elevate nevada | may 2015 | the inaugural issue

THE FACE OF MSA

KERRY SIMONcharts a new roadmap to wage a war against Multiple System Atrophy using the medicinal properties of cannabis

Former Denver Broncoreveals NFL’s secret to

pain management

HEMP:Mother Nature’sbeauty remedy

Health Breakthrough

CBDs bring the healing without the high

MAY 2015 | Inaugural Issue

REGISTRY CARD SERVICES

May 2015 elevatenv.com 2

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from the editorApril 24 will mark exactly 10 years since my father

passed away as a result of the effects of Multiple

System Atrophy (MSA), a much more aggressive

form of Parkinson’s. He left us at the spry age of 65.

We were bewildered at how fast MSA came on and

even more bewildered at the efficiency in which

it took away his ability to walk, talk and function.

With no cure or even course of treatment available,

it’s a horrible disease that when given the possible

diagnoses, most people hope it will be Parkinson’s.

Our cover story features renowned chef Kerry

Simon who also suffers from MSA. MSA is such a

rare disease that Kerry is the first person I have heard of having the dread illness since my

father passed away from it in 2005. As you can imagine, interviewing Kerry brought on a

flood of emotions – seeing him in a wheelchair and hearing his garbled speech elicited so

many memories of my dear father and how he suffered.

I thought it was very important to have Kerry as our cover story because he has decided

to chart his own course and be the first in the MSA community to use medicinal marijuana

to battle the disease. It’s a brave decision and will not only end up helping him, but also

many others in his condition.

This all leads me to the mission of this magazine. In 2005 I would have loved for my father

to have had access to medicinal cannabis and all of the relief it could have offered him

as MSA tortured his body. Sadly MSA patients’ minds aren’t affected and so they are

very aware of everything that is happening to them and so I think effects of medicinal

marijuana would have also brought some ease to his mind as he watched his once healthy

and athletic body fail him.

But here’s my quandary, I don’t think myself or my family would have been educated

enough about medicinal cannabis to embrace its use for my father – which is why we

have launched Elevate Nevada. The purpose of this publication is to provide a platform

to educate and inform people about the medicinal properties of cannabis and all the

healing attributes it provides its users. Take a moment and flip through our inaugural

issue and maybe you will learn something that might just bring relief and comfort to

someone you love.

With an open mind,

Beth

Publisher

Guy Bertuzzi, [email protected]

Editor-In-Chief

Beth Schwartz, [email protected]

Creative Director

Brooke Bertuzzi, [email protected]

Graphic Designer

Christina Cassaro, [email protected]

Digital Services Director

Josh Steenmeyer, [email protected]

Account Manager

Michele Walden, [email protected]

Social Media Manager

Jocelyne Childs, [email protected]

Contributors:

Amanda Connor

Erik Kabik

Abby Tegnelia

Michael Todd

President

Jonathan Fine

Chief Financial Officer

Cassandra Lupo

Vice President of Business Development

Kim Armenta

Elevate Nevada magazine makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information it publishes, but cannot be held responsible for any consequences arising from errors, false data or omissions. Elevate Nevada assumes no responsibility for any claims or representations contained in this publication or in any advertisement. Elevate Nevada magazine does not encourage the illegal use of any of the products or advertisements within. Reproduction in whole or in part strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

7120 Rafael Ridge Way

Las Vegas, NV 89119

Phone: 702.737.8464

Email:[email protected]


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from the publisherFirst and foremost, our team at Elevate Nevada would like to thank you for reading our inaugural

issue and encourage you to spread the word. I would also like to personally thank Jonathan Fine

for believing in our vision, Michele Walden for joining us on this fun and crazy ride, the Kouretas

brothers for inspiring me, We Can702 for all of their help, my wife Brooke for keeping me in line,

designing the beautiful magazine you hold in your hands, and her unconditional love, and my

children, Alexis and Jackson, for allowing me to sacrifice my family time and always giving me

a hug and kiss no matter what time I get home.

The idea for Elevate Nevada started a couple years ago when my mother’s lung cancer returned

with a vengeance. Katherine Bertuzzi and I talked every morning on my way into work just so

I could tell her I loved her. One particular call was not like all the others. In a shaky voice my

mom told me her cancer had returned. Then she dropped the bombshell that she had made

the decision to refuse chemo and radiation this time.

For me, that was not an option, I wanted my 3-year-old to have memories of her, I wanted

memories of her with my kids. When I asked her why, she told me she could not go through the

nausea, sleepless nights and pain again, and that at 73 she didn’t want to sit-up in a recliner

to try to sleep every night.

Without even hesitating I mentioned to her the possibility of trying medicinal cannabis in an

edible form that would help reduce her nausea and pain and even help her sleep. Her response

was, “No, I will not take dope.” My mother believed that heroin, cocaine, meth, and marijuana

were all the same thing. They were all dope and she could not see the medicinal benefits of

cannabis helping her through cancer. About three months later I lost my mom and, to be

honest, it is the hardest thing I have ever gone through.

The moment I lost my mother and knew she refused help because of an unwillingness to

educate herself, it became my mission to remove that stigma. This is how Elevate Nevada was

conceived. My family has lived in Clark County for the last 13 years and it has become my home

and the place where I want to spread the word first.

So join me in letting people know that medicinal cannabis patients are just like you and me –

they own homes, buy cars, are well educated, and have ailments and diseases that affect them.

We need to start talking about the benefits of medicinal cannabis in an informed way. Please

take a moment and educate yourself and learn what the benefits are for yourself, a family

member or anyone you know who is suffering and in need of relief.

