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You’re invited to join us for an amazing day in North San Juan, on June 7th!

Join us at the 3rd Annual Ridge Sesh and Cured Cup as we return to North San Juan on Saturday June 7th for a day of Music, Education, Competitions and Legacy Market.

Event details:

  • Over 60 Plant Medicine, Arts, Crafts, Clothing and Food Vendors.
  • Live Music and DJ’s.
  • Educational Talks and Workshops from Industry Experts.
  • Cured Cup Awards Ceremony.
  • Get parking passes here: https://brushfire.com/thrivehomestead/rscc/601269/details
  • Event Entry is FREE.  This is a parking pass for your vehicle.  PLEASE carpool. No RV’s or oversized vehicles.
  • Address and directions will be emailed to Parking Pass purchasers two days prior to the event.  The closest town is North San Juan, California.
  • Family Friendly Event
  • Please leave the dogs and alcohol at home
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Come party and dance with us in Laytonville, CA at an Area 101 seed exchange!

Area 101 and Mama’s Kush Medicinals present the Intergalactic Exchange: Seeds, Stars and Contact, a springtime seed exchange at Northern California’s iconic Laytonville location and birthplace of the Emerald Cup.

Equilibrium Genetics will have a booth at this event and we are sure to bring some exciting rare varieties to our table! It’s looking like the weather will be nice for the event so bring a sweater, grab some seeds and we’ll see you there.

Details:

This event will feature:

  • Seed Exchange
  • Local Vendors Market
  • Extraterrestrial Discussion
  • Mycology Presentation with David Poplin
  • Cannabis Genetics Panel with A.C. Moon
  • CE5 Contact introduction with Tim Blake
  • Live Music: Seed 707
  • Live DJ’s
  • Group Meditation
  • Organic food & drinks
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Get Ready for Aloha Cup Hawaii 2025, the ultimate experience!

Bask in the spirit of aloha at the ALOHA CUP 2025, a celebration of community, culture, and cannabis! Hawaii’s premier cannabis competition welcomed growers from across Hawaii and the World. Attendees competed, judged, or just hungout at the event. People shopped a wide selection of local brands while enjoying live music and local food. For 2025 we added a charity golf tournament with proceeds going to the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center.

Equilibrium Genetics had a blast at the Aloha Cup on the island of Oahu for the 4/20 weekend celebration of a lifetime! While visiting Oahu we posed pictures and updates on this page. We visited Oahu with Radio Ridge/Haze Valley Nursery and they had the booth adjacent to us (We were at Booth #8).

Event Details:

Features:

  • Cannabis Competition showcasing the best cannabis from all over Hawaii
  • Charity Golf Tournament
  • Live Music: Groove to the rhythms of local musicians, adding a vibrant soundtrack to your ALOHA CUP experience.
  • On-Site Vendors and Activities: Explore a diverse array of vendors offering everything from live music and delicious food to unique clothing, art, crafts, and grow supplies/seeds.
  • Smoke Friendly: Embrace the relaxed atmosphere as we welcome all 329 cardholders to indulge responsibly.

Parking:
Free on-site convenient parking

Admission:

  • General Admission: $10 (Non-Judge). Pre-sale tickets are available through our website on 3/1 or at the door the day of the event for $20.
  • Competition Judges: Must be 21+ and a 329 Card Holder.

The Aloha Cup 2025 was a day filled with aloha spirit, community connections, and the celebration of cannabis culture. ALOHA CUP 2025 was an unforgettable experience for all who attend.

For more information please contact us at alohacuphawaii@gmail.com

Mahalo,
Aloha Cup

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Hawaii Cannabis Expo 2025 and Excitement Awaits You!

Hawaii Cannabis Expo 2025 was a three-day celebration of Hawaii’s Cannabis Culture, Innovation, and Community, held on the island of Oahu, Hawaii in the city of Honolulu.

Equilibrium Genetics was in Honolulu, Hawaii for the Hawaii Cannabis Expo 2025 from January 31st – February 2nd 2025

Equilibrium Genetics booth placement at the Hawaii Cannabis Expo 2025

Jason Matthys participated in “A Seminar on the Pitfalls of Overregulation” with attorney James Anthony of Armada Law Firm and Marcus Holcomb of Landy Seeds. It was an enlightening discussion attended by many folks from the Hawaii cannabis community.

  • Day: Sunday, February 2nd
  • Time: 12:30 – 1:30 Hawaii Standard Time
  • Where: Seminar Room #2


We had visited Hawaii for the Cannabis Expo 2 times in the past, in 2024, and in 2023. Equilibrium Genetics returned in 2025 to offer seeds and clones at this event, as well as our custom tie dyes!

