Saving the World Say “I Do!” One Trip at a Time to an Uplifting Ceremony Start Your Engines the Law About Cannabis and Driving {Plus} WHAT IS YOUR FUTURE?

LAS VEGAS THE NEW NORMAL 10.2019

Saving the World Say “I do!” One trip at a time to an uplifting ceremony Start Your Engines The law about cannabis and driving {plus} WHAT IS YOUR FUTURE?

sensimag.com OCTOBER 2019 3

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FEATURES

26 SPECIAL REPORT Pot or Not? How the 0.3-percent THC rule is fraying the American hemp industry.

32 Psychedelic Feminism Cosmic Sister is working to create balance and diversity through sacred plants—an earth-centered antidote to patriarchal malware in the matrix.

40 Under the Influence What are the legalities of driving and cannabis in Nevada? every issue

HIGH ANTICIPATION 9 Editor’s Note Getting married in Vegas. 11 The Buzz 14 TasteBuds 18 SPOOKTACULAR DRINKS 18 AroundTown GOING TO THE CHAPEL 22 TravelWell PUT A RING ON IT 38 Horoscope OCTOBER 2019 48 The Scene AID FOR AIDS: BLACK & WHITE PARTY 50 HereWeGo DINING WITH ART

sensimag.com OCTOBER 2019 7 sensi magazine

ego ISSUE 10 / VOLUME 2 / 10.2019 EXECUTIVE FOLLOW FOLLOW

gummies Ron Kolb [email protected] CEO, SENSI MEDIA GROUP [email protected]

US Tae Darnell PRESIDENT, SENSI MEDIA GROUP Alex Martinez [email protected] CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER EDITORIAL sensimediagroup

Stephanie Wilson [email protected] EDITOR IN CHIEF Doug Schnitzspahn [email protected] EXECUTIVE EDITOR Debbie Hall [email protected] MANAGING EDITOR, SENSI LAS VEGAS Leland Rucker [email protected] SENIOR EDITOR sensimagazine Robyn Griggs Lawrence CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Danielle Eugenia, Ryan Helmick, Mona Van Joseph CONTRIBUTING WRITERS ART & DESIGN

Jamie Ezra Mark [email protected] CREATIVE DIRECTOR Rheya Tanner sensimag Wendy Mak, Josh Clark [email protected] DESIGN & LAYOUT BUSINESS & ADMINISTRATIVE

Kristan Toth [email protected] HEAD OF PEOPLE Abi Wright [email protected] ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Amber Orvik [email protected] CHIEF ADMINISTRATOR Andre Velez [email protected] MARKETING DIRECTOR Neil Willis [email protected] PRODUCTION MANAGER Hector Irizarry [email protected] www.evergreenorganix.com DISTRIBUTION MEDIA PARTNERS @EvergreenOrganixLV @EvergreenOrganix

@EvergreenMMJ @EvergreenOrganix Marijuana Business Daily Minority Cannabis Business Association

THIS IS A MARIJUANA PRODUCT. KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN. National Cannabis Industry Association FOR USE BY ADULTS 21 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER. Students for Sensible Drug Policy

8 OCTOBER 2019 Las Vegas editor’s NOTE ADVISORY BOARD ALTERATION The AC Guys // AIR CONDITIONING American Cannabis Company // CONSULTING Look up the word “change” in the thesau- rus, and vocabulary such as transformation, modification, ad- Bailey’s CBD // PET CBD TINCTURE & TREATS justment, amendment, and variable come up. Change can be DigiPath Labs // CANNABIS TESTING radical, subtle, extraordinary, inviting, horrible, or revolutionary. Electrum Partners // The one factor about change is that it is never boring or dull. STRATEGIC VENTURE DEVELOPMENT A quote about the importance of change is attributed to our 35th president, John F. Kennedy, as he observed, “Change is the Evergreen Organix // PREMIUM BAKED GOODS law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are Flower One // LAS VEGAS LUXURY CANNABIS certain to miss the future.” Las Vegas maintains its significant shift as Allegiant Stadium, Genius Products T, Inc.. // RECREATIONAL CANNABIS PRODUCTS the new Las Vegas home of the Raiders and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Rebel team, continues building for its sched- Green Leaf Money, LLC. // uled completion in 2020. Owners of surrounding buildings and CANNA BUSINESS FINANCING businesses have become multimillionaires, and rents are sky- Greenhouse Payment Solutions // rocketing. While many locals and tourists are excited about this PAYMENT PROCESSING new era of national sports teams in Las Vegas, the changing The Healing Panda // CUSTOM CBD OIL landscape also brings trepidation. Merriam-Webster dictionary added Mx. as a gender-neutral title Ideal Business Partners // akin to Ms. and Mr. The continuing shift accepting binary (gen- CORPORATE LAW & FINANCE der-neutral), pansexual, and transgender celebrates differences. Jupiter Research // INHALATION HARDWARE Labels are becoming passé as a new generation embraces change.

Lee’s Discount Liquor // LIQUOR STORE It remains a bumpy ride for legalized cannabis with a morato- rium on consumption lounges for up to two years in Nevada. Libra Wellness // INFUSED GOURMET CHOCOLATES Hearings about awarding new dispensary licenses in Nevada Matrix NV // PREMIUM LIVE RESIN brought allegations of improprieties from those who did not re- ceive a license. The roller-coaster ride continues nationally as the Nevada Powders // cannabis terrain changes minute-by-minute. POWDER PROCESSING SERVICES FOR EDIBLES The federal government demonstrates signs of legalizing can- Pharaohs Leaf CBD // HOLISTIC LIFESTYLE CBD nabis for adult-use recreation and medicinal use nationally, Red Rock Fertility // FERTILITY DOCTOR promising a different social climate. There is still much work to be done with decriminalization and allowing a different set of This Stuff Is Good For You // guidelines for those who want to work in the cannabis industry. CBD BATH AND BODY I am confident anything can be achieved with the best outcome. Undoo // OVERCONSUMPTION RELIEF A big thank-you for joining us on this journey as the main- stream embraces the new normal with a pro-cannabis voice. It Wellness Premium Products // HEMP SALON PRODUCTS is my honor to continue to be part of Sensi magazine Yours in the new normal,

Debbie Hall MANAGING EDITOR SENSI LAS VEGAS

sensimag.com OCTOBER 2019 9 10 OCTOBER 2019 Las Vegas Tourist Terrain Motel Vegas records Sin City art and history. When Americans embraced road trips mid-last-century, motor hotels became motels with neon signs and unique architecture, and they exploded in Las Vegas. Art historian and photographer Fred Sigman captures the history, art, and human existence in Motel Vegas (SMALLWORKSPRESS.COM). The beautiful coffee-table book engages with over 75 photos from the most historic motel locations in Las Vegas and the surrounding area. In the mid-1990s, Sigman began photographically documenting vintage motels and their signage. While some remain in business, operating in obscurity, others have been demolished with only a sign remaining in the Neon Museum. Many fell into disarray or became havens for people living the street life. He contrasts the reality of the motels in the 1990s with picturesque postcards from the 1940s to 1960s, depicting a very different time. Motels popped up in downtown Vegas along Fremont Street heading towards Hoover Dam along Boulder High- way into Henderson and Boulder City. Along Las Vegas Boulevard, motels were constructed south of the Strip, some on the Strip (with a couple still remaining), north into the city of North Las Vegas, and beyond. One of the most deﬁ nitive photos is of the Gateway Motel, considered one of the oldest motels in South- ern Nevada still in business. Postcards from 1939 and 1954 contrast the reality of the photo of the motel in 1995 that has not changed in 24 years. –Debbie Hall