Elevate yourself, elevate your neighbor, Elevate Nevada

Love, Guy

(I am not using sincerely since this came from the heart)


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contentsTHE FACE OF MSA 16 Kerry Simon takes charge of his course, charting a new roadmap to beat Multiple System Atrophy using medicinal cannabis

Cooking 22 with CannabisElevated Avocado Chocolate Pudding by chef Kerry Simon

16

Former Denver Bronco Nate Jackson reveals NFL’s secret to pain management 7

A comprehensive guide outlining the rights of medical marijuana patients

13

Medicinal cannabis updates from across the United States

HEALTH BREAKTHROUGH: Cannabinoids bring the healing without the high

26

30

HEMP: Mother Nature’s beauty remedy

Dispensary map & locations for Southern Nevada

10

32

Why doesn’t the will of the people matter anymore? 24

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WHEN THE SHOW IS OVERFORMER DENVER BRONCO

NATE JACKSON REVEALS THE NFL’S SECRET

TO PAIN MANAGEMENTWriter: Michael Todd


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About half of NFL players smoke pot and virtually every single player in the league has a

certifiable need for medical marijuana.

At least that’s the opinion of former Denver Broncos tight end Nate Jackson, who used

marijuana instead of prescription medication to manage his daily pain during his six-year

NFL career.

“Marijuana allowed me to be an elite athlete and I didn’t get addicted to pain pills,” Jackson

said. “A lot of guys prefer (pot). They’ve been smoking weed since high school. The fact you’re

in the NFL at all means you have your marijuana use under control.”

Jackson, who retired from professional football in 2010 after tearing his hamstring off the bone

in training camp with the Las Vegas Locomotives of the now-defunct United Football League,

believes the NFL should and eventually will remove marijuana from its list of banned substances.

“I hope the NFL powers-that-be look to the country’s shifting sensibilities about the plant with

an open mind and allow players to medicate themselves how they see fit,” Jackson, 35, said.

“I think the NFL will come around. Studies show that marijuana helps the brain recover from

brain injuries. If that all comes to light, it will.”

Jackson, who had two touchdown catches in 43 games for the Broncos from 2003 to 2008,

said attitudes about marijuana use have already softened among NFL coaching staffs.

“Coaches are well aware their players smoke weed. Teams thoroughly vet guys when they’re

scouting. They know marijuana is a big part of their players’ lives,” he said. “They prefer guys

smoke weed and go home and play video games than go out drunk driving.”

Jackson suffered a slew of injuries during his career that he documented in his critically acclaimed

2013 memoir, “Slow Getting Up: A Story of NFL Survival from the Bottom of the Pile.”

He broke his leg, dislocated his shoulder, separated both shoulders, tore his groin off the bone

once, tore his hamstring off the bone twice, broke fingers and ribs, tore the medial collateral

ligament in his knee and more.

Jackson, who beat some long odds by reaching the NFL from a tiny Division III school – Menlo

College – in his native California, also suffered concussions during his career. He believes

marijuana not only helped him manage his pain but helped heal his brain.

“I truly think it helps with pain,” he said. “What do pain pills do? They don’t heal injury. They

change the pain sensors in your mind. I think marijuana has a similar effect on the body. It

has a therapeutic effect on the brain and it can be said that football players constantly deal

with brain injuries.

“I came out of the NFL with my wits intact. I feel pretty sharp, motivated and smart, and I

know I medicated with marijuana all the time. I think it helps the football brain.”


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A San Jose, California native who has a home in Denver,

where marijuana has been legalized, Jackson still uses

the drug to manage psychological and physical pain

stemming from his playing days.

“I know marijuana helps me in a lot of ways in my life,”

he said. “Now that I’m done playing, it’s helped me

psychologically with the elements of PTSD (Post-traumatic

Stress Disorder) players deal with. And I have legitimate

orthopedic issues.”

Standard NFL operating procedure for pain management

continues to consist of pregame

injections and highly addictive

prescription painkillers.

“They create addicts,” Jackson

said of pain pills. “One of the

big dangers people don’t discuss

much is when football players

leave the league, they’ve got a

beat-up body and they’re gonna

medicate. If you send them out to

the world with an addiction, it’s a

recipe for disaster because they

have money and can disappear

in their own addiction.”

While Jackson would love to see

the NFL simply stop testing for

marijuana, the league currently

tests players once a year for street drugs, including pot,

between April and August. “If you pass that test, you can

medicate as needed all year round,” Jackson said.

However, if a player tests positive for marijuana or

another banned substance such as Adderall, he’s placed

in the NFL’s drug treatment program, where players are

randomly tested up to 10 times a month and face career-

threatening bans for multiple violations of the league’s

substance abuse policy.

“That’s when these guys get in trouble,” said Jackson,

who strongly opposes the way the NFL publicly punishes

players for using marijuana.

“They don’t need to make it a news event and make

somebody have a somber moment where they say

they’ve made a mistake,” he said. “Meanwhile, they’re on

the field kicking ass and making the NFL tons of money

putting on an awesome show.

“In the state of Colorado, where I am now, all these guys

have a legitimate clinical reason to be using medicinal

marijuana. They can go in any doctor’s office and he’ll

write a prescription for them in a second, because their

bodies are destroyed.”

Jackson is encouraged by the

fact that the U.S. has started to

embrace the therapeutic effects

of pot, with 23 states legalizing

medical marijuana.

“It’s just proof that, by and

large, Americans are realizing

it’s not the devil’s weed. It’s not

“Reefer Madness”,” he said. “If

you smoke weed, that doesn’t

mean you’re unintelligent

or can’t be successful. We’re

discovering that a lot of really

smart, progressive-thinking

Americans use marijuana.

“It frames marijuana in a new

light. It’s pretty cool to watch

it change. It makes me feel I don’t have to hide it as

much or feel like an outcast. I’ve kind of shaken off the

stigma that goes with it.”

Jackson, who has written pieces for the New York Times

and other publications and is working on a fiction novel,

can only hope the NFL will remove marijuana from its list

of banned substances.

“I’m not advocating that people smoke weed at

all,” he said. “But what I’m advocating is for the NFL

powers-that-be to be a little more compassionate and

open-minded to the pain players go through and what

it takes to play.” e


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NAVIGATING THE LEGAL LANDSCAPEA comprehensive guide outlining the rights of medical marijuana patients

In a storied and colorful 15-year history,

Nevadans have gained the constitutional

right to use medicinal marijuana.

