The Gift of Flavor

Chef Maverick is as multi-talented as they come, and the titles of chef, caterer, product developer, Chopped 420 competitor, author, businessperson, brand designer, and more are all just a glimpse of explaining her skillset. From catering small- and large-scale dining events (both with cannabis-infused dishes and non-infused meals) to creating her line of infused sauces and snacks, she’s highly ambitious and strives to craft flavor-packed foods using only the best ingredients.

Maverick is a Los Angeles native who discovered her passion for food at 5 years old and has spent her life cooking for her friends and family. Instead of pursuing a culinary education in college, she attended school in Georgia and Tennessee and earned her bachelor’s degree in computer science and software engineering. During her college education, she also worked at numerous restaurants, from Red Lobster to Applebee’s and IHOP, and would experiment with cooking and recreating menu items from those businesses at home.

“I would go home and recreate certain things that I liked, that worked, or put my little twist on certain things is basically how I developed my culinary skill set,” Maverick explains.

After graduation, she spent nearly five years as a corporate sales rep. Her culinary career took off in 2015 when she moved back to Los Angeles and began building her reputation as a private chef and caterer.

Her introduction to cannabis came a few years later when she was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease and multiple sclerosis, in addition to learning that she was allergic to gluten and soy. Edibles helped her manage the symptoms of her conditions. Still, she found that the selection was limited—the cannabis industry was oversaturated with sweets, but somehow, none of them catered to her new dietary restrictions.

“I realized at the time that edibles were very popular, but a majority of the edibles that were available were mostly gummies, cookies, brownies, you know, things like that,” Maverick says. “I also didn’t see any specific gluten-free, vegan, soy-free options. And because I found out I had allergies to gluten and soy, I couldn’t really eat any of the edibles that were available at the time.”

This prompted her to develop a line of infused sauces, dubbed Mav Sauce, in 2018. At first, she developed cannabis pesto, ketchup, mustard, maple syrup, honey, and BBQ sauces, and her rise in popularity on social media prompted her to expand her sauce lineup to include new flavors including jerk BBQ sauce, Memphis sweet BBQ sauce, vegan chipotle aioli, organic maple syrup and honey, balsamic vinaigrette, sriracha ketchup, and sweet chili sauce.

Her infused sauces became so popular that she wrote a cookbook incorporating them, released in May 2023. Sauced Up! 420 Recipes Featuring Mav Sauce includes 14 recipes that offer creative ways to use her various Mav Sauces, such as adding her infused Memphis sweet BBQ sauce to smoked BBQ jackfruit enchiladas or using infused pesto in a Caprese stuffed mushrooms recipe.

Chef Maverick Catering GLAAD Event in December 2023
Photo by Chessa Mehlman, LezzChaseLight

Maverick later developed dietary-friendly infused sweets called Mav Snacks after her savory successes. These include a variety of options from rice cereal-based treats to cookies, brownies, gummies, and more that are gluten-free, soy-free, and some of which are also vegan.

According to Maverick, her fruit juice gummies are some of her bestsellers.

“Certain gummies may have two flavors; some of them have three,” Maverick says. “So it may be pineapple, watermelon, and strawberry or something like that, you know, so people love them for that, and they’re very good.”

Her vegan strawberry lemonade cookies, including a lemon-flavored cookie with strawberry jam in the center and a drizzle of strawberry lemonade icing, are also a bestseller and one of her favorites.

Not only are Maverick’s sauces and snacks packed with flavor, but she also maintains high standards when using quality ingredients.

“The thing about Mav Sauce and Mav Snacks is that they’re exclusively gluten-free, soy-free, and non-GMO. I don’t use crappy ingredients. I use mostly organic ingredients: organic butter, organic this and that, as much as I can. All my herbs are all organic because I feel like cannabis is supposed to be something used to help you feel better,” Maverick says. “But if you’re smoking trash, it’s not going to help you. If you’re ingesting stuff that is trash, it’s just gonna get you high; it’s not going to be helpful. You know? So it’s really important that the ingredients are quality for me, and when I put out a quality product, people can actually benefit from it versus like most companies, especially these edible brands, are probably in it just because it’s profitable.”

Courtesy Chef Maverick

Many of Maverick’s long-standing customers are medical patients suffering from a variety of conditions, such as endometriosis, cancer, and Parkinson’s disease. She recounts heartwarming messages that she has received from fans explaining how Mav Sauce and Mav Snacks have helped them manage their symptoms and improved their quality of life.

