I give you a link to a petition to remove the 15% charge for direct delivery products in BC, the Yukon is looking to provide a place for visitors to consume cannabis, Manitoba sets aside the idea of cannabis in convenience stores, illicit stores are still popping up across the country, a look at the cannabinoid CBN, and on Cultivar Corner, brought to you by Up In Smoke, it’s the taste of Black Patronus from Sweetgrass.
I give you a link to a petition to remove the 15% charge for direct delivery products in BC, the Yukon is looking to provide a place for visitors to consume cannabis, Manitoba sets aside the idea of cannabis in convenience stores, illicit stores are still popping up across the country, a look at the cannabinoid CBN, and on Cultivar Corner, brought to you by Up In Smoke, it’s the taste of Black Patronus from Sweetgrass.
BC Cannabis Alliance - sign the petition
Yukon needs consumption spaces
00;00;01;22 - 00;00;08;29
Ian
From a studio high above the clouds of the Okanagan Valley. This is the cannabis potcast.
00;00;09;01 - 00;00;19;12
Ian
Exploring the world of Canadian cannabis culture. One toke at a time. He is your host and Bud tender Gary Johnston.
00;00;19;15 - 00;00;37;17
Gary Johnston
And on that note, it's my pleasure to welcome you back to the Cannabis potcast. Thanks for coming back one more time. Always appreciate the fact that you are here to share the experience with us. If this is your first time, well, here's an especially warm welcome for you. Ahead for you is 30 or 40 minutes of information about a plant I am absolutely passionate about.
00;00;37;18 - 00;01;05;10
Gary Johnston
And I suspect you may have a similar affinity. And that plant is cannabis. Before we get too much further, this podcast is intended for those of legal consumption age in your jurisdiction. It is intended purely for entertainment and perhaps educational purposes. You should always consume your cannabis responsibly. And on episode 179 of the Cannabis potcast. We're going to look at a couple of things like the Yukon is looking for ways to find a place for consumers to smoke their cannabis.
00;01;05;12 - 00;01;22;18
Gary Johnston
We have a story on that. Also, people are getting a little tired of the 15% markup on direct delivery, so a petition has been started for that. We have a story and a link for you to check out on that. Also, more Alice's stores are showing up in Ontario, a story that covers that and some concerns about that.
00;01;22;19 - 00;01;43;03
Gary Johnston
Manitoba is changing. They have a law that allowed cannabis to be sold from gas stations and convenience stores. That law has now gone on hold. And we have a story on CBN. We're going to try and focus each episode now on one cannabinoid. And today it's going to be CBN for sleep. And on Cultivar Corner brought to you by up in smoke.
00;01;43;04 - 00;01;58;20
Gary Johnston
We're going back to Sweetgrass. And it is sweetgrass black patronus a very delicious sativa that's up on Cultivar corner plus a lot more. All of that on episode 179 of the Cannabis potcast.
00;01;58;22 - 00;02;18;07
Gary Johnston
And of course, before we get too much further, I want to thank you for being a listener. I truly appreciate the fact that you are here and the fact that you keep coming back. It truly makes me happy to hear that. Also, I want to thank my supporters Jordan at Buy Me a coffee slash Cannabis potcast if you feel so inclined, and you like what you hear, you too can go there and buy me a doobie.
00;02;18;08 - 00;02;35;19
Gary Johnston
Also, I want to thank my patrons at Patreon Tony, Rob, Gage, Lloyd, and Roger. I thank each of you so much and a special shout out to Rob. Rob sent me a video this last week. Rob. As you may know, Wes, you probably know he has been a listener for years now and has been a dedicated supporter of the Cannabis potcast.
00;02;35;20 - 00;02;53;10
Gary Johnston
And that's because cannabis has had a truly major impact in his life. And Rob sent me a video from what he calls his recovery room. Really appreciate it. Rob, thank you so much. I am so pleased. Cannabis has had a tremendous impact in your world and I hope it continues. Thanks for being a listener, Rob. I truly appreciate it.
00;02;53;11 - 00;03;17;22
Gary Johnston
And now let's get to our first story. We're going to the Outcast Andy story, written by Pat Bulmer. A group of B.C. cannabis companies are campaigning to reduce a 15% fee being charged to crack producers. The B.C. Cannabis Alliance has launched a webpage and Change.org petition demanding a cut to the 15% proprietary fee craft producers must pay to the B.C. Liquor Distribution branch.
00;03;17;24 - 00;03;44;04
Gary Johnston
BC's Direct delivery program allows small producers to sell and deliver product directly to licensed retailers. Unfortunately, they still have to pay their 15% wholesale markup to the BC Liquor Distribution Board. The BC club has a proprietary fee. The coalition explains on the petition site. For reference, craft breweries pay a 3.5% fee for the same service. The B.C. government got this right with craft breweries, and it's time to make it right with craft cannabis two.
