Dope Magazine July Oregon Issue by DOPE Magazine

Strain Review

>QUANTUM KUSH II

CANNABIS CANDY >Sour Bhotz CONCENTRATE ETIQUETTE

POT TOURISM

Come Along For The Ride On The NW’s Hottest New Tourist Attraction

JULY 2014

IV FREE

FEATURE CO-OP Bloom Well

MARIJUANA NEWS Concentrate Etiquette

HEALTH Canna Juice

MARIJUANA NEWS MzJill Interview

GROW Tilray

FEATURE Pot Tourism

HEALTH Times Are Changing

HEALTH CHS

EDIBLES Sour Bohtz

MARIJUANA NEWS Cannabus

GROW C02 Organics

HERBAN MYTHS Traveling with Cannabis

GROW How To Keep Cool

ROAD TRIP Paris

TABLE OF CONTENTS

July 2014 The Travel Issue

STRAIN OF THE MONTH Quantum Kush II

This photo and cover photo by Allie Beckett

DOPE is a free publication dedicated to providing and informative and wellness-minded voice to the cannabis movement. While our foundation is the medical cannabis industry, it is our intent to provide ethical and research-based articles that address the many facets of the war on drugs, from politics to lifestyle and beyond. We believe that through education and honest discourse, accurate policy and understanding can emerge. DOPE Magazine is focused on defending both our patients and our plant, and to being an unceasing force for revolutionary change.

JAMES ZACHODNI Editor-In-Chief

EVAN CARTER

TREK HOLLNAGEL

ALLIE BECKETT

JARED MIRSKY

Photography

Art Director

Editorial Director

RYAN JOHNSTONE Oregon Director

Sales Director

JESUS DIAZ

Graphics/Operations

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS / PHOTOGRAPHERS Sharon Letts Michael Condon Jr Heath Laslo Simone Fischer Emmet Fraser Jay Roller Subcool Gone Daddy Royal Louis Matt Dillon Photography Tony Thepkaysone Yasi Firoozi

COPY EDITOR Jordan Baer

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QUESTIONS? COMMENTS?

EMAIL US AT INFO@DOPEMAGAZINEONLINE.COM Dope Magazine and the entire contents of this magazine are copyright 2013 Dope Magazine LLC, all rights reserved and may not be reproduced in any manner, in whole or part without the written permission from Dope Magazine LLC. Published in Seattle, Washington 98109

STRAIN OF THE MONTH CANNABINOID CONTENT 30.6% THC Farm: Homegrown Natural Wonders Growers: Odie Diesel, Msci and Mush Mouth

Quantum Kush II WRITTEN BY SIMONE FISCHER PHOTO BY MATT DILLON PHOTOGRAPHY

GENETICS Quantum Kush II is a sativa variety that is crossed between TGA Subcool Seeds, Sweet Irish Kush and Timewreck.

MEDICAL BENEFITS The QK II tested especially high in CBG, otherwise known as cannabigerol, a non-psychoactive cannabinoid that helps relieve intraocular pressure caused by glaucoma. CBG also acts as a pain reliever with anti-inflammatory properties. QK II can help patients who have MS, anxiety or depression.

LOOKS

SMELL

FLAVOR

EFFECTS

The QK II is a very dense sativa bud covered in a silver layer of sticky trichomes. The small detail of the fiery rust hairs complements the light green buds well by contrasting in color. The QK II is by and large a people’s favorite. This heavyhitting sativa took first place for the strain with the highest THC percentage at this year’s Secret Cup, which was hosted in Seattle.

I detected hoppy undertones that gave the QK II a strong earthy aroma. QK II tested high in the terpene myrcene that is found in plants such as sage, parsley and hops. Sweet orange overtones complemented the strong earthy essence wonderfully, which provided the strain with depth and complexity.

My initial hit was very earthy with lingering sweet notes on the tongue. QK II also tested high in the terpene limonene, which is found in citrus fruits. The sweet overtones were complemented by an herbal spiciness due to the sesquiterpene called caryophyllene. This branch of terpenes is responsible for the spiciness found in black pepper and cloves. The taste complexity of this strain makes it a very palatable herb.

After smoking a bowl of QK II, I highly advise using this strain for relaxation. The QK II is a potent sativa that pretty much hits you instantly. The strength of the high is deep, but I was relatively clearheaded throughout the duration of the high. I peaked after about 20 to 30 minutes and the high lasted well over an hour or two. The potency of this strain is legendary and is easily one of my topfive favorite strains of all time.

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FEATURE CO-OP

BLOOM WELL

Bend’s Very Own Cannabis-Community Epicenter WRITTEN BY SIMONE FISCHER PHOTOS BY ROYAL LOUIS

WHAT’S INSIDE

Bloom Well, one of the newest dispensaries in Bend, would prefer not to be labeled as such. Instead, owner Jeremy Kwit would call his establishment a “community agency” with a mission to unite people around cannabis. Bloom Well opened back in December 2013, months before HB 3460 was implemented. Kwit wanted to set the standard of medical marijuana establishments in Bend and made sure to contact all Bend city officials and police to make sure they were fully informed on what he was doing. Kwit insisted upon a high standard of transparency because his community-centered organization has nothing to hide. When I first walked into Bloom Well, the initial waiting room was bright and big enough to host guests who did not have cards and wanted to know more. Once we were checked in, I entered the “Trade Room,” which housed all of their medicine. Kwit had the room custom made with a translucent wall that brightened up the place. All flowers are prepackaged in order to ensure freshness without drying out due to Bend’s low humidity levels. Other than stellar flowers, Bloom Well also carries concentrates, edibles, tinctures, topicals and smoking accessories. One of the best things about Bloom Well is its dedication to educating the community on cannabis. Kwit’s mission is to invite the greater Bend community to learn about this misunderstood plant and, in turn, become “cannabis ambassadors” that work to destigmatize medicinal marijuana usage. Bloom Well makes sure to send patients with cannabis etiquette cards that outline sensible cannabis usage such as “be aware of cannabis’ effect on yourself and others” and “use cannabis as a part of a balanced and responsible lifestyle.” Native narrative is finally written down and used to guide patients who are new to cannabis. Bloom Well’s community outreach efforts have been well received to the Bend community, uniting people on all sides of the fence.

ADDRESS: 1814 NE Division St., Bend, OR 97701 PHONE: (541) 317-1814 WEB: www.bloomwellbend.com

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FEATURE CO-OP

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MARIJUANA NEWS

CONCENTRATE ETIQUETTE 101

Dope Magazine sits down with the dabbing experts from Happy Daddy Products to discuss “Concentrate Etiquette 101.” If you are new to the concentrate game, read on for dabbing “dos and don’ts” in order to learn about safe products, cleanliness and dosing. WRITTEN BY SIMONE FISCHER PHOTOS BY SHAWN ALAN PHOTOGRAPHY

SANITATION One of the biggest issues with dabbing (this can be applied to those who prefer flower) is keeping your rigs clean. The Happy Daddy crew suggests keeping alcohol wipes handy to clean off mouthpieces. Other brands such as Pipe Wipes are also available and are gentler than traditional alcohol-soaked wipes. If you are sharing an oilrig with two or more people it needs to be cleaned frequently in order to cut back on germs that could get someone sick. Not only is sanitation about cleanliness, it is also about being polite and giving your guests clean glass to smoke from. Don’t be that guy or girl with a dirty setup. Invest in some wipes and routinely clean your piece.

SAFELY HANDLING GLASS SETUPS Some of the best advice Happy Daddy gave Dope Mag was “if you are afraid to pick up a glass piece, don’t do it.” So much love, time and money are put into creating these glass art pieces and it truly is a tragedy for all sides when one is dropped or broken. If you are confident enough to pick up a piece without fear of breaking it, always hold it from the very bottom plate and the mouthpiece. These two points of contact ensure the safest hold for transferring. At all times use extreme caution!

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SAFE DABBING ACCESSORIES

SAFE CONCENTRATES

Many of the dabbing tools on the market are toxic. Happy Daddy Products are made with medical grade titanium and surgical steel that ensures users are not experiencing any sort of metal poisoning. Unfortunately, certain dabbing accessory companies are not doing diligence to ensure that their products are not toxic. This becomes a huge problem for patients who are already sick or heavy concentrate users. Make sure to research the background on your tools!

The fellows at Happy Daddy Products warned us of “stranger dabs” or any “stranger” concentrate for that matter. The popularity of concentrates is continuing to grow within the cannabis community and it is important to know that what you are ingesting isn’t toxic. Do not feel pressured into using a concentrate that you are unfamiliar with. Lots of people are beginning to make concentrates without properly purging their products. This puts users at risk due to the negligence of newbie concentrate producers.

MARIJUANA NEWS

HOT NAILS! All of the new tools and technology around concentrates are exciting and intimidating at the same time. Torches and hot nails are key to successful dabbing. With that said, obvious safety issues arise. Most nails are heated to around 700 degrees Fahrenheit for ideal dabbing temperatures. Be VERY careful when torching your nails. Even though the metal might not be red hot, it can still do serious burn damage.

SCORCHING & LOWTEMPERATURE DABS One of the coolest things about concentrates is using a badass torch to heat your nails. I have seen many regular dabbers continue to heat their nails until they are literally red hot. As stated in the previous section, 700 degrees Fahrenheit is the ideal temperature for your nails. Generally speaking, 700 is the “flash point” of the oil that allows it to release its carbons. Anything hotter than this merely scorches your concentrates and ruins the flavor. The flipside to this is “low-temperature dabs.” Do not believe the hype because undercooking your dabs is unsafe. Without reaching that flash point, you are ingesting carbons that cannot be released.

DOSING Unlike with flower, there is a real potential to overdose when taking dabs. Concentrates are the essence of the plant in an extremely concentrated form. The potency that dabs provide users with is unmatched. With that said, it is important to know your limits. As a female, sometimes I feel the pressure to take a monster-size dab in order to feel like I belong in a dabheavy circle. At the Happy Daddy Ranch, when I asked for my antsize dab, no judgment was given at all. No one should pressure you into taking more than you can handle. Most of the time, people respect and appreciate you knowing your limits. It is no fun to watch someone deal with an overdose when they should have been honest about how much they can handle.

WATCH WHERE YOU BLOW You would think that people would understand this concept after years of using flower, but it still must be said. Just because you choose to dab does not make it okay for you to blow smoke in other people’s faces. Not only is this rude, but it is pretty much equivalent to coughing in someone’s face. Know where to blow before you go. Avoid everyone’s faces in order to be considered a polite concentrate user. Your mother would be proud!

