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June 2015
issue #60
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JUNE 2015
28
20
Access Review
44
It’s a collab
62
Ultra-rare breed
Seattle Cannabis Co.
WES ABNEY INTERVIEWS
JESSE VENTURA 12
National News
48
We’re turning five
16
This is a pot PSA
66
Tasty Recipes
24
Bellingham Grown
76
Book Reviews
36
Legal Q & A: IRS
82
Growtech
Steve Elliott with the roundup What to sign to protect medical Stepping inside Sonic Green
Cannabusinesses can’t deduct
24
The magazine looks back
Spring brings fresh veggies
Jorge Cervantes’ classics Mixing nutrients like a pro
Device of the Month
The Strain of the Month
NATIONAL............................12 PROTECT MMJ........................16 RSO GIVEAWAY..........................18 CHILD SAFETY...........................34 THS DISPATCH.......................38 MICROSTRAINS.....................42 BRUSCHETTA........................66 MEDIBLE REVIEWS....................72 MIXING NUTRIENTS.......................82 HIKING HEALTH.........................88 BEHIND THE STRAIN..................94 COVER PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN CONTENTS PHOTOS by CONTRIBUTORS COVER STYLING BY MALINA LOPEZ COVER PRODUCTS BY CLONERS MARKET
H U G E S E L E C T I O N , LOW P R I C E S , F R I E N D LY S E RV I C E A N D L A R G E ST F R E E PA R K I N G I N WAS H I N GTO N STAT E
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This product has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination, and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. For use only by adults twenty‑one and older. Keep out of the reach of children.
contents
48 Toke a peek at our 10-page retrospective.
Photo by Daniel Berman/Northwest Leaf
LOOKBACK MAY 2012
NORTHWEST LEAF
the truth about the plant you thought you knew, IN every issue.
editor’s note
JUNE 2015 ISSUE #60
Started from the buddom now we’re here. The Patient’s Voice turns five. It has been an honor to serve the patients
and activists of Washington since 2010. Our state is going through a lot of changes with MMJ and it’s important that we don’t lose faith. We all know that Cannabis is the safest medicine on the planet for a variety of conditions. Now we need to ensure that we can continue to access it in a safe and affordable way. The fight is not over! Please see our legal updates on changes to the law and how you can work to make things better! The June issue has a ton of fun information and solid reviews for you to brush up on before enjoying the sunshine, and let’s hope, some sungrown Cannabis. For those preparing new gardens, our GrowTech special on nutrients will be extremely useful. Being smart about how you feed your plants is important, especially as we head into peak growing season. As we turn to features, I interviewed
Contact editor Wes Abney to place an
former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura. We talked politics and pot, and how both are being manipulated in the national drug war. He had some wonderful ideas on how we can fight big pot and how we can and should treat addiction in this country. Don’t miss our 10-page lookback beginning in the centerfold — It’s a dank walk through our archives and favorite stories, but we could have done 100 pages on all the incredible stories we have reported on over the years. Dr. Rose also checks in with hiking for health, there’s delicious (and potent) recipes from Bruce and Laurie Wolf to test out, and legal columns on taxes and the implications of using Cannabis as a parent to dive into. Tired from reading? There are new medible reviews that will change the way you caffeinate. Thanks for reading and sharing the truth about this great plant we know and love.
Wes Abney
advertisement or become a drop-off location to display our magazine. You can also feel free to just share feedback, send pitches, articles, story ideas and hot news tips. This is all our plant.
nwleaf@gmail.com // (206) 235-6721
FOUNDER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Wes Abney
PHOTOGRAPHER & DESIGNER
Daniel Berman
ISSUE CONTRIBUTORS
Wes and Kori Marie
STEVE ELLIOTT MALINA LOPEZ KORI MARIE TYLER J. MARKWART BOB MONTOYA SEAN O’NEILL DR. SCANDERSON DR. SCOTT D. ROSE LAURIE & BRUCE WOLF
ADVERTISING nwleaf@gmail.com // (206) 235-6721 Please email or call us to discuss print and online advertising opportunities in an upcoming issue. We do not sell stories or coverage. We offer design services with Kush Creative Group and can provide guidance on the best approaches for creating a successful approach for your medical or recreational or ancillary industry business.
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Department of Corrections
On p. 58 of the Concentrates Issue, we wrongly labeled the 24k Gold 6-star hash by Fire Brothers as being BHO. Woops! @Firebros206.We also should have given proper credit to @Korilovescannabis for helping produce the issue.
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STEVE ELLIOTT is the editor behind tokesignals.com, an independent blog of Cannabis news and opinion
why pot businesses need bank accounts and new legislation Marijuana Businesses Access to Banking Act would help with the industry’s #1 complaint
U.S. Reps. Ed Perlmutter (D-Colo.) and Denny Heck (D-Wash.), along with 16 other Republicans and Democrats, reintroduced the Marijuana Businesses Access to Banking Act of 2015, HR 2076, which is designed to resolve the banking crisis that marijuana-related businesses face. By updating federal banking laws and regulations to resolve conflicts between federal and state laws, the legislation allows marijuana-related businesses to gain access to the banking system, ensuring businesses do not have to operate on a cash-only basis. A similar companion bill in the Senate is expected to be introduced soon. The Senate will likely have an easier time passing it. “First and foremost, this is an issue of public safety,” Rep. Perlmutter said. “Not only are the proprietors at risk, but the employees and customers are also at risk of serious and violent crimes. “It is estimated that 40 percent of the marijuana-related businesses in Colorado are unbanked,” Rep. Perlmutter continued. “This means hundreds of millions of dollars in cash are moving around the streets of Colorado,” Rep. Perlmutter said. “There are now some 213 million Americans who live in the 23 states plus the District of Columbia where the voters have allowed for some use of marijuana, and it is coming to a state near you soon.” “The federal government can’t keep an eye on business practices if they are forcing them offline and underground,” Heck said. “Forcing businesses into cash-only territory is a dangerous step away from legitimacy, transparency and regulation, and a huge step toward crime, tax evasion and access to minors. We’ve got to stop that trend, and with more states legalizing recreational or medical use of marijuana, no time It is estimated that 40 percent is better than now to of [ pot]-related move forward with businesses in this change to the Colorado are law,” Heck said. unbanked.
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Trending Right now, though, Bill Levin and his faithful need a new space to call home.
Weed-loving Indiana church tests questionable state law
Do
you use Cannabis every day... water” and that he will consider any suitable like religiously? So does Indiana’s alternative, including religious campgrounds, Bill Levin, and he’s taking private land or a public park. advantage of the state’s Religious The church has raised more than $10,000 Freedom Restoration Act passed to legalize on the crowdfunding site Go Fund Me. discrimination against gays in restaurants and Levin said the church Facebook page’s other establishments to offer a bold test of the 31,000 followers include a core group of law’s ban on government restraints on local activists sure to attend the exercise of religion. His needs pot. the service. “It brings us closer Adherents of the recently “It is our to ourselves and others. It is fountain of established First Church of Cannabis our fountain of health, our health, our love, worship and smoke marijuana, reports curing us from love, curing us from illness Steven Nelson at USNews.com. and depression. We embrace it illness and depression,” the with our whole heart and spirit, Marijuana is illegal to grow, use or group wrote on possess under state law. individually and as a group,” their Facebook. It’s unclear whether police and the church’s Facebook explains. prosecutors will take action against the church, Church members would have a hard or accept claims the conduct is protected by the time winning if it goes to court, according RFRA. We’ll know more after the church’s first to First Amendment expert Eugene Volokh, worship service, scheduled for July 1, the same a law professor at UCLA. “This isn’t a new day the RFRA takes effect. argument, but it has almost uniformly been Levin said he’s trying to find a church rejected,” Volokh said. building willing to lease him space. He said the Levin predicts there will be no problems July 1 service will happen “come hell or high with police during his church’s first service.
Courtesy First Church of Cannabis
national
state police want you to fork it over
Quick Hits! 7 22 22.8 37 70 200 250
Number of representatives who voted against passing Senate Bill 3 in Pennsylvania last month (it succeeded with 40 in favor). The law allows MMJ but no home grows or flower use. Weight in pounds of bales of marijuana that washed ashore in Alabama and North Carolina last month in an incident police believe is connected to local crime.
Enforcing Oregon’s new laws comes at a real cost
Legalization? What legalization? Advocates might rightly be asking this question after the Oregon State Police requested a $3.9 million budget increase last month to go after marijuana, which is in addition to the $1.3 million the state police requested for a legal marijuana enforcement budget earlier this year. One can’t help asking,“Where are the savings in marijuana enforcement supposed to come with “legalization?” The OSP wants the money for 2015-2016 to pay for 11 full-time troopers and detectives, whose job description will to be enforcing all of the new pot policies, reports Aaron Mesh at Willamette Week. The state police have declined comment. The Oregon Liquor Control Commission put in charge of implementing Cannabis legalization has proposed working alongside the OSP to create “peace officers” to patrol legal Cannabis, investigate black market sales, enforce weed taxes and stop sales to minors. The OLCC is aware of the state police’s request, and expects the two agencies to “work together” on enforcing the state’s marijuana laws, said Liquor Control spokesman Tom Towslee. “We can see the need to have somebody from the state police here in the OLCC to handle the dispatch,” Towslee said, referring to an officer who could field calls from state troopers checking the licenses of people found with large quantities of marijuana. The Oregon Legislature is already considering a possible $10.5 million, two-year budget for the OLCC’s legal Cannabis program. Lawmakers would have to approve the state police request for $5 million more.
The Oregon Legislature is already considering a possible $10.5 million, two-year budget for the OLCC’s legal Cannabis program.
Millions of dollars spent in a single year by GW Pharmaceuticals to research Sativex, a much-publicized synthetic marijuana drug.
Cost with tax of a six-pack of single-serving 10mg-THC Cannabis-infused coffee pods by Fairwinds, hitting the recreational marijuana market in Washington. Age of a man arrested in Pennsylvania after his poorly wired grow caught fire, burning his plants and his freedom in one fell swoop.
Cost of a medical marijuana authorization offered by Canna Care Docs in five states, including Maine, which has been getting more patients recently. Cost of a proposed fine for possession of up to an ounce of marijuana in Texas, which killed two different drug reform legislative bills last month.
Quoted I THINK HOUSTON’S READY FOR A REASONABLE POLICY ON MARIJUANA. THEY’RE TIRED OF THEIR TAX DOLLARS BEING WASTED PUTTING KIDS IN JAIL.
‘‘
-Kim Ogg, a former prosecutor in Houston, Texas who backs decriminalizing marijuana in the Lonestar State. A marijuana legalization bill passed out of a committee in the Texas House of Representatives last month, but it’s not expected to get a hearing in the full House. 49 percent of Texans say they want complete legalization.
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national
STEVE ELLIOTT is the editor behind tokesignals.com, an independent blog of Cannabis news and opinion
Caribbean
JAMAICA WANTS CHANGE Island government calls for immediate reform to U.S. drug policy
M
ark Golding, the Jamaican minister of justice, called for the establishment of a committee to begin exploring how to revise international drug treaties that threaten to stand in the way of a nations’ marijuana reforms, in a moving address to United Nations representatives May 7 in New York. Jamaica recently enacted a law allowing marijuana cultivation, possession, and use in all forms. The proposal is significant, and is one of the main requests of an open letter released earlier this week that supports Golding’s views, according to Tom Angell of the Marijuana Majority, a highly vocal political group.
