In a news release on Tuesday, the Cannabis Control Division (CCD) of the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department said that Bliss Farm and Native American Agricultural Development Company (NAADC), two cannabis farms located within miles of each other in Torrance County, New Mexico, had been ordered to “immediately stop all commercial cannabis activity” and “pay large fines.”
The two farms were cited for “exceeding plant count limits, not utilizing the state’s mandatory track and trace system and unsafe conditions, among other violations,” which resulted in the revocation of their licenses.
Additionally, Bliss Farm and NAADC must “each pay $1 million in fines for their illegal activity,” the Cannabis Control Division said. The fines will “be remitted to the State Treasurer and are to be deposited by law in the Current School Fund,” according to Tuesday’s news release.
“The illicit activity conducted at both of these farms undermines the good work that many cannabis businesses are doing across the state,” Clay Bailey, the Acting Superintendent of the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, said in a statement. “The excessive amount of illegal cannabis plants and other serious violations demonstrates a blatant disregard for public health and safety, and for the law.”
Todd Stevens, the director of the Cannabis Control Division, said that he hopes the sanctions serve as a warning to other would-be violators.
“Compliance within the industry is the CCD’s main priority and our office is committed to ensuring New Mexicans have access to safe cannabis products,” Stevens said. “The team worked diligently on both of these cases to determine the appropriate action for violations at a scale we hadn’t seen before. The outcomes were justified under the law based on the egregious conduct of these individuals and I hope this serves as a reminder to those who might be violating the laws and rules the state has put forth.”
Last year, local news station KOAT conducted an undercover investigation that revealed “how some cannabis dispensaries were not following the rules and were selling marijuana coming from outside New Mexico.”
The state’s cannabis law requires all cannabis programs to be grown and regulated in New Mexico.
Acting Cannabis Control Director Andrew Vallejos told KOAT last year that the state needed “to devote some more resources to enforcement.”
This week’s announcement suggests that might be happening.
The Cannabis Control Division uncovered the violations at Bliss Farm and NAADC during inspections carried out by compliance officers.
At Bliss Farm, those officers “discovered multiple alarming violations including numbers of cannabis plants far exceeding the allowable limits under the Cannabis Regulation Act, not utilizing the state’s mandatory track and trace system, unpermitted structures, unsanitary conditions of the production facility, pests, and more,” according to Tuesday’s news release.
“In total, Bliss Farm was cited for 17 violations. The farm’s large number of cannabis plants on site and evidence of a recent harvest without records entered into the track and trace system led the division to conclude the plants were transferred or sold illicitly,” the agency said.
The Cannabis Control Division said that it “filed a Notice of Contemplated Action against Bliss Farm on August 14, 2023,” and that the business “requested a hearing on the matter which was set for October 19, 2023.”
“At the hearing, the farm’s attorney stated that all violations had been remedied. However, upon returning to the facility, compliance officers did not see any evidence that the violations were fixed. The hearing officer agreed to revocation and the imposition of fines which were set by the CCD after determining the appropriate amount,” the Cannabis Control Division said.
Native American Agricultural Development Company (NAADC), meanwhile “was cited for eight violations, including exceeding the allowable number of cannabis plants under the Cannabis Regulation Act, improper security measures, no chain of custody procedures, and ill-maintained grounds with trash and pests throughout,” according to the news release.
And much like at Bliss Farm, the Cannabis Control Division’s compliance officers “also saw evidence of a recent harvest at NAADC, but no plants had ever been entered into the mandatory track and trace system,” the release said.
“The CCD filed a Notice of Contemplated Action against NAADC on October 12, 2023. The hearing on the matter was conducted on November 22, 2023,” the news release continued. “At that time, representatives from NAADC and the CCD were given the opportunity to present their cases. The hearing officer agreed with the state’s recommendation to revoke NAADC’s license and impose a fine.”
New Mexico legalized recreational cannabis for adults in 2021, when Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the Cannabis Regulation Act into law. Legal adult-use sales began in 2022, topping $300 million in the first year of sales.
In Tuesday’s news release, the Cannabis Control Division said that it has “revoked six licenses to date and has levied more than $2.3 million in fines related to illegal activity.”
The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) posted a notice on the Federal Register on Jan. 3, which includes the most recent breakdown of Schedule I Substances in its 2024 aggregate production quotas (APQ), as well as a wide variety of public comments and DEA responses.
According to a Federal Register article published in November 2023, delta-9 THC (referred to as “d-9-THC” on the list) included a proposed amount of 900,610 grams for 2024. Now, the 2024 APQ includes a delta-9 THC of 1,523,040 grams. In comparison to last year, the established quota for delta-9 THC in 2023 was listed at 384,460 grams, while the revised quota amount was increased to 628,460.
According to the same November 2023 Federal Register article, the proposed amount of “all other tetrahydrocannabinol” was listed at 790,010 grams. Now, the 2024 APQ lists the THC quota at 1,166,130 grams. In an October 2023 APQ adjustments report, the DEA listed general THC at 15,000 for 2023 established quotas, and 350,000 for proposed revised 2023 quotas.
