For the Love of Family by Elevate Nevada Magazine

JULY 2016

AUTISM’S GRAY AREA

IS CANNABIS THE MISSING PIECE?

DISPENSARY MAP page 32

THE DEA’S SUMMER SURPRISE: WILL THEY OR WON’T THEY?

Becoming your child’s medical cannabis caregiver

râ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s he ot M

om Ro

rC tte Bu ut an Pe

o Eg

ki oo

es at ol ic St k Ri ce o

s at re yT isp

Cr ip Tr t Ki

Evergreen Organix top selling strains: ●Silver Surfer ●Em-Dog ●Tangie ●Candyland ●Girl Scout Cookies

from the editor Publisher Guy Bertuzzi, guy@elevatenv.com

Editor-In-Chief Beth Schwartz, beth@finetheagency.com

Creative Director Brooke Bertuzzi, brooke@finetheagency.com

Contributing Writers: Jan Chaboya-Hembree, Amanda Connor, Dr. Tracy Fritz, Steve McCamman, Dr. Pouya Mohajer, Julie Vigil

Media Consultants: Mark Damkroeger, mark@elevatenv.com Shanna Perry, shanna@elevatenv.com

ELEVATION PUBLISHING LLC President Jonathan Fine

Chief Financial Officer Cassandra Lupo

FINE THE AGENCY Partner Kelli Maruca, kelli@finetheagency.com

Graphic Designer James Nigbur, James@finetheagency.com

Digital Services Austin Grantham, austin.grantham@finetheagency.com Peter Chen, peter.chen@finetheagency.com

Elevate Nevada magazine makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information it publishes, but cannot be held responsible for any consequences arising from errors, false data or omissions. Elevate Nevada assumes no responsibility for any claims or representations contained in this publication or in any advertisement. Elevate Nevada magazine does not encourage the illegal use of any of the products or advertisements within. Reproduction in whole or in part strictly prohibited. All rights reserved. 7120 Rafael Ridge Way, Las Vegas, NV 89119 Phone: 702.737.8464 | Email: info@elevatenv.com Facebook/ElevateNV

ElevateNevada

@ElevateNV

Total unabashed warriors. I spent a week in May with some of the fiercest people I have ever come across – a group of people who have stopped at nothing to outmaneuver every roadblock placed in their path to find a way to help those most precious to them. I met them at an AutismOne 2016 conference in Chicago they were attending in search of answers for their autism afflicted children. One mother I met had left her job as the family’s breadwinner to care fulltime for her child who was severely autistic and epileptic (30% of autistic children also suffer from epilepsy). To cut costs Bree and her husband had sold their home and moved into a 900-square-foot condominium and were sharing a car. Even though it’s a fulltime job taking care of her child, Bree frequently finds the time and energy to visit legislators in Des Moines to lobby them about legalizing medical cannabis in Iowa. I met a set of parents from California who took the meaning of warrior to a whole new level. They started their own pediatric autism collective in California after they became concerned about how the medicine they were buying from their local dispensary was being grown. Maria Coombs and her husband Nathan, two of the collective’s founders, have two autistic sons. “We are first the parents of children with disabilities, and then we are growers,” Maria told me. “Autism came first and I was like I need to do something because nothing is working so that’s literally how that came about. I told my husband, ‘I need to grow, I need to do this. I need to find something that’s working for my son or I am not going to

be able to do day-to-day life.’” She continued, “It was 13 years of sheer hell watching our son rip his face apart, bang his head against a wall, and it can be helped with just a matter of growing a plant. Autism itself is a complete horror and cannabis just kind of takes the edge off. He still has autism but he’s calm all day long.” Maria also sees the parents who seek medicine through her collective as warriors. “These parents are bad asses. It’s really neat watching a parent from the beginning -- once they get on their way, they know how to order, and they become experts. It is remarkable when I listen to the parents when they are ordering and telling me I want the high CBD mixed with this or a little bit of this for the day and this for the night. They are just wonderful, they become educated about cannabis, they come to understand it. It’s amazing.” Yes, it sure is. The entirety of Maria’s amazing story begins on page 12. With an open mind,

Correction: In the June issue, companies associated with Washoe Wellness were misidentified in Dr. Sean Devlin’s story on page 18. Tahoe Regional Botanical and Tahoe Regional Extracts should have been identified as Tahoe-Reno Botanicals and Tahoe-Reno Extracts. Additionally, the correct name for Canopy is Kynd Cannabis Company.

CONTENTS 5 5 Cooking with Cannabis Butterscotch Blondies

8 Patient Primer: The DEA’s summer surprise Will the agency move to

reschedule cannabis or not?

12 The Accidental Cannabis Farmers

How the boundless devotion of three parents led to a pediatric autism collective in California

15 Legalease

Becoming your child’s medical cannabis caregiver

17 For the Love of Family

Jim and Pam Blasco construct their second act with a focus on Las Vegas’ special needs community

32 25 Healing: the Power of Cannabis

Patient sees the green light and uses CBD oil in treatment of liver cancer

32 Dispensary Map

A patients’ guide to finding medical cannabis in the Las Vegas Valley

36 Elevating the Conversation

Celebrating cannabis industry pioneers with inaugural awards recognition

LP Insurance has an EXCLUSIVE OFFERING designed and developed specifically for the Nevada cannabis industry.

• General Liability including Product

• Employment Practices Liability

• Property: Owned, Rented, Leased

• Crop & Stock

• Workers’ Compensation

• Risk Management Services

• Transportation of Product

• Directors’ & Officers’ Liability

702.365.9800 • LPIns.net • 775.996.6000

elevatenv.com | july

Cooking Cannabis BUTTERSCOTCH BLONDIES BY JAN CHABOYA-HEMBREE OF MEDICALMARIJAUNA.COM INGREDIENTS: 1 cup marijuana butter* (I use half butter, half cannabis butter) 4 cups brown sugar 4 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups unbleached flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 2 teaspoons sea salt 2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans

DIRECTIONS: Start by creaming together butter and brown sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Stir together well and add vanilla. Make flour mixture by combining flour, salt, and baking powder. Slowly add flour mixture to creamed mixture. Stir in chopped nuts. Pour Blondie mix into a buttered baking dish (9” x 13”) and bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until done. Cool. Cut into 2” x 2” squares.

*HOW TO MAKE CANNABUTTER 1 ounce of sifted and ground

bud trimmings 4 sticks of unsalted butter (general rule is half ounce of cannabis for every 2 sticks of butter) Crockpot with several settings (warm, low, hot)

Cheesecloth Storage container (Tupperware is good) Bowl Two large rubberbands Grinder or blender

DIRECTIONS: Turn crockpot to lowest setting. Add butter to pot. Add trimmings and stir well. Put the lid on crockpot and set a timer for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, stir it again really well. If too dry, add 1 or 2 Tbsp. more butter. Let it cook for another 15 minutes. Never overcook! Never let it get too hot! Never boil! It is done! Pour it through cheesecloth into a bowl. You should fasten the cheesecloth around the bowl using the large rubberbands. Let it cool some. Pour it into a storage container and transfer to the freezer. It will keep for up to six months in the freezer. Just take out what you need for your particular recipe and return the rest to the freezer. I often half the amount of cannabutter called for in the recipe— replacing it with plain butter. This recipe always gives me a potent (strong) cannabutter. Please remember when cooking with medicinal cannabis you are cooking with a medicine and the medicine amount and portions of the food ingested should always be taken into consideration. Always start out with small portions or doses and wait 30 minutes to an hour before eating any additional portions of food that has been medicated.

july | elevatenv.com 5

ELEVATE YOUR STATE

Medical cannabis updates from across the United States

OHIO: It’s oﬃcial. Half of the states in the U.S. now have medical cannabis laws on the books. On June 8, Ohio Governor John Kasich signed HB 523 into law, bringing medical cannabis to seriously ill patients in the Buckeye State. Ohio’s medical marijuana program will not provide for smoking, nor will it allow home cultivation. The bill does include chronic and severe pain as a qualifying condition. Several agencies will administer the new medical cannabis program, including the Department of Commerce, the State Board of Pharmacy, and the State Medical Board of Ohio. These agencies are expected to start developing rules in the coming months as Ohio begins the process of creating a workable system.