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MARIJUANA NEWS

CANNA CANNA JUICE JUICE Raw Cannabis: My 10-Day “Canna” Juicing Experience WRITTEN BY JAY ROLLER OF ALPHAKRONIK GENES SEEDS

In last month’s issue I discussed the benefits of juicing cannabis. Many people are looking to incorporate the benefits of cannabis into their lives without the physical high. Luckily, Oregon’s finest medical marijuana dispensary located in Portland contacted me about a woman who was already starting her own cannabisjuicing business. Paola Dooly who represents Green Temple, started juicing raw cannabis fan leaves and got her cannabis juice tested from Cascadia (a trusted Oregon marijuana lab) in order to start selling it in Oregon dispensaries. Dooly specializes in making “canna juice” by providing patients with juiced cannabis fan leaves for healthy consumption.

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MARIJUANA NEWS I was given a batch of her tested Durban Poison canna juice. I received the canna juice in a frozen form that was divided into oneounce portions. I received two 16-oz. bags for a total of 32 ounces (or two pounds) of juiced cannabis fan leaves all divided up into one-oz. squares. I wanted to see how canna juice would affect my well-being without the psychoactive effect. Dooly was kind enough to donate this 10-day supply that rationed out to be around three ounces of canna juice per day.

but enough to wear me down. After I started drinking Dooly’s canna juice, I absolutely felt the cannabis help regulate my food allergies and soothe my stomach. Drinking raw cannabis did not give me any psychoactive effect, but it gave me an insane amount of energy. I am a person who decided to give canna juice a try for overall wellness. Even though I am not currently sick, I am convinced of the benefits of cannabis juicing. The article that was written last month addressed how drinking cannabis juice can help those suffering from MS. The beau-

" T H E B E AU T I F U L T H I N G A B O U T C A N N A B I S I S THE PLANT'S AB I L I T Y TO HELP ALL, N O M AT T E R W H AT C O N T I N U E S T O A I L YO U . " The canna juice looks like green ice cubes laced with fine plant matter. For 10 days I would ingest a total of three ounces of cannabis per day and record any effects I felt, good or bad. I added three ounces of frozen canna juice to my daily morning smoothie routine. To my surprise, it actually did not taste bad at all! I have done numerous edible reviews for Dope and what I have gathered is that sour, citrusy flavors mesh really well with cannabis. I added pineapple, lemon, hemp seeds, mango and a little bit of water to the frozen cannabis and blended away. I drank this same drink 10 days in a row and the results were surprising. The taste of cannabis wasn’t as strong as I had originally predicted. I thought it was going to be a lot like taking a wheatgrass shot, but it was actually much more palatable. The Durban Poison I was given was of course earthy, but blended nicely with the rest of the fruit making a very tasty smoothie. For the first few days I did not notice any serious results, but I was feeling much more energized throughout my day. I noticed I was getting more done and becoming much more active. On day five I started working out after my AM smoothies and I definitely had some killer gym sessions. By day seven, one of the biggest things I had noticed was how canna juice helped my digestive system. I have always had minor stomach issues that were never serious,

tiful thing about cannabis is the plant’s ability to help all, no matter what continues to ail you. I chose to juice in the morning because eating fruit or drinking fruit on an empty stomach allows your body to absorb the most nutrients provided by the fruit and cannabis. By day 10, my regular stomach problems were gone and my energy levels were through the roof. I have heard many stories about serious athletes using cannabis to help heal their body post-workout, and I do not doubt that cannabis juicing has the same effect. More research needs to be done, but my body’s personal reaction to cannabis juicing has been incredible. Dooly is working to get her canna juice on dispensary shelves in the very near future. The wonderful thing about raw cannabis juice is that anyone can give it a shot. No psychoactive effects are felt, which can help people who are not familiar with cannabis, and not trying to get high, find a way to incorporate cannabis into their lives. Juicing allows people to absorb the full amount of nutrients from cannabis. Burning cannabis only allows us to absorb a small amount of what the plant has to offer us, but juicing gives us the whole enchilada filled with essential aminos and more.

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MzJill Interview

Women Leading the Industry WRITTEN BY SIMONE FISCHER PHOTOS BY SUBCOOL

When I began writing about marijuana activism, I found it was

must represent themselves in order to make sure our needs are

clearly another male-dominated arena. I found that a large majority

being met as well.

of grow sites were in fact headed by men. I knew there had to be

MzJill shows us that women can be professional, well-respected

professional-level female growers within the industry, but women

and successful growers as well. One of the many great things MzJill

are subjected to a specific level of stigma because they put their

does for the cannabis industry is dedicate herself to giving back to

children and families on the line (not that all dad growers don’t

the community. She organizes and runs most of the charity events

experience this as well). After some digging and getting familiar

TGA participates in. Right now MzJill is running a charity sponsor

with the people who run this industry MzJill’s name came up.

service that donates TGAGenetics’ seeds, lighting from Lush Lighting

When I heard MzJill was the co-founder of TGAGenetics Subcool

and a pot to plant in from Spring Pots. Patients who contact MzJill

Seeds, I had to know more. Luckily, Odie Diesel, a professional

and qualify for this service are immediately sent these items so they

grower from Homegrown Natural Wonders, was kind enough to

can grow their own medicine. Many people volunteer their services

“WHEN MEN DOMINATE THE GROWING ASPECT OF THIS INDUSTRY, FEMALE VOICES ARE LEFT OUT OF THE PICTURE.” introduce me to her. Many people mistake that MzJill simply walked

in tandem with MzJill in order to assist needy patients in their area,

into Subcool’s seed company, but actually she was in the game

and it doesn’t stop there.

long before she met Sub.

On top of donating medicine and the supplies it takes to grow,

MzJill started out as a single mother of three children who

as a once-struggling single mom herself, MzJill always looks to give

provided patients with medicine when they needed it. She

back to the families who need it. Along with Subcool, she started a

specialized in clones and medibles and helped patients get there

“Charity Garden” and all the medicine was donated at cost in order

own setups going. Shortly after MzJill met Subcool he was arrested

to supply quality medicine to patients who normally could not

in Florida because of an existing warrant and had to spend time in

afford it. All the money that was made from the Charity Garden

prison. MzJill helped create TGAGenetics while Sub was in jail and

was immediately donated in order to buy toys for a Christmas toy

it was the first American seed company to go public back in 2009.

drive for children. Thirteen kids who had never opened presents

TGA stands for “The Green Avengers” and their mission is to rid the

on Christmas Day were finally provided that privilege because of

stigma of this misunderstood plant and get patients the medicine

MzJill’s work and dedication to her community.

they deserve.

The night I had first met MzJill, she gifted me with her latest

Fast-forward five years and the company is booming. One of the

strain, Brian Berry Cough, which was named after her friend Brian

things that caught my attention was MzJill’s strain that she herself

Damewood, who recently passed. He was an avid marijuana

engineered, called “Jillybean,” which was a cross between Orange

activist and advocate for patients suffering from ALS looking to

Velvet and Space Queen. She created this strain in order to help

medicate naturally. In his honor, she created Brian Berry Cough so

female-specific health issues such as PMS or PMDD, something

that his name will live on forever in the cannabis community. It is

that had not been done yet in the marijuana world. When men

important to recognize the work that women are doing to better

dominate the growing aspect of this industry, female voices are left

the movement. On top of being a highly respected grower, MzJill is

out of the picture. When women include themselves in the growing

a compassionate human being who gives back on the regular. Dope

process, it allows them to cultivate what they need from cannabis.

Magazine commends her for her knowledge on seed engineering and

Male growers might not be focusing on how cannabis can help

for giving women all over the country someone to look up to.

menopause because that is not something they experience in their lives. This isn’t to say that there aren’t any wonderful male growers that are sensitive to women’s needs from the plant, but women

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TILRAY CANADA’S BIG MEDICAL WRITTEN BY MICHAEL CONDON JR. PHOTS PROVIDED BY TILRAY

Tilray, a Canadian medical marijuana grow operation, made international news after their country’s overhaul of their medical marijuana program when they built a multi-million dollar facility, unlike anything before. Not only have they been championed as the most elite of Canadian growers but they’re also setting the bar for a legal cannabis system worldwide with their professionalism and quality. DOPE had an opportunity to connect with the company to ask a few questions and shed some light on the new Canadian Medical Marijuana. DOPE: Tell me a little about Tilray, how it began and how the company has evolved along with the Canadian Medical Marijuana program…

TILRAY: About a year ago, we started hearing about the new cannabis regulations in Canada, and began looking into business opportunities. We met with about 50 companies that were applying for a license and ultimately decided to put together our own application to become a licensed producer under Canada’s MMPR – Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations. We put together a team of professionals and submitted our 300 page application to Health Canada. We invested $20 million in a 70,000 square foot facility in Nanaimo, BC, which we built to grow and ship medical cannabis. We received our federal license from Health

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Canada in April, and since then we have been harvesting, hand-trimming, packing and shipping medical cannabis to Canadian patients every day. Tilray has already created 65 local jobs and is still looking to fill positions for marketing managers, bilingual customer service representatives, horticulturists, trimmers and shipping specialists. Tilray will hire an additional 40 employees in the coming months. DOPE: What is the growing capacity of your facilities? How much and how frequently can you crop? TILRAY: We currently have over 10,000 medical cannabis plants in cultivation,

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representing over 40 strains, including indicas, sativas, hybrids and CBD-rich varieties. By fall 2014 we will have 40,000 cannabis plants in cultivation. We’ll never build a facility this small again. DOPE: How does the Canadian Government view your company and the medical marijuana industry as a whole? TILRAY: Health Canada could not have been more helpful. The regulations are very stringent and we think that’s a good thing. This is an industry that’s under a lot of scrutiny as it transitions from a black and gray market to a legitimate industry, so it’s important that we get this right. We were probably overprepared, but we passed inspection from

Health Canada the first time, which is almost impossible. Since then we have had Health Canada show up unannounced twice for inspections that lasted several days where they count every plant in the building. DOPE: With Health Canada now, more or less, in control of medical marijuana, does that help or hurt the medical marijuana industry

and why? Is it difficult to get approval from the Canadian government? TILRAY: The MMPR is designed to be a tightly regulated free market system. The Licensed Producers compete on quality of their product and customer service. We are in favor of Canada’s progressive decision to make medical cannabis available in a more

