Cannabis Now Magazine Issue 2

CannabisNow issue two 2011

magazine

Montana

MEDICAL

MARIJUANA:

Will Governor veto?

MEXICAN

DRUG WAR:

Free the Weed

10 STRAINS

featured

Pictured: Purple Cole

INTERVIEW: The Guru of Ganja

ED ROSENTHAL The Social cost of

PROHIBITION THE FUTURE OF CANNABIS IS HAPPENING NOW.

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Publishers issue two

NOTE

As we publish our second issue of Cannabis Now Magazine, I am excited to be at the center of such a vibrant and ever changing industry. The future on Cannabis is still in its infancy and in many states the laws surrounding its legitimacy are ever changing. As shown in our article titled “Will Governor Veto the Repeal,” you will see that the laws affecting medical cannabis in many states are ever on the verge of moving backwards towards the prohibition of cannabis.

The more we at Cannabis Now Magazine investigate and report on what is happening around the nation, the more I believe that the citizens deserve to receive the truth about how cannabis is affecting the lives of all of us. From the economic and social changes to the medical benefits, the evidence of what cannabis can do for us is indisputable.

I hope you enjoy this publication as much as we have enjoyed preparing it for you. I encourage you to get involved and let your voice be heard. We are constantly on the lookout for new stories, photographs, and medical testimonials on how cannabis is affecting our world.

I leave you to ponder some of my favorite cannabis and hemp quotes: “When a private enterprise fails, it is closed down; when a government enterprise fails, it is expanded. Isn’t that exactly what’s been happening with drugs?”

- Milton Friedman “The prestige of government has undoubtedly been lowered considerably by the prohibition law. For nothing is more destructive of respect for the government and the law of the land than passing laws which cannot be enforced. It is an open secret that the dangerous increase of crime in this country is closely connected with this.”

- Albert Einstein

Thank you readers and enjoy, The Cannabis Now Team.

CannabisNow magazine

strain: Bozeman Kush Photo: Wesley Lucas

The future of Cannabis is Happening Now. cannabisnowmagazine.com

2011 issue two

Contents

Features Economics 7. Economic Benefits of Legalization: By: Alexa Owen

International 10. Mexican Drug War By: Allan Erickson

Politics 14. The Social Cost of Prohibition By: Derek Smith 16. Will Governor Veto the Repeal? By: Smith Michaels

Legal 18. Process of Getting a Card: By: Delilah Cole 20. When is a patient Legal? By: Chris Lindsey

PAGE:10

22. What we Don’t Know Can’t Heal us. By: Mark Siegler

Strain Review 25. Lavender: By: Anna Genest

Care Giver Profiles 29. Montana Cannabis Treatment Centers 30. True Healing Center 31. MT Jar 32. Montana Cannabis and Hemp Foundation 33. Montana Organic Medical Supply

PAGE:16

34. Big Sky Patient Care

Patient and Caregiver Submissions 38. Featured Ten Strains 50. It’s all in the Oil. By: John Ford 52. Chronic Pain is Real By: Anna Genest 54. Pain & Cannabis: Understanding the science behind the cure.

PAGE:38

Interviews 62. Allan Erickson: Compassionate Care 67. Ed Rosenthal: “The Guru of Ganja.”

Reviews 70. Book Review: The Growers Handbook

PAGE: PAGE:67 14 ON THE COVER: Purple Cole / photo:Travis Andersen 04.

CannabisNow magazine

The future of Cannabis is Happening Now. cannabisnowmagazine.com

A Short History of the Economic Benefits of Legalization It is fall of 2006 in Lakeport, California, and

the best pear crop that growers have seen in 45 years is rotting in piles as high as two-story houses across the entire county’s orchards. Literally: millions of pounds of pears.

The stench of rotting fruit saturates the air and thudding sounds of overripe, unpicked falling pears lasts for weeks.

The season’s losses are an estimated $10 million for California growers alone, after tightened immigration laws prevented the thousands of illegal immigrant workers who usually pick the fruit from entering the state, leaving no one to fill their place and California’s economy suffering. So the following year, the government went lax again and the crop bounced back. I guess money really does make the world go round.

Or at least the world as the United States sees it. In the midst of all the fiery debate about legalizing marijuana in this country, I couldn’t help but think of the Lake County pear story, and other similar instances in this country’s recent history that demonstrate what really drives certain decisions through Congress. Whether it be relaxing the border control in Mexico in the late 2000s, lifting alcohol prohibition in the 1930s, or legalizing marijuana in the near future, politicians and civilians alike have debated ethical, moral, religious, and political implications of allowing or banning certain practices. But one aspect, unsurprisingly, seems to have more pull than all the others every time: economics.

If it makes or saves more money, it’s going to pass – ethics, medical effects, and the religious foundations upon which the country was built aside.

The end of alcohol prohibition in 1933 marked a turning point in American history that set a precedent for drug issues to come. Many lessons came out of the country’s experiment with prohibition, two of the most notable that (a) banning a drug in no way means that citizens won’t find a way to get it and use it with just as much frequency and (b) a ban is economically inefficient: federal and taxpayer money gets swallowed up in funding extra police activity and jails overflowing with citizens accused of minor drug crimes. All of this can be easy to overlook when a country’s economy is stable or on an upswing; in a depression or severe recession, however, all eyes are on every cent, and we are sure to cannabisnowmagazine.com

By: Alexa Owen

recognize faulty systems like a prohibition that unnecessarily wastes significant amounts of money. Hence the lift of the alcohol ban in 1933, and hence the nationwide magnifying glass on the possibility of legalizing marijuana in the near future.

The arguments for a nationwide legalization are strong: tighter regulation, purer products, taxable transactions, and overall extraordinary revenue to help bring us out of a drawn-out recession.

A 10% tax on marijuana nationwide would yield billions of dollars; it would also produce thousands of potential jobs in agriculture, marketing, advertising, etc. Nearly 50% of those imprisoned for drug-related crimes are there for marijuana: mass decriminalization would save several more millions in taxpayer money that could go to any one of the more dire situations in the States (heathcare, education, poverty, and so on).

None of these figures should come as a surprise; it has long been known that small-scale and large-scale legalization and/or decriminalization would be the most economically sound option in the marijuana debate. So why haven’t things progressed faster?

It is much easier to fully recognize the benefits of lifting a ban or loosening restrictions when, as in illegal immigration and the Prohibition, there are close chronological times with which to compare them to. In Lake County, one pear harvest after a crackdown on illegal Mexican immigrants entering the California border demonstrated how much certain economies rely on those workers; in the 1930s, the tight ban on alcohol enforced after lifetimes of free flowing drink was drastic enough to show immediate financial consequences. Marijuana is different, to be sure: for this country, not benefiting economically from any transactions has been the norm.

It may take more time, therefore, for the full financial potential of legalization to sink in. But when it does, it is bound to win out.

07.

By: Allan Erickson (Two months ago, 2 U.S. anti-drug agents were shot - 1 died - in the state of Monterrey and 40 people were murdered elsewhere in Mexico- AE)

It

must’ve been about 5th or 6th grade when I wrote to Mexico’s government asking for information about their country for a class assignment. I received an overly stuffed envelope of brochures on tropical beaches, temple ruins, mountains and lots of friendly looking people.

Fifty years later and now the pictures I see of Mexico are not so tempting: bodies lying in the streets stained with blood and riddled with bullet holes, grieving widows, children and parents and gun toting soldiers... far from the idyllic images I received as a child. What happened?

To put it bluntly, the drug war happened.

Parts of Mexico today are more like the Chicago of Al Capone during the Prohibition era than the inexpensive and friendly vacation nation it once was. In just the last 4 years some 30,000 people have died, victims of violence in an escalating failure of U.S. drug policies.

MEXICAN

DRUG WAR:

kept hippies high right on through the ‘60s and ‘70s. But just as with the old physics law we learned as kids - for every action there is an opposite and equal reaction.

Richard Nixon had his own opinion: “That’s a funny thing, every one of the bastards that are out for legalizing marijuana is Jewish.

What the Christ is the matter with the Jews, Bob, what is the matter with them? I suppose it’s because most of them are psychiatrists.”

Free the Weed Mexican cannabis sells for up to $2000 a pound or more.

Reefer was not all that popular in the U.S. until the 1960s - although it did have a following among musicians and artists.

But with the ‘60s came the beats and the hippies and rock and roll. Cannabis use exploded. I bought my first joint for 25 cents in 1968.

In spite of President Nixon’s efforts to demonize pot, his administration produced the Shafer Commission report: “On the basis of our findings, discussed in previous Chapters, we have concluded that society should seek to discourage use, while concentrating its attention on the prevention and treatment of heavy and very heavy use. The Commission feels that the criminalization of possession of marijuana for personal [use] is socially self-defeating as a means of achieving this objective.

- In Mexico, Death Toll In Drug War Hits Record.

So how did this all occur? An easy question with a long and difficult answer, and one I never asked or was even aware existed as a young man who smoked a lot of Mexican herb. In the 1970s cannabis from Mexico was around $50 a kilo if bought along the border in Mexico.

That same herb would then be sold in the states at about $100 per pound and when broken down would sell for $10 an ounce (the old $10 “lid”). These days 10.

cannabisnowmagazine.com

Wall St. Journal, Jan 13, 2011

By the ‘70s cannabis was ubiquitous and a celebrated element of the youth-driven counterculture. It was the Vietnam War that really gave us a taste of top quality herb when entrepreneurial GIs started sending Asian ganja back home. There were of course the Latin and Caribbean strains - Colombian Gold, Panama Red, Oaxacan, Michoacan, Jamaican and a plethora of other regional strains - but Mexican herb was the workhorse that

“In sum, the weight of the evidence is that marijuana does not cause violent or aggressive behavior, if anything, marijuana generally serves to inhibit the expression of such behavior. Marijuanainduced relaxation of inhibitions is not ordinarily accompanied by an exaggeration of aggressive tendencies.”

But Nixon, like virtually every President since, wasn’t about to let cannabis truth undermine his own beliefs that it was evil.

It was Nixon’s vice President and successor, Gerald Ford, that began the joint U.S. - Mexican effort to eradicate Mexico’s pot crop by spraying their fields with the herbicide paraquat. From the President’s Commission on Organized Crime, 1986:

“From the 1930’s through the mid-1970’s, Mexican growers and traffickers supplied nearly all of the marijuana consumed in the United States. Most shipments of the drug were

smuggled into this country by car or truck; a small percentage was transported by air. The Mexican monopoly ended in 1975, when in a joint venture, U.S. and Mexican authorities increased marijuana interdiction and eradication efforts in major Mexican cultivation regions and along the U.S. borders.

Paraquat, a potent herbicide toxic to humans, was used widely in the eradication program, and contaminated much of the Mexican crop.