00;03;44;08 - 00;04;07;06
Gary Johnston
As of October 24th, the petition had nearly 500 signatures. Cannabis fees and taxes are ridiculously high and not in line with other regulated industries like alcohol. Jemma Hayes of Selma wrote on the petition page. The cannabis industry is being strangled, and it's getting to a point where craft cannabis and high quality medicinal cannabis will all be shipped abroad because it's impossible to maintain in Canada.
00;04;07;09 - 00;04;34;13
Gary Johnston
Even successful brands are struggling. The coalition claims 53% of cannabis sales proceeds go to the government. The B.C. LVS 15% proprietary fee was introduced along with the direct delivery program and, in our opinion, is charged in lieu of the B.C. levy standard and 15% wholesale markup, the coalition website says. Our best producers, processors and retailers struggling to make ends meet means it is a clear indication of failed policy.
00;04;34;15 - 00;04;54;22
Gary Johnston
If regulations don't improve, Canada will lose its leadership position within the emerging global cannabis industry. The coalition lists 14 supporting companies on its web page. A parliamentary committee is reviewing the federal excise tax on cannabis. The website says. And we, of course, have put a link to that page on the Cannabis potcast show page so you can go and sign the petition yourself.
00;04;54;27 - 00;05;02;07
Gary Johnston
Of course, when you talk about direct delivery all the time, it's time that the fees got adjusted.
00;05;02;10 - 00;05;06;20
Ian
For the cannabis infused studio in the clouds. This is the cannabis potcast.
00;05;06;23 - 00;05;29;16
Gary Johnston
And we go to striking A.com for the next story. This is written by David Brown, and I didn't even know this was going on. Manitoba is extending its review of licenses that allow some convenience stores to sell cannabis. Earlier this year, Manitoba announced that it was pausing its controlled access licensing, which allowed cannabis sales in convenience stores until October.
00;05;29;18 - 00;05;55;05
Gary Johnston
In an announcement reported by The Canadian Press, the province is extending that moratorium for another 18 months to December 31st, 2025. Such controlled access licenses allow for cannabis to be sold in convenience stores and gas stations that carry other non cannabis products, according to provincial rules. Businesses holding a controlled access license may allow young persons to enter the store, but cannabis must not be visible or accessible.
00;05;55;08 - 00;06;14;15
Gary Johnston
This is a very important issue and the province wants to make sure we get this right, said Glen Simard, the minister responsible for the Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Corporation, in a written statement, as reported by The Canadian Press. That's why we're extending the pause to continue our consultations. Some cannabis retailers in the province have in the past expressed concerned about such licenses.
00;06;14;22 - 00;06;48;22
Gary Johnston
Melanie Breckenridge, the owner of Mystic Cannabis in Winnipeg and a member of the Retail Cannabis Council of Manitoba, told Strachan in April that the organization had met with the Manitoba government to express their concerns with how these licenses are being issued. When the moratorium was first announced, Eduardo Pharmacann, a spokesperson for Manitoba cannabis producer Wild Kapow, told Strachan that he and his partners were blindsided by the announcement, as they were in the final stages of receiving approval for an agreement with Manitoba retail gas station Domo to supply the chain with their locally produced cannabis products.
00;06;48;24 - 00;07;11;16
Gary Johnston
At the same time, Raj Grover, the CEO of High Tide Cannabis, which operates several Canna Cabana cannabis stores in the province, said he had concerns that the licenses were being created in ways that may not have fit with the intention of the rule. We applaud Manitoba's new NDP government for confirming today that it will place a six month moratorium on new controlled access cannabis retail licenses, said Grover in April.
00;07;11;19 - 00;07;49;13
Gary Johnston
These licenses were intended to provide access to legal cannabis in rural communities without an established legal retail cannabis store. However, many of the controlled access licenses were granted to convenience and grocery stores within downtown Winnipeg. We hope that the six month review will help establish important guardrails to ensure that these licenses are limited to underserved communities only, as was originally intended, and I wasn't aware of the original legislation to allow convenience stores or gas stations to sell some cannabis products, but it makes sense when they're talking about it being in a rural area where there aren't a specific cannabis store, but that's now on hold.
00;07;49;15 - 00;08;12;01
Gary Johnston
We'll have to see what happens with that one next year. And for our next story, we're going to Mr. Stinky's Green Garden. We're talking about some cannabinoids are welcome to the Cannabinoid Clinic, an education project powered by higher learning. Live. There are two categories of cannabinoids phyto cannabinoids and endocannabinoids. Phyto cannabinoids, or those produced by cannabis. Marijuana, hemp.