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patient-friendly and safe way. We think that the majority of patients and physicians who rely on this treatment appreciate access to pure, predictable cannabis that is consistently available. There are 13 companies who have received approval from Health Canada to grow and sell medical cannabis. Tilray is the only company that has been shipping to patients every day. DOPE: What are the guidelines for growing companies in Canada? Are there growing limits, standards and practices that are mandatory? What are some of their quality requirements? TILRAY: Health Canada has issued hundreds of pages of regulations governing medical cannabis facilities; the MMPR is only a portion of the regulations that Tilray must comply with in order to remain licensed. Despite the stringent nature of the regulatory structure, the MMPR does not impose a growing limit on licensed producers so long as they have applied for a production capacity that conforms to their security level. It encourages a free-market system, albeit highly regulated. DOPE: Is your product tested in-house or by

another party? Which process is used tested and what is the product tested for? TILRAY: Currently, Tilray cannabis is tested by a third-party lab but we are currently building out a research and development lab inside our Nanaimo facility Tilray is producing premium, pure BC-grown cannabis that is hand-trimmed, pesticide free, never irradiated, and tested for quality, purity and potency to ensure our patients receive medicine that is free of impurities. Tilray cannabis is tested for THC and CBD content, and for biological impurities, byproducts of biological impurities, pesticides and heavy metals. DOPE: Are cannabis concentrates popular for medical patients in Canada? Is the production of concentrates allowed by Health Canada? TILRAY: Under the current system, Health Canada only allows for the sale of dried cannabis. All of Tilray’s strains are sold as whole hand-trimmed dried flower, never ground up. DOPE: How many companies have been officially approved under the new rules of Canadian Medical Marijuana? How many are

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expected to meet the demand of patients in Canada? TILRAY: Currently there are only 13 Licensed Producers authorized to sell cannabis to patients directly. DOPE: How powerful is the push for full legalization, or recreational use, of cannabis in Canada? TILRAY: That’s for the Canadian government to decide. Right now we’re focused on producing pure, precise and predictable cannabis for Canadian medical patients. DOPE: What does the future hold for Canadian Medical Marijuana and how does Tilray plan on being a large part of that future? TILRAY: At Tilray, we’re really pleased to be on the forefront of the new Canadian medical cannabis system. Health Canada estimates that there are over 40,000 Canadians who rely on medical cannabis now, and that number is expected to grow to over 400,000 within the next ten years. We’re already looking at locations to build additional Tilray production facilities and look forward to serving Canadian patients for many years to come.

MARIJUANA NEWS

POT TOURISM WASHINGTON’S NEW BUDDING INDUSTRY WRITTEN BY YASAMINE FIROOZI SOME PHOTOS BY ALLIE BECKETT

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MARIJUANA NEWS the same, is. Cannabis Tourism businesses,

passenger traffic. However, it is impossible to

gourmet pot food trucks, private marijuana

say whether it was cannabis tourism’s effect

clubs and the like have been diligently

on travel incentives, or, if this is simply a

strategizing their business models as they

coincidence. Similarly, the Colorado Futures

eagerly await their debut. However, the size

Center evaluated the States estimate of $60

and impact which this emerging industry will

million in increased revenue concluding that:

have on Washington State - and the greater

“…given current consumption estimates, the

Northwest - remains ambiguous as the

cost to grow a pound of marijuana would

scarcity of statistical evidence and analytical

be in the range of $1,100 a pound, almost

publications

twice earlier estimates. That level risks raising

substantiate any real predictions. Although, in

the price of retail marijuana so high that it

using Colorado’s recent experience as a point

could send users back to the black market,”

of departure, an informed - albeit generalized

criticizing the excess of current estimations.

- understanding does emerge. However,

Although, Tax Foundation economist Scott

as with most emerging industries - and

Drenkard responded to this, stating, “Its hard

especially those that have operated within the

to know [what to expect] because its an

complicate

our

ability

“Not only have conventional retail establishments emerged, cannabis tourism- in many different forms - has done the same.”

black market - speculating their economic,

entirely new product on the legal market.”

political, and social impact presents a myriad

However, this is some evidence that gives

of complexities and contending opinions.

even the most ambitious estimates some

For instance, the Colorado Center on

While many Washingtonians may still be basking in the successful passage of I-502,

merit.

Law & Policy projects a, “$60 million total in

A number of cannabis tourism businesses

combined savings and additional revenue

are establishing themselves in Washington.

for Colorado’s Budget with the potential for

Kush Tourism, Cannabus, White Mustache

this number to double after 2017,” of which

Urban Adventures, CannaCon and many

$24 million will be allocated to the Building

others offer informative tours, entertainment,

Excellent Schools Today (BEST) program.

site seeing excursions and the like. And, like

retail

Denver, pot friendly transportation - look

those behind the scenes of our emerging

establishments emerged, cannabis tourism-

for the ‘CannaCab’ brand this summer - are

marijuana

in many different forms - has done the same.

working together with pot tourism agencies to

work. These ‘gangaprenuers’ as some have

Proper cannabis tour companies such as Sprio

provide travelers with the ultimate marijuana

affectionately labeled them, are on their

Tours, Colorado Cannabis Tours, Colorado

experience. Private member clubs such as

last leg in the legislative process, and they

Greens Tours, Mountain High Treks and many

BoomerBuds are also entering the mix. Hilary

are set to assert themselves in the formal

others offer pot friendly day, weekend, or full

Bricken, an attorney for the Canna Law Group,

economy.

and

vacation packages ranging from dispensary

has seen countless entrepreneurial pitches, “…

retail establishments - at least 334 business

tours, to glass blowing classes, and mountain

from gaming lounges, where there would be

licenses are currently under way - will

hikes. Cannabis friendly hotels, transportation

proliferate across the State this summer.

and concierge services have sprouted up

It has become apparent that other, perhaps

across the State as well . So far this year,

initially understated, business opportunities

the marijuana industry has brought in an

- namely in cannabis related tourism - will

estimated $12.8 million in taxes and fees and

follow suit. The general notion that a sizable

reached a whopping $22 million in sales in

portion of Seattleites smoke pot is not a novel

the month of April alone. Denver International

one. But the idea that individuals - from near

Airport even reported that the month of

and far - could begin traveling here to do

April 2014 set the institutions record high for

industry

have

Production,

been

hard

processing,

Not

only

have

conventional

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MARIJUANA NEWS

a series of recliners and you can get stoned

Francisco run by ARcView Investor Network -

the industry has strictly adhered to State

and play Xbox all day, to cannabis cafes where

a group of entrepreneurs hoping to promote

regulations, and point out that, in fact, crime

there’s a full menu that really adheres to the

investment in legal marijuana businesses.

in Denver is down by about 10 percept. In

cannabinoids and how they affect your taste

However, Mark Kleiman - a Professor of

Washington, the same debate will likely

buds…evaluation bars where people could

Public Policy at UCLA - stated that: “when it

unfold. What is important to highlight here,

bring there own marijuana and experts would

comes to pot, its risky to invest in [marijuana

if nothing else, is while both proponents

educate them on each strains composition

related] companies.” This is likely due to the

and opponents have the basis to formulate

and its potential effects…[to] tours through

inconsistency between State and Federal laws

cohesive arguments, the reality is that it is

bucolic, organize pot farms,”. And although

regarding marijuana as well as the fact that

probably too soon to fully understand the

the Washington State Cannabis Tourism

banks are required to adhere to federal law -

changes occurring beneath the surface. But

Association stated that, “until the stores

prohibiting them from financing marijuana

what we do know is that people are eager

open with full shelves and we can get hotels

start upsAlthough, the disconnect between

to get involved, they are creating innovative

on board; cannabis tourism in Washington

the financial sector, and the marijuana

business models, and they are contributing

will come out at a trot and then gain

industry is suspected to be on the mend as

- even if below previous estimates - to the

momentum into the 2015 season,” the level of

the Treasury and Justice departments are

broader economy and public good. Exactly

coordination we are seeing between tourism

working to better synthesize State and federal

how well the cannabis tourism industry

agencies, the food and entertain industries,

laws.

will be able to sink its teeth into such an

transportation companies, and - hopefully

From a community perspective, it is

ambiguous market is impossible to know.

- the hotel industry does give legalization

also difficult to speculate the changes to

However, the excitement it has generated

advocates some legitimacy in their assertions

come. For instance, legalization opponents

among

that deregulation will spur economic growth

often highlight cases of marijuana induced

institutions promoting investment in it; and

and business innovation. Forbes magazine

psychosis and DUI arrests, substance abuse

the entrepreneurial spirit that characterizes

has also discussed Wall Street’s promotion

rates, increased access of minors, and inter-

the industry gives it pretty good odds in my

of venture investment in marijuana-related

state trafficking. However, many argue that

book.

start ups, highlighting a conference in San

these cases are isolated incidences, that

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consumers;

powerful

financial

HEALTH

WRITTEN BY HEATH LASLO

Reflecting back just a few years ago, it is impressive when we examine the progress made by giving patients the right to gain safe access to medical and/or recreational cannabis not only here in Washington State, but nationwide. In 1972, the US Congress placed cannabis in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act because they considered it to have â&#x20AC;&#x153;no accepted medical use.â&#x20AC;? Clearly this is not the case as public opinion has shifted dramatically in the past decade supporting the legalization of the plant for its inherent medicinal value to treat numerous ailments plaguing the American people.