However, because of all the twists

and turns the law has taken

over the last 15+ years, many

patients do not clearly

understand what they

are permitted to do and

might get lost on their

travels as they seek

to find relief from

medical marijuana.

The journey

of medicinal

marijuana in

Nevada began

in 2000 when a

constitutional

amendment was

approved by 65

percent of the

state’s voters. The

amendment gave

patients the legal

right to use marijuana

as medication. In

2001, the Nevada State

Legislature jumped on

the bandwagon and passed

a law that created a system

for qualifying patients to obtain

a registry identification card to use

medicinal marijuana for certain chronic and

debilitating conditions.The law also permitted a

patient to designate a caregiver.

Writer: Amanda Connor


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To qualify as a patient one must:

• Be a resident of Nevada

• Be in the care of a Nevada licensed physician

• Be diagnosed with a chronic or debilitating condition

including: AIDS, cancer, glaucoma, cachexia, persistent muscle spasms, seizures,

severe nausea and severe pain

• Receive a recommendation stating that medical marijuana could mitigate the

symptoms of the chronic or debilitating condition

• Register with Nevada’s Department of Public and Behavioral Health

• Obtain a valid registry identification card

A patient cannot be a caregiver and a caregiver can only be a caregiver to one

cardholder. Furthermore, if the patient is under the age of 18, the patient’s

custodial parent or guardian must give permission for the patient to obtain a

medical marijuana registry identification card.

Despite the groundbreaking effort taken in 2000 by the voters that paved the way

for the law in 2001, the medical marijuana road came to a dead end. Patients had no

way to obtain or access medical marijuana except for growing at home – assuming,

of course, they were able to navigate around the detour of legally obtaining seeds or

clones without crossing state lines or purchasing from another patient.

For several years, patients had a constitutional right that they were not able to

exercise and it was not until 2013 that the Nevada State Legislature decided to

complete construction on the medical marijuana highway. In 2013, the Nevada

Legislature passed amendments to the law that allowed for medical marijuana

dispensaries to open and legally sell medical marijuana to Nevada patients (and

out-of-state patients) who hold a valid medical marijuana card.

Although the path to legal dispensaries has been filled with potholes, legal

medical marijuana dispensaries are anticipated to open in the fall of 2015, if not

sooner. A qualified patient will be able to purchase up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana


every 14 days. Furthermore, dispensaries can sell

patients edibles and/or tinctures that have the

same amount (up to 2.5 ounces every 14 days)

of usable marijuana.

Until then, patients will have to continue to grow

their medicine in the privacy of their own homes.

A patient is allowed to grow up to 12 plants in

his/her private residence. However, remember

that the law defines a plant as a seedling, a clone,

a mother plant or a flowering plant. A patient is

allowed to possess up to 2.5 ounces of usable

marijuana. If a patient possesses more than

the amount that is allowed, sells to someone,

drives under the influence, uses the medicine in

public or violates other laws, the patient can be

charged with criminal violations and the medical

marijuana registry card will provide no protection.

Therefore, the patient card does not provide blanket protection or immunity.

The opening of medical marijuana dispensaries will affect patient rights.

Patients will lose their right to grow once a dispensary opens in the

county where the patient is a cardholder (or where the primary caregiver

lives). Therefore, once a dispensary opens in Clark County, all Clark

County patients will lose their right to grow their own medicine.

However, there are a few exceptions (an express lane of sorts). A patient who

had a valid registry identification card prior to July 2013, and was growing, will

retain the right to grow (up to 12 plants) until 2016. Also, there are a few other

exceptions that allow medical marijuana patients to detour around the roadblock

prohibiting home grows. These include the fact that available dispensaries are

unable to supply an adequate amount of medicine to the patient and that the

dispensaries do not supply the particular strain the patient needs.

Regardless of the roadwork that has occurred regarding medical marijuana over

the last 15 years, a destructive dogleg still remains. While medicinal marijuana

use is legal for qualifying patients by Nevada state law, marijuana remains

a federally illegal substance. Therefore, any person who is in possession of

marijuana is committing a federal crime.

However, the federal government has issued statements that it will not go after

patients or medical marijuana dispensaries acting within the state law. Thus,

any medical marijuana patient (or a person interested in becoming a patient)

should be aware of his or her rights and the laws before beginning to use the

medicine. Patients can be best informed if they contact an attorney familiar

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Declared the rock n’ roll chef by Rolling Stone magazine, Kerry Simon

was used to making splashy press announcements and hosting

glamorous VIP openings for his always-on-the-culinary-cutting-edge

restaurants located in hot spots as far away as the Dominican Republic

and as close as the several he owned right here in his home base of

Las Vegas.

In December 2013 he would again make headlines but it was to be a

much different kind of news story. Kerry would share with the world

that he had been diagnosed with Multiple System Atrophy

(MSA) – causing the renowned chef to experience a

much different kind of fanfare.

Kerry would become the face of the little-known

disease that is a more severe and aggressive

form of Parkinson’s and affects only about

four in 100,000 people. MSA is a very rare

degenerative neurological disorder associated

with nerve cells in specific areas of the brain.

This cell degeneration causes problems with

movement, balance, and other autonomic

functions of the body such as bladder control and

blood-pressure regulation. At this time, there is no

cure for MSA and no known way to prevent the disease from

getting worse. The goal of treatment is to control the symptoms.

And that’s where our story begins.

But not before I explain the parameters of my interview with Kerry

which took place on February 10 at his home. Once an avid runner and

biker well-known for living a healthy lifestyle, Kerry is now confined to

a wheelchair and his speech so impaired and garbled that one of his

caregivers, Jason Strange, a longtime friend who is not a nurse and

does not have any medical training, did most of the talking regarding

Kerry’s use of medicinal marijuana. One of Kerry’s business partners,

Ari Farah, was also present during our February 10th interview to

discuss some of the chef’s related investment interests in a dispensary.

I also spoke with Kerry’s movement specialist Peter Pinto on March 20,

who offered his observations of Kerry’s physical condition. In addition,

I interviewed Kerry’s nurse manager who wished to not be identified.

