Cannabis through the lens of photographer Chris Smith

By Brandon Dunn

Chris Smith wakes up at 4 in the morning, he works and provides for his family, then drives across the state capturing the faces, places, and moments that have defined the cannabis movement and will shape the industry for years to come.

What started out as a hobby has become a self-motivated obligation to capture as many pieces of history through a lens as time, and light, will allow.

An agonist is a substance or agent that initiates a response when introduced to a receptor.

There may be no better definition for Chris Smith and Agonist Cannabis Company, he seems to be the accidental binding force of the cannabis industry in Missouri.

Smith aims to spread his passion for cannabis beyond industry photography, he is hopeful that Agonist Cannabis Company will be, “a source for fact-based, science-backed education regarding all things cannabis.” Smith says ACC is more than a dispensary and brand, “We are patient advocates and activists and we plan on continuing that well into the future.”

So how does a boy raised in a strict Mormon home with 1 brother and 2 sisters in 1980s Utah amid the “just say no” generation become the man behind the camera at the tip of Missouri’s legal cannabis market?

“Our family traveled a lot…Traveling my entire life through mountains, deserts, rainforests, farmlands, tropics, etc., I fell in love with mother nature. I wanted to remember all those views and capture all the details of her awesomeness. I started taking pictures to try and hold on to those memories. I wish smells could be captured too, but at least I had pictures.”

Smith describes his journey as a teen with his first job, becoming an entrepreneur in his twenties, and growing into a family man with 2 boys and a wife that he says makes it all possible.

“I met the love of my life, Christina Frommer, in 2003,” he says. Smith describes Christina as a social justice warrior, working for a non-profit that helps the less fortunate with legal issues.

”We have 2 amazing boys together, Hunter 14, and Canyon 9. Hunter is our computer/coding genius who loves to create things. He takes after both of us in his need for knowledge about everything that interests him. Canyon is our artist, athlete, and socialite who makes friends with everyone anywhere he goes. He loves being active through sports and he’s super creative with everything he does.”

“Christina holds down the fort while I’m away and she sacrifices so much to help make this a reality. I couldn’t do any of this without her!”

Smith says the most exciting thing about the beginning of legalized medicinal cannabis is the end.

“The suffering is finally going to come to an end regarding cannabis, on the health side, on the social justice side, and on the ecological side. The world will benefit more and more as the industry progresses and people become more educated. Our air will be cleaner. Our health will become more stable. Our textiles and industries will be more ecologically sustainable and earth-friendly. Cannabis will change the world as we know it, and for the better.”

PHOTOS/CHRIS SMITH