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HEALTH Since then, 22 of 50 US states and the District of Columbia have legalized the medical and/or recreational use of cannabis. We are close to a “tipping point” where so many states have legalized cannabis for medicinal or recreational use that the federal government is going to have to change its policies in regard to cannabis, which is still considered a Schedule 1 narcotic by the Drug Enforcement Agency. Patients and patient organizations nationwide in concert with organizations such as Americans for Safe Access and NORML are pressuring lawmakers to make changes to

ence and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 15, 2015. Representative Dana Rohrabacher, a California Republican, proposed an amendment to H.R. 4660 that reads: “None of the funds made available in this Act to the Department of Justice may be used, with respect to the States of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico,

beginning to realize that they need to start representing their constituency or suffer the repercussions come election time. Moreover, the vote isn’t the final word on the subject. A long process remains before it can possibly be signed into law. As such, the vote does not yet qualify as a tipping point. Rather, it’s an indication that the balance continues to shift in the positive direction across the country. While this recent victory in the US House of Representatives is a tremendous victory, it is important to stress that the language of Rohrabacher’s amendment specifically cites medical cannabis, not recreational. What does

the federal cannabis laws. One such patient, and her family, that gained national attention is Charlotte Figi who suffers from Dravet Syndrome, one of the most serious forms of epilepsy. Little Charlotte became the poster child for CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta series on medical cannabis where Dr. Gupta publically changed his opinion on the medicinal use of the drug. An example of changes in public opinion and political pressure, as noted above, recently played out on a national level in the Republican-controlled US House of Representatives. A bill was passed that would essentially defund the DOJ/DEA’s budget to conduct medical marijuana raids in states where medical or recreational is legal and approve a measure that would prohibit the Drug Enforcement Administration from targeting state-licensed medical marijuana operations. The vote came in conjunction with H.R. 4660, a massive fiscal appropriations bill for the Departments of Justice, Commerce, Sci-

Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin, to prevent such States from implementing their own State laws that authorize the use, distribution, possession or cultivation of medical marijuana.” Other measures like this one have been introduced in the past, but none have ever gotten close to passage. This time around, however, was different; the US House of Representatives passed the amendment 219 to 189. The last time a similar bill was introduced and voted on was in 2007 when only 165 votes were in favor. This year’s vote increase can be largely attributed to the fact that lawmakers only recently began hearing the moving stories of the many children whose severe seizures are only relieved by cannabis. Patient testimonials like the Figis’ have swayed public opinion to support medical cannabis and legalization, and politicians are

this mean? Presumably, the DOJ/DEA could continue to fund enforcement of actions related to recreational cannabis in Colorado and Washington, however this seems unlikely. Both states are literally blazing new trails into uncharted territory and the feds along with other states are watching, anticipating they will be faced with similar legislation in 2016 and in years to come. Now, the bill will move onto the Senate, where hopefully an identical amendment will pass there, or there could be more work to be done in a joint committee if two different versions of the bill are passed by each chamber. Regardless, this is another victory in a long line of coming victories that will include tax code revisions, easing banking restrictions, states’ rights to pass their own regulations regarding all adult use and, ultimately, ending cannabis prohibition across the entire nation.

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HEALTH

CANNABINOID HYPEREMESIS SYNDROME WRITTEN BY HEATH LASLO

The purpose of this article is to educate you on the signs and symptoms of a syndrome associated with the chronic stimulation of endocannabinoid system receptors (CB1 and CB2) via the chronic and heavy use of cannabis. The syndrome is referred to as Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome or CHS. Although CHS is thought to be relatively rare, it is also thought to be underreported since the symptoms look very similar to Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome (CVS). Interestingly enough, 50 percent of patients with CVS report daily cannabis use reinforcing the premise that this syndrome is grossly underrecognized and underreported. The primary difference between CHS and CVS is the compulsive hot bathing/showering to elevate nausea and vomiting, which we will discuss in detail below. CHS has been documented in a number of case reports in medical journals for 10 years now, yet it continues to be underrecognized and misdiagnosed. CHS is characterized by years of daily cannabis use that causes recurrent “flare ups” of severe nausea, vomiting/abdominal pain, compulsive bathing for symptom relief and symptom resolu-

tion with cessation of use. These flare ups occur on average every two months and can last for days resulting in multiple ER visits and hospitalizations. This can place a large financial burden on patients and their families due to the misdiagnosis, ineffective treatments and length of time it takes to get a correct diagnosis.

When I first read about CHS in the scientific journals, I filed it away in my brain as “good to know,” but not prevalent enough for me to consider writing an educational piece on it. This changed after a friend of mine with multiple sclerosis who has been using cannabis for three years for spasticity and pain relief started experiencing episodes of severe nau-

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sea followed by numerous bouts of vomiting throughout the day and night. Subsequently, my friend’s CHS symptoms would last on average seven to 14 days. In the beginning she thought it was the flu and would ride it out as long as possible. However, inevitably she would end up in the ER and hospital for a few days as doctors rehydrated her with IV fluids and tried to figure out what was going on. As mentioned above in the description of CHS, one of the unique and frankly strange components of the syndrome is the compulsive bathing in really hot water. Taking these baths provided her symptomatic relief, but it was relatively short-lived with the symptoms returning 30 to 45 minutes later. Hence, she found herself taking anywhere between six to 10 hot baths a day. In addition to the bathing ritual for temporary relief of her nausea, she naturally consumed cannabis for its well-known antiemetic (anti-nausea) effects. Unfortunately, unbeknownst to both of us at the time, the cannabis she was consuming was the cause of the problem and not the cure. The severe nausea and vomiting associ-

HEALTH

ated with CHS is one of the most interesting paradoxical effects of cannabis in patients with CHS. It is well-known and accepted within the medical community that cannabis can markedly improve nausea associated with chemotherapy and hence is thought to be an excellent antiemetic medication. The cause of the paradoxical hyperemetic symptoms of CHS remains unclear,

tor’s activation in the enteric nervous system (nervous system of the gastrointestinal tract), which causes slowed peristalsis and delayed gastric emptying. In sensitive people, chronic heavy cannabis use can cause THC to accumulate to a toxic level in fatty tissues, causing enteric receptor-binding effects to override the CNS receptor-binding effects. This is supported by

taking an imposed tolerance break. Yeah we might live in WA, one of the two great states in this country that has legalized cannabis consumption, but they haven’t set up any dab rigs at Swedish or Virginia Mason Hospital… yet. So if there is anything you take away from this review, remember CHS specifically responds to hot baths, which alleviate the

"IN SENSITIVE PEOPLE, CHRONIC HEAVY CANNABIS USE CAN CAUSE THC TO ACCUMULATE TO A TOXIC LEVEL IN FATTY TISSUES." but several mechanisms have been proposed. The principal active cannabinoid in cannabis is the highly lipophilic compound THC, which binds to cannabinoid type one (CB1) and type two (CB2) receptors in the CNS and other tissues. It is thought that the antiemetic and appetite-stimulating effects of cannabis are mediated by CB1 receptor activation in the hypothalamus. Nausea and vomiting are thought to be mediated by the CB1 recep-

case studies describing severe vomiting with IV injection of crude marijuana extract. Basically, after years of cannabis exposure, my friend had developed a form of cannabinoid toxicity. Logically this makes sense. As mentioned before, the treatment for CHS is complete cessation. In my friend’s case, after spending a few days in the hospital away from her vaporizer and dab rig, we slowly saw improvements daily in her condition after

nausea and vomiting. Second, if you do think that you or a loved one has CHS, stop using cannabis for a few days and see if your symptoms start to subside. This is a good thing to know about; it may save you or a loved one from going through all the tests and procedures and save you a lot in medical bills. Better living through education folks. DOPE

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THE CHOICE IS CLEAR THE DIFFERENCE IS SCIENCE.

™

Made in Washington

instagram.com/x_tracted

EDIBLES

SOUR BHOTZ Sour Robot Medicated Gummies

WRITTEN BY SIMONE FISCHER PHOTOS BY TONY THEPKAYSONE PHOTOGRAPHY The story begins when the unlikely pair, a New York butcher and an artist, venture out to the West Coast to pursue their edible dream. The duo specializes in medicated sour robot gummies that seriously pack a punch. They coined their gummies as “Sour Bhotz,” a word play that focuses on the BHO they use in their product. Many competitors used “food-grade” BHO in their edibles that was not quality enough to dab with. The Sour Bhotz team refuses to settle for anything less than quality, tested BHO in their products. They refuse to use “food-grade” BHO. The round of gummies I tested were made from OG BHO that tested at 74 percent THC and .026 percent CBD. Many people argue that candies such as gummies are a ploy to market to children, but Sour Bhotz makes sure that all of their packaging and labeling strategically help to keep these gummies out of the hands of minors and children. All of the packaging is opaque and the warning and dosing information are seen before the gummy label and flavor.

The Sour Bhotz team did diligence and followed Colorado and Washington edible laws in order to carry that responsibility of packing and marketing edibles in Oregon. The gummy bhotz themselves are cool robot dudes covered in a sour-sugar dusting. Rumors have circulated that other gummy competitors simply use existing gummies from the store and coat them in a medicated spray, instead of actually infusing gummies with medication. Despite these shady practices, the Sour Bhotz team makes all of their products (including the gelatin base) themselves in small batches from scratch. Before the bhotz are molded, the gelatin flavor base is infused with BHO concentrate. I only ate half of a bhot and I was flying. The citrusy sourness of the bhotz helps mask the cannabis flavor, creating a tasty edible experience. These bhotz aren’t large, but they are incredibly potent. One of the best things about these gummies is that they are small and discreet, and you can pop one anywhere.

CANNABINOID CONTENT 75mg of THC per bhot Flavors: Fruit Punch, Mango, Blueberry, Grape, Sour Apple, Watermelon, Pineapple, Peach

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MARIJUANA NEWS

A WILD TRIP ON THE CANNABUS WRITTEN BY MICHAEL CONDON JR. PHOTS BY ALLIE BECKETT

Seattle is a city unlike any other in geography or history. For every scratch from the past there’s a protective scar, for every broken bone there’s a supportive steel plate. Just remember the Great Seattle Fire. The booming city burnt to nothing then resurfaced, resurrected into the progressive economic behemoth that it is now. Super Bowl winning teams, legalized gay marriage, $15 minimum wage and, of course, a state-wide recreational marijuana program with the most retail outlets in the city limits. It’s no wonder our city streets are beginning to swell up with over-caffeinated tourists, Pike Place wondering looky-loos and legions of recreational smokers from all over the world. Well now Seattle has a tour bus made especially for the latter group. And no…they don’t give out those annoying duck whistles. The Cannabus pulled up in all its black,

green and glimmering glory to the curb. A moment of suspense passed with silence then…bam…the doors swung triumphantly open, displaying an impeccably designed tour bus. The first thing noticed was the “bar,” as it were, topped with a row of clean, but empty jars similar to that of the shelf at your favorite dispensary. We introduced ourselves politely and climbed aboard the sleek looking vessel. We were offered a hemp based energy drink upon boarding and gratefully accepted. I popped open the can and inspected my surroundings while taking tactical sips. Ample seating for our party and then some, I noticed. Rather spacious. The captain, a magnificently adept driver I would later discover, told me it could fit 14 passengers comfortably. I silently wondered how he could read my mind but figured he probably just read that thought as

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well. So I shot him a quick question before even thinking about it, “Do you only do tours or can you also rent this for private events.” “Yes. Only $100 an hour.” I was struck silly by the affordable rental fee. I imagined it much higher. The bus began driving and right away we noticed passersby taking photos constantly. The enormous green lettering on the side of the bus attracted the eyes and lifted smiles of nearly every person we passed. Proof, I decided, that cannabis unites. As we pedaled farther along our journey, we stopped at a few very Seattle-themed locations like The Green Door dispensary (featured in this month’s issue!), the legendary Dick’s Drive-In on Broadway (although it wasn’t “time to get ill” as the ol’ time fable suggests), the Magical Butter Studio in Sodo and the closest place to