Kerry’s physician at Lou Ruvo Brain Center for Brain Health/Cleveland

Clinic, Dr. Ryan Walsh, declined to be interviewed for this story.

THE PATH TO PHOENIX TEARSKerry, who will be 60 years old in June, has lived with the disease

for seven years although it was not officially diagnosed as MSA until

the fall of 2013 (MSA is notoriously hard to diagnose as it is

commonly mistaken for Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS) or

multiple sclerosis (MS)). Over the years Kerry has

tried various treatments to combat his MSA

diagnosis but hasn’t met with much success.

Doctors originally thought, prior to Kerry’s

MSA diagnosis, that cancer was attacking

his spine to the point where they gave him

chemotherapy. As for the most cutting edge of

treatments, stem cell therapy, was administered

to Kerry at Mayo Clinic in early 2014.

In an effort to bring Kerry relief from the effects of

MSA, Jason Strange, Kerry’s primary caregiver, looked into

various forms of medicinal cannabis. He finally settled on Phoenix Tears,

also known as Rick Simpson Hemp Oil, which is a potent and sedative

purified decarboxylated cannabis resin with 95 to 98 percent THC.

“It’s a methodology followed by tincture oil developed by Rick

Simpson. It is slowly starting to garner attention in the medical

community. More so in Europe because they have had more

flexibility recently to do experimentation and perform clinical

observations medicinally, but there has just been a plethora of

anecdotal evidence for various types of patients for this type of

preparation to cure a wide assortment of ailments,” Ari Farar, one of

Kerry’s business partners in a dispensary he is involved with, explains

of Phoenix Tears.

THE FACE OF MSAKerry Simon takes charge of his course, charting a new roadmap to beat Multiple System Atrophy using unconventional methods

Writer: Beth Schwartz Photography: Erik Kabik


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“A lot of people had recommended it,” Jason adds of Phoenix Tears.

“We went for the strongest one because the disease was attacking him

aggressively so we wanted to attack the disease aggressively. There is no

real damage or effect this can ever have on his body so we were like let’s

go for it and see what happens.”

Kerry started using Phoenix Tears eight months ago, receiving it orally

three times per day: morning, noon and night. He also takes cannabidiol

(CBD) tablets twice a day which is a compound in cannabis that counters

the psychoactive effects of THC. In addition, Kerry takes CDP or citicoline

once a day to mitigate or reduce cannabis intoxication.

The effects from Phoenix Tears were quick and very real. “When we first

tried it, it immediately put him to sleep and he got a little high so we

adjusted it with CBD pills because that wakes him up. We saw deliberate

motion, we saw his appetite increase, and we saw all these things that we

wanted to have happen start to happen,” reveals Jason.

According to Jason, most positive were the effects medicinal cannabis had

on his neurological condition. “When people say getting high slows you

down and mellows you out that’s a good thing for Kerry,” Jason explains

of medicinal marijuana’s effect on lessening Kerry’s tremors. “I guess you

would kind of compare it to someone who has ADD because they can’t

concentrate, they can’t sit still because their bodies are freaking out.”

Kerry’s movement specialist for the last year-and-a-half, Peter Pinto of

FitLife Fusion, was surprised by his patient’s reaction to Phoenix Tears. “A

few weeks into the Phoenix Tears, he had rewound time about four to six

months back to where he was,” Peter explains of Kerry’s physical condition.

“He was having an easier time talking, he was having an easier time

communicating, he was far more alert. He was able to get out of the chair

a bit more, and he was walking around with me more. It was intriguing to

say the least. I felt like all of a sudden he turned time back.”

SIGNS OF RELIEFWhen I ask Jason what kind of relief the medicinal marijuana cocktail of

Phoenix Tears, CBD and CDP brings the celebrity chef, Kerry pipes right up

and says “sleep” before Jason can even answer.

Jason looks over at Kerry and agrees. “Yes, it’s sleep because it brings his

body to rest. It brings him to ease because this disease that he is fighting

is a degenerative growth type of thing in his brain. His body is constantly

active in ways where he doesn’t want it to be. Him being restless all day

and restless through the nights is very taxing on his system. So, for him, it

allows his whole body to calm down.

“And he is feeling good why he is doing it and he should feel good --

there’s no problem with that. It alleviates the pain to his heart and his mind

that comes with a disease like this. It’s a great side effect and it helps with

depression on so many levels. It puts your mind in a different state and

Kerry, pictured with caregiver and longtime friend Jason Strange, demonstrates his mobility during our interview on February 10.


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you will be able to deal with things on an easier level. You just concentrate

on the things you need to concentrate on and not all the ifs, ands, or buts

that are associated with it.”

Kerry’s movement specialist, Peter, also observed positive signs resulting

from Kerry’s medicinal cannabis regimen. “His condition has progressed

slightly but not nearly like it had been and he still has good days and

bad days,” Peter explains of Kerry, who he sees three times a week for

45 minutes at a time. “In terms of how effective Phoenix Tears has been

so far, it’s one of the only things that have made a big difference in

his condition.”

Others on Kerry’s medical team are more skeptical of the relief medicinal

marijuana is bringing the chef. “The only thing we have noticed is that his

tremors have become a little less,” explains Kerry’s nurse manager for the

last year-and-a-half, a R.N. who wished not to be identified and does not

condone Kerry’s use of medicinal cannabis.

IS CANNABIS REALLY THE CURE?“We treat, we don’t cure,” Jason says of Western medicine.

Ari agrees, explaining that “oftentimes with pharmaceuticals, you have to

take other medications just to deal with the side effects of the other pills.

It’s just a perpetual thing, you are trying to combat one thing caused by

another. Phoenix Tears does a good job of accomplishing what some of

these other pharmaceutical meds are attempting to do on the positive

side without the negatives ones.”

Jason explains that with those positive attributes in mind “we are setting

up a roadmap for Mr. Simon as far as his illness is concerned with MSA and

how we can alleviate the use of pharmaceuticals and move toward a more

medicinal or herbal way to treat him. The fact is he doesn’t need the things

that have attacked his nervous system. There’s a medical way to do it with

a plant rather than all these chemicals.”