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“Existing U.S. and global drugcontrol policies that heavily Existing drug-control policies emphasize criminalization of ... are not consistent with drug use, possession, production and distribution are inconsistent international human-rights. with international human-rights standards and have contributed to serious human-rights violations,” wrote the groups, which includes the American Borden of StoptheDrugWar.org, which Civil Liberties Union, Human Rights Watch, also signed the letter. “Defenders of the Global Exchange and the Ella Baker Center for status quo can no longer paint the idea Human Rights. of regulating and controlling drugs, as “Minister Golding’s call for a committee of opposed to prohibiting them, as against experts on drug treaty reform is a bold and historic the will of the international community step forward for global drug policy,” said David or lacking political support.”
Research
Most Americans want legal A new Harris Poll finds that the growing acceptability of marijuana among state
lawmakers reflects attitudinal shifts among U.S. residents in the last few years. Support for the legalization of marijuana for both medical treatment and recreational use has increased by 7 percentage points in the past four years. The results come from 2,221 U.S. adults surveyed online between February 11 and 17, 2015. Among the news: Four in five adults (81 percent) favor legalizing marijuana for medical use, up from 2011, when three-quarters of Americans indicated the same. Meanwhile, according to Harris, half of Americans are supportive of legalizing marijuana for recreational use (49 percent), up from 42 percent who felt that way in 2011. Nearly nine in 10 Democrats and independents are in favor of legalizing marijuana for medical treatment (87 percent and 86 percent, respectively) and more than half support recreational use (58 percent and 55 percent). About 70 percent of Republicans support medicinal use of marijuana, while about 23 percent oppose. In contrast, 65 percent of Republicans oppose legalizing recreational use of marijuana. Only 27 percent of the Repubs’ polled support legalizing recreational pot.
About four in five adults say they favor legalizing marijuana for medicinal use, up from 75 percent support in 2011. the harris poll www.tinyurl.com/newpotpoll
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Guide
By NORTHWEST LEAF STAFF
MEDICAL MARIJUANA IN WASHINGTON IS CHANGING HERE’S HOW YOU CAN FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHTS AS A PATIENT Sign Initiative 1372
This measure would create a sevenmember board to license and regulate commercial medical Cannabis dispensers, producers, and processors; impose fees; adopt a tax exemption; allow Cannabis use by minors; require video evidence of impairment to use THC blood concentration evidence; authorize use by non-residents; limit housing discrimination ; require siting of medical Cannabis licensees by local governments; restrict employment-related testing; add defenses to criminal prosecutions; limit cooperation with federal investigations; and adopt other Cannabis-related laws. Learn more at www.tinyurl.com/support1372 Sign and share the initiative that has been inserted into many Northwest Leaf’s and follow the instructions for mailing it in!
Sign Referendum 76
The R76NO Committee intends to keep Washington’s Medical Marijuana safe and separate by overturning sections of the ESSB5052 passed by the legislature and signed by the Governor that will otherwise eliminate existing Washington State Medical Access points by July 3, 2016 and reduce plant counts and possession limits for patients. This Referendum would roll back most of the damaging sections of 5052 and should be signed! To support and learn more contact (425) 572-0899 or email R76NO5052@gmail.com. You can print double-sided 11x17 Referendum 76 signature sheets for only $0.12 each at any Fedex store, using File Retrieval Code 2EE4248 under Account Discount #0589281101. Learn more at www.tinyurl.com/supportR76no
>> The passage of SB 5052
is creating a lot of confusion and justified worry among patients and providers across the state. Over the next 14 months, the way that patients access their medicine will be changing. We’ve analyzed these changes as we understand, though we must note that this information comes with a caveat: Nothing is certain about the future changes to MMJ. The soon to be renamed Washington Liquor and Cannabis Control Board is responsible for enacting new rules for medical Cannabis by July 2016, with some parts of SB 5052 taking effect July 24, 2015. If you are a patient, provider or concerned citizen you must follow the rule making process closely. This is the last opportunity until the next legislative session to lobby for changes which protect patient access. If the MMJ industry does not get involved and begin representing itself we will see less desirable rules being put into place.
changes Effective April 24, 2015 -No patient under the age of 21 may donate/access medicine at a collective garden access point. -Patients under the age of 21 may have a caregiver/designated provider access their medicine. -The LCB will be attempting stings with patients posing as minors under the age of 21.
changes Effective July 25, 2015 -Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury become recognized conditions for a medical Cannabis authorization -Health care providers have many new restrictions placed upon them, including requiring new authorizations beyond this date to be on a new form provided by the DOH, which does not currently exist. For more information on the limitations placed on providers see the DOH website. -No more than 15 plants may be grown in a single housing unit, regardless of the number of patients living on site. -Butane extraction is illegal unless licensed specifically by the LCB. Currently we believe the language allows other non-combustable methods of extraction (Solventless/Waterhash/Rosin/Co2/FECO) until the LCB establishes rules to also govern those methods.
Effective July 1, 2016 -Marijuana producers, processors and retail stores must be licensed by the LCB. -Marijuana and marijuana products must be tested and analyzed, accurately labeled, and sold in child-resistant packaging. -Licensed retail stores may apply for and get a medical marijuana endorsement. -Optional registry becomes live, patient possession limits change based on registration status. -Collective gardens under the old law are no longer allowed. New language allows for cooperatives with specific restrictions. -Up to four patients and designated providers may form a cooperative at the residence of one of the members and may grow the total authorized amount for the four members. Cooperatives must be registered with the LCB.
New Rules for MMJ from the Washington State Dept. of Health | Doh.wa.gov/YouandYourFamily/Marijuana/MedicalMarijuana
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Profile
By WES ABNEY | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN
HUGH H. NEWMARK Rick Simpson Oil’s powerful benefits are well-known but often out of reach for patients due to the medicine’s cost. That’s just one reason why the owner of Best Buds Collective in Bellingham plans to give lots of it away June 27. Why did you want to move to Washington? I was working in Florida as a signature gatherer for Amendment 2 to get MMJ on the ballot. My mom is an MMJ patient and we wanted to move to a state that helps protect medical Cannabis. My mom used to be on an insane amount of painkillers and is now Opiate-free because of Cannabis. One day I had a friend that worked at an access point in Bellingham call me and ask if I wanted to come check out a dispensary, and as fate would have it, I now operate my own called Best Buds Collective. Opiates tore my family up, big time. Medical Cannabis brought my family back together. It got my whole family out of Florida.
What inspired you to start working with Cannabis? Watching my mom go through a transition from being hooked on pharmaceuticals to having one joint changed everything. It puts everything into perspective. At 18 years old, I opened my eyes to Cannabis as medicine. Since moving here, operating an access point has been the most inspiring and humbling thing I’ve ever done in my entire life. No one prepares you for how much compassion it takes to do the job. There’s no way to understand just how much you are going to give and learn, or that you will love every one of your patients like family. So you just start doing it.
What made you want to start donating rso? I gave out 66 grams at the last one, with the majority being donated for free, which I consider to be an extraordinary success. RSO is really strong and the most effective medicine, but a lot of patients don’t understand it and it’s really expensive. I see it in medical stores for $60 plus tax and over $100 per gram at recreational stores. The idea of making RSO more accessible to everyone is what excited me. The people that need
18/JUNE 2015 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF
high-CBD RSO are the poorest, sickest people you would ever encounter. Even though it will be busy, every patient that comes in is going to get one-onone attention and leave knowing more about RSO than when they got there and leave with free medicine. I’m really hoping we get people from all around the state.
what can patients expect that day? If you are a new patient, it will be extremely helpful to scan your ID and authorization and pre-verify with us over email. You don’t have to, but to ensure you get in quicker, it’s a good thing to do. We will have an RSO expert on hand: Orion Dillon of Relief RX will be handing out information and answering questions. We are asking patients to donate what they can to help share the cost, but if not, that is perfectly fine. Each patient will get a gram of RSO, which has been tested. We have a heavy emphasis on having all our RSO available for donation tested.
This is clearly a passionate issue for you: Our Relief RSO is $20 a gram with tax, every day, because it is the right thing to do. You shouldn’t be making money on RSO patients because they are your most loyal and devoted patients and deserve the most love. At the end of each day we provide medicine for sick people. I’d prefer to focus less on profiting from each patient and more on patients getting access and being happy with their medicine. This unregulated system is the most beautiful medical system in the world. Fierce competition and the desire to stay alive and stay prosperous has brought unbelievable creativity. The Washington Cannabis market will never again be this awesome. SB 5052 will stop our ability to do things like this so I am giving back while we can, before Washington limits our rights in a way that affects RSO patients. We’re going to give out as much medicine as we can, while we can, until then!
FREE RSO DAY 1 2 - 8 p m // S A T U R D A Y J U N E 2 7 t h
Best Buds Collective (360) 392-8653 2518 Meridian St, Bellingham 98225 Limit 1 gram per patient, donations welcome
For wholesale or product info email contact@ leafchews .com
Organic S t r a & Cashew wberry Jelly PB & J Ch ew C om
Infused with Pure CO2 Oil tested by
ing s Ana lytical 360 oon t o an access u point o r 502 retailer near yo
access
Seattle Cannabis Co.
Reviewed
STORY & SHOP PHOTO by TYLER J. MARKWART for NORTHWEST LEAF
The inside layout is sophisticated and pleasant with lots of natural light.
Strains 3.5/5
Edibles 3/5
Concentrates 3/5
THE SELECTION featured some well-known strains
THE EDIBLE selection is not really where
THE SELECTION of concentrates was
and local favorites. The quality and prices aren’t up to par yet and it seems as though a lot of waste exists in some of the packaging of these company’s products. But all in all, it’s nice to be able to walk into a store and buy a bag of “legal weed.”
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it should be — we are seeing much of the same products in most of the recreational stores. We haven’t seen a standout edible that interested us.
limited to a handful of samples, but what was available was decently priced, had OK testing results and wasn’t horrible when dabbed.
RINGO’S GIFT
13.4% THC 11.3% CBD
2 GRAMS, $35.89
THE SCORE I wasn’t impressed with this a rom a Ringo’s Gift sample. The smell is strange and the buds looked gnarly, almost as though de n s ity they came out of a bag of 1990’s brick weed. All it cure was missing was 200 seeds and the smell of Miraclel ooks Gro. Maybe that’s what that smell was. Either way, I ta s te wouldn’t buy or give this weed away. Also, check the e ffe ct label to see when your bag was harvested and packed. tota l : 11/30
PRODUCED by CANNA SOL
PRODUCT PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN
LEGAL POWER TONIC 9LB. HAMMER HONEYCOMB 94.46% THC PRODUCED by GREEN RUSH A quality crumble is hard to find
and the folks over at Green Rush did a pretty good job with their extraction of the 9lb Hammer. Test results were solid and the sample crumbled easily and wasn’t hard to manipulate. Hits were smooth on the throat and lungs. A fair amount of coughing followed the exhale, which can be overwhelming for some. It wasn’t a bad indica and it also was decently priced.
