There’s nothing wrong with consuming cannabis just for the high, but with a world of new products and consumption methods, it’s not your only option.

If all you do is smoke and watch sitcoms that’s cool, you do you. But know that you’re missing out on the full breadth of cannabis possibilities in the modern era. 

Consider trying these new and accessible ways to enhance your cannabis consumption experience.

Four creative ideas to enhance your cannabis consumption experience

1. Cooking with Cannabis

In Colorado, cooking with cannabis has moved beyond dried-out brownies that taste like sub-par weed. Today, cannabis cuisine is a legitimate culinary specialty, and if you enjoy time in the kitchen, you should give it a try!

There’s a variety of cannabis cookbooks to help get you started. We love Bong Apetit from the editors of Munchies, and Wake and Bake by Corinne Tobias, where you’ll find recipes for every diet, including meals that are vegan and gluten-free. 

If sweet treats are your guilty pleasure, check out Stephanie Hua’s Edibles: Small Bites for the Cannabis Kitchen. This tasty collection contains over 25 bite-sized, starter-dosed recipes for canna-bakers of every skill level.

Not into cooking? We get it. But that shouldn’t keep you from enjoying edibles. We keep a full stock of cannabis-infused culinary delights at each of our eight Colorado dispensary locations.

Additional reading: we polled Lightshade team members to discover their favorite edibles. Click here to find out what they said.

2. Canna-centric Journals

The variety of strains available today is astounding, and new strains are showing up all the time. Modern cannabis strains are grown to highlight specific terpenes or profiles, offering a broad range of diversity in taste, effects, and aroma. 

Keeping a written record of your experience with each new strain is a great way to refine your tastes, keep track of what you’ve tried, and bring focus to your consumption experience. 

Not everyone wants to write a complete journal, but some type of scoring system gets the job done. Need some inspiration to get started? Look no further than the Cannabis Taster Notebook, from Goldleaf. This pocket-sized journal is designed for cannabis enthusiasts. It’s guided entry pages, graphics, tips, and tricks help you document the effects, flavors, aromas, and experiences of your favorite cannabis strains.

While you’re admiring all that Goldleaf has to offer, check out our collaboration with them that benefits Project Sanctuary. Click here to see our custom cannabis illustrations.

3. Self Care

New cannabis product categories continue to emerge as people discover unique applications for our favorite plant. Because of this, cannabis is now a popular ingredient in spa and skincare products. 

We keep a full-stock of Mary’s Medicinals products at Lightshade, including tinctures and patches that contain THC. Mary’s recently developed a skincare line, Mary’s Methods. The product line includes bath bombs, body scrubs, moisturizers, and more. Each product is infused with hemp-derived CBD and is the perfect way to treat yourself after a rough day (or any day). We also carry some amazing products from Coda Signature, including bath bombs and massage oils.

If you enjoy DIY projects, why not craft your own cannabis skincare products? Sandra Hinchliffe’s The Cannabis Spa at Home includes easy-to-follow instructions to help you create more than 70 canna-spa products, including bath salts, emulsions, and lotions. Each recipe is designed for the cannabis enthusiast to craft in the comfort of their own kitchen.

4. Fitness

Fitness enthusiasts and professional athletes recognize the therapeutic attributes of cannabis. And today, there are infused products for smoothies (like Stillwater’s Ripple) and cannabis supplements designed to help with recovery after hard workouts. 

In a recent study, researchers from the University of Colorado found that eight out of ten cannabis consumers say they dose just before, or after exercise. Of those who participated in the study, most reported extra motivation, enhanced enjoyment, and improved recovery. As always, experimentation with dosage is critical, and we recommend that you start low and go slow. Don’t ruin your motivation to sweat by getting too high.

Legalization has kicked open the doors to new and innovative ways of enjoying cannabis. Drop by your favorite Lightshade location to learn more.

So, you’ve got 3 days at Red Rocks coming up. What makes performing at Red Rocks different from other venues?

“Red Rocks is simply the most incredible place for music in our country, for both the musicians and the fans. It’s awe-inspiring, just the coolest place to stand on a stage and let the music flow.“

Cannabis has been legal here in Colorado for a long time. Does that make your shows feel different when compared to other states that haven’t legalized adult-use, for example compared to when you perform in Indiana?

“They definitely smell different!“

“I think the fans can relax and enjoy themselves a little more when they know security is not trying to bust them. So, in a way it just makes the shows a little more fun for everyone.“

What role does cannabis play in your music, in all aspects from songwriting to performing?