ILLINOIS: On the last day of May, the Illinois Senate approved SB 10, a key bill changing the sunset date on the state’s medical cannabis program from January 1, 2018 to July 1, 2020. The House had approved the bill the day before. In addition to extending the program by two and a half years, SB 10 would allow patients with PTSD or a terminal illness to qualify for medical cannabis. It would also allow doctors to simply state that a patient has a qualifying condition, rather than recommend cannabis. Finally, SB 10 would change the process for petitioning to add medical conditions and modify the composition of the advisory board. Once received, Governor Rauner will have 60 days to sign the bill into law.

elevatenv.com | july

LOUISIANA: In May, Governor John Bel Edwards signed S.B. 271 into law, which makes a language amendment to existing legislation. SB 271 replaces the language relying on doctor to “prescribe” cannabis changing it to a written recommendation. Upon federal rescheduling, the law would revert to requiring cannabis to be “prescribed.” The bill also modifies the list of qualifying conditions and makes other small changes. SB 271, as amended, would remove glaucoma as a qualifying condition and would add cachexia or wasting syndrome, seizure disorders, spasticity, Crohn’s disease, muscular dystrophy, and multiple sclerosis.

VERMONT: The Vermont medical marijuana program took an important step forward in June when Governor Peter Shumlin signed S. 14, a bill that will make it possible for more patients to qualify for the medical marijuana program. “At a time when opiate addiction is ravaging our state and drug companies continue to urge our doctors to pass out painkillers like candy, we need to find a more practical solution to pain management,” Shumlin said in a statement. Specifically, the bill reduces the threshold for a pain diagnosis from “severe pain” to “chronic pain.” It also adds glaucoma as a qualifying condition, and it reduces the required providerpatient relationship from six months to three months.

CONNECTICUT: In May, Governor Dannel Malloy signed HB 5450, which expands medical cannabis access to pediatric patients. Connecticut’s medical marijuana program will now allow certain patients who are under 18 to access medical cannabis. To participate in Connecticut’s medical marijuana program, minors will have to have been diagnosed with a terminal illness, an irreversible spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis, or severe or intractable epilepsy. In addition, they must have a written certification from two doctors — a primary care provider and a specialist. Finally, a parent or guardian must also submit a written statement of consent and attest that they will serve as the minor patient’s primary caregiver. The new law will go into effect October 1.

Looking for a medical marijuana dispensary? Go with the original. We’re Las Vegas’ first legal medical marijuana dispensary, offering the biggest variety of flowers, concentrates, pre-rolls and edibles. All products are 100% lab tested to ensure the highest quality medicine. Our knowledgeable and friendly staff is here 7 days a week to assist you in finding the right medicine for your needs. • FREE express delivery valley-wide! (with valid Nevada medical patient card and valid Nevada ID) • Call ahead and have your order waiting for you when you arrive! • We accept out-of-state cards! Check out our entire menu at euphoriawellnessnv.com Mon – Sat: 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. Sun: 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. 702.960.7200 7780 South Jones Blvd. (at Jones & Robindale) Las Vegas, NV 89139

july | elevatenv.com

Patient Primer: THE DEA’S SUMMER SURPRISE

Will they move to reschedule cannabis or not? By Dr. Pouya Mohajer The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) shook up the cannabis community this past April when it issued a letter to Congress stating that it “hopes to release its determination in the first half of 2016” with regard to a new scheduling determination of cannabis.1 But what does rescheduling cannabis really mean? Let’s start by looking at the actual process and the current political environment. The United States Controlled Substances Act (CSA) defines Schedule I drugs as having a “high potential for abuse,” and no “accepted medical use in treatment

elevatenv.com | july

in the United States.” While Schedule II drugs are still believed to have a “high potential for abuse,” they do have “currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States or a currently accepted medical use with severe restrictions.”2 Several significant events have transpired recently that might point to a possible policy shift by the DEA. Those include the ongoing opioid epidemic, President Obama’s initiative to combat prescription opioid abuse, and the recent passage of the Veterans Equal Access Amendment by the House of

Representatives. All three point toward a possible change in policy regarding cannabis. The Decade of Pain Control and Research The current opioid epidemic has its roots in the 1990s. In 1996 the American Pain Society introduced the phrase: “Pain as the 5th vital sign.”3 This concept was presented to raise healthcare provider awareness of the significance of pain assessment and its subsequent treatment. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization

(JCAHO), which accredits and certifies hospitals and other healthcare facilities, followed suit by introducing standards for pain assessment and management. Thus, in addition to the patient’s pulse rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, temperature, a pain assessment -- based on a numeric system of 0-10 or visual analog scale of 0-10 -- became standard. Finally, the United States Congress designated 2001-2010 as the “Decade of Pain Control and Research.”4

such recommendations and opinions.”7 Even though the VA will not pay for medical cannabis, this is a significant change in policy. I believe these recent changes might pave the way for rescheduling.

Since primary care physicians see the bulk of patients, they began prescribing enormous amounts of opioids. Pharmaceutical companies’ marketing strategy, lack of education for primary care physicians, and a desire to “cure” pain created a recipe for disaster that is now unfolding. The ultimate goal of pain management is to maximize patient relief from suffering while minimizing the risks and side effects from opioid prescriptions. In order to curb drug abuse and addiction, while at the same time offering patients an alterative therapy, medical cannabis might be the medicine to fill some of this void. President Obama recently announced a $1.1 billion initiative to address prescription opioid abuse and the nation’s heroin epidemic.5,6 The initiative provides funding for access to treatment, prevention of overdose, education, and increased prevention strategies. Even though alternative forms of pain treatments were not specifically addressed, the implication is that more research and education is necessary as are other therapies to provide patients with an alternative to opioids. Finally, Congress voted to permit military veterans access to medical cannabis. The House of Representatives approved the Veterans Equal Access Amendment, which allows Veterans Affairs’ (VA) employees (1) “to provide veterans with recommendations and opinions regarding participation in their state's marijuana programs, and (2) complete forms reflecting

lessening of current research hurdles specific to the plant. Thus, scientists will be able to perform the needed studies on medical cannabis with less bureaucratic red tape. There also appears to be some consensus that banking access will be ameliorated. It is not clear what will happen to the accessibility of cannabis. As a prescription medication, the FDA has the authority to control cannabis. This could potentially affect how cannabis is grown, produced, and sold. FDA regulations are very stringent and are more restrictive than the legislative regulations set forth by the 25 states and the District of Columbia, which have legalized some form of medical cannabis. Cannabis as a Schedule II drug might not be readily available to patients since the plant itself, or its specific products, has not gone through the rigorous FDA approval process (Marinol®, dronabinol, a synthetic delta-9tetrahydrocannabinol, was approved by the FDA as a Schedule II drug in 1985 and moved to Schedule III in 1999 for treatment of anorexia in patients with AIDS and treatment of nausea and vomiting secondary to cancer chemotherapy).8 Furthermore, pharmacists may not be able to compound cannabis-based products on a large scale due to FDA regulations. A prescription authorized by a physician must include the drug name, strength, dosage form, directions for use, and number of refills (if any) authorized.9 At this time medical cannabis does not meet this criteria. There are

What does rescheduling mean for patients? There is a lot of speculation about the possible changes that will come with the reclassification of cannabis such as the

july | elevatenv.com 9

independent laboratories that test medical cannabis and they can provide the chemical composition of the plant. The CSA mandates that it is illegal to possess a controlled substance without a valid prescription from a physician. This can potentially cause problems in states that have made medical cannabis legal; hence, a medical product cannot be produced and sold unless the FDA has approved it. There might potentially be some conflict with the federal criminal statutes with regard to controlled substances and the states’ medical marijuana laws. Interstate transportation of controlled substances is another inconclusive area. Finally, abiding by international drug laws and treaties, which the U.S. is a participant of, will have to be resolved. The latter is especially relevant to adult use of cannabis. All that being said; however, the Department of Justice, through the Cole

Memo, allows the operation of medical marijuana establishments (MMEs) as long as they do not violate eight priorities listed by the government.10 There does not appear to be any evidence that this would not continue if cannabis is reclassified. Rescheduling cannabis is not an easy process. If this latest petition is denied, than an alternative form of action would be for Congress to pass a law amending the CSA to transfer marijuana to another schedule or not to schedule it at all. President Obama has deferred the policy of rescheduling to Congress.11 In conclusion, there are an array of unknowns and simply rescheduling cannabis might not be enough to avert these issues. The federal government will most likely have to issue some statutory and regulatory guidelines with regard to these discrepancies between federal and state laws if they are not addressed by the Cole Memo.