Environment 4.5/5 A NATURALLY well-lit floor space that was
welcoming, clean and ADA accessible let customers easily maneuver through the store to find what they needed. The store is located between two bus stops, which is nice and easy. Parking seems like it may be a bit more of a challenge.
1/2 gram, $43.50 THE SCORE
TASTE E FFE CT L OOKS EASE tota l : 12/20
PRODUCED This little bottle of by MIRTH goodness will make your PROVISIONS Friday funky and fun, and
20MG THC, $21.20 THE SCORE
looks VA LU E TA ST E ef f ec t t o ta l: 17/20
it also comes in a variety of wonderful flavors. Well-dosed and flavorful, Mirth Power Tonic is made for those new to edibles and for those of us with larger tolerances. The packaging was excellent. Our only gripe was that we wish the caps were screw-offs and not pop tops. They also were well-priced for what you get.
Overall 14/20 SEATTLE CANNABIS CO. is a nice storefront, the
employees are pleasant and prices are decent for the quality. Producer/processors really need to step up their game and start producing better products and the Liquor Control Board needs to allow more licenses for increased competition in the market place.
Customers can easily maneuver throughout to find what they need from a decent selection of strains and medibles. SEATTLE CANNABIS CO. (REC)
3230 1st Avenue S. Seattle, WA 98134 (206) 294-5839 SeattleCannabis.Co
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The Joint Recreational 1510 N Wenatchee Ave. Wenatchee, WA 98801 This product has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination, and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. For use only by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of the reach of children.
access
By WES ABNEY & KORI MARIE | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN
Walking into one of the three flowering rooms at Sonic Green is like stepping into an exotic jungle that you want to smoke.
Assistant Head Grower Ryan Zoiss Sonic Green Owner Mark Caplin Head Grower Adam Minkus
HOW SONIC GREEN MAKES EXOTIC RECREATIONAL BUD
BELLINGHAM-GROWN Three types of growers have emerged in Wash-
ington’s recreational market: Those who do it for profit, those who don’t know how to do it at all and those who grow because they love the plant. Mark Caplin’s love for Cannabis is what sent him on a journey across the country. Originally from Chicago, Mark saw the legal changes in Washington and knew he had to be a part of it. “I moved here as soon as the vote happened,” Mark said. “I always wanted to get in the industry and I wanted to do it in Illinois, but the bureaucracy on medical was dragging its feet. Prior to this, I was in corporate sales and worked as a market maker on the floor of the Chicago Stock Exchange brokering orders.” Mark left a secure job and his old life behind, all on the hope that he would obtain a license to grow pot legally. “I went for it,” he said. “Rolled the dice. I had money and knew I could justify capital, and I had some bullets in my gun, but I had no right to think I was going to get a license. We had top genetics from Montana, a good growing team and we lucked out and got a Tier 2 producer/processor license.” The team at Sonic Green got its license in September after a long battle to find a compliant location. The original location was in Des Moines, but zoning pushed them up to Bellingham. They immediately got to work bringing in exotic plants and
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genetics that are not seen often in the Washington rec market. “One thing that really sets us apart is our strains,” Mark said. “We started with close to 40 strains, some of them more common, but we focus on growing the exotic and unique strains. What we hang our hat on is our strains and ability to separate from the rest of the market. I wanted to grow not just the best yielding, but as a connoisseur myself, I wanted the very best. We fought so hard to get elite genetics and we didn’t want to bother with the more mainstream strains.” Walking into one of the three flowering rooms at Sonic Green is like stepping into an exotic jungle that you want to smoke. Beautiful strains compete for your attention with names like Golden Goat, Ghost OG, Moonshine, Agent Orange and the Wappa. Each plant is hand-watered and grown with natural practices. Assistant Head Grower Ryan Zoiss works in tandem with Master Gardener Adam Minkus, who has a degree in horticulture from Cal Poly, to maintain high standards for the Cannabis plants. “I have had a strong love for Cannabis my whole life and never thought I would be able to grow in a legal way,” Adam said. “But I can tell you after coming from the greenhouse industry, it’s a relief coming to work with Cannabis in this environment.” “We use no pesticides because they do so much
in other industries, and we’re very proud of the flower that we produce. We use completely natural practices, haven’t sprayed once and never will. It’s the more medical style, not the fastest cheapest or most efficient, but the best way to grow to get the highest-quality, best-looking pot. We only want to grow what we would smoke ourselves.” Although the Cannabis they grow is designated for recreational use, the team aims to maintain medical-quality standards. “We are trying to achieve medical-grade product, which is the highest-possible quality in the market,” Adam said. “Once 5052 comes into effect, we are fully on board to grow medical. I do love the medicinal effects of this plant, and I want to supply patients with good medicine. Right now, our biggest problem is the price and quality in recreational. There is a lot of bad product, and if MMJ patients are going to have to buy from the system and find low quality and high prices and have trouble finding anything medical grade, they will go straight to the black market. We don’t want that.” For Ryan, it doesn’t matter if you call the plant medical or recreational. He said he considers Cannabis a wellness plant, and that’s what matters in their model. They want the product to make people well, no matter why they choose to use it. “My relationship with the plant,” Mark said, “is that I’ve had a love affair with it since being a teen. This is what I wanted to do my whole life. Now I’m in it! Not making any money, but I wake up with a smile every day. I love coming to work and starting a new life!”
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Profile
By WES ABNEY
On a resumÊ dotted with stints as a pro wrestler, controversial author and part-time TV show host, Mr. Ventura’s latest role requires traveling, giving interviews and generally being an outspoken critic of government overreach and drug misinformation. In a telephone interview on a recent trip to speak in Mexico, Jesse digs deep into reforming drug laws, saving our civil liberties and stopping Big Pot.
Courtesy
The former governor of Minnesota is no stranger to speaking his mind.
Jesse Ventura 28/JUNE 2015 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF
1. How do you feel about Cannabis legalization and medical use? I think it should be absolutely legal, in all forms and all sales. I spoke with Tommy Chong not long ago and he made the point that it is purely a medical plant and there should be no separation between medical and recreational. The concept of recreational use is only psychological — the whole plant is medicine and should be treated as such, in my view. Besides, alcohol is legal, and I behaved far worse on alcohol than I ever have on pot.
2. Should everyone have the freedom to grow and use Cannabis? Without a doubt! It’s a remarkable plant that we are learning more and more about constantly. It really is a wonder plant that has been kept from the public, from the people, by archaic laws in our country and worldwide. They always try to say that marijuana is gateway drug. That’s such a bunch of bull. The real gateway drug is tobacco — that’s the first one. It’s highly addictive because of nicotine and many kids who start up on tobacco will do it their whole lives. It is the only product I know where, if you use it properly, the end result is death. I remember it as a kid; we would get the kid with the best handwriting to write a note saying “give my kid one pack of Marlboros” and take it to a mom and pop and sell it to us. When they want to talk gateway drugs they are alcohol and tobacco. But they’ve been accepted socially, so people say those don’t count. Marijuana should be treated just like those other more dangerous drugs, at the very least.
It really is a wonder plant that has been kept from the public, from the people, by archaic laws in our country and worldwide.
3. What do you think about the war on drugs and its effect on America?
It is a miserable failure. Always has been and always will be. My mother said before she passed that the war on drugs is identical to prohibition — all it does is make criminals rich and powerful. My belief is that the United States is a war culture, supported by a war economy, and until we change the culture of America, we will be at perennial war. Whether it’s the Middle East or the drug war, we will be at war. Vote Democrats and Republicans out of office because the parties themselves are the problem. We need no more gangs in government. They put the party first, money second and we the people might be third, if we are lucky.
4. Who is profiting from the war on drugs? Private prisons? Yes, it is policing for profit — it’s dangerous. Any time you privatize and take away oversight and give power to corporations, you will have problems. And the problem is that corporations run everything. Corporations contribute widely to campaigns, spend billions to elect who they want, and rights get taken away from the average person. It’s principally the result of the despicable Citizens United ruling saying corporations have rights as people. If they have the same rights as us they should pay the same taxes and be held accountable for the same laws.
They want it regulated like a pharmacy, with pills they can prescribe to use and abuse the HMO system to overcharge and keep the ball rolling. If you have something you can grow or use yourself at no cost, they don’t like that a bit. 5. Is profit and control why the system is so scared of a plant? Here’s the reason why there’s a negative spin on pot in America. You can still grow your own in the backyard. Pharmaceutical companies and big corporations can’t profit like they can from making their synthetic drugs. They don’t have the market cornered with this plant. That’s why they don’t want it legal. That’s why you see these ridiculous laws, like the Washington law that doesn’t allow for home-growing. They want it regulated like a pharmacy, with pills they can prescribe to use and abuse the HMO system to overcharge and keep the ball rolling. If you have something you can grow or use yourself at no cost, they don’t like that a bit.
6. What is your stance on other drugs and the way we treat addiction in America? Addiction is a medical problem. All addiction is. It is laughable to think about addiction, and only think about heroin. The most powerful and abused addictive drug is called coffee, caffeine. If you could magically make coffee disappear tomorrow, how many murders would there be? How many people couldn’t function? You could be addicted to Hostess Twinkies, coffee, food ... there are so many addictions people face in life. Addiction should be treated medically, not criminally. It never should have been treated criminally. Addiction affects just about everyone in some shape or form. We’re all addicted to something. Luckily, I’m addicted to golf.
7. Can illegal drugs actually have a positive impact on people? If people only knew how many people die from legal prescription drugs each year they would stop worrying about illegal drugs. The Beatles admitted that when they wrote “Sgt. Pepper’s,” one of the greatest rock albums of all time, they were all on LSD. They created this rock album that will go down in history as one of the best ever on an illegal drug? Remember Anna Nicole? She took six medically prescribed drugs and wasn’t able to function enough to dial 911 and died from what her doctor had prescribed her. Look at the comparison. LSD is illegal, she is deader than a doornail, and the drugs she was prescribed are still being handed out to millions of Americans.
Interview continues pg. 30
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Profile
By WES ABNEY
Continued from pg. 29
JESSE VENTURA INTERVIEW
The American justice system’s moral compass is upside down. Truth-tellers are now villains and liars are heroes. 8. what did you learn from your time as governor of minnesota? It taught me a lot. People often ask why didn’t I seek a second term? I certainly could have won, but I’ll tell you, after spending four years dealing with politicians, the best way I can describe it is I felt like I needed a shower. They are the most unscrupulous lowlifes ever. If what I saw are the leaders of our great country, we’re in sad shape. Look at it from this perspective. Our current two-party system has been in charge 150 years. How far in debt are we? If our politicians ran their home economics like they’ve ran the economy, they’d be living on the street. Every child born right now takes their first breath of air and becomes $50k in debt. Who’s responsible? Our country’s leaders.
9. Where do you stand when it comes to freedom and politics, and what should the country do to get back on the path. I’ve always been a person who believes in personal freedom. I think our Constitution is being violated to a point that it almost doesn’t exist. I have a lawsuit against TSA and Homeland Security, and a federal judge threw it out of court. A Constitution? … That’s precisely it. If you go into an airport, you are not protected by the Bill of Rights. Where in the Constitution does it say you can somehow enter an area of the country where the Constitution doesn’t apply?
