What I’ve Learned After a Year in the Legal Recreational Cannabis Industry

Sarah Sackett , , ,

A year ago, I came across an ad for an open HR position for a cannabis company It was a little risky. I had an pretty solid straight-laced resume that could open some doors, but what if I added cannabis experience to that resume? Would that start slamming some of those doors shut? How would my friends and family react?

After consideration, I realized how deeply excited I was about the chance to be part of something so new, to be a pioneer! It was an opportunity to get into an industry at a time where I could shape direction. I absolutely do not regret my choice to click “apply” and join the industry. It’s been an interesting and wild ride, but I’m glad to be here.

Here are just a few things I learned since entering the industry a year ago:

Driving without a roadmap is hard

The most exciting and terrifying parts of the cannabis industry come with its newness. Although people have been producing and consuming cannabis throughout history, this is the first time we as a society are coming together to make the rules and forge the path of how this product looks in a legal market. I’m grateful to states like Washington and Colorado for coming before us and sharing what they’ve learned, but it’s a constant state of learning and adapting in this industry. State regulations are changing regularly and the market is being flooded with options for consumers. The road before us feels wide open and vast with opportunities, but it can be hard to make the right turns and find our destination when the roads are still being built.

Cannabis is innately political right now

I don’t think I expected how much politics would play a role in my cannabis career. It’s almost impossible to not see politics in cannabis right now. It’s very tricky to work in such a new and strictly-regulated industry that you so wholeheartedly believe in, and that just happens to be federally illegal. It’s a career choice that comes with a backbone of political activism. I’m not only clocking into a job, I’m pioneering an industry, and I take that seriously.
We have a spotlight on us right now, and this is the time to show the country that cannabis is a legitimate business. We have to take that seriously and strive to raise the bar by focusing on compliance and ethics. This is why I am so proud to work for a company like Shadowbox that makes it our mission to be good stewards of this industry.

We need to make extra efforts to be inclusive

I find myself often walking the line between paying homage to our black market history while also desperately trying to rise above it. Earlier this year, the City of Portland announced that $350,000 of cannabis tax revenue would go towards grants for folks impacted by cannabis prohibition laws in the form of record clearing and workplace development. The industry must come out of the shadows and take itself seriously if we expect the country to take us seriously, but we also can’t forget the folks who were impacted by this drug war before us. We have to remember that prohibition disproportionately put poor people and people of color in prison. It’s up to us in this industry to constantly be taking stock and making space for people to grow and make a legitimate career here.

Cannabis science is endlessly fascinating

I learn something new about this plant every single day of my career. I’m lucky enough to work with some of the smartest people in the business, and they have helped me gain a greater understanding of cannabis than I ever thought possible. There is still a long way to go on the science of cannabis since research is so restricted in the U.S., but I am so genuinely enthralled with the complexities of this plant.

We need better language and consumer education

In learning so much about the plant, I have learned that its complexities make consumer education critical. Although the idea that “indica” is “in-da-couch” sleepy and “sativa” is energizing seems relatively neat and tidy, within the industry, we know those terms are not quite accurate. once upon a time, there may have been a greater diversity of plants with different effects, but hundreds of years of human cross-breeding has created massive hybridization. Not only is it scientifically tricky to define a “true” indica or sativa, but there is a great variation on how individual people respond to different cannabinoids and terpenes. The industry lacks the unified language to address these concerns. We all agree that consumers need a common language to truly understand the varied effects of particular strains, but we haven’t found that perfect language yet.

Although we have come a long way in the last ten years, we still have a lot of work to do. But making stewardship, education and inclusivity priorities, will guide our path as a company and also shape the experience we seek as consumers.

Science Rules

Justin Reed , ,

Being able to choose the right cannabis strain to match your needs or desires—whether it be to relax, relieve pain, or listen to music with friends—is not a skill you’re born with. You have to practice. Like most skills keeping notes and finding the right tools can make a world of difference in your learning curve. Hands down, one of the most useful things I encountered early on in my cannabis journey was the Galaxy created by Phylos Bioscience.