While visiting Oahu we have posted pictures and updates during our travels. We updated our seed and clone selection, and uploaded a full menu to this page. We visited Oahu with Radio Ridge/Haze Valley Nursery and they had the booth adjacent to us at the Expo.

Feminized Seed Selection:

  • Mango Gelato Feminized
  • Gelato 41 Feminized
  • Mimosa Feminized
  • Cookies Feminized
  • Zkittlez Feminized
  • Mango Kush Feminized
  • Strawberry Mango Feminized
  • Lemon Rainbow Gelato Feminized
  • Sour Pinot Feminized Autoflower

Regular Seed Selection:

  • Lemon Tree Bx
  • Maui Waterfall
  • Northern Lights #5
  • Purple Cat
  • Oreoz M-10
  • Cebolla Bonita THCV
  • Cheese Urkel
  • Tahitian Banana
  • Tropsanto Kona
  • Sour Diesel Bx
  • Jack Oaxacan F2
  • Super Silver Haze
  • Panama Red
  • Lemon G Bx
  • Blue Dream Bx
  • Electric Shiskaberry

Clone Selection:

  • Cherry Cookies
  • Black Runtz
  • Super Sour Diesel
  • Lemon Lung Slapper
  • London Truffle
  • Oreoz
  • Apple Cider

The Spirit of Aloha

This event offers a chance to experience the warm embrace of Aloha as we honor the sacred cannabis plant on Hawaii’s island of Oahu. Everyone is invited to discover, connect, and celebrate, from seasoned enthusiasts to curious newcomers in this inclusive and welcoming environment.

Prepare to ignite your senses with various cannabis experiences designed to inspire and uplift. Explore the latest trends, innovations, and products from leading brands and industry experts. Engage in insightful discussions, interactive workshops, and educational seminars that will expand your knowledge and deepen your appreciation for the plant.

Connect with like-minded individuals and industry professionals who share your passion for cannabis. See old friends and forge new friendships, partnerships, and collaborations as we cultivate a vibrant community dedicated to responsible consumption, social justice, and environmental sustainability.

Beyond the buzz, the Hawaii Cannabis Expo is a platform for personal growth, empowerment, and social change. Delve into thought-provoking talks and panel discussions exploring a wide range of cannabis-related topics, including wellness, advocacy, entrepreneurship, and the future of the industry.

By joining us at the Hawaii Cannabis Expo, you’re not just attending an event but investing in a brighter future for cannabis in Hawaii and beyond. Some proceeds will support local initiatives and organizations promoting social equity, environmental stewardship, and responsible cannabis education.

Don’t miss your chance to be part of this groundbreaking event. Whether you’re a seasoned advocate, a budding entrepreneur, or simply curious about the cannabis world, there’s something for everyone at the 2025 Hawaii Cannabis Expo.

Mark your calendars and get ready to experience the magic of the Hawaii Cannabis Expo. We can’t wait to welcome you to paradise!

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Join the celebration of Cannabis at Jungle Cup 2024: Rumble in Da Jungle.

When: December 14th, 2024

Where: Uncle Robert’s 12-5038 Pahoa Kalapana Rd, Pahoa, HI 96778

Jungle Cup: Rumble in Da Jungle was a cannabis competition held on Big Island Hawaii with both Island and Mainland competitors. It featured Cannabis, Music, Art and more! Lopaka Roots and Faithful To Hawaii performed in  concert after all the judging wraped up. Later on, the awards ceremony closed out the night! This was a fun, friendly and ego free competition!

All egos checked at the gate.

We visited Hawaii for an entire week, and uploaded several pictures from our trip! We visited Kona Coffee farms, South Point, waterfalls and more.

Categories:

– Hawaii Competitors –

  • 1.Sungrown (includes greenhouse)
  • 2.Indoor
  • 3.Solventless 

– Mainland Competitors –

  • 1.Sungrown (includes greenhouse)
  • 2.Indoor
  • 3.Solventless 

Trophies were awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in each category. Best overall was awarded separately!

Equilibrium Genetics offered seeds and Tie Dyes at our booth.

UPDATE: December 13th, 2024 – We are on day 2 of our Big Island trip. We’re in Kailua today, touring coffee farms. Jungle cup is tomorrow, so we are headed to Hilo to be near the event for the remainder of our stay.

UPDATE: December 15th, 2024 – The Jungle Cup was a success and it was a pleasure to spend a day with the people!

Here are a few pictures from touring Kona Coffee farms, Magic Beach, Uncle Roberts, Black Sands Beach, and Richardson Ocean Park:

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Ridge Sesh 2024: a day of legendary fun with legacy cultivators!

Thanks to all who joined us in North San Juan, CA on Saturday, May 25th 2024 from 1PM – 8PM for the Ridge Sesh and Cured Cup.