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10. The same issues are facing Cannabis right now. My home state doesn’t allow home-growing and instead forces users to pay exorbitant taxes to purchase pot “legally.” And when the question of taxing a Schedule 1 federally illegal drug was taken to our local federal court, they used the same argument, claiming they didn’t have the jurisdiction to rule. So pot is still illegal federally, just not if you have a state or special piece of paper making it legal. How does that sit with you? The American justice system’s moral compass is upside down. Truth-tellers are now villains and liars are heroes. Edward Snowden, the truth-teller — throw him in jail. Bradley Manning and WikiLeaks? The guys he exposed who murdered innocents walk free and Manning is in prison. Now being called a truther is considered an insult. How can the word ‘truth’ be bad? By that logic, if truth is bad, then lying is good. This happened during Bush and Cheney when they lied about Iraq. They achieved everything they wanted, and look what we are stuck with. If you question 9/11, or the politics of war, you are called a truther and you’re a bad person. It’s amazing to me how our society has
Now being called a truther is considered an insult. How can the word ‘truth’ be bad?
taken the word truth and just turned it. As for the laws in Washington state, it’s unbelievable. If people don’t think that’s suppression, then that’s what is wrong with the system. The powers make examples so no one else will do it. Who will blow the whistle now if you go to jail for doing it and bad people become rich? Stop voting for Democrats and Republicans. Nothing will change if you keep electing the same system.
11. wHAT CAN people DO TO fight back against THESE unjust laws as well as big corporations entering the pot industry and the continued threats POSED BY big pharma. Buy marijuana locally from people who grow it legally. Buy from the small guy, the mom and pop grocery store rather than the great big guy. Boycott “Big Marijuana.” That’s how people can combat this. In order to keep corporations from getting control, stay away from the Walmart of weed. And be careful about chemicals that would change or alter it. They do that with so many things today. You can’t even buy real corn anymore. That would be the scary thing. Once it is legal to grow and buy, do it like Colorado. Let everyone who wants to grow the plant do so.
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opinion
LEGAL Q&A I want to use recreational marijuana and I have children in my home. How can I keep my family safe?
kids and drugs don’t mix
Every parent should have a conversation with their
children about what marijuana is and what it isn’t. Children need to know that unless they are medical marijuana patients, they must not use marijuana. If you have older children at home, they need to know they can get in legal trouble for possessing, selling or giving away marijuana.
Can I consume marijuana when my children are in the house or the room? Parents should avoid using marijuana in front
‘‘
of children. Although using marijuana in the home is arguably no different from having a glass of wine or a beer, the law will likely not see it that way. Federal and local governments have made it clear that one of their main priorities is to prevent minors from obtaining marijuana. For example, the federal government’s 2013 Cole memorandum listed “preventing the distribution of marijuana to minors” as one of its enforcement priorities in allowing state marijuana programs. Locally, many zoning laws require medical marijuana dispensaries to be a specific distance away from schools and child care centers. Smoking marijuana near children exposes them to secondhand smoke and to its physical and mental effects. Consuming marijuana-infused edibles also has its risks. No matter where or in what form marijuana is consumed, a parent must never become unable to provide the required basic care for and proper supervision of their children. The state can consider a parent’s incapacitation from marijuana to be a danger to children in the home and could take measures against the parent.
What about when my children are outside playing? Or they’re asleep?
By KRISTIE CROMWELL, JD & PAUL LONEY for NORTHWEST LEAF
It might be safe to consume marijuana in those scenarios, as long as parents are not physically exposing children to the effects of marijuana or allowing them to have it. A parent’s bottom line should be: Am I or is another present adult capable of providing my children with the level of basic care and protective supervision that is appropriate and required for their ages and needs?
How should I store marijuana when I am not using it or preparing to use it? Parents who use marijuana should store any marijuana or marijuana-infused edibles under lock and key away from minors. Many edible marijuana products will appeal to children, and if you allow edibles to be easily obtained by children, you might have your parenting skills and ability questioned by authorities. Using marijuana does not make you a bad parent. However, using marijuana in front of your children or being unable to properly parent due to your use of marijuana could make you a bad parent in the eyes of the law.
Many edible marijuana products will appeal to children, and if you allow edibles to be easily obtained by children, you might have your parenting skills and ability rightly questioned by authorities.
The authors specialize in medical and recreational marijuana law. www.oregonmarijuanalaw.com
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opinion
why marijuana businesses are treated differently by the irs Back to Basics
For a service provider, in most cases, calculating taxable income generally means calculating gross receipts. Close to no deductions are allowed for marijuana businesses. If you are numerically minded, and have read this far, you’ve probably realized that a medical marijuana business can generate a pretax economic loss for its owners and leave them with a sizeable tax bill. That has unfortunately occurred with many marijuana businesses whose managers did not realize the after-tax position of the business until it came time to prepare the tax returns.
The disallowance of tax deductions required by Section 280E of the IRS code is one of the more intimidating legal and financial challenges facing growers, dispensaries and others involved in the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program. If ignored or not properly addressed, 280E can stunt the growth of a business or limit its life. It can also saddle business owners and service providers with unexpected personal tax debt. As the first in a series, this article seeks to go back to basics with 280E. Subsequent articles will suggest a systematic approach to dealing with common tax pitfalls and explain what to expect from the IRS when a tax return is filed.
Does 280E apply to my activities?
What does 280E do? 280E inflates a taxpayer’s tax bill by inflating taxable income. The marijuana business must, when calculating its federal income tax, ignore all expenses other than the cost of its inventory. A marijuana business that receives $100 from its customers and pays $50 of non-inventory expenses, must calculate its tax on $100 of income. It cannot make standard deductions. For a grower, calculating taxable income generally means calculating gross receipts and then subtracting the grower’s cost of goods sold (“COGS”). Although the rules for calculating COGS are complex, marketing, delivery, interest and many administrative expenses are generally not permissibly allocable to COGS. Because many real expenses are ignored, a grower’s taxable income will almost always be significantly higher than the grower’s true economic income. For a dispensary, calculating taxable income generally means calculating gross receipts, then subtracting the dispensary’s COGS. The rules for calculating COGS for a dispensary are even more complex than for growers. However, marketing, delivery, interest and many administrative expenses are also generally not permissibly allocable to COGS. Because a dispensary generally has more non-COGS expenses than a grower, 280E generally has a more significant effect on a dispensary than on a grower.
By ATTORNEY BERNARD CHAMBERLAIN for NORTHWEST LEAF
The first question with 280E is, does it apply to my activities? It is important not to skip this question because the answer is not always clear-cut. To plan for it, you must be aware of the danger posed by 280E. 280E generally affects an activity if the three requirements of the statute are met. Those requirements are an expenditure, a “trade or business” and a prohibited activity. An expenditure generally exists for a small business when a payment is made. This should not be surprising. However, because of barter transactions, a medical marijuana business might have more expenditures than even carefully maintained books and records will reflect. A trade or business is a profit-motivated activity that is considerable, regular and continuous. For a variety of technical reasons, medical marijuana cultivation operations and dispensaries are treated as meeting the trade or business requirement even though they are prohibited from being profitable under the reimbursement provisions of the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act. A prohibited activity is an activity that includes trafficking in controlled substances (within the meaning of Schedule I or II of the Controlled Substances Act) that is prohibited under state or federal law. Criminal prohibitions in the area of controlled substances are written and applied broadly. Many medical marijuana processors and delivery services meet this requirement and are subject to 280E. Although tax issues can be intimidating, the potential for 280E to significantly affect the finances of growers, dispensaries and others makes taxes an issue to consider with professional advisers when planning a business venture or just determining whether 280E exposure exists.
‘‘ 280E inflates a taxpayer’s tax bill by inflating taxable income. The marijuana business must, when calculating its federal income tax, ignore all expenses other than the cost of its inventory. It cannot make normal deductions like most businesses.
The author is an attorney and shareholder of Emerge Law Group in Portland, advising businesses on tax and estate questions. www.emergelawgroup.com
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dispatch
By KRISTIN FLOR, MIGGY 420, MINDI GRIFFITHS AND DANIELLE VITALE-O’BRIEN
JUNE PRISONER UPDATE [ ]
>> NEWS FROM THE FRONT LINES of THE HUMAN SOLUTION
PRISON OUTREACH June 21 is Father’s Day. Please consider all the chil-
NORTHWEST NEWS
oregon: THSI Portland Chapter is looking dren who will be unable to spoil their dads, past and for defendants and POWs who need our suppresent, with their love, due to unjust laws. Fathers port. While the people of Oregon are gearing like Richard DeLisi, Will Foster, Richard Montes, up for recreational sales, thanks to voters passCraig Cesal, Richard Flor, Todd Stimson and many ing Measure 91, people are still being charged others like them are experiencing persecution or and incarcerated for Cannabis use. have left this Earth as the result of persecution. If you are a victim of the war on drugs, speWhen it comes to marijuana and the law, the real cifically Cannabis, we want to hear from you. injustice lies when a person’s life is ruined or ended THSI Portland Chapter meetings are every due to a marijuana accusation. third Sunday of the month. Activities inThe truth is, nothing involving marijuana is a clude letter writing, prison outreach and court crime. When one is faced with criminal charges, support planning. For more on our Portland one must decide, “Shall I be another victim, or Chapter, email Mindi at media@thsintl.org. go down with a fight?” One such person is Todd On July 1, when Oregon celebrates recreStimson, owner of The Blue Ridge ational Cannabis use, many Medical Cannabis Research Corp., POWs will be sitting in prisa company he registered with the ons all over the country. state and for which he bought the One such person is the forstate marijuana tax stamp. Todd’s mer Marine Christopher Wilhome, filled with family including liams, one of the operators of small children, was invaded by 50 a medical marijuana dispensapolice officers and a SWAT team ry called Montana Cannabis, armed with AK-47s. which was in compliance with Todd has been found guilty and state medical marijuana laws Todd Stimson of North Carolina is in prison. Americans are tired of ran a research facility when SWAT when it was raided by federal people going to prison for pot. We agents in 2011. busted him last March. A jury are tired of innocent people losing Chris’ former partners plead convicted him in less than an hour. guilty, but Chris chose to fight time, which can never be replaced. The more time people spend He was sentenced to a minimum of the charges in court. In Sepbehind bars, the less of a country 25 months in prison and up to 39. tember 2012, a jury found we are. This law is based on racism, Williams guilty of eight felonot the greater good. It’s based on nies, due in part to testimony opinion, not science. The incarceration of people for given by his co-defendants who took a deal. any amount of pot is morally wrong. Williams found himself facing a mandatory You can support Todd and other POWs (people minimum sentence of 80 years in prison. in prison due to the war on drugs) by participatNot all of the co-defendants testified against ing in the THSI Prison Outreach Program or the Chris. Richard Flor, who pled guilty but did THSI Adopt-A-Prisoner Program. not snitch, died in federal custody shortly after his conviction. Williams was offered an unGo to thsintl.org to learn how to write to a prisprecedented post-conviction agreement, where oner, adopt a prisoner or donate money to a prisonall but two charges were dropped and the $1.7 er’s commissary account and help change their life. million forfeiture requirement was waived.