Despite the interdiction efforts, a portion of the tainted marijuana was successfully smuggled into the United States, and many Americans who smoked the drug subsequently suffered adverse health consequences. Eradication and interdiction of the Mexican crop, compounded by the American marijuana smokers’ reluctance to purchase a potentially paraquat-tainted drug, resulted in a simultaneous decrease in the availability of and the demand for Mexican marijuana.

By 1979 Mexico supplied only an estimated 11 percent of the marijuana available in the United States and by 1981 that figure dropped to 4 percent.”

Fears among U.S. consumers about smoking herbicide laced weed knocked a huge dent in Mexico’s virtual monopoly on the market.

There is a concept in drug policy - the balloon effect - that aptly applies here. If you inflate a balloon and squeeze it in one spot, it bulges out somewhere else. When the U.S. cracked down on Mexico’s herb supply and delivery systems, others were glad to step up. The Shafer Commission’s report continues: The resulting vacuum was swiftly filled by Colombian criminal groups, who for years had been involved in smuggling all manner of contraband. Through the late 1960’s these groups increased cultivation of marijuana in remote regions of the Guajira Peninsula and began to develop systems to facilitate the transport of

multi-ton quantities of the drug to the United States. At the same time, many Colombian groups were establishing themselves as major operators in the cocaine trade: the organizational structures, trafficking routes and corrupted officials necessary for cocaine ventures often proved equally useful for marijuana trafficking.

Of course Mexico never stopped sending marijuana to the United States. Interdiction had changed the market but it did not diminish the supply. Interdiction also introduced major new players: the emerging cocaine cartels of Colombia. Mexico, with its already established border smuggling routes, became the middleman and the smugglers formed their own Drug Trafficking Organizations (DTOs).

is the top source for meth in the U.S. But the tale of Mexico’s shift from the low-key image of a few decades ago to the militarized drug war zone it has become is another sad indication of Prohibition’s failure.

And all the while, pot smokers in the US have been smoking Mexican weed.

There are voices within Mexico and Latin America seeking to break ranks with the staunch and militarized U.S. style drug war.

Mexico’s former president, Vicente Fox, is an advocate of legalization; in August of last year he wrote: “Legalizing in this sense does not mean drugs are good and don’t harm those who consume them [...]

Rather we should look at it as a strategy to strike at and break the economic structure that allows gangs to generate huge profits in their trade, which feeds corruption and increases their areas LA Times, Dec 17, 2010 of power.” Last year Mexico decriminalized minor possession of not just marijuana By the 1990s the growing cartel presence in but heroin, cocaine, LSD and methamphetMexico was aided by the internal pressure amine as well. inside the United States to shut down the epidemic of mom and pop meth labs that In 2009, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, boomed in the late ‘90s and into the early former president of Brazil, said this in an 2000s. Legislation in several states restrictop-ed in the Guardian (UK): ing the sales of pseudoephedrine OTC (over the counter) medicines drastically reduced “Continuing the drugs war with more of domestic meth labs. the same is ludicrous. What is needed is a serious debate that will lead to the adoption Originally methamphetamine was a of more humane and more effective strateprescription drug and used legally in the gies to deal with the global drug problem.

U.S. until the introduction of the “U.S. Earlier this year the Latin American ComDrug Abuse Regulation and Control Act of mission on Drugs and Democracy, which 1970.” In the 1980s ephedrine became the I co-chaired with the former president of base ingredient for meth and doubled its Colombia, Cesar Gaviria, and the former potency. Biker gangs became instrumenpresident of Mexico, Ernesto Zedillo, retal in both its production and distribution. leased the first high-level statement ever to By the late ‘80s the DEA began cracking endorse harm-reduction generally and dedown on ephedrine. In the ‘90s still-legal criminalization of marijuana specifically.” pseudoephedrine replaced ephedrine as the main ingredient for meth. In 2005 Congress Can Mexico and the U.S. come to their passed the Combat Methamphetamine senses? Or will the good citizens of Mexico Epidemic Act and required that pseucontinue to be caught in the crossfire as the doephedrine be locked away nationwide and Latin America drug cartels continue to reap toughened sentences for meth trafficking. the windfall profits that Prohibition supplies By 2006, according to the UN, methamphetblack market entrepreneurs? The crescendo amine became the planet’s most abused hard of voices calling for debate and discusdrug, with an estimated 26 million addicts sion on our Prohibition policies concernworldwide. ing marijuana and the other illegal drugs continues to grow louder.

Just like the proverbial balloon, our legislators squeezed and twisted and today Mexico

- 12,456 Slain in Drug War This Year, Officials Say,

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cannabisnowmagazine.com

Ironic, isn’t it? Cannabis is known among those who use it for its calming and peaceful effects and now - if we are to believe our drug czar, Gil Kerlikowske - U.S. consumers of illegal drugs produced in Mexico are to blame for that nation’s submersion into drug war hell. But, to those who prefer the “Reefer Madness” version of cannabis reality, the plant is a near demonic presence.

The truth, though, is a different matter. It is all too easy to see that Prohibition is the cause of Mexico’s violence and that more than ever, drug policies need a serious makeover. It is true that we are the cause of Mexico’s drug war violence; it’s just not true that it’s the consumers’ fault. Again, we need only look at Alcohol Prohibition to see what the results may look like if we were to end the disastrous drug war. Economist Jeffrey Miron: [...] this pattern is consistent with the hypothesis that alcohol Prohibition increased violent crime: homicide rates are high in the 19201933 period, when constitutional Prohibition of alcohol was in effect; the homicide rate drops quickly after 1933, when Prohibition was repealed; and the homicide rate remains low for a substantial period thereafter. Further, the homicide rate is low during the 1950s and early 1960s, when drug Prohibition was in existence but not vigorously enforced, but high in the 1970-1990 period, when drug Prohibition was enforced to a relatively stringent degree (Miron 1999).

Do you want to help end the violence in Mexico?

Free the weed.

“PROHIBITION WILL WORK, Great injury to the cause of temperance. It is a species of intemperance within itself, for it goes beyond the bounds of reason in that it attempts to control a man’s appetite by legislation and makes a crime out of things that are not crimes. A prohibition law strikes a blow at the very principle upon which out government was founded.”

Abraham Lincoln Illinois House of Representatives December 18, 1840

The Social Cost of Prohibition Prohibition

is not about protecting the people; it’s about power, control, coercion, and above all, money.

About a million people a year are arrested on marijuana charges, yet are all these people criminals? Or are they a minority with the right to “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness?” If marijuana allows for even one person to sustain their existence in a happier state physically and mentally, why should he or she be prevented from this pursuit?

Thomas Jefferson once said, “The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only legitimate object of good government.”

We the people have now proven without a doubt that cannabis is not dangerous.

Former administrations, over the course of 70 years, have only proven they cannot— without bias, discrimination or pandering to special interests—provide irrefutable evidence that cannabis should be a Schedule 1 drug, a dangerously addictive substance with no medical uses. Therefore the laws of the United States in regards to cannabis are a direct violation of citizens’ rights.

To deny the right of choice is to deny someone his or her rights as an American

14.

cannabisnowmagazine.com

By: Derek Smith

citizen. The laws regarding marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug are not only construed to disparage a minority, but also to politically alienate the American citizen by allowing laws to arrest, convict, incarcerate and even remove one’s right to vote.

Marijuana should be legal because it is not dangerous. It has been proven time and again in studies and data that cannabis is truly beneficial to all of humanity—from medicinal uses to hemp fibers, fuel, plastics, and paper.

The Declaration of Independence states, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

How many thousands of people have had their lives destroyed and rights revoked all due to a law that was supposed to solve illegal immigration from Mexico in the early 1900s?

Marijuana laws in the 70s were once again construed to control the political dissident: the Vietnam War protester. Through 40 years of arrests, investigations, court costs, incarceration and parole, the social cost

is almost immeasurable. Billions if not trillions of dollars have been wasted, dollars not going to education and other infrastructures that could be benefitting our children for generations to come.

Prohibition is about power, control, coercion, and money - money in the hands of pharmaceutical companies and cartels. Legalization is just another way to redistribute wealth. The marijuana laws are construed to disparage the American citizen, and citizens of the United States do not respect the laws because they are construed to discriminate against them.

This business is not productive for anyone in America.

Fellow Montanans are faced with discrimination every day, facing the reality of losing their jobs due to the acquisition of a medicinal marijuana card. Civil rights may have been identified and addressed in the sixties, but discrimination continues. Montana could lead the way in decriminalizing and legalizing the use of cannabis in all of its forms, allowing Montanans to create jobs and take advantage of all the aspects of cannabis plant.

Montana

MEDICAL

MARIJUANA:

Will Governor veto?

By: Smith Michaels

Nearly every Montana legislator has heard the debate

on the Montana Medical Marijuana program, but it will now come down to one man’s decision whether or not to repeal the program or to continue it.

In 2004 Montana voters legalized the use of medical marijuana. Now, in 2011, Montana lawmakers are pushing to take that vote away from the people, placing it into their own hands. House Bill #161, Drafted by Cascade Republican Mike Milburn, passed the House Human Services Committee, the House Appropriations Committee, and both readings on the floor of the House of Representatives in early February. The bill was assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee on February 22. The bill, if it was passed, would have eliminated the entire Montana Medical Marijuana Program six years after state citizens approved the initiative. Previous legislative sessions were not focused on medical marijuana laws in previous years, so why is this topic one of the top three items of debate this 2011 legislative session?

Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer holds a lot of power in his signature with this legislation because not all Montana lawmakers want to repeal the medical marijuana initiative. There is still a split in support of this bill, which means a governor’s veto would take a lot of work to get overturned. A supermajority, more than two-thirds vote, in each house is needed before a veto can be overturned.

If the governor does not veto the bill and signs it, the bill becomes a law. Schweitzer made a visit to a medical marijuana dispensary in June 2011 where he made several statements about Montana’s medical program. His support for the legally sanctioned medical marijuana industry was made clear to Montanans.

During his June visit, Schweitzer said, “I think it’s unrealistic to say to legitimate medical patients that have found benefit from medical marijuana that you can no

longer access this.”He also said he believes that regulations and restrictions on how the industry is run are “imminent.”

Schweitzer also said, “There’s a concern among most Montanans that there are people that are using marijuana that want it, (and) don’t need it….(But) I don’t see that happening here.”

The number of medical marijuana cardholders increased dramatically from 2009-2010, as did the mass media coverage.

The number of caregivers has also increased dramatically. As of recent, Montana’s 28,000 patients are taken care of by 4,800 caregivers.

This caused uproars in towns across Montana, leading to local government regulations and restrictions and even more media coverage. Battles between city boards and medical marijuana businesses have been filling the news for the last two years. Many were wondering why the state legislature hasn’t provided guidance with the problems communities felt they were faced with. One Bozeman representative, who spoke during the Judiciary Senate Committee hearing on HB 161, said the medical marijuana situation has gotten out of control. He said voting citizens of Montana were tricked in to passing an initiative they thought would help extremely sick people. The law was not made so a 22-year-old can stand on the street corner smoking a joint.