We were excited to attend this amazing event with live musical performances from Marjo Lak, Andy B, and DJ Jah Mikey One

In addition, this family friendly event hosted many educational talks and workshops including a dry sift demo with Foreigner Hash Co., a bio-char kiln demo with Biocharma, a terroir and hash world map discussion with Frank LaFroscia, a gardening with microbes talk with Catalyst BioAmendments, and a THCA isolation via mechanical separation with Rakkems .

Over 70 vendors participated in this event. There was also food vendors serving up some dank eats!

Attendance was free, and parking was $20. Everyone was encouraged to carpool!

Here was our seed lineup for the event! We were happy to see everyone there!

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Ultimate Journey To The Capitol: National Cannabis Festival 2024!

Equilibrium Genetics at the National Cannabis Festival

Equilibrium Genetics was thrilled to announce our participation in the National Cannabis Festival 2024. Set to take place on April 19th and 20th, 2024, at RFK Stadium in Washington D.C., this event marked a significant opportunity for us to participate in cannabis activism, meet our customers and interact with the greater cannabis community. Additionally, we were excited to bring an extensive collection of Equilibrium Genetics cannabis seeds to offer during the weekend with attendees.

Equilibrium Genetics Booth: 7K

Equilibrium Genetics booth at the National Cannabis Festival

Jason spoke on stage Saturday, April 20th @ 2:45 PM in the Grower’s World Tent

“Medicine for the Land” panel with Sebi Medina-Tayac, Jesse Dodd and Manape LaMere

"Medicine for the Land" panel with Sebi Medina-Tayac, Jesse Dodd and Manape LaMere at the National Cannabis Festival in Washington DC, April 20th, 2024.
“Medicine for the Land” panel at the National Cannabis Festival

Exclusive Seed Lineup

Moreover, our booth featured not only our well-loved varieties but also exclusive rare releases. These releases were available only at the festival. Stay tuned as we reveal the full lineup of seeds, including these special editions, right here on this page. Our lineup is now finalized! See below for our available selections:

  • Tie Dye T-Shirts, Socks, and Hoodies

Feminized Strains: 5 seeds per pack

Feminized Autoflower Strains: 5 seeds per pack

Sativa Strains: 12 seeds per pack

Indica Strains: 12 seeds per pack

Exclusive Clones Lineup

Select Equilibrium Genetics clones will be available at this event. See below for our clones lineup:

  • Lemon Lung Slapper
  • Pirate Milk
  • Cereal Milk
  • Lemon Cherry Gelato
  • Ice Cream Cake
  • Gary Payton

Immersive Experience

The National Cannabis Festival has earned its reputation as a must-attend event for cannabis enthusiasts. 2024 promised to be no exception. Furthermore, with its two-day format offering diverse experiences, attendees immersed themselves in engaging educational workshops and explored the latest innovations in the cannabis industry at the vendor booths.

Stellar Performances

Additionally, the highlight of the festival was the stellar musical performances. Headliners include Wu Tang Clan with Redman, Thundercat, Devin the Dude, and Backyard Band.

Advocating for Change

Notably, April 18th 2024 marked the National Day Of Unity, dedicated to advocating for cannabis law reform. This crucial initiative was supported by leading drug policy reform organizations such as the Last Prisoner Project, Students for Sensible Drug Policy, and the Law Enforcement Action Partnership. The day ended with a candlelight vigil in front of the White House in Lafayette Park. This event underscored the importance of coming together to drive positive change in cannabis legislation.

The vigil was held in Lafayette Park, in front of the White House

Next year: 2025

Lastly, stay tuned for the announcement in 2025 regarding our seed selection and booth location at the National Cannabis Festival coming up in 2025. We plan on returning and can’t wait to once again connect with fellow cannabis enthusiasts and share in the excitement of the National Cannabis Festival 2025. See you there next year!

Equilibrium Genetics will attend the National Cannabis Festival 2024
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Travel with us for winter fun in Honolulu, Hawaii

Equilibrium Genetics attended the Hawaii Cannabis Expo 2024 at the Blaisdell Exhibition Hall in Honolulu, Hawaii. After having so much fun at last year’s event, we decided to do it again! It was a great experience to meet so many people with a deep connection to the cannabis plant, and 2024 was no different. The Hawaiian islands are legendary for their unique cannabis varieties, and for the people who cultivate this cannabis while living on these islands. We hoped to enrich this event by bringing an all star lineup of unique cannabis seeds, including many heirlooms that are originally from the Hawaiian islands. Thank you to all who joined us in February 2024 in Honolulu.

We plan on attending this event again, so check back for updates in January 2025!