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Chris is serving five years, a fraction of his sentence, in the Sheridan Federal Penitentiary in Oregon, but was required to give up his right to appeal. He has, however, applied for clemency, and asks for supporters to write and plead for his freedom. Send letters to the Office of the Pardon Attorney, 1425 New York Ave. NW, Suite 11000, Washington, D.C. 20530. Please reference Christopher Williams ID No. 11839-046. Chris thanks everyone!
washington: Debbie Brechler and Josh Mauk of
Seattle faced a federal judge for the first time April 30 and pled not guilty to counts of endangering human life while manufacturing controlled substances, maintaining a drug involved premises, and manufacturing hash oil and marijuana. In order for Josh and Debbie to stay out of jail, they had to agree to an appearance bond, which covers conditions that will keep them momentarily out of jail. The conditions include no MMJ, and Josh has unjustly had his gun rights revoked. They must also submit to regular drug testing. Their nightmare began when a so-called friend called the police and reported Josh and Debbie for Cannabis. “She was a patient who we befriended,” said Debbie. “We even once did a fundraiser to help her pay her vet bill!” Ultimately, this friend became disgruntled after a disagreement and retaliated by unleashing a raid on the family home in July 2014. Child Protective Services removed their children and placed them with family members. Even CPS could see this case was unfounded and returned the children after just one week. The couple however, still faced state charges. Just as Josh and Debbie were finally able to see a light, they learned during negotiations over plea arrangements that the federal government planned to pick up the case. The government often uses evidence obtained from friends, family and acquaintances against Cannabis consumers. On June 29, at 9:30 a.m., Josh and Debbie face the judge again. They request com-
munity support at the U.S. Courthouse, 700 Stewart St., Room No. 16206, Seattle. This could happen to anyone in the Cannabis community. There are no victims in this so-called crime. Please come and help prevent another inhumane incarceration. For information on court dates, go to thsintl.org/calendar.
spokane: The Kettle Falls 3, Rolland and Mi-
chelle Gregg, along with Rolland’s mother, Rhonda Firestack-Harvey, are facing federal sentencing on June 10 at the Thomas S. Foley U.S. Courthouse in Spokane. The prosecution has recommended that the judge sentence them to 63-78 months. They are not facing a mandatory minimum, which means the judge can decide on no jail time. You can help keep them out of prison by writing a character letter to the judge, asking him to not incarcerate them. If you need help, please visit THSI’s website for some points you can include in your letter. If we flood the courthouse with positive letters on behalf of the defendants, we might be able to help keep them out of prison. Your letter can be e-mailed to info@kettlefallsfive.com. Thank you for your compassion.
Bellingham: Martin Nickerson and his two
co-defendants are still facing 12 felony charges. They have been fighting for their rights since they were raided four years ago. “All we have done is help sick and dying medical patients,” Martin said. The group, known as the Bellingham 3, appeared for pretrial last month, only to have their court date postponed. The new pretrial date is scheduled for July 22 at 8:30 a.m. Martin plans to take the case to trial so his peers can decide his fate. Please educate everyone you know about jury nullification — a juror can judge the law, not just determine whether the law was broken.
Kent: Tyler Markwart (a contributing writer and
photographer for this magazine and others) was facing eight years after being convicted of three felony charges in Whitman County. Tyler’s brief time in jail almost turned into life or death for him. He lost 26 pounds in days because of a medical condition. Judge David Frazier from Whitman County Superior Court sentenced Tyler to 53 days time served and a $5,000 fine, and no probation. Tyler credits his freedom to his attorney, strong community support in the courtroom and letters written on his behalf pleading for leniency. Supporters from across the state drove there to ensure he didn’t go to jail, and we commend them.
NATIONAL NEWS Global Cannabis March: THSI Vice Presi-
dent Kristin Flor was a guest speaker at this year’s Global Cannabis March in Portland on May 2 and Seattle on May 9. Events such as these are opportunities to educate the public about the true victims of the war on drugs. Please look for Kristin and THSI next at Seattle Hempfest.
Kansas: Shona Banda of Garden City lost her
son to the state over a month ago because he spoke up at school about misinformation being given during a drug education program regarding Cannabis. The information he gave to his classmates led to a raid of Shona’s house and the removal of her son. A gag order has silenced Shona from discussing her case publicly. Because of the gag order, we do not have an update other than her words from social media on Mother’s Day. At this time, Shona’s son is still in the custody of the state, even though charges have yet to be filed.
California: On May 3, more than 50 THSI
members gathered at DeeDee Kirkwood’s estate for the THSI Solidarity Conference, which included THSI guest of honor Eugene Fischer. Eugene is a former POW who served more than 26 years of a life sentence for our plant and is now one of THSI’s executive directors. Our first conference was a success as THSI wrote more than 75 letters to prisoners and raised money for commissary accounts. The United States has more than 50 prisoners serving life sentences, and many more suffering in prison daily for our plant. We need your help to end prohibition right away so these people can go home to their families. THSI offers court support and prison outreach across the nation. Remember: no one should go to jail for plant. NO VICTIM = NO CRIME = NOT GUILTY.
Learn more about The Human Solution www.ThsIntl.org You can help end the drug war! Please call 951-934-0055 to speak with a team coordinator. We need caring volunteers to help interview prisoners, write press releases, and prepare articles for release to the media. We are also looking for talented graphic artists, social media ambassadors & videographers. To learn more about joining a chapter near you, please visit the national team website now.
THE UNITED STATES HAS MORE THAN 50
prisoners serving life sentences for Cannabis. JUNE 2015 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF /39
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Feature
Every issue we’ll explore how growers are crafting strains with the goal of helping specific needs, not necessarily obtaining the highest yields.
STORY & PHOTOS by BOB MONTOYA for NORTHWEST LEAF
Micro strains I found this gem of a bud at Farmer Tom’s Garden of the Green Sun in Vancouver, Washington. Farmer Tom is an outdoor organic grower and breeders trust him with their genetics, so he has a large variety of flowers. Tom has a way of bringing out the best of a genotype. Black Knight is no exception. Its brilliant blues and purples are an indicator of its body-calming effect. It smells of a sweet and juicy blueberry. The cured bud has a strong pinene/myrcene scent and the smoke is smooth, the effects cascading down the head to the spine and residing heavily in the body. The Volcano produced the berry taste I smelled in the cured bud, but the vapor effect was more in the sinus, and got me up and about. My guess is the pinene survives burning less than the myrcene, because the different effects between burning and vaping are evident. Unfortunately, the genetics of this month’s strain are lost forever. The person that crafted this is no longer with us. As I pursued the plant back to its source — a breeder in Oregon — I hit a wall. I’m going to call this a 50/50 hybrid. It produces the euphoria (when vaped) and the sedative body comfort of a good Indica when smoked. The bud structure screams sativa, while the scent says indica. This is the absolute epitome of a micro strain. Available From Garden of the Green Sun Luckyfarmertom@gmail.com
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BLACK KNIGHT PRODUCES euphoria when vaped THROUGH THE VOLCANO and the sedative body comfort of a good Indica when smoked.
Bob Montoya is a Cannabis photographer, veteran & well-seasoned grower hailing from Olympia.
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Device of the month
PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN
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Diamond Facet Minitube
By @CHRISDRAGSGLASS X @HONDOGLASS MARBLE by @burningstonestudios, $1,000
For almost 7 years The CPC
has been researching and developing a diverse line of products that are now taken by over 20,000 patients each month. We've set the standard in wellness as a knowledge based dispensary driven by the needs of our patients.
When the dust settles, we’ll still be here.
Spend $20 – get a $10 Super Joint Spend $50 – get $30 of concentrate Take part in our Summer of Wellness giveaway series. We will be giving away $1000's in prizes over the summer!* (coupon)
*Bring this ad to The CPC to redeem coupon and enter raffle. The first drawing for a CPC product basket worth $200 will occur in early July. See thecpc.org/summerofwellness for more info.
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The C.P.C.
74 S Lucile Street Seattle, WA 98134 www.THECPC.org 888-972-1555
August 2012
Issue #26
Seattle Hempfest draws 250,000 people to Myrtle Edwards Park every year for the world’s largest cannabis protestival. Expect these rocks to get a bit crowded...
INSIDE: Map, highlights & history
2012
Seattle Hempfest
-MMJ101: WHAT EVERY PATIENT NEEDS TO KNOW -TASTY: ICE CREAM BARS AND COTTON CANDY -HEALTH: BEING HONEST WITH YOUR DOCTOR
[FREE]
THE PATIENT’S VOICE
NORTHWEST LEAF
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# NWLEAF @NWLEAF
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5th anniversary issue
By Wes Abney, Editor
AN AMAZING JOURNEY THROUGH A GROWING WORLD
T
hank you for reading this issue of Northwest Leaf ! Before I get into heartfelt ruminations, I wish to repeat myself: Thank you for reading! To everyone who has ever picked up a Leaf and shared it with a friend, thank you! Without the support of such an amazing community and dedicated activists I wouldn’t be sitting here writing this message. The past five years of publishing Northwest Leaf have been a dream come true and I am truly honored to be serving the Cannabis patients and enthusiasts of Washington. It hasn’t always been an easy path, or one I expected, but I am proud to be walking arm in arm with the truth about our plant. When I was a teenager, I swallowed the reefer madness pill and never thought that I would be using Cannabis recreationally, let alone as a medicine for several lingering injuries and a medical condition. But life had a different plan for me, and for the Leaf. I watched my childhood friend’s life change back in 2010 from a motorcycle accident that left his body ravaged, but it wasn’t the broken bones that hurt the most. It was seeing the pharmacological system prescribe buckets full of opiates while doing nothing to address the real issue. When you are in pain or sick you want to feel better, and Cannabis is the best plant in the world to make you feel better. Five years later, I edit one of the largest MMJ
publications in the nation, and I have loved evto end the drug war and the scourge of prescripery minute of it. Sharing the countless stories of tion drugs that are taking our loved ones away. those healed by this natural botanical plant has We need to raise our voices so others can enjoy created a sense of calm within my heart that I had the freedoms that we have. We must never give up previously been unable to hope. There is no more noble capture. Cannabis can help cause than fighting for the treat and heal hundreds weak and oppressed, and the During the past five years, Cannabis plant is the most of illnesses, from chronic I have watched a commu- oppressed plant in the history pain to epileptic seizures, nity of beautiful people diabetes and glaucoma, to of mankind. depression and post-trauLooking back on my youth and plants rise out of the matic stress disorder. It is and the misguided judgmenashes of prohibition to the only drug to boast such tal nature I perpetuated, I am start the most advanced healing properties coupled relieved and blessed to find medical marijuana with a low mortality/risk myself in the healing spirit community in the country. of Cannabis. It helps put life rate in medical pharmacology. I have seen this into perspective, and brings medicine change and save lives, and I feel grateful health to the center of the body, mind and spirit. for the time given to those suffering from someToday I recognize that we still have a long way thing as simple as a plant. to go nationally to free our plant and end the war During the past five years, I have watched a on drugs, and so I strive daily to educate everyone community of beautiful people and plants rise I can about the truth behind medical Cannabis. out of the ashes of prohibition to start the most I’m just an ordinary guy, but I’ll put in the extra advanced MMJ community in the country. That’s time to share this amazing plant, even if it’s with right, I’m calling it. Washington has the best Cana pad and a pen. I hope you will too! nabis in the world! And we truly care about our brothers and sisters and the plant that has bound us together. But our work here is far from done. We still need to free the plant for all people older than 21, not just in Washington but across the world. We need Past Issues: www.issuu.com/nwleaf
5th anniversary issue
Epic Moments
Photos by Daniel Berman
nOV. 2013 PUBLIC COMMENT ON I-502 IN LACEY
sEPT. 2010 HEMPFEST TEAMWORK
July 2013 protest at state capitol
The Leppell Family July 2012 | tinyurl.com/nwleafJuly2012 By Wes Abney, Photos by Daniel Berman
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sept. 2012 helicopter over seattle hempfest
June 2013 cannabis freedom march in seattle
may 2013 snoop lion’s denver premiere
Angela and Anthony Leppell tired of recommendations to treat their son Dominic’s autism with harmful pharmaceuticals. A year of medicated lotions, gummies and crackers changed his life. The permanent bruise on his forehead from hitting the side of the couch healed and the tantrums lessened. He became able to say “Mom” and “Dad” for the first time after years of being nonverbal. He could sit still in a classroom. He could hug his family. www.tinyurl.com/adosefordominic
March 2012 rallying for safe access at bellingham city hall
Jan. 2012
Ric Smith 1963-2012
“Every day, patients are discriminated against in their daily lives. It’s nice to come here and be around people who understand,” Ric said in Dec. 2011.