The DEA also included a request for 20,000 grams of psilocybin (which was established in October at 8,000 grams but increased to 15,000 grams). DMT (5-Methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine) was also listed at 3,000 grams in October and November 2023, but was updated to reflect an increase to 11,000 grams in the most recent January 2024 report.
Production goals for other substances such as marijuana (6,675,000 grams), marijuana extract (1,000,000 grams), psilocin (24,000 grams), ibogaine (150 grams), MDMA (12,000 grams), and mescaline (1,200 grams) saw no changes between November 2023 and now. Over time, the DEA has gradually increased the quota for many of these substances due to increased interest.
In the November report, the DEA explained its expectation for this trend. “There has been a significant increase in the use of schedule I hallucinogenic controlled substances for research and clinical trial purposes,” the DEA wrote. “DEA has received and subsequently approved new registration applications for Schedule I researchers and new applications for registration from manufacturers to grow, synthesize, extract, and prepare dosage forms containing specific Schedule I hallucinogenic substances for research and clinical trial purposes.”
The public comment portion of the report was compiled of 4,699 public comments “from DEA registrants, people with chronic pain, patients with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), pain advocacy associations, U.S. professional associations, U.S. nurses, the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, the Australian ADHD Professionals Association, the ADHD Foundation Australia, and others.” Those comments varied in topic, from opioid drug shortages, stimulant drug use in both the U.S. and Australia, and more.
In one of the comments, three manufacturers requested that the proposed APQ for “dexmethylphenidate (for conversion), lisdexamfetamine, and psilocybin be established at sufficient levels for manufacturers to meet medical and scientific needs.” Additionally, the DEA also received quota applications “for 4-Anilino-N-phenethyl-4piperidine (4-ANPP), all other tetrahydrocannabinol, delta-9- tetrahydrocannabinol, dimethyltryptamine, fentanyl and pentobarbital.”
Another public comment referred to the religious use of Schedule I substances (specifically “psilocin, psilocybin, mescaline, ibogaine, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), 2-(4-Iodo-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl) ethanamine (2CI), dimethyltryptamine (DMT), 5-methoxy-NN dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT)”). In one case, the Native American Church requested that the APQ for mescaline (aka peyote) be increased for their use, and allow its planting in the wild due to shortages. The commenter claimed that the DEA “has disregarded their legal religious use of psychedelics as a factor when setting the production quotas of these substances,” and requested a hearing if the agency does not grant their requests. The DEA’s response didn’t address the statement, and only wrote that the DEA has worked with indigenous communities in the past.
Another request included listing the fruiting bodies that contain psilocybin and psilocin, as well as “peyote buttons containing mescaline,” in the quotas, rather than just the pure chemicals. However, the DEA responded by stating that the APQ listings are based on the Controlled Substances Act and it will continue to label them in accordance with the act. Also technically, peyote is categorized separately from mescaline.
The DEA recently issued a warning to the state of Georgia for independent pharmacies selling low-THC cannabis oil products. “All DEA registrants, including DEA-registered pharmacies, are required to abide by all relevant federal laws and regulations,” a letter sent to pharmacies in December 2023 stated. “A DEA-registered pharmacy may only dispense controlled substances in Schedules II-V of the Controlled Substances Act. Neither marijuana nor THC can lawfully be possessed, handled, or dispensed by any DEA-registered pharmacy.”
Georgia pharmacies officially began selling low-THC cannabis oil in October 2023. At the time, only three pharmacies received a license to sell cannabis with less than 5% THC, although there are more than 400 independent pharmacies that could be a part of the program throughout the state.
With substances like fentanyl rising as one of the most common sources of overdose death last year, it’s imperative that research on the benefits of cannabis, psilocybin, DMT, continue to progress.
Sam Jay might be from Beantown but she’s been in New York long enough to master its rhythm. When Sam is not in production on various film and TV projects or touring, you can catch her stoned pretending to be a therapist to her talented comedian friends on stage during her live comedy “On Site” show.
I met this Bostonian-New York transplant several months ago where all the cool and hip creative types meet in NYC—Soho House. With an invite from a friend and killer stand-up comedian Petey Deabreu, who was previously one of Sam’s “patients,” I pulled up. It was probably one the most enjoyable NYC nights I had in a while. Petey was joined by comedian and SNL writer Rosebud Baker and her husband, comedian Andy Haynes, along with one of my favorite rappers, Smoke Dza. Jokes were cracked effortlessly left and right, countless laughs were shared, and lots of weed was passed around.
Fairly recently was another quintessential NYC evening featuring Sam Jay. One of the more exciting new events in NYC featuring live comedy is a new partnership between my home team collective, The Good Life!, and NYC hip hop and comedy impresario, Cipha Sounds. “Underbelly Comedy” is a new monthly show at the Wythe Hotel’s intimate theater space, of which Sam Jay was the headliner of the second show, and she murdered it—with some real notable comics, like Shane Torres and Daniel Simonson. I was truly in awe of Sam’s set, as she says everything about pop culture that we are all thinking, but would never say out loud. The event clears out into a little speakeasy bar where Cipha Sounds holds court and tonight the beautiful and talented DJs and twin sisters Angel & Dren take us home! Hysterical jokes were made, uncontrollable laughs were had, and copious amounts of cannabis was consumed, as per usual. But the night was far from over.