Dr. Pouya Mohajer is a Diplomate of the American Board of Anesthesiology with a subspecialty in pain medicine, and founder of Nevada Cannabis Medical Association. REFERENCES: 1. https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ wonkblog/files/2016/04/Response.pdf?tid=a_inl 2. https://www.dea.gov/druginfo/ds.shtml 3. http://americanpainsociety.org/uploads/ education/section_2.pdf 4. http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c106:S.3163.IS: 5. https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2016/02/02/president-obama-proposes-11-billion-new-funding-addressprescription 6. https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2016/03/29/fact-sheet-obama-administration-announces-additional-actionsaddress 7. https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/667 8. http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/ fed_regs/rules/1999/fr0702.htm 9. http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubs/ manuals/pract/section5.htm 10. https://www.justice.gov/iso/opa/resources/3052013829132756857467.pdf 11. http://edition.cnn.com/videos/politics/2014/01/31/newday-jake-tapper-obama-marijuana-legalization.cnn

MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARY

OFF OFF

20%

MEDICINAL PURCHASE

Cannot be combined with any other deal or discounts. Present this ad to receive 20% off (1) medicinal item. One coupon per person per visit at NevadaPURE™. Not valid with any other offer. Not transferable or for sale. NevadaPURE™ reserves the right to rescind discount at any time. There is no cash value redemption to this coupon. COUPON CODE: ELEV8NVNP • EXP: 7.31.16

CHECK OUT OUR FULL MENU ON

4380 Boulder Highway • Las Vegas, NV 89121 702.444.4824 • www.NevadaPURE.com Monday - Thursday 10am - 8pm | Friday 10am - 10pm Saturday 10am - 10pm | Saturday 10am - 6pm

elevatenv.com | july

THE ACCIDENTAL CANNABIS FARMERS How the boundless love of three parents led to a pediatric autism collective in California by Beth Schwartz

“I never fathomed we could be here,” offers Nathan Coombs, with a bit of wonder in his voice, as a quick follow-up to an explanation he has just finished about the nutrient value of worms and their castings when growing cannabis. His partner in crime (yes, I guess you could call her that since cannabis is still federally illegal although legal according to California law) and the Autism & Compassionate Care Connection finishes his thought. “All we wanted was to just stop the seizures or at least stop having them so much,” Rhonda Morris continues in an imploring manner so pitched with emotion it would stop anybody opposed to medical cannabis on a dime. “I remember when Maria (Nathan’s wife) was thinking about doing it, she called me up. She was crying because Adrian (the Coombs’

elevatenv.com | july

son) had just had six seizures in one day, and she said, ‘I am going to watch him die on the floor. I want to go try the cannabis.’ Then she asked me what I thought and I said, ‘Well, you aren’t going to hurt him. Let’s try it.’” So began the journey of three desperate parents trying to find relief for their autistic children. The Coombs’ have two autistic sons and Rhonda has a son with Asperger’s and a daughter with severe autism. To hear their six-year journey is to understand the testament of a parent’s love for their child. The trio formed Autism & Compassionate Care Connection, a cannabis collective in San Bernardino, California, in 2011 by happenstance. Its formation was just one long series of roadblocks that inevitably led to “let’s try it.” Maria initially got the idea of giving her son cannabis in 2010 after seeing a

pen downto o w ow

show on a primetime TV news magazine about a mom who was using medicinal cannabis to treat her autistic son. After getting her caregiver recommendation from the state of California, Maria and Rhonda set out to visit a dispensary. Imagine two moms on a mission to buy medicinal cannabis in a seedy part of town near a Strip club where

High Quality. Low Price. Hot Selection. Cool Vibe. “THAT’S A CRUCIAL PART OF WHAT WE DO -IT’S NOT JUST CANNABIS OR GROWING AND PROCESSING, IT’S CONSULTATION AND TALKING PEOPLE OFF LEDGES AND TALKING PEOPLE THROUGH THE PROCESS, ASKING HOW THINGS WENT LAST WEEK AND ASKING IF THEY NEED TO CRY AND TELLING THEM TO GO AHEAD AND CRY. AND WE CRY WITH THEM.” employees are out front trying to flag down patrons for lap dances. It sounds like a Tina Fey and Amy Poehler caper. Rhonda remembers it as “ridiculous. And it’s so intimidating if you are new to it. It was this really rinkydink place with these young guys who looked gangstery. They had no information of what would help our kids and their sales pitch was basically, ‘This is good shit, totally top shelf.’ It was just ridiculous.” Undaunted, the two bought some cannabis only to get home and realize they had no idea what to do with it. They called the doctor who had made the strain recommendation and because he wasn’t home his wife told them how to prepare it. She told Maria and Rhonda to bake the cannabis in a little bit of coconut oil at 290° for 10 minutes and then grind it up and put it in capsules. They did and to their amazement it worked. “We didn’t even know what we were doing and it still worked,” Rhonda says with a laugh. “Adrian was having seizures weekly and then when we started him on cannabis, he went three months with no seizure and that was after he was having them every week,” says Nathan. “It took the edge off. It calmed him down and he became more verbal. Day to day living became more bearable,” explains Maria of cannabis’ benefits. Here is where the story takes yet another “let’s try

WE WELCOME QUALIFIED OUT-OF-STATE PATIENTS

1112 S. Commerce St. (Downtown) Las Vegas, (Charleston & Commerce) Look for the big green fence!

MON.-THUR. Noon-8pm FRI.-SAT. Noon-10pm

2755 W. Cheyenne Ave. #103 North Las Vegas, (Cheyenne & Simmons)

MON.-SAT. 10am-8pm

thrivenevada.com (702) 776-4144

#THRIVENEVADA | @THRIVENEVADA | HIRING APPLY ONLINE

july | elevatenv.com

it” turn. Maria and Rhonda returned to the dispensary to get more of the same strain of cannabis but this time it caused Adrian to break out in a rash and hives. They went back to the dispensary only to find out it sourced its flower from different growers. So even though it might have been the same strain as Coombs purchased the first time, it was probably from another grower and very well might have been grown with pesticides or even could have been subject to heavy metals and mold because back in 2010 California didn’t require testing. The Coombs knew they couldn’t give their child medicine with unknown origins. “We decided that in order to control the quality and integrity of the plant, since we are dealing with little sick kids, we needed to grow our own,” explains Nathan. Next thing they knew, the trio, along with Rhonda’s mom, was in Pasadena taking growing classes. To say they didn’t know much about plants is putting it lightly. “We knew nothing,” offers Rhonda. “They even had to show us how to put soil in the pot.” But like everything else, they picked it up quickly and soon Rhonda was cloning plants, Maria was making the medicine, and Nathan was farming the cannabis when he could.

Nathan, who at the time was a high school teacher by day and taught college courses at night, was “like “Breaking Bad.” I went from the most conservative industry on the high school and university level to growing cannabis. At the end of 2013 I retired from there to focus on this business because my wife and Rhonda can’t raise autistic children and run this business. They said I needed to come home. I did and it’s the best decision I ever made. I would much rather be out there farming, and creating medicine for sick children and helping families then to be in a classroom with a lot of students who don’t want to be there.” Since opening ACCC in 2011, they have treated approximately 100 clients with 90 percent afflicted with pediatric autism and epilepsy. They have also made medicine for patients with cancer, arthritis, insomnia, and Angelman Syndrome. The strains ACCC grow vary but are all pesticidefree, chemical-free, and completely organic and are turned into oils, tinctures and pills. “We have strains all over the map with different ratios because everybody responds differently. We are treating different symptoms that need to be treated with different strains and different ratios of THC to CBD,” explains continued on page 30

OPEN NOW FREE GRAM*

with first-time patient purchase when you mention this ad. *on select strains, see store for details.

