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DEC. 2015
FEATURE
30
WILD WEST GROWERS Leaf Gift Guide
12
National News
38
16
Prison Dispatch
58
18
Highly Likely
66
Health and Science
28
William A. Spilo
74
Successful Planning
Steve Elliott with the roundup Exploring the War on Drugs Pot pioneers, profiled
Helicopter ski guide loves CBD
28
Some goodies for under the tree
Grow Book Review The key to regenerating plants
Simone Fisher on menopause relief Dr. Scanderson talks site & space
20
Danksgiving
34
Access Review
44
Tasty Recipes
Oregon Leaf hosts party
Natural Wonders, SE PDX
Thanksgiving appetizers
PRISM HOUSE...........................22 FUTURE OREGON.......................24 STRAIN CENTERFOLD.................40 TASTY REVIEWS.........................48 CHASE HARDMAN...................50 CONCENTRATE......................54 SUGAR RUSH.............................62 MICROSTRAINS......................70 GROWTECH.........................74 BUDSHOT.............................76 BEHIND THE STRAIN...................78 DECEMBER COVER ART by JOSH BOULET for OREGON LEAF // JOSHUABOULET.COM SEE THE BACK ISSUES: WWW.ISSUU.COM/NWLEAF
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editor’s note
DEC. 2015 ISSUE #18
It’s the time of the season to be grateful for everything we have here in the Northwest! the holidays are here, and if you are anything like me, the Christmas music gets
old fast. But we have a lot to celebrate this holiday season, with growing recognition for both medical and recreational Cannabis spreading like good cheer across the country. The best gift comes in the form of high-quality Cannabis, and always makes a good addition to a holiday party. Even as we start swapping mistletoe for nugs, we must not forget our brothers and sisters in prison that will spend their holidays locked in a cage over a plant. This is the gravest injustice our country has seen in decades and we must not forget or cease in activism until our people are freed. This issue is a fun one, with custom covers in both states produced by artist Josh Boulet. His unique and inspiring art has graced our holiday edition for three years now, and we look forward to many more of these Christmas card-themed covers. We also have an essential gift guide for the patient or pot-lover in your life, with must-have items like vaporizers or a new line of purses for female smokers. Our issue also covers news updates from around the world, new Dr. Rose and Growtech sections and an informative article on how Cannabis can help with menopause. We also have new dispensaries reviewed, tasty strains and medibles and more! Please share this issue with family and friends and remind them to be grateful for the access we have to the safest medicine and recreational choice on the planet.
Contact editor Wes Abney to place an ad
or to become a monthly drop-off location. Please feel free to share your thoughts, pitches, articles, story ideas and news tips. This is all our plant and we want to hear from you. Thank you for reading and supporting Oregon Leaf!
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Jacob thom Jacob@ORLeaf.com PHOTOGRAPHER & DESIGNER Wes and Kori Marie
Daniel Berman Daniel@ORLeaf.com ISSUE CONTRIBUTORS JOSHUA BOULET, COVER ART STEVE ELLIOTT, NATIONAL WILL FERGUSON, REVIEWS SIMONE FISCHER, GROWTECH PAUL GRZELAK, EDITING MALINA LOPEZ, GIFT GUIDE KORI MARIE, PRODUCTION BOB MONTOYA, MICROSTRAINS SEAN O’NEILL, ILLUSTRATION DR. SCANDERSON, GROWTECH ERIC SKELTON, DESIGN PACER STACKTRAIN, FEATURES JACOB THOM, PRODUCTION LAURIE & BRUCE WOLF, RECIPES
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national
STEVE ELLIOTT is the editor behind tokesignals.com, an independent blog of Cannabis news and opinion
House Judiciary Committee PassES Historic Sentencing Reform Bill The bill would reduce mandatory minimum sentences
THE First ILLINOIS Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Open State’s first medical dispensaries open their doors
ACLU Releases MOBILE App to Help Hold Law Enforcement Accountable App allows citizens to record and report law enforcement
Illinois’ first medical marijuana dispensaries
have opened across the state, with five opening on Nov. 9. So far, a total of eight shops are approved by the Illinois Department of Public Health, with seven “We hope the more dispensaries state can see that a program like this works expected to open and we can finally later this month, relieve the suffering bringing the of Illinois’ most total number of vulnerable citizens.” medical marijuana dispensaries operating in Illinois to 15. In order to be protected under state law, Illinois patients must obtain their medical marijuana from one of these licensed dispensaries. “This is a great day for suffering patients who have been waiting to have access to this medicine,” said Chris Lindsey, a legislative analyst for the Marijuana Policy Project. “We are grateful they will no longer have to put themselves at risk by purchasing it in an underground market.” Under the Illinois Medical Cannabis Pilot Program), patients must register and select one designated dispensary as their source of medicine. According to the Department of Public Health, 3,300 patients have registered for the medical Cannabis identification cards. “The dispensary openings mark the most significant milestone since the pilot program began nearly two and half years ago,” said Lindsey. “A limited number of patients with certain conditions will now be able to legally access medical marijuana. We hope the state can see that a program like this works and we can finally relieve the suffering of Illinois’ most vulnerable citizens.”
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The American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona on Nov.
12 launched Mobile Justice: Arizona, a free smartphone app that allows Arizonans to record video of law enforcement activity and automatically submit those videos to their local ACLU for review if it appears someone’s rights might have been violated. The same app was also launched in nine other jurisdictions: Minnesota, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania and Virginia. The Mobile Justice app was already in use in Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, California, Colorado, Missouri, North Carolina and Oregon. New York has the ACLU’s original app to record police, known as the Stop and Frisk app. In all, residents of 18 states and D.C. now have access to an ACLU mobile app for recording police interactions with the public. Videos captured Mobile Justice: is on the app will be available as a free download transmitted to the ACLU of Arizona and for Android and iOS be preserved even if devices. It enables users to the user’s phone is record, witness and report seized or destroyed. interactions with law enforcement and offers information on individual rights. Videos captured on the Mobile Justice Arizona app will be transmitted to the ACLU of Arizona and preserved even if the user’s phone is later seized. “Nearly 40 people have been killed by police so far this year in Arizona and we regularly receive reports of excessive use of force by police and Border Patrol agents,” said Will Gaona, policy director of the ACLU of Arizona. “This app is intended to serve as a check on abusive behavior by police officers, sheriff ’s deputies and Border Patrol agents by allowing ordinary citizens to record and document any interaction with law enforcement.”
The House Judiciary Committee on
November 17 voted unanimously to advance the Sentencing Reform Act. The bill would reduce mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenses, expand the ability for federal judges to use their discretion to sentence people below statutory mandatory minimums and make many of the sentencing reductions retroactive. “This vote today is a significant step toward reducing the federal prison population,” said Michael Collins, deputy director of national affairs for the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA). “We have a bill moving in the Senate, and now we have a companion bill moving in the House, so I’m optimistic we’ll have legislation on the President’s desk in a matter of months.” The bill was introduced by Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) and Ranking Member John Conyers (D-MI), and sponsored by 30 other Representatives. The House vote comes a week after the Chuck Colson Task Force and Urban Institute released a report noting that many of the individuals currently incarcerated for drug crimes had low criminal history levels and thus a low rate of recidivism. Almost half of the nearly 100,000 individuals in federal prison for drug offenses were in the lowest two criminal history categories, and another quarter had no prior criminal history at all. Among the people convicted of drug law violations, three quarters had no serious history of violence and half had no violent history whatsoever.
The bill would reduce mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenses, expand the federal safety valve to make many of the sentencing reductions retroactive (applying to old cases, too).
Senate Approves Funding Bill Allowing Veterans Access To Medical Marijuana Senate passes bill that allows Veterans Administration doctors to recommend medical marijuana
Photo collage images courtesy of Creative Commons: Kurt Clark and flickr.com/eggrole
on Nov. 10, The Senate passed the FY2016
Military Construction and Veterans Affairs (MilCon-VA) Appropriations Bill, which includes language to allow Veterans Administration (VA) doctors to recommend medical marijuana to their patients in states where medical marijuana is legal. The language was included as an amendment in the Senate Appropriations committee in May. “Veterans in medical marijuana states should be treated the same as any other resident, and should be able to discuss marijuana with their doctor,” said Michael Collins, deputy director of national affairs for the Drug Policy Alliance. “It makes no sense that a veteran can’t use medical marijuana if it helps them and it is legal in their state.” Republican Senator Steve Daines of Montana and Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon sponsored the Veterans Equal Access Amendment. It passed the Committee 18-12 in a bipartisan vote. The funding
bill will now be negotiated with the House’s version as part of an omnibus spending bill. “On this eve of Veterans/Armistice Day, where we remember those who served in the military and the treaty agreement to reach peace concluding WWI, we see this victory as a step toward a peace treaty with the government we volunteered to defend with our lives and as a step toward restoring our First Amendment rights and dignity as citizens of the United States,” said TJ Thompson, a disabled Navy veteran. Currently, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) specifically prohibits its medical providers from completing forms brought by their patients seeking recommendations or opinions regarding participation in a state medical marijuana program. The Daines-Merkley amendment authorizes VA physicians and other healthcare providers to provide recommendations and opinions regarding the use of medical marijuana to veterans who live in medical marijuana states.
“Veterans in medical marijuana states should be treated the same as any other resident,”
Quick Hits! 0.4 14 15 20 55 60 90
Number of grams in each pod of the world’s first single-serve, pod-based marijuana vaporizer, dubbed the “Keurig of Cannabis.”
Number of criminal investigations of illegal marijuana production conducted by Oregon’s Douglas County Interagency Narcotics Team in autumn 2015. Maximum time (in minutes) that medical marijuana delivery service Eaze, “the Uber of Cannabis” says customers will have to wait before receiving their order. Needy families who weren’t able to receive baskets with turkey & fixings from the Women Leaders in Cannabis after denial by Oregon Department of Human Services. Percentage of Colorado voters who approve of the state’s legalization of recreational marijuana and believe that it’s been good for the well-being of the state.
Number of pesticides screened for in tougher new requirements issued by the Oregon Health Authority, which will take effect in June 2016. Minutes of passionate public comment before Medford City Council voted down an ordinance to ban residential marijuana growers inside city limits.