The November 2010 election result has also had a role in this year’s legislative session. A Power shift from democrat to republican majority occurred. Many of Montana citizens and voters started supporting republicans against federal money bailouts after the Obama administration bailed out banks and auto companies that held serious debt. Those voters now have legislators denying bills dealing with federal dollars and aid, along with federal health care reform laws.

The contradiction to this agenda in the Montana legislature comes when theses same representatives of the people, voted in by the people, return medical marijuana control over the federal government. Fortunately for people benefiting from the use of medical marijuana, HB 161 did not go to the desk of MT governor Brian Schweitzer. Senate Committee members did not pass the repeal with a near split in votes.

After the repeal was shot down, lawmakers began to work hard drafting another bill that would “at least” regulate the medical marijuana scene. Senate Bill 423 would make card holders attend several physicians before they would be approved for their card, businesses would have to be run tighter and under more state government scrutiny and medical marijuana would STILL be repealed, at least temporarily.

The temporary repeal would be to “wash out the old mess,” as some lawmakers call it, and allow for the new program to start up under “much tighter” regulations.

“I think it’s unrealistic to say to legitimate medical patients that have found benefit from medical marijuana that you can no longer access this.”

- Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer in June 2010 Senate Bill 423 passed the senate committee and the senate floor, but remains on the house floor. If it passes the house, then the document is sent to the desk of the governor.

If passed, SB 423 would repeal the current law, cleanse the state of the old Montana medical marijuana industry and then institute a very strict regulation of marijuana to only legitimate chronic pain suffer.

Recently, in early April, HB 161 was blasted out of committee and was approved by the state Senate in an official 22-28 vote. It now heads to the Governor’s desk.

What he will do with it is still unknown. If Schweitzer signs the bill, then Montanans who have benefited from the use of medical marijuana will become criminals, and the people’s vote in 2004 will not matter.

“Due to the nature of the legislative process and the extent a bill can be amended, the Governor’s policy is not to comment on legislation until it reaches his desk,” Governor Schweitzer’s Deputy Communications Director Jason O’Neill stated in an Email to Cannabis Now Magazine in March 2011.

If Governor Schweitzer signs either HB 161 or SB 423 he will then be, once again, making the use of medical marijuana illegal for Montana citizens. All eyes are now turned to see whether or not the Governor will make the right decision for all Montanans.

17.

Process of getting a Medical Card.

L ocating a caregiver sounded a lot easier than it actually was.

There are no paper lists and there are no referrals. There are a few websites that offer contact information; www.montanacaregivers.net & www.cannabiscaregiversofmontana.com (just to name a few), but none of them offer much more than that. A few of them have little sentences attached that say they are kind, professional, and compassionate. Some offer low prices and popular strains while others emphasize discretion in exchange for a loyal customer base.

With kids and a house to take care of I hardly have the time to “interview” several different candidates. I was, to say the least, overwhelmed. I had expected this last leg of my journey to be less confusing and frustrating, but I knew I had to see it through.

After searching the internet for what seemed like days, I eventually narrowed my choices and began calling around. Most providers I spoke with were friendly and eager to answer my questions. They offered tours and after meeting the providers I made my decision to go with a larger, more dispensary type caregiver. I was on the fence for a bit because I really did want personal service, but I wanted to have a lot of variety. Maybe it’s just because I’m a woman, but I felt like if I’m going to be shopping around, I want to feel like I’m actually shopping. They are large enough to have multiple facilities (greenhouses), ample supply, a knowledgeable staff, and still small enough to remain personable and friendly. Their vast expertise combined with a real desire to help people has made my experience extremely pleasant and educational.

I expected the proprietor to look and sound exactly like Tommy Chong and that my unfamiliarity with all things ‘green’ would surely get me laughed out the door; I am happy to report that on both accounts I was indisputably incorrect. They have an extremely professional staff and they were more than happy to answer my questions. Although I didn’t want to admit my ignorance, I welcomed the willingness to ‘hold my hand’ through the process.

“In the months since obtaining my card, I have

gone from being miserable and uncomfortable to feeling exhilarated and finally relieved. ”

18.

cannabisnowmagazine.com

By: Delilah Cole

After finally choosing a caregiver you must first fill out the paperwork indicating that (a) you have chosen this caregiver to be your designated, one and only medicine provider and (b) This caregiver agrees to be your only caregiver. I gave both my check for $25.00 and my paperwork to my caregiver and was on my way.

Then there is more waiting to do. It took around 11 weeks for my card to arrive in the mail. It came with a single page pamphlet reminding me that it was my responsibility as a card holder to remain educated about the current laws and listed a few ways to get more information should I need it. The

state also sends a card to your provider with identical information. With card in hand I eagerly headed out, ready to make my first legal purchase and see if cannabis really could live up to its pain-relieving reputation.

I was delighted to discover that not only could my caregiver provide me with some of the best and most powerful strains available, but they can also accommodate every patient personally. I quickly learned about all the different ways of consuming marijuana and how each method affects the patient differently. In addition to the most obvious method -smoking- there are many, many other ways of ingesting cannabis. In my caregiver’s shop, there is a wide variety of edibles to choose from, like cookies and brownies, as well as lollipops and one of my new favorites: cheesecake. They also provide access to concentrates and tinctures and make lip balm and hand lotions too. I can even pick up a pound of cannabis butter or a bottle of infused olive oil to take home and create my own sweet or savory dishes. I would have never imagined putting cannabis in a skillet of fried potatoes or into a cup of tea and now I can’t even remember when I was just smoking it- how primitive! Some providers can supply patients with their own plants and even offer classes on how to grow and maintain your own personal crops.

And now for the best part of all: living without pain, which is after all, why I began this journey in the first place. The transformation has been astounding. I was admittedly skeptical about whether or not I would actually get relief from using medical marijuana.

I figured I would feel something, but that it would be more like a bad case of the giggles or the munchies. Instead I was completely shocked to discover that almost all of my pain has virtually disappeared, and the effects were almost immediate.

Suddenly I could sleep through the night, I was less physically uncomfortable, and my monthly pain extravaganza was becoming a foggy anecdote long since forgotten. In the months since obtaining my card, I have gone from being miserable and uncomfortable to feeling exhilarated and finally relieved.

This has been my story - my process - and it may not be the same for you. It also may change because House Bill 68 was up for debate in February, which would alter many of the steps one must take in order to qualify for a medical card. The bill would create a tiered licensing and registration system for patients and caregivers, require cardholders to pay a licensing fee, and give local governments the authority to regulate the entire industry. It would also require that “chronic pain” patients (the highest recommended reason), be approved by two physicians instead of just one, and it would ban people with felony records from being patients or providers. It also proposes that recommending doctors would be required to have an office in Montana and no ties to the medical marijuana industry. The bill will be introduced but not voted on and there are several other bills that will be up for debate soon as well.

I’m not sure what the future holds for me or for other Montana patients, but for now I will continue to live pain free and remain thankful that I have this privilege at all.

For me the process was neither simple nor inexpensive, and it took a lot of waiting. I have been humbled by my own ignorant assumptions and equally astounded by how effective cannabis is at relieving my pain. I’m not trying to take advantage of or try to manipulate the process. I did not obtain a card so I can be fried all day and play video games. I am just a mom and I am just like anyone else out there who has been living with chronic pain and sought relief in an unorthodox manner.

I have been able to be a better mom because I can spend more (pain free) time with my kids and less time worrying and suffering. I have become more reminiscent of the person I was before pain was my everyday norm, and my quality of life has been vastly improved. Marijuana does exactly what I was told it would do: it alleviated my pain with virtually no side effects. What can I say? I’m a believer.

19.

When is a Patient Legal? Chris Lindsey, Attorney at Law T hese days I often hear the same story. It starts with something like a dead battery, or a noise complaint, or a

speeding ticket. A qualifying patient has interaction with a law enforcement officer about something besides cannabis.

At a certain point in this story the officer asks about the smell of marijuana. In the stories that end up with misdemeanor charges, the smell is cannabis that has been burned.

In the stories that end up with felonies, the smell is live plants. The story usually goes like this:

Officer: Is that the odor of marijuana I detect?

Defendant: Why yes, it is.

Officer: Are you a patient?

Defendant: You bet I am.

Officer: May I see your Registry ID card?

Defendant: I don’t have one yet, but I am a patient. I sent in my application to DPHHS and I don’t actually have my card yet. But here is my physician’s statement. They said it would work.

Officer: Hmmm. So you do not have a card on you? I’ll be right back.

[Officer calls Drug Task Force detective, returns.]

Officer: Sir/Ma’am, I’m charging you with possession/ manufacturing.

Defendant: But officer, I was told this is good enough. I’m totally legal! I am a patient!

Officer: That’s not my understanding of the law. Would you mind if I search your vehicle/house?

Things go downhill from there. The cannabis is of course handed over and seized. The confused person is given a ticket (in the case of a misdemeanor) or arrested (in the case of a felony), and attorneys, maybe a bail bondsman, and some family members are contacted.

20.

There is some - we’ll say misleading - information running around the state. It often starts at medical cannabis clinics, sometimes at storefronts, and it says that as soon as a person gets his or her medical cannabis recommendation, that person is legal to possess, consume, or even grow cannabis.

It has been around for a while and it gets a lot of people in trouble.

There is some logic behind this misleading legal advice – it isn’t simply made up. We’ll get to the technical stuff in a second, but the bottom line is that there are at least two different opinions about what the law actually means and even what it should mean, but to a law enforcement officer, it’s clearly “no card = no cannabis.” This has been the Department of Public Health and Human Services’ position on the matter for quite some time, and practically every branch of law enforcement has taken it to heart.

Okay, now for the technical part. The Medical Marijuana Act (MMA) is made up of several statutes which each lay out specific parts of the law. 50-46-201(1) is the statute that states the basic rule. It says that a person who possesses a registry identification card may not be arrested, prosecuted, or penalized in any manner or be denied any right or privilege if the qualifying patient or caregiver acquires, possesses, cultivates, manufactures, delivers, transfers or transports up to an ounce of marijuana or up to six plants. And if the person is a patient, it has to be used for medical purposes.

Ever on the lookout for a black-and-white perspective on the law, law enforcement sticks to that phrase “person who possesses a registry identification card” pretty tightly. Seems clear, after all.

The problem is that the MMA is anything but clear. Seemingly for every rule there is a vague exception. In the MMA, the vague exception usually comes in the form of the “affirmative defense,” located at 50-45-206. It says that it is an affirmative defense for a person charged with a marijuana offense that he or she has a doctor who states the person qualifies medically to be a cannabis patient. It also says that the person can have enough cannabis around to make sure he always has enough. No mention of a card, or even a specific weight limit. Card? One ounce?