MARIJUANA NEWS

God’s Heaven on earth…Alki Beach. We got out on the boat launch to soak in the beauty of the city and the sound, the revitalizing power of the sun…and to smoke a doobie. People gawked at the bus from all around us. Honks from pot-friendly drivers in their Nissans and Mazdas. While riding on the bus, us lucky passengers, high from giddiness combined with childlike excitement, chatted endlessly about cannabis laws, shared hilarious old smoking stories and laughed about everything and nothing while reggae music softly played through the iPod dock in the back. Confirming my belief that a Cannabus, as a mobile lounge, is far superior to the current fleet of Party Buses spilling hundreds of drunken, vomit covered maniacs onto the streets and into the bars on any given weekend. Finally, stoners have their

own party bus in which they can enjoy each other’s company. Purely Seattle. As we drove by Dick’s Drive-In, which was “the last stop for munchies,” I momentarily thought I had seen Ed Murray reciting the lyrics to “Thrift Shop” with Shawn Kemp beatboxing. I was mistaken though. On their website, theoriginalcannabus.com, they have a well-written little ditty they call a manifesto. The lines that struck me the most, “Making what was wrong, right Out of the shadows and into the light” It brings up a good point. Cannabis is now an industry, even if it doesn’t feel that way for many people here still anticipating the opening of the retail stores. This industry goes much deeper than just pot shops. The unification aspect of cannabis is producing brand new companies all its own. Welcoming tokers from

all around the world to visit Seattle and shuttle them around our magnificent city in honor of a plant that’s likely forbidden in their hometown. There goes Seattle…pioneering again. Through all of the laughter, the fun and the possibilities of the Cannabus, through all of the smiles of pedestrians and honking from cars, through all of the civilians asking if they could “buy some weed” from the bus (they can’t, for the record), through all of the images of a cannabis friendly utopia flashing through my mind…all I could really think was…This is so perfectly Seattle.

Check out the Cannabus online: www.theoriginalcannabus.com www.facebook.com/theoriginalcannabus

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GROW

CO2 Organics A BEACON OF HOPE WRITTEN BY MICHAEL CONDON JR. PHOTOS BY ALLIE BECKETT

Washington’s coastline is a spectacular wagon ride. See the sprawling, fecund green landscape. See the wide-open fields enjoyed by black and brown horses. See the delightfully dilapidated barnyards and the charming roadside cafes. It’s breathtaking. Northwest Americana. Along the coast there’s a body of water called the Willapa River. This river leads from the Pacific Ocean landward into a little town called Raymond, Washington. An old logging community that reminded me of Kesey’s Wakonda in “Sometimes A Great Notion.” But this wasn’t Wakonda, Oregon. This was “The City That Does Things” as old promotions used to suggest. A city built on stilts. Raymond was once booming, the population thriving, the town glamourized. That was until the Great Depression. The nation was hit and, while many towns and cities recovered after a while, Raymond was never quite resuscitated. There’s still logging, which hasn’t changed. There’re still courteous townsfolk, which will never change. What has changed is the direction the city is taking towards finally revamping a beautiful coastal city that deserves greatness. Raymond, the entire township, has its sight on

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the future. Staring at the possibility of bringing back that pioneering spirit of its early years. The future, in their eyes, is cannabis. Imagine if you will: Raymond is to weed as Woodinville is to wine. Yes! It’s brilliant. Tours and tastings, concerts and a sweetly scented air floating about town. Dare I say fields of hemp as well! It all could happen and it’s all beginning to happen. A few current medical growers and 502 hopefuls are betting on it. They are doing their part to assist in a city’s economic revival, 85 years in the making! A sleepy town of magnificent scenery receiving the blood of youth once again! One such company is none other than the 2014 DOPE Cup award-winning CO2 Organics. Handedly winning the trophy for best CO2 concentrate with their Sour Diesel, they are leading the way to return the city of Raymond to economic prosperity. The building is a 10,000-square-foot facility on a dock hoisted above the Willapa River adding a natural flow and good vibe to the place. The sunny day of our visit was more than impressive; it was heavenly. We first noticed the CO2 extracting machine made by Eden Labs. A humble, industrial-looking contraption with vari-

GROW

ous knobs, levers, valves, doohickeys, whistles and bells. A part of me thought it was pulled from the set of Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory and it made me wish for some candy. We then toured the veg room. The floor was clean and the lights were aligned orderly. Dozens of plants were growing happily in baskets as the river was flowing beneath them. You could see them feeding off of the energy as much as they were feeding off of the lights’ rays. Deep horticulture. Nutrient drips. Certainly a place I’d like to live my life if I were a cannabis plant. The plants were noticeably well cared for and unmistakably vibrant. Stepping out of the veg room, I noticed the DOPE Cup trophy was proudly displayed on a diligently arranged table. Stepping into the flower room was inspiring. Tall, robust cannabis plants swayed with the breeze of the fans and were guided upward towards the hanging lights. Familiar names like Sour Diesel, Girl Scout Cookies, along with less-familiar ones like Canna Tsu, were identified on tags in the soil. At least a dozen other strains are being cultivated at any given time by CO2 Organics. Variety is important for them, but more so is excellence. They want

the finest, safest product they can possibly create for patients and consumers. Oil like theirs, as many experts believe, is the future of cannabis as a medicine. They want the essence of each strain to come across in their oil and that begins with growing the best plant they possibly can. Nothing else will do. The stalks of the flowering plants were stalwart, the buds were perfect to the naked eye and the employees were some of the kindest souls you’d wish to encounter in this industry. Offering us water, raw cannabis smoothies (clearly looking out for our health), samples of their product and, above all, pleasurable accompaniment. A business like CO2 Organics belongs in a small town like Raymond because they embody the heart of a small town in their practices and friendliness. Rome wasn’t built in a day. The rebuilding of Raymond, Washington, won’t happen right away. But with respectful companies like CO2 Organics leading the way, recovery and transformation are inevitable. Maybe one day soon you’ll be taking a trip down to Raymond to get away from the city and enjoy some exquisite cannabis tasting and reggae concerts. It’s possible.

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ENTERTAINMENT

GONE DADDY’S MEDICATED MEDIA REVIEWS WRITTEN BY GONE DADDY

My goal at Gone Daddy’s Medicated Media Reviews is not to keep you abreast of what is newest or hottest on the charts. I’m not interested in box office numbers or Oscar buzz. These reviews are based on a set of criteria specific to cannabis culture. In short, will this film be enjoyable while I’m high, and why? I will be combing through the decades to give you the dry-eyed view of both obvious classics and some lesserknown alternatives to expand your library. With any luck, we can make being housebound and high the most enjoyable part of your day!

40 OZ. OF AWESOME SAUCE

RED LIT

If you are looking for a clear contender for greatest stoner album of all time, look no further than Sublime’s freshman release, “40 Oz. to Freedom.” Lesser known than the band’s self-titled offering, this unrefined portrait of the ‘90s Long Beach music scene has something for everyone. From the barking call to attention at the beginning of “Waiting for My Ruca” down to the funky “Thank You Dub” that wraps it up, this album grabs you and doesn’t let go. Mixing ska, funk, reggae, rap, dub, punk and metal like possessed rock ‘n’ roll witch doctors, this mighty trio sets down a groove that is easy to settle into. Then they hit you with the occasional shot of thrash (or a surprise porn sound bite) to break up the monotony and keep you from getting too deep inside your own head. With covers of bands like Toots and the Maytals and Bad Religion, the group recognizes their influences, but they are no cover band. The original content is just as potent; this being most obvious with the enduring popularity of “Badfish,” the seventh track on the album. Bradley Nowell’s guitar playing has been called “rudimentary” and “simple” by haters and critics; however, for fans, it holds a certain charm as it alternates between crunchy surf licks, groovy jams and hard thrash. Whatever he may lack in guitar prowess is more than made up for with a unique voice that conveys a level of soul and passion that you wouldn’t necessarily expect from a doughy white boy from Long Beach. This record leaves no doubt about the band’s intentions and interests, with track titles such as “What Happened,” “Let’s Go Get Stoned” and “Live at E’s.” In short, this album is down to party. So, if you’re settling in for a sunny afternoon’s medication, but can’t decide what genre you’re in the mood for, reach for “40 Oz. to Freedom”–it has a bit of all the good stuff that won’t harsh your buzz and is a perfect musical cocktail to pair with a blunt, dab or bowl. Just don’t try to keep up with the bong rips at the beginning of “Smoke Two Joints”–you’ll never make it. (Or will you?)

If you’re not familiar with The Slackers, and especially their 1997 release “Redlight,” then get ready to add this ska classic to your regular rotation for a while. Unlike the vast majority of ‘90s ska acts, The Slackers are a multifaceted and accessible band. In fact, it’s difficult to accept them as just a ska band at all. Their sound could be described as Jamaican soul with an unmistakably New York twist. The record jumps in with the trad ska instrumental “Cooking for Tommy,” but don’t be fooled! By the third track, “Married Girl,” the band has completely transformed into an early 1960s R&B act and makes their one direct reference to marijuana. Vic Ruggiero sings in a voice that is reminiscent of a young Tom Waits. It is both a purr and a growl. It makes a song about an overzealous brutal cop sound sultry and convinces you that fried chicken with biscuits and gravy makes for a hot dinner date. This being said, “Redlight” is not without its negative side. There is no escaping the fact that the trumpet player is not on par with the other musicians. However, the sax player, Dave Hillyard, definitely does not suck. Not only does he write much of the band’s music, he is also featured on the record’s closing number, “Come Back Baby.” His smooth sax adds a classic ‘57 Chevy sex appeal to this acoustic beach blanket ballad. “Redlight” is a perfect pairing with an evening of urbanite coffeehouse-style conversation. Your hipster friends will dig it while you serve them medicated cold brew coffee.

