Opinion | Page 2 of 20 | Toke of the Town

Incredibles Founder Bob Eschino on Future of Edibles and Infused Products

By Toke of the Town on August 23, 2018 Cannabusiness, Opinion, Technology

Jacqueline Collins

Founded in 2010, Incredibles made a name for itself with its popular cannabis chocolate bars. But the infused-products brand has expanded its line to include live resin, tinctures, bath salts and suppositories, and it’s even entered the emerging legal markets in California, Illinois, Nevada and Oregon.

To learn more about the edibles trade and what’s next for infused products, Westword spoke with Incredibles founder Bob Eschino about what’s been going on in the kitchen.

Sparking Change With Dispensary Owner and Activist Wanda James

By Toke of the Town on August 14, 2018 Cannabusiness, Culture, Dispensaries, Legalize It, Opinion

Courtesy of Wanda James

For legal cannabis to spread across the country, people need to speak up in more ways than with Facebook comments and on Gallup polls. Lucky for cannabis users, Wanda James can be loud enough for all of us. The pot entrepreneur and activist was the first black woman to open a dispensary in Colorado, and was honored with a lifetime achievement award at the 2017 Cannabis Business Awards for her role in the commercial rise of the plant.

But even with all her success in pushing cannabis forward, James still has an ax to grind with state regulators and corporate interests. She’s frequently at government hearings speaking up for consumers’ rights, social consumption and fair pot policy, and is a regular presence at public demonstrations criticizing law enforcement or elected officials for anti-cannabis actions. Westword recently caught up with James to see what she’s been up to.

Switching Careers and Cities, She Uses Cannabis to Help Transition

By Toke of the Town on July 29, 2018 Culture, Legalize It, Media, Opinion

Maria Levitov

Trail Blazers is a series of portraits by photographer Maria Levitov spotlighting cannabis consumers from all walks of life.

Like it or not, Denver is quickly becoming a city of transplants. Patrice Ingham wasn’t born very far away, originally hailing from Wyoming before eventually ending up in Denver — but she took pit stops in New York and Washington, D.C., along the way. Now the 27-year-old is switching careers as she finds her connection to the city, and she’s using cannabis to help the transition.

He Forced His Family to Accept Cannabis, but His Journey’s Just Started

By Toke of the Town on July 24, 2018 Culture, Media, Opinion

Maria Levitov

Trail Blazers is a series of portraits by photographer Maria Levitov spotlighting cannabis consumers from all walks of life.

One young man struggling with alcoholism and a variety of mental pains believes that the plant is key to overcoming his demons and health issues, yet his family hasn’t been as embracing. As Michael Cavin continues to coax loved ones into accepting the cannabis use he feels is essential to a good quality of life, he’s also realizing how much more of his story is left to be written.

Budtender Advice With the Clinic’s Scott Yoss

By Toke of the Town on July 21, 2018 Culture, Dispensaries, Opinion, Products

Courtesy of Scott Yoss

Legal cannabis has produced dozens of unique jobs, yet the face of the industry has always been the budtender. For those consumers who already know what they want, the budtender may simply be a middleman — but for the inexperienced, budtenders are modern sherpas, here to guide us through a new world of strains, vaporizers and other cutting-edge ways to enjoy cannabis.

Not every budtender is so willing to educate customers, but don’t tell that to Scott Yoss. A nine-year veteran of Colorado’s cannabis industry, Yoss uses his vast cultivation and dispensary experience to consult with customers at the Clinic on Colfax. Casual but bluntly honest (his advice on Durban Poison and certain OG cuts has changed my own consumption habits), Yoss chatted with Westword about his favorite strains, annoying customer questions and more.

Cannabis Helps Artist Transition into New Home After Immigrating From Mexico

By Toke of the Town on July 19, 2018 Culture, Global, Opinion

Maria Levitov

Trail Blazers is a series of portraits by photographer Maria Levitov spotlighting cannabis consumers from all walks of life.

Denver has seen no shortage of transplants, but not all of them feel at home right away. Freelance artist Claudia Campero moved here from Juárez, Mexico, and is still finding her groove in the Mile High as she searches for connections to her culture and heritage. To help her feel comfortable while exploring, Campero uses cannabis.

Famed Medical Marijuana Doctor Calls for Making Concentrates Illegal

By Toke of the Town on July 11, 2018 Medical, Opinion, Say what?

William Breathes

As the author of Cannabis for Chronic Pain, Boulder-based Dr. Rav Ivker is among the country’s best-known and most respected advocates on behalf of medical marijuana. But he’s wary about weed consumption in a number of circumstances, warns that pot addiction is real, and is so against the consumption of powerful concentrates that he supports banning them.

“I think they should be illegal,” says Ivker, who practices at Fully Alive Medical Center. “In fact, I hope they become illegal. The only thing they’re good for is getting really high. But they’re high-risk, and there’s really no benefit from them.”

The Case for National Pot Ad Standards Before Pot Is Legal Nationally

By Toke of the Town on July 1, 2018 Cannabusiness, Feds 'N Heads, Opinion

Photo courtesy of the RAND Corporation

The National Association of Cannabis Businesses’ draft guidelines to establish a country-wide advertising standard for the marijuana industry was the subject of a months-long comment period and is expected to be finalized this summer. Doug Fischer, chief legal officer for the NACB, believes such a criterion is needed as soon as possible, even though cannabis remains illegal on a federal level.

In his words, “The time to do this is now.”