‘Burg Bud
story Megan Foster, photos by Andy Rios, design by Ileana Rea Martinez
A flick of the lighter. A quick puff of smoke. Inhale. Exhale. “Ahh.”
The cannabis plant — otherwise referred to as marijuana, weed, bud or Mary Jane — has been around for centuries. The dried, leafy green buds from the plant can elicit different effects that intrigue a range of consumer needs, as well as societal stigmas.
Marijuana Misconceptions
“I mean, if you’re a stoner you’re lazy…” Dave Hubbard says, a lead budtender for The Fire House and The Station dispensaries in Ellensburg. “You get that all the time, you're stupid…I think the biggest [stigma] is just laziness.”
The cannabis industry has its fair share of stigmas. This has been a common thread throughout history. Propaganda surrounding marijuana began to surface in the 1920’s and 1930’s.
“After the Mexican Revolution of 1910, Mexican immigrants flooded into the United States, bringing with them the recreational use of marijuana,” according to Alexander Campbell King Law Library website. “The drug became associated with the immigrants and the fear and, in turn, prejudice about the newcomers became associated with marijuana.”
Whether they are directed at those who partake or at the product itself, there are plenty of opinions.
“[Many] still think it's a hard drug, like ‘Oh, you smoke weed you must do all this other stuff,’” says Aleana Bower, a budtender at The Fire House and The Station dispensaries in Ellensburg. “That's not the case.”
Regardless of any explanation or excuse, Hubbard expresses that stigma will likely always be present within the cannabis industry.
“You can try arguing with them all you want, but I mean, the only thing I tell them is try it…” Hubbard says. “You can tell someone whatever, but until they try it and actually see, you know, it's stigma and mindset.”
The Power of Plants
Cannabis “is an important herbaceous species originating from Central Asia, which has been used in folk medicine and as a source of textile fiber since the dawn of times,” according to a journal published in the National Library of Medicine entitled “Cannabis sativa: The Plant of the Thousand and One Molecules.”
Within each cannabis plant lives cannabinoids. Cannabinoids are responsible for the high that is often associated with marijuana.
“The word cannabinoid refers to every chemical substance, regardless of structure or origin, that joins the cannabinoid receptors of the body and brain…” according to the Alcohol and Drug Foundation (ADF).
Cannabinoids elicit effects within the human body by interacting with specific receptors within the central nervous system.
“To stimulate these receptors, our bodies produce molecules called endocannabinoids, which have a structural similarity to molecules in the cannabis plant…” Peter Grinspoon says in an article with Harvard Health Publishing. “The cannabis plant, which humans have been using for about 5,000 years, essentially works its effect by hijacking this ancient cellular machinery.”
The two most common cannabinoids are delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). While these cannabinoids are increasingly similar in terms of chemical structure, they have vastly different effects.
“THC is the psychoactive part of it, that’s the part that's going to get you stoned,” Bower says. “CBD is more of the relaxing, anti-inflammatory, calming, anti-anxiety and that's non-psychoactive so the CBD itself isn’t going to get you that stoned, but it’s going to have health benefits.”
Cannabis plants, while identical in structure, can come in different forms. In addition to THC and CBD, there is also the distinction between cannabis sativa and cannabis indica. The difference is important to understand because they can elicit different effects depending on what the user is looking for.
“So I always say sativa is more silly and giggly and awake…” Bower explains. “Indica is more in the couch, more relaxing. Definitely good for sleep.” While these are general guidelines, it is important to note that cannabis can affect everyone differently.
“[For] some, you know, indica might make someone feel like they’re on sativa… we all have different body chemistry,” Hubbard says. “So the way weed affects me is gonna be different than how it affects you.”
Weed in Washington
Washington state has over 600 marijuana dispensaries, according to the Washington State Cannabis website. Ellensburg is home to three.
Since the legalization of marijuana for recreational use started in 2012, the cannabis industry has only grown, and so has consumer usage.
Hubbard, who works for two dispensaries in the area, says the clientele ranges from the ages of 21 to 80. “I’d probably say, I mean we're a college town, so 21 to 25/26 [is most popular],” he says.
According to a Monitoring the Future study from 2022, roughly 44% of young adults polled (ranging from the age of 19 to 30) had used marijuana for non-medical purposes in the past year. The study also reported 29% of adults using marijuana monthly, whereas 11% partake daily.
Timeline
In the 17th century the U.S. encouraged the growth of hemp for the production of products such as clothing, rope and sails, according to a marijuana timeline published by PBS.
In 1937 Congress passed the Marijuana Tax Act which was responsible for the criminalization of marijuana for recreational use. From this point forward possession of marijuana was restricted to specific authorized users.
Congress passed the Boggs Act in 1951. This act set mandatory sentences for drug convictions. According to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), convictions were set to “two to five years for first offenders along with a fine up to $2,000, five to 10 years for a second offense, and 10 to 15 years for any subsequent offenses.”
In 1970 the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act and National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) was established. NORML is a non-profit public-interest advocacy group that was founded with the hope of aiding the fight toward marijuana decriminalization and continues to work for reform of federal and state marijuana legislature, according to the NORML website.
A committee was formed in regard to marijuana policy under President Richard Nixon. In 1972 after two years, the committee, formally known as the Shafer Commission, issued their report titled “Marijuana: A Signal of Misunderstanding.” This report formally advised Congress to decriminalize personal possession of marijuana.
California voters passed the Compassionate Use Act in 1996, which made California the first state to legalize marijuana for medical use.
In 2012 Washington and Colorado were the first two states to approve adult-use recreational marijuana measures.
Below is a map which depicts all advancements the industry has made since 2012.
Alabama: Comprehensive medical cannabis program
Alaska: Adult and medical use regulated program
Arizona: Adult and medical use regulated program
Arkansas: Comprehensive medical cannabis program
California: Adult and medical use regulated program
Colorado: Adult and medical use regulated program
Connecticut: Adult and medical use regulated program
Delaware: Adult and medical use regulated program
District of Columbia: Adult and medical use regulated program
Florida: Comprehensive medical cannabis program
Georgia: CBD/low THC program
Hawaii: Comprehensive medical cannabis program
Idaho: No public cannabis access program
Illinois: Adult and medical use regulated program
Indiana: CBD/low THC program
Iowa: CBD/low THC program
Kansas: No public cannabis access program
Kentucky: Comprehensive medical cannabis program
Louisiana: Comprehensive medical cannabis program
Maine: Adult and medical use regulated program
Maryland: Adult and medical use regulated program
Massachusetts: Adult and medical use regulated program
Michigan: Adult and medical use regulated program
Minnesota: Adult and medical use regulated program
Mississippi: Comprehensive medical cannabis program
Missouri: Adult and medical use regulated program
Montana: Adult and medical use regulated program
Nebraska: No public cannabis access program
Nevada: Adult and medical use regulated program
New Hampshire: Comprehensive medical cannabis program
New Jersey: Adult and medical use regulated program
New Mexico: Adult and medical use regulated program
New York: Adult and medical use regulated program
North Carolina: CBD/low THC program
North Dakota: Comprehensive medical cannabis program
Ohio: Adult and medical use regulated program
Oklahoma: Comprehensive medical cannabis program
Oregon: Adult and medical use regulated program
Pennsylvania: Comprehensive medical cannabis program
Rhode Island: Adult and medical use regulated program
South Carolina: CBD/low THC program
South Dakota: Comprehensive medical cannabis program
Tennessee: CBD/low THC program
Texas: CBD/low THC program
Utah: Comprehensive medical cannabis program
Vermont: Adult and medical use regulated program
Virginia: Adult and medical use regulated program
Washington: Adult and medical use regulated program
West Virginia: Comprehensive medical cannabis program
Wisconsin: CBD/low THC program
Wyoming: CBD/low THC program
Map to Marijuana:
Green Shelf:
Address: 400 S Main St, Ellensburg, WA 98926
Hours: Sunday-Thursday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. & Friday-Saturday 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The Station:
Address: 1514 W University Way, Ellensburg, WA 98926
Hours: Sunday-Thursday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. & Friday-Saturday 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The Fire House:
Address: 1714 S, 1714 Canyon Rd, Ellensburg, WA 98926
Hours: Sunday-Thursday 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. & Friday-Saturday 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Doobie Discounts:
Green Shelf:
Tuesday:
Student discounts
The Station & The Fire House:
Everyday:
Happy Hour: 10% off everything 9-10 a.m. and 9-10 p.m.
10% off for Veterans
Exempt from tax and 10% off with verified medical card
Tuesday:
10% off students with ID
10% off Phat Panda products
Wednesday:
10% off all wax
$11 3.5g flower
$9 1g concentrates
Friday:
10% off all cartridges
Sunday:
10% off seniors (60+)
Rewards:
After 10 visits you get 15% (up to $15) off your next purchase