Courtesy Seth Caplin
Eventually, Sam and the gang migrated to an undisclosed location with The Lost Canna Club. After some vibes out there, we bounced to the freshly reopened Fat Buddha/Hidden Tiger bar for this year’s live recording of Bun B and Statik Selektah’s TrillStatik 3. As it turns out, Sam and Statik are really good friends with a lot in common. In fact, Statik produced music used for Sam’s latest special. And now Sam is here to lay down a very based outro for his album. Upon arrival, we were overwhelmed with legendary presence from the likes of Method Man, Talib Kweli, Rome Streetz, Smif N Wesson, Benny The Butcher, and star of the show, Bun B. If you read my article on Trillstatik 2, just know I was on my best behavior this time and didn’t bother Bun until most of his writing was done. The event was sponsored by Archive, who produces some of my favorite flower called Moonbow 99. The Astor Club family was on hand to roll that with some of their Blue Dream Cookies x Chemchi hash to create one hell of a donut for yours truly. So this time, delicious Trill Burgers were consumed, raps were recorded, and an amazing hash-hole was smoked. Moreover, I still had yet to interview Sam Jay, which was on the agenda.
How did it all start with you and your relationship with cannabis?
You know what’s crazy? I didn’t even smoke weed till like 25. I was like a D.A.R.E-ass kid, bro. I was scared as fuck of drugs. I was really brought up to believe that weed was a gateway drug, like I would be smoking crack. I literally believed all of the rhetoric—I was scared, and my mom was really anti-drug. It was not something that was acceptable in my house. Nobody talked about that kinda shit in my family. It wasn’t till I started smoking weed that I found out everyone was doing some shit, but when I was in Atlanta, my cousins was always rolling up and smoking.
I don’t know what made me start, but I know I was a little drunk one night, and I just looked at my cousins who [were] constantly smoking, like fuck it, they ain’t dead and have been smoking for years, and I just went for it. So at first, it was just something I would do with them. I couldn’t roll or anything. But, I kept saying to myself, smoking weed is straight. I just love how expansive it made my mind. Honestly, I was like, “I kinda like how my brain feels on this.” One day, I was with my cousin, and I asked him to roll me a blunt, and he was like, “Nah you smoking too much, you do it!” Once I rolled my own blunt, I started buying my own weed. And just like that, I was a weed smoker.
What would you have to do in order to cop weed when you were 25 years old in Atlanta?
I was living on the south side, at that same complex that Trinidad James shot the “All Gold Everything” video. There would be all these kids outside selling, like 2-for-$10, 3-for-$15, type-shit. So, you can buy weed, but there was no education. They would just say they had “gas.” You really did not know what you were smoking, but if it looked green enough, you’d buy it.
Okay, so what was it like hitting Los Angeles and going to the dispensaries for the first time?
That was crazy! But when I was going, you still needed that medical shit first. That was nothing for real, you was just paying for it, really. They ain’t give a fuck about what was wrong with you! So, I went to the weed store and I bought weed like a regular person and I loved it. I never wanna go back to having to find a dealer. Motherfuckers would sell you weed, but they acted like they were selling bricks of cocaine! The whole way they used to treat it was so fuckin’ crazy! I remember, my man made me pull over, he walked by a trash can, then he got back in and said, “Now you go by the trash can.” I’m like, “Are we really doing all of this for some fucking bud? When I started going to the store, they had drinks and mad other shit I had never seen before, and once you smoke that California weed, you don’t ever go back to smoking mid. It actually made me realize how much mid I would actually have to smoke in order to get high.
Now you are a stoner and a touring comedian, any issues getting to the weed while you are on the road?
No, once you are a known comic, everyone offers you drugs. It actually becomes very easy to buy drugs. It’s like, once you get into the town, n****s are like, “Hey! Let me know if you need drugs!” And that’s as soon as you get there. So, you don’t have to do much to find it. I mean, I could go to the club owner, and be like, “I need weed,” and he’ll be like, “Okay, we’ll figure it out!”
But, when I wasn’t so prominent, I did a lot of hoping I wouldn’t get robbed and praying for an upstanding drug dealer with a good moral compass.
Or, another thing I used to do was become cool with the weed man. When I lived in Atlanta, there was this young n**** named Piff. He was selling drugs, but had nowhere to go to do what he needed to do. So, he would use my crib just to bag up and burn with me. People got 5 different hustles in Atlanta, and I wasn’t really working, so he would show up at 8am and that was the morning blunt.
The author, Sam Jay, and Statik Selektah. / Courtesy Seth Zaplin
I had a feeling you had a deep appreciation for the plant. I really respect the level of honesty you have been able to reveal about yourself, especially on your show,Pause. What were the difficulties, if any?
