May 2013 — Issue #35

NORTHWEST LEAF the patient’s voice!

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May 2013 Issue #35

Northwest

The feds, the banks and Cannabis

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contents

MAY 2013

32

34

50

4/20 IN Denver PROFILE

22

60

Micro Strains #2

Banking on Cannabis

68

What’s the pHuss?

32

Under the Biodome

74

Making hemp biofuel

NATIONAL NEWS..................12 HIGH TIMES...........................26 CLONEVILLE.....................32 THE GREEN DOOR...................34 BANKING ON CANNABIS..........38 STRAIN OF THE MONTH ........44 RESIDUAL SOLVENTS..............56 DOSING YOUR DAB................57 TASTY RECIPES......................64 GROW TECH..................68 DOCTOR ROSE..........................80 BEHIND THE STRAIN...............86

48

The Concentrates Issue

80

Cannabis for PMS

COVER & CONTENTS PHOTOS

When we decided to cover the holiday festivities this year, we knew we would be in for a pretty amazing trip — Snoop Lion

performing for an exclusive crowd, the world’s largest 4/20 rally and the first-ever stop of the US High Times Cannabis Cup right in downtown Denver — but what we could never forecast was how things could all go very differently in just a matter of minutes.

12

Marijuana in the News

38

40

Steve Elliott rounds-up the best

Why MMJ needs the law to change How Cloneville’s niche works

Our beautiful 10-page special

28

Bob Montoya’s column returns Dr. Scanderson shares insights

It’s not as crazy as you think

Dr. Scott D. Rose breaks it down

Daniel Berman/Northwest Leaf

contents

48 The concentrates issue popular Cannabis extracts available in the Washington market because they are potent and offer patients a chance to medicate very small amounts worth of their product to conserve resources — and save their lungs.

Concentrates need to be given a certain amount of respect, as too much too soon may be too powerful for most first-timers.

8/MAY 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

PHOTO BY DANIEL BERMAN

sHATTER is one of the more

NORTHWEST LEAF

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editor’s note

MAY 2013

TO OUR READERS, Thanks for picking up the 35th issue of Northwest Leaf!

T

his month our cover story focuses on solvent-based Cannabis concentrates.

Once seen as a fad, and now widely used, many patients have turned to using them for a variety of reasons. Easier and more accurate dosing, less smoking and increased potency all come with a good sample. But with the good there is also the bad, and there has been a huge increase in low quality products on the market.

In our concentrates issue, we explore professional methods of extraction and the laboratory environments that all concentrates should be processed in. There is also some beautiful photos of concentrates by Nate Watters. Don’t miss our breakdown of nine of the best concentrates this state has to offer.

May’s issue also features an interesting look at using Cannabis to create biodiesel, which could boost the national and local economy.

In the features section, we get an inside look at the new experiences for patients at Cloneville

Seattle and The Green Door.

Another major story this month involves the federal government and banking for Cannabis-related businesses. The future of MMJ, and even recreational Cannabis, depends on a businesses’ ability to bank safely.

We also traveled to Denver to cover Snoop Lion’s doc premiere, the High Times US Cannabis Cup, and a less than peaceful 4/20 rally at the state capitol.

Don’t forget to look in on Dr. Roses’ new article this month, along with a stellar growtech and behind the strain from the national treasure, Dr. Scanderson.

For those who like to be in the know, check in on national news with Northwest Leaf contributor Steve Elliot.

Above all I hope that you enjoy this new issue of the Leaf, and learn something too!

— 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.

Phone 206-235-6721 Email nwleaf@gmail.com

founder & editor-in-chief

Wes Abney

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

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Daniel Berman contributors Analytical360 Steve elliott kirk ericson Asher Koch tyler markwart bob montoya Will Rodenbough Dr. Scanderson Dr. Scott D. rOSE Nate Watters MAY 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

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national

STEVE ELLIOTT edits tokesignals.com, an independent blog of Cannabis news and opinion

Senate Hypocrisy

North carolina will require drug tests to get welfare >> Same senators blocked a bill that woluld have required they be tested

r Congress: States Can Legalize Marijuana Despite Federal Ban

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ith the tide of public opinion seemingly ready to sweep marijuana prohibition into the dustbin of history, the bipartisan Congressional Research Service, which works exclusively for Congress, has released a legal analysis aimed at helping legislators understand the ramifications of legalization.

The analysis found that there may be some wiggle room when it comes to interpreting the Controlled Substances Act, which makes marijuana illegal for any purpose under federal law.

One section of the CSA seems to indicate that “Congress did not intend to entirely occupy the regulatory field concerning controlled substances or wholly supplant traThere may be wiggle room ditional state authority in the area when it comes to interpreting … States remain free to pass laws the Controlled Substances Act, relating to marijuana, or other cona Congressional study found. trolled substances, so long as they do not create a “positive conflict” with federal law, such that the two laws “cannot consistently stand together,” the analysis found.

The analysis gives Congress some solid legal footing to act, according to U.S. Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colorado). The report finds that the federal government cannot force states to prohibit cannabis use, according to a statement on Polis’s website.

“I’ve long believed,” Polis said “that Colorado, Washington and other states that have decriminalized or legalized marijuana for personal or medical use have acted within the legal bounds of the law. I am pleased to see that Congress’s research agency has interpreted the law the same way.”

“While H.R. 499, the Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act, which I introduced earlier this year, remains important to establishing a structure to regulate marijuana like alcohol, this validation by the Congressional Research Service that the 10th amendment allows Colorado and Washington’s laws to move forward is a welcome step.”

12/MAY 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

face the same problem. epublicans in the North Caro“If they’re already there because they line Senate on April 22 pushed need food stamps, where are they gothrough a bill that would take ing to come up with that money?” Sen. away food stamps and job training for Ellie Kinnaird (D-Orange) reasonably people who fail a drug test. asked. “They’re scraping the bottom.”

At the same time, they rejected an Bill Rowe of the North Carolina amendment offered by Democratic Justice Center told the committee that Senator Gladys Robinson which would studies show drug use is no more comhave drug tested the governor, cabinet mon among welfare recipients than secretaries and lawmakers themselves. among the general public, and that In a 35-15 vote almost completely similar laws in Florida and Michigan along party lines, the senators passed had been found unconstitutional.

SB 594. One lone Democrat voted “Our Fourth Amendment doesn’t for the bill, and no Republicans voted allow suspicionless testing of people,” against it.

Rowe said. “There’s no decision that The bill requires Temporary Assissays this is OK.” tance for Needy Families (TANF) apRowe was then told to “Sit down” by plicants to pay for their own suspicionRepublican Sen. less drug tests.

Tommy Tucker.

Those who test “You’re OK with negative would be [marijuana user] eligible to have the Rowe was then told to getting federal cost of the tests redollars if they’ve imbursed. The pol“Sit down” by Republican had a doobie and icy could cost the Sen. Tommy Tucker. “ You’re get the munchies state more than $2.1 and need more million.

OK with [marijuana users] food stamps?”

“We receive state Tucker asked. funds, we represent getting federal dollars if “We seem to be the law, we institute getting into a situpolicy,” Sen. Robinthey’ve had a doobie and ation where we’re son told the other get the munchies and need kind of above senators on Monday the people,” Sen. night. “So, it should more food stamps?”

Martin Nesbitt, not be above any of a Democrat, said. us to submit to drug Tucker asked.

“Kind of looking screening.” down on them, Republican Sen. telling them what to do or telling Jim Davis claimed he didn’t mind bethem to be quiet while we talk, and I ing tested, but said that he would vote just sense that it keeps on going.” against the amendment because it had For its part, the ACLU of Arkansas no mechanism to reimburse him for opposes the bill, and has threatened to the $100 test. fight should it become law. Governor He didn’t seem overly concerned Mike Beebe, a Democrat, has indicatthat welfare applicants -- who have far ed he might veto the law anyway, if it less money than Senator Davis -- will

Quick Hits!

5

millions of dollars in annual state revenue Colorado expects to obtain from taxes on legal marijuana. As much as $60 million could be raised, the study said.

The CO legislature has proposed a 30 percent tax, including a 15 percent sales tax and 15 percent excise tax on growers.

750 2

Thousands of dollars worth of marijuana seized from a mobile marijuana delivery biz in Poway, CA last month. 230 plants were also taken in the raid along with 20 pounds of dried Cannabis.

Marijuana DUI Bill Fails (once Again) In Colorado >> A blood limit for drivers was rejected in the Colorado Senate for the fourth time

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ashington state voters seemed OK past four legislative sessions, the lawmakers have with instituting a THC blood looked at the scientific evidence for and against uslimit for drivers when they aping marijuana content in the blood to determine if proved limited legalization meadrivers are impaired. sure Initiative 502 last fall.

“This is a significant public safety concern,” said But Colorado lawmakers seem to want a Matt Durkin, a state assistant attorney who suplittle more proof. A blood ports the marijuana DUI bill. The limit for drivers was reThe Colorado Senate rejected bill, like Washington state’s I-502, jected on Monday in the would have limited drivers to five the DUI bill by a vote of 4 Colorado Senate for the nanograms per milliliter of blood for to 1, saying it has become fourth time. Skepticism THC, the main psychoactive ingre“something of a...tradition.” dient in cannabis. on the applicability of alcohol-style THC blood Durkin claimed that recreational limits helped defeat even a watered-down marijuana use will rise because of Colorado’s vote form of the measure. last year to defy federal marijuana laws by legalizing The Senate Judiciary Committee, on a small amounts of cannabis for people over 21.

4-1 vote, rejected the blood standard after Washington state voters legalized small amounts a long hearing “that has become something of pot for adults last year, but unlike Colorado’s law, of an annual tradition in the Senate,” reours doesn’t allow home cultivation, and the law inports The Associated Press. Each of the cludes a 5 ng/ml THC blood limit for drivers.

Quoted

“

Number of ounces of Cannabis medical marijuana patients in Washington, D.C. will be able to purchase every month. The city’s first dispensary, Capital City Care, opens in May and will carry flower, edibles, candies and drinks — all produced with medicine grown in-house.

Voters in the nation’s capital approved MMJ back in 2010.

38

Number of New York senators planning to vote in support of a new medical marijuana bill — after the House approved their measure.

It’s the farthest a MMJ bill has ever proceeded in the Legislature.Qualifying New Yorkers could purchase 2.5 oz.

42 50

Length in months of a jail sentence for Jing Jing Mo, 31, the owner of Seattle Cannabis Cooperative, after offering to sell 25 pounds to an undercover.

Percent of Oregonians who support legalizing marijuana, according to a survey by DHM Research in Portland. Lawmakers there are considering a new bill to regulate the production, processing and sale of pot.

3

Number of people arrested for selling pot & edibles to students at Ballard High and Whitman Middle School in Seattle. A 50 y/o suspect was arrested at his job.

HORIZON IS NOT WILLING TO PLACE AN IMPAIRED PILOT BACK IN THE COCKPIT. DOING SO WOULD VIOLATE FEDERAL LAW AND CONTRAVENE A WELL-SETTLED PUBLIC POLICY PROHIBITING A PILOT FROM FLYING WHILE USING DRUGS. -Mark Hutcheson, an attorney for Horizon Airlines. In April, Horizon sued in fed. court to overrule an independent arbitrator’s decision stating the pilot couldn’t fire a pilot that tested positive for pot during a drug test. The pilot said he never used on the job or the night before flying.

national

BY STEVE ELLIOTT FOR NORTHWEST LEAF

Visit tinyurl.com/idahohope to donate directly to the Moms For Marijuana Compassion Fund for Sarah, Lindsey and Josh.

Cops Raid Home of Idaho Marijuana Activists >> The nonviolent parents just want their children back

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of Idaho, and to help reach others worldwide,” Frank said. he home of Idaho marijuana activists Lindsey and Josh Rinehart was “These are three very close friends of mine, who helped create Moms For raided on April 23 by Boise Police and Child Protective Services Marijuana and everything else happening in Idaho, from our groups to the while Lindsey, Josh and their friend Sarah Caldwell, a fellow maripetition and HOPEFest,” Frank said. juana activist, were on a small trip to the mountains.

“Sarah is our executive director of finance and close family friend of 15 Lindsey and Josh’s two children were taken into “protective custody,” years. Lindsey took over as chief petitioner of the medical marijuana petition and because Sarah’s two children were also at the residence with the I originally started, and when that one didn’t make it, started babysitter, they were taken as well.

A custody hearing for the children is pending, and pos“Personally, I think they a new one.

“I know these people very well and they are wonderful sible criminal charges relating to marijuana might arise in are being attacked by parents and activists,” Frank said. “Personally, I think they are the future, according to Serra Frank, director of Moms For the state because of all being attacked by the state because of all the progress they Marijuana International. are making with the Idaho Medical Marijuana Petition and Lindsey Rinehart is the director, chief petitioner and the progress they’re everything else they’ve done in the last few years.” volunteer coordinator for Compassionate Idaho’s medical making...”

“They are heartbroken and just want their babies back,” marijuana petition. She is also a core member of the Idaho Frank said. “Unfortunately, it’s a long, drawn-out process HOPEFest Committee and of Idaho Moms for Marijuana. once CPS has them in custody.

Josh Rinehart is Lindsey’s husband, director of “All three of these dedicated cannabis warriors are physically disabled, Idaho NORML, and core member of Idaho and receive very little to no income, and absolutely zero income from any of HOPEFest and Compassionate Idaho. their volunteer efforts in cannabis reform,” Frank said. “They are all in need Sarah Caldwell is executive director of finance of help to retain both family law and criminal law attorneys. in Moms For Marijuana International. She is “Anything that you can give to help provide towards these costs would also a founding member of Idaho Moms for be greatly appreciated,” Frank told us. “Every penny helps!”

