Have a look around any CBD-friendly shop on the high-street and you’ll likely notice a trend. As the cannabinoid took centre stage in the eyes of the public in the last few years, many companies moved away from the obvious connection to cannabis. Opting instead to tie to the mast of health and wellness-focused branding in an attempt to shun the stigma of the much-maligned plant.
One brand that is more than happy to dismiss the soft approach and retain its roots in the cannabis community is The Long Leaf. Here you won’t find medical-looking packaging or wellness woo. Instead, the branding is firmly aimed at the ‘midnight fridge raiders and the space invaders’. Sporting a suggestively stoned astronaut, each product is clearly designed for those who are unashamedly fans of blasting into outer space.
“The brand started as an idea for a ‘weed brand’ but has developed into an extension of our personalities – in a strange way.” the founders tell us. “There are actually lots of things that have inspired us, from stoner folk law to psychonaut space stories and a rant by Duncan Trussell. Our brand is about fun and experience.”
The brand started as an idea for a ‘weed brand’ but has developed into an extension of our personalities. There are actually lots of things that have inspired us, from stoner folk law to psychonaut space stories and a rant by Duncan Trussell. Our brand is about fun and experience.
“We loved the idea of The Long Leaf which represented the long cannabis leaf, and we planned to create a brand which reflected the journey ahead for cannabis. It was clear that cannabis’s journey to the mainstream was just starting to sprout, and it is possible to look into the future somewhat by seeing what is happening in the USA, where there is so much hope, innovation, new interesting flavours and new experiences to be had. Where we’re learning so much about cannabis and exploring the universe of cannabinoids and active compounds.”
While cannabis culture is certainly going mainstream abroad, the UK lags behind, with politicians still rolling out the same old stereotypes and the mainstream press churning out less than favourable myths, but the team behind The Long Leaf aren’t too concerned about standing out from the crowd when we ask what makes them different. “Fortune favours the brave, and it takes time to create something really special. Our main focus is not the ‘product’ as such – but the experience that high-quality cannabis products can bring.”
“We’re all very much into music, art, and culture and enjoy being creative. As much as we wanted to be a cannabis lifestyle company, we wanted to reflect our personalities and create a cluster of like-minded people. It is easy to forget that our time on earth is limited, so it is imperative to make the most of every second we have. It was important that we were having fun and not wasting a second on being negative.”
That fun and creative vein runs strong across the website, which true to its trend-bucking ethos strongly declares The Long Leaf to be a cannabis lifestyle brand. Their blog not only looks at CBD, but topics that wouldn’t look out of place here on leafie. Moon grown cannabis, cali weed myth busting and even strain reviews feature alongside the health benefits of CBD. Dig a little deeper into the products too and you’ll find a few hints that mushrooms are on the way.
“There are strong links between cannabis and magic mushrooms. Both contain relatively safe psychoactive substances that have been enjoyed for generations, and some may even say that these psychoactive substances are what created our consciousness. They could be the fabric of our spiritual existence on Earth.
“Like CBD, non-psychoactive fungi have the potential to benefit the human experience physically, and mentally. While cannabis and magic mushrooms are prohibited, we will do the next best thing and explore legal alternatives in the meantime.
“We’ve done a lot of research into each substance, the potential benefits and accurate effective doses, and we’ve been taking Lion’s Mane supplements for years so it will be nice to launch our own blends to bring life back into technicolour.”
After years of CBD brands moving away from the connection to its origin plant, it’s refreshing to see a brand with such a strong love for and connection to cannabis culture and community. The founders have even created a unique range of products that can’t be found online to support brick and mortar retailers. But what of the big question, how optimistic are the team behind The Long Leaf about cannabis reform in the UK, in light of changes around the world. Are they optimistic that the law will ever change here?
“In the last few years, we’ve seen governments across the UK implement new laws and policies in place that aren’t based in reality, and often don’t make sense. We have been left feeling like we must comply to not stand out, but deep down we all know it’s a load of shit.
“This feeling has always been the case in the cannabis community and the drawn curtain revealed Oz a long, long time ago. How can ‘this plant’ still be illegal and still considered extremely dangerous? Does the Emporer still wear no clothes?”
How can ‘this plant’ still be illegal and still considered extremely dangerous? Does the Emporer still wear no clothes?
“Now that most people have seen the strings of lobbies and greed that pull the puppet show, we will start to see a change in public mood when it comes to rules and laws that simply don’t make sense. In recent years there has already been a shift in the appetite for cannabis legalisation, and it is hard for politicians to pretend that prohibition is not causing more harm than good. The feet are starting to move, and once they do, the pigs will start to rethink their position within the flock.
“If we play our cards right and organise a consistent movement to allow our politicians to see how important cannabis reform is, it will be a few years at most!”
We’ll raise a joint to that.
Space invaders and midnight fridge raiders interested in learning more about The Long Leaf can visit the website at: https://thelongleaf.co.uk/ or check out their reviews at: https://uk.trustpilot.com/