Standout track: “Let’s Go Get Stoned”

Featured Tracks: “Married Girl” and “Rude and Reckless”

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ENTERTAINMENT BLAZED AND REVIEWED The film world is awash with “stoner comedies,” but for me, “Dazed and Confused” stands out. This is the film that launched the careers of two Oscar winners, Ben Affleck and Matthew McConaughey, in a most dubious fashion, playing a flunking football player with a chip on his shoulder and a borderline sexual predator, respectively. This cult classic is a slice of life in a small town in Texas in 1976 that follows a group of high school kids through their last day of classes, but focuses mainly on that night and the many misadventures it brings. Our protagonist is Randall “Pink” Floyd (Jason London), the überpopular quarterback who is struggling to find his identity. He is no longer content with being just a beloved jock and is being pressured to choose between his football life and his stoner friends who have been labeled by his coach as “that other, other crowd.” The plot, which barely exists, melts away and becomes sec-

OH BOY, GRANDMA’S GONNA BE PISSED YOU SPENT YOUR BIRTHDAY MONEY ON THIS DVD! If you’re not familiar with The Slackers, and especially their 1997 release “Redlight,” then get ready to add this ska classic to your regular rotation for a while. Unlike the vast majority of ‘90s ska acts, The Slackers are a multifaceted and accessible band. In fact, it’s difficult to accept them as just a ska band at all. Their sound could be described as Jamaican soul with an unmistakably New York twist. The record jumps in with the trad ska instrumental “Cooking for Tommy,” but don’t be fooled! By the third track, “Married Girl,” the band has completely transformed into an early 1960s R&B act and makes their one direct reference to marijuana. Vic Ruggiero sings in a voice that is reminiscent of a young Tom Waits. It is both a purr and a growl. It makes a song about an overzealous brutal cop sound sultry and convinces you that fried chicken with biscuits and gravy makes for a hot dinner date. This being said, “Redlight” is not without its negative side. There is no escaping the fact that the trumpet player is not on par with the other musicians. However, the sax player, Dave Hillyard, definitely does not suck. Not only does he write much of the band’s music, he is also featured on the record’s closing number, “Come Back Baby.” His smooth sax adds a classic ‘57 Chevy sex appeal to this acoustic beach blanket ballad. “Redlight” is a perfect pairing with an evening of urbanite coffeehouse-style conversation. Your hipster friends will dig it while you serve them medicated cold brew coffee.

ondary to the relationships between this unlikely mix of friends as they try to salvage a party that was quashed before it even started. We follow them as they spend their time pissing off adults, torturing underclassmen and catching a buzz as they bounce from one hangout to the next. You might notice that for such young actors, that “buzz” seems pretty convincing. This isn’t just in your head. The director of the film, Richard Linklater, has confirmed in interviews that in some scenes, the cast took the “method acting” approach to the process. This made for an interesting filming process and a truly fun end result. While nothing is really resolved by the end of the night, everyone, minus a couple of exceptions, has had a great time–including the audience. “Dazed and Confused” provides a universal sense of nostalgia no matter what decade you might have attended high school in. With so many identifiable characters, you’re bound to spot at least one that reminds you of an old friend, whether it’s the perma-friend Slater or the too-old-to-still-be-kickin’-it Wooderson. So, roll yourself a loose, sloppy excuse for a joint, maybe break out your yearbook and settle in for a joyride full of teen angst and laughworthy banter. If nothing else, you’ll get an excellent classic car show set to some of the best rock ’n’ roll that the 1970s had to offer.

Feature player: Matthew McConaughey’s skintight, salmon pink jeans.

Standout performance: Peter Dante’s tan

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CONCENTRATE OF THE MONTH

Bubble Hash Provided by Fubar Hashbros

WRITTEN BY SIMONE FISCHER PHOTO BY TONY THEPKAYSONE PHOTOGRAPHY

GENETICS

LOOKS

SMELL

FLAVOR

EFFECTS

This batch of bubble hash was derived from the strain: Sweet Irish Kush.

Semi-translucent golden nugs of bubble hash. It’s lighter than any hash I have every seen, resembling a blonde hue. It looks like a small jar of caramel sprinkles, literally. This hash looks so clean you can actually see the essence of the plant.

The smell of the SIK is pungent and sticky-sweet on the nose. The earthy undertones are complemented by the sweet, almost root beer-like, overtones. The terpene preservation of this hash was incredible.

One of the best things about hash is the flavor. The piney essence of the SIK was the first thing to hit my tongue. Despite the initial earthy flavor, the sweetness of this hash also shined through. When you take away all of the plant matter that is being burned in the process of THC activation, you are left with what some call the purest form of the plant. The SIK had a sweet personality coupled with the depth of earth. The “trichome heads” remain intact during the process of making hash, which allows you to really capture the taste of the plant.

Full-melt hash. The way hash burns and melts is a big indicator of its quality. Upon being lit, it instantly began to bubble up and melt like butter, instead of burning. The Fubar Hashbros deserve a round of applause for setting the standard for medical grade bubble hash in Oregon.

CANNABINOID CONTENT 74.3% THC

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HEALTH

CANNABINOID INFO GRAPH:

C A N N ABI NOI D S 101 WRITTEN BY SIMONE FISCHER

Cannabinoids are found in cannabis plants and are partially responsible for the therapeutic benefits people experience when using cannabis. Due to the craze around popular cannabinoids like CBD, Dope wants to clue you in and break down the cannabinoids in cannabis. New research is being done on the medicinal value of cannabinoids so read on to stay current.

THC

CBD

CBN

CBC

CBG

Tetrahydrocannabinol is a psychoactive cannabinoid that, when decarboxylated (heated), is responsible for the “head high” people usually seek. Despite the recreational “high” that cannabis high in THC provides, THC also helps relieve pain, stimulates hunger and relieves issues like insomnia. Research has also shown that THC has anti-depressant and anticancerous properties. Patients boast about THC’s anti-anxiety properties as well.

Cannabidiol is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid that has received lots of popularity in the public eye. CBD is currently sought after due to the medicinal benefits it provides, without the typical “high” people get when using cannabis. CBD has been shown to relieve chronic pain caused by inflammation and muscle spasticity. CBD works wonders for those suffering from fibromyalgia, epilepsy and MS. Studies have shown CBD to have anti-cancerous properties that stop cancer cell growth.

Cannabinol is a weak psychoactive cannabinoid. Commonly used for people suffering from sleep issues like insomnia. CBN causes the grogginess of cannabis and is responsible the “sedative effect.” Some studies have concluded that CBN has antibacterial properties, ideal for topical use.

Cannabichromene is an uncommon, non-psychoactive cannabinoid. Research has shown that CBC has 10 times the anti-depressant effects of CBD. It helps provide pain relief and promotes relaxation of the body.

Cannabigerol is another non-psychoactive cannabinoid that helps reduce intraocular pressure that stems from issues like glaucoma. CBG provides pain-relieving and antiinflammatory properties. CBG acts like an aspirin due to its anticoagulant properties that “inhibit platelet aggregation” or slow the rate of blood clotting.

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HERBAN MYTHS

HERBAN MYTHS ANSWERED BY

MYTH: YOU CAN TAKE YOUR CANNABIS ON AN AIRPLANE WITHOUT CONSEQUENCES. Unfortunately, this is a myth that looms large these days. While Amendment 64 and Initiative 502 have done wonders for the overall social acceptance and legalization of marijuana in America, the two laws have done nothing to change Federal policy and laws concerning traveling the airways with your cannabis. Because cannabis is still a Federally illegal Schedule I Controlled Substance, passengers are prohibited from traveling with their cannabis on Federally chartered flights, which is pretty much all of them. In fact, in January, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) seized thirty-six (36) ounces of marijuana-laced food in a passenger’s checked luggage at the Aspen Airport. While it could have sent the matter up the Federal chain, the TSA ultimately referred the

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case to the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office. Obviously, while cannabis isn’t the TSA’s top priority, it can refer possible violations of Federal law (including marijuana possession) to Federal, state, or local law enforcement in any state. While some airports in Colorado actually have dispensing receptacles (referred to as “amnesty boxes”) into which you can put your cannabis prior to boarding, most airports don’t. In fact, Denver International Airport bans cannabis altogether. Washington is slightly different where Seattle-Tacoma International Airport doesn’t ban legal amounts of marijuana at the airport. Nonetheless, if TSA catches you with your cannabis when they screen you in any given state, marijuana friendly or not, don’t think you’re off the hook.

MARIJUANA NEWS

The

Times

July 2014 Edition

by Michael Condon Jr

POT AROUND THE WORLD Maureen’s Freak Out “New York Times” columnist Maureen Dowd and author of the purpose-defeating book, “Are Men Necessary?” had a bit of a rough time in Colorado recently when she gobbled down a legal edible and it turned her into a nightmarish hallucinatory world of anguish. The edible newb went as far as saying, “As my paranoia deepened, I became convinced that I had died and no one was telling me.” While most people associate such “trips” with proper hallucinogenic drugs like mushrooms or acid, Dowd was embellishing her high to prove a point. That point being nearly lost in the absurdity of her writings. She frightened readers, in her “New York Times” column entitled, “Don’t Harsh Our Mellow, Dude,” with recent news stories of death and carnage, similar to William Hearst’s old papers, in order to push for better labeling on legal cannabis edibles. This is another prime example of why the country needs better education about cannabis…and better journalists.

Australian Nurses Appeal For MMJ The NSW Nurses and Midwives Association of Australia, a top nursing union in the land down under, has formally endorsed a medical marijuana resolution for patients suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, Crohn’s Disease and other ailments. The union also signed a petition for a young patient suffering from terminal cancer whose family has been fighting for medical marijuana in the country. The NSWNMA General Secretary, Brett Holmes, had this to say, “At our meeting on 3 June, the NSWNMA Council endorsed a resolution to support the implementation of the standing committee’s recommendations…to decriminalize the medical use of cannabis.” That’s how you get the koala bear rolling.

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MARIJUANA NEWS

New York Sees the Power of Hemp Out of the 188 people that comprise New York State’s Senate and the Assembly, only two tossed out the ol’ “nay” vote on a bill to legalize the cultivation of When you think of Jamaica, many people in America think the super-plant hemp. Passing the reggae and ganja. Most people weren’t aware that it state Senate with a vote of 56was still a crime to smoke pot in Jamaica. Not so much 2, then later in the day sweeping anymore. The Prime Minister, Portia Simpson-Miller, the Assembly votes 130-0. Once the and her cabinet have announced the decriminalization law is enacted, the New York State of cannabis in their country. It will no longer be an Department of Agriculture will arresting offense, merely a ticket-warranting infraction set up a hemp pilot program “to to carry small amounts of marijuana. Citizens cannot be provide research-based knowledge arrested with two ounces or less of usable marijuana. that can be used by farmers and There have been many reports of the police extorting businesses to develop a successful bribes from citizens caught with marijuana, and those who hemp industry if federal have been arrested have lost many rights due to simple authorization is granted.” With possession. Mark Golding, the country’s Minister of the federal Farm Bill protecting Justice said, “Too many of our young people have ended up with criminal convictions after being caught with a spliff, a state’s decision to cultivate hemp, more and more states are something that has affected their ability to do things realizing the potential of the like get jobs and get visas to travel overseas.” Failure industry. The two “no” votes in to pay the ticket for marijuana possession will result in the Senate were later ridiculed a minor offense and some community service. The country’s and taunted by the cool kids in parliament is expected to vote on another measure that would expunge the criminal records of people who have been the locker room. convicted of possession in the past. Irie.

