Oregon Leaf July 2014

OREGON LEAF THE PATIENT’S VOICE SINCE 2010

nwleaf.com

& July 2014 FREE

10-PAGE MATCHUP I N S I D E!

ISSUE #1

TANNINS

T E R P E N ES Marijuana is safer than alcohol

but pairing the two makes sense with the right blend of chemistry

OREGON LEAF

VISIT NWLEAF.COM |

FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF | EMAIL NWLEAF@GMAIL.COM

contents

JULY 2014

24

TANNINS & T E R P E N E S 38

46

PROFILE

28 16

8 Questions for...

38

Tasty Recipes

18

Vancouver Pot Tours

42

Health & Science

22

Portland Access Review

44

Grow Tech

EDITOR’S NOTE......................7 NATIONAL NEWS......................8 8 QUESTIONS..............................16 VANCOUVER TOUR.....................18 PATIENT PROFILE.......................20 PORTLAND ACCESS ...................22 STRAIN OF THE MONTH...............24 TANNINS & TERPENES................28 MEDICATED RECIPES.................38 HEALTH & SCIENCE ...................42 GROWTECH............................44 CONCENTRATES...................46

Concentrates Review

COVER & CONTENTS PHOTOS by Daniel Berman/Oregon Leaf

24

Al c ohol a n d C a n n a b i s ea ch h a v e u n i q ue c hemi c al p r o p er ti es w hi c h l end the s ub s ta nc es a r oma, fl a vor, t e x t u r e a n d m o u t h f e e l — p a i ri ng the tw o i s po s s i bl e w i th the r i g ht mi x a nd bl end — in th e sa m e w a y yo u m i g h t p a i r a g o o d w i n e w i th a ni c e c hees e. Ha ve fun a nd enj o y o ur ma tc hes !

Bob Smart, The Dealmaker Exploring across the border

Hollywood District collective shines

Strain of the Month

Pain-relieving CBDs light up this one

46

Summer Berry Stove Top Cobbler

A few things to know on Glucose

Dr. Scanderson on preventing pests Hybrid oil from Oregon locals

Styling by Malina Lopez

contents

18

FARMER TOM LAUERMAN

vancouver cannabis farm starts up a public tour

Photo by Daniel Berman

OREGON LEAF

VISIT NWLEAF.COM |

FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF | EMAIL NWLEAF@GMAIL.COM

editor’s note

JULY 2014

Thank you for checking out the 1 st issue of oregon leaf!

We’ve been in Washington for 4 years but are excited to expand into Oregon!

I

am so excited to bring The Patient’s Voice to this beautiful State, and share the positive truth about medical Cannabis!

For those who haven’t heard of the Leaf brand of magazines, we have been printing Northwest Leaf for four years in Washington State. We are the longest running Cannabis publication there, and want to bring our high-quality Cannabis journalism to your hometown.

Oregon Leaf will be focusing on the stories that matter to you, the patients and our readers. If you have an idea for a story, please email us! We want to share your voice to other patients.

This first issue features the story of Janice Patten, a patient whose life was saved by Rick Simpson Oil. She is inspiring people around the world to try RSO, and we hope she inspires you too!

We also have a great dispensary review this month at Portland’s Pure Green. They match top quality medicine with an attitude that really cares, and we hope you will check them out. Don’t miss our high-CBD strain of the month, a sweet tasting CO2 for concentrate of the month, and more great content inside.

This month also features our third annual Tannins and Terpenes, which is featured on the cover.

While I believe that Cannabis is safer than alcohol, when used responsibly it can make for unique taste and flavor experiences.

Check out the pairings, and go home and try your own!

Above all, thanks for reading Oregon Leaf, and for supporting patient access to information and medicine.

WES ABNEY, EDITOR

Contact oregon Leaf editor Wes Abney to discuss advertising or displaying our magazine in a new location. We want to hear from you!

Feel free to send submissions, share news tips, your take on a story or one we should hear.

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

JACOB THOM Oregon Director of Sales

Oregonleafsales@gmail.com 503-516-5934

founder & editor-in-chief

Wes Abney

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

photographer & designer

Daniel Berman contributors STEVE ELLIOTT KIRK ERICSON MALINA LOPEZ TYLER J. MARKWART BOB MONTOYA DR. SCANDERSON DR. SCOTT D. ROSE JACOB THOM

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national

STEVE ELLIOTT is the editor behind tokesignals.com, an independent blog of Cannabis news and opinion

NO OREGON EDIBLE BAN BUT PLENTY OF CHANGE Products must be in child-proof containers, with no cartoons or bright colors allowed

M STOP AND BLOW Submit to a “voluntary ” roadside blood & saliva test for marijuana and a new program might give you $60. But what will the cops do?

If

you’re driving around the Evergreen galization, according to commission spokeswoman State this summer, something odd Jonna VanDyk. The findings might be used to help might happen. While you’re at a stoplocal law enforcement decide how much time to light, you might encounter people spend on marijuana DUI patrols, VanDyk said. wearing orange vests with signs saying Washington’s threshold for driving under the “Paid Voluntary Survey,” and they might ask you influence of alcohol is 0.08 percent, and for mariwhether you want to take blood, saliva and breath juana it is 5 nanograms per milliliter. tests for marijuana. They’ll give you 60 bucks if you The teams will “urge” the driver to give the keys to say yes. a sober person or accept a cab or motel The surveys are a These government-hired survey room, if they deem the driver to be imfederally funded teams have already begun asking hunpaired, VanDyk said. project to give dreds of Washington motorists to proPolice officers will be on the scene, police and safety vide breath, saliva and blood samples, allegedly to serve in a secondary role, agencies a better idea of how many and they’ll be asking questions, too. to protect the survey teams, “which will Washingtonians The voluntary roadside surveys are sometimes work at night or in tough are driving high. a federally funded project to give poneighborhoods,” VanDyk said. lice and safety agencies a better idea of The effects of pot are considhow many Washingtonians drive high, according ered more difficult to predict than those caused to officials. National agencies are working with the by alcohol use. The survey is meant to check Washington Traffic Safety Commission, which is for about 75 substances besides marijuana. in hurry-up mode to get the data before retail mar“Traces of marijuana can be detected in blood ijuana stores open in Washington on July 1st. samples several weeks after chronic users stop inThat way, officials say they’ll have a baseline from gestion,” according to a National Highway Traffic which to measure any safety effects of Cannabis leSafety Administration report.

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arijuana-infused edible treats just came within a gnat’s whisker of getting banned by Oregon health officials in April, but seem to have dodged the bullet, at least for now.

Officials at the Oregon Health Authority got hundreds of emails opposing the ban, and the new set of rules seeks only to ban marijuana-laced products that are made or packaged in ways that might appeal to children.

The new rules ban Cannabis-infused edibles that are brightly colored or formed in the shapes of animals, toys or candies. They require Cannabis products to be sold in child-proof containers, with no cartoons or bright colors.

“Marijuana isn’t candy, and it shouldn’t look like candy,” said Tom Burns, director of Pharmacy Programs for the Oregon Health Authority, announcing the rules.

SB 1531, passed by the Legislature and signed into law by Gov. John Kitzhaber earlier this month, required the health authority to set the rules.

The bill also allows cities and counties to ban dispensaries within their borders, until May 2015 anyway.

The new law calls for the Oregon Health Authority to implement rules intended to keep pot away from children.

An earlier draft of the proposed rules would have instituted a blanket ban on all cakes, cookies, candy and gum that contain Cannabis, but Burns said the agency had gotten “a couple hundred” emails from patients upset about that.

The rules went too far and would have harmed patients who can’t smoke or need to ingest marijuana to benefit from its longer-lasting effects. The products are 15 percent to 20 percent of dispensary sales, according to owners, but they reported pulling “medibles” from their shelves in expectation of a ban.

Quick Hits!

87,213 2,342 150 60 11 10 800 11.6

Signatures needed by 7/3 for New Approach Oregon to qualify for the ballot, they have 100,000 currently.