It was easy and it was hard. It was hard because the format didn’t exist at all. In my head, I was like, “I think I can do this.” But, I wasn’t sure about the execution at all. I really wanted that shit to feel like a party, you feel me? I wanted to get people to talk the way they actually talk, and that’s hard to get on TV because people are too conscious of themselves when they know they are on TV. I had to tell HBO, “I don’t want any standing cameras and I don’t want my friends staged. Like, I don’t want you to tell my friend to go stand here…” So, we ended up putting 3 people on body cam. They had roaming cameras that moved around the room. I wouldn’t allow boom mics. Everyone was mic’d, so there was like 14 different channels of sound. The sound man hated me. We needed everyone to be chill, so we would have a party before, to get everyone comfortable using the mic, and hope they would forget they had it on. Then, we transferred them to the Pause party. Nobody knew the topics but me. So, I would start conversations and steer them where I want them to go. Also, I was high!
You were high the entire time?
For most of it.
Something that I wanted to highlight fromPauseis that you are a self-proclaimed “Suck my dick!” kid. My punk rock spirit relates to this so heavily, please elaborate!
I was just a very, “Don’t tell me what to do” type of kid. Don’t try to control me. Any sign of control, I was going the other way. Even like, being black and living in the hood, people were like, “You gotta be like this,” I was like, “No, I’m going to go listen to alternative, and be the opposite.” I’ve always been like that. Even in a dumb way, sometimes, because I have to ask myself, “Are you making this decision because this is what you want to do, or just doing this because you don’t want to do what everyone else is doing?”
Well, I think it’s pretty punk rock that onPauseyou just kinda decided to be a journalist, and now your live show “On Site” you’re basically a whole entire therapist. How does that even happen?
“On Site” really came from the desire to do a live show that wasn’t pure stand-up. Then my homie Keith Johnson, who I do the show with, was like, “You are always yelling at us, bullying us, and telling us how to run our lives. Maybe it’s a show where you fuck with comics the way you fuck with us!” And yeah, I thought it could be kinda fun to put comics in a different space and just fuck with them in a different way. It’s a really fun time, and it’s always fun to do that kinda thing with comics because they can throw it back at you. And I am also a mess, so I think that’s the underlying theme in all my work. With Pause as well, it’s like, “Well, I don’t know…” We are exploring these ideas—I’m not necessarily correct. We used to go into Pause and think it was okay for me to be wrong at the end of the journey or have my mind changed. I try to undercut that seriousness about it because [we’re all] humans that be fucking up.
I find that most stand-up specials on streaming platforms are trash. What do you think?
I think they are putting out a lot of the same voices. And, you can’t really see the diversity until you’re out in the clubs and really see what’s happening in the streets.
How did you and Statik link?
Statik Selektah: “We’re the same age and came to New York the same year.”
Hip-hop is something you obviously love and keep up with. Where does that come from?
My brothers are older than me. So by the time I was kid, my brothers were way into hip hop. One brother was very into De La Soul and Native Tongues, and my other brother was very into Big Daddy Kane and Run DMC—that type shit. I would listen to whatever they would listen to, until I got outside and started hearing what other kids was listening to. But, all of my hip-hop knowledge came from inside the house.
What do you like or dislike about current hip-hop/rap music?
I like a lot of new hip-hop. I don’t dislike anything, I just think there are things I don’t understand anymore. Like, I don’t get Playboi Carti. I don’t think it’s good, or bad, it’s just not for my ears. My little cousins, they are totally tapped in. They seem to understand it. It’s giving them something they need, so I don’t judge it. Gimme the beats, gimme the booms and baps, and gimme the lyrics—I’m an East Coast kid.
Sam Jay and Statik Selektah. / Courtesy Seth Zaplin
How did you get Statik to give you an original beat for your HBO special?
I just asked him. I just told him that’s what I wanted to do. A lot of times, when you do specials, they are open to creative shit—you just have to come with creative shit. I think it adds a real dope-ass element to the special, even when I watch it, it just sets the tone. It’s dope to have an original Statik beat. I’m such a hip-hop head—it feels cool to say that I have one now.
TrillStatik 3 is out everywhere you can stream music, and Sam Jay’s new HBO special “Salute Me Or Shoot Me” is a must-watch. Please go see her live when she hits your city! For all things Sam Jay click here!
I’ve reluctantly become a cannabis fan because I love natural health. I had brief encounters with joints during my teenage years at parties but I’ve always been too concerned about the negative effects of smoking. As an adult, I found a partner who is passionate about cannabis. Slowly but surely, this partner introduced me to a lifestyle of getting recreationally high, which has significantly reduced my alcohol consumption while offering me medicinal benefits. Sure, I enjoy a good toking session. But I’ve settled on mainly using edibles since it spared my lungs from coughing. That’s not to say that I don’t realize there is room for improvement in the world of edibles.
Whenever I try a new edible, I always have to eat it in increments. On one too many occasions, I’ve eaten a whole gummy only to find myself unable to form a coherent sentence and knocked out on the couch for the next 12 hours. So here’s my approach: sometimes I’ll eat half of a gummy and other times, when I’m feeling a little more reserved, I’ll even start with half of a half. It’s a finicky technique that has led me to unfairly develop a love-hate relationship with edibles.