Marijuana, founding director of Compassionate Idaho, Idaho NORML, “All donations will be given directly to [the family] for help in their court and the Idaho HOPEFest. battles and help set case precedence in Idaho that marijuana is not danger“These three nonviolent, loving parents have dedicated their time, ous to anyone, including children,” Frank said. their money, and their lives to help end cannabis prohibition in the state

COPS CLAIM WASHINGTON’S NEW LEGAL MARIJUANA LAWS JEOPARDIZES ALL POT PROSECUTIONS >> At the heart of the matter are the state’s scientists who just don’t understand how marijuana and THC really work

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unny how everyone in Washington suddenly seems to be a marijuana expert, now that the herb is legal in the Evergreen State. In one of the latest examples of how an advanced cluelessness can make its way into the press, prosecutors and crime lab scientists are claiming that the differentiation between marijuana and hemp in the state’s legal marijuana law could make it impossible to go after any pot “crimes” at all.

The problem stems from a part of I-502 meant to distinguish marijuana from industrial hemp, which is grown for its fiber and seed oil. Washington law defines marijuana as having more than 0.3 percent of the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, delta-9 THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).

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Scientists with the state crime lab claim that scientists and cops are missing is that, even “often,” even potent marijuana can have less before THC is converted to its active (decarthan 0.3 percent, claiming that it’s only when boxylated) form by heating, drying or curing heated or burned that “another the flowers, it is still THC, just the Drama-prone clueless compound” turns into delta-9 inactive form, THCA (tetrahydroTHC. prosecutors are calling cannabinolic acid).

“That means if people get THCA is just as illegal as THC, for an immediate fix caught with more than an it definitely shows up on lab tests, in the Legislature ounce of marijuana, or if poand I personally have never heard lice bust illicit grow operations, of a single case where a grower got prosecutors might not be able to prove the charges dismissed because the THC in his unplants or material seized meets the definition dried plants wasn’t activated. of marijuana, The Associated Press inaccurateMeanwhile, we have those drama-prone, ly reported on Wednesday. clueless prosecutors “calling for an immediate What the clueless prosecutors, crime-lab fix in the Legislature.”

Umm, bringing a backpack full of weed into a courthouse might be a bad idea >> Somebody get this guy a Darwin Award, please

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olice in Ohio said a College Hill man was arrested in April after he tried to bring a backpack full of marijuana into the Hamilton County Courthouse.

Cops say they found the weed – 68.5 grams of it, plus baggies and digital scales — when Samuel Howard’s belongings were being searched by court security, reports FOX19.

Howard, an apparent non-genius who seemingly was ready to start dealing weed inside the courthouse, is being charged with drug trafficking and possession of drug paraphernalia.

First Licensed Dispensary Opens In Phoenix >> But weird computer problems delay selling to patients on 4/20

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he first licensed medical marijuana dispensary in Phoenix, Arizona has opened its doors, but couldn’t serve any customers at its grand opening April 20.

A computer server run by the Arizona Department of Health Services was down on Saturday, affecting all of the state’s medical marijuana dispensaries, said Bloom Sky Train executive director Lezli Engelking.

Arizona voters approved the legalization of medical marijuana by about 4,300 votes in 2010, authorizing its use for certain medical conditions with a doctor’s authorization.

The state Department of Health Services administers Arizona’s medical marijuana program, regulating dispensaries where patients and caregivers can legally buy cannabis. More than 35,000 Arizonans have medical marijuana cards. This means that there are now 18 states plus the District of Columbia with a medicinal marijuana program in place, and that is terrific news, regardless.

PHOTO BY FLICKR/SLWORKING & CREATIVE COMMONS

man busted smoking pot in hospital just minutes after near Overdose >> He said he didn’t flush the marijuana because he wasn’t sure it would go down the toilet

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Wisconsin man is facing three separate drug charges after allegedly smoking marijuana in a hospital bathroom — this being after he received rescue treatment for a heroin overdose. Racine County Sheriff ’s Office deputies responded to a home in Waterford on March 8 and reportedly found Seth A. Kulick, 24, not breathing with his lips turning blue, according to the police complaint, reports The Journal Times of Racine.

Emergency response personnel treated Kulick with Narcan, a drug which blocks the effects of heroin and other opiates, according to the police report. Within seconds he began to breathe again and regain consciousness.

According to police, Kulick was then transferred to Burlington Memorial Hospital, where he reportedly asked emergency roof staff if he could use the restroom.

After he went into the bathroom, hospital staff noticed the odor of burning marijuana coming from the room and reported it to the police, who found cannabis hidden above a ceiling tile in the room.

According to the police report, Kulick told an investigator that he placed the baggie of weed between his butt cheeks while riding to the hospital in the ambulance. He said he didn’t flush the marijuana because he wasn’t sure it would go down the toilet.

This apparently wasn’t Kulick’s first unhappy The gentleman reportedly encounter with law enforcement. According to asked emergency roof staff the City of Madison, in May 2011, Kulick, then if he could use the restroom. age 22, tried to run from police who were investigating a house party after citizens complained they’d been hit with beer cans coming from the balcony of a residence.

A combative Kulick reportedly dragged one officer down an alleyway, allegedly injuring the cop’s leg. A Madison Police Department sergeant allegedly suffered rib injuries while dealing with him as well. He was arrested then for resisting and obstructing, possession of drug paraphernalia, and simple marijuana possession.

MAY 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

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national

Mayor Filner

Stormy San Diego

San Diego City Council Rejects Mayor’s Medical Marijuana Plan >> The failed plan would have increased Cannabis access while protecting the public with new zoning restrictions

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he San Diego City Council on Monday rejected Mayor Bob Filner’s medical marijuana zoning proposal without consideration, voting instead to re-introduce their extremely restrictive original zoning proposal, overturned by a voter signature drive in 2011, with, get this, additional new restriction suggestions.

Mayor Filner had introduced his medical marijuana zoning proposal at the beginning of the council session, which was dedicated to its consideration.

Describing his proposal, Mayor Filner said, “I’ve tried to do both — to widen access and increase protection for neighborhoods and children.”

Faced with a full house of speakers on the issue, Council President Todd Gloria instructed speakers to limit their comments to the mayor’s medical marijuana ordinance being considered and give feedback on the same. For the next three and a half hours, dozens of speakers spoke for and against the provisions of the ordinance, with the majority of speakers being in favor of the mayor’s proposal.

Members of the medical marijuana task force, commissioned by Gloria in 2010 to help develop the original ordinance proposal, also presented a letter of support of the mayor’s proposal.

“It is time for San Diego to reach a lasting resolution to this issue. We believe that Mayor Filner’s proposal will do just that and we support it wholeheartedly,” wrote taskforce President Alex Kreit and

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BY STEVE ELLIOTT FOR NORTHWEST LEAF er David Armille, a resident of the Fourth DisVice President Stephen Whitburn, along with trict, “we spent four hours giving our input to the taskforce members Dave Potter and Rev. Riggs. mayor’s proposal, only to have the council vote to However, despite the directive from Counresurrect an already repealed ordinance, with no cil President Gloria to the council to discuss opportunity for input from the public, that has the proposal put forth by Mayor Filner, Counalready proven its unpopularity in a public refcilmember Marti Emerald immediately put erendum.” forth a motion to disregard the mayor’s pro“We came here to speak to one proposal,” posal without any discussion of its provisions echoed James Schmachtenberger, “that proposal and to instead resurrect the near-ban proposal was ignored along with our comput forth by the council, ments.” The public in attendance and repealed through voter “We spent four hours giving our of the City Council meeting referendum, in 2011. input to the mayor’s proposal, appeared uniformly displeased Even with the primary only to have the council vote to with the council’s decision to criticism of the repealed resurrect their already repealed ordinance being echoed resurrect an already repealed ordinance, as well as ignore the by many speakers at the ordinance, with no opportunity proposal in front of them. council meeting — that for input from the public, that “This ordinance was already this repealed ordinance has already proven its unpopurejected by the residence of San constituted a near ban — Diego,” said United Patients’ AlCouncilmember Emerald larity in a public referendum,” liance President Ken Cole. “The suggested further restriccomplained San Diego resident public has spoken, and they do tions to the 2011 ordiDavid Armille. not want a ban. nance, including an addi“They do not want patients to tional 100 foot buffer from have to drive to far flung industrial areas for their all residences, not found in the original 2011 medicine,” Cole said. “And this already repealed ordinance. ordinance does exactly that — it forces patients Councilmember Lightner seconded the to industrial areas with no public transportation. proposal to disregard the Mayor’s proposal in It is completely against the spirit of safe, local, favor of the Council’s failed 2011 ordinance. access championed by Mayor Filner.”

“It was a switch and bait,” complained speak-

PHOTO BY FLICKR/SLWORKING

Interwebs

hacked on 4/20!

Ohio police chief thinks he’s dying after eating entire pot-infused cake

>> Four popular anti-Cannabis websites targeted by hacktivists

>> Claims a friend of his daughter’s brought the treacherous treat into their home

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he Hocking County Sheriff ’s blocks and was met by Office is investigating who got a couple of the medics from the police chief stoned. The the fire department,” the deputies want to know who is Chief said. responsible for drugging LauBerkemeier said medics relville Police Chief Mike Berkemeier. transported him to Berger The story began on Easter Sunday Hospital in Circleville where doctors when Chief Berkemeier ate some innodid tests to find out what was wrong cent-looking cake sitting with him. on his kitchen counter, “I kept trying to explain to ”I kept trying to exreports Josh Poland at [the medics] this wasn’t plain to them this wasn’t Central Ohio’s 10TV. getting any better. It just getting any better. I felt com. got worse,” he said. “I “I got up in the morning like I was out of my mind.” felt like I was out of my and ate it — the entire mind.” thing,” the apologetic chief said. ”It was probably the scariest thing It wasn’t long until Chief Berkethat has ever happened to me in my enmeier began to feel unusual. Apparently, tire life,” he said.

Mikey was something of a weed novice.

Berkemeier says a friend of his daugh”I thought I was dying,” he said. ter brought the cake into their home.

Berkemeier says all he could think Ironically, Chief Berkemeier promised to do was make the short drive from to “clean up the town” when he came his home to the Laurelville police stainto office, nbc4i.com reports. tion for help. Poor guy — he thinks he’s Since, his department has written lots dying, and he drives to a police station, of speeding tickets and making plenty putting everyone in danger? of drug raids. Some residents say they “I don’t remember much of the think the new police chief is being too drive here, even though it’s just a few aggressive in his efforts to fight crime.

nonymous Team Vendetta took down four major anti-cannabis sites to mark this year’s 4/20 #OpCannabis launch on April 20. Members of the hacktivist collective temporarily took down these sites: Citizens Against Legalizing Marijuana CALM’s official position is that “We affirm the 2006 FDA finding and vast scientific evidence that marijuana causes harm.

The normalization, expanded use, and increased availability of marijuana in our communities are detrimental to our youth, to public health, and to the safety of our society,” www.calmca.org Infamous anti-pot activist Paul Chabot‘s site was taken down. Team Vendetta noted, “Also, have fun sorting out the 18,500 campaign email requests;” rightwing nutcase Chabot’s focus is currently on his quixotic run for the California State Assembly. Back in January, Chabot, in an interview with HuffPost Live, compared marijuana to child pornography. www.paulchabot.com The site of eight-term Congressman Patrick Kennedy’s Project SAM, Smart Approaches to Marijuana, was also taken down. Kennedy, a self-confessed former Oxycontin addict, has proposed the forced “re-education” of pot users. Claimed on SAM’s website: “We cannot promote a comprehensive system of mental health treatment and marijuana legalization, which increases permissiveness for a drug that directly contributes to mental illness.” www.learnaboutsam.com The site of former White House advisor and outspoken drug warrior Kevin Sabet was the fourth site targeted and taken down by Anonymous Team Vendetta.

Sabet was listed in a recent Rolling Stone article as the #1 enemy of marijuana legalization in the United States.

“There are more lulz coming VERY soon,” a Team Vendetta member dispatched. www.kevinsabet.com

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Lawsuit Claims ‘Massive Marijuana Use’ at Universal Music Group >> Jamie Foxx and other artists are accused of toking up by upset, anonymous security guard

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Kevin Sabet The #1 enemy of legalization?

rtists and execs at the record company are smoking massive amounts of marijuana according to a lawsuit in LA Superior Court. The complaint comes from a pot-hating, 41-year-old security guard for Universal Protection Services.

The guard was dissatisfied with the response of her superiors when she raised her “concerns” about widespread marijuana use within the record company. There were tenants and studio guests smoking marijuana in the courtyards! Guests were seen getting high in UPMG’s hallways! Lobby areas! In front of the building! In stairwells!

The parking lot! It seems “Macy Gray, guests of Jamie Foxx, MC Ren and guests, Rapper TI’s and his wife Tiny’s entourage; and other artists,” were spotted toking.

“Some artists would offer drugs to Plaintiff which she declined, asking if she ‘want a hit,’ referring to a joint that they were smoking,” the complaint breathlessly relates.

The unintentionally funny complaint mentions Maroon 5 singer Adam Levine, who lit up a joint in the lobby. “It’s Adam Levine...” a UMPG employee allegedly responded. “He can do whatever he wants.” The guard is suing Universal Music Groupowned UPMG, her employer Universal Protection Services, the building’s management and others over alleged labor violations and a “hostile work environment.”

“While we cannot comment on allegations between the plaintiff and her employer, we can say the allegations as they relate to [UMG] are absurd,” said a spokesperson.

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2/22/13 4:03 PM

rehashed

PHOTOS BY DANIEL BERMAN

4:21PM

Highs &

4/20 marked the first marijuana celebration since Colorado passed Amendment 64 legalizing recreational Cannabis use. that was the day’s only good news.

