Class Act

School of Dank grow event comes to Seattle to educate the masses

SubCool is coming to Seattle—and that means three days of medical cannabis patients and experts gathering together to discuss growing methods and cultivation techniques. School of Dank will also include hands-on instruction and glassblowing demonstrations by local artists.

Presented by Jinxproof and hosted by famed canna-geneticist SubCool, School of Dank is also an event with a heart—all proceeds will benefit families in the Northwest with autistic children. Last year’s School of Dank raised about $13,000.

SubCool, author of The Dank and The Quest for the Very Best Marijuana, is also legendary for his many strains that have won awards all around, including The Void, Deep Purple, Agent Orange and more. So how did this legend in the field of cannabis botany end up teaching at the School of Dank?

“I found out that Jinxproof had a child who was autistic,” SubCool reveals to CULTURE. “When I ended up talking to him, I learned a lot about their day-to-day struggles and how difficult it is to raise autistic children.”

In addition to conversations with Jinxproof, he also met a lot of other parents with children who also suffered from autism. Their first-hand testimony made him realize how important his teachings were.

“I’ve read letters, notes and referrals from people telling stories about what it’s like to deal with the economic challenges they face.” SubCool says.

Taken as an edible or in the form of a tincture, cannabis is cheaper and safer than pharmaceuticals whose side effects are sometimes worse than the symptoms they are treating.

Showing someone an alternative means to manage their health—and save money—is something SubCool says he’s proud of.

“I met one woman who had really bad arthritis,” he says. “When I showed her how to make her own tincture she was able to save money and grow her own medicine. I’ve always enjoyed being a guest speaker, so when they invited me to teach other people I was honored.”

While SubCool is best known for his books and strains, he’s almost famous for his YouTube show, The Weed Nerd. Each bi-weekly episode features recipes, advice and more. SubCool’s incisive logic, humorous attitude and straightforward teachings make his episodes worth watching.

“It’s really mind-blowing how I’ve gotten 1.6 million hits on YouTube for just hanging out and acting like an idiot,” he says.

Presenter Jinxproof says he’s proud that this year’s event will feature even more glassblowing panels, tutorials and demonstrations than last year.

“Bob Snodgrass is going to be here, and he’s a legendary glassblower from Portland, Oregon,” SubCool says.

This year’s School of Dank will also feature games, raffles, auctions, bong pong and more. Jinxproof and SubCool say they have spent the past year preparing for the upcoming School—they don’t want to host an event that feels cheap.

“There should always be some sort of goal in mind, whether it is to educate people about cannabis or to teach them how to grow it,” Jinxproof says.

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Mothers of Invention

NORML became so intrigued by accumulating anecdotal evidence that seemed to show cannabis therapy was effective in treating autistic children that the legalization group lobbied hard to prompt proper scientific research. Marie Myung-Ok Lee and Mieko Perez Hester—two mothers and members of the NORML Women Alliance—helped propel this campaign further after they went public with using cannabis to help their own autism-afflicted children. Mieko spoke about her positive experiences on ABC’s Good Morning America. She also established The Unconventional Foundation For Autism.