00;08;12;01 - 00;08;45;02
Gary Johnston
While educated minds are made by the human body. Cannabidiol CBN is the result of CBN a the acidic precursor for this important cannabinoid. It is considered a minor cannabinoid because it is typically available in relatively low volumes compared to major cannabinoids such as cannabidiol, CBD and tetrahydrocannabinol. THC under 1% only mildly psychoactive. About 25% of the potency of delta nine THC, CBN may help patients suffering from a range of conditions, including anxiety, sleep disorders and pain.
00;08;45;04 - 00;09;07;17
Gary Johnston
CBN has the distinction of having been the first cannabinoid to be identified and chemically isolated from a cannabis plant in 1896 by a group of British chemists. Like many cannabinoids, the primary potential medical benefits of CBN are numerous and include efficacy for patients suffering a number of conditions, including anxiety, many different sleep disorders, pain, and glaucoma, among others.
00;09;07;20 - 00;09;40;25
Gary Johnston
It has also demonstrated an antibacterial efficacy and may help treat the skin condition psoriasis. Five milligrams of CBN has been found to deliver about the same sedation as ten milligrams of Valium. A 2005 study entitled cannabidiol delays Symptom onset in transgenic Mice without affecting survival, explored the ability of CBN to act as a neuro protectant, which would give it value in the treatment of a number of common diseases of aging, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease and a trophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS.
00;09;41;00 - 00;10;02;28
Gary Johnston
The most common adult onset motor neuron disorder, a 2007 study involving rabbit subjects, entitled Cannabinoids in Health and Disease demonstrated that CBN, along with THC, lowered the intraocular pressure that leads to the damaging effects of glaucoma. Well, there's some interesting information on CBN and we're going to try and dive into one of these cannabinoids every week from now on.
00;10;02;28 - 00;10;12;18
Gary Johnston
So we get some focus back onto the plant that we are here for. Yes that's from Mr. Stinky's garden.com. And now we know a little bit more about cannabidiol.
00;10;12;23 - 00;10;21;28
Ian
It doesn't matter how high the THC is. The entourage effect is always waiting for you here. This is the Cannabis potcast.
00;10;22;05 - 00;10;42;22
Gary Johnston
And a story from Stratton written by Jonathan Hilts while on the campaign trail way back in January 2014, Justin Trudeau spoke about his plan to legalize cannabis and added some reasons why, including this one, we are funneling millions upon millions of dollars each year into organized crime and criminal gangs. We do not need to be funding those organizations now.
00;10;42;22 - 00;11;04;03
Gary Johnston
As Canada witnesses the sixth anniversary of its historic end to cannabis prohibition, it is evident that the legal industry is at best coexisting with a thriving black market. At worst, there is a clear indication that illicit cannabis has a chokehold on cultivators, manufacturers and retailers who are trying to follow a laundry list of regulations, taxes and incredibly slim margins.
00;11;04;06 - 00;11;25;05
Gary Johnston
A perfect example of a sector in need of immediate assistance is our retailers. In theory, the presence of legal cannabis stores in neighborhoods across the country should be a deterrent for unlicensed brick and mortar locations, because trained eyes such as law enforcement can tell the difference between them. For some provinces, however, the illegal stores are not only in plain sight and openly advertised.
00;11;25;12 - 00;11;49;24
Gary Johnston
They're eating the legal retailers lunch by stealing many of their customers. It appears the number of illegal stores is on the rise, said Paul McGovern, president of Verity Cannabis, a licensed retailer on Carleton Street in Toronto. McGovern was not quick to point the finger at anyone in particular, and added that this is a complex issue. He also said that the level of organization and enforcement is seemingly different from province to province.
00;11;49;27 - 00;12;09;03
Gary Johnston
Some provinces have given a lot of thought to the matter and to doing things to try and keep a lid on the unlicensed market. I would say there are others like Ontario that are not. He added that it seems enforcement of this problem has taken a backseat in his market, but he does not blame the police. The level of police resources today are dropped as it is with so many other public realms, he said.
00;12;09;05 - 00;12;30;16
Gary Johnston
It's important to be fair to them. It's not easy. And as this thing snowballs and gets worse and worse, we're looking at a really big problem. McGovern said one of the culprits that triggered this proliferation of illegal stores was a lack of planning from a higher level than law enforcement. The only funding, to my knowledge, is a mere $33 million over three years for the OPP to do some very minimal targeted enforcement.
00;12;30;18 - 00;12;50;25
Gary Johnston
He added that in B.C., as an example, there is a dedicated enforcement team, the Community Safety Unit, the CSU, which comprises a group of special constables. These officers were not taken from police resources and they operate with the help of retired investigators and others who understand the laws and how to enforce them. They have had a successful response and McGovern is well aware of that.