702-751-PISOS (7476) 4110 South Maryland Parkway Suite A Las Vegas, NV. 89119 (The southeast corner of Flamingo and Maryland Pkwy) pisoslv.com

elevatenv.com | july

LEGALEASE

BECOMING YOUR CHILD’S MEDICAL CANNABIS CAREGIVER By Amanda Connor

A parent who has a child suffering from autism and seizures may look to medical cannabis as a treatment option when traditional options have failed. Nevada’s medical marijuana laws specifically address an individual acting as a caregiver and create duties and requirements for the designated caregiver defining them as: A caregiver is an individual over the age of 18 with significant responsibility for managing the well-being of an individual who is a medical cannabis patient and who has been designated and approved as that patient’s caregiver. If a patient needs or wants a caregiver, the patient must designate a specific individual as his or her caregiver by submitting forms to the Nevada Division of Health and Human Services, or visiting https://mmportal.nv.gov. It is important to note that a patient under the age of 18 can only receive a medical marijuana patient card if the parent or legal guardian agrees to be the designated caregiver. A patient can only designate one caregiver and that caregiver must be a resident of Nevada, approved by a physician, consent to being the caregiver and pass a background check. A caregiver is given the same protections from state prosecution as a patient once the caregiver obtains a registration card. However, just like a patient, the caregiver must act within the law, which includes being able to: • purchase up to 2.5 ounces of usable marijuana every 14 days for the patient • purchase from the patient’s designated dispensary (once dispensaries open) • grow up to 12 plants until a dispensary opens in the county Also, the caregiver is responsible for managing the well-being of the patient including purchasing the medical cannabis and overseeing the dosage and frequency of use. Please remember cannabis remains illegal under federal law, therefore, being a caregiver carries a certain amount of risk. A caregiver should contact an attorney to get a better understanding of the law and the risks when considering becoming a caregiver.

elevatenv.com | july

july | elevatenv.com

NV Cann Labs is a full service state-of-the-art analytical testing facility for licensed cannabis producers and distributors. From potency analysis to residual solvent and contaminant testing, let us expertly fulfill all your testing requirements. Our management and scientific teams are dedicated to working with leading innovators and educators to further implement the highest standards of operation for the cannabis industry. Our professional training and extensive experience ensures youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll get accurate testing and results you can trust.

elevatenv.com | july

nvcann.com

tara@nvcann.com â&#x20AC;˘ 702.682.7203 â&#x20AC;˘ 6631 Schuster Street, Las Vegas, NV. 89118

The Blasco family

“They’re 41 and 36 Early in their son’s now,” Pam said, “and life, Jim and Pam Blasco they’re always going to felt something was need supervision 24 hours, amiss. James was slow seven days a week.” to reach developmental Growing up, the boys milestones like walking went through public school and talking, and their and now live in a group doctor’s reassurances home at New Vista, a local that their baby boy was nonprofit that supports still within the outer individuals with intellectual limits of the norms didn’t challenges. quiet Pam’s maternal instincts. They left Las BUILDING Vegas — a place that COMPASSION in the mid-’70s was The Blasco family, By Julie Vigil not exactly an oasis of Jim and his father, Joe, medical choices — for before him, are pioneers in California in search of local building industries, a pediatric neurologist and answers. They took James to see counting the development of 1983’s Spanish Trails many doctors, but one in particular, a behavioral M.D. who neighborhood — Las Vegas’ first luxury master-planned specialized in kids with disabilities and deficits, dealt the golf community — among their many accomplishments. But Blascos a devastating blow. real estate wasn’t the only community that the Blascos were “He told us to just go buy Easter Seals,” Pam said. instrumental in introducing and developing in the valley. “And drop him off at Social Services and never see him “We built the first group homes in Nevada,” Jim said, again,” Jim continued. “and gave them to the state. We also brought in the first “Can you imagine?! He was 2½,” Pam said. “We homeopaths in Nevada. So, we’ve been involved in alternate didn’t even know how to respond. Of course we ignored medicines for the special needs communities for 30 years.” all that nonsense.” Fast forward to 2014. Jim and Pam’s nephew Chris Eventually, Jim and Pam got an answer, but it only led Sarret approaches them with an idea to start a company in to more questions. James was found to have calcifications Nevada’s nascent medical marijuana industry -- with the on the frontal lobes of his brain. Then a handful of years feeling that this misunderstood and under-researched plant later, their third child, Andrew, was diagnosed with the very could help people by offering an all-natural alternative to the same condition, but more aggressive. These calcifications pharmaceuticals typically prescribed. are microscopic and wreak havoc on their behavior, fine and Obviously a topic the Blascos would be very interested gross motor skills, and problem-solving abilities. in finding more out about. “My wife did some research,” “One son talks, the other doesn’t,” Jim said. “Both of Jim said. “We have always been the stewards of our them would be classified in the slow range but they could children, especially with the amount of medication they’ve never live by themselves.” been prescribed.”

FOR THE LOVE

FAMILY COMMUNITY BUILDERS JIM AND PAM BLASCO CONSTRUCT THEIR SECOND ACT WITH A FOCUS ON LAS VEGAS’ SPECIAL NEEDS COMMUNITY

july | elevatenv.com

products from Silver Sage Wellness

Throughout their lives James and Andrew have been on so many different medications, Jim and Pam have always worried about the long-term effects prescription drugs are having on their sons’ mental and physical well-being. “When we go to the psychiatrist and they prescribe medication for them,” Jim said, “we’re basically giving them something that’s killing them. It does control (their seizures), there’s no question about that, it controls their behavior.” But at what cost? “We’re learning that a lot of these medications are creating problems like early-onset dementia or sudden death. It is very frightening to me,” Pam said. She concedes that in comparison to what used to constitute standard mental health care — chains, ice baths,

elevatenv.com | july

electroshock therapy, lobotomies — the psychiatric drugs are a step in the right direction. But Pam, who’s always been open to holistic healing practices like yoga and meditation, wanted to take a closer look at cannabis as an alternative medicine over pharmaceuticals for special needs people. “Now we have a whole plant that we can utilize that has no harmful side effects. The opportunities are tremendous. “After going into a lot of consideration and prayer and mediation about it,” Pam added, “the answer came through that this is something that could help people. It really could help people.”

ON YOUR MARK, GET SET, GO!

Once Jim and Pam decided to go for it, the clock started ticking. Sarret’s business idea appealed to them, but the complex application required for the state’s first medical marijuana establishments was due in three weeks. Three weeks! “We didn’t have any idea how hard this application was or what a big deal it was, to be honest with you,” he said. Jim and Pam dismissed the notion of having a business partner because the mission they had in mind was so distinctive. “Our focus was going to be on special needs. We didn’t know a damn thing about the (medical marijuana) business, (but) we have since totally bought into the issue. More and more, you’re not going to ‘fix’ kids with special needs, but you can make their quality of life better,” Jim said. They also had to decide which licenses to apply for. “If we were going to do this, we wanted to do it seed-to-sale,” explained Pam. “Jim didn’t want to do the dispensary at first, but I said no, we need the dispensary. If we’re selling a product, I want to know what it is, and the only way I’m going to know that is if we grow it, and to grow we gotta sell it.” “We ended up getting all three licenses (cultivation, production and distribution),” Jim said. “I don’t know how, but we did.” After submitting 9,000 pages of required information for the applications literally one minute before the 4 p.m. filing

Jim and Pam Blasco

deadline, they immediately got to work facing a steep learning curve with a timeline that was tight, and the regulations, roadblocks, and to-dos plentiful. But they made their way, found an industry partner in Denver's oldest and longestrunning dispensary, Denver Relief, and began another chapter in their family story. “We’re growing a plant — for medicine,” Pam said. “The first time I walked into a grow room, I just started crying because I saw all of these plants and realized their potential was medicine. It was amazing. It was so overpowering to be in that room and realize that they were going to be medicine. And you know, medicine goes across the board. It’s not just for seizures, or Parkinson’s, or arthritis, it’s for people who need a lift, who aren’t feeling well, ya know? I just can’t find the bad anywhere.”

love: Our boys, our sons, they are coming from love; Jim and I are coming from love, everything we do with this is from love; bringing our family in, that comes from love; Chris was drawn to us because of that same thing, that passion — and you can’t have that passion slash compassion without the love.” Even the family dog has been tapped for service. Gracie — a young Bouvier des Flandres — is currently working with a trainer to become a service dog and will eventually be allowed in the dispensary. “You know animals are very, very intuitive so she’ll know who she needs to go over to and who she needs to leave alone. She’ll be a presence but she won’t be invasive,” explained Pam.