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4/20

& Lows

5:01PM

At around 5 p.m, the unmistakable ‘pop-pop-pop’ of gunfire broke through the haze, sending packed crowds scattering. Three people were wounded.

in Denver

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rehashed

BY WES ABNEY | PHOTO BY DANIEL BERMAN

Reflecting on the Rally As gunshots rang out, I never expected that a day of peace would so quickly turn to panic

T

here was a feeling of electricity in the air, away. Though we didn’t know it at the time, this an undeniable moment tens of thousands inconvenient parking spot would later be a boon. of people joined together for a single cause.

We got into the park at 3 p.m., and spent The sound started in bursts, a roaring cheer that the next hour trying to walk around. Imagine echoed across the state capitol in Denver. Much a Seattle Hempfest mainstage crowd, and then like the wave at a professional sports game, the 420 project that over a fenced in, fairly narrow park. call went up, and, with it, came the People literally had nowhere to smoke. Massive amounts of smoke. we noticed the police officers walk, and many climbed statues So much smoke, you could actually running in the same direction and railings just to see out over say an outdoor area was hotboxed. the event and catch a breath of we were, flanking us inside This was a truly monumental mo- a net of armed and scared fresh air. ment: 4/20 at one of the world’s larg- officers rapidly expanding At the center of the park was est public marijuana celebrations. the amphitheater, an open halfoutward. That was when we When we first drove past the park started running. circle packed with a slightly at 2 p.m., we couldn’t believe how more rowdy crowd than the rest many people were already flocking to the park. of the park. Live rap music blasted the crowd in The three of us had been to a lot of pot convenbetween speakers, and everybody appeared to be tions, seen the crowds, but nothing before like this. having a good time.

Streets were congested and blocked off, making We did notice a lot of people who might parking a complete nightmare. Daniel, our photogcasually be described as “thuggish,” though with rapher, jumped out of the rental car and headed for rap culture influencing so much of clothing tothe crowds, his spidey sense already going off. day it is hard to say. What wasn’t hard to notice I continued with my fianceé, Kori, and we drove was the drinking and other drug use. around until finally parking about eight blocks By 4:10 p.m. the crowds were whipped into

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a frenzy. People frantically finished rolling their joints, loading bowls, or attempted to find somebody to mooch a hit from at the special moment.

We had the fortune of meeting Safe-T Driver and Cliff Maynard at this exact time, along with their mile high friend John. Honey oil caviar was passed, along with a number of joints, and by the time 4:50 rolled around — we were thoroughly medicated.

Parting ways, Kori and I headed back to the amphitheater to meet with Daniel. Communication was tough, but the crowds were starting to thin out slightly. What was immediately obvious was that the attitude of the crowd had changed. 4:20 had come and gone, and what remained was a huge crowd of people that were all intoxicated. The sun had even disappeared behind cloud cover.

Deciding that fetching the car was our best bet, we started walking away from the amphitheater and toward an open area near the public library. That’s when the shots rang out. ‘Poppop-pop-pop’... and then one final shot.

The floodgates had opened. A wall of people rushed the streets as paramedics and police swarmed the area. Anecdotal reports suggest police shut down all cell service in the area, making finding a friend or loved one next to impossible.

We ran back to where we had just been, only to be stopped by an officer with an automatic weapon, and were nearly run down by the first victim on a stretcher. We knew that Daniel was somewhere in the mix taking photos, but at that point there was nothing we could do.

Turning back, we started moving at a fast walk away from the park. It was then we noticed the police officers running in the same direction we were, flanking us inside a net of armed and scared officers rapidly expanding outward. That was when we started running.

Forty minutes later, we had gone six blocks and felt like long distance competitors. The police were still blocking all main roads, and had surrounded a truck right by us. We went one more block over, and stepped into a bar full of fans watching the Nuggets playoff game. Then it sunk in.

Nobody in the bar had heard the shooting, felt the panic of thousands of people fearing for their lives. It was game day. Beer and wings were the singular focus. When a woman in her twenties asked why we looked so disheveled, so obviously startled, we told her about the incident and she was shocked.

“I hope,” she said “that isn’t all you remember about Denver.”

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rehashed

BY WES ABNEY | PHOTOS BY DANIEL BERMAN

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U.S. High Times Cannabis Cup 2013 On April 20th, the first American Cannabis Cup put Denver into the marijuana history books

W i t h 1 5 , 0 0 0 e s t i m at e d at t e n d e e s ,

end, and was one of the most popular among patrons.

Around 4:20 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday, things it certainly was one of the largest private pot parties ever held, whipped into a real frenzy. When one of the booths starting and it didn’t disappoint. Ticket holders waited for hours to tossing ounces and grams into the crowd, people instantly get inside, smoking copious amounts of flower and dabs alike pressed in. The occasional shatter gram was flung out as well, while sitting in the three-block-long lines. nearly causing this writer a blow to the forehead as testosterWalking along the lines was a mix-mash of accents and culone driven dudes dove and scrambled for the samples. tures. There were attendees from all over the world, and likely Inside the Exdo building were more booths, and the every state in America. Teachers, insurance adjustcool air conditioning and lack of smoke made for a There were ers, activists and the plain curious came together to attendees from nice change of environment. I saw more unique prodcelebrate 420 at the center of the pot smoking state. all over the ucts in here, including a Cannabis transdermal patch Since Colorado passed Amendment 64, their world and likely and a sweet new electronic dispensing machine. Evrecreational use of marijuana legislation along side every state in erything from new electric dabbers to clothing, grow Washington state’s I-502, the open acceptance of pot america. lights and a Cannabis temp staffing agency had a preshas grown tremendously. It showed in the crowds. ence, and for those interested there was a lot of learning to be People were stoked to smoke! done.

Inside the grounds the event was broken down into several By the end of the weekend, most attendees had a dab-zombie areas. Most popular was the recreational smoking area, which look pasted to their face, with every hedonistic weed impulse was full to the gills with interesting booths. satisfied ten-fold. Tired as they appeared, the sun was shining This was the first recreational event I had ever been to that and it was clearly hard for most to walk away from a once in actually felt like it was ticketed. It was impossible not to find a lifetime trip. But the teachers had students to get back to, a booth offering dabs or bowls to try, with lines often 10 deep the insurance company needed its staff, and this over-dabbed for a single dab station. The Pink House booth featured bewriter needed a nap. tween five and 10 rigs constantly running for the entire week-

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rehashed

BY WES ABNEY | PHOTOS BY DANIEL BERMAN

In s n o o p ’ s H o u s e

S e e i n g t h e l e g e n d p e r f o r m w a s e v e n m o r e s p e c i a l a f t e r g e t t i n g t o s e e w h y h e m a ke s t h e m u s i c

I

could hardly contain my excitement as I walked up to the Fillmore in Denver for the Snoop Lion Reincarnated premier.

The date was 4/19, the time 7 p.m, and the line was already around the block. We moved ahead to the press entrance as the person ahead of me in line was asked to leave when the security guard noticed his massive vaporizer.

I shifted mine in my pocket, which was packed to the gills with C02 oil, and walked through the line. The staff all reminded us not to smoke inside, though I had a feeling it wouldn’t be enforced.

The Fillmore has a small outside entrance reminiscent of a local movie theatre, and I wasn’t expecting the inside to be as massive as it was. The doors opened to a upper level that looked out over an expansive general area in front of the stage. Here, chairs were set up for several hundred lucky people to watch the documentary screening.

There were several different bar areas inside as well, along with a food area serving pizza and other snacks. We grabbed a Heineken and then found

center seats, waiting and crowd watching while the lines slowly filtered inside. It was funny to watch everyone sneakily pulling out their meds, rolling blunts and joints, and occasionally someone would hit a pipe.

Still, the watchful eyes of the event staff quelled most people from sparking up. A short 20 minutes later the lights went down, the screen came on, and that all changed. The dub bass lines hit hard, vibrating the chairs and electrifying the air as the documentary began. From that moment on, the Fillmore became the largest building I have ever participated in hotboxing.

The documentary lasted about an hour, though time seemed to melt by. The film takes us on Snoop’s journey to Jamaica, where he goes on a spiritual journey to connect with true Rastafarian traditions. While he admits in the beginning that he has been to Jamaica before, this trip, Snoop confides, was different. Like a butterfly

From that moment, the Fillmore became the largest building I have ever participated in hotboxing.

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shedding the cocoon from a past life, Snoop is trying to leave behind the violence and gangster that he built his empire on.

The film shows Snoop’s roots growing up, along with the losses experienced along the way.

It isn’t surprising that after years of negative energy, he finally wants to be free of having to be a gangster. He is a family man now, a change that he is clearly trying to embrace.

When meets with legendary Wailers member Bunny Wailer, there is a clear electricity. The two artists come together over a chalice of Cannabis, and smoke in praise of Jah. That is how the Rasta’s worship, and they do it a lot. There are only a couple scenes where Snoop isn’t smoking, though it seems natural instead of flagrant. It is more than just getting high. Towards the end Snoop is guided through a ceremony, where he is given the Ethiopian name “Berhane,” meaning “light of the world.” The man really seems to love and embrace the change.

Once the film ended, High Times bestowedSnoop with the Lester Grinspoon Lifetime Achievement Award. He took a rip from the ornate piece designed by glass artists Hoobs & Hops, before thanking all his fans over the years.

Chairs were quickly cleared out and the party began. Dead Prez rocked the crowd first, along with several other hip hop performers, and the music rocked as joints and blunts continued to roll. As the Fillmore got even smokier, the frenzy started to build. Everyone wanted to see Snoop in person.

When he finally came out on stage for the first time, the crowd actually got quieter. Unlike a Bieber concert full of screaming pretweens, this was a crowd in awe. And then the veil was pierced, and people began throwing their pot at Snoops feet.

“Y’all are crazy motherfuckers,” the Lion said.

“Anybody got that Kush?”

After accepting the award, the night only got crazier, and eventually Snoop came back out to DJ. By now the crowd was in full frenzy, and still the Cannabis rained on the stage. Then, the countdown began.

As the clock struck midnight, and 4/20 was officially in the house, a New Year’s Eve worthy assortment of balloons cascaded down and the party got back to business.

Snoop bobbed behind his Macbook as security grabbed blunts and joints from people to check their safety. And passed them to the Lion.

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access

BY WES ABNEY | PHOTOS BY DANIEL BERMAN

Tommy Harris

Cloneville helping local patients get a garden started >> Marijuana starts, or clones, can be tough to come by reliably in Western Washington, but one Rainier Beach business is working to make the process easier.

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ant to grow vegetables in Washington?

You’re in luck. Garden stores sell endless varieties of plants and offer special prices and tips for making the most out of a garden.

But garden stores don’t sell a particular plant, one that thousands of patients have the legal right to grow 15 of. For those patients, the hardest part of starting a garden can be finding something to put in it.

Recognizing this need, two partners quietly leased a retail space just blocks from Lake Washington on Rainier Avenue. Their business is considered a regular collective, but it doesn’t have the normal accoutrements of such a business. No pipes, no flowers, no concentrates. Inside you’ll find just one product, though it comes in many different varieties. Clones, a.k.a starts.

Inside the doors of Cloneville Seattle sits Tommy Harris, a wiry, energetic professional looking man listening to classical from a small radio.

The music fits his gardener vibe, flitting from plant to plant, ensuring each station is happy and cared for. The collective has three clone rooms, and a new mother room — it’s a lot of work to maintain a perfect environment for the baby Cannabis plants.

“This place has become a Wally World, a zoo of Cannabis strains,” Harris said with a laugh.

“It’s a great feeling, going through each plant, each leaf to make them perfect.”

Each plant in flower likes a slightly different environment, though all clones require two es-

Girl Scout Cookies, an indica hybrid

Harlequin, a sativa

sential elements: Moisture and light. When a new tray of clones is brought in from the main mother garden, they spend seven days in a sealed tray.

Beneath this biodome, the high humidity and light helps the roots develop quickly, and, within 14 days, the clones are fully rooted and ready to enter a patient’s garden.

“I want patients to walk out of here with a healthy clone that is ready to go into their garden,” he said.

“We keep 40 to 45 strains ready to go as well so that patients have a good selection for their garden.” Cloneville takes orders. Patients can arrange to reserve and pick up strains to ensure availability.

“Murphy’s Law dictates that whenever there is a super popular strain, it is the one every patient wants, and they go the quickest,” Harris explained.

“The designer strains go quick.”

‘‘

Beneath this biodome, high humidity and light helps the roots develop quickly, and, within 14 days, the clones are fully rooted and ready to enter a lucky patient’s garden.

The Genetics Special strains with certified genetics can be worth their weight in gold. In early 2012, the first Girl Scout Cookies clones were making their way up from California, often fetching prices as high as $5,000 for a single cutting, he said. At Cloneville, premium clones donate for about $200.

Patient Jerry Hall drove all the way to Seattle from Vancouver, Wash. because he couldn’t find the right genetics in farmers markets or from underground growers. This frustration led him to Cloneville on the day this reporter explored the space.

“This is definitely a new experience for me,” Hall said. “I look in here and it’s a whole new world.”

Hall picked up the Girl Scout Cookies, along with a bag full of a few other choice strains.

“These cuttings are so rare, some I have only heard about from out of state,” he said, his eyes full of excitement. “I can’t wait to take these home and see the medicine they produce.”

For any home cultivator, the ability to move from room to room, checking favorite strains and asking

TrainWreck, a sativa the occasional question is a unique opportunity. in Los Angeles managed to build a huge folOf course, to aspiring growers, Cloneville is a lowing by adhering to their simple model: quality veritable candy shop of Cannabis strains. Harris clones, quality genetics and fair prices, Harris said. knows each of the cuts well and is ready to answer Now in Seattle, the newest Cloneville hopes to any questions gardeners may have. follow the path of its sister store.

