that gives you an idea of who I am since I don’t think after 25 years as an Emmy Award-winning talk show host, and full-time TV sportscaster, 35 years as a teacher and soccer coach, parent, and mentor to hundreds of young people in their broadcast careers, my life can be defined by my use of cannabis.

Do I like to party? Yes!

Do I preach responsible use of cannabis and alcohol, yes! I end every show with the same line, now trademarked, “It’s a whole new world of weed out there, use it responsibly.”

Do I freak about the fact that the most abused drug in our society is caffeine, and no one cares because 91% of Americans drink coffee every day! Yes!

WB: What kind of stigmas do you face in your field?

JY: As far as facing down the stigma, well that’s why I started Pro Cannabis Media in the first place! Back in 2018 I watched a CNBC TV network interview with a CEO of a Multi-State Operator, and I was so disgusted with the reporter’s preparation regarding their line of questions, I realized the industry needed a cannabis-friendly media outlet, and when Nick Gelso of CLNS Media, (a podcast aggregation network) urged me to attend the New England Cannabis Convention in Boston in March of 2018 to start a cannabis podcast, In The Weeds with Jimmy Young was born.

Now after over 250 episodes of that interview show on video and shared as an audio podcast, we continue to produce pro-cannabis media content by treating the people I meet with the same respect I treat all people.

I mean how many people on Earth have interviewed Pele’, Hank Aaron, Earvin Magic Johnson, Reverend Jesse Jackson. Been thrown in the Charles River by Bobby Orr, and partied with the late Brent Mydland and Bill Kreutzman of the Grateful Dead, Larry Miller, Carole Liefer, and Jerry Seinfeld?

Throw in interviews with the Last Prisoner Project’s Steve DeAngelo, the founder of Canopy Growth Bruce Linton, Mara Gordon of Aunt Zeldas and Weed The People, Curaleaf’s Vice-Chair Joe Lusardi, Nick Kovacevich from Kush Co, Max Simon of Green Flower, Chris Walsh from MJBiz, Jamie Pearson from Bhang Corporation, longtime incarcerated inmate Michael Thompson, and many others. You can understand why I feel so blessed, and am so proud that we now live stream our content 24-7 on our website procannabismedia.com and our ROKU and Apple + PCM TV channel. we also produce four original shows per week, and syndicating content from seven other producers!

Best of all, we are just beginning!

We already produce a weekly Weed Talk News show for release on Fridays at Noon with contributions from 7 other correspondents from coast to coast. Those reporters we call “Canna Casters” are a take on Cannabis Broadcasters. Our training webinars to be introduced in the Fall of 2021, will feature workshops on hosting your interview show, writing for the spoken word, public speaking basics and presentation skills, interview techniques, and how to tell a story with audio and video.

We produce a weekly live business of cannabis talk show on Fridays at 4 PM EST. It’s called The Green Rush Live and we are about to launch a series of “Grow” shows and educational webinars for people who want to become part of history reporting on the end of prohibition in the US (no matter how long it takes)!

Our talented staff has recently been joined by a former NBC Sports, CNN, FOX news, and Turner Sports anchor named Dave Briggs. Who courtesy of Hub Craft, has already interviewed NFL Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson (Megatron) and his teammate Rob Sims. As well as NBA Hall of Famers Paul Pierce and Gary Payton, Stanley Cup Champ, Darren McCarty, and Olympian Dr. Joanna Zieger for his Cannversation Show, and available on-demand on PCM TV’s channel on ROKU, YouTube, Apple+ platforms.

We also just launched a live 30 minute morning show at 8 AM EST with the Green Nurse Group of Nurse Mark Worster and Sherri Tutkus RN.

WB: Please tell me about your six and twelve-month goals? What is your favorite way to introduce your company to others?

JY: Over the next year, we are hoping to identify a visionary team of like-minded business people and self-starting producers, who understand that the consumer is in charge of their use of media and information, and we want to give them options to consume news, talk, and educational content about cannabis in different forms that fit the media platform they choose whether that’s traditional TV, radio, social media, or even text blogs or print.

When asked what Pro Cannabis Media is, we answer: We tell the stories of the cannabis industry in their own words. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard the line, cannabis has saved my life, cannabis has changed my life. I do believe that God put this plant on Earth to bring people together, improve the wellness of people, and clean the environment with an acceptance of plant-based medicines, and industrial materials (hemp).

WB: What is your passion?

JY: I was a rebel as a child (and some might even say as an adult). I was fortunate to have two wonderful parents who raised me with a silver spoon offering privileges that I am grateful for but recognize how lucky I was and how fortunate.