“It’s always been a source of inspiration; it can help you to lock yourself into a zone and be focused or get lost in the woods.“

“It’s definitely a boon in both creativity and focus. There aren’t many things in life that can simultaneously allow you to relax and focus. So, it’s nice to have as an option for those who want to get on the path.“

When did cannabis first become a part of your lives, and how were you introduced to it? What were your initial reactions?

“I was in a forest in South Bend in what is now the Eddy Street Commons. I didn’t think it was working so I took a bunch of hits. I was suddenly 50 yards to the left in a bush. I also thought the traffic helicopters knew what we were up to. So I went into a Notre Dame football game and promptly burned the roof of my mouth on some hot chocolate. It was kind of intense. But I grew to love it.“

“I went to see Bob Dylan at The Chicago Theatre as a sophomore in high school. I and my band mates at the time had a dugout with a metal bat that we fired up in a car in a parking garage. I got a couple good hits but didn’t really understand what I was doing and blew the cherry out on the third try.“

You’re doing something new with the Day Nurse and Night Nurse pens. What made you decide to take a step beyond being cannabis fans to creating and promoting an actual cannabis product?

“It’s a very natural concept for us to do something with cannabis. We’ve made a Nothing Too Fancy Pale Ale and a couple other short run beer projects in the past, and we know many of our fans enjoy cannabis as well as beer. Day Nurse & Night Nurse are of course two much-loved Umphrey’s McGee songs, the naming process made lots of sense to us.“

“The stigma that has long surrounded cannabis in the U.S. has finally, and sensibly, began to lift. We’ve discussed it for years and feel like the conditions are finally right, there is no putting this genie back in the bottle. American lawmakers seem to have finally realized that maybe having access to taxed and regulated marijuana won’t result society crashing down up us.“

And what can fans expect from the new, limited-edition Day Nurse and Night Nurse vapes?

“With the Day Nurse vape you have the energizing, uplifting experience of a sativa blend and the Night Nurse indica oil will be more of a deep, relaxing buzz. You’ve got two great options depending on which direction you’d like to go.“

“Everything you need and nothing you don’t. We feel great about the two profiles we’ve put together with “the nurses,” one for your daytime go get ‘em needs and another for your dial it down desires.“

Why did you decide to partner with MedPharm/Batch?

“Tim has been an acquaintance of ours for many years and has always been someone who wanted to reach out and help, whether it was needing backline keyboards or an entirely new venue for a show. So, when he approached us with this idea, we were of course intrigued.“

“My father has forever instilled in me that when you do something, do it right the first time. We’ve passed on a handful partnerships when we didn’t feel the confident about the operation from soup to nuts. With MedPharm/Batch, we saw a partner as detail oriented and self-contained as UM. From an in-house chemist to ensure the highest possible quality to a killer design team and everything in between, this felt like the fit we’d been waiting for.“

Why did you partner with Lightshade?

“Lightshade was a natural extension of the MedPharm/Batch partnership. Their quality reputation as one of Colorado’s most trusted dispensaries mirrored our desire to keep the expectations high. Killer service, knowledgeable staff and an eye towards community and philanthropic support feels like a good for The Nurses.“

Do you have a favorite strain?

“My personal favorites include Cali Star, Chocolope, Strawberry Cough & Green Crack. They’re all very similar in that they are motivational, uplifting and delightfully tasty strains as well as being consistent.“

How about a favorite way to consume?

“Pax 2 or 3 with flower because you can specific with your flavor profile and it’s a healthier option than combustion for a singer. The different settings vary from pure vape to smoke and in between.“

“I still prefer flower when possible. The taste and the buzz are unparalleled, especially with all of the industry advancements over the years.“

Any additional comments you’d like to make to the Umphree’s fans out there?

“I’m just pleased to see the evolution on the thinking of cannabis in our society. Legalization is an idea that overdue. The fact that you can pick up an AR-15 and a case of Bourbon on the way home but could land in jail for “having a little grass in your pocket” (as my mom would say), doesn’t strike me as particularly sensical. Like any cognitive or conscious altering substance, it needs to be treated with caution, respect & moderation but let’s make sure we’re talking apples to apples. Legalization is a criminal justice issue, a racial issue and a class issue and while so many problems in our society are exceedingly complex to solve, this doesn’t isn’t one of them. I’m pleased to see we’re making some progress in this country and approaching the issue with a little more common sense.“

Click here to find out more about the limited-run Umphree’s McGee Day Nurse and Night Nurse vape pens. Don’t hit snooze on this one- these will go fast, and once they’re gone, they’re gone for good!