“Each of our mothers is a second generation “Patients have been so thankful. It is really cool direct cutting from the original mother plant,” he to be able to help them,” he said. “I’ve fallen back said. “We only take genetics we know are proven.” in love with Washington.”

That guarantee comes because of Tommy’s relationship with LA Cloneville, founded in Cloneville Seattle: 9258 57th Ave. S. Seattle, WA 98118 2007 by business partner Calvin Frye. In a (206) 725-7092 www.clonevilleseattle.com city of almost 1,000 collectives, Cloneville

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access

New Owner, New Space

BY WES ABNEY | PHOTOS BY DANIEL BERMAN >> THE GREEN DOOR in Seattle’s International District has a relaxed, friendly vibe — and no more fishtanks.

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any dispensaries have received complaints about the smell of Cannabis lingering outside their storefronts, but the only smell-related complaints the Green Door in Seattle has had are related to the munchies-inducing aroma from the surrounding restaurants.

Inside the two-story Ding Wah plaza is an open-air bakery, which sits next to several restaurants, each offering delicious food at fair prices. From the outside looking in, the presence of a collective isn’t obvious, unless you know what to look for: A green doorway.

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Almost three years ago, Northwest Leaf published its first ever access point profile. The subject? The Green Door. The small Shoreline storefront was one of the first of its kind to have consistent hours, quality medicine and a catchy brand that patients remembered. True to the struggles of the Cannabis industry, the location did eventually move after issues with the city. The collective moved into an equally small space in the International District.

It was after the shift to the Seattle location that Dave Good started vending his medicine to then Green Door owner Sean Wilson. The two developed a solid relationship, and when Good heard that the storefront was up for sale, he jumped at the opportunity. Good officially took over the collective in February 2012.

“I knew this would be a smart choice because of the central location and the reputation,” he said.

“Sean built a strong foundation for the business.”

Still, he knew the suite had one important problem.

“As a vendor, I hated coming into the old setup because there was no space,” he explained. “I knew that many of the patients felt the same way.”

When the neighboring retail space was suddenly vacated, Good saw opportunity where others saw a trashed unit. Though, he admits, he ran into a lot of literal garbage.

“The space next door was a fish pet shop, and the owner kept having floods and other water problems. When we first came in, we had to throw away tons of old tanks, and replace everything that had gotten wet or moldy,” he said with unusually confident exuberance. “All my friends laughed at me. But I saw the potential.”

Before getting into MMJ, Good built houses as a contractor. That experience was crucial in building out the location. After nearly three months of work, the project finished at 3 a.m. on a cold morning.

“We finished and didn’t tell anyone, even the employees. So when they came in they were shocked!”

The once undesirable space has been reborn into a wide-open lounge, complete with two budtending stations and a relaxing vibe. And the old budroom space? It’s now a vendor-only area for transactions.

“This represents my style now. It’s a comfortable lounge feel. And the bar gives you a more direct and personal experience with the budtender.”

B

ehind the stainless steel bar is an impressive selection of dry flower. The day of the interview, 41 strains from $7 to $12 vied for attention. Most notable was Good’s Grand Daddy Purple, a.k.a Goods GDP. It has big, solid nugs in hues of green and purple that release a pungent sweet smell.

Another favorite is the Mighty Diesel, a pure sativa with an energetic and perky high. The flower is perfectly cured, and delivers a refreshing smoke that finishes with a tingly kind of pine taste.

In a throwback to the original Shoreline location, one of the vendors, known as Wheelchair, still drops off his pre-98 Bubba Kush, a signature strain.

The nugs are slightly smaller and airy, though a look

‘‘

The space next door was a fish pet shop. my friends laughed at me. But I saw the potential.

- Owner David Good

under a magnifying glass shows what is already obvious by the smell. This is a potent Bubba. Don’t miss the Strawberry Cough — all innocent-sounding — which packs a solid high that helps for pain while maintaining a clear mind. Try it on a sunny day and enjoy the lucid and pain-free effects, it’s fine for daytime use.

The Green Door also has a tasty selection of edibles, from sodas and juices to every sweet imaginable, plus two tea brands, and a variety of hard candies and suckers.

One unique line they carry are Canna Haute frozen food items, a solid option for those branching out in the medible world. The foods taste well-pre-

pared, and offer patients a real alternative to the (admittedly) effective sweets. Concentrates are available, with several types of BHO and solventless hash to choose from.

Overall, the collective feels like a new space. It has a new look, a professional atmosphere and a staff that is happy being able to meet everybody’s needs.

“I have high standards for the products I put on the shelf, and how they are presented to the patients. It came from me starting as a vendor,” Good said.

“Now that I can interact with patients, it is only getting better.”

green door: 1207 S. Jackson St Ste. #109 Seattle 98144 (206) 725-7092 www.thegreendoorseattle.com

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Investigation

BY WES ABNEY

The bank battle Why marijuana remains at the whim of the feds 38/MAY 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

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ashington is looking to recreational Cannabis as a source of revenue to aid its sluggish economic recovery, hoping the tax revenue could bolster a stretched budget.

But the state government has no experience with Cannabis apart from law enforcement, and the task that looms ahead is titanic. An entirely new system is required to make recreational Cannabis distribution possible, something that has never been undertaken by government anywhere in the world.

The task rests with the Liquor Control Board, which ran a liquor distribution model similar to the one proposed for Cannabis. The system was eventually privatized by Initiative 1183, ending a lucrative 78 year run as a so called “liquor monopoly state.” Will old management take a new system and run it profitably?

It’s certainly possible, but comes down to considerable obstacles.

To those in the know, the implementation scheme faces an uphill battle, right down to the taxes that might potentially pad state coffers. Eventually, the wakeup call will come, as it has to many in the medical Cannabis industry.

With the federal regulations on money and drugs in place, one simply cannot bank on Cannabis.

A CASH BUSINESS Closing time at a local access point is similar in many ways to the businesses that surround it.

Employees and a manager tally up sales for the day, adjust inventory and clean the shop. Dusting, bathroom cleaning, locking the doors -- all normal for most businesses. But where the day might end for a coffee shop, a whole new process begins for the access point manager.

First, money is broken down into denominations and amounts. Bills are separated, and then sorted either $500 or $1,000 at a time. While this is still run of the mill, what happens next is not. The final deposit amount is transferred into one or more ziplock bags, and then sprayed heavily with an aerosol scent such as Febreze. This helps kill the smell of pot, a red flag for any banker.

After sitting for several hours, the money is then resprayed, repackaged into a deposit box and driven to an after-hours drop box.

For those who don’t carefully process their money, serious consequences can result. One access point owner was informed by his bank that, “His money had a smell which contaminated the vault,” right before they pulled all of his accounts. For a business, losing accounts means lost productivity and time, and can rightly be taken as an insult.

“We only use drive-thrus or after-hours drop boxes to keep from dealing with tellers,” said one access point owner who requested anonymity because he didn’t want to lose another bank account.

“If we go inside for a deposit, the questions start coming. Not that they are bad ones, but we can’t answer them. Period.”

Tellers will often ask what type of business the account is for, or what items they sell. It is usually friendly, but a bank client who doesn’t answer can set off a teller’s internal alarm.

“What type of business is it?”

“A retail outlet,” comes the response.

“What do you sell?“ “Products.” And so on.

Some access points have been through as many as nine banks and credit unions, often using one for three to six months before a bank realizes the business is Cannabis-related. Then the accounts are closed, and the access point moves on to the next institution.

This begs the question of whether all money is created equal? If it comes from a licensed business that pays its taxes, it should be.

Government intervention The concept of a state or government using Cannabis or hemp to generate revenue isn’t new.

What is new is the complete ban on a commercial product that has funded empires for thousands of years. In the days of Colonial America, every farmer was required to grow an acre of hemp. This practice helped ensure an abundance

of fiber and other products for a growing country, items that couldn’t be produced synthetically at the time. Raw hemp was used to pay taxes, and was as good as cash in the new colonies.

Short on money in the town square? Just run to the buggy and grab some hemp for the bill.

This idea was revisited during World War II, when farmers were again asked to grow hemp for the war. The plant produces many useful products for the military, and helped contribute to winning the war. Naturally, when the war was over, the government went back to pretending hemp and Cannabis were dangerous.

The pattern shows that our government is ready and willing to use hemp when it benefits national interest, but not when it contributes to personal wealth for individuals. So it shouldn’t be a surprise that Washington wants to use Cannabis as a revenue source. A heavily taxed product with laws against home cultivation produces a monopoly, giving the state a potentially large stream of amount of revenue. But the conflict lies between a state’s rights to set its own laws and a federal government that has increasingly interfered with those rights.

The storied history of federalism and government dominance over state laws dates back to the signing of the Constitution. Initially, the federation of states gave their government almost no power to overrule actions of the states.

But the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution in Article 6 declares federal law, “The supreme law of the land.”

The Supremacy Clause gives the feds power over states. Recent examples of clashes between states and the feds include gay marriage, assisted suicide, the death penalty and the medicinal and recreational uses of Cannabis.

In 2005, the Supreme Court decision in Gonzales v. Raich tested this relationship to the brink in an attempt to stop the feds from prosecuting medical Cannabis patients. The Supreme Court ultimately ruled in favor of the feds, stating that Congress could criminalize production and use of Cannabis even where states have approved its use for medicinal patients.

That ruling has led to continued raids, arrests and prosecutions of MMJ patients in Federal Court. It also prevents banks from taking money from Cannabis businesses because they are federally illegal. Above all, it keeps the wheels turning on the giant machine that is the War on Drugs.

So what will it take to stop this process?

Money.

article continued p. 40 MAY 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

/39

Investigation

The bank battle

CONT. FROM P. 39

I-502 Banking pits Feds vs. the State For Canna Law Group’s Hilary Bricken, the issue of banking for Cannabis businesses is’nt a new one.

During the past year, dozens of prospective clients have flooded her highrise Seattle office with ideas for I-502-related businesses. Most are good ideas, and with the right mix of gumption and luck, would become successful. But all eventually hit the same roadblock.

“Legitimate huge investors cannot invest in a grow or dispensary, for medical or 502.” Bricken said.

“I’ve been shocked at the level of sophisticated interest, but they all reach the same conclusion.”

The problem, she later described, is not a lack of money or desire for business. It’s the inability to do anything with the money.

“This whole issue is contradictory because it is so political,” she said. “The inability to bank is a huge impediment, and the issue continues to plague us.

Businesses have to bank. To adopt a policy of not banking is ignorant.”

Y

et this what some Cannabis-related businesses have been forced to do. Without a bank account, everything comes and goes in cash. For Don Muridan, owner of Rainier Wellness Center in Tacoma, the thought of using only cash is not just an unpleasant thought.

It would be impossible.

“Right now all of our business transactions and essential functions are done directly online. Payroll, taxes, rent payments and more. All are handled and tracked digitally to ensure that everything is being handled properly,” he said. “If you go to a cash system, it becomes up to you to balance all accounts by hand. It creates a huge headache. It’s no way to run a business.”

Though Muridan operates a medical Cannabis access point, he is also hoping to capitalize on I-502. He is aiming for both a producer and processor license, which could help him grow a large business. How big? Try a 30,000-square-foot warehouse. But if he needed a loan, mortgage or lease to acquire and build out the property? That, right now, isn’t possible.

“The reason I am able to move forward is because I have my own capital. For those who don’t, you will not be able to get a loan. This will limit good people with good business models because the financing doesn’t exist,” he explained. “In my previous business, I had a line of credit and financing that helped the business start, and kept us afloat during difficult times. That won’t be here for 502.”For the Liquor Control Board, banking is in many ways becoming

40/MAY 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

the elephant in the room. Everybody sees the issue, but nobody knows how to address it.

“The banking issue is outside our control. We certainly recognize the issue. You can’t do business, especially as a retailer,” said Brian Smith, communications director of the Liquor Control Board. “Anyone getting into recreational marijuana businesses will be facing the risks involved.

It’s not like selling potato chips.”

Though other politicians have made jokes about the Cannabis industry supporting the snack industry, the divide between the two industries is gigantic. The Liquor Control Board has turned to the state Department of Financial Institutions to spearhead the issue. Its director, Scott Jarvis, sees the issue as more than just about Cannabis.

“We’ve had this challenge on other arguments over state rights. Sometimes we win, sometimes we lose. It just happens to be about marijuana this time,” Jarvis said. “We fought a Civil War over these types of issues. In the end, it will all come down to how it fits into the federal scheme.”

To make the issue clear, the federal scheme doesn’t just mean the Obama administration.

Even if Obama came out and stated that he, the attorney general and the DEA were going to al-

Anyone getting into recreational marijuana businesses will be facing the risks involved.

It’s not like selling potato chips.

-Brian Smith, communications director, Liquor Control Board

low the recreational Cannabis model to operate, it wouldn’t solve the banking problem. The Securities and Exchange Commission, the IRS, the Federal Reserve and the FDIC are separate entities of government and have control over money transaction laws and financial crime laws.

“I’ve had bankers come to me wanting to loan [to Cannabis businesses] but they can’t run the risk,” Jarvis said.

“They are hesitant without clearance, and I don’t blame them. Failing a change, we remain at the mercy of the federal law.”

B

ut until banking change happens, Cannabis change remains in limbo.

“We need to get some answers,” Jarvis said passionately. “We are spending resources right now to set this [I-502] system up, and we need certainty as to how the feds will react. Right now, it’s like the Roman emperor. It’s either thumbs up or down.”

Though not everything hinges on Obama and Eric Holder, the attorney general recently testified that they would be enforcing federal law.

The thumb is turning, and it doesn’t look favorable for many Cannabis gladiators.

“Money invites progress, which is the only reason we have gotten this far,” Bricken said.

“The economics of failure have provided an opportunity in a weak economy.