Wake Up Sustainability Woken Coffee serves compostable espresso pods. Sipping a cup of espresso brings nirvana for that caf- ality is that the feine buzz with rich flavors. Woken Coffee (WOKEN.COFFEE) plastic and alu- takes that cup one step further, featuring 100 percent com- minum in those postable and biodegradable pods that are compatible with pods never go an OriginalLine Nespresso Machine (only). away. The cap- Diverse blends include lungo, a dark and rich taste; vanil- sules are pro- la, a creamy flavor with sweet undertones; and arabica, fra- duced using wind, hydropower, sun, and biogas, conserving grant and intense. Arabic and robusta beans are roasted and energy and resources. ground in Italy. If you compost, after enjoying your espresso, simply toss The flavor profile skyrockets with the delight of helping to the pod in with food waste and other material to send to a sustain the earth. The single-serve garbage predicament in- municipal composting facility. In 90 days, used pods will bio- volves disposing cups and plastic or aluminum espresso pods. degrade back into plant and soil. If you are interested in com- As landfills overflow with single-serve espresso pods, the re- posting, visit FINDACOMPOSTER.COM. –DH

sensimag.com OCTOBER 2019 11 Tramaine Stephens, who was born in Jamaica and raised in Las Vegas. Jerk chicken is barbecue chicken seasoned with Jamaican herbs and spices. The dark meat is slight- ly sweeter, and the white meat is savory. Jerk chicken can be served as an entrée, pasta dish, chicken salad, and wings for snacks. Big Jerk’s menu is based on the founders’ favorite family dishes passed on from generation to generation. Big Jerk started as a food truck but now is a brick-and- mortar restaurant with a full menu offering authentic Caribbean cuisine. Try favorites such as oxtail cooked jerk or traditional style. Sides such as mac & cheese, rice and beans, and plan- tains spice up any meal. Ribs, seasoned with sides of jerk sauce (traditional), ja sauce (pineapple), or bombo- Jolt Of Flavor clot sauce (hot), tempt Bold tastes defi ne Big Jerk. beef lovers. Shrimp, The comfort of Caribbean home cooking comes lobster, and red snap- to Las Vegas with Big Jerk (BIGJERKCARIBBEAN.COM). Fami- per gratify those craving fi sh, and a special kids’ menu ly recipes, traditional fare, and a fun twist on classic dish- satisfi es small appetites. Sunday brunch adds Jamaican es, along with its specialty jerk chicken, will make it a ackee (fruit) and saltfi sh (salted cod) and American favor- BY EDISON GRAFF PHOTO favorite culinary choice. ites including grits, French toast, and hash. –DH

“We wanted to introduce our food and especially focus 430 E Silverado Ranch Blvd. // Las Vegas // (702) 427-5267 OF BIG JERK CARIBBEAN COURTESY PHOTOS on authentic jerk chicken,” explains Big Jerk co-founder Restore Balance Like the fish, Koi CBD sustains the body. The cannabidiol (CBD) market has exploded with an array of products. However, one company, Koi CBD (KOICBD.COM) maintains its mission of creating a standard of quality for CBD products offering full traceability from start to finish. Koi’s products include CBD tinctures, gummies, vape juices, topicals, CBD for pets, and devices and cartridges. Koi mixes and rolls its full-spectrum CBD blend into gummies three times potent cannabinoids, and six flavors: peppermint, strawberry, to distribute the CBD throughout each piece. Its CBD healing lemon-lime, spearmint, orange, and natural. balm adds Koi PRIZM, its proprietary true spectrum oil that is Furry friends benefit from True-Spectrum CBD-infused THC-free, rich in phytocannabinoids, and warms on contact. pet treats, including Koi CBD Soft Chews and Koi Naturals Koi’s topical CBD lotion with scents including pink grapefruit, CBD Spray. Treats are made from non-psychoactive and lavender, and citrus burst combines 200 milligrams of all-natu- non-toxic hemp oil with no THC and natural bacon flavor. ral CBD with organic aloe, organic coconut, and natural extracts. Sprays are 500 milligrams of Koi PRIZM full-spectrum CBD Koi Naturals all-natural sublingual CBD tinctures are available pet tincture in a 60-milliliter spray bottle without any THC or in three strengths, each containing a blend of 13 terpenes and chemical residue. –DH

12 OCTOBER 2019 Las Vegas Bikers Unite 6th-annual Pawn Stars Poker Run. // October 6, 2019 Motorcycles will roar through Las Vegas when Rick Harrison of History Channel’s Pawn Stars leads his sixth annual Pawn Stars Poker Run (POKERRUN2019.EVENTBRITE.COM) to benefit the Epilepsy Foundation of Nevada (EPILEPSY.COM/NEVADA). Beginning at the World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop, the ride will stop at the 105-year-old historic Pioneer Sa- loon in Goodsprings, Nevada; No Regrets Bar; and the Porchlight Grille. Riders will then return to the Pawn Plaza in downtown Las Vegas for the official after-party. The celebration will feature a raffle, live band, and catering by Rick’s Rollin Smoke BBQ & Tavern. Participants in the ride can win $2,000 for the best hand and $1,000 for the worst hand, along with other prizes. “When the Epilepsy Foundation and I joined forces, they were looking for a sig- nature event for me to get involved with, and I suggested a bike run. It is a great epilepsy community get together and a lot of fun,” explains Harrison. He serves as the spokesperson for the national Epilepsy Foundation and holds a seat on its board of directors. “I had epilepsy until I was 18, and it truly led me to my passion for books and history, which led to my work on Pawn Stars. When the Epilepsy Foundation found out, they asked me to get involved. I enjoy giving back and especially to a cause that needs so much more attention and research. We are a great team, the Epilepsy Foundation and myself.” –DH

PHOTO BY EDISON GRAFF PHOTO World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop // 713 Las Vegas Blvd. S. // Las Vegas // (702) 385-7912

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BIG JERK CARIBBEAN COURTESY PHOTOS Repurpose Beauty 80s Rocker Mom jewelry recycles old into new. Imagine a well-worn leather coat transformed into unique jewelry that makes a statement. Wendy Gelbart creates and designs jewelry using leather clothing, broken accessories, discarded beads, and even vinyl album covers in her ’80s Rocker Mom jewelry line (FACEBOOK.COM/80SROCKERMOM). After Gel- bart left her PhD program, she searched for a creative outlet. She loves perus- ing thrift shops and found a book about how to make leather jewelry. Gelbart focused on ﬁ nding damaged vintage jackets for her designs. Gelbart features bold cuff bracelets; chunky statement pieces; festival wear adorned with wood, beads, and feathers; funky earrings; and lots of skulls. She recently introduced a gift line of beaded bracelets that come on a card with either an inspirational or sarcastic quote. Her tags and hang cards are crafted from old album jackets. She is playing around with turning old cassette cases into gift boxes. Along with searching for unique colors of leather or jewelry she can repurpose, Gelbart is involved in several women’s groups, trading pieces from her collec- tion for old jewelry. She has partnered with nonproﬁ t clothing closets for the community repurposing worn jackets while donating pieces for their clients. –DH

sensimag.com OCTOBER 2019 13 {tastebuds by DEBBIE HALL}

SPOOKTACULTAR LIBATIONS Drink up some Halloween cocktails by Constellation Catering.

Along with pumpkin spice and cooler temps, haunted These unique twists on Halloween cocktails feature houses, ghostly visions, and the anticipation of Hallow- winning spirits from the PR%F Awards 2019 (PROO- een permeate the days and nights of October. Celebrate FAWARDS.COM), an international spirits competition held the entire month with these scary yet tasty cocktails by annually in Las Vegas. A big thanks to Constellation Cater- Constellation Catering (CONSTELLATIONCATERING.COM), a ing mixologist Rob Smith, who created these drinks. specialty Las Vegas spirits catering company.

THE BLACK WIDOW SMASH

INGREDIENTS • 1½ ounces Ryno Tequila Extra Añejo (PR%F Awards Gold/90 points) • 8 fresh blackberries, plus more for topping • 2 tsp fresh rosemary, plus a sprig for serving • Juice of a half lemon • 2 tbsp honey • A couple dashes of Angostura bitters

14 OCTOBER 2019 Las Vegas {tastebuds by DEBBIE HALL} DARK & STORMY

INGREDIENTS INSTRUCTIONS • 2 ounces Rhumb Runner Belize Travellers Rum STEP 1: In a highball glass filled with (PR%F Awards Double Gold/96 points) ice, combine Rhumb Runner/Belize • Ginger beer Travellers Rum, lime juice, and bitters. • Juice of half a lime STEP 2: Top with ginger beer and SPOOKTACULTAR • A couple dashes of Angostura bitters LIBATIONS garnish with a lime wedge. Drink up some Halloween cocktails by Constellation Catering. BLOOD SUCKER COCKTAIL

INGREDIENTS INSTRUCTIONS Along with pumpkin spice and cooler temps, haunted These unique twists on Halloween cocktails feature • 2 ounces Belaruska Lemon STEP 1: Pour Belaruska Lemon Flavored Vodka houses, ghostly visions, and the anticipation of Hallow- winning spirits from the PR%F Awards 2019 (PROO- Flavored Vodka and orange juice into a shaker with ice. Shake een permeate the days and nights of October. Celebrate FAWARDS.COM), an international spirits competition held (PR%F Awards Silver) and pour into a stemless wine glass. • Galliano L’Aperitivo Liqueur the entire month with these scary yet tasty cocktails by annually in Las Vegas. A big thanks to Constellation Cater- STEP 2: Dip the end of a drinking straw into (PR%F Awards Century Award Winner Galliano, hold the tip of your finger over the other Constellation Catering (CONSTELLATIONCATERING.COM), a ing mixologist Rob Smith, who created these drinks. 100 points, perfect score) end, and use the straw to drip Galliano into the specialty Las Vegas spirits catering company. • Orange juice drink, where it will sink in red blobs. Do not stir.