Quoted IT’S SIMPLY UNACCEPTABLE FOR THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION’S TOP DRUG OFFICIAL TO MAKE COMMENTS THAT ARE CONTRARY TO WHAT SCIENCE AND DOCTORS SAY ABOUT MEDICAL MARIJUANA - marijuana advocate Tom Angell says in response to DEA chief calling medical marijuana “a joke”
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national
STEVE ELLIOTT is the editor behind tokesignals.com, an independent blog of Cannabis news and opinion
Study SHOWS Marijuana IS Safe AND Effective For Pain Treatment The results are from 11 placebo-controlled trials
Cannabinoid preparations including herbal
1 In 8 Federal Drug Prisoners ARE Serving Time For Marijuana Offenses Roughly 12.4 percent of federal inmates are behind bars for violating anti-Cannabis laws
are incarcerated for marijuana-related violations, according to data compiled by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the U.S. Sentencing Commission and published by the Bureau of Justice Statistics. With 94,678 federal inmates incarcerated for a drug violation as their most serious offense, roughly 12.4 percent (11,533 inmates) are
| 88 months | Average federal prison sentence for marijuana offenses. serving time for violating Cannabis laws, reports
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Paul Armentano of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML). Most federal marijuana prisoners are incarcerated for trafficking violations. The average sentence for those in federal prison for marijuana is 88 months. The percentage of marijuana-related federal prisoners has remained consistent for the past decade. Nearly half of federal marijuana inmates have minimal crime histories and have not previously served time in prisonm and 85 percent did not possess any firearms. More than a third of these prisoners are 40 or older, and thirty-five percent of them aren’t American citizens.
“The review provides further support that Cannabinoids are safe, demonstrate a modest analgesic effect and provide a reasonable treatment option for chronic non-cancer pain.”
Illustration courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Photo courtesy of Craig Sunter, Creative Commons
More than 12 percent of federal drug prisoners
marijuana, liquid and oral Cannabis extracts, and nabilone (a synthetic analog of THC) are effective in the treatment of chronic pain, according to the results of a systematic review of randomized, controlled trials published in the Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology. Investigators from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia and McGill University in Montreal evaluated the results of 11 placebo-controlled trials conducted between 2010 and 2014, reports Paul Armentano at NORML. Trials assessed the use of herbal Cannabis, liquid and oral extracts and synthetic THC. Cannabinoids possess “significant analgesic effects” and were “well-tolerated” in the majority of studies reviewed. “The current systematic review provides further support that cannabinoids are safe, demonstrate a modest analgesic effect and provide a reasonable treatment option for chronic noncancer pain,” the study’s authors concluded.
dispatch
By KRISTIN FLOR, MINDI GRIFFITHS, MIGGY 420, BECCA NICHOLS & DANIELLE VITALE – O’ BRIEN | Photos p.16 by Daniel Berman
DEC. 2015 PRISONER UPDATE [
NEWS FROM THE FRONT LINES PRISON OUTREACH
this month, instead of focusing on those current-
open presents and be able to hold her children, something she hasn’t been able to do in more ly incarcerated, we would like to take a moment than two decades. When asked if she had a and acknowledge two of the most recently released message for the holidays, Alred replied, “Stop pot prisoners; two people who will be home for being mad — there is more to life, and treathe holidays to hold their loved ones and watch sure your family. That is all we have, and also their grandchildren play. These are two exceptional understand that a friend is also family.” If you people who served a combined 52 years in prison would like to hear more about Irma’s story, for pot, grown old and had time stolen away from please listen to the exclusive interview she did them, but are fortunate enough to now be in an with Voices of the CannaAmerica boasting 23+ legal medbis War just days after her ical marijuana states and four recrelease from prison: http:// reational states for the very same goo.gl/HgZXO5 plant they did time for. The first person we would like to highlight OREGON NEWS is George Martorano, the second-longest-serving non-violent Grants Pass | A valued offender at the time of his release. member of his community A poet and writer, he served time prior to his arrest in June, for a crime with no victim. Mar2011, Jason Nelson was a torano is now self-published on business owner and supSmashwords and shares stories returns home in porter of local charities such through his Facebook page as he time for the holidays with her as The Boys and Girls Club. gets acclimated to the new world daughter and grandchild after Nelson was also a medical around him. Cannabis provider to pa21 years of incarceration. tients. His story is like so Irma AlreD’S case is a prime exmany other citizens who ample of justice not being served have seen the destruction cancer can cause, in an America we’re suppose to believe in. Alred tried to provide lifesaving medicine and then was an independent woman living in California landed in prison as a result. He is serving a 10running a sewing business until she was persecutyear sentence and was recently relocated to a ed by a misogynistic court system. At every turn, prison camp in California. Please drop Nelson justice was not served for Alred. People bore false a letter and let him know he has support from witness against her in hopes of a lighter sentence to the outside. Jason Nelson #73621-065, 3705 a preselected jury, stacking the cards against her so West Farm Road, Lompoc, CA 93436. justice was absolutely not served. This year, after 21 years of incarceration, Alred will spend the holidays Sheridan | Chad Latham is serving a 15with her family. She will be there as her grandkids
IRMA ALRED
This year, after 21 years of incarceration, Irma Alred will spend the holidays with her family.
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year sentence in an Oregon prison camp. Latham, originally from Tacoma, WA, was convicted with conspiracy and manufacturing marijuana in 2006, but looks forward to finally being released in early 2018. Latham’s biggest crime was being good at what he did. He designed and built large machines that held 192 Cannabis plants each. The ingenious creation looked a lot like a Ferris wheel. One can only guess the extensive impact Latham could have had on the future of Cannabis growing if he had been allowed to continue to experiment with his work. Prison has not prevented Latham from furthering his growth. In late October, he finished his degree and plans to continue to study computers, which he enjoys. His continuous positive attitude despite the circumstances is an inspiration to all who know him. The address to send Latham congratulations for his success is: Chad Latham #34699-086, FCI Sheridan, PO BOX 6000, Sheridan, OR 97378.
WASHINGTON Tacoma Cross | The federal
government raids across the nation against MMJ dispensaries in 2011 and again in 2013 are still lingering for defendant Lance Gloor, accused owner of Tacoma Cross, Lacey Cross, Seattle Cross and Key Peninsula Cross. The dispensaries were just a few caught up in the sweeps across the country. Regardless of state law, federal law is very different, so it’s irrelevant that Lacey Cross and the other dispensaries were 100 percent dedicated to following state laws, paid state taxes and were LLC licensed by the state as well as each individual city in which they were located. Today, Gloor is facing a federal mandatory
minimum of 35 years to life. His charges include conspiracy to distribute marijuana, conspiracy to manufacture marijuana and conspiracy to commit money laundering. If Judge Leighton does not rule to dismiss the charges, Gloor faces jury trial on Jan. 7, 2016. A recent motion filed by attorney Karen Unger is first requesting that the federal government dismiss the charges due to entrapment by estoppel; the second part of the motion requests dismissal of charges due to selective prosecution. Of the 15 dispensaries raided in Washington that year, the four affiliated with this case are the only cases being pursued along with the fact that Washington now has hundreds of medical marijuana and retail marijuana shops currently operating legally in the state. The third reason they feel the case should be dismissed is that the Department of Justice is legally prohibited from using federal funds in connection with the enforcement of any law that interferes with a state’s ability to implement its own laws that authorizes the use, distribution, possession or cultivation of medical marijuana. The dismissal hearing is to be held in the Western District of Washington federal court in Tacoma on Dec. 4.
Since March 2, 2014, the day Gloor voluntarily
turned himself in to the feds, he has been on house arrest and forced to wear a federal GPS tracking ankle bracelet for monitoring with restrictions on when he can leave his home. He also spent 18 days in the SeaTac Federal Prison Facility and is required to take random urine-based drug tests. He was offered four separate deals to plead guilty to lesser charges from federal prosecuting attorney Vince Lombardi, but refused them all. The feds have turned his co-defendants James Lucas and Matthew Roberts into federal informants and multiple former friends and employees into witnesses against him by offering them deals in exchange for testimony that will give them little or no prison time. Gloor is the only defendant left fighting for his innocence and refusing to cooperate with the federal government, and you can help. If this case goes to trial, Gloor will need every patient and caregiver possible to stand up for his sacrifices in the courtroom. If the judge does not dismiss this case, or if one of the jurors does not find him innocent, we could lose him to our federal prison system. This is why informing people about jury nullification is so important. It only takes one juror to stand up for Gloor and all other medical marijuana patients of Washington to ensure that justice is served by saying, “not guilty” and telling the feds/ DOJ to honor and respect our
NO VICTIM = NO CRIME = NOT GUILTY No one should be caged for Cannabis.
state medical marijuana laws. Gloor continues to fight hard for you and your rights while fighting for his; please support him as he is supporting you. If he is lost to the federal prison system, it is another huge blow to our MMJ community, as well as our personal and state rights. Your voice and support is very valuable, not just in helping Gloor, but all the current and future MMJ patients and providers. Remember, teamwork makes the dream work and united we stand, divided we fall. The trial date could change, so pay attention to future updates!
Seattle | Josh
Mauk and Debbie Brechler are hoping for letters of love and support to be written to the judge to help conJosh & vince him to waive Debbie jail time in their MMJ case. They are also requesting your presence at 9 a.m. on Jan. 9, 2016 in the courtroom. Their attorneys had no confidence in a fully informed or compassionate jury and convinced the couple that they would lose if they went to trial, forcing them to plead guilty to child endangerment. The sentence the prosecution has offered the couple is one year and a day in federal prison. Please address your letters to the Honorable Judge John C. Coughenour and email them to debbiebrechler21@gmail.com. Please bring your ID to the federal courthouse in Seattle and help bring court support to their sentencing!
Bellingham | At the expense of the taxpayers
and all involved, the case against Martin Nickerson and his co-defendants known as the “Bellingham 3” has been continued once Martin Nickerson again. The trio have been in the hands of the government for more than four years now. Early in October, Nickerson’s property was once again raided by the local sheriff ’s office. No arrests were made at the time and Nickerson is more deter-
mined than ever to go to trial. He believes in the power of jury nullification and cannot fathom the idea of the people in his community finding him guilty. Please support them Jan. 13, 2016 at the Whatcom Courthouse for their next court date.
JURY NULLIFICATION Excitement over one’s good fortune to serve on a jury is not the first reaction most Americans have when they open up a jury summons, but it should be. For socially conscious individuals, service as a juror is effectual in the prevention of unjust laws and violations of human rights. A juror is not required to put a defendant in prison, even if the evidence proves guilt. Unfortunately, it is usual for a juror to not be cognizant of their full rights upon entering a courtroom. One of these mostly unknown rights is jury nullification, which occurs when a jury returns a verdict of “not guilty” despite its belief that the defendant is guilty of the violation charged. The jury in effect nullifies a law that it believes is either immoral or wrongly applied to the defendant whose fate they are charged with deciding. Education about jury rights and responsibilities is key to changing the way citizens perceive the dreaded jury summons. Often, one has to absorb the message of jury nullification numerous times prior to understanding that they truly possess the power, right and responsibility to nullify deficient laws and the real social changes that can be shaped as a juror. Recently, a member of The Human Solution International recounted a discussion about juror responsibilities with a friend while attending court to show solidarity and support, “I always avoided being picked on a jury for a Cannabis trial for fear I would have to put someone in prison for pot. Now, I will make sure I get on that jury to save a life.” Please visit the Fully Informed Jury Association at www.f ija.org and visit facebook.com/voicesofwar1. Each week, we discuss the latest news from the front lines of the drug war and bring updates on Cannabis prisoners.
