Herban Underground
Colorado's Cash Crop
RMGA Membership Meeting Review
Herban Underground
This meeting was held at “Resolution Research” 490 South Santa Fe Drive, Unit E, Denver, CO 80203. Location was changed due to lack of space at Herban Underground. (More about this location at the end.)
President Mike Pearl conducted a short business meeting. New members were introduced and welcomed. Mike reminded all to be sure to sign up as a volunteer for IPW (May 23-26, 2018) so that your name is on the list – there may be paid positions (FAM guide, tour guide, M&G) available but nothing has been decided yet.
Program Chair, Dawn Nelsen, noted that February’s program will be at History Colorado Center. History Colorado Center has changed executive directors and are presenting a new view of Colorado in a coming display of 100 objects that are true Colorado items.
Dawn then introduced Anne and Cliff Gordon, owners of “Herban Underground”. This brother and sister combination have owned Herban Underground for the past two years. They grow and they also sell recreational and medical marijuana. Herban Underground sells “flower” a marijuana infused product. They also sell “Bison” jerky – which is not FDA regulated. There are more than 200 marijuana businesses around I-70 and Peoria Street. Cliff said that it takes five inspectors to move a cash register in their store. They do not allow photos of the store interior though you can take photos of the grow, which is just outside their front window. Sales are either in cash or CANPAN which is like a debit card. Their banks are private credit unions and they are audited once each quarter for sales and purchases. They can’t accept MasterCard or Visa (used nationally and not all states allow marijuana yet). CANPAN goes directly from the store to the credit union. Hawaii takes only CANPAN, no cash, and no credit cards. Colorado and Washington banks take their cash.
Cliff did most of the talking. Starting with historic facts: marijuana is at least 10,000 years old. The first written instructions for the use of cannabis were written in 2727BC. In 1932 Henry Anslinger noted that cannabis was not as dangerous as alcohol. It was portrayed in 1932 movies. In 1933 Prohibition Ended and Edgewater, CO was one of the first cities to start selling alcohol again.
In 1971, President Richard M. Nixon added cannabis to the drug list Schedule A – with the most severe penalties for use and possession. In the early 1990s the State of California pushed for allowing marijuana for medical uses – so it has been available in California for more than 20 years for medical uses. California has just started with recreational use. Legislation was passed in Colorado for the use of cannabis for both medical and recreational use. Other states watched Colorado closely to see how we handled all aspects of the legislation permitting the sale for both medical and recreational use. Several states have used or adapted from our legislation.
Herban Underground was granted their recreational license in 2015 and Cliff and Anne bought the store shortly thereafter.
The law says you may buy up to one ounce/day. You can also buy the flower, or eight 100 mg edibles, or 8 grams of concentrate and other types of cannabis such as shatter (hard), oil to be used in pens and pens. Some bus tours do allow the use of cannabis – must use pens or the bus will reek of the smell. The State of Colorado is not good on courting cannabis tourism. They also do not accurately account for how much money is spent here by out-of-state tourists. For instance, 4-5% of sales used to come from people from Chicago, now it’s only 1-2% since Nevada (Las Vegas) has marijuana now.
Nevada has three lounges on Las Vegas Blvd. where marijuana can be smoked. The casinos are talking to the Gaming Commission to find a way to add this capability to their casinos. Possibly in 2018 this will occur.
The Kohl memo, written during the Obama administration for then Attorney General, Eric Holder, allowed 30 states to sell medical marijuana and seven states and the District of Columbia to allow the sale for recreational use: Colorado, Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, Massachusetts, Michigan, Alaska and Washington, D.C. This memorandum was rescinded this past week by current Attorney General, Jeff Sessions. Sessions said that the Kohl memo doesn’t matter. The Kohl memo kept the Federal government from interfering with the states sale of marijuana so long as these states do not sell to children and marijuana is not carried over state lines. Sessions has rescinded these restrictions. Actually, the use by minors has dropped since it was legalized. Amazingly enough, the US Government patented a strain of marijuana in 1988.