Equilibrium Genetics shared booth space with these other incredible California cannabis companies:

Our seed selection that was available at this event:

Jason Matthys participated in the “Patients and Caregivers Rights Panel” at this event on Saturday, February 3rd, 2024 from 12:30 PM -1:30 PM

Patients and Caregivers Rights Panel 

In the past couple of years, we have seen a push to limit patients’ growing together from HB477 to HB 1217 these bills, supported by dispensaries, aim to restrict patients’ ability to grow collectively At the end of 2023,The attack on legacy growers ended in a federal raid on some of our medical grow collectives in our state. 

The lack of protection for patients exists not only in growing practices but also in the workplace, transportation of cannabis, and more.

A bill to protect patients and caregivers with or without adult use is necessary, considering some of the proposed bills this year seek to further strip farmers of their right to grow, and escalate the narrative that home grows are inherently unsafe. 

We want to protect patients by providing safeguards for the workplace, removing qualifying conditions, defining transportation rules, allowing patients and caregivers to grow together with an adequate limit of either patients or square footage, and defining accepted remediation processes. Remove the sunset deadline of the caregiver program and expand the amount of people caregivers can grow for so that farmers can farm for their community. And reconsider the safety of cartridges that have tested positive for lead and lack transparency in ingredients and extraction methods.

Participating speakers:

Daniel Anthony https://www.instagram.com/manaai/

Rusty https://www.instagram.com/freshfarms/

Jason https://www.instagram.com/equilibriumseeds/

Moderated by our favorite local podcasters:

Everyone knows your high: https://www.instagram.com/every1knowsyourehi/

Kalei https://www.instagram.com/thegrowguruhawaii/

Erik: https://www.instagram.com/voicesfromtheplanet/

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Glue Bx2 Collection

Glue Bx2 (87.5%) ♂ F1 Hybrids

These are F1 hybrids of Glue Bx2 ♂ crossed to various females from seed and cuttings. Glue Bx2 is a hybrid whose lineage is {G.Glue #4 x [G.Glue #4 x [G.Glue #4 x (Cinderella 99 x Tahoe OG)]}. The Glue Bx2 male providing pollen was medium tall with medium short internodes, producing large flowers and strong branches. His Glue Bx2 sisters were medium tall, with long and fat colas of heavily resinous, medium dense buds. Their aromas ranged from pure gas to a gassy/lemon/chocolate.

AC/DC Glue = AC/DC ♀ x Glue Bx2 ♂ — Sativa dominant

African Orange Glue = (Agent Orange x Heirloom Malawi) ♀ x Glue Bx2 ♂ — 50/50 Indica/Sativa

Banana Glue = Oregon Kid’s Banana ♀ x Glue Bx2 ♂ — Indica dominant

Black Jack Glue = (Blackberry Kush x Jack Herer) ♀ x Glue Bx2 ♂ — Indica dominant

Black Lemon Glue = {Black Lime Reserve x (Lemon Tree x Citrus Sap)} ♀ x Glue Bx2 ♂ — Indica dominant

CBD Glue Tide = {Sour Tsunami x [Cannatonic x (AC/DC x Good Medicine)]} ♀ x Glue Bx2 ♂ — 50/50 Indica/Sativa

CBD Mango Glue = CBD Mango Haze ♀ x Glue Bx2 ♂ — Indica dominant

Chem 4 Glue = Chem 4 ♀ x Glue Bx2 ♂ — Indica dominant

Cherry OG Glue = Cherry OG ♀ x Glue Bx2 ♂ — Indica dominant

Cookie Glue = Cookies ♀ x Glue Bx2 ♂ — Indica dominant

Dream Queen Glue = Dream Queen ♀ x Glue Bx2 ♂ — Indica dominant

Granddaddy Glue = Granddaddy Purple ♀ x Glue Bx2 ♂ — Indica

Lemon Wookie Glue = Lemon Wookie ♀ x Glue Bx2 ♂ — Indica dominant

M-Con Glue = (LA Confidential x Heirloom Malawi) ♀ x Glue Bx2 ♂ — Indica dominant

Mighty Widow Glue = {Mighty Mite/Chemo/98′ Aloha White Widow} ♀ x Glue Bx2 ♂ — Indica dominant

OG Princess Glue = {SFV OG Kush x [G.Glue #4 x (C99/OG)]} ♀ x Glue Bx2 ♂ — Indica dominant

Platinum Skunk Glue = (Platinum OG x Heirloom Skunk) ♀ x Glue Bx2 ♂ — Indica dominant

