March 2013 — Issue #33

NORTHWEST LEAF THE PATIENT’S VOICE

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testing the limits

nwleaf.com

march 2013

Issue #33

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contents

MARCH 2013

20

26

64

Access PROFILE

46

68

Cleaning Your Bong

Extract Safety and You

70

Blanching & Butter

54

Frozen Medible Meal

74

Growing Gear Guide

NATIONAL NEWS..................10 QUOTED............................17 NW CANNABIS MARKET........20 LEGISLATOR Q&A....................24 SATIVA VALLEY.........................26 STRAIN OF THE MONTH ........44 BBQ SAUCE RECIPES ...........52 MEDIBLE REVIEW.....................54 LEATHER.......................60 GUITAR PIPES.......................62 PREGNANCY......................82 BEHIND THE STRAIN...............86

64

A Guide to Hash

82

Dr. Rose’s Column

COVER & CONTENTS PHOTOS

What’s in your cannabis? The only way of knowing that, whether you grew it yourself or acquired it from one of the collectives

just down the road, is through rigorous scientific testing. That’s where Analytical 360 in Fremont comes in with their HighPerformance Liquid Chromatography machine, capable of detecting more things than maybe, even, you really wanted to know.

26

Sativa Valley Topicals

38

40

Homegrown medicine, local story

Which methods pose the least risk?

Everything we want in a brisket

What makes it five stars?

54

A simple liquid solution is the key Taking Cannabis to the next level

Dr. Scanderson gives splurge ideas

Should pregnant moms medicate?

Daniel Berman/Northwest Leaf

contents

NORTHWEST LEAF

VISIT NWLEAF.COM |

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editor’s note

MARCH 2013

TO OUR READERS, Thanks for picking up the 33rd issue of Northwest Leaf!

30 A community rebuilds

We hope you will choose to celebrate Valentine’s Day this year with a little green, as opposed to the traditional options. Nothing says love like a little Northwest Cannabis.

To celebrate all the quality local strains we put together a stunning strain guide, featuring 24 varieties in stunning macro photography.

Each strain has a unique profile, including growing tips for those trying to decide which strains to run in 2013.

On a more serious note this issue also shares the story of Casey Lee, the owner of Lacey Cross who was robbed at gunpoint on New Years Day. We also cover several recent Seattle robberies, and the steps owners are taking to prevent future incidents. The article includes important security tips for both patients and access points.

Reporter Ray Flores brings us the intense story of Saul Ramos Sanchez, a 19-yearold patient currently facing charges for

possession of a single gram of Cannabis.

Even as prosecutors across the state have dropped charges for recreational possession, this young man’s future is uncertain over a medicine he was legally authorized to have.

Look for the story starting on page 30.

You’ll also find sweet Valentines recipes for those medicated home Chefs, and a cool tutorial on how to make homemade hemp, almond, or other nut-based milks.

Dr. Rose tackles the glaucoma and medical Cannabis connection, and we share the cause of Myo Mr. Kiefbox to “Burn Prohibition.” And for the dabbers, check out our Concentrate of the Month. It might not be what you’d expect, but it definitely exceeds expectations.

As always, thanks for reading and supporting Northwest Leaf, The Patient’s Voice!.

— WES ABNEY

Contact Northwest Leaf editor Wes Abney to discuss advertising or displaying our magazine in a new location. We want to hear from you!

Feel free to send submissions, share news tips, your take on a story or one we should hear.

P (206) 235-6721 E nwleaf@gmail.com

founder & editor-in-chief Spokane used to have 50 medical

marijuana access points, but that was nearly two years ago, back before the billboards in view of the elementary school, and back before the small-town fervor. Back before federal raids shuttered every one of them. Today, the area is seeing a significant rebirth as nine collectives serve an estimated 10,000 people using Cannabis, and the mistakes of the past are left behind.

8/mar. 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

the truth about the plant you thought you knew, IN every issue.

Wes Abney photographer & designer

Daniel Berman contributors Warren Carter Steve elliott kirk ericso n Anthony Martinelli Dr. Scanderson DR. SCOTT D. ROSE yellowjuana cake MAR. 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

/9

national

BY STEVE ELLIOTT FOR NORTHWEST LEAF

WASHINGTON STATE MMJ PATIENT ARREST PROTECTION BILL PASSES COMMITTEE UNANIMOUSLY >> Patients would still be subject to an “affirmative defense.”

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ashington’s Senate Committee on Health care voted unanimously to approve SB 5528, which would finally provide arrest protection for medical marijuana patients in the state, 15 years after voters approved medicinal cannabis.

Washington patients are still subject to arrest under their medical marijuana law’s “affirmative defense” rule. If they are caught using, possessing, growing, purchasing, or selling cannabis, they can still be arrested, charged, and hauled into court, even if they have a doctor’s authorization and are carefully following state law.

SB 5528 would add defined arrest protection for qualified patients, protecting them from arrest by state and local law enforcement if they abide by Washington’s medical marijuana limits (24 ounces and 15 plants).

The bill advanced to the Senate Rules Committee, where its passage would put it before the entire Senate for a vote.

Quick Hits!

8

Number of public forums the Washington State Liquor Control Board will hold to get comments from the public about regulation recreational marijuana stores.

At a forum in Tacoma, more than 250 people appeared, saying pot should be well-regulated, but not highly taxed.

NEW HEMP BILL UNANIMOUSLY PASSES HOUSE COMMITTEE IN WASHINGTON STATE

40

Number of grams one can possess of marijuana and still be considered a misdemeanor under Washington state law, even though I-502 only legalized possession of up to 28 grams, Seattle Weekly notes.

>> Patients would still be subject to an “affirmative defense.”

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ashington State HB 1888 passed a committee unanimously on February 21, sailing through on a 8-0 vote. The bipartisan measure, sponsored by five Republicans and a Democrat, adds safeguards to assure industrial hemp’s legality in here, including raising the 0.3 percent THC standard set by I-502 to 1 percent

THC, in line with the North American Hemp Council’s recommendations.

HB 1888 would also regulate how hemp production would be licensed and overseen in Washington, and it authorizes Washington State University to research industrial hemp once they’ve received a license.

The bill moved to Washington’s Rules Committee before moving to a vote in the full House.

HOW LEGALIZATION COULD COME TO MARYLAND >> Another state hopes to make recreational use of marijuana completely legal for adults 21+

v

N.C. Lawmakers Kill Medical Marijuana Bill...For Being Popular! >> Republicans say they don’t want to be “bothered,” by all those vocal activists pushing for legislation they believe in

IF

you’re in North Carolina, make sure you The infrequently used procedure effectively don’t bother your lawmakers about passprevents any further medical marijuana bills ing any, you know, laws. from being considered by the North Carolina In an interesting twist on representative deGeneral Assembly this session, reports The mocracy, the Republican-controlled Huffington Post.

North Carolina House Rules ComCatherine Lyles, a 51-year-old “We did it to be mittee killed a medical marijuana brain cancer survivor, was one of done with it, legalization bill in February after the few allowed to testify before the so people could lawmakers complained they were committee in the brief, 20-minute move on for the being “bothered” by backers of the hearing. She told them cannabis session,” snapped had allowed her to regain her apmeasure who were requesting their Rep. Paul “Skip” support on the issue. petite after treatment.

Stam (R-Wake).

The lawmakers allowed only “Today, my purpose is to con20 minutes of public debate on the vince all of you to legalize marijuana legislation before deciding to give it an “unfafor medical purposes,” she told the committee. vorable report,” writes Mark Binker at WRAL. Lyles said she’d been treated for brain cancer That, in itself, is an unusual measure, because 17 years ago and was told then she’d only live bills that won’t pass normally just sit in a comfor five years. mittee unheard.

Lyles said after the committee hearing that “We did it to be done with it, so people marijuana had helped her recover by getting could move on for the session,” snapped Rep. rid of nausea that had made it impossible for Paul “Skip” Stam (R-Wake). her to eat. She said she began investigating Stam claimed he and other lawmakers were medicinal cannabis at the suggestion of medibeing “harassed” because their constituents accal professionals, who said there was no drug tually dared to call and email them to express they could prescribe which would work as well. support for medical marijuana.

“It was quite a problem,” Lyles said. “I didn’t

10/MAR. 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

know anyone who smoked pot.”

She said her mother and best friend helped her eventually track down some marijuana through a network of old friends.

“I cannot tell y ou how quick and complete the relief I had from horrible nausea was,” she told the committee.

Rep. Kelly Alexander (D-Mecklenburg), one of the bill’s sponsors, was the only lawmaker who spoke at length about the measure. He pointed to fiscal studies which showed North Carolina could reap $39 million per year if medical marijuana were legal.

Despite the fact that medical marijuana advocates heavily outnumbered the single opponent ( Jere Royall with something called the “North Carolina Family Policy Council”) who showed up at the hearing, the lawmakers were unmoved by the showing of support.

In fact, the haughty lawmakers seemed eager to demonstrate their contempt for the patients and their supporters by cutting the hearing off after just 20 minutes and giving it the “unfavorable report,” thus ensuring that neither this bill nor any other medical marijuana law would pass the General Assembly this session.

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“Most Americans now recognize that marijuana elegate Curt Anderson (D-Baltimore prohibition has been just as spectacular a failure as City) on February 21 introduced a bill in alcohol prohibition,” said Dan Riffle, dep. director the Maryland House of Delegates that of govt. relations for the Marijuana Policy Project would make marijuana legal for adults 21 and (MPP). ”It is time for a new, more sensible apolder and establish a system in which marijuana proach to marijuana in Maryland, and is regulated and taxed like alcohol.

“It is time for a that is what this bill proposes.”

In summary, HB 1453: “Our public policies should be based · Removes criminal penalties for new, more senon the facts, and it is a fact that marijuana private possession and home-growsible approach is far safer than alcohol,” Riffle said. ing of limited amounts of marijuana to marijuana in “Adults should not be made criminals by adults 21 and older; simply for choosing to use the less harm· Directs the Maryland Comptrol- Maryland,” ful product. Our law enforcement efforts ler to license marijuana retail stores, said Dan Riffle should be focused on preventing and inwholesale facilities, testing facilities; · Enacts an excise tax of $50 per of the Marijuana vestigating serious crimes and not on arresting and prosecuting responsible adult ounce on wholesale sales, proceeds Policy Project. marijuana consumers.” from which will be used to offset “Marijuana sales are currently taking place in an implementation of the act and fund treatment underground market where they benefit criminals programs to prevent alcohol, tobacco, and drug and drug cartels,” Riffle said. abuse; “Under the law proposed by Del. Anderson, · Directs the Maryland Department of Agriculmarijuana sales would take place in tightly reguture to regulate the cultivation, processing, and lated businesses that are creating jobs and paying distribution of industrial hemp; and taxes that will benefit Maryland citizens. · Localities may regulate marijuana businesses.

“We hope legislators will agree that it is time to It would remain illegal to use marijuana in pubonce again make prohibition a thing of the past.” lic or drive under the influence of marijuana.

1

Miles away from the Washington, D.C. Capitol that the first medical marijuana dispensary is. The revolutionary new access in the area comes after almost five years of back and forth fighting between lawmakers and activists.

There is still a relevant concern that Congress could shutter the facility, but activists say that they should listen to voters.

20 2 42

Minutes allowed for public comment by legislators in N.C. on a proposed medical marijuana bill.

They’ve refused to hear any other bill this session.

Number of kids in the car when a woman was stopped at the U.S. border carrying a -ton of pot worth about $900k. Relatives took the kids away.

Age of a New Mexico man found with 102 pot plants growing in his home. Police seized nearly $12k in cash and 18 semi-automatic weapons.

The investigation began after he made threats to the cops.

7

Years that a Massachussetts researcher has been unsuccessfully trying to obtain marijuana for scientific purposes - he wants just 10 grams to utilize for testing.

Quoted

IT IS IRRATIONAL TO PUNISH ADULTS WHO SIMPLY PREFER TO USE [MARIJUANA]. LAW ENFORCEMENT RESOURCES SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON PREVENTING AND RESPONDING TO SERIOUS CRIMES RATHER THAN ENFORCING THE FAILED POLICY OF MARIJUANA PROHIBITION. -David Boyer, Maine political director of the Marijuana Policy Project, speaking to the Bangor Daily News. Maine legislators are seeking to legalize recreational marijuana use. “Marijuana is objectively far less harmful than alcohol for the consumer and for the broader community.”

national

MISSOULA, MT

BY STEVE ELLIOTT FOR NORTHWEST LEAF

Will maine be next to legalize? >> Adults over 21 would be able to grow six plants and possess up to 2.5 ounces at a time

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Portland Headlight, built 1791

colorado Marijuana Task Force Requires Potency Labeling >> Pot tourism will likely benefit from changes

12/MAR. 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

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oining political forces from opon wholesale sales, of which 10 percent posite ends of the spectrum, State of the revenue will be used for impleRep. Diane Russell (D-Portland) mentation of the law, 10 percent will be and Rep. Aaron Libby (R-Waterboro) used for substance abuse treatment and unveiled at a Feb. 21 press conference prevention programs, 5 percent will be the details of Russell’s new used for research on the efbill that would make Maine fects of marijuana, and the I made a committhe third state in the nation ment to help them remaining 75 percent will to make marijuana legal for go to the state’s general if and when I got adults 21 and older and eselected,” said Rep. fund; tablish a system in which · Regulate cultivation, proMcCarthy, who marijuana is regulated and cessing, and distribution of was not surprised industrial hemp; and taxed like alcohol. when all four of “When it comes to keep· Allow localities to ban his bills died. ing marijuana away from marijuana businesses. teens, keeping marijuana in It would remain illegal to an unregulated underground market is use marijuana in public or drive under the worst possible policy,” Rep. Russell the influence of marijuana. said. “Instead, marijuana should be sold If state lawmakers approve the bill this by legitimate, taxpaying businesses in a session, it will be referred to voters in tightly regulated market.” the upcoming November election. If Russell estimated that taxing and the measure gets carried over and apregulating cannabis sales could generproved during the next legislative sesate up to $13 million a year. She also sion, it will be placed on the November supports allowing the transfer of mari2014 ballot. juana from one adult to another with“Marijuana is objectively far less out compensation. harmful than alcohol for the consumer Rep. Russell’s bill, the “Act to Tax and and for the broader community,” said Regulate Marijuana,” would: David Boyer, Maine political direc· Remove criminal penalties for private tor for the Marijuana Policy Project possession (2.5 ounces) and home(MPP). “It is irrational to punish adults growing (six plants) of marijuana for who simply prefer to use the less harmadults 21 and older; ful substance. · Direct the Maine Department of Ad“Law enforcement resources should ministrative and Financial Services to be focused on preventing and respondlicense marijuana retail stores, cultivaing to serious crimes rather than ention facilities, product manufacturing forcing the failed policy of marijuana facilities, and testing facilities; prohibition,” Boyer said. “It’s time for · Enact an excise tax of $50 per ounce a more sensible approach.”

ecreational marijuana users in Colorado who aim to enjoy the herb’s new legal status in the Mile High State should expect potency labels on state-licensed pot, if a task force’s recommendations are followed.

Colorado’s Marijuana Task Force also voted against a resi-

dency requirement for buying legal marijuana. This will make possible pot tourism a potentially lucrative source of revenue for the state.

Expected potency rules would require marijuana stores to label products with the amount of THC, marijuana’s main psychoactive

PHOTO BY FLICKR/AUVET

ingredient.

Some critics of legalization have suggested that potency limits (similar to those in the process of being adopted in the Netherlands) be imposed.

That idea is dismissed as unworkable by those within the industry.

The task force’s recommendations will ultimately be approved or rejected by the Colorado Legislature.

