Eugene weekly., August 17, 2017, Page 18, Image 18

Snack
Weed
(ABOVE)
GUMMIES FROM
WILLAMETTE VALLEY
ALCHEMY
P HOTO COUR T E S Y W EEDM A P S
BAKER BROS.
CHEF LILY TIPPIN
P HOTO BY TODD COOPER
18
A ugust 17, 2017 • eugeneweekly.com
MEDIBLES OFFER
ANOTHER WAY TO
EXPERIENCE CBD
AND THC BY MIKE BIVINS
A
mong the salves, tinctures and bits of
shatter, crumble and jars of flower, you’ll
see snack items that at first glance would
not appear out of place on a shelf at Safe-
way. These are known as medibles — a
portmanteau of marijuana and edible — and they take the
form of cookies, gummies, taffy and even soda.
“Edibles are convenient and discreet,” says Willamette
Valley Alchemy co-owner Brice Sherman. “People can
take them and not have to deal with the smell. They’re kind
of a good entry point into cannabis for many.”
Sherman, whose extract company also dabbles
in medibles, suspects that edibles appeal to an older
demographic because they’re a way around the stigma
sometimes associated with smoking or inhaling.
On the food front, Willamette Valley Alchemy offers a
line of gummy candies called Retreats. If you’re enrolled in
Oregon’s medical marijuana program, then you’re allowed
to purchase the 100-milligram packages. Recreational
buyers have to settle for 50 mg or 15 mg packages due to
state regulations.
Once you’ve cleared the biggest hurdle, which is just
gathering up the gumption to walk into the weed shop to
make a weed-snack purchase, you now have to decide how
much to eat. And it’s an important decision.
“We find with how the laws are set up, with 5 mg being
a dose, 5 mg is an awesome starting point for anyone
wanting to try edibles,” Sherman says.
If you know you can handle it, there is absolutely
nothing wrong with eating an entire gummy. But if you’re
just starting out, read the packaging for instructions on
how split the gummy up into manageable doses.
Also providing medibles for the residents of Eugene
and beyond is Wild West Growers, a joint (haha) venture
featuring Jim and Bob Jenson and Jason Boyer, who are
also involved in other business endeavors in Eugene such
as the Wild Duck Café near the University of Oregon
campus.
“We do chocolates, cookies, capsules — CBD
[cannabidiol] and THC [yetrahydrocannabinol]. The CBD
capsules are good for pain relief and general relaxation,”
Jim Jenson says.
Where cookies are concerned, they have a Baker Bros.
brand offering ready-to-eat cookies as well as a take-and-
bake CBD (non-psychoactive) brownie mix.
Jenson also says that if you start with 5 mg and go
from there, you can have “safe fun” in an altered state of
consciousness. He adds that the Oregon Liquor Control
Commission “is doing a great job” where the rules and
regulations are concerned.
“Edibles are great for people who don’t want to smoke,”
Boyer says, adding that they are easier to dose and typically
result in a longer high than if you smoke or vape. “It’s easy
to take more, but you can’t take it back. And you should
always do it in a safe environment.”
Those looking to attack marijuana's legitimacy often
point to high-profile incidents of marijuana poisoning.
According to fact checking group Politifact.org there have