As a Cannabis patient and advocate, the last decade of human evolution gifted me with eye-opening opportunities to connect with spiritually conscious individuals. Many of these encounters were infused with the sweet essence of ganja lingering in the air.
In 2014, as I made my rounds from dispensary to dispensary offering my various strains, capsules and tinctures, I found myself at the PDA Lounge in Belltown, one of Seattle’s most memorable and iconic medical dispensaries that has now been laid to rest. I stood at the counter, peering into a small plastic container that held the infamous Starmels: a star-shaped RSO-infused caramel offered to patients and club members at a recommended donation of $5.
In walks a friend to the plant, planet and people: Carol Mangabat, a self-taught confectionista behind the powerfully potent, delectably delicious and affordable medicinal treat. With a patient-forward focus, Carol has been one of Washington’s leading Cannabis edible pioneers. Now, she transitions from Cannabis confections to psychedelic concoctions backed by an arsenal of noteworthy psychedelic brands.
Your entry into the medical Cannabis community started with the Starmel in 2014. What was the inspiration and motivation behind your first medicinal confection?
From a very young age, I developed a fascination with bringing happiness into people’s lives through baking. In middle school, I baked cakes for classmates’ birthdays, and seeing them glow with excitement as they received a home-baked gift filled my cup with joy. As the Cannabis community grew, I witnessed many patients battling serious life-changing illnesses that dimmed their light. I yearned for an opportunity to bring joy and relief back into their lives.
I experimented with Rick Simpson Oil and quickly discovered caramel was the perfect pairing to hide the pungent taste of such a concentrated formula. I had little to no financial backing, yet I moved forward with the resources I had. I knew I had to make them affordable because true patients are burdened by steep medical bills — I set the price at $5 and looked forward to the humble $2.50 profit. The real gift was the relief these patients would experience.
A noteworthy catalyst to my first ambitious efforts came from a local Seattle legend and ambassador of hip-hop culture, Jonathan Moore who passed in 2017, known as Wordsayer or JMoore. I had no idea he was such an influential artist in our community; I simply knew he was a cancer warrior fighting the battle of his life. I had the great pleasure of meeting him when I dropped off an order at the PDA Lounge. That afternoon, JMoore said to me that he had tried every edible, tincture and capsule the shop had to offer, and the only thing that helped him with pain management was the Starmel. Those words of affirmation are my driving force today. That was the moment that solidified this path for me.
You mentioned that you started baking in middle school at such a young age. What was the inspiration behind your choice to bake for your classmates?
I spent my childhood in a Filipino home, helping my mom and dad in the kitchen. Honoring people’s birthdays and holidays with a celebration of home-cooked food is tradition. Culturally, we see food as a form of love, and more love is always better. When I decided to pick up the reins of this family tradition, I made a conscious choice to consistently infuse my confections with joy because food is nourishment and nourishment is love.
Your journey led to the launch of the first Cookies edible line. What was it like working alongside industry leader Berner?
That was a fun and exciting time. I felt like I got a crash course on the power of social media, incredible branding and beautiful packaging. Most of all: the power of tapping into what the Cookies consumers wanted. There is a reason why Cookies is a globally recognized brand, and learning the ropes of how to appeal to a large audience from Berner and the Cookies Fam was priceless.
Experiencing therapeutic benefits from Cannabis confections was your catalyst; however, now you are pioneering the psychotropic market with unique beneficial concoctions. Would you say that Cannabis was your gateway to realizing that psychotropic therapy could benefit patients?
Absolutely. This time we are in now with psychedelics reminds me of the Compassionate Care Act that ignited the medical Cannabis days. It’s time for humanity to destigmatize the use of all plant and entheogenic medicines for those who seek alternative forms of healing, especially when traditional pharmaceuticals are no longer working. Ancient cultures have been using plants as medicines since the beginning of time; it’s time for us to explore these old methods of healing. My hope is that as humanity remembers the entheogenic rituals of our ancestral past, we will collectively evolve and elevate global consciousness. I believe these ancient medicines will reawaken humanity’s awareness and interconnectedness to our Earth that so desperately needs healing right now.
Tell us about how you first discovered the benefits of plant medicines like Psilocybe cubensis.
I first discovered the benefits of plant medicines beyond Cannabis when I took a trip to Peru in 2012. For some unknown reason, there was a calling in my soul that Peru was a place I needed to explore and I followed the calling. There, I experienced my first plant medicine ceremonies. I partook in two San Pedro ceremonies, and that’s when I really knew there was so much we could learn from these plant elders that, at the time, not many people in mainstream America were aware of. I understand now that if we’re open to it, these plants are here to help heal, guide and teach us. These plant teachers have taught me profound lessons that I continue to process to this day.
What type of psychotropic concoctions are you helping bring to the community?
I take extreme pride in promoting the best products made with heart and integrity by way of conscious entrepreneurship. Chocolates made with whole-fruiting mushroom bodies, mushroom-infused vegan gummies and capsules made with mindfully sourced mushroom strains are products I stand behind.
Do you have a favorite psychotropic product for daily use?
My favorite product for daily use would probably be microdose capsules or a microdose spray tincture. Both are easy to use and can be carefully dosed to promote a convenient daily routine.
What type of precautions should people take before engaging with such powerful therapeutic concoctions?
I always tell people before having an experience to ask themselves these questions: How is your mindset? What are your intentions for going on this journey or experience? Do you feel safe in the setting that you’re in? Are you ready to look at things you have been avoiding or learn something new? With mushrooms, they are often like magnifying glasses that shine light on things you may not have been paying attention to, and, like I said before, they are often our teachers.
What can our Leaf Nation readers expect to see you involved with in the future?
I have so many exciting things on the horizon. In the fall, I’m launching Mama Mushie, a functional mushroom supplement line and storefront that serves mushroom coffee and sells all things mushroom-related. I’ve also founded the Mystical Mushroom Society, a platform for members to share their experiences, gain knowledge and advocate for the responsible exploration of spiritual growth and natural wellness practices in the plant medicine and entheogenic space. Beyond that, I’ll always be creating and concocting heart-centered products.