Montana Republicans shoot down 4 Medical Marijuana Bills >> Although 62 percent of voters there approved medical marijuana law, each new Legislature refuses to have implement needed reforms

So

far, the controlling Republicans in the in U.S. military intelligence for 23 years, even 2013 Montana Legislature appear to participating in some operations to intercept hate marijuana and medicinal cannaillegal drug smugglers. bis patients as much as the 2011 session did.

But members of the Montana Cannabis InThe House Human Services Committee in dustry Association met with McCarthy during February tabled — and, according to Charles his campaign, explaining to him the challenges S. Johnson of the Missoulian, almost certain patients face when it comes to safe access to killed — four medical marijuana the cannabis recommended by their bills, all by Rep. Kelly McCarthy doctors.

I made a commit(D-Billings).

“I made a commitment to help ment to help them All four of the bills died on 12-4 them if and when I got elected,” if and when I got votes, with 10 Republicans and McCarthy said. But he wasn’t surelected,” said Rep. prised, he said, when the bills died. two Democrats opposing the bills, McCarthy, who while four Democrats backed them.

“I understand that I’ve burned a was not surprised bit of political capital on this one, McCarthy wrote the bills to fix when all four of the 2011 medical marijuana law, but everyone deserves representahis bills died.

SB 423, which has also been chaltion,” McCarthy said. “When I lenged in court. SB 423 is so strindidn’t see too many other legislators gent, it has been described as “de facto repeal” wanting to take up the challenge, I leaned into of the state’s medical marijuana law, approved the strike zone and took one for the team. by 62 percent of Montana voters in 2000.

“I didn’t think we’d win, but I didn’t let that Rep. McCarthy tried to remove the provistop me from giving it my best shot,” McCarsions in the law that have already been blocked thy said. twice with preliminary injunctions by District All four of McCarthy’s bills ran into opJudge James Reynolds of Helena, most recently position from another former federal employee in January. who fought drugs: House Human Services “We were hoping to make SB 423, as enChairman David Howard (R-Park City). joined, permanent so the legal gymnastics Howard is a retired FB agent and chief of could stop and all parties could get on with law enforcement for the Bureau of Land Mantheir lives,” McCarthy said after her four bills agement. He bragged to the committee how, in were killed. the 1980s, he “spearheaded” an effort to chop McCarthy is, by his own description, one down thousands of illegal marijuana plants. of the least likely legislators to sponsor mediHoward called marijuana “a poison” (yes, he cal marijuana bills. Now a banker, he served really said that) and “a joke” after calling it “a

PHOTO BY FLICKR/KATIE@

scourge” two years ago.

It isn’t likely that any medical marijuana bill will pass the 2013 Legislature without going through Howard’s committee; that’s just not going to happen, according to many observers familiar with the issue.

Over in the Montana state Senate, Sen. Dave Wanzenreid (D-Missoula), meanwhile, had two medical marijuana bills. One would prevent the Montana Board of Pharmacy from delaying the rescheduling of marijuana if Congress or a federal agency changes how it’s federally scheduled under the Uniform Controlled Substances Act. Wanzenreid’s other bill would add post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to the list of qualifying medical conditions for which physicians can recommend medical marijuana.

This is Wanzenreid’s final session of a long legislative career, and he’s been a friend to Montana’s medical marijuana patients.

“There’s an old saying that doing the popular thing isn’t always the right thing,” Wanzenreid said. “The popular thing about medical marijuana this session is not to do anything and let the courts decide.

Wanzenreid has another Senate bill he intends to introduce, incorporating provisions of all four of McCarthy’s failed measures from the House.

“Responsible democracy for me is about speaking out and having a vigorous debate about things that some people would just as soon not talk about,” Wanzenreid said.

MAR. 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

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national

BY STEVE ELLIOTT FOR NORTHWEST LEAF

Florida MMJ Bill Being Drafted >> Other bills have failed in the past, but activists are optimistic

michigan lawmaker wants medical dispensaries >> Amid growing local support, State Rep. Mike Callton wants to open up new safe access

a

to go to what we’re calling a provisionary bill in the Michigan Legislature center,” Callton said. could vastly change the medical Many Michigan dispensaries have marijuana scene in that state by closed their doors in response to the Suexplicitly allowing dispensaries. preme Court ruling. Those still operating Operators of the state’s safe access are doing so out of sight and in fear of points are now hiding behind steel police raids, according to Wood, 45, who doors with peepholes, wary of strangruns the Trans-Love Energies compasers after a Michigan Supreme Court sion club near Eastern Market ruling this month turned them into outlaws.

“I see medical in Detroit.

“I believe we can stay in “Nobody I know in this marijuana as business,” Wood said Friday. state is advertising this service “We’re a totally private club.” any more,” said Holice Wood, a health care owner of a compassion club. issue,” Callton But Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette — a notori“It’s all going to be word of told the MI ously fanatical anti-pot extremmouth from now on.” ist — said he plans to instruct State Rep. Mike Callton legislature. all 83 county prosecutors in the (R-Nashville) is sponsoring state to shut down anything that even a bill that would leave it up to local looks a dispensary. governments or residents to decide if “I see medical marijuana as a health they want to allow dispensaries to discare issue,” said Callton, who is known tribute medicinal Cannabis. as the first chiropractor to be elected to Although a similar measure died in the Michigan Legislature. “I know a lot committee last year, Callton said this of people — I have patients — who have year’s bill has a better chance because clearly benefitted.” it comes with bipartisan support — Attorney General Schuette’s office eight Republicans are co-sponsors. dryly announced last week that “no new Another eight cosponsors are Demlegislation was needed” to protect and ocrats. “I’m a Republican and from a regulate medical marijuana, now that conservative area, but I’ve seen growhe’s shutting down all the dispensaries. ing support from a lot of other legisla“The Michigan Supreme Court issued tors for this from both parties,” Callton a straightforward ruling, and we see no said. “And now, with this court ruling, immediate need for legislation at this it becomes even more important.” time,” spokeswoman Joy Yearout said.

Callton’s bill, HB 4271, would allow The Detroit-based National Patient each community in Michigan to deRights Association (NPRA), a coalition cide individually whether it wanted of dispensary owners, plans to give Callto allow dispensaries, and, if so, where ton’s bill lobbying support. they’d be located, he said.

“This will give control back to local “I want people to be able to take a government — to zone these centers recommendation for (marijuana) from and to say how many they want,” said their doctor; we’re not calling it a preRobin Schneider, a lobbyist in Lansing scription; the pharmacy people told for NPRA. me that was that word — and be able

14/MAR. 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

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lorida activists, buoyed by the legalization of Cannabis for medicinal uses in 18 states across the country, are pushing for medical marijuana in the Sunshine State.

Florida Cannabis Action Network president Jodi James said she’s an advocate for “sensible Cannabis policy,” reports Margaret Kavanagh at News 13.

“What’s happening right now is that people who truly need access to the medicine don’t have it,” James said. Florida should legalize medical marijuana like other states, she said.

“They regulated it; they controlled it,” she said. “The sky didn’t fall down and it makes more sense for public safety.”

Jeff Clemens (D-Palm Beach County) is at work to create a bill to do exactly that — bring safe medical marijuana access to seriously ill patients in Florida. Clemens said his bill is currently in the drafting phase, and should be completed within the next few weeks.

Past bills have failed, but supporters say the 18 states that have legalized medical marijuana, plus Colorado and Washington legalizing for all adults, mean the time is right.

Meanwhile, you have regressive, “What’s happening weed-phobic, Reefer Madnessstyle organizations like the Cenright now is that ter for Drug Free Living, based in people who truly Orlando, that just can’t let go of need access to the the “good old days” of the War on medicine don’t have Marijuana. it,” said Jodi James, “The easier to get it, the more Florida Cannabis likely it will probably be used and Action Network. the more it’s used the more addiction and abuse you are going to see out of it,” said Todd Dixon of the Center For Drug Free Living, displaying a majestic cluelessness.

“Smoking in general, whether it’s marijuana or tobacco, has a whole host of negative health side effects,” Dixon claimed.

But it’s no use pretending cannabis isn’t already available to anyone who wants it, according to James.

“Marijuana is already here, Cannabis is already here; now we get to make some tough decisions on how we are going to regulate it or control it, who we are going to let have access to it, and who shouldn’t have access to it, so we want to have that conversation,” James said.

“I think this is the year.”

NATIONAL STORIES BY STEVE ELLIOTT FOR NORTHWEST LEAF. He edits tokesignals.com, an independent blog of Cannabis news and opinion.

WHITMAN COUNTY, WASH.

Washington Marijuana Activist Plans Run For County Sheriff >> Adam Assenberg vows to arrest Drug Enforcement Administration agents who raid state-compliant patients and providers

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51-year-old Washington state medical mari“I am tired of patients and providers getting atjuana patient and activist says he plans to run tacked, and I have no fear at all of death or the govfor sheriff of Whitman County in the 2014 ernment,” Assenberg said. election. Adam Assenberg recently beat marijuana Adam said he’s already building his office staff charges connected to a 2011 pot raid dropped by the and has secured a backer who will pay the filing fee prosecutor’s office, and his property — including his for him to enter the race, reports Mia Carlson at the Cannabis — was returned to him under court order.

Facebook page Big Country News Connection.

“I am running for sheriff because “I am doing this because I am we live at a time where every tax doltired of the rights of the public be“Using limited funds lar counts, and using limited funds to to attack patients and ing violated,” Assenberg said. “When attack patients and providers of medithe public votes on an issue, it should providers of medical cal Cannabis, takes those limited funds be honored and the Constitution of Cannabis, takes those away from other crimes where thay Washington should be protected over limited funds away should be used,” Assenberg told Norththe whims of the federal government, from other crimes west Leaf. who cares more about protecting big But Assenberg said he’d go farther business.” than that. He vows to arrest Drug Enforcement Assenberg said he will speak at Moscow HempAdministration agents who raid state-compliant fest April 20 “to let the general public in on this.” patients and providers.

He said he will work to bring the students of Pull“As sheriff, I will be able to order officers under man’s Washington State University aboard “to make me to honor state law and arrest any DEA agent my win a landslide.” that attacks anyone that is protected under state Earlier this month, the Whitman County Sherlaw,” Assenberg said. iff ’s Office returned 82 marijuana plants, dried can“We need to teach this trick to everyone, so every nabis, paperwork, and other items seized during a county could fight back like this,” Assenberg told us.

Quad Cities Drug Task Force Raid at Assenberg’s “That’s what I’m doing this for — to teach others to home in Colfax almost two years ago. (“Most of think outside the box and do things that have never what he got back was moldy because they stored it been tried. improperly,” said his wife, Carla Evans Assenberg.

PHOTO BY RICK HOLLIDAY

“We couldn’t even give it to the deer.”)

He had been charged with manufacturing a controlled substance, possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, and two counts of delivery, but the prosecutor’s office dropped the felony drug case against him last month after the Washington State Court of Appeals overturned a similar case in Spokane County.

Assenberg said he is preparing a civil lawsuit against Whitman County, the Quad Cities Drug Task Force, and the State of Washington for the raid; he is seeking $6 million in damages.

He also plans to eventually sue the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ), based upon the Uniform Controlled Substances Act, which states that marijuana has no accepted medicinal value (hence pot’s Schedule I classification alongside heroin).

“It’s time to stop going by orders of the federal government when it’s the U.S. Department of Justice, the DEA and FDA that have been violating guidelines of U.S. Federal Code 21, U.S.C. Section 812, Subsection (B) since 2002,” he said.

MAR. 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;You Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Know How It Feelsâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Tom Petty

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sweet Leaf â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Black Sabbath

When the stress burns my brain just like acid raindrops/ Mary Jane is the only thing that makes the pain stop. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Acid Raindropsâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; People Under The Stairs

Even with initiatives passed decriminalizing the green grass/ They donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wanna see that/ Might as well get you a forever green pass/ Hit that dispensary fast, believe that â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tommy Chongâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Blue Scholars Cooking out the pot, I like my weed for lunch and dinner/ Got some cookies in the jar, OG in the blender/ You paying for quantity, but quality is what you spend for/ If thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a marijuana-ology, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be your mentor â&#x20AC;&#x153;O.G.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Snoop Dogg feat. Wiz Khalifa

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;Now we learned a hard lesson in a small Texas town/ He fired up a fat boy and he passed it around/ The last words that I spoke before they tucked me in/ Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll never smoke weed with Willie again.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weed with Willieâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Toby Keith

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m so stoned/ And iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m free/ So free/ Said if you roll another spliff sir/ Wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t cha pass it right over to me â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m So Stonedâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Slightly Stoopid

Now I have to play the part of the advisor/ Because the bud is just the tasty tantalizer/ The bud not the beer â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;cause the bud makes me wiserâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Pack the Pipeâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The Pharcyde

I smoke two joints in the morning/ I smoke two joint at night/ I smoke two joint in the afternoon/ It makes me feel all right. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Smoke Two Jointsâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Sublime

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access

COMPARING THE TWO LOCATIONS PARKING YOUR CAR Rainier Beach offers a few dozen parking spots while White Center only has nearby street parking.

NUMBER OF VENDORS There are about 20 Cannabis providers at each site. Many said they will be maintaining tables at both locations to make it more convenient for regular patients.

PATIENT PRIVACY

A secondary corridor reveals more vendors for patients to visit. The nondescript building can be easy to miss, so look for the Mutual

At Rainier Beach, the opening corridor has dividing walls between booth spaces so patients have more privacy and can inspect the medicine one person at a time.

Fish sign. Local Roots Modern Medicine uses jewelry store displays. LeNard Jones of People’s Champz Medicated Edibles helps Jalen Henry.

ACCESSIBILITY

O

wner Michael Keysor was up until 1:40 in the morning working to prepare on the day the NW Cannabis Market location in Rainier Beach was opening for the first time.

Still, he remarked, “Not everything is completely done.”

As patients from across the Interstate 5 region streamed into the expansive, bustling space on opening day -- Wednesday, Feb. 12 -- the fact that some banners still needed to be hung was hardly cause for real alarm.

“This building is going to give us a real advantage in catering to patient needs,” Keysor said. “This is going to give more people more opportunities to connect with vendors. Overall, we’re off to a really good start.”

And it is just the start. While the White Center location at 9640 16th Ave. SW in Seattle has been around for close to 1 1/2 years, and will remain open, Keysor said the new space

20/MAR. 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

A TRIP TO THE BEACH At the new Rainier Beach location of NW CANNABIS MARKET, patients can find more vendor space, easier parking and enhanced privacy. But will they miss smoking?

STORY AND PHOTOS BY DANIEL BERMAN offers some much-needed improvements, namely, more parking and increased accessibility.

The Rainier Beach site has a few dozen dedicated parking spots in a lot fenced in from Rainier Avenue South, so patients won’t need to find street parking as in White Center.

Patients using wheelchairs, canes or walkerswill find the new space has wider corridors and multiple vending sections, so it is easier to maneuver between booths without getting lost

in the crowd. However, that is only one of the highlights of this useful second location.

Patients can pull up a stool at the Galaxy Dab Station, where $5 enables access to a range of butane hash oils. The dab station is nice, attendant Keith Winston said, because patients “don’t have to deal with the torches, they can just sit back, tell us about their day and we can handle the rest.

A timer is turned to two minutes after a patient takes a dab, Winston

said, so they don’t become lightheaded and can relax for a moment. But though the White Center location has convenient access to a smoking lounge, only vaporizing and dabbing at the station are allowed in Rainier Beach -- joints, bowls — anything donated for at the market — will have to be tucked away for later.

Of course, there remains plenty to do and see. Past the nicely appointed lobby, where friendly receptionists take your paperwork and verify your authorization, the main vending corridor reveals 10 vendors with professional looking booths (with dividing walls), glass display cases and the usual inventory found in most storefront access points.

Near the front door, two juice machines bubbled with apple cider and strawberry granitas at the People’s Champz Medicated Edibles booth.

