The Wonderful Women of Weed: Locals defy gender trends
While national figures show that the number of women in leadership positions within the cannabis industry is on the decline as the industry expands, some locals have defied this trend, becoming...
View ArticleChanges, Challenges, and Opportunities: Cannabis business summit on legal...
As I clipped on my name tag and walked into the Cannabis Business Summit on a recent crisp September morning, every table seemed to be filled to capacity with business professionals, hot coffees in...
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Opinion – Cannabis Bans on 31 of 39 Local RI Ballots: Revenue implications...
[See how this turned out.] Prohibiting licensing of cannabis-related businesses directly defies the underlying principle of the new Cannabis Act that legalized adult recreational use, which is to...
View ArticleTaking Back American Hemp: The Indigenous farmers leading “The New Green...
“I didn’t get into this for money. I got into this for love.” It was the end of a long and rainy primary day here in Rhode Island, and renowned environmental advocate and indigenous organizer Winona...
View ArticleRI Recreational Cannabis Sales Begin Dec 1: Five retail venues licensed to open
Recreational cannabis sales begin Thu, Dec 1, under a new state statute signed into law on May 25. “Five licensed medical marijuana compassion centers have been approved for hybrid retail licenses,...
View ArticleBudding Local Industry Kickoff: Squid’s Ink Special Edition
December 1 Wake and bake it wasn’t. On RI’s recreational marijuana opening day, scads of reporters swarmed the several buyers who turned up at 7am at the spanking new Mother Earth Wellness Dispensary....
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Cannabis Heavy Hitters: ‘Pass That Hors D’oeuvre’
Article and Photography by Sam Burgess Chef David Yusefzadeh When attending a soirée that doesn’t advertise the address and adheres to a strict guest list, there is an air of mystery reminiscent of a...
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Call it a Plant Jam: Elevated Cannabis Recipes
Recipes and Photography by Chef David Yusefzadeh Article by Sam Burgess Elevate is the name of the game for the future of cannabis edibles – to craft an experience that goes beyond a few bites of...
View ArticleLegalized It! Now What?: The State of Cannabis in the Ocean State
As I’m sure you’ve heard, our little state-that-barely-could has finally legalized cannabis for adult use. Awash with anticipation, consumers across the state could practically feel (and smell) it on...
View ArticleCannabis Records Expungement: Progress report and guide to the process
The RI Cannabis Act signed into law on May 25, 2022, legalized recreational use and provided for automatic expungement of eligible criminal and civil records by no later than July 1, 2024. The effect...
View ArticleWhat’s Behind Mother Earth: Joe Pakuris blazes through the new frontier of...
It’s a bleak, gray windy day on the eastern side of interstate 95. The kind of day where wind cuts through skin, never mind clothing; a stupid day to walk a couple blocks in nothing but a jean jacket....
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Finding Your Higher Self: Yoga studio incorporates edibles with meditation in...
Four2Five Wellness on Taunton Ave. in East Providence is a place of resilience, strength, and healing where everyone has the opportunity to explore and create their higher self. It’s more than just a...
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On the Cover: April 2023
Gina Lerman, the cover artist for this year’s April Cannabis Issue and Motif’s Creative Director, has had an interesting journey into art. When we asked her what got her into drawing initially, it was...
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Rhode Island Women in Cannabis: Out to Educate
Green Path Legal (Megan Sheehan, second from right) and leadership from Aura of Rhode Island Emily Cotter (Megan Sheehan) Eve Santana (Megan Sheehan) The legalization of cannabis in Rhode Island last...
View ArticleWe Have A CCC… Now What?: Just say no to loopholes and yes to equity
On May 25, 2022, Gov. McKee signed the RI Cannabis Act into law. The law legalized cannabis for adult use and stated a three-member commission (aka the Cannabis Control Commission, CCC for short)...
View ArticleWorker-Owned Flower Power: PVD Flowers Co-Op
Two years ago Rob Pena began work as a community organizer for a marijuana justice campaign within Reclaim Rhode Island. He was campaigning to help craft the future of Rhode Island’s cannabis...