People who have become MMJ patients in New Jersey under the state’s extremely restrictive program. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has called MMJ “a front for legalization.”

Attendees at the Florida Cannabis Coalition biz conference in June. The Cannabis industry in Florida is worth an estimated $758 million.

PRO-HEMP BILLBOARDS SPROUT UP ACROSS OREGON Grassroots network of support is aimed at boosting initiative’s success

A

ctivists in Oregon have rented 20 billboards in prominent locations across the state in support of their campaign to end criminal penalties for Cannabis.

Found in Portland, Eugene, Beaverton, Roseburg and Salem, the billboards carry the messages “Help End Marijuana Prohibition” and “Prohibition is the Problem, Hemp is the Answer!”

“Of course, ending prohibition is the goal, but energizing Oregon and showing a solid outreach and grassroots effort is key,” said activist Michael Bachara of the Campaign for the Restoration and Regulation of Hemp (CRRH), which is behind Initiatives 21 and 22.

Oregon’s 2014 Initiative 21 is a constitutional amendment to end prohibition and stop imposing criminal penalties for marijuana. It needs the signatures of 116,284 registered Oregon voters

by July 3 to qualify for the November ballot.

Initiative 22 is a proposed statute to regulate and tax marijuana, and allow farmers to grow hemp for fuel, fiber and food. It needs 87,213 signatures to qualify for the November ballot.

“These measures are going to be on the ballot,” said chief I-22 organizer Paul Stanford.

“Prohibition doesn’t work. Filling our jails with nonviolent marijuana prisoners is a waste of public resources and people’s future.”

“We will end prohibition and criminal penalties for marijuana,” Stanford said.

“Our initiatives are designed to move Oregon ahead of both Washington and Colorado, so Oregon’s economy can reap the benefits of these rapidly growing industries, sooner rather than later.”

“Oregon’s economy will benefit from the end the prohibition of hemp and Cannabis,” Stanford said.

Quoted

Bricks of Cannabis that were seized by Houston Police from an 18-wheeler carrying quite a bit more than just a backhoe on its way to a job site.

Millions of dollars Colorado has collected in taxes on marijuana in 2014, which could be in jeopardy due to a activist’s lawsuit filed on constitutional grounds.

A similar lawsuit is currently pending in Washington as well.

Grams of marijuana that residents in Alabama would be allowed to possess under a proposed bill.

A study found blacks were 3.2x more likely to be arrested for Cannabis possession than whites in Alabama.

Number of murders that a drug cartel hitman admitted to in a recent Mexico trial. Uruguay hopes to undercut cartels with $1/g pot prices.

Millions of dollars in pot found in a rental truck stopped in Ohio en route to California. More than two tons of pot were seized in the bust.

‘‘

I STRAINED TO REMEMBER WHERE I WAS OR EVEN WHAT I WAS WEARING. Maureen Dowd, Columnist at The New York Times, in a widely criticized column about the experience of eating too many edibles while reporting on legalization in Colorado in June. She later admitted to just two nibbles (she said there was no serving size?)

THEN SHE TRIED TO BLAME LEGAL POT www.tinyurl.com/maureendowdpot

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national

STEVE ELLIOTT is the editor behind tokesignals.com, an independent blog of Cannabis news and opinion

Colorado

IF ONLY A THIRD OF REPUBLICANS WANT LEGAL, WHY PICK DENVER?

D

enver would just love to host the 2016 Republican National Convention. The Mile High City’s scenic vistas and tourist attractions make it an enjoyable place to visit, but that “high” thing is the hang: Denver is also the poster child for legal recreational marijuana since Colorado voters approved Amendment 64.

“Well, big deal,” you might think. “The voters expressed their will at the ballot box; isn’t that how American democracy works?”

While a majority of Americans now approve of Cannabis legalization, just 36 percent of Republicans agree with that position.

Denver, undeterred, is still trying to sell itself as the perfect site for the RNC. But when RNC staffers visited the Mile High City in April – a precursor to a larger scouting mission later – the lunch topic turned to marijuana. GOP visitors had plenty of questions.

“They’re more curious about how this is going to play out in other places around the country,” said beer fortune heir Pete Coors, chairman of the Denver convention bidding committee. “We’re the first state, and we’re learning how to do it.”

Angela Lieurance, the bid committee’s executive director, plays down the effect of Cannabis on the GOP’s decision. “You can’t run from it, and we haven’t,” Lieurance said. “You cannot pretend that it’s not an issue or challenge for us.”

She says Denver’s message is, it’s the will of the people, and “we have very thoughtful, smart people dealing with this.”

By the time the 2016 RNC rolls around, at least two other states could have legal Cannabis, and the campaign could be on in a couple more states. “In 2014, it’ll probably be on the ballot in Oregon again and in Alaska,” said Sam Kumin, law professor at the University of Denver who has followed the marijuana legal debate for years.

“In 2016, it’ll probably be on the ballot in California and Nevada, and possibly other states,” Kumin predicted.

National polls, including, for the first time, Gallup, have put overall support for pot legalization at more than 50 percent. But Republicans lag far behind national progress when it comes to weed. Just 36 percent supported legalization in a January CNN poll, compared with 62 percent of Democrats and 59 percent of independents.

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Colorado new lawsuit says ‘self-incrim’ at heart of marijuana tax issue

A

ctivist attorney Robert J. Corry Jr. is seeking to end Colorado’s marijuana taxes on the grounds that paying them violates a citizen’s Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination because of marijuana’s status under federal law.

The complaint was filed in June in Denver District Court on behalf of an unnamed licensed medical and recreational marijuana store, and the No Over Taxation committee, which worked against Proposition AA, a marijuana tax issue approved by Colorado voters last year.

Corry is seeking a refund of all marijuana tax money collected by Colorado and unspecified damages.

As long as marijuana remains illegal under the federal Controlled Substances Act, states can’t require people to give any information about themselves in order to buy or distribute it, Corry claims.

Corry cited the 1973 Colorado Supreme Court case, People v. Duleff.

The case overturned a man’s conviction for “selling marijuana without a license” because complying with the licensing requirement would have required him to violate his constitutional right against self-incrimination, thus exposing his violation of federal law.

“The Colorado Supreme Court held specifically that the Fifth Amendment prohibits state licensing requirements that force a person to reveal a violation of federal law,” Corry wrote in the complaint.

Corry also cited a 1969 U.S. Supreme Court decision, Timothy Leary v. United States, in which the nation’s highest court overturned Leary’s marAs long as pot is still federally illegal, ijuana possession conviction and ruled states cannot require the federal Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 people to give any was illegal because a person seeking a tax information about stamp would be forced to incriminate themselves in order himself. to distribute or buy it.

“Marijuana-specific taxes require plaintiffs and any other person paying said taxes to incriminate themselves as committing multiple violations of federal law, including but not limited to, participating in, aiding and abetting, or conspiring to commit a ‘continuing criminal enterprise’ and ‘money laundering,’ ” Corry wrote in the complaint.

“These illegally collected taxes are ultimately laundered by the State of Colorado through J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, which also participates knowingly in the continuing criminal enterprise.

“It is illegal for government to retain tax monies illegally collected in violation of the Constitution, so all amounts must be returned, and all records related to previous tax payments, destroyed,” Corry wrote.

national

STEVE ELLIOTT is the editor behind tokesignals.com, an independent blog of Cannabis news and opinion

Politics

A LONG, SORDID HISTORY OF OBSTRUCTING SCIENCE

T

‘‘

The time is long past for a top-to-bottom review of this rogue agency. ­Ethan Nadelmann Executive Director Drug Policy Alliance.

he Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies and the Drug Policy Alliance have released a new report, “The DEA: Four Decades of Impeding and Rejecting Science.” The report documents a decades-long pattern of systematically obstructing medical research and ignoring scientific evidence.