Romulawi Glue = (Romulan x Heirloom Malawi) ♀ x Glue Bx2 ♂ — Indica dominant

Sherbet Glue = Sunset Sherbet ♀ x Glue Bx2 ♂ — Indica dominant

Super Silver Glue = Super Silver Haze ♀ x Glue Bx2 ♂ — Indica dominant

Super Sour Glue = Super Sour Diesel ♀ x Glue Bx2 ♂ — Indica dominant

Surf City CBD = Santa Cruz CBD ♀ x Glue Bx2 ♂ — Sativa dominant

Tahoe OG Glue = Tahoe OG ♀ x Glue Bx2 ♂ — Indica dominant

White Cookie Glue = White Tahoe Cookies ♀ x Glue Bx2 ♂ — Indica dominant

>Return to the Seed Archive 🏛

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Glue Bx3 Collection

Glue Bx3 (93%) F1 Hybrids

These are F1 hybrids of Glue Bx3 ♂ crossed to various females from seed and cuttings. Glue Bx2 is a hybrid whose lineage is {G.Glue #4 x [G.Glue #4 x [G.Glue #4 x [G.Glue #4 x (Cinderella 99 x Tahoe OG)]]]}. The Glue Bx3 male providing pollen was medium tall with medium short internodes, producing large flowers and strong branches. His Glue Bx3 sisters were medium tall, with long and fat colas of heavily resinous, medium dense buds. Their aromas ranged from pure gas to a gassy/lemon/chocolate.

>Return to the Seed Archive 🏛

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The Emerald Cup 2019

The Emerald Cup 2019

“The Emerald Cup is one gathering that all cannabis enthusiasts should plan to attend…”

Saturday and Sunday, December 14-15, at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds, 1350 Bennett Valley Road, in Santa Rosa, California.

Stop by the Equilibrium Genetics booth, G 52 in Puffco Pavilion, and pick up some excellent cannabis seeds! 🌱🌲🍋

Jimi Devine

Saturday, 1:00 pm, EQ Genetics booth (G 52)

Jimi Devine has been involved in cannabis reform since 2005 and has worked in the Berkeley cannabis industry since 2009. Currently, Jimi serves as Staff Writer at Cannabis Now, where you can also find his writings on cannabis products and policy, as well as the Emerald Cup Survival Guide.

Breeding In The Emerald Triangle

Saturday, 4:20 pm, Garden Building

Jason Matthys

Find out about breeding practices from some of the Emerald Triangle’s prolific and thoughtful stewards of cannabis genetics:

  • Caleb, CSI Humboldt / Nspecta
  • Jason Matthys, Equilibrium Genetics
  • Mean Gene (Jackson Zenter)
  • Jesse Dodd (Moderator), Biovortex

Sungrown Contest, Celebration, and Farmers Market

The Emerald Cup is Northern California’s premier cannabis destination, while advancing the concept of sustainable, outdoor farming. Its reputation is firmly solidified as the largest, most respected, organic, outdoor, cannabis competition in the world.

It is a community celebration that has grown to become a global movement honoring the year’s finest, organic, sun-grown, cannabis harvest.

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Equilibrium Genetics Featured in “The Best New Cannabis Strains to Grow in 2019”

CBD Glue Tide

“As spring rains yield to summer sun, tens of thousands of hobbyists are starting an annual cannabis garden.”

Writing for Leafly, the world’s largest cannabis information resource, David Downs explains “there are more first-time cannabis gardeners than ever before.”

Several varieties by Equilibrium Genetics, along with our founder Jason Matthys, are featured in Leafly’s “The Best New Cannabis Strains to Grow in 2019.” The list includes Orange Burmese, CBD Glue Tide, Cookie Glue, Lemon Wookie Glue, Super Silver Glue, and Platinum Skunk Glue, as well as EQ Haze, Chem Hill Haze, and Skunk Hill Haze.

“I really like sativas and growing unique strains that have a unique appearance. I see myself experimenting a lot more with some of the landraces we haven’t worked with yet.” -Jason Matthys

CBD Glue Tide is described as “a cross of CBD classics Sour Tsunami, Cannatonic, and AC/DC, plus Good Medicine, and a touch of Glue for aroma and euphoria.” Downs encourages readers to, “Skip the Chinese CBD isolate for the full-spectrum healing of CBD Glue Tide.”

The article concludes by asking, “The only question is, what are you still doing reading this when you could be planting?”

Seeds from Equilibrium Genetics are available at fine cannabis stores throughout the state of California.

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The Emerald Cup 2018

Equilibrium Genetics and Therapeutic Healthcare at The Emerald Cup 2018

Equilibrium Genetics is excited for The Emerald Cup!

The Emerald Cup has grown into “the largest, most respected, organic, outdoor, cannabis competition in the world.” The event takes place on Saturday and Sunday, December 15 and 16, at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds, 1350 Bennett Valley Road, in Santa Rosa, California.

This year’s celebration features musical acts, presentations from industry experts, artists and educators, as well an array of exhibitors and retailers offering food, products and entertainment. 2018 marks the 15th annual Cup, and is the first year the event is open to all adults age 21 or older.