“I’m just glad that I’m able to help people, you know, through their stuff,” Maverick says. “And that’s really like, for me, the best part of what I do. I really, really love helping people and getting that feedback that what I’m creating, it’s not just gonna get someone high, it’s changing people’s lives.”

Maverick moved to Georgia toward the end of 2023, citing being “over L.A.,” but the decision to swap the West Coast for the east won’t hinder her plans for growth. A new chapter is beginning, and Chef Maverick is cooking up even more ambitious plans for the near future.

Sweet Chili Coconut Shrimp

By Chef Maverick

Servings: 4

Prep time: 20 mins

Cooking time: 25 mins

THC mg/serving: 12.5 mg

Ingredients

1 lb jumbo shrimp

1 cup shredded coconut

1 cup breadcrumbs

½ cup gluten-free flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour)

6 tbsp vegan eggs (I use JUST Egg)

1 ½ tsp sea salt

¾ tsp black pepper

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp onion powder

¼ tsp ground ginger

¼ cup Mav Sauce Sweet Chili Sauce

Oil (for frying)

Sriracha (for garnish)

Cooking Instructions

1. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the shredded coconut, gluten-free flour, breadcrumbs, and all the seasonings.
2. A second shallow bowl should have your vegan egg.
3. Dip the shrimp into the beaten eggs, then coat with the coconut and breadcrumb mixture.
4. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the shrimp in batches and fry until golden brown and cooked through, about 2-3 minutes per side.
5. Transfer the cooked shrimp to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
6. In a bowl, toss the coconut shrimp with the Mav Sauce Sweet Chili Sauce, and enjoy!

Notes:

Tablespoon of Mav Sauce Sweet Chili Sauce = 6.25 mg THC or CBD.

Suggested serving per person = 2 tablespoons.

To make a non-infused version of this, simply swap out my Mav Sauce Sweet Chili Sauce for any store-bought sweet chili sauce you desire. To make a vegan version, simply substitute vegan konjac shrimp instead of real shrimp.

Excerpted from Chef Maverick’s cookbook Sauced Up! 420 Recipes Featuring Mav Sauce.

This article was originally published in the April 2024 issue of High Times Magazine.

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DEA Challenges Bid To Use Psilocybin Under ‘Right To Try’ Legislation

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has urged a federal appeals court to deny a doctor’s attempt to administer psilocybin to dying patients under so-called Right to Try legislation, arguing that such laws do not provide for exemptions to the federal Controlled Substances Act (CSA). 

Dr. Sunil Aggarwal, co-founder of the Advanced Integrative Medical Science Institute, a psychedelics research and treatment clinic based in Seattle, has sued the DEA several times for authorization to use psilocybin as a treatment for depression and anxiety by terminally ill patients. Aggarwal’s legal actions are based on federal and state Right to Try laws, which permit patients with terminal illnesses to use investigational drugs for therapeutic purposes before they are approved for general use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 

Psilocybin, the compound primarily responsible for the psychedelic effects of magic mushrooms, has been shown through clinical research to have great potential as a treatment for serious mental health conditions including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and substance misuse disorders. The compound has been designated as a “breakthrough therapy” by the FDA but remains a Schedule I drug under the CSA, a classification reserved for drugs with no medical value.

The state of Washington approved a Right to Try bill in 2017, the same year former President Donald Trump signed the federal Right to Try Act into law. Aggarwal argues in his legal action that the legislation gives him the right to administer psilocybin to his patients with terminal illnesses.

The DEA, however, has rejected Aggarwal’s attempts to gain the authority to administer psilocybin to his patients. In its rationale for rejecting a 2022 petition seeking such authority, the DEA argued that treating terminally ill patients with psychedelics would be inconsistent with maintaining public health and safety. Aggarwal also claims the DEA wants him to register as a researcher to administer psilocybin, which is not a requirement of the federal Right to Try Act.

Aggarwal appealed the DEA decision to the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal, arguing that it was arbitrary and inconsistent with public health interests and established legal precedent. In February, he argued that the DEA must explain how its decision is consistent with the CSA and its own policies, noting that the agency has issued waivers for the therapeutic use of other Schedule I drugs, including the use of medical cannabis by children.

In a filing to the court last week, the DEA said that the Right to Try Act amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act but does not affect the CSA. The agency also said doctors who wish to administer controlled substances must abide by both statutes.