States’ rights are expected to stand up for legalizing the use of marijuana. Arkansas now has approved medical use. Here in Colorado, Question 300 passed which allows for specific places to be opened specifically for users of marijuana. The first permit for a smoking club – indoors – has been issued for a location out east beyond the airport. The Colorado Clean Indoor Air Act allows vaping, it’s not considered smoking. No research has been done on the effects of vaping. Vaping oil is sold in 1/8th oz. vials (3.5 grams). Here in Colorado there is a $250 fine if you smoke marijuana in your car and a $300 fine if you smoke in outdoor public areas.
Medical marijuana has been helpful in diminishing the symptoms and effects of several diseases. CBD is the medical strain – it does not contain THC. Charlotte’s Web is a specific strain developed by the Stanley brothers in Colorado Springs and is an oil that is dropped under a patient’s tongue. It is very helpful to diminish seizures and also great for Multiple Sclerosis patients. Research is encouraged to think that the high CBD content may be helping the Mylar layer of a nerve to replace itself and seems to help with epilepsy as well as MS. The Cherry ACDC type has 15-20% CBD and less than 1% THC. THC gets you high, CDB works with THC but does not get you high. The THC/CBD content is listed on every package (in the case of Cherry Strain the CDB is 16-20%).
There is also a Mary Jane Salve that is good for aches and pains. A little goes a long way and should be used regularly for best results. Herban sells sample size for $10 (.5 ounce), 1 oz. is $20, 2 oz. - $30, and 4 oz. - $51. Edibles can take up to four hours to kick in so don’t overdo. Only 10% of the general population can take excessive amounts without any detrimental effect. You can also try tablets. The jerky, hard candy and pills dissolve faster than other edibles such as brownies and cookies. Mary’s Naturals can be ordered online and can be sold out of state – contains NO THC. DIA has “amnesty bins” where you can get rid of your marijuana with no questions asked.
Medical marijuana has been available in California for PTSD, this became available in Colorado in 2017. The State of Arkansas has a list of 13 original diseases/illnesses that medical marijuana can be purchased for.
Over the past 50-60 years, plants have been created and hybrid to contain more THC (15%). Medical marijuana contains little or no THC – it cannot be detected in tests. Cannabis plants have more than 111 components now, there used to be only 45 components.
New rules went into effect on January 1st for testing, packaging, potency, contaminants such as hair, dirt, pesticides. Mandatory testing for recreational marijuana was instituted in2014, and also for medical on 10/1/2016. In 1971, Nixon forbid any testing. FYI - Law cycles – dates where laws go into effect are January 1st, June 1st and October 1st.
Sales tax for recreational cannabis in Colorado is 23.85%. This revenue is earmarked for schools though some can be used for further cannabis research.
Cliff says there is still a black market. We each got a 10% discount card/business card for Herban Underground.
Our meeting was held at the Resolution Research offices. Nina is the owner and has been doing market research for more than 20 years. She is a good friend of Anne Gordon. Nina offered us the opportunity to sign up to participate in some of her research projects. The Internet location to sign up is paidstudies.com. Nina does market research for focus groups, mock juries, taste tests, medical studies (such as psoriasis) and even research on hunting licenses.
Contact Information:
Anne Gordon / Cliff Gordon
Herban Underground
70 Broadway, #50
Denver, CO 80203
720.343.4372 (HERB)
info@herbanunderground.com
Nina Nichols
Resolution Research
490 South Santa Fe Drive, Unit E
Denver, CO 80203
303.830.2345
303.947.3500 - mobile
nina@re-search.com
ResolutionResearch.com
Written by Nancy Brueggeman CEO
WHAT: RMGA MEMBERSHIP MEETING – Colorado’s Cash Crop
WHEN: January 8, 2018, 6:30 pm – Networking, 7:00 pm – Short Meeting, 7:15 pm – Learn about legal marijuana and tourism in Colorado
WHERE: 490 South Santa Fe Drive, Denver, CO 80223
PROGRAM: Anne Gordon, the owner of Herban Underground will host us and lead in a very informative presentation to answer all the questions Tour Guides are asked on almost every tour