I mean, why bother?

The most obvious problem here is that an affirmative defense only does you good once you are charged. So there is the process of getting arrested, getting a lawyer, going to court part that has to happen first. Something to keep in mind is that for all the courtroom dramas on TV, over 80 percent of cases settle before trial. Few people are really up to a jury trial (or can afford one), and most prosecutors, law enforcement officers and detectives are willing to see people go to a trial before they concede the case on the affirmative defense. Going to court is no big deal to these people.

The underlying problem is that law enforcement generally despises the affirmative defense in the MMA. To a law enforcement officer, it’s like having a rule that says whenever you leave the classroom you have to have a hall pass, and oh by the way,

no you don’t – you just need to be able to qualify to get a hall pass, and you don’t actually need to be at the school anyway.

It’s a legal defense to a crime for which you could have qualified for an exception, but just didn’t take care of it.

During a boxing match, law enforcement doesn’t step in and arrest the athletes for assault because the affirmative defense of consent is well understood. To law enforcement, accepting that the MMA affirmative defense is effective “in the field” in the same way is to render a great deal of their police work on marijuana useless. It is a back door to decriminalization, the logic goes, because there is not much point in trying to enforce the law.

This is actually not what the affirmative defense was intended to do. Its purpose was to give defendants in a trial the ability to put their medical use argument in front of a jury. In a trial, if something is irrelevant it can be kept from a jury and a judge can put an order in place keeping it from the jury even before the trial begins. The federal government does not recognize medical applications of cannabis as a defense and considers it irrelevant to things like possession. So, prosecutors in federal trials can and do keep people from talking about their patient status to juries. The affirmative defense was meant to leave that door open to a defendant to get their message across to the jury in a state case. It was not intended to become a “get out of jail free” card.

Law enforcement’s current position is that the affirmative defense is something that needs to be sorted out in a courtroom.

Are you legal when you get a physician’s recommendation?

You are if a jury says you are. To law enforcement officers, it’s enough that you don’t have your card. You can at least be arrested and prosecuted for it. If someone later says it’s okay, well, good for you.

I don’t really know anyone walking out of a medical marijuana clinic that is gunning to share their story with a jury. In fact, it defeats the entire purpose of getting a recommendation and a card in the first place. I’m no businessman, but it sure seems like setting customers up for criminal prosecution is simply not good customer service.

Protect yourself and wait for your card. If your doctor tells you that it’s okay, just keep in mind that the drug task force, Department of Public Health & Human Services, the Attorney General’s office, your county attorney, the city cops and sheriff’s department really don’t agree. And the doctor isn’t the person who will be defending your case.

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What we don’t know can’t heal us Medical cannabis is suffering from an identity crisis. The

healing aspects of medical cannabis have been cloaked in a shroud of misinformation for decades. What has been lost due to prevalent misinformation campaigns is the multitude of medical cannabis’ healing properties that have been recognized for over 5,000 years. Archaeologists agree that cannabis was among the first crops purposely cultivated by human beings more than 12,000 years ago. For 3,000 years prior to 1842, marijuana and hashish extracts were the most widely-used medicines in the world.

In October 2009, a small band of growers, caregivers, and patients met in the lobby of Bozeman’s Big Sky Patient Care to discuss the best avenues for educating the public and preserving the rights of medical cannabis patients. Despite their diversity, their objective was focused. For medicinal cannabis to become a legitimate source of medicine in the modern era, respectability and transparency were paramount.

This burgeoning industry would need an organization to add legitimacy and respectability to the new business.

This handful of concerned people became the seed of the Montana Medical Growers Association (MMGA). The organization has rapidly grown to seven chapters representing sixty (60) percent of the patients and caregivers across the State. The Executive Director, Jim Gingery, is now a board member of the National Cannabis Industry Association, a national organization dedicated to the rights of medical cannabis patients and growers. In October, the first annual convention was held in Helena. Politicians, representatives from the Department of Agriculture, all three of Montana’s cannabis labs, and hundreds of patients, caregivers, and growers attended. On Friday, January 14, 2011, copies of “The 2011 Legislators’ Guide to Medical Cannabis, A Comprehensive Guide to Medical Cannabis in the State of Montana” were distributed to both House and Senate members. The guide includes recommendations on the issues that are facing the Legislature regarding changes to the Montana Medical Marijuana Act.

“If cannabis were discovered today without its current moral, religious, and political baggage, it would be hailed as a miracle plant.”

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The MMGA is a not-for-profit trade association committed to preserving the privileges of caregivers and patient-growers in the state of Montana. We are committed to the development and availability of superior medical cannabis for all Montana patients and the reduction of the risks inherent in the gray areas of our laws for caregiver businesses. Whether it’s through training, educating the public, or by developing ways for caregivers to help one another, the MMGA is there to help. Our goal is the long-term success of all involved by representing caregivers and patients who grow their own medical cannabis. Our mission is to support grower’s privileges, superior patient care, provide a voice for medical cannabis cultivators, and promote the lawful and ethical conduct of our members.

If cannabis were discovered today without its current moral, religious, and political baggage, it would be hailed as a miracle plant. In the June 19th 2010 issue of Science News, scientists discuss the benefits of medical cannabis’ anti-inflammatory effects and its success for calming the symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s, and Crohn’s disease. New cancer research shows that THC actually causes some cancer cells to commit suicide by inducing the cell to make ceramide which prompts the cell to devour itself. Healthy cells are not affected.

Medical cannabis needs to be transported from the darkness and into the light where it can bask in the assurance that its healing properties will not be hidden anymore. Patients need to know they will have access to this miraculous plant that changes their lives in a positive manner.

Participate in this message by joining the MMGA and help your voice to be heard. It is imperative that ALL persons whose lives have been impacted positively by medicinal cannabis speak up and contact their politicians. We cannot afford to be complacent!

Go to www.montanamedicalgrowers.org and join today!

Or call 800.518.9113 Free memberships are available - but it is donations that allow the MMGA to act as a

liaison and advocate for YOU!

Sincerely, Mark Sigler, Vice President

Blue Dream

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Mendo Purps

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Super Strawberry Haze

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Here at the MT Jar, we are growers first.

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That means we can tell you the history of all of our medicine,

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and what strains are suited to your needs. It also means that we can help you to grow your own quality medicine, and supply you with the clones to be successful. We’ll even build you a growroom if that’s what you need. We aren’t the biggest caregiver in the state, and we have no desire to be, we just

Open Mon - Fri 10 A.M. - 7 P.M. 2504 W. Main, Suite L Bozeman, MT 59718

want to supply southwest Montana with the best medicine possible. We have many strains that are exclusive to the MT Jar, and we’re always working on new ones. Stop in and see.

4 0 6 . 5 5 1 . 2 1 8 3 MTJarCaregivers@gmail.com

www.rockymountainnaturalhealinginc.com

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FREE JOINT with every 1/2 ounce purchase FREE JOINT per patient every Friday

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STRAIN review.

By: Anna Genest CCH-Certified clinical herbalist@ Greener Pastures

LAVENDER First place at 2005 High Times Cannabis Cup, Best Indica.

What do you get when you meld together strains from Afghanistan, Korea, Hawaii, the United States and Europe?

Lavender - a worldly, exotic strain fusing together a medley of Super Skunk, Big Skunk Korean and Afghani Hawaiian.

Color: dark purple, black at the tips Smell: hard-hitting with an impact like sensual spices Taste: smooth with a prominent Skunk influence

High Qualities: Indica: 80 percent Sativa: 20 percent The indica tendencies in the strain will relax the body and the sativa in it will leave you highly functional and clear headed. Medicinally, Lavender has the ability to aid in the relief of insomnia, nausea, leg or body spasms, and lift the mood. It has the strength to balance the system, charge the equilibrium and lavish your wellbeing with perception; clearly powerful plant.

Grow Qualities: Lavender is an easy-to-manage plant with beautiful structure and a natural resilience to pests. It can grow tall when allowed a longer vegetation cycle before going into the flower phase. A vegetation phase of two weeks will yield you a 3-5 foot plant with broad fan leaves. The plant does well multi-branched. The flowering phase typically will be 8-9 weeks in length and the final product will make this strain coveted for its many eases.

strain: LAVENDER

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Montana Botanical Analysis is an analytical facility dedicated to cannabinoid research.

Soil/nutrient analysis Mold detection Expert consultation Complete cannabinoid profiling of plant and edible samples

SERVICES INCLUDE:

CARE GIVER profiles

Montana Cannabis Treatment Centers, Billings Montana Cannabis Treatment Centers was founded on the belief that there are alternative ways to naturally medicate.

Our goal is to help people realize the options available to alleviate their various health issues and guide them toward a healthy direction. Chronic headaches, muscle and joint pain and personal disorders are just a few. The possibilities for and the benefits for alternative medicine are endless with MCTC. We at MCTC have witnessed first hand the dangers of synthetic and chemical drug dependency. We have seen friends and family members fall prey to the addictions of prescription drugs. We want to be part of the movement to educate them and help alleviate their unnecessary pain. Medical cannabis is one of the safest, most therapeutically effective drugs known to man.

We enjoy helping people in our community improve their quality of life by relieving their unnecessary suffering as well as doing our part to stimulate Montana’s economy. We employ many local part time and full time workers. As we continue to grow, we continue to reinvest in our community.

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Our patients become a family while benefiting from an opportunity to integrate them into the growing process. We offer them educational opportunities and hands-on growing experience.

We supply our patients with a variety of strains while aiming to provide a safe and friendly patient to caregiver experience. We offer a diverse menu of edibles, our most preferred option.

We also offer Grade A+ home grown medicine, $200 ounces, a welcoming package and samples, an anniversary gift pack, referral gifts for you and your friend, a frequent visitor program, friendly service, inexpensive doctor visits and renewals, convenient hours and deliveries.

For more information visit us at 2625 Overland Avenue in Billings, Online at www.mtcannabistreatmentcenters.com, or call us at (406) 850-8941.

We are located at 2625 Overland Avenue, Billings Montana 406-850-8941. Our menu is available to view online at: www.mtcannabistreatmentcenters.com. It has an easy to follow guide that will recommend specific strains for specific issues.

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CARE GIVER profiles

True Healing Center, Hamilton MT Here at True Healing Center (THC) we focus on educating people about the “true” quality behind the cannabis plant from all the amazing healing capabilities to the easy way to grow your medicine at home. We want people to understand the cannabis plant.

We believe the public should be informed of the “truths” about cannabis. Marijuana is a naturally grown organic way of healing, but socially cannabis is considered an inappropriate way of medicating. It is one of the very few warm-blooded creations on the earth that make it very valuable and unique to mankind. Cannabis is truly one of the best natural curing substances on Earth.

has 421 compounds that have the natural ability to give treatment to many diseases known to the human body.