The Galaxy is a beautiful visual representation of different cannabis strains that farmers around the world have submitted and Phylos has sequenced. Each entry is broken down to show its closest and most distant genetic relatives, its genetic variety, as well as its population profile, which continues to evolve as more samples are added to the Phylos Galaxy. This information can be extremely useful to the farmer by verifying what they really have, as well as helping to inform further crosses.

I myself use the Galaxy solely as a consumer. (Someday I hope to grow a green thumb.)

Once I learned about the Galaxy I poured over it for hours, and it opened my eyes to patterns of my favorite strains I had not recognized before like my daytime favorites Dogwalker, OG Kush and Fire OG. After a lot of trial and error, I found two strains that worked well for my end-of-day fatigue:Northern Lights and Bubba Kush. After a little searching, I learned that both of these were genetically similar to each other and also similar to LA Confidential. That is a strain I had never tried but quickly grew to love. Going to a dispensary to find that they don’t have any of your tried-and-true favorites is always a bit disappointing, but with a growing knowledge of the Galaxy my odds of finding something new that I like keep going up.

With that said, I am very excited that Shadowbox Farms’ 2018 lineup has been Phylos Certified and is now up in the Galaxy. Ask for Night Nurse, Valley Fire or any of our strains at a dispensary near you!

“For the first time I saw a medley of haphazard facts fall into line and order. All the jumbles and recipes and hotchpotch of the inorganic chemistry of my boyhood seemed to fit into the scheme before my eyes—as though one were standing beside a jungle and it suddenly transformed itself into a Dutch garden.”

— Baron C.P. Snow

[How the Periodic Table was explained in a university lecture to the central character in the novel by C.P. Snow, The Search (1935)]

Cannabis for Chronic Pain

Sarah Sackett ,

For almost a decade, headaches have been a pretty constant, ever-present foe in my life. The severity flairs and subsides at times, but my pain is always part of me now. I’ve been to at least 15 different doctors—from naturopaths to TMJ specialists to neurologists—and tried 20+ medications and multiple injections in the past two years alone. It can be exhausting. Some days, I struggle to get out of bed and others I’m able to make it through a productive day at work only to collapse as soon as I get home. I’m not able to have the kind of social life I had before because I’m often in pain or just exhausted.

When cannabis was legalized here in Oregon, it really changed how I was able to find ways to thrive with chronic pain. Like many people, I had smoked a bit when I was younger, but I didn’t realize the full potential of finding the right strains, and educating myself on the benefits and options suddenly available to me. With legalization, I was now able to identify strains that didn’t cause paranoia, and I could really focus on body relief. Cannabis isn’t a magical cure-all, but it certainly helps reduce my pain experience. It won’t always fully make the pain go away, but it does give me a little bit of distance from the pain so that I can relax and find ways to recharge myself. That is an incredible gift for someone with chronic pain.

I had not really considered medical cannabis earlier on my pain management path because I had some preconceived notions and stigmas that kept me at a distance. I also have asthma, so smoking has never been a good fit for me. Lastly, I had experienced some negative effects of being paranoid when consuming cannabis in the past, so I thought it just wasn’t for me. It turns out, I was wrong. Legalization gave me the space to find the right consumption methods for me. I now use a vaporizer which is easier on my lungs, but allows me to get the full flavor and benefit of flower. I also use edibles because the consistency of the body relaxation in careful dosing has been a game changer. With the help of a little research and knowledgeable budtenders, I also was able to find the right strains that offered cannabinoid and terpene profiles that really eliminated any paranoia I had previously associated with smoking.

One of my first realizations that cannabis could improve my quality of life came after my first inner ear surgery several years ago. My coworker at the time made me a batch of infused cookies for my recovery. I wasn’t sure about them at first. But as the pain, dizziness, and nausea from all the medications and surgical trauma came on, I was grateful to have those cookies. They offered me a sense of calm in the storm of my recovery.