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Let’s get baked: Enhanced plum cobbler cookies
Originally, I was thinking about making a peach cobbler cookie because August always reminds me of peaches. The thing is, as much as I love peaches, they hate me. I’m pretty allergic to them; but when...
View ArticleCroptoberFest
On Saturday, October 28, Motif will make its first foray into cannabis events, partnering with Mother Earth Wellness Dispensary and The MET for the first in a series. From 6 – 8:30pm we will have at...
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What’s Popping: Cannabis-infused salted caramel popcorn
Photo: Randy Robertson And on the sixth day, God invented the salty-sweet flavor profile. Looking for a fall-themed recipe to mimic the effect a seasonal TJ Maxx candle has on your salivary glands?...
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Flower by the Letter: Props for minor cannabinoids
THC and CBD are the most commonly known cannabinoids – naturally occurring chemical compounds found in cannabis that produce a range of effects. They are thought to be the main drivers of the relaxing...
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Croptoberfest 2023: A celebration of cannabis & community
Motif has been eagerly planning to do a cannabis event since the moment legalization was announced (and look out for some Cannabis Awards next year). The first one took place on October 28, produced...
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Merry Cannamas, Happy Holidabs
The season of giving is nearly upon us once again, where people will be racing to and fro, to find the perfect gifts for their friends and families. With the advent of the legalization of recreational...
View ArticleA Cornucopia of Cannabis
Since moving to Rhode Island earlier this year, I have been pleasantly overwhelmed by the cornucopia of cannabis products available at the dispensaries around the Ocean State. As a retiree whose...
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The Future of Cannabis: With new cannabis markets emerging across the...
Cannabis plant from “De historia…” rare book. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons) Rhode Island is living in the wild, wild west… of cannabis! Though we’ve had a medicinal market since 2012, our recreational...
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Can Robots Grow Our Weed?
Robotic arm photo by M. Levin at University of Washington. With all the buzz about Artificial Intelligence in the news these days, I decided to explore the latest in robotic cultivation of cannabis....
View ArticleAutism and Cannabis
Autism Spectrum Disorder, commonly known as autism, is a heritable, genetic neurodevelopmental challenge that impacts about 1% of the world’s human population. This means there are somewhere around 80...
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Cannabis and Incarceration: Raquel Baker had a medical marijuana license....
Illustrations by Olivia Lunger. On this day, whichever day you are reading this, it is important as ever to remember that although Black people account for about 13% of the US population, they make up...
View ArticleWhy I Love Cannabis: A fifty-year affair
I love cannabis. I have been consuming it for more than 50 years. It may sound strange to love a plant, but I do. It’s my favorite vegetable, by far. I love cannabis because it makes me feel good and...
View ArticleSocial Justice & Cannabis in RI: Part 1
As the Rhode Island cannabis industry grows, numerous legislative and policy challenges remain. Nearly all of these challenges — which are also opportunities — revolve around fundamental elements of...
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Social Justice & Cannabis in RI: Part 2 — Legal Perspectives
Blake Johnson, ESQ. Photo via Green Path Legal. On Dec 1, 2023, I attended the Celebration of Legalization event in Cranston hosted by Black Dragonfly Events, High Beautiful, and CRAVEInfused. The...
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Social Justice & Cannabis in RI: Part 3 — A grower’s perspective
This article is the third in a series on social justice and the cannabis industry in Rhode Island. The first two articles on social justice and cannabis in this series appeared in previous issues of...
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[SPONSORED CONTENT] Hank’s for the Herbs: Local cultivator winning awards
Hank and his herbs. Hank’s Herbs is a licensed cannabis cultivator in Rhode Island that has been providing premium cannabis products since its establishment in 2017. Similar to a micro-brewery, Hank’s...
View Article[SPONSORED CONTENT] RI’s Green Revolution: Why more folks are opting for...