Even though Jason hopes to move Kerry away from traditional

pharmaceuticals, according to Kerry’s nurse manager, “he is still taking

conventional medicine prescribed by his physicians.”

But Jason remains undaunted. “What we are doing now with the Phoenix

Tears is more about [relieving pain, helping with sleep and lessening

tremors]. It was such a relief to see something actually work after

everything that wasn’t working,” says Jason. “And you didn’t even have to

look that far to see the changes and find something that’s going to do this,

this and this. Although it was so frustrating to know we let it progress this

far when this was available the whole time.”

PIONEERING A MOVEMENT OR TWOI ask Kerry if he ever smoked marijuana recreationally at any point in his life.

He furiously shakes his head no quickly telling me in one succinct phrase

that he lived “very healthy.” I tell him that I find that a bit ironic as it is quite

well-known he treated his body as a temple and he is now using marijuana

to heal it. He quickly nods in agreement. I ask if he considers himself an

activist between his non-profit organization, Fight MSA (fightmsa.org),

and now a public user of medical cannabis. He replies in a garbled voice,

“I never thought of that.”

Kerry might not have thought of it, but Ari has. “We want to garner

attention and get it to the point where there are actual clinic style studies,”

he says of Kerry’s use of Phoenix Tears. “One of the best benefits of a

prominent figure like Kerry Simon trying it and having success and seeing

Kerry pictured with caregiver Linda Strange demonstrating his exercises.


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positive results is that it hopefully will lend credence where

the medical community will take note and actually put some

effort into it.”

With regard to Kerry’s MSA fight and use of medicinal cannabis,

it is a potential development his fellow MSA sufferers can

look to for finding a little bit of relief. “The outlook was bleak,”

explains Jason of the lack of progress in finding a cure for, or

even a treatment to slow down, MSA. “With Kerry doing it, it

puts a prominent figure in this environment. Everything he is

dealing with from creating awareness for MSA to the medical

marijuana and even his diet – all of these different things in

combination is what is making him feel better and that’s what

he is bringing a lot of awareness to.”

The combination of Kerry’s celebrity status and his fundraising

efforts led to a Global MSA Research Roadmap Conference

which was held at the city’s Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health/

Cleveland Clinic last November. Key thought leaders from

four continents, 12 countries, 30 academic institutions, 15

pharmaceutical companies and the National Institutes of

Health (NIH) were in attendance.

The roadmap meeting was inspired by chef Kerry Simon and

was held so the MSA Advocacy Working Group Panel could

present their recommendations for future advocacy initiatives,

according to msaawareness.org. Kerry’s advocacy and

fundraising efforts have also kick-started a comprehensive

clinic for MSA at the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health. The

clinic will utilize the best neuroimaging diagnostic tools

available and provide patient services to manage symptoms.

DISPENSING THE HEALINGBut it’s not just not an MSA Clinic at Lou Ruvo Center and

fundraising endeavors that Kerry has been toiling away on

to the betterment of the MSA community. Kerry has also

joined forces with a local dispensary where he will not only

be sharing his success using medicinal marijuana, but the

Culinary Institute of America graduate will also be sharing his

cooking talents.

As medical marijuana dispensaries begin to open throughout

Nevada during the next year, patients who visit Red Rock


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Wellness will find a selection of gourmet edibles that might look familiar.

Kerry will be recreating many of his signature dishes, including his famous

Dessert Platter, for Red Rock Wellness.

“I was trying to think of prominent local business owners who might be a

good fit because the city wanted us to have established people. I thought

of Kerry, it was kind of like a no-brainer especially with the edibles, and I

also knew he was starting to dabble in it for his condition. So I kind of threw

it out there to see if they were interested and if it made sense,” explains

Ari, spokesman for Red Rock Wellness, of how Kerry became aligned with

the dispensary.

Red Rock Wellness, LLC

(tentatively named at

this time) has been

approved for a grow

and manufacture license

in North Las Vegas

and has a pending

dispensary license with

the city of Las Vegas

but did not receive one

from the state. In turn,

things are still in limbo

for the operation but

plans are starting to

take shape. They have

a 50,000-square-foot

facility at APEX and

their retail location will

eventually open at Bonanza and Main.

“We are doing a full breadth of products whether its flower for smoking or

extracts. It will be various things, we are very open-minded and concerned

about the patient experience,” Ari explains. “Every patient may react

differently to what the strain is or the preparation of the medicine. For

each patient we are going to keep a track record. There might be a little

bit of try some of this, try some of that. We are going to try and find that

sweet spot of what helps someone the most because it is early on in the

science and experimentation side and we want to contribute to that and

make notes and make it available for other people to use. It’s going to be

a by-patient basis so we can give them the best medicine for whatever

their ailment may be.”

In addition to specialized customer service, Red Rock Wellness will focus on

edibles. With a couple thousand feet set aside for a kitchen, the dispensary will

have the capacity to do a lot of different things including offering fresh cookies

daily that patients can purchase while they are waiting to fill prescriptions.

“As far as his finer dishes we are going to use Cannabinoid oil to create not

something that will necessarily get you high as much as it might help your

well-being and you can eat on a daily basis,” Jason explains when mentioning

a high-end salad being created by Kerry for the dispensary’s menu. (You can

check out one of Kerry’s cannabis recipes on page 22.)

Whether it’s creating

edibles for the

dispensary he is

partnering with, paving

the way for other

MSA patients with his

experimentation of

medicinal cannabis or

giving a once little-

known disease a

prominent face – these

a c c o m p l i s h m e n t s ,

albeit consequential,

are all still secondary.

The most important

thing Kerry Simon is

doing right now is

fighting for his life.

“He is just hanging in there, fighting and looking for a cure. He is fighting

this thing every day. And that’s the main thing that I see, anybody who

has this disease, who has progress in their day, are the fighters,” Jason

theorizes. “You can have whatever you want in your system and have a

support group of people around you that love and care about you but

you must be involved in your own fight and your own struggle and not

give up.