Cannabis could be a wonderful tool of

capitalism, but it will take a federal change. Decriminalize, and as soon as it isn’t a federal crime this will become a fluid Cannabis economy, which will be lucrative for the U.S.” Can a system with a legacy like that of federal Cannabis prohibition ever change? Bricken isn’t certain, but she remains hopeful “This [I-502 and Amendment 64] could be the catalyst needed to push Congress into making a change,” she said. “Public opinion is changing fast, and at some level they need to listen to the will of the people. That’s the point of state rights.”

280e and Cannabis Businesses The Drug War seems to have an unending effect on legal Cannabis businesses. Of all the weird laws dating back to President Reagan, none are as crippling as Section 280e of the U.S. tax code.

The code specifically denies any business tax deductions or credit for any expense related to trafficking in illegal drugs. Without being able to deduct standard costs of doing business, from Comcast to furniture to legal expenses, recreational Cannabis businesses will face huge tax bills. Of all three businesses proposed under I-502, retail locations will be hardest hit.

A leading source of information for businesses about 280e is the website 280ereform.org, which lays out the threat against medical Cannabis.

“The IRS is currently auditing dozens of medical Cannabis organizations nationwide, with news of new audits coming to light every week,” they wrote.

“In early audit results, the IRS has denied all normal and

usual deductions and levied crippling tax bills.

The resulting tax bills are so large -- sometimes millions of dollars -- that most medical Cannabis providers are unable to pay and would be forced to close their doors if enforced.”

M

MJ access points such as Rainier Wellness are able to get around the tax code by offering auxiliary services to their patients. It doesn’t just donate meds. Inside the lobby, signup sheets are almost always full for services from counseling to massage and a Japanese stress-reducing therapy called Reiki.

When it comes time to pay taxes, the business only has 280e applied to the square footage of the building that is actually engaged in Cannabis transactions, Rainier Wellness’ Muridan said.

The rest of the business, and the costs associated with the area, are able to be deducted and taxed normally. But this option doesn’t exist for I-502 pot retailers.

Showing the short-sightedness of the initiative, retailers are only allowed to sell Cannabis at storefront locations. Having no other services means they can’t dodge the 280e bullet.

“If I couldn’t write off standard deductions for my access point, I would go out of business,” Muridan said bluntly. “If I get a producer/processor license under 502, I could potentially negate a majority of tax liability by writing off the cost of goods sold. But I wouldn’t be able to do that as a retailer.”

Without an act by Congress or a tax code revision by the IRS, 280e remains a significant impediment to businesses, assuming they are able to legally exist and bank. With this one, neither business attorneys nor aspiring retailers have a trick up their sleeve.

BANKING SOLUTIONS FOR THE FUTURE Instead of buying stock in Febreze and rubber bands, business owners in medical Cannabis are finding new ways to make their systems work.

While the grey area industry isn’t always easy, the banking pains are seen as the cost of doing business. The chin-up attitude is commendable, though it does get interesting when running into problems.

“When they took my business account, they also took my personal accounts and other business accounts. They wouldn’t even tell me why they ended the accounts,” Muridan said. “But when they chose to give me several weeks to switch over, I backed off the banker.

He couldn’t change anything anyway.”

Today, his business works with a credit union he didn’t disclose and a new set of rules.

“We don’t go into the bank. We avoid it. My employees don’t go in, and my vendors I pay are told not to go to my bank.” he said. “We never lie to the bank about what we do, but we stay vague and discreet.”

When asked about his plans for banking if and when he gets a 502 license, Muridan said he believes he will be doing exactly what he is now for MMJ. “I think people, myself included, will go into 502 and do what MMJ has had to do. As a business owner looking at this issue, trying to do financial forecasting, all this ads risk to the endeavor,” he said.

“It will take the right sort of person to get into 502. Somebody optimistic and with strong convictions, who is ready for the challenges that are sure to pop up.”

Legitimate huge investors can’t invest in a grow or dispensary, for medical or 502. I’ve been shocked at the level of sophisticated interest, but they all reach the same conclusion.

-Canna Law Group Attorney Hilary Bricken

MAY 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

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Shape the cannabis industry.

Network and make great new friends.

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

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Snoop's Dream

NORTHWEST LEAF

STRAIN OF THE MONTH

BY WES ABNEY | PHOTO BY DANIEL BERMAN

BLUE DREAM X MASTER KUSH This wonderful Indica-dominant cross

brings the best of two different strains together.

Snoop’s Dream smells deep and earthy, showing it’s Kush roots, but with underlying tones of sweetness that are owed to the Blue Dream parentage. Master Kush is derived from Hindu Kush and Skunk, and the genetics come out in the smell. It is quite interesting to see a strain that so closely resembles Blue Dream in bud formation and looks, but presents an entirely different smell and taste experience.

The smoke is heavy and thick, and tastes predominately of Kush. While you can’t taste the Blue Dream, you can feel the cerebral effects it is known for. I noticed a sharpened hearing and euphoric mental state, which blended nicely with the heaviness coming from my chest and body. This is the best of both worlds, a clear minded Indica body slam.

As Snoop Dog has become Snoop Lion his attitude towards both life and Cannabis have changed. I think this strain reflects that shift, by taking the stress and pain away from anyone who medicates with it. This flower can take a cold rainy day and turn it into a pleasant afternoon, relieving even the toughest anxiety.

Available from a GREEN CURE 910 N. 145TH ST - SHORELINE (206) 466-1264 8501 168TH ST S.E. - SNOHOMISH (360) 863-3529)

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MAY 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

/49

Inside 50. C02 Extraction 52. BHO Extraction 54. solvency tests 55. Bad results 56. Good results 57. Dose your dab

The Concentrates Issue PHOTOS BY NATE WATTERS FOR NORTHWEST LEAF

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Nate’s custom concentrate art will be included in the Seattle’s Best Concentrates Flipbook coming in May.

From the editor Just a few days before deadline I was in a local store picking up a small can of butane to refill my dab torch.

The woman in line next to me looked at the butane, and exclaimed “I made BHO just the other day for the first time.” When I asked her what quality of butane she had used, and for more info about the method all I got was shrugs. And the chills.

All to often those situations can be followed with “and I blew up my house slash burned my loved ones.” There is a huge rush for people, patients or not, to start “blasting” BHO in urban environments irresponsibly.

The truth is that the products produced are low quality and often heavy in the kinds of residual solvents we want to avoid, earning the title of “Hillbilly BHO.” Not only is butane a flammable substance, but residual solvents left behind in concentrates can cause serious health problems. Before picking up a glass tube and a case of refined butane, patients need to stop and think about the risks they are taking. All across the nation, and here in Washington, patients and recreational users alike have caused serious property damage and physical harm through irresponsible BHO extraction.

The truth of the matter is that any chemical extraction is a scientific process, and should be done in a scientific environment by people with training.

Whether using ethanol, butane, C02, or any number of lower quality solvents like ISO and Naptha, the extraction of Cannabis should be done in a safe, respectful manner.

Our concentrates special looks at two professional labs, one using C02 and the other Butane. We also look at some high quality products, point out some poor quality examples, and explore the pros and cons of solvent based extraction. Thanks for reading!

MAY 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

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THE Concentrates ISSUE

BY WES ABNEY | PHOTOS BY DANIEL BERMAN

The BHO Extractors The folks at Xtracted Labs break down quarantining, vacuum purgers and where two pounds of pot goes

Partners Brent Miller, Jim Anderson & Ryan Abernathy

O

unce for ounce, the highest-end Cannabis concentrates are surpassing the value of gold. No, really. A gram of concentrate can fetch about $60, while the same amount of lowly old gold bars would cost you only $47.36 as of press time. The drive to make an equally valuable product is likely the same desire that motivated ancient alchemists, who strove endlessly to turn lead into gold. Today, high-end Cannabis scientists are taking the by-product of a crop and doing just that. Inside the Xtracted laboratory, trained technicians are using scientific methods to bring Cannabis concentrates to a whole new level.

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The Purpose Behind Xtracted

A

YouTube search for “Making BHO” returns thousands of results, promising everything from ways to avoid purging to quick-whip budders.

If it were up to Jim Anderson, co-founder of Xtracted, each clip would start with the warning “Do not attempt this at home.” The search term “BHO explosion” shows some shocking examples of what can happen when BHO — butane honey oil — making goes truly wrong.

A longtime Cannabis enthusiast, Anderson’s partnership with Brent Miller and Ryan Abernathy developed out of the desire to clean up the concentrates industry, he said. Together they’ve built a top Cannabis extraction lab.

“We do all this because of passion, not profit,” Abernathy explained. “We’re more interested in setting the standard for butane extractions than the business of selling them.”

Only months old, the Georgetown lab is now constantly busy running extractions, which is exactly what they set out to do.

“We’re extracting now for growers, access points, and our own branded concentrates from an inhouse garden,” Anderson said.

“It is amazing the interest that is resonating out of our small lab. Getting notoriety from other states, and it is all about the idea that there is a science behind this stuff.”

Their scientific process

W

hen a Cannabis sample comes into the lab, an intricate days-long process kicks into gear.

First, the new sample is quarantined inside a deep freezer for three days.

The total lack of light and freezing temperatures inhibits bug and/or microbial growth, along with preparing the trim or bud for the extraction process.

Next, the samples are weighed and logged into the system by means of an assigned batch number.

This information is logged by the lab tech, who prepares the sample for extraction.

“During screening, we’ve found lots of random things,” Jim said with a smirk. “Beer caps, plastic ties, pieces of plastic gloves from trimming, different kinds of hair and a lot of stems. We sift through everything to ensure only the desired Cannabis enters the system.”

Next, a lab tech weighs the amount of butane that will be used to run the batch. This is important, because after the BHO is processed, the gas will be weighed again. This ensures proper purging, and is part of the scientific method, Anderson said.

The extractor is a closed system, meaning that the

butane stays trapped inside, never venting. It will be recycled at the end, in a model of sustainability and environmental consciousness.

Next, the sample will be loaded into the system.

The average starting size is two pounds of Cannabis, and it’s usually a blend of trim and buds.

Once full, the container is subjected to a negative pressure vacuum, which enhances the flow of gas.

It also ensures safety, because it allows zero oxygen or the possibility of a leak.

N

ext processing begins and the butane is pulled through the Cannabis sample, with the solvent process removing the potent part of the Cannabis — specifically the trichomes. Once finished running, the gas is weighed again, and the system depressurized.

The sample is poured out of the extraction canister (see cover). It will be spread on the wax paper almost like a bread dough, and then allowed to settle for up to two more days before going into the vacuum purger.

A vacuum purger looks more like a microwave than vacuum, though you wouldn’t want to put food in one. Xtracted has digitally controlled units, which allow the user to program a specific temperature, pressure level and time periods. When the BHO is introduced to steady heat, the remaining gasses purge in the form of bubbles, and the vacuum pulls the butane out safely. Changes in time and heat can be the difference between shatter and wax, and are proprietary to each batch.

“Even when batches go to testing they are referred to as batch number, not as a strain or brand,” Jim said. “We often run test batches where we manipulate different elements of the process, all in the attempt to find the best possible product. The heaviest testing we’ve done was to ensure the lowest possible residual solvent levels.”

Their thin film and vacuum purging processes have proven effective: the tasty, potent products are almost always below 25 parts per million. As evidenced by the Williams Wonder Wax featured in last month’s issue. Even the Liquor Control Board has caught wind of the lab in its drive to implement I-502.

“When we had a walk through with the Liquor Control Board, they were blown away,” Abernathy said, beaming. “They couldn’t believe the science behind this.”

For Jim, erasing the stigma behind BHO “blasting” is the ultimate goal.

“If BHO becomes acceptable for recreational use, hopefully it will be from the time that the state LCB has spent inside out lab,” he said. “We want people to know that when BHO is made in a science-driven lab, that it is a safe product.”

MAY 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

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THE Concentrates ISSUE

BY WES ABNEY | PHOTOS BY DANIEL BERMAN

the architect Brandon Hamilton has invested in creating supercritical CO2 extractions prized for their purity and potency, and now he’s even making vape pens.

In

Their closed-system CO2 extraction unit occupies the majority of their cozy lab.

Originally his architecture office, the space was converted to handle the extractor. Hamilton works with his father-in-law, David Damey, who is the head lab tech. The two make a great team, mixing Damey’s tech knowledge with Hamilton’s ideas.

In the past year, they’ve dialed in a method for supercritical extraction. When a product is defined as supercritical, the extraction process is neither a liquid or a gas. When the temperature and pressure are at or above the critical point for carbon dioxide, fluids will expand to fill a container like a gas but with the density of a liquid. The result is an highly pure solvent for extraction that is low in toxicity Putting Down Roots and safe for the environment.

The system starts with loading two pounds of material (Cannabis flower or trim) into the extracrandon was, and will always remain, tion chamber. Then the accumulator is put under an architect. It is a part of his personpressure, bringing the C02 to supercritical levels. ality, and a major part of why he has The pressured CO2 is then allowed to run through pushed so hard to develop a high-end the extraction chamber.

CO2 extraction machine. In the architectural world, The solid extraction (Cannabis oil) gathers at an architect’s responsibility is designing buildings the bottom of the chamber, while the supercritical that are safe and secure, sealed off from contaminaCO2 passes through two other chambers before betion or leakage that can damage it. ing recycled and gassed off.

With his extractions, it is the same approach: In the meantime, a batch of the oil is ready to Produce a product that is pure and free from outgo in the lower extraction chamber. Once the sysside contaminants. tem is no longer under pressure, the extracted oil is “Our philosophy is to put out the cleanest prodweighed and crystallization begins. uct possible,” Hamilton said. “It is just like safety in buildings. It all starts at The science is just getting “Crystallization is often referred to as winterization, but that’s not safety.” going on [extractions]. a chemistry word,” Hamilton exHamilton has a bachelor’s degree That’s the exciting plained. “We want to make this in architectural studies, a bachelor’s in about science and chemistry, not pot architecture and a minor in constructhing about all this. slang. This is a medical product. So tion management from Washington we crystallize it.”