The Cannabis + Music Connection—A Legacy of Inspired Sounds

Consumers understand the connection between cannabis and music—but do you know how deep the relationship goes?

Cannabis has a deep relationship with sound. Looking back at the beatniks of the 1950s and hippies of the 60s, we can see that both groups found influence and inspiration from cannabis.  

Beat generation author and cultural icon Allen Ginsberg wrote, “Marijuana is a useful catalyst for specific optical and aural aesthetic perceptions.” Jack Kerouac, arguably the most recognizable of the “Beats” in 1969 (the year of Woodstock) wrote, “I smoked more grass than anyone you ever knew in your life.”

Beatniks and hippies consumed cannabis to enhance the experience of music and to inspire creativity. Whether they were rolling one joint (or many) to enjoy at Birdland during a Charlie Parker session, or at El Chapultepec, Denver’s legendary Jazz bar and Beat hangout (yes, Denver has always been cool), the Beats were the original supporters of cannabis culture.

The musicians themselves also consumed cannabis (#Duh). Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Bob Dylan, Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix (and many, many more), openly discussed their cannabis consumption. Citing the transcendental effect THC has on the creative mind, musicians, spanning genres and generations continue to find inspiration in cannabis.

HASH AND POT…THEY JUST BEND YOUR MIND A LITTLE. I THINK EVERYBODY’S MIND SHOULD BE BENT ONCE IN A WHILE.—BOB DYLAN

Our beloved 420, the officially unofficial cannabis holiday, exists because a few hippie high school students needed a place and time to consume, and that time/code, 4:20, made its way to the entourage surrounding the Grateful Dead (we wrote a blog about it that you can read here). The rest, as they say, is history.

Regardless of your preference in music— Hip Hop, Jazz, Rock, Goth/Industrial, Punk, Jam Bands, EDM, Noise, etc.—consuming cannabis before or during the act of enjoying (or playing) music can enhance each note and every rhythm.

YOU NEED MUSIC, I DON’T KNOW WHY. IT’S PROBABLY ONE OF THOSE JOSEPH CAMPBELL QUESTIONS, WHY WE NEED RITUAL. WE NEED MAGIC AND BLISS, AND POWER AND MYTH, AND CELEBRATION AND RELIGION IN OUR LIVES AND MUSIC IS A GOOD WAY TO ENCAPSULATE A LOT OF IT.—JERRY GARCIA

When it comes to seeing live music, there is almost no better way to pre-game than to consume cannabis (sorry, booze). A show at Red Rocks is one of the classic Colorado sound-centric activities. Take a rideshare to Red Rocks (or designate a sober companion), and before heading out the door, pregame with an edible, joint (shareable), or your preferred method of cannabis consumption. Of course, you can take this same approach to every show you see in Denver, at Red Rocks or any other live music venue.

Announcing Night Nurse and Day Nurse by MedPharm and Umphrey’s McGee—Available exclusively at Lightshade.

Colorado is obsessed with music and cannabis, and since the two are practically made to be enjoyed together, Lightshade is collaborating with Jam Band legends Umphrey’s McGee and MedPharm, on a limited-edition line of cannabis vape cartridges. Packaged in a two-pack of one sativa strain and one indica strain vape, Day Nurse and Night Nurse will be available exclusively through Lightshade. Hey, the band is even making an appearance, so stand by for more details!

Learn more about this exciting and exclusive new product release from Batch Extracts and Umphrey’s McGee.

Cannabis Edibles – Keys to Safe Consumption

Edibles are a fun alternative for people who’d prefer not to inhale cannabis, but consumers (and the media) need some education around safe consumption.

Edibles are the consumption method of choice for many fans of cannabis. You love them, we love them, and for consumers who’d prefer not to inhale cannabis, edibles are a great alternative.

Still, there are specific guidelines for the safe consumption of cannabis edibles that need to be discussed. We’ve noticed an uptick in stories, from both local and national media outlets, citing studies that show an increase in Emergency Room visits related to the consumption of edibles.

Before we move on, let’s set the record straight

Lightshade supports the SAFE consumption of cannabis edibles—but we DO NOT support their misuse, abuse, or the consumption of edibles by people who are not yet educated on safe consumption guidelines (or minors).