Equilibrium Genetics and Therapeutic Healthcare are sharing booth # P126 in the Lyttle / Pacex Pavilion. Find us, say hello, and pick up some excellent cannabis seeds to plant your future! 🌱🌲

Equilibrium Genetics at The Emerald Cup 2018

A couple notes from The Emerald Cup’s FAQ:

  • There is no limit on the purchase of seeds.
  • You can bring in an amount of cannabis consistent with California state law.

The Emerald Cup was created in 2003 to advance the concept of sustainable and organic cultivation through competition between the finest sun-grown organic cannabis. Its reputation is firmly solidified as the largest, most respected, organic, outdoor, cannabis competition in the world. The Emerald Cup prides itself in bringing together experts and educators in the cannabis field to our fellow farmers, patients, and patrons each year. It is a community celebration that has grown to become a global movement honoring the year’s finest, organic, sun-grown, cannabis harvest.

https://youtu.be/wAwvnyxuhvA&rel=0

Freedom Grow and Emerald Cup Charities

Emerald Cup Charities

The Emerald Cup announced the launch of Emerald Cup Charities, the philanthropic arm of the annual cannabis celebration. This year’s partnering charities focus on supporting people who have been imprisoned due to unjust cannabis-related laws and policies.

Freedom Grow

Emerald Cup Charities is donating a percentage of all Emerald Cup revenue from the 2018 event to Freedom Grow, this year’s feature organization. Freedom Grow—an all-volunteer organization seeking to make a difference in the lives of non-violent people who have been imprisoned due to unjust cannabis-related laws—guarantees that 100 percent of the dollars donated to its organization will go directly to the prisoners of nonviolent, cannabis-related crimes.

https://youtu.be/FwFlGLGE5_Q&rel=0

“The Emerald Cup has been supporting non-violent cannabis prisoners through commissary donations, written letters and visits since the very first Cup in 2003. This is an issue I hold very close to my heart, and I’m thrilled to work with Freedom Grow as the featured organization at this year’s Cup,” said Tim Blake, Founder and Producer of The Emerald Cup.

Blake continued, “Thousands of people spend years behind bars, and over 3,000 people face the grim possibility of spending the rest of their lives in prison for nonviolent cannabis crimes. These people are still part of our community and deserve to live as comfortably as possible. Through our donation, prisoners will have greater access to the basic necessities in the commissary system—everything from hygiene products, phone calls, postage stamps, food and dozens of other items that we take for granted.”

For more information on The Emerald Cup, please visit their website and FAQ.

Equilibrium Genetics will be inside Lyttle / Pacex Pavilion, at Booth # P126.

Event Map for The Emerald Cup 2018
Event Map for The Emerald Cup 2018

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From Medical to Recreational

Utopia Macaroons at CannaCruz

A changing cannabis industry buckles under weight of new taxes

By Shinae Lee, City on a Hill Press

Proposition 64 came into effect this January allowing recreational cannabis use, but with it came a slew of taxes and regulations that are financially disadvantaging small cannabis businesses and medical users. While they struggle to keep up with new regulations, low-income medical patients can no longer afford their cannabis medicine.

CannaCruz began about 10 years ago when CEO Grant Palmer and his brother Brad started making tincture and topical medicines out of cannabis for their father, Robert Palmer, who suffered from a stroke and a heart attack. These remedies soothed their father’s symptoms and drug side effects so effectively that the brothers wanted to make their remedies available to a wider demographic.

Soon, they started making products for dispensaries that they sold across the Bay Area. Eventually, business became successful enough that they opened their own dispensary in Santa Cruz. Since 2008, CannaCruz thrived selling a variety of cannabis products for medical patients under Proposition 215, which legalized medical cannabis in 1996.

But since recreational cannabis was legalized on Jan. 1, CannaCruz saw a 40 percent increase in sales yet a sharp decrease in profit.

“You don’t often see very profitable businesses all of a sudden, even though they’re still taking in a tremendous amount of revenue,” Grant Palmer said. “More than ever, [dispensaries are] just not doing very well.”

Now that recreational cannabis is legal under Proposition 64, the Adult Use of Marijuana Act, anyone over 21 can buy recreational cannabis at dispensaries in California. But behind that freedom lies a cannabis industry buckling under the regulatory financial burden of its legalization.

Small businesses are struggling, medical patients can’t afford their medicine and many believe large companies are in line to take over the industry, said Jason Matthys, cannabis activist and creator of Equilibrium Genetics, a cannabis seed company.

Californians voted 57 percent in favor of Proposition 64, which legalized and decriminalized cannabis for recreational sale and use, but also heavily regulates and taxes it.