ALL IN THE FAMILY

Now that their Silver Sage Wellness cultivation, production facility, and dispensary are finally open, the Blascos’ passion for compassion is coming to fruition again. “I feel like we’re a pharmacy, honestly, like we say, a helpful lifestyle pharmacy,” Pam said. “We have a lot of repeat people; we’re already building a clientele and we’ve only been open two months.” The draw is magnetic. The atmosphere is harmonic. No wonder people want to be there. “(Silver Sage Wellness is) kind of like a mom-n-pop because it’s Jim and I, and we’re surrounded by all these very young people. It’s incredible. It’s like a magnet and they seem to be drawn to us because of our passion and compassion, and because they have passion for the plants.” They’ve definitely created one big, happy family, and at only a few months in, they’ve only just begun. Pam has set her sights on bringing more family members into the SSW fold. Their son-in-law Braly Joy is the general manager and sons, James and Andrew, are on deck with plans for each of them to have a job at the dispensary. James, with the right job coach, will be a greeter, and Andrew can either be part of a yard crew or cleaning crew. “It’s the love,” Pam said. “Everything is stemming from

july | elevatenv.com

MONEY CAN’T BUY ME LOVE

From the moment their nephew suggested the idea of starting a medical marijuana company until today as Silver Sage Wellness is a thriving grow, production facility, and medical dispensary some two-and-a-half years later, the Blascos understood this endeavor wouldn’t be easy. From the tremendous emotional investments to the multimillion-dollar financial expenditures, it’s been an uphill climb. But that’s okay. They only have to look at James and Andrew for inspiration. “We’re who we are today because of them, our whole family is. You cannot have two sons with such tremendous gifts — in a different way of looking at gifts — and not be touched by them because what those boys have to do every day just to get up and get out, I mean, they’re mobile, but everything they do is an effort. It doesn’t come easy for them. None of it,” explained Pam. The Blasco’s philanthropic intention of helping people, whether in special needs communities or not, is pure and their hearts really do point a true north. “Our final goal we can’t do yet because of federal regulations,” Jim said. “We would like to give it away to the special needs community. We’re committed enough that if there’s a particular strain for a particular person, we’ll grow

Is your medical marijuana business ready?

that one plant. I know it doesn’t sound like much but that’s a big deal.” “(And) if someone comes in from a low-income situation and they can’t afford to get medicine, we want to be able to provide it,” Pam added. “It’s medicine. Sure we understand it’s a business. We have to pay our employees, we have to run a business, and that takes money so it has to be profitable. But at the end of the day, we’re not in it just to take, that’s not what this is about. It’s about giving. “Off the top we said we were going to give 30 percent of our profit and put it toward research and development,” she continued, “and I know that’s a broad term, but we definitely want to advance cannabis, and in order to do that we have to put money into research.” When Silver Sage Wellness dispensary opened on March 25, the Blascos’ attorney Dayvid Figler looked at Pam and asked, “What if someone comes by and offers you $10 million for your store?” She looked at him and simply said, “No.” Then he asked again, “What about $20 million?” She calmly said, “It’s not for sale, Dayvid. It’s not about selling, it’s not about the money. It is about making a difference. Really, it’s about making a difference, improving the quality of people’s lives in any way we can with cannabis.”

Put the pieces together with a FREE consultation with the attorneys at Ashcraft & Barr | LLP. Look for our industry updates at www.NVMJLaw.com!

2300 West Sahara Ave., Suite 1130 Las Vegas, Nevada, 89102 • (702) 631-7555

elevatenv.com | july

OPENVAPE.COM

START LOW SLOW USING CBD AS A TREATMENT FOR SYMPTOMS OF AUTISM as presented by Tracy Fritz, M.D. at the AutismOne Conf. on May 26

Anecdotal evidence of the positive effects of cannabidiol (CBD) in children with autism has been increasingly reported over the last several years in the autism community. A growing body of scientific research continues to explore the bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s endocannabinoid system (ECS) and its potential for neurological and immunological dysfunction which is commonly seen in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and related disorders. Supplementation of plant-based cannabinoids, such as CBD, has been noted to have positive effects on brain and immune function in a variety of neuroimmunological disorders. I have used CBD in a clinical setting to treat common behavioral symptoms observed in ASD and PANS (pediatric acute neuropsychiatric syndrome). Symptoms amenable to treatment with CBD include, among others, sleep disturbance, anxiety/OCD, impulsivity, stimulatory behavior, nausea, emetophobia, and feeding problems. I practice medicine in Missouri where medicinal cannabis has not been legalized. So the CBD-based products I use are hemp derived, and because the Food & Drug Administration has approved CBD as a nutritional supplement, it is legally available to be shipped to all 50 states.

elevatenv.com | july

Why use CBD for behavioral systems?

When treating autistic patients and those with PANS, the symptoms that I see most often are repetitive and selfinjurious behaviors, sleep dysfunction, hyperactivity, ADHD, mood disturbances, anxiety, depression, OCD, aggression, rage, appetite disturbances such as anorexia, nausea, and fear of vomiting or emetophobia. Phytocannabinoids or CBD oil is a viable intervention, specifically for mood or behavior disturbances that are diﬃcult to treat. This is especially true because there are limitations to the pharmaceuticals that physicians are able to prescribe in an effort to try to get symptom control for children with ASD. A child with PANS or autism often experiences very negative effects from medicines that may be successful for people who don’t have PANS or ASD because their bloodbrain barrier is more or less intact and there’s a projectable way they metabolize and respond to the medicine. A child who begins a normal starting dose of Sertraline or Zoloft can get acutely worse. They can get aggressive, their motor ticks and mood symptoms can get worse, and they can get psychotic. The same thing happens when using stimulants to control ADHD symptoms, children often have a continued on page 29

GET IN-YO & OUT-YO FAST AT INYO FINE CANNABIS DISPENSARY *CONVENIENT PARKING *EXPRESS SERVICE *FREE DELIVERY AVAILABLE

702.707.8888

FOR PRODUCT UPDATES AND SPECIALS. VISIT

INYOLASVEGAS.COM

2520 SOUTH MARYLAND PARKWAY #2, LAS VEGAS, NV 89109 (IN THE SMITH’S SHOPPING CENTER ● SAHARA AND MARYLAND PKWY)

july | elevatenv.com

THE POSSIBILITIES OF TREATING AUTISM WITH CANNABIS DR. TRACY FRITZ SHARES PATIENT CASES IN WHICH SHE USED CBD TO TREAT SYMPTOMS OF ASD.

CASE #1: I treated a nine-year-old girl with regressive autism who was diagnosed at age three. At age seven, after a strep throat infection, she developed PANS. She started on 1.5 milligrams of CBD and I increased it every couple of weeks which she tolerated very well to a dose of 6 milligrams. Of course, we were doing a lot of other things for her, but when we added CBD oil to her treatment her nighttime fears and anxiety decreased markedly. CASE #2: A six-year-old boy named AW who had a diagnosis of Aspergerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s had a regression after a vaccination at age five with a sudden onset of acute neuropsychiatric symptoms. When I first started seeing him, he had lost 10 lbs. from the onset of nausea, anorexia and emetophobia. We started him on CBD oil and it helped him quite a bit. We dosed him once a day at bedtime. Because he would fall apart about midday, I started dosing him twice a day which worked well for him. He gained back the 10 lbs. he lost and has since gained another 12 lbs. and is happy and doing well. CASE #3: This patient had a regression into very severe autism as a toddler after a vaccine. She had used biomeds for 15 years and then she had an acute change in her status at 18 years old. She had a manageable life and then overnight it became unmanageable and she had the onset of anxiety and sleep disturbance along with some other neuropsychiatric symptoms. She had severe anorexia and a 22-lb. weight loss when I started seeing her. I immediately started her on CBD oil and titrated her up more quickly by giving her doses of 25 milligrams twice a day. She had a positive clinical response after five to six weeks of therapy. It took a while to have a positive effect, but she finally began to sleep. Once we got a good sleep cycle maintained for her, she started to improve in other areas with therapy.