A couple of years later, I found myself needing a more intensive brain surgery to repair some of the damage done by the first surgery. It was one of the harder points in my life to prepare for such a big, scary procedure, but I knew that I wanted cannabis on hand for that recovery process. After a few days in the ICU, I came home. With Frankenstein-esque stitches down the side of my shaved head and loaded up on medications with tricky side effects, I was dizzy, aching, and exhausted. I was grateful to have some loved ones who helped me find the right edible cannabis dosages so that I could again find a bit of calm in that storm. The edibles helped me eat without the fear of intense nausea for the first time in a week. They eased the hard edges of the pain in my head, and they calmed me enough to get much needed sleep. I made surprisingly quick recovery, and I do credit part of that to access to cannabis.

After the neurosurgery, the headaches are worse. The scar tissue on my skull added a new layer of complication, but I move forward on the path of pain management. It’s not an easy path, and there are days when I struggle to get out of bed. But I’ve found myself in a place now where every day I get to get up and work in an industry that helps other people find some relief and improve their quality of life. That motivates me to keep going and keep pushing.

Since getting into the cannabis industry last year, I’ve found new ways to support my pain. I’ve also had the amazing fortune to connect with others who are passionate about cannabis education and sharing their pain management stories. I learn something new every day in this industry. That has been a driver for me to keep going, and I’m grateful for the relief and sense of community cannabis has given me. I’m lucky that I get to be part of this industry to help other people find the life-changing benefits I’ve found through this experience.

The Symphony

Mac Zivney ,

Dressed to the nines and excited for a wonderful night at the symphony, you’ve picked your favorite suit or fanciest dress, and couldn’t be more excited for what you are about to experience. You’re smiling the entire drive to the theater, hopefully sharing in that excitement with a loved one. You got the best seats you can afford and had a glass of wine before the auditorium opened to the public. You’ve just sat down eagerly awaiting the show to start. It’s going to be a perfect night.

The lights flash on, the stage is bright and you start to survey all the different sections of the orchestra and their instruments. The show is about to start! You ease into your seat and get ready to enjoy the smooth classical music you’d so been looking forward too. Leaning back, eyes softly closing, and with a big exhale, you expect to be enveloped in the sounds of music… Cue the crickets. It seems the Maestro didn’t show up for the performance, and the sound engineer fell asleep at the helm. They struggle to get things in order, and you sit through a disorganized and far too quiet concert.

If you were the person who attended that concert you would feel like you didn’t get the full value of your purchase. You could say you went to the symphony, but you only received about a third of the orchestra experience. You would feel like you missed out on what the experience could have been, and you might not want to go back to another symphony again.

Cannabis consumption is like that symphony: Many of us are attending, but few notice how bad the concert is. For some reason we have accepted a third of the cannabis experience as being good enough. We are constantly missing our Maestro, and our sound dude is lazy as can be.

In this scenario, the THC is the instruments, always present, and to a lot of consumers, the most important ingredient. CBD is the sound engineer: You need him to make sure the microphones, acoustics and speakers are setup to enhance the experience of the instruments (THC). Terpenes are the Maestro, important for organizing the instruments (THC) and providing a unique experience and twist to the performance. The Maestro (terpenes) works alongside the sound engineer (CBD) to enhance the experience provided by the instruments (THC).

This relationship is known as the entourage effect.

I am going on an educational journey to understand the ins and outs of this relationship. This will be the first in a series of blog posts where I delve deeper into the specific effects of the main cannabis terpenes, CBD, THC, the entourage effect, and how to help identify the strains with the right chemistry for you!

If you don’t want to do your own research, check back here regularly to follow my journey. However, if you are like me, and want to educate yourself on the intricacies of cannabis, I encourage you to visit my sources below:

Chemistry database for raw information on Terpenes: https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
List of terpenes found in Cannabis: https://www.sclabs.com/terpenes//
Taming THC: Potential cannabis synergy and phytocannabinoid-terpenoid entourage effects: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3165946

You can follow mac on instagram @mckennleyz

Classic Consumption

Adam Reed ,

Smoking a joint has always been a special form of consumption for me. It reminds me of how my family gets together in the summer for a week every year. I look forward to sitting around the campfire as the day turns into night (leaving the younger ones down in the cabins). Those late nights have become a routine for us that I have come to treasure. We are all getting older and so much happens in the time between our yearly reunions, it seems like there is no way to keep up with it all. We talk late into the night telling stories of our victories and struggles, all while passing a joint around the circle.