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highly likely
By PACER STACKTRAIN for OREGON LEAF
Column # 5
some 4,500 years ago,
Chinese Emperor Shen Nung (aka Shennong) was considered to be both the founding father of Chinese agriculture as well as herbal medicine. Nung wrote some of the oldest known records of herbal medicine and is called the Father of Chinese medicine. Of course, the herb we’re most interested in here would be Cannabis. And no matter which way you twist it, the earliest written records of human consumption of Cannabis resides with Shen Nung in “The Herbal,” which is the earliest Chinese text concerning human use of herbs for medicinal application. Cannabis is referenced in “The Herbal” for the production of textiles, paper, rope and more. Nung was a pharmacologist long before the term existed. He experimented on himself and others using cocktails derived from hundreds of different herbs. The emperor is often depicted clothed in herbs and plant matter (ie: this emperor did wear clothes. Made of Cannabis!). But how did the ancient Chinese consume Cannabis? A Cannabis tincture or tea, which Shen Nung named Ma’, is also referenced in “The Herbal.” Nung saw Ma’ as a unique elixir because of its male and female traits, which correlated directly to the concept of Yin and Yang in Chinese traditional dogma. Eventually, Nung found that the Yin (female) side of Cannabis was most therapeutic, and thus, began cultivating female-specific crops for his medicine. Ma’ was made from a mixture of hot water and Cannabis flowers and leaves, and Nung recommended it for more than 100 illnesses including digestive ailments and absent-mindedness. The emperor was also known to accept Cannabis as payment for services. While it’s amazing and somewhat mind-boggling to fathom what life must have been like in China some four millennia ago, one thing is for sure: Cannabis has been with us a very long time. Shen Nung is just the first person to have written down a record of its usage. Artifacts demonstrate that Cannabis has been used in fiber-making and ceremonies as far back as 10,000 years ago. No matter what, we can all say thanks to the wisdom and pioneering spirit of an ancient Chinese emperor for his work on the subject. If only we’d listened sooner. The fact is, in modern China, the mere possession of Cannabis can result in time behind bars. Perhaps it’s time to revisit the wisdom of Shen Nung. 528 pages, $17, Amazon.com by Ted Kaptchuck *It has come to our attention that some historians dispute the existence of Shen Nung. While these scholars provide some compelling evidence, the fact that he is attributed as the author of “The herbal” is recorded human history.
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Nung was a pharmacologist long before the term existed.
Shen Nung In this burgeoning, amazing age of Cannabis legalization in America, it can be easy to forget just how taboo it was to admit to being a consumer of this plant even a few years ago. That’s why we want to highlight amazing Cannabis pioneers throughout history.
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Rehashed
By WILL FERGUSON
@710NDENCIES | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN
NOV. 14, 2015 | SERVICE, NORTHEAST PORTLAND
Oregon Leaf hosts a party for a few of our friends
Celebrating ‘Danksgiving’ danksgiving was a memorable event aimed at bringing together some of Ore-
fet, which featured vegan and gluten-free items such as mashed potatoes gon’s finest Cannabis purveyors with their consumers to share wonderful Canna- and mini pumpkin pies as well as turkey and pork. Tickets were $10 for members of Leaf Nation and $20 for non-members. The event was held bis, tasty food and plenty of good times together. Numerous vendors set up booths and tables with their unique and high-quality inside the cool location Service in Northeast Portland, which was the perfect location as it had a big kitchen for getting all the tasty products displayed for attendees. Each person was given a goodie bag that contained various products from the sponsors and vendors. AlMultiple vendors offered food ready. Two sessions were held: an early bird one from most all tables and booths featured some sort of Cannabis consumpup samples from big jars 1-3:30 p.m., and another sold out one from 4:30-7 p.m. Each session had about 100 people, making the atmosphere tion, which turned the building into a giant cloud. of Cannabis, edibles and exciting but not overwhelming or crowded, though there was Multiple vendors had jars of Cannabis, edibles and concentrates on concentrates that were lots of smoke and smiles. Danksgiving was a great way to bring display and for sampling. There was a giant dab bar with various rigs the Cannabis community together to share a day filled with and e-nails set up provided by the Lion’s Den Glass and Dabland. The out and on display. laughter, good herb and good food — here’s to the next one! Farm Stand in Hood River provided the delicious Thanksgiving buf-
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Rehashed
By WILL FERGUSON
@710NDENCIES | PHOTOS by PAUL RICH for OREGON LEAF
OCT. 24, 2015 | PRISM HOUSE PDX, NE PORTLAND
Prism House | Autumn Roast
Lots of sampling Cannabis, good food, music, laughter and conversation into the night prism house’s event featured three levels of vendors and activities. The first floor living room was set up as the stage for a comedy act by Ngaio Bealum as well as a musical performance later in the evening. Outside the house in the patio area was a mini-bar that featured medicated elixir drinks infused with tinctures. The second floor had a Rosin dab bar provided by Sacred Extracts as well as a medicated chocolate fondue fountain provided by Fresh Connection. The third floor (where I spent a lot of my time) featured dab sampling from True
22/DEC. 2015 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF
The third floor (where I spent a lot of my time) featured dab sampling from True North Extracts and Ganja Jon.
North Extracts and Ganja Jon. True North Extracts served up a delicious CBD CO2 oil that they won the Dope Cup with. Ganja Jon served up dabs of his craft BHO, which included a limited run of Private Reserve Master Kush. We were served a buffet of delicious food by the chefs of Prism House and Panacea Valley Edibles that included a squash mac and cheese. Overall, this was a classy event that entailed a night of good food, good laughs and good ganja.
Come to the next Prism event
Facebook.com/prismhousepdx
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FEATURE
By JACOB THOM | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN
How Market Character Will Create Oregon Jobs
WHY OREGON HAS REAL POTENTIAL
T
HE Oregon Cannabis industry is healthy and robust despite the
battling of new regulations put on by cities, counties and the state. A number of specific reasons bring Oregon close to the weed utopia potential that our forefathers had once dreamed of. Possibly the most interesting piece to this growing industry is that Cannabis is still federally illegal. Prohibition on trade doesn’t stop the industry from expanding, though it certainly fosters unique sets of industry environments. I recently took some trips around the country to experience first-hand what some of these differences were, and what better place to start than sunny Los Angeles. Rumors had it that the California market was the Wild West of Cannabis, where extremes like the state not requiring legal testing or large drug cartels influencing the system were prevalent. Despite rumors, the concern that I found most pressing was how my medical card was no longer valid, which is quite common for patients during inter-state travel. So I took to the street in search of weed. I was on a block near Muscle Beach that was lined with a mixture of tourist traps, restaurants and green card doctor’s offices. There were many of these “doctors offices” with garage-like doors that opened directly onto the boardwalk. This was where one went to get prescribed. They were not hard to miss as green sandwich boards scattered the concrete beach like oil rigs off the coast, asking, “Got Weed?” I approached the jolly attendant near the awning of the building inquiring a few questions. The attendant simply replied, “the doctor is in,” as he gestured for my approach. Who would have known that gaining access to medical Cannabis was as easy as negotiating whether $100, $80 or $60 (seriously) was too costly for a signature on a piece of paper? And while the California Medical Marijuana Program can be used as a quasi-bypass to recreational Cannabis (that by all
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means should be available to adults), the system is inherently harmful to true patients, not because of access or quality, but because the lack of a mainstream market lumps medicinal Cannabis into the same group as recreational, which negatively impacts the perception that Cannabis is used and needed by different people. California should make bold moves to preserve their patient agenda in preparation for a mainstream transition. The OHA system isn’t perfect, but in approach, the testing and access point admittance requirements encourage transparency and safety. Colorado was a different place altogether, which is worth mentioning in part because of the state’s own supply problems. Most of the recreational Cannabis I purchased came prepackaged and was all indoor flower (even from a place whose logo boasted premium sun grown Cannabis). The biggest inconvenience was waiting up to 20 minutes just to get into some locations and having my ID checked multiple (two to four times) during every visit. Within some of the major cities that I experienced, the recreational economies seemed somewhat corporately saturated, heavily vertically integrated, and overburdened with out-of-state consumers (Colorado is surrounded by six prohibition states — seven if you include Oklahoma’s panhandle — making it the prime destination for weed tourism). This doesn’t mean that Colorado doesn’t produce great products, brands or OREGON IS CLOSE TO dispensaries. They had THE WEED UTOPIA some of the best packaging and branding I’ve seen on POTENTIAL THAT the West Coast. However, many of the products OUR FOREFATHERS that I was able to access ONCE DREAMED OF (outside of the topical and
edible lines) were produced by so few of people and moved so quickly that they lacked market character, which is nearly necessary in the current Oregon marketplace. Across the river, Washington state seems to be ahead in both packaging and diversity of products. The transparency of rulemaking and lobbying efforts, as well as an erosion of patient rights, has plagued the Evergreen State. This was the place of a burgeoning medical market that now does not allow for a business to market a Cannabis brand with actual Cannabis, or where sharing a joint with a friend is illegal, not to mention under-21 Cannabis felony possession charges. While Oregon’s marketplace has gone through many changes since the establishment of the OMMP in the late 90s, this has inherently helped foster the best environment in the business. The core of that argument comes from a mix of bases: access to genetics, geographic location (preferred outdoor growing), an older quasi-legal program (and fostered communities) that allowed for continued localized commerce and low barriers to entry, though not without risk. This particular type of commerce was a unique mixture of the free market and the medical program, which produced an inherent limitation of access to consumers from a traceable market standpoint. While this produced a fairly lean market in consumer purchasing power, it also created what Henry Chesbrough in his essay “How Open Innovation Can Help You In Lean Times” calls an “inside-out open invitation” marketplace, whereby “a business places some of its assets or projects outside of its walls. This not only saves much of the time
WE SHOULD ALL HELP INFORM THE STATE AND ENCOURAGE LONGER-TERM FOCUS and money being invested in those projects, but also can nurture new supplier and partner relationships, promote innovative ecosystems and generate high-margin licensing income.” This could be seen as localized outsourcing that has created a great diversity of products, skill sets and a large Oregon Cannabis community. However, this didn’t really include large investments or the recreational market. Currently, that market is hot: really hot. But contrary to normal thinking, this melting pot of formally free market consumerism and business might boil over as supply chain restrictions, pre-arranged permitting limitations and continued costs mount for many small, family-owned enterprises looking to either continue their dream or enter the market. What needs to be addressed is that these rules may inhibit healthy local trade, but only also in part because the consumer, up until now, had a buying experience similar to, “weed in a clear baggie by a guy you know.” In the book “The Slow Pace of Fast Change,” Bhaskar Chakravorti describes in many ways how markets in their very nature both resist new ideas and products, and are also too slow to innovate because of the connected nature of which they operate. “Markets are inimical to innovation because they crave
equilibrium,” Chakravorti writes. “Equilibrium is a situation where every player in a market believes that he or she is making the best possible choices and that every other player is doing the same. Equilibrium in a market lends stability to the players’ expectations, validates their choices and reinforces their behaviors.” This calls into question the health of Oregon’s future environment, especially as conventional thinking could potentially limit long-term success, especially as policies effecting business are changed literally overnight. In short, it’s all about innovation and understanding consumer perspective through what is called “value innovation,” which stems from focusing on bettering your long-term core rather than focusing directly on competing with your competition. “Most companies focus on matching and beating their rivals. As a result, their strategies tend to take on similar dimensions. What ensues is head-to-head competition based largely on incremental improvements in cost, quality or both,” writes W. Chan Kim and Renee A. Mauborgne in their book, “Blue Ocean Strategy.” “The path to value innovation requires a different competitive mindset and a systematic way of looking for opportunities.” This method of thinking seems contrary to short-term projections as it fundamentally creates new market space in its approach by creating products or services where there are no direct competitors. What does all this mean for the sum of local dispensaries, growers, ancillaries and older medical community trying to compete with biginvestment and capitalist competition? Know what the customer wants, and focus on what your business is there to provide. We should all help inform the state and encourage longer-term focus (fairness in both regulatory and permitting) as this is what will help foster the best Cannabis marketplace in the nation by providing a wealthy localized economy (more localized market capture and not based on artificial economies of scale), diversity of better and safer products (built by passion and the desire to build), a world-renowned system for liberalization implementation (unlike Ohio…) and most importantly, better Cannabis to share.
