like Anslinger and Nixon, stems from a need to
control things. Our need for control is rooted in
a fear of losing relevance, which is akin to our
fear of death. If one considers that cannabis got
its start during burial rituals, one might conclude
that history is not without irony. Nevertheless,
fear can have a lasting impact when reinforced
with the full weight of the law.
However, countries that have legalized
cannabis have determined numerous health
benefits, including relief from seizures caused by
epilepsy as well as analgesic properties for those
in chronic pain. We’re just at the tip of the iceberg
in terms of discovering the benefits, and now that
the Schedule 1 stigma is lifting, researchers can
dive deeper into understanding the plant.
Ever since full legalization in California,
brands have been helping to destigmatize
cannabis. For instance, take Dosit.
The Venice Beach-based company
produces a palm-sized vape with
a futuristic white case that, along
with its clean-lined branding of a
mountain, evokes a sense of healthy
living. Dosit rigged its device with a
signal, a gentle vibration, that alerts
the user when they’ve received a
dose, about 2.5mg worth of THC.
Given that Dosit is a vape,
it has taken steps to assure people
that they don’t use adulterants, stating on its
website: “we never utilize any cutting agents
like Vitamin E acetate.” Dosit is lab-tested for
safety, and names its blends after various uses,
like sleep, calm, arouse and relief. This is a smart
branding play, but it also shows something else
that’s happening as a result of legalization. As
more strains develop, more variety and benefits
are being discovered and refined.
Back in the day, when buying a bag of
weed, one was subject to whatever the dealer
had. Who cared about the various strains? The
goal was to get the weed, and leave the house
before the cops arrived… Or, at least before
another episode aired on the dealer’s TV. Of
course, seasoned smokers may have thought
to ask for something more relaxing, like indica,
or something peppy, like sativa. But the casual
smoker never really considered this. They just
bought the dank weed with comical names, like
AK-47 and Sour Diesel.
Those names are still around, and give
cannabis a dorm-room vibe that brands like Dosit
are obviously attempting to elevate. Yet, here at
Fountain of Wellbeing, they’re growing Wedding
Cake, Z Cubed and Garlic Cookies. The latter
strain is a new one for them, one they’ve been
cultivating for a while. It’s a hybrid strain that’s
testing at about 40% THC. It’s a clean, sweet taste
that leaves one upbeat and focused for about four
hours.
“Every so often you come across a strain
that’s just a winner,” says Gabriel. “And Garlic
Cookies is definitely one of those. As a heavy
user, I can get used to most strains. Like, say for
one week I’ll smoke one strain of weed, and then
I won’t get as high at the end of the week. With
this strain, I stay the same level of medicated
the whole entire time. It’s just the
genetics. Something about it.”
But these names come from the
growers, who are either having a
laugh or just naming it after what
it tastes like. Skittles — Rhody
and Gabriel joke — tastes like a
mouthful of fruity candy.
Gabriel isn’t a marketing guy; he’s
an electrician and contractor. “I
kept building grows out for people,”
he says. “I did electrical for some
places and I was like, ‘man, these guys are just
goofing around all day playing video games and
getting high.’ I was like, ‘I can do this,’ so I did.”
Slowly, as California went from illegal to medical
to fully legal, he found his job became more
professional.
Lisa Detamore and her husband Jason
came to Los Angeles from West Virginia with
knowledge of the illegal world. Jason’s mother
grew cannabis in West Virginia, and they entered
medical community in 2009, starting Grace, one
of the longest standing dispensaries in West Los
Angeles.
“Now, it’s a lot more thought out now than
it used to be,” says Lisa Detamore. “Growing up,
you never knew what you were getting in that
joint. I think that the clarity of what the product
is has a lot to do with why it’s changing.”
Grace makes its own formulas, helping
patients with pain, anxiety and sleep disorders.
“CBD IS
SUCH A BIG
THING, IT’S
SO HELPFUL.”
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