Most edibles, in my opinion, are made with formulas that focus on way too much THC potency, which makes it impossible to discern any unique qualities about the product or even the high. When you’re stoned you simply can’t discern those details. Yet edible products are such an amazing opportunity to experiment with flavors, sensations, and effects. It’s frustrating to me that not enough brands are exploring that.
So having recently tried THC High Energy Gummies by Simply Crafted, I was pleasantly surprised to encounter a brand that created an edible that goes against the norm of just focusing on providing a THC high. I absolutely loved how it was created to harness the benefits of cannabis as a health supplement while combining other medicinal ingredients. Their marketing promises to deliver a “balanced and stimulating experience” that can be used to “transform your daily routine”. After trying the gummies myself, it definitely lives up to what it was designed to be.
Courtesy Simply Crafted
To test out the product, I wanted to see if it actually could energize me. I decided to dive right in and eat a whole gummy on a Tuesday morning at home. Over the next few hours, I functioned very well and I got a lot of work done. I’m a writer by trade and I could still type and take notes for work without being slowed down. I did sense a sativa vibe that provided a good day high and put me in an uplifting mood, which is the opposite of the normal sleepy state I go into after eating an edible. It was almost like the post-workout buzz and mental clarity that you experience after going to the gym or on a long run. (I also tested them out a second time in the same week and I am happy to report the same results).
I’m a big health and wellness type of person, and it seems that the brains at Simply Crafted were thinking of people like me when they were concocting this product. It’s a neat edible because it’s infused with only 5mg hemp-derived THC, and then 100mg lion’s mane mushroom and ginseng, so it’s far less of a cannabis product and more of a nootropic supplement (nootropics are a category of medicinal substances that enhance cognitive ability).
Another thing I love about the company is that they provide the full lab report of the product on their website so you understand its cannabinoid properties, which can be easily accessed via a QR code on their packaging. It’s a transparent and clean product that is organic, has no toxins, and is fully vegan.
However, it’s worth noting that the THC effects in this edible are so mild that I didn’t feel any traditional high sensation at all. So if you’re looking for a strong buzz or looking for a gummy to get you to chill out and relax, this edible isn’t the one for the task. And it would be a waste to use this edible for just doing nothing. These gummies are for individuals who want to use cannabis to increase their productivity and regulate their emotions. It could easily be taken daily as a supplement. Or, you could save these gummies to use only on days when you simply need to get your head in the zone. It’s an easy, relatively inexpensive, and low-risk addition to any medicine cabinet.
The product is sold in packages containing ten gummies, with one-half or an entire gummy being suggested per serving. The gummies come in large square shapes in a flavor called “Strawnana” which tastes like a pleasant, mildly sweet, and familiar taste that’s unique compared to other edibles I’ve tried. Since there’s a low amount of Delta-9 THC in relation to the other main active ingredients, I tasted hardly any trace of the THC flavor that I am so accustomed to with other edibles.
There’s a good level of restraint in how much THC was used in the recipe because the formula focuses on creating an energizing experience for the user. And I just love that because it’s products like this that are approachable for consumers who aren’t experienced with using cannabis edibles. It doesn’t look, taste, or feel particularly like a cannabis edible. The profound thing about these gummies is that it’s a product that bridges the gap between cannabis aficionados and those who haven’t touched weed before. I would confidently suggest this edible to anyone in my family without feeling like I have to explain or warn of the THC effects in the formula. Sure, a cannabis aficionado could detect the presence of THC in the gummy. But getting high is not the point of this edible and you can feel that.
Courtesy Simply Crafted
THC High Energy Gummies combine some of the most regarded nootropics on earth into an edible. The hemp-derived THC is a supporting ingredient and while it plays an important role in creating an energizing gummy that promotes mental clarity, it’s used for working harmony with other power-house nootropics. The inclusion of lion’s mane mushroom is a real selling point of the formula. There’s a myriad of lion’s mane mushroom health products on the market because it’s proven to support cognitive functions like nerve repair and dementia prevention. Ginseng is in the mix too, which is a famous root that is traditionally used for enhancing energy and overall well-being.
If you enjoy using THC for its health benefits but also want to supplement your diet with wellness ingredients like lion’s mane mushroom and ginseng, THC High Energy Gummies take care of that for you. And there really isn’t another product currently that combines these three ingredients into a single product – it’s basically a unicorn. Not only is this brand obviously focused on health and quality, they’re downright innovative. I personally have not come across another product that combined delta-9 THC with nootropics and I’m so glad that Simply Crafted has recognized this need for consumers. After sampling these edibles and sharing them with my partner, we’re already planning to order more.
With 5mg of THC per gummy, you can eat them whole without fear of taking too much. They won’t get you stoned and they don’t promise to. These edibles are on the light side but a solid choice for a beginner or for someone who doesn’t prefer to consume a lot of THC. They’re also fantastic for anyone who is looking to incorporate more medicinal substances into their routine without having to juggle multiple health products. Definitely reach out for some THC High Energy Gummies by Simply Crafted if you want a nice, uplifting high that makes you feel good and more focused throughout the day. Your body will thank you.