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By WES ABNEY | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN | BACKGROUND CREATIVE COMMONS
William A. Spilo The international heli ski guide and co-founder of CBD Luxe talks about the power of Cannabis and finding relief in CBD medicine after years of hitting the slopes.
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shoulders tearing apart, losing feeling in my extremities, they told me I could be paralyzed. What I find is that it relieves a lot of my back pain, tension-related issues and it is very relaxing; it gives me more of a serene state. I used to have to take tons of pharmaceuticals to not get the same relief.
#1 TELL ME ABOUT STARTING OUT AS A SKIER VS. MAKING IT A CAREER. I started skiing at age three on the East Coast. My family would take trips to Vermont and Massachusetts. It wasn’t like what you see today where kids live in ski towns. It was weekend trips and a holiday or two until we moved to New Hampshire for high school and it became every day. I moved to Colorado in 1988 to pursue college, but instead I was sent around the world snowboarding, training and doing competitions and never really looked back. I got flown to Asia to set up a snowboard program that will be in the Olympics this year, went to Europe, drove a van from Canada to Costa Rica to work on surfing for a year, guided trips to Nepal, Iceland, Chile, Croatia and more. Snowboarding has been really good to me.
#5 could you use traditional Cannabis and do your job? When I am working, I can’t smoke. If an accident happens, they test you, and accidents happen all the time. Plus, the level of what we are doing is so intense, you need to be firing on all eight cylinders, and I find that when people smoke they get more scared and hesitant, and hesitation kills in the mountains. The difference between life and death is all about split-second decision making, making clear and educated choices.
#2 Today you guide professional athletes and filmmakers in some of the most remote mountains in the world. What is that like?
#6 Why did you want to start making these CBD products?
It’s a great way to see the world with like-minded people, great culture. We have a fun global community, but it is a niche and it’s small. Being in Alaska is the epicenter of big-mountain skiing. Anybody worth their salt in the ski film industry has to have an Alaska segment. They are the most picturesque and extreme fluted mountains I’ve ever seen. I’ve spent a lot of time in a helicopter. It’s hard to get jaded in such an incredible machine and the instant gratification it provides. You see a distant mountain and suddenly you’re five minutes from skiing it. There’s so much intensity and camaraderie, it is extremely fulfilling and rewarding. We get dropped off by the heli and meet at the bottom.
I have to go to gym a minimum of four days a week, heat up and stretch just to get my hands near my feet. I think in my early years my balls were a little bigger than my skill. What’s nice is that CBD allows me to get off the NSAIDs, and I can feel it in my stomach after ibuprofen or Aleve for weeks — it’s not worth it. I wanted to be able to share that with others who are going through the same pain and problems I live with. I feel like at the end of the day, I’ve done something positive for people. If there is one person who can use their product and get off an opiate or other pill, that’s a real benefit...it’s something that means a lot to me personally.
#3 Have you witnessed a lot of injuries as a professional athlete and guide? What qualifications do you have to have? My certifications include Avalanche Level 1-3, AMGA crevasse rescue, wilderness EMT, incident command and more. I’ve been really lucky for the amount of time in mountains and number of movies and aggressive clients and never had any serious injuries with clients. Common injuries are sprained and torn ligaments and knees and dislocated shoulders for boarders, bringing lots of inflammation. Pharmacology is what most people have resorted to. Most people I deal with have a steady NSAID routine, taking ibuprofen every day, which is why the CBD is great. The NSAIDs are really hard on the liver and kidneys; the tradeoff is tremendous.
#4 How has CBD changed your outlook on modern medicine? With 45 years of being around Cannabis, back in the day, everything was really hush-hush. I never talked about grass when working or with anyone I worked with. Now I recommend CBD to everyone I meet. I’m shocked at the efficacy of CBD for inflammation and pain. Getting my neck fused was a pretty big deal. I have a plate and six screws in my neck, both shoulders redone, left knee done twice and plastic put in my face. None of those are from crashes; those are all maintenance. All of my surgeries have been maintenance:
#7 What kind of products is your company making and how are they different from what is on the market? THE LEVEL OF WHAT WE ARE DOING IS SO INTENSE, YOU NEED TO BE FIRING ON ALL EIGHT CYLINDERS, AND I FIND THAT WHEN PEOPLE SMOKE THEY GET MORE SCARED AND HESITANT, AND HESITATION KILLS IN THE MOUNTAINS.
We start with Organic hemp grown in Europe and processed into a pharma-grade isolate in the U.K. This is organic according to U.K. standards, which are higher than in the U.S. It is the highest grade of CBD you will find, with no heavy metals, pesticides or molds. Ninety-nine point nine percent pure CBD, nothing less. We put 125 mg of CBD into our natural sublingual spray that is not diluted with chemicals. Available unflavored and mint flavored, we have more flavors coming soon and a day/nighttime formula too. Capsules and cartridges are launching in December too, with a topical pain stick in the beginning of 2016.
#8 how does Cannabis fit into colorado culture? It seems like Cannabis culture is part of everything; it’s an alternative lifestyle pastime and so is skiing, so the integration is there. A lot of people that enjoy Cannabis enjoy skiing and lend themselves to the ideals. That independent adventure... it’s a solo sport. It’s you and the mountain with a lot of headspace. I think people who enjoy headspace enjoy Cannabis as well.
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8 PROFILE
Questions for the GROWERS JIMBO AND BOB
of Wild West Growers in Eugene By WES ABNEY | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN
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Bob & Jimbo jensen
#1 what motivated you to enter the Cannabis business and to start wild west growers? We began the project in March and had our first plants growing in mid-April of 2014. I’d been down in Costa Rica for 15 years and I moved back and was looking for opportunities. I knew the rec boat was coming and that there was a medical program available, and that retail stores were going to be open, so it made sense to get into this as a business opportunity. We were looking down the road to full legalization happening.
#2 Why did you name the company Wild West? I’ve owned Wild Duck Brewery & Wild Duck café. We put the “wild” in the Wild Duck to have a little edge, to be boisterous. The play on this is the Wild West, because of a great frontier. That call has been coming for a long time now that we have selective legalization in this country where over here, I’m fine, but over here, I’m in jail. It doesn’t seem quite right. Interjecting the fact that we have states legalizing it puts huge pressure on lawmakers and judges in parallel states. We see this as a huge frontier.
#3 Do you two have a background in Cannabis? We were born and raised in West Eugene from Danish immigrants and grew up on 20 acres with cows, horses, pigs and a Christmas tree farm. That experience has been a lifelong passion, throwing manure into gardens and watching things grow. We started growing, and experimenting with seeds in the late 70s. Our aunts and uncles were hippies, growing weed out in the range. Back in the day, we grew for our own personal use and to supply friends and take care of our Cannabis community. It’s a natural opportunity to make money now in the industry where passion meets opportunity.
#4 What is it like to be in this new Oregon, and how have things changed? It’s exciting. I never thought I would see this day. Still kinda wake up and go, “oh yeah, I can have this product and posses it, and have employees and people working in it.” It’s exciting. Still a little nervous, just ‘cause it’s still so new and new laws are coming for rec, but moving to a legal business model from something underground is difficult and a lengthy transition. But it looks like we are making progress... the government as well, slowly but surely.
“IT’S JUST LIKE ANY OTHER BUSINESS... #5 Your business has grown quickly over the last year and a half. Tell us about your expansion and main areas of business. We have 24 full-time employees and we bring in supplemental trimming crews, up to 30 people for each indoor or outdoor harvest. It’s just like any other business, “We put out about but you have people 1,000-1,500 clones doing something they a week right now, like to do that makes for an enjoyable work with a big time environment. It’s still pickup since rec. a production facility, a factory, but an element of pirate-like bootlegging remains regardless of legality and keeps it fun. We provide dispensaries everything from clones to flower, concentrates and a soon-to-launch medible line. It all starts with growing the plants and producing the flower. Then we have products like trim that either get sold to someone else or turned into products. We’re in over 40 stores now, in 50 by the new year, with about 80 percent selling our clones and the whole line of products. We put out about 1,000-1,500 clones a week right now, with a big time pickup since rec. We’re excited.
#6 Your company makes some incredible CO2 concentrates and shatter! why is it special? I got us into the concentrate business, choosing CO2 because it is solventless and clean. We process the CO2 into a variety of forms, experimenting to come up with shatters and honey combs that have a clear and stable form like nothing else on the market. The sap for dabbing is winterized, the shatters are straight out of the machine and into the vac oven. No winterizing process with the stable oils.
#7 You also have a new medible line that includes take and bake kits for people at home. What products are coming, and why did you push for a home-cooked model? We’ve been working around with whole decarb flower to mix with our edibles line, gone up and around and back and forth with it. Now our recipes and whole things are developed. Starting with a takeand-bake line, just add water mix so that people can buy it and take home to share with friends. Going to be a better price point, longer shelf life. We will have some pre-made products, but the take-and-bake is where we are leaning. One hundred and eighty
milligrams THC per package to cook at home and take care of a person’s needs based on their tolerance and convenience, and at a lower cost. For me, it came up to terms of convenience. Say you have a group of people that want to share, post dinner. It could be an expensive proposition to share with friends to buy premade medibles. This seemed to me like a better way for people to make it, have it and share a batch. The cost savings that we pass on to the consumer are great.
#8 What makes you passionate about the Cannabis industry vs. your other businesses? This industry is like surfing over a current: there’s no stability under the waves. It makes things exciting in terms of anticipating and guessing what’s next. That’s the big thing: what’s next. Right now, licensing is next and then things will continue to evolve, which makes it extraordinary and unusual about the state of the situation, and offers a level of excitement that is extraordinary.