In a series of historic votes in May, the U.S. House approved a bipartisan measure prohibiting the Drug Enforcement Administration from undermining state medical marijuana laws, and OK’d two amendments prohibiting the DEA from interfering with state hemp laws. The votes were seen as a rebuke to the DEA and DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart.

“The DEA is a police and propaganda agency,” said Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance.

“It makes no sense for it to be in charge of federal decisions involving scientific research and medical practice, especially

when its successive directors have systematically abused their discretionary powers in this area.

“The time is long past for a top-to-bottom review of this rogue agency,” Nadelmann said.

Despite substantial evidence confirming marijuana’s medical benefits, the DEA has opposed efforts to reform federal policy to acknowledge marijuana’s medical value and made it very difficult for researchers to obtain marijuana to study its medical efficacy.

Researchers who want to conduct clinical trials of its therapeutic value are typically frustrated by bureaucratic obstacles.

In 2007, a DEA administrative law judge ruled the DEA’s stance on marijuana’s medicinal benefits was harmful to the public interest and should end, but Leonhart rejected the ruling. State legislators and voters have taken matters into their own hands by making marijuana available for medical use at the state level.

Nearly half of all Americans now live in a state where medical marijuana is legal and allowed.

HUGE VICTORY FOR HELPING VETERANS Ruling adds Post Traumatic Stress Disorder to Arizona’s list of conditions warranting Medical Cannabis

F

ollowing years of hard-fought efforts, a coalition of patients, medical workers and advocates succeeded in demonstrating the medical safety and efficacy of marijuana for post-traumatic stress disorder, according to an administrative law judge who heard the case.

Judge Thomas Shedden stated “a preponderance of evidence shows medical marijuana provides palliative benefit to those suffering from PTSD,” in his June 4 ruling. The decision is now in the hands of the Arizona Department of Health Services, which has until July 9 to accept or appeal the decision. The Arizona Department of Health has denied all petitions submitted previously.

The Drug Policy Alliance’s Freedom to Choose campaign, which advocates for veterans’ access to medical marijuana, contributed a compilation of published studies and testimony from psychiatrists in New Mexico and veterans who use marijuana to alleviate symptoms of PTSD. “The pioneering effort to add post-traumatic stress to New Mexico’s medical Cannabis program in 2009, and the work that veterans and advocates did

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to protect PTSD as part of the program in 2012, has led to this swell of support around the nation,” said Jessica Gelay, policy coordinator, in the New Mexico office of the Drug Policy Alliance.

“Veterans and all people who have suffered from serious trauma and violence deserve the freedom to choose the safest treatment for their debilitating conditions,” Gelay said. “When our veterans come home they deserve access to the medicine that works for them.”

Arizona’s veteran population is 530,693, ranking it 13th among states with the largest population of veterans. Emerging evidence from on-going studies in Israel, supported by the Israeli government, show that marijuana is effective for combat veterans experiencing symptoms of PTSD that are treatment-resistant.

Many veterans, including Ricardo Pereyda of Tucson, who saw combat in Iraq and testified at the hearing, are elated.

“Being able to treat multiple symptoms from post-traumatic stress with Cannabis has been instrumental in my ability to lead a full and produc-

tive life,” said Pereyda. “Judge Shedden showed that politics does not have to trump science, and doing so showed his compassion for combat veterans and others who have suffered from traumatic events.”

“Cannabis medicine is natural, gentle, nontoxic and should be available to PTSD sufferers in Arizona,” said Heather Manus, president of the Arizona Cannabis Nurses Association.

“Many PTSD patients in neighboring states are successfully finding relief of symptoms through the use of Cannabis.”

“This ruling could help a lot of Arizonans,” Manus said. “Not just combat veterans, but people with chronic illness and pain who can’t find relief from other medications.”

The judicial ruling in Arizona puts it on the road to becoming the 12th state to permit people suffering from PTSD to legally access medical marijuana. In fewer than 12 months, four states (Oregon, Maine, Michigan and Nevada) added PSTD to their medical marijuana programs.

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8 QUESTIONS

By WES ABNEY | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN

THE DEALMAKER

BOB SMART The founder of CannaCon will transform the Tacoma Dome into the Northwest’s largest Cannabis business & networking expo August 14-17th — but look elsewhere if you just want to smoke.

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More info at cannacon.org Day/Weekend Tickets ($30-60)

I started growing exactly 40 years ago for personal use and as a patient in Washington for the last five years. I’ve worked hard to provide real medicine for patients, and I’ve been vending at farmers markets and supporting local jobs.

We are going to have all types of vendors, from growing supplies companies to Cannabis testing companies, general contractors and electricians, distribution and logistics companies, greenhouse manufacturers, air conditioning companies, merchant services, banking, investment/venture capital firms, extraction products, packaging companies, event companies, edible companies, trimming solutions and topical producers...

#2 What gave you the idea for cannacon, and the courage to try and pull off something so ambitious?

#6 That’s quite a list. What is the schedule like for attendees? we’ve heard rumors of shuttles to and from Seattle Hempfest.

I worked for Cal Spas for a decade and would manage its booths at different trade shows. These weren’t little displays, either. Our booth at the LA County Fair was the size of a football field, with dozens of hot tubs and spas on display. I went on to run my own home and garden show called the Central Washington Super Show for five years, before settling down and growing. But I still had the desire to do a big show, and one day the name CannaCon popped into my head. Within a couple of months I had the Tacoma Dome booked, and really starting rolling.

We have buses running back and forth from Seattle Hempfest to CannaCon, but parking at the Tacoma Dome is free with a ticket to CannaCon! For attendees, Thursday and Friday are free for any business owner and a guest. All they have to bring is proof of owning a business and they can come in for a true Cannabis business-to-business experience.

Saturday and Sunday are open to the public, with tickets online for $30 through Ticketmaster or at the door.

#1 how did you become involved in the cannabis movement?

#3 CannaCon is also going to be a lot different than your average pot festival. Why make it about business, and not just about smoking pot?

I’ve bought a VIP ticket at Cannabis Cups and Hempfests and never felt satisfied by the experience. I have also tried to sell products like nutrients at those events, and realized that the demographic of attendees is there just to get high. It is impossible to do business at those types of events, and they shouldn’t be called trade shows. CannaCon is going to be the first professional Cannabis trade show.

#7 You also have seminars going on throughout the weekend.

What will be some of the highlights?

One of the coolest things we are doing is a Cannabis version of the “Shark Tank” game show, where people can pitch investment ideas to real investors. We also will have growing classes, legal seminars, MMJ seminars, recreational/502 seminars, explaining terpenes and other cannabinoids, and more. A full list is available online, with 65 available in all. The seminars are free for any attendee, and bring big value to the tickets. We are also going to have a budtender certification program that weekend, where over three days of classes and passing a test you can become certified to provide medicine.

#4 How do you feel your event can change the industry?

#8 what can you tell us about the vip experience?

What we are really trying to do, our end goal, is to change the scheduling of Cannabis. That can only happen if we are seen as a legitimate industry, with legitimate businesses and practices. We need the public behind us, and if all they see is our industry partying it will never happen. We need the public to see us as a normal industry, a suit and tie industry, a professional industry that is going to change the world.

The best part of being VIP is eating and drinking free all weekend, plus the social events. Friday night will include a special performance at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, with dinner and drinks provided.

VIPs will also have access to special beer/wine and snack areas, and private meeting rooms for business meetings. Saturday will include a trip out to MMJ Universe in Black Diamond for a private pot party and barbecue with live music. There will also be VIP perks on-site, and more to be listed and coming!

#5 the event will be at the historic wooden Tacoma Dome. What kind of booths and vendors can people expect?

‘‘

For attendees, Thursday and Friday are free for any business owner and a guest. All they have to bring is proof of owning a business and they can come in for a true Cannabis business-to-business experience. july 2014 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

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By WES ABNEY | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN

access

ON THE FARM

It has been estimated that 98 percent of people in the United States have never seen a live pot plant.