Since smoking a joint has such a special place in my life, I was beyond excited to hear that our team at the farm in Williams was reimagining an old favorite. From filter to tip, they have considered every touchpoint of this classic. As our Post Production Manager, Chelsea Olearain said, “It’s all about the grind!”

Shadowbox Pre-Rolls
The Grind. If you can get this part right, it’s all smooth smoking from here. Too fine and it can cause clogs; too coarse and the paper tends to “run” (burn faster on one side vs. the other). Find the middle ground for what is just right.
The Crutch. A new common practice for the recreational market, the crutch gives you some space for your flower to cool down before you inhale it. The cooler the smoke, the less harsh it will feel. We gave our crutches some extra length for the ideal temp. Think Audrey Hepburn!
The Width. Rolling the ideal width for a joint depends on how long you have for your smoking session and how much smoke you would like per hit. A skinny roll will provide a longer, slower smoke while a thicker roll promotes higher consumption per draw with a quicker burn. We opted for the skinnier side, giving you time to dig deep into conversations.
The Tip. We found, through our internal research and experiments, that packing the tip of the joint paper down into a “crown” allowed for the most consistent cherry and fewer runs while smoking. This also leaves a cleaner appearance when showcasing the product.

Establishing a Foundation

Tim Winner 0 comments ,

Early in my tenure at Shadowbox Farms, the company was embarking on the difficult task of establishing its mission, vision and values. I was lucky enough to be invited to help guide the process. We first brought the whole team to together to brainstorm what was important to our young company. Then we formed a committee that ultimately owned the responsibility. The experience was rewarding as the team worked hard and gave the process the respect it deserved. After all, this would be the foundation for the company going forward.

Last week we introduced our newly crafted mission, vision and values during an all-staff meeting at our farm in Williams, Oregon. It felt the like the appropriate setting for such an important moment in our company’s history. That day we established that we would be “stewards of the cannabis industry,” guided by values, and driven to create a world-class company that would lead the industry and set new standards.

Our Mission

Stewards of the Cannabis Industry

Our Vision

As stewards of Oregon’s craft cannabis industry, we are committed to building an inclusive, transparent and innovative community. In the process, we intend to foster career opportunities in an ethos that embodies love and respect—all while crafting high-quality products.

We demonstrate thought leadership with responsible business practices, willingness to collaborate, and a commitment to cultivating equity and trust within the industry. Through advocacy, education and normalization we are building the future of cannabis we believe in.

Our Values

  • We value Curiosity and Thinking…ideas are a good thing.
  • We always strive to Assume Positive Intent.
  • We demand Operational Excellence.
  • We believe in Being Present…show-up.
  • We welcome Honest Candor.

Sexualization of Cannabis

Jessica Ginet 0 comments , ,

Sigh. We’re still doing this? The old adage ‘sex sells’ is in full swing in the cannabis advertising sector. I was leafing [pun intended] through my High Times magazine the other day. I started paying special attention to the ads. If I generalized based on the ads in the magazine, only dudes are buying cannabis-related items.

One was a full page advertisement for a grow light company with the catchphrase ‘We turn you on’ and featured a woman in a tight, full length gown. Best part? The ad featured no image of the company’s product. Interesting.

Another, for a well-known nutrient company, features different images of nearly naked women with strategically-placed bongs and bags of weed. Classy.  And completely outdated.

 

Are males the only ones that purchase and use cannabis growing supplies and equipment?

 

I hate to burst any bubbles, but get this: I’m a female that buys growing supplies. Gasp! And, spoiler alert, I’m not the only one out there. As states continue to legalize cannabis, it is time for more integrity and thought in cannabis industry advertising. Those companies that objectify women as part of their marketing efforts are companies that I won’t buy from, and I doubt I’m the only one with that opinion.

Haven’t we moved beyond the clichés, with images of skanky women posing with bags of bud and smoking accessories? Are guys seriously swayed in their purchasing behavior based on  such a lame marketing ploy?  I don’t recall seeing any ads featuring shirtless men with six packs. If things are going to be equal between the sexes, then let’s be equal.