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access Strains 5/5 IF HIGH-QUALITY flower is your medicine of choice, Natural Wonders has you covered with strains such as Mob Boss, Secret Cash, Jack Flash and Pinkleberry Kush from farmers such as Pig Farm Organics, Green Source Gardens and Herbivore Farms. Patients and rec customers alike will be more than satisfied with the selection. A variety of strains are also available in nitrogen-sealed cans, which allows the consumer to have farm-fresh Cannabis whenever they decide to open it.
Edibles 4/5
Concentrates 5/5
THE MEDIBLE SELECTION at Natural
NATURAL WONDERS has one of the largest concentrate
Wonders includes a nice variety of liquids Portlanders will be sure to enjoy like cold brew coffee! Some of the products include Dirty Arm Farm’s Lean Back Sizzurp, Echo Electuary’s medicated raw honey and Delta 9 Confections’ medicated caramel popcorn. A variety of canna coconut oil caps were available as well.
natural wonders
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Reviewed
selections in greater Portland. Concentrates are neatly displayed on a large backlit lightbox, which allows patients to get a good look at each extract before making a choice. Owners Jackson and Hannah ensure the shelves are consistently stocked with some of the best solvent extractions from some of the best solvent extractors in Oregon. Patients can consistently find Trillium Extracts and Regis Philburn/ Echo Gardens collabs in good supply.
By WILL FERGUSON for OREGON LEAF | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN/OREGON LEAF
Environment 5/5
Overall 19/20
THE SHOP boasts both a spacious
NATURAL WONDERS is located
waiting room and nicely organized medicine room in order to increase patient comfort. Friendly budtenders are eager to help consumers pick what’s right for them and the owners, Jackson and Hannah, are in pretty much every day answering questions and making sure things are going as smooth as possible.
SCOOBY SNACKS
19.53% THC | 0.11% CBD Grown by Pig farm organics | Test results by MRX Labs Scooby Snacks is a cross of GSC THE SCORE (forum cut) and Dogwalker OG. aroma: This pheno, grown by Pig Farm d en s it y: Organics, seems to be leaning cu r e: heavily on the Dogwalker side. l o o ks : When we popped the lid off the jar, f l avo r : we noticed the Dogwalker terpene ef f ect: profile complemented by a sweet smell on the end from the Pie Face. T O TAL : 26/30 The buds are relatively dense and are coated in trichomes and electric orange pistils. We enjoyed this flower in an organic Raw cone and were very pleased with the taste and smoothness. About 20 minutes after smoking the joint, we found ourselves raiding the fridge for anything we could find to eat, making this strain ideal for patients needing to increase their appetite. ($14/g)
right in the heart of the SE on Cesar E. Chavez Blvd. just off Hawthorne and 39th. Parking can sometimes be difficult as there is no designated lot, but the street adjacent to the dispensary (SE Madison) had many available spots on our visit.
NATURAL WONDERS
1402 SE Cesar E. Chavez Blvd. Portland Instagram @NaturalWondersPDX (503) 928-1228 | Medical/Rec.
Lots of natural light pours into the lobby to welcome in patients and recreational consumers alike to the Southeast PDX dispensary.
TSU-GOO LIVE RESIN 55.6% THC | 18%CBD | 37mg Terpenes Grown by echo gardens | processed by regis philburn | Test results by og analytical Tsu-Goo is a “full spectrum” mix run of Swiss Tsunami and Mendo Afgoo. The flowers were carefully cultivated by Echo Gardens before they made it to the extractor of Regis Philburn. This extract has an incredibly light, transparent color that almost makes it look invisible as it blends into the parchment. The extract is one of the most stable live resins we have ever experienced and has an incredibly piney nose to it. We took a few low-temp dabs off a clean rig with a quartz banger to ensure we got the best flavor possible. The pinene flavor really carries through in the taste as well, making us think this mix was Afgoo-dominant. The cherry myrcene flavor from the CBD Swiss Tsunami make a brief appearance on the exhale of the dab but really goes to work effect-wise. The combination of THE SCORE the effects from the Mendo Afgoo and Swiss Tsunami makes for an incredibly sedative dab that is ideal for va lu e: patients looking for pain relief, appetite stimulation ta st e: and nausea elimination. This is some of the cleanestef f ec t: tasting BHO we had the pleasure of trying and we la b els: look forward to more Regis Philburn/Echo Garden T O TA L: 19/20 flavors in the future. ($35/0.5g)
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this holiday season,
LET’S GROW TOGETHER
From December 1 through January 1, we’re proud to be providing
FREE CLONE or SEED PACK with TOP SHELF 1/4 oz flower purchase We’re a locally owned and rooted, close knit group of like-minded Oregonians that believe strongly in organic farming practices and proudly bringing product from the farm direct to the people. We support a small co-op of local farmers that, in turn, support our boutique shop in the little green bungalow just off of SE Foster. Most days you will find one of our farmers behind the counter helping the budtenders and greeting our beloved visitors, happy to share their love and knowledge of ‘all things cannabis’ with you. The fish is pretty cool, too.
rose city
oreganics
5918 se 89th avenue, portland, oregon www.rosecityoreganics.com 503.477.6727 open 9am - 9pm daily
FEATURE
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By WES ABNEY & KORI MARIE | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN | GIFT STYLING by MALINA LOPEZ
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EoVape.com, $89
7
TheHippieHouse, $30
3
O-Puff Oxygen plus A quick burst to help you through the coughs. Opuff.com, $15-30 (various sizes)
TheCvault.com, $25+ (various sizes)
8
4
C-Vault Perfect way to store buds, short or long term.
Amazon.com, $10 for small size
Agent Orange Cleaner Cleans your pipe or bong and smells nice.
Pipewipes.net, $5-10 20-pk
Pipe Wipes A healthy friend is a happy friend.
7
Evoxe CBD Pen Filled with CBD and essential oils like Frankincense, this pen can be shipped worldwide. Evoxelabs.com, $40
12
Rawthentic.com, $12-15
6
GIFT GUIDE Raw DoubleBarrel Joint Holder Made of natural wood and perfect for parties.
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Smoke shops, $3-5 (various sizes)
waxed hemp wicks Light a bowl/joint with these and ditch the Bic.
Phunky Feel Tips by ROOR High-quality smoking tips help joint-lovers.
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6
2
eo deluxe vape kit Comes with oil globe & flower attachment
EoVape.com, $49-120
TheHippieHouse, $15-20
9
Domeless.com, $150
Ceramic nail fits all bongs at a great price.
eo vape Jack Herer edition Get the only kit Jack would have smoked.
5
8
Oil Barrel Container Handy oil silicon jar is kitschy yet durable.
1 710 Whip E-Nail
9
24% THC 1.89% CBg 0.15% CBD
OG KUSH BR Passes microbial standard
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OREGON LEAF
STRAIN OF THE MONTH By WILL FERGUSON | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN
OG KUSH BREATH
Great for chronic pain, insomnia, fatigue, stress, anxiety and depression.
REATH
is a strain of the cookies variety that is rather rare because only a small circle of growers have access to it. This OGKB was grown in a no-till system using only fermented plant teas for nutrients. Gnome Grown Organics has been a master of the soil rhizosphere for roughly 20 years now. One of the first things we noticed about the OGKB nugs is their spear-like shape and their super dense feel. We ground up some pieces for a few joints and were overwhelmed by a cookie dough smell. The joints burned evenly and slow, and tasted good the whole way through. The flavor is reminiscent of GSC but the flavor and high are much stronger. The smoke is incredibly smooth with minimal lung expansion, making the joint pleasant to smoke until the very end. Minutes after smoking, we found ourselves incredibly medicated and unable to do anything other than sit on the couch for a while. There is an equally strong high between the body and the head making this strain useful for patients with conditions on both ends of the spectrum, such as chronic pain, insomnia, fatigue, stress, anxiety and depression. The care and love this plant received throughout its growing cycle is evident in the finished product.
GROWN by @GNOMEGROWNORGANICS Available From Five Zero Trees
10209 SE Division St #100, Portland, OR 97266 (971) 242-8492 www.FiveZeroTrees.com
Tested by Going Green Labs
recipes
By LAURIE WOLF for OREGON LEAF | PHOTOS by BRUCE WOLF for OREGON LEAF
XMAS FLAT BREADS
8 servings 3 wedges per person
INGREDIENTS
4 6-inch flat breads
3 tablespoons Canna-olive oil
This tasty, savory appetizer is sure to wow (and medicate) guests year-round
1. Heat oven to 340. Place flat breads on a baking sheet with sides. Brush breads with the canna-olive oil. 2. Heat olive oil in a large non-stick sauté pan. Add garlic, sauté 2-3 min. Add onion and sauté 5-6 min. 3. Add spinach and cook briefly, 4-5 min. You want the spinach leaves to still have some body left to them. 4. Place cooked mixture atop the flatbreads. Distribute the goat cheese and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 5. Bake the breads until the edges are golden brown and the cheese has melted. Cut into six wedges each.
1 tablespoon olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 small red onion, peeled and sliced 6 cups fresh spinach, packed 4 ounces herbed crumble goat cheese Salt and pepper to taste Crushed red pepper, optional
SMOKED SALMON SPREAD
CANNA BLOODY MARY’S INGREDIENTS
8 cups V8 juice 1/2 cup lime juice
*
3 tablespoons canna-oil infused with 1 teaspoon black pepper and ½ teaspoon celery salt 3 tablespoons bottled horseradish 3 tablespoons Worcestershire 2 tablespoons pickle or caper juice 1 teaspoon hot sauce ¼ teaspoon ginger Salt to taste (Garnish: radish, celery, scallion, lime wedge, serrano pepper)
Make these by the pitcher; they’re not just for brunch!
1. Place the endive leaves on your favorite work surface.
2. In a medium bowl, combine
goat cheese, blue cheese and the canna-butter and mix well.
3. Place a heaping teaspoon of
the cheese mixture on the endive, toward the end. Sprinkle with the chives and the grated lemon zest.
*
INGREDIENTS
*
¼ cup mayonnaise 3 oz. cream cheese 3 tablespoons canna-butter 1 tablespoon chopped scallion 1 tablespoon capers, drained 1 tablespoon lemon juice 2 oz. smoked salmon, chopped ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper Hot sauce and salt to taste
1. Combine all the
ingredients except for the hot sauce and the salt in the bowl of your food processor.
2. Process the mixture until smooth. Add the hot sauce and salt to taste.
3. Serve with crackers or
vegetables, or go wild and serve both. Makes 1.5 cups.
Make a pitcher of these fiery Bloody Marys for your adults-only holiday party. No vodka; this libation is infused with canna-olive oil, cracked black pepper and celery salt. Garnish away, over-the-top is good during the holiday season. The two appetizers are pretty easy; you can make the salmon spread the night before. The Cannabis-brushed flat bread smells amazing in the oven and it is perfect with the spicy drink. At our house, we hang Cannabis, not mistletoe.
When you meet under the hanging herb, you must do a hit off your best bong. Happy holidays people. And let’s all do the best we can to promote peace on Earth.
