2018 Cannabis Issue Publisher’s Note

Our annual Cannabis Issue continues to be a controversial thrill ride. It is traditionally our fastest moving single issue, and yet it is also the one most likely to get us in trouble – with readers and advertisers. We’re glad that each year seems to bring a little less of the negative and a little more of the positive. (Or maybe we’ve just already pissed off everyone we’re going to. You decide.)

For our cover this year, we wanted to feature glassware. These can be used for things other than cannabis, of course. We’re not condoning unlawful (still, remarkably) behavior. Ahem. We found an amazing collection of glass right over the border in now-legal Mass, but still in Motif territory. The pipes (some clear, some obscured) are part of an impressive collection you can find at Seekonk’s Levitation Glass (1200 Fall River Ave). Each pipe – from the dragon to the lobster claw – is hand-crafted, one-of-a-kind art. Curator Jon Foster takes some of the finest artisanal work around, including glass art of all kinds created by his daughter, Taylor Foster, an accomplished craftsperson. Follow their Daily Levitations on Instagram @levitationglass or go to stufftopuff.com to see more. The dragon was made by Fuller Fire Glass out of Bar Harbor Maine. Taylor made the green dabber on the cover (the piece that looks like a Chess piece).

To capture the glass in its glory, we turned to photographer Sam Stiles. “For this assignment I knew I’d be shooting smaller objects, so I brought a macro adapter for one of my lenses. Since I knew I would be working with glass, I also wanted to make sure I could shoot from far enough away that my lighting and figure wouldn’t be distracting in the reflection,” says Sam. You can see more of his work at sstilesphotography.com

Smokey finish touches and text were added by designer Haley Nunes. We hope you like the cover – and the issue!