In 2010, before I was sentenced to serve 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute Marijuana, the main product was flower. Big, beautiful, vacuum-sealed buds were what everyone wanted in Williamsburg, Brooklyn at that time. I know there is a long history of hash, but there was no widespread knowledge of concentrates, wax, shatter, or any of the other products that are so popular for dabbing today. Fast forward to my release in 2019, not only was the flower market on fire but there were edibles, drinks, vapes, topicals, oils, tinctures, all new to me but still out of reach because of the 5 years of federal probation I was ordered to serve.

 For the first time in over a decade, I was “free”, but that freedom was just geographical. I was still supervised, monitored, and held to standards that threatened the true freedom I was desperately in need of to move on with my life. I thought June 4, 2024, would never come, but after a long and painful journey through the U.S. Injustice system, it was finally time to take back control of my life. No more monthly check-ins of invasive questions about who I spoke to, where I went, and a plethora of other questions that were a constant reminder that I in fact was still not free and any violations could return me back behind behind those barbwired walls. Staying violation-free was the goal and that meant openly and proudly being able to experience all of these new forms of consumption would have to wait.

I spent my freedom day in Denver, Colorado. I heard that Roger Volodarsky of Puffco would be at The Tetra Lounge evaluating concentrates and looked forward to making my first legal purchase and having my jar assessed. Speaking with the budtender at Native Roots Denver about what to look for in a concentrate, which was the most popular, the creation process, and having all the questions I had answered about this new experience I would be having later created an excitement I hadn’t felt in years. I chose Lazercat Sour Melon. Later that evening I attended the event, waited for the extremely long line of others waiting to be blessed with the knowledge Roger would be able to bestow upon them about their choice to die down, and hopped in line. I was able to explain to Roger why this event meant so much to me. When Roger asked me if I had a device, it occurred to me that in all of my excitement, I’d not purchased a device. In a very generous act, Roger offered me a Puffco to use for my first legal dab. I received a beautiful mint green Puffco Proxy in the mail, read the instructions, watched some videos on how to get the best performance out of the device, and proceeded to load up. The ease for a newbie is 10/10. I enjoyed the difference in how I felt from consuming flower in way I was used to and am very grateful that my first experience was a learning one. 

I am happy to see the plant evolving and 7/10 Day is a reminder of the progress and acceptance that cannabis concentrates have gained in recent years. From live resin and distillate to shatter and wax, the variety available today is a testament to the innovation of the industry that I missed. 7/10 Day is a celebration of community and progress in the cannabis space. As I learn more about all aspects of cannabis, I am filled with hope and excitement for the possibilities in this ever-evolving industry. As I reclaim my freedom and embrace this new chapter in my life, I realize that I am not defined by my years in prison but by the resilience, perseverance, and unwavering belief that we are headed in the direction to right the wrongs done by cannabis prohibition and I am finally free to fully engage.