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Ask for us at your local dispensary! Processing services available with 70/30 split 360 840 7646 IG Skunktrainconcentrates Specializing in High CBd, live resin and more!
TASTY
Reviews
By WILL FERGUSON for OREGON LEAF Photos by Daniel Berman
HUNNY BE STICKS by echo electuary, $4
Test Results by OG Analytical
50mg THC per stick
This little morsel of
THE POUCH CAN EASILY BE RESEALED FOR ENJOYMENT LATER...
CARAMEL POPCORN
medicated raw honey from Echo Electuary is made with organic ginger, Cannabis and organic elderberry extract. The honey is incredibly tasty and is perfect for mixing in tea, spreading over toast or simply enjoying by the spoonful. The taste of the ginger and elderberry is not too overpowering, yet hides the taste of the medicine very well. The effect comes on quickly with a calming sedative high that lasts for about four to five hours. This honey is perfect for patients with low tolerances and those looking for a discreet way to medicate.
by delta 9 confections, $10 | 170.6mg THC per bag (2-4 servings)
Delta 9 Confections is an edible company out of Central Oregon that has hit
the scene hard this year with their medicated soft drinks, ice cream sandwiches and caramel popcorn. We tried the medicated caramel popcorn and were more than pleased. First off, the packaging is snazzy with a neatly printed logo on the pouch of popcorn, which seemed to be made from recyclable material. The pouch can easily be resealed for enjoyment later which is ideal for some patients as their tolerances might be lower. We stuffed our facTHE SCORE es with the whole bag as every bite seemed Va l ue: to be getting tastier. After about an hour ta ste: we began to feel an overwhelming sense of happiness that was complimented by a Effec t: euphoric, creative high. Given the headier Packaging: effects, we suggest this edible to patients Ove ra l l: 18/20 looking to relieve, stress, fatigue, appetite loss and nausea.
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THE SCORE
Valu e: taste: Effect: Packaging: Overall: 18/20
THE TASTE OF THE GINGER AND ELDERBERRY IS NOT TOO OVERPOWERING
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device of the month
photos by Daniel Berman | STYLING by MALINA LOPEZ
Beached GLASS ART by CHASE HARDMAN
@ HARDMAN_ART_GLASS
Jellyfish Encalmo Rig, $160 Jellyfish Spoon Pipes, $60
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Chase, a glass artist from the Southern Oregon Coast, says he was inspired by his natural surroundings to create these beautiful pieces. “I’m always around the ocean and have been blowing glass here for about seven years. I’ve come up with some new Sherlock pieces using the shells and I’m looking forward to doing more collabs with other
Sandblasted Shell Rig, $160 Sandblasted Shell Pipes, $60
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/51
..
gron exceptional medicated chocolates
simple, beautiful, organic ingredients cannabis confections for the connoisseur
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concentrates
By WILL FERGUSON
@710DENCIES | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN
BUBBA OG SHATTER Processed by @fireinfireout @exact_extracts X @mojoe_meds | Grown by Illumination Farms
THE BUBBA OG SHATTER from Fire In Fire Out
is one of the most stable concentrates we have seen in Oregon dispensaries. The extract is a beautiful golden amber color and has no visual impurities. When breaking off a few pieces for some dabs, we had to torch our dabber in order for the shards to stay on and not turn to dust. Compared to the Bubba Cross we reviewed last month, this extract has much more of the Kush flavor we’d expect from the Bubba family. Material preparation is paramount for Fire In Fire Out, which is why the resin they process is always cured to perfection. The effects are heavily sedating and relaxing. The high starts in the body and never leaves, eliminating chronic pain, nausea and anxiety. We recommend this strain to patients looking for a pain-relieving body high and those looking to stay away from anxious sativas.Â
The high starts in the body and never leaves, eliminating chronic pain, nausea and anxiety.
THE SCORE
Va l ue: ta ste: E ffec t: Packaging: Overa l l : 18/20
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Reviews
By STEVE ELLIOTT Editor, Tokesignals.com
By J.B. HAZE | GREEN CANDY PRESS, 2015 | 158 PAGES | $16 PAPERBACK
CANNABIS REGENERATION A multiple harvest method for greater yields
T
he burgeoning field of Cancess to fresh clones and seeds due to the draconabis grow books is now popnian laws prohibiting Cannabis cultivation and ulated thickly enough to have consumption. areas of specialty. Witness the The book is an intermediate grow guide that new Green Candy Press release, dispenses with the basics, diving instead into “Cannabis Regeneration,” which focuses on the science of marijuana growing. The author’s harvesting twice from the same plant. grow method, which aims to increase Specifically, J.B. Haze’s tome is a deplant production and save time and HAZE’S tailed explanation of a how to regenermoney for the home grower, means no REGENERATION more seeds and no more clones — just ate a Cannabis plant that has already been harvested, using step-by-step METHOD LETS YOU a few perfect plants you keep growing photos to guide you along the way. forever. RECYCLE YOUR “There are three paths,” the book tells Growing weed, of course, can take HARVESTED CAN- a lot of time, money, energy and efus. “Seed, clone, regeneration. Ignoring any one is akin to handing a third of NABIS PLANTS AND fort — and after harvesting the plants the pie back to God.” at the end, you just throw much of it Written in an educational, friend- BRING THEM TO LIFE away. But it doesn’t have to be that way. ly and humorous style for discerning AGAIN AND AGAIN Haze’s regeneration method lets you Cannabis cultivators looking to get recycle your harvested Cannabis plants more bang for their buck, this is the only book and bring them back to life again and again, in I’ve seen that shows readers how to get multiple order to harvest more buds with less hassle. harvests from a single plant. Haze is a first-time According to Haze, if you follow the steps author with Green Candy Press and wants to in this book, you can harvest every one of your spread his knowledge about regeneration with Cannabis plants several times without comprothe world, especially growers with limited acmising the quality of your buds.
“There are three paths: seed, clone, regeneration. Ignoring any one is akin to handing a third of the pie back to God.”
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health & science
BEAT THE SUGAR BLUES this Holiday Season Why do all the things that are so good for us taste so bad, yet all the things that are so bad for us taste so good? Americans consume refined sugars in numerous forms. Obvious sugary culprits include cake, candy, ice cream, cookies, etc. Then, the holidays, it is inevitable that the average consumption of pies, there are the less obvious sources such as breads, sauces, crackers, candy canes and sugar plums increases. Americans are getting BY NORTHWEST LEAF condiments, lunch meats, soups and even packaged vegetables. their hands caught in the cookie jar year-round, it seems. The SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR Many become unaware of the total consumption of sugar in their United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports that DR. SCOTT D. ROSE diets and the numbers start to mount due to the cravings experithe average American consumes anywhere from 150 to 170 enced, which are induced by hormonal and physiological changes. pounds of refined sugars in one year! You may think that is a gross An addiction cycle to sugar is very well known. In fact, sugar can overestimate for yourself. However, for every American who eats be equally as addicting as cocaine. An individual eats a sugary subonly five pounds of sugar each year, there is one who eats about 295 stance and has a pleasurable experience, which encourages him or her to pounds per year. That is a lot of sugar — especially when you compare it to reinforce that feeling by making the same choice. After consumption, blood how much we consumed on average in the past. sugar levels spike and dopamine is released in the brain, driving the addiction Less than 100 years ago, the average intake of sugar was only about four cycle. Mass insulin secretion leads to lowered blood sugar through efficient pounds per person per year: not 150, 170 or 295 pounds! The United States is fat storage. With the perceived lowered blood sugar, the sugar high is sought the world’s largest consumer of sugar. Not only is the U.S. one of the largest once again. The lowered blood sugar and cravings for more sugar drive the producers of sugar, we are also the largest importer of sugar. We just can’t addiction cycle to sugar. seem to get enough! High sugar consumption has been well-documented to More than one third of Americans are currently obese, includlead to heart disease (esp. precursors such as high blood pressure and ing 17 percent of children. The U.S. now spends more than $190 high cholesterol), diabetes, weight gain and impaired immune billion annually treating diseases that are tied directly to obesity. function. Are you eating five pounds of sugar per year, or are you The obesity rate in the U.S. has more than doubled since the 1980s at the other end of the spectrum? Are you eating 30-34 five-pound amongst adults and tripled amongst children. Seven percent of bags of sugar each year like a good average American? Americans now have some form of diabetes, while an American How much sugar is 150 to 170 pounds and how could a peris 10 times more likely today to be diagnosed with type 2 diason possibly consume enough daily to equal that amount? That betes than 10 years ago. would be 1/4 to 1/2 cups daily, or 30 to 60 teaspoons in 24 hours. Still not convinced it can be done? There are 120 teaspoons in one pound of sugar. This means 1/4 pound of sugar is equivalent to 30 teaspoons. An average 12-ounce can of soda contains about 10 teaspoons of sugar. It only takes three 12-ounce cans of sodas to equal 1/4 pound of sugar! For many, this is a daily habit. This is only calculating soda.