My partners and I take great pride in what we do best, which is take care of people in need of natural healing: healing done with the cannabis plant. We have started production on many of our own “in house” true healing products that consist of all-natural ingredients for our patients to enjoy. My partner and I are in this “truly” for the medical properties. The cannabis plan provides relief in many ways to people in need. Our main goal in this industry is to “truly” and naturally “heal” people with our medicine.

We have helped reduce cancer pains with our lotion, edibles and our THC pills. Our products are always available. We are not just practicing medicine but our goal is to be known as a healing center. The only side effects to our medicine are happiness, laughter, euphoria, dry mouth, eye redness, hunger and general wellness. We understand how cannabis works with our endocannabinoid system, a proven natural receptor in every human being. We want to help our patients’ illnesses and treat them specifically for the problems they have.

Researchers from across the world, all of whom are making leaps and bounds in the industry, have shown how cannabis can treat cancer patients. Amazingly, cannabis 30.

Photos: Nick Thomas cannabisnowmagazine.com

MT Jar, Bozeman MT Do not let the title of the MT Jar be deceiving, because once inside the feng shui’d dispensary you will notice the supply is anything but empty. So if your jar is half full, MT Jar is the place to go.

Butter, oils, tinctures, gel caps, lollipops and salves are a start to the Montana dispensary’s shelves. And right next to that, roughly 20 different strains on display to choose from. These are just some of the services that come out of the Bozeman Main Street dispensary. Not to mention their self-grown, organic cannabis is the base ingredient.

This small operation is focused on quality, not quantity, also boasts several strains they have bred in house, including their Silver Skunk or their Hong Kong Haze — both of which are shining full of mature tetras.

In addition, MT Jar offers a variety of off-the-shelf services the guys know at MT Jar and they will deliver.

• Are you a veteran who has served our country? Stop by and get a veteran discount.

• Hard up on Cash and need a break? The MT Jar’s weekly specials may be your ticket to affordability.

• Have your own personal plants, but no idea how to treat them?

Then MT Jar will give you growing advice from experienced owners Ed, Greg and Tim. • Think medical marijuana may be for you, but might not have enough information? The guys at MT Jar will provide guidance with doctor referrals.

The MT Jar has a strong working relationship with Montana Biotech where their products are tested frequently, giving customers the best product possible.

• Can’t make it to town or have too much to do to visit? Let

Gallatin Valley residents seeking more information about the MT Jar should stop by the Main Street dispensary in Bozeman across from Perkins Restaurant and visit the “not so empty” MT Jar to see what they can do for you. Call 406.551.2183.

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The Montana Cannabis & Hemp Foundation, Missoula MT Located at one of Missoula’s busiest downtown intersections, just a half-mile from Interstate 90’s Orange Street off-ramp, The Montana Cannabis & Hemp Foundation’s (TMCHF) storefront attracts attention from out-of-state travelers who stop to photograph the large marijuana leaf logo on the front of the building. Should those travelers come inside, they would find a friendly, knowledgeable staff ready to answer any questions about medical marijuana and Montana’s medical marijuana program.

The first reaction from almost all patients and visitors is “It smells good in here.” The next reaction is often a glazed expression as they see the twenty plus mason jars, each with a different strain of medical marijuana. Owners Kevin Kerr and Bryan Spellman maintain a wide variety of strains, including sativas, indicas and strains of mixed genetics in their desire to meet the needs of their patients. Of particular interest are those strains such as Harlequin that have a high CBD to THC content, as many of TMCHF’s patients want pain relief without feeling either stoned or high.

Spellman, 61 and Kerr, 55 often feel like the grandfathers of Missoula’s caregivers, but also feel this is appropriate as they cater to an older, more settled patient base. More than one patient entering the shop for the first time, has said “Finally, someone I can relate to.”

Relationships form the core philosophy of TMCHF. At both the Missoula and Superior stores, patients gather to compare notes on strains and check on each other’s progress. The stores often have the feel of an old-time country general store, just lacking the rocking chairs on the porch. Spellman welcomes new patients to the ”family” and encourages patients to feel comfortable in a situation that is new, different, and a bit frightening to folk who have lived their entire lives in an anti-marijuana culture.

TMCHF offers a variety of products, including medicated drinks, edibles, lotions, equipment and paraphernalia of all sorts. One patient, suffering from asthma so severe that smoking was not an option, and even vaporizing was a concern, left with a bottle of glycerin-based tincture prepared for TMCHF by a Missoula32.

cannabisnowmagazine.com

based chemist. The patient reported later that for the first time in twenty years, she had been able to sleep through the night.

TMCHF has glycerin-based tinctures in 2 mg/ml, 4 mg/ml and 10 mg/ml strengths.

The medicated drinks have proven very popular; especially Big Sky Edibles’ medicated Chai. Spellman, who has been making his own chai for twenty years and drinking chai from many different vendors, says that Big Sky Edibles’ Chai Is the best he’s ever had—and it helps him fall asleep, pain-free, thanks to the level of cannabinoids included in the recipe. Big Sky Edibles also provides TMCHF with medicated orange soda and cola, as well as with a number of different medicated cookies.

A recent addition to TMCHF’s pantry is a line of medicated dinners prepared by one of Missoula’s top chefs. Montana Medibles’ Ambrosia Sativa line includes single serving, boil in the bag, pouches of Red Pepper and Mushroom soup, New England Clam Chowder, Linguini in Marinara Sauce, and Beef Stroganoff.

TMCHF arranged with a local doctor who will review patients’ medical records and sign their renewal recommendation, if appropriate. This service is provided free of charge to existing TMCHF patients. New TMCHF patients can see the doctor for a $50 fee.

Visit us!

TMCHF has been operating in Missoula for over a year now, and opened a second storefront in Superior, Montana on October 1st, 2010.

Missoula: open seven days a week from 10 am to 6 pm Superior: open Wednesdays between the hours of 1 and 6 pm.

TMCHF has plans to expand to the Bitterroot and to Lake County, and perhaps to the Butte/Anaconda region in the near future.

In addition to having products available for in-store purchase, the TMCHF staff makes home delivery available not just in the Missoula area, but as far afield as Helena, Butte and Anaconda.

Visit www.tmchf.org for more information and to read our blog!

Montana Organic Medical Supply, Billings MT MOM’s is a full-service organic wellness center, featuring, among other items, medical marijuana as part of their many enterprises. MOM’s is dedicated to providing our patients with the highest quality pharmaceutical-grade medicine at the lowest possible price with the best service in the industry. Your satisfaction is our top priority. We guarantee it, or your money back!

MOM’s is a Montana-owned organic medical supplier. Owner Shawn Palmer started out with a small home business dedicated to helping alleviate the suffering of close friends looking for relief from the pharmaceutical “trap”. After outgrowing the home base due to the enthusiastic response to his caring approach, and commitment to the highest-grade medicines specific to each of his customer’s needs, Shawn needed to expand. After a few fits and starts, he finally found a home at the former Circle Inn location on Main Street in Billings Heights.

While it sits on one of Montana’s busiest streets and has all of the room needed to house the many services MOM’s offers, the move came with a lot of sweat, hard work and investment to bring back some of the former glory to this Main Street landmark.

Shawn has sacrificed a large investment to restore the space since November to create his vision of a first-class, professional

full-service organic wellness center. Part of his unique vision includes a full 9-hole folf course (disc golf), exclusive to MOM’s.

Weather permitting the course is coming soon.

Of course any business that provides such a complete patient experience has the medicine that one would expect of such an establishment. MOM’s offers a variety of high-quality strains in a variety of price ranges, as well as a complete line of medibles and tinctures. From the grow to the final delivery, reliability, quality and professionalism is MOM’s commitment.

MOM’s is located at 1029 Main Street in Billing Heights in the former Circle Inn location. Hours are 10AM – 7PM, Mon-Fri and Sat from 12PM-5PM. Contact us at 406.252.MOMS.

We are on the lookout for: Photos of Strains / Relevant News / Letters to the editor For all submissions and subscriptions please email: customerservice@cannabisnowmagazine.com

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10

featured

strains

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Train Wreck

Bozeman Kush

Lavender

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Orange Kush

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Strawberry Kush

Purple cole

New York Diesel

Family Love

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Trinity

It’s all in the Oil. By: John Ford so sharp and not your typical “pothead;” I was surprised that the medical marijuana cure was legitimate. He told me that he got started on it after he had met a police officer who had a reputation for marijuana busts, but who himself suffered from severe pain after an auto accident while on duty. This officer became an advocate of medical marijuana since it was the only substance that took away his pain. Nathan took me to his private bathroom where he medicated himself a few times a day. I got quite an education on all the different blends for different effects. If it were my kids trying to show me, it would have lead to a minor household war, and my own “right” ego would be against theirs.

T

his article may “rock the boat” by going against everything that was previously programmed into me, from my childhood right up to the past few years, and may shock some of my old friends by coming out and telling my story.

As a father of five adult boys and two younger daughters, I have always been opposed to drugs of any kind. Based on my upbringing, marijuana was a drug - not a medicine. There was an ongoing battle with my teen children because of their misuse (in my perception) of marijuana, which I am sure many other parents can relate to. I simply did not want it in my home or on my property, and certainly did not like the eyes of my “good neighbors” on me.

Two years ago I went to visit an old but young friend, Nathan, a very respected businessman in Los Angeles, who for years was a major distributor for my company - Golden Ratio.

Nathan had a series of open-heart surgeries and survived several near-death experiences.

The scars of surgery have always caused him severe pain and sleep depravation, despite taking pharmaceutical/opiate painkillers. He told me the story of how he stopped all of his pain: marijuana. I was shocked because he was 50.

cannabisnowmagazine.com

Now I will share with everyone my story and long battle with high blood pressure (hypertension). Since age 25, I have always had a challenge with high blood pressure, but back in 2008 or so I did not pay the premium on my life insurance on time. I was told I needed a physical in order to be reinstated. The company sent me to a local nurse that took my blood pressure. It was 180/120. She told me I was a “walking stroke” and recommended I go right to the emergency room. I do not especially like hospitals, so I went home and went on a discipline of natural remedies - all of which did nothing. I checked my blood pressure often to see what worked - including exercise. It was still pretty high and stayed there.

After a year and my blood pressure over 180, a friend said I better go see a doctor, which I did. I got on some medication, which did little, but made me very dizzy and foggy. I quit the drugs and found a MLM product that was “guaranteed” to clean out the arteries in a month. I did quadruple doses and still had severely high blood pressure after 9 months. This past October, my blood pressure went up to 235/135 (dangerously high) and I felt like I was about to fade away. I finally gave in and went to the emergency room in the hospital. They hooked me up and tried two medications- Lisinopril and

Diltazem, which took the blood pressure down to 150/110. I took the drugs till I ran out in a month. When I went back to my doctor for a checkup in a month, my blood pressure was still up around 160/110. I was still a “walking stroke” and was very frustrated. In January, I was introduced to Aamann from Colorado, who worked specifically with Cannabis Oil. He told me the oil has worked wonders on MS patients and pain, which my wife has.