elevatenv.com | july

HEALING THE POWER OF MEDICINAL CANNABIS PATIENT SEES THE GREEN LIGHT AND USES CBD OIL IN

TREATMENT OF LIVER CANCER

Billy Calabrese will be the first to tell you he’s on a mission from God. “This is something that’s been kept under wraps for too long and we need to help everybody,” the 70-year-old says of CBD oil. “For the rest of my life I am going to spread the word, this is truly my mission.” Calabrese started seeking CBD oil about a year ago, nine months after a September 2014 diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. Calabrese’s cancer diagnosis, which included two tumors measuring 5.7 centimeters and 5.3 centimeters, most likely resulted from a lengthy battle with Hepatitis C. “I did a lot of holistic things – foods and exercise and I overpowered this disease for 20 years but it was taking its toll and I was getting worse. I did milk thistle and different cleanses, I did steroids and testosterone. I was a doctor without a license,” he says with a laugh, offering that he opted to “fix himself” with regard to his two-decade struggle with Hepatitis C rather than see a physician. Calabrese’s penchant for avoiding doctors and fixing himself is what led him to CBD oil. He initially started taking a commercial form of CBD oil a year ago, but it wasn’t until he started taking a form of Rick Simpson Oil (RSO) two-and-a-half months ago that he saw real results. “The first day it hit me kind of hard. It kind of had a heavy effect on me, the next day was a little better, and each day was a little better. By the week’s end, I knew something was going on,” Calabrese explains of using cannabis oil. Before taking CBD oil, Calabrese explains he “was totally bedridden. I didn’t want to take care of myself, I was like gone, my legs looked like sticks, my body was really depleted. My thinking also was very disrupted and you got to be on your game to be in real estate. It’s a dogfight, and you gotta be on your toes and I lost all those abilities, things just weren’t coming together. I couldn’t remember my computer codes. I wasn’t myself at all,” the former realtor notes.

After taking CBD oil “it was just a complete turnaround, I was getting stronger, my mind was remembering things. Now, I am up at 5 a.m., pumping iron, doing my pushups, doing my abs, working out again, taking my dog to the park, taking care of a lot of household things.” Although Calabrese rejected his oncologist’s offer of chemotherapy and radiation following his 2014 diagnosis, he’s thinking of going back now. “I don’t believe I still have the tumors. I want to go back for the comparisons; that’s it,” he explains of checking to see if the tumors have disappeared. “I am very early in this. I want to show them more; I want my body to be better and my mind to be better before I go back.” If Calabrese returns to his oncologist and finds the tumors haven’t gone away, he’s still happy with his results. “This is a total miracle and if I die tomorrow, I had two good months. I feel so good, you wouldn’t even believe it. I was facing death, and God put it here to heal me. That’s the whole thing in a nutshell. This oil saved my life,” Calabrese offers. “I was fighting death and it was laughing at me. I had a dream and I could see myself laying there and I could see a green light around me and Lord was telling me you’re healing. And I did.”

702.740.HERB FREE DELIVERY OPEN DAILY WEEKLY SPECIALS

THE APOTHECARY SHOPPE CANNABIS. CONCENTRATES. GOURMET EDIBLES.

JUST WEST OF THE STRIP 4240 W FLAMINGO

TheApothecaryShoppe.com Medical cards from all participating states accepted. Nevada Medical Marijuana Dispensary, Inc.

july | elevatenv.com

Specializing in Dispensary and Cultivation security needs.

Surveillance • Alarm • Access Control Commercial and Residential

LVMMA Member, LVMMA.org

Alarm Monitoring • Video Monitoring • Video Surveillance Electronic Access Control • Wireless Systems • National and Local Service

elevatenv.com | julyLicense Numbers: NV-61014

AZ-238559

CA-ACO7056

TX-B16447

THE ENDOCANNABINOIDSYSTEM AN INTRODUCTION TO YOUR BODYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BIOLOGICAL WORLD WIDE WEB By Stephen McCamman

What happens in your body when you smoke or eat medical marijuana? In 1964, Dr. Raphael Mechoulam asked this same question after observing lab monkeys acting unusually mellow after being dosed with hash. Rumors that the monkeys ordered pizza are still unconfirmed, but Mechoulam's quest for answers led to the discovery of the endocannabinoid system (eCB) in the late 1980s. Named in honor of the cannabis plant, the eCB's role in the body is to help many important systems and organs stay in balance, or maintain physiological homeostasis. In fact, some scientists think that a deficiency in the eCB is the root cause of many ailments, which explains why medical marijuana helps alleviate so many different diseases and conditions.

WHAT IS THE eCB?

While researchers have uncovered the structure and functions of the eCB, more research and human studies are needed before doctors can use this knowledge in a clinical setting. What we do know is that the eCB is in effect a biochemical communication network of hormones, called endocannabinoids and cell receptors known as CB1 and CB2, that play an integral role in keeping a wide array of very important bodily functions such as sleep, digestion, relaxation, memory, and neuroprotection operating within tight parameters. In other words, it keeps the bodily systems from either underperforming or overacting, in cases such as autoimmune disorders or epileptic seizures. It helps to think of the eCB network as part of the body's World Wide Web, a chemical language of healing and balance that tells the various systems and organs in

the body -- our biological Internet -- how to respond to not only injury, stress, and disease, but also to positive stimulation, such as exercise, massage, chiropractic work, and healthy eating.

YOUR BODY'S OWN MARIJUANA (ENDOCANNABINOIDS)

Discovered in 1995, Anandamide and 2-AG are called the body's marijuana due to their similarity in chemical structure to THC. Residing in the outer layer of certain cells, these endocannabinoids (endo means inside) are released when triggered by things such as injury, disease, or exercise, for that matter. Called the Bliss Molecule because it causes a sense of well-being, Anandamide (AEA) attaches to the CB1 receptors in the brain and CB2 receptors in the peripheral nervous system. THC also attaches to this same receptor and is what causes you to feel high. AEA and THC play a key role in modulating pain, emotion, and hunger, thus the reason why some people get the munchies when they smoke marijuana. AEA has also been cited as the cause of the well-known runner's high and small traces are found in chocolate, as if you need an excuse to nibble on some Godiva goodies. 2-Arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), on the other hand, is found in the central nervous system and immune system and plays a critical role in controlling inflammation, immune system response, and modulating neurotransmitters. 2-AG is expressed in breast milk and has been shown to inhibit some types of cancer cell growth. Scientists have suggested that other endocannabinoids exist but their function and role have yet to be fully understood.

CB1 AND CB2 RECEPTORS: PATHWAYS INTO THE CELL

What happens when AEA and 2-AG are released in response to outside stimuli? As mentioned, endocannabinoids attach to receptors on the cell wall that act as a conduit for the biochemical signals to get inside the cell. So far, scientists have identified several receptors in the eCB system â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the most prominent being CB1 and CB2. CB2 receptors are located in the gut, often called our second brain, and the immune system, playing a critical role in reducing inflammation and promoting well-being. The critical part is that once the endocannabinoid is attached to the receptor, it triggers a second messenger inside the cell and this is where the magic happens: The internal cell workings change in response, in turn causing the internal chemistry of the cell to promote healing. In the case of apoptosis, or cell death, the second messenger tells the cell to commit suicide, a key function, especially in the case of out of control cancer cells. Again, scientists have not yet uncovered the entire scope of the receptor system, a third receptor TRPV1, for example, has recently been identified, and more research is required before we fully understand the number of receptors in the eCB.

CANNABIS AND YOUR eCB (PHYTOCANNABINOIDS)

Thankfully, nature has provided us with the cannabis plant, which has over 80 cannabinoids, and supplement our own endocannabinoids, either as a food source or when smoked. The two most important are THC and CBD. THC goes directly to the CB1 and CB2 receptors

july | elevatenv.com

like the endocannabinoids mentioned above. THC is the psychoactive cannabinoid that gets you high, and is most effective in treating pain, PTSD, nausea, and, of course, as an appetite stimulant. CBD, which is also found in Hemp, keeps your own endocannabinoid AEA available to the receptors, and exerts its health benefits through channels other than CB1 and CB2 receptors. CBD is primarily anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic, and a neuroprotectant, which has captured the interest of both the National Football League (NFL) and Alzheimer's researchers. Again, research is limited and other cannabinoids such as CBN, THCa, and CBG all offer therapeutic benefits -- the scope and eﬃcacy of which have yet to be fully understood.