With the holiday season upon us, so are the sweets and treats. Around
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Images courtesy of Creative Commons: flickr.com/catbeurnier & flickr.com/srmartin
After consuming sugar, dopamine is released in the brain, driving addiction
Consuming a high-sugar diet creates a situation of metabolic dysfunction. sulin receptors, thereby lowering blood glucose levels. Cayenne pepper has The increased calories stored as fat leads to obesity. One in five deaths in the been used to lower blood sugar levels when taken with meals. A multivitamin, U.S. is associated with obesity. Obesity is indeed a marker for chronic and poantioxidant formula, extra magnesium, fish oil and alpha-lipoic acid are all tentially deadly disease, but the underlying problem that links obesity to so good to ask your doctor if the addition of them to your current regimen of many other serious health issues — including heart disease — is metabolic dyssupplements and medications would be appropriate. function. One such syndrome of dysfunction is known as metabolic syndrome. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has a philosophy and treatment Metabolic syndrome is also known as syndrome X, or insulin resistance strategies for metabolic syndrome, and out of hundreds of herbal formulas in syndrome and is a collection of at least three to five the TCM system, one study looked at 22 herbal formusigns and symptoms including obesity, elevated blood las in the treatment of metabolic syndrome. With each pressure, elevated fasting blood glucose, high serum triherbal formula being its own complex formulation of glycerides,and low good cholesterol levels — all caused multiple herbs, there were three common herbs amongst from consuming too much sugar. Metabolic syndrome the majority of the formulas: ginseng, coptis root and is associated with the risk of developing cardiovascular bitter melon. Ginseng increases insulin sensitivity and disease and diabetes. reduces obesity through increasing metabolic energy exThe prevalence of metabolic syndrome in the U.S. is penditure. Coptis root contains berberine alkaloids that estimated to be 34 percent of the adult population, and lower blood glucose and lipids like triglycerides. Bitter the prevalence increases with age. Associated conditions include gout, fatty melon, or Momordica, protects B cells in the pancreas where insulin is made, liver (especially in concurrent obesity) progressing to nonalcoholic fatty livenhance insulin sensitivity and reduce oxidative stress. Chinese medicine also er disease, polycystic ovarian syndrome(in women), erectile dysfunction (in has other therapies to offer metabolic syndrome such as acupuncture and men) and acanthosis nigricans — a black ring of discoloration around the movement exercises like tai chi. lower neck. The exact cause and mechanisms of metabolic syndrome are still This holiday season, things can be done to not succumb to the cookies and being researched but what we know so far is that diet plays a major role. crumbs. Reducing caffeine and alcohol intake, both of which wreak havoc The continuous provision of energy via dietary carbohydrate (sugar), lipid on blood sugar control, can be very helpful. Drinking plenty of water to stay and protein fuels, unmatched by physical activity/energy demand arguably well-hydrated as to not mistake dehydration for sugar cravings. Eat plenty of creates a backlog of the products of mitochondrial oxidation, a process asfruit and sweet vegies to fill the void. Exercise. It reduces your cravings for sociated with progressive mitochondrial dysfunction and insulin resistance. sugar. Find time to relax and get sleep and reduce the stress hormone cortisol In other words, the energy equation is quite simple: energy in should equal that drives sugar cravings. Stay away from the sweet stuff if you do not have energy out, and if not, problems start to occur. the willpower to have just one. Moderate all portions to regulate blood sugar. Prevention is the best medicine for metabolic syndrome. Moderate portions Practice mindful eating, that is, eat with the intention of truly experiencing and adequate energy output through exercise is a must. Many studies have the Christmas cookie or slice of cake. Focus on the food, chew slowly and supported this approach, however, one study stated these potentially benefitruly enjoy it in moderation. cial measures are effective in only a minority of people, primarily due to a lack So, are you eating five pounds of sugar a year or 295 pounds? U.S. citizens are of compliance with lifestyle and diet changes. A systematic review of four way over-nourished and the empty, nutrient-lacking calories comrandomized controlled trials found that a Paleolithing from sugar are leading to an epidemic of health problems. ic nutritional pattern (Paleo diet) improved three Obesity, diabetes, heart disease, metabolic syndrome and of five measurable components of the metabolic the list goes on all from an overabundant cheap poisyndrome. The first-line treatment is change son in our food supply. Think of this: there are of lifestyle. If three to six months of efforts essential (and the word essential here refers to at remedying risk factors prove insufficient, something that must be acquired from the diet) then drug treatment is frequently initiated. amino acids from proteins and essential fatty acThe drug approach is usually chasing the ids from fats in the diet, but there are no essential symptoms such as high blood pressure meds, carbohydrates or sugars. Sugar is not required in High sugar consumption diabetes meds and obesity meds. the diet. Another food for thought is that under Natural medicine approaches shine brightly normal blood sugar control at rest, there is about for metabolic syndrome patients in the form one teaspoon of sugar in the blood stream and sevleads to heart disease, of lifestyle, dietary changes and nutritional eral tablespoons in storage form as glycogen in the supplementation. Exercise regimens should liver and the skeletal muscles. Calories in excess be crafted per the individual meeting the of metabolic need tend to be stored and the high diabetes, weight gain and needs and goals of the individual with blood sugar from the overconsumption of sugar in longevity built into the plan. The adthe diet tends to be stored as fat. So with that said, dition of grapefruit before each meal perhaps the best advise is close mouth and move impaired immune function has shown up to a 3.5-pound weight loss feet? Happy holidays! in obese individuals over a 12-week period. This was shown with 1/2 fresh grapefruit each serving, seven ounces of juice or Dr. Scott D. Rose has written about grapefruit capsules. Cannabis and health for years in the pages of The addition of cinnamon to the diet Northwest Leaf and Oregon Leaf. He is an acuhelps to regulate blood sugar through puncturist with a pain resolution clinic in Seattle. the increased sensitivity of the in-
Image courtesy of Creative Commons: flickr.com/vegan-baking
One in five deaths in the U.S. is associated with obesity
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health & science
MENOPAUSE Relief ?
AS
Cannabis surges into the spotlight, women are com-
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Photo courtesy of Claus Rebler
nabis can benefit menstruating women or improve sexual function or mood, but what about menopausal or perimenopausal women? ing out in praise of the plant’s spectrum of healBy Menopause occurs in women anywhere between the ages of 40ing abilities. Most of the focus and research with SIMONE FISCHER 55. It is defined as the 12 months after a woman’s last menstrual regard to women’s health has centered around for cycle. The body experiences a drop of estrogen that can result PMS/PMDD Cannabis pain management. I OREGON LEAF in unpleasant physical side effects. Hot flashes, depression and have written about the topic of women’s health and Cannabis, joint pain are common complaints. I am a 20-something woman from the perspective of my own experience, since 2013. Although experiencing some of these issues due to surgical intervention. My things like endometriosis or severe PMDD are not qualifying conattention has shifted towards a women’s health issue that doesn’t reditions by Oregon’s medical marijuana standards, many women who ceive nearly as much attention as it should. suffer from these issues qualify under “severe pain” according to the Oregon Despite recent popularity, not much has been said on the topic of menoHealth Authority (OHA). pause and Cannabis. In 2014, I underwent emergency surgery that resulted Now that Cannabis is finally legal in Oregon, women have full access to in the loss of my right ovary due to undiagnosed stage 5 endometriosis. Since over-the-counter Cannabis from a licensed dispensary. Numerous mainmy recovery, I have experienced perimenopausal symptoms. Although I still stream publications have covered the almost cliché notion of assuming Can-
have my left ovary, my hormonal adjustment and ability to produce enough estrogen has lagged. The hot flashes are the absolute worst. I wake up in a sheet of sweat: my pillow, comforter and sheets all ruined and completely soaked. I resulted to sleeping on towels to at least prepare for my nightly episodes. After a trip to the doctors, I was not left with many options. It amazes me that although 50 percent of the population is female, most female health issues are left with few answers, and fewer treatment options (that do not involve Hormone Replacement
pression, anxiety and hot flashes, but not other, such as sex problems, heart discomfort, exhaustion, dry vagina and bladder problems. Expectancies mediated the links between menopause symptoms and frequency of use. Average intoxication did not correlate with symptoms or expectations of relief.” The bottom line was: women reported that Cannabis helped with their symptoms of menopause. The conclusion explains that as our population ages, increased research could show how medical marijuana can help symptoms of menopause and “prove heuristic.” The majority of medical focus has landed on female health issues specific to non-menopausal women. Not all of us are suffering from menopause, but someday we (women) all will. My endometriosis diagnosis revealed the glaring favoritism in regard to what we chose to prioritize in women’s health. If your goal is conception — or anything fertility-related — you can almost buy a new uterus (uterine transplants might be a thing in the near future). We can rove Mars, but a simple hot flash stumps science and
Photo courtesy of Robert Bayer
The bottom line: women reported Cannabis helped with their symptoms of menopause. Therapy or HRT). In place of narcotics, I have used Cannabis to manage chronic pain that stems from endometriosis. I prefer to use concentrates to mitigate daily pain and edibles when my pain is severe. After a month of poor-quality sleep, and during particularly a painful evening, I decided to eat an edible before I went to bed. I was at my wit’s end, rubbing peppermint oil on the back of my neck and back before bed and supplementing with herbs that aid in temperature control. Nothing on the Internet was helping at this point. I ate the edible around 10 p.m. and was out before 11 p.m. I slept until noon the next day, uninterrupted. I was thrilled with the results and have taken edibles before I sleep ever since. The frequency and intensity of my hot flashes has decreased dramatically. It occurred to me that I never experienced the severe hot flashes throughout the day because I use concentrates on a steady, consistent basis to manage pain. Edibles kept my hot flashes at bay during extended times I was not able to ingest Cannabis, like during nightly sleep. I reached out to Dr. Mitch Earleywine, a respected professor and Cannabis scholar on the East Coast, to see if he had conducted or reviewed research on Cannabis and menopause. Lo and behold, he was in the process of getting a study on the subject reviewed. The study was titled “Expectancy Mediated Effects of Marijuana on Menopause Symptoms,” and the research was conducted by Melissa N. Salvin, Stacey Farmer and Dr. Mitch Earleywine himself at the University of Albany. The results stated: “Women expected marijuana to improve some symptoms of menopause as joint/ muscle discomfort, irritability, sleep problems, de-
M.D.’s? I am over being told, “just deal with it.” I demand treatment options. There seems to be a discrepancy between prioritizing women’s fertility, over hormonal health conditions. I am not alluding that one condition should trump another, but more attention must be given to other issues like menopause. Dr. Earleywine’s study explains that benefits are noted, but more research must be conducted. I see Cannabis marketed to women either as a sexual enhancer (lubricants, topicals) or as a means to mitigate menstrual-related pain. Meanwhile, research around menopause and Cannabis is still coming to light. All women will experience the course of menopause at some point during their lives, and the time is now to raise awareness around the issue. I can tell you as a woman who is experiencing perimenopausal symptoms at a very young age, it isn’t going to be any easier to deal with at 50. My bout of poor health revealed the ways our medical industry ignores researching the therapeutic benefits of Cannabis for issues like menopause. The beautiful thing is that it doesn’t have to stay this way. Understanding full spectrum of multi-metabolite research on Cannabis will be key to helping health issues from menopause and beyond.
Simone Fischer is a Portland OMMP patient and Cannabis advocate. She is a contributing editor at Ladybud Magazine and a graduate of women’s and gender studies from Portland State University.
“Edibles kept my hot flashes at bay during extended times I was not able to ingest Cannabis, like during nightly sleep.”
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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 OREGON LEAF
Micro strains december is here. The cold is a cue to stock
up on what is commonly called “sunshine in a bag.” This month’s strains come from Sonshine Organics in Lacey, Wash. Owners Sarena and Kris have a dedicated crew who maintain a standard consistency in the medical Cannabis market. Always considered top shelf, Kris’ expertise yields some of the best bud in the state. I chose the mainstays that are rock solid for keeping you up and smiling or relaxed and sleeping. It pains me to think we will have to go without safe access to these great meds as soon as this summer.
Growing your own at home sounds sexy, but
the truth is, it is difficult. Crop failure can be costly and heartbreaking and in the end can be more costly than just buying your meds. Education is the key and Sonshine shares their knowledge and genetics. The most wholesome collective in our area has what you need for mind, body and spirit.
Jasmine is a hybrid of Super Silver Haze and
Trainwreck, a 60/40 sativa-dominant strain. She is a good euphoric motivator with strong appetite suppression properties. Jasmine is sweet-smelling to the nose and, when vaporized, the palette as well. The effects come on slow, but last long. It is uplifting and has just enough indica to send you to the kitchen for goodies.
Mr. Nice is a combination of Blueberry
Kush and G13. Kris is an expert with this strain. It is sweet like candy to the nose; a dry pull on the doobie releases yet more grapey goodness. Smoking or vaping brings on a feeling of wellness and relaxation. Best for aches and pains, it can be used to aid in sleeping soundly.