He also told me to watch the movie “Run from the Cure,” by Rick Simpson, and Christian Laurette, which specifically details the oil of cannabis, for the healing of many cancers. Here’s a link: www. phoenixtearsmovie.com I ordered some and he sent me a gram of the oil, which looks like tar. My wife, after becoming a bit more open-minded was still reluctant to take it, so I took my dose to see what it did for my blood pressure.

Aamann said to start with a very small dose and work my way up. I started with the size of a grain of rice, and my blood pressure in the morning was at 138/90 - a big improvement. I continued at the low dose but the dramatic effects stopped happening, until I upped the dose to two grains. Amazingly, the blood pressure came right back down. I am still in the experimental mode on my own body, and for the past few days my blood pressure has been normal and I have sustained it by taking about three grains before bed and no prescription medication. I have not noticed any side effects either, and do intend keep it under the threshold of “getting high.”

When I applied for a medical card, the doctor said that there was no prior medical history of cannabis oil remedy for blood pressure. I was still able to get the approval because of the joint pain I have had for years.

Many people, including me, do not like smoke. “Potheads” who can’t function and who misuse this dispensation have given the industry a black eye. I hope state does not throw the baby out with the bathwater on this wonderful medicine.

C

hronic Pain ...is Real

I

By Elizabeth Pincolini

am a medical marijuana patient and caregiver, working in the field of medical marijuana in the state of Montana, since 2009. The condition that qualified me for my medical marijuana card listed on my physician’s statement is for “chronic pain” and “cachexia,” or wasting syndrome, (caused by the nausea and loss of appetite from the narcotics and other prescriptions I was taking). This was after a car accident in 2004 left me with nerve damage in my right arm, lower back and left leg.

Many people seem to find the term “chronic pain” perplexing when it comes to medical marijuana, or believe it is being used as a catch-all phrase to “give away” medical marijuana cards in the state of Montana. Considerable controversy continues to surround the cause, definition, diagnosis and treatment of chronic pain.

Chronic pain generally refers to persistent, non-acute, sometimes disabling pain in the extremities or other areas of the body .

There are some who oppose medical marijuana in this state that would like you to believe that only 3% of cardholders have the “debilitating medical conditions that were voted for in this state.” They would

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like you to believe those of us with chronic pain are not debilitated enough by our injuries or conditions to warrant us to be card holders.

That being said, I would like to share with you what it took for me to be diagnosed with chronic pain. After the car accident, it started with my being seen by my general practitioner and my chiropractor. (I was working as a food server at the time, so the chiropractor was already a regular part of my life). After being off of work for several weeks immediately following my accident, the pain was not subsiding, there was a numbness and coldness in my left foot, and my grip in my right hand was unreliable.

Back to my general practitioner, who referred me for my first MRI and then to neurologist #1. He gave me a series of muscle relaxing shots and I had a second MRI done. This MRI gave me a treating diagnosis of: Lumbar radiculopathy (a herniated disk); lower extremity contusion; cervical strain.

After receiving these diagnoses, I started on the two and a half year process of trying to heal. I was sent to another neurologist for nerve conduction tests, referred to and seen by an orthopedic surgeon, sent for two eight-week rounds of physical therapy, with three appointments a week. Then I was sent back to the orthopedic surgeon, who then referred me to a pain management clinic, run by a specialist who was also an anesthesiologist. This doctor gave me a series of steroid epidural injections. In the mean time, I was completely out of work for 6 months and was only able to go back to my position with that employer, on a part time basis. In fact, 6 months after returning to work part time, I realized I was going to need to change employment and go back to office work. The physical demands of this job were no longer an option for me.

I learned that pain medication, stretching, regular (although limited) exercise, as well as intermittent steroid epidural injections, would be the things I would need to do for the rest of my life to help control my condition.

So in two and a half years, I was seen by my chiropractor, the physical therapist, five MDs and forced to change jobs to accommodate my physical limitations. To me, at least, that seems pretty debilitating.

The American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Public Health Association, the American Nurses Association, and even “The New England Journal of Medicine” endorse the use of medical marijuana for the treatment of severe chronic pain.

Pain relief is one of medical marijuana’s most well-known benefits. In fact, medical marijuana has helped me and so many other chronic pain patients manage our pain without the side effects of narcotics, or the stomach problems associated with the prescription medications many of us were using, thus improving the quality of life for many of us.

I am able to function with a much clearer head and I have been able to eat and main-

tain a much healthier weight then when I was using prescription medication on a daily basis. In fact, I have all but eliminated my prescription medication.

As a caregiver, I talk to patients every day who can attest to the benefits they have received by using medical marijuana.

I work with doctors who are willing to recommend medical marijuana for patients who they believe would benefit from its use, but only with the proper and appropriate medical records. These recommendations include people of ALL ages, as they should. Disease and chronic pain are not limited by age or gender.

I believe the people who oppose medical marijuana use for chronic pain need to be

better educated and more compassionate about what chronic pain really means. Just because our diagnosis is not life-threatening doesn’t make it any less life-changing, challenging or debilitating.

Chronic pain is real!

Chronic pain generally refers to persistent, non-acute, sometimes disabling pain in the extremities or other areas of the body.

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Pain and Cannabis

By Anna Genest -CCHCertified Clinical Herbalist@ Greener Pastures Photo: Allan Erickson

T

he ability of cannabis to reduce pain represents an important

potential medical application. Cannabis has been utilized for centuries as an analgesic and therapeutic use was first noted in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia in 2727 BC. Fast forward to the early 20th century; the psychoactive effects and recreational use

of the plant were analyzed and judged. It was removed from the U.S. Pharmacopoeia in 1942. Studies were continued, however, 54.

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and many neurobehavioral tests confirmed the power of marijuana’s pain killing properties.

As tests continued in the 1980s, research focused more on cannabinoids and the cannabinoid receptors. The identification of the two types of cannabinoid receptors, known as CB1 and CB2, were discovered in the 1990s. These findings lead to a swell in pre-clinical (animal) and clinical (human) studies to assess the remedial potential of cannabis. The studies were able to interpret the site of action of cannabinoids in the body.

The CB1 receptors are expressed mainly in the brain and central nervous system, but also in the lungs, liver and kidneys.

The CB2 receptor is mainly expressed in the immune system, stem cells, heart tissue, spleen tissue and digestive tract.

Our body has its own cannabinoid system, called the endocannabinoid system. It likely plays a natural role in pain control.

To understand how these cannabinoids work in our bodies, we must first understand the basic foundation of the chemical process.

The behavioral effects of THC are receptor mediated as recent studies have indicated.

Neurons in the brain are activated when a compound binds to its receptor (a protein located on the cell’s surface). The effects of THC (or other cannabinoids) are felt after binding to the receptor, and the cell’s activity is triggered leading to a cascade of signaling amongst cells.

Cannabinoids have an affinity for certain receptors. For instance, Cannabidiol (CBD) has a greater binding affinity for CB2 receptors than CB1. The endogenous cannabinoids (the ones that our bodies produce within our endocannabinoid system) are anandamide and 2-AG. They show a greater affinity for CB1 receptors rather than CB2. Anandamide is comparable to THC in its effects and in its receptor binding.

Cannabinoids that bind more selectively to certain receptors are more desirable for medical usage.

When THC binds to CB1 receptors in some nerve cells, for example, it triggers a cascade of reactions that ultimately slow down nerve impulses. This might slow a person’s reaction time enough to make driving hazardous, but the same process could also dull pain signals traveling along those nerves, thereby providing some pain relief. Likewise, when THC binds CB2 receptors on white blood cells, it may impede their natural response to infection – a bad thing if it lowers a person’s resistance to disease but a good thing if it reduces painful inflammation.

Peripheral nerves that detect pain sensations contain abundant receptors for cannabinoids, and cannabinoids appear to block peripheral nerve pain. Binding to a receptor triggers a shift and series of events in the cell that results in a change in the cell’s activity, its gene regulation or the signals it sends to neighboring cells.

Studies suggest that cannabinoids suppress pain through different mechanisms.

The nerve signals that our brains interpret as pain originate in receptor-bearing cells that become activated by temperature, touch, movement, or chemical changes in their environment. Pain signals travel to the brain by one of three main pathways, each of which produces different pain sensations.

Somatic pain is the feeling most people imagine when they think about pain: a message sent by receptors located throughout the body wherever injury occurs.

Somatic pain signals travel to the brain via peripheral nerves, and is typically experienced as a constant, dull ache in the injured region.

Visceral pain occurs when tissues or organs in the abdominal cavity become stretched or otherwise disturbed due to disease or injury.

Pain signals issue from a specific class of receptors present in the gut, producing feelings of pressure deep within the abdomen. Visceral pain often seems to be coming

from a different part of the body than its actual source, a phenomenon known as referred pain.

Neuropathic pain occurs when nerves themselves sustain injury. It is often experienced as a burning sensation that can occur in response to even a gentle touch.

Neuropathic pain does not usually respond to narcotic painkillers, which relieve many other types of pain. Antidepressant or anticonvulsant drugs, as well as certain surgical procedures, may improve some cases of neuropathy. This is a condition that is nerve related and is associated with numerous diseases, including diabetes, cancer, multiple sclerosis and HIV.

The medicinal value of cannabis is far reaching, and as long as it’s embraced with respect and sensibility, the healing properties are tremendous.

To understand what cannabinoids are and how they work in the body, below is a description of the main cannabinoids and their activity.

Delta 9-trans-tetrahydrocannabinol

(THC) –

“The High Flyer.” THC is the prime psychoactive component of the plant. Naturally occurring THC is an acidic form known as THC-A, and is poorly absorbed by the body in this form.

However, when heat is applied, the THC-acid “decarboxylates” and turns into a form that can be readily used by the body. Medicinally, it appears to ease moderate pain and to be neuroprotective. Many patients find that THC helps lift the mood, which is very helpful in managing uncomfortable or painful symptoms. THC has been found to act as an appetite stimulant and nausea suppressant. High doses may be responsible for triggering feelings of anxiety.

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Cannabidiol (CBD) – “The Pain Annihilator.” CBD occurs in almost all strains.