Now that we’ve cleared the air it’s time to dive into the problem and the solution.

A study published this month in the Annals of Internal Medicine examined roughly 10,000 patients at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital for four years—from 2012 to 2016. The study, as is typical of studies and media coverage related to cannabis (yes, even in Colorado where cannabis is legal), is designed to portray cannabis and cannabis consumers, in a less-than-favorable light.

The media is quick to point out the dangers of edibles as a growing concern but fails to highlight the inadequate and skewed data set from which this study draws its conclusions.

What is not reported by this study, is the fact that the data set used represents less than one percent (.57 percent) of the total ER visits. The .57 figure used was informed by coding in a patient’s chart indicating partial attribution to cannabis.

A statement issued by the Marijuana Industry Group explains, “Of the ER visits partially attributed to cannabis, 62.7 percent were discharged, none were admitted to the intensive care unit, and none died. Consistent with other examinations on the issue, the majority of cases presented nominal health issues and patients went home.”

The study used data gathered during a period in which Colorado was transitioning from a strictly medical cannabis system to a system where both medical and recreational cannabis is legal. The intake data used in this study doesn’t segment between regulated and unregulated sources of product, and those differences in the product are significant. Because of the limited data set—and the skewed perspective from which the study was conducted—the findings are suspect. Regardless, we’d rather focus on education and changing the narrative around cannabis in the media, and less on studies and coverage that only serve to perpetuate a longstanding stigma.

What you need to know about edibles

We’ve said this before, and we will repeat it: start low and go slow.

Edibles are different than other consumption methods, primarily in their time to onset. When you consume an edible, it has to pass through your digestive tract before it has an opportunity to produce its effects. Where consumers get into trouble is when they eat an edible, assume it isn’t the appropriate dosage, and consume again in rapid succession (and perhaps again after that).

It’s that simple.

When you’re starting out, you should consult with our budtenders on safe consumption guidelines. We’d typically suggest that you select an edible with a low dosage of THC, and DO NOT re-dose until at least four hours later. We don’t want to see anyone wind up in the ER for something as easily preventable as an edible-induced freakout.  

If you have over-indulged in edibles, don’t panic. Research suggests that CBD can counteract some of the anxiety-inducing side-effects of THC.

AS EARLY AS 1982, THERE WERE INDICATIONS THAT THE PSYCHOSIS AND ANXIETY-INDUCING EFFECTS OF THC CAN BE SUPPRESSED BY CBD. SEVERAL OTHER STUDIES HAVE FOUND SUPPORT FOR THE ANTIPSYCHOTIC EFFECTS OF CBD.

– US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health

In addition, Dr. Dustin Sulack from healer.com, a leader in cannabis medicine, has a few ideas for you:

IF YOU FIND YOU’VE INHALED OR INGESTED TOO MUCH CANNABIS AND DON’T WANT TO FEEL HIGH, DON’T DESPAIR. THERE ARE A FEW SIMPLE WAYS TO MAKE THE FEELING OF INTOXICATION GO AWAY FASTER. DR. SULACK SUGGESTS YOU TRY LEMON ZEST. SIMPLY GRIND A LEMON PEEL AND SPRINKLE IT ON SOME FOOD – OR HAVE A CUP OF CHAMOMILE TEA TO HELP YOU RELAX AND RELIEVE THE PSYCHOACTIVE EFFECTS. THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THC IS NON-TOXIC AND WON’T HARM YOU, EVEN IN HIGH DOSES, SO JUST HYDRATE, TRY ONE OF THESE EFFECTIVE ANTIDOTES AND WAIT IT OUT. YOU’LL SOON BE BACK TO NORMAL.

– healer.com

The education pages on our site are packed with information around various methods of consumption and include tips for the safe use of edibles. As part of our commitment to combatting the misinformation presented by mass media and the resulting stigma, Lightshade WILL ALWAYS be available to answer questions surrounding all areas of cannabis, from consumption guidelines, and various methods of consumption, to information around the latest products and exciting industry news.

At the end of the day, we want you to have a safe and pleasant cannabis experience. Please reach out if you have any questions, comments, or concerns.

Additional reading: PotGuide.com recently published an article packed with great information around what you can expect to feel if you’ve gone overboard with an edible, and what you can do to mitigate the side-effects. Click here to read the article.

420 in Colorado

Make the most of this green holiday with tips and activities hand-selected by Lightshade.