00;12;50;27 - 00;13;12;14
Gary Johnston
If we had even a fraction of that in Ontario, we wouldn't be talking about the problem we are today. Another retail operator, Sativa Bliss, with stores in various Ontario cities, has also had direct experience with this problem. One of my locations in Saint Catharines was a victim of an illegal cannabis store, said Jaz Sarma, owner of the chain.
00;13;12;17 - 00;13;33;17
Gary Johnston
Thankfully, we were able to work with the city there and get it shut down. Sarma said that he and other local retailers in Saint Catharines came together, approached the mayor and got the job done. They haven't come back. They say they only do delivery now. The store was almost directly across the street from Sarma and it most certainly affected his business, which he said dropped by as much as 50%.
00;13;33;20 - 00;13;51;02
Gary Johnston
A few years ago, when legalization was basically at the toddler stage. It was easy to say that the customers didn't know the difference between legal and illegal stores. But we're six years old now. Some people may tell you they don't know if it's legal or not, but it's kind of obvious. Once you start shopping at a legal store and then go to an illegal one, said Sarma.
00;13;51;04 - 00;14;10;18
Gary Johnston
He added the reason people go to illicit stores is cheaper products, no taxes and in some cases they sell other illegal drugs as well. This illicit activity is not just regulated to brick and mortar either. Delivery services have also been affected. Mike Dawn is the co-owner of 1922 cannabis, a retail store and delivery service on Shelbourne Street in Toronto.
00;14;10;20 - 00;14;35;27
Gary Johnston
He was so busy trying to compete with the illegal delivery services that he was almost unaware of the sheer amount of unlicensed stores cropping up. What he did notice is the retail cannabis customers were seemingly vanishing from his particular area, and he later found out it was because illegal stores were taking them. None went through the numbers based on his experience, and estimated that some of these stores could be making over $150,000 per month to the city's credit.
00;14;35;27 - 00;14;56;04
Gary Johnston
Dunn said that recently, seven stores that he is aware of were raided, the product seized and the locks changed on the doors. He feels the real test of the system will be how fast they reopen. Strachan reached out to representatives of the city of Toronto, and their response revealed a need for the province to review the Cannabis Control Act, which has not been updated since before legalization.
00;14;56;06 - 00;15;24;06
Gary Johnston
In March 2024, Toronto City Council requested the province of Ontario undertake a comprehensive review of the Cannabis Control Act 2017, in consultation with municipalities including roles and responsibilities, funding and enforcement, and addressing unlicensed cannabis establishments, said Shane Girard, senior communications coordinator. The Cannabis Control Act 2017 has not undergone a comprehensive review since it was introduced seven years ago.
00;15;24;08 - 00;15;50;27
Gary Johnston
He added that the province is responsible for licensing and regulating private cannabis retail stores to the Agco, who in turn enforce the regulations. Further, Girard said that the city does in fact go after property owners. The city can and does file charges against property owners who are in contravention of the Cannabis Control Act. Individuals charged can face fines up to $250,000 and face imprisonment of two years minus one day.
00;15;50;29 - 00;16;17;16
Gary Johnston
Whatever the reasoning, be it inefficient funding for police resources, lack of planning, less diversity in advertising for legal products or other factors. It's clear the legal cannabis industry is struggling to be the choice for Canadians. And although no timeline was given by Mr. Trudeau back in 2014 when he said he wanted to stop illegal profits from cannabis, there is a sea of people from coast to coast working hard in the legal sector who hope this happens much sooner than later.
00;16;17;19 - 00;16;27;26
Gary Johnston
And I would agree with that sentiment. It has been an interesting six years and it continues to be interesting in the future. And who knows where this is going to go.
00;16;27;29 - 00;16;38;20
Speaker 3
It seems to CBD to be in profile, which to me, oh please explain to me. Go to the corner.
00;16;38;22 - 00;16;42;20
Unknown
Go to the corner and go to the.
00;16;42;20 - 00;16;47;12
Speaker 3
Corner. Please explain this stuff to me.
00;16;47;14 - 00;17;08;24
Gary Johnston
Welcome to Cultivar Corner, brought to you by Up in Smoke at 258 West Broadway in Vancouver and online at It's Up in smoke.com. You can check him out today for some direct delivery exclusives like we're sampling today from Sweetgrass Cannabis. This is black Petronas. This is exclusive to the direct delivery channel. And lucky for you. You can see it when you go to it's up in smoke.com.
00;17;08;24 - 00;17;25;08
Gary Johnston
And if you're of legal age and live in BC, you can check it out for yourself. Now, I did forget about the mosaic of approaches across our country. If you live in another province, unfortunately you'll have to talk to your MP about that. And if you live somewhere else in the world, I'm afraid you're just going to have to dream about it.