Concentration range is from 0 to 95 percent of the total cannabinoids present. THC and CBD are the two most abundant naturally occurring cannabinoids. CBD is not psychoactive in the pure form, although medicinally, it has sedative, analgesic, and antibiotic properties. It appears to relieve convulsion, inflammation, anxiety and nausea. It is the superhero found to attack cancerous cells in the body, increase mobility in multiple sclerosis patients, reduce inflammation, fight anxiety and reduce muscle spasms. Helpful for those who have trouble sleeping, or intermittent sleeping patterns. In order for CBD to affect the high, THC must be present in quantities ordinarily psychoactive. CBD can contribute to the high by interacting with THC to enhance or antagonize (interfere or lessen) certain qualities of the high. CBD delays the onset of the high but can make it last considerably longer (as much as twice as long).

It’s the kind of effect that takes a while to come on but keeps coming on.

Cannabinol (CBN) – “The Sleeper.” Oxygen, light and heat are the three main components of a degradation (oxidative) process.

Through this exposure, THC breaks down and becomes CBN. It is similar to THC, but only about 10% psychoactive. Like CBD, it is suspected of heightening certain aspects of the high, although so far these effects appear to be slight. CBN seems to enhance THC’s disorienting qualities. One may feel more dizzy or drugged or generally messed up but not necessarily higher. In fact, with a high proportion of CBN, the high may start well but feels as if it never quite reaches its peak, and when coming down one feels tired or sleepy. CBN has minor medicinal benefits as well. It is a mild pain reliever, helps with muscle spasms, antiinflammatory and antioxidant. High CBN levels are not desirable.

Cannabigerol (CBG) – “The Tumor Beater.” CBG is non-psychoactive but still affects the overall effects of Cannabis. It acts on the adrenergic receptors in the central and peripheral nervous systems. Effects include vasodilatation of arteries, which may be why medicinal benefits include lowering blood pressure, antibacterial, antiinflammatory, bone stimulant. CBG has also been known to counteract tumor formation!

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Tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV) – “The Lean Machine.” THCV is prevalent in certain South African and Southeast Asian strains of Cannabis. It is an antagonist of THC and CB1 receptors and weakens the psychoactive effects. It’s the only cannabinoid reported to reduce your appetite. Other benefits are a decrease in seizures and a bone stimulant.

Cannabichromene (CBC) – “The Fungal Fighter.” CBC is another major cannabinoid, although it is found in smaller concentrations than CBD and THC. It was previously believed that this was a minor constituent, but more exacting analysis showed that the compound often reported as CBD may actually be CBC. Relative to THC and CBD, its concentration in the plants is low, probably not exceeding 20 percent of total cannabinoids. CBC is believed not to be psychoactive in humans; however, its presence in plants as purportedly very potent has led to the suspicion that it may be interacting with THC to enhance the high. It is reported to fight fungal infections, protects against cancer, anti bacterial, antiinflammatory and a bone stimulant.

Cannabicyclol (CBL) – This is a derogating product like CBN. During extraction, light converts CBC to CBL. There are no reports on its activity in humans, and it is found in small amounts, if at all, in fresh plant material.

The studies of cannabis are ongoing as more awareness and consciousness spread. The medicinal value of cannabis is far reaching, and as long as it’s embraced with respect and sensibility, the healing properties are tremendous.

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Allan Erickson interviews:

Cheryl Smith

Executive Director

Compassion Center

Eugene, Oregon

AE: Hi Cheryl... can you tell us how you came to be director of a medical cannabis clinic in Oregon?

CS: When I was attending the University of Iowa College of Law, I got most of my required writing credits in a seminar where a group of students co-authored “The Model Aid-inDying Act.” We invited the public to testify regarding the Act, and one of the attendees was Derek Humphry, the Executive Director of the Hemlock Society. My professor threw me his keys and said, “While you are driving him back, ask him for a job.” I did and was hired right out of law school to be the Staff Attorney. After I left the Hemlock Society, I went on to draft the “Oregon Death with Dignity Act” for Oregon Right to Die. I had also learned a lot about how nonprofit corporations operate and have since spent most of my career working for them—including seven years with Oregon Rehabilitation Association and a few with Alvord-Taylor— and as an independent attorney advising nonprofits. At the time the Compassion Center job opened up, I was on a six month leave of absence from my position as Managing Editor for Midwifery Today (not a nonprofit) to write “Raising Goats for Dummies.” That opportunity had come along after I self-published my first book, “Goat Health Care.” (I have been raising miniature dairy goats since 1998 and published Ruminations magazine for seven years). I just happened to 62.

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look at Craigslist for nonprofit jobs at the time that the Compassion Center board advertised the Executive Director job. I thought, “Here is something I can get involved in, where I can use all the skills I have acquired over the years.” My undergraduate degree and first career had been in health information administration, I had an excellent working knowledge of nonprofits and I am passionate about the cause of medical marijuana. It was a good match.

AE: Was there any pivotal moment when you realized cannabis was really medicinal?

CS: There wasn’t really a pivotal moment that I can remember,

but I have used cannabis medicinally since the 1970s for nausea.

And of course I had been following the issue for a number of years and was aware of how it helped not only patients with nausea, but those with multiple sclerosis, pain and other problems. What did surprise me when I started working at Compassion Center was the severity of illness and impairment of many of our patients, and how some of those who need this medicine the most have great difficulty obtaining it. Imagine being diagnosed with stage IV cancer and undergoing chemotherapy, and then being told that you can use this medicine, but unfortunately you can’t buy it and you have to grow your own, which is going to take months even if you have the skills and the time.

AE: Does your position make you feel threatened at all?

From law enforcement or the government? Or have we truly become mainstream and acceptable in places like Eugene?

CS: I don’t feel at all threatened by serving in my position.

I think, for the large part, Oregon has managed to stay off the radar screens of the DEA because we had no dispensaries (a mixed bag, because by not having dispensaries, some of our patients are unable to obtain this medicine). I also have no fear of the IRS, which is the latest threat to medical marijuana-related businesses, because we aren’t a dispensary, so are not “trafficking in controlled substances.” We have worked hard to make Compassion Center a mainstream clinic, where people can feel comfortable bringing their children, and people who are not recreational marijuana users don’t feel out of place or uncomfortable. We are somewhat conservative (can I use conservative in the same sentence as marijuana?) when it comes to interpreting the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act, so I have no fear that the law would have cause to pay any attention to us.

AE: Tell us about your patients... are you seeing more se-

niors with our changing national demographic? Do you have a lot of people come in who had never considered consuming herb?

CS: We are just starting to work on collecting statistics to

identify patient demographics, so my answer to that question is somewhat subjective. We are definitely seeing more seniors in our clinic; our oldest patient is 98. We are also seeing more people who had never considered using marijuana recreationally. An example of this is a man who was a detective for a sheriff’s department before he retired. He suffered from neuropathic pain that couldn’t be controlled, even though he had a morphine pump. He was desperate for relief and the ability to sleep, and our cannabis oil capsules helped him during a particularly rough period.

I believe that the average patient of Compassion Center is a man or woman in his or her 50s. As is seen across the state, the most common qualifying condition is pain, which is something that often starts to show up in people at that age.

Many of these people may have been recreational smokers at some time in their life but are now facing the conditions that come with aging. We also have a lot of patients whose diagnoses run the gamut from cancer to seizures to HIV/ AIDS. Interestingly, many of the patients who are able to obtain a recommendation for medical marijuana due to a condition that qualifies them under Oregon law also have found it to be effective for conditions that aren’t qualifying, such as PTSD, insomnia or anxiety.

Often the seniors who come in have been encouraged by their children to try medical marijuana when other medical treatments have been less than successful, or are causing unacceptable side-effects. These are the people who are particularly surprised and happy to learn that they don’t have to smoke marijuana to obtain its benefit. We teach them about how to make oils, butters and tinctures, how to use them

“ I am both hopeful and cynical

about what may be coming up in the legislative arena.” safely, and how to make capsules or edibles. We also teach them about vaporizing, if they need a method that is faster-acting but doesn’t have the adverse effects of smoking.

AE: How many people does the Compassion Center serve in an average month?

CS: We serve about 150 people per month in our medical clinics (which are held twice a week) and probably four times that many with our other services. We answer questions that people call about or come in to ask, we teach classes on growing, medicine preparation, and the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act (OMMA). We also get growers and patients together, so that patients who cannot grow have a way to obtain their medicine. In addition, we assist patients whose own doctors have signed their attending physician statement with getting their paperwork in to the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program (OMMP).

I am able to draw on my prior experience in public speaking on the right to die when I am invited to speak to various disease organizations and schools about the law, our programs and medical marijuana and its effectiveness in various disease entities. I think this is one our most important services, because many people still believe the myths that have been perpetuated around marijuana and have many misconceptions and fears. (Gateway drug, you have to smoke it, you will get addicted, people just want to use it to get high, etc.)

AE: Looking forward, there are some huge obstacles in the road ahead... are you hopeful, excited, or ready to jump off the bus?

CS: I have been working at Compassion Center since November 2009, and I am still excited about what lies ahead and how to manage what is here now. I am both hopeful and cynical about what may be coming up in the legislative arena.

I am particularly excited about the Oregon Medical Cannabis Research Act (OMCRA), which was initially drafted by Todd Dalotto and finetuned by scientists, attorneys, medical professionals and patient advocates. If passed, the OMCRA would allow licensed nonprofit research institutions to grow and possess cannabis (medical marijuana) in amounts necessary to conduct proper breeding and research. It would be self-funded, regulated by the Oregon Health Authority and work in parallel with the current OMMA. I think that its most important aspect is that research done under OMCRA can help us make substantial progress toward the goal of providing safe and effective medicine for our patients.

Right now the advice we can give patients on using medical marijuana most effectively and safely is scant. We don’t know the quantity or ratio of THC, CBD and other cannabinoids. We don’t know if what they are using contains mold spores or other contaminants. We don’t know

which strain of marijuana works best for which qualifying condition. Many of our patients, especially those older patients who haven’t used marijuana in the past, don’t want to get high; they just want symptom relief. It’s time to take seriously the breeding of cannabis and how to best serve these patients, while still allowing people to have their own gardens.

AE: What (if anything) do you see as the chief impediment to

changing federal laws on cannabis, particularly medical applications?

CS: I see a variety of things as impediments to progress on

federal cannabis laws. I believe that the biggest impediment to progress on medical cannabis is the ridiculous placement of marijuana as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act—meaning that it has no medical value and high risk for abuse. Oregon has already reclassified it as a Schedule II drug, which acknowledges it as a medicine but is still not reflective of the plant’s actual effects and usefulness. Schedule II includes fentanyl, methadone, methamphetamine and barbiturates, among other drugs, so you can see that it is inappropriate even there. Schedule V is actually the most appropriate, considering that benzodiazepines are in Schedule IV and cannabis is much safer and less addictive than that class of drug.

I think positive change will come, though, albeit slowly. I can imagine a number of different scenarios—both good and bad— for how medical marijuana will find its place in medicine. My goal for now is to continue to educate the public and to serve the patients under the law that is currently in place.