Sure, St. Patty’s Day is green, but the greenest day of the year is 420. The roots of 420 are vague (and change depending on who you ask). Here’s what people say:

• 420 is the number of active chemical compounds found in cannabis.
• 420 somehow relates back to teatime in Holland.
• 420 was born from Bob Dylan’s “Rainy Day Women #12 & 35”, the song in which Dylan famously sings, “Everybody must get stoned”—because, 12 multiplied by 35 equals 420.
• 420 is a code used by law enforcement for “marijuana smoking in progress.”
• 420 is the birthdate of a particular figure in history who we’d rather not mention by name (it is, in fact, his birthday).

So, what’s the real story? As with many stories related to cannabis, the tale of 420 involves music—and it’s hazy.

Let’s roll back the tape (or papers) to Marin County, California, 1971. Five local high school students decide to meet at 4:20 pm near a statue of the legendary chemist Louis Pasteur for a toke. The group, known as the “Waldos” (they met next to a hidden wall near the statue), used 420 as code for cannabis when making plans for their next session.

Later, one of the Waldos found work with the Grateful Dead as a roadie. He brought more than just his skills at handling bassist Phil Lesh’s gear—he brought the notion of 420 too.

On December 28, 1990, a collection of Deadheads who were familiar with the then-underground code, organized a gathering of people to smoke “420” at 4:20 pm. We can thank those Deadheads for envisioning a day each year where people gather to enjoy cannabis at the same time. The rest, as they say, is history.

Fast-forward to 2019 and 420 in Colorado has become a yearly ritual for local cannabis consumers and canna-friendly tourists. And we love it.

Tips to help you make the most of the cannabis holiday.

Denver is ground-zero for our favorite cannabis-themed holiday. Here are a few tips to help you make the most of it.

A few of our favorite 420 events this year in Colorado.

Not sure what to do this weekend? We’ve got you covered. The Lightshade team has hand-selected a few events to help you build out a roadmap to 420. Of course, we’d suggest that you start your weekend with a visit to one of our eight Colorado dispensaries. We have some amazing specials in store for local and visitor, alike.

Snoop Dogg & Ice Cube at Red Rocks

This isn’t technically on 4/20, but you’d be hard-pressed to find a better way to kick-off the holiday than seeing Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube live at Red Rocks. The two take the stage together on Thursday, April 18th, at 7pm. Just remember, it’s not legal to consume in public (as we said above)—plan accordingly.

The Mile High 4.20K

Celebrate the official start of 4/20 with an elevated run surrounded by hundreds of like-minded fans of cannabis and fitness. The Mile High 4.20K starts at 8 am at Sloan’s Lake Park. The event is designed to raise awareness of how cannabis consumption can be an integral part of promoting a healthy lifestyle.

Mile High 420 Festival

We’d be remiss not to mention the classic Denver 420 event: The Mile High 420 Festival. Held each year at Civic Center Park, the Mile High 420 Festival draws cannabis-consumers and advocates from across the globe. This year the event organizers aim to reimagine what the holiday represents, to fight the longstanding stigma that surrounds cannabis while celebrating our healthy (and growing) local cannabis industry. Celebrate our favorite plant with over 50,000 like-minded revelers.

Secret Stash Yoga: Sunday Gentle Flow

Start 420 Sunday (ok, technically it’s 4/21) on your mat with Secret Stash Yoga: Sunday Gentle Flow. Secret Stash Yoga wants to enhance your yoga experience in an environment that encourages relaxation, spiritual awareness, bliss and inner self-reflection—a perfect entry into the final day of the 420 holiday.

420 is a time for us to join together as a community and celebrate the past, present, and future of our favorite plant (and the industry). Be safe, be smart, and most importantly—let’s show the rest of the nation that Colorado cannabis consumers (and tourists) are happy, healthy, and working to tear down the misconceptions that have far too long, plagued this beautiful plant.

Beat the lines at Lightshade locations this week by placing your pre-order online for faster pickup!

We need to take a hard look at what our industry is doing to the planet and make a change—today.

With Earth Day approaching (Monday, April 22nd) and the global conversation around climate change heating up (no pun intended, seriously), we need to talk about the impact our industry has on the planet—and more essential—how we can change it.

The growing cannabis community is diverse. Most, if not all of us, are woke, earth-loving people, but we’ve got a challenge that must be addressed. The cannabis industry is facing a sustainability issue that threatens to tarnish the already tenuous reputation of our favorite plant. Introducing the benefits of cannabis to the planet is difficult if we are simultaneously doing harm to it.

