Aspen Peak - Niche Media - Aspen living at its peak
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CANNABIS SOLD IN COLORADO dispensaries comes in four forms, for the most part: as the buds of the plant; as liquid extractions meant to be used in "vaporizer pens"; as "edibles," or food products to be consumed, like brownies and sodas; and as salves and lotions designed for rubbing into sore muscles and joints. plants Haven't tried it for awhile? Watch out—the strains today are much more potent than in decades past. The growers at Silverpeak Apothecary raise an especially strong one, called Jesus OG. It clocks in at between 24.8 and 28.5 percent THC. Since the mid-'70s the average pot potency has soared from less than 1 percent to 3 to 4 percent in the '80s and '90s to around 15 percent now. Some common strains: Sour Diesel, Bubba Kush, Trainwreck, AK-47, White Widow. Strains are either indica, sativa, or hybrids. The indica species of cannabis reportedly is better for pain relief and sleep; the sativa supposedly offers a more energetic, euphoric high; hybrids combine the two species in different ways. vaporizers Some users want to inhale, only without the smoke. So they use vaporizers, which heat the product until vapor is released, but before it combusts. Some vaporizers heat the plant itself and others are "vape pens," devices that hold pre-filled cartridges of cannabis oil instead of plant matter. Vaporizing is easier on the lungs and broadcasts much less odor than smoking. edibles If you can consume it, some entrepreneur has prob- ably found a way to turn it into a marijuana product. Everything from tinctures and pills to popcorn, chocolate bars, gummy bears, olive oil, cake frosting, granola, soda, and tea. The list goes on and on and on. Products must advertise THC content (identified in milligrams) on packaging. Edibles are championed by people with pain issues, in part because the high normally lasts for much longer. People suffering from sleep issues, too, often use edibles, for the same reason—the buzz continues while they sleep. salves, lotions, and creams Some people use topical applications that are infused with cannabis extracts to relieve aches and pains in joints and muscles. A TASTE OF cannabis A bumper crop of options awaits the recreational user. Leonard, 28, a Carbondale native. "A large part of the population is law-abiding, and the govern- ment saying this is okay means a lot to them." Tourists pop off of Interstate 70 and swing through Doctor's Garden. Lots of senior citizens, some who haven't tried marijuana for 40 years, are giving it a go again. People from around the world stand in line on the staircase leading up to the dis- pensary's third-floor store and then walk away with candy bars, plastic vials of marijuana bud, and pre- rolled joints. Like Lewis at Silverpeak Apothecary, Leonard, who has a degree in urban and environmental planning from Occidental College in Los Angeles, became involved in Carbondale's civic life, working to educate citizens about edibles and vaporizers, how to consume marijuana responsi- bly, and more. Now he wants to build another greenhouse as well as a facility where he could manufacture edible products. For Garrett Patrick, 38, the owner of Stash, the number of medical patients coming into his shop for weed was declining and so with recreational he "saw where the future was going" and made the switch. "We live in a tourist town," says Patrick on a weekday morning as customers browse the pot selections. Plastered to one of the glass coun- ters in the store is a photo of Hunter S. Thompson with the quote I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED MARIJUANA emblazoned beneath his mug. "Restaurants capi- talize on that market," Patrick notes. "The skiing industry capitalizes on it, and so can we." Stash is a bit off the beaten path, yet it still attracts tourists. Visiting Silverpeak, though, is just steps from the slopes. By 1:15 PM, just 15 min- utes after opening, the line extends up the steps to the sidewalk. First in line stood Geoff Elgie, 52, a firefighter from Ontario, Canada, who had never before bought marijuana at a dispensary. A Silverpeak employee "guide" hands him the brochure and menu. Once the doors open, another guide talks to him about the different strains, and by the time he gets to the counter he has checked off the things he wants. Elgie places his order, then waits for another guide to deliver him the goods: a gram of Trainwreck and a pre-rolled joint of White Widow, which he purchases with cash. (Like many dispensaries, Silverpeak can't process credit cards because of difficulties finding banks that will work with legal marijuana businesses.) As Elgie walks away, grinning and stopping to open the canister to take a sniff, I ask him why he came to Silverpeak. "To score some good weed," he says. "Colorado's finest." AP Cannabis-infused edibles like this Colorado Bar from Dixie Edibles line the shelves of Aspen dispensaries. ASPENPEAK-MAGAZINE.COM 169 164-169_AP_F_MJ_V3_SUM_FALL_14.indd 169 5/6/14 3:39 PM