00;17;25;09 - 00;17;45;28
Gary Johnston
So we're heading back to the cuteness we love. On to the good news. We've tried a lot of sweetgrass and this is the second one we've done this month. This is Black Patrollers, which is a limited edition from Sweetgrass. Now, let me tell you a little bit about Sweetgrass, a micro cultivator and processor of certified organic cannabis based in the renowned Kootenay region of BC.
00;17;46;00 - 00;18;03;16
Gary Johnston
Our interest in the art of growing high end flower runs deep, and we've been hard at work to deliver our products to the upper shelves of the Canadian marketplace. We grow our plant in living soil, and we're stoked to be offering some of this amazing small batch craft cannabis to discerning connoisseurs and aficionados alike. There's something special about Sweetgrass.
00;18;03;24 - 00;18;24;29
Gary Johnston
We're a community of like minded folk who enjoy the finer things in life. Our interest in the art of growing cannabis runs deep, and we've been looking forward to delivering our craft flour to the upper shelves of the Canadian marketplace. We are licensed by Health Canada and certified by the Fraser Valley Organic Producers Association. The OPA to produce small batch organic living soil cannabis.
00;18;25;01 - 00;18;44;09
Gary Johnston
At this time, we have three select cultivars growing in our facility, and we're currently developing several other registered phenotypes for release in the near future. Sweetgrass obtained its micro cultivation, Micro Processing and Sale for Medical Purposes license in May of 2020, and they've been hard at work ever since. The culture of our small mountain town and the surrounding area is unique.
00;18;44;14 - 00;19;02;17
Gary Johnston
There's a certain je ne sais quois here. People feel it and are drawn here from all over the world for reasons that are often hard to articulate. Suffice to say, there's no other place quite like the kidneys, and we're proud to call this place home. And I'm proud to call the kidneys my original home as well. So let's get to it.
00;19;02;20 - 00;19;21;29
Gary Johnston
This is Sweetgrass Black patroness, and let me get you. So this is a limited edition cultivar. If you go to the Sweet grass site, which of course have link back on the show page, you'll find there limited edition drops who are cultivation team is comprised of avid seed collectors who have been diligently hunting for a few standard phenotypes to add to our roster.
00;19;22;07 - 00;19;39;06
Gary Johnston
The entire process takes at least six months from the time a seed is sprouted to the day we harvest an entire crop for the market. We initially grow each of these limited editions in small batches to get a gauge on how well they do in the market. Based on consumer feedback, we're able to determine whether to scale up production for wider distribution, so please let us know what you think.
00;19;39;06 - 00;19;58;14
Gary Johnston
If you managed to get your hands on some. We hope you'll dig them as much as we do. Some of our limited edition drops come as straight up flower. Some products can be ordered via the Berkeley Be Central Delivery, while the rest can be procured via our direct delivery platform. And all were available while quantities last. And today we are talking black Patronus.
00;19;58;15 - 00;20;07;17
Gary Johnston
So this is a sativa dominant and unpopular back right now.
00;20;07;20 - 00;20;33;19
Gary Johnston
Oh that's a gassy. Oh that is a really deep in the pine and the pepper in the spice notes on that one. Oh, delicious. Absolutely delicious. So this is black Petronas sativa dominant Ethiopia organic certified. My THC is sitting at 22.4. Now that's an interesting point. We'll talk about that a little bit. And total chirping sitting at total 2.9%.
00;20;33;21 - 00;20;57;05
Gary Johnston
I've got Selenadiene, caryophyllene, And on the website a couple others are listed as well. And they're talking about harnessing human lean in little more. And that kind of makes sense. As I pull my hand, put my nose in that bag and see what kind of aromas I got. My goodness, look at that. So I got one bud that is literally a 2.95.
00;20;57;08 - 00;21;28;10
Gary Johnston
And I add one more bud into that. Very nice 3.5g with two buds. And this one biggie. And that's the one we're going to take a peek at. So let me get out my juniors loop and we'll have a look at that guy in silly breeder exotic genetics the cross. This comes from Rs 11 and Falcon G. Your room is going to be sweet sirup herbal pear a nice and gas your flavor.
00;21;28;10 - 00;21;51;03
Gary Johnston
Coffee, pine pepper and spice. Yeah, I can definitely get the pepper and spice. And when I look at this. So here's black Petronas. Our black Petronas Fino was carefully hunted from seed by our Gro team for its exceptional smoke and physical attributes. It expresses the sativa side of its genetics in its aroma, taste and smoke, while maintaining the deep purple coloring of its indica and its history.
00;21;51;05 - 00;22;13;10
Gary Johnston
The herbal Peronism aroma that precedes it is somewhat sweet, with undertones of modern gas. The dry pull provides flavors of herbs and subtle fruit mixed with fuel oil and a bit of gas. Once lit, flavors of coffee, pine and pepper dominate, while the exhale yields notes of wood, charred whiskey, and spice. So now let's take a peek at oh yes, and there's a lot of purple in this.