“It’s his will, his morale and the people around him – it’s a combination of

things but it mostly has to do with him. As with anything that he did or

anything he has applied himself to with the restaurants and so on, he’s also

doing it with MSA and not letting this beat him. He is doing anything he can

to fight back.” e

Ari Farah, Jason Strange, and Kerry discuss the medicinal properties of cannabis.


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Cooking with Cannabis Elevated Avocado Chocolate Pudding by chef Kerry Simon

*Please remember that when you cook with medical cannabis you are cooking with a drug and the amounts and sizes of the drug

and portions of the food ingested should always be taken into consideration. Always start out with small portions or doses and

wait 30 minutes to an hour before eating any additional portions.

Inspired by Kerry’s story and

his courageous fight against

MSA? You can show your

support and donate to his

non-profit organization

by visiting www.fightmsa.org.

1 pound of ripe avocados, remove skin and pits

4 ounces maple syrup

4 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon soy sauce

1 cup cocoa powder

1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa butter melted

1 1/2 tablespoons THC/CBD butter melted

(Level of THC/CBD should be easy on the system and able to

increase regularly for an individual’s specific protocol.

The above is merely a suggested amount of THC/CBD quantity.)*

Method:Using a food processor, blend all ingredients except for the

cocoa powder until smooth and creamy. Add cocoa powder

gradually and blend until smooth.

Chill for one hour. Serve with your favorite tropical fruit

or berries.

Recipe can be made with or without THC/CBD.

MUNCHIES made easy

Tivoli Village 450 S. Rampart Blvd. Suite 120 Las Vegas, NV 89145

Across from main valet and Brio 702.722.2000 | made-lv.com

MadeLVTavern madelvtavern @madelvtavern


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First, a confession: I loathe recreational marijuana. I don’t like the

smell of it, and it pains me to see people hacking up a lung after

having smoked it. (“This stuff never makes me cough, I swear!”) I also

don’t like how anti-social it is, sending people outside to smoke while

I sip my wine indoors alone.

Some might think this makes me an unlikely advocate for its

legalization in either medicinal or recreational form. And it does, I

guess, because I do not, in any way, shape or form, exactly approve

of ingesting marijuana for fun. It’s just not my thing. But I also

don’t think that matters at all in today’s current state of affairs. And

thus we wade into politics, starting with one particular incident – in

our nation’s fine capital, no less – that has me all riled up.

It’s no secret that our government isn’t winning popularity

contests these days, with more and more voters throwing up their

hands and staying home from the polls rather than pick either

party. And one issue that really makes my blood boil: when

smug politicians pit themselves against those Americans who do

make it to the polls. So a recent kerfuffle in Washington, D.C.

has me in an irate state of mind.

Initiative 71 passed last November in Washington, D.C., legalizing

small amounts of marijuana. A whopping 70 percent of voters

voted for it, and yet Congress immediately tried to block it, using a

spending bill, of all things, as a shield.

It made headlines across the country, causing Americans again to stop

and consider how our “democracy” is really defined. I mean, what’s

the point of voting if the government (who, let’s face it, no one trusts

anymore) can just “override” the vote of the people based on politics?

So Washington, D.C. found itself in a pickle.

Before the law bypassed the meddling Congress to pass at the

end of February (with the support of such power players as

Nancy Pelosi), D.C.’s mayor, Muriel Bowser, gave a rousing press

conference that dryly encouraged, “Congress to not be so

concerned about overturning what 7 out of 10 voters said should

be the law in the District of Columbia.”

Congress, stay out of it. If laws are in place to support something

that legally reached the ballot to begin with, it is awful to watch

you try to use an unwieldy spending bill and a splash of legalese to

try to block it.

The legalization of marijuana in the U.S. is happening, whether you

(or I) like it (“it” meaning marijuana) or not.

I don’t care if you yourself could “never” go through with an

abortion; women should have the right to have one. I don’t care if

your church doesn’t believe in gay marriage, because we live in

a country that claims separation of church and state – you

should fight for the rights of others regardless of who you

personally want to walk down the aisle with. And if medicinal

marijuana helps some patients feel better, it is their right to

decide whether or not to partake.

I’m happy to discuss sometime over cocktails – whether or not

you join me in a glass of wine or are a teetotaler who sticks to

juice. But thank you for keeping that one on the books, as there

was a time I wouldn’t have even been able to enjoy my Pinot Noir

or a good martini. Now it’s time to be open to something else –

whether you have experience with it or not.

Marijuana legalization is a brave new world, yes. But we’re America.

We’ve got this.

BOUND BY DEMOCRACY

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Writer: Abby Tegnelia


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1NEW JERSEY The state of New Jersey has recently added PTSD as one of the

qualifying illnesses for a medicinal marijuana card. The resolution (ACR-

224) approved in a 44-20 vote would also reverse the requirement that

a list be made public of all physicians willing to recommend patients to

the program – a step that has kept some doctors from joining out of

fear they will alienate other patients or partners.

4NORTH CAROLINAAfter passionate testimony, North Carolina says their state will

not be legalizing medicinal marijuana anytime soon. “Legalizing

marijuana for medical purposes is both unnecessary and a slippery

slope. We oppose House Bill 78. It could open the door to legalizing

marijuana for recreational use, which we do not want in this state,”

said Tami Fitzgerald, spokesman for NC Values Coalition.

2GEORGIAThe Georgia legislature approved a bill on March 26 that Republican

Governor Nathan Deal will sign legalizing a non-smoking form of

medical marijuana for patients with seizure disorders and seven

other medical conditions. The bill would allow patients with diseases

including cancer and multiple sclerosis to use a non-intoxicating oil

derived known as a CBD from the marijuana plant.

3IOWAOn March 26 members of the Iowa Senate voted to establish a

comprehensive medical cannabis program seeking relief from debilitating

diseases and conditions. “This is a very important bill,” said Sen. Bill

Dotzler, D-Waterloo, before a 9-5 vote by the Senate Ways and Means

Committee that would authorize the production and dispensing of

medical cannabis for expanded uses and medical conditions. “People’s

lives, I believe, are at stake and their health and well-being is at stake.”