THE BLACK WIDOW SMASH BLOOD PEACH BELLINI

INGREDIENTS INGREDIENTS INSTRUCTIONS • 1½ ounces Ryno Tequila Extra Añejo (PR%F Awards Gold/90 points) • 4 ounces chilled Bellissima Zero Sugar In a pint glass, gently stir all of the • 8 fresh blackberries, plus more for topping Sparkling Wine ingredients. Pour the drink into a • 2 tsp fresh rosemary, plus a sprig for serving (PR%F Awards Gold/90 points) chilled flute. • Juice of a half lemon • ½ ounce Campari • 2 tbsp honey • 1 ounce white peach puree • A couple dashes of Angostura bitters • ¼ ounce grenadine

INSTRUCTIONS STEP 1: Sprinkle rims with Snowy River All-Natural Cocktail Glitter (PR%F Awards Double Gold points) STEP 2: In a cocktail shaker, combine blackberries, rosemary, lemon GIN & HYDE juice, and honey. Muddle or shake all ingredients together. INGREDIENTS INSTRUCTIONS STEP 3: Add ice, Ryno Tequila Extra Añejo Tequila, and Angostura • 2 ounces Xoriguer Distillery Mahón Gin STEP 1: Mix Xoriguer Distillery Mahón Gin, lemon bitters to the shaker. Shake vigorously to incorporate all (PR%F Awards Double Gold/96 points) juice, and grenadine in a cocktail shaker. Pour ingredients. • ½ ounce lemon juice into a Collins glass filled with ice. STEP 4: Add ice to a stemless wine glass and strain the drink over • 1 tsp grenadine STEP 2: Top with tonic water and garnish with the ice. Top off with sparkling water and gently stir to combine. • Tonic water a glow stick. The tonic water will glow under Garnish with a fresh sprig of rosemary. black lights. PHOTOS COURTESY OF CONSTELLATION CATERING OF CONSTELLATION COURTESY PHOTOS

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16 OCTOBER 2019 Las Vegas sensimag.com OCTOBER 2019 17 {aroundtown by DANIELLE EUGENIA}

GOING TO THE CHAPEL

Take your special day to dreamy heights.

Las Vegas takes pride in being the wedding capital of the surround private ceremony and reception sites. History world, drawing couples with pending nuptials to Nevada is preserved with bullet holes in the wall, the original ta- with promises of stunning settings, adrenaline-pumping ble from a shootout, and the original bar from the early experiences, more celebrated shows than you could pos- 1900s. The saloon offers a private bar and a grassy area sibly see, scenic drives, helicopter rides, and nearby natural that can seat up to 300 people. It is located in the historic and manmade wonders. The best part is that many venues town of Goodsprings, Nevada, 27 miles south of Vegas off and chapels are cannabis-friendly. So, while laws must be State Route NV-161. Grab your cowboy boots and kick off followed, consider the following to say your “I do’s” in Sin your marriage with a rowdy Wild West wedding day. City. Southern Nevada offers a diverse selection, from the sophisticated Rat Pack to the Wild West.

Get married in the style of the early 1900s. 310 NV-161 // Goodsprings // (702) 874-9362 Go back in time with an Old West country-style wedding at the Pioneer Saloon (PIONEERSALOON.INFO), one of the oldest saloons in the state of Nevada, rich with history. Mountains, plants, and miles of desert scenery en-

compassing the most beautiful views of Southern Nevada OF THE PIONEER SALOON COURTESY PHOTO EUGENIA BY DANIELLE PHOTOGRAPHY

18 OCTOBER 2019 Las Vegas Enhance the ceremony with Instagramable moments. 10325 Nu-Wav Kaiv Blvd. // Las Vegas // (702) 658-1400 About 25 miles northwest of the Strip, an oasis of un- disturbed beauty celebrates weddings and receptions. The Las Vegas Paiute Golf Resort (LVPAIUTEGOLF.COM) is an international golf destination located in Vegas’ back- yard. There is over 5,000 square feet of space, including a gazebo, cigar lounge, sitting room with fireplace, and a full restaurant. The banquet hall can seat 300 featuring breath- taking desert, golf course and lake views seen through the floor-to-ceiling windows. The vast sky, mountain ranges, and wildlife embrace the ambiance. A private suite for the bride and bridesmaids allows for glamorizing on this special day. The Las Vegas Paiute Golf Resort, located on Native THE VAST SKY, MOUNTAIN Paiute Tribe’s Land, restricts the use of cannabis on the RANGES, AND property per tribal regulations. However, NuWu North dis- WILDLIFE MATCH pensary, owned and operated by the Pauite Tribe, is conve- THE AMBIANCE. niently located close to the property.

Plan a wedding with sophisticated elegance. 5050 Spanish Trail // Lane Las Vegas // (702) 364-5050 Five miles west of the Strip’s glittering lights, the stunning Spanish Trails Country Club (SPANISHTRAILCC.COM) takes guests to a different world. The ceremony is centered in front of a waterfall, and the bordering areas beckon capturing the moment with photography. Its covered terrace features the experience of being in a country club setting. All of its rooms offer expansive floor-to-ceiling windows for sweeping views of green courses and the surrounding valley. The clubhouse can accommodate 200 guests for a sit-down dinner and up to 300 guests for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. Relive the era of the Rat Pack with tuxedos and gowns.

DANIELLE ABBOTT began studying photography in 1994. She owns and operates Danielle Eugenia Photography (DANIELLEEUGENIAPHOTOGRAPHY.COM), providing a safe and expansive experience for women’s portraiture, boudoir, commercial, engagement, and wedding photography. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE PIONEER SALOON COURTESY PHOTO EUGENIA BY DANIELLE PHOTOGRAPHY

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sensimag.com OCTOBER 2019 21 {travelwell by DANIELLE EUGENIA}

PUT A RING ON IT Q&A with Clark County Clerk Lynn Goya about Vegas wedding tourism. PHOTOS OF LYNN GOYA AND WEDDING BUREAU BY DANIELLE EUGENIA BY DANIELLE AND WEDDING BUREAU OF LYNN GOYA PHOTOS LITTLE WHITE CHAPEL BY DIETMAR RABICH

22 OCTOBER 2019 Las Vegas Wedding bells ring around the Las Vegas valley as the destination wedding industry continues to be an eco- nomic force of the community. It brings in $2.5 billion per year, employs over 18,000 people, and supports hundreds of small, mom-and-pop businesses with over 120 stand- alone chapels. Still, there are common clichés of gaudy Vegas weddings such as the drive-through chapel. Yes, Vegas offers several drive-through places, but there are so many other locations and experiences, including cannabis-friendly venues. Nevada still remains the No. 1 state in the US to get married, but the number of licenses issued and ceremonies performed have declined in recent years due to several factors. Sensi magazine weighs in on wedding tourism with Clark County Clerk Lynn Goya. She is responsible for the office that issues wedding licenses and also works with private and public sectors to maintain and grow the wedding industry in Clark County, which includes the city of Las Vegas and the Strip.

How long have you worked for the county? Since 2015. This is an elected position, so I have been elected twice.

How many marriage licenses were issued in Nevada last year? In 2018, we issued about 74,500, but about 1.5 percent do not have a wedding certificate filed each year. PHOTOS OF LYNN GOYA AND WEDDING BUREAU BY DANIELLE EUGENIA BY DANIELLE AND WEDDING BUREAU OF LYNN GOYA PHOTOS

No place in the country issues the number of marriage licenses that are issued in Clark County. This is the epi- center of wedding tourism. Of the ceremonies performed, about 20 percent of the couples are local, and the other 80 percent are destination weddings from around the country with 20 percent of those coming from international destinations.

sensimag.com OCTOBER 2019 23 is performed, the officiant will file your marriage certificate with us. As soon as it is filed, you can go online and click the “Order Certified Proof of Marriage” button to order the official copy of your marriage certificate.