00;22;13;13 - 00;22;40;21
Gary Johnston
Oh my. Is that ever a beautiful looking bud. So 2.97g in this one bud. And as I look at it through my judicious loop over try, cornfields are vast. I got lots of purple elements, some dark green, some purple, and then some red hairs in there as well, and just a frosty coating on top of this. It's as if someone just poured a little icing sugar on to it.
00;22;40;24 - 00;23;13;26
Gary Johnston
But it's not icing sugar. They are trichomes. Oh, that is just a beautiful looking flower. We're doing it on a Wednesday today, and actually we're kind of lucky. There was a big power outage in our city today and it looks like we just scraped by. It looks like everybody on either side of us is without power. Luckily, we've still got power, which means that I can carry on and get the calls quantity going on when I get the weed into the grinder.
00;23;13;28 - 00;23;35;19
Gary Johnston
Oh much more those aroma. There's a bit of that in these, which I take to be a bit of a almost a cherry. That is really nice. Let's take a peek at that. Now that I've rounded up a little bit, let's take a little bit better of peak. Oh my goodness sakes. Trichomes are just incredibly rich.
00;23;35;21 - 00;23;56;04
Gary Johnston
Very sticky as I pull that board out and I start to spread it apart. And then you got people trying to figure out these flavor notes, and and when I say that the flavor is coming through in the vaporizer, I mean it. But but let's also put a, put a touch of reality on that. It's not like you're picking up a spoon and you're tasting some strawberry or anything like that.
00;23;56;07 - 00;24;15;24
Gary Johnston
There's just going to be some notes that are taking you in that direction. So the aromas sweet sirup, herbal pear and these and gas. I think it's time we like the joint. Let's try black Petronas. This is from Sweetgrass.
00;24;15;27 - 00;24;35;28
Gary Johnston
Now the interesting thing on this one is my THC is sitting at 22.4%. And I think that's interesting because I'm curious as to whether or not it's going to have a similar effect to me, as has the other stuff that I have been smoking that has been up in the high 20s. All of the first taste of that.
00;24;36;00 - 00;24;54;14
Gary Johnston
Oh yes. So definitely some piney notes. This is off the joint and a bit of pepper on the exhale now. So it's going to be a bit of a spicy note on that. So the joint as the smoke carries on it's really smooth. So I'm not feeling any harshness. I haven't had a need to cough today. So again my breeder is exotic genetics.
00;24;54;17 - 00;25;16;02
Gary Johnston
The genetics are Rs 11 crossed with Falcon nine. Definitely some piney notes on the smoke and the ash. Nice and gray is that's tracking along on there. Now let's flip to the mighty and see what we can taste.
00;25;16;04 - 00;25;28;20
Gary Johnston
Oh more of those pine notes. Definitely some spicy some pepper notes. I can't say I'm picking up a lot of this sirup.
00;25;28;23 - 00;25;38;25
Gary Johnston
Now I am running this at a slightly lower temperature. I'm running at about 175 Celsius.
00;25;38;28 - 00;25;51;24
Gary Johnston
So I get all the vapor out of the cannabis without any of the burn and any of the harshness on that. So the taste coming in to the vaporizer.
00;25;51;26 - 00;26;10;00
Gary Johnston
Oh, definitely. Some pine notes. Just a hint of that anise. Just, just a very NTPC. And then definitely on the exhale I'm getting some peppery and some piney notes.
00;26;10;03 - 00;26;36;27
Gary Johnston
It's a very pleasant taste I have to say that. And this is sativa dominant. So I am hoping for some burst of my endocannabinoid system today. Let's get it sparked up with some sativa and get some things done. We're coming to the end of October. My goodness, we are coming to the end of October. And I'm still thinking that summer is supposed to be here.
00;26;36;29 - 00;26;49;04
Gary Johnston
Or nice. Okay, let's go back to the joint and see how that is doing. We're still getting some nice ash off of that.
00;26;49;06 - 00;26;58;04
Gary Johnston
And a bit of the gas notes coming in on, and I'm not sure whether it's on the inhale or whether it's the exhale.
00;26;58;07 - 00;27;09;13
Gary Johnston
Until the inhale. And then a little spicy pine and peppery notes as it goes away.
00;27;09;15 - 00;27;33;26
Gary Johnston
The endocannabinoid system appears to be firing my terpenes 3.78 my THC 22.4. The range on this 21 to 23. So I'm right at the higher end of that range. And it's quite frankly nice to see some weed that's in this THC range. I think this is where a lot of our weed actually is supposed to be. But that's just me speaking.