Kush Tourism aims to change that.

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T

he budding tour company has joined with farmer Tom groups and enhanced tours including a special “flowering KUSH TOURISM Lauerman’s Garden of the Green Sun to showcase tour” at the end of September. The plants will be growing all 206-587-KUSH a medical Cannabis outdoor farm near Vancouver in summer long, so tour attendees could come twice and see kushtourism.com, $75 Brush Prairie, Washington. Anyone older than 21 years the plants in different stages of their life cycles. of age who wants to come take a tour and immerse themselves in For Michael Gordon, Kush Tourism’s founder, the choice to host a tour on the glory of an organic farm is welcome. It’s just vegetables, dirt and sweet, natural the farm was an easy one.

Cannabis for acres and acres all around, and it’s wonderful.

“As soon as you step onto the farm the taboo of Cannabis is gone. It’s just The tour includes a walkthrough of two 90-foot outdoor greenhouses, featuring like seeing the grapes outside a winery, and this shows how it is made and over 20 strains of Cannabis. Attendees are given a free joint in the beginning, and the peaceful environment that Cannabis thrives in,” he explained. “It’s so are welcome to bring their own Cannabis to consume. comfortable out here, and it takes you into a completely new element.”

As he leads the tour groups around, Farmer Tom shares the tips and tricks of Another enjoyable aspect of the farm is that it actively produces food for growing Cannabis outdoors, and the demands of growing any plant organically. The the community, making it a true agricultural tourism stop. tour is an extensive mix of grow class, winery–turned-Cannabis farm tour, and day “Agro-tourism reconnects us to the soul of where our food comes from, in the life experience of a real farmer. and now this offers our medicine and recreational choice too.”

“We grow our Cannabis like we grow our vegetables. It’s all about being sustainKush Tourism also offers cultural tours in the Seattle area, including able and organic, and having fun while doing it,” Tom explained. “I love doing tours glassblowing classes, dispensary insider looks, marijuana cooking classes here because I get to teach a little bit of everything, and open people’s eyes to what and extraction company tours. Michael said he believes that the tour on a a pot farm is really like.” pot farm will be a draw to Portland residents locally, and to visitors from all The tours are running weekends throughout the summer, with options for private over the globe. Light up that joint, and the rest is history.

We grow our Cannabis like we grow our vegetables.

It’s all about being sustainable and organic, and having fun while doing it. july 2014 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

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profile

By WES ABNEY | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN

Janice is doing well on one dose of RSO daily instead of 12 different pharmaceuticals and likes to spread the word.

Janice patten of beaverton was facing brain surgery. near bedridden, she was certain her time was up.

Then her daughter told her about rick simpson oil.

BACK FROM THE BRINK 20/july 2014 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

J

anice Patten was told in October she had a 20 percent chance of surviving brain surgery and that without treatment she would die.

She never had the surgery, but she’s alive today.

Janice, her family, doctors and specialists all agree that a single substance saved her life: Rick Simpson Oil. anice has been a medical Cannabis patient for nine months, and she says she owes her life to medical Cannabis. So do her signs, which she proudly displays on a quiet side street in Beaverton. Each day her planter is graced with a different hand-drawn sign, complete with smiley faces and messages about her medicine.

“I see people suffering and I want to help, I want people to know,” Janice said while sitting in her living room and blinking back tears. “I walk up to people all the time and say, ‘I’m going to tell you about RSO.’ ” Before becoming a patient, Janice didn’t know about Cannabis concentrates. But she did know about pain. She was diagnosed with pseudotumor cerebri, a condition in which the brain swells without reason and creates swelling of the optic nerve.

“In 2011, I started having migraines, some lasting as long as three days, and I realized it was really bad.

I went to the hospital and the doctor performed an emergency spinal tap. They noticed that my brain pressure was high, and that my spinal fluid was not absorbing.”

The doctors put her on Acetazolamide, a drug prescribed either for glaucoma or to hikers in high altitudes to keep internal pressures correct — but just for short-term use — days or months. Janice was kept on Acetazolamide for two years, which resulted in significant kidney damage and recurring kidney stones.

“They wrecked my kidneys,” Janice said with a mixture of pain and frustration. “I didn’t really know the risks, and when I finished I was on 2,000 milligrams of that drug alone per day. I started developing kidney stones, 10 to 11 millimeter-size stones so big that they had to perform multiple surgeries just to shunt open where it was passing. I was in constant pain.”

The toxicity built until Janice was effectively

bedridden, unable to tend to her family’s needs or her own. She had to take morphine for pain and the drugs kept her in a fog. She was also taking medicine for high blood pressure, diabetes medicine, asthma medication and more, for a total of 12 pharmaceutical pills. At the peak, she was going to the hospital weekly, often by ambulance.

“It got to where the firefighters knew me by name, the paramedics knew me by name.”

Then she got news of the surgery. There was no choice about it, the doctors said, and she called her oldest daughter immediately.

“You know when you aren’t going to make it through something, when your body is just going to give up on you,” Janice said through her tears. “I had nearly died in my last surgery, so when I told her, she knew I wasn’t going to make it. But she had an idea. She said she had heard about an oil, and said let’s try this.”

Her daughter put her in touch with a friend who was making Cannabis oil for her young adult son, who had leukemia. The oil is known as Rick Simpson Oil (RSO), or Full Extract Cannabis Oil [FECO] and is processed by using ethanol or grain alcohol to strip cannabinoids from raw plant material.

When it has been properly processed and purged of residual alcohol, RSO looks like a thick black tar, and can range in taste and smell from sweet to bitter. It is often in the 30-percent to 70-percent CBD range (or higher). A typical dose for a nonterminal patient is the size of a grain of rice, or 1/20th of a gram.

Janice and her husband emptied their life savings and arranged to purchase $8,000 worth of the medicine for a $4,000 discount, on a fronted time-payment agreement, which was considered enough for an initial round of treatment. The person providing the medicine was kind, and the oil was of good quality, and she immediately started consuming 1 gram of oil per day.

“Two days after I started, I had my last headache, and I haven’t had to take so much

as an ibuprofen since,” Janice said. “But it wasn’t easy in the beginning. The first two weeks for me I basically slept. That’s when the medicine is doing its work. During that time you have to have someone on hand to bring you food and water, and help you do even the most basic of things.”

The results were spectacular. Not only did Janice not need to have the brain surgery, she was able to stop taking all her other medications over the course of nine months of RSO treatment. She hasn’t stopped taking her oil.

Janice’s monthly medicine organizer is down to one pill per day. She hand-fills and weighs her doses out, and drops a single pill in a container that used to overflow. By trading in Western medicine for a natural plant, she has effectively managed her entire health care into one step.

Her kidneys have returned to 100% normal function and she is dedicated to sharing the truth about her medicine with others.

“I’m an average Joe, and this stuff has made all the difference in my life,” Janice said. “That’s the thing. Why isn’t the government telling every average person about this? I weighed 365 pounds and couldn’t walk before medical Cannabis, and I went out and played softball with my grandkids last week. I see people suffering and I want them to know!”

She has spread the word on RSO far and wide through YouTube videos and social media. From a Beaverton grocery clerk who got his mother using RSO for breast cancer, to a family in Africa treating their daughter for a brain tumor, Janice is achieving her goal of raising awareness and changing lives.

“I was on the brink of death. I was literally making my video goodbyes to people. You ask my family now and they will tell you I have come back to life.”

“I walk up to people all the time and say, ‘I’m going to tell you about RSO.’ ”

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access

By WES ABNEY | PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN

ALL OF THE LIGHTS

T

Pure Green PDX in Portland ’s Hollywood District operates with a patient-focused style

he hallmark of Pure Green PDX in northeast Portland is the value the owner and staff place on their medicine, and ultimately, their patients.

From the vast spread of concentrates to the fairly priced top-shelf medicine, the selection leaves nothing to be desired. Several other attributes make the shop outstanding, but perhaps the most important attribute is the owner, Matt Walstatter.