In December 2022, Rhode Island stepped into the spotlight with the launch of its adult-use cannabis market, setting off a wave of change in consumption patterns across the state. In fact, licensed...
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Munchies Tips: 4/20 is on the horizon and so are the munchies
Clam cakes and chowder by Iggy’s. What is the best munchie food? The answer is simple, all munchie food is the best! It just depends on you. Are you hungry hungry or just looking for a snackaroo? Is...
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Hops and Hemp: A blunt review of terp beers
A Long Live can o’bliss. With cannabis now legal for recreational use in 24 states, it’s a wonder beer isn’t being brewed with it. Well, let me remind you that licensed brewers can not use...
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Social Justice & Cannabis: Part 4 — Higher education
The nascent legal cannabis industry incorporates technology at every stage of production. Growing the product, processing the product, and marketing the product all require complex technology. Today,...
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Growing MJ in RI
Let’s discuss some of the different strains of cannabis, which ones grow best in Rhode Island, and review some tips to help you get started with your foray into growing weed. We’re going to avoid...
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In Their Own Words ‘The Cannabis Edition’: RI cannabis dispensaries answer...
Illustration by Sophie Foulkes. Currently, Rhode Island has seven licensed cannabis dispensaries. They are licensed and regulated by the State of Rhode Island Cannabis Control Commission to sell...
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It Takes A Year
It has been a year since I returned to Rhode Island after living elsewhere for nearly five decades. Often, a year is enough distance to reflect and gain insights from life’s events. Here, I reflect on...
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Glass Blowers & Weed Smokers
Glasswork by Brian Jacobson in collaboration with Unparalleled Glass via @seshgallery on IG. The art of forcibly exhaling through a metal tube stuck in a glob of molten glass to create vessels that...
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Cannabis Economic Justice Press Conference Recap
Left to right: Rep David Morales, author Eve Santana, Robert Peña, Zara Salmon, Kristina Contreras-Fox, Nina Harrison, Rep Leonela Felix. (Photo: courtesy of State of RI General Assembly) On Thursday,...
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A Truly High Society
Bri Duffy Consuming cannabis often includes a social function and context. For example, we pass joints and bongs among friends because of culture and tradition. People gather together to enjoy weed…...
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Cannabis and Higher Education: CCRI Gets in the Game
Every once in a while, an email lands in my inbox with good news. On May 29, I received a link to a press release from the Community College of Rhode Island titled: “CCRI Launches First Cannabis...
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Reclaiming Rhode Island
Although Rhode Island is geographically the smallest of our fifty states, we are lucky to have many non-governmental and non-profit organizations with visions that promote missions for improving...
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Growers Grow, Part 1: Observations of the business ecology of cannabis...
Let’s face it. – if not for the growers, there would be no weed for sale in any Ocean State dispensaries. Of course, there is the intrepid home grown culture, but really, with each home grower limited...
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Cheers to the Most Informed Cannabis Event to Reach Rhode Island in a Long...
The Parabola Center is a nonpartisan think tank of legal professionals and drug policy experts coming together to protect people, not corporations. The organization’s mission is to provide everyone...
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Fall Recipes: Cannabis
As the crisp autumn air sets in, it’s time to embrace the cozy comforts of the season – think warm sweaters, vibrant foliage, and the mouthwatering flavors that define fall. If you want to elevate...
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Growers Grow, Part 2: Hydroponics for home growers
Hydroponics is the art and science of growing plants without soil. Instead of soil, some inert substrate, such as vermiculite, a naturally occurring mineral made of magnesium, aluminum, and iron...
View ArticleCannabis Status: Update on expungements, taxes
EXPUNGEMENTS A few months ago, we reported on the process of automatic expungement for criminal and civil offense records mandated by the RI Cannabis Act (“Cannabis Records Expungement: Progress...
View ArticleCultivating Quality: Hank’s Herbs’ mission to be the best
It is a sunny Saturday. The air is electric with the promise of summer. Only a few white clouds patrol the sky. A sunglass-donning DJ bobs his head to the speakers that are blasting bass music, just...
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