“I Thought It Was Legal There”

Hershey’s Hits Hard

Chocolate conglomerate Hershey’s has filed the paperwork to sue companies in both a dispensary in Seattle and an edible manufacturer in Colorado for trademark infringement for selling edibles that are strikingly similar in packaging to their own delicious products. The marijuanainfused edibles have packaging designed specifically to imitate that of the nonintoxicating Hershey’s products like Mr. Goodbar, Heath, Almond Joy and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. The complaint is concerned that someone may “inadvertently ingest” the weed candy and then advertently purchase a shitload of real Hershey’s products from the 7-11 down the street once overcome with munchies. It’s clear that edible makers need to become their own image instead of playing off of another company’s product.

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GROW

WRITTEN BY MICHAEL CONDON JR. To keep “cool” is good advice for everybody. Hotheadedness leads to irrationality and irrationality is just not cool, man. Not only is a “cool” demeanor necessary for mental stability and stress relief in people, it’s also important that your cannabis plants don’t overheat as well. Those bent-up fans you may have cycling air in your basement might not be enough to combat the summer temperatures, which could raise the temperature astronomically if not well controlled. What can the average home grower do to protect their medicine? Here’s 10 tips and tricks to help keep your little green babies as cool as Luther Vandross meditating in an igloo.

M OV E YO U R B A L L A S T S I N A S E PA R AT E R O O M

R U N YO U R L I G H T S AT N I G H T

A P P R O P R I AT E LY I N S U L AT E YO U R S PAC E

The warm nature of electricity, most ballasts can increase the temperature in your space with little regard to your puny box fans. If you are unable to put them in a different room it’s best to stick them near the fans or hang them near the ceiling.

This one should be a no-brainer in summer months. When the temperature outside drops to a reasonable level, flick on the bulbs. It’ll keep your electricity costs down and keep the mix of heat, from the sun outside and the lights inside, from incinerating your precious crop.

The more control you have the better. When you install proper insulation you have an advantage in the war against humidity and heat. It’s easier to dictate temperature and maintain a certain temperature when the walls and ceilings are less exposed to the outdoor variables.

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GROW

AIR CONDITIONERS ARE WO R T H Y O F T H E P R I C E

UNPLUG ALL U N N E C E S S A RY E L E C T R O N I C S

I understand not everybody can afford a fancy centralized air condition unit and many don’t have the ability or space to hook one up in their personal home grow. But temporary AC units can be made out of standard work buckets, power tools, a gallon of frozen water and some clever engineering.

You’ve already moved the ballasts maybe it’s also wise to unplug and remove that boombox you have in the room to keep the plants groovin’. All electronics create heat even if you can’t notice it by touch. Any piece of electronic gadgetry that is not vital to the cannabis should be removed.

6 I N C R E A S E C I R C U L AT I O N During the winter and spring you managed to only keep a single fan blowing through your sea of green but that won’t quite cut it now. Attach several working fans to the walls from all angles to keep a nice breeze flowing through the leaves. Just don’t turn them on full power to recreate hurricane conditions.

7 P L AC E T H E R M O M E T E R S A N D H YG R O M E T E R S E V E RY W H E R E One thermometer in a room isn’t the best gauge of temperature as pockets of heat and humidity can differentiate from square foot to square foot. The more thermometers you have the better you can accurately pinpoint stagnant areas of heat near every plant in your room. Knowledge is power.

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ROAD TRIP

ROAD TRIP: PARIS FRANCE 40 Years of Misunderstanding WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY SHARON LETTS

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ROAD TRIP Activism with an Accent

Though medical or recreational cannabis are legal in France, the plant is somewhat tolerated in small amounts and smoked freely - albeit discretely - in public places throughout the city. A whiff can be had on the underground Metro, in passing on the streets, under the Eiffel Tower, and along the Siene where locals hangout on the steps to the famous river, playing live music and drinking beer and wine sold via fly-by-night street vendors, along with miniature Eiffel Towers that glow in the dark. Small amounts can be purchased for a high price on the steps of the historic Sacre Coeur, the spectacular Sacred Heart Cathedral overlooking the city of lights where the French and tourists alike partake. Or you can venture to the suburbs where the price is lower, but there is no shortage of the herb anywhere in the country – only the lack of understanding for good medicine. Traveling without medicine is hard and this writer took a chance and bought a little bag of what we would call “smalls” in Humboldt – the stuff you don’t waste your time trimming – for $90 U.S. The Nigerian who sold me the bag threw in a small ball of hash to sweeten the deal. Punishments for buying, selling, growing or possession range from a few months to one year or more in jail, with fines ranging from hundreds to thousands of Euros a pop. Minimal compared to the U.S. Federal mandate of five years in prison under the failed War on Drugs, but harsh to be thrown in the slammer for just a joint.

French doctors are allowed to prescribe cannabis for real illness, and give permission for patients to travel to the Netherlands (Amsterdam, specifically) to purchase flower. But, just as in the states, the French government doesn’t yet agree with the treatment of cannabis as medicine, and continue to persecute its people for a plant, leaving the process of medicating precarious, at best.

Big Pharma, Little Plants

Most Parisians I spoke with about cannabis were unaware of its medicinal value. A visit to a “Pharmacie” was encouraging, as plant-based extractions sat side-by-side to homeopathic medicines, and other alternative treatments. A discussion with a technician was no different than speaking to the lay person about cannabis as medicine, she had no idea of the benefits and was all ears as I shared with her my own healing with the plant. I have a partially disabled knee and walking the streets of Paris it was bothersome, to say the least, and asked her about any plantbased salves she may have for pain. There were testers on the counter and soon I was slathering the stuff on a sore spot. The pain quelled some, but did not last – maybe two hours, tops. Never having seen alternative medicines side-by-side to big pharma’s cornucopia here in the states, the fact that it exists in Frances gives me hope that when the time comes for cannabis as medicine, they may be open and ready to try.

Longtime French cannabis activist Farid Ghehioueche openly admits to smoking his first joint at the tender age of 16, stating the average French citizen begins smoking pot around age 13. It’s interesting to note, the mega tobaccosmoking French start just as early with the bad habit of tobacco, as with the seemingly good one of cannabis. With studies suggesting cannabis smoking decreases the risk of lung cancer in tobacco smokers (www. sciencedaily.com), starting early might be a good thing to the French. Ghehioueche began his activism for human rights in the early 90s, serving as Deputy Director of several non-profits, bringing people together in celebration. Today he runs a storefront “Artisans du Monde,” translated to “Fair Trade Shop,” in the posh neighborhood of Bastille in the city of Paris, publishing “La Gazette du Chanvre,” educating the masses. He’s also part of global radio pod-cast “Time-4-Hemp,” hosting a talk show to further spread the word of good medicine and end ignorance of the facts of the plant (www.timeforhemp.com). “France has some of the harshest cannabis laws of the world,” Ghehioueche said, “We are supposed to be a country of freedoms, but where drug laws are concerned we are in the dark ages.” From the first drug policy years in France beginning in the 1970s, Ghehioueche said that well into the 1990s the government was throwing everyone in jail for the plant, with the practice continuing today. “In France we have a huge population of cannabis users,” he continued. “Our government arrests 200,000 citizens each year, incarcerating 30,000 every year. In 2005 they enlisted a swab test for driving under the influence – which is just a very bad policy.” The reasoning for the “bad policy” on testing is the simple fact that a patient must

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ROAD TRIP keep the medicine of the plant in their system for it to work – much in the same way a prescription med patient must keep dosing – the very same issue with Washington States testing laws, and many more misunderstood and looming restrictions where patients vs. recreation are concerned.

Worldly Knowledge

Like in the U.S., the French have been told for decades cannabis is bad, prompting activist and author Jean-Pierre Galland to write a comprehensive history of cannabis in France titled, “Forty Years of Misunderstanding” in an effort to end the ignorance. In March of 2014 Ghehioueche traveled to the United Nations for a special session on cannabis as medicine. From the “United Nations General Assembly Special Session on drugs” he took home a list of ailments cured or helped from cannabis presented in a special workshop at the end of the session by the Minister of Health from Austria. “The Austrian Minister told me this green treasure has been ignored for years, keeping legitimate companies from studying the more than 400 compounds that make up the medicine,” Ghehioueche continued. “This is just the kind of information we need to take home to France and educate people.

The Emperor in France

Ghehioueche said when he read Jack Herer’s book, “The Emperor Wears No Clothes,” it changed everything. Finally, he thought, they had something real to educate with. For prior to Herer’s book Ghehioueche said on the heels of Tim Leary’s acid test and images of the hippie fest, Woodstock, it was an uphill battle to get anyone to listen to an intelligent conversation on cannabis as anything other than frivolous or evil. “Everything that comes from the States, Israel, and Uruguay – or any country where positive things are happening with this plant helps us to educate our own people,” he added. “Solid education is what we need to share. We need to rehabilitate and educate the people to learn about the uses for medicine.” As we talked the shop filled up with others wanting to share and hear more about progress from America. One young man spoke of his Aunt currently suffering from breast cancer and chemotherapy, and her close-mindedness to cannabis as medicine. An older gentleman with a cane said he only enjoyed the “fumar,” or smoking, but was interested to hear of the oil. Some years ago he had a climbing accident in the mountains at three thousand meters. The fall, which left him with water in his lungs, still causes him pain. When I suggested he ingest,

Ghehioueche said that was something so far removed from French thinking he wasn’t sure the man could even comprehend. “You are trying to influence him on something he may not be able to do at this time,” Ghehioueche said. For his lungs vaporizers were discussed and Ghehioueche said they were just beginning to introduce the delivery method to the smoking French, discussing a latest study showing lung cancer reduced by cannabis smokers. And though the streets are now lined with vaporizer shops, they tout only tobacco products.

Persecuting Patients

Ghehioueche said the coming week would see three cannabis trials in Paris, with three separate patients. The stories of arrest were similar to those in the U.S. “On Tuesday Eric Chapel will be tried,” he explained. “Eric is an activist who organized the first Hemp Fair in 1994. His shop, ‘Chanvre ‘n Company’ carried hemp products. His challenge is he is a patient with a history of drug abuse, but cannabis helps him.” As the story goes, a neighbor called the police as Chapel’s home was being broken into. When the police arrived they found Chapel’s plants – including an eight year old Mother plant, which they sadly destroyed. Chapel was asked to come in to the Police station where they prosecuted him with the trial continuing as this story goes to press. Among the stash they found was 800 grams of trim he would use to make extractions, otherwise known as good medicine. At best Ghehioueche said the current laws do not take patient’s rights into consideration at all. Just as in the U.S. there is no opportunity to discuss illness, treatment, or rationale when it comes to this plant. “The laws are foolish and not reasonable,” he added. “The lack of education is such that the French people aren’t even aware we grow Hemp in this country, or that it can make paper or anything.”