State University. His firm, AKA Group of Seattle, Though it sounds serious, this part of the prohas been in business since 2004. cess is relatively easy. The raw oil is mixed into pure So what is he doing playing with Cannabis? medical grade ethanol, and then put into a freezer.

“The science is just getting going on this [extracThis separates the alcohol and undesirable lipids/ tions]. That is the exciting thing about this,” he said. the world of Cannabis concentrates, CO2 is one extraction method with universal acceptance.

Almost every commercial extractor would like to be able to run a CO2 system. The only setback is the equipment, which requires a substantial investment. But with any good investment, a reward often follows, and that is exactly what has happened for Brandon Hamilton of Washington Alternative Medicine oil.

It has taken the better part of 2 ½ years and almost $300,000 in investment money, but the result is finally here: Pure, delicious CO2 oil and shatter.

B

52/MAY 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

Crystallization is often referred to as winterization, but that’s not a chemistry word,” Brandon Hamilton noted. “We want to make this about science and chemistry, not slang. This is a medical product. So we crystallize it. waxes from the oil, leaving a pure product on a separate layer. After a short time, the remaining ethanol is heated and vacuum-purged, and the final product is ready for consumption.

But Washington Alternative Medicine doesn’t stop at basic oil. Hamilton has designed a whole auxiliary product line featuring the different types of CO2. Coming in May is a preloaded vape pen that is also refillable. There’s also a discreet alcohol-tincture spray that has a sweet taste and a potent punch, as well as a new CO2 shatter. On top of that, they do offer a butane extraction for those preferring BHO. The products have consistently tested for potency, and are free of residual solvent.

Even now, after all the hard work, Hamilton is pushing to learn more.

“I know we still don’t know everything about extracting Cannabis, and anyone who says they have it perfect isn’t telling the truth,” he said. “We learn something new each batch we run, and we will continue to learn down the road.”

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THE Concentrates ISSUE

What isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t in your concentrates is just as important as what is Testing for residual solvents

BY ANALYTICAL 360 CHIEF SCIENCE OFFICER RANDALL OLIVER & CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER EDWARD STREMLOW

L

ab-tested Cannabis has become common in Washington with the maturing medical marijuana industry and the passage of I-502.

Cultivators, processors and access points have begun to use Cannabis testing to develop, refine and ensure consistency and quality in their products. Fueled by a demand from patients, cannabinoid profiling has led the charge in the industry.

However, with increasingly educated and demanding patients, and looming state regulation, medical marijuana has begun the transformation of adding safety into the growing equation.

With a strong patient demand for refined Cannabis extractions, questions about safety are becoming as common as questions about potency. Patients want to know which products are safe, and producers are increasingly stepping up to prove their products are sound. The most common question about concentrates is the validity or safety of the solvents being used in the extraction process and the allowable limits for those solvents.

As producers begin to incorporate more stringent safety protocols into their operations, guidelines on recommended acceptable levels for residual solvents in Cannabis extracts will be a primary objective.

Solvents are broken into three classes Class 1 solvents are recommended not to be employed in the manufacture of Cannabis extracts, ex-

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cipients and drug products because of unacceptable levels of toxicity and their deleterious environmental effects. Common Class 1 solvents to be avoided include benzene. Class 1 solvents are only permitted when their use is unavoidable in order to produce a drug that can be justified in a risk-benefit trade-off. Class 1 solvents should never be used.

Class 2 solvents are not recommended for use outside a stringent Good Manufacturing Practice environment in which the solvents are tightly controlled and continuously monitored because of their dangerous effects. No Cannabis processors operating in Washington comply with these tight restrictions. One example of a common Class 2 solvent recommended for extracting Cannabis is hexane.

Hexanes are significant constituents of gasoline.

They are colorless liquids at room temperature, with a gasoline-like odor. Hexanes are used in glues for shoes, leather products, cleansing and degreasing formulas, textile manufacturing, and the extraction of cooking oils from seeds. However, long-term toxicity of hexane in humans is well known, and extensive peripheral nervous system failure is known to occur in humans chronically exposed to levels of hexane ranging from 400 to 600 parts per million, with occasional exposure up to 2,500 ppm.

Chronic intoxication from hexane and other Class 2 solvents have been observed in recreational solvent abusers and workers in manufacturing industries where exposure has occurred. Class 2 solvents should be limited or completely avoided in Cannabis products because of their inherent toxicity. Common Class 2 solvents in pharmaceutical products include hexane and methanol.

Class 3 solvents with a low toxic potential might be regarded as less toxic and of lower health risk. No Class 3 solvents are known to have a human health hazard at acceptable levels in Cannabis extracts. Safe common Class 3 solvents include ethanol.

However, no long-term toxicity or carcinogenicity studies have been conducted for several of the Class 3 solvents. Data from shortterm studies suggest that Class 3 solvents pose little toxic risk. Acceptable levels for Class 3 solvents are generally stated at 50 milligrams per day or less (5,000 ppm or 0.5 percent).

Only Class 3 solvents should be used in solvent-based Cannabis extractions because of their low toxicity. However, it is crucial that Cannabis extracts be tested to ensure levels donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t exceed allowable limits.

Only Class 3 solvents should be used in any solvent-based Cannabis extractions because of their low toxicity.

Bad Test Results Acceptable butane levels are 5,000 parts per million daily â&#x20AC;&#x201D; which could be a few hundred dabs, or just one if it isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t prepared properly. Some of the extracts below tested at as high as 11,000 ppm. Turn the page to see some examples of much purer extracts we sourced.

Isopropyl alcohol is a common solvent used in Cannabis extractions from the Class 3 solvent list.

However, this is one solvent with associated health risks, especially when allowable limits are exceeded.

Isopropyl extractions should be approached with caution or completely avoided unless the safety of the product can be ensured.

Isopropyl alcohol and its metabolite, acetone, act as central nervous system depressants. Poisoning can occur from ingestion, inhalation or absorption and can result in headaches, dizziness, central nervous system depression, anesthesia, nausea, vomiting, coma or even death. Presumably due to the low toxicity of residues, isopropyl alcohol is popular in pharmaceutical applications.

However, levels of isopropyl alcohol generally far exceed acceptable limits with current applications of this solvent in the marijuana industry.

Another area of concern is the use of denatured alcohol or methylated spirits. Denatured alcohol has additives to make it undrinkable (poisonous, foul taste and smelly) in order to discourage recreational consumption. Because the alcohol has been denatured so as to be inconsumable, it only makes sense denatured alcohol should never be used in Cannabis extractions.

Just because a chemical is not listed in one of the solvent tables -- a list of several solvents and their effects -- it does not mean it is safe. Naphtha is a common solvent used in cannabinoid extractions. Naphtha is a mixture of hydrocarbons and is a component of natural gas condensate or distillation product from petroleum or coal tar. Common products made with naphtha include cleaning solvents, camp stove fuel and lighter fluid.

Naptha is not listed on the solvent tables and should not be used in Cannabis extractions. Like many hydrocarbon products, Naptha is a product of a refining process in which a complex soup of

chemicals is broken into another range of chemicals. A range of distinct chemicals are in each product, which makes it difficult to compare and identify specific carcinogens.

Only Class 3 solvents should be used for extraction, and then only with tight controls in place. Some solvents and extraction methods not listed on the tables, and they might be safe. For example, butane and CO2 -- or cow milk butter, for that matter -- are not on the list, but are acceptable methods of extraction when safety protocols are met.

Purity or grade of these solvents can also be an issue because only high-purity or foodgrade solvents should be used in cannabinoid extractions.

Although ethanol is a Class 3 solvent, consumption of food grade ethanol above 50 milligrams per day is generally accepted in tincture-based products.

As with all therapeutic remedies, any adverse health effects or risk for abuse should be taken into consideration, and a doctor should be consulted if there are any concerns.

Analytical 360, a Seattle company that tests the quality of therapeutic cannabinoids, recommends patients verify test results before consuming concentrates derived from any solvent and nonsolvent-based Cannabis extracts before consumption.

As with all therapeutic remedies, any adverse health effects or risk for abuse should be taken into consideration

ANALYTICAL 360 4035 Stone Way N. Seattle, WA 98103 (206) 577-6998 www.analytical360.com

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PHOTOS BY DANIEL BERMAN

THE Concentrates ISSUE

Good Test Results

Cactus BHO Dockside Co-Op 57.38% THC-TOTAL 1.89% CBG-TOTAL 150ppm

C02 Shatter WAM Oil 73.88% THC-TOTAL 0.87% CBG-TOTAL

Purple Kush BHO Budder A Greener Today 69.58% THC-TOTAL 1.01% CBG-TOTAL > 25ppm

Reminiscent of agave, imparts clear euphoria

First shatter of its kind, has hints of nutmeg

Colorado Girl BHO

HSG Malawi Cheese BHO

Fire Rascal BHO

Medi Bros 65.10% THC-TOTAL 1.30% CBG-TOTAL > 25ppm

Rainier Xpress 66.21% THC-TOTAL 1.48% CBG-TOTAL > 25ppm

Sweet smell, taste w/ 3-4 hr. indica effects

Sultry Cheese flavor offsets Malawi sweetness

Medi Bros 64.54% THC-TOTAL 0.95% CBG-TOTAL > 25ppm Skunky smell, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be drooling in a good way

Bubble Jack BHO Shatter

C02 Black Oil Gold

Expansive smoke with a sharp and sour smell

Mr. Nice Guy BHO

WAM Oil 64.80% THC-TOTAL 2.18% CBG-TOTAL > 25ppm

WAM Oil 59.72% THC-TOTAL 0.45% CBG-TOTAL

Seattle collective gardens 66.78% THC-T 1.56% CBG > 25ppm

Like sticky little diamonds of Jack Herer

Earthy, musky tones lighten into sweet smoke

Usually purple, has light, flaky consistency

Dosing your dab Health Consumption Risks and Benefits

BY TYLER MARKWART FOR NORTHWEST LEAF

R

esidual or secondary consumption of butane in small amounts, including dabbing or smoking Cannabis while using a butane lighter has few associated health risks. However, inhaling butane does pose serious health risks. Butane should never be directly inhaled from its source because of its extremely low temperature and neurological effects. Direct inhalation can cause frostbite of the throat and lungs, leading to death from asphyxiation. Along with causing arrhythmia, which can lead to cardiac arrest, huffing any sort of hydrocarbon is not beneficial to patients.

The Environmental Protection Agency has put together a web page with a list called Acute Exposure Guideline Levels, which rates how much of an airborne concentration of a chemical the population can be exposed to before irreversible damage occurs.

Butane is rated to have a low toxicity. Dangerous levels of exposure from butane are at far higher levels than those one would see from smokers who use lighters or who consume properly processed BHO on occasion. The report did note that few or no studies exist on the carcinogenic and reproductive toxicity of butane in humans.

Conflicting reports have been posted on the Internet about people suffering from collapsed lungs because of excessive dabbing.

Because dabbing is relatively new to the community, no known major media reports address hospital admissions with patients who are strictly dabbers.

However, a search on collapsed lungs brings up some interesting information from the medical field. According to information on collapsed lungs from the Mayo Clinic website, three categories of people are more susceptible to suffering lung collapse: those who smoke, people who are tall and thin, and patients with tuberculosis, cystic fibrosis, lung cancer, pulmonary fibrosis or sarcoidosis.

Those who see themselves described in those categories should reconsider smoking or dabbing as their method of Cannabis consumption. When smokers inhale — especially Cannabis smokers — they tend to try to take as big of an inhalation as possible and then hold the smoke in as long as they can.

Coupled with the action of coughing, this is thought to help accelerate small tears inside the lungs that

could lead to a pocket of air being created between the lung and another organ, or the ribcage, resulting in a lung collapse.

Be mindful of the three-second rule: Don’t hold your hit in longer than three to five seconds because you’re not increasing the amount of cannabinoids absorbed into your system.

You are merely decreasing the amount of oxygen your lungs are able to take in.

Usually more of something is better, but sometimes it’s not, especially when “more” quickly shifts to becoming too much. So for new patients or those with little Cannabis experience, starting with dabs might be a poor decision. If you are interested in trying a dab or two, however, don’t forget this famous tagline from the 1950’s Brylcreem advertisement: “A little dab’ll do ya.”

R

emember that these are called concentrates not because they make you focus, but because the people who are doing the processing are taking a large amount of starting material and condensing it into a more powerful medicine. You need less than a grain of rice worth usually. Acute anxiety and paranoia are common among new users because of the high amounts of THC present in the oil. Patients new to concentrates and dabbing should take small hits and allow for a break between to monitor effects. Especially those prone to mental illness.

According to a 2006 study in the Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research, those with schizophrenia need to be extremely careful with high-THC content concentrates because they can increase the risk of an episode.

CBD-dominant concentrates are suggested for patients who are sensitive to psychotropic cannabinoids such as THC.

Be mindful of the three-second rule: Don’t hold your hit in longer than three to five seconds because you’re not increasing the amount of cannabinoids absorbed into your system. You are merely decreasing the amount of oxygen your lungs are able to take in.

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Gallery

STORY AND PHOTOS BY BOB MONTOYA FOR NORTHWEST LEAF

Micro Strains Up-Close Each month weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll highlight growers crafting strains with the goal of helping specific needs, not necessarily obtaining the highest yields

I

LIKE TO COMPARE this new industry to the one that replaced it not so long ago. Imagine how it would be if a pharmacist took the time to reformulate that pill to fit your exact requirements for being well.

Today we are seeing just that flexibility in the Medical Cannabis industry. There are many up and coming experts crafting with precision strains that perform specific tasks for their patients. This month we will look at two examples of plants that have achieved such quality and consistency.