The tasty and refreshing, potent

elixirs were available in a 16-ounce glass for an $8 donation, but among their $25 eighths across the board, the dense and crystal-covered Purple Arrow was a popular flower choice, manager LeNard Jones said.

Across the room, Grassroots Seattle’s booth had a bud microscope connected to a 42-inch TV so patients could examine their medicine – way – up – close. At the other end of the main hall, BluBird Collective showcased $8 cake pops in an array of colors, but only one flavor: white cake batter made with a gram of hash.

B

eyond the ATM and the site’s single bathroom is another vending corridor. Here, patients will find another 10 vendors. These tables have a decidedly independent feeling, but patients will find that they offer many strains of high quality Cannabis and are more willing to cut a deal

Nearby, the AWSM booth was such as a free joint or edible with lit up with purple and blue LED your first donation. lights that gave the jars of beauAt the NW Buddha Gardens tiful Cannabis a Hollywood apbooth, large jars of tangy Afghoey pearance. and Sour Diesel were under the Walking a little farther reveals watchful eyes of Mushu, the Pothe dabbing station, a stage for the meranian sitting beside her owner, market’s monthly Bueno. “We call her music and stand-up the Roll dog,” Bueno “This is going to comedy events, yet said, “cause she rolls give more people even more vendors, with us everywhere.” more opportunities and tables covered Noel Bracelin with a bevy of loof Enjoy Wellness to connect with cally produced glass. said she was so busy vendors. Overall, As with every getting set up that we’re off to a remarket, Cannabis or morning that she ally good start.” otherwise, getting to forgot to write her know the vendors is name on her white- OWNER MICHAEL KEYSOR key. For those near board sign perched Seattle, the markets are an opporabove her table. She said not to tunity to explore a tantalizing seforget her hard candy chocolate lection of medicine in an environheart bites. The clear package of ment that improves on a model three hearts ($7 donation) was already helping so many patients. decorated with the Seattle skyline.

More open space means patients using wheelchairs have an easier time manuevering in Rainier Beach, but White Center remains ADA-compliant as well.

MEDICATING ON-SITE Patients can smoke and relax on a couch at White Center location’s smoking lounge. Rainier Beach offers a BHO dab station for $5, but otherwise patients can only vaporize while on the premises.

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INTERVIEW BY ANTHONY MARTINELLI, CO-FOUNDER THEJOINTBLOG.COM

Q

&A

A lot has changed from the last legislative session to the current one, including the passage of Initiative 502. Do you feel a shift of energy when it comes to Cannabis law reform, or is it business as usual?

Many legislators got the message sent by the voters with I-502 loud and clear. For a long time, legislators have viewed Cannabis reform as an issue that would make them look soft on crime, and now there is much more interest in looking at how we can make Cannabis law (I-502 and otherwise) work better for the people of our state.

You recently filed House Bill 1661, which relates to clearing people of past marijuana misdemeanors. Can you explain this bill a little, and why you feel it’s so important?

HB 1661 would allow people with a marijuana misdemeanor (possession of 40 grams or less) to go to court and have their records cleared.

Thanks to I-502, possession of an ounce of pot (28 grams) is no longer a crime in Washington, but there are still thousands of people in Washington who have a possession conviction on their records, which can be a big problem when applying for a job, housing, or higher education.

I had the idea for this bill when many county prosecutors, including in King and Pierce counties, dropped all pending marijuana possession charges. I thought that was a great start, but wondered about all the people from decades and decades of prohibition who still had a conviction on their records, and wondered

24/MAR. 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

Elected at age 24 , rep. joe Fitzgibbon (D-34) wants to be washington’s Cannabis law reformer.

He filed House Bill 1661, which would toss misdemeanor charges of marijuana possession from the records of anyone ever targeted in this state. That could be thousands of people. what it would take to give them a fresh start. I’m very optimistic that we will be able to move this legislation forward this year.

This legislation garnered 20 additional sponsors including a few Republicans. Was this a challenge, or a move you’ve found our elected officials are ready for?

Most of the legislators I discussed this with were eager to sign on. In fact, the most common response I got was, ‘This should have been in the initiative’ ” I assume the initiative sponsors didn’t want to overreach, so this is an opportunity for the Legislature to demonstrate that we heard voters loud and clear on the issue of Cannabis prohibition.

Initiative 502 has passed, regulations for retail sales are in the works, and medical Cannabis patients continue to fight for protections. It’s a tough question, but what do you see the environment looking like here in Washington in 5 years, as it relates to our Cannabis policies?

The future is still very unclear both for medical and recreational Cannabis, because of the prospect of federal intervention, the Liquor Control Board’s ongoing work to enact rules to implement I-502, and the questions around how the Legislature may amend medical Cannabis provisions.

In general I expect to see the medical and recreational markets look more like one another than they currently do.

What helped form your view that we need to legalize Cannabis, and put behind us the travesty of its prohibition?

It’s always been clear to me, and to most in my generation, that the problems associated with Cannabis use are less in scale than those associate with legal substances such as alcohol and tobacco.

Prohibition of Cannabis drives the Cannabis trade underground to the black market, causes drug-related violence, results in serious environmental harm, and ruins millions of lives. Our state & nation will be better off when Cannabis is dealt with in a well-regulated legal market.

What inspired you to become a lawmaker?

I chose to run for the Legislature because I felt there was a need for a Legislature that was more representative of all the people of our state, including young people.

It hadn’t seemed to me that the Legislature was taking enough of a long-term view of the problems facing the future of our state, such as environmental problems.

Given that you’re one of the younger elected officials in Washington’s history, do you ever feel that other lawmakers treat you differently based on your age?

Yes, there are some legislators that have a hard time giving the same respect to someone much younger than them than they would give to

someone their own age.

I have found that by working hard, developing good relationships, and knowing the issues you work on, most legislators quickly move on from their first impressions.

I was elected at age 24, and luckily there have been many other legislators younger than that over the course of our state’s history, and since I was elected in 2010, several other qualified young people have been elected to the Legislature.

Do you ever get frustrated jumping through the legal hoops involved with being a State Representative?

Every legislative session is frustrating, because there are so many points in the process that a good idea can get killed.

But at the end of the day if we are able to achieve something positive for our constituents, it is worth it.

Any other Cannabis reform legislation that you’re involved with this session?

The only Cannabis-related bill I am working on this year is HB 1661, though there are many other ideas that other legislators are working on, such as amendments to I-502 dealing with the taxation regime for Cannabis, and ongoing discussions about how to improve the medical Cannabis law.

read house bill 1661 www.tinyurl.com/hb1661

profile

Sam CAN control his entire product line from start to finish By MAKING MOST OF THE INGREDIENTS, including the medicinal strains, AND LOCALLY SOURCING THE REST.

Product rep Leslie McKenzie, with founder Sam Konovalov, 22.

S

am Konovalov’s grandmother began using Cannabis topically to treat her arthritis in the 1990’s, perfecting a method and recipe as a family heirloom for future generations.

Sam’s introduction to her medicine was at the age of 15, when many students are being filled with Drug War propaganda. She taught her grandson the process of making her signature salves, and Sam quickly learned that the medicine was helping her.

“I was learning about how she used Cannabis to treat her condition and learning about natural remedies at the same time,” Sam explained. “She made it very clear that this was her medicine.”

The lessons had a major effect on Sam’s life, as did a serious car accident a year later.

He was left in severe pain and has since developed a degenerative disc disorder and

26/MAR. 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

Apply directly where it hurts SATIVA VALLEY TOPICALS uses a variety of in-house strains to create powerful lotions, balms, soaps, salts & body washes.

BY WES ABNEY | PHOTOS BY DANIEL BERMAN

suffers from seizures. When the time came to choose opiates or Cannabis, Sam chose the latter.

“To find relief [from pain] without feeling the opiate sensation ... was huge. To not be detached, nauseated, constipated and grumpy was priceless,” Sam said. “I treated my symptoms with Cannabis, and then went on to become a provider for another patient and started growing. When I turned 18, I became a legal patient.”

His grandmother went on to teach him the art of Cannabis cultivation, but the lessons went beyond growing meds. His family’s 3-acre property has vegetables, chickens and cows, and provides eggs and other homegrown items to local restaurants.

They have even developed a full hydro greenhouse for their vegetables.

“My grandmother has always grown

Cannabis. She is a small lady with these giant plants,” he said laughingly. “Some of them are taller than me!”

This natural education led Sam to share the salve with other patients, and from that, Sativa Valley was born. It has developed during the past four years into a full medicated product line separated into three categories: Bath, body and pain management.

“Every one of these products you would buy anyway,” said Leslie McKenzie, a representative for Sativa Valley. “It’s like a two–for-one deal. Patients are looking for products where they don’t have to buy other products.”

The concept that any of their products is attractive even without the medicine is what makes them so special. All the ingredients are locally cultivated. Even the water used in the process is distilled

by Sam on his property By tracking all the ingredients, including the medicinal strains, Sam is able to control his entire product line from conception to finish.

“We manage our entire product line ...

Even the essential oils and extracts are grown and produced on our property,” he explained. “We grow a variety of high CBD strains and several high THC sativas, making for a nice balance depending on the product we are making.”

For the topical lotions, the blend is often made with Hawaiian sativa and AK-

48. The strains have a high terpenoid content, producing a nice, but lighter, medicated feeling.

f

or deep pain and migraines, the high CBD strains come into play. The mix of Harlequin, Omerita, Catatonic and Purple Kush make the pain line a heavier dosage. Sam even carries a high-CBD tincture, in a variety of flavors, and a version heavy on the THC. The Vanilla THC tincture is absolutely delicious, and makes for a perfect coffee additive. From the body line, he carries a variety of new scents, but it’s the natural that really stands out.

It has a deep green color and odor that makes the presence of medicine undeniable, and it is perfect for traditional topical medication.

The CBD-rich Migraine cream is effective, and does wonders for a headache when applied to the frontal lobes.

“Your skin is your biggest organ, so you might as well treat it!” Sam says with a quick laugh, pausing to rub a pain salve roll-on to his lower back. “It should be as natural as brushing your teeth.”

sativa valley For a list of their products or to inquire about wholesale, visit facebook.com/sativavalley

MAR. 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

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access

HOW SPOKANE

REBUILT the MEDICAL MARIJUANA COMMUNITY AND really started

helping patients

BY WES ABNEY | PHOTOS BY DANIEL BERMAN

L

IKE A PHOENIX, Spokaneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s medical marijuana

community is thriving after being denied access to medicine for almost two years. But for Spokane to

reemerge as a beacon of compassion and safe access in

the Inland Empire, it must rebuild and learn from its mistakes.

An estimated 10,000-plus patients in the city limits rely on

Cannabis as medicine, making it necessary for them to have safer

access. But it has to be done right. Access point providers must be stronger and smarter than they were when the air went out of the once booming market a couple of years ago. They must work to

ensure the best practices are followed so that a strong community of medical patients can form.

Fortunately, new providers are emerging in Spokane with a

singular goal in mind: Building just such a community.

CONTINUED NEXT PAGE

30/MAR. 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

NORTHSIDE ALTERNATIVE WELLNESS Co-owners Lance and Jenn Lorz, and business partner Jeff (name withheld), operate one of the nine collectives now open in Spokane. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We want to be treated like legitimate businesses, Lance said.

access

rebuilding sPOKANE | CONTINUED FROM PG. 31

AN early MMJ boom Spokane was incorporated as a city in 1881, and has since grown to a population of nearly 473,761 people, according to the 2011 census. It has a small town feel, with a thriving small business community.

Driving through the streets of Spokane is challenging. Unexpected one-way streets crop up constantly, making focused navigation a requirement. Looking through the streets, the evidence of the recession is evident, but in different ways than in Seattle.

Empty storefronts, such as Comp USA, that have been dormant for years pepper the area, but small businesses are slowly filling the void left by the corporations.

One small business that has returned to Spokane is the Cannabis access point. But their decline wasn’t based on economics. It was politics.

By early 2011, an estimated 50 access points were within the city limits of Spokane, making it the second most densely populated dispensary-to-population area at the time. The only place with more access per capita was Oakland, California.

T

he problem that emerged with the overnight boom in access was a complete lack of regulation on the city’s part, and a general lack of common sense by many access point owners. The examples were numerous and flagrant. Citizens of Spokane were suddenly inundated with marijuana ads and billboards.

On Thursday, April 29, 2011, Drug Enforcement Agency agents raided several access points, claiming numerous violations of federal law. “More than one of the locations are next to grade schools and schools,” said Tom Rice, spokesman for the Eastern Washington U.S. Attorney’s Office. “Under federal law, it’s more egregious, the penalty is greater if you’re distributing drugs in a school zone.”

Indeed, one access point was fewer than 300 feet from a grade school and had a fullsize billboard complete with a pot leaf directly above the storefront. The brazen and stupid actions undoubtedly contributed to the federal intervention.

32/MAR. 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

By reaching out into the community, access points are able to network and present a collective front to the city.

For Sean Green of Pacific Northwest Medical, the chance to open in Spokane has been a long time coming.

In 2011, Green had bought a property, built a structure and prepared a collective to open storefront doors.

But three days before his grand opening, the raids hit, he said. Plans were Spokane patient Ken Rhone, with his Cannabis immediately postponed and he managed to cut his losses on the property.

Ultimately, it wasn’t worth opening during that time of instability.

“The city is great. I love this city,” said Green, a Spokane native who raises his family there while operating an access point in Seattle, too.

“People might think it’s a nothing town over here, but it isn’t nothing to the people who live here and travel here.”

But even with dispensaries gone, Spokane didn’t change much.

“It’s not like Spokane stopped smoking weed,” Green said. “Drug dealers didn’t stop. Their business got better!”

Patient Ken Rhone of Spokane echoed that idea, and shared how he was forced back into the black market.

“I’ve pretty much been relying on the streets,” Rhone said. “It switched so quick, and there was no choice. I went from getting meds at a storeHe became a patient one year ago, and has lived in front to meeting downtown, sometimes in an alley Spokane for a decade. Now a regular at the collective, or car.”

Krus is no longer feeling like a second-class citizen.

Now that access points are returning, his abili“It’s nice,” he said. “I feel like I have a safe place to get ty to find medicine for his condition has improved medicine. And I’m not ashamed! For us sick enough to considerably. need these meds, we shouldn’t have to feel ashamed.”

“I’m pleased as can be,” Rhone said. “Very Spokane access points draw far beyond the city pleased to see them back open. Now I can go to limits. Patients come from around the region to find a place where people know about the medicine, a safe access, often driving more than 100 miles to get place where I can be safe. To have a selection again medicine, Green said. is wonderful. I can find the right meds again, and It’s a phenomenon only seen with medical marijuaknow that they haven’t been tampered with and na. For pharmaceutical access, pharmacies are abunare the correct amount.” dant, and often near schools and playgrounds. Sometimes, there’s drive-through access to opiates. n the streets, patients risk life and Yet the alternative medicine is pushed to the fringe, freedom each time they buy medicine and almost out of existence. from a drug dealer. Often, the best“It’s half the state coming here. Patients from Yacase scenario is subpar Cannabis at a kima, Tri-Cities, Pasco, Ellensburg ...” Green said, his premium price. A night in jail is also not out of voice trailing off. Green said that their patient base is the realm of possibility. beyond just Spokane.

“It’s not a good feeling to have nobody there to “Spokane is the place for the patient in the middle. help or guide you,” patient Craig Krus said.

Anyone across the mountains has an easier drive com“You’d pay to get authorized and had nowhere ing here than going over the pass and into Seattle.” to go. I’m glad places like PNW Medical are here.”

I’m Very pleased to see them back open. Now I can go to a place where people know about the medicine, a place where I can be safe.

It’s not like Spokane stopped smoking weed.

Drug dealers didn’t stop.

Their business got better!

Pacific NW Medical Owner Sean Green Even for residents and patients in Cannabisfriendly areas such as Seattle, which is chockfull of access points, the idea of billboards by schools does not go over well. While Seattle took a similar approach to Spokane by letting the industry regulate itself, operators have been careful about how they set up storefronts.