CannaCruz, like many small dispensaries, is struggling to keep up with new business costs. CannaCruz now pays $72,000 twice yearly, once for medical and again for adult use retail permits, Palmer said. Distribution fees can be up to $240,000 every year for medical and adult use.

“I don’t know what they expect us to do or where they expect that money to come from,” Palmer said. “I just don’t have it.”

Cannabis sales taxes in the city of Santa Cruz increased from 16 to 32 percent, in addition to new 8 percent taxes on cannabis cultivation, distribution and manufacturing each. These vary by city and county, but all California regions are subject to the state’s new 15 percent excise tax. These taxes disadvantage medical patients who legalization was originally meant for.

“Oftentimes the most ill among us are the least able to pay hefty prices for a product and those people are why these laws were created in the first place,” Matthys said. “We’re leaving them in the dust by creating laws that are designed to allow businesses to make a profit.”

Legalization Came From Medicinal Cannabis

Cannabis legalization efforts began in 1970s San Francisco during the HIV/AIDS epidemic at a time when no pharmaceutical drugs had been developed to treat the virus and people were dying daily. At the time, cannabis was one of the only effective treatments to HIV/AIDS symptoms like pain, nausea, appetite loss and depression.

The tragedies of the AIDS epidemic led activists like San Francisco’s late Dennis Perone, and Santa Cruz’s Valerie Corral to fight for the legalization of medical cannabis.

“Even when people are dying they still want to do it as pain free and as consciously aware as possible,” Corral said. “[…] Everybody wants to heal, no matter what, no matter where we are on our path.”

Corral operated Santa Cruz-based Wo/men’s Alliance for Medical Marijuana (WAMM), one of the first dispensaries in the nation since 1993. She was on the forefront of legalizing medical cannabis both in Santa Cruz through Measure A, the Marijuana For Medical Use Initiative in 1992, and statewide through Proposition 215 in 1996. Both of these laws legalized medical use of cannabis through grassroots movements keeping low-income and severely ill patients in mind.

While Proposition 215 came from a socially minded movement, Proposition 64 did not. Recreational legalization came with many benefits like decriminalization, but also introduced regulations that disadvantage medical patients and producers. And, despite decriminalization, Black and brown bodies, who were almost four times more likely than white people to be arrested for possession, are still incarcerated from previous charges.

A large disadvantage of Proposition 64 is its prohibition of businesses from giving away cannabis. Compassion programs previously existed for low-income medical patients at places like WAMM and CannaCruz to give away medicine for free — now they’re illegal.

“There’s also no mechanism for helping people who’re seriously ill and financially marginalized,” said WAMM founder Valerie Corral. “That’s crazy because [Proposition 64] was built on the backs of sick people and now they can’t even afford it.”

Mistaya Wilks, a compassion patient with WAMM and CannaCruz said cannabis is the only thing that’s allowed her to live a productive life with her multitude of debilitating illnesses. She uses cannabis to treat heavy metal poisoning, seizures, PTSD, progressive fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis and stage-four cancer — the combination of which contributed to her previous houselessness.

The compassion programs at WAMM and CannaCruz allowed Wilks to regain her health and become housing secure.

“I was introduced to cannabis and within about 10 months I got off of all of the pills and started walking out of a wheelchair again […],” Wilks said. “I found that if I took enough of the right kind, it squelched my seizures and basically allowed me to live and start my life over again.”

Now Proposition 64 does not allow compassion programs and she must now choose daily between her medicine, food and housing. Wilks’ cannabis intake is now a fraction of the large amount she previously used to function with her many illnesses because she must now pay for it. She said this has taken a great toll on her quality of life.

“Cutting the [compassion] program has made me resentful toward my state,” Wilks said. “[…] Now I can’t get the life-saving medicine I need because all of a sudden there’s not enough to go around for everybody and I think it’s a huge disservice.”

WAMM and CannaCruz are trying to continue compassion programs through other means. Valerie Corral at WAMM is giving away her own cannabis to those she knows need it most and CannaCruz will keep its 10 percent discount for medical patients for as long as possible while keeping up with other costs, but loses 8 percent on every medical sale.

“Our compassion patients, we once gave stuff away for free, all of a sudden are being charged money and a lot of them are on fixed incomes and they simply can’t afford it,” Grant Palmer said. “We’ve tried to absorb some of that ourselves, but it’s rough. That means we lose money on every medical sale we make.”

While small businesses that keep medical patients in mind are being pushed out of the industry by the high price of compliance, larger businesses with more capital are poised to fill the gap they’ll leave.

Small Farm or Big Business?

Proposition 64 has not been very productive for the well-being of those who have advocated for legalization the longest — but many are predicting it will be productive for big businesses.