AE: Finally, what can the readers of Cannabis Now do to help promote cannabis freedom? Maybe something simple and effective that we consistently overlook?

CS: The best thing we can do, which most of us may be doing

anyway, is to continue to educate people, one person at a time.

The conversations we have with our neighbors, family and friends can help us overcome all the lies that have been told about marijuana over the years. We can also hold ourselves out as examples that marijuana doesn’t turn everyone into dimwitted, Twinkie-eating losers.

After listening to my interview by Papa Todd on Culture Cast (http://ideopod.com/culture-cast/) my mother, Shirley Smith, wrote to say, “it would be nice if it was widely broadcast so everybody knows what is going on. I learned a lot listening to it.” While not everyone can be interviewed for a podcast (or do their own podcast), each of us can certainly have those conversations with others whenever we get the chance.

Cheryl K. Smith, Executive Director, Compassion Center 2055 W. 12th Avenue, Eugene OR 97402 541 484-6558

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Understanding the science behind the cure

Ed Rosenthal, a California

horticulturist, author, publisher and cannabis grower, is known for his advocacy for the legalization of marijuana use. Rosenthal serves as Executive Director for Green Aid - The Medical Marijuana Legal Defense and Education Fund. www.green-aid.com.

Cannabis Now Magazine had the opportunity to interview Ed and talk about politics, his experience growing and his lifelong commitment as an advocate for medical marijuana.

INTERVIEW: The Guru of Ganja

ED ROSENTHAL

CNM: Where did you grow up?

Ed: I grew up in the Bronx. They have this beautiful botanical garden there where they had classes for kids, and I participated in that a lot. I always had an interest in gardening and science.

CNM: When did you move to California?

Ed: 1973. I came out to work on the campaign for Proposition 19 (to remove state penalties for personal marijuana use). Within a few weeks of coming out here I realized [California] was my home.

CNM: When did you grow your first plant?

Ed: I grew my first plant around 1970. I moved back into my parents’ old apartment when they vacated. It was a large apartment and I dedicated a room there for growing.

CNM: What kind of results did you get?

Ed: There were quite a few people in the apartment building who used the material from that grow room on a daily basis. We were happy.

CNM: What strain?

Ed: It must have been a Columbian strain. The marijuana we were getting was quite good.

I started this program to help the DEA because I realized that there was too much marijuana for them to find and destroy. So I have some people working to find this marijuana and using a controlled burn process to destroy this marijuana so the DEA doesn’t have to get involved.

CNM: That is outstanding work Ed. Can you give our readers a brief overview of your legal wrangles that began in 2002?

Ed: California had made medical marijuana legal, and as Oakland was trying to implement the law, they passed a series of ordinances and one of them created an officer of the city [whose job] was to help patients; I was deputized under that law and was an officer of the city of Oakland. The city attorney told me that I was free from prosecution by the state and the federal government because I was carrying out the city policy. Eventually, the federal government busted me because they did not recognize the authority of the state to regulate medical marijuana.

They also announced that the jury could not hear that I was deputized by the city of Oakland. The jury initially found me guilty, but once they found omitted details of the circumstances, 9 of the 12 jury members denounced their verdict and the conviction was overturned.

During that time, they had this campaign that medical marijuana would send a bad message to kids, and that it would be confusing for them. I asked my daughter, Justine, what she thought about it and she said that her dad was a hero because he helps sick people. “My Dad’s a Hero” was put on the front page of a tabloid here, was picked up by media all over the country, and knocked out that multimillion-dollar campaign.

CNM: The jury did do something extraordinary. They denounced their verdict when they had the correct information and they went public. How did that make you feel?

Ed: Vindicated! It was a very confusing scene because I had no feeling of guilt. I felt wronged if anything. As much as they were victims 67.

of being conned, they also felt guilty about it because they had wronged an innocent person. When we left the court we all went to a restaurant down the street [where] I had to comfort the jurors.

Ed: When I was doing farming for the city we had few varieties and one was M-39. It was a luxurious plant. [It was a] big high. It was like a flower blossoming in your head, unfolding petals, layers, a really beautiful high and I was partial to that strain.

CNM: Besides the emotional toll, how much money did you spend throughout the deal?

Ed: The whole thing cost about $350,000 and we did get some major contributions that were substantial enough to offset much of the cost.

CNM: What do you see as the national trend with respect to the number of states that currently have a medical marijuana program? Do you think that will continue to grow?

Ed: Yes, and I think the Democratic Party is going to encourage it for 2012.

CNM: Are you still seeking contributions?

Ed: I am seeking contributions for the cases we are handling at Green Aid (www.green-aid.com), the medical marijuana legal defense and education fund.

We are currently working on a few cases. One is in Columbia Missouri where SWAT teams were used for marijuana raids, which are very violent and very traumatic. Police filmed this particular raid and it’s graphic and disturbing. We decided to work on the campaign for that and the first thing that we did was write a letter to the chief of police, and he ended up exonerating all of the cops that were involved. It was such a surprise; how would chief of police exonerate cops doing bad?

Funny thing though, the chief of police said that while these raids were going on for 14 months, he wasn’t aware of them. So he’s either dumb or he’s a liar.

And this guy is considered a breath of fresh air in comparison to the previous Chiefs of Police.

CNM: So how many books have you written?

Ed: About 15 right now. I am working on a book called “Past Seize Control,” and that’s continuing my interest in past seizures and their prevention.

CNM: What is your bud of choice?

Ed: I prefer concentrates over bud, but I have had several favorites recently. J-27 is one. It’s a very unusual plant in that it grows more like a sativa and smokes more like an indica, but it provides a quality high and valuable medical effect – it’s an anti depressant and makes you feel good and makes you social. I still like some of the older varieties as opposed to the newer varieties.

CNM: What’s the best you’ve ever grown in your opinion? Do you recall one particular strain that was the most effective?

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CNM: Are you familiar with what’s happening in MT with the legislature?

Ed: I think the police need to be removed from medical marijuana. It should be regulated by the health department. Just take the cops and legislature out of the equation. The Missoula church that’s getting involved, they should stay out of it completely as their relationship is with God and not the government.

CNM: As far as California goes, Proposition 19 recently failed. Prior to the vote there seemed to have been a lot of support for the passage of it; however, the weeks and months before the vote, the polls showed diminishing support for the law. What do you think the major reason for its defeat?

Ed: It’s hard to analyze. On one hand I think there is a tremendous fear among people and I think the bill had certain provisions that people found unappealing.

CNM: So you favor decriminalization over regulation I assume?

Ed: No, actually, I favor regulation. As a consumer, I would like to know that marijuana falls under the same regulations from the Department of Agriculture as everything else. That it’s created and processed in a clean place, and I’m not opposed to taxation at all. Recreational marijuana should be taxed, but medical marijuana should be treated as medicine and not taxed.

In California we have exemption for sales tax on prescription drugs, but the tax department wants to collect a sales tax on medical marijuana. It would just be taxing sick people for their medicine and I don’t think it’s fair.

CNM: What do you think is the biggest hurdle we’re facing in regards to achieving national regulation and getting dispensaries and getting this in every state?

Ed: As long as they can keep it illegal they can keep their force up and show they need that many cops. The cops and the criminal justice systems think they’re still living in lush times and it isn’t so. The police need to be brought back under civilian control. That’s what makes marijuana such a key issue, it isn’t just about a substance and whether people should use it or not. This is really a question about how much of a police state people are willing to support.

CNM: Tell me briefly about your experiences with outdoor growing.

Ed: In Montana, there’s a very short growing season. What I would suggest people do is start their plants indoors and then bring them outdoors and then perhaps at the end of June they should start with light deprivation. With that, they will be ready for harvesting by September. They won’t be as big but they will be very potent and fully formed.

Ed will be in Missoula from April 8-10 to conduct a grow seminar, you can reserve tickets by calling Logan at 406.274.0385 or visit cannabisnowmagazine.com for more information.

BOOK REVIEW “Marijuana Grower’s Handbook”

by Ed Rosenthal From www.WeedBay.Net flowering after reading this chapter.

You’ll learn more about the dark cycle in flowering and new and conventional methods for ripening.

Books like “Marijuana Grower’s Handbook” are written once in a lifetime. My hat is off to Ed Rosenthal for this book. It has a young energy to it along with a distinct agenda of visual and informative excellence. The pages are full of photos, diagrams, charts and of course text.

“Marijuana Grower’s Handbook” is a fountain of grow information for the knowledge-thirsty grower. It’s all revealed: the science, the folklore and even the history of medical use are detailed.

It turns out “Marijuana Grower’s Handbook” also has a practical purpose - it’s not all photos and fluff. It’s the definitive reference guide for growing marijuana. You can’t disregard science and have a perfect harvest. It also serves as the course study for Oaksterdam University as well as UniCann University of Cannabis. It’s laid out as a textbook; each section is concluded with a “quick points” guide with each chapter’s highlights.

The book uses scientific tests and information to debunk indoor gardening myths as well as explain how and when it is appropriate to use the plethora of new equipment now available to cultivators. To keep it on the cutting edge of technology, the book has an accompanying website for up-to-date testing and information: www.MjGrowers.com. A brief breakdown of the 5 main chapters follows: Marijuana the Plant An experienced grower may think he can skip this section, but hold on buddy! This chapter breaks down the strains and explains terpenes in a way you’ve never seen before. How THC affects and is used by our bodies is also explained in depth.

What Are Plants and What Do They Want?

This section breaks down the plant life cycle

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and plant’s needs. Repeat after me… “light – nutrients - C02 – water - with a chance of death by temperature and humidity.” A good portion of this section is devoted to light, but the book shows many methods for each required element. This section emphasizes the balance of the plant’s requirements for healthy, bountiful harvests.

Setting Up The Garden Here’s one we all need to pay attention to. Don’t be the guy foliar feeding the power cord to your fan.

A well-planned garden is not just pleasant to work in; it’s safe too. The information scales up or down really well, you can amend 5 gallons of soil or 40 acres of soil from the diagrams in this book. Garden security is also well covered here.

Let’s Get Growing!

Here’s where the tire hits the road, the gears start to mesh and this thing takes off. I think most growers will veg faster and ripen faster in

Harvest and Beyond One of the most perplexing dilemmas faced by the new grower is the harvest, drying and curing process. There are not a lot of new techniques for the experienced grower, but there is also plenty of just good old-fashioned butter and maripill (“happy-caps”) making info. If you’ve paid attention to the other chapters, then expect a nice reward at harvest.

In summary, there are only so many up-to-date grow books on the market. I’ve read most of them. This one stands alone in the information it contains and the presentation of that information. It stands alone as the only course of study book and for its reference style layout.

It will help new growers establish “roots” to their growing knowledge and it will demystify problems experienced growers might still have. I recommend this book for all marijuana growers, new or experienced.

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