He has taken the journey from patient to vendor to owner, and has built a dispensary that feels close to the community it serves.

“I am a patient and a grower, and I understand what it is like to be on the other side of the counter and what that feels like,” Matt explained. “We are a part of this community and want to make sure it serves everybody, not just us as a dispensary.”

Matt started using Cannabis medicinally in 2005 when his health problems became overwhelming.

He said he was vomiting 20 to 30 times a day and

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fighting other serious intestinal issues. He also our own medicine and provide it to patients, and I contracted double pneumonia, which led to lasthope that we will always have that provision in the ing internal pain. Right away he realized the OMMP (Oregon Medical Marijuana Program). medicine was changing his life.

But for those who it isn’t easy or feasible, I always “I always knew that there was some medicinal wanted to have a dispensary to help and believe value to Cannabis, but before I was sick it wasn’t patients should have that option too.” my primary motivation for smoking,” he said. “I Pure Green opened Jan. 21, 2014, after an was a recreational user. Once I got sick and I saw exhaustive search for property and a large buildthat it helped, it was a no-brainer out. It took Matt and his wife three PURE GREEN PDX months of searching just to find the to become a patient.” www.puregreenpdx.com Matt became a patient before location, calling hundreds of landthere were licensed dispensaries, 3738 NE Sandy Blvd. lords only to get denied or even Portland, OR 97232 and had different experiences with hung up on. But their tenacity paid (971) 242-8561 trying to find medicine. off. The location is near bus lines “Back then, people relied on and the Hollywood Transit Center. finding a grower who might grow for you, might There is also parking on the side for up to six cars, grow good medicine, and might not rip you off,” making getting in a breeze. Everything is ADA Matt said. “Not that it was all bad, because it acceptable, and the inside features two identical worked for a lot of people, but it wasn’t always budtending stations. easy. I love having a system where we can grow “We will have up to two patients per station

Owner Matt Walstatter and manager Pat Rice can help multiple patients get their medicine from two identical budstations. looking at medicine and asking questions,” Matt said, showing us a few of his flower samples. “With over 50 concentrates and a ton of top-shelf medicine to choose from, we like to give people their time and space to find their medicine.”

Taking time is definitely a good call with Pure Green. Starting in the flower department, they have 20-plus options all priced at $10 per gram and available as either $25 or $30 eighths. The Thickwicket was a beautiful looking top-shelf option, with heavy dense buds that oozed out a warm and piney skunk smell. We also looked at the Platinum Girl Scout Cookies, which was frosted in trichomes and emitted a thick mint and earthy flavor. The Jack Herer was also notable, with bright colored flowers,

and a vibrant fruit and pine scent.

“When we purchase flowers our vendors bring them in tested, and then we go through our own testing for effects before adding it to our inventory.

I also make sure to have a balance of indicas, sativas and hybrids available, and to always have a CBDrich option or two for patients. We strive to have balance with our products, and I also tend to trust my instinct on what is good medicine.”

In the concentrates department are a variety of types and consistencies, from BHO to PHO (propane hash oil), solventless full-melt bubble hash, CO2 in raw and cartridge forms, and two types of FECO/RSO, which includes a $20 per gram house brand. Pure Green also has a fine selection of edi-

I am a patient and a grower, and I understand what it’s like to be on the other side of the counter.

bles and topicals, with everything from drinks and baked goods to Bible Tincture infused with Cannabis, cinnamon and myrrh.

For manager Pat Rice, the experience of providing medicine at Pure Green is powerful.

“This is not my first dispensary job, but here I can really say that the business is for the patients,” Pat said. “It is actually about the therapeutic values of Cannabis. That’s why Matt took the time to hire educated employees to teach the patients about medicine. I call it teaching patients how to ‘become their own physician and pharmacist.’ Because you really are doing that with Cannabis.”

Matt is taking that knowledge to the streets this summer with free patient seminars at the library. They will be teaching patients and those who are curious about medical Cannabis, and spreading the knowledge of medicinal Cannabis in the best way possible -- from the heart.

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OREGON LEAF

STRAIN OF THE MONTH

By WES ABNEY | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN

The Buddha Tonic is an exclusive house

strain from Collective Awakenings that blends high CBD medicine with great taste and flavor.

The strain came to their gardens by accident, a Big Buddha Cheese X Cannatonics phenotype that was thought to be an under-performer, until it was tested! The nearly perfect 1-1 ratio of THC and CBD is exactly what patients are looking for.

This medicine is great for patients suffering with multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, heavy pain, stress or anxiety, PTSD or other mental health issues.

The relatively low levels of THC keep the psychoactive effects low, making the strain high in therapeutic and medicinal values.

The buds are small and dense, but they carry a deep resiny aroma that is surprising for a high CBD strain. On the surface the buds have a nutty smell with hints of pine and floral notes.

When snapped open the nugs will reveal a warm fizzy-lemon smell, which also comes through in the smooth and easy smoke. This medicine is well flushed, and the smoke is light on the lungs and easy to medicate with.

It centers and calms you with a tingly

sensation that starts in the mouth and quickly overtakes the body. This strain makes the body feel 10-20 pounds lighter, easing joint pain and melting away stress at the same time.

This is a great strain to try out, and Collective Awakenings consistently has other CBD strains available too for anyone interested in CBD therapy.

Available From Collective Awakenings

2823 N.E. Sandy Boulevard Portland, OR 97232 (503) 206-7090 www.collectiveawakenings.org Test Results by Cascadia Labs LLC

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>> Plenty of CBD for pain relief 8.34% THC // 11.95% CBD // 7.84% THCA // 11.56% CBDA

BUDDHA TONIC

COVER STORY

FLAVOR GUIDE C A NNA B I S + A LCO H OL

Why settle for a Bud with your bud(s) when you could try our eight pairings of alcohol and Cannabis that offer a taste experience backed by science.

TANNINS &

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&T E R P E N ES

By WES ABNEY // PHOTOS by DANIEL BERMAN

Styling by Malina Lopez / Props by Aging Fancies

tannins & terpenes

CHEMISTRY R EVI EW

Tannins are naturally occuring molecules found in grape skins and

oak barrels that add color, complexity, bitterness and a dry mouth-feel to each sip of many types of alcohol. Tannins are influenced by weather, natural setting and cross-selection. Red wine has more tannins because the grapes used are fermented with the seeds, skins and stems, while white wine is frequently fermented from just the crushed juice of white grapes or skinless red grapes. Foods such as meat or cheese that are high in protein or fat go well with tannin-rich wines.

Terpenes are produced by the trichomes of the plant, the same

place where THC is produced. They provide powerfully beneficial circulatory and muscular effects. Much of Cannabis’ smell results from terpene content. More than 120 types of terpenes can be produced in Cannabis. The terpene Limonene is also found in citrus fruits like oranges and tangerines. Limonene is a potent anti-fungal and anti-cancer agent, helping naturally reduce the presence of carcinogens in the body.

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ST RA IN : TANG ELO KUS H & DRAG O N’ S HE AD WI LD FE RM E NT CI D E R VAS HON IS L AND , WA $1 5 . 2 9 The Tangelo Kush is a heavy and stoney flower known for high levels of THC that has been compared to having a couple glasses of wine. Now, you can really experience the sensation. The apple-cider taste goes perfectly with this bold fruity strain. The flower has notes of orange, citrus, and apples, and finishes with a smooth smoke that has hints of a floral diesel taste. A naturally fermented cider using only the yeasts on the apples, Dragon’s Head is clean, crisp and mostly dry, with feral robustness and real apple flavor, along with pear, honeysuckle and floral notes on the edges.

S T RA I N: BLUE S UGAR C OOKI ES & F INN RIVE R B LACK CU RRANT WI NE $19 .99 This strain has a special aroma that blends a thick, fruity, syrup smell with bright notes of lemon-lime. After a sip of the wine, a toke of the Blue Sugar Cookies brightens the palate and the cerebral effects settle in nicely.