ENDOCANNABINOID DEFICIENCY SYNDROME: ONE DEFICIENCY WITH MANY FACES Researchers are positing that a

large number of diseases may actually be due to a deficient eCB, which has been termed clinical endocannabinoid deficiency syndrome (CECD). As a result of the current state of the American diet, the eCB is deficient in fatty acids, enzymes, and other biochemical precursors necessary for the eCB to operate at an optimal level. Fibromyalgia, migraines, and gastrointestinal ailments have been linked to this deficiency and widespread anecdotal reports on the eﬃcacy of a well-regulated eCB in combating these treatment resistant problems are widespread. In other words, people are using a biochemical dial-up modem when a few changes in diet and consumption of medical cannabis, or non-psychoactive cannabinoids such as CBD, can bring them into the age of fiber optic cables, thereby speeding recovery. By regulating the eCB with good nutrition and supplements -- recall how the eCB is involved in numerous important

physiological processes -- you can dial back diseases, increase your sense of well-being, and lead a healthy, balanced life. All of us -- medical professionals, medical marijuana patients, and even opponents of medical marijuana -- owe a huge debt to the cannabis plant, Dr. Mechoulam, and his (allegedly) pizza grubbing monkeys for discovering the eCB. As the research continues, we know that properly regulating the eCB through diet and exercise, coupled with the healing power of medical marijuana, holds great promise for cancer treatment, managing numerous other ailments, and contributing to our overall health and wellness. Stephen McCamman is writing a book on nutrition and the endocannabinoid system. He is also co-founder of the Clinical Endocannabinoid System Consortium and president of mmjpatientsguide.com He can be reached at mccamman@gmail.com.

THE DESTINATION FOR LAS VEGAS MEDICAL CANNABIS

OFFERING 20% OFF TO FIRST TIME PATIENTS! • • • • •

Out of State Patients WELCOME! Large selection at competitive prices Convenient Hours - Open early and late Plenty of parking available in our private and discreet lot Central Location - Just minutes from Downtown and the Strip

elevatenv.com | july

1800 Industrial Road, Suite 180 Las Vegas, NV 89102 info@oasismedicalcannabis.com www.oasismedicalcannabis.com

(702) 420 - 2405

continued from page 23 rapid worsening of their psychiatric state. So in patients who are having behavioral and neurologic problems, the medicine physicians are comfortable giving don’t have the predictable response we are use to and can often worsen symptoms that we are trying to help. An alternative like CBD is viable because it has an excellent safety record, it’s well tolerated by patients of all ages, and it can be titrated up to an effective dose. You can start with a low dose, monitor the patient closely for clinical effects, and increase the dose to find their sweet spot.

How do you dose CBD oil?

When selecting a CBD product, you want to use a quality product so make sure to get lab testing information from the dispensary or manufacturer. You want to make sure it’s a clean product, absent of heavy metals and pesticides. There are different forms CBD comes in. I prefer the liquid form in an oil that is administered via sprays or squirts. Cannabinoids are extracted from the plant and added to coconut oil and because it’s a lipid molecule that helps with absorption into the body. It’s also available in a paste form which is more concentrated so I reserve that for a patient who is at a dose that is effective and I know they are going to stay at that dose. The recommended dose is the size of a rice grain and that’s a measured dose. Capsules are also an option which is another form to use.

Typically I will start a patient on 3 milligrams which is two squirts of CBD. It tends to work best if you do it at bedtime. It does have very minimal side effects. At the beginning some people do feel a little tired and spacey but that is short-lived. Bedtime is a good time to dose because the brain and the immune system do a lot of their balancing when you are in a nice deep sleep. Typically I increase the dose by 3 milligrams weekly. Of course, everybody is different and it varies by each individual patient, but for the most part smaller patients take between 12 to 24 milligrams. Doses up to 700 milligrams a day have been studied and found to be perfectly safe. It’s important to note that because the endocannabinoid system is a balancing system and you are trying to restore homeostasis, more is not always better. You don’t want to overwhelm a system that is trying to accomplish balance so start low and slow and don’t be in a hurry to increase it. Dr. Tracy Fritz is cofounder of Little Flower Center for Integrative Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri. She provides specialized care to patient populations, including children with autism spectrum and related disorders. Dr. Fritz received her MD from Tufts University School of Medicine, completed her residency in family medicine at Naval Hospital Pensacola, and is a fellow in the Medical Academy of Pediatric Special Needs (MAPS).

SHATTER / LOZENGES / CHOCOLATE

KABunky medical cannabis

kabunky.com Ask For KabunkyAt A Nevada Dispensary Near You Today.

extracts giddyuphash.com

july | elevatenv.com 29

continued from page 14 Nathan, who notes they have high THC/low CBD, high CBD/low THC, and everything in the middle. As for picking the correct strain for the clients, Nathan says, “it’s not an exact science, we make an educated guess based on our experience and based on the gender of the child and what symptoms they are trying to treat. “We also give samples of other strains and pills so they can try it out because it’s a hit and miss thing. People want to turn this into an exact science because we are stuck in a pharmaceutical box. We are conditioned that way, but we are going to have to step out of the conditioning because it doesn’t always apply to a plant that’s growing wild. We always have the parents monitor them and see which strain is going to work best. There’s some trial and error, but we always find it.” Nathan always emphasizes to the parents he meets with that “cannabis is not a cure for autism, it is not a cure for epilepsy. They will seize but they will seize less, and a lot of the behaviors can be mitigated or controlled with cannabis and it helps in that way. It helps with a lot of the symptoms but we have never said it was a cure.” In spite of it not having curative powers, parents of children with autism are still game to try just about anything. “We don’t have to talk anybody into anything. They call us. They are at their wit’s end, and the sad thing is we are the last case scenario. This is what people should be doing first, first do no harm, but it’s always a last ditch attempt before I put my child in an institution, it shouldn’t be that way, it should be the reverse but that’s how it is.” The stress of constantly receiving phone calls from frantic and desperate parents may seem overwhelming, but not for a trio who has compassionate in the very name of their business. “We are a godsend to these people, but they are a godsend to us, too. We get so much from them just in consultation. A lot of our time is not just spent in growing and processing, but the bulk of our job is consultation and therapy. We travel and meet them at a halfway point to get them their medicine and then they want to talk. They know we are people who understand their plight and they want to talk about what’s happened over the last two weeks. “That’s a crucial part of what we do, it’s not just cannabis or growing and processing, it’s consultation and talking people off ledges and talking people through the process, asking how things went last week and asking if they need to cry and telling them to go ahead and cry. “And we cry with them.”

elevatenv.com | july

july | elevatenv.com

DISPENSARY MAP

A Patients’ Guide to Medical Cannabis in Southern Nevada 1. Apothecarium apothecariumlv.com 7855 W. Sahara Ave Las Vegas, NV 89117 702.778.7987

11. Pisos Dispensary Pisoslv.com 4110 S. Maryland Pkwy Ste # A Las Vegas, NV. 89119 702.751.7476

2. CannaCopia cannacopialv.com 6332 S. Rainbow Blvd #105 Las Vegas, NV 89118 702.487.6776

12a. Reef Dispensaries reefdispensaries.com 3400 Western Ave Las Vegas, NV 89109 702.475.6520

3. Euphoria Wellness euphoriawellnessnv.com 7780 S. Jones Blvd Las Vegas, NV 89139 702.960.7200

12b. Reef Dispensaries reefdispensaries.com 1370 W. Cheyenne Ave North Las Vegas, NV 89030 702.475.6520

4. Inyo Fine Cannabis Dispensary inyolasvegas.com 2520 S. Maryland Pkwy Ste #2 Las Vegas, NV 89109 702.707.8888

13. Sahara Wellness 420sahara.com 420 E. Sahara Ave Las Vegas , NV 89104 702.478.5533

5. Las Vegas ReLeaf lasvegasreleaf.com 2244 Paradise Rd Las Vegas, NV 89104 702.209.2400

14. Silver Sage Wellness sswlv.com 4626 W. Charleston Blvd Las Vegas, NV 89102 702.802.3757

6. Medizin medizinlv.com 4850 W. Sunset Rd Ste #130 Las Vegas, NV 89118 702.206.1313

15. The Apothecary Shoppe theapothecaryshoppe.com 4240 W. Flamingo Rd Las Vegas, NV 89103 702.740.4372

7a. Nevada Medical Marijuana nevadamedicalmarijuana.com 3195 St. Rose Pkwy Ste #212 Henderson, NV 89052 702.737.7777 7b. Nevada Medical Marijuana nevadamedicalmarijuana.com 1975 S. Casino Dr Laughlin, NV 89029 702.737.7777 8. NevadaPure nevadapure.com 4380 Boulder Highway Las Vegas, NV 89121 702.444.4790 9. Nevada Wellness Center nvwellnessctr.com 3200 S. Valley View Las Vegas, NV 89102 702.470.2077 10. Oasis Medical oasismedicalcannabis.com 1800 Industrial Rd Ste #180 Las Vegas, NV 89102 702.420.2405