What are some of the challenges in the wedding industry in Las Vegas? This is such a wonderful industry; we have increasing competition from other states and countries for destination weddings. The majority of couples who get married in Las Vegas are from another state or country. Couples are offered more choices now. Our responsibility in Clark County is to make sure that couples know about all of the beautiful places and experiences we offer in Clark County. I think that’s a challenge, but it’s also an opportunity for us, which is exciting. The wedding industry has come together over the past few years and created the Las Vegas Wed- ding Chamber of Commerce, which is the first in the world as far Since you started in 2015, have you seen a growth in the number of as we know. All of us in the industry are working together to tell issued marriage licenses? everyone what we have because I think there is a perception about Las Vegas We are in decline right now and have been since the 2000s, so we never really weddings that is not real. Movies with outrageous stories and funny plots can be recovered from the recession, but we are doing things to help change that sta- very entertaining for people watching them, but the reality is that you can’t get tistic. At our peak, which was 2004, we issued over 128,000 licenses. drunk, wake up in the morning, and realized you got married. That’s a myth, and it is also illegal for the officiant to marry anyone who is incapacitated. I think the Do you have any statistics on same-sex marriages in Nevada? biggest challenge we have is informing people of the lovely wedding experiences We implemented same-sex marriage licenses when the Supreme Court ruled are really here instead of what movie or television portrays in Vegas. these marriages are legal. In the beginning, about 4.5 percent of licenses for same-sex couples were issued, and now it’s about 6 percent, so it remains How important do you feel the wedding industry is for the consistent with some growth. Las Vegas community? I think that the wedding industry in Las Vegas is unique in the world. It’s an What do you need to do to get a marriage license in Clark County? international brand that everyone recognizes. We did a pop-up marriage license Every step you need to take starts with MLIC.VEGAS. If you want more infor- bureau at the airport for the last two years as a courtesy and service to couples mation about IDs or details about getting married, click on “Questions?” and over Valentine’s Day weekend because they can get off the plane and, while it will take you to our main website. Once you are ready to fill out your wed- waiting for their luggage, can go to the office and pick up their marriage license. ding license application, go online and click the “I Want To Get Married” tab that We do that on Valentine’s Day because it’s always a really big day for us. People will take you to an online marriage license application. After submitting your still love Las Vegas as a wedding destination. application, pick up your marriage license at one of our three marriage license bureau branches; our main office is located in downtown Las Vegas, and the What else is the bureau doing with the wedding industry? other branches are in Laughlin (open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday) and Hen- We are partnering with dot Vegas and the Las Vegas Wedding Chamber of derson (open Wednesday and Thursday). Both people need to show up in per- Commerce (WEDDINGCHAMBER.VEGAS) to offer couples a free website for the son at the Marriage License Bureau with their government-issued ID to pick up first year with a nominal fee to continue to host the site afterward. We would a marriage license, which is your permission to get married in the state. Then love to see people keep this as their personal website to share their married life you need to select an officiant and venue and get married. After the ceremony online with their first house, vacations, children, and other events.

24 OCTOBER 2019 Las Vegas is performed, the officiant will file your marriage certificate with us. As soon as it is filed, you can go online and click the “Order Certified Proof of Marriage” button to order the official copy of your marriage certificate.

How important do you feel the wedding industry is for the Las Vegas community? I think that the wedding industry in Las Vegas is unique in the world. It’s an international brand that everyone recognizes. We did a pop-up marriage license bureau at the airport for the last two years as a courtesy and service to couples over Valentine’s Day weekend because they can get off the plane and, while waiting for their luggage, can go to the office and pick up their marriage license. We do that on Valentine’s Day because it’s always a really big day for us. People still love Las Vegas as a wedding destination.

What else is the bureau doing with the wedding industry? We are partnering with dot Vegas and the Las Vegas Wedding Chamber of Commerce (WEDDINGCHAMBER.VEGAS) to offer couples a free website for the first year with a nominal fee to continue to host the site afterward. We would love to see people keep this as their personal website to share their married life online with their first house, vacations, children, and other events.

sensimag.com OCTOBER 2019 25 SPECIAL REPORT POTOR NOT?

HEMP IS NOW LEGAL ON A FEDERAL LEVEL, BUT LAW ENFORCEMENT STRUG- GLES TO DISTINGUISH IT FROM CANNABIS. THE 2018 FARM BILL, WHICH LEGALIZED INDUSTRIAL HEMP WITH LESS THAN 0.3 PERCENT THC, WAS HAILED BY THE US HEMP INDUSTRY AS CAUSE FOR INTENSE CELEBRATION. AN AGRICULTURAL STAPLE ONCE PRODUCED IN ABUNDANCE BEFORE WORLD WAR II, HEMP WAS, FINALLY, AGAIN TO BE TREATED LIKE ANY OTHER PLANT.

The 2018 Farm Bill was lauded as the ﬁ rst step toward nies on legal issues. “The hemp bill is clearly pro-farm- giving farmers the chance to make the US a hemp na- er and pro-cultivation. Let’s grow it, process it, create a tion once more. “Congress clearly wanted to encourage a thriving market, and in my opinion also turn it into in- hemp industry. It couldn’t be more obvious,” says Frank ternational commerce,” he says. “The language is clear Robison, a Denver lawyer who works with hemp compa- that it wanted to create a market.”

26 OCTOBER 2019 Las Vegas POT NOT?

How the 0.3-percent THC figure is fraying the American hemp industry.

by LELAND RUCKER

Some unexpected problems are threatening to under- In January, a trailer carrying 7,000 pounds of hemp mine this growth. And it all boils down to this: What is was seized and the driver arrested by the Idaho State Po- hemp, what is cannabis, and how is that determined? lice. A truckful of hemp was apprehended in South Da- Since the 2018 Farm Bill’s implementation, neither the kota and the driver charged with cannabis possession Federal Drug Administration nor the Department of Ag- in August. A company whose shipment of hemp was riculture have produced national rules and regulations seized by Oklahoma police, who claimed it was marijua- for hemp. And because most hemp is now being trans- na, are suing the police, the county, and an attorney to ported by trucks and trailers passing between states, get their product back. each with different rules and knowledge about the legal- Police and district attorneys in several states are com- ity of hemp, it’s causing any number of hassles. plaining they don’t have the equipment or knowledge to

sensimag.com OCTOBER 2019 27 28 OCTOBER 2019 Las Vegas make the distinction, either. In Florida, the State Attorney’s Offi ce has ruled that the sight or smell of marijuana can no longer be used as probable cause for search because they both smell skanky. Charges against University of Nebraska football players for possession were dropped because the state couldn’t prove whether what they had was cannabis or hemp. In Texas, the Austin district attorney said her offi ce would stop prosecuting possession cases involving four ounces or less unless there was a lab test, and Houston’s DA dismissed 32 felony marijuana cases, es- timating that it would cost $185,000 and take up to a year to implement the testing procedure and hire people to run it. In a sign of the signifi cance of the problem, the US Drug Enforcement Administration put out a request for information on private companies that might have the technolo- gy for fi eld tests sensitive enough to distinguish between hemp and marijuana. The USDA’s William Richmond said in August that the agency is grappling with the Farm Bill‘s requirement for a national THC testing protocol. “We need to have testing procedures in place,” he said, but coming up with reliable testing methods is “as complicated as you think it is.”

IS IT REALLY THAT TOUGH? Not everybody feels it’s that diffi cult. Cannabis, or marijuana, and hemp are the same plant species, Cannabis sativa. Though similar in appearance and odor, they are distinctly different in composition and the chemicals they produce. The national standard written into the 2018 Farm Bill for determining whether a crop is hemp or cannabis is that hemp must contain no more than 0.3 percent of the chemical delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on a dry-weight basis. good chance of coming in above that 0.3 percent delta-9 “And that’s just a very random, arbitrary number,” says THC percent limit at maturity.” Cindy Orser, chief scientifi c offi cer at Digipath, an independent cannabis testing lab in Las Vegas. “And you THREE-TENTHS OF ONE PERCENT know, it’s just not right to defi ne a plant species based In 1937, hemp and cannabis were both essentially on a chemical that can fl uctuate based on its growing demonized and taxed out of existence. There is reason environment and by its genetics.” to believe that other industries—cotton, building—were Hemp has been grown forever for its fi ber and seed behind the hemp ban, but at least one was because of for use in a wide variety of products. “When people say law-enforcement diffi culties distinguishing between hemp, they usually mean industrial hemp, which is also hemp and cannabis. With both illegal, there was no need called European hemp,” she explains. “It’s been bred for to differentiate between the two, and no attempt was centuries for its fi ber content, and it has very low canna- made. The number 0.3 percent delta-9 THC (3/10 of 1 per- binoid content.” cent) on a dry weight basis comes from a 1976 study of Orser notes that there is also another hemp, what she cannabis taxonomy and was never intended as a legal calls American hemp, or resin hemp, which is grown for distinction, Orser says. its higher CBD content. “It’s not being grown for fi ber, While there are several different forms of THC, only one, it’s not being grown for its fl ower,” she says. “It’s being delta-9 THC, gets you “high.” The 0.3 percent legal limit grown for oil, from either seeds or clones that have a only applies to delta-9 THC. By law, this is the sole can-

sensimag.com OCTOBER 2019 29 30 OCTOBER 2019 Las Vegas nabinoid that is considered when determining whether A POSSIBLE SOLUTION a cannabis plant is lawful hemp or unlawful marijuana. Farmers are uncertain, too, and for good reason. If any The issue is that gas chromatography (GC), a primary portion of a hemp crop comes up at 0.4 percent delta-9 testing method used by both law enforcement agencies THC or higher at harvest time, that entire crop would and state departments of agriculture, heats up a cannabis have to be destroyed. Orser is trying to empirically de- sample in order to tease out and measure delta-9 THC levels. termine a representative value for THC that would en- THCa, another of more than 100 chemicals produced by the able farmers and not confuse law enforcement. She has plant which is not mentioned in the statute, converts to del- done testing on American hemp and has found that ta-9 THC when heated. “In other words, the GC testing meth- more than half of the plant samples of CBD resin hemp, od actually creates the very same cannabinoid that is being turn up “hot,” or above the 0.3 percent number. Digipath tested,” says Asheville, NC, cannabis attorney Rod Kight. is currently beta-testing a molecular or DNA-based as- Here’s what Project CBD says about the number. “The say that distinguishes industrial hemp from resin hemp 0.3 percent THC legal limit is an arbitrary, impractical, and drug-type cannabis within two hours. euphoria-phobic relic of reefer madness. Although it Growing hemp for CBD is diffi cult enough, Kight says, lacks a scientifi c basis, it has become the latest lynchpin and limiting the strains a farmer can use places an un- of cannabis prohibition, a dishonest, anachronistic pol- due and unnecessary burden. “Aside from legal consider- icy that impedes medical discovery and blocks patient ations, the reason that this issue is important is because access to valuable therapeutic options, including herbal widespread adoption of the total THC position would be extracts with various combinations of CBD and THC.” harmful to the hemp industry—in particular hemp farmers,” Kight says. “Requiring total THC concentrations to remain within 0.3 percent, rather than just limiting delta-9 THC, severely limits the hemp strains a farmer can grow.” Although the gas chromotography test is the most widely used, Kight and others argue that another test— high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)—does not use heat to separate and measure delta-9 THC con- “We’re talking centrations, which means it’s testing the actual amount of delta-9 THC in any sample. about such The HPLC test doesn’t create higher concentrations of the same molecule that determines whether a plant minuscule is lawful or an illegal controlled substance. Because GC amounts [of testing creates delta-9 THC, Kight says that using it to test hemp is contrary to law and can even amount to ev- THC]. On or off idence tampering in the context of a criminal case. One fi nal thing to remember here is that we are talking the record, about minuscule amounts of delta-9 THC. There are no concerns that a hemp crop that comes in at 0.4 percent, WHO CARES?” or 0.7 percent, or even 1.0 percent delta-9 THC, is going to —Frank Robison, Lawyer be sold or used instead as recreational or medical cannabis. Most legally available cannabis begins at around 15 percent delta-9 THC and goes up from there. Nobody will ever get high using any hemp product, even if it comes in over the limit. And it’s the farmers, the ones who fi nd out whether their crop is legal or not after it has grown to maturity, who are paying the price for such a fi ckle number. “Farmers work on razor-thin margins. We should be giving them the most latitude possible and have this uniform from state to state,” says Robison. “We’re talking about such minuscule amounts. On or off the record, who cares? It doesn’t make any sense. Why not give farmers the chance?”

sensimag.com OCTOBER 2019 31 D PHOTOGRAPHY BY TRACEY ELLER / PHOTO EDITS BY JOSH CLARK ELLER / PHOTO BY TRACEY PHOTOGRAPHY

32 OCTOBER 2019 Las Vegas With Cosmic Sister, Zoe Helene is working to create balance and diversity through sacred plants—an earth-centered antidote to patriarchal malware in the matrix.

by ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE DELIC FEMINISM

TWELVE YEARS AND MANY JOURNEYS AGO, DURING AN AYAHUASCA CEREMONY IN THE PERUVIAN AMAZON, ZOE HELENE WAS CHALLENGED BY A POWERFUL, ANCIENT GODDESS ARCHETYPE TO STEP UP AND DO SOMETHING WITH THE PRIVILEGE OF HAVING GROWN UP IN A PLACE WHERE SHE FELT SAFE, WITH PARENTS WHO ENCOURAGED HER TO FOLLOW HER NATURAL CREATIVE TALENTS.

Helene saw during this vision that she had turned cybin mushrooms, and cannabis, which she calls “nature’s inward and given up on her artistic dreams after being evolutionary allies,” in a safe, legal set and setting. sexually harassed by a graduate school professor. “We A few years after she founded Cosmic Sister, Helene— know now, with the #metoo movement, that what I sur- who has worked in the arts, high tech, and the natural vived happens to most females in this male-dominated products industry—came up with the term Psychedel- world,” Helene says. “It harms us into silence, which is ic Feminism as a way to describe the feminism that a type of censoring. Finding and freeing our voice is embraces psychedelic plants as evolutionary allies for something a lot of women deal with.” women’s healing and empowerment and to popularize Blown away by the power of her own transformation, He- Cosmic Sister’s core educational advocacy work. lene went home to Amherst, Massachusetts, and founded A tireless and passionate environmental advocate for Cosmic Sister, an environmental feminist collective that decades, Helene is convinced that Psychedelic Fem- advocates for women, wilderness, and wildlife and for hu- inism is the key to saving the planet from patriarchal mans’ natural right to work with “sacred” plants and fungi malware fouling up the matrix. “The entire idea of Psy- such as ayahuasca, peyote, iboga, San Pedro cactus, psilo- chedelic Feminism, in a nutshell, is that we humans, as PHOTOGRAPHY BY TRACEY ELLER / PHOTO EDITS BY JOSH CLARK ELLER / PHOTO BY TRACEY PHOTOGRAPHY

sensimag.com OCTOBER 2019 33 WITH BIG GROWTH, COMES BIG CHANGES AND EVEN BIGGER OPPORTUNITIES. MJBizCon 2019 will bring more exhibitors, more speakers, more sessions and even more professionals in the industry together than ever before.

DECEMBER 11-13, 2019 | LAS VEGAS

34 OCTOBERUse 2019 Promo Las Vegas Code SENSIVEGAS50 to Save $50.00 FROM LEFT: Dawn Musil, Shipibo Ancestral Healer Laura Lopez Sanchez, and Sabrina Pilet-Jones

a species, have survived male-domination for thousands and post-psychedelic integration. She and her hus- of years and that system has brought us to where we are band, ethnobotanist Chris Kilham, who wrote The Aya- today—destroying our own home and taking everything huasca Test Pilots Handbook, have been taking groups else down with us,” she says. “Cannabis and other plant of pasajeros (journeyers) to experience ayahuasca with medicines such as ayahuasca, peyote, iboga, and psilo- Indigenous healers in safe retreat centers in the Pe- cybin may help save us from ourselves.” ruvian Amazon for more than a decade. In 2013, she Helene believes it’s high time women took center launched the merit-based Cosmic Sister Plant Spirit stage, and psychedelics can help make that happen grant, which provides support for women to experi- by bringing them inspiration, clarity, and perspective, ence ayahuasca ceremony in the Peruvian Amazon, as well as liberation from old wounds, self-sabotaging where ayahuasca is legal. She’s seen la medicina thoughts and thought patterns, and disempowering so- work magic on women whose superpowers had been cial programming. “In the medicine space, women can blocked by trauma or grief, often the result of a world explore conditioning and wounds that stunt and si- that is inherently harsh to women. lence,” she says. “We can make sense of them, learn to “So many cases of PTSD from sexual misconduct and live with them differently, or purge them altogether.” assault, ancestral trauma, and abusive relationships, Psychedelic feminism has nothing to do with promot- so much anxiety and depression, repressed rage, low ing victim consciousness, Helene adds. “We’re about self-esteem,” Helene says. “So many women living with moving forward. Facing wounds and demons resulting debilitating eating disorders and body image dysmorphia, from having been victimized is an essential step to- with addictions, with obsessive compulsive disorders. So wards healing.“ much strength and so much needless suffering. Why?” Ayahuasca, a powerful blend of two plants native to FINDING OUR VOICE AND POWER the Amazon, is an intense psychedelic that can “help Helene has worked with dozens of women in us access and communicate with our subconscious pre-psychedelic preparation, immersive journeying, selves—our pysche—the wilderness within” through vi-