The currant wine has a dark sweet taste with a bright black fruit note. An easy sipping wine fortified to 18 percent, it’s strong enough to ward off the winter cold and dark and sweet enough to splash into sparkling wine in the summer.

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tannins & terpenes

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SUNSCREEN OPTIONAL

ST R AI N: BAY D REAM & CRISTOM VI OGNI E R W IL L AM E T TE VALLE Y 2012 $2 6 . 9 9 This euphoric cut from Grandaddy Purp’s Seeds is a sweet treat. It is a cross of Blue Dream with Bay 11, with each parent bringing various flavors to the table. The Blue Dream brings sweet and warm fruit tastes and a tropical finish that matches this wine from Willamette Valley perfectly.

The Bay 11 flavors add a subtle earthy note in the background that balances out the strain, making it a perfect sweet strain for a warm summer day. The Bay blends smartly with the Cristom Viognier Willamette Valley 2012, which reveals hints of orange blossoms, honeysuck-

le, peach and apricot, and is round and rich with layers of tropical fruits. It’s fresh, bright, mouth-watering and perfectly balanced.

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tannins & terpenes

SMELLS LIKE CINNAMON

S TRAI N: W H I TE D A W G & FOU R ROSE S B OU RB ON $2 3 . 9 9

THE BIG APPLE (MANHATTAN) 2 oz Four Roses bourbon 1 oz Swede Hill Apple Pie Moonshine Dash Orange Bitters

Pour bourbon, Apple Pie & bitters into a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice cubes. Shake well, and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

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S T RAIN :FIERC E OG KUSH & SW EDE HIL L AP P L E P IE MOONS HINE $35.99 ]The Fierce OG Kush from Goldleaf Gardens is a special strain. Its signature jars keep the flower fresh and allow the smell to jump out when the container is opened. The smell of apples and cinnamon is the first to hit the nose, with undertones of earthy caramel and nutmeg finishing the flavor profile. This is a heavy high that matches the impact of apple moonshine, which tastes just like apple pie, if you serve your apple pie over ice with a spritz of club soda.

A cross between White Fire OG and Chemdog, this strain has a heady smell that will fill up a room fast. The White Fire OG brings earthy and sweet smells of caramel and citrus, which meets the Chemdog diesel flavor to make a truly distinctive combination. This strain pairs well with the bourbon straight or shared with the mixed drink recipe. This is a nice bourbon with notes of vanilla, caramel, maple, cinnamon and a nice oaky scent. It’s sweet on the lips, has an oak note, lasts long and has a slightly dry finish. Smooth.

ST RAIN : PURPLE KUSH & p. loui s marti n grand c r u b r u t c ham pag ne nv $2 9 . 9 9 The buttery brioche flavor of the champagne pairs wonderfully with the nutty pine flavor of the Purple Kush, which finishes with earthy tones when smoked. Our phenotype had a strong fruity flavor when snapped open and a powerful flavor of resin that tastes like heaven when smoked. We matched it up with this full-bodied champagne from the village of Bouzy.

The nose is a buttery and grilled brioche with a yeasty edge to balance the textured apple and fresh apricot. It melts in the mouth with a slight effervescence; it’s a good balance between power and freshness.

This ripe style makes an easy drinking champagne.

S T RAI N : CHO CO L O PE & FU L L SA IL BO U RBO N BA RRE L AGE D I M PE RIAL STOUT $12.99 The name here says it all. Dark musky notes of chocolate and espresso in the strain match this stout beer like they were made for each other. This beer was aged for a year in Makers Mark, Heaven Hill and Four Roses casks. This stout is dark and rich, picking up flavors of wood, smoke and vanilla during the barrel aging. Add a scoop of ice cream and you’ll have one heck of a float.

TASTES LIKE

EARTHINESS

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tannins & terpenes

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RELAXING

DISCOVERY

ST R AI N: P LUS H BERRY & ravens w o o d zen o f zi n cal i fo r ni a 2 0 1 2 $4 . 9 9 This delicious cross between Black Cherry Soda and Space Queen from TGA Seeds goes well with the Zen of Zin. Strong notes of berry and fruit go with the wine, and the relaxing indica effects will make any evening a pleasure.

Slow down with this pair and get ready for a stress-free tasting.

The fruit-forward plush Zinfandel takes the finer characteristics of Zinfandel and puts it in an affordable package.

One of the better bargain wines, it’s a crowd-pleaser. You cannot go wrong choosing Zen for your next party or backyard barbecue cookout.

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recipes

By Pam TwiceBakedInWa for ORegon Leaf

PHOTO by daniel berman/oregon leaf

Summer Berry StoveTop Cobbler Fueled by a healthy case of the munchies,

I suddenly needed to figure out how to have a cake-like dessert in five minutes without using sugar, gluten, dairy, or eggs? Stove-top cobbler was invented. While you can totally use plain coconut oil in this recipe, being able to create a fresh medicated edible in a couple of minutes is a good skill to know. Serves 2.

Cannabis Infused Coc onut Oil 1-2 Tsp. Mixed Berries 1 Cup 1 Ripe Banana Cinnamon ½ Tsp. Vanilla 1/2 Tsp. Hemp Seeds ¼ Cup Coconut Flour 2-3 Tbs. Chopped Nuts ¼ Cup

MELT coconut oil in a pot.

ADD berries, banana, cinnamon and bring to a simmer for a few minutes minutes.

MIX in vanilla, coconut flour, and hemp seeds. Mixture will become thick and “cakey”.

SPRINKLE with chopped nuts and serve with a spoonful of thick coconut milk.

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Check out more of Pam’s recipes at Twicebakedinwashington.com

health & science

TH E S E C RET P O W ER O F EL D ER B E RRI ES

BY NORTHWEST LEAF SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR SCOTT D. ROSE

A BOTANICAL MONOGRAPH

Commonly known as black elderberry, European elder, elderberry, elder flowers, flos sambuci nigra

Identifying marks:

Shrub growing in moist soil with stems up to 4m high; narrow, dark green, serrated leaves; large clusters of small, fragrant, creamy-white flowers in early summer ; fruits shiny black-purple, edible, berry-like drupes in late summer/early fall.

Parts used:

The leaves, bark, flowers, and berries have all been used medicinally. The berries are most commonly used today formed into a concentrated syrup.

Active constituents:

Flavenoids quercetin and rutin, anthocyanadins, proteins, glycosides, viburnic acid, and vitamins A and C

Historical uses:

Treatment of common cold symptoms, increase body temperature and induce sweating, as a diuretic, astringent, laxative, as an expectorant for treatment of mild inflammation of upper respiratory tract, and induce vomiting. Has been used as food to make pies, wine, flavorings and color dyes.

Medicinal uses:

(Sambucus nigra) is found in North Africa, North America, western & central Asia and Europe.

PHOTO BY FLICKR/JACOB WHITTAKER

Side effects & toxicity:

Uncooked berries or juice can result in vomiting and diarrhea. constituents of the leaves, stems, flowers, and roots contain poisonous alkaloids (best to use berries). People can be allergic to it.

Contraindications:

There have been no adverse effects reported. as with all botanical medicines women who are pregnant or nursing should consult with their doctor before use.

The antioxidant properties of elderberry make it useful in any condition where there is oxidative stress such as cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative processes such as Alzheimer’s, cancer, peripheral vascular disorders, autoimmunity, and Multiple Sclerosis. direct stimulation of insulin and glucose metabolism directs its’ use toward blood sugar issues such as diabetes. perhaps the most important and

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Dosage:

Elderberry syrups are typically dosed at 1 tablespoon (15ml) three times per day and powdered preparations are typically dosed at one 500mg capsule 3 times with or without food. For acute viral infection, treatment is typically 3 to 5 days.