In Seattle, the model has worked well, with minimal intervention by law enforcement.

But the mistakes made in Spokane made law enforcement intervention inevitable, and the result was the closure of essentially every access point in the city.

For almost two years, the patients of the city were forced back into the black market to buy medicine, risking arrest and unhealthful products to find relief. But now, thousands of patients in and around Spokane are once again getting access to medical marijuana.

An employee at Pacific NW Medical checks on the clones.

a new, different path During the past several months, almost a dozen storefront access points have opened – quietly – across the city.

Most are small and don’t have signs marking their presence. They are tucked away into the different corners without making a big scene. Each has its own feel and format for serving patients, but they all seem to have at least one thing in common: The owners all know one another.

In Seattle, it is common for access point owners not to interact with other owners, or only with a select few of personal choosing. But here the vibe is different, with new access points calling each other asking for help, advice and often just to say hello.

“When a new shop opens up, I like to call and ask if they need any help,” said Paul L., owner of The Herbal Connection.

“It’s a little weird at first when they ask why we want to help. The only thing that is in it for us is to make sure everybody has what they need to help patients and are operating correctly.”

O

CONTINUED NEXT PAGE

MAR. 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

/33

access

rebuilding sPOKANE | CONTINUED FROM PG. 33

The Herbal Connection Owner Paul L., who said he calls new collectives to ask how he can help.

Rebuilding the image SAM’s Collective on Thor Street is barely noticeable, perched on another one-way street with a small sign in the parking area.

It looks as though it might have been a hair studio at one point or an idle attorney’s office. Most recently it was a collective that fell during the 2011 sweep — sitting vacant until Scott Fox decided to open the collective.

Fox worked with a different access point in 2011, but had known of the location he now occupies. His shop still gets letters twice a month from the state Department of Revenue demanding back taxes from the old collective. Unlike the previous tenants, SAM’s is running as a nonprofit and paying taxes to the state. Medicine is capped at $10 per gram.

34/MAR. 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

we lost it all in 2011.

We want things to be different this time.

SAMʼs Collective Owner Scott Fox

“We wanted to contribute to the community, to connect and be a part of it. We also want to be as legal as possible while still serving the patients.

That’s why sales tax is included,” Fox said.

“We lost it all back in 2011. We want things to be different this time.”

Fox watched the patients lose access overnight, and tried running a delivery service at first. But with uncertainty surrounding medical marijuana, it was difficult to provide for patients.

“It went from, ‘Can I see your selection’ to ‘What do ya got?’ That was very tough, especially for the extremely ill and terminal patients,” Fox explained. “Plus we were living in fear, scared for our families and for our employees.”

Now that the environment has changed, Fox is happy to be back to work.

“If we improve someone’s day ... if they sim-

ply feel better from this medicine, lightens the load of their illness, then it is all worth it,” he said.

A

cross town, three partners are fighting for the same cause with Northside Alternative Wellness Center. It is being renovated to add a second open bud room, while they continue serving patients out of the first room.

Their lobby is brightly lit and feels like stepping into a Seattle shop. Once verified, patients are invited through a hallway and helped in a private bud room.

The room is a MMJ oasis, with every product a patient could imagine. Above all, the owners are excited about the new possibilities the city is offering.

“We are glad Spokane is looking at regulating and protecting access points,” said Lance Lorz, who owns the business with wife, Jenn, and business partner, Jeff.

Lance said they are encouraged by the political cli-

The only thing in it for us is to make sure everybody has what they need to help patients and operate correctly.

mate, but it isn’t 100 percent.

“We want to be treated like any legitimate businesses,” he said, during a brief lull at the shop. Their confidence is showing in the remodeling work: they are reinvesting everything into what they hope will be a long-term business.

They say they feel good about what they’re doing, and are determined to stand up for patient rights.

“We are excited,” Jenn Lorz said.

“The return of access! ... we love it.”

MAR. 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

/35

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health & science

BY WARREN CARTER FOR NORTHWEST LEAF

T h e H e a lt h

bubble  hash

&Safety

of

concentrates e v a l u at i n g B u b b l e H a s h , B u ta n e H a s h O i l , I S O O i l , R i c k S i m p s o n O i l a n d L i q u i d C O 2 O i l

T

he evolution of Cannabis concentrates from traditional brick-style hashish to solvent-extracted honey oil has paved the way for an array of products that are as variable in consistency as they are in potency. Isolation of nonpolar resins, or cannabinoids, is a booming trend among medical marijuana patients.

As more MMJ patients browse the shelves of concentrates inside dispensaries, how will they know products they choose will be safe, nontoxic and properly purged of solvents? Well, they canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t.

Currently, no health safety guidelines regulate how Cannabis extracts are produced, packaged and consumed. The few privately owned Cannabis testing companies in the Seattle area can screen for

mold, bacteria and relative potency. However, the scope of their analysis falls short of identifying potentially harmful solvents.

Although no one with Department of Health credentials has inspected or approved any hash oil products as nontoxic and safe for human consumption, that doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mean that occasional dabbing is unhealthful.

So how does one go about selecting safe and effective concentrates? The current lack of restrictions forces patients to depend on hash vendors and dispensary budtenders for information on what theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re consuming.

But if patients are educated about which extractions produce the safest nontoxic products, they will lower the risk of suffering lung damage or contracting a disease.

According to medical studies chronicled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hydrocarbons are toxic to many of the bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s organ systems in high doses, and inhaling hydrocarbon solvents, oils and resins can lead to rapid lung damage, including inflammation, swelling, bleeding and aspiration.

Hydrocarbon pneumonia can set in, which can cause aspiratory symptoms that require an emergency room visit. Smoking large quantities of hash oil, even if purged, can still cause aspiration, but usually nothing to sweat if used in moderation.

S y m p t o m s o f a s p i r at i o n

bluish  skin  discoloration,  chest  pain,  cough Â

 bloody  sputum,  fatigue,  fever,  shortness  of  breath,   wheezing,  excessive  sweating  &

38/MAR. 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

THIS FAVORITE *! /# /- $/$*) ' +0-$./ .(*& - $. +-* 0 4 ( # )$ ''4 . + - /$)" )) $)*$ -$ # /-$ #*( . !-*( +' )/ ( / -$ ' 0.$)" $ 2 / - ) 1 -$ /4 *! . - ) 6'/ -. The resulting hash is # - / -$5 4 $/. .'*2 0 '$)" ) ( '/$)" # 1$*- /# / +-* 0 . +*/ )/ *0,0 / *! 7 1*-!0' .(*& *2 (0 # /# # .# ( '/. *2) $. +-$) $+ ' $) $ /*- *! +0-$/4 ) ) - )" !-*( /# +0- ./ !0''4 ( '/$)" +'$ ' # .# '' !0'' ( '/ /* -0( '4 -4 +-* 0 / /# / 0-). ' 1$)" - .$ 0 '' -4 0 ' 0 ' # .# $. )*) # ($ ' ( ). *! 3/- /$*) 2$/# )* &)*2) /*3$ $/4 0'' ( '/ $. /# *)'4 ' /4+ *! 0 ' # .# 0/ '' */# -. 0-) )$ '4 *) /*+ *! *2' *- $) # .# +$+

isopropyl  ANOTHER *) )/- / " $)$)" +*+0' -$/4 (*)" + /$ )/. $. #$.

3/- /$*) ( /#* 0. . $.*+-*+4' ' *#*' /* 2 .# .. )/$ ' )) $)*$ . *!! /# +' )/ ( / -$ ' # ' *#*' $. /# ) 1 +*- / ' 1$)" the oil behind.

'/#*0"# $.*+-*+ )*' $. 7 (( ' $/. (*' 0' - /- $/. ( & $/ . ! - /* 2*-& 2$/# ) - ' /$1 '4 .4 /* +0-" $($' - /* /# /*3$ $/4 *! /# )*' 2#$ # $. /# /4+ !*0) $) ' *#*'$ 1 - " . $.*+-*+ )*' ) # 1 )/- ' ) -1*0. .4./ ( +- ..$*) !! /. / #$"# *) )/- /$*). *- *. . 0/ /*3$ ' 1 '. - ) 1 - +- . )/ $) *$' /# / . ) +0-" !*- (*- /# ) #*0-. *( . $) 1 -$ /4 *! !*-(. 0/ $/ . 0.0 ''4 -& *$' /# / . !*0) ) /'4 + & " $)/* *- ' .4-$)" . *( !*-(. *! - $ ' ) ) *- 0. *) ) *$' +$ *$'. - - " - . a relatively safe and effective medication within the MMJ community.

liquid  CO 2 HIGHLY SAFE !*- $)" /#$. .2 / ( - *$' $. . //$)" ) 2 ./ ) - !*- *) )/- / . $,0$ 3/- /$*). - 3/- ( '4 $!6 0'/ /* + -!*-( 0 /* /# #$"# .0+ - -$/$ ' +- ..0- ) !*- /* 0) -"* +# . # )" $)/* '$,0$ - ..0-$5 .0 ( -" . /# # ( -

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*((*)'4 + & " $) *- ' .4-$)" . ) *)'4 1 $' ' / ! 2 .. +*$)/. /#$. $ 4''$ *) )/- / $. .$- 4 /# (*./ 3+ -$ ) *$' 6 $*) *. !*- $/. ,0 '$/4 *).$./ ) 4 ) +0-$/4 $,0$ 3/- /$*) ($"#/ %0./ /# $))*1 /$*) /* .+ -# /# !0/0- *! ,0 '$/4 controlled Cannabis concentrates.

butane  hash  oil BHO IS CONSIDERED one of the most )" -*0. 3/- /$*). /* + -!*-( 0/ $/. +*+0' -$/4 $. - 1*'0/$*)$5$)" /# 2*-' *! *) )/- / . *)+*' - 1*' /$' molecules such as butane will selectively ($3 2$/# */# - )*)+*' - (*' 0' . .0 # . )) $)*$ . ) . + - / /# ( !-*( +*' - .0 ./ ) .

0 . /-$(($)". *- 1 ) 0 ' # .# $. /$"#/'4 + & $)/* /0 . ) /# ) 0/ ) $. .#*/ /#-*0"# ) ) *$'4 ($3/0- *)/ $)$)" (*./'4 )) $)*$ . .+- 4. *0/ /# ) $) *! '$& 0 6'' +$+ *( /# / .+- 4. /- $' *! !0 ' # .# $)/* + ) /- 4 *- ($--*- # $(( $ / '4 1 +*- /$)" 0/ ) - / . ) $)1$.$ ' ./- ( *! 7 (( ' !0 ' $) /# $- 2#$ # ) $")$/ 2$/# /# .'$"#/ ./ .+ -& / . ) 3/- ( '4 )" -*0. +-* ..

0-"$)" /# ($3/0- *! 0/ ) /* " / /# +0- # .# +-* 0 / $. +-* .. /# / .#*0' *)'4 // (+/ 4 3+ -

rienced oil makers. It can result in either ./$ &4 *$' 2 3 '$& *- .# // - 6)$.# +-* 0 / -4 2#$ # $. )*/ ./$ &4 /* /# /*0 # $. 0.0 ''4 +0-" /* )/$- /4 (+-*+ -'4 +0-" *$' 2$'' # 1 /$)4 1$.ible bubbles of butane and be tacky to /# /*0 # *2 1 - */# - +' )/ ( // - $(+0-$/$ . 0. .$($' - # - / -$./$ . $3 055 *0/ /# )" -. *! 0/ ) $)# ' /$*) 6''. /# ) . ) 0/ .*( /$( . / '& $.) / & 2$/# (+$-$ ' ! /. !-*( - '$ ' .*0- . #$)" /*3$ 0/ ) ' 1 '. $) #0( ). $. ! $-'4 $!6 0'/ /* #$ 1 0)' ..

4*0 #0!! $/ $- /'4 *) -) + /$ )/. should watch for signs of acute butane 3+*.0- 2#$ # /#

. -$ . . /# +- ..$*) *! /# )/- ' ) -1*0. .4./ ( ' $)" /* -*2.$) .. ) '$"#/ headedness. Fresh air is recommended !*- /- /( )/ 0/ #-*)$ 3+*.0- ) - .0'/ $) $--$/ $'$/4 # ''0 $) /$*). .* $ ' 2$/# - 2 ' ) .+#43$ /$*)

rick  simpson  oil NAMED !/ - $/. ) $ ) *-$"$) /*- $ & $(+.*) *$' '.* &)*2) . #* )$3 -. # . +-*1 /* *) *! /# ./-*)gest and most effective medicinal con )/- / . (+'*4$)" *) +/. .$($' - /* /# */# - .*'1 )/ 3/- /$*). . ' /$1 '4 ./-$+. *!! '(*./ '' /# +' )/ - .$). *2 1 - 0-$)" /# # / +0-"$)" +-* .. '' /# *( . /$1 / - ' .$)" $/. !0'' ( $ $) ' +*/ )/$ ' # /#$ & 0.0 ''4 "- ) # .# "- . ) .* - /* (*- /# ) + - )/ /$1 / )) $)*$ . 0/ $! $/ $.) / *)

+-*+ -'4 /# +-* 0 / 2$'' ./$'' *)/ $) .$")$6 )/ (*0)/. *! .*'1 )/ $. 70$ / -**( / (+ - /0- ) .( ''. .*( 2# / *! + $)/ /#$)) - from solvent residue. # #$"# )5 ) *)/ )/ *! ) +#/# +*. . /#- / /* - $*1 . 0' - - .+$- /*-4 ) )/- ' ) -1*0. .4./ (. 0/ $! /# $. )/$- '4 +0-" *-- /'4 '$//' /* )* /*3$ /#- / 3$./. ) $/ ) 1 ) # 1 - ' ) 6 $ ' $(+ / $. 0.0 ''4 / & ) *- ''4 0/ $/ ) '.* *- .(*& *) /*+ *! 0

*your mileage may vary. use appropriate caution with any concentrate*

MAR. 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

/39

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WANT THE TEST RESULTS? VISIT NWLEAF.COM AFTER MARCH 1ST TO SEE HOW IT TESTED SEE THE BEAUTIFUL DRIED FLOWER!

mexican SUNrise

STRAIN OF THE MONTH

NORTHWEST LEAF

T

HE PERFECT WAY to start a day is with a bowl of Mexican Sunrise. When cured, the sultry Sativa flowers take on a light green coloring coated in frosty crystals. The nugs smell like agave and honey, and a light hint of sandalwood. This comes from the proprietary organic method used to develop this unique strain.

The entire process starts with sand. Not just any sand, but sand from local Northwest beaches. The sand is then mixed in with tequila, honey, agave and a few other special ingredients that only the grower knows. The blend was perfected in Mexico where growing in sand wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a choice, it was a necessity. By bringing the method here and mixing indoor growing conditions with the old school soil mix, a top shelf flower is ready for patients.

After smoking this flower, two things are immediately evident. It is organic and extremely clean, and truly tastes like tequila. It is also sweet, with honey and a fuzzy green taste, but the presence of high quality tequila/agave is noticeable. So is the high. Instead of hitting the frontal lobes like most Sativas, this strain activates the very center of the brain.

The head high is dizzyingly strong, creeping from the center of the brain right down the spine. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s energetic, but also satisfying in the body department. This is an awesome strain for daytime use, or for enjoying in early evening.

access

T

Testing cannabis

he testing of Cannabis has existed for a short time, especially relative to the thousands of years in which Cannabis has played a role in human medicine and tradition. It wasn’t until the early 2000s that the idea of potency testing for Cannabis flowers became popular.

Before then, pot was simply pot. Patients in the early years were forced to buy whatever their local connection had, with choice or variety rarely an option.

But as medical marijuana slowly emerged, high-quality Cannabis began flowing more freely into the hands of scientists and patients alike. By the end of 2010, having a high THC percentage from a test was a major mark of quality.