There are plenty of studies exploring how substances like cannabis and psilocybin can help treat depression, but far fewer research exploring how video games can positively treat that kind of condition. Recently in the journal Frontiers in Psychiatry, researchers from the University of Bonn in Germany found that people suffering from Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) saw a reduction in symptoms after a 3D video game (in this case, participants playing Super Mario Odyssey a game that release on Nintendo Switch in 2017). It’s the first randomized controlled study of its kind to examine the effects of a six-week video game intervention on those with depression.
Researchers explained that people with MDD often experience “reduced affect, mood, and cognitive impairments such as memory problems,” but most treatments do not target the cognitive deficits, which is why they believed that video games could help. “Playing 3D video games has been found to improve cognitive functioning in healthy people, but it is not clear how they may affect depressed mood and motivation in people with MDD,” researchers wrote. “The aim of this study was to investigate whether a six-week video game intervention leads to improvements in depressed mood, training motivation, and visuo-spatial (working) memory functions in patients with MDD.”
Forty-six clinically depressed people were split into three groups: 1.) the experimental “3D video gaming” group, an active control group who trained with a computer program called COGPACK (which is a cognitive remediation program), and 3.) a group that received typical treatment methods such as psychotherapy or pharmacotherapy. All participants were asked to perform a neuropsychological assessment, such as self-reporting questions.
The reason Super Mario Odyssey was chosen was in part because of a previous study from 2015 identified benefits of 3D-based games (the study used “Super Mario World” as an example) “can promote hippocampal plasticity, which consequently led to an enhancement in hippocampus associated cognitive functions, such as visuo-spatial memory” in comparison to a 2D game (the example was Angry Birds).
The results of the most recent study showed that there was a significant decrease in depressive symptoms. “Results indicate that after six weeks of training the 3D video gaming group showed a significant decrease in the proportion of participants with clinically significant levels of depressive symptoms by self-report and a higher mean training motivation when compared with the active control group,” researchers wrote in their conclusion. “Furthermore, results suggest significant improvements in tasks of visuo-spatial (working) memory performance during post-testing in both training groups, however, the 3D video gaming group demonstrates more selective improvements and does not perform significantly better than the other two groups.”
As of September 2023, Super Mario Odyssey is one of the highest selling Nintendo Switch games of all time, placed in fifth place on a list of games in units. In first place is Mario Kart 8 (57.01 million units), second is Animal Crossing: New Horizons (43.38 million units), third is Super Smash Brothers Ultimate (32.44 million units), The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (31.15 million units), and finally Super Mario Odyssey (26.95 million units).
We’ve also seen a steady increase in studies relating to treating various depression conditions with psychedelic substances. Medical cannabis studies continue to showcase the benefits on a variety of conditions. In November an Australian study reported the benefits of medical cannabis that improved patients’ quality of life, as well as reduced pain, anxiety, and depression.
Psilocybin was found to be a promising treatment for people with depression in a September study conducted by the American Medical Association. Earlier in December, another study found that patients with bipolar II depression benefited from using psilocybin as a treatment.
Other studies have evaluated the effects of DMT for depression too, such as one that was conducted by a United Kingdom pharmaceutical company in January 2023. Researchers said that DMT offered “a significant antidepressant effect that was rapid and durable.”
Ketamine is also being studied as a possibility for treating severe depression, as seen in a June 2023 research initiative. ECT has been the gold standard for treating severe depression for over 80 years,” researchers explained. “But it is also a controversial treatment because it can cause memory loss, requires anesthesia, and is associated with social stigma. This is the largest study comparing ketamine and ECT treatments for depression that has ever been done, and the only one that also measured impacts to memory.”
There’s a lot of potential to be studied between these substances and depression, as well as many other conditions. And with the newest research putting the spotlight on 3D video games as a method of treating depression as well, it will be very interesting to see how these two separate methods of treatment continue to evolve, or even possibly overlap.
Super Mario titles have always represented the more wholesome side of video games. Maybe all Mario games have the potential to treat depression because of this, or maybe some Super Mario games are more likely than others to offer cognitive benefits to players. While we eagerly await more studies on these topics, check out our review of Super Mario Bros. Wonder which offers a delightful journey into the strange and hilarious unknown.
It’s tough to make it in weed these days, but these brands show us that they can survive and thrive. Here are the cannabis companies that came out on top for us in 2023.
Dee Thai
Courtesy Dee Thai
These solventless rosin edibles break the mold of traditional gummy flavors through the incorporation of tropical fruits. Created by Natura and available in California, Dee Thai is the brainchild of Josh Schmidt, Natura’s vice president of business development. Schmidt grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and loved eating Asian candy and collecting baseball cards as a child. Two of Natura’s brands, Dee Thai and Sluggers (pre-rolls designed to look like the flashy Upper Deck baseball card packs), invoke a nostalgia factor in respect to Schmidt’s youth.
Originally envisioned as a CBD edible, after saying “CBD” so many times it clicked for Schmidt that “dee” in Thai means “good.” Dee Thai incorporates his longtime connections with Thailand, and started with six flavors: mangosteen, guava, lychee, pineapple, mango, and jackfruit.
“Exotic is everything in cannabis and marketing and these were like the most exotic fruits,” Schmidt says.
A few of the gummy flavors represent partnerships with other brands such as Your Highness and West Coast Alchemy. The papaya gummy crafted with Kalya Extracts rosin that we taste tested was true to the musky taste of papaya and resulted in a potent stone. Dee Thai has also expanded to offer hash-infused joints and blunts as well as vape pens.
This year the brand was on hand at the Outside Lands and BottleRock music festivals. In terms of brand recognition Dee Thai also capitalizes on the weed world’s expanding interest in Thailand, which sprouted an overnight industry after the government removed cannabis flowers from its list of prohibited narcotics in June 2022. -EH
Fig Farms
Courtesy Fig Farms
Fig Farms continues winning over the hearts and lungs of the cannabis-smoking public with their award-winning flowers. In 2023 the family-owned cannabis company took first place in indoor flower at The Emerald Cup—a competition that up until a few years ago only judged cannabis grown outdoors. That same night, they changed the face of The Emerald Cup all together when Blue Face went on to win Best in Show.
That accomplishment came courtesy of serious professional pot-smoking judges—including our own Jon Cappetta—but Fig Farms also celebrated a whole different kind of competition success this year with a first place for indica flower for Blue Face at the High Times Cannabis Cup SoCal: People’s Choice competition. The People’s Choice is judged by, well, the people.
Fig Farms is constantly popping off single-plant testers of new strain possibilities. Included in an assortment of Z crosses they’ve recently been experimenting with is a Figment x Z. Its aroma expresses the dank gas from the Figment (Purple Fig x Animal Mints 199 #4) with a bit of bergamot citrus essence from the Z. This strain is incredibly frosty. I broke it up and really shouldn’t even be typing right now, there are trichomes in my keyboard and my fingers risk sticking to the keys.
Fig Farms expanded to Illinois in 2022 and plans to soon offer seeds of their award-winning genetics. -EH
Gotti
Mulberriez / Courtesy Gotti
A legendary New York name that’s begun to ring out again in the streets. This year GOAT Global in Los Angeles helped launch the California dispensary line for Gotti, the cannabis brand built by the family of iconic mob figure John Gotti.
This team came onto the scene last year and, since then, has created lasting relationships with West Coast figures like Deep East, Greendawg, and Blueprint. They’ve built a lot of traction through releases of their Blue Sapphire, Zattie, and Seabiscuit. This last example is one that helped them win a coveted spot in the Transbay Challenge qualifying event in Los Angeles. The story of this strain is pretty incredible.
Originally this Zkittlez x Zoap was bred by Deep East for Greendawg. They ended up keeping two phenotypes from that batch but the rest were going to get chucked out the window. The team at Gotti were on the hunt for new cuts when they heard about this #25 pheno that was up for grabs if they wanted to save it. This special strain which also took honors as a part of the recent Zalympics box, was the jump off point for the relationship between Deep East and Gotti. -MJ
Have Hash
Pleazure (Collaboration with Mendoja Farms) / Photo by Benjamin Neff, @bneff420
Over this last year, Have Hash has been dominating the game and adding to the overwhelming legacy of Humboldt County hashmakers. With trophies from Cannafest, Transbay Challenge, King of Z Hill, Northern California Rosin Championship, Ego Clash, Pure Melt’s Melt Down, and Europe’s Masters of Rosin, it’s getting hard to keep up with the ways they’re breaking hearts and taking names.
Despite only having an 800-square-foot facility, the partnerships Have Hash formed with a select number of NorCal farms like Mendoja Farms, Booney Acres, and Pop Stops Growing have given the brand a strong product that’s managed to get them singled out by hash judges worldwide. Right now, Have Hash’s owner Jacob said he’s concentrating on creating exciting seasonal drops instead of offering smokers a never-ending faucet of rosin flavors (something he sees as a big flaw in the hash market). For this recent release they’ve dropped new jars like Mochi, Uvas y Crema, and Pleazure, which they made happen through fostering a collaboration between Mendo Mikey and Mendoja Farms.
Since starting in 2015, the goal for Have Hash has been to bring the kind of quality we see on the trap market over to the recreational side, something that seems to be an award-winning concept for them (literally). -MJ
Mycology Oakland
Courtesy Mycology Oakland
In the oncoming storm of psilocybin companies, Mycology Oakland has proven on a wildly different level than its peers.
In its hometown of Oakland, California there are probably about 30 to 40 mushroom chocolate entities now in operation. I’ve tried most of them—The Clout Boy stuff, Deadhead bars, Save the Planet bars, the whole nine yards. Nothing comes remotely close to the impact of a Myco bar. The brand is also building recognition with cool merchandise, including a peyote-covered bag.
In the age of fentanyl, mushrooms have turned into more of a party drug over the last few years. People dose enough to stay up all night laughing and partying but not enough to talk to God unless they accidentally take enough. This actually happened to me with a Myco Oakland 4 gram cookies and cream bar.
I had previously been splitting a chocolate bar over the course of the night at festivals. After nine or so of these adventures across different chocolate bars I thought I was dialed in. Then I ran into half of a Myco bar. I ended up somewhere between Jupiter and Saturn and went back to the tent to chill for an hour. After I came down a pinch I went exploring until 4 a.m. It was awesome. -JD
Preferred Gardens
Photo by Phil Emerson, @Philemerson
There is a legitimate argument to be made that Preferred Gardens is the best indoor cultivator on both coasts. Oh wait, we didn’t even mention they probably have the best mixed-light product in California. These realities have led to a lot of respect across the board for the company.
The dedication to excellence in flowers has turned Preferred into one of the most mom-and-pop multistate operators out there. Much of the workload on the cultivation side is handled by the founder David Polley, while his wife Nicki oversees the books and takes care of the actual business side of things.
The last few years of growth at Preferred were backboned by mixed-light cannabis, which means it was grown light-deprivation style, during which the cultivator uses tarps and supplemental lighting to maintain a steady light cycle. Those $35 eighths that Preferred is pumping to the stores that are lucky enough to be on their list are gold, but now their indoor is in the mix.
Florida won the race to Preferred’s indoor, but it has finally dropped in California and we’re thrilled with the results as they included one of the best renditions of Zoap yet seen by the marketplace.
Preferred also just built out a massive new mixed-light facility. Expect to see even more of their flowers available across America as time rolls on. -JD
Pressure Pack
Courtesy Pressure Pack
Based in Detroit, Michigan, Pressure Pack caught our eye for both their flowers and their concentrates. Their collaboration with North Coast brought wins in our Cannabis Cup Michigan: People’s Choice Edition 2023 competition for a Blue Zorbet hash rosin, a Lemon Rain infused donut pre-roll and another pre-roll filled with one of our 2022 strains of the year, Permanent Marker. Pressure Pack has a few growing facilities and works hard to ensure its flowers are top notch. Its Orange Bomb, exploding with bright tangerine citrus aromas, was awarded second place for sativa flower.
“We work really hard to try and get the best product because we only want to enjoy the best products,” cultivator Ian says. “I come from a medical background and so, for me, I use cannabis in a medical sense. I use the entourage effect to its full nature. I try to maximize the output that the plants will allow us.”
Look out for Pressure Pack newest offering which jumps in on a certified weed smoking trend, hand-rolled hash holes. -EH
Puffco
Courtesy Puffco
Every year Puffco hits us with new devices, firmware tweaks, and general improvements to their products from generation to generation. The most famous being back in 2020 when they totally rebuilt the atomizer on their flagship Peak device.
It’s been eight years since Puffco dropped the Plus. A lot of people would still put the Plus right at or near the top of the list for the dab pen format. There was a period of time before the Peak dropped when the best extractors in the world all used the Plus, but then we saw the Peak drop in 2018 and it changed the game. The Pro model dropped in 2020, and then this year we saw the launch of the upgraded Pro Model, Puffco’s best hardware yet for its famed electronic dab rig.
While the new Peak Pro model was nice, it’s hard to argue that the new XL 3D chamber won’t be the biggest release of the year for them. The new giant atomizer is the company’s hardest hitting yet. It starts with the 3D chamber tech that was first designed for the Proxy and eventually made its way to the Peak. They essentially upgraded the size one more time and produced an absolute ripper in the process.
Ripping a fat glob of hash in the XL chamber on max vapor mode will do wonders for your sinuses and soul. -JD
The Ten Co.
Courtesy The Ten Co.
By now, everyone has heard about the legendary Blue Zushi rosin that shocked the whole community by going for an unheard of price of $500 a gram. These buckets, which reached a new high water mark for the cannabis industry, were an amazing lightning in a bottle situation for The Ten Co. but there’s so much more to this brand than the hype of the hash.
Coming to Los Angeles by way of London, creator Staks and his partner Gerry have brought consumers to their knees with the Blue, Yellow, and Pink versions of Zushi (all combos of Zkittlez and Kush Mints), along with Wazabi, Zoyi, Wagyu, and Tenbanger. These bright bags with their playful, manga-style characters have inspired more than a few other designs and drawn crowds who claim The Ten Co.’s flower to be some of the best they’ve ever smoked.
Back in 2019 people were going crazy for Zushi and the past few years have done nothing to slake that thirst with prices going buck wild on both coasts. -MJ
West Coast Alchemy
Courtesy West Coast Alchemy
It’s hard to say if anyone else in the game right now has a higher output or longer reach than West Coast Alchemy. Even message boards out in Europe are filled with people trying to figure out what jars to try and cop.
These guys push an impressive amount of jars out a day and never seem to have any problems dropping new flavors and cutting edge single-origin cultivars. Though finding them online might take wading through a pool of fakes, these jars never fail to deliver on flavor since they partner with some of the best names in the scene right now.
The recent drops with Pure Melt have been incredible and worth the hunt for scooping a couple jars. -MJ
This story was originally published in the December 2023 issue of High Times Magazine.