Drug interactions:

No confirmed interactions. people with diabetes should monitor their blood sugar with usage.

most well studied are the antiviral effects of elderberry. numerous studies using a trademarked proprietary blend - Sambucol (available over the counter as well as others {look for Honey Gardens Elderberry Syrup- has other herbs that work well with elderberry}) have shown multiple antiviral mechanisms. elderberry is useful in the treatment of viral infections associated with the common cold, influenza, herpes simplex, and HIV.

Recipe for elderberry syrup: www.tinyurl.com/elderberryelixir

E

.

5

trim. ces.

OREGON LEAF THE STORIES that matter to you are the ones that matter to us.

celebrating our first month in oregon after 4 years in washington

FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

nwleaf.com

health & science

NOT SO SWEET W HY LARGE CO RPO RA TI O N S WA N T TO K E E P Y O U E A TI N G AN D D R I N K I N G H F CS

H

igh fructose corn syrup is a highly processed, corn-derived sweetener that’s a cheap alternative to old fashioned sugar. It is the principal sweetener used in processed foods and beverages in the U.S., having replaced sucrose (table sugar) in the food industry.

Due to some politics, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) emerged in the early to mid-1970s. From 1970 to 2000, a 25 percent increase in “added sugars” occurred in the average U.S. resident’s diet.

Health concerns centered on the consumption of HFCS include obesity, diabetes, and liver and heart disease.

Most research has been “inconclusive,” conveniently backing the corporations and lobbying groups that contend HFCS is no more harmful than sweeteners such as sugar and honey.

HFCS was rapidly introduced into many processed foods and soft drinks in the U.S. from about 1975 to 1985. Soda makers such as Co-

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ca-Cola and Pepsi use sugar in other nations, The United States has the highest consumption but switched to HFCS in the U.S. in 1984. of high-fructose corn syrup at 42 pounds per perHFCS is also commonly used in breads, cereson per year. HCFS is the primary sweetener that als, breakfast bars, lunch meats, yogurts, soft has primarily replaced sucrose in the food indusdrinks, soups and condiments. try. Again, sucrose from natural sources has been Before the development of the global sugar ina part of the human diet for thousands of years, dustry, fructose in the diet was limbut HFCS has only been used for ited to a few items. Milk, meats and about 40 years in the human diet. most vegetables, the staples of many A system of sugar tariffs and early diets, have no fructose, and sugar quotas imposed in 1977 in the

BY NORTHWEST LEAF then fruits such as apples, grapes, or U.S. significantly increased the cost SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR strawberries are only 5 percent to 10 of imported sugar, and U.S. producSCOTT D. ROSE percent fructose by weight. ers sought cheaper sources. HFCS Between the years 1970 and 2000, derived from corn is more economia 25 percent increase in “added sugcal because the domestic U.S. prices ars” occurred in the U.S. The average of sugar are twice the global price dietary intake of calories in America in 1970 was and the price of corn is kept low through govern2,076, in 2010 it was 2,534 calories. That is an inment subsidies paid to farmers. crease of 458 calories, much of which is coming HFCS is produced by processing “dent” corn from HFCS. ( a breed that is highly genetically modified and

not consumable until the HCFS process is complete) into cornstarch, and processing that starch to yield corn syrup, which is almost entirely glucose.

Then, by adding some enzymes, some of the glucose is changed into fructose. The most common method of commercial production is microbial fermentation, using bacteria or fungi to create the enzymes.

HFCS has been classified generally recognized as safe by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration since 1976, but health concerns have been raised. The growth of fructose consumption in many developed nations coincides with the large increase in the prevalence of obesity — along with cardiovascular disease, diabetes and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Large corporations and lobbying groups with vested interests in the global sugar industry support research projects and nutritionists who support their positions, and some food and beverage industry experts have said they’ve concluded that HFCS is no different from any other sugar in relationship to these diseases.

Most independent medical and nutritional experts do not support the use of HFCS in food.

Fructose consumption does not hit the satiety centers in the brain that tell someone they are full.

HFCS and cane sugar are not biochemically identical or processed the same way in the body.

When large amounts of fructose are ingested, the fructose and glucose units are absorbed and the fructose goes to the liver to make fats such as triglycerides and cholesterol, and the glucose raises

The growth of fructose consumption in many developed nations coincides with the large increase in the prevalence of obesity,

insulin levels in the blood stream. Sucrose from sugar cane or sugar beets has been a part of some human diets for thousands of years, and sucrose from fruit or honey has been in the human diet for thousands of years.

HFCS contains contaminants, including mercury, that are not regulated or measured by the Food and Drug Administration. A 2009 study found that out of 20 samples of HFCS collected from three separate manufacturers, 11 did not contain detectable levels of mercury, but nine of the samples did contain mercury.

The potential amount of contaminated food product makes up to 15 percent to 20 percent of the average American’s daily calorie intake. Mercury is a known neurotoxin to the human body and should be avoided.

HFCS producers are waging a branding war, attempting to label HCFS as “natural,” and suggesting a name change to “corn sugar.” See through the deception of the American Corn Association’s concerted attempt to dispel the “myth” that HCFS is harmful and uses the opinion of “medical and nutrition experts” that it is no different than cane sugar. It is not a “healthful” part of our diets when used in moderation.

HFCS is not a sweet deal.

cardiovascular disease, diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Dr. Scott D. Rose is a naturopathic

physician, acupuncturist specialized in combining naturopathic medicine and Chinese medicine to treat a variety of complaints. www.msih.biz

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GROWTECH

What does it really take to eliminate and prevent pests?

INFESTED P

ests are the bane of every growers existence and yet every one of us has dealt with them at one time or another. There is no single topic that holds more conversation, controversy and opinions on message boards around the world….wide web than those surrounding identifying and treating pest infestation.

This month we’ll be taking a look a few different methods for treating pests.

I found in trying to learn what the “best” treatment is, it’s helpful to understand that each of these treatments exist in a general category that carries with it certain benefits and deficits. Some of which are apparent; some not so apparent.

a treated and sealed source. effective job.

-Treating heat exchange with in-If you don’t grow from seeds be take/exhaust will generally stress any sure that you have a safe and efBY NORTHWEST LEAF porous area of the room that may alfective quarantine area that you SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR low air to pass so it’s helpful to seal can leave any new plants you DR. SCANDERSON all areas of the room to minimize untake in for two to four weeks wanted air exchange (corners, seems, before ever considering bringing light fixtures, air vents, doors etc.) them in proximity with clean -Once temperature and humidity plants. are dialed in it’s important, especially in the Pacific -Be sure to provide your plants with adequate Northwest climate to have copious air movement feeding schedule in veg such that a healthy in the canopy (all leaves lightly shaking at almost rhizosphere may be developed and the plants all times) natural systemic acquired resistance (SAR) -Set a designated pair of clothes aside as your garsystems are robust. dening clothes. More often than not the gardener is As medical growers I don’t believe we can the culprit for introducing pests into a garden. They afford not to have rigorous procedures to enAn ounce of prevention will hitch a ride on clothes, hair and shoes. You can sure sterile and safe growing. Better than any In my experience the number one cause by far of also use a Tyvek suit/bib. treatment offered in this article, is preventing ongoing infestation has little to do with the type -I have yet to meet a human that I enjoy as much any infestation in the first place and providing of products you are choosing, and most likely has as my dogs. Having said that, they have never, ever, completely clean, untreated medication for the everything to do with the room you are growing in ever, never, ever, ever been in my gardens. patients. and/or your practices of entry, exit and cleanliness.

-Slip on a hat, disposable nitrile gloves and some I cannot stress enough how frequently the -Open rooms benefit by having the intake air garden shoes. cryptic answer to eradicating our enemy, treated with HEPA filtration or be pulling air from -Leave all your scissors, trimmer, etc in a sterilthe nuclear resistant, psychosexually reproducizing solution. ing, spider mite is to simply stop reintroducing -Create a “room reset” procedure to conthem into your environment. duct between each round. This should Be aware that you are dealing with nature As you climb the ladder from natural to include a massive cleaning of all floor and attempting to interrupt or limit a natcompletely synthetic treatment options, the time the and wall surfaces, fan blades and casings, urally occurring process. As you climb the product takes to interrupt the pest life cycle shortens, light hoods, glass (if applicable), tops of ladder from completely natural to completeballasts and inline fans or anywhere that ly synthetic treatment options, the time the the time it stays effective increases and perhaps dust gathers.

A simple mixture of bleach product takes to interrupt the pest life cycle most important to this article, the fewer options you and water will do a great job. There are shortens, the time it stays effective increases have to reach for next if they haven’t been working. also specialized products such as sporaciand perhaps most important to this article, din and physan 20 that do an even more the fewer options you have to reach for next.

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gory because such treatment doesn’t occur with regularity in nature and requires the gardener to step in. Putting the same things on your plants to treat infestation that you may be putting in your breakfast brings with it safety and comfort for the patients ingesting the medication. The not less obvious benefit is that many treatments provide stimulating aromas for both you and your plants. the five stages of pesticide usage There is an entire developing science that involves exposing Cannabis plants to aroma therapy alone to Stage 1 - Prevention: Worth: ________ treat stress, increase vigor, and improve potency, oil (insert desired yield here)’s of cure. production and the alike.

Stage 2- Biological treatments.

The disadvantage, like all levels of control closer to the natural end of the spectrum, is that it requires By intentionally introducing the natural predators high levels of diligence on the gardener’s behalf to of pests, growers are able to control and eliminate ensure any infestation is caught early and controlled those pests that are harmful to Cannabis. So bring with precise regularity. in more bugs to get rid of the old ones? That’s preWhile this principle holds true for any treatcisely accurate. The predators that are introduces will ment methods, those with higher levels of synthetic naturally carry through their life cycle as their food concentrate often need to only be applied once or source, the pests you are trying to eliminate, are detwice to be effective, compared with much higher pleted. frequency over several weeks characteristic of more The obvious benefit of using biological controls natural choices. The less obvious disadvantage is that is that you are applying no substances of any kind, as natural as these substances may be, they can still natural or otherwise to your plants, rather helping harm your plants if applied improperly. Take it from recreate nature’s defenses. anyone (yours truly included) who, in a fit of anger Growers advocate keeping a small and healthy and hate, channeled the frustrations of all the sufpopulation of friendly predators like fering in the world into the trigger lady bugs in your garden at all times end of a cayenne and cinnamon oil Pesticide options and provides methods for sustainfilled spray bottle, you can fry your rated from natural ing and enjoying a healthy biologladies with these substances. to nuclear ical population as part of your over all indoor environment.

Stage 4 - OMRI rated Biological Depending on the life stage of your organic treatments Natural, using the forces of nature to your benefit, plant and level of infestation you not as effective once the may not have enough time before Probably the product categooutbreak has a strong hold harvest to eliminate the infestation ry I have seen most widely used on the garden. and all bugs to have completed their is a group of products that you life cycle and may be unfortunately All natural wouldn’t necessarily be adding to Parts of some people’s reguleft with some predators in harvest. your breakfast but are organic or at lar diets, aromatic, requires least OMRI rated and believed to high diligence and early Stage 3 - All natural treatments be safe for consummation. detection for maximum Inside this category I’d include a effectiveness. Safe to use all Many completely natural, completespectrum of products from neem the way up to harvest. ly organic, completely edible items oil to products like azatrol, azamax Non-OMRI pesticides can be used to prevent and control and spinosad which have a combiCan be one shot one kill pests and infestation. Readily availnation of various compounds that and continues working able, easy to mix and pleasant to apinvolve much more complex profor weeks after applicaply, naturally occurring extracts, oils tion, and can kill everycess to produce i.e. fermentation, thing except the plant… and spices of other plants, flowers, distilled extractions etc. including the patient. trees, barks, sap, seeds and the like These are used most widely behave the power to prevent and eradcause they represent a nice balance OMRI rated icate many infestations. of effectiveness and safety.

Most widely used, nice One may consider this biologibalance between being Some of these products (be sure effective and being safe, cal as you are largely using defense to check and follow ONLY the may not be safe to use deep mechanisms from other species manufacture’s recommendations, I into flower of plants to fight your infestation. always start off at about 2/3-3/4 of I have provided it in its own catewhat is recommended for the most

diluted mixtures) can be applied both hydroponically and in soil into the medium directly. This helps to eliminate missing areas of the plant when treating with foliar applications (spraying solution onto the leaves), is easy as feeding your plants or mixing your nutrients and can be sustained with ease and consistency for the longer durations required to properly interrupt the life cycles. Because of the large spectrum of products that are OMRI rated some of these products require careful application and can be harmful and irritating to humans and pets if not applied, controlled and disposed of properly. Another area of debate is the viability of using such products for an application such as combustible medication.

While many manufactures state on their label that the product is safe to use late into bloom or very close to harvest, there is much difference of opinion regarding the latest date in the plant’s life cycle it is safe to use these products for medical Cannabis.

Stage 5-synthetic pesticide and other non-OMRI treatments These products include human’s best attempts at interrupting another’s life cycle and continuing to offer protection with minimal treatments.

They also include those products that fall outside of the requirement from EPA registration. The advantage of these products is their effectiveness. With the gloves off humankind is capable of creating a myriad of ways to destroy things.

For some growers, these products hold the unique and effective position in the “if all else fails” category and can be used with reasonable safety for cleaning in between rounds by following certain precautions. The disadvantage to these products is that many of them kill you.

American agricultural science has made valiant effort to create an invisible nuclear war to protect our precious food crops. In order to ensure billions of bushels of corn are produced without interruption annually, we have turned to using extensive, chemical based fertilizers and GMO’s to control pests.

Looks like Cannabis, smells like Cannabis, even tastes like Cannabis...well sorta. Problem is, it can be loaded with residual and active chemicals that are oh-so-effective at eradicating the infestation that they also do extremely harmful things to the human body.

I sincerely hope my readers never have to find any of this useful. If you find yourself battling the hair-raising experience of intruders in your garden, I hope understanding the categories of products you’re choosing from allows the knowledge to make the choices that are right for you.

juLY 2014 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

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concentrates

By WES ABNEY | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN

Cinex Raw C02 The cross of Cinderella 99 and Vortex provides strong cerebral highs and euphoric energy.

TEST RESULTS

65.48% THC-Total 0.59% CBN 0.84% CBG-TOTAL 1.58% cbd 1.01% cbc total 69.50% aCTIVATED tOTAL Microbial screen: pass Processed by mOUNT hOOD eXTRACTS available from

Bridge City Collective 4312 North Williams Ave. Portland, OR 97217 215 SE Grand Ave. Portland, Oregon 97214

If color and clarity are good enough to

judge a diamond on, this CO2 Concentrate gets the highest color rating from Oregon Leaf. A beautiful amber sap with easy consistency, this raw concentrate is a definite treat. Made from locally cultivated Cinex, it has sweet smells of tropical citrus and pine.

The Cinex strain comes from a cross between Cinderella 99 and Vortex, both of which provide strong cerebral highs and euphoric energy.

When concentrated into oil, the effects only get stronger! The energy response is instant with this oil, and it provides a nice clear-headed high that can cut through pain and the dulls of a normal day. This strain is also great for PTSD and depression, and is known to relieve multiple mental health issues associated with stress and anxiety.

Mount Hood Extracts offers this concentrate raw for dabbing, and also mixed with Headband for an awesome cartridge flavor. The raw is best for dabbing, with a sweet smooth flavor and exhale that allows for big tokes. The cartridges also produce a truly smooth vapor, and have strong effects for any vape pen lover. Overall, this concentrate is a real tasty treat and worth trying out. Check out Bridge City Collective for more info, or ask for Mt. Hood Concentrates at your local collective.

Bridgecitycollective.com

46/july 2014 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF

TESTING by GREENLEAFLAB.ORG