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ELEVATEYOUR STATEMedicinal cannabis updates from across the United States


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6 OHIOOhio is making a run at legalizing marijuana for medical and recreational use. A group

named ResponsibleOhio is trying to collect more than 300,000 signatures to put the

amendment to a vote in November. If approved, Ohio will join Colorado, Washington,

Oregon, and Alaska in legalizing marijuana as a recreational drug.

7HAWAIIOn March 25 Hawaii’s Senate Health and Public Safety committees passed House Bill 321

that would create medical marijuana dispensaries and production centers in each Hawaii

county. But first, lawmakers amended the bill to allow dispensaries to begin operating next

year. Senator Josh Green, who chairs the Health Committee, wants potential dispensary

owners to be able to grow and prepare their product starting this fall.

8NEVADADemocratic State Senator Tick Segerblom sponsored a bill that would allow pet owners to

get medicinal marijuana for their pet if their veterinarian certifies the animal has an illness

that might be alleviated by the drug. The proposal is in its earliest stages and faces several

legislative hurdles before it could become law. The pot-for-pets provision of SB372 is part

of a larger bill that would overhaul the state’s medical marijuana law, removing penalties

for drivers who have marijuana in their blood and requiring training for dispensary owners.

9WASHINGTON, DC Hundreds of city residents lined up for “seed share” – an exchange program that helps

cannabis enthusiasts grow it at home. “It really does mark the conclusion of the D.C.

Cannabis Campaign. We’ve accomplished our goals. It’s simply about the people who have

been buying marijuana from the underground economy,” Adam Eidinger, head of the D.C.

Cannabis Campaign, said. “If they grow it, sometime later this year they won’t have to buy

it anymore from the underground economy.”

10CALIFORNIA San Diego’s first permitted medical marijuana dispensary opened on March 18 in an Otay Mesa

strip mall near the international border. The opening allows residents to buy cannabis from an

authorized shop in San Diego for the first time since California voters approved the use of medical

marijuana in 1996. San Diego joins nearly 50 other cities in California that offer a process to

legitimize medical marijuana dispensaries, but it is the only city in this county to do so.

5 MINNESOTAA recent Minnesota Department of Health informal survey of 1,361 potential participants in the Minnesota

Medical Cannabis program found about half of the interested users reported their qualifying condition as

multiple sclerosis or severe muscle spasms. The state expects to begin enrolling patients in the program by

June. MDH Assistant Commissioner Manny Munson-Regala said the law requires manufacturers to have

at least one distribution site open by July 2015 and the remaining three by July 2016.

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eQ A &

QUESTION: How much marijuana can you possess?

ANSWER: . Currently, the Nevada MMJ license allows you to grow 12 plants, purchase 2.5 oz. every two weeks and possess 2.0 oz. at any given time.

QUESTION: What medical conditions qualify me for the Nevada Medical Marijuana Program?

ANSWER: Recognized conditions in Nevada are as follows:AIDS, cancer, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, PTSD, or any condition that causes muscle spasms, seizures, severe nausea, severe pain, or cachexia (disease-caused weight loss and malnutrition).

QUESTION: How does marijuana work in your body?

ANSWER: Scientists in the past several years have discovered what is known as cannabinoid receptors, found in parts of the brain and spinal cord. Not only can they play a part in pain control, they also help control the vomiting reflex, appetite, emotional responses, motor skills and memory formation.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT MEDICAL MARIJUANAOn November 7, 2000 voters in Nevada passed Question 9, amending the state constitution to

sanction medical cannabis with 65 percent of the people voting yes and 35 percent voting no. After

13 years of waiting, on June 12, 2013 Governor Brian Sandoval signed S.B. 374 into law which fulfills

the state constitution’s mandate that the legislature provide for appropriate methods of supply for

medical marijuana. With the law in place, dispensaries all over the state are set to open this year.

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QUESTION: Do I need a physician or a lawyer to apply to the Nevada Medical Marijuana Program?

ANSWER: You need a physician licensed in the state of Nevada to recommend you for the Nevada Medical Marijuana Program and to sign off on your application. The Nevada State Health Division does not make any medical assessments with regard to your application. Only a physician makes the determination whether you suffer from a disease protected under the Nevada Medical Marijuana Program.

QUESTION: How does the Nevada Medical Marijuana Program work?

ANSWER: After our physician has determined your eligibility (with a qualifying medical condition), we will submit your application to the State. If approved for a medical marijuana card, you will be allowed to use marijuana medicinally within legal limits.

QUESTION: Can state or local police arrest me for using medical marijuana in Las Vegas?

ANSWER: Yes, the police can and will arrest you if you violate Nevada’s marijuana laws even if you are a medical marijuana patient. If you have questions regarding Nevada’s medical marijuana laws you should consult with an attorney.

www.drreefer.net 702.428.0000

If you have questions, contact [email protected]


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HEALTH BREAKTHROUGH: CBDs Cannabinoids bring the healing without the high ONE OF THE BIGGEST BREAKTHROUGHS IN THE MEDICINAL CANNABIS INDUSTRY HAS BEEN THE DISCOVERY OF CBDS OR CANNABINOIDS. CBDS OFFER THE MANY MEDICINAL BENEFITS OF MARIJUANA WITHOUT THE MIND-ALTERING EFFECTS. BY USING STRAINS THAT ARE HIGH IN CBD AND LOW IN THC, PEOPLE LIVING WITH ILLNESS ARE ABLE TO UNLOCK THE THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS OF MARIJUANA WITHOUT THE EXPERIENCE OF BEING ‘HIGH.’ TO FOLLOW ARE A FEW CBDS THAT HAVE PROVEN POPULAR WITH PATIENTS IN ALLEVIATING VARIOUS AILMENTS.