The California cannabis industry saw $9 billion in sales in 2017 and this number is projected to grow to $11 billion in 2018 and $21 billion in 2021, according to CNN. Comparatively, Snapchat is worth almost $20 billion.

Proposition 64 created a cannabis market with less risk and the need for a large amount of capital to enter. This is the kind of market in which corporations and larger businesses thrive and smaller ones do not.

Small farmers and business owners are now being bought out by investors because they can’t afford to stay open, said Grant Palmer and Jason Matthys, cannabis activist and creator of Equilibrium Genetics. These trends have not yet been mapped in California because legalization is a recent occurrence.

Taxes come along with costs associated with miscellaneous regulations such as the need for costly child-proof packaging on certain products, or a requirement for how wide the road to a farm must be. Because of regulations like these, Blue Belly Farms, a local cannabis business, was forced to stop farming. Blue Belly Farms is now a cannabis business consulting firm.

“When you have a large recreational market that’s focused on the dollar, and you move away from the medical market that’s focused on the the healing power of the plant,” said Brian McCall, owner of Blue Belly Farms. “[…] The small farmers, for the most part being squeezed out means you’re taking out a lot of the heart and soul of what’s going on in the production of this thing.”

Jason Kinney, chief spokesperson for Yes on 64, had no background in cannabis advocacy previous to the campaign. He is also a communications strategist for Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), Dignity Health, the NFL and AT&T, among others.

In contrast, people who advocated for legalization since the ‘70s — mostly for medicinal purposes — were generally against Proposition 64. It leans toward corporatization and original activists are being pushed out of their industry due to the high taxes and fees associated with the law.

“As a small operator [you] can’t do all the things you need to do. You can’t jump over all of these hurdles that have been created,” said Jason Matthys of Equilibrium Genetics. “If you’re a large business with a lot of capital, you can bank on most of the small operators not being able to cut it. So the void that they leave, you’re going to be able to fill that gap.”

Finding Solutions

Because Proposition 64 made it difficult and in some cases impossible to continue sustaining businesses, owner of Blue Belly Farms Brian McCall and cannabis activist Michael Jolson have come up with initiatives to help mitigate its strain on smaller businesses.

Jolson, upset with the corporatization of cannabis, decided to work on passing a new law that would help, rather than hurt small businesses. He is among those advocating for California Cannabis Hemp Initiative, which will be reignited for elections in 2020 ballot. It would decrease taxes, put an acreage limit on the amount of cannabis that can be grown, limit regulations on hemp and direct tax revenue toward medical cannabis and industrial hemp research.

“We’re going to try to reform [Proposition 64] with a new law,” Jolson said. “Since recreational cannabis in one way, shape or another got legalized, now it’s time for real legalization because legalization means ending the criminal penalties, which is not the case [with Proposition 64].”

Brian McCall is doing his part mitigating Proposition 64’s hardships by creating a cannabis co-working space in Santa Cruz near Costco that will open in July.

“We have tons and tons of problems in this industry,” McCall said. “What we’re trying to do with this co-working space is solve most of the problems in the same location that people are running into. […] So what we’re doing is creating a safe space for everybody in the industry to be able to come and work together.”

The co-op will not include retail sales to the public, but it will provide a space for small businesses involved in all aspects of cannabis production like distribution, warehousing, manufacturing and cultivation to operate in one space. McCall and Blue Belly Farms will use the space and their consultations to support businesses in complying with Proposition 64 in an affordable and collaborative way.

It intends to refocus cannabis production in Santa Cruz back toward supporting the small local businesses that thrived under Proposition 215, at a time when the state-wide industry trends toward large corporations.

“What made [Proposition 215] pass was those people’s stories of what [cannabis] was doing for patients and how it was helping people,” Matthys said. “What we have now is a whole different mindset. The government has decided and businesspeople have decided that there’s money to be made here.”


Source: City on a Hill Press. By Shinae Lee – May 31, 2018.

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Equilibrium Genetics interview at Wonderland Nursery

Wonderland Nursery’s director Kevin Jodrey interviewed Jason Matthys, creator of Equilibrium Genetics, in Garberville, California during the “Wonderland Nursery Seed Series 2017.” Topics discussed include cannabis breeding, cannabis cultivation, and the cannabis movement.

Jason from Equilibrium Genetics talks with Kevin about how he started out in cannabis through activism, which in turn led him to discover the medicinal powers of the plant. That passion drives him to create some really great genetics. Jason speaks about where he wants to take the plant in terms of terpenes, vigor, and the mold and pest resistance in addition to mandatory testing. Kevin and Jason also talk about the Malawi line that Jason is working on – how its leaf shape affects the central node and how its environment affects the overall history of the line. He also talks about Deep Chunk hybrids and how they differ – doing well in low light and other traits that make it an efficient line.


Source: Wonderland Nursery