Now I recognize what a mess my generation has made of our environment and judicial systems and the role that cannabis has played in a failed war on drugs that was driven by hatred and race. I feel so guilty that young people have to undo what my generation, and others before it, have created, but I will do everything I can to give a voice to those who are trying to make changes in the world to make it a better place so we all can live together in harmony and peace. The late Lenny Zakim (NE ADL Director, Richard Lapchick (Racial Conscience of Sports), and Mohammed Ali (The Greatest) all believed in one family of humanity where our diversity is our greatest strength. Now we have a chance to make an everlasting change if power and greed don’t get in the way.

As Bobby Kennedy used to say… “Some men see things as they are and ask why. I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?”

Thank you, Jimmy!

Tags Five Questions, Jimmy Young, Pro Cannabis Media Founder

Interviews Skunk Magazine

Scarlet Fire Cannabis Company: Deadhead /Entrepreneur David Ellison

Post author By Warren_Bobrow
Post date September 30, 2021

David Ellison

ONCE IN A WHILE, YOU GET SHOWN THE LIGHT: GRATEFUL DEAD-INSPIRED CRAFT CANNABIS STORE SCARLET FIRE OPENS IN TORONTO

The unexpected, one-of-a-kind store celebrates Dead Head founder David Ellison’s passion for cannabis, music, magic, and psychedelia.

Former Toronto securities lawyer, David Ellison, tuned in, turned on, and dropped out of the rat race to open a Grateful Dead-inspired cannabis store Scarlet Fire Cannabis Co. (scarletfirecanabis.ca), that Marijuana Venture Magazine calls “a dispensary experience unlike any other”. The offbeat and funky cannabis retail store reflects the founder’s love for the iconic American counterculture band. Dead Heads and those looking to experience the band’s magic can revel in mesmerizing decor and wax cosmic with the highly knowledgeable team of cannabis experts. While listening to the Grateful Dead and other jam bands the Dead inspired.

The store was designed by SevenPoint Interiors (www.sevenpointinteriors.com), an acclaimed design and manufacturing firm specializing in cannabis retail. The team transformed what had been a soulless check-cashing store into a colorful, sophisticated tribute to the iconic band’s aesthetic to transport customers to an altered state of consciousness. Outside the front window, people first see a series of portholes cut through scarlet-stained panels backdropped by a circular screen of moving psychedelic images—dubbed “The Rabbit Hole.” This creates a somewhat hallucinatory optical illusion to curious passersby that often stop and curiously stare at the unique psychedelic visual trying to figure out what it is. Once inside the store, customers realize what they saw was not an illusion, but very real and entirely different from what they thought they saw from outside.

“At Scarlet Fire, we wanted to create a customer engagement so different from what they are used to,” says Ellison. “We start our customers on a journey and educate them. We’ve created a place where cannabis, music, magic, and psychedelia merge.”

Warren Bobrow: Please tell me about yourself. Why the Grateful Dead? What was your favorite show? When are you bringing your concept to the USA for all of the USA-based deadheads?

David Ellison: First and foremost, I’m a father to three amazing kids (Abby 15, Aliya 13, and Josh 10). I’ve been privileged to hold a number of titles in my life, but Dad is the one I’m most proud of. I used to be a corporate securities lawyer before I decided to drop out of the rat race, open Scarlet Fire, and follow my bliss. I think I got trapped doing something that wasn’t me. After 20 years of practicing law, I got tired of making rich people richer. I’m 48 and I want to enjoy the rest of my life and do something to better people’s lives. Our mission statement at Scarlet Fire embodies that: To improve the quality of people’s lives with cannabis. We do that every single day.

Why the Grateful Dead? That’s an easy answer to feel, but an almost impossible one to explain with words. It’s food for your soul and I if had to explain, it just couldn’t be understood. The Grateful Dead is part of my identity, part of who I am. Something happened to me the day I saw my first show at the age of 17, and the Grateful Dead became just as much part of my identity as my name.

I never had intentions of bringing the brand to the US. It’s possible, I guess. Although, I can’t see bringing the brand to the US until at least the time that the US federal government gets its head out of its ass when it comes to cannabis.

I don’t have a favorite show. There are so many great shows from so many different periods of the band’s history, I just don’t know how to “rank” them or claim one as a favorite. If I started to go through the shows I most listen to, I think I’d go about 5 times over my allowed word allotment here. I don’t have a favorite per se, there is a show that is the most memorable or meaningful to me. In 2002, I saw Bob Weir and Ratdog open for B.B. King at the Pistoia Blues Festival in Pistoia, Italy. I managed to get my hands on a backstage pass, and how that happened is a story all to itself. I went backstage after Ratdog finished and just as B.B King came on stage. I saw Bob Weir, and I mustered up enough courage to walk up and say hello. He was so nice and friendly, and I was so nervous. We chatted about the blues and Willie Dixon for a bit and then stood beside each other and watched B.B. King from behind the stage. I’m standing there thinking to myself somebody needs to pinch me, so I know this is real. That’s something I’ll never forget. Once I bumped into Billy Kreutzman wandering the streets before a show looking or the venue. I showed him where the venue was and helped him out of a jam, I guess. That was pretty memorable too.