“The CSA and the FDCA (which the Right to Try Act amends) are separate regulatory schemes with separate requirements and restrictions,” the DEA wrote, as quoted by Green Market Report. “Nothing in the Right to Try Act changes that.”

The DEA also argued that the court should reject Aggarwal’s claims because he has not provided sufficient evidence to support them. The law enforcement agency also said it could not adequately evaluate his plan to administer psilocybin because he did not give enough information to justify the waiver he was requesting.

Shawn Hauser, a partner at the cannabis and psychedelics law firm Vicente LLP, slammed the DEA’s position, saying the agency “continues to overtly misinterpret the law using unlawful delay tactics to deny terminally ill patients access to life-saving medicines that federal law affords them access to.”

“Federal Right to Try laws were designed to allow eligible, terminally ill patients who qualify to use investigational new drugs that have undergone clinical trials (such as psilocybin), even if they are Schedule I substances,” Hauser wrote in an email to High Times. 

“The law includes a clear exception to the FDCA’s safety/efficacy requirements that allow the use of unapproved, investigational drugs, such as psilocybin, that have completed successful FDA trials, by terminally ill patients,” she added. “This seems to be another excuse and obstruction by the DEA to deny patients access to a life-saving treatment that studies clearly demonstrate can be used safely as medicine.”

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Study Reveals State Cannabis Legalization Lowers Immigrant Deportation

There’s yet another compelling reason to legalize weed. According to new research, states that have legalized cannabis also experience a “moderate relative decrease” in immigrant deportation rates compared to states where the drug is still illicit.

As a study featured in the American Journal of Community Psychology details, immigration raids and deportations create widespread fear and mistrust, which have cascading effects throughout entire communities. As the fear of being targeted grows, people are less likely to engage with local institutions such as churches, schools, health clinics, cultural events, and social services. 

And it also finds that kids who experience the sudden, forced deportation of a parent often suffer from a range of psychological issues including anxiety, anger, aggression, and withdrawal. They may also exhibit a heightened sense of fear, trouble eating and sleeping, PTSD, and depression. While these conditions can be treated with cannabis and therapy, the research on legalizing cannabis and deportation indicates that we could get in front of such troubles if we just legalize it, to begin with. 

Of course, it’s not just immigrants, although better immigration policy benefits everyone. The study, conducted by researchers from Columbia University, also notes a slight reduction in overall cannabis-related arrests.

The authors of the study stated that recreational cannabis laws (RCLs) could “help to mitigate some of the unintended immigration-related consequences of cannabis prohibition.” They observed that “Arrest trends in both legalization and non-legalization states were relatively similar and generally stable over the period.” They also found that the trends suggested that the overall prevalence of deportations went down between 2009 and 2020.

Here’s a bit more of what they had to say:

“Our results suggest that the RCLs were associated with a moderate relative decrease in deportation levels that was observed relatively consistently across multiple model specifications. Findings also suggested potential relative decreases in immigration arrest levels; however for almost all specifications, associated confidence intervals were wide and included the null. Together these findings support the overall possibility that RCLs may help to mitigate some of the unintended immigration-related consequences of cannabis prohibition.”

About ten percent of U.S. families with children have at least one family member who doesn’t have citizenship, and it’s estimated that nearly six million kids have at least one caregiver without authorization to live in the country, putting them at risk for the aforementioned trauma and related mental health conditions. 

The authors of the study didn’t draw definitive conclusions about the apparent link between state-level cannabis legalization and reduced deportations. However, it is noteworthy that all 11 sanctuary states for immigrants (California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, D.C.), which generally discourage reporting immigrants to federal authorities, have also legalized cannabis for adult use.

The research leads to the conclusion that legalization generally results in fewer arrests for cannabis-related offenses, suggesting that fewer immigrants are likely to be implicated in marijuana criminalization from the get-go.

The researchers identified two “countervailing pathways” that they described as “relevant to anticipating the potential immigration implications of RCL adoption,” which are as follows: 

“First, RCLs could lead to potential decreases in the overall number of cannabis-related arrests or convictions, and therefore cannabis-related immigration enforcement. A second possibility, however, is that state adoption of RCLs might lead more people who are non-citizens to reasonably but falsely assume that federal immigration status is unaffected by cannabis use permissible under state law—potentially leading to increases in immigration enforcement.”