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Jasmine
Bob Montoya is a Cannabis photographer, veteran & well-seasoned grower hailing from Olympia.
Mr. Nice
Best for aches and pains, Mr. Nice can be used to aid in sleeping soundly.
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growtech
Preparing Your Space for Success
How to optimize your outdoor grow, harness natural sunlight and create strong permaculture design
divide the areas of the site into those that receive the most light As winter quickly approaches and many bask in all day, those that receive the most light during the morning and the fruits of another successful outdoor season, daytime and those that receive the majority of the light during BY NORTHWEST LEAF it’s a great time to shift your farming focus on the day and afternoon. SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR DR. SCANDERSON Earlier lighting time means colder, wetter climates for the preparing your property for next year’s harvest. plants and creatures in those areas, while later lighting usuWinter brings a harsher climate and limits ally means warmer, dryer climates. This can be very helpful for developing the type of ecosystems that will thrive under the enthe number of crops that can be successfully vironments that are most likely to be present and is an example of raised outdoors. This season of apparent dormancy working with nature to accelerate progression. provides ideal conditions for soil to begin the cycle Further, this knowledge will allow you to select the combination of flora and fauna of regenerating retained nutrients used during the (guilds) to most effectively resist the insect previous growing season. By learning the cycles of and pathogenic pressures most common in In an ideal world, the soil food web, you can create assist with the those conditions and prevent any need for additional protection from outside inputs. natural processes that enrich the earth and lead to you could take an Observing and taking note of the rotaconsistently faster progression and the benefits of entire year to observe tion of the Earth lets you maximize the light a thriving community of plants and animals. The the site as it weathers you’re harvesting from the property. Maximizing your property’s water harvesting is techniques reviewed this month can be helpful all the seasons. another major component. Few know that as to farmers of all levels of experience. Do not be well as Bill Molson, considered by many to be intimidated if you are only considering a small, first the father of the permaculture movement. Molson started his endeavors in arid, mostly biologically hostile terrain: the Australian Outback. time vegetable garden at your home; these practices Yet while many believed difficulties with water retention wouldn’t be are useful to everyone. faced by anyone in the Northwest, nature proves otherwise. It is im-
1) OBSERVATION Doesn’t sound flashy or sophisticated, but keen and thorough observation of the site you intend to plan or farm is an essential and imperative first step. Even if your property is already planned, (even better in fact) it becomes easier to define the well-established patterns and therefore create new ways to further the process of regeneration and create greater bounty with careful observation. In an ideal world, you could take an entire year to observe the site as it weathers all the seasons. In any duration of time, two areas to pay close attention to are the rotation of the sun as well as the flow of water on the property. The south-facing side of any property in the Northwest will get the most light. As you move east or west of the south marker, you will get more light during the morning or afternoon respectively. You can now
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perative to efficiently harvest all resources, even those in abundance. But if there is plentiful water, you could still be lacking for a nicely balanced lome that isn’t too high in clay matter. Here’s what to do. Mapping the topography of your site to see how existing water flows through the property is a great first step. Gravity will determine the direction of the water over what will usually end up being an evenly graded water table that flows from the higher elevation on downwards.
Along the way, various areas of your property may have developed particular aptitude at gathering and storing water through different depressions, outcrops and buttes. The areas of natural collection allow you to trace the water’s source and either divert the source to an area of the property where it is needed more or access the existing storage areas (if it’s location is suitable) for other purposes such as diverting the water to other areas of the property, building a pond, creating a wetland etc. Often, what is most important in mapping the direction and flow patterns of the water on your property is simply to ensure that the largest amount possible is diverted to stay on your property for use. By employing swales, trails and abutments, you will be able to utilize that water to accelerate the rate of succession for many flora and fauna.
2) GET TO KNOW YOUR SOIL After a reasonable understanding of the flow and retention of water on the site you intend to farm is completed, understanding and forming hypotheses around what’s going on in your soil becomes easier. The book “Teaming with Microbes,” explains two techniques to easily reveal what is going on in your soil right now. Taking soil samples is a great first step. A soil sample consists of the initial 12 inches of the ground. Taking samples at various areas of the property is important because soil quality and structure can shift widely. Mixing the soil sample with two cups of water and a tablespoon of dish soap (water softener) will create an easy display of the sample’s soil structure in 24 hours. Just combine the ingredients in a sealable container, shake vigorously and allow the container to set for
24 hours. The sample will sepaorganisms in the soil to Drop me a line rate into obvious layers of sand, migrate away from the thegreengardengroup@gmail.com silt, clay and any organics as you top towards the bottom of move from the bottom of the jar the funnel and eventually Follow along on up. Measuring the thickness into the moist container Instagram @DrScanderson_gT of each layer and dividing it by below. This process takes the total will give you a reathree days to a week. It sonable picture of the percentages of each in the can be helpful to observe and record sample area. You can then start amending the area what is collected daily after the initial as needed. three days as results will shift while orBy comparing the water site map with the soil ganisms consume one another continusample mapping, you can begin to draw observaing to carry out normal functions of the tions and conclusions about the effect of water soil food web. You can observe your colon the soil and plan water diversion accordingly. lection with your naked eye and a scope A Berlese Funnel is a simple tool or magnifying glass. Afto know what’s in your soil. It can ter careful observation, be made by cutting a two-liter you will be able to record soda bottle in half and using the what is active in your soil top end as a funnel. For stability, and what is not, creatyou can use a quart-size yogurt ing further insight into container, which perfectly fits a the types of amendments two-liter bottle, acting as a stand. and inoculation would be Then, place a small piece of most helpful to improvmoistened paper towel at the boting the vitality of the soil tom of the yogurt container and and the life it hosts. place the funnel, small opening Gathering data and side down, into the yogurt conlearning about the state tainer. Start by placing a small of your site allows pripiece of screening inside the small orities to be planned end of the bottle and and time to be spent effilling the funnel with ficiently. With all the a sample of soil from data above, you can sethe top eight inches of lect and cultivate species earth. that are selected for each It’s helpful to make area with a great deal of many funnels and take samples from intention; it’s like giving your garden a various locations inside the area you head start. intend to farm and the rest of the Before choosing what strains, speproperty, carefully denoting where cies and varieties to place, consider each sample was located. Apply heat where you have information on the type from a 40- to 60-watt light bulb placed of light, the structure and moisture confour to six inches above the top of the tent of the soil in that area and where it soil inside the funnel. You can also use is being corrected from, if necessary. In mothballs as an alternative placed diaddition, you have insight into the type rectly on top of the soil sample. What of micro and macro organisms currently you are creating is a reason for all the living and missing from the area, which can also reveal the type of nitrogen most likely available in the area. Knowing if the area is Nitrate or ammonium-dominant gives a better idea of the type of plants that would thrive in that area as well as the cover crop and guild planting to use to the greatest benefit. If there is one thing we have learned after years of this, it’s that working constantly to establish and improve the vitality of the soil food web in the ecosystem of your garden is the fastest way to ensure great results for your next harvest.
Before choosing what strains, species and varieties to place, consider where you have information on the type of light, the structure and moisture content of the soil in that area.
Build a swale to maximize water collection onsite.
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BUDSHOT
PHOTO by DUTTY PHANTY FARMS
STINKBOMB
Got sweet garden/bud photos? Share with us and they might just appear here next month! Email your best 2-3 high-resolution images to nwleaf@gmail.com along with the usual details on what you’re growing and who should be credited.
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BREAKDOWN/ Indica-dominant CROSS/ NorCal Cat Piss x Face Off OG bx1 GROWER/ Dutty Phanty Farms BREEDER/ Archive Seed Bank LOCATION/ Skagit County, Washington EFFECTS/ Terpene-enhanced headiness BEST FOR/ Relaxation and sleep aid
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CREATIVE COMMONS
PUSSY KILLER BY OREGON LEAF SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR DR. SCANDERSON
First glance may have you thinking that you’re looking at a
Cookie cross but yer not. One crack of the jar and most people in the building will know that no Cookies are around. This is that über loud, skunky chem gas terps only found when true breeding, hard work and Chemdawg collide. The Pussy Killer came through if only to create smaller flower sites that prioritize THC content from a very early point with perhaps a drop here or there of OG funk, but overall this is an NBK-dominant cross and thankfully so. The smoke is deeply hashy and gives that spicy, hard smoke, lung-busting experience reserved only for those strains that boast levels of THC generally found in hashish products. This is that true mother of all Chemdawg flavors. There ain’t no time for citrus or lemon around here; this is straight rubber tire and freshly laid asphalt with skunk after bite on consummation. Exhale leaves an almost mouth-numbing sour, chemical cleaner flavor that might have dislocated my jaw.
Flowers in 53-56 days
HOW IT GROWS Most of the phenos took after the Pussy Kush mom and had a
typical OG growth pattern with lots of stretch, deep internodal spacing and smaller flower sites. Unlike many of the more elite OGs, the NBK brings with it the Stardawg vigor, stem rigidity and stability. This allows training into a shorter, more productive structure much easier. Keeping the N strong helps the transition where she likes to pound out stretch at 100-200 percent through week three. She then shifts focus to frostitution, so be ready and set with plenty of P and K as these blooms do very little else but produce deep layers of frost. This is true farmer’s stash medication, producing scarce yields of dense golf ballshaped flowers coated at every angle with fine layers of trichomes.
EFFECTS i can’t feel my hands. The effects are immediate and potent.
A profound confusion washes over me that I’m more accustomed to feeling during more lysergic-ish experiences. If nothing else, I have but only taste to guide me through the virtual and literal cloud of smoke I seem to be existing in, but oh, what flavor! Like a quiet shepherd, the chemy skunk terps guide me through the maze of thoughts back to my safety session.
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GENETICS: Pussy Kush x Natural Born Killer BREEDER: Franchise Genetics LINEAGE: When Obsoul33t started his breeding project with NBK, perhaps one of the very best selections of JJ Edwards’ Stardawg IX male that’s ever been made, a certainty for some of the best dank ever created is all that ensued. Everything this NBK male touches puts out complete magic and the Pussy Kush is no exception.
THE SMOKE IS DEEPLY HASHY AND GIVES THAT SPICY, HARD SMOKE, LUNG-BUSTING EXPERIENCE RESERVED ONLY FOR THOSE STRAINS THAT BOAST LEVELS OF THC GENERALLY FOUND IN HASHISH
QUICK HIT some say good things come in small
packages and these small, tight bundles of skunky chemy goodness may have been responsible for the saying. Looking like an elite OG but boasting the flavor and potency of its own definition, the Pussy Killer is just another arrow in the quiver of the Franchise Genetics collection of rare fire.
1 3 1 ST PLACE
SATIVA Oregon Medical Marijuana Cup 2014
RD PLACE
INDICA Oregon Medical Marijuana Cup 2014
ST PLACE
PHO CATEGORY Oregon Concentrate Challenge 2015
www.cultivatedindustries.com @Cultivated.Industries
RUNNER UP BEST PHO Dope Cup 2015