Oct. 2013 eastern wa outdoor grow june 2014 Dama oil profile
sept. 2014 three-pound joint rolled for harvestfest
Carole Antun
Casey Smith
Nov. 2012 | tinyurl.com/nwleafNov2012
Dec. 2012 | tinyurl.com/nwleafDec2012
By Raymond Flores, Photo by Daniel Berman
Story & Photos by Casey Smith
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5th anniversary issue
Functional Art
Photos by Daniel Berman
april 2014 bad bitch oil rig by dellene peralta
april 2014 SMOKEABLE GUITAR GLASS BY NATHAN AWEIDA WOODWORK BY JOSH BOHN
april 2013 rings of fire BY j. redd glass
april 2015 boro fumed #20 skull crucible dipped by snodgrass
Stewart McDonald Dec. 2012 | tinyurl.com/nwleafDec2012 Story & Photos by Matthew Williams
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april 2014 mini moon rigs BY sagan
“Without Cannabis and without the nutritional supplements that I’m taking, I know I would be doing a lot worse because my condition has improved to a point where I am walking around the house unassisted and around the yard unassisted,” said Stewart, 64, from Kennewick, WA. He struggled with the devastating effects of Parkinson’s disease and hepatitis C, but Cannabis, which he grew himself at home, improved his quality of life and alleviated a lot of pain. He died in 2013.
april 2013 FRANKENSTEIN BY DOC
april 2013 FLOWER BOWL BY LACEFACE
april 2013 diii dagger by tony diaz iii
april 2014 dragons by scoz glass
april 2014 blue clear rig BY jeff melitz
april 2014 FACE AND HORNS BY jSIN
april 2014 PHOTON BLASTER BY NINJAGLASS
Lucas Jushinski
Whitman County
Mar. 2013 | tinyurl.com/nwleafMar2013
SEPT. 2013 | tinyurl.com/nwleafSept2013
By Wes Abney, Photo by Daniel Berman
Story by Tyler J. Markwart
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5th anniversary issue
Tasty Edibles
Photos by Daniel Berman
July 2014 tannins & terpenes
AUG. 2014 MEDICATED BREAKFAST Styling by Malina Lopez July 2013 tannins & terpenes
July 2011 Bacon maple cupcakes
Edward Forchion June 2013 | tinyurl.com/nwleafJun2013 By Wes Abney, Photos by Daniel Berman
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July 2011 Dali’s Pot Pies
NJ Weedman Ed Forchion has traversed the country to support jury nullification and spread the word about how medical Cannabis helps people. It has earned him more fame than fortune. His bone tumor treatments are expensive and getting to them can be out of reach at times. Ed said he has met many people in the past six months who ask him, “Why are you still fighting? Didn’t Washington and Colorado legalize it? Isn’t the battle over?” That’s not a question Ed is willing to quit on.
AUG. 2014 MEDICATED DINNER Styling by Malina Lopez
dec. 2011 cannaballs
Women of Weed Dec. 2013 | tinyurl.com/nwleafDec2013 By Alison Draisin, Photos by Daniel Berman
July 2010 canna butter
dec. 2012 sugar high sour gummies
JAN. 2013 BHANG POWDER
The group meets monthly to network, socialize, discuss and debate, and just enjoy Cannabis-related activities. The process of being accepted into the group, as writer Alison Draisin notes, is not an easy one, and prospective members must be nominated by an existing one. Among the ranks are entrepreneurs in every facet of the industry representing some of the most innovative Cannabis brands and interesting new products. These special activists are the Women of Weed.
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5th anniversary issue
Strains of the Month
Photos by Daniel Berman
March 2014 Obama Og
APRIL 2012 Purple Diesel
Feb. 2014 UW Purps
Adam Ballout
Martin Nickerson
Feb. 2014 | tinyurl.com/nwleafFeb2014
Mar. 2014 | tinyurl.com/nwleafMar2014
By Wes Abney, Photo by Daniel Berman
By Wes Abney, Photo by Daniel Berman
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oct. 2013 Super silver haze x corn
June 2012 Lexus
MAY 2012 cINEX
July 2013 Pop’s Pineapple
jan. 2013 grape dyno
MAY 2013 SNOOP’S DREAM
march 2012 cali connection
Christine Martinez
Tommy Chong
Feb. 2015 | tinyurl.com/nwleafFeb2015
feb. 2015 | tinyurl.com/nwleafFeb2015
By Wes Abney, Photo by Daniel Berman
By Wes Abney, Photo by Daniel Berman
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THESE PHENOTYPES ARE SO RARE THAT THEY HAVE THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL NUMBERS.
GROWN by @ELEVATIONWA
‘91 CHEM DOG BC3 62/JUNE 2015 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF
3
NORTHWEST LEAF
STRAIN OF THE MONTH By WES ABNEY | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN
IMAGINE popping 13 seeds back in 1991
21.96% THC 0.19% CBD Test Results by Analytical360.com
Terpene Profile: 0.62% alpha-pinene 1.06% Humulene 0.27% Caryophyllene 2.05% Terpene-totals
and creating one of the most desired strains in the world. Everyone knows that when cracking a seed it is all about luck, love, and hard work. These phenotypes are so rare that they have their own individual numbers, and today we look to the 91 Chem Dog BC3 (the 3rd seed to be cracked). For the grower who goes by B from the IC collective in California, he and the original Chem Dog (the person) have worked to bring this strain up to Washington and get it into the hands of Elevation farms, where it has flourished into a beautiful flower that is begging to be smoked and enjoyed. This Elevation-exclusive strain has considerable bag appeal and solid density not often found in the Chem crosses available elsewhere. Picking up one of these nugs is like lifting weed dumbbells. They are heavy delights! Sweet and stanky aromas of diesel and skunk immediately fill a room upon cracking them open and the sticky trichomes leave your fingertips covered in a resinous heavenly smell. The buds are well cured and perfect for any type of smoking. We enjoyed rolling big fat joints of the flower, which burned evenly and smoothly with a light smoke and a tart chem taste. When smoked through a pipe the flavor of diesel is especially pronounced, leaving the tongue tingling and the cerebral cortex humming with energy. We enjoyed the flower during both morning and night, and found that the euphoric energy made every moment better. The overall high is powerful enough that it works in the evening, but can easily be enjoyed with a wake and bake.
Available From Medicine Men Collective
15804 Hwy 99 Suite A Lynnwood, WA, 98087 (425) 967-7220 www.MedicineMen99.com
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recipes
OREGON LEAFLEAF | PHOTO by BRUCE WOLF WOLF for OREGON LEAF By LAURIE WOLF for NORTHWEST | PHOTOS by BRUCE for NORTHWEST LEAF
Makes 4 servings
This month’s recipes
were all made with the strain J1. Uplifting and sometimes euphoric, this is the strain I have always turned to for butter, oil and simple syrup. I like the way it tastes, and when a bit of its herbal flavor comes through, it’s fine with me. It’s important to pay attention to the seasonality of the fresh ingredients you use. I have nothing against using frozen berries in the winter, but in June, I go for the just-picked, local stuff. Yes, it’ll cost more, but no comparison exists in taste and nutritional value between fresh and frozen. Enjoy the recipes and …let it go!
INGREDIENTS
5 tbs. mild olive oil 1 tablespoon canna-olive oil 3 tbs. raspberry vinegar 2 tbs. honey 1 tsp. Dijon mustard 1 tsp. finely minced shallots Salt and pepper 6 ounces arugula, cleaned 2 cups assorted berries ½ cup toasted walnuts 1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled
BLUEBERRY ARUGULA SALAD Adding homemade toasted walnuts gives a great crunch. Prepare these before prepping the salad. Heat oven to 325 F. Place the walnuts on a baking sheet with sides and bake until golden, about 8-10 minutes. Try not to eat them all, yet.
1. In a small bowl, whisk together the oils, vinegar, honey, mustard and shallots. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. 2. In a serving bowl, toss the arugula with the berries, walnuts and cheese. 3. Add the dressing to the salad and toss well to mix.
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44 More recipes pg. 68
recipes
NORTHWEST | PHOTOS by BRUCE for NORTHWEST LEAF from pg. 42 By LAURIE WOLF for OREGON LEAFLEAF | PHOTOS by BRUCE WOLFWOLF for OREGON LEAF Continued
Roasted cherry and goat cheese bruschetta
AVOCADO SMOOTHIE
Makes two smoothies. Combine all ingredients in a blender. Puree until smooth. If you want your smoothie to be frothy, add a cup of ice.
INGREDIENTS
8 slices crusty bread, toasted 1 tbs. canna-oil 3 cups cherries, pitted 2 scallions, chopped 1 tbs. honey 2 tsp. mild oil 1 tbs. aged balsamic vinegar 4 tbs. goat cheese
Four servings (two per guest) 1. Place the bread on your work surface. Brush thoroughly with canna-olive oil.
INGREDIENTS
1 ripe avocado, seeded and peeled 1 ripe banana, peeled and sliced 1 ½ cups coconut milk 2 tbs. honey 2 tsp. canna-coconut oil 1 tsp. fresh lime juice
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2. Place the cherries and scallions on a baking sheet and toss with the honey and the oil. Roast until the cherries get wrinkled and the cherry juice starts to thicken. 3. Put the cherries in a bowl and toss with the balsamic vinegar. 4. Divide the cherry mixture among the bread slices. Top with the goat cheese and serve right away.
TASTY
Reviews You can ingest this tincture under the tongue, mix it up in a favorite beverage, or add it to just about any recipe.
