THE LATEST WITH VEE THE TRAVELING CANNABIS WRITER
The Reclassification of Cannabis Marijuana Tour Explores the Cannabis Scene on the East Coast
-written by veronica castillo a.k.a vee the traveling cannabis writer-
The Reclassification Tour is a journey from the bottom of the east coast to the top, visiting cities, states, people, and businesses and focusing the conversation on the move in progress to reschedule Cannabis (Marijuana).
The tour is led by Vee, the Traveling Cannabis Writer sponsored by heavyweight sponsor: Sinful Brands/Drink Sinful, and a handful of others supporting: media and promotion (40 Tons Brand, BlkMeninSuits_UrbaneNation, and the Highly Connected App), and fashion (Styylistics and B Luxury Essentials). The tour left Florida and traveled through and to:
East Coast Georgia
East Coast South Carolina
North Carolina
Virginia
Maryland
Washington D.C
Delaware
New Jersey
New York
Massachusetts
The tour visited: hemp farms, cannabis cultivation facilities, cannabis dispensaries, cannabis friendly lodging, cannabis labs, and USDA Agriculture Offices.
The Reclassification Tour focused on the east coast because that's where the constitution was signed, where the nation's capital is located, and where the civil war ended. It made sense to start the tour on the east coast.
As the tour moved from the bottom to the top, it made stops in Virginia and Washington DC to visit Peacock Labs, and stayed at the first all inclusive cannabis bed and breakfast: Lucille Verde’s, Canna CapeCod. Continue reading for more on Vee’s journey and experiences traveling to and through the upper south.
The Journey Through Virginia, Maryland, and Washington DC
Virginia
Virginia is very special. In 2004, I packed up my life, got on a greyhound, and headed north from Florida to Virginia so that I could…grow up. Two duffle bags and a few bucks in my back pocket was all I had when I set out to be the girl that wasn’t born, raised, and lived her whole life in the same place.
Virginia is where I became an adult and experienced many firsts: my first real job, my first time buying a new car, my first degree, my first concert, and some others. If even for a day, when I’m near, I want to visit.
I booked a one night stay in an area of Virginia I had driven through a couple of years ago, but never visited: the Eastern Shore of Virginia. This is the easternmost coast of Virginia that is separated from the mainland by the Chesapeake Bay. It’s like Florida, a peninsula, is 70 miles long, and shared with Maryland and Delaware.
I booked my one night stay at a B&B which had the Chesapeake Bay in its back yard. I did nothing but decompress, talk to the water, and took in the majestic sunset.
When it was time to get back to work, I headed west to visit Fredericksburg, home of Peacock Labs. They’re an artisan manufacturer and distributor, and the company behind the fabulous: Wunderkind Extracts. Through Wunderkind they offer: tinctures, chocolates, gummies, and topicals. All perfectly and potently dosed.
On this day, I stopped in to shadow them making Wunderkind gummies. I also wanted to chat about the reclassification of cannabis-marijuana and get their thoughts on how this move could hurt or help their business (you can catch their thoughts in the closing).
These are my favorite cannabis infused gummies- flavor and impact. No other gummy hits better for me, and so I wanted to check out what went into the creation of these perfect vegan squares. Watching them come to life made me love them even more; human thought and passion, mixed with science.
Maryland
I didn’t stay in Maryland but the drive through felt like an exploration on its own. So much greenery, a lot of farms, lots of open space off the eastern shore. As I traveled Maryland to get to DC I couldn’t help but notice the perfect balance of nature there. Though heading west to DC took me away from the Atlantic Ocean, the Chesapeake Bay gave me reasons to smile.
Maryland is an adult-use cannabis state and so, I made a stop to check out my first MD dispensary and make my first purchase. When paying for my flower, I shared a moment of hope with the Budtender; we hoped that the reclassification of cannabis-marijuana, means that someone other than the person who showed their ID could hand over the form of payment.
You see, my partner took the money out of her wallet to pay for my flower and the Budtender couldn’t take it from her. My partner had to give me the money, to hand to the Budtender, to pay for the purchase.
My Stay in Washington D.C, and Experience at Lucille Verde’s, Canna Cape Cod
Canna Cape Cod is the first all-inclusive 420-friendly bed and breakfast in the United States, and is located in Washington D.C. Just show up, check-in, and Nicole and her team take care of the rest. Guests have everything at their fingertips at this all-inclusive bed and breakfast and that means: cannabis, three infused meals each day (vegan and vegetarian options available), a 24-hour snack bar, cannabis accessories, infused snacks, and an open bar are all included in the price. The space is perfect for group travel, couples travel, and singles travel.
The bed and breakfast is decorated with gorgeous art, vibrant colors, and something for everyone: books, movies, hookah, and a backyard that is perfect for relaxation, a group sesh, and/or connection to the earth. This is a real cannabis friendly space meaning, cannabis can be consumed all over, even shared spaces.
I love this place and Nicole so much. Nicole is a ray of light, she LOVES what she does, this woman can COOK, and her energy is a bonus amenity.
I stayed upstairs in the master suite equipped with a huge bed, small refrigerator stacked with beverages, a private bathroom, small closet, AC, and plenty of space for luggage. The community that supports Canna Cape Cod got together and welcomed me to DC with a big arrangement of products. I received gifts from:
Twisted Treats & Infused Meals, Mary Janes Pantry, District Elixir, Buddafly- Hi, The Mason Jar, Wake and Bake Elevated, and Chef Rosen. They loaded me up with infused everything: beverages, elixirs, seasonings, salts, sugars, cookies, salad and salad dressing, flower, honey, syrup, accessories, and merch. Click here to check out some of the gifts.
During my stay, the owner of Blue and Yellow Consultants, DC Scroger held his cultivation class at Canna Cape Cod. While enjoying food in the dining room, I got to listen in on the gems that were being dropped by DC Scroger related to genetics and cultivation.
Closing
Nicole Butler, Lucille Verde’s Canna Capecod says:
“I’m a much bigger fan of declassification, but if reclassification also comes with record expungements, pardons, and prison releases, then I think it is a step in the right direction for the plant. A lot of cannabis based and cannabis adjacent businesses may have to adjust, but I think we all knew this going into a brand new industry.”
Paul Fish, Peacock Labs/Wunderkind Extracts says:
“I think Schedule 3 is the wrong way to go. We need descheduling, not rescheduling. I see some of the benefits, like federal money for more research and much needed tax breaks for licensed companies, but that’s about the only benefit I see to reclassify.”
Make sure you are following so you don’t miss info on the next round of stops on the tour. Follow #travelingcannabiswriter and subscribe to the Traveling Cannabis Writer network to stay in the loop.
Photo credit: @igot_theshot
Veronica “Vee” Castillo is known as the <Traveling Cannabis Writer>. She is a published writer, connector, traveler, and a member of the Minority Cannabis Business Association Board of Directors.
Her body of work, which includes over 200 published articles in 15 publications, covers all things and people in cannabis/ hemp/ and overall plant medicines. She can be found in both digital and print where she provides cannabis industry and community insights from her 6 year journey around the country.
She specializes in bringing to light the hidden gems in the plant space and beyond. You can follow her journey on Instagram: @vee_travelingvegcannawriter and/or LinkedIn: @Traveling Cannabis Writer.