In addition to playing guitar and synth in the fuzzy psych-rock outfit WHOOP-Szo, Andrew Lennox spends his days as a professional in the cannabis industry. He works as a Production Supervisor at JC Green in Thorndale, ON, and he tells Exclaim!, "My role is to constantly learn and adapt to the ever-changing industry, while also helping to assure that our medical patients and recreational customers receive the cleanest, highest quality standard of cannabis possible."
We caught up with Lennox about the special bonding experience of playing music while taking cannabis, his love of being around waterfalls, and why you — yes, you! — just might be his cannabis role model.
What do you smoke and how do you consume it?
My understanding and perspective towards cannabis has changed drastically since starting work at JC Green in 2019. Of course, I love a good bong hit or dab, but a joint is my most desired method, followed closely by edibles. We have a strain called Cherry Bomb, and it is now the go-to strain that I choose to smoke every day — the reason being that is that it is a sativa-dominant hybrid, with THC potency as high as 24%. Also, it is a very clean product, with zero pesticides. Cherry Bomb has an amazing taste, with hints of cherry (for me, I get the aftertaste of the ice cream flavour Cherry Garcia). This strain helps focus my attention, while also alleviating any muscle/joint pain or inflammation that I may be experiencing.
What do you like to do when you smoke?
Almost everything is fun do to while high on cannabis! I tend to use cannabis for body pain, headache, relaxation. My favourites would be walking in the forest, preferably near water and/or waterfalls. Playing the guitar and or the piano is one of my favourite things that I get to do while high, and I cherish the moments when I get to play. Playing music in general, especially with other people, makes for a special and emotional bonding experience that I have grown to love.
What do you think about the recent changes in cannabis culture?
It's an amazing and exciting time for cannabis research and culture, and everyone in the industry is constantly finding new ways to adapt to the ever-changing and rapidly growing industry. Yes, legalization is a good thing. A lot of people fought very hard and for a very long time to see this time come. I am grateful and it is exciting to finally see people opening up to trying cannabis and starting to treat the idea of cannabis consumption seriously and respectfully, as an effective form of healing treatment.
Where in your city is great for cannabis?
JC Green in Thorndale, ON is where I spend most of my time surrounded by cannabis! Also, London has a lot of forests and trails to explore and again, anywhere near running water is ideal for me.
Are there hidden (or not-so-hidden) cannabis references in your music?
There are hidden references and there are also blatant cannabis references in WHOOP-Szo. In the song "2CB" for example, we openly sing "marijuana" and "the clouds might be on drugs." For WHOOP-Szo, Adam [Sturgeon] and Kirsten [Kurvink Palm] were heavily influenced by cannabis and its healing properties when they started to write and play together. If you listen closely, you will hear the references! It is inspiring and I love that they were singing about these topics well before our government legalized it.
Who are your Canadian cannabis heroes?
I have always loved to see popular people with a platform endorse cannabis openly. Anyone who uses their platform for education in positive cannabis healing is helping. Most importantly, one of my closest friends and my biggest cannabis hero is [WHOOP-Szo singer-guitarist] Adam Sturgeon. Adam was the one that always made sure that we had good cannabis to smoke. He was also the one who had the patience to teach me how to roll a proper "two-paper baseball bat" joint. He would sit there and help/challenge me, and then we would smoke and talk forever. This was integral towards my understanding of the healing properties of the cannabis plant. I love consuming cannabis with him, my bandmates, other musicians and artists, and cannabis enthusiasts — and also my closest friends (you know who you are). We talk about anything and everything and can talk for hours on end! Collectively, I believe that those connections will never go away! So if you and I have ever consumed cannabis together in the past, or if we do together in the future, then you are my hero!
We caught up with Lennox about the special bonding experience of playing music while taking cannabis, his love of being around waterfalls, and why you — yes, you! — just might be his cannabis role model.
What do you smoke and how do you consume it?
My understanding and perspective towards cannabis has changed drastically since starting work at JC Green in 2019. Of course, I love a good bong hit or dab, but a joint is my most desired method, followed closely by edibles. We have a strain called Cherry Bomb, and it is now the go-to strain that I choose to smoke every day — the reason being that is that it is a sativa-dominant hybrid, with THC potency as high as 24%. Also, it is a very clean product, with zero pesticides. Cherry Bomb has an amazing taste, with hints of cherry (for me, I get the aftertaste of the ice cream flavour Cherry Garcia). This strain helps focus my attention, while also alleviating any muscle/joint pain or inflammation that I may be experiencing.
What do you like to do when you smoke?
Almost everything is fun do to while high on cannabis! I tend to use cannabis for body pain, headache, relaxation. My favourites would be walking in the forest, preferably near water and/or waterfalls. Playing the guitar and or the piano is one of my favourite things that I get to do while high, and I cherish the moments when I get to play. Playing music in general, especially with other people, makes for a special and emotional bonding experience that I have grown to love.
What do you think about the recent changes in cannabis culture?
It's an amazing and exciting time for cannabis research and culture, and everyone in the industry is constantly finding new ways to adapt to the ever-changing and rapidly growing industry. Yes, legalization is a good thing. A lot of people fought very hard and for a very long time to see this time come. I am grateful and it is exciting to finally see people opening up to trying cannabis and starting to treat the idea of cannabis consumption seriously and respectfully, as an effective form of healing treatment.
Where in your city is great for cannabis?
JC Green in Thorndale, ON is where I spend most of my time surrounded by cannabis! Also, London has a lot of forests and trails to explore and again, anywhere near running water is ideal for me.
Are there hidden (or not-so-hidden) cannabis references in your music?
There are hidden references and there are also blatant cannabis references in WHOOP-Szo. In the song "2CB" for example, we openly sing "marijuana" and "the clouds might be on drugs." For WHOOP-Szo, Adam [Sturgeon] and Kirsten [Kurvink Palm] were heavily influenced by cannabis and its healing properties when they started to write and play together. If you listen closely, you will hear the references! It is inspiring and I love that they were singing about these topics well before our government legalized it.
Who are your Canadian cannabis heroes?
I have always loved to see popular people with a platform endorse cannabis openly. Anyone who uses their platform for education in positive cannabis healing is helping. Most importantly, one of my closest friends and my biggest cannabis hero is [WHOOP-Szo singer-guitarist] Adam Sturgeon. Adam was the one that always made sure that we had good cannabis to smoke. He was also the one who had the patience to teach me how to roll a proper "two-paper baseball bat" joint. He would sit there and help/challenge me, and then we would smoke and talk forever. This was integral towards my understanding of the healing properties of the cannabis plant. I love consuming cannabis with him, my bandmates, other musicians and artists, and cannabis enthusiasts — and also my closest friends (you know who you are). We talk about anything and everything and can talk for hours on end! Collectively, I believe that those connections will never go away! So if you and I have ever consumed cannabis together in the past, or if we do together in the future, then you are my hero!