Fast forward to 2013. Testing companies have spread across the states that have medical marijuana statutes. Even in Washington there are almost a half dozen.

The companies all have different methods, mindsets and highly calibrated machines but a similar mission: figuring out what is really inside your Cannabis.

Start of a Movement

How potent, really, is that Cannabis?

Does it have powdery mildew or mites?

Is it free of metals and growing chemicals?

It’s up the folks at Analytical 360 to know.

A

big reason people first started testing Cannabis was to determine potency.

THC percentages above 20 percent are considered to be excellent quality, and knowing the amount of THC in a flower or concentrate gives an accurate measure for effects and pricing.

Some old-school folks are either scared of or threatened by testing their Cannabis.

Attitudes are changing quickly though, and a newer generation of growers and access point owners are emerging that have a desire to conquer the unknown, and to prove that their medicine is the best. But the testing has far-reaching implications beyond simply grading medicine. It provides protection for consumers, and ensures safe practices by access points providing medicine to sick patients.

In the world of agriculture, most food is

BY WES ABNEY | PHOTO BY DANIEL BERMAN

Cannabis samples are ground to a fine powder before testing solutions are added as part of the initial first steps of Analytical 360ʼs method.

46/MAR. 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

Chief Operating Officer Ed Stremlow

tested for molds and the presence of pesticides before being sent into homes.

The same should be said of Cannabis.

Microbial testing allows for a medicine to be graded for use either medically or recreationally, or can show that a crop is not safe for human consumption. Common molds tested for include Alternaria, Aspergillus, Botrytis, Cladosporium, Penicillium and yeast.

All these microorganisms can have negative effects for patients, especially those with compromised or weak immune systems. Of them all, Aspergillus (black mold) is the most dangerous. But even with potentially deadly side-effects, more than 60 of the strains of Aspergillus are considered medically useful in some cases.

It’s this type of uncertainty that makes testing a must for medical Cannabis.

CONTINUED NEXT PAGE

MAR. 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

/47

access

TESTING CANNABIS | CONTINUED FROM PG. 47

The Scientific Method

1 V i s u a l a n a ly s i s

4 Mortar sample NUG

Testing is an extensive, complicated procedure, but ensures patients know exactly what’s in their medicine.

2 Record photos

5 Cannabinoid extraction

3 Record weight

6 Homogenize sample on Vortex

Building an Independent Lab

O

n a sleepy section of Stone Avenue in Seattle’s Wallingford neighborhood is a small office that has been converted into a Cannabis laboratory. Samples flow in daily from access points and growers across the state, all looking to learn what their Cannabis tests at.

For the five founders of Analytical 360, testing Cannabis has become a passion as much as a job.

“It’s not just about testing strains to say whether one is good or bad,” said Ed Stremlow, chief operating officer of Analytical 360. “It’s producing results for patients to make an informed decision about their medicine.”

The founders started planning in 2010, working out of home offices to put the idea to work. Each person plays a different role within the company, making for a balanced partnership. There’s Ran-

48/MAR. 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

The difference between a 10 mg THC sample and a 100 mg THC sample can make or ruin a patient’s day, or their dosage cycle. Depending on patient needs, you can choose a strain and a dosage.

dall Oliver and Laura Taubner, the two chief scientists who developed the method for testing.

John Brown is the IT wiz behind the website, and Brenton Dawber and Stremlow both serve as management.

“We all feel we need each other, but you have growing pains. Besides being friends we’ve had to learn how to work with each other,” Dawber explained. “We try to use everyone’s skills.”

The process began when the company found their storefront location, a necessity to even apply for a lab license. Then the machines came in: two high-pressure liquid chromatography devices. The testing isn’t as simple as taking Cannabis and letting the machine do the work. Months of calibration and practice tests were needed to develop what is known as a “method” for various

forms of Cannabis.

“We started with a peer-reviewed method for basic Cannabis testing and had to develop from there our own specialized method,” Stremlow said.

“We keep the two machines running to test them against each other. One with the peer-reviewed method and one with the new process.”

By checking one sample against the other, the scientists are able to ensure that results are accurate. This accuracy and constant double checking has allowed for enhanced testing methods for medibles, concentrates and new Cannabinoids.

Also in the works is solvency testing for concentrates. It should be available starting in April, taking a major step forward in ensuring safety for patients.

“With edibles and concentrates, it is critical to

7 F i lt e r e x t r a c t i o n test,” Stremlow said. “The difference between a 10 mg THC sample and a 100 mg THC sample can make or ruin a patient’s day, or their dosage cycle. Depending on patient needs, you can choose a strain and a dosage. You can’t do that without testing.”

All this is why potency testing is so important for patient safety, and for access points to fully inform patients about their medicine.

“Potency testing is important for many reasons,” Stremlow said.

“Patients need to know what their medicine potency is, and it is very important for cultivators and access point owners to choose their medicine.

It also helps access points reduce liability with truth in packaging.”

M

ost patients have had instances when they donated for a medible at a collective simply based off packaging. Sometimes products promise amazing potency but don’t live up to the claims in the end.

Patients might be upset because a certain product didn’t medicate him enough. But when the opposite happens -- when a patient buys a medible that isn’t labeled and he overmedicates -- negative effects can happen.

Patients have ended up in the hospital from symptoms of heavy THC dosing, and can experience six to 12 hours of panic attacks and nausea.

With the extreme potency offered by medibles for those who need larger doses, it is critical that patients know what they are ingesting.

Testing is also a vital tool for growers of all levels. By testing methods of growing or phenotypes, a grower can scientifically choose the most potent

8 preparing the dilution for hplc strains or those with specific desirable characteristics. It can also make a grower aware of any mold, and stop major problems from happening. By understanding the science behind a PH change or new nutrients, a grower can dial in his garden to produce the finest medical Cannabis.

As Washington now faces the potential of having two Cannabis industries -- medical and recreational -- it is more important than ever that the medical industry shine with best practices and quality products.

“I believe we are in a position to make medical look better than recreational,” Stremlow said. “I think we need both, but true testing will show that recreational products do not meet the standard of quality needed to meet patient needs.”

As I-502’s hold on Washington deepens, testing could be a coup de gras for those forces who want to see medical Cannabis ended.

“For medical Cannabis standards, as strict as they are and should be, they should be followed.

For a cancer patient or a daily user … they should not be smoking moldy pot or impure BHO,” Stremlow said. “Looking at the acceptable levels for recreational ... patients don’t need that.”

Open Secrets “We get hits from all over the world,” Stremlow said. “All over America. The world is watching these test results, waiting to see what happens.”

Analytical 360 posts every test its ever run on its website. The good, the bad and the ugly. Their transparency illustrates the independent nature of a third-party service. Each test result is given a

9 samples wait in Queue for HPLC

10 Chromatograph quantification double-sided card with results printed for the grower or access point to display with the meds. All these factors encourage the results to be shared, not hidden, because the Cannabis might not be perfect.

“Besides the testing, displaying the data correctly is huge for us,” Dawber said. “The website is vital to this whole project.”

With 4,000 tests under its belt in twelve months, the company has considerable data to sift through.

Each test is a step forward for the industry, and for the patients who are dependent on the medicine.

While medical marijuana’s future in an I-502 world is hazy, testing brings needed clarity. Access points must test their medicine, especially medibles and concentrates – and patients must be willing to demand safe and tested products for all of their needs.

MAR. 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

/49

TASTY

COMPILED BY NORTHWEST LEAF

Recipes

T R Y T H E S E D E L I C I O U S M E D I C AT E D B B Q S A U C E S !

apricot-habanero bbq sauce You probably didn’t think about making a barbecue sauce out of fruit. Well this fruit based barbecue sauce is sweet and hot. It works perfectly on poultry and pork. If you make it in advance, the heat from the habanero will have time to mix with the other ingredients. Makes 3 cups.

PREP: 20 MIN. • COOK: 10 MIN.

1 MEDIUM ONION finely chopped 2 CLOVES GARLIC, minced 2 TBS. medicated cooking oil 1.25 CUPS water 2/3 CUP dried apricots 3 TBS. brown sugar 1 1/2 TBS. apple cider vinegar 1 TBS. powdered mustard 4 TBS. habanero hot sauce SALT to taste 1 YELLOW BELL PEPPER roasted, peeled, and seeded

1. Saute onion and garlic with oil in a large skillet. Add bell pepper, water, apricots, brown sugar and apple cider vinegar.

2. Reduce heat, stir together and simmer until apricots are soft, about 15 minutes.

3. Combine with mustard, hot sauce and salt in a food processor. Blend until smooth.

52/MAR. 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

A classic barbeque sauce with a bit of heat for ribs There is a flavor that is essential to great BBQ Ribs. This sauce helps you get there, whether you smoke your ribs low and slow for hours, or bake them in the oven. This sauce has a touch of heat, a touch of smoke, and a lot of flavor. Makes about 2.5 cups.

PREP: 10 MIN. • COOK: 20 MIN.

2 CUPS ketchup 1/3 CUP brown sugar 1/4 CUP minced onion 2 TBS. medicated olive oil 2 TBS. water 3 CLOVES garlic crushed 1 TBS. apple cider vinegar 1 TBS. tomato paste 1 TBS. Worcestershire sauce 1 1/2 TSP. liquid smoke 1 TSP. dry mustard 1/2 TSP. cayenne FRESH ground pepper to taste

1. Blend onion and water into a puree. Heat a medium sauce pan over a medium heat. Add medicated olive oil.

2. When oil is warm, pour in onion puree. Simmer until slightly browned.

Add remaining ingredients.

3. mix thoroughly and simmer for about 20 minutes.

PHOTOS BY FLICKR/KDAVIDCLARK & SIMON_AUGHTON

OR TASTY medicated st. patRICK’S DAY recipes

mustard bbq sauce

Currant-Orange Irish Soda Bread

If you haven’t tried a mustard-based BBQ sauce then you’re really missing out. This sauce works well with almost anything, but is excellent for pork. Makes 2 cups.

Well, you’re not going to be done baking just yet. But by the time the day comes to a close, you will have a few tasty treats to celebrate with.

PREP: 10 MIN. • COOK: 30 MIN.

PREP: 20 MIN. • COOK: 30 MIN.

1 CUP prepared yellow mustard 1/2 CUP balsamic vinegar 1/3 CUP brown sugar 3 TBS. medicated butter 1 TBS. Worcestershire sauce 1 TBS. lemon juice 1 TSP. cayenne

2 CUPS all-purpose flour 1 - 2 TBS. sugar 1 TSP. baking powder 1/2 TSP. baking soda 1/2 TSP. salt 1 TBS. finely shredded orange peel 3 TBS. medicated butter 1/3 CUP currants 1 EGG lightly beaten 3/4 CUP buttermilk

1. Mix all ingredients together and simmer over a low heat for 30 minutes.

2. If you’re making this sauce for a whole

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.

2. Bring Irish stout beer & 1 cup butter to a boil in a saucepan and set aside until butter has melted, stirring occasionally.

Mix in cocoa powder until smooth.

3. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking

soda, and salt in a bowl til well-combined.

4. beat eggs with sour cream in a large

bowl with an electric mixer on low until well combined. Slowly beat in the beer mixture, then the flour mixture; beat until the batter is smooth.

5. Divide batter between the prepared cupcake cups, filling cups about 2/3 full.

6. BAKE in the preheated oven until a

toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 17 minutes.

hog multiple the ingredients by about 8.

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease Teriyaki Sauce & Glaze It’s great to have an all-purpose sauce ready for any situation. Use it as a meat, chicken, pork or seafood marinade, or cut w/ water (try about 3: 1 sauce to water) to stir-fry vegetables, noodles or rice.

8 CUPS shoyu soy sauce 6 CUPS sugar ¼ CUP sherry wine ¼ CUP medicated vegetable oil 3-IN. ginger, peeled, sliced & crushed 4 CLOVES garlic, peeled and crushed Combine shoyu, sugar & wine. Heat oil in small frying pan & brown ginger. Add ginger to shoyu mixture, leaving oil in frying pan.

Brown garlic & add to shoyu mixture. Mix well.

a baking sheet, set aside. In large mixing bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and orange peel. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in currants. Make a well in center of the mixture.

2. In a small mixing bowl combine egg and buttermilk. Add all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened.

3. On a lightly floured surface gently knead dough to form a dough (about 4 or 5 times).

Shape into a 7-inch round loaf.

3. tRANSFER the dough to prepared baking sheet. With a sharp knife, make 2 slashes across the top of the loaf to form an X, cutting all the way to the edge. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until golden. Serve warm.

7. Cool Chocolate Beer Cupcakes W/ Whiskey Filling & Irish Cream Icing These delicious cupcakes utilize medicated butter so they are very moist and potent.

Try an indica butter to make this a pain-relieving cupcake! Yummy! Makes 24 cupcakes.

PREP: 30 MIN. • COOK: 20 MIN.

1 CUP Irish stout beer (like Guinness) 1 CUP unsalted butter 2 TBS. medicated butter 3/4 CUP unsweetened cocoa powder 2 CUPS all-purpose flour 2 CUPS white sugar 1 1/2 TSP. baking soda 3/4 TSP. salt

2 EGGS large ones 2/3 CUP sour cream 2/3 CUP heavy whipping cream 8 OZ. bittersweet chocolate, chopped 1 TSP. Irish whiskey, more to taste 1/2 CUP medicated butter, softened 3 CUPS confectioners’ sugar 3 TBS. Irish cream liqueur

the cupcakes completely. Cut cores out of the center of each cupcake with a sharp paring knife. Discard cores.

8. Bring cream to a simmer in a saucepan over low heat; stir in bittersweet chocolate until melted.

9. mix in 2 tbs. butter and Irish whiskey ‘til butter is melted; let mixture cool to room temp. Filling will thicken as it cools.

Got a recipe we should feature?

Email it to nwleaf@gmail.com and it just might appear here in our April 4/20 issue!

MAR. 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

/53

TASTY

REVIEW BY NORTHWEST LEAF STAFF PHOTO BY DANIEL BERMAN

Reviews

A RESTAURANT-QUALITY MEAL W E WE RE Q UI T E M E DIC ATED BY THE TIME THE C ARRO T S A ND P O TAT O S HA D SE T T LE D IN O UR S T O M AC H

$20.00 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; AVAILABLE FROM THE GREEN DOOR SEATTLE 1207 S. JACKSON ST.

56/ 54/MAR. mar.2013 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

THE COLLARD GREENS ARE DELICIOUS AND FRESH, AND IT EVEN HAS ITS OWN SPECIAL TWIST WITH WHITE RAISINS.

THE MASHED POTATOES ARE THICK WITH A LIGHT CANNABIS AND GARLIC TASTE.

RIGHT IN TIME for St. Patrickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day comes a whole new twist on medibles. CannaHaute has released microwaveable fully medicated meals with several sides. We found a full brisket meal at The Green Door in Seattle for a friendly donation of only $20.

I would like to say first off that the presentation of the overall tray is amazing. For somebody who likes to reuse things its perfect. Dishwasher and freezer safe, with three departments. Everything held up nicely in our oven (since we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a microwave) and tastes evenly cooked. This is not what I would expect in any terms of take-out.

The collard greens are delicious and fresh, and it even has its own special twist with white raisins. If you enjoy greens, these definitely have what you want. You can taste the lovely Cannabis hint with it.

The mashed potatoes are thick and have skins included, with a light Cannabis and garlic taste. The brisket tastes hand rubbed, with a nice layer of fat. The meat is seasoned perfectly and is moist and tender.

It is everything I want in a brisket.

The carrots and the onions are a real nice touch as a second vegetable, and the onions arrived pre-caramelized for a great almost sweet taste. Frankly, this is a restaurant quality meal but easy and convenient for the modern patient. By the time the potatoes and veggies had settled in my stomach, a warm feeling was creeping up toward my forehead.

The effects lasted for a solid four to six hours, which is perfect for someone wanting to eat a medicated dinner to help with sleep. I am left in bliss and excitement for the next new meal option from the new folks over at CannaHaute.

TASTY

THE PALATE IS LEFT FREE TO ENJOY THE QUALITY OF THE JUICE, AND NOT SUFFER THROUGH A HEAVY GREEN TASTE.

FIRST OF ALL, this juice tastes awesome!

It tastes just as sweet as any lemonade, crisp and with a nice fresh tartness. You can tell it’s from freshly squeezed lemons, and the berry flavor comes from a quality puree. It is also all made in a commercial kitchen, and has a full ingredients list. This type of transparency is almost unheard of with medibles, and shows the dedication by the Sensi Sweets team to make a quality product.

Unlike most Cannabis drinks the flavor of medicine in the drink is virtually nonexistent. The palate is left free to enjoy the quality of the juice, and not suffer through a heavy green taste. But just because you can’t taste the medicine doesn’t mean it isn’t there! Small doses of this juice are a necessity to avoid overmedication.

This is not a drink you want to chug out of pure thirst. Take it easy, and split it up over time.

The 8-ounce size Mixed Berry Lemonade offers a stable one-dose medible. If it’s warm out, the juice goes perfect over ice. Just be sure to shake the bottle before pouring.

Reviews

BY NORTHWEST LEAF STAFF PHOTO BY DANIEL BERMAN

NO CHUGGING T H I S C R I S P, TAR T A N D P O T E N T L EM O N AD E F R O M S E N S I S W E E T S I S R EAL LY H A R D T O P U T D O W N

NW Berry Patch Lemonade 41.24mg THC-TOTAL 0.01mg CBD-TOTAL

Strawberry Lemonade 24.30mg THC-TOTAL 0.01mg CBD-TOTAL

Sweet Tea Lemonade Available from: West Coast Wellness (206) 420-3296 14314 Greenwood Ave. N. Seattle, WA 98133 For more info visit tinyurl.com/sensisweets.

56/mar. 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

30.73mg THC-TOTAL 0.01mg CBD-TOTAL

(8-OZ. BOTTLE RESULTS) Tested By

ANALYTICAL 360 Cannabis Analysis Laboratory

CO AL I

IS AB N

N FOR CA O N TI

Coalition for Cannabis Standards and Ethics An industry association for cannabusiness trades

The Joint 223n 36th St Seattle,Wa 98103 206.420.4837 docksidecoop.org

Shape the cannabis industry.

Network and make great new friends.

Northwest Patient Resource Center

Home of Free Joint Friday (206) 283-3333

5265 University Way Seattle, WA 98105

Downtown

West Seattle

1809 Minor Avenue Seattle WA 98101 206.623.0848

9456 35th Avenue SW Seattle WA 98126 206.588.2841

Join C.C.S.E. today!

Attend our OPEN meetings every 2nd Thursday of the month at 12pm

14314 Greenwood Ave N; Seattle, WA 98133 (206) 420-3296 http://wcwellnesscenter.org/

.............................................................................................................................

(206) 466-1766

www.ccsewa.org

5267 University Way NE, Seattle, WA 98105

facebook.com/ ActivateWashington

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Initiate Members :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 360 Mag/SOS, Albion Whitman Inc, Bonezink LLC, Cannabis Creations Body, Cannatest, Care Wellness, CCC, Choice Wellness, Collective Health, Cotton Head Candy, Dockside Coop, Dream Cream, Fusion, Giant Gong, Green Couriers, Happy Cakes, Herban Legends, Kush Creams, Medicine Jar, Muddy Waters, New Leaf Botanicals, Seattle Stefani Quane, SureCan, Tetra Labs, Tetra Medical Corporation, Vita Verde, WAM, West Coast Wellness

74 S Lucile St. Seattle, WA 98134 (888) 972-1555 www.thecpc.org Mon-Sat 12 pm - 7 pm

www.cannabiscreationsbody.com

J P

oin The Coalition for Cannabis Standards and Ethics today and learn how you can become a C.C.S.E. COMPLIANT member.

................................................................................................................ atients, choose C.C.S.E. compliant businesses to ensure the best possible experience. We hold ourselves to the highest industry standards

CO AL I r / Liquo l team politica rd meeting E S C C l Boa 2 Contro ia Nov. 201 p - Olym

vism

Maryam

John Davis (NWPRC) / activism - Fed. bulding Sept. 2012

(Fusion ) July 20 / Actvism 12

Cale Morgan (Vita Verde) / political meeting Dec. 2012

Act )/ ide 2 s k c 1 (Do ly 20 ar Ju Osc

a gelo and Gret Steven DeAn 12 20 st Fe p m Carter / He

Kriste nF activis lor (Monta n m- Fe d. buld a) / Sept.

2012 ing

st) / annate 2 Klaus C ng, Dec 201 ti e e m l politica

Jere my ( - Fe d. bu CPC ) / act lding Sept ivism . 20 12

Wellness) / Greta Car ter (CARE g activism- Fed. buldin Sept. 2012

Rach al Ku rt polit ical m z (CARE W eetin g, De ellness) / c 20 12

IS AB N

N FOR CA N TIO

Picket signs /activi sm - Fed. bulding, Sep t. 2012

TASTY

IT’S SOFT AND SUPPLE, FRESH AND JUICY.

Reviews

BY NORTHWEST LEAF STAFF PHOTO BY DANIEL BERMAN

The ones from the grocery store will never be as good.

THIS FRUIT LEATHER ISN’T FOR THE KIDDOS FRESH TAS TING AND F ULL O F G R E AT FRUIT -FL AV O R , WE WE RE LE FT V E RY M E DIC AT ED I N N O T I M E

T

HIS DELICIOUS LITTLE PIECE of fruit leather is fun from the first bite. By sticking to the local fruit and berry options of the Northwest, its a fresh take on medicine that is far from boring. At first glance the leather looks great. You can see the seeds and fruit right in the strips, and feel the flexibility in the bag.

It’s better than any other fruit leather I have tried that is non-medicated. Store bought fruit leather (even quality organic options) are often overly chewy and

hard to swallow. This leather tears lightly, and almost melts into the mouth. It’s soft, supple and offers a great texture while still fresh and juicy. It left me extremely medicated and relaxed, but without the sweets. It’s a great healthy alternative to all the brownies and normal dessert medibles.

This product line goes to show that you don’t have to have all the bells and whistles to make great medibles.

You just need honest ingredients and a quality medicine.

Visit nwleaf.com to view test results

60/mar. 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

device of the month

BY WES ABNEY | PHOTO BY DANIEL BERMAN

These little wooden % $ " ! ! # ' & you thinking your music sounds great

â&#x20AC;&#x153;This all came about because of music,â&#x20AC;?

Coucoules said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Each one is a labor of love.â&#x20AC;? $85.00 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; AVAILABLE FROM HEMPFEST CENTRAL 12351 LAKE CITY WAY N.E. #102

KUSH KRINGLE MARKET/GREEN LIGHT EXPO

(253) 282-3361

60/ 62/MAR. mar. 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

DEVICE BY ARTIST MICHAEL COUCOULES

F

or musician and patient Michael Coucoules, guitars are a way of life. They represent everything he loves. Sweet and rich wood and metal strings meeting to form a perfect artistic medium. But it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t until he decided to add his medicine needs into the mix that his true masterpiece was created. The guitar pipe.

Each of his custom-made pieces take four to five days to create and assemble. Most pieces have a combination of different show-quality woods involved, all of which are locally sustainable (they come from a guitar manufacturers recycling program.)

The attention to detail is the best part of the pipes.

One can instantly feel and appreciate the handmade quality and love that goes into the projects. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This all came about because of music,â&#x20AC;? Coucoules said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Each one is a labor of love.â&#x20AC;?

For Coucoules, the wood piece takes him back to a time before glass pipes were even available. As a young adult, everything he ever used to smoke was made from wood or ceramic, he told us near his display at hempfest central in Seattle.

Years later he still prefers the feel of a wood pipe, which can be next to impossible to find. All they need is a screen and the pipes are good to go for steady medicating, or make a fantastic coffee table piece and conversation starter.

Above all, he said he hopes to share his art and his message of locally sustainable art.

New pieces and designs come regularly, with no two pieces being exactly alike.

www.facebook.com/mrcoucoules

GET 2 FOR 1

TOP-SHELF EIGHTH

ALL EDIBLES

$30

FIRST-TIME PATIENT FREE GRAM

WITH EVERY DONATION FREE PREROLL

L I M I T O N E C O U P O N P E R P AT I E N T P E R D AY. C A N N O T B E C O M B I N E D W I T H A N Y O T H E R O F F E R .

?

a very brief history of hash

ha sh

is t

wh

5

sta r

ha t

BY WES ABNEY | PHOTOS BY DANIEL BERMAN

y

concentrates

When it comes to bubble hash, not all products are created equal. While there isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t necessarily a bad hash, products can vary

by strain and method of extraction. The hash being rated in the star system is made using Bubble Bags, hence the name Bubble Hash. It is considered a solvent-free concentrate, and is safe for consumption by all patients. But donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hit it too hard, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not a bowl of flower.

While much of the medical Cannabis world has turned to solvent based concentrates there still exists a connoisseur level of bubble hash, with some of the best in the world being produced in the Northwest. As trends go, during the latest High Times Cannabis Cup (LA 2013), all three concentrate prizes were awarded for solvent-less wax, AKA 5-Star bubble hash. This guide is here to help patients distinguish what quality of product best fits their needs, lifestyle, and their budget.

1 - 3 s ta r q le a n e r

4-STAR jACKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S cleaner-Querkle Cross

5-STAR lemon diesel

/$ +.%#%* 0! %* 0$! % (! /0 3%0$ + 1)!*0!

1/!/ 0%*# ' /!2!. ( 0$+1/ * 5! ./ * ,( !/ (%'! * % ** %/ * % #.+3 * 01. ((5 * 3%( (5 ()+/0 !2!.53$!.! 2!. 0%)! /,! %7 /0. %*/ 3!.! $+/!* * 1(0%2 0! "+. 0$!%. $ /$) '%*# ,.+,!.0%!/ There are two traditional ways to make hash. The 7./0 %/ 0+ 0 '! 0$! 8+3!. +" 0$! ,( *0 * .1 .+(( 0$!)

3%0$ 0$! $ * / 1*0%( !*+1#$ 0.% $+)!/ .! +* 0$! 7*#!./ 0+ / . ,! +"" $! /! +* )!0$+ %/ ,!."! 0! %* +.+ + 3$!.! 0$!5 !//!*0% ((5 /( , 0$ 0 1.! branches over a silk screen to shake off the trichomes.

0 %/* 0 ! /5 10 %0 * ,.+ 1 ! ( .#! 5%!( / 3%0$ 0$! right amount of effort. + 5 0$!.! .! $1#! 2 .%!05 +" !40. 0%+* )!0$+ / * 0++(/ "+. ) '%*# $ /$ 0%(( 3! 7* 0$! !/0 3 5 %*2+(2!/ % ! 3 0!. * (%00(! %0 +" !( +3 #.! /!

Debunking the Micron Myths

4-STAR pineapple express

1

STAR

traits: Varied color and

! ! ! combusts when heated.

Dabbable: No Melt Level: 1 (0% Melt) Donation:

64/mar. 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

2 STAR

3 STAR

4 STAR

5-STAR pineapple express

5 STAR

TRAITS: Dark brown-green with

TRAITS: !

TRAITS: %#$0 .+3* (!//

TRAITS: (+* ! "1(( 8 2+.

Dabbable: No Melt Level: 2 (25% Melt) Donation:

Dabbable: No Melt Level: 3 (50% Melt) Donation:

Dabbable: Yes Melt Level: 4 (75% Melt) Donation: ,!. #. )

Dabbable: Yes Melt Level: 5 (100% Melt) Donation: ,!. #. )

! " sheen and combusts when heated.

" on surface then combusts when heated.

,.+*+1* ! 8 2+. ,.+7(! $!* $! 0! 1 (!/ %*0+ ,1 (!

,.+7(! $!* $! 0! "1((5 )!(0/ into oil. The good stuff.

1 (! /$ %/ ) ! 5 7(0!.%*# ** %/ 0.%) 1 / 0$.+1#$ 3$ 0 / '*+3* / 1 (! #/ $! #/ 0 / *!0 0+ 0 $ 0.% $+)!/ 3$% $ /!, . 0! * # 0$!. 0 0$! +00+) +" 0$! #/ 1 $ (%'! 7/$%*# 0$! # /%6! )% .+* 2 .%!/ !,!* %*# +* 0$! /%6! +" 0.% $+)!/ 0$! ) '!. %/ $+,%*# 0+ 0 $ $!.! / ) &+. )%/ +* !,0%+* +10 0$!.! 0$ 0 0$!

-1 (%05 +" $ /$ %/ !,!* !*0 +* 0$! /%6! +" 0$! )% .+* in the bag. But it is really based off two factors. Har2!/0 0%)! * 0. %* ,$!*+05,! " .+, %/ $ .2!/0! !"+.! 0.% $+)!/ .! "1((5 !2!(+,! 0$! $ * !/ +" $ 2%*# /0 . 5%!( .! )%*%) ( $!.! /%),(5 3+* 0 ! !*+1#$ 0.% $+)!/ $! /! +* " 0+. +)!/ down to the strain being used. Indica strains tend to $ 2! ( .#!. .5/0 (/ /+ ( .#!. )% .+* # 3%(( 5%!( $%#$ -1 (%05 $ /$ 0%2 /0. %*/ 0!* 0+ $ 2! /) ((!. .5/0 (/ ) '%*# /) ((!. )% .+* # *! !// .5 "+. a good yield. (/+ (+* !. $ /$ 0!* / 0+ ) '! !00!. "1(( )!(0 0. %*/ 0$ 0 $ 2! ,1.,(! #!*!0% / +. 0$ 0 .! ".+) '1/$ (%*!/ 0!* 0+ ,.+ 1 ! .'!. $ /$ ) '%*# "+. less dab-ability.

HASH PROVIDED BY: A Greener Today 9509 Rainier Ave. S. Seattle 98118 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; agreenertoday.com â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 206-257-0894

mar. 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

/65

HOW-TO guide

How To Clean Your Bong

The corner of a zippable bag is filled with the cleaner, just enough to cover most of the area you intend to clean.

Suggestions

Oil Domes

If you have any cuts on your hands gloves are a must. Alcohol on a raw cut creates a sharp burning sensation that is entirely unpleasant. If you have sensitive skin, wear gloves. The mix will dry your hands out severely. Be prepared for a mess, and a strong odor.

Have an area prepped and clear. Bathrooms are great cleaning areas. Keep a bit of the cleaning solution for the end to wash your hands with, or clean any resin that splattered. Less is more with the mix. Start with a little, and wait until the color of the liquid goes from bright blue to black before changing.

1. Take a gallon zip lock bag and 2. Open the mix and shake fully.

This blends the alcohol and salt.

3. Position pipe in the corner of the bag and pour cleaner until covered.

4. Take air out of bag and twist, focusing bag pressure on corner with piece and the solution.

5. Shake for five minutes, let sit for five minutes.

6. Rinse with hot water. If excessive residue remains, repeat.

For Bongs 1. Rinse bong well with hot water 2. Open the mix and shake fully.

Find it at tobacco shops and places that sell glass

This blends the alcohol and salt.

3. Pour cleaner through stem and the main tube of the bong.

4. Plug both holes & shake 5+ min.

5. Rinse with hot water.

6. Repeat cleaning, rinse again.

( or pipe )

If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re anything like us, you medicate with the kind of frequency that gets your trusty device coated in resin lickety-split.

With ample elbow grease and 420 Cleaner it should be good as new faster than you can say greens. OK, maybe not that fast.

BY WES ABNEY | PHOTOS BY DANIEL BERMAN

place the pipe inside.

For Pipes 1. Take a gallon zip lock bag and

Filling the bong up again with cleaner after a first pass removed most of the grime and build-up.

place the pipe inside.

2. Open the mix and shake fully.

This blends the alcohol and salt.

After two cleanings with the 420 solution, this bong is as good as new, with only a few small specks left.

3. Position pipe in the corner of the bag and pour cleaner until covered.

4. Take air out of bag and twist, focusing bag pressure on corner with piece and the solution.

5. Shake for five minutes, let sit for five minutes.

6. Rinse with hot water. If excessive residue remains, repeat.

68/mar. 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

mar. 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

/69

HOW-TO guide

BLANCHING CANNABIS FOR A BETTER FLAVOR

MANY TIMES you find yourself in the unpleasant situation where you’ve tasted a medicated food

product and find it to be...disgusting. I suspect it’s because people don’t know how to remove the unwanted or overwhelming flavor that comes with heavily medicated food.

I’m going to let you in on a little secret: you can blanch your medicine. Blanching will remove the excess dirt and, basically, wash your starting material. Your infused butters, oils and glycerin will be that much better tasting without the chlorophyll and dirt, don’t you think?!

STORY AND PHOTOS BY YELLOWJUANA CAKE

1

3

2 Dried leaf starting material

I TRY to pick through my starting material, pulling out the yellow and brown leaves, big stems and anything that just doesn’t look or smell good.

Bring a big pot of water to boil I TAKE the sorted starting material and add it to the boiling water and let it boil for 3-5 minutes, stirring a few times, then I strain and repeat several times.

Add plant material to the pot

NEXT: HOW TO MAKE INFUSED BUTTER/OIL

Over the years I’ve found several infusion methods, but this is my favorite. I like it because it gives me the cleanest flavor and the strongest final product. In order to use blanched Cannabis in your infusion process, you’ll have to use clarified butter.

To watch a good video tutorial, go to tinyurl.com/clarifiedbutter.

It’s also known as “Ghee” or “drawn” butter and after the milk fat solids are removed, the clear golden butter can withstand much higher temperatures, which you’ll need in order to achieve decarboxylation.

All other oils, with the exception of flax seed oil, can withstand the temperatures necessary to activate the cannabinoids, so you can truly infuse just about any type of oil that you prefer.

1 Begin with clarified butter

5

4 Use a strainer to uh, strain STRAIN the nasty water out of the leaf material. I shouldn’t have to remind you: steam is hot, so use caution when handling that hot water. Now’s a good time to slow down.

WHEN I’M ALL DONE, I’VE RINSED MOST ALL OF THE EXCESS DIRT, UNWANTED PARTICULATES AND CHLOROPHYLL FLAVOR OUT OF THIS BUNCH OF LEAF. NOW IT’S READY TO INFUSE YOUR CHOICE OF BUTTER, OIL OR GLYCERIN.

70/mar. 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

Repeat steps 2 through 4 several times REPEAT. Bring more fresh water to a rolling boil, add the weed, boil for a few minutes, then strain it again. You will do this probably three, maybe even four times. Be persistent.

6

NEXT, you can rinse the Cannabis with cold water.

Squeeze excess water out of the plant material. Really get it out, it’s crucial for quality.

7

blanched Cannabis material + a pot for blanching clarified butter + large bowls + cheesecloth + potato ricer* + crock pot + thermometer.

So you survived! Now transform blanched Cannabis into potent, tasty and healthy butter or oils. Since you started with good ingredients, this is worth it.

THEN ADD the leaf to the boiling water for 3-5 minutes.

You’ll want to leave the material alone, pretty much, as stirring the pot will result in greater nutrient loss.

AFTER boiling water, blanching the weed, draining and then repeating the process several times, you can rinse the material with cold water and then squeeze out the excess water. Don’t try to squeeze this by hand without first rinsing it with cold water. I thought long and hard about putting that warning into this guide at all, so... please don’t call me if you accidentally burn yourself.

OH, THE TOOLS YOU’LL NEED

ONCE YOU’VE COMPLETED CLARIFYING THE BUTTER AND BLANCHING THE CANNABIS, YOU CAN COMBINE THEM IN THE CROCK POT AND TURN THE TEMPERATURE TO HIGH. IF YOU’RE INFUSING AN OIL, YOU CAN SKIP THE CLARIFICATION PROCESS, OBVIOUSLY, AND GO STRAIGHT TO COMBINING BLANCHED CANNABIS WITH A MEASURED AMOUNT OF OIL IN THE CROCK POT, ALSO WITH THE TEMPERATURE ON HIGH.

* (that’s just for my poor arthritic hands – but I promise a potato ricer will make the job easier)

4 Butter sits atop excess water. (2nd pass, on right)

2 Candy thermometer comes in handy NOW that you’ve combined your blanched Cannabis and clarified butter or oil in your crock pot and you’ve turned it onto the highest setting, you’ll need to watch the temperature. The goal, now, is to “activate the cannabinoids” or decarboxylate so the medicine will be as potent as possible.

The cannabinoids are attached to the plant matter with a carbon molecule and the only way to get the molecule to “let go” or release the medicine, is to heat it up.

You want your temperature in the mix to get up to at least 250 degrees before reducing the setting to low and allowing it to soak for several hours.

I let infusions soak for 24 hours, but you can probably get away with doing it in 4, if you’re pressed for time.

3 After you’ve let your Cannabis and oil soak for at least four hours, strain the Cannabis from the oil. I cover a bowl with cheesecloth and secure it to the bowl with a string. I double up my cheesecloth for the best filtration.

EVEN after you strain your cannabis out of the oil or butter, you’ll find it may have some leftover water from the blanching process, and possibly has transferred more of the color/flavor that you may have missed with your blanching. This is a chance to clean it up, one last time.

In order to separate the last of the water from your butter or oil, you’ll put it into the refrigerator to cool down. The oil or butter will harden and the water can be poured off. I suggest using the freezer to separate oil, and the refrigerator for butter. The fridge just doesn’t get oil cold enough to separate it without making a mess, so it’s better to get it as cold and solid as possible to separate it from the water, or rather, the ice, by then.

To “wash” your butter or oil, you have to cool it and separate it from the last of the dirty water, then you can boil fresh water just like you did during the blanching process and add your butter or oil. Stir vigorously and then separate it again with the refrigerator or freezer. Do this repeatedly until rinse water is clear.

BY THE END OF ALL OF THIS, YOU’LL HAVE SOME OF THE CLEANEST AND MOST POTENT BUTTER YOU CAN MAKE IF YOU USE TOP QUALITY BUDS IN YOUR STARTING MATERIAL. I LIKE TO USE AN OUNCE OF BUDS TO A POUND OF BUTTER, BUT MANY PEOPLE PREFER A STRONGER DOSE WHEN THEY CONSIDER HOW MUCH BUTTER OR OIL THEY’D NEED TO INGEST JUST TO GET THE INTENDED RESULT. YOU CAN PLAY AROUND WITH DOSING, BUT DON’T FORGET THAT CAUTIOUS EXPERIMENTATION IS THE KEY TO SUCCESSFUL CANNABIS COOKING.

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growtech

Ballasts

BY DR. SCANDERSON FOR NORTHWEST LEAF

MANUAL

Grow Gear Guide

Badass Ballasts 1000 watts: $359

Brought to you by Advanced Nutrients, Badass ballasts utilizes low-frequency, square wave technology which reports to provide a lower level of harmonic resonance and, therefore, a more efficient conversion, superior spectrum and longer life for your lamps.

The vast AND abundant array of intimidating gear AND Expensive gadgets available to today’s CANNABIS growing enthusiast is TRULY mind-numbing.

LIKE SEATTLE COLLECTIVES in 2012, there is a new system, pump, controller, bulb, ballast or filter popping up everytime you turn around. Making heads or tails of the purpose(s) each of these items serves — and the differences between them — can help growers choose where to spend their money and where to save it.

In this month’s Growtech, we’ve reviewed grow gear in several important categories, providing a wide range of quality and value for each item, along with notes borne from personal experience.

As with many specialized, equipment-intensive industries, there is a spectrum of quality and functionality in each growing category.You may notice that in many categories that the price

Lamps Hortilux Considered by many to be to the leader in agricultural lighting, Hortilux has been the tried and true choice of so many gardeners for longer than most. And with good reason too. With some of the very best technology on the market and results, results, results, Hortilux arguably has established the industry standard many are judged by.

Super Blue 400-watt retail: $129

Super HPS 1000-watt retail: $129

Perhaps the best high-pressure sodium lamp on the market, it contains enough violet, blue and green spectrum to be used as a standalone lamp throughout the plantʼs entire life cycle.

The analogous version of their Super HPS is the Super Blue. A step above their standard metal halide lamp, the Super Blue offers one of the most complete and closely matched spectrums to the sun available in HID lighting.

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Powering our mini glass tubes of imitation sunlight requires special electrical current to maintain the high intensity discharge.

Plugging these lamps into your wall socket simply isn’t going to cut it (and isn’t possible). Indoor gardeners turn to HID ballasts that take electrical current from a source like your wall outlet and compress and convert the current to properly drive the lamps.

seems to function like pH: exponentially (little weed nerd humor for you!) Most of the products are within 10 to 20 percent of one another in price. Then a product will be double the price of one just below it.

It’s important to note that the performance of the product seldom warrants the price: in other words, it may cost twice as much, though not be twice as good. But it will still be better — albeit by a small measure, it outperforms the rest in itss function.

The reason I mention this is so growers can decide for which products they rquire high-end performance, and for those which they do not, before investing accordingly.

Magnetic Coil Ballast 1000 watts: $129-300

Quantum 1000 watts: $359

Known for making great ballasts Quantum Horticulture offers reliable equipment that seldom has need for their warranty. Specializing only in horticultural lighting, they provide dimmable ballasts allowing the user to drive a lamp at several different watts.

Dual Arc 1000-watt retail: $259

Sun Pulse: $130

6.4K 1000-watt retail: $130

3K 1000-watt retail: $130

Canʼt decide? The Dual Arc lamp combines the two lamps above in one vessel.

Youʼll get 400 watts of Super Blue metal halide and 600 watts of Super HPS driven by any 1000-watt HPS ballast.

Advanced gardeners, who have achieved near-perfect balance in all other areas of the garden and are familiar with the application of metal halide lamps in flower, can use this lamp to help bring flowers to a new level of quality and resin production.

Developed in 1999, Sun Pulse was the first company formed specifically to develop lamps for digital, high frequency, HID-ballasts.

Fueled by a well credentialed team of scientists with oodles of research on lighting and light application engineering, Sun Pulse offers a lighting application that reports better results thanks to updated technology.

The approach utilizes the implementation of up to four different lamps, each specifically tailored to a particular life stage in order to more closely mirror the natural spectrums of light the plants would receive in nature.

Unlike most other companies, Sun Pulse categorizes their lamps according to the Kelvin color temperature scale, i.e. the color of the light spectrum each lamp emits.

Higher Kelvin temps indicate cooler colors to we humans.

This lamp offers a fuller spectrum of blues, greens and violets more closely imitating daylight and is recommended for use during most of the veg.

Lower Kelvin temps are indicative of warmer colors and this lamps provides a rich spectrum of reds and oranges, and is recommended for use during the bulk of flower. Also for those who want to use only one or two bulbs, this is the recommended “silver bullet” lamp usable throughout the plantʼs entire life cycle.

4K 1000-watt retail: $130

10K 1000-watt retail: $130

Offering a full spectrum of balanced reds and oranges as well as blues and greens, this lamp is recommended for seedlings and cuttings, and for finishing out veg.

The last week of flower, Sun Pulse recommends kicking up the ultraviolets with this 10K lamp designed just for the very late stages of flower as a “finishing” lamp.

Hortilux eBallast 1000 watts: $699

Durable and long lasting, hot and heavy, magnetic coil ballasts are first and with the exception of the past few years, the standard in lighting ballast choice for indoor gardeners. Many gardeners continue to swear by them. I overheard a highly respected gardener in the community say, “ ʻDonʼt believe the hype: Iʼve got a stack of those blue ones (digital ballast) at home, none workʼ ” as he purchased a new coil ballast.

Do you hate money? Do you love name brands? Hortilux has got the ballast for you!!! Springboarding off their industry leading lamps (and prices, ahem), Hortilux released a digital ballast.

Itʼs 1000 watts. It doesnʼt have a dimming feature. Itʼs twice the cost of any other ballast. Naturally, Hortilux claims that itʼs the only ballast on the market properly built to drive their lamps, but from the research Iʼve done, it looks as though itʼs another low frequency digital ballast purporting to be the best developed application of this technology. I dunno. I havenʼt tried it and donʼt know anyone who has. It would appear to be a combination of the standard grow industry gouging and exponential price increasing characteristic that exist at the highest level of most any specialty technology supply.

DIGITAL

Sleek and slim, cool running and super light, the digital ballast is at home in this, the digital age. Digital ballasts were introduced to the market more than 10 years ago, but quickly garnered the reputation of being unreliable and full of bugs. Worse yet, no matter what these digital ballast companies were engineering, all the lamps that had been designed for hobby agricultural application had been designed to run with a magnetic coil ballast.

Since then, digital ballasts have improved considerably and are now a popular choice for indoor gardeners, offering features such as internal timers, remote controls and dimming, which allows the user to select the wattage being emitted.

The digital ballast does all this while providing potential for a superior spectrum emitted from the lamps through more efficient digital conversion. These devices certainly seem to be on their way to holding the majority share of the market.

GUIDE CONTINUES NEXT PAGE

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growtech

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 75

Grow Gear Guide Hydro Systems If you are not growing in pots or bags you’re probably growing hydroponically.

Several of these applications provide great solutions for gardeners using soil and soilless mediums as well.

Hydrofarm Water Farm / Power Grower 8 sites: $515-687

Flood and Drain Tables 2 x 4 retail: $60

Simple and effective in their design, flexible in their sizes and accommodating of a diverse range of installation needs, flood tables are a popular choice.

Growers simply fill the reservoir located below the flood table with their desired nutrient solution, add a pump and timer and the table will flood, or fill with the nutrient solution periodically according to the timer.

Some growers place several individual plants in porous net pots with a range of grow medium in the table, others put the medium and plants directly into the table itself. This avoids containers entirely as the table becomes the container.

Soil gardeners can place multiple plants in larger tables and use the table to collect the runoff from several plants at once.

The first to market with a mid-sized, individual, hydroponic, non-water culture system was Hydrofarm.

The waterfarm and powergrower vary only in the size of each site. Both plumb eight individual sites to a central control bucket and reservoir. Each site is comprised in half by an inner bucket holding medium and the other half an outer bucket functioning as an individual reservoir for the bucket above. Nutrient solution held in the outer bucket is pumped up through a pump column and out a drip ring to the inner bucket above, holding the medium and plant. The real value of this system, in my view, is customizing it by drilling several small holes in the inner bucket and a small hole on the outer bucket to fit it with line for an air stone. This effectively allows the plant to start in the top section and finish in deep water culture.

Secret Jardin Dark Room Twin: $349

This is one of those spots that specialization price tags may be worthwhile. This tent has two spaces allowing multiple configurations, at least one of which allows the gardener to stack the two spaces on top of one another like a refrigerator/freezer combo.

The smaller section provides an ideal size and space for seedlings, clones and beginning veg plants. The bottom section can finish veg out and take the plants all the way through flower. With two independent areas, one can start the next round while the flower round finishes without risking light contamination.

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Under Current 8-gallon 8-site: $1,315

Stealth

Sentinel MEF-1 Ebb and Flow 12 sites: $499

Very popular in emerging hydroponic system design is larger individually plumbed flood and drain sites. Iʼm gonna take a shot in the dark and guess that the demand for larger yields from fewer plants was met with the introduction of new specialized equipment, all ready for assembled, just for you.