“UNLESS ACTIONS ARE TAKEN SOON, THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY’S SKY-HIGH ENERGY USAGE AND WASTEFUL PACKAGING WILL UNDERMINE ITS GREEN SPIRIT AND BEST INTENTIONS.”—SPENCER J. WARD, ROOSTER

In a report released last year, New Frontier Data found that energy consumption by the cannabis industry is predicted to increase as much as 162% by 2020. At the time the report was published, also according to New Frontier, our industry consumed a staggering 1.1 million megawatt hours of electricity annually. To put things into perspective, that is enough energy to power over 92,000 homes for a year.

Despite cannabis being an industry based around agriculture, there are no clear guidelines for how to make it sustainable. Due in large part to the history of cannabis prohibition and resulting stigma, we have limited data to help inform industry-wide best practices specific to sustainability. And, in contrast to nearly every other industry, there has been scant publicly-funded research to define how we can produce and package cannabis in an effective, efficient, and sustainable way.

But that doesn’t mean we aren’t trying.

Some points you should consider:

• The Denver area is home to 300 grows that account for four percent of the city’s total electricity demand.
• As of today, Colorado gets most of its energy from coal-fired plants, making cannabis grown in our state the most carbon-intensive in the U.S.
• We won’t know how best to approach the issue of sustainability in cannabis until we have sufficient research and data.

What Lightshade is doing about engrained environmental issues in the cannabis industry

We’re not perfect. Despite our sustainable practices, Lightshade has been called out more than once on social media. We aren’t afraid to put ourselves under the microscope. Lightshade is committed to reducing our carbon footprint to ensure a better, more sustainable future, and still adhere to local regulations.

Here’s how:

• We recently completed construction of a 40,000 square foot, state-of-the-art greenhouse. This new cultivation facility uses natural sunlight for the entire year, with artificial light added to supplement the process for 6 months out of each year. The greenhouse is cooled through water evaporation, cutting our power usage in half. Additionally, every drop of water in our new greenhouse is recycled, which enables us to decrease our nutrient and water consumption by 50 percent.
• Our existing cultivation facilities have always and will always use organic pest control methods.
• At each Lightshade retail location, we use LED lighting and high-efficiency climate control systems. And, our retail locations make use of single-stream recycling containers to house every piece of waste produced.
• This year, we are switching our packaging to bags that use 85% less plastic than the drams in use today. Until we make this switch, Lightshade has partnered with Green4Green to drop recycling bins at each location, allowing customers to return their spent drams to be cleaned and reused.

This is a call to action. The time is now.

As an industry and a community, we are green for green (pun intended). We are leading the charge in developing programs and habits to support the planet and show the commitment of the cannabis industry to be a positive force for change.

Lightshade is devoted to identifying sustainability issues and taking steps to reduce our carbon footprint. Will you join us in the fight to save our planet?

Get in touch if you’d like to know more about the sustainable practices of Lightshade.

At Lightshade, giving back to the community is important. For this reason, we want to recognize five local organizations who are making a difference every day.

Citizens in Colorado made their voices heard when they voted in favor of legalizing recreational cannabis. Since then, the cannabis industry has matured, and many businesses, including Lightshade, have built Corporate Social Responsibility programs (or Cannabis Social Responsibility, as we prefer to call it), to demonstrate the capacity of cannabis to do good. It is through our ability to give, that we will show the willingness of cannabis industry leaders to support our community in a big way.

As an industry, we are in the position to redefine CSR, building an improved vision of what it means to be good corporate citizens, and creating new standards for the rest of our industry to follow. The stigma surrounding cannabis is a force we battle each day. Media outlets, even in Colorado, where cannabis is legal, too often portray cannabis as a counter-cultural industry working in the shadows of mainstream society.

This is a false narrative. Our industry is about healthy living, healing, positivity, and love.

February, to us, is the month of love; love for ourselves, for our partners, and for the community. It is for this reason, that we’d like to highlight five local organizations (and a handful of honorable mentions) working to make Colorado a more supportive place to live, for each individual in the state.

Five Colorado Organizations Committed to Giving Back

1. The Gathering Place

Founded in 1986, the Gathering place is the only daytime drop-in center in metro Denver that serves women, their children, and transgender individuals who are experiencing poverty, many of whom are also experiencing homelessness. While the Gathering Place refers to those they serve as “members”, no fees are ever charged for programs or services.