Strawberry Dream and Blue Magoo may eventually outgrow the job description of Micro Strains when their popularity demands higher production.

STRAWBERRY DREAM is aptly named for its distinct aroma and taste. It has a sweet fruity aroma and its smoke possesses an uncanny taste of strawberry. Bred to be a fifty-fifty hybrid for maintaining pain relief throughout the day, the S.D. delivers euphoric relief from anxiety stemming from just being in pain as well. A combination of Blue Dream and The Purps makes Strawberry Dream an effective choice for patients who want to maintain high function and relieve minor to moderate chronic pain.

BLUE MAGOO is an 80-20 Indica blend. This wonderous flower has an aroma reminiscent of hash; the smoke is spicy and sweet. Its pain killing power is respectable among any of the available commercial strains, and it is best used when the day is done and sleep is what you want. Its dense smoke can be overwhelming if not taken lightly. A word of caution: Blue Magoo, a cross between DJ Blueberry Short and Major League Bud, will stimulate the appetite, so have something healthy to snack on.

available from Green Collar Club 10422 Pacific Ave. S. Tacoma 98422 (253) 267-0675 www.greencollarclub.com

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Blue Magoo 80/20 indica

The white crystal-like trichomes are about half the width of a human hair â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Seen in a 500x close-up

Strawberry Dreams 50/50 Hybrid

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PURE CANNABIS EXTRACT

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WHY GOLD STAR? At Gold Star all material is hand selected and pre tested prior to processing to insure the finest quality product. We take pride in using only locally grown Pacific Northwest organic produce. In addition our process uses state of the art extraction recovery system that recovers all gasses to leave you with a clean product and does NOT release any gasses into our environment. We are always striving for a better product to improve the cannabis industry.

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Recipes

It doesn’t feel like spring yet, so warm up...

Slow cooker French onion soup 6 tbsp medicated butter 4 large yellow onions, sliced into rings 1 tbsp white sugar 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 cup cooking sherry 7 cups reduced-sodium beef broth 1 tsp sea salt, or to taste 1/4 tsp dried thyme 1 bay leaf 8 slices of French bread 1/2 cup shredded Gruyere cheese 1/3 cup shredded Emmental cheese 1/4 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese 2 tbsp shredded mozzarella cheese

slow cooker Buffalo chicken wing soup 6 cups half-and-half 3 (10.75 oz) cans condensed cream of chicken soup 4 cups shredded cooked chicken breast 1 cup sour cream 1 cup hot pepper sauce, or to taste 4 carrots, diced 3 celery stalks, diced 3 potatoes, peeled and cubed 5 oz crumbled blue cheese 1/2 Cup medicated butter 1. Combine half-and-half, cream of chicken soup, medicated butter, chicken breast meat, sour cream, buffalo sauce, carrots, celery, and potatoes in a slow cooker.

2. Cover and cook on Low for 6 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

3. After 5 hours, stir in the blue cheese and serve.

Got a recipe we should feature?

Email it to nwleaf@gmail.com and it just might appear here in our June issue!

64/may 2013 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

1. Heat butter in a large pot over medium-high heat; cook and stir onions until they become translucent, about 10 min.

Sprinkle onions with sugar; reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring constantly, until onions are soft and browned, at

greenbelt cornbread Try this delicious and simple to make recipe if you have been wondering just what to serve with other medicated meals 1 1/2 cups cornmeal 2 1/2 cups milk 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tbsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 2/3 cup white sugar 2 eggs 1/2 cup medicated vegetable oil

1. Preheat oven to 400° F (200° C). In a small bowl, combine cornmeal and milk;

least 30 min. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant.

2. Stir sherry into onion mixture and scrape the bottom of pot to dissolve carmelized onions. Transfer into a slow cooker and pour in beef broth. Add sea salt, thyme and bay leaf.

Cover cooker, set on High, and cook 4–6 hours. If desired, set on Low and cook 8–10 hours.

let stand for 5 min. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Mix in the cornmeal mixture, eggs and oil until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 min, or until a knife inserted into the center of the cornbread comes out clean.

PHOTO BY FLICKR/PLAKBOEK & FLICKR/ QUEENIEVONSUGARPANTS

3. About 10 min before serving, set oven rack about 8 inches from the top and preheat the ovenʼs broiler. Toast the bread slices.

4. Fill oven-safe soup crocks 3/4 full of soup, float toasted bread in each bowl, and top with cheese mixture.

5. Place filled bowls onto a baking sheet and broil until cheese topping is lightly browned and bubbling

ANCIENT MEDICINE

A collective experience

growtech

BY DR. SCANDERSON FOR NORTHWEST LEAF

pH F

undamentals. All complex endeavors require a firm understanding of the basics. Often, the more complex one’s understanding becomes, the more clearly this truth is revealed. In this month’s growtech we will examine a pillar of fundamentals: pH — but, no, fellow glides, I will not be covering the impacts the slinky combination of Leo and the Jedi can have on your medication....yet. pH is the measure of activity of hydrogen ion in a solution. Practically it is used in gardening to determine the (solvated) hydrogen concentration in a nutrient solution or medium. The pH scale spans in theory from 0 to 14 with a neutral solution existing at 7. Solutions that have a pH greater than 7 are called “alkaline,” those below are considered “acidic,” at 77 degrees F. Solutions can most easily and accurately be measured using digital pH probes that measure and immediately display the current pH. Understanding how Cannabis plants are affected by the pH of their environment can mean the difference between a successful medical quality yield and a valuable learning experience. Almost all the “nutrient” deficiency I’m called on to treat are partially or entirely pH related. When gardeners believe that they have a deficiency of a particular nutrient and treat the symptoms by adding more of that nutrient without a firm understanding of how pH and nutrient availability work in harmony with

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THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A SUCCESSFUL MEDICAL QUALITY YIELD AND JUST A VALUABLE LEARNING EXPERIENCE is understanding how Cannabis plants are affected by the pH of their environments one another, they often find themselves chasing their tail.

Cannabis plants need a dynamic ratio of nutrients throughout the various stages of their development. Each nutrient becomes most readily available at particular pH ranges. In order for a Cannabis plant to reach it’s potential, the nutrients and pH must accommodate the demands during the ever changing life cycle. By both adjusting the concentration of the N-P-K ratios to ensure the proper nutrient levels exist at each stage of the plant’s life and adjusting the pH levels in harmony with all the stages, your plants will have all the food needed to meet the demands of a high productivity garden.

H

ydroponic systems will generally perform best in a pH range between 5.5 and 6.25 depending on the growth stage and soil and soilless mediums generally perform best between 6.0 and 6.75 stage contingent as well. As you can see from the chart below an average pH of 5.8 in hydro or 6.25 in soil/soilless is a great target pH rang because the greatest availability of the greatest number of

1) Soil pH ranges 6.0-6.75 Hydro pH ranges 5.5-6.25

micro and macro nutrients exist at these ranges.

The chart also shows at which pH level each individual micro and macro nutrient is most readily available and reveals, for example, why many gardeners generally finish out their crops at a higher pH than they start them. This is done in order to increase the availability of phosphorus and potassium, which are the macronutrients in highest demand during the fruit hardening and ripening stages. In a similar fashion, one can see why a garden system with a pH average of 5.255.5 in soil in a vegetative state would suffer due to lack of availability (not necessarily lack of it’s existence) of nitrogen and calcium which are very important during the vegetative stage for peak potential growth and rhizosphere development.

It’s

also important to remember that pH measurements will function exponentially.

What this means practically is that if you’re target is 5.8 and you measure in the 5.70’s you’re doing okay. In the 5.60’s you’re potentially reaching the bottom of the range, in the 5.50’s you may be in danger of nutrient lock out and in the 5.40’s you may be causing irrevocable damage. The further you fall out of range, the further the distance between each benchmark the range becomes. Said another way, you really need to keep your ranges tight around your target or expect severely different results.

The best way I have always found most effective in controlling pH of my plants is to manage them by cycling the pH through a range, throughout the week that they feed on any particular nutrient mixture. I do this simply by mixing nutrients to the top of the range of ppm/tds, then adjusting the pH to the bottom of the pH range. As my plants drink off the nutrient solution I top the nutrient solution off with ¼ strength nutrients or simply cal/mag water (depending on the stage) at the dead average of the pH range for that stage.

In healthy systems pH typically shifts as the the plants use those nutrients in the solution that balance it’s pH to maintain stability. By topping off with a diluted nutrient mix or water, you are adding back in those nutrients and/or also helping to stabilize the solution.

After seven days of this process, the pH climbs from the bottom of the range to the top of the range and the ppm/TDS climbs from the top of the range to the bottom of the range and then the nutrients are reset. It also requires very little to no addition of pH adjustment during the 7 days because the solution is being diluted at the proper rate both by the plants utilizing nutrients in the solution and the topping off with a diluted solution.

All high quality nutrient solutions provide isotopes and buffers to assist in stabilizing pH through the plants growth stages as well. In efficiently run hydroponic systems I never recommend running nutrients over 1000 ppm as I have found it completely unnecessary and only counterproductive to

2) pH is an exponential function

3) Nutrients must be mixed at certain pH levels in order to maximize availability to plant

4) pH generally drifts in a healthy system 5) Starting at the top of the ppm range will usually provide the bottom of the pH range & then slowly move in opposition to one another over the week

Hydroponic systems generally perform best in a pH range between 5.5 and 6.25 depending on the growth stage and soil and soilless mediums generally perform best between 6.0 and 6.75 on the spectrum as well.

improving quality or yield. This limit is helpful in determining the precise ranges to mix and contain nutrient solutions at, to achieve the ideal pH level without any up or down additives.

W

hile this balancing act can be a difficult one to determine the formula for, you may find that you are over or undershooting the mark and need to adjust the pH during the week. If you do this I strongly recommend against using pH up or pH down additives. Instead use non-damaging nutrient additives to accomplish this.

To bring pH up, try using products like Silica and Canna Rhizotonic(s). Both will have a dramatic affect on increasing the pH using helpful additives and root stimulants that your plant can use and adjust the pH without introducing more pH buffering additives.

To bring the pH of your mixture down you can use Hygrozym, or any Micro/Macro base nutrient in very light concentrations (Canna Aqua Vega base A, General Hydroponic Micro, Soul Synthetic N boost) — or just simply use distilled white vinegar.

If you have questions regarding pH monitoring and adjustments

or want more information on applying these ideas in your garden, never hesitate to email me at thegreengardengroup@gmail.com. >> As always, Happy Gardening!!! Like Facebook/dr.scanderson

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Opens MAY 2013!

HEALTH & SCIENCE

BY TYLER J. MARKWART FOR NORTHWEST LEAF

Ending the addiction How r enewable h emp bas ed f uels could eas e A m er ica’s depn den ce on dir t y e ne r g y

A

nation’s wealth is derived from essentially two elements: its natural resources and how those resources are managed. This wealth of resources hangs like a piñata for many industrial interests, so these resources must be intelligently guarded and sustainably maintained in order for our culture to persevere.

Energy consumption has increased more than 300 percent in the past 200 years and, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration website, “The worldwide energy consumption is projected to grow by 57 percent until 2030.”

If these patterns continue, we are going to need to take immediate action for our future before we incur a severe energy depression and cause even

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more serious environmental, health and economic problems. With a multitude of clean, renewable energy resources available on the market, including renewable hemp fuels, why are we still chasing the Petroleum Dragon?

During the past century, an excessive amount of damage was been incurred worldwide as a result of crude oil and other petroleum products spilling and being improperly disposed of. Some of these catastrophic spills have been the result of drilling disasters while others have been the result of transportation wrecks. And then there’s the steady drip of oil leaking from vehicles.

But regardless of how the damage occurred, they all have had a negative effect on the envi-

ronment, the economy and our well-being.

The media has documented 59 historically massive oil spills within the past decade -- that’s almost six devastating oil spills per year of multiple hundreds of millions of liters of crude oil.

With 50 percent of those spills occurring here in the U.S., we and our children are now facing a monumental environmental catastrophe and cleanup that will take an extensive amount of financing, time and human power.

But hope is on the horizon. In fact, Canadians are harvesting it. In November of 2010 in the Journal of Bioresource Technology, a research team headed by the University of Connecticut scientist S.Y. Li published a paper titled, “The

feasibility of converting Cannabis sativa L. oil into biodiesel.” In the abstract of the paper, it states that “Oil from hemp seed was converted to biodiesel …

The conversion is greater than 99.5 percent while the product yield is 97 percent.”

This information, coupled with a Notre Dame University publication called The Midlands Naturalist, from a 1975 article called, “Feral hemp in Southern Illinois,” shows that harvest numbers of 4 metric tons of hemp seed per acre yield roughly 1.1 kiloliters of hemp seed oil along with a byproduct of 3 tons of high-protein hemp flour that can be used for animal or human consumption.

With the ability to grow hemp in areas that are not suitable for food production, we are able to supplement our energy needs without affecting our main food resources by using corn and other commodities for ethanol and biofuel production.

The benefits don’t stop at just the seeds, either. E. Krueger, a scientist at the Lund University in Sweden, lead a team investigating the stems of the hemp plant. The group found that “Co-production of ethanol and methane from steam pretreated stems gave a high yield of transportation fuel,” According to their paper titled “Bioconversion of industrial hemp to ethanol and methane: The benefits of steam pretreatment and co-production,” published in the February 2011 issue of Bioresource Technology.

This means we can process almost 100 percent of harvested hemp material to create fuel for our needs. By allowing farmers to reap a larger profit from their harvest, and because processors can get so much out of processing without having to deal with unusable byproducts, consumers don’t have to worry about all the negative environmental effects.

It’s sustainability at its finest.