COCONUT OIL TINCTURE by fairwinds manufacturing, $40 + tax
100mg THC per bottle, Serving size: one dropper ( 0.5ml =10mg THC )
Finally, a healthy and versatile way to use cannabinoids that is potent
and delicious in the recreational marketplace! The Fairwinds sublingual tinctures are made using purified coconut oil instead of alcohol or vegetable oil, which preserves the flavor, and cannabinoids, THE SCORE while allowing for a variety of uses. You can ingest this under Va l ue: the tongue, mix it into a beverta ste: age of choice, or cook with the Effec t: oil in your favorite recipe. CocoPackaging: nut oil itself has many positive health benefits, and the dropOve ra l l : 17/20 per allows for easy regulation of dosage. The four different flavor blends are citrus, wintermint, cinnamon and natural. Each are very flavorful in their own way. One appealing factor to the product is the potential shelf life. Tincture doesn’t get stale the way other edibles do, making this a great option to use over the course of days or even weeks. We recommend mixing it into yogurt or ice cream, or just placing a dropper full under the tongue for maximum sublingual effect.
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By wes abney photo by Daniel Berman
The Cannabis inside is a sativa-dominant hybrid and the cannabinoids are brewed right into the coffee.
CATAPULT COFFEE PODS by fairwinds manufacturing, $35 + tax
Six-pack 10mg-THC pods | Serving size: one pod
The most popular drug of choice in Seattle has always been caffeine, and now the coffee capital of the country has a chance to combine their passion for roasted deliciousness with Cannabis! Drop your coffee pod into a Keurig-style machine and you’ll be ready to go within minutes. The taste of the coffee is rich and bright, with beans from Paper Tiger coffee roasters in Vancouver, Wash. The Cannabis inside is a sativa-dominant hybrid, and the cannabinoids are brewed right into the coffee. The small dosage THE SCORE is perfect for most recreational Value: users, and although it is light taste: for most patients, it still has a Effect: potent effect—especially first thing in the morning. You can Packaging: find Fairwinds Catapult Coffee Overall: 18/20 at I-502 recreational pot stores around the Evergreen State.
FairwindsManufacturing.com
product
Reviews By STEVE ELLIOTT Editor, Tokesignals.com
the cannabis encyclopedia The Definitive Guide to Cultivation and Consumption of Medical Marijuana By JORGE CERVANTES VAN PATTEN PUBLISHING, 2015 | 596 PAGES | $75, HARDCOVER | $50, HARDCOVER
If
Have you read his other work?
Marijuana horticulture The Indoor/Outdoor Medical Grower’s Bible
By JORGE CERVANTES VAN PATTEN PUBLISHING, 2012 | 512 PAGES | $24, PAPERBACK There are several editions and each new one improves with additional insight and helpful photo-driven guides. Cervantes' Marijuana Horticulture is often considered among the best textbooks for learning about every single part of creating and maintaining a grow. Between this and the encyclopedia you might need a new bookshelf.
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you’ve been waiting to buy a Jorge Cervantes book, this is the one — his magnum opus, “The Cannabis Encyclopedia,” is a gorgeous, 8 1/2 by 11 inch coffee-table volume that features more than 2,000 photos and plenty of potential for keeping it around. At almost 600 pages, it is a must-have for any serious Cannabis researcher or marijuana book collector. The book provides easy-reading information on medical Cannabis, explaining essential techniques to growing indoors, outdoors and in greenhouses. Gardening practices are illustrated with step-by-step examples and instructions. And the book’s three-column format makes it easy on the eyes. Truly helpful chapters on the history of medical marijuana, cannabinoid measurement and Cannabis strains can provide a firm background for patients and their caregivers, while the Medicinal Concentrates and Cooking with Medicinal Cannabis chapters detail several ways to concentrate and consume Cannabis. Each stage of marijuana’s growth cycle is graphically explained: seed, seedling, vegetative growth, clones, mother plants and flowering. Want to know how to achieve maximum cannabinoid preservation during the curing process? The encyclopedia includes that information. Grow room design, construction and maintenance are covered, as is how to site a greenhouse. Four case studies feature two indoor gardens, one with LED and HPS lamps, Jorge’s own backyard garden and a big garden in Humboldt County, California. The Cannabis cultivation focus is on organic practices. The comprehensive Nutrient chapter has drawings of 14 Cannabis plants illustrating nutrient excess and deficiencies. The Breeding chapter explains methods, crosses, back-crosses, true breeds and hybrids, offering illustrated instructions on starting your own home Cannabis breeding program. Cervantes, the author of “Marijuana Horticulture” and a world-renowned expert on Cannabis cultivation, concealed his identity with the “Jorge Cervantes” nom de plume from 1983 until 2010 so he could cultivate, study, photograph and write about Cannabis without persecution. Jorge’s birth name is actually George Van Patten; he came out of the Cannabis closet in a 2010 interview with National Public Radio.
Questions about the “best” nutrient brand or schedule to use are common, but like most gardening questions, the best answer is that it depends on what type of garden you’re running, the cultivars you choose, the medium you’re using and your stylistic preferences. My hope is that by categorizing according to ease of application, it will be easier to identify the features that nutrient schedules provide so you can choose a program that best fits.
growtech
>> REVIEWING TOP NUTRIENT FORMULAS
IN THE MIX
W
ith synthetic methods, you are largely responsible for providing the correct ratios of macro- and micronutrients in the ideal concentration to maximize the outcome. In contrast to organic farming, you don’t ever directly feed the plant anything. Rather, you are amending the medium you are growing in with enough raw organic compounds and appropriate microbials for the organic material to be broken down into a usable form for the plant. The best nutrient brand you can buy is absolutely nothing. Establishing the correct mix of soil, organic soil amendments and microbial inoculants that your plant needs throughout its life more closely mimics Mother Nature’s processes and delivers superior results. In the real world, though, variations from round to round, and the introductions of new strains and growing techniques, create enough variance that you have to consider the learning curve. Some plants benefit from a slightly different mix than others or demand larger amounts of certain nutrients during periods of heat, drought and other stresses. It’s during those periods that you might notice a plant beginning to “fade” or show signs that more macro- and micronutrients would be beneficial. Noting the time in the plant’s development and type of deficient characteristics the plant displayed at that time provide information on the most beneficial changes to the types and amounts of organic compounds to add or remove from the soil mixture. Keeping a worm bin is an easy, low-cost and BY NORTHWEST LEAF low-maintenance way to dispose of your waste and SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR have a readily available supply of rich liquid and solid DR. SCANDERSON compost that can be used — during the learning curve — as an amendment for a medium that is beginning to show instability in nutrient availability.
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You need a well thought-out answer to the question: “Why am I choosing to use a bottled nutrient program?” If your answer is along the lines of, “Because everyone else is doing it” or “I don’t have enough room to mix my own soils and have worm bins,” I urge you to get more information before spending thousands of dollars and countless hours only to reach the conclusion that no bottle is better than any bottle. For the purposes of this article, all the referenced bottled programs will be those containing synthetics or a mixture of synthetic and organics because I feel reviewing organic bottled nutrients promotes inefficient farming practices.
Bottled nutrients are usually separated into three categories. One-
part nutrients have one base for grow and one for bloom. Two-part nutrient programs have two bottles for grow and two for bloom. Three-part nutrient programs have three bottles for grow and the same three bottles, mixed in different ratios, for bloom. The primary differences among these types of formulas is the amount of flexibility and control the gardener can impose on the nutrient schedule compared with what the nutrient company recommends. While each company supplies a recommended nutrient application schedule, I always consider that a baseline. I usually recommend reducing their application rates, to start with, by 25 percent to 50 percent. However, being open to reading and adjusting according to what your plants are telling you, regardless of how far it varies from the schedule provided by the company, has always led me to the most profound results and understanding of the plants’ nutrient needs. No single nutrient schedule can be properly customized for all Cannabis feeding needs. If you need your garden to be as self-sufficient as possible, ensuring the highest number of varieties of Cannabis can receive the right nutrients at the right times with as little guesswork as possible, than a one-part formula might be an excellent solution for you. However, if you prefer to tinker and make adjustments, experiment with ratios of nutrients or have a variety that you have been able to identify specific nutrient needs for, then it’s better to have a nutrient program that allows you to control ratios more closely. Make no mistake. A more advanced grower will not always choose a more complicated nutrient schedule. In my test gardens, where I have varieties growing at various stages of development, I need a nuSome plants benefit from a slightly trient that will accommodate the different mix than others or demand largest number of plants with larger amounts of certain nutrients as little demand on my time as during periods of heat, drought possible so I can spend most of and other stresses. It’s during my time on production gardens. those periods that you might notice By choosing a one-part formua plant beginning to “fade” or la, I never fall victim to the trap show signs that more macro- and of adjusting nutritional needs micronutrients would be beneficial. to suit some plants at the consequence of others. There’s only one adjustment: A higher or lower concentration of nutrient. This also reveals how sensitive and specific the variety’s nutritional needs are. I’ve been consistently impressed with how vigorous, healthy and happy the test rounds run while using one bottle. In production spaces, maximizing the plant’s genetic potential is the top priority. When all efforts can be observed and devoted to a single variety, it’s much easier to achieve that goal. As a result, adding multiple variety runs might be most successful once enough information is
available to organize the plants according to the schedules and life cycles that most closely match one another. In many cases, this potential can be maximized by using formulas that provide for more flexibility once it has become clear where and by how much variation from the recommended nutrient application schedule is optimal. For instance, if a gardener wants to increase an isolated number of macro- and micronutrients, it can’t be done with a one-part formula.