Companies need to move away from the trashy, underground black-market stereotypes and move to more accurate depictions of their products – namely their features and benefits, not bene-tits. I choose to support companies and businesses that have a real interest in moving the industry forward, not back.

Info Overload

Justin Reed ,

Whether you are new to the cannabis industry or just trying to brush up on your knowledge, you can quickly become overwhelmed by the amount of information out there on the OLCC website, industry podcasts and news articles.

 

To combat this my suggestions are twofold:

  • Don’t feel like you need to know everything, sometimes a depth of knowledge can be more important than shallow breath.
  • And with that in mind, let technology help you.

 

Here is a list of some of the tools I have found to be extremely helpful lately (no affiliation):

 

Sprint Powered by Spritz

Spritz is a technology that displays words one after another in the same place, allowing you to read without moving your eyes. It sounds weird, but I can usually double my reading speed using this app.

 

PDF Voice Reader

Sometimes I reach my limit staring at a computer pouring over documents, and it’s nice to take this app for a walk. If you hear something that you need to dig into further, PDF Voice Reader allows you to easily send the page to your email for further investigation.

 

Tape-A-Call

As simple as it sounds, it’s a great app for recording a phone conversation for later analysis (make sure you get permission first). It’s especially convenient when you need to call into a meeting, but are double-booked.

 

RSS Radio

This is hands-down my favorite podcast player. It has a section where you can build a “to-listen” list; it allows you to speed up or slow down the audio (it took a bit of getting used to but I now listen to most things at 1.5x-2x speed); and it also has a feature to remove dead space in between words. (Check out the Periodic Effects Business Podcast.)

 

Audible

And don’t forget about a little self-care now and again. Even if I’m busy, I’ll make time to listen to something fun. For example, I’m currently listening to “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?”, the book the movie “Blade Runner” was loosely based on. I can do that during my commute, while walking my dog or doing household chores. A knife that only cuts will eventually become dull.

 

“Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present.”

― Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

Drug Policies for Cannabis Workplaces

Sarah Sackett , ,

Everyone who works at Shadowbox has their own reason for finding their way into this industry, but we all really come together for our love and passion for cannabis. Let’s be honest, though, cannabis can make you intoxicated just like alcohol and prescription drugs can make you intoxicated. Cannabis can be a great thing. Many of use use it for our own reasons, such as dealing with medical issues or just relaxing after a long day of work. But being intoxicated at work or driving under the influence just isn’t safe, and it isn’t legal. So how do we balance the love of plant with the need to be safe and professional? First, we hire great people and we trust them. Next, we create thoughtful policies that keep us all on the same page.

 

Drafting a drug policy for a cannabis company was much harder than we thought. Part of our mission as a company is to break down some of those big stigmas attached to cannabis use, so our challenge was to create a thoughtful policy that would balance that mission, the laws, and the safety of our employees. We are really proud of what we’ve come up with, and I’m happy to share it with you here!

 

At Shadowbox Farms we strive for a safe and rewarding work environment. Employees who misuse controlled substances, prescription or illegal drugs, or alcohol pose a risk both to themselves and other staff. This behavior can have far-reaching implications, from potentially life-threatening safety incidents, to productivity issues and damage to our reputation.

 

We love marijuana. We can’t imagine a better or more interesting industry to work in. This passion fuels our growth and innovation. We love that our employees love growing marijuana. What we don’t love? Drug use in the workplace. Shadowbox Farms maintains a zero tolerance policy when it comes to drugs at work, and this includes weed.

But I Work at a Pot Farm

Being a cannabis company doesn’t mean we can be lax on safety. We proudly adhere to the same high standards of safety set forth by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which are required of any business, as well as the strictest OLCC Compliance Rules. We also provide Workers’ Compensation coverage which requires we take all necessary measures to minimize risks in the workplace. Farm work can be inherently dangerous. Employees are more likely to make mistakes, cause accidents and end up injured when they are high. To stay safe, productive and remain the Best Team in Cannabis, at Shadowbox, we stay sober at work.