sensimag.com OCTOBER 2019 35 36 OCTOBER 2019 Las Vegas sions, which Helene describes as “life-enhancing mes- sages that show up in abstract, symbolic, archetypal, and universal poetic languages.” Dawn Musil, a scientist and pollinator advocate who AMBASSADOR went to Temple of the Way of Light in Peru with Helene PLANT last March, says ayahuasca taught her to face fear, guilt, her rapist, family pain, and the loss of a loved one—all Cosmic Sister founder Zoe Helene sees canna- things she thought would kill her but actually taught her bis as an “ambassador plant” that is moving the how strong she was. Raised in a family that valued wom- greater plant medicine conversation forward. She en less than men and taught females to keep quiet, Musil considers it a sacred (and sometimes psychedelic) came to a deep understanding while she was in the med- medicine for journeying and an ally for post-aya- icine space that her voice had as much value as men’s. huasca integration work. “In the right set and “Mama Ayahuasca taught me that my power and setting, with the right medicine and the right dose, strength as a female refl ects the feminine power of aya- cannabis can get you there,” Helene says. huasca as a plant spirit and that through plant spirit, Whenever possible, she implements cannabis we will fi nd our voice and power as females to lead the into the Temeno (an indigenous Greek word for future of gender equality and human rights,” says Mu- “sacred space”) Talking Circles she conducts sil, who came home from Peru determined to work with to explore the effects of damaging patriarchal plant spirit medicine. “The medicine taught me who I programming and gender imbalance as well as can be and to know that my voice has as much value as women’s work in the medicine space. the voices of men in the plant medicine space.” Sabrina Pilet-Jones, an urban gardener who also traveled to Temple with Cosmic Sister last March, had a similar experience of tapping into the essence of all that she could be, empowered by the lineage of her ancestors—an entirely new perception of herself. “Ayahuasca is not a magical pill. It’s hard, deep, transformative shamanic week of November, the new Emerging Voices Award sup- work that forces you into the deepest, darkest parts of ports talented newcomers who demonstrate potential in yourself to fi nd the unique light we all hold,” Pilet-Jones the fi eld of psychedelics by strengthening their visibili- says. “I left with a strong desire to expand my connection ty and gifting them tickets to important conferences. with plants and to continue my research into indigenous One of Helene’s goals with the grants is to help more plant remedies and now psychedelic plants for healing.” minority women achieve name and face recognition in the psychedelic community because, she says, “the psy- COEXISTING IN EXQUISITE DIVERSITY chedelic scene is white, cis-gendered, and male-heavy— The Cosmic Sister Plant Spirit grant is part of an in- and our psychedelic culture is supposed to be leading in terconnected quartet of merit-based grants that support a more enlightened way.” women’s voices in psychedelics and cannabis. Psychedelic Helene’s also quick to point out that Psychedelic Femi- Feminism grants make it possible for women from diverse nism is about promoting gender balance, and she doesn’t backgrounds to be heard through writing, photography, and believe matriarchy would be any better than the patri- speaking engagements and media placements. Cosmic archy we’ve had for thousands of years because “power Sister will play a key role in the upcoming Spirit Plant Med- over” naturally corrupts. Blaming men for everything is icine Conference (SPMC) in Vancouver, BC, this year, spon- sexist, Helene says, and it’s important for the movement soring all seven of the female speakers, including Helene. to welcome male allies who are interested in growing The Cosmic Sister Women of the Psychedelic Renais- when it comes to their own archaic gender programming. sance and Cosmic Sisters of Cannabis grants help get “Matriarchy would not be balanced, and it would not widespread media placement for women’s stories in be healthy,” Helene says. “It’s all about working together support of cannabis liberation and responsible psyche- and coexisting in exquisite diversity.” delic use. Launched just last month in partnership with ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE, author of the bestselling Cannabis Kitchen Cook- the Sleeping Octopus Assembly on Psychedelics (SOAP) book and Pot in Pans: A History of Eating Cannabis, traveled to Peru on one of the first conference in Pittsburgh and Vancouver’s SPMC the fi rst Cosmic Sister Plant Spirit grants in 2013

sensimag.com OCTOBER 2019 37 Las Vegas intuitive MONA VAN JOSEPH has been predicting her clients’ potential {horoscope since 2002. She’s an author, columnist, host of "Psychic View Radio," and created ARIES the Dice Wisdom (DICEWISDOM.COM) app for iPhone and Android. Mar 21–Apr 19 by MONA VAN JOSEPH} October vibrates to the number 1, which is Aries’s favorite num- your success will be procrasti- the people for whom you care) ber. “First at the buffet,” Aries will nation. Whether or not you own your version of perfect. From say. In October, it is absolutely Okay Gemini, stop your own company, behave as vacillation and boredom comes okay to be first in whatever you putting off what OCTOBER though you are the owner. This a new perspective. do. The first three weeks are is your month to be proactive, success-driven, and any new you want this HOROSCOPES not to coast. The things and ad- AQUARIUS projects started then will be month. It’s time ventures you want are there for Jan 20–Feb 18 meaningful. You must be will- the asking…so ask. The fastest way to motivate ing to be totally committed and to be completely you is to piss you off. That’s step into your limelight. Pursue transparent with all LIBRA yourself out there for what you CAPRICORN unfortunate for whoever has any nagging projects and follow your relationships. Sept 23–Oct 22 want, but that’s precisely the Dec 22–Jan 19 tapped into your ire because up with leads. Not necessarily This is not a month of initi- vibration upon you this month. Define your version of happi- no one can hold a grudge like a month for romance, but your ation for you; it is a month of No one can live your life. ness and success this month. an Aquarian. This month, give charm will attract significant self-healing. October is a “one” Do not look at what other yourself the gift of forgive- people. It’s okay to coast the last vibration, and for you, that SAGITTARIUS people are doing (or worse, ness. People are pulling at you, week of the month. means taking care of health Nov 22–Dec 21 compare your life to theirs) to and it’s time to decide. Ask issues. Consult your doctor Start asking the questions that define your happiness. Do not yourself, “Have these people TAURUS about whatever you’ve been show people how bright you dwell on the unfairness of life; been good or bad for me?” Apr 20–May 20 putting off. Avoid using other are and that you are paying at- instead, notice that birds still Step away from anyone in the This is the month to explore people as an excuse for not tention. Prepare for something fly, kittens and puppies are irre- “bad” category and align with partnerships and, more impor- taking care of yourself. You’ve big to present itself next month. sistible, and you are here for a people in the “good” category. tantly, how you are regarded. been making assumptions An opportunity for you to be all- reason. Contemplate what you Stop taking so many things so This applies to both your busi- lately about people and events. in with your work will come, so do have control over and do not seriously. It’s time to get back ness and personal life. Make October is your lucky month. anything; you’re just irritating be grateful you’ve earned the Stop that! Ask the question have things lined up so you can brood about things out of your to where your genius resides: sure you are exploring legal You will be in the right place people around you. Rediscov- right to do what you love— and avoid assuming you know respond. The only enemy to control. Make your world (and this precious moment. agreements thoroughly and at the right time. There are all er reading and old movies and and it’s okay to be self aware. what someone will tell you or not taking someone’s word sorts of spiritual and human an- creating magic. how they will act, especially PISCES for a deal or arrangement. Call gels working in your favor this VIRGO when it comes to your emo- Feb 19–Mar 20 in that favor with an attorney month, so please pay attention. LEO Aug 23–Sept 22 tional and physical well-being. Libra, this is You’ve been fighting many egos friend who owes you and ask Accept all social invitations. July 23–Aug 22 Finally, the catalyst year of not a month lately. It’s time to withdraw for advice. Taurus is frequent- It’s time for you to learn to struggle is over. You have SCORPIO from any issue that will cause a ly reluctant to call in favors, CANCER have fun again. I don’t care been (or will very soon be) Oct 23–Nov 21 of initiation June 22–July 22 for you; it’s conflict, in romance and career. but this is the month to do so. what age you are because, acknowledged for what you It’s not so much about the It’s been a year of readjustment What you do this month sets Get out of your own way. It’s as quoted by Ayn Rand, “All bring to the table. It has been money anymore, but you’re a month of and finding the place that al- up your freedom or limitations. not about making anything pleasures are personal.” Your a personally challenging year making it about the money. self-healing. lows you to flow with the times. happen; it’s about letting personal pleasure has nothing of facing demons, protecting You are making yourself stay Unless your dream job comes GEMINI things happen. No one is de- to do with finding what’s “out your family, and rejection. I am in a situation that no longer along, don’t seek to change jobs May 21–June 21 liberately out to hurt you or there” to make you happy; it’s happy to report that you have serves you by using it as an until next year. Avoid romantic Okay, Gemini, stop putting off betray you. Your big lesson about that profound thing that faced the firewalk, done the excuse. If your work is too conflict; you can’t control other what you want this month. It’s this month is to learn to trust you can lose yourself in the right karmic thing, and evolved easy for you and you’re bored people and have to accept their time to be completely trans- the process. Sincerely, thank doing. It’s a creative month for as an even better human as a with it, it’s time to find some- nature as a reflection of who parent with all relationships. the universe for even the sim- you, Leo. Write that frigging result. You didn’t need me to thing you truly enjoy. Now is they are. People’s dramatic be- You’ve been great at working ple things, like toilet paper. novel, throw paint on a can- tell you this; you know this in the time to prepare for your havior isn’t about you; it’s about your environment to your favor, Good news arrives by Octo- vas, or learn to make the per- your heart of hearts. Now the next adventure, even if it’s on them protecting their (alleged) but it’s time to state your truth, ber 21…and until then? Do fect soufflé. Do this to please anchor is no longer holding the side. It’s challenging to put territory. Don’t engage. your worth, and what you want. not verbally complain about you. Everyone around you will you back, and you can soar.