00;27;33;29 - 00;27;59;05
Gary Johnston
Oh, that's nice. Okay, so the euphoria is bursting forth in my endocannabinoid system now. There's some happy eyes. And then once that starts, the the euphoria just kind of starts to hit the front of my head, and then it kind of goes right through it and up into my brain and down into my body. A little bit of a rush in the back.
00;27;59;05 - 00;28;31;11
Gary Johnston
Oh yeah. I just love the way the endocannabinoid system responds to cannabis. It's built into our bodies. People, the endocannabinoid system. We may not have known about it for for more than a few years, but my goodness, the fact that our body is designed to inhale these various cannabinoids and have them have a certain effect, much like our endocannabinoids do.
00;28;31;13 - 00;28;55;16
Gary Johnston
This is feeling really nice. It's really up in my head. This is definitely a city that, got lots of energy, lots of focus, lots of euphoria that's happening right now. Kind of racy. Kind of kind of a little a little bit more than perhaps I wanted. But I think I can handle that. I've never been one to get to let things go too far astray.
00;28;55;18 - 00;29;17;10
Gary Johnston
So this is a limited edition. You need to go through direct delivery, and lucky for you, you can go to. It's up in smoke.com. You can check it out. And if you're 19 or older and you live in the province of B.C., you can have some of this shipped to you. And you two can be experiencing the euphoria from black Petronas Sea Sativa dominance from our friends at Sweetgrass in the kidneys.
00;29;17;13 - 00;29;41;24
Gary Johnston
My goodness, they grow some nice weed in the cooties. They're carrying on the tradition that was established many, many years ago. And this is again, just coming on at a really nice euphoric high. Lots of euphoria, lots of lots of happy eyes, lots of energy. Just this is kind of where I was hoping this was going to go.
00;29;41;26 - 00;30;05;06
Gary Johnston
We've loved the stuff that they have delivered so far. This is a limited edition from the folks at Sweetgrass in the kidneys. This is Black Petronas. It's only available in a limited edition through direct delivery. You may want to get your hands on some, and in usual fashion, I have let this roll around in my endocannabinoid system for a while, and it has moved into a much stronger sativa.
00;30;05;09 - 00;30;24;10
Gary Johnston
Really a nice head high. Just really lots of nice euphoria happening there. Just feeling really giddy in and feeling like it. Just want to get some stuff done. Sweetgrass Black Petronas Limited Edition only available through direct delivery. I hope you haven't missed out.
00;30;24;12 - 00;30;26;05
Ian
Sharing stories about good weed.
00;30;26;05 - 00;30;26;28
Gary Johnston
While trying.
00;30;26;28 - 00;30;29;07
Speaker 3
Good weed.
00;30;29;10 - 00;30;31;07
Ian
This is the Cannabis potcast.
00;30;31;09 - 00;30;54;06
Gary Johnston
And for 20 until e-com we go for our next story. And I just couldn't resist this one just because of the content. Cocaine pizza becomes best seller at a Dusseldorf restaurant leading to a drug ring bust. One of the best selling pizzas from a Dusseldorf pizzeria had a special side dish of cocaine on the menu. The slice was called pizza number 40.
00;30;54;09 - 00;31;18;04
Gary Johnston
Then it was apparently quite popular. Criminal director Michael Graf von Wald confirmed to reporters in Dusseldorf that it was one of the best selling pizzas. Right? ABC News Citing the German news agency DPA, von walked said cops were first alerted by food inspectors in March, after which they set up surveillance on the shop. Police officers soon realized why pizza number 40 was so popular.
00;31;18;06 - 00;31;41;07
Gary Johnston
They went to the apartment of the 36 year old restaurant operator, who allegedly threw a bag full of illegal substances out the window. The bag, containing cocaine, cannabis and €268,000 in cash fell right into the arms of the police officer, police said. The pizzeria manager was detained for several days upon release, he reopened his restaurant and went back to serving cocaine pizza.
00;31;41;10 - 00;32;07;08
Gary Johnston
Meanwhile, investigators were keeping an eye on the supply chain and ended up busting the entire ring. Three suspects were arrested, including the 22 year old leader of the operation. A dozen homes and businesses were also raided. Authorities continued investigating the supply chain, and after several weeks, some 150 officers broke up. The entire operation, arrested three suspects, including the 22 year old capo, and raided homes and businesses of another 12 suspects.
00;32;07;10 - 00;32;35;17
Gary Johnston
During the raids, police also discovered two cannabis plantations nearby. Partial cannabis legalization took effect in Germany on April 1st. A new report on Germany's cannabis market by Prohibition Partners revealed that German medical marijuana sales are projected to reach €420 million in 2024, though there's an interesting story on the pizza number 40, and you get a side of cocaine.
