Catching up with cannabis activist That Kin Connie
We caught up with Quanita Booley, a cannabis activist and, might we say, a budding influencer in the industry.
Hailing from the Cape of Good Dope, Quanita manages to juggle activism, reviews, entrepreneurship and being a mother. She’s definitely one to watch and follow.
What is a day like in the life of Quanita Booley?
“I wake up in the morning feeling like PDiddy”. Lol, actually, my day starts with an early call to prayer. Once I have gotten both kids fed and dressed, I take my first dose of meds around 9am. This sets my cannabinoid receptors to a satisfactory state which lasts for most of the morning.
I start my admin, which consists of content creation for the marketing of certain brands, replying to messages and comments on social media, planning for various projects and a new business venture I am working on… GET EXCITED CAPE TOWN!
I’m a stay-at-home working mom so juggling the kids and work all in one space can be very challenging. But I get my shit done.
Once my admin responsibilities are done for the day, I may take the kids out to the beach or whatever other activities are available to us (weather permitting)
Then, I’m in your typical mother mode: Make supper, bathe the kids, get them into bed, check my sanity and then puff like a dragon.
Why did you get involved in cannabis activism?
I’ve always consumed cannabis, but I’ve never really understood it to be medicinal until recently.
In 2016, I incurred what was to be my most severe mental breakdown. I was diagnosed with clinical depression by my psychiatrist.
She advised me that I was to go on a long-term course (five years) of pharmaceutical medication called Brintellix. Initially, it made me feel high… but not a high that I was in control of; it made me feel drugged high. She started me off on a dosage of 2.5mg but that made me feel drugged. It released some of my stress but I couldn’t shake that drugged up feeling. She intended to up my dose to 10mg per day because apparently, to control my depression, that amount of medication was required. The irony was, I didn’t have any control.
So I started doing some research about depression and an article came up about ‘medicinal cannabis’. The first thought that came to mind was, “What the p*%s is this?”. I thought it was fake because I had always enjoyed cannabis socially but it was never associated with health.
Then, more and more cannabis stories began popping up…. people across the world with similar stories to mine – other mothers, those diagnosed with depression and people with other ailments. I thought to myself, there must be something to this.
At this point, I was dreading taking my Brintellix breakfast and decided to ask about cannabis at my next psychiatry session.
I was so excited, I went into the session with enthusiasm and hoped that since she was the medical practitioner, she must have all the answers for me.
Surprisingly, she said she didn’t know anything about cannabis and said she couldn’t advise. I was confused because I imagined that as my medical practitioner, she’d be able to provide me with the healthiest solutions.
I asked if she was willing to find out more but then she started saying she was concerned about the legalities.
So I decided to take my research further. I came across this massive cannabis movement in Cape Town and realised it was all over the country.
I reached out to several prominent activists of that time. Only two got back to me after I offered my help. One told me to “keep on spreading the word”, which I was already doing. The other gave me the chance to be proactive. Bongalong, under its old management, allowed me to participate in the planning processes for the annual Bongalong Cannabis Walk.
The rest is history, quite literally. We made history.
What did the ConCourt ruling mean to you?
The ruling didn’t change anything in my daily routine; I was smoking at home anyway. But it did give me lots of hope, hope for a better future and hope of us reaching our goal much faster than I’d anticipated.
What are the different ways you consume/use cannabis?
I consume cannabis in most of its forms. My favourite has to be a joint… There’s just something so timeless about a joint.
I don’t dab because it gets expensive once your tolerance hits a certain stage.
What are your favourite strains?
I really am a proud cheese fan! It’s really played a large role in healing my depression, so there’s very much an emotional attachment to it. #KaasIsBaas
I love hybrids and indica-dominant strains. My second favourite would have to be 91Krypt (its terpene profile is on point) and then not forgetting the beautiful Blue Dream – wowzers!
If I am spoilt for selection, I often try and smoke according to tasks. So if I have piles of admin, I would smoke a sativa dominant hybrid. Then, as the day calms down, my strain choice turns to a nice indica. So it varies.
Where are some of your favourite places to go in Cape Town for a good smoke?
Smoking socially is quite a thing now, especially since the ConCourt in September 2018. we have amazing spaces that are being made available to the public where they can enjoy cannabis in a private setting. My favourite chill space at the moment would have to be Ground Zero in Obs. Such a lekker vibe and really great food!
What is there still to be done in regards to cannabis activism?
OH SO MUCH! We haven’t achieved the goal. Cannabis is still not legal; it’s merely decriminalised. If we want to be able to trade with this plant, we need to be proactive in making this happen. Speak openly about your experience with cannabis, tell people how it’s helped you medicinally and make sure you are well-versed in the many other benefits cannabis has for our economy. There’s been way too much negative propaganda where cannabis is concerned – that veil still needs to be lifted. Also reach out to other prominent activists and offer them your time. Activists need nctivists to get active!
For a cannabis enthusiast visiting Cape Town, what are the must sees and dos?
You have to visit the Local stoner spots: The Rock (Bantry Bay), The View (Bo Kaap) and Lower Main Road in Observatory. Take a spliff up Table Mountain and have a quick puff in a private area where no one can see you because it’s still illegal to consume in public. Or if you are the more creative type, museum hop. Cape Town has a vast arts culture across all its and some really stunning galleries.
Finally, what are the happenings and trends to look out for in 2019, particularly in Cape Town?
There are many private clubs popping up. These spaces are where you can enjoy your cannabis in peace and in private, outside of your home. People are getting creative… Remember, you don’t have to involve the actual plant to be involved in the cannabis industry. You can get creative with cannabis in a marketing app or apparel. Look out for events, expos and infused dinner parties. Life in cannabis is growing and there is always something new.