Got Hemp?

France is the largest producer of Hemp in Europe. Between 70 and 80 percent of all Hemp fiber grown in Europe was used specifically for pulp, ironically used for cigarette papers and technical applications. Only about 15 percent was used in the automotive sector, with just five to six percent used for insulation mats. Ninety-five percent of hurds produced were used as animal bedding, with five percent going to the building sector (Journal of Industrial Hemp, Vol. 9, Issue 2, 2004). At a soap maker booth near the Eiffel

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Tower every herb imaginable could be found within its colorful soaps – even “Opium” was represented at the table, with nary a hint of the favored illicit herb in sight. Sadly, the soap makers were not aware of what Hemp was, let alone its beneficial properties, or the fact that it’s grown legally in their own country. The good news is, by the time I left the table they were ready to do their own research and will, no doubt, be implementing the herb soon enough. “It’s been so long since Hemp was a major industrial crop in this country, people are more familiar with synthetic materials now – like nylon or rayon,” Ghehioueche said. “The bad stigma of cannabis has poisoned the Hemp market.”

Marijuana is Safer than Alcohol

“When we argue the laws over cannabis use as medicine we will push further the argument in France that we are just alcoholics – that wine and alcohol is in our DNA,” Ghehioueche laughed, holding up a poster stating the bold question, “Why not France?” The question is posed in response to France’s Health Minister’s announcement in January 2014 that “Sativex” was coming to the country. “We have been waiting since January 8 of this year for our Health Minister to bring a cannabis extract to the country.” The extract “Sativex” is produced by GW Industries of Great Briton - the only company allowed to grow and produce medicine across the pond. An under the tongue homeopathic spray developed specifically for symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis, Sativex falls short putting any illness into remission, but it’s a start and France wants it. That open door alone may be what the country needs to start the dialogue for good medicine. Until then, Farid and friends will paint their signs, show up for court support, and pray for reason for its people and the plant. “Forty years is a long time to be misunderstood,” Ghehioueche surmised. Agreed.

ROAD TRIP

AMERICAN STONER IN PARIS WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY SHARON LETTS The past few years I’ve traveled thousands of miles covering four

become my only medicine, sparing me from traditional therapies with

States in search of good medicine. This year I made the trek to Paris,

putting my breast cancer into remission; knee and elbow surgeries

France, working on the Road Trip of a lifetime.

with chronic pain and immobility issues; and thyroid disease with

It seems as if patients are put in front of me like spirits to Theresa Caputo (TLC’s Long Island Medium); or perhaps people are just

menopause – multiple symptom hormonal maladies that include numerous and chronic emotional, metabolism and digestive issues.

overall sicker in the world, but there hasn’t been a train, plane, or bus

This makes traveling a challenge, as one can imagine. The good

I’ve been on that someone with real illness hasn’t sat down beside

news is, all over the world people are growing. It matters not what

me, or knows someone suffering under traditional care.

the penalties, the plant prevails as the best medicine for pain, pleasure

We can safely assume the world has been polluted and poisoned

and everything in between when we access its medicine within.

much in the same way across the continents. For whether a country

One painfully small bag of the smallest flower was procured on the

has shunned GMOs in favor of organic produce, or not, the damage

steps of the Sacre Couer, the historic Sacred Heart Cathedral that sits

of the industrial age, the use of petroleum by-products, or “better

atop the city, nestled in the idyllic village of Montmartre, at a city cost

living through science” has been done, with toxins staying in our

of $90 U.S. If we would have traveled to the suburbs it would have

genetic bloodlines for generations to come.

been half that, but with my health issues I need to smoke. The little

And, though I don’t speak but “bad French,” with a translator I’ve found that our illnesses (as are our biological bodies) are about the same, as well. Cancers, heart disease, auto-immune diseases, neurological disorders, and the ever growing autistic spectrum have touched nearly everyone on the planet.

Procuring Good Medicine Abroad Coinciding with my work with cannabis as medicine, the plant has

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bag lasted some days as one pinner was rolled in the morning and one at night with a little hash mixed in for insurance.

Happily Heavily Medicated The French stretch their hash by rolling “Splifs,” half tobacco, half hash. I’ve never been a tobacco smoker, so that was a bit harsh for me. But, good news for them, as recent studies show cannabis smokers get the medicine into their lungs, cutting down the risk of lung cancer.

ROAD TRIP

This according to the American Association for Cancer Research,

With a heat wave going on in Paris that week it never fully solidified,

who states, “The active ingredient in [Marijuana] cuts tumor growth

making it a bit messy – but I had my medicine and was able to deal

in common lung cancer in half and significantly reduces the ability of

with jet lag, pain, and helping me sleep like a baby.

the cancer to spread,” per research done at Harvard University. In the thick of menopause, exacerbated by thyroid disease, I need

Dispelling Myths

the strong oil to sleep at night with the THC and an additional delivery

As a cannabis writer the subject of pot comes up a lot. First

of THC via smoking. I’m being honest; this is what my tolerance will

the question is asked, “What do you do?” To which I reply, “I am a

allow. I literally cannot sleep or am up every hour unless I have my

writer.” Then the dreaded question, “What do you write?” I used to be

medicine, and both deliveries help.

subjective about who I shared what I write about, but not any longer.

My life is pretty much a cannabis immersion of ingesting and topical use. Hand, body, face lotions, and deodorant packed for the trip are

For once you’ve been helped with this plant it becomes a calling to share with others who also may be helped.

all medicated with a coconut salve I make at home, or purchased at a

Eyebrows are raised and myths are dispelled as I explain my use of

dispensary. In order to have my oil I took a store bought tub of salve,

the plant, delivery methods, and the truth of real medicine. By the end

dumped it out and filled it back up with a strong coconut salve with

of the conversation I know I’ve made a difference either with direct

RSO (Rick Simpson Oil). This I could use topically on my chronic pain

help, guiding them in the right direction to wellness, or just knowing

spots, or I could ingest it at night to sleep.

when the subject comes up they will pay the information forward,

And, while it’s nerve-racking knowing it’s in my check-on bag, with a possibility of persecution, it’s a necessary evil, as I will no longer take prescription sleeping or pain pills. This trip to Paris my bag was checked with a notice left behind. The oil container had seeped and no doubt reeked of pungent terpenes

becoming part of the solution to end Prohibition, not continuing the stigma. Helping others with cannabis is a calling when you know the truth; for until the words come from our mouths, the truth will not be heard. Evangelize the plant, be the pamphlet. Vive la Plant!

within, but, thankfully, it was left alone.

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PRODUCTS

Topical Talk WRITTEN BY HEATH LASLO PHOTOS BY ALLIE BECKETT

Here in Washington State we, uniquely, have a large number of companies producing highquality cannabis-infused creams and balms. These topicals have been perfected by people with years of experience refining their formulas using cannabis oils and extracts in concert with other essential oils known for their antiinflammatory and analgesic effects. The result is a number of products that offer incredible pain relief when used alone or in combination with other cannabis-infused products (like tinctures for example) to control acute and chronic pain syndromes. The range of treatment applications for these products is limitless, everything from severe lower-back pain to painful arthritic conditions to neuropathic skin conditions, such as shingles and even a sunburn. These topical-infused creams have no CNS effects, i.e. you don’t get “high,” but they will give you two to three hours of pain-free bliss when used alone or longer when combined with other cannabis products. Originally my thought was to determine

which of these products contained the highest levels of activated cannabinoids, which I consciously equated to efficacy. After doing extensive research on the topic and reviewing most of the laboratory testing results for these products, what I found is that all of them have roughly the same amount of activated cannabinoids contained within. Arguably, some products have a little bit more than others, but we would be splitting hairs, and I am not convinced that current laboratory testing methods (on topicals) is that precise, nor relevant. When choosing one product over the other it really comes down to your intended use and personal preference regarding sensation, texture and scent. After application to the skin, some products produce a feeling of warmth, while others feel cool and some have no sensation at all. Other personal preferences to consider are texture, or feel, and scent. Creams in general are lighter, quickly absorbed through the skin and can be spread over large areas if

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applied quickly. Balms on the other hand are a bit thicker, can be manipulated longer when applied to the skin and seem to last longer, but can leave a feeling of tackiness if covered by your clothes. Additionally, when choosing a topical you should consider the type of pain you are treating (i.e. intended use). If you had an extreme case of neuropathic shingles or sunburn, choosing a balm that provides a feeling of warmth similar to Tiger Balm or Icy Hot might not be the best choice. Instead, you might consider using a cream with menthol and lavender that provides a cool feeling. Conversely, if you suffer from arthritic conditions or deep-tissue muscle pain, a balm that provides that deep warm feeling and can be massaged into the skin over a few minutes might be exactly what you need. Having used all of these creams and balms to treat my own pain and sprains over the years, I felt it was time to identify the best of the best from each company, so on with the show!

PRODUCTS

Kush Creams

Name: Organic PermaFrost Use: Moderate to severe pain Sensation: Cool Texture: Light and creamy Scent: Super Sour Diesel

TOPICAL WAY

Name: Sore Muscle Topical Use: Moderate to severe muscle and joint pain Sensation: Cool Texture: Light and creamy Scent: Slightly medicated, menthol

Name: Triple-Infused Creams Use: Mild to moderate pain Sensation: Depends on infusion â&#x20AC;&#x201C; none to cool Texture: Light and creamy Scent: Multiple aroma infusions available

Name: Healing Cream Use: Mild to moderate painful skin conditions (psoriasis, eczema, sunburns) Sensation: None Texture: Light and creamy Scent: None

Cannabis Basics

Name: XXXBody Rescue Balm Use: Moderate to severe pain Sensation: None Texture: Medium creamy balm Scent: Light, lavender

VITA VERDE

Name: Cayenne/Fire Balm Use: Moderate to severe pain Sensation: Warm to Hot Texture: Heavy Scent: Strongly medicated

Name: The Remedy Pain Stick Use: Mild to moderate pain (great for headaches) Sensation: Cool Texture: Medium to heavy balm Scent: Medium, soft terpenes intended to work as aromatherapy

Name: Soothe Ice Use: Mild to moderate pain Sensation: Cool Texture: Light to medium, creamy Scent: Lightly medicated

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