TGP believes deeply in the power of the community, and they work tirelessly to make it stronger. Their core values include recognizing individual strengths, building respect and trust, and offering unconditional acceptance.

If you’d like to learn more about The Gathering Place, please contact them at:

(303) 321-4198, or (303) 321-0679

2. Aurora Warms the Nights

Aurora Warms the Night (AWTN), shelters those experiencing homelessness in the winter when the temperatures drop below 20 degrees. Year-round services include meals, warm clothing, personal hygiene products, transportation to shelter, laundry vouchers, bus passes, partner agency referrals, and advocacy. AWTN operates these services in order to ensure families and individuals meet their most basic needs, learn new skills, and access resources to transition out of homelessness. Aurora Warms the Night also provides a mobile shower truck to give those experiencing homelessness a safe and comfortable place to bathe, helping to restore their sense of pride and dignity.

Aurora Warms the Night is helping to break the cycle of homelessness, through their comprehensive services. Their partner provider services are located onsite and include mental health services, health care clinics, and workforce education for clients, including resume composition, interviewing skills, job coaching assistance, food assistance, SSI, and SSDI application assistance, along with veterans’ services.

AWTN provides education to the community regarding homelessness, including presentations to schools, the faith-based community, corporations, and community organizations.

If you’d like to learn more about Aurora Warms the Night, please contact them at:

info@awtnco.org or (303) 361-6905

3. Amazing Grace Church

We are proud to partner with Amazing Grace Church, to provide much-needed support to the Amazing Grace Food Pantry. The food pantry is responsible for supplying over 5,000 pounds of food each week to underprivileged members of the community. Amazing Grace had previously been stocking their food pantry with individual donations, along with unused food from local restaurants. When we learned of Amazing Grace and the support they provide to the community, along with the challenges they face in this endeavor, we knew we needed to get involved.

Amazing Grace serves dinner on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month, and Lightshade not only provides financial support, but we also send our budtenders to help out in person. Dubbed “Dinner for a Dollar” the dinner provides a nourishing meal to community members who need it the most.

The food bank also offers needy visitors a choice of products in their shopping area. Additionally, they have an 800 square foot garden that provides produce during the summer growing season and encourages clients to take time to pick fresh vegetables while at the church.

If you’d like to learn more about Amazing Grace Church and the Amazing Grace Food Pantry, please contact them at:

(303) 280-0444 

4. Project Sanctuary

Project Sanctuary supports military families where they are right now.

After years of working with military families, they have become a recognized leader in bringing health and wellness to veterans and their families. By addressing mental health first, they take families from battle ready to family ready.

Since 2007, Project Sanctuary has been helping military families thrive with six-day therapeutic retreats and an additional two years of family support services. Their evidence-based program is the only of its kind, treating the entire family, and helping veterans, spouses, caregivers, and kids heal together.

If you’d like to learn more about Project Sanctuary, please contact them at:

(720) 561-9193

info@projectsanctuary.us

5. Denver Urban Gardens

Denver Urban Gardens (DUG), knows that community is the driver of lasting change. That’s why each of their urban gardens and farms has been started and led by local residents. They currently have over 180 gardens in six counties within the Metro Denver Area.

DUG gardeners grow food, but more than that, they grow the community. They put down deep roots, providing resources, training, and support to establish enduring gardens and farms that become valuable assets to neighborhoods. All of this is done with respect for all people and the environment.

Since 1985, Denver Urban Gardens has been building and supporting community gardens in the Metro Denver Area.

If you’d like to learn more about Denver Urban Gardens, please contact them at:

dirt@dug.org or (303) 292-9900

Honorable mentions:

Servicio de la Raza
(303) 458-5851
info@serviciosdelaraza.org

Colorado Homeless Families
(303) 420-6634
info@chfrb.org

Senior Support Services
(303) 832-1622

Grant Street Reach
(720) 593-1993
tina@grantstreetreach.org

We hope you will join us in supporting individuals and organizations who make a difference each day in Colorado. Let’s show the world what the cannabis community is all about—health, positivity, healing, support, and love.

*Lightshade is proud to provide not only financial support to the organizations mentioned above but also store-based donation drives and in person volunteer hours.

Please get in touch if you’d like to know more about any of the organizations mentioned in this blog. Head over to our Cannabis Social Responsibility page to learn more about our efforts to support our communities.