Intoxication or Use While on Duty

Employees should not be under the influence of alcohol, cannabis, or drugs while on duty, while on company premises, or while operating any company vehicle (including operating a personal vehicle while conducting company business).

 

Employees should not possess, use or sell drugs on company premises or while traveling on company business.

 

Employees who are visibly intoxicated at work will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination.

 

Visible Intoxication

Visible intoxication is when a person’s physical and mental abilities are diminished by alcohol or drugs to a point that it can be observed by others. There are many signs of a visibly intoxicated person. Please see the OLCCs guidance on how to recognize the signs. If an employee shows a combination of several of these signs, or exhibits a significant change in behavior, that could be a strong indication that the person is intoxicated.

Drug Testing

Employees are required to cooperate with drug screenings as a condition of employment, and also following situations such as accidents or reports of visible intoxication. At this time it is not a policy of Shadowbox Farms to test for THC for potential new hires.

 

Prescription Drugs

Prescription and over-the-counter drugs are not prohibited when taken in standard dosage and/or according to a physician’s prescription. Any employee taking prescribed or over-the-counter medications will be responsible for consulting the prescribing physician and/or pharmacist to ascertain whether the medication may interfere with safe performance of his/her job. If the use of a medication could compromise safety in any way, it is the employee’s responsibility to alert their manager or HR who can help determine the best way to avoid unsafe workplace situations (e.g., call in sick, use leave, request change of duty, etc).

 

Medical Marijuana Cardholders

In the state of Oregon, an accommodation can be made for medical marijuana cardholders. An employee who has a valid medical marijuana card (issued under ORS 475B.415) may consume marijuana during his or her work shift on the licensed premises as necessary for their medical condition, as long as the employee is alone, in a closed room, and not visible to others outside the room.

 

What does your drug policy look like at work? How has cannabis legalization changed that policy?

Consuming Happiness

Jessica Ginet , ,

Harvesting happiness? How about consuming happiness? Cannabis (especially outdoor grown) is a source of pure, unadulterated happiness for me. I love the unpredictable sensory experience that sungrown cannabis provides.

SIGHT: I like to keep different strains in small glass mason jars, and that way I can peek at bud structure when I’m still on the fence in terms of what to smoke that day. Am I in the mood for a loose, less dense bud that will break apart easily? Or do I feel like a sticky, compact little nug that’s coated in trichomes? Do I feel like smoking a beautiful purple bud or a bright green one?

FEEL: The joy begins when I pick out a bud and give it a little squeeze – I love feeling the bud’s density – how a nice, dank, dense bud smooshes down and then bounces back when I release it. I love how the different shapes (round, conical, oval) feel between my fingers.

SMELL: I love the smell of cannabis, from the citrus notes in an Agent Orange strain to that wonderful, stanky-danky note in a Sour Diesel. I’m admittedly not nearly as practiced as some of my co-workers in identifying phenotypes, but it’s something I’m working on. One day I want to be what I call a ‘cannabis-sommelier’. I admire the hell out of those that can quickly identify notes of lime or grape without the slightest bit of hesitation.

TASTE: I’ve tasted all sorts of interesting flavors that range from floral to culinary herb to dirt (that particular strain was called Dirty Girl and the ‘dirt’ in the name of the batch I consumed definitely applied). Right now my favorite stains have more of an herbal/floral flavor. Next month my tastes might change, and I could be searching for a more citrus or resinous flavor.

SOUND: There have been claims (unsubstantiated, I might add) that cannabis can improve hearing. So, while cannabis doesn’t improve my hearing ability per se, it does raise levels of dopamine. I love how cannabis enhances my reaction to audio stimuli. 

The effects of cannabis on the mind and body are just starting to be understood. As more states legalize cannabis, more research and data will be available to dissect the influence cannabis has on the senses. I’m excited to learn more about the benefits of consuming happiness.

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Located in Southern Oregon, nestled in the Applegate Valley. Shadowbox Farms brings a boutique craft product to the market at industry prices.

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For use only by adults twenty-one years of age and older. Keep out of reach of children. Cannabis can impair concentration, coordination and judgement. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug.