Born and raised in Boulder, Colorad0, 20-year-old Danny Sloat was experiencing chronic stomach pain and debilitating illness. After several extended hospitalizations, doctors were unable to provide a diagnosis and began treating him with opiate medications. It wasn’t long before his condition worsened and he found himself dealing with a multitude of issues including a non-cancerous brain tumor. By 2009 Danny was taking 19 different prescription drugs.
Refusing to live a life of dependency, Danny followed his father’s advice and began treating his symptoms with medical cannabis. It wasn’t long before he was able to wean himself off pain medication. After discovering the therapeutic quality of growing cannabis he started Alpinstash where he works alongside a team of talented women: his fiance Murr, sister Emily Sloat and family friend Sylvia Sylvia Anchondo.
We spoke with Danny and to get the scoop on his inspiration story and how cannabis changed his life.
Photo by Emerald Lens
The Fresh Toast: What are the benefits of using medical marijuana?
Danny Sloat: With prolonged opiate use, especially with chronic pain, the pain actually gets worse. The more sedentary you are, the more your body has issues. Medicating with cannabis has allowed me to find relief and cut back on pharmaceutical medications. It didn’t improve my conditions, as much as it improved my sense of pain. When you’re in a chronic pain and opiate therapy cycle, you take your medication but you don’t necessarily feel better. Sometimes you feel a little better in a little bit less pain, but it’s not like you take it and the pain disappears.
How is medicinal cannabis superior to prescription pills?
Pharmaceuticals takes the edge off or makes you not care as much. Or, you get so drugged out that you’re not present. Whereas, cannabis actually provides relief and allows me to focus on whatever I’m doing. It gives me the ability to forget the issues I’m having and pay attention to other areas of my life. Whether I’m watching a movie or exploring naturel, I’m able to find that emotional space away from the pain. Finding a holistic alternative to painkillers, something that makes me feel better physically and emotionally is huge.
What is the difference between conventional cannabis and craft cannabis?
If you’re lucky enough to live in an area with good soil and you’ve got some knowledge about how to grow, you can plant a seed in the ground and get a good result. It’s the same with home growers. It’s not hard to grow a good plant, but to get it to an A+ level and in that 90th percentile, you have to have all aspects covered. Really, the difference between conventional cannabis and craft cannabis can be distinguished by the quality of the product itself, how often you can get those results, and the quality of the cure. The cure quality is an important aspect that’s underlooked in most markets.
Your fiance has experience with chronic pain, which inspired her to get into the cannabis world. Would you like to share her story?
My fiance Murr grew up playing hockey. She’s been playing for 30 years. As a result, she has a chronic back injury. She uses cannabis for pain relief. In particular, Murr enjoys AlpinStash’s CBD strains like Sister Wife. Strains high in CBD take her pain from a seven or eight down to a two.
Photo by Emerald Lens
What makes AlpinStash unique?
We’re a small craft cannabis grow dedicated to quality. I have asthma and my lungs are sensitive. I started this whole operation to grow the cleanest and best product I could find. Everything we do, we put our heart and soul into. Our end product is going to be some of the smoothest and most flavorful flower you can find. We use Nectar for the Gods, which is a sustainable and natural nutrient system handcrafted in Oregon from reclaimed rainwater, free range organic cow bones, and high quality nutrients that help us produce a high quality and clean plant. We hand trim everything, and cure the buds in glass for a minimum of a month — often two or three months. I can’t say enough how important a really good glass cure is under the right conditions. It makes all the difference in the world in terms of quality. It produces a smoother smoke and better high, and a more flavorful experience. It’s so underlooked and underutilized in the commercial market where many try to rush products out the door. We put all our efforts into making the cleanest product that we can, using sustainable gardening practices with a focus on having the smallest carbon footprint possible.
What long term goals do you see for Alpinstash?
We’re getting heavy into the breeding side of things, and one of my long term goals is offering CBD and THC genetics to the public. Here in Colorado at first, but as business moves nationally, I would love to offer our genetics across the country. We offer unique and novel genetics, including CBD heavy strains of varying ratios — from 1:1 all the way up to 30 or 40 to 1. We’re always innovating. We’re always trying new things.
AlpinStash will always be a small, handcrafted craft cannabis company. I would love to see the market move in the direction where people value quality. Also, I want to share the knowledge I have. I want to empower people to grow their own cannabis plants in an eco-friendly way: Why is it important to use organic based nutrients and incorporate sustainable gardening practices? Why is important to know what goes in and on your plants, and therefore in your body? I’m very accessible, so if anyone wants to reach out, send an email to Dan@AlpinStash.com or connect with me on our social media platforms.
Find out more about Alpinstash by checking out their YouTube, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