38 OCTOBER 2019 Las Vegas ARIES Mar 21–Apr 19 October vibrates to the number 1, which is Aries’s favorite number. “First at the buffet,” Aries will say. In October, it is absolutely Okay Gemini, stop okay to be first in whatever you do. The first three weeks are putting off what success-driven, and any new you want this projects started then will be month. It’s time meaningful. You must be will- ing to be totally committed and to be completely step into your limelight. Pursue transparent with all any nagging projects and follow your relationships. up with leads. Not necessarily a month for romance, but your charm will attract significant people. It’s okay to coast the last week of the month.

TAURUS Apr 20–May 20 This is the month to explore partnerships and, more impor- tantly, how you are regarded. This applies to both your business and personal life. Make October is your lucky month. anything; you’re just irritating be grateful you’ve earned the sure you are exploring legal You will be in the right place people around you. Rediscov- right to do what you love— agreements thoroughly and at the right time. There are all er reading and old movies and and it’s okay to be self aware. not taking someone’s word sorts of spiritual and human an- creating magic. for a deal or arrangement. Call gels working in your favor this VIRGO in that favor with an attorney month, so please pay attention. LEO Aug 23–Sept 22 friend who owes you and ask Accept all social invitations. July 23–Aug 22 Finally, the catalyst year of for advice. Taurus is frequent- It’s time for you to learn to struggle is over. You have ly reluctant to call in favors, CANCER have fun again. I don’t care been (or will very soon be) but this is the month to do so. June 22–July 22 what age you are because, acknowledged for what you What you do this month sets Get out of your own way. It’s as quoted by Ayn Rand, “All bring to the table. It has been up your freedom or limitations. not about making anything pleasures are personal.” Your a personally challenging year happen; it’s about letting personal pleasure has nothing of facing demons, protecting GEMINI things happen. No one is de- to do with finding what’s “out your family, and rejection. I am May 21–June 21 liberately out to hurt you or there” to make you happy; it’s happy to report that you have Okay, Gemini, stop putting off betray you. Your big lesson about that profound thing that faced the firewalk, done the what you want this month. It’s this month is to learn to trust you can lose yourself in the right karmic thing, and evolved time to be completely trans- the process. Sincerely, thank doing. It’s a creative month for as an even better human as a parent with all relationships. the universe for even the sim- you, Leo. Write that frigging result. You didn’t need me to You’ve been great at working ple things, like toilet paper. novel, throw paint on a can- tell you this; you know this in your environment to your favor, Good news arrives by Octo- vas, or learn to make the per- your heart of hearts. Now the but it’s time to state your truth, ber 21…and until then? Do fect soufflé. Do this to please anchor is no longer holding your worth, and what you want. not verbally complain about you. Everyone around you will you back, and you can soar.

sensimag.com OCTOBER 2019 39 UNDER THE What are the legalities of driving and cannabis in Nevada?

by RYAN HELMICK, THE DEFENDERS

It has been just over two years SINCE THE PASSAGE OF QUESTION 2, WHICH APPROVED THE RECREATIONAL USE OF CANNABIS FOR ADULTS 21 AND OLDER. WHILE USERS MAY PURCHASE AND CARRY UP TO AN OUNCE OF CANNABIS, THEY SHOULD THINK TWICE BEFORE HOPPING BEHIND THE WHEEL AFTER USING IT, AS CANNABIS-IMPAIRED DRIVING IS STILL treated as a DUI charge UNDER NEVADA LAW.

40 OCTOBER 2019 Las Vegas INFLUENCE

sensimag.com OCTOBER 2019 41 Although cannabis is now legal to use in the privacy of your home, impaired driving laws will continue to be enforced. Nevada law says a driver can be charged with DUI if the driver’s blood contains 2 nanograms per milliliter of cannabis (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) or 5 nanograms per milliliter of cannabis metabolite (11-OH-tetrahydrocannabinol). The ﬁ rst is the active component of cannabis―the part that gets a person elevated. The sec- ond (the cannabis metabolite) is the inactive component and has no physio- logical effects whatsoever. It is the Criminal Defense Bar’s goal to ultimately get this metabolite type of DUI charge off the books because it makes no sense to be arrested and possibly convicted for driving under the inﬂ uence of something that does not impair your driving in any way.

WHAT HAPPENS DURING A DUI STOP Police offi cers rely on training to recognize signs of impairment. Through behavior observation and fi eld sobriety exercises, law enforcement can determine probable cause for driver impairment and make an arrest. Once a driver is taken into custody, police can request a blood test to determine if the driver is over the state’s cannabis limit. The person has a right to refuse a blood test and require the offi cer to get a search warrant. However, if this is requested, the offi cer has the right to revoke that person’s driver’s license for one year.

CONSEQUENCES OF CANNABIS-IMPAIRED DRIVING A DUI can have a serious impact on your life and driving privileges. A blood test above the legal limit for cannabis will result in the suspension of your driver’s license, and with a DUI conviction, you could face multiple classes, a hefty ﬁ ne, community service, drug evaluation with a certiﬁ ed counselor, and even jail time in some cases. The severity of your sentence increases with each DUI conviction, and a third DUI charge becomes a felony if the person has had two prior DUI con- victions within seven years or if the incident resulted in severe injury or death to another person.

Navigating the tricky landscape of the court system can be intimidating, and when facing serious charges, such as driving under the influence, you need a law firm with a proven track record and expertise that will work relentlessly to get the best possible result.

42 OCTOBER 2019 Las Vegas WHAT TO DO IF YOU’VE BEEN PULLED OVER • Stay calm and pull the car over as soon and as safely as possible. • Make sure your insurance card, registration card, and driver’s license are easily accessible ahead of time. • Roll your window down just enough to hear the ofﬁ cer and for him or her to hear you. • Be polite and courteous. • Don’t admit anything, not even that you have a medical cannabis card. • Refuse politely to do any Field Sobriety Exercises or any Portable Breath Test. (Law enforcement is currently working on a portable roadside saliva test to detect the presence of cannabis.) • Think carefully before consenting to any blood test. • Call a lawyer as soon as you can.