00;32;35;19 - 00;33;00;12
Gary Johnston
And our next story looks toward the Yukon. And it's from Stratton, written by David Brown. Municipalities in the Yukon say there is a need for public consumption spaces in the territory to provide a legal space for tourists to smoke cannabis when visiting. Currently, cannabis consumption is only allowed in a private residence in the Yukon and adjoining property, although the territory's regulations do allow for other possibilities for other types of locations in the future.
00;33;00;15 - 00;33;28;06
Gary Johnston
Despite this ban, in a recent survey, municipalities told the territory about what they say are high rates of cannabis smoking and vaping in outdoor public spaces. The territory sees hundreds of thousands of tourists annually. A significant part of the economy. This call for public cannabis spaces was just one of many pieces of feedback provided to the Yukon government as part of its recently released five year review of its cannabis legislation and regulations, as well as the overall impact of federal legalization.
00;33;28;08 - 00;34;01;12
Gary Johnston
In a new What We Heard report, which helped to inform its five year review report, an array of issues or highlighted from the 307 responses received, as well as engagement with First Nations municipalities and local advisory councils, RCMP, Madd and many other organizations and government officials. Among the feedback and recommendations concerned with normalization and public consumption, overall health risks, youth use rates and impaired driving, including consumption, while driving concern about illicit online stores and what RCMP say are challenges with enforcement.
00;34;01;14 - 00;34;27;12
Gary Johnston
Call for more education of the general public about the harms and effects of cannabis. Better insight into how the government uses cannabis tax revenues. Municipalities expressed concern with excess packaging leading to litter. Retailers want to be able to sell products other than cannabis, like T-shirts, water bottles or snacks, and offer loyalty programs. Some would like to buy cannabis directly from producers, and more clarity around what constitutes a THC unit for proper dosing.
00;34;27;15 - 00;34;51;17
Gary Johnston
The five year review also notes some statistics about the overall result of the industry in the territory. For the first five years of legalization, the legal cannabis market in the most western of the three territories has grown from just over $2 million in 2018 19 to 13 million in 20 2324. More than 80% of Yukoners acquire their cannabis from legal sources within the territory.
00;34;51;20 - 00;35;19;08
Gary Johnston
Yukon has six cannabis retailers, which employ about around 40 people. Cannabis distribution is overseen by the Yukon Liquor Corporation, the milk wholesaler to retail sales went from 3.5 million in 20 1920 to 9 point 2,000,000 in 20 2324, during the 2324 fiscal year, the Yukon Liquor Corporation remitted $369,000 to the Government of Yukon's general revenues in relation to cannabis.
00;35;19;10 - 00;35;48;28
Gary Johnston
There were 73 total violations from cannabis related charges from 20 1923, and the majority 40 for unauthorized possession or care and control in a vehicle, and there was one reported charge for public consumption in this time period. Cannabis related emergency department visits increased from 40 in 2016 to 104 in 2021, and there were 275 emergency room visits related to cannabis use in the five years before legalization, and 471 in the five years after, the paper notes.
00;35;48;28 - 00;36;12;08
Gary Johnston
This could be due to an increase in consumption, or because people felt more comfortable presenting in an emergency room with a cannabis related issue. After a fuze became legal. But the rate of cannabis use among young people remains a concern. The age at which yukoners say they first tried or started using cannabis has increased with legalization from 18.9 in 2018 to 20.8 in 2023.
00;36;12;10 - 00;36;28;05
Gary Johnston
So there you go, thinking about the Yukon and having some consumption spaces, because the only place you can consume is in private property or an adjoining property. Let's hope they make some changes that help out the tourist in the Yukon soon.
00;36;28;08 - 00;36;47;27
Gary Johnston
And once again, we've hit that same point. We have come to the end of another episode and it's time to bring a chuckle. And I realize that my terminology is wrong here. I can't bring a chuckle to your face. I can't bring a smile to your face. That's a little easier. Bringing a chuckle to your face. I haven't quite figured out how the physiology of that would work.
00;36;47;29 - 00;37;12;05
Gary Johnston
So instead of that, let's tell a couple of jokes and bring a smile to your face. Why did the marijuana roll down the hill? It wanted to get a lid. Why did the stoner refuse to play cards with the jungle animals? He was afraid of cheetahs. Why don't stoners ever laugh at corny jokes? They're always too baked. Why did the marijuana plant become a detective?
00;37;12;07 - 00;37;26;12
Gary Johnston
It always kept it close. But on things. And how does a stoner exercise? By doing joint exercise. Why was the math book always high? Because it had too many problems.
00;37;26;14 - 00;37;43;05
Gary Johnston
I agree again, if you ever have a comment on anything you hear on the Cannabis potcast, please send a note to info at Cannabis potcast.com. And from the Guy in the clouds. That's it for episode 179 of the Cannabis potcast.
00;37;43;07 - 00;37;51;17
Ian
From the cannabis infused studio high above the Okanagan Valley. This was the cannabis potcast.