16. The Dispensary thedispensarynv.com 5347 S. Decatur Blvd Las Vegas, NV 89118 702.476.0420 17a. The Green House OPENING SOON thegreenhouselv.com 6540 Blue Diamond Rd Las Vegas, NV 89139 702.420.7301

18a. The Grove TheGroveNV.com 1541 E. Basin Ave Pahrump, NV 89048 775.556.0100 18b. The Grove TheGroveNV.com 4647 Swenson St Las Vegas, NV 89119 702.463.5777 19. The Source thesourcenv.com 2550 S. Rainbow Blvd Ste #8 Las Vegas, NV 89146 702.708.2000 20a. Thrive Cannabis Marketplace thrivenevada.com 2755 W. Cheyenne Ave Ste #103 North Las Vegas, NV 89032 702.776.4144 20b. Thrive Cannabis Marketplace thrivenevada.com 1112 S. Commerce St Las Vegas, NV 89102 702.776.4144 21. Blüm 22. Getting Legal

Dispensaries that carry OpenVape Products

17b. The Green House OPENING SOON thegreenhouselv.com 1324 S. 3rd St Las Vegas, NV 89104 702.420.7301 17c. The Green House OPENING SOON thegreenhouselv.com 2113 N. Las Vegas Blvd North Las Vegas, NV 702.420.7301

YOUR DISPENSARY, NATURALLY.

20% OFF

ENTIRE PURCHASE Cannot be used with any other offers, promotions or discounts

â&#x201E;¢

TheGroveNV.com

GRAND OPENING GET YOUR MEDICAL MARIJUANA CARD! IS YOUR STRAIN UNAVAILABLE AT A DISPENSARY? DO YOU LIVE MORE THAN 25 MILES FROM A DISPENSARY?

GROW YOUR OWN! GET A HIGHER PLANT COUNT HERE! These plants are not for sale

3 FREE HIGH CBD SEEDS TO ALL OF OUR PATIENTS AFTER RECEIVING YOUR CARD FROM THE STATE! Contact our office for more details

AIDS • Cancer • Glaucoma • PTSD • Cachexia • Seizures Persistent Muscle Spasms • Severe Nausea • Severe Pain FEE SCHEDULE

• $125 regular with records • $175 without records

• 24 plants 5oz add $100 • 36 plants 10oz add $200

For an additional fee, you can have this higher plant count as per our office protocol. Please contact us for more information. Children with qualifying conditions accepted.

Hours of operation: Tuesday - Saturday 10 AM - 6 PM

702.280.7755 • thehealingcentermedicalclinic.org • Nevadahealingcenter.com This falls under the affirmative defense part of law. Patient to patient transfer is legal.

NEW PATIENTS RECEIVE $10 OFF THEIR FIRST PURCHASE

elevatenv.com | july

702.708.2000 thesourcenv.com

S RAINBOW BLVD

W SAHARA AVE

2550 S. RAINBOW BLVD SUITE 8 LAS VEGAS, NV 89146

CONNECT

INDUSTRY R ESOURCE GUIDE

EVERGREEN ORGANIX Edibles and ﬂowers available. (702) 550.4855

GIDDYUP

NevadaPURE

KABUNKY

Extracts and hash giddyuphash.com

Edibles, Moxie, extracts, ﬂower available.

Edibles, extraction and ﬂower.

4380 Boulder Highway Las Vegas, NV, 89121 (702) 444.4859 nevadapure.com

kabunky.com

evergreenorganix.com

KABunky

extracts

GETTING LEGAL 2619 W Charleston Blvd #100 Las Vegas, NV 89102 (702) 979-9999 Gettinglegal.com

RMP RESORT MEDIA PARTNERS

G3 LABS, LLC.

O.PENVAPE

702.749.9715 www.g3labsllc.com

(702) 629.2075 openvape.com

CONNOR & CONNOR PLLC

(702) 664.1198 RMPLV.com

NV CANN LABS

HYPERION ADVISORS

ASHCRAFT AND BARR

6631 Schuster Street Las Vegas, NV 89118 (702) 682.7203 Tara@nvcannlabs.com

3960 Howard Hughes Parkway, Suite 500, Las Vegas, NV 89169 (702) 990-3901 www.hyperionlegal.com

(702) 631.7555 ashcraftbarr.com

NEW HEIGHTS LABORATORY

LP INSURANCE SERVICES

STING ALARM

702.879.8698 newheightslaboratory.com

Las Vegas • Reno • Elko • Phoenix Sacramento • Truckee/Tahoe (702) 365.9800 | LPIns.net

WE CAN 702 1771 E. Flamingo Rd., Suite 201 Las Vegas, NV 89119 1.844.WeCanLV wecan702.org

PANTONE PROCESS BLACK M

PANTONE 3435 M

PANTONE 7540 M

TERPX

Shatter, Wax, Live Resin, and Solventless Extracts (760) 636.9551

7120 Rafael Ridge Las Vegas, NV 89119

710 Coronado Center Drive, Suite 121 Henderson, NV 89052 (702) 750.9139

LAS VEGAS MEDICAL MARIJUANA ASSOCIATION

(702) 737.8464 stingalarm.com

lvmma.org (702) 499.3291 info@lvmma.org

MEDICAL CANNABIS INNOVATION GROUP

THE HEALING CENTER MEDICAL CLINIC

(310) 402.6937 solutions@mcig.org www.mcig.org/grower-services

1550 E. Tropicana Ave. Suite 1 (702) 280.7755 thehealingcentermedicalclinic.org

july | industry connect | elevatenv.com

industry connect | eleva

ELEVATE CELEBRATES INDUSTRY PIONEERS WITH INAUGURAL AWARDS RECOGNITION Photography by Hector Leyva, SugarMill Studios

Elevate Nevada, the state’s premiere medicinal cannabis magazine, recognized outstanding leaders in the industry during an event at Land Rover Las Vegas in June. During the inaugural awards event, Elevate acknowledged Las Vegas City Councilman Bob Coﬃn for championing the city’s dispensaries with the Battle Born award. Dr. Nick Spirtos received the Discovery award for his research in the cannabis field. Attorney Amanda Connor was recognized for her devotion to the industry with the Guardian award. Finally, Las Vegas Medical Marijuana Association founder and president John Laub received the first-ever Elevate award for fostering the growth of the cannabis industry in Southern Nevada. Guy Bertuzzi, Susan Bunce, Dan Kouretas

Dr. Spirtos

Rick Turner, Dr. Tung, Justin Givler

Neal Tomlinson, Kristina Kleist

Shanna Perry, Beth Schwartz

Amanda Connor, Bob Cofﬁn, John Laub

Connor Denkin, Steven Cantwell, Kouanin Villa, Ini Aﬁa

Sandra Tiffany, Brenda Gunsallus

elevatenv.com | industry connect | july

Benjamin Chew, Stephen Markle

This November, you will have the opportunity to vote Yes on 2 to regulate marijuana like alcohol. You can learn more about the initiative at: RegulateNevada.org /RegulateMJinNV A regulated adult-use marijuana market will:

● Reduce or eliminate the underground marijuana market in Nevada ● Make it more difficult for our children to access by requiring an ID to purchase ● Provide funding for K-12 education ● NOT change existing medical marijuana laws or affect patients’ rights Email: info@regulatenevada.org to learn how you can get involved.

elevatenv.com | july

Paid for by the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana like Alcohol.

JAG-YOU-ARE

FREE BRITISH ACCENT WITH EVERY PURCHASE.

Every generation has its icons. The ones that sear themselves into our memories so indelibly, they become legend. Now it’s your turn to experience the legend for your lifetime: the F-TYPE. The triumphant return of the Jaguar two-seater. To experience the F-TYPE for yourself, visit Jaguar Land Rover Las Vegas for a test drive today.

5 YEARS

60 ,000 MILES

New Vehicle Limited Warranty

Complimentary Scheduled Maintenance

24-Hour Roadside Assistance

Jaguar InControl® Remote & Protect™

B E S T I N C L A S S C O V E R A G E* Jaguar Land Rover Las Vegas

5255 West Sahara Avenue, Las Vegas, NV 89146 702.579.0400 www.jlrlv.com

elevatenv.com | july