Throw in the fact that all this can be produced locally, we could see a reduction in the amount of longdistance transportation disasters, which usually have the most serious environmental effects. What more could we ask for?

What’s the next step? The most substantial challenges we face are reconfiguring or abolishing the federal and state Controlled Substance Acts. These laws make hemp illegal to cultivate in the United States and Washington, and they are what the government abides by regardless of the public’s and scientists’ perception and research on the safety of Cannabis. Remember, I-502 didn’t legalize Cannabis or hemp on the federal level; both are still Schedule 1 substances.

What I-502 did was carve our a narrow exception to the Controlled Substance Act for adults to possess less than 28 grams of flowers, some medibles and a ques-

we can process almost 100 percent of harvested hemp material to create fuel for our needs. By allowing farmers to reap a larger profit from their harvest, and because processors can get so much out of processing without having to deal with unusable byproducts or negative environmental effects, It’s sustainability at its finest.

The flower or leaves of the hemp plant are the portions of the plant that produce the drug marijuana, whereas the stalk produces the industrial products.

tionable amount of concentrates.

In order to “legally” be allowed to possess, grow, transfer and tax, we have to do what we did with alcohol in the 1930s and remove all the penalties associated with Cannabis. When the laws making Cannabis illegal are removed, it will no longer be “illegal” or “not a violation of the law“ to posses, grow, process, transport and consume Cannabis because there won’t be laws on the books to violate.

Once those prohibitory laws are removed, we can begin to make new regulatory laws that can actually regulate Cannabis like we do alcohol and tobacco.

But as long as Cannabis remains a Schedule 1 substance, there is no way to legally collect tax on its production, processing and distribution because collecting money on the transfer of an “illegal“ substance is money laundering, regardless of whether you’re an individual or the state. It rang true more than 250 years ago, and holds just as much weight today: No taxation without representation!

PHOTO BY VOTEHEMP | OIL DROP BY COPYCARBON

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HEALTH & SCIENCE

BY DR. SCOTT D. ROSE, NORTHWEST LEAF SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR

Cannabis for your PMS? For centuries, doctors and herbalists have looked to this medicine for its soothing proper ties

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ysmenorrhea (or menstrual cramps) is a female medical condition of pain during menstruation that interferes with daily activities and is the bane of many womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s existence once a month. Menstrual pain is characterized any where from mild to severe, and is often considered subjective. With more severe pain and dysfunction menstrual uterine contractions occur, which are of higher strength, duration and frequency than in the rest of the menstrual cycle. But the use of Cannabis has been documented throughout history for its powerful therapeutic properties.

Women describe different kinds of pain, including nauseating, throbbing, sharp, dull, shooting, or burning pain. Conventional treatment options for

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dysmenorrhea include over-the-counter pain meds, menorrhea. Painful cramps may precede menprescription meds, and hormone therapies.There struation by several days or may accompany it, are many alternative treatment options including and it usually subsides as menstruation tapers off.

Cannabis, which has much to offer women who are Dysmenorrhea may coexist with excessively having menstrual difficulties. heavy blood loss, known as menorrhagia. DurMost diagnoses of dysmenorrhea are of primary ing a womanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s monthly menstrual cycle, the inorigin meaning that the cause of ner uterine lining thickens pain is never found. In secondin preparation for potential Cannabis is on the ary dysmenorrhea there is a cause. pregnancy. After ovulation, if map as a prostaglandin The most common of which is enthe egg is not fertilized and dometriosis, in this condition the there is no pregnancy, the inhibitor, a mechanism for uterine lining is in places that it antiinflammatory action and built-up uterine tissue is not should not be. There are various needed and thus shed. pain relieving properties. other causes such as fibroids, cysts, Molecular compounds adenomyosis can also cause dyscalled prostaglandins are re-

leased during the menstrual flow. Release of prostaglandins and other inflammatory mediators in the uterus cause the uterus to contract. These substances are thought to be a major factor in primary dysmenorrhea. Uterine muscles contract, the blood supply to the tissues of the uterine lining constrict, which, in turn, breaks the lining down and it dies.

These uterine contractions continue as they squeeze the old, dead tissue through the cervix and out of the body through the vagina. The contractions, and resulting oxygen deprivation are responsible for the pain or cramps experienced during menstruation.

Pain is generally concentrated to the lower abdomen, commonly felt to the right or left, and may radiate to the thighs and lower back.

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ndocannabinoids, are the analogues of the plant derived cannabinoids (THC,CBD), occurring normally in the human body. The Endocannabinoids are structurally similar to arachidonic acid and have been suggested to interfere with the inflammatory process. Researchers evaluated the efficacy of cannabinoid compounds to inhibit the COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes in an in-vitro model. The IC50 is an imperfect measure of the overall activity of an agents ability to inhibit the enzyme. There study was published;” Evaluation of the cyclooxygenase inhibiting effects of six major cannabinoids isolated from Cannabis sativa.

Biol Pharm Bull. 2011;34.” They found the cannabinoids studied inhibited cyclooxygenase enzyme activity with IC50 values ranging from 1.7·10-8 to 2.0·10-4M. NSAIDs including celeoxib, diclofenac, etodolac, ibuprofen, and meloxicam are in the .9x10-8 to 82.0x 10-6uM range. Even though considerably more is needed, Cannabis is on the map as a prostaglandin inhibitor, a mechanism for it’s antiinflammatory action and pain relieving properties.

Symptoms other than menstrual pain include nausea and vomiting, diarrhea or constipation, headache, dizziness, and fatigue. Symptoms of dysmenorrhea often begin immediately following ovulation, at mid cycle, and can last until the end of the period. This is because dysmenorrhea is often associated with the changes in hormonal levels in the body that occur with ovulation.

The use of certain types of birth control pills can prevent the symptoms of dysmenorrhea, because the birth control pills stop ovulation from occurring. Although use of hormonal contraception improve or relieve symptoms of primary dysmenorrhea for some, a 2001 review found that no conclusions could be made about the efficacy of commonly used oral contraceptive pills for primary dysmenorrhea symptoms.

Opioids and other prescription pain killers are used for more severe cases. However, overdose

Ov e r t he y e a r s In “Cannabis Treatments in Obstetrics and Gynecology: A Historical Review,” the vastly cited 2002 compilation by Dr. Ethan Russo, it is clear that Cannabis has had a long ancient tradition of usage as a medicine in obstetrics and gynecology.

“Cannabis extracts may represent an efficacious and safe alternative for treatment of a wide range of conditions in women including dysmenorrhea,” wrote the University of Washington clinical assistant professor of medicine. His paper details historical uses of Cannabis in treating this particular problem: 9th Century Sabur ibn Sahl in Persia documents in the first Arabic book of medical knowledge how intranasal base preparations Cannabis seed juice was mixed with other herbs to treat migraines, calm uterine pains.

1291 In al-Baytar prescribes hemp seed oil for treatment of uterus hardening, contraction.

1596 In China, Cannabis flowers were recommended for menstrual disorders in the Pen T’sao Kang Mu, compiled by LiShih-Chen based on ancient traditions. This was later translated as Chinese Materia Medica.

1854 In the U.S. the first uses of therapeutic Cannabis to hasten childbirth without anesthesia were noted in the Dispensatory of the United States, a medical journal about drugs.

1859 Dr. J.P Willis noted that “I have used the Indian hemp for some time and in many diseases, especially in those connected with the womb, in neuralgic dysmenorrhoea.”

1870 Dr. A. Silver devotes entire article to the use of Cannabis for menorrhagia and dysmenorrhea, reporting five cases in detail, all relieved

by Cannabis within a few doses. He also refers to a colleague, who had never failed in over 100 cases to control pain and discomfort in these disorders w/n three doses.

1890 Queen Victoria, it has been widely acknowledged, received monthly doses of Cannabis indica for menstrual discomfort throughout her adult life, thanks to Personal Physician Sir John Russell Reynolds. He noted “Indian hemp is of great service in cases of simple spasmodic dysmenorrhoea.” Nearly 350 patent medicines contained Cannabis from 1850 until Cannabis prohibition in the ‘40s. One preparation, Dysmenine contained Cannabis and other herbal tinctures — purporting to treat dysmenorrhea, menstrual colic and cramps. One component of Dysmenine was capsicum, raising the possibility of synergistic action on cannabinoid and vanilloid receptors responsible for telepathing pain.

death rates from prescription opioids, referred to as “narcotics”, have reached “epidemic levels” in the US according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Dr. Thomas Frieden, CDC Director told reporters that “Narcotics prescribed by physicians kill 40 people a day.”

The CDC report shocked readers with statistics: 40 people in the US die every day from opioids, over 14,000 a year. However, we know that approximately 17,000 people die every year from nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve) and others. Inappropriate prescribing or consumption of any medication can lead to adverse consequences, even death.

The numbers of both prescriptions and consumption of over-the-counter (OTC) NSAIDs increase every year, so do the numbers of overdoses and NSAID-related complications reported to poison control centers around the country. More than 70 million prescriptions for NSAIDs are written each year in the U.S. With over-the-counter use included, more than 30 billion doses of NSAIDs are consumed annually in the United States alone. It might be time you took another look at over-the-counter and prescription treatments for pain and inflammation. It may be time to investigate your habits and relationship to pain and pain relief itself.

Many simply reach for the bottle of xyz, and often the habit started as young as 11 or 12, as a research study of 7th, 8th, and 9th graders in Nova Scotia revealed. Researchers found that out of 651 students, upwards of 75% had taken an OTC medication in the previous 3 months without checking with an adult first. This study also found that girls are more likely to take NSAIDs for pain, and as pain frequency and inMany tensity increase there is an increase in levels of self administration. simply More than 20 drugs fall under the reach for category of NSAIDs. The major efthe bottle fect of all NSAIDs is to decrease the of xyz, generation of prostaglandins, again and often prostaglandins are important methe habit diators of the inflammatory process.

They work by blocking an enzyme started called cyclooxygenase (COX-1 and young COX-2) from being able to produce prostaglandins from arachadonic acid. The result of NSAID-induced COX inhibition is decreased levels of prostaglandins, leading to decreased pain and inflammation.

The drugs are also involved in maintaining the intestinal wall mucosal integrity and regulating kidney blood flow. Both acute and chronic NSAID toxicity often involves the gut with ulcers, and the kidneys with irreversible damage.

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BEHIND THE STRAIN

BY DR. SCANDERSON FOR NORTHWEST LEAF

Lineage QUITE

possibly the most sought after strain to hit the Cannabis scene in recent memory (not saying much) the Girl Scout Cookie has growers and patients alike caught up in the frenzy to acquire this medication. Cannaventure Seeds and Washington’s own Red Eyed Genetics teamed up to for a very limited release seed drop using this strain with the Fire Crackers. The project offers growers a chance to hunt for a replica of Berner’s clone only “forum cut” Girl Scout Cookie in seed form.

HOW IT GROWS

She tears out of the gates dropping roots in as little as six days in a

FIRE crackers >> Her unassuming introduction quickly gives way to the tongue twisting rage of flavors that feels dominated in Kush

The Effect:

smoke report: Dried and cured, get out your cameras. These are the flowers everyone is posting about. Dense roundish OG shaped nuggets give hints to the whirlwind of colors, desperately trying to show through the dense layers of sand colored resin heads. The obvious contrasting blood orange hairs, the deep dark leaf color which serves to further accentuating the volume of resin this plant produces and streaks of pale green color make the bag appeal on the Fire Crackers tip top. A fresh and earthy smell delightfully sprinkled with notes of eucalyptus and pine rather quickly fade into a complex bouquet of fuelly, meaty citrus before signing off with the warm sweet scent of fresh cooked waffle cones and puppy breath.

The Genetics: Girl Scout Cookie {forum cut} x Fire OG BX

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cloning machine, deceitfully displaying eye popping vigor. Enjoy while you can ‘cause she’s a slow grower in veg. Extremely nutrient sensitive, it’s imperative that nutrient proportions are dialed in. She thrives in very low nutrient environments, rich in calcium and average nitrogen.

Transitions are particularly difficult and should be treated with caution, minimizing change as much as possible. It’s not uncommon for stress to produce reduced rates of growth and single finger leaf sets.

Recovery from even the mildest stress can take up to 10 days to return to vigorous growth. In flower, she thrives at very low heat and nutrient concentrations, but higher end humidity. Fire Crackers’ response to stress in flower is similarly severe and can trigger premature finishing.

When her environment is kept tight and consistent, nutrients low and properly proportioned this plant will easily compete with the high upon high for attractiveness in flower. By week 3-4 she begins fading and bringing a rainbow of purples, reds and oranges set beside bright green leaves. The calyxes...who knows what color they are as they are too covered in frost to even begin to discern their color. As she ripens, her leaves continue transitioning to a deep dark eggplant color laying a dramatic backdrop for bright orange pistils which fire out from the web of resin heads, collapsing under their own weight.

‘‘

By week 3-4 she begins fading & bringing about a rainbow of purples, reds and oranges along with bright green leaves

The eye-popping scent

carries straight through to the smoke which introduces itself with a cool menthol and mint taste, the proverbial palate cleansing sorbet before the meal. Her unassuming introduction quickly gives way to the tongue twisting rage of flavors that feels dominated in kush. Onset is fast and strong, bringing weight to the upper eye lids almost immediately.

I can feel the cotton inside my brain stand on end as the rush of pine, fuel flavors reflexively cause much lip smacking. Don’t let the strength level, which may be best described as “donkey punch,” intimidate you though. After a quandary of thought and blank staring of about 20 minutes I found myself highly motivated and left with a clear and energetic feeling, inspired to go be creative, play some music or finish up some last minute writing you’ve been uh, procrastinating on.

VOL. 47 — NUMBER 39

THE HAVEAHEART CHRONICLE Seattle, Washington, USA, May 1928

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