So basically, simply legalizing marijuana for everyone will naturally lower the number of people who are deported for daring to enjoy weed. However, there is also a chance that if recreational cannabis laws are passed, people who aren’t legal citizens might feel an unfortunately safe, false sense of security. 

The study explains that even though some states have legalized cannabis, don’t forget that it’s still illegal under federal law. This means that any cannabis-related offenses, even seemingly minor ones, can have serious repercussions for non-U.S. citizens such as permanent residents, DACA recipients, and those granted asylum. According to federal policy, simply being charged with or admitting to possessing a small amount of cannabis can lead to problems with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), including affecting immigration status or even leading to arrest, detention, or deportation. This is also true for those who work in the cannabis industry, further narrowing the scope of available labor to immigrants. 

So while yes, legal weed on a state level could lead to people feeling too comfortable and forgetting that there’s still the federal government to fear, overall, recreational laws seem to make life easier for everyone, as this new research into its implication on immigration shows. 

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Sweden Authorities Seize 1.4 Tons of Cocaine, ‘One of the Biggest’ Seizures Ever

According to a Swedish customs official, authorities confiscated approximately 1.4 tons of cocaine last week in a port near Stockholm, as reported by Associated Press.

While the precise figure is still pending, Swedish customs official Stefan Granath told broadcaster SVT, “If it’s as big as we think, it is one of the biggest seizures ever made.” Authorities discovered the cocaine in a container in the Nynashamn port south of Stockholm on April 18, according to Granath.

Six men have also been arrested on suspicion of involvement in the drug’s transport.

The Latest of Many Record Drug Seizures in Europe

Granath noted the size of the seizure, saying that only five to 10 years ago it was “very unusual” to seize only 100 kilograms, or 220.5 pounds. 

To put it in perspective, 1.4 tons is equivalent to 2,800 pounds. That’s more than the volume of total cocaine seized by Sweden in 2022, and the country’s previous cocaine seizure peak — 822 kilograms or 1,812 pounds. The prior record was set in 2018, with 300 kilograms or 661 pounds of seized cocaine.

Granath also added that it’s likely that the cocaine was meant for the European market and that Sweden was only a point of transit.

It’s historic for Sweden, but it also acts as one of the more significant drug seizures for Europe as a whole. 

Earlier this year, Portuguese authorities discovered 1.3 tons of cocaine within shipments of frozen fish, similarly expected for distribution across Europe and unloaded at the Lisbon port. Authorities noted that the way the drug was hidden made it extremely difficult to detect and that the frozen fish had to be completely destroyed in order to remove the cocaine.

In 2023, Netherlands customs agents seized a whopping 17,600 pounds of cocaine hidden inside crates of bananas in what was the largest haul ever collected in Rotterdam’s port, the largest port in Europe that had processed more than 220 million tons through its terminals in the first six months of 2023.

Shutterstock

The Shifting Culture in Sweden

According to Swedish radio, the recent figure and seizure is indicative of more efficient search methods and an increase in the flow of drugs as a whole. 

Demand for cocaine appears to be growing rapidly across the European Union, with governments blaming the drug trade for increased violent outbreaks in major port cities like Antwerp in Brussels, Rotterdam in the Netherlands and Marseille in France. 

On top of some of the other recent busts, Antwerp customs reported that it had seized 116 tons of cocaine in its port throughout 2023, setting a record for the second year in a row according to an Associated Press report.

EU member countries stopped a total of 303 tons of cocaine in 2021, the most recent year for which figures are available. AP reports that 75% of that quantity was seized in Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain.

Outlets have suggested that the European drug boom is impacting neighboring countries like Sweden. EL PAÍS notes that the Swedish government opted to put the army on the streets last September to combat a wave of murders linked to gang rivalries.

Sweden now has the second-highest gun crime death rate in Europe, with poverty and inequality as driving factors as well as arms and drug trafficking. It’s a stark shift over the past several years, as Sweden’s once peaceful image has been drastically altered by an increased onslaught of gang violence.

“What started out as gun violence between young gangs looking to defend their territory has turned into a vicious circle of firearms trafficking and gun violence,” said Nils Duquet, a firearms researcher based at Brussels’ Flemish Peace Institute. “Gangs have also matured and are no longer just the street criminals, but are often connected to higher-level criminals as well.”

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Gov. Kathy Hochul Honors New York’s 100th Adult-Use Retail Store Opening

In an announcement last week, Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the state of New York reached a significant milestone: the grand opening of the state’s 100th Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary (CAURD) brick-and-mortar store. 