In these systems, several buckets are plumbed together and regulated with a control bucket. Each bucket is filled with grow medium (usually hydroton or equivalent) and, periodically, the entire system and each bucket is filled with nutrient solution before being allowed to drain.

These systems offer the advantage of pulling new oxygen into the grow medium through the draining process, and the ease of nutrient application provided by the flood and drain style feeding in a large, individual, hydroponic container that isnʼt a water culture. If youʼre considering one of these systems, be sure to consider getting one of several new ones that drain from the underneath side of the bucket, not the bottom side.

Tents Budget Grow- 4x4: $120

Unless you are planning to hang an insane number of hoods with extra heavy fans, donʼt have access to tape or really enjoy convenience, budget grow tents are the way to go in my opinion. They offer high quality materials where it counts (reflective material, zippers, seam stitching) and cut corners on luxury items like sleeved, closable exhaust and intake ports, windows, multiple doors. Using DIY items like duct tape to seal ports and making do with one door that unzips the entire grow area will save you lots and get you growing high quality meds right away. They also provide great solutions for testing out unknown genetics and breeding.

Tents are one of my favorite items. They offer an instant, costeffective, complete and inclusive solution for anyone who wants to grow. Previously solved with the closet cultivator’s guide, displaced clothing had the last laugh with the emergence of super affordable grow tents.

As with most popular grow equipmen, there is a range of costs, but budget grow tents readily available on websites like eBay offer almost all the same advantages of the more costly ones. Given that the budget grow option can save you up to 400 percent, it certainly is something to explore.

The grow community, once flooded by myriad solutions and, frankly, the most shameless price gouging I’ve seen, is no longer illegal, but items which help conceal the grow operation, aka stealth items, are still completely necessary. Stealth items primarily remove or neutralize smell, muffle sound or conceal light.

What once may have been considered as a necessary evil that could potentially protect one from incarceration (but also left plenty of room for exploitation), has shifted to a need to minimize blatant outward exposure, offer courtesy, maintain family values and extend a very simple pleasantry.

Okay, okay. You must be thinking, “this system had better grow a magical forest of medical-grade Cannabis in less time, for less cost and less effort, with better results and a free foot massage while doing it for that cost. Well, I almost hate to say it, but it does. Except for the massage part.

If you are a water culture enthusiast, Under Current is really unmatched. The system works on the principle of creating periphery pressure to quickly circulate highly oxygenated nutrient solution throughout the system. Utilizing two and three-inch hard PVC plastic plumbing, commercial-grade air and water pumps, and custom eight, 13 or 25-gallon sites, Under Current effectively creates a mini waterfall in each site of rushing water, constantly being infused with oxygen.

Depending on the specs, the system circulates the entire amount of solution every seven to 15 minutes and can be combined with a chiller. The oxygen saturation in this system reaches levels that allows for unmatched nutrient uptake efficiency. The result is faster growing, faster finishing plants that use between 66 and 75 percent fewer nutrients. I use 25 percent of the recommended feeding amounts for light feeding plants and 33 percent for the really, really heavy feeders (ppm range from 250 to 400).

Anything more than that and the plant will show signs of nutrient burn.

DISCLAIMER: You should be very familiar with your plants, their nutrient schedules and have a sense of exactly what they need and when and be very familiar with water culture gardening because, like many hydroponic systems, the higher you push the threshold, the greater the margin for critical errors with detrimental impacts.

Again, this is more highly specialized equipment with pricing that increases exponentially and which demands a very high level of competency in order to be appreciated and utilized to its highest potential.

Effective at lowering the decibel level created by fans and pumps, silencers can provide discretion and tranquility to those around the garden. Silencers conveniently allow high efficiency fans to be placed near exit sources without making it sound like an airport to those passing by. Now reflecting the lower demand for such items. they are considerably more affordable.

silencers

Phresh 6” x 18”: $83 Carbon filters aren’t going anywhere for indoor gardeners, no matter how acceptable growing Cannabis becomes, simply because the bi-product of their function is that they remove smell from the air. The primary function they serve to the health of the garden is to scrub the air of impurities and the off gasses of sealed rooms. To this end, they serve both purposes effectively when combined with the properly sized fan and flange.

Carbon Filters

Can Filter 75 407 CFM 29 x 8: $229

Like Hortilux, Can has been around for a long time and is the choice for many growers for carbon filters and fans alike. Can filters are packed with more carbon than their competition, absolutely work 100 percent on the first time when properly applied and lead the industry for carbon filter air treatment.

Offering an alternative to a once monopolized category, Phresh filters use activated Australian carbon to efficiently scrub the air. Phresh says using their technology and active carbon along with the recommended maintenance allows more efficient use of the carbon and therefore longer life. They have a number of unique sizes and shapes to fit many spaces and applications.

If you are a do-it-yourself person, this is the one to model yours after. Itʼs essentially a metal tube lined with a soft and spongy, sound dampening eggshell lining and six-inch flanges to fit on your fans or ducting. While they can easily be reconstructed for a fraction of the cost, they work effectively and bring noise levels down considerably.

Phresh Filter 550 CFM 6 x 24: $151

Elicent 6” x 10.2”: $154

This style of duct silencer is similar in design to the Phresh but more expensive. The difference is they use another sound dampening material that is more akin to hard rubber or plastic encased under a rigid metal screen. The material used is supposedly very effective at dampening sound but NOT in a gardening application. Iʼve used them and they simply do not decrease as much sound as the other design, but do come with the courtesy of a price tag of almost double. Skip it.

For specific questions on any of the equipment reviewed please e-mail me at thegreengardengroup@gmail.com don’t forget to stop by my Youtube channel for even more information as well at www.youtube.com/user/drscandersongt

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You’re a mom who breastfeeds.

Should you be using Cannabis?

The science is divided.

There are possible legal ramnifications.

But studies showing positive health benefits means that this is one debate far from over.

BY NORTHWEST LEAF SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR DR. SCOTT D. ROSE

A

ccording to The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, Cannabis is the most commonly used “illicit drug” among pregnant and breastfeeding women. There is much to contemplate for females who can get pregnant, who are pregnant or are breastfeeding their child and also making the decision to use Cannabis.

Some research has shown some seemingly positive effects or no effect at all, while other studies focusing mostly on adverse findings have shown negative side effects. Major academies, groups and governmental agencies on pediatric health, disease, and toxicology have issued policy statements against the use of Cannabis during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

In states where laws are on the books for medical Cannabis patients, women find themselves

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in the crossfire and may even face criminal penCannabis, are found in the breast milk of womalties for using Cannabis during pregnancy and en who use Cannabis. The metabolites, or the or while breastfeeding. The same policy statebreakdown products of these active compounds ments advocating for breastfeeding infants due can be found in the blood, urine and feces of to breast milk’s superiority the infant after consumpFrom neural development and neuroproover infant formula, specifically tion of the Cannabinoid tection to the development of memory, names Cannabis use as a concontaining milk. This and the development of motor skills, the traindication (read: dealbreakinformation establishes Endocannabinoid system is clearly integral. that when mom uses, baby er) for breastfeeding.

Studies on infants fed with uses too. Now the question breast milk are few and far between. The pubis, is this necessarily a bad thing? lished data is old and limited to random breast The Endocannabinoid system is a complex milk screening rather than controlled studies beset of receptors and molecules found within the cause of ethical considerations in administering human body. These receptors are like docking Cannabis to nursing mothers. stations that only recognize the right molecule The screenings show that THC and other Canand when binding occurs then there is physinabinoids, the active plant compounds found in ological activity — an effect. This activity can

PHOTO BY FLICKR/MUDDYBOOTSPHOTO

be brought about by the binding of what is naturally made in the body, or through the use of Cannabis. There are two types of Cannabinoid receptors found in different tissues and a handful have been found in the human body. Cannabis contains upwards of 100 Cannabinoid compounds that have been identified and only several that have been studied at all. The Endocannabinoid system is important in all animal physiology from the spark of life through the last breath perhaps.

Dr. Ester Fride’s work at the Department of Behavioral Sciences at The Hebrew University of Israel notes that, in animals, the Endocannabinoid system fulfills many important developmental functions. From neural development and neuroprotection to the development of memory, and the development of motor skills, the Endocannabinoid system is clearly integral. It is even responsible for an infant’s suckling instinct.

“A role for the Endocannabinoid system in the human infant is likely,” Dr. Fride wrote in a 2004 paper, entitled “The endocannabinoidCB receptor system: Importance for development and in pediatric disease.”

Dr. Fride strongly recommends the use of Cannabinoids in pediatric medicine within the context of her work concerning non-organic failure to thrive, a rare condition where infants cannot grow because they cannot ingest food.

Dr. Fride’s work has shown that there is a gradual development of the CB1 receptor type in the nervous system of young organisms. CB1 receptors are the binding site for THC, the main psychoactive compound in Cannabis. In other words, infants may naturally respond positively to the medical application of Cannabinoids without undesirable psychoactive effects.

Melanie Dreher, RN, PhD has studied the Cannabis users of rural Jamaica for more than 30 years. Dreher and her team set out to identify the neurobehavioral effects of prenatal marijuana exposure on neonates and reported their findings in the Journal of Pediatrics in an article published February 1994.

They compared the babies of moms who used Cannabis during pregnancy with those who didn’t. Their study compared the infants using standardized testing at three days old and at one month of age.

At the three-day mark there were no significant differences shown between the two groups.

At one month, however, the Cannabis exposed babies scored higher in areas of alertness, irritability and self-regulation and were judged to be more subjectively rewarding for caregivers, had better physiological stability and required less examiner facilitation to reach goals.

Interestingly, at four weeks old, infants born

to Cannabis-using mothers had better scores on autonomic stability. These are AT ONE MONTH OLD, the Cannabis-exposed the basic functions of the body such as babies scored higher in areas of alertness, irritability blood pressure and breathing rates. These and self-regulation and were judged to be more mothers likely did not cease their use afsubjectively rewarding for caregivers, had better ter pregnancy, but they were likely breastphysiological stability and required less examiner feeding.

University of Montreal researcher facilitation to reach goals, according to a 1994 study by Dr. Peter Fried has studied the chilMelanie Dreher, PhD, published in the Journal of Pediatrics. dren of middle-class mothers who Dreher studied Cannabis use in rural Jamaica for over 30 years. used only Cannabis during pregnancy alongside a control group of mothers who used no substances at all. Durat http://tinyurl.com/toxnetlact. For answers ing the first five years, Fried observed little effect. to this and other breastfeeding questions, call Soon, however, he started to notice a trend of the ADHS 24-hour breastfeeding hotline slightly increased intellect in the Cannabis-using at 1-800-833-4642. group. He called this the “earth-mother effect.”

When women are confronted with the It seemed moms who used Cannabis spent more complex issue of deciding whether to use Cantime with their kids and read more to them than nabis during their pregnancy or while breastthe non-using control group. Breastfeeding and feeding their child, they should be open and continued Cannabis use again was not taken into honest with their medical team. It is widely account. These findings are positive and are comaccepted in general medicine that breast milk peling enough to warrant further investigation in is far superior to formula. the future.

The comparison of breast milk containing Cannabis versus regular formula out of esearch since the early 1960s has focused on a can may be undeniable, but, many policy finding birth defects of prenatal Cannabis statements say formula cannot recreate nature. use. Mainly, they have looked for differences And if breast milk is available? However, there in birth weight, birth length, head circumare still no studies relating to the long-term ference, chest circumference, gestational age, neueffects of Cannabis exposure via breast milk. rological development and physical abnormalities.

For ethical reasons, very little research has Most of these studies, including the largest study been done on the effects of Cannabis on a to date which involved more than 12,000 women, breastfeeding baby. Therefore, the longterm have found no differences between babies exposed effects remain widely unknown. Cannabis to Cannabis prenatally and those who were not. In has been used by many cultures worldwide some studies, the babies of Cannabis users appear for thousands of years rather safely, but is that healthier and hardier. In others, researchers have enough when it comes to a child? found adverse outcomes in the babies of Cannabis As Cannabis is the most widely used subusers. All of the research conducted has looked at stance during pregnancy and breastfeeding, smoked Cannabis, exclusively. moms must educate themselves of the legal The American Academy of Pediatrics and the implications and of the effects to their unborn Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advise or nursing child. A lot to contemplate, indeed. nursing moms to abstain from Cannabis use in any form while breastfeeding. They tell mothers that formula must be introduced to baby instead of the “tainted” breast milk as soon as possible. These recommendations have been wholly based on research For more information focusing on birth defects, but not how Cannabis about the effects of Cannabis and other medicamay actually prove beneficial to the health and tions, go to the National Libraries of Medicineʼs well-being of the baby.

LactMed database at www.tinyurl.com/toxnetlact.

The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine has a For answers to this and other breastfeeding protocol that moms can use to make breastfeeding questions, call the ADHS 24-hour breastfeeding decisions. For more information about the effects hotline at 1-800-833-4642. of Cannabis and other medications, go to the National Libraries of Medicine’s LactMed database

R

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr. Scott D. Rose is a Naturopathic Physician Acupuncturist specializing in pain management with a private practice in Kirkland.

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BEHIND THE STRAIN

BY DR. SCANDERSON FOR NORTHWEST LEAF

Lineage Once a tightly held elite cut of OG, one garnered by

Kosher Kush

a crew in L.A comprised mainly of Jewish kids sometimes referred to as the J.G. crew, the cut was supposed to have been blessed by a Rabbi and was considered by many to be one of the most elite cuts of OG at the time.

When DNA Genetics had a chance to secure a copy of the cut, they did so and kept the lineage of the plant alive by naming it the Kosher Kush. Since, Kosher Kush has lived up to its “blessed” status winning the High Times Cannabis Cup in 2010 and 2011 in the indica category.

HOW IT GROWS

Typical to many OG Kush’s, the Kosher is a bit of a slow starter and a lighter feeder in veg. Once she takes off, she can stretch 300 percent or more, growing densely spaced branches that take patients to lst but Within 63 to 68 respond very well to super days, she will produce cropping.

She likes nitrogen spear-shaped through week two to three medium-sized of flower and will take nuggets comprised high levels of calcium. Not of tightly stacked as nutrient-sensitive as other OGʼs, she still isnʼt a heavy feeder.

Within 63 to 68 days, she will produce medium-sized spear-shaped nuggets comprised of tightly stacked calyxes deeply encrusted with resin. This plant prioritizes resin >> An instant head high is followed by the feeling of someone removing layer upon layer of chilled washcloths from my face.

The Effect:

smoke report: The flowers have tightly organized calyxes, with almost no leaf evident anywhere. They explode from

a center of what appears to be an opaque white fuzz. The overall color appears blondish on a consequence of the vast sea of glandular heads jockeying for position on every surface of the flower. As stacked as each flower is, it breaks apart perfectly, sending out a potent rush of Kush and Lemon Cleaner. The familiar and riveting scents of piney Kush with notes of cedar and a deep Lemon Cleaner reach into the mouth, yanking fiercely as a thick rush of expando-smoke escapes through the throat ready to wreak havoc of epic proportion on unassuming lungs. My chest cavity explodes and a pine needle forest spills out of my mouth as I exhale, almost certain about the loss of at least one nose hole.

The Genetics: Kosher Kush (clone only) x OG Kush

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‘‘

I reach up to check my nose holes and delight in my astonishment to find both fully in tact, but not before noticing a particular clarity in my thinking. As my eyes lids take a familiar “sunset” position I can feel my perky, clear, kushed up, symptom-free state emerge. I remember to thank Don and Aaron for making their lifeʼs work creating and sharing such stable, reliable and elite genetics with the world.

My chest cavity explodes and a pine needle forest spills out of my mouth as I exhale.

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We believe in alternative health WITH care.

206-257- 4500 HAVEAHEARTCC.COM

11736 AURORA AVENUE N. SEATTLE, WASH. 98133