Avidekel

Treats: inflammation, sleep and digestive disorders

At a government-sanctioned cannabis cultivation facility in

northern Israel, researchers at Tikun Olam have developed Avidekel,

which, at zero percent THC and 15.8 percent CBD, provides all

of the healing power of cannabidiol with no discernible high.

Avidekel has shown promise in treating a variety of conditions with

minimal side effects. “The cannabis plant, enriched with CBD, can

be used for treating diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, colitis, liver

inflammation, heart disease and diabetes,” explained Ruth Gallily,

professor of immunology, at Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

tikun-olam.info

Charlotte’s Web

Treats: seizures

Charlotte’s Web is a sativa marijuana strain that has gained

popularity as an option for treating epileptic seizures. Charlotte’s

Web’s medical potency is due to its high CBD content, which was

specifically cultivated by a pair of Colorado breeders, the Stanley

Brothers, for a young epileptic patient named Charlotte.

Charlotte’s Web is believed to be the highest CBD strain in

the world with 20 percent CBD and less than 0.5 percent

THC. As of September 2014, Charlotte’s Web Hemp Oil

can legally be shipped to all 50 states because the oil

contains less than the maximum THC allowed for

food products, according to federal hemp

legislation. theroc.us

Harlequin

Treats: pain

and anxiety

Harlequin is a

75/25 sativa-

dominant

strain renowned

for its reliable

expression of

CBD. A descendant

of Colombian Gold, Thai, and a Swiss landrace strain, users depend

on Harlequin to provide clear-headed, alert sativa effects. Unlike most

high CBD strains, Harlequin almost always develops a CBD:THC ratio

of 5:2, making this strain one of the most effective for treatment of

pain and anxiety, as CBD counteracts THC’s paranoia while amplifying

its painkilling properties. Harlequin is well known for its ability to relax

without sedation, and to relieve without intoxication.

medicalseeds.com

Sour Tsunami

Treats: pain and inflammation

Sour Tsunami is a strain that became popular because it was one of the first

to be specifically bred for high CBD rather than THC content. The result is a

strain that’s effective at treating pain and inflammation without producing

a significant “high” that is linked to high THC. Sour Tsunami CBD levels test

as high as 10 or 11 percent, while THC is usually under 10 percent.

kingofcbdgenetics.com

Jamaican Lion

Treats: pain, anxiety, and inflammation

Jamaican Lion is a high CBD sativa strain with a concentration of 9

percent CBD and 6 percent THC. Jamaican Lion’s creator first brought

the strain to California in 2007, where it was distributed to patients

because it induces mild psycho- activity despite its low THC

content. Few strains compare to Jamaican Lion as it

eases pain, anxiety, and inflammation without

intoxication or mental cloudiness.

medicalseeds.com

To find CBDs specific to your

condition or educate yourself more fully on their healing properties, visit projectcbd.org.

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Source: Leafly.com


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LAS VEGASSilver Sage Wellness 4626 W. Charleston Blvd. Nevada Wellness Project 823 S. Third St. Commerce Park Medical 1112 S. Commerce St. NuVeda 1320 S. Third St.Serenity Wellness Center 1800 S. Industrial Rd. Blum LV 1921 Western Ave.Naturex 1860 Western Ave.Releaf 2242 Paradise Rd.Nevada Wellness Center 3200 S. Valley View Blvd. Desert Aire of Las Vegas 420 E. Sahara Ave. Nuleaf Dispensary 4500 W. Charleston Blvd.

NORTH LAS VEGASCheyenne Medical 2755 W. Cheyenne Ave. NuVeda 2113 Las Vegas Blvd. NorthReef Dispensaries 1366 W. Cheyenne Ave. Waveseer of Las Vegas 5530 N. Decatur Blvd.

HENDERSONGreat Basin Care 4300 E. Sunset Rd.

UNINCORPORATED CLARK COUNTYClear River 1975 Casino Drive, LaughlinEuphoria Wellness 7780 Jones Blvd., Las VegasGravitas Nevada 7885 W. Sahara Ave., Las VegasInyo Fine Cannabis Dispensary 2520 Maryland Pkwy, Las Vegas Nevada Organic Remedies 6877 W. Sahara Ave., Las VegasTGIG 4647 Paradise Rd., Las VegasThe Clinic Nevada D1 4070 Arville St., Las VegasIntegral Associates 5765 W. Tropicana Ave., Las VegasLVMC 6332 S. Rainbow Blvd., Las VegasCWNevada 6540 Blue Diamond Rd., Las VegasJust Quality 4235 Arctic Spring Ave., Las VegasGlobal Harmony 5630 Stephanie St. Las VegasFidelis Holdings 3325 Pepper Lane, Las VegasDesert Inn Enterprises 2900 E. Desert Inn Rd., Las VegasNev Medical Marijuana Dispensary 4240 W. Flamingo Rd., Las Vegas Nevada Holistic Medicine 4660 S. Decatur Blvd., Las VegasGB Sciences Nevada 4850 S. Fort Apache Rd., Las VegasThe MedMen of Nevada 4380 Boulder Hwy., Las VegasMediFarm 1130 E. Desert Inn Rd, Las VegasNuLeaf Clark Dispensary 430 E. Twain Ave., Las VegasTryke Companies SO NV 3400 Western Ave., Las VegasWellness Connection of Nevada 3615 Spring Mountain Rd., Las Vegas MediFarm 3650 Decatur Blvd., Las VegasLivFree Wellness 5155 Dean Martin Dr., Las VegasMM Development Company 4810 Sunset Rd., Las Vegas NATURX 9120 W. Post Rd., Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS

HENDERSON

N. LAS VEGAS

Approved by state and city or county Approved by state but not county

Approved by county but not state Approved by city

LAS VEGAS

HENDERSON

N. LAS VEGAS

Approved by state and city or county Approved by state but not county

Approved by county but not state Approved by city

*Not all dispensary addresses were available for confirmation at press time.

DISPENSARY LOCATIONS COVER THE VALLEY Medical marijuana establishments planning to open in 2015


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elevate nevada | may 2015 | the inaugural issue

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