Big Gas is located in the village of New Paltz, located near Poughkeepsie. The Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) and a handful of state leaders joined Big Gas owners, Kareem Haynesworth and Zymia Lewis for the grand opening of the store for public sales. “Big Gas is proud to be the first licensed cannabis dispensary in the City of New Paltz,” Big Gas Owners Zymia Lewis and Kareem Haynsworth said. “We are here with the support of the New York State Cannabis Investment Fund, who led us to this great location. This is beyond our wildest dreams.”

“We are pleased to be a host community in NYS’s Conditional Adult Use Retail Dispensary program,” said Village of New Paltz Mayor Tim Roger. “This initiative has allowed the state to 1) invest in a private fund to support individuals impacted by the inequitable enforcement of cannabis law and 2) protect public safety with NYS-sourced, regulated, and tested cannabis.”

Hochul applauded this historic milestone for New York’s cannabis industry.

“New York State continues to make progress on standing up a safe and legal cannabis industry for business owners, farmers and residents across the state,” Governor Hochul said. “Today marks a historic milestone in establishing a thriving and equitable industry in our state with the 100th brick-and-mortar store opening.”

New York is building the nation's most equitable cannabis industry — one that empowers veterans, women, Black & Brown New Yorkers, & those hurt by the war on drugs.
 
If you’re choosing to celebrate today, visit one of New York's 100+ legal dispensaries: https://t.co/nLcImliKam pic.twitter.com/rZ9aFfbJTn

— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) April 20, 2024

New York officials licensed 110 adult-use cannabis retailers including storefronts and temporary delivery-only (TDO) locations across the state, with more anticipated to open soon. It’s a mix of CAURD licensees with storefronts, CAURD licensees providing delivery services, and adult-use dispensaries co-located with existing medical dispensaries. 

New York industry is taking off, reflected by the rapidly growing number of retailers and sales, with total sales exceeding $237 million, $77 million of which was generated in the first two and a half months of 2024. It’s all the signs of a thriving market. The rollout of New York’s cannabis program, however, was hammered by delays caused by lawsuits and the prevalence of illegal cannabis retailers. One such delay was a lawsuit led by Leafly that challenged New York’s ban on third party advertisers for cannabis businesses.

New York places emphasis on social equity measures to ensure that the state’s industry includes communities impacted the most by the criminalization of cannabis.

Despite setbacks, state leaders have been optimistic. Within its first year of operation, New York achieved and surpassed the Social and Economic Equity (SEE) goal laid out in the adult-use law with 60% of licenses given to social and economic equity applicants. Forty percent of social equity licenses are minority-owned businesses and 40% are women-owned businesses, respectively.

The governor’s announcement stated that this also almost doubled the percentage of majority minority-owned cannabis retailers nationwide. As of April 2024, 37% of New York’s adult-use retailers are majority minority-owned as only 19% are majority minority-owned nationwide. 

In addition, 11% of New York’s adult-use retailers were majority Black-owned, while nationally, that number is at just 2%. Approximately 50% of New York’s open dispensaries are minority- and/or women-owned businesses.

Office of Cannabis Management Executive Director Chris Alexander said, “We are incredibly proud of our licensees across New York State who have worked diligently to cross this threshold. Today’s celebration at Big Gas belongs not only to the team who opened their doors to business to eager customers today, but to every single licensee who is building this market from seed to sale. It echoes our commitment to catalyzing growth, fostering diversity, and championing equity within the cannabis sector. This milestone embodies our tireless endeavors to reshape the industry landscape and underscores our resolve to push the boundaries of progress. Supported by the New York Cannabis Social Equity Investment Fund, we take pride in our progress and pledge to persist in our pursuit of inclusivity and advancement of New York’s Cannabis Market.”

“We take great pride in being able to support individuals who have been affected by unjust enforcement of cannabis laws and help them thrive in this emerging industry,” said Social Equity Impact Ventures LLC General Principal of the Fund’s General Partner Lavetta Willis. “Access levels the playing field. We are thrilled for Zymia Lewis and Kareem Haynesworth and wish them great success. We express our heartfelt gratitude to Governor Hochul for leading the way and paving the path to a socially equitable sector that promotes inclusivity and equal opportunities for all.”

Hundreds more retail operations dot the state as licensed businesses compete with the black market.

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