ONE-PART FORMULAS Ionic is one of the simplest, most effective and stable one-parts
on the market, with simple formulas that are easy to apply and give exceptional results. Several base formulas to tailor to your starting water type and medium choices allow you to optimize the base formula and provide incredible pH stability. Ionic makes only one nutrient supplement, a PK boost for the final weeks of bloom, but it’s not always necessary to use the booster, though I have found it beneficial. With its recommended application schedule limited to the last few weeks of the bloom cycle, a little goes a long way. This company has a laser focus on single-part formulas that cover all the needs of all plants during all stages of development. www.growthtechnology.com
Dyna-Grow has an easy-to-use application schedule similar to
Ionic and reliably delivers outstanding results and pH stability. Dyna-Grow differs from Ionic in that in addition to the base, it provides two nutrient supplements, Mag-Pro and Pro-TeKt, which I’ve found are necessary to maximize the formula. They are both used from day one of bloom and provide flexibility. www.dyna-gro.com
FloraNova is a General Hydroponics’ one-part formula that’s
thick, heavy and contains everything needed for a productive grow. General Hydroponics applies its standard nutrient types to this formula, providing two schedules. I recommend using just the base for everything with a PK boost for the final weeks of bloom. The other schedule carries the term “expert,” which provides for many other supplements, all but one of which are not macroor micronutrient based. It does give gardeners the opportunity to observe the results of applying chelating agents and bio-stimulants to the program. www.generalhydroponics.com
TWO-PART FORMULAS Canna is a Dutch company that provides one of the best
two-parts I’ve worked with. It provides many base formulas to accommodate your growing needs, whether it be soil, Coco, soiless/hydro drain to waste or soiless/hydro recirculating. The supplements are high end and beneficial. Canna does make one supplement called Boost, which is expensive but not necessary for exceptional results. I’ve also found the recommended application is 3 to 10 times more than what is needed for Cannabis — depending on your growing medium. When applying only one-third to a 10th of what’s recommended, Boost is not nearly as expensive as some make it out to be. The other supplements, Rhizo Tonic, PK 13/14 and Cannazym, work well in their categories. I have found exceptional results using just the base and the Rhizo. The nutrient schedule that Canna recommends, however, isn’t close to what I have found to be most beneficial for my production spaces. Much tinkering was needed to arrive at the best application rates and schedule. www.cannagardening.com
House & Garden was founded by one of the two scientists who start-
ed Canna, and benefits from similar ideas and technologies in creating another superior two-part formula. While the base is not quite as specific in application type, it does provide a true two-part formula, which means only two formulas are used for veg and bloom. House & Garden manufactures a vast supplement line and many of them have a distinct enzymatic formulation. Many gardeners report excellent results from Bud XL and Top Shooter. www.house-garden.com.au/products
KIND could exist in a category of its own. While it is a
two-part by virtue of using two bottles for the base in veg and bloom, Botanicare took a different approach when formulating KIND. Most two-part formulas have one part that typically contains nitrogen, calcium and iron, and another that typically contains phosphorous, potassium and magnesium. When combined, they create a balanced profile. The company rebuilt a onepart formula for each grow and bloom, then isolated and removed the nitrogen and calcium and put them into what they call the Base. The grow formula contains a small amount of nitrogen and the bloom contains none. This allows manipulating the inputs of nitrogen and calcium, which Cannabis often has distinctive needs for. For instance, if you choose a medium such as Coco, which tends to leech calcium, or choose a variety that thrives on higher levels of nitrogen deep into flower, with KIND the gardener has the control over those important and specific needs of a plant without affecting the ratios of other macro- and micronutrients already in the formula. They have provided feed sheets for a standard recipe that requires only the three bottles or the “expert” recipe. Although I generally scoff at peppering nutrient formulas with all sorts of additives, I feel the standard recipe provides strictly the three bottles – no boost, no hormones — and the expert recipe provides only non macro- and micronutrient- based products, allowing the user to seamlessly add, remove and test them without affecting nutrient ratios. www.botanicare.com
THREE-PART FORMULAS General Hydroponics has become the clear category leader by
establishing the Flora line, a high-end, easy-to-use, well-balanced three-part formula that is used in many commercial agricultural facilities and is the highest-selling liquid nutrient used. So many growers found success through the extensive flexibility in the three-bottle feature that alternative schedules such as the Lucas formula have been created straight from this company’s nutrient lines. The best part of this nutrient program is that absolutely no macro- or micronutrients are required with proper understanding of the nutrient formulas. General Hydroponics has standard application-volume-to-nutrient-concentration tables which help to create a well-tailored regimen. www.generalhydroponics.com
Cutting Edge Solutions proves that someone, somewhere
will figure out a way to improve on an industry standard and that is exactly what CES has done with its three-part formula. A considerable amount of time and research clearly went into the formula by this Northern California company. Plenty of flexibility is provided to the gardener, and even more Cannabis-friendly ratios are allocated to each of the three parts. CES actually does not manufacture multiple base lines — instead, they are focusing on just their fantastic three-part formula. It also offers a much more tightly categorized group of four nutritional supplements that provide macro- and micronutrients, and bio-stimulants. The supplements are effective and can be used to supplement many other nutrient programs that the prodigious grower might find interesting. www.cuttingedgesolutions.com
Email me at thegreengardengroup@gmail.com if I can help at all with these products. Follow me on instagram @drscanderson_gt and as always Happy Gardening!
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health & science
Hikers find many reasons to explore the wilderness. It’s a way to escape the stresses of urban life and a favorite way to stay in shape — not to mention an excellent chance to connect with family and friends.
BY NORTHWEST LEAF SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR DR. SCOTT D. ROSE
HIKING FOR
HEALTH through a park or a rigorous several-day trek in the mountains, your mind is clearer and rejuvenated at the end of a hike. Stress melts away. You’re better able to focus your thoughts and those thoughts come and go more freely. Thoughts focus more on the moment and less on the regimented multitasking process of modern life. Research suggests that exposure to nature causes significant and measurable changes in the body, leading to smarter, happier people who are healthier. The naturalist John Muir was an early advocate of preservation of wilderness in the United States. He once said, “In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.” CONTINUES PG. 90 >>
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Neahkahnie Mountain Trail on the Oregon Coast
Photo by CreativeCommons/Thomas Shahan
Whether IT’S an hourlong walk
Continued from p. 88
Spending time outdoors increases attention
spans and creative problem-solving skills by as much as 50 percent, notes a 2012 study by Dravis Strayer. The authors of the study point out that the results might have as much to do with unplugging from technology as they do spending time outside. “This is a way of showing that interacting with nature has real, measurable benefits to creative problem-solving,” Strayer says. Strayer and others are at the front of what’s called environmental neuroscience, a field within the field of environmental psychology, which considers the relationships between people and their physical worlds. Environmental neuroscience narrows in on how one’s surroundings affect the way the brain works. Something about being in the wilderness appears to cause physiological changes: the release of certain hormones, maybe, or the switch of activity from one brain region to another. The brain is divided into regions, each of which takes the lead in a different set of tasks. Some regions handle the basics, others oversee more complicated functions, but the frontal lobe is the most important of the whole operation. This region, situated in the front quarter of the brain, is used for advanced thinking. Strayer and others hypothesize that this “caught up in the moment” effect may be a big part of why nature is so refreshing for the brain. In modern life, few of us are able to enjoy focusing on only what is right in front of us. That sort of divided thinking doesn’t do the brain any favors. It is taxing to the frontal lobe function. It happens whenever the attention is switched from one task to another and it even happens involuntarily when an attention-grabbing signal intrudes on your consciousness — flashing lights, ringing cellphones, blaring horns. Increasingly, however, we do this to our brains on purpose through the use of technology. Getting outdoors in nature might help offset those negatives and give the frontal lobe a rest.
lands, take volunteers out to maintain trails, and promote hiking as a healthful, enjoyable way to explore the outdoors. Another great resource is OregonHikers.org and books by famed Oregon hiker and author William L. Sullivan. Do you want to try hiking but don’t know where to start? The first step is ensuring you are physically ready for the challenges. A good training routine can increase your overall fitness and get your body tuned for hiking. You’ll need the appropriate footwear, clothing and gear. Packing the “10 essentials” and a first-aid kit whenever you step into the backcountry, even on day hikes, is a good habit. The 10 essentials are: Navigation (map and compass); sun protection (sunglasses and sunscreen); insulation (extra clothing); illumination (headlamp/flashlight); first-aid supplies; fire (waterproof matches/lighter/candles); repair kit and tools; nutrition (extra food); hydra-
tion (extra water); and emergency shelter (space blanket.) If you can walk, hiking is easy. Really! If you’re a novice, contact associations such as the WTA — it lists nearly 3,500 hikes on its website — and the Mountaineers (seattlefoundation.org), two organizations with resources for both beginners and pros. With hiking, don’t be so focused on the destination that you miss the journey along the way. Gregory Miller, president of the American Hiking Society, said, “Being in nature is ingrained in our DNA, and we sometimes forget that. John Muir urged us to head for the mountains, where “the winds will blow their own freshness into you.” When you’re out on the trail, stress melts away and you exit feeling great and motivated to do it again. Get out in nature. Take a hike!
Don’t forget to pack the 10 essentials when heading out for a hike
Hiking can also help with depression and feeling
better about ones self. The exercise required and the fitness gained are known as “feed-forward motivation,” a term that expresses the idea that if a result is favorable enough, or the payout is such that the energy investment is worth the output — and you are willing and wanting to do the same or more — then you likely will continue the activity. Hiking enjoys widespread appeal, particularly in the outdoors-loving Northwest. One organization to know and love is The Washington Trails Association (wta.org). The WTA is the nation’s largest state-based hiking nonprofit organization and serves as the voice for hikers in Washington. WTA Members protect hiking trails and wild-
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TRAVEL TIPS: The Washington Trails Association is the nation’s largest state-based hiking nonprofit
organization and has info on Washington and Northern Oregon trails. WTA Members protect hiking trails and wildlands, take volunteers out to maintain trails, and promote hiking as a healthful, enjoyable way to explore the outdoors. Joining the WTA is a good way to support the Washington trail system and stay informed and motivated to hit the trails and explore this amazing region.
check out wta.org for in-depth hiking info and guides
Dr. Scott D. Rose has written about Cannabis and health for years in the Northwest Leaf. He is an acupuncturist with a pain resolution clinic in the Crown Hill area of Seattle.
BEHIND THE STRAIN
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KEN’S PHANTOM aka Pink Champagne aka Raspberry Kush aka Wow Kush
BAG APPEAL & SMOKE REPORT The phantom’s appeal is off the charts. Plump, purple flowers
are complemented by bright orange hairs that abound each calyx. This medication is a purple lover’s dream -- and that’s before cracking the jar. The aromas of sweet cherry and currant and fresh marionberry pound the nose instantly, giving way to the relaxing scent of grape and Hawaiian Punch. The smoke offers a smooth, mildly expansive, citrus-sweet inhale that calmly tickles the bottom of my lungs before rushing out on a bed of spiced grape Skittles and a lingering dark berry, danky aftertaste.
HOW IT GROWS with the vigor and speed of cherry Pie, but with added gender BY NORTHWEST LEAF SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR DR. SCANDERSON
As seconds turn into fourths and fifths, I feel a deep and contemplative confusion set in.
stability, the Phantom is a relatively easy plant to grow. A medium bushy plant, her easy-to-groom structure isn’t too short and squat but also not lanky or stretchy. The Phantom responds extremely well to topping, producing even branching and uniform structure. She can be a heavy feeder and produces rigid, woody stems that are most successfully super cropped in veg. Very little stretch when transitioning to flower makes her easy to manage and makes for longer veg times to increase yield. She turns completely purple without response to temperature, producing dense medium-size spear-shaped kolas almost impossibly encrusted with salt-grain-size resin glands. Give an extra two to four days for drying and a minimum of an extra week for curing the flowers because of the density and resin content.
GENETICS: GRANDDADDY PURPLE X CHERRY PIE BREEDER: KEN ESTES SUMMARY: Ken’s Phantom is effective, beautiful and something
everyone needs to experience. Expert selection and breeder knowledge is clearly demonstrated in this marvelous plant.
LINEAGE
Legendary breeder Ken Estes created a wonderfully stable and potent cross. The precise balance that makes up this medicine is a distinctive cross of the famed Bay Area Cherry Pie clone and the legendary Grandaddy Purps. This treasure offers potent, purple and pink blooms of the highest order.
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EFFECTS my eyes swell for a moment before giving way to gentle
message of my temples. A euphoric calm passes over me as I feel my body relax into my desk chair. Time slows a wee bit as I nod my head to melodic music, which quickly becomes the center of my focus. The Phantom leaves its patients pain-free and mildly sedated and is best for this writer in the evenings. As seconds turn into fourths and fifths, I definitely feel a deep and contemplative confusion set in. I find myself wondering what I was wondering about in a sort of spaced-out place where my thoughts almost ... I’m sorry I wasn’t listening.