WB: Tell me about your company? What are your six-month and twelve-month goals? Indoor or outdoor grown for you?

DE: I think we created something special with Scarlet Fire. It’s more like a living, breathing, and evolving life form than a company. It’s not something that can be duplicated or cookie-cut like a chain store or a franchise. Every person who works here brings something different and unique that enhances the store and the vibe we create. Add a person or take one away, and the Scarlet Fire organism changes organically. We have some of the best and smartest people in the industry working here. They are cannabis sommeliers, not budtenders. You can’t go to university and get a degree in weed, but if you could they’d all have earned a Ph.D. We pay our staff more than what is standard in the industry, and they also have an opportunity to share in the profits.

It’s really important to us that our customers get a really good product and pay a fair price. I’d say our prices are 10-15% cheaper than most stores. A lot of it is based on mutual respect. We are humbled by the respect our customers show us by shopping at Scarlet Fire and coming back, and we return that respect by making sure our customers get the most for their hard-earned money. We work hard and spend countless hours curating our menu. Nothing comes through our door unless we can stand behind it. If we make a mistake and bring in something that we don’t like, I’d rather destroy the product under controlled conditions than see a customer walk out of the store with it.

As far as what the 6 months, 12 months, or future beyond holds, I don’t know. We have our own branded cannabis coming in October sometime, starting with a 10-pack of pre-rolls. We wanted to do something with old-school cultivars that you might find in the Dead lot. We are crossing an Oaxacan landrace sativa, indigenous to Mexico and Central America with Mazar Kush, having roots in the Hindu Kush mountain range between Afghanistan and Pakistan. I haven’t tried it yet, but I’m pretty excited about it. We have some other pretty cool shit up our sleeve, but we are keeping tight-lipped about it for the moment. Otherwise, it’s tough to predict how the retail market in Ontario is going to evolve. So, I guess the answer is…I don’t know what I’m going for, but I’m gonna go for it for sure.

WB: What kind of cannabis consumer is your favorite?

DE: First, I love all my customers. They are all such beautiful people from all walks of life. The diversity is amazing and it’s a real cross-section of humanity. Meeting all of these wonderful people allowed me to look at the world through a second lens. Not many people are lucky enough to get a second chance at living, and for that, I am eternally grateful to my customers.

I guess my favorite customers are those that want to listen and learn from us just as passionately as we want to talk about weed and educate them. I love it when a customer walks in and says something like the weed I suggested for them the last time was amazing, they loved it and was exactly what they wanted. Then they ask, what else do I have? It’s the customer that doesn’t want anything twice no matter how good it is that keeps us on our toes. Cannabis is a never-ending journey, and I love being a guide to their journey.

WB: Tell me about your food memories. What is your favorite meal? Made by whom? Where?

DE: Growing up, my favorite meal that my mom made was a vegetarian lasagna. I love it just as much to this day and she always makes it for me for special occasions. I also love BBQ and low n’ slow wood-fueled cooking. At one time, I owned five different BBQs. I have paired this down to two BBQs, but I always want to add to the collection. I make pretty mean BBQ if I do say so myself. A lot of my friends are pushing me to try entering a BBQ competition. Maybe next year.

WB: What is your passion?

DE: My first passion is my kids, for sure. Aside from my kids, my real passion is music. When I first saw the Grateful Dead and heard Jerry Garcia, I was like…. I wanna play music just like that! My grandfather bought me an acoustic guitar for my birthday, and away I went. If I could do anything in this life, I would be a musician. However, it didn’t take long for me to realize that I lacked the necessary natural ability to pursue music professionally. That’s a nice way of saying, I’m not very good. While I am a fledgling musician at best, I like to think of myself as a professional listener of music. I love the way talented musicians can convey feeling and emotion and imagery through what they play. Maybe that’s why I love Garcia so much. The man could tell a story of a thousand words with just one note. He could also bring you to tears with the same note. Maybe you need to be born with a tortured soul to play like that.

WARREN BOBROW

Tags David Ellison, Deadhead, DeadheadEntrepreneur, Entrepreneur, Five Questions, Grateful Dead, Scarlet Fire Cannabis Company