If you or a loved one has been arrested and charged with DUI, it’s imper- ative you get legal help right away. Navigating the tricky landscape of the court system can be intimidating, and when facing serious charges, such as driving under the infl uence, you need a law fi rm with a proven track record and expertise that will work relentlessly to get the best possible result. In DUI cases, there is potential for error on the part of the arresting offi cer. An expert attorney can often fi nd an error in many cases, but the real question is how big of a mistake law enforcement made or whether law enforcement made enough small errors for reasonable doubt to bloom. Additionally, medical per- sonnel involved in the case and eyewitnesses make errors, which allow the defense attorney to call into question certain claims made by the offi cer. In short, strict protocols must be followed during a DUI arrest, and if the law enforcement offi cer does not adhere to the procedures, you could have a solid defense. If you or someone you know is faced with a DUI arrest, know your legal rights and contact an attorney with expertise in the fi eld.

As a trial lawyer with The Defenders (THEDEFENDERS.NET), K. RYAN HELMICK has focused exclusively on criminal defense with passion and drive. Helmick has successfully handled nearly 2,000 DUI and criminal cases and trained at Gerry Spence’s world-renowned Trial Lawyers College. He has been recognized as National Trial Lawyers “Top 40 Under 40,” received “10 Best Award in Client Satisfaction” by The American Institute of Criminal Law Attorneys and was honored with the Clients Choice Award from Avvo, the lawyer rating service.

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44 OCTOBER 2019 Las Vegas GREENHOUSE PAYMENT SOLUTIONS

Getting to the Heart of a Tough Issue

GREENHOUSE PAYMENT SOLUTIONS OFFERS BANKING AID FOR CANNABIS BUSINESSES.

The lack of banking in the cannabis industry is as dif- he says. “So we will see how it goes. People want to ﬁ cult for a cannabis business owner to deal with as it is pay with their cards or their phones. People don’t carry easy for everyone to understand: Businesses need banks. around cash anymore.” Nobody wants to tote around garbage bags of cash. The new products have been a long time coming, Congress recently held hearings on the Secure and Mills says, but he believes in staying prudent. “People Fair Enforcement Banking Act of 2019 (SAFE) and get- come and go in the payment and banking side of this ting loans for cannabusinesses from the Small Business business, and we have been here almost 11 years now,” Administration. But it still seems as if the banking issue he says. “We are here for the long term and not just to is a long way from resolution. make money. We try to stay cutting edge and have solu- Chris Mills, CEO of GreenHouse Payment Solutions, tions that no one else has. Honesty, integrity, and service says that the conundrum continues to confound bank- are at the heart of GreenHouse Payment Solutions.” ers and bank-service providers, especially with so many CBD companies looking for guidance now. “The FDIC For more information, visit: has not put in place any kind of information to the reg- GREENHOUSEPAYMENTSOLUTIONS.COM ulators,” he says. “The big banks that look at it and who have the formula about percentage of assets and bank money on hand can facilitate having cannabis businesses. It’s all nice and dandy that things are getting discussed in Washington and all. But the banks still need direction.” He thinks that medical cannabis will be legalized in all 50 states before banks make any real decisions. “The general business community is pushing their elected representatives, telling them that this is coming and asking them, ‘Do you want to regulate this or not?’” GreenHouse is about to launch two new banking solutions for the industry, one this month and another later this year, both designed to avoid the mistakes Mills sees with other banking solutions. It makes it easy for the customer to use, it’s inexpensive for mer- chants to operate, and it won’t be shut down. “Those are our parameters.” One is styled after a Google Pay app, where a user will be able to pay either online or use a credit card at dispensaries. “Both use bank accounts, but we won’t charge for the bank account, unlike some other banks,”

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46 OCTOBER 2019 Las Vegas GENIUS PRODUCTS

Genius Cannabis

FINDING THE RIGHT FIT FOR THE RIGHT CUSTOMER.

As matchmakers around the world say, “There’s a lid The plan is to launch additional brands later this for every pot.” That’s true even in cannabis. The fast-grow- summer, with a focus on reaching the natural wellness ing industry has said goodbye to the days of marijuana market. That includes casual consumers looking to in- as a blanket term for whatever wound up in the bottom troduce CBD products such as skincare into their daily of a plastic baggie and is becoming a forward-think- routines and debuting multiple entries into the food ing industry. Cannabis brands can more clearly identify and beverage space. who their customers are and exactly what they want. At At Genius Products, the secret sauce is more than just the forefront of this new focus on targeted marketing creating new brands to target different customer seg- is Genius Products, the Los Angeles-base parent com- ments. Instead of cobbling together a supplier network, pany producing cannabis-based brands that appeal to the company is truly vertically integrated, overseeing every segment of the cannabis market. the entire product lifecycle from seed to shelf. It grows “The next phase of cannabis growth mirrors the cu- its own cannabis and hemp on organic farms that are linary world,” says Chris Clifford, CEO of Genius Prod- committed to sustainability. It has dedicated design ucts. “Everyone has their own tastes, and our goal is to teams dreaming up new product lines, and Genius has make the right products for every fl avor of cannabis its fi rst two brick-and-mortar dispensaries opening in consumer.” Los Angeles later this summer to be one-stop shops for It’s the same approach that beer giants like Anheus- Genius Products. er-Busch, InBev, and SABMiller take: fi nd your customer “I think the best way to fi nd success with any product by tailoring brands to specifi c identities. To that end, is to try to impact the entire process from start to fi nish,” Genius Products has a range of brands focused on THC, says Clifford. Genius Products will launch more brands CBD, and natural hemp. Gen!us THC, its fi rst foray into in the cannabis market. With Genius Products, seed to the market, launched in May at Hall of Flowers in Santa shelf is the company ethos, and it’s all about fi nding the Rosa, California. The brand’s tagline is “Strains for Brains”, right seeds for the right shelves. and it caters to the creative professional by using high art collaborations with cannabis-inspired photogra- For more information, visit: phers Maggie West and Justin Jerrod. The idea behind GENIUSTHC.COM Gen!us THC is that there’s a genius inside everyone. Its THC products are geared towards unlocking this potential. The goal is to connect with agency creative directors, writers, executives, and other professionals who incorporate cannabis into their lives as a healing mech- anism without letting it interfere with their work. “We want to provide a level of sophistication with our products,” says Clifford. The look and feel of Gen!us THC aligns with that goal. Packaging comes in bright, Instagram-friendly colors and the products themselves range from fl ower and pre-rolls to vape cartridges and disposable vape pens.

sensimag.com OCTOBER 2019 47 AID FOR AIDS OF NEVADA’S Where: The Joint inside 33RD ANNUAL BLACK & The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino WHITE PARTY When: August 10, 2019

Partygoers created a sea of over-the- top (and some barely-there) black-and- white fashions, costumes, and outfits to celebrate Aid for AIDS of Nevada’s 33rd annual Black & White Party and AFAN’s 35th anniversary, hosted by Penn & Teller. Eye-catching perfor- mances included Brooke Lynn Hytes from Emmy award-winning show “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and Strip shows Celestia, Chippendales, Human Nature, Legends in Concert, Little Miss Nasty, and Magic Mike.

48 OCTOBER 2019 Las Vegas sensimag.com OCTOBER 2019 49 { Pasta Shop Ristorante HereWeGo 2525 W Horizon Ridge Parkway // Henderson // (702) 451-1893 by DEBBIE HALL}

at Tropicana and Eastern avenues. She created its interior DINING design and hung her original artwork to demonstrate her WITH personal expression in the family-owned business. ART “I made three pieces and hung them on the wall as part of its décor. So many customers wanted to buy them, Pasta Shop Ristorante serves and I would tell them that it was part of the restaurant.” original artwork. Eventually, she started selling her pieces and opened an art gallery in the Holsom Lofts. Today she combines her Ann Alenik displays her passion for art created out of art gallery with the restaurant and travels to other shows. metal. She started as an electrical engineer who could weld Working in steel, aluminum, and fused glass, Ale- and fix cars. Alenik then entered the culinary world, eventu- nik welds and operates a plasma cutter to cut different ally becoming a restaurateur with her thriving Pasta Shop shapes. She has also added painting to her mixed me- Ristorante (PASTASHOP.COM) while continuing her love of art. dia repertoire, using metal and automotive paints. Flying Over 30 years ago, Alenik and her late husband, Chef Da- sparks of metal add to the formation of artworks, which

vid, opened Pasta Shop Ristorante in its original location are abstract in the style of Picasso. BY DEBBIE HALL PHOTO

50 OCTOBER 2019 Las Vegas